HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PAXTON. THE EDITORS ARE INDEBTED FOR THE MEMOIR WHICH FOLLOWS TO AN OBLIGING FRIEND, A NATIVE OF THE TOWN DESCRIBED. PAXTON is situated about eight miles northwesterly of Worcester, containing sixteen square miles.* It is bounded on the north by Rutland, on the east by Holden and Worcester, on the south by Leicester, and on the west by Spencer and a part of Rutland. The soil is generally good. Like a great part of the interior of Massachusetts, this town is hilly, consisting of large swells of land, the summits of which resemble plains more than hills; the acclivity, in many instances, being so slight and gradual as hardly to be perceived for a considerable extent on their tops. HILLS. In the northern part about a mile and a half from the centre of the town, Turkey Hill commences. It is said that it took its name from the numbers of these birds formerly found upon it. This hill is more than a mile in length from north to south, and from half a mile to three quarters in width from east to west. The soil, particularly on the eastern and northern parts, is somewhat argillaceous, wet and cold. It however affords good pasturage, to which it is principally devoted. In the easterly part of the town is Hasnebumskitt Hill which is *Rev. Mr. Whitney in his history of this town has fallen into several errors as to its boundaries. He says "it is bounded on the north by Rutland; on the east by Holden; on the south by Leicester and Spencer; and on the west by Oakham and Rutland." Now the nearest point of Oakham to Paxton is, at least, two miles-and the towns are separated by part of Rutland and Spencer. The southwest corner of Paxton and the northwest corner of Leicester meet in the same point, in the eastern line of Spencer, which, at that point and for more than a mile on each side of it, is very nearly, if not quite, a right line, running almost exactly north and south. At the time Whitney wrote, Paxton was boundedn the east as stated by him; but on the 13th of February A. D. 1804, John Davis, Ebenezer Boynton, Nathan Harrington, Samuel Harrington, Micah Harrington and Ephraim Harrington, by an act of the Legislature, were set off from Holden and annexed to Paxton, and in consequence of this, the southeast corner of Paxton was extended so as to join upon Worcester for a short distance. There are some other trifling mistakes in the above mentioned history, which will be pointed out in the course of this sketch. This name is spelled in some old Deeds, Hasnebumskeat, and Hasnebumskeag; Harsonobumskit is found in one from Ephraim May, to Reuben Swan; Asnebumskit according to Whitney. The inhabitants generally call this hill, and the pond that lies near it, "Bumskit," which is acknowledged by all who know any thing of its proper pronunciation, to be a corruption. The orthography of this word used in this sketch, has been adopted upon the authority of some ancient writings, and the pronunciation used by those who have been taught by some of the first settlers of the hill. nearly two miles long and about the same width, and, except Wachusett, is the highest land in the county. The ascent from the eastern part, which lies in Holden, is much steeper than on the west, and when viewed from the valley between this and Stonehouse hill in Holden, it has a grand and mountainous appearance. From the top of this hill, in a clear and favorable day, the prospect is very extensive and delightful, and not less than twenty five churches may be seen without the aid of a telescope. The soil, in some parts is fertile, producing fine crops of grass, potatoes, indian corn and other grain. Much of it is devoted to pasturage, and some is still covered with wood. Although the surface is generally not rocky, yet there is reason to believe that the hill contains an immense mass of a species of granite, in which have been discovered small parcels of plumbago, or black lead. In many places this rock approaches to within a few inches of the surface; in others it is covered by earth to the depth of many feet. Sufficient examination has never been made to ascertain whether or not this stone might be quarried out for building stone, &c. to good advantage. During the summer months it not unfrequently happens that the summit, and sometimes a great part of this hill is enveloped in fog and mist, in the morning and evening, more frequently than the neighboring heights, which is generally thought to be indicative of rain. But the neighboring farmers do not place quite so much dependence on this sign as is intimated by the Rev. Mr. Whitney. Just east of the meeting house is another large hill, but, is not designated by any particular name. The prospect from this hill is very extensive, commanding a view of the adjoining towns, the highlands in New Hampshire and Vermont, and in the western parts of this state. The grand Monadnock, Wachusett Hill, and Hoosac mountain may be very distinctly seen in a clear day from this hill. STREAMS, PONDS, &c.-There are but two natural ponds in Paxton. Turkey Hill Pond is one of these and lies on the west of that hill. It is about half a mile in diameter; a great part of it has a muddy bottom, and the water, though rather shoal, has a black, disagreeable appearance. The fish, of which there is a good supply, are of a darker hue and less delicious flavor than those taken from most other waters in the vicinity. There is an outlet at the southern part, the channel of which has been enlarged and deepened, and a dam and gate constructed upon it, for the conven HISTORICAL SKETCH OF PAXTON. THE EDITORS ARE INDEBTED FOR THE MEMOIR WHICH FOLLOWS TO AN OBLIGING FRIEND, A NATIVE OF THE TOWN DESCRIBED. PAXTON is situated about eight miles northwesterly of Worcester, containing sixteen square miles.* It is bounded on the north by Rutland, on the east by Holden and Worcester, on the south by Leicester, and on the west by Spencer and a part of Rutland. The soil is generally good. Like a great part of the interior of Massachusetts, this town is hilly, consisting of large swells of land, the summits of which resemble plains more than hills; the acclivity, in many instances, being so slight and gradual as hardly to be perceived for a considerable extent on their tops. HILLS. In the northern part about a mile and a half from the centre of the town, Turkey Hill commences. It is said that it took its name from the numbers of these birds formerly found upon it. This hill is more than a mile in length from north to south, and from half a mile to three quarters in width from east to west. The soil, particularly on the eastern and northern parts, is somewhat argillaceous, wet and cold. It however affords good pasturage, to which it is principally devoted. In the easterly part of the town is Hasnebumskitt Hill which is * Rev. Mr. Whitney in his history of this town has fallen into several erFors as to its boundaries. He says "it is bounded on the north by Rutland; on the east by Holden; on the south by Leicester and Spencer; and on the west by Oakham and Rutland." Now the nearest point of Oakham to Paxton is, at least, two miles-and the towns are separated by part of Rutland and Spencer. The southwest corner of Paxton and the northwest corner of Leicester meet in the same point, in the eastern line of Spencer, which, at that point and for more than a mile on each side of it, is very nearly, if not quite, a right line, running almost exactly north and south. At the time Whitney wrote, Paxton was bounded n the east as stated by him; but on the 13th of February A. D. 1804, John Davis, Ebenezer Boynton, Nathan Harrington, Samuel Harrington, Micah Harrington and Ephraim Harrington, by an act of the Legislature, were set off from Holden and annexed to Paxton, and in consequence of this, the southeast corner of Paxton was extended so as to join upon Worcester for a short distance. There are some other trifling mistakes in the above mentioned history, which will be pointed out in the course of this sketch. + This name is spelled in some old Deeds, Hasnebumskeat, and Hasnebumskeag; Harsonobumskit is found in one from Ephraim May, to Reuben Swan; Asnebumskit according to Whitney. The inhabitants generally call this hill, and the pond that lies near it, "Bumskit," which is acknowledged by all who know any thing of its proper pronunciation, to be a corruption. The orthography of this word used in this sketch, has been adopted upon the authority of some ancient writings, and the pronunciation used by those who have been taught by some of the first settlers of the hill. nearly two miles long and about the same width, and, except Wachusett, is the highest land in the county. The ascent from the eastern part, which lies in Holden, is much steeper than on the west, and when viewed from the valley between this and Stonehouse hill in Holden, it has a grand and mountainous appearance. From the top of this hill, in a clear and favorable day, the prospect is very extensive and delightful, and not less than twenty five churches may be seen without the aid of a telescope. The soil, in some parts is fertile, producing fine crops of grass, potatoes, indian corn and other grain. Much of it is devoted to pasturage, and some is still covered with wood. Although the surface is generally not rocky, yet there is reason to believe that the hill contains an immense mass of a species of granite, in which have been discovered small parcels of plumbago, or black lead. In many places this rock approaches to within a few inches of the surface; in others it is covered by earth to the depth of many feet. Sufficient examination has never been made to ascertain whether or not this stone might be quarried out for building stone, &c. to good advantage. During the summer months it not unfrequently happens that the summit, and sometimes a great part of this hill is enveloped in fog and mist, in the morning and evening, more frequently than the neighboring heights, which is generally thought to be indicative of rain. But the neighboring farmers do not place quite so much dependence on this sign as is intimated by the Rev. Mr. Whitney. Just east of the meeting house is another large hill, but, is not designated by any particular name. The prospect from this hill is very extensive, commanding a view of the adjoining towns, the highlands in New Hampshire and Vermont, and in the western. parts of this state. The grand Monadnock, Wachusett Hill, and Hoosac mountain may be very distinctly seen in a clear day from this hill. STREAMS, PONDS, &c.-There are but two natural ponds in Paxton. Turkey Hill Pond is one of these and lies on the west of that hill. It is about half a mile in diameter; a great part of it has a muddy bottom, and the water, though rather shoal, has a black, disagreeable appearance. The fish, of which there is a good supply, are of a darker hue and less delicious flavor than those taken from most other waters in the vicinity. There is an outlet at the southern part, the channel of which has been enlarged and deepened, and a dam and gate constructed upon it, for the conven30 VOL. II. ience of mills below. This stream sometimes called Jennison's brook, runs about south-southwest, nearly two miles in Paxton, then enters the town of Spencer, and after being joined by several others, unites with the Chickapee. There are three other small streams which empty into the above; two join it in Paxton, the other just within the bounds of Spencer. One of these rises in the southwesterly part of Rutland, passes into Paxton and empties into Jennison's brook in the meadow below Jennison's mills. Another rises in a small swamp about a mile southeast of the meeting house, runs a northwesterly direction and empties into the above, in what is called Howe's meadow. The third proceeds from two springs in the southwest corner of the town, runs a northwesterly direction through what is called "the great swamp," when it takes the name of "Toby," or more properly, "Tobias's brook," and empties into Jennison's brook in the edge of Spencer. The other pond lies in the northeasterly part of the town a little northwardly of Hasnebumskit Hill and bears the same name. This is a smaller, though handsomer pond than that of Turkey Hill. The surface of the former is several feet higher than that of the latter. A considerable stream flows from the northern part, which runs in a northerly direction until it enters Holden, thence it inclines more to the east and finally empties into the Quine poxet in that town, which is a branch of the Nashua river. A few rods south of Hasnebumskit pond and west of the hill is the source of a stream called "Arnold's brook," which runs in a southwesterly direction into Leicester and is the most northerly branch of the Blackstone river. Another considerable brook rises in some low grounds in the southwesterly part of the town, passes through the northwest corner of Leicester, where uniting with the outlet from "West," or "Shaw's pond," it passes into Spencer and unites with the stream from Turkey Hill. Three of the above water courses have mills erected upon them in Paxton. On Jennison's brook, are two grist mills, one saw mill, and a triphammer shop. These are situated very near together, and the water from the first is successively used by allthe others. The fall is great, and the supply of water generally sufficient, and is, in fine, a valuable site. There is a very good mill privilege on the outlet of Hasnebumskit pond. Here are, likewise, two, if not three grist mills, at which much business during a part of the year, is done. On Ar |