USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > The story of Worcester, Massachusetts (1910) > Part 2
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The following is Martha's story:
"When the Indians surrounded the house, the father seized his gun to defend himself and family. He was fired upon
20
The Story of Worcester
and fell. The Indians rushed in, killed him, and tore the scalp from his head. They then seized the mother and her chil- dren, Martha, John, Daniel, Thomas and Mary, and began a rapid retreat. The wife and mother, fainting from grief and fear, impeded their flight, and while as- cending the hills of Tatnuck, in the north- westerly part of Worcester, a chief stepped out of the file, and, looking around as if for game, excited no alarm in his sinking captive. W she had passed by, one blow of the tomahawk relieved the savages from the obstruction to their march."
Two of the children, Daniel and Mary; remained with the Indians and adopted their habits. John and Thomas went to Boston after their release.
CHAPTER II
THIRD AND PERMANENT SETTLEMENT - INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN
S OME of those who had been interested in the second settlement were anx- ious to have the town rebuilt. A committee, consisting of Col. Adam Win- throp, Jonas Rice and Gershom Rice, ad- dressed the General Court. They set forth their desire " to endeavor and enter upon a new settlement of the place from which the former settlers had been driven by war," and asked for assistance. Their peti- tion was granted, and a committee was appointed to arrange for the re-settlement of the town.
In 1711 Jonas Rice purchased of John Allenton, son of Thomas Allenton, one of the second settlers, sixty acres of land in Worcester.
Gershom Rice, in 1712, purchased sixty acres of William Paine of Boston.
22
The Story of Worcester
In 1713, Jonas Rice occupied his land, which was situated on the easterly slope of Sagatabscot Hill, on what is now known as Heywood Street. Here he lived with his family for about a year, the sole inhabit- ant of a wilderness of woods and swamps for fifteen or twenty miles around. He was the first permanent settler of Worces- ter. His brother Gershom joined him in December, 1714, and located on his land near Oak Hill. His house stood near the corner of Grafton and Wall Streets. The land included the grounds of the Grafton Street school. Nathaniel Moore and Dan- iel Heywood soon followed, Moore set- tling near Jonas Rice, and Heywood on the site of the Bay State House.
Other settlers soon followed. In 1718 it was estimated that Worcester had a pop- ulation of two hundred.
The experiences of the past had taught these hardy men to take measures to pro- tect themselves against attack by the In- dians. A garrison house of logs was built on the westerly side of Main Street near Chatham Street. During the first year the people living in the vicinity of this fort
CAPT. SAMUAL BRIDGE
1785
DEBEN WHITING
D. WALDO - 1782
FIRST JAIL 32
S. Salisbury
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SCHOOL HOUSE 1800
COL. TIMOTHY BIGELOW - 1750
JUDGE BANGS- 1780 Or JOSEPH LYNDE - 1774 REV. JOSEPH WHEELER - 1775 NATHAN PATCH - 1785 A (EXCHANGE HOTEL)
OLD SUMMER ST. SCHOOL-1800
B MAS S. PORTER & OLD GREEN STORE IR HON. JOSEPH ALLEN - 1789
A.G. VOTTIER GEER TERRY
P. AND D. GODDARD'S Row 1828
CAPT. MOSES WING-1800 VAE. PRATT 1806
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TREV. DE BANCROFT CAPT. PETER SLATER - 1807 PIZZEZES ROPE WALK
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12 CAPT. JOHN STANTON-1776
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23
Third and Permanent Settlement
were accustomed to sleep within its walls. Another fort was built by Daniel Heywood and located near the junction of Main and Exchange Streets.
In the north part of the town there were several forts. One of them, north of Lin- coln Square, between Prescott and Lincoln Streets, served as a shelter for travellers and a protection for the mills erected on the stream. Near Adams Square a regular blockhouse and fort combined was built, and a long iron cannon was mounted to give the alarm in case of danger.
Meetings for religious exercises were held as early as 1715, in the dwelling- houses most conveniently situated for the people. Each man went to religious serv- ices completely armed as though he were to engage in instant battle.
In 1717 a rude structure of logs was built near the junction of Green and Franklin Streets. This served as a meet- ing-house until 1719, when a large build- ing was erected on the Common.
Some immigrants from the north of Ire- land settled in Worcester about 1718. On account of religious persecution at home
24
The Story of Worcester
they came to the new world, thinking that they would be allowed religious and civil liberty. In this they were mistaken. These people were Presbyterians. Their first meeting-place was in the old garrison house at the north end of the town.
"These frugal, industrious and peace- ful " people attempted to build a meeting- house just north of " The Oaks " on Lin- coln Street. They had hardly completed the framework when, one night, a mob of citizens demolished it. Annoyed and per- secuted, some of these people left Worces- ter and went to Pelham, Massachusetts, and others to Londonderry, New Hamp- shire. Many remained and joined the reg- ularly established church.
Matthew Thornton, who, as delegate to the Continental Congress from New Hamp- shire, signed the Declaration of Independ- ence, is said by his biographer to have resided when a child among the immi- grants in Worcester.
On June 14, 1722, Worcester was incor- porated as a town, and in 1731 became the shire town, or county seat. This was of great value to the place, as many profes-
25
Third and Permanent Settlement
sional and business men were thereby in- duced to make Worcester their home.
The location of the shire town occa- sioned much debate and diversity of opin- ion. Four towns, according to population and valuation, stood higher in rank than Worcester, - Sutton, Lancaster, Mendon and Brookfield. Worcester, on account of its central location, had the advantage. It was proposed to have Lancaster and Worcester half shires, and have the ses- sions of the court held alternately in each town. This was opposed by Joseph Wilder, who remonstrated against the holding of court in Lancaster, lest the morals of its people should be corrupted.
The terms of court were the great holi- days of the county, and the people of neighboring towns assembled in Worces- ter. Wrestling, fighting and horse-racing were common exercises. The stocks and whipping-post were located on Court Hill. Frequent exhibitions of discipline at- tracted crowds of spectators.
CHAPTER III
GROWTH OF THE TOWN - ACADIAN EXILES - BRITISH SPIES - MINUTE MEN - TIMOTHY BIGELOW - WORCESTER IN THE REVOLUTION
T HE town increased steadily in pop- ulation and wealth up to the be- ginning of the Revolution.
In the fall of 1755, eleven persons were sent to Worcester to be provided for by the town authorities. They were Acadian ex- iles, who had been forced by the military power of England to leave their happy homes in Nova Scotia. The inhabitants of the town treated these unfortunate peo- ple with great kindness. Notwithstanding this, the eldest of them died broken-hearted, and the rest, after twelve years, returned to their countrymen in Canada.
In 1775 Worcester had a population of nineteen hundred. At this time the diffi- culties between England and the colonies
27
Growth of the Town
were such that nothing but war could be expected. Preparations for the conflict were actively though silently made. The people of Worcester purchased and manu- factured arms, cast musket-balls, provided powder, and threatened openly to fall upon any body of soldiers that should interfere with them.
General Gage sent his spies here and it was rumored that he intended to send part of his army to execute the "Regulating Act." This Act forbade the holding of town meetings without the written consent of the governor. Two English officers were ordered to make an expedition, exam- ine the roads, learn the distances from town to town, and make maps showing the posi- tion of streams, heights, passes and posts, and report regarding the character of the country. These officers left Boston dis- guised as countrymen and came to Worces- ter. While here they stayed at "Tory " Jones's Tavern, which stood on the site of the Sargent building, Franklin Square, corner of Allen Court.
The report of the journey, made by one of the officers, was found after the evacu-
28
The Story of Worcester
ation of Boston. In his story he said: " However, as we imagined we had staid long enough in that town (Worcester) we resolved to set off at day break the next morning, and get to Framingham. Ac- cordingly, off we set, after getting some roast meat and brandy from our landlord, which was very necessary on a long march, and prevented us going into houses where, perhaps, they might be too inquisitive. We took a road we had not come, and that led us to the pass four miles from Worcester. We went on unobserved by any one, until we passed Shrewsbury, when we were over- taken by a horseman who examined us very attentively, and especially me, whom he looked at from head to foot, as if he wanted to know me again. After he had taken his observations, he rode off pretty hard, and took the Marlborough road, but by good luck we took the Framingham road again."
The horseman was Captain Timothy Bigelow, sent by the committee of corre- spondence to observe the officers, whose martial bearing, notwithstanding their care and disguise, betrayed their military char- acter.
29
Growth of the Town
It is believed that General Gage intended to march troops to Worcester and capture the large quantity of stores that he thought had been collected. Whatever his plans were, they were disarranged by the result of the April movements.
Companies of "minute-men " were formed and exercised. At the town-meet- ing held in March, 1775, it was voted " that each of the minute-men belonging to the town, attending drill one half day of each week, shall be paid by the town, one shil- ling per man for each one half day's serv- ice." A penalty for absence provided for the same amount.
The services of these minute-men were soon required. On the day of the battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, “a messenger, riding a white horse covered with sweat and bloody from spurring, dashed through the town crying: -
"'To arms! To arms! The war is begun ! '"
His horse fell from exhaustion, but, an- other being procured, he hastened on. The bell was rung, cannon were fired, and the minute-men were ready at a short notice.
30
The Story of Worcester
They were paraded on the common under Captain Timothy Bigelow, and after prayer by Rev. Thaddeus Maccarty, began their march. They were soon followed by other volunteers under Captain Benjamin Flagg. On that day Worcester sent one hun- dred and ten men on the march to Concord. They were met on the way by messengers who informed them of the retreat of the British. The soldiers then marched to Boston.
During the early part of 1775, captives from the British army were sent here, and the jail was filled with prisoners of war. Some of these were allowed, under parole, to enter the service of the inhabi- tants.
The expedition against Quebec took place in September. Among the brave men who marched through the wilderness under General Benedict Arnold were Major Timothy Bigelow, Captain Jonas Hubbard and other soldiers from Worcester. In the attack on the fortification, Dec. 31, 1775, Captain Hubbard was mortally wounded, and died in the hospital about two weeks later. Major Bigelow and the soldiers
31
Growth of the Town
were taken prisoners and confined in prison nearly a year, when they were exchanged.
On Sunday, July 14, I776, Isaiah Thomas read from the porch of the Old South Meeting House the Declaration of Independence. This was the first reading of the Declaration upon Massachusetts soil.
On November 4, 1777, General Bur- goyne and his captured army passed through Worcester on their way to Cam- bridge, where they were held under guard.
Soldiers enlisted and also were drafted from time to time to assist the Continental Army in different sections. Out of the population of 1900 people, Worcester fur- nished about 400 soldiers, or more than twenty per cent. of the total population.
Worcester was represented by her sol- diers at Cambridge, Bunker Hill, Quebec, Long Island, Saratoga, Valley Forge, Monmouth and Yorktown.
" MINUTE MEN "
1 " The origin of the term ' Minute Men ' seems clear. It originated in the Court
1 Contents of a letter written to Mr. Franklin P. Rice by Mr. C. W. Ernst, of Boston.
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The Story of Worcester
House at Worcester, Mass., September 21, 1774. The evidence, peculiarly conclusive, is in a volume entitled The Journals of Each Provincial Congress, Boston, 1838, pp. 643-644.
" The context of the earliest passage, on Page 664, is interesting. The Worcester : County Convention asked the militia of- ficers to resign and soon thought a new force desirable. The new officers were to be chosen by the respective towns, and the militia, organized under purely American or 'constitutional ' authority, was to be ready ' to act at a minute's notice.'
" This new force was immediately called ' Minute Men.' "
CHAPTER IV
SHAYS'S REBELLION - WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE VISIT WORCESTER
A T the close of the Revolution, the country was struggling under the weight of a heavy debt. There was no money to meet the pay due to the soldiers ; business was at a standstill; the money in circulation was mostly paper money and no one knew its value, for what was worth one dollar in one state might be worthless in another; there was compara- tively little domestic trade, owing to the jealousy of the different states.
The laboring classes were sorely pressed to meet their private obligations, while levy after levy of public tax was being laid upon them by the Legislature. The legal fraternity reaped a harvest because of the rapid increase of civil actions.
Honest and industrious citizens were dragged off to prison or their possessions
34
The Story of Worcester
were sold to satisfy a debt or for payment of taxes.
The people, driven to desperation, first attacked the lawyers, then the courts. For more than four years the people had been looking to the Legislature for relief, but had been disappointed. They could wait no longer.
A body of me banded together and called themselves "The Regulators." Their object was not the destruction of life and property, but they wished to show their determination that they meant to have re- form, not only in the laws of the Common- wealth, but in the manner of their execu- tion. It was the spontaneous rising of an overtaxed and overburdened people.
In August, 1786, 1500 of the Regulators assembled and took possession of the court house in Northampton, and prevented the sitting of the official body. Governor Bow- doin issued a proclamation, appealing to the officers and citizens to suppress such treasonable demonstrations.
The citizens of Hampshire, Berkshire, Worcester, Middlesex and Bristol Counties were in a state of intense excitement. On
35
Shays's Rebellion
September 4th, an armed body of men under Capt. Adam Wheeler, of Hubbards- ton, took possession of the court house in Worcester. The justices and court attend- ants were refused admittance. When Chief Justice Artemas Ward demanded why this armed force was present, and who was in command, Captain Wheeler replied that they had come to relieve the country from distress by preventing the sessions of the courts until the people could obtain re- lief from their grievances by legislation.
1
The judge reproved the rioters, and re- tired to the United States Arms where court was opened and adjourned to the next day. The officers of the militia reported that they were unable to muster their companies, and the court adjourned to November 21.
Excitement ran high in the western part of the state. Two or three thousand men assembled at Great Barrington, Berkshire County, and prevented the sitting of the courts in that place. 1378328
Men were now assembling in Spring- field to prevent the sitting of the Supreme Judicial Court. The friends of the gov- ernment numbered about 800 men and wore
36
The Story of Worcester
pieces of white paper in their hats to dis- tinguish themselves from the Regulators. The Regulators numbered 900 well armed men under command of Captain Daniel Shays, and 500 camp followers, each with a green sprig in his hat.
The court was not allowed to do business, and a compromise was effected by which those men confined in prison for debt should be released.
It was impossible to transact any business in the courts of Middlesex, Bristol, Worces- ter, Hampshire or Berkshire Counties.
Governor Bowdoin issued a proclama- tion calling together the members of the General Court October 18, 1786. It was decided to remove, so far as it was in their power, all causes of discontent, believing that when this was done, nothing further would be heard of insurrection. The House voted to remove the General Court from Boston if it could be done with any advantage to the people. An address to the people was issued and sent to every town informing the people of the exact condition of public matters and trying to show that much of the dissatisfaction and unrest
37
Shays's Rebellion
among the people came largely from a lack of knowledge relating to the affairs of the state. A general pardon was granted all persons who had taken part in the insurrec- tion, provided they would take the oath of allegiance before Jan. 1, 1787.
Confidence was partially restored and no opposition was offered to the sitting of the courts at Taunton and Cambridge.
The next court to convene was that in Worcester which had adjourned to Novem- ber 21. The Regulators had not forgotten the day. A company of sixty men came in from Princeton and others arrived from Shrewsbury and Hubbardston. They sur- rounded the Court House and the justices dispersed without transacting any business.
The Court of Common Pleas was to con- vene in Worcester in December. The Reg- ulators, one thousand strong, collected in and about Worcester. Captain Shays, with his followers from Hampshire County, marched to Rutland. Some of his men were quartered at Shrewsbury, others at Grafton and Holden.
On December 3, 1786, the Regulators who went to Grafton marched into Worces-
38
The Story of Worcester
ter and took possession of the Court House. Captain Shays arrived with about 350 men ; and after joining the companies already in town, a grand parade was made about the streets.
The Regulators were successful in Worcester and many of them returned to their homes. Captain Shays, with about 500 men, returned by way of Paxton to Rutland.
Springfield was the next objective place and Shays marched his little army there and took possession of the court house.
Governor Bowdoin immediately issued orders to raise 500 men to serve 30 days and march to the protection of the courts to be held in Worcester, Jan. 23, 1787. He gave command of this force to Major-Gen- eral Benjamin Lincoln. He issued an or- der to Gen. Lincoln to protect the courts at Worcester and to capture, secure and disarm all bodies of armed men who might be assembled in the counties of Worcester, Hampshire, Berkshire or elsewhere in the state.
The troops marched upon Worcester and thence to Springfield. Shays and his men
39
Shays's Rebellion
retreated before them. After 250 of the insurgents were captured, the rest were dis- persed. Shays fled to Vermont, where he remained a year, finally receiving a full pardon.
Captain Daniel Shays was born in Hop- kinton. He served with distinction in the Revolutionary War. General Lafayette rewarded him for bravery by presenting to him an elegant sword. There is no ques- tion but that Shays was actuated by purely patriotic motives.
General George Washington paid two visits to Worcester. The first was made July 1, 1775, when he passed through here on his way to Cambridge, to take command of the Continental Army. He remained here one night, stopping at the "Stearns Tavern," formerly the " King's Arms," oc- cupying the site of the present Lincoln House. His second visit was in the autumn of 1789, when he made his tour of New England. This time he stayed at the " United States Arms," now called the Ex- change Hotel, corner of Main and Market Streets.
General Lafayette visited Worcester
40
The Story of Worcester
twice. His first visit was made in 1824, and the second in 1825. The last time he passed through he was on his way to Boston, to assist at the laying of the corner-stone of Bunker Hill Monument.
CHAPTER V WORCESTER IN THE WAR OF 1812 AND THE MEXICAN WAR
E ARLY in the century war broke out between England and France. The latter nation demanded assistance from the United States. This was refused. We were at peace with the world and could not take sides with either nation, even though our sympathies were with France. France threatened and finally war broke out.
The President called for volunteers, in case they should be needed to repel inva- sion. A company of sixty men was formed in Worcester and held in readiness to march upon orders. Peace was declared and their services were not needed.
The War of 1812 was not popular with the people of New England, and very little enthusiasm was exhibited. Worcester took no active part, other than sending the
42
The Story of Worcester
Worcester Light Infantry and the Worces- ter Artillery to serve in camp around Bos- ton.
Worcester was not represented in the Mexican War by any number of volunteer soldiers. An officer in the regular army, Captain George Lincoln, a son of Governor Levi Lincoln, was killed at Buena Vista. Captain Lincoln had taken part in the Sem- inole War and, as a participant in the Mex- ican War, he was in the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. In general orders we read the following: -
" We have to lament the death of Cap- tain George Lincoln, Assistant Adjutant General, serving on the staff of General Wool, a young officer of high bearing, and approved gallantry, who fell early in the action." - Major-General Taylor's official Report.
OLD CITY HALL AND OLD SOUTH CHURCH
Page 43
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CHAPTER VI EARLY CHURCH HISTORY CONGREGATIONALIST'S
S HORTLY after the third settlement in 1713, the settlers, each with a loaded gun, were accustomed to meet for religious services on the Sabbath, at the log house of Jonas Rice on Heywood Street. About 1717 they met in the private house of James Rice, who lived near the junction of Green and Franklin streets.
In 1719 they built their first church on the Common. In less than fifty years this was found to be too small and a new church was built in 1763. This church, known as the Old South Church, remained practi- cally unchanged until 1887, when it was torn down to make room for the City Hall.
The bell cast by Paul Revere hangs in the belfry of the new Old South Church, corner of Main and Wellington streets.
The South Parish in 1819 undertook to
44
The Story of Worcester
discipline some of its members and a sep- aration took place. This resulted in the formation of the Calvinist Church. These people met in the Court House until 1826, when they moved into what was then known as the "Waldo Church." Hon. Daniel Waldo erected the new church, - the Central Church on Main Street, north of George Street, - and presented it to the Society. This building, without the steeple, is still standing. The society is now known as the Central Church and occupies a splen- did building on the corner of Salisbury Street and Institute Road.
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