Worcester City (part 34 of 58)

The second historical anniversary was held in pursuance of a resolution of Congress relative to local histories, under a bower on the same spot, July 4, 1876 ; Deacon Cephas Willard, ninety years of age, presided. Lyman Clark, then pastor of the First Congregational Church (Unitarian), delivered the address which was intended to supply some information relative to the earlier period not contained in the previous address, and to add historical facts pertaining to the period of twenty-two years which had passed since the previous celebration. This address was publi-ihed in the Athol Transcript for July 11 and 18, 1876. George W. Horr, LL.B., in tha year 1879 prepared a valuable historical article for a " History of Worcester County." Hon. John G. Mudge has carefully prepared the record of the soldiers of the War of the Rebellion, and furnished much other information. Mr. J. B. Howe has for many years collected materials for the history of the town, many items of which have appeared in the Athol Transcript. A valuable MS. in his possession contains the letters of Captain Park Holland, prepared from a diary kept by him of six years' service in the Revolutionary War, service at (he time of Shays' Rebellion, and surveying tours to the eastern part of what is now the State of Maine. Acknowledgments are made to these various sources of information contained in this article, including courtesies by Mr. C. B. Tillinghast, in charge of the State Library. The preparation of a full history of the town remains for the future. Probably few towns of the State will be found to have more interesting historical resources than are furnished by the annals of Petersham.

1733, John Bennet, Jeremiah Perley and sixtyfive others petitioned the General Court for a grant of land six miles square. The proposed grant was to be located from a point beginning six miles from the northwest corner of Rutland, the southern line running westerly six miles. The reason urged in favor of the grant by the petitioners was previous service in the Indian Wars under Captain Lovell, of Dunstable, and Captain White, of Lancaster. Two previous petitions had been sent to the General Court without avail. This petition was acted upon favorably on the 2.5th day of April, 1733, the General Court having excluded nine of the petitioners and added five new names, making seventy-one proprietors. The grant was at the average rate of three hundred and twenty-four acres per man, or about twice the amount now allowed under the bounty laws of the United States, and may be thought a generous recognition of the " Hardship and Difficult marches they underwent " . . . " after the Inden Enemy and Into their Country,'' which were humbly assigned as reasons for the grant.

It is probable that those marches had at some time led the petitioners over the lands which they thought desirable for a plantation, and that thus the location was fixed in their minds. Some of them were men of means, thus giving the enterprise of establishing a plantation responsible endorsement. The petitioneri lived chiefly in the northwestern part of Middlesex and northeastern part of Worcester Counties. The towns of Lancaster, Boxford, Harvard, Lunenburg, Concord, Groton, Dracut, Haverhill, Billerica, Grafton, Rutland, Sudbury, Worcester, Amesbury, Exeter, N. H., Bedford, Chelmsford and other places were represented among the proprietors.

Farnsworth, Edward Hartwell, Ruben Farnsworth." The five of these petitioners who were excluded by the General Court were: Edward Hartwell, Joseph Wright, Joseph Whelock, Robart Phelps and Jonathan Houghton, Jr.

Nine persons required to be admitted among the proprietors were : Thomas Farmer, Henry Coulburn, Jonathan Farrer, Samuel Shaddock, Samuel Trull, Jacob Corey, Joshua Webster, Abiel Foster, Samuel Tarbol. Thus the names of seventy-one proprietors were recognized in the grant, many of whom never became settlers, but transferred their lands to children or other assignees. In a subsequent report of the names by the proprietors' clerk, the name Aaron Ried appears instead of Aron Rice, and Sam" Terrill in place of Samuel Trull. It may be deemed mare likely that the true names were Ried and Terrill, an imperfect signature possibly explaining the early error, which was corrected by the proprietors' clerk after ample acquaintance.

Samuel Willard appears to have borne the military rank of major; Jeremiah Perley and Jonas Houghton, that of captain; John Bennet and Samuel Tarbol, that of lieutenant.

Services in the Indian War. - The following statement is made by Willson, in his address at the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, of the services referred to in the petition of the proprietors. " What proprietors of this town rendered services under Captain White, of Lancaster, or what the particular services rendered were, it is out of my power to tell ; but we have the means of identifying above forty oftheseventy-oneproprietorsof this town, as having been volunteers under the famous and redoubtable Captain Lovell, of Dunstable, on the last but one of his marches into the Indian country, - they constituting about three-fourths of his whole force. This was the expedition in which a camp of ten Indians was surprised, and the whole number exterminated." It is not easy to pass this allusion without expressing a sense of humiliation in view of the fact that this warfare against the Indians was carried on in pursuance of an ofl'er by Massachusetts of a bounty of one hundred pounds (sterling money) each for the scalps of the Indians. The scalps were brought in and the bounty paid. Aside from the barbarism of this warfare on the part of the whites, which the (>ctitioners shared with the people of Massachusetts, the character of the original proprietors, as thus indicated, is of interest when considered in connection with events which took place at the time of the Revolutionary War. Their martial service was the occasion of a designation of the town, which sometimes appears in the early records as Volunteer's Town, or, by abbreviation, Voluntown. The name borne by established usage from the date of settlement to that of incorporation, 1^54, was Nichewaug. This name

The proprietors held their first meeting in Lancaster, May 10, 1733 ; the second in Groton during the autumn of the same year. At this meeting, in Groton, it was voted that a meeting-house be built. It will be noted that Groton is central between Lancaster, Dunstable and the neighboring towns, from which the recruits for the companies of Captains White and Lovell were enlisted.

Settlees. - More of interest attaches to the names of the early settlers than to those of the proprietors as such, many of whom never located in the town, but disposed of their rights to others. In pursuance of action by the General Court, Thomas Adams, proprietors' clerk, prepared, December 14, 1750, a report of the names of forty-seven settlers, with the proprie tor's right on which they were located. This affords a means of distinguishing this number of settlers by the names which follow : John Stowill, Jacob Wheeler, Jonas Farusworth, Sam" Willson, Nath' Sanderson, Nathan Goddard, Isaac Wardj^Christ'' Page, Isaac Hilldrake, Nath' Stevens, Salvenas How, Joseph Marble, David Stone, Simeon Houghton, David Page, John Wilder, Junr., Dan" Mills, George Dobbins, Sam' Willard, Jun., Esq'., Aaron Allen, Ephraim Rice, Joseph Willson, Sam" Whittemore, William Negus, Sam" Marble, James Clemence, Ebenezer Davis, Thos. Robbins, Dan" Owen, Benj° Chandler, Nath" Wilder, Zedekiah Stone, Ebenez' Hill, David Lawson, Thomas Rogers, Daniel Fisk, Edmund Bingham, Edward Allen, Jon° Marble, David Lawson, Jun'., Sam" Gats, David Sanderson, Dan" Dunkin, Charles Wilder, Aaron Wilder, Dan" Spooner, Eleazer Sanger.

The report closes with this statement : " There are Divers others settled on Devisions belonging to the same Rights that are here settled, but the time being so short since I saw the act in the Prints that I am not aljie at present to give an exact account what particular Rights they are settled on and convey the same to the General assembly by the time appointed; but the number of families in said Township are Sixty-one."

This report dates from four years previous to the incorporation of the town, 1754. The fir.^t census, taken in 1765, showed a population of seven hundred and seven.

Tradition reports that the first two houses in the settlement were built by Joseph Willson and Simeon Houghton, the question of precedence not being determined.

Relations with the Indians. - The proprietors of the town of Petersham acquired by purchase, in addition to the grant of the General Court, an Indian claim upon the land. Probably this contributed to the peaceable relations of the settlers with the claimants, no death by savage violence having ever been reported as occurring within the town. We have a glimpse of the early time in the following description, by Captain Park Holland, whose father came to the town from Shrewsbury in 1752, of an alarm at the time of the French and Indian War, 1756: "I recollect as distinctly as if but yesterday when the inhabitants were called upon to be ready to defend themselves. We were at church when news came that the enemy was near. The services were immediately ended, and each man seized his gun, which he had left at the door, hastened home to be ready to march in the morning. I well remember one of our neighbors coining to borrow a darning-needle of ray mother to mend her husband's stockings, which I very much wondered at, it being Sunday, not exactly seeing how the expected approach of the French and Indiana could lessen the sin of working on that holy day. I was then probably four or five years old." As this was an alarm it appears that their habit was to take their guns to church, which at a later date has not been thought to be in good form. Horr quotes Whitney to the same eflect in the following passage : "Although the prospects from the soil were very promising, and settlers moved in fast, yet they laboured under many and exceeding great di.>-:advantages, being then so remote from any white people, from whom they could procure the necessaries of life, or derive any aid or support. While in its infancy and struggling for life, a French war broke out, and the Indians, being always in the interest of the French, became hostile, and began to commit depredations in various parts of the land, which occasioned the few inhabitants great fear and danger, obliging them to build forts in different parts of the town, round certain houses, into each of which a number of families moved for safety and defence, and soldiers were stationed there as a guard to the inhabitants, and to reconnoitre the country. The people used to labor on their lands in small parties, changing work with one another, having their guns by them, and these, also, they were for a long time obliged to carry with them whenever they went to the House of God for religious worship, and also to place sentinels at the doors."

Chapter Lxxi Incidents Of The Revoi.Ution

Emflmimfnl of a Teacher - Dedication of a Liberly Tree - Breakiyig Open a School-home - A Suit for Damages - A Brilliant Attorney - A Ilepresentatiee Instructs - Warlike Resolutions - Greeting to Boston - Tltat " Town" Invited to Petersham - The Doings of Several Parties - Rwjal~ isU Disarmed - A Town-meeting in 1170 - The Miuter-roll - Clearing a Parade Ground - Captain Holland Dines with Washington - Inoculated with Small pox - Financial Honor of the Town.

the first grew out of the etnployment of a teacher. Rev. Aaron Whitney, pastor of the church and member of the School Board, was a royalist. (More than a hundred years removed from the passions of that time, we may well avoid tlie current epithets and show the literary courtesy of styling the two parties to the revolutionary stuiggle royalists and revolutionists, words exactly expressing the political position of the opponents.) Eusign Man, an applicant for the position of teacher, was in sentiment a revolutionist ; in view of which Mr. Whitney refused to take part in his examination, but was present. The teacher was employed notwithstanding the opposition of Mr. Whitney, and became a party to several events connected with the war. In 1768 the Massachusetts House of Representatives had forwarded an address to the King, relative to grievances, which was deemed by the crown offensive in its terms, and the House was ordered to rescind its action. The vote upon this question was seventeen in favor of to ninety-two against rescinding the petition. The " Sons of Liberty," at Petersham, celebrated, in characteristic fashion, this refusal to withdraw a petition for redress of grievances. They selected a thrifty young elm tree, and cut away seventeen branches, leaving, as tradition declares, ninety-two remaining. With songs, toasts and patriotic ceremony the dismembered branches were consigned to the flames, and the living tree dedicated to the Goddess of Liberty. That Ensign Man, teacher of the children of the place, should take part, as he did, in such ceremonies, would naturally arouse theindignation of the royalist citizens of the town. A certain school-house stood upon giound which was claimed by Captain Thomas Beaman, as was the school-house itself, to be his property. For the purpose of keeping the offending schoolmaster from using this school-house, Captain Beaman closed the door with a padlock. Mr. Sylvanus How, who had formerly owned the land, claimed that the school-house stood in the highway, and, going with Mr. Man, they broke open the door. A suit ibr damages arose, the decision of which awarded the plaintiff, Captain Beaman six shillings. The defendants appealed and obtained, a reduction of this small award, but were compelled to pay the costs, which were a considerable sum. Utterly trivial, petty and insignificant as this is, it led, such being the complications of human events, to that which rises to the dignity of historic consequence. Sylvanus How had employed no less a personage than the brilliant and distinguished Josiah Quincy, Jr., to defend him from being, as he thought, unrighteously mulcted in the sum of six shillings for opening a school-house. This able lawyer was unsuccessful so far as the main question was concerned. A petty reduction of the petty fine was all he accomplished, leaving the right of the cause, as awarded, to the plaintiff Beaman. But Mr. Quincy was able to render Mr. How other and very much more important services, which may now be narrated.

The Boston Committee of Correspondence had sent out its Circular Letter to the towns. Mr. How was chairman of the town committee to draft a reply to that circular. He sought unofficial assistance from his attorney, Mr. Quincy, who used the opportunity with good effect. Mr. How's associates upon the committee were Colonel Ephraim Doolittle, Jonathan Grout, Samuel Dennis, Daniel Miles, Captain Elisha Ward, John Stowell, Theophilus Chandler and Deacon William Willard. This committee, with the friendly assistance of Mr. Quincy, prepared a reply to the circular from Boston, a series of resolutions relative to the condition of the colonies, and a series of instructions to their representative to the General Court. Colonel Ephraim Doolittle represented the town and was also moderator of the town-meeting, held January 4, 1773, which acted upon the report. An excerpt from the instructions to their representative is of special interest as showing the temper of the report:

It is our earnest desire, and we liere direct you to use your utmost influencr^ (as one of the legislative body) to uonvinco the imtion of Great Britain that the measures they have meted out to us will have a direct tendency to destroy both them and us ; and petition the King and Parli.auiaut of Great Britain, in the most pathetic and striking manner, to relieve us from our aggravated grievances. But if this slionld fail, we reconunend it to your consideration and direct you to move it to the consideration of the honorable Court, whether it would it not be best to call in the aid of some Protestant Power or Powers, requesting that they would use their kind and Christian influence with our mother country, that so we m.ay be relieved, and that brjtherly love and harmony may again take place, and that natural alliance again be restoted between us and Great Britain, which may coQtinue until time shall be no more.

An excerpt from the resolutions, known to have originated in the mind of Mr. Quincy, presents the alternative of the town in case of the failure of the peaceful methods of petition and arbitration:

Eesolved, That it is the first and highest social duty of this people to consider of, and seek ways and meiuig for a speedy redress of these mighty grievances alul intolerable wrongs ; and that for the obtainment of this end, this people are warranted by the laws of God and nature in the use of every rightful art, aud energy of policy, stratagem and force.

This historic deliberative action of the town recommended a petition, "in the most pathetic and striking manner," for redress of grievances, arbitration as the alternative; but failing in these, the town declared resistance warranted by use of every rightful art, energy of policy, strategem and force. Can it be truly said that this deliberative conclusion of the town in parliament, January 4, 1773, was in any respect less significant, though less famous than the actual use of force which began at Concord two years later?

Gentlemen ; The town of Petersham having received the circular letter from the town of Boston, with the 8tate[luent] of rights aud grievances as published by them, most sensibly congratulate you on retiecting on that pr nciple of virtue which must have induced your town, at GO critical a day, to take the lead in so good a cause ; and our admiration is heightened when we consider your being exposed to the first efforts of the iron jaws of power. The time may come when, if you continue your integrity, that you may be ilriven from your goodly heritages; and if that sliould be tlio case {wliicli God of Ilia infinite mercy prevent), we invite you to share witli us in our small supplies of the necessarys of life. And should the voracious jaws of tymnny still haunt us, and we should not be able to withstand them, we are determined to retire and seek refuge among the inlanil aboriginal natives of this country, with whom we doubt not but to iind more humanity and brotherly love than we have lately received from our mother country.

We are sensible that there i.s a number amongst us who are wicked enough to make use of their whole influence to divide and render the efforts making for a union abortive; and that they are induced to conduct in this manner from the low motives of expecting to be sharers in the .arbitrary power which they are so active in endeavoring should take place, and of sharing in the unrighteous plunder of their fellowmen. But may God graciously disappoint their me.asures and turn their hearts ! We herewith send an attested copy of the doings of our town. If the nature of causes ever again bespeaks any more from us, we then again shall offer what then may appear right, for we read that those that were faithful spake often one to the other; and may God of his infinite mercy, in his own time deliver us !

Specially noticable is the invitation given to the " town of Boston," in view of the then possible future event of being overcome by " iron jaws of power," to take refuge in Petersham and share with them in their " small supplies of the necessarys of life." Fortunately, the British lion was not able to drive the " town of Boston " to an acceptance of this hospitable invitation ; but it is a curious fact that a century later many of the people of Boston, overcome by a lion, did, and still do, take refuge in Petersham, to there share with the good people the ample supplies of the " necessaries of life." Not the lion of the English flag, but the astronomical lion, whose fury brings July and August temperatures, constrains at least some of the people of Boston to favorable consideration of the historic invitation to Petersham.

Of several parties to these incidents it may be said that Ensign Man became captivated by the charms of Miss Alice Whitney, the minister's daughter, whom he married, renouncing his former political views. Colonel Doolittle, although not personally present, was the first officer of a Worcester County regiment which took part at the battle of Bunker Hill. Daniel Miles and Sylvanus How became soldiers in the Revolutionary army. Captain Beaman, who locked the school-house door, won execrable distinction by piloting the British troops from Boston to Concord. Josiah Quincy rendered his country memorableservice by his eloquence and patriotism.

Royalists Disarmed. - The town was not without a local exhibition of force, which, however, did not lead to bloodshed. Dr. Ball, of Templeton, which then included Phillipston, on a visit to Petersham, fell into a disputation with one or two young men who were of the revolutionary party. Separating with ill-feeling, the men waylaid the Templeton royalist on his way homeward, and pelted him with stones, one of which took serious, one tradition says subsequently fatal, effect. The outrage naturally aroused the royalists of Templeton, and friends of Dr.

Ball, who came over in force and were joined by friends of their cause in Petersham. A like assembly of the friends of the colonial cause took place under the leadership of Captain Holman, also of Templeton, the result being that the royalist party took refuge in a house then owned by David Stone, now in possession of Mr. George West, and barricaded their place of refuge. The opposing revolutionists besieged the house and guarded it during the following stormy night, after which the royalists were induced to surrender. They came out and were escorted to the hotel kept by Mr. Winslow, and an investigation took place with this result: the royalists were required to give up their arms and agree not to act against the revolutionary movement in future. The injury to Dr. Ball had given them just cause of complaint, but the cause of independence was in their estimation superior * to any question of personal assault and battery, and these Petersham patriots took occasion, in January or February, 1775, to thus disarm their opponents, and parole them substantially as prisoners of war. Tradition declares that on that night of siege two wives, whose husbands were in the opposing ranks, met in the fields between their respective dwellings, and exchanged personal sympathies as neighbors and friends.

A town-meeting was held May 27, 1776, " to see if the inhabitants will instruct their representative to inform the Great and General Court of this Province that they stand ready, and are fully determined to support the Continental Congress with their lives and fortunes, on condition they should declare the American colonies independent of corrupt and arbitrary Great Britain." Affirmative action was taken, with but one negative vote.

Enrollment of Soldiers. - The virtue of a promise is in the performance thereof. How well the town kept its promise in behalf of the cause of independence may be seen from its roll of revolutionary soldiers.

Col. Ephraim Doolittle commanded a Worcester County regiment. Capt. John Wheeler led a Petersham company in the same regiment. The names of the men of this company, some of whom may have enlisted from other towns, are given, with various marks of interrogation, by Rev. Edmund Willson. Edw. Barker (or Bowker), Lieutenant ; John Bowker, Lieutenant; Thos. Davenport, John Holland, John Roger.*, Joel Doolittle, Sergeants; Thad. Houghton, Corporal ; Thomas Wheeler, Drummer ; Caleb Bryant, Fifer; Israel Houghton, Caleb Perry, David Perry, Aaron Allen, Bezile Amsdel (Bezaleel Amsden ?), Sam. Bryant, Thomas Bowker, Ezekiel Bouker, Nat. Bozworth, David Clarke, Reuben Cummings, Ephraim Clafflin, David (Daniel?) Claflin, John Finney (" Fiendly '' or Findlay?) Benjamin Ganson, Joanna (?) Gallen, Peter Gore, Luther Holland, Phazez (?) Houghton, Si Ivan us How, John How, Jacob Houghton, Henry W. Hunt, James Havvkes,

The following additional names are given as Petersham men who belonged to the company of Capt. Fletcher, of Templeton : Jotham Houghton, Ebenezer Ingersoll, William Clements, Daniel Duncan, David Fling, Silas Harris, Stephen Hall, Robert Hill, Joseph Negus, Abel Wheeler.

In the company of Captain Jonathan Holman, also of Templeton, were found Martin Rice, fifer, David Bruce, Thomas Groce, Daniel Hastings, Isaac Palmer, Amos Rice, Ebenezer Wilson. Seventy-two names are thus given as either belonging to the Petersham company or enlisted from the town in the companies of Captain Holman and Fletcher, of Templeton.

In addition to these names given by Willson, we mention those of two brothers. Captain Ivory Holland and Captain Park Holland. For a sketch of the life of the latter, see biographical notes. One incident of his service may be here given in his own words:

A Dinner by 'Washington. In the spring of 1781, 1 think it was, our troops marched down to "White I'lains and formed an encampment, and while there we were amused hy an order that was said to liave come from Gen. Heath, but, as we all knew Washington's abhorrence of the sin of profanity, we knew well where it originated. Our parade-ground was cleared with much difficulty. The order was that the lirst one who was heard to utter an oath should dig up by the roots one of t4ie pitch-pine stumps, which was no very easy matter. Not long after a soldier was seen sweating and toiling away at one, declaring that it was paying too dear, and itshould be the last he would dig. Speaking of Washington's dislike of profane habits reminds me of a scene at his own table, where twenty or more of the officers were invited to dine with him. His habit was usually to take a single glass of wine after dinner, and retire, leaving us to ourselves, .is he, at this time of care and an^iet3', rarely made any conversation except on business. We had finished our dinner, and AVashington had taken his wine in bis hand, when a young officer from New Hampshire at the end of the table, who had long been in the habit of using profane language, being so much engaged, forgot where he was, and swore an oath, when he heard a rap on the tabln by Washington, who set down his untasted wine, arose and said, " Gentlemen, when I invited you here it was my intention to have invited gentlemen only, lam sorry to add I have been mistaken," and left the room. \ dead silence reigned for some time, which was broken by the offender himself calling us all to witness that the oath he had uttered should be his last ; adding he should rather have been shot through the heart than have deserved the reproof from AVashington. Such was our love and reverence for this great and good man that the most profane left off the habit, and it was done away with among us before the close of the war.

The regiment in which Captain Holland served, as a matter of preparation for service, went into barracks at Bunker Hill and, this being before the discovery of vaccination, were inoculated with smallpox. He passed through this experience and tells us that "about nine hundred entered the hospital, eight hundred of whom recovered." Such was the cost of independence.

6, 1780, contains an entry which is very creditable to the financial honor with which the soldiers were treated. It appears that the town "Chose a committee for hiring soldiers: Joseph Gleason, Robert Peckham, John Bouker, - voted that the committee, if they have to hire money or soldiers, that they engage on the Town's credit to keep the money of Equal value." It will be borne in mind that the United States did not undertake to act upon this principle in payment of the soldiers of the Rebellion.

During the Revolution the town well and patriotically sustained the military charaitter of its population at the time of settlement, which gave it for a time the occasional name Volunteer's Town.

Chapter Lxxii

Causeti - The Insurgents at Peiham - Government Troops at Eadley - The Night March and Dinpersion - Eeport of Gen. Lincoln - Nar^-ative btf Capt. Holland - Itev. Dr Samuel Willard an Eye-Wilness - "Infantry in Arms ^^.~Considerate Judgment.

The insurrection commonly known as Shays' Rebellion grew out of the disorganization of society during the Revolution, the impoverishment of the people by the war (making pa3'ment of debts difficult) and the weakness of the civil administration under the Articles of Confederation. It strikingly called attention to the need of a stronger government and thus incidentally contributed toward the movement for "a more perfect union," by the adoption of the Constitution of the United States, the imperfection of the previous union being illustrated in this and other resistance to constituted authority.

On Saturday morning, February 2, 1787, Captain Daniel Shays, after various efforts to interrupt the proceedings of the court, for the purpose of preventing the collection of debts, was found at Pelham with about two thousand men. General Lincoln was at Hadley with an armed force of government troops. The situation and subsequent events are best described in the report of Gen. Lincoln to Governor Bowdoin and in historical letters by Capt. Park Holland and Rev. Samuel Willard, D.D.

In my last I mentioned to you that I had various applications from the neighboring towns, and what answers I had given. These, I think, had a happy effect, and the towns have felt themselves much interested in recalling their men, and putting an end to the progress of the insurgents.

I remained a number of days at Hadley, refreshing our men, who had experienced severe fatigue ; this gave time for the Insurgents to reflect

Petersham

Fridny we reconnoitered their post with an intention to approach them the next day. This mo%'ement gave them an alarm, and at 3 o'clock Saturday morning I received a flag from Wheeler, requesting that he might liave a conference with Gen. Putnam. It was granted and they met Saturday forenoon. To provide for his personal safety seemed to be the principal object he bad in view - no encouragement on this head being given, lie retired ; and Saturday evening I was informed that Shays had left Pelhani, and had pointed his forces towards thia place, where, it was said, he expected to be joined by many others, and where he could make a stand, as many towns in this vicinity were in his interest. At 8 o'clock our troops were in motion; the first part of the night was light, and the weather clement ; but between li and 3 o'clock in the morning, the wind shifting to the westward, it became cold and equally, with considerable snow. The wind arose very high, and with light snow that fell the day before and was falling, the paths were soon filled up, the men became fatigued, and they were in a part of the country where they could not be covered in the distance of eight miles, and the cold was so increased that they could not halt in the road to refresh themselves. Under these circumstances they were obliged to continue their march. We arrived here about 9 o'clock, exceedingly fatigued by a march of 30 miles, part of it in a deep snow, and in a most violent storm. When this abated the cold increased and a great part of our men are frozen in some part or other - I hope none of them are dangerously so, and that most of tiiem will be able again to march in a short time. We approached this town nearly in the centre, where Shays had covered his men ; and had we not been prevented by the steepness of the hill and the depth of the snow from throwing our men rapidly into it, we should have arrested very probably one-half of his force: for they were so nearly surprised, as it was. that they had not time to call in their outparties, or even their guards. Ahout loH fell into our hands, and none escaped but by the most precepitate flight in different directions ; but most of their men fled for Athol. It is said they intended to reach Northfield. This brings him near the line of another State, where he may vainly hope to find an asylum. Thus, Sir, that body of men, who were, a few days since, offering the grossest insults to the best citizens of the Commonwealth, and were menacing even Government itself, is fast dissipating, and it will not long, I think, have the least existence. It must be pleasing to your Excellency to know that this has been efTected, and bloodshed avoided, but in an instant or two, where the Insurgents have rushed on to their own destruction, after every effort had been made by the officers of Government to prevent it. Thitt so little has been spilt is owing, in a measure, to the patience and obedience, the zeal and fortitude discov" ered in our troops, to whom too much thanks cannot be given. A different line of conduct which Shays flattered his troops would be manifested and would have given them support, and led them to acts of violence, while it must have buoyed up the hopes of their abettors and stimulated them to greater exertions.

As soon as the troops are able to move I shall follow Shays, and throw part of our force into Berkshire. Before I leave this place I shall make a disposition of the troops, and discharge such whole services as are no longer necessary.

Notwithstanding the present state of things, much is necessary for the General Court to do ; and decided measures on their part will give support to our friends and dismay to others,

Mr. Cabot will honor this by being the bearer of it. His great attention to duty and bis knowledge therein entitle him to thanks. He will give your Excellency a more minute account of matters than I have been able to write.

An extract only can be given from the singularly interesting narrative of Capt. Park Holland, which will amply explain itself and throw fresh Tight upon the report of Gen. Lincoln :

Some time in December I was appointed to take I he company raised in the towns of Petersham, Athol and Rutland, which was immediately filled by voluntary enlistment. I had enlisted as private soldiers thirteen old commissioned officers, among whom was Gen. Kufus Putnam, in whose regiment I had served during the War of the Revolution. Uuring these transactions Capt. Daniel Shays, commander-in-chief of the opposite party was not idle. He had collected, it was said, eight or ten thousand men, a part of whom, under the commaod of Luke Bay, were somewhere in the vicinity of West Springfield. Another large force commanded by Adam Wheeler collected first at Princeton, from thence marched to New Braintree, while Shays with the main body was in or near the town of Pelham. While Gen, Lincoln and his troops lay at Worcester, news arrived that Shays with his division was on the march to Springfield to tiike possession of the Continental stores, arms, ammunition, etc.. which were deposited there. Gen. Lincoln marched immediately to Brookfield, where he halted for the night. The next day we continued our march for Springfield, and white on the way sometime before noon we heard that Shays had reached there already and had had an encounter with Gen. Shepherd, who was there guarding the United States property with a detachment of government troops. We soon met stragglers from Shays' retreating troops, among others a sleigh with two or three dead men, who, as a soldier remarked, - " poor fellows, had had their grievances redressed forever," the "redress of grievances " being a term much in use among them. It was with no small grief that I now recognir-ed in one of the dead my old friend Spicer. ... I had known him as a faithful soldier through the war and as one who at various times had manifested much afl^ection for me. On our arrival at Springfield we found that Shays had made a rapid retreat towards Pelham, and Gen. Shepherd gave us the following account of the battle, if it could be termed such : ' Shays and his men were found to be rapidly marching to Springfield, where the Continental stores were deposited and guarded by Gen. Shepherd, who immediately sent out his aids with a flag to inform Shaj's that if he advanced any further he should fire upon him. He returned no answer, but continued marching more rapidly towards Shepherd, who then ordered his field-pieces loaded, some with balls and some with grape shot, and when within reach of the guns he ordered one of the field-pieces to be fired over the beads of the insurgents, which was quickly done, but they only quickened their march instead of baiting, as he had hoped they would do. Another piece was now ordered with as good aim as possible at the main body. This had the desired effect, a rapid and disorderly retreat, leaving their dead and one mortally wounded on the field. Gen. Shepherd remarked to me that at no time in his life was he called upon to perform so painful a duty as when he ordered good aim to be taken at Shays and his men, many of whom had fought at his side and stood firm through the most trying scenes of the late war. I had served under Shays and knew him to be a brave and good soldier or officer, and I can truly say that it was with no regret on my part that I had not reached here in season to see him and his mis' taken followers fired iipon as enemies.

While Sliays was advancing upon Springfield Capt. Day had collected a considerable force on the opposite side of the river at West Springfield to re enforce Shays if necessary. Therefore, soon as Lincoln's men had taken some refreshments we crossed the river to call Capt. Day to account for bis acts and deeds, but on our arrival we found that he, in hia wisdom, had thought best to disband his troops, and that neither he nor his kinsmen were to be found. We next marched to old Hadley, thinking it possible that Day might collect his men and attempt to join Shays at Pelham. Here we remained two or three days to refresh and wait for our artillery and stores to overtake us. About the third day of our tarry in Hadley, at sunset we received orders to march immediately as we supposed to Pelliam, but the fact was that Gen. Lincoln had received information that Shays had left Pelham and was on his way to Petersham. We left immediately, late as it was. The weather was comfortably warm, but about ten or twelve o'clock in the night the wind changed to the northwest, blew furiously, accompanied by a violent snow-squall, and became intolerably cold. The snow was deep, though a fine sleigh path would have made it good travelling had it not been that our artillery was in front with wheels so much wider than the path that the road was filled with loose snow, which rendered the travelling as uncomfortable as can well be imagined. We reached Petersham about sunrise next morning, tired, hungry and frozen, having travelled in the course of the night thirty miles, the hardest march I ever endured. I found myself badly frost-bitten, and found but two of my whole company who were not more or less frozen. Shays being informed that Gen . Lincoln was close in his rear thought it best to leave town, and so rapid were his movements that many left their provisions, and some on the fire preparing for breakfast. Our quartermaster had gone in front of us to look out for houses to lodge in, so when we reached the main street we had only to take possession of such as were pointed out to us, some of which were still occupied by Shays' men, who soon left and gave us a peaceable entrance. Never were a good fire and breakfast enjoyed more highly by any set of men. The main body of Shays' troops marched throngh the town to the northern hounds, which pass through a valley, and were inamensuro out of tho colJ wind. There tbey made a halt» probably to consider what was best to be done; either to make a firm stand and give Gen. Lincoln battle or to make a final retreat. It appears that they cbose the hitter, as many relumed to their homes.

Their place of haltinir, as mentioned above, was directly in front of my home, where my family then were, and it may be supposed felt themselves in a Tery unpleasant situation, as it was well-known that I was out in Lincoln's Ainiy, and of course unfriendly to Shays. Of course they had reason to expect some abuse from them. My wife was at tins time confined by illness to lier chamber, but with her usual presence of mind she told the young man living with her to make a good fire in each room in the house as soon as she saw their intention of halting, and to bring from her cellar and pantry everything she had to offer for breakfast. The house was soon filled to overflowing with men half starved and half frozen, among whom was Mr. Converse, now quartermaster, an acquaintance of ours. My wifR sent for him and told him she had done all in her power for their relief and comfort, and hoped he would see that they did no damage to the honse. He assured her that he was very grateful, and that as fur as possible he would comply with her request ; which he strictly did, and after eating and warming themselves to their satisfaction they departed, having done no damage save clearing the house of every eatable thing.

An appendix to the address of Rev. Edmund Willson preserves to us a f^raphic description of the rout of Shays* men by an eye-witness, Rev. Dr. Samuel Willard. The house of his father was one of several that were occupied by troops, they supposing that their own march of the day previous had put a long distance between them and the forces of Lincoln.

"I well remember," writes the Kev. I)r. Willard, of Deerfield, "the entrance of the insurgents into Petersham, and the alarm it excited among those who were known to be on the side of the Government. Several of the insurgents had been arrested and condemned to death for having been found in arms the second time, in violation of the oath of allegiance which had been imposed after their first capture ; and their party had threatened to take prisoners who should be held as hostages for the life aud salety of those who were under condemnation. On this account my father and some others secreted themselves when the insurgents approached their houses. The sudden and unexpected arrival of Lincoln the next morning, and the precipitate retreat of Shays and hia army dispersed all fear, but not all trouble. The array of the Government was quartered upon us from Sunday morning till Wednesday, and left our houses in such a state as to inspire dread of armies in every bosom.

'* The insurgents were little prepared to act with efBciency. To say nothing of their want of personal qualifications, they were deficient in arms. Some of the staff officers were appropriately armed ; for, in hia flight, one of them left at our house the only weapon which I think he had, - a cayie, which was nothing else than a stick stripped of its bark, with a pewter head, of which my boyhood took possession.

"I was out at the door on the approach of Lincoln's army ; and an officer of the insurgents came riding up at full speed, and gave me, a boy often years - the oral commission, 'Run into the house, and tell them to parade in a minute, for the enemy are upon us I' I went in, but found them in as much confusion as a hive of bees swarming. After they were gone, it appeared that one of them had forgotten to take his gun, and a brother of mine took possession of it, and it was never called for.

*'It was in the midst of a violent snow-storm, or. rather, the snow was flying, and it was very cold. Some poor wight had his hat taken from his head, and, I suppose, went without a hat against that furious north wind to Athol, where they halted. I, myself, found the hat the following spring in one of our lols, and, as my head was large for a boy of niy age, it suited me very well, and I finished the wear of it."

The writer has often conversed with another eyewitness to the scenes, a younger brother of the author of these reminiscences, the late Deacon Cephas Willard, well known in Worcester County. But he, with a humorous twinkle of his eye, excused himself

Other houses in the town are said to have been occupied in similar manner, including the village tavern and that of the minister, Rev. Solomon Reed. He was a large, portly man, who stood guard in his halls for the night, as tradition affirms, with drawn sword, in order to prevent trespass on the part of the insurgents.

I observe here there are many things to be considered before we condemn the misled followers of Daniel Shays. Tlieir leaders wore ignorant, aud many of them deceived. Our government was a new and untried ship, with many joints that needed oiling, to say the least ; with no chart of experience to guide us, nor map of the paht by which to lay our course. He who stood by the side of these men in many hardfought battles with a powerful enemy, and witnessed their hardships and sufferings, borne without complaint, would much rather remember the good service they rendered their country than dwell upon what historians have set down as a blot upon their country's pages*

Chaptee Lxxiii The Churches

A Meeting in Grofon - Aaron Wliitiiey ordained as First pastor - Opposed to the Uetolution - Action by the Town - A Guard at the Church-door - Solomon lieed Ordamed - Indian Com OJ'ered as Salary - A Mutual Council to Settle *'JurTa and Qaarrels^^ - FestuB Foster Ordained - Tlie Covenant Chantjid - Eev. Lnllier Willxon Installed - Disestablishment of the Churches - Property Transferred - The Jilinisterial Land Sold for Corn - Sundry Bequests - Bee. GeorgeR. ^oyes, D.I)., Settled - Biblical ScJiot' arship - Iter. Nathaniel Gage Settled - House of Worship Built - Clock and Bell - Several Pastors - Congregational Church - Baptist Church - Tlie VniversiUists - Methodists.

The long and generally peaceful prosperity which followed the adoption of the Constitution of the United States gave opportunity for the growth of the churches, schools and industries of the county and of this town. The local growth may be here narrated from the beginning. The proprietors of the town voted, at their second meeting, held at Groton, in the autumn of 1733, to build a meeting-house.

This action, taken in a town forty miles distant, recalls still earlier events. In the settlement of the colonies the civil and ecclesiastieal organization was sometimes effected on shipboard, or in England before the colonists embarked. The town and chuich of Dorchestes were organized at Plymouth, England. Afterward the community removed from Dorchester to Winsor, where it united with other towns in the formation of the State of Connecticut. So the erection of a church at Petersham was ordered by a vote taken in Groton. Five years passed before the settlement of a pastor, preaching being maintained during a portion of the time.

In 1738 a young graduate from Harvard was dismissed from the cliurch at Littleton and came to Nichewaug to be tlie minister of the town and cliurch which was yet to be organized within it. A church covenant was adopted and Aaron Whitney was ordained and settled as minister. A proprietor's lot was assigned to him, with two hundred pounds in money as a settlement and one hundred and fifty pounds as an annual salary. He was ordained in December of the same year. Isaac Ward and Thomas Adams were chosen deacons. Probably the dedication of the house of worship also took place.

The covenant adopted was Trinitarian in form. It was in use until the year 1802, or sixty-four years, when a statement of faith Unitarian in its terms was substituted. The pastorate of Mr. Whitney appears to have been peaceful and prosperous until the time of the Revolution. He was royalist in sentiment, and this led to a vote of the town that they " will not bargain with, hire nor employ the Rev. Mr. Whitney to preach for diem any longer." He was treated as "an enemy of his country," though his character was blameless and his fidelity unimpeachable. Mr. Wliitney regarded the action of the town as wholly illegal and would have continued to preach in disregard of the vote of the town. To prevent this a committee was chosen "to see that the publick worship be not disturbed by any person or persons going into the desk but such persons as shall be put in by the Town's Committee." In pursuance of this vote, the committee on the following Sunday stationed Peter Gore, a half-blood Indian, armed, tradition says, with a gun, at the door of the church, and when Mr. Whitney arrived he was not allowed to enter. A clear spring upon the Phillipston road, called " Gore spring," preserves the memory of Peter Gore, who owned the pasture in which it is found. Mr. Whitney continued to preach at his own house and still claimed to be the minister of the town. The pastorate was practically closed in 1777. Four of his sons were educated at Harvard College.

On the 15(h of June, 1780, the town voted unanimously to call "Mr. Solomoa Reed to settle with them in the work of the Gospel," and iurther " voted that the Town give him a Settlement of one hundred pounds Stated on Indian corn at three shillings pr bushel, to be paid in 30 days after his ordination." A yearly salary of one hundred pounds "on Indian corn " at the same rate was otfered. At the suggestion of Mr. Reed these proposals were so modified that the payment was to be made in lawful money, it being agreed that "each and every hundred "pounds when paid shall be with a sum of money sufficient to purchase six hundred and sixty-six bushels and towthirds of a bushel of Indian corn." The agreement further recited that, " Whereas, through the wiles of the adversary or through the weakness and Infirmities of human nature, dissention, difficulties, Jarrs and Quarrels may subsist between the said Mr. Solomon Reed and the Congregation in this Town, whether the Difficulty arises on the part of the Town church or on the part of s'* Mr. Solomon Reed," and provided that a mutual council should be called to compose and arrange all differences.

These conditions having been agreed to, Mr. Reed was settled and his pastorate continued uniil the year 1800, or about twenty years. This long service is sufficient evidence that Mr. Reed was beloved and respected by his people, although the truth of history compels one to say that he was not free from temptation to excesses in the use of intoxicating drinks. Furthermore, the people were not without fault in this respect, the selectmen having approved a bill of more than five thousand pounds for liquors and other articles for the ordaining council by which Mr. Reed was settled. This statement is made from memory of the language of the bill which the writer has seen. The explanation of the astonishing sum is found in the date, 1780, when currency was so inflated that the amount in specie was probably less than two hundred dollars.

In the year 1801 the church and town invited Mr. Festus Foster to become their minister. He consented, and was ordained January 13, 1802. Three months after his ordination the church substituted a "Christian Profession," Unitarian in sentiment, for the " Covenant" in previous use. The profession thus adopted has been continued by the First Parish, with slight changes, to the present time. The pastorate of Festus Foster closed 1817, when he w.is dismissed with honorable recognition of his faithful services.

Rev. Luther Willson, a native of New Braintree, born 1783, a graduate of Williams College, 1807, for some years preceptor of Leicester Academy, pastor of the First Church, Brooklyn, Conn., from 1813 to 1817, was installed at Petersham, June 23, 1819. The pastorate contained until October 18, 1834, or more than fifteen years, which, although his relations with his people were harmonious, he characterized as " times of excitement and division." After resignation, he lived in Petersham, preaching at various places from time to time, and died November 20, 1864, his grave being found in the cemetery east of the common. Luther Willson and Sally Bigelow were united in marriage November 30, 1806. Miss Bigelow was born July 6, 1783, and died January 29,

During the pastorate of Rev. Luther Willson a State law was passed disestablishing the churches of Massachusetts. A Trinitarian Congregational Church was organized, which included those who did not accept the " Christian Profession," which had been substituted for the earlier "Covenant." The affairs of the Church were to be no longer connected with the town. The property and records passed to the First Congregational Parish, which received from the town $3975.43 in money, that being the amount of a fund which had resulted from the sale of the " ministerial lands." These lands were one proprietor's lot set off for the maintenance of the ministry. They had been used by Rev. Aaron Whitney previously to the year 1775. Two entries in the records of a meeting held May 24th of that year will serve to indicate the cause of transfer of the lands to the care of the town :

" Voted unanimously, that the town will not hire the Eev'd Mr. Whitney to preach with them any longer, and that he is Dismissed from any further services as a Gospel Minister in this Town. . . . Voted, that the Selectmen take possession of and lease out the ministerial lands for the most they will fetch." Three years later, or in 1778, it was voted to sell the ministerial lands. From such sale the ministerial fund was established.

The report of the committee which sold the lands, accepted by a town-meeting, 1780, shows that four hundred and twenty-eight acres and one hundred and four rods were sold in lots to ten different persons, corn being the standard of value. The sales amounted to 6779 bushels and 22 quarts, as the value of the lands. The annual interest to be paid, as reckoned by the committee, was 405 bushels and 15 quarts. The rate appears to have been six per cent. The slight discrepancy in reckoning from these figures is doubtless explainable by the fact that the committee reckoned from a number of smaller quantities.

Upon the separation of the afl'aiis of the church and town, Aaron Brooks, Esq., Jared Weed, Esq., and Jonas Carruth were the committee which made the inventory of church property to be transferred. The parish also received subsequently the sum of one thousand dollars, which was given by Nathaniel McCarty, his will having provided that the interest "shall be applied to the support of Unitarian preaching in said Town," and five hundred dollars, which were devised by an item of the will as follows : " I give and bequeath to the Town of Petersham five hundred dollars, the interest to be appropriated to support the singing on Sundays in their meeting-house. Provided the inhabitants of that town see that part of public worship decently and properly performed ; the principal to be perpetually kept good by a safe investment on land security."

The will contained this explanation : " My inducement to these bequests is ... a desire to testify the interest which I continue to feel in the place where I long resided and where, with the blessing of heaven, I acquired much of my property." These bequests came to the church as the successor of the town in respect to ecclesiastical interests.

The first vSunday-school in Petersham was established by Rev. Luther Willson, who was its first superintendent. Rev. George R. Noyes, D.P., succeeded Rev. Luther Willson. His translation of a large portion of the Bible has given him a reputation wider than any one denomination. His works, which are still in print, are a Translation of the Heb-ew Prophets, Translation of the Book of Psalms, Translation of .Job, and the New Testament Translated from the Greek text of Tischendorf. He made also a collection of Theological Essays by various authors, for which he wrote an introduction. The translation of the Scriptures anticipated many of the changes of the Revised Version.

Dr. Noyes was a native of Newburyport ; a graduate of Harvard College, 1818 ; received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, 1839 ; settled in Brookfield, 1827 ; installed in Petersham, October, 1834 ; elected to a professorship in the Theological School of Harvard University in 1840.

Rev. Nathaniel Gage was born at North Andover, Mass., 1800 ; graduated at Harward, 1822 ; at the Divinity School, 1826 ; was settled in the ministry at Nashua, N. H., and Haverhill, Mass., seven years each; installed at Petersham, October 6, 1841; dismissed, 1845 ; afterward of Lancaster and Westboro', which was his hist settlement. He subsequently resided at Cambridge, preaching at Ashby and other places, and died in 1861.

During the ministry of Mr. Gage at Petersham the house of worship, which is still occupied by the First Parish, was erected. It was built by a stock subscription of fifty-five shares of one hundred dollars each, which were subsequently presented by the shareholders to the parish. The first church edifice, which was regularly occupied from the year 1738, after several years of progress toward completion, was used until about the year 1780, or sixty-two years. Then the building of a new church was agitated, but it was probably 1788 when it was ready for occupation. Eleazer Bradshaw, Esq., of Brookfield, gave a bell which came from the works of Paul Revere. A clock was given later, 1828, by Cyrus Wadsworth. Ui)on the erection of the present church, 1842, the bell and clock were removed from the old church. That building, which had been used for worship from 1788 to 1842, or fifty-four years, was removed to the east side of the Common and devoted to secular uses until destroyed by fire, 1845. The previous removal of the bell and clock, and consequent preservation of those relics of the early time, is an occasion of special satisfaction. The bell bears the inscription :

Brief mention only can be made of those who have since served as pastors of the church. Rev. Ephraim Nute, Jr., was ordained October 15, 1845; dismissed, 1848. He has since been settled in Scituate and Chicopee, and has lived in Kansas, to which State he went in connection with a movement to settle that territory with emigrants opposed to slavery and in favor of the organization of a free State.

Rev. Martin W. Willis, ordained at Walpole, N. H., 184.3, was installed at Petersham, 1848. The pastorate continued until 1851, since which time he has been settled at Bath, Me., and at Nashua, N. H., subsequently residing in St. Louis.

John J. Putnam, previously settled in Bolton, was installed 1852. During his ministry the organ was purchased, which displaced the violin, violoncello and bass viol, which Iiad been in previous use as an aid to church music.

Rev. Daniel Francis Goddard was born at Plymouth, Mass., November 29, 1827. He studied two years at Amherst College, afterward preparing for the ministry with Rev. Russell Tomlinson, a Universalist. He was ordained and settled over a Universalist Church, Boston, afterward being engaged in the ministry at Weymouth and Chelsea, before coming to Petersham. His subsequent employment was at Revere, Harvard and Chelmsford. He died July 13, 1883.

Rev. Thomas D. Howard, who served as pastor about four years, was born at Springfield, Mass., December 26, 1826, being the son of Charles and Elizabeth (Dwight) Howard. He graduated at Harvard College, 1848, Divinity School, 1851, and has since been settled in order at Berry, Me., Sheboygan, Wis., Petersham, Charlestown, N. H. He united in marriage, 1854, with Sarah A. Eaton, of Berry, Me. During the War of the Rebellion Mr. Howard served as chaplain, and upon resigning at Petersham, served as secretary of the Commissioners of Prisons. for Massachusetts.

Lyman Clark was born at what is now Sago, W. Va., 1838, being the son of Cornelius and Abigail (Wright) Clark, natives respectively of Bridgewater and Westford, Mass. The family having removed to Illinois, Lyman Clark served in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-65. Upon leaving the army he entered the Meadville Theological School, remaining four years ; was graduated 1869 and ordained at a meeting of the Western Conference at Quincy, 111., October of the same year. He was located for several months at Jacksonville, III.; has been settled at Lancaster, N. H., 1870-74; Petersham, 1874-82; Ayer, 1882 ; to the present time. He was a member of the House of Representatives 1879, representing the towns of Templeton, Phillipston, Hubbardston and Petersham; was united in marriage, 1872, with Isabel Clough, daughter of Eben and Susan Clough, Bethel, Me.

Rev. Isaac Francis Porter was born at Wenham, Essex County, Mass., June 29, 1839. He served as a soldier in the War of the Rebellion, attended Madison University, New York, afterward the Meadville (Pa.) Theological School. He has been settled in the ministry at Princeton, 111., Peterboro', N. H., Chicopee, Petersham, (1883-87), Bolton and Berlin, Mass.

Henry Harrison Brown, the present pastor, was born at Uxbridge, 1840, the son of Pemberton Brown, and Paulina (Whitmore) Brown, of Sutton. He studied at Nichols Academy, Dudley, at Meadville and served in the War of the Rebellion from 1862-65 ; was ordained at Petersham, 1888.

Congregational. - An Orthodox Congregational Church was organized and established by council held January 25, 1823. Its house of worship was built several years later, or about the year 1829. Its pastors have been Rev. Mr. Wolcott, 1830-33 ; Rev. Caleb B. Tracy, installed June 25, 1834 ; Rev. Columbus Shumway, installed October 4, 1837 ; Rev. Solomon Clark, installed April 13, 1841 ; Rev. A. B. Foster, installed May 12,1853; Rev. Lucien H. Adams, installed October 28, 1862, dismissed January 2, 1865, to become a missionary to Turkey of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The church has since been served in pastoral relations by Rev. Charles Kendall, Rev. Mr. Root, Rev. Wm. Miller, Rev. Abijah Stowell, Rev. Benjamin Ober, Rev. Charles W. Fifield, installed October 14, 1874 ; Rev. Elbridge W. Merrit, acting pastor, and Rev. David Shurtleft', installed May 8, 1884.

A second church of the Orthodox Congregational denomination was organized in the southwest part of the town, on the borders of Dana and Hardwick, in the year 1836 or 1837, and a meeting-house was built. Probably the ^nearness of the locality to Dana Centre led to its discontinuance.

Baptist Chuech. - At the time of the Revolution, and for some years afterward, a Baptist Society was maintained in the southwesterly part of the town, its church being located near the Factory Village, socalled, otherwise Nichewaug. Rev. Samuel Dennis and Rev. Mr. Sellon were pastors. The meeting-house was subsequently moved to Dana, where it was for some time occupied by the same society and afterward by Universalists, finally being used for secular purposes.

A branch society of the Baptist Church in Athol was organized in Petersham, November, 1824. Rev. Thomas Marshall held services for several years, he residing in the westerly party of the town. In May, 1849, this branch church assumed an independent organization, and Rev. John Shepardson became their first pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. E. .C. Anderson, D.D., and Rev. T. T. Merriman and Rev. Kilburn Holt, pastor from 1882-87. Rev. Arvin Augustus Smith, the present pastor, was settled 1888. Of these several pastors a few facts may be given. Rev. Samuel Dennis was an ardent revolutionist and probably the author, in part, of the reply of the town to the Committee of Correspondence of the town of Boston, the resolutions sent to the General Court, and the instructions to their representative. His name appears as representative to the General Court, 1777.

tion and conduct of the Highland Institute, a school which was for some years maintained in what is now known as the Nichewaug, and of which Rev. E. C. Anderson, D.D.. was for some time principal.

Eev. T. M. Merriam, A.M., was the author of two works entitled "The Trail of History; or. History of Religion and Empire," and " William, Prince of Orange."

A Univeesali.st Society was organized in the year 1836 or 1837. It built the house of worship now occupied by the Baptists. The society was continued probably until the year 1849. Rev. Mr. Willis and Rev. Mr. Coolidge served as pastors.

The Methodist Church. - Preaching was maintained by the Methodists, and a society formed, which continued from 1843 to 1848 or '49. A small chapel was built, the use of which, for church purposes, was afterward discontinued. Their pastors were Rev. Messrs. Button, Clarke and Goodwin.

Chapter Lxxiv

From a letter of Captain Park Holland we have this account of the educational facilities of the town during his boyhood, or about the year 1760 :

"Our opportunity for obtaining an education was very limited indeed. The Psalter and a few old books were all that were used in the few months' school we attended. . . . Our books of amusement were likewise very few. ^sop's Fables and occasionally some ballads brought us by a strolling pedlar, were the principal, and they were read with great pleasure; and not read merely, but often committed to memory." From such, not by any means worthless, beginnings has grown the present modern school.

Schools. - The town being large in respect to territory, it has been necessary to maintain schools in the several neighborhoods. Nine school-houses are still found out of the village, and formerly there were ten, one having been burned. Schools have been temporarily suspended at different times in several of the school-houses for want of pupils in the neighborhood, other schools being well filled. In the village a brick school-house is found, in which are three rooms, one of which has recently been occupied by the library, one by a primary and ungraded school, one by a high school. Although the population is below the standard which requires a high school to be maintained, the town has been accustomed to vote an appropriation for the high school from year to year. This voluntary action indicates the earnest interest of the people in the education of children. The town appropriates a high percentage of its valuation for school purposes. The number of children of school age, or from five to fifteen years, was one hundred and fifty-nine for the year 1888. A boarding-school, under the name of the Highland Institute, was maintained for several years.

Industries. - The most common employment of the people from the beginnins: has been that of farming. The necessary grist-mill, saw-mill and blacksmith and wheelwright shops have done their work from an early date. No manufacturing corporation is at present located in Petersham. In 1847 a fire which swept the westerly side of the Common, destroying property estimated at fifty thousand dollars, burned a building which was fitted with engine and machinery for the manufacture of lasting buttons. Fourteen buildings were burned, including two hotels, barns and out-buildings, one dwelling-house, one large « store, one building occupied by shops, offices, etc. This fire inflicted permanent injury to the business interests of the place.

The braiding of palm-leaf hats was introduced by Mr. Samson Wetherell, October, 1827. He procured material and employed a Miss Gilbert to teach braiding, furnishing her a room in his own house for the purpose. The apprentices became teachers of others throughout the town. The first expense was borne wholly by Wetherell & Brown, merchants. Afterward one dollar was paid by learners to the teacher. The leaf was first split with a pen-knife, the hats being whitened in a barrel with brimstone, pressed with a fiat-iron and barreled up to send to market. In ten years from the introduction the gross business amounted to twenty-five thousand four hundred and ninety-five dollars, the value of one hundred and thirty thousand five hundred and twenty-five hats, the product of one year. This continued for a long time to be an impor- J tant industry in many households, and is still prac- 1 ticed to some extent.

Pearlash was at an early day produced to a consid- I erable extent. To meet the necessities of the Revolution, saltpetre was made to be used in manufacture of gunpowder. More patriotism than profit is said to have been connected with this enterprise.

To meet a want caused by interrupted commerce, salt was made at Rochester Shore ard brought to the town for the use of the people. The enterprise was not successful, for which reason it was abandoned.

Paul Peckharn formerly manufactured ladders, and at the proper season sent them around through the country for sale. In this business he used a machine, invented by himself, for dressing tapering conical surfaces.

A cheese-factory was erected three-quarters of a mile south of the village, and the business carried on for some time. It was finally discontinued, and the building moved to the rear of the Unitarian Church, where it was converted first into a skating rink, and afterward into a tenement-house.

German Lagara has manufactured articles of fancy wood- work, plates, bowls, nut-dishes, etc., which are sold to summer boarders and others who visit the town.

Mr. Elisha Webb has, for many years, manufactured powder kegs at the south part of the town, employing a small corps of workmen. This has for years been the largest manufacturing interest of the town.

Formerly Petersham was a thoroughfare and stopping-place for teams passing with merchandise or stage-coach passengers from Boston through Sudbury, Shrewsbury, Holden, Rutland and liarre, to Athol, Orange, Greenfield, Northfield, Warwick and the southeastern part of Vermont. For the accommodation of this travel there were four taverns^one in the eastern part of the town, two near the centre and one on the road to Athol at the north end. One of these, as Rev. Dr. Samuel Willard tel's us, maintained a sign which " was somewhat emblematic of what a tavern should be, viz.: a tea-kettle hung from the arm of the post."

John Chandler, Esq., who lived a century ago, kept a large deer park of seventy acres, surrounded by a very high Virginia fence, sufficient, as was supposed, to keep the deer safely enclosed. But tradition tells of an exceedingly deep snow, which, drifting against the rails, compacted into a bridge, w'hich gave his deer their natural liberty.

Wealth. - By the census of 1885 the population of the town was 1032, of whom 972 were native, 60 of foreign birth. The dwelling-houses numbered 278. The products of the town were valued at $167,583, including, with other classifications not here given, animal products valued at $9252 ; dairy products, $40,459 ; cereals, $10,297 ; wood products, $9299; hay, straw and fodder, $56,628.

The property of the town, other than that classified as products, was valued at $706,765, and included land, valued at $355,132; buildings, $199,274; machines and implements, $36,968; domestic animals, etc., $70,609; fruit-trees and vines, $44,782. The total value of products and property was $874,- 348.

position of the town in respect to wealth thus: "There are but seven towns who pay more to a State tax." From this it appears that Petersham was then eighth in the State in respect to wealth.

Population. - The population of the town has declined somewhat during the present in comparison with the previous century. In the early settlement of the State, villages were often located at the summit of hills, presumably on account of the more defensible position. The possibility of a stealthy attack from a savage foe made it necessary to select the village site with a military eye. But the advent of the ponderous locomotive, with the necessity for a graded road-bed, determined the location of villages in the valleys rather than upon the hills. The building-up of the railway centres has made steady drain upon the population of farming communities, whether upon the hills or in the valleys. During at least a large portion of the present century the young people have constantly gone from Petersham to make homes in other towns and cities. The movement of population is indicated by s ime figures collected by Mr. Willson for his historical address, with the addition of the results of the later census returns.

The depopulation of Petersham has built up other places, its former residents being found in Boston, Worcester, Fitchburg, Athol, Greenfield, New York, Chicago and many other places. It remains for a fuiure writer to narrate the exodus of this town, and tell of the doings of its children in their new homes.

Congressmen. - Jonathan Grout, who came from Lunenburg, having served seven years as Representative in the General Court and one year in the Senate, was chosen a member of the first Congress under the Constitution.

Lewis Bigelow, born 1785, a graduate of Williams College 1803, studied law and was chosen a member of the Seventeenth Congress. He was the author of a Digest of the Cases determined in the Supreme Judicial Court from 1804 to 1816, a work published ih 1818, yet still found in law offices. A comparison of these dates shows that this standard work of legal analysis was produced before the author was thirtythree years of age.

Representatives - 3 oihna, Willard, 1761, 1763 ; John Chandler, 1768 ; Theophilus Chandler. 1769 ; Ephraim Doolittle, 1772, 1773, 1774; Jonathan Grout, 1775, 1777, 1779, 1784, 1786, 1787; Captain Elisha Ward, 1777 ; Samuel Dennis, 1777 ; Samuel Peckham, 1787 ; Park Holland, 1788, 1789; Ruggles Spooner, 1770, 1790; Daniel Bigelow, 1791, 1792; Asa Pond, 1818; Joel Bryant, 1822; Hutchins Hapgood, 1823; Israel Houghton, 1824; Cyrus Wadsvvorth, 1827; Joseph Gallond, 1829, 1830, 1832; Micajah Reed, 1829, 1832, 1833; Josiah Wheeler, 1830, 1849; Aaron Brooks, 1834, 1835; Nahum Gale, 1836, 1837; Cephas Willard, 1835, 1838; Seth Hapgood, 1837, 1840, 1849; Joseph Brown, 1839; Artemas Bryant, 1839, 1840; Asa Clark, 1841; Jonas Howe, 1845; Elbridge G. Miles, 1846; Lyman Robinson, 1848; George White, 1851,1853; Lewis Whitney, 1852 ; John G. Mudge, 1856,1858,1865; Josiah White, 1861; Hudson Tolman, 1862 ; Stephen D. Goddard, 1869, 1873 ; Lyman Clark, 1879 ; Elisha Webb, 1883. The foregoing list is incomplete. ToAVN Officers. - The records for the first three years after the incorporation of the town are deficient. The first list of officers preserved to us is that chosen March 0, 1758, the town having been incorporated in 1754. The list includes several offices now obsolete, as tithingmen, clerk of ye market, leather sealer, deer-reeves, hog-reeves, in the town records sometimes called liog-constables. The list of officers for that year was as follows: Joshua Willard, Town Clerk; Joshua Wilder, Daniel Miles, Joshua Willard, David Sanderson, James Clemence, Selectmen and Assessors; Nathaniel Sanderson, Treasurer; Jerameel Wilder, Benjamin Chandler, Constables ; Samuel Chamberlain, Samuel Briant, Andrew Dalrymple, Ebenezer Hill, Surveyors of Highways and Collectors; David Stone, Joel Matthews, Tithingmen ; Sylvanus How, Seth Hapgood, Fenceviewers; Daniel Spooner, Clerk of ye Market; David Sanderson, Leather Sealer; Kenelm Winslow, Sealer of Weights and Measures; Nathan Goddard, David Curtice, Field-drivers; William Walker, Joseph Marble, Aaron Chandler, Hog-reeves; Daniel Dunkin, William Daget, Deer- reeve; Kenelm Winslow, Pound-keeper. The record shows that all were sworn except the town clerk, deer-reeves and pound-keeper. The office of deer-reeve is suggestive of the fact that deer were to some extent domesticated. This first Board of Selectmen of which we have record was notable by reason of the name of Daniel Miles, tw^o sons of whom, Daniel and Joab, served in the revolutionary army. The descendants of Joab Miles are now represented by Major-General Nel.son A. Miles, of the United States Army.

Selectmen. - No complete account of the Board of Selectmen or other official boards can here be given. In addition to the previous names we find that among those who served in the years from 1757- 1792 were Joseph Wilson, Daniel Spooner, Daniel Duncan, Capt. Zedk. Stone, Thomas Rogers, Selh Hapgood, John Chandler, Theophilus Chandler, Elisha Ward, Samuel Gates, Sylvanus How, Jonathan Grout, Simon Houghton, Asa How, William Willard, Ephraim Doolittle, David Stone, Samuel Dennis, Timothy Whitney, David Curtis, Edward Powers, Daniel Hastings, Samuel Briant, Ruggles Spooner, David McClellan, Jonathan Sanderson, Capt. Wing Spooner, Ebenezer Winslow, Joel Doolittle, John Hildreth, Robert Peckham, Thomas Carter, Isaac Packard, Edward Baker, Daniel Hawks, Samuel Peckham, Samuel Stone, Maj. Ephraim Stearns, Joseph Gleason, Capt. John Permenter, Joseph Brown, Lieut. Luke Rice, Daniel Bigelow, Park Holland, William Macarty, Seth Williams, John Demick, Joseph Negus, Joel Brooks, Ebenezer Hammond, Jotham Bowker.

The following is a partial list of names of persons who have served on the Board of Selectmen since 1852 as found in town reports : Asa Johnson, P. W. Barr, Joab Young, S. D. Goddard, Hudson Tolman, J. W. Upton, Oren Tower, George Ayres, J. H. Clapp, Hubbard Peckham, H. S. Miner, Alfred Peckham, David C. Paige, Merrick Blanchard, Josiah White, Elijah Hildreth, Elisha Webb, Sewell C. Goddard, L. P. Cutler, C. K. Wilder, F. L. Sanderson, Geo. Bancroft, Charles F. Paige, Merrick E. Hildreth, Sanford B. Cook.

Willard, William McCarty, Samuql Peckham, Jared Weed, Seth Hapgood, John L. Giillond, Lyman ESibley, Chas. B. Mosely, J. G. Mudge, Lewis E. Whitney, H. N. Tower, Sanford B. Cook. Of these the veteran town clerk of the early time was David Sanderson, who appears to have served eighteen years. Jared Weed, Esq., served twenty-six years, from 1817 to 1842, inclusive; and Lewis Whitney, twenty-six years, from 1849 to 1874, inclusive.

Town Trea.sueers. - The names of some of those who have served the town as treasurers are as follows : - Nathaniel Sanderson, 1758-72. The uprightness with which Mr. Sanderson discharged his duty is made a matter of public record. The committee chosen to audit his account for a period of five years find, in closing their report.

That what he has paid out and ia yet in the Constable's hands, Amounts to Six Hundred and Forty-Two Pounds Nineteen shillings and one penny ; that the Treasurer lias paid out Four Pounds Seventeen Shillings & four pence one farthing More than he hath Received In. He says that there is Now in the Treasury Five Pounds Six Shillings and Eleven pence two farthings, which, being added to the above Ballance, Makes Ten Pounds Four Shillings three pence and three farthings, which sum he says he's confident Belongs to the Town.

Those curious in such matters may exercise their minds upon the question whether or not upon this statement Mr. Sanderson was more solicitous to do justice to the town, than accurate in determining what was due himself.

Theophilus Chandler was chosen town treasurer, 1772-76; David Sanderson, 1776-80; Capt. Ephraim Stearns, 1781-92. Of those who have served at later dates, the names of Jonas Howe, Joseph G. Parmenter, Collins Andrews and John G. Mudge are reported, the latter having served continuously since 1869 to date, 1888, inclusive, or eighteen years.

School Committee. - The following are some of the names of persons who have served on the School Committee since 1852, the list being incomplete: - John J. Putnam, John Shepherdson, Luther Willson, Charles Kendall, L. Sanderson, John A. Wilder, Lyman W. Hapgood, Frank A. Wood, S. S. Tower, William Miller, John M. Holman, S. P. Goddard, D. F. Goddard, E. Jackson, Sanford B. Cook, Lewis W. Loring, A. Stowell, T. T. Merriman, George White, E. C. Anderson, Mrs. Maria N. Ayers, Benjamin Ober, C. W. Fifield, Lyman Clark, L. O. Martin, Elisha Webb, Luther Stone, F. L. Sanderson, M. H. Leamy, I. F. Porter, David Shurtlefl; Mrs. M. R. Stone.

The more prominent town officers for the year 1888 are Sanford B. Cook, town clerk ; John G. Mudge, treasurer ; Merrick E. Hildreth, George Bancroft, Sanford B. Cook, selectmen and overseers of the poor ; Frederick Bryant, Henry L. King, Thomas S. Howe, assessors; Rev. David Shurtlefl" Luther O. Martin, M.D., Mr.s. Maria N. Ayers, school committee ; Daniel F. Bigelow, constable and collector of taxes.

Chapter Lxxv Biographical Notes

Parh Holland - Samitvl Willard, D.D., the Blind Minister - Solomon Willard, Builder of Bunker Hill Monument - Deacon Cephas Willard - Aitstm Flint, the Beloved Phijucian - William Brown Spooner, the Philanthropist - Timothy W. Hammond - Rev. E. B. Wilhon - Inventors - Women - Longevity.

While no citizens of Petersham appear to have risen to the highest rank in connection with the civil and military history of the country, yet the personnel of the town is singularly interesting in respect to character and attainments. It is possible here only to add some facts to the information previously published of the dwellers in or natives of the town. If somewhat extended narratives are given concerning a few, it is because the facts are at hand and with the hope that a more full history may be prepared by other hands at some future date, in which more ample justice can be done to the many whose names are worthy to be enshrined in the memory of those who come after, and whose lives offer examples worthy of imitation.

Captaix Park Holland. - An historical letter written to Major Jonas Holland, of Schenectady, N. Y., by Captain Park Holland, informs us that their ancestors were from London. Upon coming to this country, they sett'ed at Watertown, afterward removing to Shrewsbury, where Park Holland was born, and later located in Petersham. In 1776 Park Holland, having been previously enrolled as a minute-man, enlisted, with thirty neighbors and friends, for service in a brigade of Massachusetts troops, which were sent to New York. He served under Washington at White Plains and in New Jersey. He, upon expiration of his first enlistment, re-enlisted for service during the war, with twenty-four or five others of Petersham. His brother, Ivory Holland, received a lieutenant's commission, and Park Holland was made a sergeant-major, from which rank he rose to that of captain, and was paymaster and agent to settle the accounts of the regiment. He served in the campaign which led to Burgoyne's surrender ; afterward at West Point and at White Plains. At the close of the war he, by public advertisement, visited Petersham, Northampton, Worcester, Harvard, Danvers, Boston and Wrentham to pay the soldiers of the regiment.

Captain Holland once attended a dinner given by Washington to some of his ofiicers, and a characteristic incident is narrated, showing the general's abhorrence of profanity.

The payment of the Revolutionary soldiers being completed. Park Holland and General Rufus Putnam went in partnership to survey '- the Schoodiac and Pa?samaquody country, the harbors, islands, &c.," of Eastern Massachusetts (now Maine). An interesting narrative of this and several other surveying tours in what is now Maine and Vermont is given in his letters. On one of these tours he undertook to survey a tract of land extending north to the height of land dividing the waters of the St. John from the St. Lawrence, an unknown distance, supposed to be fifty or sixty miles into the wilderness, but which proved to be a hundred and sixty miles from the northern limit of previous surveys. The hardship of this tour was such that Captain Holland weighed eighty-three pounds less upon his return than when he set out, much of the time having been spent without any proper supply of food. At the time of Shays' Rebellion (so called), a company was raised by Captain Holland in Petersham, Athol and Rutland for service of the government. No stronger testimony to his worth could well be given than the fact that he was able to enlist as privates thirteen commissioned officers of the Revolutionary army, including General Rulus Putnam, under whom Captain Holland had served, as he had under Captain Shays himself. His company marched with General Lincoln from Hadley to Petersham, all but two of them being more or less frost-bitten on arrival. He had a wife and family at the north part of the town. Shays' men, on their retreat to Athol, halted before the house. Mrs. Holland, being herself ill, ordered fires built and food otTered to the insurgents, and by her discreet civility the household was saved from further injury than being stripped of food supplies.

Captain Holland was chosen selectman, town clerk, and for .several years represented the towns of Petersham and, after removal to that place 1790, Belchertown in the General Court. He, in company with another person, purchased 'of the Penobscot Indians one hundred and ninety-two square miles of land lying on either side of the Penobscot Eiver, but the title does not appear to have been made good. He removed, however, to Eddington, Maine, where his last days appear to have been spent attended by a faithful daughter, who discarded all oHers of marriage in devotion to her honored father's happiness. The story of his life was largely written out in letters dictated to her afier Capt. Holland ceased to himself use the pen, with which he had in early years shown much skill. He was accustomed to say that if "variety is the spice of life," his had been well seasoned. Dr. J. G. Holland, the author, born in Belchertown 1819, was a grandson of Luther Holland who was a brother "of Capt. Park Holland.

Samuel Willard. - Prom a work entitled " Singers and Songs of the Liberal Faith," by Rev. A. P. Putnam, D.D., the following sketch of the life of one of the sons of the town is taken :

" Rev. Samuel Willard, D.D., born in Petersham, Mass., April 18, 1776, was a son of William and Catherine (Wilde) Willard, and grandson of Rev. Samuel Willard, of Biddeford, Maine. Samuel Willard, the grandfather of the Biddeford minister, was acting-president of Harvard College, 1701-07, and was the son of Major Simon Willard, who came from Kent, England, and bought land of the Indians in Concord, JIass., before the year 163.5. Joseph Willard, another president of Harvard, 1781-1804, was uncle to Samuel, the subject of this sketch. The latter spent his early years on his father's farm. He began to prepare himself for college at the age of twenty-one, and was fitted mainly under the instruction of Rev. Nathaniel Thayer, D.D., of Lancaster, Mass. Having graduated at Harvard, 1803, he was subsequently, for more than a year. Dr. Abbott's assistant in the Exeter Academy, and was afterwards for some months tutor at Bowdoin College, prosecuting at both of these last-named institutions his studies in the classics, and devoting himself also to the study of theology, under the direction of Drs. Appleton, Buckminster and McKean. In September, ISOiJ, he removed to Cambridge, where he continued his preparations for the ministry, and soon obtained a license to preach. Economical considerations induced him to reside for a time at Andover, and it was while he was there that he was invited to preach at Deerfield, Mass. He gave his first sermon in that place, March 15, 1807, and received, the next June, a call to settle. August 12th was fixed upon for the ordination. The council called, in accordance with the custom of the churches, sat for two days, and after a rigid examination of the candidate refused to ordain him, regarding his views as too liberal for the orthodox standard. Here was one of the first indications of the split that was destined ere long to divide the Congregational body of New England. Another council was called with more success, and he was duly ordained September 23d, of the same year. I'Vom that time Mr. Willard was a recognized pioneer of the liberal movement in Western Massachusetts ; bravely contending with voice and pen for larger freedom, and willingly suffering not a little odium and persecution for the sake of what he believed to be the truth. On the 30th of May, 1808, he was married to Susan, only daughter of Dr. .Toshua Barker, of Hingham, by whom he had three children - Susan, Mary and Samuel, the last a graduate of Harvard, 1835. About the year 1818 his eyes suddenly failed him, in consequence of too much study by a dim light. For thirteen years after this sad occurrence he was able to see large objects only very indistinctly, and for the remaining twenty-seven years of his life he was totally blind. The amount and variety of intellectual and other labor which, with the faithful aid of his family, he accomplished during these forty years of his calamity, seem almost incredible. He continued his usual pastoral duties until September, 1829, when he resigned his charge; then removed to Hingham, where for some years he assisted his son-in-law in teaching a school, and finally, after a brief residence in Concord, returned to Deerfield, where he spent the rest of his days, preaching occa-

It is said that Dr. Willard, who was the author of four hundred and sixty-seven hymns, could repeat from memory any of them, also whole books of the Bible. He wrote several books, and numerous articles for religious newspapers and magazines. Samuel Willard died at Deerfieid October 8, 1859.

SoLOMOx WiLLAED. - The public services of Solomon Willard, brother of the foregoing, were such as to justify extended notice of his life. He was born in 1783. The first twenty-one years of his life were spent in his native town, at the end of which time he went to Boston. He had only common advantages in regard to education, but made the best use of those he had. His first work in Boston was fitting piles for wharf construction, at fifty cents per day. In this connection he said that his employer taught him to keep his broad-axe sharp. We soon hear of his having attended le.-sons in drawing. He connected himself with the Athenreum, attended lectures upon anatomy, studied geology and chemistry. Meantime his labors have advanced to architecture and designing. He built an extensive winding stairway, since destroyed by fire. Going south, he made a model of the Capitol building at Washington. He became a teacher of architectural drawing and designing, and invented the principle of the hot-air furnace, taking out no patent for the invention, but leaving profits to be reaped by others.

But the great work of Mr. Willard's' life was as architect of Bunker Hill Monument. The building of the monument was initiated to commemorate the fiftieth year of independence, but the corner-stone was laid June 17, 1825, the anniversary of the battle, rather than on Independence Day. Full information of Mr. Willard's connection with the monument is given in "The Memoir of Solomon Willard," by W. W. Wheildon, prepared by direction of the Bunker Hill Monument Association. In this work the question of who was the architect is fully and carelully considered. Several persons had prepared designs for an obelisk, from which circumstance arose a controversy as to who was the architect. This claim has been made in behalf of Alexander Paris, Horatio Greenough and Robert Mills, but a careful examination of the evidence, made by direction of the association having the monument in charge, makes it conclusively established that Solomon Willard was the true and only architect, as he unquestionably was the superintendent of practical construction from the beginning to the completion of the work.

For his services he accepted no compensation, only allowing a commutation of his expenses, which were very small. His desire was to do the work as a labor of patriotism, having ample support from other work. Under his direction a quarry was purchased at Quincy. For the transportation of the stone to the seashore the first railway of the country was laid, it being operated by horse-power. The monument cost about $100,000, which was estimated by Mr. Willard as about half the cost at current rates of the time for similar work. The saving grew largely out of improved methods devised by him for quarrying and transportation, by reason of which granite was made much more available as a building material, the architecture of Boston being somewhat modified by the fact.

Solomon Willard died of apoplexy February 16, 1861. Circumstances of peculiar sadness attended his departure. On the morning of his death he arose at the usual hour and, while waiting breakfast, talked with a friend of the st«te of the country. Six States had passed ordinances of secession. Forts, arsenals, mints and na^-y yards had been seized, and the Confederate Convention was engaged in preparing a Constitution in the interests of slavery. Mr. Willard gave way to fears and wept at the prospect of the country going to destruction. Being called to breakfast, he arose to answer the call, but instead of taking his seat at the table he fell upon the floor and never spoke again. The thought of national dissolution appears to have literally burst the blood-vessels of the brain which had devised and constructed Bunker Hill Monument, and to have broken the heart of one who loved his country faithfully.

Cephas Willaed, a brother of Rev. Dr. Willard and of Solomon Willard, the architect, was born November 29, 1786, and died November 25, 1879. His long life was spent as a son of the soil. Among the various offices held by him were those of assessor, coroner, deputy-sheriff and member of the House of Representatives. He was deacon of the Unitarian Church fifty-six years, and treasurer for more than thirty years in succession. The family to which he belonged had held the office of deacon for more than a hundred years, with the exception of a short interim, caused by the fact that at a certain time a brother deacon was found walking disorderly, in respect to temperance, and all members of the diaconate resigned as a courteous way of conducting the brother out of office. This duty done, the church promptly re-elected those whose conduct had been worthy.