Norfolk County, Massachusetts - Chapter 22: the Town of Millis, 1918

Chapter 22: the Town of Millis

The Town of Millis is located in the western part of Norfolk County. It is bounded on the north by the Town of Sherborn, Middlesex County ; on the east by Medfield ; on the south by Norfolk ; on the west by Medway, and the Town of Holliston, Middlesex County, forms a little of the boundary on the northwest. The Charles River runs along the southern and eastern borders, separating Millis from the towns of Norfolk and Medfield. In the northern part is Boggestow Brook, which flows in a general easterly direction to the Charles River, draining two or three ponds of considerable size on its course. There are some hills in Millis, but they are not so high nor so picturesque as those of some of the adjacent towns, and between the hills are fertile valleys that are well adapted to the pursuit of agriculture.

First Settlement

The territory now comprising the Town of Millis was originally a part of Dedham. When Medfield was incorporated by act of the General Court on May 22, 1650, it included practically all of Millis. The first settlements were therefore made in this part of Norfolk County long before the Town of Millis was even dreamed of by the inhabitants. Among the pioneers were George Fairbanks, Nicholas Woods, Daniel Morse, Thomas Holbrook, Thomas Bass, Joseph Daniel, John Fussell, Jonathan Adams, Peter Galley, Josiah Rockwood and some others, all of whom are mentioned more in detail in the chapter devoted to the Town of Medway, of which Millis was a part for nearly one and three-quarters centuries.

Division Of Medway

For many years the Town of Medway was divided into three communities, socially and in a business way, though the people lived under the same town government without friction, attending the town meetings and voting upon all questions affecting the common welfare. Under the conditions, however, it was natural that some of the citizens should become somewhat dissatisfied, and in 1884 the dissatisfaction of those living in the eastern part of the town found expression in the following petition for division :

"The undersigned petitioners, citizens of Medway, respectfully represent that the interests and convenience of a large number of the citizens of said town would be promoted by the incorporation of the easterly part of said town into a new town; wherefore, the undersigned respectfully petition that all the territory within said town comprised within the following limits, that is to say : Beginning at a stone bound at an angle in the boundary line between the towns of Medway and Holliston about sixty rods distant from Orchard Street and near the 'Nathan Plympton place,' so called ; thence southerly in a straight line to the southeasterly corner of Farm and Village streets ; thence continuing in the same course to the bank of the Charles River; thence following the present boundary lines between the Town of Medway and the towns of Norfolk, Medfield, Sherborn and Holliston to the above mentioned stone bound, the place of beginning, may be set off and incorporated into a town by the name of 'Millis.' "

This petition was signed by E. S. Fuller, E. L. Holbrook, G. F. Holbrook, Elbridge Clark, E. O. Jameson, John Bullard, Timothy Bullard, Frank E. Cook, Israel D. Fuller, Edwin Metcalf, Austin Metcalf, Lansing Millis, "and 125 others."

When it was learned by the people living in the central and western portions of the town that this movement was on foot, they circulated a counter petition, which was also addressed to the Legislature, and which was as follows :

"The undersigned, legal voters of the Town of Medway, in said Commonwealth, in view of the possible division of the town, upon petition to be presented to your Honorable Body of citizens of East Medway, so called, respectfully represent that the population of the Town of Medway is substantially divided into three distinct communities in all their social and business relations, and your petitioners, therefore, respectfully pray that the town may be divided into three corporate and distinct towns, upon lines of division substantially in accordance with such as have for many years marked their social and business interests, to wit :

"That East Medway be incorporated as prayed for in the petition referred to, embracing the territory of Medway westward to a line from a point on the Charles River extending northerly to the boundary of Holliston.

"That West Medway, so called, include the territory of Medway extending eastward to a line commencing at a point on said Charles River at or near the junction with said river on the Lone Star Brook from Franklin ; thence northerly crossing Village and Main streets to Hill Street at the Holliston boundary line, near the house of John Sullivan, in nearly a straight course.

"And that Medway proper remain constituted with the territory and population lying between and residing upon the same between the two lines as previously described and as will more fully appear by a plan of the same to be submitted to your Honorable Body. And in duty bound will ever pray."

This petition, dated "Medway, October 20, 1884," was signed by M. M. Fisher, E. A. Daniels, Jesse K. Snow, Edward Fennessy, James O'Donnell, E. C. Wilson, W. H. Carey, Clark Partridge, C. S. Philbrick, Henry S. Partridge, "and 193 others." Notwithstanding the fact that it bore a much larger number of signatures, the petitioners for the Town of Millis remained steadfast in their work. Their petition was published in four successive issues of the "Medway Magnet," was sworn to before William A. Wyckoff, a justice of the peace, on December 2, 1884, and was immediately afterward filed in the office of the secretary of state. In due time it came before the Legislature, which evidently took the view that it would be impracticable to divide the Town of Medway into three towns, for on February 10, 1885, a bill was introduced in the senate providing for the incorporation of the Town of Millis, upon the boundaries asked for by the petitioners. Two days later it passed the senate and was sent to the house, where it passed the final stages on the 19th and was approved by the governor on the 24th. Millis therefore dates its corporate existence from February 24, 1885.

The Town Name

The town takes its name from the Millis family, members of which were influential in securing its incorporation. The Boston & Woonsocket division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad runs through the town, and after it was organized the name of East Medway was changed to Millis. Henry L. Millis was particularly active in promoting the fortunes of the new town.

Town Hall

A short distance northeast of Millis, which is the municipal center of the town, is the railroad station of Clicquot. Not long after the town was incorporated, Henry L. Millis made an arrangement with the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company to erect a building, the lower story of which should be used for railroad purposes and the upper story for a town hall and public library. Mr. Millis then conceived the idea of communicating with all natives or former residents and asking each one to contribute a stone for the building. The result was that quite a number responded to his request, and the walls of the town hall and railroad station are constructed of boulders from almost every state in the Union. Some of the stones bear suitable inscriptions, showing from whence they came and who were their donors. The boulders of different hues and texture give the building a unique appearance rarely to be found in a public edifice. The hall is centrally located and the town's portion of the structure was donated by Mr. Millis.

The Millis waterworks, now the property of the town, were also built by Henry L. Millis, but were sold to the town some years later, a bond issue of $30,000 being authorized to pay for them. Since the purchase by the town the mains have been extended in several districts, at a cost of $24,380. The principal of these extensions is that to Rockville, where a standpipe was erected, the total cost of the improvement being $16,500. Regarding the matter of extensions, at a town meeting held on February 14, 1916, it was voted: "That the water commissioners, with three others nominated from the floor, investigate and report at the next town meeting rules to govern all extensions of water pipes in the Town of Millis."

Hams, Osgood T. Dean and Frank S. Hoff. On March 31, 1916, the committee made a report to a town meeting, a portion of which report was as follows: "The committee believes that property owners who own property outside of the so-called water district should be afforded the privilege of obtaining Town water on a reasonable basis. At the same time the committee realizes that in most cases the cost of extending the water system to outlying properties is disproportionate to the income derived from the use of the water, and is greatly in excess of installing the water supply within said water district.

"It seems reasonable, therefore, to the committee, that property owners who desire an extension of the water system for their benefit outside of this water district should pay for a reasonable period a sum in excess of that charged to takers within said water district. The committee feels that if an annual sum, equal to six per cent of the cost of extending the system, is paid by the takers for a period of ten years from the time of installation, this sum would pay for the water used during the same period and would also reimburse the town to some extent for interest paid on moneys expended in making such extension. As it is the belief of the committee that this six per cent guaranteed payment will, to some extent, recompense the town for the expense of extension of its water system, the committee recommends that, where there is more than one taker of water on any extension, all of the takers on such extension shall jointly pay a sum equal to six per cent of the investment of the town in the extension, and if the quantity of water taken on any extension is sufficient, if paid for at the regular water rate, to pay the town a sum equal to said six per cent on its investment, that all water taken above such quantity shall be paid for at the regular water rates ; it being the belief of the committee that the town should in any event receive a sum equal to six per cent, and as much more as the quantity of water used would enable it to receive, charging for said water at the regular rate."

In connection with the purchase of the waterworks by the town, it is worthy of note that a sinking fund was established for the redemption of the bonds when they fall due in 1925. As the sinking fund accumulated, it was loaned to the town. At the close of the year 1916 the town was the borrower of $12,180 of this fund. Thus the town is paying itself interest upon its own money, an arrangement which is regarded as being much better than paying interest to outside money lenders. The amount of water pumped in 1916 was 15,694,070 gallons, the receipts for which amounted to $3,387.29.

Fire Department

The' Millis Fire Department is a volunteer organization. Part of the equipment originally was inherited from the old Town of Medway, when the property of that town was divided with Millis under the act of February 24, 1885. At the town meeting on February 14, 1916, a committee previously appointed to investigate the conditions of the Rockville Fire Company, reported in favor of the erection of a building for that company, "at a cost of $700, as the town is paying fifty dollars rental for a building that is not fit for the purpose." The report was accepted and adopted, and the house was erected during the year.

of Charles LaCroix, J. C. Thorne and Albion K. P. Barton, reported that the department had answered fourteen calls during the year. The appropriation for the support of the department for the year was $1,000.

Financial

In 1916 the valuation of the property, as fixed by the board of assessors, was $1,556,872. According to the treasurer's report, the liabilities of the town on December 31, 1916,. amounted to $80,230. Of these liabilities the principal items were as follows :

Millis has never been niggardly in the matter of public improvements, but from the time the town was organized in 1885 to the present day the people have exercised good judgment in making appropriations. The expenditures for the year 1916 were as follows:

General Conditions In 1917

In 1910 the United States census reported the population of Millis as 1,399, only two towns in the county (Dover and Norfolk) showing a smaller number of inhabitants. The state census of 191 5 gave Millis a population of 1,442, a gain of only 43 in five years. Besides the division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad above mentioned, Millis is connected with Dedham on the east, and Milford on the west by an electric railway. Electric railways that connect with this line afford easy transportation to a number of the adjacent towns. The principal manufacturing concerns are a large boot and shoe factory and the Clicquot Club ginger ale works, one of the largest of the kind in the country. Near this factory the railroad company has established a station to which has been given the name of "Clicquot." Both station and factory are about half a mile northeast of the Village of Millis.

The principal town officers at the beginning of the year 1917 were: Michael H Clancy, Horace M. Cushman and George G. Hoff, selectmen; Louis LaCroix, clerk - Evan F. Richardson, treasurer ; J. A. Cole, Frank S. Harding and Moses C Adams assessors ; Ernest L. Hill, Herbert H. Thorne and Frank S. Harding, overseers of the poor; Charles LaCroix, George G. HofT and Michael H. Clancy, water commissioners; J. Clarence Thorne, tax collector; Lawrence J. Reardon,, auditor; Edward LaCroix, J. A. Cole and J. C. Thorne, school committee; Cornelius J. Erisman and William H. Thorne, constables.