Full text of "History of the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts"

See other formats

BOSTON

PUBLIC

LIBRARY

»». — j

ht^iti.iry

^vfi^A^jhi

nvVt

.<-

»' ./te*?l

■/// <^<m***t.. ctii

-j***t4&Mj&-

^v-*** «/

Deed from John and Sarah Magus
(April 18, 1681)

HISTORY OF THE

TOWN OF WELLESLEY

MASSACHUSETTS

BY THE LATE

HON. JOSEPH E. FISKE

Edited and enlarged by Ellen Ware Fiske

THE PILGRIM PRESS
BOSTON CHICAGO

SocSct fe

THE PILGRIM PRESS
BOSTON

Reprinted by -

fflGGINSON BOOK COMPANY

148 Washington Street, Post Office Box 778

Salem, Massachusetts 01970

Phone. 978A745-7170 Far. 978/745-8025

A complete catalog of thousands of genealogy and local
history lepiints is available from Higginson Books.
Please contact us to order or for more information,
or visit our web site at wwwJhigginsonbooiGS.com.

This facsimile reprint has been photo-reproduced on acid-free
paper. Hardcover bindings are Class A archival quality.

INTRODUCTION

It is not the purpose of this book to record what has already
been written up by other students of the town's affairs, and so
it is best to refer to those who are interested to the following
excellent histories which deal more or less with this locality:

A comprehensive history of Dedham up to 1827 written by
Erastus Worthington contains in the first sixty pages many things
of interest to this part of the Dedham township.

Rev. E. H. Chandler's excellent history of the Wellesley Church
renders anything else on the subject a work of absolute superero-
gation.

George Kuhn Clarke of Needham, our local historian and com-
piler since the death of Charles C. Greenwood of Needham, pub-
lished a book of Epitaphs in 1897 and in 1912 followed with a
most extended history of Needham. Mr. Clarke's epitaphs contain
excellent and interesting descriptions of early families whose
last resting places are found in the cemeteries of North Natick,
Wellesley, Needham and Newton Lower Falls.

Therefore the editor of this work feels that any similar descrip-
tions of families and localities would only be doing over again
work that has already been done. So she offers the slight history
left by her father, with some amplifications on her part.

This book was undertaken at the request of the Wellesley Club,
by whose sanction and encouragement it has been carried on.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction v

List of Illustrations ix

Dates of Interest to the Town xi

Settlement and Original Grants 3

Separation from Needham and Origin of the Name 12

Roads and Bridges 18

Newton Lower Falls — Factories 23

Railroads and Post Offices 26

Churches 28

Public Schools 31

Private Schools 36

Wellesley College 37

Wellesley in the Wars 38

Old Families 50

The Town Farm 52

Taverns — Old Houses 56

Land Owners 62

Items from Early Town Records 64

Early Societies 67

Genealogies of Some of the Older Residents of the Town 68

Social Life at Wellesley 77

Wellesley, 1881-1906 82

Account of Division of the Town 84

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Deed from John and Sarah Magus Frontispiece

OPPOSITE PAGE

Old Grantville Station 26

Rockland Street Bridge 26

Third Meeting House 28

The First Meeting House, Wellesley 28

The Old Unitarian Church 30

The Old Congregational Church, Wellesley Hills 30

Wellesley Square before 1875 38

Wellesley College 38

Wellesley Hills Square, Looking East 56

Wellesley Hills Square, Looking West 56

Maugus Hill from Forest Street 64

View from Maugus Hill 64

The Hunnewell Gardens 72

DATES OF INTEREST TO THE TOWN

1636 Dedham settled.

1659 Natick Dividend.

1668 Dewin House built.

1699 Hundreds grants.

1701 Mill at Lower Falls.

1711 Needham separated from Dedham — 33rd town in State to

be incorporated.

1728 First school house.

1774 West Parish set off.

1775 Three companies sent to Lexington.
1778 West Parish incorporated.

1781 Natick set off.

1797 West Needham church settled a pastor.

1797 Needham Leg set off to Natick.

1834 Railroad to West Needham.

1843 Cornwallis Day observed.

1846 Newton Lower Falls Branch Railroad opened.

1847 North Needham Parish — Moses Grant gives bell to Church —

name becomes Grantville.
1858 Fells School House built (then Pine Plains).
1862 West Needham name changed to Wellesley.
1874 Shaw School built.

New North School Building erected.

1881 Wellesley incorporated as a town.
Catholic Church dedicated.

1882 Woodlawn Cemetery incorporated.

1883 It was voted to have town water.

1884 Woodlawn Avenue lengthened.
Elm Street accepted by the town.
Florence Avenue accepted by the town.
Unitarian Church built.

1885 First report of Water Board.

1886 Waban Street accepted.

Front Street and Linden Street connected.

Freshet carried away foot bridge at Newton Lower Falls.

1887 Concrete sidewalks built.
Watering cart used.

May 21, Mr. Hunnewell deeded Town Hall and Library to the

town.
Fire Department organized.

1888 Kingsbury Street accepted.
Park Commissioners appointed.

1889 Board of Health established as separate from Board of Select-

men.
Wellesley Club organized.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

1890 Wellesley Hills Woman's Club organized.

1891 Chestnut Street and Cliff Road accepted.
Park Street accepted.

Croton Street accepted.

1892 Abbott Street accepted.
Everett Street accepted.
Electric street lighting introduced.
Maugus Club organized.

Fiske School built.

1893 Franchise granted to Natick and Cochituate Street Railway.
Old Hunnewell school house sold.

Superintendent of Schools appointed.
Maugus Avenue accepted.
"Watchmen" appointed.

1894 New High School Building on Washington Street.
Fire Alarm System introduced.

Wellesley Telephone Exchange established at Wellesley

Hills.
St. Andrew's Chapel built.

1895 Washington Elm at Newton Lower Falls taken down.
Chief of Police appointed.

1896 Natick and Cochituate Street Railway open for traffic.
"Watchmen" made police officers.

1897 Prescott Street accepted; Hillside Road accepted,
dishing Street accepted; Cliff Road accepted.
Hawthorne Street accepted; Cypress Street accepted.

1898 Day officers on police staff.
"Our Town" first published.

1899 Friendly Aid organized.

1900 Washington Street widened and rebuilt.
Central Street widened and rebuilt.

Three scholarships given to the town by Wellesley College.
Board of Health becomes a separate department.
Library Trustees a separate board.

1901 Police Signal Department established.

1901 New building for Wellesley Hills Congregational Church

erected.
Board of Water and Municipal Light Commissioners created.

1902 Water and Electric Light Commissioners consolidated.

1903 Boston and Worcester Street Railway opened.
Police Signal system established.

Hose 3 built.

Block System introduced.

Town Council without salary.

1904 Wellesley National Bank established.

1905 Brook Street accepted.

Name of Chestnut Street changed to Cliff Road.
Wellesley Village Improvement Society organized.
"Townsman" first published.

xii

DATES OF INTEREST

Hospital Deed of Trust declared and Trustees appointed.

1906 Fairbanks Avenue accepted.

Hills and Falls Village Improvement Society organized.

1907 New High School built on Kingsbury Street.
Cliff Road extended to Weston line.
Bradford Road accepted.

Name of Blossom Street changed back to Weston Road.
Wellesley Firemen's Relief Association organized.

1908 Elm Park Hotel and grounds taken over by the town, through

private subscriptions and town appropriation.
All night schedule for street lights.

1909 Hampton Street accepted.
Appropriation Committee appointed.

Foot bridge at Newton Lower Falls rebuilt.

1910 Town Farm discontinued as such and leased to the Wellesley

Country Club.
Pine Street accepted.
Hundreds Road accepted.
Fire whistle instituted.

1911 Alice Phillips Union school built on Seaward Road.
Arlington Road accepted.

Franklin Road accepted.

Fletcher Road accepted.

Advisory Committee appointed and Appropriation Committee

discontinued.
Tablet to Revolutionary soldiers dedicated on College grounds.
Two additional scholarships given to the town by Wellesley

College.
Teachers' pension fund accepted by the town.
Maple Place changed to Seaward Road.
Tablet dedicated to Revolutionary Soldiers.

1912 New set of town by-laws accepted by the town.
Expert accountant appointed.

Art commissioners chosen.

1913 Library Exchange at Wellesley Hills established.
Building laws adopted.

River Ridge Road accepted.
Prospect Street accepted.
Livermore Road extension accepted.
Solon Street accepted.
Middlesex Street accepted.

1914 Bancroft Road accepted.
Morton Street accepted.
Leighton Road accepted.

Main Building Wellesley College burned.

1915 Population 6439.

Voted to enter Metropolitan Sewerage System.

1916 St. Paul's Mission built church in Wellesley.

Wellesley Congregational Church burned.

xiii

HISTORY OF THE
TOWN OF WELLESLEY

SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL GRANTS

The history of the town of Wellesley is necessarily brief as
the town was incorporated as late as April 6, 1881. It was, until
that time, a part of the town of Needham (incorporated in 1711),
and previous to that its territory was included within the limits
of Dedham.

In 1635 the general court then sitting at Newtowne (now
Cambridge) granted a tract of land south of the Charles River
to twelve men. In 1636 nineteen men, including the original
twelve, petitioned the general court then at Boston for all the
land south of the Charles River and above the falls and a tract
five miles square north of the Charles. This land includes what
is now Dedham, Wrentham, Needham, Wellesley, Walpole, Bel-
lingham, Franklin, Dover, Natick and a part of Sherborn.

On the 28th of September, 1638, several men were sent out
from Dedham to "discover the river" above the town. They re-
turned on the 10th of October, having gone perhaps ten miles along
its course.

In 1643 Major Eleazer Lusher and Lieutenant Daniel Fisher
laid out the tract of land which includes Needham, Natick, Welles-
ley and a portion of Sherborn.

The northern bounds of the plantation were fixed by order
of the general court in May 1639, when the southern line of
Watertown was stated to run to "Partition Point" and so upon
the same point still till it be from their meeting house eight
miles, and this line was set up as the bounds between Dedham and
Watertown until Dedham shall have taken in the five miles square
granted them, "so as it shall not run within two miles of Coij-
chawicke Ponds." The line was run by Mr. Oliver. Watertown
had accepted against Dedham's claim to land on the north two
years before, and not until May, 1651, was the matter settled be-
tween the two towns, when a committee of both towns met and
agreed upon the line, "beginning at Partition Point and so to
run straight west, something inclining toward the south."

This line runs West 13 South, and is in length 993 rods be-
tween Weston, which was set off from Watertown, January 1, 1712.

This line became the northern line of Needham when that pre-
cinct was set off from Dedham, November 5, 1711, and the north
line of Wellesley when that town was set off from Needham,
April 6, 1881.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

The land was owned by the Indians and later purchased by the
whites, but "the Pilgrims and Puritans mostly looked on the In-
dians as heathen whose inheritance God meant to give to his peo-
ple as of old he had dealt with Israel and their heathen"; and
therefore they agreed that their moral right was practically with-
out question.

But there came a time when the inhabitants of Dedham,
dreading interference with their title to the lands occupied by
them, sought in common with the people of other plantations at
this time, to ratify their title so far as possible. They obtained
the deeds now preserved in the town archives of Dedham.

In April, 1680, the town of Dedham agreed to give to William
Nehoiden ten pounds in money, forty shillings in Indian corn,
forty acres of land for territory seven miles long from east to west
on the north side of the Charles river and five miles wide. In the
same year the town of Dedham gave the sachem Magos three
pounds in Indian corn and five in money for his lands around
Magos' hill. Thus were the Indian titles to Natick and Needham
extinguished. (Dedham Town Records.)

Nehoiden's grant was chiefly connected with the Needham land
— Na-ha-tan. Magos, as written by him, though pronounced Mau-
gus, deeded what is substantially Wellesley to the town of Dedham.
He was one of John Eliot's "Natick Indians."

Maugus' habitation is generally supposed to have been near
the spring at the junction of Brookside Road and Oakland Street.
He probably had other wigwams, one at Maugus Hill and another
in Natick, as it was the custom of the Indians to move about accord-
ing to the season. His father was Jacob, whom we find signing a
deed in 1639. He probably was one of the Concord Indians. His
brother Simon went to Maine. Maugus had no sons, but his daugh-
ter Catherine married William Tray. Maugus was taken to Deer
Island with other Natick Indians in 1676, and we hear of him
as joining Captain Samuel Hunting's Company to aid Seabury. He
was one of the few Indians who could write his name, and was
one of four teachers who taught the Natick Indians, receiving ten
pounds per annum. His confession of faith is given in John Eliot's
Fears of Repentance, published in 1652. His wife's Indian name,
is said to have been Waukeena, though her Christian name after
baptism was Sarah.

The deeds are as follows: one is dated April 14, 1680, from
William Nahatan (signature written bahaton), Alias Quaanan, his
brothers Peter Natoogus and Benjamin Nahaton and their sisters
Tahheesaish Nahuton and Hanna Nahaton (signature Nahuton)
Alias lam Mew Wosh, living in Punkapogg, near Blue Hill, "con-
veys to Dedham all their interest in a tract of land as it lyeth
towards the northerly side of the bounds of Dedham by the Great
Falls in the Charles River and bounded upon the Charles River
towards the East and upon said River up stream as the river lyeth
and so continuing abutting upon said river until it came to the
brook called Natick Saw Mill Brook and abutteth upon said brook

SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL GRANTS

toward the west, and so with a varying line near the southerly side
of the herd yards and from thence near the foot of Maugus Hill on
the southerly side and from thence the same course until the line
come to that brook called Rosemary Meadow Brook and the said
Brook to the Charles River is the rest of the bound."

The other dated April 18, 1681, from John Magus and Sarah
Magus, Indians inhabiting Natick, conveys to the town the whole
parcel of land in Dedham bounded upon Watertown bounds in part
and Natick in part toward the north upon Natick, bounds towards
the west and southwest upon the Charles River toward the south
and upon the lands that William Nahayton sold to Dedham towards
the southeast and upon the Charles River toward the northeast.
(Dedham Town Records.) (There was doubt as to whether Nehoi-
den did not own all the land in this vicinity, but as Maugus laid
claim to this part, his claim was recognized.)

The line between Maugus and Nahaton runs about 200 rods dis-
tant northeast from the boundary lines between Needham and
Wellesley. Maugus' land included the herd yard which (as near as
can be made out) was located between Linden and Seaver Streets
on both sides of the brook which flows into Dewing brook not far
from the Edwin Fuller place. Mr. Charles Kingsbury occupied a
part of an ancient homestead (now belonging to E. H. Fay) and this
house probably stands on the herd yard land.

There have been many Indian relics picked up on the old Rice
farm at Lower Falls, and there are evidences that the glen north of
Glen Road, through which the brook from Indian Spring flows to the
river, was a favorite camping place. Here indeed may have been
the site of the Indian village called Coowate, a name derived per-
haps from words which would signify a sleeping place, or possibly,
though not so likely, from the prevalence of pine trees at this bend
of the river. The place was so called at the time of King Philip's
War.

Natick Saw Mill Brook was the brook which connects Lake
Waban with the Charles River, running under Washington Street
just east of the Durant residence. John Eliot built a saw mill there
in the early settlement of the Indians in that part of Dedham which
was called by the Indian name of Natick (a place of hills). At the
request of Eliot, the missionary to the Indians, Dedham granted in
1651, two thousand acres of land for the Indian village. The Indians
had been gathered together at Nonantum from various other places,
but it was deemed advisable to take them further inland away
from the whites. Eliot preached his first sermon to the Indians,
October 28, 1646, at Nonantum in Waban's wigwam.

Waban was originally a Concord Indian, and died in 1674, aged
seventy years. His widow, Tansunsquaw, the eldest daughter of the
Concord sachem, Tahattawan, and his son Thomas were living in
Natick in 1684. Thomas' Indian name was Weegrammomenet.
Waban inherited his property through his wife's family. A war-
rant issued by him is interesting for its quaint English:

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

"You, you big constable; quick you catchem Jeremiah Offscow;
strong you holdem, safe you bringum afore me, Thomas Waban,

Justice peace."

The story is told that Waban's wife said that it was hard work
now that her husband had become a gentleman to meet the require-
ments, so she went to Mrs. William Deming's to learn how to iron
pleated shirts.

The Indians were divided into four companies. Two of them
being within our present precincts are worth noting: "1676. . . .
Another company live near Natic adjoining the garrison house of
Andrew Dewin and his sons, who desire their neighborhood and are
under his protection; the number of these be about fifty souls, of
whom 10 were men. A third company of them with Waban live
near the falls of the Charles River, near to the house of Joseph
Miller and not far from Capt. Prentice. The number of these be
about sixty souls of whom 12 were men."

Lake Waban, called at different times Saw Mill Pond — Cun-
ningham's— Bullard's — received its present name in the early 60's.
The Indian name of Charles River was Quinobequin, generally sup-
posed to mean the river that turns upon itself. It was named for
King Charles by John Smith in his trip along the coast in 1614. Cor-
vate, meaning Great Falls, was an early name used in the vicinity.
Cochituate, meaning Long Pond, and so called at one time, was
variously Cochichawick, Cochitua, and Wachituate.

In 1676 the Natick Indians were accused of burning an old
barn in Dedham and were sent to Deer Island as punishment. It
is questioned whether other Indians or even English hostile to the
Prajing Indians did not do this, and lay the crime at their door.
These Praying Indians were established throughout the colony in
about six communities. They and their friends were ridiculed by
the other inhabitants and were so obnoxious to them that if they
could be injured in any way it was done. About two hundred from
Natick were hurried to Deer Island at an hour's notice. They em-
barked at The Pines, probably opposite the Arsenal at Watertown,
with what household goods they could take with them. Captain
Prentice had charge of them and did all he could to aid them. The
winter was very severe and they suffered rnanj' hardships. When
they returned they found their houses burned and their household
goods destroyed. Major Gookin had general oversight of all the
Indians of the colony and when he died Captain Prentice was given
the superintendence of affairs.

The Natick records have the following list of officers elected in
the first recorded town meeting:

Selectmen James Speen

Capt Thomas Waban

Lt. John Wamsquam
Tythingmen John Thomas Senr
Peter Ephraim

SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL GRANTS

George Takechap
Samel Pegan
Samel English
Constable Saml Abraham
Fence viewer James Wish
Surveyors of Abraham Speen
Highways Thos. Peegan

Schoolmaster John Thomas Senr
Heywards Peter upbakatah Jun.
Sam'U Bowman
Jno. Speen
Town Clerk Capt. Waban

By John Leveritt's Order

Among intentions of marriage are those of Abraham Speen and
Rachel Waban April 20, 1737; Isaak and Elizabeth Peegan August
6, 1738, forbidden by Patiames Tom August 7, 1738; Comacho and
Sarah Ephraim January 13, 1741; Sarah Comacho Jr. and Jonas
Tom May 16, 1793; Anthony Dego and Thankful Quacco, December
11, 1755. Among the deaths are the following from the church
records who were descendants of Waban: —

Waban— Esther wid. of 1747-8

capt., 1722

— w. of isaac, 1743

Isaac, Jan. 15, 1745-6

— Jabez s. of Hezekiah Mar. — 1751

— • Moses 1746

Rachel wid. of Dec. 17, 1745

Sarah w. of Thomas Jun. 1752

Solomon s. of Hezekiah 1756

Thorn (as) 1733

Thomas 1752

The whole management of the village was given over to the
Indians, and they governed and controlled it for many years, but
the tribe died out slowly but surely, and by 1826 was extinct. In
1672 the government parsed into the hands of the English. Daniel
Takawumpbait was an Indian pastor in 1716, and on his death the
church broke up and by 1729 there was an English and Indian
church under Mr. Peabody.

The earliest general grant of land within the present Wellesley
precincts was in 1659 when the Dedham planters laid out a division
of corn land called the Natick dividend and the grants were made
at Natick Saw Mill Brook to Peter Woodward, John Aldis, Rev. John
Allin, Thomas Metcalf, Theophilus Fray, Michael Metcalf, Andrew
Dewin, Richard Wheeler, the church of Dedham, Natick School Farm
of three hundred acres, this latter being now the B. P. Cheney estate.
There were forty-seven grants practically all of them bordering upon

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Sawmill Pond, Natick Brook, Charles River and Natick. Almost all
of this land was in the present precincts of Wellesley, Needham and
Dover.

The town record has the following: "Feb. 2, 1659, upon a ques-
tion proposed by the committee that were deputed to lay out the
land near Natick that is what is the town's intent in their former
vote near about Natick wheresoever. The town for explanation
therefore declare by their vote that they intend all the land that is
fit for corn land first at the southeast side of the Charles River and
near or adjoining thereto, and also on plain that lies near our Town
containing about 100 acres more or less and also the remainder of
that plain whereupon Natick Meeting House stands and also the
lands between Natick Brook and the house and about that house and
all about Maugus, his wigwam and so down towards the River there,
that is so much as is fit for improvements for corn." i (Copied from
writing book.)

The next grant was in March, 1695, when the proprietors voted
to lay out the lands within the town bounds on the northerly side
of Sherburne to the lower falls, which lands are in Sherburne. In
1699 thirty-four hundred acres were accordingly laid out and as-
signed to those who could show their rights therein. (Vol. 5 Ded-
ham Records. P. 249.)

The assignments were as follows:

DEDHAM GRANTS

2-451-1. Granted vnto the Town of Dedham A farme of three

hundred acres of upland medow and Swamp to be Wholy to
the use and benifit of a Schoole in Dedham to be Improued
for the maintinance thereof lying within our bounds
towards Sudbery layed out and Return thereof made by
Mr. Timothy Dwight Jonath Gay and John Smith the
Commity Chosen and deputed thereunto as it lyeth Abut-
ting upon a pond towards the South the wast land to-
wards the west Watertown lyne towards the North the
wast land towards the East

2-475-2. Granted to the Church in Dedham and to their suc-

cessor and Assignes forever fifty acres of land and to
William Avery and to his Heires and Assignes forever
fifty acres the whole being one hundred acres lying un-
devided in the Devident of land layed out on the North-
erly side of Sherborn Road bounded Abutting upon the
Road leading from Sherborn to the lower falls in Charles
River towards the South and upon the fifth lot towards
the North upon a great Pond towards the west and upon
a way left to the other lots towards the East

2-471-1. Granted to Samvell Mors and to his Heyers and As-

signes forever one thousand and four hundred acres of
land as it lyeth in that devident agreed upon and layed

SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL GRANTS

out on the Northerly side of Sherborn Rode leading to the
falls the propriaty thereof being purchesed of severall of
the propriators of this Town of Dedham as apper by
Deeds under their hands to said Samvell Mors Abutting
upon Mathew Rice in part and John Coller in part to-
wards the North upon Natick towards the west and South
upon the Schoole farme in part a Pond and a Brooke
mining out of the same in part towards the East the whole
of said tract of land be it more or less 1699

2-473-5. Granted to John Smith and to his Heires and Assignes

forever one hundred acres of land as it lyeth in that
devident of land on the North side of Sherborn Roade
abutting upon Watertown line towards the North and
upon the land of said John Smith towards the South and
upon marked trees marked two on the west and two on
the East side of said lot on that side of the trees Next to
said lot it being the second lot in number

2-473-4. Granted to Eleazer Kingsbery and to his Heires and

Assignes forever one hundred acres of land lying in that
devident layed out on the North side of Sherborn Road
Abutting upon Watertown line towards the North and
upon lots in Natick devident towards the south and is
bounded East and west by trees marked with three on
that side next to this lot being numbered for a third lot
in laying out

2-473-6. Granted to John Huntting Sen and to his Heires and

Assignes forever one hundred acres of land more or less
as it lyeth in that Devident on the North side of Sher-
born Road Abutting upon Watertown line towards the
North and vpon Natick Devident towards the South and
South East and upon Eleazer Kingsbery towards the west
and upon Capt Daniell Fisher towards the East the trees
being marked with four on the East and west side of the
same it being the fourth lot in number

2-472-3. Granted to Capt Daniell Fisher and to his Heirs and

Assignes forever four hundred acres of land as it lyeth
in that devident of land on the north side of Sherborn
Roade one hundred acres abutting upon Watertown line
towards the North and upon Sherborn Road in part and
John Parker in part towards the South and is bounded
and marked East and west by trees being marked with
the number eight on that side next to it being the eight
lot: More two hundred acres of land in the same Devi-
dent as it is bounded Abutting upon Watertown line to-
wards the North and upon Sherborn Road towards the
South: being the fifth and sixth lots and is bounded by

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

trees marked six on the East side and with trees marked
with five on the west side of said lots: More one hun-
dred acres as it is bounded and Abutts upon the hundred
acres drawn for the Church and for William Avery to-
wards the South East being the fifth lot and is bounded
by trees marked with five on the SouthEast side of said
lot and with trees marked with five on the Northwest
side of said lot and upon a Brooke in part and a Pond
in part towards the Southwest and upon land left for a
way towards the NorthEast

Granted to William Bullard Capt John Fisher Georg
Robinson Andrew Watkins Jeremiah Gay, Benjemin Fair-
banks and to their heirs and Assignes foruver two hun-
dred acres of land in that divident lying on the north-
wardly side of Sherburn Road to the lower falls comonly
called Sherburn devident The first hundred acres being
Numbred the Seventh lot bounded upon the boundery line
between Nedham and Watertown towards the North upon
the sixth lot drawn by Capt Fisher deceased towards
the east upon the Shereburn Road toward the South upon
the eight lot drawn by sd Fisher deceased towards the
west. The second hundred acres of land lying in the same
devident being the seventh lot in the drawing bounded
upon the School land towards the west, upon the hundred
drawn by Mills Woodcock Aldrig and Metcalfe towards
the South — upon the hundred drawn by Benjemin Mills
toward the North: the Intrest of the above said pro-
prietors is as followeth Capt John Fisher nine acres and
sixty rods William Bullard fifty acres Georg Robinson
ninty two acres and one half acre six acres and one quar-
ter of these acres is upon the rights of Jonathan Gay
deceased thirty nine acres and three quarters is upon the
Rights of the heirs of Benjemin fairbanks Andrew Wad-
kins six acres and one quarter upon the Right of Edward
Cook March 2d 1715-16

2-475-1. Granted to Benjamin Mills and to his Hares and as-

signes forever two hundred acres of land in the Devident
on the north side of Sherborn Road in two perciells one
hundred acres bounded Abutting upon land granted to the
school in Dedham towards the west and upon Watertown
line towards the North and upon trees marked one to-
wards the South and upon trees marked three : in part
towards the East The other hundred acres of land more
or less is bounded Abutting upon Watertown line towards
the northwest and upon the land of John Parker in part
and the land of Joseph Daniells in part towards the South
East and upon trees marked nine towards the Southwest
and northEast

SETTLEMENT AND ORIGINAL GRANTS

2-474-9. Granted to Joseph Faierbanke Samvell Whitting Timo-

thy Whitting & Jonathan Whitting to them their Heires
and Assignes forever one hundred acres of land more or
less on the North side of Sherborn Road bounded Abut-
ting upon a Pond in part & a Brook towards the West
& upon the land of Capt Daniell Fisher towards the South
& upon trees marked four on one side and three on the
other side towards the North & upon a Highway towards
the East: each of them Interested in said hundred acres
proportionable to their Interest in Cow Common Rights
in Dedham

2-476-3. Granted to Capt Daniell Fisher and to his Heires and

Assignes forever two hundred a^res of land more or less
bounded Abutting upon Watertown line towards the
North & upon the land of Joseph Daniells in part and
the land of said Fisher in part towards the South &
bounded by trees marked eleven on the one side and
twelve on the other side towards the East and by trees
marked ten on the one side and nine on the other side
towards the west being the easterly bounds of the fifth
lot in the drawing but the ninth in number and the trees
abovesaid marked eleven on one side and twelve on the
other is the westerly bounds of the first lot in drawing
but ye twelveth in number

2-472-2. Granted to John Baker Nathanell- Richards Jonathan

Gay & Edward Deuotion to them and their Heyers and
Assignes forever to each of them according to their In-
terest in that devident of land layed out over Sherborn
Roade towards Watertown two hundred acres more or
less as it is bounded and Abutteth upon Watertown line
towards the North upon Charls River towards the East
and upon the way leading from Sherborn to the lower
falls towards the South and upon the eleventh lote to-
wards the west & northwest the trees marked eleven on
one side and twelve on the other

Sherburne Road (now Washington Street) was originally the
Indian trail, and called the Natick path, from Nonantum (Newton)
to Sherburne or Dedham, (Sherburne then being the westerly part
of Dedham). It was laid out from Boston to Sherburne in 1671.

The fourteen hundred acres assigned to Samuel Morse was in
that part of the present Natick then called "Needham Leg," and
now Felchville.2 In 1701 the town of Dedham sold for fifty pounds
its school farm to Jeremiah Gay, whose daughter Sibell married
Ephraim Stevens of Holden, October 11, 1759, and this land, carefully
surveyed, was kept intact in the family as late as 1835. This is the
only exact survey recorded, the rest of the land being only approx-
imately estimated, as far as any one seems to know. The Stevens'
land extended from Morse's Pond (once called Broad's Pond) to

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Weston town line 167 rods wide at Weston line; 377 rods was on
line running north and south. A part of this land now belongs to
Abel Stevens. A few years ago there stood a short distance in the
rear of the present Stevens house, an old house which very possibly
was the home of Jeremiah Gay who died according to the town
records April 26, 1770.

Wellesley Hills was included almost wholly in the tract of
land assigned to Captain Daniel Fisher of Dedham, who took Sir
Edmund Andros by the collar and drew him from his place of
refuge back to Fort Hill in the Rebellion of 1699.3 Our present tract
of woodland known as the "Hundreds" is of course a part of the old
1699 dividend.

1 In the settlement of the plantation boundaries in 1663 the Saw
Mill Brook was made the boundary line of Dedham at this point and
this was adhered to in the after adjustment of 1700 and for one hundred
and fifty years later the Saw Mill Brook and Pond are referred to in
the conveyance of land in this direction.

2 Tradition says that Indians in Deerfield, wishing to join the Na-
ticks bargained their lands there for an equal number of acres in Ded-
ham, adjoining Natick, and that the tract assigned in exchange, being
afterwards found to overrun, the amount of the leg was detached and
sold to Samuel Morse, and his title recorded as above in the books of the
proprietors of Dedham. On his death his son Samuel settled on the
Natick land. (Morse's Genealogy.)

3 Grievously oppressed by the administration of Andros, and hear-
ing indirectly of the landing of the Prince of Orange in England and
the consequent revolution in the government there, the people of Massa-
chusetts, without waiting for a confirmation, determined to take its
truth for granted, and simultaneously set about accomplishing a revo-
lution of their own. On the morning of April 18, 1689, Boston was in
arms. The governor and Council were seized and confined, and the
old magistrates reinstated. The country people came into town in such
heat and rage as made all tremble to think what would follow. Nothing
would satisfy but that the Governor must be bound in chains or cords
and put in a more secure place; and for their quiet he was guarded
by them to the fort. Whose hand was on the collar of that prisoner,
leading him through the excited crowd, at once securing him from es-
cape and guarding him from outrage? It was the hand of Daniel Fisher
of Dedham; aye, "a second Daniel come to JUDGMENT," a son of the
farmer, and heir of his energetic ardor in the cause of freedom, the son
of Abigail Morse, and a just representative of traits characteristic of
her father's race for at least five generations. (Copied from old records
in Morse's Genealogy.)

SEPARATION FROM NEEDHAM AND ORIGIN

OF THE NAME

Natick was set off from Dedham in 1781, and Needham Leg
was added to Natick in 1797, one thousand six hundred and fifty-
six acres being taken from Needham and Needham getting four
hundred and four acres in turn, making a better boundary line on
the south and fixing the final line between Natick and Needham
which had previously been about on the line of the ponds — Waban
and Morse's.

From 1750 to 1796 the Hunnewell estate belonged to the Indian
town of Natick, and when in 1797 an exchange was made with
Needham for the so-called Needham Leg six hundred acres of the
Hunnewell estate fell within the present town of Wellesley. In
addition Needham received into its West Parish eighteen very de-

SEPARATION FROM NEEDHAM

sirable families which were a most welcome addition, and made
the community feel authorized in calling a minister. Parson Noyes
was the first minister and preached until 1833.

In 1711 the western part of Needham was incorporated as
Needham, the name being taken from the neighboring town of the
English Dedham.

From then to 1774 there was but one parish in the town of
Needham, but as early as 1732 inhabitants of the westerly part
asked to be freed of taxes. In 1738 it was voted "to free the in-
habitants west of Natick Brook at this time as to repairing and
building pews in the Meeting House." May 2, 1767 an article in
the warrant called for "a committee to find the center of the town
for a meeting house, otherwise let the westerly portion go over to
Natick." This was passed in the negative. In 1774 after the burning
of the meeting house the previous year it was voted not to accept
of the judgment of the later committee for the court which was
that the "Meeting House should stand at or near the second center
in order to accommodate the town." The West End, however, was
excused from paying towards the Meeting House if erected where
the Town voted, and "provided they proceed in building a meeting
house and maintain preaching among them." The petitions of
1774 and 1778 resulted in the establishing of the West Parish. Two
hundred pounds were at once raised by subscription and a meeting
house was commenced but not finished for several years, and
preaching was "maintained" but a settled ministry was not estab-
lished for more than twenty years.

July 6, 1778, the West Precinct, having been incorporated by
act of the General Court, was formally organized by the choice of
Captain Eleazer Kingsberry, moderator, Lieutenant William Ful-
ler, precinct clerk, Captain Caleb Kingsberry, precinct treasurer,
and Captain Eleazar Kingsberry, Lieutenant Isaac Goodenow and
Mr. Jonathan Dewing, precinct committee.

Freedom in religious matters did not, however, entirely satisfy
the inhabitants of the westerly part of the town, as, very early,
efforts were made to obtain separate political rights. A strenuous
effort was made in 1801. In 1817 a committee chosen to investi-
gate reported favorably for a division; 1820 and 1821 brought
similar appeals. In 1852 i and 1859 2 efforts were again made, but
in all cases they were practically ignored, and when the final divi-
sion came, the records for the following town meeting in Needham
contains no mention whatever of the change.

In 1880 an appeal was made, with almost absolute unanimity by
the inhabitants of the west side, now grown to be a large and
wealthy community, to the Legislature, and with so great force
of reason and argument that the petition was granted, and the
town incorporated and named Wellesley.

Under the act of incorporation, Solomon Flagg, town clerk of
Needham for thirty years and a warm advocate of incorporation,
called a meeting for the organization of the town and the follow-
ing officers were chosen, April 18, 1881: moderator, George K.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Daniell; town clerk, Solomon Flagg; town treasurer, Albert Jen-
nings; selectmen and overseers of the poor, Lyman K. Putney, Wal-
ter Hunnewell, John W. Shaw; assessors, George K. Daniell, Jo-
seph H. Dewing, Dexter Kingsbury; school committee, Joseph E.
Fiske, for three years, Benjamin H. Sanborn, for two years, Mar-
shall L. Perrin, for one year.

At a subsequent meeting, April 30th, appropriations were made
for expenses, among others, eight thousand dollars for schools,
three thousand five hundred dollars for highways and sidewalks,
and it was voted that no licenses to sell intoxicating liquors should
be granted.

Under the act of incorporation, certain matters were left for
adjustment and settlement between the parent town and Welles-
ley, which were all satisfactorily arranged, the provision with re-
gard to the support of schools being put into the hands of a com-
mission and settled later.

In the autumn of 1882 it was voted by the town to petition
the Legislature to pass an act to allow the town to introduce
water for domestic and other purposes and a committee was chosen
to examine into the matter of water supply and report to the
town.

The Legislature passed the act asked for and the committee,
of which Judge George White was chairman, reported a plan to
the town, advising pumping water from the borders of the Charles
River, near the northeasterly limit of the town, on or near land of
Charles Rice, into a reservoir upon Maugus Hill and thence dis-
tributing it substantially over the whole town. This report was
accepted and full effect given to it at a subsequent meeting, Dec.
22, 1883, at which meeting Albion R. Clapp was chosen water com-
missioner for three years, William S. Ware for two years and
Walter Hunnewell for one year.

The town of Wellesley is rectangular in shape though some-
what irregular, being about four and one-half miles in length and
about two and one-quarter in width. Its neighbors on the south
are Needham and Dover, on the east, the "Garden City," Newton,
on the north, Weston, and on the west, Natick. The Charles River
flows along its entire eastern boundary, and for a short distance
along its southeasterly limit.

The town has a wide reputation for healthfulness, owing in
great measure to its elevation, combined with the dryness of its soil
and freedom from all malarial and other unhealthful tendencies.
Its charm consists in its rural atmosphere, its pleasant homes, its
delightful drives and its beautiful scenery. The main street, named
for our first president and noted with favor by Washington when
he made his tour in 1789, as a "good road," affords a notable drive,
much of the way arched with trees, passing by churches of various
architecture and varied beliefs, by the former home of Dr. Wil-
liam Morton, the discoverer of that greatest of boons to human
sufferers, sulphuric ether; by the college, the monument of Henry
F. Durant; by beautiful Lake Waban, Lake of the Wind, named

SEPARATION FROM NEEDHAM

for Eliot's first convert, by the villas of the Hunnewells to the
limits of the town of Natick. Two conduits of the Boston Water
Works mar the landscape in general, but in a few places, as the
long viaduct across Waban Brook, and the bridge across the Charles,
add beauties of architecture to the natural scenery.

The name "Wellesley" is derived from the Welles family.
Samuel Welles, the maternal grandfather of the late Mrs. H. H.
Hunnewell, Senior, bought the place at the corner of Washington
Street and Pond Road (then called Saw Mill Road — later Ward's
Lane) as early as 1763. This place was occupied by him for many
years as a farm and summer home.

His father, Samuel Welles, a graduate of Yale College, 1707,
married Hannah Arnold and removed to Boston, where his wife in-
herited large property in the vicinity of Boylston Market and where
the State House now stands. The two sons, of Samuel, Samuel
(born 1725, died 1799) and Arnold were graduated from Harvard
College in 1744 and 1745 and appear first in the Triennial Cata-
logue of the college, indicating their very high social position.

Samuel married in 1772 Abigail Pratt, daughter of Chief Jus-
tice Pratt of New York state. He was; succeeded in the ownership
of the property by his nephew, John Welles, son of Arnold Welles.
John Welles (born 1764, died 1855, a member of the class of Har-
vard College 1782) was the lineal descendant of Thomas Welles,
of royal English descent, who came over with Lord Say and Seele,
as private secretary, in 1736, and was afterwards chosen one of
the magistrates of the Colony of Connecticut, its treasurer, deputy
governor, and finally governor. Besides being a member of the
firm of Welles and Company, Paris and Boston bankers, John
Welles was interested in scientific farming and stock-raising. He
was a pioneer in the importation of blooded stock from England,
giving especial attention to Durham stock.

Mr. Welles at one time owned largely of real estate in Natick,
Sherborn and surrounding towns, as well as in Needham. The town
farm, now the Country Club, was bought from him by Needham
in 1828, he having bought it from the Kingsbury family.

The Welles homestead on Pond Road originally belonged to
Jonathan Richardson, a blacksmith. The property contained a
house and sixty-three acres of land in six parcels, all bought of
the Indians previous, to 1743. This house was moved to the vil-
lage of South Natick and the southwest end of the present house
built. It is now over one hundred and fifty years old. A later
part was built in 1829 by Arnold Welles who inherited from
Samuel at his death in 1799 the homestead and 310 acres. Part of
this including Train Hill, Maple Hill and King Hill, later became
the property of Benjamin Welles, who was bought out by H. H.
Hunnewell. Mr. Hunnewell also purchased from other heirs.

The Morrill house, owned and built by Dr. Isaac Morrill in
1775, was sold by him in 1836 to Cutler who in the same year
conveyed to John Welles. This is now the home of Mrs. Francis
W. Sargent.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

John Welles married Abigail (born 1776 and died 1844) the
daughter of Samuel* and Isabella (Pratt) Welles, and their daugh-
ter Isabella married H. H. Hunnewell, the son of Dr. Walter Hun-
newell of Watertown. Mr. Hunnewell was born in 1810, and very
early went* to Paris to engage in business in the firm of Welles
and Company, remaining there until 1839, when he returned to
Massachusetts, making his summer residence in the "Morrill
House" until 1852, when he erected the present homestead

This estate has been a prominent object of attraction in the
town for many years, especially among those who take an interest
in horticulture. The Italian Gardens overlooking the Lake and
opposite the college buildings, laid out in 1854, were the first of
their kind in the country.

In addition to opening his gardens to the public, Mr. Hunnewell
gave to the town a park of ten acres to surround the town hall
and library, which building he gave "to promote the prosperity of
the town of Wellesley and the welfare and happiness of its inhab-
itants and at the same time to advance the cause of sound learning,
education and letters." The period of construction of the library
building ran from 1880 to 1883; and that of the town hall from
1883 to 1886.

The town seal was designed by the architect of the building,
George R. Shaw, the brother of Robert G. Shaw. The open book
stands for Wellesley College, the conventionalized flower across the
book for the Hunnewell Gardens, and the tomahawk and Indian
arrows for early associations with the Indian inhabitants.

At a special town meeting in the fall of 1887 the following reso-
lutions were unanimously adopted: "We, the citizens of Wellesley
in town meeting assembled, cordially recognizing the continued
public spirit and great generosity of our distinguished fellow-towns-
man, H. Hollis Hunnewell, do heartily thank him, as for his former,
so now for his latest munificent gift, the beautiful and commodious
town hall, and assure him of our increasing esteem and affection :
and it is further Resolved, that, while we accept the costly building
for ourselves and for our children to be used in the interest of the
town, we hold and cherish it, built as it is of imperishable stones,
as a fitting memorial of the purity, integrity and worth of the man
who gave it. And be it further Resolved, that these resolutions be
entered on the records of the town and that they be forwarded to
our fellow-townsman, H. H. Hunnewell."

In 1915 a bronze tablet was put up on the wall in the entrance
of the town hall, commemorating the gift.

A further gift of land for a playground on Washington Street
is of great value to the town. And it is a pleasure to record the
continued interest and liberality of Mr. Hunnewell's descendants
in all that purports to the welfare of the town.

(Copied from a report of a special committee made December
6, 1859.)

(Also see paper on the division of the town at end of book.)

SEPARATION FROM NEEDHAM

1 An old document, evidently written by the editor's grandfather, gives
the list of men who subscribed in 1852 in an effort to divide the east
and west. General Charles Rice and Emery Fisk were the leaders in the
movement.

Proposition of the west Parrish to the East uppon the subject of
divideing the Town.

In case of a division We propose

1st to sell all the public property & pay all debts the Town owe and
divide the surplus if any equel betwen the two parishes.

2nd We propose to surrender all our right & interest in the Dover
school land to the East Parrish.

3rd We propose to pay to the East parrish on the 2nd Monday of
December annually for five years the sum of one Thousand dollars per
year.

This part of the document is unsigned but it is accompanied by the
following statement of receipts and expenditures, showing who were the
men interested:

Needham, Feb. 1852.
An account of money paid in on a subscription list for the purpose of
defraying the Expense caused by petitioning the Legeslature to divide
the town:

Cash Rec'd.

William Flagg $3.00

Emery Fisk 3.00

Luther Gilbert 3.00

Charles Kingsbury 1.00

John A. Libby 50

Henry L. Howe 50

Robert S. Bullarrt 50

Nath. Wales, Jr 3.00

H. G. Perkins 1.00

John Mansfield 50

Dexter Kingsbury 1.00

Daniel Ware 1.00

H. A. Fuller 1.00

I. W. Wright 1.00

H. T. Guild 1.00

Andrew Rigelow 2.00

L. A. Kingsbury 1.00

George Jennings 1.00

James Moulton $1.00

Richard Parker 1.00

Edwin Fuller 1.00

Augustus Fuller 1.00

Ruel Ware 1.00

Wm. H. Flagg 50

C. T. Dedmon 50

W. G. Snelling 1.00

D. Ware 1.00

Willard Kingsbury 1.00

George Smith 1.50

S. T. Smith 1.50

Jonathan Fuller, Jr 3.00

George W. Hoogs, Jr 1.00

George F. Darling 1.00

John Davis 1.50

Daniel Morse 2.00

Dea. H. Fuller 50

Then follows under date of March 1, 1852 the following statement:
Account of Money Paid per order of the committee chosen for the
purpose of attending to the subject of the petition upon dividing the
Town.

March 1st, Paid J. B. Whitaker for plan of Town of Needham $5.37

" 2nd paid for package tickets! 3.00

" 3rd paid at commonwelth office for printing 7.14

" 3rd Do plowman office 2.50

" 9th Do for 2nd plan of Town 5.00

" 13th Do Col. Chester Adams for attending before the Committee

at the Legeslature 90

C. C. Andrews, Esq. for professional services 15.00

Whiting and Russell 15.00

2 At a special Town Meeting of the legal voters of Needham, on the
eighth day of November last past, to act upon the petition of the Hon.
E. K. Whitaker and others, for a Committee in reference to a division of
the Town, as petitioned for to the Legislature by some of its inhabi-
tants, and to make the necessary investigations respecting Town Paupers,
Bridges, Schools, &c, and report at an adjourned meeting, it was voted: —

"That a Committee of three from each part of the Town, be chosen
to take the whole subject of this article into consideration, and report
at an adjourned meeting, and the following persons were chosen: Artemas
Newell, Lauren Kingsbury and Calen Orr for the easterly part of the
Town, and William Flagg, John W. Shaw, and George K. Daniell, for
the westerly part. Voted to adjourn this meeting to the first Tuesday
in December next, at one o'clock, P. M. A true copy of record. Attest:

Solomon Flagg, Town Clerk."

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

The line of division of the Town, as petitioned for, as understood
by the Committee, is delineated by a faint line on the published map
of the Town, beginning at a point at Charles River, about a quarter of a
mile below the Nail Factory at Upper Falls, and running southwesterly
in straight line, crossing the road known as the "Worcester Turnpike"
about a quarter of a mile westerly of said Nail Factory; crossing the ar-
tificial pond, and running near and westerly of the house of Isaac
Flagg 2d; crossing the Rosemary Meadow, so-called, near and west of the
house of Ralph Smith, running near and easterly of the residence of the
late Otis Sawyer, and easterly of the Town Farm; crossing a road near and
west of the house of Mr. Colcord, crossing a road near and west of
Mr. Cartwright; thence running and crossing the highway near and
east of the house of Mr. Risk, and west of the house of Mr. Knapp;
thence running west of the Reynolds estate, crossing the new road lead-
ing to Natick, a few feet east of the bridge, to a point on Charles River,
leaving the bridge on the west side of the line and the road on the east,
— said line measuring, according to the map, from one point of the
river to the other, about five and a quarter miles.

ROADS AND BRIDGES

Sherborn (Sherburne) Road, now Washington Street, was called
such in deeds as late as 1857, perhaps later. On a map of the local-
ity by Samuel Jones, surveyor, in 1718 it is spoken of as "Sherborn
or Bay Road." It was the original Indian Path between Nonantum
and Natick. Walnut Street was, until the latter part of the eight-
eenth century, the main thoroughfare.* Linden Street from Rock-
land Street bridge to Kingsbury Street was originally part of Sher-
born Road.

In 1822 alterations were made in Sherburne Road "by the lower
falls and the highway should hereafter be known as a publice
one." These alterations began at Peter Lyons' house (opposite the
North School on Walnut Street) over the land of Stedman, Parker,
Pratt and Slack

In 1826 the town "voted that the road laid out in 1804 from
Ware and Wilder's store (in Wellesley Hills Square) to Seth Col-
burn's (corner of Oakland and Washington Streets) be discontin-
ued and the new road be accepted as it now stands."

In 1846 it was voted to have a railwaj' crossing at George
Hoog's store (at the Lower Falls) and in 1853 a gate was placed
there. In 1850 Washington Street was altered at the crossing of
the Boston acqueduct on the Slack land.

In 1859 alterations and improvements were made from the
West Meeting House to the South Natick line; in 1870 from W. F.
Norcross' to the Lower Falls railroad at a cost of $3,170.93; in 1872
from Peter Morrill's to Dexter Ware's.

Until 1881 the elms now on Mrs. Durant's lawn were on the
south side instead of the north side of the road, and the same
change, though at an earlier date, was made on the Unitarian Church
lawn in Wellesley Hills.

The first road north of Sherborn Road was laid out in 1711,
when John Smith petitioned the town to grant him a way out on
the boundary of his lot. This is probably the beginning of our
present Weston Road, which is a very old road. Weston Road (later
called Blossom Street and now Weston Road again) originally
extended to the Parker farm, then later to the Cavanagh farm,

ROADS AND BRIDGES

when it turned to the left through the present Meadow Lane to the
house of Ephraim Stevens.

Near here as early as 1661 Edward Hawes obtained a grant of
land where he built a grist mill on the brook connecting Nonesuch
Pond with Morse's. This contained forty-seven acres, and was in
the Natick Divident "near the Watertown line and north of Natick
path which leads from the Herd yards and south of Sudbury way."

The following in regard to this early road is copied from the
records of the town of Dedham: —

"We whose names are hereunto inscribed being deputed by the
selectmen of Dedham to lay out a highway from Sherborn Road to
the farm of Jeremiah Gay which he bought of the town of Dedham
have attended to s'd work and have laid out s'd way two rods wide.

Daniel Fisk
Andrew Dewing, Sec."

August 30, 1711.

In 1708 we find mention of a road across Sherburne Road to
Andrew Dewing's land, which was probably the present Grove Street.
Glen Road, from Newton Lower Falls to Weston, was built in
1721 but was seven hundred feet east of the present bridge.
February 19, 1738, the following petition is recorded:
To the Hon. Selectmen of Needham: —
Whereas your Petitioners having no way to Mill or Market ear-
nestly desire that you would be pleased to lay us out a way that
may accommodate us to go to Mill and Market, beginning at Natick
line to Sherborn highway and that it may be so speedily done that
it may be confirmed at March meeting and so your Petitioners in
duty will ever pray.

Stephen Bacon
John Goodanow
Timothy Underwood
Timothy Bacon
Edward Ward
Thomas Frost
Josiah Broad

These were names of owners of land along the north of Sher-
born road.

A record shows that Central Street was laid out in 1726, but
Church Street, Common Street, originally, was the main thorough-
fare to North Natick until 1838, when the selectmen and agents
applied to the county commissioners of Norfolk County that "so
much of the Central Turnpike as lies within said town, to-wit:
between the town of Natick and Blanchard's Hotel in said Need-
ham should be laid out and established as a common highway. The
said Turnpike is four rods in length and is laid out over land of
heirs of Martha Jackson late of Natick deceased, Daniel Morse of
Needham, Martin Broad of Natick, Beman Ford of Needham, heirs
Ralph Smith Esq., late of Roxbury deceased, heirs Joseph Kingsbury,

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

late of Needham deceased, John Slack of Albany, N. Y., Alvin Fuller,
2d., Needham, Henry T. Burr of Needham and Reuben Kingsbury
of Boston, and partly over the old county road. This petition was
granted and the road accepted by the authorities. This road had
in 1824 been laid out from Brookline to Holliston as a "Turnpike
Road by the name of the Central Turnpike in West Needham cross-
ing the Worcester turnpike by White and Sargent's Hotel." The name
Turnpike was in use at least as late as 1868.

Many .other roads were accepted and then rejected after being
tried for awhile. A great many descriptions of boundaries may have
been sufficient for the time but impossible for the modern inves-
tigator to find. As it was all new land, it was often merely guess
work as to where were the best places for roads, with the result
that many of the layouts were frequently changed. The following
divisions of roads were accepted at a town meeting held April 6,
1829. "The first beginning at stake and stones at the road leading
from Sherborn road a little west of the house formerly Col. Jona
Kingsbury's to the East Meeting House, thence south 82 degrees east,
to stake and stones in front of the aforesaid house, thence north 83
degrees east to stake and stones where the new piece comes into
the old road; the second piece beginning at stake and stones about
10 rods east of the old saw mill dam across Rosemary Brook, thence
through land at Gen. Chas. Rice, north 50 degrees east to stake
and stones, thence north 77 degrees east to stake and stones, thence
north 62 degrees east to stake and stones, where the new piece comes
to the road leading from East Meeting House to Lower Falls. The
third piece beginning at stake and stones near where the road parts,
one leading to Lower Falls, the other to Upper Falls, thence
through land to Moses Garfield, south 75 degrees, east to stake and
stones at the road west of the house of Benj. Richardson, the afore-
said new pieces of wall are staked out on the south side and are laid
out 2 rods wide."

In 1859 McCrackin Road was built at a cost of $381. In 1859
Lovewell Road (now a part of Cottage Street) was built by William
Flagg at a cost of $406.88.

In 1873 a private way in Grantville between land of C. R. Miles
and land of Noah Perin (Maugus Avenue) was laid out and accepted.

In 1873 Woodlawn Avenue (formerly Grove Street also called
Fisk Lane) in Grantville, was widened; $200 was awarded for land
taken; $300 was asked for in addition.

In 1873 Laurel Avenue, Grantville, was laid out.

In 1878 the street now called Rockland Street was accepted by
the town. "This street has been used as a public way for five or
six years and has been kept in repair by Mr. John Sawyer. The
street is 950 feet long and we consider it as a public necessity, as
it is the only street leading from Washington to Worcester Street,
between Wellesley and Grantville."

In 1876 the names of the streets in the west part of the town
as proposed by the selectmen were as follows: —

ROADS AND BRIDGES

Albany Street, from Washington Street to Wellesley Depot, 336
feet long and 40 feet wide.

Allen Street, from Washington Street to Walnut Street, 1-8 mile
long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Benvenue Street, from Brook Street to Dover Street, 5-6 mile
long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Blossom Street, from Washington Street to Weston line 2 1-16
miles long, with varying widths, some places less than 20 feet wide.

Brookside Road, from Forest Avenue to Oakland Street, 1 1-3
miles long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Cedar Street, from the Arch Bridge, Newton Lower Falls to
Central Avenue, at Hurd's Corner, 1 3-8 miles long, 33 feet wide,
estimated.

Central Street, from Wellesley Square to Natick line, 1 1-2 miles
long and 55 feet wide.

Cottage Street, from Washington Street to Grove Street, 2-5
mile long, 33 feet wide, estimated. (Originally Lovewell Place.)

Church Street, from Washington Street to Cross Street, 1-8 mile
long, 40 feet wide, estimated.

Columbia Square from Washington Street to the same, 1,390
feet long and 37 feet wide.

Cross Street from Central Street to Blossom Street, 1-8 mile
long and 40 feet wide.

Dover Street from Washington Street to Grove Street, 1-2 mile
long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Forest Avenue, from Central Avenue to Washington Street
(Grantville), 1 15-16 miles long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Glen Road, from Washington Street to Weston line, by Rice's
Crossing, 1 mile long and 50 feet wide, from the brook, 2,100 feet.

Grove Street, from Wellesley Square to Charles River Street,
via Ridge Hill Farm, 1 7-8 miles long and 50 feet wide.

Laurel Avenue, from Forest Avenue to Washington Street,
1,214.7 feet long and 40 feet wide.

Linden Street, from Washington Street, opposite Forest Avenue,
to Washington Street, 3-7 miles long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Oakland Street from Washington Street to Wellesley Avenue,
1 7-8 miles long, with varying widths.

Pond Road from Lake Crossing to Washington Street, 1 1-5
miles long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Pennsylvania Avenue from Forest Avenue to Town House, 330
feet long, 33 feet wide estimated.

Seaver Street, from Forest Avenue to Wellesley Avenue, 2458
feet long and 40 feet wide.

Walnut Street from Washington Street to Newton line, 7-8 mile
long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

Washington Street from Lower Falls to Natick line, 4 4-7 miles
long and varying widths.

Wellesley Avenue from Washington Street, Wellesley (once
known as Noyes Corner) to Central Avenue at Hurd's Corner, 2 1-4
miles long, 33 feet wide, estimated.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Wellesley Square, Wellesley.

Woodlawn Avenue, from Washington Street running northerly
1,630 feet long and 40 feet wide. (Originally Grove Street, but
locally known as Fisk Lane.)

Worcester Street from Newton Upper Falls to Natick line, 5 1-6
miles long and 66 feet wide west of Washington Street, and 40 feet
wide east of Washington Street.

The building of Worcester Turnpike was undertaken by a pri-
vate concern about 1807 and finished and opened for toll traffic in
1810. During the War of 1812 it was used to transport merchandise
to the western part of the state and New York. Within the precincts
of Wellesley, at the junction of Blossom Street (Weston Road), there
were two toll-gates for traffic in both directions. After the opening
of the railroad in 1834 the stockholders gained permission from
the Legislature to give up the company as the business did not
warrant its continuance.

The first bridge was built by the county very early on the old
Sherborn Road north of the present bridge on Wales Street. The
labor was done by the Indians who worked for a shilling a day.
The total cost of the bridge was five pounds. East Needham used
the bridge for a long time until a petition to the General Court
representing the great loss of time and money by the longer distance
to travel resulted in a bridge being built at the upper falls of the
river. Mills Bridge was later and probably took the place of this
bridge, connecting Wales Street and Walnut.

In 1793 we read of a bridge near Hoogs' snuff mill in the lower
falls; this was probably Pratt's Bridge, also called Flume Bridge
in deeds of 1827.

In 1867 we find record of repairing done on nearly every bridge
in town.

In 1872 the "Arched Culvert near Lake Crossing" was built at
a cost of $9,446.76.

In 1873 the wooden bridge at Lower Falls was rebuilt within
the limit of the appropriation of $3,000. This bridge was rebuilt
in 1910.

In 1899 the bridges at Newton Upper Falls and Lower Falls
were replanked.

*It is uncertain when the lower part of Washington Street was first
used as a public highway, but it is understood that Washington passed
over it in 1789 when he made his trip through the New England States.
He is said to have stopped at the well at the Pratt house which was then
just east of St. John's Church and asked for a drink of water. The well
has long been filled up and the Washington elm had to be cut down in
1895. In his diary Washington writes: "Friday, Nov. 6, 1789: A little
after seven o'clock under great appearance of rain or snow we left Wal-
tham and passing through Needham (5 miles therefore) breakfasted at
Sherborn which is 14 miles from the former. Then passing through
Holliston 5 miles, Milford 6 more, Mendon 4 more, to Uxbridge 6 more,
we lodged at Taft's 1 mile further; the whole distance of this day's travel
being 36 miles. From Watertown till you get near Needham the road is
very level — about Needham it is hilly, then level again and the whole
pleasant and well cultivated till you pass Sherborn; between this and
Holliston is some hilly and rocky ground, so there is in places onward
to Oxbridge; some of which are very bad. Upon the whole it may be
called an indifferent road — diversified by good and bad land — culti-

NEWTON LOWER FALLS— FACTORIES

vated and in woods — some high and bare and others low wet and piney.
Grass and Indian Corn is the chief product of the farms. Rye composes
a part of the culture of them but wheat is not grown on account of the
blight. The roads in every part of this State are amazingly crooked, to
suit the convenience of every man's fields. Also we went out of our way
frequently, being often misdirected."

NEWTON LOWER FALLS — FACTORIES

Lower Falls, to a certain extent a manufacturing village, is an
old settlement. In 1703 John Leverett deeded to John Hubbard of
Roxbury "four acres of land upon the Charles River at the Lower
Falls, bounded on the east by a forty-acre lot belonging to Harvard
College, west by the old path that leads to the wading place, — for-
merly the Natick path — and south by the Charles River — being the
same land which the proprietors of the common and undivided land
in Cambridge granted to him, and the same which has since been
occupied by all the mills on the Newton side." This land John
Hubbard deeded to his son Nathaniel who later sold to Jonathan
Willard, the first Baptist in Newton and a "bloomer" by trade. Here
in 1704 he established his first iron works. In 1718 he deeded to
his son Israel his "dwelling house, barn, calash house, one-half of
my saw mill and one-half of my corn mill, the fulling mill with
one-half the dam that is on one side of the River with conveniences
to dam across according to an agreement we have made with Eben-
ezer Littlefield of Newton."

In 1705 Benjamin Mills was licensed to "keep a public house
near the rock marked B.M." Below at the site of the shoddy mills,
Ephraim Jackson first established his business followed by William
Hoogs. An iron foundry was early established near the upper
privilege.

The Mills family owned and carried on manufacturing until
after the middle of the eighteenth century. A conveyance was made
by them to Taylor, who conveyed to Ephraim Jackson, a Newton
man owning land on both sides of the river. Jackson owned a grist
mill and built a paper factory on the same site that later was occu-
pied by Walcott and Hurd as a nail factory. Hurd bought it and in
1825 sold a part to Lemuel Crehore who bought him out in 1829.
Neal was with Crehore but had no financial interest. Press paper
for patterns for carpets and curtains was manufactured here. But
especially "bonnet board" for stiffening for the large straw bonnets
which were worn so much in the first part of the last century.
Jacquard was the inventor of patterns for carpets and damasks, the
cards for which were manufactured here. These patterns are still
used in the press work at the factory.

The firm names have been Hurd and Crehore 1828, Crehore and
Neal 1834, Lemuel Crehore 1845, Lemuel Crehore and Son (George C.)
1854, Lemuel Crehore and Co. (C. F.) 1867, C. F. Crehore 1868, C. F.
Crehore and Son (F. M.) 1883.

In 1790 John Ware who lived in Newton built the first paper
mill at the Lower Falls, which he sold to Solomon Curtis in 1800.
Mr. Curtis carried it on during his life time and later his sons and

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

grandsons. At one time the sons A. C. & W. Curtis supplied much
of the book paper used in the United States. In the early 60's
Cordingley bought it and it is now a shoddy mill.

Across the river from this mill and on the Wellesley side is
the stone mill now idle, where Reuben Ware and William Clark in
1832 had built a machine shop. This land had been bought from
Lemuel Crehore the previous year. Eaton and Moulton were later
owners as well as Joseph Stow who added Adam Beck to the firm
in 1858, and .who finally bought out all interests in 1885 and ran
it himself until it was closed in 1905. In the transfers to Beck the
name of Clark still appears, evidently keeping some interests.

In 1822 Amos Lyon bought of Curtis, Nichols, and Hooper and
built a paper mill on the Jackson site, where a factory had been
burnt in 1814. Again burnt in 1834 it was rebuilt and sold to
Wales and Mills who owned it until 1860 when it was sold to
Thomas Rice Jr. Bishop bought it but never rebuilt it after it was
burnt in 1894.

In 1810 Peter Lyon built a mill on the site of Benjamin Slack's
fulling mill. William Lyon made paper to 1830, when he sold to
William and Adolphus Durant, who sold in 1837-8 to John Rice
and Crane. Rice died and Crane ran it. Thomas Rice Sr. had it in
1836 and Thomas Rice Jr. in 1866. A paper collar factory was run
by Swan for a short time here. About this time H. B. Scudder
interested a group of Boston financiers among whom were Dudley P.
Fay, Eugene Foss, the Saltonstalls, Motleys and others. These
formed a company called the Dudley Hosiery Mills Corporation and
was run as such for some time. It was sold out and is now the
Wellesley Knitting Mills. (These mills are next to the stone machine
mills.)

A deposition made by John Slack in 1813 and recorded in Ded-
ham says that he received the fulling mill from his father in 1784,
that there were on the Needham side a grist mill, a saw mill and a
fulling mill. In the transfer of this mill in the Durants' time a rag
house is mentioned, also water rights and the privilege of drawing
water preferable to any other mill.

The water rights today (1917) belongs to Bishop, Cordingly,
Crehore, Sullivan, Wellesley Knitting Mills and the old stone mill
now taxed to Grace I. Butterfield of Newtonville. The Curtises,
Crehores and Rices were very important and large paper manufac-
turers, being very successful and up to date in their methods. The
first Foudrinier machine that was used in America was set up here
by the Curtises. Until wood pulp was used by the Transcript it was
supplied with its paper from the Rice mills. These Rices lived on
the Newton side on "Rice's" or College Hill, called by the latter
name, because the story goes that at one time it was proposed to
build Harvard College there.

In 1788 a dam was built by William Hoogs and Francis Wright
and a mill erected at about the same time. There had been no
bridge here before, and only a "wading place," mentioned in old sur-
veys where teams were obliged to pass. (This is the present bridge

NEWTON LOWER FALLS— FACTORIES

across the river at Washington Street and the ford can still be
seen.) Paper was made on the Needham side. The various owners
were Hoogs and Wright to 1810, Samuel Brown and Artemas Mur-
dock (whose daughter married a son of Solomon Curtis) to 1811,
Charles Rice to 1818, Parker and Pierce to 1836, Joseph Greenwood
and Paul Dewing who rebuilt and sold to Benjamin Farliss about
1847; A. C. Curtis and Son until the Civil War, Thurston, Loring
& Co., the Boston Belting Co. and since 1874 R. T. Sullivan has
owned and operated it as a shoddy mill. Across the river where
there is now a little park Joseph Foster had a stone mill, later oper-
ated by A. C. Wiswall and then by Wiswall Sons. Manilla, colored
and hanging papers were manufactured.

Before Foster came Artemas Murdock made chocolate here.

On the Charles Rice property Henry Wood had his paint works.
In 1848 his business so increased that he removed to Morse's Pond,
buying out the mill rights of Samuel Morse, who had been manu-
facturing here since 1812. Here his descendants are successfully
carrying on the paint business. In addition to this Mr. Wood under-
took the making of cement for building houses. Portland cement
which is now used had to be imported then and was very expen-
sive. The result was that natural cement was used and was of a
poorer quality and easily crumbled. But at this time it was an
unusual method, few people understanding the process. The
"Heckle house," burnt in 1910, was one of the houses built of this
material.

Isaac Farwell had a silk factory on the Rice land but soon went
to Nonantum. Before the watch company settled in Waltham an
offer was made to Mr. Rice to buy his land, but no agreement could
be made.

It is said the Ledyard, Street was so named because lead was
brought in here for the paint factory.

Later occupations have been, Conant and Hanchett who had a
paint works, Leslie who had a cabinet shop, and Charles Rice who
had a planing mill and a grist mill. At no time does it seem that
the land went out of the possession of the Rice family, but that the
different manufacturers leased or rented whatever part of the
property they needed.

On Worcester Turnpike, Rosemary Brook — now Longfellow
Pond — was dammed and a mill built by Charles Pettee in 1815 for
a nail factory. A part of the land around the brook belonged to
the Ephraim Ware estate, which had been left in part to the West
Parish. And in behalf of the church Benjamin Slack sold it to
Rice in 1825. In 1833 the town of Needham sold to Isaac Keyes
thirteen acres on Worcester Street. Paper manufacturing was car-
ried on successively by Thomas Rice, Keyes, and Luther Crane who
bought out Keyes in 1836. Later Nathan Longfellow bought them
out. The Cranes — Luther and Zenas — manufactured green paper
shades and Longfellow paper hangings.

In 1883 the larger factories on the Wellesley side at the Falls
were the Hosiery mills, the paper mills of Mr. Rice, the chemical

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

factory of Billings & Clapp — established in 1872, discontinued in
1898, Clapp having previously sold out to Edgar Billings in 1896 —
and in Wellesley village the shoe factory of Turner & Smart, now
the Eliot, a college dormitory, and the paint factory of Mr. Woods
whose production of colors increased from six pounds to six tons
a day. Today (1917) there are the Wellesley knitting mills, the
Sullivan shoddy mills, the mica works on the same site as the
chemical works, and the Woods plant near the Natick line.

The greater part of the mills and factories have always been
on the Newton side of the river, but the Curtises, the Rices, the
Crehores, are names indissolubly linked with the building up of
the village on both sides of the river, and the beautiful old houses
in the Quinobequin valley still cluster around St. Mary's, one of
the old churches of the diocese.i

1 Thomas Durant and Solomon Curtis were the first wardens of the
church.

RAILROADS AND POST OFFICES

The Boston and Worcester steam railway was begun in 1832,
the charter being granted in 1831, and for a few months in 1834
the terminus was near the present Worcester Street Bridge. The
road was finished to Worcester July 3, 1835. The main line of the
road was originally intended to enter the town through Newton
Lower Falls, and Wellesley Hills, but the project was opposed by
the community. The tremendous work of removing the "Needham"
ledge took many months, the trains carrying the gravel to Boston,
where a great deal of Wellesley was dumped into the Back Bay,
thus helping in the establishment of that community.

The Wellesley Farms station, built in 1890, in the northeasterly-
part of the "Hundreds" was formerly merely a spot at which to flag
a train. The first station, Rice's Crossing, was north of the bridge,
instead of south. North Needham, Grantville, for a few months
Nehoiden, but Wellesley Hills since 1881, and West Needham,
Wellesley since 1863, are the other two stations on the main line.

The Newton Lower Falls branch was opened in January* 1846.

The changes in times and fares are not very marked, consider-
ing the improvements that have been made. It took thirty min-
utes to run out to Newton, the fare being thirty cents, forty cents to
West Needham, sixty cents to Natick, seventy cents to Framing-
ham, and a dollar and a half to Worcester. The fares in the first
car were two-thirds of the prices in the rest of the train. In 1870
gates and gatesmen were established.

In 1869 the Rockland Street bridge was raised, and again in
1893, in order that the trans-continental trains might pass under.

The building of the present attractive railroad stations was
begun in the eighties, Wellesley Hills being built in 1885.

The first post office in the town was established in 1830 with
Charles Noyes, son of Parson Noyes, as postmaster in a little shop
where the postmaster conducted his business, that of an optician.

Old Grantville Station
(About 1884)

Rockland Stbf.lt Bridge
(I<"ast Day, 18«m

RAILROADS AND POST OFFICES

The mail was brought once in two days by the Uxbridge coach.*
It was known then as the West Needham Post Office, but since
June 24, 1862, has been called Wellesley.

The post office at Wellesley Hills was established as Grant-
ville in October, 1851, with W. H. Adams as postmaster and was
kept in his house in which was also a private school. Wellesley
Hills, formerly called The Port, and also North Needham, was con-
nected with Needham by coach. Its name was changed to Grant-
ville in 1851 after Moses Grant who presented a bell to the Con-
gregational Church when it was built. He was a merchant of Bos-
ton particularly interested in the care of boys and in temperance
reform. Not only did he help the middle village, but he also was
interested in St. Mary's at the Falls, though himself a Unitarian,
giving the parish $500.00 at one time.2

The following have been the postmasters in the two villages
since the establishing of the post offices: West Needham, Charles
Noyes, March 4, 1830; William Flagg, July 23, 1833; Horace Blanch-
ard, Dec. 5, 1839; William Flagg, May 18, 1841; E. P. Knight, April
17, 1861; Ezekiel Peabody, March 5, 1862; name changed to Welles-
ley June 24, 1862. F. W. Fuller, June 26, 1864; C. H. Mansfield,
Oct. 16, 1872; William H. Flagg, June 26, 1875; Reuben K. Sawyer,
Feb. 10, 1886; the office was discontinued as such and made a sta-
tion of Boston Feb. 23, 1913.

The post office at Grantville was established Oct. 7, 1851, with
W. H. Adams as postmaster. John Davis Sept. 13, 1852; Alvin
Fuller 2d Aug. 14, 1854 ;3 Mary P. Austin Jan. 29, 1877; the name
was changed to Wellesley Hills Sept. 27, 18S1; Calvin W. Smith
Sept. 8, 1898; Mary C. Smith Nov. 17, 1903; discontinued as such
and consolidated with Wellesley Nov. 30, 1905.

The Wellesley Farms Post Office was established in the early
nineties, in a house of J. F. Wight but is now at the station under
the charge of J. F. Whitney, station master. Like the other offices
of Wellesley it is a station of Boston and a part of Wellesley.

1 "There are three principal ways through this town, leading from
Boston to Hartford, Connecticut; namely, Worcester Turnpike, through the
north part; Central Turnpike, through the center; and the old Hartford
Road, so called, through the south part. On the Worcester Turnpike, the
great southern mail passes each way daily. Several other mail and accom-
modation stage coaches are very frequently passing. On the Central Turn-
pike, Boston and Hartford Telegraph line of stage passes every day,
Sunday excepted, up one day and down the next. On the old Hartford
way, the Boston, Mendon and Uxhridge daily line of stage coaches passes,
and continues on to Hartford three days in the week, and returns to
Boston on the other three. Thus is the Christian Sabbath a day of rest.

"There are two Post Offices; one on the Worcester Turnpike, and the
other on the Hartford road, where a mail is opened daily, Sundays
excepted "

(Biglow's History of Natick, 1830.)

2 Moses Grant's father was a great patriot and one of the famous Tea
Party who destroyed the tea on board the "Dartmouth" and other ships
on the 16th of December, 1773. In this work the party was organized in
three divisions, each of which kept to its assigned duty. There was one
division to raise the chests to the a*eck, another to break them open, and
a third to throw their contents overboard. Mr. Grant's place was in the
second division whose function it was to break open the chests, which

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

was done chiefly by catsticks taken from a wood-pile close at hand on
the wharf. Mr. Grant used to relate an interesting incident connected
with this important Tea-party. The people in the neighborhood, seeing
the fatigue they were undergoing, prepared and brought to them some
pails of punch. It was received courteously but not drank. The pails
were passed along over the deck and their contents, like those of the open
chests, poured into the sea. The patriots needed no such stimulants and
scorned to use them.

(Memorial Sermon on Moses Grant.)

3A good deal has been said and some written about our own post-
master, Alvin Fuller, and much amusement has been had on account of
his method of carrying and delivering mails. I would like to exhibit
another side Of his character. When I was in the service of the United
States in the Civil War. especially when I was in prison, my parents were
naturally anxious to hear any tidings from me, which came rarely indeed
and with meagre detail. Whenever a letter did arrive (and no closely
curious investigation was necessary to indicate the source of the letter)
if my father had not put in an appearance at the station before nightfall,
Mr. Fuller would hitch up his old nag after his long day's work and
drive down to my house with his welcome missive; an instance of early
unselfish rural delivery.

Mr. Fuller had a habit as Station Agent of coming out between the
"Trains" and sitting down by the window with a paper but often drop-
ping off to sleep. Also some of our young politicians, wise or otherwise,
used the station as a place of conference, and seeing Mr. Fuller was
asleep did not always adopt the "Tilden whisper," and thus Mr. Fuller's
eyes being shut and his mind alert, some of their plans miscarried; why,
they have not known to this day.

Mr. Fuller was also in a position to size up men who used to forget
to pay for tickets, for which they had not time to settle. Mr. Fuller was
kind, generous and thoughtful, and I do not believe ever injured any one
through his innocent curiosity, which, of course, was widely understood.
Once I carried back a postal which should have gone to Graniteville, and
called Mr. Fuller's attention to the fact that it was addressed to an-
other place, when he said, "I thought it was a queer postal to be sent to
you!"

He would often carry letters in his hat to church on Sunday and
deliver them.

CHURCHES

The West Precinct or Parish did not finish its meeting house
until 1798, though it had been worshipped in for twenty years.
The church faced Church Street which was then the main thorough-
fare to North Natick. The church property was originally but a
half acre of land, which had been transferred to the West Precinct
by Jonathan Smith in 1774 for the sum of two pounds.

Thomas Noyes, the first pastor, served the church from 1799
to 1833. When the land exchange was made between Natick and
Needham Deacon William Biglow, Major Hezekiah Broad, the Stow
family, Dr. Isaac Morrill attended and after the death of Parson
Badger, his widow also came to the West Needham Church. In
1805 Madam Badger (Lady Lothrop of "Oldtown Folks" fame),
presented to the church a large and handsome Bible on condition
that "portions of Scripture be publickly read from it usually on
the Sabbath." This Bible was lost in the late fire. On her death
bed she changed her will, leaving the larger part of her property to
Mr. Noyes, instead of to her business manager as in a previous
one. This former will was defended by Daniel Webster in 1822
in the famous Badger Will Case, and was won by him. The Noyes'
tomb in the old cemetery was left by her to Mr. Noyes.

The Church, having fallen sadly in need of repair, it was voted

Third Meeting Hovse
(Destroyed by fire, Dec. .50, llllil)

The First Meeting House, Weixesley

CHURCHES

that a new one be built and this was done and the building dedi-
cated January 1835. The contract was for $2750 plus the old
building.

Again in 1869 C. B. Dana and H. F. Durant with others were
put on a committee to consider the advisability of a new building.
Nothing was done for a year and Mr. Durant urged further delay
in order that he might consider whether the "Female Seminary"
he was about to build would need pews in the church. "He, how-
ever, consented to an agreement with the society that in consider-
ation of his subscription of §5000.00 to the fund the Seminary
should have the right at any time within five years to erect gal-
leries in the church to accommodate at least three hundred persons,
and that these galleries should be at all times for the sole and ex-
clusive use of the teachers and scholars of said Seminary, free from
any rent, tax, or any charge of any kind. Mr. Durant found soon
after that it would be better for the Seminary to have a Chapel of
its own, and the agreement lapsed with the close of the designated
time. The present galleries were built in 1887."

The church building was dedicated July 11, 1872, and the archi-
tects were Moses Hammett and J. E. Billings, who had drawn the
plans of the "Main Building" of the College, destroyed by fire
March 1914. This building was destroyed by fire December 30,
1916, and many of its old keepsakes burnt.

The old building had been bought by Mr. Dana for $1000 and
moved to his land on Grove Street and made into a building suit-
able for a school. Later it was given to Wellesley College which
kept it until 1899, renting it since 1881 to the Misses Eastman. Mr.
Durant previous to 1881 used it for a normal and graduate school.
Since 1899 it has been the property of Miss Helen Temple Cook.

A singing school was established March 30, 1807. In 1828 it
was "voted to take the Sabbath School under the patronage of the
Church"; a meeting for the study of the Bible having been carried
on since May 20, 1807. In 1856 the Betsey Brown Legacy of $6000
was received, and two years later a strip of land was bought to
enlarge the cemetery. In 1878 land for a new cemetery on Great
Plain Avenue was bought and in 1882 the Wellesley Hills Congre-
gational and Unitarian Societies joined, and the Woodland Cemetery
Association was incorporated. Previous to this the Village Ceme-
tery having become too crowded, the Wares, Fullers, Lyons,
Wilders, and others living in Grantville, bought lots in the Newton
Cemetery in the late 60's.

The first deacons of the church were Joseph Daniel and
William Biglow. Mr. Noyes' successor was Joseph W. Sessions,
ordained Oct. 2, 1833, dismissed May 31, 1842; succeeded Oct. 6, 1842
by Rev. Harvey Newcomb, dismissed July 1, 1846; Andrew Bigelow,
July 7, 1847 to Feb. 2, 1853; A. R. Baker, Jan. 1, 1856, dismissed
1861; George G. Phipps, Jan. 23, 1868, dismissed April 1, 1878; P. D.
Cowan, April 9, 1879 to June 30, 1890; Dr. Eldridge Mix acting
pastor from Jan. 1891 to June 1, 1892; Rev. Lewis W. Hicks from
Dec. 13, 1892 to May 26, 1896; Rev. E. H. Chandler from April 8,

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

1897 to Oct. 31, 1900; Rev. W. W. Sleeper, the present pastor was
installed May 13, 1902.1

The Congregational Church at Wellesley Hills was organized
in 1847. It was an offshoot of the Wellesley Church, and com-
menced with thirty members, who felt that they lived too far
from the other church. Meetings were held in the Railroad House
(later Maugus Hall) to discuss the matter. For some time relig-
ious services were conducted in the home of W. H. Adams, who
had a large hall suitable for the purpose. When the church was
built in 1851 Moses Grant gave a bell to the society, hence the name
Grantville.

In 1877 the church was remodelled, but a new one was greatly
needed and the old one was torn down and the present one built
in 1901 at a cost of about $45,000.

The first deacons were John Batchelder and Reuel Ware. Rev.
Harvey Newcomb was the first pastor from 1847-1849, and the suc-
ceeding have been William Barrows, Aug. 22, 1850 — Jan. 22, 1856;
Edward S. Atwood, Oct. 23, 1856— Sept. 21, 1864; Charles H. Wil-
liams, July 25, 1867— Dec. 29, 1868; James M. Hubbard, Dec, 29,
1868— Jan. 13, 1874; Jonathan Edwards, March 1, 1876— July 1894;
Parris T. Farwell, 1895-1912; Carl M. Gates, Dec. 15, 1913, the
present pastor.

The Unitarian Society was gathered in 1869 and legally organ-
ized as a corporation Feb. 27, 1871. The Society was composed of
residents of Grantville who were members of the East Needham
Unitarian Church and who naturally wished for a place of worship
nearer home. Among the original members were Alvin Fuller, John
Sawyer and his wife, the Boydens, the Phillips family, the
Mclntoshes, C. R. Miles and his wife, and later the Austens and
Eatons. Today it shares about equally with the Congregational
Society in the new comers to the community.

When Maugus Hall was chosen as their place of worship it was
the only public gathering place in the village, and after the church
had been organized some of the members did not wish it used
for anything but their own meetings. A lively time and some
friction ensued, but it was finally settled, and in 1871 the building
was bought by the Society, and used by them until 1888, when
the present church was erected.

In June 1885 the name of the Society was changed from the
Unitarian Society of Grantville to that of Wellesley Hills. During
1890-91 the parsonage was completed.

Rev. A. B. Vorse was their minister from 1871 to 1899. Rev.
John Snyder succeeded him, resigning in 1909, followed in the same
year by Rev. W. H. Ramsay, the present pastor.

In 1870 at Boyden Hall, Newton Lower Falls, at the call of
Father M. X. Carroll, pastor of St. Mary's Church at Newton Upper
Falls, the Catholics of the Lower Falls assembled. Services were
held there until St. John's was opened April 18th, 1878, and dedi-
cated by Archbishop WTilliams May 8, 1881. It ceased to be a mis-
sion of St. Mary's in 1890. Father Dolan ministered until 1885

/ ":^w*^

■r0^*m \g^*-**>*^SS&y+>~- ' ^S. £*?

33?

*^3B

•—--.._ Jam******]?1^^-

,m***±~Z^i*m*smm^ - .

'""" /

i ■

;

_^— fc^^^^^^fta ■•"••■■fcc^^1*^^^

.~ *& /-,.,,

% CA

■ """"—mffiriWH^"^^ x

|K^7B g^ ^iWi iF.ji.

■ .■-

V - - ■ ■ "\s * A * < w -js^assf^

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

when the Rev. Martin O'Brien was in charge until 1890. That year
the Rev. Patrick H. Callanan took charge until 1911, when the pres-
ent pastor, Father Knappe, who is assisted by Father Murphy, was
installed.

The mission of St. John's in Wellesley village has just (1916)
built a most attractive chapel, St. Paul's having worshipped in the
Taylor block for a great many years and previously in the Boys'
Club House on Central Street.

A Methodist Church was built in Pine Plain (later known as
Unionville and now Wellesley Fells) on land given by William
Bogle. Jesse Lee from the South, founder of Methodism in New
England, preached in the West Parish Oct. 6th, 1791 the first Meth-
odist sermon in Needham and aroused much interest. The "Hun-
dreds Meeting House" so-called, was erected in 1798 and preaching,
largely by circuit ministers, was maintained for forty years. George
Pickering was the first preacher, a man of power and fame in his
later ministry. Father Isaac Jennison was also stationed in the
Needham circuit. William Bogle, who lived just across the line in
Weston was a Methodist leader. In 1792 the Needham Circuit
covered all the territory between Boston and Worcester.

The Church has since been moved and is owned and lived in
by John Cavanagh. Among the early names were Stevens, Mansfield,
Fisk, Harrington, Bogle, Jenison, Pierce who gradually left and
helped to build churches in Natick and Weston nearer their own
homes.

In 1892 a confirmation service, conducted by Bishop Brooks was
held in the Wellesley Congregational Church and in 1894 (land
having been purchased in 1892) St. Andrew's parish in Wellesley
dedicated their church. Previous to that services had been held in
the Lower Town Hall, and the old Waban block — land was purchased
in 1892. Their pastors have been the Rev. W. E. Hayes, to 1901,
Rev. George Nattrass to 1913 and Rev. Ellis B. Dean the present
rector.

The old church of St. Mary's at the Falls is across the line in
Newton, but around it cluster many happy and sacred memories of
church celebrations when candles and music at Christmas time
were used there and nowhere else in the vicinity. The Curtises,
Rices, Crehores, Leslies, Pulsifers, Springs, on either side of the
river have been and are communicants.

1 For the history of the Wellesley Church see Mr. Chandler's book.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The earliest schools were taught in private houses wherever it
was most convenient, and until 1795 the school houses were owned
by proprietors, with but little reference to them in the town records.

The following early votes recorded in the town book are of
interest, showing the intention of the town and at the same time
the inability or lack of energy to carry out the votes. In some
cases the work majr have been done, but the record does not show it.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Aug. 1th, 1714 it was voted Matthus Tamline and John Fisher
should teach children to read and write.

Jan. 14th, 1719 it was voted to set up a "Schoole for the teach-
ing of children for some time during the year and that there should
be a rate made of six pounds for the support of the School. It was
voted to chuse a committee to look after a parcel of land given for
the support of the school by Mr. Timothy Dwight. Also that the
school should be a moving school kept at three places convenient."

Dec. lTth, 1721 it was voted to treat with Mr. Daniel Fisher for
teaching school 15 weeks for 8£s.

Mar. 13, 1721 voted that the Selectmen should "consider and
take prudent care to uptain a schoole in ye best manner for ye
good of the town and advantage of children and granted 6£s for ye
charge of ye schoole."

Oct. 30, 1722 to see what the town should do to uptain a school
and a rate or 10£s granted.

Jan. 18, 1723 £5 were given by the late Samuel Woodbridge for
school, the money was let out at interest.

Nov. 19, 1723 the selectmen discussed schools in their meeting.

Nov. 29, 1723 voted to have a school.

Until 1725 the east part of the town probably had the use of
the money and teachers were provided for that part rather than
in the west. But on January 11, 1725 £15 was granted and the
inhabitants of the West End, The Leg, were to have their share of
the money to maintain "a Schoole amongst them." It was also
voted "that there should be a school kept in four parts of the town,
viz: one near the house of John Smith, one near the house of
Ephraim Ware, Sen., (who lived near Rosemary Brook now Long-
fellow's Pond) one near the house of Deacon Woodcock, and another
near that of Joshua Smith. Stephen Bacon was to receive the money
belonging to the west end of the Town for the benefit of a school
for the year 1725.

On May 6, 1728 a petition signed by Josiah Kingsbury and
twenty-four other men living in the west part of the town was
presented, and "they pledged themselves to pay William Chubb if
he would build a school house on the county road middle way
between the houses of Nathaniel Bullard and Henry Pratt." There
were seventy-six subscribers, and they contributed thirty-one pounds
six shillings. Such a house was built and stood on what is now
Linden Street, Wellesley Hills near the site of the house owned by
the Livermores.

On July 29, 1730, Capt. Robert Cooke, John Smith, Robert
Fuller, Josiah Kingsbury and Andrew Dewing were chosen to
answer a petition of the "Westerly inhabitants of Needham to the
General Court for a schoole." Twenty pounds were voted. This
was the first school house in Wellesley village and stood near the
A. B. Clarke house (formerly Solomon Flagg).

A districting of the schools in 1790 resulted as follows: Great
Plain, Fisher's School, The Centre Brick School, the district near the
Upper Falls, the Lower Falls district, the West End District, the

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

school by the West Meeting House; the last three and the Centre
Brick Schools being in this part of the town. The West End Dis-
trict ("Needham Leg") was soon to be incorporated into Natick.
The Centre Brick School was near an old tree stump which is on
the Town Farm land and within the precincts of Wellesley.

In 1804 the proportion of the $600 voted for the schools by the
town resulted in the West School near the Meeting House having
$133.89 and the Lower Falls $89.89. There were frequent requests
for a larger school in the West End and finally May 29, 1809 the
petition was granted. In 1811 we find a record which seems to indi-
cate that the land on which the school had previously stood belonged
to the town.

The site of the North School boasts of three school buildings,
besides the present one, the first reaching back to a very early date
was a black, unpainted building sold about 1833, and moved to the
land near the W. C. Norcross house. The second was bought by
General Rice in 1842 and is on Columbia Road back of the Catholic
Church; and the third is the double house on the corner of Wash-
ington Street and Lower Crescent, bought by William Heckle, forty
or more years ago.

In Wellesley Fells, then Pine Plain, the first record of a school,
after many petitions for one in the "northwest," is as recent as 1854,
with Miss Hannah J. Ware as the first teacher.

March 9, 1741 it was voted "to allow those persons on the other
side of Natick Brook their part of the school money for this year
provided they lay it out for schooling among themselves."

In 1836 the records seem to indicate that a School Committee
was first chosen as distinct from the Selectmen. Before that there
had been prudential committees for each district of the town, and
this was still kept up. In 1843 the town voted that each school
district appoint its own prudential committee.

In 1824 the following money was voted for the schools: to the
West School $137.69, Lower Falls, $143.31, Upper Falls $22.54, South
$99.73, Plain, $111.96, Brick $84.88, totalling $600.11.

In 1836 for the North District $235.92, for the West $216.92, for
the South $111.17, for Great Plain $133.46, for the Centre $141.70,
and for the East $100.89, a total of $940.

In 1843, for the North School $291.07, West $282.50, South,
$147,46, Plain $204.23, Centre $193.68, Upper Falls, $143.06, a total
of $1262. In 1850, $337.27 was voted to West School, $335.10 to the
North, $280.93 to the Center, $211.90 to the East, $213.81 to the
Great Plain and $203.33 to the South. In that year there were 387
children in the town from five to fifteen years of age, divided as
follows: 73 for the North School, 56 for the East, 93 for the West,
50 for the South, 69 for the Center, and 46 for the Great Plain.

In 1857 winter graded schools were mentioned.

A law passed in 1862 by the General Court requiring high
schools in towns of five hundred or more families resulted in the
establishing of two in Needham one in the east and one in the west.
The one in the west was taught alternate half years in Wellesley

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

and Grantville. In Wellesley in Nehoiden Hall, in Grantville in
Maugus Hall, later the Unitarian Chapel. The school was later
removed to the building in Grantville erected for a school in 1854,
which in 1875 was rebuilt and named the Shaw school in honor
of the donor of the clock, bell and globe, Mr. John W. Shaw. In
Wellesley the school was removed to the building erected on the
site of the present Hunnewell school, now Fiske cottage on the
College grounds, which was bought from the town by Mrs. Joseph
N. Fiske of Boston and given to the College in memory of her hus-
band. Very soon however the school took up its abode in the Shaw
building, moving twice since — to the building on Seaward Place in
1894 and in 1907 to its present quarters on Kingsbury Street.

The principals have been T. W. H. Hussey '66 to '67, G. F. Rob-
inson '67 to '69, A. B. Putnam one term in '69, J. H. Noyes '74 to
'75, Miss Charlotte Cameron and Miss Julia Jennings '74 to '76, C. E.
Washburn '76 to '81, F. O. Baston '81 to '86, S. L. Brown '86 to
1916 and the present principal J. A. Davis 1916.

A list, of course incomplete, is given of the very early teachers
copied from the town records. In some cases the time and money
paid is recorded, more often it is not. Often the teachers boarded
themselves.

Dec. 1735, 4£s for keeping school 4 weeks to Francis Very at west-
erly school house.

1765 school at Edes House.

1767 school near Jona. Smith's.

1767 school near Lt. Fisher's.

1769 bill to Joseph Drury £s 2 for his wife for keeping school in
West End two months.

1769 to Mrs. Mary Newell £ 2-2-8 for keeping school 8 weeks in

school house near Ephraim Bullard's.

1770 Hannah Coller kept school near the Metcalfs
1770 John Butler near Lower Falls.

1770 Rich. Evans in Westerly part.

1770 to Ephraim Bullard for boarding and paying Jeremiah Cowell.

1770 to Lt. Ebenezer Fisher for paying and keeping John Butler.

1771 to Abigail Fisher for school near Lt. Fisher.

1770 Robert Fuller, Jr. 3 months at Brick School. 7-4.

1771 Sarah Pratt Lower Falls 8 weeks. 2-2-8
1771 Hannah Coller 12 months West School. 2-16
1771 William Scales 2 months West End 15s

1771 Widow Cheney Brick 1-12

1771 Beulah Solemn 8 weeks West 1-17-4

1772 Widow Martha Denney 3 months WTest 3.

1772 Money voted for the Brick School House near Mr. M. Farris.
1772 William Fuller 5 weeks at Lower Falls 3.

1772 Hannah Blake 6 weeks & 3 days at Pine Plain at Mr. Leverett
1-6
Jonathan Kingsbury at Brick School 1 month & 4 days 2-9-9
1774 Joseph Kingsbury, Jr. at Lower Falls

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

1784 Joseph Ware West School 10 months 6-15

1785 Joseph Kingsbury — 14 weeks at Aaron Smith's

1786 Dorothy Ware at Brick School £3—12 weeks.

1787 Samuel Wilson, West School.

1789 Lydia Drury, West School.
Robert Fuller, Brick 10 weeks 5-5
Mr. Holland West

Eliz. Smith, West 12 weeks £ 3

1790 Robert Fuller, Brick 10 weeks— 10 £s.
Sally Townsend, Brick 14 weeks £s 2

1791 John Hunt, West

Jona. Kingsbury, Brick £s 6 10 weeks
Sally Slack, Lower Falls, 10 weeks £s 2
Sarah Bacon, West
Lucy Smith, West

1792 Chloe Felt, Brick £2-8 16 weeks

1792 Jona Kingsbury, Brick £5-8

1793 Hannah Deming, Brick 1-13 11 weeks.

1794 Sally Bacon, West
1794 Sarah Kingsbury, Brick

Samuel Cooledge, West

1794 Gibeon Hooker was paid for room for school in Lower Falls.

1795 Moses Kingsbury, West
Sally Bacon, West

1795 Moses Kingsbury, West

1795 Robert Fuller, Brick
Joseph Kingsbury, Brick
Jonathan Bacon, Jr. West
Moses Kingsbury, Jr. West
Sarah Bacon, West

Sally Greenwood at Pine Plain

1796 Arthur Train, Lower Falls

1796 Eunice Keith, Lower Falls £16 12 weeks boarding herself.

1796 Lucy Kingsbury, Brick £12 12 weeks

1796 Wm. Leverett, West near church.

1796 Col. Jonathan Kingsbury, Brick.

1796 Jona. Bacon, West

1796 £216 was voted to the prop, of West End School district

for their school house.

1797 Ephraim Jackson's wife at his house at Lower Falls.

A list of more recent teachers who have been or are residents
of the town includes Mary Jane Dix, Charlotte Sawyer, Abigail Ware,
Peter Lyon, Hezekiah Fuller, John J. Marshall, Olivia Olmsted, Sol-
omon Flagg, Jane F. Flagg, Harriet D. Adams, Calvin French, Sarah
Bird Kingsbury, Emily Kingsbury, Sophronia Kingsbury, L. Allen
Kingsbury, Charlotte Kingsbury, Marian Russell, Fanny Kingsbury,
Malvinah Tenney, Mary Tenney, Harriet Sawyer, Sarah Southwick,
Anna Shurtleff, Eliza Shurtleff, Carrie Dewing, H. A. F. Grant, Mary
Longfellow, Carrie Rugg, Mary Mason, Jennie Bates, F. O. Baston,

/> HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

C. E. Washburn, Alice Phillips, Edith Phillips, Helen Webster, Mary
Field, Mary Fuller, Susan Monk, Charlotte Cameron, Nellie Cope,
Mary Valentine, Seldon Brown, Vina Huzzey.

Among the books used during the first part of the last century
were the New Preceptor, Allen's Geography, Colburn's Arithmetic,
Cumming's Geography and Atlas, Cumming's Spelling Book, Worces-
ter's Geography and Atlas, Leavitt's Easy Lessons, Walker's Dic-
tionary, Temple's Arithmetic, Whelpley's Compendium, Woodbridge's
Geography and Atlas, Adam's Arithmetic, Marshall's Writing Book,
Olney's Geography and Atlas, Paley's Small Geography, Comstock's
Philosophy, Blake's Natural Philosophy.

Bills have been found, showing that various ministers of the
town visited the schools during the summer, and also took the
census.

In 1846 we read of medical inspection in the schools.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

There have been several private schools in the west part of the
town, one kept by Miss Thayer as early as 1820, and another con-
siderably later by a Mr. Roberts in the "Murilla Williams house"
originally owned by Amos Lyon and then opposite Glen Road. An-
other was kept by W. H. Adams and his wife and sister-in-law Miss
Pettingill for young ladies and misses. This was from 1848 to
1852. Sam Pettingill, who later was the first to have an advertising
agency, was also an assistant.

The following advertisement copied from the "Christian Wit-
ness" of Sept. 8, 1837 is a description of a school in the vicinity:

High School
at Newton Lower Falls

The next Quarter of eleven weeks will commence on Wednesday
20 Sept. The delightful situation healthfulness and quietness of
the village in which this school is situated the correct and indus-
trious habits of the people their well-known politeness and
courtesy to strangers will (it is presumed) serve to attract scholars
from abroad. Instruction will be given in the branches usually
taught in our best schools and Academies. Board reasonable. No
scholars received for less than a quarter without special agreement.

Terms.

English branches $6 in advance.

Latin, French or Greek $1 additional.

Music $10. Use of piano $2. Daily lesson in singing gratis.

References.

Rev. A. L. Baury, Dr. E. Nichols, Messrs. A. C. & W. Curtis,
Messrs. L. Crehore & B. Neal, and Christian Witness office.

C. Abbot, Master.
Newton Lower Falls Aug 27 1837 5w

WELLESLEY COLLEGE

The Christian Witness Dec. 28 1838 again advertises —

The Subscriber being engaged as a teacher at Newton Lower Falls,
will be happy to receive into his family a few Boys to board and
instruct in the different branches of the English language.
Refer to —

Calvin Park D. D. \

Jesse Pierce L Stoughton

Samuel Tollman )

Rev. T. M. Clark, Boston or

Rev. A. L. Baury, Newton L F

Quincy Adams,

Master

Dec W 28.

Miss Farley had a small school in the house near Wellesley Hills
square now occupied by the Pierson family and owned by Isaac
Sprague.

Miss Shurtleff taught in the vestry of the Grantville Congrega-
tional Church, followed by Miss Emma Fuller.

But Dana Hall, long in the hands of the Misses Eastman and
now under the management and ownership of Miss Cooke has long
had a widespread reputation as a college preparatory and finishing
school. Originally intended as a part of Wellesley College it soon
became a school under separate control. The principal building,
Dana Hall, was the second church edifice in Wellesley, and given
to the college by C. B. Dana. It was leased by the Misses Eastman
from the college, but in 1899 was bought by Miss Cooke, who has
added greatly to the school plant.

WELLESLEY COLLEGE

More than passing notice should be paid to the College which
derives its name from the town. Wellesley College was founded
by Henry Fowle Durant who was born in Hanover, N. H., February
20, 1822. He was graduated from Harvard in 1841 and admitted
to the bar in 1843. In 1854 he married Pauline Adeline Fowle,
daughter of Col. John Fowle of the United States Army. The death
of his son at the age of eight years greatly influenced his life and
turned the direction of his talents to Christian service. In this he
was most efficiently aided by his wife, who has always proved a
great helper and friend to the Christian education of young women
in every class in life. Their decision to found an institution de-
voted to the higher education of young women resulted in Wellesley
College which at his express desire does not bear the founder's
name.

The College is situated on Lake Waban and its grounds contain
over three hundred acres of meadow and woodland, with a mile of
frontage on the lake.

On August 18, 1871 the first stone was put in the ground and

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

September 14, the corner-stone was laid by Mrs. Durant and the
structure of the main building was begun.

The many buildings, the Memorial Chapel, the Library, Music
Hall, Billings Hall, Stone Hall, the Farnsworth Art Building, the
cottages on "the hill," the quadrangle with its • new dormitories,
the new gymnasium, and other buildings, including society houses,
the heating and lighting plants, gardener's house, testify in their
evidence of expansion to the wisdom and foresight of the founder.

On September 8, 1875, the main building was opened with
about three hundred students, and twenty-nine professors and
teachers. Today there are over fifteen hundred students and nearly
three hundred officers of instruction and administration. Miss Ada
L. Howard, the first president, was followed in 1881 by Miss Alice
Freeman who resigned in 1887 to marry Prof. George Herbert
Palmer. Her influence and memory are among the richest endow-
ments of the college. Miss Freeman was succeeded by Miss Helen
A. Shafer who died in office in 1894. Her presence was gracious and
dignified and her work of the highest academic value to the col-
lege. Mrs. Julia Irwin was acting president until succeeded by
Miss Caroline Hazard who in resigning in 1910 has given place to
Miss Ellen Fitz Pendleton.

"Mr. Durant died at Wellesley Oct. 3, 1881, ten years after the
laying of the corner-stone. From the beginning of the undertak-
ing his cares had been unremitting, his labors great and incessant.
With untiring energy he devoted himself day and night to the
most minute details incident to the foundation and establishment
of a great seat of learning. Not only during his work of planning
and construction, but for the six years between the opening of the
college and his death he gave the whole strength of his soul, mind
and body to it. The result was inevitable, that so putting his life
into his college he should lay down his life for it. He had lived
to see, if not the full accomplishment of his purpose, yet more
than is given most men to see of the fruit of their labors. He had
seen an idea dear to him take root, gather material forces around
it, merge from the darkness, make itself known, recognized, felt,
a power in the world."

"Never," says Dr. Howard Crosby, "was any great institution
more completely the work of one man. To Mr. Durant belongs the
credit of the plan and the execution as well as the pecuniary gift."

The endowment and building fund raised after the burning of
the main building in March, 1914 is the greatest proof of the loyalty
of its alumnae and the belief of the community at large of its great
usefulness and future.

Mrs. Durant died February 12, 1917, after a long life of
Christian activities.

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

In the French and Indian Wars we find plentiful proof of the
patriotism and bravery of the inhabitants in the little town and
records of their help and assistance.

a -

™

ff'^

^■■» J

EArik^v-.' fc

iiS^Wi

i ,

i n3

*f'%mm m

|y*j

| MjjMj

JEf^

«*■"

■^

K~*- ■•-*^^P!^' !■

Mgpi^wVn^^' vmkftlH

v -P

is*

^«

'2-5*''

^^^%8$&8-'

v^'saa^i^l ■

— '■'—"; ■ ' " ™ ' ~T

- ■ """

^^"" !■■• ^jjgj

^fe^ijgw-.

... . ^gSjjwl

t»

' -w:

S*^

'Hm£

>: |i mm*''*'' '"'' h

#?*>< - . 'v-

-:'■■- 7

S " .. '*. '

■ • - --.

: '^S^^HBHI

Wellesley Square before 1875

^M™4ir^~lrfa

i&dKtM L •"«.'.. _n*^4M

.„■:*,■ ,;«-.;■ .*-■■<■"

Wellesley College
(Main building destroyed by lire, March, 1W14)

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

We read of William Chub and Henry Dewing, in Captain Jona-
than Prentiss' Roll June 24, 1676; of Benjamin Mills in Capt.
Thomas Brattle's Roll in Service, Aug. 24, 1676, Feb. 9, 1712, a
Muster Roll of the Garrison posted at Oxford under Sergeant Samuel
Hay contains accounts of wages to Sergeant John Fisher in care
of Natick Indians, etc.; also July 22, 1713 another warrant issued
for 12-12-2 wages to Sergeant John Fisher of Needham. In 1746 the
town "voted money for ammunition for the present war." There is a
long list of soldiers in The French War in 1759. Dec. 28, 1764 a
bill was paid to Alex Shephard of £ 1-2-10 for rent of his house for
French Neutrals until said neutrals went out of said house. This
harboring of the French arose from a mandate issued by the colony
to that effect.

The trouble with the Indians was not concerned with land as
much as with the arrogance and dislike shown them by the whites.
As hostilities advanced Col. Moseley's soldiers, English rather than
colonists, were more and more brutal and unjust, creating greater
hatred among the Indians. Many of the Christian Indians, how-
ever, remained friendly and served as spies and scouts. Forty
under Nepanet, their Indian captain, were in Captain Henchman's
company, fought at Hassanamasett — (Grafton) and "proved emi-
nently faithful and serviceable." As an instance of their assistance
we read that in April 1675 Waban warned Col. Gookin, who had
been made superintendent of the Indians of Massachusetts, that the
Wampawags intended mischief and were only waiting for the trees
to leave out, — advice which was found to be correct.

Many of the Natick Indians who had been sent to Deer Island
were brought back to aid the English and proved faithful and honest.
The west part of Dedham was not attacked, though Sudbury, Med-
lield and near-by towns were aided by the friendly Indians and
inhabitants.

During the trouble with England and the colonies before the
Bevolution we read in the town records in Needham that the town
put in its warrant an article Dec. 4, 1773, "to see if the Town will
choose a Committee to join with the Committee of Correspondence
of the town of Boston Relating to the Importation of Tea." The
article was not adopted, but the interest was certainly manifested.
On the 31st day of August 1774 notice was given the Inhabitants of
the Town of Needham "Met and assembled together who then did
elect and appoint:

Captain Eleazer Kingsbury ^

Captain Lemuel Pratt

Mr. Jonathan Dewing

Mr. Samuel Daggett

Captain Caleb Kingsbury

a committee

to attend a County Convention at the House of Mr. Woodward, Inn
holder in Dedham, on Tuesday the sixth day of September next at
ten o'clock before noon, to Deliberate and Determine upon all mat-
ters as the Distressed Circumstances of the Province may Require."

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Later, Eleazer Kingsbury was chosen Representative to the
Provincial Congress at Concord on the 2nd Tuesday in Oct. 1774,
and again Feb. 1, 1775 at Cambridge. William Mcintosh was sent
to the Congress at Watertown May 31, 1775.

June 24, 1776 the town voted "to instruct and advise their pres-
ent Representative that if the Honorable Congress for the Safety
of the United Colonies declare their independence of the Kingdom
of Great Britain that they the same inhabitants will solemnly
engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in ye measure."

Other interesting entries include the following: Feb. 17, 1777,
the town voted a sum of money to each man that shall enlist in
the Continental Army for three years and "to make up to those
men who have done a term for themselves or part of a term per-
sonally." Aug. 4, 1777 twenty pounds were voted to each person
who had gone to "Canady."

A committee was chosen to take care of the families of the
Continental Soldiers.

Oct. 14, 1779, 3,000 pounds were voted in addition to the 4000
pounds already granted in support of the present war.

Dec. 27, 1780 it was voted to raise money for beef ordered by
the General Court.

3,000 pounds was voted to hire men to fill out their quota.

In the war Needham took an active part, furnishing three com-
panies for the battle of Lexington, two coming from the west side.
Five of the Needham men were killed in the battle, Needham "suf-
fering more severely than any town except Lexington." Ephraim
Bullard kept a tavern on the Sherborn Road near the entrance of
the college and where in 1911 a tablet was erected. "Bullard went
up on a hill near by, and discharged a gun three times as a signal.
Great fires were made in the house and bullets moulded, the women
assisting in the work. The men were supplied and sent off as soon
as possible. It is said that the West Needham men reached the
scene of conflict a little in advance of the East Company, having
received the alarm earlier."

The following is the list of the names of the men composing
the West Needham companies:

"A Roll of Capt. Aaron Smith's Company of militia who
marched in consequence of the alarrum made on the 19th of April
last, in the Regiment whereof William Heath, Esq., was then Colonel
as follows:

(The figures after the names denote the days served.)

Aaron Smith, Capt. 15
Josiah Upham, Ensign 9
Joseph Daniell, Sergt., 11.
Jonathan Smith, Corp., 13.
William Fuller, Sergt., 11.
Moses Bullard, Lieut., 13.

John Bacon, Sergt., 5.
Samuel Kilton, Sergt., 5.
Enoch Kingsbury, Corp., 5.
Jeremiah Daniell, Corp., 11.
Joseph Drury, Corp., 8.
Joseph Mudy, drummer, 10.

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

Privates

Jona. Whittemore, Jr., 8.
Isaac Bacon, 8.
David Trull, 5.
Lemuel Brackett, 5.
John Slack, 4.
John Smith, Jr., 11.
Joseph Hawes, 14.
William Kingsbury, 7.
Timothy Huntting, 12.
Seth Broad, 9.
Jonathan Kingsbury, 13.

Joseph Kingsbury. 13.
Jonathan Dunn, 9.
Issachar Pratt, 4.
Philip Floyd, 8.
Samuel Mclntire, 2.
Peter Jenison, 5.
John Bullard, 5.
Eliphilet Kingsbury, Jr., 9.
John Smith, 3rd, 8.
John Fuller, 4.
Uriah Coller, Jr., 7.
Moses Bacon, 7.
William Huntting, 8.
Noah Millard, 2.
Stephen Bacon, Jr., 11.
Moses Fuller, 9.
Samuel Brackett, 11.
Zebadiah Pratt, 6.

Total amount

Samuel Baley, 6.
Daniel Huntting, Jr., 2.
Moses Daggett, 15.
Daniel Ware, 10.
Samuel Daggett, Sergt., 4.
Benj. Mills, Jr., 14.
Samuel Pratt, 15.
Samuel Woodcock, 10.
Jeremiah Smith, 11.
Joseph Hawes, Jr., 9.
Ebenezer Huntting, 9.
Jeremiah Edes, 8 .
Moses Huntting, 8.
Jonathan Huntting, 5.
Aaron Smith, Jr., 9.
Amos Edes, 8.
Samuel Smith, 5.
Collins Edes, 5.
Ithamar Smith, Jr., 7.
Abner Felt, 4.
Timothy Bacon, 8.
Solomon Flagg, 5.
Jos. Kingsbury, Jr., 5.
Jeremiah Gay, 5.
Luke Mills, 7.
Seth Pratt, 7. .
Israel Hunting, 7.
Samuel Ward, 8.
Abiel Smith— (Natick) 2.
£50 7s 2d of.

Aaron Smith, Capt.

"Colony of the Massachusetts Bay, Mar. 15th, 1776, Captain
Aaron Smith, above named, made oath to the truth of the above
will by him subscribed, according to the best of his knowledge,
before Samuel Holten, Jus. Peace thro, the Colony."

"This copy hath been compared with the original thereof and
agrees therewith.

Josiah Johnson

Jonas Dix

Comm.

"Read and allowed and thereupon ordered, that a warrant be
drawn on the treasurer, for £50 7s 2d in full discharge of the
within roll.

Perez Morton D-Sec'y."

"A muster Roll of the Travel and Service of a Company of
Minute Men in Needham under the command of Caleb Kingsberry,

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

in Col. Davis' Regiment that marched in consequence of the Alarum
made on the 19th of April, 1775, which is as follows, — viz:

Caleb Kingsberry, Capt., 2.
Eleazer Kingsbury, 2nd Lt.

wounded, 2.
Samuel Daggett,, Sergt., 4.
Ephraim Stevens, Sergt., 8.
Samuel Brown, Corpl., 5.

Thomas Hall, Corpl., 5.

John Bacon, 1st Lieut., killed, 1,

Daniel Gould, Sergt., 5.

Isaac Underwood, Sergt., 2.

Samuel Daniell, Cor., 1.

Ephraim Bullard, drummer, 5.

Privates

Ezekiel Richardson, 8.
Joseph Mudy, 1.
Josiah Ware, 1.
David Hall, 1.
Jacob Parker, 8.
David Smith, 2.
Isaac Goodenow, Jr., 15.
Samuel Greenwood, 2.
Theodore Brown, 5.
Nathaniel Kingsbury, 2.
Amos Mills (killed), 1
Seth Wilson, 6.
Henry Gale, 7.
David Hagar, 6.
John Fuller 2

Needham, March 24, 1776.

Elijah Houghton, 2.

Jesse Kingsbury, 1.

Henry Dewing, 7.

Stephen Huntting, 8.

Jonathan Smith, 1.

Moses Felt, 2.

Thomas Discomb, 4.

Abijah Mills, 11.

Josiah Lyon, 2.

John Edes, Jr., 2.

Nathaniel Chamberlain, Killed

Ithamar Smith, 8.

Nehemiah Mills, Jr., 9.

Jonas Mills, 7.

Caleb Kingsberry

"Colony of the Mass. Bay, March 15, 1776. Captain Caleb
Kingsberry within named, made solemn oath to the truth of the
within roll by him subscribed to the best of his knowledge, before
Samuel Holten, Justice Peace thro' the Colony."

"Compared with the original and therewith agrees.

"E. Stark

"Jno. Turner, Com."

"Read and allowed and ordered that a warrant be drawn on
the Treasurer, for 16. IVs 10^d., in full of the within roll.

"Perez Morton, D. Sec'y."

The East Company was under the command of Captain Robert
Smith, in Colonel William Heath's regiment and contained seventy-
five men, two of whom were killed.

In 1851 in the old cemetery in Needham a monument was raised
to the memory of those killed. Upon it is inscribed:

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

Memory

John Bacon,

Amos Mills,

Elisha Mills,

Jona' Parker

and

N. Chamberlain

who fell

Lexington

April 19, 1775

for

Liberty they died

at last.

Amos Mills was the only man living within the present pre-
cincts of Wellesley who was killed at Lexington. He lived in the
place formerly owned by Abijah Stevens on Webster Road.i

Ephraim Stevens hearing the alarm left his oxen standing in
the field and went to Lexington. Abel Stevens tells of his grand-
mother telling him that her mother by putting her ear to the
ground could hear the firing beyond Sudbury. Ephraim belonged
to the old Colonial Guards who were ready to fight against the
British at any moment.

Lieutenant John Bacon, about whom there seem to be more
data obtainable than any of the others was buried at Menotomy
under another name. The day of the fight he must have started
very early as his horse returned by ten o'clock in the morning.
He was with Elisha Mills and Christopher Mills behind a stone
wall when he looked over it, and was shot. His son, John, who
served throughout the war, went for his clothes the next day and
discovered them in the schoolhouse.

The town furnished three hundred men as soldiers in the War
of the Revolution, — a large percentage of the whole population
which was then only about one thousand. The community was al-
ways prompt in raising money to encourage the army, in voting
bounties to men who should enlist, in sending delegates to provincial
congresses and in furnishing clothes, food, ammunition, and in car-
ing for the soldiers' families.

Needham men fought during the War at the siege of Boston,
at Dorchester Heights, in Canada and New York, at Castle Island,
and wherever they were called.

Joseph Ware, an orderly sergeant and recruiting officer during
the War, was the author of a journal of the expedition to Quebec
under Gen. Arnold, 1775-6, and was at the battles of Concord and
Ticonderoga.2

Minute Men were recommended by vote of the town in 1794,
to be trained in possible anticipation of any outbreak.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

In 1802 the town paid for its share in a parade at Walpole.
July 20, 1812, the town voted that those soldiers called out in May
should be paid, if in actual service.

In 1815, the town voted that seven dollars a month should
be paid to soldiers who were detached in 1814.

The town maintained a powder house, and owned and distributed
ammunition for several years; but finally voted to sell the house.

Thei;e were very few in actual service during the War of 1812,
and as they were scattered through various companies it is very
hard to trace them.

Sept. 22, 1814, a Company of Exempts was organized with a
constitution carefully drawn up, in which they declared their al-
legiance to their country and desire to aid her whenever neces-
sary. They went with the two militia companies organized about
1798 to listen to religious exhortation by Stephen Palmer Nov. 17,
1814, at the East Meeting House. Daniel Ware was captain, Major
Ebenezer Mcintosh was lieutenant, Lieut. Moses Garfield was en-
sign, the chaplains were the Rev. Stephen Townsend and the Rev.
Thomas Noyes, and the surgeon Dr. Isaac Morrill. There were over
sixty members of the company. On the day of the religious services
the two militia companies, the East being captained by Elisha Lyon,
and the West by Jonathan Fuller, paraded and then were joined
by the company of exempts who showed an excellent training and
spirit. "Captain Fuller's company carried an elegant standard
which had been presented by the ladies of the West Parish."

The history of the town during the Civil War is the Hstory of
the nation itself — the rising of the younger generation who joined
the new party often against the wishes and even commands of their
elders. The great number of men who enlisted and won honor and
glory, and met bravely sickness, imprisonment and death during
those four years of horror, testify to the patriotism and loyalty of
the northern blood equalled only by the southern devotion to their
own viewpoint.

The McClellan riot in Maugus Hall stands out as unparalleled
in the history of the town, (For brief description see page 81.)

In 1851 the town of Needham put itself on record as opposing
the fugitive slave law and in 1854 as against the Nebraska bill.

In 1851 and for subsequent years up to the Civil War, a list
of the soldiers in the town was recorded. The number the first year
was 258, and the average was about the same.

From year to year throughout the war, bounties were granted
to all men who enlisted, and state aid was given to their families.
After the war the town voted that a G. A. R. Post be established
and that land be given by the town for that purpose.

The Memorial Day address given by Samuel B. Noyes of Milton,
May 30, 1872, at Needham Plain follows:

"Some here today may remember the thrill of patriotism which
stirred you when, at the first town meeting held in Needham to
consider matters relating to the War of the Rebellion, on the 29th
of April, 1861, one common purpose seemed to inspire the people.

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

A military committee of four persons was chosen to 'take the gen-
eral supervision in all matters of detail in relation to forming a
company in the town, procuring volunteers, providing for the com-
fort of the soldiers' families and other necessary matters;' and for
these purposes this committee were authorized to draw upon the
treasury of the town to the aggregate amount of two thousand dol-
lars. The gentlemen chosen as this committee were E. K. Whittaker,
C. B. Patten, Benjamin G. Kimball, and Calvin Perry.

Eight thousand dollars were appropriated as a war fund, from
which the Selectmen were authorized to draw money to carry out
the votes of the town. The Selectmen of the town during the years
1861, 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865 were Galen Orr, Silas G. Williams,
Augustus Stevens. The Town Clerk and Town Treasurer during the
same years was Solomon Flagg.

1862, July 24th, Voted to pay a bounty of two hundred dollars
to each volunteer who enlists for three years, and is mustered in
and credited to the quota of the town; and the treasurer was author-
ized to borrow six thousand six hundred dollars to pay the same.
August 21st, the same amount of bounty was authorized to be paid
to each volunteer for nine months' service, provided that 'the whole
quota shall be raised previous to the expiration of the time given
to raise the men.' (This proviso was reconsidered at the next
meeting.) The treasurer, under the direction of the Selectmen, was
authorized to borrow a sufficient amount to pay said bounties. Sep-
tember 16th, full power was given to the Selectmen to fill the quota
of the town 'in such a way as they may deem best.' State aid
was voted to soldiers' families.

1863, March 2nd. Voted, to pay one hundred dollars to all
volunteers belonging to that town who had not already been paid
a bounty, either by Needham or any other place; also, to the legal
heirs of those who have died, and an additional one hundred dollars
where the deceased soldier 'leaves a wife or any children under
twelve years of age.'

1864, April 14th, Voted to raise two thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five dollars to refund money advanced by individuals for
recruiting purposes, and two thousand two hundred and fifty dol-
lars were appropriated for bounties. August 4th, the bounty to each
volunteer enlisting for three years to the credit of the town was
fixed at one hundred and twenty-five dollars, and so continued to
the end of the war.

1865, May 22nd, The Selectmen were authorized to borrow a
sufficient amount of money to reimburse citizens who had advanced
money to aid recruiting.

Needham furnished two hundred and eighty-two men for the
war, which was a surplus of twenty-three over and above all de-
mands. Four were commissioned officers. The whole amount of
money appropriated and expended by the town on account of the
war was thirty-one thousand eight hundred and twelve dollars and
thirty-two cents.

The amount of money raised and expended during the war for

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

State aid to soldiers' families, and refunded by the Commonwealth,
was as follows:— In 1861, $496.81; in 1862, $2,865.37; in 1863, $4,-
276.30; in 1864, $3,208.16; in 1865, $2,000.00. Total amount,
$12,846.64.

The ladies of Needham furnished many comfortable garments
for the soldiers, and labored in their behalf during the entire
period of the war.

These facts and figures, which I have collated from Gen.
Schouler's invaluable book, 'Massachusetts in the Rebellion,' are,
in themselves a sufficient eulogy on the patriotism of this little
town, whose population in 1865 was but 2,793, and whose valuation
in the same year, 1865, was but $1,798,498. But Needham was not
alone in patriotic deeds. All over the State, all over New England,
and over all the free Northern States of the Union, the people were
animated, inspired, by one common impulse of patriotism. The
issue was to be decided by the ordeal of war whether the United
States were a Nation or a collection of independent political com-
munities.

You remember with what alacrity the young men from Welles-
ley and Grantville and Needham Plain responded to the call. Mr.
Whittaker writes to me from Washington, May 6th, 1872, that the
movement was very actively seconded by the young men of Grant-
ville, Wellesley and Needham Plain, while the neighboring villages
of South Natick and Newton Lower Falls were represented in a
company which he with Mr. D. D. Dana (Treasurer of the Douglass
Axe Company) and Mr. Patten (of the Suffolk Bank of Boston) resi-
dents of Grantville, were appointed a committee to form. 'The
usual drill practice previous to mustering into the service was vigor-
ously followed up; but,' he writes, "to my associates on the com-
mittee much more than to myself belongs the credit of personal
attendance upon these drills which took place at these villages alter-
nately." This Company was finally withdrawn from Needham and
merged in the more extended musterings of the larger towns in the
county."

John Monaghan and Patrick Walsh enlisted in the thirty-fifth
Massachusetts, Monaghan serving from '62 until he was taken pris-
oner in '64, in which condition he remained until the end of the war.
Walsh was a British marine who was of great service in training re-
cruits. He was killed at Antietam and was said to be one of the
bravest soldiers who went from Wellesley.

The following is a list of men from Needham who offered them-
selves for a nine months' service:

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

Needham, August 31, 1862.
We, whose names are hereunto affixed, severally enlist in a
Company of Volunteer Militia in Needham and vicinity, subject to
orders of the Commander-in-Chief and all laws and regulations
governing the Militia of this Commonwealth, and agreeing to serve
upon any requisition of "the Government of the United States, —

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

issued during the present year, as a militia man, for the term of
nine months consecutively, if orders therefore shall be issued by
the Commander-in-chief of the Militia of Massachusetts.

Joseph E. Fiske, 22; Emery F. Hunting, 23; John W. Greenwood,
25; Edward Lyon, 18; George Coulter, 24; Harry A. Ambler, 33; Wil-
liam F. Ambler, 27; John White, 43; Charles R. Severance, 30;
Newell H. Dadmun, 24; Albert Fuller, 19; Richard F. Boynton, 20;
John H. Johnson, 18; Cyrus A. Joy, 25; Pliny H. Jones, 25; Samuel
F. Richards, 23; Horace E. Ambler, 33; Robert Clair, 17; Samuel F.
Draper, 27; Freeman A. Tower, 22; Joseph H. Dewing, 31; Charles
F. Wisner, 19; William Hyde, 29; Ezra N. Fuller, 19; Henry Lyon,
21; Charles E. Belchers, 35; George E. Everett, 16; Joseph Oakes 20;
John Brimien, 35; William H. McLane, 33; Dennis Crowley, 31;
Timothy Sullivan, 19; John E. Richards, 34; William H. Morton, 31;
William Moseley, 29; William F. Alden, 17; Willard H. Hotchkiss,
21; Israel Hunting, Jr., 39; George F. Palmer, 22; B. F. Fuller, 30;
Alfred C. Goodnow, 18; John P. Marshall, 38; John Duggan, 26;
George P. Wisner, 20; John G. Whitmarsh,, 18; Ambrose P. Hatch,
29; Robert McCloud, 18; Charles Newell, 19; Alvah T. Jones, 18;
Charles M. Gilder, 18; Sidney A. Johnson, 26; William Bullard, 20;
Nathaniel L. Tucker, 23; Alonzo Piper, 18; Joseph Griot, 1st, 41;
James A. Ambler, 20; Rufus B. Curtis, 41; John M. Hanley, 18;
W. H. Kingsbury, 21; Allen Howland, 34; Richard Boynton, 53; John
Wakefield, 40; Marshall P. Eayes.

The list of the town's dead as read year by year en Memorial
Day follows and is a record, brief but comprehensive of those who
lived in West Needham, entering various companies for a more or
less extended service. Their various services are recorded in their
regimental histories.

Moses H. Bullard, Co. G, 22nd Mass. Inf., enlisted September,
1861, killed at Gaines Mills, June 27, 1862.

Sergt. Henry A. Fuller, Co. I, 20th Mass. Inf., enlisted Dec. 31st,
1861, died at Salisbury Prison, No. Carolina, Feb. 10, 1865.

William Fuller, Co. F, 18th Mass. Inf., enlisted July 26, 1861,
died at Union Chapel Hospital, Washington, Aug. 30, 1862.

Willard Hunting, Co. A, 39th Mass. Inf., enlisted Aug. 7, 1862,
died at Salisbury Prison, No. Carolina, Dec. 5, 1864.

Cornelius Kennedy, Co. F, 40th Mass. Inf., enlisted Sept. 3, 1862,
missing in action, May 16, 1864.

Lewis H. Kingsbury, 5th Mass. Inf., enlisted Sept. 16, 1862, dis-
charged July 2, 1863, died at home, April 23, 1876.

William H. Kingsbury, 43rd Mass. Inf., enlisted Sept. 24, 1862,
died in Beaufort, North Carolina Hospital, Mar. 1, 1863.

Charles E. Peabody, Co. C, United States Engineer Corps, en-
listed Oct. 4, 1861, death caused by an accident, July 24, 1870.

W. O. Sawyer, Co. D, 3rd Mass. Heavy Artillery, enlisted Aug. 14,
1863, died July 21, 1864.

Charles R. Severance, 56th Mass. Inf., enlisted March 11, 1864,
killed in action at Bethesda Church, Virginia, May 31, 1864.

E. Frank Severance, Co. I, 18th Mass. Inf., "The only drafted

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

man in town who responded in person," supposed to have died in
a rebel prison.

John G. Shaw, Co. F, 5th Mass. Inf., enlisted July 16, 1864, dis-
charged Nov. 16, 1864, died at home Sept. 23, 1873.

Fred J. Simpson, Co. G., 1st Mass. Heavy Artillery, enlisted July
5, 1861, died in Florence Prison, So. Carolina, Jan. 25, 1865.

Sergt. Cornelius D. Smith, Co. F, 18th Mass. Inf., enlisted July
5, 1861, died at his home, Sept. 8, 1864.

Elbridge Stevens, Co. A, 39th Mass. Inf., enlisted Aug. 7, 1862,
died at Richmond on his way home from Salisbury Prison, March 5,
1865.

Henry Lyon, enlisted in Co. A, 44th Mass. Inf., died at home,
April 18, 1868.

Joseph H. Dewing, enlisted Co. C, 43rd Mass. Inf., died at home,
July 2, 1890.

Daniel F. Morse, enlisted May 2, 1862, Co. A, 39th Regt. Mass.
Inf., died at home, Dec. 2, 1890.

Newell H. Dadmun, Co. A, 44th Mass. Inf., enlisted 1862, died at
home, Sept. 12, 1901.

Warren A. Fuller, 1st Lieut. 4th Mass. Cav., enlisted Oct. 12,

1864. Discharged Nov., 1865, expiration of service. Died at home
in New Jersey, Aug. 27, 1904.

John Monaghan, Co. I, 35th Mass. Inf., Aug., 1862. Mustered out
at end of March. Died Aug. 20, 1884.

Charles P. Withington, enlisted at Boston, Feb. 3, 1862, on Gun-
boat Marblehead, discharged Aug. 4, 1863. Re-enlisted Aug. 31, 1864,
in Co. L, 3rd Mass. Regiment, Heavy Artillery. Discharged June 17,

1865. Died at home, Sept. 23, 1906.

Joseph E. Fiske served, 1862, in Co . C, 43rd Massachusetts Vol-
unteers, captain, 1863, in 2d Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, dis-
charged at close of war, May 15, 1865. Died Feb. 22, 1909, at home,
Wellesley Hills.

Oliver C. Livermore, enlisted July 16, 1861. Captain 13th Regi-
ment, Massachusetts Volunteers, Co. B, discharged Aug. 1, 1864.
Died at Wellesley Hills, May 17, 1912.

Supplementary list of veterans, residents of Wellesley at time
of death.

George E. Johnson enlisted at Waltham Sept. 23, 1861, in 1st
Massachusetts Cavalry, Co. M. Died at Wellesley Hills, Aug. 18,
1907.

Calvin W. Smith enlisted at Dixon, 111., in 1861, in Co. B, 13th
111. Inf. Died at Wellesley Hills, Sept. 21, 1905.

George A. Blake, Co. H, 13th Reg. Massachusetts Vol. Enlisted
July 19, 1861. Mustered out July 1, 1864. Died at WTellesley, Nov.
11, 1889.

Henry P. Varney, Corporal, Co. L, 3rd Regiment Massachusetts
Volunteer Heavy Artillery. Enlisted Aug. 23, 1864. Mustered out
Sept. 18, 1865. Died at Wellesley, Feb. 16, 1910.

John Evans, Co. D, 1st Massachusetts Heavy Artillerj7, enlisted

WELLESLEY IN THE WARS

Feb. 27, 1862. Discharged August, 1865. Died at Wellesley, Sept.
15, 1911.

Horace Obear enlisted Aug. 15, 1862, Co. 8th Regiment Massa-
chusetts Volunteers. Discharged Aug. 6, 1864. Died at Wellesley,
Feb. 13, 1912.

George H. Robbins enlisted in Co. F, 1st Regiment New Hamp-
shire Volunteers, May 2, 1861. Discharged Aug. 9, 1861. Enlistment
and discharge at Nashua, N. H. Re-enlisted at Nashua, N. H., Sept.
21, 1861, in Co. D Rattalion, Engineer in U. S. Army. Discharged
and mustered out before Petersburg, Sept. 21, 1864. Died at Welles-
ley, Nov. 24, 1913.

Abraham Bigelow, 1st Sergeant, enlisted in Co. H, 13th Regiment
of Massachusetts Volunteers, July 19, 1861. Discharged Aug. 1, 1864.
Died at Wellesley, Aug. 3, 1914.

Chester A. Bigelow enlisted in Co. J, 39th Regiment of Massa-
chusetts Infantry, Feb. 24, 1862. Discharged Feb. 23, 1865, by ex-
piration of service. Died at Wellesley, March 3, 1915.

Zibeon H. Gould enlisted in Co. H, 13th Regiment of Massachu-
setts Volunteers, July 19, 1861. Discharged Aug. 1, 1864, by expira-
tion of term of service. Died at Wellesley, Sept. 27, 1915.

The Spanish War was represented by several young men, most
of whom were not called into active service. Among them were:
Roscoe Buck in the Marine Corps; Thomas Burnett, Co. C, 5th
Massachusetts, who died of fever at Chattanooga; Charles S. Cabot,
also of the 5th; Claude U. Gilson of the 8th; Henry Fuller Lawrence
in the Coast Artillery Corps; Harry L. Peabody who entered with
the 7th United States Infantry and was transferred to the
18th; Edward R. Robson, Co. C, of the 5th; J. F. Whitney, Co. H,
of the 5th; Guy Bergonzoni of the Naval Militia.

In this present year (1917) of the Great War, and as this book
is in press, Wellesley is again giving men and money, to do her
share in promoting the cause of Democracy.

1 Rev. Stephen Palmer in his Century Sermon on Nov. 16, 1811, said
"that was a melancholy circumstance attending the slain, they left five
widows and nearly thirty fatherless children to mourn their loss." It has
been said that Needham suffered more on that day — Lexington excepted —
than any other town in V-.e State.

2 In 1843 West Needham like other towns in the vicinity during that
period celebrated Cornwallis Day by a sham battle and the siege and sur-
render at Yorktown. The affair took place on the vacant land now in-
cluding Elm, Crotin and Pine Streets, Wellesley Hills. Gen. Charles Rice
was Lord Cornwallis and Warren Dewing, General Washington.

The following is a copy of a handbill in possession of the Rice family,
and loaned by Mr. Frederick C. Leslie:

CORNWALLIS

The Celebration of the Surrender of Cornwallis will take place at
Needham on Thursday, (19th inst.).

Troops of Volunteer Companies belonging to the town, and from the
neighboring towns, amounting together to about 1,000 will be present.

The line will be formed near the Depot, at 10 o'clock, precisely; go
through a few evolutions, and form a hollow square, when an ADDRESS,
appropriate to the occasion, will be delivered by

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

N. P. BANKS, Esq.

The Army will prepare for action at 2 o'clock p. m. and the move-
ments are intended to come as near as practicable to the Surrender of
Cornwallis, 62 years ago.

The Committee have the pleasure to state that the

HON. RICHARD M. JOHNSON

of Kentucky has accepted an invitation to be present. It is expected that
Col. Johnson will be escorted to the field of battle by the National Lancers
of the City of Boston.

Promptness, Soldier-like attention and decorum are the order of the
day.

Charles Rice,
Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements.
NEEDHAM, Oct. 17, 1843.

Andrew G. Prentiss, Printers, 4 Devonshire St.

The next day the Evening Transcript had the following which had
been copied from the Post.

THE CORNWALLIS SHAM FIGHT

The contemplated military spectacle of a sham fight came off at Need-
ham yesterday in grand style. The weather cleared off beautifully about
1.00 o'clock and full 500 volunteers assembled on the field. The British
(for the day) were commanded by Gen. Rice, and the Americans by Col.
Dewing. There were companies from Brighton, Dedham, Needham, and
Natick. Col. Johnson and suite, consisting of Col. Macomber, Col. Hol-
brook, and Col. Mitchell came on to the ground in a barouche, and Col.
Johnson was eloquently addressed by E. K. Whitaker, Esq., chairman of
the committee of arrangements appointed to welcome him. He was also
addressed on the part of the military, by N. P. Banks, Esq., and to whom
he replied with great feeling and simplicity of manner, and he was evi-
dently much affected by the warm reception he met with. During the
sham fight, a spectator had his arm broken in a scuffle, and this was the
only accident or unpleasant occurrence on the battlefield.

A program for July 4, 1859, reads: "The anniversary of the Declara-
tion of Independence will be celebrated at the North District School House
by permission of the school committee in the following manner. Marshall
of the Day, Mr. C. B. Patten. Order of Exercises, I Prayer, II Reading of
Declaration of Independence by Mr. I. I. Leslie, III Music by the children
of the School ; Song and chorus in which all are requested to join — 'O
Columbia the Gem of the Ocean' (3 stanzas). TV Oration by Rev. E. S.
Atwood. V Poem prepared for the occasion by Mr. J. L. Fairbanks.
VI Music. Song and chorus in which all are requested to join. 'My
country, 'tis of thee' (4 stanzas). To commence at 5 o'clock p. m.

Fireworks will be displayed from Meeting House Hill by consent of
Gen. Charles Rice, near the corner of Rice's Crossing Road as soon after
dark as possible."

In March, 1875, the town chose a committee consisting of Warren
Dewing, Solomon Flagg and George K. Daniell to arrange in reference to
the centennial celebration at Lexington and Concord. The Needham dele-
gation was in the eighth division of the Lexington celebration, Gen. Wil-
liam Coggswill. chief. The delegation was mounted, under Joseph E.
Fiske, marshall. There were one hundred men, attended by the Needham
Band and the Highlandville Cornet Band. Post 21 G. A. R. sent thirty
men. Gov. Gaston and Chief Justice Gray were among the speakers.

OLD FAMILIES

The historical associations with the name of Wellesley are
numerous and interesting, and embrace the most important events
in American history. Andrew Dewing, probably the first settler in
the town, was the ancestor of soldiers in the Revolution and the
Civil War.

The Fullers, always one of the most influential families of the
place, claim their origin from Thomas Fuller (a member of whose

OLD FAMILIES

family early built a house near the town line), a representative to
the General Court as early as 1686, whose son was wounded in the
Narraganset War, and whose descendants were conspicuous in the
earlier and later wars and in civil life, — William and Henry A.
serving in the war of the Rebellion.

The Wares, another well-known family, have always had their
representatives in church, town and military matters, one of whom
left a very valuable journal of his journey to Quebec under Arnold
in 1776.

The Kingsburys, descendants of Joseph Kingsbury of Dedham,
furnished one of their number as captain of a company which
fought at the battle of Lexington, and a noble child of the house,
William H., died in the Civil War, while Dexter held town offices
for many years.

The Mills, one of whom was killed (and the only one living
within the limits of Wellesley who was killed) in the Lexington
fight, and the Smiths freely represented in the Revolutionary and
Rebellion contests: — Daniel, the first deacon of the West Needham
Church, represented in all places of honor and works, with a female
ancestor captured and scalped by the Indians, and the last with us
well-known as moderator and assessor; the Flaggs, synonym for
town office; Fiskes, residents of the Leg and builders of some of our
old homes, Emery serving as delegate to the convention for revising
(he Constitution of Massachusetts in 1853, Joseph E., the last in the
male line, for many years selectman, school committee and mod-
erator, captain of artillery in the Civil War; the Stevens, faithful
and true, one of whom, Elbridge, died in Libby Prison at Richmond;
the Slacks, owners of an immense tract of land in the lower part
of the town, the last generation represented by Capt. C. B. Slack in
the war of the Rebellion; the Lyons, eminent as manufacturers and
farmers, with two of the family on the muster roll of the Forty-
fourth Massachusetts Regiment; the Huntings, descendants of John
Hunting, the first elder of the Dedham Church, three of the last
generation in the Civil War, — Willard dying in prison; all these
have done their share in honest, faithful work to enhance the repu-
tation of their town and make the world better for having lived
in it.

In St. Mary's churchyard, at Newton Lower Falls, are buried
members of the Lyon, Pratt, Daniel, Rice, Hoogs families. In
Needham Cemetery, clustered around their minister, waiting for the
call for the last congregation lie the Slacks, Daniels, Wares, Kings-
burys, Fullers.

In Wellesley Village are still gravestones of the Noyes, Smith,
Stevens, Fuller, Kingsbury families.*

Of later names, though none natives of the place, but of whom
the town has good cause to be proud are those known beyond our
limits, in literary, artistic and scientific circles.

Among them should be mentioned Isaac Sprague of the past
generation (1811-1890), the illustrator of Grey's Botany, a friend
and collaborator of Audubon.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Graham Bell lived at the Falls at about the time of his inven-
tion of the use of the telephone.

The Denton brothers are known throughout the world as natu-
ralists, reproducers of the original colors of fish and birds and in-
ventors and manufacturers of "butterfly jewelry."

Mary B. Hazleton, declared by Sargent and others to be the fore-
most woman portrait painter in America, has painted very beautiful
mural decorations for the Hills Congregational Church.

W. L. Taylor is well known as an illustrator, his work appearing
in the Ladies' Home Journal and other journals. X,

Of our literary talent the most noted are Gamaliel Bradford,
whose "Portraits of Union Generals" and "Confederate Generals"
are perhaps best known, and Katherine Lee Bates, a long-time
resident, and now Professor of Literature at Wellesley, who has
written many books on Spain and some very charming verse.

1 C. C. Greenwood's and G. K. Clarke's various books on "Epitaphs" .

"boZU- THE TOWN FARM

Needham, April 14, 1828.

The town being met (for the express purpose) on an adjourn-
ment from the first Monday in April. Proceeded as follows. Viz. —
It was put to the vote of the town to see if they would accept of the
report of their Committee: the report being in favor of purchasing
the farm improved by the Widow Emily Kingsberry and belonging to
Mr. John Welles of Boston, and it passed in the affirmative. The
town voted to choose a committee to receive a Deed of Mr. John
Welles in behalf of the town of the aforesaid farm — and Capt. Jona
Gay, Benjm Slack, Esq., and Mr. Moses Garfield were chosen their
committee. The place was bought for $2,550.

The town voted that this committee be chosen to prescribe rules
and regulations respecting their poor house and Gen. Charles Rice,
Aaron Smith, Esq., and Artemus Newell, Esq., were chosen their
committee.

The town voted that the overseers of the poor take charge of
the farm bought for the poor.

This Meeting Dissolved.

Asa Kingsbury,

Town Clerk.

The building was insured in 1830.

The poor of the town were therefore cared for in one building
and not boarded out as had been the custom. Another problem was
also solved concerning the best place for town meetings, which were
now held in a hall which was built on the first floor. For several
years the plan had been tried of meeting alternately in the East and
West Meeting Houses, varied by meeting at Col. William Mcintosh's
or Bullard's Tavern. But having acquired a place for their poor and
for general meetings the farm seemed to be a white elephant, hard
to handle. For years almost every town meeting voted a committee

THE TOWN FARM

to consider selling it and building a smaller house. Each year a
committee reported on the condition of the inmates.

But previous to this decision and purchase by the town Dover
had written to Needham and other surrounding towns to see if they
would not join together and purchase a farm which could be used
by all in common.

In 1835 the town voted that "the Selectmen shall purchase a
bathing tub that shall be kept at the Almshouse under their care."

In the same year a petition was presented to be incorporated
into the town warrant "to see if the town will vote to prohibit ar-
dent spirits being furnished by the overseers of the poor for the use
of their paupers at the expense of the town."

November 11, 1833, a road was accepted from the Almshouse to
Wellesley village at Noyes' Corner (Wellesley Ave.).

In 1837 the town voted that the selectmen and Daniel Ware
prescribe rules and regulations for the Inmates of the Alms House.

April 3, 1838, a building committee of Jabez Smith, Dexter Ware
and Spencer Fuller were "chosen to take down and dispose of the
old almshouse and move out-buildings to accommodate the new
almshouse." Voted that "the care of the town hall be in the care
of the keeper of the almshouse, under the direction of the Selectmen
pnd also that it may be occupied for public, political and other civic
meetings, that the town provide lamps for the town hall and those
that appoint meetings in said hall are to furnish oil for the same."
In rebuilding the house Mr. Pickering, the contractor, made the shed
of material from the original Kingsbury barn. The town met at the
hall November 12, 1838, and a committee was chosen to take down
and dispose of the old almshouse and move the out-buildings to
accommodate the new almshouse.

In 1859 we find that Dexter Kingsbury bought the "vane and
fixtures for $15."

During the middle of the century the town reports place the
value of the Town Farm and Buildings at $8,500 and the Personal
Property at $3,000. In 1872 a smallpox hospital was built at an
expense of $558.87, the appropriation being $1,200. In 1873 further
work was done on it to the extent of $398.47, still leaving a little
of the appropriation. The same year the detailed smallpox account
amounted to $683.21 for the patients. In 1873 the Lockup was built
at an expense of $678.43, the appropriation being $1,000.

In 1871 the report asks for a larger hall and a suggestion is
also offered that a cemetery be placed on land southeast of the Town
house.

In 1874 "pursuant to a vote of the town your Selectmen have
caused certain alterations in, and additions to be made to the Town
Hall building. The accommodations now are ample and convenient
for town purposes. The main hall is 73x34 feet, with a room for
the Selectmen 14x19, and another for the School Committee 14x14;
these two rooms are arranged with folding doors, so that if neces-
sary they will form one larger room 14x34. The work was done by
contract as nearly as was consistent with remodelling and repairing

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

old work. As the work progressed many changes were found neces-
sary, which could not be brought into the estimate, as they had to
conform to the frame and plan of the old building."

The following is a statement of the cost of the work: —

By Cash paid —

J. M. Harris, for plan of Town Hall building. . $ 15.00

J. E.'Cloyes, for underpinning stone 98.49

Jno. Fuller, for laying cellar-wall 231.52

J. H. Fitzgerald, for rods in hall 60.00

Gardner Chilson, for ventilators in hall 16.00

Dennett, Bliss & Jones, for paper for anterooms 5.20

W. D. Parlin, for paper for house 12.31

Fawcett, Hawkes & Co., for two furnaces 439.22

Oliver Pickering, on contract 6,323.00

Oliver Pickering, for extras ■ 1,003.63

A. M. Mace & Co., for lead pipe and plumbing

for pump and sink 11.37

Wisner & Edwards, for papering and painting,

extra 81.64

E. Peabody, furniture in house 55.00

New England Carpet Co., for carpets in house 88.80
Goldthwait, Snow & Knight, for carpets for

anterooms 57.15

Stephen Smith & Co., for desks, bookcase and

tables for hall and anterooms 119.00

W. O. Haskell & Co., for settees for hall 215.00

Tucker Manufacturing Co., lamps for hall and

building 69.81

Walter Bowers, for rebuilding lockups 205.98

99,109.27

These items have been charged as follows: —

To original appropriation for alterations,

Town Hall building $6,500.00

Additional appropriation made at town meet-
ing, December 30 1,500.00

Returned from the State on account of small-
pox bills and State Poor, and expended for
the comfort of the poor in heating, paint-
ing, papering, furnishing and incidentals,
which would not properly belong to altera-
tions in Town Hall 763.20

Unexpended balance of lockup appropriation
made last year 321.57

Miscellaneous 24.50

$9,109.27
54

THE TOWN FARM

The town report for 1878 stated that the "building known as the
'smallpox hospital' has been moved to within a few feet of the main
building — the former location being so remote that the warden could
not properly look after it. The building has been used chiefly,
since the main building was repaired, as a lodging place for tramps,
who after receiving a night's lodging, would frequently show their
gratitude by stealing the blankets, etc., sometimes soiling and dis-
figuring the building, and even going so far as to attempt to burn it,
the insurance companies refusing to insure it in its old location."

The town report for Welleslcy, 1881, says: "Immediately after
the incorporation of the town we made a contract with the over-
seers of Needham to board their poor for the year ending March
31, 1882, at two dollars a week. While this price seemed at the
time to be sufficient, the great advance in most all kinds of pro-
visions has proved it entirely inadequate, and should we board
them the coming year we should feel obliged to charge more. . . .
The question of selling the farm is a matter which should be care-
fully considered. It is very apparent that if the farm could be
sold for a sum approximating to the amount allowed Needham for
her half and the money placed at interest (besides getting so much
more taxable property) it would be economy to do so, and make
other arrangements for our poor."

In 1882 the valuation of the Town Farm and buildings was
placed at §14,000.00, and the personal property at the town farm
at $2,840.00.

September 17, 1883, a portion of the land was sold to Josiah G.
Abbott for .$3,501.80.

In 1910 the Farm was leased to the Country Club Corporation.

The following men served as keepers or wardens of the town
farm from the time it was bought until it was given up in 1910.
For several years previous, carrying on the farm was costing the
town far more for maintaining its poor than was necessary. The
keepers were always married and their wives proved of great as-
sistance to them. After 1880 the words warden and matron were
used in describing the work done. For the first thirty or forty
years of the existence of the farm, the wardens were generally
the liquor agents of the town and rendered their account to the
selectmen.

Israel Whiting, May 19, 1828-April 25, 1832; Benjamin Fuller,
April 25, 1832-April 25, 1833; Joseph Newell, April 25, 1833-April
10, 1834; Daniel Ware, April 9, 1834-April, 1838; John Kingsbury,
April, 1838-April, 1841; Jacob Kardon, April, 1841-September 17,
1841; Alvin Fuller 2d, September 17, 1841-April 1, 1845; John Kings-
bury, April 1, 1845-April 1, 1846; James Smith, April 1, 1846-1851;
G. E. Byington, 1851-March, 1852; Ezekiel Peabody, March, 1852-
March, 1859; Dexter Kingsbury, March, 1859-March, 1867; Benjamin
Joy, March, 1867-March, 1872; D. A. Warner, March, 1872-March,
1873; Ezekiel Peabody, March, 1873-March, 1884; I. T. Swift, March,
1884-1888; Philip Atwood, 1888-1890; George W. Whitten, 1890-
1892; C. E. Davis, 1892-1893; W. E. Woodward, 1893-March 1, 1895;

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Theodore Bolser, March 1, 1895-March 1, 1898; George H. Twombly,
March 1, 1898-April 1, 1904; George W. Martin, April 1, 1904-April 1,
1905; George H. Twombly, April 1, 1905-September 1, 1907; Arthur
B. Tull, September 1, 1907-

The Town Farm was discontinued in 1910.

(When exact dates are known thej' are given, otherwise the
month was probably March.)

TAVERNS AND OLD HOUSES

In Elm Park, Welleslej' Hills, was the old hotel of that name
once called the Needham Hotel. It has generally been known by the
names of its various owners or occupants. In 1811 Calvin Fisk is
recorded as owning it and adjacent land. In 1824 John Sargent
(who married Abigail Ware) and Nathan White were proprietors.
It was called Shepherds' from 1840 to 1847 and later Crafts'. In
1849 it is spoken of as the Grantville Temperance House. Mr.
and Mrs. Leland kept a school there as well as a tavern. Philena
Tenney was a later landlord. The owners and landlords were not
always the same people.

The county records give deeds as follows: April 12, 1808, land
was sold to David Stone and Calvin Fisk who probably built the
tavern; December 4, 1812, Fisk as mortgagor to Jeremiah Gore and
John Harris; Ephraim Bullard, Sheriff sold to Timothy Daniels;
the Daniels estate held the property until 1834, when it was sold
to John W. Slack,i who was granted a license as a taverner to sell
liquors. Nathan White and John Sargent held an interest in it
which they sold out to Marshall Spring of Watertown. Mary Spring
for the estate sold it in 1845 to Daniel Stone, who in 1851 sold to
Benjamin I. Leeds, who sold to L. Allen Kingsbury, who sold it
to Timothy Hancock in 1857, who in 1867 sold to Charles Newhall
who sold it to John W. Shaw.

The last owners and occupants were the Shaw and Livermore
families in whose day (1908) it was bought both through private
subscription and by the town and torn down and the land made a
public park.

The row of old elms which were right at the door indicates with
what a flourish the old stage coaches used to drive up to the very
rioorstone. Up 'to 1860 there was a road from the hotel to the
Grantville Depot between Washington Street and Worcester Turn-
pike.

Hoogs' Tavern, owned and conducted by five-fingered George
Hoogs, was situated at Newton Lower Falls just beyond the present
railroad crossing on the northeast corner. It was burned in 1905.
Hoogs lived in the house next to the tavern with the pillars in
front, now a tenement house.

Wales' Tavern was beyond the river at the junction of Wales
and Washington Streets.

In Wellesley village Blanchard's Tavern was on the main thor-

Looking Last

Photos by Alhtn SI Cli

Looking West

\\ 1:1.1 .ksi.ky Hn.r.s Smiahi:
l Melon- 1*1001

TAVERNS AND OLD HOUSES

oughfare, but is now practically hidden by the Partridge Block
which has been erected in front of it.

The A. B. Clarke house, on the corner of Washington and
Church Streets, once owned by Flagg, was formerly a tavern. Sol-
omon Flagg's father — also a Solomon — kept it as a tavern for a short
time. He married Esther Brown whose sister Betsy left $5,000 to
the West Needham Church. The Betsy Brown house, an old black
house, formerly standing near the A. P. Dana home, was built by a
Dewing and bought by Mr. Samuel Brown about seventy years after
it was built. He built the north end. The chimney in the old
house was built on the outside. Mr. Brown was a Methodist, at-
tending the church in the Hundreds. He was a town officer, filling
various capacities for many years. Eben Flagg's house on Central
Street was once also a tavern — Crockett's.

The building first used by the Unitarian Society was Maugus
Hall, originally a freight house. Its last use is the dwelling of
John Croswell, who also bought the old Congregational Church which
he used for a barn. This was afterwards burned. During the early
sixties Maugus Hall was called the Wigwam, and used as a paint
shop by one Bedoe. It was the scene of the McLellan riot during
war times, when "secesh" and war advocates made it very lively.
Report had it that during the excitement of the meeting people were
thrown out of the windows. But Mr. Atwood, the minister, re-
minded the over zealous press that, there being no windows, such
a thing was not probable.

For several years it was owned by the Maugus Hall Association
and was the only meeting place in the village for social gatherings.

The Dewing garrison house, built as early as 1656, was the
first house, as far as is known, that was built within the present
precincts of Wellesley. Its site is believed to have been on Grove
Street at about the entrance to the Baker place, and opposite the
G. E. Alden estate.

Here, more than two centuries later, William Emerson Baker, of
sewing machine fame, bought in 1868 from Payson Pierce, Daniel
Ware and others, well cultivated farms containing about 820 acres,
and developed a very wonderful place of entertainment. He called
it Ridge Hill Farm, and built a house for his family which with
the various other buildings on the grounds often housed several hun-
dred people. His grotto, stable, fountains, zoological museum, an-
tiques, and numerous entertainments are among the unique re-
membrances of those who were fortunate enough to have seen
them.

Although most of the property is in Needham, the Wellesley
station was always used for visitors. It is said that when the town
was divided Mr. Baker asked to be set off in a borough by himself,
but the General Court did not see fit to grant his request. Hotel
Wellesley was built by him, and was carried on as a high class
hostelry for some years until it was burned in the '90's.

In Wellesley village we find that during the early days of the
Civil War the minister, A. R. Baker, who built and lived in the

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

house now occupied by H. L. Rollins, was a believer in slavery, and
suspected of being friendly to the South. Many of his parishioners
objected, and a threat was made to raise the Union colors at his
house, but when the eventful day arrived, the only result was an
earnest promise on the part of Major J. W. Wright (then living in
the house now owned by Mrs. Simonds) the ringleader, that the com-
munity would protect him in the future. The affair still lingers
joyfully w the memory of those who were boys at the time, and
sat on the fence, fearfully, but hopefully, looking for bloodshed.

Mr. Raker's wife under the name of Aunt Hattie, wrote stories
for children. The house was on the site of a smaller one owned by
Deacon Hezekiah Fuller, who for a short time boarded a former
minister, Mr. Sessions and his family. Refore building his house
Mr. Raker had lived in the house now occupied by A. P. Dana.

Captain Aaron Smith's house in the college ground back of the
greenhouses is a very old house and was built before the Revolu-
tion.

Parson Noyes' house was on the cellar hole which may still be
seen behind the clump of lilacs east of the Town Library. This
house was later owned by Dr. W. T. G. Morton, the first permanent
user of ether as an anesthetic, and lived in by his parents. The
house was burned during their occupancy. Dr. Morton lived in
the house now further east which was then on the library site.
This was built by him in 1845, the year before he began to use
ether. He manufactured teeth here, employing women for the work.
His grounds were very extensive, reaching west across the tracks.
In a time when farming was not as much of an avocation for gen-
tlemen as it is now he carried on a large farm, and is said to have
first introduced the Jersey ccw into America.

"In 1850 the agricultural society of Norfolk County in which
Etherton Cottage is situated was instituted by the Hon. Marshall P.
Wilder and others who were personal friends of Dr. Morton. . . .
The premiums awarded to Dr. Morton at different times by the
State and Norfolk County Agricultural Societies not only bear wit-
ness to his own superiority of culture but to the necessity for
science in this primitive vocation; in fact there is no pursuit which
requires more scientific investigation. West Needham, the home
of Dr. Morton, notwithstanding its poor prosaic name, is really a
pretty pastoral-looking place surrounded by low wooded hills, pro-
tecting as it were the fine farms and orchards, and the pleasant
dwellings everywhere seen in the valleys and on the uplands
around. In twenty minutes after leaving the bustle of Roston, if
the cars make good speed, you will reach this rural scene, where
Nature still holds her quiet way, except when the steam-horse goes
snorting and thundering by." ("Trials of a Public Renefactor, as
illustrated by the discover of Etherization," by Nathan P. Rias,
M.D. Published 1859.)

The postmaster, Alvin Fuller, 2d, lived in the house now occu-
pied by W. W. Diehl which then stood on the corner of Washington
and Forest Streets. Another residence of the Fuller family in the

TAVERNS AND OLD HOUSES

same vicinity was the Phillips house where Alvin was born. It was
bought by Freeman Phillips in 1863 of Mrs. W. B. Tappan, and had
been occupied by Solomon Flagg, by the parents of A. R. Clapp as
well as by various members of the Fuller and Withington families.

One of the most travelled houses in town has been owned and
lived in by W. H. Adams, Deacon Batchelder, the E. H. Stanwood
family and now by R. W. Babson. Its original position was about
where the Wellesley Hills station now stands; later it was moved
across to the present entrance of Abbott Road; again to the junc-
tion of Abbott Road and Maple Street (now Seaward Place), and
finally and presumably to its last resting place on Abbott Road.
\V. H. Adams kept a school there, where his brother-in-law, Sam
Pettingill (later the head of the first advertising agency) was of
great assistance to him. It was also the place where the early
meetings of the Grantville Congregational Society were held. Dea-
con Batchelder's land extended to what is now Rockland Street
which he used as a cow pasture. This land formerly belonged to
the Kingsburys and a house was on this land which may have been
the original Kingsbury house. In 1814 there was a tremendous
gale and the wheat fields of the Kingsburj's' which extended from
what is now Abbott Road to Wellesley Hills Square were com-
pletely demolished. Barns and houses were destroyed and the loss
of property was very great. Joseph Kingsbury owned the property
at this time.

The house now lived in by Dr. Hazelton and his family was
directly on the Sherborn Road, with the row of elms lining the road
directly in front of the house, the road passing through the present
lawn of the Unitarian Church. This house was at one time a part
of the Batchelder property and is now owned by A. R. Clapp. It
is one of the oldest houses in town, and is said to have been built
by the brother of the leader of the Boston Tea Party, if leader there
was.

The house now owned and lived in by Richard Cunningham
was built by Hezekiah Fuller for the first minister of the Grant-
ville church, Harvey Xewcomb. The land was owned by Dexter
Ware and was lot No. 1, being a square lot reaching up on to
Maugus Hill.

The house on the west side of Washington Street in Wellesley
Hills Square, owned by George Dexter Ware, has been in this
branch of the family for years. It was built by George Hoogs,
cousin of the one who kept the tavern at the Falls, and is a very
good example of the old New England style of village architecture.
Ware and Wilder's store was here for several years. The long, low
narrow building formerly standing next to it was the home of Mary
Jane Dix and her mother, and later it was used as a store by Mr.
A. R. Clapp's father, the Huntings, Seawards, Rowells and others.
It was torn down about thirty years ago.

Back of these buildings where the waterworks and railroad are
now was a good sized pond, almost a lake in size.

The small, white house, also belonging to the Ware estate, was

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

once a blacksmith's shop, owned by Frank Daniels, who lived in
the present home of Dr. Hazelton about 1825. His wife was the
aunt of Miss Dix, the first wife of L. Allen Kingsbury.

Other existing Ware houses are the Reuel Ware house built by
Daniel Ware on Brook Street, now owned by Robert H. Monks; the
Captain Reuben Ware house on Walnut Street, now owned by the
Millers; and Mr. Sheridan's at the junction of Oakland Street and
Brookside Road, where across the road, tradition says, is the old
spring used by Maugus. This is probably part of property which in
1833 the town of Needham sold to Isaac Keyes. The deed records
thirteen acres on Worcester Turnpike, and, no doubt, is part of the
land deeded by Ephraim Ware to the Needham Parish. (These
Wares are buried in the Needham Cemetery.)

The "Ryan house" on the corner of Washington and Oakland
Streets was built and owned by the Daniells family who owned
land in West Needham as earlj- as 1720. Ephraim Daniells, who
died in 1784, was born in 1744, and is spoken of as living in the
homestead. This is probably the house, though it is known that
many alterations have been made. The barn on the Fuller place
on the corner of Woodlawn Avenue belonged to the Daniells family
and was across Washington Street opposite the house. In 1833
George K. Daniell married Hannah Adams, the adopted daughter of
Moses Grant and the daughter of Amasa and Mary (Adams) Fiske
of Medfield and a niece of Miss Hannah Adams, the "historian of
the Jews." Moses Grant lived in the house on the southwest corner
of Worcester and Oakland Streets, now moved back. Later owners
of the Ryan house have been the Colburns and William Heckle.
During the latter ownership Hugh McLeod lived in it. The Ryan
house as well as the Sheridan house is in an excellent state of
preservation, and will doubtless continue so, as their owners take
great pride in them and their history.

In 1804 Enoch Fiske built the present Fiske homestead for his
son, Isaiah, and a little earlier for himself the old house on the
Sisters' school grounds on Oakland Street, once owned by Ellery
Clarke, whose mother was Harriet Kingsbun*. The property was
known as the Hollis place, previously to that as the Scudders'. The
Scudder house itself was built by John Bird and was much smaller,
but has been added to by its various owners. Marshall Scudder
was an active citizen of the town and was superintendent of the
Grantville Congregational Sunday School for many years.

Lieut. John Ness probably had a house a little north of the
Fiske homestead in the eighteenth century. He was moderator of
the third meeting held in the West Precinct, April 10, 1775.

A later house, now owned and lived in by General Ward, was
formerly known as the Bancroft place and was built by their uncle,
John Bird. Mr. E. C. Chapin was the carpenter, and he also erected
the "Austen" place for himself, later occupied by the Farleys and
now by the Pierson family and owned by Isaac Sprague.

The house on the southeast corner before crossing the railroad
track at Newton Lower Falls, was bought by Charles Rice, March

TAVERNS AND OLD HOUSES

29, 1817, from Lemuel Pratt. In early days Washington Street was
very much narrower at this point, the house being further back
from the road. "Near the left front of the house steps led down
the bank to a sunken garden, the paths were box-bordered, and
beds filled with old-fashioned flowers. The side hill was covered
with peach trees, and in the spring the blossoming trees made a
wonderful picture against the hillside. Before the building of the
railroad a small pond of sparkling water, fed by springs, occupied
the place of the road to the freight house from Washington Street."

At that time the Pratt house stood further up on the opposite
side of the street, just in front of the French-roofed house next
the Catholic church. It was moved to its present position on
Ledyard Street, between 1831 and 1836. The Pratt estate previous
to 1828 contained about one hundred and thirty acres.

Another house owned by General Rice is the one near the river
on the corner of River and Washington Streets. When owned by
him it had a large hall in the third story, the ceiling was arched
and painted with moon and stars, and Masonic emblems. The
local lodge met here. It is now owned by James A. Early.

The small house next G. H. Spring's grain office and at the en-
trance to the Falls railroad station is the house where Francis
Blake lived, the assistant of Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor
of the telephone transmitter.

The house where Miss Murilla Williams lived, formerly op-
posite St. John's Church, now further back on the lot, had "two
rooms in front, down stairs box entry, sloping roof, enormous fire-
places, brick oven, two good upright chambers, in one of which a
private school was kept by a Mr. Roberts, accessible by an outside
staircase; there was a kitchen and inner room, old cinnamon roses
in front and lilacs behind the house."

The Sturtevant house built in part by Perceval Chubb has been
lived in by Amos Allen, Peter Parker, the Fairbanks and others.
The rear is very old.

The house now owned by A. S. Tucker, was built before 1775,
probably by Benjamin Slack of Roxbury, as a place of refuge for
his family in case of war or pestilence. At the alarm of Lexington
the family fled through the wilderness of Brookline (Muddy River\
where they hid as British troops marched by. Mr. Slack, leaving
his family in charge of his son Benjamin, went on to the battle
accompanied by his oldest son John. This house at the lower end
of Walnut Street, is one of the oldest in the community. It has
had various additions, probably being at first but a four-room
house. An addition was built on about 1840. intended for the use
of Mr. Slack's sister. The barn, burned in 1915, was built in the
early part of last century, and probably replaced a much older one.

The land between Walnut Street and Washington belonged to
this family whose daughter Clarissa married Parson Noyes' son
Edward. Later much of it was purchased by William Heckle. The
older son John owned a large tract of land in Weston, most of
which is now the property of Charles T. Hubbard.

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

The land on Walnut Street opposite the North School, on which
was once a good-sized house, was known as the Allen farm, later
bought by Peter Lyon, then by the Coggeshalls who kept a small
dry goods store. The cellar hole behind the elms is all that remains
to show it was once a place of residence. The property at present
is largely owned by the Catholic parish of Milford. (Peter Lyon's
granddaughter married Robert Ingersoll.)

Thomas Slack bought the three-roomed house originally owned
by Seth Lyon and moved it from land opposite Fairbanks Avenue
and Walnut Street to land near the North School, where it stood
on its solitar3T mound for many years.

1 That same year George W. Hoogs was also granted a license, both as
a taverner and a retailer. Other retailers were Samuel \Y. Dix and Dexter
Ware.

LAND OWNERS

In addition and subsequent to the original grants of land al-
ready given, a summary of the other large owners in real estate
may prove interesting.

The division of the Common Lands north of the Sherborn road
with consequent private ownership brought about the settlement
there within a few years of many families. This was especially
true of the district about Lower Falls. Henry Pratt, afterward of
Newton, established a tannery at the Falls, just north of the pres-
ent Washington Street bridge. He possessed considerable land ad-
joining his tan yard, and built him a house. Lemuel Pratt suc-
ceeded to most of his Needham estate, and lived on the north side
of what is now Washington Street, where about 1800 Capt. S. A.
Pratt kept tavern. The next settler west of Pratt, having his home
on the north side of the Weston road, was William Chub whose
family removed to Sturbridge. North of his land was the farm of
George Robinson who lived within the present limits of Weston,
but whose farm was in both towns.

September 2, 1828, the Pratt farm comprised about eighty-six
acres bounded "northerly on land of Peter Lyon, Charles Rice and
said Rroad's land to the Town Road, leading from Newton Lower
Falls to Weston, thence on said Road easterly to land of John
Parker, thence on said Parker's land to the Road last mentioned,
thence on said Road and Sherborn Road to the bounds first men-
tioned." The Pratt land by the middle of the last century had
passed into the hands of the Rices.

West of the Chub and Pratt property Ephraim Jackson owned
land to the Weston line. This was largely bought by Enoch Fisk
whose son Isaiah sold to Emery and Moses Fisk, his cousins.
Joseph E. Fiske of the last generation developed real estate, both
inherited and bought.

The Lyons family owned land on Walnut East and now a large
tract on Forest Street opposite the Country Club, part of it having
once belonged to Otis Sawyer.

LAND OWNERS

The Daniels property on Oakland Street was considerable and
included land which later passed into the hands of the Bird, Col-
burn and Bancroft families.

The Wares, always large land owners, willed land "around
Maugus Hill" as early as 1695. Ephraim Ware owned the Sheridan
home and land around Rosemary Brook and on Brookside Road.
Another branch of the family, Daniel Ware, owned land and built
the homestead on Brook Street. Captain Reuben owned the house
on Walnut Street now occupied by the Newton Ice Company. Ware
property is still owned by the family in Wellesley Hills Square
and on Maugus Hill, though not inherited from the original Ware
owner.

The Fuller land has been for generations on Forest Street,
Great Plain Avenue and Wellesley Avenue as far as the Wellesley
Square. The original grant was probably in the Natick dividend
of 1659, and some of this land is still in the Fuller family, coming
down through inheritance. The first Fuller home was built beyond
the Wellesley line in Needham, opposite the house of Mr. Mcintosh
on Great Plain Avenue.

The Kingsbury original grant of 1699 was held intact for many
years by the family. The Town Farm, now the Country Club, was
in the family for at least one hundred years, the last Kingsbury
owner being Leonard. L. Allen Kingsbury of the last generation
added the Dix land through marriage, and bought the "Bostonville"
land and other holdings still in the family.

However the Bostonville land and the old house on Washington
and Kingsbury Streets was purchased in 1841 by Daniel Ayer who
bought it for speculation and advertised house lots for sale at auc-
tion. A church and a school were to be erected and excitement ran
high. The onty result seemed to be uncertain titles to land and
much litigation in consequence. Ajrer was the inventor of the
patent medicine which bears his name.

Ward was an early settler, Ward's Lane, now Pond Street, run-
ning through his land.

The Stevens still own much of their original homestead on
Worcester Street, inherited through the Gays.

The Hunnewell land comes down from 1763 though first in the
Xatick limits, but Samuel Welles, and later his nephew John, had
other holdings throughout the town from the present Country Club
on the east to the Newton line on the south and the Natick line on
the north.

Henry Wood, an early manufacturer and one of the first users,
if not inventor, of cement for building purposes, owned the land
now in the Abbott family on Linden Street. He moved his works
from Boston to Newton Lower Falls, to the Rice place, but later
removed to the Daniel Morse place where he not only carried on
his business but lived there. In 1837 he sold his Linden Street
property to the Arnold family (ancestors of the Shaw family), who
sold to Henry Stone, who in his turn sold to Judge Abbott.

The Morse family owned land and houses opposite the Arch

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

Bridge on Central Street near Natick, but the family has now inter-
married with the Lovewells and Hathaways. Samuel Morse was the
principal land owner in this part of the town until Needham Leg,
where he lived, was annexed to Natick. Morse's Pond, once Broad's,
was named for the family. Central Street ran very much nearer to
the Morse house opposite the culvert.

The Mansfield family, one of whose descendants married Wil-
liam BigeJow of Natick, owned land near Worcester and Blossom
(now Weston Road) Streets.

"Garfield land" is often found in looking up titles, for though
the family are not now in the town i they owned real estate in the
vicinity of Cedar Street for a great many years. Some of this came
through the Ware family.

Of later land owners Charles Ayling and Clough R. Miles owned
land and houses which they sold to A. R. Clapp who is developing
that part of the "Hundreds" which until recently was still wood-
land.

The Rollins family in Wellesley and the Abbotts in Wellesley
Hills began in the late nineties to develop their large holdings
resulting in many desirable homes.

Henry Durant, through the Smiths, Morses and others, acquired
the College Grounds. He, as well as the Abbotts and C. B. Dana,
was taxed for real estate for a number of years as non-residents.

Today (1917) Isaac Sprague, Charles A. Dean, C. N. Taylor,
Helen Temple Cooke and Arthur P. Dana are later and large land
owners.

1 Moses Garfield's tomb, dated 1817, is in the old burying ground in
Needham.

ITEMS FROM EARLY TOWN RECORDS

There is much interesting reading in the early Needham records
about the doings of the town which, of course, were in line with
the proceeding of New England towns in general.

Many of the old offices which we smile at or reappoint in jest
from year to year, such as the hog reeves, deer reeves, field drivers,
were very important and arduous offices in those days. Until 1781
the swine were allowed to run at large, by annual vote. After that
they were allowed to do so if "well-yoked and ringed," at the dis-
cretion of the town meeting. Rams were early restrained. The
"great and General Court," about 1780, ordered the towns "to vote
each year whether horses, horse kind and neat cattle should be
allowed to run at large without a keeper." Needham generally
voted in the negative.

"Surveyors of bread" was a new office introduced after the
Revolution.

During the war 3,000 pounds were voted for highways, as
against 85 pounds in a subsequent year. Work on the highways
was equivalent to paying a tax.

M\ii,;s llii i. i-biim l-'oRKsr SiKiirr
i \«i\ riiilx'l'. INS!) i

V II.W I'UdM MAllil'S It II I

i ISNih

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-

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
the 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.

Februanj 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 unlawfully 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

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 arc

to he furnished by his father, the said ."

EARLY SOCIETIES

Among the early societies in the last century we find the New-
ton, Xatick 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 1796.

The Needham Farmers' Library in the west established in
1832, 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 Hunnewell 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.

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,

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 Boston, Isabella Brownley.
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 Broad 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.

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 Braintree.
He taught in the academy at Wrentham with L. Allen Kingsbury; at
Westboro, ^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 Abbk-
(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)
Eames, born August 30, 1809, in Holliston, and died February, 1846.

His father, Elijah, was born Julj- 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, Daniels
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.

GENEALOGIES OF OLDER RESIDENTS

The FULLER families of the town trace their ancestry back td
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 Bixby) 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.

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:

■A

V.
V.

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. SJbu^r

(G) Isabella Pratt married Robert Gould^and their children
are: Susan Welles, Hollis H., Theodore L. and Arthur H. Susan
married John G. 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 anJ Ruth -^/ho
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 KINGSBURY 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 Richard 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

HISTORY OF TOWN OF WELLESLEY

and widow of Joseph H. Dewing. Harriet married T. Willis Par-
meuter, 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.

Tha 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 land.

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 Needham 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.

GENEALOGIES OF OLDER 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 Betsy (Brown) 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 Bradford 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. Mrs.
Joshua Baker 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. B. 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 (Boynton) 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 by 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

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
(Batchelder) 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
^bout 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 are

HISTORY OF TOWN OF ^WELLESLEY

descended, first, so that each should have a house lot of twelve acres
(the house not 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 doubt at all that the settlers were poor as com-
pared with the other communities, many things showing this — one
being 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 gradualljr 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 town.

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 Kingsbury s, 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

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

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 early
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 energy, "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

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 Welleslej"
republican was that same year, at the polls, a democrat, showing
one of the most marked political transformations ever known.
Later politics in the town are too well known to you and too
gen-ly 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,
tbe 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 deservedb" 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 Reading 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.

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,

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 boolit,
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 Jetter 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 Rail-
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 260
members. The 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.

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 Thursday 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. Shaw
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,

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 adjournd 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.

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.

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 Wellesley 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
CI, 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

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.

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. Bradford 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-

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 necessarj',
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 abljr
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 bjr G. W. Morse, but dissented from by Senator Cook and
Bepresentative Jones. The bill, except the sixth section, which was

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 committ 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
$3,300; 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.

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY

3 9999 05078 314 9

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Books

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "History of the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts"

See other formats