History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 119

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 119

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than four claimants for the Weymouth pulpit, each with a strong party at his command ; the old Gorges settlers, the later comers from Dorchester, Boston, and vicinity, and the recent Hull arrivals, while the fourth, coming with a view of harmonizing the differ- ences, only added another element to the discord. The Episcopal element was still strong, but apparently not enough so to propose a candidate of their own views; the Puritan party, which sustained Rev. Thomas Jenner; the 1635 settlers, under the leadership of Rev. Joseph Hull, an independent, with Episcopalian antecedents ; and a strong party who had invited Rev. Robert Lenthal, who was suspected of favoring the views of Mrs. Hutchinson. Rev. Samuel Newman was summoned to heal the breach, but he found the trouble too serious for his powers. The departure of all of these contestants and the settlement of Rev. Thomas Thacher, appeared to resolve the difficulty.

In December, 1636, the General Court ceded to Weymouth, Grape Island and Round Island, the only additions ever made to its territory. During the eight years from the arrival of Rev. Joseph Hull, in 1635, to the departure of Rev. Samuel Newman, in 1643, Weymouth had gained largely in population and had become one of the most important towns in the colony. The records of the latter year, subsequent to the de- parture of Rev. Mr. Newman to Rehoboth, with a large colony, estimated by some as high as forty families, contained the names of more than one hun- dred and thirty land-owners, representing, most of them, heads of families. These records are imperfect, and probably do not represent by many the whole number. It is at this time that the regular records of the town commence, from which date they are comparatively good, probably as full as the average of the town records of the colony. Earlier than this the peculiar circumstances surrounding the settle- ment conspired to envelope the history in much ob- scurity. The natural jealousy of the Pilgrims against the adherents of the established church from which they had suffered so much, prevented them from making any fuller record than was absolutely neces- sary of their neighbors at Wessagusset; and later, the Puritans at Boston were in the same condition and no better disposed, although it was in their own territory and under their own jurisdiction ; while still later, the disturbances produced by the conflicting tion of records that would be of inestimable value at the present time.

Church Troubles .- During the early years of the town it was very much disturbed by internal dissen- sions in the church. From 1635, on the arrival of | elements in their own midst prevented the preserva-

Pequod War .- The Indians upon the territory of the town were never numerous from the first visits of the whites to its shores, and this was one reason

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for its selection as a favorable location for a settle- ment ; yet, notwithstanding its retired position, it was not without its share of damage from its savage enemies in other parts of the province, and it was always called upon for its quota of men, and taxed for its share of the expense. As early as 1637, of the one hundred and sixty men called for to serve against the Pequods, five were to come from Wey- mouth ; and from this time until the close of the King Philip war, in 1676, the town was always a con- tributor in men and money to sustain the various ex- peditions sent against the Indians. From that time the immediate danger was not felt, yet her soldiers were found upon the bloody fields of New York and Canada, fighting for the preservation of their homes, although so far away.

Emigration .- The first large colony sent out from Weymouth was that under the charge of Rev. Samuel Newman, to Rehoboth, and numbered by the best accounts about forty families. From that time, but usually in small companies, often but a single family, the tide flowed away, and the town saw its population slowly diminish by the constant drain upon it to supply the calls of the frontier. First Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and the western part of this State, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, made large de- mands. Then followed the calls from New York and the other Middle States, and still later the vast West, which have all been abundantly answered, until not a State in the Union, and hardly a county or town, but has one or more of the sons of Weymouth to repre- sent it. This condition of things could not fail to be | seriously felt, and the town was severely crippled by it, so much so that from 1643, for one hundred and fifty years, the gain was hardly perceptible, sometimes a period of gain to be more than offset by a corre- sponding period of loss, while the actual increase for the whole time was so small as to be hardly appreci- able. If the estimate for 1643 of at least one hun- dred and fifty families be correct, and an average of six to the family a fair allowance, a population of nine hundred at that time against fourteen hundred, the estimate for 1776, will show the truth of this state- ment.

Town Government .- Like that of nearly all of the early settlements, the government of the town was of a very simple pattern. Town-meetings were called as necessity demanded, at irregular intervals; and townsmen, afterwards known as selectmen, chosen at times and in number most convenient. The officers seem to have been their own recorders, since no regular clerk appears for twenty or thirty years. Meetings were notified upon training or lecture days by public

call, and such business was transacted as the time de- manded. When and how the first land grants were made is not known, but probably upon the earliest settlement the lands were divided as the needs of the settlers appeared ; that remaining was held in common. A large portion of the north part of the town was occupied, and as early as 1636 there is record of a division of great lots at the lower end of Fresh (Whit- man's) Pond, some two or three miles from the shore of the bay.

In 1643 a partial record of the then property owners was made which has been preserved. Most of the early records are filled with the regulations respecting cattle, the cutting of timber, and such public matters as seemed to be called for. The earliest officers, after townsmen, named upon the records are fence-viewers, and the number and prominence of the men appointed to this position show it to have been at least no sinecure. There was the strictest scrutiny into the character and purpose of those who came among them. As early as 1646 a vote was passed forbidding any inhabitant from taking as an inmate any stranger without giving the town an indemnity bond against damage, under penalty of a fine of five shillings per week ; nor could he sell or let to any such person house or land, without having first ten- dered the same to the town at a training, lecture, or other public meeting.

During those early days frequent regulations were made for the preservation of pine and cedar, indicat- ing a waste of that material. In 1648, Widow Hillard was required to give the town security against harm from the charges of her children. At the first set- tlement the town set apart the shore land between high and low water-marks for thatching purposes, thatch being at that time the most important material for roofing purposes, and there appeared to be a neces- sity to provide for its preservation ; and when the General Court afterwards ordered that all lands to low water-mark should belong to the proprietors of the adjoining land, this regulation of the town was re- spected, and an exception made in its favor.

The highways were a matter of prime importance at an early date, and as far back as 1649 the inhabi- tants were required to work them at the call of the " way warden," under penalty. In 1650-51, March 1, a vote was passed requiring the officers to post notices of the assessment of rates, and all persons liable to taxation were required to bring in lists of polls and property under penalty. March 10, 1651, the town voted to fine all such as should be tardy at town- meetings six pence for each hour the meeting con- tinued. The rates were to be laid so that the town

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bills could be promptly paid, particularly Capt. Perkins' ten pounds for six months' schooling, which is the first notice upon the record in relation to school matters.

About this time the town business had accumulated to such a degree that it became necessary to adopt more systematic measures in relation to its conduct.

Regular meetings were to be held on the first Monday in March and the last Monday of November, for the choice of officers and general business, while unimportant matters could be regulated on lecture days without notice ; and all military affairs were to be decided upon training days. The townsmen were also required to make report of the action taken at their meetings. The first annual town-meeting was held Nov. 26, 1651, for the choice of town officers, and the townsmen are now for the first time called " selectmen," a title which they have since retained. The powers of these officers are given upon the record with minute detail, and the business of the town seems to have been settled upon in nearly the same form that it bears at present.

The necessity of a town clerk was apparent, and Deacon John Rogers was chosen " recorder," his special duty being that of clerk to the selectmen. At this time there is a record made of those entitled to 1 the great lots near Whitman's Pond, numbering about sixty persons. Jan. 24, 1652-53, two thousand acres were set apart as town commons, running across the town from Braintree to Hingham, and near the cen- tre from north to south; at the same time Thomas Dyer was chosen to record births, deaths, and mar- riages, and William Torrey recorder of deeds, etc. | The town records seem at this time to have been in | it. two divisions, each with its clerk, one for the per- sonal, and the other for the general record. In 1663 there is a record of the names, number of lot and acres, of each person who was allotted land in the first and second divisions, beginning on Braintree line.

For many years the records are mainly taken up with domestic matters, regulations for cattle, running | in the murder of a white man by an Indian, and the boundary lines with other and adjacent towns and be- tween different estates, locating and improving the highways and managing the town commons, which was a matter of no small moment in those days. The sexton's duties were prescribed and looked after, and all parish matters, neither few nor small, were trans- acted by the town in public meeting, since the town and precinct were one.

clerk in the matter of recording grants, and for copy- ing, so large as to demand compensation, which was voted at the rate of one shilling for grants, six pence for a copy, and three shillings and four pence for re- cording the assessor's rates.

In 1668, Lieut. Holbrook was appointed with full powers to answer the " presentment" of the General Court in relation to the highways.

At the March meeting, 1669-70, a committee was chosen to procure a " new town book," upon which all of the affairs of the town should be correctly kept, and it is not at all unlikely that the oldest book of records now in possession of the town is the identical book purchased at this time, since in it are references to older books not now to be found.

CHAPTER XLVI.

WEYMOUTH-(Continued).

King Philip's War-Company of Horse-Town Affairs-Sir Edmund Andros-Military Company-Canadian Expedition -Local Matters-Town Boundaries-New Precinct-Dr. White-Town Regulations-Parsonage Property-Pig- wacket Indians-Town Commons-Throat Distemper- French and Indian Wars -- French Neutrals-Dr. Tufts --- Highways -- South Precinct.

King Philip's War .- During the period from 1651 to 1675, the town had been steadily growing in population and wealth, and laying the foundations of future prosperity, unconscious of the dark days before The people were upon the shore of the bay, far removed from danger of savage beasts or men, but trouble was gathering, and the ill feeling between the white settlers and the Indians on the southern borders had risen to that point that it needed but an accident of small importance in itself to bring about an outburst of hostilities. Such an accident happened execution of the offender. This was an opportunity too favorable to be resisted by the young braves, and the attack upon Swanzey, June 24, 1675, was the result.

Upon this practical declaration of war sides were at once taken, the savages eagerly waiting to obtain | their long accumulation of revenge, while the colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay joined hands for mutual aid and defense. Troops were quickly crushing of their terrible foe.

As early as 1667 there was found a necessity to | enlarge the capacity of the meeting-house, the seating mustered and took the field in hope of a speedy showing a gradual increase in population. At the same time there was an increased call upon the town But they reckoned without their host. Philip of

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Pokanoket was no ordinary opponent, and the events of the following two years were such a record of hor- ror as the settlements had never before seen and were never afterwards to know. All through the State, from Massachusetts Bay to the Connecticut River, the Indians spread with the utmost rapidity, carry- ing terror and dismay into every household. They seemed to be ubiquitous, appearing in places widely distant at the same time, and only to burn and kill.

The history of this deplorable war is too well known to be repeated. More than a dozen towns were de- stroyed and half a million of money expended, while it is estimated that more than six hundred young men were slain or died in the service, or one in twenty of the producing citizens, and one family in every twenty was burned out. Contributions came in from various sources. Connecticut, which had escaped the ravages of the war, sent a thousand bushels of corn, and other places were equally prompt with their sorely-needed aid. Even across the ocean friends appeared, and Ireland sent forward a generous gift.

It will be sufficient to say that Weymouth was not the least among the sufferers. At the very beginning of hostilities (12th February, 1675) an attack was made upon the town, and several houses burnt. At the call of the State the men of Weymouth responded heartily to defend their homes from the ravages of ! the destroyer, and in the return made by Capt. Wil- liam Torrey on behalf of the Committee of Militia of Weymouth, 1st December, 1675, appear the names of twelve volunteers, and nearly all of those names were of her known and honored citizens. In March fol- lowing the town was again attacked by a band of In- dians who were on their way to Plymouth Colony, and seven houses and barns were burned, while in February preceding several men had been killed in the town. So many men had been drawn away from the place for frontier service that not enough remained for their own defense, and the exigency was so great that on 26th March, 1676, a petition was presented to the Governor and Council, signed by the same Wil- liam Torrey and on the same behalf, urging the recall of the men then on the frontier for the protection of their own homes; then follow the names of these, ten in all, and none of them belonging to the preced- ing list. These, too, were all young men of character and promise.

defend their own firesides, " who, when we are most, are but a small company, and we have ten men out already and have the enemy appearing daily at our very doors, four killed already, and in danger where- soever we go; in expectation every day and hour of being assaulted, stand continually upon our guard, whereby planting is obstructed and all things turning into confusion and destruction ;" and in a postscript the writer, Capt. William Torrey, adds : " Just at this instant saw appearing of fire and smoke about the Town, whereby we certainly know that the enemy is very near us."

A still later letter from the same hand continues the story of trouble and alarm, and it was only upon the death of Philip and the annihilation of his forces that the terror quieted and the settlement calmed down into its wonted peace. How many men were fur- nished by the town for service in this war it is im- possible now to determine, as the records are very imperfect, and it is only by incidental mention in contemporaneous writings that most of the facts now known have been preserved. The twenty-two men whose names are preserved were but a part of those who were thus engaged ; others are known to have "fought in the bloody war." On Oct. 12, 1676, an abatement was made by the General Court in favor of Weymouth on account of its losses by the enemy, and ten days later the taxes of those persons " slayne in the war" were for this purpose levied on the whole town.

Later on, in 1678, March 23d, there is the petition of John Lovell, of Weymouth, to be paid for service in this war, and October 7th, Richard Russ, also of Weymouth, a wounded soldier, was allowed forty shillings for his cure. A night-watch was also kept up in the town as late as the summer of that year, showing that the alarm had not wholly subsided.

Company of Horse .- In 1679, in the fall, a com- pany of horse was formed which continued its organ- ization for a number of years, and a year later, by order of the General Court, the soldiers of Weymouth, with those of the other towns in Suffolk County, were organized into a regiment, under the command of Maj. William Stoughton, thus anticipating any occa- sion that might arise which should call for troops.

Town Affairs .- 26th November, 1683, an im- portant change in the manner of choosing the select- men was effected by a vote of the following import, " that after this year the selectmen shall be chosen by ' papers,' as the law provides," and this is the first appearance of the ballot in Weymouth.

19th April, 1676, Sergt. Thomas Pratt was killed at Weymouth. And again the petition comes up from the distressed settlement, upon a demand for six more men by the State, representing in the most vivid colors the dangers of their position and the absolute At a meeting held on the second Tuesday of necessity that the men should remain at home and | March, 1685-86, the following curious record occurs :

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" Caleb Littlefield, living in the house formerly Thomas White's, warned to leave town, not being an inhabitant, or bring security to the selectmen." He still remained in town, and a request was made to the General Court to enter a caution upon its records that he or his may not become chargeable to the town, should they come to want. Such was the care taken that no unnecessary burden should be thrown upon the people. In the following autumn it was voted " that the selectmen should have their dinners at the town's charge when they meet for business."

On March 7, 1691-92, after various changes in the time of holding the annual meetings, the town returned to the former custom of holding two each year, one on the " last Second day of November and the other on the first Second day of March," which all of the inhabitants who were voters should be obliged to attend, under a penalty of eighteen pence for each absence.

Sir Edmund Andros .- The advent of Sir Edmund Andros as Governor of the colony in December, 1686, was the beginning of a series of important events bear- ing upon its political fortunes. Hitherto the colonies had been permitted a large degree of freedom in the management of their local affairs, and the Governor seldom interfered ; now, everything was to give way to the will of the Executive, whose power was nearly ab- solute. Learning and religion were given the go-by in lack of the usual supports. Town-meetings were only allowed for the choice of town officers, not for deliber- ation on important matters. The vote by ballot was rejected. Personal liberty and the ancient customs were disregarded. None could leave the country with- out special permit. Probate fees were increased to an

Bible, to which Puritans would never consent. The Episcopal service, never before established in the colony, must have its place, and a meeting-house in Boston was demanded for the purpose. Heavy taxes | were levied, which were generally refused. Writs of habeas corpus were withheld, and the laws of Eng- land denied to the people of the colony. Men were tried, fined, and imprisoned for refusal until even the clergy counseled resistance. The rights of property were denied, and old grants must be renewed at a high rate of fees, while grants under the charter were declared void by its forfeiture. Indian deeds were worthless.

Lands had been held under grants from the Gen- eral Court to the towns and from the towns to indi- viduals. These were now declared to be " not worth a rush." Possession and use were pleaded in vain by the answer, " You use and possess for the king." The

common law and the Bible were brought forward in testimony only to be scorned. All commons and lands reserved for the poor were given to favorites. Every- thing must minister to the power and the purse of the Governor and his associates, while all opposers were treated as rebels; but the unyielding spirit of the steru old Puritans could not be subdued. Min- isters preached sedition and resistance, and once, at least, put by Thanksgiving day. Desperate measures were proposed and a petition to the king prepared, with which Increase Mather was already on his way to England when the rebellion of 1688 broke forever the power of James, and with him went his rulers in the colonies.

Weymouth was not indifferent to these great movements, and 20th May, 1689, a meeting was held in relation to a new government, at which it was voted, " in concurrence with the representatives," " that the Governor, deputy, and assistants chosen in 1686, with the deputies then sent by the several towns, should be the settled government of the colony." In other words, the vote was to restore the | old order of things.

When Sir Edmund Andros made his escape from the castle, Capt. Samuel White, of Weymouth, re- ceived a warrant from Governor Bradstreet and his Council to pursue and bring him back again, which he did with his troop of fifty-two men, for which, with other services, he claimed seventy pounds, but was allowed only twenty-two pounds eight pence.

Military Company .- 24th June, 1689, the fol- lowing officers were confirmed for the Weymouth and Hingham troops : Capt. Ephraim Hunt, Lieut. Jacob Nash, Ensign Richard Phillips. Capt. Wil- alarming degree. Oaths were administered on the liam Torrey had declined the command on account of the infirmities of age. This seems to have been a reorganization of the former company raised several years previous, and which had been in service during the interval.

Canadian Expedition .- In the Canadian expedi- tion of 1690, Weymouth was represented by Capt. Ephraim Hunt and others. For his services in this campaign, Capt. Hunt received from the General Court a grant of the territory, now Ashland.

Local Matters .- Nov. 27, 1693, the selectmen were ordered to " prepare and present to the Justices' Court in Boston, the laws and orders which concern the prudential affairs of the town ;" and March 7, 1697-98, John Torrey, "to encourage his trade, shall have twelve poles of land next his father's, out of the towns commons, for a tan-yard as long as he shall use it for that purpose."

In 1703, the town seems to have come under the

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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

displeasure of the government for dereliction of mil- itary duty, his Excellency intimating to the Council August 19th, that Col. Hunt was in default in the levy of soldiers ordered from his regiment, none appearing from Weymouth and Hingham, and Col. Hobby was dispatched with ten men of the troop of guards, with orders to make a draft of twenty men out of each of the said towns.

Town Boundaries .- From the earliest times the boundaries between Weymouth and Abington on the south, and Braintree on the west, seem to have been in a very unsatisfactory condition. Committees were frequently appointed by Weymouth to run the lines with a committee of Braintree, but in nearly all cases the latter town refused to act; thus the matter remained unsettled, which was a source of much irritation and annoyance, until Weymouth appears to have lost patience, and ordered its selectmen, June 13, 1712, to prosecute the selectmen of Braintree for refusing to run the town-line as the law provides, voting to stand by them in the business. Whether or not the matter ever came to court is uncertain, but it is quite true that down to the present time the line has never been satisfactorily determined.

New Precinct .- In 1722, an important matter came up which threatened to seriously disturb the friendly relations that the two sections of the town held towards each other. With the increase of pop- ulation the settled portions of the town gradually ex- tended until they covered more or less densely its entire territory, verging in the north and south towards villages. The length of the town and its narrowness contributed to form it into distinct sections with sep- arate interests and associations, and this naturally engendered a feeling of conflict, if not of hostility, when any questions came up on which there could be a territorial difference of opinion.

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History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 119

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