Groton, May 29, 1805.
"'Squire Brazer," as he was generally called, was a man of wealth
and position. He was one of the founders of Groton Academy, and his
subscription of £15 to the building-fund in the year 1792 was as large
as that given by any other person. In the early part of this century he
built the house now belonging to the Academy and situated just south of
it, where he lived until his death, which occurred on November 10, 1818.
His widow, also, took a deep interest in the institution, and at her
decease, April 14, 1826, bequeathed to it nearly five thousand dollars.
After Mr. Brazer's death the store was moved across the street, where it
still remains, forming the ell of Gerrish's block. The post-office was
in the north end of it, during Mr. Butler's term as postmaster. About
this time the son, William Farwell Brazer, built a store nearly opposite
to the Academy, which he kept during some years. It was made finally
into a dwelling-house, and occupied by the late Jeremiah Kilburn, whose
family still own it.
James Brazer's house was built on the site of one burnt down during the
winter season a year or two previously. There was no fire-engine then in
town, and the neighbors had to fight the flames, as best they could,
with snow as well as water. At that time Loammi Baldwin, Jr., a graduate
of Harvard College in the class of 1800, was a law-student in Timothy
Bigelow's office. He had a natural taste for mechanics; and he was
so impressed with the need of an engine that with his own hands he
constructed the first one the town ever had. This identical machine, now
known as Torrent, No. I, is still serviceable after a use of more than
eighty years, and will throw a stream of water over the highest roof in
the village. It was made in Jonathan Loring's shop, then opposite to Mr.
Boynton's blacksmith shop, where the iron work was done. The tub is of
copper, and bears the date of 1802. Mr. Baldwin, soon after this time,
gave up the profession of law, and became, like his father, a
distinguished civil engineer.
The brick store, opposite to the High School, was built about the
year 1836, by Henry Woods, for his own place of business, and afterward
kept by him and George S. Boutwell, the style of the firm being Woods
and Boutwell. Mr. Woods died on January 12, 1841; and he was succeeded
by his surviving partner, who carried on the store for a long time,
even while holding the highest executive position in the State. The
post-office was in this building during the years 1839 and 1840. For the
past twenty-five years it has been occupied by various firms, and now is
kept by D.H. Shattuck and Company.
During the last war with England, Eliphalet Wheeler had a store where
Miss Betsey Capell, in more modern times, kept a haberdasher's shop. It
is situated opposite to the Common, and now used as a dwelling-house.
She was the daughter of John Capell, who owned the sawmill and
gristmill, which formerly stood near the present site of the Tileston
and Hollingsworth paper-mills, on the Great Road, north of the village.
Afterward Wheeler and his brother, Abner, took Major Thomas Gardner's
store, where he was followed by Park and Woods, Park and Potter, Potter
and Gerrish, and lastly by Charles Gerrish, who has kept it for more
than thirty years. It is said that this building will soon give way to
modern improvements.
Near the beginning of the present century there were three military
companies in town; the Artillery company, commanded at one time by
Captain James Lewis; the North company by Captain Jonas Gilson; and the
South company by Captain Abel Tarbell. Two of these officers were soon
promoted in the regimental service: Captain Tarbell to a colonelcy, and
Captain Lewis to a majorate. Captain Gilson resigned, and was succeeded
by Captain Noah Shattuck. They had their Spring and fall training-days,
when they drilled as a battalion on the Common,--there were no trees
there, then,--and marched through the village. They formed a very
respectable command, and sometimes would be drawn up before Esquire
Brazer's store, and at other times before Major Gardner's, to be treated
with toddy, which was then considered a harmless drink.
David Child had a store, about the beginning of the century, at the
south corner of Main and Pleasant Streets, nearly opposite to the site
of the Orthodox meeting-house, though Pleasant Street was not then laid
out. It was afterward occupied by Deacon Jonathan Adams, then by Artemas
Wood, and lastly by Milo H. Shattuck. This was moved off twelve or
fifteen years ago, and a spacious building put up, a few rods north, on
the old tavern site across the way, by Mr. Shattuck, who still carries
on a large business.
Alpheus Richardson kept a store, about the year 1815, in his
dwelling-house, at the south corner of Main and Elm Streets, besides
having a book-bindery in the same building. The binder's shop was
continued until about 1850. It is said that this house was built
originally by Colonel James Prescott, for the use of his son, Abijah, as
a store; but it never was so occupied.
Joseph and Phineas Hemenway built a store on the north corner of Main
and Elm Streets, about the year 1815, where they carried on a trading
business. They were succeeded by one Richardson, then by David Childs;
and finally by John Spalter, who had for many years a bookstore and
binder's shop in the building, which is now used as a dwelling-house.
At the present time Mr. Spalter is living in Keene, New Hampshire.
About the year 1826, General Thomas A. Staples built and kept a store
on Main Street, directly north of the Union Church. He was followed
successively by Benjamin Franklin Lawrence, Henry Hill, and Walter
Shattuck. The building was burned down about ten years ago, and its site
is now occupied by Dr. David R. Steere's house.
In the year 1847 a large building was moved from Hollis Street to
the corner of Main and Court Streets. It was put up originally as a
meeting-house for the Second Adventists, or Millerites as they were
called in this neighborhood, after William Miller, one of the founders
of the sect; but after it was taken to the new site, it was fitted up in
a commodious manner, with shops in the basement and a spacious hall in
the second story. The building was known as Liberty Hall, and formed a
conspicuous structure in the village. The post-office was kept in it,
while Mr. Lothrop and Mr. Andruss were the postmasters. It was used as a
shoe shop, a grocery, and a bakery, when, on Sunday, March 31, 1878, it
was burned to the ground.
The brick store, owned by the Dix family, was built and kept by Aaron
Brown, near the beginning of the century. He was followed by Moses
Parker, and after him came ---- and Merriam, and then Benjamin P. Dix.
It is situated at the corner of Main Street and Broad-Meadow Road, and
now used as a dwelling-house. A very good engraving of this building is
given in The Groton Herald, May 8, 1830, which is called by persons who
remember it at that time a faithful representation, though it has since
undergone some changes.
Near the end of the last century, Major William Swan traded in the house
now occupied by Charles Woolley, Jr., north of the Common near the old
burying-ground. It was Major Swan who set out the elm-trees in front of
this house, which was the Reverend Dr. Chaplin's dwelling for many
years.
Two daughters of Isaac Bowers, a son of Landlord Bowers, had a dry-goods
shop in the house owned and occupied by the late Samuel W. Rowe, Esq.
About the year 1825, Walter Shattuck opened a store in the building
originally intended for the Presbyterian Church, opposite to the present
entrance of the Groton Cemetery. There was formerly a store kept by one
Mr. Lewis, near the site of Captain Asa Stillman Lawrence's house, north
of the Town Hall. There was a trader in town, Thomas Sackville Tufton by
name, who died in the year 1778, though I do not know the site of his
shop. Captain Samuel Ward, a native of Worcester, and an officer in the
French and Indian War, was engaged in business at Groton some time
before the Revolution. He removed to Lancaster, where at one time he was
town-clerk, and died there on August 14, 1826.
The Groton post-office was established at the very beginning of the
present century, and before that time letters intended for this town
were sent through private hands. Previous to the Revolution there were
only a few post-offices in the Province, and often persons in distant
parts of Massachusetts received their correspondence at Boston. In
the Supplement to The Boston Gazette, February 9, 1756, letters are
advertised as remaining uncalled for, at the Boston office, addressed to
William Lakin and Abigail Parker, both of Groton, as well as to Samuel
Manning, Townsend, William Gleany, Dunstable, and Jonathan Lawrence,
Littleton. Nearly five months afterward these same letters are
advertised in The Boston Weekly News-Letter, July 1, 1756, as still
uncalled for. The name of David Farnum, America, appears also in this
list, and it is hoped that wherever he was he received the missive. The
names of Oliver Lack (probably intended for Lakin) and Ebenezer Parker,
both of this town, are given in another list printed in the Gazette of
June 28, 1762; and in the same issue one is advertised for Samuel
Starling, America. In the Supplement to the Gazette, October 10, 1768,
Ebenezer Farnsworth, Jr., and George Peirce, of Groton, had letters
advertised; and in the Gazette, October 18, 1773, the names of Amos
Farnsworth, Jonas Farnsworth, and William Lawrence, all of this town,
appear in the list.
I find no record of a post-rider passing through Groton, during the
period immediately preceding the establishment of the post-office;
but there was doubtless such a person who used to ride on horseback,
equipped with saddle-bags, and delivered at regular intervals the weekly
newspapers and letters along the way. In the year 1794, according to the
History of New Ipswich, New Hampshire (page 129), a post-rider, by the
name of Balch, rode from Boston to Keene one week and back the next.
Probably he passed through this town, and served the inhabitants with
his favors.
Several years ago I procured, through the kindness of General Charles
Devens, at that time a member of President Hayes's cabinet, some
statistics of the Groton post-office, which are contained in the
following letter:--
Post-Office Department, Appointment Office,
Washington, D.C., September 3, 1877.
Hon. CHARLES DEVENS, Attorney-General, Department of Justice.
_Sir_,--I have to acknowledge the receipt of a communication
from Samuel A. Green, of Boston, Massachusetts, with your endorsement
thereon, requesting to be furnished with a list of postmasters at the
office of Groton, in that State, from the date of its establishment to
the present time.
In reply, I have the honor to inform you, that the fire which consumed
the department building, on the night of the fifteenth of December,
1836, destroyed three of the earliest record-books of this office; but
by the aid of the auditor's ledger-books, it is ascertained that the
office began to render accounts on the first of January, 1801, but the
exact day is not known, Samuel Dana, was the first postmaster, and the
following list furnishes the history of the office, as shown by the
old records.
Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Office probably established in
November, 1800. Samuel Dana began rendering accounts January 1, 1801.
Wm. M. Richardson, October 1, 1804.
From this time the exact dates are known.
Abraham Moore, appointed postmaster January 31, 1812.
Eliphalet Wheeler, August 20, 1815.
James Lewis, September 9, 1815.
Caleb Butler, July 1, 1826.
Henry Woods, January 15, 1839.
George S. Boutwell, January 22, 1841.
Caleb Butler, April 15, 1841.
Welcome Lothrop, December 21, 1846.
Artemas Wood, February 22, 1849.
George H. Brown, May 4, 1849.
Theodore Andruss, April 11, 1853.
George W. Fiske, April 22, 1861.
Henry Woodcock, February 13, 1867.
Miss Hattie E. Farnsworth, June 11, 1869, who is the present incumbent.
Each postmaster held the office up to the appointment of his successor,
but it is probable that Mr. Boutwell and Mr. A. Wood, although regularly
appointed, did not accept, judging by the dates of the next postmasters.
As to the "income" of the office, to which allusion is made, it is very
difficult to obtain any of the amounts; but the first year and the last
year are herewith appended, as follows:--
Fiscal Year
(1801) (1876)
First quarter, $1.91 First quarter, $314.15
Second " 2.13 Second " 296.94
Third " 2.93 Third " 305.71
Fourth " 5.29 Fourth " 294.28