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This Old Town
Welcome 2018
With the arrival of the New Year, 2018, a look back at Medfield’s previously centennial years of 1718, 1818 and 1918:
1718
In 1718, Medfield was still recovering from the loss of more than half its territory when Medway in 1713 (which at the time also included what is today Millis) broke away from Medfield and became its own town. To make up for this great loss of land, Medfield town meeting voted to petition the state legislature to grant Medfield some “county” lands to compensate for this loss. The state agreed to the town’s petition and awarded the town territory in Worcester County, which became known as New Medfield. Medfield residents were given free land grants here and many moved out “west” to settle. In 1738, New Medfield would be incorporated as an official town but renamed “Sturbridge.”
Selectmen offered residents six pence per snake for each rattlesnake they could kill within town bounds. For proof of the killing, residents had to bring the dead rattlesnake’s tail to the town treasurer to receive their pay.
For the first time in town history, town meeting voted funds to keep school at three parts of the town. This was the first step towards the establishment of a North and South School, in addition to the school in the center part of town. Previous to this, the school had been kept at the center for the whole town. Those in the northern and southern parts of town had to walk the distance to the center school, then located on North Street at the site of today’s Nosh and Grog restaurant.
1818
The first Sunday-School in Medfield was formed, made up from children from the Baptist and First Parish Churches. Some 124 children met in the Centre School. Each church furnished its own teachers, and they occupied opposite sides of the school-room. Students had to learn portions of scripture to memory and had to be able to repeat them. At certain times during the year, all the pupils were gathered at the First Parish Meetinghouse and examined. The five town selectmen were present to make sure the students knew their required scriptures.
Willard Onion was appointed postmaster. He kept the post office in his store, a small one-story building, which stood on the corner of Main and South Streets (site of Lords - today’s Brother’s Marketplace). Upon a post in this store, pieces of tape were tacked diagonally, into which letters to be delivered were stuck.
1918
Medfield and the rest of the nation were in the mist of World War I. The first Medfield death related to the war occurred on March 6, 1918, when William Beckwith, age 18, died at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, of appendicitis. His death was followed by that of his brother, Wesley Beckwith, age 17, who was drowned on October 6, 1918, when the British transport Ontario and transport Kashmir collided in the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland. John Earle Kerr, 14th Engineers, A.E.F became the first Medfield man killed in action during the war. He was killed September 16, 1918 by enemy shell fire while on detached service at Chery Chartreuves, France. Also dying in 1918 during the war from Medfield were Silas Arsenault, Arthur Cleversee, Ralph Leighton, Herbert Paine and Harrison Ryan.
Throughout 1918, because of the war, Medfield’s two factories, the American Steam Packing Company and the E.V. Mitchell Hat Factory, observed each Monday as a holiday during the winter to conserve as much coal as possible. School sessions were also reduced during the winter to 9:00 – 1:00 daily. Medfield showed its patriotic fervor by surpassing its quotas on each of the five Liberty Loan drives.
American success on the Marne River in northeastern France was celebrated in Medfield by the blowing of the fire whistle at the E.V. Mitchell Hat Factory and the ringing of all church bells for one hour. The street lights were turned on and most of the town took part in the afternoon demonstration. A parade was formed and marched throughout the town. A fire was lit and the Kaiser was burned in effigy. When the Armistice was signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918, Medfield again celebrated with the blowing of the fire whistle and the ringing of the church bells. Town schools and all stores were closed. In the evening a large display of fireworks and a victory dance was held in town hall.
The year 1918 also saw Medfield, the rest of the nation, and much of the world hit by the influenza epidemic. The influenza swept around the world in several waves, killing at least 20 million people. In Medfield during the months of September and October, to keep the disease from spreading, all schools were closed and visitors were not allowed to enter Medfield State Hospital. All church services were also cancelled and the new public library was ordered closed. People were not allowed to congregate in any groups. Seventeen Medfield residents died of pneumonia/influenza during the period from the end of September to the end of October. At the State Hospital, 95 employees were stricken, five of whom died, with 380 patients contracting the disease and 55 dying. Because of the large number of patient deaths, a cemetery was established for the hospital comprising about four acres, west of the hospital grounds near the Charles River.
Also in Medfield during 1918, the 60th annual meeting of the Medfield Thief Detecting Society took place, electing Albert Clark, President. An otter, weighing 19 pounds and measuring 50 inches, was caught in a trap by Lewis Clark of South Street. The Police reported the following offenses for 1918: three - drunkenness, four - rape/assault, two -larceny, and one neglect of family. The temperature on February 5, 1918 registered at 26 degrees below zero and record cold during the winter froze many of the water mains throughout the town.
On August 20, 1918 a baby girl was born to Newell and Myra (Spofford) Leighton, named Barbara Leighton. Barbara, who will celebrate her 100th birthday this year, remains Medfield High School’s oldest alum, graduating with the MHS Class of 1936. She continues to follow town events from her Medfield home and remains a treasure trove of Medfield’s historical knowledge and lore.
