USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leominster > Leominster, Massachusetts, historical and picturesque > Part 2
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HISTORICAL.
25
twenty-sixth day of June, in the thirteenth year of the reignof our Sovereign Lord, William the Third, over England, &c., King. Anno Domini, 1701.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
JOHN WONSQON, JOHN AQUITTICUS, GEORGE TAHANTO,
his 5 mark, his - mark his O mark,
PETER PUCKATAUGH, JONATHAN WILDER. MARY AUNSOCAMONG, his P mark,
her O mark,
JOHN GUILD.
The above is a copy of the deed as it stands on the Propri- etor's records. The act of confirmation was passed by the "Great and General Court or assembly for her majesty's prov- ince of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England," in 1713, and in February 1814 " a committee was chosen to allot said land in lots of 40 acres to a share of the best land, and 40 acres for a minister in the most convenient place and if they find or know of a convenient place for a clay ground that it be reserved for the whole. All lots not so good in quality to be more in quan- tity, so as to be equal to 40 acres of the best land. Among the principal proprietors were the Beamans, the Sawyers, the Houghtons, the Osgoods, the Carters, the Joslins, the Whites, and the Wilders.
As early as 1720 Gamaliel Beaman, Samuel Sawyer, Ben- jamin Houghton, David Os- good and Jonathan Osgood formed a settlement in that part of the grant which is now Sterling.
In 1725 the first actual set- tlers were Gershom Houghton in the south and soon after James Boutelle in the south- westerly part of what is now Leominster.
IN MEMORY OF MY DANIEL KNIGHT
INMEMORY OF MR
WHO DIED OCT. y 27ThA 1767. INY 7.8th YEAR
GERSHOM HOUGHT WHO DIEDAPRIL y 30 A1757
GINY 66Th YEAR
OF HIS AGE,
OF HIS AGE.
AS YOU ARE NOW SOONCE WERE WE AS WE ARE NOW SO YOU MUST BE
ENEL OLD BURYIN
Gershom Houghton
4
26
LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
built his house on the farm now owned by Mr. C. C. Boyden, his wife Tamar carrying in her apron the field stones used in the construction of the chimney. After the death of her hus- band in 1857 she married Mr. Daniel Knight, and after his death ten years later, erected to their memory the double stone now standing in the northeast corner of the old burying ground. The cellar hole of the Houghton house still remains on Mr. Boyden's farm. Seven years afterward Jonathan White located in the northern part. Soon after Thomas Wilder and Nathaniel Carter and others located in different parts. It would seem that the northern part was not rapidly settled for we find in 1733 there were but five families in that section, but in a few years this number was considerably increased.
As early as 1737 the inhabitants became dissatisfied with their connection with Lancaster and, coming to the conclusion that they could conduct their own Parochial and Town affairs with less inconvenience and expense and that they could and would " Maintain a Godly Minister," they applied to the Gen- eral Court and after persevering effort succeeded in securing an act of incorporation of the Town of Leominster which was passed on the 23d of June, O. S., 1740, the same as the 4th of July, N. S., and exactly thirty-six years before the birthday of the Nation.
It has been quite conclusively settled that the original pro- prietors were not the actual settlers of the new grant, but that their sons took up the inheritance of the fathers and entered upon the work of subduing the forest and making homes for themselves. They were doubtless young or middle aged men, intelligent and industrious farmers, and were possessed of the requisite energy which enabled them to succeed in any difficult undertaking.
In the report of the committee sent out to examine the Lancaster " New Grant," it was described as " rocky and moun-
7
RESIDENCE OF DWIGHT B. LOOK, WEST ST.
-
27
HISTORICAL.
tainous, and poorly accommodated with meadow." This was, however, found to be hardly a fair estimate of the Leominster section, for if we except the small portion which is abrupt and mountainous, and the 2000 acre " No-town " tract added in 1838, the land is, as a rule, very productive, and capable of producing a great variety of crops. It required only the removal of the forests to reveal the rich plains underneath the growth of large white and pitch pines, the true alluvial mead. ows occupied by the rock maples, the buttonwood and elm, and the rich, strong soil of the uplands covered with oak, chestnut and walnut. On the site of these ancient forests are the flour- ishing farms of to-day, adapted to the various agricultural and horticultural productions, including all the different kinds of grain, vegetables and fruit. For several years large crops of grain were raised. A considerable portion of the soil was nat- ural to wheat, and wheat flour and Indian meal were raised and taken to the Boston market. Flax was also raised by nearly every farmer in town, and many had flax to sell. The wives and daughters made cloth of it for the family, the latter going into the field to help pull it, and the boys learned to brake and swinge it.
Very little manufacturing was carried on in town previous to the Revolution. The few instances we find on record were as follows : the manufacture of potash, which was undertaken by Thomas Wilder, Esq., one of the first settlers and continued some years afterwards by his son Thomas ; Jonas Kendall also manufactured the article, and also pearlash, for a number of years, and his wife made gingerbread to sell. The first tannery was built by Joshua Smith about this time.
Ebenezer Wilder, of Lancaster, built and owned a grist mill,and Josiah White a saw mill, prior to 1740.
In 1763 Mark Lincoln came to town and set up the business of clothier, constructing a dam and erecting a fulling mill,
28
LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
where the dressing of home-made cloth was carried on to great perfection.
The comb business, which has since been an important industry in Leominster, was commenced about 1770 by Mr. Obadiah Hills, from Newbury.
The first oil mill in town was erected previous to 1790, probably about 1785. It was owned by Hon. Jonas Kendall, and located on the Monoosnock Brook, near the Fitchburg line.
About the year 1787 Mr. Ephraim Eager from Sterling commenced the manufacture of saddles, but failed to carry it on successfully. Asa Kendall, an apprentice of Eager, suc- ceeded his master and met with better success, continuing in business for fifteen years.
The first paper mill was erected by Wm. Nichols and Jonas Kendall in 1796.
Coopering was a profitable business as far back as 1800, many large loads of barrels being sent weekly to the Boston market. A large quantity of bricks were also made at that time. The manufacture of tin ware, stoves, metal pumps, wooden plows, baskets, brooms, straw bonnets and hair sieves was carried on quite extensively, but has since been discon- tinued. In 1811 Luke Wilder built trip hammer works and for several years made axes, scythes and other edged tools and sent them abroad, in every direction, especially to the West.
In the manufacture of boots and shoes but very little had been done previous to 1800, except custom work. It was not unusual, in the early days of the town, for the village shoe- maker, who made and mended the custom shoes, to pack up his " kit" of tools and go fromn house to house making up the shoes for the entire family for the year. The first regular manufacturer was Joseph Conant, who, in 1810 began the man- ufacture of ladies morocco shoes, selling something like $800 worth annually.
29
HISTORICAL.
The increase in the population of Leominster has been very largely dependent upon the condition of its mechanical industries, there being only a very gradual increase in the num- ber of farm dwellings in the past hundred years. The town has suffered from fires several times, the most destructive of which were the burning of the Union Comb shop, the Stein way Piano Factory, the Harwood Leatherboard Mill, the Lockey Shop, the Hotel and Arlington Piano Factory, etc., (in the great fire of 1873.)
LEOMINSTER CENTER IN 1830. FROM AN OLD PRINT.
The loss occasioned by this latter fire was fully $ 100,000.00, and so severely was it felt that the town has not, until within two or three years, entirely recovered from the shock, The following statistics indicate the growth of the town from its settlement down to the present time. In 1725 there were but two families ; in 1733 there were five ; in 1765 the population was 743; in 1776, 975 ; in 1790, 1189 ; in 1800, 1486 ; in 1810, 1584; in 1820, 1790; in 1830, 1861 ; in 1840, 2069 ; in 1850, 3121 ; in 1860, 3522 ; in 1870, 3894; in 1875, 5201 ; in 1880, 5772 ; in 1885, 5297 ; in 1888, estimated about 7000.
CHAPTER III.
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
ANAGEMENT of Town Affairs is committed to the hands of officers duly chosen. The annual meeting of the town for the election of officers and the transaction of town business is held on the first Mon- day in April, at which the following named officers are chosen : a Town Clerk and Treasurer, three Selectmen, three Assessors, three Overseers of the Poor, two members of School Committee, two Library Committee, one of Water Board, three of Cemetery Committee, a Highway Surveyor, three Auditors, a Town Agent, four Constables, a Field Driver, three Fence Viewers, a Pound Keeper, nine Surveyors of Lumber, fourteen Meas- urers of Wood and Bark and three members of Hartwell Smith Fund Committee.
Appointed by the Selectmen : five Engineers of the Fire Department, nine Police Officers, a Keeper of the Lockup, a Probation Officer, Sealer of Weights and Measures, four Registrars of Voters and three Weighers of Merchandise on Town Scales. The School Committee appoint a Superintend- ent of Schools and two truant officers ..
The officers of the town for the present year are as follows:
HOWARD M. LANE.
CHARLES A. HUNT.
GEORGE F. COLBURN.
CHARLES A. JOSLIN.
31
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
Town Clerk and Treasurer, Charles A. Joslin ; Selectmen, How- ard M. Lane, Chairman, Charles A. Hunt, George F. Colburn; Assessors, Alanson Richardson, Cephas Derby, Hollis J. Divoll ; Overseers of the Poor, Dwight B. Look, John Dickey, Charles F. Boyden ; School Committee, E. M. Rockwell, chairman, Joel D. Miller, Henrietta M. Gates, George M. Powers, Charles C. Foster, Francis C. Bowen ; Library Committee, Joel D. Mil- ler, Charles C. Foster, James A. Stowell, Ella M. Wilder, I. Freeman Hall, Henrietta M. Gates ; Water Board, Hamilton Mayo, chairman, George Hall, Joseph G. Tenney ; Cemetery Committee, Benjamin F. Blodgett, Jonas W. Gates, Cornelius A. Whitcomb ; Highway Surveyors, H. M. Lane, C. A. Hunt, G. F. Colburn ; Auditors, George F. Morse, Hamilton Mayo, Aaron O. Wilder ; Town Agent, Alfred L. Burditt; Constables, Willard D. Blanchard, Charles D. Pierce; Field Driver, Frank E. Buss ; Fence Viewers, Charles C. Boyden, Isaac Cowdrey, Jonas W. Gates ; Pound Keeper, Charles E. Dresser ; Survey- ors of Lumber, W. G. Derby, Alvin P. Henry, S. A. Meads, George L. Rice, James Skinner, A. E. Lyon, H. L. Hicks, Por- ter Osborn ; Measurers of Wood and Bark, Wm. H. Burpee, C. A. Goodrich, Horace C. Fuller, George L. Rice, L. E. Osborn, J. M. Robbins, Horace L. Hicks, W. G. Derby, Louis Phelps, James Skinner, William H. Harrison, J. Q. Conant; Hart- well Smith Fund Committee, Dwight B. Look, Mrs. M. D. Haws, Mrs. Elvira Dodge ; Engineers of Fire Department and Forest Fire Wards, William H. Spaulding, Chief, Albert W. Allen, Charles H. King, Charles D. Pierce, Elmer H. Bates, Police Officers, Charles H. Rhoades, Chief, William Harty, William A. Laselle, David I. Munsie, Charles A. Goodrich, Charles H. Rice, Charles H. King, Charles E. Tilton ; Keeper of Lockup, Charles H. Rhoades; Probation Officer, Charles H. Rice ; Sealer of Weights and Measures, Charles H. Rice ;
32
LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
Registrars of Voters, Philip Lothrop, Michael M. Madigan, Charles A. Chase, Charles A. Joslin, Clerk, by virtue of his office as Town Clerk ; Weighers of Merchandise on Toron Scales, Charles F. Nixon, Edmund Munsie, Alfred A. Wheeler ; Super- intendent of Schools, I. Freeman Hall ; Truant Officers, Charles H. Rice, Willard D. Blanchard.
TOWN CLERK-The duties of the Town Clerk begin immediately upon his election, and the administration of the oath of office by the moderator of the meeting or a justice of the peace. It is his duty to record all votes passed at the meeting at which he is elected, and at all other meetings while he continues in office, to notify all other officers of their elec- tion, and to administer the oath of office to all who appear be- fore him for that purpose, and to make a record thereof, also to record the oath of office taken before Justices of the Peace, to record votes cast in elections and make returns of the same, to issue marriage certificates, give burial permits, record births, marriages and deaths, assignments, attachments, mortgages of personal property, dog and liquor licenses.
All records and documents belonging to the office are kept in the sole custody of the Town Clerk, and under his direction all such records or files are open for public inspection and examination and any one may take copies thereof.
Nearly 44 years ago, at the age of 27, Mr. Joel C. Allen was elected to this office and for thirty-nine years he was annu- ally re-elected. During all this time he never once absented himself from the regular town meeting. Upon the death of Mr. Allen, the Selectmen, June 25th, 1884, appointed Mr. Charles S. Perry town clerk and at a special town meeting held Aug. 23d, following, Charles A. Joslin was elected to the office which he has since filled to the satisfaction of the town, who have honored him by a re-election each successive year.
THE TOWN TREASURER receives and takes charge of
33
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
all moneys belonging to the town and pays out and accounts for the same according to the order of the town or of its duly author- ized officers, and renders an annual account of all his receipts, payments and official doings. After serving as Town Clerk for several years Mr. Allen was also elected Town Treasurer, and served in this double capacity up to the time of his death.
June 28th, 1884, the Selectmen appointed, and August 23d the town elected, Mr. Charles A. Joslin his successor, he also has been re-elected Treasurer each year since. Mr. Joslin is a native of Leominster, son of Charles L. Joslin, educated in the Leominster schools, took a business course at Comer's Com- mercial college in Boston, entered the employ of Joslin & Wil- liams and, after working at the business a year, took the position of book-keeper in the office of the firm, which position he still holds with the present proprietor, Mr. A. W. Williams.
THE SELECTMEN are, in their relation to the town, very much what the Mayor, Aldermen and Common Council are to the city. Generally speaking, it may be said that they are agents to take the general superintendence of the business of the town, to supervise the doings of subordinate agents and the disbursement of moneys appropriated by vote of the town, to take care of its property and to perform many other specific duties.
HOWARD M. LANE, Chairman of the present Board of Select- men, was born in Epping, N. H., Dec. 12, 1833, educated in the common schools and at the New Hampshire Conference Seminary at Northfield, (now Tilton,) N. H., came to Leomin- ster in the autumn of 1851, and worked at the Piano-forte bus- iness for his brother, J. C. Lane, and for Hale W. Page of Fitchburg, until 1857, when he succeeded his brother in the manufacture of Piano Cases, in which business he was engaged for about twenty years. During the last nine years he has been the manager of the Leominster Gas Works, being one of อั
34
LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
the original incorporators of the Leominster Gas Light Co., and one of its directors since its incorporation. He was also a member of the water board during the first six years of its existence, being an active member during the construction of the water works. Mr. Lane represented the district of which Leominster formed a part, in the Legislature of 1868, and is now serving the fourth successive year as Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. Married, Jan. 2Ist, 1863, Sarah B., daughter of James H. and Caroline Carter.
CHARLES A. HUNT was born in West Boylston, July 19, 1842, was educated in the public schools of that town, removed to Sterling, where he was engaged in the general store busi- ness from 1865 to 1876. The following year he came to Leom- inster, and for a short time carried on the same business in the corner store under what is now A. L. Williams & Co.'s, and was afterwards associated with Balch, Reed & Co., in the man- ufacture of buttons. Since retiring from business he has found employment, principally, in real estate and other trans- actions, buying, selling, building, etc. He is now serving the fourth consecutive year on the Board of Selectmen. Married, July 19, 1870, Sarah F., daughter of Leonard and Sarah Osborn.
GEORGE F. COLBURN, was born in Leominster, Jan. 2Ist, 1830, educated in the public schools, and at the age of seven- teen went to Southboro, where he was employed in a country store. In 1850 he went to New York city, remaining until 1855 ; returning to Leominster, he engaged in the store busi- ness with his brother, F. H. Colburn. In 1865 he became interested in the old established comb business with his father, Jonas Colburn, under the firm name of Jonas Colburn & Son, and upon his father's death, in September, 1873, continued the same with the estate until 1879. In 1885 he entered into part- nership with his son in the manufacture of musical merchan-
1
WILLIAM A. LASSELLE.
DAVID 1. MUNSIE.
3
CHARLES A. GOODRICH.
CHARLES H. KING.
CHIEF
LICE
CHARLES H. RHOADES. CHIEF OF POLICE.
5
CHARLES H. RICE.
7
WILLIAM HARTY.
CHARLES E. TILTON. LEOMINSTER POLICE.
35
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
dise, the firm being A. W. Colburn, & Co. In 1864, 65, 66 and 67 he served the town as Assessor and on the Board of Select- men in 1871, 1873, 1887 and 1888. In addition to his interest in town affairs, Mr. Colburn has always been actively interested in Town, State and National politics. He represented the town of Leominster in the State Legislature in 1878 and 1879. Married, Catherine E., daughter of Lowell A. and Hannah Newton of Southboro.
1295446
POLICE DEPARTMENT.
The police force, at present, consists of a Chief and seven men, two of whom are detailed for regular duty, leaving a reserve force of five men for special duty. The officers, in their efforts to prevent crime, particularly by the suppression of the sale of intoxicating liquors, are heartily supported and seconded by the town officials and the people. As evidence of this it may be stated that during the year ending Feb. 29th, 1888, the number of arrests for drunkenness were 53, of which number 27 came into town in an intoxicated condition, and were arrested upon their arrival. This rigid and successful enforcement of the laws is due largely to the determination of the police to do their duty, knowing that the Board of Select- men will stand by them in any emergency, and having that confidence which can only come from an emphatic public senti- ment back of them.
CHARLES H. RHOADES, Chief of Police, was born in Bos- ton, October 30th, 1833. He came to Leominster when 17 years old and served three years as an apprentice with Isaac Cowdrey, the well known carpenter. In 1857 he went South, and was in Southern and Western States and Territories, pass- ing a portion of his time with the Pawnees and Uncas, until the fall of 1860, when he returned to Massachusetts and settled in Malden, engaging in the lumber, wood and coal business.
36
LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
In 1870 he was appointed a Deputy Sheriff of Middlesex, serv- ing in that capacity until 1878. In 1879 and 80 he was Chief of Police of Malden, and in May, 1883, was appointed at the head of the Leominster police, and has been unanimously re-appointed to the position for six consecutive years. The Chief gives his whole time to the duties of his office, and con- ducts personally all cases before the lower court.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Previous to 1846 the community was dependent upon the individual efforts of its citizens, armed with fire buckets, to pro- tect its property from fire. In July of that year the town pur- chased of W. C. Hunneman, of Boston, the first "water engine," which was named Torrent, No. I. It was a plain tub machine, without bell or buckets, and destitute of ornament. Mr. Ward M. Cotton had the general management up to May, 1848, when a company was organized and confirmed by the Selectmen. Mr. Isaac Cowdrey was foreman, Col. Joseph S. Darling, 2d foreman, and J. C. Fletcher, Esq., clerk. The engine house was along side the old Town Hall, subsequently Gardner Hall. This company had no legal organization, but in May, 1849, a new company was formed and a Constitution and By-laws were adopted. This was the first regular organization. Its officers were J. C. Lane, foreman, Arthur Mechan, 2d fore- man, J. C. Fletcher, Esq., clerk, Leander Woods, treasurer, Ephraim Divoll, steward. Each member of the Department was allowed a sum equal to his poll tax for his services. In 1850, Henry Polley was made foreman, and Wm. Hale, stew- ard. The sum of $500 was raised by subscription, and a bell, four buckets, an arch and a tongue procured. The next com- pany organized was " Union, No. 2," located in North Leomin- ster. An unusual effort has been made to get data relating to this company, but the early records and books have been miss-
FT
LEOMINSTER FIRE DEPARTMENT, ANNUAL PARADE.
37
TOWN GOVERNMENT.
ing for several years and the only events of interest relating to it are obtained from the records of the other company. In some cases the two were associated, as for example, at the time the Orthodox church was struck by lightning in 1850, both com- panies were promptly on hand, and subdued the fire. In con- sequence of this important service, the Old Worcester Mutual Insurance Co., made each company a present of $25. About this time there was considerable interest in fire matters, and there existed a spirit of friendly rivalry between the two com- panies, the first actual contest resulting in favor of " Union No. 2." by a few seconds of time. While practicing for the trial the members of "Torrent No. I " would meet at 7 o'clock, the time appointed, man the rope, start from their house, run down to the bridge over Monoosnock brook. put down suctions, lay off 250 feet of hose and pass water through the pipes inside of three minutes. Oct. 17, 1874, the whole fire department turned out for drill and practice. At the trial Torrent I Co. drew water from a hogshead, which was supplied from a hydrant, played through 200 feet of hose, and threw a stream of water 183 feet, 3 1-2 inches. Union No. 2 Co., under the same circumstances, threw a stream of water 189 feet, 4 I-2 inches. The two companies soon after had a contest for a sil- ver trumpet, presented by N. G. Wood, which was won by Torrent I, and subsequently presented to W. H. Spaulding, at that time foreman. For several years the Hook and Ladder companies have had trial contests with out of town companies, and at the present time, Sept. Ist, 1888, the Clipper H. & L. Co., of Leominster, hold the championship of the world. The contest, in which they came off victorious, took place on the track of the Agricultural Park at Worcester, June 2d, of the present year, the race being with the J. N. Grout, H. & L. Co., of Spencer. Each company was allowed 25 men ; 5 to stand at the truck and 20 to start from the stand, and each were to
38
LEOMINSTER, HISTORICAL AND PICTURESQUE.
splice their ladders and put a man on the stage 28 feet from the ground ; referee, Capt. H. R. Williams, fire patrol, Worcester; Capt. S. E. Combs and D. A. Barns, judges ; C. M. Mills, of the fire alarm telegraph, fired the pistol, and W. A. England was the official time keeper. The time made by the Spencer company was 61 2-5 seconds, and that of the Clipper just 61 seconds. Upon their return to Leominster Saturday even- ing foreman Killelea and runner Fox were drawn around the square, with an escort, headed by the Leominster drum corps. The demonstration was one long to be remembered. The behavior of the company throughout the day was such as to do credit to the town, and at 12 o'clock all demonstration ceased, and those who regard the Sabbath were not disturbed. An unusual effort will be made the coming fall to relieve them of their well earned laurels, but the Clippers are having a new truck made, and expect to better their present record, and hold the advantage already gained.
The fire department has always had a good reputation for efficient and effective service, and its standard was never higher than at the present time. It is under the management of a board of engineers, who have in charge a good outfit of modern equipments, consisting of one steam fire engine, two Hook and Ladder trucks, and four Hose carriages. The board of Engineers are chosen in April, and appointed May Ist, by the Selectmen, and are as follows : W. H. Spaulding, chief ; Charles H. King, Ist assistant ; Charles D. Pierce, 2d assist- ant ; Elmer H. Bates, 3d assistant ; Albert W. Allen, 4th assistant.
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