History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892, Part 13

Author: Ellis, Leonard Bolles
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Mason
Number of Pages: 1170

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892 > Part 13

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).

128

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

CHAPTER IX.

THE BRITISH INVASION CONTINUED.

Further Destruction - The Traitor Tupper - A Famous Bible - Suffering and Want that Followed the Invasion - Wretched Condition of the Township after the Raid.

A FTER the British troops had visited the house of Thomas Hatha- way, they proceeded southward and burned a store on the east side of the road, filled with West India goods, belonging to Obed Hath- away. Just south of the Woodside Cemetery the main road branches off to the east and continues down through the village of Fairhaven. In Revolutionary days this was the only thoroughfare that led to Sconticut Neck and the southern part of the village. It was on the gentle elevation at the very entrance of this back road that the house of John Cook was situated, to which allusion has been made. This historic spot is made still more interesting by the fact that here, a century later, stood a dwell- ing house said to have been built upon the same cellar walls as the first. It was the home of Bartholomew West and his two sons, William and Edward, the domestic affairs being managed by Hannah Sogg. At the time of the invasion the old man was feeble and helpless and unable to leave his bed, and thus the British soldiers found him. His son Will- iam was at the village with the ox team, and when he returned the house was in flames. On entering the dwelling the soldiers treated the inmates with great rudeness, because of the patriotism of the old man, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the American cause. No doubt faithful Eldad Tupper had given them correct information as to his position. While looting the house they informed the Wests that they intended to burn it and refused the request of Miss Sogg to remove the old man to a place of safety. She, like a true heroine, carried him out herself and placed him on a feather bed against a wall in the orchard. The house was burned to the ground, and the troops departed to new fields A shed that escaped the flames was used for shelter by the family and was afterward enlarged and remained the old man's home until his death.

129

A FAMOUS BIBLE.

Among the many articles carried away from this house by the sol- diers was a copy of the Bible which was destined to have a history. It is to this day in possession of the Forty-sixth Regiment, now known as the Duke of Cornwall's Regiment, Light Infantry, Colonel Grieve commander, and now stationed at Plymouth, England. When the regi- ment was stationed at Gibraltar, the chaplain, Rev. Mr. Patterson, cop- ied the many entries from the book, and from him have been obtained these facts. One of the entries that bears a special local interest is the following :

" In the year 1746-47, a hard winter, the horses began to pass over the river the 20th of December, as I was informed by William Peckham and his wife, and to my knowledge continued to pass with horses and oxen on the river from Joseph Russell's to the head of Acoshamet River until ye 11th of March, ye snow being then in ye woods knee deep upon a level. Adjudged by credible persons further it is credibly reported by them yt say they keep account yt there was 30 snows this winter and they continued riding until 23d day of March. Benj. Akin rid over against his father Ta- bers, viz. Jacob Tabers, and on the 23d day in the morning it began to snow and con- tinned to snow for forty-eight hours, it wafting as the fall got to a great depth and they could now journey on the ice from Capt. -- to Taber's side until ye 27th of March."

The old Bible also contains several family records and other notes, among them the following :

"Mother Mercy West, deceased November 21, 1733, in ye 77 year of her age, who was ye daughter of John Cook, ye first ordained minister of Dartmouth."

This entry is written on the back of the title page. On the back of the last page of the Apocrypha is the following :

"Stephen West deceast July 7, 1769, in the 75th year of his age."

On still another page is the following :

" George Hathaway, son of Jethro Hathaway, deceast on the 7th day of November, 1746, in ye 5th month of his age.

" Mathew West, son of Samuel West, deceast Feb. the 17th, 1753, New Style, in the 24th month of his age."

" Father Samuel Jenney, deceast April ye 3d, 1716, in the 58th year of his age."

"Our mother, Hannah Jenney, deceast September 2d, 1749, 80 years of age."

The family traditions regarding this famous Bible have been well preserved, for down through the successive generations the story has been told that the old man Bartholomew held this book in great ven-

THE WASHINGTON MASONIC BIBLE - OUTSIDE

did icoment llvinter 21 1;33

the fleshin West theeast they got 1748 in 1 94h gum y Ton of Bartholome is tied of Just going semant

hannah hatte Daughter of Stephen To sat, comas. 1. Flottile.

y Ly y: 7:4 1722: 24 fin. ... 53 4:23 way of Iptal 176h into the year of

amust first was born iapril of a. 17250 I File

Since Wist was from October igt, 1727 of frites

Kiny west was soon youwany jest to Meg Jor Rit.

THE WASHINGTON MASONIC BIBLE- BACK OF TITLE-PAGE.

¥32

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

eration, and to his death spoke with regret of its loss. He supposed that it was burned with the other household goods ; and so during the long century intervening, the family of Wests have had no knowledge of its existence until the development of events spoken of in this article.

" The Second Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, which has so recently left Pembroke Dock, has in its possession a Bible on which it is stated Washington took one of the degrees of Masonry. This corps was originally numbered the Fifty-seventh, and was raised in 1741. Six or seven year's later, by the disbandment of eleven regiments, it became the Forty-sixth Foot, by which name it was known until 1881, when it received its present territorial designation. In 1752, when quartered in Ireland, a Masonic charter was obtained from the Grand Lodge of that country. This regimental lodge was numbered '227,' and was also known as the Lodge of Social and Military Virtue, its motto being ' Libens Solvit Merito Votum.' Both name and motto, it is to be remarked, have the same initials, 'L. S. M. V.' In 1757 the regiment embarked for America, where it was quartered for ten years in Nova Scotia, and in 1767 returned to Ireland. In 1776 the Forty- sixth again crossed the Atlantic, and was landed on the coast of North Carolina. In 1778, along with other regiments, it proceeded on an ex- pedition to Massachusetts, as the privateers belonging to New Bedford had inflicted much damage on British shipping, and it was resolved to put a stop to such depredations. On the evening of September 5, 1778, the British fleet, with the four regiments of infantry on board, appeared unexpectedly at New Bedford. The force was landed almost without opposition, and passing through the little town, the troops entirely de. stroyed it, as well as some seventy privateers, whalers and other ships. Amongst the plunder carried off on this occasion was the family Bible of the Wests, whose descendants are still in the neighborhood of the now flourishing city of New Bedford. We learn from the title page that the volume was printed 'in London by the assigns of Thomas Newcombe and Henry Hills, deceas'd, printers to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, in the year 1712.' The first record is written on the back of the title page, and contains entries of the deaths of mother Mercy West, who died November 21, 1733, aged seventy-seven, and of father Stephen West, aged ninety-four, who died August 12, 1748, and

GRENADIER 46TH FOOT-TEMP. GEORGE III.

I33

REV. PATTERSON'S RELATION.

the births of eight of their descendants between the years 1720 and 1737. The second entry is on the last page of the Prophets, and con- tains a de. cription of the severe winter weather experienced by the dwellers on the banks of the Acushnet River on which New Bedford is built, in the year 1746-47.

"This is followed by entries relating to the births of the children of Reuben Packhom, and Petience Hatherley, between the years 1731-34. The third entry is on the last page of the Apocrypha, and registers the death of a Stephen West who died in 1769, aged seventy-five years. The fourth records the deaths of two Thomas Summertons who died, one in 1736, aged twenty-six years, and the other in 1740, aged seven months. These entries are on a page containing the Thirty-nine Arti- cles. The last register is on the same page as the 'Table of Kindred,' and records the deaths of George Hathway, Mathew West, father Sam- uel Jenney and our mother Hannah Jenney. It is to be noted that the latest entry appears to be that of the death of Stephen West on July 7, 1769, about eight years before the book fell into the hands of the Brit- ish. It is stated that the volume was retaken by the Americans, but for some reason or other was returned to the Forty-sixth before the corps sailed for England in 1782.

"After having been quartered in Ireland for several years, the Forty- sixth proceeded to Gibraltar in 1792; thence to the West Indies in 1794, and back to England in 1796, where it remained until 1804, when it proceeded to garrison the Island of Dominica, which was shortly after attacked by an overwhelming French force, under General La Grange. The British commander, General Prevost, was obliged to evacuate the city of Rosseau, which fell into the hands of the enemy. The Bible in question, along with all the furniture and regalia of the lodge, had to be abandoned, but was afterwards restored to the regiment under a flag of truce, as is set forth on a silver plate attached to the walnut case, with glass lid, in which it is kept in the ante-room of the officers' mess, the inscription on which reads as follows :-

ON THIS SACRED VOLUME WASHINGTON RECEIVED A DEGREE OF MASONRY IT WAS TWICE TAKEN BY THE ENEMY AND BOTH TIMES RETURNED TO THE REGIMENT WITH ALL THE HONORS OF WAR

I34

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

" It followed the fortunes of the corps afterwards to England, Jersey, the Isle of Wight, New South Wales and India.

" Here the Masonic Lodge, which appears to have been all along the custodian of the sacred volume, ceased working in the year 1827. The Bible and jewels were brought to England along with the regiment in 1833, when the lodge was revived under the mastership of Colonel W. Lacy, who was followed in the chair by Colonel Catly.

" About a dozen years ago, when the regiment was quartered in Ber- muda, the case was opened to display the book to some guests, when unfortunately a page which contained the signature of General Washing- ton mysteriously disappeared. Margoliouth, a distinguished Masonic authority, gives it as his opinion, that although there is no written testi- mony to the effect that the Father of his Country was obligated on this book, yet as the statement has been handed down from Mason to Mason, there is little doubt that such is the case. It may be mentioned that Lodge No. 4, in Fredericksburgh, is in possession of a Bible on which Washington is stated to have taken at least one degree, and there is be- sides this another volume, which was carried in a Masonic procession in Washington, D. C., on February 22, 1885, which lays claim to a similar honor.

" The Bible, which is about ten by twelve inches, is handsomely bound in purplish brown morocco, covers and back, being richly stamped in gold with Masonic emblems, the title and motto of the lodge, the regi- mental number, etc., etc .- Yours, etc.,

" December 15, 1891.

R. STEWART PATTERSON." I

1 The task of securing photographs of this Bible has been one of much difficulty ; and only for the interested co-operation of Rev R. Stewart Patterson could it ever have been accomplished. My last letter to him, urgently requesting him to make another effort to secure the pictures, reached him only twenty-four hours before the departure of the regiment for new quarters. But the Bible was fortunately not yet packed for the journey. Mr. Patterson writes : "The following morning, immediately on my return to Pembroke Dock, I went to the barracks and saw Captain Harvey, the mess president. He told me that he had directed that the book should be packed, and that although several photographers and others had requested that they should be permitted to take photos of the volume, the colonel and officers had always declined, as they did not wish the book to be taken out of barracks, for on one occasion, when in Bermuda, about a dozen years ago, the page containing Washington's signature had been abstracted. However, as a personal favor they would let me have the photo provided it was done at once and in barracks. I had my man ready with his camera, and the Bible being handed over to the care of a subaltern of the regiment, it was taken down to the station hospital and photographed." It may be added that branches of the West family came from Virginia and other points south of New York at an early day. This fact, together with the signature of Washington in the book, is regarded as evidence that the great commander received a degree of Masonry over its sacred pages. It is preserved with the most jealous care by the regiment now possessing it, and accompanies them wherever they may be sent. It has been a rare privilege to connect it intimately with the history of New Bedford.

I35

THE ENEMY'S FIERY PROGRESS.

Still pursuing a southern course through Fairhaven, the invaders next destroyed a store situated directly across the road from the present resi- dence of Edward A. Dana. The building was filled with West India goods. Close by the present residence of George H. Taber was a school-house that was next burned by the invaders. Mr. Taber states that his grandfather, Bartholomew Taber, whose house was a short dis- tance northward, heard an officer give the command, "give me a match," and in a few minutes the school-house was wrapped in flames.

Down the road (now Adams street) they pushed on, and soon Zeu- riah Wood's house was set on fire. The family had fled to the woods for safety, and when they returned their dwelling was in ruins. A one- story house was afterward erected on the same spot, to which a second story was added in 1807; and in 1838 an addition was built on the north side. The house is still standing and is occupied by descendants of the family.

On the east side of the Sconticut Neck road, about a mile from the en- trance of the Mattapoisett thoroughfare, is located one of the most ancient and interesting houses now standing, and one of the very few that date back to the times of which we are writing. It is very much dilapidated and quite dependent for support upon the massive floor timbers and the im- mense stone chimney that occupies the center of the structure. The latter is a curious specimen of the chimney building of our forefathers. and stands after all the years as perfect as when first erected. The shell mortar with which it was cemented holds it with a grip of iron. The chimney is nine feet square at the base and about five at the top, which is finished with imposing cap-stones. Spacious fire-places open on the north and east sides, and the ovens on all sides seem sufficient to cook provision for a small army. In Revolutionary days this house was the home of John West, whose son-in-law, Achus Sisson, a rabid Tory, was obliged to leave here and take up his residence in the Brit- ish provinces until after the war closed. The elder West provided in his will an ample maintenance for his daughter, but excluded the Tory from any benefit under it. Sisson eventually returned to Fairhaven, and George H. Taber says he remembers him as a gray-haired old man, who taught school in the academy for a time. The latter building is still standing and is owned by the heirs of the late John A. Hawes. Mr.

136

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

West left this and other property to the New Bedford Monthly Meet- ing of Friends for the benefit of the industrious poor of the township.

This ancient house was the last one visited by the British soldiers during the invasion. They here very properly gave an exhibition of the bayonet exercise so rigidly insisted upon by Sir Charles Grey-they killed a pig.

About a mile below, on the western shore, was the place of embark- ation, on land now owned by Daniel W. Deane. Here the British army encamped until Monday morning. The official dispatches of General Grey state that all were re-embarked on Sunday, September 6, but they did not set sail until Monday, as the wind was southwest and light. Sixteen pris- oners were taken on board to exchange for the same number of British soldiers. Among these was one of the Delano family, who was treated with great kindness. He spoke of General Grey as an old man, but hale, active, and of engaging manners. The general said in his dis- patches :

" The wind did not admit of any further movements of the fleet on the 6th and 7th than hauling a little distance from the shore. Advantage was taken of this circum- stance to burn a large privateer ship on the stocks, and to send a small armament of boats, with two galleys, to destroy two or three vessels, which, being in the stream, the troops had not been able to set fire to."

This was the expedition that came up the river on Sunday evening, September 6. The enemy had been keenly watched and their land- ing north of Fort Phoenix was no surprise, for the minute men had been gathering from the surrounding towns during the Sabbath, and there must have been a force of several hundred, judging from pay- rolls that are in existence. The colonel in command of this force is described as a feeble old man, unequal to the emergency at hand. He announced to the militia that it would be useless to make any defence of the village. This had a paralyzing effect upon the soldiers, and the whole town of Fairhaven would have been left to the ravages of the British but for the timely and heroic action of Maj. Israel Fearing, of Wareham. He gathered around him a large number of volunteers and placed them in good position to meet the enemy, who were seen ap- proaching up the bay. The landing was made about 8 o'clock in the evening, and the militia, whose presence was unknown to the British,

I37

RELIEF FOR SUFFERERS.

were secreted in position to do effective service. But the action of some of their officers and the firing of several buildings by the British as they advanced towards the point where the militia were posted de- moralized the latter and they would have fled ignominiously but for the determined action of Major Fearing. He placed himself in the rear and declared he would shoot every man who attempted to desert. Making a thrilling appeal to their manhood he changed their fright to something akin to courage, and under his inspiring command the sol- diers presented a bold front to the enemy, now at close quarters. At the signal a tremendous volley was poured into the British ranks. The tide of victory was turned and the enemy fled in disorder, took to their boats, and made good time to the ships in the lower harbor. On Mon- day the British fleet sailed away to Martha's Vineyard and Falmouth, where many American vessels were destroyed and money and cattle taken.

Padanaram did not escape the attention of the British, for on Sunday morning barges loaded with soldiers were sent to that village and sev- eral houses were burned. Most of them belonged to the Aikin family, who were enthusiastic supporters of the American cause, and had been instrumental in expelling Richard Shearman, Eldad Tupper, and Will- iam Castle from the vicinity. Tradition says that it was information from these men that caused the property of the Aikins to receive the special attention of the enemy. The first two named are credited with acting as pilots to the squadron.

The suffering and want that followed in the footsteps of this disas- trous event are indicated by the action of the General Court in 1780. An appropriation of £1,200 was made for the relief of the sufferers. Following is a list of persons to whom the selectmen allowed portions of the £1,200, allowed to the sufferers by the enemy September 5, 1778, at Bedford, and paid by Col. Thomas Kempton : Sylvanus Allen, Sylvanus Allen, jr., Walla Adams, James Akin, Betsey Cathel, widow ; Uriah Dunham, John Gerrish, Samuel Hawes, Sarah Kempton, widow ; Lemuel Mendal, Anna Mot, Stephen Merrihew, Mary Negus, Shoebal Peas, Joseph Rotch, Abigail Samson, Reliami Summerton, George Whippe, Timothy Ingraham, John Wait, Sarah Shearman, Seth Reed, Oliver Price, Benjamin Taber, Experience Tripp, George Wrightington,

138

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

Griffin Barney, Eleazer Hathaway, Micha Hathaway, Gamaliel Briant, Thomas Boland, Freeman Taber, Ephraim Annibal, Elihu Akin, James Chandler, Charles Church, Sole Cushman, Venture Child, Joshua Doune, Martha Hamblin.

One of the most interesting documents found in connection with this event is the detailed statement of Joseph Tripp, who was evidently a well-to-do citizen, of articles lost and damaged by the enemy. Besides its interest in relation to the invasion, it also gives an idea of what con- stituted the outfit of a household at that time. It is as follows :

"Memorandum of articles lost and damages sustained by the enemy on their expedi- tion to Dartmouth, September, 1778, viz. :.

. 1 Silk Damask gound, . 32

2 Silk Lute String gounds,

0 0

1 Chime do.

15 0 0

9 1 Linnen do. 0 0

1 Pair Stays, 6

1 Holland Handkerchief, 1

0 0

1 Lawn do. 1 5 0

1 Barcelona do. 18 0 0

3 Holland aprons, 6

15 0

Underlining & 1 pair Silk Mitts,

1 Superfine Broade Cloth Coat, 36

1 Superfine Broade Cloth Jacket, 15

0 0

1 Silk Damask Jacket. 15 0 0

1 fustin Coat & 1 pair Linning Bretches, 2

1 Pair Lether Bretches, 12

] Great Coat and a par Silk Stockings,

18 0 0

1 Par Cotton Stockings & a par Gloves, 11 4

1 Cotton Coverlid, . 12

1 Large Dammask Table Cloth, 9.0 0

3 Large Dammask Napkings, 4 10 0

1 Large Diaper Table Cloth, 3 12 0

4 Diaper Napkings, 3

2 Small Diaper Table Cloths, 4

yard Spring Satting and 1 yard Tammey, 3

12 G

23 yards worsted Cloth, 1 10 0

3 Bolster Cases, 3 12 0

18 Table Knives & 12 forks, 6 0 0

I pergan do. 12

) 0

1 Red Brod Cloth Cloak, 9

10 0

1 Complete Set Dammask Curtins, Except Valants, 90

0 0

139

CRUSHED CONDITION OF THE TOWN.

1 Hard Mettle Tea pot & 1 Earthen do., 2

8 0

18 Delf ware plates,

5 8 0

1 Coffee Pot & Large China Cream pot, 1 10 0

2 Earthen Milk pots, 0 12 0

2 China Tea Cups & Saucers, 0

5 Cups & 5 Caucers Yellow ware,

16 0

1 Copper Sauce pan & 1 par Snuffers, .

1 10 O

1 Dubble flint Vinegar Crute. 0

10 0

5 Wine Glasses, 1

1 Shoe Brush & 1 Buckle, 0 15 0

1 par Wool Cards & 2 yards Check Linning, 3 10 0

1 Serenet Bunnett, 1 0 0

2 Linning Skirts, 1 0 0

1 Tamey Skirt,

0 0

2 Stripe Cotton Skirts, 2 Check do.,

0 0

1 White Skirt and par Silver Knee Buckles,

4 10 0

1 Stone Ring and par Jewil Drops. 7 10 0

1 Small trunk with papers, 2

5 0

3 flannel Sheets, . 6 0 0

3 cotton do., and 5 Pillow cases,

0 0

Damage Red Cedar Desk,

10 0 0

1 pistol and a glass tankard,

3 18 0

Schooner Burnt damage, 100 0 0

£589 6 0

Errors excepted.

A case Razors and papers and sundry other articles,

14 0

£600

0 0

BRISTOL, Ss., Jau. 5th, 1779.

EDW. POPE, Just. Peace."

Then personally appeared Joseph Tripp and made oath to the truth of the above acct before me.

Let us now for a moment contemplate the condition of the township after the English had left it. Warehouses, shipyards, ropewalks, and stores, that had given employment to the inhabitants ; dwellings and barns, the property of loyal citizens who had in their love for liberty dared to avow themselves open enemies of the British crown ; the fleet of seventy ships, numbering nearly as many as to-day lie at our wharves, most of them creations of the skill of Dartmouth citizens, all these in one single night were offered up in flame and smoke, Dart- mouth's contribution to the price paid for American independence. What hopeless despair must have taken possession of the people, as

140

HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD.

they began to understand the extent of the disaster ! When they saw the wrecks of the splendid fleet that represented the business enterprise of the town, lining the shores on both side of the river, deep must have been their sorrow ; for all knew that the community was literally crushed out, and with it, for a time, the courage and energy of the men who had been the leaders in its prosperity.

Fort Phoenix, destroyed by the British troops, must have been re- built soon after the invasion. This is indicated by the following ex. tract from a letter written by Jabez Delano to William H. Waterman, April 17, 1874. In response to inquiries regarding the fortification, he says:

" Isaac Drew, the father of the late Joshua Drew, related in my hearing the follow- ing : 'I had occasion to go to Fort Phoenix on the evening following the dark day, (which occurred May 19, 1780). The night was as much darker than ordinary as the day had been. I could not see my hand before me, nor discern anything whatever. I found the fort through my perfect familiarity with the road. It was then garrisoned by 100 Continentals.'"

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of New Bedford and its vicinity, 1620-1892, Part 13

Author: Ellis, Leonard Bolles Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Mason Number of Pages: 1170

Author: Ellis, Leonard Bolles
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., Mason
Number of Pages: 1170