USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Royalston > The history of the town of Royalston, Massachusetts > Part 8
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Attest, JOSEPH ESTABROOK, Town Clerk.
Town of Royalston, County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
September 1, 1808.
At another Town Meeting held the following winter on Feb. 23, 1809, with Ammi Faulkner as Moderator, the citizens of Royalston speak with no uncertain tone regarding the con- dition of public affairs, and their right to discuss in public Town Meetings the measures of Government.
A committee of five consisting of Joseph Estabrook, Stephen Bacheller, Jr., John Norton, Isaac Metcalf and Rufus Bullock are chosen to draft a petition. It was voted to adjourn the meeting one hour, at the expiration of which this committee presented a petition of which the following is a copy:
"To the Honorable, the Senate and the House of Represen- tatives in General Court assembled, being the honourable the Senate and house of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The inhabitants of the Town of Royalston legally assembled in Town Meeting for the purpose of taking into consideration the present unprecedented and very alarming situation of our public affairs. Humbly represent that when there is a derilection from the first principles, when there is a practical separation from what is warranted by the constitution in those that lead in Government, then there is a call to vigilance to prevent the progress of the evil.
Notwithstanding it has been recently estimated from high authority that the people in Town Meetings, are not capable of judging of the propriety or impropriety of the measures of Government, and that there are stages when an end must be put to debate, yet so long as as we consider our National and State constitutions the law of our land, we shall, agreeably to the rights therein secured to us which rights we are determined never to relinquish, take the liberty in all important matters, particularly when those rights are invaded and trampled upon, to assemble in orderly and peaceable manner to make our griev- ances known and to use all proper and constitutional means to
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have them redressed. We have seen with anxiety a system of measures pursued which has paralyzed Industry and enterprise, discouraged our farmers and embarrassed our merchants, brought distress upon all classes of our people and produced the greatest temptations for an illicit trade perhaps ever known. We are firmly attached to our National and State Constitutions and cheerfully pledge our lives and everything we hold dear to support them. We are also firmly attached to a union of the states and should view with horror and detestation any attempts to sever them or to discountenance that friendship and harmony that ought to subsist between them. In our opinion the several acts laying an Embargo, more particularly the late law to enforce it, are unconstitutional and tyranical beyond all former example in this country, and unprecedented in any except those that are completely despotic, as it unites in the same person legislative, executive and judicial powers, subjects our houses to unreasonable searches and seizures upon the mere suspicion of an uncertain dependent, and renders the innocent equally liable to suffer with guilty subjects as in fact to a military despotism, and produces a long train of evils, abuses and usurpations to which in our opinion it would be criminal for free men patiently to submit without remonstrance, and indeed if they do willingly submit they become voluntary slaves.
We are firmly attached to our State Legislature and highly approve of their measures the present session, and request them to preserve with firmness and use their influence with our national government to abandon a system of measures destructive to our National prosperity, and we renewedly pledge our lives and fortunes in support of our just rights and National Independence, but we do not feel willing to proffer our all in support of an unnecessary war for the gratification of any party and in duty bound will ever pray.
Voted to accept the above petition and dissolve said meeting."
J. ESTABROOK, Town Clerk.
The first Representative to the General Court, from Royal- ston was chosen, May 27, 1776; and at the last town meeting warned in his majesty's name. The next meeting was held, Sept. 20th of the same year, but the warrant was issued under
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
the authority of a different name, as follows: "In the name of the Government and People of the State of Massachusetts Bay in New England."
After 1776, the town did not send a Representative again till 1780; but from that time with a few exceptions, there has been a regular succession, generally but one, sometimes two, annually, down to 1857. Since then, the District System has prevailed and Royalston has been associated with other towns. The General Court used to convene annually on the last Wednes- day in May-the old election day-when the Governor and Government elect, for the ensuing year, were inaugurated.
REPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT
Timothy Richardson, 1776.
John Fry, 1780, '83, '84, '85, '87. Jonathan Sibley, 1786. Peter Woodbury, 1788, '89. Oliver Work, 1792. Isaac Gregory, 1794, '95, 1801, '03, '06, '07, '08. Philip Sweetzer, 1798. John Norton,, 1800, '13, '14.
Joseph Estabrook, 1809, '10, '11, '12, '15, '16, '17, '25. Squier Davis, 1823. Rufus Bullock, 1820, '21, '27, '28, '29.
Stephen Bacheller, Jr., 1826, '30. Franklin Gregory, 1831, '33. Benjamin Brown, 1832, '45. Asahel Davis, 1834. Russell Morse, 1835, '36, '39. Arba Sherwin, 1835, '37, '39. Benoni Peck, 1836, '37. Salmon Goddard, 1838.
Benjamin Fry, 1838, '40, '54. Cyrus Davis, 1840. Hiram W. Albee, 1843, '46, '52, '53. Barnet Bullock, 1844. Silas Kenney, 1848. Elmer Newton, 1849. Joseph Raymond, 1850, '51. Tarrant Cutler, 1855.
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Jarvis Davis, 1856. Joseph Estabrook, 1857.
The twenty-first article of the amendments to the Consti- tution was adopted by the Legislatures of 1856 and '57, and ratified by the people in 1857. Under the provisions of the amendment the towns of Royalston and Athol constituted the Second Representative District of Worcester County, and were represented until the next apportionment as follows:
Isaac Stevens, of Athol, 1858.
George Whitney, of Royalston, 1859.
Nathaniel Richardson, of Athol, 1860.
Elisha F. Brown, of Royalston, 1861.
Farwell F. Fay, of Athol, 1862. Alpheus Harding, Jr., of Athol, 1863.
Ebenezer W. Bullard, of Royalston, 1864.
Calvin Kelton, of Athol, 1865.
Wm. W. Clement, of Royalston, 1866.
Under the apportionment of 1866, based on the census of 1865, the same towns constituted the same district, and were represented until the next apportionment as follows:
Alpheus Harding, of Athol, 1867.
Jeremiah A. Rich, of Royalston, 1868.
Thomas H. Goodspeed, of Athol, 1869.
Benjamin H. Brown, of Royalston, 1870.
Ozi Kendall, of Athol, 1871. George H. Hoyt, of Athol, 1872.
George H. Hoyt, of Athol, 1873.
Jeremiah A. Rich, of Royalston, 1874.
Edwin Ellis, of Athol, 1875. William W. Fish, of Athol, 1876.
Under the apportionment of 1876, based on the census of 1875, the same towns constituted the Eighth Worcester District, and were represented until the next apportionment as follows: Joseph Walker, of Royalston, 1877.
J. Sumner Parmenter, of Athol, 1878. Leander B. Morse, of Athol, 1879. Russell S. Horton, of Athol, 1880. Ira Y. Kendall, of Athol, 1881. Henry M. Humphrey, of Athol, 1882. Frank W. Adams, of Royalston, 1883.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
C. Frederick Richardson, of Athol, 1884.
Washington H. Amdsen, of Athol, 1885.
Benjamin W. Rich, of Royalston, 1886.
Under the apportionment of 1886, based on the census of 1885, the towns of Athol, Royalston and Phillipston, constituted the First Representative District of Worcester County, and have been represented as follows:
Sidney P. Smith, of Athol, 1887, 1888.
John D. Holbrook, of Athol, 1889.
C. Waldo Bates, of Phillipston, 1890.
Lucien Lord, of Athol, 1891.
Charles A. Crossman, of Athol, 1892.
Col. George Whitney, of Royalston, 1893.
C. Waldo Bates, of Phillipston, 1894.
Harding R. Barber, of Athol, 1895, 1896.
Under the apportionment of 1896, the same towns consti- tuted the First Worcester District and during this decade the District was represented as follows:
Wm. H. Mellen, of Athol, 1897.
Oscar T. Brooks, of Athol, 1898.
Phinehas S. Newton, of Royalston, 1899.
Charles A. Carruth, of Athol, 1900, 1901.
Edmund C. Shepardson, of Athol, 1902, 1903.
Fred W. Lord, of Athol, 1904, 1905.
James H. Hutchins, of Phillipston, 1906.
In the apportionment of 1906, two towns were added, and the First Worcester District now consists of Athol, Royalston, Petersham, Dana and Phillipston, and the Representatives under the apportionment have been:
James Oliver, of Athol, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910.
Merrick E. Hildreth, of Petersham, 1911.
Ernest Warren Tyler, of Athol, 1912, 1913.
Fred W. Cross, of Royalston, 1914, 1915, 1916.
In addition to the Representatives to the Legislature, those who have represented Royalston in the State Government and Conventions have been :
Henry Bond, Delegate to the First Provincial Congress, in 1774.
Nahum Green, Delegate to the Second Provincial Congress, in 1774.
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Henry Bond, Delegate to the Concord Convention for Stat- ing prices, 1779.
Silvanus Hemenway, Delegate to the First Constitutional Convention, 1779.
At the town meeting at which it was voted to send Mr Hemenway as the Delegate to the Convention at Cambridge' "Mr. Lee, Esq. Batcheller, Lieut. Davis, Lieut. Allen and Jacob Estey were chosen a committee to give the Delegate instructions.'
John Fry was elected Mr. Hemenway's substitute for the Convention of 1780.
John Fry, Delegate at the Ratification of the Constitution of the United States in 1788,
Royalston has furnished three State Senators, Joseph Esta- brook, who died during his term of office, 1828.
Rufus Bullock, 1831 and 1832.
Col. George Whitney, 1863 and 1864.
Col. George Whitney in addition to representing the town in
the Legislature, both in the House and Senate, was also a mem- ber of the Governor's Council for the years 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876 and 1877, five consecutive years, when he declined to stand longer as a candidate for the office. The vote at the election in 1875, to serve in 1876, as recorded in the office of the Secretary of State is George Whitney, 24,318; scattering, 7. The vote at the election in 1876, to serve in 1877, recorded as above is George Whitney, 33,354, and no votes against him. It is doubt- ful if any other man in the Commonwealth has a like record of unanimity at any election where 30,000 or more ballots have been cast.
Royalston has also furnished Worcester County with some of its most able and popular officers: Edward A. Brown was appointed Jan. 20, 1876, as County Treasurer to fill an unex- pired term of Charles A. Chase, who had resigned, and was re-elected at the expiration of each three years term of office until 1912, when he declined to be a candidate for another term. He served continuously for a period of thirty-six years, a longer time than any other Treasurer of Worcester County has ever served.
William O. Brown was elected County Commissioner of Worcester County in 1868, and re-elected six times. He com-
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
pleted his twenty-first year of continuous service at the close of 1889, only a few months before his death, when failing health compelled him to decline a re-election. He was chairman of the Board twelve years.
During the Whig times the voters of Royalston were largely in favor of the Whig Party. In the chapter on Royalston Red Letter Days there is an account of the great Whig celebration in 1840. On the Fourth of July of the same year the Royalston Whigs turned out in large numbers to take part in a Fourth of July celebration by the Whigs in Barre. The Royalston banner had for its motto "Royalston as she was in '76, she always has been."
Reveue :- "The wicked have drawn the sword and bent the bow, to cut down the poor and needy; but their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bow shall be broken " The banner, of the sister town of Warwick had for its motto, "Warwick- Harrison and Tyler-Davis and Hull, "We come to bury Loco Focoism, not to Praise it."
Royalston had a flourishing Whig Association officered as follows: President, Rufus Bullock; vice-presidents, Stephen Batcheller, Benoni Peck, Russell Morse, Benjamin Brown, Otis Bemis; secretary, A. H. Bullock; directors, Barnet Bullock, George Pierce, Jonathan Gale, Joseph Raymond, Cyrus Davis, W. N. Vose, Joseph Davis, Hezekiah Newton, Robert Thompson, Chester Bancroft, James Clark, Joseph Jacobs, Arba Sherwin, Winthrop Livermore, Ansel Howard, Benjamin Bragg, Benja- min Fry, Ebenezer Pierce.
The Town of Royalston in regard to its political affiliations has been decidedly Federalist, Whig and Republican succes- sively as those political parties have existed, and the Democratic party and its doctrines have never gained any strong foothold in town.
Perhaps the greatest upheaval in the politics of the town was the great Progressive movement of 1912, when Royalston for the first time in its history repudiated the Republican party and cast its vote in opposition to it, when many of the former leaders of the Republican party left it and enrolled themselves under the banner of Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive move- ment.
At the first election after the adoption of the State Consti- tution, Sept. 4, 1780, Royalston's vote for Governor was John
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Hancock, Federalist, forty, with no votes in opposition, and she remained steadfast to the first Governor under the Constitu- tion, and one of her own early proprietors, during his candidacy for that office. At the election of 1784, His Excellency John Hancock had twenty-seven votes, with none in opposition. At the election of the following year, 1785, for some reason which we have been unable to ascertain, only six votes were recorded as having been cast for Governor all of which were for John Hancock. In 1787 John Hancock had one hundred and fifteen votes and James Bowdoin had four. The last year of the candidacy of Governor Hancock, Royalston gave him forty-six votes to seven for his opponent, Samuel Phillips, Esq. At the election of 1795, Samuel Adams, Federalist, had forty- six votes and the opposition seven. In 1804 Caleb Strong, Federalist, received one hundred and eleven votes for Governor and Hon. James Sullivan, Democrat, nineteen.
In 1810 Christopher Gore, Federalist, received one hundred and fifty-four votes to forty-three for Elbridge Gerry, Democrat. In 1816 Hon. John Brooks, Federalist, had two hundred and two votes, and Samuel Dexter the Democrat, forty-five.
The vote for President from 1860 to the present time has been as follows:
1860-Lincoln, 229; Douglas, 18.
1864-Lincoln, 249; McClellan, 23.
1868-Grant, 225; Seymour, 21.
1872-Grant, 200; Greeley 4.
1876-Hayes, 220; Tilden, 55.
1880-Garfield, 216; Hancock, 45; Weaver, 2.
1884-Blame, 176; Cleveland, 43; Butler, 7.
1888-Harrison, 181; Cleveland, 56; Fiske, 14.
1892-Harrison, 145; Cleveland, 58; Bidwell, 11.
1896-McKinley, 155; Bryan, 14; Levering, 7.
1900-McKinley, 114; Bryan, 20; Woolly, 6.
1904-Roosevelt, 117; Parker, 20.
1908-Taft, 98; Bryan 14, Hisgin 3; Chaffin, 3 ;.
1912-Roosevelt, 80; Taft, 33; Wilson, 21.
During the three years, of the candidacy of Alexander H. Bullock, Royalston's favorite son, for Governor, the town stood royally by the Republican candidate, not only for Governor but the entire ticket. At the election of 1865, Alexander H. Bullock,
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
the Republican candidate for Governor, received one hundred and eighty votes, Couch, the Democratic candidate none. In 1866 Alexander H. Bullock had two hundred and nine votes, and Benjamin F. Butler, one. All the other State and County officers had two hundred and eight votes and there were no opposition votes cast, while Capt. John G. Mudge of Petersham for Senator had two hundred and nine votes and no opposition. The next year, 1867, Alexander H. Bullock had two hundred and twenty votes and John Quincy Adams twenty-one.
CHAPTER VIII
EDUCATION
The cause of Education and the schools have been carefully looked after by the people of Royalston from the very first settlement of the town all through the years down to the present time, and few towns of its size in the old Commonwealth can show so large a list of their sons and daughters that have received a college education or attended the seminaries and academies of the land, and have gone forth as teachers, or entered into the ministry and, learned professions. In the sale of Royalston territory, the General Court reserved one sixty-third part of the whole purchase for school purposes, and the purchasers, before they drew lots for themselves, set apart 520 acres for school land. The Hon. Isaac Royal, by his will, gave the town 200 acres more for school purposes, and thus we see that, from the first 720 acres of the township was appropriated to the cause of popular education, while later in the history of the town, one of its honored citizens, Hon. Rufus Bullock, gave and bequeathed to the town by his will the sum of five thousand dollars, to be held and applied as a fund, the income of which shall be appro- priated and paid over for the benefit and use of Common Schools in said town. The first action of the town, in relation to schools was a vote taken in 1767 "to lease out the school land." Two years later it was voted "to sell the school land for as much as it will sell for; the principal to be a fund for schools, and the interest to be applied yearly to pay for schooling." In 1769, the first appropriation for schools was made when three pounds was raised to hire schooling that year. The same year the Select- men drew an order upon the town treasurer to pay Simeon Chamberlain, the sum of eighteen shillings, it being for two weeks schooling last February and March. The next year Capt. John Fry draws from the town treasury two pounds and ten shillings for five weeks school teaching. The same year John Crawford draws two pounds for one month, Simeon Cham- berlain one pound and sixteen shillings for one month, and Isaac Esty four shillings for boarding a "School Dame." In
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
1771 Hannah Richardson received eighteen shillings and eight pence for teaching school seven weeks and boarding herself. In 1777 the town voted that "the schoo money interest, and security be committed to the town Treasurer."
Simeon Chamberlain, the first School Master of Royalston, came to Royalston from Douglas or Sutton, and was one of the very early settlers. He was a school master in Sutton and Douglas before coming to Royalston, and a great-great grandson living in Newport, N. H., has his original record of scholars in the schools he taught in Sutton, Douglas and Royalston.
The Royalston record is as follows: "School Register kept by Simeon Chamberlain, School Master of Royalston, Mass., Royalston, February, ye 20th, 1769. When I came to the house of Widow Winship and began to tend school. The names of the scholars:
John Fry
Abjiah Richardson,
Eliphalet Richardson,
Jonas Livermore,
Nathaniel Wheeler, Seth Wheeler,
Simeon Chamberlain, Molly Carr,
David Bruce,
Sarah Rumbell,
Solomon Babcock,
Ketura Babcock,
Percis Babcock,
Alpha Barton,
Ephraim Hill,
Abaga l Hill,
Josia Bruce,
Abagail Bruce,
Thomas Ellyot,
The following order drawn by the Selectmen upon the Town Treasurer was to pay for this school:
"To Mr. Peter Woodbury, Town Treasurer: Please to pay to Simeon Chamberlain, the sum of eighteen shillings, it being for two weeks schooling last February and March: and this shall discharge you for so much.
Royalston, September ye 19th, 1769.
BENJAMIN WOODBURY,
£0: 18: 0. PETER WOODBURY, Selectmen.
Mr. Chamberlain's Register of the next winter, 1770, states that the school was again held at the house of Widow Winship and gives a list of twenty-three scholars. The name of one of the scholars, Ketura Babcock, that appeared on the 1769 register does not appear on this one, for during the summer of 1769, Aug. 30, she was killed by lightning in her father's house at the age of fifteen years and eight days.
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The third register of Master Chamberlain under date of Royalston, December, ye 28, 1772, says: "Then I came to Deacon Estey's and began to tend school."
The names of the scholars that term were: Nathaniel Wheeler, Seth Wheeler, Elijah Walker, Moses Walker, Whitman Jacobs, Sarah Rumble, Phebe Grant, Eunice Grant, Elias Metcalf, Micha Perry, Thaddeus Perry, Benjamin Perry, Betty Perry, Joseph Chamber'ain, Molly Chamberlain, Sarah Chamberlain, Molly Carr, Simeon Chamberlain, John Chamberlain, Abagail Chamberlain, Isaac Jones, Thankful Marsh, Waid Jones, Timothy Richardson, Deborah Jones, Rhoda Jones. Most of these scholars were not born in Royalston but came to town with their parents.
Up to this time there were no school houses, the schoo's being held in the dwellings and sometimes in the barns of the settlers. In 1777 there was an article in the town meeting warrant, "To see if the town will build a school house as near the meeting house in Royalston as convenient; if not, to see, if the town, will give liberty to a number of the inhabitants, near the centre, to build a school-house in said place for their own benefit." The town declined to build, but granted the liberty asked for. This building which was the first school- house in town was erected on the northeasterly line of the Common. Tradition gives the names of the first three teachers employed in this house. The first was a foreigner, by the name of Wood, who was remembered for many years as being a "very learned man." The second was Ammi Falkner, who was after- wards Deacon, Selectman and Assessor; the third was Ebenezer Pierce of Warwick afterwards deacon of the Baptist church.
After the close of the war, in 1786, the lot of land which had been set apart for schools by the first propr etors, and which had been leased out down to that day, was sold, and the proceeds of that sale are the foundation of the present school fund.
Probably the first attempt to divide the schools into what we have known as districts was in 1777, when May 26 it was "Voted to Squadron out the Schools in said town and the money to be paid according to the proportion of said inhabitants." Under this vote chose Capt. Woodbury, Timothy Richardson, S meon Chamberlain, Lieut Chase, Squadron Committee for that purpose.
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HISTORY OF ROYALSTON
The districting of the town proved a difficult problem, and was not adjusted until after several experiments. In 1781 the town was divided into six districts. One of these-the southwest -passed from the jurisdiction of Royalston in 1783 and became a part of Orange, leaving only five districts. In 1793 an attempt was made to re-district the town but the report of the committee was not accepted, and nothing was done until 1795 when at a town meeting held January 5 of that year, a committee was chosen consisting of Phillip Sweetzer, Nat. Bragg, Jonas Thomp- son, David Lyon, Jacob Estey, Dea. Bullock, Nathan Bullock, John Norton.
This committee reported to the town May 1795, and their report was accepted as follows: "We the subscribers being chosen a Committee at a legal Meeting of the Inhabitants of Royalston, Jan. 5, 1795 in order to district the town into School Districts, have agreed there shall be Nine Districts as follows :-
First. "The West District" to begin at the N. W. Corner of the Town, running S. to the corner of Orange, thence E. to Mr. White's W. line; thence northerly, the W. side of Jonathan Matthews house, so as to take in Lieut. Goddard's house ; thence northerly to Samuel Fuller's W. line; so on the State line; thence W. to the bound first mentioned.
Second. "The N. W. District'' to begin at Orange line, thence E. by said Orange, to Jacob Estey's S. E. corner; thence northerly to the E. of Daniel Warren's house, so on to the E. of Andrew Kendall's house :- so on till we strike the Brook that runs between Ebenezer Ingalls and Ebenezer Blan- ding's house :- so on said Brook till we strike the State line :--- thence W. by Richmond line :- to the E. side of the West District.
Third. "West of the Pond Road District," to begin at the Baptist meeting house :- thence W. to the N. W. District line: -thence S. by said district to Orange line, still S. by said Orange line to Athol :- thence easterly on Athol line so as to take in Jonathan Kendall's lane-thence northerly to the S. of the Pond :- thence to the N. end of the Pond :- thence W. to the said Meeting House.
Fourth. "Under the Hill District," to begin at the Baptist Meeting House :- thence W. on the line of the "W. of the Pond District," till it strikes Daniel Warren's land :- thence nor- therly by a line of the "N. W. District" to New Hampshire
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EDUCATION
line :- thence E. till it strikes Silas Heywood's W. line :- thence S. by Thomas Perry's W. line to Jacob Estey's S. line :-- thence W. to the Long Pond :- thence N. W. to the Baptist Meeting House.
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