The Westford Wardsman, March 4, 1916
Center. Warren E. Carkin and his mother, Mrs. Nellie E. Carkin, are both among the sick ones suffering with the grippe.
Mrs. Marie Pickering Smith is enjoying a visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pickering.
Miss Gertrude D. Fletcher, chairman of the music committee of the Tadmuck club, invites the members of the club and others interested to assemble at her home next week Thursday evening at eight o’clock. The evening will be devoted to the violin and violin music, illustrated with Victor records of some of the great violin players of the day. If Thursday evening should prove stormy the meeting will be held on Friday evening at the same hour. This should prove a pleasant occasion to the music lovers of the village and this effort of the music committee of the club to enjoy the best compositions together should be appreciated and happily responded to.
“Grandma Walker,” as she is affectionately known in the community, living in her son’s household, passed the eighty-fifth milestone of her life’s journey last Sunday. Although feeling the weight of years somewhat, Mrs. Walker is in quite comfortable health and enjoyed the felicitations and good wishes of friends and neighbors as well as cads and other gifts. A special dinner, accompanied with ice cream and cake, was enjoyed.
The senior class of Westford academy held their dancing party, postponed from last week on account of the storm, at the town hall on Tuesday evening. Eddy’s orchestra of Hudson furnished music for the dancing which continued until the midnight hour. There were pretty decorations of crepe paper in patriotic colors and at intermission refreshments were served in the lower hall. Miss Young and Miss Osborne, assisted by Miss Ethel Burland and other members of the senior class, were in charge of the affair.
Samuel H. Balch has been appointed inspector of meats in place of Emory J. Whitney while the latter has been confined to his home with illness.
The Westford bowling team were the winners against the Chelmsford team on Tuesday evening in Lowell, although the Chelmsford team is the victor in the series of two out of three contests, and Westford will have to pay the penalty with a banquet to the Chelmsford men in the near future.
Miss May Balch will address the Tadmuck club next Tuesday afternoon at Library hall on “Art in everyday life.”
Fully twenty cases of whooping cough are reported among the school children.
About Town. At the recent meeting of the trustees of Middlesex-North, among other things adopted, was a premium of fifty dollars for the best farm bookkeeping. As the state cannot give this premium, Hon. Herbert E. Fletcher, as one of the trustees, offered to be one of ten to go and fetch it, and if one didn’t fetch it he would double his fetch.
The next meeting of West Chelmsford Grange will be held on Thursday evening, March 9, at Historic hall. The lecturer has arranged for an address by L. A. Derby of Lowell; subject, “The protection of fish and game.” This address will be of interest to all who believe in learning how best to deliver ourselves from ourselves in the ruthless, indiscriminating and cruel role of extermination.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm folks will be exhibitors, by invitation, at the corn show to be held as one of the features of farmers’ week at Amherst Agricultural college, March 13-17. The exhibit calls for yellow and white dent and yellow flint, 8 rowed, and yellow flint, 12 rowed. This exhibit must display forty ears of each variety. Class B, as above with a display of ten ears, popcorn, 12 ears, 2 of which will be used in popping tests and by which the corn will be largely judged; sweet corn, ten ears each variety. All exhibits will be subjected to the germinating gest by which they will largely be judged. Any exhibits of forty ears of popcorn, must be in Amherst by Saturday, March 11. Those in the tested class and sweet corn must be in Amherst by March 11. Ribbons will be awarded by the judges.
Bernard J. Flynn, of Pigeon Hill, Stony Brook road, went to Lowell on Tuesday and while in a store on Middlesex street to buy chains for only a moment, he had his wagon strayed or stolen. After notifying the police he came home, thinking that possibly the horse might have started for home, but this trail proved futile.
A daughter [Thyra Elizabeth Nelson] was born to Mr. and Mrs. Nels Nelson, Brookside corner [junction of Brookside and Lowell Roads], February 27, the fourth child in the family.
Justin Jenkins has resigned his position at the Brookside mills and accepted a position on the Stony Brook railroad with Joseph McCoombs as section foreman from North Chelmsford to Westford.
The W.C.T.U. held their meeting at the home of Mrs. George Walker on Wednesday afternoon. Aside from the members there were three guests present. The state president’s letter was read by Miss Young. Another letter was read from Mrs. Edith S. Davis, the national superintendent of temperance instruction. This letter was a strong plea for placing a book on scientific temperance instruction in the libraries of towns, schools and colleges. It was voted to consider the matter and the president was authorized to see what could be done here. The rest of the time was given over to a consideration of plans for a food sale to be held on March 31 at the home of Mrs. Walker. The president, Mrs. Wright, announced the members of the different committees who will have charge of it. Refreshments were served by the hostess and the meeting adjourned.
Deaths. Franklin H. Wheat died at the residence of his nephew, Alfred E. Jordan (Bunce farm), Providence road, Monday, aged 75 years 11 months, 4 days, after a short illness. He was an old resident of Lowell, where he had strong friendships. As a temporary resident he was comparatively unknown. He leaves a niece, Minnie L. Jordan, of Lowell, and two nephews, Benjamin E. Wheat of Lowell, and Alfred E. Jordan of Westford. The funeral was held on Tuesday afternoon from the Edison cemetery in Lowell.
Louis Long, who died in Lowell last week at the age of fifteen years, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Long, who will be remembered by many as residents of Forge Village for several years. The funeral took place last Saturday morning at 10:30 o’clock from the rooms of Young & Blake. The services were conducted by Rev. and Mrs. C. Archibald of the First Baptist church. The body was placed in the receiving tomb in Fairview cemetery, Westford.
The death of Mrs. Frances E. Brooks occurred on Sunday evening, February 20, at her late home in Manchester, N.H., aged 79 years 11 months, 20 days. Death was the result of injuries received in a carriage accident last August. She was a patient sufferer and always cheerful. Mrs. Brooks was born in Craftsbury, Vt., and is survived by two daughters, Miss M. Adelaide Brooks of Dummerston, Vt., and Mrs. Kimball Bates, with whom she resided; a granddaughter Lola H. Bates, and two sisters, Mrs. Lucena Bushwell of Dorchester, and Mrs. Susan M. Farnum of Medford. The funeral was held from the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bates, on the afternoon of February 22.
Mrs. Brooks will be remembered while in Westford as the wife of Benjamin G. Brooks. The family moved here from Manchester, N.H., and lived on the old William Chandler farm, close by Flushing pond, a delightful resort. Mr. Brooks will be remembered as being on the board of selectmen in 1876-77-78. On account of the ill health of Mr. Brooks the farm was sold and the family moved to West Virginia, soon after which Mr. Brooks died. The family will be remembered in town as delightful people who lived on the sunny side of the cloud were interested in the upward and onward of the essentials of life. They will be especially remembered as constant attendants at the Unitarian church and the older members of the parish recall their agreeable companionship. Burial was in Fairview cemetery in the family lot, where an only son was laid to rest several years ago.
The Boston Transcript of February 24 contained a notice of the death of Mrs. Achsah B. (Colburn) Hildreth of Winchester, who was a sister of Mrs. Willis Hildreth. She was the wife of Dr. John L. Hildreth, a well-known doctor, who is a brother of Willis Hildreth. It is the rather unusual story of two brothers marrying sisters. Mrs. Hildreth was born in Temple, N.H. and lived there until her marriage to Dr. Hildreth in 1864. They took up their residence in Cambridge, where Dr. Hildreth made a reputation for himself in a practice of forty years. About five years ago he retired and they moved to Winchester. Besides her husband she leaves three children, John L. Jr., of Bayonne, N.J.[?], Alfred H. and Mrs. Charles E. Barrett, of Winchester. The funeral was held Friday, February 25 from her late residence. The sympathy of her friends goes to Mrs. Willis Hildreth in the loss of her sister.
Pleasant memories of old residents[?] were revived Wednesday when the body of Clarence Hildreth was brought to town for burial in Fairview cemetery. He will be remembered by the older residents of the town as the son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis H. Hildreth, whose home was at the junction of Hildreth street and the Concord road, being the present farm home of the Wetmores. The Louis Hildreth family when in town were active and influential in its affairs, Mr. Hildreth serving on the board of selectmen in 1851-52-57. The family were also prominent in the social life of the town and also constant attendants at the Unitarian church. The children, as the writer recalls it from a long distance memory, were Helen, now living in Harvard, Fred, Clarence and Willie. This last name recalls the sad memory of the family when in the fifties, and he a bright boy in his teens, was drowned in Forge pond by the overturning of his[?] boat. The family have long since removed from town and some from earth in visible form. The inability to get the essentials for a personal tribute necessarily makes this sketch imperfect. It might be added, to widen the vision of this sketch for other towns, that the subject of this sketch was a nephew of Edwin Hildreth whose portrait adorns the walls of the Groton library.
Graniteville. The members of the Westford overseers of the poor met and organized at the town farm recently with A. R. Choate, chairman, and F. R. Blodgett, secretary.
Miss Sarah[?] Hardy[?], who has been ill for the past few weeks, is improving[?].
Many from here are planning to attend the concert and ball to be given by the Westford A.A. in the town hall on Tuesday evening.
Mrs. Eagete[?] Hall Robby[?] of Vinal Haven, Me., has been a recent guest of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Wentworth[?].
Francis Gower is working for the U.S. Cartridge Company in Lowell.
Drowning Victim. Joseph Raymond, employed as a section foreman on the Nashua and Acton branch of the Boston and Maine railroad, whose disappearance from his home here last Saturday caused great excitement, was found in the mill pond, near the railroad bridge, Monday afternoon. The search was centered in this locality as a hat and a railroad man’s lead pencil was found on top of the ice there. These articles were identified as belonging to Raymond, and after breaking the thin ice and dragging the pond near the spot the body was soon brought to the surface. It is supposed that he stumbled and fell from the bridge while returning from the postoffice about eight o’clock Saturday night and it is thought that he possibly may have stepped aside to avoid a passing freight. The exact cause of the unfortunate accident cannot be determined.
The search was under the direction of William L. Wall, constable, and J. A. Healy. The body was taken to J. A. Healy’s undertaking rooms where an autopsy was held by Dr. F. S. Bulkeley, of Ayer, coroner, assisted by Dr. W. H. Sherman of Graniteville. The coroner pronounced the cause of death as accidental drowning.
The case is unusually sad, as Mr. Raymond was a good, honest, hard-working man, who was steady in his habits, not having been absent from his work one day for six years. He leaves a wife and five small children, the eldest being not quite eight years old. He was a good member of Court Graniteville Foresters of America, the said court taking entire charge of the burial. He attended St. Catherine’s church.
The funeral took place on Wednesday morning, a brief Forester service being held at the house at 8:30, that was conducted by Edward Riney, chief ranger, assisted by members of the order. At nine o’clock a funeral mass was celebrated at St. Catherine’s church that was largely attended. Rev. Edmund T. Schofield, pastor, was the celebrant. The regular choir was in attendance, and under the direction of Miss Mary F. Hanley, organist and director, sang the Gregorian chant. At the offertory “Pie Jesu” was sung by Miss Rebecca LeDuc, and as the body was being borne from the church the De Profundis was given by the choir. Among the floral offerings was a large display of calla lilies and violets from Court Graniteville, F. of A., a wreath from the fellow employees on the railroad, spray from Mr. and Mrs. John Mattson, spray from Mr. and Mrs. Charles Benson.
The bearers were Joseph Wall, Robert J. McCarthy, John Boyd, Albert W. Heywood, Anthony Piviratto and Thomas Hughes, all members of the Foresters of America. Burial was in St. Catherine’s cemetery.
Funeral. The funeral of Mrs. Kate Blanchard, whose death caused such deep sorrow to her many friends here, was held from the home in West Graniteville on last Saturday afternoon at two o’clock and was largely attended by sorrowing relatives and friends. The services were conducted by Rev. Alonzo Fite, pastor of the M.E. church, who spoke words of deep consolation to the bereaved family. The singing of the quartet added greatly to the solemnity of the service. The body was placed in the receiving tomb at Fairview cemetery, Westford, where the committal service was conducted by Mr. Fite. A quartet composed of Miss Alice M. Gilson, Miss Madeline Holland, Henry Smith and George Wilson sang “Beautiful isle of somewhere,” “Nearer my God to thee” and “The christian’s good night.”
The bearers were Thomas McOsker, Andrew Johnson, Alvin Nelson and Frank Caunter. The many floral tributes were varied and beautiful and testified in a marked degree to the high esteem in which the deceased was held.
Forge Village. There was a large attendance at the services of St. Andrew’s mission on last Sunday afternoon. Rev. Williston M. Ford preached a most interesting sermon on the creed. There was no confirmation class held during the week owing to other work.
Miss Isabel Carney, of Groton, had charge of the Young People’s Social club at the mission on Thursday evening. A short business meeting has been called by the president, Miss Edith M. Foster, for the purpose of electing a secretary.
William DeRoehn and Mr. and Mrs. Henry Tyler, of Worcester, were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. William Weaver Saturday and Sunday.
Miss Eva P. Pyne spent Washington’s birthday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Tibbetts, Manchester, N.H.
Owing to the baked-bean and salad supper held by the members of the Ladies’ Sewing circle on Friday evening there was no meeting of the circle held this week.
Mrs. Laura Jones, of Worcester, was the guest at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Burnett, on Monday.
Percy Morton, of Bridgeport, Conn., has returned home after a pleasant visit with relatives here.
Next Wednesday being Ash Wednesday, the first of a series of Lenten services will be held in the mission chapel. Rev. Endicott Peabody, of Groton will preach the first Lenten sermon. The committee in charge of the campaign to raise funds for the purchase of new pews for the mission chapel is meeting with excellent success. A large amount of money has been pledged and it is hoped that the full amount will be given by Easter Sunday.
During the heavy rains a small pond and river has been formed at the foot of Orchard street and many complaints have been made as a result. It has been an impossibility to cross the streets without getting wet above the knee tops, and many of the younger children reached school in a very wet condition. People working in the mill living in that vicinity had to go through the same experience. A catch basin would be greatly appreciated, and it is hoped that the proper authorities will see that the work is done.
The people of this village extend their sympathy to the bereaved family of Mrs. Kate Blanchard, of Graniteville. Her death came as a sudden shock, both to the friends at church and elsewhere. Her services will be greatly missed in all causes of charity.
Miss Hazel Comey, who has been ill at her home for several days, is now able to be out again.
Mrs. Frank Collins entertained Miss Elsie Anderson, of West Chelmsford, on Monday.