WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS

ILLUSTRATED BOOKLET with COLORED MAP

The early days of Worcester County, MA, and its various towns and townships, are recalled through a mixture of colorful tales and factual data in this NEW 125 Page Booklet, reprinted primarily from two hard-to-find books: the 1839 edition of Historical Collections of Massachusetts by John Warner Barber, and Massachusetts, a Guide to its Places and People, a WPA project. The spiral-bound booklet, sold exclusively on eBay, is printed one-sided on 60# paper, with the print enlarged for easier reading. Clear vinyl sheets have been added to protect the covers.

INSERTED IN THE BOOKLET is a color copy of the 1939 Map of Massachusetts. Originally published by Dorr.Howland & Co. to accompany the Barber book, the reprint is on a parchment-like paper to simulate the original and could be removed and trimmed for framing, if desired.

The communities mentioned include: Ashburnham, Athol, Auburn, Baldwinsville, Barre, Barre Plains, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Dana, Douglas (Douglass), Dudley, East Brookfield, East Village, Fitchburg, Gardner, Grafton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Mendon, Millbury, Milford, Millville, New Braintree, New Salem, Northborough, Northbridge, North Brookfield, Oakham, (Oakam), Old Furnace, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Quinapoxet, Royalston, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Stoneville, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, West Brookfield, West Boylston, Westborough, Westminster, White Valley, Winchendon, Winchendon Springs, and Worcester.

The Barber history covers the development of this area until about 1839, while excerpts from the WPA book, give a nostalgic glimpse from a 1940 vantage point, including interesting historical notes, especially as they relate to sightseeing possibilities

Among the many and diverse subjects in the booklet are: Early Settlers and their Hardships; Development of Early Churches; Religious Instruction of Indians; Tombstone Inscriptions; Queen Anne's War and how a Dog saves the Day; House Burnings and Massacres; a One-Man Indian Battle, and other Indian Encounters; a Collection of American Antiquities; Isaiah Thomas, printer; Revolutionary War Beginnings; Occurances at the time of Shay's Rebellion; the communistic Hopedale Fraternal Community; the Con-Sociate Family (a experimental non-exploitation society started by the father of Louisa May Alcott); Shaker House; and Dr. William Morton, who experimented with ether. You'll also find bits of history and trivia about 'Grizzly' Adams, the Boston rocker, dishwashing in Gardner, a one-earred counterfeiter, a Christian horse, the Red Rose potato, etc., etc. Individual tours of Worcester and Fitchburg are included in the WPA section.

The booklet has no index, but surnames mentioned in the 1839 section include:

AYRES, APPLETON, ALLEN, AUSTIN, ALBRO, AVERY, ATHERTON, ADAMS, ALDRICH, ABBOTT, ALBEE, ALEXANDER, BOND, BURDETT, BURDITT, BRIGHAM, BALLOU, BAILEY, BUNKLEY, BACHELER, BACHELDER, BATCHELLER, BABCOCK, BLACKWELL, BECKWITH, BONDETT, BAXTER, BALDWIN, BUCKMINSTER, BURR, BARNES, BATES, BULL, BATTIS, BLOSS, BARTLET, BIXBY, BARBOUR, BEMIS, BOARDMAN, BEACH, BERRY, BATTLES, BROWN, BRIDGEBOLTER, BENTLEY, BACKINGHAM, BREEK, BEEMAN, BEAMAN, BALL, BONDINOT, BOUTELLE, BANCROFT, BARTLETT, BOWMAN, BARTON, BASCOM, BEAUDOIN, BRIGHAM, BURT, BASCOM, BEAUDOIN, BRIGHAM, BLANCHARD, BENNET, BARDWELL, BRAGG, BIGLOW, BICK, CONANT, CUSHING, CLARK, CLARKE, CLARY, COOK, CHICKERING, COTTON, CHENEY, COYE, COBURN, CURTISS, CAMPBELL, CALDWELL, CHADWICK, CUTLER, CONKLIN, CRAFTS, CHAPIN, CLAP, CATLIN, CROWNE, CRANE, COX, CANTE, CAEINI, CANTON, CHANDLER, CHAMBERLIN, COLLER, CARPENTER, CROSBY, CAPEN, DANSON, DANA, DUDLEY, DAVENPORT, DANFORTH, DUTTON, DRAPER, DAVIS, DENNY, DAMON, DORR, DOGGETT, DUPEN, DEMOND, DENISON, DODGE, ELIOT, ELLIOT, ERVING, EVANS, EMERY, EMERSON, EASTABROOK, EATON, FAY, FOLLET, FOOTE, FOBES, FITCH, FARLEY, FARR, FARRAR, FLINT, FRINK, FURBUSH, FARNSWORTH, FLAGG, FISKE, FROST, FOSTER, FAIRBANKS, FISH, FISHER, FRENCH, FANEUIL, FULLAM, FULLER, FRANCIS, GOULDING, GOFFE, GODDARD, GOODENOW, GILBERT, GOODYEAR, GOODRICH, GROSVENOR, GOSS, GORE, GAY, GOING, GOOKIN, GRAINGER, GREEN, GLEASON, GERMAINE, GOODRIDGE, GOODMAN, GIBSON, GURNEY, GERRY, GOODELL, GAYLORD, GARDINER, GARDNER, GAMBLIN, GRISWOLD, GOLDSBURY, HOWE, HOW, HOLT, HOOPER, HUNKINS, HUMPHREY, HIXTON, HARDING, HASBER, HORTON, HOLBROOK, HAPGOOD, HUTCHINSON, HILDRETH, HOWARD, HAYWORD, HAYNES, HUNT, HOLCOMB, HALE, HALL, HODGKINS, HENDERSON, HINES, HOLDEN, HOUGHTON, HAUGHTON, HAWS, HARRINTON, HUBBARD, HAREMAN, HASTINGS, HANSON, HERRICK, HULL, HOVER, HAGBOURN, HUDSON, HOODLEY, HENCHMAN, INGERSOLL, JONES, JAMES, JAQUITT, JEANSON, JENNINGS, JUDSON, JOHNSON, HOSLYN, JACOBS, KELLOGG, KIMBALL, KNIGHT, KEITH, KING, KERLEY, KITTEREDGE, KITTREDGE, KEYES, LEONARD, LAMSON, LAWRENCE, LARNED, LAPHAM, LEACH, LINCOLN, LOVELL, LAMB, LINTON, LEWIS, LOVETT, LUSHER, LEE, LANE, LIVERMORE, LONG, MALTBY, MERRIAM, MARRETT, MURDOCK, MOULTON, MAYO, MILLS, MAILLET, MONTEL, MARTYN, MONIS, MANN, MARTIN, MacCARTY, MacINTOSH, McGREGORY, McKINSTRY, McDONALD, MATHER, MOOR, MUENSCHER, MAGUS, MORTON, MILES, MILLER, MOQUA, MARSHALL, MELLEN, MASON, MARKS, MARSH, MORSE, MOORE, NASH, NOYES, NEWHALL, NEALAND, NELSON, NASSOWANNO, OTIS, OAKES, OSBORNE, OSGOOD, PRESCOTT, PAINE, POPE, PAGE, PILSBURY, PRENTICE, PRINCE, PERKINS, PENNIMAN, PUFFER, POND, PARK, PARKE, PARKER, PARKMAN, PARSONS, PHELPS, PURLEY, PRICHARD, PACKARD, PHILLIPS, PRATT, PEARSON, POOLE, POST, PIERCE, PHINNEY, PAYSON, PUTNAM, PLUMLEY, PRESCOTT, PLUMLEY, PEABODY, READ, ROCKET, ROWLANDSON, ROCKWOOD, RICE, RUSSELL, RUGGLES, ROBINSON, ROBBINS, RUGG, ROYAL, ROBERTS, ROGERS, ROWSON, STEBBINS, SUMNER, SANFORD, SABIN, STEVENS, SPAULDING, SERGEANT, SCOTT, SNELL, STEWARD, STEARNS, SMITH, SIGOURNEY, SPAFFORD, SELKIRK, SNOW, SKINNER, SEARLE, SPARHAWK, SEECOMB, STIMPSON, SAWYER, STORRS, SALISBURY, STONE, STAPLES, SHAW, SWEET, SLATER, SCAMMELL, SCAMMEL, STRICKLAND, SEGOURNE, TEMPLE, TYLER, TAYLOR, TILESTON, TRACY, TORREY, THOMAS, THOMPSON, THOMSON, TOMBLIN, TWICHELL, TRASK, THAYER, TYNG, TOWN, TUPPER, TOMLINSON, TUCKER, TILLOTSON, THAYER, WELLINGTON, WELLMAN, WHITMAN, WARREN, WOODLAND, WHITING, WHITCOMB, WATRS, WESSON, WOODBRIDGE, WELD, WHIPPLE, WOLCOTT, WINCH, WITHRINGTON, WINCHESTER, WALLINGFORD, WHITE, WITT, WALLEY, WARD, WALCUT, WRIGHT, WILMAN, WARNER, WHEELER, WOODRUFF, WILLARD, WOOLCOT, WILLIAMS, WOOD, WHITNEY, WHITTEMORE, WILDER, WEBB, WALKER, WARES, WORCHESTER, WILD, and YOUNG.

And this is just the first part of the booklet. Many famous and not-so-famous names are "dropped" along the way as you travel the county with the WPA writers.

ILLUSTRATIONS include Athol; Barre; Bolton; Congregational Church, Brookfield; Charlton; Dudley; Fitchburg; Grafton; Holdon; Hubbardston; Lancaster; Leicester; Leominster; Mendon; Millbury; Milford; North Brookfield; Site of French Fort, Oxford; Paxton; Wachusett Mountains; Public Buildings in Ruthland; Congregational Church in Shewsbury; Southbridge; Spencer; Sturbridge; Congregational Church, Sutton; Templeton; Upton; Uxbridge; Warren; Webster; Mr. Whitney's House in Westborough; West Boylston; Main St. in Worcester (full page); North Entrance to Worcester; Antiquarian Hall; and the State Lunatic Hospital. Most are about 1/3 page in size.