USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dunstable > History of the town of Dunstable, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year of Our Lord 1873 > Part 13
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
On the 10th of August the town voted to build a school-house and to set it " on the great road and in the centre of the town according to pay & travel." Lieut. Joseph Fletcher was to have £15 for building it. The teachers this year were Susannah Bancroft, Mary Holden, Chloe Bancroft, Jonathan F. Sleeper, Joseph Dix, Aaron Small, and Samuel Smith.
On the 21st of December the town voted that Joseph Dan- forth should not be set off to Tyngsborough, and as a sort of compensation for the loss of persons uniting with that dis- trict, that James Blood and fourteen others, with their lands, should be received from Groton.
153
THE REV. NATHANIEL LAWRENCE.
1790]
The names of the inhabitants received from Groton at this time are as follows : James Blood, Silas Blood, Silas Blood, Jr., Henry Blood, Peter Blood, Caleb Blood, Amaziah Swallow, Caleb Woods, Nathaniel Cummings, Ebenezer Proctor, Silas Marshall, Silas Marshall, Jr., Levi Parker, Isaac Lawrence, Amos Woods, Nehemiah Gilson, and Caleb Woods, Jr.
These persons dwelt along the valley of Unquetynasset Brook. The town voted that the meeting-house should be removed to within thirty rods of the school-house, and £64 were appropriated for that purpose.
At a meeting of the church on the 22d of October, Elijah Robbins and Zebedee Kendall were chosen deacons. It was then voted that "Brother Zebedee Kendall shall Read the Psalm - a Vars at a time," also that he, together with Abra- ham and Jacob Kendall, " be a Committe to acquaint the Singers of their Desire in Regard to Singing."* The hymn- book now in use was the Psalms and Hymns of Dr. Watts, and it appears that the custom of "deaconing out " the lines was still in vogue. Dec. 22 Abraham Kendall and David Taylor were chosen as "Delligates to assist in Council In the ordination at Tyngsborough." A church was formed here, and the Rev. Nathaniel Lawrence (H. C. 1787) was ordained pas- tor, Jan. 6, 1790. This district contained at the time three hundred eighty-two inhabitants, of whom seventeen were colored. Dunstable contained, at the same date, three hun- dred and eighty inhabitants, of whom only one was colored. The Rev. Mr. Lawrence continued as pastor of the church in Tyngsborough until his sudden death, Feb. 5, 1843. He was buried in the old cemetery, about a mile northwest of Tyngs- borough Centre, and the inscription on his headstone is, " In memory of Rev. Nathaniel Lawrence who died on Lord's day, Feb. 5, 1843, aet. 723. Mr. Lawrence was a native of Woburn, Mass. He graduated at Harvard College in 1787, and on Jany 6, 1790, was ordained Pastor of the Congregational Society in Tyngsborough which relation continued 49 years. On the morning of Feb 5 he attended church as usual in
* Church records.
154
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE.
[1791
apparent good health, but on returning to his dwelling very suddenly expired. His death was that of the righteous & his last end like his." His wife Hannah died Sept. 20, 1835, in the seventy-second year of her age, and was buried beside him .*
On the 8th of February, 1790, the town held a meeting at the school-house, and chose a committee to remonstrate against Joseph and Josiah Danforth, Joseph Upton, and John Cum- mings being set off to Tyngsborough.
The church edifice on Meeting House Hill was removed to Dunstable Centre in 1791, and finished in creditable style. A cut of it is presented, and it will be seen that it bore exter- nally a close resemblance to the meeting-house in Mason, N. H.
The land for the site of the building, consisting of one acre and one hundred and thirty rods, was well chosen, and con- veyed by Jonathan Proctor to the town in a deed bearing date Aug. 25, 1790, and it is described as " the land on which the school-house now stands, and bounded beginning at the south- erly corner of said land at a heap of stones by the road, thence running northerly about twenty nine rods to a heap of stones by a black oak tree, thence south forty four degrees west, twenty rods to a heap of stones, thence south six and a half degrees west, eleven rods and a half to a heap of stones by the great road, thence east eleven degrees south by the north side of the said road fourteen rods and a half to a heap of stones first mentioned." The deed contains this condition, "that the Inhabitants of the said Dunstable shall within the term of three years from the date hereof have caused to be erected upon the said land a Meeting House for publick worship and a School House and shall never suffer said land to be destitute of said buildings for more than three years at any time, and that no other building shall ever be erected on said land than such as shall be necessary to accommodate the Inhabitants when attending on Publick Worship."+
* The oldest inscription in this yard is, " Here Lyes buried ye body of Mrs Huldah Thompson, daughter of Mr. Simon Thompson, who died 1752."
t Though the conditions of the deed have not been met, the land is still in the possession of the town.
155
DEDICATION OF THE MEETING-HOUSE.
1793]
On the tenth day of August, 1792, David Fletcher, joiner, gave bonds to Zebulon Blodgett, town treasurer, to finish the meeting-house at or before the first day of July, 1794. He was to build thirty-three pews and a pulpit, "and the breastwork in the gallery not inferior to that in the meeting-house in Tyngsborough."
It was delivered in presence of Joseph and Phineas Fletcher.
By an act of the General Court, passed on the twenty-fifth day of February, 1793, about twenty Groton families living at Unquetynasset were annexed to Dunstable, leaving a bound- ary line with eighty-six angles between the two towns. The transferring of families with their farms, by an Act of the Legislature, from one town to another, that they might enjoy greater educational or religious privileges, has given very crooked boundary lines to many of our towns, and caused much inconvenience. Though parting with some of its people, a town should, on many considerations, retain its land. The act is thus referred to by Mr. Butler : -
" PARTS OF GROTON SET OFF TO DUNSTABLE.
" By an Act of the Legislature passed Feb. 25, 1793, on the petition of sundry inhabitants of the north part of Groton, about twenty families with their estates were taken from Groton and annexed to Dunstable. By this the jurisdictional line between the two towns formed 86 angles, and was attended with much inconvenience. It continued, however, to be the boundary line till Feb. 15, 1820, when by another Act a line was established taking one family and considerable territory from Groton and annexing it to Dunstable and forming but five angles." - Caleb Butler's History of Groton, p. 66.
On the 26th of September, 1793, thirty-two pews in the new meeting-house were sold at public vendue, and Zebedee Kendall and Philip Butterfield were authorized to give titles to the same. Joel and Leonard Parkhurst bid off pew numbered two for the sum of £15, to be used by themselves and heirs " so long as said meeting-house shall remain on the same spot of ground where it now stands."
The edifice was dedicated to the service of God, " agreeable
156
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE.
[1794
to ancient example and more modern practices," on the sec- ond day of October, 1793.
The following ministers were invited to be present, viz. : Mr. Emerson of Hollis, Mr. Chaplin of Groton, Mr. Kidder of Dunstable, N. H., Mr. Lawrence of Tyngsborough, Mr. Blake of Westford, and Mr. Bullard of Pepperell. The latter clergyman preached the sermon, and all the ministers were entertained at Mr. Isaac Taylor's at the cost of the church. On the 4th of November Joel Parkhurst was chosen deacon.
The town this year "granted a bounty of one shilling for every old crow and six pence per head for every young one that may be actually killed within the town." It also allowed Robert Dunn, Oliver Taylor, and others liberty to introduce a Presbyterian minister a part of the time into the pulpit.
PLAN OF DUNSTABLE TAKEN IN OCTOBER, 1794.
" Course and distance of the East line of Dunstable beginning at the southeast corner thence north 2 degrees west 73 rods, thence north 20° W. 25 rods ; thence north 25° west 34 rods ; thence north 34º W. II rods ; thence north 72° W 14 rods ; thence N. 51° W 714 rods ; thence S 30° W 8 rods ; thence W 9º N. 10 rods ; thence N. 10º E 8 rods ; thence E 2º N 93 rods ; thence N 23º E 580 rods ; thence 18º W. 114 rods ; thence S 40° West 70 rods ; thence 6° East 41 rods ; thence W 8º S 43 rods ; thence N. 1º W. 50 rods ; thence N 74 rods ; thence N 30º East 14 rods ; thence E 2º N. 60 rods ; thence W 32º E 93 rods ; thence N 21% E 66 rods to the Province Line.
"Course of distance of the pricked line beginning at Massapog pond thence E 5º N 33 rods ; thence N 80° E. 138 rods ; thence N 2212 E 170 rods ; thence S 23º E 205 rods ; thence E. 2612º N 330 rods ; thence N. 33° W 36 rods ; thence E 8º N 60 rods ; thence N 12 W 24 rods ; thence E 5° N 102 rods ; thence E 2º N 40 rods."
By this plan the town contains 9,584 acres, exclusive of Massapoag Pond and of what is claimed by Tyngsborough. The New Hampshire line is given as running west 82° north four miles and 200 rods. The Massapoag Pond (74 acres) is included almost wholly within the town, and the Groton line touches the Nashua River, near the mouth of Unquetynasset Brook.
Having heard the Rev. Jabez P. Fisher (B. U. 1788) for
157
THE REV. MR. HEYWOOD ORDAINED.
1799]
some time during the year 1794, the church voted, Dec. 4, to extend to him a call to settle ; but for some reason he declined to accept the position.
At the regular town-meeting, March 6, 1797, it was voted to purchase a burying-cloth, and $133.34 were appropriated for the support of the schools. This is the first instance on the town records of the introduction of the decimal currency. On the 18th of March Leonard Parkhurst was appointed a coroner for the county of Middlesex. On the 19th of Novem- ber, 1798, the town extended a call to the Rev. Joshua Hey- wood, of Amherst, to become its minister ; and on the 10th of December following it voted to concur with the church in its choice of Mr. Heywood, and to give him $333 for a settle- ment, and $266.66 for his annual salary. A few persons, not entirely satisfied with the action of the church and town in respect to the settlement of Mr. Heywood, formed themselves into a Baptist society, which had but a brief existence Their action is expressed in the following paper, copied from the town records : -
" Whereas the people of Dunstable that are Congregationalists by pro- fession are about to settle a minister for the Inhabitants of this town, we whose names are hereto subscribed, think that the Baptist profession is much more agreeable to the Scripture of truth, & having formed a Society, we claim it as our right to choose our own teacher, & to con- tract with & pay him without molestation or subordination from any other, agreeably to our conviction.
"Dec. IS, 1798.
"SAMUEL TAYLOR. BENJAMIN SWALLOW.
ZIMRI KENDALL. EBENEZER FRENCH. JOHN INGALLS.
JONAS TAYLOR, Jr. OLIVER CUMMINGS. JONATHAN PROCTOR.
JOSEPH SPAULDING."
The ordination of Mr. Heywood took place on the fifth day of June, 1799, the following ministers taking part in the ser- vices : the Rev. Caleb Blake commenced with prayer ; the Rev. John Bruce preached the sermon, from Mark xvi, 15, 16 ; the Rev. John Bullard made the ordaining prayer ; the Rev. Henry Cummings gave the charge ; the Rev. Daniel Chaplin gave the right hand of fellowship ; and the Rev. Moses Brad-
.
158
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE.
. [1800
ford offered the concluding prayer. The expense to the town for the ordination was $23.
At the incoming of the present century Dunstable was in a prosperous condition. Its population had increased to four hundred and eighty-five persons ; it had a good church edifice, a new and popular minister, and no very serious difficulty agitated the minds of the people.
In April, 1800, the church chose Deacon Zebedee Kendall, Capt. J. Fletcher, and Capt. S. Stevens a committee to attend the meetings of the singing school, for the purpose of choosing leaders, and it also invited all " who are skilled in sacred har- mony to come forward and assist the church in that part of public worship." On the 4th of August the town voted to provide for each of its soldiers who should attend the muster to be held at Concord, 2 lbs. of beef, I lb. of pork, 12 lbs. of cheese, and 4 lbs. of bread made of rye-flour ; also six ounces of powder. It also voted to the company one and a half barrels of cider and eight gallons of West India rum, the whole cost of which articles was $60.20. The following is the roll of the company : -
Captain. JOSIAH CUMINGS.
Lieutenant.
JOSIAH STEVENS.
Ensign.
ABRAHAM SWALLOW.
Sergeants.
JONAS KENDALL. JERAHMEEL C. PRATT.
JEPTHA STEVENS. ISAAC WOODS.
Drummer.
JOSIAH W. BLODGETT.
Fifers.
PHILIP BUTTERFIELD. JAMES CUMINGS.
CALEB READ.
159
A SOCIAL LIBRARY.
1800]
HENRY BLOOD. CALEB BLOOD. JOSEPH BENNETT. THOMAS BENNETT. JEREMIAH CUMINGS.
SAMUEL KENDALL.
JOSEPH PARKHURST, Jr. NATHAN PROCTOR.
PETER PROCTOR.
JAMES PROCTOR.
NATHL CUMINGS, 3. JOHN CUMINGS.
ZACHARIAH RICHARDSON.
MICHEL CARTER.
PARKER STEVENS.
DAVIS CHAPMAN.
SAMSON SWALLOW.
IMLY COREY.
JAMES TAYLOR.
AMOS EASTMAN.
ISAAC TAYLOR, Jr.
JONA EMERSON.
DANIEL TAYLOR.
PHINEHAS FLETCHER.
JOSIAH TAYLOR.
JOSEPH FLETCHER, Jr.
PETER TURRIL.
JOHN FRENCH.
NOAH WOODS.
JOHN FOSTER.
JONAS WOODS.
PETER GILSON.
AMOS WOODS, Jr.
WM. HARDY.
JOHN WRIGHT.
TEMPLE KENDALL, Jr.
EBEN WILLIAMS.
JOSIAH KENDALL.
JOSEPH UPTON.
ZEBEDEE KENDALL.
ABIJAH READ.
Total rank and file, 42.
A social library was established in this town Feb. 17, 1800, and continued, until within a few years, to diffuse intelligence amongst the people. The names of the original shareholders are : -
Capt. JONATHAN FLETCHER. JOEL PARKHURST, Esq. Dea. ZEBEDEE KENDALL. ISAAC WRIGHT. JONAS TAYLOR.
JOSIAH STEVENS. ASA WOODS. JAMES TAYLOR, Jr. Capt. PHILIP BUTTERFIELD.
TEMPLE KENDALL, Jr.
CALEB WOODS.
WM. FRENCH.
SILAS JOHNSON.
JERAHMEEL C. PRATT.
TEMPLE KENDALL.
PETER SWALLOW.
JOSIAH BLODGETT.
Capt. SAML STEVENS.
LEONARD BUTTERFIELD.
ALLEN EMERSON.
OLIVER TAYLOR. Lt. JOHN CHENEY.
DANIEL TAYLOR.
JOHN WRIGHT, 3d.
JEPTHA STEVENS.
JAMES TAYLOR. PETER PROCTOR.
THOMAS BENNETT. TIMOTHY WOODWARD.
Lt. ZEBULON BLODGETT.
JONA WOODWARD, Jr.
NATHI CUMMINGS.
GEORGE BETTERLY.
CYRUS TAYLOR. JONA BENNETT.
JOSIAH KENDALL. JOSEPH KENDALL. Dr. MICAH ELDREDGE.
ZACHARIAH RICHARDSON.
SALLY BUTTERFIELD.
ELIJAH ROBBINS.
160
HISTORY OF DUNSTABI.E.
[1803
AMOS EASTMAN. JERE CUMMINGS. ASA SWALLOW. SAML FLETCHER. JAMES CUMMINGS.
JOEL KEYES. BENJ. KENDALL. LEONARD KENDALL. JAMES SWALLOW.
It continued till 1841.
An agricultural library was subsequently formed in town, but its books, like those of the social library, are now scat- tered among the families. It is to be hoped that measures will soon be taken for the establishment of a permanent town library on a liberal basis.
The town cast thirty-three votes for Joseph B. Varnum and ten for Timothy Bigelow, as representatives to Congress.
In 1801 Isaac Wright, Jonas French, and Nathaniel Cum mings were chosen selectmen. Isaac Wright was chosen town clerk. The town gave forty-eight votes for Elbridge Gerry as governor, and chose the Hon. John Pitts representa- tive to the General Court. In September it voted " to fence their burial ground near Gersham Proctors." It also voted $60 for a bridge over Salmon Brook, and to open a road from Simeon Cummings's house across the said brook. The church, July 2, made choice of Isaac Taylor as one of its deacons ; he declined the office.
The town voted in 1802 to have John Woods, John Woods, Jr., Thomas Bennett, and Ebenezer Proctor (of Groton) an- nexed to Dunstable.
The ensuing year it voted $40 for purchasing a set of weights and measures, and also to raise $30 for the support of a singing school. The territory of the town was divided in five school districts, and cattle and horses were not permitted to run at large. Abraham Swallow, Capt. Jeptha Stevens, and Ensign Peter Proctor, Aug. 29, took the oath of allegiance.
Efforts at various times had been made to introduce the bass- viol into the church service, but serious objections were urged against it. One called it " the Lord's fiddle," and another said he should get up and dance if it came into church. At one meeting it was " voted to suspend the introduction of the Bass Viol for the present on account of an objection made by Lieut.
161
INCORPORATION OF TYNGSBOROUGH.
1 809]
Simeon Cummings"; but on the 20th of March, 1804, the innocent instrument triumphed over all opposition, the church voting that the bass-viol be introduced into the meeting-house on days of public worship, and that those who have skill to use it, bring it and perform on Sabbath days.
The Middlesex Canal, extending from Boston to a point about a mile above Pawtucket Falls, in the Merrimack River, and once considered a grand achievement, was opened this year, and by it transportation of lumber, cattle, and grain from Dunstable to the metropolis was facilitated. The canal was about twenty-seven miles long, thirty feet wide, and three feet deep, and served as a conveyance of merchandise from the Merrimack River to Boston until the opening of the Boston and Lowell Railroad in 1836, when the use of the canal was gradually superseded. Both of these institutions, in turn, advanced the agricultural interests of Dunstable ; and as the people for the most part manufactured their own clothing and supplied their tables from their farms, they did not suffer so much as those of some other towns in the war that followed. They raised more than they consumed, they paid but little regard to fashion, they were industrious, independent, and therefore prosperous.
The town in 1805 provided a book containing the Constitu- tion of the United States for each of its schools, and the next year voted $700 for building five school-houses. A disagree- ment between Phineas Fletcher and the Rev. Mr. Heywood commenced this year, which two or three successive church councils could not remove, and which continued to disturb the harmony of the church for many years. It probably origi- nated in some trivial remark, and increased by its repetition until the whole community became weary of the contest.
In 1807 a man was allowed $1 per day for working on the public roads. The meeting-house had not been entirely com- pleted, and it was voted in April "to sell ground for pews therein."
The district of Tyngsborough was incorporated as a town Feb. 28, 1809, and the population of Dunstable was thereby greatly diminished.
II
162
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE. [18II
In May, 1810, the town chose for the first time a regular school committee to visit and examine the schools in con- secutive order. The following persons were chosen : Paul Thorndike, Edmund Page,* Nathaniel Cummings, Micah El- dredge, and Jonathan Bennett. It voted, Dec. 3, "to purchase a hearse for the town's use." The number of inhabitants at this time was 475. Capt. Jonas Kendall was the commander of the soldiers, whose names are contained in the following list : -
I, the subscriber, do request of the Selectmen of the town of Dunstable the quantity of powder allowed the soldiers by law. The following list contains the number of Soldiers in said town :-
JONATHAN BENNETT,
CLARK PARKER.
AMAZIAH SWALLOW,
Seargents.
JAMES PROCTOR.
JOHN PROCTOR,
LEVI PARKER.
FRANCIS FLETCHER,
NATHAN PROCTOR.
JONA. PROCTOR.
JOHN PRATT.
ELIJAH CHAPMAN.
WILLARD ROBBINS.
MARK FLETCHER.
SAML. ROBY.
JOHN CUMMING.
JOSEPH W. ROBY.
ISAAC CUMMING.
DAVID SWALLOW.
DAVIS CHAPMAN, Jr.
ARCHELAUS SWALLOW.
KENDALL CHENEY.
KENDALL SWALLOW.
JOHN FRENCH.
JAMES SWALLOW.
WM. FRENCH.
ABEL SPAULDING, Jr.
NEHEMIAH GILSON.
JAMES TAYLOR.
OLIVER GILSON.
CYRUS TAYLOR.
RICHARD HARRINGTON.
ISAAC TAYLOR, Jr.
JAMES INGALLS.
SAMUEL TAYLOR.
JOSEPH KENDALL, Jr.
ASA WOODS.
SAML. KENDALL. LEVI KEMP.
WILLIAM WOODS.
JOEL KEYES.
ISAAC WOODS.
PEABODY KEYES.
GEORGE WRIGHT.
ASA LAWRENCE.
OLIVER WILLOUGHBY.
EDMUND PAGE.
JONAS KENDALL, Capt.
DUNSTABLE, Oct. 4, 1810.
HENRY WOODS.
By the State law passed in 1811, permitting persons to attend and support the worship of any denomination instead
* He kept a store and tavern in the centre of the town, and held various public offices.
ISII]
PROPOSITION OF MR. HEYWOOD.
163
of that of the town, it was feared that by the withdrawal of many attendants on the ministry of Mr. Heywood the burden of taxation might become very heavy on those that remained, and he, therefore, in a communication to the town, generously proposed to relinquish as much of his salary as would equal the amount of the deficit under the operation of the new law. The committee appointed to attend to this matter brought in their report as follows :-
The committe chosen by the town of Dunstable at their last meeting Sept. 2, 1811, to represent to and consult with the Rev. Joshua Heywood respecting the State of public worship in the town, have attended to that service and offer the following statements of the Revr Mr Heywood as their report.
DUNSTABLE, Sept 14, ISII.
ZEBEDEE KENDALL, - Comm
MICAH ELDREDGE,
NATHANIEL CUMINGS, ittee.
JOHN CHENEY.
TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF DUNSTABLE.
Gentlemen, Whereas your Committee chosen by you in town meeting the 2d of September 1811, have represented to, and consulted with me on the situation of the town respecting public worship, and having represented to me that there are, in the minds of many apprehensions of pecuniary embar- rassments in consequence of an Act passed at the last session of the General Court of this Commonwealth relating to religious freedom ; I do with their advice and concurrence, make the following statement to you : -
As I did in my answer to the call given me to settle as a gospel minis- ter in this place bring to your view the impropriety of making the stipulation between a people and their minister, a matter of pecuniary speculation and as you complyed with it; I ever thought that we were bound on both sides, never to do any such thing. I do therefore now most solemnly record my protest against it.
But conceiveing it to be duty of a people and their minister to be always helpfull to each other ; under all difficulties and embarrassments ; to per- form this duty therefore towards you now labouring under apprehensions of embarrassment I propose to you that provided the said Act of the General Court, above mentioned, shall not be repealed ; but be put in execution to your damage, so that your ministerial taxes shall be increased thereby ; upon the valuations of your estates ; and provided there shall be a majority of the town, who attend the public worship of GOD with the Congregational Church of Christ, as heretofore done in the house now
164
HISTORY OF DUNSTABLE.
[1812
built for that purpose, under the regular administration thereof ; which by divine Providence shall be provided, I will relinquish so much of my salery for the present year, as the increase upon their ministerial taxes shall be ; The year to begin the first of March, 1811, and end the first of March, 1812. That no encouragement be taken herefrom by parties to the damage of the town, I reserve the consideration of any relinquishment in future years, to my own judgement of the circumstances which may then exist.
My design and intent, in this proposal and engagement is to relieve the town from their present apprehension and embarrassment, and to have them attend on the public worship of GOD in as orderly and regu- lar manner as they can under the present difficulties, and to prevent the introduction of such irregularities as would be to the damage of the town and church.
If this proposal give satisfaction to your minds, and meet your approba- tion and you use your endeavours to carry the things proposed into effect, then this instrument by me signed shall be in full force, otherwise it shall be void and of no effect.
DUNSTABLE, Sept. 11th 1811.
JOSHUA HEYWOOD.
A few soldiers from Dunstable engaged in what was called Mr. Madison's war of 1812, and it will be seen by the follow- ing paper that the town supplied them with ammunition : -
SOLDIERS OF THE WAR OF 1812.
DUNSTABLE, July 1, 1812.
We the subscribers have each received of the Selectmen of the Town of Dunstable twenty-four cartridges with balls, also two flints each, it being in full of our respective shares of the town stock, which we severally promise to return to the said Selectmen at the expiration of the term for which we are engaged, if the same shall not be actually expended in the service of the United States : -
JESSE BLOOD, Corp. OLIVER GILSON. ABEL JOHNSON. BENJAMIN WETHERBEE.
JOHN PRATT. NATHAN PROCTOR. HENRY WOODS.
In addition to the above, Peter Kendall went into the war, came home sick, and hired Nehemiah Gilson as a substitute. Noah Woods enlisted, and served through the whole war. Isaac Gilson, Jonathan Woodward, Jr., Jonathan Swallow, Jr., and Samuel Kendall were in the war. Jonathan Emerson and
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.