James Brazer’s house was built on the site of one burnt down during the winter season a year or two previously.  There was no fire-engine then in town, and the neighbors had to fight the flames, as best they could, with snow as well as water.  At that time Loammi Baldwin, Jr., a graduate of Harvard College in the class of 1800, was a law-student in Timothy Bigelow’s office.  He had a natural taste for mechanics; and he was so impressed with the need of an engine that with his own hands he constructed the first one the town ever had.  This identical machine, now known as Torrent, No.  I, is still serviceable after a use of more than eighty years, and will throw a stream of water over the highest roof in the village.  It was made in Jonathan Loring’s shop, then opposite to Mr. Boynton’s blacksmith shop, where the iron work was done.  The tub is of copper, and bears the date of 1802.  Mr. Baldwin, soon after this time, gave up the profession of law, and became, like his father, a distinguished civil engineer.

The brick store, opposite to the High School, was built about the year 1836, by Henry Woods, for his own place of business, and afterward kept by him and George S. Boutwell, the style of the firm being Woods and Boutwell.  Mr. Woods died on January 12, 1841; and he was succeeded by his surviving partner, who carried on the store for a long time, even while holding the highest executive position in the State.  The post-office was in this building during the years 1839 and 1840.  For the past twenty-five years it has been occupied by various firms, and now is kept by D.H.  Shattuck and Company.

During the last war with England, Eliphalet Wheeler had a store where Miss Betsey Capell, in more modern times, kept a haberdasher’s shop.  It is situated opposite to the Common, and now used as a dwelling-house.  She was the daughter of John Capell, who owned the sawmill and gristmill, which formerly stood near the present site of the Tileston and Hollingsworth paper-mills, on the Great Road, north of the village.  Afterward Wheeler and his brother, Abner, took Major Thomas Gardner’s store, where he was followed by Park and Woods, Park and Potter, Potter and Gerrish, and lastly by Charles Gerrish, who has kept it for more than thirty years.  It is said that this building will soon give way to modern improvements.

Near the beginning of the present century there were three military companies in town; the Artillery company, commanded at one time by Captain James Lewis; the North company by Captain Jonas Gilson; and the South company by Captain Abel Tarbell.  Two of these officers were soon promoted in the regimental service:  Captain Tarbell to a colonelcy, and Captain Lewis to a majorate.  Captain Gilson resigned, and was succeeded by Captain Noah Shattuck.  They had their Spring and fall training-days, when they drilled as a battalion on the Common,—­there were no trees there, then,—­and marched through the village.  They formed a very respectable command, and sometimes would be drawn up before Esquire Brazer’s store, and at other times before Major Gardner’s, to be treated with toddy, which was then considered a harmless drink.