Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-05-31
Memorial Day in the County.

Memorial Day in the County,
| Memorial day was generally observed in near
| ly every town in the county Those who were
| fortunate enough to have arranged their exer
| cses for the forenoon were favored with excel
lent weather, but the exercises in the afternoon
were seriously interrupted by the rain which be-
gan falling about one O'Clock. Below we give
accounts of the exercises in uany of the towns :
AthOI.
The arrangements were in charge of the
Parker post and the music furnished by the
Athol cornet band. The services opened in the
afternoon by public meeting in Music hall,
after which the services in the cemeteries were
properly attended to.
Ashburnham.
The two cemeteries, containing twenty-five
soldiers graves, were visited in the afternoon,
Benton Phelps commanding. The procession
was escorted by the Ashburnham brass band
The exercises of the day were concluded with
an Grafton inhhe Methodist church, by Rev. Mr.
Parker, pastor of the Congregational church,
Clinton,
The exercises were under the auspices of G. A.
R. post No Ga, taking place in the afternoon,
The cemeteries were visited by the procession,
accompanied by the Clinton brass band. The
address was delivered by Rev. Dewitt 5. Clark
of the Congregational church.
Cherry Valley.
In Cherry Valley, procession was formed at
eleven O'clock consisting of Post 131, of Leices-
ter, the school children of the place and citizens
in general, headed by the leicester cornet band,
which proceeded to the cemetery. At the Gene
terry, Rev. Mr.. Caldwell of Cherry Valley, offered
a prayer, and Mrs. Parker read poem written
expressly for the occasion. The procession then
broke ranks and proceeded to decorate the
graves, after which they reformed marched back
to the church and were excused
FiJchburg.
A procession was formed on the common at
two O'Clock in the afternoon, under the direc.
ton of q. A. X. Post 10, Gen. j. w Kimball
commanding, and, accompanied by the Fitch
burg eornet band, marched to the cemetery
where after the customary exercises, including
prayer by Rev. Mr.. Mcguire of the Universast
church, the decoration of the graves was pro-
ceeded with. On account of the rain the COM
pany proceeded to the town hall, where, after
prayer by Rev. Mr. Scott of the Methodist
church, the Grafton was delivered by Major w.
II. Hodgkins of the seth Mass. Vols. He made
eloquent allusion, among other things, to the
patriotic services and sufferings of our soldiers,
the loyalty and devotion of the north to free
principles during the war, and the grand
resulting triumph of our arms in the
contest with the mnions of despotism.
Grafton.
The services were attended by the largest
number Of organizations and citizens that have
been present since its institution. Post "A, G.
A. r., detachment of the Slocum Guards,
the Catholic charitable association and Sabbath
school of the congregations, the Emperor fire
company of New England Village, with a
| numerous cayalcade of citizens, gathered for
the services. The post met at their armory al
| eight A. M, and proceeded to the common
where prayer was offered by Rev. J. H. Wind
sor, after which they went in order to ever,
cemetery in town where rest the dead. In tn
afternoon, instead of gathering around the sol
| diers' monument, as is the usual custom, tn
immense concourse packed the town hall to lis
ten to the Grafton by F. NJ. Sprague, Esq, o
Worcester, whose opening thought, taken from
the inspired book, "This day shall be a memo
rial day TO you forever" illustrated and en-
forced from sacred, classic, and the history o.
our own sharp struggle and triumphant victory
was forcibly and eloquently portrayed The
orator closed with tender and touching
| tribute to the memory of the dead. Brief re
marks were also made by Rev. Mr.. Barrett Of
the Catholic church and Rev. j. II. Windsor
The exercises were under the leadership of Chic
Marshal j. W. McKensie, assisted by A. A. Smitl
apd Capt. II. Dudley.
| Gardner.
Here there were not regular services, but com
mittees visited every soldiers grave in the tow
and appropriately decorated them with flowers
GreenviIIe.
In Greenville, Leicester, the services were hel,
in the Baptist church, the address being deliy
cred by Rev. Mr. Holmes. The procession wa
| composed Of Post 1871, the Geo. II Thomas en-
campment of Leicester, the school children o
the town, and the Leicester cornet band A
the conclusion of the exercises in the churcl
they proceeded to the cemetery, where monu
ment, erected by the post to the memory o
| William NJ Davis, was dedicated After III,
decoration of the graves was concluded the pro
cession marched back to the church and brok,
ranks.
Holden.
The procession, under the direction of DR.
Rood, consisted Of citizens under the direc
toni of Post II, Major Damon commander, lee
by the Shrewsbury brass band Of twenty
pieces, with seventy young ladies dressed il
white with wreaths on their head, making
splendid appearance, formed at ten O'Clock AM
marched to the cemetery decorating each sol
diers grave with wreaths and flowers. They the,
ioiineu around the soldiers monument, wher
} prayer was offered by the soldiers friend Rev
Dr. falne The procession reformed an,
marched to the town hall, where provision ba,
been provided for the multitude. After reryo.h
ments they reformed and marched 10 thc Con
gregational church, where they listened Il, a,
able and eloquent address and poem from Rc,
A. J. Rich, of Brookfeld. The rain began "a,
ing before the close, making the people glad
get home and farmers happy in growth Of crop
Holden shows by her liberality that she hi
not forgotten her dead or living soldiers.
Leicester.
AT Leicester the day was observed by gene
al suspension Of business. The procession co
! sisted of the Leicester cornet band, twenty.oI
{ pieces, Post 1si Of Leicester, forty member
under command Of II. A. White, and the Leice
) ter cadets, under command Of Charles Is. Gate
n was formed In front Of the town hall. The