The Westford Wardsman, March 10, 1917
Center. Rev. and Mrs. Howard A. Lincoln are entertaining Mrs. Mary Blanchard, of Dexter, Me., at the parsonage this week. Mrs. Blanchard was a former parishioner in Dexter.
Mr. and Mrs. Elias F. de LaHaye, of North Chelmsford, announce the engagement of their daughter, Edith Mary, to Walter M. Steele, of Westford.
We quote the following obituary from a recent number of the Congregationalist: “Died at North Craftsbury, Vt., February 15, Martha Rowley Flagg, aged seventy, wife of Rev. Rufus C. Flagg. Mrs. Flagg was a devoted christian wife and mother. In their long ministry she was a woman of high ideals, a leader in all good works and a friend to all the people. To her husband and three children and friends her life will be a rich legacy.” Mrs. Flagg will be remembered by the older people in Westford when her husband was pastor of the Congregational church here [1877-1879]. She was also a sister of Rev. Charles H. Rowley, who succeeded Mr. Flagg as pastor of the church [1880-1890].
Miss Maud Robinson has returned to her studies at the Fitchburg Normal school after a week’s vacation at home.
Miss Harriet M. Hodgman is staying with her long-time friend, Mrs. Helen K. Frost; also, Mrs. Francis Frost, of Chicago, is visiting Mrs. Frost, Sr., who has not been enjoying her usual health lately.
Mr. and Mrs. John S. Greig’s little son Donald has chickenpox.
The meetings for war relief work are to be continued weekly at the library on Thursday afternoons from 2:30 to 4:30, and they have been well sustained. It may be a matter of interest to our Westford readers to know the number of articles which have been sent to the office in Boston previous to March 6: 134 trench caps, 18 mufflers, 32 pairs of socks, 3 sweaters, 29 wash cloths, 68 comfort pillows, 1120 small surgical dressings, 48 one-metre dressings. During the progress of the work at the last meeting letters from headquarters were read.
The Edward M. Abbot hose company held their monthly meeting and supper on Tuesday evening in their new quarters in the old academy building [now the Westford Museum]. An appetizing supper was served in charge of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Knight, to which the fourteen present did full justice. Various matters of business were considered at the business session.
Notwithstanding the snowy weather the community sing at the Congregational vestry on Tuesday evening proved very successful. Thirty-two were present and under the leadership of Mrs. W. A. Taylor sang many of the old familiar favorites and some not so familiar. Miss Mabel Prescott and Miss Elinor Colburn were the accompanists.
The Ladies’ Aid society held an all-day sewing meeting at the vestry on Thursday with good results. A very pleasant cooperative but informal luncheon was enjoyed at noon.
The reading circle of the Tadmuck club met with Mrs. William C. Roudenbush on Friday afternoon of last week. There were eight present and the three-act drama, “A doll’s house,” by Ibsen, was read. The circle plan to continue the reading of contemporary drama.
The town was fortunate in having Albert E. Prescott choose the new piano for the town hall. Mr. Prescott, who is in touch with all things musical, was able to get this handsome rosewood concert piano at what was a bargain in the piano market. A handsome player’s bench also goes with the piano. The old piano, which has been in use for so many years, has been put in the town hall, where it will be useful occasionally.
Mrs. Lincoln entertained a group of friends at the parsonage Friday afternoon for needlework and afternoon tea and to meet Mrs. Blanchard, who is her guest this week.
A daughter [Henrietta Louise] was born to Mr. and Mrs. Allister McDougall of Northampton on last Saturday [March 3, 1917].
The men’s bible class are to sing in the choir at the Congregational church Sunday morning, twenty-five voices being expected in the chorus. George Cummings will be one of the soloists and some of the favorites at the recent Billy Sunday campaign will be sung.
A number of auto enthusiasts from here have been in attendance at the Boston auto show this week.
The snowbound conditions Monday made it hard for all who were obliged to be out. The branch line electrics were thrown out of commission by the big drifts and took much hard work with the four-horse scraper and many shovellers to get the car back to schedule time. School sessions were badly affected. At the Frost school and at the academy the scholars were dismissed before noon to allow them to get to their homes before the storm increased further. On Tuesday there were no sessions, but on Wednesday regular sessions were resumed. There is a great bulk of snow on all the roads, making it hard for milkmen, R.F.D. carriers, doctors, school barge drivers and all others obliged to be out regularly. The one comforting feature is that the sun travels higher than with previous snowstorms and the snow may disappear rapidly.
About Town. There will be a [dinner?] and entertainment in the vestry of the Unitarian church next Friday evening. Miss May Balch will interpret and impersonate Sweetheart[?] Games and other useful readings[?] will fit you up.
The last meeting of the Grange was in charge of Mrs. David L. Greig and Mrs. Eben Prescott. The new piano scored its dedication by the light fantastic fingers of Miss Grace Robinson, Lillian G. Wright, Miss Beatrice Sutherland, Miss Lottie Dunn, all to be listed in the splendid effects; son, Ernest Wright; reading, Miss Martha Grant, “What the Grange did,” full of lessons well set forth; farce, “An abrupt proposal,” Mr. and Mrs. David L. Greig, Mr. and Mrs. W. C. LaBoutley, Mr. and Mrs. William R. Taylor, Mrs. Joseph E. Knight. It was full of merriment and well carried out.
The weather reported itself as doing business 8 below zero Wednesday morning.
The next Farmer’s Institute by Middlesex-North Agricultural society will be held in Tyngsboro on Thursday, March 15. H. F. Thompson, of Newton, one of the most intensive and extensive farmers in Massachusetts will divulge some thoughts on “Better farming and the high cost of living.” Dinner at noon by the Village Improvement society, followed by wit, wisdom, facts, songs, instrument music with readings and impersonations. This institute promises so much in variety that you ought to be careful and be on hand.
Boys from West Chelmsford and Brookside who broke glass in George C. Morrs’ [sic] mill at Brookside on last Saturday afternoon have been picked out by Constable Wall of Graniteville as worthy of settling the damages.
The directors of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau are invited to a luncheon and conference at the farm and summer home of James J. Storrow, in Lincoln, Saturday afternoon, March 24, at one o’clock.
The next meeting of the Grange, on Thursday evening, March 15, the entertainment will be in charge of the past masters, who have arranged for readings, songs and impersonations by Mildred and Marion McKnight, of Lowell. They are well to do in the goods that delight. Other features are being planned for if weather conditions over head and underneath do not apply the emergency brakes. At the last meeting of the Grange twelve more applications for membership were presented.
At the last meeting of Middlesex-North Pomona Grange, William C. McNamara, of Lowell, gave a stir-up address on “National prohibition” at the morning session. The afternoon was devoted to the exemplification of “The most economical of eating meat with regard to the high cost of living,” by F. A. Tuttle. This was interspersed by readings and a general good time.
The directors of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau will hold a public meeting at the town hall on Friday evening, April 6. Miss Laura Comstock, of the department of household economics of Amherst college, will be one of the speakers. The other speaker, a man supposed to be one of the heavyweight class, has not yet been cornered for this occasion, but as soon as he is lassoed he will be introduced.
Ralph Brightford, who has been seriously ill with pneumonia and other complications, is holding on to the rigging which is favorable for new holdings.
There was an adjourned meeting of the Lowell Milk Producers at Odd Fellows’ hall, Lowell, Wednesday evening to still further agree on the price of milk for the summer months. This incorporated association includes the nearby towns around Lowell, including some in Southern New Hampshire. Everyone making milk is invited to join.
The storm stormed the electric cars off the track at Banister’s corner, where they remained stormbound Tuesday afternoon and all of said evening, and again derailed Wednesday forenoon near Amos Polly’s. They are now back to fair weather and fares.
Death. Henry O. Keyes died at St. John’s hospital, Lowell, Tuesday afternoon, after amputation of a badly broken, lacerated leg, the result of the recent accident in collision with the Lowell and Fitchburg electric railroad on the Groton road, a little east of the H. E. Fletcher stone quarry. While driving on the electric car tracks with four horses, the sled on which Mr. Keyes was riding, was struck in the rear and overturned, and Mr. Keyes was pinned beneath it, resulting in breaking both legs and other injuries which made amputation of one leg necessary under the influence of ether, from which he never rallied back to consciousness.
Henry Otis Keyes was born in Harvard, being one of four children of Otis and Lucy (Ferrill) Keyes, and was fifty-seven years old. Most of his life was passed in Westford, where he was educated and where for many years he has owned a large farm in the north part of the town, near Keyes pond. Here he had large pastures devoted to taking in stock from farmers. He was widely known as a trader for which nature had especially fitted him. His home farm was largely a specialty in trading, in which he had the courage of venturesome. Besides being a trader in personal property he was largely interested in trading in real estate. He purchased the old Westford academy building at Westford Center and moved it to his other property in the rear of the Union church. This property, consisting of a cottage house, blacksmith and harness shop, he recently sold to the town for a firehouse location. He was also interested in trading in wood and lumber.
The deceased was of exceptionally temperate habits, interested in temperance in all its phases, and generous in financial support. By nature he was generous in personal support in word and deed of all things that appealed to him for the betterment of life, being a generous contributor to the Union church of Westford, the Methodist church in Graniteville, and the chapel on the Groton road.
He leaves besides his aged mother, living on the Providence road, a sister, Mrs. Alice Lambert, and a brother, Edward H. Keyes, of Westford.
Graniteville. The snowstorm that started last Sunday night in a light manner developed into a regular blizzard on Monday and it looks as though the boys will have to wait several days before they can resume their marble playing.
Clifford Wheeler, of North Westford, near the Tyngsboro line, has been exhibiting a pullet’s egg 3 ½ inches long and 7 ¾ inches in circumference. Wheeler says that he does not keep any ducks, so it must be a hen’s egg all right.
Dexter Morrill and son, Luther, of Lowell, have been recent guests of Mrs. Clara Gray.
F. Russell Furbush has recently returned to his home here after spending the past few weeks at Palm Beach, Fla.
Frank L. Furbush, who has been ill for the past few days, is feeling much improved.
Henry Smith has been on the sick list, but is now feeling much better.
The Misses Isabelle and Millette Chandler, of East Billerica, have been recent guests of A. R. Choate.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Saxon and friends have been recent guests of Miss Lilly Mae Moran.