USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Watertown > Historical sketches of Watertown, Massachusetts > Part 17
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It was a scene of most attractive interest, these two men thus closely uuited as father and son, coming to- gether in this effort to reach those so spiritually distant. The work was not only pushel upon the Vineyard, but it was carried to Nantucket and prosecuted there. These efforts met with encouraging success. In 1657, the younger Mayhew sailed for England, but reached another country, "even a heavenly." The vessel was
wrecked, and thus the work of evangelizing the In- dians at the Vineyard and Nantucket received a serious blow. It is touching to notice how this death of the son affected the noble father. It came to him as a call to a new conseeration of his energies to the be- loved work of reaching the Indians. Gookin testi- fies, " But old Mr. Mayhew his worthy father, struck in with his best strength and skill, and hath doubtless been a very great instrument to promote the work of converting many Indian souls upon these islands."
It would be a work of fascinating interest to spread out here a letter from this old Watertown miller giv- ing the details of his work in reply to " fifteen queries " from his friend Gookin. I will only say that the Vineyard had its "praying towns" of Indians, and of Nantucket, Thomas Mayhew said, " Upon that island are many praying Indians." He testified that he had "very often, these thirty-two years, been at Nantucket." It is an interesting Mayhew-fact that not only father and sou but two grandsons became identified with work for the Indians. Long and goodly and golden was this Mayhew-line reaching out from Watertown to the Indians at the Vineyard and Nan- tucket. When Gookin wrote his account, Mayhew was "about eighty years of age," his head white with age as ever were his miller's clothes with dust at the famous " Watertown mill." He died in the ninety- third year of his age. He is reputedly the first builder of any bridge over the Charles, and that has been classed as a foot-bridge. Dr. B. F. Davenport, in a summary of notes of official record about mills, bridges, etc., includes this from the old colonial books: "June 2, 1641. Mr. Mayhew to have 150 acres of land on the south side of Charles river of Watertown weire. The tole of Mr. Mayhew's bridge is referred to the governor and two magistrates to settle for seven years." 2
That old foot-bridge built by Thomas Mayhew across the Charles? Standing in the dusty doorway of his mill and watching some red men tripping across the humble bridge, little did he then think how erowned with loving work for the Indians would be his after years. Over waters mauy and troublous, his own hands stretched the bridge by which his dusky brethren safely passed to the green fields of perpetual peace and joy.
Watertown thus appears in two characters; in the Mayhew family as a missionary to the Indians, and in the days of the invasion as a protector of its white brethren in peril.
The red man long ago passed away from our border. His eanoe no more glides on our glassy waters, and the smoke of his fires no more elouds the painted for- ests of autumn. A romantie interest in him though lingers among us. This may be owing in part to a twinge of conscience that justly may visit us as we
1 " Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Sett- lers of Watertown, and Early History," by Henry Bend, M. D., p. 857.
2 Paper before the Watertown Historical Society, by Dr. B. F. Dav- enport, Sept. 17, 1889.
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WATERTOWN.
recall certain old-time dealings with him. As our ancestors and their ancestors cannot meet in this world, certainly, to settle old claims, we, the children of the white settlers, can do something, to secure for all the dusky race alive to-day, fair, impartial, even- handed treatment.
In the beautiful valley of the Charles, in the old Indian camping-ground, may this spirit of justice ever have its home.
THE REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.1 -- Watertown stood second to none in her independent spirit during the early days of the Colonists.
In 1774, when a Provincial Congress was formed, Watertown sent Jonathan Brown, its town clerk and treasurer, as its representative. At that meeting, Oc- tober 3d, it was voted that "the collector of taxes should not pay any more money into the province treasury at present." On the 17th of the same month, the town voted to mount and equip two pieces of can- non. At this time the inhabitants were thoroughly awake to the dangers that menaced the country.
The port of Boston was closed, and many of the citizens had removed into the country, Watertown receiving a large share of them. They had resisted the tea-tax and submitted to many personal discom- forts to maintain their principles. The women had been counseled to forego the joy of their Bohea, and we read that a number of patriotic gentlemen in this town " who used to regale themselves with the best of liquors have determined to drink only eyder and small beer for the future."
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At the junction of what is now Belmont and Mount Auburn Streets, stands an old house whose aspect speaks of ancient days; it is known as the Bird Tav- ern. This same house, in Revolutionary days, was occupied and used as an inn by Edward Richardson. Here, under guard, were deposited arms and military stores ; but for many years there had been little use for them, and the sixteen pieces of eannon belonging to the Colony proved to be quite useless when the call was made for action.
Feeble attempts towards a military organization had been in operation since the time when the quota of men from Watertown was four-in the war against the Pequods-till the years 1691-92, when the town was divided into three military precincts, under the command of Captain William Bond, of Watertown, for the First Precinct; of Lieut. Garfield, for the See- ond Precinct (now Waltham) ; of Lieut. Josiah Jones, for the Third Precinct (or the Farmers, now Weston), till the present call to arms.
The fires of patriotism were not quenched, they only slumbered on the hearthstones of the people to be kindled at need. The rusty matchlock and pow- der-horn, had long hung unused upon the rafters, and the fertile fields and pleasant homes bore witness that
they had beaten their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning-hooks.
Early in September, 1774, the town ordered that its militia should be exercised two hours every week for the three autumn months, and that its stock of arms and ammunition should be inspected.
November 21, 1774, a committee of nine was ap- pointed to carry into effect the association and re- solves of the General Congress held at Philadelphia, and likewise those of the Provincial Congress ; the latter had been presided over by the Hon. John Hancock, but be had been chosen delegate to Phil- adelphia, and Dr. Joseph Warren, of Boston, was elected to succed him.
Town and country were now thoroughly awake, and the call to arms was felt to be imperative, at least the call to be in readiness, and January 2, 1775, it was voted in town-meeting "that a minute company should be formed for military exercises, each man be- ing allowed for his attendance once a week four cop- pers (for refreshment).
Its officers were : Captain, Samuel Barnard ; First Lieutenant, John Stratton; Second Lieutenant, Phineas Stearns ; Ensign, Edward Harrington, Jr .; Sergeants, Samuel Sanger, Abner Craft, Christopher Grant, Jr., Josiah Capen, Jr., Stephen Whitney ; Corporals, Moses Stone, Jr., Isaac Sanderson, Jr., and Nathaniel Bright.
Two of these officers had already shown their patriotism by assisting at the Boston Tea Party, De- cember 16, 1773,-
Captain Samuel Barnard, son of Samuel Barnard and Susanna Harrington, who was baptized June 19, 1737, and married Elizabeth Bond, daughter of Daniel Bond and Hannah Coolidge. He afterwards received the rank of major and died August 8, 1782.
Second Lieutenant Phineas Stearns, a farmer and blacksmith, son of Josiah Stearns and Susanna Ball, ' born February 5, 1735-36. He became a Captain in the Continental Army, and led his company at Dor- chester Heights, and served at Lake George in 1756. He was offered a colonel's commission, but declined it on account of family cares, and after the evacuation of Boston he discontinued in the public service. He married Hannah Bemis, eldest child of Captain Jon- athan and Huldah (Livermore) Bemis. Second he married Esther Sanderson, a cousin of his first wife. He died March 27, 1798.
Another Watertown citizen assisted at the de- struction of the tea,-John Randall, son of John and Love (Blanchard) Randall. He was born October 2, 1750. He married Sarah Barnard, daughter of Jonas and Abigail (Viles) Barnard. He also served in New York one year.
On the morning of the memorable 19th of April, 1775, the Middlesex regiment under Col. Thomas Gardner assembled at the Watertown meeting-house.
Rumors had reached the town, through the mes- senger Paul Revere, of the advance of the British, and
1 By Ruth A. Bradford.
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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
they were in debate when Michael Jackson, who commanded the Newton Company that day, arrived in hot haste, having just heard, through the messenger William Dawes, who rode through Roxbury, Brook- line and Brighton, of the need of immediate action. Obtaining the floor, he told them " that the time for talking had passed, and the time for fighting had come; that if they meant to oppose the march of the British, they must immediately take up their march for Lexington, and that he intended that his com- pany should take the shortest route to get a shot at the British."
His blunt, vigorous speech broke up the council, each company being left to take its own course, and the Watertown company, under the command of Captain (afterwards Major) Samuel Barnard, left for Lexington; near that town they joined the Newton company, where they encountered Lord Percy's retreating column.
The most they could do now was to harass the English. This they did from every point possible. The retreating army at the close of the day found themselves at Charlestown, where they crossed the river under cover of the guns of the ships-of-war, hav- ing lost that day, in killed, wounded and missing, 273; the Americans, 93. The Watertown company only lost one man, Joseph Coolidge. A monument has been erected to his memory at the old grave-yard by his descendants.
The records inform us, through bilis paid by the town to Widow Dorothy Coolidge, who kept a tavern, and to Mr. John Draper, a baker, that rum and bread were served to the troops on that day.
Leonard Bond, at the age of twenty years, was the first in this town to take up arms in 1775, in defence of liberty.
There are in the possession of descendants of Na- thaniel Bemis a sword and a gun marked with the name of his father, David Bemis, and the date, January, 1775. With this gun, Nathaniel, then nine- teen, started for Lexington on the 19th of April, 1775. He did not arrive there in season to take part in the fight, but came upon the British soldiers on their retreat.
The tradition is that he fired upon them and secured the sword, -that of an officer whom he shot.
As these two names are not found on the militia roll for that day, we may conclude that in the excite- ment of the occasion many unpaid volunteers took part in the skirmish.
The following is a copied list, from the time-worn document in the State archives at Boston, of the Watertown militia company that marched to Lex- ington on the 19th of April, 1775, in Col. Thomas Gardner's regiment :
Capt. Samuel Barnard, Lieut. John Stratton, 2d Lieut, Phineas Stearns, Ensign Edward Harrington, Serj. Samuel Sanger, Serj. Christopher Grant,
Serj. Josiah Capen, Serj. Stephen Whitney,
Corporal Isaac Saunderson, Corporal Moses Stone, Corporal Nathaniel Bright, Corporal William Harrington.
PRIVATES,
Nathan Coolidge,
Edward Harrington.
Thomas Coolidge.
William Leathe, Nathaniel Benjamin,
Samuel Soden,
Thomas Learned,
John Fowle, -
David t'apen,
Stephen Cook, Daniel Coolidge, Josiah Saunderson,
Peter Harrington;
Samuel White, Jr.,
Moses Coolidge,
Samoel Barnard, Jr.,
Seth Saunderson,
Francis Brown,
John Sanger,
Joshua Stratton,
Tilly Mead,
Jonas Bond, Jr.,
Thomas Hastings,
Thomas Clark,
Abraham Whitney,
Richard Clark,
Aires Tainter,
Samuel White,
John Whitney,
John Remmington,
Josiah Norcross,
John Chenery,
David Whitney,
Simion Coolidge, Jr.,
Daviel Whitney,
Daniel Cook,
John Villa,
Jonathan Stone,
Zachariah Shedd,
Phineas Esel,
Daniel Mason,
Benjamin Capen,
Jonathan Whitney,
John Hunt, Jr.,
Spencer Gooding,
Bezalrel Learord,
David Stone,
Am.s Bond,
Jonathan Coolidge Gooding,
John Bullmao,
William Chenery,
Elias Tofte,
Thomas Stafford,
In all 70 men.
Richard Everett,
Three days after the battle of Lexington the Sec- ond Provincial Congress adjourned from Concord to Watertown, where its sessions, as well as those of the General Court, were held in the old meeting-house at the corner of Common and Mt. Auburn Streets, until the adjournment of the latter hody to the State House in Boston, Nov. 9, 1776.
In 1775-76 the Council met in an adjacent house on Mt. Auburn Street, then occupied by Marshall Fowle.
In recent years Marshall Street was opened, and this building had to be removed back upon the street, and it now stands opposite the High School building.
Dr. Joseph Warren was president of the General Assembly, and after his death, at the battle of Bunker Hill, the Hon. James Warren, of Plymouth, was chosen to succeed him.
In 1776 the anniversary of the Boston Massacre, on the 5th of March, was observed in the nsual form in the meeting-house in Watertown. The Hon. Ben- jamin Austin was moderator ; the Rev. Dr. Cooper offered the prayers ; and the Rev. Peter Thacher, of Malden, delivered an oration on the dangerous ten- dency of standing armies in time of peace; this met with warm approbation, and was afterward printed by Edes, at Watertown, in the form of a pamphlet.
Before the final assault of the British at Bunker Hill, Col. Thomas Gardner's Middlesex regiment, in which was Abner Craft's Watertown company, was ordered to the field. Its brave commander received his death-wound while leading on his men. Under its major, Michael Jackson, it pressed forward, and pouring a well-directed fire upon the advancing Britons, gallantly covered the retreat. Lient .- Colo- nel William Bond, of Watertown, succeeded Col.
Jonathan Bright, Daniel Sawin, Jr., Phineas Childs,
Isaac Prentice,
387
WATERTOWN.
Gardner in the command, and his regiment was here- after styled the Twenty -fifth Regiment of the Conti- nental Army, and belonged to Gen. Green's brigade, which was stationed at Prospect Hill. Early in March of the following year Col. Bond received marching or- ders for New York, where they arrived on the 30th of that month. On the 20th of April next they were ordered to Canada by the way of the Lakes. This expedition proved disastrous to the Americans, partly on account of the extreme sickliness of the season. Col. Bond returned from Canada with his force greatly weakened by disease and death, and en- camped on Mount Independence, opposite to Ticon- deroga.
In a letter published by the Boston Gazette of Sept. 23, 1776, we learn that Col. Bond died from disease in camp, Aag. 31st, and was buried at Camp Mount Independence, Sept. 4, 1776. "His charac- ter was honored by a discharge of three 24-pounders and the usual volleys of musketry."
Capt. Edward Harrington, of Watertown, in this same regiment, died in the same place, Sept. 23, 1776, probably from the same cause.
The following is a list of men who served in New York in the fall of 1776: David Whitney, Daniel Cornwall, James Anstin, Henry Sanderson, Daniel Sawin, Jr., Abijah Stone, Moses Stone, Jr., Daniel Cook.
The following who served at Ticonderoga for one year, 1778 : Samuel Benjamin, John Benjamin, John Whitney, William Jenison, Jonathan Wellington, Elijah Tolman.
These for five months in the same place : Newton Baxter, Francis Brown, Eben Eustis, David Smith, Stephen Hagar.
In Dec., 1776, fifty Watertown men marched to New York.
In March, 1776, the militia were ordered by Gener- al Washington to reinforce the army at Dorchester Heights, and the records give a list of ninety-five men, under the command of Capt. Phineas Stearns, with Edward Harrington, Lieut. ; Josiah Capen, Jr., and Stephen Whitney, Sergeants ; Moses Stone, Jr., and Nathaniel Bright, Corporals; and Nathaniel Coolidge, Clerk.
In 1777 the following men were sent to reinforce the northern troops : Daniel Parker, Samuel Sprague, Henry Bradshaw, Moses Hager, Jonathan Stone, John Sawin, Jacob Sanderson, Zack Shed, Benj. Capen, Jed'h Leathe, Jonathan Livermore, Peter Richardson.
In Nov., 1777, the men who went to Cambridge were : Ruggles Whitney, Jonathan Crafts, David Bemis, Jr., Thaddeus Fuller, Stephen Harris, Thom- as Learned, Samuel Wellington, James Mallard, Daniel Mason.
Up to the year 1782 we continue to find paid lists of men who served in the war at Boston, Cambridge New York and in Canada.
The most of these names are familiar as being names of families now living here, while a few others, such as Cæsar Wumphy, William Notonksion, Sam- uel Littleman, given as hunters by occupation, indi- cate descent from the aborigines of the country.
The hard, dry facts, and lists of names left to us by history upon time-worn and yellowed manuscripts, but feebly express the vigorous and sturdy manhood those names represent. With keen imagination we would try to vivify them, and make those times a living present ; one of the most effectual means is through the news- paper. We are fortunate on having in the Public Library the original sheets of the Boston Gazette and County Journal, the leading organ of the patriots. This paper, which was published by Edes & Gill at Boston, gave offence to the government by its spirited and fearless advocacy of the American cause.
On the 1st of June, 1775, Edes, who had more zeal and courage than his partner, escaped from Boston by night, and in a boat rowed up the Charles River, tak- ing with him a press, and a few types by which he could continne his paper. He landed near the Great Bridge, and deposited his materials in a building near by on the north side.
Until recently this old dilapidated building might have been seen. Now the foundry of Walker & Pratt covers the site. Here, from June 5, 1775, till Oct. 28, 1776, he issned its weekly sheets, and he was made printer to the Provincial Congress and to the Assembly and the paper attained a wide popularity. We clip from its pages the following :
" TO THE PUBLIC.
" General Hospital at Cambridge, Jan. 3, 1776. "An Appeal from John Morgan, Director General of Continental Hos- pital and chief Physician to the army. Returns thanks to Concord, Bedford, Sudbury, Acton, Marlborough, Stow and Lincoln, for gifts or old linen, fine tow, saddlers, or sole leather (for tourniquets), web or quartering, tape, thread, needles and pins, and would further like old sheets and worn linen, and requests that other printers would give this notice a place in their papers.
"P. S. Blanketa are greatly needed for the Hospitals, for which a suitable price will be given (and to be forwarded with all possible dis- patch)."
It is of interest for us of a later generation to know through ancients documents that the hospital referred to was not one large building, but several private mansions mostly now standing in a good state of preservation,-houses deserted by their Tory owners who, on the evacuation of Boston, fled either to Halifax or England,-one owned by Capt. George Ruggles, a large square house, now called the Wells House, on the north side of Brattle street; from here the men wounded in the battle of Bunker Hill were carried out after their death and buried in the field opposite; another on what is now Arrow street belonging to Col. David Phipps, the grounds extend- ing down to the river ; the Maj. Henry Vassal house, which is now known as the Batchelder estate ; this being the largest house, Gen. Morgan used it as his headquarters, and his medical staff were quartered
388
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
there; the grounds adjoined the estate of Major Thomas Mittlin, afterwards General Mifflin. His garden was the finest in Cambridge, and the wounded soldiers were allowed to walk in it ; this place after- wards became the Brattle estate, and is now in part the site of the Riverside Press, The Thomas Oliver house was also used for hospital purposes ; this is now the James Russell Lowell place.
Previous to Morgan's position as director-general of the hospital at Cambridge. Dr. Benjamin Church, a grandson of the oll Indian fighter, Capt. Benjamin Church, held the office. He had been a prominent Whig and was trusted implicitly by the party, and was one of the deputation sent to meet Gen. Wash- ington and escort him from Springfield to Watertown, thence to Cambridge. It was discovered that he had been carrying on a secret correspondence with the enemy, and a long letter of his was intercepted. In a closing sentence he asks that " the answer be sent to some confidential friend at Newport, to be delivered to me at Watertown."
This letter of his was printed in the Boston Gazette at the Watertown office. Charch was arrested and imprisoned in the very house where he probably penned the offensive letter. On a door of a room in the Vassal house is the name B. Church, Jr., deeply cut in the wood, which a century's re-painting has vainly tried to obliterate. From this house he was taken in a chaise and to the music of a fire and drum, escorted by General Gates and a guard of twenty men to the place of his trial in the meeting-honse at Wa- tertown.
This trial took place November 7, 1775. He was expelled from his seat in Congress and publicly branded as a traitor. The General Court resolved that he be sent to Norwich, Connecticut, and confined in jail " without the use or pen, ink or paper, and that no person be allowed to converse with him ex- cept in the presence and hearing of a magistrate of the town, or the sheriff of the county where he is con- fined, and in the English language."
The following spring, about May, Dr. Church and his friends sent a petition to Congress for his release from prison, as his health suffered from confinement. The plea was granted on condition that he gave his word of honor, with sureties of one thousand pounds, that he would not hold correspondence with the enemy, and that he be brought to Massachusetts to be in charge of this Colony, and not privileged to go out of its limits without a license. This sentence was afterwards commuted to transportation for life. He sailed in a ship for the West Indies, and as it was never heard from afterwards, it was supposed to have sunk with all on board.
Four days before the battle of Bunker Hill the Continental Congress voted to appoint a general for the Continental Army.
At the suggestion of John Adams and on the nomi- nation of Mr. Johnson, of Maryland, George Wash-
ington, of Virginia, was chosen commander-in-chief, and on the 17th of June, 1775, his commission, signed by John Hancock, was reported to Congress and ac- cepted. Four major-generals were also appointed- Artemas Ward, Charles Lee, Phillip Schuyler and Israel Putnam. To these were added eight brigadier- generals.
On the 21st of June, Washington left Philadelphia on horseback to take command of the army at Cam- bridge. He was accompanied by Major-Generals Lee and Schuyler.
At Springfield he was met by a deputation from the Provincial Congress then holding at Watertown. Tradition says that on the evening of July 2d they arrived at the Coolidge tavern, on the south side of the Great Bridge, where they spent the night ; that in the forenoon, it being Sunday, they left the house for the meeting-house, where, after divine service con- ducted by the minister, Rev. Seth Storer, Washington was presented with an address from the assembled Congress by their Speaker, the Hon. James Warren.
After an hour and a half the party proceeded to Cambridge, where, the next day, under a great elm- tree on the Common, he formally took his title as commander-in-chief of the American Army.
On the 11th of December next, at noon, Mrs. Washington, attended by her son, John Custis, and his wife, reached Watertown from the South in her own carriage, drawn by four horses, colored postilions, in scarlet and white liveries, military escort and a guard of honor. Two hours were spent at the Fowle house as the guest of Mrs. Warren, and the party arrived at Cambridge at three o'clock, where she was joined by General Washington.
An extract from "The Diary of Dorothy Dudley," published in 1876, gives this pleasant record : " December 11th, Mrs. Washington, our general's lady, has arrived, and with her many ladies of the families of our officers. She has had a long, tedious journey from Mt. Vernon, with bad roads and trying weather, and has come by short stages, stopping often to rest and change horses. She has gone directly to her husband's headquarters. Mr. Custis, her son, accompanied her with his wife."
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