USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Reminiscences of Worcester from the earliest period, historical and genealogical with notices of early settlers and prominent citizens, and descriptions of old landmarks and ancient dwellings, accompanied by a map and numerous illustrations > Part 22
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John F. Clark was keeper of the House of Correction from its opening in 1819 till 1837, and also jailer from 1835 to 1837. Asa Matthews was jailer and keeper from 1837 to September 1,
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1849, when Rufus Carter, who had previously been turnkey for Mr. Matthews three years, succeeded him as jailer and keep- er, occupying that position for over twenty-two years till Jan. 1, 1872. Charles N. Hair succeeded Mr. Carter, and filled the position until April 1, 1875, when the sheriff, Gen. A. B. R. Sprague, took charge of the institution, and has since acted as jailer and keeper. The present turnkey, Emery Wilson, has officiated ten years in that capacity, eight of them under Mr. Carter.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
The different officers, from the first organization of the coun- ty to the present time, a period of 146 years, have been as fol- lows. The county treasurers and registers of deeds have always been chosen by the people ; and since 1857 the other county officers, before appointed by the executive authorities, have been elective by the people :
SHERIFFS.
Daniel Gookin, 12 years to 1743 ; Benjamin Flagg, 8 years to 1751 ; John Chandler, (afterwards judge,) 11 years to 1751 ; Gardner Chandler, (brother of the latter,) 13 years to 1775 ; Simeon Dwight of Warren, 3 years to 1778 ; William Green- leaf of Lancaster, (grandfather of the late William Greenleaf of Worcester,) 10 years to his death in 1788; John Sprague of Lancaster, 4 years to 1792; Dwight Foster of Brookfield, (fa ther of the late Alfred D. Foster of Worcester,) 1 year to 1793 ; William Caldwell of Rutland, (uncle of the late Seth Caldwell of Worcester,) 12 years to 1805 ; Thomas Walter Ward of Shrewsbury, (son of Maj. Gen. Artemas Ward,) 20 years to 1824 ; Calvin Willard, 20 years to 1844 ; John W. Lincoln, 7 years to 1851; James Estabrook, 2 years to 1853 ; George W. Richardson from 1853 to 1857; John S. C. Knowlton, 14 1-2 years to his death July 1, 1871 ; Gen. A. B. R. Sprague, the present incumbent, being now in his sixth year of service.
CLERKS OF THE COURTS.
John Chandler, son of the first judge, 21 years to 1752; Timothy Paine, 23 years to 1775 ; Levi Lincoln, 1 year to 1776,
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when he was appointed judge of probate ; Joseph Allen, (fa- ther of Rev. George Allen,) 34 years to 1810, when he was chosen member of Congress ; Wm. Steadman, 4 years to 1814 ; Francis Blake, 3 years to 1817 ; Abijah Bigelow, (previously member of Congress,) 15 years to 1832 ; Joseph G. Kendall, (previously member of Congress,) 15 years to 1848 ; Charles W. Hartshorn, 5 years to 1852; Joseph Mason, 24 years to 1877 ; and John A. Dana, who had been assistant clerk twelve years, entered upon the office of clerk, January 1, 1877, with Maj. Wm. T. Harlow, assistant clerk. When the office of as- sistant clerk was first created in 1847, Wm. A. Smith was ap- pointed, and served seventeen years till 1865, when he resigned on account of ill-health.
COUNTY AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
Before the revolution, there appear to have been no persons specially officiating as county or district attorneys in the courts, aside from the general attorneys of the province. Since the adoption of the first State Constitution in 1780, the attorneys for Worcester county (at one time included in the Middle Dis- triet) have been successively : John Sprague of Lancaster, af- terwards judge ; Daniel Bigelow, son of the second Daniel Bigelow of Worcester ; Nathaniel Paine, for twelve years till his appointment as judge of probate in 1801; Edward Bangs, ten years till 1811; William Charles White, seven years till his decease, May 2, 1818; Rejoice Newton, six years to 1824 ; Edward D. Bangs, one year till his election as Secretary of State in 1824 ; Pliny Merrick, afterwards judge, twenty years to 1844 ; Ezra Wilkinson (now judge) of Dedham, seven years to 1851; Benjamin F. Newton of Worcester, two years to 1853 ; P. Emory Aldrich, (now judge,) to 1855; John H. Matthews to 1856; E. B. Stoddard to 1857; P. Emory Al- drich to 1866; Hartley Williams, two years to 1868, when he became judge of the Municipal Court of Worcester; Wm. W. Rice, (now Representative in Congress,) five years to 1873 ; Hamilton B. Staples, the present district attorney, being now in his fifth year of service.
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COUNTY TREASURERS.
John Chandler, father and son, of Worcester, (the second and third judges of that name,) 44 years from 1731 to 1775 ; Nathan Perry, 15 years to 1790 ; Samuel Allen, (uncle of Rev. George Allen,) 40 years to 1831 ; Anthony Chase, 35 years to 1866 ; Charles A. Chase, 10 years to 1876; Edward A. Brown, the present incumbent, being in his second year.
REGISTERS OF DEEDS.
John Chandler, (the second judge,) thirty years from 1731 to 1761 ; Timothy Paine fourteen years till 1775 ; Nathan Bald- win nine years till his death in 1784 ; Daniel Clapp thirty-two years till 1816 ; Dr. Oliver Fiske five years to 1821; Artemas Ward twenty-five years to 1846 ; Alexander H. Wilder thirty years till his death, Dec. 12, 1874, Harvey B. Wilder, filling out the remainder of his father's term to January, 1876; Charles A. Chase one year to Jan. 1, 1877, when Harvey B. Wilder be- gan his present term.
JUDGES OF PROBATE.
John Chandler of Woodstock, from 1731 to 1740; Joseph Wilder of Lancaster, 16 years to 1756 ; John Chandler of Wor- cester, from 1756 to his death in 1762; John Chandler, Jr., of Worcester, 13 years to 1775 ; Jedediah Foster of Brookfield, 1 year to 1776 ; Levi Lincoln of Worcester, 7 years to 1783 ; Joseph Dorr of Ward, (formerly Worcester) 17 years to 1801 ; Nathaniel Paine, 35 years to 1836 ; Ira M. Barton, 8 years to 1844 ; Benjamin F. Thomas, (grandson of Isaiah Thomas) 4 years to 1848 ; Thomas Kinnicutt, 9 years to his death, Jan- uary, 1857 ; Dwight Foster, 1 year ; Henry Chapin, the pres- ent judge, who entered upon his office, July 1, 1858, having thus just completed his nineteenth year of service.
REGISTERS OF PROBATE.
John Chandler, (the second judge,) twenty-six years from 1731 to 1757 ; Timothy Paine, ten years to 1767 ; Clark Chan- dler, eight years to 1775 ; Rev. Joseph Wheeler (from Har- vard,) seventeen years till his death, Feb. 10, 1793 ; his son,
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Theophilus Wheeler, forty-three years till 1836 ; Charles G. Prentiss, twenty-three years till 1859 ; John J. Piper, ten years till 1869 ; Charles E. Stevens, the present register, from 1869, with F. W. Southwick as assistant register, Mr. Stevens hav- ing previously been assistant register from 1859.
COURT OF INSOLVENCY.
A Court of Insolvency was created by the legislature of 1855, and went into operation, July 1, 1856, with Alexander H. Bullock as judge, for this county, and Austin L. Rogers register. Wm. W. Rice soon afterwards succeeded Gov. Bul- lock as judge, and John J. Piper succeeded Mr. Rogers as re- gister in 1857. July 1, 1858, this court was merged with the Probate Court, under the present name of "Court of Probate and Insolvency," of which the officers have since been as stated under the head of the " Probate Court." Judge Chapin's commission dates from July 1, 1858 ; and Charles E. Stevens was assistant register for ten years from Jan. 1, 1859, and has been register since Jan. 1, 1869, of the consolidated Court of Probate and Insolvency.
CRIERS OF THE COURTS.
Nathan Heywood from 1750 ; Capt. Samuel Bridge, twenty- one years from 1779 to 1800 ; Maj. Ephraim Mower from 1800 to 1807 ; Silas Brooks, thirty-one years from 1307 to 1838; Gen. Thomas Chamberlain, seventeen years to his decease, Sept., 1855 ; Henry K. Newcomb, till 1867. The office of crier, (under appointment by the Governor,) was abolished in 1859, since which time those who have acted as criers, have done so by virtue of being deputy sheriffs, of whom Charles Sibley, appointed for that special service, has been crier since April 1, 1872.
COUNCILLORS.
The members of the Executive Council from this county previous to the revolution were John Chandler, father and son, Timothy Paine, Timothy Ruggles of Hardwick and John Mur- ray of Rutland. During the revolution, this body, who had the general management of affairs by appointment of the Pro-
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vincial Congress, was composed of such men as the Bigelows of Worcester, Gen. Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury, Moses Gill of Princeton, Samuel Baker of Berlin and others. After the adoption of the State constitution in 1780, Moses Gill was the councillor for this county till 1794, with the exception of the year 1787 and 1788, when that position was oc- cupied by Gen. Artemas Ward. Samuel Baker of Berlin was councillor in 1795; Jonathan Warner of Hardwick in 1796 and 1797 ; Josiah Stearns of Ashburnham in 1798 and 1799 ; Elijah Brigham of Westborough in 1800 and 1801; Daniel Bigelow of Petersham in 1802; Salem Towne, senior, of Charlton in 1803, 1804 and 1805 ; Bezaleel Taft, Sr., of Ux- bridge in 1806; Levi Lincoln, senior, of Worcester in 1807, 1811 and 1812; Col. Timothy Newell of Sturbridge in 1808; Dr. Oliver Fiske of Worcester in 1813, 1814 and 1815 ; Joseph Allen of Worcester in 1816, 1817 and 1818 ; Dwight Foster of Brookfield in 1819 ; Silas Holman of Bolton in 1821 and 1822 ; Jonas Kendall of Leominster, (father of the late Hon. Joseph G. Kendall of Worcester,) in 1823; Dr. Abraham Lincoln of Worcester in 1824; Edmund Cushing of Lunenburg, three years to 1828 ; Bezaleel Taft, Jr., of Uxbridge, three years to 1831; Joseph Bowman of New Braintree to 1834 ; David Wil- der of Leominster to 1836; Samuel Mixter of Hardwick to 1838; Charles Hudson of Westminster to 1841; Linus Child of Southbridge in 1842; Jedediah Marcy of Southbridge in 1843 ; Alfred D. Foster of Worcester in 1844 and 1845 ; Chas. Russell of Princeton in 1846 and 1847 ; Samuel Wood of Graf- ton in 1849 and 1850 ; Isaac Davis of Worcester in 1851 and 1852; Ebenezer Torrey of Fitchburg in 1853 and 1854 ; Elmer Brigham of Westborough in 1855 ; Edward Denny of Barre in 1856 ; Ansel Phelps of Greenfield in 1857; Austin L. Rogers of Worcester in 1858 and 1859; Aaron C. Mayhew of Milford in 1860 ; Hugh W. Greene of Northfield in 1861 ; Dr. Alfred Hitchcock of Fitchburg in 1862 and 1863; Jonathan D. Wheel- er of Grafton in 1863 ; Hartley Williams of Worcester in 1864 and 1865 ; Dr. J. F. Hitchcock of Warren in 1865; Charles A. Stevens of Ware in 1866 and 1867; Charles Adams, Jr., of North Brookfield in 1868, 1869 and 1870; Elijah B. Stoddard
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of Worcester in 1971 and 1872 ; Milo Hildreth of Northborough in 1872, 1873 and 1874; George Whitney of Royalston in 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876 and 1877 .*
REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS.
One of the earliest members of the old Continental Congress was General Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury, first appointed in 1779. The first representative in Congress from the Worcester district, under the constitution, was Jonathan Grout of Peters- ham (noticed on page 108,) who served from the first organiza- tion of the government in 1789 till March 4, 1791. Gen. Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury succeeded him, serving four years till March 4, 1795, when he was succeeded by Dwight Foster of Brookfield, (father of the late Alfred D. Foster of Worcester,) who served four years till 1799, when he was elected United States Senator. Gov. Levi Lincoln, senior, succeeded Foster as representative, serving till 1801, when he resigned to take the position of the Attorney General of the United States un- der President Jefferson, acting also a short time as Secretary of State. The representatives in Congress from this county have since been : Seth Hastings of Mendon from 1801 to 1807 ; Jabez Upham of Brookfield from 1907 to 1810; Joseph Allen of Worcester, (father of Hon. Chas. Allen,) from 1810 to 1811 ; Elijah Brigham of Westborough from 1811 to 1815 ; Abijah Bigelow of Westminster from 1810 to 1815, (afterwards of Worcester and clerk of the courts,) the northernmost towns of Worcester county being at that time attached to another Con- gressional district ; Solomon Strong of Leominster from 1815 to 1819 ; Jonas Kendall of Leominster, (father of Joseph G. Kendall,) from 1819 to 1821; Benjamin Adams of Uxbridge from 1815 to 1821; Lewis Bigelow of Petersham from 1821 to 1823 ; Joseph G. Kendall of Leominster, (afterwards of Worcester and clerk of the courts,) representative from 1829 to 1833 ; John Davis of Worcester from 1825 to 1834, after- wards Governor and United States Senator ; the second Levi Lincoln of Worcester, (Governor from 1824 to 1833,) represent-
* At different periods, some of the Worcester county towns have been taken to form other councillor districts.
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Reminiscences of Worcester.
ative from 1834 to 1841; Wm. S. Hastings of Mendon, (son of Seth Hastings,) from 1837 to 1842, the southernmost towns of this county being at that time attached to another district ; Charles Hudson of Westminster from 1841 to 1849; Charles Allen of Worcester from 1849 to 1853, (afterwards chief justice of the Superior Court;) Alexander DeWitt of Oxford from 1853 to 1857; Eli Thayer of Worcester from 1857 to 1861; Goldsmith F. Bailey of Fitchburg from 1861 to his decease, May 8, 1862, succeeded by Amasa Walker of North Brookfield to March 4, 1863; John D. Baldwin of Worcester, (senior editor and proprietor of the SPY,) from 1863 to 1869; George F. Hoar of Worcester from 1869 to 1877, (afterwards United States Senator ;) Wm. W. Rice of Worcester from March 4, 1877.
Besides the above, Alvah Crocker of Fitchburg was represent- ative from 1871 to his decease, Dec. 27, 1874, and Amasa Nor- cross of Fitchburg is the present member from March 4, 1877, that section of the county being again attached to another district.
OTHER DISTINGUISHED OFFICERS.
Worcester has furnished two Attorney Generals of the United States,-Levi Lincoln, senior, from 1801 to 1804, and Charles Devens, the present incumbent, from March 4, 1877 ; also two Attorney Generals of Massachusetts,-James Putnam from 1769 to 1775, and Dwight Foster from 1861 to 1864; also two United States Senators,-John Davis from 1838 to 1841 and from 1845 to 1853, and George F. Hoar from March 4, 1877 ; one Secretary of the Navy and Minister to England and Ger- many, George Bancroft ; two United States Collectors for the port of Boston, George Bancroft under Van Buren and Gov. Levi Lincoln under President Harrison. Worcester has had seven judges of the State Supreme Court, and one of her first eminent citizens, the first Levi Lincoln, was appointed by Pres- ident Jefferson judge of the Supreme Court of the United States, but declined on account of ill-health. Worcester has also furnished five governors of the State, the two Levi Lin- colns, John Davis, Emory Washburn and A. H. Bullock, and one governor of Maine, Enoch Lincoln ; four speakers of the
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Reminiscences of Worcester.
House of Representatives, Levi Lincoln, Timothy Bigelow, Thomas Kinnicutt and Alexander H. Bullock ; nine representa- tives in Congress : Levi Lincoln, Sr., Joseph Allen, John Davis, Levi Lincoln, jr., Charles Allen, Eli Thayer, John D. Baldwin, Geo. F. Hoar andW. W. Rice ; and one secretary of the Com- mon wealth, Edward D. Bangs.
The old town of Mendon has furnished three representatives in Congress, Seth and Wm. S. Hastings and Samuel Dexter ; one United States Senator, Secretary of War, and of the Treasury, Samuel Dexter ; and an unusually large number of county officers. Brookfield has furnished, besides many coun- ty officials, one United States senator, judge and sheriff, in the person of Dwight Foster ; one chief justice of the old County Court of Common Pleas, the latter's father, Jedediah Foster ; and two representatives in Congress, Dwight Foster and Jabez Upham. Lancaster has also been well honored in the furnish- ing of many noted officials, among them Joseph Wilder, father and son, successively judges of the Court of Probate and of the County Court of Common Pleas. Leicester has had one Secretary of the Navy, and Collector of the port of Boston, David Henshaw. Southbridge has furnished a Secretary of War, and Secretary of State, of the United States, and a Gov- ernor and United States Senator for New York, in the person of William L. Marcy. Leominster has furnished two members of Congress, Jonas Kendall and Joseph G. Kendall, father and son, and one State Treasurer and Auditor, David Wilder North Brookfield has furnished one Secretary of the Common- wealth, Amasa Walker, and one State Treasurer, Charles Adams. Fitchburg has furnished three members of Congress, G. F. Bailey, Alvah Crocker and Amasa Norcross. Shrews- bury has furnished a Major General of the United States Army, and two chief justices of the State Courts, in the persons of Gen. Artemas Ward, and his son, Hon. Artemas Ward, Jr. Petersham, Westminster and Oxford have had representatives in Congress in the persons respectively of Jonathan Grout, Abijah Bigelow and Alexander De Witt.
WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE.
CHAPTER XV.
WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE IN WORCESTER.
Both these world-renowned champions of liberty in America -one the revered " Father of his country," and the other his illustrious compeer and companion in arms from across the water, made visits to the old town of Worcester,-cach passing through it twice on different occasions, allusions to which may be appropriate in this connection. Washington's first visit was made when he came to take command of the army at Cam- bridge in 1775.
WASHINGTON'S FIRST VISIT TO WORCESTER IN 1775.
George Washington of Virginia was appointed, June 15, 1775, by the Continental Congress at Philadelphia, (of which body he was a member,) commander-in-chief of the American army. He left Philadelphia, June 21, following, for Cambridge, Mass., to take command, and was accompanied by Gen. Charles Lee of Virginia. Gen. Artemas Ward of Shrewsbury and Gen. Lee had been appointed, June 16, first and second Major Gen- erals, next to Washington. Gen. Ward had been previously in command at Cambridge by authority of the Massachusetts Pro- vincial Congress, which body had appointed him commander_ in-chief, the preceding May 19. Washington and Lee arrived after four days' journey, at New York, June 25, when they first heard of the battle of Bunker Hill. They left New York on the afternoon of June 26th, and stopped that night at King's bridge, (now Williams bridge.) They passed through New
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Haven and Hartford to Springfield, at which latter place they were met by Dr. Church and Hon. Moses Gill of Princeton, a committee of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress, sent to receive them, and when the party had arrived at Brookfield, (stopping on the way at Palmer and Warren,) they were met by a company of horsemen from Worcester, under command of Capt. James Chadwick, by whom they were escorted to Worcester, where they arrived Saturday, July 1, 1775, and stopped at the old Stearns (previously King's Arms) tavern, occupying the site of the present Lincoln House. The next day, (Sunday, July 2,) in the forenoon, they arrived at Wa- tertown, where they were received by the Provincial Congress with congratulatory addresses, and escorted to Cambridge by a troop of light horse. Washington went immediately to the quarters provided for him. The following day, Monday, July 3, he formally took command of the American army under the wide spreading branches of that grand old patriarchal elm on Cambridge Common, made classic by the pens of historians and poets.
Washington was also accompanied on this journey through Worcester, by his private secretary, Col. Joseph Reed of Phila- delphia. The house where the party stopped while here, was the hotel opened nearly half a century previous by Capt. Thomas Stearns, before referred to, and afterwards the residence of William Sever, father of the late Mrs. Gov. Lincoln. It was a large two-story frame house, with a room on each side of the front door, one used for a parlor and the other for a bar room and office. Lodgings were provided on this oc- casion for a part of the escort, on the parlor floor, where beds were made up, the house being full. The old elm trees seen in the engraving facing page 247, which have within a few years given way before the march of business, afforded shelter one hundred years ago to Washington and the party accom- panying him through Worcester.
A few months later, in the fore part of December, Mrs. Washington passed through Worcester to join her husband at Cambridge, accompanied by her son, George Washington Parke Custis and his wife, with other ladies of the families
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of several officers of the army at headquarters. This party also stopped at the same hotel, on their way. Mrs. Washington came from Mount Vernon in her own conveyance -" a chariot and four, with black postilions in scarlet and white liveries." The night of Nov. 29, was spent at the house of Dr. Wm. Burnet, on Broad street, Newark, N. J., and Cam- bridge was reached, after a long and tedious journey, Dec. 11, when she proceeded directly to her husband's headquarters. It was probably about Dec. 9, that the party arrived at Wor- cester.
WASHINGTON'S SECOND VISIT TO WORCESTER IN 1789.
Washington's second visit to Worcester was in the autumn of 1789, when he made his tour through New England after his first inauguration as President of the United States. For . the sake of completeness, and on account of the connection, there is included in the following sketch some detail of the journey bofore and after reaching Worcester, as well as while here, and of the magnificent ovation extended to him in Boston :
On Thursday morning, Oct. 15, 1789, George Washington, president of the United States, started from the city of New York, (then the seat of government, ) on a visit to the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Ile came in his own carriage, accompanied by two of his secretaries, Tobias Lear and Maj. Jackson. No event since the establishment of peace had given such general satisfaction and joy to the inhabitants along the route as the honor of this visit. The people delighted to honor their revered chief magistrate. In every place through which he passed, the inhabitants of all ranks, ages and conditions, testified their joy at the opportunity to behold the political savior of their country. The route taken was through New Haven, Hartford, Springfield, Brookfield, Spencer, Leicester, Worces- ter, Shrewsbury, Marlborough, etc., to Boston. He arrived in New Haven, Saturday night, remaining over the Sabbath. On Monday, he proceeded to Hartford, (staying over Tuesday) ; the legislature of Connecticut being in session, a committee from both houses was chosen to prepare an address to him, which was presented, as also an address from the city government and clergy of that city, to both of which " His Highness" returned responses. On Wednesday and Thursday, he journeyed through Springfield, Palmer, Warren, Brookfield, Spencer and Leicester to Worcester, being greeted all along the route by heartfelt and continuous demonstrations of respect and love.
RECEPTION IN WORCESTER.
Information being received in Worcester during Thursday evening, that Washington would be here the next morning, [Friday, Oct. 23, 1789,] a company of respectable citizens, about forty in number, paraded before sunrise, on horse-back, and went out as far as Leicester line to welcome him into the town. The Worcester Company of Artillery commanded by
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Maj. Wm. Treadwell were already assembled, on notice being given that Washington was approaching, and before he reached here, five cannon were fired for the New England States-" three cannon for the three States in the Union, one for Vermont which will be speedily admitted, and one as a call to Rhode Island to be ready before it is too late." [Maine was a part of Massachusetts until 1820.] When the " President General" had arrived in sight of the meeting-house, [the Old South Church,] eleven more cannon were fired. Washington viewed with great interest and attention the Artil- lery Company as he passed, and expressed to the inhabitants his sense of the honor done him. He stopped at the " United States Arms," [now Ex- change Hotel,] where he took breakfast, and then proceeded on his journey. To gratify the inhabitants, he politely passed through town on horse-back. He was dressed in a brown suit, and pleasure glowed in every countenance as he came along. Eleven more cannon were fired as he departed. The par- ty of forty citizens, before mentioned, escorted him a few miles from the village, when they took their leave. The route traveled was up Lincoln street, across the upper end of Long Pond by the old road, through Shrews- bury, etc. At the line of Marlborough, Washington was met by Capt. Rice's company of horse, well mounted and in complete uniform. They escorted him to Capt. Williams' tavern, where he was met by the United States Marshal of the Massachusetts District, Jonathan Jackson, with whom he dined. From thence he proceeded to Capt. Flagg's tavern in Weston, where he lodged and breakfasted the next morning, [Oct. 23.] Here Capt. Fuller's company of horse met him and escorted him to Cambridge. The "Father of his country" was cordially saluted by the Watertown Artillery as he passed. He stopped about an hour at the seat he formerly occupied as his headquarters, when commander-in-chief of the American army at Cambridge, [for many years past the residence of the poet, Henry Wads- worth Longfellow. ] Gen. John Brooks [of Medford, commanding Third Division M. V. M.,] had mustered and paraded on Cambridge Common about one thousand of the neighboring militia all in complete uniform and equipment. They saluted the " President General," who was on horse- back as he passed them. The health of His Excellency the Governor (John Hancock ) would not permit him to go abroad, and he was consequently de- prived of the pleasure of partaking largely in the enjoyment of the day. His Hon. the Lieut .- Governor, (Samuel Adams,) the Executive Council, Ex- Gov. James Bowdoin, and others from Boston, escorted by Col. Tyler's troop of horse, met Washington at Cambridge, and accompanied by Mr. Jonathan Jackson, the United States Marshal, and Mr. Joseph Henderson, sheriff of Suffolk County, escorted the " Father of his country" to Boston, where a grand civil and military greeting awaited him. He was met at the entrance by the selectmen and other officials of the then town of Boston, who extended him a cordial welcome. The street from the town line to the State House was crowded with people as was also Boston Neck; the town procession, already formed, reached from the entrance of the town to Seven Star Lane, and the school boys with the masters at their head reached from near Seven Star Lane to the State House ; they opened to the right and left, and Washington, on horse-back, dressed in military uniform, with his suit, passed through them, preceded by the Independent Company of Light In- fantry, commanded by Maj. Otis, Independent Fusileers, commanded by Capt. Laughton, Independent Cadets, under command of Maj. Scollay, and Capt. Johnson's Company of Artillery ; the whole under command of Col. Bradford By the august procession thus headed, and accompanied by the officials of the state and town, Washington was escorted through the vast throng of admiring spectators, under a magnificent triumphal arch extend- ing from the Old State House across Cornhill to the building opposite, erected
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