USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 10
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Rev. T. Willard Lewis was at Union College three years, Rufus Henry Bullock was at Amherst College in 1838 and 1839. but did not graduate.
Daniel C. Perkins was at Amherst College 2 1-2 years in the Class of 1849, and graduated from Harvard Medical College in 1850.
Ephraim Richardson had nearly completed a college course when he died.
Eri S. Stewart was at the Massachusetts Agricultural College one year.
John F. Lehy was two years at Holy Cross College 1872 to 1874.
Sarah A. Drury was at the University of Chicago three years.
Dr. Andrew Jackson Flagg graduated from the Philadelphia Medical College, and Dr. Leander Smith from the Medical department of Dartmouth College in 1834.
Dr. Walter H. Adams graduated from the Medical Depart- ment of the University of the City of New York in 1889.
Joseph Henry Shepardson was at Waterville College, now Colby College, Maine, one year in the Class of 1859, and Lucius Franklin Shepardson was at the same college for one year in the Class of 1858.
Mary E. Raymond after graduating at Wheaton Seminary, now Wheaton College, graduated at Smith College in 1891, took her B. A. degree at Radcliffe College in 1895, and M. A. degree at Smith in 1896, and then took special work at the University of Berlin.
Carrie W. Raymond graduated at Wheaton Seminary.
Geoffrey B. Lehy was one year at Holy Cross College.
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COLLEGE GRADUATES
Harlan Mackenzie graduated at Cushing Academy and was two years in Colby College, and Bessie Mackenzie, after graduat- ing from Cushing Academy, was two years in Simmons College.
Sarah L. Paine was a student at Mount Holyoke Seminary.
Royalston's list of graduates from the State Normal Schools is also worthy of mention.
Mary E. Paine Salem Normal School 1864
Ellen A. Paine Salem Normal School 1864
Susan F. Drury Westfield Normal School
Edwin Augustus Fisher Westfield Normal School 1870
Emma Jane Hale Bridgewater Normal School 1873
Arthur A. Upham Westfield Normal School 1880
Myra A. Safford Bridgewater Normal School 1883
George Newton of the Class of 1808, Dartmouth College, was born in Royalston Jan. 16, 1785, a son of Nathan Brigham and Mary (Stewart) Newton. He began the practice of law at Salem, and removed to Royalston in 1816, where he died June 6, 1817, at the age of thirty-two years. He was the first native of Royalston to graduate from College of which we have any record.
Nelson Wheeler, originally Lord Nelson Wheeler, son of Paul and Phoebe (Hill) Wheeler, was born in South Royalston Oct. 24, 1813. He graduated at Yale College in the Class of 1836. After graduation he taught in the New Haven Hopkins Grammar School, and in Townshend, Vermont; he then spent some time in the study of Hebrew in the Newton Theological Seminary, though not expecting to enter the ministry. On April 24, 1839, he married Rebecca, daughter of Hon. Rufus and Sally (Davis) Bullock of Royalston. For the following year he taught in Plainfield, New Jersey, and then became Principal of the Worcester, Mass., Manual Labor High School, which was maintained by the Baptist denomination. By excessive labor in superintending this institution he contracted the pulmonary disease which finally ended his life. In 1847 he was made Principal of the Worcester High School, and so continued until 1853, when he was appointed Professor of Greek in Brown Uni- versity. He accepted this position, but in 1854 was attacked with hemorrhage of the lungs. After a brief trip to the South, he returned to his birthplace to await his end, and died there Aug. 25, 1855, in his 42d year.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
He had three sons, one of whom died in infancy. The youngest son was a member of the Class of 1872, in Yale but was graduated at Brown University.
George Brigham Newton, son of Willard and Phoebe (Emer- son) Newton, was born at Royalston, Mass., Dec. 1, 1816. He graduated at Yale College in 1843. For two years after graduat- ing he resided at Brattleboro, Vt., engaged in teaching, and the following year was Professor of Mathematics in La Grange College, Ky. He was then principal of a high school for young men in Louis- ville, Ky. In 1855 he established a school for young men in Georgetown, Pettis County, Mo., of which he continued in charge until it was closed by the Civil War. Some years later he opened a high school in Marshall, Mo., where he taught until a few years before his death. He died in Marshall suddenly of apoplexy, Nov. 11, 1892, in his 76th year. He married in Brattle- boro, Vt., April 1, 1846, Louise, daughter of Ira and Jemima (Ward) Haven, and had five daughters and four sons.
Rev. Sidney Holman, class of 1830, Williams College, was born at Royalston in 1800. He studied theology at Auburn, N. Y., and was settled as pastor of churches at Saugus, Willing- ton, Conn., Webster, Mass., where he was the first pastor of the First Congregational Church organized in 1838, Millbury, where he was also the first pastor of the West Millbury Congre- gational Church over which he was pastor from July, 1840, to June, 1851. He was also acting pastor at Goshen and Windsor. He was married in 1833 to Myra Fisher, of Templeton, by whom he had five children, of whom the eldest, Thomas, died in the service of his country in 1862.
Franklin Jones, son of Anna and Lephe (Estabrook) Jones, was born in Royalston Aug. 9, 1801. He fitted for college at Kimball Union Academy, Meridan, N. H., and graduated from Amherst College in 1829; took a course at the Andover Theologi- cal Seminary, and in 1832 founded the Bowling Green Female Seminary in Kentucky of which he was the Principal from 1832 to 1846. He died in Bowling Green, Ky., Aug. 16, 1846.
Married Sept. 11, 1833, Mary, daughter of Edward Kendall of Westminster. They had six children.
Rev. Jesse Kendall Bragg, son of Nathaniel and Polly (Kendall) Bragg, was born in Royalston Oct. 11, 1811. He fitted for college at Westminster and Leicester Academies and
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COLLEGE GRADUATES
graduated from Amherst College in 1838. Was at Union Theo- logical Seminary from 1838 to 1841, and was ordained at Middleboro, Mass., Sept. 13, 1842, where he was pastor from 1842 to 1851, Brookfield 1851 to 1860, at Sandwich 1861 and 1862, at Harrisville, N. H., one year. He was Associate Editor of the Boston Recorder 1862 to 1864, pastor in Boston 1864- 1868, and was in Norfolk the remainder of his life, where he died June 14, 1874, from typhoid fever, followed by softening of the brain. He married Oct. 13, 1844, Maria H., daughter of Col. William Buttrick, of Pepperell, Mass., she died March 13, 1859. He married, second, Dec. 25, 1861, Catherine B., daugh- ter of Enoch H. Pillsbury of Nashua, N. H. They had five children.
Leonard Lorenzo Leathe, son of Benjamin and Pauline (Chase) Leathe, was born in Royalston Dec. 12, 1816. He fitted at Appleton Academy, New Ipswich, N. H., and graduated from Amherst College in 1843. He was a Colporteur in the ser- vice of the American Tract Society in the Mississippi Valley, 1843 to 1845, and died from brain fever at Panola, Miss., July 7, 1845, unmarried.
Samuel Barrett was born in Royalston Aug. 16, 1795, and graduated at Harvard College in the Class of 1818. He was the son of Benjamin and Betsey (Gerrish) Barrett, and through his long and faithful ministerial labors reflected honor on his native town. He was settled many years as pastor of the Twelth Congregational Unitarian Society of Boston, and re- ceived in 1847, the degree of Doctor of Divinity from his Alma Mater. He married Sept. 11, 1832, Mary Susan, daughter of the eminent Dr. Greenwood of Boston, and died in Roxbury, June 24, 1866.
Bertha Winifred Clark was born in West Royalston, Mass., June 6, 1875, daughter of Rev. Albert Vinton and Harriet (Baker) Clark. She was educated in the Hamilton, N. Y., public schools, Colgate Academy, Silas Neff School of Oratory, Columbian (now George Washington) University, where she graduated in 1900, and in Summer School of Cornell University. She taught one year in Nashville, Freedman Schools, in Govern- ment Indian School at Beauleau, Minn., several years, then spent a year in Haseltine House, Newton Centre, Mass., training for foreign mission work in 1907. Went to Rangoon, Burmah,
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
and taught four years, being then transferred to her present position as Missionary at Bhamo, Burmah.
THE LIBRARIES OF ROYALSTON
From an early record book discovered within a few years it seems very probable that the town of Royalston was one of the very first towns of Worcester County to organize a Library. Whitney's history of Worcester County, published in 1793, says that "Social Libraries" were common in Massachusetts towns at the close of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth centuries. It states that twelve towns in Worcester County, a list of which it gives, had such libraries in 1793, but does not mention Royalston, although one had been established in this town in 1778, fifteen years previous to the date, and only thirteen years after the town was incorporated. This record book re- ferred to was found in the family archives of George E. Pierce, his father having been the last secretary of that organization. The library was founded, according to this old record, in January, 1778, and its supporters were organized as "The Library Company in Royalston," the name being changed to the "Social Library of Royalston" several years later. It was in existence seventy- one years, dissolving in 1849. Its line of presidents to he close of the century were: Josiah Goddard, Lieut. Oliver Work, John Batchelder, Isaac Gregory and Jonathan Sibley. Its secretary and librarian during this period was Rev. Joseph Lee. Its treasurers were: Lieut. Jonas Allen, Dea. Ammi Faulkner, Isaac Gregory and Jonathan Pierce. On its standing committee besides the names already mentioned were the names of Henry Bond, William Clements, Dr. Batchelder, Silas Heywood, Capt. Peletiah Metcalf, Nathan B. Newton and William Brown. The library was open for drawing and returning books six times a year, always on the Wednesday preceding the second Sabbaths in the months of January, March, May, July, September and November; at 2 p. m., in January and November; at 4 p. m., in March and September; and 5 p. m., in May and July. The manner of supporting the library is shown by act on taken at a meeting held May 7, 1778, viz .: "Voted to raise money or other property for the purpose of increasing the library. Voted that each and every member for this purpose pay into the treasury
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LIBRARIES OF ROYALSTON
two shi lings in money, or grain, butter, flax or flaxseed. And at a later meeting, Jan. 1, 1789, the committee reported that in the'r judgment, rye should be received at three shillings, six pence per bushel; Indian corn at two shillings, eight pence; oats at one shilling, six pence; flax at six pence, per pound; flaxseed at two shillings, six pence per bushel, and butter at five pence, half penny per pound.'
No catalog of the books in this library has come own to us, but it is known that at least 487 volumes were in the collection. It is interesting to know what the intellects of the Royalston fathers and mothers were fed and fattened on, and this is shown in a vote of the Society passed March 7, 1787, viz .: "Voted that the money laid out for books, being divided into ten equal parts, be laid out for books upon different subjects in the follow- ing proportion, viz .: Three-tenths parts for books in Divinity and Moral Philosophy; three-tenths for History and Biography; two-tenths for Arts and Sciences; one tenth for Law and Physic; one-tenth for Poetry, Novels and miscellany."
The people of Royalston must have had great appetite for the literature of that day, for while other towns had only one social library, Royalston had two. We learn this from an article in a library warrant posted Feb. 25, 1817, which reads as follows: "To hear and act on the report of the committee appointed to confer with a committee of the second social library concerning the admission of members from that library." The action of this article was favorable and eighteen members of the second social library were admitted. The Social Library voted to divide its books Jan. 10, 1849, and not long after that date the books were sold at auction and the library went out of existence.
In 1842, the Legislature enacted a law that when any school distr ct in the Commonwealth should raise $15 for a library, the same amount should be drawn from the State treasury and a collection of books judicious'y selected by the State authorities should at once be forwarded to the district. Under this arrange- ment School libraries were est blished in the Centre the Doane's Falls d strict, the City, so-called, Baptist Common and the Cutler district. In the latter John N. Bartlett was librarian and custodian for several years. In the west part of the town, a library half Sunday school and half secular, was given and supported for fifteen years by Joel Gates by annual remittances
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
during his lifetime and since his death by the revenue o" a legacy of $2000 under his will.
The Public Library of Royalston as it exists today, had its origin in the Ladies' Benevolent Society, an organization which was founded in 1824, and has had an enviable record in member- ship and good works. The members of this Society early recog- nized the need of a public library in the community. To Mrs. George Woodbury, the honored secretary of the Society for many years, must be given the credit of the first suggestion of working for this object. After careful consideration they finally voted in January, 1874, to embark in the enterprise. The methods adopted for raising funds were private subscriptions, farmers' suppers, sociables, lectures and entertainments of various kinds. After good progress had been made by the ladies, Joseph Ray- mond promised that when their fund had reached the sum of $250 he would add to that amount $250 more. This was soon accomplished and as many books as $500 would purchase were soon placed on their shelves and the ibrary was opened Oct. 10, 1874, with 434 volumes. The Royalston Farmers Club had contributed the'r library of 60 volumes to help make up the number. The library remained under the management of the ladies till 1880, when it was formally accepted by the town, and since that date has been liberally supported by the town.
In 1898 a delivery station was established in South Royalston the town paying the expense of transportation and care of the books.
At the March town meeting in 1910 it was announced that Mr. Phinehas S. Newton, a native and life-long resident of the town, would give the town the sum of $10,000 for the building of a public library provided the town would procure a suitable site.
A committee consisting of L. G. Forbes, E. B. Hanson and L. B. Shepardson was chosen, and after investigating various. locations it was finally decided that the best place was at the corner of the lot owned by William H. Hill of Brookline. Mr. Hill later donating the lot in memory of his wife, and work was begun in August of that year, and was completed in May, 1911, the dedicating exercises being held June 28, 1911. The building is of red brick with brown sandstone trimmings 50 by 36 feet, with one story, basement and attic and is a fine addition to the Common. The number of books in the library Jan. 1, 1916, was
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PHINEHAS S. NEWTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
MISS ELIZABETH WAITE CHASE
MRS. EMELINE (WHITE) MACKENZI
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LIBRARIES OF ROYALSTON
3,927. Mrs. Emeline (White) Mackenzie has been the popular and efficient librarian of the Phinehas S. Newton library since Sept. 1 1897. She was born Aug. 13, 1857, at Winchendon, moved to Royalston at an early age, and received her education in the school's of Royalston; she then taught school in several of the districts of the town commencing in 1876, and continuing for five years. She married Colin Mackenzie, Sept. 20, 1880.
Elizabeth Waite Chase, who served as librarian of the Royalston Public Library from the date of its acquisition by the town in 1881 until her death in 1896, is remembered by the townspeople as a faithful custodian to whom the library was the object of the most absorbing interest and affection. Her love for the library manifested itself in the scrupulous care which she bestowed upon the books, and in the quiet and deco- rum which she exacted of youthful patrons during library hours. She was born in Boston Sept. 14, 1837, daughter of Chauncey and Caroline (Morse) Chase, and removed with her family to Royalston in 1859. She died in Royalston Dec. 14, 1896.
Maria L. Bragg officiated as librarian from Nov. 1, 1896, to Sept. 1, 1897, and the names of Emma L. Pierce and Miss Hattie Walker appear as having been librarians for a short time.
The Trustees of the Public Library since it was accepted by the town in 1881 have been as follows:
1881 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Dr. Henry O. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond.
1882 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Dr. Henry O. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond.
1883 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Dr. Henry O. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond.
1884 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Dr. Henry O. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond.
1885 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich,
1886 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
1887 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
1888 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A' Rich.
1889 1890 1891
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
1892
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
1893
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
1894 Dr. Frank W. Adams, Alfred D. Raymond, Jeremiah A. Rich.
1895
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Jeremiah A. Rich, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks.
1896
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Jeremiah A. Rich, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks.
1897
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Jeremiah A Rich, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks.
1898
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Jeremiah A. Rich, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks.
1899
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Jeremiah A. Rich, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks.
1900
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks, Caleb W. Day.
Dr. Frank W. Adams, Rev. F. J. Fairbanks, Caleb W. Day.
1903
1901 1902 Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day, Francis J. Fairbanks. Caleb W. Day, Francis J. Fairbanks, Frank W. Adams.
1904 Francis J. Fairbanks, Caleb W. Day, Frank W. Adams. 1905 1906 1907 Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day, Francis J. Fairbanks. Caleb W. Day, Francis J. Fairbanks, Frank W. Adams. Francis J. Fairbanks, Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day. 1908 Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day, Francis J. Fairbanks. 1909 Francis J. Fairbanks, Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day. Francis J. Fairbanks, Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day. Frank W. Adams, Caleb W. Day, Francis J. Fairbanks.
1910 1911 1912 Francis J. Fairbanks, Frank W. Adams, Levens G. Forbes.
1913 Frank W. Adams, Levens G. Forbes, Francis J. Fairbanks.
1914 Frank W. Adams, Levens G. Forbes, Francis J. Fairbanks.
1915 Frank W. Adams, Levens G. Forbes, Francis J. Fairbanks.
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POST OFFICES
POST OFFICES
One of the Postmaster Generals in his report has said, "there is nothing which more deeply interests every, man, woman and child in this country of ours, than the safe handling of correspondence." The post-office in every city, town, village or hamlet, whether enclosed in the walls of a public building, or crowded into a corner of a country store has a great attraction for old and young, who with eager expectancy seek for their letters and papers, and "going to the post-office" has been one of the regular dut es and habits of the people.
When Royalston was incorporated as a town in 1765, Boston was the only regular post-office in Massachusetts, and ists of letters were advertised n the Boston News Letter for all parts of the State.
To receive their mail people depended on market-men or private parties who on visiting Boston would call for the letters and deliver them on their return trip. In 1793 the nearest post-offices to Royalston were at Worcester and Greenfield. The Fitchburg post-office was established in 1811, only one year before that of Royalston, and the Athol post-office was estab- lished Oct. 1, 1802, when a post-master bearing the same name of Joseph Estabrook as the first post-master of the Royalston office, was appointed, the Athol post-master being the Rev. Joseph Estabrook, the second minister of Athol. In these days of quick and easy means of transportation and communication we can hardly realize what travel meant to the early settlers of Royal- ston. The condition of roads was such as to render travelling slow, difficult and dangerous. The mails were transported, as almost all passing was performed, on horseback; and a journey of one hundred miles was a matter of greater preparation, appre- hension and toil than a trip of three thousand miles at the pre- sent day. Not until 1761, was there any kind of public conveyance put on the roads out of Boston.
Governor Bullock in describing the early mail facilities of Royalston, in his Centennial address, says: "Once a week our portly fellow citizen of that time, Jonathan Pierce, drove the post and carried the mail between Worcester and Keene through Royalston, bringing to us the weekly papers, the regular politics, the more distant gossip, and helping us along generally in our conformity with the outside world. This mission commencing
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
about the year 1800, he performed nearly a quarter of a century."
The rates of postage in the early part of the nineteenth century were enormous as compared with the present time. The rates were six cents for less than 30 miles, 10 cents for eighty miles, twelve and one-half cents for one hundred miles.
The Post Office at Royalston was established April 1, 1812, with Joseph Estabrook as the first postmaster. Those who have held the office since with the date of appointment are as follows: Franklin Gregory, Aug. 22, 1823; George Blodgett, Sept. 10, 1836; Stillman Blodgett, Sept. 29, 1836; Joseph Estabrook, Dec. 22, 1836; C. Robert Wood, Jr., Feb. 1, 1840; Charles A. Bullock, June 15, 1841; Joseph Estabrook, Nov. 12, 1846; Charles H. Newton, Nov. 17, 1856; Obadiah Walker, April 4, 1870; John L. King, Dec. 14, 1881; Aurin C. Gordon, July 17, 1882; George W. Blandin, July 22, 1885; Sumner C. French, March 12, 1900.
CHAPTER IX MEDICAL PROFESSION
Few country towns have been blessed with such a roll of able and distingu shed physicians as has Royalston from the first settlement of the town, down through the generations to the present time; whi'e many Sons of Royalston have gone out and made for themselves an honored name in the profession in various parts of the country.
THE DOCTORS BACHELLER
The Doctors Bacheller, father and son, were held in high repute throughout the State.
Dr. Stephen Bacheller, Sen., was the first physician of the town establishing himself here in 1768, when this whole region was almost an entire wilderness, and remained here down to the time of his death, in 1829, at the age of eighty-three, illus- trating the highest style of fidelity to a life of professional honor and duty.
He was born at Grafton, Mass., Oct. 9, 1745, a son of Mark and Dorcas Bacheller. He married Meribah, daughter of James and Abigail Stratton of Athol, April 28, 1774. She died Dec. 22, 1827, of palsy.
In his early practice he suffered much from the want of roads and the condition of such as existed. He was obliged to travel by marked trees, in this and neighboring towns, often by night and frequently followed by bears and wolves; and to ford streams at the peril of his life. Yet he never refused to respond to the calls made upon him, whatever the raging of the storm, the dangers of the way, or the poverty of the patients. Early in life he made a profession of religion by joining the Congregational church of Royalston. Governor Bullock paid him a beautiful tribute in his Centennial address when he said: "He deserves to be cherished in the combined associations of a lengthened and honored citizenship and of those solemn and tender services which in nearly a half century of practice received the gratitude of the living and took no reproach from the memorials of the dead." He died Feb. 10, 1829, of old age.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
He was succeeded by his son, Dr. Stephen Bacheller, Jr., who was born in Royalston Jan. 3, 1778.
He practiced in Royalston and in all this section of Massa- chusetts nearly as long as his father. He received his preparatory education at New Salem Academy and Chesterfield, N. H., Academy. He commenced the study of medicine with his father, but spent the later period of his pupilage under the instruction of Dr. Henry Wells, of Montague, one of the most distinguished physicians of New England.
At the age of 22 he began the practice of his profession in Truro, on Cape Cod. This was in the autumn or winter of 1800. He remained in Truro three years, when at the solicitation of his father, who began to feel some of the infirmities of age, he returned to his native town, and commenced practice with him in 1803. It is a fact worthy of notice, that the father and son practiced in town during the long period of 80 years, the father 35 years before the son commenced with him, and the son 45 years from his return to Royalston in 1803.
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