USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 46
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 46
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John Hilt, Jacob Lewis, George Smouse, David Vose, John Walter Roach, Martin Grayner, Buckhart Briesler, Andrew Winter, Jacob Buckhart.
We have searched the records very carefully to find out the result of these lotteries, but have not been able to ascertain any- thing definite in reference to the matter. We are quite confi- dent that it proved a failure, as the company continued to strng- gle on in their embarrassments until 1760, when they mortgaged sixteen township lots to Mr. Flucher for eight hundred pounds sterling. It was at this time that a complete failure took place, and this German Colony broke up, and a large portion of them went to their German friends at Broad Bay, now Woldoborough, in the State of Maine. This enterprize from the beginning, was unsuccessful and unremunerative, and must have occasioned a great loss to those who had invested their capital in it. The ware manufactured here was of the coarsest of green glass, such as junk bottles, etc., for which there was no great demand, and the other manufactures proved equally as abortive.
they shall be and are hereby declared answerable to the owners of the Tickets in case of any deficiency or misconduct.
" And be it further enacted, That said Joseph shall give bond (with sufficient surities) of such Tenor and Form, as a committee of this Court (to be chosen) shall direct, for the carrying on the Manufacturies heretofore begun there, for the term of seven years next after the said Buildings and Conveniences are fin- ished, and that he, his Heirs or Assigns, will employ therein at least twenty Manufacturers, a list of whose names shall be transmitted yearly by the said Joseph, his Heirs or Assigns, sometime in the month of February, to the Com- mander-in-chief for the time being, which said twenty men shall be exempted from impress and all military duty so long as they continue in said Manufac- turies.
" And be it further enacted, That if the said Joseph, his Heirs and Assigns, shall not carry on or cause to be carried on, the said Manufacturies for and dur- ing the term of seven years as aforesaid, in such a manner that at least twenty Manufacturers shall be therein employed, then and in that case the said Build- ing and Conveniencies, together with the land whereon they shall be erected, shall become the Property of the Province, and the said Joseph, his Heirs or Assigns, execute and deliver to the Province Treasurer, for the time being, a sufficient Deed of Conveyance of such land and Premises for the use of the Province Treasurer, the net Proceeds of such Lottery or Lotteries at the election of said Joseph, his Heirs and Assigns. Provided that the Lottery or Lotteries hereby allowed shall not be set up before the first day of September."-Euacted April 25th, 1757.
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The tradition that the Germans who came to Braintree, now Quincy, were induced to by deception and unfair dealings, we think a mistake, for the reason that the company here held no large grants of land for the purpose of colonization. General Palmer and Mr. Richard Cranch, who had leased Germantown, were gentlemen of the highest character for honor and integrity, and above such sinister statements. Neither had they anything to do with the importations of these unfortunate emigrants, as those whom they had engaged to work for them had already arrived in Boston for the purpose of settling defunet townships in the western and eastern parts of the Province. Evidently this error grew out of the statements made by the Germans who had emigrated to this Province by the questionable induce- ments held out to them by deceptive advertisements circulated over a large part of Germany, to encourage them to come and settle these contemplated townships within the western and eastern frontier Province of Massachusetts.
The German settlement in the State of Maine began some seven years previous to the attempt to colonize western Massa- chusetts. As early as 1742, Gen. Samuel Waldo having come in possession of a large patent of land in the then eastern fron- tier Province of Massachusetts,1 now in the State of Maine, through his agent in Germany, Mr. Sebastian Suberbuhler, in- duced a number of German families to come to this Province on certain conditions,2 which were agreed to, and they embarked
1. Maine Hist. Coll., Vol. VI, p. 319; also, see map in Sullivan's History of Maine.
2. " To His Excellency, the Governor of the Province of Massachusetts :- "The subscribers for themselves and their Palatine Brethren.
"That your Petitioners are natives of Germany, where most of them enjoyed houses and land, which they sold in order to settle in New England, upon the following conditions ennmerated in a certain paper signed by Samuel Waldo, Esq., and Sebastian Suberbuhler, printed in high Dutch and dispersed in Ger- many, which conditions were, that Samuel Waldo, Esq., should provide a ves- sell or vessells at Rotterdam, for the Transportation of a number of Palatines to New England, and in case said vessell or vessells should not be ready to sail on eight days from the time of the Palatines coming to Rotterdam, then said Waldo was to pay them thirty pounds sterling per day Demurage, after the expiration of said eight days, and in case the vessells were retarded by the Palatines, then they were to pay said Waldo fifteen pounds sterling per day Demnrage.
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from Holland, and arrived at Marblehead in October, 1742, from whence they sailed to what proved to have been the inhospitable shores of Broad Bay. On arriving there, they found no one to receive them, and they were obliged to make such arrangements
" That Mr. Waldo, against their arrival at Broad Bay, in New England, was to build and finish at his own expense for their reception, two houses of thirty- five feet square, two stories high, and also a Church; on each of which houses he was to lay out one hundred pounds sterling, and on the Church two hundred pounds sterling.
" That Mr. Waldo should pay at his own cost, an Engineer, one hundred pounds sterling per annum, for the term of three years, a minister for seventy pounds sterling per annum, a schoolmaster, thirty pounds sterling per annum, each for the term of ten years.
" That Mr. Waldo should have a convenient spot of Land plotted out for a town, in which each family should have lotted out one-quarter of an acre for a house lott, that sixty thousand acres should be laid out and appropriated for settling Palatines.
" That Mr. Waldo should provide the following stock for their support, viz :- One hundred and twenty thousand pounds of Beef, twenty thousand pounds of pork, sixty thousand pounds of Flower, sixty thousand pounds of coarse Flower, four thousand Bushells of Indian Corn, four thousand Bushell of Salt, one-half to be delivered on their arrival, the other half in six months after, which was to be delivered in the following manner, viz :- To each person above ten years of age, one hundred and fifty pounds of Beef, fifty pounds of Pork, one hun- dred and fifty pounds of Flower, ten Bushell of Indian Corn, one Bushell of Salt; to each person under ten years, half of the Quantity.
"That Mr. Waldo should supply each Family with a Cow and Calf, a sow, three axes, four hoes, one hand saw, and have laid out to each person fifty acres of Land.
"These are the articles stipulated by Mr. Waldo. Those on the part of Sebas- tian Suberbuhler, were that the Palatines should pay Mr. Waldo a quit rent of two pence half penny sterling per acre, forever. Invited and Encouraged by these advantages, your Petitioners and their Countrymeu left their native Land, and after having Encountered delay of eight weeks and three days, to their great impoverishment in the Elector of Cologns Territories by means of Sebas- tian Suberbuhler, who either could not, or would not, give security for your Pal- atines not being left in Holland. They embarked for New England, where they arrived at Marblehead, in October, from whence they sailed to the Eastward an Inhospitable Shore and a Waste Wilderness where there were few of the neces- saries of, and not one accomodation of Life, notwithstanding what was boasted to be done in the contract between Waldo and Suberbuhler, there not being so much as anything toward building either of the houses to shelter your unhappy Petitioners from the injuries of the weather at the most inclement Season of the year (the Winter), by which means some have found their Graves there, amongst whom is our Engineer, who has left a Disconsolate Widow with a fam- ily of helpless children, Whereof your Petitioners beg leave to lay their deplor-
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for their comforts as this wild wilderness and their limited means would admit. After considerable suffering, finding that Mr. Waldo would not fulfil his agreement, they petitioned the Gov- ernor and Council for redress of grievances by having a ves- sel or vessels sent to Broad Bay and transport them to Massa- chusetts Bay. This matter was referred to a committee appointed by the Legislature consisting of the following gentle- men, viz :- Col. Stoddard, Col. Joseph Gooch, Mr. Hutchinson, Col. Warren, Capt. Chote and such of the honorable board as would join them. This, like many private or public disputes, amounted to nothing. After a second hearing the question was dropped on the plea of Mr. Waldo of breach of contract on the part of the Germans not paying their passage money before leaving Rotterdam. In 1753, Mr. Waldo's son went to Germany and held out such flattering inducements, that a large number of Germans came over. Mr. Waldo promised them one hundred acres of land free, and they were to be protected in the free exercise of their religious views. The woods were full of all kinds of game, and innumerable fish of the most delicious kinds were to be found in all the ponds and rivers, to which the sportsmen and anglers could have free access. Neither were
able case before Your Excellency and Honours, which they are Encouraged to do when they know that the Fathers of this Land were Protestant strangers as are your Petitioners, and as your Petitioners have suffered uncommon hard- ships, loss and damage as aforesaid, and having been unhumanly treated by the said Mr. Waldo, who has failed in every part of his Contract with us, by which means we have lost our subsistance and are reduced to the Utmost penury and want. Therefore your Complainants, Strangers in the Land, destitute of all Friends, Most humbly pray your Excellency and Honours to whom they address themselves, as you are their Fathers in the State, that you be pleased to take their most deplorable and distressed circumstances, and of your great goodness, charity and compassion, Extend relief to them by sending a vessel at the Prov- ince Charge to bring them from the Eastern part, not being able to Defray the Charges themselves, that so they may be Employed in such business as they are capable of, for the support of themselves and their wives and children, and that your Excellency and Honours would be pleased to condescend that a Committee of this Honorable Court may appoint to Enquire into the primises and make a report thereon, and your Complainants as in duty bound shall ever pray.
For himself and his Palatine Bretheren,
DR. GODFRY KASH."
-Mass. Arch., Vol. XV, p. 34.
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they to be so unjustly treated as the Germans had been in Pennsylvania. As soon as one hundred families were convened together, they were to send a deputy to the General Court to represent them, and were to be exempted from all military duty. It is useless for us to recount the hardships and sufferings these pioneer emigrants endured, the destitution and wrongs they underwent by these gross misrepresentations. They and their sufferings have passed into the unseen world.
Tradition relates that there was something of a romance con- nected with some one of the German emigrants that came to Quincy. One of the young men in his native country had been paying his addresses to a young lady of much promise, to whom he was very much attached, which was fully reciprocated by his friend Earnestin. Their union however was by the young lady's parents forbidden, still they continued to enjoy each other's company. The father soon found out that they were having clandestine interviews, and sent his daughter to some of her friends in a remote country; and instructed them to keep a close and constant watch over her and her communications. Not having for a long time received any tidings or intelligence from his beloved friend, he concluded that the report of her death was correct; life then became a burden to him, and his only desire was to leave his native country in hopes it might relieve the sorrowing anguish of his heart. One pleasant and beautiful morning he was passing the crowded streets of his native impe- rial free city of Frankfort, when near the Romer or old Town Hall, in this old quaint part of the city he discovered a large circular posted on one of the buildings, which announced that emigrants were wanted for America and the vessel would in a few days sail for its destination. He immediately returned home, and after a hasty preparation, was seen winding his way to Rotterdam with other emigrants, to embark in the ship for the wilds of America. Nothing of any note occurred on their tour to the shores of this country. Their disembarkation was on a beautiful autumn day,-the trees were adorned with all their gorgeous autumnal tints, making their landing upon a strange shore more agreeable. After remaining in Boston some time they were engaged by Palmer & Co., and went to German-
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town. Weeks and months passed away, when one day while Fred., as he was called, was at his usual avocation weaving stockings, it was announced that a vessel had arrived with emi- grants from Germany. The whole Colony were soon congre- gated on the wharf to receive tidings from their native home, and shake the friendly hand of some old relative or neighbor. Fred. was there, a listless and idle observer. In viewing the strangers on board the vessel, at the first glance he caught the eye of his long lost friend. But a moment and they were embraced in each others arms; we leave to the imagination of the reader the happy meeting of the friends. It was but a short time before they were united in the happy bonds of wedlock. From this union it is said one branch of the Hardwick family descended, and for a long time carried on stocking weaving on Franklin street.
It appears by the following petition, that at the period the glass works were first established, Mr. Josiah Quiney made an effort to have granted the privilege of carrying on a candle fac- tory under a new process :- " Dec. 12, 1752. Petition of Josiah Quiney, of Braintree, Shewing that a person lately from Eng- land, Well Skilled in the Art of Refining Sperma Catia from the Oyle, and making the same into Candals, has applied to him for an Employment in the business, That he has invented a new Machine for the more easy expressing the Oyl from the Sperma, as also sundry Utensils never before used to the great improve- ment of that Manufacture."
" March 30th, 1753. A Petition of John Surah, late of Great Britain, representing sundry Hardships he has suffered by the unjust Treatment of Mr. Josiah Quincy, of Braintree, and as he is a Stranger in the Country, he pray the Intoposition and Pro- teetion of the Country for the reasons mentioned." - House Journal.
" Gen. Joseph Palmer was born March 31st, 1716, at Higher Abbots row, in the parish of Shaugh, in the county of Devon- shire, in England. His mother's maiden name was Pearse, of the Pearses of Fardell Mill, in the parish of Cornwood, in the
Salmero
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same county. Both families were of unblemished reputation, and though not opulent, were independent.
" He was a man of good education and fine manners, and emi- grated to America in the year 1746, bringing with him the late venerable and highly respected Judge Richard Cranch, then a youth of twenty years old. Mr. Palmer had married the sister of Mr. Cranch, (Mary Cranch, of Brood, in the parish of Erming- ton, Devonshire.)
" Mrs. Palmer was a woman of distinguished excellence, with a richly cultivated mind, and when the young couple embarked for this western world, she was as blooming and lovely as she was intelligent."
Mr. Palmer was wealthy when he emigrated, and he, together with Richard Cranch, on their arrival, commenced business as cardmakers, on School street, Boston, and subsequently they leased a large tract of land of a company in the town of Braintree, which said company had named Germantown. " He erected a noble house for his own residence, but just as it was finished, and the cellars stored with provisions, a vicious boy whom he had punished for theft and lying, set it on fire. It was night ; nothing effectual could be done, and before the dawn of next day, this fine structure was in ruins. This was his first pecuniary loss. He soon erected another large and com- modious dwelling upon the site of the first one, and surrounded it with all the comforts that makes a country residence delight- ful. A beautiful orchard of his own planting, stretched from the back of his house to the shores of a little bay, on which his farm was located. This orchard contained two or three acres, which, with a fruit garden, a nursery of trees, a large poultry yard, and an exquisite flower garden, successively caught and charmed the eye, as it ranged over the cultivated grounds, which the enterprising owner hoped to see enlarged into a settlement of free and independent artisans and manufacturers. His en- terprise and activity were even surpassed by his philanthropy and benevolence. While he was surrounding his handsome res- idence with all the comforts and beauties which his casy fortune and refined taste enabled him to do with facility,-furnishing a well chosen and somewhat extensive library, and enjoying the
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pleasant neighborhood of the Quincys, Cranches and Adamses, he threw wide open the door of a general hospitality. This place in the course of time came to be known under the name of . Friendship Hall, and it well deserved the title.1
" While in London, General Palmer had his portrait taken by the celebrated Copley, and sent to his family at Germantown. An anecdote, illustrating the perfection of this painting, and the exactness of the likeness, and which has been made to garnish a tale in one of our annuals, where it is told as pertaining to a fictitious personage, deserves to be repeated here, as it is charac- teristic of the man whom it relates.
" The portrait arrived at the family mansion while he was yet absent, and was placed on the floor in the hall, and the work- men engaged in the several manufactories, to whom he was a father and friend rather than a master, were summoned by lis family to contemplate the excellent likeness. While his family were contemplating the honest delight of the men, a favorite cat, which Gen. Palmer was in the habit of letting sit on his shoulder in domestic hours came into the room. She walked directly to the picture and attempted to climb upon the shoulder. Being reflected by the glass, (it was a crayon painting,) she
1. " The year 1765 was a sad one for Gen. Palmer and his friends, by reason of an event to which he was a party, and which caused life-long injury to the health of his favorite daughter, and bitter grief to himself and Col. Quincy, who was the unintentional but direct agent in the injury that was done.
"The two gentlemen had just returned from a hunt, and had entered the par- lor of Gen. Palmer and deposited their guns. His oldest daughter, unaware of their presence, was reclining upon the lawn outside, reading. Her father was proud of her beauty and courage. She was in robust health and perfectly fear- less, and frequently rode into Boston to pay or receive money or attend to other commissions for her father, and returned after dark over lonely roads and re- gardless of inclement weather. The distance that she went was twelve miles. Gen. Palmer was sure that she could not be frightened and Col. Quincy declared that he could frighten her, and to settle the point the General permitted him to discharge his gun out of the parlor window and over the girl's head. The result was most melancholy; she was directly thrown into convulsions, which contin- ued for a long time. From that moment her health, both of body and mind, was broken. She became timid in storms and afraid of fire-arms. During her resi- dence at West Point, in 1790 and 1791, she was constantly apprehensive that the magazine would explode.
" After more than twenty-five years invalidism, she died at that place at the age of forty-four."
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went behind the frame, in order, as it would seem, to get upon his back, as she often did on that of the original."
Gen. Palmer's house is still standing, and for some years was occupied by the Miss Sullivans. Subsequently it was purchased by the proprietors of Sailors' Snug Harbor, and is still owned by them.
Mr. Palmer, in the beginning of the revolutionary trouble, espoused the cause of the Americans. He was very popular and influential in Braintree, and took an active part in all affairs per- taining to the revolutionary struggles. His son Joseph assisted in throwing the tea into Boston Harbor.
In 1774, Mr. Palmer was chosen a delegate, with others, to the first Provincial Congress ; in which Congress he was appointed to act on most of the important committees. Immediately after the commencement of hostilities, he was appointed Major, by the Provincial Government, and shortly afterwards received a commission as General in the Continental Army, and took a part in the battle of Bunker Hill.
"In the year 1778, Brigadier-General Palmer had command of an expedition whose object was to capture or dislodge the Brit- ish forces then occupying Rhode Island." The American army not being suitably prepared for this expedition, Gen. Palmer, in the council of officers, was opposed to this movement; being overruled in this council of war, they having decided to attack Rhode Island, he went with the expedition which proved disas- trous to the American forces. This failure of the Americans gave a pretext to Gen. Palmer's enemies to have him tried in a military court; by this court martial lie was fully and honorably acquitted.
While Gen. Palmer was active in this military struggle, he expended from his private purse five thousand pounds sterling, for the public service. His liberality we have heretofore spoken of when he presented to the town thirteen hundred and fifty dollars to procure soldiers for the army ; this large expenditure of money, with other losses during the war, caused him to become embarrassed. He borrowed money from John Hancock, and this financial transaction, together with political misunder- standings, finally caused his utter bankruptcy and ruin.
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Being of an enthusiastic mind, he actively endeavored to save his property and retrieve his former social position in society, but was unable to do so. Mr. Hancock laid an attachment upon his property, and his fine estate was obliged to be sold.
After Gen. Palmer had lost his property, he was allowed, through the kindness of President John Adams, to use one of his unoccupied dwellings, and subsequently he resided in a house belonging to his brother-in-law, Richard Cranch, where his wife died, Feb. 6th, 1790.
Mr. Palmer petitioned the city of Boston for land on Boston Neck, for the purpose of establishing salt works; while engaged in its construction, on a cold day he became chilled, and while sitting before a warm fire he was paralyzed in the organs of speech ; this paralysis soon became general, and everything that medical skill could do or suggest was done, but he did not rally, and on the 25th of December, 1788, he expired, and his remains were placed in the old burial ground on Boston Neck.
Richard Cranch was the son of John Cranch, and was born in Kingsbridge, near Exeter, in Devonshire, England, November, 1726. In early life he was bound as an apprentice to a maker of wool-cards ; being ambitious to engage in business for himself he, at the age of twenty years, purchased the remainder of his time. The New England Provinces being then comparatively a new country, seemed to open a fair field for a young man of his accomplishments to begin business for himself; consequently he emigrated with Gen. Joseph Palmer, who had married his sister, for Boston, where he arrived in 1746. On his arrival at Boston, he commenced the business of wool-card making, on School street, nearly opposite where the City Hall now stands.
In 1751, Mr. Cranch and General Palmer leased of a company one hundred acres of land at Germantown, which said company had laid out into streets and squares, for erecting buildings for manufactory and other purposes, and called it Germantown.
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