The Westford Wardsman, March 25, 1916
Center. Principal and Mrs. William C. Roudenbush have been spending several days of this vacation with relatives in Walpole, N.H.
Mrs. William R. Carver entertained a very pleasant party of friends at bridge whist at her home on Friday afternoon of last week. There were five tables for the game and some good scores were realized. The score cards wore in pretty seventeenth of March design and this decoration was otherwise appropriately used. A delicious luncheon was served at the close of the game.
The community mourns the loss this week of one of its long-time and respected residents, Mrs. Elizabeth Perham Tuttle, who passed away Tuesday evening at her home on the [14] Boston road after an illness of several weeks. Mrs. Tuttle was a woman devoted to her home and family as well as a kind neighbor and friend. She attended the Unitarian church and was a member of the Woman’s Alliance and also of the Tadmuck club. Mrs. Tuttle passed her sixty-second birthday a few days previous to her death. She leaves to mourn her loss her daughter, Miss Ruth Tuttle, and two sons, Aaron and Alfred Tuttle, and two grandchildren.
The branch line electrics have had one of the hardest weather propositions this winter in their history. Every effort was made last week with the great drifts, but in the exposed wind-swept places the snow flew back onto the tracks about as fast as it was cleared. Varying stories of the height of some of the drifts are given, but it is safe to say that the bulk of snow was the worst since the road was built. This week’s storm has helped to complicate the situation. It being the school vacation the problem of transporting the scholars has not had to be met, and it is hoped that by the first of the week return to schedule time will be in order.
Electric lights are being installed at the Congregational parsonage.
Miss Celia Richardson is visiting Miss Ella F. Hildreth.
Mrs. David Wallace is still confined to her home but hopes to get out among the church people with the advent of milder weather.
Owing to the uncertain condition of the roads the William E. Frost school will not re-open next week. The vacation will be extended one week and school will commence on Monday, April 3. This change will be balanced by one more week of school in June.
Tadmuck Club. The regular meeting of the Tadmuck club took place on Tuesday afternoon in Library hall. Mrs. Hildreth, the president, was much missed from her accustomed place, being detained at home by illness in her family. In her place Miss Alice M. Howard, of the executive board, presided most capably. In harmony with the afternoon’s program Miss Howard read “The nature lovers’ creed.” will be presented by the following cast: Miss Mary E. Balch, Mrs. Harold Hildreth, Miss Grace Robinson and Miss Grace Bennett.
Under the Pepperell news last week, in the account of the death of Mrs. Carrie W. (Fletcher) Greenough, mention was made of her only surviving brother, Henry H. Fletcher, of Greenfield who is in his eighty-second year. This revives some reminiscences of Westford where in early life he lived for many years, and where he has many relatives and friends who remember him in a pleasant way as sexton at the Unitarian church, a highly intelligent citizen and active in the social life of the town. Here he married Miss Emily Read, daughter of Zacheus Read, the head of the well-known Read farm.
Miss Jane Davis, now living in Shirley with her niece, Mrs. Charles A. Miner, who was eighty-six years old on March 16, will be remembered by all the older residents of the town and by many of the younger residents. A native of this town, it will be recalled by the older residents that it was of her father’s house, John Davis, on the Concord road that the present Union Congregational church was organized on December 25, 1828. As a member of this church she is loyal on attendance and other helpful ways in town.
Deaths. One of the oldest residents of the town, Mrs. Fletcher Peckens, died last Sunday afternoon at the home of her daughter, Mrs. W. H. Johnson. Although Mrs. Peckens was ninety years old she was quite spry and active for one of her years. Mrs. Peckens was born in Maine and was twice married. Her first husband, John Hammond, and her only son are buried here. Her second husband, Fletcher Peckens, was well-known in town. He kept a store in the building next to the library, now owned by Mr. Seavey. Mr. Peckens died several years ago.
Mrs. Peckens was a good neighbor, always cheerful and affable to everybody and maintained to the last a sunny outlook. She was a loyal member of the Congregational church.
The deceased leaves a daughter, Mrs. W. H. Johnson, and a sister, Miss Lucy Tobie.
The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon from the home of her daughter, Rev. David Wallace conducting the service. Mrs. David Greig and Mrs. Harry Whitney sang two selections, “No sorrow there” and “The christian’s good night.” The bearers were J. Willard Fletcher, Oscar Spaulding, Harwood L. Wright and Frank Banister.
Mrs. Amy Clark died at the home of her son Benjamin in Westboro on Saturday, March 18, after a long illness, aged seventy-four years. She was a native of Westford, being one of the nine daughters of Eli and Mary (Fletcher) Tower, and was born on what was known as the Tower place, now occupied by Frank C. Drew on the [46] Lowell road. On this spot was one of the garrison houses used as defense against the Indians in the very early history of the town. The “Tower girls,” as they were called, were known for their pleasant, courteous ways, “in honor always preferring one another.”
Mrs. Clark was one of the old-time scholars at the Stony Brook school and she was cheerful, good-natured and appreciative of favors, one of the most agreeable of schoolmates. In the larger sphere of life, with its allotted trials, these happy traits which she possessed stood her in good defense in times of adversity. She married Paul Clark, son of Rev. Stillman Clark, who was the minister of the Unitarian church here in 1853-57, afterwards in Wilton. N.H. Later he bought a farm in Boscawen, N.H., where his son Paul lived with him. The son served on the board of selectmen for several years and was also a member of the New Hampshire legislature. He died several years ago, and is buried in Westford.
Mrs. Clark was a member of a large family who have identified themselves with every good interest in town and church. Out of the large circle there remains four sisters, Mrs. John Burbeck, Mrs. Frances Prescott, Mrs. Emma Pickering and Miss Lillian Tower.
The deceased leaves three sons, Frank D. of Leominster, Ellery C. of New Jersey, and Benjamin of Westboro, with whom she made her home.
The funeral took place on Monday afternoon from the home of her sister, Mrs. Emma Pickering, in the Center, Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn, of the Unitarian church, conducting the service. The bearers were relatives, Judge Fredrick A. Fisher, Oscar R. Spalding, Charles H. Pickering and Edward A. Hamlin. Burial was in Fairview cemetery, where rests the dust of honored relatives of several generations.
Graniteville. George Wilson, who was elected a delegate by the official board to represent the Graniteville M.E. church, attended the conference of Methodist churches that was held at Trinity church, Worcester, on Monday. In the afternoon he attended the convention of laymen as a delegate. The later convention was held in the Baptist church, Worcester.
Mr. and Mrs. John Lorman, of Lowell, have been recent visitors here.
In the special bowling matches that took place on the Kittredge alleys in Lowell this week William Buckingham won from Frank Charlton by a good margin, and Ellsworth York was declared the winner in his match with William Prinn.
Joe Wall the local fish and game warden, has been busy during the past few days distributing grain and like food to the pheasants and other birds who find it hard to get sufficient nourishment owing to the large amount of snow on the ground at the present time.
Death. Clare E. Provost, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Provost, died at the home of her parents [in Graniteville] on Saturday, March 18, after a brief illness of scarlet fever, aged 7 years and 9 months. Owing to the nature of her illness and the cause of death there was no funeral service. The burial took place in the family lot in St. Patrick’s cemetery, Lowell, Sunday morning. The death of little Clare was unusually sad, as she was a bright, happy little child, the youngest member of the family, who were all devoted to her and beloved by all of her little companions. She was in the third grade of the Sargent school and was looking forward to the time when she could return with her little chums after the spring vacation. The Provost family are well-known and the death of little Clare is the first break in the family circle.
Besides her father and mother she leaves two sisters, Mary G. and Gertrude, and two brothers, John and Leo Provost. The deepest sympathy of the entire community is extended to the bereaved family in their sad affliction.