USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Hardwick > History of Hardwick, Massachusetts, with a genealogical register > Part 15
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1 Mass. Arch., clxxxix. 53. same volume, p. 67, is found " an esti- mate of what it may cost to supply 5,000
2 Lincoln's Hist. of Worcester, p 142.
3 Mass. Arch., clxxxix. 68. In the men, 30 days, with rations : -
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
ported that Colonel Timothy Newell had engaged to enlist one of these regiments, with authority to appoint his subordinate officers. Colonel Newell performed his engagement. Lieutenant-Colonel John Cutler, of Colonel Paige's regiment, was his associate : and one company was enlisted in Hardwick and New Braintree, under command of Captain Edward Ruggles of Hardwick. As this company served from January 22 until February 21, and shared the perils and sufferings of that terrible night march from Hadley to Petersham, which Minot styles " one of the most indefatigable marches that ever was performed in America," and which resulted in the utter and final dispersion of the rebel army, I copy the names borne on the Pay Roll, preserved in the " Massachusetts Archives," cxcii. 69 : -
Edward Ruggles, Captain.
Robert Voax.
Sampson Whitherly 1st Lieut.
Zenas Hanmer.
Wyman Hoit, 2ª Lieut.
George Wightington.
Jeduthun Spooner, Clerk.
Elijah Barns.
Samuel Shaw, Sergt.
Abner Whipple.
Elisha Matthews, do.
William Tidd.
Joseph Hale, do.
Persival Hall.
Lemuel French, Fife-major.
George Whetherell.
John Stevenson, Drummer.
John Doty (orderly), Corporal.
John Thompson, do.
Moses Paige. William Davice.
James Woods, do.
Justice Warner.
Stephen Newton,
James Weston.
Moses Fay.
Lemuel Kenedy.
General Lincoln's force was concentrated at Worcester on the 22d of January, and the court held its session the next day without molestation. " Detachments of insurgents collected at Rutland, New Braintree, Princeton, Sterling, and Sutton, but, intimidated by the military, hovered at a distance, while the courts proceeded. On the 25th of January, General Lincoln has- tened westward for the relief of Shepard, and of the arsenal at Springfield, invested by Shays and Day. Major-General War-
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Samuel Clark.
Benja Estabrooks.
Daniel Billing, do.
Isaac Denny.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
ner was left in command at Worcester, with a regiment of infantry, a corps of artillery, including Capt. Treadwell's com- pany, two field pieces, and a party from the legionary battalion of volunteer cavalry."1 With this force General Warner pro- tected Worcester, and dispersed large bodies of insurgents at New Braintree, and at the barracks in Rutland. Meanwhile, General Shepard, with about a thousand men, had taken post at Springfield, for the protection of the arsenal. On the 25th of January Shays approached with a still larger force. General Shepard " sent one of his aids with two other gentlemen, several times, to know the intention of the enemy, and to warn them of their danger. The purport of their answer was, that they would have possession of the barracks; and they immediately marched onwards to within 250 yards of the arsenal. A message was again sent to inform them, that the militia were posted there by order of the Governor, and of Congress, and that if they ap- proached nearer they would be fired upon. To this, one of their leaders 2 replied, that that was all they wanted; and they ad- vanced 'one hundred yards further. Necessity now compelled General Shepard to fire; but his humanity did not desert him. He ordered the two first shot to be directed over their heads ; this, however, instead of retarding, quickened their approach ; and the artillery was at last pointed at the centre of their col- umn. This measure was not without its effect. A cry of murder arose from the rear of the insurgents, and their whole body was thrown into the utmost confusion. Shays attempted to display his column, but it was in vain. His troops retreated with pre- cipitation to Ludlow, about ten miles from the place of action, leaving three of their men dead, and one wounded on the field." 3
Two days later, General Lincoln arrived at Springfield, and immediately pursued the insurgents, who fled to Pelham, and he took post at Hadley. After vainly attempting to secure a ces- sation of hostilities, Shays withdrew from Pelham, and marched to Petersham, on the 3d of February. At eight o'clock in the evening of the same day, General Lincoln commenced that "in- defatigable " march through Shutesbury and New Salem, which
1 Lincoln's Hist. of Worcester, p. 149.
2 This " leader " was John Wheeler, of Hardwick. In a letter from General Shepard to Governor Bowdoin, January 26, 1787, he says, " A Mr. Wheeler, who appeared to be one of Shays' Aids, met Mr. Lyman, after he had delivered my
orders in the most peremptory manner, and made answer that that was all he wanted." Independent Chronicle, Febru- ary 1, 1787.
8 Minot's History of Insurrections, pp. 110, 111.
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
he described in his report dated at Petersham, February 4 : - " We arrived here about nine o'clock, exceedingly fatigued by a march of thirty miles, part of it in a deep snow, and in a most violent storm. When this abated the cold increased, and a great part of our men were frozen in some part or other ; but I hope none of them dangerously so, and that most of them will be able again to march in a short time." 1 The surprise was complete. The insurgents fled, without attempting any defence, some to their homes, and others through Athol, beyond the limits of the State. This was a crushing blow to the insurrection. Al- though a guerilla contest was carried on a few months longer in the western counties, no large number was ever again gath- ered in opposition to the government. The immediate effect was described by General Warner in a report to the Governor : " Worcester, Feb. 10th 1787. His Excellency J. Bowdoin, Esq. Sir, General Lincoln, on his leaving this county, left under my command the troops which were raised in my Division, with a request that I would discharge them as speedily as might be consistent with safety. I have hitherto conceived it expedient to keep the greater part of them in service, as many of the in- surgents in this county retain an unsubdued and uncurbed spirit of rebellion and insolence. There has not, indeed, of late been any large collection of insurgents within this county ; but small numbers have been collecting in diverse parts of the county, to the annoyance and terror of the friends to order and regularity. Thoroughly to subdue this spirit appears to me to be of the highest importance. For this purpose I have kept detachments in such parts of the county as I have conceived would best tend to the accomplishment of the design. Numbers have been cap- tured ; numbers have voluntarily submitted, and thrown them- selves on the mercy of government; and numbers there are, which still remain to be reclaimed. I have, in my proceedings with them, endeavored to conform to the proposals offered by Major General Lincoln, and approved of by the General Court, not having received any particular directions upon the subject. . I have the honor to be, with the highest esteem, your Ex- cellency's most obedient humble servant, JONA WARNER, M. G." 2
It remained for the government to disperse the predatory bands which still infested various parts of the country, and to deal
1 Independent Chronicle, February 8, 1787.
2 Mass. Arch., cxc. 366.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
judiciously with the conquered insurgents. The first was accom- plished with comparative ease, by means of an overpowering military force, but what disposition to make of the offenders was a problem difficult of solution. A previous offer of amnesty to non-commissioned officers and privates, who would lay down their arms and take the oath of allegiance, had been generally disregarded ; but it was now renewed to such as would submit on or before the 21st day of March, and was accepted by large numbers, among whom were at least sixty inhabitants of Hard- wick : - David Elwell, Frederick Wicker, Gideon Carpenter, Lemuel Willis, Ezra Winslow ("neither of the above three persons used any arms against the government, as they affirm "), David Pratt, Symonds Whipple, Samuel Sibley, Samuel Clifford, Thomas Elwell, James Paige, Jr. (p. 125) ; Ephraim Tucker, James Robinson, Adonijah Dennis, Samuel Dennis, Constant Mirick, James Pearce, Nathaniel Gleason, Silas Newton, Calvin Oakes, Isaac Robinson, Eleazar Dexter, John Dexter ("these took and subscribed the oath of allegiance before the Act of the General Court was received," p. 126) ; Nathaniel Haskell, Sam- uel Hopkins, Joseph Robinson, Job Dexter, Gideon Brimhall, Timothy Newton, George Haskell, Abner Weston, Ebenezer Childs, Eli Freeman, Robert Prout, Zephaniah Spooner, Israel Roach, Thomas Clark, Benjamin Carpenter, James Rogers, Samuel Haskins, Jr., Aaron Johnson (sworn " on or before the 21st day of March, A. D. 1787," p. 130) ; William Smith, Thomas Reed Smith (March 23, 1787, p. 161) ; Arthur Rawson (" physitian, declares he never took up arms against government, only acted as physitian ") ; Benony Shurtleff, Ebenezer Law- rence (" declare they never took up arms, but were only in some degree aiding and assisting," March 25, 1787; p. 169) ; Jona- than Parkhurst, David Whipple, David Warren, Caleb Bryant, Experience Luce, John Gorham, Stephen Gorham, Joseph Gor- ham, Barzillia Flagg, James Wing, Ichabod Dexter (September 10, 1787, p. 209) ; Seth Taylor, John Harris, Nathan Wheeler (September 29, 1787, p. 216). 1
Several others in Hardwick, who had not taken up arms, were politically involved in this insurrectionary movement.2 The Sheriff of Worcester County, in a letter to the Governor, says : " I take leave to transmit the names of a number of their princi- pal leaders and commanders ; their names are as followeth, viz.,
1 Mass. Arch., cxc. 125-216. to county conventions, have already been 2 Martin Kinsley, and other delegates mentioned.
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
Adam Wheeler, Hubbardston, Benjamin Convers, Ichabod Dex- ter,1 Samuel Dexter, Simeon Hayselton, and Seth Taylor, all of Hardwick, Oliver Watson, Spencer, Abraham Gale, Henry Gale, Norman Clark, all of Princeton, Abraham Holman of Templeton, all in the County of Worcester." 2 And on the 19th of January, 1787, the Governor issued his warrant for the arrest of sundry persons in Worcester County, " deeming the safety of the Com- monwealth to be inconsistent with their personal liberty ; " among these were Benjamin Convers and Captain Simeon Hazel- tine. The sheriff made return that he had arrested some of the persons named, adding that the said Convers and Hazeltine " are not to be found within my jurisdiction." 3 They and some others had been so actively and prominently engaged under arms, that they were not entitled to the amnesty offered, and dared not take the hazard of a trial for treason.
A more sad fate was reserved for one of the Hardwick insur- gents. John Wheeler, a Revolutionary soldier, who enlisted under Captain Daniel Shays, in 1778, serving as sergeant, and afterwards as quartermaster sergeant, was lieutenant of Captain Edward Ruggles' company at the outbreak of the insurrection. He attached himself to his former leader, and became his aide-de- camp. He was described to me by his contemporaries, many years ago, as a skilful, brave, and energetic officer, - much supe- rior to his chief. He shared the excitements and perils of the contest until early in February, 1787, when he was taken pris- oner.4 The papers, descriptive of his trial, conviction, sentence, and pardon, are preserved, and are here inserted : -
" Hampshire ss. At the Supreme Judicial Court, begun and holden at Northampton, within and for the county of Hampshire,
1 Ichabod Dexter and Seth Taylor had, perhaps, borne arms; they are included among those who were required to take the oath of allegiance.
2 Mass. Arch., cxc. 235.
3 Ibid., clxxxix. 75. I have not ascer- tained where Mr. Convers found refuge. Captain Hazeltine fled to Vermont; re- sided at Sandgate, and represented that town, 1794, in the General Assembly. Several others, not here named, are known to have absconded at about the same time, and for a similar reason.
4 " Last Thursday evening, His Excel- lency the Governor received a letter from
the Hon. General Lincoln, dated the 13th instant. He was then with his troops at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire. His Excellency has also received a letter, dated the 12th, from General Shepard, who, with a detachment of the army, by another route, was then marching into the same county. Several of the rebels, and some suspected of being their abet- tors, have been apprehended; the most noted are John Wheeler, late one of Shays's Aids, and Matthew Clarke, said to have been busy in organizing the rebel militia," &c. Independent Chronicle, Feb- ruary 22, 1787.
137
CIVIL HISTORY.
on the ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord seventeen hun- dred and eighty-seven, by adjournment to that time from the first Tuesday of the same, by Writ in virtue of an Act of the General Court, made and passed in February last past. The Jurors of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts upon their oath present that John Wheeler of Hardwick in the county of Worcester, gentleman, and Henry McCullock of Pelham in the county of Hampshire, gentleman, together with others named in the indict- ment, being members and subjects of the said Commonwealth, and owing allegiance to the same, not having the fear of God in their hearts, nor having any regard to the duty of their allegiance, but being moved and seduced by a lawless and rebellious spirit, and withdrawing from the said Commonwealth the cordial love and due obedience, fidelity, and allegiance, which every member of the same Commonwealth of right ought to bear to it, and also most wickedly and traitorously devising and conspiring to levy war against this Commonwealth, and thereby most wickedly and traitorously intending, as much as in them lay, to change and subvert the rule and government of this Commonwealth, duly and happily established under the good people the inhabitants and members of the same, according to the constitution and form of government of the same, and to reduce them to anarchy, con- fusion, and lawless power, upon the twenty-sixth day of Septem- ber in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty-six, and on divers days and times, as well before that time as since, at Springfield within the county of Hampshire aforesaid, with a great number of rebels and traitors against the Commonwealth aforesaid, viz. the number of one thousand whose names are yet unknown to the jurors aforesaid, being armed and arrayed in a warlike and hostile manner, viz. with drums beating, fifes play- ing, and with guns, pistols, bayonets, swords, clubs, and divers other weapons, as well offensive as defensive, with force and arms did falsely and traitorously assemble and join themselves against this Commonwealth and the law and government of the same, as established by the constitution and form of government of the same, and then and there, with force and arms as aforesaid, did falsely and traitorously array and dispose themselves against the . Commonwealth aforesaid and the due administration of justice in the same according to the law and authority of the same, and then and there with force and arms as aforesaid, in pursuance of such their wicked and traitorous purposes aforesaid, did falsely and traitorously prepare, order, wage, and levy, a public and cruel
138
HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
war against the Commonwealth aforesaid, and then and there with force and arms as aforesaid, wickedly and traitorously did assault, imprison, captivate, plunder, destroy, kill, and murder, divers of the liege subjects of the said Commonwealth in the peace of the said Commonwealth being, and lawfully and in the duty of their allegiance to the said Commonwealth defending the same from the traitorous attacks as aforesaid, all which is against the duty of their allegiance and the law of the Common- wealth aforesaid in such case made and provided and the dignity of the same.
" A true Bill. SETH MURRAY, Foreman. R. T. PAINE, Atty for Repub.
" Hampshire ss. April Term at Northampton, 1787. The said John Wheeler and Henry McCullock are arraigned at the bar, and have this indictment read to them, and they severally say that thereof they are not guilty, and thereof for trial put themselves on God and the country. JOHN TUCKER, Clerk.
" And now in this present term, before the Court here come the said John Wheeler and Henry McCullock, under custody of the Sheriff of said County, and being set to the bar here in their proper persons, and forthwith being demanded concerning the premises in the indictment above specified and charged upon them, how they will acquit themselves thereof, they severally say that thereof they are not guilty, and thereof for trial severally put themselves on God and the country (Simeon Strong and Caleb Strong Esquires, having been assigned by the Court as counsel for the prisoners) : a jury is immediately impanelled, viz., Wil- liam Stebbins, Foreman, and Fellows, namely, Amos Baldwin, Jonathan Parsons, Gideon Searl, Phineas Chapin, Jr., Jonathan Clark, Daniel Fowler, Aaron Fisher, Simeon Chapin, Joshua Phil- lips, Martin Clark, and Moses Kellogg, who, being sworn to speak the truth of and concerning the premises, upon their oath say that the said John Wheeler is guilty, and that the said Henry McCullock is guilty. And now the Attorney General moves that sentence of death might be given against the said John Wheeler and Henry McCullock, the prisoners at the bar ; upon which it is demanded of them the said John Wheeler and Henry McCul- lock if they have or know aught to say wherefore the Justices here ought not, upon the premises and verdict aforesaid, to pro- ceed to judgment against them, who nothing further say unless as they before had said. Whereupon, all and singular the prem- ises being seen and by the said Justices here fully understood, it
139
CIVIL HISTORY.
is considered by the Court here, that the said John Wheeler be taken to the goal of the Commonwealth from whence he came, and from thence to the place of execution, and there be hanged by the neck until he be dead : - that the said Henry McCullock be taken to the goal of the Commonwealth from whence he came, and from thence to the place of execution, and there be hanged by the neck until he be dead. A true copy of Record.
"Att. JN.º TUCKER, Clerk." 1
There were manifestly extenuating circumstances in favor of Mr. Wheeler, for within a few days a full and free pardon was granted to him, and to three others who were convicted at the same term of the Court : 2_
" Commonwealth of Massachusetts. To the Sheriffs of our sev- eral Counties, and all others our loving and faithful subjects, to whom these presents shall come. Greeting.
" Whereas, John Wheeler of Hardwick, in the county of Worcester, gentleman ; Daniel Luddington, of South Hampton, in the county of Hampshire, yeoman ; James White, of Colerain, in the same county, yeoman ; and Alpheus Colton, of Long- meadow, in the same county, laborer ; were, at our Supreme Ju- dicial Court, begun and holden at Northampton within and for the county of Hampshire on the ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty-seven, by adjournment to that time from the first Tuesday of the same April, in virtue of an Act of the General Court made in February last past, con- victed of Treason : - Whereupon the said John Wheeler, Daniel Luddington, James White, and Alpheus Colton, were by the Jus- tices of our said Supreme Judicial Court adjudged to suffer the pains of death, as by the records of the said Supreme Judicial Court manifestly appears ; - and whereas the said John Wheeler, Daniel Luddington, James White, and Alpheus Colton have hum- bly supplicated our grace and favor for remittance of the said sentence : -
" We, therefore, by and with the advice of the Council, of our special grace do hereby remit to the said John Wheeler, Daniel Luddington, James White, and Alpheus Colton, a full, free, and ample pardon of all the pains and penalties they were liable to suffer and undergo by virtue of the sentence and judgment afore- said ; of which the Sheriff of our said county of Hampshire is in an especial manner to take notice.
1 Mass. Arch., clxxxix. 262-264.
one in Worcester, and one in Middlesex ;
2 Fourteen persons in all were convict- but, at length, all were pardoned. ed : six in Berkshire, six in Hampshire,
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HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
" In testimony whereof we have caused our public seal to be hereunto affixed. Witness, JAMES BOWDOIN, Esq., our Gov- ernor and Commander-in-chief, at Boston, this thirtieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven, and in the eleventh year of the Independence of the United States of America. By his Excellency's command, with the advice and consent of the Council." 1
So " full, free, and ample " was this " pardon," that Mr. Wheeler was not degraded from the office of lieutenant which he had held for three years ; and on the first day of September, 1789, he was commissioned by Governor Hancock as captain of the same company, and remained in office until the 8th of June, 1794, when he died at the early age of 37 years. The govern- ment exercised similar forbearance and clemency in regard to Cap- tain James Paige, Jr., who was so far involved in the insurrection- ary movement as to be required to take the oath of allegiance, yet was permitted to retain his military position, and was pro- moted to the office of major, receiving his commission 19 De- cember, 1791. Indeed, a strong sympathy with this movement pervaded not only the community but the government itself. A large proportion of the representatives approved it, and resisted active measures for its suppression. In the spring of 1787, its friends and supporters obtained a substantial victory in the Com- monwealth, by the defeat of Governor Bowdoin, and the election of Governor Hancock, with a still larger proportion of the repre- sentatives. The authority of the government was nominally maintained ; but its administration was rendered difficult by this disturbing element. The same spirit was visible in the conven- tion called in 1788 to consider the proposed Constitution of the United States, and nearly prevented its adoption on the ground that it granted too much power to the general government. So powerful and so persistent was the opposition, that even with the hope of certain amendments to render it less objectionable, ap- proval of the Constitution was secured by the meagre majority of nineteen, there being, on the final question, 187 yeas and 168 nays.2
Both before and after the collapse of the insurrection, a major- ity of the voters in Hardwick seem to have sympathized with it. They were officially represented in the county conventions, many
2 This opposition was especially mani- fest in the western counties : there were in Worcester, 7 yeas, 43 nays; in Hamp-
1 Mass. Arch., clxxxix. 265. shire, 19 yeas, 33 nays; in Berkshire, 7 yeas, 15 nays. Among the nays appears the name of Martin Kinsley, the delegate from Hardwick.
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CIVIL HISTORY.
of them took up arms, and their votes in town-meeting indicate their political preferences. Under a warrant for a meeting, Jan- uary 8, 1787, " to take into consideration a petition from a num- ber of the inhabitants of the town of Hardwick, praying that Capt. Shattuck and others lately imprisoned at Boston may be liberated, and that the Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions may be suspended till a new election, and sundry other articles, and for the town to act thereon as they shall think proper," it was "voted to choose a committee to petition the General Court for the purpose expressed in the warrant, &c., and made choice of Major Kinsley, John Raymond, Ichabod Dexter, Capt. Hazeltine, and Doctor Rawson, for said committee, and they to make report at the adjournment of this meeting." At the adjourned meeting, January 29th, "the petition that the aforesaid committee had prepared was publicly read before the town and accepted. Voted that the petition be signed by the Town Clerk as the doings of the town. Voted to choose a com- mittee to repair to General Lincoln's and Shays' army, in order to accommodate matters, if possible to prevent the shedding of blood; and chose Capt. [Daniel] Wheeler and Capt. [Daniel] Egery." At the annual meeting, March 5, 1787, the same spirit was in the ascendant. The record is characteristic of the eccen- tric town clerk ; but there is no reason to doubt its literal truth- fulness : " The town met and proceeded as follows: (1.) Chose Gen. Jonathan Warner, Moderator ; and then, after quarrelling the remainder of the day, voted to adjourn the meeting to Mon- day the 2ª day of April next, at nine o'clock in the morning. Met accordingly and proceeded as follows : chose Sylvanus Wash- burn, Town Clerk; Major Martin Kinsley, Town Treasurer ; Capt. Daniel Egery, Capt. Seth Peirce, Seth Johnson, Deac. Na- thaniel Paige, and Daniel Billing, Selectmen ; Sylvanus Wash- burn, Daniel Ruggles, and David Allen, assessors." The personal popularity of General Warner secured his election as moderator ; notwithstanding his active support of the government ; but Major Kinsley, whose sympathy and influence were manifestly on the other side, was elected treasurer in place of Colonel Paige, whose loyalty was never doubted. An entire change was made in the board of selectmen ; the loyal incumbents were superseded by new men, all of whom, except, perhaps, Mr. Billings, were of different politics. And in the next month Major Kinsley was elected representative.
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