USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Lexington > Genealogical register of Lexington families, from the first settlement of the town > Part 11
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The public mind has been somewhat divided in its estimate of the talents of John Hancock, and of the importance of his public services. In point of ability he held a highly respectable rank. His talents were of a popular and showy, rather than of a profound character. Though he had not the far-reaching sagacity of Samuel Adams, or the logical acumen of Joseph Hawley or John Adams, or the active, stirring energy of Warren, yet he filled a place among the patriots of that day which no other man could fill, and exerted an influence highly beneficial to the great cause of freedom - ope- rating in commercial circles where the motive of interest strongly tended to the royal cause. He may have been vain, but vanity can be pardoned when it can justly boast of making so great a sacrifice for the benefit of coming generations. He may have been ambitious ; but his ambition was of a public character. He desired promotion that he might further a good cause - he sought place that he might
88
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
dispense his liberal fortune, and show that the hospitalities and even the graces and refinements of life were not of necessity confined to princes, and that those " who wore soft raiment are not" always, " in kings' houses." Whatever blemishes of character a fastidious eriti- eism may discover in John Hancock, we are satisfied that but few men, in this or any other country, ean point to acts more noble, and to sacrifices more disinterested than those which appear in his char- acter ; and few men ever gave greater evidence of active devotion to their country's welfare.
And when we say that in point of talent and influence he fell below Samuel Adams, we only say of him what would be true of any other man of that day ; for in reference to talents in the broadest sense of that term, Samuel Adams had no equal. Others may have been more learned, or may have excelled him in some particulars ; but in his knowledge of the science of human government, and of the great principles of rational liberty - in his knowledge of men and the springs of action in the human heart, he certainly had no superior. And when we consider that this knowledge was ever under the con- trol of that lofty patriotism, that unconquerable fidelity to principle, that ealm and indomitable will for which he was always distinguished, we can truly say of him that he was the founder of civil liberty in Massachusetts - in New England - in America. The author of the "Life of Samuel Adams," has shown that he was second to no man among us ; and his memory will be cherished as long as civil liberty has an enlightened devotee.
John Hancock resided in Boston, in what was then regarded as a princely mansion on Beacon street, fronting upon, and overlooking the Common. The house stood till 1863, when it was taken down. An effort had been made by the State to purchase the property and preserve the mansion for the residence of the successive Governors of the Commonwealth ; that they might show their respeet for the illus- trious patriot who first graced and adorned it; and that his disin- terested patriotism might warm the breast of those who might be ealled to fill the high office first filled and adorned by JOHN HANCOCK.
Mr. Hancock always cherished a fond recollection of Lexington, as the birth-place of his father, the residence of his grandfather, and the place where he spent the playful portion of his boyhood. He also revered it as the place where he took counsel with Rev. Jonas Clarke on matters of awful moment; and the place where under his own direction the patriotic men of Lexington stood firmly before the invaders of their rights. This attachment to Lexington he mani- fested by gifts to the church and society.
We have said before, that John Hancock m. September 4, 1775, Dorothy Quincy of Boston, dau. of Edmund Quiney. He d. Oct. 8, 1793, aged 56. She m. July 28, 1796, James Scott, the master of a London packet, formerly in the employ of her first husband. She outlived Capt. Seott many years, and retained her faculties to the last. She was a lady of superior education and accomplishments, and was gifted with wonderful powers of conversation. She was one of the first persons sought by Lafayette, when he visited this country in 1824. " Those who witnessed this hearty interview, speak of it with admiration. The once youthful chevalier and the unrivalled belle met, as if only a summer had passed since they had enjoyed social interviews in the perils of the Revolution." She d. Feb. 3, 1830, aged 83 years.
Lydia, b. and d. in Philadelphia, 1776.
33-36 37 John George Washington, b. 1778, and was killed at Milton, when skating on the ice, Jan. 27, 1787. Thus the family of John Hancock became extinct.
89
GENEALOGICAL, REGISTER.
THE HARRINGTON FAMILY.
The name of Harrington is found in almost every town in New England ; and it is probable that most, if not all of them, descended from or at least were relatives of Robert Harrington of Watertown, who was in that town as early as 1642. He had a numerous family, who were widely dispersed. He came from England where many of his children were born.
1
GEORGE HARRINGTON, from whom our Lexington Harrington de- scended, was probably a son or brother of Robert. He m. Susanna -- , and had, as was common in those days, a large family of thirteen children. He resided in Watertown. Two of his grand- children settled in Lexington.
1- 2 Susanna, b. Aug. 18, 1649 ; m. Feb. 9, 1661, John Cutting.
3 +John, b. Aug. 24, 1651; d. Aug. 24, 1741.
4
Robert, b. Aug. 31, 1653 ; probably d. young.
5 George, b. Nov. 24, 1655. He belonged to Capt. Wadsworth's com- pany, and was killed by the Indians at Lan. 1675.
+Daniel, b. Nov. 1, 1657 ; ad. freeman 1690.
Joseph, b. Dec. 28, 1659 ; ad. freeman 1690.
6 7 8 Benjamin, b. June 26, 1662; d. 1724.
Mary, b. Jan. 12, 1664; m. about 1680, John Bemis, and had four- teen children.
Thomas, b. April 20, 1665; ad. freeman 1690.
Edward, b. March 2, 1669.
12 13 Sarah, b. March 10, 1671; m. Nov. 24, 1687, Joseph Winship of Cambridge.
14 David, b. Jnne 1, 1673; d. March 11, 1675.
1-3-
JOHN HARRINGTON m. Nov. 17, 1681, Hannah Winter, dau. of John Winter, Jr., of Watertown, but afterwards of Camb. Farms. She d. July 17, 1741, and he d. Aug. 24, 1741, in that part of Wa- tertown now Walthanı.
3-15 Hannah, b. Aug. 9, 1682 ; m. April 29, 1703, Eleazer Hammond of Newton.
16 17
+John, b. Oct. 1684; m. Ap. 12, 1705, Eliz. Cutter of Camb. Farms. Mary, b. May 11, 1687 ; m. March 8, 1709, Thomas Hammond.
18 Lydia, bap. March 2, 1690.
19
James, bap. April 2, 1695.
193 Patience, bap. Oct. 10, 1697.
1-6-
DANIEL HARRINGTON m. Oct. 18, 1681, Sarah Whitney. She d. June 8, 1720, and he m. second, Oct. 25, 1720, Elizabeth, wid. of Capt. Benjamin Garfield, and dau. of Matthew and Anna Bridge of Cambridge.
6-20 21 22 23 24
Daniel, b. Feb. 24, 1684; d. young.
+Robert, b. July 2, 1686 ; m. Nov. 15, 1711, Anna Harrington.
Daniel, b. July 10, 1687.
Jonathan, b. March 21, 1690; m. Feb. 28, 1724, Elizabeth Bigelow. Joseph, b. Feb. 4, 1691.
25 Sarah, b. Oct. 28, 1693; m. June 11, 1711, Nathaniel Livermore.
3-16-
JOHN HARRINGTON m. April 12, 1705, Elizabeth Cutter, then of Camb. Farms, but now Lex., where he settled. His name appears upon our records for the first time in 1713, when John Harrington
.
.
9 10 11 Samuel, b. Dee. 18, 1666.
90
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
appeared before the selectmen, and offered on certain conditions, to give the right of way across his land. His residence must have been easterly of Hancock Hill, near the residence of the late Joseph Fiske. He d. Nov. 29, 1750. Some articles in the inventory of his estate, show the fashions of the day - " Leather britches, a new dark wigg, sundry old wiggs, yarn leggens, pistols, warming pan, wooden plates."
16-26 +Richard, b. Sept. 26, 1707.
27 +Moses, b. Jan. 6, 1710; d. Jan. 11, 1787.
28 +Henry, b. Jan. 8, 1712.
29 John, b. March 22, 1714; d. Aug. 29, 1750.
Hannah, bap. in Watertown, Feb. 20, 1715.
30 31 William, b. Feb. 4, 1717 ; d. Sept. 28, 1717.
32 Abigail, b. Dec. 4, 1718; m. Mar. 1, 1738, John Palls of Townsend.
33 Caleb, b. July 13, 1721; d. 1747.
6-21-
ROBERT HARRINGTON m. Nov. 15, 1711, Anna Harrington of Watertown, dau. of Samuel and Grace Harrington. He was a black- smith, and settled in Lexington on the main street, near the present residence of P. P. Pierce. His name first appears upon our church records in 1712, when Samuel Harrington was bap., his father Robert owning the covenant. He was chosen a fence viewer in 1713, so he must have been a permanent resident at that time. He d. Feb. 5, 1774, aged 89, and she d. Oct. 16, 1777, aged 85. He was cousin to John, who came to Lexington from Watertown about the same time. These two were the ancestors of the numerous family of Harring- tons which afterwards appear on our records.
Samuel, b. July 28, 1712; d. Sept. 29, 1712.
21-34 35 Samuel, b. April 15, 1714. 36 Anna, b. June 2, and bap. in Watertown, June 10, 1716. She m. her cousin, Rev. Timothy Harrington. He was settled at Swan- zey, N. H. That town was destroyed by the Indians, April 2, 1747, and he was the next year settled at Lancaster, Mass., where he d. May 17, 1778.
+Robert, b. April 26, 1719 ; m. Abigail Mason.
37 38 ¡Jonathan, b May 21, 1723. 39 Grace, bap. Dec. 4, 1729 ; d. April 10, 1759, unm.
16-26-
RICHARD HARRINGTON m. Abigail -. He resided on Adams street, near where George F. Chapman now resides.
26-40 Ebenezer, b. March 16, 1733 ; probably d. young.
Thankful, b. Jan. 16, 1734; d. unm.
Thaddeus, b. Sept. 9, 1736. Enrolled in Capt. Parker's co. 1775.
Hannah, b. March 8, 1738.
Ephraim, b. March 2, 1739; d. Oct. 20, 1742.
Nathan, b. Dec. 25, 1740. 46 Ebenezer, b. March, 16, 1743.
Solomon, b. Jan. 27, 1746; d. Nov. 12, 1750.
Stephen, b. May 23, 1748. 49 Simeon, b. July 8, 1750.
Seth, b. Oct. 30, 1752. 51 Abigail, b. Aug. 9, 1754.
16-27-
41 42 43 44 45 47 48 50
MOSES HARRINGTON m. Martha -? who was ad. to the ch. June 2, 1734. We learn by tradition that he had several children, though the records are silent upon the subject. He d. Jan. 11, 1787. It is said that he had Moses, Betsey, and Caleb, the latter of whom was the CALEB HARRINGTON who was killed on the Common on the 19th of April, 1775. Ile is said to have been about twenty-five years of age at the time of his death. Betsey m. first, Ebenezer White, and, second, Thomas Cutler.
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GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
HENRY HARRINGTON m. June 4, 1735, Sarah Laughton, dau. of Dea. John and Sarah Laughton. She d. in childbed, May 16, 1760, and he m. second, Abigail -, the widow of Ebenezer Blodgett. She lived to a great age, and was a woman of great peculiarities. Henry Harrington resided under the hill, near the residence of Mr. Hutchinson. Ile d. Dec. 25, 1791, aged 80; she d. Jan. 23, 1820, aged 94.
28-52
Sarah, b. Sept. 17, 1735; m. May 28, 1755, Thomas Winship. +Henry, b. Aug. 27, 1737 ; m. Oct. 25, 1759, Ruth Blodgett.
Jeremiah, b. about 1741; m. Dec. 21, 1769, Sarah Locke.
+John, b. about 1743 ; m. Mary Wootten.
+Jonathan, b. about 1745 ; m. Ruth Fiske.
+ Thomas, b. about 1748; m. Lucy Perry.
Elizabeth, b. Sept. 17, 1750; m. Nathan Munroe.
William, b. Mar. 18, 1752; d. June 20, 1778, in small pox hospital.
53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 + Moses, b. March 22, 1754; m. Mary Reed. 61 Mary, b. Ap. 19, 1756 ; m. Newell Reed of Wo. prec., Oct. 16, 1777. Ebenezer, b. May 15, 1760; m. Sept. 4, 1788, Mrs. Sarah Johnson.
62
21-37-
ROBERT HARRINGTON m. Abigail Mason, dau. of Daniel and Ex- perience Mason of Newton. They were ad. to the ch. in Lex. Ang. 11, 1745. She d. Aug. 25, 1778, aged 57, and he m. April 16, 1781, widow Chloe Trask. Ile d. May 30, 1793, aged 74. He filled many town offices, and bore the dignified title of Ensign Harrington. He was one of the selectmen in 1752, and was re-elected to that station some twelve or fourteen years, and was chairman of the board in the eventful period of the Revolution, when many important duties de- volved upon him. He was also many years a magistrate, and repre- sented the town four years in the General Court.
+ Thaddeus, b. Sept. 9, 1736 ; m. Sept. 20, 1764, Lydia Porter of Wo. fDaniel, b. May 25, 1739; m. Anna Munroe.
Annaritte, bap. Aug. 12, 1744; probably d. young.
Betty, b. May 23, 1745; d. Oct. 27, 1745. Elizabeth, b. Sept. 6, 1747; m. Samuel Smith.
Abigail, b. Dec. 23, 1749 ; d. young.
Abigail, b. Aug. 9, 1754; m. Dr. David Fiske.
+Abijah, b. Feb. 7, 1761; m. first, Polly Raymond, and second, widow Locke.
21-38-
JONATHAN HARRINGTON m. Aug. 1, 1750, Mrs. Abigail Dunster. She d. June 30, 1776, and he m. second, Mrs. Lydia Mulliken, wid. of Nathaniel Mulliken. He d. Sept. 14, 1809, aged 87; and she d. Nov. 13, 1783, aged 57. He was several years selectman, and was one of the committee of correspondence in 1778, in the midst of the Revolution. Ile was a true son of liberty, and was found on the 19th of April at the post of danger.
38-71 Rebecca, b. Feb. 17, 1751; m. Aug. 31, 1769, Edmund Munroe. Mary, b. April 11, 1753.
72 Anna, b. Feb. 19, 1756 ; m. April 21, 1778, Cally Newell.
73 +Jonathan, b. July 8, 1758; m. Nov. 19, 1777, Sally Banks.
74 Charles, b. Nov. 15, 1760; d. Dec. 24, 1761.
75 76 +Charles, b. March 24, 1763; m. Dec. 18, 1786, Mary Brown.
77 +Solomon, b. Feb. 22, 1766 ; m. Polly Bent.
78 |+Peter, bap. July 26, 1772; m. Lydia Loring.
16-28-
37-63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70
92
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
28-53-
IIENRY HARRINGTON m. Oct. 25, 1759, Ruth Blodgett, dau. of Joseph Blodgett. They were ad. to the ch. June 2, 1763. He was a soldier in the French war, in 1756 and 1758.
53-79 +Henry, b. May 25, 1760; m. March 13, 1783, Amity Pierce.
80 Rebecca, b. July 12, 1762; m. Amos Stickney of Tewksbury.
81 + Samuel, b. Oct. 3, 1764; m. Aug. 27, 1788, Mary Stimpson.
82 tIsaac, b. Ang. 11, 1766 ; m. Polly Farrer of Lin.
83 Sarah, b. May 16, 1769; d. unm.
84 Polly, b. Aug. 10, 1771; m. John Dunkley of Charlestown. 85 Ruth, b. Aug. 30, 1773; m. Nov. 20, 1793, Robert Mullett of W. Camb.
28-54-
JEREMIAH HARRINGTON MI. Dec. 21, 1769, Sarah Locke, dau. of Joseph and Sarah Locke, b. Aug. 23, 1746. She d. Jan. 12, 1813; He d. Dec. 11, 1818. He served in the French war in 1762. Tra- dition says he had three dau., but there is no record of their birth. Sally Harrington, one of them, m. Dee. 30, 1793, Edward Blacking- ton of Camb.
54-86 87 88
+Joseph. b. Feb. 16, 1770; m. Lucy Russell. Benjamin, b. May 4, 1772; m. Oct. 1, 1792, Elizabeth Frost of W. Camb. and moved to Bedford, where he d.
Jonathan, b. Oct. 27, 1777; m. Nov. 10, 1799, Ruth Britton of Shrewsbury. He d. June 9, 1721. They resided in Medford.
28-55-
JOHN HARRINGTON m. Dee. 3, 1763, Mary Wootten, dan. of John Wootten, an Englishman. Capt. Wootten was a shipmaster, and made twenty-two voyages to Surinam. He was of Capt. Parker's company, and met the British on the 19th of April. He was subse- quently a lientenant in the militia. He moved with his family to Deering, N. H., about 1783. llis children, being young, left town with him.
55-89 90 92 9.1
Abigail, b. March 3, 1763; m. 1781, Win. Munroe, Jr. Sarah, b. Feb. 17, 1766. 91 John, b. Feb. 1, 1770.
Stephen, b. Nov. 22, 1774. Rebecca, b. May 3, 1781.
93 William, b. Nov. 21, 1779.
28-56-
JONATHAN HARRINGTON m. Feb. 13, 1766, Ruth Fiske, dau. of Dr. Robert Fiske by wid. Grover. After the death of her husband she m. Feb. 18, 1777, John Smith of Boston. He was one of the gallant band who stood forth in defence of freedom on the 19th of April, 1775, and was one who fell that morning, a victim to British oppres- sion. See History, p. 181. He was about thirty-two years of age at the time of his death.
56-95
Jonathan, b. Oct. 25, 1766 ; d. Oct. 14, 1776.
28-57-
THOMAS HARRINGTON m. Lucy Perry of Bed. July 4, 1771. We find no record of his family except the birth of one child. He is said to have " moved into the country." What time he left Lexington we cannot say ; his name is upon the tax bill in 1776, but is omitted in 1778.
57-96 28-60-
Elizabeth, b. Dec 19, 1773.
MOSES HARRINGTON m. April 28, 1774, Mary Reed, dau. of William and Susanna Reed. They were ad. to the ch. June 15,
93
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
1776. She d. Oct. 22, 1822, aged 71. He was one of the minute men who served with the gallant Parker at the first dawn of Inde- pendence.
60- 97 Sarah, bap. Aug. 25, 1776; m. Thaddeus Hall of Chelmsford.
98 Mary, bap. June 21, 1778; m. Nov. 30, 1792, Joseph White.
99 Caleb, b. July 6, 1779 ; went to Charlestown, m. Dorcas Frost. Betsey, b. April 26, 1782; d. unm.
100 101 102 William, b. Sept. 7, 1789.
Moses, b. May 2, 1785 ; d. unm. May 11, 1821.
101
103 Oliver, b. April 26, 1791 ; d. in the poor house, unm., Oct. 25, 1834. Edmund, b. Feb. 21, 1794; left town and never returned.
28-62-
EBENEZER HARRINGTON m. Sept. 4, 1788, Mrs. Sarah Johnson. She d. Nov. 29, 1819, aged 65. He d. May 7, 1846, aged 86.
Ebenezer, b. June 22, 1789 ; d. unm.
62-105 106 Hannah, b. Feb. 24, 1791; m. - Pierce of Acton. 107 Simeon, b. Feb. 27, 1793; d. unm. at the South. 108 Kezia, b. Aug. 30, 1795 ; m. April 8, 1815, Otis Locke.
109
Susanna, b. July 24, 1798; m. Jan. 1, 1823, John Hadley.
37-63-
THADDEUS HARRINGTON m. Sept. 20, 1764, Lydia Porter of Wo. They were ad. to the ch. April 22, 1771. He was one of the brave men who was an actor in the battle of Lexington. She d. Jan. 1821.
63-110
Thaddeus, b. Jan. 3, 1765; d. young.
111 112
Fanny, b. June 20, 1769; d. young.
Arethusa, bap. Oct. 20, 1771; m. Feb. 25, 1792, George Whitehead. Fanny, bap. April 23, 1772; m. June 26, 1796, Seth Reed.
113 114 115 116 117
Robert, bap. May 28, 1775 ; moved to Boston, d. in Cambridgeport. Asa, bap. May 4, 1777 ; went to New York.
fLewis, bap. May 30, 1779 ; m. Sarah Dudley of Con.
Lydia, bap. March 11, 1781; m. Seth Reed, husband of her sister Fanny, deceased.
118
Andrew, b. -; lived in Boston, and d. there, aged 44.
37-64-
DANIEL HARRINGTON m. May 8, 1760, Anna Munroe, dau. of Robert and Ann (Stone) Munroe, who was b. Aug. 30, 1740. She d. Oct. 19, 1811, aged 71; he d. Sept. 27, 1818, aged 79. Daniel Harrington was clerk of Capt. Parker's company, and participated with them in the dangers and glories of the memorable 19th of April, 1775. He was a prominent man in the place, and filled various posts of honor and trust. He was selectman 1779, '85, '86.
64-119 ¡Levi, b. Nov. 9, 1760; m. July 27, 1784, Rebecca Mulliken.
120 + Nathan, b. April 29, 1762 ; m. Elizabeth Phelps ; d. June 28, 1837. 121 Daniel, b. Oct. 17, 1764; d. young.
122
Anna, b. Feb. 3, 1766 ; m. Thomas Winship, and d. July 13, 1821, aged 55.
David, b. June 10, 1768; d. July 26, 1795, aged 27.
Grace, b. March 17, 1770; m. Abner Pierce, July 22, 1792, d. Aug. 1842.
126
123 124 125 Betty, b. Feb. 1, 1772 ; m. Jan. 25, 1799, James Bruce of Woburn. Eusebia, b. Jan. 20, 1774; d. Oct. 5, 1775.
Eusebia, b. Feb. 13, 1776; m. March 7, 1800, Joseph Underwood, and d. Dec. 22, 1859, aged 82.
127 128 12 Isanna, bap. Jan. 31, 1779 ; m. Jan. 11, 1801, Timothy Page of Bed. | Lydia, bap. Dec. 10, 1780; d. unm. Sept. 26, 1803, aged 23.
70
94
HISTORY OF LEXINGTON.
37-70-
ABIJAH HARRINGTON In. April 21, 1784, Polly Raymond. She d. Feb. 27, 1822, and he m. Dee. 14, 1823, Mary Locke, wid. of Asa B. Locke. He d. without issue, Dee. 31, 1852, aged 91. Though Abijah Harrington was too young (being but 13 years of age) to take part in the events of the memorable 19th of April, 1775, he was attracted by the march of the king's troops, and came to the Common immediately after their departure for Concord, and saw in the road where the British troops stood at the time of the firing, a quantity of blood upon the ground, and so is a good witness that the fire of the British was returned, and with effect, by the Americans. See Deposition appended to Phinney's History.
38-74-
JONATHAN HARRINGTON m. Nov. 14, 1782, Sally Banks. She d. July 28, 1847, aged 85. Though a lad of only 16 years of age, he was a fifer in that phalanx of freemen which appeared on Lexington Common on the 19th of April, 1775. He lived to a great age, and related almost to the time of his death, the leading events of that day. He said he was aroused early that morning by a ery from his mother - " Jonathan, get up, the regulars are coming, and something must be done." He arose and repaired to the place of parade, and was with the company on the approach of the British. "SOMETHING MUST BE DONE," exclaimed the patriotic mother. And something was done on that memorable day. The shrill notes of that stripling's fife, not only warmed the bosoms of the gallant band on Lexington Common, but enkindled a fire extinguished only by the acknowledgment of our Independence. Something was done. The firm resistance to the British on that occasion inspired every patriotie bosom, and ealled the people to arms. Something was done which taught the haughty oppressors that freemen in defence of their homes and firesides, their wives and little ones, were not to be intimidated by veteran troops, though led on by rash and daring commanders. Something was done which has given to Lexington a name which will be remembered as long as the spirit of liberty finds a resting place in the human breast.
Jonathan Harrington was one of the youngest defenders of his country's rights on the opening of the Revolutionary drama, and one of the last, if not the very last of the survivors of that opening seene, who lived to partake of the blessings of freedom and to wit- ness the growing greatness of his country. Mr. Harrington lived to a great age, and was treated with much respect and attention by the whole community. At the age of ninety-one he attended the 75th anniversary of the 19th of April, celebrated at Concord. The writer of this waited upon him to give him an invitation to attend the celebration, and give a sentiment. At first he thought he should not be able; but a recurrence to the events of the day to be com- memorated, soon roused the energy of the venerable patriarch, and with a countenance lighted up with patriotism, he consented to attend. And when he was asked to give a sentiment, he gave from the fullness of his heart a sentiment, which he was requested to com- mit to paper, that it might be presented at Concord in his own hand- writing. The next day he forwarded the following :
"THE 19TH OF APRIL, 1775. - All who remember that day will support the Constitution of the United States."
After living to the advanced age of 95 years, 8 months, and 18 days, the venerable patriot .died, March 27, 1854. The death of the last survivor of the battle of Lexington, produced a marked sen- sation in the whole community. The Governor ordered out two companies, the Davis Guards of Acton, and the Concord Artillery, to do escort duty at his interment. And such was the public
95
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
feeling, that General Jones invited his brigade to be present on the occasion, which invitation was promptly responded to by the corps. Several other companies not belonging to the brigade volun- teered - all anxious to show their regard to the memory of one who had come down from a generation of patriots, and had stood the sole representative of the first battle of freedom in America. The Governor, the Lieut. Governor and the Honorable Council, and a great part of the Legislature, which was then in session, honored the event by their presence. The Masonic fraternity, of which he was a member, attended with their regalia; and a large concourse of people from the neighboring towns filled Lexington to overflowing. The spectacle was truly imposing.
The procession was formed by Gen. Samuel Chandler of Lexing- ington, who acted as chief marshal on the occasion. The military inoved in the following order :
First Regiment of Artillery, Lieut. Col. Gibbs, consisting of three companies.
Fourth Regiment of Light Infantry, Col. J. D. Green, consisting of four companies.
Fifth Regiment of Light Infantry, Col. B. F. Butler, consisting of four companies.
And three volunteer companies.
From the Common they moved down Main street to the Town Hall, where they received the body guard, the Concord Artillery, Captain Culbertson, and the Davis Guards, Captain Holden ; Hiram Lodge of West Cambridge, and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, with the body of the deceased, attended by the pall-bearers and rela- tives, and followed by the chief marshal, chaplain, and the committee of arrangements, consisting of some of the principal citizens of the town. These were followed by Governor Washburn and suit, Lieut. Governor Plunkett, and the Council, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, officers of the militia, citizens of Concord and citizens generally.
From this point, it being almost the identical spot at which Lord Percy received the British fugitives in their flight from Concord on the 19th of April, 1775, the procession moved up Main street by the Common to the church, where solemn religious services were per- formed, and an appropriate address was delivered by Rev. Dr. Ran- dall, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. After the services at the church were concluded, the remains were removed to the old burying-ground in the rear of the church, and deposited in the family tomb. The Masonic burial service was read at the tomb by Grand Master Randall of the Grand Lodge, and a volley was fired over the grave by the Concord Artillery and the Davis Guards. This closed the funeral solemnities of the day.
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