USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53
The church building was destroyed by fire Oct. 25, 1904. Although the Church and Society were small in numbers, they were not easily discouraged, for it was only about a month after the fire that a meeting was held at which the prospects of rebuilding were discussed; indeed it was only a few days after the fire that the first contribution to rebuild the church was received. It consisted of one dollar, and came from a lady 86 years old, Mrs. H. T. Day, to whom the amount given meant more than one hundred dollars would to many.
All that there was with which to commence operations for rebuilding was the insurance on the old church build- ing amounting to $2000. With this as a nucleus the work of raising money for the erection of a new church edifice was begun, and with the generous contributions of sister churches, of former members of the old church scattered in various places, and the self-sacrificing efforts of the little
474
HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
company of church members, a sufficient amount was raised to begin operations, and the result was that in a little less than two years from the time of the fire, on Sept. 11th, 1906, was dedicated one of the prettiest and best planned little churches in this part of the State. The building with its furnishings cost a little upward of $6000, and it was dedicated free of debt. The building which has a seating capacity of about two hundred, is forty by sixty feet in size, and is lighted by electricity, and furnished tastefully. Twelve beautiful memorial windows in memory of members who have passed away bear the names of Silas Hale, Deacon Jonas M. Turner, Sarah Nourse Harrington, Deacon Luther Harrington, Matilda Blood Upham, John M. Upham, Homer T. Rice, Bertha A. Rice, Deacon Aaron Jones, Mary A. Jones, Dr. Henry O. Adams, Roby R. Safford, Orissa W. Safford, Jeremiah A. Rich and J. Angeline Townsend. The executive building committee having charge of the work consisted of Everard B. Hanson, chairman, LIbridge C. Twichell and Caleb W. Day.
The dedication services were attended by a large gather- ing of the townspeople and many from Athol, Gardner, Baldwinville, Winchendon, Worcester, Fitchburg and other places. The exercises opened with an organ prelude by the organist, Mrs. Addie Beals, followed by the doxology and the invocation by Rev. W. L. Muttart of Phillipston, anthem by the choir, reading of the Scriptures by Rev. John C. Eyers of Keene, N. H., a former pastor, and prayer by Rev. Mr. Muttart. Mrs. Nellie E. Tottingham sang a solo. The address of the forenoon was by Rev. B. S. Gilman of Gardner, and was followed by a duet by Fred Sherwin of Temple, N. H. and Robert Sherwin of Cambridge. The act of dedication was performed by Rev. Samuel Holden, the congregation all standing, and the prayer of dedication was by Rev. F. J. Fairbanks of Royalston Centre. The communion was cele- brated by Rev. B. S. Gilman, assisted by Rev. J. A. Bates. This, with the benediction, closed the exercises of the forenoon. At one o'clock a dinner was served in Whitney Hall, to which about two hundred sat down.
At 2.30 o'clock the afternoon services began.
The invocation was by Rev. Walter Rice of Agawam, who was a pastor of the church thirty-two years before.
475
SECOND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
A quartet consisting of Mrs. Nellie E. Tottingham, Mrs. Flora Drury, Fred H. Sherwin and Robert Sherwin sang "The Lord is my Shepherd." Rev. Walter Rice read Scrip- ture selections, Rev. Mr. Jones of Winchendon Centre offered prayer and Fred Sherwin sang "Fear Not, O Israel." This was followed by addresses by Rev. Richard Peters of Bald- winville, and Rev C. C. Merrill of Winchendon, the latter bringing the official greetings of the sister churches of the conference.
The pastors of the church with their term of service are as follows: Rev. J. F. Stone, 1837 to 1838; Rev. S. H. Peckham, 1838 to 1844; Rev. S. D. Darling, 1844 to 1846; Rev. J. H. M. Leland, 1847 to 1849; Rev. T. Goodyear, 1849 to 1854; Rev. Charles Kendall, 1854 to 1856: Rev. J. W. Healey, 1856 to 1857; Rev. E. Seabury, 1858 to 1862; Rev. F. D. Austin, 1863 to 1867; Rev. Walter Rice, 1868 to 1874; Rev. J. L. Merrill, 1874 to 1875; Rev. E. G. Stone, 1875 to 1878; Rev. C. L. Twomblin, 1878 to 1881; Rev. P. F. Barnard, 1881 to 1883; Rev. H. M. Holmes, 1883 to 1884; Rev. F. B. Knowlton, 1885 to 1886; Rev. E. J. Beach, 1887 to 1890; Rev. J. W. Hird, 1890 to 1894; Rev. G. E. Chapin, 1894 to 1895; Rev. John Eyers, 1895 to 1898; Rev. James A. Bates, 1898 to 1903; Rev. G. W. Lawrence, 1903 to 1904; Rev. W. P. Clancy, 1904 to 1906; Rev. Samuel Holden, 1906 to 1908. Rev. Francis J. Fairbanks commenced his pastorate in 1908, after a pastorate of sixteen years at the First Congregational Church, Royalston Centre, and finished his labors as pastor at the close of 1916, a term of seven years and three months, which was the longest pastorate in the history of the church. There was added to the church during this time twenty-nine members, most of them on confession of faith. The present membership is sixty, thirty seven resident and twenty three non resident.
Rev. James A. Bates, who was pastor from 1898 to 1903, after his retirement from his pastorate made South Royalston his home until his death in 1916.
The bell which hangs in the belfry of the church has this inscription : "This bell contains the remnants of the old bell des- troyed by fire Oct. 21, 1904, given to the Second Congregational Society of Royalston, Mass., in memory of Colonel George Whitney, by his son, George E. Whitney, 1906."
476
HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
THE METHODIST CHURCH OF SOUTH ROYALSTON
The first sermon ever preached in South Royalston by a Methodist Episcopal Itinerant was preached by Rev. Ebenezer F. Newell about the year 1826 or '27 in the old schoolhouse. The next Methodist preaching was by Enoch Bradley. He commenced in the autumn of 1829 while stationed at the Winchendon and Ashburnham Circuit. Bro. Bradley's preach- ing was attended with much effect. He was then engaged in a revival of religion then in progress in the town of Phillips- ton; this was the commencement of Methodism in that place. He preached at the schoolhouse in South Royalston once in two weeks for several months, evening appointments. At first the house was crowded with attentive hearers, and the prospects bid fair for a glorious work, but by this time Rev. Ebenezer Perkins, the Congregational clergyman of the middle of the town became much alarmed, visited much from house to house and infused much of his own spirit into the people telling them that if they did not want to have the Methodists get a foothold in the place they must not attend their meetings.
This course succeeded so well that at the next meeting the schoolhouse was fastened up by some person unknown to man.
A few true friends came to the meeting, the house was entered by a window, the door unfastened, and services held, but an effectual stop was put upon the prospective revival. Among the few who became interested at this time were three young men who afterwards became ministers, two Methodists and one Baptist. Joseph W. Lewis became a member of the New England Conference and Lorenzo W. Blood of the Providence Conference, and Andrew Dunn, pastor of the Baptist Church at New Boston. Brothers Lewis and Blood were the only representatives of Methodism in South Royal- ston for five years. In those days the house of Timothy Lewis was the only place where Methodist preachers were invited.
In the winter of 1834 or '35 Bro. Horace Moulton, then stationed at Winchendon and Phillipston, commenced labor- ing in the east part of the town known as City district. A small revival attended his labors and a promising class was formed, numbering sixteen persons. Thus Methodism
477
THE METHODIST CHURCH
was formally organized in South Royalston. Bro. J. W. Lewis was the first class leader ever appointed in South Royalston, and soon after his appointment joined the New England Conference. He was followed by Oliver Hubbard, Ammi Stockwell, Paul Peirce and Uri Day.
In 1836 O. Wilder Marcy and S. Pike were appointed to the old Winchendon circuit and preached about once in two weeks in the City district. In 1837 and '38 Richard Linsey was stationed at Winchendon and preached in South Royal- ston only once in four weeks.
From 1839 to 1843 Messrs. Spaulding, Cushing and Bates who were stationed at Winchendon during those years preached once a month at the City district and South Royalston.
In the month of April 1843 Ammi Stockwell circulated the first subscription paper for Methodist preaching that had ever been circulated in South Royalston for this purpose.
At the next session of the New England Conference Rev. W. Smith was appointed to South Royalston and Templeton and meetings were held in the schoolhouse. Again an attempt was made to keep Methodism out of South Royalston. A paper was signed and circulated to turn the Methodists out of the schoolhouse, but the project failed. In 1844-45 Charles Haywood, a local preacher from Gill, was employed by the church. The first year of Mr. Haywood's labors a site for a new church was purchased for $625, Jonathan Stockwell, Ira Day, Timothy Lewis and Freeman Stockwell paying for the lot.
At the second Quarterly Conference of 1846, "The ex- pedience of building a Meeting House being introduced and discussed it was voted that there be a Church Meeting called on Monday Aug. 31st., the object of which shall be to con- verse together on the practicability of building a Meeting House, and the propriety of holding a grove meeting." We find no record of the meeting of Aug. 31, but at the 3d. Quarterly Conference held Nov. 23, 1846 we find it recorded that, "Bro. Olds of Ashburnham who had been previously employed by the Society to draft a model for a Meeting House being present at this stage of the Conference exhibited his plans and draft together with an estimate of what the expense of building would be. A vote was passed approving the general plan as drafted by Brother Olds. The meeting
478
HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
house as voted was built during the year 1847 at a cost of two thousand five hundred and fifty dollars.
Rev. Pliny Wood was appointed as pastor of the church in 1846 and re-appointed in 1847. At this time the number of members in full connection was thirty-five.
On the 13th of July the frame of the church was raised with appropriate religious services and on the 17th of January 1848 was dedicated, the sermon being preached by Rev. James Porter, Presiding Elder, from Acts, 28th chapter, 22d verse. The Sunday school this year numbered about sixty.
The following Brethren were appointed by the Presiding Elder to the office of Trustees in the church: Jonathan Stockwell, Ammi Stockwell, Alexander Webster, Timothy Lewis, Freeman Stockwell,-Day, Uri Day, John Turner and Ainsworth Knight.
The pastors following Rev. Mr. Wood were: Rev. David Kilburn, 1848, Rev. Wm. F. La Count, 1849, '50, Rev. Jonathan L. Estey, 1851, '52, Rev. Asa Barnes, 1853, '54, Rev. Joseph Woodbury, 1855, Rev. Jarvis Wilson, 1856, Rev. James Tucker, 1857, Rev. Albert Gould, 1858, Rev. James Geratt and Rev. E. D. Winslow, 1859, Rev. Porter M. Vinton, 1860, Rev. T. C. Potter, 1861, '62, Rev. Mr. Carter, 1863, Rev. F. Marsh and Rev. Phil Gorton, 1864, Rev. T. W. Lewis and Rev. B. M. Smith, 1865, Rev. Wm. Merrill, 1866, Rev. Mr. Bassett, 1869, Rev. E. A. Howard, 1870, Rev. N. F. Stevens, 1871, Rev. John Oldham, 1872, Rev. E. P. Gibbs, 1873, '74, Rev. Mr. Price, 1875, Rev. Charles Haywood, 1878, Rev. William Ferguson, 1878, Rev. Wm. G. Grant, 1879, Rev. F. S. Rogers, 1880, '81, Rev. P. K. Stratton, 1882, '83, Rev. Arthur A. Graves, 1884, Rev. Mr. Hobbs, 1885 and Rev. Mr. Bessie, 1886.
There was no regular preaching for several years and in 1892 the remaining members of the South Royalston Church were transferred to the Phillipston and Athol churches.
CATHOLIC CHURCH
R. J. J. McCoy in his History of the Diocese of Spring- field in "The Catholic Church in New England" published in
479
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
1899, says of the Catholics of this section of Massachusetts: "Father Fitton says with the building of the Boston & Albany Railroad west the Irish came to the towns along the line, and to some of the neighboring towns, among which he named Templeton." There must have been Catholics in Otter River in 1837, for whom Father Fitton had a "station." Father Gibson who was pastor at Worcester in 1851, and had charge of Fitchburg and surrounding towns, said mass in the house of Patrick O'Brien which stood near the foundry in Otter River. Father Gibson celebrated mass in Mr. O'Brien's house at intervals of once every three months until 1854, with the exception of two occasions, on one of which mass was said in the woods, and at another time in a little school- house on the Winchendon Road.
In 1853 Father Gibson began the building of St. Martin's Church. It was dedicated in 1854 and the first mass was said therein by Father Gibson. A cross was put upon the church before the dedication, and a short time afterwards the cross was cut down by the Know Nothings.
With the spring of 1855 Rev. Edward Turpin came as curate, and mass was said more frequently. From February to the June of 1857 mass was celebrated every fortnight in St. Martin's Church. In January 1856 Rev. Edward Turpin became pastor at Fitchburg and his brother Father Henry Turpin said mass every fortnight at Otter River.
The people increased in numbers so rapidly that in 1864 Otter River was made a parish by itself and Rev. Thomas H. Bannon became the resident pastor. He had charge of Otter River and the surrounding country. He said mass every second Sunday, the alternate Sunday being given to the Missions. He was transferred to Blackstone in 1867, and May 11th of that year Rev. William Orr came as his successor. The Parish Mission then embraced Otter River, Ashburnham, Hubbardston, Royalston, Westminster, Petersham, Orange and Gardner. Father Orr was succeeded June 4, 1869 by Rev. Richard P. Donovan, who in turn was followed in 1870 by Rev. Patrick McManus. In August 1871 Rev. Charles McManus came as his successor.
The pastors since then have been Rev. Robert Walsh, Rev. Thomas F. Murphy, Rev. Thomas Reynolds, Rev. James Norris, Rev. Thomas E. Purcell, Rev. James Prendergast,
480
HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Rev. James J. Howard, Rev. T. C. O'Connor and Rev. P. J. Meehan who has been the pastor since 1908. We are giving to some extent the history of the Otter River Church, as it has been the church home of the Catholics of Royalston for more than half a century.
Father Gibson reported three hundred railroad men at South Royalston in 1846, the most of whom were Catholics.
Father John F. Lehy of Holy Cross College, Worcester says "The Catholics in South Royalston were attended by Father Gibson of Worcester and Father Turpin of Fitchburg and went to mass in Otter River." He says that when he was a boy there was about a dozen families in South Royal- ston who were Catholics besides the mill help. His father, Geoffrey Lehy, was one of the first Catholics in South Royal- ston, and he remembers that Father Turpin held services at his home, as did Father Welch and Father Bannon.
CHAPTER XXIV
SONS OF SOUTH ROYALSTON
There are Sons of South Royalston, who have gone out from this little country village and attained distinction and prominence in the various professions and callings that they chose for their life's work. We shall in these pages tell something of what they have accomplished.
WILLIAM CLARK PECKHAM
William Clark Peckham, who has attained distinction as a physicist and educator, was born at South Royalston, Aug. 13, 1841, a son of Samuel Howland and Sarah (Clark) Peckham. His father, the second minister of the Congrega- tional church of South Royalston, belonged to the Petersham, Mass., branch of the Peckhams, and was born in Petersham, Sept. 19, 1793 and died in Westminster, Mass., Jan. 23, 1864. His mother, Sarah Clark, was the daughter of Eliezer and Sarah Clark of Easthampton, Mass.
William Clark Peckham received his preparatory education at the Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass. from 1860-63. During this period from 1861-62 he served as a private in the 23d regiment Massachusetts volunteers at Roanoke Island and Newbern, N. C. Entering Amherst College, he was graduated A. B. in 1867, and A. M. in 1870. In 1871-72 he took special studies at the Union Theological Seminary, in New York City. After his collegiate course he taught, 1867-68 as principal of Leicester Academy, Mass., and 1868-70 Williston Seminary, at Easthampton, Mass. During 1870-71 he trav- elled around the world. On his return he commenced his educational work in Brooklyn, N. Y. in Lockwood's Academy, now Adelphi College, where he is still professor of physics. Professor Peckham is prominent in Brooklyn educational circles, a beloved and inspiring teacher and very successful in bringing scientific subjects before popular audiences. He has been for many years a contributor to papers and periodicals, among others the American Electrical World, the
+82
HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Electrical Engineer and Century Magazine. He has been connected with the Scientific American since 1897. He is a fellow of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, and president of its department of photography, and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is also an associate member of the American Institute of Electri- cal Engineers. Professor Peckham is one of the most success- ful investigators of the X-ray phenomena in the United States, and is considered an authority on the subject of liquid air, both as an investigator and lecturer. Professor Peckham was married in Kingston, Mass., Jan. 1, 1868 to Katalena, daughter of John and Maria (Kellogg) Whittier. They have one daughter, Clara Isabel (Peckham) Pashley.
Professor Peckham, in a letter to the author, thus de- scribes his father's family in South Royalston: "My father and mother had six children, my next older brother and myself being born in Royalston. . He, Samuel H. Peckham, Jr. is still alive. My brother, John Smith Peckham, is also living in Fort Worth, Texas. We three were all in the service, 1861-65 in Mass. Regiments. John has lived in the South ever since the war. The first negro I ever saw was in the kitchen at Royalston one evening, sitting by the side of the stove. I was hustled off to bed quickly. In the morning he was gone. My father was in the 'Underground Railroad' and transmitted his man in the night to the minister cf Ashburnham or Athol, on his way to Canada and freedom. It is not strange that three of the four sons enlisted in the first year of the war. We had it in the blood. I think that father would have driven us out if we had not gone of our own volition. And there were many such families."
CHESTER TWITCHELL STOCKWELL
One of the most distinguished sons of Royalston, who was recognized in his profession, by his brother members, as a leader, and one of the most prominent members of that profession, and who by his investigations and writings attained a reputation not merely local, but national and even international, was Chester Twitchell Stockwell.
483
SONS OF SOUTH ROYALSTON
He was born in Royalston Sept. 5, 1841, a son of Emmons and Elvira (Wood) Stockwell. He attended the common and high schools of Royalston and Winchendon, Mass., and a business college in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. He was engaged in commercial pursuits from 1863 to 1867 and afterwards in newspaper work on the Iowa State Register and other papers in Iowa. He also studied medicine for a short time, and then engaged in the study of dentistry, beginning his professional career as a dentist in Des Moines, the capital city of Iowa, in 1872. After three or four years his health failed utterly and he was compelled to seek a new country. He located in Springfield, Mass. about 1875, from which time until his death he was a leader in his profession. In 1875 he was made Secretary of the old Connecticut Valley Dental Society, and was one of the founders of the New England Journal of Dentistry, of which he was the leading editor.
A brother member of his profession says of him: "He was a skilful, sare and safe practicing dentist. He was a student and an investigator, a writer of ability, and a scientist in the full meaning of that much abused word. The Study Club of Springfield was a success, the New England Dental Journal, which he so ably edited, and the numerous practical and scientific papers he gave to the profession through its columns, awakened keen interest and discussion in societies and scientific journals in this and foreign countries."
On the evening of Oct. 18, 1904 there was tendered to Dr. Stockwell in the Massasoit Hotel of Springfield a complimen- tary banquet by his brother practitioners and many friends, of which the Springfield Republican said: "Dr. Chester Twitchell Stockwell was the recipient last evening of such recognition of notable service as rarely comes to a man while he is yet alive. The dinner was given in recognition of the great service done by Dr. Stockwell to dentistry as a science in bringing clearly before the world the germ theory of dental decay, which since his epoch-making paper has become every- where recognized as the truth, upsetting and forever doing away with the old theory of acids as the cause of destruction." At the close of the banquet there was presented to him a book-case filled with some sixty volumes of scientific publica- tions.
484
HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Addresses by eminent members of the dental profession, scientific men, and literary and business friends, teeming with words of fine eulogy, showed the feeling of the company towards its honored guest. There was so much interest manifested in this affair that later a fine souvenir volume containing all the proceedings of the evening was printed and distributed.
In addition to his writings which appeared in many dental and scientific journals he was the author of three books dealing with religion and philosophy, "New Modes of Thought," "The New Materialism and the New Pantheism," and "The Evolution of Immortality." One of the chief features of the 21st Annual Meeting of the Northeastern Dental Association held in Springfield, Mass. Oct. 14, 1915 was the dedication of a handsome memorial fountain to Dr. Chester Twitchell Stock- well in the rose gardens of Forest Park. The tablet of bronze attached to this memorial records the fact that he was a dentist, student, author, philosopher, and has this testimonial inscribed upon it:
"His life was gentle, and the elements
So mixed in him that nature might stand up
And say to all the world:
'This was a man.'"'
HON. FRED WILDER CROSS
Fred Wilder Cross, the subject of this sketch, was born in the village of South Royalston in the house where he now resides, Sept. 15, 1868. His father, Wilder Cross, was a native of Swanzey, N. H., a musician of considerable ability, and for several years leader of the South Royalston Brass Band. His mother, Rosanna A. (Knights) Cross was born in the neighboring town of Phillipston and is still living. Both of his parents were of old American stock.
He received his early education in the public schools of his native village. After leaving school, he was for several years an employee of the George Whitney Woolen Company and later of the Fitchburg Railroad Co. In September 1893 he entered the sophomore class at Cushing Academy from which institution he graduated in 1896. In the fall of 1896
FRED W. CROSS
T:
485
SONS OF SOUTH ROYALSTON
he entered Williams College and graduated in the class of 1900. During his college career he distinguished himself chiefly in public speaking and scholarship. In 1897 he won the first prize for freshman oratory. In 1898 he took the general prize in the Moonlight Oratorical contest, and the Rice prize for scholarship. In 1899 he secured the first prize in the Adelphic Union prize debate, and for excellence in scholar- ship was made a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. In 1900 he was awarded a Graves Essay prize, the Graves Oratorical Prize, the Dewey Prize for Commencement oratory and the Prize for Prizes, all the above awards aggregating $350. Besides holding numerous class offices he was president of the Philotectinian Society, and in his senior year president of the Adelphic Union. He was also a member of the Gargoyle Society.
After graduating from Williams, he was for one year instructor in Latin and History at Black Hall School, Black Hall, Conn. and five years principal of the high school at Palmer, Mass. During his residence in the latter place he" was for three years president of the Palmer Historical Society. In 1906 filial duties and somewhat impaired health caused him to return to his native town, but since his return he has continued active in public and educational affairs.
From 1907 to 1909 he served on the Royalston School Board. During the school year 1909-1910 he was principal of Templeton High School. From 1910 to. 1913 he was principal of the South Royalston schools besides managing his home farm and doing a large amount of conveyancing and pension and probate work. In 1906 he was commis- sioned Justice of the Peace and Notary Public, which offices he holds at the present time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.