USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts > Part 18
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
been Obliged to pay to the sd. Peter Proctor for the nursing of the sd. Benjamin & providing for the nurses & watchers & trouble about the same the sum of one Pound sixteen Shillings Lawful money, as per said Procter's receipt.
Oliver Adams Executor
July 3, 1756. [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 683.]
£2. 9. 0 Allowed
Deacon Spaulding was reported among the sick & wounded.
The Petitition of William Bowers of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex; Humbly Sheweth that he in the month of March Anno Domini 1756 inlisted in His Majesty's Service in the Crown Point Expedition then carrying on in a Company under the Command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo. Gridley's Regiment and proceeded to Lake George & there did perform Duty until on or about the Middle of October last & then was taken Sick of a Fever & thereby rendered wholly unable to perform any further Duty, and on or about the first of November last continuing unable to perform Duty was removed from thence Homeward to a place called the Half Moon, & was there obliged to tarry about six Weeks by reason of his Sickness, not being able to proceed any further homeward for that term of time, that on the 12th Day of December last he got to Capt Brewers at a place called Number one, on his Way Homeward & then not being able to travel any further by reason of his Great Weakness & Sickness & he having before that time sent home to Chelmsford for a man & Horse to assist him in the remaining Part of the Way Home, & that a man and Horse did come thither to him from Chelmsford aforesd. and assisted him Home to Chelmsford aforesd. where he arrived on or about the first Day of January last, that he was necessarily put to the expence of one Pound thirteen shillings and four pence Lawfull Money for the Expence of providing for the Man & Horse on the Road. while performing the sd. Journey being thirteen Days Chelmsford May 23 1757 William Bowers.
Affidavit signed by Oliver Fletcher Just. Pac. [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 77, p. 13.]
£3.3.6.
Asked £0.15.2. for man's time. 1/2 per day. £0.15.0. hire of horse. Remained sick two months.
£3. allowed.
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PROVINCE WARS
Province of the Massachusetts Bay &c
To His Honour Spencer Phips Esq &c
The Petition of Zacheriah Emmery of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex Humbly Sheweth-
That he in the month of June A. D. 1745 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition against Cape Breton under the Command of Gershom Davis, Captain, & that he proceeded thither, & that in the month of October then next following; the General having given Orders for Each Company to choose an Agent to send to Boston, in New England, to make up the Muster- Roll of Each Company, he was then made choice of by the sd. Davis's Company for the same service and accordingly proceeded to Boston aforesd. & Effected the same Business: & that he was to have returned again to Cape Breton, but was prevented by the Providence of God, being taken sick and continuing so for along time; that when he left Cape Breton, he left his Gun with & under the care of his son Samuel Emmery who was in the same service under the command of Captain Peter Hunt. & that the said son afterward died at Cape Breton, aforesaid, & that thesd Petitioners own Gun and his sons Gun were sent in a Chest with other Guns to Zeuberbukler Commisary to Briggadr. Dwights Regmt. to his Agent or Attorney Mr Jarvis of Boston mercht. tobe delivered to the owners, but it happened through mistake that the sd Chest of Guns was delivered by the sd. Mr Jarvis to Mr. Wheelwright Commisary General of said Province whereby the said Petitioner hath been Prevented receiving his own Gun & the Gun of his son aforesaid, as he ought to have done, they being his & his son's own property.
Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honour & Honours would be pleased to make an order that he may be allowed out of the publick Treasury of this Province in con- sideration of the loss of his own Gun, the sum of ten Pounds ten Shillings Old Tenor Bills and of his Sons Gun the Sum of fifteen Pounds Old Tenor Bills being the true value of the sd Guns and your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray, &ca.
Zechariah Emery
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 74, p. 103.]
Allowed £3.18.0 in full consideration for the loss of the two guns.
Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England.
To His Honour Spencer Phips Captain General & Commander in Chief of the Province aforefaid. The Honourable His Majestys Council & House of Representatives in General Court Assembled at Boston on Wednesday the second Day of October Anno Domini 1751.
The Petition of Oliver Blodget of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex humbly Showeth, that his Brother Zacheus Blodget
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
was a soldier in His Majestys Service under the Command of Capt. Edward Hartwell of Lunenburgh in the year 1748 and that about the middle of July the same year he was Killed by the Indians at Lunenburgh aforesd & Striped of his Cloths & Gun which the Indians carried away with them.
Your Petitioner therefore humbly moves your Honour & Honours would be pleased to give Order that he & his Brother Nehemiah Blodget (a minor) the only Heirs may be reimbursed the Sum of Two pounds thirteen shillings & four pence Lawful Money the value of the sd. Gun out of the Treasury of the Province aforesaid
Who as in duty bound shall every pray &c. Oliver Blodget.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 74, p. 40.]
The sum of £2. was allowed the petitioner.
Province of the Į To His Honour Spencer Phips Esq Massachusetts Bay Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief of the Province aforesaid, the Honourable His Majesty's Council & House of Representatives in General Court Assembled, at Boston on Wed- nesday the twenty sixth Day of May, Anno Domini 1756.
The Petition of Asa Martin of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, Husbandman, Humbly sheweth- That he on or about the fifth Day of April Anno Domini. 1755. inlisted into His Majesty's Service, in the then intended Expedition against Crown Point, in a company under the Command of Captain John Read of Woburn in the same County, & proceeded in the same Company to Lake George and that he on the fourth Day of October last being in a low state of Health & not able to do Duty, obtained a dismission from thesd. Service, under the Hand of Colo. Jonathan Bagley and the Hand of Amos Putnam, Surgeon, to return Home to Chelmsford. Where he arrived on or about the twenty first Day of October last, quite in a weak and low state of Health, after which in about six or seven Days he was taken Sick of a grievous Fever & continued so for a month, & there by was rendered unable to do anything for his & his Family's Support for the space of twelve weeks, and put to the Charge of two Pounds eight Shillings Lawful Money for Doctoring, as by the Account of Doctor Samuel King, charged against him herewith exhibited may appear, and also to the further charge of the Sum of three Pounds twelve Shillings Lawful Money for twelve weeks Nursing of him &ca. as per his account for the same herewith also exhibited may appear.
Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays &c Asa Martin
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 595.]
£3. was allowed the Petitioner.
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PROVINCE WARS
May 26 1756 [Heading omitted]
The Petition of Benja Warren of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, Saddler-Humbly sheweth that his servant Isaac Warren did in the month of April Anno Dom 1755 inlist into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition then carrying on against Crown Point, in a Company under the Command of Captain John Read of Woburn in the same County & proceeded in the same Company to Lake George, and was in the morning of the Eight Day of September last in the Engagement with the French and Indians in the Detachment under the Command of Colo. Williams, & then & there lost his Blanket, which he received as Part of his Bounty-that he on the thirteenth Day of October last being in a low state of Health & not able to do Duty, obtained a furlough to return home till further order under the Hand of Colo. Jonathan Bagley and two Surgeons, and accordingly arrived At Home in Chelmsford the twenty seventh Day of October aforesd. and on or about the Second Day of November last was taken sick of a bad Fevour and Confined to his Bed three weeks, & needed nursing five weeks where by your Petitioner was put to Considerable Cost & Charge for nursing & watchers, vizt. to the charge of the sum of one Pound ten Shillings Lawful Money * * *
[He asks for this amount & a blanket]
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 603.]
£0. 18. 0. allowed.
Province of the
Massachusetts Bay
To His Excellency William Shirley Esq. Governour of sd. Province and the Honble. Council with the House of Representa- tives.
The Petition of David Keyes
Humbly Sheweth that his Father Solomon Keyes, Commander of a Company, on the late Crown Point Expedition, in Colo. Ruggles Regiment, who was on the Eighth of Septemr. Killed, on a Scout wth Colo. Williams on said day, and was Entirely Stript of Everything
And likewise your Petitioners brother Solomon Keyes Jr. had a Mare Imprest from Him, by Major Genl. Johnsons Order to Col Gilbert at Albany for the Use of the Waggoners. Your Petitioner nor His decest brother, not Having any account of Her nor Allowance for said Mare Humbly begs your Honours would take it under your Serious Consideration, and allow the Account annext-
And your Petitioner as in duty bound Shall Ever Pray. David Keyes. April 9, 1756.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 467.]
Warrant issued July 31, 1756.
£3. for Gun and £10. for horse allowed.
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
May 6, 1756.
The Petition of Rachel Parker of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex widow, humbly Sheweth. That her late Husband Jacob Parker. of Chelmsford aforesd. in the Month of April A. D. 1755 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition then carrying on against Crown Point, in a company under the Com- mand of Capt. John Read of Woburn in Said County & proceeded to Lake George, & on the Eighth Day of September last in the forenoon was in the Engagement with the French & Indians in the Detachment under the Command of Colo. Williams & then Killed in the same Engagement before he returned to the Army at their incampment at Lake George, and in the same Engagement lost the Gun he had with him, being his own Property of the Value of one Pound Six Shillings, & eight pence Lawful money and also the Blanket which he received as Part of his Bounty (besides all the Clothing he had then with him.)
Rachel Parker
June 14, 1757. Executrix [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 544.]
[£1.6.8 and a blanket asked. Nothing granted.]
May 25 1757.
The Petition of Ebenezer Goold of Chelmsford, &c, Humbly sheweth that his indented servant Zebulon Bootnam in the month of April, Anno Dom. 1756 inlisted in his Majesty's Service in the Crown Point Expedition under the command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo. Gridley's Regt & marched to Lake George & there performed Duty until a little time before the Campain finished the same year, when he was taken sick & when the Army returned homeward he was brought to Fort Edward, and after a considerable time made his way homeward as far as a place called Green Bush, and sent home to his Master for a man & horse who met him at Springfield. [Sick 8 weeks at home.]
Ebenezer Goold
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 77, p. 40.]
£4. 7. 4. asked & a grant for loss of Servant's time £4. 10. 0. allowed.
March 13, 1757.
The Petition of Benjamin Butterfield of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex Humbly sheweth that he in the month of March Anno Dom. 1756 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Crown- Point Expedition then carrying on in the Company under the Command of Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, of Colo. Gridley's Regiment & proceeded to Lake George and performed Duty there until sometime in October last, when he was taken sick and ren- dered utterly unable to perform Duty, and as soon after as he was
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PROVINCE WARS
able he proceeded from thence to a place call'd the half Moon, and on the twenty fifth of the same October, at the half Moon aforesd. he obtained a certificate under the hand of James Otis, Surgeon, that by Reason of indisposition of Body he was unfit for Duty, & so suffered to return home, that he got homeward as far as to Capt Brewers at a place called Number one where he was taken sick of a Fever & not able to travel any further on foot for some time, that he sent Home to Chelmsford from thence for a man & Horse to meet him and assist him the remaining Part of the Way Home, & afterward when he was able to proceed from thence homeward to Spring Field, where a man & Horse met him from Chelmsford aforesd. at his Request; and did assist
him thence home to Chelmsford aforesaid, he not being able to travel any further on foot, but must have remained there at the Charge of the Province, that he got Home to Chelmsford aforesd. on the eighteenth Day of November last, that he was necessarily put to the Expence of twenty four shillings in providing for the sd. Man & Horse on the Road while performing this Journey being eight Days, and also the Charge of nine shillings & four pence to pay the sd. man for his time therein expended, being eight Days at one shilling & two pence per Day; and also to the Charge of twelve shillings for the hire of the sd. Horse for the Journey aforesd. and that he was sick and Nursed for the space of a month after his return Home, and put to the Charge of twenty four shillings for nursing four weeks at six shillings per week & that he remained utterly unable to perform labour to support himself for the space of two months next after his return home as aforesaid.
Your Petitioner therefore &c. Benjamin Butterfield.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 76, p. 485.]
The Committee reported two pounds eight shillings in full.
Wednesday Oct. 1 1759.
The Petition of Mary Keyes of Chelmsford, Administratrix on the Estate of her late Husband Zebadiah Keyes of Chelmsford deceased-Humbly Sheweth that the sd Zebadiah on or about the last of March A. D. 1758 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the pay of this Province in an Expedition carrying on against Canada in a company under the command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo Joseph Williams Regiment and marched with thesd. Company to Fort Stanwix, at the Great Carrying Place & then faithfully performed his duty until about the beginning of August then next & there was taken sick & thereby, about the last of August he was sent in a "Battoe" to Schenectada & there put into the Hospital. He wrote home for a man & a horse which the petitioner sent & met him at Canterhook (Kinderhook) 180
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
miles distant from Chelmsford. He arrived home about Oct. 23, & there languished until the 4th Day of Nov. following & then died: That Benj Butterfield the man who went to assist him home was 15 days in performing the said Journey
her Mary X Keyes Admx Mark
Test Oliver Fletcher Chelmsford Sept 13 1759.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 78, p. 578.]
$5. for time and service. $7. for provisions. $3. used her own horse on journey. $2. for comfortable necessaries.
$17 asked. £3. 6. 10. allowed.
Affidavits of Mary Keyes & Benj Butterfield attached.
The Petition of Abner Keyes of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex :
Humbly sheweth that in the year AD. 1758 he was a Soldier in the service & pay of this Province at the Westward in a Company Commanded by Capt. Daniel Fletcher of Colo. Nichols Regiment, that he was on the twentyeth day of July the same year, Captivated by the French & Indians near to half way Brook, when Capt. Jones and a number of Officers and soldiers were Killed and taken, that he was carryed by the way of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, St. Johns and Montreal to Quebeck and there confined in Goal (sic) about two months, that he suffered many hardships there & whilest he was with the Indians in travelling thither, that he was sent from there to England where he arrived the twenty eighth Day of October the same year, and tarried there until the twenty second Day of January following and then was with a number of Prisoners shipped on Board a Transport bound for New York, where he arrived the fourth Day of May last; but the Kings Agent of the Transports one Capt. Price refused to put him & the other Prisoners on shore, and told them that if they would not go into His Majesty's Regular Service on shore that he would put them on board the men of war, upon which some of the Prisoners told the Agent that if they must do one or the other they choose to go on Shore, & he amongst the rest, & that he with a number were directly put on board a Schooner with a number of Regular Officers & sent to Albani; and some that refused to go with the sd Officers were put on Men of War; and when he & the rest landed at Albani the sd Officers compelled him & the others with him to march into the Town & immediately clothed them with the King's Cloathing & marched them forthwith to Fort Edward & compelled them to serve in the same Service without signing any inlistment, & that he served in the fifty fifth Regiment under the
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PROVINCE WARS
Command of Lieut Colo. Aives in Colo. Prideaux Company, until about the twenty ninth Day of December last, when he obtained a furlough to return Home for a while, not being discharged from the Service.
Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays your Excellency & Honours to take his sufferings and hard usages into consideration, and Order that he may receive out of the Publick Treasury of this Province a sum equal to what others have received for the like sufferings & loss of time &c.
Abner Keyes.
Chelmsford March 3, 1760 [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 29, p. 30.] £8. Allowed March 29, 1760.
The Petition of John Spaulding of Chelmsford in the Co. of Mddlesex humbly sheweth that his son Jonas Spaulding, a single person in the Spring of the year AD. 1758 was impressed & compelled into his Majesty's service in the pay of this Province, without receiving the Bounty of the said Province, and proceeded to the Great-Carrying Place, so called, and then performed his Duty faithfully in a Company under the Command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield, of Col Joseph Williams's Regiment, until about the middle of September then next, when he was taken sick and rendered unable for further service and there upon was conveyed from thence with others by order of the Commanding Officer to the Barracks at Schenectada, in Order to return home- ward, as soon as able to travel, from whence the sd Jonas sent word to your Petitioner to come and fetch him home, pursuant to which your Petitioner on the seventh Day of October following sent his son Peter Spaulding with a Horse to assist the sd. Jonas home, that the sd. Peter Spaulding proceeded to Schenectada about two hundred and eighteen miles and there found the sd. Jonas sick in thesd Barracks-and unable to travel (the sd Peter Spaulding arrived at the sd Barracks the twelfth Day of the same October) that on the next Day he set out homeward with the sd Jonas and travelled with him eight Days to Spencer-Town, so called beyond Sheffield and the sd Jonas then being unable to be removed any further homeward by reason of his sickness & weakness having increased upon him, the sd. Peter left the sd. Jonas at Spencer- Town aforesd. Where he died the twenty-seventh Day of the same October; and that your Petitioner necessarilay expended in performing that journey, in expences paid three Pounds, seven shillings & eleven pence lawful money, and paid for the Journey of the sd Horse eighteen shillings lawful money, besides the sd. Peters time being twenty days performing the same Journey; and that Truman Powell, the man with whom the sd. Jonas was
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
left at Spencer Town aforesd. retained and kept all the sd Jonas's cloathing and blankett of the value of three Pounds lawful money, for nursing and burying the sd. Jonas. John Spaulding.
Chelmsford, Oct. 10, 1763.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 80, p. 387.]
£5. 10. 0 to be paid to Sampson Stoddard Esq. for the use of the Petitioner-
The petition of Josiah Parkhurst of Chelmsford in the Co. of Middlesex humbly shews that his Apprentice John Porter in the year A. D 1760, inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the pay of this Province in an Expedition against Montreal under the Command of Capt. William Barron and proceeded to Crown Point & from thence to Montreal, & back again to Crown Point, & did his duty faithfully until about the tenth Day of November the same year, when he was taken sick of small pox, and put into the Hospital with a number of others, that when the Army was dismissed & returned home, Lieut Wesson was left to take care of them, and after some considerable Time all of the sd sick soldiers but four, who lived, having recovered so far as to be able to travel, Lieut Wesson & those able to travel came off from Crown Point homeward, and left the sd. Porter and three others, sick & unable to travel; with the regulars in a Hospital, that after some time the others left as aforesd recovered their Health so far as to set out Homeward and left the sd John Porter the only Provincial Soldier-that the sd John after he was somewhat recovered he broke out with greivous running sores and Ulcers which greatly affected him, and some of which run to this Day; and that he tarried at Crown-Point sick and utterly unable to travel until the fourteenth of May A. D. 1761. When he proceeded from thence to Albany about the last of the same May almost naked not having any stockings shoes or cloathing fit for his circumstances nor any but what the Charity of the People supplied him with, and destitute of any money to procure the Necessaries of life to support him home; and to prevent starving inlisted himself at Albani into one of the New York Batalions, and proceeded with them the last year to Osswago & Niagara in their service, and was obliged to make use of all his wages not having recovered his Health well, that he received for the same service, that he was dismissed from the service the first of November, 1761. and returned home to Chelmsford about the first of December last, and that the sd John was not made up on the Muster Roll of the sd Capt Barron for any longer Time than the rest of the Soldiers, who returned home at the Time when the Army was dismissed, although he was confined at Crown Point until May 1761 as aforesd. Where he suffered much, and that there was stopped out of his Wages on the Muster Roll six Dollars, for Hospital Charges, while he had the Small Pox, that the sd Josiah Parkhurst was at the Charge of Six Dollars besides Provisions in sending
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PROVINCE WARS
a Horse and Man, one David Nevens, in May A. D. 1761, to assist the sd John Porter home, who proceeded as far as Ticonderoga & who missed of the sd John, & could hear nothing about him only that he was dead, & so returned home without finding him- Chelmsford May 1762 Josiah Parkhurst.
[Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 80, p. 209.]
$12 and pay for loss of time asked. - £3.12.0-allowed
The greater number of these petitions are written in the hand of Oliver Fletcher. They give as perhaps nothing else could, at this day, the sufferings and losses which these men were obliged to meet in the service of the Province.
The lists of names on the rolls here printed show that Chelms- ford was called upon to make a large contribution of men to these wars, and many lives were sacrificed.
Lieut. Jona. Barron was in the successful siege of Quebec. Upon his return he presented Parson Bridge with a silver cup taken there. Lieut. Barron afterwards lost his life in the cam- paign against Crown Point in 1755, as did three other Chelmsford soldiers, viz .: Jacob Parker, James Emery and Solomon Keyes.
In the unsuccessful campaign of 1756, undertaken against the same point, of twelve Chelmsford men in the company of Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, of Dunstable (a native of Chelmsford), five lost their lives, viz .: Nathaniel Butterfield, Simeon Corey, James Dutton, Isaac Proctor, and Nathaniel Langley. John Barrett died at Lake George.
Joseph Richardson, Elija Galusha and Zebediah Keyes lost their lives. Samuel Emery died at Cape Breton. Jonas Spaulding died after reaching home in 1758.
The fall of Fort William Henry, at the head of Lake George, in 1757, occasioned great alarm, and troops were hastily sum- moned to repel a threatened invasion.
Among the certificates relating to captives taken at Lake George is this: "Elijah Butterfield taken at Lake George, A. D. 1757, being one included in the capitulation.
Chelmsford, Sept. 29, 1758.
Nathaniel Butterfield."
Others who gave their lives in these wars were: William Martin, at Cape Breton, 1745; Zacheus Blodgett, 1748; Timothy Howard, at Halifax, 1749; James Emery, at Fort Edward, 1755; Samuel Foster, of a fever, at Schenectady, and Robert Butterfield at Crown Point, 1756; Leonard Emery, at Louisburg, 1759; Zechariah Keyes, a ranger at Quebec, 1759. These in 1760: A son of Jonathan Harwood, Levi Spaulding (son of Lt. Jonathan), Thomas Durant and James Haywood. Eben Lyon and Abraham Comings died here in 1756, "lately returned from Nova Scotia."
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