History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 93

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 93

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The petition for the incorporation of Ashby was before the General Court for more than two years be- fore it was acted upon. Neither Townsend nor Fitch- burg objected to giving up the portions of their ter- ritory asked for by the petitioners, but Ashburnham became much excited, because so many of its citizens owning so much territory in that township were anx- ious to join in making up Ashby. There were several town-meetings called on this subject and the record of one of them contains the names of the remon- strance of sixteen of the voters against granting the petition. After the matter was fully explained to the General Court, only about one-fourth part of the proposed area was severed from Asbburnham. James Locke, Jr., of Townsend, John Fitch, of Fitchburg, and Jacob Schoff, of Ashburnham, constituted the committee which appeared before the General Court in behalf of the petitioners. They were in attend- ance at the Court sometimes collectively, sometimes singly, at different times, and within a few months after the creation of the town an amount of money was yoted to pay their expenses.

There has been only one alteration in the bound- ary lines of Ashby since its creation. There was, however, a slight alteration in the line between Fitch- burg and Ashby, made by the General Court, March 3, 1829. Some of the citizens in the northeast part of Ashburnham, in 1791, who did not succeed in being annexed to Ashby in 1767, remembering their disap- pointment for twenty-five years, and not being in full sympathy with a majority of the town in matters of religion, were determined to make another effort to get away from that town. When a new meeting-house was proposed at that time the desire to leave was much greater. They gave Ashby to understand that they wanted to be annexed to that town. Ashby, with much promptness, " Voted to receive Isaac Whitney, James Pollard, James Bennett, Joseph Damon, Jeremiah Ab-

bott, John Hall, Daniel Brown, John Abbott, Amos Brooks, John Shattuck and others, with their lands, together with the non-resident land within the bounds of a plan that they shall exhibit to the town if they can be legally annexed to this town." This movement caused a sharp controversy among the cit- izens of Ashburnham, more bitter, if possible, both in and out of several town-meetings, than that of 1767. The dispute was carried to the Legislature, where two of the most influential men of the town, with Jacob Willard, who was the Representative, made an earnest effort against the measure, but the petitioners accomplished their object and the act was passed November 16, 1792. The act in part is as follows :

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in Gen- eral court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that John Ab- bott, James Bennett, James Pollard, John Shattuck, Joseph Damon, Isaac Whitney, Jeremiah Abbott, John Hall, Anos Brooks and Daniel Brown, with their families and estates, and also the lands contained within the following lines (excepting the lands now owned by Henry Hall) to wit : beginning at the northeast corner of Ashburnham at the line between the states of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and rou- niog westerly by and with said states lines 504 poles to the land of James Spaulding ; thence running southerly in a straight line by land of said Spaulding 145 poles to land of Capt. John Moor. Thence run- ning southerly in a straight line 870 poles to Ashby line at a stake and stones; thence running by Ashby line 753 poles to the corner of Ashi- burnham first mentioned be, and hereby are, ete."

By this excision from Ashburnham Ashby acquired about six hundred acres of land and fifty inhabitants. The language of the grant is quoted here to account for some angles in the town-line not mentioned in the report of the selectmen of both towns, dated October 16, 1793, when the line was established. This line was not made according to the grant, but according to the needle of Matthias Moseman, who was the sur- veyor.

As before stated, Fitchburg was willing that John Fitch and others living in that part of Fitchburg which is now in Ashby should be set off into a town or parish. In September, 1764, Fitchburg “voted that two miles on the westerly line of this town, be- ginning at the northwest corner, and half a mile on the easterly line, beginning at the northeast corner on Townsend line, then running a straight line from one distance to the other, be set off to Mr. John Fitch and others in order to make a town or parish among them- selves." Mr. Fitch was popular in Fitchburg, having been first on the committee which was active in get- ting the charter of the town. Three years after this Ashby entered the sisterhood of towns. The act of incorporation empowered James Prescott, Esq., of Groton, to call the meeting for the municipal organi- zation of the town, and he drew his warrant, dated March 23d, directed to John Bates, requiring him, “in his Majesty's name," to notify and warn the inhabit- ants of Ashby qualified to vote in town affairs to as- semble at the house of Peter Lawrence "att nine o'clock in the forenoon." The house where this meeting was held was burned. It stood on the foun- dation where a cottage-house now stands on the south-

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eriy side of the main street running through the central village, and about one-third of a mile westerly of the Fitch Monument. Peter Lawrence was the son of Jonathan Lawrence and Tryphena Powers, born in Townsend October 14, 1742, died in Ashby October 21, 1798. His house was probably built just before his marriage, of which there is no record, but his first child was born May 25, 1766.

The second meeting of the town, and the first under its own organization, was held at the house of Jonas Barrett. From the proceedings at this time it appears that the house of Peter Lawrence was fixed upon as the place where their civil and religious meetings were to he held. Twenty pounds were appropriated " to hire preaching" and a committee chosen to ex- pend the same. Measures were also taken to secure a suitable place to bury the dead. The first valuation was made in 1768, which gives the names of forty- three of the fathers of the town, with the account of their estates. Like other people in a newly-settled town, they were poor in this world's goods but rich in all the elements of manhood and patriotism which came down from the pilgrims of 1620.

Before the town had passed one year of its munici- pal existence, Lieutenant Amos Whitney, of Town- send, was chosen a delagate to a convention called by the inhabitants of Boston, to discuss the critical con- dition of the Colonies in relation to Great Britain, and the selectmen were instructed to communicate to him the sentiments of the town, which were as follows: "As there is a prospect of some of His Majesty's troops arriving in this Province, we judge it may be of importance, if they should arrive, that proper meas- ures be taken that their order may be discovered before they are suffered to land, and the province re- ceive notice of the same; and if, upon discovery of the same, they appear to be manifest infringements of the natural rights of the people, or upon our Charter Rights, of this Province in particular, that all proper and prudent measures may be taken to defend and secure the Province."

For the next few years the efforts of the citizens of Ashby were mainly directed to securing a place of public worship. In March, 1769, the town voted to build a meeting-house and decided on its dimensions, but it was more than two years after that before the frame was covered and the floor laid so that a town- meeting could be held within its walls.

In the month of March, 1772, the arrangement for finishing the pews on the lower floor of the house and building a pulpit was completed and the work done. In 1774 the house, except finishing the pew ground in the gallery, was considered by those who were to occupy it as finished; and although it was not an elegant structure, only a mere shell where two or three hundred people could be seated, it undoubt- edly held within its walls as sincere worshipers as were the contemporaries of David who exclaimed, " How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts."

The town records are silent in regard to the dedica- tion of this building ; neither is the date given when it was opened for religious services. June 4, 1772, by vote of the town, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer. Five ministers from the neighboring towns were invited to be present, and it may be that it was dedicated at that time. The first money ap- propriated for schools was in 1773, when four "squad- rons " (districts) were formed, each of which was to draw its portion of what it paid from the eight pounds assessed for that purpose. The same year the town appropriated thirty pounds to support preaching.

As the town records come down nearer to the opening of the Revolutionary War we find the opin- ions of the citizens of Ashby, entered on these records more bold and outspoken. When the citizens of Boston resolved that the tea of the East India Com- pany should be seut back to the place from whence it came, their action was quickly responded to by the citizens of Ashby, and the message weut back "That it is the opinion of this town that the proceedings of the town of Boston at their meeting in November last respecting the East India Company's tea imported to, and intended for sale in America, is agreeable to reason and the natural rights of this free people, and the same appears to have been necessary at that time." July 11, 1773, the town ordered the selectmen to offer to all persons in town for their signature the " Solemn League or Covenant, to suspend all commer- cial intercourse with the mother country, and neither purchase nor consume any merchandise imported from Great Britain, after the last day of August," and the selectmen were instructed to act as a Committee of Inspection to see that the covenant was fully ob- served. October 4, 1774, Captain Samuel Stone was chosen to represent the town in the Provincial Con- gress, which met at Concord and adjourned to Cam- bridge. In the warrant for this meeting His Majes- ty's name was omitted and the call was made " By Virtue of our Charter Rights," thus ignoring the royal prerogatives and taking the first step towards independence.

On the 13th of October the Provincial Congress advised the several constables and collectors through- out the province, having money in their possession, payable to the order of Harrison Gray, to retain the same; on the 28th Henry Gardoer, of Stow, was named as treasurer and receiver by the Congress. December 29th the town instructed the constables to pay the amount in their hands to Henry Gardner, and that his receipt should discharge them from any obligation to the town. June 16, 1774, the town "voted to instruct the selectmen to procure thirty hogsheads of salt for the use of the town." Their stock of ammunition and arms was also replenished, and when the crisis came they were able to lend to their neighbors. February 24, 1775, in accordance with the recommendation of the Continental Con- gress, the Solemn League and Covenant was dissolved

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and the resolution passed September 30th in respect to the importation and exportation of any goods from or to any of the ports of Great Britain was adopted, and a Committee of Inspection chosen.

The 19th of April, the day on which the troops of Great Britain and her Colonies first came in hostile collision, had dawned. The British troops reached Concord at seven o'clock A.M., and the " Alarm " which aroused the Ashby minute-men was fired at about nine o'clock. There are good reasons for the belief that the " Alarm" was fired in front of Lieu- tenant Jonas Barrett's house. He was an inn-holder and the second in command of the " minute-men " who must have had some rendezvous for their arms and equipments, which were kept in readiness for instant action. Within a short time this company of forty-six men, under the command of Captain Samuel Stone, shouldered their muskets and hurried on towards the scene of action. Before the Ashby men had reached Concord, the enemy hurried back and had arrived at their quarters by the tide-water.

"A muster Roll of tha minnte company under the command of Cap- tain Samnel Stone in Colonel William Prescott's regiment enlisted April 19, 1775 : Samnal Stone, Captain ; Jonas Barrett, First Lientapant ; James Bennett, Second Lieutenant; Abijah Wyman, Sargeant ; Benja- min Spaulding, Sargeant ; Isaac Brooks, Sargeant; Amos Wheeler, Sargeant; Ephraim Gibson, Corporal ; Peter Lawrence, Corporal ; William Flagg, Corporal ; John Meede, Corporal ; Sammel Stona, Jr., Fifer; Timothy Stone, Drummer.

"Soldiers .- Joseph Davis, Caleb Nurss, Salmon Dutton, Oliver Wright, James Spaulding, Joseph Goodrich, Nathan Davis, Thomas Dntton, Benjamin Newton, Jonathan Barrett, Benjamin Barrett, Saol- nel Winch, George Newell, John Lawrence, Walden Stone, Stephen Patch, Benjamin Hodgman, Nathan Barron, Joshua Barron, Jacob Wheeler, Elisha Davis, Thadens Smith, Isaac Stearns, Joseph Wheeler, William Walker, Jouatban Daby, Solomon Coleman, Jonathan Gibson, Jonathan Stone, James Jones, Jonathan Lawrence, Jr., John Stone, John Whealer."

The time of service of these men was short, vary- ing from five to thirty days. Lieutenant Barrett served forty-four days. They were paid the usual wages and for one hundred miles travel. April 20th the militia, under command of Captain John Jones, enlisted and hurried on to join the Provincial forces in the field.

"Muster Roll of Ashby man in Colonal James Prescott's Regiment of militia who marched on the 20th of April, 1775: Jobn Jones, Captain ; Stephen Gibson, First Lieut .; Jonathan Locke, Second Lieut .; Samuel March, Sergeant ; Joseph Walker, Sergeant; Benjamin Walker, Ser- geant ; Abraham Gates, Sergeant.

"Soldiers .- Joseph Wheeler, Samson Hildreth, Benjamin Hodgman, Jacob Upton, David Locke, Timothy Emerson, Asa Walker, Samnel Fletcher, Asa Shedd, Rufus Wilder, Jacob Lewis, Isaac Gregory, Sam- nel Howard, Ira Bennett, John Dunsmore, JobD Gibson, Joseph Barker, Silas Brown, John Foster, Jonathan Foster, Jacob Dumon, John Read, Joseph Damon, Aaron Coleman."

This company remained in and around Cambridge and Charlestown till April 29th, when its members were paid for seven days' service and for one hundred miles' travel. These two rolls are copied from Vol- umcs XIII. and XIV. in the State archives, which are indexed, " Military Rolls, Lexington Alarm."

The Provincial Congress, considering the necessity of a stronger military force, on the 23d of April re-

solved to raise 13,000 troops from Massachusetts, and in order to promote enlistments as fast as possible, those who raised companies or regiments were prom- ised commissions. Under this arrangement Abijah Wyman, who was first sergeant in the company of "minute-men," raised a company, twenty-four members of which were Ashby men, eight were from Captain Stone's company and four from Captain Jones'. Second Lieutenant Thomas Cumings and ten men were from Westford and others were gath- ered from different places. First Lieutenant Isaac Brown was one of the selectmen at that time. He was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill. John Gibson, of Fitchburg, and Cæsar Bason (colored), of Westford, were killed. Amos Wheeler, of Ashby, was wonnded and died on the 21st of June. Benja- min Bigelow, of Ashby, and Oliver Stevens, of Town- send, were taken prisoners and died in the hands of the enemy. Ezekiel Bigelow was severely wounded. Jolın Meede fell on that day.

Forty-three of the citizens of Ashby participated in the siege of Boston and the organization of the little army of Washington. Seven of her townsmen joined in the terrible campaign in Canada and passed through privations and sufferings almost unparalleled in modern warfare. They probably marched with Arnold through the wilderness of Maine, for Lieu- tenant Brown states in his return, made October 3d, that John Campbell was detached from the company September 7th, and given a command in Quebec.

At a town-meeting held on the 1st day of July, 1776, " Voted, That it the Honorable Congress, for the safety of the Colonies, should declare them independ- ent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, the inhabitants of Ashby will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in that measure."

On the 24th of July, 1776, fourteen men enlisted for five months, and served at or near Ticonderoga, and Ezekiel Bigelow and William Walker were killed in this campaign. At about the same time three men enlisted for three months and served at or around Boston.

In September, 1776, eight men joined “ Company No. 7," consisting of sixty men from Townsend, Pep- perell, Ashby and Groton, in a regiment organized by Brigadier-General Oliver Prescott, of Groton, with Cap- tain Thomas Warren, of Townsend, who were on duty at New York. In December seven more enlisted for three months and served at the same place. In some one of the engagements occurring there Simon Patch was wounded, and died on his way home. August 2, 1777, five men were drafted to serve three months at the westward, and on the 14th of the same month, by an additional draft, five more were required to report for duty for three months at or near Bennington. Ou the 30th of September, 1777, in compliance with an order from General Prescott, seventeen men were detached from the militia company, to serve for thirty days after they arrived at the camp of General Gates,

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and marched the next morning. This company, con- sisting partly of volunteers, contained sixty six men, rank and file-James Hosley, of Townsend, captain ; Asa Kendall, of Ashby, first lieutenant. In the roll may be found the names of "Privates William Prescott, E.q., formerly Colonel; Henry Woods, Esq., formerly Major; Samuel Stone, Major in the militia." When veterans like these join the ranks, no wonder that the over-confident Burgoyne was com- pelled to surrender.

The year 1778 opened with a call for eight men to perform guard duty at Cambridge, who were prompt- ly furnished. May 18th three men enlisted for nine months in the Continental Army. October 29th five men were detached from the militia and ordered to the frontier, distant 180 miles. In addition to these oft-repeated calls the town was required to fill her quota of three years' men for the Continental Army. From this record of enlistments it must be evident that Ashby made every possible effort to redeem the solemn pledge made July 1, 1776.

The first town war-rate made in 1778 to cover its liabilities was £1245 14s. 7d., but this sum not being sufficient to meet its obligations, the people were obliged to tax themselves the second time, in the same year, to the amount of £934. The town was re- quired, by the General Court, to furnish many arti- cles of clothing, shoes and blankets for soldiers dur- ing the war, which it found difficult to procure, but which were vigorously exacted by those in authority. Here is a receipt for some things sent:

" CONCORD, October ye 10th, 1778.

"Then received from Mr. Asa Walker, one of the selectmen of Ashby, fourteen pairs of shoes, fourteen pairs of stockings, twenty eight shirts, agreeable to the resolve of the General Court of the 7th of June last. "JOSEPH HOSMER, agent for Middlesex."

It appears from the town record of August 7, 1776, that one man was suspected of being a Tory, but as nothing is recorded further concerning this matter, the presumption is that he uncovered before the as- sembled dignity of the town and made satisfactory apologies. Article in the warrant: "To see if the town will take under consideration the case of Oliver Blood concerning toryism, together with the proceed- ings of the committee of safety." Twelve of the citi- zens of Ashby were in sympathy with the ill-advised and irrational revolt known as the Shay's Rebellion. Most of them were good soldiers in the long War of the Revolution, and all of them were much-respected townsmen. The town records show that they all, at different times (from 1787 to 1791), appeared before some magistrate or the town clerk and " took the oath of allegiance and delivered up their arms." From the fact that some of them took the oath before Oliver Prescott, Esq., of Groton, it may be presumed that they were in Job Shattuck's company. Names of these men : William Stacey, George Darricott, Earl Stone, Benjamin Barrett, Jr., Elijah Houghton, Jr., Isaac Gregory, Stephen Patch, Charles Lawrence,

Jonas Barrett, John Lawrence, Benjamin Adams and Eleazer Shattuck. It may be well to allude to some of the causes which induced some of the men of Massachusetts to enter upon an open and armed re- volt against their government. After the declaration of peace, in 1783, a general stagnation of business ensued. The united Colonies owed a debt of about $40,000,000, without any means of paying it. Con- gress, under the confederation, had power only to ad- vise the Colonies to adopt certain measures to meet the wants of the times. No uniform system could be agreed upon to pay this debt or even the interest ac- cruing upon it. The whole body of the people be- came alarmed and all confidence was destroyed. Even the certificates of the public indebtedness lost their credit with the people, and many of the officers and soldiers of the late army, who were poor, were obliged to sell these certificates at greatly reduced rates. These soldiers naturally hoped and expected that if they could gain their independence and a government of their own be established, that public and private prosperity would certainly follow and everything move on pleasantly. In this they were greatly disappointed. The war had stopped the in- troduction of gold and silver money into the Colonies, and paper money was worth only about two shillings on the pound. There was no business, no way for the people to earn any money, and money-lenders were in a panic and commenced suits against all who were indebted to them. This state of affairs afforded a rich harvest for the sheriff's and lawyers. Never were the services of the lawyers in greater demand or the courts filled with so much business. The pa- tience of the people was entirely exhausted on seeing their property seized on executions issuing from these courts. They knew not the origin of the evils, but supposed that there was some defect in thelaws-that there were too many or not enough. A lawyer on one side and a sheriff on the other, with poverty in front staring a man in the face, will cause him some- times to resort to desperate measures to extricate himself. Under these circumstances a large number in Worcester County and from the towns of Groton, Pepperell, Shirley and Townsend participated in what was known as the "Shay's Insurrection." From this it will be understood why such men as Jonas Barrett, Deacon John Lawrence and others were obliged to take "the oath of allegiance and deliver up their arms."

After the inauguration of Washington, in 1789, Ashby gave strict attention to the improvement of the condition of the schools. The militia was as well organized then as before the war, and there was much interest taken in its general good appearance at the fall musters. In 1797 the town chose a com- mittee and instructed them "to procure two horses and a wagon, to be under Captain Kendall's direction, to go to Concord ; also to provide, at their own dis- cretion (to be paid for by the town), bread, meat and

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cider ; also one pint of rum per man, for all the mili- tia, both foot and troop, who were obliged to muster at Concord on the 26th of September, instant."

CHAPTER XVII.

ASHBY-(Continued).

MECHANICAL INDUSTRIES.

THE numerous seats of power along the courses of the brooks, with their precipitous banks, invited the people to leave the cultivation of the soil, and tem- porarily to engage in mechanical pursuits. There are twenty-three mill-sites in Ashby, where the water at some time previous has been or is now utilized to drive machinery. Some of the primitive mills were simple in the extreme, having only an "up-and-down" saw, which, with slow progress, cut out boards, joists and timber for building purposes. These, however, were absolutely necessary for the progress of the settlement. Not many of these have contributed much towards the wealth of the town, being in use ouly a part of each year, and through neglect they were at an early date allowed to fall to the ground. There has been no effort made to particularize all the mills and mill-seats in town. The first grist- mill was built about 1750, by James Locke, and it stood a short distance below the bridge, over the Locke Brook, in the road from Greenville, N. H., to Fitchburg. This mill was burned (date unknown), and one of the run of the stones was broken in the fire and remains on the spot at the present time. One of the substantial contributions, coming from Ashburnham, at the incorporation of Ashby, was a mill, standing on the brook which comes from Ward Pond, situated on the southwest side of the road lead- ing from the west cemetery to New Ipswich. This mill was built by Moses Foster, Jr., and Zimri Hay- ward in 1756, and it was used in various indus- tries for more than a century. During its existence it was enlarged, repaired and utilized for grinding, sawing, threshing and driving lathes for the manufac- ture of tubs and pails. Some of the owners, since the Germans were proprietors, were Richard Richard- son, Calvin and Newton Wood, Lewis Whitney (made chairs), Cushing Burr, Joel Balcom, Alvah Stacey, F. W. Wright and Abram M. White. Joel Baleom was killed in this mill hy a circular saw April 25, 1845. A part of the old stone dam and a neglect- ed building, once a paint-shop, are all that remind us of the days of yore.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 93

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1034

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1034