Turner's Public Spirit, October 10, 1925

A look back in time to a century ago

By Bob Oliphant

Center. On Thursday of last week George Kimball and Elmer Bridgford attended the Brockton fair upon invitation of Mr. Ericson of the County Bureau. They were two of a team of three in an apple judging contest representing Middlesex county. The other member of the team was Charles Flagg, Jr. of Littleton. They won the cup against other state contestants. Elmer Bridgford won the second individual prize in the apple judging contest with a score of 1140 out of a possible 1200. The first prize winner had a score of 1160. This shows Master Bridgford’s ability in this line. Kimball and Bridgford are both students at Westford academy.

The supper which was to have been given at the Unitarian vestry on October 16, has been postponed to a later date.

A meeting of the Laymen’s league will be held at the Unitarian church on October 11 at 6.30. The speaker of the evening will be Allister McDougall, who will speak on “Agriculture.”

The annual church banquet of the Congregational church will be held on November 9. It is planned to have Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers as one of the speakers.

The next meeting of the Auxiliary will be held on Monday evening at eight o’clock. The annual election of officers will be held and a large attendance is desired.

Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Cram were in town last Saturday, calling on old friends.

The school children of the town deposited $2029 in the Lowell Savings banks last year from December, 1924, to June, 1925. Last month the following amounts were deposited: Nabnasset $11.80, Frost $9.14, Cameron $54.54, Parkerville $1, Sargent $42.81. Supt. Carter has charge of the savings and deposits them for the pupils.

Charles Colburn and Leon Hildreth attended the Brockton fair on Thursday of last week.

Mrs. Eben Prescott is the guest of her daughter, Mrs. Benjamin, of Reading.

Several of the Westford young people obtained prizes at the Groton fair as follows: Helen Gallagher, first on second and third year work, canning. Marjorie Wilson, third on second and third year work, canning; Evelyn Benjamin, first on first year, canning, and third on raspberries. Alice Heywood, first on canned raspberries and first on canned plums; Angie Parfitt, third on cherries and third on vegetable combinations.

Miss Lucinda Prescott will be the teacher of basketry in the classes being planned by the Tadmuck club.

It was with great regret that the many friends of John McMaster heard of his death, which occurred at his home last Saturday.

Mrs. Alice Lambert received first prize for cranberries at the Groton fair.

Miss Evelyn Benjamin, of Reading, who is a member of the Westford Canning club, is a granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eben Prescott.

About Town. The weather struck 24° last week Thursday and Friday mornings and struck rain Saturday morning, which [paper torn, line or two missing]

The Locks and Canals of Lowell, which are authority for the measurement of rainfall for Lowell and vicinity, reports, “There was a total precipitation for the month of September of only 2.378 inches, nearly an inch less than the average September during the last seven years. There were five precipitations during the month, but only one of these approached the three-quarters of an inch mark.” Thus are our rainfalls failing and apparently in proportion as are falling our forests.

The large squash that weighed fifty-six pounds, exhibited at the agricultural fair of the Congregational church, was raised by John O. Sunberg, of the Lowell road, at Brookside a close neighbor of Miss Ella T. Wright.

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Smith, of the Groton road, formerly for many years residents of Brookside, are soon to leave for Miami, Fla., and their friends and co-workers at the Abbot Worsted Company’s mills gave them a farewell reception on last week Friday at Historical hall, West Chelmsford. Frank O’Brien, in behalf of the gathering, presented them with a purse of money and sang several songs. Emma Lancelot contributed specialty dances and was presented with a bouquet of roses for her skill. She was followed in the specialty dance business by Mrs. Staples. The Regniers figured in contributing to the entertainment presented Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a bouquet of Ophelia roses in behalf of the Regnier family. Refreshments were served by Mrs. Wyman, and Miss Regnier followed by dancing. The arrangements for the party were in charge of Mrs. Wyman, John R. Greene and Frances E. Regnier.

Mr. and Mrs. Carlos D. Cushing, who have been summering in the northern zone of Westford and Framingham, left this week for their home in Miami, Fla.

The annual meeting of Middlesex North Agricultural society will be held October 13 at one p.m. at the Y.W.C.A., John street, Lowell.

The next meeting of the grange will be held Thursday evening, October 15, conferring the third and fourth degrees, followed by a harvest supper.

1. Clyde Prescott of Chamberlin’s corner and Edward G. Spinney of Forge Village are serving on the jury at the civil session of the superior court at Cambridge.

Mr. and Mrs. Frederic A. Snow of West Chelmsford spent the week-end at Wilbraham academy with their son, Perry Taylor Snow, who is a student at the academy. While there they had the pleasure of seeing Mr. and Mrs. Francis Bowes Sayre, the latter daughter of the late President Wilson. Mrs. Sayre is one of the busy hostesses in Wilbraham, and Mrs. Sayre herself the hostess at the tea. Mrs. Sayre is the daughter of the late President Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Sayre have just returned from abroad and brought with them Lord Chamberlain’s son of Siam, who is a student at Wilbraham.

Technicality of the Law. In the trial at Cambridge of Joseph Mailhot for killing John Mulcahy, prohibition agent, at a camp at Flushing pond, Westford, John P. Feeney, counsel for the defense, raised the point that the search warrant was illegally issued in that the law says: “That in the jurisdiction of the district court with less than 60,000 inhabitants the assistant clerk shall not be permitted to issue a search warrant,” and as the jurisdiction of the district court of Ayer contains only about 17,000 inhabitants Mr. Feeney contended that the prohibition officers were trespassers and responsible for all risks. Judge Fosdick reserved his decision.

Does a technically illegal search warrant give a person the right to shoot to kill when asked to open the door and play the game of hell generally inside?

The trial is still proceeding regardless of hair-splitting objections, and Judge Fosdick ordered the courtroom cleared when the spectators applauded some of the testimony.

John Hall, agent, in his testimony on last week Friday for the prosecution, said to Mailhot, “You’ve done something now you’ll regret. You’ve shot a good officer,” and Mailhot replied, “I know it, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry, I meant to shoot in the air.” One of two deductions can be drawn from this “shooting in the air”—either he shot to kill or else he displayed poor judgment in shooting so low down with someone kicking at the door. If the air is what he wanted to hit, why didn’t he fire at the top of the door; there was plenty of air there to hit and no one kicking so high up as that?

Death. John McMaster, a resident of this town for the past thirty years, died Saturday morning at his home on Main street, aged 84 years. He was a native of Scotland, being one of seven children of Mr. and Mrs. John McMaster and with his parents came to Lowell in his youth. Upon the death of his mother, the children came to Westford and lived several years with their cousin, William Agnew, on what is now the Morning Glory farm on the Lowell road, now owned by Amos B. Polley. They attended the old Stony Brook school in the palmy days of large scholars when the late Alden P. Osgood was teacher. I recall with pleasure my school-day association with these McMaster children as schoolmates, classmates and snowball mates generally.

After leaving Westford Mr. McMaster settled in Lowell and worked at carpentering. He was exceptionally good in the use of tools and carved out work with only a pocket knife. As near neighbor to him when he lived with the Agnew family I was eye witness of his skill. Later in life he went to Westford again and bought the large farm on the Chamberlin road, known in remote years as the John F. Wright place. Advancing years caused him to sell it and buy the small cottage and an acre of land where he died.

He leaves his wife, Mattie A. McMaster; one daughter, Mrs. Harry Whitney, of Westford; four sons, Fred A., Harry C., and Frank E. McMaster, all of Chelmsford, and C. Herbert McMaster of Hyde Park; one brother, William H. McMaster of Lowell; one half-brother, Chauncey McMaster of Richmond, Me., and nine grandsons and three great-grandchildren. He was a member of Westford Grange.

The funeral took place from his home on Main street Monday afternoon and was largely attended by friends and relatives. Rev. Edward D. Disbrow conducted the service. Mrs. C. A. Blaney was sweet and sympathetic in song. The floral display was most beautiful and elaborate. The bearers were Houghton G. Osgood, Edson G. Boynton, Fred L. Fletcher and W. R. Taylor. Burial was in the family lot in the Edson cemetery, Lowell, where the officiating clergyman read the committal service and Mrs. Blaney rendered sweet music.

Graniteville. The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held their annual harvest supper in the church dining-room on Wednesday evening with a large number in attendance. A bountiful supper was served from six to eight o’clock and was thoroughly enjoyed. The room and tables were prettily decorated for the occasion. After the supper a very pleasing entertainment was given in which the following took part: Music, Gordon’s orchestra; vocal solos, Edith Kirk, Miss Minnie Jelly; readings, Evelyn Mae Robinson; saxophone solo, George Orr; violin selections, the Johnson sisters; violin solo, William Drolet; accompanists, Misses Molly Rork and Lila Jelly. The whole affair proved to be a great success and the members [paper torn, line or two missing] any way toward the supper and entertainment.

Mrs. C. E. Stebbins, of South Deerfield, was a recent guest of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Hawkes. At the Sunday morning service in the M.E. church Mrs. Stebbins was heard in two pleasing vocal solos, “My task” and “In the garden.”

Miss Edith Blackador [sic], of Westford, has recently been appointed as pianist for the Westford Oratorio society. The society now holds rehearsals in Westford on every Thursday evening, and is preparing to stage a concert in Westford early in December. It is essential that all those who wish to take part in this coming concert should become affiliated with the society during the next two weeks. The members are progressing with their music and the attendance at rehearsals is constantly increasing.

The children of the Sargent school will hold a dance for the piano fund in the near future.

October devotions were held in St. Catherine’s church on Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7:30.

The members of the Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church held their monthly meeting at the home of Mrs. A. L. O’Brien on Thursday evening.

Forge Village. The Ladies’ Sewing Circle of St. Andrew’s mission held their first meeting of the season on last week Thursday afternoon. A good number were present and plans were made for the winter season.

The Girls’ club of St. Andrew’s held their first supper of the season on Thursday evening, followed by an entertainment.

The Abbot Worsted Company band gave a very enjoyable concert before the movies on Tuesday evening.

The sympathy of the community is extended to Mr. and Mrs. Larry Kane, Central street, in the loss of their three-months-old son, Lawrence. Interment was in St. Catherine’s cemetery.

The Teachers’ club of Graniteville are planning to hold a dancing party in Westford on October 21. A good orchestra has been secured and it is hoped that the affair will be largely attended. The proceeds will go toward the purchase of a piano in the grammar school.

The Knickerbocker club held their first dancing party in Abbot hall on last week Friday evening.

Fred Baker has been substituting this week at the E. E. Gray store in Marlboro.

Littleton

Church Notes. … The first meeting of the [Unitarian Church] Alliance was held on last week Friday and was largely attended. It was a neighborhood meeting with an address by Mrs. Oscar C. Gallagher, of Brookline, the national president. Delegates were present from Ayer, Groton, Pepperell, Westford, Chelmsford and Concord. Miss Katherine Proctor greatly delighted her audience with choice selections on the piano. Tea was served by Miss Henrietta A. Ewings, Mrs. Lena R. Gillette, Mrs. Anna W. Brown and Mrs. Minnie Kimball.

Ayer

News Items. The officers of the G.A.R. post for the ensuing year were elected as follows on last week Thursday evening: John S. Preston, Harvard, com.; Henry Leavitt, senior vice com.; Charles C. Perry, Harvard, Junior vice com.; Hiram S. Clark, adjt.; Henry C. Sherwin, qm.; J. Everett Woods, Westford, chap.; S. Herbert Proctor, color bearer. Of a list that at one time contained 193 members, there are only fourteen now alive [and half of them are officers].

Groton

Death. On Saturday afternoon, October 3, Miss Ellen Denahy, of this town, passed away at St. Joseph’s hospital, Nashua, N. H., only a short time before her sixty-third birthday. She had endured a long, severe illness since last May, during which she was tenderly and faithfully cared for by her brother and sister, and later, when her condition required it, in the hospital where she passed away.

Miss Denahy was born in this town, the daughter of Johanna and John Denahy, educated in the public schools, and had spent all her life in her home town where she was well known and esteemed by a large circle of friends. Of a charitable and kindly nature, she was ever ready to lend a helping hand in cases of illness and trouble. She was a member of the congregation of the Sacred Heart church, a member of the Ladies’ Sodality and of the Altar society of the church.

The deceased is survived by a brother, Michael Denahy, and a sister, Miss Catherine Denahy [married James B. Healy of Westford], both of this town.

A solemn high mass was held on Tuesday morning in the Sacred Heart church. Rev. Edward C. Mitchell was celebrant, Rev. Charles Finnegan, of Roxbury, deacon, Rev. Fr. Malone, of Graniteville, sub-deacon, and Rev. William Riordan, of Nahant, master of ceremonies. Revs. Finnegan and Riordan are former pastors of Sacred Heart church. Mrs. Charles Lothrop, of Ayer, was organist and soloist, and Mrs. Mary Ewing sang “Paradise,” by request. The entire service was most impressive.

Among those present were two sisters, the nurse and Dr. Albert McGarrity, all of whom had cared for Miss Denahy in her illness at St. Joseph’s hospital.

The bearers were Michael J. Denahy, John Collins of Brookline, George Weaver, Ernest Alltoff and Frank McDonald, all of West Acton, and Joseph Rooney, of Waltham. A profusion of beautiful flowers and spiritual bouquets were sent by friends, testifying to the affection and esteem for her whose career of kindness and helpfulness has just ended.

Interment was in St. Mary’s cemetery, Ayer.