USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Spencer > History of Spencer, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year 1860: including a brief sketch of Leicester, to the year 1753 > Part 5
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September 4. The town assembled for the first time un- der the new constitution, for the election of State officers, to serve until the next May. The whole number of votes was 69, all of which were for the Hon. John Hancock. The next October, John Bisco, Esq. was elected a representative, to serve until the next May.
Agreeable to an order of the General Court, the town authorized the selectmen to hire money to purchase cloth- ing and blankets for the soldiers, then out in the army. Forty-eight thousand four hundred and fifty-six pounds was raised to pay the soldiers who were then in the service, some for six and some for three months.
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October 17. The town was called together again to de- vise means to pay for beef for the army, and the sum of twelve thousand pounds was raised for that purpose ; also, the sum of three thousand five hundred and sixty-five pounds, to provide horses for the use of the army. December 28. Another town meeting was held, on a requisition of the General Court, to provide 13,874 lbs. of beef for the soldiers. The town voted to provide the beef, and raised four hundred and sixty-seven pounds to pay for it ; also the sum of three thousand and fifty pounds to hire fourteen men to serve for three years in the continental army. The whole amount paid into the treasury this year, for various purposes, was £88,633 9s. It would be difficult at this time to ascertain how much this would amount to, in the present currency. It is probable, however, it was not less than four thousand dollars.
1781 was a dark period in the American history. The Brit- ish arms were almost every where successful ; Lord Cornwallis was overrunning the Southern States, with but feeble oppo- sition; the resources of the country were exhausted, and pa- per money was so depreciated as to become nearly worthless. In this critical period, the town was again called upon to furnish more men and beef for the public service. In the warrant for calling the meeting, June 20, they say, " Where- as, filling up and supplying the continental army is of the utmost importance at this critical time, and the town being in danger of having executions sent upon it, both for their deficiencies in men and beef, and at present nothing will procure said men and beef, but hard money. Therefore &c." They, however, voted to comply with the requisition, and raised the sum of four hundred and sixteen pounds, hard money, for said purposes, and chose a committee to hire the money.
July 23. The town was further called upon to furnish more soldiers, some to go to " head quarters" for three
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months, and others to go to Rhode Island for five months, and also for more beef for the army. They chose a com- mittee to hire the soldiers, and voted the sum of one hun- dred and twenty pounds, hard money, to pay for the beef. At a subsequent meeting, September 6, two hundred pounds, hard money, was voted for paying the soldiers. The assess- ors had made out lists of taxes for a part of the sums grant- ed by the town, graduated upon the scale of the paper cur- rency, and committed them to the collectors. The town or- dered the tax bills to be returned, and that the same, together with the additional sums, newly granted, be reduced to hard money currency, by the assessors, in new tax bills. The two last requisitions of beef from this town, amounting to 7090 lbs., was furnished alive, the animals being driven to the agent.
This year closed brilliantly, by the surrender of Cornwal- lis and his army to the combined arms of France and America, which diffused great joy throughout the united colonies, as the bright harbinger of peace, which was con- cluded in 1783.
Although the war was virtually closed, yet the army could not safely be disbanded until the treaty of peace was actual- ly concluded and signed by all the belligerant parties. The town was called upon in March, 1782, for their quota of soldiers, to enlist for the term of three years, which was the last requisition made upon the town, specifically, until the army was disbanded.
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SHAY'S INSURRECTION.
Judge Minot and others, who have written the history of the insurrection in Massachusetts in 1786, have represented the actors as abandoned criminals, without one redeeming good quality ; their chief motive, instead of seeking a redress of grievances, being to overthrow all orders of government, and bring Massachusetts into a state of anarchy and confusion. Although this revolt may not be justified, yet, if impartial- ly considered, there will be found some causes of palliation. Insurrections are dangerous movements, and are not to be encouraged ; but their characters are often judged by their results. If successful, they are pronounced justifiable and praiseworthy, but if unsuccessful, they are condemned. The people had just passed through one revolution-they had re- volted against what had been admitted to be their lawful government, but they were successful. They were honored -- they were patriots. It is said " oppression will make a wise man mad," and the people felt themselves oppressed, al- most " beyond measure."
The government and the people of Massachusetts had de- voted all their moral and physical powers in the cause of the revolution, and at its close found their resources exhausted, and both government and people loaded with an enormous weight of public and private debts. Paper money, which was nearly the whole currency, had depreciated until it was of no value, and credit was nearly as low as paper money. The chief creditors of the State were its own citizens. Some of them had advanced money, and were bona fide creditors ; others, and some of these were government officials, had pur- chased " State securities" and " soldier's certificates," at less than one-eighth of their nominal value, and these could have afforded to wait a little longer, and all these creditors were pressing the government for payment. The legislature, be-
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ing thus plied, unwisely yielded, and enormous taxes were imposed upon the people.
As early as 1782, signs of discontent began to be visible, which were soon followed by open complaints and loud mur- murs. As the good people of this town experienced their share of the general pressure, they naturally united in the general discontent. The legislature had passed an act for making a general valuation of the taxable property of the people, and another act, levying an excise or duty upon sev- eral articles of trade. This last act produced dissatisfaction, and was thought to interfere with their rights and privi- leges ; were unequal and unjust. A remonstrance was sent to John Bisco, Esq., their representative, to present to the General Court, requesting the act to be repealed, or other- wise " redress grievances too palpable to be denied, and too great to be borne."
A circular was sent to the several towns in the county of Worcester, requesting them to send delegates to a conven- tion to be held at Worcester, " to take into consideration the many grievances the good people of this Commonwealth la- bor under." The town chose Mr. Isaac Jenks a delegate to attend said convention. They met on the 14th of April, and again, by adjournment, in May of the same year. The con- vention reported a list of grievances, which were sent to the several towns. Mr. Jenks was chosen representative, and he was instructed to urge upon the General Court the adoption, generally, of the articles of reform recommended by the convention. He was also instructed to procure laws to be passed, that no suit should be commenced without previous- ly giving notice to the debtor ; that State notes and certifi- cates be made a tender for all debts on executions ; that all property attached for debt, whether real or personal, should be appraised to the creditor, to satisfy his debt, &c. In 1784, the town was indebted to the State for two years' delinquent taxes, and executions were issued against all the constables 6*
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for the same. Another circular was received from Willis Hall, moderator of a town meeting in Sutton, recommend- ing another convention to be holden at Worcester, March 16th, 1784. A town meeting was called, and Deacon Oliver Watson was chosen delegate. This convention, also, report- ed a list of grievances, one of which was, that the impost was granted to Congress for twenty-five years. This report was laid before the town by their delegate. The town ap- proved of it, and instructed their representative to lay the same before the General Court. The pressure now became exceedingly heavy, and the prospect appeared ominous. A large State tax was laid to meet a requisition from Congress, and the town was still in arrears for past taxes.
In this situation, a town meeting was called November 9, 1785, and the town voted to send a petition to the General Court, asking for a redress of grievances. In this petition they say, among other things, that the town is deeply in debt for hiring soldiers and procuring beef for the army, private contracts pressing, no cash, property sold for less than half of its value on execution, &c., and they pray that a bank of paper money may be established, or that property may be made a tender for payment of debts.
June 8, 1786, a special town meeting was called to see if the town will take into consideration the present distress of the people of this commonwealth, occasioned " for want of a circulating medium to satisfy the demands now called for." At this meeting a committee was chosen, and directed to send circulars to other towns in the county for another con- vention, to reconsider the "present distresses, &c." This committee, consisting of Deacon Oliver Watson, Capt. Joshua Draper, Asa Sprague, John Sumner, and Benjamin Bemis, jun., notified a convention to be holden at Leicester, June 26, 1786. Mr. John Sumner was chosen a delegate. Dele- gates from seventeen towns only met, and they adjourned to August 15th. In the mean time another town meeting was
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called, and Col. Benjamin Bemis was chosen as additional delegate; the delegates were instructed to use their best endeavors to obtain " a bank of paper money, gc." But the legislature, undoubtedly, did wisely by denying their request. Another town meeting was called to petition the General Court for a bank, &c. They also voted to send a petition to the Court of Common Pleas, to adjourn all suits from June to September, without giving judgment in any case. The town approved of the doings of the last convention, who re- ported a farther list of grievances, one of which was, the ex- istence of the judicial courts. The town had previously voted to pawn their " state securities " for money to discharge ex- ecutions from the state against the town.
The public mind now became highly inflamed, and the voice of discontent was raised to the highest pitch, and a large majority of the inhabitants of the town were united in sentiment and action with the malcontents. Some of the causes of complaint with the people were, the high salaries of public officers ; the fees of lawyers and sheriffs ; the fre- quent suits at law, and the consequent costs of court ; and these salaries and fees were, no doubt, disproportionate, com- pared with the situation of the times, and must have added, not a little, to the distresses of the people. In spite however, of the petitions, the remonstrances, the clamors, and the threats of the people, the courts continued to entertain all actions for the recovery of debts, and to issue executions as usual. William Lincoln, Esq., in his History of Worcester, states that, in 1784, more than two thousand actions were entered in the county of Worcester, then having a population of less than 50,000, and that in 1785, about 1700. Lands and goods were seized and sacrificed on sale when the gener- al difficulties drove away purchasers. The writer of this work has some recollection of the passing events of that pe- riod, and attests, that in this relation of those times, no exaggeration is made, and that it would be utterly impossi-
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ble for the present generation to realize or have an adequate idea of the real situation of things at that time.
By the multiplicity of suits and the costs arising thereon, the courts had become so odious to the people of Spencer, that they presented the extraordinary petition to the legis- lature, praying that the " courts may be abolished," declaring that they " conceived their existence to be a great and unnecessa- ry burthen upon the people.""
As the courts declined suspending judgments and execu- tions on suits for the collection of debts, the malcontents formed the rash and desperate resolution of taking the law into their own hands, to stop the sittings of the courts, by force and violence, and thus prevent the issuing of exe- cutions.
Accordingly, at the time of the session of the Court of Common Pleas at Worcester, September 1786, considerable numbers of the people from most of the towns in the county assembled at Worcester, consisting of about 400 men, and about one-half of them armed. They succeeded in prevent- ing the sitting of the court; no business was done, and the court adjourned and continued all actions to the term in December.
In December, the rising of the people became more gener- al. Armed companies from Ward, Holden, Spencer, Rut- land, Barre, Petersham, Paxton, Grafton, and other towns, marched in hostile array to Worcester. Detachments from Shrewsbury, Hardwick, Princeton, Hubbardston, Leicester, and other towns joined them, and the whole number, armed and unarmed, probably exceeded 2000 men, all either en-
" At this time it is said that the offices of Levi Lincoln, senior, of Wor- cester, Dwight Foster of Brookfield, and John Sprague of Lancaster, they be- ing the principal lawyers in the county, were thronged every day with suit- ors, and presented the appearance of some public day, when there is a gath- ering of the people, the door yards of their offices, and adjoining fences, being lined with the horses and carriages of unfortunate debtors, and not much less unfortunate creditors.
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gaged, or actively aiding and abetting the insurgents. The company that went from this town, was armed and equipped with powder and ball, ready to do the deadly work, if neces- sary. In this company were several veterans of the revolu- tion, who still undoubtedly felt they were engaged in defence of their liberties. The court was again overawed, and again adjourned without doing any business, agreeable to the direc- tion of the General Court, to the 23d day of January, 1787, at which time Governor Bowdoin sent on armed forces to pro- tect the sitting of the court, and they proceeded unmolested to transact the usual business.
During the winter, however, parties of the insurgents, under the command of Shays, Wheeler, Day and other leaders, traversed various parts of this and other western counties, to overawe the peaceable and loyal inhabitants of the state. For this purpose, a company of about 200 insur- gents assembled at New Braintree, on the second day of February, one of whom was David May of this town. About twenty horsemen and 150 infantry in sleighs were sent to dislodge them. They were fired upon by the insur- gents, and Doct. David Young and another person were wounded. Young afterwards commenced an action against May, and recovered large damages, which exhausted all his property in satisfying, so that he was obliged to sell his farm, and remove to the state of Vermont, where he died, not long since. The insurrection was finally quelled with but little bloodshed. Two or three commissioned officers of the militia in this town were temporarily disqualified, and all who arose treasonably against government were ordered to take the oath of allegiance before John Bisco, Esq., and surrender their fire arms to his keeping during the pleasure of government.
Many of the insurgents were imprisoned in different parts of the commonwealth, and this town petitioned Gov- ernor Bowdoin that they might be pardoned and set at
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liberty. They also sent a petition to the General Court to pass a general act of indemnity, and suspend the action of the courts until after the election. The motive which prompted this petition, though then very apparent, may not now be understood without some explanation. Governor Bowdoin was then in the chair of state, and was supposed to have been, in some measure, accountable for those unpopular acts of the General Court; he had ordered out the troops, although no more than his imperious duty, to quell the insur- rection, and he was thought to be inclined to severe meas- ures in further dealing with them. Governor Hancock, on the contrary, was known to be favorable to a more lenient policy, and was, also, a favorite of the people. They were both candidates for the gubernatorial chair for the election then close at hand. Hence the petition for delay.
The day of election came, and Governor Bowdoin was su- perseded by Governor Hancock by a large majority. The votes in this town were, for John Hancock 87, for James Bowdoin 7, a true index of the numbers and feelings of the parties.º
Henry Gale of Princeton, one of the leaders of the insur- gents, was tried for high treason and sentenced to be execu- ted. A special town meeting was called, and a petition was sent to Governor Hancock for his pardon ; other towns also sent in petitions for the same. He was brought out to the gallows for execution, where he was reprieved, and afterwards pardoned by the Governor.
During the reign of terror, when the law was almost prostrate, and the arm of government paralyzed, Abijah Livermore and six other of the inhabitants of Spencer, broke open the town's magazine and took away the entire stock of
" James Hathaway was elected representative this year. A committee was appointed to draft instructions for him. In commencing their in- structions, they say, " It is a day of public distress and trouble, and dark clouds hang over this commonwealth."
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powder, balls, &c. After peace was restored, and the law once more triumphant, Mr. Livermore and three of his com- panions made a humble confession to the town, which now appears on their records, and no further notice was taken of the matter.
For a few years, an alienation in the feelings of the peo- ple towards each other was visible, and predominated in all elections and common intercourse of society, but it gradual- ly disappeared, the parties became reconciled to each other, and peace and harmony prevailed ; and the effects of this quasi war are now among the things lost and forgotten.
Having given an account of the first settlement of Spen- cer, and its incorporation as a town, passed through the rev- olution with its attendant poverty, misery and distress, and the insurrection of Shays, which immediately followed ; in fine, having brought the history, or rather the annals of the town"to 1788, I shall suspend further details, while I endeavor to give a description of its appearance at that time ; the habits and manners of the people, their occupations, morals, amusements, and mode of living. And in this des- cription, I do not mean to be understood as representing this as being particularly singular from other places, but with few exceptions, as a fair specimen, with but little vari- ation, for New England in general. As nearly three-fourths of a century has past away "with the years beyond the flood," and with it all the inhabitants who occupied our present places ; it may be useful to the present generation, that they may be enabled to compare and appreciate their own pleas- ant places, habitations and circumstances, with the poverty, disadvantages and hardships of their fathers.
The highways were then intolerable. The great Post Road, by far the best in the country, and which has since received so many straightenings and levellings, was then so rough and hilly, that it was only competent for a team of
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four horses to transport the weight of one ton to Boston, and return with the same weight, in one week. Now, the same team, if necessary, could easily transport thrice the amount of weight, over the same road, within half the time. Our town roads were mere single tracks, just wide enough for the passage of a pair of wheels, and without any turnouts; for the chief instruments in repairing the roads, were the cart and the iron bar ; the plough, now considered indispensable on the highway, was then never used for that purpose; and what rocks could not be removed with iron bars alone, stood their ground, in whatever part of the road they happened to be located, bidding defiance to the horses' hoofs or the wheels of the carriages ; for the use of gunpowder in removing rocks was then unpractised, and hardly known.
It is probable that not more than two thirds of the land was under cultivation, the other third being in its primeval state. The dwelling houses were mostly of one story in height, and not half a dozen in town were painted. As for a chaise or other pleasure carriage, there were not more than one or two in town, and the only locomotive to trans- port a family to meeting, was a horse, saddle and pillion. With this accommodation, the good man, on a Sunday morn- ing, would mount the saddle, taking a little one before him, and his wife on the pillion behind, and trudge along five miles to meeting without a murmur ; while his barefooted children in their homespun, would walk cheerfully the same distance. During the interval between the services, the young lads and lasses, with cheerful countenances and sparkling eyes, were collected in the gallery pews, engaged in happy conversation ; the old ladies in groups below, were no less engaged, in low, murmuring voices, scarce above a whisper ; while the old men, in companies, sat upon the grass under the shade of trees, which then grew on the com- mon, were discoursing of the sermon and hard times, while munching their bread and cheese. That part of the public
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common west of the meeting house, was then limited to a space of about five or six rods square, and on this small spot was located the town's pound, seven or eight horse stables, the town stocks, and a fixture somewhat resembling a public stage or rostrum, but now obsolete, and in common parlance called a horse-block. A similar structure stood at the east end of the meeting house. At the close of the religious ser- vices, and after the town clerk had made proclamation in a loud voice to the retiring congregation, of those who were about to enter the state of matrimony ; then might be seen, standing erect on those fixtures, the ancient dames and the young damsels, awaiting their turns to vault upon their saddles or pillions, while the shrill neighings of the numerous young colts in attendance, mingled with the responsive calls of their dams, added pastoral music to the scene.
There were then but three dwelling houses in what was once the lower village, and these three stood in juxtaposi- tion, and were all taverns: the house kept by Captain Ebenezer Mason, lately owned by his grandson Joseph Ma- son, the house then kept by Mr. Isaac Jenks, and now owned by William C. Watson, and the house occupied by Mr James Livermore, on the site of Col. Temple's. These have irrev- erently been compared to the three taverns alluded to by St. Paul, when he " thanked God and took courage." In what was once called the upper village, there were only two dwell- ing houses, viz : the Rev. Joseph Pope's, now owned by his son William Pope, Esq., and the house now owned by Mr. Washington Morse, and occupied by Deacon Oliver Morse and Reuel Jones. There was a school house which stood on what is now the west part of the common.
Before proceeding further with the description of Spencer, as it was, the views of an European traveller who passed through here at this period, will be given.
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A French gentleman, M. DeWareville," traveled through the States, for the sole purpose of seeing the country and observing the habits and manners of the inhabitants. After his return to France, he published an account of his travels, which was translated and published in this country. He landed in Boston, July 30, 1788. His first journey was to New York, by land. A new line of stages had been estab- lished by Messrs. Pease and Sikes, by way of Spencer, and in the summer season the journey was performed in four days.t This journey was commenced August 9. It is presumed the following extract from his book of travels, though somewhat long, will not be found uninteresting. After giving a short description of his journey from Boston to Worcester, he proceeds :
" We slept the first night in Spencer, a new village in the midst of the woods. The house of the tavern was but half built ; but the part that was finished, had an air of cleanliness which pleases, because it announces that degree of compe- tence, those moral and delicate habits, which are never seen in our villages. The chambers were neat, the beds good, the sheets clean, the supper passable ; cider, tea, punch, and all for fourteen pence per head. There were four of us. Now com- pare this order of things with our French taverns, - cham- bers dirty and hideous, beds infested with bugs, those insects which Sterne calls the rightful inhabitants of taverns, if indeed, long possession gives a right; sheets ill washed and exhaling a fætid odor, bad covering, and wine adul- terated, and every thing at its weight in gold; greedy ser- vants, who are complaisant only in proportion to your equipage, groveling towards a rich traveler, and insolent towards him whom they suspect of mediocrity. Such are
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