Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-10-07


lived to the age of over 80 years the aggre-
gate of the family, including the parents, is
HOG years.
John Estabrook was in Narragansettin l755.
He married Annie Bemis, the first female born
III Westminster by whom he had fourteen
children. John Rand came in 1903. He rose
to the rank of Colonel, and commanded regi-
ment in the revolutionary war. John Wood
ward, Nicholas Dixie, Richard Baker, John and
VIM. Edgell, Josiah, Elisha, and Edmund Jack
son, Nathan and Jonas Whitney, John Brooks,
Jonas Winship, came to the place about the
same time. James Cohee came about 1857
from ireland, which he left when fourteen, and
sold himself, as was not very uncommon at
that day, for limited period, topay his passage.
October TO- 1859, Narragansett No. was in
corpOrated into district by the name of West
minister, having all the powers of the town ex-
cept that OF sending a representative to the
General Court The people entered at once
upon the consideration of what was then re-
garded the essential institutions of every town
"a school-house, pound, stocks, and supply
OF ammunition. The schools were provided
for, the pound was constructed, but the stocks
were for the time being ignored Their atten-
ton was early called to the laying out of high
ways to accommodate the inhabitants; but, in
the multiplicity of their cares, they did not
held January Z, 1852, Richard Graves, N. Wood,
and John Rand, were chosen to perform what,
at that day, was regarded as very important
but difficult duty, viz, ''to dignity and seat
the Westinghouse according to rate and age.
The meeting house having been seated accord
ing to the prescribed rules, the people readily
agreed to sustain this dignity by providing
stocks for the punishment of offenders.
From the dismission of Mr.. Marsh, in 1857,
to the settlement of Mr.. Rice, in 1865, the
church was in broken and distracted state.
Several gentlemen were invited to become
their pastor, all Of whom declined. At length,
in July, 1865, Mr.. Asa Rice accepted call,
and in October of the same year was ordained
pastor of the parish. He was a son of Beriah
Rice OF Westboro', was graduated at Harvard
College in 1852, practiced medicine a short
time in Brookfeld, but having lost his right
hand, he qualified himself for the ministry.
Before settling in Westminster, he had spent
two years in mission among the Indians on
the Susquehanna. He died March 81, 1916, in
the SD year of his age, and the 5lst of his
ministry.
Nothing of moment transpired while the
town remained under the district organization.
April 26, 1770 the district was Incorporated
into town of the same name. We now arrive
at period at which the entertainments of
Great Britain became the absorbing theme
and though we could not expect that a small
town in the interior would take a leading part
in the controversies of the day, we find the
people of Westminster ready to respond to
every call made upon them. On the 18th of
February, 1913, in response to a call of com.
mittee OF correspondence of Boston, they say,
1--WE shall at all times heartily Join with them
1.-THE people Of BOSTON, in all legal, constitutional
measures for the recovery of those inestimabIe
rights and privileges wrested from us, and for
the security of those that remain, for we are
sensible that should we renounce our liberty,
we should renounce the quality of men, the
rights of humanity, and even our duty to God
and man." In IVA, they passed a vote for.
bidding the constables to pay the money col
lected on the Province tax to the royal treas
urer appointed by the Governor, and directing
them to pay it over to the Treasurer appointed
by tile Provincial Congress. June 10, l776, at
meeting called It voted that, if the Con
tnental Congress should declare the colonies
independent of Great Britain, they would sup
port them with their lives and fortunes. Such
was the spirit that actuated the inhabitants of
this town during that eventful struggle. 1t
may appear small for a town like Westminster
at that period to pass resolves on subjects of a
national character; but it was, in fact in these
little republics that the seeds of liberty were
oO"h' Iii tOWn ulGCllllSb IIeSC pltuReS vi
support were given to the general Congress,
and 1t was in consequence of this public senti-
ment coming up from these little municipalities,
that the bold stand was taken by the Cont
mental Congress, which contributed so much to
make us free and independent nation. West
Minister had assured Saml Adams, then the
great leader of the Boston committee of CORE
spondence, that they would join them in defence
of their liberties whenever an occasion should
present ITSELF Nor was this an empty boast
On the 18th of April, ITS, on hearing of the
march of the British troops and of their out
rage at Lexington, two companies commanded
by Capt. Elisha jackson and John Estabrook,
consisting of over fifty men, marched for the
scene OF action where they remained ten days
after the alarm had subsidized, and though these
companies, as SUCH did not enlist into the reg
ular service, company of over sixty men was
Immediately organized under Capt. e. Bems,
and enlisted for eight months And during
the whole revolutionary struggle, Westminster
furnished more or less men in every campaign
Few towns of like population, we venture to
say, furnished more men during the Revolu-
ton.
In 1888 constitution was formed and sub.
mitted to the people for their acceptance,
or rejection. The people of Westminster
voted unanimously against it, Itseems due to
their memories to state some of the principal
reasons which they assigned against the pro-
posed constitution cit is our OPINION" say
they, that no constitution whatever ought to
be established till previously thereto a bill of
rights be set forth, and the constitution be
formed therefrom, so that the lowest capacity
may be able to determine his natural rights,
and to judge of the equitableness of the consti-
tuition thereby !" "and as to the constitution
itself, the following exceptionable, viz, the
9th, article, which deprives part of the hui
man race of their rights, on account of their
color, which in our opinion no power on earth
has right to do" They also objected to the
constitution before them, because it deprived
them of the choice of many of their Of
ficers, and they support this position by
the following truly democratic language:
"Where can the power be lodged so safe as
in the hands Of the people, and who can dele
gate it so well as they or who has the bold
ness to say without blushing, that the people
are not suitable to put in their own officers if
so, why do we waste our blood and treasure to
obtain that, which when obtained we are not
fit to enjoy 2" The constitution in question
was not only rejected by the good people of
this town, but by the good people of the state,
and its rejection led to the formation of anoth-
er and better one, which was adopted
The history of Westminster as of other
towns during the Revolution, exhibited one
continued persevering struggle with difficult
ties to which we are strangers. The duty Of
furnishing certain quotas of troops and sup
plies for the army, the poverty and destituton
of the people, the depreciation and fiuctuating
state of paper money-these were embarrass-
ments which, though unknown to us, pressed
heavily on the people of that day Some idea
OF the deprecated state of paper currency and
the consequent increase Of prices, may be
formed by the fact that the wood provided for
Rev. Mr.. Rice in 1876, was purchased at auc.