History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 58

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 58

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When Charles II. sent a couple of ships-of-war with 400 troops to Boston Harbor in the summer of 1664, with commissioners to look after the affairs of the New World, and the Massachusetts' charter seemed in danger, Chelmsford was among the towns which sent petitions to the Court testifying to their good content and satisfaction in the present govern- ment, in Church and Commonwealth, and their reso- lution to be assisting and encouraging the same, and desiring that all means might be used for the con- tinuance and preservation thereof.2

After twenty years of faithful service the aged pastor, Rev. John Fisk, became physically unable to carry the burdens of his labors alone, and upon " The

13 Day of the 10 mo. 1675, att a general mitting of inhabitants of Chelmsford was voated as foloeth :

"1} in consideration of Mr. Fiske® Age and in- fermitis Acompanny the same ther is ned of sum hilpe to goine with Mr. Fiske in the worke of the minestry.

" 2ly that besides the eighty pounds formerly granted yerly to the minestry ther shall be forty pounds more Raised yearly for the obtaining of Mr. Clarke to be a help in the worke aforesaid if hee may bee Attained." Mr. Fiske now rapidly declined in health. "On the second Lord's day of his confine- ment by illness, after he had been many Lord's days carried to church in a chair, and preached as in primitive times, sitting, on January 14, 1676, he saw a rest from his labors." 3

It is much to be regretted that no stone reveals to us the spot where the remains of this beloved man are interred.

Rev. Thomas Clarke succeeded Mr. Fisk in the ministry.

The following contract with Mr. Clarke is as it appears in the original record, page 144 :

"Articles of agreement bettwine Mr. Thomas Clarke and the inhabit- ants of Chelmsford in order to Mr. Clarks Settelment in the ministry for time to com in Chelmford are as foloeth :

"1 firstly it is agred beetwine both parties that the inhabitants of Chelmsford do pay yearly to the said Clarke the just and full sum of eightey pounds in maner as foloeth, twenty pounds in curent mony and sixtey pounds in provisions; viz .; fortey pounds in corn of all sortes as god gives and the other twenty pounds in porke, Beefe and other flish not exseding tow pence, halfe peny p pound more over its allso Agred that tbe towne shall soply Mr. Clarke with wood sofitient for his family use yearly which is by Agrement thirty cord yearly.

" 2 secondly it is also agreed that the said towne shall pay sixty pounds in mony towards the purchas of Corsers land lying in Chelmsford and that they build an house upon the said land which house Shall be forty foott in length, twenty in bredth, fiveten in stud and a ciching adjoyn- ing of sixten foott Square and tene foott stud provided that the said Clarke shall pay on quarter partt of what this bulding shall cost.

"3 Thirdly it is agred that the said towne make an Adition to the Salary Above stated if he stand in ned and the towne be Abell ther to.

" 4 fourthly that the selectt men shall stand in gaged yearly to the performance of the above Agreements by making a Rate and proport tiont the Inhabitants his partt of the foresaid sum and to levey the same.

" 5 fifthly its agred that this yearly Salary shall be paid with in the year.

"Finaly it is Agred that if the Said Mr. Clark do grow [ ] remov and leave the worke of his ministry in Chelmsford then the said land and house as above Shall rettorne into the hands of the towne of Chelmsford they paying to MIr. Clarke what hee hath expendid to wards the purches and bulding and bettering the Acomedatione And for A confermation of this Agrement As above this fifth Day of the twelfth month one thousand sixe hundred seventy and Seven wee have sett to our hands.

" THOMAS CLARKE

" SAM'L ADAMS, Clerk, in the name of the inhabitants."

This agreement was ratified by the town with a "full voatt " at a general meeting the same day.

Rev. Thomas Clarke was born in Boston about the year 1652. He graduated from Harvard University. in 1670.4

He served for a time in the army at Narragansett

1 Family tradition.

2 Recerds of Mass.

3 Allen.

4 Allen.

248

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

during Philip's War, probably in the capacity of chaplain.

His name appears to an acknowledgment, in 1679, that the town had fulfilled its agreement in regard to building the parsonage.

This house stood near the site of the passenger station of the Old Colony Railroad. In 1692 several familics were assigned to his house in case of danger from the Indians. When the house was moved to its present position and remodeled, several years since, the walls of a portion of it were found to be protected by thick plank.

WITCHCRAFT .- The witcheraft delusion which swept over the country occurred during Mr. Clarke's ministry. One case occurred in Chelmsford, and it was dealt with by Mr. Clarke with such moderation and good sense that no such disastrous consequences resulted as were witnessed in some of the towns of the Colony. The following is the account as related in Mather's " Magnalia:"

"There was at Chelmsford an afflicted person, that in her fits cried out against a woman, a neighbor, which Mr. Clark, the minister of the Gospel there, could not believe to be guilty of such a crime, and it hapned while that woman milked her cow, the cow struck her with one horn upon her forehead and fetched blood ; and while she was thus bleeding a spectre in her likeness appeared to the party afflicted ; who, pointing at the spectre, one struck at the plase, and the afflicted said, 'you have made her forehead bleed ; ' hereupon some went unto the woman and found her forehead bloody and acquainted Mr. Clark of it ; who fortunate went to the woman and asked, ' how her forehead became bloody ?' and she answered, 'hy a blow of a cow-horn,' as ahovesaid ; wherehy he was satisfied, that it was design of Satan to render an in- nocent persou suspected."-Mather's " Magnalia," vol. 2, p. 478.

In 1681 the town voted to purchase a bell "and hange him in the metting-house." Previous to this a drum had been used to assemble the people. A drum was bought by the town for Henry Farwell in 1659.

The ancient method of noting time, by the shadow cast by the sun, is recalled by the record of a sum paid to John Batcs "for seting the dial." The same -person was paid, in 1698, for "mending the Stoxs" (stocks). This implement, for the punishment of of- fenders, tradition says, stood upon the Common by the old ash-trec near the monument.

The supply of wood furnished to Mr. Clarke did not prove adequate, and in 1683 the amount was in- creased to forty cords yearly. In 1688 his salary was increased to £100, at his request.

The ministry land was laid out in 1679, "by the Towns Gifte and order was laid out [for] the minis- try, and for that only use for ever in Chelmsford, to say thirty aeres of upland and swamp, be it more or less.".

THE OLD BURYING-GROUND at the centre of the town, was first enclosed by a stone wall in 1717. About ten years previous to that date the town had protected it by a board fence. In 1790 the old wall was replaced by a more substantial onc.

A few rude stones and some tablets, which bear the marks of having been placed in position at an early

date, bear no mark to reveal the name of those who rest bencath. The inscriptions here given are among the oldest, or are otherwise of special interest :

e HIERE LYES Y BODY OF GRACE

LIUERMOAR WIFE TO IOHN LIUERMOAR AGED 75 YEARS

DIED THE 14 OF JANUARY 1690 MARY THE WIFE

OF THOMAS

CHAMBERLAINE

AGED 88 DIED FEBRUARY 8 1692 RICHARD HILDRETII AGED 88 YEARS

DIED FEBRUARY 23 .1693

He was one of the original settlers of the town, as his name appears among the petitioners for the grant of the town May 19, 1653.

HERE LYES Y BODY OF CAP T IOSIAS A

RICHARDSON AGED 61 YEARS DIED THE 22 OF IULY 1695

e HERE LYES Y BODY OF EZEKIEL

RICHARDSON AGED

29 YEARS DIED

NOVEMBER 27 1696

HERE LYES Y BODY OF SAMUEL FLETCHER AGED 65 YEARS

DIED DECEMBER 9 1697 C HERE LYES Y BODY OF Deacon CORNELIUS WALDO AGED 75 YEARS

DIED JAN 3 1700 The Memory of the just is blessed

He was a man of distinguished usefulness. His house was upon what is now Mr. David Bussell's gar- den.

e HERE LYES Y BODY OF DEACON SAMUEL FOSTER AGED 83

YEARS DIED IULY Y 10 1702

HERE LYETH o

Y BODY OF MAJOR

THOMAS HINCHMAN

AGED 74 YEARS D C

DEC. JULY Y 17

1703 A foot-stone of the grave beside it bears the name :

N IS ELIZABETH 1

IIINRSMAN

249

CHELMSFORD.

Major Henchman was one of the first settlers, coming with Rev. John Fisk and the church from Wenham. He was an extensive land-holder and a prominent citizen.

The following is the epitaph of the Rev. Thomas Clark, the second pastor of the church of Chelms- ford :

MEMENTO MORI

FUGIT HORA

Hnic pulneri Mandatæ sunt Religinæ Rerdi Doni Those Clark Gregis Cristi Chelmsf : Pastoris Ecimij, qui fide & spe Beatae Resurrectionis anima in sinum Gesu Ecpiravit Dic

VII Decembr, Anno Dom MDCCIV & Etatis suae LII.

The following receipt shows the cost of the above monument :

"Chelmsford 17th Nov. 1708 " Recievd of Mr. William Fletcher the sum of fifty shillings in money to be bestowed for a monument over the grave of the Rev. Mir. Thomas Clark late of Chelmsford deceased ; it heing the donations of sundry persons in Chelmsford for that nse. I say received by me.

" JOHN HANCOCK."

HERE LYES THE

T BODY OF LIEU. EDWARD SPOLDIN AGED 73 YEARS WHO DECEASED BY e th JAN . Y 10 1707 [ 8

. HERE LYES Y BODY

OF A

LUCIA A TYNG WIFE TO CAPI

1 WILLIAM TYNG

AGED 28 1 < YEARS 1 A DEPARTED THIS LIFE

& 4 MONTHS WHO

TH APRIL Y 25 1708

A A 1

Her husband, William Tyng, is buried in Concord, having been wounded by the Indians between Groton and Lancaster and carried to Concord, where he died Aug. 16, 1710.

Here Lyes ye Body of MY JOHN PERHAMI who Decd Janury ye

21 1721 Aged 88 Years.

Here is one which has some historic interest :

SACRED to the memory of Me. JOSEPH SPALDING who died July 31 1820 Æt. 64. in hope of eternal life which God who cannot lie hath promised to believers in Christ.

He was among the brave asserters & defenders of the liberties of his country at Bunker Hill, where he opened the battle by firing npon the enemy before orders were given : &, after enjoying for many years the blessings of civil & religious liberty in common with others

He, " sunk to rest With all his conntrys bonor's. blest.

By the Church of Christ in Chelmsford.

In testimony of their esteem and Veneration this sepulchral Stone was erected, to stand as a sacred Memorial of their late worthy Pastor, the Reverend Ebenezer Bridge, who after having officiated among them, in the service of the Sanctuary, for more than a year above half a Century, The Strength of Nature heing exhausted sunk under the Burden of Age, and joined the Congregation of the Dead, Oct. 1, 1792 Ætat. 78

The following recalls one of the past industries of Chelmsford, which flourished at the time of the old Middlesex Canal :

to the memory of John J. Stickelmire, a Native of GERMANY, and late foreman of the Chelmsford Glass Manufactory, Died March 31st 1814 Aged 48 years.

This verse reminds the heedless as they pass That life's a fragile drop of unnealed glass, The slightest wound ensures a fatal hurst And the frail fabric shivers into dust. So he whom in his heart could none surpass, Is now himself reduced to broken glass, But from the grave, the fining pot of man, From scandiver and galss galls purged again, New mixed and fashioned by almighty power, Shall rise a firmer fabric than before.

CHAPTER XVI.

CHELMSFORD-(Continued).

Indian History-French and Indian Wars-War of the Revolution-Shays' Rebellion-War of the Rebellion.

THE PAWTUCKETS OR WAMESITS .- The Indians that inhabited in the vicinity of the Pawtucket Falls, where the city of Lowell now stands, were one of the tribes scattered along the Merrimack, and Pis- cataqua Rivers, which acknowledged subjection to Passaconnaway, the great Sagamore of Pennacook. In the early settlement of New England these num- bered about 3000 souls. They were very much re- duced by the great sickness of 1612 and 1613. And in an expedition against the Mohawks or Maquas in 1669 large numbers of them were destroyed. In 1674 "there were not above two hundred and fifty men, besides women and children." 1

These Indians were sometimes called Wamesits, from their village or capital near the mouth of the Concord River, and sometimes Pawtuckets, from the falls of that name in the Merrimack.

1 Allen, who quotes mainly from Gookin.

250

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

These Indians were not naturally of a warlike dis- position. Passaconnaway, their chief, dicd in 1662. A short time before, at a great feast and dance, he gave his dying counsel to his people. He warned them to take hecd how they quarreled with their English neighbors, "For though they might do them some damage, yet it would prove the means of their own destruction. He told them that he had used "all the arts of sorcery to prevent their scttle- ment and increase," but to no purpose.

Passaconnaway was succeeded by his son, Wanna- lancet (also spelled Wonolanset). This chief contin- ued steadfast in his friendship for the English.

The following interesting account of Chelmsford's Indian neighbors, and of the conversion of Wanna- lancet, is from the pen of the historian, Gen. Daniel Gookin, who wrote from personal observation :

" Wamesit is the fifth praying town ; and this place ie situate upon Merrimak river, being a neck of land, where Concord river falleth into Merrimak river. It is about twenty miles from Boston, north north west, and within five miles of Billerica, and as much from Chelmsford : so that it liath Concord river upon the west north west ; and Merrimak river upon the north north east. It hath about fifteen families ; and consequently, as we compute, ahout seventy five souls. The quantity of land belonging to it is about twenty five hundred acres. The land is fertile and yieldeth plenty of corn. It is excellently accommodated with a fishing place ; and there is taken variety of fish in their seasons, as salmon, shad, lamprey eels, sturgeon, bass, and divers others. There is a great confluence of Indians, that usually resort to this place in the fishing seasons.

"Of these strange Indians divers are vitious and wicked men and women ; which Satan makes use of to obstruct the prosperity of religion here. The ruler of this people is called Numphow. He is one of the blood of their chief sachems. Their teacher is called Samuel : son to the ruler, a young man of good parts, and can speak, read, and write English and Indian competently. He is one of those that was bred up at school, at the charge of the Corporation for the Indians. These In- dians, if they were diligent and industrious,-to which they have been frequently excited,-might get much by their fish, especially fresh sal- mon, which are of esteem and good price at Boston in the season ; and the Indians being stored with horses of a low price, might furnish the market fully, being at so small a distance. And divers other sort of fish they might salt or pickle, as sturgeon and bass; which would be much to their profit. But notwithstanding divers arguments used to persuade them, and some orders made to encourage them ; yet their idleness and improvidence doth hitherto prevail.

"At this place, once a year, at the beginning of May, the English magistrate keeps his court, accompanied with Mr. Eliot, the minister : who at this time takes his opportunity to preach, not only to the inhabit- ants, but to as many of the strange Indians, that can be persuaded to hear him : of which sort, usually in times of peace, there are consider- able numbers at that season. And this place being an ancient and capi- tal seat of Indians, they come to fish; and this good man takes this opportunity to spread the net of the gospel, to fish for their souls.

" Here it may not be impertinent to give you the relation following. May 5th, 1674, according to our usual custom. Mr. Eliot and myself took our journey to Wamesit, or Pawtuckett; and arriving there that evening, Mr. Eliot preachcd to as many of them as could be got together out of Mat. xxii. 1-14, the parable of the marriage of the king's son. We met at the wigwam of one called Wannalancet, about two miles from the town, near Pawtuckett falls, and bordering upon Merrimak river. This person, Wannalancet, is the eldest son of old Passaconaway, the chiefest sachem of Pawtuckett. He is a sober and grave person, and of years, between fifty and sixty. He hath been always loving and friendly to the English. Many endeavors have been used several years to gain this sachem to embrace the christian religion ; but he hath stood off from time to time, and not yielded up himself personally, though for four years past he hath been willing to hear the word of God preached, and to keep the Sabbath .- A great reason that hath kept him off, I con- ceive, hath been the indisposition and averseness of sundry of his chief men and relations to pray to God ; which he foresaw would desert him,

In case he turned christian .- But at this time, May 6th, 1674, it pleascd God so to influence and ovorcome his heart, that it being proposod to liim to give his answer concerning praying to God, aftor some deliberation and serious pause, he stood up, and made a speech to this effect :

"""SIRS: You have heen pleased for four years last past, in your abund- ant love, to apply yourselves particularly unto mo and my peoplo, to exhort, press and persuade us to pray to God. I am very thankful to you for your pains. I must acknowledge, said he, I have, all my days, used to pass in an old canoe (alluding to his frequent custom to pass in & canoe upon tho river) and now you exhort me to change and leave my old canoe, and embark in a new canoe, to which I have hitherto heen unwilling ; but now I yield up inyself to your advice, and enter into a new canoe, and do engage to pray to God hereafter.'

"This his professed subjection was well pleasing to all that were pres- ent, of which there were some English persons of quality ; as Mr. Rich- ard Daniel, a gentleman that lived in Billerica, about six miles off, and Lieutenant Henchman, a neighhor at Chelmsford, besides brother Eliot and myself, with sundry others, English and Indians. Mr. Daniel be- fore named desired brother Eliot to tell this sachem from him, that it may be, while he went in his old canoe, he passed in a quiet stream ; but the end thereof was death and destruction to soul and body. But now he went into a new canoe, perhaps he would meet with storms and trials, but yet he should bo encouraged to persevere, for the end of his voyage would be everlasting rest. Moreover he and his people were exhorted by brother Eliot and myself, to go on and sanctify the sabbath, to hear the word, and use the means that God hath appointed, and en- courage their hearts in the Lord their God. Since that time, I hear this sachem doth persevere, and is a constant and diligent hearer of God's word, and sanctifieth the sahbath, though he doth travel to Wamesit meeting every sabbath, which is above two miles ; and though sundry of his people have deserted him since he subjected to the gospel, yet he continues and persists.

"In this town they observe the same civil and religious orders as in other towns, and have a constable and other officers.

"This people of Wamesit suffered more in the late war with the Maw- kawks than any other praying town of Indians ; for divers of their peo- ple were slain ; others wounded ; and some carried into captivity ; which providence hath much hindered the prosperous estate of this place."

From this account it appears that their capital was on the east of Concord River, in what is now Belvi- dere. Allen states that Wamesit consisted of about 2500 acres, of which 1000 were estimated to be east of Concord River and 1500 on the west.

Upon the outbreak of King Philip's War Wanna- lancet withdrew with his people to the north to pre- vent being drawn into the quarrel. And although he suffered great provocation at the hands of the Eng- lish even in this retreat-his wigwams and provis- ions being destroyed by Captain Moseley's troops-he would not suffer his men to retaliate. " Wannalan- cet after a long absence called on the Rev. Mr. Fiske and congratulated him on the restoration of peace, solicitously inquired after the welfare of the people in Chelmsford, and whether they had suffered greatly during the war. Mr. Fiske replied that they had been highly favored, for which he desired to thank God. 'Me next,' 'said the sagacious sagamore, inti- mating that through his influence this town had been exempted from the calamities that had befallen many others." 1

KING PHILIP'S WAR .- Chelmsford suffered much less than many of the other frontier towns. The peo- ple were, however, in a perpetual state of alarm. When the father went forth from his home he was tortured by the fear that he might return to find it a smoking ruin, with the mangled bodies of his loved

1 Allen.

251

CHELMSFORD.

ones beside it. Several years previous to the out- break of hostilities some acts of the town show that even at that time the feeling was far from one of secu- ritv.

While assembled in the church on the Sabbath their devotions were liable to be rudely disturbed by the savages. But whether the menace was from some roving band of the warlike Mohawks, who had dealt such a crushing blow to the Pawtuckets a short time before; or whether it was from some of the Pawtuck- ets themselves, made dangerous by a too free indul- gence in "strong lickers," we can only conjecture.

" 25 the 5 moth 1671 It is ordered by the Selectmen For Severall Considerations espetialy for the preservation of peace That with in one moneth After the Date hear of Enry every malle person with in our towne above the Age of fiveten years Shall provid a good Clube of fouer or five foott in lingth with a Knobe in the end, and to bringe the same to the metting house, ther to leave the Same vntill vntill ocation fore use of it be [found, &c.]

" the name of the Rest By

" SAMUEL ADAMS, " Clerke.

The next year the town "covenanted with Abra- ham Parker . . . to cut all the brush in the Training place ... and by Training place is understood all that land now cleared by the town for that use."

This land was probably on the pine plain between Chelmsford Centre and Lowell. The year following the town built a house upon Robins Hill. The rec- ords relating to this are sufficiently interesting to be given in full :

7th 8 mo., 1673.

"The towne voated Leftenant Samnell Foster and en- william Fletcher Shold a point the place whear the towne honse Shold bee bultt," at tho same time, "It was voated that all mall persons from the age of twelve years to sixtey, shall, every one, worke one day in the yeare for the Clearing of Robins hill, on the penalty of twelve pence a boy, and tow Shillings a man, in case thay Neglectt beeing ther unto caled. . . . by order of the Select men For sixe years in sewing, the datte heer of being left to the Selectmen to a point the day yeerly, and likwis thay are to apoint a man to lead on the worke either ther or else whear, att the selectmens apointment, dated as above by order of the Towne."

"7 of october, 1673, att a generall metting l J the towne order thes foloing, (sic.)

" Article of agreement made the foruth Day of octobor, on thonsand sixe hundreth seventy and three, bettwene the inhabitants of Chelms- ford and Joseph barrett, of the Same place, (sic).

"The Said Joseph barrett Doth promis and Ingage to buld a house of eighten Foot longe, and sixten foot wid, and eight foot Stud, and to do all the worke belonging to the Same, From the stomp to the finishing of the Same, and to find bords for the hole house, and lay the flowers and dobell bord the Roofe, and bord (? or bore) the sids and ends, and to make the Chimly, and dore and window, and to find stones and clay and to finish the Said house att, or beefore, the last day of march Next insewing the date above.

" The inhabitants of Chelmsford do promise, and hearby ingage, to pay unto the for said barett, in full satisfaction for the house Aforesaid, the Just eum of twelve pounds in towne pay, that is, such as the towne can produce, and to pay the same twelve pounds, att or beefore the tenth day of octtobor, in the yeare on thonsand sixe hundreth sevety and foure, as wittness in the behalfe of the towne the date above.

" allso it was agreed upon that the towne Should find Nails for the whole house.

"SAM ADAMS, " Clerke."

It is not clear what purpose this house was intended to serve. It undoubtedly had some military signifi- cance. The committee appointed to locate it were

both officers in the " foot company." The place was admirably adapted for a lookout from which to warn the people of approaching danger. Several years be- fore the Indians had built a stockade upon Fort Hill, now Rogers Park, in Lowell, to protect themselves from the Mohawks, and it is said that they signaled across from that point to Robins Hill. The house was leased by the town to Daniel Galutiah, or Galu- sha, for a term of years for a nominal sum,-one and one-half pecks of corn yearly. Galusha was a Dutch- man. He was afterwards a soldier in a garrison at Dunstable. His house there was attacked and burned by the savages and one woman killed.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 58

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