Old South Church and City Hall 1828. w^GcsrcR LCGCNBS INCIDENTS, ANECDOTES, REMINISCENCES, ETC., CONNECTED WITH THE EARLY HISTORY OF , WORCESTER, MASS., AND VICINITY. COMPILED BY WILLIAM A. EMERSON, CORRECTED BY FRANKLIN P. RICE AND PUBLIsi^ED BY DEN HOLM & McKAY CO. COPYRIGHT 1905. By WILLIAM A. EMERSON. LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Copies RMe'vcd DEC 26 1905 Cnuyrislit Entry CLASS a. nxc. No. COPY B. INDIAN REMINISCENCES. lUST when the first settler located in Worcester is not positively known, but previous to 1674 one person, Ephraim Curtis from Sudbury, settled upon his claim, situated on what is now Lincoln street. Other settlers soon followed, among the more noted of whom were Captain Daniel Gookin of Cam- bridge, Daniel Henchman of Boston, Thomas Prentice of Woburn, and Lieutenant Richard Beers of Watertown. Previous to the advent of the whites Pakachoag Hill, near where the College of the Holy Cross now stands, was the seat, or headquarters, of a tribe of about one hundred Nipmuck Indians, under Sagamore John ; another tribe of about the same number occupied Tatnuck Hill, under Sagamore Solomon. Until the breaking out of King Philip's War these sons of the forest seem to have lived on the most pacific terms with the white settlers, and under the in- fluence of that distinguished apostle to the Indians, John Eliot, many of them had made considerable advance in civilization, and some had professed Christianity. Here the}- pur- sued their rude arts of husbandry and predatory life combined, evidence of which is conclusively shown in the numerous Indian relics exhumed from time to time. Under these favorable circumstances a permanent settlement was rapidly being made, when, in the summer of 1675, the war instigated by King Philip, in Plymouth Colony, spread to Massachusetts Colony, carrying destruction and terror in its track. The tribes of Sagamores John and Solomon became the allies of Philip, and the planters of Worcester, re- mote from friendly aid, upon the destruction of the nearest settlements, Mendon, Brookfield, and Lancaster, were compelled to desert their planta- tion and disperse among the larger towns. The savages took possession of, and burned the Worcester settlement Dec. 2, 1675. Amoncj the set- tiers of Worcester, who took part in the desperate battles with the Indians which followed, were Captain — afterwards General — Henchman, who was made commander-in- chief of the miHtia of the settlement; Lieutenant Richard Beers, who was killed in an engagement with the Indians at North- field, and Lieutenant Phin- eas Upham, who was mor- tally wounded in the attack on Narragansett Fort. The war was not of long duration, but Philip and his followers, driven from place to place, took refuge among the Nipmuck villages, where they found a welcome and shelter, and from whence they continued a predatory warfare on the more exposed and isolated dwellings of the settlers. Lincoln, in his admira- ble History of Worcester, says : \^^M>^^ "Alarm prevailed throughout New England. None knew when to expect the visitation of the foe, lurking unseen in the solitude of the forest until the blow fell, as sudden as the lightning, and left the effects traced with fire and blood. The husbandman went forth to cultivate the field, armed as if for battle ; the musket and sword rested by the pil- low, whose slumber was often broken as the war-whoop rose on the watches of the night. " It is said of King Philip that "his enmity was national, not individ- ual. He had staked everything on the struggle and fought to the bitter i end according to the es- tablished mode of Indian warfare." He was opposed to the introduction of Christian- ity among the Indians, and when Mr. Eliot, the missionary, urged the im- portance of Christianity told him he " cared no more for the Gospel than he did for a buUon upon his coat." The war ended with the death of King Philip, in the summer of 1676, and found Quinsigamond occupied only by Indian women, children, and men too old to bear arms, the warriors having either been slain in battle or fled to Canada. On account of the threatened Indian depredations the settlement re- mained deserted for several years, but in 1684 a second attempt at settlement was made. The plantation was then named Worcester, signifying war-castle, it having been known previous to that by its Indian name, Quinsigamond. The first garrison house, the Old Indian Fort, was erected between Grove and Lincoln streets, near the fording place. It was a two-story structure built of logs, loop-holes for musketry and port-holes for cannon. Near by, on the West side of Mill brook, was built the first saw mill, and a corn mill was afterwards added. These mills were owned by Captain John Wing, who ^^^^ came from Boston. The first corn mill, however, was built by Elijah Chase, on the stream near the wire works at Quinsigamond. Captain Daniel Gookin's lots were located on Pakachoag Hill, overlooking what is now Qjiinsigamond village, and a tract of land called Raccoon Plain between South and New Worcester. General Hench- man's location was near Captain Wing's, and included the site of the Worcester and Nashua freight depot and Henchman street. The garrison house of Digory Serjent was located on Sagatabscot Hill, on or near Winthrop street. Beside the garrisons already mentioned there was one Old V:ORCEmEF^f HOW, jwJf^wrosSJjjwW' 1!^ owned by Thomas Brown, north of Adams square ; another on the West side of Main street, near Chatham, and another at the junction of Exchange street and Main. The settlement continued to grow until about the commencement of the eighteenth centur}-, when it was a second time broken up bv the Indians, among the victims be- ing the family of Digory Serjent, who was killed while defending his garrison house, and his wife and children were taken pris- oners. All the white inhabitants, with the P^-'i^^^^/l one exception of Serjent and his family, \pMj^^^\ fled from fear of the hostile Indians. He -^^ ^ resisted the entreaties of the committee <:^'^''''A having the settlement in charge, to seek safety in flight, and remained un- molested through the summer and fall of 1702. Upon the approach of winter an armed force from Marlboro, in pursuit of the Indians who had just committed depredations there, arrived at the house of Serjent and "found the door broken down, the owner stretched in blood on the floor, and the dwelling desolate." The soldiers followed the trail of the Indians for some dis- tance, but so rapid was their retreat they were not over- taken. The pursuing party returned and "buried Ser- jent at the foot of an oak." The exact location of his grave is not known at this day. The children of Serjent were taken to Canada. Martha, John and Thomas were afterwards redeemed, Daniel and Mary it is said were held captive and never re- turned. The eldest, Martha, upon her return married Daniel Shattuck of Marl- boro, received her father's estate by will and entered into possession, living for some time in a cabin constructed from the material of the old house, removing afterwards to Marlboro. She was a witness of the death of her father and mother, and gave the following particulars of the awful double tragedy: "When the Indians surrounded her father's house he seized his gun to defend himself and family ; he was fired upon and fell ; the Indians rushed in and despatched him and tore the scalp from his head. They then seized the mother and her five children and began a rapid retreat. The wife and mother, fainting with grief and fear, impeded their flight, and while ascending the hills of Tatnuck a chief stepped out of the file and looking around as if for game excited no alarm in the sinking captive. When she had passed by one blow of his tomahawk relieved the savages from the obstruction to their march." During her seven years' captivity Martha was the unwiHing wit- ness of numerous barbarities inflicted by the Indians on their defenseless captives. She saw many prisoners burned at the stake and her own fears were often excited by the fiendish intelHgence that soon they should have another dance when she would be the victim. The Sargeants of Worcester county are many of them descendants of Digory Serjent, the name having been changed. The third and permanent settlement of Worcester was commenced in 17131 the In- dians having at that time ceased to haunt the settle- ment. A favorite rendezvous of the savages in this vicinity during the early days of tlie settlements was Wachusett mountain, in the neighboring town of Princeton. Their camping ground was on the northeast side, near the margin of Wachusett lake. Here their council fires were lighted, expeditions planned and treaties made, and here Mrs. Rowlandson remained for some time after her captivity, until she was ransomed. Not only was King Philip with her captors but several of the leading chiefs, among them Quinnapin, the master of Mrs. Row- landson, and his wife, the celebrated "Squaw Sachim" Metamo, " Qjieen of Pocasset," next to Philip in influence and cruelty. Mrs. Rowlandson, in her quaint narrative "Twenty Removes," refers to her mistress as "A severe and proud dame, bestowing every day in dressing herself near as much time as any of the Gentry of the Land, powdering "ner Hair and painting her Face." Mrs. Rowlandson was here when the Indians returned from Marlboro and was present at the grand pow-wow both before and after the attack on Sudbury. The ransom of Mrs. Rowlandson was secured through the efforts of Mr. John Hoar, who bravely came among the hostile savages and opened negotiations for her release, which was effected, after a great deal of ceremony and delay, at a place tradition locates in a meadow near a huge bowlder, since known as "Redemption Rock," and near the shores of the pond of the same name. It is said that Philip opposed the release of the captive, and that Mr. Hoar was obliged to conciliate Qjiinnapin with a pint of rum, upon which he at once got beastly intoxicated. The details of the negotiation are not known, but Mr. Hoar at last succeeded in obtaining the release of Mrs. Rowlandson and her return to Lancaster. In the summer of 1880 Hon. George F. Hoar of Worcester, who is a de- scendant of John Hoar of Concord, purchased about half an acre of land, in the center o^ which "Redemption Rock" is localed. The location of this rock is near Everettville, on the west side of the road, only a short distance from the highway. Upon one side, which rises some twelve feet from the ground, is engraved the follow- ing inscription: "Upon this rock, May 2, 1676, was made the agreement for the release of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson of Lancaster, between the Indians and John Hoar of Concord. King Philip was with the Indians but refused his consent." Hanaford, the Historian of Princeton, relates that about the time of the revolution a daughter of a Mr. Keyes, aged four years and eight months, wandered off and became lost in the Wachusett woods. The people for thirty miles around col- lected and for weeks searched for her, but without success, nothing of the child was ever discovered, and the parents believed she had been carried off by the Indians. This was made more probable by the storjr of two men, who, years after, on a trading expedition to Canada related on their return that they t'ound living among the Indians a white woman who knew nothing further of her birth or parentage, than that she once lived near "■Chuselt Hill." The elevation of Mt. Wachusett Is 2,480 feet above the sea level, the highest o{ the range of hills which extend across the state from north to south. The view from the summit extends over portions of six states, and in a clear day it is said nearly three hundred > ities and villages can le distinguished. The great majority of these are in the direcnou of north-east, east and soutli-east ; the vast panorama extending from the interior to t'ne sea-coast. Washacum lakes in Sterlincf were also the favorite re- sort of the Indians. Here, just between fi4 the two lakes, was '^'"^ the capital of Sho- ian Sachem of the Nashaways or N a s h a w o g s . It was at his instance that the first Eng- lish settlement Jn the limits of the county was made. In the wigwam of Sholan Indian councils were held and the grounds around it were devoted to Indian, sports, games, and "regattas" were held on the waters of the lake. Here was located an Indian church, and by invitation of Sholan, a trader of Water- town built a "trucking house" near by and opened a store. The old Sagamore and his son dying, the new Sachem, Matthew or Sagamore Sam, a nephew of Sholan and a very different kind of an Indian, became an easy dupe of Philip. In his wigwam between the lakes the plan was laid for the utter destruction of Lancaster. The first naval battle on the inlan] ploughs and other farming im- * <^ plements, to make and mend the %^ custom shoes, etc. It was a common practice for the shoe- maker to pack up his "kit" and go from house to house, making up the shoes for the year. Nearl}^ every farmer had his field of flax, and some had flax to sell. The wives and daushters made cloth of it for the family, ^ and the boys at an early age learned to brake and swinge it. The early houses of the settlement were one-story, with stone chimneys, and built principally of logs, and the windows in many of them were of oiled paper instead of glass. The interiors were un- finished and almost destitute of furnishing, the benches, tables and chairs being home made. The chimneys were large enough in most cases to allow of seats inside the fireplace, where a person sitting in the evening could watch the stars through the top of the chimney. The cooking was done principally in iron pots and kettles, which hung over the fire on a swinging crane suspended by hooks of different lengths. Wild game, fowls, and sometimes pigs, i were roasted or spitted whole, the spit, an iron rod sharp at one end, being thrust through the meat and turned about before the fire while it roasted. Meat] was also broiled by contact with the live coals, and corn bread or pancakes were has- tily prepared in pans and also baked before the coals. The bak- ing, including the brown bread and beans, was done to a nicety in the brick oven adjoining. The tinder-box and flint were used for lighting the fire and the bellows to fan it into a blaze. The an- cient iron candle sticks or tallow dips stood on the mande piece, and above on wooden pegs hung the old flint-lock musket and powder horn. The piggin, skillet, and other roughly constructed articles of culinary use ; the tin lantern, candle and bullet moulds ; mortar and pestle, hour glass, the steelyards, the birch broom, the iron fire shovel and tongs, and other articles of daily use either hung on the walls or stood in their accustomed places. The bare ■^^'^or and the wooden settle, the dresser with its pewter plates, platters, etc., the reel and quill- wheel, the wooden churn, straight back chairs, the old eight-day clock in the corner, were familiar objects in nearly every New England home. The monotony of life in the settlement was varied by occasional social gatherings, in which labor and merrymaking went hand in hand. The old fashioned husking and quilting parties were looked forward to and indulged in by all, men, women and children alike entering into the enjoyment of the occasion. Alter the hay and grain were gath- ered and the corn and pumpkins were harvested, then came the merry husking party. When the corn had been brought into the corn house or barn and arranged in convenient rows and heaps an evening was appointed for the husking. Towards the close of the appointed day the neighbors, old and young, for miles around began to assemble. They came in wagons w and carts, or on horseback, clad in plain homespun, and at early- twilight began their merry labors. The red ear was industriously sought, as it entitled the finder to salute each fair maiden in the room. The ladies of course were allowed the same privilege, but seldom availed themselves of it. Some un- fortunate young man, however, after hunting in vain would find his sweetheart equal to the emergency, a red ear wouIq find its way into his hand, and the generous young lady would be repaid by the first kiss. Sometimes there would be a scarcity of red ears, in which case recourse would be had to a choice collection from 1,,'""' the garret which had seen active service in times gone by, and which ahhough showing signs of age were too welcome to excite suspi- cion or inquiry. The young men found exercise for their gallantry in helping their fair companions to corn from the heap, and in remov- ing the accumulation of husks ; then there were songs and stories and gossip ; sometimes the whole company were in breathless silence while some old veteran slowly rehearsed a tragic tale of Indian warfare and blood, and then the whole house would resound with loud peals of laughter which followed some comical story or bright flash of wit. Those who could not rehearse incidents even of doubtful heroism in the army, had their fund of divers anecdotes of struggles with bears, minks, wild- cats, foxes, musquash and coons. After the labors of the evening were finished, the company repaired to the house, where the tables were loaded down with cake and dough- nuts and pies, the pumpkin pies baked in great, deep platters, and the best cheese reserved to be cut on this occasion. After a hearty repast, at which coffee and cider were bountifully supplied, the kitchen was cleared of furniture and the festivities wound up with "blind-man's buff" and other sports, or the old folks were dismissed and tlie rest of the time devoted to dancing. As the long winter evenings drew on social gatherings became more frequent, neighbors would assemble at the house of some one of their number and by their united labor accomplish in a single evening what it would have taken the family months to do. The patchwork quilt- ing would all be done, the corn and nuts all shelled, the young birch stripped down in their strands and birch brooms enough made to last a year in house and barn, and many other useful offices rendered. Outside of these w;casions, in which labor and jollity were mingled, the games and amuse- merits were few and simple. Ma n y of the young men were experts at the games of ball, such as base and football. Shovel- board, domino, backgammon , fox and geese, and checkers were common home amusements. The old fashioned New England winter gave opportunity for sleighing, skating and coasting. LAWS, CUSTOMS, AND DRESS. would seem that our forefathers were not inclined to place a premium on dishonesty and crime, at all events they provided laws which were exceedingly troublesome to offenders, and rendered the indulgence of profanity, lying. Sabbath breaking, and kmdred habits, extremely dangerous. One favorite in- strument of punishment, the pillory, consisted of a wooden frame in which the offender's head and hands were made fast ; the victim being thus exposed to public ridicule. The ducking- stool was used in some places for the punishment of women who were scolds or slanderers. Blasphemy was sometimes punished by placing the tongue of the swearer in the opening of a split stick. The stocks were also used to discourage petty offenders, and cages for the impribonment of cri'ni- nals before jails were provided. The time selected for punish- ment in the pillory, stocks or cage was usually some pub'.ic holiday or market day, and in the most public place, to make the shame greater. The whipping post was also a familiar object in those days and in the case of more notorious offenders they were given a liberal number of stripes, a turn at the pillory and an hour's sitting on the gallows with the rope around the neck. The Sunday l*" k& in New England were rigorously enforced. Tything- men with a stall" or rod in ^gii£ their hands kept order during the lon