USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Ancient Middlesex with brief biographical sketches of the men who have served the country officially since its settlement > Part 8
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Samuel Andrew, of Cambridge, 1683 to 1700 (17 years).
Sam: Andrews 1683
Born in 1621. In early life he was a ship-master of recog- nized ability, manifested in his selection by Harvard College as an expert to settle some disputed questions in navigation. He was a Constable in 1666, a position of great importance in those days; Selectman, 1681 to 1693: Town Clerk, 1682 to 1693, and Town Treasurer, 1694 to 1699. An influential public servant. He died, highly respected, June 21, 1701, aged eighty years.
Hon. James Russell, of Charlestown, 1700 to 1709 (9 Years).
James Russelle
Born October 4, 1640. Son of Hon. Richard Russell, Col- onial Treasurer. He was an Assistant from 1680 to 1686 ; a Rep- resentative to the General Court ; one of the Council, and a Judge of the Inferior Court from December 2. 1692, to April 28, 1:09. He died in the office of Treasurer AApril 28, 1209, aged sixty-nine vears.
Daniel Russell, of Charlestown, 1709 to 1763 (54 Years).
Dan Pro kasey
Born December 1, 1685. Son of Hon. James Russell, whom he succeeded in the office of Treasurer, remaining in said office until the date of his death, covering a period of more than half a century. He was "Provincial Commissioner of Imposts," and a member of the Council for twenty years. He died December 6, 1963, aged seventy-eight years.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Hon. James Russell, of Charlestown, 1763 to 1776 (13 Years).
James Rufiel
Born August 5, 1:15. He was the son of Hon. Daniel Rus- sell, his predecessor in office, thus completing an unbroken line of family service in this office, through his father and grand- father, of seventy-six years. He was a Representative in the General Court from 1:46 to 1159, and afterwards a member of the Council. He was appointed Judge of the Inferior Court May 11. 1:41, and sat on the bench until the outbreak of the Revolu- tion. At various times he lived in Dunstable, Lincoln, and Charlestown, dying in the latter place in 1798, aged eighty-three.
David Cheever, of Charlestown, 1776 to 1778 (2 Years).
Born June 1, 1722. A distiller and prominent member of the First Church. He was a Selectman from 1761 to 1768; one of the "Committee of Correspondence" November 27, 1773 ; dele- gate to the Provincial Congress 1124-25 and 26 ; a Representa- to the General Court at Watertown, and a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas of Middlesex from May 3, 1776, to September, 1:18. In 1428 he moved to Boston, when the General Court de- clared the office of Treasurer vacant, through his removal, and ordered a special election to fill the vacancy. As an ardent and active patriot he took a prominent part in the proceedings which brought about the Revolution, it being a matter of record that he was elected Moderator of a meeting which assembled at the Old South meeting house, December 14, 1443, to take action con- cerning the tea, and he was also one of a committee appointed to obtain from the collector a clearance for the tea ships. At the battle of Bunker Hill, the British destroyed his mansion house, cooper's shop and distillery, amounting in the aggregate to
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
€2,176 sterling. His wife died in Dorchester, October, 1811, and he appears to have been living at that time, but when administra- tion upon her estate was applied for in 1815 he was represented to be deceased. He was one of the founders of American Liberty who suffered for the cause. At the time of his death he was up- wards of ninety years of age.
Adj. Gen. Ebenezer Bridge, of Chelmsford, 1778 to 1807 (29 years).
Elin Bride& Reg."
A
Born there April 29, 1744. He was the son of Rev. Eben- ezer Bridge, a distinguished minister of that town, and was grad- uated at Harvard in 1764. After leaving college, he taught school in Worcester for several terms, and finally became a dealer in "East and West India goods" in Billerica. In 1925 he was chosen Colonel of the Twenty-seventh Regiment of Minutemen. This regiment participated in the battle of Bunker Hill, where he was wounded. He was also the first Adjutant-General of this Commonwealth, having been appointed under the first Act for the government of the Militia. approved March 3, 1781. His appointment fixed him at that time as a citizen of Chelmsford. He was Register of Deeds from 1746 to 1781, and Senator from 181 to 1800. Why he did not remain in the military service in the field is probably explained from the fact that the manage- ment of his command at Bunker Hill was a subject of sharp crit- icism, although an honorable wound received in battle would seem to set aside any question of personal valor. That the people believed in him is evident, through thirty-one years of constant public service. After a painful and lingering illness, he passed away at Hardwick, N. Y., February 9, 1814, aged seventy years.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Hon. John Leighton Tuttle, of Concord, 1807 to 1813 (6 years).
Instinto
Born in Littleton, Mass., February 10, 1474. Educated at New Ipswich Academy, and fitted for college by Mr. Willard, the minister at Boxboro. A graduate of Harvard, class of 1796. After studying law with Hon. Timothy Bigelow, of Groton, and Hon. Simeon Strong, of Amherst, he settled in Concord, in 1800, where he gained a brilliant reputation at the bar. He resigned from the Senate, of which he was a member from 1808 to 1813, to accept a commission as Lieutenant-Colonel, commanding the Ninth Regiment, Continental Infantry, in the war of 1812. He died suddenly at Sacketts Falls, N. Y., July 23, 1813, at the age of thirty-nine years. It is supposed that he was poisoned by miscreants who hoped to obtain a large sum of money belonging to the United States, thought to be in his possession. When the United States government sued the executor of his estate to re- cover for the money missing. Hon. Samuel Hoar set up as a defense that Colonel Tuttle was robbed and murdered, which the verdict of the jury sustained. While his death was not as heroic as though he had fallen on the field of battle, still his life was sacrificed in the service of his country. He was Worshipful Master of Corinthian Lodge, A. F. and A. M., of Concord in 1807 and '08.
Hon. John Keyes, of Concord, 1813 to 1837 (24 years).
John Kages
He was born in Westford March 24, 1787, and graduated at Dartmouth in 1809. He rode on horseback from his home to Hanover, N. H., and then sold his horse to obtain the money with which to pay his board and tuition. He graduated second in a class of which the distinguished lawyer and statesman, Levi
JOHN KEYES. OF CONCORD County Treasurer 1813 to 1837.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Woodbury, was the first scholar. He studied law with John Ab- bott, of Westford, who was afterwards noted as Grand Master of Masons in the dark days of 1834. He was Postmaster of Con- cord from 1812 to 1832 ; a member of the Constitutional Conven- tion of 1820 ; a Representative in 1821 and 1822 ; a Senator from 1823 to 1829, also again in the House as Representative from 1832 to 1833, and in 1835 serving as speaker pro-tem during most of the session. While his public service was lengthy and distin- guished, he suffered materially in his political relations through the unreasonable calumny which assailed all faithful members of the "craft" during the crusades of the anti-Masonic period, losing the office of Treasurer, after twenty-four years of faithful service, to the anti-Masonic candidate. He served as Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge from 1824 to 1826, and Senior Grand Warden in 1822 and 1828. He was a man of sterling in- tegrity, of dignified presence, and excellent business judgment. the latter being evident in the size of his estate, which was one of the largest ever administered upon in Middlesex County up to that date. He was a Director in the Concord Bank and in the Mill Dam Corporation, a Trustee of the Middlesex Savings In- stitution, and President of the Middlesex Mutual Fire Insurance Company. He died August 29, 1844, aged fifty-seven years.
Stedman Buttrick, of Concord, 1837 to 1855 (18 Years).
Stedman Buttricke
Born there September 16, 1196. He was a member of the Buttrick family renowned for patriotism in the Revolutionary period. He was a Selectman several years and Town Clerk from 1842 to 1851, and represented the town of Concord in 1836-37-38 and '39 as a Democrat and anti-Mason. He was also the candi- date of the anti-Masonic party for County Treasurer, defeating his fellow townsman, John Keyes. He resided upon the estate and cultivated the very ground from which Major John Buttrick, his grandfather, gave the order which fired "the shot heard 'round the world." Three of his sons, true to their ancestry, were in the Civil
. STEDMAN BUTTRICK, OF CONCORD. County Treasurer 1837 to 1855. (See page 137.)
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
war; one of them died in the service, having previously fought for the cause of freedom under John Brown, in Kansas. Sted- man Buttrick was a man of splendid physique, and a striking ex- ample of the sterling qualities of mind and body which charac- terized the yeomanry of Middlesex county. In youth he was fond of hunting and fishing, and in later years of a good game of whist. His last words, so it is said, were: "What's trumps?" He died November 2, 18:4, aged seventy-eight years.
AMOS STONE, OF EVERETT. County Treasurer 1855 to 1886.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Amos Stone, of Charlestown and Everett, 1855 to 1886 (31 years ).
Born in Weare, N. H., August 16, 1816. He came to Charlestown when eight years of age, and was educated in the public schools of that town. When Charlestown became a city he was elected Treasurer, and held the office from 1841 to 1855. During the latter year he was elected Treasurer of the County of Middlesex, and so continued until 1886, declining a further elec- tion. His family was noted in public affairs ; one of the brothers being Mayor of Charlestown, both of them vigorously opposing annexation as a scheme to swallow up that historic municipality and make it simply an outlying ward of the City of Boston, and a football for designing politicians. After the County of Middle- sex was obliged to submit to the dismemberment of the territory made famous by its colonial settlers and fighting yeomanry. Amos Stone moved to Everett, where he was prominent in local affairs. During many years he was President and Treasurer of the Five Cents Savings Bank, and President of the Monument National Bank, two highly successful institutions of Charlestown. He died February 13, 1896, aged eighty years.
4
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JOSEPH ORLIN HAYDEN, OF SOMERVILLE. County Treasurer 1886 to date.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Joseph Orlin Hayden, of Somerville, 1886 to date (19 years).
gotlanden
Born in Blandford, Mass., July 8, 1847. He was educated in the public schools of Blandford and Chicopee and the academy at Granville. At seventeen years of age, following the advice of Horace Greeley, he went West, where he performed clerical ser- vice for a time, finally becoming interested in a newspaper in Minneapolis, Minn. In 1868 he came to Somerville. From that date until 1846 he was manager of the Boston Daily and Sunday Times, when he accepted the management of the Somerville Journal, and has so continued until the present time. During several years he was President of the Somerville Water Board and of the Suburban Press Association, until he declined re-elec- tion. At the present time he is President of a highly prosperous financial institution, the Somerville National Bank. The system- atic details introduced into the management of the treasury de- partment by Mr. Hayden have been recommended by the Controller of County Accounts for adoption by County Treas- urers throughout the Commonwealth.
N. B. It is worthy of note that but 14 persons have served as County Treasurers, covering a period of 250 years. It is also interest- ing to gather from the foregoing that Hon. Richard Russell served the colony and county 10 years. his son, Hon. James Russell, served the county 9 years, his grandson. Hon. Daniel Russell, served 54 years, and his great-grandson, Hon. James Russell, served 13 years to the Revo- lutionary period, in all a family service of 86 years, 76 of which was con- secutive. It is doubtful if anything approaching this extended period can be found in the annals of official service in any department of this or any other Commonwealth, when applied to so important a position. except in the family of Francis Foxcroft elsewhere mentioned, which served through father, sons and grandsons, in different official positions, an aggregate of 94 years! It seems to indicate that the people of ancient Middlesex were loth to discard the services of a faithful public servant until death or disability intervened .- [Ed.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
THE BEADLE AND MARSHAL-GENERAL.
The Beadle was the earliest officer known in colonial times charged with duties similar to those of court officers of the pres- ent day. The position of Marshal-General was analagous to that of High Sheriff. This officer administered the extreme penalties of the law upon such as were found guilty and duly sentenced. Previous to the appointment of Sheriffs, the Marshal-General acted throughout the colony.
James Penn, of Boston, 1630 to 1637 (7 years).
James por.
Came over with Winthrop. At the first session of the As- sistants on board the Governor's ship. AArbella, in Charlestown harbor, he was chosen Beadle, "to attend upon the Governor and alwaies be ready to execute his commands in publique busi- nesses." He took the oath of office at the second session, Sep- tember 2, 1630 .* He was chosen by the General Court as "Mar- shal-General of the Court" September 25. 1634. He was Repre- sentative in 1648 and 1649. In spiritual matters he was un- doubtedly a man of great piety, being for many years a ruling elder of the church. He died September 30. 16:1.
*"First Court of Assistants, holden att Charlton" August 23, 1630. "It was ordered, that James Pen should have 20 nobles p ann, & a "dayes worke of a man att springe from eny able famyly, to help build "his house, his yeare to begin the Ith of September nexte. His im- "ployemt to be as a beadle to attend upon the Gounr, and alwaies to be "ready to execute his comands in publique businesses."
At the 2nd Court September 7 "James Pen did now take the oath of beadle."
The foregoing is a copy of the original record .- [Ed.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Edward Mitchellsonn, of Cambridge, 1637 to 1681 (44 years).
Edward mitchellforn marghier .653
He came over in 1635, and was appointed Marshal-General in 1637, holding the office until his death, a period of forty-four years. During that extended period he was charged with the sad duty of executing the unfortunate Quakers persecuted for "con- science sake." He was a member of the A. H. A. Company. 1638. In the year 1668 the court passed an order directing that in lieu of fees he be paid out of the "Country Treasury the sum of fifty pounds per annum to provide for so ancient a servant of this court some comfortable maintainance." He died March :, 1681.
John Green, of Cambridge, 1681 to 1687 and from 1689 to 1691 (8 years).
John Green. Marshall Pourall 1692.
Born there in June, 1636. He was an only son of Percival, who came over in 1635 on the "Susan and Ellen." John Green married a daughter of Edward and Ruth (Bushell) Mitchellsonn. He succeeded Mitchellsonn as Marshal-General, holding the office ten years, except during the Andros administration in 168; to 1689, when he was superseded by Samuel Gookin. In 1689 he was reappointed. He died March 3, 1690-91. aged fifty-five years. See note.
Samuel Gookin, of Cambridge, 1687 to 1689 (2 years).
He was a son of Major-General Daniel Gookin, and is noted below as a Sheriff of Middlesex County. He appears to have served under Andros in 1687 and '88, being superseded by John Green as above.
Note. Dr. Samuel A. Green, ex-mayor of Boston and noted as an historian, is a direct descendant of John Green .- [Ed.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
SHERIFFS OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
The office of Sheriff comes down through the remotest antiquity of County history in the mother country, some authori- ties tracing it back to the Romans. In the government of this colony, it was adopted some time after the organization of coun- ties in 1643.
Capt. Timothy Phillips, of Charlestown, 1692 to 1702 (10 years).
Jim Phillips
Born September 15, 1658. He was without doubt the first Sheriff of Middlesex county succeeding the Andros period. He was the son of Henry, of Dedham. Admitted to the church in 1681. Constable of Charlestown the same year. His business appears to have been that of a landlord or common-victualler. Judge Sewall in his diary, Vol. I .- 450, under date of March 24. 1696. says that he "dined with Sheriff Phillips and wife and Mr. Phips and wife" (presumably Samuel Phipps, who was County Clerk and both Register of Deeds and Probate). Sheriff Phillips died May 1, 112, aged fifty-three years.
Capt. Samuel Gookin, of Cambridge, 1702 to 1714 (12 years).
Som Jokin James Cookin fun!" 1702
Born April 22, 1652. Noted above as a son of Major-Gen- eral Daniel Gookin, a friend of the "praying Indians," of John Eliot's time. He was not only Marshal-General of the colony
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
for a brief period, but was a Captain of Militia in 1692 and active in the Indian troubles. He also raised troops in 1711 for an ex- pedition to Canada. In 168; he was appointed a Sheriff of Mid- dlesex. under Andros, whom he ardently supported. In addition to his term of twelve years he was again appointed in 1:18 and served until 1:29. Of his ability there can be but one opinion. but in many ways he appears to have lacked discretion. His service of two terms of twelve years each as Sheriff is sufficient evidence that the authorities forgave his zeal and friendship for the despised Andros. He died September 26, 1:30, aged sev- enty-eight years. See note.
Col. Edmund Goffe, of Cambridge, 1714 to 1717 (3 years).
Com hoffe
Born 16:0. Graduated from Harvard in 1690. Selectman, 1:12 and '18. Representative 1216 to 1224. Colonel in 1224. and engaged against the Indians. He was a very able business man and accumulated a large estate, but towards the close of his life became of unsound mind as appears by a report of the Select- men, June 11, 1:40, on which he was committed to "Gaol." where he survived but four months. During the time of his mental troubles the records show that his property was largely dissipated and his estate was rendered insolvent thereby. He died October 16, 1140, aged seventy years.
Samuel Gookin, 1717 to 1729 (12 years). See above.
Note. Samuel Gookin, a son of above, who was born August 14. 1683, and died in 1767, was appointed Deputy Sheriff by his father in 1702. when 19 years of age, and appears to have served as such until about the time of his death at 84 years of age, a period of about 65 years,
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Samuel Dummer, of Wilmington, 1729 to 1731 (2 years).
Sehumanas
Born in Boston in 1690. He was the second son of Jere- miah Dummer, a prominent silversmith of Boston, who was a son of Richard, of Newbury, noted for his wealth and public spirit. Jeremiah was also a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas from 1702 to 1115. One of his (Samuel's) brothers was William Dum- mer, Acting Governor of the colony for many years, and the other was Jeremiah, agent of the colonial government in England. and one of the most brilliant men of his day. Dr. Chauncy wrote of him as being "one of the three first sons of New Eng- land," and Bancroft said his writings contained "the seed of American Independence." Samuel was born in the Dummer mansion, which stood near the corner of State and Congress streets. In carly life he appears to have lived in Jamaica. On his return he settled in Wilmington, where he cultivated with slave labor an extensive estate. He had a mania for purchasing farms and at one time had several hundred acres in that vicinity. which probably were not specially remunerative, as he became financially embarrassed and parted with most of them in 1231. In 1:30 as "a Principal Inhabitant of Wilmington" he was ordered by the General Court to warn the inhabitants to meet in Town Meeting and elect Town Officers. He died February 6. 1,38, aged forty-eight years, leaving a widow, Elisabeth, who was a daughter of the venerable Samnel Ruggles, minister of Billerica more than half a century. A few days after the death of her husband she gave birth to a posthumous daughter. who lived about three years. In the settlement of her husband's es- tate appears the following interesting item, "Paid Elisabeth Dummer" (the widow and mother) "for the lying in of a post- humous child Twenty Pounds!" This singular charge was al- lowed by the Judge. Samuel Dummer's appointment as Sheriff came from his brother, but he does not appear to have been at all active in the discharge of the duties of his office, and he was soon superseded. He lies buried in the ancient cemetery in Wil- mington.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Hon. Richard Foster, Jr., of Charlestown, 1731 to 1764 (33 years).
Richt Foster Junk
Born March 23, 1693. His official career was longer than that of any sheriff who has ever held the position in Middlesex. covering a period of one-third of a century. His special prepara- tion for the duties of an office, in which he must have been ex- ceedingly competent, was unusual, and has never been dupli- cated, as he followed the sea in the early part of his life and was finally advanced to the command of a vessel, which certainly gave him little time to devote to the study of public affairs. From 1764 to 1111 he was Judge of the Inferior Court. He died August, 1114, aged eighty-two years.
Col. David Phips, of Charlestown, 1764 to 1775 (10 years).
David Ships Shorth
Born September 25, 1224. Graduated from Harvard in 1141. A Representative in 1753 and Colonel in the Militia. Be- ing a Royalist and adhering to the cause of the King, his estate was confiscated, and he fled to England, where he died July ?, 1811, aged eighty-seven.
Col. James Prescott, of Groton, 1775 to 1781 (6 years).
James Preport Sheriff
Born there of a noted family of patriots, January 13, 1220-1. He was a member of the First, Second, and Third Provincial
COLONEL LOAMMI BALDWIN, OF WOBURN. Sheriff 1781 to 1794.
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PORTRAIT AND ORGAN OF OLIVER HOLDEN, OF CHARLESTOWN. Composer of " Coronation." (See page 36.) From the collection of the " Bostonian Society."
GENERAL WILLIAM HILDRETH, JR., OF CONCORD. Sheriff 1808 to 1813. (See page 151.) From a Concord collection of historic portraits. Not vouched for, but supposed to be authentic .- [L. S. G.
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
Congresses, and of the Board of War; of the Governor's Council in 1981, '82 and '83; of the General Court 1666 to 1225 and from 1111 to 1228. He was a Senator in 1780, and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas to his death, which occurred February 15, 1800. at the age of eighty years. He was of the steadfast yeomanry of Ancient Middlesex.
Colonel Loammi Baldwin, of Woburn, 1781 to 1794 (13 years). A soldier of the Revolution, mentioned elsewhere.
Major Joseph Hosmer, of Concord, 1794 to 1808 (14 years).
Joseph Hosmer thenit
Born December 25, 1235. He was an officer of militia in 1015, and acting Adjutant at the Concord fight. it being his duty to form the squads and companies into line as they arrived at the North Bridge. He was Captain of the Concord Light Infantry in 1280, and afterwards Major. He was Representative in 1780, '81. '83 and '84, Senator, 1185 to 1993, and member of the Con- stitutional Convention, 1:88. He died January 31, 1821. aged eighty-five years.
General William Hildreth, Jr., of Concord, 1808 to 1813 (5 years).
If Hedret Theni
Born in Dracut, November 16, 1757. A member of the So- ciety of the Cincinnati. A soldier and patriot of the Revolution- ary period, who marched as a minuteman at the Lexington alarm
MAJOR JOSEPH HOSMER, OF CONCORD. Sheriff 1794 to 1808. (See page 151.)
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ANCIENT MIDDLESEX.
His father, William Hildreth, of Dracut, prominent in public affairs, was elected by the General Court, February 7, 1776, as First Major in Colonel Spalding's Seventh Middlesex Regiment. but with extreme modesty declined the honor, replying that he was "conscious of not being qualified for that important post." The subject of this sketch served throughout the Revolution, first as a private in Captain Zaccheus Wright's Company, Colonel Brooks' Massachusetts Regiment, afterwards in Colonel Michael Jackson's Regiment of the Continental army, winning promotion to First Lieutenant, in which position he was returned as late as May 24, 1183. He was Representative from 1:95 to 1800, and Senator from 1801 to 1802. Ilis military title of General came from his connection with the Massachusetts militia. He died in Concord September 5, 1813, aged fifty-six years. He was a lineal descendant of Richard Hildreth, 1605-1688, first of Woburn and afterwards of Chelmsford, who was admitted a freeman May 10, 1643. In some way, perhaps in battle, he lost the use of his right hand, in recognition of which he was granted 150 acres of land in 1661. He was the common ancestor of all of the name in Dracut and Lowell, constituting an able, patriotic, and influential family.
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