History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 53

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706

USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 53

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

" JOSHUA CUSHING. " JOSIAH BARKER."

The town again on the same day rejected it by a negative decision.

The committee of the Legislature previously named made a report (signed Duxbury, March 11, 1711/2) . establishing a line between the new town and Dux- bury, which was mostly run by marked trees.

" AN Act for erecting a new town within the county of Plymouth named Pembrooke.

" WHEREAS, the inhabitants of the northwesterly part of the town of Duxboro', commonly called Mattakecset, the proprie- tors of a certain tract of land commonly known by the name of the Major's Purchase, and the proprietors of the lands eom- monly called Marshfield Upper Lands, at Mattakeeset, within the county of Plymouth, adjoining to each other, have by their several petitions to this eourt, humbly prayed that the said three several tracts of land may be united and made a town- ship; the inhabitants of Duxboro' having consented to allow part of their land thereto, and a committee appointed by this court having been upon the place, viewed and surveyed the lands in the northwesterly side of Duxboro', and reported a line for setting off the same.

: 1

236

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

" Be it enacted by his Excellency, the Governor, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the au- thority of the same.

"That the said northwesterly part of Duxboro', commonly ealled Mattakceset, and the tract of land known hy the name of the Major's Purchase, and the land commonly called Marsh- field Upper Lands, at Mattakceset, the whole circumscribed and bounded as followeth : that is to say, from a stake set down hy the committee aforesaid, in the line hetween the town of Duxhoro' and the lands belonging to Marshfield, or com- monly called Marshfield Upper Lands, about one hundred and four rods southeasterly from the easterly corner of Rohert Stet- son's land whereon he now dwelleth, and from the said stake northeast and hy north nearest to the easterly corner of Mat- thew Kane's land whereon he now dwelleth, and from thence on the same course to Marshfield town line; the said three tracts of land bounded towards the north and northeast partly upon the town of Situate, and partly upon Marshfield, and partly upon the town of Duxhoro', on the east partly upon Plymouth and partly on Plympton, south on the said town of Plympton, and westerly on the town of Bridgewater, he and are herehy united and crected into one township, and the town named Pembroke; the inhabitants upon the said lands to have, use, exercise, and enjoy all immunities and privileges as other towns of this Province have and do hy law enjoy; provided that they do within the space of two years next coming, pro- cure and settle an orthodox learned minister of good conversa- tion, and set forth a good accommodation of lands for the use of the ministry, and grant their minister an honorahle annual maintenance; and the present inhabitants on the said lands of Duxboro' and Marshfield respectively, do pay their arrears to town charges in the several towns of Duxhoro' and Marshfield to this time.

"Saving to the inhabitants of Duxhoro', Marshfield, and Pembroke respectively, their interest and propriety in the common lands within the said several towns, anything in this act to the contrary notwithstanding."

Passed March 21, 1711/2.

The prayer of the petitioners was that the new town should be called Brookfield. The town of Brookfield was not then incorporated, but the locality on the frontier was then known by that name.

The government of the province consisted of Gov- ernor, Council, and House of Representatives. All acts passed by the government herc were sent to Great Britain to receive the royal sanction. The act erect- ing a town here left the name blank, and that was filled in on the other side of the Atlantic. Thomas Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, was then keeper of the privy seal, and was a member of the royal household, and it was probably in his honor that the town was named.

The Pembrokes are represented as having been a religious, puritanic people, sympathizing largely with the colonies.

It is quite a study now for the antiquarian to learn the bounds of the tract covered by the petition. The Major's Purchase comprised a large tract of land bounded on the northeast by a straight line running from the northerly end of Jones River Pond, or

Silver Lake, to Indian Head Pond, on the northwest by Indian Head Pond and River, on the southwest by Bridgewater, then comprising the three towns of Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, and West Bridge- water, and the city of Brockton, on the south and southeast by Plympton and Plymouth.

It was purchased by Maj. Josiah Winslow of the Indian sachem, Josias Wampatuck. It was largely in what is now Hanson.

Marshfield Upper Lands adjoined the Major's Pur- chase on the southwest, and Mattakeeset on the northeast, and were largely in what is now known as Crookertown.

Robert Stetson, spoken of in the act of incorpora- tion, was a son of the old cornet Robert, of Scituate, and probably lived near the Deacon Boylston place, and Matthew Keen, probably on the Faunce Place.

Pembroke at its incorporation was bounded on the north by North River, and Indian Head River sep- arating it from Scituate (Hanover was incorporated in 1727), on the east by Scituate, Marshfield, and Duxbury, on the south by Duxbury, Plymouth, and Plympton (Kingston and Halifax not then incorpo- rated), and on the west by Bridgewater. The part below Robinson's Creek was annexed about 1730. About 1756, a tract of land between Indian Head River and Drinkwater River (a large part of North Hanson now) was annexed to Pembroke, and soon after movements were made for a division.

The West Parish was incorporated in 1746. Town- meeting was held for the first time in the West meeting-house April 18, 1757, and was held occa- sionaliy in West meeting-house till 1786, it was voted that every third meeting be held in the meeting- house of the West Parish.

In 1819 it was voted almost unanimously that the west precinct be set off from the other precinct, and incorporated into a separate town.

The first meeting-house of the First Parish in Pembroke, then Duxbury, was built in 1708. This in a few years was found to be too small, and in 1726 the town voted that six men be a committee to pro- pose or consider what bigness and form to build a meeting-house, and made choice of Joseph Stock- bridge, Joseph Ford, Francis Barker, Nehemiah Cushing, Joseph Stetson, and Isaiah Thomas. They reported that a meeting-house, fifty feet long and forty feet wide and twenty-two fect studs, might be a sufficient bigness ; that the timber for the same be of the following dimensions, viz. : the sills nine by ten inches, forty and fifty feet long, the four corner posts ten inches square, the twelve other posts ten by twelve inches square, and the plates seven inches

CO1 D

be il

Jos Jo Jo Jo

M Jo Ne

Co Ja

Is N

Jo D Jo

to 18

237

HISTORY OF PEMBROKE.

square, all white-oak. In 1764 this was enlarged to furnish more seating capacity for the Indians. In 1837 it was taken down and the present church erected on its site.

On the 12th day of August, 1711, the Rev. Daniel Lewis preached for the first time here, and his text for the afternoon was John ix. 4: "I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day ; the night cometh when no man can work." He was ordained Dec. 3, 1712, and died June 29, 1753, aged about sixty-eight years. His wife died about a fortnight before him, both of a fever in less than a fortnight's illness.

The following is a list of those who were " heads of families" when the township was first granted, viz. :

Josiah Holmes.

John Rnssel.

Joseph Stockbridge (first dea- con.)

John Bishop.

John Bonney.

· Joshna Cushing (first captain and justice).

John Hayford.

Edward Hayford.

James Bonney.

Thomas Wilmoth.

Thomas Ramsden.

Nath. Chamberlain (Quaker).

John Saunders ( Quaker).

Isaac Oldham.

Henry Perry.

Joseph Rogers (Quaker).

Timothy Rogers.

Ebenezer Bishop.

Isaac Stetson.

Lambert Despard.

Stephen Bryant.

Stephen Bryant, Jr.

Thomas Dean.

Benjamin Hanks.

Samnel Staples.

John Records.

Josiah Foster.

Thomas Parris (first school- master).

Robert Stetson.

Daniel Crocker.

James Bishop.

Joseph Tubbs. 191

Mr. Lewis' ministry continued forty years, and was peaceful and apparently successful.

Some of his writings, which have been preserved, are very creditable. He is represented as having been more Calvinistic in his sentiments than any of his suc- cessors. His salary was several times changed without difficulty. It was at first fifty-two pounds, and before the elose of the ministry raised to one hundred and fifty.

Rev. Thomas Smith, the second pastor, was installed Dec. 4, 1754, and died July, 1788. He preached all through the trying times of the Revolution, and his

discourses are said to have been patriotic and out- spoken.

During his ministry the custom of " deaconing" the hymns was abolished, causing a good deal of bitter strife and unpleasant feeling.

Josiah, his oldest son, was a Representative in Con- gress about 1800, and died of smallpox contracted in New York on his return from Washington.

His sons-Joseph, Thomas, and Nathaniel-were prominent in town affairs. Some of his descendants have risen to eminence in naval and in civil life.

Rev. Kilborn Whitman was settled as colleague to Mr. Smith in 1787, and continued to preach till 1796. He then entered the legal profession, and was a noted lawyer and judge. Rev. James Hawley was ordained his successor May, 1798, and died greatly lamented October, 1800. Rev. Morrill Allen was ordained Dec. 9, 1801, and resigned Dec. 9, 1841. He was prompt and punctual in all pulpit exercises, never wearying his people with long prayers or sermons. His remarks upon bridal or funeral occasions were always apt and pertinent, and his services upon such occasions were much sought for long after he had re- tired from the ministry. He served in both branches of the State Legislature and in different town offices. He was noted for his love of agriculture, and was al- luded to on one occasion by the Hon. Daniel Webster as the model farmer of Plymouth County. He be- longed to the Plymouth County Agricultural Society, and was chosen president and supervisor. He preached his last sermon when he was ninety years old. He lived to the great age of ninety-four years, retaining his mental faculties to a remarkable degree.

Rev. Joshua Chandler was installed in 1842. He was a bachelor and very eccentric. He was dismissed in 1845. Since that time ministers have been hired by the year. Rev. Preserved Smith preached from 1846 to 1849. Rev. William L. Stearns from 1851 to 1856. Rev. William M. Bicknell from 1857 to 1861. Rev. Theophilus P. Doggett from 1861 to 1874. Rev. Jesse H. Temple from 1874 to 1877. Rev. James H. Collins from 1877 to 1879. Rev. John M. W. Pratt. the present incumbent, since 1880.

The Friends' meeting-house was built in 1706. Michael Wanton was quite a prominent speaker in their meetings till about 1740 ; then John Bailey, the clock-maker, whose clocks are now so much sought after ; then Benjamin Percival, and later Calvin Shep- herd.

A Methodist society was organized in 1829 in what is now Bryantville or West Pembroke.

The following is a list of those who served in the French war :

Elias Magonn.

Francis Barker (second cap- tain).

Cornelins Briggs.

James Clarke. Joshua Turner. John Macfarland.

John Keen.

Abraham Booth (a Qnaker).

Isaac Barker (a Qnaker).

Nehemiah Cushing (third cap- tain).

Abraham Pearse.

Abraham Pearse, Jr. John Pearse.

Joseph Truant.

Ephraim Keen. Solomon Beal. Total, 54.

Joseph Ford (second deacon). Aaron Soul.

Josiah Keen.

Matthew Keen.

John Holmes.

Nehemiah Randall.

238

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

Jeremiah Hall (surgeon).

Gidoon Bisbee.

Caleb Brand.

Edward Randall.

Nathaniel Garnet.

Amos Daminon.

Joshua Turner, Jr.

Thomas Stetson.

Daniel Baker.

Anthony Ames.

Daniel Tubbs.

Jonathan Bishop.

David Foster.

Joshua Spraguo.

Isaac Crookor, Jr.

Thomas Atherton.

Joshua Keen.

Ebenezer Barker.

Thomas Bryant. Jolın Leavitt.

Ignatius Cushing.

Joshua Howeth.

Thomas Randall.

John Record.

William Standith.

James Hanks.

Nathaniel Baker.

William Pierce.

Abner Ames.

Abner Bisbee.

Leonard Hill.

Habijah Leavitt. Sylvester Prince.

Samuel Ramsdell, Jr.

Samuel Bennet.

Hezekiah Bearse.

Elijah Cushing.

John Pumpelly.

Joseph Stetson.

Consider Cole.

Thomas Glover.

Increase Robinson.

Nathaniel Stetson.

Nathaniel Cox.

Jacob Bonney.

Zephaniah Hatch.

Simeon Tubbs.

Samuel Baker.

Manuel Quimberry.

Nathaniel Cushing, Jr.

John Russell.

David Garnet.

Isaac Jennings.

Thomas Farr (Carr.)

Bezaleel Palmer.

Othniel Ford.

Jeremiah Dillingham.

Abel Keen.

Francis Keen, Jr.

Nehemiah Sylvester.

Daniel Crooker, Jr.

Luke Bishop.

Ebenezer Cain.

Revolutionary War .- It is a matter of history that Pembroke was the first town in the colonies that publicly rebelled against the British crown.

In 1740, the town protested against the efforts of the prince to suppress the emission of bills of public credit, which had become depreciated on account of the large export of silver.

The following is a brief extract :

"Thence was the rise of his Majesty's strong and repeated instructions to his governor here (our constitution notwith- standing), to forbid his consenting to any more bills of credit without a suspending clause even for the necessary charge of the government, or the defence or protection thereof.

" To which is owing the woful and dangerous condition we now aro in as to tho present situation of our public affair in case of a French war notoriously obvious.

"Which instructions from the Crown are, we presume, a manifest infraction on our charter rights and privileges, as well as that of our invaluable national constitution, so long enjoyed as well as so dearly obtained, whereby tho people have a right of thinking and judging for themselves as well as the Princo.

" And the representative shall bo diroctod at all times strictly to adhiere to the charter rights and privileges which wo are undor, as also that of our English rights, libertios, and consti- tution, any royal instruction from his Majesty to the contrary notwithstanding."

This was a gleam of that spirit of patriotism which, in 1775, threw off the oppressive yoke of tyranny, and declared all men born free and equal.

Instructions voted to their representative respect- ing the Stamp Act, Oct. 21, 1765, were as follows :

" To JOSIAH KEEN, ESQ., AT PEMBROKE.

"Tho freoholders and other Inhabitants in town meeting assembled, eonsidoring the distress that will be brought upon us by the Stamp Act if it should take place, we think said act intolerable in its consequences, and impossible to be carried into execution without yc utter ruin of the Province, and yet there is greate danger that it may in time dissolve the commerce con- nections and friendship now subsisting between Great Britain and her Colonies. We also judge it best to withstand the evil in the beginning, lest after ye chains are once fastened upon us we should find no remedy till we be worn out entirely and ut- terly consumed. We have therefore thought proper and do by our unanimous vote give you the following instructions, viz. : that you give your careful and constant attendance at the next assembly throughout their approaching session, and as occasion may offer firmly oppose said act not to concur to any measures that may have the least appearance of giving it any eounte- nance directly or indirectly ; that you use your uttermest skill and wisdom in concert with ye other worthy members ef the assembly to postpone the introduction of said act until the united cries of the whole Continent may have reached the ears of our most gracious king and the Parliament of Great Britain, and shall obtain from them who wish neither the death nor the loss of their Colonies an answer of peace. We further require of you, not to give your assent or consent to the embezzling of any of ye public moneys on any occasion whatsoever, er to ac- cept of any internal tax laid on the Province without their own consent, and that then our instructions be put into ye public journals."

" At a meeting of the freeholders and other in- habitants of the town of Pembroke, duly warned and assembled according to law, the 28th of December, 1772, after reading a pamphlet received from the town clerk of Boston, directed to our selectmen by order of said town, and by a vote approving the state of rights of the colonists and of this province in particular, the lists of the infringements and viola- tions of these rights, and the letter of correspondence contained in said pamphlet, the following resolves were agreed upon nemine contradicente :

" Resolved, That this Province and this town as part of it hath a right whenever they think it necessary to give their sense of public measures, and if judged to be unconstitutional and oppressive to declare it freely, and remonstrate or petition as they may deein best.

" Resolved, That it is peculiarly necessary in the present alarming crisis of our affairs to give our opinion, and cause it to be known that not a few mon only of factious spirit, as has boen falsely represented, but tho whole body of the people complain and are uneasy.

" Resolved, That although tho British Parliament is the grand legislative of tho nation, yet according to the original compact solemnly entored inte between the king of England and our ancestors at their first coming into this country and the present royal ohartor, no legislative authority oan be exer- cised in or over this Province but that of the Great and General Court or Assombly, consisting of the king or his representative, his Majesty's Counoil, and the House of Reprosentatives.

". Resolved, That acts of the British Parliamont made for and

Pr tb

Asa Robinson.

239

HISTORY OF PEMBROKE.

exeented within the limits of this Province are, in our opinion, against law and the most essential principles of our constitu- tion.

" Resolved. That the attacks that have of late years in this way been made, and by mere dint of ministerial influences are daily making on our happy constitution, are of a very alarm- ing nature, and ought to excite the jealousy and attention of every member of this community, and that such persons as advise to a submission, ought to be esteemed enemies to their conntry.

" Resolved, That the rights and liberties, civil and religious, which have been transmitted to us from our illustrious ances- tors, onght to be deemed sacred, and kept inviolate by us, their posterity.

" Resolved, particularly, That the late ministerial measures in affixing stipends or salaries to the offices of the judges of onr Superior Court, is an innovation that menaces the total abolition of fair trials and equitable issues at law, and directly affects both the life and property of the subject, as an entire dependence on the crown for a support, has a tendency to bias the minds of the judges, and prevent that strict impartiality which ought to attend their decisions. But it is not our design to reflect in the least on the very respectable gentlemen who at present adorn those offices. But we ground our opinions on the imperfection and depravity of human nature.

" Resolved, That the measnres so justly complained of by this Province and the other colonies on the continent are persisted in and enforced by fleets and armies, they must (we think of it with pain), they will in a little time issue in the total dissolu- tion of the nnion between mother conntry and the colonies, to the infinite loss of the former and regret of the latter.

" Resolved, That the representative of this town be in- strneted, and accordingly he is instructed, to use bis utmost efforts in the next session of onr General Assembly to obtain a radical redress of onr grievances.

" Resolved, That a committee for grievances be chosen to correspond with the several committees of the same denomina- tion in onr metropolis and the other towns throughout the Province, and report to this town such proposals as may be thought proper to remove our unparalleled hardships. Ac- cordingly, the following gentlemen were chosen for the above purposes, and ordered to transmit a copy of the proceedings of this town at their present meeting to the committee of corre- spondence at Boston.

" Jno. Turner.

" Abel Stetson.

" Jeremiah Hall.

Saml. Gould. Seth Hatch."

1774, Jan. 10. The Committee of Correspondence laid before the town a letter which had been agreed upon by the committee of several towns in this pro- vince, to know their minds at this critical and alarm- ing juncture, and also the votes and proceedings of the town of Boston thereon. The town, taking the same into consideration, thought proper to choose a committee, and accordingly made choice,-Josiah Keen, Esq., Dr. Jeremiah Hall, John Turner, Eleazer Hamlin, Seth Hatch, Josiah Smith, Capt. Freedom Chamberlain, Abel Stetson, and Aaron Soul, and then adjourned for half an hour. Met again, and Josiah Keen, Esq., reported the following :

"Voted, That we highly approve of the public conduct of the town of Boston and others in their late town meeting, and the

resolves they came into in order to prevent the landing and vending the tea sent here by the East India Company ; and we shall deem such as may dare in future to attempt to enter any teas at the custom-house (subject by act of Parliament to a duty for the detestable purpose of raising a revenue in America more effectually to enslave the colonies) enemies to our country.

"Voted, That we much applaud the deportment of the gen- tlemen of the Southern Colonies to whom the East India Com- pany's teas were consigned, in that they have done themselves the honour to resign their appointment out of regard to the interest of their country, while we detest that of the consignees in this government for their refusal to comply with the reason- able request of their fellow-citizens and countrymen.

" Resolved, That we will at the risk of our lives and for- tunes, in every justifiable method, assert and defend our just rights and privileges as men and as colonists."

Pembroke was noted in those days for its patriot- ism. There was scarcely a Tory in the town. Con- spicuous among the leading spirits of those times were Josiah Keen, Esq., Dr. Jeremiah Hall, John Turner, Eleazer Hamlin, Seth Hatch, Josiah Smith, Capt. Freedom Chamberlain, Abel Stetson, Aaron Soul, Israel Turner, Capt. Ichabod Thomas, Asaph Tracy, Consider Cole, Asa Keen, and Nathaniel Stetson. Of these, Dr. Hall, Capt. Scth Hatch, Asa Keen, Nathaniel Stetson, and Consider Cole, had served in the French war. Dr. Hall was a surgeon in the French war. Capt. Seth Hatch commanded a supply-ship, and at one time ran the blockade of the St. Lawrence, and furnished supplies to Gen. Wolfe and his army. For this he was publicly thanked by the general, and after the battle of Quebec he was presented with some articles of the general's tent furniture. John Turner, Dr. Hall, and Edward Thomas were members of the Provincial Congress. While attending this congress, Dr. Hall was chosen on many important committees of that body. He was afterwards colonel of a Rhode Island regiment. He was a noted surgeon, and held many public offices in the colony.

Eleazer Hamlin, mentioned above, was grandfather to the Hon. Hannibal Hamlin.

" At a town-meeting held in Pembroke ye 12th day of May, A.D. 1783, the town made choice of Capt. Seth Hatch, to represent the said town ye year cn- suing. At said meeting the town of Pembroke gave their representative the following instructions, viz. :

"SIR,-You are directed to use your best endeavors to pre- vent the return of those bitter and implacable enemies to America, the Tories, from gaining admittance into this country as far as may be consistent with tbe engagements of Congress ; and we, sir, bave, though with silence, beheld an unequal tax on the lands of this good people of this commonwealth with silence as we had matters of such great importance to attend to, which noble exertions of America, Heaven has rewarded with success in granting to us independence and peace, we have considered

240

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

with attention the matter in quostion, and are not able to see the justice or policy of taxing improved lands at six per cent. and unimproved lands at two per cent. only, you are therefore to move in General Court and do your utmost to obtain a repeal of that discriminating act and that all lands are taxed at six per cent. as other property.

"And further, if anything should come before the General Court respecting the pay of the officers of the army, you are hereby instructed to fulfill the original contract with them made by this commonwealth, and to guard against any further pay or gratuity to them after they shall be dismissed the army."

Manufactures,-Some bricks were made at the " Brick kilns" perhaps before the incorporation of the town, as the locality bore that name very early. They have been made there since 1800 in a small way, also at " Clay pit."

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

History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 53

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1706

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706