USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Rehoboth > Historical addresses, poem, and other exercises at the celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Rehoboth, Mass., held October 3, 1894 > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 R26b1 1778995
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01145 7139
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HISTORICAL ADDRESSES
POEM,
AND OTHER EXERCISES AT THE
CELEBRATION OF THE
TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTIETH
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE SETTLEMENT
.
REHOBOTH, MASS.
HELD OCTOBER 3. 1894.
EDITED BY THOMAS W. BICKNELL. A. M. LI. D.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historicaladdres 1894bick
1778995
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DARIUS GOFF.
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844755 .09
BICKNELL, THOMAS WILLIAMS, 1834-1925, ed. -- Historical addresses, poem, and other exer- cises at the celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Reho- both, Mass., held October 3, 1894 ... n.p.,1894. 157p.
CHALP CARD
* , NT. 35-7978 1@ 4666
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INTRODUCTORY.
At the annual meeting of the Rehoboth Antiquarian Society, held in March, 1894, Esek II. Pierce, one of the Board of Trustees of said Society, moved that Rehoboth should celebrate its 250th anniversary during the present year. After some disenssion it was voted to rec ommend a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the settlement of the town and a committee was chosen, consisting of Esek HI. Pierce, Nathaniel B. Horton, George N. Goff, William W. Blanding, Renben Bowen and John C. Marvel, to take such action thereon as might seem most advisable. At a meeting of this Committee held in June, 1894, it was voted to call a meeting of the stockholders of the Anti unarian Society, to take further action relative to such a celebration. The meeting of the stockholders was held in July when it was voted to hold a Celebration as proposed and Two Hundred dollars were ap- propriated for that purpose. A committee was appointed consisting of Esek HI. Pierce, Nathaniel B. Horton, Edgar Perry, George N. Goff, William W. Blanding, Gustavns B. Peck and Elisha Davis to carry out the purposes of the Society in regard to this anniversary. The Committee organized immediately by the choice of Esek HI. Pierce as Chairman and Edgar Perry as Secretary and arranged for the celebration to be held on the Third day of October, 1594.
C4666
REHOBOTH IN BRIEF REVIEW
BY EDGAR PERRY.
What is now Bristol county originally consisted of four towns-Taunton, settled in 1639, Rehoboth, 1644, Dart- mouth, 1652, and Freetown in 1683. The original limits of Taunton included Norton, Easton, Mansfield, Dighton, Berkeley and Raynham : Dartmouth included Westport, Fairhaven, New Bedford and Acushnet ; Freetown includ- ed Fall River ; and Rehoboth included the towns of Attle- boro, North Attleboro, Seekonk and Swansea in Massa- chusetts, and in Rhode Island all the lands cast of the Blackstone river and Narragansett Bay, namely, Cumber- land, Pawtucket, East Providence and Barrington.
The present year marks the 250th anniversary of the settlement of ancient Rehoboth, and the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Attleboro.
During the first 50 years subsequent to their settlement through the more dangerous of the Indian wars, the towns of Rehoboth and the Rehoboth North Purchase, or Attle- boro, had a common history. It was second in interest and importance to that of no town in Massachusetts though their proximity to Narraganset Bay and their con- sequent social and industrial relations with Rhode Island
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTHI.
has not gained for their achievements the recognition in some part of the state which is accorded their sister towns on the Atlantic.
Interesting Facts.
It may not be generally known that William Black- stone, the first settler of Shawmut, or Boston, was also the first settler of Rehoboth ; that Col. Thomas Willett, the first mayor of New York, was a Rehoboth pioneer, and is buried within the ancient limits of that town ; that Relio- both was the frontier town of Plymouth colony during King Philip's war, and that the first blood and the final overthrow of the conflict were seen within its boundaries ; that Rev. Samuel Newman, Rehoboth's first pastor, wrote by the light of pine knots in the wilderness, the first com- plete concordance of the Bible, which is still one of the best; that the first free public school supported by general taxation was created by the foresight of Rehoboth freemen ; that when the two colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay united, Rehoboth, the largest town in Plymouth, and Boston, the largest town in Massachusetts Bay colony, had a sharp contest to see which should have the honor of being the capital of the new commonwealth, and that Boston won the prize only by a few votes.
Settlement of Rehoboth.
The first purchase of Rehoboth land was made of Massasoit in 1641, and embraced a tract 10 miles square, comprising the present towns of Rehoboth, Seekonk, Paw- tucket and East Providence. The second purchase was the tract called English Wannamoiset, forming a part of Swansea and Barrington. The third and last purchase was a tract embracing the present towns of Attleboro, North Attleboro and Cumberland, R. I., known as the Rehoboth
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IN BRIEF REVIEW.
North Purchase. Taken together, the territory had many advantages to recommend it for settlement. It had almost every variety of soil, was fertile and well wooded, and, on the side toward Narragansett bay there were large, tree- less expanses, admirably fitted for tillage or grazing, known then, as now, as Seekonk plains. This rare advantage, with the fine water power furnished by the Blackstone river, and the ample harbor provided by Narragansett bay, certainly gave to the new territory promises of success and prosperity which few towns in Massachusetts could boast.
The first entry on page 1, volume 1 of the Reboboth records, is dated Oct. 24, 1643. It relates to the doings of the first of the original planters of Rehoboth, and was held in Weymouth. The proprietors voted that they would all occupy their Rehoboth lots with their families next year, namely 1644, and provided, as a spur to the pioneer spirit, that if any failed to do so, they should forfeit their lots. There were a few men who took up farms here and there in "Seaconk" or Rehoboth in 1641 and 1642, but there seems to have been no organization of the settlers, until 1643, no occupation of the new territory with the families, churches and schools until 1644.
The exodus from Weymouth took place early in 1644, and was led by Rev. Samuel Newman, at the head of his flock. On July 5, the inhabitants met near what is now East Providence village, and signed the following compact : "We, whose names are underwriten, being by the prov- idence of God, inhabitants of Seaconk, intending here to settle, do covenant and bind ourselves one to another, to subject ourselves to nine persons * and to assist them according to our ability and estate, and to give timely notice unto them of any such thing as in our con-
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTHI.
science may prove dangerous to the plantation, and this combination to continue until we shall subject ourselves jointly to some other government."
The significant thing about this compact is, that the pro- prietors considered themselves entirely independent. Their governing, legislative and judicial powers were vested in the committee of nine persons, and every settler reserved not only the right, but imposed upon himself the duty of giving this authoritative body such advice as he might deem expedient. It is hard to conceive of a more perfect democ- racy than that. Their autonomy, however, did not last long. Both Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies re- garded the flourishing settlement with covetous eyes, and both, in the secrecy of their official chambers, laid claim to it. In 1645 the commissioners of the united colonies as- signed them to Plymouth court and they were incorporated by the scriptural name of Rehoboth, signifying "room." It was selected by Rev. Mr. Newman, who said: "The Lord hath made room for us."
Town Divisions.
The first division of the town was caused by religious differences, a party of Baptists withdrawing from Parson Newman's church and founding the first Baptist church in Massachusetts in Swansea. The town of Swansea was in- corporated in 1677, and then included within its limits the present towns of Somerset, Barrington and the greater part of Warren, R. I.
The second departure from the parent settlement on Seekonk plain was toward the north, and was made in 1666. These pioneers were the settlers of the Rehoboth North Pur- chase and the founders of the town of Attleboro. This
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IN BRIEF REVIEW.
northern colony, including then the present towns of Attleboro, Cumberland and North Attleboro, was under the jurisdiction of Rehoboth until Oet. 19, 1694, when it was incorporated as the town of Attleboro.
The third division, which reduced the town to its present territorial limits, was made in 1812, when the then existing town of Rehoboth, which extended westward to the Blackstone river and Narraganset bay, was divided into two nearly equal parts, the western portion taking the In- dian name of Seekonk.
Seekonk remained a most influential and promising township until the western portion of its land was trans- ferred to the State of Rhode Island by the establishment of the new line between the states. Rehoboth and See- konk people have always felt that this fixing of state boundaries, robbing them as it did of the very portion of their domain which had invited the earliest settlers, was an act justified by no sound policy, private or public, nor by any substantial claim of title, either in history or justice.
Indian Conflicts.
King Philip's war, the greatest of Indian conflicts, and one which menaced not merely the liberty but the very ex- istence of the colonists, began and ended within the limits of ancient Rehoboth. All this region was originally in the domain of Massasoit, the fast friend of the English. It was inherited by the son, Wamsutta, and from him passed to his brother Metacomet, or King Philip. The proximity of Rehoboth to King Philip's headquarters at Mt. Hope, and the fact of its being the heritage of his fore- fathers, exposed this frontier settlement to the brunt of savage ferocity and vengeance. In apprehension of dangers
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTH.
the colonists were gathered into three garrisons. The first, Woodcock's garrison, was located in North Attleboro on the site of the old Hatch house, and a portion of the build- ing is still standing. The second garrison was at Seekonk Common, and stood where the present ancient house of Phanuel Bishop now is. The third of the three houses was none other than the residence of the famous Baptist divine, John Myles, and this is standing intact to-day near Myles' bridge in Swansea. Its walls are of stone, several feet in thickness, and altogether it is one of the oldest and most unique houses in the state. The brick for the chim- ney was brought from England. King Philip's war began with the attack at Miles' bridge in Swansea and ended with the capture of Anawan in Rehoboth.
Educational Progress.
But the chief glory of the earlier settlers of Rehoboth was not their military prowess nor their material prosperi- ty, but their advanced stand in establishing a free public school. Rehoboth claims the honor of originating the idea of free, universal, compulsory public education, maintained by the taxation of all citizens. Its claim is based on the statement of the Digest of the Statutes of Massachusetts, issued in June, 1892. This work, in referring to the act of the Massachusetts Bay colony, passed in 1647, says :
"The act of 1647 make the support of public schools compulsory, and education universal and free. As this was the first law of the kind ever passed by any community of persons, or by any state, Massachusetts may claim the honor of having originated the free public school."
That, according to this compiler, was the record as he found it up to 1647. But he overlooked an ancient docu- ment now in the hands of the town clerk of Rehoboth.
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IN BRIEF REVIEW.
It is the record of the second meeting of the proprietors of Rehoboth, held at Weymouth, Dee. 10, 1643. At this meeting they not only placed a schoolmaster fifth in their list of proprietors, but decreed that he should have a certain portion from each settler for his support." This decree was not only made four years earlier than the act of 1647, but it took more emphatic ground ; for in that act the teachers were to be paid "either by the parents or masters of such children, or by the inhabitants in general." Clearly, there was a chance under these provisions, that the support of the school might be shifted from the "in- habitants in general" to those who already had to support the children. There was no such loophole, however, in the Rehoboth measure ; that read : "every settler," whethi- er he had children to send or not.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
The history of the early colonies is the history of the churches. The exigencies of religious affairs decided when and where the branches of the parent church should lo- cate. The first departure from Pastor Newman's church was a forced one, and the dissenting members united with Jolm Myles in founding the First Baptist Church at Swansea. The second exodus was pacific and in 1710 es- tablished the first parish in Attleboro, building the church at Oldtown. The third division came in 1721, and found- ed the present Congregational Church in Rehoboth vil- lage. A fourth Congregational parish was created in 1743 by the division of the Attleboro parish, and the building of the "Second Precinct" church at Attleboro Centre. The "Sixth-Principle Baptist" denomination, whose creed is found in the first and second verses in the sixth chapter of Hebrews, founded the Oak Swamp Church, laid the foundation for the Methodist Church at North
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTHI.
Rehoboth, and is to-day represented in the Horubine Church in the southeastern part of the town. This church was founded in 1753, and is famous for its great "Horn- bine clambake" that dines 3000 or more people every Sep- tember. The first church established in the present lim- its of North Attleboro was the present Baptist congrega- tion, and curiously enough, was built in 1769, just 100 years after Jolm Woodcock, the first settler of Attleboro, built his famous tavern. In other words, by a curious decree of fate, North Attleboro had a tavern 100 years be- fore it had a church. If it ever deserved its soubriquet of "Brimstone City," possibly this circumstance may help to explain it.
PATRIOTIC SPIRIT.
The military history of Attleboro and Rehoboth is a part of the splendid record which is the glory of every section of Massachusetts. Attleboro men in their As- sonet expedition, only missed the honor of opening the revolutionary conflict, the honor that fell to Lexington a few days later, because their military success was so great. Col. Daggett of Attleboro set out on April 9, 1775, for Assonet or Freetown, for the purpose of capturing a lot of British stores and arms and breaking up a band of Royal- ists that had established itself there.
This was bearing arms against the royal government, and if the colonists' coup had not checked resistance, the first blood of the revolution would have been shed by At- tleboro men and in Bristol county.
Attleboro has the honor, however, of anticipating the spirit, and almost the words of the Declaration of Independ- enee, two months before that instrument was executed. At a meeting held in May, 1776, the town sent this re-
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IN BRIEF REVIEW.
markable message to her representative in Congress: "If the Continental Congress should think it best to declare for independency of Great Britian, we unanimously desire you for us to engage to defend them with our lives and our fortunes."
MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES.
The water power furnished by the Ten-Mile river, Palmer's river, Seven-mile river and other streams in the territory of the two towns, caused many manufacturing enterprises to spring up. In Rehoboth, however, the lack of freight facilities and the competition of firms with larger capital have closed them all, except the wood turn- ing establishment of Charles Perry & Co. at Perryville. The town is, however, remarkable for the large industries that have started within its limits. Samuel Slater's first cotton mill started in 1790, though rightly claimed as one of the glories of Pawtucket, was erected on the east side of the Blackstone, and therefore upon Rehoboth soil. The Union Wadding Company of Pawtucket started at Reho- both village, and the process of making wadding in a con- tinuous sheet was invented there. Dexter Wheeler, pupil of Samuel Slater, and founder of the cotton industries of Fall River, ran his first mill in Rehoboth. One-fourth of the stock of the first mill built in Fall River was owned in Rehoboth.
ATTLEBORO'S ADVANCE.
Attleboro's industrial history, unlike Rehoboth, has shown a steady advance. Its largest enterprise, as is well known, is the manufacture of jewelry. It was one of the first places in the country for this industry, and its annual output now amounts to $10,000,000. It began in handi- craft in 1780, and has been developed, until the most
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTH.
complicated machinery is employed in its production. It is a calling where the work is continually changing with the demands of fashion, and requires a high order of intelli- gence and much mechanical skill for its execution. The progress of the business previous to the war was not great, but for the past 25 years, and especially since the early seventies, its extension has been rapid.
The first factory of any note was built by Manning Richards in 1811 at North Attleboro. Other well known firms, in the order of their establishment, are as follows : Draper, Tifft & Co., 1821; Ira Richards & Co., 1833 ; Stephen Richardson & Co., 1837; B. S. Freeman & Co., 1846; F. G. Whitney & Co., 1849 ; H. F. Barrows & Co., 1853. All these firms were at North Attleboro. Some of the early firms at Attleboro were Bliss & Dean, 1856 ; Sturdy Bros. & Co., 1859; C. E. Hayward & Co., W. & S. Blackinton, Watson & Newell, R. F. Simmons & Co., W. II. Wilmarth & Co., and other well known houses.
Attleboro was early also in the cotton manufacture. In 1801 Ebenezer Tyler began the manufacture of print cloths at Dodgeville, and this industry has developed into the mammoth Dodgeville and Hebron mills of S. & B. Knight. It is a curious fact that the nucleus of nearly every existing village in Attleboro and North Attleboro was a cotton factory, and with one exception they were all started between 1809 and 1813, as follows : The Beaver Dam mill near Whiting's pond, 1809; Fall's factory, 1809; Mechanics' factory, 1811; Farmers' factory, 1813 ; City factory at South Attleboro, 1813. The Lanesville mill on Abbott Run was started in 1826 and the Gold Medal Braid Company at Falls Village in 1848. The manufacture of silver ware was begun by the Whiting Manufacturing Company in 1866. The first factory in this country for
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IN BRIEF REVIEW.
the manufacture of buttons was built at what is known as Robinsonville in 1812. The tannery of W. H. Coupe & Co., at South Attleboro, has done a flourishing business since 1860.
There are few towns more desirable for residence than Attleboro. Its schools, its library, its water supply, fire department, many social organizations and the high stand- ard of morality which the town has sustained, all com- mend it as a town of homes.
NOTABLE MEN.
Four notable men were concerned in the settlement of these towns. Rev. Samuel Newman, the leader of the first settlers, was born in Bradford, Eng., in 1600, educa- ted at Oxford, came to this country in 1634, and died in 1663. His greatest work was his Concordance of the Bible. Only a few copies are extant, and one of them is carefully treasured in the British Museum.
Capt. Thomas Willett, successor of Myles Standish as commander of the forces at Plymouth, was largely inter- ested in settling both Swansea and Attleboro, and was the first mayor of New York city. He died at the age of 63, and is buried near Bullock's cove on the shore of Narra- gansett bay.
William Blackstone, a Non-conformist minister, who was the first settler of Boston, was driven to Rehoboth by the intolerance of his Boston neighbors, and established his "Study Hall," near Lonsdale. He was a very learned man, a recluse and philosopher.
The fourth of these notables was Rev. John Myles, who was driven out of England because he refused to sub- mit to the act of conformity, and founded the first Bap-
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTH.
tist church in Massachusetts at Swansea. His flock came from Wales, and the old record book of the parish, now in the possession of Elisha Davis of Rehoboth, has its earliest pages written in the Welsh language.
Among the notable men born in Rehoboth have been Benjamin West, LL. D., mathematician and philospher ; Dr. Nathan Smith, professor of Yale, and founder of Dart- mouth Medical school ; Abraham Blanding, LL. D., emi- nent lawyer of South Carolina : Aruna S. Abell, founder of the Baltimore Sun ; Dr. William Blanding, the natur- alist, founder of the natural history collections in Brown University ; ex-Gov. John W. Davis, of Rhode Island, Cornelius N. Bliss of New York and Chief Justice Mason of the Massachusetts superior court.
Other notable Attleboro men have been Rev. Jona- than Maxcy, president of Brown University and of Union and Columbia Colleges ; Rev. Naphtali Daggett, president of Yale; Rev. E. G. Robinson, D. D., late president of Brown University ; Hon. David Daggett, chief justice of Connecticut, and United States Senator.
EDGAR PERRY.
Address of Welcome
BY EDGAR PERRY, ESQ.
This is a family reunion. Rehoboth welcomes back to the old homestead to-day her daughter cities and towns. We are all ready for company. The parlor blinds are open, the sitting room has been swept and dusted, the spare chamber aired. The choicest fruits of field and or- chard have been reserved for your entertainment, and the pantry is filled with as many good things as ever graced an old-fashioned Thanksgiving. We are to have a gen- eral handshaking this morning; then the dinner; after that, some first rate speaking, and this evening, when the old folks have turned homeward-well, we have plenty of musie and one of the best prompters in Bristol county. I am sure you will be glad you came. But we might have all these, the music, the feasting, the oratory, without a reunion. A true joining of hearts and hands such as we have to-day can only come from a feeling of kinship, consciousness of sympathy and good will, pride in a com- mon history and hope for a united and glorious future.
But, in a broader sense, this is more than a reunion, more than a family or neighborhood gathering. Old Re- hoboth, venerable and historic, crowned with the dignity of the centuries, receives at her door the homage of all men who admire the American spirit and the American ideal. Secure in the consciousness of noble descent and worthy deeds, Rehoboth has not troubled herself greatly to advertise her achievments. Like her own housewives, she has been conspicuous by her modesty, her womanly
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250TH ANNIVERSARY OF REHOBOTHI.
reserve, her sound common sense. She has left it to her children to rise up as they do to-day all over this broad land and call her blessed.
Rehoboth's history gains to-day in the presence of the high officials of two states, a tardy recognition of its im- portance. There is a large and eminently respectable body of Massachusetts antiquarians who consider no ground his- torie which is not visible on a clear day from the gilded dome of the State House ; while their Rhode Island coun- terparts admit the existence of but one patriotic pioneer, their controversial and . enterprising Baptist minister. Some otherwise well informed people near the seat of Massachusetts culture have recently affected not to know where Rehoboth is, and a lower order of intelligence has stumbled at the spelling and the pronunciation of its scriptural name. This celebration will fail of its objeet if it does not prove that Rehoboth has soil as historie as Lexington, founders as learned and as liberal as Roger Williams, educators as far-seeing as those at Cambridge, soldiers as brave as the men who fell on Bunker Hill, statesmen as patriotic as those who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Lineage and circumstances of birth have much to do with the formation of character, whether of individuals or communities. Rehoboth was born in an epoch-making era. It was a time of great beginnings, of radical depart- ures in thought, of intense convictions. Europe bristled with activity. In Prussia, Frederick the Great was laying deep and strong the foundation of what has since become the German Empire. In Russia, Peter the Great was leading his semi-barbarous people towards civilization, going to Amsterdam himself to learn the art of ship-building. In
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