USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > The history of Princeton, Worcester county, Mass. from its first settlement; with a sketch of the present religious controversy in that place. Designed for the use of the inhabitants > Part 2
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
the town clerk's office, hastily written on the back of an old petition,* thirty families in the district.
The first physician settled in the town, was Dr. Zachariah Harvey, who commenced, about the year 1759, the farm now owned by Dea. Ebenezer Parker. Dr. Harvey was the first district clerk, and seems to have filled most of the important offices, being, in 1761, no less than moderator of the town meetings, district clerk, chairman of the board of selectmen, first assessor, and agent to the General Court, for which latter service he received from the town 11l. I also find, in the warrant for a town meeting in 1762, the following gentle hint to the doctor and some of his delinquent friends, to quicken their treacherous memories, and awaken their slumbering con- sciences in regard to certain previous promises, which, in the frailty of human nature, all men on some occasions are liable to forget. "5th. To see if Dr. Zachariah Harvey, and others that bid any thing as an encouragement to build the meeting- house where it now stands, will be as good as their promises and give security for the same, or if the District will act any thing thereon." No action seems to have been had upon this article. Possibly this admonition brought the doctor's con- science at once to its duty, or may be the district thought the matter not strictly of legal cognizance, and left it to be settled " in foro conscientia." Farther than this I have been able to
learn nothing of his history. The first store in town was opened at a much later period, by Wm. Richardson, Esq. a tailor by trade, but who, sinking his former profession, removed from Lancaster to Princeton, and commenced business in a store near where the village hotel now stands, in 1771 or '72. He was town clerk for one year, in 1774. Previous to his removal to Princeton he had been commissioned as a justice of the peace, the functions of which office he continued to exer- cise until his death.
The first public meeting in the district, other than for relig-
* This appears to be a first copy of a petition of Jonas Beaman to the Court of Common Pleas, for liberty to sell some land in Shutesbury, belong- ing to Elijah Wilde, a ward of his. On the back of this is a short history of the town up to the time of Mr. Crafts's dismission, 1791. It is in the handwriting of Wm. Dodds, Esq. and covers a closely written foolscap page. I am indebted to it for one or two important events in the early history of the town.
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
ious worship, was called in accordance with the last clause of the act of incorporation, by a warrant from the above-mention- ed Wm. Richardson, then of Lancaster, directed to Dr. Har- vey, as " a principal inhabitant," ordering him to notify the inhabitants to assemble for the election of district officers. This meeting was held at the house of Abijah Moore, on the 24th of December, 1759. A few pages are missing from the first volume of town records, and the account of the proceed- ings of this meeting is consequently lost. It appears, however, from certain official documents, issued by them, that Dr. Harvey was chosen district clerk, and Messrs. Peter Goodnow, Abijah Moore, Dr. Harvey, and Joseph Gibbs, selectmen. These officers were elected only until the March following, when, as now, the regular meeting for an election was held. As, however, political changes were not quite as frequent then as now, no alterations were probably made in the list. The first " March meeting" was held in 1760. The first, of which the proceedings are on record, was in 1761. At this meeting all the usual town officers were chosen, a list of whom is transcribed from the records for the amusement of some of the elder portion of my readers. Dr. Zachariah Harvey, Moderator. Dr. Zachariah Harvey, D. Clerk. Dr. Zach- ariah Harvey, Joseph Gibbs, Lieut. Abijah Moore, Timothy Moseman, Selectmen. Dr. Zachariah Harvey, Abijah Moore, Peter Goodnow, Assessors. Peter Goodnow, Treasurer.
Samuel Nichols, Caleb Mirick, Sadey Mason, Constables. Joseph Rugg, Tythingmen. Paul Mathews, Stephen Brig- ham, Silas Whitney, Tilly Littlejohns, Timothy Keyes, High- way Surveyors. Robert Keyes, Clerk of the Market. Sam- uel Hastings, Amos Spring, Fence Viewers. James Mirick, Oliver Davis, Field Drivers. Robert Cowden, Edward Wil- son, Deer Reeves. Amos Powers, Samuel Hastings, Hog Reeves. Abel Ray, Surveyor of Boards and Shingles. Stephen Brigham, Sealer of Leather. Peter Goodnow, Tim- othy Moseman, Wardens. Dr. Zachariah Harvey, Agent to the General Court. At the bottom of this list of officers is the following :- " This may Certify that all the above officers, Except Timothy Keyes, were duly Sworn as the Law directs, Respecting the takeing of the paper Currency of the other Governments, and the Respective Oaths belonging to Each of their offices.
Test. ZACHARIAH HARVEY, Moderator."
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
It would seem also from the following protest from the re- cords, exculpating the signers from any participation in the corruption, that there was some trouble at this meeting :-
" We, the subscribers, Inhabitants and freeholders of Prince Town District, judging the annual meeting in Prince Town District on the 16th of March, 1761, to be illegal, by reason of the meeting not being purged from such persons or voters as are unqualified by law for voting, we do therefore hereby enter our dissent against said meeting, it appearing unlawful.
Signed, James Thompson, Oliver, Davis,
Isaac Wheeler, Capt. Eliphelet Howe,
Ephm. Allen, Sadey Mason,
Wm. Muzzy, Gideon Fisher.
Prince" Town District, Mar. ye 16th, 1761."
At this meeting the District first attended to the matter of roads. Previous to this a petition had been sent to the Gen- eral Court, praying them to grant a land tax to enable the inhabitants to construct roads, and build a meeting-house. This was granted to the amount of 3377. and town roads were first laid out by the Selectmen, in 1762. Of these, the first completed was, in the language of the records, " A road from Westminster line thro' Allen's farm, thence on the line be- tween the Wing and Farms so called ; thence thro' the land of Mr. Moses Gill and Caleb Mirick, to the meeting-house ; thence thro' lots Letter B, No. 9 & 12, Letter H G, No. 22, to Holden line." This road, when completed in 1763, pass- ed directly by but two houses exclusive of the meeting-house ; one where the new meeting-house, and one where the hotel now stands. Soon after this, many of the other roads now existing in the town were built. Of the manner of locating these, at this early day, the following, taken at random, is a good specimen. It is taken from the warrant for March meet- ing, as late as 1774. "To see if the town will accept of a road laid out by the Selectmen, beginning at a Butternut tree marked, in Mr. Moseman's land, thence running to a Poplar tree marked, in Joel Sawin's land, thence to a Chestnut mark- ed, thence to a Black Oak marked, thence to a Black Oak marked, thence to a Black Oak marked, in Judge Ruggles' land, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a Black Birch, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a Chestnut,
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
thence to a Black Birch, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a White Pine, thence to a White Oak, thence to a Black Oak, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a dry White Pine, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a White Pine, thence to a Chestnut, thence to a corner of Mr. Billings' barn ; said road is two rods wide and upon the northerly side of said marked trees."
After the grant of the land tax, in 1761, repeated requests were made to the district, by a portion of the inhabitants, to allow them to pay it in the same manner the highway taxes are now paid, by work on the new roads most needed. This was refused for one or two years. It was, however, finally granted, and the price fixed for the labor of man and beast. Most of the roads of an early date were probably made in this way.
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CHAPTER II.
Character of the first settlers. Of the New-England people generally. Province Lands. Petition for Incorporation as a Town. Act of Incorporation. Opposi- tion of Town to any addition of Territory. First Representative to the General Court. Early Town Meetings.
HAVING narrated the history of the first settlement of the town, propriety might require something to be said of the character of the first settlers, did not their actions speak louder on this head than any eulogistic words of ours can. That they were not the most refined and best educated class of society must be acknowledged. Such are not the men for the settlement of new lands, however much they may do for their advancement in subsequent times. It is not, to use the expressive but coarse language of the late Col. Crockett, " your white-fingered, black-gloved, shilly-shally, spectacle fellows," before whom the forest will fall, and the springing grass and waving grain assume its place. For this, again to quote the western orator, we want men, " who will go back into the woods, and cut down a tree there, and another there, and another there, and shoot a bear there, and a panther
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
there, and three Ingins there, and build a log-house there, and a shanty there, and a bigger house there, and a court-house there," and at last find a whole state settled, almost before a communication is opened with its neighbors. Such are the men whom success requires should be the pioneers of our settlements, while their safety and prosperity demand that the more refined and educated should succeed. Such were the men who settled here. Possessed of the advantages of a common school education, they sought early, as we shall presently see, to transmit them to their descendants. They stamped indelibly their peculiarities and their nobler qualities upon their sons. Their character was, therefore, substantially that of the present New-England farmers-less dignified and beautiful in some respects, inasmuch as it was formed on a narrower basis and with less facilities for its improvement. When, therefore, we speak of the present New-England character, we speak of it as it is, as it has been, as it will continue to be. We are far from arrogating to the present agricultural population of New-England, the right to be called, in the broad sense of the term, an educated people. They are fast and surely asserting and maintaining this right. But if more learning exists elsewhere, more generous hearts beat nowhere. Nowhere are nobler feelings felt, and more generally developed. Nowhere does devotion burn in a purer and brighter flame. Nowhere is patriotism more a living principle, and to no place is there more probability, as it fast fades elsewhere, that it will retreat, as to the sanctum of its last refuge. No more fervent or purer prayer ascends to heaven, than from off the domestic altar planted at the farm-house fireside. Never is the holy volume of inspiration turned with more reverend caution, than by the toil-hardened hand of the cultivator of the soil. Nowhere is the voice of the herald of temperance and reform echoed back with a more hearty and full response, than from the yeomanry of the land. Nowhere are the benevolent operations of the day taken up with more enthusiastic zeal, or patronized with more liberal contributions. The herald of the cross never appeals in vain. In the days of the Revolution, "the voices of Adams and of Otis, in Faneuil Hall, found their full and true response in the little assemblies of the towns," is the language of a distinguished statesman. It would have been as correct to have said, Adams and Otis were but living and bright em-
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
bodiments of the spirit which had gone forth from the towns. If the money of the merchant was lavished in his country's cause, the full flowing garners of the farmer were thrown wide open to a famished army, while the hope and pride of the domestic circle were shoulder to shoulder on the battle- fields of the war. The scanty clothing of the soldier was too legibly marked with the impress of New-England's farm- house daughters, to leave any question of its origin. The interests of education, too, are not neglected. In the day of small things, beside the humble church rose the unpretending school-house. Who are they that people our colleges and academies ? Who are they that stand highest and firmest in our senates and legislatures ? Who are they that are heard most eloquent in our pulpits and our courts, and who sit easiest and most respected on our judicial benches ? Who are the heralds of the cross, that with apostolic zeal are seen traversing every quarter of the globe, and pouring the light of revelation into the darkest corners of creation, so that where the New-England name is known, New-England men are found ? Who but the sons of our farmers, that in their early days have followed the plough, and grasped the axe and flail ? We are told we are destitute of enthusiasm. Thank God the remark is in some sense true, and long may it be ere we shall have to substitute the effects of transient enthu- siasm for the results of moral principle. Long may it be before New-England men will cease to dignify every action with the nature of a moral duty. We are told, too, that we are a parsimonious people. The nature of our land compels us to be frugal ; yet the gains, that are extorted from an iron- bound soil, are as freely given as they are hardly earned. But we are not a chivalric people. If to follow the horse on the race-ground rather than at the plough ; if to handle the knife, the dirk, or the pistol with more familiarity than the hoe, the shovel, or the axe ; if to develope our bravery in the scenes of private broils, rather than in the contests of our country ; if to labor ourselves, rather than to extort it with chains and stripes from the bleeding negro ; if any or all of these things mark chivalry, may we always be as destitute of it, as we are abhorent of its insignia. Of enthusiasm, chiv- alry, and the kindred qualities, properly understood and de- veloped, we claim a becoming share, while we are far from arrogating that praise, which our traducers would bestow upon
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
our heads at the expense of our hearts. The history of New- England's enthusiasm and chivalry is only to be read in the ponderous volume, that shall record her whole action, from the landing of the pilgrims, to the extinction of the Yankee race. This is to be the record for the world's judgement, and not the straggling newspaper accounts of a few wandering pedlars, whose exploits, if credited, show them only to be ingenious and crafty, as their purchasers are foolish, ignorant, and gullible.
I have spoken inadvertently of the New-England character generally, but in doing so I have spoken of that of the people of Princeton, who claim no exception to the general charac- teristics of their neighbors. But I leave panegyric for history, as being more my appropriate business, while it is probably the more eloquent praise.
After the incorporation, the district continued to increase with moderate rapidity in population. In 1759 the number of legal voters was not more than thirty, while in 1771 it was not far from one hundred. In addition to the two tracts of land of which we have spoken, there were, in and about it, province lands to the amount of some thousands of acres. These, exclusive of the few hundred acres within the district, chiefly lands on the Wachusett mountain, which were subse- quently granted to Mr. Fuller the first minister of the place,* had never been incorporated with any district. In 1765, the district voted " to send a petitiont to the Great and General Court for the province land in this district," and chose Samuel Woods, Joseph Eveleth, and Boaz Moore a committee ac- cordingly. Of the adjoining province lands, one thousand acres, known as the " Potash farm," were granted to one Plastid, in case he should teach the people the manufacture
* The petition and resolve, upon which this land was granted to Mr. Ful- ler, has been kindly furnished me by his son, Elisha Fuller, Esq. of Lowell, and is appended.
t No copy of this or the petition for incorporation in 1759, as well as a petition of the town in 1772, exist. The files of petitions, (and bills except those on parchment,) at the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, are missing from the year 1739 to 1775. They were probably carried away by Hutchinson or Gage. These petitions are barely noticed on the town records as sent, and on the journal of the General Court as presented. They would unquestionably, if accessible, throw much light on the original divisions and ownership of the territory. The act making the grant to Watertown is among the missing papers.
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
of potash. Buildings were erected and the manufacture commenced. For some reason, however, Plastid failed to obtain the land, and it was subsequently granted to Gen. Ruggles, for some military service in the French war. The remainder of the province land was probably settled by ad- venturers, or taken up by speculators. How much of this land was embraced within the original limits of the District it is difficult to ascertain, without running the lines of the act of incorporation, a task of no little difficulty. From an exami- nation of the territory, it would seem to be, as before stated, but a few hundred acres, while from the petition in 1771, which is recorded below, it would appear to have been some thousands. It is probable the petitioners use the word " place," in the beginning of their petition, as signifying much more than the limits of the district. All the lands which now belong to the town, north of the line of the Watertown farms, were probably unincorporated until 1771. During this year the following petition was sent to the General Court by the district :-
" Province of Massachusetts Bay. To His Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., Governor and Commander-in- Chief in and over said Province. The Honorable His Maj- esty's Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Cambridge.
The Petition of Princetown, in the County of Worcester, humbly shews, That said place composed of Province Land and other Lands, and Farms which never before belonged to any Town or District to the Amount of near eight thousand acres, together with a part of the original grant of twelve miles square to the Proprietors of Rutland, which part was never incorporated into the Town of Rutland, or any other Town, as many of this Honorable Court are well knowing, was in the year 1760 [1759] erected into a District by the name of Princetown, and was not annexed to any Town to join with them in the choice of Representative, and never can join with any, without being subject to greater difficulties, than any District lately made by reason of the distance, and badness of the Roads.
Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray (seeing said Dis- trict was composed of lands, which never before belonged to any town or District) you would out of your wonted goodness
3
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
erect said place into a Town, with all the powers and privi- leges which are enjoyed by other Towns in this Province.
And as in duty bound will ever pray.
BOAZ MOORE,
CALEB MIRICK,
Committee."
JOSEPH SARGENT, EBENEZER JONES,
This petition led to the following act, essentially varying the original boundaries of the district :-
" Anno Regni Tertii L. S. Regis Georgii
Undecimo.
An act to erect the District of Prince Town into a Town by the name of Princeton.
Whereas the Inhabitants of the District of Prince Town have Petitioned this Court to be Incorporated into a Town, that they may enjoy the privileges of other Towns in this Province,
Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council, and House of Representatives, That the District of Prince Town in the County of Worcester, with all the lands adjoining to said District not included in any other Town or District, be and hereby is incorporated into a Town by the name of Princeton, and that the Inhabitants thereof be, and hereby are invested with all the powers, privileges and immunities which the Inhabitants of the several Towns within this Prov- ince do enjoy.
April 17, 1771. This Bill having been read three several times in the House of Representatives, Passed to be enacted. THOMAS CUSHING, Speaker.
April 19, 1771. This Bill having been read three several times in Council, Passed to be enacted.
THOMAS FLUCKER, Sec'y. April 24, 1771. By the Governor. I consent to the enacting of this Bill.
T. HUTCHINSON."
From this act it will be seen that a considerable acquisition of territory was made in 1771. The territory of the town, as at present composed, consists then of Rutland East Wing, 11,626 acres ; of the Watertown Grant, about 3000 acres ;
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
of Province Lands, incorporated in 1759, probably 1860 acres ; and of Lands annexed, in 1771, about 3000 acres. In addi- tion to these, about 500 acres were set off from Hubbardston, on petition of the owners, in 1810. Why the present unin- corporated tract, on the north of the town, known as " No- town," is not comprehended within the limits of the act of incorporation, inasmuch as it embraces " all the lands adjoin- ing said District," not previously incorporated with any town, or district, I am at a loss to ascertain. The inhabitants of Princeton seem to have been extremely reluctant that any extension of the original district lines should be made. In October, 1771, the following vote was passed :- " That it is the opinion of the town, that it is a hardship both to the towns and the farms lately laid to it, that they should be an- nexed, inasmuch as they are in no way accommodated to it, and that it is impracticable they should receive privileges that they be not rated." In the May following, it was voted to petition the General Court "to take off the farms lately annexed," and a committee, consisting of Joseph Eveleth, Willliam Thompson, and Joseph Sargeant, were chosen for this purpose. This petition, which would unquestionably throw some light on the original divisions of the territory, as before stated in a note, was lost among the other files from- the Secretary's office. The farms alluded to are, no doubt, those which now constitute the northern border of the town. Possibly " Notown" might have been annexed, and " taken off" on the prayer of this petition. The great objection to receiving " the farms" was that roads, and particularly the old north county road, which was then being located through them, were to be built at the expense of the town.
Although the town was invested with the right of a repre- sentation in 1771, as this must be done at their own expense, they seem to have been in no hurry, even when important matters were in agitation, to exercise their newly acquired prerogative. In 1772, 1773, and 1775, it was voted not to send a representative, on account of the "great expense of making roads ;" and, in 1774, on account of a similar expense in building school-houses. The first representative of the town was Moses Gill, who was chosen, in 1775, to represent it in the Provincial Congress, held at Watertown, during that year. It was the custom of the town, in its early exist- ence, to give written instructions to its representatives. None
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HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
were given, however, in this case. In all matters, indeed, our towns at this period were much more thoroughly democratic than now. Every thing, great or small, must be laid before the assembled town. No power seems to have resided with the selectmen, or other financial officers, unless specially delegated. They were not allowed, as now, to audit accounts, but these, in all the detail of items, must be brought before a town meeting and voted, before their payment by the treas- urer could be authorized. This, of course, in the growth of the town, led to details of business extremely annoying and little attended to, and the custom finally ceased, the selectmen being allowed to examine and adjust all ordinary accounts, the treasurer paying them to their order. The early town meet- ings were called by a personal notice to each inhabitant. To accomplish this purpose, the District was divided into " ranges," usually two, sometimes four, and a constable ap- pointed to warn the inhabitants of each range. In the town meetings, the affairs of church and state were closely inter- mingled-the parish, as in most cases at this time, consisting of the whole town. Spiritual and ministerial affairs were, however, at this time, pretty generally controlled by the preachers. The church then, as now, in many instances, claiming the right of the first action in such matters, while the minister, until the explosion of the principle at Bolton, asserted the right of negativing any vote, passed by the church, which he disliked. As, however, religious divisions grew up in our towns, parish and town affairs began gradu- ally to be separated, until a final dissolution was brought about by the recent amendment of our State Constitution.
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