USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Littleton > Proceedings of the Littleton Historical Society, No. 1 1894-1895 > Part 13
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Wesley, Edward, 17. West Church, Boston, 127. Westford, 7, 20, 34, 36, 41, 67. Westminster, 48.
West Indian, 101. Point, 123. Virginia, 125.
Weymouth, 40.
Wheeler, Anna, 149. (Mrs. Thomas). Edward, 11, 149.
Elizabeth, 149. (Mrs. Edward). Elizabeth, 149. Hannah, 150, 170. (Mrs. John). John, 37, 150, 170. John, Jr., 150. Jonathan, 150. Lieut. Joseph, 36, 41. Mary, 150. (Mrs. Jonathan). Phinias, 170. Samuel, 150.
Thomas, 55, 149, 150. Willard, 52. Wheeler's Mill, 25. Wheelwright, Esther, 68. Whelan, John, 119. Whipple, E. P., 81, 88.
Whetcomb, Cornet Ephraim, 171. Susannah, 151.
Whitcomb, Ann M., 18. A. P., 81. Avenue, 110. Caroline, A., 18. Daniel, ₹ 150, 151
Whetcomb, Daniel,
Whitcomb, George, 34. Lieut. Jonathan, 150. Lydia, 150. (Mrs. Daniel). Oliver, 171. Peter S., 18. Ruth, 171. Sally, 57. Sarah, 171. (Mrs. Oliver).
White, Charles, 150. Dr. Edward Y., 14, 18, 116. John, 35, 36, 38. Mrs., 79, 108. Mountains, 86. Sarah F., 18. Rev. William H., 75, 77, 88.
Whiting, Ann, 171. ( Mrs. Leonard). Leonard, 171. Leonard, Jr., 171.
Whitney, Elizabeth, 171. (Mrs. Moses). Lydia, 171. (Mrs. Moses). Moses, 17, 37. Lieut. Moses, 171. Salmon, 17. Capt. Salmon, 172.
Whittier, John G., 83, 87. Wild, Naomi, 172. (Mrs. Samuel). Samuel, 172.
Wilder, Hon. Abel 14. Nathaniel, 34.
Willard, Capt., 27. Family, 103. Henry, 172. Joseph Henry, 172.
Lovey, 172. (Mrs. Henry).
Maj., 101. Mary H., 172. (Mrs. Stedman).
Samuel, 10, 13. (Vice President Har- vard College). Sarah Adams, 172. Symon, 96. William, 50. (King). Williams, A. W., 88. Eliza E., 18.
Wilson, Mr., 30. Mary, 172. (Mrs. William).
William, 172. William, Jr., 172.
Winchendon, 14.
Winkley, Rev. J. W., 88.
Winship, Rev. A. E., 81, 88.
Winslow, Dea. Jedediah, 119.
Winthrop, Governor, 96, 98.
Woburn, 37.
Woodbury, Rev., Mr., 88.
Wood, Abigail, 172. (Mrs. Samuel). Amariah, 151. Amariah, 2d, 151.
Amasy, 151.
Bennet, { 151, 152.
Bennit, S
Dea., 109. Dorithy, 151. Dorithy, 151, 153. (Mrs. Jeremiah). Ebenezer, 173.
Woods, Jeremiah, { 37, 51, 151, 152, 153. Wood, Jeremiah, S Jeremiah, Jr., 151. John, 151, 152, 153. Dea. John, 152, 173. John, Jr., 152.
Jonathan, 57.
Lucy, 151, 152. (Mrs. John). Lydia, 153. (Mrs. John). Lydia, 151, 152. (Mrs. Bennet). Martin, 151. Nancy, 151. (Mrs. Martin).
.
I 86
INDEX.
Wood, Sarah, 153. Sarah, 173. (Mrs. John). Samuel, 172, 173. Worcester, 65, 108. County, 14, 39, 48. Worster, Ann, 153. (Mrs. Joseph). Joseph, 153. Marcy, 153. Jonathan, 153. Mary, 153. Rebeckah, 153. (Mrs. Jonathan). Wright, Augustus, 153.
Wright, Hon. Carroll D., 88. Elener, 153. (Mrs. Peter). Elizabeth, 153. (Mrs. Augustus). Lizzie C., 18. Peter, 16, 153. Rufus A., 153. Wunnuhhew, 11, 101, 103, 105. (See Doublet, Sarah).
Wytheville, 125. VAPP, George, 3. Yosemite, 87. Young's Night Thoughts, 162.
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Sept 16. 1907-
Vuitton Mars.
P. S. V . Cherry ,
18750
1 86
INDEX.
Wood, Sarah, 153. Sarah, 173. (Mrs. John). Samuel, 172, 173. Worcester, 65, 108. County, 14, 39, 48. Worster, Ann, 153. (Mrs. Joseph). Joseph, 153. Marcy, 153. Jonathan, 153. Mary, 153. Rebeckah, 153. (Mrs. Jonathan). Wright, Augustus, 153.
Wright, Hon. Carroll D., 88. Elener, 153. (Mrs. Peter). Elizabeth, 153. (Mrs. Augustus). Lizzie C., 18. Peter, 16, 153. Rufus A., 153. Wunnuhhew, 11, 101, 103, 105. (See Doublet, Sarah). Wytheville, 125. VAPP, George, 3. Yosemite, 87. Young's Night Thoughts, 162.
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PROCEEDINGS
LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY NO. 2.
1906
Littleton, Massachusetts : Published by the Historical Society 1906
48750
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Sept. 19, 1007 [ . !
OLD ROADS IN LITTLETON
Read at a meeting of the Littleton Ilistori- ral society, June 18, 1906, by Miss Martha II. Kimball, from dietation by her father, John A. Kimball.
Lest the subject assigned me, "Personal reminiscences of Littleton roads," encourage too much the characteristic usually attached to people of my years, I will confine myself mainly to the old roads now wholly or in part discontinued.
Previous to my day the elm tree in my pas- ture by the millpond, doubtless more than a hundred years old at the time I was born, invited to its shade the weary traveler over an old road extending from a point near Mr. Peter Whiteomb's to some place not definite- ly known, probably on King-st Evidence of this may still be seen on the eastern slope of the hill back of Mr. James Smith's residence. The exact course is unfamiliar to me, but in all probability the road passed very near the site of Mr. Fred Hartwell's mill, as a certain man named Chase owned a mill located about half way between the present building by the railroad and Har wood-ave. The dam nsed in connection with the mill was removed by William MeNiff and Mr. Powers, his son-in- law. According to tradition, Mr. Chase, the owner, resided in a house which stood very close to the elm spoken of, as indicated by the cellar hole under its spreading branches.
The stream was a source of great revenue in those days; for, in addition to furnishing water power, it supplied men with fish and wild dueks in abundance. It is fed by three main tributaries. Coll Brook, one of the the three, flows from a place called Cold Rain, on the John Sprague estate, now owned by the Sheehan family. Its water was con- sidered superior in drinking qualities to all waters between here and Boston. Porter Brook, also called Beaver Brook, the next tributary in order, which used to supply power for Draper's off mill and Whitcomb's saw mill in Boxborough, doubtless derived
its name from Col. Porter of Revolutionary fame, who lived near its bank in one of two houses burned on the site of Mr. Peter Whit- comb's servant's house south of his own home. The stream is joined by Reedy Mead- ow Brook, the third tributary, which rises not far from Mr. Michael McNamara's estate. In the meadow through which it flows large quantities of cranberries, hundreds of barrels in one season, were raked by Thomas Hart- well, then residing on the Litchfield place, and afterwards by Abraham Mead, father of Mr. Franklin Mead.
But let us return to the old elin tree. Mr. Harwood in his history, says that the house referred to was the home, at one time, of Littleton's first town clerk and first select- man, Mr. Samuel Dudley. Matters of inter- est and importance to the town were not in- frequently discussed here. I remember that seventy-five years ago this month, June 1831, the valuation of real estate in the town of Littleton was taken by Nahum Harwood, William Lapham, Thomas S. Tuttle, Capt. Samuel Whiteomb and Capt. Asa Priest, who assembled for this purpose under the tree, and dined with my father. Jesse Kimball, who had served nine years previous in the sane capacity with Nathan Brown, Joel Mar- shall, Martin Wood and Daniel Kimball, at which time the property of Littleton was ap- praised $238,409.
It was claimed that a witch once lived in this house, who was acensed by three chil- dren living in the Elbridge Marshall house, now owned and occupied by Mr. Charles Yapp, and later going to Medford.
Leaving the tree, the pond and this road, let us pass up King street to a point some six . rods southwest of my house, and trace a street to Harvard, built by John Pingrey and Joel Iloar between seventy and seventy-five years ago, and following in large measure, perhaps one-third of the way, the exact course of the present Lactart road, leaving it
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forty rods this side of the factory, and cross- ing the meadow, climbing the hill and strik- ing the town road twenty rods northwest of the Eastman or Hardy place, then following it for some distance and continuing straight to Ilarvard past the town farm. This was discontinued about tifty years ago, chiefly be- cause of its dangerous crossing on the rail- road, completed sixty-one years ago last fall, and alsc because the road from Fitchburg railroad station to the Eastman farm had just been constructed. This being best and short- est, was the most travelled of all the roads from Littleton to Harvard. A good deal of cotton waste was teamed from one of the lower cities or towns-Boston, I think-over this road to Harvard. Beef, pork and prod- uce were brought in large quantities by Far- well Brothers of Harvard over the same route to Littleton station.
Another piece of road now familiar to com- paratively few people, but never discontin- ned so far as I can ascertain, although little used except by private parties, connects the road passing the Eastman buildings, some twenty rods northwest of them, with that which passes in front of the Joseph Robbins home, on to the Shaker community, the des- tination of many Lowell citizens on Sundays seventy-five years ago, when the religious services of their sect were open to the pub- lic.
It may be of interest to follow an old road once much travelled, but now in part discon- tinned, extending probably from Boston, and passing Lawrence Tavern in the south part of Littleton where Deacon Moores Hart- well once lived, and well known as the Crane place. This continued past Liberty Square, thence on to Col. Porter's house, before re- ferred to, where another tavern, kept by Sammel Hunt, furnished hospitality for the traveler. From this point near Mr. Peter Whitcomb's residence it changed its direc- tion to the east, then north, afterwards north- west by the Ira Sanderson place, and again forty rods west to the point of Oak Hill near- est the station. From here a stretch of road, now discontinued for a distance of a quarter of a mile, extended, passing near Mr. Peter Edwards' summer home, " The Ledges," and
so on to the Eastman farm. The rest of this crooked route by the Bruce estate, through Pingreyville to the Ridge Ifill Tavern, and thence to Groton, needs no further descrip- tion.
Tradition points to other discontinued roads better known by certain persons than by me ; one passing near Mr. Samuel Sargent's, an- other over Cox Hill, and a third through New State woods towards Mr. Bradford Sampson's, not far distant from the dog-out home where Johnie Put spent the wretched existence that remained for him after Mrs. Put's first husband, Thompson, returned from the war of 1812 to claim his wife, who had, previous to her second marriage, given him up for dead. There are those living whose admiration for this unsung hero leads them to occasional pilgrimages through the woods to this sequestered spot where the Sabbath stillness is scarcely ever broken save by the song of bird or the stroke of wood- man's axe. With this exception, travel over the long since discontinued route is confined wholly to wood teams.
A mile to the west one may pass from new state road by the home of Mr. James Hazzard through the shady, winding course to a point on the Giroton road just a little north of Mr. Bradford Sampson's. Although open to the public, this road gives evidence of little tray- el. Well do I remember the repeated and strenuous efforts of those Pingreyvillagers to have this acquisition' made to the town, and it was only when they joined in leagne with the men on Old Common, who were at the same time urging the erection of a school- house in their village, that the two helped each other to secure the desired object.
To this information, meagre and fragment- ary, I would gladly add any further know- ledge on the subject in my possession, and welcome all inquiries that friends wish to make. At the same time it will give me pleasure to learn new facts from those whose memory is stored with other and more vahi- able data concerning these highways whose silent dust conceals the trace of much un- written history. JOHN A. KIMBALL .. June 18, 1906.
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RECOLLECTIONS OF LITTLETON ABOUT THE YEAR 1838
Prepared and read at a meeting of the Littleton Historical Society, February 22d, 1905, by Mrs. Lucy M. Harwood.
It may be of interest to follow the road, now King Street from the present Railroad Station to and around the Centre and Old Common, and note the houses and their occupants in 1838, or thereabouts.
Mrs. Lydia Sanderson and her son Samuel owned and occupied the house now the resi- dence of Ilon. George W. Sanderson. Mr. Jesse Kimball lived in the house destroyed by fire in July 1881, where now lives John A. Kimball.
Next was the little house under the large oak where lived Mrs. Jefferds, widow of Sampson Warren, a brother of Dea. Laban Warren; now owned by Mrs. Ellen M. Johnson.
Next lived Jonathan Cooper, who sold his house to Geo. W. Rand and built the cottage farther on, and on opposite side of the road where he and Mrs. Cooper lived and died.
The old house, well repaired, standing in the turn to New State road, was the home of John Pushee, long town sexton or under- taker, and his wife-neat and eccentric.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Treadwell, a child- less couple who never sought or found favor in the eyes of children, lived on the spot where now lives F. C. Hartwell, in the house moved later to corner of White Street, so called, improved and occupied by George W. Tuttle until burned by incendiary in January 1883. Mr. Treadwell's shoemaker shop was where now is F. C. Hartwell's barn. Later Mr. Treadwell built and occupied the cottage opposite Orthodox Church.
Next was the home of Samuel Smith, the historian of Littleton, whose records of town . events have great value as history ; now occupied by Dr. Murray.
The first Baptist Meeting House on the corner next, a plaiu brick building without belfry, was burned in August 1840.
Next, where now lives Henry Ramsdell, lived Mr. and Mrs. Walker with three chil- dren. Mr. Walker, a small man, was said to have been a coachman to a wealthy family in Boston, and his long drab coat with sev- eral capes a relic thereof. When he sold to S. W. Ramsdell he removed to the house and farin owned now by George Cash.
Jonathan Hartwell, my father, lived with his large family where Shattuck Hartwell lived later-where now lives Mr. Wilcox.
Across the street, Alonzo IIartwell, then wood engraver, later a portrait painter of eminence with home in Waltham and studio in Boston ; father of H. W. Hartwell, archi- tect, and oldest brother of Charles P. Hart- well.
In house now owned by Edward Frost lived his grandfather, Dea. Benjamin Dix, whose erect, vigorous form and gray hair tied with black ribbon many will remember as he stood in later years at the left of the preacher-unwavering-through the sermon. His tannery across the street, nearer the bridge, was later a tenement house till sold, and moved away. Uncle Dix, my grand- mother's brother, was conservative, and for years would allow no matches in his house. I remember the frequency with which Susan Call, the help, came at five o'clock of a sum- mer afternoon for a shovelful of coals to start fire for supper.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Tuttle occupied the house now next the paint shop, then standing where now live the Misses Whitcomb, and noted as having been during the War of the Revolution the home of Rev. Daniel Rogers, second minister of this town. The stair asing still bears marks of bullets fired by a
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party-probably not of townsmen-who, knowing Mr. Rogers to be on the side of the mother country, compelled him to come out and declare himself.
John L. Fletcher kept the store burned in December, 1849, on site of present centre store ; I think succeeded Reuben Houghton.
The Yellow Store opposite was built and for a time occupid by George Lawrence. The small hall over it was used for private schools between the two terms of public school, and the Orthodox Congregational Society held meetings there while their church was building.
The house, smaller then, where now lives George F. Brown, had, not many years before, been the home of Mrs. Lucy Hartwell Dix, who, on the death of her husband, Timothy Dix, of Boscawen, N. Il., father of Geu. John A. Dix, Governor of New York, re- turned to her native town with strong Cal- vinistie beliefs which the liberal preaching of Rev. Mr. Foster did not satisfy. Meet- ings with preachers of strict theology were held in her house until she was called before the church and censured. Admitting the error with promise to refrain from future schism she was re-instated in the church, but with the courage of her convictions was soon again having meetings in her house, which resulted later in secession and organ- ization of Orthodox Congregational Church. (See Records of First Congregational Church.)
In the square house built by the Parkman family of Boston, home of the late Dr. Phelps, lived Joel Hoar, brother of Reuben Iloar, and grandfather of E. A. Cox.
Brigham's dancing school nsed a small hall, since divided into rooms.
The old church, built in 1792, with its three porches, high pulpit with sounding board, deacon's seats, square pews and gal- leries containing pews as well as singers' seats, was demolished iu 1841 for erection of present church of First Congregational Uni- tarian Society.
Abraham Mead lived and made shoes where now lives Frank Tenney. Among his apprentices were Levi Conant of Harvard, who married eldest daughter of Mr. Mead, and our talented and versatile Dr. E. Y.
White, who soon left the bench for more congenial occupation.
Next the blacksmith shop and house of Eli Davis of whose large family of sons and daughters but one daughter, a non-resident, survives.
Reuben Houghton (in the Foster house occupied now by Mr. Hopkins) whose finan- cial straits and the gratitude of his son resulted in the Reuben Hoar Library and Honghton Memorial Building containing library.
Next the house now owned by Hon. F. A. Patch, occupied by Joshua Ramsdell, and later by Rev. Oliver Ayer, pastor of Baptist church.
Mr. and Mrs. Braddock Jacobs, grand- parents of George Jacobs, reared a large family where now lives E. H. Priest. One daughter, Mrs. Lydia Johnson, left to the town money for high school.
Capt. Samuel Whitcomb, great-grand- father of N. II. Whitcomb, lived where now lives W. II. Tenney.
Solomon Gibson and wife in the house moved and improved by Arthur Whitney.
The old brick schoolhouse torn down to make way for the Town Ilall has a venerated memory to many old scholars. Two terms of three months each, beginning first Mon- day in May and first Monday after Thanks- giving, taught in summer by a mistress and in winter by a master, comprised the school year supplied by the town, but the same teachers often supplemented with terms of private school. My first winter term was opened by a Mr. Bailey of rather pompous manuer with an address to the school begin- ning, "Order is heaven's first law. We must have order." In second week of term the large boys-young men-turned him out and locked the door, and Mr. Bailey left town for another field of usefulness.
Rev. William HI. White, long the beloved pastor of the First Church, aud his talented wife of blessed memory, lived in the house where now reside two of their daughters, the Misses White.
Dr. John M. Miles, the town doctor, jolly and seemingly unsympathetic at times, when long visits and long stories did not beguile pain, lived and practised in the house occu-
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pied by Mr. Houghton, then one story on the front until the hill was graded away.
Deacon James Kimball lived where now lives Mr. Hager, and in his house was kept the first cireulating library in town, owned and organized by a library company of eiti- zens, comprising many standard works. I recall Irving's Columbus, Astoria, etc., a full set of Miss Edgeworth's Tales, Sarran's La- fayette, The Listener, etc. No additions were made in years, and Jan. 1, 1847, the books were sold by auction and scattered through the town ..
The road passing Union Schoolhouse, often nearly impassable in winter, was the only one until 1847 or 1848.
Nathan Hartwell lived where now lives the family of his grandson, Clayton . ITart- well. Ile had recently sold his house across the way, now owned by E. J. Whitney, to Mr. John Mason Porter, who moved there from the west part of the town near the present residence of P. S. Whitcomb.
Mrs. Lney Breck, widow of a retired sea captain, lived in an old house with gambrel roof which went in the rear nearly to the ground, where now lives Frank Dodge, which she sold to John F. Robbins, and built and ocenpied the one now owned by Mr. Mitchell. Mrs. Breck's three daughters- one very handsome-were fine, intellectual women.
A part of the old house was rented to Mrs. Eri Rogers and her daughter, Miss Hannah Rogers, for some years a very suc. eessful and popular teacher, always a very talented and cultivated woman, held in grato- ful remembrance by many citizens of Little- ton. She died in 1847 at thirty-seven years of age, and was buried from the Unitarian church on a Sunday in June, I think, and at same hour and for the united service the eoflin of a neighbor, Mr. Nathan Stuart, stood with hers before the pulpit, Rev. Mr. White officiating.
The house with briek ends, next the old cemetery, built, I have heard, by Captain Reed, had in it two families. One, I remem- ber, an excellent one, was that of Abel Jones.
The house of Mrs. Edward Fletcher was recently built aud occupied by Mr. Davidson until sold to Olvin Raymond, grandfather of the donor of three works of art to Reuben Iloar library.
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N. B. Robbins, father of lIenry A. Rob- bins, built and occupied the present home of C. M. Lawrence.
William Chamberlin's tavern, afterward a private residence and destroyed by fire, stood where now lives A. F. Conant.
In that hall were the assemblies or balls when dancing began at 4 r. M. and often continued until 4 A. M. next day-no round dances then-with a hot turkey supper at midnight. Interesting to the juveniles were the simultaneous requests for dismissal from both sides of the schoolroom. Mrs. Cham. berlin-a fine cook-made the wedding cake for some of them later, and for most wed- dings.
Thomas Nye, with his wife and boys and girls, lived where now lives Mr. Emory.
Mr. Phelps, another shoemaker in the small honse formerly occupied by Mr. Need- ham.
An old Mr. and Mrs. Smith, grandparents of Samuel Smith, the historian, lived and died in the house remodelled by Mr. Robin- son and now owned and occupied by J. W. Fletcher.
Luther Lapham in next house, and his wheelwright shop on first floor of tenement house in the corner, and H. N. Smith and his brother, J. W., made good harnesses up- stairs.
Benjamin Kimball lived where bow lives Joseph Dodge.
Lot Sampson, the mason, where lives Miss Nye, and Nathan Priest where now lives Edwin Robinson.
Capt. Luther White in the house under . the elm across the road from Mr. Kimball's ; and where now lives Iliram Brown was the store with tenement, of Daniel Bolles, and in it the town postoffice, where eame a daily mail from Boston and other towns, also from East, West and South in the forenoon, and in evening mail from Keene, N. II., and towns en route, brought in bags of moderate size under driver's seat of coach, and opened and assorted while the stage waited.
Next where honse of John W. Adams was burned was a tavern for boarders and trav- ellers, kept by Madison Loring.
The blacksmith shop and house of Joseph Stevens completed the circuit of the un- fenced and little-shaded old Common.
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