USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Paxton > Town of Paxton, Massachusetts : 150th anniversary celebrated June 30, 1915 > Part 2
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This tract embraced the present towns of Leicester, Spencer, and part of Auburn and a strip of the southerly part of Paxton about two miles in width.
"On the 22d day of December, 1686 Henry Willard and four others bought of certain Indians another tract of land 12 miles square called Naquag, embracing the present towns of Rutland, Oakham, Barre, Hubbardston and Princeton and a strip about two miles in width of the northerly part of Paxton. On the 23d day of February A. D. 1713 this tract was confirmed to the sons and grandsons of Major Simon Willard of Lancaster and others on condition that within 7 years there be 50 families settled thereon, and sufficient lands to be reserved for gospel ministry and schools. The town to be called Rutland and to lie in the county of Middlesex. This Major Willard in 1675 was sent by the General Court after some Indians westward of Lancaster and Groton, but hearing of the attack on Brookfield, marched with Captain Parker and 46 men to its relief. He was cashiered for disobedience of orders."
The proprietors voted in Boston "in December 1715 that the contents of 6 miles square be surveyed and set off for the settle- ment of 62 families in order to the performance of the condition of the grant."
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OF THE TOWN OF PAXTON
ACROSS THE COMMON
This territory is what constitutes the town of Rutland. The requisite number of settlers was obtained, and at a meeting of the inhabitants of the 6 mile square held on the 9th day of October 1721, it was "voted to refer a petition to the General Court to get their sanction to establish them as a town to have and enjoy all the privileges other towns enjoy."
Their petition was granted in May 1722 and the General Court authorized Captain Samuel Wright to call the first town meeting at which the town was organized by the election of the proper officers. The meeting was held on the last Monday of July 1722.
The existence of the town of Paxton is owing to the deep re- ligious interest that pervaded the early inhabitants of this state, and their desire to have an accessible place of worship. Meeting houses had been built in the town of Leicester and in the town of Rutland, and the early inhabitants in what is now the town of Paxton were obliged to go to one of these two places in order to join in public worship, and at that time attendance on church services was obligatory. The meeting houses at Leicester and Rutland were remote and there was at that time but one path which could be dignified by the name of road over which people could travel to these places and this road could be reached only by paths through the forest.
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The building of a church edifice was provided for by a Colonial Law passed in 1679, Section 20, which I quote:
"For as much as it hath too often happened that through differences arising in several towns and other pretenses, there hath been attempts by some persons to erect new meeting houses although on pretense of public worship of God on the Lord's Days, thereby laying a foundation (if not for schism and seduction, to errors and hereses) perpetrating divisions and weakening such place where they dwell in the comfortable enjoyment of the ministry orderly settled amongst them.
"For prevention whereof for the future it is ordered by this Court and by the authority thereof that no person whatsoever without the consent of the freemen of the town where they live, and obtained at a public meeting assembled at that end and license obtained to the county court, or in defeat of such con- sent and license, by the order of the General Court, shall erect or make use of any house as aforesaid; and in case any person or persons shall be convicted of transgressing this law over such house or houses, wherein such persons shall so meet more than three times, with the land where such house or houses stand, and all private ways leading thereto, shall be forfeited to the use of the County, and disposed of by the County Treasurer by sale or demolishing, as the Court that gives judgment in the case shall order."
That a church building might be built, in 1761 a petition was presented by the inhabitants of the southerly part of Rutland and the northerly part of Leicester, praying that they be incor- porated into a distinct Municipality giving as a reason the great difficulties they labor under in attending public worship by reason of the great distance they were from these places in the towns to which they belonged. The following is a copy of the petition upon which the vote of the Town of Leicester was passed:
"To the Selectmen of the Town of Leicester and the other inhabitants of the same, the petition and desire of the subscribers hereof humbly showeth, That Whereas, in the Government of
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Divine Providence our habitations are at a great distance from the place of public worship in this town, which, together with the snow, and moisture of the land, it is exceedingly difficult a great part of the year to attend on the public worship of God in this town, We look upon it as our bounden duty to endeavor to set up the gospel among us, by which we, with our families might more constantly enjoy the means of grace.
"In order to accomplish the good end of setting up the gospel we propose, if possible to obtain leave to so do, to erect a town, or District between the towns of Leicester and Rutland, by taking two miles off each town, to make up the contents of four miles square, wherefore your petitioners humbly and earnestly desire that for the good end above proposed, you would now set off by a vote of this town, two miles at the north end of this town, the lands with the inhabitants thereon, to be laid out, and connected with the south part of Rutland that is adjoining, the same to be erected into a town or District by order of the Great and General Court of this Province as soon as may be, that we may set up a Congregational Church and settle a gospel min- ister according to the Constitution of the churches in the land: which we judge will be for the advancement of religion and our comfort, if it be obtained in the way of peace so wishing you health and peace,as in duty bound we subscribe your petitioners: Oliver Witt, Timothy Barrett, Abraham Smith, Abner Morse, James Thompson, William Thompson, Jr., William Thompson, Abijah Bemis, Daniel Snow, Jr., James Nichol, Jason Livermore, Isaac Bellows, Nathan Livermore, Daniel Steward.
Leicester, May 13th, 1763."
This petition was dismissed and a similar one headed by Jeremiah Howe of Leicester in 1762 met the same fate, but they still persisted and made a third application alleging a similar reason set forth in the previous petition and added one, that the land prayed for in Leicester was set off by a town for the ends proposed at a town meeting held on the 16th day of May, 1763. This petition was presented to the General Court the same year,
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and an order of notice served on the Town of Rutland which objected to the granting of the prayer and it was dismissed on the 31st day of December, 1763. The fourth and successful petition signed by Oliver Witt and other inhabitants, some of them of Leicester, others of Rutland, "set forth the great diffi- culties they labor under by living at such a distance from the place of public worship in the several towns to which they belong, none of them living less than three miles, one only excepted, and some of them four and many of them five miles distant and the way bad, and praying that they may be erected into a distinct town or district or precinct by certain bounds in said petition mentioned."
It was ordered that Jedediah Foster of Brookfield and Colonel Williams on the part of the house, and Benjamin Lincoln of the Council, be a Committee in the recess of this Court to repair to the place petitioned for to be erected into a parish and that they are all parties interested for and against said Corporation, and report at the next session whether the prayer thereof should be granted. On January 23d, 1765 this Committee reported in favor of the petitioners and the following was introduced in the Great and General Court:
"An act for incorporating the southerly part of Rutland and the northerly part of Leicester in the county of Worcester into a District by the name of Paxton passed both branches of the Legislature to be enacted, and on the 12th day of February Anno Regni Georgii Tertii Quinto 1765 was approved by the Governor Francis Bernard, and Paxton was authorized to take its place among the Incorporated Municipalities of the Com- monwealth, invested with all the powers, privileges and im- munities which with the inhabitants of any town in this prov- ince do or by law ought to enjoy excepting only the privilege of sending a representative to the General Assembly."
Geographically therefore, the town of Paxton originally was composed of strip about two miles wide of the southerly part of Rutland and a strip about the same width of the northerly part of the town of Leicester, to which was added on February 13th,
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1804 a part of the town of Holden and on April 9th, 1839 another portion of Holden was added.
On May 24th, 1851 a part of the southerly part of Rutland was annexed to Paxton and the lines between the two towns al- tered in some other parts and again on February 20th, 1829, the line was again run. Since this latter date so far as I know there has been no change in the boundaries of this town.
The inhabitants of Paxton at first joined with the town of Leicester and the precinct of Spencer for representative to the General Court. The act of incorporating as passed by the Great and General Court left the name of the to be formed District, blank, and it is said that the Council supplied the name of Paxton in honor of Charles Paxton.
"He was at that time Marshal of the Admiralty Court and a great friend and favorite of Francis Bernard, the Governor and Thomas Hutchinson, the Deputy Governor."
It is said that Charles Paxton promised to give the town a church bell if the town was named after him, but the promise was never fulfilled. He was a man of polished manners, pleasing address, and gentlemanly appearance, but his good qualities, I regret to say, end here. His effigy was carried through the streets of Boston along side the effigy of the devil on the anniversary of the Gun Powder Plot. The following inscription placed upon this effigy would seem to be the last word in describing his charac- ter: "Every man's humble servant, but no man's friend." In the various oppressive measures taken by the then Government, Mr. Paxton was active and earnest. It has been stated that in the years of the Revolution so distasteful was the name of Paxton that a meeting was held and the town voted to raise a Committee "to petition the General Court for a name more agreeable to the inhabitants and the public than that of Paxton."
If such a Committee was appointed it did not attend to its duties or the Legislature failed to act. I may say that I was not able by a search of the records covering these years, to verify this. However, it makes very little difference to us at the present time.
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The act of the Great and General Court of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay empowered Jonathan Murray, Justice of the Peace, residing in the town of Rutland to issue a warrant for the first town meeting and his warrant is as follows:
WORCESTER, SS.
To Mr. Phineas Moore of Paxton in the County of Worcester, and one of the principal inhabitants of said town, Greeting:
Whereas, I the subscriber am empowered by an act of this Province to call a meeting of the inhabitants of the District of Paxton to choose town officers, etc., these are therefore in his Majesty's name to require you forthwith to warn and notify the said inhabitants of Paxton qualified to vote in town affairs to meet at the house of Mr. John Snow, Innholder in said Paxton on Monday the 11th day of March next at 9 o'clock in the fore- noon. Then and there to choose a Moderator, District Clerk, Selectmen, Assessors, Wardens, Constables, Surveyors of high- ways, Tytheing men, Fence Viewers, Sealers of Leather, Sealers of Weights and Measures, Sealers of Boards and Shingles, and all other ordinary town officers of towns chose in the month of March annually.
Hereof fail not, and make due return hereof with your doings hereon unto me at or before said meeting.
Given under my hand and seal in Rutland in said county this 25th day of February 1765 and in the fifth year of his Majesty's Reign.
JOHN MURRAY, Justice of the Peace.
In obedience to this warrant I have warned and notified all the inhabitants of Paxton qualified to vote in town affairs to meet at time and place within mentioned.
PHINEAS MOORE.
The house of John Snow was located where the residence of Mr. Charles Derby now stands. The meeting organized with the choice of Captain Samuel Brown as Moderator, and Ephraim Moore was chosen District Clerk. The meeting dissolved after
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MAPLE STREET
the officers were elected as the warrant issued by John Murray empowered the inhabitants of the District of Paxton to elect officers only at that meeting.
The newly chosen Selectmen namely, Captain Oliver Witt, Captain Samuel Brown, Timothy Barrett, and Abraham Smith, by their warrant dated March 18th, 1765 directed to Jason Liver- more, Constable of Paxton in the County of Worcester warned the inhabitants of said town of Paxton to meet on the 5th day of April, 1765, at 12 o'clock, to act upon the following articles:
FIRST: To choose a Moderator.
SECOND: To see if the District will vote to have the swine run at large this present year.
THIRD: To see if the District will grant a sum of money to build a pound and provide weights and measures and a District Book and other necessary things for the said District.
FOURTH: To see if the District will vote to come unto some method to warn the meetings by posting a copy of the warrant at some public house in said District.
FIFTH: To see if the District will choose a Committee to settle the line between said District and Leicester town.
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SIXTH: To see if the District will grant a sum of money to mend the highways the present year and to come unto some method to lay said money out.
SEVENTH: To see if the District will vote to discontinue the road leading from William Martin's to Paul Horne's road, so far as it runs through Captain Samuel Brown's enclosure, and to lay out another road in some other place.
EIGHTH: To see if the District will choose a committee to make tryal to settle the method of maintaining the poor in Leicester.
NINTH: To see if the District will vote to build a meeting house in said Paxton and of what dementions they will build it.
TENTH: To see if the District will agree upon some place for to sett said meeting house on.
At this meeting forty pounds was raised to mend the highways and the compensation for each man was fixed at three shillings per day for a man, one shilling-six pence per day for oxen and one shilling per day for cart. They also voted to choose a committee to settle the affairs of maintaining their poor in Leicester. To build a meeting house 50 feet in length, 40 feet in breadth, and 22 feet posts. They voted to set the meeting house at the gate be- hind John Snow's barn in Mr. Maynard's pasture.
The first meeting that was held to raise money for school purposes, the article providing for it was rejected, but at a town meeting held Sept. 2, 1765, 131 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence was raised for the support of the gospel and an equal sum for the sup- port of schools for the following winter.
At a meeting held April 29th, 1765 it was voted that the District will endeavor to build a meeting house frame in said Paxton by the 15th day of June, 1765, but the article to choose a Committee to see to the building of the meeting house was passed in the negative.
At a meeting held on the 26th day of May, 1765, it was voted that the District will leave the providing for the raising of the meeting house in Paxton to the generosity of the inhabitants of
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1729154
OF THE TOWN OF PAXTON
Paxton, to provide a supper and bring it to the meeting house place. Then, as now, opinions differed and the inhabitants of Paxton differed apparently with some heat as to the proper place for the location of the church building. Votes were passed to locate it near the house of John Snow the inn-keeper, and after- ward reconsidered or rescinded but its location was finally deter- mined at a town meeting held on the 26th day of May, 1765, when it was voted to set the meeting house at the place where now Seth Snow's barn did stand. So far as I have been able to learn from the records this was the final vote, and the meeting house was set about where the Soldiers Monument stands on the Common.
Mr. Seth Snow, in September, 1791, showed his liberality by donating "one and a half acres and fifteen rods in area whereon the meeting house stands for the use and benefit of the town."
The original meeting house had no spire and had entrances on the front and two sides. The meeting house was built in the years 1765 and 1766 but was moved to its present location, a steeple added and the whole exterior and interior remodelled in 1835. We view it today substantially as it was left by the work- men of that day. May it long continue as a place of worship and as a fine example of the country church edifice of early times.
At a District meeting May 4th, 1767 it was voted to give a call to Silas Bigelow to settle in the gospel ministry among us and voted his salary at 133 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence, to be paid him in three years. 44 pounds, 8 shillings, 3 pence, and 3 farthings for the three years. Voted that the District will give Rev. Silas Bigelow a yearly salary of 53 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence for the four first years and then 66 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence yearly as long as he shall continue the relations of gospel minister among us.
In a letter copied in the records of the Town of Paxton dated June 25th, 1767, Rev. Silas Bigelow accepted the call.
The church covenant is dated Sept. 3, 1767 and was signed by Phineas Moore, John Snow, Jason Livermore, David Davis, Benjamin Sweetser, Silas Bigelow (the pastor elect) Samuel Mann, Oliver Witt, Stephen Barrett and Samuel Brown. The delay in
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installing a minister is said to have been caused by efforts made by some to establish the Episcopal church.
Silas Bigelow was ordained October, 1767. He died in 1769 much lamented by his flock. His successor the Reverend Alex- ander Thayer, was not popular. He was suspected of being a Royalist, which at that time, 1770, was enough to cause him to lose the esteem of his people and he was dissatisfied because they failed to make up the depreciation in the currency contending that his salary of 66 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence should be increased in the same ratio. At this time and for some years after the minister's salary was raised by a tax assessed upon the polls and estates of all the inhabitants, except such as had filed certifi- cates of membership with some other religious society. This tax was specified on the assessors' books as Minister's Tax and was collected in the same manner as the State, County and Town Taxes.
Hardly had the town of Paxton begun its career as an inde- pendent Town or District as it was sometimes called when trouble arose between the Colonies and the Mother Country, and Paxton was not slow in recognizing it might be of the most serious charac- ter, and at a town meeting the 22d day of May, 1774, the following articles were proposed:
"ARTICLE 2. To see if the District will act on public affairs in any method which may be then proposed or laid before them respecting the difference which subsists between Great Britain and the Colonies.
"ARTICLE 3. To see if the District will propose to keep a day of fasting and prayer here on account of the threatening effect of our public affairs.
"ARTICLE 2. Voted upon the second article. It was pro- posed to put to vote (after the act of Parliament for regulating the Government of the Massachusetts Bay had been read) to see if the District are willing said act of Parliament did take place. Passed unanimously in the negative.
"ARTICLE 3. Voted that a day of Fasting and prayer be kept in this District."
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OF THE TOWN OF PAXTON
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SCHOOL
On the 22d day of August, 1774, a Committee was chosen to consider the matter of public affairs. They voted to buy a barrel of powder in addition to the amount then on hand. A committee on correspondence and plan of inspection was duly appointed. The duty of the latter was to watch the conduct of Toryism. One of these was a clergyman. All the able bodied men of the town were formed into two companies, "the Standing Company" and the "Minute Company." The Minute Men were fully armed and equipped, and were drilled in Military tactics at frequent intervals, and the town appropriated money to recompense them for their time and expenses spent in perfecting themselves in military matters. On the 9th of January, 1775 the town voted to raise 15 pounds for the Minute Men of Paxton, and on the 17th day of January of that year thirty-three men were selected from the above mentioned companies as Minute Men duly organized and officered.
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At a town meeting held the 13th day of March, 1775 it was voted to raise the sum of 37 pounds, 16 shillings and out of the sum to equip the minute men as hereafter expressed, viz.,
"Voted that Lieut. Willard Moore, Deacon David Davis and Mr. John Warren as a committee for said purpose be direct- ed to see that 30 Minute Men exclusive of officers be forthwith equipped with a cartouch box, a bayonett, said bayonett to be well fixed to each man's gun, and upon each person's being so equipped to the satisfaction of said committee then to pay to each minute man so equipped a sum of 12 shillings each of said minute men engaging upon their receiving said 12 shillings that in case they did not march on the first emergency that they will deliver up their cartouch box and bayonett aforesaid to the aforesaid committee, or in such case shall equip others with the same. Likewise said committee are to pay to each minute man that shall march on the first emergency, 6 shillings each and the further sum of 6 shillings in case they shall be obliged to be absent fourteen days."
Immediately upon the receipt of the intelligence of the battle of Lexington and Concord they marched to Cambridge under command of Capt. Phineas Moore, and he and a portion of his men enlisted in the Continental Army. Another inhabitant of Paxton, Captain Willard Moore, was promoted to the office of Major in Col. Ephraim Doolittle's regiment. At the battle of Bunker Hill the command of the regiment devolved upon him owing to the absence of his colonel. At the second charge of the enemy he was wounded and his men started to carry him from the field when he was shot through the body and died. His father and mother are buried in the cemetery nearby near the East gate. Many of his company served during the war.
A search of the records in the State House shows that the following persons were credited to Paxton as soldiers of the Revo- lution their service varying from eight days to three years.
Credited to Paxton for service some of these names answering to alarm of April 19, 1775 and also includes later enlistment of the same men in the Continental Army as well as men who served
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entirely in the latter. Records show service of men for periods from eight days to three years.
Enos Allen, Captain, Ralph Earle's Company.
Phineas Adams.
Josiah Baldwin
Benj. Barrett, 20 years old.
Israel Barret
Abijah Bemis
Daniel Bemis
Ezekiel Bellows, Sergeant in Capt. Phineas Moore's Company, 10 days. Col. Ephraim Doolittle's Regiment. 1st Lieut. in Capt. Adam Maynard's Regiment, 8th Company, 1st Wor- cester County Regiment. Captain in Wm. Tucker's Company. Col. Jacob Gerrish's Regiment.
Joseph Bellows, Lieut. in Capt. Samuel Thompson's Com- pany, Colonel Deany's Regiment. Also credited in Maj. Asa Baldwin's Division, Northern Dept. on roll, listed as from Holden. Also on Capt. March Chase's Company, Col. Nathan Sparhaw's Regiment.
Itha (?) Bigelow
Eliab Brewer Abijah Brown Lemuel Bullard
Benjamin Butman, in Capt. Adam Wheeler's Company, Col. Ephraim Doolittle's Regiment. Records show a receipt for pay advanced July 13, 1775 at Charlestown Camp. Com- pany's return list dated October 6, 1775 at Camp Winter Hill reported as Deserted. Later records show two entries of same man without naming town, December, 1776, thought to be same party.
Johnathan Clemens Johnathan Clemmons Rufus Cogswell Stephen Coggswell
John Cole (also given in Sturbridge) enlisted for town of Paxton
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