USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Topsfield > History of Topsfield Massachusetts > Part 14
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Zachary Dwinel
Thomas Perkins, 3rd
Samuel Fipping (Phippen)
Stephen Perkins
Stephen Foster
Thomas Simonds
Nathan Hood
Francis Simonds
Nathaniel Hood
Samuel Towne, 2nd
John Hood
Joshua Towne, 2nd
Amos Hood
John Wildes, 2nd
Joseph Hovey
Ephraim Wildes
Abraham Hobbs
Elisha Wildes
Dan Howlet
Amos Wildes
An interesting paper found among those preserved by the Towne family was one headed Military formation in 1752. It was signed by Capt. Benjamin Towne.
Ranks to the Right Double fils to the Right Double Rear half fils face to the Right about and March 6 paces and Coun- ter march and Double your front In tiar makes ye 3
Ranks to the Right Double fils to Right Double makes the 4 front half fils Counter march on the ground you stand and Double your Rear In tiar and you are Reduced
Ranks to the Right Double fils to the Right Double makes the 2 men file Leaders
Rear half fils face to the Right about march 6 paces and Counter march and double your front in tiar
Wheel front and Rear in to the midst
then wheal the right and Left flank in to the midst
half Rank of the Right flank Double your Left flank in tiar then front half fils Double your rear in Tiar then front half fils Double your rear in Tiar
Half rank of the Left flank Double your Right flank
Rear half fils face to the Right about & march six paces and Counter march and Double your front to the Right of your file Leaders
Every other file begining with the Right hand file advance your armes and march 6 paces and Countermarch and Double your Rear in tiar
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THE HISTORY OF TOPSFIELD
then Every other Rank from the front Double your Left flank in tiar
then wheel front and Rear in to the midst.
During the French and Indian wars the ranks of the militia were nearly depleted by the almost continuous calls for men to serve in the army. All possible enlistments or pressments were made of local men. Near the close of these wars in 1761, the third regiment was organized under Colonel Daniel Ap- pleton of Ipswich. It was made up of nine companies, three from Ipswich, two from Rowley, and one each from Wenham, Ipswich Hamlet (Hamilton) Topsfield and Chebacco (Essex). In that year, after the new meeting house was built, the town voted that "the Town Stock Should be put in the meeting house in Sum Conveanant place where the Selectmen shall think proper."
Three years later the militia was re-organized, the towns of Ipswich, Rowley and Topsfield making one regiment. Few references were found in the records regarding the military affairs of Topsfield from this time until a few months before the outbreak of the Revolution. At a meeting of the Alarm List and Training band of the Foot Company on December 6, 1774, it was voted the company be divided into two district companies. Joseph Gould was voted Captain of one company and Stephen Perkins of the other. The men belonging to both companies under these Captains responded to the alarm on April 19, 1775. (See Chapter 9)
When this summons for battle came probably most of the Topsfield men responded and fought for the independence which was won at heavy cost. Over three hundred men were enlisted for the town during this war while the population was not much more than eight hundred individuals.
Shortly after the Revolution, the Militia was again re- organized. In 1788, Topsfield with Ipswich and Wenham constituted the second regiment in the second brigade in the second Division under Maj. General Jonathan Titcomb. A review was held at Newburyport that year and an exhibition of the storming of a fort was given.
In 1820, the Rowley and Topsfield Cavalry met at Topsfield and elected Nathaniel Scott of Ipswich, Captain in place of Daniel Bixby who resigned. Porter Bradstreet was elected 1st Lieutenant; Nathaniel Bradstreet of Rowley, 2nd Lieu- tenant; John Ray, Junior, Cornet. The following year, Por- ter Bradstreet became Captain. All the above officers were advanced and John Ray, 3rd, was chosen Cornet. In 1827
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MILITARY AFFAIRS
Lieut. Joel R. Peabody was made Captain of the Topsfield Company ; Ensign Israel D. Elliot, Lieut., and Moses Wright, Ensign. The company on the occasion of the election, adopted the praiseworthy resolution to dispense with all spirituous liquors in future trainings.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the compulsory mil- itary service began to be looked upon with disfavor by the free people. Dissatisfaction became so great that about 1840 the old military companies belonging to the State were dis- banded. Meanwhile a voluntary active militia began to spring up proving of much value in later periods. A new light in- fantry company was formed in Topsfield in 1836 called the Warren Blues which existed for about ten years. (Chap. 10)
Probably few men from Topsfield served in the War of 1812 and the conflict with Mexico. As there was no company from the town and no town lists are available at the Adjutant General's offices in Boston or Washington, the records of ser- vice cannot be given. The Kimball genealogy states that Benj. Kimball, b. Feb. 9, 1778, s. of Jacob, was taken prisoner during War of 1812 while in service aboard a man of war as fifer.
But the cannon-shot fired at Fort Sumter, again aroused the patriotic fervor and sent many men from Topsfield to a southern battlefield. More than one tenth of the population of the town served in this war. (See Chap. 11)
During the Spanish-American War in 1898-9, the towns- people furnished their quota of supplies. While there was no local unit the names of men from Topsfield are found on rolls of companies from other cities and towns. Seven men were members of the 8th Mass. Infantry.
Collins, John J., quartermaster Sergeant, enlisted Apr. 28, 1898; mustered out Apr. 28, 1899.
Dow, Eugene M., enlisted Apr. 28, 1898; Corp. Aug. 1, 1898; mustered out Apr. 28, 1899.
Howe, Samuel A., enlisted Apr. 28, 1898; mustered out Apr. 28, 1899.
Jackman, James W., enlisted Apr. 28, 1898; Corp., Aug. 1. 1898; 1st. Sergt. Aug. 18, 1898; discharged for promotion Jan. 22, 1899. 2d Lieut., Jan. 21, 1899 ; mustered out Apr. 28, 1899.
Jenkins, Thomas L., served as assistant Surgeon, Apr. 28, 1898; resigned July 11, 1898.
Potter, Charles H., enlisted Apr. 28, 1898; Corp. (Cook), Nov. 18, 1898; mustered out Apr. 28, 1899.
Taylor, Harold E., enlisted Apr. 28, 1898; mustered out Apr. 28, 1899.
CHAPTER VIII
FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
The fear of Indian attacks had somewhat subsided when the petition of the first settlers of Topsfield was granted and it became a town in 1650. Many of these men had lived in Ipswich and had served that town in its carly military affairs. They were well aware of dangers that had then existed in the Colony. No record or tradition exists to show that Indian hostilities occurred within the town, but some alarm was felt in 1675. In that year Philip, son of Massasoit, plotted re- venge on the colonists for wrongs he believed the white people had committed against the Indians. On June 24, the first attack was made in the Plymouth Colony and marked the be- ginning of King Philip's war which lasted about two years.
One Indian tradition has come down to the present day re- garding a proposed attack on the family (Curtis) living on what was later known as the Pike farm near Ipswich river on Rowley Bridge Street. It was told to Moses Pike by his grandmother many years ago. In the old days the people planted prim bushes to serve as clothes lines. The prim is the privet ligusturm vulgare and a piece was growing on the Pike place when the story was related. It was near the site of the haunted house. Once on a time, so the story goes, one of the girls of the (Curtis) family went out in the evening to bring in the week's washing that was drying on the prim bushes. Many years after an Indian asked her if she remem- bered going out so late and told her he was concealed under one of the bushes on which a sheet was spread to dry, that he was there to kill her and her family, that the only reason he did not kill her then and there was because he was waiting for others before they attacked the house. If he had hurt her the alarm would have been given. The other Indians for some reason did not come and the family was saved. This Indian lived to become firm friends with the family he so nearly massacred. The girl to whom the Indian told the story and who took the sheet from over his head, told it to Moses Pike's grandmother.
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FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
There is little mention in the Town records concerning the part Topsfield took in this and later wars. Most of the ac- counts of events and men who gave their service have been obtained from other sources,-the State Archives and private papers furnishing not a little of the imformation. Major Daniel Denison of Ipswich was in command of the Essex regiment in 1675. It was made up of thirteen foot companies and one cavalry company. These companies were not sent out of the towns, but men were impressed from them and placed in special companies.
During the summer, shortly after the attack at Brookfield, Capt. Thomas Lathrop of Salem Village, and more than eighty men under his command were sent to the relief of that section. Tradition says that one Topsfield man was in that company; that on August 12, Thomas Towne, eldest son of Edmund, was a member of Capt. Lathrop's company, then in Hatfield. Whether he left before the massacre at Bloody Brook on September 18, 1675, when Capt. Lathrop and most of his men were slain, or was one of the few who escaped, is not certain. Rev. William Hubbard, in his History of Indian Wars, states that these men were a choice company of young men, the very flower of the County of Essex.
A short time before this event, at a town meeting held Sept. 8, 1675, "wee haue agreed to mak a stone wall aboute the meeting hous for fort. . . the wall is to be three foot brod in the botom and five foot hie. . . or six as shall be thote most Conueniant with a watch hous at the south est Corner with in this wall ten foot square this is to be don by the towne and except such as do Vsalli Com to her the word preched at or in our meeting hows will halp the towne most do it at thar one charge. This wall is to be ten foot from the meeting hous side and ende but on the south side it is to be twelue foot be- twene this wall and the hous and the wach hows Cornar is to be fore foot from the hous end. " Little is known how much it was used. In 1706, it was called the old meeting house fort.1
Enos Estey, testified in 1845, at the age of 73, that a fort was built for protection against the Indians. It was on what is now the Agricultural farm and stood near the brook on the eastern end of the field on which the Essex County Agricul- tural Fairs are held. It also appears on a map of this farm drawn by Samuel S. Mckenzie in 1858. No mention has been
1 This was in what is now Pine Grove Cemetery and is marked by a bronze tablet placed at the entrance by the Topsfield Histor- ical Society.
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THE HISTORY OF TOPSFIELD
found of the date of its erection or history. It may have been a garrison house to which the scattered families in the vicinity could go in case of an attack by the Indians.
By October 1675, all the Colony was in a state of excitement and no town felt secure against a sudden outbreak. Indians appeared in the northern part of the County and Major Denison wrote to the council in Boston on October 28: Our posts at Topsfield and Andover being affrighted with the sight, as they say, of Indians which I have not time to examine . . . It is hardly imaginable the panick fears that is upon our up- land plantations & scattered places. The Almighty and merci- ful God pity and helpe us.2
In November it was decided to raise an army of a thousand men to attack the Narragansett Indians and at least five men were impressed from Topsfield who served in Capt. Joseph Gardner's company. The following return 3 was made by John How, clerk of the militia on November 30th : "Willyom peabody Zachos perkins Robert Androus Jack Burtun Zacviah Curtis Honered Generall thos men above named are phrased according to your Henered order and fixed with arms and Am- unition : only Zacviah Curtis he is praised : and was warned to com to the Clarks to Show his arms but he hath not Com but we here he hath hired him Salfe out to go for Mr. Browns of Salem." In later lists 4 we find that four of these men returned home but Robert Andrews was slain on Dec. 19, 1675, storming Narragansett fort. On the 6th of that month before leaving for the war he made his will saying, "I doe Commit my Soul and body to the keping of the gra lord of oste and if it be his good wile to Cal me out of this world that i retorne not a gaine to my frindes and estate that god hath given me." 5
Among the 28 men impressed from Ipswich, is the name of Isaac Cummings probably the son of Isaac, born 1633, who lived in Topsfield. 6 Later credits for military service for Topsfield men were given:
John Wilde
Aug. 24, 1676 06.15.06
James Stanlee
Jan. 24, 1676/7 01.11.08
Joseph Eastey
Jan. 24, 1676/7 01.11.08
Isaac Easty
Feb. 24, 1676/7 03.07.06
2 Mass. Archives, Vol. 68, page 30.
3 Mass. Archives, Vol. 68, page 70.
4 Mass. Archives, Vol. 68, pp. 99, 104.
5 Essex Co. Probate Files, Docket 710.
6 Bodge, Soldiers in King Phillip's War.
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FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
The towns assumed the payment of the wages of their own soldiers to their families left at home, the towns being credited to that amount upon their colonial rates or taxes. It was doubtless a great help to the families and saving to the towns.
In the Town records of February 5, 1676/7, "ther is a Rate for defraing of Indian ware Charges Containing six singel Contrerates Rates which amounteth to fifte three pound and sixteene shilens this Rate is delivered to John How Constabel for to gather vp and deleuer to the Contre tresarer or his assigns acordingli as he hath diracion In a tresares warrant."
In March 1676/7 money collected in Ireland "for the re- leiffe of such as are Inpoverished Destressed and in Nessesitie by the late Indian Warr" was distributed to the people in the colonies. In the list of towns in the Massachusetts Colony appears "one Topsfield family containing six persons 0.18.0." No record has been found as to who these people were. "Meal, oatmeal, Wheat, malt at 18s per ball, butter at 6d and cheese 4d" were to be delivered to the selectmen for this purpose. 7
Jonathan Wildes was probably a soldier in King Philip's war. The inventory of his estate was presented 30:4:1676, which may indicate he died in the war. His brother, John Wildes, Jr., was serving under Capt. Poole on June 24, 1676 when £9.5s.8d. was due him. He made his will Oct. 22 of that year "And now I being prest to go to the war being desirous to satell things before I goo: not knowing how God may daell with me in respact of Returning againe: If I doe not Returne againe : than I doe dispose of (what) God hath Given me." 8 On June 22, 1677 before he left again for war, he "do purpos and intend that my formor will writen in October : before my going to the Eastward shall stand good: prouided it be the will of God I retur not again." He evidently did not return the second time or may have died of sickness contracted from war for an inventory of his estate was taken Sept. 27, 1677.
In February and March 1676/7, Indians again made attacks on Andover and Haverhill. It was proposed to fortify the eastern frontier with a sort of fence or wall from the Charles river to the Merrimack. The Council ordered each town that lay on this line to send a delegate to Cambridge to discuss the feasibility of the plan. The selectmen and military com- mittee of Topsfield met on March 22 and "having concedered the proposalle concarning the fortification from Cambrig to Maramak Rever: We leave it to the Concediration of Baker's
7 N. E. Hist. & Gen. Reg. Vol. 2, pp. 249-50.
8 Essex Co. Probate Records, Docket 29,826.
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THE HISTORY OF TOPSFIELD
Judgement consedering the Great Charg of making the forti- fication and sacuering Maremak Rever we doe concaive som other waye for Sacuerity may be less Charg."
Instead of this scheme they offered the following proposal :9 "for the carieng on of our Husbendry we concaive that it will be most Safe for us to be ordered to go in Companies to our work that so we maye have Some to watch whan the other work: ther for we Humbely desire the Honored Court or Counsell to apint and impower Sum met persons that maye Se that the Sauerall in Habitants may So be disposed of and we now being ordered into fouer Garisons and so be com fouer compenis we doe concaive that if Som man or men in Eatch Garison be opinted to order that Company to whitch thay belong, it may be most Convanent.
francis pabody John Redington Thomas perkins Thomas Baker Ephraim Dorman Edman Towne "
King William's war commenced in 1689 and was the first of what is called the French and Indian wars. It lasted until 1697. The Indians, instigated by the French, renewed their attacks on the outlying districts then known as the Eastward. Believing the French should be attacked in their stronghold, in 1690 Sir William Phips led an expedition to Canada and captured Port Royal. As previously stated few records of these early wars have been preserved and the number of Topsfield men who took any part is not known. The follow- ing year a second expedition was sent against Canada. Capt. John Gould of Topsfield was said to be an officer in a company of 308 commanded by Major Samuel Appleton of Ipswich.10
In a list dated Aug. 7, 1691, of men killed and wounded "in ye last expedition Eastward," is found the name of Wm. Davadge, Topsfield, wounded, among Capt. March's men.11 On Oct. 6 of that year, men from Ipswich, Newbury, Rowley, Wenham and Topsfield petitioned the General Court that 30 men be kept upon the river from Newbury to Bradford, im- pressed from the militia companies. John Gould was the only signer from Topsfield. 12
9 Mass. Archives, Vol. 68, page 172.
10 Waters, History of Ipswich.
11 Mass. Archives, Vol. 37, page 104.
12 Mass. Archives, Vol. 37, page 206.
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FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
A petition 13 made by the committee of militia in 1693, stated 12 men had gone from Topsfield and the town was in great distress with only 60 men fit for service. They asked to be released from further military service.
The Humble petition of the Commity of Malitia of Tops- field to Sir William Phips Knight Governor and Capt. Gen- erall in Chief of all ther Majestys troops present heer in New Ingland. Your por petitioners finding themselues uary hard prest by Keeping out so many of our men being but a small place and a scattered plase : humbly beg of your Excellency that sum of our men might draw of we have 12 out of our town and our Company doth consist of a bout sixty men fitt for service we being a Town yt doth liue by our Labour it is uary hard for summe to have halp out all ye Summer and can gitt no help to help them we doe understand by Information that Seuerell Towns yt is far biger then ours doth not send out half so many as we doe we Lying open to ye enemie if they git ouer merimeke riuer we humbly beg of your Exalency yt our humble request may be heard and have your exalencys gratious answer beging your exalencys order for ye drawing of summe of our men or else power to Release them yt haue been out a long time. So shall yr poore petitioners euer pray for ye Ezalency.
Topsfield, 5th June, 1693.
John Gould, Capt. Thomas Baker, Lieut. Ephraim Dorman, Ens. Thomas Dorman, Sargt. Samuel Howlett, Clerk
Two of these men were undoubtedly Humphrey Clark and John Robinson, Jr., who left their company without leave, and asked to be pardoned for acting so foolishly. 14
John Perkins, son of William, was allowed to return home in October, 1695 on account of the serious illness of his father. He stayed longer than the time allowed and John Gould, Captain of the militia, wrote a letter to Lieut. Anthony Bracket explaining why he had not returned on time. Two days later William Perkins died.
Topsfield, 29th, october 1695. Lieut. Anthony Brackat
Sir after our respects prsented to ye this is to Informe ye how it has fell out that John perkins has staid longer than ye
13 Mass. Archives, Vol. 70, page 189.
14 Mass. Archives, Vol. 70, page 188.
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THE HISTORY OF TOPSFIELD
time ye did apoint him, his father is very elle and lyse at ye piont of death, and I did tell him I did beleve ye were so much of an Ingenas man that in such a cae ye would not take noe advantige of him nor take no forfite of him in such a case as this is, and I did perswaid him to stay a day or two longer and did persume to say It and have him have Lefe as ye prov- edance of God was in residing of his father. I pray blame him not but umpute it to yr ffrind and servant who will pay ye and if ye see good to aske any thing when I speeke with ye fir the humbell petition of your frinds the Committee of ma- litia of Topsfield is that ye would be plased to give John per- kinns sirtifackat how long he has served under yr Command and lett him returne againe forth with and next Monday theire is one lustey man apointed to come and serve in his rome he has a famely and can not at prsent leave his faimeley sir I pray grant our request if his father did not lye evene at ye point of death we should not a requested such a thing sir wee were not wiling to detain him any longer thoe ye case is verey hard for him to Come not knowing when he will see his father alive again, so not trobling ye any fferder at prsent putting Confidance in ye that ye will not denie our request as ye Case is ever rest and remaine yr ever oblidged ffrinds & sarvants.
John Gould, Capt. Thomas Baker, Leut. Ephraim Dorman, Ens. 15
On January 7, 1696/7, John Perkins made an agreement with Josiah Goodridge to serve in place of his brother William Perkins who was then at the Eastward. 16
This may Satisfy whome it may Concarne. Articalls of Agremant be twene Josiah Gutredg one the one part of mr John perkins one the other part: viz the said Gutredg doth ingage to go to the eastward and to Relac the said perkinses brother wilyam perkins: and to enter in his Room for thre months : and at the end of three months the said John per- kins doth ingage to releas the said Gutredg one the panelty of twalve panc a day; and the said John perkins doth ingage to paye to the said Gutredg at the end of thre months twanty five shilens A month for all the thre months and the said per- kins is to have the Cuntry wages: and no advantidg is to be tacen for the failuer of a Relac for too or thre dais the pay
15 Towne family papers. 16 Towne family papers.
Topsfield Hist. Coll. Vol. 18, page 5. Topsfield Hist. Coll. Vol. 18, page 6.
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FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
is to be in cloth at mony price; and the twalve panc a day beside Cuntry wages after the thre months is out.
Dat ye 7th of January 1696/7.
Witnesis John How Thomas Parley secunde
John Perkins Josiah Goodridge
When John Perkins came home in October 1695, he brought a request for money from Thomas Averill of Topsfield who had been injured. 17 He was then at Neurchawannock (now Berwick, Maine.)
from Nechewarnick october ye 17-1695 Sir pray Deliver to ye barrer hereof John Perkins by name some money for I have hurt one of my legs very badly and I being from home do want some money to pay for ye Cuer of my leg. In so doing I shall Rest yours to Serve In what I may
Thomas Averill
To Mr Richard Carr
Liveing in Salsbury Deliver with Speed.
As a bounty for service in King Philip's war 1675 and Sir William Phips expedition to Canada in 1690, various grants of land were given soldiers or their heirs in 1728. Men from Topsfield received land in a town called No. III Souhegan West which is now Amherst, N. H. Rev. George Bodge in his Soldiers in King Philip's War lists 12 men or their heirs from Topsfield entitled to land. The first two were alive in 1728. Zaccheus Perkins Josiah Clark
Nathaniel Wood James Ford
Abraham Fitts
Samuel Perkins
Thomas David
Joseph Wells
Elihu Wardwell
Jonathan Wild
John Hutchins Robert Brown
The history of Amherst, N. H. gives 14 men from Topsfield as early grantees of land. They are the same as above except the names of Joseph Wells and Jonathan Wild are omitted and four others added, namely: Moses Pingreese, Joseph Herrick, John Brandon, John Wilds. Many of these men are included in the list of Major Appleton's company in the History of Ipswich. As no residence was given it is quite possible that some were Topsfield men in this company. In the Town records of Nov. 18, 1702, Capt. John Gould was allowed £1.4s. "for gun he bought to send Neeland (Knee- land) out with, gun now part of town stock."
17 Towne family papers. Topsfield Hist. Coll. Vol. 18, page 6.
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THE HISTORY OF TOPSFIELD
The third in this series of wars is known as Queen Anne's war and lasted twelve years, 1702-13. Again the records give very little information of the part men from Topsfield took in this campaign. On July 27, 1705, "Sargeant John Gould is chosen to Cary a Petition to his Excelency the Governor for ye Releasment of three souldiers." The Town records show that Stebbins Cummings "Dyed by the hands of the Indians," July 3, 1706, but the place and circumstances are unknown. Topsfield men were probably at Fort Royal in 1707.
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