History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

ut in that year the town voted that " John Abbot
and otliers may build a fence around the common,
provided the town be put to no expense on account
of the same." Tlie next year (1841) the fence was
built, and the trees planted ; and the expense in-
curred was met by voluntary contributions. These
trees have grown rapidly, and the Park is now one
of the loveliest features of the village. On the
northwest side of it stands the church edifice of the
First Parish (Unitarian) Society, built in 1794, and
remodelled in 1S08. It is built after the style
which prevailed a century ago. The church edifice
of the Union Congregational Society stands on the
east side of the Park. It is an unpretending structure,
built in 18£9, and dedicated October 8. On
the south side of the Park is the academy, a small
building embowered among trees. The residences
of John W. Abbot, Allan Cameron, and J. Henry
Read are the finest on Main Street. The West-
ford Ornamental Tree Association was formed in
1871. Its name has been changed to the Village
Improvement Association. It has done a good
work by constructing sidewalks and planting
trees. It has an annual work-day in the spring,
when the members work, dine together, and listen
to an address.
Fiihlic Lihrary. — In 1797 a respectable num-
ber of tlie citizens of Westford agreed to form a
shareholders' library, the number of shares not
being less than fifty ; the price of each share was
two dollars. With commendable spirit they took
from one to four shares each, and with the money
resulting therefrom the first ]iurchase of books was
made. In 1859 the shareholders surrendered their
interest to the town, which consented to pay all
expenses connected with the library, and appro-
priate not less than thirty dollars a year for the
purchase of new books. In this way Westford was
one of the earliest towns to establish a free public
library. The number of volumes in the library
(June, 1879) is 3,427.
The establishment of the academy here eighty-
six years ago has fostered a taste for literary pur-
suits among the people. When the Hon. John D.
Long was preceptor of the academy, in 1858-59, a
literary society was formed which lived several years.
Hon. AVillard Hall was born in Westford, December
24, 1780. He was the son of Willis and
Mehitable (Pool) Hall, and grandson of Rev. Willard
Hall, the first minister of the town. He was
fitted for college in 1794, at Westford Academy,
entered Harvard in 1795, and graduated in 1799.
WESTFORD. 487
He studied law at Groton, in Judge Dana's
office, was admitted to the bar in 18():i, and the
same year settled in Dover, Delaware. In 1811
he was appointed secretary of state for Delaware,
and held the office for three years. In 1816 he was
chosen representative in Congress from that state,
and was re-elected in 1818. In 1821 he was again
secretary of state, and May 6, 1823, he was ap-
pointed district judge of the United States for the
Delaware district. In 1828 he revised the statu-
tory laws of Delaware. In 1825 he removed from
Dover to Wilmington, and in 1831 was chosen a
delegate from his county to a convention called for
revising the constitution of that state, " having
been placed on the ticket of both parties." Judge
Hall published at various times several essays, addresses,
and reports, most of them relating to common
schools and education. He married, first,
Junia Killen, daughter of William Killen, chan-
cellor of Delaware, and secondly, Harriet Ilillyard,
of Kent County, Delaware. He died May 10,
1875, aged ninety-four years.
Railroads. — The Stony Brook Railroad was
opened to public travel July 4, 1848. Passing
across the town in a southwest direction, it cuts it
into two nearly equal portions. It has been the
means of developing business, especially in Granite-
ville, a village that sprung into existence after the
road was built, and is now a thriving manufac-
turing place. On this road there are four stations,
— Brookside, Westford, Graniteville, and Forge
Village, — all within the limits of Westford.
The Framingham and Lowell Railroad enters the
town on the easterly side, a little south of Hart's
Pond in Chelmsford, and passing what is known as
" the Dupee place," furnishes good accommoda-
tions to all who live in that section of the town.
There is but one station in Westford, — that called
by the company the Carlisle Station.
The Nashua, Acton, and Boston Railroad was
opened to the public in July, 1873. Striking the
town near its northwest angle, it passes longitudi-
nally and leaves it at the southwest corner. It
has three stations in town,—Graniteville, West-
ford, and East Littleton, so called.
The town will complete one hundred and fifty
years of its corporate existence in September, 1879.
It is probable that the event will be commemorated
in some fitting way. With its abundant
resources, and its nearness to the markets of
Lowell and Boston, there is every reason to ex-
pect growth and prosperity for it in years to come.