USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > A History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 11
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Go where one may, in any of the old towns and cities of New England,
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THE FIRST COMERS TO TAUNTON
and there will be found in vogue the "prevailing names," handed down for seven or eight generations, like the Lincolns of Hingham and the Newhalls and the Breeds of Lynn, and "their lines have gone out into all the world," also. Many names of original settlers survive in Taunton today, but none quite to the extent of those of Williams and Deane and Hall. Genealogists of recent years have produced a vast amount of in- formation from their researches concerning the Taunton branches of the families of those names, and inquiries have been incessant from all over the country with regard to Colonial and Revolutionary lines. In the course of his voluminous writings, the late Judge Josiah H. Drummond, of Portland, Maine, registered the names of more than twelve hundred de- scendants of Richard Williams, for example.
Richard Williams' descendants for nearly three hundred years have held places of trust and honor in city, county and State. He is generally mentioned among the first of the Taunton settlers because of the fact that he was an energetic pioneer who took the lead in many important matters of town building; he was a typical first settler, a man devoted to all the best interests of the new town. He came originally from a family of Glamorganshire, in Wales, and married Frances Dighton, a sister of Cath- erine Dighton, the wife of Governor Thomas Dudley, of the Bay Colony. He was a descendant in the same family as that of Oliver Cromwell, the Protector, who sometimes signed himself Oliver Cromwell, alias Williams; but he was not related, as some have supposed, to Roger Williams, founder of Providence, Rhode Island.
Richard Williams, upon his coming here, bought the house and lot of Henry Uxley, the latter leaving no trace of his presence other than that record. Richard Williams was a deputy to the General Court in 1643, and he served thirteen years in that capacity; he was selectman, 1665- 1677, and for many years he was deacon of the church. His home lot, on Dean street, is still pointed out, and there he died in 1693, at the age of eighty-seven years, though his wife, who outlived him, died in 1706, at the age of ninety-six years. Although he could neither see nor hear, he an- nounced when he attended "meeting," in his last years, that it was "com- forting and helpful to be with the people of God in their worship."
It seems that John and Walter Deane, brothers, had more to do with the naming of Taunton than any other, they having originated at Taunton Dean, in England. Thousands of the name are descendants of these worthy brothers, in city, State and Nation, and genealogists have compiled a number of records relating to their respective families. Both men were of that sturdy type fitted to subdue the wilderness. Their home lots at the Hartshorn and Newbury estates, on Dean street, are still pointed out.
John Deane was one of the first seven freemen of Cohannet; he was also constable in 1640 and 1654, surveyor of highways in 1640, and select- man in 1657. Walter Deane was a younger brother of John. He was a deputy to the General Court in 1640, and a selectman from 1666 to 1686. He married Elinor, a daughter of Thomas Coggan, and not a daughter of John Strong, as had for years been stated. Descendants of both John and Walter Deane are prominent in all the affairs of the city today.
One of the near-by neighbors of the Deane family at the outset was John Strong, who was appointed the first constable of the town, in 1638.
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Caleb Strong, Governor of Massachusetts from 1800 to 1807, was one of the descendants of this Taunton first settler.
Whenever we speak of George Hall today, we invariably associate the name with the first live and extensive business of the town. He was first clerk of the iron works established by James Leonard and his asso- ciates, and town and city owe much to his acumen and enterprise. The genealogist has traced his descendants by hundreds to this hour, and they are among the leaders in the professions in commonwealth and city. George Hall was a constable, a selectman, and a large land owner on Dean street.
Burt is another of those names of well-merited perpetuation, that was introduced here by Richard Burt-father and son-and later by James Burt, Sr. Richard Burt, Jr., took the oath of fidelity in 1657. Both he and his Uncle James lived at Weir Village, "the Ware," as they called it. The genealogists have thoroughly canvassed the lines of this ancestry.
John Greenman was a first settler, but he did not remain here long. Francis Baylies has misinterpreted the name Greenman as Crossman, and some confusion genealogically has resulted. James M. Cushman approves the name Greenman in this case.
Robert Crossman, first settler, was the first of the name here. The Crossman house, built by a son of Robert, and known to have been in use in 1700, and kept as an inn in Revolutionary times, still stands on Co- hannet street.
Genealogy is well-equipped, too, with the concerns of the Richmond family, John Richmond and his son John having been first settlers and large owners in the section still known as Richmondtown. The same may be said of Henry Andrews, the family lines having been notably well traced. Yet Henry Andrews was foremost in all things-a live deputy and com- mittee-man, and so capable a builder of the first little meeting house here in 1647, that he was granted a large section of land known as "Calves' pasture," still pointed out beyond his ancient home site. The Paulls, too, are very many in descent from Richard Paull, who married Margery Tur- ner in 1638-the first of Cohannet marriages.
If William Harvey were living here today, he might be eligible for any office of trust; he was constable, surveyor, deputy and selectman, and he was often deputy and selectman the same year. He lived not far from the Taunton Daily Gazette building; and it was at his house that the con- ference for the sale of Taunton North Purchase took place, in 1668, at a meeting of Governor Prence, Major Josias Winslow, Captain Thomas Southworth, and Constant Southworth-an eventful affair of the period.
Many here and elsewhere are descendants from William Phillips, a militiaman, surveyor and land owner. Hezekiah Hoar, first proprietor," constable and surveyor, was one of the leaders in the iron works enter- prise. William Holloway was a first settler; and though he removed to Boston, his sons remained, and preserved the name here.
An exemplary pioneer, soldier and officer was George Macey, lieuten- ant of the Taunton company through the Indian wars. William Parker is recalled as the town's first "Keeper of Records," and he was authorized to take oaths and to marry. John Parker, his younger brother, was at one time a deputy to the General Court. Little is known of the first settlers
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THE FIRST COMERS TO TAUNTON
who bore the names of Henry Uxley, Joseph Wilson, Benjamin Wilson, William Coy, John Smith, Richard Smith, John Drake, Robert Hobell, David Corwithy, John Luther, Hugh Rossiter, John Kingsley, Thomas Farwell, John Briant, or William Scaddings, though the name of the latter is perpetuated in that of the Scaddings pond and meadows.
"Pondsbrooke," in Berkley, is still pointed out as the home of John Gilbert. Late in life he emigrated to England, and Thomas Gilbert, his eldest son, followed him. Edward Case, one of the first freemen here in 1637, had lands on Caswell street, that were afterwards sold to Samuel Wilbore, town clerk, later to the Caswell family, from whom were de- scended President Caswell of Brown University and President Angell of Yale. John Browne was prominent in the affairs both of colony and town; in Plymouth he was one of the Governor's assistants, and he was ap- pointed one of the commissioners of the United Colonies, on the part of Plymouth Colony, in 1644. He became an original settler and proprietor in Taunton as well as in Rehoboth; and his son-in-law was Captain Thomas Willett, the first English mayor of New York.
William Hailstone was the only one of his name here. William Dunn, sea captain, was a purchaser, and he brought with him William Witherell, first settler within the bounds of Norton, and from whom leading business men hereabouts have descended. The "widow Randall" was one of the first purchasers in the eastern section of the settlement. Thomas Cooke and his son Thomas were recorded as subject to military duty in 1643. John Gingell was among the first to take the oath of fidelity. Francis Doughty was a first settler, and an opponent to the first church gathering here. Disgruntled and mischief-making, he soon afterward left the set- tlement.
Rev. William Hooke and Rev. Nicholas Street were the first ministers in succession. Jointly, they were granted a tract of four hundred acres of upland and thirty acres of meadow in Berkley, which farm eventually went into the hands of John Hathaway, Edward Bobbitt, and Timothy Hathaway, the tract being still known as "The Farms."
Anthony Slocum, surveyor of highways here, later removed to Dart- mouth, and became one of that town's first settlers, as well. Edward Bobbitt was first of the Bobbitt-Babbitt clan in this section, and he was first to lose his life in the King Philip War in 1675, in Taunton. Captain John Gallup was not only a first comer in Taunton, but also a professional pilot in Boston harbor, and Gallup's Island in that harbor was named for him. He was killed in the Narragansett Swamp fight.
One of the most thorough and comprehensive genealogies that have been written is that of the Hodges family, tracing descent from William Hodges, who owned much land here, and whose descendants, owning prop- erty on High and Tremont streets, have been leaders in the affairs of vil- lage and town.
Of Thomas Lincoln, James Leonard, James Walker and John Turner, there is much to be said industrially and otherwise. John Macomber was a surveyor in 1670; Oliver Purchase was a first settler and town clerk; John Tisdale was founder of a large family of descendants; James Wyatt was constable and surveyor. Later arrived the progenitors of the Kings, the Reeds, the Harts, and many others who have added to the advance- ment of town and city's interests.
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CHAPTER IV.
FIRST MILITARY MOVEMENTS
Exceedingly few towns in this part of New England may produce a record approximating that of Taunton in that continuous feature of com- munity life that we have well denominated "military preparedness"-a function of town protection that has existed from the earliest days, before the town was incorporated, and only a year after the first-comer settled here, to the latest times, when the entire city has saluted a great National Flag, and given its men for war, and its money and influence for "drives" at every call. Looking backward from the wartime enthusiasms of today, Taunton is able to behold a long panorama of military activities, in which every type of citizen has performed his share of one kind and another for some patriotic cause. The strong arm of hamlet and city here, for close to three hundred years, has been the military, its participants in many cases being fathers and sons for generations.
And the first scene of all is that of the small wilderness settlement of Cohannet of 1638, with its train band, and with Captain William Poole, a brother of Elizabeth Poole, first-comer, "exercising the inhabitants of Co- hannet in their arms."
Plymouth, Scituate and Duxbury and other towns of the colonial period had their train bands and appointed leaders in that concerted move- ment that was nothing less than "military preparedness." All who were able to bear arms offered their services-and they were usually the grown men of every community-to secure the safety of the town. If there should be Indian troubles, the village was ready to meet them. If in- vasions threatened from any direction, protection was assured.
There were fifty-four members of that train band of the Taunton that was to be. And these also constituted the first military company of Taun- ton, which, actually organized in 1643, still remained in the leadership of Captain Poole, who retained his office until 1661, when he removed to Dorchester as clerk of writs, registrar and schoolmaster in that town, when Lieutenant James Wyatt commanded the Taunton company until his death in 1664. Oliver Purchase had been the ensign-bearer of the company, as in their turn had been George Macey and Thomas Leonard- all first settlers-and these men figured actively not only in the prepared- ness interests, but in all others affecting the advancement of the town. Their company continued to increase in numbers, when in the year 1682 it received its first division into four squadrons, as seen in the orders "to their bringing their arms to meeting on every Sabbath Day, until the last of October, according to Court order." That year the one company num- bered 134 soldiers, and the town was given liberty to have two companies, if it so desired. But that was not yet to be, and in 1690 Thomas Leonard was elected captain, James Leonard, Jr., lieutenant, and Henry Hodges ensign.
Although the Council of War at Plymouth sent out its orders for two companies at Taunton, such orders were the cause of a general remon- strance from many in the town who desired no division of the first mili- tary company. The expression of these differences was continued some
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FIRST MILITARY MOVEMENTS
years, and in the Plymouth records we find the remonstrances aired in letters, in particular to and from Major John Walley, Captain Thomas Leonard, Deputy Governor William Stoughton, and even Sir William Phipps, who "would have the differences at an end." Meantime, the Court at Plymouth in 1643 had established a generally observed military dis- cipline, and in 1653, ten years later, had ordered that a military watch be kept in every town, and that town councils and commissioned officers have power to order the same.
Close to the end of that century, then, or in 1698, and with the growth of the village in many directions, came a succession of new military or- ganizations, formed for purposes of protection, their popular officers hold- ing their positions for years. The first of these new military companies was organized in the North Purchase in 1698, and attached to the First Regiment of Bristol, which regiment was under command of Major John Walley, continuing thus until June 12, 1711, at the time of the incorpora- tion of Norton. The commissioned officers were Captain George Leonard, Lieutenant Samuel Brintnell, Ensign Nicholas White.
The South Purchase was then frontier, and the need for another com- pany there was met with the organization just ten years later, or in 1708, of the South Purchase company, that was placed in the First Regiment of Bristol county, under command of Colonel Nathaniel Byfield, so continu- ing until the town of Dighton was incorporated, in 1712. Jared Talbot was captain of this company.
The first military company in Taunton, remaining intact as yet, had for its officers in 1700, Captain Thomas Leonard, Lieutenant James Leon- ard, Ensign Henry Hodges; Sergeants Thomas Gilbert, Jared Talbot, Thomas Williams, Henry Andrews; Corporals Stephen Caswell, Sr., Israel Thrasher, Samuel Blake, Sr .; Drummers Edward Cob, Joseph Hall, Sr. And at this time, the company was directed to "preserve order, and to prevent defects in arms and ammunition." Then, remonstrances set aside, for the general good, came the division in 1703, when the first military company was separated into two companies to be known as the Eastward and the Westward company, with Mill river as the line of division.
Thomas Leonard had charge of the Eastward company until Feb- ruary 28, 1709, when he was commissioned major of the First Regiment of Bristol county, and placed in command of the First Foot company of Taunton, also (outgrowth of the Eastward company), Major Leonard holding this command up to November 24, 1713, the time of his death. The other officers then were: Captain-Lieutenant James Leonard, Ensign Philip King, Sergeants Samuel Leonard, John Staples, Ezra Dean. James Leonard followed in command, with John King as his lieutenant, and Ebenezer Robinson as ensign. John King became captain November 1, 1726, on the death of Captain Leonard, and Thomas Dean was the com- pany's ensign up to the time of the incorporation of the town of Rayn- ham, April 2, 1746. Thus is brought to a close the record of the first military company that was enrolled by Captain William Poole in 1643.
But the First Foot company continued with a portion of the old com- pany, the commissioned officers in 1757 being as follows: Lieutenant- Colonel Samuel White, Captain-Lieutenant Samuel Pratt, Lieutenant Seth Williams, Ensign James Codding; Sergeants Isaac Williams, Jonathan
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Cobb, John Richmond, Peter Pratt; Corporals Nehemiah Haskins, George Codding, Micah Pratt; Drummers William French, William Briggs. This company came under Lieutenant-Colonel George Godfrey's command, August 18, 1772, and was known as the "Lieutenant-Colonel's company." Daniel Wilde at that time was the captain, John Reed was the lieutenant, and Robert Crossman was the ensign. Again, and until the Revolutionary War, this company was styled the "Colonel's company," with Colonel George Godfrey in command of the Third Regiment.
The Westward company, or, as it was shortly afterward designated, the Second Foot company, was officered as follows: Captain Henry Hodges, Lieutenant Samuel Williams, Ensign Thomas Gilbert. Captain Hodges was succeeded in command by Samuel Williams, and he by Jonathan Car- ver. Captain Joseph Hall was in command in 1757, his staff being Lieuten- ant William Leonard, Ensign Henry Hodges; Sergeants Peter Pitts, Ezra Dean, Israel Dean, Ambrose Linkon; Corporals Jedediah Wilbur, Simeon Williams, David Dean; Drummers David Pollard, Seth Leonard. Henry Hodges was the commanding officer in 1762, James Leonard in 1772, and Simeon Williams in 1774, the subordinate officers being Lieutenants Henry Hodges, William Leonard, Simeon Williams, William Thayer, Ensigns Thomas Gilbert, Seth Williams, Edward Blake, Israel Dean, Ichabod Leonard.
Military history was in the making at Whittenton also, for the towns- men of that section, in the early twenties, enrolled the Third Foot com- pany, with John Richmond as the first captain. James Leonard, who had been with the Eastward company, was a lieutenant in the Third Foot company in 1728, and John Mason was an ensign at that time. James Leonard (3rd) was the company captain in 1736, and Nathaniel Burt was the clerk. Other officers of the company were as follows: Captains William Hodges, Morgan Cobb, George Williams, Ebenezer Dean, Lieutenants John Harvey, Elijah Barney, Abijah Hodges, Joshua Dean, Ensigns Morgan Cobb, Nathaniel Burt, John Macomber, Abiathar Leonard.
When Dighton became a town, the Fourth Foot company was or- ganized, with these officers: Captain John Andrews, First Lieutenant Morgan Cobb. Joseph Tisdale was the next captain, and he was succeeded by Edmund Andrews, and he by Thomas Cobb. The sergeants of this company in 1759 were Ebenezer Cobb, Jonathan Harvey, Nathaniel Willis; the corporals, Benjamin Crossman, Abijah Leonard, Ichabod Leonard, Jacob Cobb, Isaac Briggs. James Leonard was the captain in 1762, and Cornelius White and Samuel Leonard succeeded him. Other officers of the company were: Lieutenants Samuel Andrews, Abel Burt, Ebenezer Cobb, Jonathan Shore, Nathaniel Briggs; Ensigns Ebenezer White, Morgan Cobb (2nd), William Thayer, Abel Burt.
The Fifth Company fell into line in 1719, the inhabitants on the east side of Taunton Great river joining that company, with Seth Williams as captain, Samuel Leonard as lieutenant, and Seth Sumner as ensign. Cap- tain Williams was succeeded by Samuel Pitts, John Godfrey, William Canedy, Ephraim Dean, Elijah Macomber, the latter retaining that posi- tion until the general reorganization of the militia in 1776. The lieuten- ants of the company were Jonathan Williams, Josiah Macomber, Israel Dean, Israel Thrasher; the sergeants, John Williams, Ephraim Dean, Ben-
Drawn by J. W. Barber-Engraved by S. F. Brown, Boston. CENTRAL PART OF TAUNTON IN 1839
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TAUNTON IN THE COLONIAL WARS
jamin Paull, Josiah Andrews; corporals, Zachariah Padelford, Henry Hos- kins, Josiah Macomber, Israel Dean; ensigns, Elijah Macomber, Barnabas Canedy, Joseph Godfrey; drummers, James Williams, George Eliot.
The Sixth Foot company was also, like the Fifth Foot company, en- listed on the east side of Taunton Great river, in 1757, with Ebenezer Dean as captain; lieutenant, Israel Thrasher; ensign, George Williams; ser- geants, John Macomber, Joshua Dean, John Padelford, Edward Dean; corporals, John Hart, John Tisdale, John Sumner, Noah Dean, Benjamin Dean, John Macomber.
"Troops of horse" existed here and there from 1710 onwards, such a troop being enrolled in 1749 for participation in the French and Indian wars. The Taunton troop of 1757, attached to the Third Regiment of Militia, had for its captain Joshua Leonard; lieutenant, James Godfrey ; cornet, Benjamin Pearson; quartermasters, Joseph Harvey, Nathaniel Leonard; trumpeters, Joshua Crossman, John Pidg, Charles and Solomon Dean, Josiah Harvey; corporals, John Lambert, Ebenezer Claslin, Silas Lincoln. A troop of horse, also, was attached to the Third Regiment of the county of Bristol, under command of Colonel Samuel White, in 1762, the officers being Captain George Godfrey, Lieutenant Joseph Dean, Cor- net Nathaniel Leonard, Quartermaster James Tyler, Second Quartermaster Samuel Wilde.
Again, while George Leonard was colonel of the Third Regiment, a troop of horse from Taunton was attached to that regiment, with Nathaniel Leonard as captain, Solomon Dean as first lieutenant, Frederick Baylies as second lieutenant.
Five Taunton companies are recorded as having been attached to the Third Regiment of the county of Bristol in 1760, the field officers of that regiment in 1762 being as follows: Samuel White, Esq., colonel; George Leonard, lieutenant-colonel; Thomas Morey, Esq., major of the companies in the towns of Norton, Attleboro and Easton; Seth Williams, Esq., major of the companies of the towns of Taunton and Raynham. The field officers of this regiment in 1772 are recorded as follows: Hon. George Leonard, Esq., colonel; Daniel Leonard, Esq., lieutenant-colonel; George Godfrey, with lieutenant-colonel's rank; George Williams, Esq., major; Apollos Leonard, adjutant-major.
Such is our general survey of the companies and regiments that had military oversight of the growing town and its surroundings; and it was from these that calls to actual warfare were soon to be made.
CHAPTER V.
TAUNTON IN THE COLONIAL WARS
Disarmament, now a dominant word of intermittent world-wide con- sideration, was held in little esteem when the New England colonies were setting forth upon their historic journey; and in Taunton the militant provision had never been lacking from the hour of the raising of the first domicile. The soldiery were themselves the builders of the towns; the
Bristol-&
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BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS
men-at-arms were a necessity for home-making in the wilderness; the colony watchmen and police were the executives for the continuous pro- tection of their own firesides. We have taken note of the fact that Taun- ton organized and reorganized its first companies of militia, and how the latter were placed for the purpose of guarding the town, and who pre- sided over each contingent as officers. For years there was no special call for fighting men, though fighting men were prepared. The wise rule of the chief Massasoit had served to keep the Indians from outbreak up to the time of the King Philip War, in 1675, though rumors of insurrection and of "general conspiracy intended by the natives to cut off all the Eng- lish in this land" were not infrequent.
There was a constant readiness on the part of the military companies of the town to repel invaders upon their preparations for permanent settle- ment, though for more than thirty years their services were not put into practice. On at least four occasions that ranged through the years from 1643 to 1671, for example, there came some sort of summons against in- cipient rebellion and conspiracy, though temporary disbandment was the usual outcome. Then, the King Philip War, the first serious set-to with the natives, roused the section to actual arms, both sides having their griev- ances that we can more generously gauge from where we now stand and behold the scene.
It was at Taunton that the first serious conference with Metacomet (King Philip) took place, and the gathering at the meeting house here is accounted one of the chief historic occurrences of that time. Within the first meeting house, then, the commissioners of the Plymouth and Massa- chusetts Bay colonies met Philip and some of his counsellors, and they there put that chief to confusion when he was presented with proofs of his duplicity. As a leading result of that meeting, Philip consented to the surrender of their arms by his tribe; and he signed an agreement of his submission to the demands of the commission. Nevertheless, both his temperament and tactics being wholly unlike those of his father, Massasoit, he continued to plot against the English. Today the truth has become evident to us that the tribe had increased greatly during that first half century since the Pilgrims had landed, and the immediate descendants of the first owners, including Philip himself, wanted all the old possessions back that the English had paid for and were occupying. June, 1675, was the date when Philip began the war that is called by his name, and scores of possessors of the Bobbitt and Babbitt name here and throughout the country recall that it was in the same month that their ancestor, Edward Bobbit, whose gravestone is still preserved in Historical Hall in Taunton, was killed by the Indians in Berkley.
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