USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 44
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At the age of twenty-seven he married Elizabeth R. Cass of Richmond, N. H., April 7, 1840. He was foreman in the woolen mills at Otter River for several years, and in 1844 moved to Ashuelot, N. H., where he was employed in the same capacity in the mills of that village. In 1849 he moved to South Royal- ston and was foreman in the Rufus Bullock mills until 1857, when he engaged in farming which he followed as long as he was able. He served as Justice of the Peace twenty-eight years being appointed by Governor Andrew, and was succes- sively re-appointed by Govs. Bullock, Gaston and Long. Among the other positions of trust which he has held with credit are: Clerk of the Second Congregational Parish twenty-five years, trustee of the Bullock fund thirty years, trustee of the Stowe fund twenty-six years. He was on the board of selectmen, assessors and overseer of the poor three years at different times, and was postmaster of the South Royalston post office for seven years. He was a member of the second Congregational church and an active supporter of both church and parish. He was conspicuous all through life for Christian integrity and sim- plicity of character.
JESSE EDGAR BODETT
Jesse Edgar Bodett, for about a quarter of a century a well- known resident of South Royalston, was born in Athol, Nov. 30, 1856. When a young man he enlisted in the United States army, Jan. 24, 1876, and served with his company in the West.
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during the Indian troubles receiving an honorable discharge May 22, 1877. He came to South Royalston in the autumn of 1877 and was employed by his uncle John King. In 1882 he began work for the Fitchburg Railroad Co., and was soon promoted to be section foreman a position he held from August, 1885, to April 1, 1901, when he resigned to become vice-president of Brown Bros. & Co., of Gardner, chair manufacturers, which position he held until his death, July 24, 1906. He married Ella C. Brown Jan. 16, 1879. They have one daughter, M. Augusta, born August 21, 1880. He was a member of Athol Lodge of Masons, Union Royal Arch Chapter and Tully Lodge of Odd Fellows of Athol, Charles Sumner Camp, Sons of Vet- erans, and the Rebekahs of Gardner, and Artisan Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Baldwinville. He pos- sessed a sunny, cheerful disposition and had the art of making and keeping friends.
JOSEPHUS T. DAY
Josephus T. Day, brother of Caleb W. Day, was born in Richmond, N. H., Nov. 3, 1829. He came to South Royalston in 1847, which was his home for more than sixty-five years. He married Helen F. Bradish of Winchendon, June 26, 1851. He was employed for many years in the old chair shop and brush wood shop and during the later years of his life con- ducted the coal business in the village for Evans & Bowker. He had two children, Myron W., who died at the age of thirteen years, and Addie, born June 7, 1855, married Edward A. Beals. Mrs. Day died August 21, 1907, and Mr. Day Dec. 28, 1913, at the home of his daughter in Athol.
JONAS M. TURNER
Deacon Jonas M. Turner was born in South Royalston Dec. 31, 1820, son of Jerathmural and Prudence Manning Tur- ner. When quite young he learned the carpenter's trade, help- ing to build the covered railroad bridges between Royalston and Athol. Then he was engaged in farming for a number of years and in 1871 sold his farm and bought a house in South
JOSEPHUS T. DAY
JOHN KING
GEORGE P. SHERWIN
DR. HENRY O. ADAMS
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BIOGRAPHICAL
Royalston village, where he lived during the remainder of his life. After the death of Mr. Edmond Stockwell he bought the brush wood business formerly carried on by Mr. Stockwell and ran it about a year when he sold it. He was a deacon of the Second Congregational church and was an active worker in the church and Sunday school and also sang in the choir a number of years. He served the town as selectman one term. He married Mary G. Wheeler June 12, 1845. She was injured in a railroad accident between South Royalston and Athol, June 16, 1870, from which she never fully recovered, died Dec. 27, 1877. Their children were: Lucus Warren, born Jan. 10, 1847, died Sept. 26, 1847; Maria E., born July 11, 1850, died June 25, 1855, and Myra W., born Oct. 7, 1858. On Jan. 14, 1879, he married Mrs. Mary A. Brown; two children were born to them: Marden Hartwell, born March 5, 1881, and Mary Adaline, born April 10, 1886. Deacon Turner died, Dec. 23, 1894.
JOHN KING
John King, who was prominently connected with South Royalston history for more than half a century, was born in Orange March 5, 1816, the second child of Daniel and Jane (Morton) King. Daniel King was born Nov. 3, 1793, and Jane Morton, July 14, 1799, in the same locality as her husband. She was a daughter of Jonathan Morton, who was a scout in the Revolution and died in Athol April 1, 1818.
John King learned the carpenter's trade and erected several buildings in Orange, and removed to South Royalston when a young man where he continued his business of a contractor and builder. South Royalston at that time was one of the most prosperous villages of Northern Worcester county, and Mr. King with the energy and enthusiasm of a young man went extensively into building operations. Among his building projects was the erection of a shop three stories in height, for getting out builders' supplies. He also moved and rebuilt the house which had been brought down from the Nahum Green place on Gale hill and remodeled it into a hotel which has been the hotel of South Royalston for nearly three quarters of a century. After renting the hotel property for a while, he
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occupied it himself and was the landlord for about seven years, having a livery stable connected with it. In 1870 he sold out to Richard Moore. He was the builder of many of the houses in South Royalston and resided for many years in the house on Main street adjoining the Methodist church property. Soon after removing to South Royalston he married Mary B. Bat- cheller Nov. 21, 1839, who was the daughter of Isaac and Rhod a (Holman) Batcheller. Isaac Batcheller was a direct descen- dant of Nehemiah Batcheller, who was one of the Minute Men who took part in the Battle of Lexington. The children of John King were: George H., born in 1840; Charles A., born in 1842; Clarence E., born in 1845; Mary A., born in 1847; Emma F., born in 1850; Nettie J., in 1853; John H., in 1856; Mabel J., in 1872 and Royial T., in 1876. John King, married second, Rhoda Richardson, third, Pheoba Howard and fourth, Jane Chase. Mabel J. and Royial T., were his children by Jane Chase. He died in South Royalston March 20, 1892.
SILAS HALE
One of the most prominent and progressive farmers of Northern Worcester county in the first half of the 19th century was Silas Hale, who was born on the old Hale place in Gerry, now Phillipston, May 15, 1802. His farm was brought into Royalston by the change of the boundary line between Phillip- ston and this town in 1837. Mr. Hale in his early manhood was very active and possessed a great deal of push. Any scheme which he undertook went through. He was widely known as a horse breeder, owning the famous stallion "Green Mountain Morgan" said to be the best horse ever owned in this part of the country and a sketch of which appears in other pages of this work.
Mr. Hale owned thirty horses at one time and built a new barn, the largest and best in Worcester county at that time. He was also at one time engaged in the raising of sheep. He was much interested in the improvement of agricultural tools which was just beginning to attract the attention of the country at that time. He bought the first mowing machine that was brought into town, a clumsy affair with wooden cutter-bar. He was very active in church work, being one of the leading
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BIOGRAPHICAL
spirits in building the Second Congregational church in South Royalston in 1837, mortgaging his farm for two thousand dollars to raise the necessary funds for the new building. He and his wife sang in the choir for a number of years. In the latter part of his life he met with financial losses which forced him to retire from active life. His health was excellent in his old age and he was possessed of remarkable physical vigor. At eighty years of age he mowed an acre 'in four and a half hours, and spread the hay, then walked a half mile to dinner and back, and a little past five o'clock the hay was raked into tumbles. He is said to be the oldest man who ever climbed the two hundred feet of stairs in Bunker Hill monument, doing that when eighty-nine years of age to the astonishment of the care-taker of the monument. He also went to the polls and voted for president in 1896 when ninety-four years old.
He married Betsy Batcheller of Royalston, Oct. 7, 1823. He had two daughters, one of whom married Anan Stockwell of Royalston and the other Dr. J. B. Gould, who was for several years the physician of South Royalston. Mr. Hale died at Athol, March 28, 1897, at the age of ninety-five, and was buried in Riverside cemetery, South Royalston.
ELISHA F. BROWN
Elisha F. Brown was born in Plaistow, N. H., Oct. 16, 1827. In his early manhood he moved to South Royalston, and soon received the position of station master at the South Royalston station of the Vermont and Massachusetts railroad, the road having been opened only a short time. He retained this posi- tion until 1863 when he was appointed in charge of the station in Athol, officiating as station and ticket agent until 1890, when he was relieved of the station duties, by reason of the in- creased business of the road, and officiated only as ticket agent. While in Athol he was prominent in town and church affairs, serving on the school committee and as moderator at town meetings, and was also prominent in the Unitarian church. When in Royalston he was also prominent in town affairs and served in the legislature in 1861. He was quite a public speaker and well versed in parliamentary rules, was quiet and unas- suming and courteous in every position of life. He married
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
Miss Adeline A. French of South Royalston in 1851; she died in Athol. They had two sons, Edward and Arthur C.
NATHANIEL G. BECKWITH
Nathaniel G. Beckwith, who was engaged in the manufac- ture of wash stands and light stands, sometime before 1850; later he had a small grocery store. He was a native of Ac- worth, N. H., where he was born Sept. 13, 1819. He married Fanny M. Barker of West Claremont, N. H. They had two children: Charles E., born April 19, 1849; and Minnie, born Oct. 28, 1856, both of whom were born in South Royalston Minnie married Frank L. Cobb. Mr. Beckwith died June 18, 1868, and his wife Aug. 9, 1877.
CHAPTER XXVI
SOUTH ROYALSTON BRASS BAND.
One of the famous organizations of the town was the old South Royalston Brass Band, which flourished about the middle of the last century. A band was in existence in South Royals- ton as early as 1840, and during that year it went to Barre, Mass., to play at the great Whig rally at which Daniel Webster was the principal speaker. John M. Upham and Benjamin W. Rich were among those present on that great occasion, and Mr. Rich used to relate an amusing incident which transpired at that time. One of the young musicians on entering the hotel picked up a large stove pipe hat from the hat rack in the hallway and re- marking in a jesting tone, "This is a pretty good hat," placed it upon his head. It happened to be Webster's hat and was so large that it slipped down over the young man's ears, covering his head completely.
The one who is credited as being the most active in the or- ganization of this band was Ebenezer G. Twichell, a talented young musicain, who died Sept. 7, 1847, at the early age of twenty four years.
This band was organized about the year 1845, and included among its members some of the best-known residents of South Royalston and vicinity. Among those who were members of the organization were Ebenezer G. Twichell, John M. Upham, George Thacher Rich, Benjamin W. Rich, Lorenzo Upham, Charles Upham, Webster Upham, Cortland Clark, Wilder Cross, Edwin Stockwell, Caleb Stockwell, Joseph Garner, Charles Bowker, Hapgood Davis, Jeremiah A. Rich, Lyman Clark, Addison Sherwin and Lyman L. Clark. This band existed as a South Royalston organization about fifteen years. The first leader was probably Ebenezer Twichell and others who held that position were John M. Upham, Benjamin W. Rich, Wilder Cross and George T. Rich. It became famous all over Central Massachusetts, Southern Vermont and New Hampshire, having engagements at Keene, N. H., Brattleboro, Vt., Greenfield, Montague, Gardner, Barre and many other places.
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Just prior to the Civil War, as several of the players had re- moved from town, the South Royalston organization consolidat- ed with the Baldwinville Band. The combined bands did con- siderable service in war time, conducting at least two Templeton companies of volunteers to their regimental camps. Several of the South Royalston members entered the army as musicians or as soldiers, Cortland Clark and Joseph Garner going out as members of the Twenty-first Regiment Band of which George T. Rich became leader.
About the time the war closed the South Royalston part of the band ceased to exist. Occasionally during the ten years succeeding the war, Wilder Cross and Lyman Clark would get together and make the valley echo with the music of the fife and drum, and in even more recent years the notes of Benjamin W. Rich's clarinet saluted the ears of the people as they passed along the street. The only survivor of the band now living is Lyman L. Clark. A few caps, instruments and fragments of uniforms are still preserved by J. E. Rich and Fred W. Cross.
SOUTH ROYALSTON'S FORTY-NINERS.
The History of Royalston would not be complete without some reference to that company of Forty-Niners, who soon after the discovery of gold in California in 1848, left South Royalston for that new Eldorado of the West. Their experiences in that far country makes interesting reading for these days. The fever of emigration which swept over many New England towns at that time led seven of the citizens of South Royalston to try their fortunes in the gold country.
This party as originally organized consisted of Capt. John Whitmore, Jeremiah A. Rich, Handel Clark, Lyman Sherwin, Alvin Pierce, Curtis Perry and George Batchellor. Capt. Whit- more, the leader of this company, was at that time one of the most prominent citizens of South Royalston, and was an ex- perienced lumberman and sawmill owner; Jeremiah Rich was a man of considerable experience as a carpenter and wood work- er; and the other five were men of various occupations. Taking ship at Boston in the summer of 1850, they proceeded to the Isthmus of Panama, landing at Colon, which was at that time an unimproved port without wharves or docks. From Colon they
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SOUTH ROYALSTON'S FORTY-NINERS
followed the Chagres River through the present Gatun Lake region to the neighborhood of Culebra Mountain. Here strap- ping their baggage on pack animals they crossed the mountains to the old port of Panama, where they took steamship for San Francisco. From San Francisco they went inland to Stockton, then a city of tents. Here they stored their heavier baggage, and taking only what they could carry on their backs, started for the mountains. Their trip to the gold coast had been marked by one great calamity. While on the way from Panama to San Francisco, George Batcheller, one of the most promising young men in the party, and son of an old Royalston family, died of ship fever and was buried on the shore. A further calamity awaited them in the loss of their supply chests which they had left at Stockton. These chests, built before leaving home, and containing extra boots, blankets and necessary articles of cloth- ing, had cost them about fifty dollars each for transportation and storage alone. A few weeks after they left for the mountains, Stockton was almost utterly destroyed by fire, and their treas- ured chests were burned with all their valuable contents.
The first winter after their arrival in California was spent in a cabin in the mountains. A picture of this cabin, drawn from memory by one of the party, was preserved by Jeremiah Rich, as also were several nuggets of gold secured by him during his stay in the gold regions. Most of the members of the party re- mained away from home about two years, engaged chiefly in placer mining, damming rivers, sluicing, and searching for gold in the beds of streams. All with the exception of Batcheller returned to South Royalston, very little richer in pocket than when they went away, but each possessing a store of experiences which were ever after pleasant to reflect upon, though tinged with events of sadness.
They were in California during some of the most exciting days in the history of that state, when the admission of the state into the union without slavery was one of the burning political questions of the hour, when crime and lawlessness were rampant, and when the Vigilantes were dealing out rough shod justice with a liberal hand. It is stated that when Capt. John Whitmore left Royalston he carried one thousand dollars in gold in a belt strapped around his waist; this story may well be be- lieved, as he was a man who at home often carried large sums in the crown of his stove-pipe hat. It is to be regretted that no
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diary of the experiences of these men during their stay in the gold diggings has been preserved.
SILAS HALE'S FAMOUS GREEN MOUNTAIN MORGAN.
South Royalston was the home of one of the most famous horses of the United States in the middle of the last century,. and horsemen of those days in all parts of this country and even in other countries knew of Silas Hale and his celebrated "Green Mountain Morgan." Mr. Hale first saw the horse in Walpole, N. H., in 1841, and bought him in June, 1842, at Springfield, Vt., when eight years of age, and kept him fourteen years as a stock horse. The first year that he owned him he booked $900, at $10 to ensure, of which $700 proved good; the second year he booked over $1200 at the same price; his receipts increased every year until in one year they amounted to $2745, the price charged then being $20. He sold his stock at higher prices than was received. by any other man in those days, receiving $1500 for a stallion six years old, that went to Davenport, Iowa, while he sold many of his colts to go to Iowa at prices ranging from $200 to $600. Romeo 1st, a promising four years' colt, which much resembled his sire, he sold to S. H. Edgerly of Manchester, N. H., for $600, who in less than two years sold him for $1500 to go to Dubuque, Iowa. Mr. Hale in describing to the writer his Green Mountain Morgan said, "He was as handsome and stylish a horse as was ever made," and that he was in great demand to be ridden at muster for 60 to 100 miles around; he was ridden by the chief marshal at the great water celebration in Boston on the intro- duction of the Cochituate water into the city, and Mr. Hale re- ceived $45 for his services on that occasion. Mr. Hale related with great enthusiasm, an account of a tour through the West with his beautiful horse in 1853, and his eyes sparkled as he re- called the tremendous applause and cheering with which Green Mountain was received as he entered the exhibition ring at the State Fair of Kentucky at Louisville. During this trip he re- ceived the first premium at the State Fairs of Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan. The Cincinnati Gazette of Oct. 13, 1855, speak- ing of another noted horse from New England, which was then attracting attention, said as follows: "So, also, when Hale's Green Mountain appeared on the show grounds at Louisville,
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HALE'S GREEN MOUNTAIN MORGAN
Ky., in 1853, he met with a cordial welcome, and the horse was greeted on his entering the exhibition ring with such eager ap- plause as told full plainly that his form and his style of action were new, but were appreciated by the thousands of strangers before whom he was moving. It is hardly necessary to say that he received the highest premium, as he had previously done the same season at the Michigan State fair at Detroit, and the Ohio State fair at Dayton." It is proper to add that the horse was taken to Dayton, Ohio, by railroad, without any stop for the purpose of rest. The fair at Dayton being over he went directly to Detroit, arriving there after the commencement of the fair. From Detroit he went directly to Louisville, where he arrived late the night previous to the last day of the fair.
Mr. Hale said that the excitement was so great that a New England horse had carried off the highest honors of the state that he was told that he had better look out for the safety of himself and his horse, which advice he took by getting away from the state as soon as possible. An attempt was made at one time to poison the horse in Brattleboro, Vt., and so fearful was Mr. Hale that some harm might befall his favorite steed that he lay many a night in the stall with him, so close that he could reach out his hand and touch him, while his faithful old dog, Zeke, which was a wonderfully sagacious animal, kept guard over both man and horse, and would allow no one to ap- proach near the stall. Many an interesting anecdote might be related of Zeke and Green Mountain. Mr. Hale owned Green Mountain for fourteen years, and sold him the day and month that he was 22 years old for $2000 to a stock company in Will- iamstown, Vt. He lived to be 32 years old, and paid for himself and all his expenses, and did not die in debt.
SOUTH ROYALSTON GRANGE.
One of the youngest and most flourishing organizations of the town is the South Royalston Grange, No. 320, which was organized by C. M. Gardner, Past Master of the State Grange, March 11, 1913, with forty-nine members. Harold C. Mosher was the first master of the Grange, and was just past his 17th birthday when he was installed. It was claimed at the time that he was the youngest man in the United States filling the chair of
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master of a Subordinate Grange. The first officers of South Royalston Grange were: Master, Harold C. Mosher; Overseer, Forest Richmond; Lecturer, Victoria Connolly; Chaplain, Lura Williams; Steward, Frank Brown; Assistant Steward, Charles Stewart; Treasurer, John Heath; Secretary, Florence Wheeler; Gate Keeper, Harry Greenhall; Ceres, Marguerite Henderson; Pomona, Helen Struthers; Flora, Mary Sullivan; Lady Assist- ant Steward, Mrs. Frank Brown; Executive Committee, B. H. Mosher, three years, C. E. Heath, two years, J. F. Wilkey, onc year. Harold C. Mosher served as Master for two years, when Arthur Divoll was elected for the present year. The meetings have been held in Whitney Hall to the present time. During the
OLD METHODIST CHURCH, NOW THE HOME OF SOUTH ROYALSTON GRANGE
spring of 1915 the building known as the old Methodist Church, was purchased of George E. Pierce and will be the future home of the Grange. The present membership is sixty-three.
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SOUTH ROYALSTON POST OFFICE
SOUTH ROYALSTON POST OFFICE
The Post Office at South Royalston was established Nov. 6, 1837, and Hiram W. Albee was the first postmaster. Those holding the office since with the date of their appointment are as follows: Lucas W. Partridge, Feb. 3, 1853; Gardner N. Johnson, Dec. 24, 1857; Silas Stow, Nov. 19, 1858; Lucas W. Partridge, June 21, 1861; Charles Bowker, Aug. 6, 1862; Benjamin B. Murdock, April 12, 1866; Burton B. Murdock, March 14, 1870; David W. Day, Jan. 19, 1874; Amelia I. Day, . May 23, 1877; Nahum Longley, March 24, 1879; Lyman L. Clark, Nov. 11, 1885; Benjamin W. Rich, Nov. 29, 1901; Ed- ward J. Richmond, Sept. 15, 1911.
E. J. Richmond, the present postmaster of the South Royal- ston office, was born Jan. 4, 1870, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire county, England. In 1882, he came to America with his parents, making their home in Montville, Ct., where he attended the public school. In 1884 the family came to South Royalston, and there in the employ of Col. Whitney, he learned the art of weaving in the woolen mill, which he followed until the mill was destroyed by fire. He then tried to broaden his education by attending the Mount Hermon school at Northfield, taking a one year's course. In 1892 he went to Baldwinville where he bought a half interest in the firm known as Heath & Co., a general country store, carrying a seven thousand dollar stock. In 1896 he purchased the entire stock of Heath & Co., and carried the business on himself. At the same time he began soliciting orders in South Royalston, making two deliveries each week; this soon resulted in the purchasing of the old site and build- ings of L. L. Clark & Co. He restocked this store and with his father, A. J. Richmond, as manager, did a successful busi- ness in connection with the Baldwinville store. In 1904 his business was partly destroyed by fire, when he lost heavily. He still continued business there and in 1911 was appointed postmaster, with his brother Forest E., as assistant. He is a member of the Second Congregational church of South Royal- ston and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Baldwin- ville. In connection with his store he does a good amount of real estate business. On Jan. 7, 1894, he was married to Bessie Margaret Harris, daughter of Margaret J. and Arthur F. Harris, of the firm of Holman & Harris. They have two children:
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