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West Brookfield, MA - 1660 to 1960

by J. A. Buxton

Rated: E · Essay · Biographical · #1226082

This contains the table of contents, foreword, and explanation of essay.

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

I originally wrote this essay back in 1959 when I was 17 and in my senior year at David Prouty High School. It was the final project in that year's English class. I currently present it to you here with its bad writing completely intact. Even back then, I used too many passive verbs and long, LONG sentences. It also seems that some of the rules of punctuation and grammar might have changed over the years.

The only recent changes I’ve made are to incorporate footnotes into the body of the essay and to create images to replace old postcards and photographs. I also didn’t include the six pages of outline required for the project. This essay might have received an A+ instead of just an A if we had online and computers back then. Can you imagine having to type this on an old black Royal typewriter with no spellchecker?

Do English teachers still assign such complex projects in high school?

Any corrections in style, format, spelling, or punctuation that you have are decades too late, so just let them pass.

In other words, sit back and try to enjoy this small bit of New England history.

FOREWORD TO ESSAY

This is an essay about the town of West Brookfield, its beginning as the town of Quaboag, its incorporation as the town of Brookfield in 1673, the effects of the King Philip’s War during the year of 1675, its final incorporation as the town of West Brookfield in 1848, and finally what the town is like in the present day. This essay also describes the town, its businesses both then and now, and the main points of interest in this small but beautiful town.

Quaboag in the Indian language meant “red pond” because of the red clay that formed the bottom and shores of the ponds in the area. Wickaboag in the Indian language was first spelled “wekapauke” and meant “at the end of the pond,” describing the place, not the water.

J. A. Buxton

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter I - Indian History of Quaboag