It is advertised in The Massachusetts Register, for the year 1802, that
the

GROTON Stage sets off from J. and S. Wheelock's [Indian Queen
Inn], No. 37 Marlboro-Street [now a part of Washington Street,
Boston], every Wednesday at 4 o'clock in the morning, and
arrives at Groton at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, same day;
leaves Groton every Monday at 4 o'clock in the morning, and
arrives in Boston at 6 o'clock in the afternoon, same day.
(Pages 19, 20.)

It seems from this notice that it took three hours longer to make the
trip down to Boston than up to Groton,--of which the explanation is not
clear. In the Register for 1803 a semi-weekly line is advertised, and
the same length of time is given for making the trip each way.

About the year 1807 there was a tri-weekly line of coaches to Boston,
and as early as 1820 a daily line, which connected at Groton with others
extending into New Hampshire and Vermont. Soon after this time there
were two lines to Boston, running in opposition to each other,--one
known as the Union and Accommodation Line, and the other as the
Telegraph and Despatch.

One of the drivers for the Telegraph and Despatch line was Phineas
Harrington, known along the road as "Phin" Harrington. He had orders to
take but eight passengers in his coach, and the trip was made with
remarkable speed for that period. "Phin" was a man of small size, and
the story used to be told of him that, on cold and stormy nights, he
would get inside of one of the lamps fixed to his box in order to warm