USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Leicester > Brief history of Leicester, Massachusetts > Part 2
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Even the best of the houses were devoid of archi- tectural attractions, and of the conveniences and com- forts which we regard essential. They are described as "small, low one-story buildings," with a "front room and kitchen," and in some cases an added bed- room. The hinges of the doors were of wood; there were no handles; and the wooden latch was raised by a " latch string " passing through a hole to the out- side. The fire in the innense fire-places served to scorch one side, while the other was freezing. The hard necessities of frontier afforded little opportunity for adornment.
The people generally rode on horseback, the wo- men often seated behind the men on pillions. In 1790 a lady, attended by her husband, rode from Leicester to Vermont on horseback, holding a child two years old in her arms. In 1733 there were four chairs in town. Daniel Henshaw's family came to Leieester in a chaise in 1748. In his account-book that year and onward there are charges for the use of a " chair." The rate from Leicester to Boston or Malden was three pounds. There was not a "buggy wagon " in town till 1810. Books were rare. Thomas Earle was repairing watches in 1768 and later. In Daniel Henshaw's account-book is a memorandum of his verbal agreement to "take care," for a year " of his watch when wanted, for one cord of wood." Watches, clocks and looking-glasses, however, were evidently rare. The hour-glass measured the hours, and " dinner-time" was indicated by the shadow at the " noon-mark " on the window-sill.
In 1722 the town voted that if Joseph Parsons would build a " corn-mill it should not be taxed." Themill was soon afterward erected at the outlet of " Town Meadow," where Sargent's brick factory now stands. The first saw-mill was built by Captain Samuel Green, at Green- ville. He also, in 1724, built a grist-mill on the same stream, where Draper's grist-mill now stands. The " Mill lot " of Thomas Richardson also came, prob- ably, into his possession, so that he became the owner of the original mill lots, The second saw-mill was 2
built by Richard Southgate, in Cherry Valley, on the Auburn Road. William Earle had a grist-mill on " Hasley Brook " before 1730.
There was a carpenter here in 1717, and a few years later two other carpenters, a mason, a wheelwright and a tailor.
There was plenty of land, and land which had been sceured at low rates. But, although the first distribution was on equitable terms, the quality of ownership did not long continue, and it came to pass, in the buying and selling of " rights," that some of the farms contained from twelve to fifteen hundred acres.
Even that early period of labor and struggle was not exempt from class distinctions and jealousies. Some of the families that came early to Leicester were in those days regarded as rich. Some were well-edn- catedand refined. Coming thus from Boston, which had been settled a hundred years, their style of dress and their manners were doubtless somewhat in contrast with those of some of their neighbors. Soon after the family to which reference has already been made came to town, the congregation, one Sunday, was startled by the entrance of a man dressed in small-clothes, a green ealamanco coat and gold-laced hat, and with a cavalry sword hanging at his side, which thumped against the floor as he strode to his seat. When asked, at the close of the service, the occasion of this re- markable display, he said, " It is to let the Henshaws know that there is a God in Israel."
In 1722, when there were hardly fifty families on the scattered farms in the wilderness, the Indians of Maine and Canada resumed hostilities. This war is ealled " Lovell's War," from its most tragie incident, " Lovell's fight," in which Colonel Lovell routed the savages, but lost his own life on the shore of the beautiful lake in Fryeburg, Maine, which bears his name.
There were no general engagements in this region, but the frontier towns were harassed and kept in fear four years by roving bands of Indians, who lurked in the woods waiting to shoot down or capture their un- suspecting victims. The tidings that Worcester was threatened, and that three men had been shot and scalped in Rutland, naturally alarmed the people of Leicester. Although there are no traditions of similar attacks here, the marks of bullets in the fortified King house remained for a century afterward. In a letter to Lieutenant-Governor Dummer, Thomas Newhall gives information that "a mau reaping here, informs us an Indian had got within seven rods of him, and, looking up, he had a certain discovery of him; and stepping a few rods for his gun, he saw him no more, but hastened home."
Draper, also, in his " History of Spencer," informs us that " the earlier settlers of the town were frequently alarmed and disturbed by small parties or individual Indians prowling about the neighborhood, or through the town." Indians were also said to have been seen
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in the woods southwest of Greenville; but they were deterred from making an attack by the fact of forti- fied houses in that neighborhood.
In 1722 two Worcester men were sent to Leicester as scouts. In the correspondence of those years there are affecting references to the sad, anxious and defenceless condition of the people. In an appeal for help from Worcester, in 1724, to Colonel John Chandler, of Woodstock, who had command of the defensive forces in this vicinity, there is this signifi- cant reference to Leicester: "As to Leicester, the people there more need help from us than are able to render us any." Colonel Chandler himself, in a let- ter to Lieutenant-Governor Dummer, seconding the request for protection, expresses his regret, in view of the disappointment of "the poor people of Worces- ter, Leicester," etc., in not receiving it, and pleads for "consideration of the distressed circumstances of the poor people of these towns." Soon after, twenty- nine soldiers were posted in Leicester.
The next April the Lieutenant-Governor gave Col- onel Chandler notice of the approach of several par- ties of Indians from Canada, and ordered him to visit and warn the towns. The whole region was soon thrown into consternation by tidings that two companies of Indians were between them and "the Warchusetts," and the citizens of Leicester applied to the Lieutenant-Governor for speedy assistance of soldiers to defend them. "Our number of inhabit- ants," they write, "is very small, and several were much discouraged ; it was so late last summer before we had soldiers that we were exceedingly behind with our business." That year the town was, by the General Court, released from the payment of the "Province tax" of seven pounds, on account, as the people in their petition say, "of being a frontier," and " being very much exposed and reduced to very low circumstances by the late Indian war."
The house of the minister was, at the first, sur- rounded by a "garrison" or stockade, and in 1726 this defense was, by vote of the town, repaired and strengthened. There was also a garrison on the place of Judge Menzes, the outlines of which, near the Henshaw place, remained till the middle of the present century. A house at Mannville was also for- tified. The house of John King, between Leicester and Greenville, was made a fort. This house still stands, a solitary relic of those early times.
After its early trials and struggles, the town seems to have prospered generally as a farming community. Some of the early inhabitants were men of means, as well as of culture and standing, and other valuable families came into town. The farms greatly increased in value, and, with the building of better houses, the removal of the forests and the laying out and im- provement of roads, the prosperity and comfort of the people were increased. Still, the growth of the place was slow, and there were repeated periods of great trial and depression. After forty years, there
were less than one hundred families in the Eastern Pre- cinet. At the time of the Declaration of Independ- ence the population was ten hundred and seventy- eight. There was no increase during the war. At the opening of the present century the number was eleven hundred and three.
During a considerable portion of the last century the town, like other communities, suffered from the depreciation of the currency, and losses from State loans and private banking enterprises. These difli- culties confronted the settlers almost at the first, and were increased by the heavy demands made necessary by successive wars; in the time of the Revolution paper-money depreciated so rapidly that it became necessary to rate its value every few weeks. It finally became worthless.
Even in these circumstances money was counter- feited, and in 1747 we find the town voting Mr. William Green the sum of "2 pounds towards the counterfeit bill he took as town treasurer."
The danger of small-pox at times called for town action. The question of establishing an inoculating hospital was evidently a subject of controversy. It was finally disposed of in 1777 (after being repeatedly deferred) by a vote "that the physician provide a hospital at his own cost, subject to the selectmen." September 17, 1792, the town " voted to have small- pox in town by inoculation."
At the March meeting in 1771 the town voted "that a list presented by the selectmen of the names of those persons who have come into town, and the place where they came from since June 1, 1767, be put on the town records, in order that posterity may know when and from whence they came, and that the selectmen be directed to present such a list at the town-meeting in March for the future." Such a list was presented every year ; notices were recorded of persons who came to town until the year 1786 ; and as late as 1793 certificates were recorded of persons taken into honses and families.
On the afternoon of July 10, 1759, the town was visited by a remarkable cyclone. Two numbers of the Boston Post of that time are largely devoted to the details. It struck the tavern-house of Mr. Sam- uel Lynde, the last on the road to Spencer, passing from southwest to northeast. The house was lifted a considerable distance from its foundations, "and in the space of two minutes tore all to pieces." Several persons in the house were severely injured. " A little girl, being also at the Door, was carried by the Force of the Wind upwards of 40 rods, and had an arm broke." Four women were afterwards found in the cellar, "but could give no account how they got there." Articles from the house were found in Hol- den, ten miles distant, and "a watch was taken up above a mile from where the house stood." The barn and farm buildings were " torn to pieces," and a horse was killed. Trees were torn up by the roots, and fences broken down. A negro " standing at the
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door of that House was carried near 10 Rods Distance in the Air," and was so much injured that he died; and "a Pile of Boards ('tis said 7,000 Feet), being near the house, was shivered to Splinters, and carried to a great Distance, so that there was not Pieces large enough to make a Coffin to bury the Negro in."
It is said that purchasers who drew lots on the Connecticut Road, near what is now the line between Leicester and Spencer, expected, as was natural, that this would be the centre of the town, with all the advantages of such a position. But favorable as that locality might have been as the site of a village, the basis of separation between the two parts was laid at the beginning, when the eastern half was selected for prior occupation. After disposing of the eastern portion, the proprietors divided the western half among themselves, and the farms began slowly to be taken up. Before 1725 there were only three families in this part of the town. The two seetions were so far apart, and the circumstances of their early settle- ment were so unlike that their interests were never identical. There were differences with reference to laying ont roads and the adjustment of appropria- tions ; and the western portion was not satisfied to be without a minister, and desired to have the money raised by them for the ministry used for a minister in their part of the town. They also wished to be ex- empted from taxation for the schools, the advantage of which they did not enjoy. In 1741 the inhabitants petitioned to be "set off" as a town. The General Court readily passed an act of incorporation, but it was vetoed by Governor Shirley.
In 1744, July 18th, they were incorporated as a parish, and called "The Westerly Parish of Leices- ter." Five years later both precincts petitioned the General Court "to erect the west part of Leicester into a distinct and separate town." A bill of ineor- poration was passed, but it was vetoed by Lieutenant- Governor Phipps, on the ground that it would in- crease the number of representatives to the General Court. The House protested against the arbitrary action of the royal executive, but without effcet. In April, 1753, the precinct was made a district, with all the prerogatives of a town except that of sending a representative to the General Assembly. The bill was signed by Lieutenant-Governor Spencer Phipps, April 12, 1753, and his honor condescended to have the town called after his own first name. In 1775, upon the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the town assumed its right to send a representative to the Assembly, and in 1780 the right was made constitu- tional.
Upon the incorporation of Paxton, February, 1765, a strip of land two miles in width was set off to that town ; and when Ward (now Auburn) was incorpo- rated, April 10, 1778, the town parted with a small traet of land.
CHAPTER II.
LEICESTER-(Continued.)
FRENCH AND REVOLUTIONARY WARS.
Leicester in the French Wars-Louisbourg-Massacre of Fort William Henry -Quebec-Colonel William Henshur-Revolutionary War-Leading Patriots-Town Meetings-" Instructions"-Committee of Correspon. dence-" Minute-men " proposed-Ten- Courts-Provincial Congress- Ammunition Stored-19th of April-Colonel. William Henshaw's Orderly Books-Bunker Hill-Peter Salem- Provincial Congress-Suspected l'er- sous-War Expenses-Soldiers -- Leicester Men in the Service.
FRENCH WAR .- The history of the connection of Leicester with the wars of the last century shows how true it is that the life of a little settlement in the interior is identified in all its interests with the great movements of society and of nations. The people of Leieester had a somewhat prominent part in shaping, as well as in determining, some of the great issues which distinguished the last century. The convul- sions of the old world, and the conflicts between the old world and the new, were felt on the hills of Lei- cester. While the people of the town were occupied with their arduous labors, and were struggling with the difficulties of a new country and of frontier life, they also accepted their full share of the service, and the burden of these exhausting wars in which the ener- gics of the province were so largely engaged during the middle portion of the century.
The colonies loyally and heartily supported the mother country in the French wars from 1744 to 1763, and accepted with enthusiasm the hardships and suf- ferings of the several campaigns. They saw the perils to which their own settlements were exposed by the alliance of the French with the Indians, and compre- hended, to some extent, the magnitude and importance of the great struggle between England and France for supremaey in America. "Our people," wrote Benja- min Henshaw, of Connecticut, "are prodigiously spir- ited to help in the work."
In the several expeditions and engagements of the war of 1744 many Leicester men took part. The earlier enlistment rolls are not to be found, and there- fore the names of most of these men are unknown.
In 1745 the Legislature of Massachusetts planned an expedition for the reduction of the fortress at Louisbourg, on the island of Cape Breton. There are no means of knowing to what extent Leicester re- sponded to this call. Captain John Brown com- manded a company in the expedition, and was present at the surrender of the place. James Smith died in the expedition. Other Leicester men shared in the terrible hardships of the six weeks' investment of the fortress. The next year a French flect was sent to recover the place, and to ravage the coast of New England. The approach of this fleet caused great alarm, and an attack on Boston was expected. In September Captain Nathaniel Green, " in his Majesty's serviee in Leicester," received and executed an order
LEICESTER
from Colonel John Chandler for an immediate draft of twenty-five men, with ammunition and provision for fourteen days, to march for the defence of Boston. The fleet, however, was scattered by a storm, a pesti- lential fever broke out among the men, the whole ex- pedition was given up, and the two admirals, in their chagrin, took their own lives. In the winter of 1747 and 1748 men were sent to Colraine, and to Fort Massachusetts, in Williamstown, for the protection of that region against Indian attacks ; and others enlisted in the " Canada expedition."
In the French and Indian War, which broke out in 1754, still larger demands were made upon the town for soldiers. Leicester was represented by its sol- diers, in the earlier campaigns of this war, under General Winslow, and at Crown Point. In 1756 fifteen men enlisted in the expedition against Crown Point. They were in the company of Captain John Stebbins, the early settler by that name, but then a resident of Spencer. In that year twenty men from Leicester joined the army, only two of whom were conscripts.
Thomas Newhall had command of a company of cavalry. Nathan Parsons, a native of Leicester, and son of the first minister, was present at the surren- der and the " Massaere of Fort William Henry," as was also Knight Sprague, then a boy of 16 years. Governor Washburn, in his history, gives in detail Mr. Sprague's reminiscences of that terrible scene in which men and women were the victims of the wild and drunken fury of the savages. "Sprague es- caped after being partially stripped, and made his way to Fort Edward. Ou the way he passed his captain, who had been entirely stripped and many women were in no better condition. The yells of the savages, the groans of the wounded and dying, the shrieks of the affrighted women and frantic soldiers, and the dead who lay scattered around them, made it a seene of unsurpassed horror. Fifteen of his own company of fifty were killed soon after leaving the fort."
In the final struggle of that war, in which Que- bee was taken by General Wolfe, and Canada was wrested from the French, a large number of Leiees- ter men participated. The names of twenty-three are given in Washburn's History. Dr. Thomas Steele, of Leicester, was surgeon's mate in the same campaign and there were probably other Leieester men.
It was at this time that Colonel William Henshaw began his distinguished military career. He received a commission as second lieutenant March 31, 1759, in Colonel Timothy Ruggles' regiment, in the com- pany of Captain Jeduthan Baldwin, and served from May 10th to November 28th, in two campaigns.
He kept a diary of the daily experiences of these mouths, which is now in the possession of his grand- daughter, Miss Harriet E. Heushaw, of Leicester. Marching orders were received on the 9th of May. "The Carriages to be loaded by Day Break to Mor-
row Morning, and all the Troops that have passed Muster to gett themselves ready to march to Morrow Morning by Sunrise." The troops were conveyed on horseback and in carriages. It was a journey of fourteen days through the forest and over "the mountains." They passed through the " Land of Contention," the disputed territory between the States, and, at length reached Albany, where they " drawed Tents and Provisions, and encamped on the Hill 100 rods from Albany City." They were stationed most of the time at Fort Edward and Crown Point.
"In the month of June," Lieutenant Henshaw writes, "I was taken from the Provincials and did duty in one of the British regiments under General Amherst, which afforded me opportunity of becoming acquainted with discipline." The severity and in- human cruelty of the British "discipline " are evinced by such entries as the following: "Sentenced 200 lashes each ; " " Two R. I. men whipped, One 1000 lashes, the other 500 lashes." While he was at Fort Edward, news was received of the taking of Ticon- deroga, upon which the "other prisoners were par- doned." Here, also, the news of the taking of Que- bee was received.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR .-- In the preliminary stages of the Revolutionary struggle the town of Lei- eester acted a prominent and distinguished part. There were men here of unusual ability. Some of them were well educated, and many were trained for military service in the French wars. Several of the leading families were intimately associated with the Revolutionary leaders in Boston. Hon. Joseph Allen was a nephew of Samuel Adams. Adams, Warren, Otis and Hancock often met at the house of Joshua Henshaw, in Boston, before his removal to Leicester, to discuss and mature their plans. Other leading citizens were in the confidence of the Revolutionary leaders.
There was then no mail service, but early and con- fidential information was received by couriers on horseback, respecting the movements of the English and the plans of the patriots.
The records of the town show what a power the town-meeting was, in which, as the revenue com- missioners of Boston complained, "the lowest me- ehanics disenssed the most important points of government with the utmost freedom," and with what effect it unified and voiced the spirit of the people.
During all the years of British aggression, of the war, and the period which followed, in which the state and the federation were taking form, they came together in these meetings, in "the first meeting- house," and deliberated upon the great questions of prineiple and policy involved in the Declaration of Independence and the organization of government ou the basis of personal liberty. From these town- meetings there issued manifestoes really statesmanlike in their grasp and expression.
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The whole original township acted together until 1775. The people were truly loyal to the King until they saw that war was inevitable. Some of them, the Dennys, the Stebbingses, the Southgates and others, came directly from England to Leicester. The town had heartily responded in former wars to every eall of the mother country. They approved the " Protes- tant succession " and were ready to hazard " their" lives in defence of "the person, crown and dignity " of the King; but they were equally ready to maintain their own rights and to resist every encroachment upon their own liberties at whatever cost.
Nearly ten years before the war began, the town, with the districts of Spencer and Paxton, adopted the practice of giving formal instructions to their Representatives to the General Assembly, and, from time to time, of passing resolutions representing their opinions upon public affairs.
In October, 1765, having elected Capt. John Brown Representative, they proceeded to give him formal instructions in " this critical juncture." The Stamp Act had been passed and was soon to be enforced, and Courts of Admiralty had been ordered for the trial of offe ffers without jury. The excitement occasioned by these acts had been so great that a mob had, in August, burnt the house of Lieut .- Gov. Hutchinson. With these facts fresh in mind, the town and districts gave extended and specifie instructions to their Rep- resentative, in whose "ability and integrity" they confided. They declared their "inexpressible grief and concern" in view of the "repeated taxes," and especially the "Stamp Aet," which they "had no voice in Parliament in making ;" and expressed their alarm at the " unparalleled stretch given to admiralty jurisdiction," "by which every man is liable to be carried a thousand miles before a Court of Admi- ralty," "tried without jury," "amerced," "taxed with costs," and, if unable to pay, " to die in prison in an unknown land, without friends to bury him." They also expressed their disapproval of all "tumult- uous ravages," and especially that "wherein our Lieut .- Gov. suffered," and their surprise that he should "charge the outrage to the province, thus representing them as an ungrateful and disloyal people."
In the summer of 1768 the colonics were aroused by new acts of oppression. The General Assembly of Massachusetts was dissolved by the Governor, and not allowed to meet again while it refused to withdraw an appeal to the other colonies. A sloop-of-war was anchored in Boston harbor, and troops were ordered to Boston to subdue the rebellious spirit of the peo- ple. In consequence of these proceedings the citizens of Boston called a conference of towns. Ninety-six towns responded. The call was issued September 14th, and five days afterward we find the citizens of Lei- cester in "the first meeting-house," called together hastily, and without due notice, to act upou the prop- osition. The proceedings of this meeting were legal-
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