History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 70

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 70

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ticed and the generous things by him done, sec his- toric sketch of the Second Congregational Church in Middleboro' or Taunton and Middleboro' Precinct.

Industrial .- What is now Lakeville is that part of ancient Middleboro' formerly distinguished, as was Egypt, for its remarkable productiveness in grain. Capt. Job Peirce, who has been frequently noticed elsewhere in the history of this town, here owned and cultivated a farm of two hundred acres, where the product of corn alone was, one year, a little over nine hundred bushels.

Several of his neighbors, the same season, raised nearly as many bushels of corn as Capt. Job Peirce. Rye and flax were here formerly raised in considerable quantities. Another source of income was found in and large profits derived from the abounding quanti- ties of "bog ores" at the bottom of some of the ponds, these ores being melted at the blast-furnace iu East Freetown. But all these industrics before named have now in a great measure failed, and what is termed "market-gardening" and the raising of strawberries for the Boston market have succeeded, added to which Lakeville has come to furnish the same market with a daily supply of quite a large and steadily increasing quantity of milk.

The sawing of box-boards and shingles is carried on quite extensively at the mills of Messrs. Sumner Hinds and Churchill S. Westgate.

Fisheries .- The alcwive fisherics in its season has ever since the English settlement of this part of the county been made the source of a considerable profit, and Lakeville, in connection with the towns of Mid- dieboro', Freetown, and Rochester, has taken a lease of several of the large ponds lying in these towns for the purpose of increasing the production therein of several other varieties of fish.

An Historical House .- The cut on page 320 rep- resents the old farm-house that was for many years the residence of Capt. Job Peirce. standing in that part of Middleboro' which subsequently became Lakeville.

The date of the erection of the original structure is unknown, but nearly one-third of the main body, together with one or both porches, were added by Capt. Job Peirce after it became his home, in or about the year 1767.

This view is from an easterly direction, the man, boy, and dog, as seen in the picture, being represented as traveling northerly upon the public highway lead- ing from the town hall in Lakeville to the Four Cor- ners village, in Middleboro'. The addition made by Capt. Job Peirce was at the south end, and included the most southerly front window. A projection, or porch, upon the west, or back, side of the house (not

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

seen in the eut) is known to have been added by Capt. Peiree, and it is probable that he also added the porch shown at the northerly end of the house.

Capt. Job Peiree's oldest child, who became the wife of Maj. Peter Hoar, lived until 1847, and in her old age said she could remember this ancient house back to the year 1767, and that it gave unmis- takable marks of age even then. This house was de- molished in 1870, when some parts had probably af- forded a human habitation nearly or quite one hundred and fifty years.

Capt. Peirce's oldest son, who served in the patriot army and also on board of an American privateer in the war of the Revolution, was born while the parent resided upon Assawomset Neck, as was also the old-

also, March 25, 1788, was ushered into life that man of widely-extended and, in his native town for forty years, unequaled influence in eircles eivil and mili- tary, mercantile and political, Col. Peter H. Peirce.

It was from this house that Capt. Job Peirce, on that ever-memorable morning of April 19, 1775, started out, at the first summons of his distressed and bleeding country, to

"Take the field, as a freeman should, To battle for the public good,"

and reinforce those " embattled farmers," who then " fired the shots heard round the world," and revenge the eruel murder of his companions in arms, whose blood then wet the sods of Lexington and Concord,

DELL RICHARDSON- ST

THE FORMER RESIDENCE OF CAPT. JOB PEIRCE, LAKEVILLE, MASS.

est daughter, who became the wife of Maj. Peter Hoar, an officer in the Revolutionary army, and prob- ably the next ehild also, who subsequently became the wife of Gen. Abiel Washburn ; and Capt. Job Peirce, with his wife and those three children, took up a residence here, as nearly as can now be ascer- tained, in 1767, or about one hundred and seventeen years ago.

In this house, upon the 12th of December, 1767, that remarkably sueeessful merchant and ship-builder, Job Peirce, Jr., was born ; and here, on the 1st of October, 1773, Maj. Levi Peirce, who commanded a battalion of the coast-guard in the last war with Eng- land, and was so widely known and justly distin- guished for his great liberality and benevolence, en- tered upon an earthly state of existenee; and here

and, like the blood of righteous Abel, cried for ven- geance from the ground.

In this time-worn old house it was that, upon the 26th of May, 1775, a date between and about equi- distant from the battles of Lexington and Bunker Hill, that Ebenezer Peirce, Esq., another son of Capt. Job Peiree and wife, was born,-a son who, in after- life, developed a remarkable business capacity, and whose well-directed efforts secured to him a compe- tence while yet a comparatively young man, and thus enabling him to devote the many yet remaining years of his life, together with much of his aceumulations, to objects of charity and benevolence, dispensing his benefits on the principle " freely have ye received," and therefore " frcely give."

When the British army invaded Dartmouth (Sep-

THE WARD HOUSE, LAKEVILLE, MASS.

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HISTORY OF LAKEVILLE.

tember, 1778), and set fire to the village of Fair- haven, this eren then old house was abandoned to the torch of a foreign mercenary, the father facing the incoming foe, while the mother and her young chil- dren took refuge in the thickets of the nearest forest.

But the invader was driven back and the house re- occupied, and what, therefore, it was expected would have been destroyed by fire in 1778 remained a human habitation until 1870, or nearly one hundred years, being the dwelling-place of Capt. Job Peirce during all those numerous years in which he was bestowing thousands of dollars for the encouragement and up- building of objects of public benefit, both secular and religious, being, as he was, the donor of the Peirce Academy, in Middleboro', and dealing with a liberal and generous hand to promote the general welfare and establish the public good.

In this modest dwelling, this unpretending mansion, it was that Capt. Peirce and wife lived, here they died, and from thence were carried to the places of their burial, in the cemetery crowning a hill-top, as seen in the distance of this picture; and what is the most remarkable circumstance is that a man so well- to-do in life as Capt. Job Peirce came to be, a man so liberal and generous, should restrict himself to so small and unpretending a dwelling-place, choosing, rather, to provide for the wants of others than him- self, and practicing a most rigid economy to enable him to dispense a more extended benevolence.

The Ward House .- The old Ward house, of Lake- ville, was one of the first built in this region, but the exact date of its erection cannot be determined.

The original house, which forms the east part of the building as it now stands, was small, and was made of oak planks spiked on to the sills and beams that it might serve as a garrison-house for protection against the Indians.

The Plymouth County records show that Robert Sproat, of Scituate, in 1711, conveyed a part of his estate to his son James Sproat.

The following year (1712) we find him a native of Middleboro', and a record is preserved of a deed con- veying the other portion of his Scituate estate to his son Ebenezer. James Sproat, the son of Robert Sproat, must have inherited his father's property in Middleboro', Lakeville at that time being a part of Middleboro'.

By a deed of conveyance, dated March 6, 1737, he gives this property in the West Precinct, Middleboro', to his son Robert Sproat.

In 1778, Robert Sproat conveyed by deed this same property to his son, Zebidce Sproat, a man of more than ordinary taste for those times.

Zebidee Sproat disposed of this property to Wil- liam and Ebenezer Nelson, who, in 1806, sold the same to Gen. Ephraim Ward, the grandfather of the present owner.

While the property was in possession of Zebidee Sproat he planted trees around the house, and laid out a terraced garden with choice plants and shrubs. He also made additions to the original house, one of which is of considerable historic interest. Being an ardent opposer of King George, he was most active in Revolutionary work, and engaged with others in sack- ing the house of Judge Oliver, justice of the colony of Massachusetts in Nemasket. The Oliver house was well built, having been brought, framed, from England.

Mr. Sproat, before the house was burned, took off some of its inside doors, which he carried home and used for the doors, panels, and ceiling of his new rooms. Seventeen doors are thus introduced into two bed-chambers and an upper entry-way. Tradition has it that, for his various misdemeanors against his family and the public welfare, Mr. Sproat was, later in life, drummed out of town by his indignant fellow- citizens, and that the daughter-in-law of Judge Oliver joined vigorously in the music to which he was forced to march. An interesting story of her Wrongs was written by his wife, injured Hannah Sproat, and published by her as a broadside ballad to be sung to a mournful tune, and sold for five pence.

It is a tradition of the house that a picture of King George was on a panel brought from Nemasket, and inserted over the fireplace of the east chamber, and that Mr. Sproat had it painted over, substituting for the portrait of his king two stiff and conventional vases of flowers, which still decorate the panel.

The walls of this room and also the ceiling are of wood, the walls painted to represent heavy-curtained drapery, trimmed with fringe and ornamented with tassel.

The house has grown with each generation that has occupied it, additions having been made by Gen. Ward, by his daughter, Mrs. Priscilla W. Stetson, and by her son, Sprague S. Stetson, the present occupant.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

THE WARD FAMILY.

In the forces of William the Conqueror, at the celebrated battle of Hastings, in 1066, was a Capt. Ward, no doubt the progenitor of most of the fam- ilies bearing that name claiming English origin. They held large estates in Exeter, Durham, and

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

Yorkshire. Samuel Ward, with his brothers, Wil- liam and Marmaduke, came to America about 1638, and settled in Hingham. Among lands assigned him was Ward Island, in Boston Harbor, which he gave to Harvard College. His son, Henry Ward, had a son, Henry Ward, both residents of Hingham. Na- than, son of Henry Ward, Jr., removed to Plymouth. His son, Ephraim, married Sally Dunham, of Plym- outh, and their son, Benjamin Ward, was at the age of sixteen a lieutenant in the French war, and in the Revolution was distinguished in the colonial army for his services and held a captain's commission, and was a resident of Carver, where he married Mary, daughter of John Shaw. Hc was a man of sterling worth, strong character, and served his day and gen- eration well, transmitting many of his characteristics to his son, Ephraim. Gen. Ephraim Ward was born in Carver in 1778. He married Priscilla, daughter of Capt. George Hammond, of Carver. and April 10, 1806, moved to Middleboro' (Lakeville), where he resided until his death, April 10, 1856, exactly fifty years. Throughout his life he was a leader in the community, actively interested in all public matters, and highly respected for his mental strength and sound judgment. He represented Middleboro' in the State Legislature in 1828 and 1837. A captain of militia, he was commissioned major in the war of 1812, and served in this capacity at Plymouth in September, 1814, when threatened with attack by the British. He was afterwards commissioned successively colonel and brigadier-general, commanding the First Brigade and Fifth Division of Massachusetts militia. He bore worthily his honors through a long life of more than ordinary usefulness. He had six children, -- Eliab, Priscilla (married Peleg H. Stetson, a descend- ant of Cornet Robert Stetson, one of the early settlers of Scituate), Ephraim, Betsey, George, and Mary.

GEORGE WARD,-a descendant of this time-honored and old family, whose members have been represented in legislation, advocates of freedom, soldiers, officers, and defenders of the Constitution and Union,-the youngest son of Gen. Ephraim and Priscilla (Ham- mond) Ward, was born in Lakeville, then Middle- boro', Sept. 16, 1814, in the old ancestral house now occupied by Sprague S. Stetson. He had com- mon-school and academic education, enjoying the advantages of the noted academy at Middleboro'.

When young he had an earnest desire for a colle- giate education, but his two older brothers having been college graduates, it was not his fortune to be thus favored. He was of scholastic tastes, a great reader, and would no doubt have done credit to his Alma Mater. Failing to realize this he then desired to cm -. bark in business in the West, believing the possibilities of success grcater there ; but to please his father, and being the youngest son, he dutifully remained at home, sacrificing his own inclinations, and became a farmer. His health failing, he was obliged to relinquish agri- culture, and in 1848, entering into partnership with William E. Doggett, moved to Middleboro', Four Cor- ners, and became the pioneer shoe manufacturer of that place. The firm-name was Ward & Doggett, and later became Ward, Doggett & Co .; Mr. Ward attend- ing to the manufacturing at Middleboro', Mr. Dog- gett in charge of the Chicago house, selling the goods at wholesale and retail. This partnership continued until the death of Mr, Ward, Aug. 29, 1856, and was a financial success, giving employment for several years to numerous operatives in Middleboro'. He married, Oct. 20, 1840, Caroline L., daughter of Hon. Caleb F. and Nancy (Thompson) Leonard. (See biography of Hon. C. F. Leonard, in history of Bridge- water, in this volume.) Mrs. Ward survived her hus- band, marrying for second husband Rev. James Ward, whom she also survives, and now (1884) is living in quite good health on her beautiful place in Lakeville, beloved and appreciated by a large circle of friends who prize her cordial friendship, lady-like demeanor, and gentleness of character.

Mr. Ward inherited that insidious disease, con- sumption, from his mother, and with it also all the activity of that temperament. He threw his whole soul into whatever he undertook, was quick to grasp and to receive ideas, had most excellent business qualifications and powers, and deserved and won suc- cess. His judgment was intuitive, and by his early deatlı the town lost an honorable citizen and one of its ablest business men. He was a member of the Baptist Church, and respected and beloved by all. He held commissions as captain and major in the State militia. From 1849, when his arduous duties devel- oped pulmonic disease, until his death each winter was passed in the South with the vain hope of check- ing the disease.

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HISTORY OF MARION.

BY REV. NOBLE WARREN EVERETT.

MARION is a sea-board town in the southerly part of Plymouth County. It is bounded as follows: North by Wareham and Rochester; south by Buzzard's Bay and Mattapoisett ; east by Wareham and Buz- zard's Bay; and west by Rochester and Mattapoi- sett. This part of the old town of Rochester re- tained the Indian name of Sippican until it was incorporated, May 14, 1852, when the more eupho- nious name of Marion was given to it, probably in remembrance of the celebrated Revolutionary parti- san of South Carolina.

In its outline this town is exceedingly irregular, following the windings of the Sippican and Wewe- antilt Rivers on the east, and sending out on the south several long peninsulas into Buzzard's Bay. The harbor has about eleven feet of water and runs far up into the town, almost dividing it into equal sections. The surface of the town is level and to a large extent covered with timber. It contains some fifty farms, but the soil is rocky and hard to cultivate. Bear Swamp in the northwest, Great Swamp in the east, and Lawrence Swamp in the south em- brace quite a large extent of territory.

Great Hill, on Great Neck, is one hundred and twenty-seven feet above the level of the sea, and was selected as a point of observation in the State survey. It commands a splendid view of the sea-board and of Buzzard's Bay. The Marion House, at this place, capable of containing three hundred boarders, was liberally patronized until the year 1881, when Great Hill, and many acres adjacent to it, passed into the hands of A. W. Nickerson, Esq., of Dedham, who since the time of purchase has expended a large amount of money in improving the buildings and beautifying the grounds. In the hot months of summer no more charming place can be found on the New England sea-coast.

During King Philip's war the gallant Capt. Benja- min Church met Queen Awashanks and her tribe, then on her way to Sandwich to arrange terms of peace with the Governor, at the Great Hill, near the

beach. He found the Indians having a general good time,-" running races on horseback," "playing at foot-ball," " catching eels and flat-fish," " or plunging and frolicking in the waves." The queen entertained him cordially with " fricd eels, bass, flat-fish, and shell-fish," and then around a huge bonfire of pine- knots herself and warriors pledged their allegiance to the English, and thus probably sealed the fate of Philip.

While Great Neck forms the southcastern extrem- ity of Marion, Charles Neck forms the southern. On this neck, within a few years, many cottages have been built, some of them being very costly, and are elegant specimens of architecture.

Within the limits of this town there is one spot of great historic interest. On Little Neck, a few rods south of the road that leads from Marion to Wareham, is " Minister Rock," around which the Indians used to hold their horrid pow-wows, and where the first white settlers of the old Sippican tract worshiped, and near the rock is the ancient burial-place.

As early as 1651, Sippican was granted to Plym- outh by the Colony Court " for a place to herd their cattle," and this grant was "eight miles by the sea and four miles into the land," and a portion of this land thus granted now constitutes the sea-shore of Marion. It is interesting to know that this locality in its earliest history was devoted to the advancement of education. The rental which the colony derived from these rich grazing fields was donated to free schools for the maintaining and upholding of the school at Plymouth, and, in the language of the order, " not to be estranged from that end," and it is a grand fact that the pasturage of these shores assisted in furnishing funds for the first free school on this con- tinent.

Within a few years this town has become a noted sea-side resort, and many of the old visitors look for- ward with eagerness to the time of their annual sum- mer visitation. It has good roads, houses with a neat

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

and inviting aspect, a beautiful harbor with lovely islands, and a cheering light at the entrance, and among its residents are many retired sea-captains who have visited cvery clime, and who are walking ency- clopædias of practical knowledge. At the two hun- dredth anniversary of the settlement of Rochester, Gerard C. Tobey, Esq., of Warcham, in referring to the towns that originally comprised that ancient town, said, " Hither also cometh Marion, a bright nymph of the sea, the lass who always loved a sailor. God bless her, coy and demure, and just as good as she is pretty !"

Ecclesiastical History-The Congregational Church .- In 1683, twenty years before any church was formed in Rochester, and three years before the incorporation of Rochester, Rev. Samuel Shiverick, a Huguenot, escaping from Catholic persecution in France, came to this spot, where he preached from 1683 to 1687, and then removed to Falmouth. He was succeeded in 1687 by Rev. Samuel Arnold, who preached here twenty years. He was born in 1649, by a curious coincidence the same year that Sippican was born, that being the date of its first mention in Plymouth Colony Records. His father was Rev. Samuel Arnold, of Marshfield. Mr. Arnold preached here sixteen years before he could form a church, but in 1703 the following entry appears in the old rec- ords : " It hath pleased our gracious God to shine in this dark corner of this wilderness, and visit this dark spot of ground with the day-spring from on high, through His tender mercy, and to settle a church ac- cording to the order of the gospel, October 13th, Anno Domini 1703." Mr. Arnold's record also in- forms us that this transaction occurred in the six- teenth year of his ministry and fifty-sixth of his age. The names of the original members of the church, as given by Mr. Arnold, are as follows :

Males .- Rev. Samuel Arnold, Deacon Abraham Holmes, Samuel Hammond, Isaac Holmes, Jacob Bumpus, John Benson, Thomas Dexter, Anthony Coomes, Isaac Spooner, Benjamin Dexter, Samuel Winslow, Samuel White, Thomas Perry, Ebenezer Spooner, Samuel Arnold, Jr., Experience Holmes, John Hammond.

Females .- Elizabeth Arnold, Mary Hammond, Sarah Arnold, Mary Haskell, Anna Holmes, Alice Spooner, Sarah Bumpus, Elizabeth Bumpus, Abigail Holmes, Lydia Joy, Mercy Winslow, Ruth Perry, Mary Whitendge, Sarah Dexter, Mary Hammond, Sr., Mary Hammond, Jr., Elizabeth Arnold, Jr., Mehitable Clark.

" The location of their first meeting-house, tradi- tion tells us, was near the great rocks and the ancient

graveyard. How soon after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth the day-star from on high sent its rays of heavenly light across the wilderness to this dark spot, as the pious Arnold calls it, we are unable to deter- mine; but the language of Arnold's reeord would seem to indicate that his heart was full of grateful praises to God that, after having preached the gospel to the settlers here for sixteen years, he became the honored instrument of organizing this church of Christ, composed of 17 males and 18 females."

His pastorate was short, but probably continued until his earthly labors were finished, and he was called home to the rewards of the faithful. By all that we know of his life we are impressed with the conviction that he was a good man and a faithful and successful minister of the gospel. The articles of faith and covenant which were originally adopted seem to evince that the men and women who first subscribed them were solemnly impressed with the nature and importance of Christian obligation.

The conclusion of their covenant with God and with each other is in these affecting words, viz. :

" The Lord keep this forever in the thoughts and imaginations of the hearts of us his poor servants, to establish our hearts unto him, and the good Lord par- don every one of us that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers. Amen."

The church record shows that Rev. Timothy Rug- gles became pastor on the 22d of November, 1710. Supposing he continued in this relation to the church until his death, he was pastor not far from fifty years. The place of meeting, on Little Neck, some time dur- ing his ministry was changed to Rochester Centre, and a house of worship was erected there. Tradition says they had previously worshiped at Little Neck, for awhile around " Minister Rock," and in a few years after the first settlement a small and unadorned meeting-house was erected, but in what year it is im- possible now to ascertain. The change of public wor- ship from Little Neck to Rochester Centre was made that it might be more central for members of the congregation then living in what are now called Marion, Warcham, Rochester (Centre and North), and Mattapoisett. Mr. Ruggles was ordained minis- ter and pastor of the Church of Christ in Rochester. Twenty-six years after he was settled a portion of the members withdrew and formncd themselves into the Second Church of Rochester (now Mattapoisett), and this church (that is now the Congregational Church of Marion) was then designated by the name First Church of Rochester. In 1758 another portion of the members withdrew and formed themselves into the Third Church (now North Rochester). The Rev.

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HISTORY OF MARION.

Timothy Ruggles stood at his post here for almost sixty years, received three hundred and three mem- bers into the Church of Christ, and then died in the harness. On a slatestone slab in the old cemetery at Rochester Centre is the following inscription :

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History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 70

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