History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 201

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 201

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From an early date he was a magistrate, and in 1750 he was appointed judge of the Conrt of Com- mon Pleas, succeeding Judge Joseph Dwight, and was continued on the bench until a reorganization of the court, in 1762. In addition to these accumnlat- ing trusts and responsibilities, it is a surprise that a single life-time afforded opportunity for his well-man- aged private affairs and many other active employ- ments. With Colonel Willard and Colonel Benja- min Bellows, he was a manager of the Northfield Road, and was a grantee of several townships. Among the proprietors of Dorchester Canada (Ash- burnham) he was a controlling spirit from 1736 to '44, serving on nearly every committee, and was one of the men who cut a road from the Lunenburg line to the centre of the town. For many years he was the clerk of the proprietors of Lunenburg, and recorded the original title to every lot of land in the township, except a small area of undivided land, which remained nnsold at the time his successor was chosen. He died February 17, 1785, " as full of piety as of days." He lives in every page of the early records, and there is found his only monument. He rests in an unknown grave.

Isaac Farnsworth, son of Benjamin and Mary (Prescott) Farnsworth, was born in Groton July 4, 1701. He settled near the centre of the town in 1724. At this time his home was enlivened with a wife and one child. Six children were born in this town. He was an influential man, and was the first town clerk, serving nine years. He wrote a fair hand, and had more regard for the laws of orthogra- phy than many of his associates. Abont 1740 the family returned to Groton.

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Widow Jane Boynton came to this town in 1724 or '25, bringing with her the memory of a deceased hus- band and fourteen living children. She did much to advance the settlement. She and her family came from Rowley, and, owing to the number of her grown-up sons, they settled in several places. One of her daughters became the wife of John Grout, a useful citizen, the owner of house-lot No. 83, and a selectman several years. Another daughter married Zachariah Whitney, who died in this town, 1781.

David Page, a son of Samuel, who settled in the western part of the town, and often said to be the first settler in Fitchburg, married a daughter of this numerous family. Mrs. Boynton, the mother, died in 1761, aged only a few days less than one hundred years. Benoni Boynton, probably the eldest son, set- tled nearly a mile north of the North Cemetery. He married in Rowley, and lived a few years in Groton before he came to Lunenburg. His name is fre- quently met in the early records. He died Decem- ber 30, 1758.

Hilkiah Boynton, another son, was much employed in town affairs, and was connected with some of the land speculations of his time. He died November 16, 1745.

Philip Goodridge, born in Newbury in 1668 or '69, settled here about 1724, and died January 16, 1729. On his tomb-stone is engraved "The first man in- terred here." His descendants to the present day have been numerous in this town, and are found throughout New England. This name is frequently written Goodrich. They have been distinguished by industry, ability and character.

Benjamin Goodridge, eldest son of Philip, was born in Newbury February 3, 1701. He lived in the southwest part of the town, and was a most active and influential man, and prominent in both proprie- tary and town affairs. The number of his elections to office is without a parallel in the history of the town. He was a selectman thirty years, town clerk twenty-two years, and constable, collector, member of School Committee and a magistrate several years, and a captain in the French and Indian War. He died April 19, 1773.

Samuel Johnson, son of Edward and Esther (Gard- ner) Johnson, was born in Woburn, February 21, 1692. He was an influential man in the affairs of the settlement, the first deacon of the church, a town of- ficer many years, and by occupation an inn-holder. He accumulated a good estate and was one of the pro- prietors of several townships in New Hampshire.

Nathan Heywood, son of John and Sarah Hey- wood, was born in Concord, September 24, 1698. He was a noted surveyor, and his name is attached to the surveys of many townships. He was one of the first settlers of the town, living at No. 175 on the Kilburn map. He was a town officer, a lieutenant and a deputy- sheriff. He was living here at the beginning of the present century, but there is no record of his death.

Thomas Preutice, born in Lancaster, 1710, a son of Rev. John Prentice, was a man of ability, and while he remained here he was evidently popular and re- spected. About 1750 he returned to Lancaster, and subsequently removed to Newton. His mother, by a former marriage, was the mother of Rev. Andrew Gardner, the first minister of Lunenburg.

Ephraim Wetherbee early settled in this town. He was a captain, a town officer and actively engaged in land speculations. His name appears in the lists of grantees of townships in New Hampshire. He died in Boston, November 7, 1745.

Benjamin Bellows, son of John and Mary (Wood) Bellows, born 1677, married, 1704, the widowed mother of Col. Josiah Willard. They resided in Lan- caster (now Harvard), where their four children were born. In 1728, or immediately following, the family removed to this town. He settled in the centre of the town, on the estate known as the Dr. King place, and in a few years he owned many acres of land in this town. One daughter married Moses Gould, another married Fairbanks Moore, and the youngest became the wife of Ephraim Wetherbee. He died 1743 ; his widow died September 8, 1747.

Col. Benjamin Bellows, only son of Benjamin, was born in Lancaster, May 26, 1712, and removed to Walpole, N. H., 1752, where he died, July 10, 1777. From the time of his majority until he removed from this town he was the recipient of many honors, and in the conduct of public affairs he was associated with Col. Josiah Willard, Major Edward Hartwell, Ben- jamin Goodridge, Esq., and other worthies of the town, and among them all, except in years, he found no superiors. He was a surveyor, a farmer and was earnestly enlisted in the land speculations which were rife in those times. His subsequent career in Wal- pole and the eminent public services of many of his descendants enliven the annals of New Hampshire.

CHAPTER XCVII.

LUNENBURG-(Continued.)

Indian Alarms-The French and Indian Wars-Capture of John Fitch- The Revolution-The War of the Relcllion.

FROM the time a number of men, sufficient to attract the vigilant attention of the colonial govern- ment, had gathered in the settlement until the decla- ration of peace in 1763 the town was almost contin- uously represented in the military service. In addition to stated service in the wars of the period, rumors of the presence of Indians at a near or remote point, and the frequent necessity of sconting through the un- settled country to the north and the west were con- tinually calling the hardy settlers to arms. In seasons of more imminent danger the men at work in the fields wele attended by an equal number of soldiers, and

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sometimes the harvests of the town were garnered by armed men going in a body from field to field. Many of the military rolls are not preserved, and the history of much of this desultory service cannot be recalled. The military affairs were directed by the government, and ignoring the agency of towns, it made demands upon the able-bodied men of the province at large. For this reason the local records furnish very little information of an important feature of the history of the time. Beginning with the French and Indian Wars, many of the rolls are preserved in the archives of the State, and these contain the names of many Lnnenburg men. In a record of deaths is found the name of one of the sons of the first settler of Lunen- burg, who was a soldier in the unfortunate expedition under Admiral Vernon to the West Indies : "John Page, the son of M' Samnel Page, of Lunenburg, Dyed at Jamaica, Being there in ye Spanish Expedition, December ye twenty-ninth A. D. 1740, as they hear."

It is certain there were several Lunenburg men in Col. Samuel Willard's regiment, who participated in the capture of Louisbourg in the summer of 1745; among these was Jonathan Hubbard, who was recom- mended for promotion and who subsequently was a major. He lived in Lunenburg from 1732 to 1756. He was a deacon, a town officer and a most influen- tial citizen. Immediately after the capture of John Fitch, Capt. Jonathan Willard, of this town, was or- dered by Col. Samuel Willard to scout through the "upper towns." The following Lunenburg men were in this service July and August, 1748: Jonathan Wil- lard, captain; Timothy Bancroft, Thomas Brown, John Dunsmoor, Isaac Gibson, David Goodridge, Nehemiah Gould, Samuel Johnson, Amos Kimball, Ebenezer Kimball, Ephraim Kimball, Jonathan Page, Samuel Poole, William Porter, Thomas Stearns, Samuel Stow, Jonathan Wood, Paul Wetherbee, Ezekiel Wyman and Zachary Wyman. This John Dunsmoor subse- quently was a noted physician in this town. Jonathan Wood was a captain in the Revolution, and several of these men were then residing in the west part of the town, now Fitchburg. Between 1736 and 1744 a considerable number of families had settled in New Ipswich, Rindge, Ashburnham and Winchendon. Their presence on the border lent a feeling of com- parative security to the dwellers of Lunenburg, who for a season were protected from the dangers of the extreme frontier.

In 1744 the younger towns were deserted and again Lunenburg assumed her former position on the border. For the defence of the undeserted frontier a series of block-houses or garrisons on the exterior lines of Townsend, Lunenburg and Westminster were built, and here a line of defence was drawn. Soldiers under the pay of the province were detailed for the support of the garrisons. In 1748 a company of forty-seven men, under command of Captain Edward Hartwell, was raised for this service, and, while nnder one command, were distributed along the border of

the defended towns. Ten of this company were assigned to the block-houses in Townsend, ten to Lunenburg, fifteen to Westminster and three to Leo- minster. The remaining nine was a staff of inspec- tion, comprising the officers and a body-guard. For- tunately, the official roll is preserved : Edward Hart- well, captain; John Stevens, lientenant; John Hol- den, sergeant ; James Johnson, clerk ; Joseph Baker, Timothy Hall, Fairbanks Moore, Jr., corporals ; Ab- ner Holden, William Bemis, Jonathan Farnsworth, Elias Stone, Ephraim Dutton, Simon Farnsworth, Ebenezer Hadley, John Thomson, Elisha Pratt, Ebenezer Wood, Jonathan Pett, Zaccheus Blodget, Samuel Wood, Joseph Jennings, Stephen Farns- worth, John Nichols, Nehemiah Wood, Benoni Boyn- ton, Benoni Boynton, Jr., Joseph Platts, Nicholas Dyke, Abel Platts, William Smith, James Preston, Ephraim Stevens, Joshna Benjamin. John Rumrill, Nehemiah Holden, Oliver Barrett, William Gilford, James King, William Graham, Jonathan White, Joseph Wheelock, Thomas Wilder, Thomas Stearns, David Dunster, Joseph Holden, Jr., Stephen Holden, Elisha Bigelow. Of these, thirty enlisted in April, two in May, the eight last named June 24th and the rest in June, July and August. In the column of expiration of service Zaccheus Blodget and Joseph Jennings are marked "July 5;" five were discharged at different dates and the remainder were mnstered out the middle of October. A minute upon the mus- ter-roll announces that the five last named were added to the Westminster detail, making fifteen in all, and that Jonathan White, Joseph Wheelock and Thomas Wilder were stationed in Leominster.

Notwithstanding these measures of precaution, on the morning of the 5th of July the Indians made a sudden attack upon one of these fortified places. The one selected by the enemy was the most northern of the garrisons upon the line of Lunenburg, which stood where Paul Gates now resides in the present town of Ashby.

The house was on the Northfield road, seven miles from Lunenburg Centre, and was owned and occu- pied by John Fitch, whose family consisted of a wife and five children. The ages of the children were: Catharine, thirteen years ; John, eleven years; Paul, six years and six months ; Jacob, four years; and Su- sannah, sixteen months. Four soldiers were stationed at this house or garrison, but, on the day of the as- sanlt, only Zacchens Blodgett and Joseph Jennings were present. The story of the capture has been told many times, and generally with the Surdody em- bellishment. Admitting that Surdody is a good name for an Indian, it remains very probable that the In- dians made an attack at the most exposed and soli- tary point in the line of defense, and if they came in the last stages of their march over the Northfield road, they were led directly to the point of attack. Previous to the moment of the assault no considera- ble number of the Indians had been discovered at

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any point in the line, while during the following days they were found in several localities in this im- mediate vicinity. Mr. Fitch, in a petition to the General Court December 10, 1749, says he had no neighbors within three and one-half miles to join with him in fortifying his house, " yet divers of the inhabitants of Lunenburg, knowing the great security that a garrison at his place might be, urged him to build one and assisted him in it." After making known that four soldiers were stationed at his garri- son, in 1748, he proceeds in modest terms to give a narrative of the eventful day : "And on the fifth of July in the same year, by reason of bodily infirmity, there were but two soldiers with him, although others with the scouts were to come in that day. On that day, before noon and before the scouts came, the In- dian enemy appeared and shot down one soldier upon being discovered and immediately drove him [John Fitch] and the other soldier into the garrison. And after besieging the same about one hour and a half, they killed the other soldier through the port-hole in the flinker. Then your petitioner was left alone with his wife and five children and soon after he sur- rendered." The Indians burned the house, killed an ox and conducted the family to Canada. It has been stated that the family were ransomed by " friends in Bradford, where he formerly resided." It has not been shown that Mr. Fitch ever lived in Bradford, and the fact is he was returned by the French with others at the suspension of hostilities. In company with five French officers and other prisoners, he ar- rived in New York, by the way of Albany, September 23, 1748, not yet three months after his capture. When the complete exchange of prisoners was made is not known, and the feeble health of his wife might have delayed his progress home. She died in Provi- dence, R. I., December 24, 1748. The capture was probably made and the house was in flames about noon, yet it is current tradition that no resident of the town was informed of the event until the following day. This is improbable. It is certain, however, that Captain Hartwell called his company together and that an alarm and great excitement pervaded the town. On the 8th of July, 1748, the inhabitants of Lunenburg and Leominster joined a petition to Governor Shirley setting forth that the Indians " very lately have been among us," and earnestly praying for an additional number of soldiers. Four days later the commissioned officers and selectmen of Lunen- burg forward a similar petition announcing that the family of John Fitch was captured and two soldiers killed on the 5th instant, and that on the 7th instant the Indians " d.scovered themselves in a bold, in- sulting manner three miles further into town than was the garrison which they had destroyed, where they chased and shot at one of the inhabitants, who narrowly escaped their hands." They further state that three days the people were rallied by alarms and hurried into the woods after the enemy. It was 49

David Goodridge who was the hero of this exploit, and the scene was within the limits of Fitchburg. Mr. Goodridge subsequently was a lieutenant in one of the Crown Point expeditions.

Joseph Jennings, one of the soldiers slain at the Fitch garrison, was a drafted man from Western (now Warren). He was an apprentice to Samuel Bliss, and when he came to Lunenburg he brought Mr. Blis,' gun, which fell into the hands of the Indians- perhaps the hands of Surdody. Mr. Bliss sent a com- munication to Governor Shirley alleging that the gun was worth ten pounds, and beside, that he had lost the time of his apprentice, and made it apparent that all in all he was neither blissful nor satisfied. The government was tender and compassionate, and while there appeared to be no spare men on hand, they sent him a new gun.

Zaccheus Blodget was probably from Dracut. Oliver Blodget was residing there in 1749 and gave an order for the wages due his deceased brother, " who was killed by the Indians last year."

John Fitch was born in the part of Billerica now in Bedford, February 12, 1707-8. His father, Samuel Fitch (a son of Samuel, grandson of Dea. Zachary Fitch, of Reading), married Elizabeth Walker and settled ou a part of the Winthrop grant in Billerica, which he inherited from his maternal grandfather, Job Lane. John was the sixth of nine children. He was a second cousin of Zachariah Fitch, who was the guardian of James Kibby. Joseph Fitch, the father of the wife of William Downe, was a brother of Zach- ariah. John Fitch came to Lunenburg a few years after the date of incorporation. He married Susannah Gates, a daughter of Simon and Hannah (Benjamin) Gates, of Stow, and in 1735 he purchased a part of an original house-lot, No. 66, adjoining the lot of Eph- raim Pierce, about two miles south of the centre of the town (near No. 188 on the Kilburn map). Here he lived until 1739, when he bought of Ephraim Wetherbee one hundred and twenty acres "at a place called Rendevous in Lunenburg and adjoining Town- send." This land, now in Ashby, is the homestead of Paul Gates. Subsequently he bought a consider- able adjoining land. Upon his return from captivity he built a house on or very near the site of the gar- rison, and there resided over twenty years. He mar- ried, February 14, 1750-1, Elizabeth (Bowers) Peirce, widow of David Peirce, of Lunenburg. About this date he received a substantial legacy from the estate of Simon Gates, the father of his first wife. By the division of Lunenburg in 1764 his homestead became a part of Fitchburg, and in 1767 it was included in the new town of Ashby. Occupying the same house, he was a citizen of three towns within a short space of time. He was the chairman of the committee to procure an act dividing Lunenburg and creating a new town, and in his honor the name of Fitchburg was hestowed. In his estate he was prospered, and for several years was one of the few names on the tax-

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

lists assessed for money at interest. He was moderator of the first town-meeting in Ashby, a constable and a member of the first Board of Selectmen. He became engaged in land speculation, and deeds of land bought or sold by him are very numerous in the registry of Worcester County and Cheshire and Hillsborough Counties in New Hampshire. In 1772 he removed from Ashby to Rindge, N. H., where he lived until 1779, when he removed to Harvard. In 1780 he re- moved to Jaffrey, N. H. His wife was living in 1774. She probably died in Rindge or in Harvard. Alone and aged, and for some cause in poverty, the closing and fading scene of an active, eventful and useful life only remains. In 1785 he returned to Ashby, and finding a home in the family of a relative, he was sup- ported in part by the town. He died April 8, 1795, aged eighty-seven years.

Succeeding these stirring times, a truce was main- tained a few years between England and France, and until 1755 very few men from this town are found in the service.

In Col. Willard's regiment (a part of the expedition to Crown Point) was a company commanded by Capt. Samuel Hunt, containing twenty-four men from this town, eight from Townsend, four from Leominster and ten from other places. These men' were in the service from August 11, 1755, to January 1, 1756. The names of the Lunenburg men are as follows : Samuel Hunt, captain ; Samuel Poole, ensign ; Jona- than Bradstreet, sergeant ; Gilbert Thornton, ser- geant; Samuel Hutchins, corporal ; Samuel Stow, Timothy Bancroft, Archelaus McIntosh, Phinehas Divol, Thomas Wetherbee, Stephen Foster, Timothy Darnell, Ephraim Peirce, Nathaniel Carlton, Jona- than Stevens, Moses Spofford, Scripture Frost, Thomas Stearns, Thomas Rand, Bezaleel Wood, Wil- liam Chadwick, Eliphalet Goodridge, Jewett Boyn- ton and Thomas Holt.

In another company, but serving a longer time, were Patrick Delany, Pearson Eaton, John Scott and Thomas Jewett.

An undated roll in the Crown Point service, and probably a part of this expedition, bears the names of Ebenezer Hart, Nathaniel Page, Silas Dutton, Abijah Wetherbee, Jonathan Wetherbee, John Mar- tin, Solomon Bigelow, Samuel Cummings, Jr., Reu- ben Wyman, Simon Smith, John Henderson and William Kimball. The last named was a servant or an apprentice of George Kimball, who enlisted under a name borrowed of his master.

Among the rolls of the following year a company commanded by Capt. James Reed, containing thirty- eight men, was in Col. Ruggles' regiment at Fort Ed- ward. The roll is valuable, containing the name, age, birth-place, residence and occupation of each man.

The names of the Lunenburg men are Thomas Brown, ensign; John Harriman, sergeant; John Moffet, clerk; Samuel Hutchins, corporal; Nehe-

miah Bowers, Timothy Darling, Joseph Gilson, Ma- nassah Litch, Joseph Platts, Joseph Reed, Robert Spear, John Scott, Bradstreet Spofford, Reuben Smith, Benjamin Scott, Jonas Tarbell, Michael Wood, Phinehas Wheelock, William Holt. In this company Philip Goodridge was lieutenant, but he was sick and not with the company when the forego- ing pay-roll was made up. John Harriman died in the service. On the roll two others are reported dead who are known to have returned.

In 1757 Jonathan Page, William Jones and Moses Spofford were in the service, and a part of the time were stationed at Castle William.

On the rolls of 1759 are many Lunenburg names. These men were also in the Crown Point service, and omitting names who are found in the preceding roll, there remain David Pierce, David Carlile, Moses Page, Patrick Delany, Jonathan Peabody, Moses Ritter, Jr., Moses Platts, Dean Carlton, Zephaniah Buss, Simeon Burnham, Samuel Gibson, Samuel Parker, Nathaniel Page, Jr., Samuel Hammond, Josiah Dodge, Jr., Da- vid Chaplin, Jr., Benjamin Gould, Richard Fowler, John White, Patrick White and John Wyman. John Wyman died in the service. During the years 1760 and 1761, and in the final and successful effort for the conquest of Canada, a martial record is continued. Among the names of new recruits appear the names of William Kendall, Samuel Hutchins, Moses Platts, Samuel Hilton and Nathan Platts, and in the com- pany of Captain Aaron Brown, of Littleton, were John Martin, sergeant, Jonathan Boynton, Samuel Downe, Timothy Parker, Jolin Simonds, Ezekiel Simonds, William Simonds and Simon Smith; also in the company of Captain Beaman, of Lancaster, Joseph Reed and Samuel Wyman are reported among " the invalids bronght home from the westward." Other men in this company were Daniel Carlile, Pat- rick Delany, Joseph Gilson, John Hogg, Aaron Hodgkins, Jonathan Page, Samuel Peabody, Daniel Ritter, Ebenezer Wyman, Reuben Wyman, Oliver Powers. About this time John Spear and Silas Wy- man died in the service. Five Lunenburg men in 1761 were in the company of Captain Aaron Willard : Jeremiah Stiles, drummer, John Hill, William Hen- derson, Joshua Page and Israel Wyman. These ex- tended lists do not contain the names of all the resi- dents of Lunenburg who were in the service, yet the most of them have never appeared in print before. With limited space at command, in some instances only one enlistment is given of those who entered the service again the succeeding year. It will be found that many of the persons named were subsequently residents of other towns, but they lived in Lunenburg at the time the service was performed.

The Revolutionary history of Lunenburg should include a series of patriotic resolutions which were debated and adopted during the months of active thought and excitement immediately preceding an open declaration of hostilities, and which, with the

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pace at command, cannot be quoted. They cover several pages of the records and are clearly expressive of a sentiment and purpose that animated and sus- ained the patriots of Lunenburg through the trials und sacrifices of the war. Two companies of twenty- seven men each, exclusive of officers, were organized October 25, 1774. In the choice of officers all males ver sixteen years of age were allowed to vote. The own approved of the selection made by the men as follows: George Kimball, captain ; David Wood, first ientenant; Jonathan Peirce, second lieutenant, and Benjamin Redington, ensign of the first company. Abijah Stearns, captain ; Jared Smith, first lieuten int; Moses Ritter, second lieutenant, and Phineas Hutchins, ensign of the second company. The erms first and second did not have an ordinal signifi- ance. A geographical line divided the town in two parts and a company was organized in each section. On the 18th day of April the minute-men were called out for drill and a practice in the manual of rms. After a dinner, provided by the officers, they vere marched to the meeting-house, where a sermon vas delivered by Rev. Zabdiel Adams, from the text: 'Though a host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear."-Psalm xxvii. 3.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 201

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