USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The history of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889 > Part 52
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CHARLES THOMPSON, ESQ.
Charles Thompson, born at North Sudbury, March 6, 1827, is the eldest son of Nahum Thompson. He fitted for college at Concord, and the Pinkerton Academy at Derry, N. H. In 1845, he entered Yale College, but was soon obliged to abandon his studies on account of a severe sick- ness, which left his eyes in a weak condition. After some years he studied law, and was admitted to the bar Jan. 20, 1864. Jan. 15, 1864, he married Emily A., daughter of George M. Barrett .of Concord. In 1872, he removed to Concord, where he now resides and follows his profession. He has been special justice of the District Court of Central Middlesex since its establishment, and from 1876 to 1885 was chairman of the Concord Board of Selectmen.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
NATURAL FEATURES.
Hills. - Forests. - The Flora. - Ponds. - Brooks .- Sudbury River. - Its Rise and Course. - Its Fish. - Poetical Description of Pickerel Fishing. - Birds about the River. - Poetical Description of Duck Hunting. - Fur Bearing Animals about the River. - Slow Current of the River.
And sweet homes nestle in these dales, And perch along these wooded swells ; And, blest beyond Arcadian vales, They hear the sound of Sabbath bells. WHITTIER.
IN its natural features the town of Sudbury is highly favored. There is a good variety of hills, valleys, and plains, and these, together with the villages, hamlets, thrifty farms and smiling homesteads, give a pleasant variety to the land- scape.
HILLS.
Those hills my native village that embay In waves of dreamier purple roll away. LOWELL.
There are several hills in Sudbury of considerable promi- nence for a town so near the sea.
NOBSCOT HILL. - The most notable of the Sudbury hills is Nobscot. This is partly in Sudbury and partly in Fram- ingham, the larger part being in the latter town. It is about five hundred and twenty-five feet above the sea level. The summit and sides in great part are covered with woods, but the northerly slope has long been an open pasture, greatly resorted to for the whortleberries that abound there. This slope has generally been known as the " old Nixon pasture,"
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because it contains the site of Gen. John Nixon's house and was a part of his farm. The name of this hill is of Indian origin, and may be a contraction of the word Penobscot, which is found in the earlier records of Sudbury. In 1674, "Surveyors were appointed of all the field fences on the west side of the great river of the town and Landham, Penobscot new mill." Temple says, in the history of Fram- ingham, that the meaning of this word is " at the fall of the rocks." On the summit are heaps of stones, which perhaps were taken there by the Indians for the purpose of building a " look out" from which to survey the surrounding country. The view on a clear day is charming, reaching from the State House on the east to the far-off hills of New Hampshire.
GOODMAN'S HILL. - This is another considerable hill, and perhaps next in prominence to Nobseot. It is a little south- east of Sudbury Centre, and about a half mile from it. The westerly side is mostly covered with forests, consisting largely of chestnut and oak. This hill was the home of Karto or Goodman, from whom it derived its name. (See Chapter II.)
GREEN HILL. - This is a spur of Goodman's Hill, extend- ing south-westerly, and is made historic by Wadsworth's fight with King Philip. On its western slope, for hours the English held the Indians at bay, and from its summit they were driven at night-fall by the forest fires set by their savage foes. (See chapter on Philip's War.) The slope of Green Hill or a spur of it extends to Hop Brook meadows. Along its western side, on a small plateau, is Mount Wads- worth Cemetery. (See chapter on Cemeteries. ) The hill takes its name from the growth of evergreen trees with which it was formerly covered.
SAND HILL. - This hill is in the easterly part of the town adjoining Wayland. In the Revolutionary War, government store-houses were built there, and, subsequently, a portion of it was used for a training-field and owned by the town.
ROUND HILL. - This is a conspicuous, well-defined hill in the town's easterly part, and cultivated to its top. It lies not far from the river meadows, in the vicinity of Sherman's Bridge. Near Round Hill, and just by the junction of Gulf
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brook and Sudbury River, is Weir Hill, so called from its proximity to the place of a fishing weir used by the Indians. (See Chapter II.)
WILLIS HILL. - This is in the north-westerly part of Sud- bury, and takes its name from the Willis family long living in that vicinity. It is quite a prominent landmark. A hill at the north part, on which a flag-staff was erected during the Civil War, has been called for a half century Jones' Hill, but in old deeds was called Cedar Swamp Hill.
FORESTS.
The soil of Sudbury has, from its settlement, been abun- dantly productive in its timber lands, of which it has always possessed many acres. The principal trees are the oak, pine, chestnut, walnut, maple, white birch and spruce with here and there a poplar, elm and hemlock. The first three are the most abundant, and, until recently, many acres were covered with them. It was so in the west part of the town on the farm of the late Paul Walker, near the line of the Massachusetts Central Railroad, and on the farm of the late Curtis Moore on the line of the Old Colony Railroad, and these are but specimens of what was on many farms in the town within the last half century. Large quantities of cord- wood, mostly pine, were, about forty years ago, carried by ox-team to the railroad and factories at Saxonville, and the lanes and yards of the Sudbury saw-mills were piled with hundreds of large logs to be sawn into boards. Since the more general use of coal, less wood has been cut, and prob- ably more land is being abandoned to forest now than thirty years ago. To our personal knowledge, tracts of country that were formerly used for tillage and pasturage are now growing up to wood. In some places the growth is rapid, about twenty years only being required to obtain a fair growth. Chestnut-trees have been abundant on and about Goodman's Hill, Nobscot, and some parts of Peakham Plain and lands in the central parts of the town. Walnut-trees grow abundantly about Nobscot, and to an extent in other localities. Black birch is found and other kinds of wood
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besides these now mentioned, but in far less quantities. With wild berries the town is well supplied. Besides grow- ing in the open pasture, very frequently when the land is cleared of forests the whortleberry and blueberry-bush spring up. More or less of the swamps abound with high blueberries or bilberries, notable among which are Hayden's swamp and the one about Willis Pond. Blackberries grow on the plain lands, and the barberry on the rough, stony soil of the hills. Strawberries are scattered here and there. A place years ago where they were especially plentiful was east of the old Lancaster road, between Goodman's Hill and Green Hill.
THE FLORA.
The following are some of the flowers found in Sudbury. The small cow-lily (Nuphar kalmianum), Vitus riparia, trum- pet weed (Eupatorium rotundifolium), mountain rice ( Ory- zopsis canadensis), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), trailing arbutus (Epigæra repens), the pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea), meadow beauty (Rhexia virginica), buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata), the two orchids, the Pogonia ophio- glossoides and the Arethusa bulbosa, and Clintonia borealis. In some of Sudbury's meadows are found the fringed gentian of Bryant ( Gentiana crinita) and the painted cup ( Castilleja coccinea). It is also stated on good authority that the flow- ering dogwood ( Cornus florida) grows within the town limits.
PONDS.
The ponds of Sudbury are small.
WILLIS POND. - This is the largest and lies at the north- west part of the town. It is nearly surrounded by forests, and is a little lake in the woods. It has an outlet to Hop Brook called Run Brook.
BLANDFORD'S POND. - This is another which is sur- rounded by forests. It is situated just west of Hop Brook, about midway between South Sudbury and the Willis mill. It has an artificial outlet at high water to Hop Brook.
BOTTOMLESS POND. - This is a small pond near the
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Marlboro line and has no outlet. (For area of ponds see map of 1794.)
BROOKS.
MILL BROOK. - This stream is next in importance and size to the river. It rises in Marlboro, and enters the town at its south-westerly part a very small stream, and by a very circuitous course empties into the river near Bridle Point Bridge (Wayland). Upon its banks are the mills of Howe, Pratt, Willis and Parmenter. It is crossed by at least eight highway bridges within the town limits, the first being near the Wayside Inn. It was early known as Hop Brook, upon which stood the Noyes mills, the second built in Sudbury. Later, it has had several names, being called at its lower end West Brook ; farther up, Lanham Brook ; at South Sudbury, Mill Brook ; about the Willis mill, Wash Brook ; also Piners' Brook and Piners' Wash. The lower meadows upon this brook were formerly of considerable value, but below Lan- ham Bridge they have, of late, largely been in a condition similar to that of the river meadows. The current of this stream is naturally rapid away from the various mill-dams, and perhaps for this reason it received its early name " Hop Brook," as, when clear of obstructions, it may have skipped over the stones, especially along the locality of South Sud- bury where the fall was considerable. This is the only brook in town that affords mill privileges, and in this respect it has proved very valuable, having furnished power for both saw and grist mills.
PANTRY BROOK. - This stream is in the north part of Sudbury, and its name may have been a contraction of the word pine-tree. It rises in the north-west part of the town and empties into the river near Weir Hill. Near its mouth . it receives as a tributary a small stream called Cold Brook. Along this stream are the Gulf meadows, which, before they in part shared the fate of the river meadows, produced con- siderable hay. Other and smaller brooks are Dudley or Trull Brook, which, running from the west part of the town, empties into Hop Brook near Blandford's Pond ; and Low- ance Brook, whose name is probably a contraction of "Al-
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lowance," and which, running from the southerly part of the town, empties into Mill Brook between South Sudbury and Lanham Bridge. Both of these brooks have been more or less fished in for trout. The latter has some considerable meadow land, and is crossed by Hunt's Bridge. All these streams and ponds abound in fish, mostly of the kind found in the river. Besides those mentioned further along are the shiner (Stilbe chrysolencas), cheven (Leuciscus chephalus), black sucker ( Catostomus) and the chub sucker, a fish of like genus, and also a few trout (Salmo fontinalis). We have seen a specimen of the latter that was taken in Mill Brook a short distance below South Sudbury mills that weighed nearly five pounds. This fish was caught by Mr. Nichols Brown, once a famous fisherman and hunter in Sudbury. This is the only trout we ever knew of, large or small, taken in Mill Brook.
SUDBURY RIVER.
All round upon the river's slippery edge, Witching to deeper calm the drowsy tide, Whispers and leans the breeze-entangling sedge ; Through emerald glooms the lingering waters slide.
LOWELL.
The Indian name of this stream was "Musketahquid," meaning grassy meadows or grassy brook. It was also called the "Great River." It takes its rise in Hopkinton and Westboro, the branch from the latter town having its source in a large cedar swamp. Passing through Framingham, it enters Sudbury on the south-east, and forms the boundary line between it and Wayland. After leaving the town, it runs through Concord and borders on Lincoln, Carlisle and Bedford and empties into the Merrimac River at Lowell. It is made use of for mill purposes at Framingham and Billerica. This river receives but two tributaries of any account from the town. One of these is West Brook that empties in at Bridle Point Bridge, the other Pantry Brook that flows through the Gulf meadows.
In former times boats passed from Boston through the Middlesex Canal to the Concord River, and so to Sudbury.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
(Shattuck's History of Concord.) Within the present cen- tury iron ore dng in town was laden in boats at the Old Town Bridge and taken to Chelmsford. Near the bridge on the east bank, until recently, pieces of the ore could be found.
The width of this river where it enters Sudbury is about fifty feet, where it leaves the town it is about two hundred feet ; at the latter place it is one hundred and fourteen feet above low water mark at Boston. (History of Concord.) Its course is very crooked, seldom running far in one dircc- tion, but having many sharp curves. The banks are quite bare of shrubbery, except the occasional bunches of water brush that here and there assist in tracing its course. Fish abound in this river, of which the more useful and com- monly sought are the pickerel (Esox reticulatus), perch (Perca flavescens), bream or sunfish (Pomotis vulgaris), horned pout (Pime loduscatus), and common eel (Anguilla tenuirostris). The kind most sought for the sport in taking is the pickerel. Indeed Sudbury River has become some- what noted for the pastime it affords in pickerel fishing. Specimens weighing a half dozen pounds are sometimes caught. A good description of this sport has been given in verse by one of Sudbury's poets, Hon. C. F. Gerry, in a poem entitled, " A day on the Sudbury Meadows."
The clouds drift slowly o'er the sky, But dense and black to westward lie, Assuring with the east wind's chill, A splendid day for pickerel.
The river gained, we launch our boat And slowly down its current float,
.
Till, roused, we fish on either shore, Still moving with a silent oar, -- Now trolling with the greatest heed Through lily pads and pickerel weed, Until a whirlpool near is seen Beside a floating mass of green ; The bait moves off with race-horse speed, And, down beside a quivering reed, Is swallowed with a gourmand's greed. A twitch sends through my frame a thrill,-
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The hook is fast in the red-fringed gill Of a steel and gold-hued pickerel, And drawn aboard with hearty will. And, as we view him o'er and o'er, About his weight we speculate, And set him at a pound or more, And vainly try to catch his mate !
" MEADOW MELODIES."
The horned-pout may be caught almost at the rate of a peck in an evening, when the water and season are right. The fisherman simply ties his boat to a stake in a suitable place, perhaps some quiet, snug nook where the waters are still, and on a warm night in late spring or summer, between the mosquitoes and pouts, his time will be fully occupied.
In early times the river abounded in fish now unknown in its waters. Of these were the alewives, salmon and shad. The obstructions caused by the dam at Billerica long ago prevented these valuable fishes from ascending the stream, and petitions were early presented to the General Court to have the obstruction removed, on account of the fisheries. Shattuck informs ns that at certain seasons fish officers of Concord went to the dam at Billerica, to see that the sluice- ways were properly opened to permit the fish to pass, and he states that the exclusive right to the fisheries was often sold by the town ; the purchasing party having a right by his purchase to erect what was called a weir across the river, to assist in fish-taking. Probably not far from "Weir Hill," in the north-easterly part of Sudbury, near the mouth of Gulf Brook, the Indians caught the fish in this way.
In the time of migration, various kinds of ducks visit the place, and often tarry till the cold weather sends them south- ward. The first to come are the blue and green winged teal ( Anas discors and Anas carolinensis. ) These come about the middle of May and September. A little later the dusky or black duck ( Anas obscura) arrives. This latter bird is the most numerous of the ducks that stop about the river in the migratory season, and sometimes comes in flocks of one or two scores. Besides the kinds mentioned there are others, such as commonly inhabit the river courses of New England
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in the spring and fall. Notable among these are the dipper ( Bucephala albeola), and the sheldrake ( Mergus americanus). The dipper is generally seen by itself, or in pairs or in flocks of but three or four; but the sheldrake comes in large flocks. In the spring, when the floods are high, flocks of these birds may sometimes be seen floating majestically at a safe distance from the shore, their white plumage flashing in the sunlight. Besides the ducks that come in the migratory season, there are some that breed on and about the meadows. These are mostly the black duck and wood duck (Anas sponsa). The latter birds make their nest in some tree in the woods and bring their young in their beaks to the water. They are seldom found in flocks of more than three or four. A few years ago duck hunting was quite a sport on and along the Sudbury River. The wet meadows afforded here and there a pool or lagoon, where the turf had been torn up by the ice and borne away from the spot. To follow a flock to these meadow pools, or to watch for their coming from a bow house previously made near the place, was a matter of pleasurable excitement. The birds are usually more active at night-fall or just before an approaching storm.
The following description of duck hunting on these meadows is given by the author in " Fireside Hymns," pub- lished in 1888.
DUCK HUNTING ON SUDBURY MEADOWS.
When the broad meadows soft, reposing lie Beneath the haze of Autumn's mellow sky, And the crisp frost of chill, October morn, Sparkles in crystals on the ripening corn, Then the wild water fowl begin to come To streams and ponds, from far-off northern home. Along the river that through Sudbury town Ranges its course through meadows broad and brown, They sometimes tarry for awhile to feed, Ere on their southern journey they proceed. By day, in flocks, they wing their dusky flight High in the air, but at approach of night They seek some shallow pool or sheltered bay, Where they may rest secure till break of day.
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But not unnoticed do they always pass To snug retreat, amid the meadow grass. Traced is their course sometimes by sportman's eye, Who knows the reedy cove to which they fly. His trusty gun he takes from off the hook, And starts at once for the secluded nook. His boat is launched from off the shelving shore, And glides along with quiet, dipping oar. Close to the margin of the stream he clings, Where, mid the water brush, the blackbird sings. Now the shy muskrat starts with sudden bound From off the bank, with harsh and splashing sound, That makes the anxious sportsman start with fear, Lest upward start the ducks ere he draws near. He rows more gently, as he now detects Through the tall grass-tops, slowly gliding specks, That tell him there the dusky squadron lie, All snugly sheltered in the pool hard by. And as he listens, lo ! the Quack, Quack, Quack, A noise so welcome to his ear, comes back. In river bend his little craft he steers, As place abreast the pool he slowly nears. Then with one long and calculating peep Upon the flock, he takes his gun to creep A little closer, but ere this he do, His fowling-piece he takes to prime anew. When all is ready, and the distance right To make the shot effective, then keen sight He takes along both barrels. Lo, a flash ! And fast the deadly missiles hurrying dash. At once the startled flock, with sudden fright, Rise from the pool to make a hasty flight. But stop ! behold again another flash ! And yet once more the deadly missiles dash Amid the flock, and lo ! the feathers fly, And round about the dead and wounded lie. Quickly the sportsman springs to seize his prize, That flutters there before his eager eyes. The wounded first are seized, then all secured, He quickly goes to where his boat is moored. This he draws up beside the reedy bank, Where it is left concealed mid grasses rank.
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Then he goes back and waits for further flight Of birds, to come there ere he leaves it quite. Round him the twilight deepens into gray, And fast fade out the beams of ebbing day. The wet dews, foggy, heavy, damp and chill, The night with moisture now begin to fill. But soon he starts ! a sound comes through the air. 'Tis whistle of the wood-duck's wing that's there. Quick to his eye his fowling piece is raised, The trigger pulled, once more the piece has blazed. And still again, from off the meadow land, The fluttering bird is seized with eager hand. Reloading, he again with listening ear, Is all intent, still other birds to hear. But hark ! that rushing, whistling, nearing sound Shows that a large sized flock flies near the ground. Low lies the hunter, nearer comes the flock, Upward he springs, and click, click goes the lock. Whang ! Bang ! the charges of both barrels go, As swoop the flock in circle small and low. The feathers fly, and scattered here and there A dusky form is falling through the air, While quick with sudden start and wheel and curve, The unhurt fowls to other quarters move. With loaded hand, but step and heart that's light, The sportsman does not wait for further flight, But starts at once to launch his waiting boat, And soon again he finds himself afloat. Stoutly he plies the bending, splashing oar, That swiftly bears him towards the sought-for shore. Around the curve of river bend he speeds,
Now dark with bush or overhanging reeds. Afar he sees the gleam of distant lamp Beyond the meadow's mist, so dark and damp, And on the still air now and then is heard The whistling wing or night-call of a bird. Soon nearer comes the sounds he gladly hears,
That show him that the causeway road he nears, - A sound of travel and of rattling team, Which rolls along the bridge that spans the stream. Soon he has nearly reached the wished-for shore, And slacks his speed and lays aside his oar,
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Takes carefully his game and gun in either hand, Safe moors his boat, and nimbly springs to land. With brisk walk, quickly to his home he goes To tell his story, as the game he shows.
Beside the natatores or swimmers there also are found the gralatores or waders. Among these the great blue heron or crane (Ardea herodias) is quite common, and the green heron or " Fly up the Creek " ( Butorides virescens) is also seen. But the most abundant is the night heron or " Qua Bird " (Ardea nyeticorax). A few years ago a colony of these in- habited the woods just south of West Brook, and not far from Heard's Pond. They built their nests on trees of a young growth, and would leave them at night-fall to visit the neighboring ponds. In the early evening it was quite com- mon to hear the peculiar note, " qua," "qua," "qua," from the birds far out of sight overhead, and in the early morning they would return to their nesting places, where they would generally remain through the day. After a time the colony removed a mile or two westward and located in the vicinity of the Lowance Meadows.
Of the bitterns, the stake driver ( Ardea minor) is the most numerous. The note of this bird so resembles the words " plum pudding " that it is called by that name. The least bittern ( Ardetta exilis) is found sometimes, a fine specimen of which we possess, which was shot on the meadow.
There are also found in their season the snipe, yellow legs, plover, sandpiper, rail, and various smaller birds such as fre- quent similar localities in this section of the State. Wild geese sometimes stop for a brief period, but are seldom taken.
The fur-bearing animals about the river are, mainly, the muskrat or musquash (Mus zibethieus) and an occasional otter. The muskrats are quite plentiful ; as many as a dozen or more are sometimes taken in a day, when the high water drives them from their cone-shaped houses to the causeway. Not an otter has been taken on the river for years, although they have sometimes been seen. And no beaver has been seen in the memory of the oldest inhabitant,
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although formerly they probably lived there to a considera- ble extent.
A chief characteristic of this river is its slow moving cur- rent, which in places is scarcely perceptible at a casual glance. This slow current is supposed to be occasioned by various causes, any one of which may perhaps be sufficient, but all of which at present doubtless contribute something to it. The chief reason is its very small fall, which may be occasioned by both natural and artificial causes. It is said to have but two inches to the mile for twenty-two miles. This slow current tends to keep the river from straightening its course, and to increase the water weeds that grow in the channel. To speak of the river in its general historic con- nection is here unnecessary, as in the course of this work mention has frequently been made of historic objects and events that have existed or transpired in its vicinity.
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