Jewett Piano Company Building

Mr. Joseph G. Tennev, the present superintendent of the Water Works, has occupied that position and has also been treasurer of the board since 1879. He was born in Leominster, Aug. 5, 1825, educated in the public schools of the town, learned the carpenter's trade and began the business of carpenter and builder for himself, while yet in his minority. At the age of twenty he contracted to build his first house for his sister, Mrs. Maynard, on Pleasant street, and soon after the A, O. Wilder house on West street. In 1850 he built a residence for himself on Water street, where he first began housekeeping and where he has since lived. In 1859, Mr. Tenney went South, but was sent for by Isaac Covvdrey to return and help him build a house for Porter M. Kimball. This he did, and continued in business with Mr. Cowdrey for some time. In 1864 he engaged in the Piano business with J. P. Lockey, and in 1867 became the first treasurer of the Arlington Piano Co. In 1870 he began outside, the manufacture of sounding boards, for the same company, erecting the building opposite his residence on Water street, for that purpose. He was associated with the Stratton brothers at Strattons' mills in 1871, bought out their interest, and in 1874 entered into partnership with Captain Clesson Kenney, under the style of Tenney & Kenney, continuing for five years, after which time the latter conducted the lumber business and Mr. Tenney gave his attention to the management of the Water Department for the town.

Passage source: Leominster, Massachusetts, Historical and Picturesque, published 1888.

EPTEMBER 1743, the first church in Leominster was organized and Rev. John Rogers, a lineal descendant of the martyr of that name, was ordained their first minister. The frame of the first meeting house was raised in the summer of 1741, on land purchased for that purpose of Ebenezer Houghton, and situated in the northeast corner «of what is now the old burying ground. The building was far enough towards completion in the winter of 1742, so as to have a month's preaching in it. It was 45 feet in length, 35 in width and 22 feet high. It was rough boarded on the outsides with few windows, and within only a loose floor and movable seats or benches. There were no pews for several years and the outside was not finished and painted until 1753. This house was used not only for public worship, but as a town house, and the town meetings were held in it for over thirty years. In 1775 it was sold at public auction to the Baptist society in Harvard, taken down and carried to " Still River," and for a long time was used by them as a place of worship until they were about to build a larger house, when they moved the old one across the street, and fitted it up for a parsonage. On account of differences in opinion between himself and his people, about minor doctrinal points of religion, Mr. Rogers was dismissed in 1757, but about one-fifth of the society adhering to him, a " poll Society " was made of them by the Legislature, to whom he preached until prevented by the infirmities of age, and was dismissed by them in 1788.

Passage source: Leominster, Massachusetts, Historical and Picturesque, published 1888.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Leominster City - 55,237 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.