Templeton Town (part 1 of 2)

Templeton Town

The present agricultural condition of the town may be indicated by the following extracts from the census of Massachusetts, report of 1885: - Amount of land, cultivated, uncultivated and woodland, 19,111 acres; cultivated land, 16 per cent.; uncultivated, 40 per cent. ; woodland, 44 per cent. Number of farms, 145 ; average size, 131 acres; number of farms reported over one acre and under two, 1 ; over three and under four, 4; over five and under ten, 8 ; over ten and under fifteen, 5; over fifteen and under twenty, 5; over twenty and under thirty, 9; over thirty and under forty, 8; over forty and under fifty, 6; over fifty and under sixty, 7; over sixty and under seventy, 4; over seventy and under eighty, 6; over eighty and under ninety, 8; over ninety and under one hundred, 19; over one hundred and under one hundred and fifty, 29; over one hundred and fifty and under two hundred, 13; over two hundred and under three hundred, 8; over three hundred and under four hundred, 4; over eight hundred and under nine hundred, 1. Aggregate value of these 145 farms: - Land, §262,930; buildings, $219,103; machines, implements, etc., $19,- 521; domestic animals, etc., $50,781; fruit trees and vines, $11,377. The total yearly product from these farms amounts to $125,152. Farms owned, 123; hired, 13; on shares, 5; not given, 4 - total, 145. Number of persons owning or having charge of farms : - Males, 159; females, 8; farm laborers, 86.

Formation of the Second Agricultural Societij of Sturbridge. - An informal meeting of citizens was held at the house of Mr. J. N. Chamberlain, October 31, 1843> and Maj. S. A. Drake was called to the cliair. It was voted to hold an exhibition, November 8th, on the Common. Three were appointed to "extend and give notice over the town in general." The exhibition was lield as appointed, and at an adjourned meeting, November 15th, a committee was chosen to draft a constitution and by-laws. At anotlier adjourned meeting, November i^7th, a constitution containing eight articles was adopted, and tlie following list of officers chosen, viz.: - President, S. A.Drake; Vice-President, Caleb Weld, Jr.; Secretary, Benj. D. Hyde; Corresponding Secretary, A. M. Merrick; Treasurer, Benj. Bullock; Directors, Thos. Merrick, John Boyden, David Wight, A. P. Taylor, Peter Belknap, Geo. V. Corey, Simeon Hooker, Samuel Hobbs, S. F. Marsh.

Out of this was evolved the Worcester South Agricultural Society, incorporated in 1854, "for the encouragement of agriculture and the mechanic arts by premiums and other means in the town of Sturbridge, in the county of Worcester." The fine park of this society, containing the buildings and conveniences for a first-class fair, the whole plant being valued at upwards of $16,000, is situated near the centre of this town.

Chapter Xvii

TeMPLETON is in the extreme northerly portion of Worcester County, in the middle of the second tier of towns from the New Hampshire line. Royalston lies next it on the nortliHcst, and Winchendon on the northea^t. Gardner, whose territory was taken partly from this town, lies on the eastern side. Hubbardston lies to the southwest, separated from it by a straight boundary line. Phillipston, originally a part of this town, extends completely along the western side. The extreme length of the town is about eight miles. It varies in breadth from about three miles in the northerly portion to five miles in the middle and southerly portions. It contains from nineteen to twenty thousand acres of surface. The town lies filteen miles west of Fitchburg, twenty-six miles northwesterly from Worcester and sixty-five miles from Boston. It is in latitude 42' 32' north and longitude 72° 5' west from London.

Templeton is situated on a high elevation. The village at the centre of the town is not less than twelve hundred feet above the level of the sea. Some hills rise even higher than that. There is an elevated plateau reaching from Wachusett Mountain, in the central part of Worcester County, to Monadnock, in Southern New Hampshire. This town lies on the western edge of this plateau, where it begins to slope toward the Connecticut River, as the eastern side of the plateau slopes toward the Merrimac. There are no mountainous elevations in the town, although the whole surface is hilly. The hills are rounded masses, usually fertile to the summit. The crests of some of these hills and ridges command extensive views of the surrounding country, as from Dolbear Hill, near the village at the centre of the town. Mine Hill, in the eastern part of the town, and from the high ridges of laud in the southern and also in the northwestern parts of the town. It is a notal.ile feature of this portion of Worcester County that it lies in long ridges or swells of land extending in a northerly and southerly line, with corresponding valleys between. Roads running north and south find locations quite nearly level ; but running east and west it is one continuous couree of up hill and down. The Ware River Railroad finds ea.sy grades through one of these valleys. The situation of this town, just on the western edge of the plateau, brings it just barely within the Connecticut River basin, into which river all of its surplus waters flow. The towns lying next easterly of this, send a portion of their waters into the Merrimac. The largest stream of water in town is Otter River. This stream has its sources in Hubbardston and Gardner, flows through the southeasterly portion of this town, and the southwesterly part of Gardner, forms the boundary line between the two towns for some distance, then flows in a northwesterly direction through the northerly part of the town, yielding an abundant water-power at the villages of Otter River and Baldwinville. Just outside of this town it unites with Miller's River, a tributary of the Connecticut. Otter River has several tributaries in this town. Mill Brook, with several reservoirs for the storage of water, furnishes several water privileges at P^irtridgeville and East Templeton. Trout Brook, with several mill privileges, flows in a direct northerly course through one of the valleys and falls into Otter River a little below Baldwinville. Beaver Brook flows in a northerly course through another of the valleys in the extreme westerly part of the town, falling into Miller's River near South Royalston. There were formerly two saw-mills on this brook. There are several small tributaries of Otter River, some of which have in the past furnished mill-sites. The Burnshirt River drains the southwesterly part of the town and furnishes several mill privileges. This stream falls into Ware River, and thence by way of the Chicopee River reaches the Connecticut. On these various streams there are not less than thirty-five mill-sites, the water-power of which has at some time been turned to practical use. But some of them have in later times been given up.

Several neighboring towns, whose situation is much like our own, have their surface dotted with natural ponds, forming an attractive feature in the landscape. The artificial pond is suggestive only of utility ; the natural pond seems to be almost wholly for the gratification of the eye. This town has only two natural ponds, and both are of small size. Snake Pond is in the extreme easterly part of the town, lying partly in Gardner ; Cook Pond is in the southerly part of the town, small in area, and with no attractive features. The artificial ponds, for the mill privileges and reservoirs, are numerous and scattered over the town.

The soil of this town is not sterile; neither can it be called fertile. It yields fair crops when replenished by fertilizing material and stimulated to activity by the energetic hand of the owner. But the land is not easy of cultivation, and we cannot compete with Western States in the production of oats and corn. The usual agricultural products are raised here in moderate quantities. Gra»s is, perhaps, the most important product. The fruits are not produced in abundance here. The peach does not thrive. The season is hardly long enough for the grape. Apples are produced in moderate quantities, but not nearly enough for the home supply. The white pine is the most abundant of the forest trees. Spruce and hemlock are common, and also maple, birch and beech. The oak and the ash are not so often found, and chestnut trees have become quite rare. The American larch, sometimes known as tamarack, and the hard pine grow in some localities. The black cherry, leverwood, hornbeam, poplar, basswood and balsam are found in small quantities. The elm is rarely found, except where it has been set out as a shade-tree. The poison dogwood is found in some of our forests, and the usual wild shrubs grow in abundance - the laurel, common alder, black alder, withewood, sumac and hazel. Doubtless the town at its first settlement was densely wooded. We read from time to time in the Proprietors' Records of their sending persons " to burn the woods." An important product in the early times was the potash obtained from the ashes of the burned trees.

The valuation of the property in the town in the year 1800 was less than one hundred and fifty thousand dollars ; in 1840 it was somewhat less than six hundred thousand dollars; in 1887 it was a little over one million dollars. According to the assessor's lists for the year 1887, there were in the town 592 dwelling-houses, 429 horses and 4.50 cows. The number of polls taxed was 788 ; the number of legal voters in 1888 was 569.

Templeton has its population gathered chiefly in the four principal villages. Each of these villages has a post-office and a hotel ; each has one or more churches and stores ; each has a public hall ; and, beginning with the year 1887, each, with a portion of the contiguous territory, constitutes a voting precinct for the purposes of the State election. The Centre village is at the summit of one of the high ridges of land of which this region is made up. Here the first houses were built ; here was the meeting-house of the olden time ; here was the public Common, serving as a military training field and muster-ground. The militia of this and the neighboring towns gathered here for the autumnal muster. On the west side of the common is the town hall. Near by is the Unitarian Church and chapel. On the east is the brick building of the Boynton Public Library. Next is the Trinitarian Church edifice. Opposite is the location of the summer school of Mr. Charles W. Stone, of Boston. At the south end of the Common Mr. Percival Blodgett keeps, in more than the usual quantity and variety, the miscellaneous assortment of dry goods and groceries usual in a country store. Mr. J. O. Winch deals in boots and shoes. For several years the hotel, now burned, was kept by Mr. Charles E. Ellis. Miss Delia Damon manages the affairs of the post-office. Westerly of the village is the station of the Ware River Railroad. Near it is an establishment for painting and finishing furniture, carried on by Messrs. Kilner & Bourn. On Trout Brook, near by, Messrs. Bourn, Hadley & Co. are extensively engaged in the manufacture of pine and ash furniture.

Two miles easterly of Templeton Centre, and well toward the borders of the town, is the village of East Templeton. The Methodist Church has its location here. And here also is Memorial Hall , on whose walls are two marble tablets bearing the names of those soldiers who lost their lives in the Civil War. Ericsson Post, No. 109, of the Grand Army of the Republic, has its place of meeting in this building. There is a co-operative store in its lower story. Mr. F. L. Sargeant is the postmaster of the village, and has a grocery store. Mr. Henry J. Wright keeps a hotel and livery stable, and has a miscellaneous business besides. Mill Brook runs directly through this village and furnishes abundant water-power. Three shops on the upper part of this stream have been burned within a few years. A little fariher down the stream is the factory of Mr. Chester N. Johnson, who makes children's carts and wagons in large variety and quantity. The next factory is that of the sons of T. T. Greenwood, who are largely engaged in the manufacture of furniture. They have a furniture store at Gardner. Chairs are manufactured at the lowest mill on the stream by the East Templeton Co-operative Chair Company, a prosperous organization of several mechanics of the village, which has carried on business here for several years.

The village of Otter River is in the northeasterly part of the town, about three miles from the Centre village. It has a station on the Fitchburg Railroad. There is a public hall in connection with the schoolhouse. St. Martin's Church, Catholic, is in this village. Frederick Warner is the postmaster and keeps a store. Francis Lelaud has built a large brick store on the site of the former hotel, and keeps groceries, dry goods and miscellaneous articles in great variety. Otter River furnishes water-power, on which are three factories, two of which are owned by the Hon. Rufus S. Frost, of Chelsea, Mass., and are occupied with spinning for his other factories «(lsewhere ; the third has always been a woolen-factory. Messrs. Lord, Stone & Co. make a great many stoves, and send out agents to sell them in various parts of New England. There are two brick-yards at this part of the town. One has been .somewhat recently established. The other was for many years carried on by Mr. Horatio N. Dyer, and more recently by his son, Charles C. Dyer. The annual product at this yard has recently been one and a half million of bricks.

Baldwinville is in the northerly part of the town, well toward the Winchendon line and about four miles from the Centre village. It has excellent railroad facilities, being situated at the junction of the Ware River Railroad with the Fitchburg. The Baptist Church and the Goodell Memorial Church are both in this village. There is also a public hall, named Union Hall. George E. Bryant is postmaster of the village. For several years Mr. George Partridge has been the proprietor of the hotel. The Templeton Savings Bank has its place of business in this village. Mr. Louis Leland has kept a store at the " Lee" stand in this village since 1870, keeping a supply of dry goods, groceries and miscellaneous articles. In the Cady & Brooks block, near the railroad bridge, Mr. C. S. Dickin.son keeps drugs and medicines and a slock of furnishing goods in one store, and Messrs. C. S. Dickinson & Co. keep groceries in an adjoining store, in one portion of which is the post-office. Supplies of coal are furnished by Messrs. Evans & Bowker. Otter River Hows directly through the village and furnishes a liberal supply of water-power, which is industriously used. The shop at the uppermost privilege is owned and occupied by Messrs. Smith, Day & Co., in the manufacture of chairs. A portion of the water-power here is used to turn the machinery of the paper-mill, where sheathing, roofing and fire-proof paper is manufactured by Mr. H. M. Small, formerly Small, Gould & Co. Mr. George A. Brooks is a contractor and builder, as well as a dealer in lumber. Following down the river, we come to what was formerly known as the " Red Mill." Here the Waite Chair Company manufecture children's chairs in a variety of patterns and with various ingenious devices for changing their form and rolling them about. At the "Lower mill " chairs of various patterns are manufactured by Messrs. D. L. Thompson & Son. On the north side of the river Messrs. Baker & Wilson manufacture children's wagons and carts at the lower shop, and carry on an extensive business of grinding and selling corn at the upper shop, formerly known as the "Hat-shop." There is a machine-shop near the railroad bridge in which William E. Nichols manufactures band-saw machines and chair machinery of various kinds and does other machinist's work. Messrs. Holman & Harris have built a new shop in the northerly part of the village, close by the railroad. They use steampower only, and make large quantities of pails, buckets and other wooden-ware. This account of the business of the village would not be complete without mentioning an enterprise in which Mr. Frank L. Hosmer and Mr. E. W. Lund are separately engaged. Each has a green-house, heated by steam, in which cucumbers are raised during the winter, and are ready in the very early spring for the New York and Boston markets, to which they are daily sent.

The lands lying in this region were regarded as the property of the Province of Massachusetts. They were granted to persons with a view to the promotion of the settlement of the country rather than as a means of increasing the revenues of the Province. There were many persons in the towns of the eastern part of the Province who had rendered military service in the war against the Narragansett Indians, which terminated in 1675, ending with the destruction of the Indian tribes. Promises had been made to the soldiers in these wars that they should receive gratuities in land in addition to their wages ; but for fifty years these promises had remained unfulfilled. The soldiers who survived and the heirs of others urged their claims and finally, June 15, 1728, the General Court recognized their claims by granting to them two townships, each six miles square. A convention of those who brought forward their claims met at Cambridge in 1730. At that meeting the number of those who presented claims was much greater than had been expected. Thomas Tileston, Esq., and others were appointed a committee to request the General Court to grant more townships. This petition was acted upon favorably by the House of Representatives, which voted that each one hundred and twenty persons whose claims shall be allowed by this court may be allowed a township of six miles square. The concurrence of the Governor and Executive Council was necessary to give validity to the grant. The House of Representatives sent to the Council a message setting forth earnestly and eloquently the valor and merit of the soldiers engaged in the Narragansett exjiediiion and calling the attention of the Council to the fact that a " proclamation was made to the army, in the name of the government, when they were mustertd on Dedham Plain, where they began their march, that if they played the man, took the fort and drove the enemy out of the Narragansett country, they should have a gratuity in land beside their wages." Additional lists of claimants were afterwards brought in, making the full number of officers and soldiers whose claims were allowed eight hundred and forty persons. A committee was appointed to lay out five more tracts of land in some of the unappropriated lands of the Province, in accordance with the order of the General Court. The grantees were also ordered to meet within six months to make choice of committees to regulate each propriety or township which was to be held and enjoyed by each one hundred and twenty grantees in equal proportion. The grantees of each township were to pass such rules and orders as to oblige them to settle sixty families, with a learned minister, within the space of seven years from the date of the grant. The grantees chose such committees June 6, 1733.

The Proprietors of the Township. - Each of the townships granted by the General Court to soldiers of the Narragansett Indian War seems to have borne the name Narragansett, with a number attached to distinguish the one from the other. Some of these townships seem to have been in New Hampshire. The neighboring town of Westminster was Narragansett Number 2. Templeton was, until the time of its incorporation, known as Narragansett Number 6. The proprietors of this township seem first to have drawn a township somewhere in New Hampshire, as at their first meeting they voted to accept of the township " on the back of Rutland, in lieu of the township assigned us, west of Ponocook and Suncook."

The first meeting of the proprietors of the township Narragansett Number G, was on October 19, 1733, at the tavern of Jonathan Ball, in Concord, Mass. They chose Samuel Chandler, Jonas Houghton and John Longley as a committee to lay out a township " on the back of Rutland, if the land there be acomadable." At an adjourned meeting of the proprietors, December 3d, they voted to accept of the township. A survey of the township was made by Jonas Houghton, and a plot of the same was returned to the General Court, which was accepte<l by that body in February, 1734. A meeting of the proprietors was held April 1, 1734, when they chose Jonas Houghton, John Longley and Joseph Fassett a committee " to finish the lines of the township, and burn the woods from time to time until further orders;" they also voted that a tax often shillings should be paid by each proprietor.

The first step towards making a division of the land of the town among the proprietors was taken at a meeting held in Concord, October 30, 1734. At that meeting it was " voted that the township be laid out in part as soon as may be. Voted that there be laid out a hundred and twenty-three forty-acre lots of the best of the upland. Voted that Samuel Chandler, Captain James Jones, Mr. Joshua Richardson, John Longley and .loseph Fassett be a committee to lay out the lots aliove-mentioned. Voted that the lots be made as equal as may be, and in as regular form and as compact as the laud will allow of. Voted that said committee order ttmys (roads), and where the meetinghouse and the three public lots shall be, and to order land for a burying-place and for a training-place, and for other public use, according to their best discretion."

It will thus be seen that land for the public use was provided for at the earliest possible time, even before the settlement of the town. In accordance with the preceding vote, the committee proceeded to lay out the one hundred and twenty-three forty-acre lots - house-lots these were called - one for each of the one hundred and twenty owners of the towuship, and the tliree public lots, of which one was for the support of wlinols, one for the first minister, and one for the support of the ministry. The committee employed surveyors, and spent about thirty days in the work of surveying the lots.

At a meeting held at Concord, January 24, 1735 (old style), the lots were distributed among the proprietors by a chance drawing. Any proprietor who did not like his lot was permitted to drop it and take an equal amount in the undivided land, provided he did so within a given time. The full list of the names of the original proprietors, with the numbers of the lots which fell to each, may still be seen in the book of Proprietors' Records. Very few of these original owners of the fots in the township ever settled here. Their lots were sold to others.

It was a condition of the grant of the township by the General Court ilut hixty families should be settled on as many lots within seven years. But settlers did not rapidly come in. In 1737 the proprietors voted that the owners of sixty of the lots, designated by drawing numbers, should pay into the treasury the sum of twelve pounds each, old tenor, and that the other sixty lots should be settled within three years, and that each proprietor who settled his lot should receive a bounty of eight pounds. In 1743 an additional bounty of twelve pounds was offered to each of the first ten families who, before September 1, 1744, would build a "good dwelling-house and inhabit the same, agreeably to the act of the Great and General Court." Buc a war between France and England came on, and the Indians acted as allies of the French, and the whole colony was so disturbed that all thought of settling new townships was given up. However, peace came in 1749.

The first meeting of proprietors held within the township was on October 6, 1742, on " Ridge Hill," supposed to be near where the Partridgeville tJchooL house now stands. A contract was made with Samuel Sheldon to build a saw-mill, but he failed to build one. Another contract was made with James Simonds, Reuben Richardson and Oliver Richardson. It is believed that they built a mill in 1743, on the site now owned by A. S. Hodge. A meeting of proprietors was held in 1744, and after that no meeting was held until September 20, 1749, when they again met on " Ridge Hill," in the township.

A meeting was held May 9, 1750, " at the meetinghouse place," in the township, and it was voted to divide the meadow land. Foin- acres, in the middling sort of the meadow, was taken as the standard or quantity assigned to each proprietor. John Whitcomb and Charles Baker were appointed surveyors. There was not enough of the meadow land to furnish each one four acres, and so it was voted that those who drew " blanks," should have nine acres each, "in any of the undivided upland," giving us an idea of the relative value of meadow and upland at that time. In 1751 there was a second division of upland, with sevenfy acres as the standard, but the committee had power to make the lots larger or smaller, according to their goodness. These lots, one hundred and twentythree in number, were surveyed and distributed by lot. May 15, 175^'.

A third division of the upland was agreed upon in May, 1753, viithforty acres as the standard, and it was voted that each proprietor may " pitch to his own land," - that is, selectalot adjoining one formerly received at a previous distribution, - and that the committee " qualify the land over or under the standard, as it is for goodness or accommodation." There were sixty-six " pitched lots ; " the other proprietors drew for their locations. A fourth division of land was voted twelve years later, September 25, 1765, with twenti/ acres us the standard for each proprietor. And twelve years later still, October 29, 1777, a fifth divission was agreed upon, and six acres was to be the standard, with the usual provision for increasing or diminishing the quantity according to the location and goodness of the land. And thus, if we include the division of the meadow lots, there were six divisions of land among the proiirietors. In all of the divisions, each proprietor must have received about one hundred and eighty acres of land. Some received an excess of upland in the place of meadow lots ; and some lots were made a little over or under the standard, according to location or goodness.

After the division of 1777 there was still remaining a quantity of land, in pieces of irregular !-ha))e, lying between the lots already laid, in various parts of the township, amounting in all to about nine hundred acres. At a meeting of the proprietors, held May 3, 1786, it was voted that " it is expedient to sell this land at public vendue, and, after paying the debts, divide the proceeds among the proprietors according to their interest." Any proprietor, who preferred it, was to have his share of the land set off to him under the direction of a committee. The sale was made in accordance with the vote, And it was further agreed on June 6, 1787, that the hill called the " Mine Hill" shou'd be sold " at public vendue for the most it will fetch." Both salts having been made and the debts paid, there was found a balance of eleven shillings and sixpence for each original right, which the treasurer was directed to pay to the owners of the rights.

The proprietors, at their meeting of May 3, 1786, granted theCommon, and the burying-ground near it, to the town of Templeton, for the use and benefit of the people of the town and their heirs forever.

In the division of land among the proprietors, after the survey was made, it was usually laid before a meeting of the proprietors and afterwards recorded by the proprietors' clerk, in a book ke|)t for that purpose. There are, in the archives of the town, two books, containing the records of the proceedings of the proprietors at their meeting-i, and a record of the surveys in the original laying out of lots throughout the town- ship, with the length of the lines in rods, and their direction as indicated by the compass. There are many boundary lines of farms and lots, which, today, are the same that were made by the first surveyors as they laid out lots in these original distributions among the proprietors. The proprietors continued to hold meetings, with long intervals between, in the later times, until 1817. A meeting was called to meet at the dwelling-house of Lipha French, on the 10th of February of that year. This meeting was adjourned three times, the last meeting being on the first Monday of November, 1817. They then "voted to adjourn this meeting to the last Wednesday in May next, then to meet at Lipha French's." This is the last entry in the Proprietors' Book of Records. It is not even signed by the clerk, as was the custom.

The original proprietors of this township, as it appears, lived mostly in the towns of Concord, Groton, Lancaster, Bolton, Littleton, Westport, Chelmsford, Stowe, Marlborough, Billerica and Woburn. Their first meeting was held in Concord, and their earlier meetings were held in the more central of these towns. As has been already stated, their first meeting here was in 1742, on " Ridge Hill." Some other meetings were held there also. Sometimes after the meetings were held in the township, they met at the meeting-house place ; sometimes at Joshua Wright's tavern, or at the house of Lipha French, in later times.

The early proprietors of this and other towns were constituted by the General Court a body corporate for managing the affairs of the settlement. Their legal powers were similar to those of towns. They could lay taxes for the making of roads and for the support of schools and public worship. But these taxes were assessed wholly on the land, and not on polls or personal property. Their meetings were conducted much after the manner of town-meetings. The presiding officer was called a moderator. They had a clerk and treasurer. They chose committees to perform various duties in their behalf. Samuel Chandler was a leading spirit among the proprietors in the earlier times and until his death, in 1742. Charles Baker was prominent in the earlier settlement, and was a leading citizen of the town after its incorpora tion. For some time he held the office of Proprietors' Clerk. He surveyed many of the lots in the original laying out, including the Common and burying-jjlace He died in 1S13, at the age of eighty-five. His place of residence was in what is now PhiUipston, on the farm recently owned by Henry S. Miner.

Early Settlements - Old Houses. - One hundred and fifty years ago this hilly region of northern Worcester County was probably one unbroken forest. The noise of the axe of the lumberman had not then mingled with the sound of the gurgling streams, which then ran quietly to the sea unvexed by dam or water-wheel. Twenty-five years ago there were white pine trees in our valleys which must have been standing when the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. There is nothing to indicate that the Indians had any dwellingplaces here or engaged in the cultivation of the land. They probaldy roamed through the forests merely for the purpose of hunting and fishing. An arrow-head has now and then been picked up. A stone mortar and pestle for pounding corn have been found. There is evidence that the early settlers in several of these towns were annoyed by the Indians. Buildings were burned, property destroyed, .and some persons lost their lives at their hands.

The early settlers of this town cannot with justice be charged with wresting these lands from the Indians ; for there is no evidence that the Indians had any more title to the lands here than the foxes and wolves that roamed through the same forests with them.

It has already been stated that a saw-mill was probably built in East Templeton in 1743. The first family probably came here in 1751. A bounty of eight pounds, and afterwards of twelve pounds additional, had been ofl^ered to the proprietor who should first settle his lot. The earliest payment to any person for building a house on his lot and living in it with his family was made to Ellas Wilder in September, 1751 ; the next was made to Deacon Charles Baker in October, 1751 ; and the next to Timothy Chase, in May, 1752. Such payments had been made in the next three and a half years to about thirty actual settlers.

In 1753, when there were from eighteen to twenty families in the township, a meeting-house was built, which was fifty feet long and forty feet wide. The first framed dwelling-house in the township is believed to have been the " Dolbear " house, erected in 1760. This house, with its large chimney and unplastered ceilings and walls, still stands about onehalf mile southerly of the Common, on the old Hubb.ardston road. The house standing next northerly of the Public Library building is a very old house. It formerly stood on what is now the Common, near the public pump. In this house Joshua Wright kept his tavern, and the proprietors at sundry times held their meetings there.

The " Wellington " house is one of the oldest houses, having been built by Rev. Mr. Sparhawk in 1764. Doubtless there are quite a large number of houses now standing that were built only a little later than these.

Incorpoeation - Templeton, PhiUipston. - In the early years of the settlement the affairs of the township had been entirely under the management and control of the grantees or proprietors. The time at length came when it seemed best to the inhabitants to assume the powers and duties of a town, and accordingly the town was incorporated by the General Court.

Whereas, the plantation of Narragansett No. 6, lying in the County of Worcester, is competently tiileil with inhaljitanta, who labor under great diificulties and inconveniences by nieansof their not being a town; therefore,

Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and House of Representatives, That the said plantation, commonly called and known by the name of Narragansett No. 6, bounding westerly on PoquoiRe, southerly on Rutland District and Petersham, easterly on Westminster, northerly on Ipswich Canada and Royalshire, be, and hereby is erected into a town by the name of Templetown ; and that the said town be, and hereby is invested with all the powers, privileges and immunities that any of the towns of this province do or may by law en,ioy ; -

Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be understood or construed as in any measure to supersede or make void any grants or assessments already made or agreed on by the proprietors ot said place in time past, but that the same shall remain and be as effectual as if this Act had not been made.

And be it further enacted. That Joshua Willard, Esq., be, and hereby is, empowered to issue his warrants to some principal iuhabitJint of the said plantation requiring him, in his majesty's name, to warn and notify the said inhabitants qualified to vote in town alTairs, that they meet together at such time and place in said plantation, as by said warrant shall be appointed, to choose such olticers as may be necessary to manage the affairs of said town; and the inhabitants, being so met, shall be, and hereby are, empowered to chouse said officers accordingly.

In accordance with the provision made in the foregoing act of incorporation, Joshua Willard, Esq., of Petersham, issued a warrant directed to Jason Whituey, one of the principal inhabitants of Templeton, requiring him to call a meeting for the purpose of choosing town officers. And in accordance with the notification made, the first town-meeting in the new town of Templeton was held in the meeting-house, at two of the clock in the afternoon, on Tuesday, May 4, 1762, " in the Second year of his Majesty's Reign." They chose Abel Hunt town clerk, Jason Whitney, Joshua Hyde and Abner Newton for selectmen and assessors, Zaccheus Barrett treasurer and Charles Baker constable; also the usual minor officers. On June 7, 1762, another meeting was held to grant money for town purposes.

A change was made in the State Constitution in 1867, by which two or more towns were united to form one representative district in some cases. This town was, at one time, united with Hubbardston, then with Gardner, then with Hubbardston, Petersham and Phillipston, and now with Gardner, Winchendon and Ashburuham. In the foregoing lists only those representatives whose residence was in Templeton are included.

Under the former system, Templeton in fourteen different years voted not to send a representative, and in one year, 1844, there was no choice.

Political Parties. - The town of Templeton, in its relations to political parties, has usually been decidedly Federalist, Whig and Republican, successively, although there have been years and times when the vote was cast quite differently from the usual habit. A few instances selected from the vote for Governor in different years will reveal the usual division into parties. At the first election after the adoption of the State Constitution, John Hancock, Federalist, had fifty-one votes ; his opponent, five votes. In 1807 Caleb Strong, Federalist, had one hundred and eighteen votes ; James Sullivan, seventy- two. In 1816 John Brooks, Federalist, had one hundred and forty votes; Samuel Dexter, seventy-four. In 1835 Edward Everett, Whig, had two hundred and two votes ; Marcus Morton, Democrat, twenty-eight. In 1845 George N. Briggs, Whig, had one hundred and fortynine votes ; Isaac Davis, Democrat, one hundred and twenty. It is interesting to mark the rise and progress of the anti-slavery sentiment in this town, as indicated by the vote for Governor in successive years. There were eight votes for the candidate which represented that party in 1843. The vote for successive years next following was seven, thirtythree, thirty-eight, thirty-seven, forty-six, thirty-nine, one hundred and fifty-four, one hundred and twentynine, one hundred and thirty-three, one hundred and thirty-two, one hundred and fifty-three and one hundred and forty-ong in 1853. A political cyclone swept over the State and battered down all political fences formerly existing, and the Native American party had a very decided preponderance of votes for three years, beginning with 1854. In 1860 John A. Andrew, Republican, had three hundred and thirtyfive votes ; Erasmus D. Beach, Democrat, had one hundred and eight. In 1880 John D. Long, Republican, had three hundred and fifty-one votes ; Charles P. Thompson, Democrat, one hundred and forty-eight. These selected votes will give quite as correct an idea of the division into parties as an average, computed from all of the years would give.

Chapter Xix Military Affairs

There is abundant evidence to prove that the inhabitants of the town of Templeton were fully informed of the nature and significance of the contest which was arising between the colonies and the mother country. They were thoroughly in earnest and filled with patriotic zeal for the proper maintenance of our rights and liberties. So zealous were they, that they had not patience or forbearance to endure the presence of those who criticised the course of the colonists or expressed sympathy for the royal government. In their opinion, the right of private judgment should not be extended so far as to cover the case of those who thought the Parliament of England was in the right. A Tory was a hateful object in their eyes. He had few rights that others felt bound to respect. Sometimes he was visited by a committee, and some confession was extorted from him. Sometimes others refused to have business transactions with him.

To a Tory in the time of the Revolution the atmosphere of this town could not have seemed congenial ; neither would its inhabitants have seemed to him altogether lovely or possessed of all the milder virtues. If there was some intolerance in this, we must remember that it needed that full earnestness and intensity of feeling to carry us successfully through the contest. Any considerable indifference or lukewarmness would have left us still colonists of Great Britain.

hundred and forty-eight persons. In 1776 there were ten hundred and si.xteen. In both cases Phillipston is included, that town having not yet been incorporated. The people had hardly cleared their farms and built their houses before the warning notes of the coining contest were upon them. The first settlers were not wealthy. Their strong muscles and stout hearts were their most valuable possessions. There was abundant opportunity to turn both of these to practical use. The inhabitants of the town conducted themselves with great spirit, patriotism and self-sacrifice during the whole of the war.

" Voted, first, that we will not by ourselves, or by any under us, directly or indirectly, purchase any goods, of any person whatever, that is or shall be subject to any duty for the purpose of raising a revenue in America. Voted, second, that we will not use any foreign tea, nor countenance the use of it in our families, unless in case of sickness, and not then without a certificate from under the hand of one or more physicians, that it is absolutely necessary in order for the recovery of their patient. And whoever in this town shall act contrary to the aforementioned votes shall be deemed an enemy to his country and treated as such.''

A Committee of Correspondence and Safety was chosen by the town each year during the war. By means of such committees in the various towns the public were kept informed of the progress of events, maintained their interest in public affairs, and were ready to act with promptness in any emergency. There was at least one company of minute-men in this town. A committee was chosen by the town in March, 1775, to take care of the farms and families of the minutemen, if they should be suddenly summoned away. The selectmen were to procure fire-arms and ammunition at the expense of the town. A marble tablet on the walls of the town hall commemorates the services of Captain Ezekiel Knowlton and thirty-six soldiers, minute-men, perhaps, who promptly responded to the alarm sounded through this province on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775. The tidings borne from Charlestown by Paul Revere on the evening of April 18th probably reached this town at about noon of April 19th ; and before the day closed, the soldiers from this town were on their march for Boston.

It is interesting to observe, in the public records, the changes in the mode of beginning the warrants for calling the town-meetings. From the earliest times until the time of the Revolution the warrant began : " In his majesty's name you are required to warn," etc. The warrant, for a meeting on March 6, 1775, read in this way ; but the warrant for a meeting on May 7th of that same year began : " Agreeable to the Late Charter of this Province and the Constitutional Laws of the Same." The warrant for a meeting on July 5th began :

" By order of Congress." Each of these last-named forms was used in the next warrants. Next came one with this formula omitted entirely. " In the name of the government and people of Massachusetts Bay in New England," was then used, until after the adoption of the State Constitution. From the beginning of the year 1781 to the present time the warrant has been issued " in the name of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."

It is known that Captain Ezekiel Knowlton, Captain Joel Fletcher and Captain John Richardson, all of this town, commanded companies some time during the war. The names of some of the soldiers serving under them are also known. The town records show that many times during the war the town provided beef and other provisions for the army, furnished clothing for the soldiers, paid bounties for enlistment, and chose committees to look after the fiimilies of soldiers during their absence. At a town-meeting held May 24, 1776, under an article, "to give Instructions to their Representative Respecting the united Colonies Declaring themselves to be in a state of Independancy, Separate from Grate Britain," it was " Resolved, that if the Continental Congress should, for the safety of the united Colonies, declare them Independent of the kingdom of Great Britain, we do solemnly engage with our lives and fortune to support them in the measure." This vote was passed a little more than a month before the Declaration of Independence was made by the Continental Congress.

Military stores were collected at Bennington, Vt., by the Continental authorities. Gen. Burgoyne sent a detachment of troops to capture them ; but instead of that, his whole detachment was captured by the American troops in a battle which occurred August 16, 1777. The news of the approach of British troops to these western New England towns spread quickly in this vicinity, and on August 21st, Capt. Josiah Wilder, of this town, at the head of sixty-one men, set out for Bennington. But it was soon found that there was no further need of troops there, and the men returned to their homes after a very brief service.

The Currency. - There were great difficulties with the currency during the Revolutionary War. The paper-money had been made a legal tender. It had depreciated to an exceeding degree. As a matter of course, the prices of labor and merchandise were exceedingly high and unstable. Great confusion arose in business affairs. AVith the hope of affording relief from the extreme difficulties of the situation, the towns adopted the method of "stating prices" - that is, of determining at what prices articles should be bought and sold, hoping the people would see fit to conform to those prices. Sometimes a convention would be held to determine the prices for a whole county, or even for the State. Such a convention was held at Concord in October, 1779, and Thomas White was the delegate from this town. This convention voted to leave it optional with the towns to "state the prices" for themselves. This town chose a committee of seven men to state the prices of such articles as they may think necessary and make report to the town. The committee performed the work assigned them and made their report to the town. It was adopted November 5, 1779, and is still plainly seen on the records. Doubtless the town came as near performing the impossible as is usual when such a feat is attempted. In spite of committee, town or convention, the paper-money would still go on depreciating and the prices would increase; and in 1780 it is said that the town paid six hundred pounds in Continental bills for twenty Spanish milled-dollars. This would be in the ratio of one hundred dollars for one. In the following year the town appropriated, expressed in terms of that depreciated currency, twelve thousand pounds for schools, and ten thousand five hundred pounds for repairs of the highways.

Second Wae with England. - The second war with England did not meet with favor from the people of New England, and this town shared fully in the general feeling of opposition to it. In 1808 the town voted to petition the President of the United States to suspend the embargo, in whole or in part. In the next year they petitioned the Legislature to urge upon Congress the repeal of the Embargo I^aw. When war was actually declared, in 1812, the town chose a committee of seven persons, - Rev. Elisha Andrews, Rev. Charles Wellington, Lovell Walker, Eiq., Samuel Cutting, Esq., John W. Stiles, Leonard Stone and Deacon Paul Kendall, - who prepared a memorial to the President of the United States in opposition to the war, which was adopted by a vote of eighty-six to tweniy-two. The memorial treats of the blockade, the Orders in Council, the impressment of American seamen and the alliance with France. It fills twelve pages of the town records, and is expressed in vigorous language. It is said to have been composed by John W. Stiles, then a merchant of this town.

Several persons from this town were in the army for a shorter or a longer period during this war. The town also voted "to provide, and keep constantly under the control of the selectmen, powder, balls and flints for the use and benefit of the soldiers in this town."

A Militia Muster. - A muster of the militia in former times must have been a very interesting affair, attractive both to boys and men. It must have been more than the equal of the modern cattle show and fair. There is something in military evolutions and display that appeals strongly to human feelings. Templeton abounded in these military gatherings. It was the central town in the group of six, from which was gleaned the material for one regiment of militia; it was well supplied with hotels ; and especially was it desirable on account of the excellent parade-ground which its " Common " afforded. Gardner, Winchendon, Royalston, Athol and Phillipston were the towns united with Templeton from which to gather the regiment. Some towns furnished two companies. A day in later September or early October was selected for the regimental muster. On the previous day, perhaps, some officers would mark along the east side of the Common a line on which the soldiers were to arrange themselves. Early on the morning of the day appointed the companies from the other towns would approach the village and leave their horses and vehicles at some farm-house. They would then form into a column and march to the Common. In the forenoon there would be an inspection by officers appointed for that purpose ; the soldiers being ranged in a straight line which frequently would reach as far as from the site of the hotel to the Library building. The privates were dressed in citizen's clothes ; the officers had uniforms and a sword, usually. After the inspection would come a review which would end the forenoon's duties. In the afternoon came the time for a sham fight. Sometimes a fort would be constructed and a part of the troops assigned to its defence and an >ther part to make the attack, simulating real warfare. Then the declining sun would find the soldiers wending their way to their homes. In these times the law of the State required that all male citizens between eighteen and forty-five years of age should perform some military duty. Hence the somewhat frequent " training " days for the companies and the annual muster of the regiments. And hence the reason why we find so many persons of the last generation bearing military titles. Quite a large number of persons bore the title of colonel from their service in the State militia in command of a regiment.

Previous to 1852 several military organizations had existed in this town. There was in the earlier part of the century a cavalry company, composed of about seventy-five men from Templeton and four neighboring towns. A rifle company existed from 1814 to about 1838. A volunteer company, called the Cadets, was formed in 1844, and existed for several years. But at the time just previous to the Civil War there was no military organization in the town.

The Civil War. - Massachusetts has ever occupied a foremost position in the chief military contests in which the nation has been engaged. She furnished much more than her proportionate share of troops in the War of the Revolution. She was more than ready to do her share of service in the War of the Rebellion. Her Governor Andrew was a tower of strength for the State and nation during the long years of that severe contest. Worcester County was not behind other parts of the State either in promptness or efficiency. Her towns that had kept up regular military organizations were among the first to offer their services to the government in the spring of the year 1861. The town of Templeton was ready and eager to do her part. She showed herself worthy of a place in the State and county to which she belonged. Party disputes and divisions were for a time laid aside. All belonged to the patriotic i)arty. The national flag wa.s invested with a much greater depth of meaning. Its simple stars and stripes were looked at with a greatly increased regard and affection. It was freely displayed on private dwellings and in public places. It was common to have it represented even on one corner of the common letter envelopes. Public meetings were held and patriotic addresses were delivered in the town hall, which was filled to overflowing with eager and enthusiastic audiences. The pulpits glowed with patriotic sermons; the ministers were not lukewarm in this time of popular uprising. There were very few in the community who did not partake of the patriotic fervor. Those who feared lest the spirit of patriotism had died out were quickly assured of its continued existence.

Although this town in the later years had not kept up a military organization, there was not wanting a good degree of the military spirit. Templeton Common had been the field for the annual muster of the regiment. The sons of those who took an active part in those military displays had reached mature years. There existed an abundance of sparks of the military spirit which the daily tidings from the South fanned into a glowing flame. In the spring of 1861 a military company was formed which enlisted for five years in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, subject to the call of the government should their services be needed. Of this company, George P. Hawkes was chosen captain, and Charles W. Davis and John Brooks were chosen lieutenants. This was afterwards reorganized according to the rules of the United States service, and became Company A of the Twentyfirst Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers.

At a town-meeting held April 30, 1861, the town voted to pay each soldier for the time spent in military drill ; to make an addition to the wages which the government allowed to soldiers ; also to furnish each man a uniform and a " Colt's '' or some other revolver. The uniforms were quickly made and furnished to the men. On further thought, it was not deemed best to supply the revolvers. This company left Templeton for the camp at Worcester July 19, 1861. The day of their departure was a great day in Templeton. In the morning the company assembled, and were drawn up in front of the hotel. The relatives of the soldiers and the citizens generally assembled in large numbers. Addresses were made to the men from the balcony of the hotel by several persons. Rev. Edwin G. Adams presented to each soldier a pocket Testament. The exercises were very interesting, but of necessity deeply tinged with sadness. The company marched to the railroad station, near Otter River Village. An exceedingly long train of carriages followed, bearing the friends of the departing soldiers. A collation was served at the station, and the men departed. The Twenty-first Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteers was recruited mostly from towns in Worcester County, Company A being mostly from Templeton. It left the camp at Worcester August 23, 1861, and was first stationed at Annapolis, Md. It formed a part of the Burnside expedition ; participated in the battles of Roanoke Island, Newberne and Camden; bore its full share of the disasters of Pope's campaign in Virginia, meeting with severe losses at Manassas and Chantilly. It bore an active part at South Mountain, Antietam and Fredericksburg. Then away to Tennessee and the siege of Knoxville, with several battles fought near by. The spring of 1864 brought the Ninih Army Corps, of which the Twenty-first Regiment formed a part, back to Virginia, and the names. The Wilderness, Spottsylvania. Cold Harbor and Petersburg suggest the reasons why the Twenty-first Regiment was so depleted in numbers as to be consolidated with the remnant of the Thirty-sixth. Fifcy-six men from Templeton were connected with the Twenty-first Regiment during .some portion of its career. Their names follow :

George P. Hawkes, lieutenant-colonel and brevet brigadier-general ; Charles W. Davis, captain and brevet- colonel ; Levi N. Smith, captain; Daniel D. Wiley, brevet brigadier-general, both in Commissary- Department ; John Brooks, Benjamin F. Fuller, Henry S. Hitchcock, Jonas R. Davis and John F. Lewis, lieutenants; J. Prescott Cutting and John W. Wallace, first sergeants ; John F. Green, Levi Morse, J. Albert Osgood and Augustus Upton, sergeants; Moses A. Chamberlain, Ambrose P. Chase, Henry K. Marshall, William H. Mellen, John A. Merritt, James A. Miller, Otis P. Moore, Sereno Sawyer and E. Wyman Stone, corporals ; Herbert Leland, musician ; Mandell Bryant, wagoner ; Samuel B. Adams, Henry N. Allen, Charles A. Blackmer, William A. Blackmer, George W. Bradish, Collins W. Chittenden, Charles W. Cobleigh, Charles H. Cummings, Charles H. Cutting, August Dabers, Charles J. Dunn, William Flint, George W. Jennison, George H. Lamson, Reuben Mann, William Marrar, Uriah Merritt, Harrison S. Pierce, Asa F. V. B. Piper, Wilbur A. Potter, George H. Sawtell, David H. Spear, Otis L. Sweet, George L. Thayer, John Thibeault and Eleazer S. Whitney, of Company A ; James F. Delehanty, of Company D ; Franklin Adams, Company E ; James Lewis, Company F ; and George D. Whitcomb, of Company D, privates.

The Twenty-fifth Regiment was recruited mainly from towns in Worcester County, and Templeton furnished thirty-four men, most of whom were in Company I, which was commanded by Capt. V. P. Parkhurst, of this town. The regiment left its camp at Worcester October 31, 1861, proceeded to Annapolis, joined the Burnside expedition and served in

North Carolina until October, 1863. It lost more than two hundred men at Cold Harbor. It took part in the siege of Petersburg. Many of its men had re-enlisted, and continued in the service until the end of the war. Dr. Joseph C. Batchelder, of this town was, for a time, assistant surgeon of this regiment. Following are the names of men from this town :

The Thirty-sixth Regiment entered the service in the autumn of 1862. Its first engagement was at Fredericksburg. It was at the siege of Vicksburg. It took active part in the Virginia campaign of 1864 from the Wilderness to the siege of Petersburg. Templeton furnished thirty-one men for this regiment, mostly in Company D, which was under command of Capt. Amos Butfum. He had been active in the formation of the company. Christopher Sawyer enlisted in Company D, but was afterwards Captain of Company H. John A. Stearns was first lieutenant in Company D. Stephen F. Brooks, Charles B. Fisher, Levi H. Higley, Charles Underwood, Courtland A. Allen, Cyrus G. Buff'um and James L. Brigham were corporals ; Benjamin F. Brooks and Henry M. Cobleigh, musicians ; George A. Brooks, Charles A. Cummings, James H. Day, Frank M. Fenno, Augustus A. Goddard, Chauncy N. Johnson, Edwin W. Lund, James A. Martindale, Irving L. Merritt, Martin Maynard, Stephen H. Patterson, William H. Perry and Charles M. Perry, of Company H ; C. C. B. Sawyer, Ephraim Turner, Julius G. Upton, Ctarles Wheeler, Ezra L. Wheeler, Augustus S. Whitney and George S. Wright were privates.

The Fifty-third Regiment enlisted for nine months, but their period of service extended from October 17, 1862, to September 2, 1863. Their field of service was mainly in Louisiana, at Baton Rouge, on the Red River expedition, at Fort Bisland and the siege of Port Hudson. This regiment encountered hard service in a climate very unfavorable to health. Templeton furnished forty-three men for this service. Charles W. Uphara was first lieutenant of Company G, and was much of the time in command of the company. D. Porter Stockwell, William L. Lamb

The soldiers from this town were mostly in ihe four regiments previously named; but a few were in other organizations. In the Second Regiment were Eugene C. Bushnell, musician and lieutenant; Alvin W. Day, corporal in Company F, and Cyrus C. Bryant. Elmer Parker was in Company D of the Thirteenth Regiment. Charles F. Lee was a lieutenant in the Eighteenth and afterwards a first lieutenant in the Fifty-fifth Regiment. Edward D. Lee was first lieutenant and adjutant in the Twenty-seventh. Amos W. Gray was a private in the Twenty-seventh. George H. Dudley was sergeant, and Wend all Eaton, James M. Lufkin, John Preston and Benjamin E. Thayer were privates in the Thirtysecond Regiment. Charles Lynde served in the First Regiment of Cavalry, and P. D. Stratton and Rollin C. Williams in the Heavy Artillery. Edward L. Jones was a captain in the Forty-fourth Regiment of Infantry.

There were a few soldiers credited to the quota of the town in the last year of the war who are not included in the preceding lists. Most of these rendered little or no service. But, without counting these, Templeton furnished no less than two hundred men for the service in the great Civil War. Some served for a comparatively short period owing to wounds or other causes of disability. About one-fifteenth part of the men who entered the service were killed or mortally wounded in battle ; more than twice as many died of disease or of ill treatment in Southern prisons. There were not le*s than thirty out of the two hundred who served either three or four full years without any serious wound or illness. Some few there were, even, who served during the whole war, taking part in every skirmish or battle in which their regiment was engaged, without receiving the slightest wound or encountering any sickness. Some, on the other hand, immediately fell a prey to fatal disease, or were slain in the first battle. Several lost their lives in consequence of insufficient food and ill treatment in Southern prisons ; others survived with health permanently impaired. Nearly all the men entered the service as privates ; but, in addition to numerous subordinate officers, not less than six reached the rank of captain, and two left the service with the rank of brevet brigadier-general. The volunteers from Templeton were generally men of mature age, who were interested in the public welfare and were fully aware of the public need and danger. They entered the service of their country with a conscientious regard for duty. Without such men the Eebellion never would have been suppressed.

The Sanitary Commission. - The United States Sanitary Commission rendered a service of the very highest importance during the war. It expended more than twenty-five millions of dollars for the care and comfort of the soldiers in addition to what the government was able to do. An average of two thousand sick and wounded soldiers were each night supplied with shelter by its efforts, who otherwise would have been shelterless. The inhabitants of Templeton were interested in these efforts, and contributed freely to the Sanitary Commission, or sent articles directly to the soldiers in whom they had a personal interest. Large boxes containing clothing, towels, lint, bandages and articles useful in the hospitals were filled by the people in the difierent villages and sent to the Commission. Jellies, syrups, pickles, and articles for convalescent soldiers were also sent. Thoughtful minds and willing hands eagerly sought for means to alleviate the hardships and pains of the soldier.

Chapter Xx Business Affairs

Manufactures - Early Mills - At BtilduHnviUe - On Trout Brook - At Partridgeville and East Templeton - At Otter Eiver - Eotels - Stores - Savings Bank - Roads - Railroads.

By a vote of the proprietors at a meeting held in Concord, Mass., January 24, 1735, a committee was chosen and authorized "to agree with any person or persons that will erect a mill or mills in said township." Mr. Samuel Sheldon, of Billerica, soon after made a contract with this committee to build a sawmill and a grist-mill, and he gave bonds to erect the mills. He was to be the owner of the mills and was to have a grant of land for establishing them. The proprietors, at a meeting held in Concord, November 1, 1737, confirmed the contract, and "voted and granted to said Sheldon, his heirs and assigns, forever, eighty acres of land, to be by him laid out in one or two places, in a regular form, in any of the common land of the township, excepting the land reserved on account of the mine ; the land drowned by his mill-dam to be accotinted a part of the eighty acres; provided, that there be not more than twenty acres of meadow included in said pond and eighty acres of land ; provided, also, he keep up a saw-mill and grist-mill in said township, according to his obligation and agreement made with him." Still, notwithstanding the contract and provisional grant of lands, Mr. Sheldon never built the mills.

Another meeting of the proprietors was held at Concord, September 6, 1739, when it was " voted that the Committee chosen to agree about mills in said township be directed, as soon as may be, to procure some suitable person or persons to build a good sawmill and corn-mill in said township,and to give them such encouragement in any of the common lands or streams within said township as they can or may agree for; and to enter into obligation for the same in the name of the proprietors. Also voted that the Committee chosen to let out the mills in said township be fully empowered to put Mr. Samuel Sheldon's bond in prosecution as soon as may be ; or the Committee may have a liberty to agree with Mr. Sheldon as they may see fit."

Another proprietors' meeting assembled at Concord, September 16, 1742, and under the article in the warrant, "to inquire whether there is a saw-mill erected in said township, or like to be; '' it is recorded, " Inquired and there is no mill erected." At an adjourned meeting a little after this the committee were instructed to put Mr. Sheldon's bond in suit, but it seems never to have been done.

At a proprietors' meeting in 1743 they purcha^'ed Mr. Thomas Hobbs' right in the township, to secure the forty-acre lot. No. 91, already assigned to him, in order that they might use it for a mill privilege. This water privilege is said to have been the one recently occupied by Mr. A. S. Hodge. The price allowed to Mr. Hobbs for this lot and one share in all the then undivided lands was .£26 lO.s., to be paid in twelve months, without interest.

It seems that a bargain was made with Lieutenant James Simonds, Reuben Richardson and Oliver Richardson who were to receive the land in consideration of building the mill, which was probably erected in 1743. .In November, 1743, a committee was chosen " to clear the road from the meeting-house place to the saw-mill in said township, and also to look out and mark a road from said mill across Otter River, into Narragansett No. 2," or Westminster. There were no permanent habitations here at this time, nor until a period of seven years later. Indian hostilities were prevalent, and probably the saw-mill was neglected ; for we find that in 1749 the clerk was directed to notify Lieutenant Simonds and his partners " to rectify the mill, so that it may be in order for sawing, and for the benefit of the township ; so that they may fulfil their contract." A committee was chosen, in 1755, by the proprietors " to take care of the saw-mill, and see that the owners perform according to contract."

was laid to defray the cost of the mill. Mr. Thomas Sawyer, of Bolton, seems to have built the mill, and to have received, in 1755, in payment, therefor, the sum of £24 13s. 6rf., or about one hundred and twenty dollars. This sum seems to have been paid him in consideration of his building the mill and undertaking to do the grinding, he owning the mill all the time. It had been believed that this mill was erected at Baldwinville, on Otter Eiver; but Captain Parkhurst, who has recently written a history of the town, thinks tlie evidence points to its having been located at "Goulding village," in Phillipston, near Phillipston Pond.

However this may be, it seems to be fettled that at about this same date of 1754 a saw-mill and gristmill was erected by this same Thomas Sawyer, of Bolton, in what is now the village of Baldwinville, on the site of the shop now occupied by the Waite Chair Company.

In 1763 the proprietors had an article in a warrant for a meeting, " to see if the proprietors will prosecute in law the bond against Thomas Sawyer, for his not grinding according to contract for the inhabitants of said town,'' and a committee was chosen to see that he fulfilled his contract.

Thomas Sawyer seems to have carried on the mills on this site at Baldwinville until about 1767, when they were sold to Jonathan Baldwin, Esq., an enterprising and public-spirited citizen from Spencer, Mass. He became a very large land-holder in the village of Baldwinville, owning a large tract on the north and west. Captain Eden Baldwin, son of Jonathan, succeeded his father in the ownership of the mills. He carried on the lumber business and also made bricks at a yard near where the house of C. M. Cummings now stands. In 1803 he rebuilt the mills and carried them on until 1829, when he rented them for five years to William Kendall and Edward Richardson, of Holden.

In 1836 Captain Eden Baldwin sold the mills to Colonel George W. Sawyer, who retained possession some two years and then sold the property back to Captain Baldwin, who retained it until his death, in 1839. In that year another Eden Baldwin, from Ashfield, a distant relative of the former, became the owner, and in 1840 he took down the former structure and built the eastern half of the "Red Mill,'' putting in a new grist-mill and a self-setting saw-mill. In 1842 he sold to Gilman Day, who received Charles Baldwin, a grandson of Captain Eden, as a partner in 1843. Edwin Sawyer bought Mr. Baldwin's interest in 1847. Day & Sawyer built the western half of the "Red Mill." They made wood-seat chairs, hat-cases, etc. The manufacture of chairs has been continued at this stand by difl'erent firms formed in successive years : Sawyer & Thompson in 1853, Sawyer,Thompson & Perley in 1856, Thompson, Perley & Waite in 1871 and the Waite Chair Company in 1887. On the death of Mr. Perley the firm was divided and Mr.

In 1843 Captain Warren L. Merritt began the hatpressing business in the " Red Mill." But a mill was built al the north end of the dam in 1844 by Samuel D. Morley, and Captain Merritt moved his business there and continued it until 1850, after which the business was continued by John Stearns, and Lee & Stearns, who employed about twenty hands. In the recent years Baker & Wilson have a grist-mill here, at which they grind large quantities of Western corn, selling the meal in the neighboring villages.

In the early part of the century a number of persons in this village and in other parts of this town jvere engaged in the manufacture of wood-seat chairs. The work was done wholly by hand in small shops near to or connected with dwelling-houses. As the years went on, machinery was invented to facilitate the work, and that necessitated the concentration of the work in larger establishments.

In 1844 Albert Bryant and James Stimpson built a dam at what is now known as the lower shop. A shop was soon built at the north end of the dam, and in 1846 another at the south end by James Stimpson. In these shops various kinds of business have been carried on by different persons and firms. Hat-pressing has been carried on ; different firms have manufactured matches ; doors, sashes and blinds have been made ; a shop was burned at the south end of the dam in 1862. Soon the privilege passed into the hands of Willard Baker and Sawyer, Thompson & Perley. The latter firm and their successors have occupied the southerly shop in the manufacture of chair.s. A division of this firm was made in 1887, and this shop is now occupied by D. L. Thompson & Son, who continue here the manufacture of various kinds of chairs. The northerly shop has for some years been occupied by Baker & Wilson in the manufacture of children's carriages.

A tannery was carried on for several years previous to 1817 by Joel Hayden, and afterward by Henry & Joseph Newton, on the site receatly occupied by the ofBce and store-house of Thompson, Perley & Waite, west of the hotel. His mill for grinding bark by water-power was on the site now occupied by the machine-shop of William E. Nichols. Various kinds of bu-iness have since been done here. John & Hartford Potter made sofa frames ; Bennet Potter put in a grist-mill ; Kelton & Hollingsworth were machinists ; Eden B. Sawyer, and afterward Bufl'um & Newton, made measures for measuring grain ; Captain W. L. Merritt made window shades; James Stimpson made faucets. At the present time the privilege is used by William E. Nichols for the manufacture of band saw machines and various kinds of chair machinery.

some years pails were made here and afterward doors, sashes and blinds ; Sawyer & Patterson made matches ; Robinson & Hersey made buckets, and James Stimpson clothes-pina. This mill was burned in 1856. The privilege was bought in ISfiO by Charles A. Perley and Oilman Waite. In 1870 a stock company was formed and a large and commodious factory was put up which furnished accommodations for several firms. Smith, Day & Co. made chairs ; L. Greenwood & Co. also made chairs ; E. Sawyer & Co. made furniture. This mill was burned in 1885. It was rebuilt by Smith, Day & Co., who continue the manufacture of chairs at this stand. A part of the water-power at this place is used by Mr. H. M. Small in the manufacture of sheathing and roofing paper.

There were formerly two saw-mills on Beaver Brook, .in the extreme western part of the town. There were also two mills in the northwesterly part of the town, on the Royalston road, one of which is still kept in operation. These were on tributaries of Otter River.

On Trout Brook there were formerly five mill privileges which were utilized. Only two or three of them are now used. The first privilege to be used was that now occupied by Bourn, Hadley & Co. Mr. Withington erected a saw-mill here not far from 1820. Deacon Benjamin Hawkes and his sons had made furniture by hand at a shop formerly standing on the present site of the Public Library. Later they made use of the water-power at this stand for some years. The present proprietors are extensively engaged in the manufacture of pine and ash furniture. Farther down on this stream toward Baldwinvilleis a saw- mill. Staves for pails are also prepared here.

The water from Phillipston Pond flows through the southwesterly part of this town, on its way to join the waters of Ware River. On this stream have been several mill privileges, which have been used for grinding grain, sawing lumber, and preparing chairstock or staves for pails. On a stream tributary to this is a mill which has been variously employed, recently as a cider-mill ; formerly, Mr. Leander Leland made shoe-pegs here with ingenious machinery which he had prepared.

Mill Brook is the name applied to a stream of water which rises in the southeasterly part of this town and flows through Partridgeville and EastTempleton, falling into Otter River a short distance below the latter village. As this brook has quite a rapid fall, it furnishes several water privileges, two of which were in Partridgeville. On the upper one was a sawmill, formerly owned by A. A. & G. W. Jones. This has been suft'ered to go to decay. A little way down the stream, and close by the highway, was formerly a grist-mill. Afterwards, for some years, H. & J. W. Partridge made chairs here. It is now owned by De.xter P. Merritt. Two reservoirs for the storage of water lie above the village of East Templeton. Below the dam of the lower one was a shop for the manufacture of chairs. The water-power was supplemented, in later times, by a steam-engine. The shop was built by Bennett Potter, and had been occupied by Potter & Jeunison, Parker, Sawyer & Co., McLean & Dickernian, and others. It was burnt recently, and has not been rebuilt.

The chair manufactory of A. S. Hodge was burnt recently, and has not as yet been rebuilt. Chairs have been for many years manufactured on this site by different parties, using steam as well as water-power in later years. The shop now owned by Henry J. Wright seems to have been built by Bennett Potter. Various kinds of business have successively been carried on here. The grist-mill and saw-mill formerly owned by John Simonds was, in 1813, bought by Joel Fales, who enlarged the mills. He soon erected another shop near where the " Fales '' shop recently stood, and carried on the manufacture of scythes for several years. He had a furnace and made small castings. He had a trip-hammer and manufactured hoes. His son, Otis P. Fales, was associated with him in this business. In later times the brothers, Otis P. and Joel G. Fales, under the firm- name of J. G. Fales & Co., made chairs, the seats of which were woven out of thin plates of wood split by a machine invented for this jnirpose. The chairs had a look not unlike the chairs of the olden time, and for some uses were quite popular. This shop was burned a few years since. On the next mill-site the manufacture of children's carts and wagons has been carried on since the year 1858, by Chester N. Johnson, who has made of it a very successful business. The tannery business had for many years been carried on at this site, earlier by Mr. Swan and later by Warren Simonds. At the next site, T. T. Greenwood's Sons continue the business of the manufacture of furniture, which their father had begun some years before. They also have a furniture store in West Gardner. A mill built by Artemas Brown formerly stood on the next site. At first it was a saw-mill ; afterwards tubs and pails were made here, but there has been no shop here for some years. The last shop on the stream is that of the East Templeton Chair Company, a co-operative incorporated company, which has met with a good degree of success.

Otter River enters the town on its eastern side, from Gardner, and flows through the northerly portion of the town, furnishing an abundant water-power in the villages of Otter River and Baldwinville. The Otter River Blanket Mill occupies the first mill-site on this stream, having a location just over the Gardner line. Horse blankets in large quantities were quite recently the product of this mill. The first mill here was built by Cooper Sawyer. The manufacture of chairs has, in the past time, been carried on here. A little farther down the stream is what is known as the Templeton Blanket Mills, which, together with the iactory last named, is owned by Rufus S. Frost, of Chelsea, Mass. On this site William Hunting built a saw-mill, which Col. Leonard Stone after- wards bought and occupied for many years. William E. Nichols for a time had a machine-shop here, and Charles Everett a grist-mill. Going a little way down the stream, we come to the Woolen Mills. 'J'he first building on this site was erected about 1823 by Capt. Samuel Dadman, who began here the manufacture of woolen cloth. The Dadman Manufacturing Company, the Jones Manufacturing Company, and other firms have continued the business. A new building was erected in IS.SG. Some kind of woolen goods has been the manufacture carried on here. Near this site, in the earlier part of the century, and reaching back to about 1787, Edward Cambridge had a shop for dressing cloth. He performed the service of dressing and finishing the cloth made by the farmers at their own homes on the hand-looms. .lust east of the present factory building, Nathan Smith had a shop, at which he used to receive wool from the farmers and card it into rolls, ready for spinningat home.

The manufiicture of bricks has been carried on quite extensively by Charles C. Dyer, in the village of Otter River, at the yard which had been for many years occupied by his father, Horatio N. Dyer. These are transported by rail and sold in Worcester and other places.

The manufacture of stoves has for many years been an important industry in the village of Otter River. Tt was begun by Thomas Parker, who, about the year 1836, erected a shop on a tributary of Otter River flowing into the town from Winchendon. He carried on the business until 1843, when he was succeeded by his son, Daniel W. Parker, who, in 1851, received Otis Warren as a partner. Mr, Warren carried on the business alone until 1853, when he sold to Gates & Lord. Lord & Walker became the name of the firm in 1858, which became Lord & Stone in 1871, and Lord, Stone & Co. in 1887. During all of this time, in addition to the manufacture of stoves, a general foundry business has been done at this stand, and machinists' work also. The work, which was begun on a small scale, has gradually increa.-ed, giving employment at the present time to from thirtyfive to forty hands. From five hundred to six hundred tons of iron are melted annually. The stoves are sold by traveling agents in various parts of New England.

Inventors. - The soil of Worcester County is certainly not favorable, as a general thing, for the production of agricultural crops ; but it produces excellent mechanics. The very atmosphere seems to favor their growth. And Templeton, like its neighboring towns, has always abounded in good mechanics - good in the practical execution of work, and sometimes apt in the invention of new machines and processes. Indeed, these country towns would, many of them, have gone to early decay had it not been for their mechanical and manufacturing industries. The local market furnished by the manufacturing villages is the one thing that makes farming possible here.

Eli Bruce was one of the early settlers in the town, living in the village of Baldwinville, in the house now occupied by Mr. Hiklreth. He was a very ingenious man. He made clocks, repaired watches and jewelry. He constructed a pipe-organ, which was said to have been a very fine one. He invented a machine for making pins out of wire, heading and pointing them ready for use. He also invented machinery suitable for the manufacture of wooden buckctJ. His was a versatile mind, ever ready to animate material things with a capacity to subserve human wants.

Asa Fessenden was another mechanic of unusual ingenuity. He lived first at Templeton Centre, making vehicles of various kinds at the fhop afterwards occupied by Maynard & Fiske. In later life he lived in Baldwinville, in the same house formerly occupied by Eli Bruce.

James Stinipson, now living in Baldwinville, is the inventor of a machine of much utility in the manufacture of furniture. It makes with rapidity a strong joint for the fastening together of the sides of drawers for bureaus, and is generally used in furniture-making establishments. He secured a patent for the method of making the joint in 1857, and on the machine in 1859. Mr. Slimpson is also the inventor of a street lamp of much conveuience. The lamp is lowered for lighting and care by an iron lever turning on an axis.

John Nichols, of Baldwinville, invented a child's chnir that is very easily convertible into a carriage, and again into a play table. There were six difl'erent kinds of these chairs. He has also invented an ingenious form of street lamp, in which the lamp slidesdown through a hollow lamp-post for convenience of lighting and care. The dralt of air for the lamp is also through the post, so that it burns steadily even when it is windy.

Hotels. - In the olden times country towns abounded in inns or taverns. On the principal lines of travel there seems to have been only a distance of two or three miles between them. The great number of loaded teams transporting merchandise from Boston to the interior towns created a necessity for numerous stopping-places. Perhaps there was also found some pecuniary profit in furnishing some form of liquid refreshment for thirsty travelers. But the taverns were numerous in our own town as well as in others ; and tradition surrounds them with a kind of halo which could not have been visible to their immediate patrons. The " enchantment " doubtless results from the distance which time interposes. Most of them were farm-houses of a larger size. In the villages, however, were taverns of more pretension and importance.

It is not easy to ascertain the date of the opening of the first tavern in town. Doubtless the first ones were kept by persons who gave their chief attention to other pursuits. There was formerly a tavern kept at the farm-house now known as the " Lambert Howe " place. There were three taverns at Templeton Centre. One was kept by Joseph Upham in the brick house at the northwesterly side of the Common. One by Joshua Wriglit, familiarly known as Landlonl Wright, was kept in what has been known as the old " Hawkes " house, then standing where the public pump now is. But the chief public-house of the village seems always to have been the one on the site of the recent Templeton Hotel, which has been kept for some years by Charles E. Ellis. This building was burned in September, 1888. This house, in the earlier part of the century, was kept by Lipha French, Calvin Townsley and Levi Pierce. In later times Francis Twichell was very favorably known as the proprietor.

The house now owned by Mr. Lucas Baker in East Templeton, and that owned by Mr. Isaac Bourn in Brooks village, were both kept as taverns in the early part of this century, being on the line of through travel from Boston to Albany, which passed through Templeton. This town was also on a line of through travel from Worcester to Keene. On this line were two taverns at the Baptist Common, - the one kept in the house which is the present residence of Mr. John M. Brown, the other in a house directly opposite, on the other side of the Common. Baldwinville was also on this line of travel, and here, in several of the earliest years of the century, Capt. Eden Baldwin kept a tavern in the house now owned by Albert Bryant. In 1832 Capt. Joseph Davis built the hotel now known as the Narragansett House. In 1870 it was purchased by Mr. George Partridge, who has since been the proprietor. The building has at two different times been partially burned.

About 1847 Mr. J. G. Goldsmith built a hotel in the village of Otter River, on the present site of Mr. Le'and's store. This he kept for several years. After several persons had occupied it for brief periods, it was bought by Mr. Joshua W. Partridge and kept until the building was burned. In later times a hotel has been kept by different persons on the opposite side of the street from the former one.

Stores. - In the last century and the early part of this there was not much necessity for an abundance of stores, and where they existed at all there was little occasion for a large stock of goods. The families were not very numerous and were scattered about on the farms. They produced their own beef and pork, as well as fruits and vegetables. They were very sparing in the use of tea and sugar, and coffee was almost unknown. They spent very little money on luxuries of any kind. Their clothing was prepared with their own hands at their homes. The farmer himself, with his own team, carried any salable products of his farm to Boston, and brought back home supplies for his own family and sometimes for his neighbors. Gradually, as the population increased, it was found more economical to make a division of labor, and so permit some persons to devote their whole time to the work

In Templeton Centre, early in this century, a long building stood on the site of the " Lee" store. In the north end of this building John Bigelow kept clocks, watches and similar goods. Cyrus Brown kept a variety store in the middle of the building. In the southern portion was sometimes a shoemaker's shop. John Bigelow lived in the "Gilbert" house. Cyrus Brown afterwards had a farm in the westerly part of the town, which has remained in the hands of his descendants to this day. This store building was moved away, and a part of it was used to make the house now owned by Charles W. Upham. In 1829 Col. Artemas Lee erected the store and dwelling-house now standing on that site, and kept some connection with the store during the rest of his life. The names of the tirms successively doing business there were Lee, Harding & Jones, Lee & Lincoln, Lee & Wood, Lee & Gambell, and afterwards Leland & Jones. Some time after the death of Col. Lee the store and other real estate was bought by Percival Blodgett, who, with a slight intermission, has carried on the business to the present time. He has added a stock of drugs and medicines. Col. Lee, before building on this site, had kept a store in the southerly portion of the hotel building, during a portion of which time he was associated with Lipha French.

On the ea.sterly side of the Common, on the site of the "Brick" store, formerly stood a wooden one-story building, which was in after time moved away, and now forms the lower story of the Trinitarian parsonage. In this and the brick structure which succeeded it a store has been kept until quite recent times. In the early part of the century it was occupied by John W. Stiles, a prominent merchant of northern Worcester County, and later by Col. Ephraim Stone.

Several persons assisted in the work of the store, and among others Rufus Wyman, who afterwards became a partner. But Col. Stone was advancing in years, and Mr. Wyman was desirous of leaving town ; so the store was given up. Not long after, a Co-operative Union store was organized and kept here for some years, under the management of Erastus O. Eddy. After this was given up, the store business was carried on here for several years, first by the firm of Dudley & Blodgett, and afterwards by Mr. Dudley alone.

A store was also formerly kept by George Howe in a building which stood northerly of the residence of Mrs. Batchelder. Another store was kept by Moses Bond, in the brick house now owned by Charles W. Stone.

The country store has been something more than merely a place for the convenient purchase of the family supplies. Men meet each other here and have an interchange of views on the political or social questions of the day.

The philosopher must take account of these informal and accidental meetings of persons who live in scattered dwellings as one of the forces which advance civilization, or at least as a force tending to hinder the lapsing into barbarism, ^ess potent than the town-meeting or the Sunday gathering, but still a force worthy of recognition.

Baldwinville next claims our attention in this matter of stores. But on the way thither, we may remark that, in the earlier times, there were two stores at the " Baptist Common," as well as two taverns and one church. Doubtless there were in Baldwinville, as elsewhere in the early times, persons who united to some other business that of furnishing family supplies, even before the erection of stores. But in 1824 Captain Eden Baldwin erected a store at a point northerly of the residence of Mr. Ray, and about where the road to the railr 'ad station now passes.