USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Barre > Memorial of the one hundredth anniversary of the Incorporation of the town of Barre, June 17, 1874 ... > Part 3
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* Bancroft's History of the United States, IV: 148.
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a loaded word, outweighing arguments and making fate. It was his title of nobility, and rendered each one who possessed it the peer of every other. When a question was taken by the hand votes of the citi- zens all hands were of equal power; and " this appar- ent equality in the decision of questions," the patriot James Otis said, " taught every man, practically, the greatest principle of a republic, that the majority must govern." *
It is not to be forgotten, moreover, that the country towns were the feeders of the capital, supplying it not only with products of the soil, but also with a large part of its brain-power. The fact is the same to-day. It is hazarding little to say, that of those engaged in lucrative pursuits in Boston and the other cities of Massachusetts, a majority of the most sagacious, ener- getic, and successful received their education and their earliest impulses in the direction of self-support and that employment of time and talents which wins prosperity, from the firesides, the school-houses, and the meeting-houses of the rural towns. Examples of pre-eminent success in the city-bred, especially if born to large inheritance, are quite exceptional. Therefore the birth of a town during the period of our colonial existence was an event of great social and political importance.
And now, brethren of Barre, under the spell of those remembrances which come both to cheer and to chasten the hour, your attention is invited whilst I
* Tudor's Life of James Otis, p. 446.
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endeavor to set forth before you, in a rapid sketch, some of the more marked features, persons, incidents, and events which render the birthday of this our own town memorable. Dealing largely in details, no poetic charm invests the treatment of my theme, and the only eloquence it admits of is that of its simple facts. If, therefore, your patience shall be severely tried, find what relief you can in the reflection that such long- suffering can be demanded of you but once in a century.
One hundred years ago, June 17, 1774, the town which now bears the name of Barre was incorporated by the name of Hutchinson. It had had an inchoate existence, of course, and been known by other names, before this date. The materials of a town were here. Here was the soil in its primeval richness and variety, with the same beautiful range of hills on the east, and, in the distance, blue-robed Wachusett clearly visible from base to summit; the same ascending slope from the centre on the north; the same descent to the plain, where, through the fertile meadow, flows the quiet river on the south; the same undulations and levels on the west; and, interlacing all, the same rip- pling brooks and swift-running streams with their dashing waterfalls which we now behold. Settlers were also here in considerable numbers. Who they were and how they came to be here will be made to appear as we proceed.
But first let us examine our title to the soil. On
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the 22d of December, 1686, an indenture was made between Joseph Trask, alias Paagushen, of Penni- cooke, and Job, alias Pompomamy, of Natick, and Simon Piticum, alias Wananacompon, of Wamisick, and Sosowannow, of Natick, and James Wiser, alias Qualapunit, of Natick, - these five Indians dwelling in his Majesty's territory in America, - all the above- named of the one party, and Henry Willard, Joseph Rowlandson, Joseph Foster, Benjamin Willard, Cyp- rian Stevens, of the other party, by which indent- ure, in consideration of "twenty-three pounds in hand paid," the said "Indians, for themselves and all their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, did freely, fully, and absolutely give, grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoffe, make over, and confirm unto the above-named Willard, Rowlandson, Foster, Benja- min Willard, and Stevens, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, a certain tract of land containing twelve miles square according to the butts and bounds as described in the indenture." This instrument is dated " Anno Regni Regis Jacob. Secund. 1686," and is duly signed and acknowledged, March 15, 1686.
This grant contained all the territory which is now included in the towns of Rutland, Oakham, Hubbard- ston, and BARRE, with small portions of Princeton and Paxton. The brothers Willard, whose names appear in the instrument, were sons of that distin- guished Major Simon Willard, who bore a conspicu- ous part in the civil and military affairs of the colony
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for at least thirty years prior to 1675. But as his fame, so honorable in his day and so long preserved, is amongst the best treasures of our sister town of Lancaster, where he passed the later years of his life, and where his dust reposes; and as none of his de- scendants had other connection with this town than already indicated, I refrain from a more extended notice of him or his posterity, simply remarking that the name, wherever known, still retains untarnished its original honor and worth.
At this date, then, 1686, and by this instrument, the soil of our town passed from its Indian occupants and became the property of civilized man; and thus the initial step was taken for converting a " waste, howling wilderness into a fruitful field."
Nearly thirty years elapsed from the above date before any farther action was taken regarding the ownership or the settlement of this territory. But not far from the end of that interval, to wit, Febru- ary 23, 1713, an act was obtained from the General Court confirming to the heirs of the Willards the Indian title of 1686, " provided that within seven years sixty families be settled in the territory." In order to effect such a settlement, the owners, who were of small means, associated with them several gentlemen of substance, who together constituted a "Proprietors' Company." The names of these associates are here inserted: Hon. William Tailer, Esq., of Dorchester; Penn Townsend, Paul Dudley, Addington Davenport, Adam Winthrop, Thomas Hutchinson, Esquires,
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Thomas Fitch, merchant, John White, gentleman, all of Boston; Thomas How, Esq., of Marlboro'; John Chandler, Esq., of Woodstock; William Dudley, Esq., of Roxbury; John Farnsworth, of Groton, yeoman; the children and heirs of Peter Bulkely, late of Con- cord, deceased, and, in right of said Peter, Moses Parker of Chelmsford, yeoman; and Jacob Stevens, of Stow, yeoman.
Seven years were allowed, it will be remembered, in which to settle sixty families on the grant. When the seven years were completed it was found that the condition had been fulfilled; and on the 18th of June, 1722, an act was passed "for the further establishing of the town of Rutland," and empowering the inhab- itants to "choose all proper officers, and to raise and collect all moneys for the defraying the necessary charges of the said town."
Thus another step in the progress of events towards the incorporation of Barre was taken.
Several of the sixty families who settled Rutland had their residences in this part of the town, and oth- ers were added to them from time to time till the Proprietors, at a meeting held November 7, 1733, passed several votes having reference to the formation here of a new town. They voted (1) that " some spot as near the centre of the 'North-west Quarter' (the name by which this part of Rutland was then desig- nated) as convenience allows, be found and pitched upon for setting a meeting-house in the midst of some considerable quantity of good land fit for settlement ;
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(2) that one lot for the minister ordained there, and another lot for the school for ever, each of fifty acres of good land, be laid out in a convenient place near said spot pitched upon for the meeting-house, and marked in the draft M for minister and S for school; (3) that sixty-six other lots of good land, of fifty acres each, as near as may be to the said spot for the meeting-house, be laid out for homesteads; and when any of the said sixty-six lots fall short in quality, to be made up in quantity ; and said sixty-six lots to be numbered, in order to be drawn for in some conven- ient time ; (4) that convenient highways be, at the same time, laid out so as to accommodate the several lots." The 5th article acted upon at this meeting assessed a tax of £330 on the Proprietors to pay the expenses. The 6th appointed Capt. John Butolph collector of the tax for the Proprietors in Boston, Salem, and Marshfield ; and Phineas Brintnall, of Sudbury, for the rest of the Proprietors. The 7th appointed John Jeffries, Esq., Treasurer.
The Proprietors, it is here seen, with that forecast and fidelity to their convictions of duty characteristic of the founders of the colony, amongst their first acts, made provision for the CHURCH and the SCHOOL, the two great educators of society in religion and knowl- edge ; and thus offered new inducements to those who were inclined to come and make their homes here.
The next thing necessary in forming the town was to have the whole tract surveyed and divided into
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lots and farms. Henry Lee, of Worcester, applied for the contract to survey ; but it was awarded to Samuel Willard, who immediately associated Lee with him ; and when the survey was completed, its plans bore the signature of Samuel Willard, con- tractor, and Henry Lee, surveyor.
This Henry Lee was the father of five sons, all of whom settled here. He was born in Ipswich, May 16, 1686, and died at Concord, February 25, 1745. He was a man of considerable note in his day, as is evident from his having been one of the Justices of the Sessions of the county and one of the selectmen of the town of Worcester. Though never a resident in this place, the settlement of his five sons here rendered him an earnest and efficient promoter of the prosperity of the incipient town.
When the sixty-six lots of fifty acres each had been set off, the remainder was divided into "thirty-three great Farms of five hundred acres each, to be drawn for by the Proprietors at a convenient time." That time was not far distant. The lots were drawn ; and it would not be difficult, with a map before us, to point out the farm which fell to each Proprietor and the name of the present owner. Most of these farms were at once put into market. They were offered on liberal terms. The spirit of emigration in many of the lower towns was alert, and soon gave most acceptable additions to our sparse population. Those who bought large farms, or shares in them, were ad- mitted into the " Proprietors' Company," and attended
6
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their meetings in Boston. Thus, on June 6, 1739, James Caldwell was present, representing one half of Great Farm No. IX. This James Caldwell was the eldest son of William Caldwell and Sarah Morison his wife, who came to this country from Ireland in 1718 or 1719, and settled in Worcester. He remained there, however, not many years, for prior to the year 1730 he had removed to the "North-west Quarter." James Caldwell, tradition says, came before his father, William, and “ lived alone all one winter under a shelving rock !" then built a house - the first framed house in the place - where now stands the residence of Caleb Harwood. He is said to have acquired the ownership of sixteen hundred acres of land !
Dr. Palfrey, in his learned "History of New England," informs us that "A hundred and twenty Scotch-Irish families came over in 1719, and settled at Londonderry, in New Hampshire, and elsewhere." There is little doubt that our Caldwells and Cunning- hams were a part of this immigration. He mentions another curious fact in this connection, which I am glad to state on his authority. It relates to the sin- gular freedom from admixture which the English blood of the early immigrations preserved until a quite recent date. "No race," he observes, "has ever been more homogeneous than this remained down to the time of the generation now upon the stage. With a near approach to precision, it may be said that the millions of living persons, either born in New England or tracing their origin to natives of
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that region, are descendants of the twenty-one thou- sand Englishmen who came over before the early emigration from England ceased upon the meeting of the Long Parliament."* In our settlement, however, the blood got a little mixed ; but it is by no means certain that the Scotch-Irish infusion did not invig- orate it. At any rate, the town never had reason to be sorry that the immigrant Caldwell pitched his family-tent in this place.
But there were settlers here before the Lees and Caldwells. The earliest, it is believed, was Joshua Osgood, born in Andover, September 2, 1694, who bought a farm in the "North-west Quarter " in 1726. He is represented to have been a substantial, excel- lent citizen. Both he and his wife lived to a very great age, faithful in the discharge of their duties to God and man ; especially heedful of that most ancient command, " Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,"- their posterity numbering, it is com- puted, not less than twelve hundred souls ! These descendants appear to have inherited the virtues of their ancestors, those of them who continue unto this day being highly respected and esteemed citizens.
A little later came two important and influential settlers from Worcester, - Jotham Rice and James Holden; and these were followed in a few years (1753) by Jonas Rice from the same town. The latter was a son of Jonas Rice, the "first settler " of Worcester, known in its annals as the "father of the
Preface to Hist. of New England. By John G. Palfrey.
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town." He filled many town offices, some of them to the close of his life. It is a noteworthy incident that in 1753, when he was eighty years old, he was appointed one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas for Worcester county, in which office he died during the same year. Jonas, the son who came to this town, was for many years a deacon of the church, and died in 1793, at the age of eighty-six years. On the same farm which he tilled now resides his grand- son, Francis Rice, ninety-two years old, who, after having appeared mounted on his spirited horse in the cavalcade of the morning, now honors and adorns this platform by his venerable presence! Jotham Rice was of another family, though from the same town, - a man of great energy, whom no hardships could daunt, no dangers alarm. When he came, there were no roads, and he picked his way through the woods between here and Rutland guided by marked trees. It is a family tradition that he brought on his horse before him a little boy but four years old, and that they spent the first night in the woods, the father placing the saddle over the boy to protect him from the rain, and kindling a fire to scare away the wild animals. Luckily, the young Jotham survived the perils of that night. Barre has many reasons for thankfulness that he neither died from exposure nor was eaten up by bears; for one of the consequences of his preservation is, that we are favored with the presence to-day of many excellent men by the name of Rice, and many handsome women who once bore
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that name. But this name was one of the good things which those women could not very well keep and follow out their better inclinations. Marriage proved fatal to it. In due time, from this one seed grew up a large Rice plantation here which proved highly productive. For steadiness of yield, year after year, never touched by frost or mildew, and for excellence of quality, it may be doubted whether any other product of our soil has done better. Cyrus Rice, who, it is presumed, was a brother of Jotham, lived here a short time, and then pushed on to the Connecticut river and became the pioneer settler of the town of Conway. Here he was soon joined by Israel Gates and Robert Hamilton of this town, and the descend- ants of these three men have been among the most respected inhabitants of Conway.
Of those who came hither about the time of the Rices I mentioned the name of James Holden. He was evidently a man of character and weight, since he was one of the selectmen of Worcester before his removal to the " North-west Quarter." His
descendants have been highly respectable. Josiah, his son, was father of James and Moses, whom some of the older of us well remember, the last named par- ticularly, he having been a very active, energetic, and influential citizen, and for many years a deacon of the church. His house was known of all the town as a seat of the most generous hospitality and of unmeas- ured charities. Of the first James Holden I think there may be here to-day descendants of the fifth
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generation. Whether this be so or not, I lately saw a young brood of them, children of Mr. J. Otis Weth- erbee, of Boston, on whom any ancestor might look with pride and joy.
But as the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, pressed by the number of worthies crowding his memory for distinct recognition, suddenly breaks off, saying, " The time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Baruch and Samson and Jephtha, of David also and Samuel and the prophets," so it would utterly fail me to tell of those brave pioneers, Cunningham and Davis and Heaton, of Stevens and Hill, - of whom I believe no relic remains amongst us, - or of Marma- duke Black, commonly known as "the Old Duke," by birth a Scotchman, who lived a short time at Nod- dle's Island and thence removed to this place, where he purchased what is known now as " the Silas Bemis farm," and became a man of much influence; or of that James Black who, when asked by James Wilson for one of his daughters in marriage, taking the meas- ure of the young man, answered, " Ah, Jamie! you'd better take two of them, for one will never be able to support ye; " or of Wallis and Forbush, of Nurss and the Metcalfs, all men of substance; or of the two brothers Jonathan and Nehemiah Allen, the former of whom set out the first orchard in the place, having brought from Lexington forty apple-trees and a young wife on the back of his horse! All these, and their offspring and their good works, we must be content to leave not " unhonored " but " unsung." Let me only
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mention that one of the grandsons of Jonathan Allen - whose memory shall live as long as there is an apple- tree in Barre- a graduate of Amherst College, has gained a widely extended reputation as an original investigator in physiological science, and has recently been honored with the degree of Doctor of Laws by his alma mater. He has also distinguished himself as a practical and sagacious philanthropist by ten years' service in the State Board of Charities. I refer to Nathan Allen, M.D., of Lowell, whom Governor Talbot has lately appointed one of the " State Com- missioners of Lunacy," with Wendell Phillips as his colleague.
All these heads of families, and others to the num- ber of nearly thirty, were here before or near 1750. They were for the most part a God-fearing people, and highly prized those ordinances of religion which were the strength and glory of New England. But, although the Proprietors from time to time made ap- propriations for the support of public worship here, there was no organized church, and on sacrament days they were obliged to go to Rutland in order to participate in the holy rite of communion. The dis- tance was from six to fourteen miles, and in some seasons of the year the road was almost impassable.
Such being the situation, the Proprietors, with con- siderate regard for their own interest, as well as for the comfort of the inhabitants, at a meeting held at the Light House Tavern in Boston, Dec. 5, 1748, at which were present Mr. Thomas Prince, John Jeffries, Esq.,
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Samuel Willard, Esq., Jonas Clark, Esq., Thomas Hub- bard, Esq., Captain William Salter, Mr. Thomas Allen, Captain Bartholomew Cheever, Mr. Thomas Taylor, and Mr. Noah Sparhawk, voted, " That the committee be desired to prepare and sign, as soon as may be, a petition, in the name of the Proprietors, to the General Court, that the 'North-west Quarter ' of said township [of Rutland] may be erected into a separate town, and that a plan thereof be presented to the General Court at the same time." At an adjourned meeting, Jan. 5th, 1748, it was voted, "That the committee, in their petition to the General Court, insert a clause therein praying that a tax of six pence (old tenor) upon every standard acre be laid for five years next ensuing on all the lands within the 'North-west Quar- ter ' of said township (the land granted for the first Orthodox minister ordained there, and for the use of the school excepted), for erecting a meeting-house, settling and maintaining a minister, and laying out and clearing all roads therein."
In pursuance of these votes, the Proprietors' com- mittee presented the following Petition, which is inter- esting as part of the history of the town, and especially as showing the concern manifested by the Proprietors for the church and the school: -
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PETITION.
To His Excellency Wm Shirley, Esq. Capt General & Gov- ernour in Cheefe in & over His Majstys Province of Massa- chusetts Bay in New England & Vice Admiral of the same & to the Honourable His Majsty Council & House of Representatives in General Court assembled.
The petition of the Committee of the Proprietors of the Town- ship of Rutland (the 'Original Settlers part excepted) in the County of Worcester in sd Province in behalf of themselves & sd Proprietors & according to their votes & directions, Humbly sheweth. That the sd Proprietors have been for above these fifteen Years at great & Constant Pains & Expense of time and many hundred Pounds in Running the Bounds, surveying Dividing & Laying out Lots, finding out & clearing Roads, Building of Bridges, setling Inhabitants & paying for Preaching in the North- western quarter of the Town ship of Rutland. That the sd North Westerly Quarter is a boute the Quantity of Six miles Square more or less according to the plan herewth exhibited bounded East North Easterly about six miles on the North Easterly Quarter of said Township, South South Easterly aboute six miles, partly on the original settlers Quarters & partly on the West wing of sd Township. West South Westerly about six Miles partly on Brantree Grant & partly on Hardwick, North North Westerly on Nichaway so called. That there are now Settled on sd Quarter near Thirty famillys consisting of above one hundred souls who stand in need of a Settled Gospel Ministry & Ordinances and the Adult are Earnestly Dessirous of them, but cannot obtain them without a propper Encouragement by your Excellency & Honours. That the sd proprietors in view of sd Quarter being erected into a Town have given Laid out & set apart a fifty acre lot of Choice Good Land & another Farm of Two Hundred Forty seven Acres for the first Orthodox Minister that shall be ordained there, and a fifty acre Lot for the use of a School there forever.
7
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And therefore your petitioners Earnestly Desire That yr Ex- cellney and Honours would in your great wisdom set off & Erect the sd North Western Quarter with all the Inhabitants into a Town or otherwise into a seperate District with all the priviledges & powers of a Town so far as to Chuse All sorts of Town Officers among themselves & make all kinds of Rules on the Inhabitants of sd District for building houses for Publick worship settling & maintaining ministers laying out & making Roads & for all other Services of a Public Nature which any Towns in the Province are by Law Enabled to do, only reserving to themselves the Liberty allowed by Charter & the Laws of joining in Common with the other free holders of sd Township in chusing & being Chosen Representatives to serve in the gen1 assembly as also desiring the Power of assessing Levelling & Raising a Tax of Six pence old Tenor upon every standard acre in sd District for the first five Years next Ensuing annually for the purposes above said Except- ing only sd land granted to sd ministers & school wh. sd Tax in their present Infant & feeble state of less than Thirty Families is of absolute necesity for them. And your petitioners might hum- bly offer the following among other Weighty Reasons I) The sd Quarter is neerly a Square body of generally good Land suitable & sufficient for such a Town or District. 2 The Centre of sd Quarter is aboute Ten miles distant from the place of Worship of the Original settlers & some parts of sd Quarter about fourteen miles off, a very heavy Inconvenience either to be warned to their common Town Meetings or to attend them or to serve as Town Officers for so great an Extent, & 3) The Inhabitants of the Origi- nal Settlers part are so sensible of this hardship as they have expressed their willingness above four years and nine months ago of the sd North Westerly Quarter being deteeshed from them, as appears by their attested vote herewith offered. 4 & Lastly, Upon your Excellency & Honours now granting the sd District there are so many people straitened in other places ready to move into this as afford a most rational prospect that in case of another war the sd Quarter will grow so full of people as, instead of need- ing soldiers stationed among them at the Publick charge for their Defence, they will not only be sufficiently able with the Divine
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