USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westborough > The history of Westborough, Massachusetts. Part I. The early history. By Heman Packard De Forest. Part II. The later history. By Edward Craig Bates > Part 25
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The closing years of the decade (1866-1876) saw two interesting and noteworthy celebrations in Westborough. The first was the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the first church. It took place on October 28, 1874, - one of the loveliest days of the year. The Evan- gelical Church, which was beautifully decorated for the occasion with flowers and evergreens, was filled to over- flowing. The names of the pastors from the founding of the church were conspicuous among the decorations in the rear of the pulpit, as follows: -
1724-1874.
PARKMAN.
BEERS.
ROBINSON.
CADY.
ROCKWOOD.
SHELDON.
KITTREDGE.
DEAN.
DE FOREST.
The exercises were opened with reading of Scripture, and prayer, by the Rev. Mr. Willard, of Marlborough. The historical address, tracing the organization and growth of the church, was delivered by the pastor, the Rev. H. P. De Forest. At its close, dinner was served in the Town Hall to some six hundred persons. Hon. Samuel M. Griggs was master of ceremonies. After-dinner speeches were made by the pastors of the local churches, and of
336
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
the churches in neighboring towns. At the close of the exercises in the Town Hall, the audience assembled again in the church, where a praise service, conducted by Moses H. Sargent, of Boston, was held. At its close, the former pastors of the church who were present-the Rev. Charles B. Kittredge, the Rev. Daniel R. Cady, D.D., and the Rev. Luther H. Sheldon - were escorted to the pulpit. Each made appropriate remarks, and several letters from per- sons unable to be present were read. In the evening the celebration was brought to an end by a large social gathering in the vestry of the church.
In 1876 came another occasion of great, interest, - the celebration of national independence. A hundred years had passed since the Colonies had shaken off the yoke of England, and become an independent nation. From thirteen States they had increased to thirty-seven, from three million people to over forty million. The prosperity which had attended their century of existence, and the suc- cess of republican government, made a celebration of the hundredth national birthday a joyful and inspiring event. The Great Exposition at Philadelphia drew, it was esti- mated, three hundred persons from Westborough; but the local celebration on the Fourth of July is the event with which our history is chiefly concerned. Throughout the land, nearly every city, town, and village arranged a special observance of the anniversary. In Westborough preparations began early, and were elaborately carried out. The great day came on Tuesday. On the Sunday pre- ceding, in accordance with the President's proclamation, special services with reference to the occasion were held at the different churches. For days before the Fourth, the small boys tooted horns, and wasted fire-crackers and torpedoes, with more than ordinary zeal. Monday was
337
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
spent in decorating stores, residences, and factories, and in preparing for the grand illumination. The national colors, in flags and streamers, moving gracefully in the breeze, met the eye on every side. By sunset the pre- parations were complete; and at eight o'clock, as if by magic, a scene of brilliancy burst forth that was prob- ably never equalled in Westborough. Chinese lanterns and scores of candles, tastefully arranged, illumined al- most every building on the principal streets. The " small boy," alive to the importance of the occasion, added the din of torpedoes, crackers, and horns to the pleasure of the scene. During the whole night Young America kept up the music; and at sunrise the pealing of bells an- nounced that the nation's hundredth birthday had arrived. At six o'clock, the " Horribles," with their ridiculous dis- guises, - Indians, minstrels, beasts, and the rest, - par- aded through the village. The more dignified procession began its march at nine o'clock, in the following order : -
Chief Marshal.
GEORGE T. FAYERWEATHER.
Aids.
L. J. ELWELL.
O. C. JAQUITH.
F. W. MOSES.
T. B. SMART.
WILLARD COMEY.
C. A. HARRINGTON.
S. O. STAPLES. JOHN HAYDEN.
F. W. POWERS.
Westborough Cornet Band. Eighteen members : M. G. TURNER, leader.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Under command of Assistant Engineer S. W. MANN.
Chauncy Engine Company, No. I, thirty men ; C. H. WILLIAMS, Foreman.
338
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
Steamer Jackson, No. 2, twenty men ; SILAS H. BRIGHAM, Assistant Foreman, in place of D. P. BRIGHAM, Foreman.
FIRST DIVISION.
G. J. JACKSON, Marshal : Aids, D. D. DINAN and C. E. SMITH. Ancient Order of Hibernians, forty men.
SECOND DIVISION.
L. P. DAY, Marshal : Aids, P. MAGUIRE and G. W. GRAVES. Drum Corps, eight members.
Lyman Cadets, about sixty members ; Lyman Engine Company, with engine, twenty-six members ; and other boys, two hundred and twenty in number, all from the State Reform School, - headed by G. W. SULLIVAN, Drum Major.
THIRD DIVISION.
G. L. SMITH, Marshal : Aids, JAMES DONOVAN and JAMES E. QUINN. The Continental Congress, represented by sixteen members of the Young Men's Debating Society.
Tableau Car, containing fourteen young ladies, one representing the Goddess of Liberty, and the others the thirteen original States.
Carriages, containing the orator of the day, Rev. H. P. DE FOREST ; Chaplain, Rev. Z. A. MUDGE; Committee of Arrangements, Dr. WILLIAM CURTIS, M. H. WALKER, C. E. FAY, H. B. NOURSE, WM. MAGNER, and J. H. SAWYER.
After passing through the principal streets, the proces- sion, followed by a long line of carriages, proceeded to the Grove at Lake Chauncy, where the exercises were to take place. The Committee had arranged seats for a thousand persons. A large Yale tent and a canopy, pro- cured from Boston, afforded protection from the burning sun. Small tents, erected for the different committees and for private gatherings, gave the grounds a martial look. The Pavilion - marked for the occasion " Cen- tennial House - Free to All - Town of Westborough, Proprietor " - was in charge of the Committee on Hospi-
339
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
talities and Supplies, and refreshments were served to all who came.
The exercises began soon after the arrival of the proces- sion. The members of the Continental Congress, repre- sented by members of the Young Men's Debating Society, marched with stately tread to their seats on the platform. After remarks by several speakers, the Declaration of Independence was produced and signed. Richard Mon- tague then stepped forward, and distinctly and impres- sively read the document to the audience. The choir, under the direction of S. Dexter Fay, then sang "The Star-spangled Banner," the audience joining in the chorus. After prayer by the Rev. Z. A. Mudge, pastor of the Methodist Church, the following hymn, written for the occasion by the Rev. B. A. Greene, pastor of the Baptist Church, was sung to the tune of the " Missionary Chant.".
A hundred years, and still doth stand Our fair Republic, through whose frame A life tides on, as strong, as grand, As any of historic fame.
Our God, our fathers' God, to Thee A nation lifts her voice of praise ; Thy hand, throughout the century, Hath filled with blessings all our days.
As in the past, our growth thine eye Hath watched, frowned on our wrong, our right
Approved, so in this century Begun send thou dark or light ;
Keep back tyrannic power from rule Throughout our country's wide extent ;
In state and church, in mart and school, Let there be righteous government ;
Give freedom home in every State ; Make every hearthstone virtue's shrine ; Let not again war desolate, But peace with golden fruitage shine.
340
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
Then hail this glad Centennial day; From all our hearts let incense rise ; All praise our God in joyful lay, - Yea, with our chorus rend the skies.
The historical oration was then delivered by the Rev. H. P. De Forest, pastor of the Evangelical Church. He reviewed the history of the town, with special reference to its share in the Revolutionary War. The pavilion was crowded during the hour and a half occupied by the delivery of the oration, and the close attention of the hearers attested its excellence.
After an intermission of an hour, during which the accommodations of the " Centennial House " were severely taxed, the audience reassembled for the remaining exer- cises. Melvin H. Walker, of the Committee of Arrange- ments, called the assembly to order. Several songs, under the direction of S. Dexter Fay, were rendered by a chorus of fifty children.
Then came the "toasts and responses," interspersed with music by the band. Sherman Converse was toast- master. The toasts, which called forth the wit and elo- quence of local orators, were as follows: -
The first sentiment:
"The day we celebrate, the one hundredth anniversary of our nation's birth. May she live to see the centennial of centuries cele- brated by a nation of freemen."
Response by the Rev. C. W. Emerson, pastor of the Unitarian Church.
The second sentiment :
"The Declaration of Independence, - the death-knell of mon- archies, and the herald of republics."
Response by Frank S. Adams.
Komun P. DeForest
341
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
The third sentiment:
"The nation our fathers gave us, and for which their sons have died. May the dangers which threaten from ignorance, extrava- gance, fraud, and corruption pass away, and education, economy, honesty, and integrity continue the bulwarks of its liberties."
Response by the Rev. B. A. Greene.
The fourth sentiment:
" Uncle Sam's Wedding March."
Response by the Band, - playing " Yankee Doodle."
The fifth sentiment :
" Our adopted fellow-citizens."
Response by the Rev. Patrick Egan, pastor of St. Luke's Church.
The sixth sentiment :
" Westborough, beautiful for situation. The record of the town fathers comes down to us through the generations untarnished. May her record in the centuries to come be the pride of all her citizens."
Response by Dr. William Curtis.
The seventh sentiment:
" The soldiers in blue and the soldiers in gray. May the dis- cordant notes of war be lost amid the fading echoes of time, and the melodies of peace blend with the chiming of our national blessings, so that, united again in brotherly love, we may all bless the God of our fathers for preserving the Republic to these days of 1876."
Response by Arthur G. Biscoe, Esq.
The eighth sentiment :
"Our centennial bird, - the American eagle."
Response by Hiram L. Broaders.
342
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
The ninth sentiment:
"The Independent Press, - the conservator of political and religious freedom. While a terror to demagogues, it is to the pure in spirit the beacon-light of safety."
Response by Charles H. Thurston, of the Westborough Chronotype.
The tenth sentiment:
"The fair daughters of Westborough. Judged by their patri- otism and devotion, worthy successors of our grandmothers of 1776."
Response by the Rev. Z. A. Mudge.
The eleventh sentiment:
"Our firemen ; always ready, may they never be wanted for service."
Response by George H. Raymond.
The twelfth sentiment:
" The sons and daughters of Westborough who have gone from the parental roof. May they never forget their native town."
Response by Charles E. Raymond, of Boston.
The thirteenth sentiment:
"While rejoicing in the centennial glories of our educational institutions, let us not be unmindful of that mighty engine of self- culture, the village lyceum and debating society."
Response by Louis E. Denfeld.
The toasts and responses occupied two hours, after which came a series of athletic contests on land and water. There was a hurdle-race, a foot-race, a swimming-match, a double-shell race, and other contests in which the local athletes furnished much amusement and excitement. As darkness approached, the throng returned, tired and
343
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
happy, to the village. When the sun went down, the bells again rang out in joyful peals of triumph, and the band, stationed in front of the Town Hall, played its most inspiring airs. After dark, an exhibition of fire- works from a knoll near the head of Summer Street brought to a close the most elaborate celebration in the history of Westborough.
CHAPTER IV.
1860-1890.
GROWTH OF THE TOWN. - POPULATION. - AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURES. - WEALTH.
T 'HE growth of Westborough from a weak and strug- gling settlement on the outskirts of civilization to a thriving town with well-tilled farms and busy factories, has already been partially treated by Mr. De Forest in the earlier pages of our history. In bringing down to the present day, however, the record of its increase in population and wealth, and the development of its various industries, I shall trespass a little on his territory.
Both before and since the beginning of the Civil War the growth of the town has been slow and steady. With the possible exception of the period from 1870 to 1875, when there was a gain of 1,540 inhabitants, - the figures jumping from 3,601 to 5,141, - there has been no sudden increase which may be regarded as a "boom." From 1765 to 1800, the returns indicate a decrease in popu- lation from I,IIO to 922; but the methods of taking the census, and its importance, were not at that time so clearly understood, and the accuracy of the figures is questionable. From 1800 to 1834, when the Boston and Worcester Railroad was completed to Westborough, the increase in population was very slow. With the opening of railroad communication, however, the growth of the town was assured; and nearly every census since has
345
STATISTICS OF POPULATION.
shown a healthy and substantial gain. The actual growth, in fact, has been more regular than the figures would in- dicate; for the great variation in the number of boys at the State Reform School (now the Lyman School) and the condition of local industries, go far toward accounting for any unusual change. Thus, the apparent decrease from 5,214 inhabitants in 1880 to 4,880 in 1885 was due not so much to a diminution in the number of permanent residents as to the removal of boys from the Reform School and to a temporary depression in business.
The following table shows the population of Westbor- ough at various periods : -
STATISTICS OF POPULATION.
Year.
Population.
Year.
Population.
1765
I,IIO
1855
3,014
1776
900
1860
2,913
1790
934
1865
3,141
1800
922
1870
3,601 .
1810
1,048
1875
5,14I
1820
1,326
1880
5,214
1830
1,438
1885
4,880
1840
1,658
1890
5,263 1
1850
2,371
The population has undergone a great change in the past forty years, accompanying the development of the town from a farming to a manufacturing community.
1 This is the estimate of Supervisor Wadlin. The reader should bear in mind that the State census of 1885 was taken in May, and that the United States census of 1890 was taken in June. Had the latter been taken a month earlier, - before the busy season at the straw shops had ended, - the population would have been about four hundred more than the figures indicate. In 1880 the Reform School contributed 235 to the population, in 1885, 121, and in 1890 (the Lyman School) 229. The Westborough Insane Hospital, established in 1886, added 606 to the population of 1890.
346
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
Until the middle of the present century, the inhabitants were nearly all of native birth, - the descendants of set- tlers who came to this country between 1630 and 1675. The immigration of Irish and other foreign nationalities began about 1850; but as early as 1855 nearly one sixth of the population was of foreign birth. In 1885 the paren- tage of the people of Westborough, as compiled from the census, was as follows: -
PARENTAGE.
Total population of Westborough, May 1, 1885 4,880
Number both of whose parents were native 2,899
Number both of whose parents were foreign 1,716
Number whose father was native and mother foreign 115
Number whose father was foreign and mother native 119
Number with one or both parents unknown 31
Number born of Irish parentage 1,144
Of whom there were foreign born 426
The remainder, native born . 718
Number born of British1 parentage . 282
Of whom there were foreign born 210
The remainder, native born . 72
Number of Canadian (French) parentage Of whom there were foreign born .
163
The remainder, native born 87
76
Number born of other foreign parentage 127
Of whom there were foreign born 56
The remainder, native born . 71
-
The principal employments in which the people of Westborough have been engaged during the past thirty years are agriculture and the manufacture of boots and shoes, sleighs, and straw goods.
The earliest, as we have already seen, and until recent
1 Including England, Scotland, and all the British possessions except Canada.
347
AGRICULTURE.
years the prevailing, occupation was farming. The fer- tility of the rich meadow-lands around Chauncy Pond attracted the first settlers from Marlborough and Sud- bury. Year after year the hardy pioneers and their descendants wrestled with the wilderness, gradually clear- ing away the trees and preparing the soil for cultivation and pasturage. During the first century after the settle- ment of the town, farming was almost the only occupa- tion; even the minister and the doctor could not depend wholly on their professions for support. The innumerable trades and occupations of modern times had not, as the saying is, been specialized. The farmer was often his own blacksmith, his own carpenter, and his own shoemaker. His wife not only attended to the dairy and the kitchen, but knit socks, spun cloth, made clothing, and, in short, usurped the functions of half a dozen different trades. Occasionally some rare genius would devote more than ordinary attention to trading or to mechanical pursuits ; but farming was generally the basis of whatever prosperity he enjoyed. It was a hard occupation, but a healthful and a manly one. To the independent, outdoor life which it made necessary, the descendants of old New England stock owe much of their vigor of mind and body. The sturdy manhood which it developed, indeed, was of greater importance and value than its more material pro- ducts. The implements which the farmer could secure were at best rude and clumsy, the seasons were not always mild and favorable, and often he was exposed to severe hardships and privations. The results of his industry ap- pear in the well-cleared and well-cultivated farms of to-day, and in the comparative prosperity of his descendants; but the immediate enjoyments which he secured from his labors, and the pecuniary value of his products, were very meagre.
348
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
The earliest official source from which it is possible to judge of the nature and value of agricultural products is the Statistics of Industry in Massachusetts, compiled in 1837. It is a very unsatisfactory report, however, and regarding Westborough agriculture it merely states that there were one hundred and thirty-seven merino sheep, producing five hundred and fifty pounds of wool, valued at $275. Incomplete and almost worthless as these early statistics are, they indicate, in this case, at least, one change in the conditions of farm life. The transfer of the industry to other parts of the country has made sheep-raising only a tradition among the farmers of this section. Twenty years before these statistics were com- piled, the sheep in Westborough could have been counted by the hundred. One flock containing over two thou- sand, owned by Major John Fayerweather, grazed on the hills of the present Pollard farm. In 1845, however, the number of sheep reported was only thirty, and in 1885 the census-taker found none.
From the Statistics of Industry I have compiled the following table, showing the changes in farm property since 1845 : -
AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY.
1845.
1855.
1865.
1875.
1885.
Number of farms,
184
155
155
Value of buildings, Value of land,
$125,576
$553,043
$402,735
Milch cows, number, Heifers,
170
181
193
343
Value of cows and heifers,
$29,970
$30,663
$59,468
$46,133
Horses, number, Value,
196
242
276
235
239
$9,780
$19,360
228
15I
48
29
Oxen and steers, number, Value,
$12,750
$4,507
$3,810
$2,115
Swine, number, Value,
272
395
404
372
494
$1,450
$3,950
$3,817
$4,042
$3,100
$399,680
$263,605
897
885
966
1,055
$24,659
$27,140
$22,362
349
STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE.
The more important products, and their value, are shown in the following table : -
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
1845.
1855.
1865.
1875.
1885.
Milk produced, gallons, Value,
$34,045
$24,217
$10,181
$76,696
$67,574
Butter, pounds, Value,
23,000
20,779
6,3561
9,037
13,978
Indian corn, bushels, Value,
13,020
16,800
12,790
8,68I
18,511
$9,109
$16,800
$19,417
$7,920
$11,384
Cereals (other than Indian corn), bushels,
7,094
6,973
5,877
1,505
1,003
Value,
$3,237
$5,129
$6,363
$1,109
$846
Hay, tons,
2,303
2,57 I
3,305
3,489
3,093
Value,
$15,140
$38,710
$65,148
$63,987
$53,593
Potatoes, bushels, Value,
21,000
19,200
16,1 59
12,972
14,460
Eggs, value,
$7731
$2.089
$3,920
Other poultry products,
$6321
$779
$1,349
193,7361
237,442 1
451,591
521,268
$4,140
$5,195
$2,753
$3,280
$4,438
$4,200
$9,600
$13,799
$9,611
$8,351
377,192
The rapid decrease in the number of oxen is perhaps the most noticeable feature of the first table. The number of cows, it will also be noticed, has only slightly increased, the increase from 1845 to 1885 being less than eighteen per centum. The quantity of milk produced, however, has increased thirty-eight per centum, - a rate which indi- cates a great improvement in the quality of stock, as well as better methods of keeping it. The tables are sugges- tive in other ways, and will enable the careful examiner to make many useful comparisons.
For the present condition of agriculture in Westborough the census of 1885 furnishes much information. Of the one hundred and fifty-five farms reported, thirty were less than twenty acres in size; forty-eight were between twenty and fifty; thirty-seven were between fifty and one
1 Amount sold.
350
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
hundred; thirty were between one hundred and one hun- dred and fifty; three were between one hundred and fifty and two hundred; three were between two hundred and three hundred; and two were between three hundred and four hundred acres. The cultivated land on these farms is divided as follows : -
2,763 acres used for hay
value, $147,131
8898 66 66 principal crops .
42,518
174 66 market gardens
863
5
nurseries 66
200
212 66 66 orchards .
9,421
318F
other purposes 66 10,668
Total, 4,205} acres
$210,801
The uncultivated land is divided as follows : -
4,774% acres for permanent pasture value, $108,073
442 additional unimproved
6,589
634 unimprovable
1,314
2,472를
for woodland
66 78,958
Total, 7,7532 acres .
$194,934
The number of persons engaged in agricultural pursuits in 1885 was three hundred and fifty-five. One hundred and thirty-six of these owned farms, two hundred and two were laborers, and seventeen were not classified. The result of their labor appears in the following table, which gives in detail the agricultural products according to the census of 1885.
Animal products (manure and hides) $19,568 Boots (including " work on ") · 3,024 pairs. 277 Dairy products : -
Butter (for sale, 9,165 lbs .; for use, 4,813 lbs.) . . 4,438 Milk . .
521,268 gals. 67,574 Cheese (for use) 64 lbs. 6
351
STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE.
Food products : -
Ice
· 4,799 tons.
$2,489
Vinegar (for sale, 5,139 gals .; for use, 597 gals.)
778
Other food products
216
Greenhouse products
65
Hothouse and hotbed products
21
Liquors and beverages (cider and wine)
734
Nursery products
2,540
Poultry products : -
Eggs . .
17,387 doz.
3,905
Dressed poultry, etc. .
1,369
Wood products : -
Firewood (for use, 695 cords ; for sale, 508 cords) .
4,188
Other wood products (lumber, railroad sleepers, etc.) .
374
Other products (hops, seeds, etc.)
45
Cereals : -
Indian corn
18,511 bush.
11,384
Other cereals (oats, rye, pop-corn, etc.)
846
Fruits, berries, and nuts : -
Apples
10,494 bush.
4,003
· Strawberries
7,494 qts. .
895
Other products
1,736
Hay, straw, and fodder
69,948
Meat : -
Beef .
25,596 lbs.
1,725
Pork
38,608 lbs.
2,485
Veal
I 3,863 lbs.
1,138.
Vegetables : -
Potatoes .
14,460 bush.
8,35T
Tomatoes
73,635 lbs.
1,334
Carrots
27, 199 heads
1,300
Other vegetables
4,426
Total products
. $218,508
The production of milk, as the foregoing tables show, has been an important element in Westborough agriculture for the past fifty years. The farmers began to supply it for the Boston market only a few months after the opening of the railroad, in 1834. A man named Thurston, who lived in the southern part of the town, was the first to
352
LATER HISTORY OF WESTBOROUGH.
collect milk and send it to the city. He did a small busi- ness in a haphazard way, and after a year or two left town without paying his bills. It is worth noting, however, that from his disappearance until the fall of 1889 no West- borough farmer ever lost a cent through the failure of milk contractors. After Thurston's unsuccessful venture, Jason Chamberlain arranged to run a short freight car on the morning passenger train to Boston, in which milk from Westborough and Southborough was sent to the city. For a time the car was drawn to the present South- ville station by horses, so that Winchester's milk for the Quincy Market might be put on board before the pas- senger train came along. Rufus W. Whiting, who now lives in Framingham, also went into the business at an early day, but in 1839 sold out to George N. Fisher. Mr. Whiting was afterward in the business for many years; and Mr. Fisher has continued in it ever since, receiving his milk, until a few months ago, from. Westborough dai- ries. He now owns a route in Boston, but procures his supply from C. Brigham & Co.
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