USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Tercentenary, 1655-1955, Groton, Massachusetts > Part 5
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Col. James Prescott married his cousin, Susanna Lawrence, in 1752, and lived on the hill near the present home of Mr. Canavan, The house was taken down about a century ago when the house now standing, and occupied for many years by Prescott descendants, was built. In the militia James Prescott passed through all grades of the service to Colonel of a regiment. He was clerk of the proprietors of Groton for fifty years, was employed in laying out the town's lands, was representative to the General Court for fifteen years, and held many other public offices.
Col. William Prescott, although born and brought up in Groton, lived most of his life in Pepperell. He was commander of the American forces at the battle of Bunker Hill, and it was for him that the monument near his birthplace was erected.
The third brother, Honorable Oliver Prescott, graduated from Har- vard College and studied medicine. He married Lydia Baldwin, by whom he had ten children, and lived where the Convent now is. He was a prac- tising physician for nearly fifty years, and was noted for having acquired the habit of sleeping on the back of his intelligent and trusted horse when
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returning home from his professional visits. He held many public offices like his brother, and was appointed Major-General for his work muster- ing and organizing the militia of Middlesex County.
Dr. Oliver Prescott's son, Oliver, Jr., was a physician as was his father. He married a daughter of Leonard Whiting of Hollis, New Hampshire, the Tory who was captured by the women at Jewett's Bridge, brought to Groton and put in the custody of his daughter's future father-in-law. Dr. Oliver Prescott, Jr. lived not far from the homes of his ancestors in the house now owned by Donald Priest. He, too, had an extensive practice and was highly respected and beloved by his patients.
James Prescott, Jr., son of Col. James Prescott, was an influential man in town, was a judge, and lived in the house formerly known as the Fosdick place, now gone. His daughter, Susan, lived nearby in the house on Main Street at the head of the Old Ayer Road, and conducted a school here known as Miss Prescott's School for Girls.
The Minute-Men of Groton
Several days before the Battle of Concord and Lexington, a hostile raid by the British soldiers, stationed in Boston, was expected by the people living in and around Concord and Acton, where quantities of ammunition were stored. The aim of the raid was the destruction of these stores collected for the use of the Provincial cause. Consequently every movement of the British troops was closely watched by the patriots. At this time the Committees of Safety and Supplies voted that ammunition should be scattered among some of the towns to the north. On April 17, these committees meeting in Concord voted that four six-pounders, cer- tain ammunition and other supplies should be transported for safe- keeping from Concord to Groton, and put under the care of Col. Oliver Prescott. It was also voted that one-half of the musket cartridges be removed from Stow to Groton.
Upon the recommendation of the Provincial Congress, companies of minute-men had been formed in towns around Boston, and two com- panies had been enlisted in Groton. These companies were expecting a call, and were prepared to leave at short notice.
The story is told that on the day previous to the Concord fight a Groton man, Nathan Corey, while ploughing in his field, received a call of a meeting of minute-men. He unhitched his plough, drove his oxen to the barn, took his gun and, leaving his wife to take care of the oxen, hastened to the center of the town to join his comrades. The circum- stance which prompted this call was the arrival in Groton of cannon from Concord, probably some of the ammunition voted to be sent here on the 17th. The presence of the cannon gave rise to speculation as to the reason of their being sent, and being suspicious, a proposition to proceed at once to Concord was made. When put to a vote most of the group pre-
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ferred to await further information. This vote was not entirely satisfac- tory to a few, who decided to set out for Concord that evening. This group included young Corey, Capt Abraham Child and probably Capt. Job Shattuck. The men travelled all night, carrying lighted torches, and reached Concord early in the morning of the 19th. They had breakfast at the house of Col. Barrett, which was later visited by British soldiers in search of cannon and supplies, most of which had been removed to safe places. After breakfast, the Groton men proceeded to the center of the town and joined the men of Concord. They were amongst the minute- men, who fought at North Bridge, and followed the retiring troops to Lexington, and beyond.
There was an alarm, probably a continuation of the one spread by Paul Revere, which reached Groton soon after sunrise on the memorable day of April 19. The minute-men hurriedly gathered on the common, at that time unfenced, in front of the meeting-house and prepared to march toward the scene of the first blood-shed of the Revolutionary War. A powder house, or magazine, stood nearby on the hill south of the meeting- house, and was doubtless the place of storage for the ammunition which was given out by the selectmen of the town to the men rallying on the common. Both Groton companies, one under the command of Capt. Henry Farwell, and the other under that of Capt. Asa Lawrence, were on their way to the scene of action by midforenoon, but arrived too late to take part in the hostilities.
Shays' Rebellion
During the Revolution, Groton was a shire town. The Court of Common Pleas was removed from Charlestown to Groton in 1776, and here remained for about ten years. The sessions of the Court were held in the First Parish Meeting-House; and the Court was sitting there during the famous dark day of May 19, 1780, when candles were used.
It is highly probably that the Shays' Rebellion, which broke out in the summer of 1786, had some connection with the removal of the sessions from Groton. In Middlesex County, the uprising was confined exclusively to this neighborhood, and the insurgents always felt a bitter spite against the Court of Common Please, which they tried hard to abolish.
The leader of the Rebellion in this vicinity was Capt. Job Shattuck, an honorable and patriotic citizen, who had a good military record in the Revolutionary War. He and his followers, discouraged and incensed over the conditions of indebtedness and heavy taxation, which followed the war, determined to do something about it. Their plan was to prevent the meeting of the Court of Common Pleas, which had been moved from Groton to Concord and was the source of most of their troubles. About a hundred of these men assembled at Concord, and succeeded in their aim so far as to prevent the sitting of the court. Flushed with success, the
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rioters decided to suppress the session of the same court to be held in Cambridge on November 28. The day before the meeting they marched into Concord on their way to Cambridge, but there the group broke up and scattered, most of them returning home. Something had gone wrong with their plans. Warrants for the arrest of the leaders were at once issued.
A company of horsemen from Boston was ordered to assemble in Groton to help in the arrest of the leaders of the rebellion. Two of the insurgents were promptly captured and sent to jail in Boston. Capt. Job Shattuck could not be found, although a thorough search was made of his home on the Pepperell Road, across from Wattle's Pond, sometimes called Reed's Pond. The next morning the search was renewed, and the arresting officers went to the house of Samuel Gragg (now the home of Clifford Pinkham, although at that time the house was located close to the barn), where they learned Capt. Shattuck had spent the night. He had left by then, and started to walk down Common Street and along an old road which led to the north. By tracks in a light snow which had fallen during the night, he was traced and overtaken within sight of his home. Here he made desperate resistance, and during the encounter he was wounded in the knee and leg by a broadsword. Thereupon his cap- ture was accomplished and he was delivered to the county sheriff, who committed him to prison in Boston with the other two men.
Excitement was high in the town at the time of these arrests, as is indicated by the fact that on the night before Job Shattuck's arrest, Aaron Brown's potash works located on Broadmeadow Road where the gates to the playground are, were burned by insurgents. Aaron Brown was one of the two constables who served the warrants against Shattuck and his men, and feeling toward him was bitter. An attempt was also made to fire a small office building, which stood on the location of the Boutwell House. but it was discovered before it was too late.
Capt. Shattuck, for his part in the insurrection, was tried before the Supreme Judicial Court, convicted of treason, and sentenced to be hanged, but, as the day of execution approached he was granted a re- prieve. This happened twice and later he received a full and uncondi- tional pardon. He paid dearly for his errors, as he was crippled for the rest of his life and walked with the aid of a crutch.
Groton Mile-Stones
The earliest legislation in this Commonwealth on the subject of guide-posts bears the date February 28, 1795. An act was passed requir- ing selectmen of towns and districts to erect guide-posts at the corners and angles of roads in such towns and districts. Before that time, indi- viduals in some places set up stones by the roadside, marking the distance and direction to an important town, and these persons often added their own initials, as well as the year the stones were placed.
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DECORATED FOR THE 250th
ABOVE:
TOWN HALL 1905
BELOW:
BUTLER HIGH SCHOOL 1905
The Two Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Tofun of Brotou
1905
FAITH
HOLY BIBLE
SETTS
LABOR
1655
1655
Wednesday, July tivelbe nineteen hundred and five
Oration in Town Hall at 11 A. M., by DR. SAMUEL ABBOTT GREEN
Dinner at 1 P. M. in Tent on Shumway Field
MAJ .- GEN. WILLIAM A. BANCROFT President of the Day
Speeches may be expected from
HON. GEORGE A. MARDEN
HIS HONOR, LIEUT .- GOV. CURTIS GUILD, JR. HON. CHARLES Q. TIRRELL HON. CHESTER W. CLARK HON. CHARLES S. HAMLIN MAYOR ANDROS B. JONES HON. GEORGE A. SANDERSON HON. GEORGE J. BURNS
Concert in Town Hall at 4 P. M., by
CHILDREN OF THE TOWN SCHOOLS
Reception in Town Hall at 8 P. M.
ORCHESTRA AND SINGING
MUSIC GROTON CORNET BAND
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There are several mile-stones in Groton, which were set up during the eighteenth century. Two of them were placed by Dr. Oliver Prescott, and two others were set up, probably by him or at his suggestion during the same period. They all are of slate. The largest stands at the southerly end of the village street and a smaller one stands across the street. A third stone is on the easterly side of Farmers Row at Peabody Street and an- other is in front of the Groton Inn. There is another stone on the Boston Road about a mile and a half from town.
Guide-stones, which were set up somewhat later, have nearly all vanished, but one good example still remains at the corner of Lowell and Dunstable Roads.
In 1902 and 1903, the town placed stones, about twenty-five in all, marking each mile from the Town Hall on all the main roads of the town. These are now standing and read, - TO GROTON -- MILES.
The Soapstone Quarry
This quarry was discovered in the year 1828 by John Fitch on his farm in Groton, now the property of Mrs. Charles E. Ware. Mr. Fitch owes his discovery to the fact that part of a stone adhered to his axe, as he struck it inadvertently, while cutting wood. Many fragments were scattered over the surface of the ground, but they had never excited attention until this late period.
Mr. Fitch worked the quarry in a small way for several subsequent years, sawing the stone by hand at a shop by the roadside, near his house; but afterward he built a steam mill at the quarry, forty or fifty rods away. In the year 1855 the establishment was bought from the Fitch heirs by Samuel Adams of Townsend and Daniel McCaine, and during 1857 the quarry was worked by Mr. Adams.
Three years later after Mr. Adams' death, Mr. McCaine with his twin brother, David and another brother, William, removed from Francestown, New Hampshire, to Groton, and took charge of the busi- ness. They enlarged the shop, improved the machines, and worked the quarry on a grand scale. In the spring of 1859 the building burned down, and on the same site another and larger one was put up.
In 1861 the Adams heirs sold out their interest to the McCaine brothers, who continued the business till 1864, when the mill again burned down. The next month the property was sold to a stock company known as the Groton Soapstone Company, which represented a capital of $100,000. The next year the new company completed their mill with engine-house attached. It had the latest improvements in machinery, and was considered the best equipped and largest factory of its kind in the country.
The McCaine brothers invented and patented a process for making artificial stone. The patent was subsequently sold to the Groton Soap- stone Company, which soon afterward became the Union Stone Com-
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pany. The affairs of the corporation, however, did not prosper, and the establishment was abandoned and dismantled. The capital stock was then increased, and another mill built at Revere, Massachusetts, where artificial stone was made under the same patent.
There are still in the homes of Groton many samples of soapstone from this quarry, and articles made of soapstone such as fireplace hearths, sinks, stoves, a pump, and smaller objects such as paper weights and soap dishes.
The Millerites
One pleasant autumn day in 1840, four young men, Theodore Parker, George Ripley, Christopher Cranch and A. Bronson Alcott were walking together along the Great Road from Concord to Groton. They were on their way to a convention called by the Second Adventists or Millerites, and the Come-outers, who believed in the abolition of slavery, and in Groton were led by Rev. Silas Hawley and called Hawleyites. The purpose of the convention was to establish a new church or denomina- tion, but this was not accomplished. To fully appreciate the conditions of the times, we must remember that there was a great wave of religious interest in all parts of our country, and several movements such as trans- cendentalism at Brook Farm, the colony at Fruitlands, abolition, political action and others were popular. Groton had a reputation as a center of religious, political and anti-slavery agitation, and many were the meet- ing held here. People of independent thought and initiative were attract- ed to the town, and it was this spirit that led the four young men to walk to Groton to attend the convention.
The Millerism movement was named for its founder, William Miller (1782-1849), a farmer born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and living at the time in a small town in New York. He prophesied that the second coming of Christ and the beginning of the millenium would take place. Meetings of Millerites were held in all the New England states and in some of the states to the westward. At times large camp meetings were held in this vicinity, especially in Littleton. Mr. Miller explained by elaborate charts the certain end of the world, which he computed would come to pass between the vernal equinoxes of 1843-1844, first set for March, 1844, and then again for October 12, 1844.
There was a group of Miller's followers in Groton Centre with Elder Luther Boutelle and Benjamin Hall as leaders. They erected a
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building, which stood on Hollis Street at the north side of Willow Dale Street, and it was called Polli- wog Chapel from its location near a pond hole. This little chapel was the meeting-place not only of the Millerites but also the Hawleyites and others, including the conven- tion previously mentioned.
As the day set for the second advent approached the Millerites gave away their belongings, made white ascension robes to wear when they would be taken up into heaven, and spent their time in prayer. The house of the long roof, called the Ascension House, which stood at the top of Culver's Hill on the road to Ayer until about two years ago, was said to be the gath- ering place of some of these people, who in their robes awaited the second advent on its roof. When the end of the world did not come the Millerite movement was discredited, although many of the followers remained faithful.
Soon after, Polliwog Chapel was sold and moved to Main Street, where it became Liberty Hall and was later burned. Advent meetings were continued in a small way at the home of Benjamin Hall on Shirley Road, Minot Leighton, who lived in the Moses Gill house next to Mrs. William F. Wharton's residence, and Aaron Mason, whose home was the present old Groton Hospital.
After 1846, that part of town for many years called the Community, where the Groton School now is, became a gathering place of kindred spirits, who came together because of their faith in the second advent of Christ as set forth by William Miller in the early 40's.
The upper floor of a house built from a barn was used as a hall, where the first meetings of the adventists in the Community were held and continued for about four years. In 1850, a community shop was crected to furnish employment to some of the residents. This building stood where Parents House now is, and was a huge affair with a shingle roof and sides covered with pebble plaster. At first it had a roof sloping to the road but soon in order to provide a new hall this roof was removed, and a larger one placed upon it with gable facing the road. On the ground floor was a large horse power tread mill, which set a drum under- neath in motion. From this drum various machines were operated for
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sawing and cutting out stock for wooden boxes, doors, windows, and lumber prepared for house finishing. On the second floor were benches for setting up the wooden ware, and other machines. The top floor was a hall and school, which was the general gathering place, and might prop- erly be called the second advent meeting-house in the Community. Every night and Sunday, services were held for five or six years during the ten year period when the Community flourished.
Groton Cornet Band
About a hundred years ago, local bands were organized in many communities, and for years, were a popular source of entertainment and accompaniment to parades and celebrations. Soon each village had its bandstand from which concerts were given on summer evenings. Groton like other towns had its own band, and place for concerts centrally located. The townspeople, on concert nights, gathered around the band- stand, sometimes sitting in their carriages and sometimes standing or walking about while enjoying the music. Usually, in later years anyway, a pop-corn vendor was present and his stand was an attraction particu- larly to the young people. In the early days of selling ice cream, Mrs. Badtman, who lived in one of the two little houses on Pleasant Street, served home-made ice cream in her house, and always had plenty of customers on such evenings.
On September 29, 1856, sixteen Groton men met and organized a band, which they named the Groton Cornet Band. These men voted to each pay $2.94 into the treasury to engage a "band teacher," and ob- tained one from Nashua, who began rehearsals in a few days. They made their first public appearance in Liberty Hall for the Farmers Club on the following December 15th.
The Groton Cornet Band kept many varied engagements through- out its life playing for the usual Memorial Day parades in Groton and Littleton, the Groton Fair, outdoor concerts sponsored by the Town of Groton, St. Patrick's Day parades in Lowell, a parade in Boston in 1871, the public reception for President Grant at the home of George S. Bout- well in 1869, the Old Sixth Regiment reunion in 1875, the Dedication of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Boston in 1876, and the 250th anniversary of the town in 1905. It played for a "send-off" for those going to the Spanish-American War in 1898, and one of the members, Howard Souther was amongst those to go. Up until about 1900 serenad- ing was popular, and the band took part in many house warmings. anni- versaries and reunions. The idea seemed to be to serenade anyone they could, especially if there were refreshments and a social time afterward.
It is interesting to note that in the records of the first band it says "These sixteen men practised diligently for four or five weeks and then one night Walter Shattuck asked them if they would serenade a friend of his. The members did not know whom they were going to serenade,
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but readily agreed to make their debut for their devoted sponsor. He took them for a long hike down to the farm of Charles Prescott (the place known as the Barrows' place, off North Main Street near the railroad) and there, in the lane leading to the house, the band played for the first time outside the rehearsal room. This was a complete surprise to Mr. Prescott, but his wife had been notified and had baked quantities of food and invited them all in for a social time."
The first bandstand was built of wood in 1882 on the Butler High School grounds next to Bruce's Drug Store. During the latter part of the century it was moved to the common on Main Street headed by the James Lawrence drinking fountain. In 1917, Mr. James Woolley, a charter member of the band, gave the Town a new bandstand with con- crete base and wooden canopy top, which replaced the former one, then removed to Hazel Grove Park. The Groton Cornet Band disbanded in 1931; the Woolley bandstand fell into disuse, and was removed in 1954.
Members of two, three and four successive generations of several different families have been represented in the membership of the band. Their first leader, Charles Blood, had two sons, George and Frank, who played in the band for about sixty years, and George's son, Leslie, played for several years. Frank Blood was the only piccolo player the band ever had. Other families represented for more than one generation were Gale, Raddin. Bywater, Donahue, Shattuck, Hemenway, and Fitch. Charles Baldwin played until he was eighty-six years old and Charles Eddy was a member for many years. Henry Adams played from 1888 until the end of the band. He had a powerful voice and for that reason did the announcing. He composed a march which he called "Groton," and it was often played at concerts. Amos Ames was a member for over fifty years and there were many other faithful members.
The only family having four generations in the band was the Bar- rows family. Gilman Barrows was one of the early directors and a charter member. He was followed by his son, Ulysses Barrows, whose sons also played in the band. At the last concert of the Groton Cornet Band in August 1930, "Teddy" Beers, who had been playing drums in the band for two years, was guest conductor, making the fourth genera- tion to conduct this band. At the time he was eleven years old and was considered the youngest conductor in the country, who had his own twenty-five piece band.
Progress in Modes of Travel
The earliest public conveyance into Groton was probably a covered wagon, hung on chains for thorough-braces. It ran between Boston and Groton in the late eighteenth century and was driven by Lemuel Lakin.
During the first half of the nineteen century, Groton was a radiat- ing center for different lines of stagecoaches, which were a distinctive feature of the place. Their coming and going was watched with great
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interest, and created the excitement of the day. In early times the driv- crs, as they approached the village, would blow a bugle in order to give notice of their arrival; and this blast was the signal at the taverns to put the food on the table. The coaches were usually drawn by four horses, and in bad going by six. Here a change of coaches, horses, and drivers was made.
The stage-driver was an important personage and was a man of considerable responsibility. He was well known along his route, and his opinions were quoted with respect. Aaron Corey was a familiar figure, who drove the accommodation stage to Boston for many years. He was a careful and skillful driver and a man of most obliging disposition. He would go out of his way to bear a message or leave a newspaper; but his specialty was to look after women and children committed to his charge. He also carried packages and parcels. Horace George, another driver, was popular with all the boys, because in sleighing time he would let them ride on the rack behind.
The town was a scene of life and activity when the stage arrived or departed. The loud snap of the whip gave increased speed to the horses, as they dashed up in approved style to the stopping place, where the loungers were collected to see the travellers and listen to the gossip which fell from their lips.
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