each district managed and paid for its own house and schooling.

The following persons are known to have entered college from Shirley, viz., Nicholas Bowes Whitney, John Dwight, Daniel Parker, Leonard M. Parker, Rufus Longley, John Spalding, James O. Parker, John Dwight, Thomas Edwin Whitney and John Edgarton.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Soil-Productions-Streams of Water-Manufactures-Provision for Paupers.

SHIRLEY contains a variety of soil, common to this part of the country. Moderately elevated hills, vales, intervales, plains, and bog or peat meadows are interspersed, all under proper cultivation, capable of yielding abundant harvests to reward the laborer's toil. A large portion of the inhabitants subsist by industriously availing themselves of these natural advantages. Indian corn, rye, barley, oats, potatoes, hops, hay and garden vegetables are the common products of the farms.

Streams of water and eligible sites for mills, of various kinds, abound in Shirley. Nashua river lies partly in the territory, and forms the easterly boundary of the town for a considerable distance. Squannacook river forms the northeastern boundary of the town from Townsend line to its junction with the Nashua. Mulpus brook, (said to have had its name from a Frenchman in Lunenburg by the name of Mulipus,) rises in Lunenburg and flows into the Nashua, a little above the mouth of the Squannacook. Catacoonamug brook, or river, rises also in Lunenburg, consisting of two small streams, which unite in the south part of Shirley, and it falls into the Nashua near the southeast corner of the town.

On the Nashua river, within the bounds of Shirley,

there is but one mill seat. This has long been occupied by a grist-mill, saw-mill, and paper-mill. Having in no season any lack of water, and the Fitchburg railroad passing by its side, this is a valuable privilege, capable of much enlargement in business; owned and improved at present by Mr. Eli Page.

The Squannacook being the boundary line between Shirley and Groton, has several valuable mill sites; but hitherto the improvements of them have been upon the Groton side.

Mulpus, to within about half a mile of its mouth, is comparatively a dead stream, affording no advantages for mills; thence is a continued fall to the Nashua, interrupted only by the many dams erected to make use of the water in its descent. First, it drives the wheels of the cardingmanufactory and fulling-mill of Mr. James Wilson; next, the saw-mill, shingle-mill, bark-mill, and grist-mill, of Mr. Jonathan Kilburn; then, the waggon and wheel works of Harvey, Woods & Co.; and, lastly, another saw-mill, now owned by Mr. Jonathan Kilburn.

But on the Catacoonamug, in the south part of the town, are by far the most extensive and most valuable manufacturing establishments. First, a waterfall, in the northerly branch, near the line of Lunenburg, occupied by a saw-mill and shingle-mill, and preparations for a paper-mill are being made, is owned by Mr. Samuel Hazen. A similar privilege on the southerly branch, just above the union of the two, is occupied by a cotton. factory, owned by Mr. Hiram Longley. Another privilege, just below the junction of the two branches, had, a few years since, a batting-mill thereon, which has been destroyed by fire. Below this stands a paper-mill, wherein paper is manufactured with great rapidity, under the modern improvements in that branch of manufacture. Farther down stream are a saw-mill and grist-mill, owned by Mr. Thomas Hazen; a cotton factory, with 864

spindles, owned by Mr. John Smith, of Barre. Still lower down is the Fredonia manufactory, of 1,500 spindles, owned by Major Israel Longley & Co., where are made 400,000 yards of cloth annually.

As the Fitchburg railroad passes directly through this already flourishing village, offering a passage of only about two hours to Boston, three times a-day, it seems to promise to be a permanent place of much business.

Shirley, as most other towns have done, has provided a farm and comfortable buildings, at which to support such as are unable to provide for themselves the necessaries of life. Until 1837, paupers were distributed amongst such inhabitants as would provide for them at the lowest rate; a practice in many other towns. In that year, the town purchased a farm stock and farming tools, at an expense of about $3,700, at which this unfortunate class of persons have since been comfortably fed, clothed, and lodged.