Westminster Town (part 2 of 2)

Miscellaneous Items. - In passing from these reminiscences copied from the military annals of the town it may be of some interest to mention the fact that after the battle of Bennington, in August, 1777, a detachment of sixteen Hessian ofBcers and their servants, taken prisoners at that time, were sent, under parole, to the selectmen by the Provincial Government at Boston, and were quartered at various dwelling-houses in different neighborhoods. They remained only a few months, however, but a few memorials and traditions of them are still found in some of the families with which they had a temporary home. One of the number was so well pleased with the locality that he remained after his companions left, married and settled in a neighboring town and has descendants now living in the vicinity.

In noting the changes that have been going on during the present century it may be stated that nearly a hundred homesteads existing ninety years ago in the outlying districts of Westminster have been abandoned, of which only empty but expressive cellar-holes are the reminders at the present time. The multiplication and growth of the villages of the town constitute a corresponding fact, indicating a marked tendency of the age.

There have been three commemorative occasions of special interest in the history of AV'estminster. One was the celebration of the centennial of its incorporation, held October 6, 1859, at which Hon. Charles Hudson, of Lexington, for twenty-five years a prominent citizen of the town and familiar with its annals, gave a historical address ; Rev. William S. Hey wood, then of Hopedale, a poem, while other appropriate exercises filled out the day. The proceedings were published in full and widely distributed. The one hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence was duly commemorated July 4, 1876, when Rev. Mr. Heywood, then of Holyoke, delivered an address, dealing largely with national affairs, with special reference to the causes of the Rebellion, its development, progress and final overthrow. On the 22d of June, 1887, the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the original settlement of the town was appropriately observed, at which time an address was given by the last-named gentleman, accompanied by other exercises suited to the occasion. The several churches have, from time to time, held special services in honor of some marked event in their history.

There are three cemeteries in Westminster : one a mile east of the Centre, the oldest portion of which was laid out soon after the settlement, while two other portions have been annexed to the original as the needs of tiie town required ; one in .Scrabble Hollow, near the dwelling of the late Mr. James Puffer; and one half a mile southwest of the Centre on the rise of land sometimes called Mount Pleasant. The first two belong to the town, the last to private individuals.

There is a Post of the Grand Army of the Republic in town, composed of twenty-four members, with Mr. Lyman M. Drury, commandant. It is named the Joseph P. Rice Post, No. 69, in honor of the lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty-first Massachusetts Regiment, who was a native of Westminster. The town has a well-equipped Fire Department, with two engines at the central village and one at South Westminster. A Farmers' Club has been in existence for many years and has done good service in keeping up an interest on the subject of agriculture, the leading industry of the community. Its annual fairs in the autumn have an excellent reputation in all the neighboring region.

The Westminster Bank was chartered in the year 1875, chiefly through the influence of Mr. Daniel C. Miles, who has been its president from the outset. Its capital is one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. William Mayo was the first cashier, who was succeeded, in 1887, by the present incumbent, Mr. Frank W. Fenno.

There are at present three post-offices in town - one at the central village, one at South Westminster and one near the railroad station. For some years there was one at Wachusettville, but it has recently been given up.

The number of persons assessed for property in the year 1888 was five hundred and thirty-eight ; tor polls, one hundred and fifty-six, making a total tax-list of six hundred and ninety-four persons. The amount of personal estate taxed in the same year was $178,672 ; of real estate, 8577,584. Entire property taxed, $756,- 256. The number of acres of land subject to taxation was twenty-two thousand four hundred and eightyfour. Number of horses, 392 ; cows, 599 ; sheep, 36 ; neat cattle, exclusive of cows, 283 ; swine, 98 ; houses, 272i. The total amount of tax for 1888 was 111,- 884.96. The appropriations for the same year were: Highways, $2500 ; schools, S3000 ; contingent expenses.

The town ofiicers for 1888-89 were: Clerk, Edward S. Kendall ; Selectmen, J. Hervey Miller, Charles C. Dawley, A. Jackson Bolton, who are also overseers of the poor; Assessors, J. Hervey Miller, Hobart Raymond, Stephen F. Lamb ; Treasurer, David W. Hill ; School Committee, Rev. C. M. Palmer, Rev. Lyman Partridge, Daniel E. Hurd. With his present official term, Mr. David W. Hill completes thirty years of service as custodian of the town's finances.

Westminster has not the honor of having given birth to any considerable number of distinguished personages in any calling or sphere of life, yet it has contributed its share, perhaps, of members to the learned and honorable professions and to high and responsible positions in the various circles of human society. Twenty-five of its sons are known to have been graduates of the different New England colleges, aud several of its daughters of some of the higher institutions of female education. It has given about twenty of its native-born children to the pulpit, half as many to the study and practice of medicine and a smaller number to the bar. In each of these callings there have been some who have gained distinction and earned wide and well-sustained reputations. Two sons of the town have had a place in Congress, and three of its daughters devoted themselves to the work of missions in foreign lauds, in that spirit of Christian consecration and self-sacrifice which adorns and glorifies human nature and is worthy of all commendation.

A large number of persons, both male and female, have gone out from this goodly town to fill the place of teachers in the work of popular education, and have rendered efficient and honorable service in that most important field of human eflbrt and responsibility. Of General Nelson A. Miles mention is made in another connection. The town may justly claim some special interest in the renown and glory which are indLssolubly linked with the name and memory of the lamented President Garfield, inasmuch as his grandfather, Thomas Garfield, son of Solomon, first

But not only has Westminster honored hernelf and blessed the world through those to whom special attention has been directed as having attained some high rank or place of distinction among men, but quite as much perhaps through that much greater number of its children, who, wearing no badge of office or station, in humbler walks and more inconspicuous ways, have served their Maker and their fellow-men by their simple virtues and unpretending piety, by acting well their part, by honesty and integrity, by pureness and love unfeigned, by the word of truth and righteousness on the right hand and left, by all the graces and powers of a noble Christian character and life. These, no less than the others, are children in whom the good old mother-town may take a just and laudable pride, and for whom she may appropriately weave some of her choicest chaplets. They all alike are a credit to her and give unfading lustre to her name and memory.

A complete history of Westminster is now in process of preparation by the author of this sketch, and will be issued at no very distant day. It is designed to be thorough and comprehensive, including extended annals of families and biographical notices, with maps and other illustrations, making a goodsized octavo volume of about eight hundred pages.

Biographical Daniel C. Miles

Daniel Curtis Miles, son of Daniel Miles and Mary Curtis Miles and a brother of General N. A. Miles, U.S.A., was born June 1, 1827, in the eastern part of Westminster, Mass. His early education was obtained partly in the public schools and partly in private schools. Later he attended the academy at Westminster Centre. This period of school training was supplemented by the not less valuable discipline of teaching, in which Mr. Miles engaged for twelve terms in Lancaster, Westminster and Gardner.

Beginning his active business life upon a farm, Mr. Miles extended his interests to the lumber trade, and also became proprietor of a saw and grist-mill and a factory for the production of chair-stock. Later he took an active part in erecting the chair-factory and connected buildings at South Westminster, and for three and a half years he was a partner with Merriam & Holden in the manufacture of chairs and settees. He also owned and operated the Westminster and Winchendon bakeries for three years. Prospering in these enterprises, Mr. Miles went into partnership in the manufacture of cane-seat chairs at North Westminster, under the firm-name of Miles & Lombard, afterwards changed to Miles & Son. This soon became an important industry in that section of the town, giving employment to seventy-five persons.

In the spring of 1875 Mr. Miles became the chief mover in establishing the Westminster National Bank, of which he has ever since been the president. For the past few years he has operated extensively in land, both in Southern California and elsewhere, besides holding an interest in a large cattle-ranch near Miles City, Montana. This city was founded by his son, George M. Miles, and was named in honor of General N. A. Miles.

On the 22d of May, 1851, Mr. Miles married Miss Lucy Ann Puffer, daughter of James Puffer and Lucy Jones Puffer, and of this union there have been five children - Mary Josephine, George M., Herbert J., Arthur W. and Martha G.

In addition to the numerous and successful business enterprises which have identified him with the progress and prosperity of the town, Mr. Miles has held many ofiices of trust and responsibility. He has been auditor of the town's accounts, assessor, member of the School Board, president of the Worcester North Agricultural Society two years and trustee fifteen years, superintendent of the Baptist Sunday-school for twenty years and clerk of the Baptist Society twenty-six years, president of the Wachusett Baptist Association, and justice of the peace for many years.

During the past ten years Mr. Miles has gratified his taste for the acquisition of knowledge by traveling widely, both in the United States and in Europe. These tours of observation include, in this country, besides nearly all the large cities, California, Wyoming Territory, Oregon and Colorado ; and, in Europe, Italy, Switzerland, France and the British Isles.

Artemas Meekiam

This gentleman, who is one of the leading citizens, as he is the most successful manufacturer of Westminster, was born in that town on the 21st day of July, 1818. He was the son of Joel Merriani, the well-known and honored deacon of the Baptist Church for many years, and Polly (Farnsworth) Merriani, and a descendant in the seventh generation of Joseph Merriam, the immigrant ancestor of the family, who was an early settler of Concord, Mass. His education was limited to the meagre advantages of the common district school, supplemented by the tuition of a single term at the Westminster Academy. When eighteen years of age he went to work in the cooper-shop of Mr. Franklin Wyman, at the lower part of " the Narrows" (now Wachusettville), where he remained six years, acquiring skill in the use of tools and that practical knowledge of business which have been of invaluable service to him in his later life.

After closing his engagement with Mr. Wyman he spent a few months at Gardner and then began chair and settee-making in a small shop fitted up for his