Worcester City (part 31 of 58)

On the 14th of October, 1886, the town adopted an ample, wholesome and commendable codeof by-laws; also at the same meeting judicious rules and regulations for the Fire Department. Thus the necessary machinery of a well-ordered municipal government was set in motion. Its operations have been eminently satisfactory. A large, well compiled, lucid and complete report for the year ending January 1,

1887, was made by the town officers and published, representing all departments of its affiiirs in a prosperous condition. A similar one was made and published for the year ending January 1, 1888. A sum- mary of this second annual report, modified by later ascertained data, may properly be given on these pages, as exhibiting the progressive status of the new town, nearly down to the present time.

Town Officers. - David A. Westcott, clerk ; E. D. Bancroft, treasurer; Edward S. Simpson, collector; J. B. Bancroft, Lewis B. Gaskill and Simon G. Gilman, selectmen, overseers of the poor, Board of Health and highway surveyors; Asa A. Westcott, David Nelson and Hamlet B. Fisk, a.ssessors; Albert W. Ham (three years), Frank J. Dutcher (two years), and Anna M. Bancroft, school committee; C. F. Roper (three years), William N. Goddard (two years), and Frank S. Haywood (one year), trustees of the library; Frank Gaskill, William Phillips, Samuel A. Andrews, Robert Ross and T. J. Coyne, constables ; Charles Waterhouse, George Cole and Frank Gaskill, field-drivers; Frank S. Hayward, Fred. Mooney and E. D. Walker, fenceviewers. By appointment and special organic arrangement - Charles E. Pierce, chief engineer of Fire Department; J. B. Bancroft, assistant engineer; A. W. Westcott, clerk and treasurer; Wm. N. Goddard, secretary of library trustees and librarian ; Ellen F. Welch, assistatit librarian; Frank H. French, truant officer.

Before coming to statistical details, it is pertinent to treat of important historical matters chronicled in the second report. George Draper, the father and benefactor of the new town, departed this life, in the ripeness of his successes, usefulness and honors, June 7, 1887, aged sixty-nine years, nine months and twenty days. This lamentable event took place in Boston, Avhither he went for a temporary sojourn to obtain medical relief from urinary and kindred ailments, which, though not seemingly dangerous, he was anxious to overcome. Unexpectedly to all, he presently became alarmingly sick under treatment, and in a few days expired. His remains were brought home, and on the 11th of June his funeral was solemnized with every demonstration that bereaved family affection and public grief could bestow. Thousands appreciated his merits, sympathized in a great common loss, and united in reverential tributes of respect to his memory. Besides the valuable gifts and legacies which he bequeathed, was the commodious and beautiful town edifice which graces the centre of Hopedale Village. He had laid its foundations in 1885, and it was far advanced towards its completion before he died ; but the interior finish had been retarded by casualties, and lingered several months.

Brief General Description. - "The building is of granite and brownstone, with exterior dimensions of 75x69 feet. It is on the main street, and faces nearly east. On the front are two store entrances, besides the main entrance, at the right of which are the staircase and town officers' rooms. At the end of the hall, directly opposite the entrance, are double doors leading to the reading room, 24x22 feet, in the northwest corner; this is connected with the library proper by an arch eleven feet six inches in width. This room occupies the rear centre of this floor, and is thirty feet by seventeen feet, six inches, with an entrance from the left of the entrance hall. The finish, furniture and shelving in these rooms is of California red-wood. The entire upper story is occupied by the town hall, with the stage, reception and ante-rooms. The basement contains a market, lock-up, caucus-hall, steamheating apparatus and store cellar." The entire cost of the noble structure, with its sixteen thousand feet of land, was over forty thousand dollars.

At a special town-meeting held on the evening of August 22, 1887, the five children (three sons and two daughters) of George Draper (deceased), pursuant to their father's testamentary wishes and directions, presented these premises to the town, with a perfect title of conveyance. This conveyance imposed on the town only one qualifying condition - that none of its rooms should ever be rented to persons without the consent of the donor's heirs. The town unanimously accepted the donation on the offered terms, passed an appreciative vote of thanks for the same, and also the following preamble and resolutions: -

W'HEREiS, In the Providence of God, the Town of Hopedale has been colled to lament the decease of Mr, George Draper, an'I v.nild formally indicate its appreciation of his noble services and powerlul direction; therefore it is

Resolved, That not only has this Qlunicipality been thus bereft of a wise counsellor, loyal citizen and most munificent benefactor, but it is also deprived of one whose integrity in business relations, and whose untiring devotion to the public welfare, constituted him an object worthy the emulation and grateful remembrance of all who knew him.

Besolved. That a copy of these resolutions be inscribed upon the records of the Town, a copy also presented to each individual of his immediate family and duly published iu the public press.

At the same town-meeting, after choosing a Committee of Arrangements to supervise the dedication of their admirable Town- Hall, the following vote of thanks was passed :

Voted. - To thank Gen. W. F. Draper for his donation to the town of the so-called Butcher Street extension (whicli cost him several thousand dollars), and for the prompt and liberal manner with which he accepted and paid for such changes as seemed necessary for the successful completion of said road.

If, aftf-r ]ierusing such a record, any of our readers should wonder whether this Draper family and these menial voters are the same that were so sadly disparaged before the General Court of 1886 as unworthy to be incorporated into a town, let them rest assured that they really are the very same.

Dedication of the Town Hall. - The Committee of Arrangements consisted of Gen. William F. Draper, chairman ; Joseph B. Bancroft, Lewis B. Gaskill and Simon G. Gilman, selectmen ; and Artemas B. Edniands, Asa A. VVestcott and Charles F. Eoper, citizens-at-]arge. To these were subsequently added E. D. Bancrolt, Mrs. Phila W. Weston and Miss Anna M. Bancroft. Kumerous sub-committees were appointed and put in charge of the necessary branches, into which details were divided. Every committee discharged their duties assiduously, ef5- ciently and creditably. At length the day of dedication arrived, October 25, 1887. It was a grand and memorable occasion for Hopedale. A specific narration of its interesting proceedings and performances would overflow our limits, and will not be expected.' We must confine our account to synoptical outlines. A great concourse of people assembled, including, besides near residents, numerous representatives of the surrounding towns and a host of sympathizing friends from more distant parts of the Commonwealth, who had stood by Hopedale through evil as well as good report, when it was struggling before the Legislature for independence. Music of the highest excellence threw its charms over the multitude, rare eloquence distilled its fragrance on delighted auditors from eminent orators, and a rich dinner regaled the stomachs of participating guests. The formal exercises in the hall commenced at eleven o'clock A. M. Stirring airs from the band ; prayer by the writer; unsurpassable music from the Weber Quartette; a pertinent and appropriate introductory address from Chairman Gen. William F. Draper; principal dedicatory address by Ex-Governor John D. Long, replete with his graceful and renowned eloquence; remarks by the writer of this article, interesting speech by Rev. Lewis G. Wilson as the spokesman of two hundred and forty grateful Hopedale employes, presenting the town a splendid life-size crayon portrait of the late Geo. Draper ; formal delivery of the Town House keys to selectmen, by Geo. A. Draper, as representative of the late George Draper's heirs, and acceptance of the same by Joseph B. Bancroft, chairman of the board; dinner, toasts and speeches in the great tent on Church Common, with the customary musical accompaniments. So the day closed, redolent with testimonial tributes to departed worth, grateful acknowledgments of munificent benefactions, sacred reminiscences of the past, and auspicious hopes of the future.

As was natural and proper, the dominant current of thought, speech and attention was eulogistic of the new town's upbuilder and generous patron, George Draper. The writer was the only speaker of the occasion who represented the primary Hopedale of community days. And he deemed it both a privilege and a duty to revive its memory, and show that it had something more to do with preparing the way for subsequent success than appeared on the present surface of thingti. The honorable and eloquent orator of the day had, indeed, made one biief reference to it, but in terms of disparaging commiseration rather than commendation. He said :

On this spot, some forty years ago, one of those communities which spring up from time to time, and of which so much is anticipated by the enthusiasm of their members, had undertaken, under the sweet guidance of the venerable and beloved pastor, who is here to-day, to solve the problem of a happy, industrious and peaceful Christian brotherhood. It was a joint stock association, sharing capital and prolits, and run on common accouut. The result was a practical bankruptcy, avoided only by a change which followed no longer any transcendental line, but turned to the line of hard, practical American business, for George Draper took the plant into his vigorous hand. An enlightened and liberal selfishness became, its it usually does, a beneficence to which a weak communism was as the dull and cheerless gleam of decaying punk to the inspiring blaze of the morning sun in spring-time. The man of atfairs was in tempnnil things a better leader than the priest, as he usually is, and sis nobody will so emphatically assure you as the priest himself. A meagre manufacturing enterprise, tliat made a few boxes and cotton -spinning temples, and employed a dozen bands, began that marvellous expansion which, in these few years, under George Draper's direction, has come to employ live hundred men, has grown from an annual product of twenty thousand dollars to one of more than twelve hundred thousand ; hiis built and incorporated a Massachusetts town ; has erected these trim, convenient liouses and homes of skilled and prosperous labor ; has enlarged the original industry into four great business houses, and embracesoue of the largest cotton machinery manufacturing centres in the world.

Well, Liow was the " venerable and beloved Christian pastor,'' " the priest," likely to appreciate this rhetorical picture of " weak communism, etc. ?" Did he wish to detract from the merits and fame of his lamented friend, the deceased George Draper ? By no. means. But he did not feel that the honorable reputation of that departed friend needed to be magnified by the unjust disparagement of the Hopedale Community or any member thereof. He knew all the facts in the case, and knew that the orator, through some mistake, had radically misrepresented the most important of them. He knew that Ebenezer D. Draper, the elder brother of George, was president of the Hopedale Community at the time when its joint stock and unitary interest were dissolved ; that he was then a much larger capitalist than his younger brother, and wielded far greater power; that he pronounced the condition of the community eminently harmonious and prosperous less than two months before he and his brother decided to withdraw their capital ; that there really was no bankruptcy, nor any necessitating cause for a dissolution of unitary interests, except their withdrawal of three-fourths of the joint stock, and that '' the plant'' was taken into the vigorous hands of the two brothers only to be changed into a successful manufacturing settlement, managed on the principles of " enlightened and liberal selfishness." Therefore, knowing perfectly the entire history of the community, that without its devoted labors and sacrifices this new town of Hopedale would probably never have attained the importance now being glorified, and knowing, moreover, that the rising generation were in danger of remaining misinformed on the subject, the aged "priest" improved the few minutes allotted him in stating the salient facts of the case. What these facts were is clearly set forth in the beginning of this sub-history, and need not be repeated. His speech was listened to with respectful attention, and he was cordially thanked by many auditors for his exposition. He believes it made a salutary and lasting impression on the assembly.

Progressive Statistics to September, 1888. - The town report already referred to comes down to January 1,1888, but on several points later information is available, and will be used. The officers chosen at the annual March meeting, with slight exceptions, were re-elected from the preceding year, as already named. The following synoptical chronicles exhibit, in a compendious form, the principal transactions and corporate progress of this youthful municipality.

Conformably to the terms prescribed in the act of incorporation, Hopedale must pay fifteen per cent. ofMilford's indebtedness at the time of separation. Amicable settlement October 6, 1887, when principal and interest was paid to Milford, amounting to S18,- 436.95. Liquidated by funds on hand and borrowed money.

Town expenditure-i for the year ending December 31, 1887, viz. : for highways, out of appropriations, donations, etc., 14,456.69 ; for sidewalks, out of appropriations, $1,013.32; for incidentals, under administration of selectmen, $2,788.1 1 ; for town hall appurtenances, etc., $842.15 ; for gas and street lights, $315.94 ; for water against fires, under appropriation, $516.68 ; for Memorial Day, $25.00; for school-house lot appropriation, $600.00 ; for borrowed money repaid, $3,000.00 ; for State and county tax in 1886, $1,331.10 ; for State and county tax in 1887, $1,662.52; for land damage, extension of Dutcher Street, $819.00; for outlays on Water Street, newly laid, $501.36; for aid to poor belonging to other towns, $108.66 ; for Fire Department under appropriation, $813.01 ; for educational purposes, total receipts from all sources, $5,232.89 ; total disbursements, $5,232.89 ; for town library, total receipts, $1,170.10 ; expended, $2,294.40. So, for all purposes the town expended, during the year ending December 31, 1887, $26,320.83. It will be understood that this total includes certain donations, and is affected somewhat by debits and credits of the preceding year.

Appropriations of 1888, for the same general purposes above specified, amount to $19,475.00; town property on hand, aside from town hall and its appendages, school department buildings, $5,700.00; Highway Department, including new stone-crusher, etc., $2,467.00 ; Fire Department, hose-house, apparatus and equipments, $2,015.00.

town inherited twenty-five, by act of incorporation, from Milford. These are of various lengths and widths, and bear appropriate names. One of them has been very advantageously extended, throuorh the generosity of General Draper, a considerable distance northward from Hopedale Village, shortening, on a level route, the distance to Upton. Two or three other new streets have been laid out, and marked improvements made on several old ones. Our roads are good.

Concerning the Hopedale Fire Department, matters show a no less creditable record. It has a nice hosehouse, a well-equipped carriage with 1200 feet of hose, 4 ladders, .36 fire-pails and 12 suitably-located hydrants. Besides these, the several corporations have provided themselves costly and efficient apparatus for the extinguishment of fires on their respective premises^ and not a few individuals have plenty of ladders and fire-pails. The department is well organized and manned. Fires are few, far between and, thus far, almost harmlc>s.

As to pauperism, it scarcely exists, and criminality, as a cause of expense, is of rare occurrence. No licenses are granted for the sale of intoxicating liquors, and the manufactories of vice, crime and misery are kept at a distance. Our Educational Department is liberally encouraged, assiduously supervised, reputably conducted and in first-rate order. Down to the present writing there have been but two school-houses, the larger situated in Hopedale Village and the smaller in South Hopedale. An ample High School edifice is in near prospect, and will soon be erected. The corporations have unitedly pledged a subscription of six thousand dollars towards it, and the town is about to raise a sura adequate to secure its completion. The High School was inaugurated in an extemporized room of the large village school-house in September, 1886. It was an immediate success. Number of pupils, thirty. Course of studies up to the average standard. Principal and assistant eminently well qualified, and results ever since all that could be desired. The increase of scholars in the lower grades has obliged the High School to find new quarters in the Town Hall until the new edifice designed for it shall be ready for occupancy.

The village school-house barely accommodates the pupils of lower grade. During the fall term of 1887 there were in its primary room sixty-six scholars, fifty-three in the intermediate and forty-three in the grammar. Since then these numbers have been continually augmenting. Competent and excellent teachers have filled the several positions with honor to themselves and satisfaction to all parties concerned. The South Hopedale School has not yet admitted of gradation, but it has been creditably taught and managed. The whole number of children in town between the ages of five and fifteen years, as reported by the School Committee for May 1, 1887, was one hundred and eighty-two. The number must now be

The Town Library and Beading Room. - These have ample and elegant accommodations in the Town Hall edifice. It will bear repeating that the reading room is 24 by 22 feet. The lilirary room is 30 by 195 feet. They are connected by an arch IIJ feet in width. The finish, furniture and shelving of both rooms is of California red-wood. In the library, December 31, 1887, 2478 vols.; pamphlets 1556 ; periodicals, in incomplete vols., 889 - a very good beginning, largely made up of donations. The future is bright with hopeful auspices. There will be liberal donors, and the town will make handsome annual appropriations. The reading room and reference library opened in temporary quarters December 27, 1886 ; circulation of books commenced June 4, 1887 ; rooms in Town Hall were occupied December 24, 1887. The reading room was fairly well supplied with valuable reading matter from the outset, and has been gradually enriched ever since. The attendance at reading room, as well, as the circulation of library books, has been worthy an intelligent population. The best of regulations have been established for the library and reading room, and admirable order prevails throughout. The board of trustees have done themselves honor by their judicious management of affairs. Especial commendation is due to Mr. William N. Goddard. He is an amateur librarian, takes a lively interest in the affairs of his office, and has laid the town under lasting obligations of gratitude for his services. His assistant. Miss Ellen F. Welch, who attends to the ordinary daily duties of librarian, discharges those duties meritoriously, and has won general approbation. There is fair promise that in a few years Hopedale will have a public library nobly rich in quantity and quality.

Literary Taste and Culture. - These are marked charaeteristics of our population. Of reading clubs there are three, each of which subscribes for the best periodicals publi-shed in the country, and circulates them regularly throughout the families of its mem. hers, viz. : The Hopedale Reading Club, the Hopedale Magazine Club, and the Spindleville Reading Club. There are two prominent literary clubs : The Roundabout Club, devoted to mental improvement by preparing, delivering and discussing brief essays on various interesting topics ; and the Shakespeare Club, devoted to the study, select reading and consideration of Shakespeare's works. These clubs hold frequent regular meetings at the houses of their respective members. The Hopedale Debating Society, besides discussing the live questions of the day at their pleasure and convenience, furnish valuable winter courses of public lectures by able, masters on attractive themes. Then, in the line of dramatic culture and entertainment, we have two active organizations; The Hopedale Dramatic Club and the Hopedale

Amateurs. As a further index to the prevailing taste for intellectual refreshment, it need only be stated that three hundred and fifty daily newspapers are received through the Hopedale post-office regularly, besides all the more infrequently published papers and periodicals.

Martial Patriotism and Military Spirit. - The section of territory recently incorporated as the town of Hopedale has borne an average crop of warriors from generation to generation, in all the historic and probably unhistoric past. The Indian rwitives had their braves, and their white successors since the year 1700, have furnished their full quota of heroic soldiers in every war, from the old French one down to the great Rebellion. During this last it was represented, for longer or shorter terms, by some thirty fighting men, as nearly as can be estimated from partially unauthentic data. Of these General William F. Draper is the honored flower - a candidate for higher civic distinction. His less favored comrades are either among the remembered dead or mostly dwell in widely-scattered, humbler homes. As to the professed Christian non-resistants of the Hopedale Community, who at its zenith numbered about one hundred persons, they were generally exotics from other soils. When the white flag of their projected anti-war State was abandoned by its controlling pecuniary supporters, it necessarily soon fell to the old social level, as has been told. Some who adhered to their Christ-like standard of peace have passed into the higher life, or removed to other localities. A mere remnant remain on the once hopeful domain of forty years ago, and these are surrounded by a daily increasing multitude of worthy people, who, nevertheless, are thoroughly devoted to civil and warlike society as it is. Which way soever the survivors turn, public opinion and practice present a granite wall of pro-war-governmental adherence. The aged, middleaged and the young pay homage to the sword as the final grand arbiter and indispensable defender of justice, liberty and human rights. So they believe, think and act. And in this they glory. The most recent demonstration of their delight and trust in deadly weapons as a dernier resort is the formation of a youthful company in our village called the Hopedale Zouaves. It numbers some twenty sprightly lads, regularly oflicered, armed, uniformed, drilled and paraded in the modern military style. Thus in time of peace they prepare for patriotic war. In their splendid uniform, with fine music and graceful martial bearing, they make a charming display to the admiration of men, women and children. Is this to be condemned or deplored? Not if the war-priuciple be absolutely right, as is preached and believed by the popular religion and civilization. On the contrary, it is eminently commendable. For the young should learn what it is their duty to practice in mature age. If it is wrong, it is so because the popular religion and civilization are wrong in their fundamental, systematic pro-war principle. Would the rattlesnake be rendered less dangerous by depriving him of his rattles? Strike at his vitals, not at his rattles.

So thought the projector of the Hopedale Community. It took him over thirty years to out-think and out-grow his own pro-war heredity and education. He had a tough nature to convert to Christ-like peace ethics ; but when once fairly converted to them, no temptation could convert him back to faith in the wisdom of deadly force. So now, in the eighty-sixth year of his age, he remains immovably attached to the standard of peace taught and exemplified by his Master. Majorities weigh nothing with him against principles of divine truth and righteousness. At the same time he can duly respect all that is right and good on lower moral planes. And for actual soldiers and warriors, who execute given orders to perpetrate human slaughter, he has less condemnation than for their religious and political masters, who stay safely at home, preaching and legislating others into the battle-field. They are the principals ; their employes are mere accessories and instruments, personally jeopardizing all that is dear to them. But, above all, he denounces murderous principles and systems of human society, whether in church or state, rather than individuals or classes of men, many of whom are honestly deluded by specious falsities. Blessed are they who begin their proposed reformations at the beginning, and are not turned aside by plausible compromises with evil under the impulses of a timeserving expediency. Hopedale is now squarely on the ancient platform of pro-milito patriotism, and may be implicitly relied on to perform its share of service whenever its country proclaims the next bloody war, excepting only the harmless few who will soon have their home in another world.

No report for the present year. The disparity between entries of intentions and solemnizations is accounted for by couples married out of town, or whose intentions were entered elsewhere.

Post-Offices. - The one at South Milford, established March 7, 1814; Hamblet B. Fisk, present postmaster; delivery and income respectable, but not large.

Hopedale post-office, established May 13, 1861 ; present postmaster, Henry L. Patrick. Comparatively large delivery for a country town. Receives and distributes mail matter for our enterprising manufacturers and business firms, and for some two hundred and sixty families of uncommonly intelligent people. Returns a net annual income to government of over one thousand dollars.

Business Trades (not previously mentioned). - Henry L. Patrick, who runs two large grocery and country stores in Hopedale, and one in Upton, has a wide range of custom, making annual sales to the amount of one hundred thousand dollars. Smith & Mead opened their establishment in the Town House, December, 1887, for the sale of groceries, meats, dry and fancy goods, etc. Their store and meat market are of first-class rank, and they have a wide run of profitable patronage. Their firm is a flourishing one and promises merited success. The long established "Green Store," once the famous Major Penniman entrepot at South Milford, though shorn of its oldtime importance, is still a respectable grocery and country dispensary, and well managed by Hamblet B. Fisk. We have two enterprising livery and transportation establishments, an ice company and several small artisan and handicraft shops - all useful.

Civil Magistrates. - Gen. William F. Draper, Frank J. Dutcher, Esq., E. D. Bancroft, Esq. (also notary public), and David A. Westcott, Esq., justices of the peace.

Religious Institutions and Affairs. - There is but one organized religious society in our town and one church edifice, the Hopedale Parish, with its modest sanctuary pleasantly situated and surrounded in Hopedale village. The history of this parish, its house of worship and first pastorate has already been briefly given on a former jiage. The meeting-house was erected by the Hopedale Community in its declining days and subsequently transferred with other property to the parish as stated. The parish has recently been legally incorporated as a body politic for the safe holding and management of its pecuniary interests. This took place in August, 1887. Pastor Ballou, after his re.'ignation, April 23, 1880, was soon succeeded by Rev. Austin S. Garver. He became pastor by acceptance of a formal call, dated April 14, 1881. He was installed September 30, 1881, in connection with a rededication of the church after rejuvenation. Salary, fifteen hundred dollars per annum. He was called to the more conspicuous pastorate of the Second Congregational Church in Worcester, Mass., and terminated his connection with Hopedale about March 1, 1885. He was succeeded by Rev. Lewis G. Wilson, who was installed October 8, 1885, and still continues in the pastorship. Salary at first, twelve hundred dollars ; since April 1, 1887, fifteen hundred dollars. The parish has one hundred and forty voting members, and is officered by an executive committee of five, a clerk, treasurer, collector and board of three property trustees. It has a well-conducted Sunday-school, with alibrary of eleven hundred volumes. It has also a nice parsonage, donated to it by the late George Draper just before his decease, and confirmed by deed of his heirs. He was its generous supporter and benefactor from its formation to the day of his death. As a tribute to his memory and worth the following resolutions were

M'hereas, The Hopedale PariBh has experienced a dispeuBation of great bereavement in the death of George Draper, on the 7th ultimo - our temporal head and social chief ; therefore, liesoh-ed^ That, while ve deeply deplore our heavy earthly loss, in sympathy with his family and all the circles of personal association who unitedly mourn his departed mortal presence, we reverently bow to the Divine "Will, in the coniident assurance that he has been translated to a deathless mansion, whence his loving benedictions will descend on all lie delighted to bless.

Hcsoh'ed, That our Parish Clerk be instructed to inscribe this Memorial of our lamented brother conspicuously on our permanent Records ; and also that she present a copy of the same to his widow and each of his children.

It may not be improper to state here that ex-Pastor Ballou, who writes this sub-history, still continues, as a sort of minister-at-large, to solemnize marriages and render funeral services throughout his general vicinity - though he chooses to preach little. He has been in the ministry over sixty-seven years, during which he has solemnized eleven hundred and seventysix marriages, and ministered at more than twenty-five hundred and fifty funerals. And, though now far advanced in old age, the annual number of his weddings and funerals averages nearly the same as in the prime of life.

Although there is only one church edifice in our town, there is a public hall at South Milford, still, so called, well known as Harmony Hall, where religious meetings and reform lectures have long been held on some part of the Sabbath by the various neighboring clergymen of different denominations, etc. The attendance is generally good and the sacred music commendable. A respectable Sunday-school is also sustained there. It should be understood that in Hopedale Village and throughout our new town there are numerous representatives of nearly all the churches in Milford Centre, who customarily worship in their respective sanctuaries, and seldom, if ever, with the Hopedale Parish. We have Catholics, Episcopalians, Orthodox Congregationalists, Baptists, Methodists and Universalists. And for their devotional convenience our enterprising transportationist, John M. French, runs his barges to and from Milford Centre every Sunday at the proper hours, so that all who have not conveyances of their own are well accommodated. Besides this convenience, some of the sects hold occasional religious gatherings, more or less frequently, in public or private buildings of Hopedale Village. Thus religious privileges are amply provided for all our people according to their various preferences.

Cemeteries. - We have two reputable resting-places for the dead - one in South Hopedale, formerly South Milford, under town control, and one in Hopedale village, now controlled by a corporate association. The former has been inherited from Milford by territorial right. It dates back to November 18, 1799. The writer has given an account of the origin, progress and general character in his "History of Milford," pp.

307-308. It contains the graves of many departed inhabitants of its district, and others from outside, has a decent receiving tomb, has respectable monuments, is well advanced in the line of modern improvements and is worthily cared for. Our Hopedale village cemetery was selected and laid out in 1847 by the authority of the Hopedale Community, and was under community regulations till transferred to the Hopedale Parish, December 15, 1873. It was a wellchosen location, naturally adapted in all respects to its designed use, and capable of being rendered admirably beautiful by artistic improvement. The lot-owners deemed it advisable to become a legal corporation. This was effected, and their organization consummated April 4, 1887. The late George Draper left the association a legacy of ten thousand dollars, and it holds some other funds in trust. General William F. Draper has recently donated a very desirable addition to its area, which now comprises jirobably over five acres, with room adjacent for any necessary expansion. It is under excellent management, and is rapidly developing delightful improvements. It has a commodious receiving tomb, and two noble family mausoleums, erected respectively by George Draper, a little while before his death, and by General William F. Draper, the same year. It has also a goodly number of respectable monuments and memorial tablets. Its future is well assured as a sacred and lovely sanctuary of precious mortal relics, where surviving relatives and friends may perpetuate the memories of their loved ones worthily, and complacently anticipate repose of their own ashes.

As the publishers of this County History have welcomed to appropriate places within its lids the likenesses of several distinguished Hopedalians, it seems proper that a few words of special explanatory data should be given in each case.

1. George Draper, born in Weston, Mass., August IG, 1817; died June 7, 1887, aged sixtyinine years, nine months and twenty days. Too prominently noted in this sub-history and otherwise known to the general public to need further characterization here. An excellent likeness.

2. Warren Whitney Dutcher, born in Shaftsbury, Vt., July 4, 1812; removed with his worthy wife and children to Hopedale in the spring of 1856. He became associated in business with E. D. & G. Draper, prospered and contributed largely to the upbuilding of his adopted village. He left a bright and memorable record for mechanical ingenuity, manufacturing enterprise, moral rectitude and benefactions bestowed on suffering humanity. His wife was no less distinguished for her matronly virtues, social worth and charities to the poor. Both have passed away, leaving hallowed memories. He died .January 2G, 1880, aged sixty-seven years, six months and twenty-two days. Mrs. Malinda, his wife, died February 9, 1888, aged sixty-six years, six months and nineteen days. Their worthy children, Frank J. Dutcher and Miss

3. Joseph Bubier Bancroft, born in Uxbridge, Mass., October 3, 1821. He is the respected head of an intelligent enterprising and influential ftimily. He came here with his estimable wife in 1847, and both joined the Hopedale Community. He was for several years superintendent of the Hopedale Machine Establishment, served long on the Milford Board of Selectmen, was sent representative to General Court in 1864, is now chairman of our Hopedale selectmen.

4. Dea. Asa Augustus Westcott, born in Scituate, R. I., August 17, 1826. He and his excellent family, wife, sons and daughters, settled among us in 1873. They brought with them characters of sterling worth and salutary moral influence, as well as manufacturing enterprise and usefulness. They occupy a position in the first rank of our little municipality. Dea. Westcott well deserves the place he has consented to fill among our representative engravings.

5. General William Franklin Draper, born in Lowell, Mass., April 9, 1842. After what has been said in the preceding pages, though briefly, and what is otherwise widely known to the public, it is hardly necessary to be very specific here. It is suflicient to say that since his honored father's decease, he is our financial, social and municipal chief, crowned with our unanimous deference, confidence and love. He has a red lettered past and a near future auroral with promise. In due time, no doubt, an ample biography will worthily portray his life career. Meantime his friends must be content with outlines and his likeness. Most of them will feel that this does meagre justice to his manly form and face. But for the pressure of business a better would probably have been secured.

6. Adin Ballon, the present historian, born in Cumberland, E. I., April 23, 1803, of uncollegiate education, but a persistent student of useful knowledge and self-culture; commenced preaching in his nineteenth year ; has been a minister of New Testament Christianity, as he understood it, over sixty-seven years, chiefly in the southeasterly section of this county ; is author of a " History of Milford, Mass.," a " History and Genealogy of the Ballous " and many minor works; and holds too many peculiarities of faith and practice to be classed very exactly with any religious denomination. His likeness is a tolerably correct one, and appears in this work through the generosity of an eminent friend.

Here we may conclude this sub-history as su2iciently minute and comprehensive for the place it is to occupy among its county associates. It shows that the town of Hopedale, though small and infantile, compared with its elder and grander comunicipalities, has a record with strong points of interest in it, and a probable future of rising impor- tance not wholly unworthy of its name. And it affords the writer peculiar plea.sure to say in closing that, notwithstanding all the unpleasantness growing out of separation from mother Milford, every embitterment is evidently passing away, and the present relations of the two towns are mutually amicable and harmonious.

The Beginnings

October 16, 1660, in answer to the petition of seven inhabitants of Braintree, the General Court of the Masaachusetis Colony judged "it meete to encourage the petitioners to proceede in theire settling themselves and an able ministry with them, in the place desired for a new plantation within their time limited." " In further answer to said Braintry petition the court declares that they judge meete to grant a plantation of eight miles square, and that the persons named have liberty to enter thereupon and make a beginning thereof, and to take such persons into their society as they shall judge meete, and that Maj. Humphrey Atherton, Left. Roger Clap, Capt. Eliaser Lusker and Deacon Parkes, or any three of them, shall and hereby are appointed commissioners, & are empowered to make a valid act there."

In furtherance of the object of these petitioners, the honorable court chose " Mr. Ptster Bracket and Ensign Moses Paine for to purchase a title of the Indians, containing eight miles square, about fifteen miles from Medfield Town, at a place commonly called Masconsapong."

The^e gentlemen purchased the tract of Great John and three other Nipmuck chiefs for " the summe of twenty-foure pounds sterling." The deed was signed by them and was witnessed by the Indian apostle, John Eliot, Wr., and his son, John Eliot, Jr., April 22, 1662.

Three months after the purchase of the land "the committee impowered by the General Courte to assist the ordering and setling the plantation granted at Netmoke," in a document dated " Dorchester, July 5, 1662," declared the regulations for the plantation on which they had agreed.

An allotment of one hundred and fifty acres was to be made to each subscriber who possessed estate of one hundred pounds, and to all others in this proportion. Only persons "of honest and good report are accepted and allowed to take alotment in said plantation."

No one could "sell or lease or alienate his said alotment or any part thereof without the consent of the majority of those persons chosen to regulate the affairs of the plantation.

Five or seven " meete persons " were to be chosen " for the manageinge these afl'airs," and they were "to have the whole power of accepting inhabitants and disposing lands, according to the rules above written," for one year.

Of these managers Messrs. Payne and Brackett were to be two, and in consideration of all their services were to receive land, not more than three hundred acres.

All persons "accepted to alntments shall be settled at the said plantation before the end of the seventh month, 166.1, with their persons and estates."

But it was not until the fall of 1663, or the summer of 1664, that the men who had obtained the grant, with their families, to the number, perhaps, of twelve, " hewed their way through the wilderness to the spot where now stands the village of Mendon." Thus began the Nipmuck plantation, the township of Quinshepauge, soon incorporated. May 15,1667, and called Mendham, afterwards Mendon. It was the second incorporated town in Worcester County, Lancaster alone preceding it.

The grant by the General Court was of a territory eight miles square, but that taken under the grant was ten miles by twelve, and included the present towns of Mendon, Blackstone and Uxbridge, the most of Northbridge and Milford, a part of Upton and Bellinghamt and parts of three towns now in Rhode Island. Three entire towns and a portion of seven others were in the original Nipmuck plantation.

This is the story of the grant and purchase of the territory of the town of Northbridge, save about onetenth of its present area, which was annexed to it from Sutton, soon after its incorporation.

While this territory belonged to the original fortyfour proprietors of Mendon from the beginning, it was not occupied until after the beginning of the seventeenth century.

April 1, 1707, there was a " Jacob Aldrich farm," one-half mile below the present Quaker Meeting- House, on the eastern side of " the great river." February 10, 1710, he sold this, with the house on it, to his son, Peter Aldrich, who was perhapn the first resident of what is now Northbridge.

Woodland Thompson owned a large tract of land, including what were afterwards known as the Southwick, the Benson and Wing farms, in 1707, and soon after, if not at that date, began to reside on it.

Benjamin Thompson, brother of Woodland, owned land on both sides of "the great river," south of the Quaker Meeting-House, as early as 1707, and lived on it as early as 1728. These three were all of Mendon, receiving or buying their land of their fathers, also of Mendon.

George Woodward, of Brookline, bought 120 acres in the west part of what is now Whitinsville, in 1712, and occupied it for several years. He was a schoolteacher as well as " Husbandman."

Seth Terry, of Barrington, Bristol County, clerk, bought at different times and from different persons, in 1725, '26 and '27, 488 acres of land, "with all the water courses, mines or minerals belonging thereto," which included "the Falls" of Mumford River, in what is now Wliitinsville, and at once built a sawmill, perhaps the first in the town, and " Iron works." He began, or prepared to begin, the manufacture of " refined iron." But he remained here only a few months, as he sold all, including the "saw-mill '' and the "iron works" and "all other buildings," to Hugh Hall, of Boston, January 10, 1728.

The same year Christopher Winter, of Mendon, began to reside on the " Winter place," one-half mile north of what is now Rockdale, on the east side of " Great River."

While these earliest settlers of what is now Northbridge were making their homes in the different parts of the town, a change had taken place in their town relations.

For many years the " Inhabitants of the western part of Mendon " had " laboured under great Difficulties, by Reason of their Remoteness from the Place of publick Worship in Said Town." They sought and obtained permission for sejiaration from Mendon, and, on petition to the General Court, were incorporated as a town June 27, 1727. The history of Northbridge is now included in that of Uxbridge for forty-five years. It is evident (hat those living in the part of the town now Northbridge took their part in all town aciion, bore their share of the burdens and claimed their rights and privileges, although somewhat remote from the centre of the town life, in what was then Uxbridge.

The new town secured preaching from the first, and after considerable fruitless negotiations with Rev. Othniel Cambell and Mr. Jonathan Wales, they voted, June 22, 1730, "to follow the advice of ministers, and give Mr. Nathan Webb a call." They voted £100 " encouragement '' and £90 salary "good passable money." The call was accepted, and December 31st it was voted to proceed with the ordination, and to build a pulpit for the meetinghouse. All these questions which are now decided by the parish were then decided in town-meeting. In fact, the town was the parish. While the church had the initiative in calling a minister, as now, the town contracted with and supported him, as the parish does now. The town was the legal body. The town began the meeting-house in 1728, the next year after it was incorporated. Before this the town-meetings and religious services were held in private houses. The meeting-house was occupied for town-meeting the next May, but it was not fully finished before it gave place to a new house, though we find frequent votes to finish it, and committees raised, and appropriations made for that purpose.

The first mention of schools in the new town is in January, 1731, when it was voted that the town will have a school dame, for the first seven or eight months to keep a school in each part of the town " proportionable." The next year it was voted to employ a schoolmaster, John Read, Sr. At the same meeting it was voted to procure a pair of stocks, and a few months after twelve shillings are voted to John Chilson for making them. After this, votes as to the schoolmaster, with appropriations for his pay and his board, are quite frequent. In 1734 we find the town dufricted or "Squadroned," and it was voted that each squadron select some woman to teach the children to read, who should be approbated by the selectmen. For many years the schools were under the care of these officers. The pay of these teachers came from the " School Fund." This fund was obtained from Mendon, being their part of the fund granted by the colony to that town. After long negotiation and many conferences of committees, it was voted, March 2, 1732, to accept two hundred pounds from Mendon as their part of the school fund. It was increased in 1736 by a gift of five hundred acres of land from the colony. The land was situated in that part of the State which went to New Hampshire in settling the boundary with that State in 1741, and it was thus lost to the town. It had already been sold to parties in the town, from whom it was repurchased when it went into New Hampshire, and it was replaced by a new grant from the colony and was located by a committee of the town, but the recordsdo not show where. This school fund was loaned to individuals, and sometimes great difficulty was experienced in getting the interest. In 1738 it was voted to build the first school-house near the meeting-house. In 1761 there was another districting of the town in thirteen .squadrons, containing one hundred and sixty -three families, the names of which are given, which is the first list found. In these families there wereflve hundred and twenty-eight scholars, an average of somewhat more than three for each family. From this we may suppose the population was not far from twelve hundred. In the part now Northbridge, as is judged from the names given, there were but forty-one families, indicating a population of about three hundred. This

In 1764 a new squadron of seven families was voted to have their part of the school fund. The school district system thus early established was continued until quite recently.

The first mention of Quakers in the town is on March 6, 1728, when it was voted " not to free the Quakers," probably from the tax to support the preaching. At the close of the records of 1734i the following list of persons, " called Quakers," appears: Seth Aldrich, Benjamin Taft, Peter Aldrich, Seth Aldrich, Jr., Abel Aldrich, Jr. Samuel Taft - six.

It is difficult to learn when the Quakers first came into what is now Northbridge. Whitney, in his " History of Worcester County," published in 1793, says they came into Mendon, of which Northbridge was then a part, as early as 1703. Of Uxbridge he says, in 1793, ''one quarter are Quakers and Anabaptists." In Northbridge he says there are twelve Quaker families.

We must suppose the Quakers came up the Blackstone Valley from Rhode Island, their early refuge. Many of them settled in the South Parish of Mendon (now Blackstone), and in Uxbridge, and a few pushed up into what is now Northbridge.

With them also came the Anabaptists, who had, like them, found a refuge in Rhode Island. The limit of this immigration was the south part of Grafton.

The Quakers experienced some difficulty from their peculiar tenets as to religion and war, as is manifest from the town records. The first mention of them is the refusal of the town to "free " them from the minister tax.

In the warrant for the meeting for May, 1762, the fifth article reads, " To see if the town will vote not to proceed any further upon, about, or anywise concerning a petition that Cap. Solomon Wood [Representative] exhibited to the great and General Court, last winter, wherein he complains of the Quakers' hard usage upon the captains, concerning a tax laid upon them in the year 1759, for not sending soldiers into the war." At the meeting it was voted, " Not to act at all, any way on the Sth Article, in the warrant, to pass it over not acted on." From this it appears that the Quakers remained true to their principles as to war and were taxed, but that they did not remain quiet under the infliction. They would not perform military duty, and the town was obliged to hire men to fill the quota, because of their exemption, and they complained that their tax to reimburse the colony was unjust and they were unwilling to pay it.

It is remarkable that this is the only reference, in the records of the town, to the French and Indian War, which lasted from 1764 to 1760. But from the

State archives we learn that the town bore a large burden in this war. From the Northbridge part of the town quite surely twenty-six, and probably thirtyfive, persons served for forty-five different terms of six months to almost a year. This for a population of not more than three hundred, with not more than sixty of military age, is a very large number. We have no reason to suppose they did more than other towns. And this suggests to us what it cost our fathers to defend their homes and liberties in those early days. All through these years they kept up their military organizations as they had done from the beginning. They had their "Training Field" and training-days. Thus were they being prepared for the more severe struggle of twenty years later, which did not find them, when it came, all unready for it.

March 28, 1728, at one of the first town-meetings of the new town, it was voted " to accept £90 sh. 5, which the General Court had allotted to the town of Uxbridge as their proportion of the £60,000 emitted for the use of the Province," and a trustee Was appointed to receive it. It was also voted, "That said money should be let out on good security, not exceeding £5 to any one person." Here is the first mention in our town records of the "Bills of Credit," issued by the province, which were the cause of great derangement in all financial calculations and transactions and of the various evils of an irredeemable paper currency. Mr. Joseph Taft strenuously resisted the acceptance of this semblance of money by the town, and entered a written protest, signed by himself, Benjamin Taft and Joseph Taft, Jr. Soon the evils of a money that could not be converted into specie began to appear in the larger sums that were voted for town purposes, in the additional sums voted to the minister, in the contributions made for him on the Sabbath. If one wished to mark his contribution it was allowed him in his minister tax, but all unmarked it was voted should be free and clear to Mr. Webb. But it is evident that this gratuity did not make good the depreciation, for presently we see votes to raise from the town additional sums for Mr. Webb, until May, 1753, when his salary was changed from that first agreed on to £53 6s. %d., lawful money.

We must suppose this is but a fair example of the derangement and difficulty that occurred in all business transactions, from the unsettling of nominal values.

There are some votes recorded which give interesting revelations of the condition of the country, of the customs of the people, and of their feelings on public questions, which seem to be worthy of transcription, as

August 15, 1728, it was voted "That unless Mendon be made a shire town as well as Worcester, and have the courts one-half time, they had rather remain in Suffolk Co. as now." They resented the ambition of the new and smaller town of Worcester to have the

August 26, 1730, it was voted " The town will not join with County Middlesex in praying for a new county and that they will join in a petition with towns in West Suffolk to make a county there. But all this action is in vain, for Worcester County is constituted in 1731, and Uxbridge, then including Northbridge, is a part of it.

September 1, 1730, it is voted to appropriate four pounds to pay for killing wild cats. How long they felt the need of offering this premium for killing beasts of prey we do not know, but May 23, 1751, it was voted not to pay any more bounty for killing wolves.

December 18, 1739, it was voted to raise a committee to see that the law about killing deer be not violated. After this for many years in Uxbridge before the division, and in Northbridge, after it was incorporated, a " Deer Reave " was chosen with the other town officers. The last was in 1787.

May 28, 1756, it was voted " not to send a representative (to the General Court) this year." We are surprised at such a vote. But the mystery is cleared when we learn that the town paid the charges of the Representative, and when there was no business of special importance, no town interest to present, they saved the expense and voted not to send one. There are some votes that indicate that in some cases gentlemen went to Boston, after a vote not to send a representative, to present to the General Court some interest of the town. These votes are for compensation to certain persons, for what they had done for the town in Boston the previous year. This vote of 1756 not to send a Representative is not the only one ; many such follow down into the separate history of Northbridge to 1835. For the first sixty years of this town's history it was voted not to send thirty-seven, and to send twenty-three years. This not sending a Representative was considered an offence against the colony and Uxbridge was fined ten pounds in 1765 for its first neglect to send one. On petition of the town, on the ground of great impoverishment, by disease, drought and frost, the fine was remitted. Yet we see the neglect frequently occurred in subsequent years.

May 12, 1763, it was voted " that the selectmen for the time being provide a work-hovse, and a master for said house, and convey all the idle persons there, in case they come to want, and belong to the town." Before this, provision had been made for the poor by boarding them with private families, but this is the first provision for a common house for them with work and a master.

September 1, 1766, it was voted "to allow the Representative to vote to make good the Lieutenant- Governor's damage, lately sustained by the mob in Boston, if he thinks proper upon the best information he can get." This refers to the destruction of Lieutenant-Governor Hutchinson's house in Boston, when the attempt was made to enforce the Stamp Act. It was the first rumble of the storm so .«oon to burst upon the colony and the land. We notice how the question is referred to the town. Seldom did the General Court act on any important matter, especially one that involved resistance to the oppressive acts of the mother country, without consulting the towns. The people were the sovereigns ; they must support the action of the court, and it is referred to them, if possible, for decision.

We notice, too, how they trust to the discretion of their Representative, saying. " If he think proper upon the best information he can get."

Now for forty years had Uxbridge grown and prospered, and in this growth and prosperity the northern portion (now Northbridge) had shared. Others beside those already named came to live here.

Nathan Park came from Newton 1728, and settled near the Quaker Meeting House, and was one of the largest landholders in town and very prominent in town affairs. He was the grandfather of Professor E. A. Park, of Andover Seminary. John Spring settled in the southern part of Northbridge, on the west side of "Great River" in 1736, and was also prominent in town affairs.

Nicholas Baylies, of Cumberland, R. I., and his brother Thomas, of Taunton, who was a " Forger," leased the " Iron Works" at the Falls of Mumford's River, for twenty-one years, of John Merritt, of Boston, in 1739, and resided near their works, which, for many years, went by the name of " Baylies' Forge,"

The privilege at Riverdale was purchased by James Nutting, of Grafton, in 1753, and improved by him by the erection of two grist-mills and a saw-mill.

Samuel Goldthwait came from the northeastern part of the colony in 1759, and purchased four hundred acres of land between Whitinsville and the Hill, and in the adjacent parts of Sutton, and settled upon it.

doQ stock. The Mendon migration spent itself maiuly in what is now Uxbridge, a few of its families, as the Aldriches and Winters, coming up the valley of " Great River,'' into what is now Northbridge, which was so eiwily accessible. But the more distant parts of the town, as the upper valley of the Mumford, and the high land near Sutton, waited for immigrants from more distant places.

There is evidence tliat for some years the north part of Uxbridge had had separate interests from the south part. It had come to be called by its own name, "The North End." In 1736 a constable was appointed for the " North End."

In 1753 we find a collector of the minister's tax for each end of the town. We may suppose the desire for a separation had long existed before it secured its object. The expression of this desire was occasioned by the difficulty as to the building of a new meetinghouse.

In June, 1766, an article appears in the town warrant to see if the town will build a new meetinghouse, but it was passed over. Before it comes up at the meeting in October a new difficulty appears. Ills manifest that if it cannot be placed in the centre of the town, so as to accommodate those at the " North End," they of the North Eud do not wish to help in building it, but to be set off as a separate town. To such a division the town will not listen, and the new meeting-house must be set near the place of the old one. Nor would the town excuse the North End from their share in the expense of building the new house, nor listen to their petition to be relieved from bearing their part in the support of the minister. Afier repeated failures to secure their desire from the town, they of the " North End " apply to the " General Court" for relief Their petition was presented July 1, 1771, praying, on the ground of their distance from the meeting-house, " that they with their families and estates, may be made a separate District, and that they may be entitled to their proportionable part of the ministry money, and the Lands granted by the General Court to said Town for their extraordinary expense in building bridges." Uxbridge answered the petition by a committee, but the petition was granted, and, Uxbridge consenting, the North End was incorporated as a " District,^' with the name of Northbridge, July 14, 1772, and fourteen years later, in 1786, it became a Town, by Stale law. Though called a " District," it had all the rights and performed all the functions of a Town, except that tliey were to choose a Representative to the General Court with Uxbridge. The Representative might be from Northbridge or Uxbridge. It was a town in reality, if not in name. Thus Northbridge began its sejiarate life with a population of between four and five hundred, as we infer from the fact that the State census four years later gives four hundred and eightyone.

lands, were received from Sutton, they seeking the change because they were so much nearer to Northbridge for religious privileges and town duties. In 1801, Jacob Bassett and others, with their lands, were also received from Sutton. In the act of incorporation it was provided that David Draper and seven others whose homes and lands were included in the given bounds of the "District " of Northbridge, with their heirs, shall be permitted to remain in Uxbridge as long as they so choose. If they desire to become citizens of Northbridge, they have only to notify the authorities of Uxbridge in proper form and they are transferred.

Several of these transfers took place, creating no little confusion as to town lines. These families were in the "North End " of Uxbridge, and desired their rights as to the new meeting-house in Uxbridge, but they did not desire to be set off as another town or district, and were allowed to remain on these above-stated conditions. Uxbridge let go her hold on the " North End " very reluctantly, refusing Nov., 1772, to remit any of the £40 assessed on them for the support of the minister the year they were set off, and refusing to grant to the " District of Northbridge their proportionable part of the ministerial and town money and lands granted to the town of Uxbridge."

Chapter Lxiii The New Town

The territory thus set off from Uxbridge, with the few additions afterwards received from Sutton and Uxbridge, is an irregular quadrangle. Its extreme length north and south is about five miles. Its extreme breadth, at the southern end, is absut five miles. At the northern end it is less than three miles, the eastern line running northeast and southwest. It contains 10,551 acres, a little more than sixteen square miles. The Blackstone River runs through it about one mile from its eastern border. The Mumford runs through the southwestern corner. The valley of the Blackstone is from one-half to a mile in width, of desirable intervale land, easy of cultivation and having those natural meadows so much coveted by the early settlers. The land gives quick response to cultivation, but is not strong. The valley of the Mumford is of a similar character, but has le-s intervale for cultivation. A branch of the Mumford runs about one-half mile from the western border of the town, with its deep, narrow valley.

Between these two rivers rises Northbridge Hill, really a broad ridge, with its highest point at the centre, falling oft' Sdraewhat at the north, but s'ill quite high land. The northern portion of this ridge is good, strong farming land, and has been well used for agriculture from the early days of the settlement. These two rivers give several natural water privileges, which have been used from an early day, and have been much improved by tlie building of reservoirs.

The granite which so abounds, often appearing on the surface as boulders and ledges, has furnished abundant materials for building purposes. The town had a dense growth of wood, and the parts unfavorable for tillage are still thickly wooded.

Now legally independent, the people began to care for their own affairs. Their first fourteen townmeetings were at private houses. At the first, at the house of Joseph White, about one mile southeast of the present Northbridge meeting-house, Jonathan Bacon (2d) was moderator, and all the usual town officers were chosen. They early provided themselves with the ordinances of the gospel, voting, in April, 1773, £20 to hire preaching, to be one-half the time at David Batcheller's, one-hi^f at Amos White's. Soon they plan for a suitable place for public worship, and for the transaction of town business. " At a meeting of the town, held on the 1st of February, 1773, it was voted to build a meeting-hou>e on the height of the hill." In regard to the location of the meeting-house there was much feeling ; some wished to have it on the plain, near the local centre of the town, others wished to have it located near the crossing of the roads, northwest of the residence of Joseph White. Another party maintained that it ought to be " on the height of the Hill." They claimed there was a probability that " a mile and a half of Sutton would come off to Northbridge, and then the Hill would be near the local centre of the town." The hill party carried their point, but at the cost of losing some of the other party in all participation in church life, as they always continued to worship in Uxbridge.

"At a meeting held on the 22d of Nov., 1773, it was voted to receive the proposition of John Adams and others, relative to the building and finishing a meeting-house," and it was " voted that it should be 45 feet long, 36 feet wide, and 22 feet posts, and that it be builded as soon as convenient." One hundred and fifty pounds were appropriated to building.

A committee was appointed to carry on the work. The labor and the timber were to a considerable extent furnished by the people of the town. A price was fixed by vote for the various pieces of timber. The house was so far finished by Feb., 1775, that the " pew-spots " (in which the purchasers were permitted to build their own pews) were then sold, and probably meetings were held in it from that time. The following are the names of the purchasers : James Fletcher. Micah Thayer, David Batcheller, William Dalrymple, Stephen Goldthwait, Ezekiel Goldthwait, John Adams, John Adams, Jr., Samuel Baldwin, Dependence Haywood, Joseph White, Henry Chase, Levi Walker, William Davenport, William Bacon and

But very soon the increasing oppression of England called them to consider matters of more than local interest. They were not slow to do their part. They were imbued with the same spirit, grounded in the same principles, and trained in the same habits of self government as were the men of all our Massachusetts towns, who, with a wonderful unanimity, answered to the call to maintain the liberty of the people.

"The first votes of the town as to Revolutionary affairs were passed at a meeting held on the 25th of August, 1774. At this meeting Josiah Wood, Lemuel Powers and Samuel Baldwin were appointed a committee "to correspond with other committees concerning public affairs as occasion shall call for." These committees were suggested by Samuel Adams in 1772, and were soon appointed all over the State and in other States. At this meeting it was also voted that " David Batcheller be chose to provide for a town stock of ammunition, viz., one Barrel of Powder, and lead and flints answerable to it." At the same time it was voted not to import or consume any English goods. The last town-meeting that was warned in the name of "His Majesty" was on the 10th of January, 1775. From this time till 1781 most of the business transacted at the meetings had reference to the struggles in which the Colonies were engaged : as, June 25, 1776, it was voted "to support the Continental Congress with their Lives and fortunes if they should Declare the United American Colonies Independent of Great Britain," and well they kept their vow. We find records of votes for paying the men who had enlisted in the service, for aiding those who had hired men to take their place in the army, and for furnishing provisions and clothing for the soldiers from this town. It is evident there was a disposition to equalize, as far as possible, the burdens that were to be borne. Those who remained at home performed labor on the farms, and in other ways assisted the families of those who were absent. At one meeting it was voted "to allow Joseph White eleven shillings for laboring for Samuel Clemens when he was in the six months' service;" at another it was voted "to raise 40 pounds to pay for shirts, shoes and stockings furnished by the selectmen for soldiers in the Continental Service." At a meeting in May, 1777, it was voted "to allow Stephen Rice 1 pound, 15 shillings, 4 pence, Nathan Park 15 shillings, Jonathan Bacon 9 shillings, and William Park 12 shillings, for carrying provisions to Roxbury in the time of the Lexington Alarm." These provisions were for the men from Northbridge, who were in the service in the vicinity of Boston in 1775.

1. The Ililitia. - Tliese were the men who had been enlisted in the service of the Province, and trained in the towns from the beginning. They were liable to the call of the General Court, through their officers. They were already organized into regiments, the company of Northbridge being in the Eight Worcester County Regiment, with those from Mendon, Upton, Uxbridge and Douglas. These doubtless had long felt they were liable to be called upon for serious work, and they wore prepared for it. It was the militia who sprang, as it were, from the ground, without any summons, save from their company officers, and their own loyal hearts, at Concord and Lexington, and dogged the steps of the British troops in their retreat to Boston, inflicting upon them a much greater loss than they themselves sustained. They soon, at the call of the General Court, girdled Boston, and held General Gage, and his thousands of regular troops, as in a vise. It was they who fought the battle of Bunker Hill, and did all the work of the first year. They were liable to be called out of the State, after the Union of the Colonies was formed, for United States' service, as was the company from Northbridge for eight months at Peekskill in 1778-79, and often in Rhode Island.

2. Besides these were the " Minute-men" volunteers, men not enlisted, but who organized themselves, and stood ready to go at a " Minute's" notice to do brief service in an emergency. They were called out at the alarm that arose from the Lexington fight, and frequently afterwards. On May 9th, fearing a sally of the British from Boston, one-half of the militia and minute-men of the ten towns nearest Roxbury were called there to strengthen the army.

3. But it soon became manifest that an army mbre permanent than either of these could make must be obtained. And the Continental Army, under the command of the Continental Congress, through their officers, with General Washington at their head, was organized. Here were a third class of soldiers whose term of service was from three months to three years, or the war. A quota was assigned to each town, oneseventh of all the males above sixteen, and this quota must be kept full. The quota of Northbridge was eleven. This is in addition to the keeping up the militia, which was often called into service for terms of a few days to eight months.

When the war began there was an organized militia company, under the command of Capt. Josiah Wood, of Northbridge. It belonged to Colonel Joseph Read's regiment, the Twentieth. It was composed of men from Northbridge and Upton.

This company was often called into service. It marched April 19, 1775, at the " Lexington Alarm " to Roxbury with thirty -one men from Northbridge. After a few days fifteen of these men, with seven more from the town, enlisted for eight months' service, under Captain David Batcheller, who went out as lieutenant. Thirty-four men from Upton enlisted in the same company for the same service. This was known as "Captain Batcheller's Company" for several years. It served one and one-half months at Providence as part of the "Third Regiment of the Militia, which marched to this place on the alarm of the 8th day of December, 1776 ;" then for nine, though called out only for eight months, on the North River, at Peekskill, in 1778 and '79; then for sixteen days in Rhode Island in 1780.

In the State archives are found the terms of service of the men in the militia, and also those who were in the Continental service, with many of the pay-rolls. There is evidence that men from the town served in other companies beside that of Captain Batcheller, in the various calls made upon them. These calls were very many. We are told " there was scarcely a week in the fall of 1776 when the militia were not called to march to headquarters now removed to New York, or to Lake Champlain, or to Rhode Island." A large British force also remained in Newport through the spring and summer of 1778, and their fleet commanded the waters in the neighborhood. As a consequence, " the people of Massachusetts, especially near to Rhode Island, were kept in a state of continual alarm. There were but levv Continental troops on the station, and the General Court were obliged to keep the militia in service in great numbers, the whole of this as the preceding year." There were many alarms of raids by the British, as at Tiverton, in May, 1779, when the men of Northbridge were called out and helped drive thtm back. And there is evidence in the town records of many more calls of the militia. There was a difficulty in adjusting the l^ay for the different "turns'' of service, and September 6, 1777, William Park, Captain Josiah Wood and Thomas Read were chosen a committee " to say what past turns in the army shall be put att, according to the year and time of the year, and length of time, and the place where service was done, and the committee make report to the town for their acceptance, and for the town to act thereon as they think proper." The committee reported in October of the next year, 1778. In this report twenty-one " turns '' of service are specified and the pay fixed for each of them, one at Dorchester, varying from two months to one year; five in New York, from three to eight months ; seven at Providence, from fifteen days to two months, and eight others not specified. These, of course, were not all consecutive terms of service, nor by the same bodies of men, for there was not time for so many difl'erent consecutive terms before this report was made. We must suppose the militiamen were called out after this, though not so frequently as before, as the theatre of the war was transferred in such a measure to the South.

of Continentals belonging here. The men from Norlhbridge were absorbed in the various regiments from the Colony. Of the one hundred and eighteen men credited to the town in the State archives, eleven are recorded as having enlisted in the Continental Army, and the town was expected to keep this number good as its quota, so that we must believe there were many more. During the latter years of the war committees were appointed each year to procure men for the Continental Army. And men were hired by individuals for the army. Bounties were paid to some. Some were drafted. Doubtless some of those hired and credited to the town were not citizens here, as is manifest from the warrant for the town-meeting for April 1, 1782, which speaks of men in Norlhbridge and hired men going into the army."

But with all they did, they did not always meet the full demand of the General CoUrt for men. They were taxed for a deficiency of two men in the Continental Army in 1781, and they voted July 28, 1783, that Jonathan Adams carry a petition to have the tax " taken off." At the same meeting they were called upon to act on " one deficiency in the three months' service in 1781, a Quaker man." At the same meeting it was voted to collect a Quaker's tax of about fifteen pounds and pay it to the treasurer. Thus would they have the Quakers pay for the deficiency which came from their not serving personally. It is claimed by the Quakers that this tax was never paid by them, and there is nothing in the town records to show that the town succeeded in carrying its vote into effect. We can hardly understand, even with our recent experience of war, how great the strain was upon our fathers towards the last of the war, with all the loss of life in the service, and the derangements of business so long continued. And no colony bore more than Massachusetts. With less than one-eighth of the population, she furnished more than one-fourth of the years of service in the Continental Army, besides what she did by her militia and minute-men, and of the pecuniary burden she bore about the same proportion. What wonder then that Northbridge, the lowest on the list of towns in valuation, and almost, if not quite, the lowest in population, having but four hundred and eighty in 1776, had difficulty in coming up to the full quota demanded of her, especially as part of her population, the Quakers, contributed no men for the service; she did nobly, and of her record may every citizen feel proud, especially those who trace their families back to those times.

Of course, with these many calls for service, we should expect to find the same man many times in the field. James Sturdevant is found nine times; William Foster, eight times. Nor was the service confined to any one class of the citizens. Of those chosen for the first town officers, we find many in active service. Samuel Baldwin, the town clerk, served four times; Jonathan Bacon, the moderator of the first eleven town-meetings, the first Representative to the General Court, and after chosen to that office, served six times, beginning as private; David Batcheller, one of the first selectmen, saw five terms of service, beginning as lieutenant, and soon made captain and remaining such during the war; Josiah Wood, the treasurer, served three times, as private or captain ; James Fletcher served six times, beginning as a private. Indeed, there could not have been many men in the town, save the Quakers, who did not see some active service.

But personal service in the army was not all that was laid upon them. They, in common with other parts of the country, suffered from a depreciated currency. In 1780 the town voted to raise eighteen thousand pounds to defray town charges, twenty-two hundred pounds for the support of the Gospel, two thousand pounds for the schools and to " allow 100 dollars a day to each man that went to the late alarm at Tiverton." The town afterwards voted not to assess the tax of twenty-two hundred pounds to pay the minister, and that he be paid forty-five pounds silver money, which was probably a full equivalent for the twenty-two hundred pounds Continental money. The same year a vote was passed on account of the scarcity of money, to allow the people to pay their taxes '" in good merchantable grain, to be delivered to the Treasurer." This very difficulty from a depreciated currency, which went down to one-fortieth of its nominal value, made their honor more manifest; for having promised their soldiers a real compensation, their families were provided with food, clothing and fuel by the selectmen of the towns and clothing was furnished to the soldiers. There is ample evidence of this in our town. Being driven to reckoning in silver money as the only possible fixed standard, in 1780 they vote one hundred and sixty-four pounds silver money to purchase beef for the army. They make allowance for the depreciation in settling with Thomas Straight for what he had done in the war. They voted seventy-five pounds silver money to pay men who went to serve in Rhode Island for five months and in New York for three months. They make their contributions to the colony in articles to be used, as beef at a price fixed in silver. There is a sturdy honesty in this, which is very good. They did live in rude houses and worshijj God in unfinished meeting-houses, but they paid their honest dues.

During all this cost and suflTering of the war they did not forget to maintain religious ordinances. The church was organized in 1782, June 6th, with eight members. June 17th they called Mr. John Crane to be their pastor. The town, July 2d, voted to concur with the church in the call. " It was voted," for encouragement, " to give him 200 pounds personage, by giving him the improvement of a farm to that value, or the interest of the same in money, giving him his clioice." " It was also voted to give him 45 pounds annually." In his reply he says, " I accept your proposals, though some things respecting some part of the encouragement have labored in my mind, and the difficulties are not yet removed," Previous to his ordination a vote was passed " to give him 75 pounds as a settlement and the use of 125 pounds as a Personage, instead of the 200 pounds offered by the previous vote." He was ordained June 25, 1783, and ministered to this people for nearly fifty years, quite within the memory of some now living. He resigned his past<jrate January 6, 1832. He preached his last sermon the first Sabbath in May, 1835. He died August 31, 1836. He was a man of great influence, not only in the town, but in all the region. For thirty years he instructed young men in preparation for college or teaching, more than one hundred in all ; among them Rev. Dr. Spring, of New York ; Dr. Calvin Park, Professor in Brown University ; Rev. Cvrus Kingsbury, of the Choctaw Mission ; Rev. Dr. Joel Hawes, of Hartford, and Prof. Alexander M. Fisher, of Yale College.

The people of Northbridge were called upon to act on another important matter during the war - the formation of the State Constitution. They rejected at once the Constitution prepared by the committee appointed by the General Court in 1778. To the convention of delegates from the towns, called at Cambridge, September 1, 1779, they sent Jonathan Bacon as their representative. When the work of the convention was presented in 1780, they did not mean to act hastily in its adoption. At the first meeting, when this was brought before them for action, they adjourned the matter, appointing a committee, consisting of William Park, Samuel Aldrich, Benjamin Benson, Ezekiel Goldthwait and Lieutenant James Fletcher, "to assist the town in examingthe proposed constitution, and in making remarks thereon." At the adjourned meeting they listened to the remarks of these gentlemen, and then they voted on it part by part, amending it where they felt it needed to be amended. The third article of the Bill of Rights they changed to read, " so that those of one religious persuasion shall not impose any tax on those of another." They had Quakers, Baptists and Universalists among them, and they would deal fairly with them, so well had they learned the lesson of religious liberty. And yet not quite to the standard of our day, for they amended the thirteenth article, "so that no one should be eligible to be an officer in either of the foregoing departments unless he shall be of the Christian Protestant religion."

Chapter Lxiv The Later History

The town came out of the war, as did all the other towns of the State, poor and stripped, but redeemed and free, ready for the use of their energies, and of the resources God had placed within their reach, in building the State, the foundations of which they had laid at such cost of treasure and suffering. They experienced the difficulties from the depreciated currency, and it is evident from the records that they shared in the discontent that led to "Shays' Rebellion.' But when called upon to maintain the authority of the government, they made loyal answer, for rebellion was not the way of redress. They knew that prosperity could cbme, not by discontent, but by industry and thrift, and they gave themselves to these, and soon they began to repair their fortunes. We learn the following facts of the town from Rev. Peter Whitney's " History of Worcester County," published 1793 : - " It is not large, having at the time of the late enumeration (1790) eighty-three houses and five hundred and seventy inhabitants (a gain of eighty-nine since 1776). Besides the Congregationalist Church there is a Society of Baptists, consisting of about ten families, at present destitute of any settled teacher. There are also within the town twelve families of Quakers, and two or three of Universalists. There are two corn-mills, one saw-mill and one forge, where much work is performed. The growth of wood on the highlands is very valuable, consisting of walnut, oak and chestnut. That on the lowlands is less valuable. The people here subsist chiefly by farming, and they have the character of an industrious and flourishing people ; and it is said there is hardly an idle person or tavern-haunter in the place." This is surely a good record. But they did not lose their interest in the national welfare, in absorption in their private and local concerns. May 2, 1786, they are called to meet the next day, "To shoe there minds in regard to the trity now depending between Great Briton and the United States." They met and '' voted to sign a memorial and send to the House of Representatives, in Congress assembled, praying them to accept and ratify the trity, and about seventy of the inhabitants signed it."

The fact that the House of Representatives had taken the action they desired three days before, in giving efficacy to Jay's treaty, does not make their action less significant. The town records have only the following entries concerning the War of 1812-14 with England. In the warrant for the meeting of July 30, 1814, the second article is "To see if the town will give anything, how much, to the men who are detaich'd from this town to do duty in the defence of their country." At the meeting, it was " voted to make up the wages of Lyman Thompson and Clark Adams, detach'd men from the town of Northbridge, sixteen - 16 - dollars per month, including what they git from the State." From this we infer that the town had but small share in this war. But when we come to the war to put down the Rebellion of the Southern States against the Union, we find it (the town) thoroughly aroused and doing its full share. Northbridge furnished three hundred and eleven men for the army and navy, which was seventeen more than all demands. The names of two hundred and fifty-seven, serving in forty-three difierent organizations, have been preserved. Of these, ninety-three were in the Fifteenth Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry; twenty-one in the Twenty-fifth ; eight were commissioned oflicers ; the rest were non-commissioned officers and privates.

Eleven of these were killed, ten died of wounds, ten of disease, one was drowned and two died in Ande'sonville prison, - thirty-four lives for the country's life- Fifty-six were dismissed for disability. The first meeting to consider matters relating to the war was held May 8, 1862, at which it was voted to appropriate "such five sums of money as may be required, not exceeding five thousand dollars, to aid in uniforming, and to obtain such articles as may be needful for the comfort of such residents of the town as shall have enrolled themselves into a company of volunteer militia to be formed in this town and vicinity, and also to aid the families of such volunteers while in actual service; also to pay each volunteer one dollar a day, not exceeding thirty days, for time spent in drilling."

July 26, 1862, the selectmen were authorized to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer for three years' service, who shall enlist and be credited to the quota of the town.

Voted, that an additional sum of fifty dollars be paid to volunteers, who shall enlist in regiments now in the field, on or before the 15th of August. A committee of one from each school-district was appointed " to solicit the enlistment of volunteers."

August 27th, "voted to pay a bounty of one hundred dollars to each volunteer enlisting for nine months; the bounty to be paid when the man was mustered in and credited to the town."

October 11th, the bounty to nine months' men was increased fifty dollars, and the bounty for three years' volunteers was raised to two hundred dollars.

November 3, 1863, voted "that the families of conscripts, disabled soldiers, and those who have died in the service of the United States, be placed on the same footing as regards State aid as the families of volunteers."

April 9, 1864, " voted to pay a bounty of one hundred and twenty-five dollars to each volunteer enlisting to fill the quota of the town for three years' service, under the recent call of the President."

AugUit 5, 186.5, " Voted to refund the money to all individuals who have paid money to aid in recruiting." These votes show the readiness of the town to do her full part in the defense of the country.

There w.is also much done by individuals to help enlistments. More than twenty-six thousand dollars was contributed for this purpose, beyond what was refunded by the State. More than eight thousand

Careful estimates of what the town paid for the cost of the war in taxes growing out of it, and in contributions, make the sum $710,773.63, while the valuation was but .f945,374 in 1860 and $898,385 in 1865. Her part was well done and willingly.

In the beginning the lown-meetings were held in private houses. But as soon as the " Town's Meeting-House" was so far completed as to warrant occupancy, it was used for town (then "District") purposes. It was, as long as owned by the town, the town's house. The first town (or district) meeting held in it was February 24, 1775, and here for nearly sixty years they held their meetings and acted on all the secular interests of the community. They often adjourned to a private house, especially in cold weather, as we understand, because they had no means of warming the meeting-house. About 1830 a desire for another place of meeting appeared. In the warrant lor the March meeting of 1832 there had been an article " to see if the Town will build a house to transact their business in.'' But it was passed over. In 1833 the town-meeting was warned to meet at Jacob Kinneston's Hall, in the publichouse at Holbrook's Upper Village (now Rockdale). March, 1834, it was voted " to build a Town-House for the transaction of Town business." But at the same meeting a committee made a report, which was accepted, " that it is not proper to remove townmeetings from the Meeting- House until a more convenient place is procured." Notwithstanding this vote, they often voted to meet elsewhere, as at Rockdale, and frequently in the chapel of Whitinsville. The desire for a more convenient place belonging to the town continued, and in 1871 a committee was appointed " to consider what Building or Buildings are required for a Town-Hall, High School and other town purposes, to report at a future meeting." In the March meeting of 1872 the report was made. Before any action was taken upon it, Mr. John C. Whitin made an otter in behalf of himself and his brothers to provide suitable rooms for town-meetings and town business in a building to be erected by them. This oft'er was accepted, and they erected Memorial Hall, in Whitinsville, on the site of the homestead of their parents, a handsome building of brick, with granite trimmings, one hundred and ten by sixty feet. In the basement is a hall for townmeetings. On the first floor are a small hall for meetings, two rooms for town purposes, with a fireproof vault for town books, a reading room and rooms for the Social Library. In the second story is a large hall for public meetings.

The first town-meeting in the new building was held in the Lower Hall, November 7, 1876, and since that time all the town-meetings have been held here.