Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-07-05
e ssssss;. Eailp Syn.
t5t5ssas' and o I.ss.s: 5. 1858.

S1s com ec,orsTood -
~ ~ that sSosTdsrs, Cd CELEBRATIoN.
To- s.slAes, the -
ASSssO Ressaughtess Of the old town of
awaEs rising the present three sub divi-
.;oDsh rnished ncient town, celebrated the eigh-
,v.ssc Sense niverssry Of our national independ
enee. q en surday last July Sd, by a social re-
uniou. Notwithstanding the unfavorable state
Of the W Ter, there was very large and re-
spectacle semblage. and the arrangements for
the occasid.E wsre well planned and successfully
carried out. NMost of the guests from abroad ar
rived the night before, yet the morning trains
brought large accessiOns, though many were
doubtless detained by the dubious aspect OF the
morning sky.
. The day was ushered in by the ringing Of bells
ana the firing Il cannon, and the forenoon was
partially occupied in escOrting delegations from
the depot.
THE PROCESSION.
AT about noon, the procession began to form on
tbe common, and, under the escort Of the fire.
men, preceded by Bonds (Boston) Cornet Band,
marched to the big tent. about quarter Of
mile distant, where dinner was provided, in the
,oI,ow;nss ar, after passing through the prin-
pal streets;
o.,..s c9ieL Marshal George BrOOkneld, Austin Moul
ton. fOr.s u IVES, BrOokasld,
American EagiBe Comp foreman
G. b. Sanftth by Of East B. kheld,
Bay State. Engins Censrd, foreman
v. speakers. guests, &c., and
me Sommi'Yy y, from each town, brought up
o'''1sns geRssaSch division. The procession con
si.,.s "a, al, Of about one thousand persons
THE TENT
his was Yale's mammoth, and large enough to
accommodate several thousands. 1t was erected
on an eniinence, about quarter of a mile from
the BrookHeld railroad station. Plates we're set
for about twelve hundred persons. and there we're
but few of them unoccupied In front Of the plat
form, and in other portions Of the tent were sus-
pended various notices appropriate to the occa-
sion. It was nearly two O'Clock before the guests
were seated, when the president of the day,
Hon. Amasa Walker, called the company to or
der. Divine grace was invoked by Rev. DR..
Vail of Palmer, in the absence of the venerable
DR.. Smell Of North Brook6eld, engaged to otici-
ate for the occasion, DR.. friends deeming it i'm
prudent for him to be out although he preached
last Sunday his sixtieth anniversary sermon.
Conspicuous upon the platform, in the tent,
were the veteran schoolmaster, Rufus Dodge'
ESQ.,, the veteran printer Ebenezer Merriam,
ESQ, the old merchant, Abraham Skinner, Hon.
Aanson Hamilton, Hon. Francis Howe, Aaron
Kimball, ESQ.,. Hon. o. c. FELTON,, George Howe,
ESQ.,, of Boston, and other distinguished cti
gems, and sons, and grandsonsO Of old Brookfeld.
~ r,r1
After the dinner, which consisted principally
of cold collation.. provided by E. B, Shaw of
Palmer, had been disposed Of, the President call
ed upon the Glee Club Of West BrookHeld, under
the lead of Edward Hamilton of this city, and
they sung Home Again" to universal admira-
tion.
The Declaration of Independence was read by
Rev. S. S. Hunting of Brookfeld.
The FIRST regular sentiment was then read by
the POSTMASTER D. L. Morrill,, Esq, Of West
Brook6eld, as follows;
The Fourth Of July, I77e-The memorable dsy in
the history Of the American nation. MAJ its anniversa
never be forgotten and may the blessings which 1t
naugurated for u.s. be speedily secured for and enjoyed
by eveTy person who breathes the free OF heaven
within the confines Of this republic.
'laail Columbia, by the band, in response.
Mr. WALKERS ADDRESS.
The president Hon. Anasa Walker, then
made the opening address, welcoming those pres.
ent to the festivities Of the occasion. He said
the old town Of Brook6ed was incorporated in
1878, one hundred and three years before the De.
claraton Of Independence. It was then situated
in the midst Of the wilderness, with Marlboro as
the nearest town on the East, and Springfield on
the West. Brimfeld was the first adjoining town,
incorporated ffty-seven years later, in 1880,
Sturbridge was next incorporated, in 1898, sixty
FIVE years after Brookiield Western (now War
ren) sixtyeight years after Brookfed, New
Braintree seventy eight years after, Charlton
eighty one years after and Oakham eighty mine
years after Brookfeld. The FIRST subdivision of
the old town was made iE 1872, when she
second precint was incorporated as North Brook
field. In lS4S the first precint became West
Brookfeld. The men Of BrOok6eld took prom
inent part in achieving our independence, three
Of her most distinguished sons, Hon. Jedediah
Foster, Hon. Jeduthun Baldwin, and Hon.
Phinehas Upham, being members Of the first
Provincial Congress, in l774.
BrOokfeld had more gunpOwder at that time
than any other town, except Charlestown, nearly
two to one, and she had also ihirty-one gunIocks,
70 fOrty-nine for Suffolk county.
In 1881, when the money of the continental
currency was so deprecated that it required two
Thousand dollars to buy common COW, and the
State currency was greatly below par, the second
precinct tnOw North BTookfeIdl. voted to raise
fl08O hard money to support twelve soldiers for
three wears The men were raised and won't.
This was the great crisis in the American Revo-
luton, when the parishes the religious societies
were brought into action. and their energies EN-.
ployed in the cause Of liberty. And an efficient
energy 1t wass il turned the scale Of the revolu-
tionsry contest. Brookfeld furnished three col.
onels for the war, Bannister, Baldwin. and Ham
mond.
At the commencement Of the present century,
BroOk6eld stood almost or quite at the head Of
all the towns in western Massachusetts. Mr..
Walker rscapitulatsd long list Of names Of her
nost distinguiahed citizens Of the past, now rep
resented BY their descendants in various sections
Of the country, and il all the relations Of life.
But we DO no justice to Mr, Walkers ad
dress By further attempted abstract. II was
an exceed sly appropriate effort, and we'll re-
ceived. ~ pcnded as follows;
III behalf = lie committee Of arrangements.
1t affords me great pleasure to welcome you back
70 the old town OF Brook6eld-to the old home.
stead
ITO 4. beautiful hills and pIsasaD. valleys.
70 W charming pondl and Its placid river,
70 3uApoags and Wiokabosg, and PoaunkD
70 all the hallOwed memories which a meeting
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