been known to fame, it is also true that fewer have been known to infamy. As it is of familiar every-day incident, mainly, that the fabric of life is formed, we therefore claim an equality with common people.
Without doubt there may be found some mistakes in connection with the family register: this part of the work has been the most laborious and difficult to the writer. To those who have aided us in collecting these materials we render our sincere and hearty thanks.
If the register of any family is omitted residing in town previous to the year 1800, it is because it could not be gathered from any accessible sources of information.
Abbreviations.—Dau. for daughter, m. for married, ch. for children, ae. for age, and d. for died.
Early Settlers.
Bickford, Capt. William, from Beading, bought a tract of land on the great road to Royalston: he put up a saw and grist-mill,—the first that were built in Gardner,—where E. C. J. & O. A. Travers' chair-shop now stands. He was instrumental in building up the town; was chosen Captain of the first Militia company formed here. He served a period in the French war at Nova Scotia, and would have been a
