J883' k Hr DATE DUE ' ■ ■«■■■■ ^ Wa\ : > •' -V'.J Service Men In addition to the names on the honor roll, the following have either been in the service or are still serving in the Armed Forces: Kenneth Bailey Roy Howard Calvin Cote Rodney W. Mackie Neil Cote Joseph O'Loughlin James Godfrey Richard O'Loughlin Arthur M. Haskins, Jr. Harold Saben Earl L. Howard Roger Streeter 9 New Town Hall 10 New Town Hall This building was erected by WPA labor with funds that came from the sale of the Lyman E. Moore Hall in Millington and from town ap- propriations. Ground was broken on Sept. 25, 1936, by William H. Reddy, but actual construction of the building was begun May 10, 1937. It was com- pleted so that its first public use was by the annual town meeting Febru- ary 6, 1939. The building committee consisted of Harry M. Hackett, Harry W. Fay, Ralph E. Longueil, William H. Reddy, Earl R. Whitaker, Mrs. Ber- tha W. Stowell, and Mrs. Edith A. Murdock. Some of the furnishings in the building have come from town build- ings in the Quabbin area that have been torn down; for instance, the weather vane surmounting the cupola is the one taken down December 1, 1938 from Enfield town hall, where it had been for 75 years; it was refinished before being put up again. In the Selectmen's office is a table which was formerly used by Greenwich town officials and chairs which came from Enfield's selectmen's office; in the auditorium are the settees that came from the Enfield town hall. In front of the building are some stone steps from Prescott and in the dining room are chairs from Dana town hall. When the North New Salem Community Club disbanded, they gave their property to be used in the new town hall. New Salem Grangers hold their meetings there. The rooms in the front part of the building on the first floor are used by the Selectmen and Assessors, the rooms on the second floor by the School Superintendent and school union nurse. The main floor auditorium is used for all large school functions and basketball games. Downstairs, one end of the dining hall is used as a school class room. There is a very well equipped kitchen where many successful sup- pers have been prepared. Town Clerks Town Clerks of New Salem from 1855 to the present have been: A. Harding, Jr. 1855-1857 Charles M. Pierce 1858-1859 Royal Whitaker 1859-1874 R. T. Shumway 1874 F. A. Haskell 1875 Charles Chandler 1876-1887 Edwin F. Stowell 1888-1913 Ralph Stowell 1914- 11 Selectmen From 1900 The names of the selectmen previous to 1900 appear in Bullard's 'History of New Salem": Henry L. Horr 1900-1906 Charles C. Holden 1900-1907 Alba D. Pai^e 1900-1918 Daniel Ballard 1906-1911 Dwight A. Stowell 1907-1908 Herbert D. Chamberlin 1908-1911 Walter T. Crow] 1911-1917 Elmer A. Berry 1911-1916 Walter H. Bliss 1917-1921 Harry Cogswell 1918-1923 Carl E. Stowell 1916-1917 Elmer A. Berry 1917-1920 Roger L. Hanson 1920-1921 Dwight A. Stowell 1921-1927 William H. Reddy 1921-1933 William L. Newton 1923-1932 Earl R. Whitaker 1927-1935 Ralph Longueil 1932-1939 Harrie Sawtelle 1933-1934 Harry Hackett 1934-1937 Harry W. Fay 1935-1951 Earl R. Whitaker 1937-1939 Dayle G. Hamilton 1939-1940 Thomas B. Mackie 1939-1946 Arthur M. Haskins 1940-1942 Merriman Barnard 1942-1943 Stanley E. Paige 1943-1946 J. Allan Bixby 1946-1947 Chester L. Eaton 1946-1948 Wesley C. Cox 1947-1948 Robert Sisson 1948-1949 Charles D. Feustel 1940-1950 J. Arthur Olsen 1949-1952 Herbert S. Worsman 1950- Charles D. Feustel 1951-1952 Harry W. Fay 1952- Herman A. Hanson 1952- 12 13 Schools In 1780 the town was divided into 16 school districts. About 1790 there was felt the need for higher education: among those interested in this were Rev. Joel Foster, Deacon Thomas Kendall, Varney Pierce, Esq., and Ezekiel Kellogg, Jr,. Esq. At a town meeting of January 14, 1793 a committee was appointed and later decided that the old meeting house should be moved to the site of the present Old Academy. The Academy was to be on the first floor and the town house on the second floor. This building was destroyed by fire on October 4, 1837. In 1S38 another building was erected and used only as an Academy. This is the present Old Academy. The Academy was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature Febru- ary 2 5, 1795. The trustees mentioned in the Act of Incorporation were: Rev. Joel Foster, Rev. Soloman Read, Rev. Joseph Blodget, Rev. Joseph Kilburn, David Smeal, Esq., John Goldsbury, Esq., Jonathan Warner, Esq., David Sexton, Esq., Ebenezer Mattoon, Esq., David Blodget, Esq., Martin Kingsley, Esq., Ezekiel Kellogg, Jr., Esq., Samuel Kendall, Varney Pierce, and Asa Merriam. Their first meeting was at the hotel of Deacon Samuel Kendall July 7, 1795. At a later meeting it was voted to adver- tise the school in the town newspaper published in Worcester, and also in Thomas' Almanac. The first principal of the Academy was Fowler Dickinson, and the Academy was opened in September, 1795. The names of the principals throughout the years have been printed in Bullard's "History of New Salem Academy," as well as other historic data concerning the Academy. Funds were not too plentiful so the Legislature granted to the Aca- demy a township of land belonging to the state of Massachusetts, in the district of Maine. Eventually this land was sold; one of the buyers being James Houlton of New Salem, who with others went to their newly-ac- quired land and founded a town which was named Houlton, in honor of Mrs. James Houlton, as she was the first white woman to go there. Later there were other gifts to the Academy, and it has prospered throughout the years, still having a board of fifteen trustees. Even as today, the stu- dents came from all the surrounding towns, but for a different reason, in that there were no schools beyond the grades in most towns. And where today the students come in busses and go home every night, in 1842 they had to board with families in town or board themselves wherever they could. 14 A Catalogue of New Salem Academy ing November 11, 1842. TRUSTEES: Rev. Alpheus Harding Laban Marcy, esq. Rev. Preserved Smith John W. Humphreys Dea. Asahel Paige Samuel Giles Dr. George Lee Nahum F. Bryant, esq. Charles Osgood, esq. Dea. Ebenezer Macomber Joseph Young Rev. Salmon Bennett Dr. Joseph Stone Rev. Nathaniel Gage for the academical year end- New Salem Greenwich Warwick Athol New Salem New Salem Prescott Barre Northfield New Salem Athol Wendell Hard wick Petersham OFFICERS OF THE CORPORATION: Rev. Samuel Bennett Samuel Giles, esq. Dea. Asahel Paige INSTRUCTORS: John Stacy, A.B. Miss Harriet Stacy Miss L. J. Belcher Miss Sophronia Smith ASSISTANT PUPILS: Miss H. Frances Bridges Miss D. Sophia Osgood A. Whitney Paige President Secretary Treasurer Principal Preceptress, spring term Preceptress, summer and fall Assistant Nathan M. Peeso Leonard Lincoln Ralph Morgan Hutchins H. Arms Marshall Atwood Charles Bacon Samuel Baldwin Henry Bennett Aaron S. Bliss Cyrus S. Chamberlain Georpe F. Chamberlain Greenwich STUDENTS— Male Department Petersham Ephraim Cleveland Hardwick Henry E. Cleveland Hardwick Frederick A. Cobb Hardwick Robert D. Cook New Salem Windsor Drury Wendell William H. Eaton New Salem Joseph P. Felton South Deerfield Nymphas P. Felton Barre Barre Barre Winchendon Wendell Orange Greenwich L5 Emerson F. Giles New Salem Sylvester Giles New Salem Jonas Goddard Orange Augustus W. Goodnow Montague Albert P. Gould Winchester, N.H. Alex. A. Haskell N. New Salem John Haskell N. New Salem William C. Henry Prescott Addison H. Holland Barre Virgil M. Howard Hardwick Gardner M. Johnson Dana N. Lafayette Johnson Dana James F. Knight New Salem Leonard Lincoln Greenwich Oliver S. Lovejoy Winchendon Zenas L. Macomber New Salem Thomas M. Mann Petersham Frederick A. Marcy Greenwich Asa L. Merriam New Salem Ralph Morgan Southampton John O. Mowrey Athol Elihu C. Osgood Wendell A. Whitney Paige New Salem John Paige Hardwick Amos Parker Barre Nathan M. Peeso Barre Aaron Phelps Hubbardston Ransom N. Porter New Salem Royal H. Porter New Salem Phinehas G. Pratt New Salem Lot D. Rice Orange George A. Rogers Petersham Erastus N. Root Greenwich Daniel Ruggles Hardwick Zenas P. Ruggles Hardwick Charles Russell Colrain David H. Sherman Barre John W. Sherman Barre Darius Skinner Dana John D. Smith N. New Salem William H. Smith New Salem James M. Stone Barre Joel Stone Rutland Thomas Sturtevant Hardwick Charles H. Thompson Belchertown Edward C. Thompson Athol Hiram W. Upton New Salem Jacob R. Upton New Salem Joseph P. Vaughan Prescott Varnum V. Vaughan New Salem Lewis E. Walker Petersham Plinny F. Walker Dummerston, Vt. Samuel P. Walker Petersham Hiram B. Ward Athol Albert W. Warden New Salem Amos A. Wheeler Petersham Austin G. Wheelock Barre Augustus G. Whitaker Wendell Albert W. Whitaker New Salem Ozi W. Whitaker New Salem George B. Williams Petersham John H. Woodbury Barre STUDENTS— Female Department Ophelia M. Andrews New Salem Elizabeth S. Atwood New Salem Maria Bacon Barre Hephzibah C. Bennett Wendell H. Frances Bridges Warren Lucinda Bryant Oakham Perley Bryant Oakham Susan Cogswell New Sr'.lem Lydia Ann M. Cook New Salem Marietta Earle Greenwich Lucetta Felton South Deerfield Sarah Foster New Salem Harriet Gale Petersham Aurilla Giddings Dana Augusta Giles New Salem Terissa Giles New Salem 16 Lydia Ann Haskell New Salem Theolocia Ann Johnson Dana Gratia Lovejoy Winchendon Julia Ann Lovejoy Winchendon Louisa J. Marble New Salem Augusta R. Macomber Wendell Catherine C. Merriam New Salem Cordelia Parlin Millington H. Adaline Parkhurst E. Bethel, Vt. New Salem New Salem Athol Orange Orange Petersham Barre Dana Dana Hardwick Hardwick Orana;e Cordelia L. Pierce Anna J. Porter F. Jane Proctor Catherine O. Putnam Sarah O. Putnam Maria Merriam New Salem Eliza Ross Susan Merriam Orange Eliza Shattuck Mary Moody Granby Eliza Ann Sibley Maria Orcutt South Orange Ursula Skinner D. Sophia Osgood Wendell Julia Ann Sloan Harriet H. Osgood New Salem Melissa Ann Sloan Rosanna R. Paige New Salem Susan H. Spear SUMMARY Male Department 78 Female Department 44 — Total 122 COURSE OF STUDY This is similar to that in other Academies. The Rhetorical Exercises consist of Declamation and Composition weekly. The Rhetorical Society connected with the Academy, meets weekly. There is a Lecture every week during the term on Philosophy, Chemistry, or Astronomy, illustrated by experiments; and also during the Fall Term on School Teaching. There is a recitation from the Bible every Monday morning. TUITION French, Latin, Greek $5.00 per term English, from $3.00 to $4.00 per term Mezzotinto, Drawing, Chinese, Needle work, each $1.00 extra Waxwork $2.00 extra Penmanship, including Stationery $1.00 extra Lessons on Piano, including use of instrument $8.00 extra Lessons in Sacred Music, gratuitous. No Tuition received for less than half a Term, and in all cases to be paid in advance. Board at the Boarding House or in private families, from $1.00 to $1.75 per week. Students may procure rooms and board themselves for about $1.00 per week. TERMS AND VACATIONS The Academic year is divided into four terms of eleven weeks, each of which is succeeded by two weeks vacation. The school is visited at the 17 commencement and close of each term by a committee of the Trustees. The annual examination and meeting of the Board will be on the second Thursday of November. It is important that the students should be pres- ent the first day of the term, as the classes are then formed. The Winter Term will commence on Monday, November 28. Note: Text Books and Stationery are furnished at the Store near the Academy. Another interesting pamphlet is a school report of 1867-68 signed by David Eastman and B. W. Fay on April 7, 1868. The annual report of the New Salem School committee for the year 1867-68 tells us there were twelve districts at that time. The school year consisted of at least six months, divided into a summer term and winter term, the wages paid a teacher averaged forty-three cents per day. Fol- lowing are the names of the teachers, and the pupils who attended. DISTRICT 1 — At New Salem Center Miss H. A. Freeman, Teacher PUPILS Angie I. Cogswell Anna E. Whitaker Jennie M. Cogswell Henry L. Briggs Jennie H. Chamberlin Cephas G. Fish Millie I. Hatstat James H. Halley Clara E. Whitaker C. B. Halley Alice J. Whitaker Manville Hatstat S. C. Chamberlin Walter C. Peirce Jessie B. Freeman Silas Whitaker Ella H. Russell J. B. Freeman Susan L. Russell Inez Perry Addie C. Richards Oscar H. Perry Carrie J. Richards Abbie J. Whitaker Mary A. Legate Emma J. Eastman Abbie J. Peirce Arthur Parkhurst Louella O. Harris Henry Freeman DISTRICT 2 At Paige's Miss Hester N. Beaman, Teacher — Summer term Miss Mary E. Chamberlin, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS E. Maria Chamberlin Charles S. Childs Mary G. Whitaker Clarence W. Whitaker Jane L. Russell John Russell 18 Frances L. Chamberlin Waldo I. Guild N. Estella Whitaker Frank Whiting L. Estella Baldwin Algernon S. Sampson L. Gertrude Guild Charles A. Baldwin Ada I. Whitaker Hattie L. Powers Alba D. K. Paige Wilbert W. Whitaker Willie J. Whitaker DISTRICT 3 On Carpenter Road Miss S. Louisa Horr, Teacher Alice N. Sampson Albert J. Sampson Ella H. Sampson Albert M. Haskins S. Addie Cooledge Edwin C Beach Mary J. Shaw George N. Vaughn Mary J. Sibley Alpheus W. Hanson Ada D. Upton E. Willie Sibley Ellen S. Beach Frederic Foster Carrie F. Haskins Myron F. Sampson Nellie Upton Isaac Foster Josiah E. White Ida Webber James F. Vaughn Edmund F. Freeman James Kemp DISTRICT 4 Cooleyville Miss L. Maria Stratton, Teacher — Summer term Willard Putnam, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS Emma A. Ashley Mary L. Howe Hattie Hamilton Sarah N. Hunt Mary Hamilton Cora I. McKenney Addie P. Haskins Cora A. Powers Clara L. Howard Cora I. Powers Eva G. Powers Willie Hamilton Orinda R. Pratt Charles F. Matheys Pamelia W. Vaughn Willie H. Powers Julia A. Wiley Walter S. Powers Myron C. Bailey Wallace A. Powers D. Herbert Felton George A. Powers Clark A. Hamilton Horace G. Pratt Frank W. Hamilton Josiah K. Wiley Sarah J. Foster Mary L. Howe Hattie A. Upton Eugene H. McKenney Leslie M. Pierce John A. Upton 19 DISTRICT 5 West Street Miss N. Pamelia Holder), Teacher PUPILS Mary E. Whiting Mary S. Chandler Jennie M. Cogswell Jessie E. Whiting Emma J. Briggs Emory B. Whiting Nellie L. Whiting Frank W. Whiting L. Gertie Guild Henry L. Brings M. Ella Cogswell Waldo I. Guild DISTRICT 6 Hagerville Miss Fannie M. Russell, Teacher — Summer term Miss Lena S. Gaskell, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS Alice E. Smith Albert Hager Rosilla Hager Arthur Hager Emma Rice Otis Hager Olive D. Tatman Mary Reinhard Emory Hager Horace Hager Charles Hager DISTRICT 7 Herricks Miss Jennie E. Moore, Teacher — Summer term Miss Mary A. Dean, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS Rosetta I. Gibson Geo. W. Gill Abbie J. Greenlief Charles S. Andrews Ida M. Smith Geo. B. Lynde Alice J. Smith Charlie M. Gill Addie V. Taylor Herbert F. Chamberlin Gertie E. Greenlief Edgar Lynde Sarah N. Gill Willie E. Gay Cora I. Taylor Warren S. Gill Clarence C. M. Gibson Freddie H. Putnam Frank H. Lynde Mary A. Quimly Howard Herrick Myron S. Tupper John Greenlief Frank M. Bliss DISTRICT 8 Millington Miss Genelia A. Cleveland, Teacher — Summer term Miss Louisa M. Childs, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS Vashti Hanson Ella M. CrowJ Ellen White Oscar Gleason Lucy J. Shaw Joseph Hanson 20 Charlena Wyatt Frank Nichols Addie C. Shaw Eddie Richards Lura Winslow Charlie Richards Emma Cutter Freddie Putnam Mary Cutter Julius Goodnow Emma Lindsey Clarence Goodnow Mary E. Smith Willie Moore Hattie E. Smith Theodore Bliss Ruth Nichols Howard Crowl Allinor Bliss Samuel Lindsey Ida Goodman George Crowl Edwin Hanson Emory White William Lindsey Howard Joslyn Martin Winslow Frank Gleason DISTRICT 9 ■ Poole District Miss S. Maria Stratton, Teacher — Summer term Miss Mira A. Curtis, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS Fannie Ellis Orrin D. Fisher Addie M. Fisk Edwin Poole Jennie H. Poole Geo. E. Woods Stella M. Sawtell H. Clarence Woods Anna P. Wilbur Willie W. Woods Mary A. Pratt Freddie W. Wilbur Erwin M. Fisher Rodolphus Johnson Henry S. Fisher Emma Pool^ Addie L. Fish Nathaniel Johnson Katie B. Philips DISTRICT 1() North West Miss Nettie A. Metcalf, Teacher — Summer term Miss Lura A. Washburn, Teacher — Winter term PUPILS Henry C Ellis Eddie F. Thayer Charles H. Moore Elsie S. Moore Clayton A. Holden Winona S. Crowl Frank D. Tenney Edna F. Cummings Willie H. Smith Mavolta N. Crowl Ozro V. Goodnow Annie M. Burt W. Scott Moore Cynthia A. Holden John Goodnow Charles Tenney Henry Tenney Charles Porter Cyrus Peirce Aralen H. Crow! 21 D ISTR ICT 11 North New Salem Miss j [osic A. Whitney, , Teacher — Summer term Miss Annie L. Eaton, Teacher - — Winter term PUPILS Emma L. Hill Arthur Daggett Inez M. Hill Samuel D. Ellis Mary L. Porter Truman Ellis Lodeama Porter Darwin Fisk Alida F. Rice Orrington Hill Annie Rice Frank A. Underwood Addic Rice Mandell Underwood Jennie P. Town Emerson Smith Vera Underwood Bennie Rice Robert Andrews Charlie F. Stables Burton Daggett Orren Andrews Homer F. Rice Morris E. Town Herbert L. Haskell DISTRICT 12 — Fay Miss Mira l A. Curtis, Teacher — - Summer term Miss Mary Washburn, Teacher - — Winter term PUPILS Lizzie E. Freeman Linneus G. Bassett Adella M. Bassett Eddie A. Rawson Alice E. Terry Charles A. Rawson Allie L. Haskell Edgar W. Brown Juliette Brown Oscar S. Brown Clara J. Gay Willie M. Brown Jennie M. Adams Warren W. Gay Li Hie L. Adams Clarence Collar Willie H. Alden Willie Collar Freeman Bassett George E. Brown Albert Pratt Henry Ellis Elton M. Bassett Luther Pratt Following is an advertisement from the Worcester West Chronicle, July 6, 1876. New Salem Academy Terms commence 4th Tuesday in August; 1st Tuesday in December; and 2nd Tuesday in March. Best of Academic advantages for Ladies and Gentlemen. Expenses moderate; situation in a quiet Village. Very healthy location. Instruction thorough. Discipline kind, but firm. Boarding ac- 22 commodations ample and excellent: at the South Boarding house $3.25 per week; at North Boarding house rooms for self-boarding $4 per term, at which places it is expected pupils from abroad and having no relatives will procure themselves with board and room rent as aforesaid. — F. E. Stratton A.M., Principal In 1895 it was necessary to do something again to aid the Academy, so by a vote of the town a high school has been state aided, and called "New Salem Academy and High School". The trustees still own and control the buildings. In 1892 the Legislature required all the towns of the state to be formed into districts which should choose a superintendent of schools. In 1902, Dana, Greenwich, and Prescott were associated with this town and Emerson L. Adams was chosen Superintendent. He had for ten years been Preceptor of the Academy. In 1870 the trustees of New Salem Academy voted to erect a new building, and also purchase the building south of the Academy, which was used for students desiring to board themselves. In 1871 the South dormitory was built with the contract let to Charles A. Merriam and Por- ter J. Eaton. The new dormitory was used for students who wished to board, and it was under the supervision of a man and wife who were hired by the trustees to have charge of the building and the pupils. During Profes- sor White's administration as principal there were 24 boarders the first year. During the years up to 1928 it was the custom for the principal and his wife to live at the dormitory and board teachers and pupils. After that, the dormitory was used for a short period as class rooms for the grades, to house the Agricultural Department, and the office of the Super- intendent of Schools. During the housing shortage several rooms on the second floor were made into an apartment. In 1907 there was felt the need of a different academy building, so a new building was erected and school was opened in it September 1908 In 1915, at a special town meeting it was voted to establish an Agri- cultural Department under the supervision of the school committee. This was done and Daniel J. Lewis of Amherst was elected as teacher, and he stayed one year. Then Frank L. Edwards of Petersham took his place, coming part time for a few months. Henry A. King of Fitzwilliam, N.H.. was the next teacher, and he stayed for a short time. In 1918 it was voted to have the Agricultural Department under the supervision of the state Department of Education. Harold Stowell of Am- 23 herst was the next instructor, staying until 1921. He was succeeded by- Richard C. Peck of Shelburne who stayed until 1924. In 1923 R. Arthur Lundgren was elected as head of the Department which had increased in size. Mr. Lundgren stayed as head of the Depart- ment until January 1, 1947. The next heads of the Agricultural Department were Charles Ent- wistle, and then Kenneth Stowell. Mr. Stowell has resigned this year, and Charles B. Smith of Maine has been elected to begin his duties Sep- tember 1. The Department has grown to the extent that several teachers are now necessary; at the present time there are two instructors in addition to the head of the Department — Paul Wilbur as assistant, and Herman A. Hanson as machinist. The operations of the Agricultural Department have taken place in every possible building on the campus — moving into the upstairs south room of the old Academy building, the dining room of the new dormi- tory, and the grade school building near the cemetery. Levi Flagq's gar- age in North Dana, Thomas Mackie's garage on the Millington road. Hoad'.ey's garage and Burton Cogswell's barn have served as mechanic workshops, while the basement of the new Academy was used for the carpentry and woodworking classes. Stowell Agricultural Building and Annex In 1940, the trustees of the Academy, realizing the necessity of ;i suitable building for the Agricultural Department, purchased from the heirs of Levi Flagg the cement block building he had erected on Main Street in 1912. This building, remodelled and well-equipped, was dedi- cated as the "Stowell Agricultural Building" on Reunion Day 1941, being named for Edwin A. Stowell who had been a trustee of the Academy for 46 years, from 1885-1931, and was secretary and treasurer at the time of his death in 1931. This up-to-date building has enabled the Agricul- tural Department to offer night courses in shop work to out-of-school stu- dents as well as carry on the work of New Salem Academy with greater efficiency and scope. In October 1944, the trustees voted to build a wing on the Stowell Agricultural building and to acquire land for that purpose. Construction began in the fall of 1945 on a brick, fire-proof building, 30 feet by 70 feet in the rear of the Stowell building. This was completed and dedi- cation ceremonies were held Reunion Day 1946 — the building being named "R. A. Lundgren Annex," honoring R. Arthur Lundgren, who served as head of the department for twenty-five years. The New Salem Academy Vocational Department is now considered one of the finest in .the state, in small schools. In 1935, the Household Arts Department was started, and Miss Sylvia Putnam was the first teacher. The succeeding supervisors were: Misses Frances Pratt, Georgia Schlepergrell, Eleanor Parker, Helen Hod- ziewicz, Elizabeth Barrett, Virginia Burr, and Mrs. Eunice Fiske. This department is housed in the New Dormitory and has been very success- lul. It is well equipped and is very practical, being patterned after an average home. The first-floor rooms on the north side of the Dormitory are used for a school cafeteria. Members of the School Board William Bullard 1900-1906 Flora H. Crowl 1906- Geneva Sieg Ballard 1911-1922 William Bullard 1912-1949 Willis S. Putnam 1922-1923 Lydia Hamilton 1924-1929 Roy M. Fisher 1929-1929 Harry Cogswell 1929-1930 Lydia Hamilton 1930-1935 J. Allan Bixby 1935- Eleanor R. Eaton 1949- 25 Principals of the Academy Emerson L. Adams 1900-1902 Charles Cambridge 1902-1906 Franklin Taylor 1906-1907 John Betts 1907-1909 James R. Childs 1909-1912 William G. Hoyt 1912-1914 Hugo Carlson 1914-1915 Earl H. Blanchard 1915-1916 Luman R. Bowdish 1916-1919 Alfred L. Saben 1919-1920 Arthur J. Clough 1920-1923 George Osgood 1923-1923 Maurice L. Earle 1923-1927 David Pierce 1927-1929 Carlton Blanchard 1929-1930 W. Allen Newton 1930-1931 Alfred R. Kenyon 1931-1935 John Rohrbaugh 1935-1935 David Bowen 1935-1941 Wesley Stoddard 1941-1942 John F. Gleason 1942-1943 Joseph Ciechon 1943- The Old Academy Bell The history of the Academy bell is traced back 80 years. There is an inscription on it, "Cast by William Blake and Co., formerly H. N. Har- per and Co., Boston, Mass. 1872. 212.8". Academy records show that on September 16, 1872, $60. was paid for a bell. About 1870 the bell that was in the belfrey became broken, so the trustees sent it to a foundry to be recast. The new bell was used in the Old Academy until the new Academy was completed, then it was installed in the New Academy and also used for the clock to strike on. Trees The trees on each side of the walk from the North to the South dormitory were set out in 1877 by Humphfrey S. Leach, who, with Mrs. Leach, had charge of the South dormitory where they boarded the teach- ers and pupils, William H. Smiley being the principal. The trees on the old Academy grounds were set out in 1854. Teach- ers at that time were Virgil M. Howard, Bishop Ozi W. Whitaker, and Miss Hattie Giles. 26 Past and Present Schools 27 New Salem Churches 28 Religious Activities - 1835 to 1837 During the years 1835, 1836, and 1837 there seems to have been a period of great religious activity in New Salem and nearby towns. One is surprised and amazed to learn that during those three years in the town of New Salem five churches were either newly built or remodeled after having been moved from their foundations, while at least four neighbor- ing towns built churches in 1836. The village of North Prescott, with its people living partly in Pres- cott and partly in New Salem, seems to have "led off" the New Salem church-building procession of a century ago by erecting a Baptist church in 1835 and a Methodist church in 1836. The Baptist church had a unique location for, like the people it served, it was partly in New Salem and partly in Prescott, so perhaps the previous statement concerning five new or remodeled churches in New Salem should have been four and one- half, since one-half of this church was over the line in Prescott. The Methodist church on the other side of the road was built very close to the irregular town line and, although farther south and only a few rods away from the Baptist church, was entirely in New Salem. All the North Prescott section had originally belonged to New Salem, but on January 25, 1822 the south part of New Salem was included in the new incor- porated town of Prescott. And now with the changes caused in the Swift River Valley by the building of the Quabbin Reservoir, this section of Prescott will again become a part of New Salem in the future. Regarding the Baptist church, the following is quoted from a sketch of the New Salem churches in Evert' s History of the Connecticut Valley: "In January, 1772, a Baptist church was organized in the south part of the town (New Salem), and in that year a meeting house was built, a little south of what is now the Prescott line. In 1800 the building was moved three miles north of its original location, and in 1822, when the town of Prescott was incorporated, the church became known as the Bap- tist church of New Salem and Prescott. The church building was taken down in 1835, and in that year a new structure was erected directly upon the line between Prescott and New Salem. The church began to decline a few years ago, and previous to 1878 became extinct. In that year the building was sold and removed into Prescott, where it is now (1879) used as a store." Some of the history of this Baptist church was printed in the 1936 Reunion Banner as a part of an historical sketch of Prescott originally pre- 29 pared by Mrs. Lillian E. Gross for the Prescott centennial in 1922. As a church, it last stood on the east side of the road running through the vil- lage of North Prescott, in the corner just north of the road leading to the east. In later years, when it was torn down and rebuilt as a store, it was moved just across the last mentioned road to the opposite corner, where it was at last destroyed by fire. The North Prescott Methodist church was originally built in 1836 and seems to have been first used in the spring of 1837. Like many other country churches, with the decline in population there came a decline in its activity. While all this building of churches was going on in the south part of New Salem, similar work was taking place in the north part of the town. Another new Methodist church was being built in 1836 in South Athol on land which was then a part of New Salem but which was set off to Athol the following year. The South Athol church, which is now surrounded by the Morgan Memorial fresh air camps occupied each sum- mer by hundreds of poor children from Boston, is in a good state of preservation and celebrated its centennial on October 18, 1936. But New Salem people were not content with building one church in 1833 and two entirely new ones in 1836, for during 1836 the North New Salem church, which originally stood on land now owned by Harry W. Fay and his sister Beatrice A. Fay Hunting, was taken down and moved about a mile to its present location at North New Salem, where it was rebuilt. On the inside of a closet door in the entrance hall may still be read the legend, "Samuel Clar, Painter, December 25, 1836," and services of dedication were about that time. This church was originally built in 1807, standing on the north side of the road leading from North New Salem to the Blackington Road, and the outline of a part of the foundation can still be traced among the trees which have since grown on the site. Extensive repairs were made on this church in 1902, and services of rededication were held on September 24, 1902. The present Congregational Church society of North New Salem was organized at that time. The church building era in New Salem did not end in 1836, how- ever, for during the following year, 1837, the present old Unitarian church at New Salem center, which is said to have been built in 1792 facing the north, was moved and turned one quarter around so as to face the east. Extensive alterations and repairs were made and a portico with large pillars and pilasters was built on the front. Services of dedication were held on December 6, 1837. The pillars were removed in 1862, when it was again repaired, at which time the acorn and weathervane sur- 30 mounting the steeple were added. Today the old church is practically the same as in 1862. The late Rev. Perry Marshall was the last pastor of this church and for some years services were held there during the month of August each year but this custom has now been discontinued. The Orthodox Congregational church at New Salem center, which is at present the largest and most active church organization in town, was organized on August 15, 1845 and the church building was erected about 1854, thus completing the group of three public buildings, the two white churches with the town hall between, which grace the west side of the New Salem common. In order to realize how it was possible for such a tremendous wave of church-building to sweep over New Salem in such a short space of time, one needs to remember that at one time New Salem had the largest population of any town in Franklin County; the population in 1820 being 2145; in 1830, after a section had been given to Prescott, the population was 1889; while in 1840, after large sections of the town had been set off to Orange and Athol, it had decreased to 1305. There are said to have been other religious activities in New Salem at various times — a small Methodist society was at one time organized at Morst Village; one or two Universalist societies were said to have been organized in the north part of the town and perhaps also at Cooleyville, one of which went so far as to erect a meeting house frame but did not finish the building; the Millerites, who predicted that the end of the world was to come in 1843, were active nearly a century ago and had some followers in New Salem; and more than ninety years a^o several New Salem families were converted to Mormonism and a company of thirty-five persons left New Salem in six two-horse canvas covered wag- ons to join the Mormons at Nauvoo, Illinois, and journeyed west with them. Cemeteries Cemeteries were a necessary part of colonial days and New Salem was no exception. Several were soon established: one at the center; one in North New Salem; "Mountain View" in South New Salem near the North Prescott line; "Branch Bridge" near North Spectacle Pond; and "Golden Lake" near Hacker's Pond. Many families had their own pri- vate plots on their own land. There is one still to be seen just beyond the corner of the North Road and Moosehorn Road. Another now gone was at the Holden place at Porter's four corners on the Wendell Road. "Golden Lake" Cemetery, being in the Quabbin area, was abandoned and the bodies were moved, either to other family lots, or to the "Quab- 31 bin" Cemetery on the Belchertown-Ware Road which was established to receive bodies from all the cemeteries in the inundated area. Some of the old family names found on tombstones in our various cemeteries are: Kendall, Harding, Putnam, Paige, Cogswell, Holden, An- drews, Giles, Ballard, Merriam, Pierce, Cook, and Felton, to name a few. There are six generations of Cogswells and Paiges buried in the Center Cemetery, and there are doubtless many other families represented by more than two generations. Following are a few interesting epitaphs found on stones in the Center Cemetery: Three infant daus of Capt. Timothy & Lydia Paige each named Hannah died June 11, 1776, Oct. 17, 1777, and June 15, 1782. Miss Esther Putnam died Mar. 7, 1813 age 15 yrs. dau. of Cap. John & Sally Putnam Underneath this turf doth lie As much virtue as could die Which when alive did vigor give To as much beauty as could live. Augusta Wheeler dau of Mr. Chauncy & Rhoda Morse died Dec. 20, 1830. Age 13 mos. and 20 days Ere sin could blight or sorrow fade Death timely came with friendly care The opening bud to heaven conveyed And bade it bloom forever there Here lie the remains of Josiah Wilcox 3rd wife age 44 In fifteen minutes from feeble health God took her life and stopped her breath. Erected in memory of 3 children of Capt. Daniel Putnam & Policy his wife Sally died Aug. 28, 1793 In her 5 yr Polley died Aug. 25, 1793 In her 3rd yr Lydia died Nov. 5, 1794 In her 2nd yr Sweet little tender plants Which in the dust are sown When Christ appears we trust he'll bring As jewels of his own 32 111! ,; v , 1 ?:x * '*«a^V , 'WJ*8t«»*¥« Oldest Gravestone In Memory of Mr. Samuel Southick died March ye 4, 1745, in the 18th year of his age 33 New Salem Grange New Salem Grange 22 56 was organized March 6, 1906, by Carlton D. RLhardson of West Brookfield with 57 charter members as follows: Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Stowell Miss Sadie N. Wilbur Miss Agnes A. Merriam Mr. Levi W. Flagg Miss Eliza H. Merriam Mr. and Mrs. Alba Paige Mr. Dwight A. Stowell Mrs. Ella Ormsby Marshall Mrs. Bertha Stowell Miss Wilna V. Marshall Rev. C. H. Chapin Miss Ella Cogswell Mrs. M. B. Chapin Mr. and Mrs. Whitney Haskins Mrs. Ellen S. Sieg Mr .and Mrs. J. Albert Titus Miss Mary Cornwell Mr. William A. Moore Miss Lucy Freeman Mrs. Alice E. Moor: j Mr. Fred Ballard Mr. T. A. Mack Mrs. Geneva S. Ballard Mr. W. H. Wilson Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Carpenter Mrs. Lillian Perry Wilson Miss Mary A. Carpenter Mrs. Mary Orcutt Abbott Mr. Frank D. Cogswell Mr. and Mrs. Geo. L. Ellis Mrs. Lena M. Cogswell Mr. and Mrs. Geo. W. Fisher Mr. and Mrs. Fred M. Whittier Mr. Nelson A. Bliss Mr. Sewell King Mr. Walter H. Bliss Mrs. Ida May King Miss Hattie M. Bliss Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Vineca Mr. Daniel Ballard Mr. and Mrs. Willard Putnam Mrs. Bessie L. Ballard Mr. Emerson G. Wilbur Mr. Harry W. Fay Mrs. Nellie W. Wilbur Miss Beatrice A. Fay Mr. Fred L. Whipple Officers were elected as follows: Master ....... Fred Ballard Overseer ...... Edwin F. Stowell Lecturer .... Mrs. Geneva Sieg Ballard Steward ..... Frank D. Cogswell Assistant Steward .... George L. Ellis Chaplain ...... Daniel Ballard Treasurer Sewell V. King Secretary ..... Mary F. Carpenter Gate Keeper George W. Fisher Ceres Mrs. W. A. Moore Pomona Wilnah V. Marshall Elora Hattie M. Bliss Lady Assistant Steward . . . Mrs. George L. Ellis 34 Th,- following committees were appointed: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Willard Putnam Mrs. E. F. Stowell William H. Wilson Rev. C. H. Chapii Mrs. R K. Sieg Walter Bliss Miss Miry Carpenter Miss Wilnah Marshall Miss Agnes Merriam Mrs. W. H. Wilson Mrs. F. D. Cogswell Mrs. Mary Abbot RELIEF COMMITTEE LITERARY COMMITTEE MUSIC COMMITTEE Three Years Two Years One Year Mrs. F. M. Whitter Mrs. W. O. Haskins Miss Eliza Merriam Harry W. Fay S. V. King Miss Lucy Freeman J. A. Titus W. A. Moore Fred L. Whipple Pianist, Mrs. E. F. Stowell Meetings, which began May 8, 1906, consisted of first and second degrees, with third and fourth May 22nd., at which time there were five new members. Five more joined in July and five more in November so that at the end of the first year the total membership was seventy-two. Meetings then as now were held, on the second and fourth Tues- day evenings, and the programs were very much in the same trend as now. The National Grange Monthly supercedes The Grange Visitor. Masters who have served the Grange are: Fred F. Ballard Williard Putnam Frank D. Cogswell Earl Whitaker Sewell V. King Burton W. Cogswell Ella O. Marshall Zella M. Barton Florence C. Cox Charles Moulton Raymond Reed Charles Little 1906, '07, '08, '12, '13, T6, '22, '23 1909 1910, '11, '18, '19, '20, '21, '26, '27 1915 1917 1914, '28, '29 1924, '25 1930 1931, '32, '33, '41, '42, '43, '44, '45. '46, 1947, '48, '52, '53 1934, '35, '36, '37, '38, '39. '40 1949 1950, '51 35 Meetings were first held in the old town hall; later for a short time in the Congregational Church vestry. After the completion of the new Academy building, the Grange held their meetings in the Assembly Hall until L945, at which time the meetings were changed to the new town hall. Grangers have always been active in community work and social gatherings, sponsoring a fair for all townspeople each year. Fire Department A volunteer fire department was organized March 2, 1931, by Dayle Hamilton, Sr., who was elected and served as chief until 1945. Arthur Bowles was assistant chief. The charter members were Alanson Bowles, Gordon Cogswell, Al- bert W. Cox, Walter Crowl, Wallace Godfrey, Robert Goodnow, Lloyd Hamilton, Clarence Mackie, Charles Moulton, Albert Sampson, Clifford Whittier and Fred Whittier. A forest fire pump, hose and extinguishers were the first equip- ment, which were loaded onto a pick-up truck when a fire call came. The equipment was first housed in a barn belonging to W. A. Moore in Mill- ington. Telephone lines from the Highland Exchange were the means of notifying the men when they were needed. Musters and family field days were held in an open field between North Dana and Dana Center. In the late summer of 1936, it became necessary to find some place other than Millington for storing the equipment, in as much as the Metro- politan District Water Commission had purchased most of the property there. Through the efforts of Lawyer Thomas F. Reddy of Boston and New Salem, the Water Commission gave to the town the former New Salem R. R. station building, to be torn down and re-erected for a fire station. At a special town meeting, the voters accepted this gift and an appropriation was made for the purchase of land and to start re-erection of the building. A triangle of land between the Daniel Shays Highway, the Wen- dell Road and West Main street was purchased. A group of public spir- ited men tore down and moved the R. R. station building to the new site. Plans and drawings given by William E. Gass of South Deerfield were mostly followed. With some financial help from the town, in 1937, the building was erected as it is at the present time. It is very well equipped with two fire trucks and a tank truck of 750 gallon capacity. William W. Hamilton is the present fire chief. 36 New Salem — A Town of Homes New Salem has never been noted for any great industry, but rather, as being the home of many men and women who have gone out into the world and accomplished much in the field of industry, science, education, and religion. Until World War I life moved on at a comfortable pace, much as in the previous centuries. New Salem, as were most small towns, was nearly self-sufficient. With the drafting of young men into the army, the drift away from the farms began. Improvements of the telephone and means of transportation; the wide use of electricity, the discovery of radio and the development of the movies and television all have added to the break-down of the close fam- ily gatherings and the social affairs which made up the life of small towns. The acquisition of farms, homes, and industries by the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission hastened the change from a self- sufficient small town to a community of homes. Where previously every- one farmed, now there are fewer, more specialized farms, with the ma- jority of wage earners working outside the town. This trend was accelerated by World War II, many men never re- turning to farm work. Nevertheless the population of the town is in- creasing, with new homes being built and old houses restored. While New Salem Academy has not lowered its academic standards, it has expanded its practical courses to better fit more young people for living. Changes have come to New Salem, as to the rest of the world, but the fundamental virtues remain — honesty, neighborliness, and a deep regard for education and all that it means. Telephones A short time before 1887 Rawson King installed a vibrating tele- phone between his house and the home of Willard Putnam. To make a signal, one used a small wooden hammer and tapped on the instrument. A telephone of the same type was used between Stowell's store and the Stowell farm. Another old line of communication was between the grist mill in Millington and the New Salem R. R. station, and between the home of E. W. Vineca and the R. R. station. About 1900 Rawson King and Willard Putnam started the High- land Telephone Co., with fourteen subscribers, the office being at the home of Mr. King. The line went to Millington, and also to New Salem center, all the boxes being on one circuit. The number of subscribers in- creased, making it necessary to split the lines and install a switchboard. 37 About 1911 the N. E. Telephone Company installed a line from their exchange in Athol to Millington for a pay station in the Ellis store. When the Highland Co. branched out and needed a connection with the long distance lines, Mr. King built a line to meet the N. E. Company's line at Millington, thus having a direct wire from the exchange in Cooley- ville to Athol. More and more subscribers were added until there were lines in New Salem, Prescott, Greenwich, Dana, Petersham, Barre, Wen- dell, Shutesbury, Leverett and Montague. About 1902 Levi W. Flagg started another Company known as the Crescent Telephone Company. This served the west and north parts of the town at first. There was a box from the Highland Company and also one from the Crescent Company, at Stowell's store. Frank Cogswell also had one from each company, as he was given the rent of one if he would transfer messages from one line to the other. It became necessary for Mr. Flagg to put in a switchboard which was installed in the little cottage or shop between the Stratton and Whipple places. About 1915 or 1916 the exchange was moved to the cement block building which Mr. Flagg owned, and was operated there until 1923 when it was absorbed by the Highland Company. A short time previously the two lines had been connected, so there was commu- nication from the Crescent to the Highland to the N. E. lines. The Cres- cent Company had subscribers living in New Salem, Dana, Wendell, Greenwich, Hardwick, and Orange. In 1918, the King family sold the Highland Telephone Company, to the Misses Catherine Connor and Mary Vaughn, who had already bought the Daniel Ballard farm and the exchange was moved to the new quarters. The Highland bought from the N. E. Company, lines in Dana to add to theirs. The new company made extensive repairs and had the dis- tinction of being the only exchange having rural lines of copper wire. In 1942, the Quabbin development had advanced to the point where lines and subscribers had been discontinued, so the Highland Telephone Company was forced to dissolve. The New England Company then came into the New Salem area, so that telephones are now serviced from the exchange in Orange. Bus Service Since 1936 the Trailways of New England have operated bus service through New Salem, stopping at Stowell Brothers store for passengers. This is a direct bus route from New York City to Newburyport, Massa- chusetts with connections into Maine and Canada. 38 Last Train at New Salem Station Athol-Springfield Branch of the Boston <& Albany Railroad On June 1, 1935 the last regular train of the Athol Branch Railroad familiarly known as the Rabbit Road made its usual stops. This railroad started some seventy years previously, had somewhat outlived its useful ness, but the acquisition of its lands and rights by the Metropolitan Dis trict Water Supply Commission dealt it the final blow. Thus the land taking which changed New Salem in so many ways, geographically and population-wise, also deprived the town of its railroad. On April 5, 1869 the town of New Salem raised the sum of $150 for a "survey of railroad through New Salem from Athol to Palmer" and from that time on, the town records show notations as to how the line should be laid out and what monies should be spent for it. In the summer of 1873 the Athol Branch was completed from Athol to Springfield and trains ran direct to the city during the first week in December. The old original railror.d was equipped with English iron rails and had three engines at the start, all wood burners. Those who made the first trip say it was very "rough riding" on the rails. The trip 39 from Springfield to Athol took three hours, but better time was made on the return trip. The stations serviced from Athol to Springfield were South Athol, New Salem, North Dana, Soapstone, Morgan Crossing, Greenwich Village, Greenwich, Smiths, Enfield, West Ware, Bondsville, Barrett's Junction, Three Rivers, Red Bidge, Collins, Ludlow, Indian Orchard, and Fiberloid. The final service on this railroad was far from what it was during the first 50 years. There are many who can recall that as many as five passenger coaches comprised a train and the freight business was handled separately by special freight trains. For the last few years of its existence only mixed trains of passenger and freight cars were run. Work of removal of the rails was started June 3, 1935 at the Athol end of the line and was completed July 31 to below the site of the main dam. The line from Bondsville to the main dam was retained for a time and used in the hauling of construction materials for the dam. The New Salem station was dismantled and rebuilt in New Salem center as a Fire Station. New Salem Electric Company In 192 5 the Village Improvement Society of Millington was left a small legacy for a public improvement. Electricity was the community's choice, but legal difficulties prevented the improvement society from en- tering the lighting business. So the townspeople formed a corporation. W. L. Newton, president; his son, F. H. Newton, manager; W. A. Moore, clerk; and Mrs. Mabel E. Beebe, treasurer. The building of the line and the installation of service was accom- plished in true New England fashion — each subscriber contributing sup- plies, labor, or capital, and receiving shares of stock in the company in return. The power was turned on in Millington the first of the year 1926, with 20 families being served. The line was extended to New Salem, and the power was turned on in that community on July 1, 1926 with 1 5 families as subscribers. Thus a farmhouse kitchen became the business office of the smallest electric lighting corporation in Massachusetts. This company purchased its power from the Gardner Electric Company and operated 9 miles of line. In 1932 the corporation was taken over by the Gardner Electric Company, and the subscribers paid in full. Electricity is now available to the entire town. 40 Industries Lumbering was for many years a principal industry in New Salem. In many places platform scales were installed for weighing large loads. These were to be found in Millington, North Prescott, and New Salem Center, and possibly in other locations. Palmleaf hats were braided in the homes and in 1837, 79,000 were manufactured. The palmleaf was delivered from the hat shop in North Dana to the women who did this work. Each person bought what she wished to use, and when the hats were completed the company bought the hats. Hides were tanned on the site now occupied by the Stowell Brothers store, and also in the north end of town, possibly near North New Salem. There has been a small pond called Tannery Pond on West Main Street, leading us to believe that hides were tanned there at some time. Rather unusual for a small country town was a photographer's studio, owned and operated by Lorenzo Poole, son of S. S. Poole, for many years a deacon of the Congregational Church. The studio was on the east side of the common about opposite Carl Stowell's house. It was quite con- veniently built on wheels, so that when business became dull it could be moved to a new locality. Mr. Poole also took stereopticon views. During the first part of 1900, New Salem was being advertised far and wide by circulars, describing the products of the Climax Electric Works, which also manufactured one-cylinder gasoline engines, cycle, and automobile parts. Levi W. Flagg started the business at his home on West street, but he soon needed a building made for a mechanical workshop, so, when the cement blocks were being made for the New Academy building, Mr. Flagg purchased some and these were used to make a building, which was finished in 1912. Mr. Flagg had his machines in the basement, and a room on the first floor was used as the central exchange of the Crescent Telephone Company, which Mr. Flagg owned. It housed Albert W. Cox's plumbing shop, and Principal W. G. Hoyt's personally owned printing equipment. In later years after the business ventures were discontinued, Mr. Flagg remodeled the interior of the building into an apartment, which was rented as such, until it was sold to the trustees of the Academy to be made over into suitable quarters for the Agricultural department 41 The Powder House There was a powder-house, built of brick, on top of a large, flat boulder in the Perry or Longueil pasture. When it was taken down by William Parkhurst, the bricks were used in building the chimneys of the house occupied by George Sampson. There were two Militia companies in New Salem so probably the powder house was built during the years of the Revolutionary War for a place to keep the powder and ammunition. Nearby was a wonderful spring of water, called the Powder House Spring, which in the summer and fall of 1876 and the winter of 1877 (a very dry season) supplied water for drinking and cooking purposes to all the families but one, south of the churches. Ice Company The Springfield Ice Co., built an ice storage building on the southern end of Thompson's Pond, about 1893. There was a spur track from the railroad station to the building, across a trestle just above the dam. This was used until 1910 or 1912 when it was burned. Later in 1914-15 an- other building was erected nearer the railroad station so that the trestle was not used. This also was burned after several years. Scales In the days of lumbering and the need of weighing loads of pro- duce, large platform scales were used. There were such scales at North Prescott near the town lines, at the four corners in North New Salem, in front of the Dexter store, and at Millington near the grist mill. A very old map shows one near the old hotel at New Salem Center. Blacksmith Shops There were blacksmith shops at Cooleyville, North New Salem, Millington, New Salem Center and at Porter's four corners. Farmers' Band In 1846 a brass band was organized in New Salem which functioned until 1857 when it was disbanded. Later, in 1891, Frank McGibeny or- ganized another group of musicians and served as their first leader. Walter T. Crowl and Fred F. Ballard were later leaders. This group played to- gether as the Farmers' Band for about twenty years. A band stand was erected between the old Academy and Old Dor- mitory and was used as long as the band was in existence. In 1946 it was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt. 42 Greenhouses In the early 1890s, Walter T. Crowl built a small greenhouse, and specialized in bedding plants, pansies, tomatoes and geraniums, and some cut flowers. He did a thriving business until 1908. In 1915, Frank Cogswell built two large greenhouses and raised hot-house tomatoes and some cucumbers. This business venture was short lived and the house was taken down and sold. Cranberry Bog At one time in the Hagerville section of town, South Spec Pond was lowered and cranberries were grown there; one year about one hun- dred bushels were picked. Cranberries are still picked, but in small quan- tities. Blueberries Blueberries were picked in pastures in several sections of town, some families sending several crates to the Boston market. Raspberries Raspberries were commercially raised and shipped to Boston as early as 1898, Charles Holden being one of the first of several farmers to go into the business. In 1930, the Raspberry Growers Association was formed; trucks picked up crates of berries and quick deliveries were made to the markets. This was in effect for several years, until low prices and blight of the berry bushes practically wiped out a prosperous business. Coffee and Peanut Butter Between the years 1897 and 1903 or 1904, Mrs. Isaac Sylvester Good- now made and advertised "Health Coffee" which was much like Postum of today. She also manufactured and sold peanut butter. On an old card- board container is printed "Welkin Bluffs Coffee Co., Millington, Mass. Price: 20 cents a package." Sugar House In 1941, Miss Ina Underwood of Warwick bought land on the northeast corner of Daniel Shays Highway and the Wendell Road and erected a gift shop, which she called the Sugar House, specializing in maple sugar products, gifts and novelties. This summer she has added to it another building to be known as the Wood Shed, having baskets and wooden products. 43 Paper Mill In 1897 or 98, Harry Carlisle of Shutesbury and Edwin Stowell of New Salem built a paper mill north of New Salem Depot. A spur track was laid to it. A flourishing business was carried on for about two years, when the mill was destroyed by fire. Miss Frances Ballard was the book-keeper, and Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ballard were two of those employed. North New Salem Community Club The North New Salem Community Club was organized in 1923. In 1925, over 100 names were on the books. Besides repairing and im- proving the North New Salem Church, the club helped the needy all over town. Moore Hall was used as a gathering place for a time after it was sold to the Metropolitan, and the furniture was acquired from the Millington Village Improvement society which had owned the building. When the hall was closed, the property of the club was taken to Morse Village school house and later moved to the New Salem town hall to be used by the people of New Salem. The Club disbanded October 30, 1945. Besides giving the property of the organization to the town, the club gave the money that was left to the New Salem Fire Department to be used as they wished, under the supervision of Albert W. Cox, Dayle Hamilton and Clarence Mackie. The committee used this money toward putting in an oil burning furnace in the Fire Station. 44 Miss Giles Miss Packard 45 Founders of Spelman Seminary Miss Sophia B. Packard and Miss Harriet E. Giles, the founders of Spelman Seminary, were both born in New Salem. Miss Packard was born in 1824, and Miss Giles in 1828. Both attended the Academy and both taught there, later teaching in other public and private schools. On a trip to the south in 1878 they realized how little was being done for the education of colored girls. After much correspondence and consultation they decided to go to Atlanta, Georgia to start a school. In the rented basement of an old church their school of nine pupils soon grew to sixty pupils until they were forced to refuse admission to many more girls. In 1881 Spelman Seminary was organized and named in honor of the wife of its chief benefactor, John D. Rockefeller. Miss Packard was chos- en president, and Miss Giles, secretary of the institution. Miss Packard remained president until her death in 1890 when Miss Giles succeeded her, serving the school until her death in 1910. From this small beginning has grown a college which has offered within the walls of its fourteen fine buildings an education to thousands of women on its twenty-acre campus. Maps and Maps and Maps Under the eaves of the Old Academy building there has been shel- tered for many years a map used in the schools of New Salem long ago — a map of Massachusetts WITHOUT A NAME THEREON— but most enlightening regarding the length and breadth of the state. Boston is the Greenwich (England) with latitude and longitude absolute zero (0°). The state is divided into north and south, east and west lines of latitude and longitude based on squares ten miles on a .side. The county lines are well demarked in red and the township lines are indicated also. Each township has a number within its own county. The key to the towns is contained in a printed key below the map of the state. Another key indi- cates on what page of Fowle's Elementary Geography the story of each town in the Commonwealth will be found. Talk about Visual Aids of modern education — this map and method, we venture to assert, assured a more complete knowledge of the state than all the present methods which are now in use. Replicas of maps of New England in 1634 and 1677 are also found near the keys. AG Gold Headed Cane In 1908 a gold headed cane, given by the Boston Post, was placed in the hands of the Board of Selectmen of the town of New Salem, to be transmitted by them, in succession, to the oldest male citizen in town. The cane was first presented in July, 1908 to Samuel Putnam, who was then one hundred years old. The following list of former holders of the cane and their age at the time of decease may be of interest to many. Date of Decease Age Samuel Putnam May 29, 1911 104 years Hugh D. Haskell December 17, 1913 93 years James A. Cogswell November 6, 1915 95 years David B. Cogswell April 12, 1920 94 years Marshall S. Fisher October 8, 1921 92 years Henry A. Cogswell June 3, 1928 94 years Warren Ellis June 5, 1929 88 years Emory Crowl March 1, 1931 87 years Herbert L. Horr September 7, 1940 95 years Nicholas Hanson September 12, 1940 90 years Alba D. Paige July 11, 1941 86 years Edwin Poole May 2, 1944 88 years Dwight A. Stowell May 2, 1949 89 years Malcolm Freeman To Date Watering Troughs In the days before automobiles, horses were about the only means of transportation, and on long trips often needed a drink of water, thus watering troughs were provided. Who remembers where they were? Perhaps the best known one was on Millington hill, others were at Gif- ford's hill, on the North road at the Hatstat place, beyond on the same road near the place of Clarence Brown, at the four corners in North New Salem, opposite the New Town Hall, on King hill just above Norman Haney's home, and near the Putnam place. There were also places one could drive through instead of going across the bridge, one at Morse Village, at the foot of Belden Hill, near Margaret Richards' place and also on the brook south of Harold Overing's place. 47 Mail Service Before the railroad was built, mail was delivered by stage coach, coming from Amherst to Cooleyville, to North Prescott, over the hill to North New Salem and Orange, with another stage going from Cooleyville through Millington, Herrick's and to Orange. After 1871 the stage went from New Salem center, through Millington to New Salem Railroad Sta- tion twice a day. Throughout the years the Herrick, North New Salem, North Prescott, and Cooleyville post office were discontinued, and after train service ceased in June, 1935, the Millington post office was soon closed. At the present time a carrier goes from the Cooleyville section to the New Salem post office and Orange, making one round trip a day. Carl E. Stowell is the postmaster at New Salem, succeeding his father Edwin Stowell in 1931. Edwin Stowell was appointed postmaster of New Salem in 1881 and served within two months of fifty years. Many years ago there was a six horse stage which passed through the town, going from Worcester to Brattleboro, following the road from the present Rice or Voelker farm to the Hagerville section, then to Her rick's tavern, where they changed horses, then up the Moosehorn road to Porter or Gridley four corners, and then west toward Lock Village, again stopping at the Ballard Tavern on the way. One of the stage drivers and proprietors of the route was Ginery Twitchelle, whose birthplace and early home was here. Later he became president of the Boston and Albany Railroad and was for four years a member of Congress from one of the Boston districts. In 1843 and '44, several families in town became interested in Mor- monism and in 1840, six teams with about 35 people left New Salem for Nauvoo, 111., where they expected to go with other Mormons to California, then a province of Mexico. Some of their descendants still live in Utah. The family of Greene Haskell went with the group and while he was not interested in the Mormons, he decided to go to California to await their coming. He sailed from Boston with Captain Sutter. After arriving in California, Capt. Sutter and Mr. Haskell built a mill on one of the branches of the Sacramento river, and while watching the water, Mr. Haskell discovered gold, the news of which spread rapidly over the country. 48 The Cooleyville Stage The Cooleyville Stage was something in its day. Many remain who remember its daily visits. Now, much of the territory it covered is under water. Henry Whetherby of Shutesbury drove for 16 years. Before him, Fred Haskell drove for four years. The route was always let for a four- year contract. Other contractors were Addison Thayer, Henry Hamilton and Frank Sampson. For a long time the stage went to Orange from Cooleyville, and returned on one day, then to Amherst the next day, Cooleyville being the terminal. In those days the stage was usually a four horse hitch and nearly always loaded with passengers. Jim Powers kept a boarding and overnight place at Cooleyville for salesmen or travelers. This was the large house across from the old store and post office. In 1913 five post offices were served by Cooleyville stage with de- liveries between Cooleyville, North Prescott, Millington, North New Salem and Orange. Cooleyville: Eugene Joslyn was postmaster; later, Ralph Jewett, a Mrs. Leland; also Howard Joslyn and Joseph Truman. The office was closed in 1925 or 1926 and the village has since received box delivery by route driver. North Prescott: Mrs. Frank Currier was postmaster until the Metro- oplitan Commission bought the property. Afterwards, Charlie and Mabel Wheeler rented the building and maintained a store and post office for several years. After this the remaining villagers received box delivery from Millington by stage. Millington: The postmasters were Henry and George Ellis and after the Commission bought the Ellis property, Arthur Bowles carried on the business and was postmaster until the office was closed May 16, 1938. North New Salem: Darwin Andrews was postmaster for over 40 years. He died in 1914. The office was soon closed and patrons received box delivery by Cooleyville stage for a time. The R.F.D. route out of Orange which came through North New Salem was assigned delivery covered by stage. The Cooleyville mail was routed straight down south road from Frank Hunt's by Fay school house, shortening the route by 62 hundredths of a mile and giving those on the road box delivery and collection. The first automobile was used on the route in 1915, but horses had to be used for several winters before the roads were cleared for motor travel. There was mud in spring so that not many cars got over the roads from 1913 to about 1925. 49 l+adt The Old Masonic Place The Old Masonic place, also known as the Philip Martin place, was near a four-corners at Lake Mattawa where "a road leading east and west passed the old Tyrell place and led on over the Wendell hills." The first owner was Dr. Edward Barton, Sr., who occupied the house for 40 years, which would make the date of the house approximately 1798. He was the first physician in this vicinity and was a great surgeon and a powerful politician of his day. Dr. Barton is buried in Holtshire Cemetery. He, widi other Free Masons, organized and instituted a Lodge in the quarters arranged by Dr. Barton in the upper part of his house. All records and names were lost or destroyed when the Lodge went out of existence. Tradition hands it down, placing the date in the 1800's. Under the low, curved roof of the second floor, the ancient glories of the place could be seen — the wainscoted walls with hand-cut Grecian borders, the carved Master's station, and tapestry-papered ceilings and slopes; the connecting apartments and closets; and the north gable o f ~ circular opening which contained a weather-worn disk on which Masonic symbols were handsomely carved. Men must have covered many miles to enjoy the warmth and fraternal atmosphere of this primitive home. After Philip Martin, the place was owned by his grandson DeWitt C. Martin. The house fell into dis-repair and gradually disappeared from the countryside. Until 1820 this area was included in the township of New Salem, being set aside to the town of Orange from that date. 50 51 Millington The settlement known as Millington is now completely under water in the Quabbin area. It was a bustling small community, with a store and post office, hotel, schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, grist mill and saw mill — all busy places. The brick hotel on the corner later occupied by Moore Hall was probably built in the 1840's by the Richards family. On the top floor was a dancing hall with a spring floor. According to a paper written by Mrs. Lydia Hamilton and quoted below, the hotel burned in 1903: "One time in talking with a well-known manufacturer, he told me of stopping at the hotel while on a business trip from the south of here to Keene, N.H. He did not like the looks of some of the hangers-on about the hotel and he spent an uneasy night there, for on getting to his room, he found that the lock on the door had been taken off. He got the bureau in front of the door and sat up all night as he had considerable money with him. "The place, of course, was attractive to some of the surrounding farm- ers when they brought their grist of corn to the mill to be ground. The waiting was agreeably passed in the bar-room, and one man, so tradi- tion says, went home after such a day. His people asked where his meal was and his reply, often quoted, was, 'Well, you can't expect one man to think of everything.' " This hotel was run at various times by a Col. Wilson Andrews, and later by a man named Fish who moved to Athol. Fish Park in Athol is named for this family. Across from the old hotel was the store. One of the early storekeep- ers was George Paige and Henry C. Ellis was another. About 1900 the old store was moved back, and a new store building with an apartment up-stairs was erected. Frank Hamilton was the carpenter. George Ellis occupied the apartment, ran the store and was the postmaster. After Mr. Ellis' retirement, Arthur Bowles took over the business. He was also post- master at the time the post office was closed in 1938. Creamery The Millington Creamery was built in 1895 by carpenter Frank Hamilton for a group of men who had formed a company. After a time Louis Beebe became manager and served for a number of years. Henry Ellis was business manager or secretary. Tim Mack was also connected with the company. Levi Newton was one of the first to go to the farmers, collecting their cream to be made into butter. This butter was shipped by train to various places in the state. 52 The Millington Creamery Millington Center 1871 53 An Early Saw Mill In response to a request for something regarding the saw mill at Millington, I will endeavor to give a little information which I have gathered from copies of old deeds furnished me by Harry W. Fay and what I remember after my father, Albert Ballard, bought the mill. The earliest record I have of the mill is in a deed given by Ben- jamin Stacy, Jr., of New Salem to Eastlick White of New Salem dated February 16, 1841. In this deed, as in all subsequent deeds, a saw mill and shop are mentioned. The buyer was given the privilege of drawing water from the pond sufficient for the saw mill when the water was five feet deep in the flume of the grist mill as the flume was in 1804. This would indicate there was a mill there long before 1841. Owners following Mr. White were as follows: 1844, Josiah Beam- on; 1850, Alfred Eaton; 1864, Asa Johnson; 1865, Benjamin Holden; 1865, George W. Cleveland; 1879, Albert Ballard. In 1882 or '83 my father tore down the old shop and built a two story shop equipped with wood working machinery including a shingle mill on the second floor where he made thousands of shingles. The saw mill was a busy place during the winter and spring when much timber was cut in the locality. When the Congregational Church Society at New Salem was making plans to build the parsonage and my father was asked what he would donate, I well remember his reply was that he would dress out all the lumber from sills to clapboards. This shows the variety of machinery which was in the mill and shop during the later years of its existence. In the deed given my father by Mr. Cleveland is the following clause: "And I hereby reserve to myself the right to remove the machin- ery belonging to the Nailing Mill." This would indicate that at one time there was an up and down saw mill on the premises. Perhaps this will give some idea of the business which was carried on in Millington long ago. It was indeed a busy little village with the grist mill, saw mill and blacksmith shop. — Frances Ballard Millington Grist Mill The grist mill in Millington was built about 1741, probably one of the first built in this locality, and was operated by a member of the Moore family until 1920. Then it was sold to W. L. Newton, who had it until 1930, when it was sold to the Metropolitan. It was rented by W. N. Potter Grain Company and continued in operation until 1935. 54 There was a blacksmith shop opposite the grist mill that was in op- eration to; many years. The first school building was on the road toward Cooleyville. The schoolhouse in district No. 6 was built of brick and was discontinued in 1936. This building was on the road to North Dana. One of the oldest houses in Millington was the so-called Albert Ballard house. In 1871 this property was owned by G. W. Cleveland. The earliest record of this house is a transfer from Jonathan Maclellan to Benjamin Stacy in April, 1808. Probably the house was built many years earlier. As originally built there was a large kitchen with fireplace and brick oven on the south, a small bedroom at the west end, and pantry on the east, two large rooms on the north, connected by a small hall, with a fireplace in each of these rooms. In the kitchen ceiling were the hand-wrought hooks on which strings of apples, etc. were hung to dry. The large outside door in this room was double, nailed together with hand-wrought nails, hung with long hand-wrought arrowhead hinges, and locked by a wooden bar. The doors to the attic and cellar were opened by wooden latches with latch strings. At some time an ell was added and rooms finished off in the big open chamber. The big hand-hewn beams were fastened together with wooden pegs. Some of the boards in the par- titions upstairs were very wide. After the property had changed hands many times in the years from 1836 to 1871, Albert Ballard purchased the property in 1879 and re- tained it until the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission took it oxer. The house was taken down, the parts marked, and moved to Dorset, Vermont, for re-erection. The families of Moore, Newton, Hamilton, Ramsdell, Weeks and Goodnow were all associated with Millington. Cooleyville Road The New Salem creamery was situated on the left, just out of Mill- ington, to which most of the farmers for miles around sent their cream to be made into butter. A man by the name of Louis Beebe took charge of the creamery for a longer time than anyone else and excellent butter was made, winning first prize at different fairs. There was a school house just west of the creamery on the other side of the road. Next, coming on our way from Millington, just on the border of what is now Quabbin Reservoir, once lived Dexter Briggs. He was a farmer and did work for his neighbors with his pair of oxen. Far- ther on up through the valley on our left were buildings owned, the first 55 by a man by the name of ? ? ? Briggs, the second by a Charlie Ross and last by Charlie Johnson. Then as one crosses Carey brook continuing on up the hill, on the left stood a large building owned at one time by Var- ney Putnam and later on by Wells Wheeler. The next dwelling was owned by Sarah Shaw, then Damon Brown. The building now used by the State was once owned by Captain Coolidge and later known as the Whitney Haskins place. This building stands across from the corner of what is known as the south hill leading to New Salem Center. On the west side of the road at the corner, there once was a tavern known as Cooks Tavern; going down the hill on the right one would find an old cellar hole, where once stood the Major Brown place. Then the J. A. Titus place was situated on the right side of the road; then as we cross the brook on our left was the Elbridge Shaw home, and on the right a saw mill owned by Willard Putnam. There was a small building once used as a store situated nearby which, later on, was moved up the road and oc- cupied by a family by the name of Arnot. This was on the road leading to Prescott. Dr. Albert Haskins lived with his sister Carrie Haskins just above and beyond the sawmill, a section which some people of the town called Puppeyville. It was said that a man once lived there who had a lot of puppies. Across the road from the Haskins place was the "old yellow house", where many different people have lived. Fred Haskell lived there as long as anyone, his father, Martin Haskell lived there first, followed by Fred and his wife and little nephew Louis Golden. Dr. Haskin's father, Elan Haskins, had a blacksmith shop just west of his home on the big brook (Hop Brook). Daniel S. Freeman owned the next place, as later did his son. Dr. Sanford Freeman, then Harry Barber. Just a little ways beyond was the Aden Thompson place, later owned by Smith Orcutt, then bv Lorenzo Eaton, and at the present time by Edward Eaton. Then situated across from the corner where the road leads to Prescott was school No. 3 which took the place of the old red schoolhouse. A short distance west of the school house was the old cheese factory owned by Willard Putnam. Then came John LJpton's place; farther on that of Daniel Ballard, and finally the house of Miss Mary Vaughn and Catherine Connor. Near the corner on what is now the Whitaker Road was the Fred Kellogg place, later owned by Willard Bryant, then by Fred Ballard and ?.t present by Nor- man Haney. Then came the Freem?n place, where five generations of Freemans have lived. On the Russell Road there was a large house owned by Asa Russell, later on by Walter, Fred and Frank Russell. The houses on Carpenter road were first that of C. Fred Carpenter, then at the top 56 of the hill, Sylvanus Sybley's, later on James Vaughn's, and last the Ohi- son family's. The next house was the Dexter Horr place. Then on the other side of the road was the Jacob Vaughn place and a little beyond, the James Vaughn home, later owned by Robert Wheeler. The next place right near the corner was the home of Asa Wheeler and his sister Emilv. On a road turning right from here was the Baptist Church, one-half in Prescott and half in New Salem. Later it was moved into Prescott, just across the road and used for a store. Later it burned. The North Prescott Methodist church was situated over on the New Salem town line, next was the parsonage and then the Mountain View cemetery. Just north was the Hosea Hunt residence, later occupied by Marble Bacon, then the Rickeys, while just north of there was the John Arnot store and P.O. Some years later a store was built by Warren Whipple just over the line in Prescott, so the other house was made into a dwelling and occupied by the Rev. W. B. Groves, then later by Ger- trude Allen. Near the corner where a road turns off to go to Cooleyville was a residence where once lived Rose Illingsworth, later on occupied by Mary Vaughn and her mother Levonia Vaughn. Across the road lived Elvira Pierce, and Mari Mitchell in the east part of the house. Later on, the house was used as a summer home by the Rev. G V. Shead and family. The next house north was the Aden Thompson place later owned by Smith Orcutt and then by his son William Orcutt. Going north on the other side of the road was the Dean place, later called the Herbert Horr place, at one time used as a Baptist parsonage. Continuing north was a house owned by a man by the name of Sampson, who sold to Fdmond Freeman. The last house on this road was that of John Arnot, Sr., later on called the John Matthews place. The first house above the Illingsworth place was the Dr. Kemp house, later on occupied by Harriet Vorse Johnson. Going on up the grade we come to the home of Sophia Packard, (Mt. Packard was named from this Packard family, I suppose). A Cooley family lived here, then Howard Freeman. Going down the other side of the hill we come to the Charles Horr place; later John Hunt and then Earl Whitaker lived there. Just a little beyond was the Esq. Hunt place, which was a general sto.e. A road that went to the Prescott Poor farm turned off from this point. The next house was the Charles Rogers place; John Hunt, and then Alfred Bruffee lived there, also several other families at different times. Next was the house known as the Little place just before the Cooleyville school house which stood right at the end of the road. 57 58 New Salem Main Street Guideboard Corner or Reddy's Comer In New Salem Center, where five roads meet, stands a guideboard. whi:h has just been renovated through the efforts of Herman A. Hanson It was originally erected in 1886, with names on four sides. Several years ago when it was being painted, a man passing by made the remark that he was from Indianapolis, and he didn't see why that was not on the sign board. The painter promptly painted it on, and it has remained ever since. When the road was resurfaced, the board was moved and stored in a barn, until its recent renovation. The house on the southeast corner was a small one story house, and was the home of the Rev. Alpheus Harding, pastor of New Salem Uni- tarian Church, from 1807 to 1845. After the Rev. and Mrs. Harding's death it was owned by Fred Haskell, then later by Alonzo Bancroft, who next sold it to Thomas F. Reddy. Throughout the years it had been re- modeled, so that it had two stories, with an ell part, at the time Mr. Red- dy came into possession of it. Later Mr. Reddy did more renovating, mak- ing a recreation room on the second floor of what had been the barn and shed. At present it is unoccupied and for sale. On the opposite side of the road stood the old hotel which was burned in July 1876. The following was copied from the Worcester West Chronicle July 6, 1876. New Salem Communication: "New Salem had a fire at daybreak Thursday of last week that burned three buildings, thereby wiping out her two stores, a hotel, post-office, and livery stable, besides endangering a good part of the village. The build- ing containing the post-office, a store and a tenement belonged to F. A. Haskell; the postmaster, Moses Butler occupying the tenement. The hotel building and stable were owned by Mrs. Sawtell and used by Mr. Shum- way as landlord and merchant. Haskell and Shumway saved part of their goods, and their united insurance of $3000 will probably cover the loss. Butler saved a part of his furniture. The post office matter was mostly saved and Mr. Haskell will carry on the office and open a store in his adjoining house. The origin of the fire is a mystery, though it first ap- peared in Shumway's store near the safe. The Haskell house and that of Cyrus Chamberlain both took fire but were saved. Mrs. Sawtell loses her all by the fire." It is believed that there was a hotel on this same site, where the man lived and kept the town records that were destroyed by fire about 1855. The old map of 1858, shows a hotel with the name J. Woods with the store next to the hotel being occupied by C. M. Pierce. 59 After the fire, the present so-called "store building" and barn were built by Noah Packard of Orange and business was carried on by George Simonds of Gill under the name of the People's Store. In 1881, Edwin and Dwight Stowell rented the store for about a year after which they bought the building and land from Mary Illsley and there have been Stowell Brothers doing business in town since then. Edwin's sons, Ralph and Carl took over in 1921. In 1935 the business was moved to a new location on Daniel Shays Highway. About 1946, a tenement was made of the former store which is now rented to the Principal of the Academy, Joseph Ciechon. Across the street is a small house now owned by John H. Marshall, who recently purchased it from J. G. Black. It has been owned and oc- cupied by different families throughout the years — George Fisher being one of the longer owners. Before Mr. Fisher was Cyrus Chamberlain and the map of 1858 shows the name of C. M. Pierce. The following story of the Goddard house as written by Miss Eunice Goddard, the present owner, tells the earlier history of the Black place as well as the next places above on the same side of the street. The Goddard House The house stands on the east side of the highway leading to the Com- mon, well back from the road, framed by beautiful maples of great age. On one of them, which had to be cut down recently, it was possible to count one hundred and fifteen rings. The earliest mention I have found of the land to the east of the highway is in a deed dated April 5, 1807, in which John Doty, black- smith, sold for $2,000 to Samuel G. Allen, Proctor Peirce and Noah Peirce "a certain tract of land, beginning at a stake and stones at the south- west corner of the burying ground and by the north line of Captain Eben Goodale's land until it intersects the line of the county road; thence west- erly on the south line of said road to the norheast corner of a small lot in the possession of Dr. Nathanal Kellogg and owned by Dr. Dix of Boston, thence westerly on the east line of said lot to the highway as now trod, thence southerly on said Highway to the first mentioned corner, containing 24 acres, be the same more or less. The said Samuel C. Allen to hold an undivided moiety thereof and the said Proctor and Noah Peirce to hold the other undivided moiety." That there was a house on this land is indicated by a deed of October 19, 1807, in which Proctor and Noah Peirce sold their moiety and which described the property as a "certain tenement", called in a quit claim between the same persons in 1809 "the Tavern Stand conveyed to us and the said S. C. Allen by dee.'! 60 of John Doty." This Tavern Stand was the house later called the Chand- ler house which was bought about 1890 by the McGibeny family and which burned in 1896. The McGibenys used to point out various features which indicated it had been used as a tavern. It occupied the site on which the parsonage now stands. This tract of land of twenty-four acres was therefore in the possession of Samuel C. Allen in 1809. Between this date and 1816 he evidently built another house on the land, and sold it to Frederick H. Allen, for in a deed of February 16, 1829, Frederick H. Allen sold to Nahum Bryant for $2,000 "a certain messuage and ten- ement on the southwest corner of Dr. Cutler's land (the Black property) and running east to the southeast corner of said Cutler's land to the Peter- sham road, thence easterly on said road about thirteen rods to a wall, thence southerly by the wall to the angle of said wall, thence westerly about twenty-eight rods to the highway, thence northerly by the highway to the first mentioned corner, containing one and three-fourths acres be- ing the property conveyed to the grantor by S. C. Allen on February 1, 1816.'' This mention seems to confirm the statement made by the Reverend Albert Virgil House, who had done a good deal of research into the early history of New Salem, that the house was built by Samuel C. Allen. This description of the property is repeated in later deeds. It was resold to F. H. Allen in 1829 and sold again by him to Aaron Brooks of Petersham in 1834. To the original description this deed adds posses- sion of "the tract of land with the office thereon on which said office now stands, bounded east, south and west on the land of Nahum Bryant and north on the land first herein described with a right of way of the width of said office from the highway to said office." This building stood north of the trees and driveway. It was moved by the McGibeneys to a position north of the present parsonage, was lived in for a time by Miss Edith Bacon and has recently been remodelled by George A. Brown. The next owner of the house was Robert Cook. The Misses Cook, who later lived in the house now occupied by Harry Cogswell, have re- lated that as children they used to play around the lilacs which still stand in front of the house. From Robert Cook the house passes in 1857 to Chides M. Pierce, then to the latter's son, Marcus Pierce, who sold it to his brother-in-law, Jabez Sawyer in 1859. The Sawyer family occupied the house for many years. Asahel Sawyer, the son of Jabez and the father of Helen Sawyer Brennan, was a lawyer and used the office by the trees as his law office. In 1883 Asahel Sawyer sold the property to Henry Bent; Bent sold to George A. Kimball in 1890; Kimball sold in 1892 to Frank McGibeny, the oldest of the twelve children of the McGibeny family who 61 lived then on the adjoining property. Although Frank McGibeny and his wife Jessie spent only one winter in the town, they left a mark, for they founded the "Farmer's Band." George W. Goddard, bought the house in 1894 from Frank Mc- Gibeny, after we had rented it for one year. Samuel C. Allen, who built the house, was a man of distinction. He was born in Bernardston in 1772, graduated from Dartmouth in 1791 and was the pastor of the First Church in Northfield from 1795 to 1798. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1800. In 1803 he moved to New Salem, which was then the County Seat, and practiced law there. He was Representative to the State Legislature from 1806 to 1810, State Senator 1812-15. Member of Congress 1817-29, Executive Councillor 1829-30 and Senator 1831. At one time he lectured on politi- cal economy at Amherst College. In 1818 he left New Salem for Green- field and later moved to Northfield where he died in 1842. It was probably during the period that he was in Boston as Repre- sentative and Senator that Allen gathered his ideas for the house. One would like to know if he was his own architect, or if he employed an architect such as Mclntyre of Salem, whose houses are said to resemble this in some respects. In any case, the house bears the impress of an out- standing personality, a man of taste and culture. The next house has been mentioned as the Chandler place; in 1858 this place was owned by V. M. Howard. In 1866 it was owned and oc- cupied by Joel Fish, his wife, Kate Clapp Fish, and their son Cephas. Mr. Fish sold to Charles Chandler, who owned it for many years. The family moved to Orange in the late fall of 1887. Later it was bought by James McGibeny, the father of the famous musical family. While it was owned by M-. McGibeny it caught fire, and burned to the ground in the spring of 1896, though the family were not here at the time. The buildin" lot was bought by the Congregational Society and the house now standing was built for a parsonage. During the pastorate of Rev. A. V. House the Congregational church was moved back more in line with the Unitarian church, and raised up and a vestry was built. Much credit was due him in raising the funds necessary for this purpose as well ds for the narson- a**e. The parsonage and barn were built in 1901-02. Across the street from the parsonage is the home of Harry Cogs- well. This place was built by Robert Cook, sometime between 1858 and 1871. Later owners were: Mrs. Eliza Leline, Fred Whittier, Warren Teele, Charles Jones, and Mrs. Whitcher. The present owner. Harry Cogswell, bought it in 192 3. In 1948, an apartment was added on the 62 second floor; present tenants are Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sisson and family. The next house above was also owned by Robert Cook, who sold to David Eastman, in 1863. Next owner was Samuel Amsden in 1876. In 1886 Martha Phinney owned it, and Mr. and Mrs. David Cogswell acquired it in 1891. Lloyd Cogswell, a grandson of the Cogswells, has come into possession of it at the present time and is making extensive repairs. The little house across the street has been mentioned previously. Next is the cement block building erected by Levi Flagg in 1912. This is now connected with the school and described elsewhere. New Salem cemetery comes next on our trip, and here lie many of the old settlers, one of the oldest gravestones being in the northeast corner. At the south side of the cemetery, is the grade school. The original apparently was built long before 1879, as at that annual town meeting the question of repairing the old or building a new house was discussed. It was voted to repair the old one. This was used until 1941-42, when it was again repaired, with another class room and heater room added, to make it one of the best small rural schools in the state. New Consolidated Grade School. 1942 63 Across the way we see the two churches with the old town hall be- tween; this group is one of the most familiar landmarks of New Salem. Travelers coming from Petersham, Athol, or Pelham can see the church spires silhouetted against the sky, — there is New Salem. The smaller church is the Congregational, built in 1854. In 1895 it was remodeled, a basement or vestry was finished underneath the whole building, where suppers and entertainments may be held. In 1937 when the Universalist church in North Dana had to be closed, the North Dana society gave to the New Salem Congregational church the pipe organ, pews, pulpit, carpet and other small articles; at the same time the inter- ior of the church was redecorated. In 1938, the church received the gift of a bell, given by the discontinued church of Enfield. The inscription cast in the bell reads as follows: "This bell was recast from the original bell hung in the Congregational Church of Enfield, Mass., given by Joseph Keith in 1814 and destroyed in the incendiary fire of August 1, 1936. Presented to the Congregational Church of New Salem, Mass., in July, 1938." The old town hall was built about 1838. Previous to this time town business had been conducted in the building which housed the Academy, but after the fire of 1837 it was voted to have a separate town hall. After the completion of the new town hall in 1939, the building was no long- er needed for town business. The Swift River Valley Historical Society, organized in November 1935, was in need of a place to display their many antiques and relics, so the old town hall was rented to them and is used for their meetings. The Old Unitarian Church, as it is familiarly called, was built in 1792-94 to take the place of the original building that was moved across the common and used as an Academy. Throughout the years it has been used not only for church services, but for graduation exercises, entertain- ments, reunions, and large gatherings. Church services were discontin- ued about 1930. Across the common stands the Old Academy building, now used as the library. Next to it is the present Academy building, built in 1908, as has already been mentioned. Back of the Old Academy building on what is now the Ballard lot in the cemetery was a house occupied in 1858 by a Mrs. Hunt. This was sold in 1863 by Robert Cook to David Eastman. The old dormitory is south of the Academy. Possibly this was built for a hotel for though no records were found about this, in 1858 it was called the boarding house. Prof. Lorenzo White had an office there when he was principal of the Academy in 1869-73, where students could go to 64 him for help if needed. During that time the Academy purchased the building of the Rev. Alpheus Harding, for the use of pupils boarding themselves. Throughout the years families have rented parts of it but at the present time it is vacant. The new dormitory or Academy Hall was built in 1871 by contrac- tors Charles A. Merriam and Porter J. Eaton. When it was completed and ready for occupancy, the trustees engaged Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin F. Royce to take charge of it and board the pupils. This building now houses the Home Arts department as well as the school cafeteria. There is also a tenement upstairs. New Salem from Town Farm Hill, 1907 65 New Salem Center, 1871 66 Dr. Perry Marshall House, 1895 Going to the west side of the street there is a small house next to the old church, built about ten years ago by Miss Wilna V. Marshall and situated on the site of a house that belonged to her father, Dr. Perry Marshall which was burned in 1929. The picture was taken about 55 years ago but not quite early enough to catch the picket fence that once enclosed the front and side yards, and ran along the front of the land from the church corner nearly to the West road. The two large maple trees stood inside only a few feet from the house; pear trees thrived in the side yard, grapvines shaded the south win- dows in summer and lilac bushes covered the lower southeast corner of the house. Two cross-sections of a giant tree trunk had been placed, one to the north and one to the south of the trees. These were hollow and filled with soil for flower beds. A gate in the front fence opened on a slab stone and brick walk to the central front door. It was an old house, built when inside corner posts were used. There had been three large old-fashioned chimneys, one at each end of the main part, and one with a brick oven at the kitchen end of the ell. Two of 67 these were later replaced by smaller ones. The windows were high and wide, of many panes. Wainscoting came up to the window sills and extended nearly around all the rooms. It is said the house was designed and built for student roomers. It seemed well adapted to the purpose. There were twelve rooms — the four front ones were about eighteen feet square. The house for sometime called the Brown House was occupied by students at the academy who boarded themselves. In 1858 a Kemp family lived in one part of it and Mrs. A. Horton and son, Holiday, lived in another part. Mr. and Mrs. Porter J. Eaton lived there for a time. Later a Mr. Marshall who taught singing school was there. In 1869 when Prof. Lorenzo White came as Principal, he bought the place for a home. Dif- ferent families lived there until Dr. Marshall bought of Edward S. Estcy and with his three children came in 1891. The next place was built in I860 by Porter J. Eaton, who lived there a few years. Then it was owned by the Academy when Principal Joseph Shaw lived there and later Benjamin Royce. Mrs. Whipple and family from Lyndon, 111. next purchased the place and lived in it. In 1916 it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Willis S. Putnam. Last year Mrs. Putnam sold to Elbridge Dunbar. The Stratton House The old Stratton house is no longer to be seen. It stood on the com- mon at the corner of West Hill road by which the stage came up each 68 week day from Cooleyville. The road is now discontinued, and a newly built dwelling occupies the site. A stone wall stands on the corner. The old Stratton house, which burned December 6, 1921, was owned for many years by Royal Altamont Stratton, who inherited it from his father. Royal Stratton's daughter, Maria and her husband, the Rev. J. Nelson Trask, lived as tenants with the Stratton family. The house, which was 72 feet long, was divided into what was known as the north end and the south end. Originally the south end was one story high. During the time that Porter J. Eaton lived there he. be- ing a carpenter, made it into two stories as the picture shows. Little seems to be known about the age of the house, but hand-hewn frame work and wooden pinning, also the shape of the roof, would indicate a consider- able age. The old Stratton portrait album contains pictures of Ira Stratton, born January 6, 1804 at New Salem, who left a legacy to the academy; Royal Altamont Stratton, cousin of Ira; and their wives, the former Mar- tha Ann Coolidge and Martha Stearns respectively. It may be inferred that the Strattons were of Tory sympathy in Revolutionary times, from the name Royal. Royal Altamont went to the Academy in 18 19, after- ward he was known as a shoemaker. The shop was moved about three years ago and now overlooks the Valley and is one of the Quabbin colonial cabins. The Stratton family always lived in the north end, where Mrs. Strat- ton rented rooms to Academy students. After the deaths of the Strattons it was successively occupied by Frank W. Newland, Walter Batchelder, and later for several summers by Mr. and Mrs. Roy Fisher. At one time the south end was used as a grocery store. Later for many years it was occupied by Porter J. Eaton and family. His daughter, Cora, well known as a musician and teacher of music, graduated from New Salem Academy in 1881, and later married Edwin Stowell. Their son, Carl and his wife, Alice (Hatstat) Stowell were living in the house at the time it was burned. The present residence of Carl Stowell was built by him the following summer on the same site. The cobbler or shoe shop, which was a small building between the Stratton house and the Whipple place, was used as a telephone exchange for the Crescent Telephone Co. for a time. Next on our way is the large white house owned by Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Longueil. Many years ago it was owned by Charles Haskell, who set out the maples that are still furnishing shade. Later Mr. Haskell went to North New Salem so he sold the place to the Rev. Charles A. Perry. For quite a number of years it was vacant, and needed much repairing. 69 Horace Whitaker rented it and his family lived there several years. In L87J F. Ames was there. The next owner was John C. Perry and the family spent their summers there, then it was repaired and made into the place it is today. Across the street is a house that according to the 1858 map belonged to or was lived in by A. W. Page, later by Oren Russell, who made cof- fins in the little brick shop which was south of the house next to the town pound. Mr. and Mrs. Russell spent their last days in this house. It was next owned by King Briggs, a shoe maker. He and his wife lived there for two or three years. The next owner was Mrs. Ann J. Maxim who came here from Wendell and, very much loved, enjoyed her little home and spent her last days there. The next occupant was Harry Cogs- well. Roy M. Fisher bought it and is the present owner. The afore mentioned town pound, which was a small enclosure or yard, was used quite extensively in the old days, as every family had ani- mals, cows, horses, sheep or pigs, which quite often would escape from their own pastures. It was then the duty of the keeper of the pound to hold and care for them until the owner was found and claimed them. At the present time the selectmen still appoint a pound keeper, fence viewer and field driver. The field drivers were to deliver the stray animals to the pound keeper. The place beyond the Fishers' was built by a carpenter, Frank Pow- ers, for Ferdinand Knappe from Springfield about 1893. It was used as a summer home by the family until sold to Miss Gertrude Perry about 1933. The large brick house which comes next in our travels was built by William Knight in 1808. Possibly the brick came from Cyrus Crowl's brickyard. We think he had previously lived in the house at the inter- section of West Main and Daniel Shays Highway, occupied for many years by Frank D. Cogswell and at present by Mrs. Albert Cox. James Knight and his wife Sarah occupied the house after William Knight. By deed from James Knight and his wife Sarah, "The house and farm on which I now live," was transferred to William Cogswell of Lunenburg on April 10, 1839. The boundaries of the farm are precisely set in this deed and the names of the owners of adjoining property are given. Starting at the southwest corner, nearly opposite the barn at the Aborn place, the line runs north along the highway. The north bounds were joined by property of Sherlock White — the Roy Fisher locality; Trustees of New Salem Academy; Alpheus Harding, who owned the old boarding house; Napole- on Coolidge, who lived in a house situated on a rise of ground in the east part of New Salem Cemetery and occupied within our memory by 70 G. Hunt; Nathan Bryant, this land being attached to the McGibeny place; Solomon H. Chamberlin; Solomon Tupper on the east; Thomas Atwood. Then the boundary line ran to the highway leading to the house of Sim- eon Holden. Then on the highway which is known today as Lover's Lane, until it comes to the first mentioned bound. In the list of students in the History of New Salem Academy by Eugene Bullard, we find that James F. Knight was a student in 1837-46. Apparently the Knights remained in New Salem after the transfer of their property and educated a son. We have not collected material for a story about the Knight family but according to a statement by J. N. Trask, James Knight owned the Perry Marshall House. Transfers of property were frequently made in those days. We note the name of White among the list of students. The name of Alpheus Harding is well known to all readers of Academy history. Coolidge is a name found on the lists, likewise the name of Bryant. A Salmon Chamberlin was a student about 1797 and we find the names of Tupper, Atwood and Holden among Academy students. Thomas Atwood lived where Mrs. Bertha Stowell Dudley now lives, and owned some land across the lane. "By decree of Probate Court held at Charlemont, County of Frank- lin, Emerson Fay (of Athol, N.S.A. 1822) executor on the last will and testament of the late William Cogswell, sold to Henry Cogswell at pub- lic auction, March 2, 1858 he being the highest bidder" comes from a document in possession of Mr. Ralph Stowell. Henry Cogswell, student 1853, owned and occupied the farm until his death June 3, 1928. His father was Jonathan Cogswell and we used to hear him speak of Uncle William. Burton W. Cogswell, son of Henry A., came into possession and remodeled and modernized the house in 1926. On the side of a ceiling beam of the house, scratched with a marking tool was found the date, "built 1808." At the present time Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Stowell own and live there, their grandson Scott Douglas Mann, being the sixth generation to have a connection with the house. Across from the brick house is a small house, now owned by Mrs. Bertha Stowell Dudley, which has been rented to others for a few years. The map of 1858 shows Miss Clarissa Cogswell living there. She was sister of Hannah Cogswell Eaton. Sometime after 1875 the house was owned by Sabrina Sawtell, later by Mrs. Fannie Eaton, Rollin Double- day, George Warren and Howard Joslyn. Next house south, shown in the '58 map as belonging to J. Beaman, 71 was later owned by Alfred Eaton who sold to Willard Harris. Mr. Har- ris tore down the old house and built a new one in the later years of his life. After his death, the place was sold to Charles E. Aborn, and later to the present owner, Mrs. Florence Aborn Wheelock. One of the two oldest houses in the center of town is the one on the Stowell Farm, now owned by Mrs. Bertha Stowell Dudley, which we come to next. The farm was purchased by Mr. Stowell's father, Samuel H. Stowell, in 1871 from Benjamin H. Royce. Previous to Mr. Royce, owning it was a family by the name of At- wood, and still before that, it was once owned by a Dutch sea captain named Robedor. The captain dug out many of the stones and built many of the huge stone walls, some being six to eight feet across. One of his neighbors asked Robedor why he was digging out so many rocks, and he replied, "I'm trying to find the soil." The house has not been altered much except for the addition of a piazza on front and a porch at the back. All the original clapboards are on except the south side and they were put on with hand-wrought nails. The roof, very heavily timbered, was put together with wooden pins. The chimneys are very large, the south chimney resting on a huge brick arch, and the other on a stone foundation. There are fireplaces in each of the rooms, though now bricked up. In the kitchen is a large fireplace which still contains a very large crane. Wainscoting is in all the rooms in the main part of the house; the original hand-wrought hinges and latches are on the doors. The finish was old growth pine — some of the boards being from sixteen inches to two feet wide. The window panes were originally six by eight inches, but these have been changed to more modern panes. Down Lover's Lane a short distance is a house on the right that was built by Prof. Emerson L. Adams who was principal of the Academy from 1892 to 1902. Later it was owned by Henry A. Cogswell, Mrs. Caroline Ordway, Miss Hattie Bliss and presently by Robert Ewell. Op- posite is a house built recently by Mrs. Ellsworth Bean. One goes down the hill a half mile and then the lane turns toward the south. At the foot of the lane, before the Water Commission acquired the property, one would come to two houses. The first, or north house, was known as the Proctor Whitaker house. The second, at the end of the lane, was known as the Augustus Holden house. Between the two houses is the foundation of an earlier house. It was occupied by Simeon Holden, who married Polly, a daughter of Var- ne'y Pearce, trustee of New Salem Academy from its founding in 179^ until his death in 1823. There, nine children were born and brought up. 72 They were, Edwin, Mary, Nathan, Amos, Hannah P., Josiah, Augustus. Sarah and Martha. There is not much known about that first house. As time goes by, new houses are built according to new plans. Nathan Holden built his house to the north of the old house in 1846 or 1847 when he was about 35 years of age. He had married Harriet Brown, and they moved into the new home with his wife and five children who were: Ellen, Esther, Harriet Eliza, Emma Louisa and Edwin. Martha Pamela was the first child to be born in the new house. She married in 1869 Charles A. Mer- riam and was mother of Agnes Angelia and Harriet Eliza Merriam. After that three sons were born, James Edgar, Charles Edson and Frank Egbert, the ninth and youngest of the children. Nathan Holden's sister, Hannah P. Holden, had married Proctor Whitaker who had been living in Greenfield. In 1856, Nathan Holden sold his home to Proctor Whitaker and went to live in the house at the corner of Main Street and the lane, the Dwight A. Stowell estate. Proctor Whitaker moved in with his wife and four children who were: Mary Annette, Clara Eveline, Alice Juliet and Anna Elizabeth. Mary Annette Whitaker married Edwin C. Haskins and their children were Harry W., Grace A., and Leslie T. Alice J. Whitaker married Lucien F. Stone in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Stone lived with Proctor Whitaker and kept the home. Proctor Whitaker was a mason by trade and Lucien Stone had an only son, Earl Proctor Stone. Hannah Holden Whitaker died August, 1892. In 1895, Lucien Stone and his wife and Proctor Whitaker moved to Orange. After that the house was sold. It was next occupied by an elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Burchard. Mr. and Mrs. Prentice lived there until 1903, Mrs. Julia Ames Smith had bought the house about 1900, so she later moved there with her son Frank Gifford, daughters Mrs. Julia Howes, and Mrs. Ella Hatstat. Mrs. Hatstat and her sister lived there until 1933, when they sold to the Metropolitan Commission and the house was taken down. The Augustus Holden House The Holden house was located just a step down the hill from the Whitaker place. Augustus Holden was the youngest son of Simeon Hol- den and Polly Pearce. The mother was daughter of Varney Pearce. He was a younger brother of Nathan Holden who built the Nathan Holden house and sold it to Proctor Whitaker. Augustus Holden was born De- cember 17, 1822. He married Mrs. Helen Felton, a widow, and had been living in New Salem, perhaps on the David Cogswell place. He wanted to live nearer to his people so he built a home to the south of the old 73 Simeon HolcLn location. The date could have been about 1850 but that is only a guess. There were no children. Mary and Martha, two sisters, lived there with him at first. The family left New Salem and moved to Green- wich about 1906. An aged couple by name of Joslyn lived there for a while after Mr. Holden went away. Fred E. Ames and Mrs. Ames bought the house about 1904. About 1912 the Frank M. West Box Company acquired 33 acres of the 40 acre farm. The house and cleared land also was sold to Julia Smith and her heirs. A gentleman and his daughter, by name of Bishop lived there a short time. In 1916 the property was purchased by Fred Clark who lived in th.- house until 1923. In 1923 the house was occupied by Elden Nourse, his wife and daughter, who came from Greenfield. Ella Hatstat's sister, Lena M. Stevens of Greenwich sold the pro- perty to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the reservoir project at the same time that the Proctor Whitaker property was sold. The house was taken down. Coming back to Stowell's corner and continuing south a short dis- tance, on the right well back from the road is a summer cottage, owned by the George Grimes family of Springfield, which was built in 1916-17. Continuing south about a half mile is a house where John Eaton brought his family in 1839. It is thought to have been built prior to the Moore house at Millington, nothing authentic concerning its exact age is known. Originally it consisted of three large rooms, a small cheese room, and a pantry, built over a good cellar and with only an open attic above the stairs. When and by whom the little "shop" was moved by horse and roll- ers from the village to make the present ell of the house is not known. It was converted into a summer kitchen with windows on one side for the sunrise and others to catch the sunset on the west, while at the north end a little section was partitioned off for the making of maple syrup in a huge kettle set in bricks and called the "arch". The fire was made under the stationary kettle and a flue carried its smoke into the chimney of the ell kitchen. Then a wood shed was added at the north and down four or five steps. A horizontal wooden roller above its west door was used when the pigs were slaughtered and "put down." The barn is of a much later date, having been built by John Eaton, who was a carpenter. Ownership of the house passed to Mr. Eaton's son 74 Alfred and to Alfred's daughter and husband Mr. and Mrs. Charles Aborn. Later it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Flye. The present owner is Herman Hanson. Beyond this house the road is closed as it is in the Quabbin area, but it was known as South Hill and was very steep, coming out on the Millington-Cooleyville Road at the Whitney Haskins place, which is now owned by the Metropolitan and occupied by Earl Avery North Road Leaving Guideboard Corner, the first house on the North Road stood with its barn between the North Road and the Wendell Road and was owned in 1858 by J. Osgood. In 1871 this house was owned by Dr. George Pierce who was New Salem's resident physician for many years. The next owner of this property was J. Nelson Trask, a retired minister and eccentric who is remembered by many still living in New Salem. After the house had stood empty and fallen into decay for many years, it provided a wonderful bonfire one night before the Fourth of July. Across the road in 1858 was the Sexton place which was later owned by Mrs. F. E. Holly, and later still by Alfred Eaton. The house fell into decay, but the barn is still standing. This property belongs with the Reddv estate on the opposite corner. Next on the west side of the road was a blacksmith shop. And at the corner of the Daniel Shays Highway is the home of Daniel Stines built in 1938. Across the highway is the Stowell Brothers place of business — a combination of filling station, lunch room, and grocery store. The New Salem post office is housed there. This building was erected in 1935. A strange coincidence brought the mail from the last train to come through New Salem to the post office for sorting and distribution on the last day the post office was housed in the old Stowell Brothers store. Immediately after which the equipment was moved to its present location. In 1858 there were buildings on this site occupied by Royal Whit- aker for many years. This may well have been the site of the Grant to Jeremiah Ballard. There was thought to be a tannery at this place. In 1926 the buildings were destroyed by fire. Next on the north Road on the right was a very old house known as the Freeman place. Built in 1738 by Harding Freeman, it remained in possession of the descendants of the builder until 1932 when it was pur- chased by Merriam Barnard. It was burned in February, 1934. Mr. Barn- ard re-built on the site. 76 On this same side of the road is the home of Merrill Whittier. This house was moved from Millington and re-located in 1938. A little farther along is a house built by Edwin Goodnow in 1937 out of material that had been the North Dana railroad station. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Allen now own this property and live there. Across the road and a little farther along is the home of Dayle Ham- ilton, built in 1939, out of lumber salvaged from the store building in Millington. Almost 'Of mile along the road on the left is the site of a dwelling house belonging to Mr. William Remington which was destroyed by fire about 1852. The story is told that Mr. Remington was an old sea captain and that masts for ships were cut and taken to Boston from there. Another half-mile and we come to the place where Jeremiah Meachan as the first settler built his home. Later this was known as the Ezra Hat- stat place. There are no buildings there at the present time. Beyond, and up on a hill, there was a house belonging to C. Merri- am in 1858; later owned by Norman Merriam, and later still by Marshall Fisher. The last occupants were George Young and family of Springfield who used it as a summer home. It was struck by lightning and burned in 1912. Going down to the four corners there was a group of houses in 1858 occupied by A. E. Town, M. Fisher, D. Phillips, E. H. Ellis, and up a short lane to the right, M. Fiske. These old buildings have all disap- peared except at the M. Fiske place which is now occupied by Napoleon Lavoie. The A. E. Towne property was shown in 1871 to be owned by W. Kezer. At present there is a house on the site owned by the McDon- ough family. Next we come to the site of the A. Larnard home, another earlv settler. Later Deacon Poole lived there for several years. The present owner is Sigurd Nelson, who has erected all the buildings on the place. Going on, there was a cross road to the left, where once stood Schoolhouse No. 9. Just beyond was the home of George Wood. In the summer of 1886 these buildings were set afire by an old man named Gleason. He was shut up for a time. It was thought that he intended to fire the Deacon Poole place the same day, as he came into the barn, but on seeing Jennie Poole in the barn, he left. Evidently he thought all the family had gone to the Wood fire, but Miss Poole, being an invalid, was watching the fire from the barn. Later in the day it was set on fire, but was saved. Many years after, however, the place was destroyed by fire. Going on to the Morse Village Four Corners, Solomon S. Poole had a marble works making grave stones. Turning left, there was a saw mill, 77 with an up-and-down saw, operated by George Burt and W. Kezer, and later still by Walter Underwood. Wheels for baby carriages were made there. There was also a cider mill at that place. Barrels were made there and general sawing done. The house beyond on the left, now belonging to Mrs. Ida Gibson, was previously owned by George Burt, and later by Walter Underwood. The house opposite, now occupied by Miss Irene Ellis has long been in the Ellis family. On the same side is a brick house first owned by Oliver Morse and family, tor whom the settlement was named. Later Priest Simeon Pike lived there. In 1842 a house across the road was built for a Methodist Church. However, it was not used very long, soon being converted into a dwelling which was occupied by Sanford Cummings. It is now owned and occupied by Arthur Haskins. Going on, the next house has recently been built by Fred Mealand. Up the grade and on the right is the residence of Charles Kellogg. This house has been remodelled several times and has been occupied by different owners. One of the earlier-known was Brown Cummings, fol- lowed by Edwin Poole, Charles Stone, Fred Whittier, Sr., Frederick Mea- land, Sr., Clinton Bowen, and the present owner, Mr. Kellogg. Turning on the road to the right for a short distance, we come to the Walter T. Crowl house, situated in the northwest corner of New Salem, bounded by Orange on the north and Wendell on the west, and one of the oldest houses in town. His father, Francis B. Crowl, bought the place in September, 1858. It is not definitely known who built the house, but early in the year of 1800 Jabez Whipple, or Esquire Whipple as he was called, and his wife, Calla, lived here. It is supposed to have been built in the early 1790's. A large chimney occupies the center of the house with two brick ovens and three fireplaces, all in usable condition. From the front entry, so-called, one can go into the chimney which is about four and one-half by five feet, and slants gradually to the top nine feet from the floor. This space was used for the hot ashes taken from the fireplaces in winter and was called the ash hole. The timbers are hand-hewn and the nails made by hand. Originally there were five rooms in front connected by an entry with a kitchen at the center back and two small bedrooms on the west, a pantry, or a buttery as many people called it, with another entry, called the east entry, stair and cellar way on the east side. The partition between the two bedrooms was removed many years ago making one room 14 by 7 feet. There are no 78 chambers. There is a narrow cellar extending north and south under the east part of the house. When Mr. Crowl bought the place in 1858 of the Whipple heirs, the kitchen was considered too cold to use in winter. The Whipple family used the east room as a living room, and a bedroom, and used the fire- place and brick oven for cooking as they had no stove. Mr. Whipple had two or more children — a daughter who married David Wheeler, and a son Virgil. The original house on this farm stood between the present house and the road. West Street From the Wendell Road at Joy's corner we go south on West Street. Near the top of the hill is a cellar hole, now hardly discernible, where once lived a Felton family. Daniel Felton married Fanny Holden in 1811. At the top of the hill is, at present, a state forest reservation. Shown on the 1858 map, L. H. Harris lived in the next house. A short distance along the road is a cellar hole on the left, where once stood a large white house, the home of Noah Porter, who lived there with his wife, Nabby, and family of eight sons, Elizab, John, Joseph, Lyman, Ransom, Reuben, Royal and Warren and one daughter, Anna, in the 1830's. In 1862 the Porter place was sold to Aaron Chandler, Aaron's son Charles later lived in a house on the site of the present Congregational Church parsonage. In 1869 the Porter place was again sold to Albrona Baldwin who owned it until 1900, subsequently to B. H. Noyes and family, and lastly, E. G. R. Lloyd, the house burning in 1914 while still occupied by the Lloyds. The large barn belonging to the place was across the road and it, too, was burned in 1928. A short distance down the road on the right is still standing a small house, which was occupied by the Lloyds after their fire. This is prob- ably one of the oldest houses on the street, as it was once a school house, standing at the foot of Potash Hill. It was moved soon after 1840. One of its early occupants after being moved was Melvina French who later married Nathan Hudson of Wendell. During the years, different families occupied it, among them Mr. and Mrs. Ezekiel Ames. At the present time it is owned by Clarence Goodnow, who also owns the land of the for- mer Porter place. Mr. Goodnow raises strawberries and garden produce. Next on the same side of the road, was once a red house where Mr. and Mrs. Freegrace Marble and their eight children lived. Not much is known as to what happened to the house, but about 1845 a Mr. Kel- 79 logg built the house which now stands on the site. In 1869 it was sold to Albert Shaw, and was thereafter occupied by Dr. Levi Chamberlain, Edwin Holden and a Mr. Cook. In 1881 Mr. Cook sold it to George M. Flagg. After Mr. Flagg's death, his son Levi lived there for several years. In 1941, it was sold by the Flagg family to Mr. and Mrs. Victor Miller, who in turn sold it in 1951 to the present owners and occupants, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cunningham. At one time there was a grocery store on the southwest corner of the four corners that we come to next. Not much is known of this, but a Mr. Abercrombie was the proprietor in 182 5 to 1830. Going down the hill toward New Salem Center, there is a stone heap on the right side of the road which is all that is left of a place where once Potash was made, giving Potash Hill its name. Going back to the corner, on the northwest side there was a school- house buildt about 1840. This was designated as District No. 5 until about 1870 when it was changed to District No. 2. Past the corner on the right is the large white house belonging to Miss Agnes Merriam. In 1826 her great grand-parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Brown, and family moved there from Athol, having bought the place from Samuel Putnam. Mr. Brown was a blacksmith by trade and the blacksmith shop was in the northeast corner lot, at the four corners. The part of the house at the right was built during the early 19th century. The outside door, which opens into the front hall, is a six-panel "Chris- tian" door. There is also a "Cape-Cod" stairway. The part at the left was built by Charles Merriam in 1886. A large barn which was across the road from the house was built by James Brown about 1830. Two of Mr. Brown's daughters were married there, Dulcenia to Daniel Ballard of Wendell March 7, 1833, and Harriet to Nathan Holden April 3, 1836. Mr. Brown sold the place to Orrin Dole of Shelburne, in 1835. The suc- ceeding owners were: Jonathan Foster of Ware, 1839-1845; Ebenezer Felton of New Salem from 1845-49; Simon Faulknor of Colrain from 1849-57, two of whose sons, Abram and Franklin, attended the Academy in 1852. Dr. Levi Chamberlain of Hatfield was the next owner from 1857-63. Dr. Chamberlain sold to Jacob R. Upton of New Salem in 1863. Edward Whiting of Southborough, bought the place in 1867. In April 1869, Mr. Whiting sold the place to Charles Merriam, who was married to Martha Pamelia Holden in May, 1869 and they lived there until their death. Their daughter Agnes is presently living on the place. Next on the road on the left is another cellar hole where once stood the home of Nathan Holden, who bought the place in 1864. It was in the Holden family until 1913, when the house and barn were razed and 80 taken to Dana. This property is now owned by the state. Next to the south and on the right side of the road was a small house owned by Mr. and Mrs. Calvin Alden, and later sold to William Spooner in 1886, who added a second story to make it larger. In 1920, it was sold to James Lyons, and in 1930 was again sold, this time to Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Godfrey, who have also remodeled it some and are at present living there. Continuing south we come to a road on the right, on which after a short distance is the spot where once stood a house owned by Sumner Chamberlain about 1848. In 1896, his son Edwin Chamberlain again sold it. The next occupants were Mr. and Mrs. Belyea, who lived there until it was burned in 1903. At that time it was owned by Torrey Shum- way. The land was then sold to Lester Ballard, whose daughters, Mrs. Hattie Sawtelle and Mrs. Ruth Harris, built in 1931 the present house now owned and occupied by Mr. and Mrs. John Spear. The continuance of this road has long been abandoned but about 1858 people by the name of Gage lived a half-mile or so farther along, from whence was a path to the Jennie Horr place. Coming back to West Street, and going south, formerly stood a small house owned by Proctor Pearce in 1858, which later came into the possession of Sumner Chamberlain. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison Powers lived there for a time, after which it was bought by and lived in by Mr. and Mrs. Lucian Stoughton. The house was burned in 1907 and the land was sold to William Spooner whose daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Welcome, now own it and have built a house there. The next place we come to was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Childs, who with their children Louise and Charles lived there in 1858. In 1883, Charles sold the estate to Lester Ballard. In 1893 the house burned, and while Mr. Ballard was building his new house, he and his family lived in the Stoughton house. In 1926 the Lester Ballard heirs sold this property to Mrs. Lydia Hamilton and her son Lloyd. Since their deaths it has come into possession of Mrs. Hamilton's grandson William. who lives there with his family and cultivates the largest apple orchard in town. Down the hill a short distance on the left is a small house, known for years as the Sieg place which was occupied by Jacob Sampson and his wife as far back as 1858. After the death of Mrs. Sampson, their widowed daughter, Mrs. R. K. Sieg, came from Ohio with her two daugh- ters, Geneva and Belle to care for her father. Upon the death of Mrs. Sieg in 1928, Mrs. Geneva Sieg Ballard retained possession of the pro- perty until 1947, when it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Starkey who are now living there with their children. 81 This brings us to the main highway, route 202. Let us go back to Merriam's four corners and take the road west. We are now very close to the Wendell and Shutesbury town line. To the left is a road which goes to Cooleyville, on which were two houses, both occupied by Felton fam- ilies, who came in 1740. The first house was on the right, and after the Feltons were gone was occupied by the Haydens and then the Howards. The second house, on the left, was occupied in the 1870's by a Prouty family, later by Waterman, and then by Pryzmont. These two houses, be- lieved to be two of the oldest in town, have been taken down and the land sold to the state. This section was known as Macedonia. Ebenezar Felton was one of the first settlers, and was chosen as the first deacon of the church in 1744 and also the first town clerk in 1753. His son, Amos, lived in Shutesbury, in the part set off to New Salem in February 1824. Amos' son, Amos Jr., married Lydia King, daughter of Samuel King of New Salem, and resided in the east part of Shutesbury. In 1815, he headed a petition requesting that this section be set off from Shutesbury to New Salem. Old Felton Place, Later Howard's 82 The East Part of New Salem Beginning at the South Athol line: The Rest Lodge, one of the Morgan Memorial Camps, was built on the site cf a cabin owned for many years by James Young. The next cottage, now owned by the Morgan Memorial, was built by Linton Bassett for his father, Hiram Bassett, who rented it to several different families. It was later sold. For several years it was owned by Miss Vio Davenport. The Morgan Memorial owns the next house known as the Hale place. Different families have lived here. A little more than forty years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Leo Schaff owned this place, Mr. Schaff was the agent at the South Athol Depot. He sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Flagg and they to the Morgan Memorial. After this place is the old Warren Russel Place which was struck by lightning and burned. Later, Mr. George Sweezey built a house and lived there for several years. He raised a family of sixteen children, one of whom became a minister, the Rev. Newton S. Sweezey, who now owns the place and often comes there to stay a few days at a time. This house is situated at the four corners which is known as the Sweezey Crossing. The Boston and Albany railroad which was discontinued in 1935 crossed the main highway at this point. At the left, an old County Road once had several houses. First there was the George Rice place. The house was burned in 1911. This land is now owned by the Rev. Newton S. Sweezey. Next is the Rice farm. Here Mr. William Rice made wooden boxes, assisted by his children and others. Later he moved his business into South Athol. The place is now owned by one of his granddaughters, Mrs. Jennie Voelker, who lives there with her daughter and family. On the left, just off the highway, Hattie and Andrew McGinnis built a house on part of the Wyman land. Mrs. McGinnis has lived there since the death of her husband, a well known operator of a saw mill, in 1941. We will go back to the Hagers' Four Corners and, on the road lead- ing to what used to be Millington, there is on the left a house, built by Daniel Hager's son, Albert Hager, when he was married in 1875 to Mary Pierce. This house is now owned by George Hager, son of Albert Hager. They have two sons, Almond and Otis. The farm is operated by their son, Otis, as a poultry farm. About one eighth of a mile farther along this road, on the right 83 there used to be a saw mill, operated by the F. M. West Box Company of Springfield. Lumber was sawed and loaded on to cars and shipped to Springfield. Only a short distance more and one comes to the gate which closes off the road which enters the area now owned by the Metropolitan Dis- trict Water Commission. In this area there used to be many happy and prosperous homes. Among these places was the Smith place. Then the Oakes place, later called the Goodnow place. The latter was known far and near as a market garden farm. The Weeks place by the pond came next. This was last owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Phillips who had a Tea Room there. And on the other side of the road there was a new house built by Mr. and Mrs. Merrill Livingston. Just beyond the Livingston house there used to be a paper mill which was burned only a few years after it was built. And last, one came to the New Salem Depot, which now is covered by the water of the Quabbin Reservoir. Again we go back to Hagerville and at the Four Corners take the Old County Road which went to Herrick's Tavern. On the right hand side, about one eighth of a mile, still can be seen an old cellar hole. This was the home of Sheppard Hager, brother of Daniel and Otis. He lived and died there alone. Several people have owned this place. Among them was Mr. Walter Kirkpatrick who sold it and built a house in South Athol. Mr. Franklin and family lived there a few years and then in the spring of 1913 the house was burned. The Metropolitan Water Com- mission bought the land, so it, too, is in the Quabbin Area. Long ago there were many other homes along all of these roads but they have long since been abandoned and it is hard to even trace back to those who formerly owned them as many of the records have been lost. Several other farms farther along this road have long since been abandoned but it is almost impossible to locate the old cellar holes. Among them was the Parker place, the Totman place and the Newell place. On the Totman place there are still to be seen two mounds which are th? graves of Grandfather and Grandmother Totman who were buried there many years ago. Back again to the Sweezey Crossing, to the west are two houses, built in recent years, back from the main highway on part of the Sweezey farm. They were built, one by a brother and the other by a sister of the Rev. Newton S. Sweezey but are now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Bcaudry and Mr. and Mrs. Soule. Now. down the main highway from the Sweezey place, we pass the old cellar hole of the Reynard house. This place changed hands several 84 times but the last people to live there were Mr. and Mrs. Swanson and their daughter. They sold to the State when the route 122 was built. From this point the highway connects with Route 122 and then crosses it a few rods farther along. On each side at this point there are two houses, the one on the right, the Ford place owned by Mrs. Raymond Allen, and the one on the left by her son, Merle Lanagan. A little ways farther, on the right side of the road, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Munsell live. Next we come to the Hagers Four Corners or Hagerville, as it has been called for many years. On the right is the site of the first house, a log cabin in which Daniel Hager, Sr., lived and brought up his family. Most of these children married and built houses nearby. His son Daniel married Cynthia Rice and built the house now stand- ing on the right side, now owned by Elisha Munsell. Mr. Daniel Hager owned it for many years. He married twice. After his death his widow moved to Greenwich and in 1918 his grandson bought the place. Then in 1923, Elisha Munsell bought it. Daniel Hager's son, Otis, married Almenia Rice and built a house on the left side at the Four Corners. This house was torn down and a new one was built by his son Otis, who married Myra Lindsey. After a few years Otis and his family sold this house and moved to North Dana. The new house was burned in 1900 and the land was sold to Daniel Hager. After his death the land was owned by his son Albert Hager and later by Albert's son George Hager. The site of the house is now owned by Elisha Munsell who is building a house there for his grandnephew and family. Turning east at the Four Corners, on the left side of the road op- posite the road leading to the right, can be seen traces of where the Little Red School House used to stand. This was District No. 5, East. Next we come to the place now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wy- man. Once this was called the Meachum place, but most people know it as the Murdock Mclver place as he owned it for many years. After his death it was sold to Frank Wyman. Beyond the Mclver place there was once a place called the Foster place. It is almost impossible to find the old cellar hole at this place. Just before reaching the Mclver place the old road to North Dana and Millington is on the right. On this road there are two houses. The one on the right was the Charles Sumner Rice place. After his death the property was owned by his daughter who married Charles Wyman. After his death his widow and some of the children carried on the farm until a grandson, Leo McGinnis, bought the place from Mrs. Wyman. Since 85 his death Leo's widow and two children have owned the place. On August 16, 1952 the barn and part of the house was burned. The damage to the house has been repaired but the barn has not been replaced. West Main Street From the guideboard corner going west on West Main Street, the first house we come to was occupied in 1858 by G. W. Foster, in 1871 by Mrs. C. Wheeler, later by Mrs. George Wood, Harrison G. O. Powers, and Stillman Cole, until 1910 when it was purchased by John Marshall and is still occupied by Mr. and Mrs. John Marshall. The next house is now owned by Mrs. Florence Cogswell Cox. It is supposed to have been built for a cobbler's shop, the front part on the main floor being used for the shop, with living quarters upstairs. Later a one-story ell was added. Mr. J. Knight owned the place in 1858, his son H. W. Knight in 1871, and the next owner was Charles Childs. In 1897 Frank Cogswell bought the house and lived there until his death in 1927. In 1915 an apartment was made of the attic in the ell part. Mr and Mrs. Albert W. Cox lived there for a time. In the triangle formed by the Daniel Shays Highway and West Main Street stands the house built by Thomas B. Mackie in 1937. In 1938 Mr. Mackie built over-night cabins and started a tourist place known as Red Top. After Mr. Mackie's death, the business was sold to Mr. and Mrs. J. Arthur Olson, and Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Perkins. After two or three years it was again sold to Mr. and Mrs. Percival Hartley. The Hartley's have a Hobby Shop in addition to their tourist business. Across the street from the Red Top is the house built in 1942 by Lawrence Bradway where he lives with his wife and daughter. Down the street at the foot of the hill is the spot called Tannerv Pond. The dam is now out of repair and little is to be seen of the pond Little is known of the history of this pond, but by its name it would ap- pear that a mill or tannery made use of the dam found there, although no record of such an enterprise since 1858 is found. On the right side of the road as we go up the hill is a building being constructed by the New Salem Sportsmen's Club. At the top of the hill is the Haskin's Farm. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Haskins of Prescott came to New Salem in 1838 and bought the farm about one-half mile west of the center on the road to West street. At that time the house stood on the south side of the road, back of the pres- ent barn. About 1842 Mr. Haskins built the brick house which is still standing well preserved. The brick, of which the house is made, came 86 from Cyrus Crowl's brickyard about one mile north of Millington. There are stone trimmings and the two outside doors have stone thresholds. There are 12 rooms and an attic, with an open fireplace in the dining room. December 1, 1881, the place was sold to Frank W. Newland, who in turn sold to John Oliver of Everett in the fall of 1882. This family consisted of Mr. Oliver, his daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Sutherland. Their two children Edward Fletcher and Gertrude Viola, were born here. In September 1887, Mr. Oliver was killed by fall- ing from his wagon on some stones by the watering trough near the Saw- yer place in Athol as he was returning home from taking his produce to market. Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland remained on the farm until June, 1892, when they returned to Everett. Frank W. Newland took the place back in 1892, moving here in 1893 with his family — his wife Lizzie M. (Porter), their son Everett, and their daughter Bertha Bacon. He lived on the place until the summer of 1905 when he sold to Henry A. Cogswell. Mr. Cogswell rented the place to Walter I. Bachelder and family of Wendell. They lived there until September, 1906. Later in the fall Mr. and Mrs. Israel Ellis and baby moved there, staying until the next spring. In the spring of 1907 the place was sold to Albert and Lilian (Cogs- well) Cox. In the spring of 1911 Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Cogswell and their two children, Ralph and Florence, moved here from Allston. Mr. Cox and Mr. Cogswell remodeled the ell, making the kitchen into a din- ing room and finishing off the back room for a kitchen. The two families lived here until the fall of 1912, when Mr. and Mrs. Cogswell and chil- dren went to Marlboro, and Mr. and Mrs. Cox moved to New Salem Hill, Henry Cogswell taking the farm back. In the fall of 1914 the place was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gilford of Templeton. Sold again in 1945, the house is now owned by Mrs. Vera Richards who has done some remodelling. Beyond the Richards' place, as the old Haskins Farm is now known, was a small house owned in 1858 by E. Wheeler, later in 1871 by Mrs. E. Ellis, and later still by a Sangalia family. The house stood until about 1905, but has now vanished. We now come to the foot of the hill where potash was made. Daniel Shays Highway Starting from the Red Top Cabins, going south on Daniel Shays Highway is, on the left side of the road, the foundation of a new house to be erected by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Streeter. A short distance down on 87 the right side of the road is another new house being built by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Saben. Down at the foot of the hill on the right is the farm of Deane Lee. In 1952 Mr. Lee purchased this farm from Harrie Sawtell, who had owned it for several years. In 1858 this property is shown on a map as belong- ing to a Paige family and some time after 1871 it was owned by William Eaton. Mr. Sawtell built just beyond the farmhouse the small house which is now owned by Charles Smith. The next house on the left was owned for many years by the Whit- aker families and at the present time belongs to Mr. J. Allan Bixby, who has recently renovated it. On the next cross road to the left is the Paige homestead. This pro- perty has recently been purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Worsman, Mrs. Worsman being the former Helen Paige, daughter of the late Stanley Paige, so the old house is still in the possession of descendants of one of the first families in town. Historic Home The house that was the home of the late Fred F. Ballard and Mrs. Ballard has been sold to Mr. Norman Haney and Mrs. Haney (Stella V. Eaton). From Miss May Horr we have learned that her great-grandfather, Richard Dean, owned the place and her grandfather, Richard Dean, Jr., and his wife who was Sarah Powers lived there in 1842 after they were married. From Mrs. Mary Longueil it was learned that her mother Susan Elizabeth Kellogg was married in that house on February 1, 1865, to William Anderson Orcutt, by the Rev. David Eastman. Frederick Kellogg and his wife, Elizabeth Putnam Kellogg had three children, Frederick Dwight, Edwin N. and Susan. F. Dwight Kellogg moved to Orange. Edwin N. Kellogg married Eliza A. Moore and probably lived in the house for a time, but in 1877 George R. Paige owned the house and lived there. Among other occupants were John Upton, Charles Young and his mother and Albert "Bub" Shaw; also, possibly, Mary Seelye and her mother. Willard Bryant owned the house and sold it to Daniel Ballard who sold it to his son. Fred F. Ballard and Geneva Sieg were married in 1897 and lived there continuously until the death of Mr. Ballard in 1936. Mt. Hope Farm This old homestead has been the dwelling place of five generations of Freem.ins. My great-grandparents, Nathaniel and Sally Freeman, moved here from Norton in the year 1809, buying the place from a man by the name of Joshua Wyant. It wasn't fully plastered, so probably it hadn't been built long. Nathaniel and Sally had seven children — Cordelia, Sally, who died at the age of eighteen; Mary; Jonathan; another Sally, who died in in- fancy; and Daniel, who was my grandfather. Mary married Edmund Smith, some of whose descendants live in Buckland. Nathaniel attended Dartmouth College and was a doctor here in town. He died at the age of forty-two. My grandfather, Daniel Freeman, married Achsia Kimball on May 5, 1831. They lived at the home place where eight of their nine children were born. They were Maria, D. Sanford, Lewis Howard, Achsia B., Na- thaniel, John Kimball, Lydia Ellen, Henry T., and Edmund F., who was born after they moved to the other Freeman place. The three girls went to California and spent most of their lives there. Maria became favorably known in public life. She was interested in humane work and organized many bands of mercy in San Francisco, in Honolulu, and one in Unalaska. She was much interested in temper- ance and peace. Achsia was a teacher for many years. Three of the boys went to the Civil War. In 1872 Henry Freeman became owner of the place and brought his wife there when sister Edith was eight months old (they had previously lived in Boston), and here in this home the other four of their children were born: Malcolm, Henry, Bertha, and Lucy. Malcolm lived here for a while after he married and his son, Philip, was born here. He made the fifth generation of Freemans living at the old homestead. At one time, when I was a girl, a visitor remarked, "What a rambl- ing old house." It sounded funny to me, but I've thought of it since, only to find the description quite appropriate. The main part of the house consisted of five rooms downstairs, and a large open attic. How many times the children, who slept there, have been lulled to sleep by rain drops on the roof and the old stairs are much worn by the tread of many feet. The old chimney was removed some years ago, thus taking away the fireplaces. There is a large cellar under the entire main part of the house where the fruit and vegetables were stored. A long row of buildings ex- tended toward the barn on the west. This included a back entry, a room that opened to the cellar stairs, a summer kitchen, a sink room, a cheese room, shop, wood, and wagon shed. The old brick oven and set kettle were around the chimney in the summer kitchen. All this ell part of the house has been taken down and a small back room built on. On the north end of the house was a building known as the gran- ary. Grandpa's boys used the upper part for sleeping quarters. I can im- agine it was plenty cold there winters. This building was moved to the 89 place known later on as the Sanford Freeman place. My father, Henry Freeman, started to build the ell on the south end not long before he died in 1892. There have been so many changes, one would hardly recognize the building as it formerly was. I often wonder what some of these people of former generations would say, if they could see the road, Route 202, that goes through the old pasture at the foot of Mt. Hope. — Lucy Freeman Eaton The Freeman Place This home is so closely connected with great-grandfather's place that it is well to speak of both at the same time, for some of the same people lived in both places. My grandfather, Daniel Freeman, bought the place of a Mr. Wood, and moved here around 1849 with his wife Achsia, and the eight chil- dren spoken of in the preceding article, just before their last child, Ed- mund Francis, was born. It was not long after this that grandmother Achsia died at the age of 42. Later on grandfather married Almira Thomas. It is interesting to note that she was sister to Lyria Thomas, who lived here for some time after her husband, Winslow Packard, died. She was mother to Mary- Packard, and half sister to Sophia, one of the founders of Spelman Col- lege. Both Mary and Sophia taught at Spelman College. There were six rooms on the ground floor in this comfortable home- stead. I think that grandfather built on the two west rooms. And with those there were three bed rooms downstairs. There was also one fin- ished-off room upstairs. One of the closets was furnished with wooden pegs on which to hang clothes. Of course there were the usual fireplaces, and I well remember see- ing grandfather and step-grandmother sitting before the one in the south- east room, in the latter part of their life. There was a pantry of course and one room that joined the open shed that thev called "the further buttery." The boards were very wide and the door latches were hand- made, and interesting, as were also the small window panes. After grandfather died in 1887, the place was rented to several dif- ferent people. In 1892, D. Sanford Freeman, with his family, moved in and lived there for some time. Later on Oscar Boyden owned it and then sold it to Mrs. Harry Barber for a summer home. She made extensive re- pairs on it but finally sold it to the Metropolitan Water Commission. They sold it to a Mr. King to be taken down. I understand it was to be rebuilt on the shores of Lake Wyola. — Lucy F. Eaton 90 The Horr Cottage In 1738 a small house was built in the shadow of Mount Packard in the south part of New Salem. The builder, one Captain Haskins, did not have modern tools to work with. Squares were unknown, the plumb line served instead. The house was set by compass facing the west. The frame was made of rough, hand-hewn timbers fastened by wooden pins. The pinning in the gable ends is said by carpenters to be unusual and found only in very old buildings. Some of the horizontal beams, which have been exposed in recent alterations, measure 10 x 14 inches. The steps of the cellar stairs, 37 inches long and 8 inches wide, were not made from boards but were hand-hewn diagonally from 8x8 inch timbers and were pinned with wooden pins to 6 x 7 inch timbers ex- tending from the cellar door to a platform on the cellar floor. There is no landing at the head of the stairs. Originally there were four outside doors — north, south, east and west. The one on the north led to the well, the one in the west to the barn, the one on the east to the woodshed, which joined the house and was open on the south and arched. The south door opened to the garden. It is known that Captain Haskins built two other houses of the same type during that decade in the vicinity, but the other two are no longer standing. Nothing is known of the Captain beyond these building facts, nor of the story of the house or of its tenants for nearly the first hundred years of its life. In the year 1825 records show that the house was in the possession of two women, Betsey and Sarah Davis, who sold it to two men, Jacob Nichols and W. Davis, to be used as a parsonage for the Baptist Society. Betsey Davis sold her share outright, for $300, and Sarah Davis sold hers for $50 and a Bond to Provide houseroom during her lifetime. At this time the meeting house of the Baptist Society was located about a quarter of a mile down the road to the south from this house. It had been built on the top of Fish Hill in Prescott (in 1772) opposite the old cemetery, but was moved to New Salem about 1800. Later, in 1834 or 1835, it was again moved, this time farther south to the border be- tween the towns of Prescott and New Salem, so that one-half of the church could be in each township, and now was known as the new Bap- tist Church. The house remained a parsonage till the year 1843, when it was bought by Richard Dean, Jr., who had recently married Sarah Powers. The deed of sale is an interesting document because of the number of signatures required to make it legal. 91 Richard Dean made some alterations in the house, including larger windows, adding the piazza, and removing the large chimney, the fire- places and the brick oven. In 1862 Richard Dean died; the place then went to his widow and two daughters. The older daughter, Mary A. Dean, attended New Salem Academy in 1865. The younger daughter, Emma A. Dean, later married Herbert L. Horr and the property now belongs to their daughter, May E. Horr. The Old Packard Home "This house used to be known as the old Packard house, situated in the southern part of New Salem, at the foot of Packard Mountain, which is the highest point of land, in a direct line, between Albany and Boston. Recently the buildings have been torn down. The house was occupied by the Packards for many years. Then it was sold to John Cooley, who lived there for many years. Mr. Cooley sold it to John Hunt. "About 1882 the house Howard L. Freeman was living in, across the road from the Cooley house, was burned to the ground. So Mr. Free- man bought the Cooley farm and lived there until 1903." King Hill Starting out on Route 202 and turning right at the top of King Hill, we go down the old road a short distance. On the left is the site of the King house. This section is where one of the first settlers of the King family from Salem settled. Eliphal King was living there in 1858, his son Rawson and grandson Sewell succeeding him. The Kings made quantities of maple syrup and sugar, raised rasp- berries, and painted wagons and carriages in a large shop across the road from the house. On this side of the road was a shingle mill and the orig- inal King house. As a young man Sewell King was much interested in electronics and the newly discovered telephone possibilities, and was persistent enough to get his father and Mr. Putnam to start a telephone business. This de- veloped into the Highland Telephone Company. The next place down the road is the Putnam homestead, used for several generations by the Putnams who were interested in the lumber- ing business. Previous to the Putnams, Feltons occupied this house which has recently been sold. Between the house and large barn is a lane leading to a house whose last occupant was the late Jennie M. Horr, a retired school teacher. The following was written by Miss Horr: 92 The Upton, Horr-Berry House Although the main part of this house is new, compared with other houses in town, and no interesting stories connected with it have been handed down, it has been the home of four generations, the main part having been built by John Upton, in 1841. The ell is much older, prob- ably at least two hundred years old, being part of the old house that they had lived in. The side walls are of hand-planed boards and the windows are of small panes of glass, 9 by 7 inches. The old-fashioned door latches are used throughout the whole house, only two having been broken. It is a ten-room house. Originally there were six fireplaces, one of which is a large one connected with the large brick oven, but, as they have been either torn out or bricked up at various times and modern equipment in- stalled, not many can be used now. There were originally four outside doors, the front one being a Christian door. I have been told that at one time while the family lived in the old house they brought water from the brook at the foot of this steep hill for the family use. Later a well was dug, which is now in the dooryard cov- ered by a large flat rock. After this house was built, grandfather decided to have running water from a spring beyond the first hill, northwest of the house. After having dug a ditch so that the water would run from the spring to the house, a pipe was laid and a never-failing supply of water is still running to the house and barn. The house is at the end of the road, but was not facing the road. Before the house was built there was a survey for a road running north and south toward New Salem Hill, but this project was given up for some reason. Back to the road again, we next come to the Little House on the left concerning which the following account was given by Miss Miriam Putnam of Andover, who with other members of the Putnam family use the Little House as a summer home: "Tracing the genealogical tree of an old house is not unlike the tracing out of a family line. As often happens, a house in its lifetime passes through many hands and so these many ramifications make the problem the more difficult. "It is pure conjecture to state that this house is 150 years old, for nowhere has the date of building been found. The house was standing in 1827, as an old deed of that year bears out, when Caleb Pierce of Prescott conveyed to Esther Wheeler, wife to Nathan Wheeler of New Salem, a certain tract of land 'containing one acre more or less with a dwelling house thereon standing.' 93 "Three earlier deeds between the years 1817 and 1827 probably refer to the same property. Caleb Pierce bought it from Joseph and Eliphal King, the latter the father of Rawson King. The first deed which was found on record would point to the conveyance of this property in 1817 to Warren Hoar. Again in 1823 the property was deeded to Ebenezer Felton, uncle of Elizabeth B. Putnam, and later in 1823 to Joseph and Eliphal King; each conveyance being made by Samuel King. Back of that, this trail becomes obscured. "Samuel King may have been the father of Joseph and Eliphal. Earlier deeds of property show that a Samuel King of Danvers was one of the original proprietors of New Salem. Since his property no doubt was handed down to his sons, one may conjecture that a house could have been built on this part of the land in the latter 1700's. This par- ticular land belonged to Lot N. 34 in the Third Division in the original division made by the Great and General Court. "The property remained in the hands of the Wheelers until 1867 when David Burnett of Warwick, grandfather of Mary Carpenter, Wil- lard Abram Putnam, David F. Carpenter, and Bertrand F. Putnam bought it at public auction. After the death of Lydia and David Burnett, the property passed to Samuel Putnam, father of Willard Putnam. Various people lived in the house, after the Burnetts, among them Willard A. and Lillian M. Putnam who lived there in the late '80"s. Since 1906 the house has been used for week-ends and summer vacations by the family of Dr. Willard A. Putnam. "The house belongs to the type of story and a half farmhouse so familiar to the New England country scene, with one brick end and a central fireplace. We know that originally the house consisted of one room downstairs with open attic and a shed arched and open. In back of the house is the remains of a stone wall enclosure which was used to store perishables since the original house had no cellar. As we do not know the date of the original house, we do not know the date of the addition. Three rooms in all were added: two downstairs and one up. and at this time probrbly a part of the open attic was closed off to make anoth- er bedroom. The one remaining fireplace which was uncovered a few years ago has a depth of 18 inches, is 52 inches wide, and 35 inches high The original crane swings in the fireplace. In a small room, which was at one time taken up by the central chimney, we find a partition made o f broad boards laid one upon the other — a similar treatment may be found in the Old Academy built in 1838. "Other interesting features include the wide floor boards in the kitchen, the original room, one measuring fifteen inches, and hand-hewn 94 beams, the ax marks plainly visible, held together with wooden pegs. These beams are found in the open attic and the shed and apparently be- long to the same period. The small window panes and old latches and hinges have all been sacrificed to modernity." Next on the right is a house known for many years as the Powers place, different Powers families having lived there as long ago as 1858. Present owners are Mr. and Mrs. Louie Wetherby who acquired it from Mrs. Wetherby's family, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Cadrett. Farther along on the road we cross Route 202 and come to the for- mer Cooleyville Schoolhouse on the right. The first schoolhouse was burned in 1889, and rebuilt in 1890 for the sum of $810.08. After being discontinued for school purposes, it was sold to Alfred Ohlson in 1940 who made it into a dwelling house. Next house on the left is presently the home of A. L. Cornwell — previous owners were Lawyer W. Horr, in 1858, later H. Hubbard, a Jones family, and then Robert Cornwell. Across the road was once a house occupied at different times by Powers, Pratt, and Ed Freeman; the property was sold to the M.D.C. Crossing the main highway we are in the Cooleyville section of the town. This was once a thriving community. On the map is shown a car- riage shop, a blacksmith shop, a harness shop, a store and post-office. Dr. F. H. Fearl lived in the S. Bishop place. Union Hall was built for community purposes and dedicated in 1866 by a group of men in Cooleyville. In 1896 there was a C.K. Club (chry- santhemum club) started which held meetings for several years. The fol- lowing is taken from a clipping of November 16, 1900: "The C.K. club held its fourth annual chrysanthemum exhibition at Union Hall last week Thursday and Friday. There was a small atten- dance owing to the weather. The prizes were awarded as follows: Jennie E. Reed of Shutesbury received first for collections; Rawson King, sec- ond; Mrs. D. E. Powers, third; Mrs. L. E. Beebe of Millington, fourth, and Mrs. Fred Abbott, fifth. Jennie Reed won the premium for the best plant, Mrs. D. E. Powers for the best bloom and Mrs. F. H. Fearl second. Rawson King exhibited a grafted plant for which he received the premi- um offered for best specimen plant. Mrs. J. L. Powers was awarded first prize for miscellaneous plants, Mrs. D. E. Powers, second." Throughout the years manv changes have taken place. At the present time Union hall is being used as a summer camp for members of the Woodard family. Joseph Truman owns the former J. S. Haskins property. Mr. Truman was postmaster for a time until the post office was discon- 95 Cooleyville Center. 1871 tinucd in 192 5 or 1926. Mrs. Mary Mathews and daughter Laura live in the former D. W. Joslin place. Most of the property in Cooleyville now belongs to the Metropolitan and the houses have been dismantled. The Lucius Lawless mill in Cooleyville, the only old stationary mill still in use in New Salem is owned by Charles Frost, who has recently sawed and sold 100,000 slats to be used for the top of apple boxes. This mill is one of the oldest water-powered sawmills in existence. 96 The Paige Homestead Since the establishment of the New Salem Academy, all of the Paiges living at the old homestead — at least twenty-three of them — have at some time attended the Academy. Although earliest records are not available, there is little doubt that this is at present the home of the eighth consecutive generation to bear the name of Paige: William (1707- 1794); (Captain) Timothy (1739-1811); Asahel (1796-1875); Asahel Willard (1828-1885); Alba D. (1854-1941); Stanley (1888-1947): Hubert (1922-1952), and Deborah Ann (1952- ). In the eighteenth century a family by the name of Buxton lived in a house near the Four Chestnut, about one-quarter of a mile east of the present site. It is believed that Mr. Buxton started the erection of the present building. When the home was inherited by Asahel Paige, it consisted of four rooms built around a stone chimney which pointed above the attic floor. The granite rocks used in its construction were so large that it took sev- eral men to move them. The topping was of brick. Broad flat stones formed the cellar stairs. The unenclosed chimney formed one wall of each of the three stairways: the cellar stairs; the flight to the bedrooms; and those to the attic. The four rooms of the home were known as the East Room, the West Room, the East Chamber, and the West Chamber. Each still has the or- iginal old square corner posts and "summer" — a hand-hewn horizontal beam. There was a fireplace in each room; the ones downstairs were used for cooking. The West Chamber was finished with 14-inch "feather- edged" boards, which never have been replaced. ■: Asahel Paige the first, extended the north roof, making an open upper chamber, a small bedroom, a pantry, and a sink room. The ell was probably built at the same time. Its construction seems to have been at an early date, for as well as the two fireplaces in this part of the house, there was a brick oven where such things as bread and beans were baked. In 1908 the house was remodeled. The old chimneys, which were considered unsafe, were removed. The large original one was found to be nearly filled with soot which had to be removed with pick axes. A charred beam in the chimney gave evidence of a near menace of fire at some earlier date. Water was furnished by a well west of the kitchen. Although the well-sweep no longer stands, it is an outstanding object in the memory of visitors at the home in the past. The outbuildings furnish nearly as much interesting lore as the house itself. Especially fascinating to the children of several generations 97 was the old shingle mill run by horse power. The horse was hitched to a sweep which, as it was drawn around and around, operated machinery driving the knife which shaved the shingles from the block of wood held firmly against it. The shingles were placed in a large vat and treated bv steam provided by a copper boiler. Although records of the filling of an order of ten thousand shingles gives evidence of the active use of this mill as early as 1756, there are still in existence some chestnut shingles made here. As late as fifty years ago, Alba Paige used the mill to make shingles to replace the ones which had been on his house for twenty- eight years. This mill is no longer standing. The original cider mill, however, is still in existence although it has not been used since temperate Asahel Paige came into ownership, with the exception of one unsuccessful experiment made by his great-grand- son, Asahel Douglas, around 1890. Early records show that cider was made there for sale prior to 1775. The presses, threads and all, were wooden. Necessity required a blacksmith and repair shop on the premises. On this farm it stood just east of the house where it was eventually re- placed by a flower garden. Another historic building on the homestead was the one known as the Paige Schoolhouse. It stood on the west side of the road about one hundred yards south of the present barn. Its history was written by Alba D. Paige for the Reunion Banner in 1933. The original barn was on the opposite side of the road from the one now standing. When a new one was needed, Asahel Paige had it put on the site now used. As was the custom then, all the neighbors came for the raising, but Mr. Paige, being a religious and temperate man, was the first to break the custom of furnishing helpers with plentiful supplies of liquor. Some were sorely peeved, refused to help, and left, but enough workers remained to complete the building. In 1936 this barn was struck by lightning and burned. A new one was built of timbers and other mater- ial from a building purchased from the Metropolitan District Water Sup- ply Commission. This building had originally been a spiritualist church in Greenwich Village, but later had been taken down and rebuilt into a barn in Smith Village in Enfield. Going along the main highway is the recently built home of Gilbert Lyman. Another mile and we come to the home of Norman Flye. This house was the former home of Earl Whitaker and was moved from the Quabbin area to its present location about 1940. Mr. Flye also erected the Kin? Hill cabins here. 98 Old Road to the Station Starting at the intersection of the Belden Hill Road and the Milling ton Road, the house on the corner was built by Frank Sampson, and go- ing down the old road to the station were several houses. In 1871 the first house was occupied by W. W. Parkhurst and family. Mr. Parkhurst built his daughter Mary Bliss a house directly across the road from his own, using for the chimney bricks taken from the old Powder House in the Perry pasture on New Salem Hill. The next house was owned by L. J. Chamberlain, and below that was a C. Bliss place. Across the road was Mrs. S. Gibson's and next on the same side of the road was the E. Tup- per place. This group of houses was occupied by many different families in later years, among them the Sampsons, Joslyns, and Watermans. The next place was at the Moosehorn Brook. Here was the first and only brickyard in town. It can be assumed that all the bricks used in early building were made at this brick-yard. Cyrus Crowl operated there for many years. There also was the shop where the Crowl Fern business had its start. J. Holden had a sawmill across the road. The accompanying picture shows the "roping" shop at the left of the house. Across the road is the barn, next, the sawmill, and at the ex- treme right, the spot where the bricks were made. In the fore-ground what appears as a small pond is in reality the clay pit. Continuing east, on the corner of the Millington-Orange road, Mrs. Cyrus Crowl's Place 99 C A. Bliss lived in 1871. Next we come to the south end of a pond where J. Thompson had a sawmill, giving Thompson Pond its name. Later L Kilburn and Company operated the mill. None of these places mentioned are now in existence, having fallen victims to time and the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission. Back on the Millington road about two miles from the guideboard corner was the Hartwell Crowl place, later the home of E. W. Vineca. The Vineca's carried on an extensive business known as the CrowJ Fern Co. This business was started before 1890 at the Cyrus Crowl place. Roping was made from local laurel, and ferns and greenery shipped from the south were all used for outdoor decorations. At two different presidential inaugurations, the Crowl Fern Com- pany had the distinction of decorating the capital buildings in Washing- ton, D.C. About 1930 the house burned, and soon after that the business was closed and the property sold to the Metropolitan. Just below this place is a road to the right called Paige Lane. The first house we come to was called the Lee place, where the forefathers of Wilson Lee of Athol lived for a time. H. Smith is listed there in 1871. The last occupant was Alfred Kenyon. The place was vacated and taken over by the Metropolitan in 1935. Bliss House on Paige Lane The location one quarter mile south of the Lee place on Paige Lane can be called the Bliss place for purposes of this paragraph. The first occupants known were Adin A. Thompson and his wife who was Marcia Sturtevant. One of their children was Lydia J. Thompson who married Porter Eaton and was grandmother to the Stowell Brothers now in busi- ness here. Frances J. Thompson married Alden Peirce and T. Elizabeth Thompson, another sister, married Lyman E. Moore. Mr. Thompson. 79, died when he fell from a wagon, April 25, 1873. The place was later occupied by the parents of Lauriston Shaw. The latter married Anna L. Bliss, daughter of George Bliss. Lauriston had a son who died, a daughter Myrtle (Shaw) Peckham, and another daughter, Delia (Shaw) Lincoln both of Athol, and the twins, Florence and Fannie, who married Henry and Ernest Webster respectively. William B. Bliss, veteran of Co. B, 27th Massachusetts MVM and brother of Anna Bliss mentioned above, married Mary Elizabeth Tupper, daughter of Elihu and Mary Andrews Tupper. The latter was sister to Alonzo Andrews, former preceptor of New Salem Academy. Mr. Bliss acquired the place in 1869 and moved there from the David Bliss place about a mile away with his father, George Bliss, his mother, Eunice Bow- 100 doin Bliss and year-old son, Walter. William B. Bliss had a brother Charles P. and a sister, Mary, who married Walter Putnam and a sister Anna, who married Lauriston Shaw. The Bliss family were: Walter H. Waldo who died when 14, Nelson A., Hattie M., George Elihu and Ade- laide, who died when nine. The house was a very old building. Some- body had added to it a part of a school house. In 1888 Hattie's father built a new house on the same location. They moved a part of the old house aside and lived in it while building the new home. She lived there until the house was burned on April 3, 1935, when she came to her home on Lover's Lane. As to who built the original house on Paige Lane, be- fore the Thompson family came there, Miss Bliss said: "It very well may have been a Paige." The road continues to the Millington-Cooleyville road. i ^-—^r'""" ' gjj -' ~~ _-*■*••' ^^■RHpiBHfi B5Ht- ^^m^m ■ ■■h II |jj|P iw gJlkJlElfip:" : a \ Millington Schoolhcuse 101 North New Salem Center, 1871 102 North New Salem Leaving the Daniel Shays Highway, going to North New Salem we pass the sites of several houses which are no longer standing. The first house on the right is known as the Clary house and is now occupied by Robert Bullard. This house was built about the same time as the Goddard house at New Salem Center. It was considered one of the best houses around, with the wall-paper now in one of the front rooms the original English paper. There are still traces of stencilling to be seen on the risers of the stairs. Across the road from this house is Hessian Lane, so-called because the Hessian soldiers were supposed to have travelled it on their way to Petersham. The only house standing on the Lane was once owned by F. Smith, then a Thurston family, later Leroy Oliver in about 1910, and finally the present owner, Elmer Davenport. Back to the road, the next house we come to is the Dr. Robert An- drews house, a one story Cape Cod house, situated south of the North New Salem Meeting House. This house was built in 1837 by Dr. Robert Andrews, grandson of Thomas Andrews, one of the early settlers in this town. Robert Andrews, born in 1802, was graduated from Dartmouth Medical College in the fall of 1830 and commenced the practice of his profession December 6, 1830 in New Salem. He married Orra Merri- am in 1831. Construction of the new house was in charge of Silas Ellis, son of Paul Ellis who settled in Morse Village in 1800. The best quality of ma- terials and workmanship was put into the buildings. This is evidenced by the heavy granite footing course; the admirable flooring and hard- ware; the convenient clothes closets and built-in china cupboards. The house was constructed especially as a physician's home, with office and medicine room and a comfortable shelter for his team. There were 211 families in town and he had a large practice in the surrounding towns. When he moved in, his oldest son, Erasmus Darwin, was about three years old, and Robert Foster a baby about a year old. The third son, Warren Brooks was the first child to be born in the house, 1840. All three of the boys are to be found in the list of students of New Salem Academy. When Dr. Andrews moved to his newly erected Andrew's Block- in Orange in 1859, Darwin, 21, married not long before to Miss Irene Bachelder, remained at the New Salem home. There six sons were born and brought up. They were, Robert, Oren, E. Foster, Henry, Joseph and 103 Seth. All but one became students of New Salem Academy. Mrs. An- drews died in 1883; Darwin Andrews in 1914 and his second wife, A. Loretta (Foss) Andrews, in 1920. The six sons have all passed on. Dr. Oren Andrews, the second son, studied medicine in Baltimore, and carried on a highly successful practice in Gardner for over 25 years. E. Foster, the third son, died in 1941. F. Darwin Andrews was a millwright by trade. He operated a store in North New Salem and from August, 1871 was postmaster for over 40 years. From about 1900 to 1914 the Andrews place was the United States North New Salem post office. After the death of E. Foster An- drews the property passed over to the Warren B. Andrews branch of the family. The place is now occupied by a descendant, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Fairman, Jr. Next we come to the North New Salem Congregational Church which has recently celebrated its 150th anniversary. Opposite the church was Schoolhouse No. 8. This is thought to have been built about 1820. and about 1888 it was repaired and used until it burned in 1919. The house just past the church has been owned by a member of the Ellis family for almost a hundred years. It has been occupied by different families throughout the years. At the present time it is used by Thomas Geary. Th? next house now owned and occupied by William Phelon was the Haskell place in 1858; in the early 90's and for several years thereafter by the Curtis family. At the four corners was Wm. Dexter's store which he operated for years. Upon his death, it was operated for a short time by others. In 1947, this was bought by Wiggins Tavern owners, taken down and re- built in Northampton as a typical country general store of 150 years ago. Crossing the brook there was a blacksmith shop, which was torn down by the Bullards and replaced by a building which was used as a work shop. The next building was once owned by W. Haskell, at the present- time by the Fields family. On the same side is a house which was in the Dexter family for a hundred years. Mr. and Mrs. William Feustel now own it, and have made many improvements. The Bullard House There are no dates as to when the Bullard house was built, but it is believed that it was in the late 1790's by Amos F. Smith. The ell of the original house extended toward the south but at some time was moved towards the west. 104 The eight rooms in the main part, each had a fireplace with hand- hewn or carved mantels. The one in the living room with the brick oven was much larger than the others. These were built into stone chimneys, one resting on the wine closet in the cellar, the other on the ground, as there is a cellar under only two rooms. Four of these fireplaces are open and in use now. The most elaborate mantels were copied in the Clary house as was also the stenciling on the border of the front room floor. The doors are beaded with the original latches — the front one with the fan window above is the Christian or Witch door. The original win- dows are in the chambers, but as the lower ones had to be replaced the larger panes were used to let in more light. The chamber floor boards are interesting, being hewn and many of them nearly 24 inches wide. There are the corner posts in all rooms and chair rails in those on the ground floor. The underpinning is granite, while the front side door step is a mill stone from the old grist mill at Bears' Den. Running water was brought to the house from a spring 1200 feet away by gravitation in logs which were replaced in 1905 with a lead pipe. Going back to the corner on the road to Morse Village the first house was an Ellis place. The late Dr. Dean Ellis of Worcester lived there- in 1870. Mrs. Grace Burrage owns and occupies the place at the present time. The next place is presently owned by Roger Hanson who conducts a poultry business. It was formerly owned by A. F. Haskell who in 1871 ran a saw mill which was in back of these buildings on a small pond fed by the waters of Bears' Den. Match boxes were manufactured there. Daniel Oliver lives in the next place, and just beyond is William Coughlin's home, which was formerly the James Bullard place. Going up toward Bears' Den there are several homes that have been built in recent years. A lane to the left leads to an old house owned in 1871 by A. Ellis, later by Byron Cummings and presently by Millard Starks. Back to the road, and on about a half mile is the spot where once stood the Thomas Underwood house. Paul Ellis, St., was born in Medway, Mass., October 12, 1758. He came to New Salem from Royalston in 1800. His was the first Ellis fam- ily known in New Salem. Another Ellis family came to the town later. Samuel Ellis, father of Dean S. Ellis who was a student at the Academy 1870-73, came from another family. Mr. Paul Ellis bought a house, which no longer stands, situated on the road from North New Salem to Wendell, now known as the Neilson 105 Road, and only a little way west of the old Mill site popularly known as the Bears' Den. He purchased this house of Lemuel Rawson. The house as it stood in 1800 was of the well known Cape Cod type of house, the tour front rooms not then existing. Paul Ellis was by trade a shoemaker and carried on this vocation here from the time he came to town. His first wife was Mary Clark, born in Medway, October 3, 1761. They were married on May 26, 1779. Mrs. Ellis died on January 22, 1786, leaving two sons, Amos and Samuel. Mr. Ellis married his second wife, Rebeckah Homer, born in Stoneham March 5, 1763, on April 5, 1786 and three children were born to them before they came to New Salem. They were Clark, Paul, Jr., and Jesse. After the family had occupied their home in this town, five more chil- dren were born. They were John, Silas, David, Philo and James. Amos, the oldest son lived in the house now known as the Cum- mings house on the acclivity across the road from the Bears' Den. Samuel built and lived in the house where Mr. Jason Wilbur lived for a long time, the Cromwell house. An expert blacksmith, he had a large shop on the premises. Clark became a resident of Milford and was engaged in the iron working business. Paul Ellis, Jr., lived in a house on the North Road, known while it was standing as the George Woods place. Jesse and David started out on a tour of adventure in the Middle- West, found their way to New Orleans and settled there. John Ellis went to New York State and cleared a tract of land for a farm in the town of Little Valley. Silas Ellis, born May 31, 1802, learned the trade of carpenter. He was the father of Mr. Warren Ellis, late of Morse Village. Philo M. Ellis attended New Salem Academy in 1826. He travelled and was known in Boston. James Ellis, born February 11, 1810, attended New Salem Academy, 1826-30. He went to Williams College and graduated with high honors, but died in Williamstown shortly after graduation. After settling in New Salem the Ellis family consisting of Paul Ellis, his wife and five sons, worked the small farm in addition to the business of shoemaking. Scrupulous in the matter of cost accounting he kept ac- counts in book form. A ledger commenced on January 23, 1798, in Royal- ston is in the possession of Miss Ellen I. Ellis, a great granddaughter of Paul Ellis. The book has 134 and some loose pages and was continued until about the year 1826. The New Salem entries began in 1800. 106 At the time of the death of Paul Ellis the property was acquired by purchase by Silas Ellis, his seventh son, and was remodelled for his home. An addition to the original Cape Cod house, consisting of two down stairs and two upstairs rooms, was constructed. This addition provided a new front, and completely changed the appearance of the dwelling. The addition was the handiwork of Silas Ellis, himself a very skillful finish carpenter and decorator. All four rooms had fireplaces and Holy Cross doors with H and L hinges. The parlor, downstairs north east room, was finished in an especially elegant manner and featured built-in bookcases, molding curved and arched to meet the frame of the fireplace and chair rail of fine Colonial design. Also built by Silas Ellis was the Andrews house, at North New Salem just south of the meeting house, for Dr. Robert Andrews. Wishing to own a good farm, and finding the home, with its small gardens, not adequate for his needs he sold to Prentiss Pond and bought the Chauncey Morse farm in Morse Village. The house standing just west of the mill stream was an old house at that time and was taken down. Just west of the site, Silas Ellis built the existing large Warren Ellis house. Prentiss Pond was working in Providence, R. I., getting good wages at $1 a day. He bought the Underwood house and moved in eventually. His daughter Lucy married Thomas Underwood, son of Bela Underwood who lived on the North Road about a mile north of Morse Village. Thom- as died in his house which has been known generally in recent years as the Thomas Underwood place. When Lucy Pond Underwood went to live in Orange, the house was sold. Niles Neilson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Neilson owned the place for a time. It was purchased by James A. McKenna of Orange as an investment. The house came into possession of the Metropolitan Water Commission who sold the building to be taken down. The purchaser was a party from New Jersey who was greatly impressed by the fine Colonial interior workmanship. The old home was taken down completely. The Water Commission retains the home site. Next on the right was a Kezer place, later occupied by Christian Neilson. This is now the property of the Metropolitan. We are now up to the Morse Village corner. 107 Millington Road Starting at the guideboard corner as we go down the Millington road about a half mile, the first house is one built by Thomas Mackie in 1925. This replaced a summer camp he had built which was destroyed by fire. In 1935 the property was sold to the Metropolitan, and occupied by one of their employees, Charles Knight, for a time. At the present time it is occupied by Mr. and Mrs. R. H. O'Loughlin and family. Mr. O'Loughlin is one of the Metropolitan patrolmen. Going down the hill to a corner where the road to the left goes down Belden Hill, the family of S. Giles lived in the first house. This was the home of Miss Harriet E. Giles who was born in 1828 and was one of the founders of Spelman Seminary in Atlanta, Ga. At the next house was also a Giles family and a short distance below was the Giles Saw Mill on Moosehorn brook. Continuing we connect with the Milling- ton, Orange road which brings us to Herrick's school house. In 1867 this was known as No. 7, later as No. 5 West. In 1891 there were 16 pupils, in 1902 the school was closed for a time, but later reopened, only to be permanently closed. The building was sold to E. W. Vineca. Herrick's East of the school house was a house built about 1837 by Tarrant Putnam who was a wheelright and built wagons. Mr. Putnam was grand- father of Walter Crowl. Later people by the name of Howes lived there. This place was burned around 1910. Another house was built by Edward Baines which was later to become the property of the Metropolitan as this district is also in the water shed. Across the street and farther east in 1858 lived a D. Whitaker family, in 1871 Emory Crowl lived there and later his son Howard. Elden Nourse was the last occupant. As long ago as 1831, and living there for several years thereafter was a man who made trips to Boston, bringing supplies to the local storekeepers. Next on the left and at the corner was Herrick's Tavern, one of whose original owners was Capt. Daniel Putnam. Later a Whitimore fam- ily was there and it was called Whitimore Tavern for years. From the time when Moses Herrick acquired the building, it was called Herrick's Tavern, Howard Herrick next owned it. Solomon Converse owned it when it was burned in the fall of 1912. Later Robert Bullard bought the property and built a new house, living there until 1939, when it was taken over by the commission. 108 Herrick's Tavern Herrick's Tavern had a very colorful existence. It was a stopping place for the old stage coach, horses were changed, mail distributed from the post office, travelers fed, and their thirst quenched at the bar. On the second floor was a dance hall with a "Spring" floor. Empty bottles were embedded in the ceiling, neck down to produce an echo. Going on toward Orange there were two places that have been gone for years. In 1858 a Lynde lived in one, in 1871 Mrs. S. Wheeler lived in the first and B. A. Bachelor in the second. At a cross road just beyond was a Thompson family in 1858, A. W. Lynde in 1871. The last own- ers were Mr. and Mrs. Apelquist. The road to the right led down to the so-called Buffalo section. In the year 1750 Jeremiah Ballard and Jeremiah Meachan obtained a license to erect a saw mill upon land belonging to the proprietors. This mill was built in the east part of t he to wnship upon the middle branch of the Swift River which rises in ^Lake\ N Ma ttawa? This river is bridged by Fay Road in North New Salem and by. Route 202 at the foot of the hill. It formerly flowed into Thompson's pond but is now engulfed in the Quabbin reservoir. Along this little river/' were watermills: first Adams' 109 Mill situated just below the present Daniel Shays Highway, then there- was a mill on Red Brook where a small pond had been created and con- nected with Middle Branch by a canal. This vicinity was known as Buffalo and the old bridge at the river was Buffalo Bridge. It is said that there was another saw mill to the south. The Old Bassett Mill at New Buffalo, running about 65 years ago, was reached by the Sampson road that led straight to New Salem Depot. This mill operated with an up-and-down saw. At the Adams' Mill gen- eral sawing was done. Spool beds and wooden calipers used for measur- ing logs were made. The location of New Buffalo is south of the pres- ent B^Se Dam near the north end of Quabbin. The saw mill there was originally the property of Clark Thompson, and was later owned by Alan- son Gay who used to make butcher knives out of old files. A sample of Yankee humor gave New Buffalo its name. Some boys were planning to go to Buffalo, New York to pick hops. A county agent who sold rum at 2 5 cents a quart sold the boys a gallon or two. When the boys disappeared for a day or two it was supposed they had been to Buffalo to pick hops. When the truth came out that they hadn't even left town, they were the center of much joshing about where they had been and after that the place was called Buffalo. Herrick's To Orange Going on toward Orange was a house on the left, last owned by the Fred Davenport family. Where the road crossed the river was a stone-arched bridge. The house near that was last called the Bigwood place. After crossing the present main highway, there was a Rawson place on the left. Just beyond, a lane to the right leads to the present Coolidge home, which was owned in 1871 by M. Freeman, and later by a Volge- mouth family. Back to the road, and on the right was a house lon^ gone belong- ing to A. Rogers. On the opposite side of the road was the house of Abel Rawson in 1871, later the place was known as the Chamberlain or Lead- better place. Some years after the house was destroyed by fire, in 1943, Wesley Cox purchased the Fay School building and had it moved to the Leadbetter site, making it into a dwelling house which is now owned bv Albert Aldrich. Just beyond on the right was once a building used at different times as a shop or store, owned by a Rogers family. A lane to the right leads to a house being renovated at the present time by Ward Hunting. This house has been owned by various persons, a 110 Mr. Clark, Howard, and Sawyer are some of the names known. The Fay family has owned the place since 1923, a Chamberlain family occupying it until last year. Nearby is the site of the school known as the Fay School, or No. 12. On the corner of Daniel Shays and the road to the right once stood a church which was moved to the present North New Salem church site. Daniel Shays Highway and the Wendell Road Starting at the intersection of the Daniel Shays Highway and the North Road, we come to the building erected in 1935 by the Stowell Brothers to continue a business started by their father and uncle in 1880. It is a far cry from the country store of that day to a store that serves the need of people today. Gasoline, cigarettes, ice cream, and canned goods were almost unheard of. Certainly they were not the considered necessities of today. In the rear of the store building is a group of over-night cabins erected by Carl Stowell in 1941. -Going south on the highway just a -short distance, we come to the New Salem House, an eating place, now owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. William O'Neil and Miss Emily Petrosky. This building was erected and the business started in 1936 by Mr. and Mrs. Fred B. Cogs- well, who operated until the war years. Because of the gasoline shortage, and curtailed travel by individual cars, the place was closed for two or three years. Then rented for a time, the property was sold to the O'Neils in 1950. Next we come to the gift shop where Reliable Jane (Miss Ina Un- derwood) caters to the motoring public with her large selection of novel- ties, baskets, and knick-knacks. Wendell Road Where the Daniel Shays Highway crosses the Wendell Road once stood a blacksmith shop operated by Stillman Cole about 1900. Continuing down the Wendell Road, we come to the Town Garage which was built in 1940-41. Just beyond on the right is a house built by Thomas Ramsdell. who was one of the residents of Millington displaced by the Metro- politan. Ill The next house belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Mackie. This was a Merriam home in 1858, and the next owner was Louisa Childs who lived there in 1880 and sold to Samuel Hook in 1905. Merton Davis owned the property next, and in 1929 it was sold to the Mackie's. Beyond and up a short lane to the right, was the Warren Pierce place which had gradually fallen to decay by 1930, and is no more. On the left of the Wendell road is a road leading up to the old Town Farm. The present building was erected in 1892, and upon its completion the original building was taken down. In the early 1920's, no longer being needed as a Town Farm, the building was sold to Allyne Hixon of Worcester, who used it as a summer home until 1948 when it was sold to Charles Marshall. It is now called "Blueberry Hill". A mile farther along is the home of Fred Joy and his sister Elizabeth. In 1832 Jonathan Cogswell moved onto this property with his family from Lunenburg. His son David was married in 1857, and with his wife lived there until the house burned in 1887. The Cogswells then moved to New Salem Center. The house was rebuilt and the place sold to the Joy family in 1891. The next place on the left is the former Morse Village schoolhouse, which Alden Daniels of Needham purchased in 1942. He took it down and rebuilt it as a summer home. Farther along on the right is an old house. In 1858 B. Haskell was living there. A Spooner family lived there later. In 1888 Levi Gay was living there. About 1924 the Daniel's family bought this house for a summer home. Going on we come to a small cottage erected by Mrs. George Pierce in 1943. Just beyond on the left was a small pond where ice was har- vested. On the right is a house now owned by Harold Overing which he bought in 1948. This is known as the Pierce place, having been occupied by a Pierce family since 1832. The Pierces had a small blacksmith shop and sugar house on the left side of the road. Next on the right is the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Eben E. Gridley. In 1858 this house was owned by Elijah F. Porter and remained in the Porter family until about 1915. Successive owners were Ed Poole, Will Woods, Mr. Spencer, and presently, Mr. Gridley. At the four corners on the left was a blacksmith shop operated by Stillman Holden whose house was on the opposite corner. Just beyond is the present home of Miss Margaret Richards. It had been owned by a Holden family, and an Underwood family before Wil- liam Richards came there about 1895. 112 A short distance beyond on the right was a saw mill run by Elijah Porter. Waterpower was used, and a canal was dug from Porter's Pond for this purpose. On the left is a new house built by Donald Mackie, on the site of a house owned by Alvin Clark, which had long since disappeared. Next is a house which in 1858 was occupied by W. Darling, in 1871 by J.M. Tenney who lived there several years and was later owned by H. G. O. Powers, Fred Whittier, Sr., a Britt family, and soon after 1900, by Fred Whittier, Jr. Mrs. Whittier still owns it. We now come to a new house on the right erected by Paul Wilbur. Across the road is his father's place, which had been owned by a Moore family for many years until Mr. Roy Wilbur purchased it about 1918. The next place on the left was called the old Sumner Cummings place. At one time a Sproul family lived there. Edward Putnam also lived there and later a Freeman family with Mrs. Freeman's father and mother kept a small store there. This store burned about 1909. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Streeter have erected a house on this site that was removed from Millington. There was a school house just beyond known as District 10. When that school was discontinued about 1890, the building was purchased by Stillman Cole, moved to its present location, and remodelled for a dwell- ing. It is now owned by Elwin Howard. Going on, the house on the corner was in 1858 occupied by Mr. Galland, in 1871 by W. Wilder, and later by Oliver Emory and others. John Fairman now owns it, his father bought the house in the early 1900's. A short distance farther along is a lane on the left, where a house still stands that was occupied by Emerson Goodnow and his wife when their triplet daughters were born in 1845. The Goodnow's sold their house to Charles Holden in 1880, and since Mr. Holden's death it has been owned by Mrs. Stillman Cole. Back to the road again, and the next house on the right is the afore- mentioned remodelled school house. A short distance beyond on the right is the site of the Morse Vil- lage school, which as mentioned before was taken down and rebuilt by Alden Daniels. We are now at the corner of the present Kellogg place, described elsewhere. 113 Thus concludes our wanderings over some of the roads of New Salem. There are many not mentioned, some which are discontinued, and others which are in the Quabbin area under water or restricted. Of neces- sity there are many places not mentioned or not known. There are also a large number of summer camps or cottages, particularly in the South Athol area too numerous to mention. Indian Lore The knowledge of Indian lore in this town is very meager. How- ever, if one takes pains to correlate the facts and legends that have been recorded about the red men in these environs he may arrive at some in- teresting speculations. One is that an Indian trail from the Connecticut Valley entered this town over the pass south of the peak of Packard Mountain and continued northeasterly through Millington to Nichewaug. Along this trail were clearings, camps, and stores where grain and weap- ons were exchanged for wampum. The pre-colonial dwellers in these parts undoubtedly hunted the woods and fished the streams of the Swift River Valley. Most likely they had their little villages and perhaps cultivated some clearings along the main trails. The colonists often built roads along these same trails as these followed a naturally favorable course. On the road from Millington to Cooleyville, at the corner just west of Millington, is evidence that Indians once lived there, as, since the waters of the Quabbin have washed away the sand, countless arrow heads and Indian utensils have been found. Arrow heads have been picked up along the shore of the Quabbin. Also, a drill stone, a scraper tool of black flint, and half of a stone pestle have been found in that area. A fine spe- cimen of a stone pestle was found in a dig on the lot where Millington store once stood. The Indians may have had a mill there even before the colonists came and occupied Millington. A location not far from old New Salem depot was called Indian Camp by the villagers. Bears' Den has been mentioned by writers as the place of a pow-wow held by King Philip with his followers. It would seem to be the kind of hidden stronghold where council fires were lighted. The level fields and pleasant situation of North New Salem suggest a village where a big chief presided over civic affairs and little Indian boys grew up hoping to become big chiefs. 114 Legend of Bears ' Den In that wild and romantic region at North New Salem known as Bears' Den is the scene of a beautiful Indian legend which has touched the hearts of many who have listened to its unfolding. It was during King Philip's war, some time before the fight at Turn- ers Falls, that an Indian appeared at the Bears' Den encampment leading a little white girl of some five summers. None but her captor knew from whence she came or whose home was broken by her absence. A council of the Indians was held and at last it was determined, because of the soli- citations of a maiden, Naowa, that the child should live and be adopted by the band. The little one soon became reconciled to her new surround- ings and was the pet of the Indian village. She was clothed in the dress of that people and among her playthings was a tiny bow and arrows. In and out of the wigwam she went, welcomed on every hand. Up and down the brook she hunted the shining stones which pleased her fancy. The days passed on. Tidings came that Deerfield was in ruins and that Turner with many of his gallant men lay cold in death at the Falls which bore his name. One night the camp was in a state of excitement over the advent of one who seemed to be an important personage, and no wonder for word went around that it was the renowned Mt. Hope chieftain, King Philip. Never in the annals of Indian life was there such a commotion. A thousand men were not many miles away, awaiting the pleasure of their master, prepared for bloody work among the white settlers. The mission of Philip was to add numbers to his band and send messengers from here still further onward for the same purpose. As twi- light fell on the day of his arrival there was a gathering of people on the sloping land about the Bears' Den. Philip, the chief speaker, re- counted in fiery eloquence the success he and his followers had had. Bitter was his denunciation of the white invaders. He prophesied their utter ex- tinction. As the torches flared and lighted the scene the Indians became wild with excitement. Just then the little white prisoner passed, toddling in front of the swarthy orator. Philip cast upon her a withering look and in quired whence she came. He was told the story and, as his brow grew darker than usual with rage, he exclaimed, "The child must die. Let none of the hated palefaces live." His words cut to the quick the heart of Na owa, the adopted Indian mother, and determination lighted her features The child passed the gathering and on the outskirts was met by her, who had, indeed, been a mother to her. The pow-wow went on far into the 115 night. When before the close Philip inquired it' his sentence of death for the white Juki had lx en carried into effect, no one knew. The little girl was nowhere to be found. The wigwam of Naowa revealed no trai the child, dnd the Indian maiden disclaimed all knowledge of her where- abouts. A week passed. Philip had left for other scenes, and many of the braves had gone with him on his mission o( ruin and death. Joy seemed to have fled from the village as the feet of the little white maiden (re- christened Mysota) no longer pattered about. None could tell of her bu! Naowa, and she was silent. One morning a little over a week after Philip had left, a hunter named Manato, in passing up the brook running by the den, saw a hi<; bl.uk bear at the entrance. It was but the work of a moment until, with a bullet through his heart, the beast lay stretched at the opening. Secur- ing his booty, Manato carried it to his tepee and again passed up the brook. As he glanced at the perpendicular face of the ledge, some 20 feet up at an opening, he saw the face of another bear peering out. A second shot followed and all was still within. Crawling through the hole at the base and following up a winding passage, what was his surprise- to find there, not only the body of another bear, but the living form of the little white girl, Mysota, safe and secure from all harm. Naowa had kept her own counsel and saved from the wrath of Philip somebody's darling. It was never known whose child this was, but for long years she found a home with Manato and Naowa. 116 pi Mi «W* ^ ! '^4.-4fe^' , ° Mz iff .'eel • .tawiW / J&.&2' i \ = \ Xi/ouij-j, ■ /r.Cronb^y \- yE-RussclL- ii/r»*/;ft?!r thr.CUnlmiu \ i 'ay. j, n ^fc ^//i\^ JU,9tncy*\ 1871 locations were taken from a map shown in the: "Atlas of Franklin County, Massachusetts from actual surveys by, and under the direction of S. W. Beers, George P. Sanfords, and others." Published by S. W. Beers and Company, 93-95 Maiden Lane, New York City.