USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 185
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Daniel Farnam or Farnham, the only unqualified Loyalist in the town, was born in York, Maine, in 1719. He was a son of Daniel Farnham, a native of Andover, Massachusetts, and was fitted for college by Rev. Samuel Moody, of York, who was a lineal de- scendant of Caleb Moody, of Newburyport. Mr. Farnham graduated at Harvard in 1739 and studied law with Edmund Trowbridge, who was considered the best lawyer of his time, and who held a seat on the bench of the Superior Court of Judicature from 1767 until his resignation, in 1775. In July, 1740, soon after his graduation, he married Sybil, daughter of Rev. Samuel Angier, of Watertown, and granddaugh . ter of Rev. Urian Oakes, president of Harvard College from April 5, 1675, to July 2, 1681. After his admis- sion to practice he removed to Newburyport, or, as it then was, the "Port " of Newbury, and began his professional life. It is believed that at that time there was no lawyer east of Salem. He was a man of great industry and boundless activity, both control- ling a large professional business and taking a leading part in the direction and management of public affairs. About 1750 he bought a lot of land of Abiel Somerby, where the Kelley school-house now stands, and there erected a large square dwelling-house in the style of the colonial period. It stood a little back from the street, with three fine elm-trees in front, and the gar- den was inclosed by a solid brick wall, which gave a substantial appearance to the whole estate.
Col. Farnham was a public-spirited man, and was at the head of every important improvement in and about his adopted town. He was one of the leading signers to the petition for the incorporation of New- buryport, the person to whom the warrant for its first town-meeting was directed, the moderator of its first annual meeting, and the chairman of its first Board of Selectmen. Hon. Eben F. Stone, from whose manuscript sketch of Col. Farnham the writer has already freely drawn, says that,
" lu the curly special meetings of the town relating to the stamp act
and other measures of England to extort a revenue from the colonies, before all hope of a peaceable adjustment of the controversy was aban- doned, he took an active and important part. But when the opposition of the Province to the policy of the Crown had passed the point consis- teut with loyalty, and every citizen was compelled to choose between two courses, neither of which was free from douht and peril, Col. Farnham, like the great majority of those who were well situated under the subsisting relations between the. Colonies and the Government of England, and who could find in the alleged grievances no sufficient ex- cuse for disloyalty or rebellion, remained true to his principles and stoudby the King, Ardent, high-spirited and impetuous, he disdained to yield to the suggestions of prudence, which controlled the conduct of some of his friends, and boldly denounced the leading whigs and liberty men as low-breakers and rebels."
He died at his home in May, 1776. The sugges- tion that he was killed by the rebels is sufficiently silenced by the following letter written by his son-in- law, Dr. Micajah Sawyer, to another son-in-law, Rev. Mr. Weld, of Braintree :
" NEWBURYPORT, 18 May, 1777.
" DEAR SIR, -By this I am to inform you of the dreadful news of the death of your late honored father, Col. Farnham, after a short sickness, in which the symptoms were violent and the progress irresistibly rapid ; for & more particular account I must refer you to Dr. Smith.
*
" )1. SAWYER." *
Before the exigencies of the Revolutionary period had actually arisen, the town had gone on perfecting the operations of its municipal machinery and was in a good condition to meet the storm. A little dissatis- faction, however, with the new state of things, had occasionally existed and several feeble attempts were made to bring about a re-union with Newbury. On one of the trials of the question in town-meeting, fifty- two were found to vote in the affirmative out of a total of three hundred and fourteen. It is a singular fact that, at a town-meeting held in January, 1773, it was voted to change the name of the town to " Portland," what is now " Portland " being then " Falmouth," and that the vote has never been either taken any notice of nor repealed. In 1774 the first stage-coach in the coun- try, drawn by four horses, was established by Ezra Lunt, connecting with Boston by the way of Salem and making three trips per week.
On the 23d of September, 1774, a Committee of Safety and Correspondence was appointed by the town, consisting of the following gentlemen :
Hlou. Benjamin Greenleaf.
Capt. Jonathan Greenleaf.
Patrick Tracy, Esquire. Dr. Micajah Sawyer.
Dr. John Sprague. Mr. David Moody.
Willianı Atkins, Esquire.
Mr. John Bromfield.
Cupt. James Iludson.
Mr. John Stone.
Mr. Edmond Bartlett. Major William Coffin.
Mr. Ralph Cross, Jr. Capt. Thomas Thomas.
Tristram Dalton, Esq. Capt. Joseph Huse.
Mr. Edward Harris. Capt. Samuel Batchelor.
Mr. Enoch Titcomb, Jr.
Mr. Moses Nowell.
. Cupt. Jacob Boardman. Mr. Jooathan Jackson.
Mr. William Teel.
Mr. Richard Titcomub.
Mr. Samuel Tufts. Mr. John Herbert.
Capt. Moses Rogers.
Mr. Moses Frazier.
Mr. Jonathan Marsh.
Capt, Nicholas Tracy.
The seizure of the public stores at Concord by the British troops and the battle of Lexington were finally the signal for action. On the receipt of the
NEWBURYPORT.
1745
news at Newburyport, Capt. Moses Nowell at once mustered his company of militia and started at eleven o'clock at night to render assistance. Their service was probably only for a few days. The members of this company were as follows :
Moses Nowell, capt.
Benjamin Perkins, lient. Elias Davis, lieut.
Nathaniel Montgomery, corp.
Stephen Jenkins, lieut.
Samuel Foster, corp.
Paul Lunt, sergt.
Timothy Ford, sergt. William Amer, sergt. Samuel Clark, sergt.
Benjamin Pearson, drum. and fife. Richard Hale, drum. and fife. Calel Haskell, drum. and fif ...
I'rivales.
Joseph Cross.
John Kettle. Joseph Toole.
lohn Somerby. John Wyatt. Wm. Shackford.
John Stickney.
Eilmund Pettengel,
Joshua Mitchell.
Moses Kimball, corp.
Eliphulet Pilsbury, corp.
Benj. Pearson, drummer.
Jacob True.
Thomas Hayoes. Moses Pidgeon.
Jonathan Carter.
John Brett.
John Ward Brown.
John C. Roberts.
Privates.
David Rogers.
Wmn. Coker.
Nathan Warren.
Isaac Marble.
Win. Shackford.
Samuel Lankester.
Samuel Huse.
Daniel Ela.
Enoch Fort.
Thomas Gould.
Pant Noyes.
Thomas Gould.
Jesse Emery.
Joseph Somerhy. Samuel Ifarris.
John Cheever.
Parker Chase.
Bart. L. Spooner.
Thomas Morrill.
Nicholas Moody.
Michael Cogswell.
David Rogers.
Thomas Weskom.
Enoch Richardson.
Moses Newman.
Joseph McHard.
Moses Cross.
Benj. Davis.
Edward Tappan.
W'm. Conner.
John Brown.
Scipper Lant.
Benjamin Backley, Jr. John Adams.
Joseph Herbert. Jacob True.
Nathaniel Stevens Batsoo.
Moses Nowell.
Edmund Morse. Richard Titcomb.
Mayo Greenleaf.
Samnel Wyatt.
David Pearson.
Wm. Holliday.
Samuel Swazy.
Asa Dickson,
Joseph Stickney.
Nathaniel Mitchell.
William Hazeltine.
Amos Follansbee.
Thomas Boardman.
Nathaniel Smith.
John C. Roberts. Joseph Somerby, Jr.
Tristram Plumer.
Enoch Moody.
Isaac Currier.
Jos. Whittemore, Lieut.
Thomas Merrill.
Stephen Jenkins, Lient.
Benj. Eaton.
Wm. Stickney, Ens.
Samuel Foster, Sergt.
Solomon Aubin.
W'm. Stickney.
John Holliday.
Thomas Frothingham, Sergt.
Nicholas Titcomb.
John Sleeper.
Joseph Davis.
John Brazier, Drummer.
Moses ('arr.
Thomas Merrill. Jonathan Dole.
Daniel Somerby.
John W. Folsom, Fifer.
. - Wm. Damm.
James Brown.
Jonathan Norton.
Caleb James.
Moses Newman.
Jonathan Carter.
Thomas Haynes. Aaron Davis.
Henry W. Tines.
Amos French.
Edward Swain.
Thomas Frothingham.
Roger Lord.
Jeremiah Smith.
Benj. E. Knapp.
Samuel Nowell.
Enoch Plumer.
Moses Wickes.
Benj. Perkins.
John Pettingel. Thomas Leigh.
Nehemiah Haskell.
John Dilaway.
Daniel Pike.
Jacob Koap. Benjamin Greenleaf.
Joseph Pearson.
Charles Jarvis.
Edmund Rogers.
Stephen Wyatt.
Nathl. Godfrey.
Thomas Gardner.
Luke Wehster.
It is possible that some of the above men belonged
to the adjoining towns, as it hardly seems probable that Newburyport could have sent in one company fifteen officers and one hundred and fifteen men. They are called, however, on the rolls at the State- House, Newburyport men.
On the 9th of May, 1775, a volunteer company was provided with accoutrements by the town and marched to join Colonel Moses Little's regiment in the Con- tinental army, the members of which were as follows:
Ezra Lunt, capt.
Nathan Smith.
Paul Lunt, lieut.
John Perry,
Nathl. Montgomery, lieut.
Robert Haskell.
Robert Fowler, sergt.
John Smith.
Nathl. Mitchell, sergt.
Thomas Bolton.
John McLary, sergt.
Samuel Stickney.
Edmund Morse, sergt.
Joseph Woods.
Timothy Palmer, corp.
Moses Rogers.
Win, Holladay, corp.
Josiah Carr.
Titoothy Palmer. Michael Tappan. Moses Kimball.
Nathaniel Warner. Isaac Frothingham. Zebulon Titcomb.
Benj. Newman, drummer.
Bishop Norton, fifer.
Mayo Greenleaf. David Pearson.
Jonathan Plumer.
John Chase. John Beck ford. Win. McChotock. Josiah Teel.
John Brown.
Enoch Pierce.
Thomas Hammond.
John Stickney.
John Shackford.
Joseph Smith.
John Sleeper.
James Pinder.
Moses George.
Richard Goodwin.
Moses Moores.
John Chase.
Another volunteer company marched for Cam- bridge in the latter part of May to join the Continen- tal army, and, with the company of Captain Lunt, was at the battle of Bunker Hill. The members of the company were as follows :
Benj. Perkins, Capt.
Joseph Davis.
Benjamin Eaton. Silas Parker. John Cook.
Wm. Farnham.
Wm. Conor.
Amos Pearson.
Lewis Gay.
Amos Pearson, Sergt.
Joseph Somerhy (2d).
Stephen Morse.
Moses Cross.
Thomas Wescomb, Sergt.
Silas Parker.
Thomas Hammond.
Moses Moers.
Richard Hale, Drummer.
Isaac Howard, Fifer.
Amos Hale. Juhn Brett.
Privates.
Jesse Amory. John Perry.
James Forth.
John Little.
Isaac Frothingham.
Moses Pidgeon.
John Kettle. Josiah Teel. Paul Stevens.
Thos. Boardman. Samuel Coffin. Zebulon Titcomh.
110
Philip Johnson. John Goodhne.
Lemuel Coffin.
Richard Stockman.
Sammel Hall.
Joseph Stickney.
Hezekiah Goodhue. Moses Greenleaf. John Little.
Michael Titcomb.
John Goodhne.
John Hammond.
Abratiatu Knowton.
Timothy Condrew.
Caleb Hlaskell, fifer.
John Matchett. Richard Shay.
Francis Rogers.
Moses Fessenden.
Moses Pike, corp. Nathaniel Tilton, corp.
Stephen Giddins.
1746
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Joseph Somerby. Samuel Harris. Jacob Knapp John Cook.
Joseph Pettingel. Makepeace Colby. Jacob F'oss.
Jacob Willard.
Simeon Noyes.
John ('hoat.
John Stockman.
Eben Choat.
Benj. Newman. Drummer.
Samuel Place.
John Stonney, Fifer.
Michael Stockman.
The following were miscellaneous enlistments :
Benj. Marriners.
Samuel Phipps.
John Foster.
Richard Swan.
Patrick Harrington.
John Smith.
Shedrick Ireland.
Jolın Stone.
John Murray.
Patrick Tracy.
Solomon Offin.
John York.
Wm. l'uttle.
Benj. Clannen.
Daniel Pike.
Charles Butler.
Joseph Harbott.
William Farnam.
William Ray.
Enlistments in 1776 for three years,-
W'm. Noyes.
Wm. Duggios.
Obadiah Robertson. John Lunt.
Stephen Kent, drummer. John Stockman, Jr.
John Fling.
John Brown.
Cato Shaded, fifer. Chas. Jarvis.
Detachment of Captain Moses Nowell's company stationed at Plum Island from November 20, 1776, to January, 1777,-
Moses Nowell, capt.
Mayo Greenleaf.
Jos. Whittemore, lieut.
Benj. Toppan.
Nicholas Titcomb, lient. Moses Cleary.
Moses Pike, sergt.
Richard Jackman.
Enoch Moody, sergt.
Tristram Pilsbury.
Daniel Knight, sergt.
Isaac Adams.
Mores Cross, sergt.
Christopher Merrill.
Isaac Knapp, corp.
W'm. Ramsdell.
Benj. Newman, corp.
David Lull.
Stephen Bartlett, corp.
John Low.
Wmn. Shackford, corp.
Peterson Roby.
Theodore Pearson, corp.
Joseph Pike.
Samuel Newman, drummer.
Enoch Rogers.
Jonathan Kettel, fifer. Privates.
Stephen Stickney.
Annis Merrill.
Daniel Somerby.
Richardson Norton.
Samuel Long.
Joshua Davis.
Moses Davis.
Jas. McDonald.
Simeon Pearson.
Enoch Sweat.
Jonathan Lowell.
Enlistments of Newburyport men in the company of Captain Timothy Barnard, of Ipswich, in Colonel Moses Little's regiment in 1776 for two months,-
Moses Kent, lieut.
Patrick Harrington.
Nicholus Titcomb, sergt. Shadrick Ireland.
John Cook, corp. Richard Swan.
John Brown, corp. John Smith.
Isaac Iloward, fifer. P'rivates.
Josiah Tool.
Nathaniel Tilton.
Samuel Barrell.
Benj. Colton.
Patrick Tracy.
Samuel Brown.
Oliver P'ntnam.
Makepiece Colby.
W'm Young.
Tristram Turner.
Thomas Lakeman.
Anron Davis.
John York.
Moses Davenport.
Enoch Sweat.
Roland Stockman.
John Stickney.
Julın Butman. Enoch Greenleaf.
Jonathan Titcomb.
Sammel Swazey.
Richardson Norton,
Jacob Brown.
James Morrell.
Moody Stickney. Enoch Moody.
John Butten.
Joseph Duvis.
Enoch Boynton.
Silas Adams, Lient.
Nathaniel l'earson.
Benj. Stickney, Lieut.
W'm. Seurl.
Paul Moody, Sergt.
Jacob Low, Jr.
Richard Martin.
Privates.
Benj. Poor.
Joseph Danforth.
Amos Poor.
Jedediah Stickney.
Eliphalet Poor.
John Noyes.
Stephen Smith.
Nathaniel Adams.
John Sawyer.
John Currier.
Abram Thorla.
Jedediah Currier.
Nathan Adamıs.
John Cheney.
Jacob Hale.
Joseph Choat.
Jacob Low.
Win. Flood,
Enoch Adams.
Oliver Goodridge.
John Turner.
John Lunt.
Thomas Smith.
David Chute.
Enoch Adams, Jr.
James C'bute.
Amos Stickney.
Timothy Dorman.
Stephen Lunt.
Daniel liale.
Stephen Gerrish.
Abner Woodman.
Members of the Newburyport company com- manded by Captain Moses Nowell, stationed at New- buryport from November, 1775, to January, 1776, --
Moses Nowell, Capt. Orlando Browu.
Elias Davis, Lieut.
Moses Duvis.
Moses Greenleaf, Lieut.
John Bickford.
George Gibbon, Sergt. Moses Willy.
Moses Pike, Sergt.
Enoch Dole.
John Adams, Sergt.
Nathaniel Dummer.
John Wills, Corp.
John Stanwood.
Zebedee Farnham, Corp.
Wm. Stickney.
Richard Goss, Corp.
Lewis Gray .
Isaac Johnson, Corp.
Somerby Chase.
Jacob Kuhn, Drummer.
David Pettingel.
Joseph Cross, Fifer.
Joseldı Chase,
John Powell.
John Stone.
Privates.
Joseph Mellard.
Jeremiah Farnham.
Benj. Clanten.
Thos. Giles.
Chas Butler.
Nathan Godfrey.
Enlistments of Newburyport men in the company of Captain Moses Greenleaf in battalion of Colonel Eben Francis for the expedition to Bennington in 1776,-
Thos. Wyatt. Abraham Toppan.
Patrick Tracy.
Philip Johnston.
Wm. Page. Benj. Cotton. Daniel Lane.
Abiel Kent. Joseph Mitchell.
Patrick Harrington.
Shadrick Ireland.
Joseph Noyes. Daniel Somerby.
Charles Butler.
Benj. 11. Toppan.
John Coffin.
Benj. McClenning.
Joseph Knight.
Michael Titcomb.
John Murray.
W'm. Elliot. Sammel Nelson.
Of this company at the battle of Bunker Hill, Jonathan Norton, Amos Pearson and Joseph Whitte- more were wounded, and Samuel Nelson was killed. · Another company was raised and marched to Cam- bridge in 1775, of which the following were the New- buryport members :
Samuel Gerrish, Capt.
Other enlistments in 1775 were for the company of Captain Jacob Gerrish, in Colonel Moses Little's regiment,-
Win. Johnson.
Samuel Nowell.
Joseph Poor.
1747
NEWBURYPORT.
Morrill Whittier, sergt.
James Donnoly.
James Lindsey.
Thos. Ilolliday, drummer. Privates.
James Ward.
John Dexter.
Sammel Davis. Charity Kittout.
Joseplı Little. Timothy Farrar.
Anthony Boston.
Enlistments in 1778 for nine months,-
Benjamin Webster.
James Bafford.
Samuel Davis.
John Rowe.
Jonathao Huntoon.
Joseph Little.
Nine months' men enlisted for the Continental
army in 1779,-
Thomas Eliot.
Benjamin Draper.
Brojamin Bagley.
Samnel Newman.
John Welch.
Hugh Felton.
Andrew Labonta.
Cicero Ilaskell.
John Mullins.
Isaac Johnson.
Thomas Wood.
Thomas Beck.
Thomas Wood, Jr.
Samuel Ober.
James Kavan.
Abram Dodge.
Wm. Follansbee.
Joshua Pettingal.
Nathan Haskell.
John Thompson.
Wm. Noyes, Jr.
John Rntman.
Six months' men enlisted for the Continental army 1780,-
Jonathan Beck.
James Smith,
Thomas Beck.
John Mann.
Moses George.
Moses George, Jr.
Stephen Smith,
David Donning.
Josiah Melvon.
Wm. Stoneman.
David Melyon
Levi Davis.
Benjamin Smith.
Nath'] Howard.
Jeremiah Smith.
Jeremy Smith.
Daniel Gale.
Benoni Knapp.
Ezekiel Sterns.
Enuch Trott.
Eliphalet Calley.
Eben Sterns.
Caleb Fogg.
Lancaster Beck.
George Saunders.
Moody Stickney.
Samuel Dudley.
John Parker Wilson.
Moses Titcomb.
Nathan Chapman.
Wm. Murray.
Cicero Haskell.
David Collier.
Oxford Task.
John Stone.
Leonard Cotton.
Jeremiah Spencer.
Isaac Pinkham.
Jonathan Prescott.
John Haines.
Samuel Cram.
James Norris.
Jonathan Say ward.
Jonathan Calley.
John Woodbury.
Benjamin Cotton.
Michael Pike.
James Thomas.
Eben Haines.
Richard Sbay.
Enoch Foot.
James Coudy.
Benjamin Woodbury.
Paul McPherson.
Makepeace Colby.
Johan Nusun,
Daniel Collins.
Wm. Ray.
Leonard Cotton.
W'in. Poor.
Paul Coffin.
Daniel Pierce.
John C'olaney.
Robert Pembroke.
John Cancey.
James Pinder.
George Coffin.
Oxford Tash.
Michael Crosby. Eben Choat. Benjamin H. Toppan.
James Delaney.
Morrell Whicken.
David Duning.
Wm. Williamson.
Jonathan Day.
Muses Whicken.
John Davis.
John White.
John Ennis.
Nathaniel Willet.
Moses George.
James Ward.
Eliphalet Griffith.
Moses Woodman.
Thomas Good.ile.
Nathan Whitney.
Thomas Giles.
Stephen Wyatt.
Solomon Aubin.
Joseph Willes.
Jonathan Buswell.
Benjamin Willet.
Corp. Annis Merrill. Wm. Perry.
Corp. James Jacksoo. Stephen Carlton.
Thomas Goss.
Jas. Jewet. Christopher Merrill.
Privates.
Wm. Pidgeon.
James Chase.
John Ilam.
Jos. Somerby.
Richard Smith.
Jonathan Noyes.
Jos. Topping.
Jus. Brown.
John Willard.
John Cheavers.
Moses Woodmsn.
Enoch JIale.
Enlistments of Newburyport men in 1777 for two months in Rhode Island in the company of Captain Moses Nowell in Titcomb's regiment,-
Moses Nowell, capt.
Thomas Cheaney.
Daniel Pike, drunner.
Jonathan Emerson.
Samuel Stickney, fifer.
Joseph Wright.
Amos Poor, corp.
Humphrey H. Richards.
William Elliott, corp.
Nehemiah Choat.
Joseph Pike, sergt. Nathaniel Bradstreet.
Thomas Green, sergt,
Nathaniel Johnsoo.
Privates. Jeremiah Jobson.
Hugh Thompson.
Benjamin Whipple.
Hugh Thompson, Jr.
Joseph Dodge.
Benjamin Pike, Jr.
Joseph Brown.
Isaac Frothingham.
Benjamin Pike.
Caleb Foot.
Joseph Annable.
Joseph Rolings.
Nathaniel Dummer.
Eliphalet Rolings.
Joseph Wright, Jr.
Israel Hardey.
Newburyport men enlisted in 1777 for three years and members of various regiments,-
Juhu Dolley.
Jeremiah Goldsmithı.
John Atkins.
JIenry Greenleaf.
James Woodbury.
John Archer.
Samuel Webber.
James Neal.
Oliver Richards
John Mullins.
Nath'l Ilunt.
Enlistments in the company of Capt. John Robin- son, of Boxford, and regiment of Col. William Tur- ner for five months' service in Rhode Island, in 1781,-
Lieut. Daniel Cotton. Joseph Mitchell.
Corp. Samuel Barker. Jonathan Greenough.
John Riley.
Edward Millikin.
Levies for the Continental army in 1782 in the company of Capt. Joshua French, of Salisbury, and regiment of Lient .- Col. Enoch Putnam,-
Lieut. Joslina Davis. Fifer Jesse Spofford.
Sergt. Timothy Rolf. John Sinison.
John Flyn. John Stickney. John Knight. Eliphalet Griffin.
John Askin.
Oliver Cromwell.
W'm. Williamson.
John Connolly.
Jonathan Buswell. Richard Lowell.
John White.
Jolın Ennis.
Makepeace Colby.
Chas, Jarvis.
Leonard Cotton.
Sanntel Lowell.
Robert Pembroke.
Daniel Price.
James Sommers,
David Roberts. Wm. Lewis.
Newburyport members of the company of Captain John Peabody, of Andover, in the regiment of Colo- nel Eben Francis, drafted in 1776,-
Moses Greenleaf, lient.
Jacob Kuhn, drummer.
Moses Hohsoo.
Enlistments of Newburyport men in the Continen- tal army in 1778 for various regiments,-
Sergt. Samuel Noyes. Simvon Chase.
Peter Thomas.
1748
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
John Ferguson.
W'm. McFarland.
Jacob Marsh.
James McFarland.
John Butler.
Wm. Malloon
Benjamin Davis.
John Murray. George Poor.
John Castello.
Benjamin Bishop.
Wm. Tapley.
Benjamin Mullikin.
Isaac Frothingham. James Ferguson.
John Dow.
David Hale.
Amos Kemp.
Edward Tenney.
Daniel Cole.
Josiah Coburn.
Jesse Cole
Paul McPherson.
Samuel Parker.
Three years' men enlisted in 1782,-
Joseph Tarr. Wm. White.
John Ellis.
Win. Shepard. Adventer Kent. Roger Beadel.
Thus Newburyport furnished during the seven years of the Revolutionary War seven hundred and seventeen enlistments. It is true that some of the soldiers enlisted more than once, for different terms of service; but, after all due allowance is made for these, the fact remains that few towns drew more heavily on their resources to carry the war to a suc- cessful termination. It is manifest that such a con- tribution of men to the army could not have been made without the imposition of a serious pecuniary burden on the treasury of the town and the purses of its people. At one time it was voted to pay a bounty of twenty pounds to every soldier enlisting for three years or the war ; at another, to give each man seven pounds ten shillings per month, in addition to the State and Continental wages. Still later it was voted to give nine pounds per month, including State and Continental wages, and six pounds per month advance to soldiers enlisting as a guard to the troops of General Burgoyne. It was again voted to give one hundred shillings per month to each man enlisting within twenty-four hours; and, again, to give four hundred and fifty pounds advance to each soldier enlisting for three months' service. In 1780 the town voted to raise seventy-five thousand pounds by tax, to be paid before the 1st of September, to procure and equip the town's proportion of the mili- tia required by the resolve of the General Court, dated June 8th in that year. These are a few only of the votes of the town assuming onerous pecuniary burdens, and in addition to the expenditures of money which they involved, others were incurred in preparing and sinking piers in the channel of the river, in building forts at Salisbury and on Plum Island, and in constructing floating batteries and other defenses against possible attacks from British fleets. For the eight years which elapsed from the battle of Lexington to the proclamation of peace Newburyport appropriated the sum of five hundred and four thousand five hundred pounds, of which it was estimated that four hundred and ninety-eight thousand five hundred pounds was expended for pur- poses connected with the war.
Nor was this all. Men of Newburyport were found on the ocean wherever the new flag flew in the face of
the cross of St. George, and wherever a gun was fired in defense of liberty. The first privateer fitted out in the colonies sailed from Newburyport in August, 1775, and was owned by Nathaniel Tracy, a promi- nent merchant. She was the pionser of a fleet equipped by Newburyport merchants, among whom, be-ides Mr. Tracy, Mr. Joseph Marquand was specially conspicuous. Nor should the names of the commanders be omitted. Capt. James Tracy of the "Yankee Hero," Cutting Lunt of the "America," Captain William Russell of the "General Ward," Captain William Springer of the "Hornet," Capt. Jack Lee of the " Hawk," Capt. John O'Brien of the " Hibernia," Capt. Moses Brown of the "General Arnold," Capt. Wingate Newman of the "Vengeance," Capt Wil- liam Knapp of the " Pallas," and others too numer- ous to mention, for a time struck terror into the hearts of British seamen, and reaped rich harvests for their owners. It is stated that the cruisers in which Mr. Tracy was interested captured one hun- dred and twenty English vessels, amounting to twenty-three thousand three hundred and sixty tons, and carrying twenty-two hundred and twenty-four men. The cargoes of these vessels were sold for three million nine hundred and fifty thousand dollars in specie, of which sum Mr. Tracy contributed or ad- vanced one hundred and sixty-seven thousand two hundred and nineteen dollars to the public service. Privateering, however, did not prove a permanent success, As convoys were more carefully furnished to English ships, prizes became less frequent, and the usual hazards of the sea, together with energetic efforts on the part of British men-of-war to check the career of these " birds of prey," brought dis- aster and ruin to many of those that had at first dreamed of wealth and luxury as the fruit of their enterprise. No less than twenty-two vessels fitted out at Newburyport, manned by a thousand men, were either wrecked or destroyed, leaving no record of their fate.
Nathaniel Tracy, the leader in privateering enter- prises, was born in 1749, in that part of Newbury which was in 1764 incorporated as Newburyport. He was the son of Patrick Tracy, a prominent merchant of that town, and graduated at Harvard in 1769. After leaving college he very soon entered into busi- ness with Jonathan Jackson, and at the beginning of the Revolution was conducting a large and profitable foreign trade. His rapidly-acquired wealth enabled him to live surrounded by all the comforts and lux- uries harmonizing with his refined tastes, and in his town house in Newburyport, and at his country house in Salisbury, he dispensed boundless hospitality. At one time he was the owner of the Cragie mansion in Cambridge, in which Washington had his headquarters, and which received its final consecration from the life and death of Longfellow within it walls. By the final misfortunes of the war, among which was the failure of the government to reimburse him for
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