Westford Academy was founded in 1792 as a private school and was operated by a group of Trustees. The original trustees were a group of gentlemen who were religious, patriotic, humble and dedicated to the overseeing of the education of the young people of Westford and the surrounding area.

Today the Westford Academy Trustees is composed of former students, administrators and teachers of Westford Academy. The Board is a voluntary commitment by a group of dedicated individuals who oversee the expenditures of the trust fund that bestows scholarships upon graduating Westford Academy seniors.

NOTES ON WESTFORD ACADEMY
change from Trustees to Town

         In 1895 the Commonwealth of Mass. passed a law requiring all towns to provide free secondary education for its children. In Sept. of the same year Westford voted to work with the Trustees of the Academy to provide such education. The town also authorized the Trustees to build a new Academy [at the Trustees’ expense – today’s Roudenbush]. George Day headed the building committee, and Allan Cameron gave land next to his home for free to the Trustees. The bids were in by the Fall of 1896, and the building opened for school the year of 1897/8.

         According to an article by June Kennedy [Academy history file at Museum] “around 1912” the School Committee took over administrative control, and began renting the building from the trustees [according to the Town Reports it was a nominal fee – $300 a year until 1928]. According to William Roudenbush, in his Memoirs [pp. 75-76] he was hired by the School Committee to be Academy Principal in the summer of 1912. At that time, he notes, part of his salary was paid by the Trustees.

         In his recollections, Mr. Roudenbush puts the buying of the building by the town from the Trustees in about 1914, and June Kennedy lists it in “the early 1920’s”. The Town Report of 1928, however, attests to a special town meeting [4/30/28] which authorized the buying of the school for $3,000, and the expenditure of $27,000 for an addition to be built on the school. This seems corroborated by the amount of $150 [half the regular yearly fee] paid as rent in that year.

         Interestingly, in the 1935 valuation book for the town, the Trustees were listed in the tax-exempt section with “Personal Estate” at $39,590. They were not, however, so listed in 1945. (From the Collection of the Westford Museum)

From the Westford Wardsman November 3, 1923

The Good Old Academies Again.  In my sketch published October 6 of the old academy at Westford it was necessary to omit many names on account of the space required in your publication of that date.  The following trustees and teachers, now deceased, were prominent in the affairs of the town and in the community where they lived, and by their influence and foresight did much to make the old academy one of the standard of old New England.

Trustees

Abiel J. Abbot.  Born in Westford in 1850, educated in Westford academy, Highland Military school of Worcester, Phillips Exeter academy and the [Massachusetts] Institute of Technology.  He was treasurer of Abbot Worsted Co., chairman of the school committee, Westford, 6 years; chairman of the board of trustees Westford public library 3 years, elected trustee of Westford academy in 1879 and treasurer in 1885 and held this office until his death in 1921, a period of 36 years.  He was for 13 years a member of the executive committee of the National Wool association.

Rev. Ephraim Abbot.  Born in New Castle, Maine in 1779.  Educated in Harvard university 1806, Andover Theological seminary 1810.  Preceptor Brackett academy, Greenland, N.H., pastor of church 1813 to 1828, preceptor of Westford academy 1828 to 1837.  Representative to state legislature 1838, pastor Unitarian church at various times from 1829 to 1845, chosen trustee 1840, president of the board 1854, member visiting committee many years.

John William Abbot.  Born in Westford 1834.  Educated at Westford academy and Philips Exeter academy.  Chosen trustee 1873, trustee J. V. Fletcher library, member William North lodge of Masons, Union and Home Market clubs, Hull Yacht club, Troop F, cavalry, M.V.M. [Massachusetts Volunteer Militia], firm of Abbot & Co., mills at Forge Village and Graniteville.

Julian Abbot.  Born in Westford 1806.  Educated at Westford academy, Harvard university 1826, divinity school 1830, admitted to Middlesex county bar 1839, in Judge Hopkins’s office, Lowell, many years, later opened office for himself, chosen trustee 1842, director Lowell city library 1844.

Joel Adams.  Born in Chelmsford 1783.  Educated at Westford academy, Harvard university 1805 A.M., admitted to Middlesex county bar 1808, lawyer in Chelmsford, chosen trustee 1837, president Prescott National bank, Lowell, 1850.  Postmaster Chelmsford 1826.

Rev. Moses Adams.  Born in Framingham 1749.  Educated at Harvard university 1771, chaplain, Col. Eleazer Brooks’ regt. at White Plains 1776, second minister in Acton, 1777 to 1819, chosen trustee 1792, resigned 1801.

Rev. Isaac Allen.  Born in Weston 1771.  Educated at Harvard university 1798, ordained 1804, pastor of church in Boston 40 years, chosen trustee 1814, president 1838, resigned 1841.

Rev. Wilkes Allen.  Born in Shrewsbury.  Educated at Harvard university 1801, ordained 1808, pastor of church in Chelmsford 33 years, chosen trustee 1820, resigned 1836, author of History of Chelmsford.

Joel Adams Bartlett.  Born in Chelmsford in 1842, chosen trustee 1873, member Co. B, 6th Mass. Regt. in civil war, trustee of public library in Chelmsford, firm of Bartlett & Dow, hardware dealers, Lowell.

Asaph Byam, M.D.  Born 1791.  Physician in Westford, 1816.  Chosen trustee 1825, secretary 1827, resigned 1838.

Jonathan Carver.  Born in Westford 1751.  One of the founders of Westford academy and social library, chosen trustee 1792, treasurer 1795, selectman 6 years, town treasurer 4 years, representative to state legislature 3 years.

Albert Leighton Coolidge.  Born in Natick.  Educated at Westford academy, chosen trustee 1878, director Central National Bank, American Loan and Trust Co. and Home Savings bank, Boston, vice president Y.M.C.A., director Shoe and Leather Bureau of Credit; president Para Rubber Co, South Framingham, firm of Houghton, Coolidge & Co., Boston.

Rev. Edmund Foster.  Born in North Reading 1752.  At Concord and Lexington, April 19, 1775.  Educated at Yale college 1778, received degrees from Yale and Harvard, trustee 1794 to 1809, ordained at Littleton 1781, representative and senator about 1812, delegate to constitution convention 1820.

Rev. Barzillai [sic] Frost.  Born in Effingham, N.H.  Educated at Harvard university 1880 [sic, probably 1830 was meant], theological school 1835, ordained as colleague with Rev. Ezra Ripley, D.D., Concord 1837, where he remained 20 years, preceptor of Framingham academy 1847, resigned 1850, member of visiting committee.

Rev. Washington Gilbert.  Born in Atkinson, N.H., 1800.  Educated at Williams college 1826, Cambridge Divinity school 1829, ordained at Harvard 1831, pastor Unitarian society 24 years, trustee 1837, resigned 1857, member of visiting committee, pastor Unitarian society, West Newton, two years, Lincoln four years.

Capt. Imla Goodhue.  Born in Westford 1776, member of 1st foot co. of militia 1796, captain of North co. of militia 1805 to 1811, selectman three years [1816, 1817, 1819], trustee 1811 to 1855.

Nahum Houghton Groce.  Born in Sterling 1781.  Educated at Harvard university 1808, trustee 1819, secretary of board 1820, resigned 1827, preceptor of Westford academy 1808 to 1822.

Hon. Silas Holman Bolton.  Trustee Westford academy 1804 to 1824, member of governor’s council, member of state senate and house of representatives, civil engineer and member of commission to run boundary line between Massachusetts and the province of Maine, when latter admitted as a state [1820], general of state militia.

Benjamin Osgood, M.D.  Born in Westford 1781.  Attended Westford academy 1792, studied medicine with Amos Bancroft, Groton, member of Massachusetts Medical society, physician in Westford many years, trustee 1818.

Charles Proctor, M.D.  Born in Westford 1755.  Member of Massachusetts Medical society, physician in Westford 1784, one of the founders of Westford academy and the social library, trustee 1792.

Rev. William H. White.  Born in Lancaster 1798.  Educated at Brown university 1824, Cambridge Divinity school 1827, ordained 1828, founder of Littleton lyceum 1829 and its president 23 years, trustee of Westford academy 1826 to 1852, member of visiting committee.

Arthur Wright.  Born in Westford 1837.  Educated at Westford academy, trustee 1886 to 1900, selectman 7 years, member of school committee, representative to state legislature 1888, postmaster at Graniteville many years, merchant; [co-founder, superintendent of Sunday School, trustee 1869-1900, secretary and treasurer of Methodist Church at Graniteville].

Teachers

Catherine Abbot, Hampton Falls, N.H., preceptress 1829 to 1831.  Married John W. P. Abbot, Westford.  “The interests of the church, library and academy were identified with her life, and she extended to each valuable aid.”

Elizabeth D. Abbot, Hampton Falls, N.H., preceptress 1832.  Married Rev. Abiel Abbot Livermore.

Lucy Eliot Abbot, Hampton Falls, N.H., student at Westford academy 1834, preceptress 1842-44.  Married John Kebler, esq. [see below], Cincinnati, Ohio.

Albert Edwin Davis.  Born in Westford.  Educated at Harvard university 1862 and at Westford academy, preceptor 1863 to 1869.

James Dinsmore, Lowell, preceptor 1843 to 1845.  Attended Lowell High school, Phillips Andover academy and Dartmouth college 1841, studied law with Hon. Thomas Hopkinson, Lowell, and admitted to the bar 1846.  In partnership with Hon. Benj. Dean 10 years, member of city council, representative to general court 1850 to 1851, director Middlesex Mechanics’ association, moved to Sterling, Ill., and practiced law nearly 35 years, member of Illinois legislature 4 years, presidential elector.

Samuel Hilliard Folsom.  Born in Hopkinton, N.H., lawyer, preceptor of Westford academy 1851-53, educated at Dartmouth college 1851, assistant register of probate and insolvency for Middlesex Co. 1874-92, register of probate and insolvency 1892 to 1904.

Amanda M. Hale, Westford, preceptress 1857 to 1859.  Chicago, Ill., Ashville, N.C.  Lecturer in the interest of the anti-vivisection society.

John Kebler.  Born Sultz [sic, Sulz] on the Necker, [Baden-Württemberg,] Germany.  Lawyer in Cincinnati, Ohio, educated at Harvard university 1839, LL.B., preceptor of Westford academy 1839 to 1841.

Olive A. Prescott, Forge Village, assistant 1859, educated at Westford academy, member of school committee 1875 to 1877.

Marietta Mills White, Littleton, Preceptress 1859 to 1861.  Married Rev. Nathaniel Seaver, jr., East Boston, 1865.  President of Worcester League of Unitarian women 2 years, member of school board, Melrose, member of hospital board Pittsfield, first president Scituate Woman’s club.

Sarah Foster White, Littleton, preceptress 1867 to 1873, attended Westford academy 1850 to 1851, librarian Reuben Hoar library, Littleton, teacher and writer.

Sherman H. Fletcher,
Secretary, Board of Trustees.