USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Bedford > History of the town of Bedford, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year of Our Lord 1891 > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34
66 66 .. To Christopher Page Jur. For Sarveses making Rates, 0 68
To Mr. Oliver Pollard for mending the school house windows & 4 Squarse of Glass, 0 30
April 30, 1777, For personal Sarvise at Cambridge, 1 74
7, " To Seth Salt marsh For paying School master, 1 10 0
" 15, " To Seth Salt marsh For Bottoming Ye School chair, 0 13
May 2, 1777, To Capt. Edward Stearns For hier- ing Soldiers, 8 50
April 11, " To Timothy Lane For hiering Sol- diers, 16 34
July 26, 1777, To David pag For hiering Soldiers, 7 00 July 12th, 1777, To Saml. Lane jur. For hiering Soldiers, 8 50
Feb. 13, 1778, To Jolin Webber For Hiering Sol- diers, 5 00
To James Lane Jur. For Iliering Soldiers. 8 50
To the Heirs of Timothy pag late of Bedford,* 7 11 7
To Benjamin Lane For hiering Sol- diers, 1 74
" Dea. Benjamin Bacon For hier- ing Soldiers, 15 17 0
" John Lane For Hiering Soldiers, 10 10 0
" Benjamin Hutchinson Jr. 7 100 Moses Abboot For hiering Soldiers, 15 0 0 Christopher Page .Jur. " 11 30
Sept. 15, 1777, Zech. Fitch For hiering Soldiers, 10 00
.. Richard Wheeler 10 00
.. 66
Joseph Meeds 5 00
.. ..
Nathaniel Meriam 5 00
Jeremialı Blood 5 00
..
Stephen Hartwell Jur. For hiering Soldiers, 8 00
66 Samuel Bacon For hiering Soldiers, 8 13 4
Samuel Meeds " 7 11 7
6
66
Samuel Davis " 3 18 0
John Lane ye 3d for personal Sar- vise, 14 11 8
66
Jeremiah Fitch Jur. For hiering Soldiers, 6 13 4
.. James Wright For hiering Soldiers, 7 19 0
.. William pag. For hiering Soldiers, 7 10 0
* Killed at battle of White Plains.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Some Early ('ustoms - The Pastor's Tithing - The Barberry Pest.
IT was a custom of our ancestors to share their bounties with the minister, and cases are not infrequent in this town where the spiritual leader was remembered by parishioners in their last bequests. These acts were not regarded by the donors as altogether gratuitous, but as the just desert of the one who labored for the good of the community and received but a limited salary. They were of much help to the minis- ters in maintaining their families and educating their children.
Rev. Nicholas Bowes was favored with sev- eral bequests when the people were struggling to establish the necessary institutions of the town. In 1751 he received, by the will of Mrs. Susannah Dean, "ten pound Lawful money."
Rev. Samuel Stearns was often remembered in this way, and peculiarly favored in the gifts of domestic supplies. His memoranda of pres- ents during the first year of housekeeping, pub- lished by his son, Rev. William A. Stearns, must be of interest to the descendants of the families of a century ago. It is evident that some people recognized the Jewish obligation to give a tenth of their income.
30th May, 1797. Dea. Wright, 1 cheese, 3 lbs. of but- ter, 3 fowls, and sundry small articles. Mr. Fassett, 1 bushel rye and a cheese. Mr. Nathaniel Page, 1 bushel rye meal and 1 bushel potatoes. Col. Jones, 4 fowls.
June 1. Mr. Solomon Lane, 1 spare rib of pork. Mr. William Page, a bushel and a half of rye meal, and the same quantity of Indian, and a bag of potatoes. Mr. Oliver Reed, 1 bushel Indian corn and a large cheese.
June 3d. Capt. Webber, 1 cheese. Mr. Eleazer Davis, 1 bushel of Indian meal. Mr. Moses Fitch, 3 lbs. butter.
June 5th. Mr. Lane, 3 codfish. Deacon Merriam, 15 lbs. of pork. Mr. Nat. Page, 1 bbl. vinegar. Mrs. Fitch, 1 doz. eggs.
June 7th. Mr. Bowers, 1 salmon, weight 11 lbs.
June Sth. Mr. Samuel Hartwell, 1 pot apple sauce, 216 lbs. butter, and a cheese.
June 9th. Mr. Thomas Page, 1 bbl. eider.
June 13th. A roasting pig, Mrs. Abbott.
June 16th. Mrs. Oliver Reed, Jr., 2 lbs. butter. Mr. Fitch, 2 lbs. butter.
Inne 230. Mrs. Lane, 1 lb. butter. Mr. John Web- ber. 2 qts. wine, piece loaf sugar, and a jug.
June 24th. Mr. Fassett, a large leg of veal.
June 27th. Mr. Benjamin Bacon, 3 lbs. butter. Mr. Elijah Stearns, 2 lbs. butter.
June 30th. Dea. Wright, 1 loin veal.
.July 4th. Mr. David Page, 3 lbs. butter. Mrs. Fas- sett, a plum cake.
July 16th. Mrs. Edward and Mrs. Elijah Stearns, 2 pigs, weight 40 lbs. Mr. J. Reed, Jr., a leg of bacon.
6.
John Merriam 66 10 00
66
..
62
BEDFORD.
July 26th. One cheese from the Widow Lane. Month of August :
Mr. Thompson Bacon, 12 doz. pigeons. Mr. Ilutch- inson, 116 bushels corn and a half cheese. Mr. Page, 1 rake. Dea. Merriam, 4 lbs. salt pork. Dea. Wright, 5 lbs. pork and. some sance. Mr. Bacon, 1 bushel rye and something, 19 lbs. Esq. Jones, I quarter lamb and some green sanee. Esq. - , I loin lamb. Mr. Fassett, roasting piece of beef. Capt. Webber, salt pork and some green sauce. Widow Merriam, 6 lbs. tallow. Mr. Hartwell, piece salt pork and 10 pigeons.
From September to Thanksgiving:
Esq. Reed, a quarter of lamb. Mr. N. Page, quarter of lamb. Esq. Jones, a leg of lamb, apples, and eab- bages. Dra. Davis, 1 doz. pigeons, 1 cheese, and some apples. Mr. Benjamin Bacon, 6 lbs. beef. Widow Lane, 2 lbs. butter. Mrs. Fitch, 1 1b. butter. Mr. O. Reed, 1 quarter pork. Esq. Jones, 12 bushel onions. Mr. Samuel Hartwell, I bbl. cider. Dea. Davis, 1 bbl. cider and a bushel apples. Mr. Lane, 1 lb. butter. Mrs. Fitch, 2 lbs. butter. Mr. John Lane, a piece of fresh pork. Mr. David Page, 3 lbs. butter. Capt. Page, 6 lbs. salt pork. Solomon Lane, 1 1b. butter. David Page, Jr., 40 lbs. beef. Mr. Page, 3 lbs. beef. Mr. Thomas Abbott, Jr., I quarter lamb. Oliver Reed, 1 quarter lamb. Thamas Page, I quarter lamb. Esq. Reed, 1 quarter lamb. Edward Stearns, 6 lbs. beef. Mr. Fitch, 7 or 8 cabbages. Dea. Merriam, 6 lbs. of pork and a leg of lamb. Capt. Page, 8 lbs. beef and 6 lbs. butter. Dea. Wright, 5 lbs. butter and 1 dozen cabbages. Mr. John Reed, 3 lbs. butter, 8 lbs. pork, 2 doz. cabbages. Mr. Oliver Reed, Jr., 1 bbl. cider and 4 lbs. butter. Capt. Webber, 7 lbs. pork. Mr. Ball, I doz, cabbages.
Thanksgiving week:
Mr. Stearns, I bushel bcets. Mr. Fassett, 5 lbs. but- ter, 1 cheese, and 2 doz. candles. Mr. Hartwell, some apples. Mr. Ball, 3 lbs. butter. Mr. Bowers, I leg pork, 15 lbs. Mr. Lane, 7 lbs. pork and 14 candles. Mr. Samnel Lane, Jr., 9 lbs. beef. Mr. Hill, 634 lbs. beef. Capt. Webber, 6 lbs. butter. Capt. Page, 1 goose. Mr. Moses Fitch, I goose. Mr. Moses Abott, I goose. Col. Jones, 10 lbs. beef. Mr. Bacon, 8 lbs. beef. Mr. Henry Abbott, 2 qts. brandy. Dea. Wright, a large sparerib.
From Thanksgiving to April:
Dea. Davis, a large hand of pork and a bag of apples. Mr. Saml. Hartwell, 1 turkey. Mr. S. Lane, 1 bushel rye meal. Mr. J. Webber, 16 bushel rye meal. Mr. Nathan Fitch, 1534 lbs, pork. Capt. Page, 77% lbs. beef. Mr. Hutchinson, 8 lbs. beef. Mr. Fassett, 71% lbs. beef. Mr. Davis, 1426 lbs. pork and 3 fowls. Mr. Converse and Mr. Glezen, 2 bushels rye. Esq. Reed, 2034 lbs. pork. Mr. Glezen, 12 lbs. pork. Mr. Wright, 10 lbs. pork. Mr. Fitch, veal, 15 lbs. Mr. O. Reed, pork. Mr. Page, a quarter of -. Mrs. Fitch, 1 lb. butter.
April to JJune:
('apt. Page, 1 leg pork, John Reed, Jr., 5 lbs. pork. Mr. S. Hartwell, 1 doz. sausages, a cheese, and 2 lbs. butter. Dea. Davis, I lb. butter, 7 lbs. pork, doz. eggs. Mr. B. Bacon, 1 1b. butter and cheese. Esq. Reed, 1 cheese. Mr. Wright, 10 lbs. pork. Stephen Lane, leg of pork. S. Hartwell, pork, 15 lbs. Moses Abbott, pork. Capt. Webber, butter, 12 veal. Esq. Reed, a day's work oxen and plough, and half a day's work of himself.
Moses Abbott, Jr., a quantity of sauce. Oliver Reed, 1 bushel rye. Wm. Page, I quarter of veal, 17 lbs. Mr. Wright, a sparerib of pork. Esq. Reed, 10 lbs. of pork and a calf's harslet. Esq. Reed, 1 day's work of oxen. Mr. John Reed, Jr., I day's work with himself and cart.
The pastor received annually from the town twenty cords of wood, the preparation of which for the fire fur- nished one of the merriest occasions of the year.
BARBERRY PEST. - It was a general belief in the provinces, about the middle of the eight- eenth century, that the decline in the production of certain varieties of English grain was due to the barberry pest, and a law was enacted in 1754 for its extermination.
Every owner of land was required to clear it of the barberry bush; and the selectmen were required to clear the roads and common grounds, in order to make the extermination thorough and effectual. The law imposed quite a burden upon the farmers and a drain upon the treasury of this town, as the bush had become very common here. Scientists do not class the barberry with native plants, but it was early found in New England where the soil is conducive to its rapid propagation. Among the Lane papers is a let- ter from Mary Belcher to Whipple, in 1640, in which is the following: "If you can get me a few barberis & send at rowlah you will do me a kindness."
The bush soon took root again in this town, and continues to flourish, producing a crop highly prized by many.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Records - Town Officers -Justices of the Peace - Town Valuation of' 1771 - Census Items.
Ix some towns the annals are incomplete, - portions having been lost by fire or other calami- ties, - but in Bedford the records are continuous from the beginning of the town.
In the early years there was some laxness on the part of certain families in the returns of births, marriages and deaths, but this defect is corrected in a measure by the record kept by Rev. Nicholas Bowes. His record of baptisms often enables one to supply a deficiency in that of births kept by the clerk of the town. The almost universal custom of baptizing an infant on the Sabbath following the birth makes it possible to fill some blanks with comparative certainty .- >Where both church and town rec- ords fail, a gravestone often furnishes the record of a person whose life was spent in the town. The first record of the church was kept in a
63
BEDFORD.
book the pages of which are six inches by eight, benefit is derived from years of continuous ser- and bound in vellum or parchment, which has vice of the same clerk. This town has been fortunate in that respect. as will be seen by the following statement : - become very loose, and several of the leaves con- taining records are missing, viz .: In the record of baptisms all between Sept. 29, 1745, and Jan. 20, 1751, also between Sept. 27, and Nov. 1, 1741, are lost.
Rev. Nathaniel Sherman, the second minister, continued the record in an alphabetical manner.
The characteristics of Rev. Joseph Penniman are seen very distinctly in his records, and they are not as reliable ; but his successor, Rev. Sam- uel Stearns, kept a perfectly reliable record in a thoroughly systematic manner. The record of deaths kept by Rev. Nicholas Bowes shows that during the first quarter of a century there were one hundred and seventy-three deaths in all. the SELECTMEN, beginning with the year 1830 (as a full board consists of three. that number will be found under each year) : Reuben Bacon, 1830-33: Amos Hartwell, 1830-36, 1843-47; Joel Fitch, 1830; Joseph Brown. 1831; Timothy Page. 1832- average for a year being seven. The largest number in any one year was twenty. in the year 1749. There were fifteen in 1750 and sixteen in 1754. (By referring to the chapter on epitaphs it will be seen that this great mortality was 33; Albert Bacon. 1834-35. 1843-44; John P. among the children ; it covered the years when the throat distemper thwarted the skill of phy- sicians.) The smallest number in any one year was two, in 1732; there were four in 1751.
The town records are in a good state of pres- ervation, but still remain in the form of manu- scripts, and are thus liable to be lost, as only the original copy is possessed, with the excep- tion of the first book of births, marriages, and Chamberlin. 1850-55; Charles Spaulding, 1852- deatlıs. A copy of this has been made by the accurate hand of Mr. George Tolman, of Con- cord, and presented to the town.
Brevity of entries is a very general defect in early records; a mere statement of a fact be- comes blind indeed after those who participated ;zer P. Davis, 1875-76; Charles H. Clark, 1877- in the event have passed away. Another great 79; Samuel W. Huckins, 1879; Calvin Rice, 1880; William R. Hayden, 1880; Willard Ladd, 1881-82; Nathan B. Smith, 1883-90; Albert P. Sampson, 1883; Edwin H. Blake, 1884-90; Irving L. Hodgdon, 1891; Dudley Hartford, 1891. defect arises from the absence of reports of com- mittees. Records were made of cases of impor- tance, being referred to a committee, and later the committee having reported, it was accepted, and ordered on file; but those files have doubt- less been lost sight of in the attics of early clerks before a place of safety was provided. This de- * Resolutions adopted by the town after the death of William A. Stearns, who died while in the position of clerk and treasurer : - fect is most noticeable during the years of the Revolutionary War.
It is due to the memory of Samuel Fitcli, the first town clerk, to record in this connection, that his wise forethought in recording the doings of the meetings during the organization of the town has enabled us to obtain much that is of interest in those early days. The entire records will com- pare favorably with those of towns that we have examined during the preparation of this brief history. The student of manuscript records learns very early in his research that a great
TOWN CLERKS. - Samuel Fitch, 1729-31, 1733- 37; John Fassett, 1732; Israel Putnam, 1738- 45; John Whitmore, 1746-48; Stephen Davis, 1748-60, 1766-72, 1775; John Reed, 1761-65, 1773-75; John Webber, 1776-79, 1783-93; Wil- liam Merriam, 1780-82, 1794-1804; William Webber, 1805-1829; Reuben Bacon, 1830-44; Joel Fitch, 1845 (died in service, and the year was completed by Joseph Brown, Jr.); Thomas Stiles, 1846-63; William Albert Stearns, 1864- 71 (died in service); * Charles A. Corey, 1871 (still in service).
Reed, 1834-37, 1840-42, 1845-48, 1857; Liab Lee, 1836-38; Elbridge Bacon. 1837; Oliver R. Abbott. 1838-39; David Rice, 1838-39; Jona- than Bacon, 1839, 1845-47; Nathaniel C. Cut- ler, 1840-41; Michael Crosby, 1840-42; Amos B. Cutler, 1842-44. 1850-51; Thomas Stiles. 1848-56; Isaac P. Bacon. 1848-49, 1874-76, 1880; Benjamin J. Davis. 1849; Phinehas W. 56; William M. Ashby, 1856-65; William A. Stearns, 1857-65; Samnel Sage, Jr., 1858; Oliver J. Lane, 1859-65, 1868-73, 1877-78, 1881 (still in service); Henry Bacon, 1874; Thomas B. Hosmer, 1874; Aaron H. March, 1875-76; Elea-
Whereas God in his mysterious providence has sud- denly removed by death our friend and townsman, William A. Stearns, clerk and treasurer of the town, a citizen of unblemished and of upright character, faithful in the discharge of the varions offices intrusted to him by his constituents, one who deserved and retained the confidence of his associates, -
Therefore we feel it a duty to express our apprecia- tion of him as a kind neighbor and Christian friend, and of his valuable services in behalf of the town, committed to him, and that we deeply sympathize with his bereaved and afflicted family in their deep sorrow.
64
BEDFORD.
One of the very early records of the town is of a vote to allow the "Law Book" to be passed around among the different families. This book contains the first printed copy of the act of in- corporation of the town of Bedford. The title- page is as follows: "The Charter Granted by their Maejsties King William and Queen Mary to the Inhabitants of the Province of the Massa- chusetts Bay in New England. - Boston in New England. Printed by B. Green. Printer to the Honourable the Lieut. Gouvernour & Council for Benjamin Eliot and sold at his shop, near the Town House in King's Street. 1726."
This volume had been lost many years, when, in 1886, it was forwarded from Chicago, Ill., to the writer of this sketch, with the following letter : -
I send to you an old book that was in the Library of Reuben Bacon, Esq. . . . How it came there does not appear, but may have been left when he (Bacon) surren- dered the elerkship of the town and parish. It should be in the archives of the town. . .
It has travelled thousands of miles, been through the "great Chicago fire," and existed while nearly five gen- erations of the inhabitants of Bedford have been born and died.
Mrs. Hosmer, in looking over her choice keepsakes, a few days before her death, desired me to forward to you this choice relic, to be delivered to the town of her nativity and love, as a gift to its people.
I now herewith, in accordance with her request, pre- sent this volume.
MARTHA BACON HOSMER,
By her husband, JOSEPH HOSMER. Chicago, Jan. 1, 1886.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. - John Reed, Elijah Stearns. Amariah Preston, Thompson Bacon, William Webber, John Merriam, Reuben Bacon, Joel Fitch, Phinehas W. Chamberlin, Amos Hart- well, Thomas Stiles, Amos B. Cutler, Henry Shaw, Marcus B. Webber, Merton Simonds, Elihu G. Loomis, Albert P. Sampson, Charles A. Corey, Edwin H. Blake, Thomas B. Hosmer, Abram E. Brown, George R. Blinn.
The first birth recorded is Abigail Grover, daughter of Thomas and Abigail Grover, Nov. 30, 1729.
The first marriage was on Jan. 21. 1730 | 1: Joseph Fitch and Sarah Grimes, by Rev. Nicho- las Bowes.
The first death was that of Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca Bacon, Feb. 16, 1730 | 1.
Earlier records are found, but they were cop- ied from either Concord or Billerica records to complete family registers.
TREASURERS beginning with the year 1830: John Bacon, 1830-45; Isaac P. Bacon, 1846-50, 1868-69; Phinehas W. Chamberlin, 1851-67;
William A. Stearns, 1870-71 (died in service) ; Albert Bacon, 1871-75; Charles A. Corey, 1876 (still in office).
MODERATORS OF TOWN MEETINGS, for fifty years, ending with January, 1890: Amos Hart- well, 3; Jonathan Bacon, 6; George Simonds, 32; George W. Woodward, 9; John Bacon, 1; John W. Simonds, 30; Oliver W. Lane, 1; P. W. Chamberlin, 14; Elijah W. Stearns, 2; W. H. Ropes, 1; Charles Spaulding, 6; Reuben Bacon, Esq., 1; Reuben Bacon, Jr., 3; Francis Coggs- well, 1; John P. Reed, 1; Samuel Sage, Jr., 16; Isaac L. Watts, 4; George W. Webster, 1; Joseph Hosmer, 1; Oliver JJ. Lane, 41; Amos B. Cutler, 2: Cryus Page, 2; Marcus B. Webber, 5; Edward T. Tuten. 1; Thomas Stiles, 1; Henry Shaw, 16; Elihn G. Loomis, 3; Thomas B. Hos- mer, 1.
The following abstract of the inventory of taxable property and of ratable polls of the year 1771 is suggestive of the changes of time :-
Ratable polls 125
Not ratable . 3
Dwelling houses and shops adjoining 73
Outbuildings, shops and Tan houses 1 Mills. 2 grist and 2 saw mills . 4
Annual worth of the whole real estate,
deducting only annual repairs . . £684 2s. 6d.
Servants for life between 14 and 45 years of age -1 Stock in trade, in goods, wares and mer- chandise paid for or not £68 Os. Od.
Money at interest more than is paid inter- est for £2179 2s. 8d.
Horses & mares three years old and upwards . 76
Oxen four years old and upwards 144 .
Cows three years old and upwards . 415
Goats & Sheep 1 year old . 463
Swine 1 year old .
. 149
Acres of pasturage
163212
Number of cows kept on pasturage with other feed . 457
Acres of tillage
. 370
Bushels of grain & corn of all sorts, the same will produce .
6536
Barrels of Cider, averaged . . 618
Acres of English and upland mowing 33512
Tons of hay cut on same
. 177
Acres of fresh meadow 1162
Tons of hay cut on same 73516
In 1871, a century later, the assessed value of real estate was $496,079; personal, $91,258. Valuation of 1890, real estate, $758,929; per- sonal, $119,307.
Items from the United States census of 1890: Inhabitants
. 1,092
Between 80 and 90 years 21
70 - 80 51
.. 60 ** 70 83
.. 50 - 60 6
. 100
66 40 4 50 104
65
BEDFORD.
Soldiers' widows
7
Veterans of Civil War
31
Farms .
95
Industries
15
Dwellings
230
Families
239
CHAPTER XXIX.
Individual Military Service in Indian Wars and the Revolution - Roster of Officers and Privates - Effort to Erect a Memorial.
1675, King Philip's War: Job Lane.
16SS to 1698, King William's War: Lieut. John Wilson, Lieut. John Lane.
1703 to 1713. Queen Anne's War: Capt. John Lane, Nathaniel Bacon, Samuel Fitch, Josiah Bacon, Trumpeter, Nathaniel Page, Nathaniel Bacon, John Colburn, Josiah Fassett, Benjamin Bacon, Jonathan Bacon, Joseph Bacon, Job Lane.
1723 and 1724, Indian outbreak : Josiah Davis, killed; Eleazer Davis, wounded; Hugh Max- well.
1745 to 1748, King George's War: Lient. John Lane, Hugh Maxwell, Thompson Maxwell. Lieut. Lane was with Sir William Pepperell, who sailed from Boston, March 24, 1745, for the capture of Louisburg.
1754 to 1763, last French and Indian War: Ebenezer Page, in the expedition to the east- ward; Ensign Josiah Fassett, at the relief of Fort Williams; Sergeant Page; Nathaniel Mer- riam, died at Lake George, Sept. 15, 1758; John ; Abbott, died at Lake George, Nov. 2, 1756.
Thompson Maxwell was one of Rogers' Rang- ers.
Rev. Nicholas Bowes was chaplain; Hugh Maxwell, credited to Lexington (the home of his wife).
The following is the list of those who received abatements of their "town and highway rates," in 1763, in recognition of services rendered in the troubles with the French: Hugh Maxwell, Jeremiah Fitch, Jr., Jonas Wheeler, John Dan- forth, Stephen Mead, Abraham Taylor, Samuel Kidder, Widow Brown (for her husband), James Wheeler. Adron Wood, Zachariah Fitch, Eben Taylor, Benjamin Kidder.
Benjamin Kidder is supposed to have been the same person who was with Lovewell, in 1725, at Pigwacket, "the most fierce and obsti- nate battle of Indian warfare." He was in David Melvin's company, as Sergeant, and one of twenty-six who went for the reduction of Louisburg, and through the woods to Crown Point.
If more has been written of those who belonged to the Billerica side, it is because there were more from that part of the town who had mili- tary titles; hence they secured a more complete record. There was no lack of patriotism and courage on the Concord side. Five-sixths of those whose rates were abated for service in the year 1762 were from that side of the town; and the Davises, who were full of military zeal in the early wars, belonged upon that side. Elea- zer 3rd was commissioned a lieutenant in the opening of the Revolution.
In the Concord records it is seen that men of this location, Bedford, were active in shaking off the oppression of Sir Edmund Andros, in 1689. Lieut. Joseph French was a selectman of that year, and when at the age of eighty years led in forming this town. His name stands at the head of the founders of the church, in 1730 .*
REVOLUTION. - The men who turned out in response to the alarm of April 19, 1775, are known as the "Lexington Alarm List."
Certain traditions in regard to the command- ing officers of both minute men and militia have been accepted as facts and recorded by local his- torians, but are not substantiated by official re- turns; hence the documents filed in the archives of the State are copied more fully than would otherwise be done in this connection.
We have not a complete record of the mili- tary organization of the town at the opening of the Revolution, but have reason to believe that the companies credited with service on April 19. 1775, were very nearly full, and that the follow- ing lists represent the militia roll of that time :
The account of the time that each man who belonged to the Minute Men of the Town of Bedford spent at Cambridge in defence of the Country together with the nineteenth of April last, and also of their travel reck- oned from the middle of the town according to the minds of the Company.
1st. Lieut. Moses Abbott. Drummer Oliver Bacon.
2nd " Timothy Jones. Fifer Jonas Welch.
Sargt. Christopher Page. Privates, Jabez Russell.
Seth Saultmash. Jonas Gleason.
= Ebennzer Fitch. Nathan Bacon.
= Asa Fassett. Nathaniel Page, Jr.
Privates, Joseph Meads, Jr.
Moses Fitch.
Reuben Bacon.
David Bacon.
* The Commonwealth of Massachusetts managed its own affairs in its own way from its start, in 1629 to 1684. Their charter was annulled by Charles II., in 1684, and Sir Edmund Andros was sent over, who ruled with des- potic power. He was seized and thrust into jail, in 1689. In 1693, under William and Mary, Massachusetts had a new charter, by which the Legislature was in the control of the people, but the Governor was appointed by the King.
66
BEDFORD.
Elijah Bacon.
David Reed.
Timothy Johnson.
Nathan Bowman.
Ephraim Smith.
Asa Duren.
Obediah Johnson.
Benjamin Winship.
William Merriam.
This is a true attested account from Each one before me.
MOSES ABBOTT.
BEDFORD, March 13, 1776.
COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS BAY,
March 14, 1776.
Moses Abbott made solemn oath that this Roll, by him subscribed, is just and true in all its parts.
Before MOSES GILL, Justice Peace.
Throu. the Colony.
IN COUNCIL, March 14, 1776.
Read and allowed and ordered that a warrant be drawn on Ye Treasury for 211. 48. 7d. in full for this roll.
To the above list of "Minute Men" thirty-six miles of travel are credited. and their time of service ranges from four to thirteen days. This roll was made up by Moses Abbott, the next in command to Captain Jonathan Wilson, who was killed in the attack upon the retreating British near Merriam's Corner, April 19, 1775. lle had bravely led his men through the memorable scenes of the early hours of the day, been foremost. in the chase across the Great Fields to intercept the enemy, and fell dead in the severe battle of the afternoon. It is to be regretted that no men- tion is made on this roll of his service and sac- rifice. This unfortunate omission can be ac- counted for in two ways. First, it was some months before this roll was filed and allowed ; and, second, because Capt. Jonathan Wilson, like all the officers of the Minute Men, had not been commissioned. The report of the town treasurer for 1775 allows Moses Abbott, for six days' training with twenty-five Minute Men, eight pounds two shillings. The above list num- bers twenty-five without the fallen captain, prov- ing the truth of a tradition, "that undrilled citi- zens joined the ranks."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.