History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 100

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 100

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

this I shall [present] into the Honorable Councill that we may not have men pressed out of our small town." Dated, "Sudbury 26th 7th mo."

Philip made his attack on Sudbury the 21st of April, 1676, on which day he also engaged at Green Hill with the forces of Captains Wadsworth and Brocklebank. The same day a detachment of his men crossed the Town Bridge and began their devas- tating work on the East Side. They doubtless in- tended to take what spoil they could and then burn the place ; but they were effectually checked in their work. The inhabitants fell upon them with fury. They beat them from the very thresholds of their humble homes, and snatched the spoil from their sav- age clutch ; they even forced them to retreat on the run, and seek safety in precipitous flight. While the work of beating back the enemy was going on, a company of reinforcements arrived from Water- town, by order of Captain Hugh Mason. These reinforcements probably arrived some time before noon. As the attack began about daybreak, and took the inhabitants somewhat by surprise, it is hardly prob- able that the news would reach Watertown until the morning was well advanced. Watertown was the bor- der town on the east. The part now Weston was called the "Farmers' Precinct." At this locality the sound of guns could without doubt be heard, and the smoke rising over the woods in dark, ominous clouds might bespeak what was befalling the neighborhood. More- ever, the intelligence may have reached Watertown by couriers, who carried it to Boston, arriving there about midday.

When Mason's force reached Sudbury, about two hundred Indians were on the east side the river en- gaged in mischievous work. The little company of town's people who could be spared from the stockade was too small to drive them back over the river. The best they could do was to keep them from too close range of their little stronghold, and save a part of their property and dwellings. But when these rein- forcements arrived, the united forces compelled the foe to make a general retreat.

The contest that preceded this retreat of the sav- ages was doubtless severe. Two hundred Indians were a force sufficient to offer stubborn re-istance. They were ncar a large force held in reserve by King Philip ou the west side of the river, and might at any time receive reinforcement from him ; and if they could hold the causeway and bridge, the day might be won. On the other hand, the English had a vast deal at stake; if the foe was forced over the stream, the east side would for a time be safc. They could defend the narrow causeway and bridge, while the high water would protect their flanks. Such were the circum- stances that would cause each to make a hard fight. But the English prevailed. The foe was forced back, and the bridge and causeway were held, so that they could not repass them.

A company of twelve men who came to the rescue

from Concord were slain upon the river meadow. The bodies were left where they fell until the follow- ing day, when they were brought in boats to the foot of the Old Town Bridge and buricd. The burial- place may be on the northierly side of the Town Bridge on the castern bank of the river. The suppo- sition is based on the fact that it was high water on the meadow at that time, and hence this place was probably the only one suitable for the burial. A monument to this brave relief company would be very appropriate, and serve to mark a locality which on that day was full of stirring events.

Shortly after Philip's War oceurred the death of Rev. Edmund Brown. He died June 22, 1678. The town soon ealled as his successor Rev. James Sherman.

Active measures were immediately taken to provide the minister with a house. The town bought of John Loker the east end of his house, standing before and near the meeting house, and his orchard, and the whole home lot of about four acres; it also bought of him the reversion due to him of the western end of the house that his mother then dwelt in. This part of the house was to be the town's property at the marriage or death of the said Widow Mary Loker. For this property the town was to pay John Loker fifty pounds. The Widow Loker appeared at town- meeting, and surrendered all her reversion in the western end of the house to the town, reserving the liberty to have twelve months in which " to provide herself otherwise." She also promised in the mean time "to quit all egress and regress through the eastern end of the house and every part thereof." In consequence of this the town agreed to pay her annu- ally-that is, till she should marry or die-twenty- five shillings, money of New England. The town also voted to raise twenty-five pounds with which to repair the house. The records inform us, that "the said town doth freely give and grant unto Mr. James Sherman, minister of the word of God, all that house and lands which the said town bought lately of John Loker, and twenty pounds to be paid him in [country] pay towards the repair of the said house, and also twenty pounds more to be paid him in money, for and towards the purchase of the widow Mary Loker's lot that lies adjoining to it, when she shall have sold it to the said Mr. James Sherman, and also six acres of common upland lying on the back side of the town at the end of Smith field, and also six acres of meadow ground some where out of the common meadows of this town. These foregoing particular gifts and grants the said town doth engage and promise to the said Mr. James Sherman minister and his heirs .

. in case he shall settle in this town and live and die amongst them their Teaching Elder. But in case the said Mr. Sherman shall not carry out the con- stant work of preaching in and to this town, during his life, or shall depart and leave this town before his death, then all the premises shall return to the said town's hands again to be at their own dispose forever,

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only they are then to pay to the said Mr. Sherman all the charges he hath been out for the same in the meantime, as [they] shall be judged worth by indif- ferent men mutually chosen, unless both parties shall agree therein among themselves."

The town also agreed to pay Mr. Sherman eighty pounds salary ; twenty pounds of this were to be paid him in "money, twenty pouuds in wheat, pork, beef, mutton, real, butter, or cheese, or such like species at country price, and the remaining forty shall be paid him in Indian Corn and Rye, or Barley or Peas, all at country prices." He was to have five pounds added per annum to his salary for the cutting and carting home of firewood. He was also to have the use of the minister's meadow lands, and could pasture hi« cattle on the common land, and have firewood and timber from the common land of the town.

Mr. Sherman was son of Rev. John Sherman, of Watertown. He married Mary, daughter of Thomas Walker, of Sudbury, and had two sons, John and Thomas. He was ordained in 1678, and was dis- mis-ed May 22, 1705. After leaving the pastoral office he remained in town for a time, occasionally preaching abroad. Afterwards, he practiced medi- cine in Elizabethtown, N. J., and Salem, Mass. He died at Sudbury, March 3, 1718.

NEW MEETING-HOUSE .- During the pastorate of Mr. Sherman the town took measures for the erection of a new house of worship. October 6, 1686, "it was determined, ordered, and voted, that a new meeting- house be built within this town with all convenient speed, after such manner as shall be resolved upon by the town." "It was ordered that the said new meet- ing-house shall be erected, finished and stand upon the present Burying place of this town and on the most convenient part thereof or behind or about the old meeting-house that now is."

The business of building the meeting-house was entrusted to Deacon John Haines, between whom and the town a covenant was made at a town-meeting, January 10, 1685. It was to be raised on or before the 1st day of July, 1688; and for the work Mr. Haines was to have two hundred pounds, -- one hun- dred and sixty pounds of it to be paid in "country pay and at country price," and the other forty pounds to be paid in money. The country pay was to be in "good sound merchantable Indian corn, or Rye, or wheat, or barley, or malt, or Peas, or Beef, or Pork, or work, or in such other pay as the said Deacon Haines shall accept of any person.'

The meeting-house was to be "made, framed and set up, and finished upon the land and place ap- pointed by the town on the 6th of October last past, in all respects for dimensions, strength, shape, . . . and conveniences, as Dedham meeting-house is, ex- cept filling between studs; but in all things else ad- mitting with all in this work such variations as are particularly mentioned in the proposition of Corporal John Brewer and Sam1 How." The town was to help

raise the building, the clapboards were to be of cedar, the inside to be liued with either planed boards or cedar clapboards, and the windows were to contain two hundred aud forty feet of glass. It was voted, "that Leut. Daniel Pond shall be left to his liberty whether he will leave a middle alley in the new meeting-house, or shut up the scats as they are in Dedham meeting-house, provided always that the seats do comfortably and conveniently hold and con- tain seven men in one end of the seats and seven women in the other end of the seats."

A few years after this meeting-house was built a bell was provided for it. It cost "twenty and five pounds in money."

In the succession of wars that occurred during the last of the seventcenth and the first of the eighteenth century the east side was well represented, and famil- iar names are preserved on the muster rolls of that period. In the State Archives is a petition on which, among others, are the names of Noyes, Rice, Allen, Curtis, Gleason and Rutter. This petition, which is supposed to have reference to the ill-fated expedition of Sir William Phipps in 1690, presents a sad story of suffering. The following is a part of the paper :

"To the honorable Governor, Deputy-Governor, and to all our honored Magistrates and Representatives of the Massachusetts Colony, now sitting in General Court in Boston.

" The humble petition of us who are some of us for ourselves, others for our children and servants, whose names are after subscribed humbly showetli that being impressed the last winter several of us into dreadful service, where, by reason of cold and hunger and in tedious marches many score of miles in water and snow, and jaying on the snow by night, having no provision but what they could carry upon their backs, beside hard arms and ammunition, it cost many of them their lives. Your hum- ble petitioners several of us have been at very great charges to set them out with arms, and ammunition, and clothing, and money to support them, and afterwards by sending supplies to relieve them and to save their lives, notwithstanding many have lost their lives there, others came home, and which were so suffered, if not poisoned, that they died since they came from there, not withstanding all means used, and charges ont for their recovery, others so surfeited that they are thereby disabled from their callings. Likewise your humble petitioners request is that this honored court would grant this favor that on messengers may have liberty to speak in the court to open our cau-e so as to give the court satisfaction. Your humble petitioners humble request is farther that you would please to mind our present circumstances, and to grant us such favors as seems to be just and rational, that we may have some compensation answerable to our burden, or at least to be freed from far- ther charges bv rates, until the rest of our brethren have borne their share with us, and not to be forced to pay others that have been out but little in respect of us, whereas the most of us have received little or notli- ing but have been at very great charges several of us. If it shall please this honorable General Court to grant us our petition we shall look upon ourselves as duty binds ns ever pray.

" John Haynes Sen. Thomas Walker.

Joseplı Noyes Sen. Jolın Barrer.

Peter Haynes Sen. [or Noyes]. Samuel Glover.

Mathew Rice.

Joseph Gleason sen.

John Allen.

Thomas Rutter.

Mathew Gibbs sen.

Joseph Rutter.

Thomas Rice.

Benjamin Wight.

James Rice sen.

Peter Plympton.

Joseph Curtis.

Israel Miller.

Josiah Haynes sen.

Steplien Cutts."

(State Archives, vol. xxxvi., p. 59.)

Names familiar on the east side are also found among those who performed ranger services at Rut- land in 1724.

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

EDUCATION .- About the beginning of the eigh- teenth century there was an increased interest in the matter of education. Comparatively little was donc before by way of providing public schools. Previous to this time encouragement, we conclude, was given to Mr. Thomas Walker, to keep a " free school in town." It is stated that Mr. Walker taught the youthi to "write and cypher;" and that besides this service there were two "school dames on each side of the river that teacheth small children to spell and rcad." After 1700 new school laws were enacted by the Province ; and about that time Mr. Joseph Noyes was chosen a grammar school-master. For a time schools were kept in private houses; but by 1725 the town had voted that each precinct be empowered to build a school-house. In 1729 a vote was passed by which there was to be built in the East Precinct a school-house " 18 ft. wide by 22 ft. long and 8 ft. between joints, with a good brick chimney and fire- place at one end and a place to hang a,bell at the other end." By 1735 two school-masters were em- ployed in each precinct at a salary of £60 each.

In 1751 the selectmen agreed "with Mr. Wm. Cook [only son of Rev. Mr. Cook] to keep a grammar school . for six months, beginning the sehool the first day of November; and also to teach children & youth to Read English and wright and Instruct them in Rethmetick, and to keep the school in the Town School House as the Selectmen shall from time to time order For the sum of Twelve pounds Exclusive of his Board." It was voted that year that the grammar schools should be kept in the two town school-houses by each meet- ing-house. This shows us where two of the town school-houses stood at that time; and this, with other records, show that school matters were at that time conducted by the Board of Selectmen. Another record of 1756 shows where two other school-houses stood, inasmuch as the town voted that year that the gram- mar school should be kept at four places,-"two at the school-houses near the meeting-house, one at the school-house near Joseph Smith's, and the other at that near Nathan Goodnow's." John Monroe was to keep the school, and have five pounds, thirteen shillings, four pence for a quarter, and the town was to pay his board.

place as near the house of L' Daniel Noyes as may be, and in the school-house ncar to and northerly from the house of Dea Jonathan Rice all in sd town." The same year the town voted that " the Reading & writing school should be kept In the two Town school houses the year ensuing." During this period several school-houses were built, which stood about half a century.

A prominent man who taught school in town, and who tradition says lived on the east side, was Samuel Paris, who was prominently connected with the witchcraft delusion. In the household of Mr. Paris at his former home, in what was once Salem Village (now Danvers), the Salem witchcraft sensation began.

The records state that in 1717, Mr. Samuel Paris was to teach school four months of the year at the school-house on the west side of the river, and the rest of the year at his own house. If he was absent part of the time, he was to make it up the next year. In Book III., Sudbury Records, we have the following statement, with date May 25, 1722: "These mav cer- tify that ye 28 pounds that ye town of Sudbury agreed to give Mr. Samuel Paris late of Sudbury, for his last yeares keeping school in sd town, is by Mr. John Clapp, treasurer for said town by his self and by his order all paid as witness my hand, John Rice, executor of ye last will and Testament of ye sª Mr. Paris."

There are graves of the Paris family in the old burying-ground at Wayland. Towards the southeast side of it stands a stone with the following inserip- tion : "Here lyes ye Body of Samuel Paris, Who Died July 27th 1742 in ye 8th year of his age." On another stone is marked : "Here lyes ye Body of Mrs. Abigail Paris who departed this life February ye 15th 1759 in ye 55th year of her age."

.As the years advanced school privileges increased. The town was divided into districts, in each of which a substantial school-house was built. For a time the Centre School-house was situated a few feet easterly of the Massachusetts Central Railroad, and was subse- quently used as a grocery store by the late Newell Heard. In 1841 a private academy was kept by Rev. Leonard Frost in the Town House, which had at one time one hundred and seven pupils. In 1854 the town established a High School and erected a commo- dious building just south of the Congregationgl Church. Among its early principals, who were natives of the town, were Miss Lydia R. Draper and Miss Anna Dudley.

In 1755 the town " voted for Grammar school 30 pounds, three-fifths to be spent on the west side, and two fifths on the east side of the river ; for the west side the school was to be kept at the farm." In 1752 it " voted for the support of the Grammar school in ECCLESIASTICAL .- On May 22, 1705, Rev. James Sherman was dismissed from the pastorate, and No- vember 20, 1706, Rev. Israel Loring was installed as his successor. Shortly after the occurrence of these events a movement was made to divide the town of Sudbury into an East and West Precinct. The division was accomplished about 1723, and although Mr. Loring was invited to remain, he moved to the west sd town the year ensuing 37 pounds, 6 shillings, 8 pence." The school was to be held in five places,- " two on the east side of the river and three on the west, in places as followeth : In the school-house near the house of Mr. Joseph Smith, and in a convenient place or near the house of Dea. Jonas Brewer as may be, or in a convenient place as near the house of Mr. Edward More as may be, and in a convenient / side of the river, and identified his interests with the

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West Precinct. While at the east side he resided at the house which the town had provided for Rev. James Sherman. Concerning the division, the church records kept by Mr. Loring state as follows :

" Feb. 11. 1723.

"The Church met at my house, where, after the brethren on the East Side had manifested their desire that the church might be divided into two churches, it was so voted by majority."

When the effort to secure the services of Mr. Loring proved futile, a call was extended to Rev. William Cock, a native of Hadley, Mass., and a graduate of Harvard College. The call being accepted, Mr. Cook was ordained March 20, 1723, and continued their pastor until his death, Nov. 12, 1760.

The town granted £80 to support preaching on both sides of the river for half a year.

After the setting off of the West Parish, it was con- sidered advisable to move the East Side meeting- house nearer the centre of the East Precinct. Jan- uary 29, 1721-22, "the town by a vote showed its willingness and agreed to be at the charge to pull down ye old meeting-house and remove it south and set it up again." At . the same meeting they chose a committee to petition the General Court for permis- sion. In a paper dated December 28, 1724, and signed by Mr. Jennison, Zechariah Heard and Phineas Brintnal, it is stated that they were "the committee who pulled down and removed the old meeting-house in the East Precinct of Sudbury." About 1725 was recorded the following receipt : " Re- ceived from Mr. John Clap, late treasurer of the town of Sudbury, the sum of four hundred pounds in full, granted by said town to carry on the building of a meeting-house in the East Precinct in said town. We say received by us, Joshua Haynes, Ephraim Curtis, John Noyes, Samuel Graves, Jonathan Rice, Committee." This building was located at what is now Wayland Centre, on the corner lot just south of the old Town House. The town instructed the com- mittee " to make it as near as they can like the new house in the West Precinct, except that the steps "are to be hansomer ; " it was also to have the same number of pews.

Thus at last both precincts were provided with new meeting-houses, and a matter was settled that had oc- casioned much interest and more or less activity for nearly a quarter of a century. Doubtless participants in the affair at the beginning and during its progress had passed away, and, before its settlement, worshiped in a temple not made with hands, whose Builder and Maker is God. The intercourse between the two precincts was pleasant, and for a while the ministers exchanged once a month. For years the salaries of the two pastors were equal, and again and again is there a receipt on the town-book for eighty pounds for each.

FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS .- In the inter-colonial conflicts known as the French and Indian Wars the East Precinct bore its proportionate part. On the

muster-rolls of the town East Side names repeatedly appear. Shoulder to shoulder men marched to the front, and as townsmen and kindred endured in com- mon the rigors of those arduous campaigns. At the disastrous occurrence at Halfway Brook, near Fort Edward, July 20, 1758, where the lamented Captain Samuel Dakin fell, the East Precinct lost Lieutenant Samuel Curtis, who, with eighteen men, had joined Captain Dakin's force but a short time previous. Among the reported losses on the same occasion were William Grout, Jonathan Patterson, Nathaniel Moul- ton and Samuel Abbot. Most of the men in the East Precinct in both the alarm and active list of militia turned out for service at the alarm about Fort Wil- liam Henry.

In 1760, Rev. William Cook died. That year the town voted "sixty-five pounds to each of the Revd ministers for the year ensuing, including their salary and fire wood ; in case they or either of them should decease before the expiration of the year, then they or either of them to receive their salary in propor- tion during the time they shall live and no longer."

This may indicate that their death was anticipated. Another record indicates that Mr. Cook had been sick some time when this vote was passed, as the town- book goes on to state: "The same meeting granted thirty-three pounds, six shillings, six pence to pay persons who had supplied the pulpit in Mr. Cook's confinement, and also granted thirty pounds more to supply the pulpit during his sickness, and chose a committee to provide preaching in the meantime." May 11, 1761, the town appropriated seventecn pounds, six shillings, eight pence "out of the money granted for the Rev. Mr. Cook's salary in the year 1760, to defray his funeral expenses."

Mr. Cook had one son who taught the grammar- school for years in Sudbury, and died of a fever in 1758. After the decease of Mr. Cook, another min- ister was soon sought for on the east side. A little disturbance, and perhaps delay, was occasioned by a petition sent to the General Court relating to the set- tlement of another minister on the east side the river. But the matter was amicably adjusted by a vote of the town, whereby it decided "not to send an agent to the General Court to show cause or reason why the petition of Deacon Adam Stone and others relating to the settlement of a Gospel minister on the East side the river should not be granted." The town furthermore voted, that the "prayers of the petition now in Court should be granted, Provided the Court would Grant and confirm the like Privilege to the West Church and Congregation when there shall be reason. John Noyes Moderator."

The way cleared of obstructions, a new pastor was soon found. Choice was made of Rev. Josiah Bridge. October 14, 1761, Captain Moses Maynard was al- lowed twelve shillings "for his travel to Lunenburg to wait on Mr. Bridge;" and, at the same meeting, it was "voted to grant to Mr. Bridge his settlement and

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ITISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

salary as he had contracted with the East Precinct for, and ordered the assessors to assess the inhabitants of the town for the same." Mr. Bridge was a native of Lexington, and graduate of Harvard College in 1758. He was ordained November 4, 1761.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR. - In the Revolutionary War the cast side shared in common with the west side the deprivations and hardships incident to that protracted and distressing period. In the matter of men, the east side was represented on April 19, 1775, by two distinct companies, besides having its share of soldiers in two companies that were made up of men from both sides of the river. The two distinct com- panies were a minute-company of forty men, com- manded by Captain Nathaniel Cudworth, and a militia company of seventy-five men, commanded by Captain Joseph Smith. The companies representing both the east and west sides were a company of mili- tia of ninety-two inen, under command of Captain Moses Stone; and a troop of horse of twenty-two men under command of Captain Isaac Loker. The com- pany of Captain Smith, it is supposed, attacked the British on the retreat from Concord at Merriam's Corner; and the company of Captain Cudworth at Hardy's Hill, a short distance beyond. Both of these engagements were of a spirited nature ; in the former two British soldiers were killed and several of the officers wounded. After the 19th of April the east side soldiers were still in readiness for service. Cap- tain Cudworth became major in Colonel Jonathan Brewer's regiment, and Lieutenant Thaddeus Russell, of Captain Cudworth's former company, secured the re-enlistment of most of the company and was made captain of it. His company consisted of forty-nine men when he reported for duty April 24th. His lieu- tenant was Nathaniel Maynard and his ensign Na- thaniel Reeves.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 100

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226