History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 156

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818

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Capt. Davis continued to follow the coasting busi-

Nathan Dawin 32

)

Buffintero

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SOMERSET.

ness till 1873, when he retired. From 1845 to 1855 he was engaged in the grocery business in Somerset, Mass. He became a member of the First Baptist Church in Somerset in the prime of life, and in 1838 he was ordained deacon, which position he continues still to hold. He has also been trustee of the same for a great many years. Politically, he is a Repub- lican.

He married Clarissa, daughter of John Bowen, of Fall River, Jan. 1, 1826. Their children are: (1) Sarah A., wife of William P. Hood, of Somerset; (2) Nathan S., postmaster in Somerset since 1860; (3) William B., died young ; (4) Elijah G., a citizen of Fall River, and captain of a steamer on the Old Col- ony Line; (5) Mary E., wife of John A. Chase, of Fairhaven ; (6) Amos N., lost at sea, March 20, 1867 ; (7) Joseph F., died young ; (8) Joseph F.2, master of vessels, and one of Somerset's most respected citizens ; (9) Ellen M., died young; (10) William H. H., died young : (11) Jonathan B., died young; (12) Clarissa E., wife of James F. Gardiner, of Somerset ; (13) Corne- lius A., master of schooner " William P. Hood," and a highly-esteemed citizen of Somerset ; and (14) Ke- ziah M., wife of Edward Mosher, of Fall River. Mrs. Davis was born in 1811. In cases of need she was always ready to assist, and having reared a large family herself she was peculiarly well qualified to care for the sick. She was one of the strongest temperance persons in the town, and much credit is due her for the position the town took on that question during her lifetime. She died March 27, 1871, in the sixty- first year of her age. She was a faithful wife and devoted mother, and the impress of her Christian character may be seen to-day, not only on her own children, but upon all those with whom she came in contact.

JOB M. LEONARD.

Job M. Leonard was born in Raynham, Bristol County, Mass., Sept. 1, 1824, and is a direct descend- ant of one of the Leonard families from Wales, who settled in Raynham in 1652.

He was educated at the common schools, and worked on a farm until about sixteen years of age; then he entered a hardware-store in Taunton as clerk and re- mained until 1844, when he commenced business on his own account. In 1849 he established an office in Boston, which has continued to the present time.

In 1850, Mr. Leonard organized the East Bridge- water Iron Company and continued with them about five years, when he disposed of his interest in that establishment and organized, in 1855, the Mount Hope Iron-Works at Somerset. He planned and built the two iron-works in that town for the manufacture of nails and plate iron. The old works were sold to the Parker Mills in 1868, and subsequently passed into the hands of the Old Colony Iron Company. The present works of the Mount Hope Company Mr. Leonard erected in 1872, and employs from two hun-

dred to two hundred and fifty men. Upon the organ- ization of the company Albert Field was elected president, and remained as such until his death. Mr. Leonard has been treasurer of the company since its organization. His son, Mr. Henry B. Leonard, is now the agent and general manager of the new Mount Hope works.

Mr. Leonard was married in 1848 to Caroline, daughter of the late Albert Field.

The iron business seems to have been an heirloom in the Leonard family. From 1652, when the first iron-works on this continent were established in Rayn- ham by James and Henry Leonard and Ralph Rus- sell, to the present time descendants of the Leonards have been prominent and successful iron men both in this and other States. Not only were Mr. Leonard's father, Job Leonard, and his grandfather, Samuel, iron manufacturers, but his great-grandfather, Russell Leonard, was also engaged in the same industry, em- bracing, with Mr. Leonard and his son Henry B., five generations in direct descent who have been engaged in the iron industry.

James and Henry Leonard and Ralph Russell es- tablished the first iron-works on this continent in 1652, in the town of Raynham, on Two-Mile River, so called, where they secured the privilege of cutting wood to make charcoal, and to dig and mine ore at Two-Mile Meadows or any other common property of the town. This business continued in the possession of the Leonards and their descendants for over one hundred years. They were enlarged from time to time, and subsequently converted into a forge for making anchors. Henry and James Leonard, at- tracted by more abundant ores in New Jersey, re- moved there and established the first iron-works in that province.

Mr. Leonard has been four times elected to the State Legislature, and has held various minor posi- tions of trust in the State, always discharging his duties with credit to himself and to the entire satis- faction of his constituents, and is justly regarded as one of the leading men of Southeastern Massachusetts.

DARIUS BUFFINTON.

Darius Buffinton was born in Swansea, Mass., May 29, 1829. His father was Moses Buffinton, who was born Jan. 25, 1799, on the island of Prudence, R. I., and was a son of Moses Buffinton, born 1768, who married Sarah Chace, and whose parents were Moses Buffinton and his wife, Isabel, daughter of Daniel and Sarah Baker.

Moses Buffinton, the third of the name, was a farmer, and lived first in Prudence, R. I, and after- wards in Swansea, Mass. He was a birthright mem- ber of the society of Friends, and married Ruth Borden, who was born in Swansea, Jan. 25, 1795. They had five children-Abner (died young), Darius, Abner (deceased), Lois (Mrs. John P. Slade), and

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Susan S. (deceased). Mr. Buffinton died Nov. 2, 1869. His wife survived him, dying Feb. 9, 1873.

Darius was educated at common schools, and had a short tuition at the Friends' school at Providence, R. I. He became a farmer and resided with his father on the homestead, in Swansea, consisting of about. seventy acres, and remained there until his father's death. In 1870 he built his present neat and attractive residence on the place of seventeen acres, which he purchased in Somerset, and removed thither the same year. He married, Jan. 15, 1861, Julia A., daughter of Frederick and Sarah (Pierce) Whitwell, who was born in Fall River, Mass., March 25, 1843. Their children were Julia E. (died an infant), Wil- liam S. (died young), and Henry W., an active and promising lad, drowned in his twelfth year while bathing.

Mr. Buffinton has combined the avocation of market- gardener with that of farmer, and has sufficient prop- erty to enable him to gratify the correct taste so nicely shown in everything connected with his home. He is a stockholder in Fall River National and Union Banks of Fall River, and also in the Shove Mills. He is a Republican, and both he and his wife are members of the Friends' Society. He stands well in the esteem of the community and is a valuable citizen.

CHAPTER LIII.

SWANSEA.I

Geographical-Incorporation of the Town -" Wannamoisett"-Docu- mentary History-Early Inhabitants-Division of Lands-King Phil- ip's War-Original Grant-Capt. Thomas Williams' " Proposals"- Admission of Inhabitants-First Deputy Elected-John Allen-Town Officers of 1670-Extracts from Early Records-Revolutionary War- Committee of Inspection-Various Votes concerning the Revolu- tionary Period-Election of 1780-Pioneer Schools-First School- master-John Myles-1702, Town Fined for not Having School.

SWANSEA lies in the southwestern part of the county, and is bounded as follows : On the north by Seekonk, Rehoboth, and Dighton; on the east by Dighton and Somerset; on the south by Somerset and Mount Hope Bay.

A portion of this town was originally comprehended within the limits of ancient Rehoboth. It forms a part of the tract called by the Indians " Wanna- moisett," situated in this town and Barrington, R. I. This town was incorporated in 1677, and then in- cluded within its limits the present towns, Somerset, Barrington, and the greater part of Warren, R. I. The town derived its name from "Swan sea," in Wales, and was so spelled in the earliest records. In 1649, Obidiah Holmes and several others, having em- braced the Baptist sentiments, withdrew from Mr. Newman's church, and set up a separate meeting of

their own. The attempt to break them up, and the persecutions they met with, only increased their numbers. In 1663 they were much strengthened by the arrival of Rev. John Myles and his church. In the same year Mr. Myles formed a Baptist Church in Rehoboth (the fourth in America). It was organized in the house of John Butterworth, and commenced with seven members. These and subsequent proceed- ings were considered such an evil by the rest of the inhabitants that an appeal was made to the Plymouth Court to interfere. Each member of this new church was fined five pounds, and prohibited from worship for a month. They were also advised to remove from Rehoboth to some place where they would not preju- dice any existing church. They accordingly moved to Wannamoisett.

Capt. Thomas Willett, a magistrate, and a man of great ability and enterprise, having large possessions at Narragansett, near by, came and settled here. Hugh Cole and some others followed. Capt. Willett became subsequently the first English mayor of New York. He and Mr. Myles may be justly styled the fathers of the town.

In 1670 it was ordered that the lands should be proportioned according to three ranks. Persons of the first rank were to receive three acres; of the second, two acres; of the third, one acre. In admit- ting inhabitants, the selectmen were to decide to which rank they should be apportioned. This sin- gular division existed nowhere else in New England.

This town is memorable as the place where the first English blood was shed in "King Philip's War."2 On Sunday, June 20, 1675, King Philip permitted his men to march into Swansea and annoy the English by killing their cattle, in hopes to pro- voke them to commence the attack, for it is said that a superstition prevailed among them that the side who shed the first blood should finally be conquered. The Indians were so insolent that an Englishman finally fired upon one of them, and wounded him. The Indians upon this commenced open war. As soon as the intelligence of this massacre reached Boston, a company of foot under Capt. Henchman, and a troop under Capt. Prentice, immediately marched for Mount Hope, and being joined by another company of one hundred and ten volunteers under Capt. Moseley, they all arrived at Swansea June 28th, where they joined the Plymouth forces, under Capt. Cudworth. Mr. Miles' house, being gar- risoned, was made their headquarters. About a dozen of the troop went immediately over the bridge, where they were fired upon out of the bushes, and one killed and one wounded. The English forces then pursued the enemy a mile or two, when the Indians took to the swamp, after having lost about a half-dozen of their number. The troop commenced their pursuit of the Indians next morning. They passed over

1 The editor acknowledges his indebtedness to Rev. J. W. Osborn for the larger portion of the following history of Swansea.

2 For Indian history, see Chapter II.

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SWANSEA.

Miles' Bridge and proceeded down the river till they came to the narrow of the neck, at a place called Keekamuit, or Kickamuit. Here they found the heads of eight Englishmen, that the Indians had murdered, stuck on poles; these they buried. On their arrival at Mount Hope; they found that place deserted.

Documentary History .- A true copy of the grant of this township of New Swansea, lying on record at the court of New Plymouth, 1667 :

" Whereas, Liberty hath been formerly granted by the Court of juris- diction of New Plymouth, unto Captain Thomas Willett and his neigh- bors of Wannamoisett, to become a township there if they should see good, and that lately the said Capt. Willett and Mr. Myles, and others, their neighbors, have requested of the Court that they may be a town- ship there or near thereabout, and likewise to have granted unto them such parcells of land as might be accommodate thereunto not disposed of to other Townships; this Court have granted unto them all such lands that lyeth between the Salt water Bay and coming up Taunton River (viz .. ), all the Land between the Salt water and river and the bounds of Taunton and Rehoboth not prejudicing any man's particular Interest, and forasmuch as Rehoboth hath meadow lands within the line of Wan- namoisett, and Wannamoisett hath lands within the line of Rehoboth, lying near the South line of Rehoboth-if the two townships cannot agree about them amongst themselves, the Court reserves it within their power to determine any such controversy.

" 1667, March. The Court bath appointed Captaine Willett, Mr. Paine, Senr .. Mr. Brown, John Allen, and John Butterworth, to have the trust of admittance of Town Inhabitants into the said town, and to have the disposall of the Land therein, and ordering of other the affairs of said Town. The Court doe Allow and Approve that the Township Granted unto Capt. Willett and others, his neighbors, at Wannamoisett and parts adjacent, shall henceforth be called and known by the name of Swansea.

"The Enterys above are a Copy taken out of the Court Records at Plymouth. Nath'l Clark. And above Entrys hereof by William In- graham, Town Clerk.

" Whereas, Capt. Thomas Willett, shortly after the grant of this town- ship, made three following proposals unto those who were with him, by the Court at Plymouth, empowered for the admission of inhabitants, and of granting lots, viz .:

"1. That no erroneous person be admitted into the township as an inhabitant or sojourner.

" 2. That no man of any evill behaviour or contentions persons to be admitted.

"3. That none may be admitted that may become a charge to the place.

" The church here gathered and assembling did thereupon make the following address unto the said Capt. Willett and his associates, the Trustees aforesaid.

" We being engaged with you (according to our capacity) in the car- rying on of a township according to the grant given us by the honored Court, and desiring to lay such a foundation thereof as may effectually tend to God's glory, our future peace and comfort, and the real benefit of such as shall hereafter join with us herein, as also to prevent all fu- ture jealonsies and causes of dissatisfaction or disturbance in so good a work, due in relation to the three proposals made by our much honoured Capt. Willett, humbly present to your serious consideration, before we proceed further therein, that the said proposalls may be consented to and .nbseribed by all and every townman under the following explications:

' 1. That the first proposal relating to the non-admission of erroneons persons may be only understood under the explications following (viz.), of such as hold damnable heresies inconsistent with the faith of the Gospel, as to deny the Trinity or any person therein,1 the Deity or sin- less Humanity of Christ, or the union of both natures in him, or his full satisfaction to the Divine justice by his active and passive obedience for all his elect, or his resurrection, or ascension to heaven, intercession, or his second personable coming to judgment, or the resurrection of the dead, or to maintain any merit of works, consubstantiation, transub-

stantiation, giving Divine adoration to any creature or any other anti- Christian doctrine, thereby directly opposing the priestly, prophetical er kingly office of Christ, or any part thereof; or secondly such as hokl such opinions as are inconsistent with the well-being of the place, as to deny the magistrates power to punish evil-doers as well as to punish those that do well ; or to deny the first day of the week to be observed by Divine institution as the Lord's day or Christian Sabbath, or to deny the giving of honor to whom honor is due, or to offer those civil respects that are usually performed according to the laudable custom of our nation, each to other, as bowing the knee or body, etc., or else to deny the office, use, or authority of the ministry or comfortable maintenance to be due to them from such as partake of their teaching, or to speak reproachfully of any of the churches of Christ in this country, or of any such other churches as are of the same common faith with us and then.

"2. That the second proposall, That no man of any evill behaviour, or contentions persons be admitted.

" We desire that it be also understood & Declared that this is not un- dersteod of any holding any opinion different from others in any dis- putable pt. Yet in controversy among the Godly Learned, the beleefe thereof not essentially necessary to salvation, such pado-baptism, anti- pado-baptism, church discipline or the like. But that the minister or ministers of the Town may take their liberty to baptise Infants or grown persons as the Lord shall persuade their consciences, and so also the In- habitants of the town to take their liberty to bring their children to baptism or forbear. That the second proposall relating to nonerecep- tion of any of evill behaviour, such as contentious persons, &c., may be only understood of those truly so called, and not of those who are differ- ent in judgment in the particulars last-mentioned and may be therefore counted contentious by some, though they are in all fundamentals of faith orthodox in . . . and excepting common Infirmities blameless in conversation.

" That the proposal! Relating to the non-admission of such as may be a charge to the Town be only understood so as that it may not hinder a godly man from comeing among us, whilst there is accommodation that satisfie him, if some Responsible Townsman will be bound to see the town harmless.

" These humble tenders of our desires we hope you will without offence receive, excusing us therein, considering that God's glory, the future peace and wellbeing, not only of us and our posterity who shall settle here, but also of those severall good and peaceable-minded men, whom you allready know are liked, though with very inconsiderable ontward accommodation to come among us are very much concerned therein. Our humble prayers both for ourselves & you is that God would be pleased to cause us to aim more & more at his glory and less to our earthly concernment that so we may improve the favors that bath been handed down to us by our honoured nursing fathers to the advancement of the glory of God, the interest of our Lord Jesus Christ, & to the commen benefitt both of the Town & Colony, wherein he hath providentially disposed of us to serve our generation. Your Brethren to serve you in Christ.

"Signed in behalf & in the name of the church meeting in Swansea by

"JOHN MYLES, Pastor. " JOHN BUTTERWORTH.

" The foregoing proposalls being according to the desire of the church aforesaid, fully & absolutely condescended to, concluded & agreed upon by & between said Captain Willett, al his associates aforesaid, & .the church under the reservation & explications above written, & every of them, it was sometime after propounded at a meeting of sd town, law- fully warned on the two & twentieth day of the twelfth month, 1669, that the said agreement might be by the whole town ratified & conl- firmed & settled as the foundation order, to which all that then were or afterward should be admitted inhabitants to receive lands from the town, should manifest their assent by subscription therennto, whereupon the following order (the said Capt. Willett, al his associates aforesaid being present) was freely passed by the whole town nemine contradicente.

" At a town meeting lawfully warned, on the two & twentieth day of the twelfth month, commonly called February, in the year of our Lord 1669, it is ordered that all persons that are or shall be admitted inhabi- tants within this town, shall subscribe to the three proposalls above written, te the severall conditions & explanations therein expressed, before any lot of land be confirmed to them or any of them.

" We, whose names are hereunder written, do freely, upon our admis- sion to be inhabitants of this town of Swansea, assent to the above written agreement, made between the church now meeting here at

1 The Toleration Act passed by the British Parliament twenty-two years later, while relaxing the stringency of former laws against dis- senters, expressly denied toleration to such as rejected the doctrine of the Trinity .- J. W. O.

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HISTORY OF BRISTOL COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Swansea & Capt. Thomas Willett & his associates, as the sd agreement is specified & declared in the three proposalls afore written, with the sev- eral conditions & explanations thereof concerning the present & future settlement of this town. In witness whereof we have hereunto sub- scribed."

[Signed by fifty-five persons.]

(1674 .- John Harding Smith, refusing to sign the " fundamental agreement," was deprived of his land, and warned " to go out of the Town.")

" At a Town-meeting Lawfully warned ye 19th of May, 1670, John Myles, jun., is chosen Clerk for this present year. John Allen, senr., is chosen Deputy, Nath1. Chafy constable, Samuel Luther grandjury- man, Benj. Alby waywarden, for the ensuing year.

" Mr. James Brown, Nicholas Tanner, and John Allen, sent., were chosen selectmen for ye ensuing year."

" At a Town-meeting Lawfully warned on ye 11th of May, 1671, Mr. James Brown was chosen Deputy, and Hugh Cole grandjuryman, and John Martin Con- stable. Nathaniel Peck, Joseph Carpenter, and Zech- ariah Eddy were chosen waywardens. Mr. James Brown, Hugh Cole, and Samuel Luther were chosen selectmeu."

" At a Town-meeting lawfully warned November ye 8th, 1671, John Allen, Sur., Hugh Cole, Nicholas Tanner, & Nathan' Peck are chosen Raters for a Town Rate."

"At a Town-meeting Lawfully warned on ye 21 May, 1672, Mr. Brown was chosen Daputy & Thomas Barnes constable. Thos. Lewis grandjuryman, Nath1. Chafy & Jonathan Bozworth, & Hezekiah Luther, surveyors of highways ; Mr. Brown, Thos. Luis were chosen selectmen."

1670. "It was ordered yt whatsoever inhabitant shall absent himself from any Town-meeting to which he shall at any time hereafter be Legally warned, he shall forfeit for every such absent four shillings."

" It is ordered that all lotts & divisions of land that are or shall be granted to any particular person shall be proportioned to the threefold rank underwritten, so that where those of the first rank have three acres, those of the second rank shall have two, and those of the third rank shall have one."

(Those admitted to the first rank are recorded as Mr .; the others with no title. These were land- holders without rank.)

1671. "Those of ye first rank shall pay three pounds twelve shillings apiece, and those of the second rank shall pay two pounds eight shillings apiece, and those of the third rank one pound four shillings apiece."

Aug. 28, 1693. "The warrant from ye quarter ses- sion was read, requiring the Town to chuse a minister according to law ; after sum Debate the meeting was adjourned for half an hour. The church by Lieutnt. Cole returned and replied thus : that they had a min- ister they apprehended was according to Law, viz., Elder Samuel Luther, and desired the vote of ye Town to see their assent and approbation, and after

som debate ye meeting was adjourned for half an hour, and then againe after a considerable debate the Town-meeting was adjourned to ye 3d Tuesday in October, at 9 o'clock in the morning at the usual place of meeting."

Oct. 17. " Chose Elder Samuel Luther minister for ye Town."

"John Pain and John Cole, son of Hugh Cole, to look after & to prosecute any breache of ye acte made about Horses, the late act published both civil and military."

1711. Referring to a petition for the division of the town (that a Puritan minister could be supported by taxation) by inhabitants of the western part, “it passed in ye negative unanimously." " If any per- sons would supply ye selectmen with money for ye present management of sª affairs they should be re- imbursed." (£29 2s. were borrowed.)

1712. " Granted a fund or bank of £500, or as much more as there may be occasion of, to maintain and defend ye Town grant and foundation settlement."

1717. On a petition for a tax of "sixscore pounds" to support a Puritan minister, "after considerable fayer and loveing conference with sª petitioners, it was agreed and voted and concluded that the inhab- itants should enjoy conscience liberty according to the foundation settlement."

The representative was paid £12 12s .; school- master, £17 10s .; assessors, £4.

1718. " Every householder shall kill 6 blackbirds or six squirrells, or one crow shall count for two squirrells or blackbirds ;" " or he shall forfeit 2 pence for as many as he comes short of six."

In 1729, "voted 2d. to every one that kills a crow, blackbird, jaybird, or squirrell."

In 1740 the premium was increased to fourpence.

In 1741 the vote of 1708 was reaffirmed, with a proviso that for every one above the required number a premium of fourpence should be paid ; for killing a grown fox, five shillings ; a young fox, two shillings, in 1736.

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History of Bristol County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 156

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1818

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1818