USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of the early settlement of Bridgewater, in Plymouth county, Massachusetts, including an extensive Family register > Part 3
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THOMAS HAYWARD, NATHANIEL WILLIS,
JOHN CARY,
SAMUEL TOMPKINS,
JOHN WILLIS,
ARTHUR HARRIS,
WILLIAM BASSETT,
JOHN FOBES,
JOIIN WASHBURN,
EXPERIENCE MITCHELL,
JOHN WASHBURN, Jr.,
JOHN HAWARD,
JOHN AMES,
SOLOMON LEONARD,
THOMAS GANNETT,
Mr. JAMES KEITH,
WILLIAM BRETT,
Dea. SAMUEL EDSON.
None of these, except Bassett and Mitchell, were among the Plymouth " Old Comers" or Forefathers, who arrived in the three first ships, viz :- the May Flower, the Fortune, and the Ann ; nor is it ascertained at what time they came over; but it is certain they were here very early. The names of most of them appear on the colony records soon after 1630. In 1629
27
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
thirty-five of the Leyden people, with their families, arrived at Plymouth : and in 1630, sixty more came. Many of the Bridge- water proprietors were doubtless among these.
The plantation was incorporated into a separate and distinct town in June 1656, by the following concise and laconic order of court, agreeably to the usage of those early times :-
" Ordered, that henceforth Duxbury New Plantation be al- lowed to be a township of itself, distinct from Duxbury, and to be called by the name of Bridgewater ; provided that all public rates be borne by them in equal proportions :" and the same year this proportion was settled by the court, by the following order :- " The court have agreed that for the present year the town of Bridgewater is to bear one part of three with Duxbury, of their proportion of the country rates for the officers' wages and other public charges." And by a tax assessed about that time, it appears that Duxbury accordingly paid £6, 0, 9, and Bridgewater £2, 0, 3. The plantation in some early records had been called Bridgewater before its incorporation. The name was probably adopted from fancy, as many of the names of towns in the vicinity were, none of the settlers here, as we can ascertain, having come from Bridgewater, in England. From this period the town took its place with others in the public records, while its own have also been generally well pre- served, which will render its subsequent history more authentic. John Cary was chosen Constable 1656, the first officer ever chosen in town, and the only one in that year, as it was not incorporated in season for the spring elections. In May, 1657, the town officers were John Willis, Deputy ; Lawrence Willis, Grand Juror; Samuel Tompkins, Constable ; Arthur Harris and John Haward, Surveyors of highways. The first freemen were
WILLIAM BRETT, WILLIAM BASSETT, THOMAS HAYWARD, JOHN WILLIS, SAMUEL TOMPKINS,
Ens. JOSIAH STANDISH, JOIIN CARY, LAWRENCE WILLIS, THOMAS HAYWARD, Jr., ARTHUR HARRIS.
28
HISTORY OF THE
These had taken the Freeman's oath probably before the incor- poration of the plantation. In 1657 we find among the freemen of Bridgewater, these additional names, viz :-
SAMUEL EDSON, MARK LATHROP,
FRANCIS GODFREY,
WILLIAM SNOW,
JOHN AMES,
JOHN HAWARD.
GUIDO BAYLEY,
These names assist us in ascertaining who were the first settlers in the place. Some of them, as Standish, Lawrence Willis, Godfrey, Bayley, Lathrop, and Snow, were not original propri- etors, but most of them came from Duxbury, and had afterwards probably became purchasers. Josiah Standish was the second son of Capt. Miles Standish, and had his father's share perhaps ; he married Sarah, daughter of Samuel Allen, of Braintree, and settled here, but after a few years returned again to Duxbury. Besides these and a few others from Duxbury, as Mitchell, Alden, and Leonard; there soon came in several families from the adjoining towns in Massachusetts, as Packard, Byram, Allen, Whitman, Shaw, Bacon, Kingman, Conant, Hooper, Hudson, Lazell, Dunbar, Hill, Perkins, Johnson, Leach, and others, as also Field from Providence, Alger from Taunton, Snell from England, Latham from Marshfield, and others from different parts of the country. We have been told that, before the two colonies of Plymouth and Massachusetts were united into one Province in 1691, and long after, a distinction was kept up in the town between the old Duxbury settlers and the Massachusetts settlers, each viewing the other, in some measure, as a separate race or clan. We never learnt, however, that it produced any unkindness or even unsocial habits, feelings of friendship and mutual courtesy having been generally observed and cherished among them.
From the west the settlements extended first into the south part of the town, towards the great pond on the road to Taun- ton, with which place they held their principal intercourse, where was the nearest corn mill, and whither also they were accustomed to go frequently on foot, with their grists on their backs.
29
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
Their proprietary concerns were managed in town meetings in the same way their other town affairs were conducted, and all the records and votes respecting their lands were entered by the town clerk in the town books. This was owing no doubt to the . fact, that every inhabitant was at first a purchaser or proprietor. The first separate or distinct meeting held by the proprietors, of which we find any account, was July 9, 1672, at which they chose a large committee " to consider the manner to be adopted in future for laying out lands, and to report in October next ;" and the same year application was made to court stating, that " some of the committee formerly appointed for laying out their lands, were dead, and others taken off by other occasions, and praying that they might depute some among themselves for that purpose," and the court " declared their willingness that they might so do, and in case the proprietors shall agree upon any thing respecting their lands, that the clerk of the town shall commit such their conclusions to the records of the town ;" and consequently the clerk of the town was also generally clerk of the proprietors. The town also in 1674 " ordered that a new book for the recording of lands should be procured, and a com- mittee appointed to see that the records were made and transcribed correctly, and on good evidence." Again in June 14, 1695. They "agreed that the town clerk should record. all, that was of general concern to the purchasers, in their new book, namely, the preface, table, list of their names, court grants, several divisions of lands granted to be laid out by them, their general deeds of the Indians, and confirmations from the court, and lists of the names of the proprietors of all their land within their township, and to page said book. Chose also Lieut. Hayward and John Field to have some oversight of the recording of lands for the purchasers and proprietors." Hence it is that the same records sometimes appear on different books, having been transcribed agreeably to the aforesaid orders.
The outermost mile of the " old original four mile grant," that is, one mile in width all round on the outside of the purchase, was laid out in 1683 into four great divisions, one on each side of the town, and the shares in each were drawn by lot, by the original fifty-six proprietors, namely seventeen on the north, fifteen on
30
HISTORY OF THE
the east, fourteen on the west, and ten on the south ; and the proprietors in each division were authorised to lay out their lands among themselves in such manner as they saw fit. The following extract with regard to this proceeding are taken from the town records :-
" The purchasers being generally met together upon this 24th of December, 1683, it was then proposed to them the laying out of great divisions of land to every purchaser round the outside of the town in the four miles, or fourth mile from the centre ; and it was to be done by casting of lots for them. After some agitation about it silence was desired, and this proposition was publicly and openly there propounded twice, and after proposal they were desired to declare their assent to it by their usual way of holding up their hands, which was done, and the major part by many, did declare their assent to it. The order of this division of land is, that it should be laid out a mile inward in breadth from the four miles square from the centre, and what- soever purchaser in Bridgewater having any former lots of land laid out within this fourth mile should not be molested by this great division. Further, the order of this great division is, that there should be ten on the south side of the town, and fourteen on the west, and seventeen on the north, and fifteen on the east side ; and every purchaser was to have his division of land as it fell to him by lot, the lots being drawn. Their names and lots are in order as followeth.
Those, whose lots fell out on the north, were to begin at the west at the line betwixt Taunton (now Easton) and Bridgewater, and to run seven miles east in length, and one mile in breadth from the north line southward.
Names of the Men of the North.
ROBERT LATHAM, Mr. NATHANIEL WILLIS,
NICHOLAS BYRAM, 2 lots.
SAMUEL PACKARD,
NICHOLAS BYRAM,
JOSEPH ALDEN,
MARK LATHROP, GUIDO BAYLEY,
WILLIAM BASSETT,
SAMUEL EDSON, JR.,
JOHN CARY, GILES LEACH,
JOSEPH HAYWARD, JOSEPH WADSWORTH,
31
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
WIDOW (of Sam'l.) WADS- WIDOW (of John) ROBBINS, -17 lots .- "
WORTH,
JOHN WILLIS, JR.,
" And from the extent of this seven miles of those on the north, those on the east are to begin on the north line, and to run a line due south till it meets with Mr. Alexander Standish's land, or Middleborough (now Halifax) bounds. All the lands lying easterly betwixt the above said line so run, and the line that was run by the agents of Bridgewater and Middleborough, (now Halifax,) and the Major's purchase, (now Hanson,) be- longeth to these fifteen men whose names and lots as they fell out are in order as followeth :-
The names of the Men on the East.
NICHOLAS BYRAM, Jr.,
JOHN AMES,
JOHN HAYWARD,
NATHANIEL HAYWARD,
Ens. (JOHN) HAWARD,
JOHN WASHBURN,
GEORGE TURNER,
JOHN WASHBURN,
2 lots.
Mr. (JAMES) KEITH,
WIDOW (Samuel,) WADS- WORTH,
SAMUEL PACKARD,
BENJAMIN WILLIS,
NATHANIEL PACKARD. -15 lots .-_ "
JOSIAH EDSON,
EDWARD FOBES,
" And those fourteen on the west are to begin at the end of the mile in breadth at the north end, and to run along in the line betwixt Taunton, (now Easton and Raynham,) and Bridge- water, till it meet with a cove in the pond that cuts the line betwixt Taunton, (now Raynham,) and Bridgewater ; and are to have a mile in breadth inward from the west line, as those have upon the north line, except it be against the great meadow.
Their Lots and Names are as followeth :-
THOMAS WHITMAN, Dea. JOHN WILLIS,
SAMUEL ALLEN,
JOHN WASHBURN,
WILLIAM BRETT,
JOSEPH WADSWOTII,
JONATHAN HILL,
WIDOW FAXON, (formerly w.
THOMAS SNELL, of Thomas Gannett,)
HISTORY OF THE
WILLIAM SNOW,
ELISHA HAYWARD,
WILLIAM ORCUTT,
Dea. SAMUEL EDSON."
JOSEPH BASSETT,
" And the ten on the south are to begin at Taunton, (now Raynham,) line, and to run east till it meet with the great river for length, and is to be a mile in breadth inward, as it is on the north.
Their Names and Lots, as they were drawn forth, are as followeth :-
ISAAC HARRIS, JOHN WASHBURN,
JOHN WHITMAN,
JOSEPH EDSON,
Lt. (THOMAS) HAYWARD, SAMUEL TOMPKINS,
JAMES CARY,
JOHN FIELD.
SAMUEL LEONARD, LAWRENCE WILLIS,
-ten in all .- "
Of these persons, whose names are contained in these four divisions, it appears, that John Washburn at this time owned four lots, and of course, four proprietary shares, Nicholas By- ram two, Joseph Wadsworth two, Widow Wadsworth two, and Samuel Packard two; and all the rest one share each. They were all inhabitants of the town except the Wadsworths, who retained their shares much longer than any of the non-residents, and were the last of the Duxbury proprietors to relinquish them. At this period forty-nine persons owned the entire original grant.
The inner three miles were never allotted, but still remained in common, as the whole had done before, to be occasionally laid out as their interest or necessities might require. When any of the common lands were appropriated and allowed to be taken up by individuals, it was done by what they called a division or grant. These grants were from time to time made of a certain number of acres to a share, which each proprietor was entitled to pitch and to have laid out to him by the locating committee ; which, being done and recorded on the proprietors' books, cre- ated a perfect title in such proprietor. Any person, not a pro- prietor, finding common land, might purchase a right of any proprietor, who had not taken up his full quantity upon any of
33
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
the existing grants, and procure to himself a title to it in the same way. Instances of common land having been found and thus taken up, have occurred even down to the present time. The following is a table of these grants in the order of time in which they were made, next after the house lots of six acres already mentioned :-
1651-20 acres, 1654-20
1693-10 acres,
Februa-
1695-10 “
ry 19th,
meadow,
March
1699-10 66
1657-50 acres,
2d. div. of
1700-the share land,
1712-10
1717-10 66
1665-3d division of meadow, 1665-10 acres,
1724-20 66
Februa- 1726-20 66
1666-20
ry 7th,
May 31, 1731-10
1683-10 «
Mar. 14,1739-10 66
1
1683-cedar swamp,
1686-10, swamp or meadow land, 1686-40 wood land,
March
23d. 1687-50
ry 11th,
Apl. 14, 1755-10
ry 11th,
Apl. 17, 1749-10 Februa- 1751-10 66
Februa- 1690-10 66
Jan. 28, 1745-10
May 12, 1746-10
Apl. 11, 1748-10 66
1672-50 66
27th,
"- meadow,
“ -21 Ist div. of
All the lands obtained by the additional two mile grant, or six miles from the centre every way, including the lands at Titicut, contained in the deed from Pomponoho, were divided into lots and drawn by the proprietors in 1783. They were subdivided in the first place into four parcels or tracts, three on the north and one on the southi. That on the south was called " the Titicut purchase." Those on the north were variously designated : the three miles at the west end were called the " West Sharcs ;" the next, or middle division, was called the " easterly three miles ;" and the most easterly one was called the "young men's shares." These divisions all appear on the pro- prietors' records, with the names of those to whom the lots respectively fell. The Titicut purchase was shared and divided agreeably to the following vote 1675. " All the householders and male children twenty years old and upwards, now found to
5
34
HISTORY OF THE
be sixty-four in number, shall be proprietors and full purchasers in the lands at Titicut, which had been bought of the Indians ;" but the division was not actually made, and the lots drawn, till some years afterwards, viz : 1685, and consisted of two divisions of lots called the great lots and the little lots. Those who had the young men's shares above mentioned, were such as were twenty-one years of age and upward, and had no interest in any other lands, who were Samuel Lathrop, Mark Lathrop, Jr., Edward Lathrop, James Haward, Jonathan Haward, Nathaniel Brett, Jonathan Cary, Isaac Alden, John Whitman, John Al- dridge, Jonathan Hill, Samuel Shiverick, William Snow, Jr., Benjamin Willis, Richard Holt, Solomon Leonard, James La- tham, Samuel Leach, Joseph Snow, Samuel Allen, Jr .- The following is an early list of the proprietors, with the number of shares each owned, viz :-
No. of Shares.
No. of Shares.
NICHOLAS BYRAM, 5
MARK LATIIROP, 1
JOIIN WASHBURN,
4
PETER THATCHER, 1
SAMUEL EDSON,
3
GEORGE PARTRIDGE, 1
SAMUEL PACKARD,
2
NATHANIEL WILLIS, 1
THOMAS HAYWARD, 2
Mr. JAMES KEITH, 1
THOMAS WHITMAN, 2
GEORGE TURNER, 1
SAMUEL WADSWORTH, 2
JOHN FIELD, 1
JOSEPH WADSWORTH, 2
MICHAEL BACON,
1.
JOIN CARY, 1
MATTHEW GANNETT,
1
JOHN HAWARD,
1 SAMUEL TOMPKINS,
1
JOIN HAYWARD,
1
THOMAS HAYWARD, Jr., 1
WILLIAM BRETT,
1
WILLIAM BASSETT,
1
JOHN WILLIS,
1
JOSEPH BASSETT, 1
NATHANIEL HAYWARD, 1 SOLOMON LEONARD, 1
LAWRENCE WILLIS,
1
JOSEPH ALDEN, 1
GILES LEACH, 1
THOMAS SNELL, 1
JOHN AMES,
1
SAMUEL ALLEN, 1
JOHN CARY, Jr., 1
ROBERT LATHAM, 1
EDWARD FOBES,
1 WILLIAM ORCUTT, 1
WILLIAM SNOW,
1 BENTANY .. TXT
JOHN ROBBINS, 1
JOHN WILLIS, Jr.,
35
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
All these, except the Wadsworths, Thatcher, Gannett, and Partridge, were residents in the town at this period, which was as early at least as 1680. But shares were frequently bought and sold, and the proprietors of course often changing.
The Town Clerks have been John Cary from 1656 to 1681.
Thomas Hayward, Esq., appears
to have made the entries in 1682 & 1683.
Samuel Allen was Clerk from
1783 to 1702.
Nathaniel Brett
1702 to 1736.
Nathaniel Brett, Jr. “
1736 to 1779, excepting that
Col. Josiah Edson was Clerk a
few years previous to 1745.
Capt. Eliakim Howard “ " 1779 to 1822, when the town was divided.
The first military officers were Josiah Standish, Lieutenant, 1660, who soon after returned to Duxbury, and Thomas Hay- ward, Jr., Lieutenant ; and John Haward, Ensign, appointed 1664. And in 1689 they were promoted, and Samuel Packard appointed Ensign .- Deacon John Willis was appointed to admin- ister oaths, &c., in 1660, but Captain Thomas Hayward, Jr., was the first Magistrate in town, and one of the Governor's Council or Assistants 1690, and also a Judge of the courts : he was killed by a fall from his horse, August 15, 1698, while on a journey to Marshfield on business .- Elihu Brett was the next Magistrate, and he was also appointed a Judge of the courts 1700; he died suddenly in his chair January 12th, 1712.
The first House of Representatives or Deputies in the Old Plymouth Colony convened in 1639. From June 3, 1656, the date of the incorporation of the town, to the year 1691 inclusive, when the two colonies were united into one province, the Rep- resentatives from Bridgewater to the general court at Plymouth, appear in the following order :-
1657 JOHN WILLIS, to 1681 THOMAS HAYWARD,
to 1661 WILLIAM BRETT,
to 1666 JOHN WILLIS,
to 1683 THOMAS HAYWARD JOHN HAWARD,
to 1676 JOIIN WILLIS and 1684 THOMAS HAYWARD,
SAMUEL EDSON, 1687 ) None. Andros' Ad-
1677 JOHN WILLIS, & 1688 ) ministration.
36
HISTORY OF THE
1689 THOMAS HAYWARD & 1690 WILLIAM BRETT,
WILLIAM BRETT, 2d. 1691 JOSIAH EDSON.
From 1691 the Representatives to the General Court of Massachusetts, are as follows :-
1692 JOSIAH EDSON and
1731 ISAAC JOHNSON,
DAVID PERKINS,
to 1734 JOHN HOLMAN,
1693 SAMUEL ALLEN,
1735 JOSIAH EDSON, 2d.,
1694 DAVID PERKINS,
to 1737 JOHN HOLMAN,
1695 ELIHU BRETT,
1738 EBENEZER BYRAM,
1696 DAVID PERKINS,
1739 JOSIAH EDSON,
1697 SAMUEL EDSON,
to 1741 EBENEZER BYRAM,
1698 JOSIAH EDSON,
1742 NEHEMIAH WASHBURN,
to 1700 ELIHU BRETT, 1701 None .-
1744 JOHN HOLMAN,
1702 EDWARD FOBES,
to 1704 DAVID PERKINS,
to 1707 WILLIAM BRETT, 1708 EDWARD FOBES,
to 1710 JOSEPH HAYWARD,
1711 EDWARD FOBES,
to 1713 SAMUEL EDSON,
to 1769 EDWARD MITCHELL,
1714 JOSIAH EDSON,
to 1771 JOSIAH EDSON,
1772 DANIEL HOWARD,
1773 JOSIAH EDSON,
to 1719 RICHARD DAVENPORT,
to 1721 RICHARD DAVENPORT
& BENJAMIN SNOW,
1722 EDWARD FOBES,
1723 EPHRAIM HAWARD,
1724 RICHARD DAVENPORT,
1725 THOMAS AMES,
1726 JOSEPH KEITH,
1727 ISAAC JOHNSON, ISAAC JOHNSON and JOHN ALDEN,
to 1729
1730 ISAAC JOHNSON and NEHEM'H. WASHBURN,
'1776 EDWARD MITCHELL, HUGH ORR, ELIPHALET CARY,
NATH'L. REYNOLDS,
OAKES ANGIER and THOMAS HOOPER.
1777 EDWARD MITCHELL & NATH'L. REYNOLDS,
1746 JOSIAH EDSON, 3d,
to 1748 DANIEL HOWARD,
to 1750 JOSIAH EDSON,
to 1755 DANIEL HOWARD,
to 1766 JOSIAH EDSON,
1774 ) EDWARD MITCHELL &
1775 ) RICHARD PERKINS Were delegates to the Provincial Congress at Salem, Con- cord, and Cambridge.
1715 EDWARD FOBES, 1716 JOHN FIELD,
1743 JOSIAH EDSON,
1745 JOSIAH EDSON,
37
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
1778 NATHAN MITCHELL & OAKES ANGIER,
1809 NAHUM MITCHELL,
1810 DANIEL MITCHELL,
1779 OAKES ANGIER & JOSIAII HAYDEN,
to 1812 NAHUM MITCHELL,
1780 NATHAN MITCHELL & DAVID KINGMAN,
WILLIAM BAYLIES, EZRA KINGMAN, GIDEON HOWARD,
1781 NATIIAN MITCHELL,
DANIEL CRANE,
1782 HUGH ORR,
CALEB CARY.
1783 NATIIAN MITCHELL,
1813 DANIEL HOWARD,
GIDEON HOWARD,
DANIEL CRANE,
1786 DANIEL HOWARD, 2d,
NATHAN MITCHELL, 2d.,
1787 ELISHA MITCHELL,
ABIEZER ALGER.
to 1790 JAMES THOMAS, 1814 DANIEL HOWARD,
1791 SIMEON DUNBAR,
to 1816 DANIEL HOWARD,
1792 BEZA HAYWARD,
BARTHOLOMEW BROWN,
1793 DANIEL SNOW,
EZRA KINGMAN, ABIEZER ALGER,
to 1798 NAHUM MITCHELL,
NOAH FEARING, CALEB HOWARD.
to 1803 DANIEL SNOW, '
1817 DANIEL HOWARD,
to 1806 DANIEL MITCHELL, to 1820 WILLIAM BAYLIES,
to 1808 WILLIAM BAYLIES, 1821 HECTOR ORR.
Benjamin Willis and Nathan Mitchell were delegates to the convention at Cambridge for forming the Constitution of this Commonwealth, in September, 1779 .- Daniel Howard, Elisha Mitchell, Hezekiah Hooper and Daniel Howard 2d, were the delegates to the convention of this State, at Boston, for. adopt- ing the constitution of the United States in 1788.
The counties in the Old Colony of Plymouth were formed and established in 1685. The Senators for the county of Ply- mouth, elected from Bridgewater, were for 1785 and 1786, Hugh Orr; for 1787, Nathan Mitchell; from 1788 to 1794, inclusive, Daniel Howard; from 1796 to 1805, Beza Hayward; for 1813 and 1814, Nahum Mitchell.
The members of Congress from Bridgewater have been tlie Rev. Dr. John Reed, Nahum Mitchell, William Baylies, and Aaron Hobart.
NOTE .- When 2d or 3d is affixed above to any name it means only that it is the 2d or 3d person of that name, who has represented the town.
to 1785 NATHAN MITCHELL & ELISHIA MITCHELL,
to 1795 BEZA HAYWARD, 1796 DANIEL SNOW,
-
38
HISTORY OF TIIE
PHILIP'S WAR.
MANY of the early settlers of Bridgewater were young men, born in this country, well acquainted with the Indian character, and therefore well calculated to encounter the troubles and dangers of the savage warfare they were soon to experience. In Philip's war, so called, which commenced early in 1675, they displayed great courage and intrepidity. Being wholly an inte- rior settlement, remote from their friends on the sea-board, " they were strongly urged to desert their dwellings, and repair to the towns by the sea-side." They however resolutely kept their ground, and defended their settlement, and encouraged and assisted other towns to do the same. They erected a stockade or garrison on the south side of the river, and also fortified many of their dwelling houses. At the commencement of hostilities, June 21, 1675, seventeen of their number, " well armed and furnished with horses, the first that were on the march in all the country," went to Metapoiset, a small settlement about twelve miles from Swansey, "to strengthen the garrison at that place." They were met by people from Swansey, driven from their habitations and filled with terror, who advised them to return; but they fearlessly pursued their course and accom- plished their object. They were in many perils while there, but returned safe after the greatest part of the garrison, consist- ing of seventy persons, most of whom were women and children, were safely conducted on to Rhode Island. Six persons of that vicinity, who were killed at that time, while they were with their teams conveying their corn into the garrison, were the first that fell in that war.
April 9, 1676, the enemy burnt a house and barn in the east part of the town. The following extract from a letter of the Rev. Mr. Keith to Thomas Hinckley thus alludes to it :-
" April 17, 1676. God hath now begun to pour out upon us the cup of trembling ; yet the Lord doth remember us still with mercy, yea very great mercy. The 9th of this instant, being the Lord's Day, as we were assembling in the forenoon, we were
39
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
alarmed by the shooting of some guns from some of our garri- sons upon discovery of a house being on fire, which was Robert Latham's; his dwelling house and barn are wholly consumed. The house was deserted but a few days before. He had consid- erable loss in lumber. The corn and chief of his goods were saved. There were divers other out-houses rifled at the same' time, but no more burnt. There was a horse, or two, killed ; three or four carried away ; and some few swine killed. We sent out a party of men on the Lord's Day night upon discovery, who found their trackings. Our men judged there might be about ten of them. They followed them by their tracks several miles, but having no provision, they were forced to leave the pursuit. We are in expectation every day of an assault here. The Lord prepare us for our trial."
May 8th, about three hundred Indians with Tispaquin for their leader, made another assault on the east end of the village on the south side of the river, and set fire to many of the houses ; but the inhabitants issuing from their garrison houses, fell upon them so resolutely, that the enemy were soon repelled ; and a heavy shower of rain falling at the same time, the fires were soon extinguished. The attack was then renewed on the north side of the river, but it was soon defeated, and the next morning the enemy entirely disappeared, after having burnt two houses and one barn. On these several occasions thirteen houses and four barns only were burnt, and but five of these were in the village; the rest were on the borders of the settle- ment and deserted at the time. Excepting the garrison houses, it is said, every house but one in town was burnt. These were probably the out dwellings only on the skirts, and not in the village, where the houses were all in some measure fortified. The house excepted is said to have been Nicholas Byram's, which was in the east, where Capt. Isaac Whitman lately lived, and quite remote from the principal settlement.
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