Historic homes and institutions and genealogical and personal memoirs of Worcester County, Massachusetts, with a history of Worcester society of antiquity

II

OEORGK F. HOAR

HISTORIC HOMES AND INSTITUTIONS

AND

GENEALOGICAL m PERSONAL MEMOIRS

OF

MASSACHUSETTS

WITH A HISTORY OF

WORCESTER SOCIETY OF ANTIQUITY

PREPARED UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF

ELLERY BICKNELL CRANE

I'

Librarian of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, and Editor of its Proceedings;

Author of "The Rawson Family Memorial," "Crane

Family," two vols. , Etc.

"Knowledge of kindred and the genealogies of the ancient J amilies deserveth the htghesC praise. Herein consist eth a part of the knowledge of a man's own self. It is a great spur to virtue to look back on the work oj our lines." — Lord Bacon.

"There is no heroic poem in the world hut is at the bottom the li/e of a man." — Sir Walter Scott.

Vol. I

STI^.A.TrE:;iZ>

NKW YORK CHICAGO

THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1907

4juj\^ (PaJt- £o-

INTRODUCTORY

The history of Massachusetts — civil, political and military — has been written by various authors and at various times, each succeeding writer adding a new chapter of annals, or treating his subject from a different viewpoint. Such history , however, splendid narrative that it is, is principally concerned with what has been accomplished by the people in a mass, and takes little note of individuals, except those so pre-eminent as leaders as to come under the full glare of fame.

Hence it follows that genealogical and family memoirs are of peculiar importance, includino- as thev do, the personal annals of those who make heroes and heroism possible —

those who have marched in the ranks of progress, bearing the heat and burden of the day, — portraying the spirit which actuated them, and holding up their etTort for an example to those who come afterward. As was written by Marti, neau, "To have forefathers renowned for \ionorable deeds, to belong by nature to those who have bravely borne their part in life and refreshed the world with mightv thoughts and healthy admiration, is a privilege which it were mean and self-willed to despise. It is a securitygiven for us of old, which it were falsehearted not to redeem ; and in virtues Prescott Homestead, at pepperei-i. bred of a noble stock, mellowed as they

The home of Col. William Prescott, second son of Benjamin are by reverence, tiiere is often a grace

Prescott. and the grandfather of William H. Prescott. the distinguished historiaa. Col. Prescott was born in Groton. and settled on a large tract of land previously owned by his father, located in what was calletl the " ' Gore." later included in the town of Pepperell. He served as a Lieutenant in the expedition sent in 1755. to remove the French Neutrals from Nova Scotia; and as colonel of the Minute Men enrolled in and about Groton in 1774. At the battle of Bunker Hill. June 17. 1775. he occupied the distinguished position of Commander of the American forces. He died October 13. 1795. aged sixty-nine years, having been bornFebruaiy -0. 17'Jt>. His widow died October 21. 1821, aged eighty-eight years; both buried at Pepperell.

and ripeness wanting to self-made and brand-new excellence. Of like value to a people are heroic national traditions, giving them a determined character to sustain among the tribes of men, making them familiar with images of great and strenuous life, and kindling them with faith in glorious possibilities."

The county of Worcester affords a peculiarly interesting field for a study of family traits, individual character and personal achievements. It is rich in historical associations, and its soil has been the scene of events of the utmost importance to the entire nation. To it came a sturdy people, men and women, too, of brawn and brain and conscience, their hearts fervent in reverence of God and love for religious and political liberty. They came

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INTRODUCTORY up out of great tribulations. They were of that overflow of Pilgrim and Puritan stock which traversed an unbroken wilderness to make homes where were savages, ar.d to conquer primeval nature. They builded better than they knew.

" For Good is not a shapely mass of stone,

Hewn by man's hand, and worked by him alone.

It is a seed God suffers hmi to sow —

Others will reap, and, when the harvests grow,

He giveth increase through all coming years,

And lets men reap in joy, seed that was sown in tears."

Simple and clean in their lives, .is were these earlv settlers, the homes which they builded were humble, but they were the seat of all the virtues that constitute ideal manhood and womanhood. The courage, fortitude and activity displayed by these hardy pioneers was most remarkable, and, when the struggle for national independence came, the sons and daughters of these illustrious sires were not wanting in patriotism and devotion, freely sacrificing comfort, life and propis.MAH Thomas. LL, a erty, that they might bequeath to the generations that

Founder of "Massachusetts Spy." and Ameri- ghould follow them a free liberal government "of the

can Antiquarian Society, born July 30, °

1749. died April 4. 1S31. in Worcester. people, by the people, and for the people. They were,

from the beginning, prime movers in every patriotic movement, and in all looking to the elevation of humanity. In 1775, in convention assembled, they expressed their abhorrence of human slavery, and that, whenever opportunity should present, they would use their influence toward the emancipation of the negro. From here, their birthplace, marched Captain (later known as Colonel) Timothy Bigelow and Captain Benjamin Flagg— with their companies of minute-men on that memorable l9th of April, 1775, and here, in the city of Worcester, the Declaration of Independence was first read in Massachusetts. Here, too, was the home of General Artemas Ward, the trusted friend and chief lieutenant of the great Washington. In Worcester was set up, by Isaiah Thomas, the first printing press in an inland town in Massachusetts, and the journal which was printed from it was one which was unparalleled in its influence upon the minds of the common people in their ready espousal of the cause of independence from British

tyrannv. Here entered upon his illus- ^^.^^ ^^^ ^^_^^^^ Farnum in ITOe. and stands in the southerly part of the

tiious career Levi Lincoln, one of the «'«'' "' U^b"dge.

Giants in those davs— a great lawyer, jurist and statesman. Here lived and labored repre- Tentatives of the famous Prescott, Curtis, Allen, Washburn and Devous families and here was born George Bancroft, the historian. Here, too, were heard, at various periods, Webster, Sumner, Lincoln, Henry Wilson and Henry Ward Beecher, and, in the yet later

Karnum House, Uxbridge

Worcester Art Museum, Salisbury Street. Worcester