USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 12
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While the sections of the town were engaged in fixing the location of their meeting-house and center, the Indians were on the watch for prey. On the twenty-sixth of October, 1708, Mr. Thomas Sawyer, his son, Elias Sawyer, and John Biglo or Bigelow, were captured and taken to Canada. The facts in regard to their condition in that province, are derived from Whitney's History of Worcester County. It appears that Sawyer was a very brave man, as well as a good mechanic.
.
145
BIGELOW RESCUED FROM DEATH.
The name of Sawyer has been associated with " mills " in every generation. When the party reached Montreal, Sawyer of- fered to put up a mill on the river Chambly on condition that the French governor would obtain a release of all the captives. There was no difficulty in effecting the ransom of Bigelow and young Sawyer; but the Indians were determined that Thomas Sawyer should be put to death by lingering torture. Management was called in to secure his release. A friar ap- peared suddenly, doubtless by arrangement with the governor, stating that he held the key of purgatory in his hand, and that if they did not release the prisoner without delay, he would unlock the gate and cast them in headlong. Their su- perstitious fears being aroused, they unloosed Sawyer, who was already tied to the stake, and yielded him to the gover- nor. He finished the mill, which was the first one built in Canada, before the year was out, and was sent home, in com- pany with Bigelow. Elias Sawyer was detained awhile to teach the Canadians the art of " sawing and keeping the mill in order, and then was dismissed with rich presents." A grandson of Elias Sawyer, named Jotham, according to Wil- lard, was alive in 1826, aged eighty-six, and "recollected riding horseback behind his mother to church to hear Mr. Harrington's century sermon, May 28, 1753." What a mass of local history and tradition he might have left to us !
Nearly two years passed when the Indians made their pres- ence felt by the killing of Jonathan White. on the twenty- seventh of July, 1707.
In the month of August Joseph Wilder petitioned the gen- eral court for pay for " snow shoes " which he had provided for the use of Col. Tyng. The colonel had used them, in shoeing his soldiers, but had not paid Wilder. The use of snow shoes was a necessity in winter campaigns against the Indians. The court, in November, allowed four pounds and fifteen shillings.
The next act of violence was on the thirtieth of August, when Jonathan Wilder was killed. The circumstances, as
10
146
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
given by Harrington, were as follows. Wilder had lately moved to Marlborough. He was son to the Lieut. Nathaniel Wilder, who was killed in 1704. On the twenty-ninth of August, twenty-four stout Indians, who according to their own account, says Harrington, "had all been captains, came to Marlborough, and captivated Mr. Jonathan Wilder." The next day they were pursued by about thirty of Marlborough and Lancaster men, who overtook them in the northwestern part of Sterling, at a place since known by the name of the " Indian fight." The van of the pursuers came upon the ene- my before they had the least suspicion that they were tracked. They were unprepared for fighting, as their packs were all slung, and the day being misty, their cases were on their guns. They might easily have been destroyed, and the captive res- cued, if the pursuers had rushed upon them in a body, when first surprised. They had determined, it seems,. "to resign themselves to the mercy " of the English. But observing that only " ten of the thirty came down upon them, they took courage, unslung their packs, and fought like men, having first dispatched their captive." It is somewhere stated that the head of young Wilder was pressed against a rock, and the sutures of his skull were separated by some instrument of iron. Nine of the Indians were killed, and all their packs were taken. The rest escaped. Two of the attacking party, - Ephraim Wilder, brother of the slain captive, and Samuel Stevens- were wounded, and two, viz., John Farrar of Marl- borough and a Mr. Singletary, were killed. The remissness of the twenty men who failed to assist the ten heroes of the fight appears to have made a deep impression. Mr. Harring- ton, after closing the account, returns to this fact, and says : "it ought to be observed again, that but ten of our men were in the action." The scene of the combat is between two and three miles northwest of the center of Sterling. Ephrain Wilder, though he survived, and had a numerous posterity, including the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, must have been se- verely hurt. A petition was before the general court, in June,
147
STRUGGLE WITH DIFFICULTIES.
1708, from Samuel Bridgman, for expenses incurred in the nursing of Wilder, " wounded in the thigh in August last, and sick ten weeks."
The following petition exhibits most strikingly a phase of life in Lancaster in the early part of the eighteenth century. The people were in continual anxiety ; they were often out scouting, or serving in garrisons, or engaged in combats ; they "subsisted " the soldiers quartered upon them ; and then were kept out of their pay. All this was in addition to daily toil. Life was indeed a burden ; yet we have no doubt that their lot had many compensations, and that there was true happi- ness in their households. A life of struggle with difficulties, inspired by faith in God, enriches and strengthens the char- acter. Here follows the petition.
"We inhabitants on the west part of the town of Lan- caster, being the extreme front, and having subsisted Capt. William Tyng's men, are kept out of our money to our very great damage. Some of us being poor, and under engage- ments which cannot be answered for want hereof, which ex- poses to the penalty of the law, we have none to address our- selves but to your honors, and the fathers of our Israel." Jabez Fairbanks, Joseph Hutchins, John Glazear, John Prescot, Cyprian Stevens, Simon Stevens, Josiah White, Nathaniel Sawyer.
In this connection comes in another petition, probably re- lating to the same business. It was before the court in No- vember, 1709, asking for pay "for billeting the men of Col. William Tyng " in the years 1707-8. The whole claim was more than twenty-eight pounds. The court resolved that Col. Tyng should not be paid until these petitioners had satisfac- tion. They obtained their money, and receipted to Tyng before the end of the month.
The last act of Indian violence in Lancaster occurred on the sixteenth of August, 1710, and the scene of it was on the eastern side of George hill. Lieut. Nathaniel Wilder had four sons. Jonathan was killed, as related above ; and Ephraim
148
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
was severely wounded. The attack was now made upon the other two, Nathaniel and Oliver. They were at work in the field, with an Indian servant, when a party of the enemy, taking advantage of the bushes, came very near and fired upon them. They escaped to the garrison, but the servant was killed. Thus the last act of Indian warfare against this town, resulted in the killing of an Indian. But though the ravages of savage war never invaded the borders of the town again, yet the property and the sons of Lancaster were not exempt from demands, and the people were not entirely free from anxiety till the battle of Quebec gave supremacy to the Eng- lish in North America.
One enterprise in this war engaged the interest of all New England. This was the expedition to Port Royal, the spa- cious port of Cape Breton, in 1710, when Massachusetts sent fourteen transports with troops and supplies, and the other colonies in proportion. The place was captured on the twenty- second of October. How many men went from Lancaster is unknown ; but that one of her sons was there is evident from the settlement of the estate of Ralph Houghton. The first Ralph Houghton had a son James. This James had a sou Ralph and another son, named James. This last James was, in the year 1711. administrator on the estate of his brother Ralph, grandson of the first Ralph. The appraisers were Peter Joslin, Josiah White, jr., and John Houghton, jr. In the Inventory is this item. " Wages due to said Ralph Hough- ton, at the time of his decease, for his services in the late ex- pedition to Port Royal, £5. 14. 11." Such bits of private his- tory show how the families of Lancaster were involved in all the hardships of the colony.
Peace was concluded between England and France in 1713, by the treaty of Utrecht. In the meantime, our people were on guard against surprises. Garrisoning the town seems to have been perfected by placing a garrison in a group of families. The garrisons now numbered twenty-seven. The following table found in the Archives of the state shows the
149
TWENTY-SEVEN GARRISONS.
number of souls, of men, of families, of garrisons, and of soldiers to guard them in the year 1711.
Families.
Men inhab- itants.
Soldiers.
Souls.
Hezekiah Willard,
3
4
1
8
Wm. Houghton,
4
5
1
25
Capt. Wilder,
7
11
1
47
Mr. Houghton,
2
4
1
13
Mr. White,
6
8
2
38
Lt. Joslin,
3
3
2
18
Mr. Bowers,
3
3
1
9
Mr. Bennet,
3
7
3
34
Mr. Stevens,
4
4
2
19
Mr. Prentice,
2
3
9
Ensign Wilder,
4
4
2
18
Mr. Sawyer,
3
7
1
23
Mr. Prescot,
3
4
2
15
Mr. Beaman,
3
4
0
14
Mr. Snow,
3
4
0
15
Henry Houghton,
3
2
0
15
Mr. Priest,
6
7
0
25
Caleb Sawyer,
2
3
1
11
William Sawyer,
3
3
0
12
Mr. Whitcomb,
4
4
0
17
Mr. More,
1
1
0
8
John More,
2
2
0
7
Mr. Houghton,
1
1
1
3
Mr. Wilson,
1
3
0
11
John Whitcomb,
2
2
0
7
Mr. Wheeler,
3
1
0
17
Mr. Fairbank,
2
5
0
25
27
83
111
24
458
The reader must locate the garrisons as best he can. The absence of Christian names makes it difficult in some cases.
A very large addition was confirmed to the town, on the west, in the year 1713. The purchase, as already stated, was made of George Tahanto, an Indian chief. The general court gave confirmation to the grant in 1713. The delay has been ascribed to the " distraction of the times," growing out of the Indian wars.
A copy of the Indian Bond is here inserted as it will always have a historical value. "Know all men by these
150
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
presents, that I, George Tahanto, Indian Sagamore, for and in consideration of what money, namely, twelve pounds, was formerly paid to Sholan, my uncle, sometime sagamore of Nashuah, for the purchase of said township, and also forty- six shillings formerly paid by Insigne John Moore and John Houghton of said Nashua to James Wiser, alias Quenepen- ett, now deceased, but especially for and in consideration of eighteen pound paid part, and the rest secured to be paid, by John Houghton and Nathaniel Wilder, their heirs, exec- utors and assigns forever, a certain tract of land on the west side of the westward line of Nashua township, adjoining to said line, and butts southerly for the most part on Nashuah river, bearing westerly towards Wachusett Hills, and runs northerly as far as Nashuah township, and which lands and meadows, be it more or less, to be to the said Insigne John Moore, John Houghton, and Nathaniel Wilder, their heirs and assigns, to have and to hold forever. And I, the said George Tahanto, do hereby promise and engage to procure an order from the honored General Court, for their allowance and confirmation of the sale of said land as aforesaid, and al- so that I will show and mark out the bounds of said land in convenient time, not exceeding four months, and also to make such deeds and conveyances, as may be necessary for the con- firmation of the premises, and that also I, the said George Tahanto, do by these presents, fully notify and confirm, all and every, the said township of Nashua, alias Lancaster, to the inhabitants and proprietors thereof according as it was formerly granted to them or their ancestors by my uncle Sho- lan, and laid out to them by Ensign Thomas Noyes, and con- firmed by the Hon. General Court. For the performance of all the above-said, I, the said George Tahanto, have set my hand and seal, this twenty-sixth day of June, in the 13th year of the reign of our sovereign Lord, William the Third, over England, &c. King. Anno Domini, 1701."
This document was properly signed and sealed. The grant was confirmed by the general court, at the May session, 1713,
151
THE CAPITAL OF SHOLAN.
in these words : "Read and ordered that the tract of land above described, be added and confirmed to the township of Lancaster, as a part of the township, not prejudicing any former grants."
This act of the general court made the new grant a part of the township of Lancaster, but by a vote of the town, Feb- ruary 5, 1711, it was provided " that all such as were inhabit- ants, might join in the purchase of the Indian Land, and all such as would do it, should signify the same by signing a con- tract which contained the following stipulation. "We, the subscribers, do hereby bind ourselves and our heirs to pay each one his equal share of the purchase of said lands and all charges that have or shall be expended about the same, and to run equal hazard of obtaining said land, provided, that if said land be obtained, we shall each one have an equal share."
By this it appears that neither the town as a corporation, nor the body of proprietors, nor the inhabitants of the town simply as inhabitants, were the owners of the "new grant ;" but those inhabitants of Lancaster who joined in the purchase became the owners in equal shares.
The grant of Tahanto included the home or capital of Sho- lan, the sachem, who invited the whites to the valley of the Nashua. The original grant did not cover or include that place. The western boundary of Lancaster, old township, was east of Sholan's headquarters. His capital was between East and West Washacum lakes, on a gentle elevation, over- looking both those beautiful sheets of water. The stream which takes the water from East to West Washacum, runs a few rods north of the mound or rise of land. The brook is bordered by swampy land. The home of the chief was bounded and guard- ed on three sides, and was a fine strategic point, which could be easily defended. There is a ditch on the south side of the little hill, but that is probably the work of the white man.
As the new grant included both ponds, the Indian capi- tal came under the jurisdiction of the town, but this did not
152
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
interfere with the right of the natives to plant, hunt or fish, which was their original and sole condition, in dealing with the first settlers.
The site of the home or fort of the Indian chief, and the iron mine north of the pond are well worth visiting by the curious.
" There glided the corn-dance, the council-fire shone, And against the red war-post. the hatchet was thrown.
There the old smoked in silence their pipes, and the young To the pike and the white-perch their baited lines flung ; There the boy shaped his arrows, and there the shy maid Wove her many-hued baskets and bright wampum braid."
CHAPTER VII.
ANNALS. POPULATION FROM 1690 TO 1714. REPRESENTA- TIVES TO THE GENERAL COURT. THE STATE OF EDU- CATION. THE CHURCH. MINISTERS. SETTLEMENT OF REV. JOHN PRENTICE.
THE new territory, or " additional grant " on the west, con- tained about forty square miles, though the survey was far from being exact. The town had now reached its full dimen- sions, being ten miles north and south, twelve miles on its northern boundary, and about ten miles from east to west, on the southern line. The whole township contained not far from one hundred and ten square miles of land. Many years later an addition was made by the annexation of " Shrews- bury Leg," so called, but before that event, a large section had been taken from the eastern side of the town, to help form the towns of Harvard, Bolton and Berlin. The close of the war, near the end of queen Anne's reign, was favor- able to the increase of population in the frontier towns, and Lancaster began to enjoy unusual prosperity.
Before proceeding farther it will be convenient to bring up the Annals of the town to this point, and ascertain the num- ber of the people dwelling here, as near as possible, at the commencement of the reign of the Brunswick family over the British empire. These points, with the state of educa- tion, and the settlement of the Rev. John Prentice as pastor of the church, will be attended to in the present chapter.
The following are detached facts occurring from time to time, which illustrate the past, and show the character of the people in the primitive days of New England.
153
154
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
In 1652 Ralph Houghton, John Prescott and others, took the "oath of fidelity." This indicates that Prescott, what- ever his theoretical views, accepted the government and laws, as a good citizen.
In early times the period of military service was between sixteen or eighteen and forty-five. But in seasons of peril, the time was extended towards old age. Hence the signifi- cance of such entries on the Records as the following. In 1662 Lawrence Waters was released from "ordinary traynings," on condition of paying five shillings per annum. Not far from the same time, the aged John White was relieved, on account of advanced years.
At the session of the Middlesex County Probate Court, in 1662, the town of Lancaster was presented to the court held in Cambridge, in April, for " defect in weights and measures," and enjoined to provide a remedy on penalty of forty shil- lings.
In 1672 a complaint was entered against Edmund Parker, for " entertaining " a bastard child of Silvanus, a negro, be- longing to Roxbury, contrary to order. The case reached the general court, where it was ordered that while the child was in the place, the selectmen should take care " that it be pro- vided for as humanity and religion " required. Parker gave bonds in £100 to save the town from damages, and to sup- port the child, or return it to Roxbury.
The next paragraph may help to explain the above, as it reveals something in respect to Parker's fitness to bring up a child, whether his own, or that of another man. In 1674, Edmund Parker was before the court, on complaint, and was convicted of "neglect of God's worship on the Lord's day." Both himself and his family were admonished. The court commended it to the selectmen " diligently to inspect his fam- ily, and observe their manner for the future." If there was no amendment, the selectmen were " ordered and empower- ed to dispose of his son to service" where he might be better taught and governed.
155
KILLING GROWNE WOLVES.
The next year John Johnson was fined twenty shillings, and six shillings costs, " for abstaining from public worship."
The Middlesex Court, in April, 1682, convicted Cyprian Stevens of " selling strong drink" to the Indians. He was fined twenty shillings, money, and to pay costs to two Ind- ian witnesses, three shillings. The prohibitory law of those times was intended to shield the Indians from harm in the use of strong drink.
In 1686 Stevens had a successor in Nathaniel Wilder, who was licensed by the Court of Pleas, and General Sessions of the Peace, to "retail wine, beere, aile, cyder, rum," etc. At the same time Stevens was appointed clerk to take account of all births and deaths in Lancaster.
As the town had neglected to pay Nathaniel Wilder for " six- teen wolves by him killed in 1684-5," the general court sig- nified to the said town, " that the change of government does not discharge them from their duty in such cases," and they had to " satisfie " the petitioner. The change of government alluded to was the usurpation of Andros. That was not to insure immunity to wolves.
In 1688 Josiah White was allowed, by the county, twenty shillings for " killing one growne wolf" in Lancaster. Na- thaniel Wilder was allowed forty shillings for killing two " growne wolves," and John Womsquan, an Indian, ten shil- lings for killing one " growne wolf." Why the Indian re- ceived only half as much as a white man for killing a" growne" wolf, is left to conjecture. Perhaps the wolf was not full " growne ;" and possibly the whites wished to monopolize the business.
Cyprian Stevens, constable, in 1690, allowed a prisoner to escape. He was arraigned and convicted. He was either careless ; or else in collusion with the prisoner. But the court was not to be trifled with, and he soon fulfilled his war- rant. In consequence he was discharged on paying costs.
A petition was sent to the general court, in February, 1693, setting forth that the town had suffered greatly from war, and
156
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
praying for allowance for "their great charges in fortifying themselves in this troublesome time." The court allowed £20 out of the assessments of the preceding year.
In 1695 the town represented to the legislature that sever- al persons had moved away, and others had died, before the year 1690. The town prayed to be relieved from paying their taxes. This petition is chiefly interesting as showing a change in the inhabitants, as nearly all the names cited, be- long to old and well-known families. They are as follows : Cyprian Stevens, William Huttson, [Hudson,] Samuel Wheeler, Benjamin Willard, Joseph Waters, Nathaniel Harwood, Samuel Parker, Arthur Tooker.
This leads to the remark that the population of the town had not only increased, but had become widely distributed since the re-settlement. The number of inhabitants, at the time of the massacre, in 1676, has been variously estimated from three hundred to three hundred and fifty. There were in the town over fifty families. In 1684, there were about eighteen families on the ground; which would give from ninety to one hundred persons. There was a steady increase from this time for several years. New families came into the town, and children were born into those which had re- turned. By March, 1687, according to Willard, there " had been thirty births." A list of names, made in the next year, numbered eighty, mostly heads of families. The larger part of these belonged to Lancaster. Suppose that sixty of these names represented the male heads of families, the population would be about three hundred and thirty. And this would not be an unreasonable conclusion. By that time nearly all the absentees would have returned, except the few who had settled elsewhere, or had fallen by death. These last ten years had been free from Indian hostilities. But now war broke out again, and the increase was retarded, first by the partial stoppage of migration, and secondly by the many fatal casualties between 1688 and 1710.
157
INCREASE OF POPULATION.
In Mr. Willard's Centennial Address, page 101, he says that an "ancient authority states that there were seventy- nine ratable polls here in 1708." He does not give the au- thority, nor vouch for it. Allowing one ratable poll to every four and a half inhabitants, the population would be about three hundred and fifty-six. That is, the number of inhabit- ants had increased in twenty years to the number of about twenty-six.
From 1708 the increase was quite rapid, since we find, from the table of garrisons, on a preceding page, that in 1711, there were in the town, eighty-three families, one hundred and eleven men inhabitants, and four hundred and fifty-eight souls. This gives very nearly five and one-half souls to a family, and shows the increase to have been, if the data are correct, about one hundred in three years. This result is not. improbable or surprising. No person was killed by the Ind- ians, in this town, after 1707 except an Indian boy. There was comparative safety here, and the people from the lower towns flocked into this beautiful section in large numbers.
At the same time there was a great change in the distribu- tion of families. Before the massacre, nearly all the people lived in South Lancaster, and on the Neck, or Center. There were, perhaps, a few families in the part which now forms Bolton and Berlin. But in 1711 there were several families on the eastern slope of George hill, and some in the south end of the town, towards Sawyer's mill, now in Boylston. The number who had settled in what is now Harvard, Bolton and Berlin, was still larger. There were scattered families also on the road to Still River and the road towards Lunen- burg. There is reason to think that the population in the Center and South Lancaster, was less dense than at the first settlement. As yet Leominster and Sterling belonged to the unsettled wilderness.
It was optional with the towns to be represented in the gen- eral court. Lancaster sent no delegate previous to the year 1673 though represented by Mr. Thomas Brattle, of Cam-
158
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
bridge or Boston, in 1671. While Major Willard resided here, he as a member of the governor's council, doubtless looked after the interests of his neighbors. The name of the representative in 1673, is given as "Mr. Howton." This was either Ralph or John Houghton ; probably the former. The town was not represented again until 1689, when Ralph Houghton and John Moor were sent. The successive rep- resentatives from that date to 1725, when the town Records begin again to help us, have been found by examining the manuscript and printed Minutes of the general court. There was no representation in the years not mentioned. In 1690 John Houghton, junior or second, was delegate. In 1692, John Moor and John Houghton. In 1693, 1697, 1705 and 1706, John Houghton. Thomas Sawyer was sent in 1707. John Houghton followed in 1708. In 1710, Josiah Whit- comb served. John Houghton was delegate in the years 1711, 1712, 1716 to 1719, and also in 1721 and 1724. Jabez Fairbank was sent in 1714, 1722 and 1723. Joseph Wilder was delegate in 1720 and 1725. The court always had a spring and fall session, but the representatives did not always attend both sessions. The towns paid their own del- egates, according to the time they served, and probably did not insist upon their attendance beyond what was necessary for local or general good.
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