The Westford Wardsman, July 12, 1919
Center. Mrs. George F. White and sons, Forrest and Donald, are at York Beach for two weeks, being registered at the Hotel Hiawatha.
The Fourth was unusually quiet in town, there being no special observance planned. The younger element were out the night before and the bells were rung at midnight, but little harm was done.
Many are interested and are saving their energies for the first benefit and social ball of the Westford Service club, which is the new organization of our men who have served in the world war. This ball, which was to have been held this week, has been postponed until Friday evening, August 1. Poole’s orchestra of Boston will furnish music and by that time it is hoped that most of our boys will be back and the affair promises to be a most attractive occasion.
Sigurd Peterson and family are moving this week to the log cabin on Prospect hill, which for lack of more commodious quarters they will occupy for the warm weather. Frank Chandler, who has bought the house vacated by the Petersons, moves with his family into their new home the last of the week.
Harold W. Hildreth, Leon F. Hildreth and Marden Seavey have all arrived from overseas and expect to be discharged and be with their home people any day now. J. Edward Clement is still overseas and did not know when his release from service would come.
The townspeople are grateful for the thorough job of street oiling that has been done this season. Besides the streets in the three villages the oiling has been extended in many places in the outlying districts, all of which tends to permanent road improvement as well as temporary benefit.
Mrs. Alice M. Wells went to New London, N.H., for over the Fourth.
Arthur E. Strong and Miss Marjorie B. Hayford were united in marriage at the Congregational parsonage on last Saturday evening by Rev. O. L. Brownsey. Mr. Strong is employed at the Drew fruit farm, where the couple will live.
At the Congregational church on Sunday morning Rev. O. L. Brownsey will preach from the topic “In time with the infinite,” and in the evening, “The supreme life mission.”
Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Bicknell have just cause for pride in their son’s record. Sergt. Leroy H. [E.] Bicknell, now in the army of occupation in Germany, has recently received his second citation for bravery and awarded his second war cross. In his first experience last fall he captured fifty Germans besides saving the situation of his own men. Sergt. Bicknell very modestly said of this accomplishment that he had simply done the best he could. His superior officers were gone and he took charge and did what came to him to do. In his last letter to his home people Sergt. Bicknell wrote he did not know when he would get home. It looked as though he might be among the last to leave Germany.
Miss Agnes Weir, the public health nurse, has resigned after three-months’ service. Miss Lord, of Forge Village, is to be her successor.
The welcome rain came the first of the week to just about save the raspberry crop which was just coming on. Several growers with promising crops earlier were finding the berries just drying up on the bushes.
Death. The community was greatly shocked on Monday to hear of the tragic death by suicide of one of its prominent townsmen, which took place on Sunday. Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn left his house on Sunday morning, about nine o’clock, to go to one of his berry patches not far away. He was not seen during the day, and as night came on his family became anxious and made search for him without avail. Monday morning a searching party of townsmen was organized. They searched the berry patch but found no trace of the missing man. Subsequently two of the men, Frank C. Bannister and Peter Clement separated from the others, and while going through the orchard of George H. Cadman they came upon the body of the clergyman lying on the ground under a tree near a stone wall. The tray and berry baskets were nearby and a revolver was beside the body. A bullet wound behind and slightly above the right ear told the story of how death had come. Later, Medical Examiner Bulkeley, of Ayer, was called and took charge of the body.
Louis Henry Buckshorn was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, fifty-three years ago. After training for the ministry he had held pastorates in Westford, Concord, N.H. and Vineyard Haven. His recent pastorate in Westford was his second here, his first being some twenty years ago, in the late nineties. Of late years he was greatly interested in agriculture, especially orcharding and the raising of small fruit, and he had addressed many meetings on plant life and kindred subjects. He was also a great lover of flowers and the beautiful in Nature, as revealed in skies and trees, plants and flowers was as an open book to him.
Mr. Buckshorn leaves his wife, Adeline Fisher Buckshorn; his only son, Fisher Buckshorn, and a step-daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Kittredge.
Mr. Buckshorn had been ill for some months, suffering from a nervous breakdown. His pastorate at the Unitarian church was severed in May since which time he had been especially depressed, but so tragic an outcome was not expected. Some have advanced the theory that the intense heat of last week may have been a contributing cause.
Private funeral services were held from his late home on Wednesday afternoon at two o’clock, with Rev. Oliver J. Fairfield, of Littleton, as the officiating clergyman. Mrs. D. L. Greig and Mrs. C. H. Wright sang “Nearer my God to thee.” The bearers were Fred Burbeck, Alec Fisher, John Fisher and Edward Fisher. Interment was in Fairview cemetery.
About Town. Miss Marjorie Mitchell Seavey of this town received the degree of bachelor of arts from Boston University at the commencement exercises in Tremont Temple, Boston, Tuesday morning, June 24. Sir Robert A. Falconer, LL.D., president of Toronto University delivered the commencement oration on “The individuality of the Canadian people.” Miss Seavey made French her major study with English as a minor subject. She belongs to Sigma Kappa Sorority. During her four years in the College of Liberal Arts of B.U., she has served on various committees. She was in the Latin play her freshman year and belonged to the Cercle Francais her junior year. She was class secretary during her third year, and was on the picture committee this year for the senior class.
Arrives from Overseas. John A. Taylor arrived home on July 8, just one year to the very day that he left it. He arrived on the Great Northern, which made a record trip, surpassing all other ship records from New York to Brest and return in twelve days. On the Fourth of July the Great Northern was in the region where the Titanic sank and passed fourteen icebergs.
Mr. Taylor volunteered for overseas service in the Y.M.C.A. He was stationed at Is sur Tille at the big service of supply camp. He wears the Lorraine cross indicating that he was in the Lorraine section near the front. Later, Mr. Taylor was transferred to the educational corps of the army and was connected with the A.E.F. university at Beaune. While waiting to embark he was given fourteen days’ “permission” and visited Rheims, Antwerp, Ostend, Brussels and some of the devastated sections of Belgium. While at Brussels he saw the king and queen of Belgium and heard President Wilson give his splendid talk to the Belgians.
Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted Company team defeated the Silesia Mills team in North Chelmsford on last Saturday by the score of 7 to 3. Silesia was never dangerous at any stage of the game, although they rallied somewhat in the final frame, when they scored two runs. There was a large crowd out to see the game and the A.W.C. club were treated finely by the Silesia management. The home team will play in Townsend this Saturday. The trip will be made by auto and the fans and club will leave here at one o’clock.
John J. Provost, who has a government position in Washington, D.C., is spending a few days at his home here.
Jerry O’Leary, of Warren, R.I., has been a recent visitor here.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Defoe, with their little son, from Beverly, have been spending the holidays here as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Defoe.
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Carmichael have recently returned from a very pleasant visit spent with relatives in Wilton, N.H.
Roy Blanchard almost severed the index finger of his left hand while sawing wood at his home. It was thought the digit would have to be amputated, but this was deferred and it is hoped now that the finger may be saved.
Mr. and Mrs. George Wyman, of Camden, N.J., are spending a few days with relatives here.
The Westford Service club who were to hold a grand ball in Westford on Friday, July 11, have postponed the event to Friday, August 1.
The mill and shop teams have already played four of their games, each club getting two games. The final game will be played this week and the winners will take the box of cigars.
About Town. John A. Taylor will spend the summer with his parents and resume his duties at the University of North Dakota in September.
West Chelmsford Grange gave a lawn party last week Thursday evening on Cameron park. The Middlesex Training School band entertained with music. There were various other attractions to pay running expenses and leave a small surplus revenue that were well patronized. Among those who played with the Middlesex band was Clarence Burne, of West Chelmsford, who is a promising cornetist in the Abbot Worsted band of Graniteville and Forge Village.
The J. Willard Fletchers had the first peas and string beans for dinner last Sunday.
An interesting article appeared in last week’s issue of a visit of a young lady [who came] to Westford, the daughter of Rev. Thomas Wilson. We recall the family living in the house now owned and occupied by the H. V. Hildreths, which was built by members of the union but was never owned as a church parsonage. The writer recalls the bright family of children and has often wondered where they all were. Rev. Thomas Wilson was a native of Paisley, Scotland. He was minister of the church here about three years, moving from here to Stoughton, where he remained about ten years; from Stoughton he went to Eaton, N.Y., where he died.
Ayer
News Items. The Camp Devens rifle range is again being used for a short time each day by the men in the R.O.T.C. and guards with red flags are again stationed on the state road to warn passersby.
Two soldiers in a truck had a very narrow escape from death on Tuesday afternoon, when they were unable to stop the truck in time to avoid the gates at the Main street railroad crossing which were being lowered for the express from Nashua, which arrives here about five o’clock. The truck broke through the gates onto the track, and had it not been for the quickness and presence of mind of the engineer of the train in applying his brakes the accident would probably have had serious results. A new gate was put in place on Wednesday to replace the one which was broken.
Camp Notes. The students of the R.O.T.C. infantry camp observed Fourth of July with a program which included a field meet with sixteen events, baseball game, band concerts and a dinner, enjoying themselves and entertaining many visiting friends and relatives. Judge Warran [sic] H. Atwood, of Ayer, delivered the Fourth of July oration to the R.O.T.C.
The war department has decided to retain none but regular army officers in the regular military establishment. This is a blow to many of the “Class C” reserve officers, who had planned to take up the army as a profession. Many of these men have been at camp since it opened, while others came here from Plattsburg last July. It is expected that these officers will be back in civilian life again about September 15.