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 25
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Mr. Harding was ordained Sept. 13, 1749. The sermon, entitled " A Monitor for Gospel Ministers," was preached by Rev. Nathan Bucknam of Medway, from Col. iv. 17, and was published.
The organization of the Second Precinct gave occasion to open afresh
221
PETITION FOR DIVISION OF PARISH.
in the old Parish the question of a new meeting-house; and to test the relative strength of the southern and western sections of the Township.
" At a meeting of the First Parish in Brookfield Nov. 20, 1753, a peti- tion of Obadiah Wright and others was read, praying that a Meeting- house may be built on the hight of land near Seth Banister's house, on the south side of the Country road, near to Ebenezer Hayward's land, and after debate the Parish voted to build a meeting-house on said spot."
" At a meeting of the First Parish in Brookfield, Jan. 31, 1754, Voted, Dr. Jabez Upham, Capt. Thomas Buckminster, Elisha Rice, Nathan Hamilton and Jacob Abbott a committee to agree with Seth Banister about the land to set a meeting-house on, where the Parish voted to build one.
Voted, to raise one hundred pounds to carry on said building.
Voted, to build a meeting house 55 feet long and 45 feet wide, and 23 feet in heighth.
Voted, that the aforesaid committee provide stuff for said house.
Voted, that the 100 pounds be taxed in the next assessment, and that the said house be framed and raised as soon as the season will permit."
Before the last-named meeting was held, i.e. on Dec. 4, 1753, Jede- diah Foster, the Gilberts, Abner Brown, John Goss, and others living in the west part, in all 43 voters, had presented a petition asking that the First Parish be equally divided so. as to form two Parishes, equal as to quantity and quality of lands and number of inhabitants. The petition- ers allege, " that the distance from the northwest corner to the southeast corner of the Parish is 13 miles ; that both extremes are under actual improvement by permanent settlers ; that there is a sufficiency of land and inhabitants for two Parishes ; and that said petitioners, living in the westerly part of the town are greatly aggrieved by the vote of the Parish, passed by a small majority, to build a new house about two miles from the present one, in a southeasterly direction, which will add so much to our disadvantages of attending public worship."
To this Petition, the ruling majority made answer : "As to the south- easterly part of the Parish, it is well settled with men that pay a con- siderable tax, and are like to pay a larger : as for the northwest part, there is but six families in the three miles between Western and Brook- field north line, and all of them are at the very west end of the town, and all of them are set off to Ware River parish - the remainder of the three miles is land so broken that there never can be many settlers, and these few will be better accommodated other ways than they can be in Brookfield : when the line is established between the First and Second (North) Parishes, we shall be but about 115 families, and about 20 of them not able to pay any considerable tax : ... We are exceedingly bro-
222
BROOKFIELD RECORDS, 1718-1786.
ken with water : the First Parish is cut apart with Quaboge River, about 7 or 8 miles, and the south and east inhabitants divided by large Ponds, that they cannot get together any where so convenient as the place where we have agreed to build a House ; the south people are obliged to pass over Quaboge River west of a large Pond by a bridge and Causie about four score rod long to get to the meeting-house spot where we have agreed to build, and the east part cross Quaboge River at the north end of the above said Pond to get to meeting with the travel of about 7 and a half miles to the old meeting and 5 and a half to the new meeting- house ; and considering the difficulty of getting together, the smallness of our inhabitants, the extraordinary charge of building and maintaining bridges, we cannot divide, and shall think ourselves greatly injured and wronged if the prayer of those people should be granted. They are but 41, and one of thern, viz. Joshua Dodge, belongs to the Second Parish ; one more, viz. Job Lane, has sold his inheritance, and the purchaser saith he shall look upon his farm £200 less valuable if the Parish is di- vided. . .. If the Petitioners will leave their names with the Town Clerk, in order to make a Parish, we are willing they should be set into a Dis- tinct Parish. But otherwise we think their petition unreasonable. We pay our minister annually £66. 13. 4, of which sum they pay £15. 10. 9."
To fix the matter beyond recall, the majority through their committee, proceeded to set up the frame of the new meeting-house on Seth Ban- ister's hill, in the present South Village. The house was raised April 15th and 16th 1754.
Mr. Foster, the Gilberts and others, appealed to the General Court, which ordered a stay of proceedings, and sent out a committee to view the place and circumstances, and report facts and recommendations.
A paper, handed to said Committee, reads as follows : "When you have taken an impartial view of our situation, and inability to maintain two ministers, we make no doubt but you will return to the General Court that it is best for us to be but one Parish : But however, if other- wise, we cannot but think that you will return the names of the Petitioners only for a Parish, and exempt us whose names are hereunder written which live at the west end of said Parish, for we will Not joyn with them if by any means we can avoid it, for we are utterly against a division : . .. If we are drove to joyn them, it will be the greatest oppression we think, that any in New England ever suffered of that nature : Signed, Joshua Nichols, John Graton, John Hill, Peter Hill, Isaac Kindrick, Jere- miah Woodbury, John Hill, Jr., Jona. Abbott, Elijah Bartlett, Ebenezer Bartlett, Jacob Abbott, Thomas Rich, Joshua Dodge, Caleb Dodge."
" At a legal meeting of the First Parish, Wednesday July 10, 1754, l'oted, after a long debate, to proceed and enclose and finish the new meeting-house set up near Seth Banister's." At an adjournment in Sept.,
223
DIVISION OF FIRST PARISH.
" voted, to continue preaching in the old meeting-house, one Sabbath and no longer. Voted, to pull down the old meeting-house to help cover and finish the new one. Voted, that the committee for building shall have the ordering of pulling down the old house, and apply it to the finishing the new. Voted, that all persons that have pews of their own in the old meeting-house shall have liberty to take care of their pews any time within 8 days from this day. Voted, that the new meeting-house shall be the place of publick worship. Voted, that Rev. Elisha Harding shall carry on Preaching in the new meeting-house on the 15th day of this instant September, being Sabbath Day, and so on from Sabbath to Sab- bath."
Oct. 16, 1754. At a legal meeting, the First Parish voted, " to levy the sum of 564 upon the polls and estates of the inhabitants of said Parish, to pay Rev. Mr. Harding his salary this present year."
The next day, viz. Oct. 17, Jedediah Foster, the Gilberts and others, prepared a remonstrance, and petition to the General Court, against the action of the Parish, asking exemption from taxation to pay for the new meeting-house, and allowance of their proportion or interest in the old house, and for the incorporation of a new Parish. Exemption from tax- ation to meet existing grants was not allowed ; but Nov. 8, 1754, the Par- ish was divided, and the Third or South Parish incorporated, leaving the West part to retain the name and powers of the First Parish.
This brought up the question, of which Parish was Rev. Mr. Harding the minister? The General Court decided that the estates of the old First Parish were holden for the payment of his salary and all charges up to the date of division, but did not determine his pastoral status. " In consequence of the commotion and troubles incident to this division of the Parish, Mr. Harding, at his own request, was dismissed May 8, 1755, having sustained the pastoral office not quite six years. He was a grad- uate of Harvard in 1745. He is described as a gentleman of great benevolence ; a man of singular probity and solid learning ; one who from a child had known the Holy Scriptures, and made them much the matter of his study. His public ministrations were serious and adapted to edify and benefit his hearers."
Brookfield was now divided into three distinct Parishes. In the Second or North Parish, a meeting-house was raised in 1749, but not immediately finished. In the Third or South Parish, the meeting-house was raised in Apr. 1754, and finished with materials taken from the old house on Foster's hill. It stood on the Common, east of the Unitarian Church. In the First or West Parish, a meeting-house was built in 1755. It was placed " at the turning of the country road near the northeast corner of a plow-field belonging to John Barns, being on the Plain in said First Precinct," and near the site of the present First Parish meeting-house.
·
224
BROOKFIELD RECORDS, 1718-1786.
Ministry Land. In addition to special (and liberal) grants made to the early ministers, which they held in fee, the town sequestered certain lands, the improvement or income of which was to accrue to the minis- terial support in perpetuum.
How these lands were managed will appear from the following records : "Nov. 14, 1730, Voted, Mr. Joseph Dwight, Elisha Rice and Left. Thomas Gilbert be a committee, to let out for the term of 15 years, upon such terms as they can agree with any good man, obliging him to manure and cultivate so much thereof as they shall think beneficial, the Ministry Lot between Capt. Thomas Baker and Mr. Joseph Dwight s their Home- Lots."
The division of the town into distinct parishes necessarily involved the division of the sequestered lands. These lands, as surveyed by Wm Chandler, [see Plans, entered in the old Town Book] comprised a lot in the form of a parallelogram, lying south of the river near Richard Vorce's, containing 164 acres ; the "ministry meadow," containing 4 acres 66 rods, lying on the westerly side of Coy's brook, adjoining Col. Dwight's land ; the "ministry lot" of 125 acres which included the South Burying Ground, bounded on the northerly side by the old country road, and south by Quabaug river ; and the " ministry home-lot" on Fos- ter's hill.
A committee was appointed by the town, consisting of Jedediah Foster and Thomas Gilbert of the First Precinct, Obadiah Rice and Nathaniel Woolcott of the Second Precinct, Jabez Upham, Cyprian Rice and John Rich of the Third Precinct, with full powers, to make an equitable division of the sequestered lands.
The above named committee agreed Oct. 13, 1758, that "the First Precinct should have the eastwardly half of the Ministry Lot adjoining the Burying Place (excluding the said Burying Place), and 124 acres in the Lot on the south side of the River, to begin upon the southwardly end of said Lott running through the same in the width and extending southwardly the width of said Lot until it makes the said 124 acres :
"The Second Precinct shall have the 22 acre Lot adjoining to Capt. Thomas Buckminster's land, and the Ministry Meadow on Coy's brook adjoining Capt. Dwight's farm, and 20 acres of the aforesaid Lot on the South side of the River at the northwardly end the width of said Lott :
" The Third Precinct shall have the westwardly half of the Lott ad- joining the Burying Place, and 20 acres in the Lot on the South side of the River adjoining southwardly on the Second Precinct's Twenty acres."
These lands were eventually sold by the several parishes, and the money invested as a Fund, the interest of which went towards the sup- port of the minister.
225
THE REVOLUTION.
THE REVOLUTION. - In the struggle that resulted in the separation of the American Colonies from the mother country, the record of Brook- field is an honorable one.
At a town meeting held May 17, 1773, a committee was appointed, consisting of Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Adams, Benjamin Babbet, Samuel Hinckley and Joshua Dodge, which reported as follows :
"To the Committee of Correspondence for the Town of Boston - Gentlemen : The town of Brookfield having taken the letter of the Town of Boston of Nov. 20, 1772, into consideration, together with the state of the infringements and violations of the rights of the people of America and of this Province in particular, which have from time to time been made by the Court and Parliament of Great Britain - We fully agree with you in senti- ment relating to them, and that it is the indispensible duty of every lover of his country and the happy constitution which was once the Glory of this Country, to exert himself in every loyal and constitutional way to ward off the impending evil.
"This town will be ever ready to assist, and in every legal and proper way maintain those rights and liberties for our children, which with so much labor, blood and treasure were purchased by our ancestors, whose memory is and ought to be esteemed by us; and we hope, notwithstanding the attempts of the enemies of our constitution to deprive us of those rights, yet by a steady, firm and constant exertion we shall not finally be deprived of them.
" This town will not fail of joining with other towns in this Province in every constitutional way to obtain redress, and as the Province is hitherto favored with a General Assembly, we trust that they under God may be led to such measures as may procure us relief.
" We take this opportunity to thank the Town of Boston for their Great Care and Vigilance in the common cause, and look upon ourselves embarked in the same bottom, mutually interested in the same event. Let us look to God for his Blessing and Protection, and "stand fast in the liberty where- with Christ has made us free."
Read twice, and ordered to be recorded in the Town Book, and a copy transmitted to the Committtee of Correspondence of Boston.
The Tax on Tea. A committee, viz. Jedediah Foster, Jeduthan Baldwin, Joseph Gilbert, Benjamin Rice and Phinehas Upham, report, Dec. 7, 1773: "We think it our indispensable duty, in the most public manner to let the world know our utter abhorrence of the last and most detestable scheme, in the introduction of Tea from Great Britain, to be peddled out amongst us, by which means we were to be made to swallow a poison more fatal in its effects to the national and political Rights and Privileges of the People of this country, than ratsbane would be to the natural body -
Therefore, Resolved, that we will not by any way or means, knowingly
226
BROOKFIELD RECORDS, 1718-1786.
encourage or promote the sale or consumption of any Tea whatever, subject to a duty payable in America, but all persons whoever they may be, who shall be concerned in a transaction so dangerous, shall be held by us in the utmost contempt, and be deemed enemies to the well being of this country."
Town Officers, elected Mar. 14, 1774. Jedediah Foster, moderator ; Capt. Jeduthan Baldwin, town clerk; Capt. Phinehas Upham, town treasurer; Jedediah Foster, Esq., Capt. Jeduthan Baldwin, Dr. Jona. King, Lieut. John Phipps, Ens. Daniel Gilbert, selectmen ; Jona. Abbott, Capt. Peter Harwood, Ephraim Cooley, constables ; Abijah Cutler, Sam-, uel Cheever, Gad Williston, wardens ; Jona. Snow, Rufus Putnam, Asa Bigelow, tything men; Ithamar Wright, Jabez Upham, fence viewers ; John Woolcott, Wm Ayres, 2d, deer reeves; Jeduthan Baldwin, Moses Hitchcock, surveyors of shingles; Dea. Jabez Crosby, leather sealer ; Benj. Gilbert, Benj. Lynde, Solo. Banister, John Barrows, Amos Adams, Joseph Newell, hog reeves; Seth Banister, Jr., field driver; Matthew Brown, John Rich, David Hitchcock, Nathan Gilbert, Jona. Snow, Solo. Foster, Peter Harwood, Samuel Hinckley, Samuel Cheever, Jona. Barns, Jona. King, Ezekiel Old, Benj. Rice, Thomas Wood, Asa Biglow, Jona. Rice, highway surveyors.
Sept. 12, 1774. Jedediah Foster, Esq., Joshua Dodge, Lieut. John Phipps, Capt. Jeduthan Baldwin, Lieut. Joseph Gilbert, Lieut. John Lys- com, Lieut. Rufus Putnam, Capt. Phinehas Upham, Lieut. John Hobbs, Asa Biglow, Dr. Jona. King, were chosen a Committee of Correspond- ence.
Sept. 26, 1774. Jedediah Foster was chosen to represent the town at a Great and General Court to be holden at Salem, Oct. 5, next.
Capt. Jeduthan Baldwin, and Capt. Phinehas Upham were chosen delegates to the Provincial Congress at Concord, the 2d Tuesday in Oct. next.
Dec. 26, 1774. Jedediah Foster was elected delegate to the Provin- cial Congress at Cambridge Feb. I, next.
Allowed Jedediah Foster £16. 18. I for services as representative at Boston and Salem, and attending the Prov. Cong. at Concord and Cam- bridge, to Dec. 13, 69 days.
Allowed to Jeduthan Baldwin £9. 14 for services as delegate to the Prov. Cong. at Concord & Cambridge, 45 days. Allowed to Phinehas Upham £4. 17 for do. do. 18 days.
Minute Men. We the subscribers Inlisted agreeable to the vote of the Provincial Congress as Minute or Picquit men in the Town of Brookfield, for the term of six months after the date, &c, under the command of Joseph Gilbert, Captain, William Ayres, Ist Left, Peter Harwood, 2d Left, and Abner How, Ensign, do hereby solemnly covenant and agree that we will
227
THE REVOLUTION.
muster, exercise and do our utmost to obtain the art military, and subject ourselves to the command of our said captain and the subalterns of his com- pany by us chosen and appointed ; and if any dispute shall arise, or if any of us shall not give such obedience to his or their order as he or they shall think Reasonable and Just, the same shall be Determined by the Major part of the Company ; and we severally agree that we will at all times sub- mit to such order, discipline and censure as shall be so determined. Wit- ness our hands this fourteenth day of November, 1774.
John Ranger
Asa Wait Obdh Rice
Jona. Marbel John Stevens Willm Watson, Jr.
Mirick Rice
Abner Bartlet
Timothy Hall
John Hubbard
David Watson
Willm Bowman
Saml Watson
Benj. Wellington
Rubn Hamilton, Jr.
Joseph Gilbert
William Ayres, 2d
John Bell Robert Graham
Peter Harwood
James Washburn
Abner How
Wyman Bartlet
Joseph Bush, Jr.
Oneseph. Ayres Solo. Barns
Obad.h Bartlet
Emory Wollock
Bethuel Washburn
Moses Ayres, Jr.
Atkin Babbet
David Chambers
Jonath. Barns Daniel Barns
Josiah Hinchar Abner Bruce William Barns Benjamin Ayres
Chas Knowlton
Charles Bruce
Jonas Brigham
Peter Washburn
Joseph Stevens Ezra Richmond
Hosea Edson
1775 .- Jan. 9. The town provided for another company of Minute Men, who subscribed the following covenant : "We the subscribers, soldiers inlisted from the several Militia companies within this town, and organized into a company called the Minute Company, do solemnly covenant that we will as soon as possible be provided and equipt with an effective fire-arm, cartouch box (or bullet pouch), 30 rounds of pow- der and bullets, and knapsack : That we will exert our best abilities to acquire the art military : That we will yield a ready obedience to the commands of our officers, and hold ourselves in readiness to march upon the earliest notice from our Commanding officers, and hazard our lives in resisting any armed force that shall attempt by force to put in execution the late revenue Acts - should any attempt be made between this time and the first of July next.
Joseph Wait
Reuben Gilbert
228
BROOKFIELD RECORDS, 1718-1786.
" T'oted, that the men that shall enlist have liberty to choose their own captain and lieutenants.
" Voted, that Col. Phinehas Upham, Capt. Joseph Gilbert and Capt. Joseph Packard be a committee to enlist the men." [Names not found.]
" Voted, that the ministers be desired to notify contributions for the Boston sufferers, and David Hitchcock for First Precinct, Jeduthan Baldwin for Second Precinct and Seth Banister, Jr. for 3d Precinct were chosen to receive the same and transport them to Boston."
LEXINGTON ALARM. - The news of the British advance on Lexington and Concord, appears to have reached Brookfield on the afternoon of April 19 ; and the three companies of Minute Men started immediately for the scene of conflict. The Muster Rolls are given entire.
A Roll of Minute Men in Col. Jona. Warner's Regiment, commanded by Capt. Jona. Barns, that marched from Brookfield on the 19th of April 1775.
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
NAMES
TIME OF SERVICE.
Capt. Jona. Barns
9 days
John Bell
16 days
Lieut. Peter Harwood
9
Edmond Bridges
16
66 Obad. Bartlett 7
66
Hugh Cunningham
I6
Sergt. Jonas Brigham
I6 66
Isaac Freeman I6
66
66 Aaron Matthews 16
Robert Graham 9
66
Benj. Willington 16
66
Reuben Gilbert
9
James Washburn 9
66
Josiah Hincher 9
Corp. Solo. Barns 16 66
Timothy Hall
16
66 George Townsend 9
Joseph Hatfield
I6
66
John Bartlett 16
Squier Hill
9
66
66 Daniel Barns 9
66
Thomas Jones
9
Fifr Benj. Gilbert
9
66
Jona. Marbel
9
Abner Bartlett 9
66
Ezra Richmond
16
Jonas Biglow
9
Joseph Stevens
9
Nathan Barns
I6
66
Ezra Tucker 16
66
Jona. Bond
16
Peter Washburn I6
66
Edward Marden
9
66
William Watson
9
John Smith
8
66
Samuel Watson
16
Joseph Wait
9
David Watson
16
Jabez Warren
16
Abner Witt
9
Charles Wetherbee
16
66
Eleazar Woods
9
66
John Winter
9
66
Charles Knowlton 16 66
Hosea Edson 9
Alexander Oliver
16
66
Wyman Bartlett
9
66
Moses Tyler 9
Drumr David Chamberlain 9
229
THE REVOLUTION.
A true roll of the Minute Company and others from Brookfield who marched under my command on the nineteenth of April last (1775) upon the alarm on that day (of hostilities being commenced by the King's troops in the morning of said day).
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
Capt. Ithamer Wright
15 days.
Drum' Samuel Marsh
8
Ist Lieut. John Packard 8 66
Thomas Wood
8 days.
2
" Nathan Hamilton 15 66
John Wood
8
66
Sergt. Asa Danforth 8
$6
Solomon Walker
I 2
66
Daniel Bullard
I5
66
William Warner
I2
66
" Nathan Allen 8
66
Josiah Stone
I 2
66
" Joseph Richardson
15
66
Abner Cutler
8
66
Corp1. Aaron Willard
12
Benj. Pollard
8
66
Josiah Newton
8
66
William Gill
8
66
66 Nathan Richardson 15 66
Daniel Keyes
8
66
Benj. Walker
I5
Benj. Wood
15
66
Levi Parker
8
66
Asa White
15
66
John Stevenson
8
66
Benj. Richardson
I5
Jona. Arms
8
66
Moses Barnes
15
66
Aza Willis 8
66
Benj. Jennings jr.
15
66
Ruben Gilbert
8
66
Meazer Adams
13
66
Aaron Gilbert
8
66
Jude Adams
13
66
Sam. Kimball .
8
Erastus Hamilton
I 7
66
Nath. Hayward
8
John Gilbert
22
66
Timº Wolcott
8
66
Ebenr Vorce
15
66
Simeon Rockwood
I2
Samuel Pike
I 2
66
Jonas Newton
8
6.
Jonas Svetter
I2
66
Theops Foster
8
Joseph Dudley
8
66
Benj. Bachelder
8
66
Theop. Waterman
8
John Lyndes
8
8
A Roll of the men called Rangers that marched from Brookfield and Spencer under the command of John Woolcott as their Captain on the 19th day April last (1775) in consequence of an alarm on said day.
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
Capt. John Woolcott
I2 days.
Sargt. Levi Peirce
I 2
Lieut. James Hathaway
I2
66
66 Elisha Hamilton
I 2
66
" Jonas Bemiss
12
" John Stevens
I2
66
Jesse Banister
8
66
Silas Olds
15
Elemuel Ross
8
66
66
Elihu Blake
S
Seth Banister jun™ 8
Fifer Peter Hill
230
BROOKFIELD RECORDS, 1718-1786.
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
Sargt. John Howland
7
Josiah Hamilton
I2
Nicholas Macluer 12
66
William Hamilton
12
66
Reuben Slayton 9
66
Jude Hamilton
I2
66
Amos Adams
I 2
66
William Handerson
I 2
66
Caleb Bridges
I 2
66
Amos Hodgman
I2
Nathaniel Bunn
1 2
66
Benje Hayward
I2
66
Reuben Bemiss
I 2
66
Johnson Lynde
12
Simon Baldwin
9
66
Thomas Moor
9
Benj. Bemiss
12
66
Andrew Morgain
1 2
66
Amese Bemis
12
66
Samuel Mackluer
12
66
Samuel Baldwin
9
66
Ebenezer Miller
1 2
Levi Baldwin
I2
66
Ebenezer Harington
9
John Banister
12
Allin Newhell
I2
Isaac Barron
9
James Ormes
7
Eperem Cooly
II
66
Joseph Almsted
12
Hezekeah Colton
12
66
Shadarah Perrie
I 2
John Danton
9
Isaac Prouty
7
Zebedee Edminster
I2
66
Isaeah Rider
12
Eperem Edy
I2
66
Obadiah Rice
IO
66
Samuel Gilford
I 2
66
Penehas Slayton
I2
John Gilford
I 2
66
Epeream Stone
I2
Andrew Graham
I 2
Solomon Woolcutt
9
William Graham
9
Nathan Whitney
12
Eperem Harington
7
days.
Solomon Wilder
9
John Hill
IO
66
Richard Beers
7
Nathan Hill
IO
66
-
At the earnest solicitation of the Committee of Safety, a large number of the Minute Men consented to remain in Service till new and more permanent companies could be organized. The Provincial Congress met April 22, and on the 23d. it was resolved to call on Massachusetts to furnish 13,500 men for Eight Months service.
Apr. 24, the Committee of Safety tendered a commission as colonel to David Brewer of Palmer,' and ordered that nine sets of "beating papers " be given him, to be distributed to trusty officers each of whom was expected to enlist a company of 56 able-bodied men. One set was handed to Lieut. John Packard of Brookfield, who proceeded to enlist soldiers from the Minute Companies then on the ground. Beating papers, with the tender of a colonelcy were given to Ebenezer Learned of Oxford, who handed one set to Lieut. Peter Harwood of this town.
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