The Westford Wardsman, January 12, 1918
Center. The entertainment committee of the home guard, Alfred W. Hartford, chairman, are planning a military dance for January 25. Poole’s orchestra, seven pieces, of Boston, will be the attraction for the music and it is hoped members of the Groton and Concord companies will be guests of the evening.
Walter L. Cutter has recently been in town, visiting his children, one who is with Mr. and Mrs. Williams, at Parkerville; two with Mrs. Julian Whitney, and one with Mrs. Alice Lambert.
Mr. and Mrs. S[ebastian] B[angert] Watson are entertaining as a guest at their home the former’s uncle, A. H. Bangert, of Newbern, N.C. Mr. Bangert has been mayor of his home city for four years, but freedom from office this year has given him opportunity for a trip from home, which included Canada and various other places, including a stop with his Westford kinsman.
During the vacation season Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher gave a very pretty whist party for her son John, Thursday afternoon of last week. There were four tables for whist and the young people enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon and none more so than their hospitable and genial young host. Delicious and bountiful refreshments were served by Mrs. Fletcher, assisted by Miss Eva E. Fletcher.
The members of the children’s dancing class for this season are to have what is expected as a series of several afternoon dancing parties, the first being planned for Thursday afternoon, January 17. Different groups of matrons will be in charge of the afternoons, and the same pianist, who played for the dancing lessons, will be in attendance. In line with the spirit of fuel conservation these gatherings are being planned for the Thursday afternoons that the grange meets the same evening, requiring less effort to heat the hall.
A wedding took place at the Congregational parsonage on Wednesday afternoon when Rev. Howard A. Lincoln united in marriage Arthur Bliss Whitney, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Julian Whitney, and Miss Gladys May Eisner, of Littleton. Mr. and Mrs. John Olsen, the latter a sister of the groom attended the bridal couple. The bride wore white silk with a wedding veil and carried bride’s roses, and the matron of honor a white lace dress and carried a shower bouquet of pinks. A reception was held at the home of the groom’s parents on Wednesday evening, which was a happy gathering of kinspeople and friends to extend felicitations and good wishes to the young people. Refreshments of ice cream and cake were served, and a wedding cake had a place of honor. The young people will live in the house recently occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Perkins, Jr.
The ice storm earlier in the week made hard work for the electric car, stopping its operation. The car went off the track, requiring a force of men working the greater part of one day to get it back again, and much hard work has been put in clearing the icy rails.
Three little boy babies made their advent into three different homes on last week Friday and Saturday. A son [Harry Gordon Whitney] was born [Jan. 4] to Mr. and Mrs. Harry [Arthur] Whitney on Saturday [Friday?]. Mr. and Mrs. Sydney W. Wright welcomed a little son [Clayton E. Wright born Jan. 4, 1918, died Mar. 30, 1923], and a son [Joseph Whitney Perkins] was born [Jan. 5] to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Perkins, Jr. Mr. Perkins is in the army and is located at Camp Gordon, Ga.
Letting out the fires at the William E. Frost school during the vacation may have conserved some fuel, but not plumbing bills. All the water pipes were frozen and extensive repairs will have to be made to the heating plant before school sessions can be resumed. Frozen pipes caused some trouble at the academy, but were thawed out in time for reopening of school on Monday.
The New Year services at the Congregational church last Sunday were of special interest. The pastor’s morning subject was “Across the threshold.” The C.E. meeting at 6:15 had for its subject, “Becoming a Christian,” and at the evening service at seven o’clock Mr. Lincoln’s subject was “Asking for great things?” The next communion service will be held on the first Sunday in February, when a number of people will be received into fellowship.
An entertaining evening is being planned for next week Saturday evening at the Unitarian church, when Abiel J. Abbot will give one of his enjoyable travel talks. There will be appropriate music and refreshments will be served.
Pleasant word has been received from the Atwood sisters spending the winter in Jacksonville, Fla. They write that they are well and are pleasantly located.
There will be no firemen’s ball this season. The committee of the Edward M. Abbot company reported that this seemed the best course for this season.
The J. V. Fletcher library will be closed on Sundays until further notice. This is done for the purpose of saving fuel.
The John P. Wrights have moved for the winter into Mrs. Bright’s pleasant cottage. The fuel problem was more easily solved by this change.
George T. Day remains ill at his home and a trained nurse is in attendance.
Clarence E. Hildreth has been transferred from Camp Devens to San Antonio, Texas, where he has been promoted to the aviation department of the officers’ training camp, which means six months of training. He expects to go the latter part of this week. Mrs. Hildreth, after a short stay with her home people in Rutherford, N.J., expects to join her husband in Texas. Mrs. Hildreth will be much missed in the Red Cross and French relief work with which she has been so actively identified.
Tadmuck Club. The meeting of the Tadmuck club, which was to have been held on Monday afternoon at the Congregational church, was necessarily omitted on account of the ice and sleet storm. Word came from Mr. Fisher and Mrs. Roberts in Lowell, the speaker and soloist for the afternoon, that all cars were off schedule and it would be impossible to get out to Westford for the afternoon. The ever useful telephone was brought into requisition and the members notified in season.
The next meeting, which is to be held on January 21 at the town hall, is the annual guest night, with Mrs. John P. Wright as hostess. The Mendelson quartet will sing and an excellent reader has been secured. Guest tickets are being distributed by Miss May Day, corresponding secretary. Each member is entitled to one guest ticket, their own membership ticket serving for themselves. Guest tickets are not transferable and additional tickets can be procured for a small fee. Members are asked to get their tickets without delay so that the hostess may know how many to plan for.
Red Cross. The Red Cross held a finely attended meeting on Wednesday afternoon at the library, both the sewing room and the surgical dressings rooms being well filled with workers—nearly thirty-five in all.
Mrs. S. B. Watson, the treasurer, gave the following report: From April 7 to January 1, received 176 members at $1 each, amounting to $176; 40 percent retained, $70.40; two were subscribing members, but same amount is retained; all donations, etc. amounted to $2415.72; expenditures amounted to $1659.31, leaving a balance of $756.41 to January 1; since January 1 expenditures have been $353.25, leaving a balance of $403.16; adding to this, donations, etc,, of $7.22, leaves a balance on hand of $410.38.
Packed and sent to Red Cross headquarters in Lowell this week is the following splendid consignment: 92 sweaters, 42 helmets, 10 mufflers, 14 caps, 35 pairs wristers, 75 pairs socks, 8 convalescent robes, 18 suits pajamas, 14 hospital shirts, 30 wash mits [sic], 20 ambulance pillows, 3600 gauze dressings. This represents the work of the entire town and is a splendid showing of work. The chairman of our local branch appreciates the work of all who have cooperated in this work.
Most appreciative mention should be made of the recent amount of $33.50 received from Forge Village, the result of the cantata given on December 19, under the direction of the four teachers of the Cameron school and Miss Raynes, musical supervisor.
About Town. The annual parish meeting of the Unitarian church will be held this week Saturday evening in the vestry at eight o’clock.
The house of Arthur Brisson, directly north of North Westford, at the Tyngsboro line, was destroyed by fire last week Friday. The building was a 2½ story structure and was valued at $2000. About eighty bushels of potatoes that were in the cellar were also destroyed. The fire caught near the chimney and roof and indicates a defective chimney.
The postponed installation of the officers of Westford Grange will be held on next week Thursday evening. Mrs. Alice Colburn, of Dracut, chaplain of Middlesex-North Pomona Grange, will be the installing officer.
Dr. Varney, the beloved physician of North Chelmsford and other towns, has received a cable that his son, John Varney, is safe in England. Young Varney is a graduate of Dartmouth college, and has been with a prominent law firm in New York city. He volunteered for Y.M.C.A. work in Russia, but owing to recent political upheavals he may not be sent there, but will be sent to France. Miss Varney has an important position at the Peter Bent Brigham hospital in Boston. Preparations are completed for making this a base hospital to accommodate 500 wounded American soldiers. Here is a family contributing their two children for relief work.
Three boys were born on Friday, January 4—a son to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Whitney (Sadie McMaster); a son to Mr. and Mrs. Sidney W. Wright, and a son to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Perkins, Jr. Mr. Perkins is at Camp Gordon, Ga., in the army. Mrs. Perkins was Miss Whitney before her marriage.
January 4 was the fourth birthday of George Taylor Howard [born in Bound Brook, N.J.], grandson of Mr. and Mrs. S. L. Taylor.
On last week Friday the engine at the Brookside mills became partially unmanageable, owing to needed repairs, closing down the mills until Monday.
The departed Brigham Young [1801-1877], a former president [1847-1877] of the Mormon church at Salt Lake City, has thirty-seven grandsons and great-grandsons enlisted for liberty and democracy in loyalty to the United States Government.
Extract from Address. The following is from Gov. [Samuel W.] McCall’s address to the recently assembled legislature [and] should be printed in tract form and posted on every farm in New England.
“At the time of the civil war the yield from the farm was almost great enough to feed the people of New England. Her industries were kept in motion almost wholly by her water powers, and the wood from her forests provided fuel for the homes and for the operation of the railroads. Only a small amount of coal was brought each year to New England. But today we rely for much the larger portion of the food we consume upon far distant parts of the country. We require more the 30,000,000 tons of coal each year, which must be brought to us over long railroad hauls, or after a long voyage upon the sea. The jurisdiction of the commonwealth is not broad enough to give us mastery over the supply of fuel and food, and we are greatly at the mercy of conditions which we cannot control.”
This is a clear statement of facts in regard to New England dependency. This, together with the fact of the serious shortage of food in England, France and Italy, the allowance of food will be regulated by the government by April 1. Such is the food situation of the Allies—serious enough to alarm Washington, and the food situation is much worse in Germany, but we will let them do their own worrying.
The appeal of last year, both by the nation and state to the farmers to make a patriotic hustle to hustle more food from the ground, is more imperative this year. How many of us earned a lame back last year in a patriotic effort to raise more food and are incapacitated this year? How many of us got frightened out of our patriotism for fear we should over produce and haven’t got over the fright yet? How many dodged behind “can’t get any help” and therefore excused themselves down to a semi-do-nothing as an individual effect?
Once upon a time Massachusetts, with the rest of New England, raised nearly 100 percent of its food; but today Massachusetts raises only 15 percent of her food, while our land is less than half productive by any conservative estimate. An easy-going contentment to simply own land and have our victuals raised in the west and shipped to our thriftlessness was all very quieting while corn was so cheap in the west that it was burned for fuel, and other essentials similar in abundance, but when we face a world food emergency we have got to get back in action to the old New England saying: “He who by the farm would thrive, must either hold the plow or drive.”, pastor of a prominent Congregational church in Cambridge, has been granted a leave of absence for six months by his church so that he may join the American Expeditionary forces in France. He will work under the Red Triangle [i.e., Y.M.C.A.] in France, and then will go to Italy for similar work. Mr. Booth is particularly fitted for the work in Italy, as well as in France. He is the son of a man who was a great worker as an Italian pastor in Italy. His mother was the daughter of a Scotch minister.
At the beginning of the war Mr. Ravi, as he was known, changed his name to that of his mother, Booth. The European laws are such that a naturalized American has a dual citizenship and in time of war the country of his father can claim him and this country can offer him no protection, even though he is an American. The legislature granted him permission to use the name of Booth, which has a good American sound.
Mr. Booth was highly educated in this country and for a time was the pastor of the M.E. church in West Chelmsford [1903-1904]. He married Miriam Virgin, daughter of the late Rev. and Mrs. Samuel Virgin, so well known in Congregational circles in New York city and elsewhere. Mr. and Mrs. Booth have four children, three daughters and one son, Vincent Ravi Booth, Jr. They make their summer home at the beautiful Virgin estate and will come here as soon as school closes.
Mr. Booth sailed on January 3 from New York city on the Steamer Rochambeau.
Forge Village. The many friends of Mrs. Hannah Parsons, formerly of this village, will regret to hear that she is seriously ill with pneumonia at Riverside, California. Mr. and Mrs. Parsons left their home in Vancouver, Wash., early in the fall to spend the winter in Southern California. They had taken several pleasant trips, visiting Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego, and were at the home of relatives in Riverside when Mrs. Parsons became ill. It is hoped that the fine climate and mild air will aid in her speedy restoration to health and that later she may be able to make her long-anticipated trip to the East.
The combining, carding and scouring departments of the Abbot Worsted Mills are running three nights a week until nine o’clock. Practically all of the departments where men are employed are running overtime. This is due to rush orders on government work.
The Forge service unit will meet Thursday evening. Surgical dressings are to be made and it is hoped that a large number will be present. A supply of materials, consisting chiefly of gauze for the dressings, has been received from the Red Cross headquarters.
The Girl Scouts will hold their next meeting Thursday evening at St. Andrew’s mission with Mrs. Jonathan Harwood of Ayer in charge. Mrs. Harwood was formerly Miss Ruth Fisher and her coming last Thursday to the Girl Scouts was a pleasant surprise to her many friends.
John Sullivan fell on the sidewalk Sunday near the postoffice and severely sprained his ankle.
Miss Emma Miller is very ill with pneumonia at her home here.
Miss Daly of North Chelmsford is substitute teacher in place of Miss Eva L. Pyne at Cameron school.
The Daniel Gage Ice Co. of Lowell is cutting ice on Forge pond. The ice is reported to be twenty-nine inches thick. Several of the men were on a strike Tuesday for an increase in wages.
Mrs. Albert E. Jones and two children of Worcester spent Christmas day at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wigham. Mr. and Mrs. William Blodgett of the Ridges were also guests. Sergt. Albert E. Jones, who is “somewhere in France,” was greatly missed during the holidays as he always impersonated Santa Claus.
A pleasant surprise party was held last Saturday night at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Kelly. The occasion was the seventeenth birthday of their son, John Kelly. He was presented a silver watch by John Gallagher in behalf of the friends assembled. During the evening a supper was served to about forty persons. After supper singing, games and dancing were enjoyed until a late hour. Those who contributed to the success of the evening were Misses Annie Orr, Rose Dare and Annie Kavanagh, Mrs. Thomas May and William Kelly. Miss Rose Dare and Mrs. Thomas May served the refreshments.
Mrs. Margaret Wilson is confined to her home by illness.
Albert Collins of Salem, N.H., has been a recent guest of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Miles Collins.
Graniteville. The members of Cameron Circle, C.F.A., held their regular meeting in Healy’s hall Tuesday evening with a large number in attendance. Much business was transacted and several applicants were admitted to membership.
Well, the back bone of the cold weather appears to be broken and it is needless to say that it is a great relief. The coal bins have been greatly lessened and some of the men have already begun to follow the slogan of “cut a cord of wood.” Judging from conditions it looks as though they would need several cords before spring.
The members of the Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church met with Mrs. J. Ellsworth York on Thursday afternoon. The Ladies’ Aid are now planning for a sale and entertainment that will be held on two evenings, the latter part of the month.
Many members of the Holy Name society of St. Catherine’s church attended the union services that were held in the Sacred Heart church in Lowell on last Sunday night. The trip was made by special electric car that left Forge Village at 5:50 p.m.
Lewis P. Palmer, the well known stone dealer, is now spending the winter months with his daughter and son, Mr. and Mrs. George Snyder, in Glendale, Cal. Mrs. Snyder was formerly Miss Jennie Palmer of this village.
Charles Day of Tampa, Fla., has been a recent guest of his mother, Mrs. Charlotte Day, and Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Sherman.
The public schools were reopened here on last Monday morning, after the customary Christmas and New Year’s vacation.
The members of Court Westford, M.C.O.F., held their regular meeting Thursday night.
Littleton
News Items. Miss Gladys M. Eisner of Littleton and Arthur B. Whitney of Westford were united in marriage Wednesday afternoon, January 9, by Rev. Howard A. Lincoln at the Congregational parsonage in Westford. The bride was elaborately gowned in white georgette over white satin, wore a little veil and carried a bouquet of bride’s roses. Mr. and Mrs. Whitney will make their future home in Westford. The bride was pleasantly surprised recently by a kitchen shower given by her friends at the Common. Among the wedding gifts was a beautiful glass bowl and pitcher from her roommates at the webbing factory.
Ayer
News Items. Four mules attached to a large army wagon, coming from Camp Devens, became unmanageable on Wednesday and started on a wild dash down West Main street, taking up the whole road and sidewalks. George L. Donahue and a soldier finally brought the terrified animals to a halt near Hotel Devens after a most heroic capture. There was no damage done.
Camp Notes. Orders were issued on Monday from division headquarters which provide for the recall to the service any and all who have been heretofore rejected by local exemption boards and camp physicians for physical disabilities that can be cured. In the past it was the custom to reject all draftees with such ailments. The new orders provide for treatment for them at the camp hospital in order to remedy these defects, and when cured the patients must take up their military duties. Any soldier who refuses to undergo such treatment will be subject to court martial. There have been many cases of hernia in the men called in the first draft, who were disqualified for service and sent home. Several were willing to submit to operations to cure this affliction and take their places with their comrades. Others refused to undergo an operation for this trouble, hoping that their disabilities would permanently exempt them from the service. The new order compels them to be operated upon. In the next draft, which will probably come within a few weeks, all having curable ailments will be taken.
Selections of noncommissioned officers of the 303rd Field Artillery, who are to go to Rock Island arsenal, Illinois, to take instruction in the motor section instruction school, have been made by Col. A. S. Conklin. They left for the above place on Monday.
The break in the long severe cold spell last Sunday, when the temperature reminded one of a day in early spring, brought thousands of visitors to the camp. The drop in temperature enabled the resumption of shooting on the rifle ranges. Many of the visitors came from the Cape Cod section. Congressman John Jacob Rogers, of Lowell, spoke to over 2000 men in the Y.M.C.A. auditorium in the afternoon. The address of Mr. Rogers was very interesting, dealing as it did with his experiences in the war zone, from which he has recently returned.
Harry L. Myers, a cook in the officers’ mess in the 25th Engineers regiment, was lost in the woods during the bitter cold weather of last week for three days without food. So weak from cold and hunger was he that he was only able to crawl back into camp on his hands and knees. Both his feet and one arm were frozen stiff. A part of one leg was amputated at the base hospital. He is still there in a very serious condition. Myers’ home is in Barry, Ill.
Nathan Hyat [a Russian immigrant], of Springfield, was recently tried by court martial and found guild of a violation of the 64th and 96th articles of war. Hyat, a private in the Depot Brigade, was charged with willfully disobeying a lawful command from Lieut. Herbert E. Jacque, of Boston, to do sentry duty. Hyat was ordered to be dishonorably discharged from the service, forfeit all pay due or pay that is to become due and to serve fifteen years at hard labor at the Atlantic branch of the United States disciplinary barracks at Fort Jay, N.Y.
The crack of the rifles used in target practice can be plainly heard in the western part of the town, particularly when the wind blows from the rifle range and carries the sound toward Ayer.
On Tuesday fifty negro soldiers attached to the Depot Brigade left for Camp Upton, Yaphauk, N.Y., where they joined the negro division.
Curtailment of Trains. In order to conserve fuel and relieve locomotives and crews for the freer handling of more important traffic, the Boston and Maine railroad has arranged a new schedule to go into effect January 20, which discontinues or modifies the passenger service and the following are some of the changes at Ayer: …
The Boston and Maine railroad has been called upon to transport during last year, 5500 carloads of miscellaneous freight for the Ayer cantonment. Troop trains to accommodate more than 100,000 soldiers have been run during the past year.
Order to Vacate. The official notice of the United States government to several families of Woods Village that they would have to vacate their homes before February 1 came as a distinct shock to the little settlement. The reason advanced for this action was that the houses were within the path of the Camp Devens rifle range. During the past few weeks bullets have struck houses in the village, one of the bullets passing through the door of the house of Frank Kemp, striking his daughter, Dolly Kemp.
There have been rumors that the land embraced in the limits of the village would be taken some time ago, but as such action was not taken the inhabitants felt that they would not be disturbed by the removal from their homes. The government, through the Camp Devens officials, were confronted with the problem of either discontinuing three-fourths of the target practice or in ordering the people from their homes. They chose the latter alternative. It is expected that the state highway commission will be asked to close the state road which runs from Boston to Fitchburg through the village between the hours of eight in the morning and four in the afternoon as a matter of safety after the houses are vacated. The section of highway which runs through the barred zone was constructed a few years ago and is much used by motorists and others. If this road is closed, which is very likely, it will be necessary to detour through Shirley Center or to go over the old road to and from Fitchburg and points beyond through Shirley village and North Leominster.
The vacating of their homes will prove somewhat of a hardship for the inhabitants of the village, but they realize that it is necessary to give way with as good grace as possible to the exigencies of war, which of course is all important at this time.
The taking of the village by the government marks the passing of one of the oldest settlements in this part of the country. Its industrial history dates from the year 1814, when Joseph Hoar erected a wheelwright shop there. This business continued for three years when the shop was sold to Joseph Estabrook by the owner. Mr. Estabrook continued in the business until 1835, when it passed into the possession of Andrew Shattuck. After five years the business was assumed by Harvey Woods and brothers, who greatly improved and enlarged its facilities. Later, the business passed into the possession of Moses Woods, and from him to Henry Brown and Oliver Wing. Mr. Wing later assumed control of the business.
These men manufactured carriages of all descriptions. They also made harnesses and some kinds of upholstery. For several years there were annually made at this establishment 600 railroad carts, and in the time of the Mexican war and during the war of the rebellion many military baggage wagons and ambulances were also manufactured here, and the proprietors enjoyed a well earned reputation for their fidelity as business operators. The entire plant, equipment and boarding house were destroyed by fire in 1871, which was supposed to be the deed of an incendiary. In honor of the Woods brothers the settlement was named Woods Village, which name it bears to this day.
In the year 1856 Alvin White and William White purchased the estate of the late Peter Page, located on Mulpus brook, and connected with which was a saw mill. Later, they added a basket factory. By the use of power machinery they turned out about 20,000 baskets per year.
In 1861 Alvin White disposed of his interest in the estate to his brother and purchased another higher up the river, which was greatly enlarged and improved. William White and Edwin White continued the business at the old stand, making an average of 15,000 baskets per annum. In addition they conducted a saw mill for making staves and shingles.
Several years ago the property passed into the possession of L. W. Phelps, the present owner.
The Woods brothers mentioned in this article are well-known former resident of Ayer. Harvey Woods, one of the brothers, conducted a grocery store for many years in what was formerly known as Woods block on Main street. Moses Woods conducted a blacksmith shop on Columbia street for many years. After his retirement the business passed into other hands. A few years ago the blacksmith shop was torn down after being unused for several years.
Shirley
News Items. On account of the rifle range which is situated at Woodsville, the greater part of the residents of Woodsville have been notified to leave before February 1. It is understood that all who live on the south side of the state road must go, but several of the families on the north side have not been notified as yet. This order came very suddenly and unexpectedly, and as yet only one or two of the eight families affected have made any definite arrangements as to where they will move to. The report also is that the Woodsville section of the state road will be closed to all traffic between eight in the morning and four in the afternoon on the days when the rifle range is in use.