History of Stow, Massachusetts, USA

Stow, Massachusetts
Middlesex county. Stow is watered by the Assabet river, and possesses a good water power. The soil is light and sandy, and good for the growth of hops. It lies 24 miles W. by N. from Boston and S.W. by S. from Concord. Incorporated, 1683. Population, 1837, 1,134.

There are two woolen mills in the town, and manufactures of leather, boots, shoes, straw bonnets, and palm-leaf hats: total value, the year ending April 1, 1837, $231,611.

Stow was called by the Indians, Pompsiticut, and Shabbukin, which were the names of two of its hills.

It had but two male settlers at the breaking out of Philip's War, and one of these was killed, and the other, with both families, for a time fled to other settlements.

Until the incorporation, the plantation, as these unincorporated settlements were generally called, was governed by a committee of the inhabitants.

Woollen goods, shoes, and boots, are manufactured here to a considerable amount.

Distance from Concord, 8 miles; from Boston, 24.

The Indian names of this place were Pompsiticut and Shabbukin, from “two notable hills.” It appears that the first minister called to the pastoral office in this place was the Rev. John Eveleth; this was in 1700. Mr. Eveleth was dismissed in 1717. Rev. John Gardner was ordained in 1718, as the next pastor; he died in 1774, and was succeeded by Rev. Jonathan Newell the next year. Stow is 8 miles south westerly from Concord, and 24 westward from Boston. It contains 1 Congregational church and 1,134 inhabitants. The town is watered by Assabet river, on which is situated a broadcloth factory. Of late years the cultivation of hops has received considerable attention in this town. In 1837, there were in this town 2 woollen mills, 7 sets of machinery; 55,000 yards of cloth were manufactured, valued at $210,000; males employed, 40; females, 45. There were 587 pairs of boots and 61,044 pairs of shoes manufactured, valued at $18,905.50; males employed, 32; females, 30.

The first settlement...

Stow, a post-village in Middlesex co., Massachusetts, on the Lancaster and Sterling branch of the Fitchburg railroad, 27 miles W. by N. from Boston. Population of the township, 1455.

Stow is a pleasant town of 976 inhabitants, situated in the westerly section of Middlesex County, about 25 miles west of Boston by the Massachusetts Central Railroad, and 30 miles by the Marlboro Branch of the Fitchburg Railroad, both having stations at Rockbottom, in the southern part of the town. This and Stow (centre) are the post-offices; and Lower Village occupies a projecting angle on the southern side of the town.

The boundary on the north is Boxborough; on the northeast, Acton; on the east, Maynard; on the southeast, Sudbury; on the south, Hudson; on the west, Hudson and Harvard. The assessed area is 11,021 acres; the forests embracing 3,698. It is agreeably diversified by hill and valley. Spindle and Marble hills, near the centre, are prominent objects in the landscape. The principal stone is calcareous gneiss. Assabet River, flowing northeastward through the eastern section of the town, and its affluents, Assabet Brook and Heathen-meadow Brook, form its drainage system....

Stow, a post-village in Stow township, Middlesex co., Mass., on the Assabet River, about 26 miles W. by N. of Boston. It has 2 churches. The township is intersected by a branch of the Fitchburg Railroad, and has a woollen-mill and a pop. of 1022.