History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

52 HISTOKY OF MIBBLESEX COUNTY.
pleted ill 1875, was Benjamin D. Frost of this
town.
A few facts selected at random illustrate the
many changes in customs during a century. First,
the inventories of 1770 and 1771 give the number
of slaves owned as eight. A carriage was a great
luxury, and subject 4o a duty ; in 17 86 the town
boasted two only, — both chaises. The selectmen
were empowered to warn out of town any persons
whom they thought likely to become paupers, or
for other reasons. In 1790, all persons who had
come to town since 1767 were warned out. The
chief items of expense for the funeral of the town's
first pauper were for kid gloves and rum !
The railroads running through the town are the
Fitchburg, with a station in the westerly part, dis-
tant thirty-(jue miles from Boston, and the Stony
Brook, with a tiag-station in the uorth part, distant
twelve miles from Lowell.
Since the building of the railroads the local
travel has gradually diininislied, so that it does not
support a hotel, and the traveller through the town
must depend upon the hosjiitality of the citizens.
In former times tlicrc were niany lavcni
kc])t by Samuel Hunt, is mentioned
IVll; it probably stood near the house of P. S.
Wliitcomb. Another wa.s the Jjawrcnee tavern,
kept in the house now occupied by Henry Crane
;
words, " Pay To-day and Trust To-morrow," with
the date 1768, is still in the house. Others were
kept by John Fox and Captain Leonard Whiting
in the Centre, previous to the Eevolution ; by
Saml. Gilbert, and afterwards by Captain Kidder,
called the Tremont House (where the Baptist par-
sonage stands) ; by Simeon Proctor (where Solomon
S. Flagg now lives), and by Madison Loring
(in the house now occupied by J. W. Adams)
and Samuel Smith on the Common in later
times. The Tremont House was struck by light-
ning and burned in 1842 or 1843. Smith's hotel
was afterwards kept by J. M. Colburn, William
Chamberlin, Boynton Needham, and others, and
last by George D. Brown, who owned it when it
was burned in 1878. It had not been a public
house for a number of years.
The town has two cemeteries remaining; the
first, at Nashoba, having been long since desecrated,
as before mentioned. The one at the Common
was laid out in 1721 ; we give two of its
epitaphs :
the sign, on which was painted a soldier and the AVho died December 16" 1729 iii the 29" Year of his age.
—
Memexto Moei
Hehe lies the Body of Dr. Exoch Dole
OF Lancaster, ^ 33 yrs. 5 mos. & 3 days,
he uurortuiiatcl.v fell with 3 others f 9th of Mar. 1776 by
a Caiuiou B:ill from our cruel & uuuatural Foes y* British
Troops while oil his Duty oil Dorchester Poiut,
No waruiug giv'n, uuceremouious fate !
A sudden rusli from life's ineridiau joys 1
A wrench from ail we are, from all we love.
What a change From yesterday !
Thy darling liope so near (Long laboured prize)
Oh how ambition flushed Thy glowing cheek,
Ambition truly great, of virtuous praise.
And oh I ye last (what can word express.
Thought reach) ye last last silence of a friend.
Meaning his entrance into Boston which so soon took
Place & on which his heart was much set.
Here lyes the body of Isaac Powers
One of those sweet and pleasant flowers
Who ill his Lifetime Lived well.
But God did toll his mournfull bell
Let this be a call unto the rest
When God doth take from us the best
WXxo was a pattern to us all
But God can give n louder call
All Earthly Parents now behold
The price of Grace is more tlian gold
Prepare to meet your Children first
At the Rcsurectiou of the Just —