USA > Massachusetts > History of the Military company of the Massachusetts, now called the Ancient and honorable artillery company of Massachusetts. 1637-1888, Vol. I > Part 40
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Mr. Dunton, the London bookseller, in his book of Travels thus speaks of Dr. Thomas Oakes (1684) : " I was so happy as to find particular friends in Boston, whose characters I shall next give you, and I'll begin with Dr. Oakes [1684]. He is an eminent physician, and a religious man ; at his first coming to a patient he persuades him to put his trust in God, the fountain of health ; the want of this hath caused the bad success of physicians ; for they that won't acknowledge God in all their applications, God won't acknowledge them in that success which they might otherwise expect. He was a great dissenter whilst he lived in London, and even in New England retains the piety of the first planters."
We are told in Memorable Providences, p. 3, edition of 1691, in speaking of matters connected with witchcraft : "Skilful physicians were consulted for their help,
Roger Kilcup (1684). AUTHORITIES : Foote's Annals of King's Chapel, Vol. I., p. 89; Savage's Gen. Dict .; Boston Records.
Thomas Oakes (1684). AUTHORITIES : Whit- man's Hist. A. and H. A. Company, Ed. 1842; Mass. Hist. Coll., Vol. II .; Snow's Hist. of Boston, p. 178.
"Septr 6, 1703. Artil. Training, I train'd in the Forenoon. . . . Tho. Oakes had a Tin Granado shell broke in his Hand, which has shattered his hand miserably, his two last fingers are already cut off: This was in the Afternoon, as came from Council, was told of it." - Sewall Papers, l'ol. II., p. 88.
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HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
[1685-6
and particularly our worthy and prudent friend, Dr. Thomas Oakes [1684], who found himself so affronted by the distempers of the children that he concluded nothing but hellish witchcraft could be the original of these maladies."
William Robie (1684), of Boston, wharfinger ("Roby" on the roll), was born in Yorkshire, England, April 26, 1648, and married at Boston, in 1686, Elizabeth, daughter of William Greenough (1675), whose wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Upshall (1637). William Robie (1684) was a constable of Boston in 1684, and held town office continuously until 1693 ; also in 1696-7. He died Jan. 23, 1718, having served the Artillery Company as clerk in 1685, and 1691 to 1696 inclusive, and as first sergeant in 1693.
Rev. Samuel Cheever, of Marblehead, delivered the Artillery election sermon of 1684. He was a son of Ezekiel Cheever, the famous Boston school-master, and was born in New Haven, Conn., Sept. 22, 1639; graduated at Harvard College in 1659; became a freeman in 1669, and was the first settled minister in Marblehead. He was ordained in 1684, having previously preached seven years in that town. He married, June 28, 1671, Ruth Angier, of Cambridge, and died in Marblehead, May 29, 1724.
The officers elected were : John Phillips (1680), captain ; James 1685-6. Hill (1677), lieutenant; Benjamin Alford (1671), ensign. Henry Deering (1682) was first sergeant; Edward Creeke (1674), second sergeant ; Seth Perry (1662), third sergeant; Samuel Checkley (1678), fourth sergeant ; William Robie (1684), clerk ; John Marion, drummer, and Edward Smith (1682), armorer.
The frigate " Rose " arrived at Boston, May 15, 1686, having as passengers Mr. Randolph, " the evil genius of New England," and Rev. Robert Ratcliffe, a minister of the Church of England. Soon afterwards, a request was made to the council that Mr. Ratcliffe might have the use of one of the Congregational meeting-houses of the town ; which, being denied, "I got," says Randolph, "a little room in their town-house for such as were of the Church of England to assemble in." In the town-house of Boston, erected through the liberality of Capt. Robert Keayne (1637), the first Episcopal church in New England was organized on the 15th of June, 1686.
The new members recruited in 1685-6 were : Thomas Bulkley, Thomas Clarke, Nathaniel Crynes, Thomas Hunt, Thomas Mallard, Samuel Marshall, Samuel Wakefield.
Thomas Bulkley (1685), of Boston. There was a Thomas Buckley located in Boston at this time, who, by his wife, Esther, had two children : Elinor, born Sept. 16, 1685, and Thomas, born Nov. 1, 1686.
Thomas Clarke (1685), of Boston, pewterer, is mentioned in the Boston town records, May 25, 1685. He was permitted to dig up the town ground near Lieut. Ephraim Sale's (1674) house.
Major Thomas (1638), according to Mr. Savage, had a son, Thomas (1644), who left two daughters only.
William Robie (1684). AUTHORITIES: Bos- age's Gen. Dict .; Sprague's Annals of American Pulpit; New Eng. Hist. and Gen. Reg., 1879, p.
ton Records; Savage's Gen. Dict.
Rev. Samuel Cheever. AUTHORITIES: Sav- 193.
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HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
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Nathaniel Crynes (1685).
Thomas Hunt (1685), of Boston, anchor-smith, son of Ephraim, of Weymouth, had children born in Boston, by wife, (1) Judith Torrey, from 1674 to 1688. He married, (2) June 21, 1694, Susanna Saxton, and, (3) Nov. 17, 1709, Rachel Parker.
He was a member of Capt. Ephraim Savage's (1674) military company in 1685 and 1690, also a tithing-man ; was selectman from 1696 to 1699, but declined to serve in 1699 ; in 1696 was lieutenant of a Boston company, and in 1699 was its captain. He was fourth sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1691; ensign in 1695 ; lieutenant in 1698, and first sergeant in 1706.
He died Feb. 11, 1721-2, aged seventy-three years and seven months. His grave- stone is on Copp's Hill. Mrs. Hunt (1) died Oct. 18, 1693, aged thirty-eight years. " Daughter of William Torrey, of Weymouth," is inscribed on her gravestone.
The inventory of Capt. Hunt (1685), made Nov. 12, 1722, included house and land on Linn Street, four hundred pounds ; smith-shop, wharf, etc., in Linn Street, three hundred and fifty-five pounds ; negro man and woman, forty pounds.
His sons, John and Col. Ephraim, joined the Artillery Company in 1709 and 1717 respectively.
Thomas Mallard (1685) was of Boston in 1685. A Mr. Mallett was present at the second meeting, July 4, 1686, of the first Episcopalian church in Boston, who is supposed to be the same as Thomas Mallard (1685). Mr. Savage supposes that he soon moved to New Hampshire, where the name occurs ; but he is on the Boston tax lists of 1687- 91, and he contributed to the erection of the Episcopalian meeting-house in Boston in 1689.
Samuel Marshall (1685), of Boston in 1681, a cooper, was active in the revival of the Artillery Company in 1690, and was admitted to be a freeman in 1691. He was third sergeant of the Company in 1691, and its ensign in 1698. He was clerk of the market in 1681 ; a member of Capt. Townsend's (1674) military company in 1684; a constable in 1685-6 ; assessor in 1698, and selectman in 1709 and 1710. He was sub- sequently prominent in town matters. His will, of Oct. 25, 1739, was proved Feb. 22, 1742. He resided on the south side of Milk Street, near "Mackril Lane."
Samuel Wakefield (1685), of Boston, probably the same as Samuel Wakefield who joined the Artillery Company in 1676.
Rev. Joshua Moody, of Boston, delivered the Artillery sermon of 1685. He also delivered the sermon before the Artillery Company in 1674, when he resided in Ports- mouth, N. H. (See page 232.)
Thomas Hunt (1685). AUTHORITIES: Hunt Genealogy, p. 317; Copp's Hill Burial-Ground, by Bridgman, P. 57.
Thomas Mallard (1685). AUTHORITY: An- nals of King's Chapel, by Foote.
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HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
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1686-7
The officers elected in 1686-7 were : Benjamin Davis (1673), cap- tain ; Thomas Savage (1665), lieutenant, and Samuel Ravenscroft (1679), ensign.
Our knowledge of the anniversary day in June, 1686, is derived from the diary of Judge Sewall (1679), in which he wrote : --
"Satterday, June 5 [1686] I rode to Newbury to see my little Hull, and to keep out of the way of the Artillery Election, on which day eat Strawberries and Cream with Sister Longfellow at the Falls, visited Capt Richard Dummer, rode to Salem, where lodged 2 nights for the sake of Mr. Noye's Lecture, who preached excellently of Humility, from the woman's washing Christs feet. Was invited by Mr. Higginson to dinner, but could not stay, came along to Capt Marshalls, from thence with Mr. Davie, who gave me an account of B. Davis Capt. Thos Savage Lieut and Sam Ravenscroft, Ensign of the Artillery ; Jno Wait was chosen but served not. Mr Hubbard preached from Eccles : - There is no discharge in that war."
The Church of England was organized in Boston, June 15, 1686. At this first meeting, there were, according to the records of King's Chapel, ten persons present, besides the rector. Of these ten, the following were members of the Artillery Company : Capt. Lidget (1679), Mr. Luscomb (1678), Mr. White (1678), Mr. Maccarty (1681), and Mr. Ravenscroft (1679). July 4, 1686, at a second meeting, two others, Thomas Brinley (1681) and Mr. Mallard (1685), were present. The above-named may be con- sidered as among the fourteen founders of King's Chapel.
A memorandum, under date of July, 1689, " of sure, honest, and well-disposed persons," who contributed to the erection of the first King's Chapel, is given in Annals of King's Chapel, by Rev. H. W. Foote. It contains ninety-four names, with subscriptions amounting to two hundred and forty-nine pounds nine shillings. Among these are the following members of the Artillery Company : -
Benjamin Alford (1671), £2
Roger Kilcup (1684),
IOS.
Thomas Brinley .
(1681), 5 Lt .- Col. Chas. Lidget . (1679), 15
Francis Burroughs . (1686), 5
Samuel Lynde . (1691), 1 Duncan Campbell . (1686), I
Thaddeus Maccarty (1681), 7 10S.
Thomas Mallard (1685), 6s.
Benjamin Mountfort (1679), 2 25.
John Nelson . (1680), 5
(1693), 20
Benjamin Davis . (1673), 3 George Pordage ( 1681), 5
Giles Dyer (1680), 5 Samuel Ravenscroft (1679), 5
Francis Foxcroft (1679), IO
Edward Smith (1682), I 16s.
John George .
(1702), 3
Capt. Wm. White
(1678), 7
Robert Gutteridge (1694), IOS.
Twenty-five persons gave one hundred and ten pounds and fifteen shillings, or nearly a half of the entire amount.
The new members recruited in 1686-7 were : Francis Burroughs, Duncan Campbell, and Stephen Mason.
" [1686] Monday, Sept 6. Artillery Training. Not an old Captain there."- Sewall Papers, Vol. I., p. 151.
Anthony Checkley . (1662), 3
Thomas Clark (1685),
John Coney (1662), I IS.
Edward Creeke . (1674), I Lt .- Col. Nicholas Paige
KING'S CHAPEL.
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HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
1686-7]
Francis Burroughs (1686), of Boston, a bookseller, who came from London in 1685, was a member of the Old South Church, but contributed to the building of King's Chapel.
Mr. Dunton, the London bookseller, says, concerning Mr. Burroughs (1686), " He heaped more civilities upon me than I can reckon up." Mr. Burroughs (1686) furnished the necessary security that Mr. Dunton should not be "chargeable to the town." He was elected constable of Boston in 1694, but declined to serve. His will was proved Dec. 11, 1713.
Duncan Campbell (1686), of Boston in 1685, was a bookseller from Scotland. Dunton, in his Life and Errors, says of Duncan Campbell, a " Scotch bookseller, - very industrious, dresses a-la-mode, and I am told a young lady of great fortune is fallen in love with him." Under commission from Scotland, he was appointed postmaster " for our side of the world." Administration was granted on his estate July 31, 1702, wherein he is called " Merchant."
Stephen Mason (1686).
Rev. Nehemiah Hobart, of Newton, who delivered the Artillery election sermon in 1686, - son of Rev. Peter Hobart, of Hingham, preacher of the Artillery sermon in 1655, - was born in Hingham, Nov. 21, 1648, and graduated at Harvard College in 1667. He married, March 21, 1678, Sarah, daughter of Edward Jackson. He was ordained pastor of the church at Cambridge village, Dec. 23, 1674, where he continued to labor till his death, which occurred Aug. 25, 1712.
Dec. 20, 1686, Sir Edmund Andros, "glittering in scarlet and lace," arrived at Nantasket in the " Kingfisher," a fifty-gun ship, with a commission from James II. for the government of all New England. One of the first "acts of his despotism " was the taking possession of the South Congregational meeting-house for the use of the Episco- palians. The two congregations occupied the South meeting-house by turns, - the Episcopalians in the forenoon and the Congregationalists in the afternoon, or according as it was more convenient for the Governor. On one occasion, when the Episcopal service had lasted until after two o'clock, Judge Sewall (1679) notes in his diary : " It was a sad sight to see how full the street was of people gazing and moving to and fro, because they had not entrance into the house."
Francis Burroughs (1686). AUTHORITIES: Hill's Hist. of Old South Church; Whitman's Hist. A. and H. A. Company, Ed. 1842; Foote's Annals of King's Chapel.
"Dec 10, 1713. Mr. Francis Burroughs buried after Lecture. . . . He is Lamented as having been an intelligent, Exemplary Christian. Buried in Mr. Heath's Tomb, New burying place." - Sewall's Diary.
Duncan Campbell (1686). AUTHORITIES : Foote's Annals of King's Chapel; Whitman's Hist. A. and H. A. Company, Ed. 1842; Thomas's Hist. of Printing, Vol. II., p. 414.
Rev. Nehemiah Hobart. AUTHORITIES : Sav- age's Gen. Dict .; Smith's Hist. of Newton; Sprague's Annals of American Pulpit.
" [1686] Monday Apr 5 Mr. Nehemiah Hobart chosen to preach the next Artillery Election Sermon, hardly any other had Votes, though Mr. Cotton Mather is even almost son-in-law to the Capn and a worthy Man." - Sewall's Diary.
Judge Sewall (1679) says in his diary, under date of Sept. 13, 1686, " Mr. Cotton Mather preaches the Election Sermon for the Artillery at Charles- town, from Ps cxliv-I. Made a very good discourse. President and Deputy there. . . . The Artillery company had like to have been broken up - the animosity so high between Charlestown and Cam- bridge about the place of training."
The " President " above mentioned was Joseph Dudley (1677), and the "Deputy " was William Stoughton, son of Col. Israel Stoughton (1637).
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HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
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Another of Sir Edmund's " acts " was the appointment of Randolph to be licenser of the press. Under his "licensing," one almanac, one proclamation by Andros, and five " reprints " constitute the entire issue of the Boston and Cambridge presses for the year 1688. The restraint upon marriage was more "grievous" than that upon the press, none being allowed to marry unless they gave bonds with sureties to the Governor. Andros regarded the Congregational ministers as mere laymen, and Randolph wrote to the Bishop of London, "One thing will mainly help, when no marriages hereafter shall be allowed lawful but such as are made by the ministers of the Church of England." At that time Mr. Ratcliffe was the only Episcopal minister in the country. Cotton Mather, in his " Remarkables" of his father, furnishes the following graphic description of the Andros "administration " : -
"The administration was almost a complication of shameless and matchless villanies. The honest gentlemen in the council were overlooked and browbeaten and rendered insignificant. Three or four finished villains did what they pleased. Among other instances of the vile things in it, there was this comprehensive one : the banditti gave out that, the charters being lost, all the title the people had unto their lands was lost with them (for which a small defect in the legal and public settlements of them was pretended), and therefore they began to compel the people everywhere to take patents for their lands. Accordingly writs of intrusion were issued out against the chief gentlemen of the territory, by the terror thereof many were driven to petition for patents that they might enjoy lands which had been fifty or sixty years in their possession ; but for these patents there were such exorbitant prices demanded that fifty pounds could not purchase for its owner an estate not worth two hundred ; nor could all the money and movables in the territory have defrayed the charges of patenting the lands at the hands of the crocodiles, besides the considerable quit-rents for the King. Indeed, the brutish things done by these wild beasts of the earth are too many to be related, and would probably be too brutish to be believed."
The authority of Andros was supreme. He removed the members of the council and appointed others ; with their consent, made laws, laid taxes, controlled the militia ; tolerated no public printing-press ; encouraged episcopacy, and sustained authority by force. Schools were neglected, religious institutions impaired, tyrannical measures instituted, and liberty disregarded. The rights and privileges of the people were trampled under foot.
The last records of the state, under the old charter, appear to be May 12, 1686, three days before Randolph's arrival. "Such was the baseness of the Andros govern- ment, that the people were universally dissatisfied, and despised him and his confidential associates. So sensible was he of this, that, by some means at this day unknown, he, or his secretary, Randolph, destroyed or stole all the records of his administration, and there is now no trace of them, or even a single paper relative thereto, left in the office of the secretary " of state.
Judge Sewall (1679), in his diary,1 speaks of the Artillery Company in 1687. From that time until April, 1691, the Company seems to have been dormant. There were no spring and fall trainings, and no election on the first Monday in June. It has been stated that the meetings of the Company were suppressed by Gov. Andros. There
1 " [1687] Monday April 4. Great Storm of Rain. Thunders several times. No Artillery Train- ing; and I think would have been none if it had
not rained. Capt Wm White [1678] appoints the Sergeants and corporals to meet at Sergeant Bull's at 3 P. M. April 4." - Sewall Papers, Vol. I., p. 172.
fi
SOUTH BATTERY.
1687-9]
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
279
seems to be no direct evidence of this. The bitter quarrel which raged between the churches from 1686 to 1690 divided the Company. Several prominent Episcopalians united with the Company just previous to the arrival of Gov. Andros, and at the election of officers of the Artillery Company in 1686 the Episcopalians were triumphant. Prob- ably the opposing party withdrew from the meetings and drills, and returned only when Gov. Andros had been deported to England, and the Episcopalians, several of whoni - Messrs. Foxcroft (1679), Ravenscroft (1679), and White (1678) -were put into jail in 1689, had given up the contest.
Also in April, 1687, Gov. Andros sailed with a considerable armament against the eastern Indians. It is probable that his friends who were then officers of the Artillery Company went on that expedition, and were absent from Boston on the first Monday in June, 1687.
Rowe's Wharf coincides with the old South Battery, or Sconce, an outwork of Fort Hill, and terminus in that direction of the famous barricade. As early as 1632 a fort was begun on the eminence called Corn Hill, but soon the name was changed to Fort- field, and finally to Fort Hill. In 1636, the work was continued, and Messrs. Keayne (1637), Hutchinson (1638), Coggan (1638), Oliver (1637), Harding (1637), and others, loaned five pounds each to complete it. Mr. Coggan (1638) was chosen treasurer. The Sconce was constructed of whole timber, with earth and stone between, and was considered strong.
The battery and the fort gained celebrity as the resort of Gov. Andros, and the place of his seizure and deposition in 1689. In April of that year, the news of the landing of the Prince of Orange at Torbay, England, reached Boston, and threw the town into a ferment.
.
The first news of this event was brought to Boston by Mr. John Winslow, who joined the Artillery Company in 1692. He arrived from Nevis, April 4, 1689, and brought copies of the proclamation which William issued in the November previous. Gov. Andros demanded of Mr. Winslow (1692) a copy of it, but was refused. Mr. Winslow (1692) was brought into court, and, by Dr. Bullivant, Charles Lidget (1679), and Francis Foxcroft (1679), justices, was sent to prison, "for bringing into the country a traitorous and treasonable libel." 1
Gov. Andros, Randolph, and some of their followers, sought the security of the fort. On the other hand, the drums beat to arms; the North End and South End rushed to the town-house, where every man joined his respective company, and an ensign was raised on the Beacon. The captain of the frigate was seized and held as a hostage. The train-bands circumvented the fort. Meanwhile Capt. Hill (1677), with his soldiers, escorted Messrs. Bradstreet, Danforth, and others, to the town-house. They drew up, signed, and sent to Sir Edmund Andros, a letter demanding the surrender of the government and fortifications, etc. This letter was signed by fifteen persons, - principal citizens of Boston, of whom the following were members of the Military Company of the Massachusetts, viz. : John Richards (1644), Isaac Addington (1652), John Foster (1679), David Waterhouse (1679), Adam Winthrop (1642), John Nelson (1680), Wait Winthrop (1692), and Samnel Shrimpton (1670).
Subsequently, Gov. Andros complied with the request, and his surrender was received by Capt. John Nelson (1680), who was in command of the soldiers. Gov.
' New England Justified, pp. 11, 12.
.
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HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
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Andros was conducted to the council chamber, and thence to the house of Mr. John Usher (1673), where he was detained as a prisoner. Bullivant, Ravenscroft (1679), White (1678), Lidget (1679), and others of the Governor's friends, were placed in jail. The fifteen principal citizens above named were joined, April 20, by twenty-two others, who together formed " a council for the safety of the people and conservation of the peace." They chose Mr. Bradstreet, president ; John Foster (1679) and Adam Winthrop (1642), treasurers ; Wait Winthrop (1692), commander-in-chief, and Isaac Addington (1652), clerk. Members of the Artillery Company took a leading part in the deposition of Gov. Andros, and the formation of a provisional government.
A ship arrived from England, May 26, 1689, with an order to the authorities " on the spot " to proclaim King William and Queen Mary. Never, since the " Mayflower" groped her way into Plymouth harbor, had a message from the parent country been received in New England with such joy. Never had such a pageant, as three days after, expressive of the prevailing happiness, been seen in Massachusetts. From far and near the people flocked into Boston; the government, attended by the principal gentlemen of the capital and the towns adjacent, passed in procession on horseback through the thorough- fares ; the regiment of the town, and companies and troops of horse and foot from the country, lent their pomp to the display ; there was a great dinner at the town-house for the better sort ; wine was served out in the streets, and the evening was made noisy with acclamations of delight, till the bell rang at nine o'clock, and the families met at their home altars to thank God for causing their great sorrow to pass away, and for giving a Protestant king and queen to England.
The earliest attention of the new government was drawn toward the organization of the militia. On the 20th of April, 1689, they appointed Hon. Wait Winthrop (1692) major-general of the province, and Samuel Shrimpton (1670) colonel of the Boston regiment. The titles of sergeant-major-general and sergeant-major were abolished.
The first regular field-day observed by the Military Company of the Massachusetts, after the interregnum, was on the first Monday, the seventh day, of April, 1691, when, the old officers having died or left the Company, an election of officers, who were to serve until the succeeding anniversary, was held, and the celebrated Rev. Cotton Mather was chosen to preach the election sermon. From this time to the commencement of the Revolution, the Company held regular meetings, and performed regular field duty, except in the autumn of 1721, when the meeting was omitted by legislative enactment, which " forbid all trooping and training in Boston," by reason of the small-pox. The exertions to revive the Company were attended with great success, and many were immediately admitted whose public characters and recognized services served to add lustre to the distinguished reputation it had before sustained.1
Members of the Artillery Company were prominent in reorganizing and making efficient the military force of the colony. It was natural that such should remember that the Artillery Company to which they belonged had been, and was intended to be, a school for the training of men for military service. Col. Shrimpton (1670), the com- mander of the Boston regiment, was, therefore, prominent in reviving the Artillery Company in 1691. Elisha Hutchinson (1670) succeeded him in that office in 1694,
In 1689, Judge Sewall was in London, Eng- land. He makes, in his diary, the following mention of the Honourable Artillery : ---
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