i ■■Mlil UQ BI HIIIWBPfW i M l Dmiin i mwlfMWtrifT . i u s aaaaaeaaim—aMQBBn » « « «m i waMW«ai i »i b u o u ro«BBW»^ Class __/_ Book COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WELLESLEY \ v/"'-X / 7 ■ "»& fc? .. • View from Maugus Hill (188!)) ITEMS FROM EARLY TOWN RECORDS The selectmen were recorded as paying out money for "running people out of town." In 1732 it was "voted that four taverns should not be kept in town, it was voted that three taverns should not be kept in town, it was voted that two taverns should not be kept in town, it was voted that one tavern should not be kept in town." In 1738 the town ammunition was kept in the meeting house, but in 1754 a house was built to keep the town stock of ammunition and arms. March 13, 1738, it was "put to vote to see if the town would allow the women to have half the front seats in the galleries — - passed in the negative." "It was put to vote to see if the town would have four pews raised in dignification. Namely, the old pews under the stairs and the two corner pews at the front door. Passed in the affirmative." 1765 it was voted to use Doctor Watts' hymns instead of Brady and Tate or "those composed to be sung in the Dissenting Churches and Congregations in New England." In 1772 a bill was paid to Jonathan Ware for warning twenty- eight persons out of town. This may have been partly in accor- dance with an old law by which the selectmen were authorized to decide if persons visiting in town were likely to become town paupers, or probably as being undesirable in other ways. In 1772 seven shillings, two pence, two farthings were paid for iron for stocks. Later a bill was paid of ten shillings to Jonathan Day for making and getting up the stocks. It was voted in 1792 to establish a hospital for smallpox. In 1809 the town passed a vote to "inoculate for cow pox." In 1798 a reward of sixteen cents was paid for each crow caught and killed, in 1814 it was raised to twenty-five cents. "In the year 1813 the Legislature passed an act granting author- ity to certain persons to form a Fire Engine Company composed of residents of the Lower Falls, twenty-one in all, thirteen of whom should always be inhabitants of Newton, the others from Need- ham. The legislative act granted unusual powers to this Company which was called Cataract Engine Company, the members of which paid an admission fee of five dollars. Their tub was at first a wooden one, but afterwards replaced with copper. They purchased their own machine; also the buckets, then in common use at fires, and other paraphernalia. They adopted by-laws, and by au- thority of the Court, imposed penalties for their infringement. Though the temperance movement had not then commenced, strin- gent regulations were adopted to prevent the members of the Com- pany from using spirituous liquor to an immoderate extent. This organization existed from 1812 until about 1840 when it came under the jurisdiction of the town of Newton." (S. F. Smith's "History of Newton.") In 1846 a paper certifies that certain men, whose names are given as "members of Cataract Engine Company No. 1, having done their duty for the past year, their names are presented to the Select- 65 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY men that their poll tax may be refunded to them." This was prob- ably after the separation of the fire companies of the two towns. In financial accounts of the town we frequently find money paid to inn holders and individuals for refreshments served to fire- men after fires. The indications throughout the history of Needham are that tlie town was always poor — the minister's salary was generally in arrears and more than half the time we read that the town "voted not to send a representation to the General Court this year" due to the necessity of giving him a salary. In 1825 thirteen hog reeves were chosen. In 1833 §1,807.93 was taken in by the town treasurer and §1,771.89 was paid out. The amounts vary very little from this for several years. In 1833 Fire wards were appointed for the first time, and in 1844 $150 was voted for engines, §60 for the Lower Falls, §60 for East Needham and §30 for Upper Falls. In 1836 the following hand bill was printed: TO THE SNOW CONTRACTORS The expense of Shovelling the road is so great, that I have caused Scrapers to be made, to be used with horses, and I wish you to use them in preference to shovelling. After a storm, or when the snow has drifted into the track, immediately pass over the road with the Scraper and three men. The Scraper clears a space wide enough, except where the drifts are three feet high and upwards, and it is only in such places that I wish you to shovel. When the snow and ice is so hard that the Scraper will not take it off, it must be shovelled. When a thaw takes place, go over your section and clear the drains, and if the thaw is suddenly checked, look to the flanges and clear the way for them. February 2, 1836. J. F. CURTIS, Sup't. In 1844 it was voted that a notice of the town meeting should be sent to each family in town. A few years later it was voted that such notices should be posted in different parts of the town, probably superseding the previous vote. In 1850 it was voted that the "assessors go over the town to- gether taking the valuation." Among the early moderators were represented the families of the Slacks, Wares, Mclntoshes, Daniells, Flaggs, Rices. An old paper gives the following contract between an employer and a seventeen-year-old boy bound as apprentice in 1818 for four years to Charles Rice, "to learn the act, trade or mystery" of Papermaker. "During all of which time the said secrets keep, his lawful commands duly obey. He shall do no damage to his said Master, nor suffer it to be done by others, shall not waste the goods of his said Master, nor lend them unlawfullj' to any. At cards, dice or any unlawful game by night from the service of his said Master without his leave, not haunt or frequent ale-houses, taverns 66 EARLY SOCIETIES or gaming-places. He shall not contract matrimony within the said term; nor shall he commit any acts of vice or immorality which are forbidden by the Laws of the Commonwealth; but, in all things, and at all times he shall carry and behave himself toward his said Master and all others, as a good and faithful apprentice ought to do, during all the term aforesaid." And Mr. Rice did "hereby covenant and promise to teach and instruct or cause the said ap- prentice to be instructed in the art, trade or calling of a paper- maker, by the best way or means that he may or can (if said apprentice be capable to learn) and, during the said term to find and provide unto the said Apprentice suitable board, washing and lodg- ing — pay thirty dollars the first year, forty dollars the second year, fifty dollars the third year at suitable times in lieu of all clothing which the said is to furnish for himself, or which are to he furnished by his father, the said ." EARLY SOCIETIES Among the early societies in the last century we find the New- ton, Natick and Needham Society for the Apprehending of Horse Thieves, established April 19, 1832. It does not seem to have flour- ished very long, but evidently was not financially embarrassed, as when it disbanded at Craft's Hotel (Elm Park) in April, 1831, each member received $2.88 as his share from the general treasury. The Norfolk Rifle Rangers, organized in 1832, were attached to the first regiment of the Second Brigade of the first division. They disbanded after a final parade at Kimball's Hotel, 1840. The Needham Library in the east part was established in 1790. The Needham Farmers' Library in the west established in 1852, with Alvin Fuller, 2d, as Librarian, with a room in his house lasted for a few years. The Grantville Library Association, with a room in George D. Ware's house in the square, organized December 3, 1877, and opened July 13, 1878, was disbanded when the Hunnewcll Library was pre- sented to the town. The High School students took turns at one time in being librarians, but Miss Belle Townsend and Miss Sarah Batchelder were librarians for permanent and longer periods. The West Needham Library in the upper village was organized in the '50's and at one time had a room in Nehoiden Block where the present Waban Block stands. (Frank Fuller, the son of Augustus Fuller, had a grocery store underneath, and lived with his family in the cottage now occupied by the Curriers.) The Library con- tinued its existence until the Town Library was opened. One of the librarians was Gilbert Webber now a doctor, whose father built the Durants' home. The library association held fairs and raised money in this way to meet expenses. At one time they gave one hundred dollars to the Congregational Church for books. Many pleasant social times were enjoyed by the association and their friends. 67 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY The trees which beautify Washington Street in Wellesley Hills were planted by a Tree Society in the '50's and '60's. It included among its members John Curtis, John Shaw, Reuben Ware and Dexter Ware. The Lyceum has long passed out of memory, but Sarah South- wick, Seth Dewing, Deacon Batchelder, the "Rice girls," L. Allen Kingsbury, "Ned" Atwood, C. B. Patten, D. D. Dana were almost al- ways on hand to make pithy and keen comments on all subjects. Tradition says that in ante-bellum times, no matter what the topic for the evening, the Southwicks always brought the discussion around to Abolition. The Grantville Dramatic Club flourished from 1871 to 1881 most successfully for all the community. For several years until January 14, 1882, there was a Grant- ville Street Light Association which on that date presented "to the town of Wellesley all lamps, lamp-posts, and such other fixtures belonging to said association, used for the purpose of lighting street lamps, for the use of the town for ever." Meridian Lodge, now in Natick, was instituted September 5, 1798, in Watertown. For some time its headquarters were at the house at the corner of River and Washington Streets, owned by General Rice, later by John Pulsifer and now by James Early. The upper floor was a hall, on the walls of which were painted the masonic emblems. June 10, 1811, the Lodge was moved to Smith's Tavern at the junction of Washington Street and Worcester Turn- pike (Elm Park). In 1872 the Abbott Post had forty-one members and met the first Monday of the month at Waban and Parker Halls alternately. July 29, 1873, the town "voted that the treasurer be authorized to convey to Abbott Post, Grand Army of the Republic, a certain lot of land in Grantville for the sum of one dollar, on condition that a hall be erected on said land for purposes of the Post, said land to revert to the town when the needs of the Post shall cease." The land was not used and reverted to the town. The Wellesley Soldiers' Club succeeded the Post, a permanent organization being made September 4, 1875. Meetings were held for years at Waban Hall, and occasionally at homes of members. For several years they had a room in the present Manual Arts Build- ing. Today the few members who are still living have charge of the exercises Memorial Day. GENEALOGIES OF SOME OF THE OLDER RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN Caroline Elizabeth (DEWING) Wise is the ninth child and third daughter of Seth Dewing (Nathan Ebenezer Henry Andrew Andrew) and the sister of Joseph Haven Dewing whose widow lives on Grove Street. The first Andrew was received into the first church of Dedham, 68 GENEALOGIES OF OLDER RESIDENTS February 19, 1646. He settled in that part of Dedham which was set off as Needham in 1711. His name appears in Whitman's His- tory of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company as a member from Natick in 1644; that was probably because he resided nearer that place than the settlement at Dedham, on what was later known as the Ridge Hill Farm, part, if not all of which was owned by the Dewing descendants until 1811. His second wife, Ann Donstall, whom he married October 10, 1652, was the mother of his grown-up children. He died September 16, 1677. His will is long and minute; in it he gives his oldest son Andrew (born November 26, 1655, died January 14, 1717/18, married October 27, 1682, Dorothy Hyde) all but twenty acres of his land in the Natick dividend. The second Andrew also acquired grants of other lands from the town of Ded- ham. He was a petitioner for the incorporation of the town of Needham. His son Henry (born October 16, 1690, died March 21, 1765, married December 4, 1716, in Roxbury, Mehitable, daughter of Eleazar and Mehitable (Thurston) Ellis, born May 13, 1695, died May 17, 1750). His son Ebenezer was born October 10, 1725, died November 26, 1766, married in 1753, in Roston, Isabella Rrownley. He probably lived at the homestead of his father who gave him land in 1753. He received additional land on his father's death. His son Nathan was born February 8, 1758, died December 17, 1831, married (1) June 7, 1780, Elizabeth, probably daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Rroad of Natick who died between 1800 and 1803 at about the age of thirty-five years. He was in the Revolutionary War, serving in the expedition to Quebec, having first enrolled as a member of the Natick company under command of Capt. James Mann, Col. Samuel Bullard's regiment. Later he was in the Con- tinental Army under Gen. Washington at Trenton and Princeton. Later he served in Capt. Aaron Smith's company, Col. Benj. Gill's regiment, serving 3 months, 27 days, and again in Capt. Luke How- ell's company, Col. Nathan Tyler's regiment for 3 months, 13 days, as sergeant. After the war he received the title of Captain in the Massachusetts State Militia. December 28, 1811, he sold about 200 acres of land to Ethel Jen- nings which was probably the last of the homestead property which had been in the family for four generations. He then removed to the easterly part of the town where he remained until his death. His son Seth was born September 6, 1788, died January 7, 1883, at the residence of his son Joseph H. Seth married, April 10, 1815, Olive, daughter of Ezra (Jesse Moses Nathaniel) and Mary (Glover) Haven, born September 12, 1791, in Framingham, died January 4, 1882. He was a carpenter by trade, going to sea as such in 1810, and worked also in Needham and Newton Upper and Lower Falls, until 1815, when he became postmaster at North Needham, and also dealt in the West India goods trade. Later he lived in Boston, retiring from business in 1869 and returning to Wellesley. He was for several years Master of Meridian Lodge when it was located in North Needham. 69 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY His son Seth, born August 8, 1820, died January 3, 1895, at the home of his sister, Mrs. Dexter Kingsbury (Mary Ann, born Septem- ber 29, 1818, married, April 9, 1840, Dexter, son of Luther and Al- mira (Morse) Kingsbury, died (1906). He married, August 24, 1863, Mary T. W„ daughter of William S. and Elizabeth (Holbrook) Beal, born January 30, 1832, in Milton, died August 31, 1881, in Braintrec. He taught in the academy at Wrentham with L. Allen Kingsbury; at Wcstboro, and for twenty years the grammar school. His brother, Joseph Haven, born July 14, 1831, in Charlestown, died July 2, 1890, in Wellesley. He married (1) April 7, 1864, Mrs. Sophia Abbie (Grant) Kingsbury, widow of Hamilton Kingsbury, born January 17, 1834, died September 4, 1874. He married (2) April 21, 1885, E. Marietta, daughter of Albert and Emily (Kingsbury) Smith, born September 11, 1837. He enlisted in Company C, 43d regiment Mas- sachusetts volunteers for nine months, and was discharged as sergeant July 30, 1863. Maria Willet Howard (Mrs. Aubrey Hilliard) is the grand- daughter of Reuben Dewing (Elijah, Ebenezer, Henry, Andrew, An- drew) whose daughter Mary Jane was born February 9, 1840, and died in Braintree, October 31, 1874. She married, October 16, 1861, William H., son of William and Maria (Willet) Howard. Reuben Dewing was born February 12, 1805, in Bellingham, Mass., and died in 1858. He married Mary, daughter of William and Sally (Parker) Fames, born August 30, 1809, in Holliston, and died February, 1846. His father, Elijah, was born July 11, 1761, in Needham, died September 10, 1844, in Medway. He married May 14, 1788, Betty Reed, who also died September 10, 1844. He was in the War of the Revolution, serving for short periods at various times. FISKE, Joseph Emery (Emery, Moses, Moses, Moses, Na- thaniel, Nathan) born October 23, 1839, died February 22, 1909, was the son of Eunice Morse (Adam, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Daniel) and Emery Fiske. He married (1) Ellen Maria Ware (Dexter, Daniel, Josiah, Nathaniel) and (2) Abby Sawyer Hastings (Rufus, Stephen, John, Daniel, Samuel) of Sterling, Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard in 1861, served in the 43d Regiment as ser- geant and in the 2d Heavy Artillery as Captain. He was State Sen- ator in 1874-76 and, like his father, filled many town offices. Ellen Ware Fiske, born January 14, 1871, daughter of Ellen Maria (Ware) and Joseph Emery Fiske, lives at the Fiske home- stead, built by her great-great-great-uncle Enoch (Moses, Nathaniel, Nathan) in 1804 for his son Isaiah. This house was bought in 1834 by Emery and Moses, the latter soon selling out his share to Emery. Enoch lived in the house built by himself on Oakland Street, now on the Catholic school grounds. The family of Fiskes resided in the Leg, Framingham, and Needham from a very early date, having come from Watertown where they had settled in 1634. Isabella Howe (Fiske) Conant, born April 29, 1874, is the daughter of Abby (Hastings) and Joseph Emery Fiske, and the wife of Walter A. Conant. 70 GExNEALOGIES OF OLDER RESIDENTS The FULLER families of the town trace their ancestry back to Ensign Thomas of Dedham, but do so in two distinct lines. Charles E. Fuller, professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, electric light and water com- missioner of Wellesley and on many important committees, and one of the most prominent of the older families is the son of Edward G. (Augustus, Captain Jonathan, William, Robert, Jr., Rob- ert, John, Thomas) and Frances P. (Farnum) Fuller. Mr. Fuller married Addie, daughter of Charles P. and Martha J. (Fuller — Jona- than, Capt. Jonathan, William, Robert, Jr., Robert, John, Thomas) Withington. G. Clinton Fuller and Ada (Fuller) Moulton are the children of Edwin (Alvin, William, Robert, Jr., Robert, John, Thomas) and Malvina Almira (Parker) Fuller. Ada Fuller married William Moulton whose ancestry is traced through the Hunting side. Frank Louis Fuller, Edward Ware Fuller, Ellen Mabel Fuller, Jeanette (widow of Charles Rixby) are the children of Hezekiah (Deacon Hezekiah, Solomon, Lt. Amos, Thomas, Ensign Thomas) and Emmeleine (Jackson — Ephraim, Samuel, Edward, Edward, Sebas, Edward) Fuller. Deacon Hezekiah was one of the founders of the Grantville Church. He originally lived in the upper village, on the present Rollins place. Hezekiah, the younger, was a carpenter, and among the houses that he built were the Wellesley Hills Congregational parsonage and the Fuller house on the corner of Washington Street and Woodlawn Avenue. His wife belonged to the Jackson family of Newton, who owned much property on both sides of the river, the Fiske homestead coming through the Jackson heirs as well as the town farm in West Newton. Mrs. Ellen E. (FLAGG,) Sawyer the daughter of William and Martha (Winch) Flagg and sister of Samuel Brown (William, Solo- mon, Solomon, Gershom, Benjamin, Thomas) Flagg, whose widow Caroline (Kingsbury, Luther, Joseph, Jesse, Josiah, Eleazar, Joseph and daughter Martha live on Cottage Street is the widow of R. K. Sawyer. William, brother of Samuel, married Mary Beck and their son. H. Lasselle, married (1) Annie M., and their son, Howard, lives in Wellesley. Edward Flagg (Eben, Elisha, Solomon, Solomon, Gershom, Benjamin, Thomas) has a son, Walter, by his first wife, Emily Woodward. "Uncle Solomon," the son of the second Solomon, has no de- scendants in town, but he was the best known of the family. His mother was Esther Brown and his grandfather, Solomon (who mar- ried Lydia Ware) lived at first in a small house off Dover Street. Later he built the "Eben Flagg" house on Central Street and an- other long, low one, very similar to it, about where the Episcopal Rectory now stands. Later he erected the house at the corner of Washington and Church Streets, where he kept a tavern. 71 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY "Uncle Solomon" was town clerk for many years in the old town of Needham and when Wellesley was set off he served in the same capacity from 1881-1888. His handwriting was unusually legible and his books were marvels of neatness. He was a tenor singer of considerable prominence and led the choir of the Welles- ley Congregational Church for many years. Tradition tells that a stranger came into the church one morning who also possessed a leading tenor voice. To the great amusement of the congregation the morning hymns soon became a contest of strength and endur- ance between Mr. Flagg and the stranger, with honors finally for the home town. Miss Abbie HUNTING of Cottage Street is the only one of the family name now living in the town. Her father, Israel (Daniel, Stephen, John, John) married Rhoda Dewing. Louisa, a sister of Miss Hunting, married James Moulton, and their sons are James Francis, who married Mary Boyd, and Willard, who married Ada, daughter of Edwin Fuller. The ancestor, Elder John of the Dedham Church, owned land in the Hundreds in the 1699 grant. An old Hunting house lived in by Charles Mcintosh, and now remodelled by Mr. Sprague, may have been on the extreme southeast boundary of the old grant. The Welles family, residents of the town as early as 1763, and large land owners always, married into the HUNNEWELL family of Watertown, and thus transferred name and land titles to that family. Isabella Pratt, daughter of John (Arnold, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Thomas) and Abigail (Welles — Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Samuel, Thomas) Welles married Horatio Hollis, son of Dr. Walter (Richard, Charles, Charles, Richard, Roger) and Susanna (Cooke) Hunnewell. Their descendants are: (A) Hollis married Louisa Bronson and their children are: Hollis, Horatio and Charlotte Bronson. Hollis married (1) Maud S. Jaffray and their children are Louisa B. and Maud J. He mar- ried (2) Mary (1) (Kemp) (Neilson) and their child is Hollis. Charlotte married Victor Sorchan and their child is Louisa B. (B) Francis Welles married (1) Margaret L. Fassitt and (2) Gertrude C. Sturgis. (C) John Welles married Pauline E. Perche and had John A. and Francis A. (unmarried). John A. married (1) Martha Stolz and had John W. W. and Albert A. F. and (2) Bertha Schmitt and had Harry H. (D) Susan died in infancy (E) Walter married Jane A. Peele, and their children are: Mary P., Sarah P., who died in infancy, Walter Jr., Francis Welles, Willard P., who died at eighteen, Louisa and Arnold Welles. Mary P. married Sydney M. Williams, and their children are: Mary P., Sydney M., Jane P. and Richard M. Walter Jr., married Minna C. Lyman, and their child is Caroline A. (F) Arthur married Jane Hubbard Boit and their children arc: 72 GENEALOGIES OF OLDER RESIDENTS Isabella, Jane Boit, Julia Overing and Margaret Fassitt. Isa- bella married (1) Herbert M. Harriman and (2) James S. Barclay. Margaret married George Baty Blake, and their children are: Mar- garet and Julia O. (G) Isabella Pratt married Bobert Gould and their children are: Susan Welles, Hollis H., Theodore L. and Arthur H. Susan married John C. Lee, and their children are: Isabella, Lucy H. and Pauline Agassiz; Hollis married Anna F. Driscoll; Theodore mar- ried Lillian A Donahue ; Arthur married Acrata von Schrader. (H) Jane Welles married Francis William Sargent and their children are: Jane Welles, Francis Williams, Alice, who died young, Henry Jackson, Daniel, Margaret Williams am' Buth -"rho died young. Jane married Dr. David Cheever, and their children are: David, Francis and Charles E. Francis W. married Margery Lee and their child is Francis W. (I) Henry Sargent married Mary Bowditch Whitney and their children are: Christiana, Henry S., who died in infancy, Gertrude and Mary. Christiana married Nelson S. Bartlett, Jr., and their children are: Nelson S. Bartlett 3rd and Christiana. The KINGSBUBY family have long been prominent in town affairs and there is still a large family connection. Of the four- teen children of Luther (Joseph, Jesse, Josiah, Eleazar, Joseph) and Almira (Morse, Joseph, David, Captain Joseph, Samuel) Kings- bury, eleven grew up and married. Allen married (1) in 1848 Mary Jane Dix and (2) in 1872 Charlotte Sawyer daughter of Otis Sawyer. Both of his wives were school teachers in the village as well as himself. He was on the school board for fourteen years and was the first to advocate and insist on music being taught in the schools. He was the holder of much real estate in the vil- lage. His children are Florence who married L. M. Grant, and Frank A., Herbert and Mowry, the three latter not living in town. Lewis married Eliza Cloudman. Their son Harry is chief of police of the town. He married Katherine Carey and they have three children: Luther, John and Katherine. Lewis' widow and daughter Mary live on Forest Street. The other daughter Ella is the widow of Joseph E. Peabody a town official for many years and son of Ezekiel Peabody, formerly town warden. Her children are Harry L., Marion and Estelle who is the wife of Theodore Parker of Salt Lake City. Dexter married Mary Ann Dewing (Seth Andrew) and their children are: Fred H., Francis M. the widow of Lucius and Emma O. Fred married Edith Nelson who is not living. He was town clerk for a great many years. He lives with his daughter Eliza- beth on Wellesley Avenue. Hamilton married Sophia Grant and their family does not live in town. Of the daughters Almira married Bichard Parker and their daughter Nellie lives on Wellesley Avenue, and son Walter who married Katherine Stoker lives on Clifford Street. Emily mar- ried Albert Smith and their daughter Marietta is the second wife 73 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY and widow of Joseph H. Dewing. Harriet married T. Willis Par- meiiter, Sophronia married Harvey Brown, Marian married George Russell, Maria married William L. Clarke (whose family once owned the property now belonging to the Academy of the Assump- tion) and their daughter Anna M. lives on Wellesley Avenue. Car- oline married Samuel Flagg and with her daughter Martha lives on Cottage Street. The house on the lower corner of Kingsbury and Washing- ton Streets was a very old Kingsbury home and was on the original "Hundreds" grant of 1699, and built by Jesse Kingsbury. The "Brick end" house now owned by the Andrews family was the Luther Kingsbury home where perhaps all of his children were born with the exception of Dexter who was born in a house- where the Wellesley Hills station now is. Another branch of the Kingsbury family, extinct as far as is known were the children of Joseph and Nancy (Bacon) Kings- bury, first cousins of Luther's family, Luther and Joseph being brothers. These children were William, Nancy, Joseph, Charles and Charlotte. The two latter are remembered as living in the Kingsbury house on Linden Street, now owned by E. H. Fay. Mrs. Charles E. Shattuck (Emily Kingsbury) was the daugh- ter of Annie Bliss (Holmes) and Leonard Kingsbury (Leonard Jonathan, Caleb, Josiah, Eleazar, Joseph), who was the owner of the town farm and adjacent laud. On Dover Street live Charles, Rebecca and Eliza, children of Eliza (Reynolds) and William Deming Kingsbury (Moses, Moses, Timothy, Timothy, Joseph). These Kingsburys originally came from the east side, but their grandmother, Lucy Deming, wife of Moses Kingsbury, was the daughter of Esther (daughter of the Rev. Oliver Peabody, the first minister settled over the Natick Indians) and William Deming. Another daughter, Rebecca, married Thomas Noyes, the first minister of the West Necdham parish. The two brothers, Dr. William and Jonathan, owned much of what is now Wellesley Square on both sides of Washington Street as far as Kingsbury Street and back to the Fuller land on Wellesley Avenue. The Jonathan Deming house was back of the lilacs where the old cellar hole is on the library grounds, and was lived in later by the minister and his wife, the latter being the niece of this Mr. Deming. William Deming lived in the house opposite, now destroyed, and replaced by the Mansard roofed dwelling, once owned by Professor A. H. Buck, now by Boston University. An Isaac Deming also owned land on Dover Street where Dr. E. H. Wiswall is now located. Edward and William LYON who own and live on the Lyon farm opposite the present Country Club are sons of William, who with his brother Lemuel owned land on Walnut Street for a great many years. Their grandfather Lemuel lived in Milton and traces through Jacob to Benjamin who lived in Milton, the original home of the Lyons in this part of the country. 74 GENEALOGIES OF OLDEPx RESIDENTS Arnold LIVERMORE and Mrs. Edward W. Perkins (Faith Per- kins) and their children are the descendants of the Livermore, Ar- nold, Hoogs and Shaw families. Their father, Oliver C. Livermore, was a captain in the Civil War and had an especially brave record. He served as selectman and in various other civic capacities. His father Elisha (Elisha, Amos, Oliver, Daniel, Samuel, John) married Faith Hoogs, the daughter of George W. (William) and Faithful (Seaverns) Hoogs. Faithful Seaverns was the seventh child of Joseph (Samuel, Samuel, Samuel) and Elizabeth (Stratton) Seaverns. Captain Livermore married Georgiana SHAW, the daughter of George and Sarah (Arnold) Shaw. In Mrs. Livermore's father's generation there were thirteen brothers and sisters, children of Caleb (Samuel, Joseph, Caleb, Roger) and Retsy (Rrown) Shaw. "Uncle" James and "Uncle" John Shaw were two of the brothers who were prominent village characters in the past generation, inter- ested in all civic advancement and improvement, John Shaw giving the bell and clock to the school which bears the Shaw name. Mrs. George Shaw's family, the Arnolds, held considerable prop- erty in the town, the Southwick place once belonging to Joseph Arnold, and the Gamaliel Rradford place to Ambrose Arnold. Lucy Seaward married (1) John Shaw, son of Sarah (Arnold) and George Shaw, twin brother of Mrs. Oliver Livermore, and (2) Herbert Kingsbury, son of L. Allen and Jane (Dix) Kingsbury. Mis. Joshua Raker is the daughter of the first marriage. The MORSE family, prominent for many years in Natick and the "Leg" is represented in this town principally by the Hathaway and Lovewell families. Rebecca Morse (Daniel. Henry, Daniel, Henry, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Samuel) born in 1824, married Harrison Hathaway in 1848 and lived at the corner of Central and Weston Road until her death in 1916. Her son, Eugene Hathaway makes his home in Porto Rico. Mrs. Hathaway's sister Martha married C. R. Lovewell in 1847. Their daughters were Mrs. Thomas Ferguson (Mary Lovewell) and Mrs. Herbert A. Joslin (Nora Lovewell) who lives on Washington Street. The sons are Charles Herbert and S. H. The third generation is represented by Jeanette and Ellen Fer- guson, Walter Lovewell. The Lovewell family came from Weston and at one time owned much of the property around Cottage Street, formerly known as Lovewell Place. Mrs. L. Allen Kingsbury (Charlotte SAWYER) and Mrs. E. H. Stanwood were the daughters of Charlotte (Roynton) and Otis Saw- yer of Foxboro. Their brother, Mowry, lives in New Jersey, and recently (1915) gave land on Forest Street to the town, known as Sawyer Park. HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY The Sawyer family owned and lived on the property on Forest Street now owned hy the Convalescent Home, once known as the Metcalf farm. The STEVENS family first settled here when Sibell Gay, daugh- ter of Jeremiah, married, October 18, 1759, Ephraim Stevens of Holden. Through her the old "school lot," previously referred to, of three hundred acres bought by her grandfather Jonathan Gay of Dedham came into the Stevens family, who still own much of it. Tradition says that the Stevens also owned considerable land in Sudbury at even an earlier period. Francis H. Stevens, one of the substantial citizens of the town, is the son of Augustus (Timothy, Ephraim, Ephraim, Cyprian, Cyprian, Thomas, Col. Thomas) and Ann Eliza (Fuller) Stevens. Augustus held town offices for a great many years and was super- intendent of streets when the town was divided. Other children by his first wife are Willis who lives in the South, and Anna, who married Charles H. Palmer. His second wife and widow was Mary Evans and is the mother of Gertrude, Arthur and Orrin Stevens. They live on Washington Street, Wellesley. Francis H. Stevens mar- ried Frances I. Alden and their daughter Susie Mae is the wife of Malcolm G. Wight. Abel Stevens and his sisters Caroline (widow of Chester H. Felch) and Susan live on the homestead on Worcester Street, in- herited from their father Franklin (Captain Abel, Ephraim, Ephraim, Cyprian, Cyprian, Thomas, Col. Thomas). Frankline H. Stevens, nephew of Abel and son of the late Herbert J., married Lydia Day of Boston. They have two children and live in Wellesley Hills. Two sisters are married and live out of town. George Dexter WARE, born in Needham, January 7, 1833, died November 7, 1916, was the son of Mary Colburn (Smith — George, Aaron, Jonathan, John, Christopher) and Dexter Ware (Daniel, Joshua, Nathaniel, Robert). Dexter was born in Needham, October 27, 1797, and died October 20, 1851. He was killed by the cars in West Needham. He was one of the founders of the Grantville church. His father Daniel was born May 19, 1755, and died October 20, 1819. He served as orderly sergeant in the Revolutionary army for two terms of three months each. He married, September 16, 1784, Abigail Newell, daughter of Ebenezer (Josiah, Isaac, Abraham) and Elizabeth (Allen) Newell, born in Dover, November 24, 1764, died April 20, 1849. His father Josiah was born in Wrentham, March 21, 1707, and died in Needham, July 3, 1798, having moved there soon after he was twenty-one. He married four times, but this line is traced back to his marriage with Dorothy, daughter of Andrew (Andrew, Andrew) and Abigail (Fisher) Dewing, born May 31, 1721, and died January 26, 1756. His father, Nathaniel Ware, was the second son of the "immigrant" and was born in Dedham, October 12, 1670. He married, in Wrentham, October 12, 1696, Mary "Wheelak." Robert came to Massachusetts before the autumn of 76 SOCIAL LIFE AT WELLESLEY 1642, as he is found in the Dedham records November 25, 1642. The "Great" or Dedham Island probably became his house lot. Among other grants of land made to him in this vicinity were on Rosemary Meadow Brook, on the Great Plain, and near Maugus Hill, which latter he left to his son Ephraim. His first wife and the mother of his children was Margaret Hunting, daughter of John Hunting, first ruling elder of the Dedham church, and of his wife, Esther Seaborne, whom he married March 24, 1645. Ware descendants living in Wellesley are Caroline Ware ^atchelder) daughter of Rebecca Ann (Ware, Dexter, Daniel, Josiah, Nathaniel, Robert) and Henry Batchelder (John, John, Ben- jamin, Thomas, Nathaniel, Nathaniel, Stephen) and widow of C. C. Henry; and Ellen Ware Fiske, daughter of Ellen Maria (Ware — Dexter, Daniel, Josiah, Nathaniel, Robert) and Joseph E. Fiske. Mrs. George White (Frances Mary Edwena NOYES) is the widow of Judge White of the Probate Court at Dedham, who died in 1899, and is the daughter of Clarissa (Slack — Benjamin, John, Benjamin, William) and Edward (Thomas, Thomas, Daniel, Joseph) Noyes. Edward Noyes' father was Thomas the first minister of the West precinct, and his mother was Rebecca the daughter of Dr. William and Esther (Peabody) Deming. On her mother's side Mrs. White's grandmother was Sarah Kingsbury of Needham. Mrs. White's children are Mary Hawthorne, wife of Clarence A. Bunker, George Rantoul who married Irma M. Clapp and Edward Noyes who married Ruth Kellogg. Mrs. Bunker's children are Ray- mond, Lawrence and Miriam. Edward's son is Sidney. SOCIAL LIFE AT WELLESLEY (A Paper read at the Wellesley Club, Dec. 16, 1899.) The subject assigned to me for this evening naturally includes nbnut all there is of interest in the history and present conditions in the town, as it is impossible to discuss the social and political condition of the community without including religious, educational and material conditions likewise. This evidently is not intended for me to do and I must be content to call attention in a brief man- ner to a few incidental items of the social and political conditions in the town in the past and present. The town was till quite lately a part of Needham, and originally of Dedham, whose first settlers were English, coming to Dedham after a brief stay in Watertown. They, like many settlers in New England towns, were no doubt impatient of control by others, and desired their own form of government. The early economic details in the settlement of the territory, comprising our town, would afford a text for George, or Bellamy, or Adams Smith, or the German or French economists, but I will not take farther time than to say that lands were divided by the first settlers of Dedham from whom all the old families of our town arc 77 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY descended, first, so that each should have a house lot of twelve acres (the house uot necessarily upon it), second, certain amount of pas- ture rights (not ownership), and third, certain interest in arable land and later on in woodland. These interests were apportioned equally as regards the house lot, the more cows a man owned the more pasture he had, the more servants he employed the more acres he had to till. The abler man he was (the general capacity was taken into account in the division) the more fortunate in feudal ownership. In passing I think I may refer to the division of woodland as of local interest. In 1685 the land lying between the Weston line and the Sherburne Road, so called (i. e. the old Indian trail from Nonantum to Natick, now Walnut, Washingon, Linden, Wash- ington again with some variations in Wellesley village), was divided by parallel lines into strips of one hundred acres each, and assigned to the Proprietors of Dedham, and called the "Hun- dreds Divident." This abbreviated to "The Hundreds" is the origin of the now popular name of a most attractive residential part of the town. With these privileges of ownership and occupation came also duties each freeman owed to the community. He was obliged to live within the radius of a certain center, not over half a mile away, for his own and the general protection. He was obliged to clean a certain amount of land each year so that there might be less pro- tection afforded to noxious animals, and more arable land for cul- tivation and pasture; to clear the streams and rivers of brush, so that there might be less overflow; to assist in building roads and bridges, and to be prepared for military duties. Many matters of public concern, which are now done by delegated authority, and paid for out of the public funds raised by taxation, were, in our early history, and indeed within the memory of many now living, done by the individual or by an especially assigned tax. The road tax was a general thing worked out by the inhabitants even within my memory, and even our old ministers appeared in working clothes doing a good and effective day's work. An unwritten law required cooperation in all work of importance of all the neighborhood, as for instance in a "raising" everybody turned out, and the house, barn or church, with their heavy timbers, went up in a day, and the jollification of the working together, the provisions, the liquors, per- haps paid for the time given. If a bridge was built and heavy stones were hauled the ox teams turned out by the score, and there was great rivalry to see who could make the best display. The fact, too, that all were actively enrolled in the militia and had training days and muster, brought people into close contact and acquaintance. The semi-business gatherings, with the Sunday meetings which all attended, when in the intermission a great deal of visiting was done, a great deal of news exchanged, a great deal of sympathy shown, afforded a relief to what otherwise would have been unendurable hardship and unrelenting labor. The curious feature in our early history was the aversion to SOCIAL LIFE AT WELLESLEY accession from without, and quite early steps were taken to discour- age immigration, and until comparatively recent years the popula- tion was confined in the main to the descendants of the early set- tlers. There was no douht at all that the settlers were poor as com- pared with the other communities, many things showing this — one heing the absence today of fine old houses of the colonial period in the town, no large trees in clusters to show where once some per- sons of taste, wealth and authority, lived one hundred years ago, as well as the known fact that the farmers who comprised nearly the whole community, did not cultivate large tracts of ground, and depended chiefly upon their sale of wood, bark, hoop-poles and fag- gots to supply themselves with the necessities they could not raise. But they were public spirited, patriotic and free men; shown by their enlistment under the King in the French and Indian wars and prompt service at the outbreak of the Revolution when a com- pany from Wellesley (as well as another from Needham) appeared in time to lose men by death and wounds at Menontomy, (Arling- ton), and by their faithful continuance during the whole war. About 1700 a mill was built at the Lower Falls, another mill followed but the chief business of the town was farming and work- ing in the woods. As Boston developed the farmers more and more sent their produce to the capital and changed gradually their methods of production to suit the demands of their customers. The first great economic change in the town was caused by the building of the Boston and Worcester railroad, making closer con- nection with Boston and the West possible, and what had more direct effect upon the community, introducing new laborers and a different class of men. It is said that for a hundred years at least there was only one Irishman within the limits of the township of Dedham. But now many came over, assisted in the building of the road, settled here and remain to this day in their descendants, some of whom are members with us, and all I believe have done their share in developing the town. Later on in 1848, at the building of the Cochituate Water Works, a fresh tide from the same source came and settled with us and they with their descendants have for many years done a large share of the hard manual labor in the towa. In 1763 the Welles family, of titled if not royal descent, came to town and made large purchases of land and since that time this family has had large influence in shaping the material affairs of the community. Other families have been still longer identified with the town, — the Kingsburys, for instance, one of whom, a colonel in the militia, was a delegate to the provincial congress; the Wares, of whom Joseph kept a journal, relied upon as an authority, of the expedition to Quebec; the Dewings, one of whom was probably the first white man to build a house for his own occupancy within the limits of the town; the Fullers, early settlers, with good records of public service and private worth from the beginning to this day. The Slacks, with their connections with the 79 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY Noyes family with their descendants and alliances, maintain their prestige of solid and helpful influence; as well as many others, the Stevens, the Flaggs, all of these seem to retain as an inherited and preserved legacy the right to be respected and followed. I ought also to refer to Dr. W. G. Morton, a former resident of this town, who is entitled to the credit of the adoption of ether in surgical operations. A marked social feature of the town for many years was caused by the reputation given to the western part of the town by specialists as a health resort for people with tendencies to weak- ness of the lungs. Hundreds of people have made their residence here because the alternative seemed to be Heaven, and while we felt complimented by their choice their presence in the past sometimes had a very depressing effect on the neighborhood, especi- ally as funerals were somewhat too frequent. But since Dr. Bow- ditch has purchased land in Sharon and has discovered that Wel- lesley has become damp and unsuitable for consumptives our bill of mortality has visibly decreased. Another curiosity of our habi- tat, at one time, was the presence of an abnormal number of sea captains, at another of ministers without charge. One character who was with us whom I can just remember must not be omitted, as his reputation, thanks to Mrs. Stowe, is world wide, — Sam Lawton — (Lawson). The persons who have had the most influence in determining the future of the town are Mr. and Mrs. Durant in the establish- ment and the endowment of Wellesley College, which has already given the name of Wellesley a world wide reputation and yet has hardly begun to show its influence in the town. As the institution grows older and wider in its scope Professors will locate with their families outside the enclosure; people desirous to avail themselves of the benefits of the college will settle here; parents will come to educate their children and its general reputation will draw people in sympathy with it and we shall have the presence of a distinctly literary class of people. It is quite within my memory that the town has become attractive to men whose business takes them to Boston every day. For many years previous to 1870 or even later, families would come here, stay a short time, two or three years perhaps, and would go away to be followed by others of the same kind, and the old settlers gradually took this for granted. But of late there has not been nearly as much change in the personnel of the population, a great advantage socially. The class of people coming are more substantial, financially, and of course the place with the additions of trains, introductions of water, and many social privileges is be- coming more and more attractive. We owe our improvement to the general improvement of the country, the increase of population, the increase of wealth, and the improvement in our own finances and accessions from without. The 59's and 60's brought the first signs of the more modern elements into our social life; some bright, fresh young men took 80 SOCIAL LIFE AT WELLESLEY an interest in affairs, the schools received more attention, and there was a general shaking up. Not that everything that was done was the wisest, but the activity was better than stagnation and lagging. The old Lyceum at Grantville and Unionville of those days bring to mind the names Patten Dana, Ware, Kingsbury, Lake, Atwood, Daniel, Leslie. It was largely attended and excited as much interest as anything of the kind ever did in the town. There were picnics and fishing excursions and a variety of celebrations in which all parts of the town joined. Social parties were frequent, but were not public and were confined to the younger people. There were Young Men's Christian Associations in the villages, and, during my remembrance, always church societies and church socials. There has been no time in the last fifty years that there has not been a public library in some quarter of the town, the first one I remember being at the North School house, a very good one too, though small. The politics of the town of Wellesley historically considered are of little interest as distinct from that of national and state politics. The politicians of the town have not as a rule attained anything more than a local reputation. We have now and then, in the past had residents who have had a national or state reputation, but they have obtained their notoriety elsewhere than among us Of course it would be interesting to trace the history of the rise prog- ress and fall of the great parties as illustrated in the limits of our town, but time and space forbid. I remember the earlv formation of the Free Soil and later the coalition of the Free Soil and Democrats resulting in the election of Henry Robinson a Free Soiler, to the Legislature which elected Charles Sumner to the United States Senate. He was a leader in his party and my father was in the Democratic party and I remember very well at a town meeting the succeeding year for the election of representatives after several ineffectual ballots the Democrats and Free Soilers being divided, my father said, with a great deal of energv, "we will send Robinson again," and he was elected over William Flagg the Whig candidate, my father being sent the next year to the Constitutional Convention. The Know Nothing flurry was an incident in our politics, effec- tive, ridiculous, but charged with great consequences. The' oaths were administered in the loft of the old bowling alley that stood where the new line of the Boston and Albany is, just behind Mr. Calvin Smith's,i and many old Democrats and Whigs took their vows and followed the dicta of order and had their part in the revolution which brought into existence and power the Republican Party. This party during the war practically included the whole voting population, as at one election only two Democratic votes were cast in the town of Needham. There was an excitement when the attacks were made on McLellan in 1862 which culminated in Maugus Hall (later the Unitarian Church) and more nearly ending in a free fight than any meeting that was ever held here. Probably, however, the liveliest purely political meeting ever 81 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY held in the town was a caucus in the old Town Hall for the selec- tion of delegates to the Representative Convention to determine who should stand as the Republican candidate for 1881, the year division was petitioned from Needham. Every democrat in town was a republican that year for the Caucus, and every Wellesley republican was that same year, at the polls, a democrat, showing niie of the most marked political transformations ever known. Later politics in the town are too well known to you and too gently indeterminate to develop much interest. The present social advantages of our town are found in the correct morals, the courteous behavior, the refinement and culture of the inhabitants, the nearness to Boston, with all its advantages, the possessions of a fair share of wealth allowing many proper luxuries, and the activity and energy which enable our citizens to improve the many opportunities offered for social pleasures, and the ambition of our young people who give promise that there shall be no retrogade movement in their day and genera- tion. The Religious societies do not neglect their flocks socially, as the many fairs, entertainments and dances testify. The Guilds and Christian Endeavor Societies, exceedingly energetic, provide recreation as well as religion. The Lawn Tennis and Ball Clubs are deservedly popular and afford very delightful and useful occu- pation as well as attracting friends from outside. Dramatic and Musical Clubs are well sustained. The Chatauquan and Woman's Suffrage Clubs, the Beading and Literary Clubs, general and special, the Card Clubs, the Farmers' and Mechanics' Organizations, afford enough opportunities to all classes, young or old, of whatever tastes, for entertainment and amusement of every variety. With all these the happy homes in a respectable community and agree- able neighbors offer the summit of comfort. To any able to re- ceive it, one suggestion of a lack I will make. The acquaintance between Wellesley and the Hills is not as intimate, or as close, as it should, or as it might be. Several organizations include both villages and several families are intimately associated, but it belongs to this club, perhaps, to see that a closer social union is made possible and sometime perhaps the villages may be con- nected by an electric railway or some such thing. 1 The house next to the Worcester Street bridge. WELLESLEY 1881-1906 (Read at the Wellesley Club, April, 1906.) Twenty-five years in the lifetime of a State or Municipality is a very short time and yet great changes take place in a community in even that short space. When Wellesley was incorporated in April, 1881, it had a population of very nearly 2,600. By the census of 1905, it had 4,600, showing a larger percentage of increase than any other town of the State, excepting two: Easthampton and Nor- wood. The increase in its population was exceeded by only five towns in the State of less than 12,000 inhabitants. 82 WELLESLEY, 1881-1906 The valuation of the town, May 1, 1881, was $3,024,698. The valuation of the town, May 1, 1906, was $13,941,165. The number of polls, May 1, 1881, was 577. The number of polls, May 1, 1906, was 1,290. The number of pupils in the schools of the town shown by the first report was 331. By the report of 1906 (December), 920. Pupils in High School, 1881, 34; 1906, 129. Cost of Schools: First appro- priation, $7,943.64; in 1906, $38,790.69. Number of teachers in the schools: 1881, 12; 1906, 43. Since 1881 the Hunnewell school-house has been replaced by a new building. One High School has been built and found inadequate and another is near completion. The Fiske School has been built, enlarged and fully occupied and the North School enlarged. It has been decided that a Union Grammar School shall be established as soon as the new High School building shall be occupied. The college has more than doubled in the twenty-five years that have elapsed and of the many buildings only College Hall was in existence twenty-five years ago. Dana Hall School, established in the fall of 1881 — on the dis- continuance of the preparatory department of the College, the Academy of the Assumption, Rock Ridge Hall and Mr. Benner's School for Boys all recent establishments, give the town the right to be called an educational center. There has been a very steady growth of the town in buildings of a more or less public character, as witness the various dormi- tories and other buildings in the College grounds and vicinity, the Town Hall — the generous gift of Mr. Hunnewell — school buildings erected, the different business blocks at Wellesley and the Hills, also St. Andrew's church in Wellesley, and the Unitarian and Con- gregational church buildings in the Hills. Different residential sec- tions have developed very attractively, as along Dover and Grove Streets in Wellesley, and Abbott Road, Belvedere, and Cliff Road, Wellesley Hills, and clusters of humbler homes on no less attractive sites, as on River Ridge, Newton Lower Falls and Garfield Farm, near the Boston and Worcester car station. Very soon after the incorporation of the town steps were taken for the introducing of water, and the works were in operation in 1885, the cost of which up to date is about $341,000. A Telephone Exchange was established in Wellesley Hills in 1894 and now has 418 subscribers. The character of the population, while not changed, has never- theless shown large growth in the wealth of the citizens, while the number of college-bred men and women has increased by a much larger percentage than the population. I have often thought I should like to show my father around the town, if he could return, and see his wonderment at the changes. In the house he would have running water, the electric light, the telephone to talk with friends next door or a hundred miles away. He steps out on the street and may take a car to Boston or Worcester! 83 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY Needham or Dedham, with his choice of routes. He sees a non- descript carriage without visible propelling force, and is as eager as his children to get out of the way. He goes about the street and sees old pastures covered with fine lawns and buildings — a Town Hall, elegant of construction, a Library well-stored with books, school-houses and play-grounds and parks galore. He gets his check cashed on the bank if his credit is good. If he stays long enough to get a letter from the other side, it is brought to him, whether he is next door or at the extreme end of the town. Perhaps he would conclude not to go back. Parks have sprung into existence, the one by Fuller's Brook for sanitary reasons, the Play-Ground, the gift of the Hunnewells, the extension of the Metropolitan Park system through the town, and the various smaller parks dotting the town here and there. In 1899-1900, by order of the County Commissioners, Washing- ton Street was widened in many places and by vote of the town was macadamized and drained along its whole length. Worcester Street also was later widened and rebuilt. The building of good roads by the Abbot Real Estate Company and by Mr. Clapp and others have been of great benefit to the town in developing land without public- cost. The town has shared with the rest of the world in improve- ments in transportation of goods and persons and facility of com- munication. In 1881 the only public conveyances to Boston, the workshop of most of our men, was over the Boston and Albany Bail- road, but in 1896 the Natick and Cochituate began running, and in 1903, the Boston and Worcester, giving the inhabitants of Wellesley innumerable daily opportunities of reaching the city. Of very important influence in social affairs have been the sev- eral clubs which have been organized within the time mentioned: notably, the Wellesley Hills Woman's Club, organized in 1894 with Mrs. Abby S. Fiske for first president, and now having about 200 members. Tbe Wellesley Club was organized in 1889, with Col. Albert Clarke for first president and now has 100 members and a large waiting list. This club has many of the features of the Board of Trade in other municipalities, and has done much in ways of investigating propositions for improvements in town affairs, notably in railway fares, parks and the like. The Maugus Club organized in 1892 has a commodious Club House and 100 members. ACCOUNT OF THE DIVISION OF THE TOWN (Read at the Wellesley Club, Oct 15, 1906.) The Town of Needham was incorporated in 1711, and later was divided into the East and West Parishes. These never harmonized, and several attempts were made by the West Parish for separate incorporation, before the final successful one, notably in 1820. Also in 1852 and 1859, efforts were made for division. 84 DIVISION OF TOWN I remember my father told me that one of the attempts made in the 50's failed because old gray-headed Laurence Kingsbury ap- peared before the Committee of the Legislature, and excused his appearance as the people of the East Side were too poor to employ Council. I suppose the underlying motive was selfish on the part of the West, while the bonds of union were very slender. Of course, there was, at those times, more or less expression of discontent, especially when some measure, popular in the East, was thought unwise in the West, or some want expressed by the West was voted down by the East. And there was only required an initiative to enlist the interest and work of all the citizens of the West Side. One day, in the first part of August, 1880 I met Mr. Joseph H. Dewing on the street, and he said, "When are you going to start the division movement?" And I said, "Let's call a meeting of a dozen people at my house next week and see if we get any en- couragement to try it." The meeting was called, and the people invited responded. I cannot recall all the names, but there were present Messrs. F. H. Dewing, G. K. Daniell, Solomon Flagg, Albert Jennings, C. B. Dana, John Curtis, F. H. Stevens, E. O. Bullock, A. R. Clapp, I think, and a half a dozen others. There was no especial formality, but it was decided to call a general meeting. A call was issued, and very generally responded to on August 26, 1880. The following is a copy of the Secretary's report of this and the following meeting:— On Thursdav evening, August 26, 1880, Meeting in Shaw Hall, Grantville, of Citizens in favor of the division of the Town. Over 200 present estimated. Meeting called to order by Joseph E. Fiske, and organized by choosing George K. Daniell as Chairman, and F. H. Stevens, Secretary. After remarks on the object of the meeting by John W. bhaw and others, on motion of J. E. Fiske, it was unanimously voted that "it is the sense of this meeting that measures should be taken looking toward the division of the Town, and that the matter be followed up until accomplished." On motion of John W. Shaw, a committee of five was appointed by the Chair, to nominate a com- mittee of ten from the West part of the Town, to fix upon a line for the division, and also to invite the other part of the Town to ap- point a committee of conference, and if possible, get a proposition from them which would be mutually satisfactory. The Chair appointed as a nominating committee, Solomon Flagg, Lewis Wight, Joseph E. Fiske, Albert Jennings, and John Curtis. Mr. Fiske moved to appoint a committee of five to nominate a committee of twenty-five to take charge of the whole matter re- lating to the division of the Town, and it was debated while the nominating committee were out, and the motion of Mr. Pratt to lay on the table was defeated, and the nominating committee reported the names of the following gentlemen as a committee of ten: John W. Shaw, L. Allen Kingsbury, George Spring, Lewis Wight, Abel F. Stevens, Frank H. Stevens, John Curtis, Frank L. Fuller, C. B. Dana, 85 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY Freeman Phillips, and they were chosen by the committee. Mr. Spring declined to serve, and George White was chosen in his place, and F. H. Stevens also declined, and Augustus Fuller substituted. The same nominating committee were authorized to nominate a committee of twenty-five under Mr. Fiske's motion, and A. R. Clapp was added to the committee, and on motion of Mr. Whipple, the committee were directed to report to an adjourned meeting. The meeting then adjourn d for one week, same time and place. F. H. Stevens, Secretary. "September 2, 1880, adjourned meeting of citizens in favor of division of the Town in Shaw Hall, Grantville. On Thursday evening, September 2nd, at 7.30 o'clock, meeting called to order by the Chair, and the records of the last meeting read by the Secretary. The report of the Committee of Conference was submitted to the Chairman, John W. Shaw, and accepted. The nominating committee reported through J. E. Fiske, the list of names to serve as a committee of twenty-five. The report was accepted, and adopted by the meeting. Mr. Fiske moved that the committee have the power to fill vacancies, and Mr. Sanborn moved to have power to add any names they may think proper, and the motion as amended, was passed. The meeting then adjourned, subject to the call of the com- mittee. F. H. Stevens, Secretary." Report of the Committee of Conference: — "The Committee appointed to confer with the East part of the Town in the matter of division of Needham, beg leave to report as follows: — First, we called upon several of the leading men of that part. Among them was Emery Grover, Esq., who very kindly consented to make known our desire to some of his neighbors, and subse- quently he proposed to meet us at Odd Fellows Hall last Tuesday evening. On going there, seven of our committee being present, we met quite a large number of gentlemen from that side, all of whom proved more or less opposed to the division of the Town on any terms. After discussing the matter at some length, all seemingly in a friendly way, their chairman intimated that further negotia- tion would, in his judgment result in a waste of time, as they on that side, were decidedly opposed to division. All of which is respectfully submitted. John W. Shaw, Chairman." There was no general meeting afterwards, all the business hav- ing been given into the hands of the committee of twenty-five, and this was practically transferred to the Legislative Committee of five, consisting of Messrs. Fiske, Putney, A. H. Buck, to which was added Benjamin H. Sanborn and John W. Shaw. A committee on finance was appointed, and a treasurer. 86 DIVISION OF TOWN The Legislative Committee authorized Mr. Fiske to make a statement of the case, to be submitted to the members of the Legis- lature, which is hereby given as for the most part a comprehensive statement: — "A petition will be presented to the Legislature of 1881, asking that a part of the Town of Needham be set off and incorporated as a new town by the name Wellesley. The town of Needham is situated in Norfolk County, was in- corporated in 1711, and comprises about 15,000 acres of land, of which 13,000 are taxed. The present population is 5,261, and the valuation as reported by the assessors is $4,366,267. The town, under the old system, was divided into two parishes, the East and West, and the petitioners request that the West Parish shall have a separate town government. The distinction between the two parishes has been recognized and taxes separately assessed until within a few years, and there has never been a harmonious union between the two parts of the town; but of late years especially the association has grown to be less and less tolerable. We wish to call attention to some facts showing why a division is eminently wise and desirable. The inhabitants on the west side are unanimous in asking for incorporation. They have asked for it in the past, applying as long ago as 1820 to the Legislature, and have renewed their efforts from time to time for independence, and now without doubt will press until it is acquired. If the town should be divided upon the line referred to, the territory taken would comprise about three-sevenths of the area, and the population would be about equally divided. Along the division line, lying upon either side is a belt of territory about a mile and a quarter in width, with very few dwellings upon it, which separates the two parts as clearly as a mountain range or broad river. Within, or bordering upon this belt, are situated three large cemeteries, for a long distance the Sudbury-river conduit, and large expanse of swamp and forest. Within, too, is located the "Poor-House" and "Town-Hall," all in one, where the paupers dwell and the voters transact the public business. West of this uninhabited tract lie the villages of Lower Falls, Grantville, and Wellesley; easterly, Upper Falls, Highland- ville, Needham and Charles River Village. Through the first-named villages runs the Boston and Albany Railroad, with five stations within the limits of the town; through the latter the Woonsocket Division of the New York and New Eng- land Railroad, with four stations. Upon the one side are two, upon the other three, Post Offices. Upon the east side there is a Congregational Church, a Unita- rian, a Methodist, Baptist, and just across the river a Catholic Church. Upon the west two Congregational, a Unitarian, a Catholic, and just over the river a Methodist Church. There are two High Schools, one on each side. 87 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY There are the usual societies for protection, cultivation, and amusement; but each side has distinct organizations. There are Public Libraries; but each village supports its own. It will be ap- parent at a glance that there is no natural or artificial connection between the two parts of the town. The children never meet in the schools. It is not feasible to unite the two High schools as half the scholars would be obliged to ride six to eight miles a day in car- riages, at the best, in such case. Not a family on the east attends church on the west; nor one on the west, the east. No brother Mason, or Odd Fellow, or Good Templar, or Knight of Honor, crosses the line to greet his brother save as an infrequent visitor. No one crosses the line for his mail, or groceries, or his litera- ture, or his amusement, and the only place of meeting is in the woods, in the Poor-House, a mile or more from the nearest village, where men succeed in misunderstanding each other, and, through the ignorance of the needs of each section, wasting the money of the town. The condition of Needham, if YVellesley should be incorporated, need not call for sympathy. The population of Needham, after division, will be about 2,600 (2,538); its valuation, about $2,000,000 (1,750,000 close estimate). By examination of the last State census returns, it appears that the town, after losing Wellesley, will have a larger population than two hundred and eighteen (218) towns out of 326 in the Common- wealth and a larger valuation than two hundred and twenty-three (223) towns. No hardship can be experienced on account of schools, as not a single scholar will be affected by the change, nor will any church, society, or social interest receive the slightest shock. A possible objection may be urged on account of bridges; but a slight deflection in the line, affecting no dwelling, would include in Wellesley an additional wooden bridge; so that in Wellesley there would be three wooden bridges and one stone, and in Need- ham five substantial stone bridges, one iron, and two wooden. There would perhaps be an excess of streets and roads in Need- ham, as there have been a large number of new and expensive roads lately built in that part of the town. The result attained by granting the petition will be to create two towns in place of one. The one now without cohesion, full of misunderstanding and hard feeling, unmanageable in government, and extravagant in expenditure, will be replaced by two towns, com- pact, filled with people who come into contact with each other every day, and who will unite with each other in friendly effort to forward the interests of their communities. The citizens of Wellesley are anxious to secure a town govern- ment, and believe, if they do so, they will in no way injure their neighbors of the other side of the town. They believe, if the town 88 DIVISION OF TOWN is incorporated, there will be a prosperous future in store for them. The town of Wellesley will be about four miles long by two and three quarters broad, will contain about 2,600 inhabitants, will have a valuation of about $2,500,000, four school-houses, eleven schools, two post-offices, five railroad stations, and withal be a com- plete town in all respects with a homogeneous population and gen- eral agreement of interest. Within the limits of the new town is Wellesley College, now so favorably known, and sure to grow year by year in usefulness and reputation. Respectfully submitted, In behalf of the Petitioners." The names of the committee of twenty-five are as follows: — George K. Daniell, Solomon Flagg, F. H. Stevens, Edwin O. Bullock, Benjamin H. Sanborn, Albion R. Clapp, Lewis Wight, Joseph E. Fiske, John W. Shaw, John Curtis, Albert Jennings, George White, Charles B. Dana, E. Howard Stanwood, Gamaliel Bradford, George Spring, F. J. Lake, A. H. Buck, Joseph H. Dewing, H. B. Scudder, L. Allen Kingsbury, Thomas Whipple, Daniel Warren, Edmund M. Wood, Abel F. Stevens, L. K. Putney. Petitions, etc. The committee on petitions worked effectively, and as a result of their efforts, all citizens signed with the exception as was stated, of seventeen, of whom ten were neutral, and only seven opposed division. Judge Josiah G. Abbott headed the formal petition, and was of great service from first to last with his advice and co-opera- tion. The petition reads as follows: — "We, the undersigned, voters and tax-payers of the town of Needham, respectfully request your honorable bodies to pass an act dividing said town of Needham, by setting off the west part thereof from the east, near the line of division which formerly separated the West Parish from the East, with such deviation from said line as will nearly equally divide the territory, as shall appear to your honorable bodies wise and expedient; and that you will incorporate the west part into a new town under the name of Wellesley for the following, among many, reasons: — That there is no connection or intercourse between the east and west parts of said town, whether of business, or schools, or religious worship. That the west part of said town consists of the villages of Wellesley, Grantville and the Lower Falls, and all lie along the Boston and Albany Railroad. That the east part of said town consists of Needham, Highlandville, Charles River Vil- lage, and Upper Falls, and all lie along the Woonsocket Division of the New York and New England Railroad. That the children of the town attend exclusively the schools in their respective sec- tions, there being a High School in the east part, and another in the west. 89 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY That the town hall is removed from centres of all the villages in the town, and the performance of civic and public duties is rendered difficult, expensive and onerous to the great majority of voters in the town, and that there is no remedy for these evils so long as the town remains undivided." Caucus In October, the Republican caucus for the selection of dele- gates to the convention for the nomination of representative to the general court was held, and while of no direct bearing upon the result, was of great value in exciting interest and developing antag- onism between the two parts of the town ; this being the only meet- ing in which both sides were brought together in public. Ostensibly this was a political party caucus; but actually, all voters of the town, on both sides of the town, Democratic and Republican, were present, together with what reinforcements the west could get from South Natick and Lower Falls, and the east from Upper Falls and Dover. No local scrap, unless the McLellan riot in Maugus Hall, was livelier than this. I asked Mr. Hugh McLeod to get some fellows of his athletic build together and occupy the front seats in case the vote was not going right, or the other side became too violent, and he had his men in place all right. The committee arranged to have Mr. Rradford as presiding offi- cer, and E. A. Wood as Secretary, while I was to be floor manager. The delegation numbered seventeen, and all we asked for was eight ; less than one-half. This the other side refused, but we were finally victorious; although as we feared, the other towns of the district nominated Mr. Grover a resident of Needham, and opposed to divi- sion. Mr. Henry Durant was present, and an excited participant in the meeting. There were many incidents of interest, among which was the announcement by Mr. Everett Eaton that when a vote was about to be taken, the hall way and stairs were filled with people who could not get in; when burly Tom Purcell pushed to the rear, and announced, "Mr. Chairman, there is not a damn man in the stair way!" Reverend Mr. Edwards was asked (it was late Saturday even- ing) "If we do not leave till after midnight, will you stay?" "My dear sir", said he, "I shall wait until a decision is neces- sary before I make one." Reverend Mr. Cowan of Wellesley, formerly of Tennessee, when asked "Does this remind you of home?' said, "Really, my hand has been going involuntarily to my hip pocket repeatedly." Legislative Hearings The Committee of twenty-five appointed a Legislative Commit- tee as heretofore given. Hearings began soon after the election in this way. The pamphlet prepared by me was submitted to the Committee of twenty-five, and 1,500 copies printed. These were dis- 90 DIVISION OF TOWN tributed to the citizens of the town to be used as a guide in the interviews with members of the Legislature. The members of the Legislature were assigned to the citizens who were acquainted with them, and the citizen was instructed to explain and vouch for the statements in the pamphlet, which was unsigned, but not anony- mous, every person presenting a voucher for it. Then the list of members not familiar to any citizen was taken, and each one con- signed to some one who knew some acquaintance who might be in- fluential with the member, and thus almost every member was directly reached before the meeting of the general court, and we knew our case was won, unless the unexpected should happen. The method thus adopted was new, but has been used since in many cases. The next matter was to employ council, and Mr. Samuel A. B. Abbott was engaged, and by the advice of Judge Abbott, endorsed by the committee, Patrick Collins, since a member of Congress and Mayor of Boston, was secured. He was not only a good legislative lawyer, but a leading democratic politician; and what seemed to make him still more acceptable, he was a resident of South Boston, the district represented by Speaker Noyes ;— really a democratic dis- trict. As chairman of the legislative committee I was supposed to know all that was going on in the matter of committees on towns, and was informed of all applicants for a position on the committee by our council. They were then looked up, and if thought necessary, objected to. All I know about it is that no one who was objected to went on the list; nor did I know who were going on, and when the committee was finally appointed, the names were largely unfamiliar to me. The Committee of the Legislature consisted of Cook of Hamp- shire, Snow of the Cape District, Corbin of Worcester, on the part of the Senate; Morse of Newton, Jones of Chelsea, Willicut of Boston, Stowe of Hudson, Thompson of Medway, Moriarty of Worcester, Almy of Salem, Cowley of Lowell, on the part of the House. I was taken ill and was not present at any of the hearings. Mr. Putney was in charge for the Legislative Committee, and attended very ably to the business, as all interested testify. He came to see me, and seemed to be very timid about his ability to look after matters, and I told him he would do better than I could, and I think he proved my assertion true. There were several hearings, and many witnesses were called on both sides. On the part of the west, Mr. Daniell, Flagg, Clapp, Shaw and others. On the part of the east, Mr. Tucker, Grover, Mackin- tosh, Whittaker and others. Mr. Whittaker insisted that if the town was divided there were no men on the east side competent to run the town, which of course was an absured statement, and was repudi- ated by both councils. A report was finally made by the committee to the House, signed by G. W. Morse, but dissented from by Senator Cook and Bepresentative Jones. The bill, except the sixth section, which was 91 HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY amended, was passed and signd by the Governor April 6th, 1881. A town meeting was held April 18th, 1881. Funds Raised The finance eommitt received subscriptions from the citizens, the list being headed by H. H. Hunnewell for $900, Mr. Abbott and Mr. Durant with $250 each, and several others with $200. As I un- derstand it, but 80 per cent, of the subscriptions were called for, and 6 per cent, returned to the subscribers, the total subscriptions amounting to something over $4,000, and the expenditures about $;i,300; a fairly good showing, as the council fees were more than one-half the bill. Edwin O. Bullock was treasurer, succeeded by John Curtis, who closed the account. 92