USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Freetown > History of the town of Freetown, Massachusetts : with an account of the Old Home Festival, July 30th, 1902 > Part 7
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ANDREW LAWTON, son of Job G. and Polly ( Strange ) Lawton, was born in Freetown, April 6, 1825. He en- tered the U. S. Navy as 3d Assistant Engineer, June 24, 1850. Was on duty in the Coast Survey 1850-51, and on the Steamer "Waterwitch" in the Home Squadron. He was promoted to 2d Asst. Engineer Feb. 26, 1851. In 1852-53 he was attached to the Frigate "Saranac." On May 21, 1853, he was promoted to 1st Asst. Engineer. In 1:54-55 he was on the Frigate "San Jacinto," engaged in Coast Survey. During 1856-58 he was in the East Indian Squadron, and was on special duty in Boston in 1859-60.
His commission as Chief Engineer was dated April 23, 1859, In 1860-61 he was attached to Steamship "Hart-
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ford," in the West Gulf Squadron. He was on special duty at Taunton, Mass., in 1862, and in 1863-65 was on special duty at Boston Navy Yard, and at Wilmington, Delaware.
Chief Engineer of the "Hartford," the Flagship of the Asiatic Squadron in 1866-68 : in 1869, he was ordered. as Chief Engineer, to the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and died while on duty there, March 17, 1871.
JOHN W. MARBLE, son of John H. and Mary (Teal) Marble, was born in Somerset, Mass., March 1, 1826. He was educated in Somerset schools, and learned a ship car- penter's and joiner's trade. He came to Freetown in 1847 to work as a ship carpenter and settled here permanently, taking up a contractor and builder's business. He joined Company G, 3rd Regt. M. V. M. at its inception, and was elected 3d Lieut. June 29, 1850; 1st Lieut. June 14, 1851; Captain April 29, 1854. He resigned in April 1855; re-enlisted as private May 8, 1855, and was appointed Ist Sergt. He resigned May 20, 1857, and took his place in the ranks ; was appointed 1st. Sergt. Jan. 24, 1859; elected 2d Lieut. July 2, 1859 and Captain July 21, 1860. He commanded the com- " pany in the "Minute Men's" service at Fortress Monroe in 1861, being mustered out July 22, 1861, at Long Island, Boston Harbor. He was
CAPT. JOHN W. MARBLE.
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elected captain of Company A, 3d Mass. Vols. and mustered in Sept. 23, 1862. He served throughout the North Carolina cam- paign, being a part of the time commander of detached troops at Gaines Mill and at Deep Gully. He was mustered out June 26 1863, at Camp "Joe Hooker" in Lakeville, Mass. Captain Mar- ble was the leader in raising the 22nd Unat- tached Company, Mass. Vols., and was GEN. EBENEZER W. PIERCE. commissioned Captain and mustered in Aug. 18, 1864. He served with that Company in the 100 days' campaign. After the war he again took up the business of carpenter and builder. He built Anthony & Swift's Abattoir and ice houses at the Forge in Freetown in 1871, and for more than twenty years was superintendent of that business. Captain Marble was always prominent in all public mat- ters in town, being a power in politics, and in 1881 was elected a member of the Massachusetts Legislature from the 6th District of Bristol County. He married Hannah J. DeMoranville July 4, 1848. Their children-Betsey P., born Aug. 23, 1854; Mary T., Oct. 27, 1855; John W., March 3, 1858; Henry W., Feb. 15, 1860. Capt. Marble died June 18, 1900.
EBENEZER W. PIERCE, son of Ebenezer and Joanna (Weaver) Pierce, was born April 10, 1822, and was edu- cated in Freetown schools and Andover Academy. He inherited a fine property, largely real estate, and engaged
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in sheep raising. He enlisted in the 4th Artillery, M. V. M. in 1843. He was elected Major of the same Aug. 31, 1844, and Lieut .- Colonel Sept. 5, 1846. He enlisted in Company G, 3d Regt. M. V. M. June 8, 1850, He became Captain of same June 29, 1850; Major of 3d Regt. Aug. 3, 1851 ; Lieut .- Col. April 2, 1852. He was commis- sioned Brig .- General 2d Brigade, 1st Div. M. V. M. Nov. 7. 1855. He responded to Lincoln's call April 15, 1861 and served three months. He commanded the Union
RESIDENCE OF GEN EBENEZER W PEIRCE.
troops at the battle of Big Bethel Va .- the first battle of the war-June 10, 1861. He was commissioned Colonel of the 29th Regt. Mass. Vols. Dec. 13, 1861, and stationed at Newport News, Va. In May 1862 Col. Pierce with his regiment took part in the expedition to Norfolk and Suf- folk, Va. He joined the Army of the Potomac in June, 1862 at White House Landing and was attached to Meagher's Irish Brigade, Richardson's Div., Sumner's
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Corps. June 30, 1862, in the seven days retreat across the Peninsular, while resting at Nelson's Farm near White Oak Swamp, the enemy suddenly opened upon the Divis- ion with artillery. Several hundred mules that had been unhitched from the supply train, to water, stampeded and threw the troops into confusion. Before order was restored several of the 29th Regiment were killed and wounded, including Col. Pierce, who lost his right arm at the shoul- der. He went to Massachusetts to recover, and again joined his regiment at Harper's Ferry, Va., Oct. 8, 1862. On Nov. 19, 1862, he was detailed for recruiting service in Massachusetts. He rejoined the regiment March 21, 1863, at Newport News, Va., and accompanied it to Paris, Ky. He was on detached duty-commanding post at Paris-and on recruiting service in Massachusetts from April 26 to August 29, 1863, when he again joined the regiment, going with it to East Tennessee, where he remained until March 1864. Then the regiment re-enlisted for three years and all were granted a thirty days' furlough. On May 16, 1864, Col. Pierce with his regiment left Boston, Mass., and joined the Army of the Potomac at Cold Harbor, Va., May 29, 1864. On July 23, 1864, he obtained leave of absence and returned to Massachusetts, where he remained on sick leave until Oct. 24, 1864, when he rejoined his regiment at Petersburg, Va. He resigned his commission as colonel Nov. 8, 1864, and returned home.
After the war he was appointed Revenue Collector but not confirmed. He also travelled West and South speculating in real estate unsuccessfully. Returning to Assonet he passed the remainder of his days in no especial business. He served one term on the board of selectmen of Freetown. Col. Pierce married Irene I. Payne of Free- town, and they had one son, Palo Alto Pierce, born Jan. 22, 1853. On May 1, 1875, Mrs. Pierce obtained a divorce from Col. Pierce. On April 5, 1892, he married Ida E. Gardner. He died Aug. 14, 1902.
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WILLIAM READ, son of John and Rosamond (Hath- away) Read, was born in Freetown, March 13, 1809, and was educated in the public schools of Freetown. He com- menced to go to sea early in life, and became a master mariner before he was 30 years of age. When the Southerners seceded he commanded a mer- chant vessel in the south- ern trade, and was at Darien, Ga., the last of April, 1861. While he was loading a cargo of lumber, one evening he overheard a part of a plan to take his vessel; so in the night he slipped quietly out of the river and put to sea
and came home. He had with him at that time his son, Charles H., CAPT. WILLIAM READ who afterwards served in the 58th Mass. Vols. When he reached home he found that his son Edward E. had gone South with Company G, 3d M. V. M. On the 22d of Nov., 1864, Capt. Read was appointed Acting Ensign and Pilot and attached to the Ironclad Passaic of the South Atlantic Blockading Squad- ron. He served until June 13, 1865, when his services were no longer required. After the war he again engaged in maritime business until his death. He was drowned in Assonet Bay July 8, 1870. Capt. Read married Eliza Sta- ples April 28, 1838. Their children-Rosamond A., born Jan. 13, 1839, William H. H., May 12, 1841, Edward E. and Ellen E. (twins) Feb. 7, 1843, Charles H., Jan. 28, 1845, Helen M., Feb. 15, 1848, Irving W., March 29, 1850, Ella J., Feb. 17, 1853.
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SILAS PEIRCE RICHMOND, son of Isaac and Lucinda (Peirce) Richmond, was born in Freetown June 19, 1831, on the Richmond Homestead, which has been owned in the family continuously since 1775. Educated in the pub- lic schools of Free- town and at Peirce Academy, Middle- boro, he engaged in farming and lumber business in early life. He enlisted in Com- pany G, 3d Regt. M. V. M. in May, 1850. He was appointed cor- poral in April 1851; commissioned 4th Lieut. of same com- pany in August, 1551 ; 3d Lieut. in August, 1853; 1st Lieut. in May, 1854; Captain in May, 1855; Major and Brigade Inspector 2d Brig. M. V. M. July COL. SILAS P. RICHMOND. 29, 1856. He was in Kansas in 1857-8, and served with John Brown in repelling the Border Ruffians. He returned to Massachusetts and was appointed Aid-de-Camp, 2d Bri- gade, M. V. M., Sept. 15, 1858, and in that capacity responded to the call for the "Minute Men" April 15, 1861, serving at Fortress Monroe and Hampton, Va., taking part in the battle of Big Bethel June 10, 1861. At the end of that campaign he returned to Massachusetts and was honorably discharged. On the 8th of May, 1862, he was commissioned Lieut .- Colonel, 3d Regt. M. V. M., and as such responded to the call to reinforce the Army of the Potomac at the time of General Banks' retreat in the Shenandoah Valley. In July, 1862, he was ordered by
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Gov. Andrew to reorganize and recruit the 3d Regt. M. V. M. to the maximum for service in the field. He completed that work and the regiment was mustered into the U. S. service, 1040 strong, Sept. 15, 1862. He was commis- sioned as Colonel of the 3d Regt. Oct. 7, 1862, and on Oct. 22, 1862, he proceeded with the regiment by steamer to Newbern, N. C. During that campaign, he participated in the Battles of Kingston, White-hall, Goldsboro, Deep Gully, Blounts Creek and in repelling the bombardment of Newbern, N. C., he commanded a brigade a part of the time. At the end of this term of service he returned to
-
RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL RICHMOND 1775, ISAAC RICHMOND 1825, COL SILAS P. RICHMOND 1865
Massachusetts. On the 28th of September, 1863, he was commissioned Colonel of the 58th Mass. Vols., and pro- ceeded to recruit that regiment. Nov. 21, 1863, he was appointed superintendent of recruiting in Bristol, Plym- outh, Barnstable, Nantucket and Dukes Counties, and as such continued the recruiting of the 58th Regt. until it was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac April 28, 1864. July 19, 1864, he was detailed Asst. Provost Mar- shal General of the Department of the South, and served as such at Hilton Head, Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S. C. He was on the first steamer that reached Savannah
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when it was taken, and on the first U. S. steamer that went to Charleston, when that city was captured. He was honorably mustered out of the service in Sept. 1865. He engaged in lumber and grain business in Indiana and Michigan in 1867-9. Col. Richmond has been a Justice of the Peace for more than forty years, and is also a Notary Public. He was for ten years chairman of the Board of Selectmen of Freetown. As Auditor in 1854 he prepared the first printed report ever made of the finances of Free-
RICHMOND LANDING, FORGE POND.
town. He has also served as Assessor, Town Clerk and School Committee. He served eightcen years as Moderator at annual town meetings. He was a Representative in the Legislature from the 6th Bristol District in 1892. He was a delegate to the National Republican Convention in 1892 ; a turnkey in the Mass. State Prison 1871-9; deputy keeper in the Bristol County House of Correction 1879-82; Gen. Trav. Agt. C. C. G. Co. 1882-9; president Bristol County
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Agricultural Society 1889-91; member of Post 1, Mass. G. A. R. He is a Mason and Knight Templar since 1865. Jan. 1, 1896, he was appointed deputy sheriff and court crier of the Supreme and Superior Courts in Bristol County, and now holds that position.
Married Elizabeth J. Haskins June 16, 1850. Chil- dren: Emma A., born March 10, 1851; Cynthia E., March 25, 1853; Sarah E. E., July 1, 1854; Walter S., Feb. 22, 1857; Flora J., May 7, 1859; Lillian F., Aug. S, 1861.
Married Zadie Scott Jan. 17, 1869. Children: Annie E., born Aug. 29, 1871 ; Roy S., Aug. 3, 1873; Ruth E., May 14, 1882; Forrest S., Aug. 4, 1883; Isaac F., Jan. 7, 1886; Mark H., Oct. 5, 1889.
H. ELBRIDGE TINKHAM, son of Harvey and Jane (Cornish) Tinkham, was born in Middleboro, May 7, 1832, and was educated in the public schools in that town. He learned the complete trade of a shoemaker. In 1854 he
married Betsey D.
Weaver of Assonet and settled down in Free- town and carried on shoemaking.
In 1861 he entered the U. S. Navy as a Master's Mate, and was promoted to Ensign in 1863. He was attached at different times to sev- eral steamers in the Atlantic Blockading Squadron. He also par- ticipated in several im- portant naval battles, among which were the battles of Port Royal,
ENSIGN H. ELBRIDGE TINKHAM.
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New Orleans, Fort Fisher and Mobile Bay. In the last named battle he was on the flagship of Admiral Farragut and received sixteen severe splinter wounds from which he never fully re- covered. He remained in the Navy until 1867, when he was honorably discharged. Afterward he was for several years Railroad Station Agent at Assonet. He died February 12, 1894, and his widow died June 9, 1896.
CAPT GEORGE D. WILLIAMS
GEORGE D. WILLIAMS, son of Dr. Seth P. and Sinai ( Dean ) Williams was born in Freetown, Jan. 9, 1824. He was educated in Freetown schools and the Normal School at Bridgewater. After graduation, he taught schools in Massachusetts, Illinois and Minnesota. He enlisted in Company G, 3rd Regt., M. V. M., in June, 1850, and was discharged in June, 1:54. He re-enlisted in the same company in 1859; responded to Lincoln's call April 15, 1861, and served three months at Fortress Monroe, as a Sergeant : taking part in the destruction of the Norfolk Navy Yard, April 20, 1861. He enlisted in Company F, 29th Mass. Vols., in December, 1861, and was appointed Sergeant. He was detailed as Regimen- tal Ordnance Sergeant during several months. He was promoted to 2d Lieut., Jan. 27, 1863; 1st Lieut., May 21, 1864, Captain, June 8, 1864, and mustered out Aug. 11, 1865. For several months he was in garrison at Newport News, Va. In May, 1862, he took part in the expedition to Norfolk and Suffolk, Va. In June, 1862, he joined
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the Army of the Potomac, serving in it until March, 1863, then he went with his regiment to Kentucky, and in April joined the army of Gen. Grant in the siege of Vicks- burg. After the surrender of Vicksburg he advanced to Jackson, Miss. In August, 1863, he returned to Ken- tucky and marched through Cumberland Gap into East Tennessee with Gen. Burnside, and was at the siege of Knoxville. In April, 1864, he came home on veteran furlough. In May, 1864, he again joined the Army of the Potomac and remained with it until he was mustered out. He served during the siege of Petersburg. He displayed great gallantry at the Battle of Malvern Hill, where he volunteered to take a message to another regiment which required him to cross an open field in full view of the enemy and exposed to a murderous fire. He walked across and back again in the coolest manner, winning much praise from his commander and the plaudits of his comrades. At the battle of Fort Steadman, Va., before daylight, his company was nearly all captured before it had time to man the works. While trying to rally his men in the darkness, a rebel officer seized him by the throat, threw him on the ground and took his sword. In turn he knocked the rebel down, recovered his sword, and took that of his antagonist and led the rebel, a prisoner, to regimental headquarters; on the way he notified Capt. John M. Deane of the next company of the serious state of affairs in the camp, thereby saving that officer from capture or perhaps death. The captured sword, which he brought home, was marked "Charleston 1776." Capt. Williams was always to be found on the firing line when duty called. He was wounded in the left arm at the battle of Poplar Grove Church, Va., Aug. 19, 1864.
Capt. Williams married Eliza Young Miller of Fall River, April 26, 1864. After his discharge from the army he returned to the homestead farm at Assonet, where he died March 9, 1902.
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LIEUT. GEORGE DUFFEE, of Freetown, served as a private in Company A, 3rd Regt., Mass. Vols., as a Ser- geant of Company B, 4th Mass. Cavalry, and as 2d Lieut. in 21st Regt., U. S. C. T.
CAPT. JAMES R. MATHEWSON came to Freetown in 1854, and worked in the Davis & Thresher Gun Factory six years. He enlisted in Company G, 3rd Regt., M. V. M., in Aug., 1854. He was elected 1st Lieut. (from private), May 8, 1855; elected Captain March 4, 1857; resigned July, 1860. He joined the 7th Regt., Mass. Vols., and was commissioned 2nd Lieut., June 15, 1861; 1st Lieut., Nov. 13, 1861 ; Captain, Oct. 25, 1862. Mustered out June 27. 1864. He died in Taunton.
LIEUT. EPHRAIM H. HASKINS, son of Russell and Mercy Haskins, was born in Freetown. He was a mem- ber of Company G, Brd Regt., M. V. M., and served with the company in the Fortress Munroe campaign in 1861. He joined the 5th Regt .. Mass. Vols., in 1864, served as Ist Sergt., and was commissioned 2nd Lieut., Aug. 8, 1864. He was killed in the battle near the Wel- don Railroad. Va., Sept. 30, 1864.
LIEUT. JOHN A. SAYLES, of Somerset. Mass., enlisted in Com- pany G, Brd Regt .. M. V. M., in June. 1855; dis- charged July, 1856. He was a 1st Lieut. in the 29th Regt .. Mass. Vols., Dec. 13, 1861, and served with that regiment until Sept. 12, 1862, when he resigned.
LIEUT. GEORGE H. WINSLOW, son of Abner
LIEUT. GEORGE H WINSLOW.
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Winslow, was born in Freetown. He enlisted in Com- pany G, 3rd Regt., M. V. M., in 1855; was discharged Jan. 31, 1859, and mustered into Company G (Fall River), 26th Regt., Mass. Vols., Sept. 24, 1861. He served as Private, Corporal, Sergeant, and was commissioned 2d Lieut., May 31, 1863. He was mustered out Nov. 7, 1864.
CAPT. HIRAM B. WETHERELL was appointed by Pres- ident Lincoln a Captain and Quarter-Master in the Reg- ular Army and served during the Rebellion. After the war he came to Freetown and lived on the homestead of Capt. Elisha Pratt, the father of his wife. For 25 years he was prominent in town affairs, serving on the school committee several terms.
The following men enlisted in the Spanish-American War, 1898, viz. : -
MILTON IRVING DEANE, Gunner's Mate, U. S. Moni- tor, Lehigh.
PEMBROKE PEIRCE, Company F, 1st Regt., M. V. M.
FRANK RUSSELL WING, Company I, 1st Regt., R. I. Volunteers.
Soldiers buried in Freetown, whose graves are dec- orated each Memorial Day :
ASSONET CEMETERY. War of Rebellion.
JOHN Q. ADAMS, RUSSELL HASKINS,
CHESTER W. BRIGGS,
CHARLES R. HASKINS,
CLEMENT C. CANNON,
SAM. C. HATHAWAY,
JAMES C. CLARK,
LYNDE HATHAWAY,
GEORGE H. DEAN, ANDREW T. HAMBLY,
WILLIAM R. DEAN,
ROBERT JENKINS, JOHN W. MARBLE,
JOSEPH W. DUNHAM,
WILLIAM H. FISHER, JOSEPH W. GOFF,
JOHN H. NICHOLS,
LUTHER PICKENS,
WILLIAM PRATT,
JAMES H. HASKELL, ABRAM HASKELL,
ENOS B. PAYNE,
ABRAM H. HASKELL,
EBENEZER W. PIERCE,
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JAMES M. PEIRCE,
WILLIAM READ,
EDWARD E. READ,
THOMAS WESTGATE,
WILLIAM ROSE,
WILLIAM S. WINSLOW,
ANDREW J. THRESHER,
JAMES THOMPSON,
JOSEPH W. WINSLOW, ELERY B. WYATT,
GEORGE D. WILLIAMS.
BRALEY CEMETERY. War of Rebellion.
PHILO L. BRALEY, MARTIN HASKELL, WILLIAM HASKELL,
GEORGE MCCULLY.
EPHRAIM HASKELL, PHINEAS REYNOLDS,
BRALEYVILLE CEMETERY. War of Rebellion.
JOHN WESTGATE, PRESERVED WESTGATE.
War of 1812.
ROGER HASKELL,
THOMAS WESTGATE.
NOAH REYNOLDS,
CHACE CEMETERY. War of Rebellion.
AZEL CHACE,
JAMES F. VINAL.
War of 1812.
ASA SPOONER.
MORTON CEMETERY. War of Rebellion.
ANDREW J. FUILER, EDMUND WILLIAMS.
CHARLES T. PEIRCE.
War of Revolution.
ISAAC PEIRCE.
JOSEPH COLE,
NATHANIEL MORTON,
RICHMOND CEMETERY.
War of 1812.
JOHN RICHMOND, ISAAC RICHMOND,
SAMUEL RICHMOND, JR. ABRAM RICHMOND.
War of Revolution.
SAMUEL RICHMOND, JONATHAN RICHMOND.
JAMES RICHMOND,
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H. E. TINKHAM, JOSEPH B. WEAVER,
ROUNSVILLE CEMETERY. War of Rebellion.
ALBERT E. CHACE, JAMES M. HERVEY, SIMON D. ROUNSVILLE,
SETH H. CHACE,
FISHER A. CLEVELAND, CALVIN THOMAS.
War of 1812.
GILBERT ROUNSVILLE, THOMAS ROUNSVILLE. SILAS ROUNSVILLE,
War of Revolution.
LEVE ROUNSVILLE.
WHITE CEMETERY. War of Rebellion. .
EPHRAIM BOOMER, OLIVER WASHBURN. S. A. MACOMBER,
War of 1812.
ELIJAH PARKER
PHILIP EVANS BURIAL GROUND. War of Rebellion.
WILLIAM THORPE.
MICHAEL HATHAWAY BURIAL GROUND.
War of Rebellion.
RUSSELL H HATHAWAY.
War of 1812.
MICHAEL HATHAWAY.
QUAKER BURIAL GROUND. War of Rebellion.
SAMUEL PEIRCE. JOHN BOYCF.
PLUMMER BURIAL GROUND. War of Rebellion.
ANDREW LAWTON.
PAYNE BURIAL GROUND. War of Rebellion.
GEORGE. O. HOUGHTON, HENRY B. PAYNE. CHARLES C. PAYNE.
War of 1812.
HENRY PAYNE,
GEORGE PAYNE.
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THE LAWYERS.
BY BENJAMIN BUFFINTON.
WILLIAM A. LEONARD, of Raynham, was graduated from Brown University in 1793. He was among the first of the profession to practice law at Assonet Village in Freetown. He boarded in the family of Col. Benjamin Weaver, and used the west front chamber of the colonel's house for his office until he finished a building constructed of lumber sent from Raynham. This building stood a short distance south of the Congregational meeting-house, and was used for a school house in later years. Mr. Leonard remained at Freetown only a short time and then returned to Raynham.
WASHINGTON HATHAWAY, a native of Freetown, was the son of Joseph and Eunice ( Winslow ) Hathaway. He was born September 4, 1777, and was graduated from Brown University in 1798. His law office stood on the north side of Water Street. He commenced the practice of law in or about 1802. He died February 10, 1818.
GEORGE BONUM NYE HOLMES, a native of Roches- ter. was the son of Abraham and Bethiah (Nye) Holmes. He was admitted to Plymouth County bar, April, 1809. He located in Freetown about 1810, in a building on the north-west corner of Main and Water Streets, and prac- ticed law in Freetown and Fall River. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Abigail Payne, of Freetown, January S. 1813. Mr. Holmes was a brother of Charles J. Holmes, Esq., a lawyer of great ability and
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a leading citizen of Fall River for many years. In the war of 1812, Mr. George B. N. Holmes served in the United States navy.
HERCULES CUSHMAN was born in Middleboro. He there studied law, and soon after his admittance to the bar he was appointed clerk of the Plymouth County Court and was elected as representative to the State Legislature. In 1813 he settled in Freetown, whence he was sent as Representative to the General Court for eight sessions. He served one year, 1826, in the Governor's Council. He was also a Collector of Customs. He served in the militia of Bristol County and was elected Colonel of the Fifth Regiment. He returned to Middleboro in 1828, and was again sent to the State Legislature. He died in 1832. He was a man highly honored by his fellow-citizens and eminently successful in his profession.
HEZEKIAH BATTELLE was born in Dover, Mass., May 2, 1788. He was a graduate of Brown University in the class of 1816, and afterwards studied law in the office of Hercules Cushman, the honored attorney of Freetown. Upon his admission to the bar he became partner of Mr. Cushman, but only for a few years, when he removed to Swansea and there practiced law until 1827. Then he settled per- manently in Fall River, and for many years was one of the foremost men of the bar in this vicinity. He was actively interested in all matters relating to the welfare of his adopted home, filling many offices of trust and respon- sibility. He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1838-39, and 1848-49. He died Jan- uary 22, 1872.
RUFUS BACON was a native of Rochester, and came to Freetown in 1814. He occupied the same office that was used by Mr. Holmes. He was interested in the mili- tia of the State and was commissioned Captain of the Assonet Light Infantry Company, June 13, 1818, which he held for six years. He was a member of General
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Court for the year 1827, and chairman of the County Commissioners for 1828. He removed to the State of New York during the latter year. The house now owned and used for a parsonage by the Congregational Society was built and occupied by Mr. Bacon.
EZRA WILKINSON was born in Wrentham, Mass., Feb- ruary 14, 1801, and died in Dedham, Mass., February 6, 1852. He was graduated from Brown University in the class of 1524, and was admitted to the bar in 1828. He came to Freetown in March, 1829, and opened a law office in the same building that was used by Mr. Holmes and Mr. Bacon. He soon moved to Seekonk, Mass., and in 1835 he moved to Dedham, Mass., where he remained until his death. He was a member of Massachusetts House of Representatives three sessions; a member of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention in 1853, and Associate Justice of Massachusetts Superior Court from 1859 to 1882.
WILLIAM H. EDDY, a native of Middleboro, was grad- uated from Brown University in 1831, and settled in Freetown in 1835; but because of poor health he soon returned to Middleboro, where he died in 1838.
JOSEPH HATHAWAY was born in Freetown, March 9, 1799. He was the son of John and Betsey (Winslow) Hathaway. He was a graduate of Brown University in 1820. He located and practiced law in Fall River in 1825 to 1537. The first newspaper printed in Fall River was " The Monitor," which was first published January 6, 1825, by Nathan Hall. Mr. Hathaway was its first editor. He was considered one of the most brilliant lawyers of his day. He was elected a member of the General Court in 1827. He came to Assonet in 1837, where he opened a law office. He went back to Fall River in 1844, but soon returned to Assonet, where he died April 9, 1865. He was during his life distinguished as a temperance lecturer.
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