USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Ware > History of Ware, Massachusetts > Part 11
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At this time there were about 1600 inhabitants in the town. There were no buildings on the south side of Main Street, but only a greensward. The men of the town stood in line, and after the general had met the ladies at the tav- ern, he came across the street and shook hands with the men. He is described as a man of commanding presence, with fine features. He was accompanied by his son, and after the ceremony was over took his carriage and drove out of town, being accompanied as far as the home of Cal- vin Morse by the townspeople, walking Indian file on either side of the carriage, the women on one side and the men on the other, he bowing to right and left in recognition of the plaudits of the crowd.
1 I have before me the pledge book of the "Cold Water Army of Ware, 1843." It contains the names of 171 males and 233 females. The motto is this, " So here we pledge perpetual hate,
To all that can intoxicate."
From an article in the Ware River News, March 27, 1890.
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The Ware Hotel, built in 1825, stood at the corner of Main and North Streets, North Street at that time being called West Street, as it bounded the western limits of the village. It was known as the Phelps Hotel in 1854. This hotel was burned in 1864. Then came the Delavan House, which with its stables occupied the space where the Mansion House now stands.
As has been seen, much of the life of the town centred about the inns. Illustrious travellers from time to time passed through on the coaches, stopping for a meal, or a night's lodging, at which times a fat fowl was quickly dressed and roasted on the spit before the great open fire, and the best linen sheets were spread upon the four-post bedsteads.1 President Dwight of Yale College passed through the south- west corner of the town by the Boston Post Road in 1810. He wrote in his diary: "Ware borders on Belchertown south-eastward. Its soil is generally of a very inferior qual- ity. A traveller formerly passing through this town ob- served, that he thought the land was like self-righteousness; for the more he had of it, the poorer he would be."
An abundance of servants and retainers were found about the tavern and its stables. When the town poor were auc- tioned off to the lowest bidder we find the innkeepers ready to take them at very low prices, the custom of the time being to get as much work out of the paupers as possible to eke out the small allowance made by the town for their support. An indefinite number of persons, old and young, could be kept busy holding horses, turning spits, caring for chickens, waiting upon travellers, and doing chores for master and mistress, for cook and for stableman.
Great coaches drawn by four or even six horses passed daily along the main thoroughfares of the town. The extent and importance of the traffic explains a fact remarkable to us of today, namely, that many principal roads are recorded as being laid out no less than eight or ten rods wide. Some important roads were built and kept in repair by private capital. The Petersham and Monson Corporation built a road from Athol through Petersham, Dana, Greenwich, Ware and Palmer to Monson. This road leads through
1 The inventories of innkeepers list separately the linen and cotton sheets.
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the Beaver Brook Valley, passing the Babcock Tavern, and one or two others already mentioned, and is still known as "The Turnpike." The provisions of one of the old charters may be of interest:
The said corporation may and shall be authorized to erect five turnpike gates on the same and shall be entitled to receive of each traveller or passenger, at each of said gates, the following rates of toll, viz .: for every coach, phaeton, chariot or other four wheel carriage drawn by two horses 25 cents, and if drawn by more than two horses an additional sum of 4 cents for each horse: for every cart or wagon drawn by two oxen or horses 12} cents and if drawn by more than two oxen or horses an additional sum of three cents for each horse or ox: for every curricle 16 cents: for every chaise chair or other carriage drawn by one horse 12} cents: for every man and horse 5 cents: for all horses, mules, oxen or neat cattle led or driven, besides those in teams or carriages 1 cent each: for all sheep or swine at the rate of 3 cents for one dozen. Provided, that nothing within this act shall extend to entitle the said corporation to demand or receive toll of any person who shall be passing with his horse or carriage to or from public worship, or with his horse, team or cattle, to or from his common labor or to or from any mill, or on the common or ordinary business of his family concerns within the said town, or from any person or persons passing on military duty.
The stage not only carried passengers, but considerable quantities of freight as well. The drivers acted as agents in trade, carrying country products, cheese, butter, eggs, hides, wool and tobacco to the city, bringing back tea and coffee, rum, molasses, dried codfish, salt, calico, pins and needles in exchange. Every person raised sheep in the early days, as may be seen from the old wills and inventories. To- bacco was grown in the Connecticut Valley as at present. Many of the stage drivers were famous characters, and the names of a few who journeyed through Ware have come down to us. There were Sam and Bill Gould, George War- ner, George Sedgwick, Art Hyde and Major Morgan.
The heavier and more bulky freight was transferred in teams, many of our men being accustomed to make one or two journeys to Boston each year on their own account,
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with loads of charcoal, potash and other commodities. It cost twenty dollars a ton for transportation of goods from Boston, and it was a hard week's work for a team to go and return.1
Naturally there were but few stores in town. The one kept by Joseph Cummings just after the Revolution has been mentioned. A deed of a parcel of land at the Centre south of the county road and close by Rev. Reuben Moss's east line, dated 1799, makes mention of "a store and barn where Capt. Deane now trades." This was undoubtedly the store of Lott Dean, of which traditions have survived.
In 1812 an order by the Selectmen for goods mentions "Mr. Snow's store." This was the store of Eli Snow, who "retailed " at the Centre from 1811 to 1826.
The care and support of the poor was always a matter of concern to our town. A study of this subject corroborates the opinion universally held, that the citizens were indeed extremely poor, oftentimes unable to supply those nearest to them with bare food. The assistance of such first comes before the precinct in 1762, when the matter is brought up for consideration. It was decided and ordered that Jacob Hinds and his wife be kept at work and provided for, thus following the precept of Scripture. At the same time the Widow Pike is allowed a bushel of corn a month for keeping her mother. At the same time the Widow Carley, one of the original members of the church, becomes a public charge, and a couple of orphan children receive allowances for cloth- ing and "doctoring."
For twenty-five years the poor are cared for with due re- spect for their feelings. Arrangements for their support were made by the selectmen at a reasonable rate, while special nursing and doctoring in case of illness were held to be extras. The bills were brought before the town and set- tled without comment, and occasionally there is a charge for clothing or shoes. At the same time measures were taken to prevent paupers, or persons likely to become paupers, be- longing to other towns, from settling here, and more than once such persons are warned out, or removed bodily, the constable receiving a small sum for performing the service.
. 1 Hyde, " Historical Address."
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By the close of the Revolution the number of persons un- able to support themselves had greatly increased, and that together with the extreme hardness of the times prompted a new departure, which hitherto had not been deemed necessary. The poor were put up at auction to the lowest bidder. This custom, adhered to for many years, created one of the most pathetic chapters of our history. One hardly needs to read between the lines of the Town Records to appreciate the tragedy of the poor and the aged, in broken health, "vendued " year after year, moving from house to house, waiting for death to release them.
"Old Patrill " goes at five shillings a week; 1 the Patrill boy at two. Doubtless he was a promising lad, and handy at the chores. Then up goes Rebekah Allen. James Lam- mon bids her off at one and nine pence a week. Lammon kept an inn where there was plenty that Rebekah could do, and plenty of scraps. It was Lammon who had bid off old Patrill and the boy. But Rebekah did not find hotel life to her taste, and made some other arrangement, the town at a later meeting voting the thrifty innholder six shillings for his disappointment. Rebekah's arrangements, how- ever, lasted less than a year, and she is put up again, this time bid off by Ebenezer Nye for two shillings eleven pence a week. So she had to live at a hotel after all. Old Patrill goes to Phille Morse at four shillings. Apparently the Patrills were an unfortunate lot, for in 1790 Lois, only 19 years old, and her baby, are cried at the town meeting. James Brackenridge bids the pair off at a penny a week - exclusive of clothing and doctoring. It was evidently a char- ity on Brackenridge's part which he could not continue in- definitely, for he only keeps them the stipulated six months, after which poor Lois's price goes higher. In 1792 the Selectmen's books show charges for keeping Lois, for nurs- ing the child, and "one order to James Brackenridge for makeing a coffen - 3 shillings."
The other Patrill children (there were several of them)
1 An amusing document in the State Archives is a petition of the Town of Ware, dated 1788, to be relieved of Joseph Patrill. He is described as a native of the Island of Guernsey, who settled in Ware without the consent of the inhabi- tants. He was never a citizen of the town, never paid taxes nor owned property, and had always been an object of public and private charity. The State de- clined to relieve the town.
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were bid off year by year at diminishing prices until they were old enough to look after themselves.
These are but examples. The list of those obliged to ask assistance at some time is long, and includes names that stood high in the community. My impression is that the town provided as generously as it was able for the needy. It was a period when no one had too much, and it was abso- lutely necessary to keep expenses down. In 1784, when the problem was becoming serious, the town voted to build a work-house; but the intention was not carried out. In 1790 the Selectmen issued a warrant to Jacob Pepper direct- ing him to warn out of town fifty-one persons, mostly hus- bandmen, laborers, blacksmiths and cordwinders.1 The order was for those persons "who have come into this town for the purpose of abiding therein not having the town's consent, to depart the limits thereof with their children and all under them, within fifteen days." This warrant has attracted the attention of former historians, and has been widely quoted. One point has hitherto escaped atten- tion, on account, perhaps, of the warrant being misplaced in the record book. Jacob Pepper reports on April 5, that he has given notice to the persons mentioned, and on the same day the town "voted to reconsider the former vote: viz. for to warn out all those who are subjects of it."
The difficulty of the parish to meet the Province Tax at the beginning has been referred to. In 1753 the tax was £9, but from that time on it shows a steady increase. By 1760 it had risen to £47,,7,,10. During the next ten years it fluctuates, dropping as low as £14,,15. But it leaps up again to £311 in 1777-78, after which date it is called the State Tax, rising in 1779-80 to the enormous figure of £4027,,16,,6. These figures, however, fail to give any very clear idea of the actual conditions, for currency was greatly depreciated. In 1781 the poll tax was £30,,10. The previous year £2,000 was raised to repair the highways, at $20 a day. But these figures represent Continental paper currency. The whole subject of currency and finance is extremely complicated, and can by no means be explained in any small space. The fol- lowing, culled with considerable labor from the authorities
1 Probably cordwainer or shoemaker.
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on colonial finance, may help the reader to a somewhat in- telligent understanding of the situation.
In the very earliest days wampum, the Indians' medium of exchange, was quite generally adopted by the settlers. Naturally its circulation was limited. In 1652 the Colonial Mint was established, and the Pine Tree Shilling was coined. It contained less silver than the shilling sterling, in hopes of keeping it in the Province; but it was exported nevertheless. At best there was no adequate supply of these shillings. Spanish and other coins of many denomina- tions were current. Pieces of Eight, about six shillings in value; Cross Dollars, Rix Dollars of the Empire, Mexican, French, Portuguese and Dutch coins - all of varying values, and all greatly debased by "rounding" and "clip- ping." At an early date "Colony Bills " bearing the en- dorsement of the Province Treasurer furnished a supply of currency. A Province Bill was adopted in 1702, and was, like its predecessor, a certificate of indebtedness on the part of the Province for the face of the bill, said to be in value equal to money. At a later date the value was expressed in ounces of silver at a fixed rate. The bills containing the phrase "In value equal to money" were called Old Tenor Bills.
In 1736-37 came the first series of New Tenor Bills, a name they retained about five years. The second New Tenor Bills were emitted in 1741-42. They usurped the title "New Tenor Bills," and those previously spoken of under that title became "Middle Tenor Bills." In 1744 the third and last form of New Tenor Bill was adopted. These were described as "Bills of the Last Tenor."
Of the Old Tenor Bills there were twelve denominations; of the second New Tenor eighteen; of the third nine. Later six others were added, bringing the number of different bills in actual circulation up to fifty-five. Then there were thirty-one varieties of Province Bills prior to 1713, eight denominations of the first New Tenor, or Middle Tenor, of 1737, - all these besides the very small denominations known as "tokens." As all of the bills of this appalling catalogue were freely counterfeited, the situation can only be left to the imagination.
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It has been observed that the year 1737 marked the divid- ing line between Old and New Tenor. The Massachusetts issues of 1737 were at 6 s. 8 d. per ounce in silver, or £4,,18 per ounce in gold. The government attempted to fix the value of New Tenor at one for three of the Old, but the cur- rent rate became one for four.
At the outbreak of the Revolution the various New England governments had issued paper money for imme- diate use. By 1778 the whole currency system had broken down hopelessly. Continental and State paper flooded the land, debtors paying their obligations in bills worth hardly 5% of their face value. By 1780 Continental money was at forty to one of silver. Bancroft gives the value of the dollar "buoyed up by the French Alliance " as 20 cts. It fell to 122 cts. in January, 1799, to 5 cts. in April, to 22 cts. in December.1
As a result of all this confusion, it was usual to resort to "specie, or Country pay " which meant payment in produce or live-stock. Towns frequently adopted schedules fixing the money value of labor and the ordinary commodities. The Town Records contain frequent references to such valua- tions. That of 1780, when Rev. Winslow Packard became the minister at a salary of £45, is quoted entire:
Wheat, at five shillings per bushel. Rye, at three shill- ings and four pence per bushel. Indian corn, at two shillings and six pence per bushel. Pork, at three pence half penny per pound. Beef, at two pence per pound. Sheep's wool, at one shilling and six pence per pound. Butter, at seven pence per pound. Labor, at two shillings and six pence per day in hay time.
It was also voted to pay Capt. Brackenridge, the old way, or eighty double Continental money. Deacon Wil- liam Paige was also allowed seven shillings a week old way, or seventy-two double continental.
The law of the Province required all male inhabitants above sixteen years of age, including servants, to pay a poll tax. Exemptions, however, were common; from sickness, lameness, blindness, old age, or other infirmity.
1 Here we find the origin of the slang phrase "not worth a continental."
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Troopers in war-time were exempt, and generally all citizens over sixty years of age. The power to exempt was largely invested in the several towns, and much time was taken at town meetings in voting exemptions to individuals. Peti- tions for exemptions, however, were not always granted, the constables being directed to collect.
The office of constable was by no means popular. In early days he was expected to serve without pay, and in many instances men were compelled to accept appointment. The principal duty was that of making the rates and col- lecting the taxes. The constable was held strictly responsi- ble for the full amount of the tax, unless rates which he could not collect were abated by the town. After some years it was found necessary to pay for the constable's services, and the office began in 1782 to be let out to the lowest bidder, provided he could secure acceptable bondsmen. At the same time the making of rates began to be paid for by the time required in their making, and the duty was assigned to regularly elected assessors.
One of the regular orders of the town from the beginning was that swine should run at large, yoked and ringed.
Besides the ordinary officers, selectmen, clerk, treasurer, constables, highway surveyors, fence-viewers, hog-reeves and assessors, we find occasionally tything-men, deer- reeves, and measurers and inspectors of various commodities such as beef, pork, wool, shingles, etc., etc. Deer-reeves were elected from 1765 to 1785, and the assumption is that after that date they were not needed because of the scarcity of the large game. Wild turkeys were once common, and tradition has it that the latest of these were killed in Phille Morse's orchard about 1825. The last black bear was shot about the same time. No reference is made in the records to wolves or other dangerous beasts. A bounty of eight pence a head was offered for crows killed within the town limits, and twenty-five were paid for by the Selectmen in 1790.
Domestic manufactures 1 kept many fingers busy in the old days. Every household had to be provided with home- made garments, and as families were large much labor was required in carding, spinning and weaving. Good clothes
1 For much of the following I am indebted to a Ms. left by Miss Cornelia Gould.
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of homespun however wore for several seasons, and fashion demanded no change of style. The gowns and frocks of women and children were generally of black or red ground checked with a thread or two of another color, and the fabric was dyed in the yarn at the domestic fire-place. Logwood, Nicaragua (commonly pronounced Niggerauger), and Campeachy chips, with various native products such as sumach seeds were used, with alum and copperas to set the dye. Deep blue and white in a four-thread check was in favor for skirts and aprons. There was a tape-loom for making apron-strings in every home, - a light frame with one treadle, on which a few threads of warp could be strung, while a ball of yarn held in the hand was put back and forth, and beaten up with the back of a table knife. The soft elastic band made a safe string with which to tie a toddling youngster to the bed-post to keep him away from the open fire-place.
Sheep's grey, that is, black and white wool mixed in the card, was much in vogue for men's everyday wear. In- stead of an overcoat the farmer wore a long frock or short heavy blouse of deep and pale blue check. The dye-pot filled with indigo was a fixture in the warm chimney corner; a great brown earthen crock covered with a board upon which the children could sit.
About 1810 the country storekeeper began to keep fac- tory-spun cotton yarns to put out for weaving on hand looms. The pay was seven cents a yard for plain white, and half a cent more for blue and white apron check. A domes- tic gingham was checked with white, indigo blue, copperas yellow and madder red.
Eli Snow and Joshua Crowell were dealers in these prod- ucts, and pay was usually taken out of the store. Bonnet braid made of split straw was another article of home manu- facture. Rye straw was cut when in the milk and bleached in the sun. It was then cut into lengths at the joints and further whitened with sulphur smoke. Then the straws were dampened, split open, the inner surface scraped, and then separated into strands with a gauge, - all this before beginning the braid which sold at from one to three cents a yard according to width and fineness. Straw braiding went
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out in the thirties when the straw shops began to import the braid in large quantities.
Sheets, blankets and coverlets for the beds had to be provided by the housewife as well as clothing, and help was often hired to aid with the spinning. Girls were glad to go out and spin for fifty cents a week. They were treated as one of the family, and when there were unmarried sons, frequently became so in fact. One of these handmaidens was told by the mistress on beginning work that "she did n't care nothin' how she spun her yarn if only 'twas fine, hand- some and even."
The making of the rose coverlet and other fancy patterns was a fine art, and could be done only by highly skilled weavers. A few could comb wool, and spin it into worsted. This spinning was from a lock held over the finger instead of from a roll of wool.
One must not suppose, however, that there were only homemade clothes. Well-to-do men had their broad- cloth coats for Sundays, and the women an occasional silk dress, though their garments lasted a lifetime and are especially mentioned in the appraisals of estates. English prints of the best quality were to be had at fifty cents a yard. Gold bead necklaces were highly valued by the women, and a string cost from eight to ten dollars. Ambitious girls worked out a whole season to purchase a string of beads, which was considered valuable, not only as a badge of re- spectability, but as having a medicinal value in warding off disease.
As a rule people were comfortably fed and clothed. The staple bread was Rye and Indian, great loaves of which were baked in the brick ovens. Shiftless or unfortunate families undoubtedly suffered hardship. A story is preserved of one of the former kind that shall be nameless here. Being inadequately supplied with bed clothing, broad slabs of wood were heated at night before the fire and laid on top of the meagre blankets, under which the family slept with such comfort as so miserable a makeshift afforded.
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BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF WARE As seen from the hill to the south-east, near the site of the old Warren Road.
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VII THE COLONIAL WARS AND THE REVOLUTION FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS
THE Town Records contain no references whatever to the French and Indian Wars. Information concerning the part in those contests taken by our early inhabitants is laboriously culled from Muster-Rolls and other papers pre- served in the Mass. Archives. Such incomplete information as those ancient papers might give is difficult to get at, for they are indexed only by the names of the men that appear upon them, not by the towns from which the men came.
The French and Indian Wars extended altogether from 1689-1763, though with several intervals of peace. They were simply the American side of a hundred years' struggle for supremacy between the English and the French nations. The first two wars were fought before any white man had made his home between the Ware and Swift Rivers; but they were fearfully disastrous to our neighbors. Brookfield was wiped out in 1693; Deerfield was destroyed in 1704. Scarcely a town in the Connecticut Valley escaped pillage, burning and murder at the hands of the savage allies of the French.
The third war, commonly referred to as "The Old French and Indian War " lasted from 1744-49, breaking out after a long interval of peace. During that period Ware was a Parish and Precinct, and was of little importance either socially or politically. It does not appear to have been called upon to furnish men for the army. But Jabez Om- stead took part in the famous expedition against Louisburg on Cape Breton Island at the mouth of the St. Lawrence, which Sir William Pepperrell of Maine, with a force of a few thousand Yankee farmers and fishermen, set out to capture. The siege lasted 49 days, and the fort capitulated June 17, 1745. Jabez Omstead had been connected with the militia
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