USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 35
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 35
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1. The following is Mr. Thayer's petition for a redress of grievances :-
"I, the underwritten, doo humbly petition the Honourable Councill, now set-
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This Mr. Thayer was probably the person that subsequently gave the town so much trouble in claiming the whole township as his property.
The state of prosperous repose which the New England Col-
ting in Boston, in New England, that your honours would be pleased of your wisdom and clemency to consider the condition of your petitioner; Your peti- tioner having been ont so considerably; firstly, in raising a suffishsione fortifi- cation against the enemy. Seekondly, furnishing ye same with thirteen fire Arms, all well fixt out of the goon smith's hands, with Ammonition accord- ingly; all which hath been done at the cost and charge of your petitioner; he being then resolved there to live and die in the defence of the peace of his King and country, if assulted by the enemy. It being the frontier garrison to the enemy and your petitioner being but himself and his brother and too Sons, did expect soome favour from ye Commision officer of Brantry, in point of pressing for ye prasent security; but instead thereof your petitioner do judge they have declared very inenriously with him; by pressing too out of the garrison, there being but four in the whole; notwithstanding three fire Arms your petitioner had out all the ware time; one of which was lost at Naragansett, and another in Captain turner's fight; so that there was but one returned, and that with a great deal of trouble; and further, your petitioner being then resolved to with- stand the enemy, he went to the Commission officers and told them that he did expect a share of ye toun's stock of Ammonition; they being then dividing of it to the several garrisons, soome ten pounds, soome twelve pounds; but refused to let your petitioner have any, and with all of the enemy come upon him, he must not expect any help from them; and being thus left without protection, thought good to petition your honours for A Medigation in some of my Rates, if your honours in your wisdom shall see cause; if not, I do humbly crave yt your honours would be pleased to suspend ye payment of my Rates for this year, I being behind hand and my disbursments great, byy the putting A Corn Mill and fulling Mill to work, and if in your wisdom your honours shall see cause to answer my petition, your petitioner for your honours' happiness shall forever pray.
"There is John George, also an Indian enemy which your petitioner nn- trusted his life for by fetching him in, he appearing within call of your peti- tioner's garrison, and ordered unto him by the honourable Councill; by which five weeks after, was taken away by Capt. Richard Brackett, without any satisfaction for the same. RICHARD THAYER."
Mass. Arch., Vol. LXIX, p. 176.
The following is the report of the Military Committee with the exception of a few words, which were lost by the breaking of the paper where it was folded :- " Braintree, 26th December, 1677.
"1st, In obedience to the Hon. Conncel, we whose names are underwritten hav- ing examined the Petition of Richard Thayer, of Braintry, dated by Mr. Rawson, Secretary, upon the 13th of this instant, December, and doe herein make this Report to the Hon. Council siting in Boston, that the Petitioner doe charge us
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ony enjoyed for several years was interrupted by a general con- spiracy of the Narragansett Indians under King Philip, in which a number of the inhabitants of this town took an active part.
In 1690, the town was called upon to draft thirteen men to go
as we humbly conceive unjustly, as if we had not allowed him his disburst- ments; which we have done what the law does allow, as for loss of arms, sadles, bridles, halters, provissions, ammunition, to the value of fifty-six shillings, which is his full due as to our understandings; but not in our power to allow him his rates, payed by the former Constables, which he demanded by his bill drawrne and presented to ns, and our return made upon the backeside, left with Mr. Rawson herwith.
" 2d, ffor his garrison he would not be at our Apointment, therefo may blame himselfe being at so much charge and hazard as he complaines; also, his house stood in the centre of the garrisons which we apointed, therefore not so much danger as he asserts. And by reason of ye Petitioner's timerousness, the town was at some pounds' charge for Indian and English scouting in the woods to quiet him and some others, who did often endeaver to posess us with great dan- ger they were in; your Petitioner also charges us with injurious dealings in pressing of some of his garrison, they being few in number. We say it was his owne fault they were so few, because he would not attend our order; and
yet
*
*
did spare him untill the exspedition in the Winter to Narragan-
sett : then he a * souldier that was sent from Dedham; his having so many fire-arms out is more than we have knowledge of; one we grant was lost and he is allowed for it.
"3d, As for the town stock we doe not remember he came for any and doe judge he did not deserve it, he being unwilling to be ordered (and those that had any ingaged to return it againe.) And whereas your Petitioner reports he ventured his life for John Indian we conceive not, for he was so feeble and weake that he came creeping under the fences, and not able for any action, be- ing without arms; and he being justly suspected to be a murderer, was threat- ened to be killed by some. Therefore our Capt. Richard Brackett brought him to Boston and the Hon. Council sentenced him to be sent out of the countrey. And lastly, he supplieating for a medigation of his Rates; we have many more would be glad of the like favor.
Yo'r Serv'ts duty and observance,
RICHARD BRACKETT, EDMUND QUINSEY, ROBERT TWELVES, Military Committee for the town of Braintree."
The following is a copy of one of Mr. Thayer's bills as presented to the town :- 1677.
"By account of the particulars for the Countrey's service. ££ S. D. a horse six weeks, 0 90
a saddell, - - - -
- sterrep, leathers and sterrep irons, - - - a bridell and halter and girts, - - -
0 15 0
040
0 50
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on that unfortunate expedition to Quebec, under Sir William Phips. The Colonists were defeated after a sharp encounter, and finally compelled to make a precipitate retreat, and the fleet, after sustaining great damage on its homeward voyage, returned to Boston. Such was the unfortunate issue of an en- terprise which involved Massachusetts in an enormous expense, and cost the lives of at least a thousand of her inhabitants; also, quite a loss to this town by the death of several of her citizens who contracted the small-pox on board the fleet, of which they died.
" The 9th day of August, there went soldiers to Canada, in the year 1690, and the small-pox was abord, and they died six of it; four thrown overbord at Cap An. Corporal John Parmtr, Isaak Thayer, Ephrim Copeland and Ebenezer Owen-they and Sam- uell Bas and John Cheny, was thrown overbord at Nantaskett." -Braintree Town Records. John Harbor and Joseph Penniman died in a short time after arriving home.
" During the absence of the forces," says Cotton Mather, "the wheels of prayer for them in New England had been continually going round." This spiritual co-operation did not accomplish much for an army that had neglected to properly provision and equip themselves against the well-drilled forces of the French.
By the following letter, written by Edmund Quincy, comman- der of the Braintree militia, to the Governor and Council, there
£ s. D.
" By fifteen shillings in money payed to William Ueasy, 0 15 0 two pounds, three shillings, four pence, payed to Wm. Ueasy, 2 3 4 two pounds, three shillings, four pence, payed to Cristiner Weab, 2 3 4
neckles bond, his hire to the Narraganset service, - 3 0 0
1 5 0 a goon to the said bond, -
Provissions and Ammunission,
-
0 60
Provissions and Ammunissions at his second going out, 060 too shillings in money payed to Jonnathan Padelford and Martin Sacan for guarding me to hingom to fetch the second goon, 0 2 0 too shillings in money payed John Hoffenborn to go out with ye Indian scouts that was allowed us by the Councill, 02 0 five weeks keeping of John Jorge who was ordered unto me by
ye honoured Counsell and afterwards taken out of my hands by Capt. Richard Brackett, . 5 0
besids the losse of my Indian service so ordered.
RICHARD THAYER."
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seems to have been considerable insubordination among those who were drafted in Braintree for an expedition to Canada :-
"BRANTRY, July, 1689.
"Therefore this is to signify, To the Honorable Governor and Council setting at Boston, That I have taken all the pains, and used all means to pursuade men, but by reason of Bad Councill by some evil persons with us, that discourage our men, that out of 13 men impressed there is not but two or three who will go. I can do no more, without there be some sent for and made ex- ample to the rest. To behold such a spirit, is of an awfull con- sideration.
"I beg your advice and direction what I shall do. To day 5 or 6 come to my house, all left fell off.
Humble Servent, EDMUND QUINSEY."
The names of those who would not obey :- " Caleb Hobart, William Nightingale, ffrancis Almy, Josiah Haiden, Joseph Pen- niman, Josiah Belcher, Thomas Copeland."
Benjamin Ludden, as will be seen by the preface to his will,1 is an illustration of the spirit of the times. He was one of the soldiers engaged in the Indian wars, who appears to have been inspired with the same ardor and religious enthusiasm as the knights of old on their crusade to the Holy Land, in their con- fliet and descent on Palestine for the recovery of Jerusalem from the infidels.
The treaty at Ryswick produced a lull in the storm of cruel warfare which had so long hung upon the English frontiers, con- tinually menacing the Colonists with wide-spread destruction.
1. "I, Benjamin Ludden, in New England, being now called for thas a soul- dier in the time of great distress for to fight the Lord's battles against the bloody enemies of the Christ and people of God in New England, namely, those Anti Christians and bloody ffrench, together with those Bloody, Marther- . ous and Salvage Indians, And considering whether I may return again with my life to see my parents, wife and relations, Committing my soul to God that gave it, through the precious blood of Jesus Christ my Redeemer, and my body to the dust from whence I came, Hopping that both soul and body shall be raised up by the power of my Redeemer and meet together at the day of Res- urection when I shall enjoy the blessed presence of Jesus Christ, Saints, An- gels, and that to all eternity." Suff. Prob. Rec., Vol. VIII, p. 23. 1690.
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It was very brief however, for pretexts for another war were soon found. James the Second died in September, 1701. While an exile he had been sheltered by Louis the Fourteenth, who acknowledged his son Charles Edward, the pretender, as the lawful heir to the English throne. This seriously offended the English, as the crown had been given to Anne, the second daughter of James, who was considered a Protestant. In con- nection with this, and other causes, England considered it a sufficient pretext to declare war with France. In 1702, hostili- ties began, which continued until the treaty of Utrecht, in 1713. During this conflict the Colonists suffered much from the cruel- ties of the Indians, who were under the influence of the French, and Braintree was obliged to bear her proportion in supplying men and means in carrying on this unfortunate conflict. This was called Queen Anne's War.
In 1707, the town had so increased in population that they were able to organize two military companies ; one in the north part of the town, which consisted of seventy-two families, under command of Edmund Quincy; and one in the south part, or what is now called Braintree, consisted of seventy-one families, under the command of Capt. John Mills.
We have nothing material to relate of military matters from this time until 1739, when Col. Joseph Gooch came to Braintree and was chosen moderator of a town meeting. At this time, this curious individual commenced his military and political in- trigues.
He was supposed to have been born in Boston-a man of property and education, and a lawyer by profession. Finding that his secret manipulations would not avail him much in Bos- ton, he came here and became a churchman, and immediately commenced his plottings with Mr. Miller and Mr. Apthorp, in- fluential friends of Governor Shirley, promising them, if they would send him as representative to the General Court and procure him the position of colonel of the regiment, he would build them a tower for their church at his own expense. This proposition appears to have been satisfactory, as he was elected representative and received his commission as colonel of the regiment. This purchased popularity soon vanished ; the third
48
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year the inhabitants of the town decided not to re-elect him. This caused him to become so indignant that he declared he would no longer reside in Braintree, nor construct a steeple for the church. He removed to Milton Hill, and there built him a house, which was called the Church-hill House, where he resided about thirty years.1
After a quietude of some years, Governor Shirley concluded to have another trial of military strength with the French.
1. 1760. Mr. John Adams gives the following singular intrigue of Colonel Goocli to dispossess Colonel Quincy of his regiment, by means of Dr. Miller's and Mr. Apthorp's influence :-
"Joseph Gooch, a native, I believe, of Boston, had considerable property, and was reported and reputed to be very rich. He had been educated at the Temple in England, and returned to Boston to practice law; he had very little success. He had been a man of pleasure, and bore the indelible marks of it on his face to the grave. He was extremely ambitions, and the Rev. Mr. Niles, of the second parish in Braintree, who was well acquainted with him, told me he was the most passionate man he ever knew. Not succeeding at the bar in Boston, he had recourse to religion to assist him; joined the Old South Church, to avail himself of the influence of the sisterhood, and set up for representative for the town of Boston; but failed, and disappointed of his hopes in law and politics, he renounced the city, came up to Quincy, hired a house, turned churchman and set himself to intriguing for promotion, both in the military and civil departments. He interceded with the favorites of Governor Shirley, in this place, to procure him the commission of colonel in the regiment of mili- tia, and an election for representative of the town in the General Court. He promised to build a steeple to their church, at his own expense.
"Assiduous importunity was employed with Governor Shirley to procure him the command of the regiment; but this could not be obtained without cashier- ing the colonel then in possession, and who had long been in possession of that office, and given universal satisfaction in it.
" Colonel John Quincy had been in public life from his early youth. He had been near twenty years Speaker of the House of Representatives, and many years a member of His Majesty's Council, and was as much esteemed and re- spected as any man in the province. He was not only an experienced and ven- erated Statesman, but a man of letters, taste and sense. Shirley was, with great difficulty, prevailed on to perform the operation of dismissing so faithful a servant of the public, and adopting one of so equivocal a character; and he said some years afterwards, that nothing he had ever done in his administration had given him so much pain, as removing so venerable a magistrate and officer as Colonel Quincy. But the church party had insisted upon it so peremptorily, that he could not avoid it. Probably he dreaded their remonstrances to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
" These facts were currently reported and nniversally believed, and never contradicted.
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Early in January, 1744, he called the General Court together, in secret session, to consider the expediency of an attack on Louis- burg. After several days of deliberation and earnest discussion, this projected expedition was voted in the negative. Governor Shirley not desiring to have this favorite enterprise of his de- feated, managed to have by a little intrigue, the most substantial and influential merchants of the several large towns to petition for another hearing. In compliance with these petitions, the Assembly again considered this great question. Their delibera- tions were conducted with calmness and moderation. After a long debate, a resolution was passed in favor of this expedition
" Gooch was appointed colonel, and Quincy dismissed. The next thing to be done, was to new model the subordinate officers in the regiment. Application was made to all the captains, lieutenants and ensigns, in that part of the regi- ment which lies within three parishes of the ancient town of Braintree, to see if they would accept commissions under Colonel Gooch, and agree to vote for him as representative for the town. The then present officers were men among the most respectable of the inhabitants, in point of property, understanding and character. They rejected the proposition with scorn.
"My father was among them ; he was offered a captain's commission. He spurned the offer with disdain; would serve in the militia under no colonel but Quincy. Almost, or quite an entire set of new officers were appointed through the whole town. These were of a very different character from those who were dismissed. Men of little property or no property at all; men of frivolous char- acter in understanding and morals.
" It was at this time the corrupt practice of treating, as they called it, at training and at elections was introduced, which so long prevailed in the town of Braintree. All this corruption, young as I was, I attributed to the King of Great Britain and his Governor and their bigoted Episcopal party ; and, young as I was, I was thoroughly disgusted before I was ten years of age.
"Gooch under the influence of all this machinery, obtained an election as representative, but the next year all the substantial people of the town aroused themselves and turned him out,* which so enraged him that he swore he would no longer live in Braintree ; renounced the church, refused to build their steeple, built him a house on Milton Hill, and there passed the remainder of his days."-Adams's Works, Vol. II, p. 93.
* We think Mr. Adams is mistaken in his statement that Mr. Gooch was chosen but one year as deputy for the town, as the House Journal of the Legis- lature, and the town records make it appear that he was elected for the two years of 1742-3, and acted as such. This was a pardonable error of Mr. Adams, for this account of Col. Gooch was evidently written up from memory, or tradi- tion, years after it happened, as Mr. Adams was only about seven years of age when this episode occurred.
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by one vote.1 A number of men enlisted and were impressed from Braintree to take part in this expedition to Louisburg, Cape Breton. The Colonists, after a brilliant attack on this Gibraltar of America, were successful, which caused great re- joicing throughout the Colonies.
The first three inter-colonial wars or conflicts, between the English and French Colonies, already mentioned, had their origin by the disagreement of the home governments, with their neighbors across the channel, who brought their hostili- ties to American soil, and plunged the Colonies into a bloody and expensive war. The fourth and last conflict was called the French and Indian War. The termination of this territorial war resulted in establishing the supremacy of the English over the American Colonies. This war continued for seven years, or from 1756 to 1763.
From the provincial muster roll we have selected the names of persons from the town of Braintree, who were engaged in the various campaigns. We do not pretend that we have given the names of all the persons that went to the Indian wars, as they are scattered through a great number of miscellaneous muster rolls, and to find all of them you would be as successful as looking for a needle in a hay-stack. The place of residence of the captains we have given where they were designated in the muster roll. The readers have the same opportunity of conjecturing where those that we have not given were located as we have, and perhaps more so. We have endeav- ored to give as correct a list as we were able to find, which is as follows :-
1. " Among the members of this assembly, were two persons who afterwards acted a conspicnons part in the most interesting scenes of American History. Hutchinson, who became the historian and Governor of Massachusetts; and Oliver who was associated with him in political sentiment, and in command as Lieutenant-Governor. Both had expressed their disapprobation of the expedi- tion. As Oliver was repairing to the house on the day when the proposal which he was determined to resist, was finally to be debated, he chanced to fall and break his leg. In consequence of his absence, when the house divided, the numbers on both sides were found to be equal. Hutchinson, who was the speaker, thereupon surrendered his opinion to what seemed to him the general desire of the province, and gave his casting vote in favor of the expedition."
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"Jacob Quincy of Braintree, Surgeon's Mate, one of the staff officers in Col. Joseph Dwight's regiment in the late Crown Point expedition, from Feb. 18th, 1756, to the 8th of November following."
The following named persons enlisted under Samuel Thaxter, major and captain for the Crown Point expedition, who were in service from Feb. 16th to Nov. 10th, 1756: “ Benjamin Nash, Benjamin Nash, Jr., Caleb Dunham, Jr., Mathias Chees- man, Silas Ludden, Alexander French, Caleb Thayer, Adam Howard, William Sergant, Joseph Blanchard, (deserted)."
Captain Samuel Clark, of Braintree, organized a company in 1756, to go to Crown Point. The men that comprised his com- pany were from Tannton, Abington, Bridgewater, Scituate, Bos- ton and several other towns. Only one name can be found on the roll from Braintree, which was Philip Smith. Capt. Clark's expenses for the organization of the company were as follows :- " Fifteen days subsistence in making up the muster roll, one pound, two shillings and six pence, and two days travelling from Braintree to Boston, eight shillings."
The following named persons from Braintree are found on the roll of Capt. Nathaniel Blake, of Milton, Aug. 9th, 1756: "Ben- ony Spear, (Husband1) ; Moses Marsh, (Husband) ; Timothy French, (Tanner) ; Jesse Wild, (Heelmaker) ; Jonathan Fes- senden, Lieutenant, aged 33, from Capt. Brackett's company; Daniel Ames, aged 14, enlisted; Seth Dogett, (Cordwainer), impressed ; John Dogett, impressed, (Wheelwright) ; Jonathan Bishop, (Cordwainer), volunteer; Jacob French, (Labourer), (Hired) ; Timothy French, (Currier), volunteer; Jacob Gold- waite, from Capt. Allen's company, aged 17, (Roaper), volun- teer; David Gay, (Labourer), aged 17, impressed ; Samuel George, aged 30, (Labourer), volunteer ; Peter Hubbard, aged 46, (Labonrer), impressed; Zebulon Holmes, aged 20, volunteer; Wm. Hevins, aged 20, (Cordwainer), volunteer; Samuel Haws, aged 18, (Labourer), volunteer; William Hubbard, aged 16, (Labourer), volunteer." For Fort William Henry expedition.
" Elisha Hayden enlisted in Colonel Lincoln's regiment. Sim-
1. Probably meaning husbandman.
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eon Pain, of Braintree, enlisted in Captain Burk's company, of Fall Town, now Bernardstown, and was at the capitulation of Fort William Henry."
Campaign of 1757. Capt. Peter Thayer's company marched in August, 1757, at the alarm for the relief of Fort William Henry. They marched as far as Roxbury and then returned. The following is the roll, viz: "Peter Thayer, Captain ; John White, Lieutenant ; Joseph Hayward, Ensign ; Moses Brackett, Seth Turner, Samuel Hunt, Sergeants; Samuel Marsh, Richard Faxon, John Tower, Corporals ; Charles Baxter, Samuel Steph- ens, William Adams, Peter Underwood, Joseph Lambart, David Pain, Joseph Cleverly, son to Benjamin Cleverly, Elijah Neal, Richard Thayer, Jr., Silas Lovewell, Jesse Wild, Elijah Thayer, Nathaniel Capen, Samuel Curtis, Jr., Malachi Newcomb, Sam- uel French, Jr., Samuel Bedlow, of Weymouth, John Hunt, Jr., Daniel Hunt, Jr., Daniel Pratt, Joseph Lovewell, Samuel Nash, Adam French, John Hollis, John Bagley, Ephriam Hunt, Jr., Joseph Tower, Jr., Nathaniel Pain, Joshua French, Nathaniel Pratt, Nehemiah French, Lemuel Baxter, David Bates, Jr., Stephen Pratt, John Shaw, Isaac Shaw, Isaac Porter, Elijah Hayden, James White, Ephriam Thayer, Joseph Nightingale." -Mass. Archives.
Campaign of 1758. Captain Ward's company, of Hingham, was organized to take part in the reduction of Canada. The following named persons enlisted in this company from Brain- tree : "Seth Turner, Lieutenant; Mathias Cheesman, Caleb Al- drich, Corporals; Jacob Pain, Drummer; Jonathan Clark, Seth French, Elijah French, Jonathan Green, William Hayden, Clem- ent Hayden, Jonathan Willis, Noah Howard, Edward Jones, Silas Lovell, Joseph Lovell, Joseph Niles, John Niles, Benjamin Nash, William Niles, Amos Stetson, John Spear, David Solon, Stephen Salsbury, Richard Thayer, Jesse Thayer, Elijah Thayer, John Tower, Joseph Tower, Edmund Littlefield."
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