Turner's Public Spirit, October 9, 1920
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“Center. The October meeting of the Ladies’ Aid society as an all-day meeting will take
place at the home of the Misses Atwood [4 Graniteville Road] Thursday of next week.
“Mrs. Sydney B. Wright reports a Wolf River apple picked on their place weighing twenty
ounces and measuring 15 ½ inches around.
“Fisher Buckshorn is enrolled as a student at Proctor academy, Andover, N.H.
“Robert Abbot is attending a preparatory school in Boston.
“A caravan of gypsies passed through town Monday afternoon. There were three large
wagons and three smaller ones, also two ponies and some calves. Their objective point for that
night was Littleton and the next day Cambridge, where they were to spend the winter.
“Forrest S. White commenced his studies at Chauncey Hall school this week.
“At the J. V. Fletcher library this week James Whitcomb Riley the beloved Hoosier poet’s
birth anniversary was observed by his pictures and books being in special evidence.
“The rain and windstorm last week did a good deal of damage. Some of the orchardists
estimate their losses as considerable, while others do not feel that it made much difference to
them. A good-sized maple tree was uprooted on Charles L. Hildreth’s lawn and the village streets
and lawns were badly cluttered with fallen branches from trees.
“The opening meeting of the Tadmuck club for its fifteenth season takes place next Tuesday
afternoon at the Congregational church at 2:30 o’clock. This is presidents’ day….
“Misses Gertrude D. and Julia H. Fletcher are attending the Worcester Musical festival the last
four days of this week.
“Miss Mary B. Raynes, music teacher of the public schools, is organizing an orchestra among
the academy students, further progress of which will be reported as it develops.
“Largest Taxpayers. The assessors have committed the annual taxes to the collector for the
year, the rate per one thousand dollars being $18 and the total levy $54,429.30 divided as follows:
“743 Polls at $5.00 $3,715.00
“Moth tax 1,466.96
“Personal Property 14,784.87
“Real Estate 34,462.47
“Those paying a tax of $[1]50 or over are:
“Mrs. Alice M. Abbot 405.00
“John C. Abbot 350.60
“Abbot Worsted Co., Forge Village 11,258.89
“Abbot Worsted Co., Graniteville 3,720.71
"Abbot Worsted Co., Brookside 2,625.52
“C. H. & F. R. Blodgett 160.93
“George H. Cadman 335.60
“Mrs. Lucy A. Cameron 208.80
“Alexander Cameron 198.00
“Meta J. Cameron 185.40
“William R. Carver 273.24
“Arthur E. Day 232.70
“Frank C. Drew 174.20
“Alec Fisher 185.72
“Elbert H. Flagg 244.79
“H. E. Fletcher Co. 720.00
“Herbert E. Fletcher 648.17
“Harry N. Fletcher 189.86
“H. E. and E. H. Gould 172.18
“David L. Greig 162.50
“Graniteville Foundry Co. 218.70
“J. A. Healey & Sons 201.69
“Miss Ella F. Hildreth 587.58
“George A. Kimball 187.49
“James L. Kimball 152.60
“Mrs. Margaret McDonald 203.49
“Lewis P. Palmer 176.60
“Mrs. Rachael Reed 226.80
“Allan C. Sargent 164.23
“Sargent Corporation 724.40
“Estate of C. G. Sargent [died 1878] 1,427.21
“Oscar R. Spalding 768.77
“Timothy Sullivan 295.25
“J. R. & R. E. Sweetser 248.90
“George A. Walker 159.62
“Mrs. Bessie D. Watson, heirs 320.40
“Westford Water Co. 201.60
“V. C. Bruce Wetmore 327.38
“George F. White 307.28
“Mrs. Mabel M. Wright 179.68
“Non-Residents
“George A. Drew 256.95
“J. Henry Fletcher 243.62
“Miss Martina Gage 763.09
“Lowell Electric Corporation 360.00
“Lowell & Fitchburg R.R. 288.54
“George C. Moore 283.05
“New England Tel. & Tel. Co. 328.40
“Charles W. Parker 268.20
“Fred O. Stiles 174.60
“About Town. Toward the building of the new church at West Chelmsford the building
committee reported at the third quarterly conference that $30,000 had been subscribed. Architect
Thaddeus Parks of Lowell has been secured to make the plans…..
“The Abbot Worsted Co., at Brookside, have completed laying the main water pipe for the
new water system. The water will be pumped from driven wells on the McGlinchy farm at
Westford Corner. The wells are located near Saw Mill Meadow near the junction of Gilson and
Nabnassett brook, the latter is the outlet of Nabnassett lake. The water will be pumped into a
stand pipe located on the hill at the intersection of Nabnassett and Brookside roads….
“Graniteville. A meeting was held at the M.E. church vestry recently for the purpose of
forming an organization, to be known as the Men’s community club, in which all the men are
cordially invited to join. Preliminary plans were outlined at the meeting and another meeting will
be held soon for the purpose of forming a permanent club.
“Alfred Heroux, a local boy and a veteran of the world war, has recently reenlisted with the
intention of seeing foreign service.”
1913 portrait of James Whitcomb Riley, American poet and best-selling author, who was born
October 7, 1849, in Greenfield, Ind. Courtesy Photo / Wikipedia.com.