USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Paxton > The history of Paxton, Massachusetts > Part 6
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a single two horse coach goes up and down once a day connecting with the world outside.
There is still an opportunity for the town to make some development in the future in the direction of furnishing accommodations for summer visitors. Al- ready quite a large number frequent the place during the warm season, and when we consider the elevation, good air and reasonable charges, we may confidently hope for some prosperity in this direction.
The elevation above the sea at the "Common" is about eleven hundred and thirty-five feet, Asnebum- skit Pond eleven hundred and eight feet, Arnold's Pond eleven hundred and twenty-two feet.
The State has granted a charter giving the right to take Arnold's or Kettle brook to supply a portion of Leicester with water. Surveys have been made the past year looking towards that purpose, but whether any thing is likely to result we are not sufficiently in- formed to determine. The elevation of Leicester Hill above the sea is given us as one thousand and one foot, thus indicating that it is a feasible project to take the water.
The salubrity of the climate here is pretty well es- tablished, and many people have attained to a great age here. Among these we recall the case of Mrs. Jason Livermore, who was one hundred years old at her decease, Mrs. Joseph Penniman and John P. Met- calf were old people; Mrs. Elizabeth Harrington, mother of Deacon Samuel Harrington, died June 27, 1835, at the age of one hundred years and eight months. The Rev. James D. Farnsworth preached at her house on the 31st October, 1834, the day she was one hun- dred years old, from the text found in Gen. 47 : 9.
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There have been more golden weddings celebrated in this town within about ten years, we apprehend, than in any other community of like population in the same period in New England. Among those who have thus celebrated we recall the following : Mr. and Mrs. Silas D. Harrington, Mr. and Mrs. Tyler S. Pen- niman, Mr. and Mrs. David Harrington, Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Keep, Mr. and Mrs. William B. Rogers, and Mr. and Mrs. John Holmes, two others have passed the fiftieth mile stone but did not celebrate, viz : Mr. and Mrs. J. Barnes Brown, and Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Good- now.
In 1840 there was great political excitement all over the country, and especially here in New England, and the old log cabin campaign of Harrison so engrossed public attention as to claim much of the time of the country in the way of attending the rallies and listen- ing to addresses that were taking place everywhere. Worcester was to have a great demonstration beyond anything before undertaken, and Daniel Webster was to give an address and the country towns were ablaze with excitement. Several of the back towns, as Barre and Petersham, sent many of their people, who went in marching order, and in this column Paxton joined, and they turned out, as report has it, in great number on foot, in carriages, and very many on horseback-the whole procession being more than a mile in length, and thus reinforced the great column, proceeded to Worcester under the command of Cap- tain Freeman Ellis of Paxton, a prominent citizen, who was the chief marshal of the procession. This Captain Ellis has a son, Wm. F. Ellis, living in this town.
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A few items of interest, connected with some of the earlier inhabitants, is herewith appended.
In 1843, Capt. Freeman Ellis was living on Crocker Hill, in the old Bigelow mansion. Captain Ellis was largely engaged in butchering and handling of cattle, and was known to have considerable funds at times about his person on returning from the city. He was returning home one evening, and when in the vicinity of Wilson's woods, he was suddenly accosted by a man who, failing to catch the bridle reins, demanded a ride, but Capt. Ellis put the whip to his horses and got away ; the man fired and put a ball through the rear end of the wagon. The highwayman proved after- wards to be, on his own confession, the noted Larned, a member of a gang of bank robbers.
The Crocker house above named, built by the Rev. Silas Bigelow in 1768-9 and in which he died, also where Esquire Nathaniel Crocker used to live and which Rev. Jos. D. Fansworth occupied, was burned in 1844, on the day the "Millerites " set for the world to be destroyed, and concerning which much excite- ment was afoot.
On page 56, we have spoken of the Howes ; Paul Howe, son of John, had three sons, viz : John, Jonah and Jonathan. Jonah Howe, sr. settled on Howe's Hill, now Davis's Hill. There was nothing but a bridle path leading over it to the mills of Newton at the time and for many years afterwards. John lived at his father's, while Jonathan lived at the old Brewery place. Jonah, sr., had sons, Jonah jr. and Artemas. The latter became quite a public man, and had a conspicuous place in town affairs and held various town offices. An anecdote is
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related of him that one Sunday, during a presiden- tial canvas, the minister preached a sort of political sermon, at the close of which Mr. Howe rose and ad- dressing the preacher, said that "you may vote for whom you are a mind to, I shall vote for Cass if I am alive." He married Miss Roxa Moore, daughter of Pliny Moore, and lived at the Moore homestead, on the Rutland road, just beyond Francis Keep's. This place was subsequently owned by the town as a town farm, till the old Dwight Estabrook farm, on the Barre road was purchased, which latter is the present town farm. The Moore place above named was the home of Capt. Phineas Moore and of Major Willard Moore, who fell at Bunker Hill. It is not known that he was ever married. He had not attained middle life at the time of his death. The Moores have left a reputation equalled by few of the earlier settlers in this town.
Not many years since, while celebrating the fourth of July, a premature discharge of a cannon blew off the arm of one Henry Skinner, which speedily ter- minated the festivities. On another similar occasion, of recent date, two men very narrowly escaped with their lives.
In ye olden times it was customary to indulge in turkey shooting whenever any considerable company of men assembled. This amusement was usually located not far from some hostelry, and this place had its quota of fun in this direction. The locality where the targets were set up was back of the blacksmith shop of one Samuel Chickering. After 1828 William Stockwell was the blacksmith, and later on Luke Stratton and then Charles Muzzy kept it. This shop
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was near the place where Luke Stratton now lives. It was in the low lands behind this shop that the crack shots assembled, and this amusement ter- minated with an accident which we need not relate. Whether the sport of rifle shooting or the taste of old Elijah Brown's popular flip was the most attractive, it is not our duty to say, but one thing is certain, the ancient business of rifle practice never flourished out- side of the range of an old time country inn.
Several distressing accidents have occured in the past which perhaps should be related. A man who lived in Spencer attempted one winter to cross As- nebumskit Pond on horseback, but the ice proved too thin, both horse and rider were drowned. Soon after, Ithamar Bigelow was passing that way, and observing a hat on the ice, made an investigation and found them and recovered the body of the man. The un- fortunate man's name has not been given us.
On August 3, 1865, Albert Browning, son of Richard - son Browning, was drowned in the same pond, and William Earle recovered the body by diving.
In 1850, on the fifth of July, Edward Howe, son of Phineas M. Howe, was drowned in Bottomly Pond. Later a young lad was drowned in this pond under circumstances somewhat suspicious, but the inquest did not result in the authorities taking any action in the premises.
Mr. Samuel Slade, who lived at the Slade place, on Dodd's hill, was out drawing wood to the house, and the way being uneven and the load not well balanced, it overturned and Mr. Slade was killed. It was a very unfortunate affair.
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There have been several notable storms in this vicinity within the past few years, which deserve mention, because of their severity. In IS71, June II, a whirlwind or great cyclone appeared, and was so violent as to twist trees from their base and crush others to kindling wood, leveled barns and buildings in its track and roared as it went onward so as to be heard miles away. Its track, a few rods in width only, was across the northerly side of the town and was very destructive.
In ISS7, August 19, it begun to rain early in the fore- noon. The clouds were dark and threatening. There was no wind accompanying, nor was there thunder or lightning preceding or during the storm, which was of short duration-lasting from S A. M. to I P. M. But the water that fell in that brief period was towards three inches. It seemed to come in sheets by times, and must have equalled the tropical rain falls expe- rienced by Du Challu in Africa. The empty streams and brooks sprang to surging torrents and dashed wildly towards the valleys and the sea. The highways were practically wrecked for a time and travel over them was well nigh suspended. It took many days' labor to repair damages. The country road to Wor- cester was impassable for ten days thereafter. The worst place being just this side of Tatnuck, on what is known as "watering-trough hill."
The last great storm was the "blizzard " in March, IS88. The wind settled into the north-east, snowing and blowing briskly from the start and constantly in- creasing in force till eighty miles an hour was reached in some localities. By the middle of the afternoon
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the roads were substantially blocked and travel sus- pended. It was then evident that it was getting peril- ous to be out even a short distance from home. The next morning fences were invisible, the highways level full, and no mails came or went for three days, and the only sure method of reaching your neighbor was on snow shoes, which were used by some who pos- sessed them. The thermometer kept at about 30° above zero fortunately, and but for this many lives would have been lost in this region.
Of clubs or societies in town there have been sever- al, but of them all, only one continues, and even that has nearly ceased be on several occasions, but easily recuperates and lives on, and this is the Lyceum. It was started about twenty-five years ago and is now in a flourishing condition. It aims to meet fortnightly during the season of long evenings. The temporary organization was effected on February 20, 1864, by choice of Solon C. Howe as Chairman and J. C. Bigelow as Secretary. Subsequently a permanent organization was completed by the choice of William Mulligan, a very active and able man, as President, and J. C. Bigelow as Secretary. No date is given to this meeting. There had been originally about twenty- five names appended to a paper looking to the estab- lishment of a lyceum-this paper was dated February 15, 1864. But the first question up for discussion was at a meeting on March 2, 1864. This and the previous two meetings, to complete the organization, were held in the store of Otis Peirce, who lived and kept store where W. I. Preston now lives, being the first house south of M. B. Olmstead's blacksmith shop. Such a
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society is a very useful appendage in all communities when well conducted and its mission of instruction and amusement strictly adhered to. Of those prom- inent in starting the Lyceum was William Mulligan, who was a bright, stirring man and who held many offices of trust and honor in the town. Messrs. Ed- ward S. Burnette, Oliver Goodnow, Simon G. Har- rington, John Holmes, Henry Allen, and others were likewise prominent.
In this connection it is proper not to overlook an- other society, which was a forerunner of the Lyceum and which indeed may be said to have been its pro- genitor. This was the " Band of Hope," organized July 21, 1860, with Oliver Goodnow as Superintendent. There were more than a hundred members including honoraries, and they met in the central school house. It was at first intended for very young people, and was a semi-religious society, with declamations and singing. In March, 1863, the society changed its name to one more in accord with its work, viz : "The Pax- ton Speaking and Singing Club," with Willard A. Earle as President and Clara P. Conant as Secretary. This society held meetings as the Lyceum now does, during the season of long evenings. Finally, about Jan. 1, 1864, its name was changed to the "Literary Encampment." At last the older folks, who had become interested in these exercises and in which they had borne a part, decided to establish a Lyceum, as we have seen, which was done within sixty days after the date last above given.
The Ladies Social Union is likewise an important factor in all church affairs here, and should be men- tioned. Mrs. Mary A. Boynton was, we believe, the
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first president, while Mrs. Nathaniel Clark is the pre- sent head. Of its secretaries, Miss Ella Rowell, now deceased, is deserving of much credit for the unselfish interest she brought to bear, not only with the Union, but with every worthy movement in town. She was especially devoted to the cause of temperance, and usually took an active part in the gospel temperance meetings. Mr. Edward S. Burnette, who has more constantly and for a longer period than any other per- son, attended these meetings, says of her, that she was one of the pillars, not only of the temperance cause, but of the church as well.
Another institution of our town flourished about 1840, it was the " Paxton Brass Band," with Thomas Ward as leader. The other members as far as they can now be recalled, were J. Buckley Grosvenor, Oliver Goodnow, Buckley Abbott, George W. Dodd, Horace Peirce, Edward Peirce, Daniel Peirce, Nelson Wood, Samuel Grosvenor, J. B. Brown, Joseph Al- len, Willard Abbott, D. Estabrook, - Spaulding, - Phillips, and others. This band continued for ten years or more, and became well-known through- out the county. It played in Worcester on invitation of the authorities, one Fourth of July, and was high- ly spoken of by all who heard them. Again at Fitch- burg during the great muster there, they won golden opinions and took the palm over all the other bands in competition, and there were quite a number from other places in the county.
"The Grand Army of the Republic" is a society of comparatively recent organization, and while there is no established Post in this town, its principal officers
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reside here, and we should fail in our duty if we neg- lected to chronicle something concerning it. The place of meeting is at Rutland, and three towns are embraced by Post 136, viz: Oakham, Paxton, and Rutland. Its members are composed of Union sol- diers residing in these towns. Of its officers at the present time, residing in this town, are George A. Brown, Commander; Wm. M. Warren, Surgeon; F. T. Merriam, O. G.
A descendant of old Dr. John Snow says : " It is the people that make a town, and Paxton has been a grand old town. Have you any idea how many men who have made a mark in the world were born in Paxton ? They are to be found all over the country, and though Paxton is small, yet it is these same coun- try towns that are furnishing the brains for our cities." Thus speaks Dr. Windsor N. Snow, and what he states is true to a greater extent than most people believe. His statement reminds us of the high char- acter and great business ability of his ancestor, Col. Willard Snow who built the house where the writer now lives, and likewise many others in town. Of these strong, brainy men of the early days, Maj. Willard Moore was a good example. He promptly left for the seat of war and was promoted for his great gallantry, and finally fell with Warren on the field of Bunker Hill. His brothers, Capt. Ephraim Moore and Lieut. Pliney Moore, were influential men. Then there was Capt. Ralph Earle, who lived where Tyler S. Penniman now lives. The struggle for lib- erty was about to begin, had in fact already begun, and the royalist party with Gov. Hutchinson at their head in civil power, made every effort to strengthen
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the hands of the government in these provinces, and to this Ralph Earle he tendered a captain's commis- sion, who spurned the proffered honor. His love of liberty was too deeply seated to be purchased by imperial power, all of his sympathies were with the people in their desire for separation. Gen. Washing- ton, learning of the facts, sent Capt. Earle, who, up to this time, had been only a captain of the militia, a commission as captain in the Continental Army, and from that time on till near the close of the war, he performed active and important service.
Then there were the Davises, Lieut. Simon Davis and Col. John Davis, an uncle, we believe, of " Hon- est John Davis," who represented Massachusetts in the U. S. Senate with great ability and distinction. Col. John Davis lived where Charles D. Boynton now lives, in the easterly part of the town.
We have already spoken of Revs. Silas Bigelow and Daniel Grosvenor, Dr. Samuel Stearns and Dr. A. J. Howe, Hon. George W. Livermore, and of his noted patriot grandfather, Jason Livermore, also, of Rev. and Hon. John D. Peirce and Rev. Elbridge G. Howe.
Esquire Buddyll Livermore was a well-known and influential man, as was his son, Buddyll Livermore, jr .; and then we recall James Day, Esq., college bred, a careful, painstaking man, perhaps plain spoken, but a man of mark here, and would have been anywhere. Then we should mention Drs. Thaddeus Brown, Sam- uel Forrest, Caleb Shattuck who practiced medicine here the last part of the eighteenth century; Esquire Jonathan P. Grosvenor, Dr. Absalom Russell, Dr. Thaddeus Amidon, and Dr. Loani Harrington who is
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reputed as a very skillful physician ; Esquire Nathan- iel Crocker was also highly prominent and tied more nuptial knots in this town than any civil magistrate be- fore or since. His granddaughter, Reliance Crocker, daughter of Solomon Crocker, married Dea. Edward Kendall of Paxton, now living in Cambridge, and is an eminent man in that place and a warm friend of the church and people here. Tyler Goddard we have mentioned in another place. He represented this town nine consecutive terms in the Legislature. Then there was Thomas Bancroft, brother of Hon. George Bancroft lived here, and was a celebrity. He was a learned man and very genial and always court- ly. He will be long remembered.
William Stockwell, who kept a blacksmith shop at one time was a very expert mechanic. He devoted much of his time to making rifles, and had he given strict attention to business he might have become famous perhaps, but he was prone to wander and went away to Canada.
Capt. John Partridge was a singularly able man, and possessed of a great memory and sound common sense. For many years he held some responsible town office, and while an active partisan, he was re- spected by all classes.
Ralph Earle Bigelow, of the firm of Lakin & Bige- low, was the most eminent of the local business men the town has ever had. He attained to great wealth, and built up a large business. His death was a sad one. He was drowned in Bottomly Pond on July 4, 1873.
George S. Lakin, of the firm of Lakin & Bigelow, sold out and removed to Holden, where he died.
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Col. John Brigham wasan energetic and forceful man, but he was subsequently environed by some troubles and it is not known where he died. Lawson Ball, as will be remembered, was an eccentric character in his day. He deposited the first ballot in the cause of abolition in this town. Dr. John Frink, jr .. was the son of Dr. John Frink of Rutland, and grandson of the Rev. Thomas Frink also of Rutland, where he was ordained in 1827; they were all reputed to be very learned men. Then too there were Capt. Brown- ing Hubbard, father of Hammond W. Hubbard, Dea. Oliver Witt, David, Moses, and Nathaniel Waite, Clark Earle, Stephen and Aaron Coggswell, John and Francis Washburne, John Warren, Abijah Burnap, Jonathan and Dana Frost, Alpheus and Joel Stratton. It was Joel Stratton's influence and timely word that was the cause of John B. Gough's reformation. He lived where Frank W. Peirce now lives. There were also these of equal or even greater prominence in the early and later times-Dea. Silas and Windsor New- ton, Moses Parkhurst, Marmaduke Earle, who was a a real patriarch among men, Deacons Samuel and Samuel D. Harrington, Oliver Wilson, Ezra and David Boynton, Abram Livermore, William Duncan, Jude Jones, Stephen Streeter, Hezekiah Newton, Frederick Flint, Alpheus Bemis, William Stockwell, J. Dickerman Newton, who lived on the old Newton farm where David Harrington lived and died, Thad- deus Estabrook, Austin Flagg, Nathaniel Lakin, Jo- seph Penniman, Daniel Estabrook, Jotham Parker, Simon G. Harrington, William Comins, T. M. Dun- can, David Manning, who married Lucy B. Grosven- or, the granddaughter of Rev. Daniel Grosvenor,
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Silas D. Harrington, and Dwight Estabrook, sr., all stirring and able men.
We would not forget the skilled physicians, who at various times in later days, have been residents here, and who were skillful in the practice of their profes- sion, viz : Drs. Bellows, Earle, and Addison Knights who built the house where L. T. Kirby lives, Dr. Ed- ward M. Wheeler, Dr. John N. Murdock, Dr. Am- brose Eames, and Dr. George O. Warner. The lat- ter was the last physician who lived in this place. He was a native of Sturbridge, and settled here till after a few years he removed to Leicester, but practiced here up to the time of his decease. He died quite suddenly in Leicester of diphtheria, in 1886, beloved beyond most men in this community. Many of the foregoing are worthy of more extended biographical mention.
In the notice of the Church on page 22, the name of Hezekiah Newton is omitted from the list of the earliest church members. It is singular that all of the names given in that list should be males ; three days after the organization the wives of most of them joined. Sixteen others joined the first year and thir- teen the second and last year of Rev. Mr. Bigelow's ministry. Mr. Bigelow, leaving the farm house of his brother, Ithamar, set about erecting a parsonage on the height of land then known as Bigelow Hill, now Crocker. The house was a square structure, of the style and size of the Goddard house now standing. Mr. Bigelow took a severe cold on Oct. 21, 1769, while superintending the completion of his new home, and died Nov. 16, following. This place was subse- quently owned and occupied by Nathaniel Crocker,
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Esq. At the time the house was burned it was occu- pied by Capt. Freeman Ellis.
The following persons have held the office of Dea- con in the Church, viz : Oliver Witt, Ephraim Moore, Timothy Barrett, David Davis, Jonah Howe, sr., Abel Brown, Nathan Swan, Samuel Harrington, David Davis, jr., Samuel D. Harrington, Silas N. Grosvenor, John Conant, William Conant, John B. Moore, Josiah O. Keep, William B. Rogers, William Brown, Wm. H. Harrington, and Levi Smith.
Up to 1830-3, there were less than a dozen dwell- ings in what is now known as the village proper. These houses were the the old Lakin house, the old yellow house, the Crow Hill house, and the house nearly opposite, now occupied by Luke Stratton, Capt. John Partridge's, now used as a hotel and kept by M. B. Olmstead, the house of the late Silas D. Harrington, now occupied by D. C. Stratton, Brown's Hotel, the Goddard and Bigelow (Crocker) mansions. At the present time, there are forty-six in the village, and yet the population of the town is less than at the date last mentioned.
On May 1, 1888, the number of polls assessed was 145. The value of personal estate owned was $35,- 375.00 ; value of buildings, $99,050.00 ; lands were valued at $148,008.00. Rate of taxation was $12.60 per thousand. The number of horses 121, cows 288, other neat stock 167, sheep 24, swine 43, number of dwelling houses 138, acres of land 8,643.
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List of persons who enlisted for longer or shorter terms of time during the war. Some of the number re-enlisted, thus counting twice on the town's quota, and two were drafted.
HENRY A. ALLEN, served two enlistments,
SIMON C. ABBOTT,
EDWARD D. BIGELOW,
HENRY G. BIGELOW,*
GEORGE R. BROWNING, re-enlisted,
HENRY A. BROWNING, died of wounds, CHARLES A. BEMIS, *
CHARLES S. BUTLER,
JAMES D. BUTLER,* died June, 1865,
CHARLES G. BIGELOW, served two enlistments,
WILLIAM F. BROWNING, "
ISAAC J. BOWEN,
HENRY A. W. BLACKBURN,
GEORGE W. BROWN,* died in 1864,
GEORGE P. BROWNING,
GEORGE F. CHENEY,*
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