USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sherborn > Historical sketches of the town of Sherborn : in Massachusetts > Part 5
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James Bullard was the son of one of Sherborn's best known citizens, Colo- nel Samuel Bullard, and was one of a family of eleven children. Colonel Bul- lard was a Revolutionary soldier, and served with honor and distinction. He was born on the original Bullard farm in South Sherborn in 1729. In 1763, he bought land moved to the center of Sherborn then living in a house near the site of the Douglas house at the corner of Depot Road and Main Street. Over oppo- site his home he built a malt house and did a successful business. You must remember, our ancestors looked upon water as a drink for animals and to be used for washing purposes - not as a human beverage.
Later, the Colonel bought more land, and eventually had large holdings. Part of this purchase was Perry land and included the present Wheatley place. Here, he and his son James probably lived at the time of his death.
James Bullard was a large man, as his grandson James, born 1813, told me he was over six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds. The morning of June 30, 1828, was hot, and James, with a hired man went up the lane to lay up a stone wall as the cattle were in pasture. He dropped dead, and the fright- ened hired man rushed back to the house to convey the bad news to the peace- ful family. Neighbors - Capt. Paul, some of the Dowses, and others - were summoned and carried the body to the house on a door as a litter.
Young Jimmy Bullard, a grandson of 15, was sent to get young Dr. Oliver Everett, who came, surveyed the remains, and pronounced James Bullard dead. Amasa Green, who lived where the Bartletts now reside, was the town coffin- maker. It was before undertakers were known, and always, unless in very cold weather, the funeral was on the following day. Amasa went about his profession in a methodical way, so they told me. He drove his horse and wagon into the yard, placed his wooden horses, or trestles, under the trees, and with his measuring stick measured the man for whom Amasa was to make his last habi- tation. Green, so it was said, always made a coffin that had six sides, not four.
Meanwhile, the womenfolk, James' sister Betsy and his daughter Mary (Polly), and other women of the household, prepared the house for the funeral next day, saw to it that the brick oven was heated and elaborate preparations made for the funeral dinner for relatives and old friends.
In 1828, the funeral of a well-known man and a respected citizen was a
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most solemn affair. James Bullard had filled with distinction and integrity many town offices. One was the custodian of the town's supply of powder, bul- lets and flint, stored in the Powder House on the Bullard farm.
It would seem that there was a certain procedure followed at funerals of that period. In the forenoon, relatives and old friends assembled to eulogize the departed, and wait for the "funeral baked meats" to be served and also to register their guesses as to the contents of the will of the deceased. The will of Col. Samuel Bullard, James' father, had been a wonderful and lengthy docu- ment, and disposed minutely of everything owned by the maker. Col. Bullard had made every provision for his widow, where she was to live, how much was to be provided for her support, how much wood she was to burn, and how often she was to have the horse and carriage placed at her disposal. So, also, did he provide for his daughter Betsy (Aunt Betsy), who ended her days in the little north ell - later known as "Aunt Polly's Part".
The funeral dinner was served in the long south parlor, and trestle tables had been set up. It was a solemn meal, and after it was over and the tables re- moved, the mourners and the neighborhood people began to arrive. The coffin was placed before the fireplace in the north parlor. It was June, and flowers were in profusion. At the head was placed the Samuel Locke light stand, and upon it a small roughly decorated bowl filled with the choicer blooms. This was known as the Bullard bowl and dated back to Colonel Samuel's time. In this room sat the family, and they more than filled the room - Bullards, Barbers, Dowses, Coolidges, Morses, in fact, all of Sherborn's oldest families. Friends and neighbors occupied the long south room, the front hall, and overflowed to chairs beneath the trees.
There was one church at that time, and the minister was Sherjashub Bourne Townsend, and he officiated. It is said that when Rev. Townsend prayed, it was a vivid and minute instruction to the Almighty to matters as Rev. Townsend saw them, and to take the hint as to future procedure. The services finally over, the coffin was borne out by the bearers and placed in a wagon, the bearers on either side. Then, the procession to the cemetery (I think the Plain); first rel- atives in chaises, and a few of the, then, new-fangled family carryalls, and finally those who walked along the dusty road.
The last rites having been performed, everybody returned to the house, curious to hear the reading of the will. There were three children - Andrew, a cabinet-maker who lived in the house south from James' house; Harry, who inherited the Malt house and home; and Mary (Aunt Polly), who was provided for in the will.
After the reading of the will, the relatives and friends lingered, and fi- nally came into the house and were divided into two groups. One group went to the north parlor, the other to the south parlor. To those in the north parlor, cakes and pitchers of water were served. In the south room, cakes were also served, but instead of water, two ancient decanters, evidently Amelung manu- facture, were filled and refilled with rum in one and brandy in the other. The group that emptied the decanters were there to follow the aged custom of drink- ing in the memory of the departed and extolling his many virtues, while float- ing in to them from the north parlor came the chants of songs, praising water as Adam's ale and God's beverage. It was late afternoon when all had depart- ed and left the two women of the household to put the home in order.
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I have dwelt upon this phase of the obsequies for James Bullard because it was the last funeral in Sherborn among the old families when liquor was served. It marked the beginning of a new era - the temperance movement.
In Sherborn, since the setting up of the W stone by Galim Bullard and its attendant exercises in May 1822, there came to life a determined effort on the part of the town's best residents to get back to more normal living. Up to this time, the serving of spirits, especially rum, on all occasions was a custom the settlers brought from England, and it died hard. No minister was installed or ordained without a large bill for hard liquor. No building, not even a church, was raised without liquor. Rum was cheap in 1830-1840. It was eight cents a quart and cheaper by the gallon and barrel.
So much for one cause for contention during this era which was to usher in a decided change affecting the social life of the town. The other diversity of opinion dealt with the religious side. This had been gathering momentum since the pastorate of the Rev. Elijah Brown, the minister during the trying times of the Revolution.
Rev. Brown was a good man, a staunch patriot, and respected and beloved by the townspeople. Before his time, the custom had been for the minister to preach a sermon lasting from two to three hours. You could not escape from it, for if you didn't come to meeting you were fined, and if you didn't pay - the town stocks were beside the church door. These Colonial "divines" loved to hear themselves talk, and loved to expound their own ideas as to the meaning of Holy Writ. Also, remember the church was unheated, and it is a wonder some didn't freeze to death. Also, the tithing man and his wand saw to it that you didn't sleep. So, when Elijah Brown started his custom of preaching a ser- mon that lasted usually for twenty minutes, (never, so it is said, over thirty), the congregation had reason to respect its minister. Also, Rev. Brown stood
for individual thought and freedom of conscience. This issue also had the ef- fect of widening the break in public thought. The late George Bullard, a grand- son of James Bullard, for many years Post Master and active and much re- spected member of the Pilgrim Church, from whom I heard this story I have written, felt that his grandfather's death marked the close of an era in the so- cial history of the town, and I certainly agree.
So, I say, the headstone on the hillside not only marks the spot where James Bullard expired, but also the passing of an era.
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PASSENGER PIGEONS AND FIREARMS
The three most prominent early gunsmiths of Sherborn were Thomas Hol- brook, who was born in 1747-8 and married Sally Dana in 1781; Lemuel Leland, really a famous gunmaker, who was born in 1786 and married Polly Clark; and later his son William (known as "Bill Gun") took up his father's trade.
Thomas Holbrook lived where St. Theresa's Church now stands, and prob- ably built the house later moved to its present site by Mr. McCarthy. He was a good gunsmith, and later moved to South Natick. About this same time, one of the Sparhawk family lived on Farm Road near the corner of Main Street and made guns, later having a shop on Washington Street directly opposite the First Parish Church.
Then came Lemuel Leland whose firearms became well-known and much sought as far west as Kentucky. He was the son of Moses. He set up his shop, probably on what was Clark land near the brook on the Plain near where Mr. Henderson now resides. His sister Nancy married Alpheus Clark. Lemuel Leland must have produced many guns, both smooth bore and rifles. These shooting irons were known for their accuracy, even in long distance shooting, and for the workmanlike manner in which they were made. Many of his shot- guns had exceedingly long barrels - stock and barrel often measuring nearly six feet overall. All his early work, and in fact, most all his products were flint locks. Later, his son William, who took up his father's trade on what is now the Hildreth place (he was Mrs. Mercie Hildreth's grandfather), eventual- ly devoted much of his time to "changing over" flint locks to percussion.
In the old days, or shall we say a century ago, every farmhouse had its gun or guns. Wild game, partridges, quail, rabbits, and now and then a deer, abounded. There were also 'coons, the last two being shot by Andrew Fleming in the Goomer some fifty years ago. Men and boys prided themselves on their marksmanship. There were "Turkey Shoots" on Thanksgiving Day, and keen competition, but the owner of a Lemuel Leland gun usually took home the gob- bler. Lemuel Leland's smooth bores were always called fowling pieces by their owners - never "shotguns". One such that I remember was the fowling piece made by Lemuel for Jonas Greenwood, who built and resided in the house now owned by Mr. Lyman on Washington Street. Its final owner was George Sang- er, who had been brought up by Mr. Greenwood. It was nearly six feet overall and had a curly maple stock. It was beautifully made, and, as I remember, was "changed over" by Bill Gun. Its accuracy was a tradition, and George Sang- er said it was a "pigeon gun". Unfortunately, it was destroyed in a house fire - leaving the only Lemuel Leland gun now in Sherborn, in the old home of Squire Butler, now owned by his granddaughter, Mrs. Allison. I might correct this by saying the Hildreths have some firearms probably made by William Leland - yet may date back to Lemuel.
"Bill Gun" was so nick-named to distinguish him from a contemporary William, who lived in the "Old Red House" and was a cordwainer, or shoemaker, and was known as "Bill Slipper".
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THE FRENCH NEUTRALS - THE ACADIANS
It may prove of interest to record what is known about the Acadians, the families of French Neutrals who were placed by the Provincial Government in Sherborn, Holliston, and Hopkinton.
You will remember that Canada, or New France, was taken over by as- sault by British troops and soldiers from Massachusetts and the Province of Maine. This was in 1755, I believe. With the exception of those inhabitants who lived in Nova Scotia, no attempt was made to disturb the French population of the conquered territory; but it was decided to evacuate the French people in Nova Scotia, and this was done. At first, many were removed to Massachusetts towns and boarded out by the Province at a shilling per person, per week. It seems evident that the towns were a bit hostile, and the welcome extended to these unfortunate people was far from cordial.
They had taken no active part in the defense of New France, and were in every sense of the word "neutrals". To put it mildly, their evacuation from their homes was barbaric. Families were broken up and kin separated. Long- fellow had been their champion - read "Evangeline".
We find in 1760 the Selectmen of the Towns of Sherborn, Holliston, and Hopkinton meeting to discuss the problem of the care of those French to be quar- tered hereabouts. This resulted as follows: To Sherborn were allotted Joseph Degan, and Mary and Monique, his children. Monique was probably Monica. To Holliston went Issidore Gordeau, his wife Madeline, and Joseph, their child. To Hopkinton went Anne and Elizabeth Degan and Margaret Gordeau.
You will notice from this, there were two families, Degan and Gordeau. Evidently Degan's wife was not alive and that his children were split up between Sherborn and Hopkinton. It is evident, also, that one of the Gordeau children, Margaret, was separated from her parents and brother. Most of the children in the two families were girls, so that the names Degan and Gordeau would dis- appear with this generation, carried on only by Joseph Gordeau. Tradition has it (and probably right) that Joseph Degan and his two children, Mary and Monique, were cared for by Simeon Leland, who was born in 1730 and resided on the Le- land farm, still owned by his descendant, James F. Leland. One thing that sub- stantiates this tradition is the fact that there is still owned, by one of Simeon's descendants, a rough, little, pine cradle, known as the French Neutral Cradle, and said to have been brought from Nova Scotia by the family cared for by Simeon. It also might prove one of the children was a baby.
What eventually became of this little family, no one seemed to know, but that they remained with Simeon for many years, probably until 1775, is fairly certain. In 1775 payment of their support would stop, as the Provincial Govern- ment went out of existence. There seems to be but one link that ties in with the perpetuation of this strain of French blood in our community, and that is the mar- riage of David Leland to Phoebe Despeau. David was born in 1782 and died in 1838. He had one child, Henry, who died in 1847. He married Sally Leland Cousins, a widow, and daughter of Eli Leland.
Willard Leland, who seemed to know much about this family, in spite of his peculiarities, told me that this Phoebe Despeau was a descendant of French
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Neutrals. Willard was born in an old house, just over the town line, in what is now Millis. This house was constructed in part of heavy oak plank, originally a part of the Bullard Fort, and some of these planks had loop holes in them.
If there are any descendants of the French who were assigned to Holliston and Hopkinton, I am not aware of it.
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Capy 4
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Copy 4
974.4 Hi Historical sketches of Sherborn
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Copy 4 R 974.4 Hi Historical sketches of Sherborn
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Sherborn Library Sanger Street Sherborn, Ma 01770 653-0770
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