\ :\ -o*-^f'\o^ "'^."-^^•V^ V*^-'*/ v*^"y '•: "W* ^^ * ^f^-^K '. "> vV .^' ft". "Jt^ l"^ -o^^' O. •■•II** aO r..- V, "o-o^ .^'*°"°'v^* V-' . /.v;^^'\ c°*.j^-.>o >*'.c:^/"*, . " v^\:ri:.V y.:J.&:."^. .^\^:4.*i>X ..-^^^^ ^^. c-?^ ^-./ .*, / .<.*' ■^^ •^'^oe^,* . ■?>' ." .'>'"-^, b"/i^ x./\^a^\^^^..^^\4«^o'v./'/,aife\ '^.^^ 5 v.. and, when he was permitted to repair and to restore to usefulness the long unused orrery of Yale, the carpenter from whom he had borrowed some tools said, "A good mechanic was lost when you entered college". The old house didn't know it, but all these four years, the Yale College student was adding to the fame of his birthplace. The distance was too great for him to visit his old home, besides he was long past his majority when he received his diploma and he was ready to accept the first opportunity that offered for lifelong employment. We see him, the year of his gradu- ation, on his way to Savannah to study law, and there, even on ship-board, proving- his natural genius by the re- pairs and improvements made in the embroidery frame of the good ladies companions of the voyage. He is a long ways from the Whitney House, when he turns his attention to an im- proved method of separating cotton fibre from the seed. In the very first year after graduation, he perfects the contrivance which rendered the rais- ing of cotton supremely profitable, indeed in the language of those who grew opulent by its cultivation, Whit- ney made Cotton, king. Doubtless the tardy mail service of those far away days bore to the quiet dwellers on the hill-top, some story of his tribulations in Georgia, how he had seized upon the simplest of mechanical notions and combining them, had given to the world the Cotton-gin. Very likely there also came to the house, constant- ly growing older, some complaints of the usage that the world benefactor was receiving at the hands of those whom he had suddenly made rich. However, if the letters came they per- ished in their own day, and no trace came down to later years. Not often did the master genius visit his old home, though we may imagine that occasionally, in the intervals of his busy life, he sought the scenes of his boyhood and as of old looked over the waters of the Sudbury and the Assabet, anon to unite in those of the Concord and, possibly, had a new vision of the world and its possibilities in gazing over the vista on which his childish eyes first rested. The Savan- nah invention gave to American slavery almost a century of prolonged existence and an exaggerated sense of importance to that part of our nation lying south of the surveyors' line. What strange fortune was it that turned the thoughts of the great genius in his later Connecticut life, into chan- nels which were to make him the in- ventor and improver in fire-arms whose employment, thirty years after his death, was to end the reign of cotton and slavery and, settling forever the question of State Rights, was to weld into one compact body the states of the Federal Union ! When Whitney died in 1825, his birthplace, the old Whitney House, of Westboro, was hardly one hundred years old, and still occupied by those of the inventor's family, was gaining some of the celebrity that was due its long standing and what it had given the world in the shape of the man, of whom Macaulay had said that his inven- tion of the Cotton-gin had done more for the dominance of America than the genius of Peter the Great had accom- plished for Russia. Though only a marker commemorates today the site of the Whitney house, yet hundreds of tourists annually climb the hill to see where the dwelling stood, from the sightly elevation gather inspiration and, at the same time, breath a grate- ful blessing for the shelter it afforded the infancy and childhood of Eli Whitney. Alfred S. Roh. Worcester, Oct. 21, 1908. Note. — The site of this house in- cluded the southwest corner of old Marlborough, where stood a "wight oke, " and part of the old Beers' grant south of that point. This grant was laid out in 1692 and was sold by the Beers' heirs to Samuel How and in 1698 to Thomas Rice who owned most of the town south of his homestead near the Rice neadow. Nathaniel Whitney, the grandfather of the inventor, whose name appears The Dr. Hawes Place on the monument in the southeast corner of Memorial Cemetery, received from Samuel Hardy, in 1725. 15}4 acres in Westborough and 22 acres in Sutton, south of the Fay farm, of which he bought an acre in 1728. In 1729, he bought of Mary, widow of Isaac Shat- tuck, 12 acres on the east. In 1730^ Thomas Rice sold him 3 acres on the south, "part of my farm known by the name of Jack Straw's hill." These tracts constituted the Eli Whitney farm. This Nathaniel was selectman from 1739 to 1742 and in 1751. In 1765 he deeded to his son Eli, "one half of my home-place where I now live." This Eli, the father of the in- ventor, was town treasurer in 1778 and selectman during 12 of the years be- tween 1780 and 1800. In 1807 he deeded land to his son Benjamin, to whom, in 1813, his brothers Eli and Josiah and their sister Elizabeth, wife of Elihu Blake, sold their rights in the home- stead of some 88 acres. In 1853, Eli Whitney, the nephew of the inventor, sold the estate to Marcus Grout who erected the present house. In 1863 his widow sold to Charles B. Kittredge who in 1867 sold to Eben D. White, Jr. In 1885 the place passed to William H. Johnson, whose widow is the present owner. S. I. B. The Doctor Hawes Place. In 1732, Thomas Forbush deeded to Cornelius Cook, blacksmith, "four acres and fourteen rods of land near Cranberry Pond, with the dwelling house thereon: where said Cook doth now dwell." Five years before Cook had married Mr. Forbush's youngest daughter Eunice. In 1750, Cook deeded this place with house and barn to Abijah Bruce, who shortly after sold it to Jonas Bradish. The latter in 1757 sold it to Jonathan Rolf.and he in 1762 to Benjamin Hills of Grafton. I have the original deed of Hills to James Hawes of Wrentham, phj'sican, dated November thirteenth, 1764, in the fifth year of his majesty's reign. King George the Third. The price named was eighty pounds. In this house Tom Cook was born in 1738. He was noted for his eccentric ways, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. In Mr. Parkman's Journal, Aug. 27, 1779, 41 years after he had baptized Eunice Cook's baby, in the old Wessonville Church, still keeping an interest in him, he writes, "The notorious Thomas Cook came in (he says) on purpose to see me. I gave him what Admonition, Instruction and caution I could. I beseech God to give it Force! He leaves me with fair words — thankful and promising." He was a great favorite with the children. "His pockets were always filled with toys which he had stolen for their amusement." He was not often de- tected in his thefts. If he was he gen- erally found a way of escape. He lived to be over 90. The house still bears the prints of Tom's axe on the front room floor. For further inci- dents in his life I refer to Mrs. Forbes' book, 'The Hundredth Town." It was in 1648 that Edward Hawes of Wrentham, married Elvjry Lambert. Their son Daniel was born in 1652 and married Abigal Gay in 1671. Benjamin, their son, was married in 1696 and in 1724 married Abigal Fisher. Dr. James, the son of the latter, was born in 1739 and married Hannah Thompson in 1762. As early as 1761, he was a prac- ticing physician in Wrentham, his native town. We have several bills of medicine bought by him of Mr. Coppin of Boston, in 1761 and later. He came to Westborough in 1764. I here quote from Mrs. Forbes' in- teresting account of Dr. Hawes and the old house as it was at that time. "It was not until 1764 that a young physician came here to settle, who was destined to have a large influence in town. In a few carefuUy written note- books he has left us a slight history of his own professional and legal life, and of the art of medicine as practised in this town one hundred years ago. .... His house is still standing on the corner of East Main and Lyman streets, with no important alterations except those he made himself. It was a wooden building, painted red ; since then it has received a coat of plaster. .... As first purchased by Dr. Hawes, it consisted of four rooms below, and good chambers on the second floor. There was the parlor, a small square chamber opening out of it (now the front hall): on the other side of the parlor was the hall, opening into the kitchen and the doctor's office, part of the latter forming a projection on the west side of the house. This room is smaller than in his day, and is used as a passage-way to the wood house beyond. In this room was the tall chest of narrow drawers, each one marked like those of a modern drug- store, the narrow-seated, stiff office- chair, the small scales for weighing out medicine, the iron mortar and pestle for their proper preparation, the few medical books, including one he had laboriously copied out himself from a rare printed copy, and possibly his records as Justice of the Peace. He was born in 1739, being, therefore, twenty-five when he . . . . settled here. Dr. Hawes is described by a gentleman over ninety, as being rather tall, plain looking, with his hair standing up straight from his forehead. He was the most prominent citizen of Westbo- rough during many years. As a far- mer, physician, and lawyer, he led a busy life. As a Justice of the Peace, all the small law matters came before him. He was no less active in politics; for many years was Town Clerk; dur- ing the Revolution was an active home worker, holding, unflinchingly, the very unpopular position of constable for both districts, doing in that line alone the work of two men .... "For many years he was deacon of the Congregational church. He was one of the original founders of the Baptist church, which for some time met in his son's parlor, in the farther end of his house. He gave them land in his garden, on the corner of East Main and Lyman streets, for the erection of a church building. Here the First Baptist church was built, and the old stone step still marks the site. "He lived here nearly fifty [seven] years, all the time in the same house. He died with his ' honors thick upon him ' in 1821. "One of his memorandum-books is 10 bound in parchment, with a brass clasp. Although his commercial and legal pursuits were so closely connected with his medical life that it was not possible to entirely separate the ac- counts, yet this small volume is almost wholly devoted to his professional visits, the medicines he furnished, and the charges for both." Interesting details of bills are to be found in Mrs. Forbes' book. Among the Doctor's legal papers I found the following items: In 1783, Benjamin Warren appeared before him and complained of himself being guilty of uttering two profane oaths and was fined five shillings. In 1785. Elijah Ivunt, proved guilty of stealing, con- sented "to the punishment and was accordingly whipped five stripes on his naked back by the constable and committed for the cost of the trial." In 1802, Bezaleel Newton on com- plaint that he "did unnecessarily in said town travel on the 27th day of December last past, being Sabbath or Lord's day, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Mass- achusetts and contrary to a law of the same .... acknowledged the truth of the above said complaint by paying a fine of four dollars." We find many other papers of inter- est; one memorandum of 173 pages containing 108 marriages performed by himself, many of them, if not all, at the old house, between the years 1782 and 1815. Also, some over 100 printed summons to meet at "my dwelling house." Much of the court business of the town was done in this house. He settled estates, among them Mr. Stephen Maynard's, for whom he had done much business. Another book of 181 pages contains many fa- miliar names that we often heard in our childhood, mostly of his profes- sional visits and some business mat- ters. One deed of land was in the 13th year of George the 3rd. King, 1773, and another in 1788 in the 13th year of In- dependence of U. S. of America. One paper appointed Eli Whitney, student of Yale College, his lawful attorney to aid him in some business matters. We have his appointment as Justice of the Peace in the County of Worcester, at Boston, May 7, 1783, by his excellency's command, John Hancock. Many orders were given to him to collect pay for the school teachers, who boarded with the different families in the district. The poor were looked af- ter and their bills for board collected. There is an account of two pews struck off to him in 1793, with the price, 12^, 18s, and 11^ lis. We find papers informing the militia what their duties were. Every able bodied man was required to take his part in the work. Musters were held at the corner of Eyman and East Main streets on the Forbush land. These were great days, large gatherings for Westborough. The old adage was, "Prepare for war in times of peace." Also, two warrants for minister's tax, in 1784 and 1789, the latter of "158 pounds 9 shillings and 6 pence to pay the Rev. Mr, John Robinson his salary for the present year." It was signed by the assessors, Abijah Gale, Joseph Harrington and Thomas Andrews. It was in 1770, that a son, James Hawes, Jr., his only child, was born. When he was 19 years of age he attended school at Maiden, Mr, Adoniram Judson ( father of the great missionary) being teacher. In 1783, Mr. Judson preached as candidate in Westborough and boarded part of the time at Dr. Hawes', in the old house. Shelves are there today that were made at that time for his books, in the south chamber. I find Mr, Judson's bill for the son's board and tuition for 52 weeks, dated May 26, 1789, for \9£, 10 shillings, and receipted in full in 1793. I find the following certificate: "This certifies that upon examination I have reason to believe that James Hawes, Jr,, of Westborough, is well qualified to teach an English school agreeably to the first part of an act of the gen- eral court of this state, made and passed June 25th, 1789. John Robin- son, Pastor of the church in Westbo- rough." He taught school in Boston. Some letters are preserved that he wrote while there. He married Hannah King of Wrentham in 1792, and brought her to his home. The house was then en- larged. The east front room and rooms back and the ell part were then added. The room in the ell he used as his room, called " the clock room." He was a wooden clock maker by trade. Seven children were born to him. Two died in childhood, James, 3rd, and Achsah. Five girls grew to woman- hood, but the name Hawes was lost to the town. Dr. Hawes' wife died in 1809, aged 66. She was thrown down by a horse as she came out of church and lived but a few days. The son, James, Jr., died in 1813, aged 43. In his death the Baptist church lost another earnest worker. He, with his close friend, Mr. Asa Haskell, were the first in town to profess their faith in baptism by immersion. They were coworkers in Christian work. I quote from the historical shetch of the Bap- tist church. " The names of the can- didates were James Hawes, Jr., and Asa Haskell, Sr. The former was a school teacher, a good singer, and had an excellent talent for exhortation and communicating Bible truths. Un- til 1813, the year of his death, he was a great help to the brethren. The latter also was held in high esteem and was licensed October, 1801, by the church in Sutton to preach the gospel. He improved his gift in the small Sabbath meetings which were established at the house of Mr. Hawes. His humble efforts were not in vain. A number acknowledged him to be the means of their conversion, among them a future deacon. He died in 1803." The first communion was held in this house in 1812. In the summer of 1825, Rev. A. Judson, occupied the pul- pit for a number of weeks, he also having become a Baptist. A lady writes from Washington, a former member : "Mr. Judson must have been at that time at least 70 years of age, a man of imposing appearance and dignified bearing, and his courteous manners together with his powdered hair and shirt ruflles, made him appear a gentleman of the old school. He re- tained much of the energy and power that characterized his earlier days and gave universal satisfaction." About this time Dr. Hawes moved into the new part with his son's widow and children, taking his office furni- ture into his son's clock room, ( I re- member that when a small girl I busied myself spellingthe labels upon the little drawers of his medicine case), letting the old part of the house and land to different families after his son's death in 1813, as he was not able to care for the farm. He died in 1822, aged S2, and was buried in Midland cemetery. Those who have lived in this house were Abner Hardy, Holland Forbes, ( Mrs. Forbes' mother died there, aged 96. She was Col. Wheelock's daughter), Jacob Broaders (father of Hiram); he used the doctor's office for a shoe 12 shop; also Mr. Sanger, father of the two deaf and dumb boys. About 1830. Elijah Haskell, who had married Mary Hawes, moved to her old home, the place having- been divided among the heirs. The old part of the house was her portion with the land back, taking in part of the swamp. At that time buildings stood from the house facing the road, nearly to Mr. Rogers' land ; the corn barn stood near the house, two wood-sheds, then the chaise-house for the doctor's chaise, a small shed, then the big barn now back of the house, which was where Mr. Fay's house now is, ( it was built about 70 years before it was moved ), a large cow yard in front, an old well of good water, and a large pond back of Mr. Rogers' house, called "Cook Pond." It had a boat upon it. I have eaten nice pickerel that were caught there before breakfast, and bushels of cranberries have been picked near by and sent to Boston. Mr. Rogers' laud was Sophia Hawes' portion. She married Edward Bellows. Their daughter married Charles Gil- more, who built Mr. Rogers' small house. The land to Water street, be- longing to Mr. Eamson, went to the other heirs who were soon married and left town. The doctor's land joined Judge Brigham's place — the Parkman place. There was no house between the Hawes place and the old parsonage, at the corner of High street. James Hawes Jr.'s widow and un- married daughter, Sarah, remained in the east part of the house until Mrs. Hawes' death in 1845, aged 76. Mary, who married Elijah Haskell, was born and married in the same east room, held her 50th anniversary there, and eight years after, her casket was placed upon the very spot where she stood to be married 58 years before. 13 She died at the age of 76 ; her husband at 90. The old Baptist meeting-house was removed to Woodville in 1836, the land reverting to the family according to the deed. Many meetings have been held in the old house — many good sermons preached. Cold evenings they would not open the meeting-house but come into the home, and Sunday noons the ladies would fill their foot-stoves with live coals so that they could be comfortable to hear another sermon, one hour and a half or two hours long. The meeting-house was built in 1815, but no stove was put into it until 1829. Many advent meetings were held in the house. In 1852 more changes were made. The large fireplace was bricked up (the old pipe hole is still there), a change in the rooms, new stairs, the old back- room and cheese-room taken down, the outside plastered, and other repairs made. There was one large chimney in the center of the house, which still re- mains, with a fireplace in every room around it, with flues extending to each. We kept our fires by burying the coals in ashes. One day the fire was out and the tinder box not in working or- der, so the little girls were sent to a neighbor, at the Forbush house, with the perforated tin lantern after fire. It was before Lucifer matches were heard of, we made our own by striking fire with a flint and steel. Elijah Haskell left the town for three years in 1836 to 1839. The reason was this: The town had voted to relieve the center school by taking one family from it to each district. Ours was set off to No. 3. But father said we should never go there and his word was law. The little girls felt badly. But our parents picked up a few things and Went to Boston. After three years in its better graded schools we came back rejoicing in the privilege we had had. In 1834 Dr. Rising came to town as a physician. He was first called to this house for his first work. Years after he remarked, " He would not think this place a healthy place, but it seemed it was by its record," Some have said "Why should a phy- sician settle so far out of the village ? " We forget there were few houses where the pretty village now is. This house was nearer the great turnpike, the stage route from Boston to Worcester, nearer the tavern (the Fisher place) where all the mail was left, nearer the old Wessonville church than the pres- ent village. There have been two vendues or public auctions in this house, one af- ter the doctor died when many of his old things were sold; another after Mrs. James Hawes, Jr., died, when more went, among them the old high settle (that stood between the outside door and the big fireplace) in which we used to sit comfortable. People did not value ancient things then as now. The old tall clock is still with us. As I look upon its familiar face and hear its musical voice, reminding us of our duties, it almost seems that it might communicate many things we would like to know, for it is associated with my earliest recollections. It stood, as I first remember it, in the corner of the East room and has been a reminder of the passing away of precious time and of the old verse : " The moments fly, A minute is gone ; The minutes fly. An hour is gfone. The day is fled, The nig'ht is here. Thus flies a week, A month, a 3'ear ; A life is passed. Our fathers, where are they? " Remembering some years since hav- ing heard that Dr. Hawes. my great grandfather, had left many papers and books in an old tea chest in the old garret, as useless, I found my way un- der the low roof and saw the large chest well filled. From these I have made the selections for this paper. As he left them in the old desk ( which es- caped the sale ) there were prohablj' more valuable papers, but the best may have been taken by the many de- scendants, now scattered in various places. This house has been in the possession of the Haweses for 143 years and every passer-by would easily believe this was " the old house." One of the seventh generation, Lydia Maria Brittanj July, 1908. 14 The John Fay House The John Fay House. In 1680 the General Court of Massa- chusetts granted and confirmed to the heirs of Governor Theophilus Eaton of Connecticut five hundred acres of land in consideration of the aid he had given the Massachusetts Colony. It com- prised the northern half of that part of Westborough now extending into Shrewsbury. About two years later the Eaton heirs sold this farm to John and Thomas Brigham and the two sons of their sister Mary, John and Samuel Fay. These latter had the northern third of the farm. Its east boundary, being the west line of old Marlborough, passed near a spring of water just southeast of the house of the calendar, where John Fay had his home. We have not the data to determine just when he built his house but prob- ably within a few years after 1700. The births of his four eldest children were recorded in Marlborough between 1690 and 1700, and he may soon after the latter date moved to his farm out- side the town limits. In 1702 his name appears on a petition to be set off from Marlborough into a new town. In a deed from Peter Bent to John Fay dated March, 1709-10, the latter is said to be ' Living upon a Farm adjoining to the aforesaid Town of Marlbo- rough." This house was known as one of "the houses of the Fays," on the map of Chauncy and farms ad- joining, before the incorporation of the town in 1717. Judge Forbes' arti- cle on the Eaton grant in the History of "Westborough gives fuller details. The house itself from the rough sketch of it on the old map was origi- nally of one story of very modest di- mensions. The present house was built upon the same site about 1771, on the authority of Mrs. Susan A. New- ton, whose great grandfather, Benja- min Fay, then occupied it. The old house was probably joined to the new one as an ell. A careful inspection of certain parts of it as they appear today shows some signs of the original build- ing. The bull's-eye four-glass tran- som over the front door may have been used in the early structure. An inspection of the present build- ing shows a large stone foundation for the central chimney in the cellar, some 15 feet square, with an arch in it 5 feet wide by 6 feet high and 9 feet deep. The cellar itself occupies the whole space under the house. The floor tim- bers are of hand-hewn oak as well as the framing of the roof, and are as sound as ever. Extensive changes were made in the house by the removal of the huge central chimney, enlarging the front hall and opening access through it to the back rooms. Three of the lower rooms still retain the old corner posts and the beams in tiie ceiling. The large ash trees in the front yard are judged to be at least 160 years old. 15 The family of Fays early appears in the history of New England. A deed of upland and meadow recorded in the Middlesex Registry in 1669 from Peter Bent to David Fay is supposed by some to be the first mention of the name. Rev. Abner Morse, a compiler of the Fay genealogy, "has no doubt that David Fay was a common ancestor of the N. B. Fays." He was probably the father of John Fay. But O. P. Fay in his genealogy begins his list with the latter. This John Fay was born in England in 1648. He embarked on the ship Speedwell and arrived in Boston on June 27th, 1656. He was then but eight years of age, but was probably bound to Sudbury to meet some of his relations. In 1669 we find him in Marlborough, where he married and where his oldest children were born. During King Phillips war he went to Watertown and having survived his wife, married Mrs. Susanna ( Shat- tuck ) Morse, who was the mother of four children. His oldest son was the John Fay of our sketch. He was born in 1669, and married, in 1690, Elizabeth Wellington. Their first four children were born in Marlborough and the six others after he moved to his farm west of that town. His second marriage was to Ivevinah Brigham. "After the incorporation of West- borough he became one of its most prominent citizens and filled the prin- cipal offices." He was chosen town clerk at the beginning in 1718 and held that office for ten years. He was also town treasurer in 1722 ; select- man some twelve years between 1718 and 1736 ; also moderator of town meeting in 1734. He was a large land- owner. Besides the third part of the Eaton grant of 500 acres, he held in 1709 a " sixteen acre right in all the common and undivided Land of ye Town of Marlborough which will draw 32 acres being the division granted to run double to the house lots," etc. In 1728, David Goodenow sold him 350 acres, bounded north by Edward Baker's land and west by Oliver Ward's. He first joined the Marlborough church. He served on the committee on the ministerial lot in Westborough in 1718, and was one of the first twelve members of the church there formed in 1724. He was elected deacon in 1737. As an illustration of the admirable Christian spirit of the good deacon, an incident is given on page 95 of the Town History. He acknowledged on one occasion " his irregular conduct in attempting a speech to ye Congrega- tion," after the regular exercises, and confessed that " how zealously and in- nocently so ever it could charitably be supposed to be made, it was never ye less very impudent and of ill tenden- cy." He died Jan. 5, 1747-8, and was buried in Memorial cemetery, where his gravestone stands near the monu- ment. His estate was inventoried at some ^741, and "desperate debts" of ^57. Of his oldest son, John, we shall speak more fully in the sketch of the Jonathan Fay house. Of his youngest son, Stephen, Mrs. Forbes has told us the touching inci- dent of his patriotic devotion on his hearing of the death of his oldest son, John, in the Battle of Bennington, re- corded in the Parkraan Diary, page 15. The estate of the father passed to his son, Benjamin. This son was born in 1713. He was married in 1739 to Martha Mills. They had eleven child- ren. The oldest of these, Elizabeth, married Eli Whitney, and their eldest 16 son was Eli Whitney the inventor of the cotton-gin. By a second wife there were two sons. In his will he left his widow for her thirds ^^1114, various pieces of real estate and also the north- wardl)' part of dwelling house from bottom of cellar to top of garret— di- viding by middle of chimney " with certain privileges." Also, north end of barn, one-third part of pew and sta- ble at meeting-house. He left his eldest son, Benjamin, the whole of the remainder of real estate as per agreement with brother John and Stephen— in all 264 acres and buildings. With the family of this Benj. Fay, Jr., born 1744, who married Beulah Stow in 1772, we have come into close touch through the diary kept from 1809 onward by one of his daughters, Eliza- beth, who married Dea. Luther Cham- berlain. From it we learn that in 1840, "her daughter Eucy and Mr. George N. Sibley, her husband, re- moved from Grafton to Westborough to live on the farm which used to be the habitation of my forefathers." She also gives in detail the record of a " Family visit of the descendants of the late Mr. Benjamin Fay, July 3, 1851." It may well be preserved here as presenting an interesting picture characteristic of those good old times. " This day our contemplated family visit took place. There were eight of us, five sisters and three brothers, met at the old mansion house, where we were nourished and brought up by the hand of our kind parents who lived to see eleven children grown to man and womanhood, the united age of the nine now living are 609 years. The whole number of the family now living, chil- dren and grandchildren and great grandchildren is 151. " Our brother Benjamin was on a bed of languishing and not able to be here with us. " In the first place, my son and daughter Sibley provided a good din- ner. After dinner we seated ourselves in the room where our dear Mother has so many times called us together to re- ceive from her lips religious instruc- tion and to recite to her the Assembly's Catechism. " When seated, Mr. Sibley read the hymn ' Blest be the tie that binds,' etc., which they sung. Then Dr. John- son made some remarks and read a piece of poetry composed by his wife for the occasion. Then Mr. Sibley read the 103rd psalm, which our mother repeated most of, when on her death bed. Then Brother James made some remarks and a prayer. Then we sung a hymn to the tune of Old Hundred : — ' Come Christian brethren ere we part, Join every voice and every heart; One solemn hymn to God we raise, One final song of g-ratef ul praise. Christians, we here may meet no more But there is yet a happier shore; And there released from toil and pain, Dear brethren we shall meet again.' " Then Mr. Sibley read the fifth chapter of 2 Cor., brother William made some remarks and a prayer, then Dea. Cheever made some remarks and Dr. Gilmore and Mr. Sibley, and then the meeting was closed." It would be of interest if there were space to trace the many worthy de- scendants in this branch of the Fay family. We may note in passing the names of Rev. Solomon P. Fay and his cousin, Rev. Prescott Fay, and their second cousin. Rev. Hercules Warren Fay, in the fourth generation from the first Benjamin Fay. The estate passed in 1835 from Benjamin Fay, Jr., and others to 17 leather Chamberlain, his son-in-law, who left it in turn to his daughter L/Ucy, wife of George N. Sibley. The subsequent owners have been William Emerson, Charles E. Eddy, Silas A. Howe, M. and J. E. Henry, C. H. Gulliver, and Mrs. E. H. Moulton, the present owner. S. iNGERSOtI, BrIANT, September, 1908. The Samuel Fay House. The first house on this site was prob- ably built about the time that his brother John's of the previous sketch was built. At least two of his children were born in Marlborough. But the birth of Jeduthan, the fourth child, is given in the Westborough record in 1707. So that he was probably living on his home farm before that date. The house was one of " the houses of the Fays " before the incorporation of the town in 1717. In looking over the premises for some signs that would indicate the age of the present house we find the double front door as it now appears with the finish about it, and the small entry with its winding stairway into which it opens indicate a very early con- struction. Also, the very narrow clap- boarding seen on the front of the first story furnishes a hint of what may be the original form of this building. The low studded rooms with their corner posts are like signs. The large central chimney stands on a base in- closed within stone walls 10 by 15 feet in length. The very many changes and additions in the arrangements of the rooms in later years prevent the identification of its original form. In a deed of it from Samuel Fay to his sou, Jeduthan, in 1733, it is digni- fied as "our mansion house." This son was then residing with his parents and the deed was given "in considera- tion that he shall take a dutifull child- like care of us, Samuel and Tabitha." The estate then included the 30 acres about the house and the 30 acres addi- tional on the south side of the road, " bounded east by Marlborough old line," with 24 acres of meadow by the river. It passed with various additions and exchanges from the farm north of it, from Jeduthan to his son, Jeduthan, Jr.,— one half by deed and the other half by will of the father dated 1786. Jeduthan, Jr., deeded it in 1802 to his son, Antipas Maynard Fay, — "'one undivided half ( that is the west half ) of my homestead farm on both sides of the county road to Grafton — said half, SO acres, with the west half of dwelling house and one half of cellar." We find the propert}' next in the pos- session of Joseph Brigham who deeded it in 1836, 125 acres on both sides of the road, to William Cheever. He sold it in 1870 to Miletus and J. E. Henry, and the latter in 1893 to Albert B. Ward, whose widow, Mrs. Roxana Ward, now holds it. 18 The Samup:l Fay House Of the personal history of the early occupants we have but meagre items. The builder of the house. Samuel Fay, was the third son of the John Fay who was born in England in 16i8. He was born in 1673 in Marlborough. He mar- ried Tabitha Ward in 1699. He and his wife offered themselves for baptism in the Marlborough church in 1701. He was one of the first inhabitants of Westboro igh after it was set off from Marlborough in 1717. He was chosen surveyor in 1718 to 1720 and held other minor offices. In " 1721 was Ty thing- man, which was in those days consid- ered a highly honorable position, and was given to none but men of sober character and good standing in the community." He had three sons and four daugh- ters. His eldest child, Rebecca, mar- ried William Nourse of Shrewsbury, whose farm, in 1741, was set off to Wes thorough. Of his eldest son, Samuel, Jr., the Fay genealogy says " He settled on his father's land in Southboro, where he had a family of 25 children recorded. This is the largest Fay family on record." Rev. Abner Morse says of him, " his first wife died after deliver- ing to him 14 children in 20 years, giv- ing him the privilege of marrying an- other wife which he was patriotic enough to embrace, by whom he had 11 more." He was one of the two of whose children the historian said "before the forty-six had all made their debut, it became comically difficult to find Scrip- ture names, and the latest comers had to take what they could get." One of his granddaughters, Molly, who married Reuben Maynard. had 13 children, born "all around the lot," it was said to indicate the many places where they had lived. Another grand- daughter, Elizabeth, married Nathan Bullard of Athol, a saddler, who was called " a wandering planet for he moved more than 40 times." They had 13 children. The name of one son, Samuel, appears in the church records of Thompson, Conn., spelled "Phay," He had 12 children. The family reg- ister contains the names of at least 110 grandchildren of Samuel Fay, Jr. He was in Mr. Parkman's parish. The Diary of Feb. 4, 1739, reads, "M^ Saml. Fay, jr's. Infant Child buryd." The Vital Statistics of the town gives the births of his children here. He had differences with his pastor. In 1738, when he called on him at the committee's request he found that he had no desire to see him, "His chief objection and offence against me", the record reads, " were what arose from my bringing in new singing and my wearing a wigg." When the pastor spoke of " his not coming down to see my brother when he called and of his keeping from seeing me in the pulpit, ... he owned it with a laugh." The second son of the builder. Jedu- than, to whom the homestead descend- ed, married Sarah Shattuck, a half sis- ter of his brother Samuel's wife, Deliv- erance. They had 11 children. He removed to Grafton. His grandson, Antipas Maynard Fay, who came into posession of it in 1802, and was living in it in 1804, had married in 1803 Margaret Willard, whose father, Ben- jamin, was a clockmaker, and brother of Simon and Aaron Willard, noted clockmakers of Boston. Their eldest sou, Benjamin Willard Fay, was the father of Jasper and Mrs. Jane (Fay) Nourse, whose families still dwell among us, and of George Augustus Fay, who resides in Grafton on the old homestead, now "EJlmsdale Farm." 19 The third son of Samuel Fay was Ebenezer, who settled in Sturbridge. He had 18 children. One of them, Jonathan, lived to be nearly 100 years old and his wife to be 100 years in full. But this must suffice. There is neither time nor space to detail here the record of the Fay family in all its branches. The dwellers in this one homestead have united in themselves the Fay, the Shattuck, the Ward and the Brigham blood. S. I. B. The Jonathan Fay House. There stood on the site of this house in early times another smaller one- story house. It is not on record when or by whom it was built, but probably by John Fay for his son, John, Jr. The lands that the father deeded to the son in 1828 may have included this site. Of the son, John Jr., little is known. He was born in 1700, and married in 1721 one Hannah Child. He died in 1732. Tradition says that he died in the woods while on an expedition against hostile Indians. He left five childen for whom his father was ap- pointed guardian. His estate, valued at $5000, was administered upon by his widow in 1738. She afterwards married Samuel Lrould never g-o to church iu the new meeting--house which had no balustrade on the pews. In 1773, the congregation had become so large as to make it necessary to en- large the house and the town voted to choose a committee "to go and view some meeting-house that had been cut in two and a piece put in the middle." That committee reported in favor of enlarging the house in that way, whereupon the town voted "to split the meeting-house and put in fourteen feet." At the same time it was voted "to build three porches," which porches are still in existence. One of them forms a part of the Arnold house on Heath street ; another, a part of the Wilson house on Boardman street ; the other one is found in the small house on the Blake place on West Main street. Another relic of the Old Arcade is preserved in the museum of the West- borough Historical Society. It is the large circular window which orna- mented the eastern gable. Some of the old oak timbers were used by Mr. B. B. Nourse in making one of the bookcases of the society. The church, under a number of dif- ferent ministers, continued to occupy the house till 1836. But for several years previous to that date, so much dissension had been growing out of the Unitarian controversy, that, in 1833, a division of the church was brought about. Those members who still held to the old doctrines, called themselves Evangelicals and proceeded to build a third meeting-house at the corner of Main and Church streets, into which they moved in 1836, and which they still occupy. The Unitarians were left in possession of the old church which they sold in 1837 to be used for stores, offices and shops with the new name of the " Old Arcade." And so it continued to be used for buainess pur- poses till 1891, when, old, unsightly, and out of repair, it was torn down and gave place to the fine new Arcade Block which now occupies its site. Of course there was much opposi- tion to its demolition on the part of many of the older people of the town. The dear old building was associated with the most dear and cherished memories of their whole lives. Re- ligious and patriotic sentiments begged hard to spare it, — to preserve it as a sacred relic. But Yankee enterprise and business rush turn a deaf ear to sentiment when sentiment blocks the way to trade. So the Old Arcade h?.d to go and is now only a fading memory of a past age. One very interesting relic of it, however, still remains, nameU', the church bell. When first built, the church had no belfry or steeple. But in 1801, one of Dr. Parkman's sons, Samuel, who had become a prosperous business man in Boston, made the church a present of one of Paul Revere's fine-tone bells. This gift made the church feel the want of a belfry which the town immediately voted to build. The bell was soon raised to its place and called the people to church and town meeting there till 1837, when the house was sold. The bell soon afterwards found its place in the new Baptist church, where it still hangs and sends out its sweet tones, every Sunday morning, over the vil- lage, calling upon all the people to as- semble for the worship of God. It has continued to do this good work for over one hundred years. One more relic must be mentioned, namely, the town clock, which from 1806 to 1842 marked time for the village from the tower of the church. Since The Brigham Tavern 1842 it has done the same good service from the tower of the town hall. The old Arcade answered the double purpose of church and town hall. So it was for almost one hundred years the center of the religious and political life of the town. As such, it was a very dear object to all the people. Its walls had echoed to the patriotic speeches which were inspired by the Revolutionary war; and from its doors, the greater part if not all the three hundred men of the town, who did military service in that war. had marched forth with the fatherly ad- vice, the patriotic exhortation and the pastoral benediction of Dr. Parkman. For almost one hundred years its walls had resounded with the preach- ing of the hard theology and the steru doctrines of a rigid Calvinism, which, however much it is ridiculed by the people and ignored by the pulpit now- a-days, did. it must be admitted by all, a wonderfully great and good work at that time in raising up a strong and vigorous generation of men and women who laid deep and wide the foundation of the best government of the civilized world, who established schools and colleges, and founded benevolent, phil- anthropic and charitable institutions which have made our country well worthy to be named " God's Own Country," as it is so fondly called by all returning travelers, G. S. Nbwcomb. Sept. 12, 1908. The Brigham Tavern. One would hardly think of associat- ing Union Building on South street, with a famous tavern of seventy-five or more years ago. Such at least a part of it was when joined to the present Westboro' Hotel. Some of the narrow clapboards on the south end are still in good condi- tion, and inside can be seen the old floors in chambers and hall ; a few of the narrow windows, and the cornices, wainscoating and corner-posts in the upper front rooms. Though not the oldest in town this tavern was known as Tavern House or Gregory Inn, and there in 1807 fifteen leading men of the town met and or- ganized "The Union Library Society," which lasted until 1839 when it was merged in the Mechanics Association, and in 1857 the library was transferred to the town, becoming the nucleus of our public library. In the appraisal of Elijah Brigham's estate in 1816 we find : "One acre with dwelling house, barn and shed, called the tavern house and is now occupied as such by Daniel Gregory, owned in common by Breck Parkman and heirs of E,. Brigham . . . we divide through centre of front door and assign all north of said line to heirs of E. Brigham and set to Sally Brigham, daughter, one-half of Tavern House and land." This Elijah Brigham was son-in-law of Kev. Ebenezei- Parkman, and brother-in-law of this Breck Parkman. Daniel Gregory's daughter, Abigail, married (September 3, 1817) Lowell Mason, the well known music com- poser. Daniel Gregory's son, John, married (October 31, 1821) Sally, daughter of Elijah Brigham, the Sally to whom half of the tavern was set off, so the Brigham's and Gregory's were con- nected by marriage. But now we find another Brigham purchasing the tavern. In 1823 (April 1) Breck Parkman sells to Dexter Brigham his "South half of house and estate on which he (Dexter Brigham) now dwells," and three years later the records show that ( January 1, 1826 ) John Gregory, brick- layer, Charlestown, and Sally ( Brig- ham) Gregory, wife, sold to " D. Brig- ham innholder 2 acres with building on same, whereon the said Dexter now lives." We have no traditions of the inn in the time of the Gregorys. Doubtless there were merrymakings and inter- esting enough happenings, but, unfor- tunately, no one thought enough of them to hand them down to posterity, and no one is living today to tell us of those times. But of the time when it was known as the Brigham Tavern there are many interesting things to be told. I have in ray possession an article written by my brother years ago for the " Worcester Spy,'' and as the material for this article was obtained from an interview with Mrs. Brigham, and from personal recollections of my fath- er, I cannot do better than to quote it at length. '• A half century ago the average New England town had no institution of more general interest than the 'vil- lage tavern ' or 'public house,' It was more than a temporary abiding place for the traveler, for the citizen of the town had a certain consciousness of proprietorship which does not apply to the hotel of the present day. The land- lord and landlady were in many cases looked upon as official characters, and their manner of dispensing hospitality had, seemingly, less of a commercial flavor than that which characterizes the modern host. "Fifty years ago ' Brigham Tavern' was among the famous public houses ill this part of the state. '♦ Mr. Dexter Brigham purchased the hotel property and business in 1821. (the record shows in 1823-1826) and for 28 years thereafter was its popular landlord. The tavern stood a few rods south of the present Westboro' Hotel, facing the highway now known as South street. "The house was a square two-story structure, with the main entrance in the centre, and a hallway running through to the rear. On the right of the entrance was the public parlor,and in its rear the family sitting-room ; on the left was the bar-room, back of that the dining-room, and the kitchen was a one-story projection built on the rear. On the second floor the main apartment was ' the hall,' the scene of many a merry-making, where young and old were wont to assemble to en- joy the festivities incident to a dance or supper party." [Mrs. Harriet M. Clark, daughter of E. M. Phillips, recalls the many good times she had had in that old tavern. She remembers the dance hall, that had seats all around the room, much like those at "Wayside Inn, Sudbury. Mr. Brigham's three oldest children were her playmates.] " Two partition frames were fast- 28 ened by hinges to the ceiling, and when there was an extra demand for lodging accommodations these were dropped to the floor, thus securing a division of the space into three apart- ments. About three years after Mr. Brigham purchased the house, he en- larged it by an addition on the north side, when the new front corner apart- ment was taken for the bar-room, and a separate entrance, with porch, was provided. " The bar-room was headquarters for the male populatian of the village, and here the political and social problems of the day were discussed by candle- light, the local congregation often being augmented by such of the trav- eling public as chanced to be in that pleasant harbor for the night. Liquors, wine and cider, were in those days dis- pensed freely, and Mr. Brigham fre- quently laid in forty barrels of cider for his winter's store. " This was previous to the opening of the Boston & Worcester Railroad, and all travel was by carriage. Heavy teams were constantly passing between Boston and the towns in this vicinity and with the teamsters there was no more popular place than ' Brigham's, ' at which to spend the night. "The barn then stood north of the tavern, and in common with all barns connected with the public houses of that day, was built so that large wagons could drive through, the car- riageway not being floored. Mr. George W. Parker was for a time em- ployed b3' Mr. Brigham as hostler, and subsequently he entered into partner- ship with the latter in conducting the livery business. " Mrs. Brigham was exceptionally efficient and satisfactory in the man- agement of her department, and had an enviable reputation for skillfulness in cookery. On ' Lection Day ' and ' March Meeting Day ' her cake was in great demand ; not only was an im- mense quantity required for consump- tion at the tavern, but it was purchased by the heads of families to carry home as a luxury for wives and children. Cake and sherry wine were daily called for as a lunch, and for many years there was a large sale of sponge cake on Sundays during the noon recess. " In winter, after a heavy snow fall, the farmers living most remote from the village would start out to ' break roads,' and being reinforced by volun- teers at every house, would enter the village with a team of twenty or more yokes of oxen. These men were re- garded as public benefactors, and on such occasions the ' creature comforts' were dispensed gratuitously at tavern and store. " The Boston & Worcester Railroad was opened to Westboi-o' in October, 1834, and until the following summer the town was the western terminus of the line. During the few months that Ashland, then known as Unioaville, was the terminus, Mr. Brigham ran a coach daily to and from the latter point via. Hopkinton. About this time the house was again enlarged, the ex- tension being, as before, on the north end, and one of the two square rooms thus gained on the lower floor was af- terward called the ' railroad waiting room,' no provision being made for passengers at the station originally built. Piazzas were built on the new section of the tavern, an entrance was located midway, aud a long entry or hall ran back to the original hallway, with which the west entrance commu- nicated. After this enlargement the north end of the house appeared sub- stantially as does the front of the main building today. " The occasion of the arrival of the first railway train from Boston was a day long to be remembered by those who were present. It was a general holiday; the people donned their Sun- day clothes and gave themselves up unreservedly to enjoyment. Visitors came by carriage from the neighboring towns, and from Worcester came a party, conspicuous among whom ' Squire Burnside ' is remembered. On the train from Boston were some forty or fifty prominent men and railroad officials. No formalities had been ar- ranged, but the enthusiasm of the Westborough people must have digni- fied expression ; and who but ' Squire Harrington ' the village magistrate, could do the honors ? His speech was impromptu and brief, and perhaps was never recorded entire, but this detached and eloquent utterance of the 'Squire's' seems destined to immortality ; ' We look for Boston I When lo ! and behold! Boston is here ! ' "A response to this address was made by Mr. Wm. Jackson of Newton, a civil engineer who adjusted land damages in the interest of the railroad corporation. The people were then invited to ride a few miles down the track, and the primitive coaches of various designs, were quickly filled to overflowing, the more venturesome youngsters even swarming on the roofs of the cars, and all were carried who could possibly gain a foothold. The short run was made at a slow rate and on the return trip, with an up grade, the locomotive was barely able to move the heavy freight. " Brigham's tavern did an immense business on that memorable day, and the amount of liquids consumed was enormous. The Worcester party brought a liberal supply of champagne and when night came on, a large pro- portion of the participants in the cele- bration doubtless had somewhat con* fused ideas of railroading. After this date Mr. Brigham discontinued the sale of liquor and his establishment was called a 'temperance house,' although during the next few years wine and cider were sold moderately for this practice was not then con- sidered inconsistent with temperance principles ; finally no liquid more potent than coffee was sold at the house. " During the nine or ten months that Westboro' was the railroad terminus, the tavern business was greatly in- creased by the movements of the various coaches, which connected with teams to and from Boston. The Wor- cester and Dudley stages made one or two trips each way daily, and their passengers usually dined at the house. One of the Worcester stages was driven by a man named Taylor, who an- nounced his approach by the clear notes of a bugle horn. " Trains were at that time very un- reliable in their trips, and as the crudely constructed locomotives fre- quently became demoralized, horses were kept at each station to be used for motive power in an emergency. The freight accommodations were ex- ceedingl)' limited, and as there was no surplus of cars, all freight was un- loaded on the ground,the train waiting meanwhile. Merchandise purchased in Boston, for towns in this vicinity was shipped by rail to Westboro, and thence taken by team to its destina- tion. It was no uncommon sight to see hogsheads, barrels and packages of goods lying about 'the common' for days, awaiting transportation to neighboring towns. " For many years Brigham's Tavern was a famous place for securing a 30 royal supper. The driver of the Wor- cester stage often brought the an- nouncement that a party from that city would drive down toward eve- ning, and Mrs. Brigham was warned that a hearty supper and a generous supply of her ' mulled wine ' would be consumed. Among the frequent visitors from Worcester are recalled the names of Braman, Lincoln and Sears. The young people of the vil- lage, too, thought no sleigh-ride com- plete unless they returned to the tavern for one of Mrs. Brigham's suppers and a dance in the old tavern hall. " Previous to the opening of the rail- road to Westborough, Hopkinton Springs had become a popular summer resort for invalids and others, and af- ter that date the travel to and from the Springs was via. Westboro', a coach connecting with every train. Both go- ing and coming the patrons of the Springs Hotel usually stopped at Brig- ham's, and not a few finally prolonged their stay for days and weeks. At times the mosquitoes of the springs were declared bj^ visitors to be intoler- ably' numerous and familiar, and many preferred the livelier surroundings of Westboro' village. Mr. Brigham kept a supply of the spring water, which he supplied to guests in any quantity de- sired, either for drinking or bathing. "The house was then at the zenith of its prosperity, and its patrons in. eluded many people of note. Among the Boston people who are remembered as regular patrons were Harrison Gray Otis, Major Ben Russell, editor of the Boston Statesman, whose frequent use of a heavy silver snuff box attracted general attention ; Wm. Phillips, a wealthy resident of Beacon Hill ; Jere- miah Hill, a retired tea merchant; James Blake ( of Kittredge & Blake, furniture dealers ) whose wife boarded at the house 21 consecutive seasons ; Dr. Abraham T. Ivow, president of the bank now known as the First National of Boston ; Messrs. Nichols & Whitney, merchants on India Wharf ; Samuel Greeley, a director of the Boston & Worcester Railroad, and Nathan Hale, president of the railroad for 19 years, and also the proprietor of the Boston Advertiser ; the latter gentleman often visited Westborough, and was fre- quently accompanied by his sons, who were profuse in their praises of Mrs. Brigham's mince pies. Among other guests of the house were Captain Rob- inson of the navy, whose wife was a daughter of Major Ben Russell ; Wm. Jackson of Newton, a railroad official, subsequently a member of congress and Mr. Curtis ( afterwards superin- tendent of the railroad ) who was killed a few years later by striking his head against a bridge column as he leaned from a car window when the train was entering Boston. The Howlanda of New Bedford are also remembered, and Salem and Charlestown were rep- resented among the regular patrons. " Among the minor periodical events recalled were the visits of the Quakers, who came from Bolton and other points, in chaises, and who stopped at the tavern to lunch, and bait their horses while en route to and from the 'quarterly meetings,' then held at Providence ; their appearance was in- variably looked upon as a precursor of rain. "Hot coffee was always kept pre- pared after the traffic in liquor was abandoned, and small cakes, sold for six cents, were kept on the bar-room counter, while for a heartier lunch the standard mince-pie was certain to be required. On the day of the inauguration of President Harrison, March 4th, 1841, a ' whig supper ' was held at the tavern. This was attended by young and old of both sexes, and many of the younger people present still remember it as an noteworthy occasion. " The history of the house would be incomplete without a reference to the railroad accident of June 17, 1840. A special train from Boston was heavily loaded with people on their way to a political convention at Worcester, and when rounding the curve near the bridge which spans the railroad about two miles west of this village, it col- lided with a down train. The locomo- tives were driven together with such force that they were with difficulty detached, and many passengers were injured, but none fatally. The wounded passengers were brought to West- borough village, and the tavern was converted into a temporary hospital ; several surgeons chanced to be of the party, and these rendered timely ser- vice. Among the wounded was the son of Ostenello, the celebrated leader of the orchestra at the old Tremont Theatre in Boston. " Soon after the collision, a second train bound for Worcester reached Westborough and as the track was ob- structed at the scene of the disaster, this was detained at the station. This greatly augmented the already large company gathered, and the demand made upon the tavern was unpreced- ented; its resources were never more severely taxed, and the wants of the crowd were supplied so far as possible, but private citizens were obliged, to some extent, to minister to the material wants of the multitude. ♦•In 1849 the original portion of the tavern building was moved a few rods south, and remodeled for a private res- idence, into which Mr. Brigham re- moved with his family, and the hotel business was sold to a Mr. Bolles." Mr. Brigham died in 1870 and Mrs. Brigham in 1889, only two months af- ter the sudden death of her daughter, Mary A. Brigham, the newly elected president of Mt, Holyoke College. I am fortunate, also, in being able to give extracts from a recent letter from Mrs. Sarah L,. Hill, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Brigham, and the only sur- viving member of the family. She writes : "I must have been about seven years old when the old hotel, which I think was called the Gregory house, was separated from the newer part which my father added, and which is now the Westborough Hotel, and that would have been in '52 or thereabouts. " I do remember the strange sight of the carpenters sawing through the roof where the old and new parts joined and that people came to see the odd work. Also the open side of the house exposing the rooms from attic to ground. As I recall those days when we lived there my memories are all personal, of being kept waiting beyond my bedtime and falling asleep in the great kitchen when everybody was hurrying about getting up a late sup- per for a sleighing party or a dance. " It seems to me the house was vari- ously named the Stage Tavern, the Railroad House and later the Hotel. " You see how little of interest there would be in the memories of a child, only indeed of the family happenings. My mind has a kaleidoscopic vision of election days, and firemen's musters, or Sundays and holidays, when many people were in and out getting luncheon and dinners, when the great brick oven had been heated and good pies and cakes, baked beans and brown bread, had issued forth delicious in odor and beautiful in form. Also of Thanks- 32 giving when the family all came home, and others, relatives and friends, came in the evening for supper and games. "Our old house which became a straw shop, and of which there is such a good picture in the calendar was originally the house of the Gregory family and I think must have been the tavern before my father bought it." Mrs. Hill alludes to the building which after passing through the various changes from the Gregory Inn, to the Brigham Tavern, from the Brigham Tavern to the family home of the Brighams, then to a straw shop, is now known as Union Building. In the year 1866 it was evidently sold by Mr. Brigham to Messrs. Snow & Fellows, and occupied by them for a straw shop, or hat factory, and from 1870 to 1872 by Messrs. Snow & Hewins, after which it came into the possession of Messrs. Henry & Biscoe, and is now owned by their heirs, and used for stores and tenements. The following have been landlords of the Gregory Inn, Brigham Tavern and Westboro Hotel ; — Daniel Gregory, Dexter Brigham, Andrew J. Bolles, Samuel H. Brown, Rigley, Thomas Tucker, Rollin K. Sherman, James Martin, Ainsworth & Chase, Henry h. Chase, George E. Thayer, Williams, William B. Adams, William H. Sullivan, George S. Smith, and J. F, Hill who has been the landlord for the past eleven years. While Mr. Chase was landlord from 1881 to 1885, Westboro was seeing some of her most prosperous times, as it was then the National Straw Works were employing so many people, and another addition was made to the hotel being called " the annex," providing for dining-room and billiard-room down stairs and sleeping-rooms on the second floor. At this time there were as many as one hundred and twenty- five regular boarders besides transients. Within a year or so while repaper- ing a room (No. 3) on the second floor of the building, a painting was dis- covered on the plastered wall. The scene represented a view of a farm-house with orchard, ploughed ground, cat-tails, etc. The name of " Brigham " being discernible it is supposed to have been the artist's name, but no one seems to know more about it. Of the ownership of the Westboro Hotel from the time it was sold by Mr. Brigham in 1853, the assessors' reports give the following : 1853-1854 Otis F. Vinton and others. 1855-1872 Davis & Bullard. 1872-1876 Cobb & Raymond. 1876-1880 Chas. D. Cobb. 1880 Hosea H. Spaulding. The property is now owned by Mr. Spaulding's daughter, Mrs. Katherine Winchester. Emma S. Nourse. September, 1908. 33 The Governor Davis Birthplace. The Davis family traces its lineage from the early English stock. Dolor Davis came in 1634 from Kent County, England, and was granted 25 acres of land west of Charles River, and a village lot of one-half rood in New Towne, ( now Cambridge, near Harvard Square). His family came the next year. Then he sold his holdings (at the time so many sold in New Towne ) and moved toward Cape Cod. Dolor Davis was in Barnstable in 1643 ; in Concord in 1655 ; returned to Barnstable in 1669 and died there probably about 1673. In the Northboro line his son, Sam- uel Davis, made his home in Concord. His grandson, Lieut. Simon Davis, moved to Rutland and thence to Hol- den where he was an inn-keeper and held responsible town offices. Simon Davis, Jr., of the next genera- tion, was a farmer in Rutland, and the father of Isaac Davis who came to Northboro. Governor John Davis was the sev- enth child and youngest son of Isaac Davis. Here in this old house he was born January 13, 1787. Here he passed his infancy and early school days ; only his youth, though three genera- tions of his relatives lived here. He early left his old home for college ; for the study and practice of law, and to fill public offices till the end of his days, and so worthily that he won the title of " Honest John." He graduated at Yale in 1812 ; mar- ried the sister of George Bancroft ten 3'ears later ; was a member of the Wor- cester school board the next year, and a representative to the U. S. Congress a year later. Four times he was re- elected to congress ; then, in 1833, was elected governor of Massachusetts and reelected the following year. In 1835 he was chosen U. S. Senator from Massachusets. In 1840 and again in 1841 was elected governor of Massa- chusetts. Defeated for that office in 1842, he was chosen U. S. Senator in 1845 ; elected U. S. Senator in 1847 ; retired in 1853, and died April 19. 1854. Isaac Davis, the father of Governor Davis, was chosen delegate to a con- vention, August 7, 1786, at Leicester, Mass., and was instructed to advocate: 1st, That the Court of Common Pleas be abolished. 2d, That the whole body of Lawyers be annihilated. It was only a few months till John Davis was born, destined to become a lawyer, and but twelve years till an- other Isaac, a grandson of the first Isaac, was born, to become a lawyer also. Contemporaneous practitioners they both lived in Worcester, the first near Lincoln Square and the second at the south end. In the spring of 1842, when Charles Gov. Davis' Birthpi^ace Dickens and his wife, in the collection of American Notes, visited this coun- try, they were entertained at the home of Gov. Davis in Worcester. That Sunday the church of Dr. Hill, adjoin- ing- Worcester Court House, was packed with people to hear the Gospel and see Dickens in the Governor's pew. But that pew remained empty. Then the other Davis lawyer issued invita- tions to Mr. and Mrs. Dickens and to the" elite of Worcester to attend an eve- ning party at his house, much to the delight of Col. Isaac's townsmen. Before considering further the occu- pants of this Davis home in Northboro let us glance at the earlier ownership of the property. The proprietors of the Marlboro Town Grant of 1660 assigned to Samuel Rice land in Middle Meadow Plain north of the Assabet river. Samuel Rice bequeathed to his son Edward Rice who sold to Isaac Tomlin in 1734. Tradition says that Isaac Tomlin built the house — "The Governor Davis Birth- place." When Isaac Tomlin died in 1745 his estate was appraised at 1487;^, 10s, 3d. He bequeathed the homestead to his son Hezekiah Tomlin subject to dower rights and right to east room below " so long as she remained the widow." Hezekiah Tomlin died four years after his father and left a widow and one child — Resign Tomlin— two months old. In 1766, this child, then 17 years of age, married John Kelly and lived in this Isaac Tomlin house* Ten years later the Kellys sold to Eilizabeth Grey of Boston, in the early days of the Revolutionary war. Five years later, again, Elizabeth Grey sold to Isaac Davis December 30, 1781. The farm as surveyed in 1776 by Dea. Jonathan Eivermore of Northboro was an irregular shaped tract bordering on the Assabet river at Cobb's bridge and fronting south 833^^ rods on South County road, now Davis street. The old road to Northboro ran north from the east side of the old house and di- vided the farm in halves. The site of the old house had been favorably chosen on a sleight swell in " Milk Porridge Plain " that forms the divide between the meadows of the Assabet and tanyard brook, thus com- manding in all directions broad views across plains and meadows to hills miles away. The subsequent history of this place centers in the life of the Governor's father, Isaac Davis, the Northboro tanner and leather finisher. When he had reached the age of twenty-one he was engaged to build and operate a tanyard on the Maynard farm in Westboro (now the B. J. Stone place opposite the Eyman School ) and to instruct Capt. Stephen Maynard and his son Antipas Maynard in the leather and tanning business. Capt. Maynard had been prominent in the French and Indian war, till in 1763 France ceded Canada to England. Then Capt. Maynard returned to Westboro to inherit hundreds of acres of land left by his recently deceased father and to build a new house fit for a citizen of his standing. Unfortu- nately ready money ran short and he found himself compelled to borrow and mortgage his estate. To mend matters he engaged Isaac Davis to instruct him in the tanning and leather business, since his grand- father, Samuel Brigham of Marlboro, had at an earlier date been specially successful in that line. Again he had married for his second wife Mrs. Anna (Gott) Brigham the widow of Dr. Samuel Brigham who was another grandchild of the pioneer tanner. Isaac Davis promptly executed 35 his part of the taiiyard contract and in 1772 married Anna Brigham the daugh- ter of the above mentioned deceased, Dr. Samuel Brigham. She was there- fore the stepdaughter of Capt. May- nard and the great granddaughter of the pioneer tanner. This was the period preceding the struggle for American Independence when most citizens advocated resist- ance to English demands. The few who continued loyal to the King were driven from the country, or failing to go, they were disarmed and not per- mitted to leave their farms except to attend Sabbath services. Antipas Maynard disappeared ; debts of Stephen Maynard increased ; cur- rency depreciated till it touched 100 to 1 of gold ; those in debt became insol- vent and were imprisoned ; the May- nard tanyard was abandoned. Then Isaac Davis bought the farm and Tomlin house of Elizabeth Grey for 1800 ounces of plated silver, giving in payment a mortgage and bond in double the purchase price, or 3600 ounces of plated silver, Troy weight. Sterling alloy. Plated silver did not then mean base metal, but coin plate of mint standard. Isaac Davis, Stephen Maynard and John Fessenden signed the bond. Eight years afterward the bond was satisfied and discharged by another mortgage for 600^ lawful money signed by Isaac Davis and wife. This later mortgage remained in force and was not satisfied and discharged until 1811, thirty years after the farm was bought. We thus see that the family tradition that John Davis made periodic horseback trips to Boston to pay interest money to Elizabeth Grey could have been true, though he was not born till five years after the place was first purchased. The Davis tanyard was built near the center of the farm where the old road crossed tanyard brook, and was put in operation as soon as the farm was pur- chased. That business called for all the ready money available. The business was profitable, but to feed, clothe and educate eleven chil- dren — one in college — called for money. The eldest two sons— Phineas and Joseph — soon learned the trade and joined their father, but each had a rapidly growing family of his own to support. At that time there was no race suicide in the Davis stock. Simon died at the age of 40, leaving 11 children; Isaac had 11, and of his sons, Phineas had 11, Joseph 11, Isaac 13, Samuel 6 and Gov. John 5. Dea. Isaac Davis had 53 grandchil- dren, 22 born in Northboro. Four of his children were born in Westboro before he bought the Northboro farm, but they were young, aged respective- ly, 9 - 7 - 4 - 2 years. The Davises were a tall, sturdy race of commanding presence, destined to lead more than to follow. About 1819 to 1825 they had numerous portraits painted by artists Peckham and Wheeler. Besides Dea. Isaac and his sons Phineas and Joseph, the business was shared by a grandson, Willidm Eager Davis, son of Phineas, but he died at the age of 33. After the death of the older members, George Clinton Davis, son of Joseph, assumed full control of the business, till hides were imported and tan bark was shipped from other states. Then after about 90 years continuance of the industry, tanning ceased at the Davis tanyard. In early days each of the partners in the business had a large family and all had houses within a few rods of each other. At one time a part of the leather out- 36 put of the yard was cut into shoes in the curry-shop and sent out to neigh- boring- shoe-pegging shops on the farms, where the shoes were finished and returned to the curry-shop to be marketed. In short the raw skin was converted into the finished shoe. Until that time it had been the cus- tom for the farmer to supply his family with meat by slaughtering his own cattle. Hides he exchanged for leather that was held, waiting the arrival of the itinerant shoemaker, who periodi- cally tarried with the family till he had succeeded in shoeing all. The farmer's clip of wool was similarly ex- changed for yarn and cloth. Between producer, manufacturer and consumer there were then few middlemen. In 1836 the appraisers of the estate left by William Eager Davis, deceased, named stock in process of tanning and its value as follows : — 900 hides $SOO0 ; 450 skins, $450 : $3450. When tanned, dressed, and finished, the above stock became very much more valuable. Profits must have been liberal to en- able the proprietors to lift the old mortgage ; to care for four large families ; to make at least three lib- eral contributions in 1814 toward Northboro's first cotton factory ; to supply the means for building and equipping in 1832 the Davis brick cot- ton factory ; to help other industries and to yield to one of the partners an estate such that he was able to bequeath $11,000 to each of his six sons and $7,000 to each of five daughters. Unfortunate investments alone prevented another partner leaving a like estate. In 1826, Rev. Joseph Allen wrote his History of Northboro and in it states: "The annual sales of leather by the Davises amount to more than 120,000." For a term of 30 years, 1795 to 1825, Isaac Davis was deacon of the North- boro church. Early, under the pastor- ate of Rev. Peter Whitney, later, under Rev. Joseph Allen. Twelve years, 1787 to 1798, he was sent representative to the Massachu- setts General Court. His eldest son, Phineas, as a young man was a celebrated wrestler. But one day he was injured and ever after walked with a twisted leg. Phineas also became widely known for his fearlessness of savage dogs about slaughter houses where he drove for hides. He soon became prominent in the leather industry. Isaac Davis of Worcester told the following of his father, Phineas : One day being in need of currency he directed his two sons (the eldest but eight years old ) to drive to a Worcester bank, ten miles distant, and get a check cashed. On arrival the eldest son presented the check. The cashier looked at the check, looked at the boy, and asked if any one was with him? "Yes, my brother is in the wagon." "Bring him in." When the cashier discovered the second boy was younger than the first he asked if any other came. "Yes, mydawg. Mydawg always goes. He won't let any one touch me." " Tell your father he must send some one older, we can't pay money to young children." "My father will send me back ; I know he will ; he wants the money." Sure enough, next day the same bo3'S and check reap- peared, reinforced with a letter direct- ing the cashier to pay the children and the father would assume all risk. On another occasion he directed his daugh- ter, ten years old, to drive alone to Worcester and deposit $1000 in the bank. When she hesitated he told her to drive to her Uncle John's office in Worcester and he would go with her to the bank. 37 Phineas Davis's wife was Martha (Eager) Davis, daughter of Francis and granddaughter of Bezaleel Eager, whose headstone by the roadside a half mile west of the tanyard marks the spot where he was thrown from his horse and killed in 1787. Martha ( Patty Eager ) Davis strictly observed the Puritan Sabbath, and permitted no work in her house from sunset Saturday till sunset Sunday. Her pots and kettles, " black dishes," could not be used, though she would knit after sunset Sundays. Col. Joseph Davis was the second son of Dea. Isaac and his home was on the south side of the Plain road (now the Goodell place.) His first wife, Lydia (Ball) Davis, was the mother of nine children that reached maturity and had families of their own. She died and Col. Davis married for his second wife, Mrs. I^ydia (Cogswell) the widow of Micah Sherman of Marlboro. She was al- ready stepmother to five Sherman children and tradition says that when Col. Davis asked the widow to become his wife she wanted to know what was to become of her Sherman stepchild- ren ? His reply was : " Fetch them along ! mix them with mine !" Eater the youngest one became the wife of William Eager Davis, son of Phineas. Another tradition says that when George Clinton Davis married Mary Elizabeth Bigelow of Worcester in 1842, Dr. Hill, after conducting the marriage ceremony, remarked to Col. Davis, "Your son to-day takes from Worcester one of our finest young women." The reply without hesitation was : "Well ! We shall see ! We shall see ! " In addition to the leather industry Col. Davis mustered and trained the militia annually on the field east of his tanyard. He also served in both branches of the Massachusetts legislature. A temperance movement started in his day and his refusal to serve spirits at the funeral of his wife caused much comment at the time. Col. Davis, during his later years, was partially paralyzed and was com- pelled to exercise extreme care and moderation in getting into and out of his carriage. "Old Bay." his faithful horse, then proved most valuable, not moving till his master gave the word. When his master died, in 1843, "Old Bay," harnessed to the hearse, took the body to the tomb and then went to Holden with one of the daughters where he became useful in winter, taking a sleigh load of children to school and returning without a driver. Occasionally he was sent, without a driver, to bring the children from school, a mile distant. Death took the head of the house in his new home in 1847 and "Old Bay" returned to Northboro. When the old Tomlin house was about to be torn down in the early spring of 1852, a daguerreotype was taken showing the house and "Old Bay." The lad of 14 holding the horse was the present writer. The frame of the old house was sold to the head carpenter and was used by him in building the house now standing at the west corner of Board- man and Church streets, Westboro. During the summer of that year, af- ter the old house was gone and con- struction of the new house begun, " Old Bay " was sent one stormy after- noon to take the carpenters home and died before morning. The favorite animal in the Phineas Davis family was the dog before men- tioned as accompanying the boj'S to 38 Thk C