The Westford Wardsman, February 12, 1916
Center. C. Willis Hildreth has recently had his pleasant village home wired for electric lights.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Meyer are staying with A. A. Hildreth for the winter. Mrs. Meyer, who is Mr. Hildreth’s cousin, has taken charge of the housekeeping and of the three little children recently left motherless by Mrs. Hildreth’s lamented and untimely death.
Miss Pauline Wallace was detained at home beyond her mid-season vacation from Boston university with an attack of the grippe, but expects to be able to return to her studies this next week.
Master Clarence Colburn is quarantined at his home with scarlet fever. So far it fortunately seems to be an isolated case and thus far not severe.
Mrs. Fletcher Peckins [Peckens; nee Elizabeth Porter Tobie] observes her ninetieth birthday anniversary February 16 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Amy Johnson. Mrs. Peckins is enjoying quite comfortable health for one of her advanced years.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Bicknell announce the engagement of their daughter, Elva M. Bicknell, to Robert D. Russell, of Chelmsford.
The Frank E. Miller blacksmith shop is to be reopened for business. R. L. Allen, coming from North Troy, Vt., will conduct a blacksmith and carriage and auto repairing shop.
Walter L. Cutter recently had a poem written by him accepted by a leading magazine. The poem, which was entitled “A prayer for guidance,” was copied into the “News and Observer” of Raleigh, N.C., where a relative of one of our townsmen saw it and sent it back to Westford to the latter. Just one more illustration of how small this old world is sometimes.
On Sunday evening a union temperance meeting will be held with the Graniteville M.E. church. The pastors of all the churches in town will participate in the service and a good attendance is hoped for.
New telephones installed this week are at the home of Charles Dudevoir on Graniteville road, 65-3, and Robert Lansing, at Parkerville, 44-4.
The Unitarian society is making preparations for a concert by the Boston University Glee club to be given on Friday evening, February 18.
The town reports have been issued to the taxpayers this week. They present a very neat appearance in their green covers and warrant a careful perusal of their contents from cover to cover. Vital statistics for the year are births 83, marriages 36, deaths 45.
One of the pleasant social affairs being planned for is the Washington’s birthday dance to be given by the members of the senior class of Westford academy on Friday evening, February 25. Eddy’s orchestra of Hudson will furnish music. There will be special decorations and with no dancing class ball this season this will be one of the special social events of the season.
We hear of a number of our citizens taking the civil examination to qualify for the vacancy in the R.F.D. route.
Pleasant Events. Inadvertently omitted from last week’s columns was any account of two recent enjoyable social occasions. The first was the supper and entertainment at the Unitarian church. The supper, in charge of Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Miss Mabel Drew and Miss May Balch and other willing helpers, was one of the best with its fine menu and pleasant service. At the close of the supper some favorite old songs were sung by all present, after which Rev. L. H. Buckshorn gave pleasant greetings and reminiscences, and then introduced Abiel J. Abbot, who gave one of his enjoyable travel talks, sharing with his hearers journeys in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Stockholm, illustrating with photographs and other interesting curios. Edward Abbot supplemented his father’s talk with travel experiences on the same trip.
The other event was the junior dance given by the junior class of Westford academy at the town hall, and much enjoyed by those present. Miss Marion Moreland, a former teacher of the academy, was present and gave a song recital the first of the evening.
Tadmuck Club. The regular meeting of the Tadmuck club was held Tuesday afternoon at Library hall with a good attendance of the members present. The meeting coming near the anniversary of Lincoln’s birthday, suitable observance was made by the reading of an original tribute written by a member of the club and read by Miss Mabel Drew. Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor and Mrs. Adrith Feeney sang two old melodies, “Old black Joe” and “Maryland, my Maryland,” which were much enjoyed. The speaker of the afternoon was Mrs. Truworthy White, who gave one of the best lectures the club has enjoyed this season, her subject being “Contemporary literature.” At the close of the meeting many took the opportunity to greet Mrs. White and express their appreciation of her message. Notice was given of the mid-winter meeting of the State Federation in Melrose on February 27. The next meeting of the home club will be in charge of the teachers with entertainment by the children. Each member is expected to invite one child.
About Town. The Foster Grain Company truck of Lowell back slewed into the road gutter and culvert Wednesday opposite the residence of Amos Polley [76 Lowell Road]. The electric car gave a boost and out came they.
The electric car left the rails at Tadmuck valley between the residence of Guy R. Decatur and S. L. Taylor last week Thursday afternoon. Mr. Cutter, the motorman, and Mr. Clement, the conductor, with the help of several to look on, got the car and rails to embrace as usual.
Edouard LaBonté, the new superintendent of the Read-Drew farm, attended the Unitarian church last Sunday. He came to town from Belchertown.
At the recent annual town meeting held in Chelmsford, it voted to surprise itself and many surrounding onlookers by a new $65,000 high school building which had been a football game by contending parties for several years.
The next farmers’ institute to be held by Middlesex-North will take place on Thursday, February 17, in Wilmington. The morning address will be given by Dr. George M. Twitchell, of Maine, who so highly entertained at the Westford institute. His subject will be “How, when, why, where fertilize.” Dinner and after-dinner speaking. Reading by Miss Hellen N. Osgood, of Lowell, who gave Westford a treat. In the afternoon Charles M. Gardner will speak on “What Massachusetts is doing for the farmer.”
At a meeting of the republican town committee Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher was chosen as chairman; Alfred W. Hartford, sec.; Julius A. Cameron, treas.
Board of Trade. The Board of Trade held its annual come-together, election of officers and discussion of the town warrant on last week Thursday evening in the town hall. Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, as president, called the meeting to order, which did not require many calls, as the gathering was automatically orderly. Charles L. Hildreth was keeper of records. The following officers were elected: Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, pres.; P. Henry Harrington, v.p.; Charles L. Hildreth, sec.; Leonard W. Wheeler, treas. and col.; Hon. Edward Fisher, Edward T. Hanley, Albert R. Wall, Herbert V. Hildreth, Samuel L. Taylor, directors.
On the question of inviting the Middlesex-North Agricultural society to hold their annual fair in town this coming autumn it was voted to choose a committee to investigate and report, Hon. Edward Fisher, Frank C. Wright and Samuel L. Taylor being appointed by the chair.
A lively discussion of the town warrant followed, which contains forty articles. Edward M. Abbot, chief of fire engineers, and of the committee to investigate, reported in favor of installing a fire alarm system, the cost not to exceed $450. The sentiment of the gathering was against the fire alarm system. It was voted to vote at the town meeting that a committee be chosen to investigate about a new site and firehouse at Westford Center, and report at a future town meeting. It was voted to take $400 to light the town hall by electricity.
Oscar R. Spalding, chairman of the board of selectmen, generously offered land on Boutwell road for a public dump, which comes under article 27 in the warrant, and it was voted to accept without a “thank you.” In relation to renewing the contract for lighting the streets with electricity [it] was left with the selectmen to report on. In relation to a $50 man as game and fish warden it was thought best after several innings and outings of difference of opinion to elect so many dollars’ worth of fish and game warden.
Article 31 calls for the selling of the Minot’s Corner schoolhouse and land. The previous question was moved and the Board of Trade sold, and now all that is left to do is for the town meeting to say “ditto.” The board was also in favor of selling everything except the land at the Nabunassuck school, under article 32.
The article calling for an additional sum of money for roads which looks very much like $1,000, some called for a stone crusher, some called for draining the roads, some called for a patrol service and some didn’t call for anything, and are likely to get what they didn’t call for. A vote of instructions to the trustees of the library was sought to keep the library open until ten o’clock Saturday evenings, but the board did not feel that it could stay awake so late and voted to have it close at nine o’clock.
All this and more, too will be called for exhibition at the town meeting on Monday.
Death. Charles Walter Wright died at his home in LaGrange, Ill., on Thursday, February 3, after a week’s illness from the grippe and pneumonia. The funeral took place on the following Saturday from Emmanuel church, of which he was a beloved member. The burial will take place in the family lot in the Lowell cemetery. He was the son of Walter and Lydia (Richardson) Wright, and a nephew of John Wright, who for several years was preceptor of Westford academy. He will be more clearly remembered by Westford friends as nephew of the late Mrs. Levi T. Fletcher. It was at this farm at Brookside that he passed several summers and the writer recalls his tall and stately figure as together they kept time with the swing of the scythe, and together were defendants against the hornet and bumblebee. He was ideal in physical build and moral stature. He leaves a wife, two sons, a daughter, and a sister, Miss Ella Wright, of Cleveland, Ohio, who spends her summers at the old Levi T. Fletcher farm, as present owner.
Graniteville. Gilbert LeDuc, the baby son of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. LeDuc, died on last Monday morning after a brief illness. The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon and burial was in the family lot in St. Catherine’s cemetery.
Andrew Johnson visited friends in Framingham recently.
Mr. and Mrs. James Sullivan, of Lawrence, have been recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Healy.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church met with Mrs. L. A. Blood on Thursday afternoon.
Mrs. W. J. Healy has been on the sick list for the past few days and her daughter, Miss Nellie Healy, has been taking care of her.
Monday will be town meeting day and judging from the town warrant that has been posted it looks as though it would be a very interesting session.
The Woodworkers and the Machinists of C. G. Sargent’s shop played the first of a series of bowling matches at the Kittredge alleys in Lowell last week, and in this contest the Machinists were the winners. Another bowling contest will be held at the same place this week.
Mr. and Mrs. Elliott Humiston and son Elliott, ow West Chelmsford, have been recent visitors here.
Forge Village. Rev. Williston M. Ford, vicar of St. Andrew’s parish, is conducting a course of sermons on missionary work at home and abroad. His address on the work done by missionaries in Alaska and among the negroes and Indians proved to be unusually interesting. The service at the mission chapel on next Sunday will be held at 4:30 p.m.
Miss Catherine Brown is confined to her home with an attack of the grippe.
A large number of the village young people attended the dance in Westford on last week Friday evening, given by the junior class of Westford academy.
Miss Lottie Parrott is staying with relatives in North Adams.
Miss Edith M. Forster was the guest of Mr. and Mrs. I. S. Hall of West Medford over the weekend. Mrs. Hall will be pleasantly remembered as Miss Edith Babbitt, formerly of the teaching staff of Westford academy.
The Young People’s Social club held its regular meeting in Recreation hall on Thursday evening. Miss Edith Forster had charge of the meeting.
Rev. W. M. Ford spoke to the confirmation class at St. Andrew’s mission on Wednesday evening. A large class will be confirmed at St. Andrew’s church, Ayer, in March.
Mrs. Frank Collins is confined to her home by illness. Her many friends wish her a speedy recovery.
Nelson Prescott is suffering from a broken bone in his foot, sustained while at work a few days ago.
A school savings bank, which has already forty-three depositors, has been started at Cameron school, through the efforts of the principal, Miss Edith M. Forster. The deposits, which amount to over fifteen dollars, will be placed in the Central Savings bank, Lowell. Miss Forster is substituting for Miss Letitia V. Ward, whose health has not permitted her to teach. Miss Ward conducted a savings account until it was discontinued by members of the bank. The children retained their books and now will continue to deposit their savings.
James Daly, who has been very ill at the home of his son, John Daly, of Pond street, is now able to be out again.
For the first time in a number of years the no-school signal was blown on Thursday morning of last week.
Master Freddie and Miss Marjorie Baker, who have been suffering with severe colds the past week, are now able to be out again.
The Ladies’ Sewing circle are busy sewing to be in readiness for their sale to be held shortly.
Misses Marion Blodgett and Lillian L. Baker spent Saturday and Sunday at the home of Miss Blodgett’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur of Medford.
Mrs. Jane Baker is suffering from a severe cold at the home of her son, John Baker.
Death. The friends of William H. P. Harty were shocked to hear of his sudden death at his home early Saturday morning, after a very short illness. Two weeks ago Mr. Harty gave up his work, but not until Friday did his illness take a fatal turn. He resided on the old Gurney farm and was very well known, taking possession of this farm after Mr. Pulsifer, the previous owner, left for the West. Besides his wife he leaves one son, who is now in the U.S. navy, five brothers, Joseph of Petersham, John and Charles of Roxbury, George of Iowa and Edward of Montana, and three sisters, Mrs. James Hart, Mrs. Walter Burke of Natick and Mrs. T. F. Burke of Brockton.
The funeral took place at his late home on Monday afternoon at two o’clock, Rev. W. M. Ford officiating, both at the house and at the grave in Westlawn cemetery. A large number of relatives and friends attended the services. The bearers were George H. Sanborn, John Spinner, David Lord and John Kavanaugh.
Mr. Harty belonged to the A.O.H. of Natick and was afterwards transferred to the Fitchburg branch, where he resided thirty-three years until coming here seven years ago.
Ayer
District Court. Daniel Brady, of Lowell, and Albert Hansen, of North Chelmsford, were arraigned Wednesday morning before C. F. Worcester, associate justice, on a charge of larceny of tools at the Fletcher quarry in Westford. Both pleaded not guilty. Brady was discharged and Hansen was placed on probation for six months. The disposition in Hansen’s case was made after Judge Worcester had consulted with Herbert E. Fletcher, the owner of the quarry where the alleged theft took place. Mr. Fletcher stated to the court that he would see that something was done to keep the court posted on Hansen’s conduct during the term of his probation. Mr. Fletcher asked that Hansen be given another chance. He had worked at the quarry for many years and was a good workman. The court then placed Hansen on probation.