Joseph Willard Jr Joseph Willard Jr. was born in Lancaster (now Harvard) in the Henry Willard house [259 Still River Rd.] Henry Willard house M2y 17, 1728. He married Elizabeth Hapgood Feb. 14, 1753. Their residence was at 15 Slough Rd was on the very height of land on the Turnpike road, about a half a mile from the middle of Harvard. He united himself to the church Dec. 16, 1753. Mr. Willard was a conscientious and earnest peacemaker; ever doing all that he could to reconcile differences and produce harmony all about him. So marked was his angelic characteristics that he was known everywhere by the soubriquet of "Smoothing Plane". History of Harvard H. S, Noyes His father Joseph Willard was a very rich man; and when the son settled on his Oak Hill house he carried with him many household conveniences than were possessed by the generality of his neighbors. They natural borrowed many of his implements from him. As naturally; they were very careless and dilatory. The good man’s patience was sorely tried. But, true to his mild nature he used mild and not harsh methods of reproof. At one time he lent a pair of steel-yards which the borrower was so unconscionable in returning, that the relaxed Smoothing-Plane went after them and relieved his irritability and administered a lesson to the borrower by taking the steel-yards in one hand and whipping them by a switch held in the other, at the same time exclaiming 'the next time you go away from comeback in season'. The mildness that characterizes every bearer of the name Willard is quite noticeable. The very able and worthy Deacon Able Jewett, of the Shaker communion, told me more of Old Smoothing-Plane than I ever heard from any other quarter. The Deacon was very much impressed by his sound sense as well as his excellent character. I think the deacon told me that Joseph Willard felt so grieved at some injustices done by the Harvard church to one of his fellow-members as to break his connections with it and unite himself with the Baptist of Still River. Joseph Willard, a sweet an honorable man, who believed ill of none and was constantly laboring as a peacemaker among quarrelsome neighbors. His title of “Smoothing Plane” is no unworthy epitaph, for he made smooth rough places in many lives. Based on an article by John B. Willard (1822-1900). Although Joseph was a peaceful man he did join the Lexington Alarm, which was a militia similar to the Minute Men, formed on March 13, 1775 as an ensign and marched to Cambridge Mass on the 19th of April 1775. The day after Paul Revere and William Dawes ride Ensign Josep Willard was was in Capt. Joseph Fairbanks Company under Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment. Battle of Lexington and Concord, MA Based on records from The Harvard Historical Soceity
Joseph Willard Jr. was born in Lancaster (now Harvard) in the Henry Willard house [259 Still River Rd.] Henry Willard house M2y 17, 1728. He married Elizabeth Hapgood Feb. 14, 1753. Their residence was at 15 Slough Rd was on the very height of land on the Turnpike road, about a half a mile from the middle of Harvard.
He united himself to the church Dec. 16, 1753.
Mr. Willard was a conscientious and earnest peacemaker; ever doing all that he could to reconcile differences and produce harmony all about him. So marked was his angelic characteristics that he was known everywhere by the soubriquet of "Smoothing Plane". History of Harvard H. S, Noyes
His father Joseph Willard was a very rich man; and when the son settled on his Oak Hill house he carried with him many household conveniences than were possessed by the generality of his neighbors. They natural borrowed many of his implements from him. As naturally; they were very careless and dilatory. The good man’s patience was sorely tried. But, true to his mild nature he used mild and not harsh methods of reproof. At one time he lent a pair of steel-yards which the borrower was so unconscionable in returning, that the relaxed Smoothing-Plane went after them and relieved his irritability and administered a lesson to the borrower by taking the steel-yards in one hand and whipping them by a switch held in the other, at the same time exclaiming 'the next time you go away from comeback in season'. The mildness that characterizes every bearer of the name Willard is quite noticeable.
The very able and worthy Deacon Able Jewett, of the Shaker communion, told me more of Old Smoothing-Plane than I ever heard from any other quarter. The Deacon was very much impressed by his sound sense as well as his excellent character. I think the deacon told me that Joseph Willard felt so grieved at some injustices done by the Harvard church to one of his fellow-members as to break his connections with it and unite himself with the Baptist of Still River.
Joseph Willard, a sweet an honorable man, who believed ill of none and was constantly laboring as a peacemaker among quarrelsome neighbors. His title of “Smoothing Plane” is no unworthy epitaph, for he made smooth rough places in many lives. Based on an article by John B. Willard (1822-1900).
Although Joseph was a peaceful man he did join the Lexington Alarm, which was a militia similar to the Minute Men, formed on March 13, 1775 as an ensign and marched to Cambridge Mass on the 19th of April 1775. The day after Paul Revere and William Dawes ride Ensign Josep Willard was was in Capt. Joseph Fairbanks Company under Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment. Battle of Lexington and Concord, MA Based on records from The Harvard Historical Soceity