History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 78

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 78

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).

" Another body of men was organized about this time, consisting of all the men over fifty years of age, who were styled the 'alarm list,' and were under the same officers as the militia. Sentries were also sta- tioned at different points in time of danger, and at Captain's Hill.

" In 1774 these were appointed a Committee of Cor- respondence (May 30th) : Capt. W. Wadsworth, Deacon P. Wadsworth, George Partridge, Capt. Sam- uel Bradford, and Micah Soule, to unite with the com- mittee in general for the province. They also chose

(September 19th) George Partridge, Capt. W. Wads- worth, and Deacon P. Wadsworth a committee, to join the county committee, in order to act upon the political affairs of the provinee.

" In 1775, the town chose (January 16th) Mr. George Partridge to attend as their representative to the Sec- ond Provincial Congress at Cambridge on the 1st of February ; and also voted £32 8s. 4d. in aid of the same. This congress adjourned on the 16th, met again at Concord on the 22d of March, adjourned on the 15th of April ; again met at Concord on the 22d, and adjourned the same day ; then at Watertown ou the 24th, and finally dissolved on the 29th of May.1 " At the same meeting, the following Committee of Inspection were appointed : Capt. Samuel Bradford, Joshua Hall, Maj. Gamalial Bradford, Jr., Deacon Perez Loring, Capt. Benjamin Wadsworth, Jacob Weston, and Pcleg Wadsworth. The town after- wards (January 30th) voted to proeure thirty fire-arms with bayonets for the use of the town; and George Partridge, Ichabod Alden, and William Thomas were appointed to obtain them, and £60 were furnished them. A meeting had been called previously, to see ' if ye town will provide proper fire-arms and all other warlike instruments, and amunition suitable for to defend ye town and country as need may require.'"

On the 1st of September Col. Cotton moved his regiment to Roxbury, which formed a part of the detachment ordered to throw up intrenchments on Dorchester Heights, Mareh 4, 1776. The officers of the regiment at this time were Theophilus Cotton, colonel ; Ichabod Alden, lieutenant-colonel ; William Thomas, surgeon ; John Thomas, surgeon's mate ; John Cotton, Jr., quartermaster ; Joshua Thomas, adjutant.

Captains.

Thomas Matthew.

Isaac Wood.

Earl Clapp.

Peleg Wadsworth.

John Bradford.

Amos Wade.

John Brigham.

Samuel Bradford.

Joshua Benson.

Edward Hammond.

Lieutenants.

Nathaniel Lewis.

Abiel Townshend.

Isaac Pope.

Seth Drew.

Jesse Sturtevant.

Archelaus Cole.

Edward Sparrow.

Andrew Sampson.

William Thompson.

Timothy Ruggles.

Ensigns.

Benjamin Warner.

Foxwell Thomas.

Charles Church.

Joseph Sampson.

Thomas Sampson.

Lemuel Wood.

Nehemiah Cohh.

Judah Alden.

James Smith.

Nathan Sears.

1 Mr. Partridge was this year a member of the General Court from Duxbury, and was one of the committee ordered to wait upon Gen. Washington on his arrival. (Winsor).

360

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

On the removal of the Americans to New York in 1776, several others of Duxbury joined Capt. Brad- ford's company and procceded on with the regiment. Among others were Isaac and Nathaniel Delano and Consider and Oliver Glass. The company remained in New York about a year, when Capt. Bradford re- signed his commission and came home with a great part of his company, many of whom soon again en- listed. Commissions were now granted to Joseph Wadsworth, Adam Fish, and Judah Alden, all of Duxbury, to be captains. Each of these immediately raised their companies, and had many Duxbury men under their command. In the summer of 1777, Capt. Wadsworth having raised a company in Dux- bury, marched to Boston to proceed to join the army of Gen. Gates.

Col. Cotton's second in command, Lieut .- Col. Icha- bod Alden, of Duxbury, was soon after promoted to the rank of colonel, and after the capture of Bur- goyne was stationed with a regiment of the Conti- nental army at Cherry Valley, N. Y., and was one of the victims of the inhuman massacre at that place in 1777.

The Committee of Correspondence in 1776 were G. Partridge, Isaac Partridge, E. Arnold, Peleg Wadsworth, James Southworth, Perez Loring, Levi Loring, Gaml. Bradford, Jr., Bildad Arnold, Eliphas Prior, Judah Delano, Joshua Stanford, and Reuben Delano ..

A fort was, in 1777, built at the Gurnet by the towns of Plymouth, Kingston, and Duxbury. On the part of Duxbury, Isaac Partridge and Deacon Peleg Wadsworth were chosen (February 20th) their agents in the work of erection. No attack, it is believed, was made on this during the war. A few shots, however, were exchanged with the British frigate "Niger," Capt. Talbot ; and at this time one of the balls from the frigate pierced the light-house, and the vessel grounded on Brown's Island shoal, but soon got off.

" The Gurnet fort mounted three 12-pounders, one 6-pounder, and two 9-pounders. The garrison con- sisted of about sixty men, nearly one-half of whom were from Duxbury. The first officers were Capt. Wm. Weston, of Plymouth, Lieut. A. Sampson, and Ens. Nathl. Carver. These were succeeded by Capt. Andrew Sampson (of Duxbury), Dea. Smith and Ebenezer Barker, both of Pembroke, were Lieut. and Ens., and afterward Capt. Stephen Churchill, whose second in command was Lieut. John Washburn."

" Early in this year," says Mr. Winsor, " an inci- dent occurred which caused considerable confusion in the country around. The valiant Capt. Manly, with

a number of valuable prizes, approached the harbor, and, entering it, anchored off Saquish Point. It was supposed at the time that it was a British fleet come to burn the towns around the bay. A beacon was immediately fired on Saquish, which was soon fol- lowed by another at Captain's Hill, and at Monk's Hill, in Kingston, and at Plymouth. Troops came pouring in from the neighboring towns, and the com- panies of Duxbury assembled under arms at Captain's Hill ; but soon after the facts of the case were known and the crowd dispersed.

" This was a time of general fear along the coast by those who were expecting the execution of the threats of Admiral Graves. Sentinels were con- stantly posted, and they attended divine service on the Sabbath with their arms.

" In General Sullivan's campaign in Rhode Island, nearly the whole body of militia in the county were ordered to his aid. The two companies of Duxbury marched under the command of Capt. Calvin Par- tridge, and were gone about two months. Arriving at Little Compton they were placed under the immc- diate command of Gen. Peleg Wadsworth, who had charge of the militia, then assembled to the number of about 2000 men. On one occasion, while Gen. Sullivan was skirmishing with the British at some distance, Gen. Wadsworth by his command drew up his militia in a body and formed them ready for an attack whenever orders came for advancing. While thus arrayed he was informed that they would probably be soon ordered forward. Gen. Wadsworth then, for a short time, harangued his men and pre- pared them for the onset ; but, as no orders came, they saw no fighting on that day. This occurred late in the summer of 1777.

" During the absence of the men the harvesting was done by the matrons of the town, who divided themselves into two companies, the one commanded by Miss Rachel Sampson, and the other by Mrs. William Thomas, and met by turns at the different farms and gathered the crops, there being none but the old men remaining in the town.

" 1777. The following were chosen (March 17) a Committee of Correspondence and Safety : Deacons Wadsworth, Southworth, and Loring, Capts. Hall and Arnold, Ezra Arnold, Eliphas Prior, Reuben Delano, Judah Delano, Joshua Stanford, and Percz Chandler."

The following men of Duxbury, in 1780, served three months in Baron Steuben's infantry : Isaac Delano, Joshua Brewster, Consider Glass, Oliver Delano, and James Weston.

" In the early part of the war, a fishing schooner

361

HISTORY OF DUXBURY.

belonging to Elijah Sampson, of Duxbury, was taken and burnt by the enemy. off the beach, within sight of the town. She was commanded by Capt. Lewis Drew, and manned by Ezra Howard, Joseph Delano, Zebdiel Delano, Abiathar Alden, and Zadoek Brad- ford. They were taken to New York, and put on board the ' Jersey' prison-ship, where they all died excepting Alden and Bradford, who returned home.

" The English forty-gun ship ' Chatham' took the schooner ' Olive,' belonging to Capt. Nathaniel Win- sor, by whom she was at that time commanded, and manned by William Winsor, Thomas Sampson, and Lot Hunt. They were finally released on parole, with the loss of their mainsail, which the enemy retained.

"Shortly after the above, Samuel Chandler's schooner ' Polly Johnson,' commanded by Capt. John Winsor. and manned by Consider Glass, Thomas Chandler, Asa Tour, and James Weston, was taken by the English thirty-two gunship 'Perseverance.' The enemy put on board the sehooner several of their crew, who started on a cruise for the purpose of ascertaining her sailing qualities. They, however, returned on the next day, and putting on board her original crew, with the erew of another prize which they had taken, belonging to Cape Ann, released them on parole, giving to the two crews the schooner, which they afterwards returned to the rightful owner.

" Capt. Eden Wadsworth, George Cushman, and Joshua Brewster served in the publie armed vessels. In the summer of 1779, Freeman Loring, Studley Sampson, Amasa Delano, and Joseph Bestow joined the crew of the privateer ' Mars,' an armed vessel of twenty-two guns, fitted out at Boston by Mr. David Sears, and commanded by Capt. Ash. James Tour and William Ripley served aboard the 'Alliance' frigate.

" Messrs. Warren Weston, Abel Sampson, Bisbee Chandler, Howard Chandler, and Samuel Delano were with Capt. Simeon Sampson in a brig when he was taken by the English ship 'Rainbow.' Abel Sampson died in the Halifax prison. The ' Rainbow' was soon after nearly lost in a fog in the vicinity of Cape Sable, but was finally rescued from her perilous situation by the skill of a Marblehead captain, who was a prisoner on board, and who thus obtained his liberty, which was granted to him as a recompense for his services.

" In the year 1781 a small vessel, called a 'Shav- ing Mill,' was built and equipped at Kingston, to proceed along the coast to the Penobscot, and there to plunder and seize the British stores. She was a

long eraft, had three lateen sails and fourteen oars. She sailed from Captain's Hill, under the command of Capt. Joseph Wadsworth, whose lieutenant was Daniel Loring, and was absent on her cruise about three weeks.

" In 1840 there were in the town nineteen survi- vors, who received pensions from the government, but since then many of them have died. Their names were Joseph Kinney, aged 85 years ; Howland Samp- son, 85 ; Andrew Sampson, 91; Thomas Chandler, 87; Samuel Gardner, 76; Howard Chandler, 81; James Weston, 79; Oliver Delano, 81; Reuben Dawes, 95 ; Nathaniel Hodges, 78; Isaiah Alden, 81 ; Abner Sampson, 88; Levi Weston, 83; Judah Alden, 89; Uriah Sprague, 92; Seth Sprague, 80; Joshua Brewster, 77; Jeptha Delano, 81 ; and Edward Ar- nold, 92. The aggregate age of these was 1603 years ; the average age 84-75. There were four over 90 ; eleven between 80 and 90; and four between 70 and 80. At the same date there were thirteen widows receiving pensions, whose husbands had served in the war. Their aggregate age was 1025 years, and the average 7811 i3 years. Of all the towns in Plym- outh County, no other, except Middleboro', had a larger or so large a number.

" Under the first pension law there were twenty-two pensioners in Duxbury. It has been estimated that there were about sixty individuals from Duxbury ae- tively engaged through the Revolution in the army and navy. The following is an imperfect list of those men belonging to Duxbury who were either killed in action or died in the army during the war : Of Capt. S. Bradford's company, Elisha Sampson, Asa Hunt, and Thomas Sprague, at the battle of White Plains ; Col. Ichabod Alden at Cherry Valley, and of his regi- ment in the retreat from Ticonderoga to Albany, Car- pus White, and also James Wright and Nathaniel Weston, who died by disease. Joshua Sprague, a sergeant under Capt. Bradford, died at New York, Aug. 20, 1776, æt. 25. Ira Bradford served on board a privateer and was killed in a fight on Long Island Sound. Samuel Alden received a mortal wound in the Penobscot expedition."

Men of the Revolution .- Col. Briggs Alden, when quite young, was elected an officer of the militia, and in 1762 elevated to the office of major, and in 1776 received the rank of eolonel.

Maj. Judah Alden, son of Col. Briggs Alden, served during the first years of the war in Col. Bailey's regiment as a captain, and was a brave and valiant offieer.

Capt. Bildad Arnold was early one of the minute- men of the town, and commanded a company of its

362

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

militia. He also had command of a company in Col. Thomas Lathrop's regiment.

Hon. Gamaliel Bradford was a son of Lieut. Sam- uel Bradford, of Duxbury, and a great-grandson of Hon. William, the second Governor of Plymouth Colony. He shared largely in all the duties of the public offices of the town, and was always selected to bear the responsibilities of its important agencies.

Col. Gamaliel Bradford, son of the above, was a man of eminence in his town, and intrusted with its highest honors. Soon after the commencement of the war, in 1776, he was appointed to the command of one of the Continental regiments, and in this capacity he served until the close of hostilities. He was likewise a colonel of the militia, and also for some years the representative of the town. He died in Duxbury, Jan. 9, 1807, aged seventy-six years. He was father of Capts. Gamaliel, Daniel, and Ger- shom, and of the Hon. Alden Bradford, late secretary of the commonwealth.

Capt. Gamaliel Bradford, a son of Col. Bradford, was born at Duxbury on the 4th of November, 1763. In 1779 he received the rank of ensign, and in the following year lieutenant.

Capt. Sylvanus Drew, in the beginning of the Revolution, had command of a small schooner, the " Lady Washington," and a number of whale-boats, which were employed as cruisers in Boston harbor.

Capt. Samuel Loring. Soon after the commence- ment of hostilities he joined the company raised in the town, and was chosen their lieutenant. He served in the campaigns of 1776 and 1777 in the Jerseys.

Col. Jotham Loring was a native of Hingham, though a resident of Duxbury in his latter years. He served in the old French war as a private under the command of Col. Benjamin Lincoln, and was at Fort William Henry when it was taken by Gen. Mont- calnı in 1757. In 1775 he was one of the committee of Hingham chosen to have inspection of the militia, and shortly after received a captain's commission in the regiment of Col. Greaton, in Roxbury; and in June we find him a major in Col. Heath's regiment, and soon after fighting in the ranks on the heights of Bunker's Hill.

Calvin Partridge was colonel of a regiment, and was a man of usefulness in his townl.

Hon. George Partridge was born on the 8th of February, 1740. In 1777 he succeeded Gen. Warren as sheriff of Plymouth County, and held the office with little interruption until 1812.

Dr. John Wadsworth had served in the Canada war as an officer, and on the commencement of the Revolution was a captain of the militia. As a phy-

sician, Dr. Wadsworth was self-taught, and of con- siderable eminence in his profession. He was a man of energy and activity, and retained his physical powers until late in life. He died in 1799, at the advanced age of ninety-two years.

His son, John Wadsworth, a gentleman of excel- lent talents, having completed a collegiate course, graduated at Harvard College in 1762, and was con- sidered a good scholar. He intended to have been a lawyer, but was however chosen a tutor in Harvard University in 1770, and had the reputation of an able logician, and his superior power in metaphysical discussions was universally acknowledged. This office he held during his life, and he was from 1774, as he was the eldest tutor, ex officio a member of the cor- poration.

Deacon Peleg Wadsworth was a brother of the doctor.

Gen. Peleg Wadsworth was a son of Deacon Peleg Wadsworth. He graduated at Harvard College in 1769, and was a brigadier-general during the war of the Revolution.

His son, Alexander Scammel Wadsworth, was sec- ond lieutenant on board the "Constitution," when she captured the " Guerrière." Another son, Henry Wadsworth, became a lieutenant in the navy, and fought under Commodore Preble at the siege of Tripoli.

The following interesting items relating to the church are subjoined :

1638. A. Sampson was presented to the court " for striking and abusing John Washburn, the younger, in the meeting-house on the Lord's day."

1650. Edward Hunt fined for shooting deer on the Sabbath. Abraham Pierce, for idleness and neglect- ing public worship.

1651. Nathaniel Bassett and Jo. Prior were fined twenty shillings each for disturbing the church, and at the next town-meeting or training-day each to be bound to a post for two hours in some public place, with a paper on their heads, with their crime written thereon in capital letters.

1652. James Lindall, at his death, left to the church one cow and one calf. George Russell was fined for not attending church at Namasakeeset in the liberties of Duxbury.

1661. Zoeth Howland was fined ten shillings for breaking the Sabbath.

1666. Edward Land, John Cooper, and John Sim- mons were fincd ten shillings each " for prophane and abusive carriages cach towards the other on Lord's day at the meeting house."

1666. Mr. Samuel Seabury was summoncd before

363

HISTORY OF DUXBURY.

the court to answer to the charge that "hec hath busied himself to scandalise and defame the minnestry of Duxbury."

1667. Nathaniel Soule was brought before the conrt for abnsing Mr. Holmes, " by many false, scan- dulous, and approbuouse speeches," and was sentenced to make a public acknowledgment, to pay a fine of twenty pounds, and to sit in the stocks at the pleasure of the conrt, which last was revoked at the urgent re- quest of Mr. Holmes.

1669. " It is enacted that any person or persons that shall be found smoking of tobacco on the Lord's day, going to or coming from the meetings, within two miles of the meeting-house, shall pay 12 pence for every such default for the Colony's use."

1744-45, March 18. At a meeting of the town on this date, they " voted to choose some persons to take care of their meeting-house, to keep out of it itinerant preachers." Rev. Joseph Croswell, an itin- erant " New Light," frequently preached during the excitement from house to house.

1780, Oct. 15. " Voted that the Psalms should be sung without being read line by line by the great majority."

1784, Feb. 2. The town passed a vote to build a new meeting-house, which was erected the same year, midway between the north and south bound- aries of the town. The building was raised Aug. 12, 1784, and on the 18th June, 1785, it was first occupied for worship. This stood nearly sixty years, when it was torn down to give place to the present edifice on the same site, which was dedicated Oct. 28, 1840.

Christ Church, of Duxbury, was organized in about the year 1632, and the first pastor was Rev. Ralph Partridge, in 1637, who remained until his death, in 1658. He was succeeded by Rev. John Holmes, who also remained until his death, in 1675. The list of pastors from that time to the present is as follows : Rev. Ichabod Wisewall, 1676, till his death, in 1700 ; Rev. John Robinson, 1702-38; Rev. Sam- uel Veazie, 1739-50 ; Rev. Charles Turner, 1754-75 ; Rev. Zedekiah Sanger, 1776-86; Rev. John Allyn, 1786, died July 19, 1833; Rev. Benjamn Kent, col- league to Dr. Allyn, 1826-33 ; Rev. Josiah Moore, 1834, died July 27, 1881, aged eighty years. He did not preach for some time before his death ; the pulpit being supplied by Rev. F. N. Knapp, of Plymouth. Rev. R. D. Burr became pastor in October, 1882, and is the present incumbent.

Pilgrim Church.1-The Pilgrim Congregational

Church was founded in 1844. A series of interesting events, national and local, have to do with the begiu- uings of this society. The anti-slavery agitation was at this time at its height. Everywhere the conscience and heart of the people was being awakened. New England was the stronghold of the lovers of freedom, aud no part of New England was more fully possessed of the spirit than Plymouth County, Mass.

The town of Duxbury was then (from 1840 to 1850) a busy and prosperous place. The visitor of to-day sees little to suggest its old-time thrift. Forty years ago, however, it was a bustling village. Fishing aud various manufactures were active, while the Dux- bury built ships were kuown round the world. The men of Duxbury were fully up to the times in which they lived. One of them in particular, the Hon. Seth Sprague, a man well known throughout the county, and a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was decided and pronounced in his opposition to slavery. He, with others, desired tbat the church should express itself on this questiou. The matter was presented at a local couference. The church was not ready to entertain the question. Mr. Sprague and his friends persisted it was a great prin- ciple, they could not yield it, they could not remain silent. The conference was unwilling to advance, and thus it came about that a large number from the Methodist Episcopal Church of Duxbury withdrew from that body, to found what afterwards became the Pilgrim Congregational Church. A building, largely the gift of Mr. Sprague, was erected in 1844. The church at first was known as Wesleyan Methodist. Under this title it continued to flourish for a consid- erable number of years, when, desiring more of local fellowship, it gave up its independent position and became Congregational. The church has hitherto been served by an able and faithful ministry. The Rev. Isaac Durham became pastor in 1848 and con- tinued till 1858. His ministry was blessed to the enlargement and spiritual upbuilding of the church.

Rev. William Tisdale, Rev. A. P. Burgess, and Rev. W. W. Lyle have also held the pastorate of the church. The present pastor, installed in 1882, is Rev. E. L. Chute. From the beginning this church society has had within its membership men and women who have been warmly devoted to its welfare.

Seldom have stronger local attachments been formed or more of individual labor been given than here. Many, indced most, of these laborers have entered into rest, yet it may be truly said that their spirit survives. The present church edifice, the same as at first, stands upon the summit of a beautiful hill over- looking the bay and the great ocean beyond. The build-

1 By Rev. E. L. Chute.

124

364

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

ing is commodious and pleasant to the sight, a notable feature of the town. The present membership of the church is seventy-six.

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1819, and the church cdifice ereeted in 1823.

The West Duxbury Church was organized in 1831, and the house of worship erected the following year.

The Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized about 1842, and house of worship erected about two years later.

Representatives from 1639 to 1884 .- The first representatives, or deputies as they were then ealled, from this town were chosen June 4, 1639, and were Jonathan Brewster and Edmund Chandler. The list from that time to the present is as follows :

1640. William Basset.

1670. W. Pabodie.

Christopher Wadsworth.

1641-42. John Alden.

J. Brewster.

1683-84. Josiah Standish.

1643. W. Basset.

E. Chandler.

Tho. Besbeeeh.

Benjamin Bartlett, Sr.

1644. Capt. Standish.

J. Brewster.

J. Alden.

W. Basset.

1645. J. Alden.

George Soule.

W. Basset. E. Chandler.

1691-92. Dea. J. Wadsworth. Edw. Southworth.

1693. Edw. Southworth.

1821. Seth Sprague.

1869. (Kingston).

1646. J. Alden.

G. Soule.

1647. J. Alden.

Constant Southworth.

1648. J. Alden. W. Basset.

1649. J. Alden.

1703. Lieut. F. Barker.

1704. Joshua Holmes.

1708. Joshua Holmes.

1709. Samuel Seabury.

1712-13. Capt. John Alden. 1721-22. Capt. J. Alden.

1723-24. Thomas Fish.

1728. Capt. J. Alden.

1731-39. Capt. (styled Col. 1733) J. Alden. 1740. Did not send.

1741-49. Capt. G. Bradford.

1750. Did not send.

1751-56. Col. G. Bradford.

1757. Did not send.

1758-60. Samuel Seabury.

1761-67. Capt. (Maj. 1762) Briggs Alden. 1768-70. Capt. J. Wadsworth. 1771. Did not send.

1772. Capt. J. Wadsworth. 1773. Did not send.

1774-76. George Partridge.

1777. George Partridge.

Dea. Peleg Wadsworth. 1778-79. George Partridge.

1780. G. Partridge.

Jolin Peterson.

1781-82. John Peterson. 1783. Capt. Samuel Loring.

1784. Rev. Z. Sanger. 1785. Calvin Partridge. 1786. Did not send.

1787. Rev. Z. Sanger.

1788. Did not send.

1789-90. Gamaliel Bradford. 1791. Did not send.

1792. Gamaliel Bradford.

1793. Did not send.

1794-96. Maj. Judah Alden.

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 78

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