USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 23
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The Continental Congress, which met not long before, form- ed an Association to unite the whole people in resisting ag- gression, and promoting the general welfare; and the town voted to "abide by the spirit and sense " of the Association ; and chose a large committee "to see that the said Associa- tion be kept and observed by the inhabitants " of the town. The committee were John Prescott, Capt. Gates, David Wil- der, Ephraim Carter, Dr. Wilder, Dr. Dunsmoor, Samuel Thurston, Ebenezer Allen, Ephraim Sawyer, Capt. Whit- comb, Capt. Robbins, Josiah Kendall, jr., Jona. Fairbank, David Osgood, Jonathan Wilder.
Capt. Whitcomb and Dr. Dunsmoor were chosen delegates to a "Provincial Congress " which met at Concord, in the following month.
The town was resolved that every man should be supplied with arms, and therefore voted, in May, that the " selectmen be a committee to receive the donations of the several gentle- men of the town, to furnish the poor of said town with good arms for the use of said town." The selectmen were also empowered to "provide suitable persons to use the grate goons." Dea. David Wilder and Dr. Dunsmoor were chosen delegates to the Provincial Congress. Soon after Dea. Thomas Fairbank was sent in place of Dea. Wilder.
It was time to arm the whole population, for the Lexing- ton and Concord fight had already occurred, and the battle of Bunker Hill was impending. On the nineteenth of the preceding April, the British troops had come out of Boston, on the memorable raid to Concord, and the world knows the
19
290
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
story of their disastrous rout. Early in the day a messen- ger brought the news to this town, and roused the soldiers to action. Tradition has not preserved the name of the swift horseman who brought the tidings, but it is known that he came in accordance with plans well laid, by committees of correspondence, and that he found the people ready for the " dread arbitrament of war."
The company of minute men, under Capt. Benjamin Hough- ton, marched without delay, to Lexington, and Capt. Thomas Gates' company of cavalry, rode to Cambridge, to aid in re- pelling the royal forces. The roll of the cavalry men follows, being a part of the regiment of Col. John Whitcomb, of Bol- ton.
Capt. Thomas Gates,
Lt. Jona. P. Whitcom,
Joel Osgood,
Jona. Puffer,
Sgt. Richard Townsend,
Phin. Fletcher,
Eben Allen,
William Watson,
Reuben Gary,
Israel Willard,
" Peter Thurston,
" Thomas Brooks,
Corp. William Whitcom,
John May, jr., Eph. Willard, jr., Jona. Willard,
" Moses Burpee,
" Jonas Wyman,
Benj. Bruce,
Asa Rugg,
Levi Sawyer, John Hawks,
Uriah Wood,
Joel Phinney.
These men were in service from four to fourteen days. Probably all of them did not march at once ; and some might have returned before the rest.
The minute men belonged to the same regiment, and these are their names.
Capt. Benjamin Hough- ton,
Lt. Samuel Josslyn,
Sgt. Nath. Sawyer,
Jona. Knowlton, Nathan Esterbrook,
Stephen Wilder, Titus Wilder, John Dana, Elijah Ball,
Daniel Knight, John Thurston, Edm. Larkin, Joseph Josslyn,
David Horseley, John Bennet,
John Willard, Jonas Prescott,
Elisha Houghton, Stanton Carter, Joseph Jones,
Joshua Fairbanks, Abijah Houghton, Matthew James, John Chower.
" Samuel Wilder, Corp. Aaron Johnson, " William Wilder, D'r. John Wheelock, " Ephraim Kendall, Paul Sawyer, Thomas Bennet, Abijah Hawks,
Henry Willard, Jona. Kendall,
Shadrach Hapgood,
Gardner Moors, Simeon Hemenway,
Tho. McBride,
Gab. Priest,
James Goodwin,
David Willard, jr.,
291
THE FIRST SOLDIERS.
The British had retreated before the company reached the scene of action, and they were stationed at Cambridge, under Gen. Artemas Ward. They were out on this expedition from six to eighteen days.
A third company of the same regiment was commanded by Capt. Samuel Sawyer, and continued in the service from ten to nineteen days.
The names of officers and men were as follows.
Capt. Samuel Sawyer,
Timothy Harwood, John Parsons,
Lt. Manassah Sawyer,
Ephraim Powers, Oliver Powers,
Ensign, Joel Houghton,
Jacob Robins, Ezra Sawyer,
Corp. Ebenezer Ross, Aaron Kilbourn, Asa Smith,
" Lemuel Fairbank,
John Spafford,
Ephraim Wiman,
" Jabez Brooks,
Thomas Sawyer, jr.,
Obadiah Grove,
Jonathan Wilder, Silas Rice, Abel Bigelow.
Samuel Church,
A fourth company had Joseph White for captain. This belonged to the regiment of Col. Asa Whitcomb, and was engaged, at this time, only four or five days. More men hurried to Cambridge than were needed, and some were poorly equipped. These returned home, and prepared for more extended service, as the war was prolonged from year to year till its triumphant close.
Capt. Joseph White, Corp. Moses Wilder, Jona. Whitney,
Lt. Cyrus Fairbanks, Jona. White, Abel Phelps,
" Moses Sawyer,
Nath. White, Joseph Fairbanks,
Sgt. Samuel Thurston, William Richardson, Josiah Bennet,
" John Fletcher,
Phinehas Wilder, William Phelps,
" John Clarke, Joseph Lewis, Joseph Beman.
Corp. Peter Larkin,
In June, probably before the battle of Bunker Hill, An- drew Haskell became captain of the minute men, and with an enlarged number, served under Col. Asa Whitcomb, three months and fourteen days. This is the muster roll.
Capt. Andrew Haskell, Sgt. Abijah Phillips, Lt. John Kendrick, " Jeremiah Haskell, " Jonathan Sawyer, Sgt. John Hewitt, " Joshua Fairbanks, Corp. Josiah Bowers,
Corp. Benj. Houghton,
Ebenezer Allen,
Jacob Wilder,
D'r. Nathaniel White,
292
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
Fifer, John Wheelock,
Gersham Flagg,
Peter Manning,
Abel Wyman,
Israel Willard,
Samuel Barret,
Abijah Houghton,
Joseph Beaman,
Stanton Carter,
Benjamin Ballard,
Joseph Phelps,
Thomas Goodwin,
Benjamin James,
Josiah Phelps,
William Shaw,
Daniel Clark,
Jacob Phelps, William Deputron,
Daniel Wyman,
Jonathan Ross,
William Phelps,
David Hosley,
Joseph Wilder,
Winslow Phelps,
Eber Sawyer,
Jacob Pike,
Jonas Prescott,
Elisha Rugg,
Isaac Kilbourn,
David Robbins,
Ebenezer Abbot,
Isaac Eveleth,
Robert Phelps,
George Richardson,
John Fletcher,
John Baker,
Mark Heard,
John Ballard,
John Myers,
Matthew James,
Jonathan White,
William Calley,
Nathan Esterbrooks,
Samuel Adams.
Peter Airs, 1
David Robbins was killed on Bunker Hill. Robert Phelps was wounded and captured on the day of the battle.
Some of these men were with Capt. Houghton, when he hastened to Concord.
Ephraim Richardson, under Col. Asa Whitcomb, led a company to Concord and Cambridge, and was in the service from April 19 to August 1, three months and fourteen days. There were, officers and privates, fifty-four in the company.
Capt. Ephraim Richard- son,
Lt. Seth Heywood,
" Ephraim Boynton,
Sgt. Ebenezer Pike,
Seth Buss,
Luther Graves,
" Samuel Rice,
" Tilly Wells,
Corp. Solomon Holman,
" Nathaniel Brown,
" Roger Boutelle,
" Matthias Larkin, D'r. John Wheeler, Fifer, William Kendall, Ebenezer Belknap, John Burns, Timothy Brown,
Thomas Blodget, Noah Kendall,
Israel Kooke, Thomas Cleland,
Elijah Dole, Elijah Dresor, John Densmore, Calvin Fairbank, Asa Farrar, Aaron Gary, Aaron Glasier, Ephraim Goss, Jacob Kilbourn, Joshua Kendall, Israel Manning, Reuben More, Jonathan Phillips, Elisha Prouty, Manassah Powers, Jacob Piper,
David Pike, Ephraim Pike, Josiah Person,
Asa Rugg,
Luther Rice, Benja. Smith, Jude Sawyer, James Sawyer,
Thomas Smith, David Gary,
Israel Tower, Jacob Wilder, Joshua Whitney, Josiah Brunson, . Joseph Savage, John Sawyer, Thomas Prossor.
Jonathan Wilder, John Warner,
293
ARTILLERYMEN.
Of these Jabez Brooks, Nathaniel Brown, Elijah Dole and Thomas Smith went to Quebec under Arnold. Savage and Brunson joined the artillery.
The men who made forced marches to Concord, were either volunteer militia, or " minute men." They were not called out by any constituted authority ; but a messenger, probably chosen by the committee of correspondence, in each town, took up the message as it came from the town below, and galloped with it to a town to the westward, and thus the summons flew over the hills of Worcester county to the val- ley of the Connecticut, and on to Berkshire. But there was an immediate necessity for a more permanent military organ- ization, and men were invited to enlist in the service, for a longer or a shorter time, as the case might be. From the Rolls we learn that the following men enlisted in the Con- tinental Army, and served from six to nine days.
First Lt. Andrew Has- kell,
Eber Sawyer, Abel Wyman,
Abel Allen,
Sam. Adams,
Sgt. John Sawyer,
Benjamin Ballard,
Thomas Goodwin,
" John Kendrick,
Daniel Wyman, Elisha Rugg,
Corp. John Farwell,
James Beaman,
Jonathan Ross,
John Haskell,
John Baker,
Jacob Phelps,
Fifer, John Wheelock, Josiah Bowers,
Isaac Eveleth,
Abijah Phillips,
Mark Heard, or Ward, Jacob Wilder,
Joseph Phelps, Josiah Phelps, Benjamin Houghton.
Probably these men entered the general service when the volunteers returned home, and remained a few days till a more permanent arrangement could be made. It appears from the Rolls that officers and men were immediately en- listed for a period of eight months. Under Col. Asa Whit- comb, Capt. Andrew Haskell, and others, enlisted into the train, or artillery, May 24 and 28, 1775.
Capt. Andrew Haskell,
Samuel Barret,
Ebenezer Abbot,
Corp. Ebenezer Allen, Abel Allen,
John Baker,
Peter Airs,
Joseph Beaman, John Ballard,
Corp. Josiah Bowers,
Samuel Adams,
Benjamin Ballard.
294
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
And on the thirtieth of May the following are supposed to have joined the same company of artillery.
Daniel Clark, Sgt. Joshua Fairbank, Gershom Flagg,
Stanton Carter,
John Fletcher,
Thomas Goodwin.
William Calley,
Other men joined the company of Capt. Haskell at dates not recorded. It will be seen that many names are repeated, proving that a large number of the soldiers were in the ser- vice, at different times, and under different officers.
Fifer William Kendall, Jacob Pike,
Fifer, John Wheeler,
Joshua Kendall,
Elisha Rugg,
Joseph Wilder,
Jacob Kilbourn,
George Richardson,
Jotham Wilder,
Sgt. Abijah Phillips, Jonathan Ross, Robert Phelps, David Robbins,
John Warner,
Jonas Prescott, Eber Sawyer,
Israel Willard,
Joseph Phelps,
William Shaw,
Daniel Wyman,
Josiah Phelps, Corp. Jacob Wilder,
Abel Wyman.
Jacob Phelps, D'r. Nathaniel White,
Opposite the name of Robert Phelps is written " wounded and in captivity, June 17." It is safe to infer that he was in the battle of Bunker Hill, was wounded, and taken prisoner. In Frothingham's Siege of Boston, it is stated that only a few of Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment were in the battle. Probably the bulk of the regiment were in Cambridge, as Gen. Ward feared a movement of the enemy in that direc- tion.
Capt. Ephraim Richardson was in the service in the spring or summer of 1775 at the head of the following men; but the duration of his or their service has not been found. The men evidently entered and left the service at different times.
Lt. Seth Heywood, Corp. Jonas Beaman,
" Ephraim Boynton,
Benjamin Hough-
ton,
Thomas Blodgett, Josiah Brunson, Israel Cook,
" John Kindrick, Sgt. Luther Graves,
" John Hewitt,
" Ebenezer Pike,
" Samuel Rice,
" Falls Wills, John Bunn,
Ephraim Sawyer, D'r. John Wheeler, Nathaniel Brown, Jabez Brooks,
Aaron Gary, Ephraim Goss, Calvin Fairbank, David Hosley, Mark Heard,
Jonathan White,
295
CAPT. ROBBINS' COMPANY.
Jacob Piper, Abijah Houghton,
Ephraim Pike,
Thomas Smith,
Jeremiah Haskell,
Winslow Phelps,
Benjamin Smith,
Isaac Kilbourn,
Asa Rugg,
Seth Ross,
David Pike,
Luther Rice,
Joseph Savage,
Josiah Pearson,
James Sawyer,
Jude Sawyer,
Elisha Proute,
Ephraim Whitcomb,
Jacob Wilder,
Manassah Powers,
Joshua Whitney,
James Wall, Jona. Phillips,
Thomas Proser.
Two of these men joined the expedition to Quebec, through the wilderness of Maine and Canada, under Col. Benedict Arnold, September 11, 1775; viz., John Bunn and Joseph Savage. James Sawyer joined the artillery, May 16.
Joseph Beaman served in Col. Doolittle's regiment ; Israel Davenport in Col. Nixon's ; Moses Osgood in Col. William Prescott's ; and Nathan Osgood in the company of Capt. Davis, under Col. Asa Whitcomb.
In the muster rolls is found the following list of names. Perhaps the majority of the company belonged to the second precinct, but their service is a part of the history of Lan- caster.
" Provincial regiment of foot of militia men, commanded by Col. Asa Whitcomb. Part of the second and thirteenth companies, whereof Capt. Daniel Robbins commanded, who marched to Cambridge in consequence of an alarm, by order of the Col., and returned again, not listed in the above ser- vice, 19th April, 14 days."
Capt. Daniel Robbins, First Lt. Josiah Kendall, Lt. Asa Wilder,
Benjamin Whitemore, Calvin Moor,
Seth Fairbanks, James Houghton,
Ephraim Wright, George Hibris,
" Fortunatus Eager,
Thomas Wright,
Joshua Sawyer,
En. Edward Newton,
Josiah Wilder, jr.,
Joseph Densmore,
Abraham Howe,
Jonathan Prescott, Ephraim Bowker,
" Jonathan Baley, Sgt. Samuel Baley, 66 Nathaniel Wright, jr.,
Seth How, John Robbins, Seth Brooks,
Elijah Wilder, David Whitteor,
" John Dusser,
66 Thomas Wears,
Benjamin Beaman, Jonas Bailey,
Thomas Sawyer,
66 Thomas Ross,
Jonathan Thompson,
Asa Smith,
46 Samuel Herring,
Simon Lyon,
John Kilburn, William Palmer,
Gamaliel Beaman, Samuel Tarritt,
Samuel Holman,
Cor. Samuel Thompson,
Hugh Moor,
Timothy Wilder.
296
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
" Private men's names that enlisted April 26, 7 days in service."
Joshua Whitney, Daniel Farrer, Seth Ross,
Elijah Dole, Noah Kendall,
Jonas Beaman.
David Gray,
The traditions of the service of the Lancaster soldiers in this brief campaign, from April 19 to June 17, which once filled the town, have sunk in everlasting silence. When Mr. Willard wrote his History, there were many veterans alive, whose narrations would have filled a volume, but his plan did not take so wide a sweep ; and we have literally nothing to collate at this late day. It is fair to believe that our hasty recruits did their duty ; only two of the whole number regis- tered above, deserted.
A few anecdotes and incidents pertaining to the time, here fall into place.
One of the soldiers who made a good record was a colored man, named Lewis. He played the part of a soldier faith- fully, and was worthy of the rights of a freeman. A son of his still lives in Boston, and is much respected.
There is a curious anecdote of Capt. Andrew Haskell. He had the true fighting grit, and could not stay at home when he heard the sound to arms. It is related of him, that though brave and competent, he was not promoted. Others were advanced, while he remained stationary. Stung with a sense of wrong, he resigned and came home. But as the war went forward, moved by patriotism, and the military spirit, he en- listed and fought in the ranks. The supposed impediment to his promotion, was incurable uncouthness of manners.
After Washington reached Cambridge and assumed the com- mand of the army, in the summer of 1775, the first thing to be done was organization. Many of the old militia officers were superseded. Among others, the veteran Asa Whitcomb was dropped, and Col. Brewer put at the head of his regi- ment. The story is told in the New London Gazette, Jan- uary 11, 1776. " Deacon Whitcomb of Lancaster, who was
297
THE THREE WILLARDS.
a member of the Assembly of Massachusetts Bay till the present war commenced, had served in former wars, and been in different engagements, served as a Colonel in the Conti- nental army ; but on account of his age was left out in the new regulation. His men highly resented it, and declared they would not list again after their time was out. The Colonel told them he did not doubt there were sufficient reasons for the regulation, and he was satisfied with it; he then blamed them for their conduct, and said he would enlist as a private. Colonel Brewer heard of it, and offered to resign in favor of Colonel Whitcomb. The whole coming to General Washing- ton's ears, he allowed of Colonel Brewer's resignation in Colo- nel Whitcomb's favor, appointed the former barrack-master till he could further promote him, and acquainted the army with the whole affair in general orders. Let antiquity produce a more striking instance of true greatness of soul."
In the spring of 1775, the three men in the town most capable of. rendering efficient aid to the patriotic cause, were perhaps the three sons of Col. Samuel Willard. The second judge Wilder, and Col. Oliver Wilder were dead. Col. Asa Whitcomb was advanced in life. No young man came for- ward who developed striking military genius, though several became capable officers. But the Willards were able, respect- able, and for the times wealthy. They were held in high es- teem. One of them had evinced superior ability in the Louisburg expedition, and in the last French and Indian war. But no help came from them in the day of their country's trial.
Col. Levi, born in 1727, was now in the maturity of man- hood, but was an invalid, and died July 11, 1775, soon after the battle of Bunker Hill. He was a man of large property in town, and in other places, having been one of the gran- tees of Walpole, N. H. He was collector of the excise for the county of Worcester in 1766 ; Lieut. Col. of Col. Caleb Wilder's regiment, and held the office of justice of the peace, which in those days, was an office of honor. His wife was
.
298
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
a daughter of Judge John Chandler, of Worcester. Which way his political sympathies would have led him, is unknown ; but his connections were with the friends of the king. How- ever, death solved the question, for he was taken away, just as hostilities commenced.
Abel Willard, Esq., seems to have been a universal favorite. He was born in 1732, January 16, and was graduated at Harvard in 1752. His wife was the daughter of Rev. Mr. Rogers, of Littleton. Having studied law in Boston with Benjamin Pratt, who afterwards became distinguished as the chief justice of New York, he settled in his native town, and soon acquired a handsome practice. But he exerted himself more in settling than fomenting forensic disputes and litiga- tion. Although he has slept in a foreign grave nearly a hun- dred years. tradition still keeps alive the memory of his peace- making labors. Aged persons who learned from the aged of a former generation, report that he was known and honored as the friend of the poor, and as ever ready to defend the widow, the fatherless and the helpless. He was modest, ingenuous and constitutionally timid ; but possessed moral courage, firmness and integrity.
Though loving his country, he was not prepared to break from his allegiance to the king. He was behind the times, rather than an enemy of independence. Probably, if he had been permitted to remain unmolested at home, the progress of events would not only have reconciled him to the Revo- lution, but have converted him to an ardent patriot. But he was slow to see the inevitable result. The inspecting com- mittee visited him " to know whether he was sound in politics, according to their standard." He might have remained at home in peace, so far as it appears, says his kinsman, the his- torian, " but with indifferent health and spirits, he was not able to bear up under the apprehension of further, perhaps more searching proceedings from the Lancaster inquisition, and therefore retired with his family to Boston." He was childless ; his estate was confiscated ; he passed via Halifax
299
THE FATAL JOURNEY.
or New York to England, in 1776, and died in London in 1781. He died an exile from the land he loved ; afar from the beautiful valley which held the idols of his heart. His absence was a loss to the patriotic cause ; but the greater his ability to serve his country, the greater was his mistake and his fault that he did not comprehend the times in which he lived, and respond to the demands of his countrymen.
The most distinguished of the three brothers, and the one most capable of service in the military line was Col. Abijah Willard. Born in 1724, he commanded a company under his father in 1745, at the capture of Louisburg. He led a company under Col. Monckton, in 1755, "at the reduction of the French forts in Nova Scotia." He soon after received the commission of a colonel, and was in the expedition to Crown Point. In 1759 he led his regiment, in the expedi- tion of lord Amherst, for the conquest of Canada. He was a man of courage, activity and force, and had, what is rare, a " military genius." In the revolutionary army, he would, doubtless, have attained distinction.
His property was large for those times, and he improved his estate by strict attention and energy. Besides his posses- sions in Lancaster, and other towns in the vicinity, he had a large landed estate in Stafford, Conn., and he had purchased a farm in Beverly, at the expense of £2,756 sterling, equal, perhaps, to $27,000 in our currency, in purchasing value.
He was a man of character and influence ; was greatly re- spected by his fellow citizens, and by his public spirit, merit- ed their regards. But his heart was divided between his sovereign, whose commission as a " mandamus counsellor" he bore, and his country, with which all his interests and his an- cestral associations were connected. The conflict resulted in his choosing the loyal side, and entering the enemy's lines. The manner of his leaving home indicates that he had no fixed purpose to be permanently absent. On the morning of the nineteenth of April, before the arrival of the messenger bring- ing the news of the British raid on Lexington and Concord,
300
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
the colonel " mounted his horse, with saddle-bags stored with seeds for his farm in Beverly, prepared to spend several days there, and superintend the planting and sowing." That he had no intention, on leaving home, of proceeding to Boston, is thought to be proved by the fact that he made no arrange- ment for his wife and children to follow. Before reaching Concord, it is supposed, he learned that the British troops were drawing near. It was too late for him to proceed to his destination, through Concord, or the towns north of that place, which would be swarming with soldiers, hastening to the scene of action. Therefore, it is conjectured, he turned to the right, and passed through a southern tier of towns, whose volunteers had already marched, leaving the road com- paratively clear, and thus reached Boston. Once there, he could not safely return, whatever his wishes or misgivings, and he cast in his lot with the British party. But he never did any service except as a commissary with the army at New York. At the close of the war, he received a crown-grant of land in New Brunswick, settled there with his family, and died in 1789. This was a sad and inglorious end to a life whose early manhood and vigorous maturity were so distin- guished. Col. Willard's second wife, and the mother of his children who lived beyond childhood, was the daughter of John, and granddaughter of Rev. John Prentice. His first wife was Elizabeth, sister of Col. William Prescott. In 1749 Col. Willard and his first wife united with the church in Lan- caster. It is related that the colonel was on Copp's hill, in Boston, standing with British officers, and watching the open- ing of the battle on Bunker Hill, when one of the officers said to him : " Who commands in the American redoubt?" Will- ard, who knew his brother-in-law well, replied, " Col. Pres- cott." Said the officer : " Will he fight ?" He answered : " Yes, to the last drop of his blood." Col. Prescott belonged to the Lancaster stock, and was descended from the first John Prescott.
301
UNDER WHICH KING?
The town meeting warned to meet, March 6, 1775, was " In his Majesties Name." The call of the next meeting, July 3, left out all reference to his majesty, and proceeded on the sole authority of the selectmen ; but it was " according to the ad- vice of the Continental Congress," the authority of which was beginning to be recognized. This meeting was called to " de- pute one or more persons to represent said town in a great and general court or assembly, appointed to be convened, held and kept for the service of the said colony until the end of the day next preceding the last Wednesday of May next, and no longer." The assembly was called to meet on the six- teenth of July, and Lancaster sent Capt. Hezekiah Gates and Mr. Ebenezer Allen. " Old men for counsel " was an an- cient maxim, which the fathers of the town followed on this occasion. Capt. Gates was in his seventy-second year, and died in 1777. Mr. Allen, who was in his eightieth year, lived till 1790, and died at the age of ninety-four.
The March meeting in 1776, was called "in his Majesty's Name," for some unexplained reason ; probably because the United Colonies had not yet declared their independence. But this was the last occasion on which the selectmen based their action on the authority of his majesty. The town, at this meeting, after electing town officers, chose the follow- ing committee of " correspondence, inspection and safety." Cyrus Fairbank, Josiah Kendall, jr., Ebenezer Allen, Jabez Fairbank, Ephraim Sawyer, William Dunsmoor, Esq., David Wilder, Jonathan Wilder and Joshua Fletcher. But another meeting was called to meet May 20, and this was summoned in " observance of the Colony's writ," and in the " Name of the Government and People of the Massachusetts Bay." The purpose of the meeting was to elect a delegate to the gener- al court. The town, when met, voted to send one, and nega- tived the proposition to send two. But the meeting was ad- journed without voting for a delegate. At an adjourned meet- ing, the vote was reconsidered, and a committee was chosen to " draw up something as a reason why we do not send a rep- resentative."
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