Worcester City (part 37 of 58)

Chaptee Lxxix

Up to the year 1718 the town of Brookfield through all the vicissitudes of its life can hardly be said to have enjoyed full municipal privileges. To a certain extent it had been under the guardianship of the committee appointed first by the Massachusetts Colony Court and after the charter of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1692 by the government of that province. This committee had always been composed of trustworthy men, and there seems to be no record of any serious dissatisfaction on the part of the people with their administration. In the above year the c(immittee then in commission asked to be discharged from the further performance of their duties in the following petition :

To nU Excellettcy, Bamuel Shute, Etq., and the Hoiihl. Cotmcil and Hou*e of liepresentatives, convened in Geneynt Court the 2Sth of Slay, 1718. We nudereigued, tbe Cummitt<?e for BrookfielJ. after many Disappoint ' nients by wan- and otherwise, wliicli for a long time the people have laboured under, by the good providence of God are now so increased that they are now near fifty families on the place have near finished a very convenient meeting-house, have settled a church and ordained an orthodox and learned Minister. Wo humbly propose that they be ni«de a Township according to the directions of the Law by themselves & said Committee released - which we submit to the Courts' determination. And for your Excellency and Honor's shall ever pray.

This petition was granted and the following order was passed by the House of Representatives, November 12, 1718, and after concurrence by the Council, was consented to by Governor^Shute:

Ordered that the prayer's of this petition be granted, and that the Inhabitants of the Town of Brooivfield be invested with all the powers, privileges and authorities to direct, order and manage all the affairs of said Township that other towns are or ought to be invested with. And that the Committee be dismisr- from the care of them with the thanks of this Court for their good and faithful service. The said Town to lye to the County of Hampshire.

The first town meeting was held on the 15th of December, 1718, at which Philip Goss acted as moderator and Thomas Gilbert was chosen treasurer and clerk. At an adjourned meeting at which Thomas Baker acted as moderator, Thomas Barns, Philip Goss, Elisha Rice, Samuel Barns and Thomas Gilbert were chosen assessors; Tilly Merrick, Joseph Brabrook and Thomas Parsons a committee to examine town debts; Joseph Jennings and Joseph Banister measurers, and Elisha Rice, Thomas Gibbs and Jonathan Jennings a committee "to see that tbe grants made by the former committee do pay equal proportion to the rate committed to Constable Walker to collect for the meeting-house." At th's meeting it was voted that Tilly Merrick, Henry Gilbert, Edward Walker and Joseph Jennings be a committee to see that the town is supplied by the grist-mill with meal according to an arrangement which had been made with John Hayward. The grist-mill here referred to was built on land granted to Mr. Hayward about the year 170(3. The grant included " forty acres of upland in the west part of the town, and fifteen acres of meadows ; also seventy acres joining the first lot and twenty-four acres of meadows for his encouragement to build a grist-mill in Brookfield, and on condition that he maintain the same in such repair as the town may be supplied at all times with grinding from said mill for the term of twenty-five year.s." The mill was built on the New Mill Brook, and according to Mr. Temple, the remains of its dam may be seeu near the home of Mr. Sexton Douglass.

The first year after what might be called the second birth of the town, was characterized by a movement to establish public schools. On the 5Lh of Januari, 1719-20, the town granted forty acres of land for a school, and it is probuble that a school was opened near that time. On the 23d of January, 1728, it was voted that a school be built in four several places in town, the town to be divided into four parts by a committee, consisting of Wm. Old, E|)hraim Hayward, Wm. Ayres, Samuel Barns and John Hinds, and twenty pounds were appropriated for the salary of a school-master. On the 15th of May, 1732, it was voted to direct the selectmen to hire four women to -keep school, and the sum of fifty pounds was appro* priated. On the 23d of November, 1739, it was voted to have two school-masters, and the sum of one hundred pounds was appropriated. In 1746 the town granted one hundred and fifty pounds, old tenor, for the support of a grammar school, and in 1749, three hundred pounds, of the same tenor. But it is not necessary to follow the evolution of the school system of the town, and state the various steps by which its present condition has been reached. It was voted by the town after the three precincts were formed, that each precinct should have the care of its schools, and from that time each precinct raised its own school money, selected teachers, and had the general management of education within its borders. There are at present in the town fifteen schools, including the high school. These are the high school, a grammar, first intermediate, second intermediate, first primary and second primary, in the centre village, a grammar, intermediate, first primary and second primary, in the east village, the Potopoag, Rice Corner, Upper Podunk, Lower Podunk and the school over the river, with enrollments numbering six hundred and thirty-eight and average membership of five hundred and thirteen.

Little of interest occurred in the life of the town until 1744. There had been occasional alarms on account of Indian raids, and at various times companies of men had been raised to serve as scouts, and proper safeguards had been adopted. Brookfield was now scarcely enumerated among the bordtr towns, and its people lived to a certain extent behind the shield and shelter which newer towns farther to the west aud north had raised to protect them. Sheffield had been incorporated in 1733, Stockbridge, in 1739, Deerfield in 1682, Northfield in 1713, Saunderland in 1714, Brimfield in 1731, Westfield in 1669, Hatfield in 1670 and Sturbridge in 1738. But, nevertheless, occasional Indian attacks served to keep them on the watch, and to more or less obstruct and delay that development of business and trade which the older and better guarded settlements on the seaboard enjoyed.

With the settlement of new towns a new adjustment of counties became necessary. Middlesex and Suffolk counties, incorporated in 1643, had become with the incorporation of new towns disproportionately large, and an exigency seemed to exist for the formation of a new county. In the adjustment which ensued the town of Brookfield was involved. On the 2d of April, 1731, an Act was framed incorporating Worcester County, which included Worcester, Lancaster, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Leicester, Rutland and Lunenburgh, which had previously been included in Middlesex county, Mendon, Woodstock, Oxford, Sutton and Uxbridge, which had before been iucluded in Suffolk county, and Brookfield, which as has* already been stated, had previously been included in Hampshire county.

In March, 1744, war was declared between England jmd France, and what has always been known in our history as the old French and Indian AVar, followed until the treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in October, 1748. In this war several Brookfield men took a prominent part. Joseph Dwight commanded a regiment in the expedition against Louisburg; Jabez Olmstead commanded a company in the same expedition, and the following soldiers entered into the service of the province :

In the second French and Indian War, extending from 1754 to 1763, Brookfield also performed her full share in furnishing men. Her soldiers in this war, without specifying the commands to which they were attached or the special service in which they were engaged, were :

Besides the above, the following muster-rolls are on record of men enlisting iu 1757 for various terms of service, many of whom had before enlisted: that in that year sundry inhabitants in the southwest part of the town joined with inhabitants in parts of Brimfield and of a district then called Kingsfield, but afterwards, in 1752, incorporated as the town of Palmer, and petitioned the General Court to be set off and incorporated as the town of Wt stern, now Warren. The act of incorporation obtained by them, passed January 16, 1741, provided that the new town should consist of lands bounded as follows :

Begiuning at Brookfield, eoutUweat corner, then runniug half a mile north on said Bruukfield line ; then west thirty-four degreei, north three iiiileB and eighty rotls to the river and hounded with a small walnut etaddle etanding in tlie Kplit of a rock; thence running up the river to an elm tree marked ; thence crossing the river and running north forty-four degrees east ahout three miles and an half to Brookfleld west line to a heap nf stones near a chestnut tree marked ; and running east eleven degrees and thirty minutes ; south one mile and an hundred and fifty rods, to a heap of stones on a rock at the end of a meadow on mill pond, then hounded on Cornelius White's land, till it comes to Mill Brook, bo called ; then hounded with the Mill Brook to the river, as the hrook ruus ; then crossing the river and extending southeasterly to a white oak tree, known by the name of the northeatst corner of the mile sfjnaro ; thence extending southeasterly to Brookfield south line, inter*^ecting that tine two miles and three-quartci's from said first mentioned aouthwoat corner bounds.

On the 11th of December, 1747, Rev. Thomas Cheney, the first settled pastor of the church, died. Mr. Cheney was born in Eoxbury, January 29, 1(388- 89, and was the son of William and Rebecca (Newell) Cheney. He graduated at Harvard College in 1711, and married two wives, - the first Dorothy, daughter of Joseph Hawley, of Northampton ; and second, Mary, great-granddaughter of Rev. John Cutton, of Boston. The death of Mr. Cheney and the loss of a portion of the southwestern section of the town, changing its geographical centre, stimulated a movement for the formation of a second precinct in the northerly part of the township.

Ebenezer Wilt and others petitioned the town in that year to build a new meeting-house as near the new centre as possible, or set them off as a distinct precinct. At the annual meeting in March the town refused to grant the petition, and voted down both propositions, concerning the meeting-house and the precinct.

In the mean time, Rev. Elisha Harding, a graduate of Harvard in 174.5, was invited to settle, and on the 28th of November, 1748, the town concurred with the church in the invitation, and at an adjourned meeting, on the 22d of December, voted, after considerable debate, as the record states, one thousand pounds, old tenor currency, " for his encouragement to settle in the Gospel ministry," and for his annual salary the sum of five hundred pounds, old tenor, "accounting it as though it be in Indian corn, at twenty shillings a bushel ; Rye, thirty shillings ; Wheat, forty shillings - - and so the five hundred pounds to be increased or diminished yearly, as the prices of the grain varied." He was also to have free liberty to cut wood for fuel on the common land of the town, known by the name of the Rocks.

that what was called old tenor currency was in value only one-tenth of sterling - that is, that one thousand pounds of old tenor was really only one hundred pounds in sterling.

Mr. Harding was ordained September 1.3, 1749, on which occasion Rev. Nathan Buckman preached the sermon. After the settlement of Mr. Harding, the dissatisfaction of the people in the north part of the town continued, and on the 29th of March, 1750, the second or north precinct was incorporated. Previous to that date, the town having signified that the formation of the precinct would be assented to in case fifty or more persons signed a request therefor, in les-s than ten days after such a condition was agreed upon more than the requisite number of signatures had bfen obtained, and thus, with the assurance that no further objection would be raised, a meeting-house was begun in April, 1749.

On the 16th of the following October a covenant was signed by forty-two of the inhabitants, and some dissatisfaction having manifested itself witt\ the location of the meeting-house, then still unfinished, it was agreed to submit the location to the arbitration of disinterested men. The location, as originally selected, was approved and the building by slow degrees went on to its completion.

The incorporation of the second precinct was granted by the General Court in response to a petition signed by Thomas Hale and fifty-six others, reciting the grievances under which the inhabitants of the north part of the town labored and the advantages of a separate precinct. The order of the court, passed by the House of Representatives March 28, 1750, passed in concurrence by the Council March 29 and consented to by Spencer Phipps, Governor, was "that the prayer of the petition be so far granted as that the petitioners, with their families and estates, together with such persons and their estates who shall, within three months from this time, signify their desire therefor under their hands to the clerk of the town of Brookfield, be and they hereby are set off a distinct Parish, and are endowed with all the privileges and subjected to all the duties which the other inhabitants of Parishes are by the laws of this Province endowed with or subjected to - Provided, their possessions do not exceed one-third part of the said town of Brookfield for quantity and quality."

On the 21st of May, 1750, a meeting of the precinct was held at the house of Jabez Ayres, in accordance with a warrant issued by John Chandler, Jr., Esq., at which William Ayres acted as Moderator. At this meeting the following officers were chosen : Wm. Ayres, Precinct Clerk; Wm. Ayres, Ebenezer Witt, Samuel Gould, Noah Harris and Benjamin Adams, Precinct Committee; Joseph Stone, Collector, and Wm. Ayres, Samuel Gould, Wm. Witt, Jason Bigelow and Moses Ayres, Assessors. On the 21st of September, 1750, it was voted by the precinct to raise by as:,es ment on the polls and estates £13,

68. 8(/. <o supply the precinct with preaching, and in 1751 forty pounds were raised for the same purpose. In 1752 Rev. Eli Forbes was invited te settle with the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds as a settlement, and £53. Us. Sd as an annual salary. The final salary agreed on was after 1767 to be £66. 13«. 4d, and thirty cords of wood a year. The church was organized May 28, 1752, and on June 3d, Mr. Forbes was ordained.

The ministry of Mr. Forljes continued until March 1, 1775, and June 5, 1776, he was installed over the first church in Gloucester, where he died December 15, 1804. His dismission, given at his own urgent request, was the result of indignities shown him in consequence of his suspected disloyalty. It is undoubtedly true that he was not by nature an enthusiast and did not enter into the revolutionary spirit with extreme ardor, but his immediate settlement and satisfactory ministry in Gloucester precludes the belief that he entertained other than patriotic sentiments during his residence in Brookfield. Mr. Forbes entered Harvard College in 1741 and during his freshman year enlisted in the Provincial army during the first French and Indian War.' After his discliarge he returned to college and graduated in 1751 in the class with Judge William Gushing, Rev. Mather Byles and Rev. John Willard, receiving the degree of 8. T. D. from his Alma Mater in 1804, the year of his death.

On the 23d of May, 1776, a call was given to the Rev. Joseph Appletou, of Ipswich, a graduate at Brown University in 1772, to succeed Mr. Forbes in the ministry, with the oft'er of one hundred and thirtythree pounds, sixteen shillings and eight pence as a settlement, and of seventy pounds as an annual salary for two years and eighty pounds afterward. Mr. Appleton was ordained October 3, 1776, and died in his pastorate July 25, 1794.

Rev. Thomas Snell succeeded Mr. Appleton and was ordained June 27, 1798, and continued in his pastorate until his death, May 4, 1862, with a salary never exceeding five hundred dollars a year. He was born in Cummington November 21, 1774, and graduated at Dartmouth College in 1795. Until September 21, 1851, for fifty-three years he was the sole pastor and senior pastor, with a colleague from that date until his death closed a ministry of sixty-four years. At this point the sketch of the Second Precinct will be closed in this narrative, as that precinct was incorporated as the town of North Brookfield in 1812 and will be found further referred to in the history of that town in another part of this County History.

After the incorporation of the Second Precinct a movement was initiated in the First Precinct to build a new meeting-house. The question of location became a serious one and three localities were proposed - the site of the old house on the hill, the plain and Mr. Seth Banister's lawn. The plain was in what is now West Brookfield, Mr. Banister's lawn was in what is now Brookfield and the hill was between the two. Tne people of the west village, though preferring the plain, were willing to compromise on the old site on the hill but the people of tlie south village would consent to nothing but the lawn within their own special territory. The people of the south part formed a majority of the First Parish and at a meeting held November 20, 1753, it was voted to build a meeting house on the height near Seth Banister's house. On the 4th of December Jedediah Foster, Abner Brown, John Go^s and forty othei's living in the west part asked to have the parish divided into two, equal as to quantity and quality of lands and number of inhabitants. The majority objected to the terms and conditions of the petition, but were willing that the petitioners themselves might be set off as another parish. In the meantime the erection of tlie meetinghouse went on and the petitioners in the west part applied to the General Court for an injunction. Without, however, going further into the details of the controversy it is sufficient to state that on the 8th of November, 1754, an act was passed by the General Court incorporating a third precinct and making an addition to the Second Precinct, which was incorporated in March, 1750. The following is the text of the Act:

Whereas, it is made evident to this court that the annexing some of the inhubitanta of the first precinct in the town uf Brookfield, with their lands, to the second precinct in said town, and the dJvidinj; the remainder of said first precinct into two precincta would serve very much to rt-iiiove many difficulties and inconveniencies which divers of the inhabitants of said first precinct at present labour under, and also very much to accommodate the greatest part of the iuhabitanta of said first precinct, -

Sect. 1. That all the lands in the present first precinct in said town, lying mrlhward of a line beginning at the northt-ast corner of George Harrington's lands, upon Spencer line, and runuinf^ westward by his, the said George's hinds, to Five Mile River Bridge at the country road ; from thence westerly on the most southerly parts and lines of the lands of Thomas Slayton, Captain Nathaniel Woolcet, Thomas Moor, Ebenezer Jennings, John Jennings, Obadiah Rice, W"". Parks, Josiah Con, verse, Francis Dodge, Paul Deland, tlie heirs of John Green, deceased, Stephen Green and Joseph Ranger, Jun. ; and from said Ranger's southwest corner to the southwest corner of Ayrea' meadow, on Coy's Brook, eo-called, near the place where the old school-house stood ; and from thence northward on the must eastward parts and lines of the lands of Jolin Tuff and Josiah Gilbert, and on the most westward parts and lines of tlie land of Jeremiah Woodbury and John Hill to Abner Tyler's land ; and from thence on the most eastward part and lines of the lands of Jacob Abbot and Joshua Dodge and Joshua Dodge, Jun., to the center line of said town ; and from thence all the lands eastward of that part of said center line, wliicb is northward of the place where the above descril)ed line meets with tlie said center line to New Braintree District be and hereby are annexed to the second precinct in Siiid town of Brookfield; and that all those persons that now are or hereafter may be inhabitants on said lands, be and Iiereby are incorporated with the second precinct, and shall be always hereafter obliged to do all precinct duties, and shall receive all precinct privileges in the said second precinct.

Sect. 2. That tlie remaintler of tlie lands in the said first precinct in said town of Brookfield be divided into two precincts in manner following, viz. : the dividing line shall begin at the southeast corner of Paul Deland's land, and shall run from thence to the country road in said Brookfield, so as to take in and include all John Rich's land where he dwells, into the West Precinct or division ; and from said country road Baid dividing line shal' run in the midst of tile town road that leads Bouthwarii from said country road to the river called Qnabaug River, to the southeast corner of Ephraim Bartlet's land ; and from thence westward, southward of all Ephraim Bartlet's and Obadiah Wright's land, to Quaboag River ; and from thence the said river shall be the dividing line down said river to the mouth of Salmon Brook ; and from thence the dividing line shall run straight to a large white oak tree standing in the northeast corner of a tract of land called the Mile Square ; said tree being a boundary between the townships of Brookfield and Western ; and that the lands lying in the said town of Brookfield {and not included in the second precinct) westward of the above dividing line be and hereby .are made a precinct by the name of the First Precinct in the Town of Brookfield ; and that the inhabitants of said land westward of the said dividing line above described be and hereby are invested with all the powers and privileges and subjected to all the duties that precincts in this province by law are invested with and subjected to ; and that the lands lying in the said town of Brookfi'dd (and not included in the second precinct), eastward of the above dividing lino be and hereby are made a separate precinct by the name of the Third Precinct in the Town of Brookfield ; and that the inhaliitants of the said lands eastward of the said dividing line above described be and hereby are invested with all the powers and privileges and subjected to ail the duties that precincts in this pi'ovince by law are invested with and subjected to, and be it further enacted,

Sect. 3. That all the inhabitants of the lands which by this act are made the first precinct and all the inhabitants of those lauds which by this act are annexed to the saitl second precinct bo and hereby are and shall forever hereafter be exempted from paying or contributing any part towards the charges and debts that have already arisen or may hereafter arise by reason of the building the new meeting house which has lately been erected in said town on the lands by this act made the third precinct in said town, any of the votes of the late first precinct notwithstanding; and that all the materials of the old meeting-house which was lately standing in said town was taken down be equally divided between the said three precincts ; and that all the ministerial revenues arising from all and auy lands lying in any piirt of the said town of Brookfield heretofore sequestered to the use of the ministry in said town shall be always hereafter equally divided between the said three precincts ; and that the charge of the committee who were appointed by this court in April, one thousand seven hundred and fiftyfour, to view the said town be borne and paid by the inhabitants of said town.

On the 22(1 of January, 17-55, the people of the first precinct voted to build a meeting-house "at the turning of the county rode, near the northeast corner of a plow-field belonging to John Barns, being on the plain in said first precinct." It was to be forty-five feet long and thirty- five feet wide, and so far as can be learned it was finished without serious delay. The question now arose as to which church the Rev. Mr. Harding belonged. The General Ciurt had provided that the estates of the first parish should be held for the payment of his salary up to the time of the division, but did not determine his future relation. Owing to the embarrassments attending this question he was at his own request dismissed May 8, 1755. Two years later, February 1, 1757, Rev. Nehemiah Strong, of Hadley, was chosen pastor to succeed Mr. Harding, but declined on account of the insufficiency of the proposed salary. Rev. Joseph Parsons, of Bradford, a graduate at Harvard, in 1752, was then called and was ordained November 23, 1757. Mr. Parsons served until his death, in 1771, when be w^s followed by Rev. Ephraim Ward, a graduate at Harvard in 1763. Mr. Ward was ordained October 23, 1771, and served until his death, in 1818. Rev. Eliakim Phelps was settled as his colleague October 23, 1816, and alter a service often years and two days, two years as colleague and eight years, as p.istor, he resigned October, 1826 and assumed the preceptorsbip of the Biookfield "Classical Female School." On the day of the dismission of Mr. Phelps Rev. Joseph I. Foote was installed, and after six years' service retired, and died on the day before his proposed inauguration as President of Washington College, in the Slate of Tennessee. Mr. Foote was succeeded by Rev. Francis Horton, a Harvard graduate of 1826. His ministry began August 15, 1832, and continued to September 15, 1841. Rev. Moses Chase was settled January 12, 1842, and was followed by Rev. Leonard S. Parker, a graduate of Oberlin Collegiate Institute, December 19, 1844. During his pastorale the first precinct was incorporated as West Brookfield in 184.S, and for a continued sketch of the parish reference must be had lo the history of that town in these volumes.

On the 15th of April, 1756, the third precinct, which is now the town of Brookfield, was organized with a niember.-hip of twenty-five males and fourteen females. The Rev. Nathan Fiske, a graduate of Harvard, in the class of 1754, was ordained May 24, 1758. He was in the class with John Hancock, Daniel Treadwell and Samuel West, and received the degree of S. T.D., in 1792. His pastorate continued until his death, May 24, 1799, when he was succeeded by Rev. Michael Stone, who was ordained March 11, 1801.

In 1827 the society became Unitarian, and settled Rev. George R. Noyes October 30, 1827, who remained six years, and afterwards became professor of sacred literature in Harvard University. Mr. Noyes was a graduate of Harvard in 1818. Rev. Seth Alden followed, remaining ten years, and was followed November 8, 1845, by William B. Greene, a graduate of West Point, who, in the war of 1861, commanded a regiment of Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. Rev. S. S. Hunting succeeded October 5, 1852; Rev. R. D. Burr November 18, 1858; Rev. Edward I. Galvin April 15, 1863; Rev. A. Judson Rich October 31, 1870, and later by Rev. Henry W. Woude and Rev. Samuel Hamlet. The society is at prfsent without a pastor.

On the retirement of Mr. Stone from the society, at the time of its change of theological belief, a new society was org.mized called the Evangelical Society of Brookfield, anr) he became its pastor. Rev. Richard WoodrufT was selected as his colleague February 5, 1838, and dismissed September 12 in the same year- On the day of his dismissal Rev. Washington A. Nichols was ordained as colleague, and remained until January 11, 1843. Rev. Lyman Whiting was ordained on the day of the dismissal of Mr. Nichols, and remained four years. Mr. St^ne died in September, 1852. He was followed by Rev. Je.sse R. Bragg, who remained eight years ; Rev. Josiah Coit, who remained seven years ; Rev. Joel M. Seymour, who officiated from 1873 to 1876, and afterwards by Rev- Charles E. Stebbins. The Revs. Charles P. Blanchard, A. F. Schaufflin and Charles F. Moore have at various times supplied the pulpit, but at present the society is without a pastor.

About the time of the incorporation of the Third Precinct, a Baptist congregation held meetings in that part of the town, and without any further organization continued at intervals to hold services for forty years. It had no settled minister, nor any special place of worship. In 1788 Rev. Jeremiah Haskell was engaged to preach, and served several years. In 1795 a meeting-house was built, and in 1800 a formal society was organized. Various ministers officiated until 1818, including Rev. Nathaniel Price, Rev. Laban Thurber, and Rev. John Chase. On the 10th of June in that year a church was formed with thirtyseven members, and Mr. Chase was ordained as its pastor. He died July 28, 1833, and has been followed in the pastorate by Rev. Benjamin B. Manning, Rev. Winthrop Morse, Rev. J. H. Rickett, Rev. Job Boomer and Rev. Andrew Dunn.

During the Revolution Brookfield assumed and faithfully performed its full share. At a town-meeting held May 17, 1773, at which Jedediah Foster presided, a committee was appointed consisting of Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Adams, Benjamin Babbet, Samuel Hinckley and Joshua Dodge, whose report was accepted and sent by copy to tlie Committee of Correspondence at Boston. The report declared that :

The town will be ever ready to aesist, and in every legai and pro per way maintain those rights and liberties for our children, which with ?o much labor, blood and treasure were purchased by our ancestors, whose memory is and ought to be esteemed by us ; and we hope, notwithstanding the attempts of the enemies of our constitution, to deprive us of those riglits, yet by a steady, firm and constant exertion we shall not finally be deprived of them.

At a meeting held on the 3d of the following December, another committee was chosen, of which Jedediah Foster, Jeduthun Baldwin, Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Rice and Phinehas Upham were members, whose report, which was accepted by the town, stated that:

We think it our indisponsablo duty, in the most public manner, to let the wurld know our utter abhorrence of the last and most detestable j-chenie in the introduction of tea from Great Britain, to be paddled out umongat us, by which means we were to be made to swallow a poison more fatal in its effecta to the national and political Rightu and Privileges of the People of this country than ratsbane would be to the natural body.

There/ore Resolved that we will not, by aoy way or means, knowingly encourage or pi-omote the sale or consumption of Tea, whatever, subject to a duty, payable in America, but all persons, whoever they may be, who shall be concerned in a transaction so dangerous, shall be held by us In the utmost contempt, and be deemed enumies to the country.

On the 12th of September, 1774, Jedediah Foster, Joshua Dodge, John Phijips, Jeduthun Baldwin, Joseph Gilbert, John Lyscara, Rufus Putnam, Phinehas Upham, John Hobbs, Asa Biglow and Jonathan King were chosen a Committee of Correspondence. On the 19th of April, 1775, the following company of minute-men, attached to the regiment commanded by Col. Jonathan AVarren, marched for Boston in consequence of the commencement of hostilities at Lexington.

There were other Brookfield men who marched for Boston on the 19th of April, 1775, under Capt. John Woolcott, but, aa it is difficult to distingulbh them from the Spencer men in the same company, they are omitted.

Brook Field

The above is an incomplete list of the soldiers furnished by Brookfield, but it indicates plainly enough the active and patriotic part which the people of the town took in the War. Not only were men furnished, but the resources of the inhabitants were largely drawn upon and seriously depleted by the demands constantly arising from bounties and supplies. The action taken by the town at various times to meet the exigencies of the period shows that its aftairs were in the hands of earnest and devoted men who were determined that, so far as the burden of the War rested on them, it should be borne with courage and hope. Tlie names of the first committee ofcorrespondence,chosenin 1774, have already been given. In 1775 they were: Jedediah Foster, David Hitchcock, John Phipps, Daniel Gilbert, Thomas Moore, John Lyscam, Josiah Hobbs, Ephraim Walker, Ithamar Wright. In 1776 they were: Thomas Moore, .lohn Wait, Tilly Rice, David Hitchcock, Jabez Crosby, Ithamar Wright, John Hamilton. In 1777 they were: David Hitchcock, Thomas Wheeler, Daniel Watson, Joseph Chadwick, Onesiph Ayres, Jonathan Bond, Ithamar Wright, Esekiel Olds, Jabez Crosby.

At a town-meeting held May 22, 1776, under a resolve of the General Court the question " whether the town would support the Honorable Congress in the measure if they for our liberty should see fit to declare thecolonie.s independent of Great Britain " was decided almost unanimously in the affirmative. Indetd, the support of the War and the defense of the rights and liberties of the colonies received the united sympathies of the people. There was little or no disloyalty to the patriot cause. Joshua Upham was one of the few pronounced loyalists in the town. He was a graduate of Harvard in the class of 1763, and among his classmates was Sampson Salter Blowens, a noced loyalist, who rose to high judicial distinction in Nova Scotia, having risen from the bar through the grades of attorney-general and speaker of the House of Assembly to the seat of chief justice of the Supreme Court of the province. Mr. Upham retired to Boston,

He was with Arnold in the expedition to New London, and in 1781 was Deputy Inspector-General of Refugees at Lloyds Neck, Long Island. He settled in New Brunswick after the war, and became a member of the Council and judge of the Supreme Court. He was the father of the late Hon. Charles Wentworth Upham of Salem. His death occurred while on a business visit in England, in 1808.

Daniel Murray was another loyalist, a son of Colonel John Murray, and a graduate of Harvard in 1771. Mr. Murray entered the service of the crown, and was major of the King's American Dragoons. In 1778 he was proscribed and banished, and, retiring to New Brunswick, where he lived after the war on half pay, was, in 1792, a member of the House of Assembly. He died in Portland, Maine, in 1832. Colonel John Murray, of Rutland, the father of Daniel, with the other sons, Samuel, Robert and John, two of whom, it is believed, lived in Brookfield, were also loyalists.

In 1777-78-79 committees were appointed by the town to provide for the families of non-commissioned ofiicers and soldiers of the Continental Army. In 1778 one hundred pounds per man and a blanket, were given for the soldiers in the second precinct, for the Continental Army; seventy pounds each to the militiamen, and one hundred pounds each for four men who were already in the field. In the same year it was voted to raise £988 8«. to defray the expenses of hiring the Continental and militia men recently enlisted, and also in the same year to "accept the confederacy of the Continental Congress, andito enjoin it on their representatives that they consent to the same." In 1779 it was voted to form a State convention, " for the sole purpose of forming a new con.stitution." An effort had been made by the Legislature to form a constitution, which failed. In 1780 the vote in favor of the new constitution stood one hundred and forty-three to eleven. In November of that year Brookfield furnished fifty-two head of cattle, thirty-three blankets, sixty-seven shirts, sixtyseven pairs of shoes and sixty-seven pairs of hose.

In 1781 it was voted in the second precinct that " the sum of £1080 in hard money be assessed upon the polls and estates of the precinct for the purpose of hiring twelve soldiers for three years' service, at £90 each." This vote of the second precinct was followed in the other two precinct*, and was in obedi- . ance to a vote of the town that " the three precincts should raise soldiers for three years, or during the war, and choose committees to enlist men, and hire such sums of money as might be needed." " In the same year Brookfield furnished the army thirty-three blankets, sixty-seven shirts, sixty-seven pairs of shoes and sixty-seven pairs of hose, at a cost of £10,411, and before the close of the year, thirty-one blankets, sixty-two shirts, sixty-two pairs of shoes, and 15,450

After the treaty of peace the people once more resumed their old occupations, and sought by determined effort to repair their individual and corporate condition. Since the date of the original grant, in 1660, there had been, up to this time, few years free from the alarms, and annoyances, and horrors of war ; now, for the first time, there seemed to be a pathway before them in which tbey might walk with prosperous steps.

lu 1784, the town instructed its representative that *'it is the opinion of this town that the articles of confederation and perpetual union between the thirteen United States, ratified and established by each stite in the union, are solemnly binding on the several states, and that no attempt ought to be made to dissolve or weaken the same ; but, on the other hand, if we mean to support our dignity as a nation, every effort ought to be used to strengthen the union, and render the bonds indissoluble.'' Thus, in advance of the formation of the Con-titution of the United States, the people of Brookfield declared what the result of the Civil War has confirmed, and what now every citizen of our country believes, in every State of our Union, whether East or West, North or South, that the nation established by our fathers is not a rope of sand, but is a welded, coQipact, and forever-united Union.

The annoyances of the French war in the latter part of the century from which the people on the seaboard suffered, like the summer air from the ocean, were not felt in the inland towns, Nor did the war of 1812 much disturb them. What was called Shays' Rebellion caused a mi)mentary ruffle on the surface of public affairs wbich soon subsided. The next real source of disturbance to the people of Brookfield was the movement of the inhabitants of the second precinct to be incorporated as a separate town by the name of North Brookfield. The movement began in 1810, and in that year, uider the direction of a committee consisting of Daniel Gilbert, Jason Biglow, Luke Patten. Aaron Forbes and Jacob Kettridge, the following petition was presented :

To the Hon" Senate and House of Representatives; The Inhabitants of the Second Precinct in Brookfield humbly pray that they may be set oflF from the other precincts in eaid town, and be incorpomted into a township by the name of North Brookfield; and that the territorial limite of such incorporation may be the same as those whereby the said Precinct is designated.

And the said inhabitants would beg leave to further state that from the extensive limits of said town, it being separated into three distinct precincts together with the necessary mode of transacting the business of the same by annual rotation in each precinct, tbey not only find the distance of travel burdeiisonie, but in considering the transactiug of their parochial concerns a two fold labor and expense, that the offices of Siiid Town are of necessity distant from the centre, and that from the numbers of its inhabitants and the multiplicity of the business of the sjiid town, the term of one day insufficient for transactiug the same."

was presented, which the town voted to oppose under the direction of a committee formed for that purpose, consisting of Dwight Foster, Seth Banister and Nathan Allen. The result, however, was this time favorable to the petitioners, and the following Act of incorporation, amended in some of its provisions in 1818, was passed February 28, 1812 :

Sect. 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled and by the authority of the same. That all that part of the town of Brookfield which has been heretofore called and known by the name of Second or North Parish (exceptiug that part of said territory now lying south of the post-road leading from Worcester through Spencer to Springfield) together with the inhabitants thereon be and the same is hereby incorporated into a separate town by the name of Xorth Brookfield. And the said town of North Brookfield is hereby vested with all the powers and privileges and shall also be subject to all the duties to which other corpnrato towns are entitled and subjected by the constitution and laws nf the Commonwealth.

Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That the inhabitants of the said town of North Brookfield shall be entitled to hold such proportion of all the personal property now belongiiigtoand owned by the inliaUitants of the town of Brookfield as the property of the said inhabitants of North Brookfield bears to the property of all the inhabitants of the town of Brookfield according to the last valuation thereof.

Sect. 3. Be it further enacted, That the inhabitants of the said town of North Broiikfiold shall be holden to pay all arrears of taxes due fmm them together Mith their proportion (to be (iscerfained as aforesaid) of all the debts now due and owing from the said town of Braokfield on what may be hereafter found due and owing by reason of any contract or other matter and thing heretofore entered into or now existing.

Sect. 4. Be it further enacted, That the s lid town of North Brookfield shall be bolden to support their proportion of the present pnor of the town of Brookfield, which proportion shall be ascertained by the present valuation of the town ; and all persona who may hereafter become chargeal'le as paupers to the town of Bruokfield and North Bruokfield shall be considered as belonging to that town or the territory of which tbey had their settlement at the time of passing this act, aiul shall in future bo chargeable to that town only.

Sect 0. Be it further enacted, That the suid town of North Brookfield shall be bohleu to pay their proportion of all state, town and county tixes assessed on the inhabitants of the said town of North Brookfield until a new valuation shall be made of the said towns. Provided, That the said town nf North Brookfield shall be holden until the further order of the legislatuio to pay the town of Brookfield such proportion of any of the expenses of maintaining the bridges and causeways over the rivers in the town of Brookfield as a Committee of the Court of Ses.-iiona forthe County of Worcester shall determine ; and said Court of Sessions are hereby authorized on application of either of the inhabitants of Brookfield or North Brookfield from time to time to appoint a committee for the above purpose whose report made to and accepted by said court shall be binding on said towns.

Sect. G. Be it further enacted, That any Justice of the Peace for the County of Worcester upon application therefor is hereby authorized to issue lier warrant directed to any freeholder in the said town of North Brookfield, re'iuiriug him to notify and warn the inhabitants thereof to meet at such time and place as shall be appointed in said warrant for the choice of such officers as towns are by law required to choose at their annual town meetings.

Be it enacted, that Austin Flint, of Leicester, Nathaniel Jones, of Barre, and Joseph Cunimings, of Ware, are hereby appointed a committee to lienr and consider the claim of Brookfield on one part and of North Brookfield on the other ; and finally to determine whether the town of North Brookfield ought in future to pay any part of the expenses of maintaiin'ng the bridges and causeways in the town of Brookfield.

Sect. 2. Be it further enacted, That from and after tlie time the report of said committee sliall be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth tlie said fifth section of said act incorporating the town of North Brookfield shall be repealed, and the duties and liabilities of said North Brookfield resultiug from the said section shall altogether cease.

by the Legislature which still further, though in a moderate degree, changed the bounds and contracted the territory of the town. It provided that Daniel Coney, with so much of his estate as is within the towns of Brookfield and Weston, in the county of Worcester, be and they are hereby set off from said towns and annexed to the town of Ware, in the County of Hampshire. A much earlier change in the boundaries which has not before been mentioned in the narrative was made in 1791, when the General Court in establishing a line between Bn-okfield and New Braintree s-et off a tract of land to the latter town and annexed to the former, "the lands of Calvin and Francis Stone and a part of Whitney Hill, so called."

The next change in the boundaries and the next birth of a new town from the loins of the mothertown occurred in 1848. On the 22d of the previous November, at a town-meeting over which Alanson Hamilton presided as Moderator, it was voted "that the town choose a committee of two, nominated by the Moderator, one from each Parish; to present a petition to the next Legislature to send out a disinterested committee to report to theirbody the terms upon wiiich this town be divided, and that the town will abide said decision; provided that the town shall not agree among themselves upon the terms of division previous to the first of January next, in which case said committee will petition the Legislature to divide the town upon the terms agreed upon." John N. Fisk and Francis Howe were appointed on the committee. It was also voted that a committee of twelve, six from each parish, be appointed to agree on terms of division. This committee consisted of Perley Blanehard, Elliott Prouty, Alfred Rice, Wm. J. Adam-*, Wm. Howe, Charles Flagg, Baxter Ellis, Baxter Barnes, Nathaniel Lynde, Wm. Adams, Joseph Dane and Avery Keep.

The Conmiittoe clioseu by tlie town of Broolifield t) consider and agree upon an ecuiitiible division of said town into two distinct towns in such manner iind npon such terniB as shall subject each town to bear tlie just proportion of the burdens or expenses and present liabilities of the whole undivided town, respectfully submit tlie following report: having duly considered all the fucts and circumstances that we could bring to our minds, are of the opinii>n tlmt the town should be divided by the same line that divides the two ancient parishes, all the part lying west of said line, excci)t Prestou Haver's hind, shall be incorporated as a new and distinct town by the name of West Brookfield, with the following conditions on agreement, viz.: If the County Commissioners shall order either the road from Ware to West Brookfield depot or the road from Fiykdale to South Brookfield depot, or both of them to be made as they are now located, except a slight alteniliou muy be made without additional expense, within two years each town shall puy an equal portion of the expense of making said road or roads ; also of the present debts of the town, if any there be, West Brookfield shall relinquish and give up to Brookfield all their right or interest in the town fHrni with all the personal property on or belonging thereto, and Brookfield shall keep and support all the paupera who are now at the said establishment during their lives. West Bniokfield paying to Brookfield fifty cents a week each for one half the number of paid paupers now at said almshouse during their lives. The names of the persons to be there supported are as follows, and no other person, viz.: Joseph Porter, Abigail Stephens, Simeon Johnson, David Snow, Eleanor Gilbert, Solon Phipps, Hannah Lawrence, Martlia Ilichardson, Elizabeth Hobbs, Harriett Richards, Sally Forbes, Sally Parker, Iluldah Wood, Mary Walker, Mary W'ard, Esther Jennings, Sally Thomas, Abigail I'addock, John Lindly, Wm. Richardson, Emily P. MurriB, Ben Hamilton. Ruth Hensbaw, insane, is to be supported by the town of Brookfield and Harriett Cording to be supported in West Brookfield. All persons who may hereafter claim town aid to be supported or assisted by the town in whose territtrial limits they may have gained a settlement by the laws of the Commonwealth previous to the division of said town of West Brookfield, shall have the right to visit said Almshouse by an Agent or Committee for the purpose of seeing that said paupers are well treated or taken care of.

The expense incurred by your Committee they pray may be allowed, and that the town direct the Selectmen to give an order to Perley Blanehard, Chairman, for the sum of sixteen dollars for that purpose.

It was then voted to petition the Legislature for an act providing for admission substantially in accordance with the report, and ou the 3d of March the following act was passed :

Section T. All that part of the town of Brookfield in the county of "Worcester which lies westerly of the line hereinafter described, is hereby incorporated into a separate town by the name of West Brookfield, and the said town of West Brookfield is hereby vested with all the powers privileges, rights and immunities, and shall be subject to all tlie duties and requisitions to which other towns are entitled and subjected by the constitution and taws of this Commonwealth. The dividing lino between the two towns shall be and the same is hereby established as follows : Beginning at the north end of the said line at a town monument between Brookfield and North Brookfield, thence south eighteen and three-fourtha degrees west thirty-one rods and twenty-two links to u stake and stones ; thence south eighty-six degrees west twenty-four rods ; thence north eighty-four and three-fourths degrees west ten rods and eighteen links ; thence south fifty-six and three-fourths degrees west seventeen rods and five links ; thence south fifty-four degrees west fifteen rods and twenty-three links ; thence south sixty-nine and one third degrees west fourteen rods and twenty-two links ; thence south seven degrees west nineteen rods and seven links ; thence south twenty-four and one-fonrtii degrees west nine rods and nine links; thence north fifty-six and one-fourth degrees west twelve rods ; thence north fifty-two and three-fourths degrees west sixteen rods ; thence south nine degrees west sixty -six rods and twenty links ; thence south fifteen degrees west sixty-six rods and twenty links ; thence south nine degrees west seventeen rods and seventeen links ; thence south eighty-two and one-half degrees west fifteen rods and three links ; thence south five and one-half degrees east fifty-nine rods and seven links : thence south forty-nine degrees west eighteen rods and twelve links; thence south thirty-three and one-half degrees west eight rods; thence south ten and one-hulf degrees east seven lods and four links ; thence south thirty degrees east seven rods and four links ; tlience south fifty-three and one half degrees east nine rods and thirteen links ; thence south thirty-four degrees west twenty-six rods and tliirteen links ; thence south seventy-five and threefourths detirees east nine rods and twenty liuks ; thence south nine and one-fourth degrees west three rods ; thence south seventy-four degrees east sixteen rods ; thence south twenty and one-fourth degrees west one hundred and twenty-nine rods to the north bank of the river; thence southerly to the middle of the river ; thence down the middle of the river to a point <.>pposite the corner of land of Reuben Blair and the Brigham farm lying on the southerly side of said river ; thence southerly to said corner ; thence south thirty-three and one-fonrth degrees west one hundred eighty-five rods and fifteen links ; thence north sixty-eight and three-fourths degrees west thirty-three rods and twenty links ; thence south sixteen degrees west two hundred thirty-six rods and twenty links; thence south sixty seven and three-fourths degrees east thirtytwo reds ; thence south seven degress west three rods; thence south seventy degrees east sixteen rods and eight links ; thf-nce seventeen degrees west forty rods and two links ; thence south eighty-four and threefourths degrees west seven roils and fifteen links ; thence south three and one-fourth degrees west twenty-six rods ; thence south eighty-five and one-half degrees west twenty-four rods and thirteen links ; thence north seventy and three-fourths degrees west twenty-eight rods and eighteen links; thence north eighty-six and one-half degrees westtwentyeigat rods and five links; thence south twelve rods, thence south twentynine and ono-haU degrees west forty-four rods and fifteen links ; thence south seventeen one-hulf degrees west fifty-tive rods and fourteen links ; theuce auuth aerentf-fire aadoae-half degrees east ninety rods ; thence suuth thirteen one-third desi'eas west eishty-eightrods and twenty-two liulis ; thence nurtli aeveuty-fire degrees west sixty-one rods and twenty links ; tlieuce south nineteen and tliree quarters degrees west eiglity rods ; thence south forty and one-half degrees east seventeen rods ; tlience north twenty-live degrees east twenty-three rods and fifteen linlis tliencjsoutli eighty degrees east fifty-four rods and ten linlis; tlience south tliirteeil and oue-third degrees west one hundred twenty -seven rods and live linlis ; thence north sixty-four degrees west sixty-eight rods and ten iinl<s; theuce eoutli sixty-two degrees west eleven rods and twelve links ; tlience north forty-nine degrees west five rods and nine links ; theuce north sixfy-one and one-half degrees west forty-two rods and twenty iinlts, to a point on the town lino between said Broolifield and Warner.

The remaining sections of the act provided for equitable settlements of arrears of taxes, of county taxes of debts, of corporate pi-operty, the support of the poor, the construction of roads, and further provided, that West Brooktield should

Continue to be a part of the town of Brookfield for the purpose of electing a representative to the General Court, State officers, senators, representatives to Congress and electors of President and vice-President of the United States until the next decennial census shall be taken in pursuance of the 13th article of ainendtnent of the Constitution ; and all meetings for the choice of said ollicers shall be called by the selectmen of the town of Brookfield in like manner and in the same places as heretofore called.

Six years later, on the 15th of April, 1854, the town lines were again, and for the last time, changed. An act of the Legislature of that date provided that

So much of the town of North Brookfield in the County of Worcester as lies southerly of a line beginning at a stoue nionunieut at the old post road leadiug to Brookfield, a little Northwesterly of what is called the Wolcott Mill, and running thence soutii seventy-seven degrees and thirty minutes east three hundred and seventy-five rods, to a stone monument, as now established in the line -of Brookfield and North Brookfield, on the easterly side of the Stephens pond, so-called with all the inhabitants and estjites thereon is hereby set off from the town of North Brookfielii and annexed to the town of Brookfield ; pro. vided, however, that for the purpose of electing representatives to the General Court to which the Siiid town of North Brookfield is entitled until the next decennial census shall be taken in pursuance of the thirteenth article of amendment to the constitution, the said territory shall remain and continue to be a part of the town of North Brookfield, and the inhabitants resident thereon shall be entitled to vote in the choice of such representatives, and shall be eligible to the office of representative in the town of North Brookfield in the same manner as if this act had not been passed.

The record of Brookfield in the War of the Eebellion impresses upon us anew a realization of the immense resources of our government in bringing it to a successful conclusion. Every city and town and hamlet in the loyal North poured out its men and its means, and their sources of supply were far from exhausted when the last soldier had been drafted for the Confederate Army, and the last dollar had been expended for its support. On the 30th of April, IStil, at a town-meeting, at which John E. Prouty acted as moderator it was voted, " that every person belonging to this town who should enroll himself in the company now being raised in this town and vicinity for the purpose of volunteering its services to the Government, subject to the call of the Governor shall, as soon as said company is accepted by the Governor, receive one dollar a day for every day he is called out to drill by the drill-master, or such officers as are authorized so to order. The payment of the above to be made weekly to the order of the drill-master, or the officer properly calling them out, and this shall continue till otherwise directed by the Selectmen."

It was also voted, " that every private and noncommissioned officer when called into actual service shall receive from the town such an amount as shall make his pay, including that received by him from the Government, fifteen dollars per month ; that every private and non-commissioned officer, who has a family or any person dependent upon him for support, shall receive in addition to the above eight dollars per month to be paid in such a manner and to such person as the Selectmen of the town shall think best for the support of saiil family or dependent persons."

It was furlher voted, " that when the company has been organized and accepted by the Governor, each and every member shall be provided with a plain, substantial uniform, and before going into actual service with an army blanket and revolver at the expense of the town unless otherwise provided."

It was still further voted, '' that the Selectmen be authorized to borrow what money the town may want to carry the foregoing votes into effect, to be paid in one, two and three years, and the Selectmen to give all necessary obligations binding the town to pay the same sums and interests that may accrue thereon. And it wtis finally voted, " to choose a committee of three to confer with North Brookfield in regard to the uniform, etc., and for the purchase of the same for the volunteers." This committee consisted of Emmons Twichell, J. S. Montague and Charles Fales.

At a subsequent meeting held on the 15th of June in the same year, at which also John E. Prouty acted as moderator, it was voted " that each member of the family of the volunteer militia be paid one dollar per week for every member of the family, the sum not to exceed twelve dollars per month for any one family and the Selectmen be authorized to borrow the money." It was also voted " that all members that the Committee uniform be paid two dollars and fifty cents per week for five weeks, to be left discretionary with the Selectmen and officers of the company, when to be paid, and to be paid to the officers of said company."

At a meeting held on the following November, at which George W. Johnson acted as moderator, the committee on uniforms reported that the uniforms had been furnished under a contract with Marshal & Duncan of North Brookfield, and that the following men had been supplied :

At a meeting held on the 2d of January, 1S62, at which Austin H. Moulton acted as moderator, it was voted " that the Selectmen ;be authorised to pay to each volunteer not to exceed thirty-four in number, who may enlist or has enlisted under the last call of the President for three hundred thousand volunteers, the sum of one hundred dollars, to be paid to each volunteer upon his being mustered into the service of the United States, it being understood that those who have previously enlisted shall be entitled to the same bounty as those who may hereafter enlist, if they can be legally counted as belonging to our qu^ta of thirty-four men which this town must raise under the call above mentioned.'* At a meeting held on the 12th of September, 1802, at which also George W.Johnson acted as moderator, it was voted '* that one hundred and fifty dollars be paid to each man voluntarily as a part of the quota of the town under the last call for men for nine months' service whether enlisted before or after the first day of September, 1862."

The following is a list of the soldiers furnished by Brookfield in the War of the Rebellion, taken from the tablets on the interior walls of the town-house:

The expenditures of money by the town during the war were $29,874.91, of which the sum of $14,106.19 was re-imbursed by the State, as expended under the law for State aid.

But this sketch with the limited space assigned to it in these volumes, must be brought to a close. Besides the Orthodox, Unitarian and Baptist churches already referred to, there is a Methodist church, established in the early part of this century, and a Catholic church, established about the year 1867, of which Father Grace is pastor. Both enjoy a steady and prosperous growth. The town-hou^e was built at a cost of about seventy thousand dollars, and there are two hotels, a high school, a public library, a Grand Army Post and a Masonic Lodge. The business of the town is not extensive, and is chiefly confined to the manufacture of boots and shoe-!, and bricks, the former by George H. Burt & Co., \\ho employ about five hundred hands, and the latter by the Brookfield Press Brick Company. Under the last census of 1885 the population of the town wa-< throe thousand and thirteen, having increased to that number from two thousand six hundred and sixty, in 1875. The valuation of the town is about one million three hundred thousand dollars. At the last annual meeting the following appropriations were made to defray the expenses of the town for the ensuing year:

The Merrick Public library, a valuable adjunct to the school system of the town and a means of improvement and cultivation to all its inhabitants, stands as a monument to the memory of two of its sons. Its foundation was laid in 18G5, for the formation of a library association, with a capital of two hundred and ninety-five dollars, divided into fifty-nine shares at five dollars each, which were taken, five by one person, forty by twenty persons at two each, and the remainder by fourteen at one each. Additions to this capital were made by gifts of money and books, and about two hundred volumes which had belonged to another, then extinct association, were placed on its shelves. Mr. George Howe, of Boston, contributed one hundred dollars, and his brother, Jabez C. Howe, two hundred and fifty dollars as mementoes of their attachment to an early home. With these and other gifts the library prospered until 18G7, when receiving a bequest under the will of Pliny Merrick, a native of the town, it was merged in the Merrick Public Library. Mr. Merrick said in his will : " Having always felt a strong attachment to the town of Brookfield, in which I was born, and where I -spent the early years of my life, and where the remains of my parents are entombed ; and wishing to do something to promote the well being and prosperity of the inhabitants of the town in all time to come, I do hereby to that end, and for that purpose, give and bequeath to the said town of Brookfield, the sum of ten thousand dollars to be preserved and maintained perpetually as a fund to be denominated the ' library fund.' The income and interest of which shall be appropriated to the purchase, binding and repair of books, to constitute a library for the free use of the inhabitants of the town and the visitors thereto, subject only to such rules and regulations as the town shall from time to time make and present, and I in like manner give and bequeath to said town all my books which I shall own at my decease, except law books, to constitute a part of said library. These two legacies of money and books are upon the condition that the town shall within nine months next after the probate allowance of this will, vote to accept the same upon and subject to the conditions herein contained. If the town should not so vote the said legacies are to be wholly void and of no force or eflect."

The legacies were accepted at the annual meeting of the town in April, 1867, and the library received ten thousand dollars and four hundred and fifty volumes, with one hundred and fifty magazines aud unbound serials. The fund yields an income of about seven hundred and fifty dollars. This income is expended, as provided in the will, for the purch.ise, binding and repair of books, while other current expenses of the library are met by town appropriations.

The commodious and substantial building in which the library is now kept is called "Banister Memorial Hall," aud was erected by William A. Banister, of New York, a native of the town, at a cost of about ten thousand dollars, on land presented to the town by Nancy S. K. Felton, widow of Oliver C. Felton, and was dedicated January 31, 1884. At that time the library contained seven thousand five hundred volumes. The present trustees of the institution are Washington Tufts, D. W. Hodgkins, L. H. R. Goss, H. V. Crosby, E. J. Irwin and C. F. Holt.

Judge Pliny Merrick, the benefactor aud real founder of the library, was born in Brookfield, Au- ' gust 2, 1794, and died in Boston, February 1, 18G7. He was the son of Pliny Merrick, a graduate at Harvard in 1776, and one of Brookfield's most prominent men. Judge Merrick graduated at Harvard in 1814 in the class with Martin Brimmer, Rev. Francis G. P. Greenwood, William H. Prescott and Rev. James Walker. He studied law with Levi Lincoln, and began practice in Worcester in 1817, subsequently practicing at Swansea and Taunton. In 1824 he was appointed county attorney, in 1832 attorney for the middle district, and in 1843 a judge of the old Commorh Pleas Court. In 1851 he was again appointed judge of the Common Pleas Court, and in 1853 a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. He was also Representative from Worcester in 1827, and Senator in 1850. Besides the btquest to his native town, he made bequests to the City of Worcester for the establishment of schools of a high grade.

Among other distinguished men of Brookfield, the following may be mentioned. Jedediah Foster was born in Andover, October 10, 1726, and died October 17, 1779. He graduated at Harvard in 1744, and settled in Brookfield in the practice of law. He was a delegate to the Provincial Congress in 1774-75, and was an influential member. He was chosen councillor in 1774, and disapproved by General Gage, aud re-chosen in 1775. He was judge of the Superior Court of Judicature from 1776 to his death, and had previously been probate judge and judge of the Worcester County Court of Common Pleas.

Dwight Foster, son 'of Jedediah, was born in Brookfield, December 7, 1757, and died in that town April 29, 1823. He graduated at Brown University in 1774 and practiced law in liis native town. He was Sheriff and Common Pleas Judge of Worcester County, a member of the House and Senate in the General Court, member of Congress from 1793 to

1799, and United States Senator from 1800 to 1803. On the death of his father, in 1779, while a member of the State Convention for framing the State Constitution, he was chosen in his place.

Jabez Upham, son of Phinehas Upham, was born in Brooklield in 1704 and graduated at Harvard in 1785. He studied law with Dwight Foster and was admitted to the bar in 1788. He practiced a few years in Sturbridge, Mass., and Claremont, New Hampshire, and thence removed to Brookfield, where he died, November 8, 1811. He represented his native town in the General Court and the Worcester South District in Congress, resigning his seat in 1809.

Wm. B. Banister was born in Brookfield, November 8, 1773 and graduated at Dartmouth in 1797. He was a distinguished member of both the Worcester and Essex bars and died in Newburyport, where a considerable portion of his proftssional life was spent, July 1, 1853.

Amos Crosby was born in Brookfield in 1761 and graduated at Harvard in 1786. He was a preceptor in Leicester Academy and tutor at Harvard. He afterwards practiced law in Brookfield until his death in June, 1836.

1800, and graduated at Harvard in 1819. He studied law with S. M. Burnside, but after a few years' practice retired from active business. He was three years a member of the Executive Council, and a member of the Massachusetts Senate in 1848.

Daniel Gilbert, a native of Brookfield, graduated at Dartmouth in 1796 and was admitted to the bar in 1805. He died, iVIarch 11, 1851, at the age of seventy-six.

Lovell Walker was born in Brookfield in 1768 and graduated at Dartmouth in 1794. He practiced law in Templeton and Leominster, and was a member of the Senate in 1830 and 1831. He died March 25, 1840.

Among other natives of Brookfield who have distinguished themselves either at home or in wider fields of enterprise may be mentioned Joseph Dwight, Josiah Converse, Phinehas Upham, Thomas Hale, Oliver Crosby, Simeon Draper and Oliver C. F'elton. These belonged to past generations and of the living it is not proposed to speak.

With these sketches this imperfect narrative musts close. It is only necessary to say in conclusion that the writer has drawn freely from Temple's valuable " History of North Brookfield" as a source of supply of historical material, for which he desires to express the fullest acknowledgment and the sincerest thanks. That history being a town publication, he has esteemed it a sort of town record, and therefore free for public use.

Aaron Kimball

Aaron Kimball was the son of Aaron and Silence (Bartlett) Kimball, and was born at North Brookfield, June 19, 1796. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin, came from Ipswich to Brookfield prior to 1755, and since that time the family name has been prominently associated with Brookfield and her interests.

He married Eliza Cooley of Long Meadow, by whom were the following children: Harriet Cooley, born, February 3, 1830, died February 6, 1860 ; Adeline Augusta, born October 1, 1832 d; Mary Ann, born November 15, 1834 - died, 1884 ; Franklin Olcott, born October 26, 1838 - died December 24, 1856.

Aaron Kimball began business at Brookfield as a country merchant, in 1821, with small capital, except force and perseverance. In 1830 he formed a partnership with J. P. Robinson, and commenced the manufacture of shoe^ at Brookfield. In 1851 they opened a shoe and leather store on Fulton Street, Boston, from whence they removed to the well-known warehouse on Hanover Street, opposite the American House.

During the financial storms of this period all their business engagements were met with great promptnets. The panic of 1837 especially tested Mr. Kimball's executive ability with great credit to 'niraself

He belonged to that school of men who did business on honor, and whose word wa^ considered as good as their bond. He possessed sterling integrity, great firmness, a pure character, and was considered the leading business man of his day at Brookfield.

John Paemelee Robinson

Rev. John Robinson, the supposed ancestor of the subject of this sketch, was the well-known pastor of the Pilgrim Church. He bfcame connected with that church at Scrooby soon after 1606 while it was under the ministration of Richard Clyfton. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1576, and entering Emanuel College in 1592 he took the degree of M.A. in 1600 and B.D. in 1607. He began his ministerial labors in Mendham, where on account of his puritan tendencies he was at length suspended from his functions. Retiring to Norwich, after preaching a short time to a small puritan congregation, he at last re- nounced all communion with the church. Robinson afterwards said " lhnt light broke in upon him by degrees, that he hesitated to outrun those of his puritan brethren who could still reconcile thems'lves to remain in the establishment." He was called even by an opponent of separatism " the most learned, polished and modest spirit ihat ever the sect enjoyed."

In 1G08 he went with the church to Amsterdam where it remained a year and to Leyden in 1G09. Mr. Clyfton having decided to remain at Amsterdam, Mr. Robinson was chosen pastor and at his house on Clock Alley in the rear of St. Peter's Church, in Leyden, his congregation probably met on the Sabbath. Here Robinson lived from the 5th of May, 1611, the date of the deed of the premises, until his death in 1625. The records of the church of St. Peter's show that he was buried under its pavement and that the sum of nine florins was paid for the right of burial. This sum, however, only secured a place of deposit for the term of seven years and it is therefore probable that at the end of that time either his coffin was removed to an unknown grave or his ashes were scattered in the burial of others.

Subsequent to the death of Mr. Robinson his widow and son Isaac came to New England and frrm this son the subject of this sketch was probably descended, the line of descent from John being Isaac, Thomas, David, David, Noah, Hezekiah and John Parmelee.

John Parmelee Robinson was the son of Hezekiah and Rebecca (Cooley) Robinson and was born in West Granville in the county Hampden, Massachusetts, April 24, 1809. Rebecca (Cooley) Robinson, his mother, was the daughter of Josiah Cooley, of Longmeadow, and descended through him and another Josiah and two Eliakims from Benjamin, who came from England about 1635 and not long after settled in Springfield. Benjamin Cooley is first mentioned in the history of Springfield as owning land at the "long meddowe" in 1645, a part of the town which was incorporated as a precinct in 1715 and a separate town in 1783. It is evident from the records that the Cooley family always retained their lands at the Longe Meddowe in Springfield and in Longmeadow after its incorporation. Mr. Cooley was one of the selectmen of Springfield as early as 1646, and occupied a position on the Board many years. At later dates he is called Ensign Benjamin Cooley and is spoken of as distinguishing himself'in the Indian Wars.

The other children of Hezekiah Robinson were Josiah C, of Longmeadow, and Noah H., of Elmira, New York, both deceased, and Henry A. of Springfield and Emeline and Harriet R., both unmarried. The subject of this sketch attended school at We.=t Granville and afterwards at the Westfield Seminary where a more thorough education was possible than the public schools of his native town could furnish.- After leaving school he was in 1828 and a part of

1829 employed as teacher in West Granville, and for a short time afterwards in Longmeadow, the old home of his mother. At the age of twenty-one he removed to Brookfield where with Aaron Kimball he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. With devoted labor and csreful management the business of Kimball & Robinson after a solid foundation had been laid assumed large proportions, soon requiring more attention to the sale of goods in Boston than visits to that city twice in a week could furnish. In 1852 Mr. Robinson removed to Boston and there took up his permanent residence. Up to that time the Bofton business had always been transacted by Mr. Robinson while Mr. Kimball gave his attention more particularly to the business of the factory. Mr. Robinson had occupied for the transaction of his business a part of the office of William C. Murdock in Fulton Street (that part of Boston then being the headquarters of the hhoe and leather trade), who did a commission business in boots and shoes. This business Kimball & Robinson bought out in 1852 and for several years they carried on a large and increasing business at the old stand. During Mr. Robinson's connection with Mr. Kimball and afterwards in other business connections, his house may be said to have been the largest in their line of business in Boston. They not only sold their own goods but those manufactured by others in Brookfield, Medway, Hudson, Massachusetts, and Dover, New Hampshire, the manufacture being carried on on joint account and Mr. Robinson always making the purchase of leather.

After remaining in Fulton Street a few years Kimball & Robinson removed to Hanover Street and occupied a store opposite the American House. While there two trusted employees of the house were taken into partnership and the firm-name became Kimball, Robinson & Co. It so remained until December 1, 1864, when the partnership expired by limitation, and Mr. Robinson formed a new firm, as-ociating with himself James Longley, Jr., under the name of Robinson & Longley. Mr. Longley had been brought up in the house and on the 24th of October, 1866, married Julia Frances, Mr. Robinson's daughter.

At the beginning of the War of the Rebellion Mr. Robinson's house, like other large boot and shoe concerns of that period, suffered heavily from losses at the South, but by shrewd management and persistent effort his firm not only successfully went through the financial storm, but asiisted many others, as in the -struggle of 1857. In 1865 Robinson & Longley removed to Pearl Street, where they continued in business until 1867, when they were succeeded by Loring & Reynolds, in whose concern Mr. Robinson and Mr. Longley were special partners. Mr. Kimball died in 1866, but Mr. Robinson continued his interest in the Brookfield factory until September, 1881, when he sold the property.

Mr. Robinson died at North Conway, N. H., August 5, 1882. He married, February 18, 1835, Eliza A., daughter of Stephen and Fanny (Paige) Rice, of Hardwiclc, and had four children, - Frances Eliza, Julia Frances, John Cooley and Anna Eliza, all of whom died young except Julia Frances, the wife, now living, of James Longley, of Boston, as has been already mentioned. Stephen Rice, of Hardwick, the father of Mrs. Robinson, was descended, through Stephen, of Westboro', who married Dorothy Woods, of Marlboro', Beriah Rice, of Westboro'. who married Mary Goodenow, of Marlboro'. Thomas Rice, of Marlboro', who married Anna Rice, his cousin, Thomas Rice, of Sudbury, who married a wife Mary, from Edward Rice, born in England about 1594, who came to New England before 1639, and settled in Sudbury in that year.

During the residence of Mr. Robinson in Brookfield he was a leading man in the town, prominent in every good work, Ijut, with the exception of the office of postni.Tster, which he held under the Whig administration inaugurated by the election of Zachary Taylor in 1848, he held no public office. Aside from hi'* interest in the Unitarian Society, of which he was an active and useful member, and his interest in the general welfare of the town and the comfort and happiness of its people, he devoted his time and energies to his business, and neither sought nor desired public station.

After he came to Boston, he first associated himself with the churclr at the corner of Beadi Street and Harrison Avenue, of which Rev. James I. T. Coolidge, then a Unitarian, was pastor, and later with that of Rev. Edward E. Hale, near his residence, which was at the corner of Washington Street and Chester Park. In the ministry at large, of which he was once an officer, he felt a special interest, and did much to sustain it and promote its usefulness.

Like other business men who, by the cultivation of all their powers, build up and maintain prosnerous enterprises in business, Mr. Robinson looked on his school instruction as only the beginning of knowledge, and continued through life to build on the foundation laid in his boyhood, and educate himself in wider fields of knowledge than the demands of his daily vocation required. Possessed of an exceedingly genial temperament, of good common sense, an unerring judgment, an unswerving integrity, a capacity for honest and thorough investigation, and tastes inclined as his mind developed to literary pursuits, it would have been difficult to find a station in public or private life which he could not have creditably filled. For many years he w.is a director in the Eliot Insurance Company, and afterwards one of the organizers and a director of the Eliot Bank and its successor, the Eliot National Bank, until his death ; and to his conservative prudence and sagacious insight these institutions owed a debt of gratitude which they were ever ready to acknowledge.

Francis Howe

Francis Howe, whose portrait accompanies this sketch, was descended from John Howe, the first American ancestor. John Howe came from England and first settled in Watertown whence he removed to Sudbury where he was living in 1639, and made a freeman in 1640. In 1642 he was a selectman in that town. He was one of the petitioners for the grant constituting the town of Marlboro', and in 1657 removed to that place. The petition for the grant was presented to the General Court in May, 1656, and besides Mr. Howe, the petitioners were: Edmund Rice, William Ward, Thomas King, John Woods, Thomas Goodnow, John Ruddocke, Henry Rice, .Tohn Bent, Sr., John Maynard, Peter Bent and Edward Rice. In compliance with the petition a plantation known by the Indian name Whipsuppenicke, was granted and laid out containing 29,419 acres.

It is said that John Howe was the first white man to take up his residence on the grant. He built a house and there lived until his death in 1687. By a wife, Mary, whose death occurred not far from the time of his own, he had eleven children - John, 1640; Samuel, 1642; Sarah, 1644; Mary, 1646; Isaac, 1648; Josiah, Mary again, 1654; Thomas, 1656; Daniel, 1658; Alexander, 1661; and Eleazur, 1662. Josiah, (me of the above sons, married March 18, 1671, Mary Haynes and had five children - Mary, 1672; Mary again, 1674; Josiah, 1678 ; Daniel, 1681 ; and Ruth, 1684. Josiah, one of thtse children, married June 14, 1706, Sarah Bigelow, and Novtmber 22, 1713, Mary Marble, and died September 20, 1766. His children were - Phinehas, 1707 ; Abraham, 1709 ; Rachel, 1710; Sarah, 1714; Mary, 1716; Josiah, 1720; Jacob, 1724. Abraham Howe, one of the above, settled in Brookfield, and married Martha Potter. His children were - Ephraim, born September 23,' 1733; Abraham, 1735; Abuer, 1736; Sarah, 1738; Rachel, 1741 ; Martha, 1744; Persis, 1749; Eli, 1752; and Abraham again, 1758. Ephraim, one of the children of Abraham, married in September, 1757, Sarah Gilbert of Brookfield, and had William born in 1759; Molly, 1761; Rachel, 1763; Sarah, 1706 ; Martha, 1768; Lucy, 1769; and Josiah, 1774. William Howe, one of the above children, born November 15, 1759, was a trader in Brookfield, and married November 2, 1780, Abigail, daughter of Jabcz Crosby of Brookfield, and had Sally, 1782 ; Nancy, 1784; JabezC, 1787; Otis, 1788; Otis again, 1790; William, 1792; George, 1795 ; Amos, 1797; Francis. 1799; Oliver, 1801; Charlotte Abigail, 1804; and Charlotte again, 1807. Jabez C. and George Howe were the late distinguished merchants of Boston, known as partners in the well-known house, of J. C. Howe and Co. Otis Howe was also a merchant in Boston, and the three daughters,! Sally, Nancy, and Charlotte Abigail, married Darius Hovey and Cyrus Dean, of Brookfield, and Samuel Johnson of Boston.

Francis Howe, the subject of this sketch, married in September, 1824, Maria A., daughter of Ephraira Richards, of Enfield, and had eight children, three of whom died young and five of whom survived him. A daughter, Abbie J., married S. R. Pattison, an attorney of London, England, who has acquired some distinction as an author and scientist, and also as a philanthropist. Lucretia P., another daughter, married Wm. J. Pingree, ofBoston, of the firm of Wm. J. Pingree & Brother, one of the leading dry goods commi^sion houses in that city. Among the living children there are two other brothers - William, for many yearsa planter in Mississippi, and Frederick A. Howe, an esteemed and prosperous commission merchant in Boston. Albert R. Howe, another son, born January 3, 1840, died in Chicago, June 1, 1884. He was major of the 5th Massachusetts cavalry in the War of the Rebellion, and after the war settled with his brother, William, in the South and engaged in the business of cotton planting. He was a member of the 43d Congress from Mississippi, and afterwards until his death was a merchant in Chicago.

Francis Howe was educated in the schools of his native town, and began business in Enfield. As his business grew and his capacity for its management developed he found the field in which he operated too narrow for the full satisfaction of his active spirit, and he removed to Boston, where, for some years, he was engaged in the West India business as a member of the well-known firm of Pope & Howe. With the competence which he had acquired as the result of his successful business career in Boston, he returned to his native town, whose inland air was more congenial to him than he had found the harsher airs from the sea. In Brookfield, after his return, he was associated for some time with Chester W. Chapin, of Springfield, and Frank Morgan, of Palmer, in the ownership of a stage-line between Worcester and Hartford, and at the same time carried on a large and successful country store. He always felt a deep interest in State and national politics, and was an active and influential leader of the democratic party of the town. As the candidate of that party he represented the town in the house of representatives in 1841-43, and represented Worcester County in the Senate in 1846. Subsequent to the Kansas outrages and in consequence of the attitude concerning them assumed by the party to which he had always been warmly attached he became a member and one of the founders of the Republican party, and to that organization and its success he lent his aid and energies.

As a member of the Orthodox Congregational Church, with which he became connected in 1867, he was always generous in his benefactions, and in private charities his hand was always found open and his heart warm. In all the varied fields of labor into which he had entered he carried with him a sound judgment, good common sense, a firm will, unswerving integrity, a generous spirit and a determination to win success. It was said, by one who knew him, "he will be long remembered as a gentleman of kind and generous feelings, courteous manners and uncompromising integrity. The church, society and the community have suffered a serious loss and his death will be severely felt by a large circle of friends and relatives." Mr. Howe died in Brookfield January 4, 1879, leaving, besides the children above mentioned, a widow, who is still a resident of that town.

Luther Stowell

Luther Stowell was the son of Luther and Lucy (Richardson) Stowell and was born at Sturbridge December 22, 1799. He came to Brookfield with his parents when young and spent his life here. Jlany of his winters when a young man were devoted to school teaching. May 11, 1827, he married Sophia Barret, of Brookfield. Mr. Stowell was a man who gave close attention to his own pursuits, which were principally .agricultural. He was esteemed a good citizen, represented his town as selectman and in 1840 and 1860 represented his district in the Legislature of the State. Mr. Stowell was a man of good judgment and in his business afiairs was successful. He died at Brookfield August 5, 1865.

William A. Banistee

William A. Banister was born at Brookfield, Mass., June 4th, 1807. He was the son of Seth and Dolly (Cutter) Banister, and belongs to the sixth generation bearing the name at Brookfield. His paternal grandfather, Seth, was a leading man in military afiairs. In 1777 had served in the Revolutionary army nineteen months, the highest average in the third precinct; commanded a company in the service and rose to the rank of colonel. He married Marcy Warriner, of Brimfield. Their children were William Bostwick, born November 8, 1773, a benefactor of Newburyport ; Liberty, born October 16, 1775 ; Seth, born January 4, 1778, was a captain in the War of 1812 and died at Brookfield September 7, 1857.

The issue of Seth and Dolly Banister was : Caroline C, died July 11, 1879 ; William A. the subject of this sketch ; Eliza Ann, died 1828 ; Sarah, died young; and Seth W., born January 15, 1811, and died October 5, 1861.

William A. Banister spent his boyhood at Brook- J field, and from there went to Boston. In 1831 he engaged himself at Charleston, S. C, as a salesman.

His close attention to his duties through three successive yellow fever seasons showed his devotion to business entrusted to him. Shortly afterwards the mercantile house of Banister & Ravenel was established for direct trade between Charleston and Europe, with Mr. Banister at its head. Mr. Meminger, after-

After this time Mr. Banister made annual business visits to Europe, and in 1838 was a passenger on the Great Western, the finest Atlantic vovage made by pairsenger steamer from America to England. He witnessed the demonstrations at the coronation of Queen Victoria in that year. In 1845 he moved to New- York city, and was associated with several large imjjorting and jobbing houses, taking rank with the first merchants of his day, and doing a business of several millions annually. He always showtd the courage, capacity and high honor which most become a merchant. He retired from active business in 1859.

In 1861 he was South on business, and witnessed the bombardment of Fort Sumter and the surrender of the same on the afternoon of April 13tli.

Mr. Banister has shown his interest in humanity by his works. He has assisted in educating his three nephews, sons of his brother, Seth W. ; has given several thousand dollars to the home for aged men at Newburyport, a beautiful gate-way to the cemetery at Brookfield, in conjunction with Otis Hayden, Esq., and donated ten thousand dollars for founding a public library at Brookfield.

Edwin Rice

Edmund Rice, the American ancestor of the subject of this sketch, came from Barkhamstead,in the County of Hertfordshire, in England, and settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1638 or 1639. He was a Selectman in 1G44 and for some years afterwards, and deacon of the church in 1648. His son Thomas Rice also lived in Sudbury and by a wife Mary had thirteen children, one of whom was Peter, born October 24, 1658. Peter Rice, of Marlboro', married Rebecca, daughter of Abraham and Hannah (Ward) Howe, of Marlboro', and had eleven children, one of whom was Elisha, born December 2, 1690. Elisha Rice, of Brookfield, married Martha Rice October 6, 1720, and had seven children, one of whom was Elnathan. Elnathan Rice, of Brookfield, married Lucy Walker in October, 1754, and had six children, one of whom was Rufus, born February 7, 1764. Rufus Rice, of Brookfield, married Betsey Moore October 2, 1786, and had nine children, one of whom was Shepard, born September 20, 1790. Shepard Rice, of Brookfield, married Mahala Carf)enter April 22, 1810, and had Elsie (1812), who married John E. Ainsworth, of Brimfield ; Elliot (1814), who married Harriet Nickols; Edwin, April 11, 1817; Miriam, who married Sylvanus King, of Monson and Leprelet.

Edwin Rice, the son of Shepard, is the subject of this sketch. He received such an education as the schools of his native town were able to furnish supplemented by that which his native gifts fortunately enabled him to acquire. After leaving school, with the other boys in his neighborhood he naturally drifted into the shoe establishments of Brookfield, then extensive and flourishing, to learn the business of manufacturing shoes and to prepare himself for active life. He soon, however, found the field into which he had entered too narrow for his restless spirit and on the 20th of April, 1841, he went to Boston and engaged in the retail furniture business in partnership with David Walker. This enterprise proved unsuccessful and the end of six months found the concern insolvent. The creditors offered a settlement at a large discount on their indebtedness which Mr. Rice refused and after a year's hard work as SheritTs keeper and in other occupations he liquidated the entire liabilities of the concern and acquired a reputation for industry and integrity which he has retained through life.