“The writer has had full access to the proprietors’ books, and to the town records of Lunenberg and Fitchburg. Oral and written information has been furnished with the utmost cheerfulness, by all those in possession of facts worthy of note. The labors of another who has proceeded me in this department, have made my path one of comparative ease.
In 1831, Nathaniel Wood, Esq., in a series of lectures read before the lyceum of this town, gave an interesting and discriminating sketch of the events connected with its history. Many circumstances were collected and preserved by him, which would have been lost to the present writer. Unrestricted use of Mr. Wood’s papers has been generously granted to me, who otherwise would not have been encouraged to undertake the work. While then its merits, if it possesses any are mainly ascribed to another; its faults and defects are chargeable to me. [...]
If I have succeeded in impressing any with the importance of preserving the records and traditions of the early history of these towns, and if those who peruse this work, derive from it a pleasure equal to half of the labor I have spent in writing it, I shall not be without a reward.” (from Preface)
- Title: History of the Town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts; comprising also a History of Lunenberg, From its first Settlement to the year 1704
- Author: Rufus C. Torrey
- Publisher: Fitchburg Centennial Committee
- Printer: &J. Garfield
- Year: 1865
- Length: 120pp
- Dimensions: 5” x 10” x 0.5”
- Condition: Unbound and incomplete, the last seven pages, p.121-128, are missing. Some of the original string provided to hold the pages together for sale (at his time monographs were commonly sold unbound) is present but loose and degraded. The top sheet/title page is mottled with water damage and significantly darkened with age and light exposure. Internal pages are generally clean, no extraneous marks or folds. The edges are tanned and brittle. The bottom right corner of the full text block is warped from water damage.