USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Grafton > History of Grafton, Worcester county, Massachusetts, from its early settlement by the Indians in 1647 to the present time, 1879. Including the genealogies of seventy-nine of the older families > Part 7
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86
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
others, and not of us. Let our resolve be made ; and stand- -
ing, as we do, on the verge of two centuries, let us declare it to be-a faithful performance of our obligations to past generations, and our duty to the future .*
As the polls returned in 1803, furnish the only complete list of the inhabitants at that day, I will insert them, with the number of polls against each householder :-
COPY TOWN TAX.
GRAFTON, NOVEMBER 24TH, 1803.
JONAS BROWN,
JOSEPHUS WILLARD,
Assessors.
JOSEPH MERRIAM, JR.
Polls.
Thomas Axtell
2
Samuel Adams
1
Elisa Adams
I
Andrew Adams
1
Jasper Adams
1
Nathaniel Adams
2
Moses Adams
2
Abner Abbott
1
Joel Brooks .
-
Elijah Brooks
1
Francis Barns
1
William Brigham
1
Charles Brigham
1
Soloman Brigham
1
Perley Batchelor, Jr. 1
Trumau Clark .
1
Ebenezer Cutler.
-
Ebenezer Cutler, Jr.
1
Moses Cutler
1
Moses Cutler, Jr.
1
Daniel Cutler
1
Joseph Cutler
1
Jonathan Chase
1
Elisabeth Childs
* Address by Hon. William Brigham.
87
NUMBER OF POLLS.
Polls.
Rufus Coda
1
Amos Davis .
Thomas Davidson
1
Joseph Dispeau 1
Joseph J. Davis
I
Nathan Darling
1
Isaiah Fairbanks
1
Daniel Fairbanks
1
Jedutham Fay
1
Silas Fay .
1
Benjamin Goddard, Esq.
1
Levi Goddard
1
Perley Goddard
1
. Ephm. Gonlding .
2
Moses Herrington occupant on thirds 1 1
Moses Hayden .
1
Oliver Hayden
1
Joshua Herrington 1
Aaron Kimball
1
Aaron Kimball, Jr.
1
Isaac Kimball
1
Noah B. Kimball 1
Oliver Kimball
1
Widow Sarah Johnson
1
Timothy Johnson
1
Nathan Johnson
1
Silas Leland
1
Zadock Leland
1
James H. Miller
1
Rufus Newton.
1
Zadock Putnam
2
George W. Putnam
1
Tartius Prentice 1
Charles Prentice
1
Aaron Pierce
1
Ezra Phillips
1
Luther Pierce
2
Josiah Phillips
1
Zebedee Redding
1
Turner Rawson
1
Samuel Rawson
1
Asa Scott 1
Timothy Sherman 1
Nahum Stone
2
88
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
Polls.
Albert Stone 1
Thomas Smith
I
Widow Anne Stow
-
Abner Temple .
2
Ebenezer Wadsworth
2
Ebenezer Wadsworth, Jr.
1
John Wadsworth
1
Jonathan Warren
1
Josephus Willard
1
John Willard
1
Perley Whipple
2
Joseph Wood, Jr.
1
Joseph T. Wood,
1
Jonathan Wheeler
2
- Wheeler & Warren
2
Abel Watson, Jr.
2
John Wheeler.
1
Joseph Whitney
I
Isaac W. Wood
1
Reuben Wheelock
1
William Withington
1
Perley Batchellor 2
Elijah Brigham
Jonas Brown 2
Clark Brown
1
John Bennitt
1
Heirs of Mellicient Brigham
-
Ezekiel Brigham
1
John Brigham .
I
Widow Eliza Bruce
-
Elijah Case
1
Thomas M. Baker
1
Zebulon Daniels .
2
Aaron Day
1
Widow Abigail Daniels
-
Amos Ellis
1
Cyrus French
1
Samuel Flagg 3
Benjamin Grover
1
William E. Green
1
Timothy Fisher 1
Widow Betty Forbush
Moses C. Hayden 1
-
-
Widow Sally Bruce
Silas Forbush 1
NUMBER OF POLLS.
Polls.
Ephraim Harrington
2
Moses Holbrook 1
Amaziah Howard
1
Solomon Hayden
1
Levi Haywood
1
Stephen Holbrook
1
Widow Sarah Holbrook
Daniel Hayden
1
Jonathan Hayden
1
Reuben Jenks
2
James W. Jenkins
1
Royal Keitb .
3
William Lamb
1
Dau. Lamb
1
Phinehas Leland 3
David W. Leland
2
Benjamin Leland
1
Benjamin Leland, Jr.
2
Daniel Leland
1
Eleazer Leland
2
Ebenezer Leland
2
Ebenezer Leland, Jr.
1
Levi Leland
1
John Leland .
1
Zephaniah Lathe
2
Benjamin Lathe
1
Benjamin Lathe, Jr.
1
Solomon Lathe
1
Edward Lesure
1
Asa Learned .
1
Joseph Merriam
2
on Childs' farm
Joseph Merriam, Jr.
1
Timothy Merriam
3
Joseph Prentice .
1
Abijah Pierce .
1
Ebenezer Phillips, Jr.
1
Lemuel Perham
Moses Rockwood
1
Thaddeus Read
1
Ithamer Stow 1
Ephraim Sherman
1
Ephraim Sherman, Jr.
2
Moses Sherman
2
12
89
John Hayden
90
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
Polls.
David Sherman 1
Widow Thankful Sherman
Jonathan Stow
on Dr. Jona. Stow estate . -
Daniel Stow 1
Lovel Stow
1
Ebenezer Sadler
-
Levi Sadler
1
Samuel Stone
1
Eliphalet Smith
1
Aarou Sherman
1
Joseph Slocomb
1
Timothy Temple
1
John Thurston
1
Daniel Thurston
1
James Wheeler
2
Joseph Warren
1
James Whipple
on Josiah Whipple estate .
-
Nathaniel Whipple
1
John Whipple . 66 on John Whipple, Jr., estate. -
Samuel Wood
1
David Wadsworth 1
Jona. Wadsworth 2
Samuel Wadsworth
1
Joseph Whipple .
1
Thaddeus Whipple
1
Joseph Wood, Esq.
3
Asahel Warren
1
Nathan White
1
Gilbert Coats
1
Jonathan Bowen
1
Abraham Haywood
1
William Croford .
1
Daniel Adams 1
Widow Ruth Rockwood -
Ruth Rockwood -
Robert Lathe
1
Daniel Prentice
1
NAMES OF NON-RESIDENTS. No. of Acres.
Aaron Adams, Northbridge .
4₺
§ Thomas Bowen, Northbridge Do. on John Bowen,
1
-
-
1
91
NON-RESIDENTS.
No. of Acres.
James Adams, Northbridge, 4
James McCallan, Sutton 12
Mark Batchelor,
‹‹
14
Nehemiah Chace,
17
Solomon Whipple,
23
Daniel Warren, Upton
24
Josiah Peas,
-
Ephraim Whitney, “
4
Enoch Batchelor,
4
Nathaniel Flagg,
2}
Ezra Wood, do. for Sarah Wood
John Holmes, Hopkinton 60
Joseph Goddard, Sutton 20
Samnel Grout, Westhorough
30
Eli Whitney,
¥
30
Daniel Nurse,
10
John Harrington,
4
Thomas Twitchel,
2
Abel Watson,
20
Joel Watson,
12
1
2
3
5
4
090 RegelonD
Jan. S. Wheeler
3 Ama Bige Cowo 5
GRAFTON'S WAR RECORD.
CHAPTER FOURTH.
CONTENTS :
King Philip's war-Indian battle on Keith Hill .- Grafton in the French and Indian war-Capt. James Whipple's company at Fort William Henry-Major Rogers' Expedition to Canada .- Grafton in the Revo- lutionary War-The town meetings in 1773, 1774, 1775-April 19th, 1775-The Grafton Minute men-Tories in town-The constitution -Soldiers in Captains Drury's, Brigham's, Warrin's and Lyon's companies-Grafton's quota-Bounties .- The war of the late Rebel- lion-The patriotic spirit of the citizens-The first company-The day before their departure-The 15th, 21st, 25th, 5lst regiments, with short sketches of each, and the several battles they partici- pated in-A full and complete list of men who enlisted, or were drafted, in the service-Death of James E. Mcclellan-Sketches of the North and South companies of militia-The Grafton Grenadiers -The Light Infantry-The Slocomb Guards.
King Philip's War.
I T WAS during this war that quite an important battle was fought on Keith Hill, the English gaining the victory. The day upon which the battle was fought was stormy, and the Indians were not able to use their fire-arms, while the English, protecting their gun-locks with their garments, thereby gained a decided advantage. In the early part of the war, in order to prevent the Indians who were favorable to the English from being either destroyed or tampered with and drawn away from their allegiance, and on account of the great distrust felt towards them, all the friendly Indians of the Nipmuck country were confined at Hassanamesit, and were forbidden to go more than one mile from their
94
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
wigwams, npon penalty of imprisonment or death ; the pen- alty to be inflicted by any person meeting them beyond these limits. The hostile Indians, however, came upon this com- pany of friendly Indians with a force of three hundred, and either compelled or persuaded about two hundred of them to join in the war against the English. This led to an expe dition against the town, made up of two companies of Eng. lish troops. Captain Henchman, with some men, mnarched from Boston to Hassanamisco, November 1st, 1675, who, on the fourth day, coming upon the Indians in or near that place, they fled precipitately, leaving behind them a lad unhurt, whom they had taken from Marlborough the week preceding ; our men marched on to Boggachoag, which was in Worcester, now Auburn, but meeting with no enemy they returned back to Mendon, where, being informed of Indian wigwams about ten miles to the west, or northwest, Captain Henchman and Lieutenant Curtis, with twenty-two men on horses, went up and fought them, but were repulsed ; Lieu- tenant Curtis and another man were killed. The men re- turned to Mendon ; but the Indians deserted their wigwams and went off, which gave the troops an opportunity next day to go up, bring away, and bury the two men, who were killed .* On April 27th, 1676, Captains Still, Cutler and Holbrook, with the foot soldiers; Captains Brattle, Prentice and Henchman, with the horse (the latter captain was com- mander-in-chief), were sent out to range the woods in and about Hassanamisco, who, coming suddenly upon the Indians thereabouts, killed and took sixteen or twenty of them, the rest fleeing.
Grafton in the French and Indian War, 1756.
The sufferings and privations endured in this war seem to have been forgotten in the brilliant results of the Revolu-
* The heads of these two men were found the next morning fastened upon crotched sticks, and facing each other, in front of the wigwam; the grim delight of the Indians being thius most characteristically ex- pressed. No traces were found of their own dead or wounded.
-
95
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
tion. The honor due to the men who then made every sac- rifice to maintain our country's rights, has never been awarded. We have been accustomed to bestow it all on those who were the more immediate agents in obtaining our independence, and have not remembered that the French war was the school in which the heroes of the Revolution were educated ; and that without the preparatory discipline which it afforded, independence could not then have been obtained. We do but an act of justice when we say, that to these men we are greatly indebted for onr present institu- tions, and more so than to those who, in that war, met the enemy on the borders of Canada, and there suffered not only the evils incident to long and dangerous campaigns, but all the horrors of Indian barbarity. No men ever possessed a more dauntless character, or pressed onward to the con- test with a more patriotie ardor. America was the prize for which the two great European powers were contending, and the principal battle-ground was on our northern frontiers. To the people of New England it was not a war of eon- quest, but of self-preservation ; and in order to protect their homes and firesides, they were compelled to go into the wilderness of the north, and resist the enemy in every step of liis progress. In this war, Massachusetts took a conspicu- ous part; and at different times had in the service a large proportion of her able-bodied men, of whom no portion of the State furnished a greater nminber, according to its popu- lation, than Worcester County. During the whole of this war, and in every campaign in New England, several of the inhabitants of this town were engaged in the service. When the news of the approach of the enemy on Fort Wil- liam Henry arrived, a company was immediately raised here for its relief. Thirty-six of this company belonged to this town, and the remainder principally to Upton. They were commanded by Capt. James Whipple, and marehed on the 16th of August, 1757; but previons to this time, the fort had surrendered, and many of our countrymen had fallen
96
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
vietims to the eruelty and treachery of the enemy. In the following year, twenty-three more were in the service ; and in 1759, nineteen were engaged in the Westward Expedi- tion, and in the one for the invasion of Canada, under Gen- eral Amherst. The whole number of persons belonging to this town, who died in the war, either from disease or were killed in battle, from 1753 to 1762, was eighty,* and this, too, out of a population that did not exceed seven hundred and fifty ! Seldom do the calamities of war fall so heavily as this; and still more seldom are soldiers compelled to snffer the hardships which those engaged in this war endured. They suffered not merely the fatigue of long and tedious marches, and the attacks of a treacherous and savage enemy, but the pangs of hunger ; and were often compelled to eat the most loathsome food to preserve an existence. The story of their sufferings and fortitude, if it were all told, would overtax human erednlity. It cannot be fully described. They traversed the wilderness of Vermont, pen- etrated the wilds of Oswego, drove baek the enemy from Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and carried the war even to the heights of Quebec. These battle-fields are consecrated ground ; for they contain within their bosom the dust, not only of patriots and soldiers, but of our own townsmen and kindred.
The following lists were taken from the rolls in the See- retary's office, at the State House :-
A list of the training and alarm soldiers in Grafton in 1757, under command of Captain Samuel Warrin, Lieutenant Wait :-
Ensign Willard.
Phineas Rice.
Sergt. Noah Brooks.
John Maynard.
Stephen Prentice.
Joseph Temple.
Joel Brooks.
Jacob Slearn,
Aaron Brigham.
Paul Hazelton.
* From Mrs. Wheeler's Record : "29th May, 1762, then there had died, and had been killed in the war, from October, 1753, to the date thereof, of Grafton people fourscore persons."-Brigham ; Appendix D.
97
FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
Corp. Hezekiah Ward. Abraham Brown.
William Holbrook. Thomas Axtell.
Joshua Wintchester. Nat. Whitney.
Josiah Rawson.
Ephraim Sherman, Jr.
Drum Elijah
Benja. Pulsipher.
Abraham Temple.
David Stow. Samuel Sterns.
Solomon Stow.
Benjamin Leland.
Joseph Wintchester.
James Leland, Jr.
Zacry Warrin.
Phineas Leland.
Moses Whipple. James Whipple, 3rd.
John Stow.
Natt. Sherman, Jr.
Nath'l Prentice.
Simon Brooks.
Phinehas Prat.
Charles Bruce.
Peter Brooks.
Marke Bachelor.
Thomas Drury, Jr.
Elisha Brigham.
William Brigham.
Natt. Cooper.
Samuel Cooper.
Ebenezer Cutler.
Jonathan Cutler.
John How, Jr. Joseph Merriam, Jr. John Prentice.
Moses Cutler.
James Rosebrough. David Wadsworth.
Josiah Child.
Peter Fisk.
Darius Hutson.
Eleazer Fleatcher, Jr.
Ephraim Fleatcher.
Nat. Goddard.
William Druce.
James Goddard.
Ebenezer Fisk.
David Forbush. Joshua Felt.
Jonathan Hall.
Moses Eager.
Aaron Taft.
Daniel Brigham.
Josiah Goddard. Jonathan Stow. Seth Miller. Jonathan Child, Jr. Joseph Willard, Jr. Thomas Maning. Eleazer Flagg, Jr.
Moses Perry.
A muster roll of the company under the command of Capt. James Whipple, belonging to the regiment whereof Artemas Ward, Esq., is colonel, that marched on the alarm for the relief of Fort William Henry, August 16th, 1757 :-
James Whipple, Lieutenant-Captain, Grafton. Stephen Sadler, Sergeant, Upton.
13
Nat. Whitmore, Jr. Joseph Arnold, Jr. William Warrin. Abraham Parkes. James Herington. David Herington. John Holbrook. Moses Holbrook.
Aaron Hardy, Jr. Amos Lamson. Aaron Kimball. Jonathan Child, Jr.
David Cutler.
98
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
Nathaniel Sherman, Sergeant, Grafton.
-
Jonas Warren,
Upton.
Abraham Brown,
Grafton.
Preserved Partridge, Corporal, Upton.
Aaron Taft,
Grafton.
Samuel Wright,
Upton.
Phinehas Lealand,
Grafton.
Samuel Fisk, Private, Upton.
Jacob Stevens, “ Grafton. Isaac Herrington, Private, Grafton.
James Herrington,
Peter Fisk,
Charles Bruce,
Ebenezer Phillips,
Peter Brooks,
Mark Batchelor,
Paul Hazeltine, 66
Joseph Winchester,
Aaron Hardy, Jr.,
Aaron Kimball, 66
Nathaniel Sherman, Jr., Private, Grafton.
Benjamin Pulcipher,
Moses Whipple,
John Converse,
Moses Holbrook,
Ebenezer Wheeler,
¥
Jonathan Child,
Thomas Gage,
Samuel Wood, Ely Rice,
Upton.
Daniel Fisher,
Francis Nelson, John Nichols,
Aaron Warren,
..
Benjamin Farrar,
- Samuel Warren, Josiah Fisk,
Nathan Wood, Joseph Wilson, Thomas Webster, Beriah Rice,
¥
66
66
Timothy Darling, Aaron Hardy, Ephraim Sherman, Joshua Taft,
To bring horses and carry packs to expedite the march.
Upton. Grafton.
99
WHIPPLE'S COMPANY. ALARM SOLDIERS.
John Morse, Sergeant, Westfield. John Prentice, Private, Grafton. Silas Hemenway, " Westfield. Joseph Borden,
James Rosborough, Private, Grafton. Daniel Brigham,
David Wadsworth,
Daniel Leonard,
Westfield.
Zacheriah Newton, ¥
Ezekiel Knowlton,
Ephraim Lyon,
William Parker,
John Sherman,
Obadiah Wheelock,
Abner Whipple,
Jonathan Kelley,
Noah Hardy,
Jonathan Whitney,
Henry Balcom,
66
Samuel Taft,
Grafton.
ALARM SOLDIERS.
The following were the Alarm Soldiers who remained in town on duty, or who could be called together, in case of necessity, by Rev. Mr. Hutchinson, during the French and Indian war, in 1757 :-
Rev. Mr. Aaron Hutchinson. Charles Brigham, Esq.
Abner Stow. Joseph Merriam.
Benja. Wintchester. Nat. Ball.
Jason Wait.
Silas Warrin.
Joseph Whipple. Joseph Rice. Hezekiah Taylor. Nat. Stedman. Eleazer Flagg. Ebenezer Wheeler. Andrew Adams. Joseph Bachelor.
- Nat. Warrin. Joseph Perry.
Aaron Hardy. Marke Bachelor.
Joseph Goodale.
John Sherman.
Amos Wait. Robert Laith.
Joseph Arnold. Jacob Whipple. Nat. Flagg.
Isaac Herington.
Nat. Whitmore. Eleazer Fleatcher. Robert Flagg. John How.
Benja. Goddard. Rev. Solomon Prentice. Luke Drury.
100
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
Mnster roll of Grafton men, under the command of Capt. Stephen Maynard, in 1759, raised by the Province of Massachusetts Bay for the reduction of Canada; William Willin, colonel :-
Benjamin Lealand.
Richard Roberts, Private.
Jonathan Goodale.
James Rosbrook,
Asa Leith, Private.
Ebenezer Wheeler, Jr., Private.
Ebenezer Phillips, Private.
Benjamin Woods, Private.
Nathaniel Sherman, Ensign.
- David Warren, Aaron Hardy, Jr.,
John Prentice, Sergeant.
Ichabod Druce,
Stephen Prentice, Corporal.
William Druce, 66
Ephraim Lyon, Private.
Nathaniel Child, ¥
Moses Perry,
Charles Bruce,
Enlistment roll of men from Grafton in 1759, for the invasion of Can- ada, under command of Gen. Jerry Amherst; Abraham Williams, colonel :-
Joseph Willard, Jr.
Samuel Whitemore.
Samson (Indian).
Nathaniel Whitemore, Jr.
Fortnnatus Burnee.
Samuel Batchelor.
Cornelius Baker. Jonathan Wheeler.
Ebenezer Wheeler.
Daniel Dresser.
Nathaniel Smith.
Jonathan Child.
William Druce.
Amos Waighte.
= William Warren.
Ephraim Fletcher.
Nathaniel Whitemore.
Men from Grafton, under the command of Capt. William Paige, in 1761 :-
George Gire, Private.
Henry Prentice, Private.
Jacob Gitchell, "
Aseph Sherman,
Benjamin Garfield, Private.
John Prentice, Ensign.
Fortunatus Harrington, Private.
Daniel Druce, Private.
Simeon Keith, Private.
Samuel Waite,
Levi Lealand,
- David Warren,
One of the most ardnous enterprises undertaken during the French war, was that of the famous Major Rogers, with his Rangers, against the Indian town of St. Francis. This town is situated near the St. Lawrence, about middle way between Montreal and Quebec, and was inhabited by a tribe
Samuel Batchelor,
Cornelius Baker,
ARY
KEJO
WEST SIDE OF PARK.
101
EXPEDITION TO CANADA.
of savages which had long been in the interest of the French, and had done great injury to the English. The English thought that the entire destruction of this town was necessary for their safety, and accordingly a secret expedi- tion was planned by Major Rogers for this purpose. He left Crown Point September 13, 1759, with two hundred men, and went down the Lake in boats to Missisquey Bay, where it became necessary to leave the boats in order to avoid detection, and travel the remainder of the way by land. Previous to this, about fifty of his party had returned on account of sickness. Their boats, with most of their provisions, were here secreted, with two men, who were left to give notice if they were discovered by the enemy. Major Rogers, with his party, had not gone far, before he was informed by one of these men that the French and Indians had discovered their boats, and were probably in pursuit of them. The only chance of escape was in going - forward in their expedition as fast as possible, and then re- turning to their fort through the back country. The passage through the country was very difficult, as appears by the journal of Major Rogers, which he kept at the time. He says : " We marched nine days through wet sunken ground ; the water was most of the way near a foot deep, it being a spruce bog. When we encamped at night, we had no way to secure ourselves from the water but by cutting the boughs of trees, and with them erecting a kind of ham- mocks. We commonly began our march a little before day, and continued it till after dark at night." On the twenty- second day after their departure from Crown Point, at about 8 o'clock in the evening, they arrived in sight of the town of St. Francis. The party then consisted of one hundred and forty-two men. Major Rogers, with one or two others, left the main company and went to reconnoitre the town. They found the Indians in a high frolic or dance, and ac- cordingly returned and prepared for an attack, which was made on the following morning just before sunrise. The
102
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
whole town was burnt, and about two hundred Indians were killed, and about twenty of their women and children taken prisoners. Most of these they afterwards let go. They also re-took five English captives, and discovered with these Indians nearly six hundred scalps of the English.
After this, having ascertained that abont three hundred of the French and Indians were within four miles of them, they hastened back through the wilderness, by the way of Charlestown, No. 4, N. H., then a frontier town of the English settlements. They had no provisions except a little that they obtained at St. Francis. They marched in a body abont eight days ; but thinking they would be more likely to obtain enough to preserve an existence, they separated into small companies, agreeing to meet again at Amonsook River, about sixty miles above No. 4, where they expected provisions would have been sent them from the Fort. While traveling through the woods, they were compelled to eat groundnuts and lily roots ; and at last, roasted their shoes and powder horns, and nsed them for food. Some of them fell into the hands of the enemy, and were killed; others died of hunger and disease ; and but a mere remnant of these conrageous men returned to tell the tale of their suffer- ings. Ebenezer Wheeler, Jr.,* an inhabitant of this town, and then only eighteen years of age, was one of this party ; and having become so feeble as to be unable to walk, by reason of hunger, he was left by his companions, and died upon a lonely mountain in Vermont, October 24, 1759.f
Grafton in the Revolution.
The inhabitants of Boston, under the leadership of Sam- uel Adams, had voted to appoint a "Committee of Corres- pondence, to consist of twenty-one persons, to state the
*In a record kept by his father, it is stated : " Left to die on a moun- tain, large and high, not far from the upper country."
t Rogers' Journal, p. 145.
103
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
rights of the colonists, and of this province in particular, as men, as christians, and as subjects ; and to communicate and publish the same to the several towns, and the world, as the sense of this town, with the infringements and violations thereof that have been, or from time to time may be made." As early as February 1st, 1773, Grafton, in town meeting, responds to one of the letters of this committee, by resolv- ing unanimously " that they would defend their rights at all hazards ; that they would not suffer their property to be taken from them in an unconstitutional manner, and that they were ready to co-operate with their brethren in Boston, and other places, in any measures to obtain a redress of grievances." During the latter part of this same year came the excitement concerning the destruction of the tea in Bos- ton harbor. A town meeting was held, and a committee appointed to " look into a letter sent from Boston." Said committee reported January 4, 1774, as follows: "The town of Grafton, taking into consideration the unhappy cir- cumstances that this country are involved in at this crisis, attempts repeatedly being made infringing upon our rights and privileges, which we consider justly alarming to all the true friends of our happy constitution, which hath been so dearly purchased, and which we esteem to be our most in- valuable interest and rights as Englishmen, which we have ever gloried in ; more particularly at the glaring injustice of that of the East India Company being allowed to send tea to America, while subject to a duty payable in America, which we view as subversive of our rights as christians, as subjects, and as loyal subjects of our most gracions King George, whose name and person we ever desire to view as sacred ; therefore,
Resolved, as the people of this town, that any one individual, or any body of men, that shall encourage, aid or assist, in importing or receiving any such tea, or any other article while subject to a duty, the sole purpose whereof is to raise money to appropriate to any sordid
104
HISTORY OF GRAFTON.
measure, or any use whatever contrary to our just rights of distributing our own property, wherewith God and nature hath made us free, can but be viewed as criminal to our country, as well as to the mother state, and must be so viewed by us.
Resolved, that this town are in duty bound to join with and assist our sister towns and colonies in this, our com- mon cause, so as we may be instrumental under God of handing down that liberty to our posterity which . hath been kept so long inviolate and preserved by our worthy ancestors."
Then follows a resolution approving the stand taken by Boston and other towns. These resolutions certainly have a ringing sound, which, unless the hint contained in them is heeded by the mother country, foretells the coming of the Fourth of July, three years later. During this sanie year the dark cloud of war is seen rising on the distant hori- zon, a clond it may be, almost ridiculously small-no larger than one field-piece with powder and bullets to match-and yet one which is destined to spread over the entire land, and hang long and low, but finally to be dissipated by the glorious sunlight of liberty. The first indication of arming is in the action of the town, September 28, 1774, when, the record says, "Voted to procure a good field-piece, called a six-ponnder." " By vote, chose Nathaniel Sherman to pro- cure a supply of bullets and shot to load said field-piece." " By vote, chose Thomas Davidson to command said field- piece." "Put to vote to see if the town will choose a com- mittee to provide for the soldiers of Grafton, in case they are called to battle. Passed in the affirmative." These are the mutterings of war which were heard more than six months before the battle of Lexington. The collectors of taxes were directed to pay none of their receipts into the treasury of the Province. The following February, the 22nd, it was " voted to pay minute men for the time in training in learning the military art." Action was also
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