History of Worcester, Massachusetts

Front matter

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Preface

There are few employments of industry more humble than in the compilation of local mnals. It should be permitted to him wlio has finished his taslc, to explain why it was indertaken, and how it has been accomplished.

In 1792, a memoir of four pages, by Timothy Paine,William Young, Edward Bangs, and ?amuel Stearns, relating to Worcester, was communicated to the Massachusetts Historcal Society, and published in the volume of their collections for that year. The mateials furnished by these gentlemen, were transferred by the Rev. Peter Whitney to his History of the C iunty. Tho serm ins of the R?v. Dr. Bancroft in 1811, 182.5, and 1836, ind the Address of lion. John Davis, May 2, 182.5, with tlieir appended notes and docaments, contain many facts illustrative of civil and ecclesiastical condition. These were the only printed narratives of the settlement and progress of Worcester. It seemed desirable, while it wasyat possible, to gather the fast fading traditions and scattered recards of the past, and preserve more full view of our local history, than was permitted by the limits of religious discourse and festival address, or accorded with the plau of for" mer writers.

To accomplish this object, the file? and records of the colonial and provincial governments ; of the original proprietors, of the town, and its parishes, churches, and societies, of the county courts and registries, and the series of newspapers from their commencement, have been examined : private journals and papers, the recollections of the aged inhabitants, the treasures of the garrets, and the knowledge of the race in active life, have been collected, with some labor. In the execution of the work, the result of these examinations, there has been no effort for literary excellence, and none can be expected. The primary purpose has been accuracy. In the multitude of facts and dates there will doubtless be found many and great errors ; it will be consolation when they are discov. ered, that they have not resulted from want of disposition or exertion to be correct. Reliance has seldom been placed on tradition, when it. was not confirmed by better evidence, or corroborated by the concurrent testimony of records. Wherever it has been practicable, reference has been made to the authority for statements, that their truth might be tested.

The work has been extended diffusely, and probably tediously and unprofitably. The events of the history of the town were closely interwoven with those of the county, and semed to demand detailed notice from this connection ; and at every step, matters of curious interest, which it seemed impossible to reject, arose to seduce from the direct path of narrative, until the annals of the village have become as voluminous as the records of an empire.

The language of original papers has been constantly preferred, wherever it could be used, to the words of the compiler, lest by changing forms of expression, something of the fidelity- of delineation and vividness of description of the actors in the scenes of the

Tl PKEFACE.

past, should be lost. The modes of spelling, which were erroneous in the days when they were used, have not been retained ; but the ancient documents transcribed, except those copied in the appendix, have been made to conform to modern orthography. Names of psrsan? and places have been printed as they were found written in the manuscripts consulted, or books quoted ; although by following this rule, the same word has been made to assume various and sometimes strange forms, on different pages.

The general plan of arrangement, affording convenience in tracing the course and connection of events, and facility of reference, has been imitated from Mr. Shattuck's History of Concord. It would have been greatly desirable that the excellence of this model could have been more fully copied.

The comparative length of the biographical memoirs will be found sometimes to have been datermiueJ more by the means of information than the merits of the subjects of the sketches. In relation to living persons, the dates of birth have, with few exceptions, been intentionally omitted.

The pleasant duty of acknowledgment for kindness remains. Some, to whom heavy debt of gratitude was due for aid, have gone down to the grave while these sheets have been in preparation, with the rich mines of their recollections unexhausted.

There is scarcely an individual named in the succeeding pages, who has not contributed good wishes or useful information. The compiler has been under great obligations to Rev. Dr. Bancroft, Mr. Thomas Rice, Edward D. Bangs, Esq., Hon. Nathaniel Paine, Samuel Jennison, Esq., Dr. John Green, Isaac Davis, Esq., to the clerks of the town and parishes ; and to Joseph Willard, Esq., Mr. Samuel G. Drake, and Rev. Joseph B. Felt of Boston, for many courtesies, communications, and valuable papers.

CONTENTS,

GENERAL HISTORY. Page.

» ICHAPTEn I. First Period, from lG6t to 1G75 : first settlement. Grants to Increase

I' No we 11 and 'I'honias Noyes, Report of exploring Committee, IGGS. I'etitinu of Committee of sotilemeiit, IGG!). I'roject for settlement. Difliculties with Hphntim Curtis, 1G7+. Indian deed. Grants of lands to settlers, 1G7.5. View of the plantation, in lG7o. Hostilities with the Indians. Settlement abandoned. Jl

CHArxfR II. King Philip's war 1075, IG7G. The Nipmuck country. Indian Settlements Visit of Gookin and Elliot. Attack of Quaboag. Ephraim Curtis. I'hmehas Upham. Henchman's expedition. Quinsigamonil burnt. Henchman's second expedition. Sagamore John surrenders. iMattoonus shot. Executions in Boston. Destruction of the Indians. 22

Chap FEPv III. 1677 to 1713. Second settlement. Indian deed, 1G77. Meeting of Phmters, 1G7S. Henchman's agreement, IGSI. Citadel. Survey. Mills Imilt. Name of Worcester. Lots laid out. New Committees. Captain Fitch's letter. Queen Anne's war. Town abandoned. Ligory Sergent killed. Elisha Ward. Indian Hostilities. Petition for resettlement refused, 1709. 32

Chapter IV. 1713 to 1722. Third settlement to incorporation. Petition, 1713. New Committee. Report, 1714. First settlers. Jonas Hice. Gershom Rice, Nathaniel Moore. Garrisons. Mills. Roads. View of the town, 1718. Grants to proprietors. Scotch and Irish emigrants. Town incorporated, 1722. 42

Chapter V. 1722 to 17G5. Lovell's war and French wars. Selectme«'s petition, 172 L Gershom Rice's letter, 1721. Uriah Ward. Colonel Chandler's orders. Selectmen's petition, 172-"i, Captain Wright's letters. Benjamin Flagti's letter, 1725. County established 1731. Gov. Belcher's visit, 1735. .^soldiers. Excise, 1754. French neutrals. 1755. Military exertions, 175G. Colonel Chandler's report, 1757. Men in service during French wars. Divaion of the County and removal of the courts opposed. 61

Chapter VI. 17G5 to 1775. American Revolution. Instructions, 17GG, 17G7, Resolutions, 17G8. Covenant, 17G8. 'lea. Votes, 1773. Committee of Correspondence, 1773. Political Society. Peter Oliver. Address of Grand .lury, 1774. Report on grievances, 1774. Instructions. Protest of royalists. Town ?.!eeting. Record expunged. Non consumption covenant and oath. Mandamus counsellors. Assembly of the people. Alarm. Minute men. Courts stopped. County Convention. SheritF Chandler. William Campbell. Instructions. Blacksmith's convention. Depot of military stores. 65

Chapter VII. 1775 to 1783. American Revolution. Preparations for war. Instructions, 1775. Survey of British officers. Commencement of hostilities. Alarm of April 19. March of minute men. Tories disarmed. Memorial of officers. Royalist confessions. Clark Chandler. British prisoners. Poor of Boston. Military requisitions. Fourth of July, 177G. Regulation of prices. Detail of levies of troops, contributions, exertions, and proceedings, during the war. County Conventions. Constitution. Excise. Peace restored. Proceedings as to refugees. 94

Chapter VIII. 1782 to 1787. Insurrection. Distresses of the people. County Conventions, 1782, 17«4, 17SG. Court stopped, Sept. 17bG. Spirited conduct of Judge Ward. Proceedings of the insurgents. Convention, Sept. 17SG. Town meeting, Oct. 178G. Court of Sessions interrupted. Sheriff Grcenleaf. Insurgents occupy the town, Dec. 178'j. Militia of Worcester appear in arms for the government. Captain Howe. Consultations of the insurgents. Distresses of their retreat. General Lincoln's army. Affair at New Braintree, Dispersion of the insurgents. 115

Vm CONTENTS.

Chapteu IX. deception of Washington, 1789. Memorial on the treaty with England, 17!»7. Volunteei's, 179S. Funeral honors to Washincrton, 18U0. Militia, volunteer, 1807. Boston memorial. 1808. War of 1812. British prisoners. Troops called into service, 1814. Visit of Lafayette, 1824. Ainemlments of the lonstitution. Benefactions of Isaiah Thomas. Incorporation of Holden and Ward. Proposed division of the county. 132

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

Chapter X. First Parish. First meeting houses. Rev. Andrew Gardner. Difficulties on his dismission. Mr. Bourne. Kev. Isaac Burr. Visit of Whitefield. Church Covenant, 174G. Rev. Thaddeus Maccarty. Controversy about church music. Seating the meeting housie. Difficulties ending in the separation of the Second I'arish. Air. .Story. Kev. Samuel Austin. Church (Jovenant. Rev. Charles A. Goodrich. Rev. Aietius B. Hull. Rev. Rodney A. Miller. Presbyterian Church, 1719. Rev. Edward Fitzgerald. Rev. William Johnston. 141

Chapter XI. Second Congregational Society. Separation from the first Parish. Difficulties. Church formed. Covenant. Rev. Aaron Bancroft ordained, 17.>G. Society incarporated, 1787. Rev. Alonzo Hill ordained, 1827. Votes of Parish and Church. Jlemoir of Rev. Dr. Bancroft. 166

Chapter XTI. First Baptist Society. Formation, 1812. Rev. William Bentley. Articles of faith. Rev. Jcnathan Going. Hev. Frederic A. Willard. Hev. .Jonathan Akirich. Elm Street Society, 183(5. Calvinist Society. Separation from first church, 1820. Formation of Society, 1822. Rev. Loanimi I. Huauley. House and Fund bestowed by Hon. Daniel Waldo. Rev. .John S. C. Abbott. Kev. David I'eabody. Catholic Sociery, l8o4. Rev. James Fitton. Methodist Episcopal Society, l!534, Protestant Epi.scopal Society, 183 J. Rev. Thomas H. Vail. Union Society, 1836, 175

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES.

Chapter XITI. Professional men. Biographical notices of the Practitioners, Counsellors, and Attorneys at law, and Physicians, before and since the Revolution. 190

Chapter XIV. Graduates of Colleges, and natives of the town who have received liberal education. Distinguished citizens. John Chandler. Capt. Jonas Hubbard. Col. Timothy liigelow. Col. Ephraim Looliltle. David Thomas. Benjamin Heywood. Joseph Allen. Isaiah Ihomas. 221

STATISTICS AND HISTORY.

Chapter XV. Education. Common Schools. Centre District Schools. Private Instruction. Manual Labor High School. Mount St. James Seminary. 248

Chapter XVI. Population. Emigration. Morality. Valuation. Taxation. Support of the Poor. Communication. Stages. Manufactures. Trade. 259

Chapter XVII. Societies and Institutions. Medical District Society. Antiquarian Society. Agriculturil Society. Historical Society. Atheneum. Banks. Insurance Companies. Savings Institution. A'^arious Associations. Military Companies. Newspapers and Periodicals. 270

TOPOGRAPHY AND HISTORY.

Chapter XVIIT. Situation. Boundaries. Extent. Divisions. Streets and Roads. Turnpikes. Blackstone Canal. Rail Roads. Public Buildings. Public Lands. Burial Places. Face of the Town. Ponds. Streams. Hills. Mines and Minerals. 280 MISCELLANEOUS.

Chapter XIX. Municipal Officers. Selectmen. Clerks. Treasurers. Representatives. Fire Department. Fires and accidents by lightning. 296

Appendix, i. Petition for a plantation, Oct. 8, 1G65. n. Order of the General Court, Oct. 11, ItJG.j. III. Order of the General Court, May 15, 1GG7. iv. First Indian Deed, July 13, 1G74. v. Order of Council to Capt. Edward Hutchinson, July 27, 1G76. VI. Order of Council, Sept. 15, 1G75. vii. Instructions for Capt. Joseph Sill, Nov. 2, 1G75. VIII. Second Indian Deed, Feb. 12, 1G77. ix. Order of the General Court, 1G79. x. Votes for Governor since 1780. xi. Notice of Daniel Shays. xi(. Statements ill relation to trade, manufactures, and business, xiii. Executions. XIV. Festivals. Fourth of July. £02

HISTORY OF WORCESTER.

GENERAL HISTORY,