USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > History of the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, comprising also a history of Lunenburg, from its first settlement to the year 1764 (1836) > Part 8
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Groton, Shirley, Townsend, Lunenburg and Fitchburg com- posed one district. I have thought it might prove interesting to mention the prices which were affixed to some of the most important articles, by the committee of these towns.
Labor of men in summer per day $0,50
do in winter - 0,25
A carpenter or housewright per day
. 0,50
Wheat per bushel
1,11
Rye do -
.
0,73
Corn do
-
0,56
Oats do
- 0,33
Pork per lb.
- 0,06
Butter do
0,12 1-2
Beef do
0,06
Potatoes per bushel
0,17
Good sheep's wool per lb. -
0,33
Men's stockings of the best quality
1,00
Men's shoes
1,33
Lamb, mutton and veal per lb.
0,0-1 1-2
Hay per ton
10,00
Pine boards per thousand -
3,67
Clapboards do
10,67
Wheat flour per 100 1b.
0,17
For a dinner with only one of these
0,15 1-2
For a mug of West India flip
0,12 1-2
Good cider per barrel
1,83
Men tailors per day
0,12
Women tailors per day
0,15 1-2
Yard wide cotton cloth
0,58
House maids per week
0,42
Horse for one person to ride per mile
- 0,03 1-3
There are indications that at this period (1777) the town be- gan to grow weary of its burdens. There was no prospect of an immediate termination of the war-no prospect of better
1
3,67
For a dinner boiled & roasted
0,14
For a mug of N. E. flip
75
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
times.' The inhabitants were dilatory in furnishing their quotas of continental soldiers. The great bounty required for enlistments seemed too enormous to be offered. Those who felt disposed to go forth to the field of battle, looked upon their families, and saw that they must be left to poverty and want, unlesss they could depend upon the bounties for support. Of specie but little was the country, and paper money was rapidly depreciating in value. The resources of the country seemed to be nearly exhausted. It is not surprising, therefore, that the stoutest heart at times yielded to despondency. Yet there is one thing truly surprising. Amid all this gloom, when all were disheartened at the prospect before them, there were no general murmurs heard, as of old among the children of Israel, sighing for the "flesh pots of Egypt"-no vain regrets that they had departed from under the protection of the British crown. On the contrary, the utmost vigilance was exercised to spy out, and hold up to public scorn the man who dared to show the least symptom of disaffection towards the American cause.
It was during this year that Phinehas Hartwell, whom, in the language of the Records, the town presumed to be firmly attached to the American cause, was appointed a committee to procure and lay before a special Court of Sessions of the Peace, "the evidence that may be bad of the inimical disposition, tow- ards this or any of the United States, of any inhabitant of this town, who shall be charged by the freeholders, and other in- habitants of said town." Indeed, not only was enmity to the cause severely punished, but persons exhibiting lukewarmness were watched with a suspicious eye. Every one had to come up to the mark prescribed by public opinion, or expose himself to the effects of popular indignation. More than one inhabit- ant of this town was threatened with a coat of tar and feath- ers, and even with the destruction of his house. Such per- sons had to walk very circumspectly to shelter themselves from ebulitions of popular feeling. They were even compelled to mount the head of a barrel, and in this conspicuous though humbling condition, promise to the assembled majesty of the town, a greater love for the American cause and a more strict obedience to the will of the people. Among this unfortunate class was our old friend, Thomas Cowdin, who, though in oth- er respects a very popular man, and a very noted inn-keeper, was shorn of all his municipal honors in 1775, and was not again admitted to the confidence of the town till towards the close of the war. ''This summary process induced those who entertained inimical dispositions, to keep their opinions to . themselves.
.
76
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Though the burthen of the war was now pressing heavily upon a town, which was not highly favored in the possession of worldly goods, the people did not despair of the cause of In- dependence. They continued to labor steadily to the utmost of their ability, and this year (1777) voted to raise $263 for purchasing guns and ammunition for the town's use. In com- pliance with an act of the General Court, they chose a com- mittee, who had full power and authority to supply with the necessaries of life, at the town's expense, all those families of the soldiers, who were engaged in the Continental service.
The wretched state of the currency at this time was render- ed still worse by the improvident attempts of the Legislature to remedy it. The General Court passed an act for putting large sums of the bills of credit, emitted by this State, on in- terest, and sinking certain sums, less than ten pounds, in the possessors' hands,-and prohibiting the circulation, of the bills of any of the United States under a penalty of five pounds .- The town was opposed to this act, and sent to the General Court a remonstrance to that effect.
In May, 1778, the town approved of the "articles of Confeder- ation sent out by the Continental Congress." At this time the new State Constitution was submitted to the people for their approbation or disapprobation. The vote in this town was as follows - For the Constitution, 22 against it, 1. . The Gener- al Court, at this period, called for four men for the Continent- al army, and allowed the town $400 for this purpose. The town treasurer was directed to give his note for the sum of $100 to each soldier, or to borrow the money on the town's credit.
At the close of this year (1778) the period of the war of the Revolution was half completed. It is impossible for us to re- alize, at the present day, how completely that struggle called into exercise every resource and the whole energy of every- individual throughout the community. How low soever might be his condition, and however scanty might be his means of supporting himself and his family, every man was called upon to act-to do to the utmost of his ability, or to rest under the imputation of being a tory.
They, who had money and the means of supplying the nec- essaries of an army, were compelled, not only by public opin- ion but every legal power which an overwhelming majority could exert, to pour forth their wealth in aid of the common cause. They, whom poverty marks as exempts, in ordinary cases, from any onerous services in their country's cause, could not now escape the all-searching requisition. The possession
ilQuodT
77
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
of physical strength was sufficient to call forth the poorest day laborer, though clothed in rags, and require of him the nerve of his right arm, to aid in the defence of his country.
The exertions made by the people of this town, in the early part of the war, while the enemy were in possession of Boston, have already been mentioned. Their entire military strength was put in requisition. Their enthusiasm was at its height, and the pay was good. After this period the necessity of adopting some regular system was felt. The General Court required the town to furnish a certain number of men, whenever the State was called upon to make out a quota. These men were se- lected by a committee, and a bounty was paid to them, which was assessed by a general rate upon the town. In the latter years of the war, it was proposed by the Legislature and adop- ted in this town, to divide the people into classes-each class consisting of about twelve or fourteen individuals, according to their wealth. The person first named in each class was en- trusted with the keeping of its accounts and the general man- agement of its concerns. Whenever the town was called up- on for soldiers, the classes were required to furnish a man in rotation-the burthen being equalized among them as nearly as possible. When called upon to furnish a man for three years or during the war, they were obliged to offer him, 'over and above' what he would receive from the United States, as a soldier's pay, the sum of $300 as a bounty ; and as the cur- rency was fluctuating and nearly worthless, the notes were made payable in produce at a market value. When no one of a class was willing to volunteer on these conditions, it was usual to hire some other individual. When this could not be done, the members of a class were compelled to cast lots among themselves, to determine who of them should go ; and he, up- on whom the unlucky lot fell, had to shoulder his musket and march, or find a substitue at some rate. This sometimes hap- pened to one, whose little property could scarcely survive the shock of taking from it the sum of one, two, or three hundred dollars to hire a substitute.
Notes were frequently given in these cases, which after- wards came before the town, with strong arguments and pow- erful appeals from those who were compelled to pay them, showing the manifest injustice that a single individual should be required to pay, towards supporting the common cause, so much more than his townsmen generally ; and the town was accordingly asked to pay those notes, by an assessment upon the inhabitants.
It was frequently voted to ascertain what each individual
78
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
had done towards supporting the war, and to equalize the bur- then ; but unfortunately they could get no farther than this .- The demands upon the town had been so frequent, and taxes of course so heavy, that generosity "towards one another was not to be expected. The reports of committees, chosen to in- vestigate this subject, were laid before the town, and immedi- ately voted down or not accepted. Each one previous to an investigation, seemed to think that his sacrifices had exceeded those of his neighbor ; but when a report had been made, and it appeared that a majority would be called upon to pay, in- stead of receiving, something, the fate of such a report is not surprising.
The average of the number of men, which the town kept in the field from this period till the close of the war, is not accu- rately known-but it was not far from fifteen or twenty .- This must have brought upon the several classes an expense of at least $4000.
If the records be examined to ascertain what sums the town paid, in its corporate capacity, towards defraying the expenses of the war, during the last five years of its continuance, the subject will be attended with considerable difficulty. The currency, in which the taxes were assessed, varied monthly. But from certain known data, an approach may be made tow- mdo the refund cam, During these five yours, there were paid for 1400 pounds of beef, for clothing for the army, and for the hire of soldiers whom the town, in its corporate capacity, cm- ployed, about $7250. This sum was assessed upon the whole town, in addition to large sums which the several classes were obliged to pay for soldiers, hired by them respectively.
Let it be remembered also that, at this time, when all kinds of business had been brought nearly to a stand by the opera- tion of the war, when specie was almost unknown throughout the country, and the paper currency was but little better than so much brown paper, the ordinary expenses of the town- such as the support of the minister, of schools, of the high ways and bridges, &c. &c .- bore with extreme rigor upon the inhabitants.
At the commencement of the war, gold and silver were scarce articles ; and it was soon found, that if something could not be devised as a substitute for the precious metals, the pat- riots must give up the contest, and surrender all hope of gain- ing Independence. Congress ordered the issuing of notes or bills to a large amount, promising to redeem them at a conve- nient season. This currency, called Continental Money, soon
79
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
came into extensive circulation. The bills, instead of being executed in the masterly style of our bank note engravings, were rude, coarse prints on coarser paper, and consequently were easily counterfeited. The British, actuated by the doub- le motive of making money, and ruining the credit of our gov- ernment, flooded the country with counterfeits, so well executed that they could not be distinguished from the true ones. In 1777 the bills began to depreciate; and all intelligent men soon saw that it would be impossible for the government ever to fulfil their pledge of redeeming them. The government not being able, or not choosing, to devise any other means to raise the credit of the bills, in an evil hour made them a legal tender for the payment of all debts due.
The consequences of this measure may be seen at a glance. Never, since the time of the flood, were debtors more ready and anxious to pay their debts, or creditors more unwilling to receive their money. Of money, such as it was, there was no scarcity, and miserably poor was he who could not count his thousands. Then was the sun of prosperity darkened upon the prospects of those, upon whom it is usually supposed to shine with peculiar favor. I refer to the lenders of money .- Hundreds, who before were in comfortable, if not affluent, cir- eumstances-more than supported by the income of their mon- ey-experienced the singular satisfaction of having every debt paid them, and, while gazing upon their masses of money, re- flecting that they were reduced to poverty.
Elias Haskell, who has already been mentioned as once having owned all the land, on which our pleasant village now stands, beside other tracts in the town, was one who, by this measure, was reduced from affluence to poverty.
If this sacrifice of so many men's property was made for the American cause, ought not the sufferers to have been indem- nified by our government? Many a soldier, who, instead of sacrificing any property, received adequate pay for his servi- ces, has been favored with a pension ; but who has been heard to lift up a voice in pleading the cause of those who sacrificed their thousands?
It may be interesting at this time to give a slight sketch of the rate of the depreciation of this currency. On the first of January, 1777, it was at par. First of Jan. 1778, $1,00 specie was worth $1,50 Continental ; first of Jan. 1779, $1,00 specie was worth $8,33 Continental ; first of Jan. 17S0, $1,00 specie was worth $32,50 Continental. At a town meeting in Feby. 1780, it was voted that the inhabitants should be allow- ed three dollars per hour for their labor on the highways .-
S0
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
At the same meeting it was voted to raise the sum of $S000 to assist in supporting the families of continental soldiers .- In July, it was voted to raise $166,666.00 to hire soldiers with. In the October following, a committee of the town con- tracted for 4500 pounds of beef, and agreed to pay $26,000 for it, or at a rate of more than $5,00 per lb. In March, 1781, Phinehas Sawyer and John Carter were chosen collectors of taxes ; and refusing to serve in that capacity, they were sever- ally fined by the town in the sum of $900-which was con- sidered equal to $10, the usual fine in such cases. At the same meeting the town appropriated the sum of $20,000 for the repair of high ways, and allowed each person $5 per hour for his labor.
Rev. John Payson, then minister of the town, who was set- tled on the original sum of 60l. came very near to being starv- ed, though the poor man could not complain that his salary was not paid very promptly. Yet he was not suffered to come to absolute want, for in March, 177S, the town chose a com- mittee to carry a subscription paper among the inhabitants, that they might contribute "the necessaries of life or any thing they pleased" for his support. The committee reported that Mr. Payson expressed himself as "well satisfied with what the town had done." In October of the same year he received $1000, and in November, $266 more (equivalent, in all, to nearly $181) as his salary. In 1790, the town voted to pay him $11,000, to make up the depreciation which had already or- enreed, Every one will see that, with a currency su fletun- ting as this, all business must come to a stand, unless another 'circulating medium' be devised. And such was the case .- Notes were generally given to pay to the bearer so many bush- els of corn or rye. Sometimes they promised to pay m "hard money." When in 1731 "nine continental men" were called for, the town voted to pay them each $100 in 'hard money,' and an agent was despatched to Boston to borrow the same on the town's credit. This year the town paid John Thurston 106 bushels of corn "for the services of his son Stephen in the continental army.
In May, 1779, the town voted unanimously (casting 45 votes) in favor of a new State Constitution. In August, Capt. Thomas Cowdin was chosen a delegate to attend a convention which was to meet at Cambridge, on the Ist. of Sept. for the purpose of forming a new State Constitution. At the same time Dr. Thaddeus McCarty was appointed a delegate to a convention at Worcester, for the purpose of regulating the pri- ces of commodities and articles in general use. The town vo-
81
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
ted to abide by the prices established by this convention, but in; a short time individuals saw fit to fix their own prices to their articles, and the labor of the convention fell to the ground.
In May 1780, the present Constitution of the State was sub- mitted to the people for their'consideration. The inhabitants of Fitchburg voted unanimously (65 votes) in ¿favor of adopt- ing it.
In September, votes were given for Governor. John Hancock received 63 votes, and James Bowdoin, 1.
In October, Capt. Thomas Cowdin was chosen to represent the town in the first General Court under the new Constitu- tion.
In 1781 and '2, Rev. Mr. Payson received 1001. in "hard money" as his salary, but subsequently it was reduced to the former sum of 661. 13s. 8d.
In Sept. 1782, David McIntire was chosen a delegate to the Convention at Worcester, assembled "to take into considera- tion the grievances Worcester County labored under"-and in March, 1784, he was appointed to attend a convention at the same place, called by request of the town of Sutton.
In Jan. 1784, the town appropriated the sum of 4741. 13s. 4d .- "the first moiety of the continental tax, granted by the General Court, May, 1782," and in May it was voted to raise 80l. "to discharge an execution in the hands of the high sher- iff against the town for deficiency of beef."
I have already spoken of the difficulty of our attaining, at the present day, to an exact computation of the expenses, and forming a correct idea of the exertions, which the war of the Revolution caused to the people of this town. All calcula- tions, based on data derived from the town Records, can be on- ly an approximation to the actual amount. From 1778 to 1783-the last five years of the war-a period in which there occurred many events of sufficient interest to call out the whole body of voters-I can find no town meeting, at which there appeared to be more than 70 voters. The town contains now seven times that number. Let it be remembered that, at that time, between the dwelling house of Jonas Marshall and the Old City there was not a single building. The whole of the village where there is now so much wealth-where the in- habitants are clustered so thickly together-was then consid- ered worth only a few dollars. If the wealth and resources of the town, at the present time, be estimated as ten times greater than at that period, it will not be far from the truth. If then the amount, which the people then contributed annually, bo K
82
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
multiplied by ten, would not the product form a tax, which would be considered enormous? and this, too, when it was so difficult to meet the current expenses of the town, and whey the expenses of the 'classes' for hiring soldiers and procuring substitutes were so great.
To learn what the Revolutionary war cost this country, we must search minutely into the history of each town. We there may see what difficulties were encountered, and what generous sacrifices were made. To say that the people of this town bore themselves gallantly through the war, is not saying enough-though their exertions did not exceed those of their neighbors. They continued to exhibit a firmness, a devoted- ness to the cause they had espoused, which was every way worthy of our fathers. There were a few indeed who looked with an eye of coldness upon the attempt of the patriots. They feared that the colonies, weak and unprovided as they were, would not be able to contend successfully with the gigantic power of Great Britian ; or the sentiment of loyalty was so firmly fixed in their minds, that they beheld with horror any attempts to subvert the authority of their king. Such were compelled to yield to the mighty current of public opinion, and contribute their share, however unwillingly, to promote the common cause.
1
But the troubles, above enumerated, were not all which this town had to contend with, during the struggle for Indepen- dence. The Small Pox,-that pestilential and terrible disease now happily disarmed of its terrors-was then considered one of the most dreadful maladies, that ever afflicted the human family. This disease made its appearance here in 1776, and spread an alarm far and near. Vaccination, or innoculation for the kine pox, as a preventive for the small pox, was then unknown in this country. The only means then known to prevent the ravages of this fatal disease, was innoculation f r the small pox. The disease even then was sometimes fatal, and equally infectious as when taken in the natural way. It was necessary, therefore, that a place remote from the habita- tions of men, should be selected, where they, who attempted to avert the fatality of the small pox by innoculation for the same disease, might repair during the period of sickness.
Dr. Thaddeus McCarty, a physician of this town, in con- nexion with Dr. Israel Atherton, a distinguished physician of Lancaster, established a hospital for this purpose, on Buck hill, so called, in the rear of Philip F. Cowdin's dwelling house, in the year 1776. To this place the people of this and the neighboring towns repaired, and had the small pox by in-
83
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
noculation. Notwithstanding all precautions, several died here ; and instead of being carried to the grave-yards of their respective towns, they were buried on the hill on which they died. This was owing to a foolish notion, then prevalent, that if these remains should ever be disturbed, they would commu- nicate the dreaded disease to any one that might come in con- tact with them. Of the large number of patients who were here, it is not known that more than five died. If any should take the trouble to visit the place, they may find in the skirts of the wood, a single grave, the headstone of which bears this inscription-"Josiah Fairbanks of Lancaster died March 12th 1777."
Dr. McCarty, it appears, labored incessantly to alleviate the pains of those who were suffering under this loathsome disor- der, and to allay the fears of those who were well. For his exertions in this praiseworthy cause, the good people of the town showed their gratitude by propagating a report that ei- ther he, or his friends, introduced the disease into the place for the purpose of giving him a good business.
Dr. Thaddeus McCarty was a son of Rev. Thaddeus McCar- ty of Worcester, and came into this town in 1772 or '3. He was then a young man, and the first physician who resided in this place. He married a daughter of Capt. Thomas Cowdin, and lived in the house now occupied by one or more families of color in the Old City. He was a man of good education, and reputed to have been skilful in his profession. So long as he remained in the town he had great influence in public af- fairs. He removed from this town to Worcester in 1781 .- Remaining there a short time, he went to Keene, N. H. com- menced business as a trader there, and in a few years died. His only child, a daughter, is the wife of John Stiles, a weal- thy citizen of Worcester.
The first store, opened in this town, was kept by Dea. E .- phraim Kimball. This took place about the year 1772. The store was in a part of his dwelling house, which stood where the Stone Factory now stands. After trading here several years he commenced purchasing real estate, and lived on sev- eral farms, which he successively bought. In 1794, he, in connexion with Jonas Marshall (as has been mentioned in an- other place) built a dam and a saw-mill where the red or Roll- stone Factory now is. In 1797, he built the house where Daniel Tuttle now lives, and there he spent the remainder of his days.
Joseph Fox, Esq. came into this town from Littleton, in 1772, and occupied a part of the Boutelle house. He was a
84
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
shoemaker by trade, and rlied himself to his calling for some little time in his dwelling house. He commenced trading by bringing goods in his saddle-bags from Boston, and retailing them from his shoemaker's bench. Soon after this he open- ed the red store, which constituted one in the block. of old buildings, which stood between the main road and the Stone Factory. He was a man of great influence in the town, and died a few years since, after having acquired a large property.
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