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 62
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Rev. Lucius R. Paige, in his History of Cambridge, gives the following sketch of him : -
" Gen. William Brattle [1729] graduated at Harvard College in 1722, resided in the house which still bears his name on Brattle Street, and was successively physician, preacher, and lawyer, and was attorney-general, 1736 and 1747. An inordinate love of popularity seems to have been one of his most striking characteristics; and his taste was abundantly gratified. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1729, at the early age of twenty-three years ; was selectman twenty-one years, between 1729 and 1772 ; representative ten years, first elected in 1729; member of the council from 1755 to 1773, except the single year 1769, when he was negatived by the Governor. As early as 1729, he was major ; captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery in 1733; adjutant- general as early as 1758, and brigadier-general in 1762. Up to 1769, Gen. Brattle [1729] seems to have advocated the popular rights, and was probably negatived by the royal Governor as a punishment. But soon afterwards he received new light concerning the matter in dispute between the provinces and Great Britain, and was allowed to resume his seat in the council. As a further reward for his political conversion, he was appointed, in 1771, major-general of the militia throughout the province; and from this time the Government had not a more devoted servant. On the other hand, his subserviency to British power did not secure all that he desired. He was doubtless gratified with the commission of major-general ; but, after nearly twenty years' service, as a member of the council, he must have been mortified and chagrined, when he learned that he was not named as a mandamus councillor, but was superseded by Judge Lee, and still worse, by Col. Oliver, his subordinate officer, both as councillor and lieutenant-governor. His fate furnishes a sad example of the folly of attempting to serve two masters. He took shelter in Boston when the people became roused to action ; he had gone too far ever to reinstate himself in their good opinion, and his only alter- native was to put his trust under the shadow of British power. In December, 1774, ostensibly for the consideration of fifteen hundred pounds sterling, he conveyed to his son, Thomas Brattle, all his real estate in Cambridge. When the British troops evacuated Boston, he went to Halifax, N. S., and there died Oct. 25, 1776."
In June, 1774, when major-general of the province, he presided on the Common at the election held by the Artillery Company. He received the resignations of the old and commissioned the new officers, notwithstanding the presence of the lieutenant- governor, the Governor being absent at Salem; it having been decided that the
William Brattle (1729). AUTHORITIES: De- scendants of Capt. Thomas Brattle; Paige's Hist. of
Cambridge; Whitman's Hist. A. and II. A. Com- pany, Ed. 1842.
437
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
1729-30]
lieutenant-governor held no authority over the militia while the Governor was alive and in the province.
He was captain of the Artillery Company in 1733.
Edward Emerson (1729), of Boston. Mr. Whitman (1810) says Mr. Emerson (1729) was " born May 8, 1702." He held minor offices in the town of Boston in 1729, 1732, and 1738, and was elected constable in 1737 but did not serve.
Knight Leverett (1729), of Boston, goldsmith, son of Thomas (1703) and Rebecca (Winsor) Leverett, grandson of Hudson (1658) and Sarah (Payton) Leverett, and great-grandson of Gov. John Leverett (1639), was born Jan. 1, 1702, and married, Feb. 1, 1725-6, Abigail Buttolph. He died July 11, 1753, and his widow died Jan. 26, 1774.
In July, 1725, the grandchildren of Hudson Leverett (1658) divided amongst them- selves a part of the Gov. Leverett (1639) estate, near Barton's Point. Through this estate a thoroughfare forty feet wide was laid out, which was given to the town, and in remembrance of the Governor was named Leverett Street.
Knight Leverett (1729) was elected constable in 1728, and, declining to serve, paid the fine. He served as scavenger in 1742, 1745, and 1748, and was third sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1736.
Hugh McDaniel (1729), rope-maker, of Boston, married, April 11, 1728, Sarah -. He was elected a constable of Boston in 1731 and in 1752. In subsequent years he visited the public schools with the clergy, justices, and others. He was identified with the militia, and became captain of a company. In 1758, he resided in a house situated on the Neck, which he leased of the town, March 25, 1752. Dec. 8, 1769, about three months before his death, he petitioned the town, "setting forth that he is now a prisoner in his Majestys goal for non-payment of his taxes for 1766 and 1767, amounting in the whole to £22. 12. 3. as well as other suits, and prayed for relief. . .. Considerable debate was had," and the petitioner had leave to withdraw.
He was highly respected, being an active, benevolent, and intelligent man. His hands were ever open to the needy. He was deeply concerned in the affairs of the town, and was among the foremost in advancing its interests. His dwelling and contents were unfortunately consumed by fire ; he trusted considerable amounts in his business, which were never paid, and thereby his final years were burdened.
He was third sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1732, ensign in 1741, lieutenant in 1747, and captain in 1750. For many years he was an influential and active member of Christ Church, and served as one of its wardens in the years 1739 and 1740. He died on Thursday, March 29, 1770, aged sixty-four years, and was buried on the evening of April 2, 1770, in King's Chapel Burial-Ground. His widow died Jan. 27, 1795, aged eighty-nine years.
He was a member of the Masonic Fraternity.
Sampson Salter (1729), brewer, of Boston, son of Jabez (1674) and Elizabeth Salter, was born in Boston, March 21, 1692. He married, June 23, 1715, Mary Robinson, of Boston. He was a constable in Boston in 1732, and collector of taxes
Knight Leverett (1729). AUTHORITIES: Bos- ton Records; Leverett Genealogy; New Eng. Hist. and Gen. Reg., 1850, p. 136.
Sampson Salter (1729). AUTHORITY : Bos- ton Records.
438
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
[1729-30
from December, 1764, to June 24, 1771, when he declined to serve longer. In the list of persons burnt out by the great fire of 1760 in Boston, the News-Letter gives, " In Quaker Lane [Congress Street ], Sampson Salter [1729], brewer." He was first sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1736.
Deacon Sampson Salter (1729) died in April, 1778, aged eighty-six years.1
Jonathan Williams, Jr. (1729), of Boston, merchant, son of Jonathan (1711) and Mary (Hunlock) Williams, and brother of Sendall (1738), was born in Boston, Jan. 8, 1699, and was baptized at the First Church, Jan. 14 of the same year. He was second sergeant of the Artillery Company in 1736, ensign in 1742, lieutenant in 1748, and captain in 1751.
For forty years Jonathan Williams, Jr. (1729), was prominently identified with the public affairs of the town. July 5, 1728, he petitioned the selectmen for a retailer's license, which was approved by them, and he kept a wine store on Cornhill, now Wash- ington Street. The license was again issued in 1739. On the 3d of March, 1735, a tomb was granted him in the South burying-place, which was subsequently num- bered "69."
His father, Jonathan (1711), for several years had charge of the purchasing and sale of grain, etc., at the granary. He was so engaged at his decease, and Jonathan, Jr. (1729), continued in charge until the selectmen had examined his father's accounts, and determined the balance due the town. His father died in March, 1737, but Jonathan, Jr. (1729), managed the granary until July 22 following, when the amount due the town was £1,207 6s. 2d., which Jonathan, Jr. (1729), paid.
March 11, 1739, a motion was made in town meeting that a committee be appointed to consider and report what rights the town had in Fort Hill and the adjacent shore. Jonathan Williams (1729) was one of this committee, which was continued by reappoint- ment until 1757. The town's land had been trespassed upon by the Province, and by sundry persons, notably by Col. Jacob Wendell (1733). The committee reported several times, and they were authorized to prosecute the trespassers in the courts.
This matter, which caused at times such prolonged town meetings and heated dis- cussion, seems to have worn out all the disputants.
June 6, 1739, Mr. Williams (1729) resided in Cold Lane, now Portland Street. He was clerk of the market in 1729; constable in 1731 ; fireward in 1764-8 ; visitor of the schools in 1766 ; overseer of the poor in 1767. March 14, 1768, the town voted its thanks to him for his good services as overseer of the poor, and also by another motion thanked him for his " services as fireward for some years past." He was repeatedly on the committees to consider the fortifications and batteries.
In 1767, the town was distressed, being drained of its money, and threatened by poverty and ruin. These conditions were supposed to result from the " excessive use of Foreign Superfluities." Mr. Williams (1729) was one of a committee to lessen the use of " Loaf Sugar, Men & Women Hats, Gloves, Snuff, Mustard, Clocks and Watches, Muffs, Furs & Tippets, Fire Engines, China ware," and many other articles, and encourage their manufacture in this province. It stimulated manufactures in Boston, for, at the next afternoon meeting, Mr. Williams (1729), with six others, was appointed to consider some measures "for employing the poor of the town of Boston, by reviving the linen
Jonathan Williams, Jr. (1729.) AUTHORITY : Boston Records. 1 Continental Journal.
439
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
1729-30]
manufacture," etc. The town voted, Oct. 28, 1767, not to purchase any of the articles enumerated, imported from abroad, after the 31st of December next ensuing.
Mr. Williams (1729) was evidently prepared for events which were soon to follow. The newspapers in Boston, of Monday, Nov. 29, 1773, announced that the " Dartmouth " had anchored off Long Wharf, with one hundred and fourteen chests of tea. The hand-bill, "Friends ! Brethren ! Countrymen !" had been freely distributed throughout the town, and the papers also announced that a public meeting would be held "at Faneuil Hall at nine o'clock this day . . . to make a united and successful resistance to this last, worst and most destructive measure of administration." At nine o'clock the bells were rung, and thousands rallied at Faneuil Hall. This was the commencement of organized resist- ance. Jonathan Williams (1729), whose name was on the roll of the Artillery Company for half a century, was elected moderator of the meeting, in which the principal debaters were Samuel Adams, Dr. Warren, Hancock, Young, and Molineaux. Mr. Williams (1729) was one of the Committee of Correspondence elected in 1775.
Distinguished as a merchant and patriot, he died March 27, 1788, aged eighty-eight years, and was buried in the tomb in the Granary Burial-Ground which later was the property of Col. Bradford's heirs.
" A List of Soldiers under a fine of 6/ per diem.
" Jeremiah Belknap [1724], Ralph Smith [1725], Thomas Edwards [1724], Samuel Jones [1725], Benjamin Pollard [1726], John Phillips [1725], Henry Gibbs [1726], Bartholomew Gedney [1726], Increase Gatchell [1727], John Salter [1727], Jabez Hunt [1727], Thomas Simpkins [1727], Joseph Dowding [1727], John Greenleaf [1727], John Helyer [1727], Edward Marion [1727], Bennet Love [1727], James Davenport [1727], Dudson Kilcup [1727], David Mason [1727], Thomas Fleet [1727], Richard Mortimer [1727], Samuel Miller [1728], Hugh McDaniel [1729], Edward Emerson Jr. [1729], Knight Leverett [1729], Jonathan Williams Jr. [1729]."
The record of the Artillery Company for 1729 is as follows : -
" 1729. April 7. Being under arms; whereas the Commission officers of this Company were absent by illness and other avocations, the Company, by handy vote, made choice of Lieut Col. Habijah Savage [1699] to lead and exercise the Company for this day, which choice he accordingly accepted. The Company proceeded to vote for a minister to preach the next Artillery Sermon, and the Rev'd Mr. Joshua Gee of this town was chosen. Voted, that the present Commission officers of this Company, with the Field officers of the Regiment of this town, viz : Colo. Edward Hutchinson [1702], Lt Colo. Habijah Savage [1699] and Maj. Edward Winslow [1700] be a committee to request it of him.
" Mr. John Cookson [1701], and Mr. Richard Bulkley [1722], at their request, were dismissed. Voted, that the Training in May next be half a day, beginning at two of the clock p. m.
" Whereas the members of this Company are frequently chosen to the office of Constable, Therefore voted; that so often as any of the members of this Company under fine of six shillings p diem, for delinquency, are chosen and serve as Constables, that then they shall be liable to the fine of twelve pence per diem only during their Service in said office, and no longer ; and if any of the members of this Company, under fine of twelve pence per diem, for delinquency, are chosen Constables, and serve in said office, they shall be liable to the fine aforesaid notwithstanding.
440
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
[1729-30
"Voted, that there be a committee chosen, consisting of three members of this Company, to joyn with the heirs or assigns of the Hon. John Burrill, Esqr. in the dividing of the thousand acres of land lying in the Township of Rutland, which was granted by the General Assembly of this Province, in their May Sessions, 1717, five hundred acres of said land to said Burrill, and he to have his choice at which end to lay out his grant, and the other five hundred acres to this Company to satisfy a grant made to them the 15th of October 1673, and to make report of their doings to this Company as soon as may be. The charges of the Committee to be borne by the Company. Accordingly the gentlemen chosen to be of this Committee were, viz Captain William Ward [1724], Capt. Thomas Smith [1702] and Mr. Benjamin Pollard [1726].
" Voted, that the General Courts grant to this Company of five hundred acres of land, lying in the Township of Rutland be recorded in this Company's Book ; which is as follows : - At a Great and General Court, or Assembly for His Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, begun and held at Boston, upon Wednesday the 29th of May 1717, being convened by His Majesty's writs, the following Order passed in the House of Representatives, read and concurred, viz* :
"Upon reading the petition of Edward Hutchinson [1702], Habijah Savage [1699], John Ballentine, Junr [1694], Edward Winslow [1700] and Jonathan Pollard [1700] in behalf of the Artillery Company in Boston, praying that five hundred acres of land which are reserved to the province in the Township of Rutland may be granted to the said Company to satisfy a grant made to them by the General Court, October 15th 1673,
" Ordered, that five hundred acres of the thousand acres reserved to the Province in the Township of Rutland be granted in answer to this petition ; but so that John Burrill, Esq., to whom the other five hundred acres is granted, have the choice at which end to lay out his grant.
" Consented to
" SAMUEL SHUTE. " A true copy. Examined p T. WILLARD, Secretary.
" May 5th 1729. Being under arms, The committee appointed to acquaint the Rev'd Mr. Joshua Gee of the choice of the Company made of him to preach the next Artillery election Sermon, returned answer that he desired to be excused for this time on the account of many necessary avocations. Upon which the Company made choice of the Rev'd Mr. William Welstead of this Town for that service; and voted that the Commission Officers of the Company and the field Officers of this Regiment (being members of this Company) together with the Hon. Thomas Hutchinson, Esqr [1694] be a committee to request it of him.
" Whereas the committee appointed the 7th of April last to joyn with the heirs or assigns of the Hon. John Burrill, Esqr, in dividing the 1000 acres of land in Rutland, granted, &c, were ordered to make their report of what they had done in that affair - They have accordingly made the following report of their doings, viz : -
" Rutland, May rst 1729. We the subscribers agreeable to the intent of the within vote have been upon the land within mentioned, with the heirs and assigns of the Hon. John Burrill Esq., and have mutually agreed together in running the line of partition as is described in the platts taken and signed by both Parties and interchangeably delivered ; one of which is hereunto annexed.
" THOMAS SMITH.
" BENJAMIN POLLARD.
" WILLIAM WARD.
1729-30]
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
44 1
"Voted, that the above report of the said committee be accepted ; and that they have the thanks of the Company for their good service in this affair.
"Voted, that the above committee's account of charge in going to Rutland, in Surveying, platting & dividing the land &c, amounting to nine pounds nineteen shillings be allowed ; and ordered that the Clerk discharge said account accordingly.
"Voted, that an attested copy of the plan of the one thousand acres of land in Rutland &c, five hundred of which to this Company, be inserted in the Company's book, and accordingly here followeth : ---
worked with the from this on
C'est thirty minutes South. 434 rod without allowance with is tine of mucha trees having the Jean Ist on im
a little maple
The most noutherty 500 acres chosen by the hees and aflignes of the honthe John Burnett Exp for their part 2
This line south 20 degrees cast 408 2ods without allowance
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Brook
Hector book
Bambo Spring
$4
arising out of earth Lone of partition west 3 degrees 15 minutes worth
Pond
the comer with gum
Wowester line 434 zod without allowance
The most Southerly 500 acres remaining to the honothe Company of the artillery)
Stoner Stub
Leicester line cast 7 degrees J: 38 200 without allowance.
a rock BP Itonet
PLAN of the FARM at RUTLAND, MASS.
MADE FROM ORIGINAL DRAWING
3_
T stake
442
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
[1729-30
" A plan setting forth the bounds of the farm, called the Province farm, lying in the town of Rutland and the line of partition as it was agreed upon and stated between the heirs and assigns of the Hon. John Burrill Esqr., and the Committee chosen by the Honorable Company of the Artillery. Measured by Moses How and Samuel Davis, chairman, chosen by both parties and under oath, May 1, 1729. Protracter and laid down by a scale of 40 perch to an inch by
" WILLIAM WARD " SAMUEL WRIGHT " Surveyors.
"N. B. The original plan was 40 perch to an inch; the following [see page 441] is reduced to a smaller size.
" Rutland, May 1st 1729. Whereas the Great and General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, at their Session in June 1715 reserved to themselves 1000 acres of land in the township of Rutland: 500 acres of which being by said Court at their May Session 1717 granted to the Hon. John Burrill, Esqr., deceased, and the other 500 acres granted to the Honorable Artillery Company of said Province, but the choice to be at the option of said Burrill, we the subscribers, Samuel Sweetsir, Michael Sweetsir, Jacob Moor, Peter Moor and Nathan Goodenough, heirs or assigns of said Burrill, have, agreeable to the intent of said Court, made choice of the most Northerly part of said 1000 acres of land, and have mutually agreed with Messrs Thomas Smith, William Ward and Benjamin Pollard, being a committee chosen by and for the Artillery aforesaid to join with us in dividing said land, have run the line as it is delineated and described in the above Platt. We therefore do establish the same forever. In testimony whereof we have severally set our hands to these presents.
" THOMAS SMITH
" WILLIAM WARD, Committee.
" BENJAMIN POLLARD
" SAMUEL SWEETSIR " MICHAEL SWEETSIR
" JACOB MOOR, J. Barril, Esg. Heirs to
" PETER MOOR
" NATHAN GOODENOUGH,
"A true copy - examined by SAMUEL HOLYOKE,
Clerk."
"June 2d 1729. Voted, that the thanks of the Company be given to the Rev'd Mr. William Welstead for the sermon preached to them this day, and that the present Commission officers of the Company, with them to be new elected & the field officers of this regiment, with the Hon'ble Thomas Hutchinson Esqr. [1694] be a com- mittee for that end.
" Voted, that the Training days in September and May next be half days, beginning at two of the clock in the afternoon.
" October 6+ 1729. Being under arms; Whereas there is not money sufficient in the Clerk's hands to pay the Committee their amount of charge in going to Rutland and Transacting an affair in behalf of this Company in April last, -
"Wherefore, Voted, that the Clerk of this Company receive of Colo. Thomas Fitch [1700] out of the Company's money in his hands so much as he has occasion for to ratify the said Rutland committee's account of charge.
443
HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.
1729-30]
" Voted, that the Clerk pay to Mr. William Moorcock and Mr. Daniel Henshaw fifteen shillings each in full for whatever damage their horses and saddles sustained in the Companys service in April last."
Mr. Whitman (1810), in his history of the Company, edition of 1842, says : "No sooner had the Company become possessed of their lands in Rutland than they were taxed. Deriving little benefit therefrom, April, 1731, they appointed a committee, who reported ' that it was expedient to sell and dispose of the 1000 and 500 acre grants.' "
A petition was accordingly presented to the General Court, and at the June session, 1731, the following was passed, viz. : -
" In the House of Representatives, June 14th 1731. Read and ordered, that the prayer of the petition be granted ; and that the Artillery Company within mentioned be, and hereby are fully authorized and empowered in due form of law, to make and execute a good deed or deeds of conveyance of the two tracts of land within mentioned ; the produce thereof to be vested in such other real estate as may be most for their advantage, the income thereof to be applied to and for providing necessaries for their military exercises, and defraying the other charges that may arise by occasion thereof.
"June 16th 1731. Consented to.
" J. BELCHER, Governor.
The Artillery Company in 1737 sold their lands in Rutland, but to whom, and for how much, the records do not show. The Dunstable lands were, however, sold to Col. Blanchard (1737), and a mortgage was taken as security, and after the mortgagor's death long continued in dispute, until a suit thereon was commenced in the United States Court for the District of New Hampshire, and judgment rendered in the Company's favor. Finally, Col. Blanchard's (1737) heirs, in 1789, paid off the encumbrance.
Rev. Joshua Gee, of Boston, who was invited to deliver the Artillery election sermon in 1729, declined on account of " many necessary avocations."
He was a son of Joshua and Elizabeth (Thornton) Gee, and was born June 29, 1698, being baptized on the 3d of the next July in Mr. Mather's church, of which his parents were members, and which he joined in 1716. He graduated at Harvard College in 1717. He was installed as colleague of Rev. Cotton Mather, Dec. 18, 1723. In this relation he continued until his death. Mr. Gee died May 22, 1748, in the fifty-first year of his age and twenty-fifth of his ministry. He married a daughter of Rev. Mr. Rogers, of Portsmouth. She died in 1730, aged twenty-nine years.
Rev. William Welstead, of Boston, son of William, was baptized in the First Church, June 28, 1696. He married a sister of Gov. Hutchinson, and, being ordained in 1728, became the second settled pastor of the New Brick Church in Boston. Mr. Welstead continued in this relation until his decease, which occurred April 29, 1753.
Rev. Joshua Gee. AUTHORITIES : Sprague's Annals of American Pulpit; Prince's Church Ilist., I .; Allen's Biog. Dict.
444
HISTORY OF THE ANCIENT AND
[1730-1
The officers elected were : Edward Hutchinson (1702), captain ; 1730-I . Nathaniel Cunningham (1720), lieutenant; John Goldthwait (17II). ensign. Henry Gibbs (1726) was first sergeant ; John Salter (1727), second sergeant ; Thomas Simpkins (1727), third sergeant ; Dudson Kilcup (1727), fourth sergeant, and Samuel Holyoke (1714), clerk.
No new members were received into the Artillery Company in 1730.
The year is memorable, however, for the decease of Hon. Samuel Sewall (1679), chief-justice of the province, who was identified with Boston for seventy years, and a member of the Artillery Company for fifty-one years, from 1679 to 1730.
The record of the Artillery Company for 1730 is as follows : -
" April 6, 1730. Being under arms, the Company proceeded to vote for a minister to preach the next Artillery Election sermon and the Rev'd Mr. John Hancock of Lexington was chosen. Voted, that the Commission officers of the Company, with Colo. Edward Hutchinson [1702] and Lt. Col. Habijah Savage [1699] be a committee to request it of him.
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