History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 171

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 171

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Colonel Hodgkins wrote February 22, 1778: "What our soldiers have suffered this winter is beyond ex- pression, as one-half has been barefoot and all most naked all winter; the other half very badly on it for clothes of all sorts; and to com Pleat our messery, very shorte ont for provisions. Not long since our hrigade drue but an half days Lounce of meet in eight days. But these defettis the men bore with a degree of fortitude becoming soldiers." The bloody foot-track in the "Flight through Jersey" and the extreme sufferings at Valley Forge are no myth. "These henign institutions, the dear purchase of our fathers, are ours," bought at a price unparalleled. On June 10, 1776, "Voted that this Town instruet their representatives that if the Continental Congress should, for the safety of the said Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they, the said inhabitants, will solemnly engage with their lives and fortnnes to support them in the meas- ure." The town had expended November 28, 1777,

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Nathaniel Smith Nehemiah Choate. Nehemiah Browo. Clerk, John Pearson.

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

.£1737 5g. That year was voted £1000 for recruits. In February the town voted to pay, in addition to Continental and State bounty, £18 for three years, or during the war, or in lieu of it, £6 for the first year, £8 for the second, and £10 for the third, if detained so long.

In May £16 was voted for eight months' men. Voted in September that the selectmen supply the families of soldiers, who were enlisted for three years, or during the war. In November a committee was chosen for that purpose according to law, and it was voted to raise £100 for the purpose. In April, 1777, at a very full meeting, the town approved the Gen- eral Court's order to prevent monopoly and oppres- sion, and instructed the selectmen "not to approbate any innholder or retailer that does not strictly adhere to it." In 1778 the town instructed her represent- atives to vote for the "Articles of Confederation," and voted to hire £900 to supply the families of sol- diers in the Continental Army. In 1779 voted to raise £3000 for town charges and war services, and £12,000 (old tenor) to pay men to be hired, if need be. In 1780 the town's proportion of supplies is 106 shirts, 106 pairs of shoes and stockings, 33 blankets and 31,800 pounds of beef. Voted £1200 for hire of soldiers. In March, 1781, voted £1000 to pay inter- est,-taxed for that purpose alone. In 1781 voted £500 for soldiers' pay, £220 for Rhode Island service, £400 for hiring four months' men, £200 for clothing, and £300 for beef. On January 1, 1782, the town earnestly desires instruction to be given the Commis- sion for negotiating peace, that they make "the right of the United States to the fisheries an indispensable article of treaty." The town voted £440 to pay four men lately engaged, and old Continental soldiers. These extracts exhibit the town as among the fore- most in sustaining the cause and the most discerning in the conditions of treaty. Our fathers hailed with joy the return to the arts of peace and the amenities of home.

BIOGRAPHICAL .- Conspicuous in our Revolutionary history is the name of COL. NATHANIEL WADE. He began as captain of " Minute-Men," in the town during their "discipline" for service. He led his company out on the memorable 19th of April, and commanded them at Bunker Hill, where they rendered efficient service. He was afterwards in the siege of Boston, and participated in the joyous acclamations of the citizens, when Gen. Howe sailed with his army, navy and tories for Halifax. He was in the campaign on Long Island, participated in the dexterous manœuver- ing of the troops through New York, and in the noble stands at Harlem Heights and White Plains. He suffered in the "Flight through New Jersey," where " many of the patriots had no shoes and left their blood-stained foot-prints on the frozen ground ; " and at Valley Forge, where a paucity of provisions and clothing severely tried their patience and endurance and cemented their patriotism. He attained the

rank of colonel in the Continental Army. He was actively engaged in the whole campaign in Rhode Island. He was president of a court-martial there, December 23, 1777. He was under Gen. Arnold at West Point in 1780, and upon Arnold's defection suc- ceeded to the command of the fort. On this occasion Gen. Washington wrote him, under date of Septem- her 25, 1780 :

"Gen. Arnold has gone to the Enemy. . . . The command of the Fort for the present devolves upon you. I request you will be as vigi- lant as possible, and as the Enemy may have it in contemplation to attempt some enterprise even to-night, against those Posts, I wish you to make, immediately after receipt of this, the best disposition you can of your force, so as to have a proportion of men in each work on the west side of the River. You will hear from or see me to-morrow."

Col. Wade was suspicious for some time, that all was not right about Gen. Arnold; but the general was so vigilant and adroit, that nothing could be ob- tained upon which to hase a charge.

The most tearfully joyous occasion of the colonel's life was probably the greeting of Gen. Lafayette, when the latter visited this country in 1824. At a collation provided by Col. Treadwell in honor of the town's distinguished guest at which were delegations from Ipswich, Haverhill and Newburyport, Col. Wade was presented to the general. Their embrace was cordial and "affecting beyond description." They had been companions in arms ; they had planned to- gether for success in the noble cause; they had fought for the same purpose; they had hoped together for the fullest realization ; and now they rejoiced together in the grand consummation and the glorious fruition of their hope. Their converse was earnest; their theme was familiar and involved points of the deepest interest ; and their feelings at times bearing sway " became too strong for utterance."

Col. Wade retired from the army near the close of the war and returned home; but upon the insurrec- tion led by Captain Daniel Shays, he entered the ser- vice under Gen. Lincoln and commanded the Middle Essex Regiment. The winter campaign was particu- larly severe, and he often afterwards spoke of his suf- ferings. This campaign closed his martial career.

He enjoyed the esteem and confidence of his fel- low-citizens, and held many important civil trusts as their gifts. He was town clerk from 1784 to 1814, and Representative to the General Court from 1795 to 1816 inclusive, and was county treasurer twenty-five years. He is said to have possessed a remarkable equanimity and mildness of temper. Says one, " He did not have a blot on his character." He died Octo- ber 26, 1826, at the age of seventy-seven years.

Another pleasant name of Revolutionary memory is COL. JOSEPH HODGKINS. He was first a lieutenant in Captain Wade's company of "Minute-Men." He was one of the score or more who were voluntarily led by Captain Wade into the battle of Bunker Hill. He was in the siege of Boston, the campaign of Long Island, the battles of Harlem Heights, White Plains and Princeton. He witnessed the surrender of Bur-

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goyne's army and guarded it on parole near Boston. He wrote numerous letters to his family while he was in arms, valuable mementos of his noble patriotism and descriptive of his campaigns, his sentiments and his sufferings, to which reference is made in the quo- tation above. He succeeded Col. Wade as commander of the Middle Essex Regiment, was Representative to the General Court from 1810 to 1816 inclusive, and held various town offices. It is needless to speak of his exemplary character. He died September 25, 1829, eighty-six years old.

Another illustrious man, the Gen. Denison of this period, who deserves an extensive notice, was GEN. MICHAEL FARLEY. He was a man of commanding infinence, of varied ability and comprehensive views. He was a tanner by trade. He excelled in State- craft. He was elected for many years to the princi- pal town offices. He was a long time town treasurer and feoffee of the grammar school. During the

Revolutionary period he was vigilant, earnest, active, efficient, in meeting, in behalf of the town, the de- mands of the government, for men, clothing and provisions. He was a member of the General Court from 1775 to 1779 inclusive, and of the Provincial Congress 1774 and 1775. The General Court accord- ing to the Governor's warrant for the election was to convene at Salem October 5th. Gen. Farley was chosen a deputy. Meanwhile the Governor recalled his warrants, but ninety deputies, including Gen. Farley, appeared and after waiting a day for the Governor, resolved themselves into a Provincial Con- gress and adjourned to meet at Concord the 11th. He was high sheriff, was a major-general of the mili- tia, and a member of the executive conncil, that ad- ministered the government from 1775 to 1780. When Gen. Lafayette came to this country to offer his ser- vices to this government, he came to Ipswich and was the gnest of Gen. Farley. The general was a very polite man, and "remarkably hospitable." Rev. Levi Frisbie wrote : "He was generous, public-spir- ited, humane and impartial; a great loss to the town and conntry." He died June 20, 1789, aged seventy years.

GENERAL DANIEL DENISON .- These annals of the wars would be very incomplete without some notice of General Daniel Denison, the foremost man of the times. He was born in England in 1612, and came to this country with his parents when about nineteen years old. He was at first a citizen of Roxbury, then of Newton, now Cambridge. He married Patience, daughter of Governor Thomas Dudley, and shortly after chose a permanent home in this town, then the home of his wife's father. He entered upon public life shortly after his majority, being elected deputy in 1635. He was deputy the five following years and in 1648, 1649, 1651 and 1652. Three years he was speaker. He was town clerk in 1636, and probably held the office till Mr. Symonds was chosen in 1639. In 1636 he was made captain. In 1638 he, with

others, began a plantation at Merrimack, now Salis- bury. In 1641 he was one of a committee to advance trade in the town. In 1643 he had a grant of two hundred acres to encourage him to remain here. Soon after the union of the colonies, March 19, 1643, he was called as a military leader. In May of that year he was one of five who were to organize and equip an army and set up fortifications. He was chosen the leader or drill master of the Ipswich militia, and they agreed to pay him £24 7s. an- nually. Wonder-working Providence calls him "a good souldier, of quick capacity, not inferior to any other of these chief officers."

He was one of three commissioners with full powers to treat with D'Aulney in the La Tour-D'Alney imbroglio. In 1647 he was made a justice in the In- ferior Court. He assisted in organizing and estab- lishing the grammar school and was one of the feoffees. He was made major-general in 1653, and was appointed several times afterwards. In 1657 he was one of a committee to ad- just the claims of Gorges to Kittery, York and other places, which they did with satisfaction. In May, 1658, he was requested by the General Conrt thoroughly to revise and codify the colonial laws, for which service he received half of Block Island, which was sold in 1660 for four hundred pounds. In 1660 he joined the Ancient and Honorable Artillery and was chosen their commander. In June, 1664, him- self, Bradstreet and Symonds, who were sometime Ipswich men, prepared a "Narrative" defending the course of Massachusetts in "the great confederacy of colonial times," against the accusation of the other colonies. He entered the Quaker controversy with decided views, and advocated strennous measures to prevent their " mischief." He took an active part in the controversy with the Dutch, and it was chiefly by his advocacy that war was averted. He was one year colonial secretary.

In the troubles between King and colony in 1660, Denison and Bradstreet counseled "the golden mean," basing their advocacy upon kingly preroga- tive and law, a conrse which was wise and prevailed. He was called to the front again when the Dutch took possession of New York. He was the general command- ing the Bay forces in the King Philip's War. His general's commission for this war, dated June 26, 1675, is in the State Archives, 67: 206. This war closed his military career. In 1680 he was chosen assistant, an office which he held, by re-election, till his death, September 20, 1682.

He was continually in the public service, and we know nothing of his private life except as it is mirrored in that service. The fact that he was a deputy ten years, assistant twenty-nine years, major-general eleven years, inter-colonial commissioner eight years, shows, after allowing for double service, that his public career began soon after he attained his major- ity ; that he was continually honored by his towns-

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men shows his home life to have been exemplary, and that public honors crowned the service of his youth, his manhood and his age, exhibits him a man of varied talents and learning, of stout-hearted virtue, of fullest integrity and unswerving purpose. He was quick to adapt means to ends, was a persuasive advo- cate, a faithful, judicious and wise counselor. He was an earnest Christian man and defender of the faith. He was one of the greatest men of his day.

A PAINFUL INCIDENT .- It is proper here to di- gress a little and relate an incident of peculiar sad- ness, the capital punishment of a youth of sixteen, who was accidentally made partaker of a heinous crime.

Jabez Ross was the father of seventeen children, of whom nine were living in 1775-six sons and three daughters. Five of the sons were in the army of the Revolution ; four fought at Bunker Hill ; one perished in the army of the North; three were enlisted for three years, and one, Ezra, the youngest, for one year. This son, only sixteen years of age, is the subject of this narrative. He had served the term of his enlist- ment and was returning to the home of his parents. The toils, hardships and sufferings of the war had been too much for his tender years, and he fell sick at Brookfield. He was brought very low, and for a time his life depended upon kind attention and watchful care. Providence placed him in the home of Mr. John Spooner, whose wife gave him " every kind office and mark of attention that could endear and make grateful a child of sixteen, sick and desti- tute." " After the evacuation of Ticonderoga, in his march to reinforce the Northern army, gratitude for past favors led him to call on his old benefactress, who then added to the number of her kindnesses and engaged a visit on his return."

The woman in question was Mrs. Bathsheba Spooner; she was the sixth and favorite child of Chief-justice Ruggles, a graduate of Harvard, a man of wealth, honor and social distinction. She was born February 17, 1745 ; was in the vigor of woman- hood and well educated. She had inherited wealth and social pride, and was haughty and imperious. Mr. Spooner, her husband from 1766, was a retired trader, a weak character, and the marriage was not happy. Dissension followed dissension, till she hated him and flew to criminal indulgence. Ross had a fine physique, and stature far beyond his years. He was youthful, ruddy, active, social, handsome. His youth and inexperience unconscionsly became the prey of the strong-minded, artful, seductive, profli- gate woman. Once in her toils, his youth furnished him with no power to extricate himself. He heard her hellish proposals and her flattering promises, but he "never attempted an execution of the detestable crime, notwithstanding repeated solicitation and as frequent opportunities, until on an accidental meet- ing he became a party with those ruffians who, with- out his privity, had fixed on the time and place."

The news of the deed spread far and wide ; the case became famous as the crime was heinous. Its secret could not long be kept ; the perpetrators were soon ferretted out, and Mrs. Spooner, two vagabond sol- diers and young Ross were arrested. The trial was short, the evidence conclusive and the sentence severe and condign. Much sympathy was felt for the woman because of her delicate condition, and for Ross because of his accidental knowledge of the deed, his youth and inexperience ; but several petitions for executive clemency, in both cases, were of no avail. The criminals met their fate upon the gallows, July 2, 1778. This history is a solemn warning to youth, and will ever excite our sympathy and pity.

SHAYS' REBELLION .- The town was active in sup- pressing the Shays' Rebellion in 1786-87. This grew ont of the scarcity of money, caused by the interrup- tion of trade and the long, tedious drain upon the energies and finances of the government by the late war, and was led by Captain Daniel Shays, who him- self participated in the Nation's struggle for freedom. Ipswich furnished twenty-five men, who were out sixty days, a winter campaign of great severity.

WAR OF 1812 .- In speaking of the War of 1812, we must begin with the Embargo Act, or, as the op- ponents of the administration, spelling it backwards, called it "The O-grab-me Act." England and France were in a desperate struggle. Between the "Berlin " and " Milan " decrees of Napoleon on the one hand and the "Orders in Council" of England on the other, the commerce of the United States suffered in the extreme. We reasoned, we remonstrated, we ex- postulated-all in vain. England was haughty, mo- rose, insulting. She vauntingly searched our vessels and impressed our seamen, with apparent impunity. This government retaliated by passing the "Embargo Act," by which all American vessels were prohibited from sailing for foreign ports, all foreign vessels from taking out cargoes, and all coasting vessels were re- quired to give bonds to discharge their cargoes in the United States. The effect of this act was to embitter political parties more deeply and to work disastrously upon the remnant of our commerce. It fell particu- larly heavy upon Boston and Essex County, of which Ipswich was an important element and factor. The feeling was so intense in Massachusetts-and Ipswich representatives aided in expressing that feeling-that the President was informed "that New England, if the measure were persisted in, would separate from the Union, at least until the obstacles to commerce were removed; that the plan had already been ad- justed, and it would be supported by the people." In 1808 the obnoxious act was in part repealed.

But our difficulty with England continued. She stirred up the Indians to prey upon our western bor- der; she searched our vessels upon the high seas ; she stationed vessels at the entrances of our harbors, and there searched our vessels and impressed our seamen under the pretense that they were English born. In

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eight years nine hundred American vessels were cap- tured, and more than six thousand seamen had been impressed. These wrongs had to be avenged. The United States at last declared war June 19, 1812. It was a Democratic measure and was bitterly opposed by the Federalists, and the seaports were particularly bitter.

A short time before the declaration of war our town held a convention to consider "the momentous sub- ject of our national affairs," to reply to communica- tions from Boston and Salem and to pass upon ad- dresses from Congress and the Legislature. They de- clared "that the county of Essex has of late been most grossly misrepresented to the agents of our country by men in whom this town have no confi- dence; they animadverted upon the administration ; they "were not convinced that any war in any case should be declared;" and they exclaimed, " Who is not convinced that enlarging the power of the authors and aiding the common enemy of free States was its prime object !" They heartily approved the minority address of Congress, and declared the address of the State House of Representatives to be a true expression of the will of the people. The records further declare " We are, nevertheless, determined to do our dnty to hring our beloved and afflicted country to a better state of things."

A company of "Sea Fencibles" was raised, and commanded by Major Joseph Swasey, captain ; Col- onel Joseph Hodgkins, first lieutenant; Jabez Far- ley, second lieutenant; and Colonel Thomas Wade, orderly. Of the three hundred men raised in Essex County, Ipswich furnished her quota, and October 3, 1814, voted to make the pay of drafted men seventeen dollars per month for the time in actual service. Ipswich commerce, however, never recovered from the stroke.

The last of these war veterans to fall was Thomas Smith. He died September 29th of last year, at the great age of ninety-three years, three months and twenty-six days. He was a hatter by trade, but had not worked at it since the use of machinery in that industry. He drew a pension for many years. He was a good kind of man, always well posted in Dem- ocratic measures and principles, was of a retiring dis- position, generous and a good citizen. He never married.

THE REBELLION .- The spirit with which Ipswich entered the war against the Rebellion was fervent and active. It was a vital resurrection of the same spirit that bearded the tyranny of Andros, and that pledged life and treasure to support the Declaration of Independence. She met the issue squarely and effectively. At an initial meeting she voted three thou- sand dollars in aid of the families of volunteers, which she supplemented from time to time with ample sup- ply. Her bounties were commensurate with those of sister towns. She was instant in season and out of season in providing comforts and delicacies for the

soldier upon the field and in the hospital. There were committees of the town, of the societies, of the churches, of the lodges and of the citizens, vying with each other in "the labor of love." The town's average enrollment during the war was about three hundred and eighty. She furnished about three hundred and seventy-five. She furnished her full quota upon every call. Fifteen of her men were commissioned officers. At the end of the war she had furnished a surplus of thirty-three men. She ex- pended $52,692 ; $13,200 exclusively of State aid.

THE MONUMENT .- When the cruel war was over, in 1869 the town selected a conspicuous and central location, and erected upon the rock-ribbed earth, at a cost of two thousand eight hundred dollars, a sightly granite memorial, " a single shaft, simple and plain," commemorative of her patriot dead. The front panel, which faces the north, is inscribed,-

"ERECTED BY THE TOWN OF IPSWICH IN MEMORY OF HIER BRAVE AND LAMENTED SONS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES TO THEIR COUNTRY IN THE WAR FOR UNION AND LIBERTY 1861-1865."

The other panels record their names. On the plinth in front is the year "1871," when the shaft was erected ; on the west, "THEIR DEEDS WE CHER- ISH ;" on the south, "OUR PATRIOT DEAD;" and on the east, "THEIR RECORD OUR UNION."

When the Roman matron, Cornelia, was asked to exhibit her jewels, she naively turned towards her boys and said, " These are my ornaments." These are our jewels.

THE ROLL OF HONOR .- [The roll includes the names of those who died in the service, and have their names upon the soldiers' monument. The first semi-colon is the name; second, age; third, com- pany; fourth, branch of service; fifth, mustered in ; sixth, mustered out; seventh, remarks. The abbre- viations are : B., battalion ; Bat., battery ; Cav., cav- alry ; d., died, or dead ; H. A., heavy artillery ; I., infantry ; ss., sharpshooters ; tr., transferred ; V. R. C., veteran relief corps ; en., expiration of term of eu- listment.]

Andrews, Luther B. ; 31; D ; 48 I .; 10 Oct.'1; d. 2 June, '4.

Barker, John A. ; 42; I; 23 I .; 9 Oct.'1 ; d. Phila. 30 Aug. '4.

Batchelder, Chas. P .; 18 ; L; 1 II. A. ; 28 Feb. 12 ; d. of wounds, Wash- ington, 23 Aug. '4.

Bridges, Gelois F .; 23; I; 23 1; 16 Oct.'] ;' d. Richmond prison, Va., 16 May, '4.

Bridges, John O .; 27; I; 23 I .; 16 Oct. '1; d. Newbern, N. C., 26 April, '2.

Brown, Henry A .; 18; I; 23 I .; 28 Sept. '1; d. Newbern, N. C., 21 April, '2.

Brown, Jeremiah W .; 19; -; 4 Bat. H. A. ; 24 Feb. '4 ; 14 Oct. '5.

Butler, Pierce L. ; 20; A ; 1 H. A. ; 5 July, '1 ; d. 2 Jan., '5.

Cash, William ; 33; L; 1 H. A. ; 20 Mich., '2; d. Andersonville, 26 Mch., '2.

Chambers, Nathl. ; 20; A ; 1 H. A .; 5 July, '1; d. Patrick Station, 16 Feb., '5.

Clarke, James A .; 61; I; 23 I .; 28 Sept., '1; d. Hatteras Inlet, 7 May, '2.

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Cowles, Henry A. ; 18 ; K; 150 O.[Nat. G'ds ; 15 April, '4; d. Fort Sara- toga, 14 July, '4.

Crowley, Peter ; 22; G ; 1 H. A. ; 4 Dec., '3; d. of wounds, bear Peters- burg, Va.

Dew, Chas. H. ; 18; I; 23 I ; 16 Oct., '1 ; kld. Cold Harher, 3 June, '4. Estes, William A .; 19; I; 1 H. A. ; 5 July, '1; made prisoner Ander- sonville, 22 June, '4.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 171

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538