Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-08-30
Letter from Lunenpurg.
LrNExbuYts.Mass. Az 2. 90. Ii


expected. But of every locality some
thing may be said that is noteworthy, and
perhaps readable.
Well here am in the ancient town of
Lunenburg. which is located in the north
crn part of central Massachusetts. and on
the route of the Boston and F.chburg rail
road, 1t is alsa four miles east OF the last
named city and 10 miles north west of Bos-
ton. But when railroad speed is brougll;
into the account. the trip from here to the
Hub" would be regarded as no more of
an undertaking than a ride from Ellsworth
to Franklin. Tins you have the locale of
the place where this letter is dated.
Lunenburg was first made habitablc in
the year l7l9. While il was in primitive
condition. when here aa1 there Only few
rude dwellings were to be SEGA. the Duke
of Li,nnnburg. who was Oh Il visit to Amer.
lea. passed through the place. So much
was he charmed with the beautiful scenery
hcrcabouts that lie asked the privilege OF
comforting upon the new settlement his
own name. which request accedrd to. At
ter his return 10 Germany he ordered the
materials for a church. together with bell.
to be sent across the wafer that place of
worship might be erected in The town he
had named, and that Il pell mi rht remind
the dwellcrs in said town of the appointed
/ times for religious service. The aforesaid
materials with the bell reached the port Of
I I'm al II I
| burg were duly informed of the fact. But
there We're one or two obstacles in the way
and those were the difficulty of tran sporta-
ton together with the expense it would in
volVe. These two draw backs caused the
| building materials and the bell to remain
/ in Boston in state of neglect, until by
some freak of eircln stances they were di-
verified from their original destination and
purpose. and converted into a church in
the town where they had been stored. The
name bestowed on the cdiiicc was Kings
I Chapel. which app,llation it still retains.
/ To-day the silver notes of that Old German
bell calls Bustoniaus To In. chapel t. wor-
ship. instead OF summoliiu2 Luncnbnrgrr>
10 HE same shrine. Such is the 9i.t of the
trad ton. and cannot now tell whether ii
talles with the authentic record of history.
II appears that time years after the first
settler erected Il place of shelter here. n
parish was formed and church not long
subsequent was erected. The remain, of
several who exercised the functions of pas
tors of that church lie Inferred in the old
I,,p,
forelatliers ot the hamlet sleep
During the Revolution or the next day
after the incipient battles ofLexington and
Concord were fought, one or two compa-
mics were at once mustered in Luncnburg
and proceeded forthwith to headquarters
and soon after participated in the battle of
Breeds Hill. OF Bunker Iiill.-as historians
still prrsist in calling II. The early rec
ords of the town-whcn they relate to the
times that tried mems souls Gas Thos.
Paine expresses it, ring out the real chime
of patriotism.
1t is a fact worthy of mention that the
inst commissioned Brigadier General OF
the Revolution sleeps in the old cemetery
, here without a stone to mark the spot OF
his burial. or To record the name he bore
In good old Parson Adams memorandum
, book Is 10 be seen written III ink made ycl
low by the lapse of time. both the nam,
and age of this quite forgotten veteran o.
A., the Revolution. His name &c. have now
, slipped from my memory. | learn howev'
:. er. that because Of the depreciation of tn,
old Continental currency he was reduced
to INDECENT circumstances. and died in
j, destitute condition. Here Is an argument
for those who are inclined to rtiterate tht
old saw that Republics are ungrateful.
This incident may be set alongside ofthos,
which inform us fthe fact that John Pau
Jones. and President Monroe repose in I'm
known graves.
Lunenburg has been the birthplace o
- several governors. and of other distinguish
ed men. The last Governor who spent hi
!" boyhood herewas the well known Congress
man Boutwell,. His neighbors say of him
that he was always Il remarkably studiou,
boy. but so much was he lacking in inse
= nulty as to be unable 10 make even wills
: tie If he had any whiting to do he got
;. other boys to do 1t for him. but il seems
e that while his brothers were working upoi
their farms he worked his way from a coun
try store to the position of Governor anC
l. lastly to seat inCongress--w where he stand
. among the foremost champions for the right
J. Lunenburg has three church ediices-Uni
: tarlan, Congregational. and Methodist; bu
there are now only two organized religion
societies here. Congregational and .Wetho
dist; the Cnitarians having within the pas
= three years disbanded and sold their ehurcl
y ediice Tor a town hall. For the most par
" the Cntarians HOW attend the Methods
:. meetings. 1t l. no uncommon thing to Sc
= the churches filled to ovcr-nowing with al
;, tentive audiences on Sabbath mornings.
g The beautiful Summer residence whicl
> crowns yonder hill is owned by Hon. Jane
Savage. l.. l.. d. of Boston who was for
N merly President of the Mass His. Soc
J. Here he spends his summers surrounded b,
al, the comforts and conyeniences which