Turner's Public Spirit, April 22, 1922
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. Mrs. Alma M. Richardson has returned to her home on Main street after spending the winter months in Boston.
“George A. Drew, of Greenwich, Conn., was a recent visitor of his mother and sister at the Drew fruit farm.
“The Woman’s Alliance held a business meeting at the home of Mrs. Alma Richardson on Wednesday evening, at which the following officers were elected for the year: Mrs. Josephine A. Prescott, pres.; Mrs. Alma M. Richardson, v.p.; A. Mabel Drew, sec.; Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, treas.; chairman of P.O. mission and cheerful letter, Miss Eva E. Fletcher; religious intelligence, Miss Emily F. Fletcher; program committee, Mrs. Adeline Buckshorn, Mrs. W. R. Carver, Mrs. Edward Clements; directors of Herrick and Whitney fund, Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher, Mrs. W. R. Carver, Mrs. Harry Prescott.
“About Town. George C. Moore, the recent owner of the mills at Brookside, is reported seriously ill at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Griffin, in New York, as the result of a paralytic shock.
“Work on the new schoolhouse at Brookside is progressing at a rapid pace. Several carloads of brick have been delivered and used and several carloads more are on the way, and several cars of lumber. Some of the heavy timbers will be sixty feet long.
“W. R. Taylor has awarded the contract for building the stone bridge over Tadmuck river to A. G. Lundberg, of Brookside. Harry N. Fletcher, of Graniteville, furnishes the stone. Perley E. Wright does the auto trucking, somebody’s brother-in-law lays the bridge, and Mr. Lundburg, besides being contractor, is timekeeper, treasurer, paymaster and wireless observer. Thus the bridge is well manned and planned.
“Guy R. Decatur is planning on planting several acres of sweet corn on the top peak of Little Tadmuck hill, where the climate conditions are anti-frost proof until the last of October and anti-tuberculosis the entire year….
“It is quite a coincidence that Mrs. Alma Decatur Prud-homme, who went on a trip to Honolulu, should by chance meet Mrs. Julian Cameron in the hotel where both are stopping.
“Thomas H. Elliott, of Lowell, the longest established real estate dealer in the city, who owns a farm in Westford, is a frequent visitor here. When he doesn’t come by auto he comes by steam or electric railroad and leaves the train at Forge Village. Last week he made one of those life-prolonging trips, walked four miles from [the] cars to his farm, trimmed trees all day, ate a cold dinner and walked back to Forge Village. He doesn’t seem the least mite frightened that he will work one minute overtime or have to walk twenty rods to his work, and he is in his eighties. Are there any more like him? No, there are not—they are all either in the cemetery or on strike….
“Arthur J. O’Brien is working with his team for Edwards & Monahan in building the new school house at Brookside.
“John Wayne died last week Tuesday at his home in Chelmsford, aged eighty-three years. For many years he was a resident of Westford living on his farm close by the overhead bridge of the Nashua and Acton railroad and within the shadows of beautiful inspiring and picturesque Nashobah hill…. He was a veteran of the civil war, enlisting from Acton, where he was then living. He was a brave and gallant soldier in the old 6th and 26th Massachusetts regiments during the whole period of the war. He was a member of Isaac Davis post, G.A.R., of Acton.
“Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted soccer team defeated the Smith & Dove team in an Industrial league game in Andover last Saturday, 5 to 1. On this Saturday the Abbots will play the American Woolen Company team in Lawrence. On Saturday, April 29, the Abbots will meet the Falcos of Holyoke for the state championship. This game will be played in Quincy.
“Joseph Wall, local game warden and vice president of the Lowell Fish and Game association, has recently placed 4000 rainbow trout in Forge pond and 2000 in Long-Sought-for pond.
“All the schools in town re-opened last Monday after the brief spring vacation.
“There was no special observance of the [Patriot’s Day] holiday here, although many took advantage of the opportunity to clear up the yards about their homes on Wednesday.
“The millinery class met with Mrs. Packard on last Monday evening. Instructions in straw hat making were given by Miss Keyes of Lowell….”
Alma (Minot) Richardson (1849-1935), widow of Albert P. Richardson (1843-1903), lived in the Richardson House at 86 Main St., built by Albert’s father Solomon Richardson (1789-1868) in 1846. Courtesy Photo c. 1900 / New Old Houses of Westford by Ellen Harde & Marilyn Day.
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