.73 ther, as new sources of wealth and support are opening to its inhabitants from time to time. A considerable proportion of this population derives its support, directly, or indirectly, from mechanical and manufacturing establishments, in which many of them are engaged.

MANUFACTURES, TRADE, &C.-The manufactures consist chiefly of cards and woollen cloths, although the more common establishlishments for the manufacture of leather, scythes, and the like, are by no means inconsiderable. There are five Blacksmith's shops, in which from eight to twelve men are employed in the ordinary business of that trade. There are from ten to twenty persons employed in manufacturing shoes for the ordinary consumption of the inhabitants of the town. In addition to these, there are two hatter's shops, two wheelwrights, two bookbinderies, one clock and watch maker, and one cabinet and chair manufactory.

There are five tanneries, in which leather to the amount of $10,000, at least, is annually manufactured; and the amount of scythes annually made here is about $2000.

The manufacture of cloths was commenced here by Mr. Samuel Watson, in 1814, about one and an half miles east of the Meeting House, on the "Kettle Brook." His establishment was small, and the business, soon afterwards, becoming rather unproductive, he was induced to part with the possession of it, for a few years, to Mr. James Anderton, a native of Lancashire, in England, an enterprising manufacturer, who, in the year 1821, purchased the privilege now occupied by the Leicester and Saxon factories, on the French River, where a small cotton factory had been previously erected. He then made over his interest on the Kettle Brook to a countryman of his, Thomas Bottomly, who occupied the same until 1825, when, having erected a new factory a short distance below the former one, he surrendered up the former estate to Mr. Watson again, who now occupies the same. The privilege on French River proving to be a valuable one, and Mr. Anderton, from an unfavorable turn of times, being unable to occupy the whole of it profitably, a company was formed, and incorporated in 1823, called the "Leicester Manufacturing Company," to whom he disposed of his interest in the privilege, and became a member of the corporation. This company afterwards united, and was incorporated, with the Saxon Factory, in Framingham, under the style of the Saxon and Leicester Factories. This establishment, in Leicester, consists at present of three factory buildings, the largest of

which is 100 by 40 feet, and 4 stories in height, a dye house, store, eleven dwelling houses, and is now constantly increasing. About 150 persons are employed in and around the establishment, and 100 yards of Broadcloths are manufactured per day. We have been more particular in describing these establishments, although, when compared with others in the country, they may seem unimportant, because they have grown up within a short period of time, and the success which has, on the whole, attended them, so clearly illustrates, what was once a somewhat doubtful problem, the policy of encouraging our domestic manufactures. We have also another object in view; to preserve the names of those, to whose skill and enterprise the town is indebted for a part of its prosperity.

ness.

The manufacture of cotton and wool machine, and hand cards, has been carried on extensively, for a much greater length of time than that of cloths. It was commenced here about the year 1785, by Mr. Edmund Snow, and amongst those most early engaged in its prosecution, was Mr. Pliny Earle, who still carries on the busiAbout the year 1790, Mr. Samuel Slater, the venerable originator of cotton factories in the United States, and to whom the country owes so much of its wealth and prosperity, having in vain endeavored to procure suitable cards for his machinery, in the principal cities of the union, applied to Mr. Earle, for the purpose of procuring some cards of him. Machine cards had, till then, been made in the manner called by manufacturers "plain.” A part of the cards used on a machine is called "filleting," and this part it was desirable to have made, what is termed, "twilled." For this purpose, Mr. Earle was obliged to prick the whole of the filleting with two needles, inserted into a handle, in the manner of an awl. This process was extremely tedious; but Mr. Earle, at length, completed his undertaking, and furnished to Mr. Slater the cards by which the first cotton was wrought, that was spun by machinery in America. The difficulty with which he accomplished this engagement, led his attention to the invention of a machine by which to prick the leather for cards; and about the year 1797, he accomplished his desired object by inventing the machine, now in general use, for the manufacture of "twilled" cards.* Since this

*Pliny Earle is the great grandson of Ralph Earle, one of the first settlers of the town, and possesses much of the mechanical ingenuity, in addition to a great fund of general knowledge, which has seemed to characterize those of that name in this town. Mr. Thomas Earle, who recently died here, was honorably noticed by Whitney, in his history, and others of the name also deserve a notice, which our limits will not permit us to give.

invention, and other improvements in machinery, the business of manufacturing cards has regularly progressed, and it was carried to great perfection here, while many of the other manufactures were yet in their infancy. A few cards had been made in Boston, and some other places in the United States, before they were manufactured here. We believe, that the first considerable establishment ever carried on for this purpose in the country, was in this town. Our limits would not permit us, even if we were able, to trace the improvements in the machinery by the means of which this business is carried on; though we may be permitted, we hope, to mention a valuable machine for shaving, or splitting leather, invented by the late John Woodcock, of this town; by the operation of which, leather may be prepared of any thickness desired, with great facility. A patent was procured for this invention, but difficulties arose under it, and manufacturers alone have reaped the benefit of it. There are ten establishments for the manufacture of Cards here, and more than $200,000 in value are manufactured annually. In most of these establishments, the machinery is carried by hand power; but in Mr. Earle's, before mentioned, steam has been successfully employed, and in the extensive Factory of Messrs. J. & J. A. Smith, & Co. a part of the machinery is carried by water power. The business has been found lucrative and many of our wealthiest and most respectable men have been engaged in it, and not a little of the relative wealth and importance of the place can be traced to this business as its source.

There are Stores of goods connected with many of these manufacturing establishments, and there are two Stores in the village unconnected with them. Besides these, there are two small Book Stores in town, connected with the binderies which supply the ordinary wants of the people. Manufactures, especially Cards, may be considered our staple; and there is scarcely a state in the union that is not, to some extent, supplied with these from this town.

To facilitate the transaction of the business of the town, a Bank with a capital of $100,000 was chartered at the last session of the Legislature. It has not yet gone into operation, but the Directors and President of the institution were elected on the 26th April, 1826, when John Clapp, Esq of Leicester, was chosen its first President.

HIGHWAYS. The great post road from Boston to Albany passes through the centre of this town. It is one of the most travelled and important roads in the interior of New England, and was, untiĮ

within a few years, the route of the commercial Mail between Boston and New York. This road was laid out as early, if we mistake not, as 1722, it being petitioned for in that year, and the town appropriated £12 2s for their share of the expense in making it, and in 1725, were indicted at the Quarter Sessions in Middlesex, for not having a bridge over Seven Mile River, which is supposed to have been the stream now called by the same name, in the western part of Spencer. The road is called in the petition the "country road," and always bears that name when referred to in the early records of the town. When first laid out through what is now the village, it passed north of its present location, running north of the Academy, near the dwelling house of the Rev. David Parsons, the first minister of the town, which stood north west of the Academy, the cellar of which house is yet visible: Passing across the present common lands, east of the meeting house, it came into the road as it now is, west of the meeting house. Other alterations in this highway, and some of them recent, have been made for the benefit of the traveller, which we will not describe, nor should we have said thus much upon so unimportant a subject, had not the early establishment of this highway seemed to make it a subject of historical interest. In 1806, the Worcester and Stafford turnpike was laid out through the south part of this town: it is upon this, that the commercial Mail is now carried. Besides these roads, there is one running from Paxton to Charlton and Oxford, through the centre of this town and another, running from Worcester to New Braintree, through the north part. There is a large number of roads leading from this to the neighboring towns, and from one part of this to another, making, in the whole, more than sixty miles of highway, supported at the expense of the town, and kept in repair by an annual tax of, at least, $1000.

To those who only know this town in its present state, with its large and beautiful village, and the grounds around it highly culti vated and productive, it may be amusing to recur to its state in 1721, when the highway to what is now Paxton was laid out. It began by the then meeting house, at a black birch, standing by a great red oak, behind the meeting house, and close by the same, and run thence, by marked trees, through the forest then covering the region around. That forest has disappeared with the hardy race of men who first disturbed its solitudes, and it is difficult for the imagination, when gazing on the fields now waving with rich harvests, to go back to the times when the haunts of the savage and the

wild beast were here, and a cheerless wilderness alone met the eye. SCHOOLS, ACADEMY, &c.-Although the inhabitants of this town, at its first settlement, were at comparatively great expense to support the institutions of the gospel, they were not unmindful of the importance of common schools. Within ten years from the settlement of the place, if not sooner, schools were established in three parts of the town, and were kept by one teacher, who was employed at the expense of the inhabitants. About the year 1732, these schools were, for some reason, discontinued; but the Quarter Sessions with becoming, though somewhat singular vigilance, discovered this omission of duty on the part of the inhabitants, and caused them to be presented, in 1733, for their neglect. Schools, from that time, have been regularly kept; nor were they suspended, even during the struggle for our independence; although it seemed as if the last remnant of convertible property had been contributed to aid on that cause. Our ancestors. knew, that in order for their sons to retain the independence for which they were struggling, they must be enlightened and instructed. In 1733, a master of a "writing and reading school" was employed for three months, at the rate of £4 10s per month. During all this time, the schools had been kept at private houses, and, in 1736, a school house was first erected. It was 20 by 16 feet in dimensions, and stood about ten rods north of the then meeting house, which was a little south of the place where the present one stands. In 1745, schools were kept in seven different places in town, but all by one man, and £100, old tenor, was appropriated for their support. In 1750, nine men were chosen to superintend the schools and were directed "to procure a grammar school master as soon as may be." Mr. John Cobb had been the school master the preceding year, and had been allowed £125, old tenor. The schools, this year, were kept in three places at the same time, each for the term of six weeks. During this time, Spencer had been a parish of Leicester. In 1765, the town was divided into five school districts, and school houses built in each. There have been too many changes in respect to these districts, since that time, to warrant a detail of them here. At present, they are nine in number, and the whole number of scholars entitled by law to attend these schools, may be estimated at about 750. The sum annually raised for the purpose of schooling is, at present, $600, and the compensation usnally given to teachers has been from $10 to $20 per month to men, and from $4 to $7 per month to ladies.