USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > North Brookfield > History of North Brookfield, Massachusetts. Preceded by an account of old Quabaug, Indian and English occupation, 1647-1676; Brookfield records, 1686-1783 > Part 21
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18I
THE AYRES FAMILY.
of all claims and demands whatsoever even from their paternal Right. And that those and those only who have or shall bring forward a Settle- ment on their respective lots within the space of 3 years next coming from the 25th day of May 1718, shall be entitled to after Divisions in the said town." Consented to S. SHUTE.
THE AYRES FAMILY. Children of Sergt. John :
i. JOHN, w. Mary ; a shipwright of Boston ; sold (as above) his share in his father's estate, which cut off his own and his children's claim in the new grants in Brookfield ; he was living in 1 705.
ii. SAMUEL, w. Abigail Fellows ; of Newbury ; d. before 1714.
iii. THOMAS, w. Mary Errington ; of Ipswich ; had grants, 132 acres.
iv. JOSEPH, returned to Brookfield. See Genealogy.
v. EDWARD, of Kittery, Me. ; had grants, 132 acres.
vi. MARK, of Kittery, Me. ; had grants, 132 acres.
vii. NATHANIEL, w. Amy ; of Boston ; had grants, 132 acres.
viii. SUSANNA, m. Thomas Day of Gloucester, who (or his son Thomas) had grant of 60 acres in 1713.
Grandchildren of Sergt. John who received grants :
Joseph, son of Samuel (2), had grants, 140 acres ; non-resident.
Edward, A resident. See Genealogy.
Ebenezer,
A resident. See Genealogy.
Fohn,
known as John, Sen. See Genealogy.
Fabez, A resident. See Genealogy.
Thomas, son of Thomas (3), had grant of 80 a. ; non-resident.
Abraham, had grant of 80 a. ; non-resident.
Joseph Moses, s .- in-1. of Thomas, w. Sarah ; had 80 a. ; non-resident. WVm. Scales, 66 w. Susanna ; had 80 a.
Edward Toogood," w. Hannah ; had 80 a. Joseph, son of Joseph (4) A resident. See Genealogy.
Benjamin, “ ; had 80 a. ; d. May 23, 1717.
Fohn, ; known as John, Fun. See Genealogy.
William, son of Joseph (4) See Genealogy.
Edward, son of Edward (5), had grant of 80 a., non-resident. Fohn,
Joseph Moulton, s .- in-l. of Edward,
John Foster, 66
George, son of Mark (6), had grant of 80 a. ; non-resident.
66 Thomas,
Edward, son of Nathaniel (7), had grant of 80 a., non-resident.
" Elnathan,
Nathaniel, “
Jethro Furber, s .- in-l. of Nathaniel " 66
182
SECOND SETTLEMENT, 1686-1718.
Samuel Swazey, Sen., s .- in-l. of Nathaniel, w. Amy, had grant of 80 a., non-resident.
Samuel Swazey, Jun., had grant of 80 a., non-resident.
These grants, made 1714, and confirmed 1718, footed up 2,800 acres, and held good to the grantee's heirs and assigns ; consequently were not forfeited by non-residence, like other grants made by the Committee. The discrepancy between the statement of the Ayres brothers, that the grants amounted to no more than 1,600 acres, and the fact that they actually footed up 2,800 acres, is reconcilable on the ground that a part of the grants were made subsequent to 1717.
1714. - The General Court at its session June 22, 1714, “ Ordered, that Samuel Partridge, Esq., and the present Committee for Brookfield, be directed and impowered to make inquiry, and cause a Register to be made of the Lots, Rights and Properties of land, within the said Planta- tion, granted to the first and ancient settlers and others, particularly a grant made to Mr. Phillips sometime minister of the said place, and make report to this Court." This order was complied with, so far as making out a Register of the early Land Grants to those men who (or their heirs) were then resident in the town. And it is from this Register, still extant, that the lists of names and properties, given in the preceding pages of this chapter, are made out.
A considerable colony from Sudbury and Marlborough came to Brook- field this year.
Dea. Amos Rice, from Marl., had a grant of 60 acres, on which he settled. In all he received 314 acres.
His brother Obadiah came to B. in 1719, married Esther Mirick, raised a family of 11 children, and late in life removed to Quabin (Greenwich). Of his sisters, Martha m. Elisha Rice, and Esther m. Jona. Jennings, both of B.
Azariah Rice, a cousin of Amos, had a grant of 60 acres in 1714, and settled in B., as did his sisters, Lydia, who m. Cyprian Rice, and Pris- cilla, who m. Josiah Partridge.
Elisha Rice, from Marlb. had a grant of 60 acres in 1714, settled in B., received in all 275 acres, and became a leading man in town affairs. His w. Martha d. Oct. 3, 1785, in her 90th year : he d. Mar. 10, 1789, in his 99th year, " retaining his mental faculties until a day or two before his death."
Cyprian Rice, a brother of Elisha, had a grant of 60 acres in 1714, and in all 107 acres.
Pelatiah Rice, another brother, had a grant of 81 acres ; lived here a short time, removed to Westboro', and thence to Northboro'.
Peter Rice, another brother, had a grant in 1721 of 100 acres, m. Dinah Woolcott ; lived in Western (Warren). For full records of these families, see Ward's Rice Family.
183
CAPT. THOMAS BAKER.
Daniel and Elisha How, sons of Samuel of Sudbury, received each a grant of 60 acres, but did not come to reside. Daniel settled in Fra- mingham, and afterwards in Westmoreland, N.H., and he and his son Daniel became the heroes of the French and Indian wars.
Thomas Gibbs, from Sudbury, (son of John and w. Anna Gleason) had a grant of 60 acres in 1714, on which he settled ; received in all 298 acres.
Isaac Shaddock (Shattuck), from Watertown, son of Dr. Philip and w. Rebecca, had a grant of 60 acres, but did not come to reside. He settled in Westboro'.
Nathaniel Wood or Woods, had a grant of 60 acres.
John Parsons had a grant, Sept. 17, 1714, of 80 acres upland, near the Woolcott place, on which he settled.
This year Ebenezer Prescott, from Lancaster, bought John Hayward's mill privilege, and all accrued rights.
Capt. Thomas Baker. There also came to Brookfield this year, a man who, from inherent force of character, became a social and political leader, and for the next 12 years, divided the honors of office and power with Thomas Gilbert, Thomas Barns, Philip Goss, Joseph Ban- ister, Joseph Brabrook, Dea. Joseph Jennings, Tilly Mirick, John Wool- cott, Edward Walker, and Elisha Rice. I refer to Capt. Thomas Baker. He is first identified with Brookfield history in 1710-1I, Feb. 2Ist of which year, he (then of Northampton) bought the Millet homestead on Foster's hill. Sept. 4, 1713, he received a grant of 60 acres ; Oct. 22, 1713, of 80 acres; Dec. 11, 1714, of "the land formerly Mr. Gros- venor's ; " and subsequently of other lots, amounting in all to 1,069 acres. He also held other estates by purchase. A brief sketch of his eventful life is in place here.
Thomas Baker was son of Timothy and Sarah (Hollister) Atherton Baker, and grandson of Edward of Lynn and Northampton ; he was born at Northampton May 14, 1682, and grew up amid the stirring scenes of King William's war. His mother was the widow of Rev. Hope Atherton of Hatfield, chaplain to Capt. Turner's force in the famous battle at Turner's Falls, May 19, 1676, whose tragic experiences on the retreat, and sad death in consequence, must have been the theme of household story in the Baker family, and made an indelible impression on the boy's mind. At 21, we find him a soldier at Deerfield, when that Plantation was assaulted and devastated by the French and Indians. What happened to him here, and in the immediate future, is best told in his own words, copied from the General Court Records, Vol. 10, p. 250 : "A petition of Thomas Baker of Brookfield, setting forth that he being a soldier under the command of Capt. Jonathan Wells, was taken pris- oner at Deerfield by the French and Indians Feb. 29, 1703-4 : That he
184
SECOND SETTLEMENT, 1686-1718.
lost his arms and a good suit of clothes, and was carried to Canada : That the summer following the Chevalier Boncour went from Canada with a great army, designing to spoil and destroy some of the towns on the Connecticut river - which the petitioner understanding, in order to serve his country by giving seasonable intelligence of said intended ex- pedition, made his escape from Mont Real to the utmost hazard of his life, and was unfortunately taken, and preparation was made by the salvages to burn him alive ; but he happily got out of their hands, and ran to the house of one Lebair, who ransomed him by advancing £5, which the petitioner promised to repay him. After which the petitioner was by order of the Governor of Canada put into irons, and made a close prisoner for 4 months. After which the petitioner being made a prisoner at large escaped a third time, and then got safe to his own country." 1
The word " safe " in the last line, needs qualifying. Their long march through the wilderness of woods and streams was one of great danger, and fearful suffering. As they started without provisions, and without fire- arms, they were obliged to subsist on roots, nuts and bark, and such small animals as they could kill with stones and sticks. Once they were on the point of giving up, when one of them gave utterance to a prayer that God would in some way send them succor ; and immediately a large bird, such as they had not before seen, fell, or alighted close to their path. It was secured, torn in pieces, and eaten without cooking.
Young Baker soon rose to the rank of lieutenant, and was employed by the authorities in ranging and scouting.
As before noted, he was in Brookfield in 1711, when he purchased the Millet homestead, which was afterwards confirmed to him by special grant.
The last of March, 1712, Lieut. Baker, with a ranging party of 32 men, started from Northampton, went up the Connecticut as far as Cowas (Newbury, Vt.), where they struck off to the east till they came to the Pemigewasset. Near where the west branch (since known as Baker's river) unites with the main stream, they surprised an Indian camp, killed Wattanummon, a chief [of the Pequawkets], and as they believed one or two more, and routed the rest. None of the English were killed. The Indians had gathered a large stock of beaver skins ; and Baker and his men loaded themselves with as much as they could carry, and burnt the remainder. The party then went down the Merrimack to Dunstable, and thence to Boston, where they applied to the General Court for pay and bounty. They could show but one scalp; yet the Court, in view of the brave adventure, granted a bounty of £30, i. e. pay for three scalps, and f10 to the Lieut., and wages for all from Mar. 24 to May 16.
1 " Sometime in May or June, 1705, Joseph Petty, John Nims, Thomas Baker, and Martin Kellogg, Jr., made their escape from Montreal and got home to Deerfield." Dr. S. Williams' Journal.
185
WIFE OF CAPT. BAKER.
A large number of captives, taken at various times, from 1689 to 1712, still remained in the hands of the French in Canada : and in the fall of 1713, a Commission was sent by Gov. Dudley, to endeavor to redeem them. The Commissioners were Col. John Stoddard of Northampton and Rev. John Williams of Deerfield. They took with them Capt. Thomas Baker as escort and adviser, Martin Kellogg, interpreter, and two attendants, viz. Eleazar Warner (afterwards of Brookfield) and Jona. Smith. The party started from Northampton Nov. 13, 1713 ; went by way of Westfield and Kinderhook to Albany, where they were detained till Jan. 22. They reached Montreal Feb. 9, and Quebec on the 16th. The Commissioners set about their business with hopefulness and energy, under assurances from Gov. Vaudreuil, of his favor and aid. But they soon found that his professions were only diplomatic ; and the Jesuits put obstacles in the way of negotiations, which frustrated their plans. When they complained of this to the Governor, he replied that he " could as easily change the course of the river, as prevent the priests' endeav- ors." April 4, Capt. Baker was sent off to Boston, via Albany, to Gov. Dudley, for instructions. He returned to Quebec, July 23. After 6 months of vexatious negotiation, the Commissioners embarked, Aug. 24, on a vessel sent from Boston, with only 26 captives, leaving behind four times that number. Some of these were taken in childhood and had grown up with their captors, and no persuasion could induce them to give up the free wild life of the wilderness ; others had intermarried with Indians or French, and formed new and strong ties ; others were frightened by the stories told by the priests of Protestant intolerance and apostasy.I
It was during this visit to Canada that Capt. Baker made the acquaint- ance of Madame Le Beau, who afterwards became his wife.
She was the daughter of Richard Otis and wife Grizel Warren, of Dover, N.H .; was born Mar. 1689, and named Margaret. Her father and sister Hannah were killed by the Indians in the attack on Dover June 28, 1689, and her mother and herself were carried to Canada. Her mother subsequently married a Frenchman named Robitail, and lived and died at Montreal. Margaret was taken in charge by Catholic priests, baptized by the name of Christiné, and was educated in their faith. About the age of 16, she married a Frenchman by the name of Le Beau (Lé-bue on Brookfield records). Her husband died leaving by her three children. When Col. Stoddard was in Canada, on his errand of redemption of captives, she decided to return with him. Her mother and her confessor opposed this; and it was only on condition that she should give up her property, and leave her children behind, that her departure was permitted.
I See Stoddard's Journal, in N. E. Gen. Reg., V. 26.
I86
SECOND SETTLEMENT, 1686-1718.
"Dec. 9, 1714. Then granted to Margett Otis, alias Le bue, one that was a Prisoner att Canada and Lately come from thence, forty acres of upland In Brookfield and twenty acres of meadow : Provided she returns not again to live att Canada, but tarrys in this Province or territory, and marrys to Capt. Thomas Baker, and also upon the same condition as other Grants : - Col. Partrigg, John Pynchon Esq., Eben' Pumry, Com- mittee for Brookfield."
That she accepted both offers, appears from the following record : " May 20, 1715, Granted unto Mrs. Margett Baker m unto Mr. Thomas Baker, 40 acres, N. on new Country road, S. on old Country road, E. on Bettis, W. on Sam Owen, Jr., it being the tract formerly granted to Mr. Smith the Minister, and after him to Mr. Grosvenor."
Mrs. Baker embraced the Protestant faith, and as there was no church in Brookfield, she united with the church in Northampton, then under the pastoral care of Rev. Solomon Stoddard, where her eldest child was baptized and recorded. In most of the deeds of Brookfield lands she is called Margaret ; but in one dated Dec. 10, 1728, the record is " Thomas Baker and wife Christian, both of Brookfield."
Apr. 17, 1716, Capt. Baker, in the employ of the Province started with a ranging party for the north, and was absent five weeks. Probably he went as far as Canada, with a view to obtain information about captives and the purposes of the French authorities.
In 1719, Capt. Baker was chosen [the first] representative to the Gen- eral Court from Brookfield.
In 1722, Capt. Baker was again sent on a trip to Canada. His wife went with him. In a petition she says : "Your petitioner did undertake the hazzard and fatigue of a Journey to Canada againe in hopes by the interest of friends to get her children -but all in vaine " I The expenses of the Journey were allowed by the Mass. Council.
In the spring of 1727, Capt. Baker was accused of Blasphemy, and put under £200 bonds by the magistrates. The case grew out of a contro- versy with Dea. Joseph Jennings. In a petition to Gov. Dummer, Baker avers that " however the evidences might strain and misconstrue his words, yet in conscience he really had no design to reproach the Deity," and asks that he may be " discharged from his recognizance, or admitted to a trial." The Court " ordered that the Petitioner's recognizance be discharged, and the writ of Scire Facias issued be declared null and void - provided he appear at the next Court of Assize at Springfield and abide his trial." In Sept., the case was tried. The charge against him was thus worded : " There being a discourse of God's having, in his Providence, put in Joseph Jennings, Esq., of Brookfield, a Justice of the Peace, Capt. Baker used the following words -' If I had been with the
I See N. E. Hist. Genealogical Register, Vol. V. p. 194.
187
REV. DANIEL ELMER.
Almighty, I would have taught him better.'" Verdict of the jury - Not Guilty.
In 1728, Capt. B. sold Samuel Brown of Salem 600 acres, lying to- wards the north-west corner of Brookfield ; and before the end of 1731 he had disposed of his remaining estates in B. to Josiah Sheldon of Suf- field, a speculator in real estate, who failed before the day of payment came, and Baker was thus reduced to poverty. He removed first to Mendon, where in 1732, his wife was admitted to the church by letter. Before Sept., 1734, he took up his abode in Dover, N.H. In a peti- tion, dated May 2, 1735, Mrs. Christine Baker says: "The General: Assembly of Massachusetts took your petitioner's case into their consid- eration, and made her a present of 500 acres of land in the Province. of Me., and put it under the care and trust of Col. Wm Pepperell,. Esq., for the use of your petitioner." In the same petition, she asks. the General Assembly of New Hampshire to pass a private Act to. enable her to keep a House of Entertainment in Dover ; which Act was passed May 8, 1735 ; and she opened and kept said House for many years.I
The family tradition is, that Capt. Baker fell into a lethargy, and died at the house of a cousin (Sumner) in Roxbury, before 1753. His wife died Feb. 23, 1773. Their children were :
i. Christian (Christine), b. June 5, 1716, m. Capt. Dudley Watson, of Dover.
ii. Eunice, m. Dr. Cheney Smith, of Dover.
iii. Lucy, m. Joshua Stackpole, of Rollinsford.
iv. Charles, m. (1) Love -, (2) Sarah (Carr) Roberts.
v. Mary, b. Feb. 16, 1726, m. Capt. Benj. Bean, of Epping.
vi. Otis Archelaus Sharrington, m. (1) Lydia Wentworth, (2) Tam- sen (Chesley) Twombly.
vii. Alexander Douglas, d. unmarried, in Dover.
This year (1714) Rev. Mr. James closed his ministry, May 1, and in the summer Rev. Daniel Elmer was employed to preach. From the terms named in the grant of a home-lot to him, it was evidently expected that he would become a settled pastor in B. ; but he remained only half a year, and was paid f10 out of the Province treasury. Mr. Elmer was born at East Windsor, Conn .; graduated Yale College, 1713. After leaving Brookfield, he preached at Westborough several years, and, when. the church was gathered there in 1724, received a call from the people ;; but difficulties arose, and though he built upon a farm that was seques -. tered to the first settled minister, yet by the advice of an ecclesiastical' council, he desisted from preaching, and removed with his family to Springfield. He was ordained at Fairfield, N.J., about 1729. His first
I See N. E. Hist. Gen1 Register, Vol. V. p. 194.
188
SECOND SETTLEMENT, 1686-1718.
wife was Margaret, sister of Rev. Jona. Parsons of Newburyport ; his sec- ond wife was - Webster : by both he had twelve children.
1715. - The new comers this year, were Samuel Bush, from Marlbor- ough, who had grant of a 60 acre home-lot, and later of 120 acres ; Joseph Brabrook, from Lancaster, whose home-lot of 60 acres was granted on condition that "he build and inhabit within 3 years." He bought, Mar. 14, 1716, for £40, "the living of John Lawrence of Brook- field, deceased, 60 acres, bounded S. by highway, and on the S.W. cor- ner a little brook," and settled that year ; received in addition 224 acres, 40 of which (granted 1720) was "near the burying-ground, it being an ancient right, and bounded east on a brook, and south on the road." John Shepherd, then "a servant to Lieut. Philip Goss," had a grant of 60 acres, " when his time is out," and later of 170 a. John Prichard, Nathaniel Boyenton, Job Harris, John Lath and Peter Hubbard received 60-acre grants, but forfeited them.
Taxation. " In General Court, July 26, 1715. Upon reading a peti- tion of Thomas Baker, Philip Goss, and Joseph Banister, in behalf of the Inhabitants of Brookfield, showing that by reason of the desertion of the place by the first grantees, and by the sale of many Grants since made, good part of the lands are fallen into the hands of strangers, who neither improve nor sell to those who would settle themselves amongst them, which greatly obstructs their growth and hurts their publick affairs, espe- cially rendering them uncapable of settling and supporting the Ministry amongst them - Praying that for some few years next succeeding, and until they shall be more capable of enduring a charge, all lands, belong- ing to Non-residents as well as others, though not under improvement, may be made liable to be taxed in all town assessments, and that the Committee may receive directions therein ;
Ordered, that for seven years next coming, all town assessments in Brookfield be raised on polls, as the law directs, and on the real estate of the non-resident as well as the resident proprietors, exclusive of per- sonal estates ; which the Committee for settling the said town are hereby directed and fully impowered to levy and collect accordingly so long as they shall be continued by this Court : And to take care the town be settled in the most regular, compact and defensible manner that can be."
Great Field. Nov. 22, 1715. "The Committee, with the consent of the inhabitants, ordered, that the Great Field upon the Plain should be sufficiently fenced, and at no time laid open, for the preservation of the corn [wheat] sown at the fall, and so in the spring, and all the year from time to time, until further order : provided always, that there be a pair of bars or gate made at each end of said Field, for such as have occasion to go through said Field in the private highway, with teams,
189
MEETING-HOUSE.
taking down the bars, and carefully putting them up again, or shutting said gates as they pass through, and no droves of cattle or hogs or horse to be allowed to go through said Field, on penalty of paying whatsoever damage they do, and five shillings a time they offend as aforesaid in any of the particulars above mentioned, to be to the use of the proprietors." This Field took in about 90 acres, and covered what is now West Brook- field village.
MEETING-HOUSE. - Since the Re-Settlement, up to this date, there had been no house dedicated to public worship. And there are no records to indicate where preaching services were held. The fact that the min- ister pro tempore was designated as "Chaplain to the Garrison " leads to the inference that Sabbath services were held at Gilbert's Fort till 1713.
Sept. 17, 1714. "The Committee unanimously agree that the Inhab- itants build a Meeting-house wherein to attend the worship of God, which shall be set up and erected in said place where formerly the Meeting- house was built near old John Ayres' House Lott, lying near about the centre of the Town : And the Committee have and do by these presents order that the Constable, together with Edward Walker, Sen., and Joseph Banister take an exact list of the rateable estates both real and personal, within the precincts of Brookfield, and cause a rate to be made, for the payment of their minister and other charges."
Nov. 22, 1715. "The inhabitants of Brookfield agreed, by the con- sent of the Committee, to build a Meeting-house wherein to carry on the worship of God; in the form and manner as followeth : viz., 45 feet in length and 35 feet in width, and to put in Galery pieces so that they may build galeries when they shall have occasion ; and to carry on the building the said house as far as they can conveniently with their labour ; and what shall be required in money for the carrying said work, to be raised by a Town rate ; and if any person or persons refuse to labour, having suitable warning by the committee hereafter named, shall pay their proportion in money. The inhabitants likewise agree to get the timber this winter. The committee chosen to oversee and take care for the carrying on of said work are Thomas Barns, Henry Gilbert, Lieut. Philip Goss, Ens. Thomas Gilbert, Joseph Banister, Edward Walker, Joseph Jennings, John Woolcott, Wm Old. Then ordered that a rate of 150 pounds be made towards building the meeting-house."
The work proceeded slowly; the house was raised and covered in during the next year ; so that at a meeting Jan. 4, 1717, the Committee ordered a rate of 30 pounds to be made to pay for "Glass and Nails for their Meeting-house, and 8 pounds for window cases." It appears to have been so far completed that the ordination services were held in it Oct. 16 ; but the following vote indicates that the seating arrangements were imperfect : "At a meeting of the inhabitants of Brookfield Dec.
190
SECOND SETTLEMENT, 1686-1718.
23, 1717, being legally warned, by order of the Committee, then voted, that all round upon the Bastings ? of the Meeting-house shall be built up with pews."
Horse-sheds. Our fathers did not consider a meeting-house as fin- ished, till a shelter for their horses had been provided. " Oct. 12, 1716, voted, that from the Ayres land to the Meeting-house the highway be laid out ten rodds in breadth ; and one acre & half of land be laid out round about the Meeting-house to make shelters for to sett horses under, horse-block, and other necessary uses."
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