USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Raynham > History of Raynham, Mass. : from the first settlement to the present time > Part 3
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Lloyd Bowen Hall, (Brown,) 1795.
Elijah Leonard, (Harvard,) pastor, Mansfield. Abiel Williams, (Brown,) 1795, pastor, Dudley.
Abraham Gushee, (Brown,) 1798, pastor, Dighton.
Samuel Wales, (Yale,) professor of divinity.
Samuel King Williams, (Brown,) 1804, lawyer, Boston.
Jonathan Gilmore, (Brown,) 1800, pastor, Maine.
Philo Hortensius Washburn, (Brown,) 1801, lawyer, Maine. John Gilmore Deane, (Brown,) 1806, pastor, Maine.
Melvin Gilmore, (Brown,) 1805.
Silas Hall, (Brown,) 1809, pastor, Taunton.
Eliab Williams, (Brown,) 1821, lawyer, Fall River.
George Leonard, (Brown,) Portland, Maine.
Abiel Williams, (Yale,) 1835, M. D.
Christopher Williams, (Brown.)
Linus Shaw, (Brown,) pastor, Mendon.
Edward Sanford, (Harvard,) M. D., Attleborough.
Enoch Warren Sanford, (Brown,) physician, Brookline.
Elliot Sanford, (Amherst,) 1861, lawyer, N. Y.
Amos Robinson, (Brown,) 1861, pastor.
An account of the educational and intellectual features of Raynham would be imperfect without an allusion to the Lyceum, or debating society, existing thirty years ago. Its organization embraced most of the intelligent residents at the centre, and the active minds of the time participated in its deliberations. During the winter, for many seasons, there were debates upon the topics of the day and objects of literary interest, and once a fortnight a lecture was expected either from gentlemen at home or from abroad. Hon. Francis Bay- lies, of Taunton, sometimes read an address, or the audience listened to an essay from William P. Doggett, the talented son of Rev. Simeon Doggett.
Mr. Eli K. Washburn, distinguished for sound sense and a clear understanding, frequently spoke. Once or more Joseph Dixon, chemist and necromancer, then of Taunton, lectured before the Lyceum, and the neighboring clergy were nearly
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MECHANICAL PURSUITS.
all heard. The meetings of the association were originally held in the hall which formerly stood where John A. Hall's house is now built. The hall was in the second story, curiously frescoed in the style of the day. When the house to which it was attached was taken down, the hall was removed to the rear of the premises where it is still standing.
After the town house was built, the Lyceum held its sessions there, and divided with the singing schools the social interest of the winter. A well selected library of standard books belonged to the organization.
The clergy of Raynham have uniformly been active in pro- moting secular instruction. Scholarly men themselves, they have sought to diffuse knowledge by their influence and example. Several of them have devoted leisure time to the instruction of young men who wished to pursue advanced studies in mathematics and languages, and their care for the public schools has been unremitting. For a third of a cen- tury, Mr. Sanford, in conjunction with other efficient gentle- men, devoted constant attention to the improvement of the common schools.
CARPENTERS AND BUILDERS.
The second meeting house was planned and built by Israel Washburn, who lived at the east end of Pleasant street. Benaiah Dean was a noted house builder. Jedediah Leach built a house annually, for nearly twenty years. Elisha Free- man, Lyman Wilbur, Pythagoras Dean, Oliver K. Wilbur and William Wilbur, have erected factories, mills and dwellings.
IRON WORKERS.
Alexander Bradford and Peleg Cook were in the forge forty years, and have made valuable improvements in the manufacture of anchors.
Capt. Ziba Wilbur pursued blacksmithing thirty-five years. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and, for seven years, select- man. Sylvanus Makepeace carries on blacksmithing and car- riage work.
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HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
TRADES.
There were formerly two tanners in town. One of them, Capt. Abraham Hathaway, a soldier of the Revolution and a promi- nent man, lived to ninety years. The other tanner was Capt. Reuben Hall, who lived where the house of his grandson, John A. Hall, now stands. Capt. Hall's son, Ellis, inherited his father's tannery, farm and mills. He was, for a long time, a director, and, for several years, president of the Taunton Bank. Brick were made by Capt. Barzillai King.
FIRES.
Oliver S. Wilbur lost mills valued at $6,000, and soon after a barn, full of hay, two horses and mowing machine. J. H. Britton's store was burned with a loss of $8,000. Also, stores of Mr. Hanscome, Sylvanus Makepeace, the houses of Joseph Deane, Asaph Tracy, James Leonard, and the barns of Ziba Wilbur, William Robinson and Col. W. Lincoln. Alvan Dean's house was struck by lightning and consumed. Orin Dean and Alison Field also lost houses by fire. The largest fire was that of the Old Colony Shovel Works.
STORES.
Nehemiah Jones kept a variety store, for many years, at the centre. He was also postmaster. Abisha Lincoln traded at the north end. Sylvanus Makepeace, at Prattville; Hanscome and Samuel Robinson, at Gilmoreville ; and Theodore King and Edward Wilbur, at the centre. Richard Leonard, post- master, was associated with King and Wilbur. At the south end were David Dean and Chauncy G. Washburn ; at the east, Silas Shaw.
PHYSICIANS.
Early in the century Dr. Seth Washburn practiced to some extent. Dr. Walker came here in 1815, and acquired an extensive business, which he was obliged, before long, to aban- don on account of ill health. In 1820, Elisha Hayward, of Easton, a graduate of Brown University, in the class of 1817,
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CIVIL OFFICERS.
commenced practice. He studied medicine at New Haven, under the famous Dr. Smith, and acquired an excellent medi- cal education.
He soon had a good practice, extending into the neighboring towns. His personal characteristics were strict integrity, kind- ness of heart and devotion to the interests of his patients. He was unselfish in the discharge of his duties, thinking more of the well-being of others, than of his own advantage. With an individuality peculiarly his own,-with no ambition beyond his business, farm and home,-he was nevertheless a faithful practitioner, respected for his steadiness of purpose, and re- garded by a large circle of patients as their firm friend and reliable adviser. He died in 1868, at the age of seventy-four, and Rev. Mr. Sanford pronounced his eulogy.
Gaius Dean, M. D., resided in this town, for several years, towards the close of his life, which had been principally spent in Virginia, where he had a lucrative practice. He was a native of Taunton, son of Deacon Ebenezer Dean, and a grad- uate of Brown University, in the class of 1795. As his health became infirm, he removed to this town with his chil- dren, and resided near his sister, Mrs. Abraham Gushee. His motto was " Miser miseris succurrare disco"-Infirm myself, I learn to succor the miserable. His only surviving son occu- pies the farm of the former high sheriff, Horatio Leonard, where his improved methods of cultivation demonstrate the value of scientific agriculture, applied with intelligence and capital.
LONG LIFE.
Two persons have lived beyond a hundred years. Mrs. Abigail Leonard, wife of Col. Zephanias Leonard, and Mrs. Lydia Snow, whose home was with Miss Hannah Jones, near the forge. Few epidemics have prevailed, and the general con- dition of the town is favorable to longevity.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Jonathan Shaw, at the north end, was an acting justice for many years. He was a firm supporter of law and order, and
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HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
criminals received their deserts at his hands. Capt. Samuel Wilbur was a justice and deputy sheriff, and, once, a member of the Legislature.
Nathaniel Britton, a justice, sometimes solemnized marriages. Seth Dean Wilbur, in addition to his duties as a justice, is much engaged in the settlement of estates, drawing legal instruments and wills.
At the center, Nehemiah Jones was a justice of the peace ; also, Amos Hall, E. B. Dean, Ellis Hall and Hon. Josiah Dean. At the south part of the town, Godfrey Rob- inson has long held the commission of the peace.
HIGH SHERIFFS.
Col. Zephaniah Leonard was high sheriff of the county, about thirty years. His son, Horatio Leonard, succeeded him, and held the office thirty-five years.
MANUFACTORIES.
The anchor forge was originally built for the extraction of iron from the ore, and for the manufacture of the numerous articles in iron needed by a young colony. Cart tires, chim- ney cranes, andirons, hooks, spikes, nails, axes, chains, plough- shares and bolts were among the various products. It was conducted for many years by Hon. Josiah Dean, and the iron work for his ship building was wrought there. William Byram was his foreman. E. B. Dean, son of Josiah, inherited it, and it is now conducted by Theodore Dean, and wholly devoted to the manufacture of anchors.
The Raynham Furnace, now discontinued, formerly stood on a branch of Two-mile river. It was owned by Israel Wash- burn, who manufactured hollow ware. A grist mill has long stood on the same dam. Of late years, G. W. King has manu- factured nails and shovels there, adding a steam engine for increased power. About 1840, a freshet burst the dam and destroyed the works. They were restored, and burned in 1846, and again re-erected.
At the same place, the Raynham Tack Company had exten-
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MANUFACTURES.
sive works, which were consumed in 1868. They have been rebuilt by Robinson, Rounds & Co. On the west branch of Two-mile river, Emery S. Wilbur has a saw and grist mill. On its east branch, are the mills of Oliver S. Wilbur, burned in 1866, and rebuilt. On the next dam below, are the saw mills of John Tracy. At the centre, are the saw, shingle and grist mills, long owned by Ellis Hall. The head of water is twelve feet and the capacity of the pond large. In 1869, D. G. Williams and W. O. Snow bought the estate, and are erecting a new manufactory. At the mouth of Two-mile river, there are works for the manufacture of wrought iron nails, by machinery, owned by Martin G. Wil- liams. At the same place, there is a saw mill and a rapidly running grist mill driven by a turbine wheel. At the north, Bradford D. Snow had a shop run by steam, recently burned. At Squawbetty, Jahaziah S. King has carried on, for a long time, the manufacture of nails, shovels and hay-forks.
At Squawbetty, lying on both sides of Taunton river, partly in Taunton and partly in Raynham, are the Old Colony Iron Works. They cover four acres of ground, and employ seven hundred workmen. Railroad tracks run through the works, and a steam tug brings freight up the river, entering the shops, by a lock and canal. The water power is not excelled in the county, except at Fall River. The dam was first erected sixty years ago, by Stephen King. Successive increase has brought the works to their present extensive proportions. Ten chimneys, seventy feet high, show where the iron is heated, to be rolled into bars, plates and rods. The power of the rolling mill is enormous ; its balance wheel is thirty-five feet in diameter. Iron wirc, nails and shovels are produced in large quantities. A single machine, of which there are hundreds, will make three nails per second. August 15, 1869, the shovel shop, three hundred feet long, in which there were a hundred dozen shovels in process of manufacture, was burned, entailing a loss of $150,000-one-half insured. It was rebuilt in 1870.
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HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
SHOE FACTORIES.
This branch of business was introduced thirty years ago by Cassander and Henry T. Gilmore. After the death of his bro- ther, Cassander ereeted a large factory on the west side of the Blue Hill turnpike, where improved machinery for eutting, peg- ging, sewing, binding and eye-letting, driven by steam power, is in operation. Another factory, near the eenter, is owned by A. B. Keith. A third shop for similar work, owned by William O. Snow, stands on Pleasant street. The work of making shoes was formerly carried on in isolated shops, where a few persons conducted the whole process by hand. Machinery and orga- nized labor have superseded the old method.
TOPOGRAPHY.
The surface of the town inelines towards the south, as shown by the streams of water running in that direction.
Taunton river is the natural boundary of the town, on the southerly side, except for a short distance, where two farms lying on the other side, are included in Raynham. Smooth Hill, in the east, and Steep Hill, in the west, are the principal elevations. The classic fields of Tearall, as their name implies, are not smooth and level.
Roeks are abundant in the east ; the eenter is better adapted for tillage. The best soil is found in the farms bordering upon Taunton river. A portion of the town is covered with pine, oak and cedar forests. Its northern boundaries are Hokamoek swamp and Nipinickit pond. The Fowling pond lies on the west side. Formerly, it was much larger than at present. It is surrounded by cedar forests and eranberry meadows. The Indian King Philip, with his warriors, attracted by the game, used to have a hunting lodge on its borders. It was famous for its wild ducks and geese.
The town consists mainly of five villages, separated by intervals of farming land. At Gilmoretown, near the depot of the Old Colony railroad, there are forty or fifty houses.
Prattville is a mile south, where a prosperous village has
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PUBLIC WORKS, ETC.
arisen. Squawbetty is the principal center of iron manufac- tures, conducted under the agency of Charles and Enoch Robinson, and their sons. At the south, there is another vil- lage about the Baptist church, where there are some of the best farms in the town.
The fifth village is the center, containing two churches, post office, store and numerous inhabitants and their dwellings.
CEMETERIES. 1137018
There are four of these, where the dust of six generations reposes. The first three pastors lie in the central cemetery, and there Rev. Simeon Doggett is interred. This burial place on Pleasant street is well inclosed and planted with trees. Within it are many well executed monuments commemora- tive of the dead. This cemetery has received much care and attention in the way of preservation and embellishment.
BRIDGES.
Beside the minor bridges spanning the numerous streams, there are two larger one over Taunton River. Robinson's bridge is maintained wholly by this town; the bridge at Squawbetty is jointly sustained by Raynham and Taunton. They are both of wood.
PARSONAGE.
The parsonage house of the First Society was originally built by Amariah Hall, and bought of Hon. Josiah Dean, during the ministry of Mr. Hull. It was erected in 1761, and used for a tavern during the revolution. The house is two stories high, large chimney in the center, two rooms wide on the front, and nearly square in form. Two large buttonwood or sycamore trees formerly stood on the west side. The disease, which everywhere prevailed among but- tonwoods, affected these trees, impairing their vitality, and they were cut down in 1840. The fine honey locust (Gledits- chia triacanthus) was brought from the place of Professor Drown, in Foster, R. I., by Rev. Mr. Sanford, when the tree
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HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
was not larger than the thumb. Rev. Mr. Hull built the por- tico before the house ; and the front fence was built by Mr. San- ford, who occupied the place twenty years, until he removed into his own house.
FISHERIES.
The fisheries of Taunton river have always been valuable to the towns bordering upon it. Each town is allowed, by the statutes, to have two seines, and the privilege of fishing is usually sold to the highest bidder, for about $150 annually.
The fish ascend the river in the Spring, seeking the ponds at the head waters for breeding places. At Squawbetty, the herring way, an opening in the dam established by law, is an inclined plane, down which the water rushes with great force. Notwithstanding the obstruction, the fish make their way up to the shallow ponds. The number of eggs which each her- ring spawn is estimated at 750,000, constituting about one- third of the weight of the fish.
HOUSES.
The style of building, a century ago, varied much from the present modes. The best dwellings were framed from oak, nothing less durable being thought sufficient, and home-grown pine afforded covering and finish. The primitive growth of cedar supplied the best of shingles, which were sawed by the numerous mills in town. The houses were all low in the stories, with small windows and projecting beams. The pent roof usually sloped nearly to the ground in the rear. A mammoth chimney in the center occupied the space denied to hall and stairs. The monstrous fire-places, which would burn cord-wood, into which a man could walk erect, were famous for roasting beef, smoking bacon, and affording super- fluous ventilation. It was the style of those days to build small cellars from which the light was excluded.
THE LEONARD HOUSE
formerly stood near the forge, and was probably erected about 1670. A vane upon one of the gables bears a later date. The
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THE LEONARD HOUSE.
following interesting account of the house is from Dr. Fobes's history of Raynham, published in 1793 :-
" In the cellar was deposited, for a considerable time, the head of King Philip ; for it seems that even Philip shared the fate of kings; he was decollated, and his head carried about, and shown by one Alderman, the Indian who shot him.
" There is yet in being an ancient case of drawers which stood in the house, upon which the deep scars and mangled impressions of Indian hatchets are now visible. Under the door steps of the same house lie buried the bones of two young women, who, in their flight here, were shot by the Indians ; but more fortunate was the flight of Uriah Leonard, who, as he was riding from Taunton, was fired upon by the Indians. But he swung his hat around, which started his horse in full canter ; he reached the dam without a wound, but bullets passed through the hat, and the neck of the horse he rode. While Deacon Nathaniel Williams was at work, with some others in the fields on the south side of the road, about half a mile from the forge, one of the number discovered a motion in the bushes, at a little distance ; he immediately pre- sented his gun and fired, upon which the Indians were heard to cry, 'Cocoosh !' and ran off; but soon after, one of the Indians was found dead, near the Fowling pond."
It may be added, that the Leonard house was demolished about thirty years ago. The principal portion was taken down. A part of it was converted into a farm building, and another portion removed a short distance northerly, from its original site, became a cottage, which is still standing. The house, in its original form, had at least five gables, a projecting front, and a narrow wing on the north side. A tolerably cor- rect picture of the ancient mansion may be found in Barker's Historical Collections.
Between the dwellings of the year 1700 and the houses of to-day, the contrast is as great as in the other material improve- ments which have supervened upon the early era and the unskilled methods of that period.
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HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
In the former time, if the roof kept out a part of the rain and if the walls broke the wind without intercepting it stolera- bly free entrance, the house was pronounced comfortable, and a fit dwelling for large land-owners and worthy men. The candles would flare on the table from the wind through the chinks, but the open seams maintained a healthy atmosphere within. The chairs were often of rude construction, and the house furniture of the most primitive kind. The tables were set with pewter or sparingly furnished with Delft ware, and the food was plain and coarse. In the older houses the sashes were of lead with diamond-shaped panes. Neither the inside or outside of the house received painting, and carpets were unknown.
Bishop Hall says-
" Look to the towered chimneys, which should be The wind pipes of good hospitalitie."
Originally, they were built of stone, but they were essential characteristics of a human habitation, and distinguished it from other buildings.
Dr. Holmes's description of the early Puritan's house was often literally true :-
" His home was a freezing cabin, Too poor for a hungry rat; The roof was thatched with ragged grass, And bad enough at that. The hole that served for a window Was glazed with an ancient hat, And the ice was gently thawing From the log on which he sat."
At present, good finish, paint and embellishment are the order of construction in dwellings. In every section of the town there are well-built, commodious houses, some of them erected at considerable expense. The introduction of manu- factures has promoted the growth of a class of neat cottages, built by the thrift of workmen in the various shops. At Gil-
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REVOLUTIONARY RECORDS.
moreville, at Squawbetty, and in the vicinity of the mills erected by Mr. G. W. King, the increase has been rapid.
HON. JOSIAH DEAN
was a member of the tenth Congress, elected about 1808. He lived near the church, in an ample house still standing. He owned and improved the Forge now possessed by his grandson, Theodore Dean, and was a man of energy and enterprise, em- ploying many persons in farming, ship building and iron manufacturing.
In 1806, he built a vessel of 150 tons, at Williams's landing on Taunton river, and floated it on empty hogsheads to deep water. He had a blast furnace near the center, for casting anvils, power hammers and heavy machinery, and his intelli- gence, enterprise and public spirit, commanded general respect and consideration.
REVOLUTIONARY RECORDS.
August 5, 1774. The town voted £1, 4s., 6d., to pay its proportion towards defraying the expenses of the Continental Congress.
July 18, 1775. The town directed the purchase of ten guns.
November 20. Voted £20 to Lieutenant Benjamin King for services as delegate to Provincial Congress. Zephania Leonard, Joseph Shaw and Seth Jones were chosen as commit. tee to manufacture saltpetre.
March 4, 1776. Israel Washburn, Joshua Leonard, Benja- min King and Elijah Leonard were chosen a committee of safety.
Voted. That every person, from 16 and upwards, except those whom the committee shall see fit to exempt, contribute ten pounds each for a fund from which to pay soldiers.
Ebenezer King and Captain John King were drawn jurors, for the trial of tories, at a special term of court at Taunton.
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HISTORY OF RAYNHAM, MASS.
July 29, 1778. Voted, to levy a tax upon the produce of the town to pay six Continental soldiers for nine months service. July 25, 1779. Voted, To raise one hundred and eleven pounds, to pay for soldiers' shirts, shoes and stockings.
Josiah Dean was chosen delegate to convention at Concord.
November 15. Voted, £407, 11s., for the committee to expend in hiring soldiers for the public service, and procuring blankets.
July 7. Made appropriation for six additional Continental soldiers.
In 1778, the town raised $35,416 (depreciated currency), for paying soldiers, and $24,000 to purchase six thousand pounds of beef.
September 27. Voted, to buy 11,523 pounds of beef, at £3, 11s. per hundred in new emission currency, or in old currency, at equitable exchange.
In 1781, a bounty of one hundred hard dollars, was offered, annually, to all the men who would enlist for three years.
Voted, To assess the town £80, in hard money, to pay for beef, called for by the General Court. Also, one hundred and eighty-five hard dollars, to pay three soldiers, enlisted for five months, to serve in Rhode Island, and fifteen dollars a month, for the three men enlisted to serve in New York.
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
It appears that the quotas of Raynham, paid for by the town, were principally from other places.
The following named citizens of the town, served in person :
Capt. Abraham Hathaway, Seth Dean,
Elijah Gushee,
Joseph Shaw,
Gaius King,
George King,
Job Hall,
Solomon Leonard,
Benjamin Cane,
Stephen Williams,
Chaplain, Perez Fobes.
These are but a part of the men, from the town, who belonged to the Continental Army of the Revolution.
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SOLDIERS OF THE REVOLUTION.
Mr. Seth Dean volunteered as a soldier at the age of seven- teen, when the British force occupied Boston. Mr. Joseph Shaw and other young men of this town were enrolled with him in a company, of which John King was Captain, and Noah Hall, Lieutenant. Seth Dean was thus in the first campaign of the war, and went into the army then assembled around Boston, under command of Washington, whose head- quarters were in Cambridge. He then served during a term of eight months.
He was on Boston Neck when Bunker Hill battle was fought, June 17, 1775, and saw the burning of Charlestown. During that battle, and on several successive days, cannon balls were flying over the Neck, where he was stationed.
Returning home in January, he enjoyed repose but a few weeks, for in the inclement month of February, 1776, he returned again to the army and served two months at Cam- bridge, Winter Hill and Dorchester Heights.
Mr. Dean was with the troops when the British evacuated Boston. The cannonading commenced in the town at twelve o'clock at night, and created much alarm among our people. At daylight, he saw the British go on board their ships, and leave the harbor. This was a day of rejoicing. Then Washington marched in his forces, and took possession of the town.
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