USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Proceedings of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, 1877, Volume I-5 > Part 18
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Chas. II. J. Douglas,
Albert A. Lovell, Benj. J. Dodge, W. H. Bigelow.
Franklin P. Rice, Henry M. Smith,
Albert Curtis,
Clark Jillson, Albert Tyler,
Reuben R. Dodge.
ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS, PUBLICATIONS & ENGRAVINGS.
Clark Jillson, Edward I. Comins, Henry L. Shumway,
Wm. B. Harding, Chas. B. Whiting, Theo. S. Johnson.
Albert Tyler, Chas. W. Estabrook, Samuel E. Staples,
Augustus Coolidge, Nathaniel Paine,
Chas. W. Fenno,
Thos. E. St. John, Fisher A. Bosworth, John Merrill.
Merrick Bemis,
Augustus E. Peck,
RELICS, COINS, AND CURIOSITIES.
Henry Phelps, Olin L. Merriam,
Richard O'Flynn, Augustus Stone,
Wm B. Howe, Joseph N. Bates,
Nelson R. Scott, Alex. C. Munroe,
George Sumner,
Norton L. Cook,
E. H. Thompson, Geo. E. Boyden, Stephen C. Earle. Theo. S. Johnson,
Pardon A. Lee.
Franklin C. Jillson, E. H. Marble,
PROCEEDINGS
FOR 1878.
MITHE first meeting of THE WORCESTER SOCIETY OF ANTIQUITY, after the Annual Meeting, was held at the Library of the Society, Tuesday evening, Feb. 5th, there being present seventeen members.
The President, in behalf of the Executive Com- mittee, made the following report, which was accept- ed and its recommendations adopted :-
REPORT.
GENTLEMEN :- The Proceedings of the Society for 1877 have been printed in accordance with previous instructions. the same having been prepared for the press by Mr. JJillson. It was decid- ed by the Committee. that it was not expedient to print the Papers that have been read before the Society during the year, but it is probable that those of Mr. Crane and Mr. Tyler will be privately printed.
The Inscriptions from the Old Common and Mechanic street Burial Grounds. have been printed under the special direction of the Committee on that work. Messrs. Crane, Lovell and Rice, making 121 pages. which, with the Proceedings. make 164 pages. This Pamphlet has been munbered III. The Inscriptions have been bound in a separate pamphlet. and numbered IV.
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The printing has been done in a very acceptable manner, by Messrs. Tyler & Seagrave, as the work will show to those into whose hands it may come.
The Committee recommend that one copy of the Proceedings, No. III, which contains all the matter published, be given to each member of our Society, both Acitve and Honorary.
Respectfully submitted. S. E. STAPLES. CLARK JILLSON. E. B. CRANE, DANIEL SEAGRAVE, JAMES A. SMITHI.
Worcester, February 5th, 1878.
The Standing Committee on nominations, proposed for active membership, Dr. Merrick Bemis, John Merrill and E. H. Marble, all of Worcester, and they were duly elected.
The Librarian read a list of numerous donations received during the preceding month, among which were a collection of Directories from Messrs. Drew, Allis & Co., and a volume of Poole's Annotations, from Mrs. Clark Jillson. It was voted that the thanks of the Society be tendered Messrs. Drew Allis & Co., for their donation. By request, Mr. Jillson gave a very interesting historical account of the vol- ume presented by Mrs. Jillson, after which, on mo- tion of Mr. Lovell, the Secretary was instructed to communicate the thanks of the Society to Mrs. Jill- son, for her valuable donation.
It was voted that the Librarian be authorized to make such exchanges of our duplicate matter as may be for the advantage of the Society.
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William S. Barton Esq., made a few compliment- ary remarks in relation to the Society, and offered some suggestions in regard to the further division of work among the several members. He presented to the Society "Alden's Epitaphs" in five volumes, which is a scarce work, and a valuable addition to our library.
Albert A. Lovell was appointed a committee to collect material relating to certain historical local- ities in Worcester and vicinity.
Charles R. Johnson, Chairman of the Department of Archaeology and General History, and Ellery B. Crane, Chairman of the Department of Local History and Genealogy, reported that their Departments had been organized, and that the members thereof had manifested a good degree of interest in the work contemplated.
HIon. Clark Jillson, Chairman of the Department of Ancient Manuscripts, Publications and Engrav- ings, reported concerning the organization of that Department, and proposed work for the same.
Mr. Jillson then read the following brief sketch, relating to the financial management of the pioneer Cotton Manufacturer of America; showing that men of ability can not only invent and manufacture mia- chines to establish and carry on a great industry, but that they may also be qualified, without special education therefor, to deal with financial problems, in a more skillful manner, and with better success than many who have made that subject a life-study.
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A FINANCIER OF THE OLD SCHOOL.
In cases of long continued depression in financial circles, we are apt to seek for a parallel in history, hoping that a knowledge of the methods of relief, resorted to by financiers in former times. may suggest a remedy whereby we may avert failure in business.
The financial aspect of this country depends largely upon the financial condition of individuals, which, to be satisfactory, must be sustained by public and private confidence in the ability of the individual to promptly meet his liabilities. A want of confidence will destroy the prospects of a business man, though his estate may be solvent. and his chances for success, with proper manage- ment, good. To avoid disasters of this kind, and for the purpose of maintaining confidence in each other. business men have taxed their financial ability to its utmost tension. generally with indif- ferent results. Formerly when one creditor became alarmed, with or without cause, and commenced legal action, it became a signal for others to do likewise, leaving the debtor surrounded by the tender mercies of a panie. One of the shrewdest schemes to avoid such a state of affairs was successfully resorted to by SAMUEL SLATER, the father of cotton manufacture in America, by which device he was saved from financial ruin.
Mr. Slater, born at Belper. England, June 9. 1768, arrived in New York, Nov .. 1789, at the age of twenty-one. At that time Moses Brown had attempted to spin cotton by machinery, in Rhode Island, but had made a total failure. Congress had just passed an Act for the encouragement of manufactures ; and the Legislature of Pensylvania had offered a bounty for the introduc- tion of the Arkwright patents. Young Slater had seen these laws and was thereby induced to bring across the ocean Arkwright's improvements, without models or drawings. carrying the details in his mind, so thoroughly fixed as to enable him to build a com- plete set of cotton machinery. He wrote to Mr. Brown stating what he could do, but received a discourging reply, although it contained this proposition :- " If thou eanst do this thing. I in- vite thee to come to Rhode Island and have the credit and profit of introducing cotton manufacture into America."
He thereupon went to Rhode Island, and his first machine for spinning and weaving cotton cloth was put in motion at Paw- tucket. Dec. 21st 1790. In 1812 he erected his mills in Oxford. (now Webster.) where has grown up a large establishment, which still bears his name.
During the business depression of 1829, Mr. Slater having a large amount of property in his possession, became financially in- volved : but his foresight was such as to enable him to overcome all obstacles, and at the same time make a fortune. To relieve himself from embarrassment he issned thirty notes. amounting in all to 8215,000, and they were put upon the market. He also placed his entire property in the hands of several wealthy gentle- men in Providence, to be held by them in trust for a specific pur- pose, the conditions of which exhibited a combination of honesty and shrewdness seldom found in harmony with each other.
The remarkable document by which this conveyance was made is dated August 15th 1829, and is now among the records of the town of Smithfield R. I. It provides that in consideration of two hundred and fifteen dollars, and the covenants and trusts hereafter mentioned, Mr. Samuel Slater conveys to Thomas P. Ives. Philip Allen. Samuel Nightingale, Richard Bullock, Nehe- miah 11. Knight, William Church, Cyrus Butler. William Rich- mond and William T. Grinnell. all of Providence, property con- sisting of a block of buildings on South Main street ; a cotton factory with all its machinery, engine, two dwelling houses, and land on which they all stand : also one other building and a dwelling house, all in Providence : also certain parcels of land in Smithfieldl ; also certain parcels of land with dwelling houses, a cotton factory, mill privilege. machinery, etc. etc., in Attleboro and Seekonk : also one half of Union Block in Pawtucket ; also about two thousand acres of land in Oxford. Dudley and Douglas. in Massachusetts, with all the cotton factories, mills, rights of water. dwelling houses, stores and buildings thereon, machinery &c., which had been conveyed to Mr. Slater by seventeen differ- ent deeds : also one half of the Jewett City Manufacturing Com- pany's works, consisting of mills, cotton factories, rights of water, dwelling houses. stores ete .. etc .. conveyed to the owner by eleven deeds : for the above named to have and to hold in
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special trust for the purposes hereinafter declared : that is to say, whereas, the said Slater has made and executed thirty notes am- ounting in all to $215,000 ; therefore, if the said Slater should také up these notes as they became due, then this deed was to be null and void ; otherwise it should be the duty of the trustees to sell the property to pay the notes. for which purpose the above named gentlemen were attorneys, irrevocable, and they agreed to perform the trust committed to them.
By this financial strategy the large estate of Mr. Slater was saved from plunder, and at the same time provision was made for the payment of all his debts.
If those who are financially embarrassed at the present day would adhere to a similar code of honor, business would revive and confidence be restored.
At the regular meeting held March 5th, at the Hall of the Society, there was the usual good atten- dance, and much interest was manifested in the ob- jects of the Association. E. H. Rice of Worcester was elected an active member, and John E. Russell of Leicester, a corresponding member.
The Librarian reported several acknowledgements from individuals and societies, of the receipt of our Proceedings, and numerous donations to the Library, of books, pamphlets, manuscripts and maps.
Augustus Stone gave notice that the Department of Relics, Coins and Curiosities, had organized by the choice of Henry Phelps as Chairman, and Theodore S. Johnson, Secretary
On motion of Mr. Seagrave it was voted to place the Pocumtuck Valley Association of Deerfield, Mass. upon the exchange list of this Society.
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Mr. E. B. Crane then read a very interesting his- torical Paper upon the "Lumber Business of Worces- ter," from its earliest settlement, with brief biograph- ical notices of the persons engaged therein, to the year 1835, when the Boston and Worcester Railroad was completed. Mr. Crane promised that at some future meeting he would continue the subject, bring- ing it down to the present time.
At the regular monthly meeting held Tuesday evening, April 2d, there were present eighteen mem- bers. Fisher A. Bosworth M. D. of Webster, and Franklin C. Jillson of Worcester were elected to ac- tive membership. Valuable donations were received from Hon. Stephen Salisbury, Messrs. Putnam and Davis, and from various members of the Society.
A letter from S. F. Haven Esq., Librarian of the American Antiquarian Society, was read, acknowl- edging the receipt of our Proceedings and compli- mentary to the same.
Mr. C. H. J. Douglas, of Brown University, a men- ber of the society, was introduced, and read a valua- ble Paper upon the subject of "Family Histories," which was listened to with much interest and satis- faction. Dr. George Chandler of Worcester, the author of a very elaborate work, on the Genealogy of the "Chandler Family," being present by invita- tion, was called upon by the President, and made some interesting remarks upon the same subject.
On motion of Franklin P. Rice, it was voted that Mr. Douglas be requested to furnish a copy of his
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Paper for preservation in the archives of this Society.
Hon. Clark Jillson presented to the Society a pair of Hands recently removed from the Old South clock in this city, prefacing the same with historical rem- arks concerning the old clock and its labor, for a period of more than seventy-five years.
In behalf of Mr. A. B. Prouty of this city, Mr. Jillson presented the Society with a machine for the manufacture of card teeth previous to the invention of card setting machines. A vote of thanks was ten- dered to Mr. Prouty. Interesting remarks were made by Dr. Chandler, Mr. Jillson and others, concerning the various stages of the manufacture of card teeth, and setting of the same, before the invention of ma- chines for doing that work.
Mr. Crane read a continuation of his Paper on the "Lumber Business of Worcester," from 1835 to the present time, together with brief Biographical sket- ches of the persons engaged therein.
The following embraces the entire Paper read by Mr. Crane before the Society. It contains an abun- dance of Local History, gleaned with the greatest care from various reliable sources, and for the first time gathered into a single article, couched in such language as to make it attractive and instructive to the general reader. Its Genealogical and Biograph- ical information make it exdeedingly valuable for future reference, to all who are or may become resi- dents of Worcester.
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THE LUMBER BUSINESS OF WORCESTER.
On the 15th day of May, 1667. Capt Daniel Gookin, Capt Ed- ward Johnson. Mr. Samuel Andrew and Andrew Belcher, senior. were instructed by the Great and General Court at Boston, to view the country near Quinsigamond Ponds, and to report who- ther in their opinion "the place be capable to make a village."
Messrs. Gookin. Johnson and Belcher made answer to that re- quest. Oct. 20, 1668, recommending the location for a town ; it being. as they said. "conveniently situated, well watered with ponds and brooks, and containing a tract of very good chestnut free land -a large quantity-but the meadow we find not so much." By the report of this Committee, we establish the fact that the territory selected for the Quinsigamond Plantation, called Worcester in 1684, was a well timbered country : and although the chestnut was perhaps the most abundant. yet the pine. oak, walnut. ash, birch and maple were also natives of the soil. all doing their part toward making up the shady groves and leafy forests that covered the rocky hill-slopes. and darkened the deep valleys of this the wild and trackless wilderness. Here the early settlers found material close at hand with which to construct log huts for shelter in time of peace, and Garrison houses to which they might flee for safety from attacks of the prowling. blood- thirsty Indians. At this time every man in the settlement. from the Parson to the drudge. was a Lumberman and Carpenter, performing the duties of both trades, from the felling of the tree to preparing and placing the logs in proper position to complete the cabin : with but the axe and the hand-saw for tools to aid them in their work
According to records found the first saw-mill, an institution so indispensable to the growth and prosperity of the new town, was built about 1681. by Capt. John Wing who came from Boston and located. it is said. on Fort River. now called Mill Brook, a short distance above Lincoln Square, where a tract of 80 acres of land surrounding his mill. and on the north si le of the brook. with exclusive privilege of its water, was assigned to Capt. Wing in 16%.
Owing to a lack of confidence in the pretended friendship of the
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Nipmuck Indians and other tribes who frequented this locality, the settlement came to a stand-still and was even quite deserted from 1686 until the conclusion of peace with the Indians in 1713.
In October of that year Mr. Jonas Rice. with his family, moved into the town, and for more than a year were the only white or- cupants. The boldness of Mr. Rice having established confi- dence in the safety of a renewal of the settlement. several fami- lies found their way within the bounds of Worcester in the year 1715. The records are silent so far as I have been able to learn as to whether Capt. Wing's saw-mill was found intact at this time or not ; but another was soon built by Mr. Obediah Ward of Sudbury, who was born Dee. 10, 1663. son of Richard and Mary More Ward, and grandson of William Ward. one of the early settlers of Sudbury, and proprietor of lands there as early as 1639. Obediah married Joanna Harrington of Watertown. Dec. 20, 1693, and settled in Sudbury. In 1716, he came to Worces- ter and erected this saw-mill on Mill Brook near the present location of Mr. Geo. Crompton's Loom Works on Green street. This mill he bequeathed by his will, dated Dec. 16, 1717, to his eldest son, Richard, and died in Worcester the day following its execution. aged 55 years.
Richard was born in 1694, and married Lydia Wheelock of Sudbury, Jan. 1, 1718. After living some years in Worcester he moved to Holden where he died in 1756, aged 62 years.
Jonas, son of Richard, married Abigail Child, of Newton. where they lived for some time, but in 1744 were in Worcester, in 1759 in Shrewsbury, in 1774 in Sutton. It is uncertain whether any other of Richard's children made their home in Worcester.
In 1718 the village of Worcester boasted of about 200 inhabi- tants and 58 dwellings, constructed principally of logs, with oiled paper to let in the light, in place of window glass that being a luxury few families could afford.
Again the peace of the country was disturbed by the renewal of Indian hostilities, and the growth of all the frontier towns re- ceived a severe check. From 1722 to 1765 the struggle with the Indians and French invaders absorbed the attention of the early settlers, and many of the new plantations were left to languish for a time, and for many years previous to 1731, Worcester ranked
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5 among the towns in the county, in population and valuation.
In 1719 Mr. Simon Gates of Marlboro, a son of Simon and Sarah ( Woods) Gates, born Dee. 11. 1710, took unto himself a wife. Miss Sarah Howe, and came to Worcester, taking up his residence on the southerly side of what is now Coes' pond, and soon after erected a saw-mill on the site where now now stands Mr. Loring Coes' brick shop, on Tatnuck Brook. When the workmen were putting in the foundation for this shop the okl mud-sills of Mr. Gates' mill were found in a good state of pres- ervation, they having been for many years buried deep under the surface of the ground.
In 1790 the inhabitants of Worcester numbered 2014, showing . an increase in 72 years, of 1844 persons. The population in 1820 was 2962. and during the next five years about 700 more were added to the number. This growth in population caused a greater demand for limber, and other saw-mills were put in op- eration as necessity required. The owners or lessees of these mills were not only the manufacturers but dealers, filling orders for frames and finish lumber directly from their mill-yards.
As early as 1770 Mr. Thomas Drury is said to have had a saw- mill in operation in the south part of the town. (now Auburn) ; also Josiah Rice, who was a soldier in the war of 1812, owned another some years later just north but near the present boundary line of Auburn on what is now called Kettle Brook. Stowell's mill on Weasel brook in the north part of the town was built in 1778. Deacon Elijah Waters advertised his saw-mill, at Mill- bury. for sale. March 6. 1815 ; also one located a mile from the centre of the town of Leicester, belonging to Peter Slater, was placed on the market about the same time. Coming down a little later we find Pickford's mill on Tatnuck brook. Kelly's on Beaver brook at its junction with Pleasant street. Sargent's at Cherry Valley, Patch and Moore's on Tatnuck brook, just above Coes' Pond. These mills were of a very simple pattern with an up and down saw. manufacturing lumber not more than 16 feet in length. while all timber over that length was hewn from the log.
A first class mill at this time could saw 1000 feet of boards every day in the year, a fact of which the owners boasted : but what a contrast when we compare that with the capacity of one
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of the modern mills which with one circular saw will out 20 to 25 thousand feet per day.
As early as 1815. and previoas to that time, the store keepers began to receive lumber in exchange for merchandize. Mr. Fra- zier Sargent opened a new store one door south of the Bank. and under date of Jan. 11. 1815. advertise to receive all kinds of lumber in payment for domestic cotton, woolen and other goods, of which he kept a general assortment : but I have been unable to learn whether much lumber passed through the hands of Mr. Sargent or not.
On the 22 day of May. 1816, Mr. Horatio Gates Henshaw opened a store at New Worcester near the present location of the residence of the late A. G. Coes, offering for sale a general as- sortment of goods such as was usually kept in a country store : advertising to receive lumber in exchange for goods. On the 26th day of Feb., 1817, he advertised for sale a quantity of boards and other lumber on liberal credit ; and on the 17th day of Sept., 1817, he gave notice in the Spy of his removal into his new store on the opposite side of the street, which was where the Elwood House now stands. For many years Mr. Henshawy carried on a successful business, continuing the sale of lumber as late as 1824. Ile was born at Leicester in 1788. and was son of Col. William Henshaw of Revolutionary fame who was born in Boston in 1735. and removed to Leicester with his father. Daniel Henshaw Esq., in 1748. Mr. Horatio Gates Henshaw, when a young man, served his time as clerk in the store of Mr. Stephen Salisbury, father of the present Hon. Stephen Salisbury. After retiring from business at New Worcester, Mr. Henshaw returned to Leicester and was for many years, until 1845. cashier of the Leicester Bank.
On the 16th day of Sept. 1822. a copartnership was formed between John W. Stiles and Benjamin Butman. They immedi- ately opened a store two doors north of the Brick Hotel. where they offered for sale a general assortment of goods such as was usually kept in a country store, not even omitting the rum and molasses then so common. They also advertised to receive lum- ber of good quality in exchange for other goods, and business was continued at this place under the firm name of Stiles and
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Batman four years, when the firm was dissolved Sept. 20. 1826, and on the same day Mr Butman formed a new association with Mr. Alfred Dwight Foster. and continued the same business In- der the style of Benjamin Butman & Co.
Mr. John W. Stiles was born in Keene N. H., a brother of Jeremiah Stiles, the painter, who was so well known in Worces- ter in the early part of this century. and was drowned in Long Pond. Their father was Capt. Jeremiah Stiles who served in the revolutionary war. receiving special notice for services rendered on several occasions. He was a representative from Keene for twelve years. Mr. John W. Stiles passed his younger days in his native town, where he married Mary Maccarty, while a stu- dent in the office of her father. Dr. Macearty. He soon went to Templeton Mass. . and engaged in mercantile business, where he remained until April 9th, 1821, when he came to Worcester and was prosperous as a business man.
He built the house next east from the Library Building on Elm street, where he resided at the time of his death. He left two daughters, Lydia who married A. D. Foster, and Mary Maccarty who married Henry K. Newcomb. for many years Crier of the Courts, and son of Judge Newcomb of Greenfield.
The old firm had established quite a lumber business, and the new one. Benjamin Butman & Co .. advertised, Aug. 29, 1827, in connection with other trade. Northern and Eastern lumber. Perhaps they were the first to bring eastern lumber into Worces- ter. for sale. it then having to be transported with teams from Boston. In the fall of 1828. on the opening of the Blackstone ( anal. this firm received lumber in considerable quantities from Bangor. Maine, and must have carried on quite a trade in this line until the dissolution of the copartnership. July 28. 1835.
Alfred Dwight Foster was son of Hon. Dwight Foster, born in Brookfieldl Mass., a graduate of Harvard University in 1819. and studied law in the office of Samuel M. Burnside Esq .. of Wor- cester. He was admitted to the bar in 1822. and after two year's practice in his native town he came to worcester in 1825 and be- came a law partner with Mr. Burnside who retired from practice in 1827. He was representative from Worcester in 1831. 1832 and 1833. He was selectman in 1832 : one of the trustees of
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