USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Milford > Milford, Massachusetts, 1880-1930 : a chronological list of events for fifty years : with illustrations > Part 14
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MARCH 17. Plumbers' union demands of $10 per day, an in- crease of $2, submitted January 1 to go into effect April 1, will not be acceded to by the Master Plumbers.
MARCH 19. Supreme Director John E. Swift and Deputy Thomas J. Quirk, of the K. of C., have been recently appointed to above prominent offices.
MARCH 19. To stimulate trade the Mercantile Bureau of Commerce are to run free busses for four successive Saturdays into Milford from all surrounding towns.
MARCH 20. Miss Fanny Washington, great-great grand niece of President Washington, addressed a joint meeting of Quinshi- paug Woman's Club and Teachers' Association on "Washington by a Washington."
MARCH 20. Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Gibson observed their golden wedding anniversary.
MARCH 27. Milford Gaslight Co. announces a reduction in the price of gas to consumers for May 1. The price for the first 2,000 cubic feet per month will be $2.10 gross and $2 net. For the next 48,000 cubic feet per month $1.75 gross and $1.65 net. All over 50,000 cubic feet will be $1.50. .
MARCH 28. The sales of Christmas seals in the Milford- Mendon-Hopedale district, $712.96, lead the South Worcester dis- trict.
MARCH 28. John T. O'Brien appointed Milford's first Town Almoner by Welfare Board.
MARCH 29. Grand Lodge of Masons presented Fred A. Gib- son, a Past Master's veteran jewel at a meeting of Montgomery Lodge. Mr. Gibson has been a Mason 50 years.
APRIL 2. Announcement made that the drive by Chamber of Commerce for the sale of $41,000 in bonds for the Milford Iron Foundry is successful.
APRIL 4. Citren-Byer Co. of Trenton, N. J., are the new own- ers of the M. & U. Street Railway Co. They have retained W. L.
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Adams as manager and intend to junk the railways and operate busses.
APRIL 6. Milford, Framingham Coach Co., owners of the M. & U. Street Railway Co., petitioned the Selectmen for permits to run busses from Milford to the Hopedale, Medway and Holliston town lines.
APRIL 9. American Medical Association at Washington places the Milford Hospital in the approved list of Hospitals of the country.
APRIL 11. Milford Aerie, F. of E., celebrated its 25th anni- versary in State Armory tonight.
APRIL 17. The Jewelers' Institute building on Congress street was sold today to Harry B. Torosian, the purchase price being in the neighborhood of $14,000. The Institute was opened in May, 1920 and gave training to war veterans and others in watch mak- ing.
APRIL 17. Selectmen granted permits to the Johnson Bus Lines, Inc., and the Medway & Dedham Bus Lines, Inc., to operate through Milford if trolley lines are discontinued.
APRIL 24. There were but 564 votes cast at Presidential primary, 414 Democrats, 150 Republicans, among whom were 179 women.
APRIL 27. Mutual Benefit society composed of employes of M. & U. Street Railway Co., disbanded after 26 years because of the proposed discontinuance of trolley service. There are 36 mem- bers remaining and they received $13.28 each.
APRIL 28. Home National Bank increases its capital stock from $130,000 to $200,000. Total deposits are in excess of $3,450,000 and resources exceed $4,150,000.
MAY 8. Cenedella & Co., contractors, received the contract to build an extension to a trunk sewer at Waterbury, Conn., for $150,000.
MAY 8. Atty. John E. Swift was elected State Deputy of K. of C., at a meeting of the State Council.
MAY 9. At an adjourned Town meeting $750 was appropri- ated for the installation of 30 hydrants for fire purposes. The
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Milford Water Co. will extend its mains, at an estimated cost of $13,480.20, to the Dodds granite quarries, East Main street. This will also enable more residents to have Town water.
MAY 12. Patrick Birmingham, commenced today his sixty- sixth year as an employe of the Draper Corporation, Hopedale.
MAY 18. Fourteen old trolley cars, owned by the street rail- way company, were burned by Chief Joseph Fahey of fire depart- ment, for the metals.
MAY 28. Carroll, Hixon, Jones Co. commenced manufactur- ing straw goods today in the Smith Mills, North Bow street fac- tory. Selectman P. Eugene Casey sounded the whistle at 7.30 o'clock this morning announcing operations at the factory.
MAY 28. Thomas F. Flanigan & Son today took possession of the Russen Heel Co. business in the Greene Bros.' shop, off Central street.
JUNE 4. Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Parkhurst, celebrate their 62nd wedding anniversary.
JUNE 7. Golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Wilcox.
JUNE 8. Milford to pay $22,108 as its share of County tax.
JUNE 27. Graduation exercises of 96 pupils of Milford High school.
JUNE 28. Milford High school baseball nine wins Midland league championship.
JULY 13. Mrs. Adelaide Gleason observes her 99th birthday anniversary at her home on Congress street.
JULY 14. Milford's share of the State tax is $19,380.
JULY 14. Michael D. Burke starts on his 46th year as fire- man in the same company. He joined Excelsior Hook and Ladder in 1883.
JULY 24. Certus Club holds first open-air amateur boxing tournament in the Town Park, witnessed by 1,500.
AUGUST 2. Milford's oldest man, Henry Ball, a native of Mil- ford, celebrates his 94th birthday anniversary.
AUGUST 22. Atty. John E. Swift was elected to the Supreme
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Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus, in Convention at Cleveland, Ohio.
AUGUST 28. Tax rate for 1928 is $29.60. Valuation of build- ings, excluding land, $10,140,270; land, excluding buildings, $2,868,075; personal estate, $2,489,700.
· AUGUST 31. Last electric passenger car run over the Grafton & Upton line between Milford and North Grafton, by Edward J. Sullivan.
SEPTEMBER 1. Through bus service starts from Milford to Worcester.
SEPTEMBER 10. Business and professional men of Milford and other towns tender W. D. Leahy testimonial banquet on his 41st anniversary as editor of Milford Daily News.
SEPTEMBER 13. Death of Miss Hannah F. Seavey, in Machais, Me., first Superintendent of Milford Hospital.
SEPTEMBER 27. The Friendly Shoe Co., manufacturers of men's and children's shoes, incorporated. They commenced manu- facturing in the vacant Greene Bros.' heel factory, off Central street.
SEPTEMBER 28. The total enrollment of pupils in the public schools is 3,089.
SEPTEMBER 28. Milford High wins the Midland league, 1928, baseball championship.
OCTOBER 30. The Past Noble Grands' Association of Norma Rebekah, celebrates its 25th anniversary.
NOVEMBER 7. Milford cast 5,474 votes at the Presidential election. Elbert M. Crockett is re-elected Senator. Representa- tives in General Court, L. Blaine Libbey and George W. Knowl- ton of Upton.
NOVEMBER 8. Dodd Bros., quarry owners, to deed to the Town a strip of land about 4,000 feet long, free of charge, for the widen- ing and straightening of the highway by the State.
NOVEMBER 17. Death of Arthur B. Morse, Milford's oldest druggist, aged 68 years.
NOVEMBER 23. First meeting is held in Dewey hall in prepa- ration of the Sesqui-Centennial of Milford.
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DECEMBER 29. The contract to construct the piece of State road from the Holliston-Milford line to Medway street, awarded to Bonazzolli & Sons of Hudson, for $63,821.95.
1929.
JANUARY 2. There were 237 deaths in 1928, 115 marriages.
· JANUARY 8. Milford reports $579, the highest amount of any of the Worcester County towns in the 1928 sale of the Christmas health seals.
JANUARY 24. The 57th wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. S. Alonzo Cook.
FEBRUARY 9. The Old Barton Cook place on Silver Hill, des- troyed by fire.
FEBRUARY 10. Death of George S. Whitney, Civil War veter- an, aged 81 years. He had been a member of Finance Committee and served as Selectman for several years.
FEBRUARY 22. Mr. and Mrs. Edwin B. Aldrich observe their golden wedding.
MARCH 5. There were 4,397 votes cast at Town election. Selectmen chosen: P. Eugene Casey, Philip Cenedella, Timothy W. Hannigan.
MARCH 11. Main street is to be rebuilt from the Hopkinton railroad to Hopedale Town line, at an approximate cost of $75,000. The total amount of appropriations is $637,924.34.
MARCH 18. F. W. Woolworth Co. purchase the property at 170-174 Main street, which has an assessed value of $50,000, and will erect and occupy a modern structure.
MARCH 26. Death of G. Marshall Greene, former heel manu- facturer, aged 90 years. He was the oldest Mason in this local- ity and was the last survivor of Co. G, 40th N. Y. Volunteers, Mozart Regiment. He was a Director in the Milford Water Co. for more than 40 years, one of the first Directors of the Hospital and a Director of Home National Bank.
APRIL 1. Milford citizens endorse the action of the Milford Industrial Co., Inc., in securing title of the Huckins & Temple shoe factory through Selectman Casey.
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APRIL 2. A banquet and testimonial is tendered to Allen A. Hartwell who was recently elected Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of Massachusetts Odd Fellows.
APRIL 28. Milford is to have a new shoe firm in the former Huckins & Temple shop. Lease is signed and $12,000 is to be raised to pay off notes. Expected to start business in May.
MAY 13. Milford Electric Light and Power Co. serves 3,822 customers in Milford, 825 in Hopedale.
MAY 18. Shoe factory drive ends with $13,178.50 subscribed.
MAY 24. Death of Dominic J. Lang, former Town Clerk, aged 61 years.
MAY 28. Milford's share of the County tax is $22,384.
JUNE 4. The new Lyons & Hershenson shoe firm sends out the first shipment of shoes.
JUNE 8. Milford Opera House is taken over by the owners of State Theatre.
JUNE 27. Milford High school graduates 78 pupils.
JUNE 27. Members of Magomiscock Golf Club planning to raise $3,000 for links improvements.
JULY 9. Death of .William Ahern, 57 years old, the oldest permanent member of the fire department. He was the driver of the combination truck for nearly 15 years.
JULY 13. Mrs. Adelaide Gleason celebrates her 100th birth- day.
JULY 16. Carlo Bianchi & Co., Inc., of Framingham lowest bidder for the new Main street, at $80,817.55, and are granted the contract.
AUGUST 14. Frank Lanza & Sons of Boston, get contract to build South Main street. Their bid was $25,078.35.
AUGUST 28. A successful playground season closes with a pageant, baby show and carriage parade on Town Park.
SEPTEMBER 4. Selectmen received notice from Milford Water Co. today the company will not extend its mains to Braggville.
SEPTEMBER 9. Schools reopened for fall term with enroll- ment of nearly 3,000 pupils.
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Milford Events for Fifty Years.
SEPTEMBER 10. Plans for Milford's Sesqui-Centennial cele- bration in June, 1930, discussed tonight by executive committee appointed at the annual March Town meeting. An enlarged com- mittee was selected. W. D. Leahy is chairman of executive com- mittee.
SEPTEMBER 14. Milford and East Douglas baseball teams played second game for the championship of the league on Town Park. East Douglas won the game and Championship.
SEPTEMBER 17. Milford's new Main street will cost about $100,000.
SEPTEMBER 17. Milford's Junior Legion baseball team, which made a very creditable showing in State contests, banquetted to- night by Milford residents.
SEPTEMBER 19. Assessors reported today the valuation of Mil- ford as $14,989,345; the tax rate as $33; total appropriations, $11,323.34; 4,002 dwelling houses.
SEPTEMBER 22. Armed bandits tonight held up two stores on Central street, securing $300 in cash and watches and jewelry, and escape.
SEPTEMBER 24. Selectmen tonight voted to have 1,500-watt electric lights for the "White Way" instead of 1,000-watt, now in use.
SEPTEMBER 25. Milford High school baseball team officially awarded the Midland League pennant today at a meeting of the league in Marlboro.
SEPTEMBER 27. Milford's oldest male resident, Adin Ball, 23 Forest street quietly observed his 93rd birthday anniversary to- day.
SEPTEMBER 27. Milford's first semi-professional football team organized with Rudolph Mainini, Jr., as captain and manager.
SEPTEMBER 29. Death of George C. Buck, aged 84, a Civil War veteran, a resident of Milford 60 years. For 20 years he was Chaplain of Post 22.
OCTOBER 1. "Thrift Shop" for benefit of Milford Hospital, netted $350.
OCTOBER 1. Mr. and Mrs. George Lewis Gardner today ob- served their 50th wedding anniversary.
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Milford Events for Fifty Years.
OCTOBER 26. Milford High school football team defeated Natick High 13 to 6 on Milford Town Park in Midland League game. Milford has only defeated Natick thrice in 23 years.
OCTOBER 28. Johnson Bus Lines, Inc., acquire the Carlson Bus Lines, Inc., for $100,000. The Johnson Co. now operates in 26 cities and towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
OCTOBER 28. Sesqui-Centennial Committee tonight approved Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 20, 21 and 22 as the dates for the celebration. Judge John C. Lynch is head of the special com- mittee of ten.
OCTOBER 28. Milford Commandery, Knights Templar, tonight celebrated its 70th anniversary in Masonic Hall with many past commanders and Grand Commandery officers present. Charles W. Shippee was the oldest past commander and the oldest Sir Knight present.
OCTOBER 28. Mrs. Beatrice Lally, wife of Dr. F. H. Lally, tendered a reception in Memorial Hall tonight by the Legion and Auxiliary in honor of her recent election as president of the Wor- cester County Auxiliary Legion.
OCTOBER 29. Telephone Co. started placing additional aerial cables and poles. The expense of contemplated improvements is $24,775.
NOVEMBER 4. Dr. William J. Clarke, is 86 years old today. He is one of Milford's oldest residents and has been medical ex- aminer 40 years.
NOVEMBER 6. Death of James H. Reynolds, aged 63, ex- Selectman.
NOVEMBER 10. The 39th annual banquet of Societa Operaia Italiana in Driving Park Hall, featured by address of Raphael Marino, one of the founders of the society and one of Milford's oldest Italian residents.
NOVEMBER 11. Milford High football team, after six straight victories lost its first game to Framingham at Framingham 6 to 0.
NOVEMBER 16. Milford's new $100,000 Main street was offi- cially dedicated today with a parade, football game and a dance by the Milford Industrial Co., Inc. Philip Cenedella, Chairman of
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Selectmen, delivered an address at the dance pleading for unity and progressiveness.
NOVEMBER 16. Milford High football team defeated Hudson thereby winning Midland League pennant, the first time since 1905.
NOVEMBER 16. Death of Henry M. King, aged 68. He was a native of, and always lived in Milford and had been in the cloth- ing business since 1886.
NOVEMBER 19. Selectmen voted tonight to cooperate with the Chamber of Commerce to have Milford's Main street decorated with trees and lights during the holidays.
NOVEMBER 22. Department of Public Works today granted request of Selectmen for traffic signal lights at junction of Main, Central and Exchange streets, the first to be installed here.
NOVEMBER 23. Alfred Alzerini, of Milford, former High school athlete and member of Holy Cross football team, was to- day honored by Milford citizens at Worcester and presented with gifts.
DECEMBER 2. Herbert Parkhurst, 16 Court Square, is 87 years old today. He is the oldest of the five surviving members of Post 22.
DECEMBER 6. Mr. and Mrs. Vincenzo Carraba, Ravenna street, residents of Milford 30 years, today observed their 50th wedding anniversary.
DECEMBER 9. Milford public school teachers inaugurated proceedings to have an increase in pay of approximately $300 a year for High school and grade teachers.
DECEMBER 10. Selectmen tonight voted to present to voters at annual Town meeting in March recommendations for the ex- penditure of $70,000 for Town improvements. This was in re- sponse to a request from Gov. Allen to relieve unemployment.
DECEMBER 10. President Hoover today appointed Harry D. Whitney to again be postmaster for Milford. He was first ap- pointed in 1921.
DECEMBER 23. A. J. Knott Tool Mfg. Co., Front street, es- tablished seven years ago, today announced its first dividend on
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its common stock of $7 a share. The company now has 75 on its payroll.
DECEMBER 31. Rev. Harry S. Longley, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church from 1895 to 1899, has been made Bishop of Iowa.
1930.
JANUARY 1. First annual New Year's Eve party of Societa Operaia Italiana last night in Driving Park Hall.
JANUARY 7. There were 155 marriages in Milford in 1929.
JANUARY 7. Selectmen tonight voted to start a movement to have Milford granite used in the construction of Federal build- ings.
JANUARY 23. Draper Corporation, of Hopedale, announced today it had taken over the controlling interest in Milford Water Co.
JANUARY 27. District Deputy Thomas J. Quirk was tonight tendered a reception in Valencia Council hall. Rev. John J. Fox, President of Holy Cross College, Worcester, was present.
FEBRUARY 7. Several gasoline dealers locked their pumps in protest of an increase in price from wholesalers.
FEBRUARY 7. Finance Committee tonight recommended ex- penditure of $10,000 for Milford's Sesqui-Centennial observance.
FEBRUARY 10. Milford's new concrete Main street cost $97,987.83 according to Town Accountant Joseph V. Carey. There was $100,000 appropriated.
FEBRUARY 11. Milford's gasoline trouble ended today, the wholesalers acceding to the dealers' request for a four cent mar- ginal profit on a gallon.
FEBRUARY 11. Selectmen tonight inserted an article in the Town Warrant to be acted upon in March, calling for an appro- priation of $30,000 for new cement sidewalks on both sides of Main street.
FEBRUARY 18. Milford High football team, winners of Mid- land League pennant, were banquetted tonight in Elks home and presented the pennant.
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Milford Events for Fifty Years.
MARCH 3. Philip Cenedella, Timothy Hannigan and P. Eugene Casey elected Selectmen. There were 4,888 ballots cast.
MARCH 7. Adjourned Town meeting appropriated $576,069.51 and increased pay of school teachers.
MARCH 11. Milford voters at adjourned town meeting adopted resolutions on the death of ex-President William H. Taft. The ent $1,600 a year and voted that a member of the sewer commission
MARCH 12. Death of Adin Ball, aged 93 years and 6 months, Milford's oldest native resident.
MARCH 14. By a vote of 1,427 to 809 Milford permitted Sun- day movies. The voters made the salary of the sewer superintend- ent $1,600 a year and voted that a member of the sewer commission could act as superintendent.
MARCH 15. Death of Hon. George F. Birch, aged 82. He was a former State Senator, Representative, Selectman, Overseer of the Poor and had lived in Milford 64 years. He was in the meat and provision business here almost half a century.
MARCH 22. Death today of Miss Ellen M. Waters, for 42 years a teacher in Milford public schools.
MARCH 26. Federal census enumerators are Ernest A. Arse- nault, Arthur Vesperi, Mrs. Fred Moriarty, Mrs. Roy Black, Mrs. Rose Guerriere and George V. Larkin.
MARCH 26. Death of George Edward Christian, 83, Civil war veteran, one of the six remaining members of Post 22 and a resi- dent of Milford 60 years.
MARCH 31. Selectmen tonight gave John F. Rooney & Co., the contract to build the new cement sidewalks on Main street for $19,457.50.
APRIL 6. Mrs. Laura Morrill observed her 95th birthday an- niversary.
APRIL 7. At tenth annual reunion and supper of Universalist Parish tonight, a letter was received from Mrs. S. Adelaide Gleason, Milford's oldest resident, who is nearly 101 years old.
APRIL 9. Milford's Sesqui-Centennial committee held an en- thusiastic meeting tonight in Elks' Home.
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APRIL 10. Dr. William J. Clarke has the distinction of being the only professional man in Milford who practised here 50 years ago. There is not even a business man here who did business 50 years ago.
Reference to the Centennial observance of Milford on June 10, 1880 is purposely omitted from this book, as it was fully covered in the History of Milford by Rev. Adin Ballou.
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MILFORD CHURCH HISTORY
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
The history of this Church is an integral part of the history of the early life and growth of the Town of Milford. As such it should be of interest to all good citizens.
In the year 1727, when Mendon was growing and expanding in all directions, there was great agitation over the selection of the site for the new meeting-house deemed necessary by the settlers. Two parties formed, one favoring a site near the old building, the other insisting upon a more central location, and one more con- venient to the newly settled sections. For four years the subject was hotly debated in fifteen Town-meetings, with the decision finally going to the party favoring the old site. But the "aggrieved" party strenuously objected to supporting a Church under these circumstances. Feeling ran so high that it was resolved to gain a separate corporate existence. So a council was called of the neighboring Churches, in reference to this secession from the Mother-Church, and in 1741, thirty-nine years before the incor- poration of the Town of Milford, at the house of Elder John Jones in the "Dale" (Hopedale) a group of men met and framed themselves into a Church state by solemnly signing a Church covenant. There were twenty-six signers, and two elders were chosen, a deacon and a scribe. The General Court was petitioned "that a separate Town or precinct be created, or that the Public Ministry of both the Church and congregations in the Town of Mendon, be supported by a tax or assessment upon the whole Town." On December 23rd, these petitioners and "as many as should join with them in building a meeting-house and settling a minister" were erected into a distinct and separate precinct, with the proviso "that said inhabitants so set off shall, within the space of two years erect a convenient meeting-house, and settle a learned and orthodox minister."
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Milford Church History.
The conditions were hard, for this easterly precinct was a young, struggling community. The building proceeded slowly and services were held in private houses for fully two years. Then in December, 1743, Mr. Amariah Frost was settled as the first pastor and the easterly precinct was a fact.
At this time the meeting-house consisted of a roof, a floor, and a few rough seats, just enough to permit the Town meetings to be held there. But the Church members persevered, the neces- sary funds were found, and in 1748 it was considered really fur- nished and the deed recorded in Worcester.
The house was built on land deeded to it by Ichabod Robinson. It was forty by thirty-five feet with post eighteen feet high, suit- able for the gallery. The pews were built by the individual own- ers and the house stood length-wise to the east of the present one, on the Common (Draper Park). Congress street did not cross the Common but turned short into Main street in front of the Mansion House, (State Theatre).
During Mr. Frost's pastorate of forty-nine years only minor alterations and repairs were made, although there was some agita- tion about a new meeting-house. But just before the close of his ministry in 1791 the house was enlarged to fifty-four feet by thirty- five feet, with a porch on the southern front with three doors and two gallery stair-cases. The old east and west doors into the body of the Church remained, and the pulpit was on the north side.
Upon the incorporation of the precinct in 1780 as a Town, the Town inherited the precinct's Church, and the Town-meetings con- tinued to be held there. Also the Town became responsible for its support. So close was this union between Town and Church, that when Mr. David Long was called by the Church in 1801, the Selectmen were requested to assemble a Town-meeting to concur with the Church and provide the salary. All parish business was transacted in open Town-meeting, and the ministerial tax was laid by the Assessors as were other taxes.
But before Mr. Long's installation the Universalists, Metho- dists and Baptists had formed their own societies, and soon were objecting to paying taxes for support of any Church other than their own. Even the privilege of voting on Parish matters did not quiet them, and gradually many of them were exempted from Congregational taxation.
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Milford Church History.
By 1815 it proved impossible to heal the many difficulties; and the worshippers of Mr. Long's Church organized themselves into a separate parish resuming all the rights of the old precinct.
In 1818 when the Parish voted to build a new meeting-house and move away the old one, there was great disapproval from those outside the Parish. They loudly denied the claim of the Parish to ownership, in the meeting-house, contending that the Town rather than the new Parish was the heir of the precinct, and the interior of the meeting-house. At that time were born the two parties, Town and Parish, and the struggle between them is all recorded in the Town History. But the Parish party, though the smaller numerically, proved the stronger, and, undaunted by the order not to meddle with the Church edifice, successfully dismantled it and removed the house. Later the Courts sustained the claim of the Parish to the meeting-house, and the building of the new one upon the site of the old was immediately begun. The new Church was dedicated in 1819, the sale of the pews, $7,000, amounting to more than the cost of the house.
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