History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 130

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 130

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Farnsworth, Edward Hartwell, Ruben Farnsworth." The five of these petitioners who were excluded by the General Court were: Edward Hartwell, Joseph Wright, Joseph Whelock, Robart Phelps and Jonathan Houghton, Jr.

Nine persons required to be admitted among the proprietors were: Thomas Farmer, Henry Coul- burn, Jonathan Farrer, Samuel Shaddock, Samuel Trull, Jacob Corey, Joshua Webster, Abiel Foster, Samuel Tarbol. Thus the names of seventy-one proprietors were recognized in the grant, many of whom never became settlers, but transferred their lands to children or other assignees. In a sub- sequent report of the names by the proprietors' clerk, the name Aaron Ried appears instead of Aron Rice, and Sam" Terrill in place of Sam- uel Trull. It may be deemed more likely that the true names were Ried and Terrill, an imperfect signature possibly explaining the early error, which was corrected by the proprietors' clerk after ample acquaintance.

Samuel Willard appears to have borue the mili- tary rank of major; Jeremiah Perley and Jonas Houghton, that of captain; John Bennet and Sam- vel Tarbol, that of lieutenant.

SERVICES IN THE INDIAN WAR. - The following statement is made by Willson, in his address at the one hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, of the services referred to in the petition of the proprietors. " What proprietors of this town rendered services under Captain White, of Lancaster, or what the particular services rendered were, it is out of my power to tell ; but we have the means of identifying above forty of the seventy-one proprietors of this town, as having been volunteers under the famous and re- doubtable Captain Lovell, of Dunstable, on the last but one of his marches into the Indian country,-they constituting about three-fourths of his whole force. This was the expedition in which a camp of ten In- dians was surprised, and the whole number extermin- ated." It is not easy to pass this allusion without ex- pressing a sense of humiliation in view of the fact that this warfare against the Indians was carried on in pursuance of an offer by Massachusetts of a bounty of one hundred pounds (sterling money) each for the scalps of the Indians, The scalps were brought in and the bounty paid. Aside from the barbarism of this warfare on the part of the whites, which the petitioners shared with the people of Massachusetts, the character of the original proprietors, as thus in- dicated, is of interest when considered in connection with events which took place at the time of the Rev- olutionary War. Their martial service was the oc- casion of a designation of the town, which sometimes appears in the early records as Volunteer's Town, or, by abbreviation, Voluntown. The name borne by established usage from the date of settlement to that of incorporation, 1854, was Nichewaug. This name

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is still preserved as the post-office designation of a vil- lage in the southern part of the town.

The proprietors held their first meeting in Lancaster, May 10, 1733 ; the second in Groton during the au- tumn of the same year. At this meeting, in Groton, it was voted that a meeting-lionse be built. It will be noted that Groton is central between Lancaster, DuQ- stable and the neighboring towns, from which the re- cruits for the companies of Captains White and Lovell were enlisted.

SETTLERS .- More of interest attaches to the names of the early settlers than to those of the proprietors as such, many of whom never located in the town, but disposed of their rights to others. In pursuance of action by the General Court, Thomas Adams, pro- prietors' clerk, prepared, December 14, 1750, a report of the names of forty-seven settlers, with the proprie tor's right on which they were located. This affords a means of distinguishing this number of settlers by the names which follow: John Stowill, Jacob Wheeler, Jonas Farnsworth, Sam" Willson, Nath Sanderson, Nathan Goddard, Isaac Ward, Christer Page, Isaac Hilldrake, Nath1 Stevens, Salvenas How, Joseph Marble, David Stone, Simeon Houghton, David Page, John Wilder, Junr., Dan1 Mills, George Dobbins, Sam1 Willard, Jun., Esq"., Aaron Allen, Ephraim Rice, Joseph Willson, Sam" Whittemore, William Negus, Sam" Marble, James Clemence, Ebenezer Davis, Thos. Robbins, Dan" Owen, Benja Chandler, Nath" Wilder, Zedekiah Stone, Ebenez" Hill, David Lawson, Thomas Rogers, Daniel Fisk, Edmund Bingham, Edward Allen, Jon" Marble, David Lawson, Jun., Sam" Gats, David Sanderson, Dan" Dunkin, Charles Wilder, Aaron Wilder, Dan11 Spooner, Eleazer Sanger.

The report closes with this statement :

"There are Divers others settled on Devisions be- longing to the same Rights that are here settled, but the time being so short since I saw the act in the Prints that I am not able at present to give an exact account what particular Rights they are settled on and convey the same to the General assembly by the time appointed; but the number of families in said Township are Sixty-one."

This report dates from four years previous to the incorporation of the town, 1754. The first census, taken in 1765, showed a population of seven hundred and seven.

Tradition reports that the first two houses in the settlement were built by Joseph Willson and Simeon Houghton, the question of precedence not being determined.

RELATIONS WITH THE INDIANS .- The proprietors of the town of Petersham acquired by purchase, in addition to the grant of the General Court, an Indian claim upon the land. Probably this contributed to the peaceable relations of the settlers with the claim- ants, no death by savage violence having ever been reported as occurring within the town. We have a

glimpse of the early time in the following description, by Captain Park Holland, whose father came to the town from Shrewsbury in 1752, of an alarm at the time of the French and Indian War, 1756: " I recollect as distinctly as if but yesterday when the inhabitants were called upon to be ready to defend themselves. We were at church when news came that the enemy was near. The services were immediately ended, and each man seized his gun, which he had left at the door, hastened home to be ready to march in the morning. I well remember one of our neighbors coming to borrow a darning-needle of my mother to mend her husband's stockings, which I very much wondered at, it being Sunday, not exactly seeing how the expected approach of the French and Indians could lessen the sin of working on that holy day. I was then probably four or five years old." As this was an alarm it appears that their habit was to take their guns to church, which at a later date has not been thought to be in good form. Horr quotes Whitney to the same effect in the following passage : "Although the prospects from the soil were very promising, and settlers moved in fast, yet they laboured nnder many and exceeding great disadvantages, being then so remote from any white people, from whom they could procure the necessaries of life, or derive any aid or support. While in its infancy and strug- gling for life, a French war broke out, and the Indians, being always in the interest of the French, became hostile, and began to commit depredations in various parts of the land, which occasioned the few inhabit- ants great fear and danger, obliging them to build forts in different parts of the town, round certain houses, into each of which a number of families moved for safety and defence, and soldiers were stationed there as a guard to the inhabitants, and to reconnoitre the country. The people used to labor on their lands in small parties, changing work with one another, having their guns by them, and these, also, they were for a long time obliged to carry with them whenever they went to the House of God for religions worship, and also to place sentinels at the doors."

CHAPTER LXXI.

PETERSHAM-(Continued.)

INCIDENTS OF THE REVOLUTION.

Employment of a Teacher-Dedication of a Liberty Tree-Breaking Open a School-house-A Suit for Damages-A Brilliant Attorney-A Repre- sentative Instructed-Warlike Resolutions-Greeting to Boston-That " Town" Invited to Petersham-The Doings of Several Parties-Royal- ists Disarmed-A Town-meeting in 1776-The Muster-roll-Clearing a Parade Ground-Captain Holland Dines with Washington-Inoculated with Small pox-Financial Honor of the Town.

THE town history presents a most interesting series of incidents connected with the Rovolution. One of

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the first grew out of the employment of a teacher. Rev. Aaron Whitney, pastor of the church and mem- ber of the School Board, was a royalist. (More than a hundred years removed from the passions of that time, we may well avoid the current epithets and show the literary courtesy of styling the two parties to the revo- lutionary struggle royalists and revolutionists, words exactly expressing the political position of the oppo- nents.) Ensign Man, an applicant for the position of teacher, was iu sentiment a revolutionist ; in view of which Mr. Whitney refused to take part in his exam- ination, but was present. The teacher was employed notwithstanding the opposition of Mr. Whitney, and became a party to several events connected with the war.

In 1768 the Massachusetts House of Representa- tives had forwarded an address to the King, relative to grievances, which was deemed by the crown offensive in its terms, and the House was ordered to rescind its action. The vote upon this question was seventeen in favor of to ninety-two against rescinding the peti- tion. The "Sons of Liberty," at Petersham, cele- brated, in characteristic fashion, this refusal to with- draw a petition for redress of grievances. They selected a thrifty young elm tree, and cut away seventeen branches, leaving, as tradition declares, ninety-two re- maining. With songs, toasts and patriotic ceremony the dismembered branches were consigned to the flames, and the living tree dedicated to the Goddess of Liberty. That Ensign Man, teacher of the children of the place, should take part, as he did, in such cere- monies, would naturally arouse theindignation of the royalist citizens of the town. A certain school-house stood upon ground which was claimed by Captain Thomas Beaman, as was the school-house itself, to be his property. For the purpose of keeping the offend- ing schoolmaster from using this school-house, Cap- tain Beaman closed the door with a padlock. Mr. Sylvanus How, who had formerly owned the land, claimed that the school-house stood in the highway, and, going with Mr. Man, they broke open the door. A suit for damages arose, the decision of which awarded the plaintiff, Captain Beaman six shillings. The defendants appealed and obtained, a reduction of this small award, hut were compelled to pay the costs, which were a considerable sum. Utterly trivial, petty and insignificant as this is, it led, such being the com- plications of human events, to that which rises to the dignity of historic consequence. Sylvanus How had employed no less a personage than the brilliant and distinguished Josiah Quincy, Jr., to defend him from being, as he thought, unrighteously mulcted in the sum of six shillings for opening a school-house. This able lawyer was unsuccessful so far as the main ques- tion was concerned. A petty reduction of the petty fine was all he accomplished, leaving the right of the cause, as awarded, to the plaintiff Beaman. But Mr. Quincy was able to render Mr. How other and very much more important services, which may now be narrated.

The Boston Committee of Correspondence had sent out its Circular Letter to the towns. Mr. How was chairman of the town committee to draft a reply to that circular. He sought unofficial assistance from his attorney, Mr. Quincy, who used the opportunity with good effect. Mr. How's associates upon the committee were Colonel Ephraim Doolittle, Jonathan Grout, Samuel Dennis, Daniel Miles, Captain Elisha Ward, John Stowell, Theophilus Chandler and Dea- con William Willard. This committee, with the friendly assistance of Mr. Quincy, prepared a reply to the circular from Boston, a series of resolutions rela- tive to the condition of the colonies, and a series of instructions to their representative to the General Court. Colonel Ephraim Doolittle represented the town and was also moderator of the town-meeting, held January 4, 1773, which acted upon the report. An excerpt from the instructions to their representa- tive is of special interest as showing the temper of the report :

It is our earnest desire, and we here direct you to nse your ntmost in- fluence (as one of the legislative body) to convince the nation of Great Britain that the measures they have meted out to ns will have a direct tendency to destroy both them and us; and petition the King and Par- liamant of Great Britain, in the most pathetic and striking manner, to relieve us from our aggravated grievances. But if this should fail, we recommend it to your consideration and direct you to move it to the consideration of the honorable Court, whether it would it not he hest to call in the aid of some Protestant Power or Powers, requesting that they would nse their kind and Christian influence with our mother country, that so we may be relieved, and that brotherly love and harmony may again take place, and that natural alliance again be restored between us and Great Britain, which may contione until time shall be no more.

An excerpt from the resolutions, known to have originated in the mind of Mr. Quincy, presents the alternative of the town in case of the failure of the peaceful methods of petition and arbitration :

Resolved, That it is the first and highest social duty of this people to consider of, and seek ways and means for a speedy redress of these mighty grievances and intolerable wrongs ; and that for the obtainment of this end, this people are warranted by the laws of God and nature in the use of every rightful art, and energy of policy, stratagem and force.

This historic deliberative action of the town re- commended a petition, "in the most pathetic and striking manner," for redress of grievances, arbitra- tion as the alternative; but failing in these, the town declared resistance warranted by use of every rightful art, energy of policy, strategem and force. Can it be truly said that this deliberative conclusion of the town in parliament, January 4, 1773, was in any respect less significant, though less famous than the actual use of force which began at Concord two years later ?

The letter of reply to the circular sent from Boston contains such a portraiture of the times that it may well be given entire.

To the Committee of Correspondence for the town of Boston :

GENTLEMEN: The town of Petersham having received the circular letter from the town of Boston, with the state[ment] of rights and grievances as published by them, most sensibly congratulate you on reflecting on that pr nciple of virtue which must have induced your town, at so critical a day, to take the lead in so good a cause ; ond our admiration is heightened when we consider your being exposed to the

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first efforts of the iron jaws of power. The time may come when, if you continue your integrity, that you may be driven from your goodly heritages ; and if that should be the case (which Ged of his jefinite mercy preveet), we invite you to share with us in our small supplies of the necessary's of life. And should the voracions jaws of tyranny still haunt us, and we should not be able to withstand them, we are de- termined to retire and seek refuge among the inland aboriginal natives of this country, with whom we doubt not but to find more humanity aed brotherly love than we have lately received from our mother cone- try.

We are seasihle that there is a anmber amongst us who are wicked enough to make use of their whole influence te divide and render the efforts making for a union abortive ; and that they are induced te con- duct in this manner from the low motives of expecting to be sharers in the arbitrary power which they are so active ie endeavoring should take place, and of sharing in the nerighteous plunder of their fellow- mee. But may God graciously disappoint their measures aad turn their hearts ! We herewith seed ae attested copy of the doings of our town. If the nature of causes ever again hespeaks any mere from us, we then again shall offer what thea may appear right, for we read that those that were faithful spake often one to the other; and may God of his infinite mercy, ie his owa time deliver us !

SILVANUS How, per order. DAVID SANDERSON, Town Clerk.

Specially noticable is the invitation given to the " town of Boston," in view of the then possible future event of being overcome by " iron jaws of power," to take refuge in Petersham and share with them in their "small supplies of the necessarys of life." For- tunately, the British lion was not able to drive the " town of Boston " to an acceptance of this hospitable invitation ; but it is a curious fact that a century later many of the people of Boston, overcome by a lion, did, and still do, take refuge in Petersham, to there share with the good people the ample supplies of the " ne- cessaries of life." Not the lion of the English flag, but the astronomical lion, whose fury brings July and August temperatures, constrains at least some of the people of Boston to favorable consideration of the historic invitation to Petersham.

Of several parties to these incidents it may be said that Ensign Man became captivated by the charms of Miss Alice Whitney, the minister's daughter, whom he married, renouncing his former political views. Colonel Doolittle, although not personally present, was the first officer of a Worcester County regiment which took part at the battle of Bunker Hill. Daniel Miles and Sylvanus How became soldiers in the Revolutionary army. Captain Beaman, who locked the school-house door, won execrable distinction by piloting the British troops from Boston to Concord. Josiah Quincy rendered his country memorableservice by his eloquence and patriotism.

ROYALISTS DISARMED .- The town was not without a local exhibition of force, which, however, did not lead to bloodshed. Dr. Ball, of Templeton, which then included Phillipston, on a visit to Petersham, fell into a disputation with one or two young men who were of the revolutionary party. Separating with ill-feeling, the men waylaid the Templeton royalist on his way homeward, and pelted him with stones, one of which took serious, one tradition says subsequently fatal, effect. The outrage naturally aroused the royalists of Templeton, and friends of Dr.

Ball, who came over in force and were joined by friends of their cause in Petersham. A like assembly of the friends of the colonial cause took place under the leadership of Captain Holman, also of Templeton, the result being that the royalist party took refuge in a house then owned by David Stone, now in possession of Mr. George West, and barricaded their place of refuge. The opposing revolutionists besieged the house and guarded it during the following stormy night, after which the royalists were induced to sur- render. They came out and were escorted to the hotel kept by Mr. Winslow, and an investigation took place with this result: the royalists were required to give up their arms and agree not to act against the revolutionary movement in futurc. The injury to Dr. Ball had given them just cause of complaint, but the cause of independence was in their estimation superior to any question of personal assault and battery, and these Petersham patriots took occasion, in January or February, 1775, to thus disarm their opponents, and parole them substantially as prisoners of war. Tradi- tion declares that on that night of siege two wives, whose husbands were in the opposing ranks, met in the fields between their respective dwellings, and exchanged personal sympathies as neighbors and friends.

A town-meeting was held May 27, 1776, "to see if the inhabitants will instruct their representative to inform the Great and General Court of this Pro- vince that they stand ready, and are fully determined to support the Continental Congress with their lives and fortunes, on condition they should declare the American colonies independent of corrupt and arbi- trary Great Britain." Affirmative action was taken, with but one negative vote.

ENROLLMENT OF SOLDIERS .- The virtue of a promise is in the performance thereof. How well the town kept its promise in behalf of the cause of independence may be seen from its roll of revolution- ary soldiers.

Col. Ephraim Doolittle commanded a Worcester County regiment. Capt. John Wheeler led a Peters- ham company in the same regiment. The names of the men of this company, some of whom may have enlisted from other towns, are given, with various marks of interrogation, by Rev. Edmund Willson. Edw. Barker (or Bowker), Lieutenant ; John Bowker, Lientenant; Thos. Davenport, John Holland, John Rogers, Joel Doolittle, Sergeants; Thad. Houghton, Corporal; Thomas Wheeler, Drummer ; Caleb Bryant, Fifer; Israel Houghton, Caleb Perry, David Perry, Aaron Allen, Bezile Amsdel (Bezaleel Amsden ?), Sam. Bryant, Thomas Bowker, Ezekiel Bonker, Nat. Bozworth, David Clarke, Reuben Cummings, Ephraim Clafflin, David (Daniel ?) Claflin, John Finney (" Fiendly " or Findlay ?) Benjamin Ganson, Joanna (?) Gallen, Peter Gore, Luther Holland, Phazez (?) Houghton, Silvanus How, John How, Jacob Houghton, Henry W. Hunt, James Hawkes,

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Thos. Jackson, Benj. Knapp, Dan'] Miles, Joab Miles, William Peckham, Eph. Bill, Amos Bill, John Bill, Luke Bill, Abel Rogers, Jabez Spear, Dav. Sanderson, Eph. Sterns, John Stores (Stowell ?), Rug- gles Spooner, Eliak (im) Spooner, Wing Spooner, John Warden, John Wilder, Cornelius Wilder, Joseph Wilson.

The following additional names are given as Peters- ham men who belonged to the company of Capt. Fletcher, of Templeton : Jotham Houghton, Eben- ezer Ingersoll, William Clements, Daniel Duncan, David Fling, Silas Harris, Stephen Hall, Robert Hill, Joseph Negus, Abel Wheeler.

In the company of Captain Jonathan Holman, also of Templeton, were found Martin Rice, fifer, David Bruce, Thomas Groce, Daniel Hastings, Isaac Palmer, Amos Rice, Ebenezer Wilson. Seventy-two names are thus given as either belonging to the Petersham company or enlisted from the town in the companies of Captain Holman and Fletcher, of Tem- pleton.

In addition to these names given by Willson, we mention those of two brothers, Captain Ivory Holland and Captain Park Holland. For a sketch of the life of the latter, see biographical notes. One incident of his service may be here given in his own words:

A DINNER BY WASHINGTON.

In the spring of 1781, I think it was, our troops marched down to White Plains and formed ao encampment, and while there we were amused by ao order that was said to have come from Geo. Heath, but, as we all knew Washington's abhorrence of the sin of profanity, we kaew well where it originated. Our parade-ground was cleared with much difficulty. The order was that the first one who was heard to utter ao vath should dig up by the roots one of the pitch-pine stumps, which was no very easy matter. Not long after a soldier was seen sweating and toiling away at one, declaring that it was paying too dear, and it should be the last he would dig. Speaking of Washington's dis- like of profane hahits reminds me of a scene at his own table, where twenty or more of the officers were invited to dine with him. His habit was usually to take a single glass of wine after dinner, and retire, leav- ing us to ourselves, as he, at this time of care and anxiety, rarely made any conversation except on business. We had finished our dioder, and Washington had taken his wine io his hand, when a young officer from New Hampshire at the end of the table, who had long been ia the habit of using profane language, being so much engaged, forgot where he was, and swore an oath, when he heard a rap on the table by Washing- too, who set down his untasted wine, arose and said, " Gentlemen, when I invited you here it was my intention to have invited gentlemen only. I am sorry to sdd I have beeo mistaken," and left the room. A dead silence reigned for some time, which was broken by the offender himself calling us all to witness that the oath he had uttered should be his last ; adding he should rather have been shot through the heart thao have deserved the reproof from Washington. Such was our love and reverence for this great and good man that the most profane left off the habit, and it was done away with among us before the close of the war.

The regiment in which Captain Holland served, as a matter of preparation for service, went into bar- racks at Bunker Hill and, this being before the dis- covery of vaccination, were inoculated with small- pox. He passed through this experience and tells us that "about nine hundred entered the hospital, eight hundred of whom recovered." Such was the cost of independence.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 130

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