USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of Bridgewater, Massachusetts > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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No. of Shares. 5
No. of Shares
NICHOLAS BYRAM,
MARK LATHROP, I
JOHN WASHBURN,
4 PETER THATCHER, I
SAMUEL EDSON,
3 GEORGE PARTRIDGE, 1
SAMUEL PACKARD,
2 NATHANIEL WILLIS, I
THOMAS HAYWARD, 2 Mr. JAMES KEITH, 1
THOMAS WHITMAN, 2 GEORGE TURNER, 1
SAMUEL WADSWORTH,
2 JOHN FIELD,
1
JOSEPH WADSWORTH,
2 MICHAEL BACON, I
JOHN CARY,
1 MATTHEW GANNETT, 1
JOHN HAWARD,
I SAMUEL TOMPKINS, I
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HISTORY OF THE
JOHN HAYWARD, I THOMAS HAYWARD, Jr., I
WILLIAM BRETT,
I WILLIAM BASSETT, 1
JOHN WILLIS, I JOSEPH BASSETT, I
NATHANIEL HAYWARD, 1 SOLOMON LEONARD, I
LAWRENCE WILLIS,
JOHN ROBBINS, 1
JOHN WILLIS, Jr.,
I
JOSEPH AL.DEN, I
GILES LEACH, I THOMAS SNELL, I
JOHN AMES, I SAMUEL ALLEN, 1
JOHN CARY, Jr., I
ROBERT LATHAM, I
EDWARD FOBES, 1
WILLIAM ORCUTT, 1
WILLIAM SNOW, I
BENJAMIN WILLIS, I
GUIDO BAILEY, I
Total, 56 shares.
All these, except the Wadsworths, Thatcher, Gannett, and Partridge, were residents in the town at this period, which was as early at least as 1680. But shares were frequently bought and sold, and the proprietors of course often changing.
The Town Clerks have been John Cary from
1656 to 1681.
Thomas Hayward, Esq., appears to have made the entries in 1682 & 1683.
Samuel Allen was Clerk from 1683 to 1702.
Nathaniel Brett
1702 to 1736.
Nathaniel Brett, Jr. “ 1736 to 1779, excepting that Col. Josiah Edson was Clerk a
few years previous to 1745.
Capt. Eliakim Howard “
1779 to 1822, when the town was divided.
The first military officers were Josiah Standish, Lieutenant, 1660, who soon after returned to Duxbury, and Thomas Hay- ward, Jr., Lieutenant : and John Haward, Ensign, appointed 1664. And in 1689 they were promoted, and Samuel Packard appointed Ensign .- Deacon John Willis was appointed to ad- minister oaths, &c., in 1660, but Capt. Thomas Hayward, Jr., was the first Magistrate in town, and one of the Governor's Council or Assistants 1690, and also a Judge of the courts : he was killed by a fall from his horse, August 15, 1698, while on a journey to Marshfield on business .- Elihu Brett was the next Magistrate, and he was also appointed a Judge of the courts 1700; he died suddenly in his chair January 12th, 1712.
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
The first House of Representatives or Deputies in the Old Plymouth Colony convened in 1639. From June 3, 1656, the date of the incorporation of the town, to the year 1691 inclusive when the two colonies were united into one province, the Rep- resentatives from Bridgewater to the general court at Plymouth, appear in the following order :-
1657 John Willis, 1684 Thomas Hayward, 1687 None. Andros" Ad-
to 1661 William Brett,
to 1666 John Willis, & 1688 ministration.
to 1676 John Willis and
Samuel Edson,
1689 Thomas Hayward & William Brett, 2d.
1677 John Willis,
to 168 1 Thomas Hayward,
1691 Josiah Edson.
to 1683 Thomas Hayward & John Haward,
From 1691 the Representatives to the General Court of Massachusetts, are as follows :-
1692 Josiah Edson and to 1721 Richard Davenport David Perkins, & Benjamin Snow,
1693 Samuel Allen,
1722 Edward Fobes,
1694 David Perkins,
1723 Ephraim Haward,
1695 Elihu Brett,
1724 Richard Davenport,
1696 David Perkins,
1725 Thomas Ames,
1697 Samuel Edson,
1726 Joseph Keith,
1698 Josiah Edson,
1727 Isaac Johnson,
to 1700 Elihu Brett, 1701 None .-
to 1729 Isaac Johnson and John Alden,
1702 Edward Fobes,
to 1704 David Perkins,
to 1707 William Brett, 1708 Edward Fobes,
1731 Isaac Johnson, to 1734 John Holman,
1735 Josiah Edson, 2d.,
to 1710 Joseph Hayward, 1711 Edward Fobes, to 1713 Samuel Edson,
to 1737 John Holman, 1738 Ebenezer Byram,
1714 Josiah Edson,
1739 Josiah Edson,
1715 Edward Fobes, to 1741 Ebenezer Byram,
1716 John Field,
1742 Nehemiah Washburn,
to 1719 Richard Davenport,
1743 Josiah Edson,
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1690 William Brett,
1730 Isaac Johnson and Nehem'h Washburn,
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HISTORY OF THE
1744 John Holman,
1786 Daniel Howard, 2d,
1745 Josiah Edson, 1787 Elisha Mitchell,
1746 Josiah Edson, 3d, to 1790 James Thomas,
to 1748 Daniel Howard,
1791 Simeon Dunbar,
to 1750 Josiah Edson,
1792 Beza Hayward,
to 1755 Daniel Howard,
1793 Daniel Snow,
to 1766 Josiah Edson,
to 1798 Nahum Mitchell,
1772 Daniel Howard,
to 1803 Daniel Snow,
1773 Josiah Edson,
to 1806 Daniel Mitchell,
1774 ) Edward Mitchell and to 1808 William Baylies,
1775 ) Richard Perkins were
1809 Nahum Mitchell,
delegates to the Provincial
1810 Daniel Mitchell,
Congress at Salem, Con- cord, and Cambridge.
to 1812 Nahum Mitchell, William Baylies, Ezra Kingman,
1776 Edward Mitchell, Hugh Orr,
Eliphalet Cary,
Nath'l Reynolds,
Oakes Angier and Thomas Hooper,
1813 Daniel Howard, Gideon Howard, Daniel Crane, Nathan Mitchell, 2d,
Abiezer Alger,
1814 Daniel Howard,
to 1816 Daniel Howard,
1779 Oakes Angier & Josiah Hayden,
Bartholomew Brown, Ezra Kingman, Abiezer Alger,
1781 Nathan Mitchell,
Noah Fearing,
1782 Hugh Orr,
Caleb Howard,
1783 Nathan Mitchell, 1817 Daniel Howard,
to 1785 Nathan Mitchell & to 1820 William Baylies,
Elisha Mitchell, 1821 Hector Orr.
Benjamin Willis and Nathan Mitchell were delegates to the convention at Cambridge for forming the Constitution of this
NOTE-When 2d or 3d is affixed above to any name it means only that it is the 2d or 3d person of that name who has represented the town.
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Daniel Crane, Caleb Cary,
1777 Edward Mitchell & Nath'l Reynolds,
1778 Nathan Mitchell & Oakes Angier,
1780 Nathan Mitchell & David Kingman,
Gideon Howard,
to 1769 Edward Mitchell,
to 1795 Beza Hayward, 1796 Daniel Snow,
to 1771 Josiah Edson,
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
Commonwealth, in September, 1779 .- Daniel Howard, Elisha Mitchell, Hezekiah Hooper and Daniel Howard 2d, were the delegates to the convention of this State, at Boston, for adopt- ing the constitution of the United States in 1788.
The counties in the Old Colony of Plymouth were formed and established in 1685. The Senators for the county of Ply- mouth, elected from Bridgewater, were for 1785 and 1786, Hugh Orr; for 1787, Nathan Mitchell ; from 1788 to 1794, inclusive, Daniel Howard; from 1796 to 1805, Beza Hayward ; for 1813 and 1814, Nahum Mitchell.
The members of Congress from Bridgewater have been the Rev. Dr. John Reed, Nahum Mitchell, William Baylies, and Aaron Hobart.
PHILIP'S WAR.
Many of the early settlers of Bridgewater were young men, born in this country, well acquainted with the Indian character, and therefore well calculated to encounter the troubles and dangers of the savage warfare they were soon to experience. In Philip's war, so called, which commenced early in 1675, they displayed great courage and intrepidity. Being wholly an inte- rior settlement, remote from their friends on the sea-board, "they were strongly urged to desert their dwellings, and repair to the towns by the seaside." They however resolutely kept their ground, and defended their settlement, and encouraged and assisted other towns to do the same. They erected a stockade or garrison on the south side of the river, and also fortified many of their dwelling houses. At the commencement of hostilities, June 21, 1675, seventeen of their number, "well armed and furnished with horses, the first that were on the march in all the country," went to Metapoiset, a small settle- ment about twelve miles from Swansey, "to strengthen the gar- rison at that place." They were met by people from Swansey, driven from their habitations and filled with terror, who advised them to return; but they fearlessly pursued their course and accomplished their object. They were in many perils while there, but returned safe after the greatest part of the garrison,
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HISTORY OF THE
consisting of seventy persons, most of whom were women and children, were safely conducted on to Rhode Island. Six per- sons of that vicinity, who were killed at that time, while they were with their teams conveying their corn into the garrison, were the first that fell in that war.
April 9, 1676, the enemy burnt a house and barn in the east part of the town. The following extract from a letter of the Rev. Mr. Keith to Thomas Hinckley thus alludes to it :-
" April 17. 1676. God hath now begun to pour out upon us the cup of trembling; yet the Lord doth remember us still with mercy, yea very great mercy. The 9th of this instant, being the Lord's Day, as we were assembling in the forenoon, we were alarmed by the shooting of some guns from some of our garri- sons upon discovery of a house being on fire, which was Robert Latham's ; his dwelling house and barn are wholly consumed. The house was deserted but a few days before. He had con- siderable loss in lumber. The corn and chief of his goods were saved. There were divers other out-houses rifled at the same time, but no more burnt. There was a horse or two, killed ; three or four carried away; and some few swine killed. We sent out a party of men on the Lord's Day night upon discovery, who found their trackings. Our men judged their might be about ten of them. They followed them by their tracks several miles, but having no provision, they were forced to leave the pursuit. We are in expectation every day of an assault here. The Lord prepare us for our trial."
May 8th, about three hundred Indians with Tispaquin for their leader, made another assault on the east end of the village on the south side of the river, and set fire to many of the houses; but the inhabitants issuing from their garrison houses, fell upon them so resolutely, that the enemy were soon repelled ; and a heavy shower of rain falling at the same time, the fires were soon extinguished. The attack was then renewed on the north side of the river, but it was soon defeated, and the next morning the enemy entirely disappeared, after having burnt two houses and one barn. On these several occasions thirteen houses and four barns only were burnt, and but five of these were in the village: the rest were on the borders of the settle- ment and deserted at the time. Excepting the garrison houses,
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
it is said, every house but one in town was burnt. These were probably the out dwellings only on the skirts, and not in the village, where the houses were all in some measure fortified. The house excepted is said to have been Nicholas Byram's, which was in the east, where Capt. Isaac Whitman lately lived, and quite remote from the principal settlement.
The following is an extract from an ancient manuscript, of which Comfort Willis, who then held the office of "Town Trooper," is supposed to have been the author :-
"On Saturday, Capt. (Thomas) Hayward, Sergeant (Samuel Jr.) Packard, John Willis, and Isaac Harris, went out to see if the Indians were coming down upon them, and they saw an Indian, which made them think the enemy was at hand; and they immediately pressed Comfort Willis and Joseph Edson to go post to the Governor the same day at night to tell him of it. And he went to Plymouth with them the next day, to send Capt. Church with his company. And Capt. Church came with them to Monponset on the Sabbath, and came no further that day; and he told them he would meet them the next day. And Com- fort Willis and Joseph Edson came home at night and told their friends of it, and Ensign (John) Haward, Samuel Edson, Josiah Edson, Joseph Edson, John Washburn, Samuel Washburn, Thomas Washburn, John Field, Nicholas Byram, Samuel Allen, Samuel Allen, Jr., John Gordon, John Hayward, John Packard, John Ames, Comfort Willis, Guido Bailey, Nathaniel Hayward, John Whitman, John Packard and Samuel Leach went out on Monday, supposing to meet with Captain Church; but they came upon the enemy, and fought with them, and took seven- teen of them alive and also much plunder. And they all re- turned, and not one of them fell by the enemy, and received no help from Church."
The following extract of a letter from Gov. Josiah Winslow to Thomas Hinckley was written about the same time :-
"May 23, 1676. Last Saturday, 4 o'clock P. M., a second post came from Bridgewater, and informed they had discovered about one hundred of the enemy at Titicut, very busy killing cattle and horses, as if they intended some stay there; and Taunton and Bridgewater had agreed in the night to advance towards them in the morning; and requested a few men from us
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HISTORY OF THE
if possible. The warning was very short, yet we obtained from Plymouth, Duxbury, and Marshfield about forty smart lads and sent to Bridgewater that night, but have not as yet heard of, or from them. They knew of your intended march, and if they miss of those Indians they may very probably meet with yours to range toward Seconet. Mr. Church will inform you what I have written to Rhode Island." There was also a skirmish with the enemy near the great river in the south part of the town. July 31, 1676, when some of Philip's "special friends" were killed, and among others his uncle, who fell by his side. Had the soldier known "which had been the right bird," as Hubbard says in his narrative, Philip himself might have fallen, and the war thus have been brought to a more speedy and less disastrous result ; but "the cunning fox escaped them for that time." John Ames and Nicholas Byram are said to have dis- tinguished themselves on that occasion.
Capt. Church joined them the next day and pursued the enemy till the 3d of August, when, " having no provision but what they took from the enemy, they hastened to Bridgewater, sending an express before to provide for them, their company being now very numerous, having killed and taken one hundred and seventy-three. The gentlemen of Bridgewater met Capt Church with great expressions of honor and thanks, and received him and his army with all due respect and kind treatment." The prisoners were conveyed into the town pound at night, and an Indian guard set over them. "They were well treated with victuals and drink, and had a merry night; and the prisoners laughed as loud as the soldiers, not having been so well treated before for a long time." The next day Capt. Church arrived safe at Plymouth with all his prisoners.
Amidst danger, and often actually assaulted in their dwellings, it is remarkable that during the whole of that war, in which from time to time great numbers were engaged, not one of the inhabitants of Bridgewater were killed. All the narratives of that conflict speak of the town as fortunate and highly favored in this respect, while they unite in ascribing to the inhabitants high praise for their courage and activity in the service. John Snell, who was killed at the Isle aux Noix on Lake Champlain in the French war in 1760, was the first inhabitant of the town
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
that ever fell in battle; and Capt. Jacob Allen and Abner Rob- inson, who were killed at Saratoga at the capture of Burgoyne during the war of the American Revolution, in 1777, were the next. Gideon Washburn was killed at sea about the same time.
Hubbard inform us that "in June, 1676, (it was 1675) a man and woman were slain by the Indians at Dartmouth : and that another woman was taken ; but, because she had kept an Indian child before, so much kindness was shewn her as that she was sent back, after they had dressed her wounds ; and the Indians guarded her till she came within sight of the English." The man and woman alluded to were probably Jacob Mitchell and his wife ; and Dorothy Hayward, who afterwards gave the fol- lowing deposition, was probably the woman who was made a prisoner, and treated with such exemplary humanity ; -
" Dorothy Hayward, aged 30 years or thereabouts, being engaged upon oath testifieth, that she being taken by the Indians in June, in the year 1675, in Dartmouth, in Plymouth Colony saith, William Palmer was slain by the Indians, and Jacob Mitchell and his wife, and John Pope. This deponent saw these Indians, Ponoho, Watanom, John Bryant, Nenpos, Potak, Tosa- nem. These be the names of them that we know to be in being. No further this deponent saith. - Taken before me upon oath, JOSEPH CLARK, Assistant. NEWPORT, R. I., June 25, 1677."
During the American Revolution, Bridgewater was firm and patriotic, entering heartily into the struggle, and bearing her full proportion of its burdens. Those who fell in battle were not numerous, and some of the principal names have been already given.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
THE first settlements having been in the west parish, the first church was of course formed there, and although social worship on the Sabbath had not probably been omitted or at all neg- lected, yet having been few in number and feeble in substance, they were at first unable to maintain a minister, and, by thus
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HISTORY OF THE
forming themselves into a regular church, enjoy the full benefit of the christian institutions. In this situation they remained from 1651 to 1664, a period of a little more than twelve years. They had in the mean time employed a Mr. Bunker, to preach as a candidate, and made him an offer of settlement, which however for some reason not appearing on the records did not take place. They also as early as 1661, agreed and voted to build a house for a minister, who should be called to settle among them, and to give him also an entire purchase right in the town- ship.
Feb. 18, 1664, the settlement of the Rev. James Keith, their first ordained minister, is recorded, and the terms of it particu- larly expressed. He is there called "a student in divinity, having some competent time improved his gifts amongst them in the work of the ministry, and having also due approbation by the testimony of the Rev. Elders of other churches of Christ, to whom he was known." He was a Scotchman, educated at Aberdeen, and probably came to Boston about the year 1662, and was introduced to the church at Bridgewater, by Dr. Increase Mather, whom he always esteemed as his patron and best friend. In the second preface to the " Bridgewater's Monitor," the first having been written by Increase and Cotton Mather, it is said Bridgewater had not an ordained minister till 1663. This had reference to the old style, probably, when the year commenced on the 25th of March. The terms of his settlement were liberal; a double house lot of twelve acres with a house built thereon, and a purchase right, so called, being a fifty-sixth part of the original grant ; £40 annual salary, £20 to be paid at Boston in money, and the other half at home. In 1667 they gave him an additional grant of thirty cords of wood annually, "the cutters of the wood to have five groats, and the drawers seven groats a cord." In 1681 they raised it from £40 to £50, £20 to be paid at Boston in money, and £30 at home in corn and provisions. In 1689 they agreed to allow him £1o in corn in lieu of his thirty cords of wood. He died July 23, 1719, æ. 76, of course was about 21 when he was ordained.
Mather, in the Magnalia, places him in the third class, "who were all such ministers as came over after the re-establishment of the Episcopal church government in England, and the conse-
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
quent persecution of the non-conformists." This must have been a mistake, as Mr. Keith was from Scotland, and besides could not have been a minister before he came over, being very young and but a student when he arrived. The text he selected for his first sermon was from Jeremiah 1. 6, " Behold I cannot speak ; for I am a child." The Lord however indeed encour- aged him, "and put his words into his mouth," and he proved a worthy man and a faithful shepherd over his infant and feeble flock. His advice and influence with the civil authorities of the colony were also considerable. In the case of the capture of Philip's wife and son, when the question as to what should be done with the son was in agitation, and the opinion of grave divines desired, Mr. Keith's opinion, stated in a letter to the Rev. Mr. Cotton, in favor of mercy, and differing from most others, had great weight, if indeed it was not decisive on the occasion. The boy's life was spared, and with his mother he was sent out of the country, and probably to the Bermudas. The letter follows, and is well worthy of a place here.
"October 30, 1676. I long to hear what becomes of Philip's wife and his son. I know there is some difficulty in that Psalm 137, 8, 9, though I think it may be considered, whether there be not some speciality and somewhat extraordinary in it. That law, Deut. 24. 16. compared with the commended example of Amazias, 2d Chron., 25. 4, doth sway much with me in the case under consideration. I hope God will direct those whom it doth concern to a good issue. Let us join our prayers at the throne of grace with all our might, that the Lord would so dispose of all public motions and affairs, that his Jerusalem in this wilder- ness may be the habitation of justice, and the mountain of holi- ness, that so it may be also a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken down." He preached the sermon at the dedication of the new meeting house in South Bridgewater in 1717, two years only before his death, which was printed in the "Bridgewater's Monitor," and which contains some pertinent and impressive remarks on the subject of intemperance even at that early period. " Besides other evils," said he, " which might be mentioned, I would refer particularly to that of intemperance, the excessive and prodigious expense upon strong drink, above all, that of rum; I say, the scandalous and horrible abuse of
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HISTORY OF THE
rum, which threatens ruin unto this land and to this place; a ruin to all our dearest interests, both civil and religious. If there be any such houses among you, as I fear there are, that vend that strong drink contrary to the law of God and the wholesome law of this province, let such of you as are vested with civil power and stand obliged unto the oath of God, see that such grievous profanation be suppressed, lest that iniquity. the abuse of rum, be our ruin."
His posterity have been, and still are, very numerous. The names of two hundred of them in Bridgewater, alone appear on a late census ; and there are a great many also in Middleborough, Easton, Mendon, Maine, and other parts of the United States. Israel Keith, formerly Adjutant General of the Commonwealth was one of his descendants.
William Brett, among the first planters of the town, was a ruling elder in the church, ordained soon after Mr. Keith, and probably aided and assisted them in their public worship from the commencement of their settlement, and even after the ordi- nation of Mr. Keith. He was a well educated and intelligent man as is manifest from his letters to Gov. Winslow, still extant, and was much esteemed by his brethren, and often employed in their secular affairs. - The following extract, bearing testi- mony to the worth and good character of the church and its officers, is taken from the early church records of Plymouth. " The worthy church of Christ at Bridgewater have for their pastor Mr. James Keith, who came by the wise disposing hand of Providence out of Scotland. William Brett, a grave and godly man, is their ruling elder ; and John Willis, their deacon, a good man and one that hath proved himself faithful. They carry on in a way of peace, holiness, and good gospel order."
The Rev. Daniel Perkins, successor of Mr. Keith, was or- dained October 4, 1721. He was a native of Topsfield, in the county of Essex, and graduated at Harvard University 1717. He died September 29, 1782, æ. 86th, and in the 62d year of his ministry, which was not long only, but peaceful and efficacious.
The Rev. John Reed, S. T. D., successor of Mr. Perkins, was ordained as his colleague June 7, 1780. He graduated at Yale College, 1772, and was son of the Rev. Solomon Reed, of Titi-
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
cut, who was a native of Abington. - Dr. Reed died Feb. 17, 1831, æ. 79. He was an able and sound divine, and much em- ployed on ecclesiastical councils ; and although deprived of his sight for many years previous to his death, he continued to preach till the last, and with his psalm book open in his hand would recite the psalm at length. - Many of his occasional ser- mons are in print, and also a work of his on infant baptism.
South Parish.
A second precinct was incorporated June 1, 1716. This did not take place without some opposition. The original applica- tion was made in 1715, the petitioners calling themselves inhabi- tants of the easterly part of the town of Bridgewater. A viewing committee was appointed consisting of John Cushing and Edmund Quincy of the council, and George Leonard, Henry Hodges and Jacob Thomson of the House. They made a favorable report April 18, 1716, which was accepted, and an act of incorporation passed with this condition, "that the whole town stand obliged to an honorable maintenance of the Rev. Mr. Keith, their present aged minister, if he should outlive his powers and capacities of discharging the office and duty of their minister." The dividing line began "at the brook, called the mile brook, where the road from Boston to Taunton crosseth the said brook. and from thence by a line running west and by south to the uttermost extent of the said' township, and from the station first mentioned by a line running easterly in the midway between the dwelling house of Wm. Hudson, and the dwelling house of David Perkins, Jr., and from thence the said line to be continued in the midst between the dwelling house of Edward Mitchell and the dwelling house of Nathaniel Hayward, and from thence the said line to be continued easterly in the midst betwixt the dwelling house of James Latham, and the dwelling house of Joseph Washburn, Jr., and from thence by a line due east to the extent of the said township." The new parish was called the south, and the old one the north precinct. Much the largest part of the town remained with the north, as it was sug- gested, "that there might soon be need of a third meeting- house." They recommended that the new meeting-house be erected "on the high or rising ground on the southerly side of
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