USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Petersham > Sketches of Petersham natives and adopted citizens > Part 14
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At a special town meeting Sept. 1, 1862, under Art. 2, To see if the town will pay a bounty to all volunteers in and for Petersham under the last call of the President of the United States for three hundred thousand men, and determine how much. On motion of J. G. Mudge, voted, that the town pay each volun- teer accepted for nine months a bounty of fifty dollars and in addition to that, the sum of six dollars per month while in service to all who may enlist, and that the Selectmen be authorized to pay the same to each volunteer or their order.
At a town meeting April 6, 1863, voted that a sum of twelve hundred dollars be raised for monthly bounty of volunteers.
Many of the volunteers, most of whom were of the farmer class, were the substantial young men of the town, who were looked upon as being the coming influential leaders of town affairs. They were young married men who had settled down and planned to remain in town. When the call for nine months men came they left their farms in midsummer, some never to return. Among the number were Dwight Ripley, who was killed
170
PETERSHAM SKETCHES
at the siege of Knoxville. Tenn .. He lived in the west part of the town, adojining the cemetery. He had just built a new modern barn, the best in town then. William Henry Mann had also just built a new house and barn ; he died at New Iberia, La. He lived in the north part of the town, near Athol line. John B. Stevens, who lived in the east part of the town. had planned to build new buildings ; he died at Spencer, Mass., on his way home, with consumption ; he was unmarried. Joseph M. Jackson, adopted son of James Jackson, lived in the last house on south side of East Main street, was killed at Port Hudson, La., June 14, 1863. In the Selectmen's annual report of 1866 the fol- lowing record of the part the town took in the Civil war is all that was ever published with their comments thereon. The whole number of soldiers credited to the town are 177. According to official reports Petersham furnished more soldiers per capita than any other towns in the county, cities excepted, except Milford and Templeton. At this date there are only 13 soldiers of Captain Mudge's company living.
Selectmen's report of 1866 follows :
REBELLION RECORD
AGREENBLY to a vote of the Town, we submit the report of the Rebellion Record, revised and corrected.
Civil War in our land has ceased. The Rebellion, the great- est that the world ever witnessed, has been crushed, and our government, by the aid of loyal hands, stands to-day stronger than ever in the hearts of the people.
Our heroic army has fulfilled its mission ; the living have returned to their homes : its dead are the nation's richest legacy.
Petersham has responded promptly to all "calls" upon her loyalty and patriotism. The close of the war finds a small surplus of men placed to her credit, and it is with no small degree of pride that we point to her record.
The services of her soldiers are a priceless heritage; their honor, our honor ; which we should ever cherish with reverence and gratitude.
We present herewith a list of our soldiers, who have borne an honorable part in the great struggle for our national existence, believing it will be of interest and value to the present, as well a: future generations.
S. D. GODDARD, J. W. UPTON. HUBBARD PECKHAM. Selectmen of Petersham.
Petersham, April, 1826.
ROLL OF HONOR.
TWENTY-FIRST REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS. Captain Harrison Aldrich, commissioned December 18, 1862. D. Marshall Twitchell, mustered July 30, 1861, company K. Color Sergeant Frank N. Peckham, mustered July 30. 1861, company A.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
Calvin C. Aldrich, mustered July 30, 1861, company K.
German Legara, mustered July 30, 1861, company K.
Corporal Edwin B. Stiles, mustered July 30, 1861, Company K. Transferred to 2d U. S. Cavalry.
Alfred A. Rider, company K.
George W. Young, mustered July 30, 1861, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
Daniel Noonan, mustered July 30, 1861, company K.
Harrison O. Bliss, mustered July 30, 1861, company K.
Samuel F. Young, mustered July 31, 1861, company G. Trans- ferred to 2d U. S. Calvary.
Patrick Martin, mustered July 31, 1861, company K. Killed at New Berne, N. C.
Joseph Drake. mustered July 31, 1861, company K. Killed at New Berne.
Dwight Ripley, mustered Aug. 7, 1862. company K. Killed at siege of Knoxville.
Lyman D. Edwards, mustered Aug. 7, 1862, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
Hoyt Hale, mustered August 7, 1802, company K. Died at Washington, D. C.
Oliver C. Gates, mustered Aug. 7, 1862, company K. Died at Grafton a few months after mustered out, from disease con- tracted while in service.
Edward Jackson mustered August 7, 1862, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
Benjamin W. Crockett, mustered August 7, 1862, company K. Discharged for disability.
Charles Brigham, mustered August 7, 1862, company K. Died from effects of wounds received at Antietam.
Asa F. Ellis, mustered Ang. 7. 1862, company K.
George D. Whitcomb, mustered August 7, 1862, company K. Transferred to 2d U. S. Cavalry
Henry Woods, mustered Aug. 7. 1862, company K. Discharged for disability.
Job Lippitt, mustered Aug. 7, 1862, company K.
Calvin C. Barnes, mustered Aug. 12, 1862, company K.
George O. Cook, mustered Aug. 12, 1862, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
J. Warren Clark, mustered Aug. 12, 1862, company K. Killed at Petersburg, Va.
Solomon O. Holman, mustered August 12, 1862, company K. Discharged for disability.
George H. Holman, mustered August 12, 1862, company K. Dis- charged from effects of wounds received at Antietam.
Daniel R. Brown, mustered August 12, 1862, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
William H. Allen, mustered Aug. 12, 1862, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
THIRTY-FIRST REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS.
Ellis P. Amsden, mustered Dec. 1861, company C. Died at New Orleans.
Jacob E. Amsden, mustered Dec. 1861, company C. Died at Baton Rouge, La., from wounds received in the Red River campaign.
Zebina Cutter, mustered Dec. 1861, company C. Died at New Orleans.
James Forbes, mustered Dec. 1861, company C. Killed at Port Hudson, La., June 14, 1863.
Getrge F. Newton, mustered Dec. 1861, company C.
Leonard Stone, mustered Dec. 1861, company C. Albert Stevens, mustered Dec. 1861, company D.
Horace W. Pike, mustered Dec. 1861, company H. Died at Port Hudson, La.
John Young, mustered Dec. 1861, company H.
TWENTY-FIFTH REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS.
Albert Haskins, mustered in 1861, company I. George W. Jillson, mustered Oct. 7. 1861, company D.
Adin P. Wetherby, mustered in 1861, company K. Discharged for disability.
TWENTIETH REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS.
George A. Davis, mustered Sept. 1. 1861, company D. Killed at Ball's Bluff. Oct. 21, 1861.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
TWENTY-SEVENTH REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS.
Uriel P. Phinney, mustered October, 1861, company K. Dis- charged for disability.
George D. Mason, mustered October, 1861, company B. Dis- charged for disability Ang. 12, 1862.
FIRST MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY.
Henry B. Aldrich. Thomas E. Field.
UNITED STATES NAVY.
Leonard H. Brock, enlisted June 17th, 1861, for three years. Kilburn Kendall, enlisted June 17th, for three years.
James H. Browning, enlisted October, 1862. for one year.
THIRTY-FOURTH REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS.
Eben Conant, mustered June 22, 1862, company A.
Color Corporal Charles E. Johnson, mustered in 1862, company E. Killed at Newmarket, Va.
COOK'S (SIX MONTHS) BATTERY.
Henry B. Williams, mustered July 1. 1862, discharged Dec. 1. 1862.
FIFTY-THIRD REGIMENT INFANTRY, MASS. VOLUNTEERS; CO. F.
Enlisted September 15th, 1862; Mustered October 17th, 1862 : Discharged September 2d, 1863.
Captain John G. Mudge.
Sergeant Joseph W. Upton.
Corporal J. Benjamin Howe.
Corporal Joseph M. Jackson, killed at Port Hudson, La .. June 14, 1863.
Corporal Benjamin W. Spooner.
Corporal Frederick Bryant.
Charles F. Ball, died at New Orleans, La., June 29. 1863, from effects of wounds received June 14, 1863.
Jonas Brown.
Luther S. Benjamin.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
Samuel Avery Chamberlain. Sanford E. Chamberlain. John F. Clark. Horace Drury.
George H. Edwards.
William P. Fairbanks. George W. Gates. Augustus S. Gates.
Sextus P. Goddard.
Charles F. Hapgood, died at sea August 8, 1863.
John F. Jennison, died at Baton Rouge, La., June 26, 1863.
Dwight Lippitt, died at Brashear City, La., June 6, 1863.
Henry H. Lindsey.
William Henry Mann, died at New Iberit, La., April 23, 1863. Spencer T. Nye. Austin C. Parmenter.
Lyman Peters. Lewis D. Robinson.
George A. Rogers. Valentine O. Rathburn.
Alonzo Rathburn.
John B. Stevens, died at Spencer, Mass., September 4, 1863. Frederick L. Sanderson.
James H. Stowell.
Alexander E. Smith.
Charles Smith. Quincy A. Shepardson, died at Baton Rouge, La., July 27, 1863. John E. Townsend.
Augustus Wheeler. John A. Wilder.
Charles Henry Williams discharged for disability. Levi C. Hicks. Forest A. Hicks.
Lauriston A. Simmons.
COMPANY I.
Henry Rathburn, died at Mound City hospital. Ill .. Sept. 2, 1863
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
LIST OF VOLUNTEERS.
On Calls Oct. 17, 1863, and Feb. 1 and March 15, 1864.
THIRD MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY.
William M. Peckham, mustered October 21. 1863, company C. Discharged from effects of wounds.
FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS CAVALRY.
Sergeant George H. Holman, mustered Jan. 6, 1864, company C. Died at Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 16, 1864. Edward A. Arnold, mustered Jan. 6, 1864, company C. Josiah C. Whitney, mustered Jan. 27, 1864, company G. Albert Hemmenway, mustered Jan. 27. 1864, company F.
Almond Williams, mustered Jan. 27, 1864, company F. Dis- charged for disability.
FIRST MASSACHUSETTS HEAVY ARTILLERY.
Windsor Gleasor, mustered Nov. 16, 1863, company B.
Silas Richardson, mustered Dec. 18, 1863, company 1. Died at Andersonville, Ga. Oct. 26, 1864. Oliver E. Barton, mustered December 17th, 1863. company 1. Deserted at Philadelphia, 1864.
TENTHI MASSACHUSETTS BATTERY.
Edwin Whiting, mustered Jan. 3, 1864. Died at Petersham a few weeks after mustered out.
RE-ENLISTED VETERANS.
David Marshall Twichell, company K. 21st. Mass. Volunteers. Daniel Noonan, company K, 21st Mass. Volunteers. Corporal Albert Stevens, company D, 31st Mass. Volunteers. John Young, company H. 31st Mass. Volunteers.
George W. Jillson, company D. 25th Mass. Volunteers.
DRAFT IN JULY, 1863.
Charles A. Pelkey, 32d regiment Infantry, Mass. Volunteers.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
Calvin Carter, 12th reg't Mass. Vols. Discharged for disability. Forester Goddard, paid commutation.
John Pratt
Charles Dudley,
Kies U. Rickey,
6.
Charles Bullard,
..
Silas Wheeler,
66
VOLUNTEERS PURCHASED IN BOSTON.
Joseph Roe. mustered April 21, 1864, 2d reg't Inf., Mass. Vols.
John E. Harrington,
William Harrington.
James Wilson,
Jacob Nosdale, .. 20th reg't Inf. 66
Isaac Williams, mustered May 5, 1864, 5th reg't, Mass. Calvary. James Smith, mustered May 13, 1864, 58th reg't, Mass. Vols.
James Mulligan, mustered May 21, 1864, Navy.
JULY CALL, 1864.
Valentine O. Rathburn, mustered Aug. 11, 1864, 27th regiment Infantry, Mass. Volunteers. James W. Browning, mustered Aug. 8, 1864, 10th Mass. Battery. Daniel Blackmer. mustered Aug. 8, 1864, 10th Mass. Battery.
FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS HEAVY ARTILLERY.
Sergeant Calvin C. Aldrich.
Seneca Weeks, 29th company of unattached Heavy Artillery. Erastus Weeks.
Frank Ramsdell, 29th company unattached Heavy Artillery. Geo. W. Young, mustered Aug. 26, 1864, Veteran Reserve Corps. Lyman D. Edwards, mustered Sept. 6, 1864, Veteran Reserve Corps. Discharged for disability.
VOLUNTEERS PURCHASED.
H. Newman, mustered July 20, 1864. 21st. regiment Infantry, Mass. Volunteers.
978
PETERSHAM SKETCHES
Charles Clark.
Edward O. Murphy.
D. M. McChester, mustered July 20. 1864. 24th regiment Infan- try. Mass. Volunteers.
Dennis Brown.
John Long, mustered July 15, 1864. 4th Mass. Cavalry.
Charles R. Engelhardt, mustered Aug. 26, 1864. Veteran Reserve Corps.
James Reed, mustered May 23, 1804. Navy.
CALL OF DECEMBER 19th, 1864.
Thomas Craven, mustered January, 1865. 27th regiment, Mass. Volunteers.
Hiram Rathburn, mustered Feb. 22. 1865. 27th regiment Mass. Volunteers
VOLUNTEERS PURCHASED.
John Hyde, mustered Dec. 17, 1864. 1st. Mass Heavy Artillery. James Hyde, mustered Dec. 17, 1864. 1st. Mass. Heavy Artillery. James Wood, mustered Dec. 17, 1864. 1st. Mass. Heavy Artillery. Daniel E. Collins, mustered Dec. 17, 1864. 58th regiment Infan- try, Mass. Volunteers.
Thomas C. Roster, mustered Dec. 137, 1864. 58th regiment In- fantry, Mass. Volunteers.
James Kelley, mustered Dec. 19, 1864. 5th Mass. Battery.
John Morris, mustered Dec. 22, 1864. Navy. 1st Lieut. Elisha Eldridge, mustered Dec. 16, 1864. 25th com- pany unattached Infantry, Mass. Volunteers.
Thomas Riley, mustered Dec. 20, 1864. 61st regiment Mass. Volunteers.
Daniel Shean, mustered Dec. 17, 1864. 4th Artillery.
David E. Howard, mustered Feb. 7, 1865. 3d U. S. Artillery. Charles Lamphire, mustered Feb. 2, 1865. 3d U. S. Artillery Patrick Dunn, mustered Feb. 4th, 1865. U. S. Marine Corps. John Fagan. Ordnance Department.
Martin Shields. Ordnance Department.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
NAVAL CREDITS BY THE STATE.
Eight three years men.
COLORED RECRUITS PURCHASED BY STATE AGENCY.
March Haines Hilton Head, South Carolina
John A. Mclaughlin . Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Brown Fiddler
New Berne, North Carolina.
John Streeter
New Berne, North Carolina.
WAR EXPENSES.
Amount of indebtedness of the town of Petersham,
July 1st, 1865
$8,700.00
Amount of indebtedness incurred by the town on account of the war 8,700.00
Amount of indebtedness incurred by the war, which has been paid 5,299.76
Total amount of indebtedness incurred on account of the war
13.999.76
SPECIFICATIONS
Date of Call
1 Date of Gen. order
No. of men
Term of service
Bounty
Other Total expense expenses
June 17, '62 June 25, '61
32
3 years.
$1,900 00
$51.75
$1,951.75
July 4, '62
July 7, '62
20
3 years.
1
6 months
4,317.40
80.50
4,397.90
Aug. 4, '62
Aug. 21.'62
12
9 months
Oct., 1862
1
1 year
2,560.00
112.93
2,672.93
Feb. 1. '64
35
3 years.
2,250.00
109.83
2,359.83
July 19,'64
18 8
3 years.
9
1 year
1
1 year
Dec. 19, '64
16 5
2 years
2.000.00
85.00
2,085.00
Since last
4
4 years
500.00
32.35
532.35
Naval
8
credits
3 years.
177
$13,527.40
$472 36 313 999.76
Oct. 17, '63
Mar. 15.' 64
10
1
3 years.
call
3 years.
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
Total amount paid by the Town $13.999.76
Amount of subscriptions paid by individuals. not refunded 3.195.64
Amount of commutation paid by drafted men, not refunded 1.800.00
Total amount paid from all sources $18.995.40
Amount refunded by State and other sources $3,363.56
WAR REMINISCENCES BY LEVI C. HICKS
Levi C. and Forest A. Hicks, brothers. The former born in Bethel, Vt., in 1839. Forest A. born in Royalton, Vt., in 1843. Sons of Benjamin B. Hicks, born in Barnard, Vt., in 1809. and Elizabeth R. (Chamberlain) Hicks, born in Petersham in 1809. Levi C. married Elizabeth T. Hathaway in 1864; Forest A. married Helen M. Chase of Royalston, Mass., in 1868. They came to Petersham with their parents when quite young.
They enlisted in Capt. Mudge's company, Co. F. 53d reg. M. V. M., and at the assault on Port Hudson, June 14th, 1863, were taken prisoners. It was reported that they were killed and so believed until the fort was captured, July 9th. They are living and enjoying a good measure of health. Mr. Levi Hicks thus relates his experiences at the assault on Port Hudson and as prisoner :
On the afternoon of June 13th, 1863, they were told to be prepared to make an assault on Port Hudson. So at 3 o'clock a. m. on the 14th, thirty rounds of ammunition and three days' rations were given them. The night before, one Martin Johnson said that he was going to have one good cup of tea, for he would never want another. The next morning at 3 o'clock the long roll called them out to form in line. "Their regiment being the last in line." They had advanced withinabout thre rods of the breastworks of the enemy. ( Before them had gone men with hand grenades and cotton bags, but had not reached the fortifi- cations, and they lay there on their arms when Capt. Mudge called for a gun and he told him to sit down or he would be shot. Hardly had the words left his mouth when he put his hand to his ear and found he had been shot, and sat down ; after which we heard the order from General Paine to Col. Kimball to ad- vance and take the works at all hazards, which they did, and in a twinkle of the eye they were shot down. Martin Johnson, who drank his last cup of tea, was killed. He and his brother escaped being shot, but after moving along about three rods they fell into a ditch with the living and dead. Then they got separated. They
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
stayed there three or four hours. As he was kneeling down watching the enemy something attracted his eye and on looking around he saw some men sitting on the opposite side of the diteh with a white cloth on their bayonet and talking to us not to fire. He went over there and sat down and the Rebs told us they would take us in when they stopped firing. The first one he saw when he went in was his brother. Each thought the other dead. They were put into a stockade and kept for several days until our men burned up their storehouse of corn. Our rations were meal and sugar. After this was gone we had seven ears of corn a day which we pounded the best way they could, then, building a fire, they cooked it as coffee and the leftover they ate with sugar. Those were their rations for seven days. As there was a railroad engine near their stockade they fixed up a mill, taking from a building they had burned a millstone, and ground corn until Farragut heard them, then he threw shot and shells, which stopped their work. They were then put into a brick building and kept a few days, then put back into the stock- ade. On the ninth of July, 1863, they marched into camp free men and took their places in their company, and in due time re- turned to their home and friends. The writer remembers with what joy the news was received of their safety after the surrender of Port Hudson.
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS
"A muster-roll of Capt. John Wheeler's company as minute- men, commanded by Col. Ephraim Doolittle, from the 19th of April, 1775, as libertines to tlie cause they are now in."
They were allowed Id. a mile for travel. Those marked * were paid for one hundred and forty miles travel,-about the distance to and from Cambridge. Those marked t were in Capt. Joel Fletcher's company in camp at Winter Hill, Charles. town, Oct. 6, 1775,-Col. Doolittle's regiment. Those marked # were in Capt. Jonathan Holman's company in camp at the same time and place, and belonging to the same regiment :-
*John Wheeler, Captain
*Edward Barker [or Bowker], Lieut. #John Bowker, Ensign [Lieutenant in October]
#Thos. Davenport, Sergeant
*John Holland, Sergeant John Rogers, Sergeant
* Joel Doolittle, Sergeant
#Thad Houghton, Corporal
#Israel Houghton
*Caleb Perry
#David Perry
*Thomas Wheeler, Drummer
*Caleb Bryant, Fifer
*Aaron Allen
+ Bezile Amsdel [Bezaleel Amsden ?]
*Sam. Bryant
*Thomas Bouker
#Ezektel Bouker
+Nat. Bosworth
*David Clarke
*Reuben Cummings
*Ephraim Claflin
tDavid [Daniel ?] Claflin
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PETERSHAM SKETCHES
tJohn Finney ["Friendly" or Findlay ?]
*Benjamin Ganson
*Jonathan Gallord
*Peter Gore Luther Holland
Capt. Park Holland
Capt. Ivory Holland
Capt. Asa How
Zarah Houghton
*Phazez [?] Houghton
*Silvanus How
* John How
#Jacob Houghton
+Henry W. Hunt
*James Hawkes
*Thos. Jackson
*Benj. Knapp
*Dan'1 [Miles ?]
*Joab [Miles ? ] William Peckham
*Eph. Bill
Amos Bill
John Bill
*Luke Bill
* Abel Rogers
Jona Sanderson Simon Stevens
*Jabez Spear
*Dav. Sanderson
*Eplı. Sterns
tJohn Stores [Stowell ?]
*Ruggles Spooner
*Eliak[im] Spooner
* Wing Spooner
#John Warden
*John Wilder
*Cornelius Wilder
*Joseph Wilson Seth Woodward
185
PETERSHAM SKETCHES
Of Petersham men in Capt. Fletcher's company, besides those already mentioned and marked t were the following : Jo- tham Houghton, Ebenezer Ingersoll, William Clements, Daniel Duncan, David Fling, Silas Harris (died July 7th), Stephen Hall, Robert Hill, Jonas Negus, Abel Wheeler.
Capt. Fletcher was of Templeton.
The following, besides those marked # on the preceding pages, were of Petersham, and in Capt. Holman's company : Martin Rice [fifer], David Bruce, Thomas Groce, Daniel Hast- ings, Isaac Palmer, Amos Rice, Ebenezer Wilson. Capt. Holman was of Templeton.
The staff-officers of Col. Doolittle's regiment were Col., Ephraim Doolittle, of Petersham ; Lieut .- Colonel, Benjamin Holden, of Princeton ; Major, Willard Moore, of Paxton ; Chap- lain, Rev. Benjamin Balch, of Danvers ; Adjutant, John Wood- ward of Westminster ; Quartermaster, Benjamin Howard, of Shrewsbury ; Surgeon, Enoch Dole, of Lancaster ; Surgeon's Mate, Nathan Burnap, of Hopkinton .- Document in office of Secretary of State.
Several of those above named, continued in the service through, or nearly through, the war. Some of these, and many other names, are on the town-books as having received money from the town in compensation for military service, or as having their taxes "sunk." Bounties and various encouragements were given to the soldiers who enlisted during the latter part of the war, It would appear from a vote of the town, adopted in September, 1778, that Lieutenant John Wheeler had rendered services at Dorchester ; that Lieutenant Stearns had been at Bennington six weeks, in 1777 ; and in June, 1782, Jos. Smith asked the town to pay him the value of a gun which he lost "at Bunker Hill fight."
SLAVES IN PETERSHAM
The number of slaves in Petersham was never very large. There appear to have been none in 1754. Ten years later, there were eight. Kenelmn Winslow, who kept the tavern, had two or three ; one of them-Tack by name-appears to have been quite a public character. Earl Flagg had one ; William Barron, one ; Andrew Dalrymple, one ; Daniel Spooner, one; Elislia Ward, one. It is mentioned in Rev. Mr. Clarke's Centennial Sermon at Athol, that a negro boy, named Titus, was given to Rev. Mr. Humphrey, the first minister of Athol, by Rev. Mr. Whitney of Petershanı. He died in Mr. Humph- rey's family, Nov. 7, 1773, at the age of three years and a half. At his funeral, his late master preached a sermon from this text : "The small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master."
ORIGIN OF THE TOWN'S NAME-PETERSHAM IN ENGLAND
This is the only Petersham in America. The name was left blank during the progress of the act of incorporation through the Legislature, and no name was inserted till it came up for final action. It does not appear at whose suggestion the name was inserted in the act. Quabin received the name of Green- wich at the same time : and it seems very much as if, in casting about uncertainly for names for the new towns, the Governor and his Council had picked up pretty much at hap-hazard the first two names suggested from a list of the old country-places around London. Petersham, in England, is a parish contain- ing a population of six or seven hundred, situated about seven miles south west by west from London, in the county of Surry. It gives the title of Viscount to the family of Stanhope, Earls of Harrington. "In the vicinity of this place are many elegant villas, particularly Petersham Lodge, formerly the residence of the Duke of Clarence. The pleasure-grounds are spacious and beautiful, extending to Richmond Park, a portion of which is in this parish, including the mount where, according to tradi- tion, Henry VIII. stood to see the signal for Anne Boleyn's execution." It "contains also Ham House, where the 'cabal' met, and the great Duke of Argyle was born." Ham House was once a royal residence,-the abode of James I., Charles I., and Charles II. In the Doomsday Book, this place is styled "Patricisham ; that is, the Ham or dwelling of St. Peter."- Gazetteers and Topographical Dictionaries.
BUSINESS FIFTY YEARS AGO 1855
By Charles K'. Wilder
There was one hotel, the new "Nichewang," kept by Jesse Brown, now of Athol. It was built by the late J. D. Foster of Boston. It was burned December 8, 1897.
There were two stores, one kept by Wetherell & Mudge. Mr. Wetherell was postmaster many years. He never held any town office. He was a faithfut and efficient postmaster, and highly respected citizen. The other store, I think, was kept by the late F. C. Parmenter of Athol. Jonas Carruth kept a grocery store under the Baptist church. There were two tan- neries in successful operation-one in the east part of the town owned by Artemas Bryant, and one in the north part owned by Asa Clark. There were two grist mills, one owned by Captain Joseph Brown, about a mile east of the common ; he also had a saw-mill ; both were burned some years ago. Mr. Brown was also a successful farmer. The other grist mill, with a saw-mill in connection, is located in "Nichewang," and doing a thrifty business at the present time.
There were at that time ten water saw-mills, now but two or three exist. There was a steam saw-mill at what is known as Tom Swamp, buik and owned by the late Constant Southworth of Hardwick. Later it was converted into a keg shop. It was the first steam mill in the town, and was ren.oved 25 years ago.
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