USA > Massachusetts > History of the Military company of the Massachusetts, now called the Ancient and honorable artillery company of Massachusetts. 1637-1888, Vol. I > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
Gc 974.4 M38 v.I 1142461
GENEALOGY COLLECTION.
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01100 9930
Memo.
This very complete history of the Ancient and Honorable Company of Boston (five volumes), the oldest military organization in this country, and next to the Honourable Artillery Company of London, probably the oldest in the world, comprising, as. it does, a membership from,1637 to 1903, is one of the most valuable publications in the United States. It contains portraits of most of its past commanders, with brief historical genealogical sketches of all of its captains, non-commissioned officers and privates, with their dates of joining, and much other valuable information.
In it are the records of Captain William Davis, my gr°grand- father who married (2) Huldah Symmes, daughter of Rev. Zechariah Symmes, first minister of Charlestown, Mass, whose daughter, Huldah, married Edward Rainsford, founder of the "Old South Church", and was brother of Sir Richard Rainsford, Lord High Chancellor of England (see p. 129, Vol. I.) Captain Davis was captain in 1643, 1664 and 1672, having been elected sergeant, ensign and lieutenant prior thereto. He was in King Philip's war 1675-6 and was wounded. He was for many years Selectman of Bos Jen; also, overseer of the poor, and one of the founders of the "Old South Church". Two of his sons, Benjamin and William, also joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, the former in 1673 and the latter in 1677 (see p.p. 129-130, Vol. I.)
Another gr grandfather, John Goldthwaite, of Salem and Boston (1711) (1720) joined (see p. 375, Vol. I) and subsequently two of his sons, Captain Joseph (1732) and Benjamin (1740), both Colonial soldiers of distinction. (See my records - printed - of their long military service. ) Many contemporaries of these, my ancestors -- whom I had heard my mother and grandmother refer to -- joined during the 18th century.
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During the 19th century, many of my friends -- mostly members the Military Order of the Loyal Legion -- joined this celebrated r jany, as well as friends whom I had known in the "Boston Tigers" id "First Corps of Cadets". These I have indicated by a red check. e index is very correct and in every way the entire work is almost valuable to me as a book of reference. '
R. G. C.
hil
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E
Robert Keaynu
HISTORY
OF
The Military Company of the Massachusetts
NOW CALLED
The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts.
1637-1888.
BY OLIVER AYER ROBERTS, HISTORIAN OF THE COMPANY.
VOLUME I .- 1637-1738.
BOSTON: ALFRED MUDGE & SON, PRINTERS, 24 FRANKLIN STREET. 1895.
1142461
THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED TO THE Dlemory of
CAPTAIN ROBERT KEAYNE
AND OF HIS TWENTY-THREE COMRADES, WHO WERE THE FOUNDERS OF
THE MILITARY COMPANY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS, NOW CALLED
THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
ARMORY OF THE ANCIENT AND HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY OF MASSACHUSETTS.
FANEUIL HALL, BOSTON, November 1, 1895.
To the Members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts :
By votes of the Company passed in 1886 and subsequently, the Committee on Military Museum and Library were instructed to have the history of the Company, from 1637 to 1888, written and printed.
The work was immediately undertaken, and arrangements were made with Major BEN : PERLEY POORE to be the historian. He had made but little progress when his labors were cut short by his sudden death. This sad event was a great disappointment to the committee. Fortunately, however, they found an able successor in Mr. OLIVER AYER ROBERTS, of Melrose, who brought great zeal and ability to the undertaking, and has so far progressed that he has now nearly the whole history in manuscript. It will give the record of about six thousand members, and will probably be comprised in four volumes. The committee have now the pleasure of presenting the first volume, including the period from 1637 to June 1, 1738.
The committee cannot fail to mention another serious loss they experienced, in the death of their first chairman, Captain JOHN LINDSAY STEVENSON.
Captain Stevenson was a firm friend of the Company, through many years rendering it efficient service, and perhaps to him more than to any other is the Company indebted for laying the foundation of the work now so nearly completed.
EDWARD WYMAN, Chairman. ALBERT ALONZO FOLSOM. GEORGE HENRY ALLEN. WILLIAM PARKER JONES. HENRY WALKER.
WILLIAM LITHGOW WILLEY, Secretary.
PREFACE.
M R. ZACHARIAH G. WHITMAN, who joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1810, did a commendable work in preparing a complete roster of the Company in 1819. This so intensified his interest in matters pertaining to the Company that he wrote its history. He published the first edition of it in 1820; and a second edition, with many additions written by him, was published by a committee of the Com- pany in 1842, just after Mr. Whitman's death. A more complete history was a fond hope of Mr. Francis Brinley (1847), who gathered some material ; but death ended his earthly labors before his self-imposed task was hardly begun. His material was kindly forwarded to the compiler of this volume. About 1875, Major Ben : Perley Poore (1848) began a history of the Company ; but his prolific pen was laid aside before he had gathered his material for the first half century. The history by Mr. Whitman (1810), and the material gathered by Mr. Brinley (1847) and Major Poore (1848), which came into my possession, have been utilized in this volume. The first six pages are the writing of Major Poore (1848). They are inserted as a fit introduction to the work, and in memory of an earnest, busy, and loyal friend and brother.
The present volume has been prepared under many difficulties, and it does not reach that state of completeness which the writer fondly desired. The total loss of the records of the first sixty years of the Company ; the incompleteness of early family and town records ; the different spellings of the same name; the identification of a person who lived two hundred years ago, there being two and sometimes more persons of the same name in the same locality, have multiplied the difficulties and chances of error. Such conditions call for wise judgment, and the writer has used the best he had.
An arbitrary system has been followed in the preparation of this volume. Each year, from 1637 to 1738, is complete in itself. The history of each year is commenced by giving the names of the officers of the Company for that year, which is followed by such historic facts as relate to the Company or to its members ; then the recruits for the year are named, followed by biographical sketches. The records of the Company (beginning in 1698, page 314) are then quoted, and the account for the year is concluded with a short biographical sketch of the preacher for that year. In this
VIII
PREFACE.
respect this work differs from all previous written or printed histories of the Company. All the original records of the Company prior to 1738 are printed, under their appro- priate years, in this volume. The date inclosed in a parenthesis, following a name, signifies the year when the person named joined the Company.
The compiler is under great obligations to several persons, who have kindly assisted by furnishing biographical data. Their names are given in the notes, as are the names of the most important works consulted. He is under special obligations to the librarians of the New England Historic, Genealogical, and Massachusetts Historical Societies for the privilege of consulting books in those libraries, and to Mr. William H. Whitmore for the Reports of the Record Commissioners of Boston.
All human works are imperfect, and doubtless errors will be detected on these pages, yet the writer hopes that the perusal of this volume will add somewhat to the pleasure of the members of the Company, and increase their interest in, and strengthen their loyalty to, the oldest military company in America.
MELROSE, Nov. 7, 1895.
OLIVER A. ROBERTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
FRONTISPIECE - AUTOGRAPH OF CAPT. ROBERT KEAYNE.
PORTRAIT - OLIVER A. ROBERTS, HISTORIAN OF THE COMPANY.
PHOTOGRAPH OF THE CHARTER
facing page 10
PEQUOT FORT
¥
31
PORTRAIT - GOV. JOHN WINTHROP
60
47
MEETING-HOUSE OF THE FIRST CHURCH
66
49
DIVING BELL
MEETING-HOUSE OF THE SECOND CHURCH
PORTRAIT - THOMAS SAVAGE (1637)
66 66 170
PORTRAIT - JOHN LEVERETT (1639)
172
NORTH BATTERY
179
HULL'S COINS, - 1652
66
193
OLD SOUTH CHURCH
2II
PLAN OF ARTILLERY FARM AT DUNSTABLE
66
222
PROVINCE HOUSE
251
KING'S CHAPEL
66
276
SOUTH BATTERY
279
PAPER MONEY
46
288
PORTRAIT - WAIT WINTHROP (1692)
66
290
PORTRAIT - SAMUEL SHRIMPTON (1670) .
301
PORTRAIT - JOHN WALLEY (1671) .
66
315
PORTRAIT - SAMUEL SEWALL (1679)
66
330
PORTRAIT - CHARLES HOBBY (1702)
334
PORTRAIT - ADAM WINTHROP (1694)
357
PORTRAIT - THOMAS FITCH (1700) .
363
OLD TOWN-HOUSE £
66
372
PORTRAIT - EDWARD WINSLOW (1700)
385
PORTRAIT - WILLIAM DUMMER (1702)
66
40I
PROFILE -SAMUEL THAXTER (1728)
66 433
PLAN OF FARM AT RUTLAND
· 441
PORTRAIT - NATHANIEL CUNNINGHAM (1720) .
facing page 445
PORTRAIT- JACOB WENDELL (1733)
66
66 473
PORTRAIT - RICHARD SALTONSTALL (1733)
66 477
HARVARD COLLEGE IN 1756
66 482
54
168
16
66
..
Oliver A Roberts.
HISTORY
OF THE
Military Company of the Massachusetts
NOW CALLED
The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts.
ASSACHUSETTS was colonized by Englishmen, descendants of the victors of Cressy, M
Poitiers, and Agincourt, who nobly supported the fame of their renowned ances- tors. Animated by religious zeal, search of fortune, or desire of fame, they turned from the comforts of their English homes, the love of kindred and friends, and the certain and tried paths of a moderate ambition, to meet on a rock-bound coast with peril in all its forms, intensified by religious hatreds, conflicting claims, and petty jealousies. The spirit of adventure which distinguished them, the patient endurance with which they suffered the most trying privations, their constant exertion of vigilance and presence of mind, and the valor which they displayed in conquering their savage foes and in guarding against invasion by the French on their northern borders, proved that they were worthy descend- ants of that sea-girt isle. Martial courage thus inherited and displayed proves a nation's strength ; combined with industry, moderation, reverence, and good sense in the people, it forms that national character to which is given the prolonged enjoyment of glory and power, and of all the sources of prosperity and happiness.
It is, however, a noticeable fact that the religious and political leaders among the " Pilgrims" of Plymouth Colony and the " Puritans," who were the original settlers on the shores of Massachusetts Bay, were not fighting men. They could make preparations for defence, or direct hostilities ; but the utmost indulgence of fanatical conceit, or the most presumptuous confidence in their own judgment, did not prompt them to come to the front when their respective colonies were threatened by savages or Frenchmen. The victorious Captain Myles Standish, of the Plymouth Colony, and the brave Captain Southcot, of Massachusetts Bay, had each seen service in the Low Countries, but they were not among the elect. The first sergeant-major (then the commander's title) of the Suffolk Regiment was Edward Gibbons, a rollicking soldier of fortune, whose life had been an adventurous and a merry one. The first captains of the train-bands in Boston, Underhill and Patrick, who had each served in the Netherlands, and who, on their arrival in 1630, were voted salaries for training their respective commands in the use of arms, could not accommodate themselves to the strict manners of the Puritan school, and after the Pequot War they migrated to the southwestern part of Connecticut, where the Dutch claimed jurisdiction.
Those, however, who had the control of the colonization of Massachusetts made generous preparations for armed defence. The charter given by King Charles on the
2
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
[1637-8
18th of March, 1628, authorized the Governor and Company " from tyme to tyme, and at all tymes hereafter, for their special defence and safety, to incounter, expulse, repell and resist by force of armes, as well by sea as by lande, and by all fitting waies and meanes whatsoever, all such person and persons, as shall at any tyme hereafter attempt or enter- prise the destruccon, invasion, detriment or annoyance to the said plantation or inhab- itants." Before the charter containing this provision had been signed by King Charles, the council of the Company had ordered a supply of arms and of munitions of war. There were " eight peeces of land ordnance for the forte," and an abundance of small arms, viz .: " Two partizans for capten and lieftenant ; three drums, to ech two pere of hedds; two ensignes ; three halberts, for three sarjants ; eighty bastard muskets, with snapances, four ffoote in the barrill without rests ; ten ffull musketts, four ffoote barrill, with match cocks and rests; ninety bandeleers for the muskets, each with a bullett bag ; one hundred swords and belts ; sixty cosletts and sixty pikes ; twenty half pikes "; with a supply of powder and ball for the cannon and muskets. A few days later, a contract was entered into "with Mr. Thomas Steeuens, armorer in Buttolph Lane, for twenty armes, viz : coslett, brest, back, culet, gorgett, tases, and head-peece to each, varnished all black, with lethers and buckles, at 17s each armour, excepting four, wch are to bee with close head peeces, and these four armours at 24s apeece, to bee delivered all by the 20th of this monthe ; whereof one left nowe for a sample." Another contract was made " with John Gace, of London, turner, ffor forty bandeleers, made of neates leather, broad girdles, each with twelve charges." It was decided in October, 1629, that the ordnance, arms, powder, and munitions, delivered for public use, "bee accompted as pt of the ioynt stock of the company."
The weapons and munitions of war thus provided were promptly issued after they had been received by the colonists, for train-bands were at once organized ; and, as new towns were settled, more arms and equipments were procured from London. On the 3d of September, 1634, it was " Ordered, that all the musketts, bandeleros, and rests lately come ouer this yeare shall be equally divided amongst the seual plantacons, and the townes to have att all tymes soe many in a readynes as a town stocke."
These train-bands were organized like those which had existed in London since the reign of Henry VIII. Originally archers, the English associations gradually adopted pikes and then muskets, while some of them became artillerists. On the 25th of August, 1537, a charter was granted by Henry VIII. to certain subjects belonging to the Fraternity of St. George, as a "Guylde of Artillary of Longbowes, Crosbowes and Handegomes." A piece of ground was set apart for the use of this corps, and it was known as " The Artil- lery Garden." During the long reign of Queen Elizabeth, important services were several times rendered by the Company in this Artillery Garden, by fitting citizens for the com- mand of the train-bands. In 1598, the Artillery Company, as it was called, was six hundred strong, and in its ranks were all the commanders and commissioned officers of the train-bands and auxiliaries.
King Charles I. recognized the great utility of the Artillery Company by addressing the following warrant to Alderman Humphrie Smith, its commander, dated March 8, 1632 : -
" CHARLES R.
" Trustie and well beloved, we greet you well. Whereas we are informed that the worthie and commendable institucon of yor voluntary Company of the Artillerie garden,
3
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
1637-8]
hath been soe well pursued by yor industrious and forward endeavors that you are not only become ready and skilfull in the knowledge and use of arms and military discipline, but that, from thence as from a fruitful Nursery, all the trayned bands of our Citie of London and divers of the Companyes of the counties adjoining have beene supplyed with fitt and able Leaders and Officers whereby our service hath received much advantage and the kingdome in genll a very great benefitt. And being unwilling that a Societie of soe good use unto the publique and of so much safetie and honor to our renowned Citie of London should be dissolved or discontinued as we are given to understand it is in great danger through some distractions wch you have lately suffered about the Election of yor Captaine : We have thought fitt hereby to will you not to be hastie to disband but if ye find that ye are molested needlessly or unjustly, by any, then have recourse to us, and you shall have find such due encouragement as soe commendable a Societie deserves.
"Given att our Court att Newmarkett the eighth day of March, in the Seventh yeare of our Raigne.
"To our trustie and well-beloved Humphrie Smith, Alderman, President of the Company exercising Armes in the Artillerie garden, London, and to the Rest of the Companie."
The officers of the Artillery Company were elected annually by the Court of Alder- men of the City of London, from candidates nominated by the Company, until 1632, when difference having arisen between the Aldermen and the Company, King Charles I. inter- posed the right of appointing the captain. The Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen were authorized to appoint the civil officers of the Company, viz. : a president, a deputy presi- dent, and twenty-four assistants. The military officers were to be chosen and appointed by the Company, viz. : two lieutenants, two ensigns, four surveyors of arms, a clerk, a treasurer, four sergeants, four drummers, a fifer, an armorer, a gunsmith, a cloak-keeper, and a beadle.
The London Artillery Company had, from its organization, annual " feasts," arranged by eight stewards, to which the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London were invited, and donated the large supplies of wines drank at the table. In 1623, " the Lords of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council " were also invited, and " the Court of Aldermen were pleased, in token of their good respect to the Society, to bestow upon them, towards the charge of the feast, one hogshead of clarett wyne, thirty gallons of sacke, and thirty gallons of Renishe wyne."
It was also customary, certainly as far back as Cromwell's time, to have a sermon preached annually before the Company at St. Paul's, or some other church in the city of London. The officiating clergyman invariably received, by vote, "the thanks of the company and three twenty shilling pieces of broad gold"; and after the sermon came the "feast," at which distinguished invited guests were present.
There was in the latter part of May in each year a "General March," when the Com- pany marched through the city, accompanied by a train of artillery, consisting of six field- pieces and two wagons, and two " General Exercise" days in the latter part of June or Angust, when the Company marched to Balmes, or to some other place in the suburbs. The sermon and " feast " day occurred usually about the middle of September, and the Company often paraded on " Lord Mayor's Day," in October, to escort the newly chosen chief magistrate to Westminster. In the evening, the officers of the Company supped together, and every file of four men received as rations, "a bottle of sack, a bottle of claret, and a large fowl." If the provisions did not hold out, the files, unprovided for, were to have six shillings in money.
4
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
E1637-8
The armorial bearings, originally granted to the Company by Charles I., and subse- quently confirmed by James I. and by George IV., have " supporters," - a privilege generally limited in England to peers of the realm and knights of the royal orders of knighthood,- which give an idea of the uniform and equipments worn at the commence- ment of the seventeenth century. One of the " supporters ". is a pikeman, wearing a hel- met and corselet and carrying a pike ; the other "supporter " is a musketeer, wearing a helmet and buff-coat, and carrying a musket and rest. Each carries a sword, and wears " plumes of red feathers," in accordance with "the ancient and constant." The crest, an uplifted arm in armor, with the hand grasping a pike, may have suggested the crest of Massachusetts- an uplifted arm in armor, with the hand grasping a sword.
Captain Walter Neale, who was "Captain of the Artillery Garden " from 1635 until 1639 inclusive, had been one of the pioneer settlers of New England. The Council chartered by James I. in 1622, " for the planting, ruling, and governing of New England," conveyed to John Mason the tract of land bordering the sea-coast, and bounded by the Merrimack and Piscataqua rivers, with the proviso that the Governor should be Captain Walter Neale, of London. He sailed in the summer of 1630, with a party of London colonists, and located on the Piscataqua River. Learning from the Indians that there was a country in the interior called " Laconia," with great lakes, where peltries were abun- dant, he penetrated inland almost to Lake Winnipiseogee, and in after years he made glowing representations of his official management. According to his own statement, he discovered rivers and harbors ; exerted himself for the general good of the country by reforming abuses ; punished the natives for their cruelties, and compelled them to live in peace, and was able to settle a staple trade of commodities, especially for building ships. But his employers did not find that he had opened the lucrative trade in peltries which they had expected, and he was recalled to London, the Council of New England granting his plantations on the Piscataqua and on the Black Point rivers to others.
Captain Walter Neale, on returning to London, was chosen captain of the "Com- pany of the Artillery Garden," and brought it to greater perfection than it had ever before attained. The city train-bands were furnished with able commanders out of the Artillery Company, and the private soldiers were drilled for the general musters, but the captain complained that he received only fifty pounds a year. In 1638, he endeavored to obtain the appointment of "Muster-Master of the City," but King Charles recom- mended Captain Fisher, who was accordingly appointed ; and in October, 1639, at the King's request, Captain Neale was superseded as commander of the Artillery by Captain Philip Skippen. He then petitioned the King to appoint him marshal in Virginia, ir. charge of all martial affairs there, with an allowance of twenty shillings per diem, to be paid out of the customs arising from the commodities of the country. Again unsuccess- ful, Captain Neale once more petitioned the King, a few years later, setting forth his past services, and praying that he might be appointed governor of Massachusetts ; but no notice was taken of his application. Indeed, at that time, the governors of Massachu- setts were elected annually.
The name and fame of the Honourable Artillery Company of London were trans- planted to Massachusetts soon after its colonization, by some of its members, and a junior company was established at Boston, which is the oldest military organization on the American continent. It is recruited, to a great extent, from those who have been active members of the volunteer militia. It elects its officers annually ; has its stated spring and fall parades ; listens once a year to a sermon preached in a church, which
5
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
1637-8]
is followed by a " feast" in Faneuil Hall, with distinguished invited guests, and is jealous of its prerogatives and its traditions.
The history of the Honourable Artillery Company of Old England can be traced through the fierce struggle which has gradually changed the unwritten British constitu- tion from the aspect it wore in feudal times into that form of rational liberty which it now bears, and has made dear old England as young in energy, capability, and progress as she was when the Honourable Artillery Company of London was summoned to the field by Queen Elizabeth, the type of Queen Victoria, as well in the truly English complex- ion of her character as in the hold she possessed over the hearts of the Anglo-Saxon race.
The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in New England is also a living link between generations, past and present, and has outlived every institution, except the Christian Church and the Public School, that was in existence on the American continent when it was chartered. The members of each of these honorable companies have a right to be proud of their traditions, as the brave and patriotic deeds of one generation become the precious heritage of the next, growing in interest and value as time wears on, and flower after flower is added to the chaplets of honor of the respective compa- nies. The sentiment of antiquity is of more avail than merely to foster feelings of pride or vanity. The consciousness of unstained lineage involves duties as well as privileges, and each member of the two artillery companies should feel more and more, as genera- tions pass away, that his responsibility is greater to his company, to his country, and to himself : that his part is to aim high, act well, and feel -
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