USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Historic homes and places and genealogical and personal memoirs relating to the families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Volume IV > Part 102
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(X) Freeman M. Bill, son of Gilman Bill (9), was born in Woodbury, Vermont, Octo- ber 27, 1859, on the homestead. He was edu- cated in the district schools of his native town. He went west where he was employed as clerk in a grocery store. He returned home and when he came of age removed to Lowell to engage in the retail grocery business, in which he was very successful. He entered the whole- sale business and at length gave his whole at- tention to that branch of the business. He makes a specialty of teas and coffees. Mr. Bill is a staunch Republican, but has never sought public office. He is a member of the Free Masons and Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Yorick Club. He is an active member of the Congregational church and a liberal supporter of its benevolences.
He married, January 24, 1882, Mary F. Morse, daughter of Julius F. and Maria (Kemerer) Morse, who was born in Vermont. Children : I. Marion, educated in the public and high schools of Lowell, resides at home. 2. Ruth, resides at home.
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The Ainsworth family .AINSWORTH takes its name from the chapelry Ainsworth (Aines or Haynes enclosure) commonly called Cockey Moor, which is situated in the parish of Middleton, Salford Hundred, in the county Palatine of Lancaster, England. As long ago as 1369 John Ainsworth owned lands there. , The Lancashire Ainsworths have had four . coats-of-arms of ancient date, evidently of common origin: The first: Gules three bat- tle axes argent. Crest: Two battle axes in saltire proper. Motto: Courage sans Peur. The second coat-of-arms : Azure three spades argent, another within a bordure or. Crest : Two battle, axes in Saltire proper. Third coat : Argent on a bend sable three crescents of the first. Fourth : Sable on a bend argent three crescents of the field.
(I) Daniel Ainsworth, immigrant ancestor, doubtless a descendant of the ancient Lanca- shire family, was born in England and came to this country as early as 1647, when he was the owner of a house and twelve acres of land in the village and twenty or more acres elsewhere in Roxbury. He sold land there February 15, 1648, and again November 4, 1664, his wife Alice consenting. He died November 13, 1680, intestate. William Garey and Robert Pepper were appointed administrators Febru- ary 21, 1680; were succeeded by John Gore, February 18, 1684, at the death of the widow Alice for the benefit of the next of kin. The widow died January 9, 1684-85. This prop- erty went to Edward Ainsworth, mentioned below.
(II) Edward Ainsworth, son or nephew of Daniel Ainsworth (I), was born according to the best accounts in 1652. If the family tra- dition is correct he was born in England, and came to this country upon the invitation of his father's brother, Daniel, mentioned above, to become his heir, but becoming uneasy went to sea and was wrecked on the coast of Georgia. All hands on board except him per- ished. The evidence of shipwreck seems con- clusive, though the various branches of the family have the details widely varied. At any rate we find that Edward inherited the real estate of Daniel and settled there until after that town sent out its young men to settle New Roxbury, Massachusetts, now Woodstock, Connecticut. Then he sold the homestead to Isaac Biscom, December 17, 1702, and made his home in Woodstock, where for thirty-eight years he followed a yeoman's life. In 1725 he made over his homestead to his eldest son on condition that he maintain his parents the
remainder of their lives. July 15, 1737, Ed- ward, Jr. relinquished the property and the youngest son Nathan undertook the care of his parents. Edward's will is dated August IO, 1737, at Woodstock, and was proved at Worcester, August 18, 1741. He married, January II, 1687-88, Joanna Hemmingway, born September 21, 1670, daughter of Joshua and Joanna (Evans) Hemmingway. She died December 23, 1748. He died March 5, 1740- 4I, aged about eighty-nine years. Children : I. Joshua, born January 22, 1688-89, died young. 2. Hannah, born January 21, 1689-90, mar- ried, March 2, 1716, John Johnson, of Brook- field. 3. Edward, born August 18, 1693. 4. Elizabeth, born November 18, 1695, married, March 16, 1732, John Jennings, of Wood- stock. 5. Daniel, born October 7, 1697, died 1718 of rattlesnake bite. 6. Joanna, born De- cember 31, 1699, died young. 7. Joanna, born October 5, 1700, married (first), July 1, 1719, Ebenezer Holmes; (second), July 13, 1724, Maturin Allard. 8. Judith, born January 25, 1702-03, married, May 2, 1723, James Marcy. 9. Dorcas, born April 14, 1706, married, April 18, 1728, Jacob Child, of Woodstock. 10. Thomas, mentioned below. II. Mary, mar- ried, April 19, 1731, John Green. 12. Smith, born March 25, 1712. 13. Nathan, born July 20, 1715.
(III) Thomas Ainsworth, son of Edward Ainsworth (2), was born at Woodstock, Con- necticut, April 15, 1708. Married (first), about 1729, Dorothy Kellogg; (second) Eli- nor Kellogg, sister of Dorothy; (third) Ruth Mason, who administered on his estate. He died at Brookfield, Massachusetts, about Feb- ruary 4, 1794. In 1790, on account of the in- firmities of age, his son Jacob was appointed his guardian, but after a short time the son was removed from his guardianship, the court finding Thomas competent to manage his own affairs. The order of birth of his children is unknown. Children, all born at Brookfield: I. Thomas, born February 3, 1731. 2. Smith. 3. Ephraim, mentioned below. 4. Elizabeth, married Nathaniel Abbott. 5. Dolly, married, February 16, 1757, Joseph Wood. 6. Jacob, born January 21, 1743. 7. Daniel. 8. Mar- tin. 9. Edward, soldier in Revolution. IO. Joseph. II. Moses. 12. Beulah, married Reuben Burt. 13. Hannah, born May II, 1747. 14. Mary.
(IV) Elder Ephraim Ainsworth, son of Thomas Ainsworth (3), was born in 1737 in Brookfield, Massachusetts. Married, in 1757, Eunice Burt, sister of Mary Wedge, widow, .who married Ephraim's brother Smith. She
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was five days younger than her husband and died five days after Ephraim was buried. A seat in the Brookfield meeting house was as- signed to him September 12, 1757. He re- moved to Sturbridge in 1766, then removed to Windsor, Vermont; thence to Royalston and about 1800 to Woodbury, Vermont. Ephraim was then an elder of the Free Will Baptist church. Elder Ainsworth, just before his death had his family and neighbors called to his bedside and preached his own funeral ser- mon from the text Revelation xiv, 13, and as soon as the amen was said "he immediately expired," according to the testimony of his grandson who was present. Children : I. Eunice, born December , 22, 1758, at Brim- field, married John Bettis. 2. Ephraim, born March 24, 1761. 3. Amy, Ruhamah or Ruany, born August II, 1763, at Brimfield, married, July 14, 1801, John Thomas. 4. Thomas, born April 16, 1767, at Sturbridge. 5. Benjamin, mentioned below. 6. Smith, married Sally Smith; selectman of Woodbury in 1806 ; living in Calais in 1812; died in Penn- sylvania aged about eighty.
(V) Benjamin Ainsworth, son of Ephraim Ainsworth (4), was born at Sturbridge, Mas- sachusetts. Married (first) Sally Burnham, sister of his brother's wife. He married (sec- ond), September 9, 1838, Louisa Rollins. He died September 18, 1858, at Woodbury, Ver- mont. He was an early settler in that town and received lot .No. 56 of Jane's survey ; was constable the first year of the town. Children of Benjamin and Sally Ainsworth: I. Benja- min, born. October 27, 1797. 2. Frederick, born January 4, 1801. 3. Ephraim, born De- cember 4, 1805. 4. Nathan, born December 9, 1806. 5. Bemis, born February 23, 1809, mentioned below. Children of Benjamin and Louisa Ainsworth: 6. Eli Warren. 7. Harry Alfred, soldier in Civil war. 8. Asa, born April 21, 1842, died October 22, 1857. 9. Mary, born March 28, 1843, died March 25, 1857. 10. Albert Llewellyn, born October 29, 1844, served in Sixth Vermont Infantry, 1861- 62; died at Woodbury, October 29, 1862. II. Alfreda, born July 11, 1850, died July II, 1864.
(VI) Bemis Ainsworth, son of Benjamin Ainsworth (5), was born February 23, 1809, at Woodbury, Vermont, died May 23, 1844. He was a farmer of Woodbury. He married Lydia Bachelder. Children, born at Wood- bury : I. Rosanna, born September 26, 1831, married, January 1, 1849, Gilman Bill ; she died November 23, 1891 (see Bill sketch). 2. Susanna, born May 4, 1833, married (first),
January 24, 1851, Ira Barrett; (second) Ce- phas Brackett; she died September 4, 1867. 3. Joshua, born July 4, 1835, died December 16, 1858. 4. Asa M., born May 12, 1842, died October 12, 1857.
DENNIS
There is reason to believe that the Dennis family of Ipswich and Marblehead were closely
related. The Marblehead branch is especially prolific. It is likely that both families were of French Huguenot origin, though the progeni- tor was doubtless English-speaking and from England, or the English islands to which the Protestant French flocked when persecuted in their native land.
(I) Thomas Dennis, first ancestor in Ameri- ca, was in Ipswich, Massachusetts, before Oc- tober 26, 1668, when he married Grace Searle. She died October 24, 1686, aged fifty years, (gravestone). He died May 23, 1706, about sixty-eight, though the epitaph has him but fifty-three. Very little is known of this gen- eration. A pillow case spun, woven and sewed by Grace (Searle) Dennis and embroidered with her initials is in possession of her de- scendants. According to a foot-note (p. 75) in Hammatt's "Early Inhabitants of Ipswich," it was in the possession of the printer of that edition ( 1854) having descended to her daugh- ter Elizabeth (Dennis) Hovey, her grand- daughter Elizabeth (Hovey) Caldwell, great- great-grandmother of Mr. A. Caldwell of Ips- wich. Dennis had a seat in the Ipswich meet- ing house in 1700. His son John and wife Elizabeth had seats in 1702. Children : I. Thomas, mentioned below. 2. John, born September 22, 1673; had horses on the com- mon in 1697. 3. Elizabeth, married Ebenezer Hovey.
(II) Thomas Dennis, son of Thomas Den- nis (I), born November 30, 1669, died in Ips- wich, 1702, in the prime of life. His widow Elizabeth was appointed administratrix Jan- uary I, 1702-3.
(III) Thomas Dennis, son of Thomas Den- nis (2), was born in Ipswich, about 1700. He married Mary and was among the earliest settlers of Sutton, Worcester county, Massachusetts, where many Ipswich families located. He was assigned the fifth seat in the meeting house in Sutton in 1731, but as early as the spring of 1725 the birth of his daughter Elizabeth is recorded in Sutton. It is inter- esting to note the varied spelling of this name in early records-Danis, Dannes, Dannis, Deanas, Denes, Denis, Dennes, Denness, Den- nice, Denice, Denniss, Dinnis and Dynis.
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Probably still other and more ingenious spell- ings were devised by the simple spellers of Ipswich and Sutton. Thomas Dennis had a farm of forty-five acres which before his death he deeded to his only son, Samuel, April 5, 1755. Children, born in Sutton: I. Elizabeth, born April 21, 1725; married February 7, 1745, Benajah Hall, of Dudley. 2. Lydia, baptized September 13, 1730. 3. Rev. Samuel, mentioned below. 4. Abigail, baptized April 15, 1744.
(IV) Rev. Samuel Dennis, son of Thomas Dennis (3), born in Sutton, Massachusetts, April 3, 1732; married, at Sutton, March 27, 1754, Patience Benham, of Uxbridge. He was a Baptist minister. He preached in Petersham several years, then in Barre, Massachusetts, finally removing to Hardwick, where he bought the Sears farm in 1777 and died in 1784. Children : I. Adonijah, mentioned below. 2. Patience, married May 3, 1788, Anna Cobb. 3. Thomas, died at Barre, Jan- uary 29, 1809, aged forty-seven ; married No- vember 30, 1788, Dolly Rice. 4. Samuel, mar- ried Anna Cobb, May 3, 1788. 5. Polly, mar- ried May 24, 1790, Roger Wing. 6. Dillea, married, 1773, Earl Flagg, at Petersham. 7. Isaac (?), settled in Barre.
(V) Adonijah Dennis, son of Samuel Den- nis (4), was born in Sutton, July 12, 1759. He was a soldier in the Revolution from Pet- ersham, Massachusetts, in Captain Ezekiel Knowlton's company, Colonel Dike's regi- ment, enlisting March 31, 1777. He served in the battle of Stillwater. He married Eunice Sibley, of New Salem, Massachusetts, (pub- lished May I, 1780). He was a farmer, and inherited the homestead near Barre, and died there September 30, 1844, aged eighty-five. His wife Eunice died September 15, 1842, aged eighty-two. Children: I. Royal, born 1781, mentioned below. 2. Samuel, born 1784; married Cynthia Barrett, of Car- lisle, Massachusetts, and died at Con- cord, Massachusetts, January 21, 1864, aged seventy-nine. 3. Lucy, born 1786; mar- ried December 1, 1803, John Dexter, and died December 15, 1817, aged thirty-one. 4. Bet- sey, born about 1788; married March 9, 1818, John P. Colburn, of Fairhaven, Vermont. 5
Polly, born 1791; died January 31, 1793. 6. Adonijah, born 1793; died August 13, 1803. 7. Child, died April 20, 1795. 8. Eunice, born May 21, 1796; died unmarried December 9, 1874. 9. Louis, born February 8, 1799; mar- ried Lucy Harris, of Boston; died there Feb- ruary 8, 1860. 10. Patience, born 1801 ; mar- ried June 5, 1823, Asa Clark; she died Octo-
ber I, 1868, aged sixty-seven. II. Adonijah, born October 4, 1803.
(VI) Royal Dennis, son of Adonijah Den- nis (5), was born in Hardwick, Massachusetts, in 1781. He married, Susan (Sukey, Sankey) Watson (published October 6, 1802) sister of James Y. Watson, of Fairhaven. She was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, and died in Rockland, Maine. In 1807 he removed to Fairhaven, Vermont, and was captain of militia there and a leading citizen. In 1823 he removed to Hartford, New York, where he died in 1830. Dennis kept the old Lyon tav- ern at Fair Haven, Vermont, one year, and in May, 1809, bought of Alexander Donahue the old Hennessy store, where Mr. Graves store was located later, with about an acre and a half of land, and by building an addition east- ward over the old highway and putting on a new front with balconies on the west, facing the new highway, he converted it into a large and commodious hotel, which was kept by him, and was widely known throughout the country as the Dennis Tavern. Mr. Dennis became involved in financial difficulties by en- dorsing notes for Dr. Ebenezer Hurd, and was obliged to make over his place, March 15, 1822, to his brother Samuel Dennis of Boston, by whom it was afterward sold, through John P. Colburn, attorney, to Lucy Wilmot, in Au- gust, 1829. He was in the service for a short time in the war of 1812, near Plattsburg. Chil- dren : I. Child, born July, 1803, died March 29, 1805. 2. Bowman W., born July 4, 1805 ; worked with Jacob Willard, mason, until 1826, removed to Byron, Michigan, where he was an eminent, active and beloved member of the Odd Fellows fraternity. 3. William W., re- sided in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 4. Polly, married William Barber, of Pontiac, Michi- gan. 5. Elizabeth, married Stephen G. Hid- den, of Concord, July 30, 1838, and died in 1869, February. 6. George R., settled in Fen- tonville, Michigan. 7. James Y., resided in Rochester, New York. 8. Selah Gridley, born 1820; mentioned below.
(VII) Selah Gridley Dennis, son of Royal Dennis (6), was born in Fair Haven, Ver- mont, in 1820. He married July 19, 1847, Bethia Thorndike. He followed his father's business as hotel proprietor. He was land- lord of the old Commercial House at Rock- land, Maine, and had the Thorndike Hotel there in 1856. In March, 1862, he removed from Rockland to Boston, Massachusetts, and became proprietor of the Commercial House. He also resided at Hallowell, Maine, for a number of years. Children : I. George M.,
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born 1849. 2. Charles Selah. 3. James B., born 1853. 4. Frank C., 1855. 5. Augustus, 1858.
(VIII) Charles Selah Dennis, son of Selah Gridley Dennis (7), was born in Rockland, Maine, about 1851. He was educated in the public schools of his native town and at the academy at Hallowell, Maine. After com- pleting his schooling he followed the sea for a number of years, but in 1875, during the decline of shipping business, he engaged in the warehouse business at the old Damon wharf in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He subsequently became the manager of the Bos- ton Wharf Company and also of the Constitu- tion Wharf Company. He resigned in April, 1897, and engaged in business on his own ac- count in the same line of trade under the firm name of Dennis & Lovejoy. He is at present the manager of the Quincy Market Cold Stor- age Warehouse Company of Boston, and is one of the best known men in the warehouse business in New England. He has always taken a lively interest in public affairs, but has never sought nor held public office. He is popular in club and social life. He belongs, among other organizations, to the Pine Tree State Club of Boston, and to the Exchange Club.
His residence is at No. 4 Chestnut Park, Melrose. He was well and favorably known to his townsmen for his many good qualities of mind and heart.
He married November 7, 1877, Addie B. Newhall. Children : Lulu S. and Mildred.
Abraham Shaw, the immigrant SHAW ancestor, was a resident of Hali- fax, Yorkshire, England, before coming to New England. He came before 1636 and was admitted a freeman, March 9, 1636-37. He was a proprietor of Watertown in 1636. His house there was burned Octo- ber, 1636, and he removed to Dedham. H
signed the famous compact and was constable of Dedham, elected September 6, 1638. He removed thence to Cambridge and was a town officer in 1640. He had a grant of "coal or iron ore which may be found in any common land at this country's disposing," November 2, 1637, and it is presumed that he made a search for minerals at a time when great min- eral wealth was expected from the earth in New England. He was given liberty to erect a corn mill, February 12, 1636-37. Mary Shaw, presumed to be his widow, was ad- mitted to the Charlestown church, July I, 1645. He died in 1638, leaving a will in which
he bequeathed to his eldest son Joseph; chil- dren Mary, John and Martha, the two latter being infants; Joseph and John to have his lot at Dedham. Edward Allen administered the estate. He owned coal mines at Halifax, England. Children: I. Joseph, settled in Weymouth. 2. John, settled in Weymouth, mentioned below. 3. Mary, born about 1638. 4. Martha, born about 1638. 5. Susanna, mar- ried Nicholas Byram, and removed to Wey- mouth.
(II) John Shaw, son of Abraham Shaw (1), was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, Eng- land, about 1630. He married Alice Phillips, of Weymouth, where he lived all his active life. Children, born at Weymouth: I. John, mentioned below. 2. Elizabeth, born Febru- ary 26, 1656. 3. Abraham, born October 10, 1657. 4. Mary, born May 24, 1660. 5. Nich- olas, born March 23, 1662. 6. Joseph, born April 15, 1664. 7. Alice, born July 6, 1666. 8. Hannah, born April 7, 1668. 9. Benjamin, born June 16, 1670. 10. Abigail, born July 15, 1672. II. Ebenezer, born April 24, 1674. (III) John Shaw, son of John Shaw (2), of Weymouth, was born about 1655. He mar- ried Hannah Children, born at Wey- mouth or Bridgewater : I. Hannah, born De- cember 16, 1679, died young. 2. Abraham, born February 14, 1685. 3. Hannah, born April 26, 1687. 4. John, born January 20, 1690. 5. Mary, born May 5, 1691. 6. Benja- min, mentioned below.
(IV) Benjamin Shaw, son of John Shaw (3), born in Weymouth, July 25, 1693 ; mar- ried Hannah Rogers. He settled in Abington, formerly Bridgewater. Children : I. Benjamin, born 1728. 2. William, born February 22, 1730. 3. James, see forward. 4. John, re- sided in East Bridgewater.
(V) James Shaw, son of Benjamin Shaw (4), born in Bridgewater or Abington, about 1732, married, 1752, Margaret Mora. He was at one time a member of the Milton church. Children: I. David, born 1757, removed to Vermont. 2. James, see forward. 3. Eunice, baptized at East Bridgewater in 1777. 4. Mar- garet, born 1779 at Abington.
(VI) James Shaw, son of James Shaw (5), was born in Abington, Massachusetts, 1760. He and his brother David settled in Wood- stock, Vermont, and in 1790 they petitioned to be separated from the Grafton Presbytery, indicating that they belonged to the Presby- terian church. From one of them descended Richard P., mentioned below.
(VII) Richard P. Shaw, born in Woodstock, Vermont, died in Lowell, Massachusetts, De-
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cember 8, 1870. He married Olive Russell, born in Shrewsbury, Vermont, died in Lowell, August 25, 1888. He came to Lowell in 1838, and was employed as a gardener and in the mills. In politics he was a Republican. Chil- dren : I. Richard W. 2. Frank E., mentioned below.
(VIII) Frank E. Shaw, son of Richard P. Shaw (7), was born in Lowell, January 16, 1841. He received his education in the public schools of his native town. At the age of thirteen years he began work in the meat and provision business in the employ of Major Coburn. After one year he took a position as clerk in the fruit store of J. C. Frost. In 1860 he was employed by Colonel Thurston, pro- prietor of the Washington House, corner of Central and Church streets, as office clerk, re- maining until 1874 when he bought the hotel and continued as proprietor until June, 1884. In 1883 he became proprietor of the American House, Lowell. He sold his interests in the Washington House to C. H. Duprez and gave his whole attention to his new hotel. His business there grew and flourished and 'he re- mained as proprietor until 1898, when he sold the American House and retired. He devoted his entire attention to the care of his real estate and other investments during the remainder of his life. He died at Lowell, January 18, 1907, and only two weeks from the time of his death his son also died.
Mr. Shaw knew the hotel business from top to bottom. He knew the value of a good equipment and he made the American House attractive; the rooms were well furnished and heated ; the table had a high reputation. More- over, Mr. Shaw had the good nature, tact, and magnetism that attracted men and made him personally popular. He made friends among his guests, and was well known by traveling men the country over. He was a member of the Highland Club, The Club of Lowell, and of the Board of Trade. He was a Democrat and somewhat active in politics. He was a representative to the general court in 1886. In religion he was a Unitarian. He was well known in the various lodges and fraternal orders of Lowell ; was a member of Free Ma- sons, Independent Order of Red Men, Benev- olent Order of Elks, United Order of Good Fellows and United Order of Workmen.
He married, February 10, 1875, Ellen M. Maxfield, daughter of Curier and Lydia (Maxwell) Maxfield, of Lowell. She sur- vives him and lives in their beautiful home at 698 Westford street, Lowell. Mr. Shaw used to ascribe to the influence, capability and de-
votion of his wife his great reason for success in business. Of high social standing Mrs. Shaw knew how to help and co-operate with her husband in his business and still retain the domestic life that both prized greatly. They had but one child, Russell Maxfield, born May 29, 1879, and died January, 1907. The loss of both husband and only son in the same month was a great shock to Mrs. Shaw, a bereavement in which she had the sympathy of the entire city.
SMITH
Lieutenant Thomas Smith, im- migrant ancestor, born in Ire-
land, about 1690, is said to have come to New England among the earliest of the Scotch Presbyterians from Ulster, in the north of Ireland, and to have located for a short time in Hampton, New Hampshire. He was admitted a grantee of Chester, New Hampshire, November 20, 1720, in place of Richard Swan, whose rights 'he doubtless bought. Smith was a lot layer in the new town of Chester as early as 1725, and a man of prominence, a selectman there in 1728. He married a sister of John Carr, of Chester.
The story of the capture of Smith and Carr by the Indians in 1724 is told in the "New Hampshire Historical Society Collections," volume 7, page 404. Carr was only eighteen years old. Smith and he were making brush fence to secure the cow from Indians, when they were surprised by the crack of a gun, the ball passing between them and touching Smith. "The Indians sprang upon and captured them. A scuffle ensued in which Smith turned the butt of his gun with a view of sinking the lock into the head of Captain Joe English, leader of the Indians, but missed his aim. The hill in New Boston whose southern end is very steep as seen from Auburn, was named for this Indian. They were captured. They pro- ceeded northward till night, when the keepers each managed to secure his prisoner for the night. They were not allowed to see where each other lodged. Smith's captor cut a notch in the spreading root of a beech tree fitted in the ankle of the prisoner, then drove down a stake so as to make the foot secure, while the prisoner was lying on his back. His arms were also tied above him with the sinews of a deer. The next day they pursued their journey, the prisoners not being allowed to speak to each other. The next night Smith took special notice in which direction Carr was placed from him. He was secured as the night previous with the addition of having hooks put over his elbows and driven firmly
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