USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Warwick > Warwick, Massachusetts; biography of a town, 1763-1963 > Part 21
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We have found no indications thay any Lyceum existed again until 1855, though we cannot be positive of this fact. However in that year a young men's Lyceum was formed with a similar organization and program as formerly. The object of the society as stated in the constitution was "the mutual improvement of its members by Debates, Declamations, Original Composition and Foreign Lectures."
Weekly meetings were held during the winter in the Unitarian Church vestry. These began at 6:30 P.M. and were expected to close at 9:00 P.M. Those were the days of "early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." The president assigned the candidates to give declarations, write original compositions, and the six disputants for the debates. At the close of the debate the winning side was to be determined by vote of the house which was, so far as possible, swayed by the weight of argument.
It does not appear that the female sex were ever admitted to membership in the Lyceum. Their names never appear either in the roster of officers or on the membership rolls. Nevertheless they attended and contributed written compositions. Later they edited a paper called the Ladies' Gazette which reported the activities and opinions of the so-called weaker sex to the amuse- ment of all.
The war brought a change in the Lyceum, as many of the boys who had participated primarily in the reciting of declama- tions answered the call to arms. But the interest of the public continued unabated, and the conduct of the war was often debated to a packed audience.
Gradually however it became evident that enthusiasm was waning, and it was becoming more and more difficult to obtain people to participate in the programs. The Lyceum struggled on until 1870 at least. The last record book ends as of that year. The final pages are devoted to plans to reestablish a town social library.
Possibly the rapid growth of a new agricultural organization, the Patrons of Husbandry, or the Grange as it is better known, which began in 1869 had some effect on the death of the Lyceum.
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Warwick Grange - Patrons Of Husbandry #85
The Grange movement, known as the Patrons of Husbandry, began shortly after the close of the Civil War. The pioneers of the organization were interested in the agricultural needs and developments of the country and they were impressed with the need for an organized action on the part of the farmers. The movement spread rapidly throughout the country and in 1875 it reached Warwick. The leading farmers were interviewed and, as a factor to interest them and induce them to join, the advan- tages of cooperative buying and selling were emphasized. The educational advantages and social life were not stressed at that time.
As a result the local chapter was organized at the Warwick Hotel on February 16, 1875, with George N. Richards installed as Master. Many people were reluctant to join, fearing that the movement would eventually develop into another political party. The ritualistic part of the program appealed to many and the literary and social features were very popular. The Grange seemed to prosper for a period of years. The failure to preserve records prevents us from knowing what caused a cessation of the organization in that period.
In the fall of 1903 the Grange was revived in Warwick, when 45 members assembled in the Unitarian Church vestry and reorganized with Reverend Napoleon S. Hoagland as Master. The Grange met twice a month and, aside from its social activi- ties, it played a leading role in many community affairs. One of its most valuable aspects consisted in the close affiliations main- tained with nearby Granges through joint meetings called "Neighbor Nights." The literary programs were excellent train- ing schools for young and old in the days when amusements depended on local talent.
Like the best of well-regulated families, the Grange had its trials and tribulations down through the ensuing years. Organi- zations are composed of people bound together by common inter- ests, but people often disagree on the manner in which these interests should be advanced, and so with the Grange. At times
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it struggled up the hills caused by loss of interest and then it rolled merrily along when more energetic hands held the reins.
Changing times gradually caused its death in 1954. The decrease in interest in agriculture soon made it almost entirely a social organization. The advances in rapid transportation caused by the "horseless carriage" made it easy for people to obtain their entertainment outside the town. Radio and television provided interest at home and the Grange, like many other fraternal organizations, withered on the vine.
Surely the 50 years' service of George A. Witherell deserves mention. A charter member in 1903, he served as Master on different occasions 16 years and held many other offices through the life of the organization. He also held the office of Deputy in the State Grange for many years.
Woman's Guild of Warwick
In 1921 the Reverend Frederick Crane, pastor of the first Federated Church, conceived the idea of forming an organiza- tion of the women of Warwick, the purpose to be to promote and encourage any enterprise that was deemed for the best interests of the town. All residents of Warwick, without regard to religious affiliations, were to be considered members and no initiation fees or dues were to be assessed.
The plan met with an enthusiastic response, and the organiza- tion was formed with Mrs. William McLean serving as the first president and Mrs. Etta Bass as secretary. Then it began to carry out its program without any interruption for the next 40 years, right down to the present day. It has engaged in a wide field of community activities. From the sending of flowers and fruit to the sick, the charitable gifts to worthy persons on whom misfortune has fallen, to the support of any worthy cause, the Guild has answered every call. Social parties were held monthly for many years in the church vestry or the town hall, and young and old joined in the games and entertainment. The annual Christmas party for the children of Warwick, perhaps the crown- ing event of the year, has been a Guild enterprise. The Red Cross
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has been aided with both work and money, fruit and vegetables have been collected for the Franklin County Hospital, County work among the children has been encouraged, children sent to summer camps, and many other similar worthy causes have been supported.
To obtain the necessary funds to carry on their work, an annual Fair and food sale have been held and meetings are held monthly for this successful organization. Present officers are Mrs. Maurice Underwood, President, Mrs. Robert Kolka, First Vice-President; Mrs. Howard Anderson, Second Vice-Presi- dent; Mrs. William Bezio, Secretary; and Mrs. Charles A. Morse, Treasurer.
Parent-Teachers' Association
The Parent-Teachers' Association was first organized in the 1930's, but it enjoyed only a brief existence. The increased inter- est in school problems, created by the demand for more teachers and classrooms, caused a movement to once again reorganize the association. The primary purpose of the association is to develop a closer relationship between the parents of school children and their teachers and thus assist in solving the problems of both. However it does much more. It takes the lead in promoting new educational ideas and provides equipment to assist the school in the classrooms, the cafeteria and the playground.
And so in 1952 seven local women contacted Mrs. Robert Meyer, who was then regional director for the district. With her assistance, the club was formed with forty members. Mrs. Marion Cadrett was chosen the first president.
In its ten years of life the association has engaged in many activities to raise money to finance its many projects. Card parties, food sales, entertainments or shows, suppers and the sale of household products have all contributed to this end.
The major project consisted in equipping the cafeteria and dining room. The latest project, and one that will doubtless be continued in the future, was to help instigate with other local organizations a scholarship fund to assist a deserving local child in obtaining a college education.
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During the ten years the following have served as presidents : Marion Cadrett, Freda Stoddard, Ralph Witherell, Emily Benoit, Emerson Maynard, Arlene Lincoln, Garlda Fellows, J. Norman Durkee, Albert Stoddard, with Maurice Underwood in the office today.
21
PLACE NAMES - FOLKLORE -NATURAL HISTORY
THE REASON BEHIND the names bestowed on our many ponds, brooks, roads, hills and valleys - in fact many other natural or historical points of interest - is often hard to fathom. Jonathan Blake described many of the old original names, but some of these changed with the passing years. The general practice in the early days, when describing the location of any particular geographical feature of the town, was to attach the name of the owner to it. If it was the name of a prominent person, and if he and possibly his descendants remained in possession for many years, the name often became firmly fixed. Generally speaking however, as the memory of the name of the original owner faded away, the newer generation would adopt the name of the present owner when that person had become a resident of many years standing.
Names were changed more easily in the early days because there were but few maps of towns drawn in detail. These maps neglected to record any but the most prominent names of its features. The oldest map of Warwick we have found is one in the State Archives in Boston. This map, made by the selectmen at the request of the State in 1794, shows little more than the main or county roads. A similar request was made by the State in 1829 and as a result Jonathan Blake made the excellent map previously described. Other maps were made by commercial companies in 1856, 1858 and 1871, and when names are recorded we find frequent changes made.
In 1882 the United States Geological Survey began making
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a series of standard topographic maps to cover the entire country. Maps covering this area were made first in 1887, and since were periodically revised. These maps recorded the current names of features more fully than any previous ones, and because they are made easily available, they have become in common use and accepted as accurate. Unfortunately some of the names set down by these map-makers apparently were not thoroughly investigated or not accurately located on their maps, but now they have been firmly fixed and cannot be challenged.
Moores Pond on the Wendell Road is a good example. In the early days of the Proprietors, Ebenezer Locke was encouraged to build a sawmill there and it was called Locke's Pond. Jedu- than Morse, the Revolutionary hero, succeeded Locke and although he died in 1776 Blake still calls it Morse Pond in 1830. But many had already called it Leonard's Pond for years and then Deacon George Moore acquired the mill and operated it until the 1880's. So it has been called Moores Pond ever since, although an attempt has been made to dignify it by calling it Lake Moore in recent years.
Blake tells us also that Morse Pond entered into Morse Brook, which flows southward to Harris Pond. The government maps however bestowed the name of Darling Brook on this stream for rather flimsy reasons. John Darling, a wealthy salesman from New York City, bought about 175 acres of land in the vicinity of the junction of Hockanum Road and the Wendell road about 1895. He built a large 17-room house and proceeded to impress the townspeople with his wealth and influence in high circles. To use an old country expression, he cut quite a wide swath for ten years, but he aroused intense opposition among certain town fathers who did not want any change in their way of life.
Darling spent the Thanksgiving holidays with his wife and hired man at his "Golden Rule Farm" in 1905. He returned to New York City and that night his wife awoke to find the house in flames shortly before midnight. She escaped, clad only in her night clothes and a fur coat. The hired man, failing to awaken, died. Failing to arouse her nearest neighbor she spent the remainder of the night in the hay in the barn, where she was
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found when the fire was discovered the following morning. Darl- ing planned to rebuild, but people will speculate and talk, and soon becoming enraged at the local gossip he sold out and departed. Nevertheless he left his name indelibly impressed on the brook that flowed through his "Golden Rule" acres.
Many other interesting stories could be told about the early settlers who left their names enshrined in the vicinity in which they lived. Reference has been made to many in these pages, as they or their families play their role in the town's history. Because there are so many we must be content to tell about the names which have a particular interest.
In the northwest corner of the town a large area has been mistakenly called Flower Hill for over a century by people who naturally, when they hear the name spoken, assume that of course it must be derived from the abundance of flowers that grow there. No one, unless informed of the true facts, would dream that the name given by the early settlers was actually Flour Hill. Again we refer to Blake's History and his story writ- ten 150 years ago and allow him to tell you again :
The inhabitants that first settled this part of the town were in the habit of annually setting fire to the woods in the spring of the year, for the purpose of producing a young and tender growth of trees and plants for the subsistence of their cattle, not having pastures cleared as we now have. Each one would put a bell upon the leader of his flock or herd or horse for the purpose of finding them readily when wanted. Within my own recollection the hills to the west of us were burned over every year for the purpose above stated; and the illumination occasioned thereby for several nights will never be effaced from my memory. This practice had almost destroyed the first growth of timber on the spot last mentioned and the land was considered of very little value. Mr. Solomon Ager (who at that time was not considered a prophet) had the hardihood to risk his all (as he had nothing to lose) by settling on this open tract of land. Some of his wiser neighbors attempting to ridi- cule him for selecting so barren a spot of land to get his living on, the old man replied that "it would one day be the Flour of Warwick."
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Perhaps today we need to add an explanation of this use of the word "flour." In the days of the early settlers flour was the final product ground from grain planted, cultivated and reaped to provide a necessity of life vital to their meager diet. Thus the word came to be used to denote the very best.
Another version of the way the hill was named was told to this writer many years past by Miss Mary Ball, a descendant of one of Warwick's oldest families. She related that in the early days one of the settlers took his grain to the grist mill in the north end of Warwick to have ground into flour. He threw the bag of flour onto his buckboard wagon without noticing that he had torn a hole in the bag on a nail. As he drove up the hill toward his home the jouncing of the wagon aided the precious flour to escape. The flour falling to the road spread out and left a white trail over the hill making it truly "Flour Hill."
Richards Mill Pond and reservoir lie in the northwest section. Here the sawmill of Samuel Scott and the grist mill of David Ayres were set up under the direction of the Proprietors of Gard- ner's Canada. Scott left Warwick in 1760 but his name remained to designate the brook that flows from his millpond to Gale's Pond. Another brook joins this brook from the northeast cross- ing the Richmond road at the foot of Felton's Hill. Jonathan Blake minutely describes this branch and calls it Black Brook, doubtless because its bed is composed of black rock. But in the passing of the years the name of Black Brook has become associ- ated with the main stream and, Scott's name has been lost.
There is a third brook joining Black Brook from the northwest rising above Rum Brook. Road. This road acquired the name of Rum Brook as the result of a mishap which befell one Jonas Hast- ings about 1805. Shortly after the turnpike road from Athol to Winchester was built Jonas decided to take advantage of the new highway by his home and opened. a tavern. His house stood near the junction of what is now the Richmond road and the road that runs west past the millpond to connect with the Old Win- chester Road.
No good tavern could hope to succeed without an, ample sup- ply of rum to wash the dust from the throats of, weary travelers.
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So tradition tells us that one day Jonas left the village on his journey home with a keg of rum standing on, end at the rear of his wagon. The road went up hill and down, crossing ridge after ridge of solid ledge between which the road dipped, sharply. Per- haps Jonas had sampled his rum before buying as any prudent innkeeper should do. Or the warm afternoon sun caused him to doze on his seat. The horse plodded up hill and down dale until, after crossing a brook and ascending another hill, it reached the top of another ridge. Here it wandered to the side of the road and the wheel of the wagon rose and fell over a large stone on the roadside. 1
Jonas came to his senses with a start only to hear the keg of rum land in the road. He looked back to see it begin to roll slowly down the hill. Faster and faster it went, now bouncing merrily along with Jonas desperately in pursuit. As the keg approached the bridge over the brook, it veered to the side of the road, struck a rock in the bed of the brook and burst. In a twinkling the rum had merged with the water of the brook. 'Tis said that as word spread through the town men gathered where the brook crossed another road a mile below. Here it is claimed they could taste the rum in the water. From that day to this the stream has been called Rum Brook, and the road where the unhappy tavernkeeper bewailed his loss is Rum Brook Road.
We have told in the opening pages of our story how Mount Grace was supposed to have received its name as a result of an episode in King Philip's War. Though this story was later dis- credited no one has come forward with a plausible explanation of another version. We do know that records in the State Archives definitely show the name was firmly established before any grant was made to the proprietors of Gardner's Canada.
Slightly below the summit of Mount Grace a shoulder projects toward the northeast which has received the name Bennett's Knob. It appears that Warwick like all towns had its share of tall story tellers, and one of the first was a Samuel Bennett who settled and built a log cabin on the side of a hill due east of Mount Grace on the opposite side of the deep ravine through which Route 78 passes between Warwick and Winchester, New Hamp-
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shire. Bennett, whose reputation as a braggart was well known, claimed among his other accomplishments to be a dead shot with a rifle. One of the stories he told was that one morning as he stood in the doorway of his cabin he saw a deer on this knob or shoulder of Mount Grace more than half a mile away. Seizing his rifle, he took aim and fired and the buck dropped dead on the spot. His incredulous neighbors, amused at his remarkable shot, called the spot Bennett's Knob and so it remains to this day. Lovers' Retreat is the name given to the particularly scenic north- west corner of Warwick. Here Pauchaug Brook drains a small pond and then crossing the state line into Winchester it descends through a picturesque rocky gorge. Rock formations have been given descriptive names such as Pulpit Rock, Devil's Wash Bowl and Bears' Den Cave.
South of Lovers' Retreat lies a large area still called the Atwood District because several families of Atwoods lived here in School District #10. At least eight houses in the early part of the last century stood in a radius of one mile. Today you can- not find a single year-round home in a radius of nearly two miles.
West of the Atwood District on the town line lies Hogback Mountain and south of it is Bolster Hill. The hill derives its name because it is shaped like a pillow or bolster. It lies above the road to Northfield, close to the town line.
Crossing over to the northeast corner of the town we find Ball Hill named because of its shape and rising to be the second high- est elevation in the town at 1388 feet. This hill lies in the north- ern part of Kelton's Corner, another area of about four square miles once chiefly inhabited by the Kelton clan. They have been described previously at some length.
Beech Hill near the southeast boundary is another large area once quite heavily populated but almost entirely deserted today. The government topographical maps have changed the spelling to Beach but one will look in vain for anything resembling one in that rugged country. The names of this hill as well as Chestnut Hill, lying west of Moore's Pond, were named as a result of the predominance of beech and chestnut trees on each of them according to Blake's History.
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Today our chestnut trees have long been a thing of the past although shoots still struggle to grow for a few years. The stately elm trees are rapidly dying, and now we are told some disease is beginning to attack our beautiful maples. Perhaps the day will come when science, now concentrating its efforts on reaching other worlds, will turn some effort to attempting to save the world they seem to be bent on destroying.
Laurel Lake is a pretty body of water lying across the south- western boundary of the town. It was known for ages as Long Pond because of its long, narrow shape. The State owns most of its southern shore and here they have developed a picnic area and an excellent bathing beach. The northern shore is occupied by numerous summer cottages. The name of the pond has been "prettied up" and dignified by calling it a lake and adding the name of flowering laurel bush which grows profusely in the area.
The Quarry Road lies on the south side of Moss Brook and starts at the Wendell road near Harris Pond. It follows the brook in a northwest direction, crossing the Northfield town line and is believed to be close to the old Indian trail followed by Mary Rowlandson in 1676. South of this road and north of Laurel Lake lies the old stone quarry. It does not appear to have been worked to any great extent, but we are told in a newspaper clip- ping that granite posts placed around the town park in 1870 came from this source. Many of the houses in Warwick rest on cut granite foundation walls, and without doubt these were quarried in this vicinity.
There are only two names that have any Indian derivation, and these are questionable. When Milton Bliss dammed up Tully Brook in the southeast corner of Warwick back in the Civil War days, he created a pond that deservedly bore his name. Years passed away and so did Bliss. In 1892 a group of men in Spring- field organized a hunting and fishing club. They bought 160 acres of land, including the pond of 40 acres. An attractive club- house was erected and the Sheomet Club, as it was called, was active for many years. One of the club rules was that no new members were ever to be admitted. As a result the ownership of the property came into hands of two elderly ladies. Recently the state has secured possession and plans are now being made to
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develop the area for park and recreational purposes. Thus the name Sheomet was given to the pond. The name had been used previously by the Warwick Inn during the Civil War era and was supposed to be the Indian name for Warwick according to Deacon Hervey Barber. However we find that the Indian name of Warwick, Rhode Island was Shawomet. Apparently with a little ingenious alteration it could have been bestowed on War- wick, Massachusetts.
Hockanum Hill and Hockanum Road, lying north of the hill in the southern part of the town, acquired this name in some unknown manner during the Civil War era. The earliest name found for this hill is on the map of 1794 in the State House. It was then called Page Mountain. In 1830 Blake called it Round Mountain. According to the Dictionary of American Indian Names the work "hockanum" means "hook shaped." In this manner it has been used to denote areas near sharp bends in the Connecticut River in both Hadley and Northampton. Why the name was bestowed on the particular features in Warwick remains a mystery.
Only four of the many ponds shown on Blake's map of 1830 are designated as natural ponds. These consist of Long Pond now Laurel Lake, Morse Pond now called Moores Pond, Pom- eroy's Pond now Hastings Pond and Delva's Pond. Today this latter pond, now not much more than a swamp, is almost inac- cessible and consequently nearly unknown. In addition Blake shows fourteen artificial ponds created by damming streams to provide water power and reservoirs. Today many of these ponds have shrunken in size or entirely returned to the status of swamps, as floods washed away many of the dams.
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