USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections, Vol. II > Part 10
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" Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your Excellency, and the Honorable Court, would be pleased to take our distressed circumstances under your wise consideration, and erect us into a town or district, or otherwise relieve your petitioners, as in your wisdom you shall think best, and in duty bound shall ever pray.
William Alton, Ebenezer Lamb,
Nathaniel French, John Henry,
Adam Johnson, Samuel Streeter,
Edward Mackintire,
-Joseph Clemence,
Joseph Twiss,
Nathan Mackintire, John Olds,
James Lamb,
Ebenezer Mackintire,
John Dresser,
George Pike,
Thomas Mackintire, Jr. Elisha Putney,
John Davidson,
Thomas Mackintire, Jesse Mackintire,
Samuel Scott,
Thomas Hawkins,
Job Mackintire,
Jonathan Clemence, Edward Willard,
Philip Clemence, Richard Blood,
Daniel Mackintire,
James Butler,
Samuel Rogers,
Edward Chamberlain,
Amos Newton,
Ebenezer Fosket,
Nathaniel Blood,
Benjamin Hobbs, Richard Dresser,
Paul Rich.
* The village referred to was 11,250 acres, the tract set off from the original grant for Oxford, by the proprietors for the use of the thirty families that should move on to this grant to fulfill the conditions of the Act of Court for making the grant. This was first given to the French settlers, and after they had abandoned the town, it was in 1713 given to the thirty families of English settlers.
The west part here referred to, by these petitioners, was the remaining lands, reserved for the grantees. 30,000 acres.
t These cattle were sent here by the owners of the 30,000 acres (or such part as they had not sold to these petitioners), who were non-residents. All the territory of Charlton at first belonged to speculators.
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CHARLTON.
This petition received action by the General Court, April 9, 1754, ordering the petitioners to serve an order of notice upon the clerk of the town of Oxford, requiring them, if they saw fit, to show canse why this petition should not be granted, at the May session, on the second Tuesday of that month.
The petition was then referred to a committee, and their report was as follows :
"The court's committee, having considered all the circumstances, re- commend a district to be made: beginning at the south line of Oxford, one mile west of the village line, so called ; thence northerly, parallel with the line of said village, to Leicester, south bound; thence west with Leicester and Spencer, south bounds, until it comes within one mile and a quarter of Sturbridge, east bound; thence running one mile and a quarter westerly to Oxford, north-west corner; thence southerly by Ox- ford, westerly bound, to Dudley, north-west corner; thence with Oxford, south bound, to the point of beginning.
" (Signed,)
"JOHN GREENLEAF.
"In council the report was read and accepted.
" In the House of Representatives, read and concurred.
"Friday, January 10, 1755, an engrossed bill, entitled, 'An Act for Setting Off the Inhabitants, as Also Their Estates, of the West Part of Oxford, into a Separate District by the Name of -, passed to be enacted.
"T. HUBBARD, Speaker.
" Having been read three several times in the council, passed to be Enacted.
"J. WILLARD, Secretary.
"Copy examined, and signed by the Governor.
"WILLIAM SHIRLEY."*
This town, or the west part of the grant for Oxford, was at first considered in quality of soil and desirability for agricultu- ral purposes much inferior to that part now Oxford, and hardly worth occupying. A further disadvantage was, that all this part of the grant, 30,000 acres, being that part retained by the grantees, remained mostly in the hands of speculators, who
* See vol. xx, General Assembly Records, from March, 1753, to September, 1755, State Library.
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were non-residents, and there being no law for taxing such unimproved lands, it placed a heavy burden on the few farm- ers, in the early period of its history, for building roads and other town expenses.
To remedy this burdensome evil, the representative of the town, the late Caleb Ammidown, brought the subject before the Legislature, and procured an act for taxing non-residents and unimproved lands, much to the dissatisfaction of this class of land owners, but greatly to the relief of the hardy pioneer settlers.
This was not only a relief to the settlers in Charlton, but it had a favorable effect in all towns where speculators had made a monopoly of the lands, by procuring the original grant. This class of land owners, finding that they could no longer hold their lands free of taxation, and reap the benefits of the advance of real estate by the improvements made by the hardy industry of the resident owners, readily offered their lands for sale at such prices as the settlers were disposed to pay, and, in many instances, large tracts of these lands were forced at public sale.
Charlton is located on the summit of land between the sea- board on the east, and Connecticut river on the west ; and, although the water-sheds have their principal slope east and west, the valleys have a southern descent, which carry the waters into the Quinebang on its western slope, and the French river on the east, conducting them into Long Island sound by the Thames at New London. These lands, deemed almost valneless at first, proved to be unsurpassed in strength of soil and beauty by any territory in the other towns in the south part of Worcester county.
It appears by their records that the first survey of its boundaries was made by the joint service of the selectmen of the new town, and Oxford. The certificate is signed, " May 24, 1755," as follows :
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CHARLTON.
" We, whose names are hereto annexed, being selectmen of the town of Oxford for ye current year, together with ye selectmen of Charlton, and with the assistance of William Young, surveyor, and Captain Elijah Moore and Mr. John Nichols, chainmen, mutually chosen and sworn for that purpose, set off said district by and agreeable to the grant made by the act of court, Anno Domini, Regum. Regis Georgi Secundi, January 10, 1755."
By the further order of the General Court, it was enacted. that Moses Marcy, Esq., be empowered to issue his warrant, directed to some principal inhabitant in said district, requir- ing him to notify and warn the inhabitants of said district, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to meet at such time and place as shall be therein set forth, to choose all such officers as shall be necessary to manage the affairs of said district :
WARRANT FOR FIRST MEETING.
" WORCESTER, SS., 1755 :
" To John Dresser, a Principal Inhabitant of Charlton in the County of Wor- cester,
"GREETING :
" In his majesty's name you are required forthwith to warn all the freeholders and other inhabitants of the district of Charlton, qualified according to law to vote in town affairs, to meet at the dwelling-house of Ebenezer Mackintire's, in Charlton aforesaid, on Wednesday, the 12th day of March next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon; then and there to elect such town officers as the law requires, to serve the town the present year, and to see whether the district will let their swine run at large the year ensuing. Hereof fail not, and make return of this warrant, with your doings thereon, to myself, before the day of said meeting.
" Given under my hand and seal this 10th day of February, A. D .. 1755, by order of the General Court. MOSES MARCY."
" RETURN.
"WORCESTER, SS. :
"By virtue of this warrant I have warned the freeholders and other inhabitants of Charlton to meet at the time and place, according to the tenor of the preceding warrant. JOHN DRESSER."
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CHARLTON.
FIRST TOWN MEETING.
" March 12, 1755. Met at the house of Ebenezer Mackintire.
First chose, Richard Dresser, Clerk.
Second Richard Dresser,
Lieut. Obadiah Mackintire,
Jonathan Bullard,
Selectmen.
John Dresser,
Ebenezer Mackintire,
Third 66 William Alton,
Treasurer.
Fourth Josiah Blood,
Constable.
Fifth, Samuel Streeter,
Tything-Man.
Sixth,
Nathaniel Blood, Surveyors
Nathan Mackintire, of Nathaniel French, j Highways.
Seventh " Ebenezer Mackintire, Jun. Samuel Streeter, Jun.
HIog-Reeves.
Eighth 66 Ebenezer Lamb, Edward Chamberlain,
Fence- Viewers.
Ninth .. Sergt. Ebenezer Mackintire, Brander of Horses,
Tenth Benjamin Hobbs, Deer-Reeve.
Eleventh " Sergt. Ebenezer Mackintire, Clerk of the Market.
The necessity of taking care of swine, it seems, was of some importance in that day-at least in the opinion of Mr. Moses Marcy, who called the first meeting; as that was the only im- portant concern after the organization of the new town. These officers were duly sworn to the faithful discharge of their sev- eral duties on the day of their election, as attested by Richard Dresser, elerk.
On assembling at their second meeting at the dwelling- house of Ebenezer Mackintire, (which appears to have been the general place of rendezvous) on the 27th of March, 1755, eight pounds, lawful money, was raised for schooling their children, and six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence, for necessary charges. At their third meeting, April 28, following, the building of a meeting-house was consid- ered, and it was decided that the center of the district should be the place for its location. This closed the action on that sub-
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jeet for the present. They also, at this meeting, provided for a pound for restraining cattle ; it was decided to locate it a little south of Ebenezer Mackintire's barn ; and it was further ordered that the letter C be the brand-mark for all the horses.
The voters were not again assembled until December S, near the close of this first year, when it was decided that there should be schools kept in two places. The question for sup- plying preaching was considered, which was referred to Edward Chamberlain and Nathaniel French. At another meeting, January 1, 1756, seven pounds were raised for the support of the Gospel. This appears to be the first money raised as a town charge for religious purposes in Charlton.
And it would seem by the following, that powder, bullets, and flints were at this time of about equal importance with these early founders of Charlton, with that of the support of the Gospel, as, on the 21st of June, 1756, it was ordered that seven pounds be expended for that object, and furthermore, at this same meeting, it was decided that horses should be branded on the left shoulder with the letter C, as before pro- vided, meaning that horses so branded were the property of the good people of Charlton.
At a meeting held on the 7th of February, 1757, it was decided not to raise any money for either schools or the sup- port of the Gospel ; but, on 28th of July following, a better spirit seemed to prevail, when it was agreed to raise ten pounds for Gospel purposes, and thirteen pounds, six shillings, and eight pence for schools, and at this meeting they provided for their first school committee by the appointment of Ebene- zer White, Ebenezer Hammond, John Stevens, Eleazer Mackin- tire, and Lieutenant Nathaniel Blood.
They also agreed to build a house for public worship, and to locate it in the center of the district, or as near thereto as may be convenient. But nothing further seems to have been done beyond this declaratory act.
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CHARLTON.
Again, January 16, 1758, the subject of the meeting-house was brought forward, and decided,
"That it should be located at the place of a stake, a little north of Ebenezer Mackintire's house."
This house seems to have been the designating monument for describing the location of each-the meeting-house, town- pound, and the burying-place ; by which it is quite clear that Mr. Mackintire was the owner of the plot of ground which now embraces Charlton common and the center village. And furthermore, that this dwelling-house was probably located near the site of the residence of the late Dr. John Phillips, a little south of the meeting-house, as now located, on the east side of said common ; and it is reasonable to presume that the old house of worship, and the only one which was built at the expense of the town, was located on the spot, or very near the same, on which the present Universalists' house now stands. It was decided at a subsequent meeting, held in 1759,
" To give Jonathan Upham £26, 13s., 4d., for setting up the frame of this building ; and to provide, at the expense of the town, victuals and drink for the raising of the same."
And, at the same time,
" They appointed Ebenezer Mackintire, Jonathan Hammond, Jona- than Wheelock, John Dresser, Samuel Chamberlain, and Daniel Weld, to take care and see that the provisions be snitably prepared for ye entertainment."
It was further agreed at this meeting,
" That, the house on the outside should be covered with shingles, as soon as possible after the frame is raised."
The dimensions of this building, it was decided,
" Should be fifty feet in length, by forty feet in width; that Nathan- iel Blood, Isaiah Blood, Jonathan Upham, and Ebenezer Hammond, should be the committee for superintending its construction, and to fix a price for all labor and material furnished for the same."
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CHARLTON.
Notwithstanding there had been several decisions upon the place of location for this honse, the ground had not been se- cured for its site; and with that view a committee was ap- pointed, Jannary 30, 1759, to confer with Ebenezer Mackin- tire, for an acre of land for that purpose ; the gentlemen of this committee were Ebenezer Fosket, Jonathan Wheelock, and John Dresser.
This committee made their report at a meeting on the 5th of February following, stating,
" That Mr. Mackintire gives an aere of ground for the meeting-house, where the stake now stands, and where the timber now is."
Thus, it appears, the town was now quite in earnest for build- ing a place of worship. This house was probably erected during the years 1759 and 1760, as a report of the expense incurred for its construction, made February 19, 1761, gives the cost as £282, 10s., Sąd.
It will be noticed that mention was made in the petition for the town before given, of a gore of land on its north border, and some explanation of same given in a note. This gore, it is presumed, had been talked of as a part of the territory for the new town, as first contemplated, but was not included in its limits when incorporated. But the inhabitants did not relin- quish the idea of this valuable acquisition of territory, and, in pursuance of that object, petitioned his excellency William Shirley, Esq., captain-general and governor-in-chief, and the honorable his majesty's council, and house of representa- tives in General Court assembled, at Boston, January, 1756, that the inhabitants of the gore and land in the same, lying westerly of the north-east corner of Charlton, be set to that district.
On the 1st of June, 1757, the council, in their action upon the foregoing petition, order,
"That Benjamin Lynde and George Learned, with such as the honor-
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CHARLTON.
able House of Representatives shall appoint, be a committee to examine and report on said petition.
THOMAS CLARK, Secretary."
The House appointed, June 2, following,
"William Sparhawk, Colonel Ruggles, and Captain Upham, to be joined to the committee of the council.
THOMAS HUBBARD, Speaker."
On the 3d of June following said joint committee made a report in favor of the petitioners :
"In council, June 3, 1757. The committee's report was read and ac- cepted, and ordered that said gore of land, and inhabitants thereon, within the bounds petitioned for, be annexed to the district of Charlton.
THOMAS CLARK, Deputy-Secretary."
" June 3, 1757, in the House of Representatives, read and concurred. THOMAS HUBBARD, Speaker."
" Passed to be enacted. Examined and signed by the Governor.
WILLIAM SHIRLEY."
The committee for the survey of this gore were,
Moses Marcy, Selectmen
Richard Dresser, Selectmen
Joseph Baker,
Aaron Allen, J Sturbridge. of Isaiah Blood, of
Ebenezer Mackintire, Charlton.
At the March meeting in 1760 it was voted to build school- houses in the several districts, and it appears, that in 1761 there were six school districts established.
These districts were described at a later date, and numbered as follows :
No. 1 .- West district, Rum Hill, school-house located by Jonathan Clemence's orchard.
No. 2 .- Middle district, school-house by south-west corner of the burying-ground.
No. 3 .- East district, school-house by John Coburn's house.
No. 4 .- North-east district, school-house about forty rods south-west of Jonas Hammond's house.
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CHARLTON.
No. 5 .- North district, school-house in front of John Thompson's pasture, north-west of his dwelling-house.
No. 6 .- North-west district, school-house east side of the brook on meeting-house road.
Reference has before been made to the location of the center burying-ground ; it appears that on the 12th of March, 1764, a vote of the town was passed to accept one acre of land a little south-east of Ebenezer Mackintire's barn, for a burying- yard, for the district to bury therein their dead.
On the 26th of May, 1761, by a vote of the town, an invita- tion was given to Rev. Caleb Courtis to be their minister, with an offer to him of £133, 6s., 8d., as a settlement, and £60 yearly salary ; the same to begin, March 15, 1762.
Whether Rev. Mr. Courtis had supplied preaching before May 26, 1861, does not appear on the town records, but it is presumed he did. The church was formed in April, 1761, and Mr. Courtis was ordained the 15th of October following. It appears that some dissatisfaction arose between this minis- ter and his people soon after his settlement, which occasioned from him the following letter :
"Brethren and Christian Friends of the Church and Congregation in Charlton: " These are to inform you, that, whereas I expected to have been dismissed by the late council, and was disappointed by the result; and notwithstanding they have adjourned, and added to the council,-yet there appears to me, upon all the light I have, no great prospect of my being either useful to you, or comfortable to me upon the whole, in the work of the ministry among you.
"It appears to me not for the glory of God, for the well-being of this place, and of myself for time and eternity, but that we should part, yet hoping finally to meet you all in eternal glory ; and so wishing grace, mercy, and truth may be multiplied to you, exhorting you to seek for peace, and to promote the religion of Jesus in this place; and so I com- mit you to God and the power of his grace.
CALEB COURTIS."
This question was taken up in town meeting on the 7th of September, 1763, when it was voted to come into some
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CHARLTON.
method to reconcile the difficulty that is amongst us concern- ing Mr. Caleb Courtis, and to eall in the neighboring ministers to consider the subject, viz., Rev Messrs. Hall, Parkman, Martin, White, Eaton, Jones, and Rev. Mr. Paine ; and, in case Mr. Courtis and the church come into it, the 28th day of September be appointed to be observed as a day of fasting and prayer ; and the above-named ministers are desired to stay the next day to hear the grievances and to give their advice.
It appears this minister was continued, but not fully in har- mony with his people, as there is a vote on record, September 3, 1764, to dismiss Rev. Caleb Courtis, according to his proposal, and to pay the balance of his salary, £32, 14s., 7d. But, never- theless, he continued to be their minister for many years after this date. The following receipt is recorded :
" CHARLTON, August 29, 1776.
"Received of the selectmen of Charlton, €110, 19s .. 4d., lawful money, in full for my settlement and salary, and hereby discharge the town from all further demands for my annual salary hereafter, or damages of what name or nature soever, as witness my hand,
" Attest : "CALEB COURTIS.
"NEHEMIAH STONE,
" SALEM TOWN."
It appears that, although Mr. Courtis had settled with the town for his salary, and discharged them from his contract of settlement, he was not dismissed properly from this church till about two months later, as the following record on their books shows :
" By a mutual agreement between the town and Rev. Caleb Courtis, an ecclesiastical council was called to consider the dismission. The council having heard the parties, concluded to recommend his dismis- sion, which was done the 29th of October, 1776.
" (Signed) "CHARLES GLEASON, Moderator.
"Attest :
" EZRA REEVE, Scribe."
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CHARLTON.
The further history of this and other religious societies in this town will be found under the head of "Ecclesiastical Affairs."
This brings this sketch to the time when the English colo- nies in America were greatly excited by the acts of the Par- liament of England touching their constitutional and charter rights, which produced
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
As all the towns included in this sketch of history were, like all other parts of those colonies, affected and greatly moved by the acts of Parliament before mentioned, it is thought best here to give a sketch of the origin and progress of those causes which prodneed this war, and consequent separation from the mother country.
The attempt of Parliament, on different occasions and for different purposes, to introduce the right to tax these colonies was always resisted, and when foree was resorted to war was the result.
Some attempts at taxation had been made upon these colo- nies by England when they were more feeble, which were dis- approved, and not forcibly resented, by reason of their weak- ness.
But the acts of taxation which, by persistence, brought on this war, was originated in 1754.
By the terms of the treaty of peace at Aix-la-Chapelle, be- tween England and France, October 18, 1748, closing what was called the " Four Years' French and Spanish War," neither England or France were to do anything to menace each other's colonial rights in America ; but as soon as this treaty was rat- ified, France, upon various pretexts, began to erect and fortify posts along her frontiers, at all strategie points, at the most extreme limits she had ever claimed for her colonial territory. She began at the south extremity of Lake Champlain, and
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CHARLTON.
erected Fort Carillon, now Ticonderoga ; thence at Oswego, on Lake Ontario, Niagara ; then at Erie, on Lake Erie; and at the junction of the Monongahela and Alleghany, where she erected Fort Duquesne ; and thence along the Mississippi to New Orleans, encircling all the English possessions in America.
This activity by France, in creating works of defense and preparations of a warlike character, was closely watched by the leading men of all the English colonies, and not without much alarm for their future peace and welfare. To take counsel upon this movement, a convention of delegates from these colonies was held at Albany, in 1754, when Dr. Frank- lin proposed and brought forward a plan of union for their common defense, now and for the future.
The plan, as adopted by this convention was to establish a council of forty-eight members, as follows : Seven from Virgi- nia, seven from Massachusetts, six from Pennsylvania, five from Connecticut, four from each New York, Maryland, and North and South Carolinas, three from New Jersey, and two each from New Hampshire and Rhode Island; this number to re- main fixed. This council was to have for its head a president general, appointed by the crown, to possess a negative on all their acts, and with the advice of the same, the appointment of all military officers, and the entire management of Indian affairs.
Civil officers were also to be appointed by the council, with consent of the president.
This body was to take measures for the protection of these English colonies against the French, and also the Indians ; to be at the general expense of the colonies thus united ; and were to apportion quotas of men and money, to control the colonial armies, to enact ordinances of general interest, and to provide for the general welfare.
Thus, it will be seen, that as these forty-eight councilors were
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CHARLTON.
to be elected by the different colonies, and they to make laws and raise men and money, only subject to the veto of the pres- ident-general, it gave the principal power to the colonies, and was considered by the English government as too democratic and claiming too much power, and with that view limitations were proposed as follows. Instead of the forty-eight coun- cilors elected from and by the people, the governors of the different colonies, attended by one or two of their respec- tive councils, should assemble and concert measures for the general defense, erect forts where they should judge proper, raise what troops should be thought necessary, with power to draw on the treasury of England for what sums might be want- ing ; but the treasury to be reimbursed, by a tax on the colonies, to be laid by an act of Parliament.
This not only took much of the power from the colonies, but was introducing the right of taxation upon them by Parliament. It revived the idea of 1733 (the Import act) for taxation upon the colonies, and was resolutely resisted, and reasons given respecting the impropriety of raising money from them by any act of the British government.
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