USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Hardwick > History of Hardwick, Massachusetts, with a genealogical register > Part 12
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" THOMAS ROBINSON.
" Quest. put by said Danforth to said Robinson, whether the riding of said Danforth in the spring of the year 1775, among the militia was before the Lexington Battle ? Ans. Yea." 2
" We, Elijah Warner and Denison Robinson, both of Hard- wick, being of lawful age, testify and say, that in the month of February 1775, or thereabouts, being in Boston in company with Daniel Warner, each of us having a team, the above named Dan- iel Warner was arrested by Harrison Gray, Esq., and, as we un- derstand, in consequence of Jonathan Danforth returning the Province Warrant after the said Daniel Warner had given his re- ceipt thereon to said Danforth in behalf of the town; the said Danforth having been previously compelled by said town to pay the outstanding money in his hands to Henry Gardner, Esq., or give security to the town for the same, as directed by [the] Pro- vincial Congress. And further saith not.
" ELIJAH WARNER, DENISON ROBINSON.
" Quest. put by the Committee to the above named persons : How did you know that Daniel Warner was arrested on the re- ceipt on the Province Warrant ? Ans. Mr. McIntire first in- formed us of the matter ; on which we went to the goal in Bos- ton, and there we found the said Warner in custody of an officer ; and we the said Robinson and Elijah Warner gave our bonds for said Daniel Warner, for his appearance at Court ; and said Rob-
1 Perhaps this was the time when some individuals attempted to seize Mr. Dan- forth as he left the meeting-house. In- stead of then "giving him up to the peo- ple," Mr. Robinson caught him by the shoulder and conducted him to the pound, which then stood on the westerly side of the Common. He then addressed the multitude, endeavoring to persuade them to disperse quietly; and at length as- sured them, that however much he dis- approved the offending individual's con- duct, he would not see him abused, but would defend him to the last extremity.
Being a man of giant form and strength, and known to be fearless and resolute, no one cared to attack him ; and he succeeded at last in conveying his charge to a place of greater security, and finally to his home in safety. Mr. Danforth told me in his old age, that he verily believed he should have been killed at that time, if Mr. Rob- inson had not protected him. This was probably the nearest approach to the exe- cution of "lynch-law," which occurred in this town during that period of high excitement.
2 Mass. Arch., ccxix. 453.
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
inson declares that he read the writ, and read thereon, ' Take no Rebels for bail.' " 1
" I, Stephen Gorham, of Hardwick in the County of Worcester, of lawful age, testify and say, that, in the Fall of the year A. Dom. 1774, after Jonathan Danforth was dismissed from being a minute-man, he asked me if I was going to take up arms against King George. I told him, yea, if he was going to fight against me. Then said Danforth said, we should be all styled Rebels, and often repeated it. And further saith not: STEPHEN GORHAM." 2
" I, Ebenezer Lawrence, Jr., of Hardwick in the County of Worcester, of lawful age, testify and say, in the year 1775, in conversation about Bunker Hill Fight, he told me they would have Cambridge within a month ; and said Danforth told me, that if I was you, I would not stir one step to help ; and said Danforth advised me to stay at home about my business. Fur- thermore saith not.
EBENEZER LAWRENCE, JR." 3
" I, Job Dexter, of Hardwick in the County of Worcester, be- ing of lawful age, testify and say, that at a certain time, 1776, as I was in conversation with Jonathan Danforth of said Hardwick, and discoursing about secreting the estate of Richard Ruggles, he said he was a damned fool for discovering to the Committee where any thing of the said Richard Ruggles' estate was ; for they had no more business with it than the Divil had. And fur- ther saith not. JOB DEXTER." 4
" I, James Paige, of Hardwick, of lawful age, testify and say, having in May, 1776, a considerable discourse with Jonathan Danforth, he God-damned the Committee, and the Selectmen, and the whole town, repeatedly. And further saith not.
" JAMES PAIGE.
" Quest. put by said Danforth to said Paige : Did not you tell me that the Committee would have my estate, if I did not be- have better ? Ans. I do not remember it now. Quest. Was I in a passion when I discoursed with you? Ans. Yes. Quest. Did you ever hear me say any thing against any authority except in the town of Hardwick ? Ans. No." 5
After an examination of these and several other depositions of like tenor, and a full consideration of the question at issue, the
1 Mass. Arch., ccxix. 447.
2 Ibid., ccxix. 456.
8 Ibid., ccxix. 451.
4 Ibid., ccxix. 446.
Danforth it should be said that he was
not in the habit of using profane lan- guage (at least while I knew him), ex- cept when he was "in a passion," under strong provocation. He made very famil-
5 Ibid., ccxix. 457. In justice to Mr. iar use, however, of the word devil, al- ways pronounced by him divil.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
General Court, on the 9th of October, 1778, entered their deci- sion on record : -
" In the House of Representatives. Whereas it appears to this Court that Jonathan Danforth, late of Hardwick (now of Barre), since September, 1774, from time to time hath behaved in a very insolent and abusive manner towards the said town of Hardwick, and especially towards the Committee of said town, in their executing the duties of office, particularly in his unrea- sonable turbulent obstinacy in accounting for public monies in his hands, when properly called thereto; his endeavoring to con- ceal the goods and effects of persons fled to the enemy ; his dis- couraging and insulting speeches and behavior to and among the good people of said town, when pursuing the orders of govern- ment, &c .; which line of conduct he continued till about July, 1776, when he, in a sudden and secret manner absconded, having first secretly conveyed away his most valuable effects ; all which gave the strongest presumptive evidence that he was actually fled to the enemy, with others, his friends, that was known to be gone thither. Under these circumstances the Committee of said town proceeded agreeable to the Resolves of the General Court, and in behalf of the Government took possession of his estates that could be found, as a Refugee's estate. That, in about four or five months after, said Danforth returned; and without applying to this Court for restoring his estates, taken as aforesaid, is harass- ing said Committee with expensive and perplexing law-suits, and is threatening to bring many more, not only to their damage, but also to the disturbance of the good and liege people of this State. Wherefore it is become absolutely necessary for this Court to interpose in this matter :
" Therefore, Resolved, that the two actions brought by the said Jonathan Danforth, one against Timothy Paige, for replevy- ing a quantity of tea, the other against Thomas Robinson, for the recovering of a certain house, claimed by said Danforth, which are mentioned in the petition of the Selectmen and Committee of the said town of Hardwick, addressed to this Court, and are now pending in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for the county of Worcester, shall be, and they are hereby, declared utterly null and void ; and all further proceedings thereon shall cease forever ; and that the said Danforth shall be, and he hereby is, utterly dis- qualified and disabled forever from bringing any other action or actions against said Committee, or either of them, or any other person, either in his own name, or in the name of any other in
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
his behalf, for the recovery of damages done or supposed to be done in consequence of the proceedings of said Committee or town of Hardwick, dealing with him, the said Danforth, as a person inimical to the common cause, without leave first had and obtained from the General Court. And whereas it doth not appear to this Court that the said Danforth has been guilty of actually joining our unnatural enemies, or giving information to or supplying them, but rather the contrary is supposed : there- fore, Resolved, that the said Committee be, and they hereby are, directed and ordered to acquit and release to the said Danforth all the estate by them taken as the estate of said Danforth, the inventory whereof is lodged in the Secretary's office. In Council, Read and concurred. Consented to by fifteen of the Council." 1
This decision rendered substantial justice to both parties : it justified the Committee, and protected them from further annoy- ance or harm ; on the other hand, while Mr. Danforth was held to have deserved what he had already suffered, in consequence of his intemperate and exasperating opposition to the patriotic move- ment, yet as he had not actually held correspondence with the enemy, nor been guilty of any treasonable act, his liberty and property were restored. He soon returned from Barre, and for nearly half a century resided here in quietness and tranquillity, performing faithfully the duties of a good and loyal citizen, and enjoying the confidence and esteem of his townsmen. Yet he never entirely forgot his early conflicts. A characteristic story was related of him by his pastor, the Rev. John Goldsbury. In 1831, when he was eighty-eight years old, Colonel Stephen Rice, a member of the Revolutionary Committee of Correspondence, died, at the age of ninety-five. Soon afterwards, Mr. Goldsbury called on Mr. Danforth, who recounted some of his early trials and sufferings. Among other grievances, he said the Committee of Correspondence prohibited him from leaving his own farm, except to go to meeting on Sundays, and to attend funerals. " One day," said he, " a member of the Committee informed me there was to be a funeral, and inquired whether I wished to be present ; I told him I always liked to go to funerals, and I hoped I might live to attend the funerals of the whole Committee; and I have done it; I have seen every divil of them under ground ; Rice was the last of them."
1 Gen. Court Records, xxxviii. 673.
CHAPTER VIII.
CIVIL HISTORY.
Declaration of Independence recorded by the Town Clerk. - Paper Money .- Heavy Taxes. - Financial Distress. - Stay Law. - Scale of Prices. - Abor- tive Attempts to make Paper equal with Gold. - Protest against a proposed Bill for refunding the Public Debt. - Scale of Depreciation. - The Town approves the Articles of Confederation of the United States, and almost unanimously rejects a Form of Constitution proposed by the General Court. - Eccentricities of the Town Clerk. - Delegates elected to a Constitutional Convention. - The proposed Constitution accepted, but various Important Amendments suggested. - Subsequent Constitutional Conventions.
SOON after the Declaration of Independence was adopted on the memorable 4th of July, 1776, the Town Clerk entered a full copy on the Town Records, " to remain as a perpetual memorial thereof." Thenceforth all professions of loyalty to the King, and desire for an amicable agreement between Great Britain and her colonies disappear from the Records. The last recorded warrant, "in his Majesty's name," bears date February 25, 1775; no war- rants for the town-meetings, held April 24, July 5, and Septem- ber 28, of that year, are recorded. The warrants, dated May 15, 1775, and February 14, 1776, required the constable to warn the inhabitants " agreeable to the Constitution," that is, the charter, which was frequently so designated; and that which was dated September 26, 1776, demanded the same service "agreeable to the government and people of this State." This is the earliest instance of such use of the word "State," which I have discovered on the Town Records. From this time the town promptly and energetically bore its full share of the burdens assumed by the State, in the maintenance of national independence.
To defray the enormous expenses of the war, paper money was issued by the several States and by the United States, which soon depreciated in value, and which ultimately became valueless, and was utterly repudiated. Heavy taxes were imposed by the State, and burdensome debts assumed by the towns in addition to the
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
large sums raised by local taxation. General distress followed, such as, a few years later, resulted in open rebellion. As early as 1776, " the people were so pressed with public claims, that they were unable to meet private demands. Laws were made for their relief by suspending legal processes for the collection of debts. The paper money depreciated ; and the soldiers and their families suffered much by it. A committee was appointed to meet others from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, to adopt measures for preventing the depreciation of the bills, and a spirit of monopoly and speculation which prevailed, the committees had two meetings, but it was found impossible to remedy the evil."1 Again, in March, 1777, it is said, " the expenses and debts of the State were such, at this period, as to require another large emission of paper, and a tax of £100,000. The amount of bills was £125,000 ; but these depreciated as soon as issued, and the taxes were not easily collected. This was a time of very great distress and suffering." 2 Among the " measures for pre- venting the depreciation of the bills " was one which had many times before been unsuccessfully adopted ; namely, definite prices were fixed for various kinds of labor and merchandise, with the hope that by such uniform prices the uniform purchasing value of the bills might be maintained. The scale of prices prescribed in Hardwick was very minute, and may seem tedious ; yet it is not without interest, as exhibiting the various articles of traffic and consumption, at that period, and their relative value. It seems to have been adopted not long before March 17, 1777, on which day the town granted nine shillings each to Thomas Robinson and John Bradish, " for setting prices on articles in this town."
" Ata meeting of the Selectmen and Committee of Correspond- ence for the town of Hardwick, agreeable to an Act of the Great and General Court respecting the stating and affixing prices upon labor, victualling, clothing, and other articles hereafter enumer- ated :
" Farming labor, from the 1st of June to the 1st of September, at 3s. per day ; from the 1st of Sept. to the 15th of Nov., 2s. 4d .; from the 15th of Nov. to the 15th of Mar., 1s. 8d .; from the 15th of Mar. to the 1st of June, 2s. 4d. Carpenters' and house-joiners' work, from the 1st of April to the 1st of Oct., 3s. 4d .; from the 1st of Oct. to the 1st of April, 2s. 6d. Mill-wrights, from the 1st of April to the 1st of Oct., 4s. ; from the 1st of Oct. to the 1st of
1 Bradford's Hist. of Mass., p. 273. . 2 Ibid., p. 275.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
April, 3s. Masons' work, from the 1st of March to the 1st of Nov. [Oct. ? ] 38. 8; from the 1st of Oct. to the 1st of April [Mar. ? ] 2s. 8d. For shoeing a horse round, steeled toe and heel, 5s. 4d. ; for plain shoeing of a horse, 4s. For shoeing a pair of oxen, steeled toe and heel, 9s. For a falling axe, well steeled, 7s. 3d. For a grass scythe, well steeled, 7s. Good plough-shares, well steeled, 10d. per lb. For making good men's and women's shoes, 2s. 10d. per pair, and all other shoe-making in proportion. Men's good neat-leather shoes, 8s. a pair. Women's good neat- leather shoes, 6s. a pair. Men's Taylor's work at 2s. 2d. per day ; women's do. 1s. per day. For tanning raw hides, 2d. a lb., and skins in proportion. Good merchantable wheat, 6s. per bushel. Good merchantable rye, 4s. per bushel. Good merchant- able Indian corn, 3s. Good merchantable oats, 2s. Good mer- chantable barley, 4s. Good barley malt, 4s. Good merchantable beans and peas, 6s. Good merchantable Spanish potatoes, 1s. in the field, and 1s. 6d. in the cellar. Good merchantable turnips, 8d. Good onions, 4s. Good winter apples, 9d. Doctor's riding in their office, 7d. per mile. For weaving all-wool cloth, ell wide, 6d. per yard. For weaving tow cloth, yard wide, 4d. per yard ; and all other weaving in proportion. For weaving coverlids of the best kind, 6s. each, and other coverlids in proportion thereto. Good fleece wool, 2s. per lb. ; and wool of an inferior kind in proportion. Fresh pork, of the best kind, 4d. per lb. Grass-fed beef of the best kind, 2d. 3qu. per lb. Good well-fatted, stall-fed beef, 3d. 3qu. per lb. Salt pork, by the barrel, 220wt. in a bar- rel, £4. 7s. Good salt beef, by the barrel, 240wt., £3. 9s. 6d. Good salt pork, clear of bone, 7d. per lb. Raw hides, 3d. per lb. Raw calf skins, 6d. per lb. Good merchantable imported salt, 15s. per bushel. Good salt, manufactured in this State, 17s. per bushel. West India rum, by the hogshead, 7s. 3d. per gallon, in- cluding the hogshead. W. I. rum, by the barrel, 7s. 5d. per gal- lon, and by the single gallon, 8s. 3d. ; do. by the quart, 2s. 1d. ; do. by the pint, 1s. 1d. New England rum, by the hogshead or barrel, exclusive of the cask, 4s. 5d. ; do. by the single gallon, 5s. 1d. ; by the quart, 1s. 4d. ; by the pint, 8d. Best Muscovado sugar, 9d. per lb., and 8d. 2qu. by the seven lb. ; and other sugar of an inferior quality, in equal proportion. Best molasses, by the sin- gle gallon, 4s. 9d. Best chocolate, 1s. 10d. per lb. Best new-milk cheese, 6d. per lb. Best butter, by the single pound, 9d. Best men's yarn stockings, 6s. Best cotton-wool, 3s. 10d. per lb. Good, clean, well-dressed flax, 18. Good coffee, 1s. 6d. Good tried
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
tallow, 5d. per lb. Good yard-wide tow cloth, 2s. 3d. per yard, and all other tow cloth in proportion to its width and quality. Good yard-wide striped flannel, 3s. 6d., and all other flannels in proportion. Good all-wool men's wear, wove ell, 9s. per yard, well fulled and sheared. Good charcoal, 2d. 2qu. per bushel. Good yard-wide cotton and linen cloth, 4s., and other cotton and linen cloth of an inferior quality in proportion. Good lamb and mutton, 3d. per lb. Good veal, 2d. 2qu. per lb. Good mer- chantable wheat flour, £1. 1s. per hundred wt. For keeping a horse one night, or twelve hours, 10d., on good English hay. For the best of English hay, 1s. 8d. per cwt. For keeping a pair of oxen one night, 1s. For turkeys, dung-hill fowls, and ducks, 4d. per lb. For geese, 3d. per lb. Good refined iron, 50s. per cwt. Good bloomery iron, 30s. per cwt., at the place of manufactory. Teaming work, 1s. 6d. for every ton weight per mile, excepting from Northampton to the Northern Army, for which may be taken 2s. per mile for each ton weight. Good new milk in the winter season, 2 coppers per quart ; in the summer season, 2 cop- pers per quart.1 A dinner of common meat-victuals, and proper sauce and other conveniences, 8d. For a dinner, two dishes, roast and boiled, 10d. For a supper of common meat-victuals, and a breakfast, 8d. For a supper or breakfast of milk, 4d. For a night's lodging, 3d. For a mug of good West India flip, 11d. ; do. of N. E. rum, 9d. W. I. rum, by the half pint, 8d. ; by the gill, 4d. For a mess of oats, 2 quarts in a mess, 3d. N. E. rum, by the half pint, 6d., by the gill, 3d. Good cider, 2d. 2qu. by the mug. Good merchantable cider-barrels, 3s. 6d. each, with split ash hoops. Good merchantable pails, with locked hoops, 2s. each, and all other cooper-work in the same proportion. Ox-work in the summer season, 1s. 6d. per day ; do. in the winter, 1s. Horse-hire, 2d. per mile. For pasturing a horse, 18. 6d. per week. For pasturing a yoke of oxen, 2s. 4d. per week ; do. for a cow, 10d. per week. For keeping a cow in winter, 1s. 8d. per week. For a man's day's work, with four oxen and cart, 7s. per day. For keeping a horse in the winter season 3s. per week. For keeping a yoke of oxen, in the winter season, 4s. per week. For a bushel of flax-seed, clear of foul seed, 6s. For a thousand of good merchantable bricks, 18s. per thousand. Good merchant- able shingles, 12s. per thousand. Good merchantable men's sad- dles, £2. 14s. each. Good merchantable women's saddles, deer's- leather or plush seat, £3. 12s. Good bridles, made of neat's
1 Probably one of these figures is an error.
+
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CIVIL HISTORY.
leather, 6s. each Good broad hoes, 3s. 6d. Linen wheels, 16s. each. Woolen wheels, 7s. For boarding a common laboring man, 6s. per week. White pine boards of the best kind, £3. per thousand. Common yellow pine boards, £1. 6s. 8d. per thou- sand. For making a pair of good cart wheels, 33s. For boarding colliers and furnace-men, 7s. per week. For floor-boards of the best kind, £1. 12s. per thousand. For oak and chestnut boards, and common slit-work, £1. 4s. per thousand. Men's labor, by the year, £19. Bohea tea, 4s. 6d. per lb. Good shovels, 4s. each. Good sole leather, 1s. 3d. per lb. Curried leather, in usual proportion to tanned hides."
Notwithstanding this effort to sustain it, the value of paper money continued to depreciate, and larger sums were required in exchange for labor and for the necessaries of life.1 A law was subsequently enacted, imposing a heavy penalty on any person who should demand or receive a higher price in bills of credit than in gold or silver for his merchandise ; but this measure was equally unsuccessful. Before proceeding to this extremity, how- ever, the General Court, on the 13th of October, 1777, passed " An Act for drawing in the bills of credit of the several denom- inations, not on interest, which have at any time been issued by this Government, and are still outstanding, and for prohibiting the currency of said bills and the bills of any one of the United States after a certain time.
" Whereas, many inconveniences have arisen from the fre- quent and large sums of money and the various kinds, emitted for carrying on the present war, and it has become necessary for the welfare of this State that the whole sum, not on interest, now outstanding in bills of credit emitted by this State, small change of less than a dollar only excepted, should be called in and sunk, by exchanging them for Treasurer's notes for sums not less than ten pounds, on interest, to be paid annually, at the rate of six per cent per annum.
" Be it therefore enacted by the Council and House of Repre- sentatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the Treasurer of the State be and hereby is authorized and empowered to receive into the public Treasury the whole and every part and parcel of the bills of public credit emitted by this State, not on interest, (small change, less than a
1 During the recent civil war, a similar the Union, but strikingly parallel in the difficulty was experienced ; far less severe, Confederate States. indeed, among those who were loyal to
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
dollar only excepted), and in lieu thereof to give to the possessor or possessors his note or obligation for any sum not less than ten pounds, until he shall have exchanged or redeemed the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, in the form following," [namely, a note, payable March 1, 1781], " and for the remaining sum now outstanding as aforesaid, his note or obligation, in the form following," [namely, a note payable March 1, 1782. Pro- vision was made for the payment of these notes by taxes to be reasonably assessed.]
" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the possessor and possessors of the bills of public credit of this State are hereby called upon and directed to bring the same to the Treasurer on or before the first day of January, 1778, from whom they shall be entitled to receive in exchange for all such bills, so delivered in, a Treasurer's note as aforesaid, for any sum . not less than ten pounds, upon interest at the rate of six per cent per annum, which interest shall be paid annually.
" And for the more speedy accomplishing the good intentions of this Act, and preventing the evils arising from large emissions of various kinds of bills, - Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if the possessor or possessors of said bills shall neglect to offer the same to be exchanged by the said first day of January, 1778, all right or claim to the redemption or exchange of said bills shall cease and determine.
" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or persons within this State shall offer to pass, after the first day of December next, in any kind of payment what- soever, any of the bills of public credit emitted by this or any of the United States, except bills on interest emitted by this State, and such as are under the denomination of one dollar, every per- son so offering or passing any such bill shall forfeit and pay for each offence the sum of five pounds," etc. Provision was made for extension of time to constables, or collectors of taxes, and to soldiers serving in the army.1
This method of funding the public debt, strongly resembling a forced loan, and withdrawing suddenly nearly the entire currency of the country, drew from the inhabitants of Hardwick almost the only protest to be found on their Records against the pro- ceedings of the General Court, during the Revolutionary period. At a town-meeting, November 24, 1777, a committee, consisting
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