USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > Reflections on Royalston, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A > Part 20
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Reflections on Royalston
POETIC ROYALSTON.
Mr. Caswell inserted in his History of Royalston a chapter which he did not promise in his prospectus. In his prefatory "Foreword" he mentioned it as a chapter on "Writers of Royalston Poetry," while the heading of the chapter reads "Royalston's Writers of Poetry." Neither designation is very exact. Com- paratively little of the poetry written by the nine poets mentioned was really "Royalston poetry," either in the sense of having been written with relation to Royalston, or of having been written in Royalston. Only four of these nine "Roy- alston poets" were born in Royalston, and they apparently all went away from the town before they wrote poetry that attracted attention. These were Mrs. Nancy Amelia Woodbury (Priest) Wakefield, Mrs. Dulcenia Mary (Kendall) Russell, Wil- liam M. Leathe and Sidney G. Bosworth. The other five came to Royalston in early or in later life, and if they did not bring poetic honors with them, achieved them while living in the town. These were John Peck, Rev. Albert Bryant, Mrs. Almira Greenwood (Chase) Woodbury, Mrs. Susan Amanda (Bemis) Smith, and Dr. Francis Wayland Adams.
Mr. Caswell gave extended reviews of the work of his "Royalston poets," and copious extracts from their poems, which I hope all the readers of these Reflec- tions may have the opportunity to read and enjoy. I will add a few explanatory notes, and introduce one real Royalston poet, not discovered by Mr. Caswell, who was not only born in Royalston but spent practically the whole of his long life in the town, and of course wrote his poetry there.
On page 35 of these Reflections I mentioned the fact that in keeping with other similar mishaps, a line had fallen out of, the first quotation made by Mr. Caswell from Dr. Adams' "Epic Poem of the War of the Great Rebellion," and on the next page printed a few lines showing the disastrous result, and also improvised a line, which, while not exactly what the author had written, made reasonable sense of the proposition. Since that was printed I have been furnished by the author with the missing line as written by him, and here reproduce the lines printed on page 36, as copied from the Caswell book, with the author's line printed in italics where it was omitted in that work.
A scene of peace! for war's hoarse, clarion notes Had never rung from out those iron throats.
A scene of beauty! for the noble bay, .
On whose fair bosom peerless Sumter lay,
'Plashed her sweet shores with joy at flight of night,
And nodded to the morn her crests of white.
Relating to Mrs. Nancy Amelia Woodbury (Priest) Wakefield, Rev. Abijah P. Marvin, in his History of Winchendon, said :
"Mrs. Wakefield, though born in the edge of Royalston, belongs to Winchen- don. Her family have resided here from the beginning, through 5 or 6 genera- tions. Her father moved into Royalston a little while before her birth, and re- turned while she was quite young.
In the absence of information to the contrary, circumstances indicate that the family were descendants from the Joseph Priest who received a grant of land in the easterly part of Royalston (p. 39), and that probably when they lived in the edge of Royalston they might have occupied a part of the lot granted to their an- cestor.
Concerning Dulcenia M. Russell, Mr. Caswell stated that she was born in Roy- alston, and that her maiden name was Mary D. Kendall, but did not name her parents. Her son has informed me that her father's name was Gilbert A. Kendall and that her mother's maiden name was Martha Black. Mr. Kendall was a wool- sorter, but the son did not know what his business was in Royalston; we may be justified in supposing that he worked at his trade in Rufus Bullock's woolen mill around the time when his daughter was born; thus giving South Royalston the glory for one of "Royalston's poets."
I have an interesting note relating to William M. Leathe and his poetry. Back somewhere around 1897, the lady who was setting the type for one of Mr. Leathe's
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poems in my office, remarked that the words seemed very much like those of an old song which she sang in her childhood, and said that she would bring down from her home the old singing book containing them. She brought it, and, sure enough, there, printed many years before Mr. Leathe wrote his poem, were verses in the same strain, and if not in exactly the same words all through, so nearly like Mr. Leathe's that anyone would say that one was patterned after the other. Now I do not charge that Mr. Leathe was intentionally a plagiarist. I think that he had sung that old song or hymn in his early life until it had become a part of his men- tality. And then, in his old age, when he turned to writing poetry, those lines just rolled out of his mind, where they had been stored away for many years, and were woven into his poem, with little thought of their original appearance.
Mr. Caswell missed one "Royalston poet" in his researches,-one who was born in Royalston, and lived there all of his life except two years spent in the ser- vice of his country during the Civil War and a short period before his death,-who wrote at least two poems of considerable length, one of which was delivered as a Memorial Day address in Royalston, and both of which were printed for circula- tion. I refer to Henry S. Wood.
Mr. Wood's style was not so ornate and hyperbolic as that of Dr. Adams. Mr. Wood probably knew little about dactyls, spondees, trochees, iambics, ana- paests, pentameters, hexameters, and the other parts of versification, familiar to few except those who have had the opportunities of college education. But he assembled his words in good metric and rhythmic form.
The first of Mr. Wood's two printed poems bears the date of Oct. 1, 1902, and is entitled "The Misuse of the Fist: Illustrated by The Revolution, Boer and Phil- ippine Wars." This title was suggested to him by the painful results to his fist from smiting one of his cattle which had attacked another; and in somewhat fig- urative language the story of the circumstances which led to, and the events and results of the wars is told, with comments and interrogatories regarding their justi- fication and righteousness.
The other printed poem was entitled "How the War Began." It was given at the Memorial Day exercises in Royalston, May 30, 1903, and through it Mr. Wood told of the causes, development and results of the Rebellion and the Civil War, and voiced his patriotic sentiments.
Although Mrs. Almira Greenwood (Chase) Woodbury's ability was probably best known through her work in rhythmical verse, she had unusual facility in the expression of poetic sentiments in prose. Essays of considerable length sent to me half a century ago for publication, under her pen name of "Ruth Gleaning," illus- trate her ability. One is entitled "Which I Would Choose," and begins thus:
"Wandering in the pathway of life, I looked about me for something satisfactory. As I stood gazing for a moment, the noise and bustle of the day filled my ears; and I beheld a multitude wandering to and fro. Busy with the cares of life, some looked up to smile; others, too eager for the scenes towards which they were passing, paused not even for a glance, and their stern appearance gave me a willingness that they might hasten."
Picturing in detail the disquietude of the common life, she then turned to the solitude of nature, recited its dangers and its satisfying allurements, and closed with these lines:
"As I turned from this enchanting scene, I said: 'Henceforth the world may frown upon me, and the busy crowd pass me unheeded; the wise may consider me of low estate, and the rich feel my name too hard for utterance. Creation's voice will sing to me, Nature's hand will ever stretch forth for my embrace, and Solitude will not disclaim my compan- ionship.'"
Rev. Albert Bryant was a real poet. His product was poetry, in sentiment, in thought, in form, in words. I don't know whether poetry bubbled and flowed from his mind like water from a spring; he was an earnest student and might have given much effort to some of his work. With my earliest recollection of school affairs his talent was drafted for high-school exhibitions and public exer- cises; later I knew him as my teacher. His poem, "Memorials and Garlands," delivered at the Centennial Celebration in 1865, was a series of exquisite gems.
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Reflections on Royalston
THE HISTORY OF SUTTON.
While looking over some old books at the door of a second-hand shop, I found a copy of the History of Sutton, Massachusetts, and was glad to become its owner by paying the trifle the dealer asked for it. The volume bears the stamp, "Wil- liam H. Floyd's Collection, No. 1938," and a few penciled corrections and notes, in- dicating that it had been the valued property of an interested owner, but through the vicissitudes of time had found its way to the dealer with other articles of more salable value, at a cost, perhaps, less than its value as waste paper junk.
As nearly one-half of the first settlers of Royalston came from Sutton, and later two of Royalston's prominent clergymen were of Sutton birth and origin, the book should be of interest and value in connection with Royalston history, and I hope that later it may find a place in the Royalston library.
The work is made unusually interesting by the way it is made up. Instead of chapters, the matter is assembled in six appropriate parts.
Part I contains the "Annals" of the town, and in it are arranged, in chrono- logical order, year after year, details of the development of the town, the church, and numerous interesting events which otherwise might not have found a place. The material for this part was drawn from proprietors' records; town records; the diary kept for nearly half a century by Rev. David Hall, who was minister of the town church for 60 years, and from many sources. And it is stated that what was taken from the records was given verbatim et literatim, so that the reader has the opportunity to be both amused and edified by the old forms of spelling and expres- sion. Some of the proceedings are as interesting to follow in their developments as the plot of a work of fiction.
In Part II-"The Homes of Sutton"-an attempt was made to give a brief his- tory of every home and mention the occupants as far as possible.
Part III-"Ecclesiastical and Educational"-tells of the churches and schools. Part IV is devoted to "Manufacturing."
Part V is "Genealogical," and in it more than 1000 families are mentioned.
Part VI contains the military history, lists of town officers and statistical mat- ters. And bearing on the thoroughness of the work, the dates of the 592 town meetings held between 1718 and 1876 are given, with the names of the moderators. Everything indicates a most careful survey of the town records in the compilation of this department.
The publication of the work was in the hands of a committee of five, and two compilers. Sketches of churches, schools, prominent people, and various matters, were furnished by persons qualified to write them, and the names of the authors were given.
The illustrations are numerous, and are principally wood cuts,-the work of William A. Emerson, who projected the "Athol Past and Present" book, which was finished by Mr. Caswell. These wood engravings are printed on the pages with the reading matter; but there are a few lithographs, heliotypes, etc., printed on separate sheets, which are bound in as inserts; and the binder knew how to do the work, for every inserted leaf is held as firmly as are leaves printed in larger sheets, and the book is a specimen of remarkably good and strong binding.
The book was issued before the "Past and Present" pay-for-your-picture ad- vertising style of history had become popular.
The Township of Sutton was purchased by its "Proprietors"-who resided in Boston, as did the "Proprietors" of Royalston-from John Wampus, alias White, and Company, Nipmug Indians, and consisted of a "tract of waste land" 8 miles square, adjoining Worcester on the south, and embracing within its limits an In- dian reservation of 4 miles square called Hassanimisco. The "Proprietors" were given a "'grant" of the territory, with restrictions and obligations, by act of the General Court, May 15, 1704. The first meeting-house was built on the Common in 1719. Increasing population and material development led to an expanding de- mand for a meeting-house in the northerly part of the town. In 1743 the inhabi- tants of the north part were incorporated by the General Court as the North Parish, and the Second Church of Christ in Sutton was established in that section. In 1813 this North Parish of Sutton was erected into a new town called Millbury, and thus Millbury was given the position between Worcester and Sutton.
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Reflections on Royalston
WHIG DEMONSTRATION OF 1840.
Undoubtedly Royalston's "biggest day," measured by the number of people gathered and the magnitude and appeal of its demonstration, was Saturday, May 30, 1840.
That year presented the most spectacular presidential campaign the country had ever known. Northern and southern Whigs had combined and had nominated Gen. William Henry Harrison of Indiana for president, and John Tyler of Virginia for vice-president.
Gen. Harrison had been called "Old Tippecanoe" on account of his victory over the Indians, near the Tippecanoe river, in 1811. He had experienced pioneer life in the west, and it was said that he usually treated callers at his log cabin on hard cider. Early in the campaign an opposition newspaper remarked that if someone would pension him with a few hundred dollars and give him a barrel of hard cider, he would sit down in his little log cabin and be content for the rest of his life.
This sneer was turned into a slogan, and the campaign became known as the "Hard-cider campaign," and in the ensuing demonstrations hard cider and the log cabin were extremely conspicuous features.
A Whig Association of Royalston had been organized, of which Rufus Bullock was president and Alexander H. Bullock secretary. Royalston had become en- thused with the political excitement, and the association invited Gen. James Wilson, of Keene, to speak on the date above given.
The Boston Atlas published a story of the affair, from which, and their own reminiscences, the compilers of the Memorial made up their story, giving credit to Royalston men who were prominent in the performances of the day. (Mr. Caswell in his History of Royalston, copied the Atlas report entire, apparently; but it did not contain, nor did he mention, the name of any Royalston man who participated.)
From the story in the Memorial we learn that when notice had been given of the proposed demonstration, it was soon realized that there would be a large gath- ering, and appropriate arrangements were made. A log cabin of white birch logs and an awning of green boughs were erected on the Common, with a platform for the speaking; and cannon were provided, to "speak" in their forceful way.
At sunrise on the auspicious morning, the national flag was thrown to the breeze above the platform, a cannon boomed, and a company of 70 mounted Whig voters, the Royalston cavalry, under command of Capt. John Whittemore of Roy- alston, rode northward, and joined the Fitzwilliam artillery on the march toward Keene, to do the honors to Gen. Wilson, who was received, with the Keene band, and escorted to Royalston Common. Capt. Whittemore and his company then rode south, and escorted in the united lines from Petersham, Barre, Phillipston and Athol, a procession a mile and a half in length, with bands. The line from the east, embracing Hubbardston, Templeton, Winchendon and Gardner, with bands, was more than a mile in length. One vehicle from Winchendon was credited with a "small army of 70 Whig voters," and another from Templeton was "crowded with 50." Banners, with appropriate pictures and telling inscriptions, were numer- ous, and green boughs were lavishly used as decorations.
The thousands of people who had gathered thronged the Common, marched through the log cabin, and shortly after noon assembled around the platform to listen to the speakers. Hon. Rufus Bullock was President of the day, and Colonel Benjamin Brown, another Royalston man, was Chief Marshal. Short speeches by Messrs. Lee and Mason of Templeton, Stevens of Athol, Parkhurst of Petersham, Bryant of Barre, Davenport of Mendon, and Alexander Hamilton Bullock of Roy- alston, were interrupted by the enthusiastic cheers of the audience and the deep- toned cannon.
Then it is told that for two hours and a quarter General Wilson "beguiled his hearers of all consciousness, except that of the presence of the orator, his elo- quence, and his theme."
A collation of crackers and cheese, hard cider, and accompaniments, was the closing feature of the day. It was estimated that at least 3,000 people were pres- ent, and 400 women were said to have marched in. Can anyone imagine any cir- cumstances and conditions which will ever again bring such a lively demonstration to old Royalston?
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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
At a town meeting held April 4, 1864, a committee of seven was chosen to con- sider and report upon the question of celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the settlement and incorporation of the Town of Royalston. This committee con- sisted of Rev. Ebenezer W. Bullard, Salmon S. Farrar, Jarvis Davis, Joseph L. Perkins, Cyrus Davis, John N. Bartlett, and Luther Harrington.
At a town meeting on Nov. 8, 1864, the committee recommended that com- memorative services be held on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1865, with a commemorative address, poems, a free collation and appropriate religious exercises; and that Roy- alston's honored son and Massachusetts' peerless orator, Hon. Alexander Hamil- ton Bullock, be invited to deliver the address, and Samuel C. Gale, Esq., and Albert Bryant, A. M., the poems.
These recommendations were adopted; others were referred to an adjourned ยท meeting held a week later, when $1,500 was appropriated for the expenses of the occasion, and a general Committee of Arrangements of 15 members was chosen.
This committee consisted of Rev. E. W. Bullard, Joseph Raymond, Benjamin Hammond Brown, Jarvis Davis, John N. Bartlett, Russell Morse, Jr., Cyrus B. Reed, Wellington White, Cyrus Davis, Arba Sherwin, John M. Upham, Edmund Stockwell, Timothy Clark, Joseph L. Perkins, and Maynard Partridge.
A Historical Committee was chosen, consisting of Barnet Bullock, Daniel Davis, John N. Bartlett, Joseph R. Eaton, Charles H. Newton, Luther Harring- ton, and Horace Pierce.
Rev. E. W. Bullard was made Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements, and John N. Bartlett Secretary; and the committee was divided into several sub- committees for the different parts of the work.
Rev. E. W. Bullard was designated for President of the day, Rev. Ariel Eben- ezer Parish Perkins for Chaplain, Hon. George Whitney for Chief Marshal, and Benjamin C. Perkins, Esq., for Toast Master.
The Ashburnham Cornet Band was secured, and the church choirs of the town united to sing, under the direction of George F. Miller.
With the exception of Samuel C. Gale, Esq., of Minneapolis, Minn., who re- luctantly declined, the persons designated accepted the invitations.
The vote of the first meeting, providing for a free collation, was rescinded, and the committee arranged for a dinner to be furnished by a caterer, for 800 places, at a cost of $1,600. Complimentary dinner tickets were voted to the orator, poet, chaplain and toast-master, and their ladies, and the members of the band, and the remaining tickets were sold at $2.00 each.
Mr. Caswell, in preparing his story of the event for the official History of Roy- alston, from the report in the Memorial, must have overlooked the mention of the change in the arrangements for the dinner, for he stated that the town voted for a free collation, and said nothing about the change; thus sending down to future generations very untruthful information.
A tent for the morning exercises and speaking was secured, which was erected on the lawn north of the Bullock mansion, as indicated at 37C on our map of Roy- alston Center, page 52. This estate had become the property of Emily Bullock, daughter of Hon. Rufus Bullock, and she had married William D. Ripley. The compilers of the Memorial attempted to say that the tent was erected "on the beautiful grounds of W. D. Ripley, Esq., immediately north of his residence," but the name appeared in print as "R. D. Ripley." And Mr. Caswell, in his innocent ignorance, copied and perpetuated the error.
A tent for the dinner and post-prandial exercises was erected by the caterer on the steam-mill lot, as indicated near 10N on the map. A 50-cent dinner for children was provided in the steam-mill building.
A feature that has not been mentioned in other records of the event was a large and beautiful floral arch, of appropriate and tasteful design, and bearing a cordial "Welcome," which was erected across the roadway on the Common near the tent on the Bullock lot.
Following a rainy night, the day of the celebration opened bright and pleasant, one of the best of the season for the occasion, and quite early the people began to assemble on the Common, -the townspeople from their homes, many former
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residents who had arrived as guests of relatives and friends, and the large num- bers coming in from all directions.
The music of the band called the concourse to the vicinity of the church, where a procession was formed under the direction of Chief Marshal Whitney, and soon after 10 o'clock the people were comfortably seated in the tent. The speakers and officers of the day, with their ladies, were then escorted to the tent, and every- thing was in order for the exercises.
Chief Marshal Whitney introduced the President of the Day, Rev. Ebenezer W. Bullard, who announced the following Vice-Presidents and Secretaries, and in- vited them to positions of honor on the platform:
Vice-Presidents-Capt. Samuel Lee, of Templeton; Rev. Ammi Nichols, of Braintree, N. H .; Hon. George C. Richardson, of Cambridge; Benoni Peck, Esq., of Fitzwilliam, N. H .; Harrison Bliss, of Worcester; Chauncy Peck, of Boston; Rev. Henry Cummings, of Newport, N. H .; Rev. Sidney Holman, of Goshen; Rev. Daniel Shepardson, of Cincinnati, O .; Rev. Ebenezer Cutler, of Worcester; James Raymond, of Brooklyn, N. Y .; Thomas Norton, of Portland, Me .; and Hon. Davis Goddard, of Orange.
Secretaries-John P. Gregory, Cambridge; Joseph E. Raymond, Boston.
The band furnished music; and the Chaplain, Rev. A. E. P. Perkins, read ap- propriate selections of Scripture and offered prayer.
President Bullard then extended greetings to the audience in the following felicitious language:
"Ladies and Gentlemen :- I am charged with a welcome for the assembled children and friends of Royalston. It shall be briefly spoken.
"Welcome to this Centennial Day! Welcome to these commemorative serv- ices! Welcome to the fast rising memories of the past, and the fresh joys of the present hour! Welcome to the reunion of kindred, neighbors and friends, recalled by this occasion to tread once more the old familiar paths, and recount the varied experiences of life! Welcome to this jubilee, gratefully harmonious with the public joy in the triumph of government and law over treason and rebellion, of unity over disruption, liberty over oppression! Indeed, a redeemed and vindicated country, methinks, welcomes this natal day of a loyal town, gives you joy in the keeping of it, and, with a significance larger than ever before, pledges you security in the possession and enjoyment of the birthright of freemen. And the old flag, too, baptized anew in blood, and consecrated afresh to American liberty and life, welcomes you to this festival beneath her ample and glorified folds. She, too, remembers the sires, whose counsel and courage gave her birth; and proudly does she salute the sons, who have now given their voice to say it, and their blood to seal-'Let her be perpetual ! Let her remain entire !'
"We meet to commemorate the history of a hundred years-to recall and honor the names and the deeds, both of the living and the dead, that have made this his- tory worthy of commemoration.
"A hundred years ago, and these hills and valleys were covered with the pri- meval forest; these streams, streamlets, and waterfalls wasted their song, as did the wild-flowers their sweetness, on the desert air. All was a waste of Nature, awaiting some plastic hand to evoke her latent powers, and bid the wilderness rejoice.
"A hundred years have passed since the advent of that hand; and to-day the air is full of the memories, and our eyes behold the substantial records of what that hand has wrought.
"To give these memories tongue, these records form, and beauty, and enduring life, is the grateful office of the hour.
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