Turner's Public Spirit, June 6, 1925
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. The Ladies’ Aid of the Congregational church will hold an all-day meeting in Mrs. A. H. Sutherland’s orchard on Thursday of next week. If stormy the meeting will be held in the vestry.
The Y.P.R.U. of the Unitarian church will join with the other societies of Northwestern Middlesex county in a picnic and conference in Hollis, N. H. Saturday. The barge for the local young people will leave the home of Carl Lydiard at 8:30.
Mr. and Mrs. John P. Wright, Miss Alice Wright and Mrs. Bright, of Wollaston, were in town on Memorial day.
Mrs. Karen G. Grant was the week-end guest of Mr. and Mrs. Harry E. Whiting.
Gordon Seavey, who has been in the employ of the United Fruit Company in Cuba for the past fourteen months, is at the home of his father, Homer Seavey. His many friends are pleased to welcome him home again.
Mrs. Frederic Johnson (Marjorie Seavey), of Ayer, was the guest of her father on Memorial day.
Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Knight, who have been the guests of Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Whiting, have returned to Hudson, N. H.
Mr. and Mrs. Seth Banister and two children, of Center Stratford, N. H., were the guests of the former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Banister, over the holiday.
The Men’s club of the Congregational church will hold their meeting on Tuesday evening of next week.
Members of the Westford Post, A. L., and Auxiliary, were the guests of the Laurence Gay post, A. L., and Auxiliary, Groton, Thursday evening.
The local Legion post has started its drive to obtain $500, the quota asked for Westford’s share of the great American Legion endowment fund. A dance will be conducted on Friday evening, June 19, the proceeds to be devoted to the fund. The citizens of the town will be given a chance to make donations towards this worthy cause. Westford made all her quotas during the war, and it is hoped that this drive will go over the top as previous ones.
The A. L. Auxiliary food sale, which was to have been held on this week Friday, was postponed to Friday, June 12.
John G. Fletcher and his roommate, Robert Dawes, of Hudson, both students at M. I. T., were the weekend guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. Herbert Fletcher.
Harry Needham, bass soloist of the First Universalist church, Lowell, will sing at the Unitarian church on Sunday.
The spring session of the North Middlesex conference of churches will be held at the Unitarian church all day Wednesday, June 10. Miss Annis, of Nashua, N. H., will be the soloist, and Mrs. Anna M. Sanderson, also of Nashua, will be the organist.
The graduation exercises of the Cameron school will be held on June 11, and those of the Frost school on June 12.
Children’s Sunday will be observed at the Congregational church on June 14.
Christening services will be held at the Unitarian church on Sunday.
The Operetta society will present [paper torn, line or two missing] three societies will [word missing] Haverhill, Boxford and Westford. Rehearsals are being held regularly under the able direction of Horace Killam, of Haverhill. A concert performance of “The Bohemian Girl” will be given with the members of the chorus costumed in gypsy costumes. Some pageantry under the direction of Mrs. Marjorie Prescott will also be given. Some very fine and popular soloists have been selected for this date, and it gives promise of being an exceptionally good performance. In addition to “The Bohemian Girl” there will be other music, including Mendelssohn’s “Hymn of praise.”
John Perkins, of North Chelmsford, formerly of this town, passed away at his home on Monday after a long illness. Besides his wife he is survived by four sons, George, Fred, Walter and Harry, four daughters by a former marriage and several grandchildren.
Memorial Day Exercises. Memorial day was observed by the veterans in a fitting manner. In the line of march were civil war Veterans, Daughters of Civil War Veterans, Spanish War Veterans, [American] Legion and Auxiliary. The Abbot Worsted Company band furnished the music. The first stop was made at the soldiers’ monument in memory of civil war veterans, where the services were conducted by Wesley Hawkes, associate commander, assisted by Herbert V. Hildreth, representing sons of veterans, and Mrs. Lottie Blodgett, representing the daughters. Miss Elizabeth Bosworth placed the wreath at this monument and a firing squad under Sergt. Harry E. Whiting of the Legion fired a volley. There was also singing by the school children, with solo part by Malcolm Weaver. The singing was under the direction of Miss Daisy Precious. The band also played some selections and taps sounded. The civil war veterans are Wesley Hawkes, Wayland Balch, Joseph E. Knight and J. Everett Woods.
At the close of these exercises the veterans repaired to the new monument[1] for the dedication exercises, which were as follows: Sacred overture, “Hallelujah,” Abbot Worsted Company band; prayer, Rev. Edward Disbrow; word of welcome, Edward T. Healy, commander of legion post; “Tribute to the soldiers,” grammar schools; solo, Mrs. Edith Blaney, assisted by male quartet, Malcolm Weaver first tenor, Roy Blanchard second tenor, George Smith first bass, Arthur Walker second bass; the chorus was composed of the above quartet, Rev. Edward Disbrow, Eric Anderson, Charles Robey and William C. Roudenbush; reading, “Do you know what it means?” Miss Regina McLenna; bass solo, “In the depths,” S. Peterson; reading, “Back in war days,” Miss Doris York; solo, “Sons of America,” Malcolm Weaver, chorus, grammar schools; dedication address, Hon. Walter C. Wardwell; “Star Spangled Banner,” audience and band; Legion services.
Miss Vivian Hildreth placed the wreath on the new monument.
At the close of these exercises an excellent dinner was served in the town hall with Page of Lowell as caterer.
The Legion exercises of the day were under the direction of Com. Healy, assisted by Comrade Harry E. Whiting, who had charge of the military part of the program. Comrade Harold W. Hildreth was general chairman in charge of the program of the day.
In the afternoon an excellent band concert was given from two to four o’clock by the Abbot Worsted Company band.
About Town. While hoeing our too soon to be blooming potatoes we saw one of the largest and handsome[st] pheasants, Monday, in our closeby wheat field. It seemed to be tame and happy in the wheat field and I am willing it should continue to tame itself in this wheat field.
This is one of those years when the crow does not seem to be inclined to pull corn—they prefer to pull grubs, and here is a picture of it at the Old Oaken Bucket farm. While plowing recently, the crows followed the plow at only a reasonable safe distance. Close by, within a few feet, was an acre of corn in a breaking-ground condition that crows like, but they preferred to follow the plow for grubs. Of course the corn was treated to a repellant, but they did not know it was thus treated as they had not pulled out any to find out. This leads to another thought. Cut worm grubs are unusually abundant this year, cutting down peas, potatoes and squash generally. If we could only get rid of the rest of our fast disappearing crows and birds I would not be surprised if we could raise all the cut worm grubs we would need for domestic purposes.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm had first peas for dinner on Monday. When we planted them on March 7 we prophesied peas for dinner Decoration day, but owing to woodchucks and the cold, frosty reception of the weather we slipped up 2 days in our calculations.
Church Notes. Unitarian—Sunday service at 4 p. m. Preacher, Rev. Frank B. Crandall; subject, “The number three in religion.” Church school at 3. The rite of baptism will be administered on request on Sunday.
The church will be host to the North Middlesex conference on Wednesday.
The North Middlesex Federation of Y.P.R.U. societies will hold a conference and picnic at Silver Lake, Hollis, N. H., Saturday, at 10 a.m. The program includes sports, business meeting, lunch and afternoon address by Miss Sara Comins, “What other young people are doing.”
Deaths. John B. Perkins, for many years a resident of this town, died Monday at his home on Highland avenue, North Chelmsford, aged 64 years, 4 months. He is survived by his wife, Annie; four sons, George, Fred, Walter and Harry, of North Chelmsford; four daughters, Mrs. Lillian Roberts, of Malden, Mrs. Evelyn Crandall, of Stoneham, Mrs. Lura Martin, of Maine, and Mrs. Ethel McCumiskey, of Beverly; two sisters, Mrs. Martha McKee, of Lowell, and Mrs. Hanna Brennan, of New Brunswick; two brothers, Joseph, of Graniteville, and William, of this town, and two grandchildren, Mildred Burchell and Shirley Perkins.
Mrs. Hannah Eliza Spaulding died last week Friday at her home on the North road, Chelmsford Center, aged 66 years, 10 months. She was a native of Westford and one of a large family of children of Ira and Martha (Dadmun) Bicknell, living on the Carlisle road on the farm now occupied by the Bowker family. She had been a resident of Chelmsford for many years. She leaves her husband, Leonard; three daughters, Misses Eliza and Blanche L. Spaulding and Miss Alice Kelley, a daughter by a former marriage; a son J. Ira Spaulding, all of Chelmsford; a brother, Charles Bicknell, of Lowell, formerly of this town; three sisters, Mrs. Martha Searles, Mrs. Beulah Searles and Mrs. Helen Hildreth, all of Lowell. The funeral was held on Monday afternoon from the family home on North street, Rev. L. L. Greene, pastor of the Unitarian church, conducted the service. Miss Edith and George A. Blackadar sang “Abide with me” and “Kindly light.” There were many beautiful flowers. The bearers were Onslow Spaulding, Minot Lovering, Harry Searles and William Green. Burial was in Pine [paper torn, line missing] service.
Graniteville. Malden defeated [the] Abbots in a Boston Twilight league game here on Wednesday evening, 2 to 1, in ten innings. Boyce and Brinn did the battery work for the Abbots, while Cram and McIvers were on the firing line for Malden.
The Abbot Juniors visited Pepperell on last Tuesday evening, where they defeated the Pepperell high school team, 11 to 5. Case and Blott did the battery work for the Abbots.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M. E. church met with Mrs. Eldon Turner on Thursday evening.
Clarence E. Wiley, of Cuttingsville, Vt., has been a recent guest of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wall.
Mrs. Edward Healy, with her little daughter Betty and her mother, Mrs. Gaffey, have recently returned from a delightful visit spent with friends in Manchester, N. H.
The regular Abbot team will play Dan Leahy’s famous North Cambridge club at Abbot park on Sunday afternoon at three o’clock.
After many weeks of cold, dreary weather we have had a touch of summer here this week, and the warm weather has been a pleasant change.
Ayer
News Items. The state department of public works on last week Friday awarded contracts to Antonio Pallato, of Dracut, for [a] section of state highway in Littleton and Westford for $89,556.75.
District Court. On Monday morning Alfred J. Marcotte, of Lowell, was before the court, charged with operating an automobile in Westford while under influence of liquor and also charged with drunkenness. His case was continued until Wednesday, bail being set at $500.
Real Estate. The following real estate transfers have been recorded from this vicinity recently:
Westford, Samuel Blowey et ux. to Abbot Worsted Company, land at Forge Village; John A. Healy to J. Austin Healy et al.
Townsend
Center. Mrs. Martha Brown and son Charles entertained over Saturday and Sunday a gathering of relatives and friends from Auburn, Westboro, Watertown and Westford. There were 18 present.
[1] “The War Memorial, ‘representative of all Wars entered into by the United States,’ was erected near the cannon at the northeast point of the Town Common in early November 1924.” Robert W. Oliphant, The Westford Gazetteer (2010), p. 287.