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History of Leicester, Massachusetts, USA

Name: Leicester, Massachusetts, USA
Address: Leicester, MA, USA

Journey back in time to Leicester, Massachusetts, USA

(Cherry Valley) (Rochdale)

Visit Leicester, Massachusetts, USA. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and genealogy.

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Leicester, Worcester, MA

Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714. The town was named after Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester.

One of the early settlers in what became the Greenville section of town was Dr. Samuel Green. Dr. Green trained many other doctors in the early 1700s. This constituted the first medical school in Massachusetts.

As early as the 1780s, Leicester's mills churned out one-third of American hand cards, which were tools for straightening fibers before spinning thread and weaving cloth.

Eli Whitney, the man who invented the cotton gin and devised the idea of interchangeable parts, went to school at Leicester Academy, which eventually became Leicester High School.
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Leicester includes: Brick City, Cherry Valley, Greenville, Mannville, and Rochdale.
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There is MUCH more to discover about Leicester, Massachusetts, USA. Read on!

1714 - Leicester is incorporated

Massachusetts City and Town Incorporation and Settlement Dates
General Henry Knox and his troops passed through here in the winter of 1775-76 with a load of 59 cannons pulled by teams of oxen.
The cannons were captured from the British at Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. They were transported from Lake Champlain to Dorchester Heights,...Read MORE...
1839 - Leicester
Leicester, Massachusetts
Worcester county. This town is on the height of ground between Boston harbor and Connecticut river. It lies 46 miles W....Read MORE...
1845 - LEICESTER. [Pop. 1,707. Inc. 1714.]
Leicester originally included Spencer, and part of Auburn and
Paxton.

During the Revolution, a society of (about 70) Jews came hither from...Read MORE...
1848 - Leicester
This township was purchased. of the Indians on the 7th of June, 1686-7, by Joshua Lamb, Richard Draper, Samuel Ruggles, and others. The natives...Read MORE...
1854 - Leicester
Leicester, a post-township of Worcester county, Massachusetts, intersected by the Western railroad, 54 miles W. by S. from Boston. The Quinnebaug and ...Read MORE...
1890 Leicester Massachusetts
Leicester lies on high land in the central part of Worcester County, 50 miles from Boston. It is bounded on the north by Paxton, on the east by...Read MORE...
1895 - Leicester
Leicester, les’ter, a post-village of Worcester co., Mass., in Leicester township, 6 miles W.S.W. of Worcester. It contains 2 or 3 churches, the...Read MORE...
Main Street
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Congregational Church, 1905
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Leicester Inn, 1907
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St. Joseph's Church
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Main St. Looking West, 1909
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Congregational Church and Common (1909)
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Leicester Academy, 1910
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Cherry Valley School, Cherry Valley, Mass.
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Leicester Public Library
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John Nelson Church

Dedication of the John Nelson Memorial Church, Leicester, Massachusetts, January 15, 1903 : Rev. David C. Reid, Pastor.

Postcard
Leicester Country Club Boat House and Lake Sargent
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1916
Leicester, les'ter, a banking post-village of Worcester co., Mass., in Leicester township (town), 6 miles WSW. of Worcester. It contains the...Read MORE...