History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 6

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 6

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The General Court passed a series of resolutions Oct. 29th, atfirming their conviction of the injustice of an attempt to enforce the right of taxation on the col-

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

onists, without granting them at the same time the right of representation. In consequence of the unjust and oppressive act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain, great riots took place in Boston. Governor Hutchinson's house was sacked, and much property destroyed. The people of Newton, in town-meeting assembled, affirmed their abhorrence of this lawless destruction of property, and instructed their repre- sentative to use his influence to have the losses made up out of the publie treasury or otherwise, "as shall seem most just and convenient." But the spirit of opposition was not quelled. More than two hundred merchants of New York held a meeting in which they "resolved to import no goods from England until the Stamp Aet be repealed ; to immediately countermand all orders sent for spring goods, and to sell no goods from England on commission." The next year the Stamp Act was repealed, and the gratitude of the people found utterance in the erection of a leaden statue of George III. on horseback on Bowling Green, New York City. A few years afterwards, in a revulsion of feeling on account of the tax on tea, this same statne, the horse and his rider, was torn from the pedestal and run into thousands of bullets by the wife and daughters of Oliver Walcott, Governor of Connecticut. These bullets did good service to the American patriots, subsequently, in the invasion of Connecticut by the British soldiery,-a mine of am- munition easily accessible and made ready to their hand.

In 1767 it was unanimously voted by the townsmen " strictly to adhere to the late regulation respecting funerals, and not to nse any gloves but what are manufactured here, nor procure any new garments upon such occasions but what shall be absolutely necessary." Also, " that this town will take alt pru- dent and legal measures to encourage the produce and manufactures of this province, and to lessen the nse of superfluities, and particularly the following enum- crated articles imported from abroad, viz. : loaf sugar, cordage, anchors, coaches, chaises, and carriages of all sorts, horse furniture, men's and women's hats, men's and women's apparel ready made, household furniture, gloves, men's and women's shoes, sole leather, sheathing, duck, nails, gold and silver and thread lace of all sorts, gold and silver buttons, wrought plate of all sorts, diamonds, stone and paste ware, snuff, mustard, elocks and watches, silversmiths' and jewellers' ware, broadcloths that cost above ten shil- lings per yard, muffs, furs, tippets and all sorts of millinery ware, starch, women's and children's stays, fire-engines, china ware, silk and cotton velvets, gauze, pewterers' hollow-ware, linseed oil, glue, lawns, cambric, silk of all kinds for garments, malt liquors and cheese."

"This action of the citizens was provoked by the Navigation Act, so called, of the British Parliament, which restricted home industry in the Colonies, and tended to destroy their commerce. In consequence

of the passage of this act, they were not allowed to trade with any foreign country, nor export to Eng- Jand their own merchandise, except on British Ves- sels. Iron abounded in the Colonies, but not an arti- cle could be manufactured by the people ; all mnst be imported. Wool abonoded, but no eloth could be manufactured except for private use ; and not a pound of the raw material could be sold from town to town ; bnt all must be sent to England, to be ultimately re- turned as manufactured cloths, burdened with heavy dnties. Beavers were plenty all along the streams; but no hatter was permitted to have more than two apprentices, and not a hat could be sold from one Colony to another. These are specimens of that vast network of restrictions upon trade and commerce in which Great Britain encircled the thirteen Colonies.

"This was not alone. The Parliament added hu- miliation to extortion. Navai officers' acting under the law were insolent towards Colonial vessels. They compelled them to lower their flags in token of homage, fired on them on the slightest provocation, and impressed their seamen whenever they chose.

"The Mutiny Aet, as it was called, required the inhabitants of the Colonies to furnish quarters, and, to some extent, supplies, for all the soldiers that might be sent over from England to oppress them."

September 22, 1768, a representative meeting was held in Faneuil Hall, Boston, forming a convention, to consult and advise such measures as the peace and safety of the subjects in the Province may require. Abraham Fuller was chosen unanimously as a mem- ber of this convention. The report of their commit- tee was accepted at an adjonrned meeting of the convention, and "ordained to be printed in pam- phlet form, and distributed agreeably to the original vote."

"Jan. 4, 1772, Edward Durant, Charles Pelham, Esq., Alexander Shepard, William Phillips and Noah Hyde were chosen a Committee to consider and re- port what it may be proper for the town to do, relat- ing to the present unhappy situation the country is reduced to by some late attacks made on our consti- tutional rights and privileges."

In a brave and earnest report the committee pre- sented tive resolves, expressing the sense of the eiti- zens, which were unanimously adopted. These resolutions affirmed that no good man can be silent at such an alarming period, when such arbitrary measures are taken as tend to the oppression of a free people; that the Colonists had been and were dis- posed to be loyal to the mother country, so far as may be consistent with their rights and privileges as Col- onists ; that no eivil officer could safely be dependent on the Crown for support, or on grants made by the Crown; that all taxation without representation, for the purpose of raising a revenne, is unconstitutional and oppressive; that the extension of the power of a Court of Admiralty, and the introduction of a mili- tary force into the Colony in a time of profound

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peace, and other measures of his Majesty's ministers are a grievance of which we justly complain, and must continue to do so, till they are redressed. These resolves were committed to the representative, Abra- ham Fuller, with instructions enforcing them, and closing thus :

" We therefore think it proper to instruct you, our representative in General Assembly, that you unite in such measures as shall place the jadges of the Superior Court of Judicature of this Province upon a con- btitutional basis, and make, when that is done, suitable provision for their support, adequate to their merit and station.

" We further instruct you that you use your ntmost endeavors that all our rights be restored and established as heretofore, and that a de- cent, though manly remonstrance be sent to the King, assuring his Majesty that universal discontent prevails in America, and nothing will restore harmony and insnre the attachment of the people to the Crown, but a full restoration of all their liberties."

The selectmen of Boston having sent to the select- men of Newton a circular in reference to the state of public affairs, soliciting advice and co-operation, a most patriotic answer was returned, applauding the course taken by the town of Boston, and recommend- ing as follows :

"We do recommend it 'to the Town, that they order the foregoing resolves and instructions to the representative, and letter to the town of Boston, to be recorded in the Town Book of Records belonging to the Town, that posterity may see and know the great concern the people of this day had for their invaluable rights, privileges and liberties."

At a town-meeting held December 20, 1773, a "Committee of Five was appointed to draft such measures as they shall think best for the town to come into at this emergency, and report at the next meeting." Also, " a Committee of Fifteen to confer with the inhabitants of the town as to the expediency of buying, selling or using any of the Indian teas."

At an adjourned meeting held January 6, 1774, the committee of five reported the following resolves :

" We do with firmness of mind, on mature deliberation, establish the following resolves, viz. :

" 1. That an Act passed in the last sessions of Parliament, empower_ ing the Honorable East India Company to export tea to America, subject to a duty upon its arrival in America, is a fresh attack upon onr rights, craftily planned by a few of our inveterate enemies to the ministry, in order to establish a tax ou us plainly contrary to the constitution of England itself, and glaringly repugnant to our charter ; which we deem a grievance greatly aggravated by the cruel partiality therein shown against millions of his Majesty's loyal and good subjects in America, in favor of a few, very few, opulent subjects in Britain. This we cannot brook, and do therefore solemnly bear testimony against it.

"2. That in justice to ourselves, our fellow-citizens and our posterity, we cannot, nor will, voluntarily and tamely submit to this or any tux Jaid on us for the express purpose of raising a revenue, when imposed without our consent given by ourselves or our Representatives.

"3. That as part of the Colonies laboring under oppression, we are determined to join the rest in all and every lawful and just method of obtaining redress, or preventing the oppression, even to the risk of our lives and fortunes.

"4. That all and every person or persons, who have been, are, or shall be advising or assisting in the aforesaid, or any such acts, or are active or aiding in the execution of them, are, so far, at least, inimical to this country, and thereby incur our just resentment ; in which hght we shall view all merchants, traders and others, who shall henceforth, presume to import or sell any India tea, until the duty we so justly complain of be taken off.

"5. That we, each and every one of us, will not, directly or indirect- ly, by ourselves or any for or under ns, purchase or use, or suffer to be used in our respective families any India tea, while such tea is subject to a duty payable npon its arrival in America ; and recommend that a

copy hereof be transmitted to the Committee of Correspondence in Bos- ton.

" G. That a Committee of Correspondence be appointed, to confer and correspond with the Committees of any or all our sister towns in the Province, as occasion may require."

The committee appointed in accordance with this resolution were Edward Durant, William Clark, Cap-' tain Jonas Stone, Joshua Hammond and Captain John Woodward.

The famous tea party in Boston Harbor took place but a few days before the meeting took place which reported these resolutions, and undoubtedly contrib- uted to the unanimity and enthusiasm of the action of the town. On the 16th December, 1773, a company of men disguised as Indians, boarded three British vessels at Liverpool Wharf, Boston, commanded by Captains Hall, Bruce and Coffin, broke open with their hatchets 342 chests of tea, and in less than four hours mingled the whole with the waters of Massa- chusetts Bay. Newton was represented on that occa- sion by two or more of its citizens. One, in particu- lar, who drove a load of wood to market, stayed very late on that day, and was not very willing the next morn- ing to explain the cause of huis detention. But as tea was found in his shoes, it is easy to understand what he had been doing. This was Samuel Hammond, son of Ephraim, then a young man twenty-five years of age, and ripe for such an expedition.

A vote was passed by the town enjoining upon the committee of fifteen " to lay before the inhabitants of this town a paper or papers, that each of said inhabit- ants may have opportunity to signify it under their hands, that they will not buy, sell or use any of the India teas, until the duties are taken off; and sach as will not sign, to return their names to the town at the adjournment." It does not appear that any one refused to sign.

The Reconstruction Acts of 1774 were the crowning acts of British oppression. The effect of these acts was to cut off almost every vestige of freedom which remained, and to substitute for civil, martial law ; to prohibit town-meetings, excepting twice a year, at which the people coukl do nothing but elect their town officers. Five thousand regulars were quartered in Boston ; the Common was occupied by troops and the Neck fortified. Troops were sent to Salem to disperse a meeting of citizens. The time for action had come. John Pigeon and Edward Durant were appointed delegates to join the Provincial Congress at Concord or wherever the Congress should meet. The selectmen were requested, by vote of Newton, to use their best discretion to provide firearms for the poor who were unable to provide for themselves. Two field-pieces were given to the town by John Pigeon, and accepted with thanks. Jannary 2, 1775, a com- mittee was charged with the duty of obtaining sub- scriptions to mount them. It was also voted to raise men to exercise them. A committee, consisting of Captains Fuller and Wiswall and Major Hammond,

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

was chosen to enlist thirty-two minute men, and to add as many as they think necessary for officers, to meet once a week during the winter season half a day for exereise; also, " that each man of the Company of Minute-men be paid one shilling for half a day exer- eising, and eight shillings a day for the eight officers, over and above the one shilling each ; the Minute- men to train once a week, at the discretion of the com- manding offiecr."

April 19, 1775, the day of Lexington and Coneord, there were three companies of infantry in Newton- the West Company, commanded by Captain Amariah Fuller, the East Company, commanded by Captain Jeremiah Wiswall, and a company of minute-men, raised in 1775, commanded by Captain Phineas Cook,- all of which were in the battles of that day, and marehed twenty-cight miles. The rolls of each com- pany were returned to the secretary's office, and sworn to by their commander as follows : West Com- pany, 105 ; East Company, 76; minute-men, 37-total, 218. Besides thesc, many Newton men not attached to either of these companies were in the action. In the West Company were thirty-seven volunteers, called the alarm list, -men who had passed the age for mil- itary duty. Among the members of the alarm list in the West Company, Captain Joshna Fuller was seventy- six years old, and Deacon Joseph Ward, sixty-nine. Only one, Captain Edward Jackson, wasunder fifty. In the East Company Noah Wiswall was seventy-six; Eb- enczer Parker, seventy-three. Wiswall'sson Jeremiah, was captain of the company, and two other sons and some of his sons-in-law were in the same company. The old veteran could not be induced to remain at home, because, as he said, " he wanted to see what the boys were doing;" and, when he was shot through the hand by a bullet, he coolly bound up the wounded member with his handkerchief, and brought home the gun of a British soldier who fell in the battle. Both the East and West Companies were in the battle of Lexington.

The Bravery of Michael Jackson .- He was the son of Michael Jackson, and about forty years of age, and had been lieutenant in the French War. At the opening of the Revolution he was a private in the volunteer company of minute-men. At the early dawn of April 19, 1775, a signal announced that the British troops were on their march to Lexington and Concord. The signal was a volley from one of John Pigcon's field guns, kept at the gun-house at Newton C'entre, near the church. So " the shot heard round the world," according to Emerson, was fired from the lips of a Newton cannon and at Newton Centre. The company of minute.men were early on their parade- ground ; but none of the commissioned officers were present. The orderly sergeant had formed the com- pany and a motion was made to choose a captain for the day. Michael Jackson was nominated, and chosen by uplifted hands. He immediately stepped from the ranks to the head of the company, and, without a

word of thanks for the honor, or the slightest formal- ity, he ordered the company,-"Shoulder arms! Pla- toons to the right, wheel ! Quick time! Forward march !" These few words of command were uttered and the company were on the march to join the regi- ment at Watertown meeting-house. On their arrival there the commissioned officers of the regiment were found holding a council in the school-house, and he was invited to take part in their deliberations. He listened to their disessions, but soon obtained the floor, and affirmed that there was a time for all things; but that the time for talking had passed, and the time for fighting had come. "Not now the wag of the tongue, but the pull of the trigger." This pro tempore captain accused the officers of wasting time through fear of meeting the enemy. He told them, if they meant to oppose the march of the British troops, to leave the school-house forthwith, and take up their march for Lexington. He intended that his company should take the shortest route to get a shot at the British. And, suiting the action to the word, he left the council, and took up his march. The blunt speech broke up the council so that there was no con- eert of action, and eaeb company was left to act as they chose. Some followed Captain Jackson ; some lingered where they were, and some dispersed. Jack- son's company came in contact with Lord Perey's re- serve near Concord village, and were dispersed after exchanging one or two shots. But they soon rallied, and formed again in a wood near by, and were joined by a part of the Watertown company. They hung upon the flank and rear of the retreating enemy with much effect until they reached Lechmere Point (East Cambridge.), at nightfall, and the British regulars took boats for Boston. After they had rowed beyond the reach of musket-shot, this company received the thanks of General Warren, upon the field, for their bravery. Soon afterwards, Captain Jackson received a major's commission in the Continental Army, then quartered at Cambridge, and was subsequently pro- moted to the command of the Eighth Regiment in the Massachusetts Line, than which no regiment was more distinguished for bravery and good conduct during the war. William Hull was a major in this regiment. The sword of Michael Jackson did service at Bunker Hill and in other conflicts of the Revolution. One of his relatives presented it to the Newton Public Li- brary, where it is now preserved.

On the same historic day Col. Joseph Ward, of Newton, who was master of one of the public schools in Boston, learning that the British troops were in motion, left at once for Newton, mounted a horse, and, gun in hand, rode to Concord "to encourage the troops, and get a shot at the British." Hle also great- ly distinguished himself at Bunker Hill, where he served as aid-de-camp to Gen. Artemas Ward, and held that office until Gen. Ward resigned in Decem- ber, 1776. Hle rode over Charlestown Neck through a cross-fire of the British floating batteries to execute

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an order from Gen. Ward, at which time a broadside was fired at him by a British man-of-war. He con- tinued to hold important positions in the army, and was honored hy receiving the thanks of Gen. Wash- ington in a letter written to him near the close of the war, as follows :

" You have my thanks for your constant attention to the business of your department, the manner of its execution, and your ready and faith- ful compliance with all my orders ; and, I cannot help adding on this occasion, for the zeal you have discovered at all times and under all circumstances to promote the good of the service in general, and the great objects of our cause.

" GEORGE WASHINGTON."

Col. Thomas Gardner, who lived at what is now Allston, had Newton men in his regiment. On the 16th of June, 1775, he received orders to be on Cam- bridge Common with his regiment at daylight of the 17th. He was there, and ordered to Bunker Hill, where he was mortally wounded, and his regiment suffered severely. A man known later as "Daddy Thwing," who lived near the Mitchell Tavern at Newton Highlands, was a private soldier in that bat- tle, and in his extreme age loved to repeat the inci- dents of the fight, in which he was proud to have been a partaker. We have spoken elsewhere of Zib- eon Hooker, the drummer, whose drum was pierced by a bullet at Bunker Hill. Major Daniel Jackson, of Newton, was also in the battles of Bunker Hill, Con- cord and Dorchester Heights. He is said to have pointed the cannon which destroyed four British ves- sels in the North River, for which service he was pro- moted to the rank of lieutenant. Two new compan- ies were raised in Newton not long after the battle of Bunker Hill. Seventy-four of these men joined the army at Cambridge March 4, 1776, to serve eight months.

In the terrible struggle of the years which followed, it is estimated that full 430, out of Newton's popula- tion of not over 1400, served in the Continental army, in the militia, and in the duty of guarding the cap- tured army of General Burgoyne ; 275 enlisted in the Continental army for a longer or shorter period. In August, 1775, Captain Jos. Fuller, of Newton, raised a company of ninety-six men and marched to Ben- nington and Lake George, to oppose Burgoyne. The same year sixty-four men enlisted for three years. In 1778 Captain Edward Fuller raised a company of sixty-eight men. In 1780 fifty-four men marched to reinforce the Continental army. Mr. Jackson says, " The number of men who served more or less in the Continental army and in the militia during the war was about one-third of the entire population." Had the war continued longer.than it did, it seems impos- sible that Newton should have furnished more men.

With an eye to the supply of gunpowder, March 4, 1776, the citizens of Newton, in town-meeting, ap- pointed Alexander Shepard, Jr., Capt. Ephraim Jack- son and John Pigeon a committee to use their influ- ence to promote the manufacture of saltpetre. July 10, 1775, the whole number of the troops in Cam-

bridge was 8076; John Pigeon, of West Newton (Au- burndale), was commissary-general. The East Com- pany, of Newton (forty-seven men), and the West Company (fifty-eight men), with a few others, on the 4th of March, 1776, marched, at the request of Gene- ral Washington, to take possession of Dorchester Heights, but as the British evacuated Boston March 17th, their service was of short duration. Many of the citizens who, through enterprise and frugality, had accumulated a small property, freely loaned it to the town towards the expenses of the war. The names of thirty-one citizens are on record in this hon- orable list. Persons suspected of a lack of loyalty to the cause of freedom were carefully examined and two such persons were escorted out of the town.

On the 10th of May, 1776, the General Court pass- ed the following resolution :

"Resolved, as the opinion of this House, that the inhabitants of esch town in the Colony ought, in full meeting, warned for that purpose, to advise the person or persons who shall be chosen to represent them in the next General Court, that if the Honorable Congress should, for the safety of these Colonies, declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they, the said inhabitants will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the messure."

The town-meeting of Newton was held on the 17th of June, 1776, that great anniversary, and the first of the battle of Bunker Hill. Capt. John Woodward was moderator. The second article of the warrant summoning the meeting was as follows :

" That in case the Honorable Continental Congress should, for the safety of the American Colonies, declare them independent of the King- dom of Great Britain, whether the inhabitants of this town will solenin- ly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the measure."

After debate the question was put and the vote passed unanimously in the affirmative.

Newton was then only a little country town of ahout 1400 inhabitants. But, as Mr. Jackson says, "Newton men formed a part of every army and ex- pedition, fought in almost every battle and skirmish throughout the contest. Scarcely a man in the town, old or young, able or unable, hut volunteered, en- listed or was drafted, and served in the ranks of the army from the hardest fought battles down to the more quiet duty of guarding Burgoyne's surrendered army, partly by aged men.

The Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, July 4, 1776, was received at once, and the Massachusetts Council took immediate measures to give publicity to the document, by ordering that a copy be sent to every minister of each parish in every denomination with- in this State; and that they severally be required to read the same to their respective congregations as soon as divine service is ended in the afternoon, on the first Lord's day after they shall have received it ; and after such publication thereof, to deliver the said Declaration to the clerks of their several towns or districts, who are hereby required to record the same in their respective town or district books, there to re- main as a perpetual memorial thereof.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 6

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278