The Westford Wardsman, December 29, 1917
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Knight enjoyed entertaining a family party of twenty-one over Christmas. There were Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Campbell and seven children of a family of eight, of Hudson; the eighth one was Oscar J. Campbell, “somewhere in France.” There were also Mr. and Mrs. H. K. Ranney, of Wayland, and three children, one of whom is Miss Grace Ranney our teacher at the Parkerville school; also, Mr. and Mrs. Yetton, of Wayland, and two children. Mr. Yetton is in training at Ayer. Mr. Knight has four grandsons in the nation’s service, the two mentioned and Joseph E. Knight, 2nd, in training with the aviation unit in St. Louis, and Stanley Sargent, “somewhere in France.”
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gumb entertained a family party of relatives for Christmas.
A little son [Walter Alvin Logan, Jr., born Dec. 23, 1917] was born to Mrs. Logan, who is living with Mr. and Mrs. John Perkins, last Saturday. Mr. Logan is a soldier, probably now “somewhere in France.”
At the Congregational church last Monday evening a right good time was carried out for the children by an energetic committee in charge of Mrs. Labouteley and Miss Elva Judd. Supper, a tree filled with presents, and games made up the good time. Mrs. Labouteley contributed 100 delicious cornballs made by herself.
George T. Day, who was sick and confined to his bed following the hard ordeal of Mrs. Day’s death and funeral, is reported as better.
With the war-time winter of conservation along all lines there will be no annual dinner for the town officers on appraisal day at the town farm, but the three appraisers appointed by the selectmen will attend to their duties this Saturday.
Edward Clement has recently resigned as motorman on account of being drafted, and Alfred Tuttle is acting as motorman with George Sullivan as conductor.
Nathan Prescott has a new telephone installed—103-3.
Miss Winning, the nurse, who is caring for Miss Ella F. Hildreth, was with her home people in South Chelmsford for Christmas. Miss Hildreth is reported improving and able to be down stairs.
Mrs. Clarence Hildreth spent the Christmas holiday with her husband at Camp Devens.
Albert W. Heywood, of the U.S. Gunboat Dubuque, is enjoying a furlough at home.
At the last meeting of the Grange Mrs. Mattie E. Sutherland had charge of the program. There was a good attendance present and a very pleasant evening is reported. The musical numbers were a piano solo, Miss Rachael Wall; trio, Bertram Sutherland, Henry Colburn and Charles Roby; solo, Miss Lillian Sutherland; quartet, Henry Colburn, Charles Roby, Bertram Sutherland, Alonzo Sutherland; one-act play “Two ghosts in white,” Miss Lottie Dunn, Mrs. F. E. Miller, Mrs. A. H. Sutherland, Misses Crocker, Ranney, Sutherland and Frances and Alice Wright. At the conclusion of the program Miss Rachael Wall played for dancing.
The reading class in charge of the literature and library extension committee of the Tadmuck club will meet with Mrs. William C. Roudenbush on Monday afternoon.
Miss Eva Pyne’s many friends are sorry to learn of her serious sickness at her home at Pine Ridge.
Hartwell & Hosmer’s calendars being distributed to their customers this year are most attractive, depicting in beautiful colorings the “First American Thanksgiving,” from the painting by Brownscombe.
Miss Elizabeth Kittredge is at home for the Christmas vacation.
Mrs. David, and her little daughter Constance, living on the Amesbury place, figured in a runaway accident on Wednesday afternoon, from which they very fortunately escaped without injury. In driving up to the mail box near their home the horse took to backing violently, throwing them both out into the snow, after which he started to run. Mrs. David thought he might go to the barn as it was his supper time, but he galloped off down past the Loveless farm with dragging reins and was not captured until he had run nearly to South Chelmsford.
The faithful R.F.D. carriers who worked so hard to help others enjoy their Christmas, will have their customary new year’s day holiday. They, as well as at the local postoffice, report a record amount of mail handled this year.
Frank Johnson, one of our soldier boys, is at home on a ten-days’ holiday furlough from Maryland. At his camp, as only a given number could go for the Christmas furlough, the expedient of drawing the lucky numbers from a box was tried and Frank was one of the fortunate ones.
Seth W. Banister has been transferred from military training at San Antonio, Texas, to Dayton, Ohio.
Word comes to the Westford friends this week of the birth [Dec. 23, 1917] of a little daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Everett Lord of Berwick, Me. Mrs. Lord was formerly Miss Gertrude Hamlin, and the baby has been named Evelyn Kimball Lord.
The drive for Red Cross members for 1918 has met with splendid response in this town. Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher, in charge of the various teams, sent to the Lowell headquarters for their meeting at Memorial hall, Wednesday evening, the splendid total of 727 names, and by the time the Westford canvas is finished some additional names will be added to this list. Those in charge of the various teams have worked hard and met with good response in nearly every instance. Every member of some households, in some cases including the children, have had a membership paid.
The Christmas party supper and tree for the children of the Unitarian Sunday school, under the direction of Miss Mabel Drew and Mrs. Buckshorn, was a great success if it was gauged by the evident enjoyment of the children. The following program was given: Piano solo [duet?], Marion and Mildred Fletcher; song, Marion and Mildred Fletcher, Alice, Ruth and Frieda Johnson; greetings of Christmas, Huntington Wells, Richard Wells and Edna Hamlin; song, Elizabeth Wells; “Letter to Santa Claus,” Elizabeth Carver; recitations, Betty Prescott and Elizabeth Wells. A supper for the children was served at six o’clock, and the Christmas tree was at seven. Santa Claus was in attendance, coming down the chimney, and the andirons in the fireplace were moved for his convenience. His voice somewhat resembled the pastor of the church.
At the Congregational church last Sunday a program of special Christmas music was given with sermon, prayer and other parts of the service appropriate to Christmas. Mrs. Chas. H. Wright directed the music and Miss Hazel B. Hartford was at the organ with a full choir of voices. “America” and “Coronation” were sung duet, Miss Elva Judd and Miss Lillian Sutherland; responsive solo, Mrs. Charles D. Colburn; offertory solo, Mrs. C A. Blaney. The church was handsomely decorated with evergreen and red poinsettias. This latter was the skillful work of Mrs. A. W. Hartford. At the evening service a special Yuletide service was arranged by the pastor.
School Exercises. The pupils of the William E. Frost school, under the direction of their four teachers, Misses Dunn, Crocker, Grant and Wright, assisted by Miss Raynes, musical supervisor, gave one of the best of Christmas entertainments last week Friday afternoon at the town hall. The children were well drilled and showed the result of good team work among their teachers, and the hall was well filled with interested parents and friends of the young people.
The following program was given: Flag salute, school; play, leading parts being taken by Nina Crafts and Ethel Ingalls, the name of this clever sketch being “Over the phone,” and showed how one little girl, convalescent from measles, was able to enjoy the school entertainment over the telephone; recitations, Betty Prescott, Elizabeth Carver, Fisher Buckshorn, Raymond Shea, Genevieve Blaney, Donald White, Gladys Whitney, Walter Newrocki, Norman White, Wallace Johnson, Hawthorne Roby, Alice Socorelis, Kenneth Down, Alan Bell, Grace Dane, the recitations being interspersed with a “stocking drill”; song, grades 5 and 7; folk dance, “Ma’s little pigs,” and an exercise by twelve little girls, “Waiting for Santa Claus,” Herbert Shea “Santa.” The exercises closed with the singing of “America.”
Death. The town mourns the passing this week of Mrs. M. Elizabeth Whitney, one of Westford’s best loved and esteemed women. Mrs. Whitney passed away in the early morning of Saturday, December 22. She had not been in good health for quite a long time, but death resulted from a stroke of paralysis from which she was stricken about ten days previous.
The deceased was born in Westford on July 6, 1845, and was the daughter of Ira Leland and Susan Prescott. On June 10, 1868, she was married to Hiram Whitney. She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Walter Prescott Wright, of Brookline and Westford, and by a grandson, Whitney Prescott Wright.
Mrs. Whitney was greatly beloved in her home and by all who knew her. Hers was a nature of gracious poise and great kindness of heart. An out-reaching kindliness characterized her life. Her chief beneficence to her native town was the gift of the playground near the William E. Frost school. A short time after the death of the late Mr. Whitney, Mrs. Whitney purchased these grounds and gave the ample funds to put them in order and to equip them with ball ground, tennis court and swings for the children and other things to furnish them pleasure. A fund for perpetual care of the grounds was also provided and it makes one of the beauty spots of the hill-top town that Mrs. Whitney loved so well. These grounds are known as the Whitney playground and are a memorial to her late husband.
Mrs. Whitney was a great lover of nature and all the secrets of the growing things of garden, field and woods were an open book to her. She was an authority on the native flowers and shrubs, both wild and cultivated, of this vicinity. In the course of her life Mrs. Whitney had traveled extensively, both in this country and abroad. Only last winter she enjoyed a trip to the Pacific coast.
The funeral services were held from her late home on Sunday afternoon at two o’clock. Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn, pastor of the Unitarian church was the officiating clergyman who also read committal prayers at the cemetery. There were many beautiful flowers. Interment was in the family lot in Fairview cemetery.
The will of Mrs. Elizabeth Whitney, Westford, has been filed in the East Cambridge probate court. Under its provisions Mrs. Whitney leaves $5000 to the town of Westford to be designated as the Hiram Whitney playground fund, the income of which will go for the maintenance of athletics in the town. In addition to this, the Unitarian church received $500, the Ladies’ Sewing circle and the Woman’s Branch Alliance of the church $10,000, to be added to the “Herrick fund” of this organization, and the town of Westford, for the preservation and care of the shade trees on Depot street, $2500.
About Town. The next meeting of Middlesex-North Pomona Grange will be held in Odd Fellows’ hall, Bridge street, Lowell, Friday, January 4. The morning session will be devoted to the usual annual reports. The installation of officers will be the program of the afternoon session and will be open to the public.
For early lateness George O. Spaulding, Francis hill, has all the Stony Brook farmers in the shadows. On December 7 he picked string beans from his garden. We all knew he was high up, warm up and dry up, but was not aware that there was enough height or heat to come to string beans in sledding time.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Trull, of Detroit, are spending the holidays with his mother, Mrs. George H. McGregor.
The next meeting of Westford Grange will be held on Thursday evening, January 3, at which time the newly elected officers will be installed.
Mr. and Mrs. Amos Polley were Christmas guests with her sister, Mrs. Barlow, in Lowell. In the afternoon they went to see the play “Those bright and shining dollars.” The title has a familiar sound to some of the Stony Brook farmers.
The commission to draft a new dog law have reported to the public enough to make it certain that a dog fight of large proportions is in preparation for the hearing and will take an acre of room to hold the prospective attendants. All the dog clubs and dog fanciers are clubbing together to club the advocates of the bill. The Humane society is lining up on the side of the dogs. Let us hope that dogs do more good than their nuisance and menace comes to, but it looks like hope against facts. The dogs in New York State last year, under the new and stringent law, were the promoters and provokers of damage amounting to $60,000.
A second son was born to Mr. and Mrs. George Howard, of Bound Brook, N.J., December 22, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Taylor. The little fellow bears the name of Laurence Salisbury, an honored name on the paternal side, for the Salisburys in the seventeenth century held the Salisbury Patent or grant of land around Catskill, N.Y., of eight square miles, from the crown of England, and their two manor houses are still standing. This is the fourth grandson for Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Taylor and represents the fourth generation to be connected with the Taylor homestead.
Beautiful Christmas carols were sung by a chorus of community singes on Christmas eve in West Chelmsford. The village people enjoyed the singing from house to house. Afterwards, Mrs. F. A. Snow and Miss Lottie L. Snow served a much appreciated luncheon to them at the home of F. A. Snow.
On Wednesday evening Mr. and Mrs. William R. Taylor and Mrs. F. A. Snow attended the wedding of Miss Dorothy Howard Haviland to Roscoe Foote Patt in St. Mark’s church, Southboro. The bride was a classmate of Mrs. Taylor at Framingham Normal school and was a bridesmaid at her wedding.
Forge Village. The Christmas holiday passed off very quietly here and in many homes family reunions were held. Among the many out-of-town guests were noticed John O’Neil, who enlisted in the Medical Corps last August. He was under orders to report in New York on Christmas day, from Indiana, where he has been training for several months. Arriving in Lowell at two o’clock Sunday morning he managed to get as far as North Chelmsford and then walked the remaining six miles to the home of his parents here, where he arrived at five o’clock in the morning. The young man only had a few hours with his parents, as he left at noon time to complete the trip to New York, and will shortly leave for “over there.”
At the home of Mrs. Mary A. Lowther four generations were present at the Christmas dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Percy Hargreaves and young son, of Somerville, and Miss Mary H. Cherry, also of Somerville, were the guests. The important guest was the great-grandson of Mrs. Lowther, Frederick Lowther Hargreaves.
William Davis, of Amsterdam, N.Y., is at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Davis.
Miss E. Mae Lord, district nurse of East Jaffrey, N.H., and Miss Helen Lord, also a nurse at the hospital in Barre, and Miss Geneva Perry, of Westboro, were entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. David Lord, Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Tyler and daughter Elsie of Worcester, were the holiday guests of Mr. and Mrs. William Weaver.
Mr. and Mrs. Chester Blodgett, of the Ridges, had a large Christmas family gathering, among them being Mr. and Mrs. William Burnett, of this village; Mrs. Laura Jones and daughter, and Mrs. A. E. Jones and two children, of Worcester, and Mrs. Ernest Longbottom and son William, of Westboro. Sergt. A. E. Jones was the absent member. His is the grandson of William Burnett and has been in France for several months. He also did duty in Mexico.
A daughter [Grace Chrystalbelle Weaver] was born on Monday to Mr. and Mrs. George H. Weaver.
Miss Lottie Parrott, of North Adams, spent Christmas here.
Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Shaddick of Dorchester and Willard Bennett enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. John Shaddick of the Tadmuck farm, Christmas.
Mr. and Mrs. Alvah Bicknell of Somerville, spent the weekend and holiday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Carmichael.
Mr. and Mrs. Fennimore Morton entertained a number of soldiers from Camp Devens on Christmas day.
Miss Sarah Precious spent Christmas with relatives in Townsend Harbor.
Rev. Angus Dun will have charge of the Sunday school at St. Andrew’s mission on Sunday. He will read a Christmas story as a special feature.
Robert Wetmore, of Boston, was in town last week Thursday. While attending school in Dummer academy, N.H. [Dummer Academy, Byfield, Mass., (now The Governor’s Academy) is meant], he had a narrow escape from being burned when part of the [dormitory] building was destroyed by fire. As it was he lost most of his clothing.
Over 152 members were secured for the Red Cross during the recent canvass, with the report of Miss Eva Pyne still to be submitted. Many of these people had already joined earlier in the year.
Mrs. John Lyman and daughter of East Dedham, are at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stephan Healy, of this village.
Cantata. “Ye little old folks’ concert,” a cantata by Polly Simkins, was presented in Abbot hall on Wednesday evening by the pupils of Cameron school. The large audience filled the hall to over-crowding. The cast included Catherine O’Neil, Mary Sullivan, Gertrude Baker, Jennie Mulligan, George Goucher, Alice Hosmen, William Drolet Edward Hunt, Merigan Socha and Joseph Palermo. The choir consisted of pupils from the upper grades and were dressed in very quaint and old-fashioned costumes which caused much laughter among the audience. “Granny Lumkins” (Gertrude Baker) was finely portrayed, and “Fidgety Susan” (Jennie Mulligan) demanded clever acting, and the two together kept the house in an uproar. The two spinsters’ parts were very well taken and also that of the corporal. “Job Harkins” directed the company of singers and received merited applause. The songs were mostly old, familiar ones and there were also several Christmas carols. Miss Mary B. Raynes had charge of the cantata, as musical director, assisted by Miss Letitia Ward, the principal, and Miss Mary A. Garvey.
The remainder of the program was given by the primary department and grades two and three. The latter, under the direction of Miss Abbie M. Blaisdell, executed an intricate wand drill, which was very interesting to the spectators. The folk dances by the kindergarten children, always a great hit, were great favorites, and after causing much laughter, were well applauded. Miss Eva Pyne directed the folks dances.
All the teachers deserve credit for the great amount of work necessary in undertaking such an affair. Miss Carolyn Precious was the accompanist of the evening.
The event was for the benefit of the local branch of the Red Cross and a large sum was realized.
Lunenburg
News Items. Another of our Lunenburg boys has been heard from “somewhere in France.” Several months ago Joseph L. Peabody enlisted in the forestry department of the U.S. expeditionary forces and a few days ago his brother, W. R. Peabody, received a letter from him saying he was well and hearty, has good food and good quarters and likes the service.
Ayer
News Items. A number of soldiers from Camp Devens paraded through Main street Monday evening. Dressed in grotesque costumes, carrying brooms and led by a camp drum corps, they made merry during the evening to the enjoyment of a large crowd of spectators.
Frank Dickerson, who appeared before the Lowell police court, Wednesday, on complaints of breaking and entering and larceny, was identified by the officials of the Division 1 exemption board of that city as a certified registrant, who was ordered to report at Camp Devens on September 10 and failed to do so. He was taken to Ayer by Inspector Walsh of the Lowell police department and turned over to the military authorities at the camp. The civil and military officers have been after Dickerson for the past four months.
All railroad men serving as soldiers at Camp Devens have been ordered to be returned to their former occupations by the government, the idea being that they are more important in the work of handling the railroad traffic at this time than as soldiers. The discharges from military work, however, are provisional, as the men may be recalled for military duty at any time at the discretion of the government.
The dedication of the new officers’ recreation house on West street takes place this Saturday afternoon at three o’clock, to which a cordial invitation is extended to the selectmen, the clergy and others interested in the matter. Dr. Endicott Peabody, headmaster of Groton School, and Brig. Gen. Weigel of Camp Devens will be the principal speakers.
Harvard
Public Safety Committee Notes. A party of seventeen young ladies of Harvard, under charge of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Putnam and Mrs. Earl Turner, acting in behalf of the public safety committee, attended a Christmas eve dance at the barracks of Company E of the 302nd Infantry, Camp Devens. The party was transported in Ole Gabrielson’s two-horse sled and had a merry time. The barracks were decorated profusely with evergreens, and excellent music was furnished by the musicians of Company E. A band of ladies from Shirley also attended, and there were songs, recitations and refreshments. Sergt. Richardson, nephew of Joseph Lee, of the recreation commission, was in charge. The Harvard girls proved very popular and were given an ovation on their departure.
Shirley
News Items. About 500 of the soldiers from Camp Devens were entertained Christmas day by the residents of the town. The Congregational and St. Anthony’s churches were open afternoon and evening for the reception of the men. Games, music and refreshments were furnished. Odd Fellows’ hall was open for those who preferred dancing and there were about 400 present. Refreshments were served and Mudgett’s orchestra furnished music. The boys gave three rousing cheers for the hospitality of the townspeople.
Pepperell
News Items. A no-license conference of representative citizens was held at the Main street grammar school building on Thursday evening of last week, and it was decided to organize a no-license league [a temperance organization]. A committee of five, consisting of F. T. Wright, C. A. Mills, G. H. Shattuck, H. N. Tower and Elmer Mason, was chosen. This committee is to be enlarged to ten, and it is expected that an aggressive campaign may be undertaken. Lieut. E. M. McKee, of Camp Devens, was present, and gave an informal talk. Camp Devens authorities are expected to support this movement.