The Westford Wardsman, November 4, 1916
Center. Mr. and Mrs. James L. Kimball have returned to Westford and are established again in their own home, which during their absence of several weeks they rented to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Tweed and family.
At the Pollock farm on Cold Spring road, nearly a quart of ripe strawberries were picked last week. The first frosts had not killed the blossoms.
Miss Alice M. Howard and Mrs. Edwin E. Amesbury, president and recording secretary of the Tadmuck club, attended the meeting of the State Federation of Woman’s clubs held in Franklin on Monday. They especially enjoyed the afternoon’s address which was given by John Barrett, director general of the Pan-American Union, who spoke on “Pan-America and Pan-Americanism.”
Mr. and Mrs. Sharp, of Dorchester, were over Sunday guests of Miss Helena Denfield [sic] at Mrs. Walker’s
Miss Blanche Samuels, a former supervisor of music in our public schools, was a weekend guest of the Misses Gertrude and Julia Fletcher.
Mrs. Albert Walker, who has been a patient at the Lowell General hospital for five weeks, expects to return home this Saturday or Sunday.
The reading circle in charge of the literature and library extension committee of the Tadmuck club was entertained by Mrs. William C. Roudenbush on Thursday afternoon of last week. The time was profitably spent with reviews of books and magazines recently read.
Under the direction of their teachers, Miss Denfeld [sic] and Miss Osborne, the pupils of the academy enjoyed a Halloween party at the town hall on Tuesday afternoon. All the time-honored Halloween stunts were participated in and the young people had a thoroughly good time. Refreshments of doughnuts, coffee, nuts and candy were served.
On last week Friday evening at the Congregational church, the first supper and social of the season took place and proved a very pleasant gathering. Supper was served from 6:30 to 8, after which an entertainment of music and charades was given. Mrs. John Wright, Mrs. William C. Roudenbush and Mrs. Clarence Hildreth were in charge of the evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Perry Shupe plan to move this week Saturday into their newly purchased home on Boston road formerly belonging to Mrs. Frances B. Prescott. They move to Westford from South Merrimack, N.H.
Members of the Tadmuck club are reminded of the program next Tuesday afternoon which is a lecture by Miss Mary E. Collson on “The evolution of the franchise.” This is in no wise confined to the woman’s side of this subject, but the subject as a whole will be presented by the speaker. The meeting takes place at the Congregational church. Club tea will be served and Mrs. John Wright is the hostess of the afternoon.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the Congregational church during the interim between pastors have undertaken a pretty thorough renovation of the parsonage—papering, painting, white-washing, etc.
The tax collector reports an excellent collection of taxes to November first, if not a record collection in his experience as collector up to this date. Persons who have not already paid are kindly reminded of the law passed by the legislature this past summer and printed on every tax bill: “Interest at the rate of six percent will be charged from October 15 on taxes not paid by November 1, 1916.”
Rev. E. C. Whiting, of South Sudbury, will occupy the Congregational pulpit as a supply on Sunday. Rev. Howard A. Lincoln, who has occupied the pulpit the past two Sundays as a candidate, and also conducted the evening services, has been extended a call to become pastor of the church. Mr. Lincoln has not yet returned his decision but he came here with a good record, good ability and a pleasing presence, and it is hoped by those having the care of a new settlement that he will consider the call favorably.
The annual church banquet of the Congregational church will take place on next Thursday evening at seven o’clock. Mrs. S. B. Watson, Mrs. A. E. Day and Mrs. A. W. Hartford are in charge of the dinner, and John P. Wright and William C. Roudenbush will have the care of the other exercises. These names are assurance of a successful evening. Booth’s orchestra of Lowell will furnish music.
About Town. John H. O’Brien on Pigeon hill planted potatoes on July 5 and raised a sound crop from rot. They were not so dreadful large, but awful nice. The early planted on wet ground were dug with a spring tooth harrow in June, the yield being less than the seed planted. Another farmer in the Stony Brook valley reports only nineteen bushels to the acre. The Old Oaken Bucket farm came through with 200 bushels per acre, the planting being done mostly before the snow storms got through doing business with the land. In a recent interview Arthur W. Colburn, of Dracut, senator-to-be from this district next Tuesday, said that he planted twenty-seven bushels of potatoes last spring and have none to harvest. This being the case in many localities it is easy to account for potatoes being two dollars a bushel. Amos Polley, proprietor of the Prairie farm, was another of the 200-bushel-to-the-acre Stony Brook farmers.
George E. Symmes, of South Westford, had a narrow escape from a serious accident last Sunday afternoon in Lowell, corner of Smith and Westford streets, when E. C. Miller, of Haverhill, with a large touring car, crashed into said Symmes, throwing him to the pavement with many lacerations of head and face, besides a general overhauling of bodily existence. His Ford car lost a wheel and three or four others were twisted out of resemblance to what they were intended, and only enough of the rest of the car was left to spell junk. The touring car was not seriously wounded nor the inhabitants thereof.
The monthly meeting of the W.C.T.U. was held on Wednesday afternoon with Mrs. George P. Walker at the Center with fifteen members and two visitors present. The president, Mrs. Janet Wright, presided at the business session and gave a review of the state meeting in Taunton. It was voted to send a Thanksgiving box with something in it for the Children’s Temperance Union in Boston. Mrs. Blaney rendered songs and the president of the Graniteville Union entertained with readings.
The Westford Branch Alliance of the Unitarian church will meet on next Thursday afternoon with Mrs. George T. Day; subject, “rural credits,” Rev. L. H. Buckshorn.
A fund was left by the late Capt. Christopher Roby for public improvements in West Chelmsford or aid to the worthy poor regardless of creed or color. The trustees of this fund, Fred A. Snow, of West Chelmsford, and George Herrig, of Pepperell, are building an edgestone sidewalk on the easterly side of School street, using crushed stone and gravel for the sidewalk. The material is from the quarry of H. E. Fletcher & Co., Oak hill. Capt. Roby will be remembered as one of the leading citizens of the village and for many years its leading manufacturer. He will also be remembered with affection as the first captain of Spalding Light Cavalry. Liberal and lovable in life he transmitted something of it as a heritage to daily life.
The next meeting of West Chelmsford Grange will be held on next Thursday evening. The lecturer’s hour will be in charge of Esther A. Reid, Bernice M. Brown and Janet A. Brown.
Seth W. Banister is working in the office of Smith & Brooks, civil engineers, Lowell. This firm did the surveying for sidewalk improvements in West Chelmsford.
Deaths. Mrs. Ann Marion (Turnbull [should be Kendall]) Felch died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ralph Bridgeford [nee Elizabeth M. Felch], Providence road, Sunday morning after a short illness of two weeks, the result of a paralytic shock [i.e., stroke], aged 75 years and 9 months. She leaves seven sons and four daughters, and a sister, Mrs. Hannah S. Cheever of Lowell. Mrs. Felch will be remembered as the widow of the late John P. Felch, living for many years on the old William Chandler farm at Flushing pond. After the death of her husband she made her home with her children, having been a resident of the town over half a century. She had the rugged ways in health and mental vigor of early New England life and the confidential respect of neighbors and friends. The funeral was from the home of her daughter on Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Charles H. Ellis, of Chelmsford, conducting the service. The bearers were the six sons, John, Charles, Fred, Samuel, Harry and Frank. Burial was in Fairview cemetery.
Mrs. Adeline (Osgood) Clough died at her home, the McMaster place, near Chamberlain’s Corner, last Sunday evening as the result of a paralytic shock, aged 84 years and 7 months. She was a native of Gilmanton, N.H., but had been a resident of Westford for about thirty years, the widow of the late Moza Clough. She was a woman of unusual good nature and cheer and the sunshine of her daily life was a strong fortification against gathering clouds. She leaves a brother in Concord; a nephew, William Wallace Fenn, dean of Harvard divinity school, who was present at the funeral. [Her son] Arthur Lane and a younger brother by a former husband [Jeremiah T. Lane] died several years ago.
The funeral was from her home on Tuesday afternoon, the services being conducted by Rev. Mr. Fite of the M.E. church, Graniteville, who paid a fitting tribute to her life. Neighbors and friends were present with appropriate floral tributes. Burial took place on Wednesday at Floral Park, Pittsfield, N.H.
Forge Village. Miss Marion L. Blodgett was the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Blodgett, of Medford, over Sunday. She went to visit her brother, Edward Blodgett, who recently returned with the troops from the Mexican border.
Rev. W. M. Ford, who officiated at St. Andrew’s mission last Sunday, announced that the special services which were to be held on November 5 have had to be postponed until Sunday, November 12. Rev. Endicott Peabody, of Groton School, who is to deliver the address at this service is unable to be present on Sunday, which occasioned the postponement.
Mrs. Hugh Daly spent last week visiting relatives in Leominster.
The Men’s Bible and Social club held their meeting at St. Andrew’s mission on Wednesday evening.
The Young People’s Social club resumed meetings on Thursday evening. Important business was transacted, after which a social hour was enjoyed.
Little Alice Mountain, the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Mountain, lies seriously ill at her home.
Mrs. L. T. Goucher is visiting in North Sydney, Cape Bretton, N.S., where she is the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Burge.
Harry White, of Dorchester, a former resident of this village, who was married to Miss Eleanor MacLeod last week Thursday in Lowell, lost a large sum of money on his wedding day while in Lowell. The wedding took place, however, and Mr. and Mrs. White proceeded on their honeymoon trip. No trace of the missing money was found. Upon returning home Mr. White found the money safely deposited in a pocket of another suit of clothes which he had worn previous to the wedding.
Great interest is being shown by the local parishioners of St. Catherine’s church in the mission being conducted by Rev. L. A. Nolin of St. Joseph’s church, Lowell. The church is filled to its utmost capacity at daily services. Mr. Nolin is a most interesting speaker and his sermons have been listened to with marked interest.
The little son of Mr. and Mrs. C. Gadarey is very ill at his parents’ home with pneumonia.
Miss Mary Mulligan has been confined to her home the past few days with a severe cold.
The local soccer football club journeyed to Andover last Saturday to play with the Andover team.
Miss Helen Lord, who has been spending the past month at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Lord, left for the Ware hospital on Saturday, where she will take up her duties as night nurse.