Historical Collections, by John Warner Barber

596

PETERSHAM.

porated as a district by an act of the general court, by the name of Paxton, in 1765. The first settlements were made within its limits a few years after the settlement of Rutland and Leiceste,r which was about 1720. It is certain that before 1745 there were several families in the place, and some considerable improvements made.

Among the early settlers were Josiah Livermore and his brother, Jason Livermore, and Abijah Bemis, from Weston. Near them were also William Thomson and one or two of his sons. The settlement of the town was never interrupted by Indian depredations, or by any other calamity, but gradually progressed till all the land was taken up. It is believed that this town was never constituted such by any direct legislative act; it, however, assumed full town privileges some time in the year 1776, when Mr. Abraham Smith was sent representative to the general court.

At the first meeting after the organization of the district, holden on the first of April, 1765, a vote passed to build a meeting-house, which was accordingly erected the same year. Rev. Silas Biglow was ordained their first pastor. October 21, 1767. He continued but little more than two years in the office, being removed by death, Nov. 16, 1769, and was succeeded the next year by Rev. Alexander Thayer. The next minister was Rev. John Foster, who was ordained in 1785; his successor was Rev. Daniel Grosvenor, who was installed in 1794. The next pastor, Rev. Gaius Conant, was ordained in 1808, and was succeeded in 1832 by Rev. Moses Winch. Mr. Winch was succeeded by Rev. James D. Farnsworth, in 1835.

Central part of Paxton.

The above is a southern view of the Congregational church in the central part of Paxton. This town is hilly, consisting of large swells of land, which on their summits are so levelled as to appear like plains, the acclivity in many instances being so slight and gradual as hardly to be perceived for a considerable extent on their tops. The two highest hills in the town are Turkey Hill and Asnebumskit Hill. From the top of the last-mentioned hill, in a clear day, the prospect is very extensive and delightful. Population, 619. Distance, 7 miles from Worcester, and 47 from Boston. In 1837, there were manufactured in this town 24,200 pairs of boots; value, $48,430; males employed, 53, females, 9.

PETERSHAM.

THIS was an original grant made by the general court, in 1732, to John Bennet, Jeremiah Purley, and others, as a compensation