Worcester City (part 27 of 58)

There is no complete record of the names or number of men from this town who served in the Revolutionary struggle, but it has been asserted that about one-sixth of the inhabitants did military duly during the war ; if this be so, then our town should be credited with sending out more than two hundred men to contend for their liberties.

The war was approaching its close ; the campaigns of this year were destined to virtually decide the issues in favor of a long-suffering and much-enduring people. Amid deprivations and some internal dissensions they had worked steadily in answering calls for men and supplies for the force in the field, and now they could devote their time and attention to peaceful pursuits; town-meetings were less frequent, the business to be transacted relating more generally to the proper functions of a town. The church and schools and highways now received the attention they needed, and much time and care was bestowed upon them. One subject connected with the war was a source of much difficulty: some of the men considered that they had done more than their part in aiding to prosecute the war, and charged others with having shirked their duties. This was a subject of constant controversy, and so great was the excitement that the town endeavored at different times to equal- ize the value of the services of each one. Committees were appointed for this purpose, reports made and rejected; finally a committee reported that they had examined into the past services done in the war with Great Britain by individuals, and desiring to use their best endeavors to have every man's money made good that he had advanced for the support of the war, and also taking into view their personal services, they submitted a statement showing what each man had advanced and done by way of credit, and another statement showing by the valuation what each one's proportion should be ; this report was accepted. Two hundred and sixty five names appear upon this schedule, about one-half of whom were credited with having done more than their part ; the delinquents were expected to pay the balance against them into the town treasury, but as this balance varied from a few pounds to several hundred, it was very evident that some would he unable to pay such sums, and others flatly refused to do so ; numerous devices were resorted to to effect a settlement, and threats were made of invoking legislative interference ; in the end a few settled the balance against them and the matter was allowed to drop.

In 1782 the people were so engrossed in their home affairs that they neglected to send a Representative to the General Court. The Legislature called the town to account for this neglect of their duty, but it declined to assign any reason for its course. So imperative were the demands of the State that the town should do its duty, the next year Colonel Nathan Sparhawk was chosen Representative. Matters of great importance to the condition and welfare of the country, in a civil rather than a military line, were coming forward and demanding settlement. A treaty of peace between the colonies and Great Britain had been arranged and preliminary articles signed. The town, to some extent, realized how great might be the benefits that would accrue to it from independence, and they eagerly desired that time to come when they might enjoy the fruits of their struggles and sacrifices. Nearly impoverished in helping to maintain an army scattered over a large territory by sending forward men and supplies, their farms sufl^ering for want of proper care, in some instances having been carried on by the boys and girls of the household, the dawn of peace was gladly hailed. Resolved that nothing should be wanting on their part, they chose a strong committee, who should obtain the general sentiment of all the people, and from this formulate instructions by which their Representative in the General Court should be guided.

These instructions were drawn up ; they expressed confidence in the integrity and good understanding of their representative to conduct public affairs in such a way as to promote the intere-ts of the Commonwealth and this town in particular; they desired him to bear in mind that the State was free and independent, and retained every power, jurisdiction and right that had not been specially delegated to the Congress, and that the foundation of good government rested on piety, religion and morality ; that these, with moderation, justice, temperance, industry and frugality, were necessary to preserve our liberty, and that all laws must be based upon them ; that the Constitution and Declaration of Rights were worthy of his frequent perusal, and that iu public doings he should be he largely guided thereby. In regard to the treaty of peace, they say "our iadependeuce is confirmed, a blessing for which patriots have long toiled and heroes fought aud bled. Posterity can never justly charge us with surrendering their rights. We and they shall be free so long as we deserve freedom It will depend upon our virtue."

The fifch article of the treaty of peace was unsatisfactory and distasteful. This article provided that the Congress should recommend to the Legislatures of the several States that they provide for the restitution of all the estates, rights and properties that had beeo confiscated from British subjects during the war, and likewise for the restoralioa of the estates and rights of persons resident here or el-ewhere who had not borne arms .against the country, but preferred to retain their loyalty to the King. The instructions on this point said, " we cannot help feeling anxious for the event of the fifth article, which respects those men who fled from their country when its liberties were invaded, and took refuge in the dominions of the invader. Congress can only recommend. It will not obtrude citizens in any of the States, much less declared traitors. Agreeable to the treaty of peace, the town wishes for no recollection of past dispute with Great Britain, no repetition of past injuries, but the seeds of discord being excluded, that a beneficial intercourse may be established between the two countries, so as to promote and serve to perpetuate peace and harmony, which would be extremely difficult were these persons to reside among us whom this country regards as the occasion of interrupting that intercourse formerly, and the cause of this suffering ; especially as these wretched beings have already begun (piarrelswith that peace and those who made it, which terminates a long, bloody, unnatural war. Therefore, in the opinion of this town, the happiness, the liberties, interest and safety of these States forbid us to suffer persons of the above description to become the subjects of, and to reside in, this government;'' they further instructed him that it would be dangerous to admit them, or to have them forced upon us. They enjoined upon him unremitting attention to business, and stated that it was their right to communicate to him their sentiments whenever they should judge it necessary or convenient, and they 'expected him to hold himself bound at all times to attend to and observe them.

Here is exhibited the spirit of our town in the struggle for its liberties. By their inflexible determination as a body corporate, by their material and moral support, they had conquered a peace, and no act or surrender of any principle should now put in jeopardy their rights. For neglecting to send a representative to the General Cuurl in 1782, the Legislature had imposed upon the town a fine of fortj'-nine pounds, ten shillings. In May of 1783 a town-meeting was held to petition for a remission of this fine ; a committee was chosen to prepare the petition, which is as follows :

Commonwealth of Maasachusetts : To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled. The petition of the town of Barre humbly showeth that whereas said town is fined £49 10s. for not sending some person to represent them in the Great and General Court the last year, pray that the same may be Uiken off ; and they flatter themselves that honorable Court will be convinced of the reasonableness of the petition when they consider this is the only instance of the like kind that they have failed in since they have been a town, and even in this, when it was tried to know whether they should send or not, there appeared but two or three votes majority in the negative, so that near one-half of the inhabitants are punished for what they must call their misfortune, not their crime ; and it wiy appear further reasonable if the honorable Court will please to consider that the town of Barre, as they humbly conceive, has stood for some years past, and now stiinds as high on the State valuation according to its interest, than perhaps any town in the County, so that they feel, in a peculiar manner, the weight of their taxes. They have hitherto stifled every groan, that they might not seem to discourage the common cause in which they considered themselves so nnich interested, but for the future must beg leave to complain unless the proportion is altered between some towns with which they think they are well qualified to compare themselves. There is another reason which is of singular force with the town, and they hope it will have its due weight with the honorable Court, viz.; that besides the last Continental tax, the whole of which remains unpaid, they find themselves in debt between one hundred and two hundred pounds more than the town's proportion in the present State tax, all which, with the addition of fine upon fine, makes it appear to them a burden almost insupportable.

The depreciation of the currency and the unsettled condition of the country were still weighing heavily upon the inhabitants, and were productive of deep and wide-spread suffering. Credit was extinct, the temporary act of 1782 making property a legal tender for debts due had proved a failure, as it still further postponed collections. Suits-in-law between neighbors and between individuals and the town were numerons ; the town annually apjwinted an agent to defend such suits as were brought against it, trusting that a judicial hearing might be beneficial, both in the way of bringing the matter forward for a general discussion, aud by the decision of the court, reducing the amount which had been claimed as due ; the administration of the State government was arraigned, and the town was requested by petition to take measures that would result in changing the state of aft'airs for the better ; this petition had no further effect than to elicit the reply that time would eventually make the matter right; other towns taking a similar stand, a convention was called to sit in Worcester in April to consider the grievances the people labored under, and to petition the General Court for redress. Barre and twenty-five other towns of the county were represented in this convention ; the difficulties of the peo- pie were freely and fully discussed, and the outcome of the meeting was, that the various representatives to the General Court should be instructed to procure a change in certain laws and customs, prominent among which were that there should be immediate settlements with all officers having charge of the State funds, a reduction of lawyers' fees and a settlement of accounts between the State and the Congress. Here was the entering wedge for what proved afterwards a blot on our escutcheon. The difficulties increased daily.

In 178i a town-meeting was held on the 1st day of March to see if the town would choose a committee to sit in convention at Worcester on the third Tuesday, in conformance with the request of a circular letter, signed by Willis Hall, of Sutton, by the order of nine towns in the southeast part of the county. The substance of this letter was to have a discussion and consideration of their grievances, in regard to an impost being granted for twenty-five years. Nathaniel Jennison was the delegate from Barre ; thi-t convention being productive of no more satisfactory results than that of two years previous, another convention assembled in Leicester in June of 1786, to which this town sent William Henry as its delegate. Thirtyseven towns were represented ; the distress of the people, and how to relieve it, were the chief topics for consideration ; these deliberations were productive of no good result. The following September some of our citizens united with bodies from other towns in revolt against the laws and courts. On the evening of the 4th they entered Worcester and took possession of the court-house; amongst these was Lieutenant Moses Smith, of Barre, now claiming the rank of captain.

Chief Justice Ward, a man of much dignity, firmness and courage, and who had been a general in the Revolution, demanded an explanation of the proceedings ; one of the leaders of the mob replying that they had come for a redress of grievances. Judge Ward informed them that their complaints were without any substantial foundation. Captain Smith replied that any communication from him to them must be in writing.

The judge refused to so communicate with them, and soon afterwards was allowed to address them, when he spoke for about two hours with good effect. The next day Captain Smith unceremoniously introduced himself to the judge, and with his sword drawn, ofiered him a paper purporting to be a petition of the body of people "now collected for their own good and that of the commonwealth,'' requiring an adjournment of the courts without day, and demanded an answer within half an hour.

The judge at once replied, telling him that no answer would be given, when Smith retired. In this condition of affairs it was found impossible to hold sessions of the courts, and they were adjourned until November, in hopes that the mob would see its uselessness and disperse. But the infection was too extensive ; on the 29th of November, Captain Smith and others from this town were still taking a prominent part in what was now known as the Shays' Rebellion. How this rebellion ended is a matter of history. Smith, with his company of Barre men, after parading through the main street of Worcester, marched home on Saturday, the 9lh of December.

The feeling in Barre was intense. The community was divided in opinion in regard to this affair, a large minority upholding the insurgent course and many bitter feelings were engendered. Even the church was disturbed, and one of the more offending members was the subject of a number of meetings, the result of which was his suspension ; but, finally apologizing for his indiscretions, he was reinstated in his church membership.

In town affairs the excitement was of long-continued duration. About this time it was discovered that the town's ammunition had been stolen. A committee of nine was chosen to make immediate search for it. Lieut, (or Capt.) Moses Smith and Richard Mills (both of whom had been officers with the insurgents and were suspected of knowing considerable about it) were placed on this committee. After much labor and anxiety on the part of the committee, and by virtue of several search-warrants, the ammunition was found' in the barn of a well-known citizen, Joseph Smith. The excitement increased, and Smith was prosecuted for the theft. He presented his case in a long petition to the town, stoutly affirming his innocence and declaring that he had no knowledge, directly or indirectly, how the powder came to his barn. He appealed for clemency and asked that the suit might be withdrawn. A number of town-meetings were held in regard to his case and the matter was finally allowed to drop, he being compelled to pay all the expenses that had accrued. Subsequent developments pointed strongly to Mills as the parly who stole the ammunition, he having been encouraged in the theft by Lieut. Smith, and to throw any suspicion from himself, when the insurgents had no use for the powder, he concealed it in Josiah Smith's barn.

January 1, 1787, the town decided to petition Governor Bowdoin for relief from the causes that were generally assumed to be the cause of the revolt and that this outbreak might be condoned. In this petition the inhabitants represented that application having been made to the town by a number of its disaffected citizens, called insurgents, and desiring the town to take up the matter as mediator between government and the disaffected citizens of said town, they, the petitioners, deplored the situation and deprecated the horrors of bloodshed, " more especially town and neighbor against each other, and, to close all with accumulating horror, an armed force, ready to march from the town at the call of government, while a party is ready to march in opposition," and besought His Excellency to desist from prosecuting the affair with rigor until every conciliatory measure had been used that was consistent with the good, the safety and the dignity of the Commonwealth; and if His Excellency would desist they pledged themselves that the insurgents among our people would promise that the Courts of Common Pleas and of General Sessions of the Peace should not be obstructed in their business until after the next session of the Legislature, provided their lives and property should be safe from seizure in consequence of their hitherto illegal acts.

One of the conventions that had previously been called had never dissolved, but had held numerous sessions from time to time, discussing the condition of the Commonwealth and endeavoring to devise means for a settlement of the difficulties. This convention was now in session, and notwithstanding that the majority of our people professed penitence for the course that had been pursued here, and had petitioned the Governor to desist from measures which would subdue the insurgents, they would not recall theirdelegate from Worcester. The insurgent minority had considerable power in town, and were not yet disposed to abandon their course in regard tothe results that they hoped might be obtained from the deliberations of the convention, considering that by so doing they would be deprived of the right of petition, which they believed to be one of their inherent rights. They expected, too, thata continual agitation of the grievances would tend to bring an early relief to their sufferings. The whole town was considerably excited, but after the defeat of Shays the feeling gradually subsided.

The climax came at a town-meeting held July 6, 1787. The subject of the amount of costs incurred in regard to the procedures and search for the stolen ammunition was under discussion. Lieut. Moses Smith had been chosen moderator and a part of the business had been transacted. The debate over the ammunition was heated, and an attempt was made to suppress it, Lieut. Smith and his followers being in the majority. To offset their strength, a protest, signed by fourteen voters, all prominent men, was presented to the meeting. This protest was as follows: We, whose names are underwritten, protest against the proceedings of the town, in town-meeting now assembled, and declare that we will not pay one farthing of any cost or any charges that may arise to the town, either directly or indirectly, in consequence of the illegality of the same. The reason that we assign for this protest is that Lieut. Moses Smith, the moderator, has acted as an officer in the army of Captain Shays, in the rebellion against government in Massachusetts, and has not made it manifest that he has taken the oath of allegiance agreeable to the act of court.

Smith then resigned the office of moderator, which resignation was accepted. The record further states : " Then, after considerable altercation among the inhabitants of the town then assembled, the inhabitants dismissed without passing any further vote upon the articles contained in the warrant, leaving the selectmen and town clerk in the meeting-house without one inhabitant of the town with them, and said selectmen and town clerk, after waiting till the dusk of evening, retired."

Lieut. Smith was an iunholder. His first location was easterly of where Mr. W. E. Hemenway now lives, and on the opposite side of the highway. This was not a tavern, but a house of entertainment. He gave this to his son, and soon afterwards, in 1801, erected a tavern, of which he had the charge for about twelve years. This house is now used as a dwelling-house> and is opposite the school-house in old District No. 9.

After the excitement of the rebellion had subsided, Lieut. Smith held various town offices for a number of years, being treasurer in 1792. His wife died about 1800, and at her grave he placed a head-stone. He afterwards placed his property in the hands of some friends, on the guaranty to support and care for him for the remainder of his life. He died in 1815, seventysix years of age, and was buried by the side of his wife, but no stone ever marked his last resting-place.

At one time in our history there were nine public places in town, some of which were taverns, the others houses of entertainment, the distinction between the two being that a tavern was obliged to be licensed, and intoxicating liquors were sold there, while for a house of entertainment no license was required, and no liquors were supposed to be obtainable. The most noted tavern of the day in the last century was that of Jonathan Nourse, which stood where now is the Methodist Church. Another tavern was located where now is Smith block, and was maintained as such for some years in the present century. Still another was near the residence of Lemuel P. Rice. It is on record in the proceedings of our town-meetings of the last century that frequently the town would vote for an adjournment of five or ten or twenty minutes, then to reassemble at Landlord Nourse's.

Peace at home was now thoroughly established, and, although various primitive business enterprises had been established, farming was still the chief occupation ; still struggling under many difficulties, the political condition of the town and nation was an object of much solicitude ; altera few years of quiet, another war with Great Britain was believed to be imminent. When, in 1807, the Congress had passed the "Embargo law," the people were much concerned, and, as its effects gradually developed, the stringency in the scanty markets of the day was everywhere manifest; the distress that first appeared at the shipping centres soon extended to the interior towns. So marked was this here, a town-meeting was held in September, 1808, to take the matter into consideration, and an address or petition to President Jefferson was adopted, praying for a repeal of the law, after reciting tlie distress tliat had fallen upon the people through its enforcement. It is highly probable that this law and the war rumors of this and two or three succeeding years had much to do in arousing a feeling of opposition to the War of 1812. The sympathies of the town were rather in consonance with the Peace Convention of Hartford ; from Hartford and from Boston many circulars and posters were sent here, addressed mostly to the Federalists, showing, in various partisan ways, the attitude of the national administration. These aroused much discontent, and this trouble, with the increased scarcity of currency, added to the hardships of the people.

Our records in regard to this war are very scanty, but two allusions to it appearing. When a call for troops was made we have no records of any volunteers for the ranks, but it is evident that one draft for men was made. In August, 1814, a number of the people petitioned the town to grant such men as were or might be drafted into the service a compensation in addition to that allowed by the government, but the town refused to do this; in May, 1815, the town voted " to grant four dollars per month to those persons who, being inhabitants of the town, were drafted from the militia the last summer, and marched into the service of the State, or who hired substitutes."

The war with Mexico received but little sympathy here ; it was fully realized that the idea of the extension of slave territory was the cause of this conflict, and to this extension our people were much opposed. The anti-slavery feeling had been growing for a number of years and was increasing, a few brave men standing by their convictions and aiding in forming that party which, twenty years afterwards, saved and perpetuated that Union for which their ancestors had 80 nobly contended in the last century. In 1840 the Presidential electors of the so-called Free-Soil party received but one vote in the fall election ; iu 1844 the number had increased to thirteen, and, in 1848, to forty-one. The only resident or native of Barre, of whom we have any record, who enlisted for service in this war, was George Field, who was a member of Company E, First Regiment Massachusetts Infantry.

Another terrible struggle was to come ; the encroachment of slavery had been increasing, and, when a change in the national administration had come, in 1861, the conilict was precipitated. The firing upon Sumter was the tocsin that aroused the whole Northern people; united as never before, all petty jealousies dropped for the time, men of all shades of political belief and of various nationalities gallantly and promptly responded to their country's call; the old spirit which animated our Revolutionary sires burned anew. The young man, and the middle-aged, left his studies, his mercantile pursuits, the bench and the farm, and, cheered on by father and mother and sister, enlisted to do battle and to die, if need be, that his country might live. During that four years' struggle three hundred and nineteen men were enlisted as our quota, and engaged in the stern duties of the period, and saw many a bloody battle-field. At their enlistment the town and individuals pledged themselves to protect and guard the interests of their families or dependent relatives, and well did they perform that duty. The names of those three hundred and nineteen noble and brave men are cherished as one of our sacred records, and, though nearly a quarter of a century has elapsed since they proved their heroism, yet, to-day, their patriotism and their determination to guard the heritage entrusted to us to care for and perpetuate are held in high esteem by those for whom their efforts accomplished so much in preserving and maintaining this Union. Many of these men never returned to their homes, - the deadly rifleball, or disease contracted in the discharge of their duty, filling a grave near many a battle-field. The town was generous to its nation's defenders, and still recalls with pride, and will forever cherish, their brave deeds.

In 1866 the town erected a monument in honor of those who gave their lives for their country ; this granite base and marble shaft stands as a grand memento in the north park, with Gettysburg, Newbern, Port Hudson and Antietam inscribed thereon, and there are the names of fifty-nine true men wjio died for their country, but who "still live" in the affections of a grateful people.

In the year following the adoption of the State Constitution the " Barre Slave Case" attracted much attention. James Caldwell had bought in 1754, at Rutland, a negro man, named Mingo, about twenty years of age, a woman, named Dinah, about nineteen years old, and their child, named Quako or Quork, about nine months old, for £108. By the death of Caldwell in 1763 a settlement of his estate became necessary ; Quork, as a part of the personal property, was assigned to Mrs. Caldwell. She married Nathaniel Jennison in 1769 and died in 1774; at her death Jennison assumed the ownership of Quork, and Quork continued to live and work for Jennison. In April, 1781, Quork was enticed from Jennison 's service by John Caldwell, a brother of James, who told him that he was a free man and not subject to Jennison's authority; the negro at first refused to leave his supposed master, but on Caldwell's representations that he would furnish work for him, pay him for his services and protect him, he left Jennison for Caldwell, who set him at work in his fields. Jennison missed his slave and, suspecting where he might be, went to Caldwell's and found Quork harrowing; he commanded the negro to return to his own house ; Quork refused and was then attacked and beaten by Jennison and others who had gone with him, and was shut up for about two hours. By Caldwell's eflbrts the man in whose charge Quork had been placed was induced to release him, and through his influence, too, the case came before the

County Court, which was really a three-fold one. May 1, 1781, Quork, or Quork Walker, as he was now called, brought an action against Jennison for trespass, which was tried at the June term. The defense was that Quork was the proper slave of Jennison, and as such he had the control and possession of his body, and no action for trespass could hold, to which Quork joined issue, denying that he was his proper slave.

The case was tried in the Court of Common Pleas, and a verdict for plaintiff with damages in the sum of fifty dollars was awarded him. An appeal was was taken to the Superior Court, but was there defaulted. In the same month of May Jennison brought suit against John and Seth Caldwell for enticing his negro man from his service and business ; he obtained judgment in the sum of twenty-five dollars ; this case, too, was appealed to the higher court, and at the September term they were declared not guilty and recovered judgment and costs against the plaintiff. At this term of court Jennison was indicted for assault and battery and illegal imprisonmentand on trial was found guilty and ordered to pay a fine and the costs of prosecution.

The que-tion of slavery was not yet settled ; this was sent up to the Supreme Judicial Court, but did not come to trial until the April term of 1783, when it had its hearing before the full bench. The case was ably argued and the decision of the court was pronounced by Chief Justice Cushing. This was the first and only trial of the question of slavery under our State Constitution, and it was then established that slavery in this Commonwealth was abolished by the Declaration of Rights, which prefaced the Constitution. Cushing, after rehearsing the case and explaining the previous situation, and remarking that the defendant in this case relied upon some former law of the Province which would tend to uphold the claim that Quork was the slave of Jennison, says, " as to the doctrine of slavery and the rights of Christians to hold Africans in perpetual servitude, and sell and treat them as we do our horses and cattle, that (it is true) has been herefore countenanced by the Province laws formerly, but nowhere is it expressly enacted or established. It has been a usage which took its origin from the practice of some of the European nations and in the regulations of the British government respecting the then Colonies for the benefit of trade and wealth. But whatever sentiments have formerly prevailed in this particular, or slid in upon us by the example of others, a dift'erent idea has taken place with the people of America, more favorable t^) the natural rights of mankind and to the natural innate dfsire of liberty with which Heaven, without regard to color, complexion or shape of noses (features), has impressed all the human race, and upon this ground our Constituiion of Government, by which the people of this Commonwealth have solemnly bound themselves, sets out with declaring that all men are born free and equal, and that every subject is entitled to liberty and to have it guarded by the laws, as well as life and property - in short, is wholly repugnant to the idea of being born slaves. This being the case, I think the idea of slavery is inconbistent with our own conduct and Constitution, and there can be no such thing as perpetual servitude of a rational creature, unless his liberty is foifeited by some criminal conduct or given up by personal consent or contract." '

Slavery, then, in this State, no longer existed. Some families had previously given their slaves their liberty, or tacitly acknowledged that they were free. After their freedom the negroes, in some cases, remained in the houses of their former masters, but worked wherever they desired or could find employment. Others formed homes in a little colony by themselves, and a number took up their abodes in the west part of the town, whence aro^e the name of Guinea, or Guinea Corner, which name is even now sometimes applied to old School District No. 10. Quork remained in town, and died here at an advanced age.

It is related that Jennison took the younger portion of his slaves to Connecticut and sold them there, and that one of them. Prince Walker, a brother of Quork, escaped and returned here ; by some means he obtained some land in the east part of the town, where he lived and died. He married here and reared a large family. He died April 21, 1858, aged eighty-four years, as is supposed ; a stone with his name and supposed age inscribed thereon marks his grave, by the side of which are five other graves of members of his family ; the land, which passed out of his possession before his death, now belongs to the heirs of the late Larned Kice. " Stip," another slave, died here about 1845, supposed to be nearly ninety years of age. Annis Ring, another former slave in this town, died in Boston early in the present century. She married Pompey, who had been a slave inthefamily of Jonathan Allen; Pompey died in 1812, a decrepit, broken-down old man, breathing his last in a field in the north part of the town, from which circumstance the field is still known as the " Pomp lot."

In accordance with the laws of the Province, early attention was paid to education. These laws provided that this education should include the ability to read the English language and a knowledge of the principal laws, and that religious instruction should be joined therewith. Here was a three-fold system - intellectual, political and moral or religious - any one branch of which was within the power of the early settlers to cherish and promote. As the district or town was large or small, so far as relates to the number of its inhabitants, so were the requirements for schooling graded ; a town of fifty families was required to fur- nish instruction in the elementary branches only, while one of a greater number of inhabitants was required to maintain a grammar school, or one of a high grade. That the proprietors were aware of these laws, and were disposed to observe them, is evidenced when, at their meeting in 1733, they voted to assign a lot for a school. What was done in the matter of instruction from that time until 1749 is not on record, and after 1749, when the district passed out of the proprietors' possession, until 1763 there are no record.s, they having been destroyed in a fire which consumed the house of John Caldwell, the clerk of this Rutland District. But that schools had been established and supported previous to 1763, is manifest from the following vote of the district, passed April 11th of that year : " Voted that £26-13-4 be assessed on said District for the present year, and that the school be kept at the same places and in the same manner that it was the last year."

Here is evidence of the early establishment of methods of instruction, and that at least one building had been erected and used as a school-house is shown by the proceedings of the district the following year, as they voted " that school be kept in ten places this present year," and specified the places where the school or schools should be held, all but oiie being located in or near certain dwellings, that one to be " at the school-house," and forty pounds was raised by tax for their support.

It is not on record how long a term of instruction was given; the schools were not always held at oi near the same dwellings, each year the district deciding on the number there should be, and where they should be held, and thus the various sections of the district were accommodated from year to year.

Individuals in certain localities had erected or arranged small buildings on their premises as temporary school-houses, for, in the vote above quoted, one school was to be held at or near John Fessenden's house; in 1766 forty pounds were raised for the support of the school, which was to be kept at .six places, as in the preceding year, one place at the Centre schoolhouse, one at John Caldwell's school-house, so-ca/led, one at Asa Hapgood's school-house, one at Joseph Robinson's house. There were not as many different teachers as there were schools authorized, so that it would appear that a teacher, after holding a school a certain number of weeks in one locality, was then transferred to another place, the length of the terms depending somewhat upon the valuation of the particular locality in which they were held.

The first record we have of the town proposing to build a school-house is in May of 1783, when it was voted "to sell the school-house that stands on the Common near the meeting-house and that the center quarter have liberty to set up a new school-house on the [same] ground." This school-house stood where the town-hall now stands.

The town had increased in population, and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth, better facilities for instruction must be provided.

In November, 1784, two articles appeared in the warrant for town-meeting, - one to see if the town would provide and maintain a grammar-school, the other to see if it would build one or more houses for a grammar-school or schools, and make any alterations in the school districts by enlarging or forming anew; the matter of establishing a grammar-school was passed over, but a committee was appointed to consider in regard to erecting school-houses; this committee reported that eight buildings should be erected, the dimensions of eacli of which were specified and their locations named. The usual term applied to each district was "squadron."

The war was now over, and the need of a return to a peace basis was weighing heavily upon the inhabitants and the distracted and uncertain condition of the country claimed their attention. With these weights upon them the matter of building the houses was postponed to a time in the future. Nothing more was done in regard to the houses until 1790, when it was voted to divide the town into eight squadrons and to build a house in each and their locations were again assigned, but if the residents of any of these districts were dissatisfied with the site, and they could agree upon any definite place, permission was given to locate the building on the spot agreed upon ; otherwise a committee should locate the house wherever, in their judgment, would best serve the interests of the people. After the town had been divided into districts and the building spots assigned, complaints were numerous ; after these had been discussed in townmeeting the voters ordered that the house in the Centre should be erected immediately and should be thirty feet square. This was done, but its dimensions were changed to twenty-nine feet by thirty -two feet; house No. 2 was built at or near where the corresponding one now is ; No. 3 was in the east part of the town on an old road leading to Hubbardston, from where the Sil.is Harding farm-house now stands; No. 4 was "about twelve rods southerly of David Underwood's dwelling house" (this dwelling was afterward known as the Marcus Spooner place, and has lately disappeared) ; No. 5 was nearly opposite where the present No. 5 house stands ; No. 6 was where the present No. 6 stands ; No. 7 was located on an old road leading to what is now known as the Williams place, and about midway between there and the present residence of Mr. Franklin Babbitt ; No. 8 was located about fifteen rods easterly of the bridge over the Ware River at Barre Plains and on the north side of the present highway. The inhabitants of District 7 objected in vigorous language to the location of their house. After much talk a vote was passed in town-meeting to notify them to agree by a majority where the house should stand. This building was at length erected southerly of the place assigned ; but this location was not satisfactory and afterward the town gave the inhabitants permission to move it. In 1791 the town raised four hundred pounds to erect these houses and notified eacli taxpayer in the varions districts to bring on to the grounds their proportion of the building material, they being credited in the tax-list for the value of the material furnished. The houses were soon erected, but the cost had been more than was anticipated. In 1792 the selectmen were requested to employ " a grammar-school master and direct him to the several districts in rotation " and to hold a school in each district so long as the proportion. of the school funds should be sufficient to pay the expense. In 1796, the population of the town having increased, additional schools were needed and another district was established, being what is now known as No. 9. In after years other districts were formed, in some instances by dividing the former districts and in other cases by establishing new ones in the remoter parts of the town, and houses were erected in some central location. These buildings were small and of one story, usually about twenty-five feet square, built plainly and without regard to any rules of architecture, and not a great protection from storms or cold. They answered the purpose for which they were intended and were probably in keeping with the quality and quantity of information imparted. From 1763, which is as far back as our records of Rutland District extend, annual appropriations were made for the support of the schools, usually forty pounds, until 1775, when the energies of the people were otherwise concentrated and the schools were passed by. After that year the appropriations were resumed and increased each year until in 1781 the amount appropriated was three thousand pounds. Large as this seems, it w:is but little larger than some of the preceding grants, as the currency had so depreciated in value that it was equivalent to not more than seventy-five pounds when we compare its value with that of the Spanish milled dollar. In 1782 the amount appropriated was sixty pounds, and from then until 1803 the amount varied from sixty to two hundred pounds. In 1804 the grant was seven hundred dollars, this being the first year that our national word, or character for, dollars was used in our official capacity as a town.

The schools were held in different parts of the town in terms of various lengths, each year a committee being chosen to lay before the assessors a list of all the ratable polls in each district, the valuation and number of polls being used as a basis for determining the number of weeks of school that should be held in each district. Instruction was not limited to ages ; in the same room would be found scholars varying in age from five or six years to, in some instances, twenty-five years ; the older ones appreciated the value of the meagre instruction of the day, and efforts were made to extend the school facilities.

finally postponed, it had the effect of placing before the people the situation of educational matters and the unsatisfactory condition in which the schools were, exhibiting the autocratic form of government and the lack of uniformity in the methods of teaching.

The laws of the Commonwealth were defective ; there was no supervision of schools, parents seldom visited them, and each was conducted according to the plans or fancies of the teacher, who, in many instances, had obtained the position for other reasons than for proper qualifications. The defects of this system were soon made apparent, and the necessity of uniformity in instruction and proper qualifications on the part of the teacher began to be realized.

In 1798 a committee was chosen, for the first time, to visit the schools and have supervision of them. This committee consisted of Rev. Josiah Dana, Seth Caldwell and Jonas Eaton, men of education and energy, and under their guidance and by their influence the cause of education was advanced. This committee received no compensation for their services, but freely and willingly gave their time for this purpose ; but the people were not yet fully educated to the plan of choosing a School Committee annually, for no other board was chosen until 1804, although an article on this subject had been each year inserted in the warrant.

In this year Rev. James Thompson and Samuel Bigelow were chosen, and each subsequent year the office was filled, some years consisting of but two members, and, at other times, in connection with Rev. Dr. Thompson, who was chairman of the board for nearly forty years, one from each district was chosen. In 1810 the district, or " school ward," in the west part of the town was established, which was designated No. 10, and thirty dollars was appropriated for building the school-house.

Under the efficient management of the School Committee and the fostering care of the people, the cause of education was elevated, and as better and additional facilities were needed, the number of districts was increased until, in 1845, they numbered sixteen.

Previous to 1815 the schools had been entirely under the control of the town as a unit. In that year an agent in each district was chosen " to certify money which shall become due." The explanation of this vote is that the people in the various districts were taking more interest in educational matters, and were desirous of bringing their schools more directly under their control and regulating the length of the terms. While they should remain under the general supervision of the regular school Committee, it was believed that some local authority would be more conducive to their interests. This was the beginning of a plan which was adopted in later years, both here and elsewhere. In 1828 the town voted that each district should chose its own agent or prudential committee. This agent had authority to engage the teacher and regulate the contingent expenses of the district in regard to the school, subject, however, to some control by the general committee.

The friends of education did not rest in their endeavors to improve the common-school system. Its wants and defects were closely observed and studied. In 1838 Rev. Mr. Fay, pastor of the Evangelical Church, who took a deep interest in the schools, and entered with much enthusiasm into all plans for their improvement, ably seconded the eflbrts of Rev. Dr. Thompson and others in this direction. The improvement of the schools of the Commonwealth had been agitated by Hon. Horace Mann, secretary of the State Board of Education, and, as one of the results of this movement, a convention of the friends of education was held in this town, at which were present, as active participants, Rev. Dr. Thompson, Rev. Mr. Fay, Rev. Luther Wil«on, of Petersham, Rev. Joaiah Clark, of Rutland, and many others, and from this and similar meetings in various parts of the State there resulted the establishment of Normal Schools, the second of which was opened here in September, 1839; this school occupied the second story of the town-hall building, which had been in process of construction for about two years, and had been completed the previous winter. Its principal was Rev, S. P. Newman, a professor in Bowdoin College. On account of the location of the town, access to which was then difficult, it was not well patronized, and was suspended in 1841, greatly to the regret of the people.

In 1852 a High School was established, and since then has been well maintained, being well-attended and in charge of well-trained and conscientious teachers. The languages, higher mathematics and kindred studies are pursued ; young men have been fitted for our colleges, and besides imparting instruction to the youth of our own town, it is patronized to some extent by scholars from other municipalities.

In 1869 the district system was, by State enactment, abolished, the school property appraised, and the amount remitted to each district; since then the general School Committee have had the control of the whole system.

As we look back to the schools of the early settlers, with their limited instruction, and an annual appro- I>riation of £40 or less, and then turn to our system of to-day, with its division into grades, from the primary to the high, with an annual appropriation of nearly five thousand dollars, and where all can obtain an education according to their taste or inclination, we can truly say, " Our lines are cast in pleasant places," and we fully realize the necessity of sustaining this system, and of making all possible advancement, so that the writer of our history, a century hence, shall say of us, as we record of our predecessors, " Well done.''

Minded Youth. This was established here in June, 1848, by Dr. Henry B. Wilbur, a graduate of Amherst College, and of the Berkshire Medical College, who had practiced medicine in Lowell previous to his coming to Barre in 1845, from which time he continued the practice of medicine.

At this time there was no provision in this country for a class deemed incapable of improvement ; but Dr. Wilbur, becoming deeply interested in efforts of European philanthropists, resolved to join their ranks, a resolve in which he was ably seconded by his young wife, a woman of great tact and untiring energy and self-devotion. Dr. Wilbur was a man of versatile genius, broad intellectual attainments, and a believer in the divinity that presides over the feeblest humanity. Gifted with large enthusiasm, and possessor of an indomitable will, he won success in spite of the obstacles that ever oppose a novel undertaking. Called in September, 1851, to preside over an experimental State School in Albany, N. Y., he left his Barre pupils in a dwelling on the corner of Pleasant and High Streets, under the care of Dr. George and Mrs. C. W. Brown.

The increasing number of pupils soon requiring more house-room and ground for out-door living, the residence of Mr. Willard Broad was. purchased, enlarged and adapted to special needs, and the institution removed to that location in January, 1853. Since that date its growth has been continuous, comprising now seven dwelling-houses, with a fine gymnasium, stables, &c., surrounded by about two hundred and fifty acres of land. These cottages, sufficiently contiguous for supervision, have ample grounds for each classified group of pupils, and all financial receipts have been devoted to making attractive homes for these unfortunates. For some time the only private institution in the country, still the largest, pupils have been received from all parts of the United States, Canada and the Sandwich Islands, whilst applications have come from South America and Australia. To the upbuilding ot this institution Dr. and Mr.-". Brown, assisted since 1884 by their son, Dr. George A. Brown, have given their undivided efforts, personal supervision and mental ability, making the standard of family organization, as to care, mental improvement and iesthetic surroundings, high enough to receive from a European specialist of wide experience the title of an " Ideal Institution."

" Here boys and girls have come with all their senses perfect, but connected with nothing within telegraphing no communication to or fro, reaching inward only to dumb inanition. Was there a mind hid away there ? Were there elements out of which a mind could be formed? Was it possible to find a way into that empty space, to pick up the buried germs of mental faculty, if such there were, attach them to the delicate wire of some sense and thus open a communication between the world within and the world without? This was the problem which the institu- tion here, with kindred ones in other lands, has, with a sublime faith, attempted to solve ; and the result has been such as to fill all observers with admiration. A work has been wrought in our village scarcely less wonderful than the creation of a human mind." '

At the opening of the present century the population of the town had increased from thirteen hundred and twenty-nine in 1776 and now numbered nineteen hundred aud thirty-seven. Farming still continued the chief occupation, attention more particularly being given to raising such crops as wheat, potatoes, corni fla.K and hemp. Whitney, in his " History of Worcester County," published in 1793, says, "here they have many and large dairies, and it is supposed that more butter and cheese is carried annually into market than from any other town of the same extent." A circulating medium was almost unknown, a majority of the inhabitants seeing no currency, or only at rare intervals, and rather as a curiosity than otherwise. Such articles of food as were not produced on the farm were obtained at the small country store in exchange for home products. Their clothing was made at home, the wool shorn from the sheep's back, carded by hand, spun into yarn and woven on the old lumbering loom, or the flax was pulled in the field, hetchelled, and finally made into garments or bed-linen, most of this work being done by the women of the household, the men attending to the out-door and more laborious duties. Consider.able flax and hemp were raised, aud were considered so important crops that inspectors were annually chosen to decide as to its quality and value, as in such a time of exchange and barter it was deemed necessary that disinterested parties should affix a value. Although the people were struggling for a livelihood and were dependent one upon another, yet a spirit of sociality prevailed, notwithstanding the question of their existing required hard and long hours of labor. Mills for grinding their corn and wheat had been built in several places, but all of these were of the old colonial style. The constructive and inventive faculty which this town so fully exhibited at a later day was here, and early began to manifest its outgrowth.

The raising of flax, to be more profitable, required mills to return to the people the full benefit of the crop, and two were soon established for crushing or grinding the seed and obtaining the linseed oil ; one of these was on Prince River, at what is now Heald Village, and the other was in the east part of the town. With this oil and pigments their houses were kept neatly painted ; clothier's mills, as they were termed, were established and tanneries erected in various parts of the town; the manufacture of brick, which had been pursued previous to 1800, had been abandoned, the yards near where now live Nathaniel Holland and the heirs of Lysander Crawford having become " worked out," while the one near Charles S.

Holland's present residence was closed. About 1828 this industry was resumed at the latter yard, and in the south part of the town, at the Plains, a new yard was opened. These yards were worked lor about ten years, when the business again ceased.

Saw-mills had been established as early as 1753, but from their rough construction had continued but for a short time. In the latter years of the last century and early in the present one a number of these mills were erected on the various streams. Perhaps the mo.st business enterprise existed in the south part of the town, this being favored and promoted by the abundant water-power in that section.

There was a saw-mill at what we now term the Powder Mills early in the century. At the Plains Seth Pratt conceived the idea of diverting the water from the Ware River by means of a canal and forming a pond, throwing a dam across the river from land on the south side, now owned by Mr. A. F. Adams. This canal was excavated in 1808 ; subsequently the dam was moved farther up the river and the canal extended.

In 1810 Phineas Heywood, who, with his father, had come here from Shrewsbury, and who was a sonin-law of Pratt, having previously obtained considerable land in that vicinity, sold land and water-rights for manufacturing purposes. In addition to the grist-mill and saw-mill, which had been for a year or more in operation here, two tanneries were built by Parker & Pratt, and in the sanle year Phineas Heywood commenced work in a clothier's mill ; nearly all the grinding of grain and the fulling and finishing of the woolen cloth was now done at the Plains. This clothier's mill continued the business, with changes adapted to the times, until about 1870, the manufiicture of yarn and coarse woolen cloth having been adopted a number of years previously. Heywood, who was of an ingenious and inventive turn of mind, succeeded in operating, in a crude way, a cotton-spinning machine about 1814 and a woolen-carding machine about 1816. In 1827 he erected a larger mill; this has been moved from its original site and is now used for other purposes.

David Wadsworth erected a scythe manufactory a short distance easterly from where the Messrs. Stetson now live, and its production was considerable. About 1830 a company, prominent in which were Henry Holbrook and Hiram and Paul Wadsworth, purchased of John Wadsworth a lot of land bordering on the Ware River and erected a brick building for the manufacture of woolen cloth, and a pleasant little village was built up. This company did not succeed in the woolen business, and were soon followed by Jonathan Wheeler, who was favored in his venture, but who was compelled to close the works by the financial panic which existed from 1837 to 1842; he sold the property to Wright & Farnum, whom a Mr. Fisher soon succeeded. He was followed by Edward Denny, who purchased the property ia 1844 and who continued engaged in the manufacture of various liinds of woolen goods, conducting the business with success until about 18G7. In 1871 the property was leased to C. T. Deacon & Co., who soon failed in the business. The factory was destroyed by fire in the winter of 1857-58; another one of the same dimensions, eighty-two by forty-four feet, and fourstories in height, was erected the following summer-

At Mr. Denny's death, in 1874, the property passed into other hands, meeting with varying fortunes. A company with the firm-name of the Ware River Woolen Company, purchased it in 1880, and after operating it for about two years, finding the business unprofitalile, sold it to James E. Crossley. In 188S the mill was again destroyed by fire and has not been rebuilt.

During, or a little previous to, 1825, Silas Bemis and Benjamin Clark each and separately conceived the idea of erecting a cotton-mill and each made strenuous efforts to complete the first dam. Mr. Clark, having obtained control of the water privilege by purchasing it and a considerable lot of land of the heirs of Matthew Caldwell, ei'ected a brick factory, which at that time was the first of any importance in this section of the State ; by the erection of this and the necessary tenement -houses he became financially embarrassed, but he soon organized a stock company, consisting of Messrs. Mixter, Woods, Bowman and others, by whom the work was carried on and the manufacture of cotton commenced; Mr. Clark, becoming involved in a lawsuit growing out of a claim for priority of rights to the water privilege, became insolvent and retired from the manfacturing business. The success of the company, under the name of the Boston and Barre Manufacturing Company, was not at first propitious ; they entered into a contract with Mr. John Smith, who was a practical manufacturer, to take the mill and make the cotton cloth at a certain price per yard, in which he was successful, making the business remunerative for himself and the stockholders. While the business was thus prosperous the factory was destroyed by fire ; the company, not desirous of rebuilding, sold out by auction, the land, buildings and water privilege being purchased by Mr. Smith for himself and four others; subsequently purchasing their shares, he erected a new mill, which he managed with signal success until his death, in 1859, when the business passed into the hands of his two sons, by whom it was profitably carried on under the firm-name of C. W. & J. E. Smith. On the death of Charles W. Smith a few years ago and the settlement of his estate, J. Edwin Smith became sole owner, by whom some needed repairs and alterations were made, and now the establishment is in successful operation. The village, now and for many years known as Smithville, is a model factory village and with its neatly-painted houses, broad street and abundant and beautiful shade trees presents an attractive appearance.

On the Ware River, about midway between Smithville and the woolen-factory village, buildings and mills for the manufacture of gunpowder were erected about 182G by Silas Bemis, one of the early settlers, and his son-in-law, Charles Bemis, and others, and did a good business under various ownerships until 1865, when this industry left the town. Here is a good water privilege awaiting utilization.

In the centre of the town manufacturing interests have been varied. Thirty-five years ago the Barre Boot Company carried on a large business, employing many hands ; they were followed by J. W. Rice & ' Son, who continued in this industry until about 1876, when they ceased, unable to compete with the large establishments of the Brookfields and other towns. From 1850 to 1865 the manufacture of " Shakerhoods," or bonnets made of palm-leaf was extensively carried on, furnishing employment to many women and children in weaving the leaf into the strip of which the hoods were made, but by the demands of fashion, this business became of the past. The introduction of the palm-leaf business into Barre is somewhat singular. About 1829 some hats were imported into this country, made of a material that was unknown here. A Boston merchant, attracted by their apparent durability, imported a few bales of the raw material from Cuba. A woman in Dedham was engaged to take one of the hats to pieces, learn its construction and endeavor to imitate it. She succeeded, and taught the art of making these hats to a woman of Petersham, by whom women in this town were taught. Braiding these hats became an extensive business, and a source of some income to many families here and elsewhere. The hats thus made were rough ; as they needed smoothing and shaping, they were at first pressed by hand with hot irons, and by those, who made them. As the industry grew, men's help was obtained to do the pressing. Mr. John W. Weston engaged in the business in a dwelling that then stood northerly of the Lincoln burial-ground. Afterwards machinery was devised for the purpose, and a small shop was built on Prince River by Mr. Chester Gorham. The business was carried on at this place for about thirty-five years. Dexter Dennis succeeding to it and enlarging the plant, which also accommodated other kinds of manufactures.

A short distance down the stream is a water privilege which, as early as 1750, the proprietors considered the second most valuable one in the territory, and they proposed to have a saw-mill erected there; but as the mill already built could furnish all the boards that were then required for building purposes, this project was abandoned. In the latter part of the last, or early in the present century, a clothier's mill was built on this privilege, where the fulling and finishing of the homespun cloth was carried on for a number of years. Woods & Field purchased this building about 1840, and, remodeling it, commenced the business of pressing and finishing palm-leaf hats ; they continued in this but a few years, when they sold to Carlos Gambol, who had superintended the work for them. He soon sold the property to Spencer Field, who ran it for a few years, and about 1854 sold it to Jason Desper. None but palm-leaf hats were finished at this time, nor was it until about I860 that other kinds of hats came to these works. Only ten hands were employed at this time, and from forty to eighty thousand dozens were finished each year, the number varying with the different years. Mr. Desper carried on this business, enlarging the works from time to time, until about 1874, when J. F. Snow and J. Andrew Rogers became associated with him.

At the death of Mr. Snow the following year, Jesse A. Rogers became a member of the firm, which was now known as Desper, Rogers & Co. The plant was still further increased from time to time to accommodate the additional work that came in upon them ; the manufacture of hats was adopted, and has proved a profitable branch of the business. In 1888 Mr. Desper, who had begun to feel the weight of advancing years, sold his interest to W. H. Osgood, and a new firm was formed under the name of the Rogers- Osgood Co. For the last eight or ten years about forty women have been employed in running sewingmachines, making the hats from braid bought in the markets. At the commencement of this business in 1840 but little finishing was done; now that branch is much more elaborate, the hat going direct from the manufactory to the salesman, and thence to the consumer. Seventy men are employed, and the annual output is now upwards of two hundred thousand dozens of hats per annum.

Farther up the stream and about half a mile easterly of the Common is an extensive foundry and machine-shop owned and conducted by Mr. L. S. Heald. This business was established in 1830 by Stephen Heald. Previous to this time a grist-mill and another small building had been erected, in the former of which wood-turning was carried on, Charles Rice having improved the water privilege by constructing a more extensive dam and excavating another pond and canal that he might get out carriage wood-work by machinery. Stephen He.ild, who came to town in 1826 entered his employ, poor in purse but full of energy ; soon afterwards engaging in the iron business, he built up a considerable establishment, where he was successful. In 1850 all of his shop buildings were destroyed by fire and his capital swept away. By the encouragement of individuals he was induced to rebuild, which he did on an enlarged scale, and with better accommodations found his business increasing. In 18G5 two of his sons became co-partners with him. The manufacture of agricultural implements was one of their specialties in which they did a large amount of work. Woodworking and other machinery of various kinds have been an extensive part of thoir manufactures, which have found a market in remote as well as near sections of the country. About these works a pretty little village sprang up, which for many years has been known as Heald Village, At Mr. Heald's death, in 1887, at the age of nearly eighty-eight years, the larger part of the property passed into the hands of his son, L. S. Heald, who carries on the works. Among the agricultural implements that have been made here was a h.iy-tedder, invented by Mr. E. W. Bullard, of this town, which was the first machine ever constructed for turning hay in the field. Amongst other machinery Mr. Heald is now making an improved tedder of his own invention.

Wagon manufiicturing has been another branch of industry in this vicinity ; the making of scythes by two different establishments at the same time formerly gave employment to a number of hands, but these trades have passed from among us.

About twenty-five years ago a horse hay-rake, the invention of S. R. Nye, of this town, was made here to a considerable extent, but, partly on account of the breaking away of the reservoir, this business was discontinued here. Fifteen years ago another horserake, the combined invention of C. M. Lufkin, and Charles G. Allen of Barre, was placed upon the market, since which time Mr. Allen has built up an extensive plant, and is successful in his invention and manufacture. Each year a large number of these rakes are made, finding a market in all the New England and some of the other States. Other industries on this stream are planing and saw-mills.

In the north part of the town, known as Rice Village, the wagon-making, carried on for many years by Charles Rice and others, was from its extensiveness an important factor here, but for the past few decades nothing has been done in this line. Near the centre of the town the manufacture of packing boxes and mattresses, and of preparing palm leaf for braiding into hats was very prominent ; of these the mattress business alone remains with us.

From the location of Barre, it was, before the days of railroads, a prominent thoroughfare for the stage-routes from Boston to New York, Albany, Keene, Brattleboro' and other places; prominent among those old-time driver.-i, which was then considered a responsible berth, was the late Hon. Ginery Twichell. Coming here a young man, about 1830, full of energy, genial, affable and always thoroughly reliable, he made friends of all, and always had a deep interest in the town and its welfare. To him the town was indebted to some extent for better accommodations for travel. Deeply interested in the railroads projected around us, he left the staging business and entered the employ of the Boston and Worcester Railroad, where he was soon after chosen as its superintendent, and afterwards elected to its presidency. On the consolidation of that road with the Western, he retired for a while from active railroad life, but never lost his interest in it, and it was one of his hopes that Barre should be connected with the cities by steam communication. Having chosen Brookline as his residence, he was elected to the national House of Representatives from the Congressional district in which he resided, where he served a number of years, greatly to his own honor and that of his constituents. On his retirement from Congress his active spirit led him to assume the presidency of a short line of railroad, the Boston, Barre and Gardner, then struggling under many difficulties. Always a friend to Barre, in preceding years he had advocated the construction of a road to and through this town, and it was due somewhat to him that our people began to consider this matter so early as they did. As early as 1840 the subject began to be agitated here. In 1845 the town voted to raise a sum not exceeding three hundred dollars, for the survey of a route from Worcester through this town to the Miller's River. This route being found impracticable, the matter rested for a few years. About 1850 the agitation again began, this time in connection with towns southerly of us. A line was considered, under the name of the Ware River Railroad, to extend from Palmer to Winchendon, but, mainly through the opposition of the Western road, this road was not constructed for a number of years. A charter was obtained, and renewed from time to time as circumstances demanded. The first section, from Palmer to Gilbertville, was built in 1869, and in 1870 ground was broken in Barre for its extension to Winchendon. The work of grading and track -laying progressed but slowly, but the road was at last completed, and in October, 1873, it w;is opened for travel to Barre Plains. In 1854 the town voted to petition the Legislature for permission to loan its credit to the amount of five per cent, of its valuation for aiding in building a railroad from North Brookfield to Barre; the necessary surveys were made, but for want of sufficient encouragement the scheme was abandoned.

In 1847 a company was chartered under the name of the Barre and Worcester Railroad Company. This road was intended to run from some point on the Worcester and Nashua road to some convenient place in the centre of Barre. This project was kept alive by renewals of its charter, but when it was constructed, in 1870-71, it ran from Worcester to Gardner.

In 18G9 the town became deeply aroused to the necessity of a railroad, and entered with much enthusiasm into the project of the JIassachusetts Central Railroad, and, to further aid the enterprise, took stock of the company to the amount of ninety thousand dollars, or five per cent, of its valuation, while individuals took about fifty-five thousand dollars' worth additional. From lack of necessary funds this road, which was to extend from a point on the Boston and Lowell road near Boston, passing through Barre and forming a " through line " to the West, was not constructed for a number of years. Its financial troubles were great, but finally becoming reorganized under the name of the Central Massachusetts Railroad, it was completed, and in December, 1887, trains commenced running from Boston to Northampton, although passenger trains had run from Boston as far as Ware in July.

The culture of the town has always been noteworthy. In May of 1834 a weekly newspaper, with the name of the Farmer's Gazette, was established by C. C. P. Thompson. He continued as its proprietor until his death, a few years afterwards, when it passed into the hands of Albert Alden, the name being now changed to that of the Barre Gazette. Soon afterwards Walter A. Bryant assumed its ownership and management. In 1844, the political feeling running high, the Barre Patriot, upholding the tenets of the opposite party, was established by his brother, N. F. Bryant. Both of these papers flourished for several years, but about 1856 they were merged in one, under the name of the Barre Gazette, and since then it has prospered. It is now in its fifty-fifth volume, and under the ownership and control of Henry H. Cook, although there have been two or three changes of proprietorship since the consolidation of the two papers.

In October, 1858, N. F. Bryant issued a magazine with the title of the Household Monthly. This was discontinued at the end of a year and a half. Previous to this he had published the Wachusett Star. This continued but about a year. Bryant's Messenger was another paper, of short duration, that was issued.

In 1866 R. W. Waterman commenced the publication of the Worcester West Chronicle. After issuing it here for about one year the establishment was removed to Athol. Various amateur journals have been put forth, but these were ephemeral.

In 1888 the Central County Courier was introduced, under the management of S. H. Ingersoll. This paper is printed in one of the neighboring towns, but has a creditable foothold here.

Previous to 1857 we had a small library, but under no competent management. In that year Samuel Gates, a farmer of small means, left by his will five hundred dollars to the town for a free public library, on condition that an equal amount should be given by the town. This condition was complied with. Cases were obtained for the books and the unexpended balance of the town's ajjpropriation added to Mr. Gates' bequest increased the fund to seven hundred dollars. This was placed in the town treasury, and the interest of it, at six per cent., is annually expended for books.

In 1866 a Central Pacific Railroad bond of the denomination of one thousand dollars was given to the library by a native of Barre, the income of which was to be used for books, For a number of years the library had its home in the post-ofiice rooms, and in time outgrew its limits.

porated, one of its obiects being to procure a building suitable for the library and for kindred purposes. In 1886 Mr. Henry Woods, a native of Barre, purchased land and erected thereon, at an expense of upwards of twenty thousand dollars, a brick building which, under the name of the "Woods Memorial Library Building," commemorative of his deceased parents and brothers, and as a token of his kindly and substantial interest for the welfare of the town, he presented to the association, this corporate body holding it in trust for the benefit of the whole community. He also established the " Edwin Woods Fund " of five thousand dollars, the annual income of which (two hundred and fifty dollars) is to be expended for books of permanent value.

The library, well arranged and cared for in its new home, now numbers upwards of thirty-five hundred volumes, and is pronounced a valuable collestion. In connection with the library proper are a reading-room, rooms for the directors of the association, for assemblies and for a museum.

The agricultural interests of the town have always been active. Large amounts of butter and cheese have been made in previous years. There are two cheese-factories or establishments for the manufacture of cheese, their aggregate capacity being upwards of two thousand pounds per day. These are temporarily closed, the farmers considering it more to their pecuniary advantage to send their milk to the Boston market, it being transported thither by both of our railroad corporations.

An agricultural society, with the name of" Worcester West,'' was chartered and established in 1851. It holds its annual fair the last Thursday of September, and is one of the best, if not the best, in the State. It has extensive and well-arranged grounds, on which is a half-mile track for exhibiting and speeding horses, and a large building for display and for dining purposes. The society is free from debt and offers annually for premiums upwards of fifteen hundred dollars.

The town has a national bank, with a capital stock of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and a savings liank, each of which is in a prosperous condition. The telegraph and telephone furnish instantaneous communication with the great centres of business and commerce. Our postal accommodations are good, three through and two local mails arriving and departing daily.

There are two hotels at the centre of the town and another, to be more extensive, in process of construction, which is under contract to be open for business early in 1889. At Barre Plains is another hotel. The town is noted for its temperance and good order; no intoxicating liquors, except for medicine, are allowed to be sold.

In 1885 the population of the town was not so large as in 1880, on account of the temporary suspension of manufacturing in the southern portion. Since

On a sightly eminence, about two miles southerly of the centre, is the Almshouse, with which is connected a large farm for the .support of the town's Door. This house was built in 1873, in place of one destroyed by fire the same year. Its size and style of architecture attracts much attention, and the stranger to the town would receive no intimation from its appearance as to the purposes for which it is used, but would rather consider it the residence of some prosperous farmer. The number of pauper inmates is very few, the general thrift and temperance sentiment of the people acting as a preventive of pauperism. The farm for the support of the poor was purchased in 1844, but has since been enlarged by obtaining an adjoining farm. Previous to 1844 the poor had been cared for in families, bids for their support being received by the town, and the lowest offer for their maintenance was accepted, the party taking them being expected to furnish their board and lodging, clothing, necessary medical attendance and nursing.

In addition to several literary societies or gatherings, the town contains a lodge of Free Masons, of the Grand Army of the Republic, of Good Templars and a Grange, P. of H.

From the elevated location of the town and its beautiful scenery and surroundings, its health is greatly enhanced. Piobably no town in the Commonwealth has so large a percentage of old people as Barre; men and women from eighty to ninety years of age are not uncommon, and there live here to-day, hale, active and well-preserved, two persons in the ninety-sixth year of their age. In 1867 James Piper died at the age of nearly one hundred and five years; in 1872 the death of Mary A. Boney is recorded at the age of one hundred and three, and in 1888 Timothy Bacon died in the one hundred and second year of his age. If J we turn to the record of deaths for the past one hun- f dred years, we find the same remarkable longevity as now. The most notable instance of this is in the families of two brothers, who came here about 1750, Nehemiah and Jonathan Allen. Jonathan lived on the same farm and with the same wife for over sixty years; Jonathan sat out the first orchard in the town, having brought from Sudbury forty apple trees and a young wife on the back of his horse; he died at the age of ninely-two, his wife at eighty-seven; they had six children, whose average age at death was eighty years. This farm has never passed out of the Allen family, it now being in the possession of George E. Allen, the great-grandson of Jonathan; on this farm it is said that the fourth framed house in town was erected, but this is not now standing. Nehemiah Allen had ten children, the oldest of whom died at the age of ninetysix, the youngest at seventy-eight; their average age at death was eighty-seven. In view of the remarkable longevity of our people, now and in former years, the compiler of this history can desire no better verification of the healthfulness of our surroundings than these advanced ages will testify to. But younger and more vigorous energies are not wanting, and as in the years past we have built up a thriving, healthy and attractive town, so in the time to come will we add to what has been done and enlarge and render still more beautiful that which has been bequeathed to us.

Luke Adajis

Luke Adams, who was one of Barre's most substantial farmers, was born in New Braintree, January 20, 1801 ; hp was the son of Jonathan Adams, formerly of Northboro', and Dorothy, daughter of Dr. Edward Flint, of Shrewsbury. His parents came to the adjoining town of Barre in 1808, and located upon the farm in the southern portion, which is now the residence of his son, Austin F. Adams. Mr. Adams' father dying when he was but about twelve years of age, the farm passed into the management of strangers' hands, by whom it was carried on for several years. Mr. Adams lived with his mother and sister during this time, attending the common school, and obtaining such an education as the instruction of those days could furnish. At the age of eighteen that spirit which marked his after-life began to assert itself; purchasing stock and farming implements, he began farming for himself on the old farm, although owning but a half-interest in the place. At this time the buildings were out of repair and the land badly run down ; with this discouraging outlook he began his life-work in earnest, and met with signal success. He soon erected new buildings, and so improved the farm that its capacity and value were much increased. He took a great interest in all practical farm machinery, and was among the first to make use of the tedder, spreader-cart, horse-rake, etc. ; it was upon his farm that the inventor of the first successful tedder experimented with his invention, and by him the inventor was financially aided in obtaining his patent. Mr. Adams was conservative in his operations, firm and decided in his opinions, and of sound and practical judgment. He was a valued member of the Boards of Selectmen , Overseers of the Poor and Assessors, and a trustee for many years of the Barre Savings Bank ; he filled many places of trust and responsibility, but never neglected his farm, which to-day ranks high. The utmost confidence was placed in his tound judgment and strict integrity. He died October 25, 1884, leaving a widow, a son and daughter.

Peter M. Harwood

Peter Mirick Harwood was born in' Barre June 10, 1853. His ancestry in direct Harwood line is Peter (1804), Peter (1763), Daniel (173fi), David (1708), David (16G8) and John (1630), who is supposed to have been a son of Henry, who came from England in fleet with Winthrop. His mother, whose maidenname was Eunice Jones Mirick, was a descendant of Abrani and Eunice (Jones) Garfield, who were also ancestors of the late President Garfield.

Mr. Harwood's early days were spent on the farm where he now lives. He attended the district school, the Barre High School and the Massachusetts Agricultural College at Amherst, from which he was graduated in 1875. While in college he had the honor of winning the first Farnsworth Rhetorical gold medal. At the death of his father (1876) he assumed the management of the homestead, and began business life as a farmer and breeder of fine stock. In 1877 he was elected a member of the Board of Selectmen, being the youngest man ever on the board. In 1879 he was made a member of the School Board ; again elected in 1884, he has held that office ever since, being its chairman three years. He was lecturer of Barre Grange, P. of H., in 1877, '80, '81 and '82, and master in 1883, '84 and '85, during which period the organization reached the largest membership in its history ; he was lecturer of the Massachusetts State Grange in 1886 and '87 ; he was secretary of the Massachusetts Agricultural College Alumni Association for several years, and its president in 1886-87, and presided at the great banquet on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the college. He was for several years a director, and in 1887 and '88 president of the Barre Central Cheese Company, .and president of Worcester County West Agricultural Society in 1887 '88 and '89. He married Mary Ann Wallace December 13, 1884, from which union two children have been born, - Eunice Frances (July 18, 1886) and Mary Louisa (February 29, 1888). Mr. Harwood has been engaged for several years in the breeding of Holstein-Friesian cattle, and has developed one of the finest herds in the State. He enjoys a wide and honorable reputation, both as a public officer and as a business man.

Charles Robinson

Charles Robinson is a native of the town of Barre, where be was born July 29, 1834. His early days were spent on the farm ; at the age of seventeen years he obtained a position in a general country store in his native town as a clerk, attending school in the mean time. Leaving Barre in 1856, he started his business life in the dry-goods and grocery business in Wilmington, of this State, where he remained for about two years. Not finding the business congenial to his taste, he returned to Barre, and began the manufacture and sale of boots and shoes, in which he continued until 1862, when he enlisted in th.e Fifty-fourth

Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers, from which he was soon transferred to tlie Forty-second Regiment. From this regiment he was detailed into the Engineer Corps, where he did efficient service as pontonier at Donaldsonville, Port Hudson and other places. At the expiration of his term of service he returned to Barre and re-engaged in the boot and shoe business. In 1871 he resumed farming, making market-gardening his specialty, and followed this for about ten yeara. In 1875 his attention was drawn to the superiority of the Holstein Friesian breed of cattle, and, after thoroughly investigating their merits, in 1880 engaged in breeding and raising this fine class of stock, since which time he has devoted his whole attention to it. His sales of these cattle, which are numerous, have been mostly in the New England States, although some of his stock has been sold to go as far south as North Carolina. His farm consists of about seventy acres, and is in a high state of cultivation and, with the aid of a silo, of which he is an enthusiastic advocate, will keep through the year fifty head of cattle. His crops are mostly corn and hay, which, with purchases of hay and grain, is fed out to a herd of one hundred and four Holstein Friesians, all of which are registered stock. A son of Mr. Robinson is associated with him in the business of breeding and managing this fine collection; besides these, four men are employed on the farm throughout the year.

Chapter Liu Webster

In the town of Helper, Derbyshire, England, on the 9th of June, 1768, Samuel Slater, the founder of the town of Webster, was born. On the 28th of June, 1782, at the age of fourteen, he was apprenticed for seven years to Jedediah Strutt, a partner of Arkwright, to learn the business of manufacturing cotton. At about the time of the close of his apprenticeship he saw an advertisement of a premium for the introduction of Arkwright machinery into the United States, and being familiar with the methods used by his employer, he determined to seek his fortunes in the New World. On the 1st of September, 1789, he left Derbyshire for London, and on the 13th of the same month sailed for New York, where he arrived after a sixty-six days' passage. He at first engaged his services to the New York Manufacturing Company, but, after a few weeks, hearing of Moses Brown, of Providence, he wrote to that gentleman on the 2d of December, offering his services in the line of his trade. On the 10th of December Mr. Brown replied, inviting him to Providence, to which place he removed in January, 1790. On the 5th of April in that year he signed a contract to construct machinery after the plan of that with which he had become familiar during his apprenticeship. He soon became engaged in Pawtucket, R. I., in the successful manufacture of cotton-yarn, which was sold to be woven on hand-looms into cloth by domestic labor.

While engaged in this business, Mr. James Tiffany, of the town of Wales, in Massachusetts, then known as South Brimfield, became acquainted with Mr. Slater in his trading expeditions to Pawtucket, and at his request Mr. Slater took his two sons, Lyman and Bela TiffaJiy, into his employ. Through Mr. Tiffany, Mr. Slater was informed of the existence of water-power in what is now Webster, and in 1811 Bela Tiffany was sent to examine it. In a letter, dated May 27, 1811, Bela Tiffany wrote to Mr. Slater that he had found on the examined premises a two-story house unfinished, a grist-mill with two sione.s, a good saw-mill, a trip-hammer shop, thirteen or fourteen acres of land, one-half of which was swamp, and water-fall sufficient for all practicable purposes. He added that the region was a most benighted one, four miles from Oxford, three miles from Dudley and six and one-half miles from Thompson, in Connecticut. The price asked was $4000, and he wrote that he had secured a refusal of the property until the 20th of June. The result of the examination was the purchase of the property in the name of Bela Tiffany, and this purchase was followed by others, including a farm of two hundred and twenty acres, with a house and barn, nine and one-half acres bought of Elijah Pratt, and before the close of the year 1812 about two hundred and sixty acres more from various persons. In December, 1812, Mr. Tiflany transferred to Mr. Slater five-sixths of the property, retaining one-sixth as his own interest in the enterprise.

Mills were at once erected, and in 1813 Slater & Tiffany began in what is now Webster the manufacture of cotton yarn. At the same time a dye and bleaching-house was erected and placed under the charge of John Tyson, who took an interest in the business. Mr. Tyson died August 2, 1821, and his interest passed into the hands of Mr. Slater. Other purchases of land were made by Slater & Tiffany in 1814 and 1815, but on the 27th of November, 1816, during the depression in manufactures which followed the War of 1812, Mr. Tiffany sold his interest to Mr. Slater for $8400. During the war the company began the manufacture of broadcloth under the superintendence of Edward Howard, a Yorkshireman, who had at home been engaged in the business.

Up to 1821 the business of Mr. Slater was conducted on a stream which runs from ChaubunnagunganugPond, but in that year, through Mr. Howard, a location was made on French River, where property was bought at a cost of twelve thousand dollars. In 1822 Mr. Howard transferred one-half interest to Mr. Slater for six thousand dollars, and in that year, while the woolen-mill was there building, the old woolen-mill was burned. Additional purchases of land on French River were made by Slater & Howard between 1822 and 1824, including about four hundred and twenty-five acres, and still other purchases were made at later dates.