The Westford Wardsman, June 3, 1916
Center. Miss Hazel B. Hartford, who has played the organ so acceptably at the Congregational church during the winter, gives place to the regular organist, Miss May Atwood, this coming Sunday.
There were many guests in town for Memorial day, among whom were Mr. and Mrs. Fred A. Hildreth and Mrs. Kate Allen, of Malden, at H. V. Hildreth’s; Mr. and Mrs. Lyman A. Wilkins, of Cambridge, at H. G. Osgood’s; Mr. and Mrs. Allister MacDougall, of Northampton, at Alec MacDougall’s; Miss Elinor Youlding at Perley E. Wright’s; Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Woods, Clifford Woods of Somerville, and Mrs. Jennie Fifield of Nashua, at H. A. Ferguson’s; Miss Ruth Fisher was at her camp at Forge pond.
New crossing planks have been laid at the crossings on the branch electric line, replacing some of those that were badly worn.
Robert D. Russell, of Chelmsford, and Miss Elva M. Bicknell, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Bicknell, of this town, were quietly married at the Congregational parsonage by Rev. David Wallace on Monday afternoon. The young people were unattended and after the ceremony departed on a wedding journey. They will live for this summer in a camp on the banks of the Concord river in Billerica.
Mrs. David Wallace has been spending several days of this week with Lunenburg friends.
The bandstand, before being put up for the Memorial day concert, was improved and made ready for the season with a new coat of gray paint.
New subscribers added to the telephone list during the past week are James L. Kimball 74-3; Edward Clement 73-3, and A. G. Lundburg 64-14.
Charles L. Hildreth, one of the most successful amateur gardeners, has raised some unusually fine tulips this season. One day last week he took into Lowell an unusual specimen in the form of five tulips on a single stalk. As is well known there is usually but one flower on each stalk. Mr. Hildreth’s specimen was of the Isis [sic] variety, a beautiful red flower, with blue and white cup when fully developed. The stalk in this instance was unusually large and four of the flowers were clustered at the top, while the fifth was on a branching stem a little lower on the main stalk. It was shown to several Lowell florists who do not remember ever having seen anything of the kind before. Mr. Hildreth has had numerous other tulips with two and three blossoms to a stalk. He enjoys sharing the beauties of his garden with friends and neighbors.
William Atwood, of Daytona, Fla., is visiting his sisters at the Atwood home. Mrs. Atwood accompanied her husband as far as New York, where she is in attendance, as delegate, at the general federation of Woman’s clubs and comes to Westford this week.
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Foster, until recently employed by Perley E. Wright, still have their furnishings in the tenement over the old store. After they went back to Lowell Mrs. Foster fell and is in a hospital, suffering with a compound fracture.
John M. Fletcher, John H. Fletcher and John G. Fletcher, representing father, son and grandson, recently enjoyed an auto trip to Farmington, N.H., visiting kinspeople.
Albert W. Heywood and his sister, Mrs. C. L. Hildreth, have recently presented the Edward M. Abbot hose company with a handsome mounted deer head. This is a fine example of the taxidermist’s art and we understand a trophy of Mr. Heywood’s skill as a marksman. The members of the company much appreciate the gift for their quarters and in case of more ambitious headquarters in the future would make an appropriate ornament for the same.
More than passing mention is due Mrs. John C. Abbot for the splendid work she has done in the Frost school this year in giving instruction in cookery. Mrs. Abbot has carried on the work with modest efficiency, furnishing her own equipment, which is most attractive, consisting of white enamel ware, dainty, but inexpensive china and glassware, a three-burner, blue flame oil stove and a table covered with white oil cloth with a simple, but ingenious overhead extension with shelves for materials, hooks for spoons, cups, etc., making a most effectively improvised kitchen cabinet. Mrs. Abbot has taken up with her classes simple cookery, such as the preparation of cereals, soups, white sauces, breakfast cakes, etc., and has been most successful in arousing the right sort of interest in the science of cooking in its elementary branches. Mrs. O. R. Spalding and Mrs. L. H. Buckshorn have also carried on the sewing work during the year with well organized efficiency, giving freely of their time and skill, supplemented by the Tadmuck club in furnishing money for the cost of materials.
The prevalent law which prohibits automobiles in cemeteries has recently come into force in Westford. Notices have been posted at the entrances of Fairview cemetery and any disregard of the same is liable to a fine of fifteen dollars.
One of the things not scheduled publicly in the program for Memorial day was the visitation to the home of J. W. [Joseph Warren] Bright by the band, the civil war veterans and their escorts of sons and daughter of veterans and Boy Scouts. There were greetings to Mr. Bright by his comrades and the band played selections. Mr. Bright has been among the shut-ins practically for more than a year, the result of a broken hip, and just what this thoughtfulness must have meant to him by his brother comrades is not easily estimated. Later in the day his physician, Dr. O. V. Wells, took him in his automobile to the common to enjoy the band concert and enjoy seeing friends.
Old Landmark. A committee of three was appointed some two years ago by the Tadmuck club to preserve pictures, sketches, etc., of old houses, landmarks and other interesting features of the town in suitable scrapbook form. The old Capt. Smith house [located approximately at 132 Concord Rd. south of Phillips Dr.], totally destroyed by fire last week, and one of the historic old houses of the town, had the following sketch embodied in this book from which we quote: “The house, one of the oldest in Westford, was built by Nathan Proctor, the great-great-grandfather of George T. Day. At the same time he planted the elm tree that stood in the front yard. The time of building is uncertain, but on one of the boards in the kitchen (before it was obliterated by paint) could be seen the date 1700. Chelmsford laid out the road past the house in 1663.
“In 1730, Nathan Proctor was put on Westford’s first voting list and at that time was living in this house. His son Nathan sold to James Wright, September 15, 1803; James Wright sold to Ezra Fletcher November 24, 1831; Ezra Fletcher sold to Othiel Fletcher April 24, 1833; Othiel Fletcher sold to Capt. Jacob Smith, Sr., who gave it to his daughter, Caroline Smith Hewett; she lived there until November 29, 1839, when it was bought back by Capt. Smith and deeded [to] his son, Jacob Smith, Jr., in whose name it stood until April 15, 1914.
“The rafters were put together with wooden pegs. In the kitchen was a solid granite hearth 10×4 feet.” The owner at the time of the fire [on May 24, 1916] was C. Inglis Wetmore.
Memorial Day. Memorial day and Memorial Sunday has come and gone and were most fittingly observed and a credit to all who had both days’ arrangements in charge. On Sunday a large gathering, representing all parts of the town, assembled at the Congregational church for the union memorial service at 10:30. The church was effectively decorated with flags, flowers and greenery and was the work of two veterans’ daughters, Mrs. A. W. Hartford and Mrs. J. P. Wright. Seats were reserved in the body of the church for the veterans and their escort of sons and daughters, and the Boy Scouts. These latter, in charge of William A. Roudenbush, scoutmaster, made a very manly and military appearance.
Rev. Louis H. Buckshorn of the Unitarian church preached the sermon, having for his central thought, “The memory of the just shall be held in everlasting remembrance.” Mr. Buckshorn’s message was a clear and able defining of the real significance of Memorial day and the reasons for its observance. He paid splendid tribute to the great Lincoln and to the men who stood by him in the struggle of the rebellion and especially to the little group of veterans who were his listeners. Mr. Buckshorn was assisted in the service by Rev. A. F. Fite of the Graniteville M.E. church, and the pastor of the entertaining church.
Mrs. C. H. Wright was in charge of the musical program with Miss Hazel B. Hartford at the organ. A union choir from the three churches gave an excellent musical program. The service closed with the singing of “America,” and the audience remained standing while the veterans and escort passed out.
In the afternoon automobiles conveyed the veterans, sons and daughters of veterans and the choir singers to the various cemeteries where the graves of departed comrades were decorated with potted plants and flags. There was a special program of singing at each cemetery in charge of Henry Smith of Graniteville.
Tuesday’s exercises of decorating the soldiers’ monument, the exercises at the hall, the dinner at noon and the open-air concert on the common in the afternoon were all entered into with much interest by the townspeople. At the exercises in the morning at the soldiers’ monument, a special wreath was placed at the base of the monument in honor of the memory of the late Col. Edwin Metcalf, who presented the monument to the town a few years ago in memory of his father. Mr. Metcalf died [December 31, 1915] during the year at his home in Auburn, N.Y.
Dexter G. Morrill, of Lowell, was the speaker of the day and gave a good address characterized with patriotic spirit. Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher presided and gave the word of welcome. Capt. Sherman H. Fletcher was marshal of the day. Miss Marjorie Patten gave two readings, “The dawn of peace” and “A monument for the soldiers,” that were much enjoyed and responded to encores.
A plentiful dinner was served in the lower hall at noon to the veterans and their wives, the sons and daughters of veterans, the members of the band, the Boy Scouts and to a few invited guests. The dinner was in charge of the daughters of veterans. In the afternoon the Nashua Military band, which was in attendance throughout the day, gave a splendid outdoor concert which was enjoyed by several hundred people.
About Town. Only one mile east of the Old Oaken Bucket farm, at the Francis hill farm, potatoes are in blossom. We thought we were somebody to be having potatoes the second time and peas in blossom on June 1. But Smith, the only Smith of early peas, in Graniteville, had peas in blossom May 21. We retire before these early ones.
Alonzo B. Falls was in town for Memorial day. He will be remembered by many as one of the older scholars at the Stony Brook school. Since these school years he has been engineer from Concord to Boston forty-seven years, now retired and living in Wellesley and living on the early sweat of his brow. We have had many a friendly collar and elbow at old Stony Brook, but like the collar and elbow, for first peas and potatoes.
West Chelmsford Grange observed patriotic night last week. A paper on the life of General Grant, read by Mrs. Samuel Naylor, was one of several listed for the evening, but only one that got there. This absenteeism was filled in by Samuel Naylor and Samuel Taylor. The first meeting in June is omitted, and the next meeting will be held on June 22. Subject, “Responsibility, or the child of today,” Dr. Frances H. Drew, of Lowell.
The Greig farm folks have the largest acreage of corn planted and up of any early birds thus far reported or caught a glimpse of in the haste to get there, and when the mud shrinks and the waters recede the acreage will increase.
A neighborhood party and a presentation party and a get acquainted party gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Phillips last Saturday evening, and after leaving much valuable talk they left much valuable utility that costeth much money.
Grafts set on the Old Oaken Bucket farm this spring by Seth W. Banister, a recent graduate of Amherst Agricultural college, are set for apples. That is doing something for the United States and something must be did to head off those so smart with their potato and pea blossoms.
Forge Village. Mrs. Donald Hold, of Long Island, N.Y., is visiting relatives here.
Mrs. Mary Kelley, of Chicago, Ill., has been a recent guest at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Kelley.
Miss Isabelle Kearney, of Groton, instructed the Young People’s Social club on Thursday evening.
Mr. and Mrs. James Sampson and family, of Clinton, were guests Sunday at the home of Mrs. M. A. Lowther.
Mrs. Ernest Longbottom, of Charlton, with Mrs. Sarah Longbottom, of Lexington, spent the holiday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Burnett.
Miss Emily Catchpole visited at the home of her sister, Mrs. Joseph Mason, of Lowell recently.
John Edwards and John Baker, of the local fife and drum corps, were engaged to play in Ayer on Memorial day. They played with the fife and drum corps of the sons of veterans.
Elmer DeRoehn and John Baker played the snare drums last Sunday when the Odd Fellows of Littleton decorated the graves of their deceased members.
The Red Sox baseball team was to play an unfinished game on the home grounds last Saturday, but the White Sox of Graniteville failed to show up. The Red Sox have new shirts[?] and stockings with red trimmings. New shoes, bats, balls and other necessities have only recently been furnished.
The choir of St. Andrew’s mission have received another check from Rev. Thomas L. Fisher, vicar of St. Mark’s church, Leominster. The check is for ten dollars and is to be used for the purchase of new pews for the mission chapel. Mr. Fisher was a former vicar of St. Andrew’s and always keeps in close touch with this parish.
The members of Loyal Self Help lodge, I.O.O.F., M.U., will hold their memorial services Sunday at St. Andrew’s mission. The services will be held at ten o’clock and will be officiated by the vicar, Rev. Williston M. Ford. A delegation of Odd Fellows will then proceed to the cemetery to decorate the graves of deceased members.
A large number of people from out of town spent the holiday at their camps on the shores of Forge pond.
The annual memorial exercises by the pupils of Cameron school were held in Abbot hall on Monday afternoon. The hall was well filled and an excellent program was given. The stage was very artistically arranged with cut flowers, while two large American flags held prominent positions. The hall was prettily trimmed with bunting and flags. The pupils did remarkably well and the teachers deserve great credit for the program given, as it showed very careful training.
Wedding. On last Wednesday morning, at St. Catherine’s church, a very pretty wedding took place when Miss Elizabeth Kelley, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Kelley, Pond street, became the bride of Thomas E. May. Both young people are very well and favorably known here where both reside. Rev. Edmund T. Schofield performed the ceremony at a nuptial mass.
The bride wore a blue traveling suit and white lace hat. She was attended by Miss Catherine May, a sister of the groom, who wore a sand-colored suit and white hat. Thomas Kelley, brother of the bride, was best man.
At the conclusion of the ceremony a wedding breakfast was served at the home of the bride to a large number of friends and relatives. Mrs. John O’Neil, Mrs. James Kelley, Jr., and Mrs. William Kelley assisted in serving. An informal reception was held in the evening.
Mr. and Mrs. May were the recipients of many beautiful presents. They will make their home with the bride’s parents until a home can be obtained.