History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 105

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3 A frame had been erected between the house of Jonathan Onion and Joseph Ellis and covered with boards but never fin- ished till after the division of the precinct.

1 Benjamin Bird and John Jacob, "Committee on the part of the house."

2 The rye field was owned by John Gay.

498

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY; MASSACHUSETTS.

of the other Inhabitants that are gone from said Precinct are of opinion that the place for a Precinct Meeting House be between the Houses of Ebenezer Dean and Nathaniel Guild, on the Northwest side of the way to Walpole, about nine rods from said Guild's fence, in the quarter of an acre of land given and granted to the Said Precinct, by the said Dean, under his hand and seal acknowledged, as may appear ; all of which is sub- mitted by the order of the Committee. SAMUEL THAXTER.

" In Council read and accepted.

" In the House of Representatives read and concurred.

" Consented to,

J. BELCHER, Governor."

Sept. 12, 1734, the precinct instructed William Bullard and Ebenezer Dean to petition the General Court " for liberty to rate all the meadows which lie in Stoughton, but are within the bounds of the South Precinct in Dedham. On this petition, Samuel Thaxter, from the committee, reported that having considered the within petition, are of opinion that the and which is in that part thereof, which was and now is Stoughton, be liable to pay their just proportion of all precinct rates, also all the owners of those, lands that live in, and may be inhabitants of, Dedham, which report was accepted by the Council and House of Representatives, and approved by the Governor.

The number of persons taxed by the town in 1736, two years later, in the Second or South Precinct was seventy-eight, and in the Third, or Clapboard-tree, fifty-two.

Jan. 4, 1735, the. precinct " voted to build a meet- ing-house on the land formerly Ebenezer Dean's, which is the place a committee of the Great and Gen- eral Court has ordered a meeting-house to be erected" for said precinct ; and John Everett, William Bacon, John Dean, and Daniel Draper were constituted a committee to carry the above vote into effect, and the balance of the one hundred pounds granted Nov. 9, 1730, were appropriated for that purpose. February 6th a further grant of one hundred and fifty pounds was made, and Nathaniel Lewis and John Farrington were added to the committee. September 11th, voted " to give a minister a call to settle with them," and agreed to hear three gentlemen in order to come to a choice, namely, Mr. Balch, Mr. Loring, and Mr. Skinner. February 9th, made choice of the Rev. Thomas Balch for their pastor and teacher, and granted him as a settlement two hundred pounds, and an annual salary of one hundred and twenty pounds, and sixteen cords of wood, so long as he should con- tinue with them in the gospel ministry. Daniel Draper, Nathaniel Colburn, Richard Ellis, Ebenezer

Kingsbury, Daniel Draper, Jr., Timothy Draper, Hugh Dixon, and William Clark entered their protest " because they have a petition in the General Court in hopes to be released from the precinct. On this petition, which was entered Jan. 16, 1735, and on March 26, 1736, the General Court passed the follow- ing order :

"That the petitioners with their estates, from and after the term of three years from this time, be and hereby are dismissed from the South Precinct and are annexed to their neighbors at the Clapboard-tree, and pay charges there. John Cobb, William Bullard, Nathaniel Lewis, Samuel Farrington, who belong to the South Precinct, are still to be continued to do duty and re- ceive privilege with them as heretofore. The obligation to Draper continued. " JOSIAH WILDER,

"For the Committee."I

April 25th, an affirmative answer was received from meadow and other lands lying in the South Precinct, ; Mr. Balch, and June 2d, " agreed to keep a day of fasting and prayer, in order to have an ordination, and granted twenty pounds to meet the expenses of the same. A committee was chosen to procure min- isters to carry on the work of the day," also a com- mittee to issue letters missive convening an ordaining council, and provide entertainment for the same. In It is a matter of record that during this long and perplexing controversy, the southerly part of the pre- cinct never for once asked their brethren from the northerly part to even cross the centre of the precinct. compliance with the foregoing vote, June 23d was solemnly observed as a day of fasting and prayer. The Rev. Messrs. Dexter, of Dedham, Cotton, of Providence, Dunbar, of Stoughton, and Payson, of Walpole, assisted on the occasion, and the church was organized and a covenant adopted which remains to the present day.

"Jan. ye 9, 1738. By an act of the General Court, Capt. Ezra Morse and his sons, Ezra, Jr. and Joseph, with their estates, were set off from Walpole and annexed to Dedham, and to the Second Precinct. Also that part of Stoughton which was within the limits of the South Precinct is annexed to Ded- ham, and the Neponset River is made the dividing line between the towns of Dedham and Stoughton. The original line being about one mile west of that river ; and a few years later a con- siderable portion of the estate of Nathaniel Summer, Esq., was set off from Sharon and annexed to Dedham to do duty and enjoy privileges with the second precinct. 1740, at the annual meeting voted to build a school-house twenty-one feet in length, and seventeen in breadth, near the house or frame of James Thorp, on the southwesterly side of the same ; and forty pounds were appropriated for that purpose.

" In 1740 the British Government fitted out an expedition against the Spanish West India Islands, and Massachusetts was called upon to furnish five hundred troops. Samuel Haven, Esq., in the second Centennial address at Dedham, tells us that 'six men from the south parish in Dedham alone, of this town were among those that perished.' " The names of only two have been preserved, Eleazer Farrington and Walter Hixon."

1 It appears that another petition, presented by a Mr. Byfield Lynde, was dismissed.

" Holmes, in his Annals, says the sickness seems to have been almost as mortal as the plague ; of the five hundred only fifty ever returned.

499

NORWOOD.

June 2, 1744, war, which had previously broken out between England and France, was proclaimed in Boston. Jan. 26, 1745, the General Court, after de- bating the subject all day, approved of the expedition against Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton, as planned by Governor Shirley ; and Col. William Pep- perell, of Kittery, Me., then a part of Massachusetts, was appointed to the command. Says the Rev. Thomas Balch, pastor of this church, "Having an inclination, and being desired by the Committee of War, to attend the army as one of the chap- lains in the expedition against Cape Breton, I accordingly obtained the consent of my people on March 11, 1745, and on the 13th took my leave of my family and people. Arrived in safety and health at Canso, on the 2d day of April, sailed from Canso to Cape Breton, on April 29th, entered into Chap- eaurouge Bay the next morning, and soon after went on shore. The siege of Louisburg continued until June 17th, on which day we entered and took posses- sion of that strong and important place, upon terms of capitulation. Sailed from Louisburg for New Eng- land July 11th. Arrived in safety at Boston on the 27th of said month, 1745, Laus Deo." 1

Rev. Benjamin Balch acted as chaplain in our small navy, at some time during the same war.

Quite a number of Mr. Balch's parishioners (if not a company) must have accompanied him in this ex- pedition, for we find that Capt. Eleazer Fisher2 died at Boston, on his way home, and was buried there.

Lieut. Ebenezer Sumner died soon after his return, aged twenty-three years. Mr. Balch says he was his brother-in-law, and a young man of much promise. John Thorp lived to reach Boston, and died there. . weeks and three days. The Massachusetts troops were Nathaniel Coney, aged forty years, and Samuel Thorp, aged thirty-three years, died at Cape Breton. Hugh Delap, a skillful gunner and engineer, was killed at the siege, by the bursting of a cannon. Michael Bright of this precinct returned, also Samuel and William Wetherbee's names are given by Mrs. Ellis as mem- bers of this expedition.

Sir William in one of his letters to Governor Shirley says two men were killed by the bursting of a forty-two-pounder, and one wounded.

The success which crowned the enterprise was pur-

chased at a fearful loss of life ; six worthy citizens from this little community fell victims to the hardships and privations they were forced to endure.

In 1743, from a contribution made by sundry indi- viduals a lot of land was purchased of Mr. David Fales for the use of the precinct. In 1745 voted to take down the hindermost body seats, in order to ac- commodate the women that bring children to meeting. November of this year chose Nathaniel Sumner pre- cinct clerk, and assessor in place of Capt. Eleazer Fisher, who died in Boston, on his way home from Cape Breton. In 1751 twelve persons were chosen to oversee the boys on the Lord's day, 3 and their official acts must have met with an approval, for the same number were chosen for four succeeding years.

Again the sound of war is heard in our little com- munity, the hosts of England and France are con- tending for the supremacy in North America. Mas- sachusetts, ever faithful to the mother-country, calls her sons to arms, and Capt. Eliphalet Fales with his company treads his way through the wilderness to the shores of Lake George, with First Sergt. Moses Fisher, Corp. Benjamin Holden, William Woodcock, John Hawse, John Scott, Ebenezer Everett, and David Fairbanks from the South Precinct ; Sergt. Timothy Ellis, Samuel Richards, and five others from Dedham ; Lieut. Ephraim Wesson and eleven men from Groton; James Fales, clerk, from Little- ton ; Samuel Boyden, drummer, and three men from Medfield ; three from Walpole; four from Boston, two of whom were negro servants, and Samuel Pogent, an Indian, from Natick. Capt. Fales' enlistment dates April 5, 1745, and his term of service was thirty-nine placed under the command of Gen. William Johnson, of New York, and were engaged in the bloody battles of September 8th, in which the French under Baron Dieskau were defeated, and their commander mortally wounded and taken prisoner. Of Capt. Fales' com- pany First Sergt. Moses Fisher and John Scott from our little community and Isaac Patch, Joseph Rich- ards, and Nathaniel Pollard from Groton were killed.4

Before taking leave of Capt. Fales, allow me to copy the following, showing the care with which things were passed upon in those days :

1 Of Mr. Balch's three sons, two died in the service of their country, -- Thomas (1), aged eighteen years, at Albany, in the first campaign against Crown Point. Thomas (2), named in memory of his brother, was taken prisoner while serving on one of our war vessels during the Revolution, carried to Hali- fax, and died there.

2 Capt. Fisher was one of the fifteen original members of the church, and precinct clerk at the time of his decease.

3 " Hutchinson's History," vol. ii. chap. iv. ; Barry's " Massa- chusetts Second Period," chap. vi .; "Parish Records," vol. i. page 77.

+ Three battles were fought that day between the trained troops of France and their Indian allies on one side and the men of New England and New York, who had left their har- vest to become soldiers. Four hundred of their number had fallen, but they were victors. Not a British soldier or officer was present.

500

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

" PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY

" To ELIPHALET FALES, DR.

" For 4 Fire arms Lost in Battle, 2 Lb. £8.

" Namely, Sargent Moses Fisher, John Scott, Joseph Richardson, Isaac Patch.

"The above mentioned lost their blankets.

" Also Timothy Callahan,

Timothy Ellis, 6 in all, 128 38. 12d.

66 1 Gun Lost by Nicholas Halsey. 2

"To my Subsistence while making up my Muster Roll, 15 days 1/6 .. 1 6 "For 2 Days Travel from Dedham to Boston to 2 make up the Rolls, 4s 8

£15 2 6

" ELIPHALET FALES.

"SUFFOLK, 88. Boston, March 3, 1756. The within named Capt. Elephalet Fales appearing before me the subscriber and made oath to the truth of the within muster Roll.

" SAMUEL MILLER, Justice of the Peace." 1

From Capt. William Bacon's2 muster-roll, made Oct. 11, 1756, by the muster master-general of the pro- vincial army, we copy the following in order that we may see through what fearful trials the blessings we enjoy were secured. We can trace their toilsome march even now by the trail of the sick and de- parted ones. At the date of this return two had fallen in battle or been taken prisoners, namely, Jo- siah Lyon and Ebenezer Pratt; six had died,- George Cleveland, William Smith, Benjamin Leidiot, Joseph Ephraim, Hosea Abraham ; and twenty-three were sick, and from these we must add to the fatal roll Thomas Balch, son of the Rev. Thomas Balch, who died at Albany ; Solomon Bullard, at Leicester, on his return; Timothy Lewis, at Lake George ; John Woodcock, at Fort Edward; Joseph Lyon, ser- geant, at Stillwater; William Lewis and Joseph Whittemore,3 at Albany. June 22, 1759, Eleazer Everett died at. Fort Cumberland; Nov. 20, 1760, Simon Pittee, on his return from Crown Point ; and December 10th, James Weatherbee, soon after his return from Montreal.4 Other soldiers were un- doubtedly drawn from our precinct, but I have not succeeded in securing their names.

With the conquest of Canada the lilies of France disappeared, and peace and prosperity returned to the colonies.

March 9, 1758, chose Ebenezer Dean, Jr., Lieut. Fales, Benjamin Fuller, and Aaron Guild to set the

Psalms, and " voted that all the school money should | be laid out in women schooling." 1762, March 4th, " voted to build a new meeting-house, and chose a committee of twelve to select a suitable place, and report at some future meeting." March 14, 1763, | " voted ten choiresters to lead in the singing the Psalms on the Lord's day; and in order to prevent discord and secure harmony, nine more by vote were added" to the musical number. 1763 the bounds between the two parishes were renewed and defined as follows :

"The line beginning from ye center 5 between ye meeting Houses; then runs North 50 degrees East to the place where the House of Ebenezer Ellis stood ; from thence North one de- gree west to the Cross ways. The distance between ye meeting Houses is one and a half mile and thirty three rods.

" EBENEZER EVERETT, " ELIPHALET FALES, " Committee of the South Precinct. " ISAAC WHITING, " ICHABOD GAY, " Committee of the Clapboard-Tree."

And between the First Precinct in Dedham, 1767, the committee say,-

"We began at Purgatory Hole, so called ; thence run North- westerly to a White Oak tree with stones around it, in land of Joseph Wight; thence to a heap of Stones at the Northeasterly Corner of Land now belonging to Dea. Wm. Avery; thence more northerly to the eastwardly corner of land now belonging to Capt. Daniel Gay ; thence more westerly to the Cross ways near the house of Jeremiah Dean ; and are of opinion that said line ought to be the dividing line between said Precincts, and for the future to be esteemed as such, excepting such lands as have since the setting off the South Precinct been by the General Court laid to the First Parish in Dedham, which is humbly submitted.

" JONATHAN METCALF, " WILLIAM AVERY, " JOHN EATON,

" Committee of the First Precinct. " NATHANIEL SUMNER, " DAVID FISHER, " BENJAMIN FISHER, " Committee of the Second Precinct."

March, 1762, voted to build a meeting-house, and chose twelve to select and secure a suitable place to erect the same ; but objection was made to the several sites that were reported, and it was not till March 25,

5 On the division of the parish the committee of the General Court fixed the dividing line midway between the two parishes ; then placed the estate of Benjamin Fairbanks which lay en- tirely south and east of that line to the West Parish, and he was a member of that church ; but upon the records connected with this church the following occurs: "December 18, 1757, died Mr. Benjamen Fairbanks of Clapboard-tree a constant hearer in this Parish aged sixty three years;" and his remains rest in the yard his kindness gave to the parish. All his estate lay in this parish.

I This was attached to the muster-roll.

2 Capt. William Bacon was one of the fifteen original mem- bers who formed the church in this place, and probably never fully recovered from the sickness contracted in this campaign. Died May 21, 1761, in the forty-fifth year of his age. Capt. Bacon's company was mostly from the towns of Dedham, Rox- bury, and Walpole.

3 These last seven were Mr. Balch's parishioners.

1 The last three were in the second expedition against Crown Point.

NORWOOD.

501

1768, that a union of sentiment was secured, where we find the following record :

" It is not only a disgrace to this Parish, but a reproach to the Christian Religion, to suffer the house of public worship to lie in so ruinous a condition ; besides, unless we come into meas- ures soon to build one, public worship must soon be laid aside amongst us for want of a place to meet in, as the old meeting- house cannot stand long in its present ruinous condition. We all readily grant that a better meeting-house is wanted, and ef- forts have been made to come into peaceable methods so as to build one ; but they have proved ineffectual on account of dif- fering sentiments as to the place on which to build it. How- ever, we would not altogether give over the matter, being per- suaded that a little moderation, candor, and condescension would so compromise things as that so good and necessary a work might go on. We, therefore, the subscribers, inhabitants on the northerly side of Neponset River, will, and do, hereby agree that a meeting-house should be erected on the land of the heirs of Benjamin Fuller, deceased, at the head of Penniman's Lane, so called, as near the corner of his orchard as the land will allow, if our brethren and friends on the southerly side of said river will meet us there; and we can go on united in love and peace, and we desire that a meeting may be called to see if such a union may be effected." This invitation was signed by thirty members of the parish, and received the following response from fifteen members : "We who live on the southerly side of said river agree thereto."

" Voted to dig a hole 15 inches deep under every Post of the Meeting-House, To which Mr. David Fisher desired that his protest might be entered." Nov. 17, 1768, commenced their preparation to build, and June 26, 1769, was fixed upon for putting up the frame of the new and second meeting-house. Each person who desired was permitted to furnish his pro- portional part of the materials. The clapboards were to be split and purchased in Boston. An order was adopted " directing the committee to provide a din- ner, and sufficient drink for the men that did the work."

Jan. 5, 1770, it was " voted to sell the old meeting- house at auction, reserving the right to use the same till October 1." March the 12th, in the disposal of the pews of the new church, it was voted, " to set the highest pew at five pounds, lawful money, and then to abate one shilling and four pence on every several choice, falling one shilling and four pence upon every pew till the whole were sold ; and that he that was highest on the rate should have his first choice, and that every one should have his choice according to the tax he paid." And thus the fathers in their time dignified the pews. From the records of the many following years it appears that they walked together in peace and harmony to the house of God ; the deacons still reading the hymns,1 and " Bangor" sung as it hath hitherto been, by continuing the bass.

March 20, 1774, granted the sum of £73 8s. 6d. towards paying the funeral expenses of the Rev. Mr. Balch. On the death of Mr. Balch the precinct chose John Ellis, David Fisher, and Aaron Guild a com- mittee to supply the desk. April 16, 1776, " voted to concur with the church in extending a call to the Rev. Jabez Chickering. Two hundred pounds were granted as a settlement, and a salary of sixty-six pounds, thirteen shillings, and four pence, so long as he shall continue to minister to the Precinct, also Fif- teen Cords of wood, and the use of the Church Meadow2 given by Dea. Ezra Morse."

We will now for a moment turn to the opening scenes of the Revolutionary war, to Samuel Adams' " ever-glorious morning," and repeat the roll-call of our little band who hurried towards the scene of action on the 19th of April, 1775 :

Capt. William Bullard.

Eliphalet Fisher.

1st Lieut. John Morse. Abel Everett.

2d Lieut. Nathaniel Lewis. Abner Fisher.

Ensign Ebenezer Everett.

Jason Fuller.

Sergt. Asa Everett.

Nathaniel Sumner, Jr.

Sergt. Jeremiah Kingsbury.

Daniel Fairbanks.

Sergt. Ichabod Gay.

Nathan Clarke.

Sergt. John Andrews.

Seth Morse.

Corp. David Andrews. Enoch Talbot.

Corp. Benjamin Dean.

Seth Farrington, Jr.

Fifer Eliphalet Rhoads.

William Everett.

Drummer Benjamin Fisher.

Moses Fisher.

Nathaniel Dean.

Benjamin Herring.

Jonathan Dean.

William Kendall.

Jacob Penniman.

Jacob Cleveland.

Seth Fuller.

John Dean, Jr.

Robert Little.

Timothy Lewis.

Josiah Everett.

Jesse Kingsbury.

Samuel Farrington.

Thomas White.

Phillip Cobbet.

Benjamin Lewis.

William Savel.

Archalus Clark.

Eleazer Rhoads.

John Smith.

Silas Morse. Benjamin Felt.

Jesse Gay.

Samuel Clark.

William Coney.

Edward Bullard.

Daniel Colburn.

Jacob Smith.

Luther Bullard.

Ithamer Farrington.

Joseph Sumner.

William Lewis, Jr.

Jabez Holmes.

Robert Little.

Moses Guild.

(Signed) WILLIAM BULLARD, Captain.

Their term of service was short, varying from two to twelve days.

"Art. 6. To see if the Precinct will cause the practice of read- ing the Psalms in the Public Worship by the Deacons to be dis- continued, and will vote to provide books for themselves that so that part of Divine service may be performed in a more manly and rational manner for the future. Dismissed from the war- rant by vote.

" Art. 8. To see if the Parish would have Bangor sung as it hath hitherto been. Passed in the affirmative."

2 Forty pounds were granted to pay for the expense of the ordination and for the five guns bought for the parish, and July 3d was appointed for his ordination.

1 Feb. 17, 1771, we find the following in the warrant for the precinct meeting :

502

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

" MIDDLESEX, 88., Jan. 2, 1776.

" William Bullard, within named, appeared personally, made solemn oath that the within pay-roll, by him subscribed, was, according to his best knowledge and judgment, just and true. " Before HENRY GARDNER,

"Justice of the Peace.

" Examined and compared with the original.

" JOSIAH JOHNSON, " JONAS DIX, " Committee.

"In Council, March 27th, 1776, Read and allowed, and there upon ordered that a warrant be drawn on the Treasurer for 44 pounds 12 shillings and 8 pence, and three farthings, in full discharge of the within roll.

" PEREZ MORTON, Dep't Sec'y."

There were others from this parish who hurried forward. Mr. Israel Everett, who lived where Mr. Rooney now lives, and in memory of whom Everett Street was named, was wounded, but the names are so similar in the several parishes of the town I shall only give the names of some few, of whose residence there is no doubt, leaving the remainder for some future time. In Capt. Joseph Guild's company, First Parish, in the Northern campaign of 1775 and 1776, we find three sons of Zebediah Clark (Archelus and Samuel, who died at or near Ticonderoga), Robert Little and Benjamin Fisher, Jr. (who died at the same place), Daniel Clark, Sergt. Eliphalet Thorp, Edward Bullard, Ebenezer Sumner, John Smith, Aaron Guild, John Rugles, Abner Pettee, John Smith. In Capt. John Gay's company, from the West Parish, occur the names of Sergt. William Everett, Silas Morse, Josiah Everett, Hezekiah Turner. Of Capt. Aaron Guild's company of three months' men a large number were from this parish. Some persons made several campaigns, and there is ! but little doubt that every able-bodied person of suitable age was called upon to do military duty at some period during the war of the Revolution. In the spring of 1776 two soldiers on the march for New York died, one at Capt. Ebenezer Everett's and one at the house of Mr. Benjamin Fisher. No record reveals to us their names. Peacefully they rest with our honored dead.

It is hardly possible for us at the present day to conceive of the hardships and sufferings the Revolu- tionary fathers were called to endure. The province tax of the town of Dedham in 1775 was three hun- dred and seventy pounds, six shillings, nine pence, and one farthing; in 1778, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven pounds, thirteen shillings, and ten pence, and it was required to be collected and paid into the State treasury by the first day of October. In addition to this increased taxation, frequent requi- sitions were made for beef, blankets, shirts, shoes, and

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 105

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534