USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > Reflections on Royalston, Worcester County, Massachusetts, U.S.A > Part 46
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(1.) Cora Vinette Bartlett, born March 15, 1845. She became an appreciated school teacher before she was out of her girlhood, and after having gained experi- ence by teaching in Royalston, Gardner, Petersham and Athol, about 1866 she went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she soon secured a position, and she was a teacher in the public schools of that city for about 37 years. In 1903, after the death of her step-father, she relinquished her position and returned to Royalston, to be with her aged mother. Following the death of her mother, in 1907, she maintained a home in Athol, but spent many winters and other seasons at Cincinnati, St. Peters- burg, Florida, and other places.
(2.) Hubert Carlton Bartlett, born Feb. 20, 1848. He was early employed at farm and sbop work, at the woolen mill, and at the Partridge mill, first as team- ster and general helper, and afterwards at turning chair stock, with terms of school in Royalston and elsewhere interspersed. In 1868, after having served as clerk in the store at the head of the Common, he became its proprietor. He com- menced the publication of a periodical, and in 1873 he closed the store, removed to Keene, N. H., and there, in the office of the Cheshire Republican, where his peri- odical was printed, learned the printer's trade. In 1877 he removed to Fitchburg, where he continued in the printing and publishing business, with the Fitchburg Daily Sentinel office and others, and on his own account for many years. He married Ella M. Samson, Nov. 15, 1870; they had 2 children:
[1.] Grace Edith Bartlett, born Sept. 26, 1871.
[2.] Nelson Herbert Bartlett, born Dec. 14, 1881.
10. John Norton Bartlett, the youngest child of Jonas and Hannah (Bach- eller) Bartlett, was born July 29, 1819. On arriving at maturity he bought from the other members of the family their interest in the old home farm, and remained there with his mother while she lived. He gave much attention to raising cattle for the Brighton market, near Boston, in those years before New England was so largely supplied with meat from the west. He served the town as Selectman 3 years, Assessor 3 years, Auditor several years, and probably in other positions of responsibility. He was a member of the Committee of Arrangements for the Centennial Celebration in 1865, and Secretary of the Historical Committee of that time. He transacted a large amount of legal business, such as settling estates, conveying real estate, etc., and was regarded as very accurate and trustworthy in his proceedings. He was an extensive reader, and kept well informed on matters that he deemed of importance; near the end of his life he said that he had never read a "novel." About 1873, he retired from the old farm, and arranged for a home with a neighbor, John W. Stockwell. He married Mrs. Rosanna (Knight) Cross, Jan. 6, 1877, and resided at her home in South Royalston for more than 10 years, but in 1887 he returned to his former home with Mr. Stockwell, where he remained until his life ended. In 1894 he experienced a paralytic shock, which disabled him to some extent physically, but after the first few days his mind became clear and active. By his thrift, strict economy, and careful and wise investment of his savings, he had accumulated quite a large amount of property, and he proceeded to distribute it among his relatives and others; he said that he found enjoyment in giving it away as he had found it in accumulating. So well did he lay his plans that only a small part remained undistributed at the time of his demise, nearly 11 years after he experienced the shock. His largest gift was to his native town; mention is made of it at page 182. He died Aug. 28, 1905.
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BENJAMIN W. UPHAM FAMILY.
Benjamin Ward Upham was born in Royalston, Oct. 29, 1809. Left an orphan by the death of his father when he was but 10 years of age, he worked on farms in Royalston until about 1839, when he acquired the place at the north part of the town, originally settled by Timothy Richardson, one of the most prominent men in the early history of Royalston, and also occupied by his son, Abijah Richardson, and this was Mr. Upham's home for the remainder of his life. He was a very in- dustrious man, and was highly esteemed for his good character and strict integrity. He died in 1892. He married, 1st, Ollie Bartlett, daughter of Jonas and Hannah (Bacheller) Bartlett, April 21, 1839. They had 3 children:
1. Rosilla Mary Upham, who died in childhood.
2. Lucy Valnetta Upham, who died about 1860.
3. Elmer Benjamin Upham, born Jan. 12, 1850. When about 18 years of age he became a clerk in a large grocery and grain store in Athol, and retained that line of occupation throughout his life; a few of the latter years he was employed in Boston, while retaining his family home in Athol. He married Lydia Ida Gerry, of Athol. He died May 7, 1925. They had 2 daughters:
(1.) Stella Bartlett Upham, born in 1881. She married James W. Warner, of New York City; he died soon after their marriage, and she returned to Athol, and for many years held a very responsible position in an Athol banking institution.
(2.) Florence Leota Upham, born in 1883. She married E. M. Bryant, and they resided in Boston.
Benjamin W. Upham's wife, Ollie (Bartlett) Upham, died July 31, 1851, and he married, 2nd, Phebe Kimball Tenney, in 1852, and they had a son:
Arthur Aquila Upham, born Oct. 1, 1853. After graduating from Westfield Normal School, in 1880, he taught 8 years, 4 years as principal, in the Hitchcock Free High School, at Brimfield, Mass. In 1888 he became teacher of science at the Wisconsin State Normal School, at Whitewater. He served as Mayor of the city of Whitewater, on the State Board of Examiners, was prominent in fraternal organizations, and author of 3 books of note. He married Mary F. Woods, in 1880, and they had 2 daughters.
Benjamin W. Upham's 2nd wife died in 1861, and he married, 3rd, Lucy Nor- cross French, in 1863; she died in 1901.
THE METCALF FAMILY.
Capt. Pelatiah Metcalf, came from Wrentham to Royalston, and settled in the west part of the town, probably soon after the Revolution, as his name does not appear in the lists of Royalston soldiers of that time. He built a sawmill at the location indicated in Square 23 on our map, and established a potash, and became a prominent citizen; he served as Selectman 6 years and as Assessor 2 years. He married Lydia Estey, and they had 12 children, 8 of whom died young; the other 4 lived to maturity, and were the progenitors of a long line of descendants, many of whom acquired excellent education and became prominent, not only in business affairs, but as educators, clergymen, physicians, and in various professions.
Pelatiah Metcalf, the 5th child, born in 1780, became a physician, and practiced in Pawtucket and Woonsocket, R. I .; he died in 1866. -
Isaac Metcalf, 6th child, was born in 1783. In 1810 he bought the place at the north part of the town, next north of the Perry-Faulkner-Morse place (Square 15), and which was occupied by Albion P. Mosman from 1864 to 1902; there he made his home. He served as Assessor 3 years. He married, 1st, Lucy Heywood, a daughter of Silas and Hannah Heywood; she died in 1820, and he married, 2nd, a widow, Anna (Mayo-Stevens) Rich; they had 4 children.
Isaac Stevens Metcalf, the oldest son, was born in 1822. In his boyhood he went with a half brother to Maine, where he attended high school, taught country schools, and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1847. He immediately began civil engineering on the then developing Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad, and continued in similar work on the New York Central. He made his way to Chicago by stagecoach, steamboat, first trains over crude railroads, steam ferry, etc. At Chicago he was in charge of the construction of the second division of the Illinois
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Central Railroad, and on its completion was given praise for having "done the most work with the least money" of any division engineer on the 700 miles of road. After a year spent in New England, he settled in Elyria, Ohio, in 1856, where he resided for the remainder of his life, and rendered service and received honors in connection with educational, religious, financial and other institutions and affairs. But his greatest achievement was in connection with his married life, for it is told that he was twice married, and had 12 children by his 1st wife, and 6 by his 2nd wife,-a family total of 18 children; they all apparently had the advantages of superior education, and were fitted for the high positions which they held, as cler- gymen, educators, and in other serviceful stations.
Eliab Wight Metcalf, 4th child of Isaac Metcalf, was born in Royalston, in 1827. The family removed to Boston, then to Maine, where he early engaged in business in lumber, ship chandlery and ship building. During the Civil War he went at 5 different times, at his own expense, in the service of the Christian Com- mission. In 1865 he removed to Elyria, Ohio, where he was actively interested, as he was in Maine, in temperance legislation. He married Eliza Maria Ely, in 1853; they had 9 children, 4 of whom died in infancy.
Edith Ely Metcalf, daughter of Eliab Wight and Eliza (Ely) Metcalf, was born at Bangor, Me., in 1859. She attended the public schools at Elyria, Oberlin College, and graduated from Wellesley College, in 1880; studied at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the Herkomer School, in England, and in Paris. She was cataloguer at the Newberry Library, Chicago, and student at the Bible Institute, Chicago. She established a free kindergarten in Chicago, and is author of several booklets on religious and social work in that city. In 1902 she purchased the farm in the north part of Royalstou, which had been the home of her grandfather, and was the birthplace of her father, made extensive impovements, and for many years made her summer home there. Among her kindnesses to Royalston people has been the gift of $30 annually for many years, which has provided from 12 to 20 popular periodicals regularly for the reading room at the public library.
Jacob Metcalf, 7th child of Pelatiah and Lydia (Estey) Metcalf, was born in 1785; he remained at the old home place, "under the hill," throughout his life, which ended in 1859. He was 3 times married, and had 4 children.
MORE CHURCH NOTES.
When pages 212 and 213 of these Reflections were printed, in 1925, record was made that Rev. Clarence Pike was then pastor of the First Congregational Church at Royalston. Later in that year, after a service of a little more than 10 years, he tendered his resignation of the pastorate, which was accepted, taking effect Oct. 1, 1925. Mr. Pike accepted a call to a church at Coventry, Vt. He and his wife were given a farewell reception, arrangements for which were made by Fred- eric C. Nichols, at the home of Mrs. Martha G. Nichols, before their departure.
As usual when there is a vacancy in the pastorate, various candidates were heard, and Rev. Eugene Byron TreFethren became the next pastor; his service continued until May 2, 1926, when he preached his last sermon. He came from the west, and was able to give very interesting lectures on conditions there, based on his experiences with several tribes of Indians in the Dakotas. He returned to his home in South Dakota.
Rev. W. J. McNeill, of Oxford, N. H., was one of the candidates to fill the va- cancy in the pastorate, and, in response to a call from the Church, began regular service Sept. 1, 1926; he was tendered a reception in the town hall Oct. 18, and was formally "recognized" by appropriate exercises Nov. 19, 1926.
Following the custom initiated by Rev. Mr. Pike, in November, 1919, both Rev. Mr. TreFethren and Rev. Mr. McNeill have supplied the pulpit and otherwise acted as pastors of the West Royalston Baptist Church.
Mrs. Fannie Russell (Chase) Adams, wife of Dr. Frank W. Adams, died Jan. 9, 1927. She was for more than half a century connected with the First Congrega- tional Church, its Sabbath school, and the Ladies Benevolent Society, and an active participant in all of their affairs, in official positions and in the general activities. By her last will and testament she bequeathed $500 to the First Congregational Church, and $200 to each of 8 or 9 missionary and charitable organizations.
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TOWN OFFICERS, 1765-1927.
The following lists of the Town Clerks and Town Treasurers of Royalston for 163 years, compiled from the Royalston Memorial, Caswell's History of Royalston, town reports, and later sources, and brought down to 1927, will be of interest.
TOWN CLERKS.
1765-1772, John Frye. 1773, Dr. Stephen Bacheller.
The Memorial states that Dr. Bacheller was regularly chosen at the March meeting of 1773, and signed the records of that meet- ing and one other record during the year; but John Frye recorded the May meeting and attested
1808-1810, Joseph Estabrook.
1811, John Norton.
1812-1813, Rufus Bullock.
1814-1817, John Norton.
1818, Thomas J. Lee.
1819-1820, Franklin Gregory.
1821-1824, Thomas J. Lee.
1825-1836, Franklin Gregory.
1837-1846, Barnet Bullock.
other records during the year.
1773-1781, John Frye.
1782-1789, Peter Woodbury.
1790, John Bacheller.
1791, Peter Woodbury.
1792-1793, John Bacheller.
1866-1870, George F. Miller.
1794, Peter Woodbury.
1871-1872, Joseph T. Nichols.
1795-1796, Daniel Woodbury.
1873, George F. Miller.
1797-1800, Isaac Gregory.
1874-1876, Joseph Walker.
1801-1802, Samuel Goddard, Jr.
1877-1889, Frank W. Adams.
1803,
No name given.
1890-1898, George W. Blandin.
1804-1805, Joseph Estabrook.
1899, Timothy M. Longley.
1806,
Isaac Gregory.
1900-1917, Frank W. Adams.
1807,
Stephen Bacheller, Jr.
1918-1927, Clifford H. Wilcox.
TOWN TREASURERS.
1765-1770, Peter Woodbury.
1858-1864, Leonard Wheeler.
1771-1777, Sylvanus Hemenway.
1865, Charles H. Newton.
1778-1780, William Town.
1866, Joseph T. Nichols.
1781-1808, Jonathan Sibley.
1867-1873, Obadiah Walker.
1809-1824, Ebenezer Frye.
1874-1887, Joseph Walker.
1825-1837, Rufus Bullock.
1888, Frank W. Adams.
1838-1839, Benjamin Frye. 1840, Joseph Estabrook.
1889-1899, George E. Pierce.
1900-1919, Frank W. Adams.
1841-1854, Benjamin Frye.
1920-1927, Charles H. Brown.
1855-1857, George Woodbury.
A TRUSTED ROYALSTON BOY.
One day in the summer of 1860, Col. Whitney's son Charlie and I went with the Colonel's "old Bill" horse and an ancient vehicle which was stored in "our barn," to see a circus and menagerie at Athol. We left our outfit at Charles God- dard's barn in the outskirts of Athol Depot, as the lower village was then called, to avoid any trouble with "old Bill" on account of the music and the strange animals.
This was before exhibitions of that kind had begun to move from place to place over the steam railroads, and this one came into Athol over the highway from Baldwinville, where it had exhibited on the previous day. We mingled with the crowd, and saw the procession, consisting of the usual gilded chariot, carrying a band of music; a few gaudily decorated wagons, occupied by cages containing animals, reptiles and birds; an elephant, camels, ponies, and other surprising and amusing features ;- quite unimportant when compared with the aggregations that have been railroaded over the country in later years; but to us boys the parade and the following performances were a wonderful and stupendous exposition.
James Frederick Bullock, best known as Fred Bullock, was the youngest son of Barnet and Lucy (Newton) Bullock. Born in 1842, he must have completed his
1847-1849, George F. Miller.
1850,
Joseph Raymond.
1851, George F. Miller.
1852-1853, Joseph Raymond.
1854, Rufus Henry Bullock.
1855-1865, Charles H. Newton.
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school education at an early age, as he was employed as a clerk in Lucas W. Part- ridge's store at South Royalston when but a boy. He was given a position in the Millers River Bank, at Athol, when he was 16 or 17 years of age.
After Charlie Whitney and I had seen the parade, we noticed Fred Bullock standing at the door of the bank, and went over to him. He invited us into the bank, and asked us if we would like to see some money; and he went behind the counter, pulled out a drawer, and turned up the piles of bills in it, amounting to thousands of dollars. The conditions at that time were so different from those of later years that I am impelled to make a comparison of them.
That bank counter, with its money drawer beneath, had no protective features; there might have been a simple gate at the end of the counter; but I am sure that there was no barrier in the form of railing, screening, grille, or cage, to prevent a person from reaching or leaping over it .. I think that Charlie and I could have taken some of that money from Fred; certainly a husky rascal, with the ready "gun" to keep Fred quiet, could easily have walked away with the contents of that money drawer. 1 am sure that there was no other person in that banking-room at that time, and probably Fred, a youth of 18 years, was practically in sole charge of the business, with perhaps some official dropping in once or twice during the day. It seems strange now, that more protection was not provided for that bank, on a circus day, when wise people were cautious to avoid the depredations of the pickpockets, sneakthieves, burglars and bandits, who were looking for opportuni- ties to profit by the carelessness of those carried away by the excitement.
Following the World War a wave of banditry swept over the country. Not only were cash registers and safes rifled of their contents and even bodily carried away, but banks were looted, truck-loads of valuable mail matter seized, stocks of merchandise removed through secret tunnels, and trusted messengers transferring large amounts of money and valuables were foully murdered by the "yeggs." And the omnipresent automobile usually speeded their "get away.
Protective measures led to all handling of money in banks being done behind insurmountable barricades, and sometimes in seemingly impenetrable cages, with the trusty "gun" right at hand, and the man behind it prepared to practice David Harum's "golden rule," in the novel: "Do to the other fellow what he would do to you, and do it fust." And messengers transferring money were usually accompa- nied by armed guards, under orders to "shoot to kill," if molested.
THE MOORE FAMILY.
John S. Moore, son of William and Pruda (Shepardson) Moore, was born in the west part of Royalston, June 13, 1840. He served in the Civil War in the 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry. He served the town as Selectman 2 years, and as Cemetery Commissioner for many years. After the town took up the transpor- tation of the school children to the Center school, he attended to that work for a long time. About 1910 he removed from the west part of the town to the former Dr. Bacheller and Chauncy Chase place on the Common, which was the home of his family for the remainder of his life. He married Hattie Rosette Woodbury. She served on the School Committee 6 years, and was prominent in the Grange. Mr. Moore died May 13, 1916, and his wife died Nov. 13, 1917. They had 3 children: Phillis Bernice Moore, who married Hollis Bolton Chase, July 9, 1919, and they have had 2 daughters (see page 259); Dorothy Moore, who married William Har- mon, of Madison, N. H., in 1921; and Percy Moore, who removed to Vermont.
Henry C. Moore, a brother of John S. Moore, was born in 1842. He enlisted in the 53rd Regiment Massachusetts Infantry with his brother; he was but 19 years of age, and like others of the boys who went from Royalston and elsewhere in the same regiment, he succumbed to chronic diarrhea at New Orleans.
THE NEALE FAMILY.
Alfred Winfield Neale was born in West Brookfield, about 1861, and his family removed to Royalston about 1863, which I know because I happened to drive one the teams which brought their belongings. They settled on the former Nichols- Maxham place, but in a few years removed further east, to the locality long known
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as the White and Fisher district. While Alfred W. Neale has been extensively engaged in farming, dairying and kindred pursuits, he has found time to serve the town many years in various offices, including Assessor 12 to 15 years, Selectman 8 or 10 years, Tax Collector 13 to 16 years, Overseer of the Poor, Highway Surveyor, and in other important positions. He married Eleanor M. Stockwell, in 1890; she died in 1903. He married, 2nd, Bertha O. Frumerin; she served as School Com- mittee several years, Tax Collector, Committee on Whitney Hall, etc. They have had 3 sons: Alfred Wesley Neale, born Nov. 18, 1904; Theodore Winfield Neale, born Nov. 4, 1908; and Winston Geddes Neale, born Aug. 17, 1913.
THE FRENCH FAMILY.
Brazier H. French was born in Orange, in 1834. He removed to South Royals- ton, where he was engaged in livery stable business for many years. He married Sarah Jane Eddy, in 1856. He died in 1905, and his wife died May 23, 1924. They had 2 sons:
1. Herbert Walter French, born Aug. 6, 1858. He was employed in the Whit- ney chair shop at South Royalston until the business was discontinued. He was connected with his brother in the store at Royalston Center for 6 or 7 years. In 1906. he purchased a store at North Salem, N. H., which he conducted for several years, and was also postmaster there; and afterwards he became a traveling sales- man. He married Nellie Orissa Gilmore, Dec. 15, 1887, and they have had several children.
2. Sumner Clayton French, born March 8, 1865. He has been postmaster and proprietor of the only store at Royalston Center since 1900, with his place of busi- ness in the building built by Obadiah Walker, in 1870, at 24C on the Common; he also acquired the old Lee parsonage with store attached, which was removed from the head of the Common, to the location at 12E on our map, in 1876. He has served as Overseer of the Poor, Trustee of the Public Library, Auditor, on the Sesqui-Centennial Celebration Committee, and in other positions. He married Ada Mellen, June 1, 1887; she died Nov. 2, 1913; they had 2 children:
(1.) Hazel Lillis French, born June 7, 1888; she married Clifford H. Wilcox, Sept. 25, 1909, and they had a daughter, Lillis Estella Wilcox, born June 3, 1912.
(2.) Mildred Almira French, born Sept. 7, 1896.
THE STOCKWELLS.
The original Stockwells in Royalston, like many others of the first settlers, came from Sutton. Capt. John Stockwell, and his son, John Stockwell, Jr., bought 200 acres of land in Royalston, in 1753, but it appears that neither of them ever occupied the land, and both died in Sutton. They sold a part of the land to Daniel Stockwell, another son of Capt. John Stockwell, and he bought other land in Roy- alston, and apparently made his home there, was married, and had 3 children. He married, 2nd, Rebecca Warren, of Westboro, and had 12 children, all born in West- boro; he afterwards returned to Royalston, where he died, in 1817.
Joseph Stockwell came from Sutton, and settled on a part of the Rogers Chase place, later known as the Joseph Wriford Chase place. His son, Judah Stockwell, married Sally Cutler, and they had 9 children: Joseph, Jonathan, Tarrant, Rebecca, Betsey, Sally, Emmons, Luke and Elvira. Several of these married and were the ancestors of numerous descendants of the Stockwell and other names.
Betsey Stockwell, daughter of Judah and Sally (Cutler) Stockwell, was born Nov. 13, 1799; she married Seth Twitchell, of Athol; they removed to Fitchburg, and he became famous for his skill in moving large, heavy and tall buildings and chimneys. They had 3 children.
Sally Stockwell, daughter of Judah and Sally (Cutler) Stockwell, was born Nov. 13, 1799, a twin sister of Betsey. She married Chester Twitchell, of Athol; they had 2 children who lived to maturity, one of whom was Elbridge C. Twitchell, who became a deacon of the Second Congregational Church, at South Royalston, and whose son, Eugene G. Twitchell, was a Royalston Assessor for several years.
Emmons Stockwell, son of Judah and Sally (Cutler) Stockwell, was born Oct. 21, 1802. He succeeded his father on the farm. He married Elvira Wood, and they had 5 children.
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John Wood Stockwell, son of Emmons and Elvira (Wood) Stockwell, was born Sept. 16, 1834. He made his home on the farm settled by his great-grandfather, to which he added the Pierce and Bartlett places adjoining, and others, until he had about 400 acres; and he became one of the most prosperous farmers in Royals- ton. He married Maria C. Adams. He and his wife were prominent members of the Second Congregational Church, and each bequeathed it $1000. He died July 3, 1915, and she died 3 weeks later, July 24, 1915.
Chester Twitchell Stockwell, son of Emmons and Elvira (Wood) Stockwell, was born Sept. 5, 1841. In early life he was engaged in commercial pursuits, and in newspaper work, in Iowa. Later he studied medicine, and then dentistry, and began his career in that profession at DesMoines, in 1872; his health failing, he sought a new country, and located at Springfield, Mass., where he became one of the most progressive and distinguished members of his profession.
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