USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Westminster > History of Westminster, Massachusetts (first named Narragansett no. 2) from the date of the original grant of the township to the present time, 1728-1893, with a biographic-genealogical register of its principal families > Part 18
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On the 2d of February following, 1760, the committee re- ported and the court proceeded to act in accordance with its advisory provisions, as shown in the record of its action in the premises, to wit :
"In Council Feb. 2, 1760. Read and Accepted and Ordered that there be a Tax of one half penny per acre laid on the Lands of the non-resident Pro- prietors of the District of Westminster as also upon a Tract of 500 acres laid out to the late Gov. Belcher included in the bounds of said District - the money so raised to be applied towards defraying Ministerial Charges in Said District, and that the Inhabitants be authorized and empowered to appoint Assessors and Collectors of said Tax who are hereby vested with the like Power with other Assessors and Collectors and are to govern them- selves according to law in the discharge of the duties of said Office.
"Sent down for concurrence
A. OLIVER. Sec.
"In the House of Representatives, Feb. 8, 1765.
" Read and Concurred.
S. WHITE, Speaker. " Consented to T. POWNAL, Govr."
By an oversight, the time for which the half-penny tax was to be levied was not stated in the above order, and a supplementary vote was passed, limiting it to four years, as the committee had recommended.
Notwithstanding the very plainly stated provisions of the above order, the resident proprietors undertook, at different dates, to levy extra taxes upon non-residents and collect the same, an instance of which, noted a few pages back, occurred in connec- tion with the troubles incident to the final settlement of the claims of Rev. Elisha Marsh. Others took place subsequently, and with the same result as then ensued, -the latter, protest- ing against the assessment and carrying their case up to the general court, securing there a release from it. Upon what grounds these residents expected their outside associates to continue to bear with them the financial burdens of the propri- ety, it is impossible to see, except that they conceived the
138
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
court's order to apply only to matters pertaining to the jurisdic- tion of the district, and not to affairs of the old propriety. If that were so, they differed with the legislature, which evidently deemed its action in the premises final and complete, exempting the non-resident proprietors from all claims and exactions in the township, save those specifically named in its enactments. In that interpretation all parties concerned were obliged ulti- mately to acquiesce.
Affairs of the District. In returning now to the nar- ration of current events, it is proper to remark that only the more general ones will be noted in this connection, those of a special character being reserved for a classified, topical presen- tation under their respective heads in subsequent chapters.
Aside from transactions pertaining to these reserved subjects, nothing of importance was done at the annual meeting in 1760 except to elect the required district officers for the year, the principal of which, with those chosen from year to year after- ward, will be given in tabulated form in due place and time.
On the Sth of July, the selectmen, in obedience to the stat- utes of the province, presented a list of names of persons who should be liable to be drawn as jurors to serve in the courts of the county of Worcester. The list was accepted and approved by the voters in district meeting assembled, and, as it was the first in the long series which has been continued to the present day, is given in full, as it stands in the clerk's book of records :
" Capt. Daniel Hoar, Nathan Whitney, Daniel Walker,
Josiah Cutting, Jonas Winship,
Andrew Darby,
Ensn. Richard Graves, Left. Samuel Whitney, Joseph Miller,
Jonas Whitney, Joseph Holden, Junr.
Richard Baker, Abner Holden,
Reuben Miles,
Thomas Conant,
John Miles,
Stephen Holden, Elisha Bigelow,
Nathan Wood,
Noah Miles,
John Woodward,
William Edggle,
Philip Bemis, John Brooks,
Seth Herrington,
Left. Thomas Stearns, William Bemis.
Left. Nicholas Dike,
Benjamin Butterfield, John Estabrooks.
James Walker,
John Rand,"
At a district meeting held September 21st, special assessors and collectors were chosen to levy and receive the tax of one- half penny per acre on the lands of non-resident proprietors. A "Pound" was also ordered to be built "on the corner of the meetinghouse lot near to Dea. Holden's land," but the location six months later was changed to "the crotch of the roads against Joseph Holden Jr's fence."
At the same meeting it was voted to build "Stocks" for the punishment of misdemeanors and light offenses against the peace and good order of society, but no committee was chosen to carry the vote into effect and no record is found relating to their construction at that early date. They had a place in the community, however, some years afterward.
139
TRANSACTIONS OF THE DISTRICT.
Some doubt having arisen in regard to the legality of the previously pursued method of calling the meetings of the district, and consequently of the transactions of those meet- ings, a petition was sent to the general court, at its session in January, 1761, asking that the proceedings thus far carried on be ratified and confirmed by legislative authority. The petition was favorably received and the request it contained was granted, by an order which passed both houses and was signed by the governor, Francis Bernard, on the 22d of that month. Up to that date the warrants had been issued by a simple order of the selectmen. They were afterward issued upon a similar order given "In His Majesty's name."
Sept. 9, 1762. At this date the district gave its first vote on the election of "some meet person to be Register of Deeds and Conveyances in and for the County of Worcester in the room of Hon. John Chandler, Esqr. late Register, deceased." The vote was unanimous for Timothy Paine, Esq.
As early as 1763, the question of the division of Worcester County began to be agitated in the general community, and the voters of the district were called upon for an expression of feel- ing in the matter, which they gave in a meeting held July 26th, when
"It was put to vote to see if they will agree to be set off Into a separate County with ye westerly part of ye County of Worcester and easterly part of the County of Hampshire and It passed In the Negative."
Oct. 19, 1763. The district voted "to grant six pounds to procure a town Stock [ of powder, balls, etc. ] and waits and Measures," and Captain Hoar was charged with the duty in- volved thereby. Mr. Nathan Whitney was appointed to the office of "Surveyor of Wheat and flour."
At a meeting held April 30, 1764, a former vote requiring all accounts against the district to be presented to and approved by the whole body of voters was rescinded, and "voted that the Selectmen be a Committee to allow and settle accoumpts."
At the annual meeting in 1765, adjourned to March 18th, it was "Voted to fence the Burieing place," and different persons were designated to do the work under definitely specified con- ditions. The construction of suitable gates was included in the above transaction. Also "voted and chose Mr. Philip Bemis a Grave Digger for the future."
Immediately before the election of wardens, who were a kind of police force in the community, at the annual meeting, March 3, 1766, the law respecting the proper observance of the Sab- bath was read for the information of heads of families, touch- ing the duties of themselves and their households in regard thereto.
In the warrant for the annual meeting of March 7, 1768, the following article appeared :
-
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
140
" To see whether the Destrict will comply with the measures proposed by the Town of Boston with Respect to Industry and manifactory and to pre- vent the purchase of Superfluities."
Pursuant to this article the following manifesto was prepared and adopted. It is given as it stands in the original draft, prepared, undoubtedly, by Abner Holden, and preserved in the records of the clerk :
"The Destrict of Westminster takeing into Consideration the Sinking State of the province ariseing through the manyfold Extravigencies of the Inhabi- tants: in the Greate Neglect of Industrey; and the Still Greater Increase of our miserey, in the Extravigent Expence of its Inhabitants, in the purchase of Superfluieties and are fully Senceable of the absolute Nessessity of Indus- trey and frugallity in order to Save us from a Seane of Impending woe; and to increase our Welth and place us in a State of Independancy- Do Cher- fully and unanimously Vote and Resolve that from and after the first Day of April Next, we will not purchase any Superfluieties -and that we will take Every proper method within our power to Increase Industrey and manufac- torey within the District for we are fully Senceable that Idleness has a Natural Tendency to Impoverish any Comunity and when attended with Extravigency Brings Emeadiet Ruine, will therefore by all possable and Lawfull meanes take every method within our power to Incourage Industrey amongst ourselves- and take this opertunity to give it in Direction to our Selectmen to take Speciall Care that all Idle persons amongst us be kept to Some Lawfull Buisness- and that the Law of the province in that Regard be Duely Observed.
" The above Vote passed Unanimously."
It is very likely that this pronunciamento against idleness, luxury, and prodigal expenditure, made at the suggestion of the authorities of the town of Boston, had a patriotic purpose in it, and was really designed by its originators, not only to pro- mote self-reliant and independent habits among the people at large, but to prevent the paying of moneys to the mother coun- try for unnecessary and costly goods of whatever kind, to her advantage and to the harm of the colonies, and so, by both means, forecasting, in a measure, the future, and preparing for a possible contingency that might arise in days not far ahead. At any rate, in view of what soon afterward transpired, it proved to be a wise precaution as a matter of public policy, as well as a wholesome admonition regarding some of the salutary inter- ests of personal and social life.
As the needs of the community became more apparent and imperative, and the means of supplying them more abundant, the appropriations of the district reflected the changed condi- tion of things in these regards. This is shown in the fact that on the 12th of June, 1769, the district "voted to purchase a Burreing Cloath and a Chrisening Bason and chose Mr. Brigden to purchase them."
Upto this date the inhabitants of Westminster had enjoyed only restricted municipal rights and privileges, having no legal claim to representation in the provincial legislature, and no voice in framing the laws or shaping the policy under which they lived
141
THE DISTRICT ERECTED INTO A TOWN.
and by which they were governed. Early in 1770, a movement was started with a view of having all restrictions in these re- spects removed, so that the corporation might take its desired place as a co-equal municipality with other towns in the Com- monwealth. A petition was consequently prepared and sent to the general court, representing that view and asking action in accordance therewith. This resulted in the passage of
"AN ACT
" TO ERECT THE DISTRICT OF WESTMINSTER IN THE COUNTY OF WOR- CESTER INTO A TOWN BY THE NAME OF WESTMINSTER.
"WHEREAS, the inhabitants of the District of Westminster have petitioned this Court to be incorporated into a town that they may enjoy the privileges of other towns in being represented in the Great and General Court,-
" Be it therefore enacted by the Lieut. Governor, Council, and House of Representatives. That the District of Westminster in the County of Worces- ter be and hereby is incorporated into a Town by the name of Westminster, and that the Inhabitants thereof be and hereby are invested with all the Powers, Privileges, and Immunities, which the Inhabitants of the several towns within the Province do enjoy.
"Passed by the House of Representatives Apr. 19, 1770; in the Council, Apr 24, 1770; and signed by the Lieutenant Governor, THOMAS HUTCHIN- SON, Apr. 26, 1770."
Thus ends the history of the district of Westminster. Dur- ing its ten and a half years' continuance, its growth in popu- lation, in wealth, in social and political importance, - in all that goes to make a prosperous, homogeneous, well - condi- tioned, and happy community, -was marked and auspicious, full of encouragement and promise. More than a hundred new families came in during that decade, the more permanent and substantial of which are represented by the following names : Adams, Bailey, Barnard, Bickford, Brown, Carter, Clark, Cook, Cooper, Damon, Eaton, Emerson, Everett, Flint, Gager, Gar- field, Gates, Haines, Hall, Harris, Harvey, Holt, Houghton, Howard, Keyes, Kezar, Laws, Leonard, Lewis, Martin, Nichols, Pratt, Ray, Raymond, Ross, Sawin, Sawyer, Spalding, Taft, Temple, Thurston, Tottingham, Townsend, Tucker, Walton, Wetherbee, Whitman, Williams, Wilson, Wright.
The appended table, based upon authentic data, except as indicated, shows the increase of the township during the ten years following its incorporation in the particulars specified :
Items.
1759.
1764.
1769.
Items.
1759.
1764
1769.
Population .
Polls .
312(?) So
468
120
660(?) 169
Horses
52
56
69
Oxen .
53
97
161
Swine . Sheep.
35
95
147
Cows.
170
259
348
176
403
703
CHAPTER X.
PERIOD OF THE REVOLUTION.
ITS CAUSES-INAUGURATION AND ADVANCE-TOWN ACTION - LIST OF WESTMINSTER SOLDIERS.
WE come now to a consideration of the part taken by the town of Westminster in that great struggle between England and her trans-Atlantic colonics, which resulted in the severance of the bonds uniting the two under one supreme sovereignty, and the founding of a new nationality on these American shores. The causes leading to the war of the Revolution prop- erly belong to a work on general history, rather than to one like that now in hand, and to some such work the reader is referred for an elaborate and exhaustive statement of the facts in the case. Nevertheless, it is deemed fitting to glance at the steps which led up to the mighty conflict of arms that had so much to do with changing the fortunes of a continent, and turning life within its borders into new and untried channels of activity and development. To do so intelligently, it will be necessary not only to go back a little in the order of time, but to take note of the pre-existing relations between the parent govern- ment and its dependent provinces.
The circumstances under which the first English immigrants sought a home in the New World have been sufficiently set forth in preceding pages. There is no reason to suppose that after the excitement and disturbed feeling incident to leaving their native land had passed away, any deep-seated and irrecon- cilable hostility between the people of the old country and those of the new remained. The ties of personal and family relationship, social affiliations, sacred and tender memories, a common ancestry and heritage, forbid such a conjecture. To be sure, many of the colonists, especially those of New Eng- land, had been harshly treated by the ruling powers of Britain, and were compelled to flee to these wilderness retreats in order to live in the enjoyment of those rights which they believed belonged to them and to all men by nature and divine decree, but they were by no means disposed to cherish perpetual ani- mositics in their breasts on that account, or the spirit of venge- ful hate. The religion in which they believed and for which they had suffered so much forbade all that, and they were dis- posed to yield to its behests in that regard. Besides, time had wrought great changes in the motherland during the century
143
LOYALTY OF THE COLONIES.
following the forced flight of the Pilgrim and Puritan from her shores. The Stuart dynasty, synonym of bigotry, intolerance, and cruelty, had gone and a milder rule had been inaugurated. Intercommunication between the old world and the new became more frequent and more cordial with the passing years. The bonds of kinship, of a common Protestant faith, and of a com- mon history, exerted a powerful influence in modifying the feel- ing and giving cast and character to the relations between those of the same language and nationality dwelling on the two sides of the Atlantic. Whatever of the old superstition and tyranny remained in England, was found, not among the people at large, but among the ruling classes represented by the king and parliament, who very naturally were jealous of their hereditary privileges and resolute in their determination to preserve them as they had come down from the venerated past. To them was given, they felt, the right to manage English affairs throughout all the provinces of the realm, in their own way, and to compel acquiescence therein by force and arms, if necessary. Hence, the American Revolution.
The colonies had never renounced allegiance to the English crown. They admitted the right of the sovereign to exercise authority over them, only that authority must be beneficent and kind-consistent with their own native-born prerogatives, and used in the promotion of human liberty, not in circumvent- ing or destroying it. Very likely the parent government never was inclined to allow all that was claimed in this behalf, but left the matter in abeyance, only awaiting quietly the time when circumstances should justify an open stand against it. So long as the colonies were weak and poor, struggling to get a foot- hold in the New World, scarcely able to support themselves and their growing population, no king or ministry had been inclined to call upon them in any way to aid in maintaining the English sovereignty, or in contributing to the English treasury. But things had gradually changed here as well as there, and changed for the better. The settlements, especially those of New Eng- land, had greatly prospered-had increased in wealth, in the means of self-subsistence, as well as in population. Lands were becoming more and more productive and valuable. Com- merce had grown to be an important interest. Many kinds of manufacture had been established and were "in the full tide of successful experiment." It was but natural that the monarch and his satellites, continually needing resources to carry forward ambitious plans and costly wars, should turn to these thriving de- pendencies across the sea and say, "These, too, are our subjects, and why should not they, now that they are able, help support the machinery of government, maintain its policy, prosecute its undertakings, and pay its bills." And all the more would they be inclined to take this view, after having expended large sums of money for the benefit of the colonies themselves, as was the
144
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
case in the two wars that had been waged against the French and Indians, as heretofore narrated.
And herein is indicated the immediate cause, or the occasion, at least, of the rupture which culminated in the Revolution. At the close of the conflict terminating in 1763, the parent government found itself struggling beneath the burden of a mighty debt -a debt incurred, for the most part, by expendi- tures on American soil, in the interest and behalf of its Amer- ican subjects, and therefore should be met and paid in due pro- portion by those subjects. It was a matter of simple justice, it was argued, that such should be the case. On this ground, the crown and ministry based their claims, urged their plea, made their demand. There was not a little plausibility and show of reason in this view, it must be confessed, and it might have been accepted and allowed, but for collateral considerations vitiating its force. Chiefest of these was the fact that the demand was purely ex parte and arbitrary. No disposition was shown to deal with the colonies on terms of equity and honor. They were allowed no rights whatever in adjudicating and determining the case, no voice in the public counsels by which it was finally set- tled. And here was where the break came. Out of this condi- tion of things sprung the expressive apothegm of the devoted lovers of liberty : "Taxation without representation is tyranny." They said "If we are to help support the government, we must have part in the government." "If we are to help pay the bills, we must be consulted in regard to making the bills." This de- mand the crown and ministry would not grant. And not granting it, began at once to devise ways and means for wresting surrep- titiously from the colonies what could not be obtained by their free and full consent. A system of legislation was determined upon for the distinct purpose of replenishing the resources of the national treasury, at the expense of the American subjects. The new king, George III, "an obstinate young man," seemed to be fully in sympathy with the contemplated policy of the government. One of the first things done under that policy was the sending of several regiments of His Majesty's troops across the water, ostensibly for the purpose of protecting the people from further attacks by the recently conquered enemy, from whom, in fact, there was nothing to fear, but virtually to enforce whatever arbitrary enactments might be made against the rights and liberties of the people.
,
And such enactments followed in due time. Some restrictive laws had been passed previous to the close of the "French and Indian War," but in a comparatively mild and inoffensive form, provoking no hostile demonstrations and little opposition. The first act of parliament revealing its design of enforcing a system of taxation upon the unwilling colonies was passed Sept. 29, 1764. It awakened much indignation on this side the water, - an indignation greatly intensified the next year by the passage
145
ARBITRARY MEASURES OPPOSED.
of the infamous "Stamp Act," against which the well-known, inflammatory speech of Patrick Henry was delivered in the Assembly of Virginia. In the House of Representatives of Massachusetts, James Otis rose to the height of the occasion in a masterly address proposing the union of all the colonies in opposition to the enforcement of the offensive statute, which address culminated in the famous Continental Congress of the next decade. Violent hostility to the measure was manifested in various parts of the country. The stamp distributor in Boston, Andrew Oliver, was hung in effigy. A building sup- posed to be his office was torn to pieces. The house of his brother-in-law, Chief Justice Thomas Hutchinson, afterwards governor, a strong supporter of kingly prerogative, was ran- sacked and stripped of its contents, while he and his family, hurrying out of town, barely escaped with their lives. "The unconquerable rage of the people" compelled the abandon- ment of all attempts to execute the odious act. The op- position throughout the country assumed such proportions that a strong party was created in parliament fully sympa- thizing therewith, which, under the leadership of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, secured the repeal of the measure in 1766, to the great relief and joy of the colonies and their English friends.
But the crown and ministry were not to be thwarted in their attempt to wrest money from their American subjects. A law was enacted laying heavy imposts upon many kinds of imported articles in common use, - sugar, coffee, glass, paper, colors, tea, etc. This roused renewed hostility and indignation. The Bos- ton patriots, including women as well as men, said "We will eat nothing, drink nothing, wear nothing coming from Eng- land." British manufactures were, to a great extent, renounced, and domestic manufactures were encouraged. It was resolved to give up the use of mutton, in order that American flocks might be multiplied, and the production of woolen goods at home promoted. No costly display was to be made at funerals, and no new clothing from foreign goods was to be produced any further than absolute necessity required. Towns outside of Boston were asked to come into a similar arrangement. It was in response to this request that the citizens of Westminster passed the vote of March 7, 1768, quoted on page 140. In view of the existing excitement, Governor Bernard gave to the home authorities an exaggerated account of the condition of affairs, and a false representation of the spirit and purpose of the patriotic citizens, and called for more troops to prevent outbreak and compel submission, which were accordingly sent him. The Provincial Legislature of Massachusetts had passed resolutions discouraging the use of imported goods, which it was ordered by parliament to rescind. Refusing to do this, the governor dissolved the legislature, leaving the province without a govern-
10
146
HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER, MASS.
ment, when "the liberties of the people were at the mercy of their foes."
This usurpation on the part of the governor induced Otis, Adams, Warren, and others to call a town meeting in Boston, to consider and take action upon the crisis. As a result, it was concluded to hold a convention of the towns of the province in Faneuil Hall on the 12th of the present month, September, and the selectmen were directed to send out notices accordingly. This circumstance led Westminster to take its first pronounced action in respect to the troubles with the mother country. In the warrant for a special town meeting to be held Sept. 20, 1768, the subject was introduced in the following form :
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