Editing Ashby, Massachusetts (section)

=== Background ===
Ashby was first settled in 1676 and was officially incorporated in 1767. The town was formed from portions of Townsend, Lunenburg, Fitchburg, and Dorchester-Canada (a portion of Ashburnham). One of the earliest settlers of the town was John Fitch. Fitch was kidnapped by Native Americans in 1748 and was held hostage for six months. Fitch died in 1795 with his surviving children remaining in the community. The John Fitch Monument, known to most at the "monument", is located at the intersection of South and Richardson roads, stands to this day and was recently cleaned up by volunteers in 2021. Though some mills existed in the town, the community remained primarily an agricultural one with the majority of land being used for farming in the 1700s and 1900s. Ashby was at one time home to numerous apple orchards, the remnants of which can be found in the woods behind present day houses.<ref name=":2"/>