admitted, that there were causes of complaint, as it is, that the course pursued to remove them was unjustifiable.

Few towns have been favored with more general health than this. The disorders, which have prevailed here to the greatest extent, have been the dysentery and the canker-rash. In 1770, twenty seven persons died here of the latter; two families lost four in each; and in 1775, the former was brought into this place from the camp, and proved fatal to numbers; and the whole number of deaths in that year was nineteen. Dr. Sumner observes, in his half century sermon, preached June 23, 1812, that "these two were the years of our greatest mortality-and that in 1790, one in fifty of our inhabitants had passed eighty years of age; of these one died in her hundred and fifth year,* and another lived to be one hundred and five years and two months oldf: they that live the longest, find an appointed time, beyond which they cannot pass." In 1821, the dysentery prevailed here again, principally among children, to an alarming degree. For a time, it proved fatal to nearly all, who were attacked with it. The number of deaths in that year, far exceeded those in any other, and amounted to forty. The following table exhibits the number of deaths in this town, in each year, for the last ten years, commencing January 1, 1816, and ending December 31,

Under 1

1825.

1816 '17 '18 '19

5

111302312--20 E

1300507002-01

110123222240-12

21

17

0 0

13 11 40

17

200

1826,

Of those living, there were, on the first day of January, one male over 90-females over that age, none-over 80 and under 90, of males 8; females 8-over 70 and under 80, of males 14; females, 15—total over 70-46. In 1810, the population of this town was 1210; in 1820-1458; if the increase has been one half as great in five years past, as it was in the ten preceeding, it amounts now to + Widow Ruth Garfield.

* Widow Mary Jones.

1

1582. The number of ratable polls is not less than three hundred and ninety.

Twenty seven of the youth of this town have received a collegiate education.

The following is a Catalogue of their names, when and where graduated, the places of their after residence, professions, &c.

* Artemas Ward, 1768, Harvard University,

Shrewsbury.

Chief Jus. C. C. Pleas, Wor

cester Co.; Maj. Gen. in the Revolution; Mem. Con. &c.f Waltham, ordained minister there,DD.

Calvin Goddard, 1786 Dartmouth Col. Norwich, Conn.

tor of other do. now resident in Shrewsbury.

Charlestown, N. H. Apothecary.

Member of Congress, and

Boston,} now Chief Jus. C. C. Pleas.

Canterbury, Minister there.

Judge of Sup. Court.
Mem. Congress, and

Minister there, now

Southborough, resident in Vermont.

Removed to Columbia, S. C. an eminent Counsellor at Law, died at Middletown, Conn.

Chelmsford, Minister there.

Shrewsbury, Counsellor at Law.

Went out Chaplain in the Macedonian, Capt. Downs, and died at Valparaiso, 1818.

Jubal Harrington, 1825, Providence College, At Law School, Northampton. William Pratt, do.

* Dead.

do.

Resident in Shrewsbury.

† A biographical sketch of the life of the Honorable Artemas Ward, accompanied with interesting revolutionary papers, &c. will be furnished hereafter.

Ordained minister.

Resident Graduate, Cambridge.

It furnished one field officer in the French war, preceeding the Revolution, and one Major General in the Revolutionary war-it has also furnished one member of the Executive Council, and one Speaker of the House of Representatives of this Commonwealth-one Judge of Probate, and two Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Worcester-one Representative to Congress, and one High Sheriff, for the county aforesaid.

There are between thirty and forty buildings in this town insured by the Worcester Mutual Fire Insurance Company, which is attracting the attention of its citizens, in proportion as they regard the truth of the old proverb, "that a penny saved is as good as a penny earned." There are in this town, five English and West India goods stores, five licensed public houses, three Gunsmiths, two Tanneries, four Blacksmiths, and a good supply of other mechanics, two Clergymen, three Physicians, and one gentleman in the profession of the Law.

Great, indeed, has been the emigration from this town for the last forty years, yet it has gradually increased in numbers and re spectability, and greatly improved in agriculture and the mechanic arts. Its present flourishing condition justifies the expectation, that it will go on," prospering and to prosper" for years long yet to come, and, as we hope and trust, till time shall be no more.

INDEX TO MR. WARD'S HISTORY OF SHREWSBURY.

Agricultural Society, 6; Agriculture, practices in, 6; Assabet, River 11; Allen, Rev. George, ordained, salary, 22; Archibald, Mr. Henry, 23; Allen, Lewis anecdote of, 31; Allen, Wilkes, graduated, 34.

Boylston, 3, error in plan of, 6; Brooks, Noah, set off, 3; Bowman's Island, 10; Bayberry Island, 10; Brooks, 11; Bummet Brook, 11; Bridge, Long Pond, construction and destruction of, 13; Burying ground, 15; Breck, his sermon, 16, letter, 27; Barrett, Mr. nomination as minister, 17; Bayley, Mr. nominated minister, 17; Buckminster, Mr. 20; Bancroft, Rev. Dr. 20; Baptist society, 22; Bullard, Samuel, 26; Baldwin, Henry, 26; Bragg, Ebenezer, account of fire, 27; Bragg, Abiel, 27; Bragg, Deacon John, 27; Bush, Jotham, 31; Bigelow, Silas graduated, 34; Brigham, David graduated, 34.

Cutler, Ebenezer set off, 3; Cultivation, 6; Coal, indications 6; Clay, 9; Canal, Blackstone 10; Common, 15; Cushing, Mr. nominated minister, settled, salary, 17; Courts, vote in relation to 30; Crawford, William, 31; Cushing, Jacob graduated, 34; Cushing, John graduated, 34; Crosby, Aaron graduated, 34; Crosby, Samuel graduated, 34; Crosby, Otis graduated, 34. Dam at the outlet of Long Pond, 11; Delegates to Provincial Congress, 30; Deaths for ten years, 33; Dodge, Ezekiel graduate, 34; Diseases, 33.

Eager, Zachariah 3; Extent of the town, 15; Engines, fire, 29. Families, set off, 3; Foster, Jonathan set off, 3; Face of the town, 6; Forest trees, 6; Fishes, improvement of breeds, 8, 9; Flint's pond, 10; Foster, Rev. Mr. 20; Fund, ministerial, 22; Fisk, Benjamin 31.

Grant, original 1717, 1; Grafton, families annexed to, 3; Grape Island, 9; Grass Island, 9, 10; Grist mills, 12; Goulding hill, 12; Goodrich, Rev. Mr. 20; Goddard, Benjamin, 28; Gray, Harrison, 31; Garfield, Widow Ruth, 33;

Goddard, Edward, graduated, 34; Goddard, Nathan graduated, 34; Goddard, Calvin graduated, 34.

Howe, Daniel, 2; Harvey, Z. 3; Half Moon Pond, 10; Highlands, 12; Howe, Elizabeth 16; Houghton, John 16; Hills, 12, Maynard, 26; Henshaw, Col. Joseph, 31; Heywood, Benjamin, graduated, 34; Hedge, Lemuel, graduated, 34; Harrington, Jubal, graduated, 35.

Indians, no disturbances from 1, 2, not mentioned in records, 2; Islands in Long Pond, 9; Ingersoll, Samuel B. 20, ordained, died, 21; Insurance, 35. Jordan Pond, 11.

Keyes, Silas, his survey, 4, 5; Keyes, John, 2, 26, 27; Keyes, Capt. John, house burnt, 27, his sons, Solomon, John, Stephen, 27; Knowlton, Capt. Thomas, 28.

Lancaster, families annexed to 3; Leg, annexed to Lancaster, 3; Long Pond, 8, islands in, 9; Little Pine Island, 9; Longevity, 33.

Minerals, 6; Manure, increasing, 7; Mills, 12; Meeting House Hill, 12; Meeting Houses, 16, 17, 22; Ministers, 17, 18, 20, 21; McGregory, Mr. Elias, 23; Maynard's, Daniel, hill, 26; Morse, Jonathan, house burnt, 28; Morse, Rev. Ebenezer, 31; Mortality, bill of, 33.

Newton, Obediah set off, 3: Newton, Edward set off, 3; Nurses Corner, 3; Newton, Samuel set off, 3; Nurse, William set off, 3; Nurse, Joseph, 26 ; Newton, Capt. Martin, 28.

Outlet of Long Pond, 10, 11.

Petition for privileges, 1727, 2; Parish, 3, 17, 21; Parish, second 3, 17; Productions, vegetable, 7; Plaister of Paris, 7; Ponds, 8; Paine, Joshua, settled, salary, declined, 17; Pews, sold, 22; Poor, thoughts on the support of, 25; Paupers, numbers, expense, sale, 24; Pounds, situation of, 26; Parker, Nehemiah graduated, 34; Parker, Frederic graduated, 34; Pratt, William graduated, 35; Population, 34.

Quinepoxet river, 3; Quinsigamond lake, 8.

Read, David 3; Ram Island, 9; Round Pond, 10; Rocky Plain, 12, 16; Rawson Hill, 12; Roads, 12, 13, 14; Restoration Society, 23; Revolutionary History, 29; Representatives, instructions to, 30; Rice, Elijah, 32.

Shrewsbury, situation, 1; boundaries, 4, 5; extent, 2, 3, 15; survey of Keyes, 4, 5; leg, 3; shoe, 3; second parish, 3; cultivation, 6; face of the town, 6; forests, 6; coal, indications of 6; productions, 7; ponds, 8; streams, 11; mills, 12; high lands, 12; roads, 12; stages, 15; meeting houses, 16, 17, 22, 23; pews sold, 22; ministers, 17, 18, 20, 21; baptist society, 22; restoration society, 23; schools, 24; poor, 24, 25; pounds, 26; fires, 26, 27, 28, 29; ergines, 29; revolution, 29, 30, 31, 32; peat, 32; part taken by inhabitants in Shay's insurrection, 32; revolutionary history, 29, 32; health and mortality, 33; graduates from colleges, 34; distinguished men, 35; population, 34; insurances, 35; emigration, 35; manufactories, 35; public houses, 35; stores, 35; mechanics, 35; Shoe, set off, 3; Survey of Silas Keyes, 1795, 4; Sherman's Island, 10; Shoemake Island, 10; Sharp Pine Island, 10; Stratton Island, 10; Sewall's Pond, 11; Sewall's Hill, 12; Sounding Hill, 12; Stages, 15; Societies, religious, 16, 17, 22, 23; Sumner, Joseph settled, 17, salary, 18, ordained, 18, notice of his life, 19, anecdote of 19, character, 20, funeral sermon, 20; Schools, grant for, districts, 24; Stone, Mr. Calvin R. fire, near, 29; Shays, his opposition, 32; Stone, Isaac graduated, 34; Stone, Benjamin graduated, 34; Sumner, Samuel graduated, 34.

Trenches for walls, 7; Turnpike, Worcester, 13; Turnpike, Holden and Rutland, 14; Taylor, William original proprietor, 16.

Vilas, Mr. Samuel W. 23; Votes in relation to the revolutionary contest, 30, 31.

West Boylston, 22; Ward, Nahum 2; Westborough, family annexed, 3; Whitney, William set off, 3; Wheelock, Daniel set off, 3; Whitney, Elijah, 3; Whipple, Rev. Edward, installed, character, died, 21; Wood, Rev. Jacob 23; Wheelock, Gershom house burnt, 26; Whitney's history, quoted, 27; Ward, Artemas Gen. 34; Ward, Artemas, Judge, 34; Ward, Andrew H. graduated, 34; Ward, Henry D. graduated, 34; Wilson, Azariah graduated, 35.

37

HISTORY OF STERLING.

HISTORY CONTINUED.

In the war with Philip, this little tribe was entirely broken up ; their Sachem Shoshanim or Sagamore Sam was taken prisoner, confined in Boston gaol, and afterwards ignominiously executed on Roxbury neck, in 1676. His possessions immediately fell into the hands of his conquerors. John Prescott appears to be the first English proprietor of the spot where the Sagamores dwelt. The island in the Pond was granted to him in 1721.* The little hillock where royalty once assumed its pageantry and its power, is now cultivated as a corn field. The ploughshare often turns up the relics of savage implements, stone axes and arrow heads, together with the bones of the former possessors. Frequently the oxen, in ploughing, suddenly sink into the concealed cemeteries of the departed brave. During the past season, the present owner, impelled by antiquarian curiosity, opened one of these gloomy recesses. At the depth of 2 or 3 feet from the surface, he came upon a flat stone, lying in a horizontal position; after raising this, two other stones, standing perpendicularly, were disclosed, at the distance of about two feet; between these was the perfect skeleton of a human being, in a sitting posture, the hands being carefully folded upon the knees. The bones were carefully removed by an intelligent surgeon of the vicinity, who will probably soon inform us whether the cranium is of an European or an Asiatic formation.

As early as 1663, the Colonial Legislature made a grant of 500 acres of land lying northwesterly of the east pond, to Francis Norton and Nicholas Davison,† for the use of the town of Charlestown. A part of this tract still retains the name of the Charlestown farm. The lines were distinctly marked, and after the new grant to Lancaster, it was reclaimed by the original granters, or persons

* See Proprietors' records.

+ These men were somewhat distinguished in the early history of the Colony. Johnson describes Norton as Captain of the Charlestown company, "of a bold and cheerful spirit, well disciplined, and an able man." 2 Hist. Coll. vii. 55. After their decease, the town of Charlestown granted the land to their widows: partition was made, and Mrs. Davison granted her share to her daughter, Mrs. Lynde, from whom it descended to her heirs, John Alford and others, among whom were some of the most distinguished families in Charlestown. In 1754, they granted it to Rev. Ephraim Bound, the minister of the second Baptist Church in Boston, Nathaniel Brown, of Charlestown, and Col. Marston, of Boston, the Proprietor of a celebrated public house, in King street, at the commencement of the Revolution.