Proceedings of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, 1877, Volume I-5, Part 15

Author: Worcester Historical Society; Barton, William Sumner, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Worcester, Worcester Society of Antiquity
Number of Pages: 426

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Proceedings of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, 1877, Volume I-5 > Part 15

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

280. IN memory of | Mr JAMES TROWBRIDGE | who died July 21, 1806 | in the 90 year | of his age.

He married Lydia Ward.

281. In Memory of | Deacon | WILLIAM TROW- BRIDGE who died | Sept. 30, 1833, | aged 82.

When sixteen years old, he was private in Capt. Timothy Bige- low's company of minute men ; also private in Capt. Jonas Hub- bard's company ; also private in Col. Thomas Crafts' regiment of artillery. Deacon of the Second Church for twenty years from 1807. He was a nephew of Edmund Trowbridge of Newton, succes- sively attorney-general and chief justice of Massachusetts from 1749 to 1775.

Tucker.

282. In Memory of | of MR. BENJAMIN TUCKER, born at Leicester | Jany 23. A.D. 1734 O.S. | died Sepr 13 A.D. 1806. | Æt. LXXIII.

Son of Benjamin Tucker of Leicester, and a harness-maker by trade. He and his wife were among the original members of the First Baptist Church in Worcester, and he was a member of the Building Committee to erect their first house of worship.

115

285. MARY daugr | of Mr. Enos & | Mrs. Mary Tucker who died | Jan 15 1811, | aged 3 years.

So faids the lovely blooming flower Frail smiling solace of an hour So soon our transient comforts fly And pleasure only blooms to die

Farewell mother.

Tufts.

288. In Memory of | Miss REBECAII TUFTS, who died | Sept. 18, 1821, | in the 28 year | of her age.

289. In Memory of MR. WALTER TUFTS, | who died | July 19, 1806, | in the 40 year | of his age.

ward.

290. ERECTED |In memory of | MR. ASA WARD JR.[ who died Oct" 29 1817 in | the 39 year of his | age. Retire my friends dry up your tears I must lie here till Christ appears.

He married Sally White, April 3, 1802.

291. In memory of | Mr. ASA WARD, who died | June 27. ISIS. | Æt. 70.

. He was a member of the American Political Society, and it was at his house that this society was organized Dec. 27, 1773. Private in Capt. Timothy Bigelow's company of minute men, April 19, 1775. He was father of Artemas Ward, register of deeds from 1821 to 1846.

116

Was Hannah Heywood, widow of the first Abel Heywood, and formerly Hannah Goddard of Brookline.

Private in the company of minute men under the command of Capt. Timothy Bigelow, which left Worcester on the alarm at Lex- ington, April 19, 1775. Also in the company under the command of Capt. Jonas Hubbard in service, near Boston, three months, the same year.

294. SARAH WARD, | daughter of | Asa Ward Jr. | died Oct. 31, 1847, | aged 44 years.

warden.

Was a barber, having a shop in a building owned by Mr. Isaiah Thomas, then situated on Court Hill.

Wheeler.

&White.

298. Austin S. son | of Austin & | Rebecca White! died Oct. 7, 1843 | ÆE. 2 y's & 2 m

299. IN |memory of | Mrs Eliza White | who died| Octr 16th 1798.

117

300. In Memory of | MAJOR JOHN WHITE, who died | Febr 2d 1797. | aged 51 years. Retire my friends dry up your tear 1 muft lie hear till Chrift appears Mementor mori

302. In Memory of | Mr. PETER WHITE | who died | August 8, 1814, | Æt. 31.

303. In Memory of | PETER WHITE, Son of - Mr. Peter & ! Mrs Sally White. | who died | March 9. 1832, | Aged 18.

@ghitutp.

Was Abigail Wood of Rutland. Married March 13, 1797.

306. ERECTED | In memory of | CAPt JOSHUA WHIT- NEY, who died |May 7 1809 | ÆEt. 72.

Sweet were the hopes that cheer'd his soul, Those hopes by God were given. And tho' his body sleeps in dust His soul ascends to Heaven.

He lived on what is now Millbury street, opposite the head of the present Cambridge street. Was captain of a 'train band, and was active in drilling and furnishing men for the revolutionary army.

An original member of the American Political Society. Was one of a committee appointed by the town, May 16, 1774, to report in- structions to be observed by Mr. Joshua Bigelow, the Representative to the General Court.

118

Friends & Phyficians could not fave, My mortal body from ye grave ; Nor can ye grave confine me here ; When Chrift fhall call me to appear.

@wight.

If innocence & worth, united in a lovely form of youth Demand the tribute of a tear,-It may be shed for her who slumbers here.

willard.

309. In Memory of | Lieut. Isaac Willard | who died | Dec. 26, 1805, | ÆE. 80.

Was Lucy Ranks. Married March 22, 1821.

Archibald Willard who died Oct. 9, 1848, kept a hotel just east of the corner of Pleasant and Mower streets, and on the north side of the road (Pleasant street,) for some eighteen years previous to his death.

Williams.

119

Willington.

314. In Memory of | Mr. TYLOR WILLINGTON, who died | July 26. 1821, aged 42.

He married Lucretia Gleason, Nov. 12, 1801.

Wilson.

316. ELIZA | Daughter of | JAMES & SARAH WIL- SON, | Ob. 23rd March | 1804. Æt. 10 days.

The Flight of Hope furvey Of restless Hope forever on the wing High perch'd o'er ev'ry thought.

Woist.

3IS. Wm Wise

This name was found on a footstone.

wiswe !!. 319. In Memory of | Capt. EBENEZER WISWELL, who died | Jan. 20, 1822. | aged 67.

" Through life's mysterious vale, from day to day, Man, wretched pilgrim journies on his way. While but a little onward hangs the gloom That hides the solemn precincts of the tomb.

A member of Capt. Timothy Bigelow's company of minute men which left Worcester on the alarm at Lexington, April 19, 1775. Private in a company under the command of Capt. Jonas Hubbard in service near Boston in the same year. Corporal in Capt. William Gates' company in Col. Jonathan Holman's regiment in the Con- tinental army. He married Sally Mahan of Boylston, Dec. 25, 1792.

120

He for many years occupied the Hancock estate on Lincoln street. The mansion stood on the site of the present fine residence of Philip L. Moen. Thomas Hancock formerly owned this property, but at his death about 1764, he bequeathed it to his nephew Gov. John Hancock. Previous to about 1781 at which time Gov. Levi Lin- coln purchased the estate, Mr. Woodburn kept the mansion open as a boarding-house to accommodate the judges, officers and attendants during court sessions. He was one of the original members of the Political Society in 1774. .

Worcester.

This was the first interment in this ground.

Leonard Worcester, senior, was a printer, and was associated with Isaiah Thomas in the printing of books, and the publication of the Massachusetts SPY. Deacon of the Old South Church from 1797 to 1801. Afterwards became a minister, and settled in Peacham, Vt.

That Worcester has furnished many true and noble patriots, men with broad intellects and high aspirations, our printed roll will attest. There the family names of persons may be found who sacrificed home, property, and even life, for the sake of principle-those who were ready to assert the right, and dared to maintain it by argument, and with the force of arms if need be. The patronymic of many of the prominent families of our land are to be seen among the list. Adams, Andrew, Allen, Bigelow, Chandler, Curtis, Flagg, Gates, Lincoln, Lovell, Paine, Putnam, Rice, Thomas, Ward, Wheeler, are names closely identified with the protracted struggle with the Indians

121

during the early settlement of this section of our country, the French war, and still later in the long and fierce contest with the mother country for our National Independence, and also with those civil strifes and contentions out of which grew so noble a governmental structure.

Among the persons found to be without monuments in the Mechanic Street Ground, at the time of the transcription, were those of the Allen family occupying lot No. 53. Here were deposited the bodies of Hon. Joseph Allen, Dorothy his wife, and their daughter Maria who died in 1826, aged 26 years, a young lady of rare intel- lectual tastes and accomplishments, possessing a sweet disposition and a generous heart, justly beloved by all who knew her. Also their children, Elizabeth, Charles and James, all of whom died young .*

HON. JOSEPH ALLEN. Born in Boston. Sept. 2, 1749. His father was James Allen, a merchant tailor, who married the sister of Samuel Adams. Was educated in the schools of Boston. In 1771, he entered into business in Leicester, and in the preliminary movements of the Revolution was a firm and ardent whig. He removed to Worcester in 1776, and succeeded Levi Lincoln, senior, as clerk of the courts, which office he held for thirty-three years. In 1779, he was chosen by the town a committee to consider and report such resolutions as they deemed proper to be passed relative to the ap- preciation of the currency. In May, 1783, he was a member of a committee appointed to draw up an expression of the sentiment of the town in relation to absentees and refugees. Was chosen a mem- ber of the 11th Congress to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. Jabez Upham, declining at the same time a nomination to the 12th Congress. Was a member of the Convention to frame the constitution of Massachusetts in 1779-80, and one of the secretaries of that body. Member of the Executive Council from 1815 to 1818, and twice a member of the Electoral College of Massachusetts. One of the founders of the Leicester Academy. He married Dorothy

* Rev. George Allen, also a son of Hon. Joseph Allen, born Feb. Ist, 1792. Graduate of Vale College, 1813. Studied theology with Rev. Dr. Andrew Yates in Union College, and ordained minister in Shrewsbury, Nov. 19, 1823, a colleague with Rev. Dr. Joseph Sumner, and after his death, Mr. Allen was sole pastor until 1839, after which for nearly twenty years he officiated as chaplain at the State Lunatic Hospital in Worcester in which city he now resides in the 86th year of his age. The compilers of this work are indebted to him for many suggestions and much valuable information.

122

Kingsbury of East Hartford, Connecticut. She died May, 1802. He died Sept. 2, 1827, aged 78. No monument was ever erected over his remains.

SAMUEL ALLEN, Senior, brother of Hon. Joseph Allen was born in Boston and came to Worcester in 1776. He received his educa- tion at the Latin School in Boston under the celebrated Master John Lovell. He married for his first wife, Elizabeth Honeywood, daugh- ter of Dr. John Honeywood of Leicester, an Englishman by birth and education, and a surgeon in the American army of the Revolu- tion. Dr. Honeywood was father of St.John Honeywood who graduated at Yale College in 1782, and author of a volume of Po- ems, one of which was famous in its day, entitled " Darby and Joan." Mrs. Honeywood, (the Dr's wife,) was daughter of Hon. Thomas Steele of Leicester, a judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Worcester County. For his second wife, Mr. Allen married a daughter of Gen. Timothy Newell of Sturbridge. He was for forty-nine years, from 1781 to 1830, Treasurer for Worcester County, often receiving every vote in the county for that office. He died Dec. 26, 1830, aged 73.

The following were buried in the Mechanic Street Ground, and afterwards removed to other Cemeteries :

FRANCIS BLAKE, one of the most distinguished lawyers of his time. Born in Rutland, Mass. A graduate of Harvard College 1789. He studied law with the Hon. John Sprague of Lancaster, and was admit- ted to the bar in 1794. Practiced in Rutland, and removed to Wor- cester in 1802. State Senator, 1810-II. Clerk of the Courts, 1816 to his death. He delivered Fourth of July orations in Wor- cester, in 1796 and 1812, which were printed. He possessed all the qualifications of the true orator. His body was removed from the Mechanic Street Ground to Rural Cemetery, where may be seen on the original stone, the inscription

FRANCIS BLAKE

Born Oct. 14, 1774 Died Feb. 23, 1817. Nostræ Eloquentia Forensis Facile Princeps.

123

LEVI LINCOLN, SEN., was son of Enoch Lincoln of Hingham. Their ancestor, Samuel, came from Hingham, County of Norfolk, England, in 1627. Levi learned the trade of blacksmith. After- wards entered Harvard University, and graduated in 1772. Studied law with Daniel Farnham, Esq., of Newburyport and Maj. Joseph Hawley of Northampton. In April, 1775, he marched as a volunteer with the minute men to Cambridge, and soon afterwards came to Worcester. Was a member of many important local revolutionary committees. Was appointed Clerk of the Courts in 1776. Judge of Probate from 1777 to 1781. In 1779, was designated to prose- cute the claims of the government to the estates of the refugees con- fiscated under the Absentee Act. Delegate to the convention in Cambridge for framing a State Constitution. Elected in 1781 rep- resentative to the Continental Congress, but declined. Representa- tive to the General Court in 1796. Member of the State Senate in 1797. About this time he wrote a series of papers called " Farm- er's Letters," in opposition to the Administration of John Adams. In 1800, he was elected a member of the seventh Congress. In 1801, he was appointed by President Jefferson, Attorney General of the United States, which office he held for nearly four years. In 1806, he was elected a member of the Council of Massachusetts. Lieutenant-Governor of the Commonwealth, 1807-1808, and on the decease of Gov. Sullivan in 1808, he discharged the duties of chief magistrate for the unexpired term. He was again elected councillor in 1810 and in 1811. In 1811, he was offered the posi- tion of associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States by President Madison, but declined the honor. He was an original member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and long at the head of the Massachusetts bar. His sons, Levi and Enoch, were Govern- ors of States, and another son, William, was the historian of Wor- cester. Born May 5th, 1749. Died April 14th, 1820, aged 71.

His remains were removed to Rural Cemetery.

CORRECTION .- In note under No. 17, page 19, last line, in place of " Thomas Jr. of Charlestown," read James Barber.

124

The following inscription was taken from a stone now standing in a field near Nelson Place in the northern part of the city, in which locality once stood the pest house :

Memento mori.

The sweet remembrance of the just Shall flourish when they sleep in dust.

She was Elizabeth Bridge, and the second wife of Mr. Increase Blake, his first wife having been Ann Crafts of Boston, where she died. Mr. Blake was born in Boston, Oct. 28, 1726, and moved to Worcester just after the Battle of Bunker Hill. He was a tin plate worker, having a shop or store in Boston on King street, now State street, and because of his refusal to make canteens for the royal troops was driven from the place. He found refuge in Worcester, where he continued at his trade, having a shop near Lincoln Square. He died Feb. 28, 1795.

At the time of making the excavations for Mr. Jonathan Grout's Block on Main Street, opposite Elm Street, June 8th, 1870, a slab was found bearing the following inscription :- " Here lies the body of Elizabeth Willard, wife of Jonathan Willard, who died July 4, 1720, aged 38 years." She is said to have been the daughter of John and Mary (Hapgood) Whitney of Framingham. Her hus- band resided at what is now South Worcester. Remnants of tomb- stones have at other times been found near this locality. But it is a matter of conjecture whether interments were ever made on this spot or not.

ADDENDUM

TO THE

Inscriptions from the Old Burial Grounds IN WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

1879.

EXPLANATORY PREFACE.

The very generous appreciation with which the publication of the INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE OLD BURIAL GROUNDS IN WORCESTER was received, has given the Society encouragement to issue a sup- plement to that portion relating to the Mechanic Street Ground. Little did we realize, at the time those records were transcribed, that within so short a period, that historic spot would be called upon to give up its dead ; but in this rapid current of progress and improvement even the sanctity of the tomb or the sacred ashes of the dead present no check to the onward rushing tide. The fan- cied public needs must be supplied, even at the cost of desecrating the graves of our fathers.

It had been proposed to extend Foster Street along the north- ern border of this cemetery ; but, as is often the case in dealing with perplexing questions, there was a sudden change in affairs. At a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen, held February 17th, 1877, the following was passed :

"ORDERED, that the Mayor, in behalf of the Board, be authorized to con- cur with the relators in the petition for mandamus now pending in court, or with their counsel, in obtaining the legislation necessary to allow the con- struction of the extension of Foster Street substantially as provided in the plans submitted by Mr. Barnard and Mr. Nelson, instead as now provided by law."

This change as agreed upon by the passage of the above order. made the street run diagonally through the burial ground, and although a strong effort was put forth in opposition to this re- location, yet nothing could shake the determination of the friends of the scheme ; and this home of the dead must be sacrificed.

126

May 7th, 1877, the City Council adopted the following :

"ORDERED, that a joint special committee be appointed to report to the City Council as soon as may be, what arrangements can be made to remove the bodies from that part of the Mechanic Street Burying Ground which will be taken by the extension of Foster Street, and whether it is advisable to re- move the bodies from other parts of said burying ground, and if so, what arrangements can be made therefor."

That committee was composed of Mayor C. B. Pratt ; Alder- men Samuel D. Harding and George P. Kendrick ; President of the Council, George E. Boyden ; and Councilmen Ellery B. Crane, Thomas Monahan and Albert A. Lovell. After a careful con- sideration of all matters in point, they made a report recommend- ing that all the bodies be removed, which was accepted by the City Council, July 16th, 1877, and the following order adopted :

"ORDERED, that the Joint Special Committee appointed under an order of the City Council, adopted May 7th, current, to see what arrangements can be made to remove the bodies from the Mechanic Street Burial Ground, be and they are hereby authorized and directed to cause all the bodies to be removed from said burial ground to such place or places as may be provided by those having friends interred there or as the committee may think fit and proper, the expense thereof to be charged to the appropriation for the con- struction of Foster Street when the same shall be made. Estimated expense not to exceed four thousand dollars."

Still there was such a strong feeling of aversion existing in the City Council towards constructing that street, that the season passed by, and with the opening of the new year, a new city gor- ernment came into power ; and on finding that there was no es- cape, the order of the court must be obeyed. The following was adopted February 18th, 1878 :

"ORDERED, that a Joint Special Committee be appointed, with instructions to report as soon as convenient what action can be taken in relation to ob- taining more land for the enlargement of IIope Cemetery and on what terms it can be obtained; and that said committee be and that they are hereby au- thorized to make contracts for and to take such action as they deem proper to remove the bodies from Mechanic Street Burial Ground, or such portions thereof as may be necessary for the construction of Foster Street extension, the expense thereof to be charged to the appropriation for the extension of Foster Street, when the same shall be made."

This committee was composed of William Dickinson and Henry A. Marsh on the part of the Board of Aldermen ; Albert A. Lovell, Ellery B. Crane and Frank E. Lancaster on the part of the Coun-

127

cil ; and subsequently the Mayor, Charles B. Pratt, and George E. Boyden, President of the Council were added to the committee.

The contract for removing the remains was awarded to Messrs. George Sessions & Sons, experienced undertakers, and under their superintendence 1116 bodies were taken up and deposited in other places of burial, most of them in the lot provided by the City at Hope Cemetery.

In the former publication 330 names of persons buried in the Mechanic Street Ground were printed. The Committee present in the following pages the record of 100 more. These additional names and dates were obtained from coffin plates, from head stones which had been overlooked in the previous survey or were found buried beneath the surface, and from friends and relatives of the deceased who visited the ground in search of their remains. The Committee gave personal attention to this work, using great care in the authentication of the information thus obtained, and it is believed that the work will be found tolerably free from defect.

To render this publication, to a specified time, complete, the record of deaths in Worcester from 1717 to 1825, -omitting, of course, the names which appear in the Inscriptions, -has been copied from the books in the office of the City Clerk, and is here- with supplied.

This Addendum is paged continuously with the book of In- scriptions issued last year, and is intended to be bound with it. At the end will be found an Index of names to the entire work.

The Numbers given in the Notes in the following pages, refer, unless otherwise stated, to the Mechanic Street Inscriptions in the body of the work.

Additional Names and Inscriptions

FOUND IN

THE BURIAL GROUND

ON MECHANIC STREET.

Adams.

I. Harriet Adams, aged 12. She was the daughter of Rufus Adams. (No. 4.)

Allen.

2. Abigail Allen.

Sister of the wife of Reuben Knight, and was buried in his lot.

3. Elizabeth Allen, died May 13th, 1795, aged 9 years.

4. Miss Maria Allen, aged 33 years. Died May 20th, 1826.

The last two were daughters of Hon. Joseph Allen. Elizabeth must have been the first person buried in this ground instead of Leonard Worcester, Jr., as was stated on page 120. Her death occurred some six weeks before his.

5. Richard Allen, died August 30, 1839, a. 66. Buried in Leonard Worcester's lot.

I30

Bigclow.

6. Augusta Bigelow, born 1808, died 1842.

Daughter of Silas Bigelow. (No. 17.) She was a teacher in the South ; was shipwrecked on her return home, and contracted the sickness of which she died.

Biscoc.

7. Esther Biscoe, d. 1826, a. 90. Buried in Willard Moore's lot.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Proceedings of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, 1877, Volume I-5, Part 15

Author: Worcester Historical Society; Barton, William Sumner, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Worcester, Worcester Society of Antiquity Number of Pages: 426

Author: Worcester Historical Society; Barton, William Sumner, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Worcester, Worcester Society of Antiquity
Number of Pages: 426