USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 36
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Webb bought the shares of the others and located on his property, which he called Draweutt or Draycott-on-the-Merri- mack. He later had a grant of 500 acres on the east of Beaver brook, besides other grants in Dracut and by purchase ac- quired the Dummer grant in Tyngsboro. He was the owner at one time of about 3000 acres, the greater part of which was purchased by Edward Colburn and Samuel Varnum. In 1668, the year in which Varnum purchased his land, Webb was drowned in Boston harbor. Rev. Samuel Danforth of Rox- bury states as follows: "17th 8th month 1668 Mr. John Webb alias Evered was drowned, catching a whale below the Castle. In coiling ye line inadvisedly he did it about his body think- ing the whale had been dead, but suddenly She gave a Spring and drew him out of the boat. He being in the midst of the line but could not be recovered while he had any life."
At his death, his widow, Mary, sold to Edward Colburn all the real estate that remained after her husband's death which included the Colburn New Meadows North of Marsh Hill. Captain Webb was successful in gaining the good will of the Indians and secured from them titles to his lands which later was to be a part of the township of Dracut.
WILSON
Joseph Morrison Wilson's birthplace was at Boscawen, N. H., but his residence, since he arrived at the age of three years, has been in Dracut and the portion of Dracut now within the Lowell limits. He has served two terms as Representative to the General Court and served four years as councilman under the
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old city charter. He has been active in every movement which would lead to better conditions in Pawtucketville. He has made a thorough study of the Indian History of the Merrimack valley, and his contribution to the chapter on Indian History in this work is of great value as it presents clearly the earliest history of this race of people.
WOOD
Solomon Wood, of Bradford, had lots in the reserved lands laid out to him in 1710 to 1721. None of his children's births are recorded on the town books and it is not known that he ever became a resident of the town. The ancestor of the greater part of the family of that name in Dracut was Benja- min1, who came from Bradford. He was born in 1687 and died in 1755. He had several lots of land laid out to him, on one of which he settled. He married first Elinor , second Mary -, third, in 1744, Ruth Merrill.
According to his will we learn the children's names, Joseph, Benjamin, Stephen, Ebenezer, Simeon or Simon, Josiah, Abigail, Elinor and William. To the last named he bequeathed the homestead on Broadway, afterward purchased by the town for a town farm. Stephen2, born in 1722, located on Christian Hill, and married Jane Phillips. Their son, Solomon3 enlisted at the age of 19 and was in Captain Peter Coburn's company at Bunker Hill. He married Eunice Hall, and his home was on the old Methuen road between the present Fay place and Methuen street. Their daughter, Eunice, married Guillaume Louis Rose Fortune Berson.
Mons. Berson had an eventful life. Born at Port-au-Prince, in the island of St. Domingo, June 21, 1780, he was sent to college in Paris, but on account of the insurrection of negroes in St. Domingo and the Revolution in France, he lost his prop- erty and was obliged to earn a living by manual labor. When he was twenty years old, he enlisted in the French navy and was taken prisoner by the English, who at that time were at war with Napoleon Bonaparte, and carried to Guiana. There he was exchanged and made armorer on the Berceau, which was a corvette carrying twenty-four guns. The United States
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and France being antagonists at this time, his vessel was cap- tured by a British sloop of war and brought to Boston, at which place he left the navy and having previous to enlistment learned the trade of watchmaker and jeweller, he resumed this occupation.
At this time all work of this nature was, like shoemaking, performed by hand and he could locate in a small room and manufacture his wares. Eunice Wood, with her sister, Persis, were employed in Boston, and, becoming acquainted with the young Frenchman, Eunice became his wife and they removed to Dracut, locating in the Benjamin Hovey house at Hovey Square. The birth of a son, Guillaume, born July, 28, 1805, is recorded in Dracut. He later removed to Salem.
Mr. E. Henry Wood in "The Genealogy of the Wood Family," says: "In 1815 he sold out in Salem and started with his family for the West Indies on the schooner Elizabeth with the purpose of improving his fortune. It proved an unfortu- nate undertaking. They arrived safely at Guadaloupe, but sickness compelled them to return at a season when our sea coast is liable to be visited by terrific storms of wind and rain. The captain and mate died of yellow fever, leaving the second mate and Mr. Berson to manage the schooner alone. It was then their fate to encounter one of these storms, which lasted forty- eight hours, during which many things were thrown overboard to lighten the vessel, among which it appears was the chest containing the family Bible with the family record. All hope seems to have been lost. The father gathered his little family about him and commended them to the safe keeping of the Great Father who rules the storm and watches over his children. But the end was not yet come. The critical moment passed; the storm subsided and the vessel was able to reach the port of Norfolk, Va."
Here his wife died thirteen days after their arrival. He removed to Blountsville, West Tennessee, where he died Jan- uary 25, 1856. Many of his immediate descendants, sons and grandsons became jewellers. Simeon2 served in the French and Indian war, and was among the English soldiers who was present at the dispersion of the Acadians, as described in the chapter relating to wars. Josiah3, son of Stephen2, married
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Mrs. Salla Wood, and their son Josiah4 married Martha and kept a store at Dracut Center. His son, Benjamin F.5, married Elizabeth Durant and lived on a farm on Greenmont Avenne. They were the parents of George H., and Millard F. Wood of Lowell.
William, son of Benjamin1, inherited his father's farm and married Abigail Fox. His son, Samuel F.3, and daughter, Hannah, who was the wife of Jonathan Crosby2, sold the farm to the Town of Dracut, and it became the town farm. Amos3, son of Ebenezer2, married Mercy Whiting, and lived on Chris- tiau Hill, near the upper reservoir. Micajah4, his son, was born in 1793, and married Rachael Richardson. They also lived on the same hill. The cellar of the house may be seen east of Mount Pleasant Street. Samuel4, another son of Amos, born in 1786, married first Harriet daughter of Colonel Lewis Ansart and second Patience Kendall. He kept a grocery store at Dracut but later removed to Lowell, and engaged in teaming, conveying the products of the mills to Boston and bringing back merchan- dise for the stores, as this was before the steam roads existed. His son, Samuel N.5, was born in Dracut and was a dealer in grain and flour in Lowell. Six of the name were in the Revolu- tion.
Solomon3 and Eunice were the parents of twelve children. Among them were Solomon4 and Stephen4. Solomon married, in 1806, Ruth Welch. In his endeavors to earn a living for his family, he removed from place to place, and finally went West to start anew in a new country. But it was not home for them and they removed to Dracut in 1820, settling in the part now annexed to Lowell. Having lost his wife by death, he married again; but as the second marriage was not of an agreeable na- ture, he made his home with his daughters, dying in 1868. Stephen4, married Chloe Fox, and lived on Marsh Hill. He died September 9, 1849, aged 61 years. Their children were Stephen, born 1818; Ephraim, born 1819; Elizabeth R., born 1816; Solomon, born 1823; Eliphalet F., born 1824; William.
RUSSELL
Russell, or Rousel, is said to be from the French and means red haired or complexioned. The English Russells are
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probably descended from John Russell, Duke of Bedford in the reign of Henry VIII. (Dixons surnames). The family line in America is:
1. John lived at Woburn; died 1676; married first, Eliza- beth -, who died in Woburn in 1644; married second, Elizabeth Baker.
2. John, born 1661; died 1680; married Sarah Champney. They had seven children.
3. John, married 1682 Elizabeth Palmer. They had eleven children.
4. Stephen, born 1687; married Ruth Harris.
5. Stephen, born 1722, died June 3, 1800; married Abigail Gage of Bradford, October 25, 1743.
Children : Lydia, married Ephraim Hall; Abigail, married Simeon Coburn; Sarah, married David Fox, Jr., Elizabeth, married Eliphalet Fox; Pate or Pattey died at age of five years; Stephen, died at age of two years.
Among the many parcels of land purchased by Stephen Russell, Jr., Blacksmith, the earliest, is dated February 14, 1755, and consisted of four acres near the land of Joseph Col- burn, Jr.'s homestead, which was later the Hovey house at Hovey Square, and as no buildings are mentioned, it seems evident that he built the old house now standing on Pleasant Street, east of the square.
He was a large and fine looking man and must have made a good appearance as captain of the Dracut company, which was in the battle of Bunker Hill. He was one of the company of Dracut men who conveyed timber to Newburyport by means of rafts on the river. He had mechanical skill and a table made by him is in the Dracut museum. He is reported to have made a violin in one day and played on it at a dance in the evening. His danghers were musical, each taking one of the four parts, Abigail singing base. He was kind and gentle and a lover of children, and when they "made their manners," as it was called, he would say they were good children.
The record of his funeral services is taken from the Inde- pendent Chronicle printed in Boston under date of June 9, 1800:
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STEPHEN RUSSELL
"Departed this Life at Dracut, on the 3d inst after a short but painful illness, Capt. Stephen Russell in the 78th year of his age. He was a kind and affectionate husband, a tender parent, a benefactor to the needy, and a friend to man- kind. His ingenuity, honesty & industry in his various pur- suits in life, contributed much to his usefulness in society. The citizens of the town, anticipating the part which duty might require them to act in defense of their Country's Rights in the late Revolutionary War, early made choice of him as their military commander, which he cheerfully accepted, and for many years discharged the duties of that office at home and in the field of action, with reputation to himself, and honor to his country. He was a true friend to order and good government; but a steady persevering opposer to tyrranny and usurpation.
He delighted in Rational Liberty founded on Republican Principles, Patriotism and Philanthropy were innate virtues of his soul. He was a constant attendant on public worship, and a strict adherer to the principles of morality. He lived highly respected and died much lamented.
From a grateful sense of the early part which Capt. Russell took in our Glorious Revolution, the important military serv- ices which he rendered, at a period all important to the Liberties of his country; his uniform principles of Republicanism and benevolence through life, his remains were interred on the 5th inst with military honors. After a very pertinent aud affecting prayer by the Rev. Solomon Aiken the funeral procession mov- ing from the dwelling house of the deceased with solemnity, in the following order; Two companies of infantry, commanded by Capts. Varnum & Hildreth with solemn music with arms re- versed, next the gentlemen present who had borne military commissions since the commencement of the Revolutionary War; then the corpse, followed by his aged widow, children, grand- children, and other relatives, and a large body of respectable citizens.
When the troops reached the burial ground, they formed, resting on their arms, until the corpse, relatives and others passed, and the body was deposited; the troops then discharged three volleys over the grave.
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The officers in and out of command and the troops attended the widow and relatives from the grave to the dwelling house of the dec'd; the companies were then marched to their place of parade and dismissed.
The military honors and other ceremonies were performed with solemn and decent deportment; each countenance seemed to express the heartfelt respect justly due to the deceased, and all retired with a gloom demonstrative of the last and final farewell of an affectionate friend."
He was instructor in military tactics of the Minute Men of Dracutt, having gained his knowledge from watching the British soldiery at their drills when he went to Boston-perhaps with farm produce.
"When the Provincial Congress thought proper to continue the Royal arrangement of the militia into regiments and com- panies as the best adapted rule of proceedure under existing circumstances, and agreed that there should be enlisted 12,000 men to act as Minute Men on any particular emergency, the volunteer companies of Dracutt, being attached to good order and government, reassumed their standing as private soldiers, and the whole company again organized and made choice of Stephen Russell as Captain, Ephraim Coburn as Ist Leftenant, Simon Coburn as 2nd Lt. and Abraham Coburn as Ensign. These were all respectable gentlemen, considerably advanced in life, but all of them almost totally uninformed in tactics and military discipline. In order to acquire a degree of necessary information in military matters they employed Joseph Bradley Varnum as an Instructor both to themselves and the men under their com- mand, in which capacity he continued to serve them until after the Revolutionary War."
ABEL COBURN
Abel Coburn was a descendent in the sixth generation from Edward1. He was born in Charlestown, Mass., August 24, 1816, and died October 2, 1894. He married Julia Ansart Varnum, and their home was on Varnum Avenue. His occupation was that of stone mason, but in later life he was a farmer. In 1871,
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he became a mail carrier and carried the U. S. mail between Lowell and Windham, N. H., until 1877. He was a deacon in Pawtucket church for thirteen years and was the chairman of the Board of Selectmen in 1874. He was strictly honest in his dealings with his fellowmen and was a worthy citizen of the town.
BLOOD
James Blood came to America in 1639 with his sons, Robert, James, Richard and John. Richard was one of the earliest settlers of Groton, and the ancestor of the Dracut family. The first names recorded on the town books are the children of Abraham and Martha:
David, born November 5, 1751.
Martha, born August 4, 1757, died February 3, 1848.
Coburn2, born September 15, 1759, married Jane Coburn, March 4, 1788.
Sarah, born November 24, 1761.
Hannah, born December 28, 1763.
Coburn, Jr.3, born February 9, 1789, died April 24, 1860; married August 8, 1816; Clarissa G. Coburn, born October 15, 1790, died July 26, 1856 ; one child, Orford R.4, born in 1826, married Ann M. Tabor, born in 1825.
Coburn2 held the office of captain in the days of compulsory training, and his son, Coburn3, was a colonel in the militia. David2 was in Capt. Stephen Russell's company in the Rev- olution.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
T HIS history is now completed and an earnest endeavor has been made to include all subjects of interest to the readers and to present every available fact relating to such subject. To a great extent information based on tradition has been ex- eluded and every effort made to record statements after sub- jecting them to proof. The record is a record of the past; the future of the town is yet to be enacted. That it will continue to keep pace with the march of improvement, there can be no doubt. Its resources are not yet fully developed, its broad acres can pro- vide homes for a multitude of people without congestion, the enterprising spirit of its citizens will be manifested in the in- ereased efficiency in agriculture, its manufactures and in educa- tion. The spirit of liberty, which existed in the time of our an- cestors, not only in the time of the Revolution, but in the early settlement of the colonies, when oppressed by the royal governors, has been shown by their descendants whenever the clouds of war have gathered or the problems of peace have presented themselves to be solved.
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