Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-05
SPENCER GOLDEN WEDDING.
Mr.. and Mrs. o. R. Barrows OBJ.
serve Notable Event.
DOM descend from Puritanical Stock and
Are Well Known-sketch of
Their Lives.

Mr.. and Mrs. Grin r. Barrows Of
Spencer celebrated the 5Oth anniversary
OF their marriage at their residence on
ASH street, Tuesday evening, by an in
formal reception of a few Of their
friends. Mr.. and Mrs. Barrows have
peen residents of Spencer about 16
years, and have the highest respect of
all who know them.
MI. Barrows traces his ancestry to
tne landing of the Pilgrims in the May
mower, at Plymouth, in 1920, and is the
grandson of revolutionary soldier who
: served through that memorable struggle
tor liberty He inherits a full share Of
the Qualities that were characteristic of
the Pilgrims and the heroes OF 1776. He
was born in Hebron, May 10, 1923. Mrs.
BarfoWs is also Of MayfloWer stock, and
the granddaughter Of a soldier of 1912.
porn at Levant Me-, Dec. "a, 1926. They
were married at Levant, Jan. 4, 1913,
ana resided in that town about three
years, when they removed to
Aendersberg, Me-, where they resided
81 years. Mr.. Barrows is a musician,
and for thirty years directed the choir
IN the church at Kenduskeag. During
this time he composed many pieces OF
music, principally sacred, large num-
Der of which were published in the
Moody & Sankey collection of gospel
hymns, and are familiar to hundreds of
thousands, both in America and Eu-
rope. He was in his prime, a music
teacher as well as composer of music
and poetry, and gave many enjoyable
concerts. Since residing in Spencer he
has organized and directed three "old
folks concerts and always drew large
crowds. Town hall was probably never
more densely crowded than on the oc-
casion of his last effort when it was
packed to the doors.
Oliver Ditson and Bigelow &, Main
have been the chief publishers of Mr..
BarroWs' compositions.
Nine children have been born to Mr..
and Mrs. Barrows, only two of whom
are living-George A. Barrows, now re-
siding in Norfolk, Va, and Miss AnSa
G. Barrows, residing with her parents.
The venerable couple have seen much
affliction since they resided in Spencer,
in the loss of their children, and both
have several times been considered very
near their end in severe illness, but
they have borne their reverses with
Christian fortitude and faith. The fol-
lowing composition is characteristic OF
to the Spy reporter by Miss Anna G.
Barrows, as he called at the family res
idence, Tuesday afternoon:
OUR GOLDEN WEDDING.
Jan. A. 1S4S. Jan. 4, 1898.
To my wife:
Full fifty years we've climbed Hfe's hill
together
And shared the toll in storm and sunny
weather.
We found some joys as scattered on the
Like CLEANS of sunshine on a cloudy
day;
We've felt life's sorrows like great
shadows come,
To shroud our hearts and hopes in deep
est gloom.
The world was dark; the way we could
not tell.
We took Gods hand-IIe leads and al
is we'll.
And now the evening time is coming
fast,
Wen firmly hold His hand down to the
And when these dearest ties of earth ara
We hope for purer, sweeter love il
heaven
o. R, Barrows.
Many friends called informally to Offer
congratulations and leave tokens Of re-
gard. Among other things was purse
of $50 in gold.
HEAVY YEARS BUSINESS.
The total boot shipments from Spen-
Ger depot during the calendar year 1897
was 149,09S cases, an increase Of 2,19S
cases over 1896, when the total number
was 1S6,940. Although it is difficult to
determine the output by the number OF
cases, it is likely that the increased out
put of '97 over that of '96 would amount
to over 100000 1t was formerly the
custom to place II pairs of boots in a
case, SO that in those days, when only
the ordinary grade of boots were being
manufactured, some idea of the output
could be had by the number of cases
shipped. Since the manufacture of the
finer grades of shoes has commenced, a
lease" may mean II, "a or 36 pairs of
shoes, and they may contain the most
common stoga or the finest grade, so
that it is impossible to approximate the
real value of an output by the number
of cases" shipped.
The first lecture of the Sugden free
scientific course was given at Town
Hall by Prof. Cross, Tuesday night;
SuDJEclt oOuIlQ anu eINObolAOos
OFFICERS INSTALLED.
D. D. G. NJ Austin N. Bellows and
suite went to North Brookfeld Tues
day night to install the officers of
Woodbine Lodge, I. o. o. F. Mr.. Bel
lows staff consists of G. NJ, Charles L.
Smith; G. W., George w. Squires; G. s.,
Fred G. Knowlton; G. f. S., James A.
Spencer; G. T., Albert w. Curtis; G. G.,
Edward u Walker. A collation. was
served after the work of the even
ing.
MANY NEWS NOTES.
Mrs A. G. Pease has invited her Sun
day school class consisting of ten lads
from IL to IA years of age, to her resi-
dence, AS Cherry street, to enjoy an af-
ternoon entertainment at tea, Saturday.
William H. Prouty of Prouty Bros,
boot and shoe manufacturers, left Tues
day morning for six weeks business
trip through the south and west. Prouty
Bros closed up their '97 business Mon
day.
Emory f. Sibley of Bacon g. Sibley,
shoe manufacturers, started on his an