Worcester, Massachusetts

“ When other places, even in Massachusetts, were indifferent for Freedom, Worcester was earnest; and when the cause was defeated in other counties, here, under the lead of an eminent citizen, now the ornament of the bench, [168] it triumphed by brilliant majorities; so that Worcester became known, not only throughout Massachusetts, but everywhere, throughout [Pg 354] the country, as our impregnable stronghold. Long since, while America was yet an unsettled wilderness, an English poet depicted a county of our motherland as
“That shire which we the heart of England well may call” ”

“ A considerable number of the French Acadians, exiled from Nova Scotia in the eighteenth century, came to Worcester, and their descendants are now among its prominent people. 119
New England, as is well known, was forced to adopt manufacturing, because the inhabitants could not extract a living from the soil. It is difficult to say where is the most sterile region, but in Massachusetts it seems to be generally agreed that the town of Ware, on the Ware River, northwest of Worcester, is hard to beat in this respect. ”

“ The educational interests of the city have kept pace with its rapid and astonishing growth.
OLD PAINE HOMESTEAD, LINCOLN STREET.
Worcester has seven national banks, four savings-banks, and one safety deposit and trust company.
Among a number of newspapers the chief ones have been the "Spy" and "Evening Gazette." The "Massachusetts Spy" is one of the oldest papers in this country, and has been published with unbroken numbers for 115 years. It was established in Boston, in July, 1770, but was removed to Worcester by its proprietor, Isaiah Thomas, in May, 1775. ”

“ On Wednesday, October 16, 1912, the American Antiquarian Society celebrated its centennial anniversary at Worcester, Massachusetts. As president of a sister, but senior, organization—the Massachusetts Historical Society—the writer was invited to take part in this affair, contributing to it. His thoughts, therefore, naturally reverted to the events taking place at the particular time the society, whose birth was thus celebrated, came into existence; and those events were of a very exciting and memorable character. ”

“ George Allen, who in the same year offered to a meeting in Worcester, the most famous resolution of the whole ante-bellum period. Catching the spirit of his brother's words, he said: "Resolved, That Massachusetts wears no chains and spurns all bribes; that Massachusetts now, and will ever go, for free soil and free men, for free lips and a free press, for a free land and a free world." This was a good key-note, and when, six years later, in 1854 a slave-catcher came to this same city of Worcester, the citizens proved that they could raise the tune most readily ”

“ Worcester is an important manufacturing city. There were in 1914 272 manufacturing establishments owned by individuals, 225 by corporations, and 109 otherwise owned. The value of the product was over $80,000,000. The industries include the manufacture of wire, looms, emery wheels, elevators, fire arms, cars, boots and shoes, clothing, leather goods, etc. Worcester is the seat of Clark University, Clark College, Holy Cross College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester Academy, and many charitable institutions. ”

“ The first runaway, who was endangered by the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850, happened to be placed under his protection. A very good-looking colored man, who escaped from bondage, resided some years in Worcester, Massachusetts, and acquired several thousand dollars by hair-dressing. He went to New-York to be married, and it chanced that his master arrived in Worcester in search of him, the very day that he started for that city. Some person friendly to the colored man sent information to New-York by telegraph ”

“ Worcester is preëminently a manufacturing city. The largest establishment in the city employs more than 4000 men in the making of every kind of wire. The Crompton and Knowles Loom Works employ 2500 men. Some of the other well-known manufactories are those of the Norton Emery Wheel Company, the Plunger and the Standard Elevator companies, the U. S. Envelope Company, the Worcester and the Globe Corset companies, the Coes Wrench Company, the Whittall Carpet Mills, the Harrington and Richardson Arms Company, and the Bradley Car Works. ”

“ On the southern slope, therefore, of Rutland’s highest hill the fine hospital now stands; and until people outgrow the foolish notion that a State must have all its State institutions within its own borders,—until Massachusetts knows that North Carolina is a better place for consumptives than any town of her own,—there could not be a wiser choice. The town is so near to Worcester, and even to Boston, that its fine air, broad outlook and big hotel draw to it hundreds of summer visitors ”

“ Scores of unpublished letters in the New Hampshire Historical Society and the Library of Congress reveal hearty approval from both parties and all sections. Winthrop of Massachusetts, too cautious to endorse Webster's entire position, wrote to the governor of Massachusetts that as a result of the speech, "disunion stock is already below par". 79 "You have performed the responsible duties of, a national Senator", wrote General Dearborn. "I thank you because you did not speak upon the subject as a Massachusetts man", said Reverend Thomas Worcester of Boston, an overseer of Harvard. ”

“ Arriving in Worcester early in the afternoon, we went to the Agricultural Fair Grounds, which had been converted into a campground and named Camp Lincoln from [Pg 11] Levi Lincoln, the first mayor of Worcester and a Governor of Massachusetts, and set to work putting up tents and forming a company street. Sleeping in tents, drilling and doing guard duty seemed strange at first, and was a good deal of a change from the duties of a farmer’s boy, but it was interesting to be among a lot of live young men who were brimful of enthusiasm, patriotism and fun. ”

“ In a speech at the time he upheld this cause against the open opposition of its enemies and the more subtle enmity of those who disparaged the importance of the principle. Never had Representative a truer or nobler constituency. It was of Worcester, that large central county of Massachusetts, and broad girdle of the Commonwealth, which, since this great controversy began, has been always firm and solid for Freedom. To represent a people so intelligent, honest, and virtuous was in itsel [Pg 368] f no small honor. ”

“ The city library (175,000 vols.) , founded in 1859, was one of the first in the country to be open on Sunday. There are four daily newspapers, one printed in French. From 1773 to 1848 was published here the weekly edition of the Worcester Spy, established by Isaiah Thomas in 1770 in Boston as the Massachusetts Spy and removed by him to Worcester at the outbreak of the War of Independence; a daily edition was published from 1845 to 1904. Early in the 19th century the city was an important publishing centre. ”

“ Through the efforts of Dr. Worcester the Massachusetts Peace Society was organized December 28, 1815, one of the first societies of the kind in the world. [3] William Phillips was made the president, and Dr. Noah Worcester the corresponding secretary, with Dr. Henry Ware, Dr. Channing, and Rev. Francis Parkman among his councillors. On the executive committee with Dr. Worcester in 1819 were Rev. Ezra Ripley and Rev. John Pierce. Other Unitarian members and workers were James Freeman, Nathaniel L. Frothingham, Charles Lowell, Samuel C. Thacher, J.T. Kirkland, and Joseph Tuckerman ”

“ Sumner gave utterance in his Worcester speech. They strike us as not pertinent to the present stage of the Rebellion. Though their application may become a necessity in the future, public sentiment is as yet unready to adopt and enforce them. They were especially infelicitous in being advanced at a Convention to which men of varying views of public policy had been invited, and their influence has not conduced to that harmony of political action in Massachusetts which it is desirable to bring about. ”

“ He lived in Worcester and had been a very eminent member of the Massachusetts Legislature. I think he would have been Governor of the State and had a very brilliant career but for a delicacy of organization which made him break down in health when under any severe strain of responsibility, especially such as involved antagonism and conflict. He was of a very friendly, gentle disposition, and disliked to be attacked or to attack other men. I told Mr. Blaine, the Secretary of State when Mr. Harrison's Administration came in, that I had but one favor to ask of it ”

“ The Records of Auburn have a close and important relation to those of Worcester, Leicester, Sutton and Oxford, towns prominent in the history of the early settlement of central Massachusetts. Especially are these Records supplementary to the Town Records of Worcester, which have been edited and printed in full by the Trustee of the Systematic History Fund, and they may be considered in reality a continuation of the work which was comprehended in a plan formed by him for the practical development of the original historical material of this section. ”

“ The Town of Worcester, in answer to Sd Petition and Order of Court, beg leave to say, that they have not been served with a plan of said town exhibited with said Petition to the Court, and therefore are not in a Capacity to offer reasons against, or to comply with it untill they know how far it Extends. But if the said plan Does not include any of those persons nor their Estates which belong to the Town of Worcester, and which were Excepted from being set off to said precinct when it was first Erected, We have no objections to their being made a Distinct Town. ”

“ When the appeal to arms approached, many of the inhabitants of Worcester, most distinguished for talents, influence, and honors, adhered with constancy to the Government. Educated with veneration for the sovereign to whom they had sworn fealty; indebted to the government for the bounty, honor and wealth which they possessed—loyalty and gratitude alike influenced them to resent acts that were treasonable, and rebellious. The sincerity of their motives were attested by the sacrifice of [384] life, property, loss of power, and all the miseries of banishment, confiscation and exile. ”

“ The struggle between the revolutionist, and the loyalty of a minority of the people, powerful in numbers, as well as talents, wealth, and influence, arrived at its crisis in Worcester early in 1774, and terminated in the total defeat of the loyalists.
Among the many grievances of the revolutionists, was the vesting of the government in the dependents of the King, it aggravated the irritation, and urged the mobs to acts of violence. ”

“ In 1784, more than 2000 actions were entered in the County of Worcester, then having a population less than 50,000, and in 1785, about 1,700. Lands and goods were seized and sacrificed on sale, when the general difficulties drove away purchasers. Amid the universal distress, artful and designing persons discerned prospect for advancement, and fomented the discontent by inflammatory publications and seditious appeals to every excitable passion and prejudice. ”

“ This purpose after it was divulged could not long be resisted, but the event was postponed for several years by a quasi acknowledgment of independence. Twice in 1776 and 1777, as the Town Records of Worcester testify, were special war taxes abated to the inhabitants of the South Parish, perhaps with the hope of holding them to their allegiance ”

“ The Order establishing the South Precinct or Parish of Worcester comprises the names of those who were the first residents of the new town, and the founders of the prominent families, the names of whose immediate progeny and later descendants appear in the Records embodied in this volume:
In Council, June 19, 1773, ordered that Gershom Rice, Israel Stevens, David Bancroft, Jonathan Stone, Daniel Boyden, Jacob Stevens, Thomas Drury, Thomas Drury, Jr., Henry Gale, Wm. ”

“ On Tuesday evening, a council of war was convened, and it was seriously determined to march to Boston, and effect the liberation of the State prisoners as soon as sufficient strength could be collected. In anticipation of attack, the Governor gathered the means of defence around the metropolis. Guards were mounted at the prison, and at the entrances of the city: alarm posts were assigned; and Major General Brooks held the militia of Middlesex contiguous to the road, in readiness for action, and watched the force at Worcester. ”

“ It was at a Worcester banquet in 1776 that the "Sons of Freedom" drank the noted toast: "May the freedom and independence of America endure till the sun grows dim with age and this earth returns to chaos; perpetual itching without the benefit of scratching to the enemies of America!" Worcester is a great manufacturing city, but has almost lost its New England population from the steady Yankee migration westward, they being replaced in its numerous mills by 118 French Canadians, Swedes and Irish, the latter predominating. ”

“ Elizabeth and Gideon Dagget of Sutton, Nov. 15, 1787. Intention. Isaac and Betsy Bixby of Worcester, Feb. 21, 1786. Mrs. Molley and Levi Eddy, Sept. 13, 1780.
PRENTICE.
Elijah and Betsey Knowles, June 30, 1801. John and Rebecca Richardson of Worcester, Nov. 9, 1779. At Worcester. Josiah-Sartel and Anna Waters of Sutton, Aug. 15, 1801. Lucy and Howard Hartwell of Sutton, Jan. 9, 1800. Otis and Lucretia Jackson of Petersham, Oct. 13, 1795. Rhoda and John Clark, April 9, 1795. Sarah and Zachariah Richardson, Feb. 11, 1783. At Worcester. ”