History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 101

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 101

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that had sat at Watertown the previous summer ; he was prepared to present the petition at the earliest practicable moment, it having been signed February 5th. But the Legislature was not again convened, and as its term would expire on the day next pre- ceding the last Wednesday of May, on the 20th of February a town-meeting was held, and John Mason was chosen representative for the ensuing year. Soon after the next Legislature met the petition was pre- sented, but, on account of an adjournment and other circumstances which were daily affecting the situation of affairs, it was not reported back to the House for some time, and it was not until the 7th of next November that the bill was passed, and which reads as follows :

IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1776.

An Act for discontinuing the name of a town in the County of Wor- cester, lately incorporated by the name of Hutchinson, and calling the name BARRE.

WHEREAS, the Inhabitants of the Town of Hutchinson have hy their Petition Represented to this Court, that in June, 1774, when the said Town was incorporated. General Gage, the then Governor, gave it the name of Hutchinson, in hovor to and to perpetuate the memory of Thomas Hutchinson, his immediate predecessor in the Chair of Govern- ment, whom they have justly styled the well-known enemy of the nat- ural and Stipulated Rights of America, and at a Town Meeting notified for that purpose, they Voted unanimously to petition, and accordingly have petitioned the General Court, that the name of the said Town might be altered, and that it might no longer bear the Disgraceful name of Hutchinson ;

And, WHEREAS, there is a moral fitness that Traitors and Parricides, especially such as have remarkably distinguished themselves in that odious Character, and have long labored to deprive their native Country of its most valuable rights and privileges, and to destroy every Constitu- tional Guard against the evils of an all-enslaving Despotism, should be held up to view in their true Character to be execrated by mankind, aod there should remain no other memorial of them than such ae will trans- mit their names with Infamy to posterity ;

And, WHEREAS, the said Thomas Hutchinson, contrary to every obli- gation of duty and gratitude to this, his native Country, which raised him from private life to the highest and most lucrative Offices in the Government, has acted towards her the part of a Traitor and Parricide, as above described, which has been clearly manifested to the world by his Letters lately published, and by his having thus acted, it has become fit and just that every honorable memorial of him should be Obliterated and cease.

Therefore-Be it enacted by the Council and House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts Bay, in General Court assenibled, and hy the authority of the same, that the land lying in the County of Worces- ter, formerly called Rutland District, and in June, 1774, incorporated into a town by the name of Hutchinsoo, shall no longer bear that name, but henceforth shall be called and known by the name of BARRE, the aforesaid Incorporating act notwithstanding, and all Offi- cers in the said town shall hold and exercise their Offices respectively in the same manner as they would have done, had not the name of the said town been altered.

In the House of Representatives, Novm. 7, 1776. This Bill having had three several readings, passed to be enacted. Sent up for Concurrence.

T. DALTON, Speaker Protem. In Council, Novm. 7, 1776.

This Bill having had two eeveral readings, passed to be enacted. JOHN AVERY, Dep'y Secretary.

Consented to by the Major part of the Council. A true Copy, Attest, JOHN AVERY, Dep'y Secretary.

The name of the town had been changed to Barre instead of Wilkes, as the people had desired in their petition. Wilkes and Barré at this time were mem- bers of the same Parliament, and each was an ardent defender of what he considered the liberties and

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rights of the people of the Provinces. For some years preceding Wilkes had acquired some notoriety by his writings and conrse of conduct, and had, at one time, been expelled from Parliament and placed under arrest, convicted and sentenced to imprison- ment and heavy fine. What many of the English people considered as an act of oppression towards him had turned the current of popular opinion in his favor; the people of America were dazzled by his public course, and their desire to honor him and his name was but natural.

By whom the name of Barre was given to the town is not known, but it is evident that, as a blank for the name was left in the act, it was inserted in the House and acceded to in the Council.

Isaac Barré, after whom the town was named, was at that time attracting much attention and commenda- tion from the Americans for his efforts in their behalf in the British Parliament ; he was born in Dublin, of French parentage, in humble circumstances, in 1726; it was intended that he should study law, as in his career at Trinity College, which he entered at the age of fourteen, he had exhibited marked ability as a student and debater; disliking that profession, he enlisted in the British Army with the rank of ensign in 1746. He was in the service for fourteen years on the Continent anl in Canada, where, under Gen. Wolfe, he rose to the rank of adjutant-general: He was severely wounded in his eyes in the same engage- ment where Wolfe was killed. At the surrender of Montreal in 1760, Lord Amherst sent him as bearer of despatches to the home government ; he remained in London to obtain relief from his injuries, in which he was but partially successful. The next year he was elected to a seat in Parliament, where he dis- tinguished himself in debate and became a powerful champion of the American people, denouncing the oppression of the British government and contending for the rights of the people. His career in Parlia- ment attracted the attention of the Americans, and they acknowledged him as a powerful friend and ad- vocate in their behalf. The title of colonel, which was at times applied to him, is incorrect, as he arose only to the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In conse- quence of the wounds he received at Quebec in 1759, he became blind when about sixty years of age. He died in London, July 20, 1802. An oil painting of Barré, after one by Stuart, hangs in our Public Library.

The representative to the body sitting at Water- town, Dea. John Mason, a man specially fitted to the times, kept the people informed of the condition of affairs, and largely through his influence they were led to act in advance of some of the neighboring towns and to preserve and strengthen the determina- tion against yielding to any usurpation of their rights. What wonder, then, that when they were summoned to a town-meeting to act upon a resolve emanating from the representative body of the Colony of Massa- chusetts Bay, asking them to advise their representa-

tive that, if the Congress should declare them inde- pendent of Great Britain, he should pledge the in- habitants to solemnly engage with their lives and for- tunes to support them in this measure, they unani- mously so instructed their representative, Dea. Mason. And they went still farther: they desired every male inhabitant of the age of sixteen years and upwards to be enrolled, that each and every one might contribute his share in the struggle for liberty. They desired their representative to act his part in agreeing upon and enacting a Constitution and form of government for the State such as shonld conduce to the safety and happiness of its inhabitants. To a people thus pledged to independence it must have seemed a direct insult to be petitioned into a town-meeting to take into consideration a circular from the King's Com- missioners, Lord Howe and his brother, Gen. Howe, proposing measures of settlement, this proposition stating that all the acts that the people complained of as grievous should be righted, that they would be repealed, and their rights and privileges established. This petition for the town-meeting stated that " as all proposals must begin somewhere, we think it is time tn know whether the people in this town mean to fight Great Britain only for independency, and if not, that their minds may be known thereon." The meet- ing was held December 30, 1776; the gilded bait of compromise was not acceptable; the meeting was of short duration; after a spirited discu sion they de- cided not to act upon the warrant and it was dissolved. Another result of this meeting was that much indig- nation was aroused against the signers of this petitinn, John Caldwell, Ezra Jones, Matthew Caldwell, Noah Mandell, George Caldwell, William Caldwell and Thomas Holden, and their adherents, and so strong did this feeling become that a town-meeting was called by a warrant signed by but two of the five selectmen, and held January 20, 1777. Capt. John Black was voted "ont of all office in town," and Col. Buckminster was removed from his position as town treasurer. When we consider the strength of these men in local affairs, their power in debate, their superior judgment and their valiant and valuable services on the field of bat- tle, we can but feebly realize the force of that wrath that was visited upon them by those of their towns- men who, once having decided to contend for liberty, were unwilling to retrace a single step.

Notwithstanding this episode in their affairs, the spirit of patriotism was progressing. At succeeding town-meetings the people gladly voted to raise their quota of men for the fifteen battalions called for by the Continental Congress and appropriate a bounty of twenty pounds to each one who enlisted in the Continental Army; they also voted to consider those who acted as substitutes for such of the citizens as could not go to the war as inhabitants of Barre and placed them on the same footing, as to bonnty, as were those who had previously enlisted for service at Ticonderoga or elsewhere.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Another element was now a source of discomfort; bills of credit had been issued by the State, and al- though its faith was pledged for their redemption, their value was constantly depreciatng. This was productive of hardship and suffering; these circum- stances and the absence of many of the men had made the situation depressing; agriculture was ne- glected, specie had disappeared and nearly every one was unwilling to receive the currency for debts due them, and it was nearly impossible to procure with it many of the necessities of life. A meeting was held to see if the people would petition the General Court for a repeal or alteration of the act in regard to the bills of credit, and they voted against such a course, preferring hardship rather than to do aught that might weaken their hopes for independence, and pre- ferring to co-operate with the General Court in all measures that it should consider necessary for the success of their cause. (In January, 1777, these bills of credit were about five per cent. below par, and in January, 1778, they were worth only about three and one-half per cent. of their face value.)

The people were ever in accord with the spirit of the times, town-meetings were of frequent occurrence and the condition of the colonies was demanding constant attention. At times a feeble minority would petition for an abrogation of certain measures, but the stern, unyielding sense of the majority, after a spirited discussion, would prevail ; on some occasions, when meetings had been called on the petitions of this minority, discussion would be avoided by refus- ing to act on the articles, and in May, 1778, the town showed its spirit so strongly as to vote "to throw out a petition of twelve signers of the inhabitants of Barre in every part and paragraph."

This petition was for the reconsidering of a previous meeting's vote by which a bounty had been granted to those who should enlist in the Continental Army. In April of 1778 the town held a meeting to see whether it would ratify a Constitution or mode of government sent out by the General Assembly. This form was unsatisfactory, and by a strong majority they refused to ratify it as it then stood, the vote be- ing eleven for to seventy-six against it. Realizing, however, that a stable form of government was essen- tial, a committee was chosen to report such amend- ments as they thought fitting and proper, lay them before the town for its acceptance and instruct the representative in regard to them. This Constitution was the outcome of a recommendation of the House of Representatives, September 17, 1776, that the voters of the different towns assemble and determine whether they would give their consent that the House and Council should enact such a form of gov- ernment for the State as would seem best; the towns generally voted unanimously to accede to this re- quest, but when the proposed Constitution was sub- mitted to them it was rejected.

In April, 1779, a convention of delegates was called

to assemble at Cambridge to prepare another draft of a Constitution, to which Barre sent as delegates John Mason, Andrew Parker and Asa Hapgood. The work of this convention was no more favorable than before, for this draft also was rejected. When, in May of 1780, it came before the town for its consider- ation a committee of seven was appointed to exam- ine and report upon this draft. Rev. Josiah Dana, the chairman, reported that it was imperfect and rec- ommended these amendments :

1. No one, not of the Protestant religion, should be eligible to any office from Governor to Representative ; 2. No person shall be eligible to any office in the Legislature who does not coutribute to the support of the civil government in the way of taxation, giving as a reason thet he who pays a part of the charges would be more likely to speod our money frugally; 3. That the chief officers of the State should not serve more than four years out of seven, as this might be a check on eo- terprising, designing meu, aod of consequence, a tendency to serve the liberties of the people and reoder the Commonwealth safe; 4. That no person should have a seat in the Congress and the State Legislature at the same time, as such a practice would give a way for some person to have ao nodue influence in government and he derogatory to the liberties of the people ; 5. That a particular day should be appointed for the choice of representatives, as it would save the trouble and expeuse of an annual precept ; 6. Each town should have the privilege of nominating one justice of the peace, it being the opinion that the towns entitled to choose a representative were under greater advantage to determine the qualifications and ability of their towosmen theo the Governor of the Commonwealth could be.

The town, by a vote of one hundred yeas to four nays, accepted the draft with these amendments, and ordered their delegates to attend the convention at its adjourned meeting in June, to present them for consideration and to agree upon a time when the instrument should take effect, if accepted by a two- thirds vote of the people. Nothing resulted from these proposed amendments; but during this sitting a revised draft was brought before the convention and adopted, and, on being submitted to the inhabit- ants, was ratified; on the declaration of the conven- tiou that more than two-thirds of the voters of this Province had signified that they were in favor of it, the Constitution was declared accepted.

Barre was still contributing its proper portion of men and supplies for the army. Attempts were made to equalize the compensation of those who had labored for, and who were still in, the Continental army. As each member of the militia was, to a con- siderable extent, a judge of the value of his efforts, these attempts were not always productive of the best results ; local jealousies and personal piques were as prominent as before or since that time, and when endeavors were made to have each free-holder pay a proportionate amount of the expense incurred, they would vigorously protest; but in the end their sense of right and justice would prevail.

The depreciation of the currency was a source of much trouble in this matter. Hours were spent in discussion, votes were passed and reconsidered, and at length the matter would be left to adjust itself. One proposition made at this time was to settle with the men for their services by paying them with bills of credit at "ninety for one," that is-that ninety

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dollars in such bills should be considered as the equivalent in value of one Spanish milled dollar.

In this year, 1780, the town was called upon for a supply of beef for the army, the amount required being nine thousand nine hundred and sixty pounds; the town voted to raise £20,100, with which to pur- chase this beef. Additional men for the army were also called for, and committees were chosen to supply these calls. For the purpose of more easily and readily obtaining the men the town was divided into classes or districts; one man was taken from each district, either by his enlisting or, in some few cases, by hiring a substitute; sometimes one would be drawn by lot, when, if he refused to serve, the dis- trict in which he lived was assessed in a sufficient sum to procure a substitute. Twenty men marched from Barre, June 5, 1780, having enlisted for a term of six months' service. More men and more beef were still called for. In 1781 seven thousand eight hundred and ninety-three pounds of beef were called for for the army ; the town voted to give John Cald- well forty-two shillings, currency, per one hundred pounds, or £165, "hard money," for the whole amount, and which he furnished.

After this time we have but little evidence that the State was still calling for aid, although in August of 1782 the town voted to use their best endeavors to collect a sum of money in compliance with a "press- ing requisition " from the General Court. The last requisition for men had been made in March, but this and some of the preceding calls had not been based upon population, but on property according to the valuation.

There is no complete record of the names or num- ber of men from this town who served in the Revolu- tionary struggle, but it has been asserted that about one-sixth of the inhabitants did military duty during the war; if this be so, then our town should be credited with sending out more than two hundred men to contend for their liberties.

The war was approaching its close ; the campaigns of this year were destined to virtually decide the issues in favor of a long-suffering and much-enduring people. Amid deprivations and some internal dissen- sions they had worked steadily in answering calls for men and supplies for the force in the field, and now they could devote their time and attention to peace- ful pursuits ; town-meetings were less frequent, the business to be transacted relating more generally to the proper functions of a town. The church and schools and highways now received the attention they needed, and much time and care was bestowed upon them. One subject connected with the war was a source of much difficulty : some of the men con- sidered that they had done more than their part in aiding to prosecute the war, and charged others with having shirked their duties. This was a subject of constant controversy, and so great was the excitement that the town endeavored at different times to equal-

ize the value of the services of each one. Commit- tees were appointed for this purpose, reports made and rejected ; finally a committee reported that they had examined into the past services done in the war with Great Britain by individuals, and desiring to use their best endeavors to have every man's money made. good that he had advanced for the support of the war, and also taking into view their personal services, they submitted a statement showing what each man had advanced and done by way of credit, and another statement showing by the valuation what each one's proportion should be; this report was accepted. Two hundred and sixty five names appear upon this schedule, about one-half of whom were credited with having done more than their part; the delinquents were expected to pay the balance against them into the town treasury, but as this balance varied from a few pounds to several hundred, it was very evident that some would be unable to pay such sums, and others flatly refused to do so; numerous devices were resorted to to effect a settlement, and threats were made of invoking legislative interference ; in the end a few settled the balance against them and the matter was allowed to drop.

In 1782 the people were so engrossed in their home affairs that they neglected to send a Representative to the General Court. The Legislature called the town to account for this neglect of their duty, but it de- clined to assign any reason for its course. So imper- ative were the demands of the State that the town should do its duty, the next year Colonel Nathan Sparhawk was chosen Representative. Matters of great importance to the condition and welfare of the country, in a civil rather than a military line, were coming forward and demanding settlement. A treaty of peace between the colonies and Great Britain had been arranged and preliminary articles signed. The town, to some extent, realized how great might be the benefits that would accrue to it from independence, and they eagerly desired that time to come when they might enjoy the fruits of their struggles and sacrifices. Nearly impoverished in helping to maintain an army scattered over a large territory by sending forward men and supplies, their farms suffering for want of proper care, in some instances having been carried on by the boys and girls of the household, the dawn of peace was gladly hailed. Resolved that nothing should be wanting on their part. they chose a strong committee, who should obtain the general sentiment of all the people, and from this formulate instructions by which their Representative in the General Court should be guided.

These instructions were drawn up; they expressed confidence in the integrity and good understanding of their representative to conduct public affairs in such a way as to promote the interests of the Common- wealth and this town in particular; they desired him to bear in mind that the State was free and independ- ent, and retained every power, jurisdiction and right

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

that had not been specially delegated to the Congress, and that the foundation of good government rested on piety, religion and morality ; that these, with mod- eration, justice, temperance, industry and frugality, were necessary to preserve our liberty, and that all laws must be based upon them ; that the Constitution and Declaration of Rights were worthy of his fre- quent perusal, and that in public doings he should be be largely guided thereby. In regard to the treaty of peace, they say "our independence is confirmed, a blessing for which patriots have long toiled and heroes fought aud bled. Posterity can never justly charge us with surrendering their rights. We and they shall be free so long as we deserve freedom It will depend upon our virtue."

The fifth article of the treaty of peace was unsatis- factory and distasteful. This article provided that the Congress should recommend to the Legislatures of the several States that they provide for the restitution of all the estates, rights and properties that had been confiscated from British subjects during the war, and likewise for the restoration of the estates and rights of persons resident here or el-ewhere who had not borne arms against the country, but preferred to retain their loyalty to the King. The instructions on this point said, " we cannot help feeling anxious for the event of the fifth article, which respects those men who fled from their country when its liberties were invaded, and took refuge in the dominions of the invader. Congress can only recommend. It will not obtrude citizens in any of the States, much less declared traitors. Agreeable to the treaty of peace, the town wishes for no recollection of past dispute with Great Britain, no repetition of past in- juries, but the seeds of discord being excluded, that a beneficial intercourse may be established between the two countries, so as to promote and serve to per- petuate peace and harmony, which would be ex- tremely difficult were these persons to reside among us whom this country regards as the occasion of inter- rupting that intercourse formerly, and the cause of this suffering ; especially as these wretched beings have already begun quarrels with that peace and those who made it, which terminates a long, bloody, unna- tural war. Therefore, in the opinion of this town, the happiness, the liberties, interest and safety of these States forbid us to suffer persons of the above descrip- tion to become the subjects of, and to reside in, this gov- ernment;" they further instructed him that it would be dangerous to admit them, or to have them forced upon us. They enjoined upon him unremitting atten- tion to business, and stated that it was their right to communicate to him their sentiments whenever they should judge it necessary or convenient, and they ex- pected him to hold himself bound at all times to attend to and observe them.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 101

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1576

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1576