History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 78

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 78

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1 See his account of the Christian Indians, in Archeologue Americana, vol. il, p. 411.

2 Felt's Annals, vol. ii, p. 578 .;

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Joseph Abbot, of Andover, was slain on April 8th. The next day, which was the Sabbath, a special alarm occurred in Billerica, and troops from below were summoned to the defence of the town. Incrcase Mather tells us : 1 " This day, being thic Lord's Day, there was an alarum at Charlestown, Cambridge, & other towns, by reason that sundry of the enemy were seen at Billerica, and (it seemetli) had shot a man there." A letter from John Cotton is also quoted, saying : "the Indians beset Billerica round about, the inhabitants being at meeting."

Read Mather's doubtful statement about "a young man murdered there," in the light of Hubbard's record that Josephi Abbot was killed at Andover the day previous, and it becomes clearly probable that the trouble and bitterness of that anxious day were not intensified by the actual death of any one here.

Another glimpse of this Sabbath alarm is seen in the fact that twenty troopers were sent by Major Willard, impressing horses and men in Woburn to the relief of Billerica.

From the close of Philip's War, in 1676, a period of peace with the Indians ensued for fifteen years. These years were not, however, free from anxiety and frequent alarms. The most interesting incident in the Indian history of Billerica during this period was the procuring an Indian deed. It bears date June 5, 1685. Whether the motive which led to the acqui- sition of an Indian title at this late day was purely benevolent may be doubted. A conflict of claims as to the bounds of the town on the west side of Con- cord River had arisen. The bounds of the grant from the General Court were obscure, and, in 1684, the Bloods had obtained an Indian deed to quite a large tract, claimed also by Billerica, in the vicinity of the present Carlisle Village. The line described in the deed to Blood included meadows which Biller- ica had granted to her own citizens twenty years earlier, and to which her right was confirmed, in 1700, by the General Court. When Billerica obtained her Indian deed, it was probably felt to be prudent to se- cure whatever title the natives could give, and not leave the benefit of it to the unjust claim of the Bloods.

With the increase of English neighbors, the In- dians at Wamesit found their home there less satis- factory, or the prices offered for their lands more so, and gradually sold their reservation. " Wanalanset, Sachem," and others sell to Jonathan Tyng, 1687, December 2d, two parcels, of which one was on the east of Concord River, and is described as containing "the old Planting ground, which the Indians, who were the former proprietors thereof, and their associ- ates, used to employ & improve, by planting, fishing, & Dwelling thereon, for many years past." With this sale, the Indian titles in Wamesit were probably terminated.

In the abortive cxpedition of 1690 against Quebec, Billerica was represented by Captain Danforth, and when the Indians fell upon Dunstable in 1691, the alarm and the fugitives came to Billerica. At last 1st August, 1690, the assault so long dreaded and guarded against fell upon the town, and two homes were made desolate, those of Benjamin Dutton and Zachary Shed. They were on the plain, a half-mile south of North Billerica. In each, the mother, with her eldest and youngest child, perished at the bloody hands of the savages. Mrs. Dutton was thirty-six years of age, one of the earliest natives of the town, née Joanna Jefts, and widow of John Dunkin. Her daughter Mary Dunkin was sixteen, and her son Benoni, "son of her grief," was less than two, born two months after his father's death. If Mrs. Shed's age were the same as her husband's, she was also thirty-six ; her daughter Hannah was thirteen, and Agnes was a child of two years. None seem to have been made captives in this assault. Four families at least were living as far north, or beyond, which were for some reason spared by the savages.

Three years followed of anxiety and burdensome pub- lic service, diversified by witchcraft excitements-when the second massacre fell upon the town, 1695, August 5th. The town clerk, who rarely turns aside from official record to mention incidents, gives four lines to this massacre :2 " This day received that awful stroke by the enemy of fivetene persons slain & taken, more sad than that we met withall three years before, when we mett upon the like occasion."

The blow fell upon four families, who were also in or near the present village of North Billerica. The home of John Rogers stood about eighty rods due north of the late Governor Talbot's house. The cellar and brick from its chimney may still be seen. He was fifty-three years old and his wife was not living. He was killed and two of his children were taken prisoners. Thomas Rogers, his brother, lived near the present site of the village hall. He perished with his eldest son, while his wife and two children escaped. John Levistone lived farther east and lost five of his seven children.

There was one other victim of that bloody day, whose case was, if possible, more tragic. She was the wife of Dr. Roger Toothaker, and her home stood at the point where, in later years, the Middlesex Canal left tlie Concord River. Tradition says it is still standing, as the ell of the old brick Rogers house. Her per- sonality and trials deserve special notice. Her name was Mary Allen, and she was sister of that Martha Allen who married Thomas Carrier and was a victim of the witchcraft delusion at Salem three years before. Not only was Mrs .- Toothaker's sister thus fatally in- volved, but her husband, with more freedom and folly, neglecting the claims of his family and disregarding the appeals of the selectmen to return to his duty,

1 History (Reprint of 1862), p. 133.

2 Records, Vol. ii, p. 58.

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BILLERICA.

left wife and children to the charity of his neighbors. Trials like these were mingled in the bitter cup of Mrs. Toothaker, with the Indian alarms and the massacre of her neighbors. At last the war-whoop of the savages sounded her death-knell, at the same time that her youngest daughter, Margaret, was borne into captivity. If the remembrance and sympathy of later generations could afford any compensation for the sorrows of such a life, we might search far to find a person better entitled to them than Mary Allen Toothaker.

Of the agitation and alarm which ran through the town, as the tidings of this bloody work spread, we can form slight conception. The day was Monday, not, as some traditions affirm, the Sabbath. The "garrisons" would be soon filled with excited women and children; the men would prepare for defence and attack, for pursuit of the retreating foe was the first impulse ; every nook, every tree and bush would be watched for a concealed foe ; and for many days the dread of another and deadly blow must have shaken their hearts. There is no evidence that either of these attacks were preceded by any warnings, or that any other towns suffered at the same time.

The insidious foe chose to fall upon some unsus- pecting settlement and beat a hasty retreat before neighbors could rally to the rescue. Three weeks passed and the alarm continued. Colonel Lynde, of Charlestown, was commissioned to pursue the foe, and his report discovers to us glimpses of what Billerica was passing through:

" Aug. 23, 1695. Receiving commission from the Honorable William Stonghton, Lientenant-Governor, Commender-in-Chief over all the province of Massachusetts, with instructions for his Majesty's service in the connty of Middlesex : pursuant wherennto I went that night to Billerica, where I found abont three hundred men in arms from Wo- burn, Reading, Malden, Medford, Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, under condnet of Major William Johnson, Major Jeremiah Swaine, Major Wade, Capt. William Greene, Capt. John Greene, Lt. Remington, Lt. Homan, Capt. Gerfield, Sergeant Bond and Mir. Sherman.

"That night we marched to the river of Merrimack, guarded the fords, there being three between Andover and Chelmsford, with about forty men at each ford, and with abont one hundred men encamped that night at Prospect Hill, that lies between Chelmsford and the river, on the northern side of the great swamp ; leaving the remaining forces to guard the town. As soon as it was light, on the 24th of August instant, we sent men to the top of the said hill, where we had a view of the said swamp and the country far abont, but could discover no fire anywhere. Thence we proceeded to range the woods between Andover and Chelms- ford, bnt finding no sigu of onr enemies, we rendezvous at a place called Sandy Pond, abont eight miles from Billerica eastward ; from whence about eleven of the clock that day we went to the great swamp, dis- mounted half onr men, the other half taking their horses. We caused the men on foot to pass through the swamp in a rank, each man at a distance as much as was convenient ; appointed to rendezvous again at Prospect Hill ; Major Johnson, with about forty men, compassing the ewamp on the west side, and myself with the rest of the soldiers on the east side. Onr men on foot, with much difficulty having got through the swamp, gave us acconut that they saw a new track and smelt Indians in one place, but did not judge by their track there were above two; having again rendezvous abont fonr o'clock, afternoon, near Pros- pect Hill, having before noon ranged the woods belonging partly to Andover to the eastward of Prospect Hill, we proceeded to range the woode towards Chelmsford; rendezvousing again near the time of sun setting at the chief fording place on the Merrimack below Hunt's gar- rison, where I advised with all our officers. Having no prospect of

doing service against the enemy, considering the evil that had accrued by drawing off all forces at once, I left a guard of ten men to guard that ford, under the direction of Hunt and Foster, of Billerica, until the 29th day of August instant, at night, and then to be dismissed with- out further order. Marching theu up to Billerica town in diverse par- ties, we rendezvous at the Ordinary, where paying off the army with thankful acknowledgments for their ready aud willing service, at their request I dismissed them according to their desire, to make the best of their way home, which without doubt they attended ; though with diffi- culty by reason of the darkness of the night.

"So concluding, I am, sir,

" Your servant,

"JOSEPH LYNDE, Lt .- Col. "Dated at Charlestown, Aug. 25, 1695.

"P. S. We have left about five hundred of bread in the hands of Capt. Danforth, who was not so prudent in the disposal of some of what was spent as, in my way home I was informed, he should have been. I directed him at my coming away to preserve what was left until further order. Yours, as above. J. L."

Eight months later, we read the situation in the following from the Town Records :

" April 6, 1696. Training day evening. At a meeting of the com- mision officers, both of horse and foot, by vertue of a warrant from our Major, we new erected our watches and ordered the repairing of garisons, and appointed the masters of them and the number of souldiers belong- ing to them, and other persons & families.

" At the same meeting the comition officers with the selectmen ordered that the remainder of the old pouder be dispersed among the severall garisons acording unto the number of souldiers appointed unto them, to be eaqually distributed, and the master of the garison or the masters of the severall garisons unto whom the pouder is distributed to becom re- sponcible for it, and to secure it and return it, or the vallue of it in money, except there be occation for to make use thereof in their own defence.

" The same day the selectmen compounded with our drummers, John Shead & Samuel Frost, To pay forthwith unto John Shead twenty shil- lings, to clere with him while that day ; & to pay to Samuel Frost ten shillings, & to clere with him while that day ; but it had not been at- tended."

Account was taken in July of the ammunition stock in the hands of Captain Danforth. It consisted of a barrel of powder, 110 pounds; part of an old barrel, sixty-eight pounds ; lead, 120 pounds ; flints, 130; bullets, thirty-eight; and match "sufficient."

These Indian alarms and sorrows were incidents of the long conflict between France and England for supremacy in America, which ended only in the victory of Wolfe at Quebec, in 1759. Treaties would bring short periods of dubious peace, and the conflict would break out anew. And while there is no evi- dence that the Indians ever came again to Billerica, the records show abundant activity of her citi- zens. Colonel John Lane became a prominent mili- tary leader, often called to service. In the famous Lovewell expedition Billerica had two representa- tives, Jonathan Kittr dge and Solomon Keyes, while Chaplain Frye had been a teacher in the town, and Seth Wyman, Lovewell's brave and skillful lieuten- ant, had a Billerica wife, and was of that family which, living just over the line in Woburn, was often and intimately connected with Billerica.

In 1743 Pepperell's expedition against Louisbourg included more than ten brave Billerica men, and in the defensive military operations on the Con- necticut River of this period, soldiers from Billerica had a share, and in one disaster were the principal

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HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

sufferers. Fort Dummer, in Brattleborough, was the earliest post established above Northfield, in 1724, and twenty years later a fort was built at "No. 4," which was the origin of Charlestown. Around these posts very vigilant and useful scouting and some brave fighting were done, under the command of Capt. Josialı Willard and Capt. Phineas Stevens. In the muster-roll of a company which served under Cap- tain Willard from February 10 to October 6, 1748, at Ashuelot (now Hinsdale), New Hampshire, the follow- ing Billerica names are found : Josiah Crosby, Jona- than French, John Frost, Samuel Hill, Benjamin Os- good and Joseph Richardson, and probably Daniel Farmer.

On June 16th a squad of fourteen men set out from Ashuelot for Fort Dummer by way of Colonel Hins- dale's fort.1 The party was waylaid opposite the mouth of Broad Brook by a large company of Indi- ans. The surprise was complete and disastrous. Three men were killed and scałped, and, by a singular fatality, they were all from Billerica,-Jonathan French, John Frost and Joseph Richardson. Seven were taken prisoners, of whom one was killed at the first encampment, William Bickford, and his body buried a month later. Four escaped across the river, one of whom, Daniel Farmer, was severely wounded. In response to the great gun from Fort Dummer, a relief party went up the next day from Northfield. They found and buried our Billerica dead, scoured the country and found "great signs of the enemy," show- ing that a large Indian force had been in ambush around the forts for several days.

Of the captives, Benjamin Osgood, of Billerica, and William Blanchard, of Dunstable, reached home October 15th; Henry Stevens, of Chelmsford, No- vember 12th, and Joel Johnson, of Woburn, early in October. They all suffered great hardships, were im- prisoned till August 29th, and Osgood with most of the others had to run the gauntlet. All were feeble and emaciated on their return, and Osgood died soon after from the effect of his sufferings.

Josiah Crosby was one of the four who escaped; and of his experience we have an interesting account in a letter from John Farner to Hon. Nathan Crosby.2 It differs somewhat from Mr. Temple's narrative out- lined above.

"In 1748 he was a soldier on Connecticut River. He, with fifteen more, commanded by a lieutenant, was ordered from Fort Dummer to Fort Hinsdale, about four miles, and when they were within one mile of Fort Hinsdale they fell into an ambush of one hundred and twenty Indians and French, who rose and fired. The commanding officer ordered each man to take care of himself. Two men escaped by secret- ing themselves ; one reached Fort Hinsdale. Crosby ran up the river towards Fort Dummer followed by

an Indian, who, coming up within a few rods of him, discharged his piece at him. The ball passed near his right ear; he then turned and fired at the Indian, who fell, and he saw no more of him. He pursued his way up the river until he came opposite Fort Dummer, where he attempted to swim the river, but before he could reach the opposite shore his strength failed him, and he sank to the bottom and was taken out by men from the fort." So narrowly escaped the only one of the five sons of Billerica known to have been in that fatal encounter. Few days have brought as deep and sudden sorrow to so many families in the old town.

The " History of Billerica " (pp. 147-9) has a list of 212 soldiers from the town, enrolled in the various expeditions and campaigns of 1745-62. This number exceeds by fifty the enrollment of the town in the War of the Rebellion, though the population was less, -probably less than 1000. And while the average length of service and loss of life was not as great, the patriotism of the people and hardships borne in that . French and Indian War are vividly suggested by these facts.

CHAPTER XXIX.

BILLERICA-(Continued).

RELIGIOUS HISTORY.

IN the petition to the General Court, 1654, mention is made of Rev. Mr. Miller, but the movement to se- cure him as a minister failed. May 11, 1656, Mr. Samuel Whiting is admitted as a freeman. Two years later the town entered into a permanent engagement with him as its minister, stipulating as follows :

"1. Wee do agree to give Mr. Samuel Whiting, Jun., (our minister,) that house which is now vpon ye towneship, comfortably finished, for him, and his heirs, if he continues amongst us during his life. But if he shall remove from amongst us, then the said house with all the acomodations of the same shall return againe to the towne, to he at their dispose ; or, if Mr. Whiting shall dye with vs, then the towne shall have the refuseing of the said house and all other acomodations aforesaid he- longing to the same, if Mrs. Whiting do sell ye same.

"2. We do promise to give to him ye sume of fourty pounds per year, for his maintenance, for the first two years of his setling with vs, and for the third year fifty pounds, and for the fourth year sixty pounds, and for afterwards we do promise and ingage to better his maintenance as the Lord shall better our estates.

"3. We do Joyntly pmise to cary at or owne charge, from year to year, so much of the pay (as doth amounte to twenty pounds) as shall he hroughit in to him in wheat or in other graine, or porke; to deliver the same either at Mistick mill or at Charlestowne, which Mr. Whiting shall apointe, and to deliver the same as such prizes as such pay shall or doth at such times pass fro man to mau, vnless Mr. Whiting and the Towne shall make any other agreement concerning the same.

"4. We do promise to pvide his firewood & to bring it home to hls houso, from year to year, at our owne charges.

"5. We do promise to fence him in a paster for to keape his horse in, as convenient as we may.

"ult. for his acomodations, we do promise to lay to ye said house, a ten-acre lot, for his house-lot and twelve acres of meadow, with other acomodations convenient to the same, i. e. to grant to him all other divi- tions of lands aud meadows, with othor lots of ye like quautity.

1 See " History of Northfield," by Rev. J. H. Temple, p. 262.

2 "A . Crosby Family," p. 11. This volume Is a record of Josiah Crosby's descendants.

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BILLERICA.

" The persons subscribing to the premises, who were then the inhabi- tance, were :

" RALPH HILL, Sen". JOHN PARKER,

WILLE. FFRENCH.

JAMES PARKER.

JOHN RODGERS, SenT. WILLM. TAY.

GEORGE FARLEY. WILLm. CHAMBERLINE.

WILL =. PATTIN.

JOHN TRULL.

SAMU. CHAMNE. JAMES PATTERSON.

JOHN STERNES.

JOHN MARSHALL.

JONATH. DANFORTH.

JOHN SHILDON.

RALPH HILL, Jnr.

HENERY JEIFFS.

JOHN BALDWIN."

" Also, at a towne Meeting of ye inhabitance, ye 16, 10m., 1661.

"It is agreed, That whatever charges Mr. Whiting shall be at, in makeing his honse and land more convenient for his comfortable sus- istence and livelihood amongst vs, in erecting any more building, fenceing, or hreakeing of land, or clearing of meadows, and the like; That in case the providence of god so orders it that afterwards he shall remove from us, and so (by our former agreement) leave all his acom- modations to the use of tbe Towne, the towne do promise that what the whole premises shall be the better, at his leaving it, by reason of his cost and charges npon it, It shall at that time he returned to him hy the towne, as it shall be adjudged hy men indifferently chosen."

It speaks well for the courage and faith of these founders of the town that, numbering only nineteen men, they were ready to put their hands to such an instrument and assume all its responsibility. It speaks well for the young Harvard graduate, of good birth and sterling ability, that he was ready to identify himself with the rising town and make his home in this wilderness, when not even the little meeting-house of logs and thatch was yet erected.

Where Mr. Whiting preached for the first two years, we can only conjecture; perhaps at John Parker's, where early town-meetings were held; perhaps in his own house. A year later, the follow- ing vote appears :

"It is agreed, hy the major prt of the Towne, that Mr. Whiting shall have 50 p. for this year, for his maintenance, and caring down corne, and making a well and hovell for his catell ; which is 10 p. more than of agreement for his yerely maintenance ; the caring his corne or other pay downe to towne and getting his firewood included, to he done at Mr. Whiting's own charges."

When the earliest families had been five and six years in town, when their number had increased to thirty and they had secured a minister, they were at length prepared to grapple with the serious problem of a house of worship :

.. 03, 9, 59. it is Agreed by the major prt of the Towne, that there shall be a meeting house hnilt this winter folling ; thirty foote Longe and twenty and foure foot wide, and twelve foot high ; the studs to be 3 foot azunder. the Committee apoynted to agree with workmen, to bild and finish the said house, are Ralph Hill, Sent., George Farley, Jona- than Danforth ; it is agreed, also, that the sides and ends shall be covered with bords and the Roof with thatch."

This primitive meeting-house stood south of the centre of the present common, having its length east and west. Probably the inhabitants contributed labor and lumber liberally to its erection, but John Parker was the principal builder, as appears from the following :

"16, 10, $1. The town doe apoynte Willm Tay, Will- Hamblet, & Jonathan Danforth, as a Comitee to examine the acontes about ye bild- inge and finishing the meeting house, and to consider some way to pro- pe to the towne for satisfying John Parker for his disbursements,

what they in their judgment shall se meet, and in their best uuderstand- ing shall conseive ritasly due to him for the work done."

"6 : 11 : 61. the comitee abovesaide did meet together with the Townsmen, aud examined the acouts, and they make this return follow- inge : to the Towne, we doe finde that acordinge to his aconts (which we judg to be Just and equall) there is due unto him The Just sume of eighteene pounds, fifteen shillings, three pence, we say, 18 : 15 : 3, and in consideration of the nature of the pay disbursed hy him, exceedinge the quality of the pay received by him from the Towne, we Aprehend that the Towne may do well to make up the former sume full Twenty poundes.

"this was excepted and granted by the Towne."

We have already seen that the proceeds`of the land grant received in 1661 were used in part to pay Mr. Parker.

No church was yet organized, and the citizens of Billerica sought occasional church privileges with neighboring churches. The Rev. John Fiske, pastor of Chelmsford,1 mentions such courtesy to Ralph Hill and George Farley, and the case of Jonathan Danforth is given at length. The latter is too inter- esting an account of the way the fathers felt and acted on such questions to be abbreviated :

" Jonathan } He, ahout 7 of 12, '56, proposiug himselfe to this ch. Danford. S for fellowship. It was concluded to answer him as follows : Jonathan Danford, his desire heiog proposed to this ch., [? 7 of 12], to joyne himself in fellowship wth vs, it was considered of, and agitated, and in fine determined by joynte assent to returne him this answer, in effect as followeth : Namely,

"That in case ye ch at Cambridge shall graunt him a permision so to doe, yeelding vp what right they have in him vnto this ch, and we shall receive satisfactione touching his being meetely qualified for ye enjoymt of all church Priviledges, we shall willingly attend his desire to ye re- ceiving of him: otherwise we know no Rule of orderly proceeding with him, in this way ; he heing by vertue of his father's covenant vnder the immediate inspection and charge (as we conceive) of ye ch. of Cam- bridge.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 78

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