History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 60

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 60

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

decision are evidently necessary. We would earnestly caution you by no means to consent to any rash, pas- sionate plan of action, which will not only sully the dignity, but finally prove the ntter destruction of the cause we pretend to support. We hope those little animosities that involve persons, not things, may be utterly banished, and that every determination will be founded in the nature of a free state, and that there- fore every privilege annexed to each part may be re- ligiously preserved. Of consequence, yon will be careful not to trample on majesty, while you are firmly but decently pleading the liberties of the sub- ject. In fine, we wish you that wisdom which is from above, and we pray you that your condnet in this im- portant crisis may be such as the coolest reflection will ever after justify."

Again, when the news of the act closing the port of Boston and transferring the seat of government to Salem was received, "at a very full meeting of the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town, May 30, 1774, in consequence of letters sent to the Com- mittee of Correspondence by the Committee of Corre- spondence of the town of Boston, containing matters of as great importance as ever came before a town- meeting, a Committee of Correspondence was chosen, consisting of Jonathan William Austin, Captain Oliver Barron, Mr. Samnel Perham, David Spauld- ing, Benjamin Walker, Deacon Aaron Chamberlin, Captain Moses Parker, Samuel Stevens, Jr., and Simeon Spaulding, and the town expressed the fol- lowing sentiments :

"It is the opinion of this town that the present day is as dark and distressing a day as this country ever experienced, and when we consider the aspect of the times, not only what has actually taken place, but what we are immediately threatened with, we must think that the question is, whether we submit to the arbitrary, lawless, tyrannical will of a minister, or by using those powers given us by the God of nature, and which it were sacrilege to surrender, prevent so awful a catastrophe; and it is extremely afflictive to us to consider that, if we are made slaves, we are so made by a nation whom we ever gloried in as a pa- rent State, whose honor was dear to us, and to secure whose reputation the best, the richest blood has been spilt. Taxation without representation we have no conception of. The present act respecting the block- ing up of the port of Boston we esteem dangerons and destructive.

" We are not so lost to every gencrons principle of the human mind as not to sympathize with our breth- ren of Boston, who have in a more peculiar sense been struggling in our common canse and are now suffering for our common liberties; and as we think the act so very severe and cruel, so we are determined to support with all onr power the town of Boston, in defense of rights common to us all. And while we are sensible onr cause is right we are resolved never to submit to the iron hand of despotism and oppres-

sion. We resent the base treatment which that illus- trions defender of American liberty-Dr. Frankin- has received for detecting snch wicked designs. May he still live to be gnardian of onr rights and the sconrge to the enemies of liberty on both sides of the Atlantic. Bnt in such a sitnation we do not think it sufficient to weep only at the distresses of our coun- try ; we think our union is onr life-the contrary our death. We mean, therefore, to preserve this union inviolate at all hazards, and we are determined in a firm, virtnons, manly and joint way, neither cajoled on the one hand nor intimidated on the other, to secure and defend our liberties, those liberties pur- chased for us by our ancestors, at the expense of so mnch blood and treasure, and before they are wrenched from us we will struggle hard, very hard for them, considering ourselves as the guardians of unborn millions ; and O, our God ! in the midst of this strug- gle we would look up for Thy direction and assist- ance ; may the liberties of America still flourish under Thy smiles as they did in the days of our fathers, and in this most adverse situation of public affairs we may trust in Thee, and may this be the prevailing senti- ment of us all: In freedom we're born and in freedom we'll die."

They manifested the sincerity of their sympathy for the sufferers at Boston by collecting a drove of sheep and sending them to their relief. In Sept., 1774, Mr. Simeon Spaulding was chosen to represent the town at Salem. He was instructed to firmly adhere to the charter of this Province, and do no act which could be possibly construed into an acknowledgment of the validity of the act of the British Parliament for altering the government of Massachusetts Bay. Two delegates were sent to the first provincial meeting in Concord, in August, 1774-Jona. W. Austin and Samnel Perham. A Committee of Inspection was chosen to prevent the purchase and sale of any articles imported from Great Britain. It was voted to equip the alarm list with the implements of war, also to raise and discipline fifty minute-men.

The expressions of the town during all this trying period show that the hostilities which followed were not of their seeking. Their language is not the langnage of men eager to achieve glory by deeds of arms; nor was their intense desire for a peaceful solution of the difficulties and caution against rash measures the caution of timidity, as their snbseqnent acts abundantly testify. For when, upon the 19th of April, 1775, a messenger rode into town with the news that the British were marching from Boston towards Concord, the town was soon on the alert to obey the summons. The time for words had passed, the time for action had come. The alarm-gnns were fired, the drums beat to arms, and from the farms and work- shops the minute-men hastily assembled in onr little village, at the alarm-post, which was a rock standing where the hay-scales now stand.

The good parson was on the ground and requested

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the men to go into the meeting-honse and have prayers before they went; but the impetuous Capt. Ford, his patriotism getting the better of his piety, replied that they had more urgent business on hand, and hastened on with his men. Soon over one hundred men were on their way to the scene of conflict. One com- pany of sixty-one men were under the command of Capt. Oliver Barron, and the other company, consist- ing of forty-three men, were under the command of Col. Moses Parker. These men did not march in regnlar order, but hurried off in squads, on horseback, as fast as they received the summon :. They assisted in the pursuit of the British toward Charlestown, taking part in the encounters at Merriam's Corner and Hardy's Hill. Capt. John Ford, who was at this time sergeant in Capt. Barron's company, was conspicuons at the latter place. He was an old veteran of the French and Indian Wars, and knew how to handle his rifle. He is said to have killed five of the enemy during the battle. Two of our men, Capt. Oliver Barron and Dea. Aaron Chamberlain, were wounded. Bridge writes :

" April 19, 1775-The Civil War was begun at Con- cord this morning ! Lord direct all things for his glory, the good of his church and people, and the preservation of the British colonies, and to the shame and confusion of onr oppressors."

" April 20-In a terrible state, by reason of ye news from our army. The onset of ye British was begun at Lexington, was carried on at Concord, where some were killed on both sides. They ingloriously re- treated soon and were followed by onr men down to Cambridge, before night. Five captives were carried through this town for Amherst. A constant march- ing of soldiers from ye towns above toward ye army as there were yesterday from this town and the neigh- boring towns. We are now involved in a war which Lord only knows what will be the issue of, but I will hope in His mercy and wait to see His salvation."

" April 21-I sent provisions to the army as did many more. 'Tis a very distressing day, soldiers pass- ing all day and all night."

to draw the cannon, which had been deserted by Gen. Callender and left at the foot of the hill, into the line. The captain at first remonstrated on the ground that his company were ignorant of the management of artillery, many having never seen a cannon before, bnt finally obeyed "and moved with the cannon and the general himself to the rail fence," which they reached just before the battle began. Capt. Knowlton with the Connectiont troops and Col. Stark with some of the New Hampshire troops were also stationed at this part of the defences. The right wing of the British army, under Gen. Howe, was directed against this point for the purpose of turning the American flank and cutting off a retreat from the redoubt. As the enemy advanced to the attack, the artillery, manned by a portion of Capt. Ford's company, opened upon them with great effect, some of the shots being directed by Gen. Putnam himself. The muskets were ordered to reserve their fire till the enemy were within eight rods. Joseph Spaulding, however, of Ford's company, could not resist the temptation and discharged his mnsket, as did some others, while the enemy paused to destroy a fence which obstructed their way. The inscription on his grave-stone, which stands in the old grave-yard, says : "He was among the brave asserters and defenders of his country at Bunker Hill, where he opened the battle by firing upon the enemy before orders were given."

When the word was given, the fowling-pieces mowed down their victims with fatal celerity, and the enemy was obliged to retreat, "leaving on the gronnd," as Gen. Stark related, "where bnt the day before the mowers had swung the scythe in peace, the dead, as thick as sheep in a fold." When upon the third assanlt of the enemy the fortunes of the day were reversed, and the Americans were obliged to re- treat from the redoubt, the force at the rail fence, where some reinforcements had been received, main- tained their ground with great firmness and intre- pidity, and successfully resisted every attempt to turn their flank. This line indeed was nobly defended. The force here did great service, for it saved the main body, who were retreating in disorder from the re- donbt, from being cnt off by the enemy. When it was perceived that the force under Col. Prescott had left the hill, these brave men gave gronnd, but with more regularity than could have been expected of troops who had been no longer nnder discipline. Capt. Ford behaved with great spirit in the engage- ment. Thirteen men of his company were wounded. Benj. Pierce, afterward Gen. Pierce, and the father of President Pierce, was a member of his company.

At the battle of Bunker Hill, which soon followed, tbe Chelmsford men took a prominent part. Upon the morning of that glorious day, the 17th of June, 1775, when the dawn of light revealed to the aston- ished Britishers the American works on Breed's Hill, Capt. Ford, who was now in command of the Chelms- ford company, which consisted of sixty men, was stationed with the army at Cambridge, under Gen. Ward. When the preparations for the battle began, the gallant captain, who had no taste for inactivity, obtained permission from the general to withdraw " Capt. Benj. Walker led his company of about fifty resolute men, ten of whom were from Chelms- ford, into Charlestown before the battle commenced to annoy the enemy's left flank. They did great exe- cution and then abandoned their dangerous position to attack the right flank on Mystic River. Here the his company privately and march directly to the scene of action, to reinforce the troops. They marched across Charlestown Neck, which was being raked by cannon from the British ships, and were proceeding down Bunker Hill when they were met by Gen. Putnam, who ordered Capt. Ford, with his company, [ captain was wonnded and taken prisoner. He died of 17-ii

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his wounds in Boston Jail." Lieut .- Col. Moses Parker, also of Chelmsford, was wounded and left in the re- doubt. He was a skillful and brave veteran of the French Wars and behaved with great gallantry.

The British carried him to Boston, where he died, aged forty-three. He was a good officer, much be- loved by his regiment, and his loss was severely felt. An obituary notice of him in the New England Chronicle, July 21, 1775, says : " In him fortitude, prudence, humanity and compassion all conspired to heighten the lustre of his military virtues," and it states that " through the several commissions to which his merit entitled him, he had always the pleasure to find that he possessed the esteem and respect of his soldiers, and the applause of his countrymen." The notice concludes : "God grant each individual that now is, or may be engaged in the American Army, an equal magnitude of soul, so shall their names un- sullied, be transmitted in the latest catalogue of fame, and if any vestiges of liberty shall remain, their praises shall be rehearsed through the earth till the sickles of time shall crop the nation."

The first news of the battle was received in Chelms- ford by special messenger from Billerica the same evening, and caused great excitement and anxiety on account of the uncertainty as to the extent which our own men suffered. The alarm-guns were fired, and before morning several of the wounded returned. Parson Bridge writes in his diary upon that day : " A terrible day this in relation to our army, in battle with our oppressors at Charlestown. The whole town on fire. The armies engaged on Bunker's Hill. At night we saw a fire from Chelmsford." On the 18th he writes : "The armies at Charlestown still engaged and news flying with respect to the slain and wounded." He expresses the intensity of his feel- ings in the following language : "This is a day big with distress and trouble. Our enemies are those who were our brethren of the same nation, and subjects of the same king, and all for the sake of a wicked and corrupt ministry, a deluded, a devilish, a venal parlia- ment."

During the seven long years of the war for inde- pendence which followed these opening battles, this town took its full share of the burden, by providing men and means, although the names of many of the men who served in the army from the town are not preserved to us. Capt. John Minot enlisted a com- pany in December, 1776, seventeen of whom were from Chelmsford. In July, 1776, Capt. Ford and his company were again called out. On the morning of July 23d, they marched to the meeting-house, where the parson, Rev. Mr. Bridge, prayed with them and gave them a word of exhortation, and then they took up the line of march to join the army in Canada.

In September, 1777, Capt. Ford was again sent with a company of fifty-two men to reinforce the northern army. They were present at the time of the surrender of Burgoyne. In 1777 thirty men were

raised for three years or during the war. The town voted to give them a bounty of £20 each over what the State and Congress paid. In consequence of the depreciation of the currency, it was afterward commuted to twenty head of horned cattle, of a middling size, per man. If the war lasted one year they were to have their cattle at one year old; if it continued two years, at two years old, and so on in the same proportion. In 1778, six men were drafted to go to Rhode Island. In 1779 sixteen men were enlisted to go to Rhode Island for three months. In 1780 the militia were em- powered by the town to enlist fifteen men for the Continental service, and the selectmen were instructed to raise money and produce for nine months' service. In addition to the names already given of those who lost their lives in the service of their country, the history records the names of John Bates, David Spaulding, Lieut. Robert Spaulding, Pelatiah Adams and Henry Fletcher.

In May, 1776, before the Declaration of Independ- ence was written, this town anticipated the measure and gave its adhesion to it in advance, by the follow- ing vote : " If it should be the pleasure of the Honor- able Continental Congress to declare an Independent state with respect to Great Britain this town will stand by them to the expense of life and fortunes."

It will be noticed that Col. Stoddard, whose name is so conspicuous in the period immediately preceding the outbreak of hostilities, does not figure in that struggle. This was due to the fact that he continued loyal to the government of Great Britain.

The feelings of respect in which he had hitherto been held now changed to those of animosity, and even his high position did not save him from those indignities which were everywhere heaped upon the Tories. His house was assailed with sto nes and his fence destroyed.1

SHAYS' REBELLION .- The period between the close of the war for independence and the adoption of the Federal Constitution was a trying one for the new nation. The history of this time is ably treated in Fisk's "Critical Period of American History." The heavy burden of debt entailed by that long struggle, obnoxious tariff laws between the several States, and the utter demoralization of the currency were prom- inent among the causes of that restlessness, which culminated in those deplorable acts of resistance which so sullied the fair fame of Massachusetts, known as Shays' Rebellion. Perhaps at no time in her history has Chelmsford shone so conspicuous among her sister towns for her patriotism as at this crisis. Committees were chosen to co-operate with those of other towns in measures for suppressing the insurrection. A detachment from the militia consisting of twenty-six men were in the memorable expedition under General Lincoln which marched

1 B. P. Hunt.

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thirty miles upon the 30th of January through the wintry snow to meet the insurgents.

WAR OF THE REBELLION .- The record of the town in the War of the Rebellion was in the highest degree honorable. When President Lincoln issued the call for 75,000 men, a public meeting was called which was fully attended and all of the speeches expressed the most patriotic sentiments. Three thousand dol- lars was pledged by individuals present to encourage eulistments and aid the families of those who should enter the service.

Every call for volunteers was responded to. The records kept by the selectmen show that the total number of men who had entered the service accred- ited to the town was 229, which was eighteen in ex- cess of all the calls which had been made by the gov- ernment, and that the town had incurred an indebt- edness in consequence of the war amounting to $27,623. Every dollar of this honorable debt has since been paid.

The account of the selectmen is by no means a complete record of the services of Chelmsford soldiers. Some of the names, those who served for two differ- ent terms of enlistment, appear twice. In the " Record of Massachusetts Volunteers " by the adjutant-general, the names of Chelmsford men apppear who are not upon the town records. One of these, William R. Patch, was the first Chelmsford volunteer. He was not mustered in, but joined the ranks as they were marching to the defence of the capital, and was wounded at Baltimore upon the memorable 19th of April, 1861. In another case the same published records, by an unfortunate error, class Elijah N. Day, who sacrificed his life for his country, as a deserter, one whom his comrades know to have been as true a man as ever faced the enemy.

The records should be carefully examined and cor- rected upon the town-book while there are living wit- nesses to correct clerical inaccuracies. The following are the names of those who did not live to enjoy the gratitude of their countrymen :

Albert E. Pike, Albert S. Byarn, Henry Spaulding, James H. Barton, died at sea July 17, 'Gt ; James Jackson, John T. McCabe, Henry W. Davidson, Patrick Barrett, Thomas Cochran, George E. Reed, George B. Lamphire, Patrick Derry, killed at Gettysburg July 2, 1862; George Curtis, killed at Battle of Wilderness; Webster C. Decatur, Jonas V. Pierce, James Gray, Peter McEnany, killed at Battle of Fredericksburg Dec. 11, '62 ; Henry H. Ingalls, Charity L. Dunn, Colman S. Farwell, Philip Whelan, Elijah N. Day, Michael Martin.

CHAPTER XVII.

CHELMSFORD-(Continued).

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

THE natural desire of an intelligent people to educate their children was, in the case of the found- ers of New England, stimulated by their religious

zeal. Of their political fabric the Bible was the chief corner-stone. As they interpreted the Divine will, through the written word, their course was gov- erned in all things. It was regarded, therefore, as a sacred duty to provide so much instruction as to en- able the children to read and understand the Bible.

The General Court made education compulsory. In 1642 an act was passed requiring the selectmen "to have a vigilant eye over their brethren and neighbors to see first that none of them shall suffer so muchi barbarism in any of their families as not to endeavor to teach, by themselves or others, their children and apprentices so much learning as may enable them perfectly to read the English tongue."

In 1647 towns of fifty householders must appoint a teacher, and towns containing 100 householders must have a grammar school.

For the first forty years it is probable that the teaching was mainly confined to that given by the good mothers at their homes, aided, perhaps, by the minister.

The first record of a teacher appointed by the town is as follows : "Samuel Fletcher is Apointed to be a scolle-master for the town for the year 1696, by order of the selectmen. Thomas Parker Clarke."

Samuel Fletcher, the first school-master, became prominent in the affairs of the town, occupying at different times the several positions of town clerk, treasurer and selectman.

The next record in regard to the schools is evi- dently incomplete. It reads : "May the 12 : 16: 98 the towne being me edward emerson schoolmaster for the year 1698." This teacher belonged to that family of Emersons which numbered among its descendants Ralph Waldo Emerson, of Concord. The town granted him land at different times. He married a daughter of Dea. Cornelius Waldo. His house stood where Mr. Allan Cameron now lives, in Westford Cen- tre. For the year following the record stands : "Agust the 26th 1699. the selectmen of said towne Apointed Samuel Fletcher Junr Schoolmaster to Learne young persons to write; on the Day Above said Selectmen Apointed for Scooldames : Deacon Fosters wife, Jno Wrighte : Moses Barretts wife and Joshua Fletchers wife."

There was at this time no school-house in town. The children gathered at the house of the nearest teacher or school-dame. The teachers must, there- fore, be selected somewhat in reference to their loca- tion in the different neighborhoods.

Deacon Foster lived not far from the centre of the town ; Joshua Fletcher was in the Stony Brook neigh- borhood, now in Westford ; Moses Barrett was near where E. F. Dupee new lives, in South Chelmsford, and John Wright lived at the Neck, now Lowell.

For the two succeeding years there was nogrammar school. Towns were often complained of and fined by the Court for their neglect to provide suitable schools. Chelmsford was now reminded of her duty

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in that respect, as the following indicates : At a gen- eral town-meeting " March 30th, 1702, A proposition was mad whether we should apply our selves to ye General court by our Debety in Referane to our being presented to the quarter session & finned at sd court for not having a Grammar School yt we may endeavor by a petision to sd general eourt to be eased in our greivanee on yt aeeount this was voted in ye Afirmni- tive.

"the day above it was voted yt ye selectmen should draw up a a petision to present to ye General court & send it by our Debyty."

In August the same year the town chose a commit- tee to "agree w' A seoolmaster for sd Towne." "Sep- tember 4, 1702, captain Bowers eornet Hill & Eleazar Brown Sen Agreed wt Sir Weld to be our seoolmaster half a year for 151 ye sd Sir Weld begun to keep school on ye 1st of october, 1702."

This teacher was a son of Rev. Thomas Weld, the first minister of the church of Dunstable. He had just graduated from Harvard College. He died in 1704.

The next year 1703, "capt Bowers and me": Emer- son wer ehosen to Joyn with the Seleetmen to Agree with a seoll master to save the Towne from a fine." In 1705 " the seleetmen of sd towne Appointed Moses Barron and Eben wright Scole Masters to teach young parsons To Right And one the Day a boue sd the wido Burdg the wife of John Snow the Wife of Israll Proekter the wife of old tom Cory the wife of sargent Samuell Foster war Appointed seools Dames for the teaching of children to Reed." Moses Bar- ron, one of the writing teachers, was also town elerk, and the record upon the town-book, of which the above is a copy, stands in his handwriting. The spell- ing, use of capitals and punctuation, here shown, are exactly as it appears upon the records.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 60

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