Tewksbury Town (part 2 of 2)

The customary course of civil history is broken only as the more general events in the country break in upon the peace and quiet of the community. Some of the votes of these early years are worth preservation for the landmarks and customs they reveal. March 10, 1740, " Voted to have three assessors for the year Insuing, and to chuse them by holding up of hands." These first assessors were, Deacon Daniel Kittredge, Cornet John Whiting and Stephen Osgood. Forty shillings was then the sum paid to each of the constables, one of whose duties was to collect the taxes. The town clerk received only five shillings for his services. The town treasurer, in 1744, received £3 for his salary. The same year it was voted to have "a pound keeper for the year ensuing," to which office Samuel Peacock was elected.

December 10, 1740, the Rev. Sampson Spaulding signified that he should not be inclined to take less than £200 for his salary. Voted not to pay it. March, 1741, "Voted to give Rev. Sampson Spaulding, their minister, £150 if said minister, being at ye meeting, signified to ye people that what they would freely give him he would be satisfied with." In 1742 they voted £160, and he appeared and declared himself satisfied with what the town had granted him. This manifests the same judiciousness and Christian resignation which may be traced from the beginning to the end of his ministry.

The finishing of the meeting-house was let out to Stephen Osgood for £140, on condition that he did so by the last of September. This he failed to do, for they voted, Jan. 19, 1742, to give Wm. Kittredge £160 to finish their meeting-house forthwith. More important is the vote which followed: "That Stephen Osgood, of Tewksbury, should serve the Town of Tewksbury for a school-master ye remainder of this year."

Interesting is the difiiculty found in getting a committee to decide upon the highest tax-payer in town, the disputes and protests on this matter, and such a voteas the following of December 9, 1742, that no person should " bring stuff or timber for building pews nor to presume to erect a pew till further order of the town." In this line is the vote of April 12, 1743, to choose a committee "to remove all incumbrances out of the meeting-hou.se which are brought there without order of the town." This committee

September 19, 1751, they chose Thomas Marshall, Nathan Bailey and John French a committee to seat the meeting-house, and left it " to the Discretion of the said committee how to proceed in Seating the said meeting-house." About this time pews began to be erected in the galleries, for March 6, 1752, " James Kittredge, ye 4th, Nathaniel Clark, Jr., Zephaniah Kitlredge.Timothy Brown,Samuel Kittredge, Jonathan Shed, Thomas Kittredge, Jr., Amos Foster, Jr., David Trull, Oliver Hall, Ebenezer Hardy, Abraham Stickney, Eldad Worcester," were granted " Liberty to build two pews in said meeting-house - one in the West gallery against three of the windows for men to set in : and ye other in the East gallery against three of the windows for women to sit in : and said Petitioners are obliged to maintain the glass windows against ye said pews and to fill said pews as full as is comfortable to sit in." They also voted that ye said petitioner shall have the privilege to leave ye s'd seats and to hold their right in s'd meeting-house: Provided the s'd Petitioner keeps ye said Pews full with ye inhabitants of s'd Town." Almost constantly through that year the meeting-house needed repairs, which they finally voted to make March 7, 1757, after much discussion, as is evident from the variety of motions rejected. How much some of the much-discussed repairs were needed is learned from the order February 10, 1755, paid "to Mr. Thomas Mar.shall for carrying out the snow in the meeting-hou.se 2s."

As early as 1772, some thirty-foiir years after his settlement, Mr. Spaulding appears to have suffered from impaired health, for July 22, 1771, an order was paid " to Mr. Jacob Coggin," the first mention of a name honorable in the history of the town, " it being for supplying the pulpit six Sabbaths £8." Beside serving the town and then the church alone as pastor, his son. Rev. Jacob Coggin, filled with acceptance the positions of delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1852, and District Elector in 1853, beside others of minor importance. His name stands on the School Committee list for many years as chairman. Possessed of more than the ordinary portion of the spirit of the Apostle John, he suggested the beatitude, " Blessed are the peacemakers," by his efforts to ensure peace in church and town. His gentleness made him great.

The tithingraen for 1748 were John Chapman and Nathan Shed, a schoolmaster and a deacon. A feature of the government of the old town is revealed in the treasurer's order of March 21, 1763 : "To Lt. Osgood, it being for repairing the stocks, and bringing them to the meeting-house 3s." A similar one occurs on January 12, 1771. " An order to Abrni. Bailey, it being for repairing the stocks 6s.''

The meeting-house, with its town ammunition, stocks and all the things needful for the government and business of an ancient town, must have been a strange sight compared with its aspect to-day. It was not till 1826 that the' town business was done elsewhere unless in a tavern or some private dwelling. June 13, 1825, it was determined to build a house to do town business in. It was erected by October of that year under the supervision of Josiah Brown, William Rogers and Capt. Stephen Brown.

As early as about forty years after the first meetinghouse was built, the questions were agitated of adding to the meeting-house, or of building a new one. To do the former was refused in 1772 ; the latter was negatived March, 1774. Probably the prospect of war had much to do with their refusal for years to make any but the most necessary repairs upon the church building.

As early as March, 1782, attention to the artistic worship of God appears in the vote in March of that year, to devote " a third part of the front gallery for the use of the singers." Occasional votes of a similar character are found, and frequent ones to recompense the singing-master, Lt. Thomas Wood: thus, Nov. 29, 1789, "an order to Lt. Thomas Wood, it being for what the town voted him for instructing the singers in full, for the time past, and for the time to come, £2 8d." Yet, in spite of this comprehensive payment, is found the vote, March, 1790, "to allow Lt. Thomas Wood something as a gratis - at times spelled " gratice " - for meeting with the singers to instruct them to sing.

Property qualifications for the exercise of the franchise were early known. In 1804, at the March meeting, it was decided that a person, as formerly, must not only be twenty-one years of age, but must have an income of at least £3 or an estate of not less than £60 to vote.

Neither at an early date were appropriations for music by the town so novel. March, 1808, they voted " To raise the sum of .f60 to pay the master who taught the singing-school the present winter past."

In 1812 they grant $50 for the expense of the singing-school, and in 1815 Lt. Thomas Wood was given $12 for meeting with the singers on the Lord's Diiy, for one year. In 1817, $50 was raised for the singing-school.

Not only the church, the roads, the schools, the poor, difficulties between townsmen and neighbor.s', at times the estates of widows and orphans, but also morals were under the care of the town. Thus the March warrant for 1824 has this .article, "' To see what method the town will take to prevent Idlers and ti piers frem spending their time and property, or for ( the town to act on the same in any way they may think proper at said meeting." At said meeting they voted that " there be a tipler's list posted up." They recognized how straight is the road from idleness and tippling to the poor farm. Each man appears to have had his own way of spelling, as is evident from many of the votes quoted in this sketch. For instance, for generations pews is almost always " pues."

Among the curiosities of their independent spirit is the vote of the March meeting of 1798 : " That the inhabitants of the town wear their hats only when they address the moderator."

Although the temperance sentiment was farhehind that of to-day, yet the evils wrought by the indiscriminate gale of strong drink called forth some efforts to regulate its sale. In the treasurer's accounts for 1744 is this: " Received Mr. Thomas Kittredge's fine for selling strong drink, £5 14s. old tenor ..."

And also several other fines for breaking the Sabbath £U. May 22, 174G " Voted not to give said Thomas Kittredge the six pounds which said Thom.as Kittredge forfeited for selling strong drink without a license."

August 23, 1775, " Voted that the Selectmen do approbate Timothy Rogers, Jua'., to be a Retailer." March 2, 1778, "Voted that the Selectmen do not approbate Will". Fiske to be a retailer."

Quaint is the first notice in regard to preserving orderly the resting-place of their dead : "April, 1797, Voted and chose John Spaulding, Nathan Shed and Timothy Hunt to take care of the buring Ground and Dige the graves." A year later a committee is found " to inquire into the buring Ground."

After serving the town for twenty-two years as clerk, which office death found him in, and for twenty years as first selectman, it is pathetic to read, June 17, 1799, " Voted to chuse a committee to go to the Widow Scarlett's to git the town books and papers belonging to the town."

As the necessity was felt, beginnings of a Board of Health appear thus: May, 1811," Voted and chose a conimitlee to superintend the small-pox." They at the same time appointed " the selectmen to superintend the hospitiil wnere the small-po.K is." A large Board of Health, consisting of ten citizens prominent in their respective districts, was cho-sen August 20, 1832, " to preserve our citizens against spasmodic cholera." The next year the selectmen were elected the Board <.f Health.

The War of 1812 is brought to attention by the grant to the soldiers of $13 per man if called to march and the raising of JvOOO for the purpose of car- King on the war declared by the government. In September, 1814, $.500 was raised for the payment of soldiiTs and |iurrhasing "f equipments for town stock, ami it WHS also voted "To make up to the soldiers that have or may be called out $15 the present season."

As early as 1831 many voted for the annexing of part of the northwest portion of the town to Lowell. At this period Belvidere seems to have been somewhat a thorn to the town, for through its influence the town-meetings were carried several times to the school-house in that section or to one of the taverns there. Perhaps a trace of Belvidere may be detected in this vote of May : 1833, "That every man may kill his own crows," it having been the custom of the town previously to pay a premium for killing them.

It was November 11, 1833, that, by a decisive vote of 101 to 17, the town accepted the amendment to the 3d Article to the Bill of Rights, by which towns were no longer required to support religious teachers or churches. Consequently the next March meeting, 1884, was the last time Tewksbury provided the minister's salary, namely $575 for the Rev. Jacob Coggin. It was just one hundred years from the time the first appropriation was made by their pious ancestors and the founders of the town for a similar purpose.

The Schools

The history .of the public schools in Tewksbury begins December 10, 1740, when it was voted in town-meeting " that Stephen Osgood of Tewksbury should serve the town of Tewksbury for a schoolmaster for ye remainder of this year." December 6, 1743, " Voted to have a writing and reading school in the town, and that said town be provided with a school as above mentioned for the space of three months from the time he is made choice on." Mr. Francis Kittredge and Captain Peter Hunt were chosen to provide a schoolmaster for the town as above mentioned. They were the first School Committee. They were allowed fifteen shillings per week for keeping the schoolmaster. The next vote was in 1744, "voted and chose a committee to provide a schoolmaster to keep a writing and a reading school in said town " and they rebelled against imported talent, for "a vote was tryed by the Moderator to see if ye town would have Mr. Bridges of Andover for their schoolmaster, and said vote passed in the negative." They strove to equalize privileges ; for March, 1744, they voted a consideration of " ten |)ounds (old tenor) to ye westwardly part of ye town for their not having any benefit of ye town schoolmaster." Then old-tenor money was about onequarter the value of the new. For about twenty years from 1744 money for the schoolmaster was voted only occasionally, but the usual three months school appears to have been kept regularly notwithstanding. In September, 1755, they passed the usual vote with this addition, " and also to prefix the place where the said school shall be kept." In 1766 the vote was " to provide two schoolmasters for ye winter season," which became customary after the introduction of " wimins " or " dames' schools." In June, the 17th, 1766, an article in the warrant was " for the town to act their pleasure in seting up wimings school this season in s'd town," which they refused to do ; but on March 4, 1771, it was voted " to have woman's schools keep this present year in the town."

Jhe first mention of a school-house in town is March 8, 1770, - " an order given to Thomas Kittredge for bords to fit up tlie scliool- house."

In 1768 the names of five diflerent schoolmasters appear in the accounts, which suggests difiiculties not yet obsolete in discipline or capacity. The next year they decided to divide the town into " squadrons for the benefit of schooling," but this was not done until 1771, when the committee's report was accepted to squadron out " ye town for the benefits of schooling, and it was voted to have a woman's school kept this present year." A brighter day begins. In 1771, December 16th, appears the name of the first female teacher in town in an order to Lucy Needham for sixteen shillings for keeping school one month. The other teachers that year in town were -

In 1772 it was " voted that each squadron draw their equal rata of the money voted for schooling." February, 1776, an order for sixteen shillings to Molly Brown "for keeping school four weeks in ye year.'' Thus four shillings a week was the rate for teaching, one hundred years ago.

In March, 1793, they voted to build school-houses' in the several squadrons, and chose two persona in each squadron to visit the schools, but it was not till next year that the money was voted for this purpose.

Private schools were once known in town. It was voted, March, 1830, that Doctor Henry Kittredge and others have liberty to keep a private school in the town hall, they making good the damages and paying rent if requested.

About the year 1830 the districts had about 180 each, except the Centre, which had about $100. Afterwards the appropriations rose gradually.

Dames' schools seem to have been successful, for they were asked " to see if the town will sell Elinor Putman the town's part of the school-house." March 1, 1779, is notable for the raising of " £200 for the use of the schools, to be equally divided to each squadron according to their rate bills." In 1779 at the October meeting they negatived a vote " To see if the town will give those persons Liberty that have a mind to join and build a school-bouse at the meetin,5-house, and also that they draw their equal part of the town money."

from the books of the town, beginning with the first teacher, Stephen Osgood, in 1743, till the close of the critical period in American history, 1789.

School Committez

It was voted January, 1793, to build school-houses in the several squadrons, but as no money was appropriated for this purpose, they were not erected for several years. At this time, and for a number of years afterward, in addition to the regular School Committee, one or two persons from each squadron were chosen to visit - " prospect," or '' inspect " - the schools. In 1794, when money was voted for the building of school-houses, squadrons " that don't want to draw it for that use" were " discharged from the school-house tax."

The town was divided in six districts in 1801 ; in 1825 the Belvidere District was formed, being set olf from the North. The following year reveals a con dition of dissatisfaction often found, for they voted and chose a large committee of seven to examine into the situation of the schools ami report. In 1828, and for a few years after, each district received for school money that which it paid. In 1831 it was divided according to the property of each district. This appears to have been the pnictice till the vote of 1835, which chose a committee to divide the school money to the best of their judgment. The history of this question, even in this town, as well as the varying practice of " hiring" teachers, jiistities the action of the Legislature in abolishing school districts throughout the .State, an act with which Tewksbury complied in the March meeting, 1869, and the selectmen were instructed to carry out the law in all such cases.

From 1844 the town voted to accept the report of the School Committee, and in 1856 the committee was instructed to print it. The number ordered was 200 copies. In 1857 a committee was chosen to revise the school system, but its report has not been recorded.

In the autumn of 1887 it became necessary to divide the school at the Centre on account of its size. It was thought best to make the second school, which resulted from this division, of a higher grade of studies, and throw it open to the entire town. Soon a school of considerable size was found pursuing the last studies of the grammar year and the usual high school studies of our educational institutions. In August, 1888, a course of studies was arranged and adopted by the School Committee. At the November town-meeting it was voted that the advanced school at the Centre be a High School, which it was before, essentially. The first year it was taught by Miss Fmma V. Kirkland, of Randolph, N. Y., the second by Mr. G. Homer Oalger, of Chelsea, Massachusetts. It is now under the charge of Mr. M. H. .lackson, of East Boston, with an assistant.

Through the death of Mrs. Betsy Lang, the High school received a legacy of $3000, whose income is to be used in assisting to pay the teacher, or in books aud apparatus for the school, at the discretion of the School Committee.

But as early as May, 1768, they had the custom of letting out the poor to the highest bidder, as is seen from the extracts which follow : May, 1768, '' Voted that . . .'s child be put out to the lowest price where it shall be proper to have it go." November 20, 1776, "Voted to appoint and Impower the Selectmen in behalf of the Town or any part of them, to Endent and agree with Some person or persons, to Support and maintain the Wid" . . . during her life or any part thereof." Still more ancient is the flavor of this advertisement, December, 1784: Whereas, ... is supported by the town and the selectmen can't git it done without great cost, this is to see who will take and sup port her." August, 1786, the warrant has an article "To see how the town will support the poor," which resulted in the decision, " that the poor be set up to the highest bidder and that the selectmen give publick notice of the time and place where they are to be set up." This was usually done by appending to the warrant a notice that they would be set up in the evening after town-meeting, thus : "N. B. The Poor that are supported by the Town are to be put out to them that will do it cheapest, in the evening of the above said day, and also the Widow Stickney's thirds for the season."

In this connection stand these entries quoted for their quaintness : August 17, 1772, " An order to David Sanders for boarding Nicholas Strieker 35 weeks and finding him a pair of tow briches." February 13, 1773, '' An order to Benj. Burtt it being for four pair of gloves for the funeral of . . .'s wife," dependent upon the town. February 22, 1779, "An order to Saml. Danforth for finding . . . her house room and fire-wood and Sass and Drink."

Some of the items preserved on the records .show vividly the customs and the social life of the former days. Such is the order given February 23, 1780, to David Bailey, " it being for one Loos striped toe lining Ground 2j yards and fore one toe and wolling wailed Coat 2} yard and for one Jacot and for one pair of shoes, for one pair of stockings, all which he found for . . . and for Boarding thirty-three weeks and half to the sixth day of March £66 : 8s." The records are full of similar orders.

As early as October 17, 1780, an article is found in the warrant " to see if the town will erect a workliouse for the purpose of such as shall become a town charge." A good many years passed before anything was done to carry out the suggestion.

In 1787 overseers of the poor were "chosen. It was not till 1826 that the present poor-farm, consisting of some 80 acres, was purchased. In May of that year it was voted to use it also as a house of correction. A new poor-farm house, with conveniences suitable for the inmates, is now in process of building.

SLA.VEKY. - Many fail to remember, perhaps never dreamed, that slavery once existed in Massachusetts, the leading State in the great anti-slavery movement.

Traces of the "peculiar institution" may be found in all the early New England towns. Tewksbury is no exception. The town records contain frequent references to negroes belonging to one and another of the names familiar in our history. It seems strange to hear of the Kittredge, the Trull, the Hunt, and the Rogers families as among the slaveholders. Stranger still is what Mr. Aaron Frost relates, that when slavery was abolished in Massachusetts there were three slaves in this town : a man owned by Dr. Kittredge, from whom the poor-farm was bought; a girl named Rose, owned by Mrs. Rogers, and one named Phyllis, the property of the Rev. Sampson Spaulding. Her death is thus recorded : " 1820, June, Phyllis, a negro woman in Dea. John Spaulding's family, ninety years, old age." It speaks well for their treatment that when freedom came the two maid-servants preferred to remain with their former owners.

In those days they not only voted what seats the singers should have, and adjusted all difficulties with them, but passed the following, September, 1786: " that the negroes have the seat next to the long pew for their seat to set in."

" Know all men by tbese preBenta that I, John Kittredge, of Tewlisbiiry, In the County of Middlesex, in his Majestie's Province of the MasBUchusettB Bay in New Kngland, ChinirgeoD, Know ye that 1, said John Kittredge, for ye love, good will and affection that I have and do bear toward my servant Negroe man Reuben, and also for ye Good Service that the said Reuben bath done and performed for me, X)o by these presentH Declear, Order and Establish that my said Servant Reuben, if he lives and survives me, his said Master John Kittredge, that after my Decease the said Reuben shall be lutirely free and at bis own free Liberty for his life time after my Decease, so that my Heirs, Executors, or Administrators, or Either of them, shall not have any Command or Business to order or Dispose of said Reuben. Dated at Tewksbury, the Sixteenth day of Janury, in the Twenty Eight year of his Majestie's Reign, Auquo Domini 176 | 5.

"The above written instrument of ye Cleronanceof Doctr. John Kittredge's Negroe man Reuben, was entered November ye 16, ITStJ. " Per me, Stephen Osgood,

Natural History. - The early descriptions of New England reveal an unusual beauty. The number and varieties of the trees of the forests primeval impressed the writers. The same impression of admiration arose from the multitude and variety of the anim.als, birds and fish which Tewksbury had in common with other towns. Some of the quadrupeds are now extinct.

The abundance of fish made Wamesit the capital at one time of the tribe after which it was named. The Merrimac is " the Sturgeon River." In this river, the Concord and the Shawsheen, and iu their numerous tributaries, abounded all the kinds of fish known to New England waters. In former days the northwestern part of the town was known as " Shadtown," and apprentices stipulated that they should be fed only 80 often upon the royal salmon or upon shad. The southern portion was for years called "Pigeontown," from the numerous pigeons which frequented those parU. At every town-meeting, from 1743 till 1830, fish reeves, wardens or " fish cares " were aj)- pointed. The following is the first vote: Stephen Osgood and Samuel Hunt were chosen a committee " to see that the fish have free passage up and down those streams where they usually pass to spawn.'' Soon after the founding of Lowell, the manufacturing interesU, by polluting the waters, left the committee without occupation, and itceiised to be elected.

As late as August, 1760, about which time the savage beasts disappeared, was killed in Wilmington the last wild bear in that vicinity. " It was shot by Ephraim Buck, from beneath the branches of an ancient oak, now standing, near the road leading from Wilmington Centre to the east part of the town." (Drake's Middlesex, Wil. by L. 0. Eames.)

Interesting is this vote passed December, 1739 : " Voted to chose two men to take care that the deer in this town be not destroyed contrary to the last liiw made in their behalf" Josiah Baldwin and Samuel Trull have the honor of being elected the first of a Icmg list of deer reeves which ends about 1777.

The following vote shows the abundance of small game compared with its scarceness to-day : 1742, " voted a town rate of £25 old tenor to pay the bounty laid on gray and ground squirrels and blackbirds which are caught in the town." Bounties for fiercer animals were not unknown, for in 1757 an order for six shillings was paid John Ball for killing one wildcat; and in 1758 Jonathan Kittredge was paid ten shillings for one killed - the last of which there is historical record. There was a bounty on crows also, whose rate rose and fell with the times. In 1791, "Voted a bounty for killing crows, 'M. pei head for old ones, and four pence ha'penny for young ones killed by the inhabitants of this town in the town : Voted also that the heads be brought to the selectmen or town treasurer to bo examined, and il they suspect their being killed in the town, then the person bringing them shall go to a justice of the pease and sware that the crows were killed in the town and bring a certificate that he thus swore."

In 1814 it was voted to let fishing privileges to the highest bidder: $50 was paid for the privilege formerly owned by Dr. Worcester at the northwest part.

The sound of the coming strife is heard in the vote March 4, 1861, " to instruct the School Committee to cause the Constitution of the U. S. to be read in each of the public schools of Tewksbury once at least each term." They also voted, March 6th, the same notable year, to raise more money and adopted the following report of a committee raised at the previous meeting and consisting of George Lee, Elijah M. Ptead, Jonathan Brown, D. G. Long, Elbridge Livingstone :

" That the town appropriate the sum of $2000 and that a committee consisting of the Selectmen and four other citizens be appointed to disburse this appropriation among the volunteer citizens of Tewksbury in such manner as in their judgment the circumstances may require. It being understood that out of said appropriation an outfit and a reasonable amount of pocket money be provided for all volunteers from Tewksbury, and that the families of the absent volunteer shall be cared for, and also that this committee shall also look after their future wants and necessities during their enlistment and also that the compensation of the said volunteer be increased to twenty dollars per month for the time of their actual service." They also voted and chose the following named gentlemen to act in connection with the selectmen in distributing the above appropriation : N. P. Cole, B. F. Spaulding, William Grey, John P. Taylor.

"Your committee entered upon tUeir new and unusual duties with a desire to do justice, as well as exercise benevolence towards our young men, who, at this crisis in our country's march, so nobly stepped forward to protect the homes and the institutions of this great and favored people. Neither were they unmindful of their duties to those who, though qniotly at home, so willingly supplied the means.

*' By a vote of the town each man enlisting into the U. S. service was to receive from the town a sum sutlicient to make his wages twenty dollars per month. '

"On the '23d May last the legislature of Mass. passed an act rendering nugatory all acts of towns for increased pay of wages to volunteers beyond the term of three months for any individual.

" At the early stage of our national trouble, our State, as well as our National Government, was not fully prepared to uniform and fit out troops as fast as the exigencies of the case seemed to require.

" Hence the importance of towns and individuals to interest themselves to provide the comforts and furnish ueceasities to our volunteers and their families. To this end the attention of your committee was directed more especially to see that each man had the necessary clothing and a small amount of money when he should march to the seat of war. In the act above referred to, the State made ample provisions fur ihn families of volunteers, which relieve your committee of that service.

' ' The act of the town made it the duty of the committee to distribute aid to the volunteers according to their judgment of their several uecesstties.

"They furnished six persons with clothing and necessary articles for the camp, to the amount of one hundred and eighteen dollars and eighty cents ($118.80) thirty-three persons with pocket-money at ten dollars each (Jill), three hundred and thirty dollars (»330),and two persons with two dollars each, four dollars ($4), to defray their expenses to Boston to enlist, making the total amount paid and authorized to be paid, of $462.8U.

" It may bo proper to state hero that quite an erroneous opinion, for a time, seemed to prevail among some of the volunteers and their friiMidB, to wit.: that the town had voted to pay each volunteer ten dollars, irre- spective of the judgment of the committee ; this, as well as other erroneous views that obtained currency, increased their labor by requiring frequent explanations.

" Ten dollars have been paid, or authorized to be paid, to each volunteer or bis authorized agent or guardian, who has applied for it and furnished satisfactory evidence that they have been lawfully enlisted in the volunteer service of the U. S., except one who was aided to the amount of eight dollars and ninety-three cents (88.93), for needed articles, but no money. One made no application.

" The subjoined tabular statement exhibits the name of each volunteer or person aided from Tewksbury, together with the number of the regiment and the description of the battery, squadrou or company to which they are attached, so far as could be ascertained, also such other information relating to their condition as is in possession of your committee.

" Your committee respectfully requests to be discharged from further service, and recommends the selectmen be authorized to perform the remaining duties for the committee.

Meanwhile the town was alive with eflbrts to recruit the ranks of the army and sustain that army iu the field. As will be seen from the lists of her soldiers in this contest, Tewksbury had men among the first in the ranks, notably in the renowned Sixth Massachusetts, some of whom still live to tell the taieof the celebrated march through Baltimore.

" Whereas, by Proclamation of the Pres. of the U. S., an addition to the forces now in the service of the country, of SOO.OttO men, is required and ordered, and Whereas, of the whole number to be raised. 1.5,000 is set down as the portion of Mass., and Wliereas, by Proclamation of the Gov. of the State, eleven men is the number assigned to the town of Tewksbury as its quota of the above force, therefore, -

" Voted, That a bounty of S125 be appropriated to each of said eleven men, who shall enter said service from this town, to be paid to them when mustered in.

" Voted, That the Treasurer of tliis town is hereby authorized to borrow a sum of money not exceeding, in amount, $1500, on such time as he may deem best, etc.

" Voted, That Clerk and Treas. spread these votes on their respective records, the names of recruits under this call and the amounts paid them each."

This was July 28th. In less than a month another meeting was held to act upon still another call for " three hundred thousand more." Similar resolutions and votes were passed, as on the previous occasions ; iJlOO was voted to each man enlisting for nine months, and the treasurer was authorized to borrow $1500 additional.

Coming to the next annual meeting, April, 1863, the celebrated proclamations of Governor Andrew and President Lincoln for a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer are spread upon the records of that solemn time after the usual report.

November 3, 1863, finds the town again convened to respond to the third call of the President for 300,000 troops. It is a pathetic reminder of the spirit which filled the Republic in her adversity to notice that, before even electing the moderator, by solemn vote 20-iii

Here are the votes which pertain to the great conflict, then raging throughout the land : " That a bounty of $200 be paid to each volunteer soldier on being mustered in the United States service, also that the town choose a committee to make an assessment on each individual of his proportion necessary to be raised for this purpose ; " " that a meeting or series of meetings be called by the selectmen as they may think best to encourage enlistment;" "that the same committee that is appointed by the Governor to enlist volunteers for this town, do assess and apportion to each individual their proportional part necessary to raise the above amount.''

The next important action was in the meeting of -May 30, 1864, when they voted to pay $125 to each enlisted man that shall be' mustered into the military service of the United States from this town the ensuing year. Ten men were required to fill the quota. The treasurer was authorized to borrow $1250 to meet demands. The town then seems to have made an effort for this final demand upon its re- -sources with success.

Immediately after the town-meeting a citizens' meeting was organized by choosing Leonard Huntress chairman. These rallies were kept up with great enthusiasm by men prominent in town affairs and from all parts of it till the quotas were filled. The first meeting voted " that the assessors be required to assess the amount of $1250 on the tax-payers of Tewksbury as a voluntary tax for the purpose of securing the requisite number of men that may be called for by the President, from this town ; " and that Elijah M. Read be treasurer to receive all the money of the several collectors chosen at a previous meeting.

The ladies during these severe and trying experiences did their part by gathering necessaries and luxuries to send to the men defending the flag on distant battle-fields or bearing pain for it in remote hospitals. Here, as elsewhere, all classes were fused into one by ardor for tife common cause - union and freedom.

The end came at last, even sooner than expected, in the annual meeting of April, 1865, when, after reporting that the town debt at that date was $8932.- 32, the chairman, Leonard Huntress, appended to the report of the selectmen these remarks :

" The selectmen, in addition to the foregoing report of receipts and expenditures, desire to call the attention of their fellow-citizens, in a few brief words, to matters showing more especially the town's relation to the country.

" The war has existed four years. Every call made upon us for men to put down the rebellion has been honored. Our quotas are all full. We have also a surplus to our credit of two men.

'' The end now appears to be so plainly drawing nigh that we are in hopes no additional calls will be made. In fact, the spirit of liberty and of patriotism seems to be doing for the army in these last days so good a work, that we believe our ranks will be kept full.

" We msnllon hit c«m partlruliirly Ixjcause he was the firat, mao who f nllMed u iiriv«te, iin<l by his BoMierljr qiialitireand good conduct was pniinu(«l to a ncrgennlcy. Soon afl«r his promotion hs w»« taken prisoner, and nilTeroil in llio - Libby ' and on Belle Isle until neaily used up, Hhi'n he was eiclinngid. lie now considers himself again fit for duty, has Ixwn ojamiued and mustered in as a veteran for Hancock's Corps.

" Of thoM that went in the winter of 1863-64, four are known to have die<l. Their names are . I. Wolls Merriam, Alexander McDonald, Hugh Slcltonald and Hugh Jlcljuarrie. Voung Merriam was clerk of the I'iflranth Maasachunctls Baltery, stationed thou at Memphis, a good soldier, a cnrrecl ollicer. and an exemplary and upright man. He died after a brief sickneaa, beloved, we believe, by the whole command.

-' The Iwo McDonalds and McQuarrie wera not citizens of this town. Their home was l'rin.» Hlward's Island. Temporarily at work here, Ihey enllstc"! in the Seventh Battery, and during the last warm season Ihey all died near the mouth of the Mississippi Itiver. For all of these bf»te ones, and for those who have folleu before them, tlio town does most tenderly cherish (he memory of their gallant and heroic deeds.

" While this war huts, the selectmen would i-ecnmmend that our ex. penani lie kept as light as practicable. If men are wanted, they must \k furnished. If we have them not, we must Hnd them elsewhere ; and if they cost money, we must pay for them. But as to our affairs at home, we reconmiend a rigid economy."

A vote wa.s i);issc(l " to rentier thanks to him and liis associates for the elHcieut services of the past year in procuring; troops to fill our quotas." They voted also " to a8scs.s the present year $3000, that being the amount paid as bounties to volunteers.''

The list which follows gives the names of probably all the men who served the town in the War of the Rebellion. It is taken from the otlicia! record of 'I'ewksbury.

Little of general interest remains to complete this sketch, but a few matters of more than transient importance are noted in the order of their occurrence.

In 1808 a second movement began for a division of the town by annexing nearly 1000 acres of the northwesterly part to Lowell. This was completed after strenuous opposition from the town iu 1874. The last division of the town was in 1888, when about 200 acres were lost to Lowell to the regret of the old town.

November, 1870, it was decided to repair the Town Hall, but in Jlarch, 1875, it was voted to build a new one,33x60 feet.at a cost of $3000, in which a vault was to be constructed at an expense not exceeding $700. This W!is done on the site of the old one, which was sold. The building committee was Elijah M. Read, Zephaniah P. Foster and Nathaniel Trull. The final cost was $3896.12.

Tewksbury in 1875 came into the Nineteenth Representative District, which consisted of the towns of Chelmsford, Tyng.sborough, Dracut and Tewksbury, and contained 12o8 legal voters, who elected one Representative to the General Court.

At the November meeting in 1876, $500 was appropriated for the purpose of improving and beautifying the centre of the town, the first of a number of similar appropriations. The committee to expend this money was George A. Kittredge, Enoch Foster and Joel Foster.

Public Library, which the town voted to establish at the November meeting a year afterwards, 1877. Mr. George A. Kittredge was the first chairman of the Board of Six Trustees, by whom the library is managed. Since the death of Mr. Kittredge, his brother, Mr. J. C. Kittredge, has held this position. To both of these gentlemen the library is indebted for numerous gifts of books. In March, 1878, and yearly from that date, the town voted the dog tax to the support and increase of the library. In March, 1879, an appropriation of $100 was granted for the same purpose. Every year since, but one, the townhasgiven a sum in addition to the dog tax varying from $100 to $2.50. The shelves now, 1890, contain 3326 volumes, and readers are furnished with the popular magazines. Patrons in remote parts of the town have books delivered at a point near their home. The circulation of books for the year ending February 1, 1890, was 7171, including a few magazines, the largest number ever used in one year. Many competent judges have deservedly praised the selection of books, which inchides the best of every class of literature, and which furnish a valuable and increasing help to the work of the schools. Perhaps some affluent native of Tewksbnry who reads these pages, may be led to furnish a fitting home for these literary treasures. There are few better ways to perpetuate a good and ancient name, or to render money a permanent source of good, than the establishment and endowment of Public Libraries,which make accessible to all the people the best that has been thought and written in all times.

To trace the history of even a small New England town like Tevvksbury shows that it is representative of the great type to which it belongs, a form of society and government unsurpassed by any the world has ever seen. Even this comparatively small town illustrates the principle on which the master historians of to-day proceed in the study of the great drama still unfolding - that the local history should furnish the beginning which ends in the universal. Tewksbury stands connected with the great world wide current. The town had a share in every change and movement of the laud. Her social life was part of the life of the day. Often a vote, a phrase, a single word or name from her records brings up a past which belonged to that entire ancient world which seems to most men like the stuft' dreams are made of. Even here the old adage is true that " Every road leads to Rome. "

1740 - March 3-loth, adjourned May 20th, Deacon Daniel Kittredge; October 8tli, Capt. William Brown ; December 10th, a(yourned to 17th, Deacon Daniel Kittredge.

1 742 - January 19th, Joseph Kittridge ; March 1st, adjourned to March i^th, March 29th, Lt. William Brown ; May 18th, Deacon Joseph Kittredge ; October 4th, adjourned to the 9th of December, Lt. William Brown.

1761^Jannary L'Jd, Col" .lonathan Brown; March 5th, 19th, April eth, Jl.y nth, .luno 18lh, Wm. Brown; July 2d, BzraKlndell; July 23d, l>aa. Jacob .Shed ; .Soptoniljor M, Wm. Brown ; October 22d, Col. Jon' Brown; December llh, Doa. E/.ra Kiodell ; December 24th, Wm. Brown.

l787_Maroh 6th, April 2d, May Ifith, Timothy Brown ; June 13tb, Jnly.Mh, Nath' t^lark ; September 17th, Dn. Kzra Kindell; December 17lh, Wm. nr..wn.

1794 - January Rth, March 3d, April 7th, May 15tli, AuguHt 18th, September 2.'tth, November 3d, Wm. Siinondti ; December 25th, Jonathan Brown.

1772 - John Needham, Lt. Jonathan Shed (two weeks later Jacob Shed chosen fifth selectman and Jonathan Shed dismissed, or rather the vote showing him reconsidered), Francis Kittredge, Jonathan Brown, David Trull. '

Town Treasurers Of Tewksbort

January 23, 1775, they "voted and chose Jonathan Brown a delegate for the Provincial Congress, meeting at Cambridge on the fir.it day of February ne.xt Ensuing."

January 28, 177,5, they voted and chose Jonathan Brown a delegate for the Provincial Congress meeting at Cambridge on the first day of February next ensuing.