USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Historical address, bi-centennial and centennial, delivered at Groton, Massachusetts, July 4, 1876, by request of the citizens > Part 6
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Wee would therefore humbly intreat that our Languishing Cir- cumstances may be taken into your Consideration ; and that our proportion of the Publique tax may this year be remitted to us ; and wee hope that not only our present afflicted State but our future dutyfull deportment will be Such as may testifie for us, and afford yo! hon" Satisfaction in so notable an instance of Charity, and Compassion
JONAS PRESCOTT JONATHAN LAWRENCE JS" FARNESWORTH SAM! PARKER
NATH. WOODS Select
ROBT. ROBBINS In behalf of the Towne of Groton ;
[Massachusetts Archives, CXIMI. 391.]
To his exalancy Joseph Dutly esquir captain genarall comander in in and ouer hur maiesties prouines of the masiacheusits bay in new Ingland and to the honorable counsil and raprasantitifes in geparall court asambled at boston this Instant Desember 1704.
The humble patition of the Inhabitants of the town of groton in the county of midlsax in the pronians aforesd humbley sheweth
I That wharas by the all desposing hand of God who orders all things in infinit wisdom it is our portion to live In such a part of the land which by reson of the enemy Is becom uary dangras as by wofull exsperiants we have falt both formarly and of late to our grat camidg & discoridgmant and spashaly this last yere hauing lost so many parsons som killed som captivated and som ramoued
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and allso much corn & cattell and horses & hay wharby wee ar gratly Impouerrished and brought uary low & in a uary pore ca- pasity to subsist any longer As the barers herof can inform your honors
2 And more then all this our paster mr hobard is & hath been for about a yere uncapable of desspansing the ordinances of God amongst vs & we have aduised with the Raurant Elders of our nayboring churches and thay aduise to hyare another minister and to suport mr hobard and to make our adras to your honours we haue but litel laft to pay our deus with being so pore and few In mimbr athar to town or cuntrey & we being a frantere town & lyable to dangor there being no safty in going out nor coming in but for a long time we have got our brad with the parel of our liues & allso broght uery low by so grat a charg of bilding gar- isons & fortefycations by ordur of athorety & thar is saural of our Inhabitants ramoued out of town & others ar prouiding to remoue. axcapt somthing be don for our Incoridgment for we are so few & so por that we canot pay two ministers nathar ar we wiling to line without any we spand so much time in waching and ward- ing that we can doe but litel els & truly we have lived allmost 2 yers more like soulders then other wise & accapt yours honars can find out som bater way for our safty and support we cannot uphold as a town ather by remitting our tax or tow alow pay for building the sauarall forts alowed and ordred by athority or alls to alow the one half of our own Inhabitants to be under pay or to grant lib- erty for our remufe Into our naiburing towns to tak cor for oursalf's all which if your honors shall so meet to grant you will hereby gratly incoridg your humble pateceners to conflect with the many trubles we ar ensadent unto
wharfore your humble pationars humbly prays your axcalancy & this honared court to tak this mater into your seares consedra- tion and grant releef acordingly and your pationars shall as in duty bound foreur pray
by order of the town of groton
JONAS PRESCOTT JAMES NUTTING JosErn LAKEN
1
SAMUEL PARKER
Jan? 24 1704 Read.
In the House of Representatives.
Jan? 3 : 1704 In Answer to the Petition on the other side
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Resolved That there be allowed, and Paid out of the publick Treasury, the sum of Twenty Pounds, to the Town of Grotton to Encourage & Assist them in Procuring another Minister, to help them under the present Disability of their Pastour M'. Hubbard, & Ten Pounds more be allowed & Paid out of the publick Treas- ury, to Jonathan Tyng Esq. & M. Nathan! Hill, to be by them pro- portionably distributed to such of the st Town, as in the Judgment have been greatest sufferers, in the late outrages made upon them by the Enemy Sent up for concurrence.
In Council.
JAM! CONVERSE Speaker Read and concurr'd. :
Is: ADDINGTON Secry 4": January. 1704. [Massachusetts Archives, LXXI. 107, 10S. ]
15. - PAGE 38.
To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq" Cap: General and Goy- ernot in Chief in & over her Majes Provinces of the Massachusetts- Bay &ra in New England To the Honte her Majus Council in sa Province and To the Honbe the House of Representatives now con- vened in General Assembly within & for said Province
Octob): 25"! 1704
The Humble Petition of John Shepley of Groton Sheweth
That when Major Taylor was at Groton, having drawn off most of his men from the place and marched to Col. Tyngs yof Peti- tioner and Thirteen men more being some reaping and ys rest Warding in a ffield at Groton afores! the Indians to the muimber of about twenty came upon them when yo! Petitioner and the rest betook themselves to their Arms, and three others being along with yo! Petitioner, the Indian ran round the fheld & met them & the s' Indians made several shott at the English, but amongst the rest one lusty stout Indian with a holland shirt on ran about S or to Rodd side by side with yo! Petitioner & the other 3 men in his Company, about 10 Rodd to the right hand of them when he fired upon us, and as soon as he had fired yo! Petitioner fired being loaded with a slugg & another of the Company at the same time fired a Bullet at him whereupon the s4 Indian fell down and cryd out ; Those now 3 of our first Company kill'd or canyed away, Afterwards ye s4 Indian was found dead & a slugg & Bullet in his Body his Scalp being sent up to his Excellency by Major Taylor.
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Yo! Petitioner therefore humbly prays yo! Excellency & Hon" to take the premises into yof Considerations and he may be al- lowed such Encouragem; for his service herein as the Law allows or as to yo! Excellency & Honor in yo! Wisdoms shall seem meet.
and yo! Petitioner shall pray & .
JOHN SHEPLEY. Octob! 264 1701. In Council, Read and sent down.
On the back of the petition is written : -
In the House of Representatives
Octo! 27: 1704 Read and
Resolved That the sum of four Pounds be allowed and Paid out of the publick Treasury to the Petition! and the like Sum of four Pounds to Samuel Butterfield, who this House is Inform! did assist in the killing of the Indian mentioned in the Petition, and that no other or further sum be allowed for the killing of the s! Indian
JAME CONVERSE Speaker
Sent up for Concurrence in Council.
Die pdict.
Read and Concurr'd
Is: ADDINGTON Secry. John Shepley's Petition Octo! 1704. [Endorsed]
[Massachusetts Archives, XXX. 496, 497.] +
16. - PAGE 3S.
" In a List of Frontier Garrisons Reviewed by Order of His Excellency the Governour, In Novemb' 1711," the fol- lowing statistics are given of Groton : -
No Garisons
Family's Inhabit.
Souldiers Souls
I Serj: Gillson
3
6
I
25
Deacon Whittney
.1
S
3-
3
Lieu' Lawrance
1
1
-
Cap' Prescott
.1
S
1
5
Samuel Parker
3
S
O
27
72
No
Garisons
Familys
Inhabit®
Souldiers
Souls
6
M' Bradstreet
I
I
3
10
7
M: Hubbards
3
1 2
O
32
S
M' Lakins
7 ¢
9
I
30
9 Ens" Shipple
6
7
2
30
IO
M' Shaddock
5
6
2
23
12
M' Holdings
I
3
2
12
13
Enst Farnsworth
3
4
I
IS
1.4
M' Filbrick
7
S
O
40
15
MẸ Stones
2
3
O
1 2
16
Chamberlain
I
4
17
ye Cap' Mill
I
I
I
6
IS
M: Farnsworth
2
2
I
S
-
-
-
[Massachusetts Archives, LXXI. 874.]
17. - PAGE 39.
The following Groton men are borne on the rolls of Lieutenant Fairbanks's company, June IS, 1724 : -
Phinias Parker, Serj.
Nov. 25 to Jan. 12 4 13
10
4
II
5
Ja: Shaduck
"
"
15 IO
Samuel Screpter
W" Lawrance
Josiah Bauden
Jan. 13
IO
IS
6
Jacob Ames
Nov. 25
"
14 1.4
S
6
Jason Williams
Nath' Lawrance
1.4
S 6
Jon" Shepley, Serj.
Jan. 13
.,
1.4
6
Tho' Chamberlin
Nov. 29
1.4
2 IO
Mich' Gillson
April 28
3
7
I
[Massachusetts Archives, XC1. 124. ]
1
4
Jon: Shipley, Sent !! Jo! Blood
"
"
June 13 15 IO
15 IO
15 IO
Isaac Woods
" "
"
1.4 S
6
S
6
5S
93
17
37S
6
2
26
Corp" Tarboll
8
01
1
--
73
18. - PAGE 40.
A List of the Names of the men that Scouted In the woods In July last under the Command of Cap; Tho' Tarbell of Groton & the Number of Days the ware In sd Service
We Set out y: 7 Day & : Returned y: 134 Except Jacob Ames who was Taken sick & Returned back y: 24 Day Groton Oct: 212 1748
attest
THO" LAWRENCE Cler.
Liu Eleazer Green .
Isaac Holden
Ensighn Stephen Holden
Pilott Jerah; Powers
Sarga' John Page
John Shattuck
Serg Simon Pearce
Moses Woods
Samuel Shattuck Jun!
Tho" Lakin
James Shattuck
John Keemp
Eleazer Tarbell
Jona" Sartell
Jonathan Holden
Moses Blood
Elias Ellett
Henrey Farwell
Same" Kemp Jun!
Nath" Smith
Jona: Shattuck Jun!
Jona; Lawrence
John Gilson Jun'
Henry Jefts
Joseph Patterson
Aaron Woods
Timothy Mores
Jacob Ames
Nehe Jewett
Edm4 Bancroft
Eleazer Green Jun! John Parker Jun.
also by the authority a forsd on the 28 of July I marched in to The wilderness in quest of the Enemy with The men whose Names are hear after written and Returned the 29 Day : and we found our Selves both prevision and amanision both Times.
John Bulkely James Prescott
John Gilson Dudley Bradstreet Jeremiah Shattuck William Nutting Tho" Lawrance Isaac Green Jos. Sheeple Tho' Woods
Jonas Parker Ruben Woods
Jonathan Lawrance
Jeremiah Hobart
Isaac Lakin Jun"
Joseph Bennett Joseph Chandler Isaac Patch Jun' John Nutting Jun' Jonathan Prescot 10
tu diant vlut
74
Joseph Parker Nathaniel Parker We Bennett Nathaniel Shattuck Ezekiel Nutting Joseph Gilson Isaac Gilson James Fisk
Daniel Pollard
Ebenezer Lakin
Peter Parker
Sam" Bowers
Tho' Chamberlin
Ebenezer Blood
Nathaniel Davis Jun'
Josiah Sartell clerk
Tho Tarbell Capt
[Massachusetts Archives, XCHI. 156.]
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01
75
MISCELLANEOUS.
To the Right Honorable the Gov'r. and Council sitting in Boston.
The Petition of Daniell Addams, Humbly sheweth, that your Petitioner's went out as a voluntear, upon the Scout, from Concord in company with some of Concord and some of Lancaster : and they coming to Grauton your petitioners there killed an Indian, and hath received no wages from the Country for any service that he hath done: notwithstanding he hath been out upon the same ace't severall times both the Last sumer and the Last winter, and is now going out againe under the Command of Leift. Curtis.
Your Petitioner therefore humbly requests the favor of your Honors to consider the premises and to grant him an order to the Treasurer for his satisfaction according as the Law allows in that case - so shall he be ever engaged to pray, &c.
DANIELL ADDAMS.
The above petition is marked on the back "21 April, 1676."
Alse Woods aged forty years testifieth and saith that at Grooton upon the day that the most of the town was burnt by Indians : she heard severall say, that Daniell Adams had killed an Indian : and she went presently into Mr. Willards Garrit and saw two Indians stand over a dead Indian, about halfe an hour, and then they car- ried him away, and further saith not.
The mark O of ALSE WOODS. Att Groton the 14th of march 1676.
There was Daniell Adams, whoe was vary helpefull to the towne of Groton with som others Lankstar and the said Daniell adams did kill one Indan att Mr. Willards garason.
Witness JOHN CADYE and SAMUEL WOODS.
we whoe see him fall to the ground and not rise againe.
As witness NICKCOLASS CADYE.
1
3
7
76
Samuell Woodes of Grotten aged about forty years of age witnis that he saw tooe indens standing upon Captine parker's iland at grotten and danill adams shot at tham, and one of them falle doune and the other ran away.
17 day of 2, month 1676, the mark [ of SAMUEL WOODES. [" Groton Herald," April 24, IS30.]
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GROTON Octobr 15th 1694 To the Honored Generall Court :
The humble petition and earnest request of the Inhabitants of Groton humbly sheweth ; That whereas we the present survivers of this Towne do understand that ourselves either without invoice, or according to some former or according to your honours pleas- ures are willed & domed for a rate or Levy, a considerable some of moneys amounting to 501bs ; we therefore being feelingly appre- hensive of our utter incapacity, in present circumstances without apparent wrong to us ; to pay said sum humbly make bold under God to addresse this honored great generall Court. with both our humble petition and a discovery of our condition : our petion is that we may If it be your honourable pleasure to remitt us our as- sessment and not putt us upõ further inevitable streights & Miseryes, This we humbly petion, and that we may not be thought unjustly to withdraw ye shoulder from puting our strength & help to Sup- port and cary on the government of theirs our Majestyes, in this part of their dominion, and be unwilling to bear our part with the rest of their Majestyes Subjects on this New England shoar as we have constantly & proportionably heitherto done and as arguments and Reason to prevail in this case. we make bold to spread our conditio before your honored selves : not to run back very farr
I It pleased God the disposer of all men & humane affairs to place us upon ye outward borders of ye inhabited land on this side y" country. which by some is alledged as an argument against us, yett lett Reason butt speak & the union and communion not onely of naturall, but Christian Societyes have its argument and it will tell us of bearing one another's burdens, and of that Smpathetick property that is a naturall body & rationally ought to be both in cyvill & politick also : and therefore whatever our alledged privi- ledges are, or have bin, we ought not to be Grudged them, for indeed our out edge & Distant Living hath bin in these times of late awfull dealing our hurt & damage both as to psons & estates
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tonleledi ban
77
beyound parrelell with any inward Townes, as plaine & undeniable Reason & argument is ready to be given.
2 The providence of ye wise God, did order it That very griev- ous troublesome and mortall sicknesse, was amoungt us the last year by wh we were not onely leasoned considerobly in our num- bers, but deminished in our estates It being so generall That one could not help ye other by wth great charge of Doct's came upo us, losse of ye Seasonable Labour of our inhabitants, to the indam- aging the estates of ye most, unrecovered by many to this day.
3 we might add our constant (in these late times) standing upon our guard, and considerable charge, of building & repairing forts, for our owne and the countryes safty, & securing their majestyes subjects, both here, and in the inmost places.
4 This years soar and awfull troubles by ye late deaths captivi- tyes and consequent meseryes, whereby we lost severall able vahi- lbe psons, whose estates are either, much lessened, or removed by others, out our reach : beside by inevitable losse of corne, It is Judged by many of our Towne that a third part at lest of our Indian corne, is wholy lost ; and now of late psons have bin hen- dred much in their corne, & hay harvest, beside the hand of God upon our husbandry, as to rye much blasted, not halfe a usuall crop and by early frost, Indian corne much hurt, & damnifyed, that severall familyes will be at a losse for corne, not having for halfe y" year through : Thus Leaving our petion & condition to your honours serious consideration hoping you may see, reason to in- dulge us in that matter praying to God who setts amoung ye god to direct, & preside, and blesse, your psons & consultations to con- clude & determine what may be for ye present & future weal & prosperity, of these plantation, we rest & remaine yours in all duty & service.
James Parker Sen': William Laken Sent. Select men in the name of y" Select men by y" vout of ye Towne of Groton.
[Massachusetts Archives, cxIn. S. ]
Upon reading this Petition of the Inhabitants of Groton Sitting forth their great distress and impoverishm' by reason of the deso- lations made upon them by the Enemy Praying to be Eased and abated of their proportion to the last publick Tax or Assessm! amounting to the sum of Fifty pounds.
Voted,
That the said Town be abated one halfe of the afores! Sum of . Fifty pounds, and that M: Treasurer Do Suspend the calling for
3
Marino bnuoyed
Vi noano?1 IT
78
the other halfe until the Fifteenth day of December next. The Assessor! forthwith to proportion the same upon their Inhabitants and to commit the List thereof unto their Constables, that so they may be collecting.
Octobr 224 1604 : Past in the affirmative by the house of Repre- sentatives and sent up to his Exy and Council for Consent
NEHEMIAH JEWET speaker Votd a concurrence in Council, die pdict.
Is: ADDINGTON Secry. [Endorsed] Vote for abatement to Groton. Oct! 1691.
[Massachusetts Archives, CXIII. 97.]
Governor William Stoughton writes from Boston, Septem- ber 5, 1695, to Captain James Converse, that
" I order That at your next passing over Merrimack with your Company towards Dunstable &e That you advise with Maj Hench- man and M' Jon" Ting concerning the posting you men in the sev- eral Frontiers of Dunstable, Bilrica Chelmsford Groton, Lancaster and Marlboro for the better inforeem! of the Garrisons there & maintaining a good brisk Scout for the discovery of the Enemy to prevent their annoying of those Towns during the Harvest Sea- son."
In accordance with this order, eight men were posted at Groton. Soon afterward, nine were posted here, of which seven were inhabitants of the town.
Captain James Converse writes from · WOOBOURNE ( 7bry2 7th 1666) " May it pleas your Hon"
" The subscriber receiving a letter from your Hon' of ye first Courant, and therein, a Comand to wait upon your Hont ye next day in ord! to receive some further Instructions, referring to a Journey to Groaton, to speak with some Volunteers &c : I was also ordered to take Cap! Bowers & L! Crosby with me to Groaton, but I hearing their scouts had discovered sundry tracks of the Enemy, I suposed those men might be in y: Woods with their scouts, and so it proved, for this reson I took with me Cap" Tho: Bancroft of
100
79
Redding, and only one soldier with vs, we came to Groaton on fryday morning (the time y! I was ordered to be there) where I mett with ME Daniel Fitch & his second and ye rest of their Vol- unteers all but two or 3 Indians, y' left them (by force) in ye morn- ing, pretending to returne hom."
[Massachusetts Archives, LI. 44, 6S. ]
To the Honored Luten" Govern' the Honored Councill and Re- presentitives In the Court Assembled : The humble petition of the towne of Groton by orderly warning mett upon octobr the 4th 1697 then voating (after Serious discourse upon the present times & awfull circumstances of them and our pticular immergeneys) our dislike of the present help granted to us as we are grieved att ye management & oversight of it : & voating that capt" James Parker and Ensigne John Farnsworth should be our Agents to present and promote this petition of ours by such discourse as might be need- full in our behalfe att the Court. Honored Sirs: We being in some measure necessitated (by the constancy and Long continuance of the righteous hand of Almighty God upon us) to know more experimentally the troubles concomitant and consequent of bloody & cruell warr, Then by Sympathy it can be possibly knowne by others ; And that by Reason our stages & dwellings happene to be upon ye very dint, brinck & in ye mouth of more unavoidable ditli- cultyes, fears dangers & death by the cruell sword of the wilder- nesse, then many others are or can be, Therefore as we apprehend the case to stand with us, being diminished in our numbers, and greatly impoverished in our out wards, desirous as we hope in meas- ure we have done to be constantly putting up our petitions to the Lord of hosts and God of armyes to afford us conduet & Assistance every way so we would not wanting to cry to & humbly call upon our Moses & Aaron to give us advise & to extend their helping hand who if any are, we are in the wildernesse where y' is Scorpions and subtle Finny Serpents mortally wounding and killing of us as your Honord Selves hear by Rumour upon Rumour, but we not onely hear butt feel see & woefully experience the same. Honored Sirs we desire with all gratitude and thankfullnesse to acknowledge your fatherly care of us hitherto, Butt yett we for our parts If still we must abide in the Front. We beg If it may seem good in your eyes that we may be Released from countrey charges to his Majesty or in plaine words countrey Rates & that we may be pleasured with some sutable proportion of souldiers not of ourselves which if we
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may be worthy once more to obtaine we have agreed not to sell them away for men of ourselves as we wickedly did. The way of a changable scout we thought might do us a kindnesse, which if it had bin with good inspection & management attended It might have done It hath appeared to us more wayes than one that gitting ye Money hath bin more aimed at the carefull ordering, or doing the worke to earn it hath bin ; we beg that If for this Autumnal & winter season you may soe meet to order ye chargable scout that it may be no lesse the 12 : & that it it may be putt into a carefuller & honester hand then it hath bin both for the place & benifit of this poor Towne we are able if called thereto to Alledge sufficient Argum" that if we have the same or other souldiers It is a thing requisite that some other pson might Inspect them
Thus craving pdone for our boldnesse wishing y' Lord to be your president in all publike matters that may be before you we humbly subscribe our selves yours in all obedience & loyalty
SIMON STONE
THOMAS TARBELL Select
SAMUEL PARKER men
ELIEZAR PARKER Constable of Groton
Oct. 15h 1697. Read
[Endorsed] Oct. 97
Voted In ye house of Representatives
In answer to sd petition. That they are Eased in this Last tax as they desired : & as to ye Scout yt they Judg it needfull y' Six of their owne Souldiers be Imployed dayly : & y' ye comand in cheif put in a sutable pson to Inspect ye same
Sent up for Concurrence
PENN TOWNSEND Speaker [Massachusetts Archives, LXX. 360, 361.].
For an account of a Court Martial, held at Groton, Feb- ruary 16, 1706-7, see "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register," X. 243-5. The original is in the Massachusetts Archives, LI. 153, 154.
on a lecter day. Groton July. 9. 1707
May it plese your Excelency I have Read your Exceleneyes order to yº Inhabitants and the law against deserting the frontiers, I could do it no sooner for several of the inhabitants ware gon to
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SI
plainfield and Returned yesterday, only two stayd behind ; S' one of those that designe to Remove is the Barer & a selectman and lives on the outsid the Towne. I thought good to send him, who can aquaint your Excelencey who is Removed & who are medi- tating the same.
Cap' Bulkely & & his men are gon to Lancaster and the other halfe here, and do Expect a Relece thay being men of concidrable Inisbandrey ; yo most of them. all ye people that will worke in Com- paneys have gards to Cover them to their Content, if your Excel- encey Plese I should very glad of a Relie ; I am your
Excelences most Humble Servent JOSIAH PARKER To His Excelencey The Gouvoner att Roxbury On Her Maj's Service [Massachusetts Archives, cxin. 4IS. ]
GROTON July 9. 1707. May it please yo' Excy.
According to yo' Exeyes Commands wee have sent an account of those that are either actually remov'd, or meditating of it. Our Peo- ple are reduc'd to that degree that they find themselves unable to subsist any long; Would prayyour Exey either to grant Liberty for their Remove or that they may be reduc'd here intirely to a Garri- son (of the Towne militia) for the pre serving the frontiers ; wee thankfully acknowledge your Exeyes great Care of us hitherto, and would pray the Continuance of your Regards, without which wee are an undon people Wee take leave to subscribe
(may it please yo' Exey) Your Exeys most obed' Serv"
JOSEPH LAKIN
Town clarck
JOHN FARNSWORTH Select JONATHAN BOIDON men JOSEPH LAAKIN [Massachusetts Archives, CXIN. 419.]
John Ston Jonathan Pag Nathanill Woods Danill lawranc
GROTON July ye 9 day 170 Joseph Paraham Samuill Davis Danill Cadein John Cadein
I ]
1
1
ail no abril
82
John Shattuck
John hoare
Nathanill Parker
Samuill Farnsworth
Benimin Lakin
Joseph Boidon
Jonathan boidon
Josiah Whetney
John huchin
Corenalhis Whitney
Zachariah Lawranc
Joseph lawranc
Edman Chamberlin
Ebenezer Nutting of persons gon
John Hall
Samuel Shattuck
Zerrubbubl Kamp
Zachariah Sartwall
John Gilson
Abraham lakin
Josiah lakin
Joseph Lakin
William Lakin
William Shattuck
John Farnsworth
of the persons that are a consedring of going
JOSEPH LAKIN
Select
JOSEPH LAKIN
JOHN FARNWORTH
Town clarck
JONATHAN BOIDON men
for Groton
[Massachusetts Archives, CXIII. 420. }
LANCASTER, July 1": 1724.
May it please your Honour,
I recieved your Letter the Last night in the evening, and not before tho' I suppose I might have had it sooner had the bearer pleased, Your Honour is pleased in your Letter to give me my choice of A Lieutenants Post in Groton or Turkey Hills or A Ser- jeants at Lancaster. I am sensible that Serjeants Pay in Town would be as Profitable as to keep constantly abroad, but yet upon Some Considerations I choose to Abide in the Post I am, and to go to Groton. I return my thanks to your Honour for the choice you have given me. I would Inform your Honour that on Mon- day Last I sent A Scout to Rutland who Returned yesterday and gave me an Account that In the way they discovered the tracks of four or five Indians bearing towards Wochoosett who they Judged had been gone 2 or 3 days. Yesterday Part of Groton men & Part of this Town went out for the week to range above the Towns to
mingEl
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83
see what Discovery they could make, and I am my self this Day going out with what men I can Raise to see what I can discover. I desire the favour of your Honour, That the souldiers now under my Command in Lancaster and Groton might have the Liberty of abiding with me or of being Dismist. If it be your Honours Pleasure to let Edward Hartwell who hath been a Serjeant under me Abide still in that Post in this Town I should take it as a fa- vour. I stand ready to attend your Honours Orders & Commands and am S.
Your Humble Servant
JABEZ FAIRBANKS.
GROTON, July 20"! 1724.
May it please your Honour
I have attended your orders in posting the men at the Towns of Groton Lancaster & Turkey hill - precisely except at Turkey Hill there is but eleven men Cap! Stevens having not as yet sent so many as ordered & I have Taken my post at Groton where I improve the Souldiers in the best manner I can agreeable to your orders, & have ordered them to Lodge in some of ye most Exposed Garrisons as often as may be, but I find it impossible to Improve So Small a number of men So as to answer ys Necessities of the people here whose circumstances are So verry Difficult & Distress- ing that I am not able fully to Represent to your Honour.
the poor people are many of them obliged to keep their own Garrisons and part of them Imployed as Guards while others are at their Labour whose whole Time would be full Little enough to be expended in getting bread for their families. My own Garrison at Lancaster is very much exposed & with Humble Submission I think Requires Protection as much as any in that Town. there- fore I Humbly pray your Honour would be pleased to give me Leave to post a Souldier there Dureing my absence in the service of the province I beg your Honours Pardon for giving you this Trouble ; and as Leave to Subscribe my Selfe
Your most Obedient Humble Serv!
JABEZ FAIRBANKS [Massachusetts Archives, I.11. 9, IS.]
For some brief " Journals," kept in this neighborhood by Lieu- tenant Fairbanks, during the years 1723 and 1724, see Massachu- setts Archives, xxxviii. A 49-54.
·
16
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Colonel Tyng writes, July 23, 1724, from Dunstable, to Lieu- tenant-governor William Dummer, that he has sent ten men of his company to Groton, agreeably to orders.
Ile goes himself " to dispose the 10 men there."
[Massachusetts Archives, LII. 22.]
Sir,
The Enemy being drawn off & the Season of Danger pretty well over, You must forthwith see that the Soldiers in the Frontiers be reduced to the following Numbers ; Viz, Twenty five Men at Dunstable & Dracut, Ten at Turkey Hills, Fourteen at Groton, Fourteen at Lancaster, Twenty five at Rutland & ten at Brookfield, & That all the Rest of the Soldiers in the Counties of Middlesex & Essex Including L: Brentnals Scouts be forthwith disbanded : And the several officers are required to put these Orders in Execution accordingly.
[To] COLL. TYNG.
Oct. 20, 1725.
[ Massachusetts Archives, LXXII. 263.]
May it Please your Honour
I had Desired Lieu! Lawrence to order a Scout to Pequage be- fore I Reed your Honours Letter which he had Done & from thence to Northfield tho none was Placed at Pequage but in as much as Pequage Does not appear more Exposed to the Enemy if so much as several other Places between ye rivers merimack and Connetticut that are within this Province and I apprehending your honour might not be so well acquainted with the curcomstances of these Frontiers I Did not order y: Lieu' to Place but ten men at Pequage for if fifteen had been sent there other places must have been left so naked that no Scouting Could have been Done which I am sencable was y: Courts Disigne but if what I have ordered Should not be agreeable I should be Glad to know your Honours mind. I find it is Difficult to satisfie the People with so few men in so long a Frontier but shall take ye best Care I can so far as I am concern! to give orders for Every thing to be Done that your Honour Shall think best but if Possible I think best to keep ont all ye new Plantations in this Province but I am afraid that
85
thirty men is not sufficient. So with Great Regard, I remain your Honours most Humble and obedient Servant to Command.
WILLIAM LAWRANCE To y. Honble Spencer Phips Esqre GROTON July yo 29: 1755 [Massachusetts Archives, LIV. 521. ]
Representatives to the General Court.
The following names are not found, according to Butler's " History," in the town records, and the authority for the names is given with each one : -
1683. Captain James Parker, " Massachusetts Records," v. 421. 170S. * Mr. John Farnsworth, " Weekly News-Letter," May 31. 1714. Mr. John Farnsworth, "
IT `Mr. Thomas Tarbell,
"
May 30.
1717. Mr. John Shepley,
June 3.
1718. Captain John Shipley, June 2.
1719. Captain John Shipley, Neal's " Hist. of N. E.," HI. 377. 1732. t Nathaniel Sartel, Esq., " Weekly Rehearsal," June 12. 1740. t Mr. John Longley, " Weekly News-Letter," June 5. 1743. William Lawrence, Esq., ,, " May 30. 1750. (probably not represented ), June 4.
There are several tunes - at least five - called Groton, to be found in some of the old singing-books. They differ in music and in words, and are generally of different metres. The earliest that I have been able to find is one, in common metre, in Jacob Kimball's " Rural Harmony," published in 1793, at Boston. In Laws's "Harmonic Companion " (Philadelphia, copyrighted 1807) is a long-metre tune of this name. In "The Choir " (Boston, 1833), by Lowell Mason, another one, in particular metre, is given ; and in the " Massachusetts Collection of Psalmody " ( Boston, 1840),
* "Those that have this mark (*) are new ones."
t Not members during the preceding year.
-
ton ai fiom yhills com aTuonoHI
86
by George J. Webb, is still another, in long metre. A sing- ing-book, entitled " Indian Melodies," was published in New York, in 1845, which contains a tune called Groton. The compiler of the work was Thomas Commuck, an Indian, and he claims that all the tunes in it, as well as the names, are Indian. This is a mistake, certainly so far as it relates to this name, - unless, perchance, it may have been adopted from the English.
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