USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westminster > Celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of Westminster, Mass. > Part 4
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SETH HARRINGTON was probably son of George Harrington, and was born June, 1725. He married, first, Abigail 4, -, who died il
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1786363
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1759 ; and second, 1760, Priscilla Houghton, of Lancaster, and had Elisha, born 1754; Seth, born 1756; Daniel, born 1758 ; Benjamin, born 1769; and four daughters. Seth Harrington was probably the ancestor of most, if not all the Harringtons in West- minster.
JOHN BROOKS, by his wife Eunice, had John, Levi, Asa. SAM- UEL, who married Huldah Miles, had Oliver, and died 1810; EZRA, who married Rebecca Temple, had Ezra, John, Charles, Asa, and five daughters, and died Sept. 14, 1843, aged seventy-five.
JONAS WINSHIP came from Cambridge, and was a descendant of Lieutenant Edward Winship, one of the first settlers of Cambridge, and the ancestor of most, if not all of that name in New England. Jonas Winship, by his wife Mary, had ten children, six daughters and four sons, among whom were Jonas and Cyrus, both of whom settled in Westminster, and had large families.
JAMES COHEE, by his wife Mary, had John, David, James, Na- than, Joel, Pearson, and five daughters, born between 1758 and 1776. He was the ancestor of the families in Westminster which bore his name. He came from Ireland when a lad of fifteen or sixteen, and sold himself (as was not very uncommon at that day) for a limited period, to pay his passage over.
JAMES WALKER, from Sudbury, was here as early as 1755. He married Abigail Wood, sister of Deacon Nathan Wood, and had eight children, most of whom died young. He was a Deacon of the church, and somewhat prominent in the town.
In 1756-7, an epidemic prevailed in the place, and proved very fatal, especially among children.
On the 20th of October, 1759, Narraganset No. 2 was incor- porated into a District, by the name of Westminster. At their first meeting, held on the 19th of November of that year, Deacon Joseph Miller was chosen Clerk ; Joseph Miller, Captain Daniel Hoar, Andrew Darby, Ensign Richard Graves, and Lieutenant Samuel Whitney, Selectmen ; Daniel Hoar, Joseph Miller, and Andrew Darby, Assessors ; Joseph Holden, Jr., Treasurer ; and William Bemis, Thomas Conant, and Josiah Cutting, Tythingmen. The place being incorporated as a District, with all the powers of a Town, except that of sending a Representative to the General Court, the people entered at once upon the consideration of what were then regarded as the essential institutions of every town-a School House, a Pound, Stocks, and a supply of ammunition.
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The Schools were provided for, the Pound was constructed, but the Stocks were, for the time being, ignored. Their attention was early called to the laying out of highways, to accommodate the inhabitants. But in the multiplicity of their cares, they did not neglect matters of dignity and taste. At a meeting held June 7, 1762, Richard Graves, Nathan Wood, and John Rand, were chosen a Committee to perform what was at that day regarded as a very important, but rather delicate duty, viz., " to dignify and seat the Meeting-house, according to rate and age." The Meeting- house having been seated, according to the prescribed rules, the people agreed to sustain this dignity by providing Stocks for the punishment of offenders.
In 1764, the district was visited by one of the most fatal epi- demics which had ever afflicted the place. Almost every family was called to mourning. Mr. Isaac Stedman lost three children ; Captain Nathan Whitney, four ; Mr. Stephen Calf, four ; and Deacon James Walker, two. The disease was the scarlatina, or canker-rash, and was peculiarly fatal among children. This sick- ness, and that which prevailed in 1756, were the most alarming of any that ever afflicted the township. But such diseases are incident to all new countries. The clearing up of new lands, and the letting in of the sun upon decayed vegetable matter, generally fill the atmosphere with a miasma which is deleterious to health.
From the dismission of Mr. Marsh, in 1757, to the settlement of Mr. Rice, in 1765, the church and society were in a broken and distracted state. They had preaching the greater part of the time, but they were troubled with divisions. In 1760, they extended a call to Mr. Samuel Dix, but he declining it, a call was subsequently extended to Messrs. Peter T. Smith, Samuel French, and John Wythe. Each in his turn declined the office, though Mr. Wythe supplied the desk for some time. The feeble state of the society, and the unfortunate controversies with Mr. Marsh, which continued after his dismission, undoubtedly had their influence in inducing these gentlemen to decline a settlement. ' At length, at a meeting held July 19, 1765, the Parish voted to concur with the Church in extending an invitation to Rev. Asaph Rice, to become their pas- tor. Mr. Rice having accepted the call, the 16th of October of the same year was fixed upon for his ordination, when he took upon himself the solemn duties of Pastor of the Church of Christ in Westminster. The district gave him £133 6s. 8d. as a settlement,
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£66 13s. 4d., with thirty cords of wood, as an annual salary. Rev. Eli Forbes, of Brookfield, preached the sermon, from 1 Cor. ii. 2.
Mr. Rice was son of Beriah Rice, of Westborough, a descendant of Edmund Rice, an original emigrant, who settled first at Sud- bury, and afterwards at Marlborough. IIe was born May 9, 1733, and was graduated at Harvard College, 1752. He studied medicine and practiced a short time in Brookfield ; but having his right wrist broken by his horse falling with him, he was in- duced to quit his profession, and qualify himself for the ministry. Before his settlement in Westminster, he had spent about two years as a missionary among the Indians at the Oneida Plantations, on the Susquehanna. Losing his right hand, he was compelled to write with his left ; and specimens of liis penmanship show that he acquired considerable skill in writing in that manner.
Mr. Rice married, December 26, 1765, Mary Morse, of Boyls- ton, daughter of Rev. Ebenezer Morse. She died in childbed, in 1766, in her twentieth year, and he married Lucy Clough. She died, and he married as his third wife, Lucy Shattuck, widow of Benjamin Shattuck, physician, of Templeton. She survived her last husband about five years, and died at Templeton, 1821. His children were,
1. Persis, born November, 1766; married Silas Beaman.
2. Elizabeth C., born 1771 ; married Doctor Asa Miles.
3. Thomas, born 1774 ; married Mary Eames, of Boston. He was a merchant in Boston for some years, and then removed to Galena, Illinois.
4. Asaph, born 1775; died in infancy.
5. Asaph, born February 17, 1777 ; entered Harvard College, 1798 ; left, 1799 ; married Abigail Sawyer, of Bolton, and settled first at Thet- ford, Vermont, moved to Orford, New Hampshire, then to Lewiston, Illinois.
6. Mary, born June, 1778 ; married Jacob Sawyer.
7. Thankful, born 1780 ; married Farwell Jones.
Mr. Rice continued his relation with the church . and society till the close of his life. He died March 31, 1816, in the cighty-third year of his age, and the fifty-first of his ministry.
Nothing of special moment transpired while the place remained under the district organization. The last French war gave the people no great uneasiness ; and being but a small settlement, just emerging from a state of danger, they did not furnish many troops
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to prosecute the war upon the frontier. There is, however, a tradition to the following effect.
In the call for men in 1758, Richard Baker, William Edgell, Thomas Dunster, and perhaps others, entered the service for one year. They marched first to Albany, then to Lake George. At the expiration of their term, the officer in command refused to discharge them. Whereupon they resolved to return home, regardless of consequences. It was in the midst of winter, and the ground was covered with snow to a great depth. They made themselves snow-shoes, with strips of hide from the dead horses, and made other preparations for their departure. A council of officers was held, which decided that the Company thus resolved to leave, should the next day, be put under guard. This decision of the council having been privately made known to them, they were determined to avoid that humiliation, and before roll-call the next morning, they took their departure, with such provisions as they could lay their hands upon, to return to Massachusetts. Their way lay through a trackless waste, and over the Green Mountain range. They lost their way in the forest, but at length found one of the head branches of Deerfield river, which they followed, and on the ninth day arrived at Coleraine. The party consisted of nearly a whole company, from Westminster and other towns.
During this march, they suffered almost incredibly from the depth of the snow, the severity of the weather, and the want of provisions. For days they were without food. Falling in with a dog, they killed him, which served them for a meal. It was said that, at one time, they resolved to cast lots to see who should be slain, to save the rest from starvation. But some fortunate circumstance saved them from that dire necessity, and the whole party at length got safely to Massachusetts.
The population, from 1760 to 1770, increased with considerable rapidity. Most of those who came into the place between 1750 and 1770, had families, and the natural increase was very consid- erable ; besides, several families came into the town during this decade.
Jonathan Brown from Lancaster, the father of Jonathan, Benja- min, Joseph and John ; Josiah Puffer from Sudbury, the father of Samuel and Asahel ; John Foskett, the ancestor of those of that name in town, from Bolton ; Timothy Fessenden from Lexington, the father of a numerous family ; Joseph Spaulding from Chelms-
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ford, the father of Jesse, Mirari, Joseph and Zebina ; Joshua Everett from Attleborough, and Pelatiah Everett from Wrentham ; Ste- phen Sawin from Worcester, with his sons, Jonathan, David, Sam- uel, Reuben, and James then an infant, who died 1859, aged ninety-cight ; Nathaniel Sawyer from Reading, and Jonathan Sawyer, probably from the same place ; Thomas Merriam from Lex- ington, the father of Asa and others ; Samuel Merriam from the same place, brother of Thomas, and father of Nathan and others ; Nathan Pierce from Lexington, ancestor of the Pierces ; Jonathan Raymond from Lexington, father of Jonathan, John, Joseph, Isaac, Ebenezer, and Nathan ; Nathan Howard from Malden, father of Nathan and Joseph; Dr. Zachariah Harvey from Princeton, Michael Gill, and several other families, came to the place, so that the population in the period of ten years more than doubled -- bringing it up to about 680 in 1770.
A prospect more flattering than they had before enjoyed, now opened upon them, and comparative prosperity ensued. The troublesome question " of dignifying and seating the Meeting- house," which was before the people in 1762, came up subse- quently, and a Committee was appointed to do it, " according to real and personal estates, and having reference to age and honor."
In 1768, a Resolve was passed unanimously, which shows the spirit of the times, and reflects honor upon the memory of our fathers-a Resolve which, abating the grammar, might with great propriety be re-resolved in these days of idleness and extravagance. We will give it verbatim.
"The District of Westminster, taking into consideration the sinking state of the Province, arising through the manifold extrav- agances of the inhabitants ; in the great neglect of industry, and the still greater increase of our misery in the extravagant expense of its inhabitants, in the purchase of superfluities ; and are fully sensi- ble of the absolute necessity of industry and frugality, in order to save us from impending woe, to save our wealth, and to place us in a state of independency ; do cheerfully and unanimously vote and resolve, that from and after the first day of April next, we will not purchase any superfluities, and that we will take every proper method within our power to encourage industry and manufactory within the District; for we are fully sensible that idleness has a natural tendency to impoverish any community, and when attended with extravagancy, brings immediate ruin, will therefore by all
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possible and lawful means, take every method within our power to encourage industry among ourselves, and take this opportunity to give it in direction to our Selectmen, to take special care that all idle persons among us, be kept to some lawful business, and that the laws of the Province in that regard be duly observed."
We may smile at the simplicity of our fathers, but such Resolu- tions as the above did a great deal toward producing a controlling public sentiment of economy and self-sacrifice, which enabled the Colonies to carry on the war which they had reason to fear was approaching.
In 1770, on the 26th of April, the District of Westminster was erected into a Town, by an Act of the Legislature. We now arrive at a period in which the encroachments of Great Britain became the absorbing theme. And though we could not expect that a small town in the interior, would take a leading part in the controversies of that day, we find that they were ready to respond to any call made upon them. On the 11th of February, 1773, in response to the call of the Committee of Correspondence of Bos- ton, they say, " We shall at all times heartily join with them, (the people of Boston,) in all legal constitutional measures for the recovery of those inestimable rights and privileges wrested from us, and for securing those that remain ; for we are sensible, that should we renounce our liberty, we should renounce the quality of men, the rights of humanity, and even our duty to God and man."
In December, 1774, they passed a vote forbidding the Constables to pay the money collected on the Province tax to the royal Treas- urer appointed by the Governor, and directing them to pay it over to the Treasurer appointed by the Provincial Congress. They also voted that they would adopt the recommendations of the Conti- mental and Provincial Congresses, and thus put themselves in a position to maintain and defend their rights. They subsequently voted that they would support their duc proportion of the poor of Boston, who were reduced to penury by the shutting up of that port.
In the mean time, the people of Westminster were careful to be represented in the Provincial Congresses by some of their best, most patriotic, and reliable men. Deacon Nathan Wood, and Abner Holden, Esq., were elected to the first Provincial Con- gress, and Deacon Wood to the second and third.
On the 10th of June, 1776, at a meeting called for that purpose,
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it was voted unanimously, that if the Continental Congress should declare the Colonies independent of Great Britain, " they would stand by and support them in the measure with their lives and fortunes."
Such was the spirit which actuated the inhabitants of this town during that eventful struggle. It may appear small for a town like Westminster, at that period, to pass resolves on subjects of a na- tional character ; but it was in fact in these little Republics, that the seeds of liberty were sown.
The importance of Town Meetings, at that time, cannot be over- rated. In the darkest day of the period immediately preceding the breaking out of hostilities, when the Royal Governor had prorogued the Legislature, and refused to order a new election; when an armed force was stationed in Boston, to overawe the patriots, and the people had no organized medium of communication with each other ; that master spirit of liberty, SAMUEL ADAMS, who did more to organize the American Revolution than any other man, called upon the good people of Boston to assemble in Town Meeting, to consult upon all they held dear as citizens. And it was in a Boston Town Meeting, that Committees of Correspondence were suggested, and organized. In pursuance of this proposed organization, the towns throughout the Colony held their public meetings, at which Committees of Correspondence were chosen, patriotic Resolutions passed, and mutual pledges interchanged, which produced unity of action, created and embodied publio sentiment, and fitted the people for the great struggle which was impending.
No one measure contributed more to warm the patriot heart, or nerve the patriot arm, than these primary meetings of the people. The effect was felt and acknowledged by the Colonists. The influ- ence thus exerted, was so great and controlling, that the British ministry became alarmed, and Parliament passed a solemn Act for- bidding all Town Meetings, except the annual meeting for the choice of town officers. But such was the devotion of the people to these primary meetings, that in the interior they paid no atten- tion to the law, and in some of the larger towns, they evaded it, by adjourning their annual meetings, from time to time, so that they might be prepared, at almost any moment, to come together to consult upon matters of public safety. Conceiving the privilege of assembling to deliberate in this manner so important, they actually made the Act prohibiting Town Meetings, one of the
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prominent charges against Great Britain, and urged it as one of the causes for resorting to arms. If there is any one thing which has given to Faneuil Hall its notoriety, and has secured to it the glori- ous appellation of " The Cradle of Liberty," it is the fact, that here the patriots of Boston met in Town Meeting, and adopted measures, and passed resolutions in defence of their liberties-measures and resolutions which enkindled the fires of patriotism in America and shook the kingdom of Great Britain to its very centre. Let no one then speak disparagingly of these little democratic gatherings, where the pure and unsophisticated sentiments of freemen were faithfully expressed, and where the true sentiments of the people were fully reflected.
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The history of those times shows, that these resolutions, adopted by the towns, were not empty boasts. Westminster assured Sam- uel Adams, then and always the leader of the Boston Committee of Correspondence, that they would join them in defence of their liberties, whenever an occasion should present itself. And on the 19th of April, 1775, on hearing of the march of the British troops, and of their outrage at Lexington, the Westminster companies, commanded by Captain Elisha Jackson, Captain John Estabrook, and Captain Noah Miles, immediately marched for the scene of action, with more than fifty men. And though from their distance, they did not arrive in season to join in the affairs of that day, they marched to Cambridge, which was at once made the head-quarters of the Provincial troops, where they remained eight or ten days, till the alarm had subsided.
The following is the list of Captain Jackson's men, who marched to Cambridge on that occasion :
Elisha Jackson, Captain.
Jonathan Bancroft,
John Hoar, Lieutenant.
Joseph Holland,
Amariah Rand, Sergeant.
John Matthews,
Joshua Everett,
Andrew Darby,
John Glazier,
Elisha Bigelow,
Joseph Beard, Corporal.
Ebenezer Eaton,
Isaac Williams,
Darius Sawyer, Paul Sawyer,
Nath. Eaton,
Reuben Miles,
John Pierce, Asa Taft,
John Bigelow,
"Zachariah Willis,
Jonathan Child, James Bowers, Samuel Foster,
Amos Spring.
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The following is a list of Captain Estabrook's men, who also marched to Cambridge :
John Estabrook, Captain.
Edward Jackson,
William Edgell, Lieutenant.
Asa Ray,
Nathan Howard,
Samuel Warren,
Jabez Bigelow,
Silas Whitney,
John Brown,
John Goodale,
James Cooper,
Lovell Brooks,
Nathaniel Wheeler,
Nathaniel Kezor,
David Child,
John Cowry,
Thomas Bemis,
Josiah Wheeler, Jr.,
David Pratt,
Elias Stearns,
Edmund Wilson,
Nathan Pierce,
Moses Seaver,
Joshua Millins,
Barron Brown,
Eli Keyes.
The following is a list of Captain Noah Miles's Company, which also marched to Cambridge : :
Noah Miles, Captain.
Solomon Garfield,
Samuel Sawin, Lieutenant.
Peter Graves,
James Clark, Ensign.
Josiah Hadley,
Norman Seaver, Sergeant.
William Howley,
William Bickford,
Jonathan Hager,
Josiah Puffer,
Noah Miles, Jr.,
Ephraim Miller, 66
Nathan Miles,
Edward Beaman, Corporal.
Levi Miles,
Bezalcel Holt,
William Murdock,
Silas Holt, Fifer.
Jonas Sawin,
Josiah Jackson,
Ahijah Wood,
Nathan Davis,
Nathan Wood, Jr.,
David Bemis,
Ephraim Wetherbee,
Benjamin Barnard,
John White,
Andrew Beard,
Zaccheus Bemis, John Ball,
Joel Miles,
Jonathan Graves,
John Darby,
Samuel Whitney,
Elijah Hadley,
Samuel Houghton,
Aaron Bolton.
Isaac Russell,
More or less of the Westminster men were in each and every campaign during the war. From the imperfect rolls, I have been able to glean a partial list, which I think will compare well with other towns of its size. Few towns of eight hundred inhabitants furnished, I venture to say, more men in the Revolution.
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Though the companies which turned out on the Lexington alarm, did not, as such, enlist into the army, Westminster fur- nished a goodly number who enlisted into the eight months' ser- vice, immediately after ; as the following roll will show :
Edmund Bemis, Captain.
William Everett,
John Hoar, Lieutenant.
John Fessenden,
David Foster, 2d "
Peletiah Everett,
Jedediah Tucker, Sergeant.
Zachariah Harvey,
Jacob Walton, 66
Aaron IIill,
Ephraim Hall,
66
Eli Keyes,
Isaac Williams,
Reuben Miles (died in service),
Abraham Stone, Corporal.
Alpheus Newton,
Thomas Knower, 66
Ziphron Newton,
Ebenezer Bolton, ¥
William Parker,
William Houghton,
Nathan Peirce,
Joel Adams,
William Putnam,
Joseph Beard,
. Joel Miles,
Barron Brown,
Zachariah Rand,
Abner Bemis,
Samuel Seaver,
James Bowers,
Charles Reed,
Thomas Farnsworth,
Elijah Simonds,
John Bears,
Benjamin Seaver,
Samuel Child,
John Snow,
Jonathan Child,
Amos Spring,
Paul Sawyer,
Ahijah Wood,
Israel Walton,
Zachariah Willis,
Edward Wilson,
Joseph Robbins,
Nehemiah Bowers,
John Wells,
John Brown,
John Bemis,
Joseph Corrender,
Isaac Child,
Aaron Cleveland,
Isaac Miller.
Henry J. Dunster,
There were also, in the eight months' service from Westminster, in Capt. Wood's company, Col. Sargeant's regiment :
Nathaniel Doubleday, Lieutenant. Levi Fuller,
Uriah Carpenter, Sergeant. James Ide,
William Crook, Seth Rowe,
James Croford,
Zachariah Tarbell,
Nehemiah Chase,
Zachariah Tarbell, Jr.,
Abner Wise,
Joshua Wells.
At the alarm at the Bennington fight, in August, 1777, the fol- lowing men marched from Westminster, and were in service ten days :
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Elisha Jackson, Captain.
Samuel Sawin, Lieutenant.
Jabez Bigelow, 66
Jonathan Brown, Isaac Brooks, Thomas Bemis, Ebenezer Bolton,
Edward Bacon, Sergeant. Jonathan Sawyer, "
Levi Brooks,
Josiah Wheeler,
Ephraim Bigelow,
Stephen Calf,
James Clark,
Nathan Wetherbee,
David Come,
Stephen Moor,
Jedediah Cooper,
Thomas Knower,
John Edgell,
Zachariah Rand,
Samuel Foster,
David Bemis,
Amos Gates,
Joshua Bigelow,
John Glazier,
Zachariah Bemis,
Peter Graves,
John Hoar,
Jonathan Hager,
Ephraim Hall,
Joseph Holden,
Silas Holt,
Stephen Holden,
Josiah Jackson,
Isaac Miller,
Edward Jackson,
Joel Miles,
Noah Miles,
Samuel Merriam,
Nathan Miles,
Joseph Perry,
Asa Ray,
Elijah Simonds,
Reuben Sawin,
Jude Sawyer, Abel Wood.
To reinforce the army at Bennington, in September, 1777, Westminster sent the following, who were out twenty-seven days :
Elisha Jackson, Captain.
Samuel Sawin, Lieutenant.
Jabez Bigelow,
Edward Bacon, Sergeant.
William Bickford,
John Cutting,
Hannaniah Rand,
Nathan Darby,
Edmund Beaman, Corporal.
Andrew Darby, Samuel Fessenden,
John Edgell,
Josiah Hadley,
Solomon Garfield,
Stephen Holden, Edward Jackson, Thomas Laws,
Joshua Bigelow,
Levi Brooks, Joshua Bemis,
Abner Miles, Jonathan Raymond, Abner Sawin,
Josiah Puffer, Nathan Parmeter, Nathaniel Wilson, Abel Wood,
James Webber, Isaac Williams, Samuel Wood.
Asa Taylor,
Nathan Wood,
· James Clark, Stephen Calf, Amos Conant, Josiah Conant,
Stephen Miles,
Levi Graves, 66
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The several lists which follow, are very imperfect ; they have been selected from dilapidated rolls, and some names, undoubtedly, have been overlooked. Many of the rolls do not give the town to which the soldier belonged ; and hence some must have been omitted in these lists.
The following men from Westminster, were in service in Rhode Island, in 1777:
Hannaniah Rand,
Elisha Whitney,
Moses Seaver,
Nathaniel Wheeler,
Phinehas Whitney,
Ephraim Miles,
Joel Miles,
Jonas Whitney.
Men from Westminster, raised for one year from January 1, 1778, and served in Captain Elisha Jackson's company :
Benjamin Treadway,
Elijah Bemis, (died in service,)
Zachariah Harvey, Nathan Lewis,
Men in three months' service, 1779, Captain Pratt's company :
Samuel Brooks, Abner Sawin.
Men in the expedition to Rhode Island, 1779 :
Asa Brooks,
Isaac Seaver.
The six months' men from Westminster, raised to reinforce the Continental Army under a Resolve passed June, 1780 :
Abel Pearce, Richard Everett,
George Stone,
Charles Hendrick,
Nicholas Dike, Jr.,
Jonas Darby,
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