Worcester City (part 14 of 58)

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.

Thus Narragansett No. 6 was merged in the town of Templeton. The origin of the name is not known. The name was spelled " Templetown " in the act of incorporation. It was also so spelled in the town warrants and earliest town records. After 1764 the town-meeting warrants always have it " Templeton."

The township, Narragansett No. 6, and the town incorporated as Templeton, included most of the present town of Phillipston. Quite early it became manifest that there was an east and a west side of the town. The deep valley of the Burushirt River and Trout Brook separated the two sections. Moreover, the meeting-house was decidedly to the east of the middle of the territory of the town. The central point would be in the deep valley previously mentioned, and never, in the olden time, was a meeting-house set in a valley. But it was a long way from the west part of the town to the house of worship, and especially inconvenient in the winter season. And so the town sometimes voted that the Rev. Mr. Sparhawk might, for a few Sundays in the winter, preach in the west part of the town, the meeting-house being closed on such Sundays ; but this was done with reluctance by the town, and seems not to have been a satisfactory arrangement for either side.

Much discussion and controversy arose regarding the matter. It was proposed in town-meetings, at different times, to build a meeting-house in the westerly part of the town, to move the meeting-house to the middle of the town, and even to divide the town; but all these plans failed. Finally, in 1773, the westerly part of the town petitioned the General Court to be separated from the rest of the town in the matter of its parochial aff.iirs. This petition was granted in 1774, and two precincts were thus formed. They acted together in transacting most of the ordinary town business. The town-meetings were held at the meeting-house on the Common, as usual, but in calling the meetings the selectmen made out two warrants, one to be served by a constable in the westerly part of the town, and another by a constable in the easterly part. The easterly part of the town was sometimes called the " First Precinct," the westerly the "Second Precinct." In 1784 fourteen of the inhabitants of the Second Precinct, not satisfied with their situation, petitioned to be united again with the First Precinct, and that precinct voted to receive them, but there is no intimation that any action was taken by the General Court.

The Second Precinct, together with a portion of the southeasterly part of Athol, was incorporated as a town October 20, 1786, by the name of Gerry. The name was in honor of Elbridge Gerry, a man prominent in the political affairs of this State. The name was changed to Phillipston, February 5, 1814. In 1785 the town of Gardner was incorporated, whose territory was made up of portions of Winchendon, Ashburnham, AVestminster, and from twelve to fifteen acres from the easterly side of Templeton. The town of Westminster, or Narragansett No. 2, formerly reached to the stone monument, near the residence of Mr. Lucas Baker. In laying out that town they had accidentally made the lines so as to include a portion of the territory granted to the proprietors of Narragansett No. 6, or Templeton. The amount thus included was estimated at four hundred acres, and as a compensation for the loss of this, the proprietors of this township were permitted to have an equal amount from the lands of the province on the northwesterly side of the town. This, in some way, resulted in a quite extensive enlargement of the

County Relations. - For more than a hundred years intermittent efforts have been made with reference to the formation of a new county made uj) of towns in the northern part of Worcester County, with the addition of some other towns lying either to tlie east or to the west of them. Sometimes it was proposed that Templeton should be the shire-town ; sometimes Petersham was named ; but the later eflxirts have been made with the design of having Fitchburg as the shire-town. This town chose Joshua Wilhird, Esq., as its agent to act " at the Great and General Court concerning a new county," in 176.3, a little more than a year after the incorporation of the town.

A delegate was chosen to represent the town in a convention held at Petersham in 1781, but with instructions not to join in the petition for a new county unless the towns of Ashby, Ashhurnham, Fitchburg, Lunenburg, Leominster and Westminster were also included. Charles Baker was chosen, in 1784, as agent of the town for a division of the county, and the next year the town refused to send a delegate to represent them in a convention at Petersham, In 1791 the town sent delegates to the same place; but later in the year " the town, by vote, signified their disapprobation of a new county." In 1792 an effort was made to form a county, extending from Ashburnham on the east to Pelham and Shutesbury on the Wfst, and including nineteen towns. But this town voted that its agent should not sign this petition. The town made a like refusal in 1794.

There was a plan fur building a new court-house at Worcester in 1796. But the people remonstrated against it for three reasons: first, the county of Worcester was too large, and if divided, the court-house, as it then was, would be sufficient ; second, if not divided, the court-house should be nearer the centre; third, it was a time when building material and labor were too high. For several years after, the town gave its influence for a division of the county. In 1798 the town favored division by a vote of eighty four to one. These eff'orts all failed, and there was, for a time, a rest from these labors. But the contest was renewed in 1810, when a conventiou met in this town concerning the matter. The town sent a petition to the Legislature in favor of a division. But the county was not divided.

The paroxysms of agitation for county division occur less frequently as the years go on. Meanwhile, in all later etforts, Templeton has steadily opposed the division. In 1828, when it was proposed to form a new county made up of sixteen towns from Worcester County and five from Middlesex, the vote of this town was four in favor to one hundred and twenty-six against the division. Vigorous eff'orts for a new county were made from 1851 to 1855, with Fitchburg as shire-town. Templeton constantly remonstrated against the measure, and several times chose Colonel

Artemas Lee a committee to unite with committees from the neighboring towns to oppose the division. But in 1856 some of the terras of the County Courts began to be held at Fitchburg. A court-house and jail were also established there. Another effort for division was made about 1875. Like all of the others, this efl^ort failed, and the county remains with its liberal proportions, and posterity is likely to find its full integrity preserved.

State Relations. - Templeton has alwajs taken an active interest in the affairs of the State and the nation; but it sent no representative to the General Court until the beginning of the Revolutionary contest. In the first thirteen years of its existence as a town, nine times it " voted not to send," and in the four remaining years no action was taken upon the matter. Jonathan Baldwin was chosen to represent this town in the General Court, meeting at Salem in October, 1774, and also to a Provincial Congress, meeting at Cambiidge, Concord, and at Watettown in 1775. He was the first representative from this town to any legislative body. His first election was the only instance in which such a representative has been chosen by this town at a meeting called " m his majesty's name.''

A Constitution was framed for Massachusetts by the General Court in 1778 ; in a vote by the people, it was rejected by a large majority. Templeton gave twentytwo votes for, and filiy-one against the adoption of that Constitution.

The present Constitution was adopted in March, 1780, by the favorable vote of more than two-thirds of the people. Templeton voted fifty-seven in favor to one against; and again in 1795, the vote in this town was, " seventy-sis for the Constitution to stand as it is; none against it." Capt. John Richardson and Mr. Joel Grout were delegates from this town to the convention of 1779-80, which framed the present Constitution. Lovell Walker, Esq., was the delegate to the convention of 1820, which proposed fourteen amendments, nine of which were adopted. This town voted very decidedly in favor of all the proposed amendments except two. Gilman Day, Esq., was the delegate to the convention of 1853, which proposed eight amendments, all of which were rejected by vote of the State, although Templeton favored them, casting about two hundred and twenty-four votes in favor and one hundred and thirty-seven against. There have since been other amendments adopted singly, no convention having been called.

The Constitution of the United States was framed in 17S7, and sul)mitted to conventions of delegates in each of the States. The Massachutetts convention, composed of three hundred and sixty members, assembled at Boston in January, 1788, and ratified the Constitution by the small majority of nineteen votes. Capt. Joel Fletcher, the delegate from this town, voted against its adoption, as did also all of the otlier fifty delegates from Worcester County except seven.

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.

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.

Captain Moses Bond, who had previously kept a store at the centre of the town, carried this on for three years. Captain Joseph Davis then leased the store and placed it in the care of Mr. Valentine. On his removing to Baldwinville, in 1830, Captain Davis bought the store building and in 1840 removed it to a location in .close proximity to his hotel, where it now stands. A store has been kept in the building until a period quite recent. The store now occupied by Louis Leland was also built in 1821. Joseph Raymond first carried on business here, and afterwards Lee & Raymond until 1837. Lee & Morley and Lee & Lincoln were the styles of firms until 1844 ; then M. H. Wood & Co., until 1856. Sundry persons kept a small stock of goods here for a time, after which there was a period of suspended animation, which was terminated by the appearance of the firm of Leland Brothers in 1870. Since 1872 Louis Leland has continued the business alone, Francis Leland retiring and giving his undivided attention to his store at Otter River. A store has been kept on the site of the Cady & Brooks block since 1844. It was first occupied by James Stimson and Mark W. Ray. A Protective Union store was afterwards kept here, with James H. Clapp as agent. It was occupied by Sawyer, Thompson & Perley as a store and office from 1861 to 1876. O. D. Sawin kept the store one year, continued by Sawin & Bryant to 1880, when the building was burned. It was rebuilt on a larger scale, with a spacious hall on the third floor. The .stores on the lower floor were occupied by Dorr & Dickinson and Lehy & Goss. Rooms for the Templeton Savings Bank and also for a lawyer's ofiice were in the second story. Fire consumed the whole structure again in 1882, and again it was rebuilt with offices as before in the second story, and the postoffice and stores in the lower story. In one of these stores, drugs and medicines and furnishing goods are kept by C. S. Dickinson ; in the other, groceries and miscellaneous goods by C. S. Dickinson & Co.

in 1857, just south of the bridge over Otter River. This has been occupied for brief timesby different persons, sometimes as a shoe store, sometimes as a grocery store, but it is at present unoccupied.

In the village of Otter River the first >tore of importance was kept, in the low, one-story building on the west side of the Main Street. Samuel D. Morley, Samuel M. Osgood and Francis Leland have successively engaged in trade at this stand ; others have continued to occupy this store until the present time. In 1883 Francis Leland built, for the more complete accommodation of his business, the large and commodious brick store which he has since occupied. About 1847 Captain Joseph Davis, of Baldwinville, erected the large building for a store and dwellinghouse on the eastern side of the street, and a store was kept here for about ten years under his supervision. Since, it has been occupied by Warner & Kirschner, and now by Frederick Warner.

Savings Bank. - The Templeton Savings Bank was incorporated April 19, 1871. Its place of business has always been in the village of Baldwinville. Up to the present time it has hired one of the upper rooms in the Brooks & Cady Block. This year (1888) the trustees voted to erect a new building suitable for the accommodation of the bank and containing rooms to rent for other purposes. The building is to be fifty by forty feet in size, and the work of construction is now going on. M. A. Wilson is president of the Savings Bank, and Asa Hosmer is treasurer. Its assets now amount to more than two hundred thousand dollars.

Roads. - Roads of some kind must be of prime importance to the people of a new settlement. We find that the proprietors of this town early gave attention to making them. The first roads were doubtless mere bridle-paths, in most cases suitable only for passing on horseback. From the formation of the town until now the building and repairing of roads has been a very large item in the public expenditures. During the first twenty years of the existence of the town the appropriations for mere repairs of highways, leaving out altogether the cost of building ihem, was from three to five times as much as the appropriation for schools ; during the next twenty years it was from one and a half to three times as much; during the first forty years of this century a little more than twice as much. There was then a few years in which they were not very far from equal. For the last fifteen years the ratio has been reversed, and the appropriation for schools has been about twice as much as that for repairs of highways.

It will not be practicable to trace the origin and history of our roads minutely, although it would be a matter of interest to do so. A few details must here suffice. The proprietors, in 1737, paid a committee for " marking and clearing a road to the township," which perhaps was a bridle-path from Westminster. In 1740 a road was "marked and cleared to Pequoiage" (Athol). Roads were also to be cleared to the settlers' lots, and also a road to Petersham. On May 13, 1752, the proprietors chose a committee of three persons to lay out roads through the township. In 175.3 this committee was directed not to lay out the new roads until " the settlers have pitched on their house-spots." In 1754 the committee reported a road from the Common reaching halfway to Baldwinville, which was extended further in 1759, and in 1701 made to reach quite across Otter River.

The bridge over Otter River at Baldwinville seems to have been built by Noah Merritt in 1763. The bridge over the same river in the village of Otter River was probably built in 1778. The town records are abundantly sprinkled over with the reports of the laying out of roads.

At the second town-meeting after the town was incorporated it was voted "to give for work on the highways three shillings a man per day till the last of August, and then to the last of September two 8hilling^l, and that oxen have half as much, and a cart a quarter as much." This meeting granted forty pounds for mending highways, it being the first money granted by the town for any purpose whatever.

The building and repairing of roads was a severe tax on the inhabitants of these towns in the early times. The turnpike system afforded some moderate degree of relief. Companies were formed and incorporated with the design of making better roads than towns could afford to make, and toll was demanded by the company from those who traveled on them. The Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike Corporation was incorporated by the Legislature in 1799. Its route extended from Greenfield and Northfield, in two distinct lines, which united at Athol, thence through Templeton, South Gardner and Westminster to Leominster.

In this town it ran through Brooks village, Templeton Centre and East Templeton. Tolls, at differing rates for ditferent vehit;les, were established, and gates were set up at convenient places for its collection. Persons passing to or from public worship, and those on military duty, were exempt from paying toil.

Templeton was situated at the intersection of three stage-lines, in the time before the advent of railroads. It was on a through line from Boston to Albany ; also stages running from Worcester to Keene and from Lowell to Springfield passed through here. So there were scenes of much activity as the stages arrived and departed. Exchanges of horses and providing for the wants of travelers made the taverns or hotels places of importance in those days.

Railroads. - The construction and improvement of the common roads received the early and constant attention of the settlers in these towns, and, relative to the meaus of the people, large expenditures were always made upon them. The people of this town have been forward and earnest in providing more extended and rapid means of communication. When the project was started for a canal from Boston to simie point on the Hudson River, this town, in 1825, chose a committee to confer with the canal commissioner.*, and urge its being built through this section of the State, but it was soon seen that railroads were more desirable than canals. In 1835 this town favored a railroad through its limits, connecting Worcester and Keene. This town early became interested in the Vermont and Massachusetts Railroad, and, in 1844, chose a committee to favor its location here, and when, after the charter was obtained, an effort was made to divert the road from this town and build it through Wincbendon, the plan met with the most determined opposition. The town appropriated money and chose a committee to resist the change. This committee acted with great vigor and earnestness ; it was composed of earnest men : Col. Artemas Lee, Captain Joseph Davis, Joseph Mason, Esq., Oilman Day, Esq., and Col. Leonard Stone. They had surveys made, they employed counsel to defend the case ; there were trials before the county commissioners, and hearings before the legislative committees. In 1845 the county commissioners gave a decision against the change of location. The railroad company again petitioned the Legislature for a change of location, the town again opposed it; the road was finally built here, and the first passenger-cars passed through this town in 1847. Some years after, the company renewed its efforts for a change in location, and again they failed to accomplish their purpose.

Not long after this road was built the project was formed of a railroad running across the State, to connect with the Boston and Albany. The valleys extended themselves in such directions as to promise easy grades. The Ware River Railroad was chartered in 1870. This town, in its corporate capacity, subscribed for two hundred and fifty shares of stock ; it invested $25,000 in bonds. The road was graded; the construction company failed, and the stock became worthless. The town sold the bonds for onehalf their cost, $12,500. The town lost its money, but gained further facilities for communication. A passenger-train first passed through on this road October 30, 1873.

Chapter Xxi

At the present time Templeton has four postoffices, at each of which mails arrive and depart two or more times daily. We are only two and one- half hours from Boston and seven hours from New York City. One hundred )'ears ago the mail facilities were very meagre, not only for the country lowns> but even for the largest cities in the colonies. At about the time of the American Kevnlution mails were despatched between Boston and New York three times in a week during the summer, and two times a week during the winter, taking from six to nine days in the passage from one city to the other. The bulk and weight of the mails did not exceed the capacity of a pair of saddle-bags. The mail between New York and Philadelphia was carried five times a week, usually by boys on horseback. Benjamin Franklin had been Postmaster-General for the colonies from 1753 to 1774, and had greatly increased the efficiency of the mail service. But Massachusetts had, at her own charge, established a postal system with fourteen post-offices within her own boundaries.

The mail routes which were established radiated from Cambridge, running north to Haverhill and Georgetown, in Maine; south to Providence and Falmouth; westerly to Great Barrington, through Worcester and Springfield. From Worcester mails were carried to Woodstock, Vt., and, very likely, this route passed through this town.

Soon after the government went into operation, in 1789, a general postal system was established for all the colonies. The rates established at the organization of the department, and continued until 1810, were : For a letter composed of a single piece of paper, under 40 miles, 8 cents ; under 90 miles, 10 cents; under 150 miles, 12i cents; under 300 miles, 17 cents ; under 500 miles, 20 cents ; over 500 miles, 25 cents.

In the first years of this century probably the town of Templeton did net receive a mail oftener than two or three times a week. The records of the United States Post-Office Department, at Washington, do not show when a postmaster was first appointed for this town. The earliest records, however, show that Thomas Wilder was the postmaster on July 1, 1802. The following list contains the names of all the postmasters, and the date of their appointment, from 1802 to the present time: Lovell Walker, appointed October 1, 1803 ; Caleb Leland, appointed July 1, 1809; Lipha French, appointed September 28, 1810 ; Artemas Lee, appointed September 28, 1829; John Boynton, appointed October 14, 1843; George H. Jones, appointed April 20, 1848 ; Dexter Gilbert, appointed January 27, 1849 ; Addison J. Lincoln, appointed July 14, 1849; De.xter Gilbert, appointed May 3, 1853 ; Henry Smith, appointed March 19, 1861 ; Artemas Lee, appointed November 6, 1863; Henry Smith, appointed March 24, 1865; Julius A. Jones, appointed March 20, 1867 ; Percival Blodgett, appointed March 22, 1869 ; Delia Damon, appointed July 13, 1885.

The post-office at Templeton Centre was the only one within the limits of the town until the year 1830, when a post-office was established at Baldwinville, and that village has since then been known by that name. The names of the postmasters, with the date of their appointment, follows: Joseph Davis, appointed in 1830; James H. Clapp, appointed August 5, 1853; Edwin Sawyer, appointed June 24, 1861; Otis D. Sawin, appointed December 9, 1870; Ezra A. Lamb, appointed June 16, 1874; George E. Bryant, appointed August 27, 1885.

The post-office was established at Otter Kiver Village in 1860, and the following persons have served as postmasters: Samuel M. Osgood, appointed 1860; Francis Leland, appointed 1867; Frederick Warner, appointed 1885.

The post-office at East Templeton was established in 1866, with Fitch L. Sargeant as postmaster, in which oflSce he still continues to serve.