[Illustration: ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.]
The principal seat of the Indians in this vicinity was Pakachoag Hill, a
little south of where now stands the College of the Holy Cross. They
were called Nipmuck Indians, and consisted of about twenty families,
numbering about one hundred persons, under Sagamore John. Another tribe,
of about the same number, dwelt on Tatnuck Hill, under Sagamore Solomon.
John Eliot, the famous apostle to the Indians, with General Daniel
Gookins, visited these tribes in 1674; but he did not fully reclaim them
to peaceful habits, although many of them professed Christianity.
[Illustration: CHAIR MANUFACTORY OF E.W. VAILL.]
[Illustration: THE NEW CENTRAL CHURCH.]
In 1713 the inhabitants, not discouraged by their former experience, one
after another returned again to take possession of their property; and
this time they returned to stay. They were joined by others, and the
population began to increase. In 1722 Worcester was incorporated as a
town, and henceforth assumed its share of responsibility with the other
towns in adopting measures for the general welfare, and contributed its
proportion of men and supplies for the common defence. Through the
stormy period preceding the War of the Revolution, the public sentiment
of Worcester sustained the rights of the Colonies, and when, on the 19th
of April, 1773, the messenger of war, on his white horse, dashed through
the town, shouting, "To arms! to arms! the war is begun," the response
was immediate; the bell was rung, cannon fired, and the minute-men, true
to name, rallied on the Common, where they were paraded by Capt.
Pages:
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26