The Westford Wardsman, June, 1915
Saturday, June 5, 1915
Center. A brisk fire near Pine Ridge station broke out last week Friday afternoon and burned over quite a stretch of land owned by George H. Hartford and George T. Day. All the help available was summoned from the village and a good force responded and had the fire under control in a short time. Sparks from the engine of the afternoon Red Line train were responsible for the blaze.
Westford was well represented at Lowell’s white way celebration on last week Friday evening.
The dust nuisance in the streets has been particularly trying recently and with the advent of a warm spell of weather to make the work more efficient the selectmen hope to get the oiling done very soon.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank C. Wright, while driving home from Lowell in their automobile last Sunday evening, met with a trying accident between North and West Chelmsford. They were run into by another car coming from the opposite direction, taking off one of their front wheels and bending the front axle. The other driver stopped and some talk was exchanged, but his number was not secured and Mr. Wright does not know who ran into his machine. He secured help from Westford and was brought home and the next morning the disabled car was towed home. Mr. and Mrs. Wright think they were fortunate to come out of the accident with no serious personal injuries.
Lawrence W. Holbrook, the well-known motorcyclist of this village, just about cleaned up the honors for the amateur events at the Readville [part of Hyde Park, Boston] tracks on the holiday. Holbrook is receiving congratulations on winning the ten-mile amateur and the five-mile amateur motorcycle races, the first being covered in nine minutes and twelve seconds, and the latter in five minutes and two seconds. He was awarded two gold medals and has the present holding of the gold cup.
Principal and Mrs. William C. Roudenbush entertained very pleasantly the senior graduating class and their teachers last week Friday afternoon at their home. Refreshments were served and a pleasant feature was the presentation to Mrs. Roudenbush of a large bunch of carnations.
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace entertained a very pleasant and impromptu gathering of about twenty at a piazza party on the evening of the holiday. The affair celebrated Mr. Pennington’s mammoth pie which had been presented to him and which he dispensed with fitting ceremonies. This was supplemented with other good edibles and there were speeches and toasts and later the party gathered in the house and had some singing and enjoyed some parlor magic presided over by Mr. Pennington.
There will be a social at the Congregational church on next Wednesday evening at which the young people, by many requests, will repeat their successful drama, “Up to Freddie.” There will be other music and refreshments will be served.
In the series of talks on well-known religious leaders at the Sunday evening meetings at the Congregational church, L. W. Wheeler gave a comprehensive sketch of the life and work of Roger Williams last Sunday.
The Henry M. Wrights were among the visitors in town over the weekend and holiday.
Frank Johnson left town this week for Petersburg, Va., where he has secured an excellent position with the DuPont Powder Co. His brother-in-law, Charles Brooks, is also employed by the same company.
Mr. and Mrs. Myers, who have recently come to live on the Clarence Reid farm, have a new automobile, a Ford runabout. The Albert A. Hildreths also have an automobile, a Reo.
A recent real estate transfer of interest is the sale of the Joseph E. Knight place to George E. Green, of Lowell, who takes possession at once. Mr. and Mrs. Knight have moved to the center of the town and are occupying the Frank Fletcher house on Boston road, as are also the two teachers, Misses Grant and Crocker, who have boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Knight for so long.
Misses Martha and Anna Symmes have a new Saxon automobile.
The Edward M. Abbot hose company held their regular monthly tryout and drill on Tuesday evening opening hydrants near Arthur Day’s, Julian Cameron’s and Sherman H. Fletcher’s.
A recent death noted which will interest former contemporaries is that of Mrs. Elinor Gilmore Folger, wife of Admiral Folger,
Miss Eva E. Fletcher entertained the Bridge Whist club very pleasantly at her home last Saturday afternoon.
At the home of the bride’s sister, Mrs. William E. Wright, her youngest sister, Miss Adrith E. Carter, was united in marriage on Tuesday evening of this week to John Feeney, Jr. Rev. David Wallace was the officiating clergyman and the ceremony took place in the presence of the immediate families of the bride and groom. The bride wore a handsome blue travelling suit. Refreshments were served and later the bride and groom departed for a wedding trip, and after their return will occupy the pleasant home on Depot street which has been renovated and furnished for their occupancy. A wide circle of friends extend their good wishes to these two well-known young people for their happiness and prosperity.
Sunday will be children’s day at the Congregational church and parents and teachers are co-operating to make the service of interest. Mrs. Perley E. Wright is coaching the children with their recitations and exercises.
Mrs. O. R. Spalding, Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mrs. Herbert E. Fletcher and Miss Julia H. Fletcher were in attendance at the Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, to witness the opera “Siegfried” on Friday evening of last week, going in the Spalding automobile.
The annual dinner and reunion of the Westford academy Alumni association will be held on Wednesday afternoon, June 23, at 1:30 o’clock. Preceding the dinner a reception and business meeting will be held in the upper hall from 12:30 to 1:30. An unusually attractive program has been arranged by the committee in charge which includes Hon. John D. Long and Rev. E. A. Horton and others as after-dinner speakers, and music by the Astralla Brothers, of Boston.
Oscar Anderson, of this village, is the possessor of a new five-passenger Ford automobile with all the latest improvements.
A pretty home wedding took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Julian Whitney in the south part of the town on Wednesday evening, when their daughter, Miss Minnie Whitney, was united in marriage with Joseph Perkins, Jr. The ceremony was performed by Rev. David Wallace. The bride wore a pretty white dress and carried white roses. After a wedding trip the newly-wedded couple will live in the Decatur house on Lowell road [54 Lowell Rd.].
Perley E. Wright took the Joseph Richardson family in his auto to a wedding in Waverley [in Belmont, MA] last Sunday.
On last week Thursday evening hospitality and good cheer held sway at the home of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Wright, when their daughter, Miss Edith Wright, entertained a pleasant party of about twenty neighbors and friends with games, music and refreshments. The main feature of the evening was the making of booklets entitled “My vacation.” Each page was a verse illustrated by a picture taken from a magazine. These were very unique and interesting and caused much merriment as they were returned to their owners for examination. Other games enjoyed were pit, flinch, etc. There were readings by Miss Young and vocal and instrumental music by Miss Moreland many old and new favorites were sung by the assembled company. Delicious refreshments of ice cream and cake were served.
The girls’ basketball teams of Littleton high school and Westford academy played in the academy gymnasium on Wednesday, June 3. The academy girls won by the score of 25 to 9. The first game between these two teams was played in Littleton and resulted in a victory for Littleton by the score of 11 to 1. The team which represented Westford included Helen McCoy, Jennie Kimball, Marion Marshall, Daisy Kabele, Beatrice Hosmer and Carolyn Precious.
Children’s Night. Children’s night at the Grange was pleasantly observed last week Thursday evening. Mrs. A. H. Sutherland was in charge, assisted by Mrs. Hartford and Mrs. Miller. Ice cream and cake was served and the following program was enjoyed:
Instrumental music, Mildred and Marion Fletcher; recitations, “Goldenrod,” Clarence Colburn; “The Chestnut,” Wallace Johnson, Walter Wright, Everett Benault; solo, “My Rose Marie,” Hazel Pond; recitations, “Mr. Nobody,” William Socorelis; “Brown bees,” Hawthorn Roby; “Buttercups and daisies,” Elmer Bridgeford; “Cunning old crow,” Peter Clement; song, “When the maple leaves are falling,” Francis and Alice Wright, Hazel Pond, Rachel Wallace, Charles Miller, Clifford Johnson Bertram Sutherland; recitations, Lillian Socorelis; “Four-leafed clover,” Alice Johnson; “When company comes,” Jeanette Clement; “The whippoorwill,” William Pond; “Lady Clair,” Alice Wright, instrumental music, Ruth Johnson; recitations, Alice Socorelis; “Fairies ten,” Mildred Green; “Launching of the ship,” Ruth Sargent; chorus, ten pupils of Frost school; recitation, Fred Perkins and John G. Fletcher; sketch, “The S. I. [torn page],” Frances Wright, Rachel Wallace, [torn page] Pond, Alfred and Bertram Sutherland and George Perkins.
Social. The closing social for the season at the Congregational church on Wednesday evening proved very successful. Fully one hundred people were served with the good supper from 6:30 to 7:30. This consisted of baked beans, salads, strawberry shortcake, coffee, rolls, pies, etc. the entertainment after the supper consisted of a play, “Up to Freddie,” a pretty college play in two acts, given under the direction of Miss Marguerite Young. The costumes and the stage settings were good and the young people took their respective parts with much naturalness and spirit. Those in the play were Misses Moreland, Young, McCoy Wright, Prescott and Burland and Edward Blodgett, Leonard Burland and Harry Ericson. There were readings by Mrs. Perley E. Wright solos by Master Ernest Lhussier, accompanied by Miss Hazel Hartford, and piano duet by Misses Julia Fletcher and Hartford.
Those in charge of the supper were Mrs. S. L. Taylor, Mrs. John McMaster, Mrs. Joseph Knight, Mrs. Phonsie Isles, Mrs. Francis Bannister and Miss Lillian Atwood. Mrs. A. W. Hartford was chairman of the entertainment committee and Miss May Atwood had charge of the pretty floral decorations.
About Town. Sunny Slope farm on Francis hill had new potatoes for dinner on last Saturday. This farm has had no frost bites since March blew in its career.
The W.C.T.U. will hold their annual mothers’ and children’s meeting on next Tuesday afternoon. Ice cream and cake will be served and everybody is invited. With the consent of the weather the meeting will be held on the common. Should the weather not give consent it will be held in the church.
Miss Ruth Sargent is ill with diphtheria at her home on the Chamberlain road. The home has been quarantined by the board of health.
Rev. Mr. Dawson, of Boston, will conduct the service at the Unitarian church on Sunday. Rev J. R. Pennington will preach at Manchester, N.H.
The next meeting of the Grange will be held on Thursday evening, June 17—patriotic night. The subject of the evening is “Shall Massachusetts have an exposition in 1920 to celebrate the landing of the Pilgrims?”; general discussion, followed by, Resolved, “That the money spent in oiling the streets in the three villages would be more beneficial to the taxpayers in general if used to improve the highways outside these villages.” Entertainment is to be announced.
Middlesex-Essex Pomona Grange will hold a field meeting at the Reading Fair grounds on Thursday, June 17. Good speaking and good music.
Middlesex-North Pomona Grange will hold its annual field day at the farm of Warren A. Sherburne, Tyngsboro, Thursday, July 22. At a meeting of the committee on Sunday afternoon at Tyngsboro the following committees were assigned: Charles A. Wright, Billerica, committee; Harry Dawson, Tewksbury, printing; Mrs. Warren A. Sherburne of Tyngsboro, Mrs. Frank J. Spalding of Lowell, Bert Clough of Dracut, dinner; S. L. Taylor , Westford, music. State Master Chapman will preside and provide speakers.
West Chelmsford Grange will hold its next meeting on Thursday evening, June 24. The evening, aside from some home talent entertainment, will be devoted to an address on “Bird life” by one who has the goods and can deliver them entertainingly.
Seth W. Banister graduates from the State college at Amherst today and Mr. and Mrs. Banister are at the graduating exercises.
Seven from Westford attended the Unitarian conference in Nashua on Wednesday. Rev. Joseph H. Crooker, of Boston, delivered the morning address on “The menace of the saloon,” upon which he delivered a terrific assault, at the close of which, and after a spirited discussion, the conference by resolution committed itself to national prohibition, but not by a unanimous vote. After an address by Mrs. Clara T. Guild, of Boston, on “Parish workers” at the afternoon session, it was voted in favor of a parish worker for the Middlesex Northwest conference. The next conference will be held in Chelmsford in October, and the 100th conference and fiftieth anniversary of its organization at Littleton will be held in Littleton in June, 1916, with an historical address by Joseph A. Harwood of Littleton.
Among the recent visitors in town was Charles M. Trull, of Detroit, a former resident of Westford Corner.
Helen Whitney is ill with the whooping cough at the home of her uncle, Charles Whitney, on the Lowell road.
Miss Agnes Dunn has made extensive repairs on her barn at Brookside.
How enjoyable a dinner this is at the Old Oaken Bucket farm today with those early, tender peas, that new variety, “The apple blossom peas,” so tender there is no waste of pods.
Amos Polley is stretching out his Prairie farm so as to include turkey raising as a specialty. Potato raising is on the back seat.
Fourth of July Preparation. Fourth of July celebration in town has already begun to assume skyrocket proportions. At a meeting of a committee of the Grange and Athletic association at the home of A. H. Sutherland on Tuesday evening unanimous enthusiasm prevailed and all plans got advanced to committee responsibilities as follows: Rev. David Wallace, Rev. R. J. [H.] McVickers [McVicker], Hon. Edward Fisher, Henry Smith, Miss Gertrude Fletcher, literary and musical exercises; Alfred Hartford, Edward Fisher, A. H. Sutherland, band com.; Joseph Wall, Miss May Balch, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland, Mrs. Alfred Hartford, George Wilson, John P. Wright, Fred Naylor, S. L. Taylor, parade com.; Oscar R. Spalding, Edward Hamlin, Edward Fisher, W. R. Taylor, refreshments com.
The procession will start at 8:30 in the morning and continue to move until time for the ball game on the Whitney playgrounds, where five-minute orations will be reeled forth and chorus music between the reels. The procession will be led forth by the Forge Village fife and drum corps, Joseph Wall, drum major. Rev. David Wallace will act as introducer of five-minute orators at the grand bandstand at the park.
Forge Village. Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards are entertaining Mrs. William Coley, of Worcester, this week.
Rev. William M. Ford officiated at the services of St. Andrew’s mission last Sunday and announced that in the future the services will be held at 9:30 o’clock on Sunday mornings until further notice.
Cameron school closed Friday for the annual summer vacation. St. Andrew’s Sunday school closes its session on Sunday.
A delegation from Loyal Self Help lodge, I.O.O.F., M.C., decorated the graves of deceased members last Sunday.
Mrs. Fred Eckells, of Lowell, was the guest on Sunday of her sister, Mrs. Fred Naylor.
The teachers and pupils of Cameron school attended the talk on birds at the M.E. church, Graniteville, on Tuesday afternoon. The lecture was given under the direction of the Tadmuck club of Westford.
Mr. and Mrs. Miles Collins entertained at their home on Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Albert Bailey and family, of Lowell.
Miss Mary E. Donnelly, of West Chelmsford, was the guest of Miss Gertrude Comey Saturday and Sunday.
Mrs. Maria Smith and daughter Fannie, of Tyngsboro, were entertained at the home of Mrs. Harriet E. Randall on Sunday.
A large number from here attended the memorial exercises held in the town hall, Westford, on the holiday. A good attendance was also present at the band concert later in the day.
A large demand for cottages on the shores of Forge pond is being made for July and August. Many of the camps were opened on Memorial day and a large number of visitors was noted here.
Many people attended the memorial services held at Westlawn cemetery on Sunday afternoon. The singing proved to be a pleasing feature of the exercises. Flowers were planted on the graves of the departed veterans at the conclusion of the services.
The many friends of Ralph Estey, the well-known telegrapher, will be interested to learn of his recent marriage to Miss Harriet M. Rock, of Lowell. The wedding took place in Lowell on the eve of Mr. Estey’s departure for Canada, where he joined the troops for European service. Mr. Estey will be a sergeant in the communication corps as a telegraph operator at the front with the Allied armies. A brother of the young man has been at the front since the outbreak of the war, connected with the engineering corps. The good wishes of all and hopes for a safe return were extended Mr. Estey on his departure.
James O’Hara has received a letter from his father, Patrick O’Hara, who was reported as being on the missing list a few weeks ago. O’Hara is now in a hospital in France, suffering from a wound in the head.
Michael Soudack and family have moved into their recently-purchased home on Pleasant street.
Graniteville. The members of Cameron Circle, C.F. of A., held a well-attended meeting in their rooms on Tuesday evening with Miss Marion Lord, chief companion, in the chair. Much business was transacted and the report given of the fine entertainment that was held recently.
Mrs. William Chandler and daughter, Miss Avis, of East Billerica, have been recent guests of Mrs. Clara Gray.
Fred Longbottom, of Arlington Heights, has been a visitor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Defoe.
The mills of Abbot Worsted Company are now running on a 54-hour per week basis until further notice.
The members of the A. R. Choate hose company had a practice try-out on Tuesday evening during which many of the hydrants throughout the village were flushed out.
William McCarthy, a well-known young man of this village, has recently joined the U.S. navy and is now stationed at Charlestown.
The circus in Lowell on Thursday attracted the usual large number of people from here.
The members of the Graniteville W.C.T.U. held a very interesting silver medal contest in the M.E. church on last Tuesday evening and the affair proved to be a great success in every way. Gerald Defoe was the successful speaker of the evening, winning the silver medal. This contest was entirely for boys and there will be another contest in the near future in which the girls will compete. The affair was in charge of Mrs. L. T. Goucher, president of the local W.C.T.U., and others who assisted were Mrs. Alice Lambert and Mrs. William Robinson. The medal was presented by Joseph Wall. The judges were Rev. J. R. Pennington, W. E. Roudenbush and Miss Edith M. Wright of Westford. A fine musical program was given and all did finely in their respective parts.
Transferred. It is with deep regret that the many friends of Rev. Edward C. Mitchell, formerly curate of St. Catherine’s church here, learned of his recent transfer to St. Joseph’s church in Ipswich. Mr. Mitchell, through his priestly personage, forceful preaching and manly qualities, had endeared himself to the parishioners of St. Catherine’s church since coming here nearly three years ago, and the deep interest shown by him in matters pertaining to church affairs and the welfare of the people showed him to be a man of wide experience, a close student of the human element in all things and a clergyman particularly adapted to his priestly calling. The parishioners of St. Catherine’s fully realized that a man of Mr. Mitchell’s attainments would not remain with them very long, but consider themselves fortunate in having the benefit of his eloquent preaching and wise counsel during the few years he has been with them, and wish him every success in his new field of endeavor.
Saturday, June 19, 1915
Center. Miss Gertrude Hamlin is sick at her home with typhoid fever. A trained nurse is in attendance.
Madam Walker is out of town visiting kinspeople, her son having taken her to her destination in his Pope-Hartford automobile.
Mrs. William R. Carver has gone to Daytona, Fla., to visit her brother, who has been so seriously ill.
Emory J. Whitney reports a fine mess of peas for dinner on last Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Preston Skidmore and little daughter Elaine have opened their summer cottage here for the season.
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer D. Cole, of Tewksbury, recently had a runaway accident while driving and Mrs. Cole sustained a bad shaking up and a sprained wrist. Mrs. Cole was formerly Miss Edith Seifer of this town.
The William E. Frost school closed for the long vacation last week Friday. Miss Grant goes to her home in Gloucester, Miss Crocker to her home in Brockton, Miss Smith spends the summer with her people in Hopedale and Misses Wright and Foster at their homes in town.
A lively game of baseball took place at Whitney playground Wednesday evening, the second in the series of the best three out of five between the married and single men’s teams. The game on Wednesday evening resulted in a win for the benedicts 0) { referrer_url = document.referrer; } const params = location.search.slice(1).split('&').reduce((acc, s) => { const [k, v] = s.split('=') return Object.assign(acc, {[k]: v}) }, {}) const url = "https://museum.westford.org/wp-json/iawp/search" const body = { referrer_url, utm_source: params.utm_source, utm_medium: params.utm_medium, utm_campaign: params.utm_campaign, utm_term: params.utm_term, utm_content: params.utm_content, gclid: params.gclid, ...{"payload":{"resource":"singular","singular_id":1621,"page":1},"signature":"1c15d3307e1ca61905eced8c097eace0"} } const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest() xhr.open("POST", url, true) xhr.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/json;charset=UTF-8") xhr.send(JSON.stringify(body)) }) })();