USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Dedham > History of Dedham, Massachusetts > Part 20
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ROGER'S GROUP, THE APOSTLE ELIOT
A DEDHAM ROAD THAT THE APOSTLE ELIOT TRAVELLED
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ness, being a hundred miles distant, rendered its becoming a separate town inevitable. The shares of the proprietor were finally sold and the town was settled by other than its original owners. In October 1678 provision was made for the encourage- ment of the permanent settlement of the plantation under the name of Deerfield. In 1686 the obligation imposed by the Court was met in the organization of the First Congregational Church which is still fondly cherished by the residents of the town.
There stood for many years, in the village of South Natick, an oak tree with broad spreading branches under which Eliot preached to the Indians. With the lapse of time, this tree fell into decay and has recently been removed. In its place a beauti- ful memorial has been erected bearing the following inscription : In reverent Memory of JOHN ELIOT* Born in England 1604 Died in Roxbury 1696 Lover of God Lover of Men i
Seeker of the Christian Commonwealth Who on this spot preached to his friends the Indians in their own tongue the mercies and the laws of The Eternal
THE REGICIDES. No attempt to relate the history of Dedham, however brief, would be adequate without at least a a reference to the Regicides, Whalley and Goffe, who in their seclusion at Hadley, Mass., were waited on by Lydia Fisher of Dedham. Dr. Leonard Bacon, a descendant of John Bacon of Dedham says: "Perhaps no episode in American history appeals more powerfully to the imagination than that of the fugitive Judges, who had subscribed the death warrant of a king. Those whose feelings were on the side of the King, called him, 'King
. John Eliot "The Apostle to the Indians" entered Cambridge University, Eng- land on March 20, 1618 and took his degree in 1622. In Memory of him and his tender regard for the venerable institution, a prize and fellowship have been estab- lished at Jesus College the Master and Fellows of the College, having allowed the name of John Eliot, of whom they are justly proud, to be thus perpetuated.
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Charles the martyr,' and until recently his name so stood in the calendar of the Church of England. On the other hand, those who believed that his story, even to its tragic ending, is the story of a man, who, instead of regarding the kingly office as a trust, defined by law and charter, and to be used for the welfare of his countrymen, regarded it as a possession, to be used according to his pleasures, who deliberately attempted to destroy that here- ditary liberty of his people, which he had sworn to maintain. The regicides in whom we are interested did not wait for the arrival of the new King before they left England. They left Lon- don for New England on the 4th of May, 1660. Colonel Whalley, under the assumed name of Richardson and Colonel Goffe, under the name of Stephenson. They arrived in Boston on the 24th of July. They had many friends and sympathizers in America. Of those who founded the Massachusetts Company, ten or twelve had been members of the long parliament. On their arrival in Boston they called on Governor Endicott, who received them with great courtesy. They then proceeded to Cambridge, where they were to make their home. In those days Cambridge was not as accessible as now; it could only be reached by ferry from Boston, or road by way of Roxbury. When we consider the character of the men, it is no wonder that they were received with great favor by the Cambridge Church and admitted as members.
Edward Whalley was descended from a distinguished family, being a cousin of Oliver Cromwell. He was brought up to mer- chandise but when the war broke out he took arms on the parlia- ment side, and distinguished himself in many seiges and battles. William Goffe was the son of a Puritan minister. Though not liberally educated, he made such attainments in literature and science, as to be given the honorary degree of Master of Arts at Oxford. The regicides visited Boston often and had frequent in- terviews with the authorities and persons of distinction in the colony. When the act of Indemnity, granting pardons, with some exceptions, to those who had participated in the late "rebellion" arrived in Boston in November, 1661, it was found that Whalley and Goffe were not among those excepted. The royal proclama- tion, denounced them as traitors and murderers, and commanded that whoever met them to deliver them up. This caused the mag-
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istrates of the colony both alarm and perplexity. Nothing was done, however, and Governor Endicott later called a meeting of his assistants to advise him. They could not agree and no con- clusion was reached. A few days later the judges removed the embarrassment by voluntarily leaving the Colony. Accompanied by an escort of friends they set forth as privately as possible on Sunday, February 26, 1661, on their journey to New Haven. It was a tedious trip over what could have been but a bridle path, developed from Indian trails, which ever of the two routes they may have taken. At that time there were two paths, "The Bay Path," which led through that part of Dedham which is now Wel- lesley, and the "Connecticut Path," which led through Dedham Village. They reached Hartford, probably on Saturday, and stopped there to rest and pay their respects to Governor Win- throp. They arrived in New Haven on the 7th of March and took up their abode in the house of Mr. Davenport.
Two officers set out for their capture, leaving Boston at sun- set, May 6th. They arrived in Hartford on the 10th. While they were everywhere courteously received, and were favored with fine promises of aid, they were constantly baffled in their endeavors. In the summer of 1664 a commission was appointed by the king to visit the Colonies, and among other things to inquire whether any person accused of high treason was within the borders. For this reason it was thought best to remove the judges from Con- necticut. Far away in the northwest on the then frontier of New England, was the little settlement of Hadley, which had been founded six years before, by the Rev. John Russell and a part of his congregation, from Weathersfield, Connecticut. Mr. Russell was an ardent Puritan, and did not hesitate to take the risk of receiving them, to the shelter of his own house, in the wilderness, for which they set forth from Milford, Connecticut, October 13, 1664.
In this remote frontier town the Judges passed twelve years, or until the death of Colonel Whalley about 1675. They main- tained a guarded correspondence with their friends abroad. These letters were for the most part transmitted through the Rev. Dr. Increase Mather of Boston, who sought opportunity of sending them by safe hands to their destination.
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There would seem to be no reason for perpetuating the tra- dition that Daniel Fisher, the patriot, sheltered and concealed Colonels Whalley and Goffe, here in Dedham, and that his daugh- ter, Lydia, "carried them their food." The tradition probably arose from the fact that Miss Fisher later went to Hadley and waited on the Judges in their concealment, actually "carrying them their food." The Regicides were not in concealment here in Massachusetts, as it is believed today and when they left they went directly to Hartford. It is probable, however, that Miss Fisher was conducted through the wilderness to Hadley by her father, Captain Daniel Fisher. He was a prominent man in the Colony ; a member of the General Court and later the speaker of the House. As a public man he must have met the Judges often in Boston, and it is possible, of course, that he may have enter- tained them at his home on Lowder street, on the night of Feb- ruary 26, 1661, but their foresight, probably, carried them farther. As the presence of the Judges was kept a profound secret in Had- ley, prudence alone would forbid the employment of any one in the town; so when Mrs. Russell needed assistance, aid had to be obtained from outside of Hadley and naturally among those who knew of the presence of the Judges in America. As young women went out to service in those days, it is not unlikely that Dr. Math- er, learning of Mrs. Russell's need, arranged for Lydia Fisher's services, perhaps through her minister, the Rev. John Allin, with whom he was acquainted, or directly through her father. After about a year Miss Fisher returned to Dedham and married Na- thaniel Chickering, who was clearing a farm in that part of Dedham, which later became Dover. Mr. Chickering died in early manhood, but his widow continued to live on the homestead, where she reared her family of nine children. She died in 1737, on a farm just across the Dover line in Needham.
The Chickering homestead has been in the family for nearly two hundred and fifty years, and is still owned by lineal descend- ants. Provision for a memorial to Lydia Fisher Chickering has been provided by the late George Ellis Chickering, which will be erected in Dover in recognition of the services of one whom we must regard as the bravest woman in the Colony, who through all the years bore the burden of her secret imparting it only to her
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minister, the Rev. Jonathan Townsend of Needham, who wrote in his diary July 1, 1737: "This day died here Mrs. Lydia Chickering in the eighty-sixth year of her age. She was born in Dedham in New England on July 14, 1652, and about the year 1671 went from thence to Hadley where for the space of about one year she waited upon Colonel Whalley and Colonel Goffe (two of King Charles I Judges) who had fled thither from the men that sought their lives. Having lived a virtuous life, she died universally respected and came to the grave in full age as a shock of corn cometh in his season."
THE ACADIANS
The doom of the Acadians was sealed when France, by treaty, gave Nova Scotia to Great Britain. The French inhabi- tants, were required to take oath of allegiance to the British Crown, which they refused to do, except with the reservation of not being compelled to take up arms against their former sove- reign. This was for the time assented to, and they came to be known as French Neutrals. Their sympathies, however, were with their countrymen in Canada, and it was no secret that their loyalty to England was such only as their safety required. Pal- frey describes them as a virtuous, simple-minded, industrious, un- ambitious, religious people. They were rich enough for all their wants, they lived in equality, contentment and brotherhood.
With the outbreak of the last French War in 1754, Governor Shirley, fearing that the French "with the help of the Neutrals" would master Nova Scotia, repeatedly advised the removal of the Neutrals, and the burning of their houses and barns, as the only measure that would give security. Then followed their expul- sion, which it has been said exceeded in cruelty the expulsion of the French and Belgium population in the World War. More than 7000 were taken from their homes; some were brought to New England and others taken to countries far to the southward; fam- ilies were broken up, and their members widely scattered. On a given day the men of the several districts were summoned to assemble in their chief places of meeting, and there to learn the royal pleasure respecting their people. The account of the an- nouncement of their doom, as given to the men of Grand Pre is of interest.
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The young men were marched down first to the transport, then the old, and then the women and children. Of their property they were allowed to take nothing but money, clothes and house- hold furniture. Their lands, houses and farming stock, were ad- judged to be forfeited to the King. After the embarkation their buildings were burned, that there might be no shelter for any who might return. A thousand French Neutrals were brought to Massachusetts. The General Court directed that they be distributed among the farmers in the interior towns, there to be employed in getting their living under the supervision of town authorities. Elderly and infirm people were gratuitously support- ed, although they were anything but welcome guests. Some found their way to Dedham and the Selectmen made the following report to the Province of Massachusetts Bay: "The Neutrals at ye town of Dedham are one old woman, not able to do much work, one girl, something shiftless, a boy about 8 years old and another boy about 11, who is an idiot and so very mischiev- ously disposed as to make it extremely difficult for ye Selectmen to get quarters for him. There is another girl, who is sometimes here and sometimes absent. The town of Dedham rendered a bill for 35 pounds, 8 shillings to the Province for the board of 11 French Neutrals from February 4, 1758 to November 2, 1759 and again a bill for 21 pounds, 8 shillings for boarding 11 French Neutrals from January 9, 1760 to August 22, at which time we presume they left for Canada.
We have the pathetic petition* of Bannuway Eday of Ded- ham, made May 30, 1767, to the Province of Massachusetts Bay, as follows:
To his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq Capt General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majestys Province of the Mafsachufetts Bay in New England; To the Hon- ourable his Majestys Council; To the Honourable the House of Representatives in General Court at Boston in sae Province afsembled: The Petitions of Bennuway Eday, a French Neutral humbly Sheweth;
That your Petitioner was brought from Minas with other French People who were removed from Bene to
* June 4. 1767 the petition was dismissed.
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this Province: That he was brought into Boston by one Captain Lovett; That He was sent from thence to Cam- bridge with the Family to which He belonged: That being a young Man He left said Family and provided for Himself : That He never was under the Care of any par- ticular Town, as He knows of, nor ever received Help for Support from any: That the French People with whom your Petitioner designed to have gone went from hence without his knowledge: That your Petitioner and his Family are under such indigent circumstances that He is unable to provide a Pafsage for Them to Canada, where He would be glad to be transported; and therefore humbly intreats the Interposition of your Excellency and House to make such Provision for their Conveyance of Him and his Family to Quebec or some other Part of Canada as in your Wisdom and Goodness you shall scelect and your Petitioner as in Duty bound Shall ever pray.
his Bennuway X Eday mark
Dedham May 30 1767.
And so these French peasants, who had made their country a garden spot, were torn from all they had labored for, ruthlessly thrown into ships and scattered on the earth's surface to shift for themselves. The land, the houses, the barns, everything was given to immigrants, many of whom came from Massachusetts and a few from Halifax. After five years permission was grant- ed for them to return to Canada. Gathering their scant posses- sions, they banded themselves together, more than 800, old and young, and started in the summer of 1760 to walk over land from Boston through Maine to their old homes.
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CHAPTER XIV
FUNDS HELD IN TRUST BY THE TOWN OF DEDHAM FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES
"ELIZABETH FULLER CAPEN TRUST." Elizabeth Ful- ler Capen of Dedham, whose will was allowed April 6, 1910, created a trust fund of $12,000 to be held during the lives of two bene- ficiaries who were to be paid annuities of $150 and $100 respective- ly during their lives. Any surplus of income not needed for an- nual payments to be added to the fund. Upon the death of both beneficiaries, the trustees are directed to transfer the trust fund to the Town of Dedham with instructions to appropriate said trust funds either to found, erect, or maintain a hospital in said Ded- ham, where poor and indigent people in said Dedham can receive medical and surgical treatment and assistance in such a manner and form as said Town of Dedham shall decide to be proper and expedient, subject never the less, to the laws as to charitable trust, provided however, in case it is legally possible to do so. I direct that said fund thus transferred to said Town of Dedham shall be used to found, erect or maintain an Emergency Hospital for poor and indigent people in said Dedham, that is to say, it is my pre- ference, that said trust fund and its accumulations be used for emergency purposes, as herein before set forth, otherwise it shall be used for the purpose of a general hospital and as hereby pro- vided, and provided further, that in case said Town of Dedham shall deem it neither proper or expedient to appropriate this fund for an Emergency Hospital or a General Hospital, as herein before provided, then, net income from this, transferred to said Town of Dedham shall be used for emergency uses, that is to say, to pay proper and necessary expenses of nurses or nurse and proper- ly care for poor and indigent people in said Dedham, who by rea- son of accident or other misfortune may need immediate assist- ance of such kind.
With the decease of both beneficiaries, the Trustee, whose account was approved September 6, 1922, paid the Town of Ded- ham $12,893.85. The will provided for cash legacies to various persons and all the remainder of the estate is given to the Town
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of Dedham on the same terms and conditions above set forth. The executors' final account was approved June 4, 1913 and the residue paid to the Town of Dedham was $20,537.33, making a total of $33,431.18, which constitutes the amount of the fund.
"CALVIN W. CAPEN FUND." Calvin W. Capen of Ded- ham, whose will was allowed March 24, 1915 after making various legacies gives the following bequest to the Town of Dedham. All the rest and residue of my estate real and personal, I give to the Town of Dedham, such residue to be added to the fund known as the Elizabeth Fuller Capen Fund, to be used in the same manner and for the same purposes as said Elizabeth Fuller Capen Fund, as set forth in her will to which reference is made for more spe- cific uses of this bequest. The estate was settled in due time and the executors paid the Town of Dedham $33,393.95, which is the original amount of this fund.
"HANNAH SHUTTLEWORTH FUND." Hannah Shuttle- worth of Dedham, whose will was approved March 17, 1886, after making many bequests gave "all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, I give, devise, and bequeath to the inhabitants of the Town of Dedham, the same to be known as the "Shuttleworth Fund", and to be kept separate and apart from all other public funds of said town, and to be carefully invested in the name of said Town in sound securities by the Overseers of the Poor of said Town of Dedham, and the interest and income thereof to be ex- pended by a Committee who shall be appointed annually by said Overseers of the Poor, consisting of such suitable persons, either men or women, as may be interested in giving both aid and em- ployment to the worthy poor, and said interest and income shall be expended by such committee in furnishing pecuniary aid to such persons living in the Town of Dedham as they shall deem worthy to receive the same, and also in providing material for do- mestic work for the purposes of giving employment to those who in the judgment of said committee can be best aided in this man- ner." The residue of the estate paid the Town of Dedham was $30,279.00.
"GEORGE H. FRENCH FUND." George H. French of Ded- ham, whose will was allowed June 25, 1918, made the following bequest: "All the rest and residue of my estate I give, devise
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and bequeath to the trustee hereinafter named, to hold the same in trust, keeping it invested as he shall deem best for all con- cerned, allowing the net income thereof to accumulate to the principal of said fund until such time as a public memorial hos- pital shall be erected and used for public hospital purposes in said Dedham, when the whole of said fund shall be paid over by said trustee to the trustees, or directors or other officers having charge of like funds of said hospital, the same to be known as The Oliver Cheney French and George H. French Memorial Hospital Fund, the income only to be used for charitable hospital purposes con- nected with said institution.
Codicil made January 23, 1918:
I now direct that the income from the Trust Fund described in the fourth clause of said will, be used for charitable hospital purposes in said Town of Dedham as soon as available after my decease, under direction of the Trustee of said will, whether or not the hospital building in said Dedham shall have been erected; and I further direct that all of said Trust Fund, both principal and income shall be made over to the said Town of Dedham, as Trustee, for the same purpose as set forth in said will as soon as possible after three years from my decease.
September 15, 1921, the trustee paid to the inhabitants of the Town of Dedham for hospital purposes, the residue of the estate amounting to $13,634.65.
"THE McQUILLEN FUND." Robert C. McQuillen of Ded- ham, whose will was allowed Jan. 1, 1913, made the following be- quest: "To the Town of Dedham, one thousand dollars to be per- petually held in trust and known as the Hugh H. and Elizabeth F. McQuillen Fund, the income of which shall be used in assist- ing the worthy poor of the town.
""CHARLES BULLARD FUND." Charles Bullard of Ded- ham, whose will was allowed Sept. 6, 1871, made the following bequest: "I give and bequeath to the Dedham Library Association, twenty-five hundred dollars, the income thereof, but no part of principal, to be applied annually to the purchase of books for the use of said association."
The executors of the estate paid the Dedham Public Library $3000, October 20, 1872.
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"DANFORD PHIPPS WIGHT FUND." Danford P. Wight of Dedham, whose will was approved July 1, 1874, made the fol- lowing bequest: "I give one thousand dollars to the Dedham Pub- lic Library on condition that this bequest shall be held as a fund and the income applied to the purchase of books.
"CATHERINE M. LAMSON TRUST." Catherine M. Lam- son of Dedham, whose will was allowed January 17, 1912, made the following bequest: "To the Dedham Public Library, two thou- sand dollars."
A subsequent clause states: "If neither my said brother, nor any children of his be living at my decease, then, I give, devise, bequeath and distribute said residue in the manner following, it being my attention that the several bequests hereinafter made shall be in addition to and not in lieu of the bequests herein be- fore made to said Public Library, one thousand dollars." '
$3,000 was paid to the Dedham Public Library, March 4, 1912.
"THE PENNIMAN FUND." Edward A. Penniman, of New York, whose will was allowed April 27, 1914 made the following bequests: "In memory of the associations of my father and my- self with the Town of Dedham, in the state of Massachusetts, I give to the Dedham Public Library the sum of $5000; to the Ded- ham Historical Society, the sum of $5000; and to the Fisher Ames Club of Dedham, the sum of $2000. These sums to be used by said organizations as they deem fit and these, my legacies, are to be designated "The Penniman Fund."
Dedham Public Library Funds are as follows: Charles Bul- lard Fund; Danforth P. Wight Fund; Catherine M. Lamson Fund; James Foord Fund; Edward Penniman Fund.
"CEMETERY PERPETUAL CARE FUND." The Cemetery Commissioners advised in 1879 that a "Perpetual Care Fund" be established in the hope that donations and devices may be made from time to time to increase the fund, so that the beauty of the cemetery may be kept unimpaired.
Following the recommendation of the Commissioners, the proposed fund was established which was later made permanent by a statute of the Commonwealth as follows:
Chapter 114 Section 19
A Town may receive, hold and apply any funds, money or
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securities deposited with the treasurer thereof for the preserva- tion, care, improvement or embellishment of any public or private burial place situated therein, or of burial lots situated in such burial places. Such funds, money or securities shall be entered upon the books of the treasurer, and held in accordance with ordi- nance or by-laws relative thereto; a town may pass ordinance or by-laws consistent with law, necessary for the purposes of this section, and may allow interest on such funds at a rate not ex- ceeding six per cent a year. By-laws concerning moneys deposited for care of lots in Cemeteries was approved by the Superior Court, May 23, 1892. Section 1, The Town Treasurer shall receive such a sum of money, not less than one hundred dollars, as shall be paid into the town treasury by any person holding, occupying, or interested in a lot in either of the public cemeteries of the town, for the preservation and care of such lot, and shall keep an ac- count of moneys so deposited separate from other moneys of the town, with the name of each depositor and the number or other designation of the lot for the care of which such deposit is made and the name of the cemetery. Under the above laws, the Town of Dedham held on January 1, 1935 the sum of $23,577.01.
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