USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > History of the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts : from the first settlement to the present time, 1643-1879 > Part 24
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302
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
The next meeting was on the last Monday of September. The Declaration of Independence had been made, and the selectmen summoned the freeholders "In the name of the people and authority of the American States." They were feeling around after the source of supreme power. The king and parliament were discarded, and there was a notion that sovereignty resided somewhere outside of the colony or state. This meeting was called to consider whether the town " would raise money to hire men to go into the service against our enemy whenever we have orders from the Congress and General Court to turn out men for that end." Nothing was done in relation to that article, or others bearing on the same subject. The general court had passed an act relating to a " speedey and cheep course for receiving of Debts," and Wil- liam Dunsmoor, Esq., was chosen to take "cognizance of debts."
A movement was now started for the formation of a state constitution, and the proposition was submitted to the towns whether they would consent that the existing " house of rep- resentatives of the State of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England," together with the council, in one body, by equal voice, should consult, agree on and enact such a " Constitu- tion and form of Government for this state," as said body, on the " fullest and most matured deliberation, shall judge will most conduce to the safety, peace and happiness of this state in all after successions and generations, and if you would direct the same to be made public for the inspection and peru- sal of the inhabitants, before ratification thereof by the as- sembly." This warrant was directed to " all the Male inhabi- tants of the town of Lancaster, being free and twenty-one years of age and upwards." The meeting was held, Octo- ber 7, and the town voted, " that this town impower the pres- ent house of representatives to draw up a Form of Govern- ment, and transmit back for the town's ratification." On the same day William Dunsmoor, Esq., was chosen representa- tive. The Constitution proposed by this convention was
303
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.
rejected by the people of the state, though the vote in Lancas- ter was 111 in favor to 41 against it.
The next entry in the town Records is a copy of the Dec- laration of Independence, in clear and beautiful penmanship, with the name of John Hancock written with a bolder hand than in the original. This was done in accordance with an order of the Council, sitting in Boston, on the seventeenth of July, as follows :
" Ordered, that the Declaration of Independence be print- ed, and a copy sent to the minister of each parish, of every denomination, within this state, and that [they] severally be required to read the same to their respective congregations, as soon as divine service is ended, in the afternoon, on the first Lord's Day after they shall have received it. And after such publication thereof, to deliver the said Declaration to the clerks of their several towns or districts, who are hereby required to record the same in their respective town or dis- trict books, there to remain as a perpetual memorial thereof."
Before this time the seat of war had changed from Boston to New York. Capt. Samuel Sawyer was in the army on Long Island, and in the retreat across the East river, and up Manhattan island. The orderly book of his company, in his own writing, is in the Archives, and is well worth reading, but contains scant matter for extracts.
The committee of " correspondence, inspection and safe- ty," had arduous and disagreeable duties, in the opening of the war. So far as "inspection " was concerned, the office was not a sinecure. One of their duties was to ascertain whether any of their neighbors were disloyal to the cause of independence, and to bring a pressure to bear upon them till their loyalty was revived, or they were driven from home into the British lines. After inquiry and personal visitation, they formed a " black list" and reported it to the town, when the suspected were summoned to answer for themselves, and publicly recant. In June, 1777, Asa Whitcomb, by direction of the town, and in accordance with a resolve of the general
304
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
court, collected evidence against such as were deemed " in- ternal enemies to the state." He reported the names of Moses Gerrish, Daniel Allen, Ezra Houghton, Joseph Moore, Solomon Houghton, James Carter and Rev. Timothy Har- rington. Most of these men, perhaps all of them, were, upon examination, exonerated by the town, and lived as peaceable citizens. Possibly they had a lingering love for the ancient regime, and grave doubts about the success of the patriots ; but doubtless they cheerfully acquiesced in the results by which their country became free.
The process was curious, and though disagreable to the parties, seems amusing to those living a century later. Sep- tember 12, 1777, it was "voted that the Rev. Timothy Har- rington'be added to said list." This was the "black list." And then it was voted "that the selectmen return a list of these dangerous persons to the Clerk, and he to the Justice of the quorum as soon as may be." Eleven days later an- other meeting was held, which voted that the "town Clerk do not return the Rev. Timothy Harrington on the black list till after the next town meeting, which will be the first Mon- day in November next." The scene at that meeting was quite dramatic. It was first voted that "messengers be sent to in- form the Rev. Timothy Harrington that he has something in agitation now to be heard in the meeting at which he has liberty to attend." The reader will note the ingenuity of the phrase, "he has something in agitation," when all the agita- tion had been fomented by others.
It was next voted that Dea. Benjamin Houghton be sent to inform Mr. Harrington to appear at the meeting. Then Dea. Cyrus Fairbank was also sent on the same mission. The deacons were all sound and resolute patriots. The next en- try immediately follows : "Voted, that the Rev. Timothy Harrington's name be struck from the black list." The re- sult was brought about in this way. Mr. Harrington came into the meeting, and when called to answer for himself, stood up, venerable with age, and respected for his virtues, and lay-
305
ACCEPTING THE CONFEDERATION.
ing bare his breast, exclaimed, " Strike, strike here, with your daggers. I am a true friend to my country."
One of the severest trials incident to the war of the Rev- olution was the depreciation of paper money. As early as the year 1777, the value of these paper promises had fallen to an alarming degree. A meeting held November 24, chose a committee to consider an Act of the general court. The report of the committee will show the sentiment of Lancas- ter in regard to the subject. "This town, taking into con- sideration the late Act made for putting large sums of the bills of credit emitted by this state, on interest, on or before the first day of December next, and for sinking in the hands of the possessors, all sums less than ten pounds excepting those bills less than one dollar ; therefore this town are clearly of opinion that said Act, in connection with a tax we under- stand is soon to come out, is a grievance we look upon greater than to sink said money by a tax or taxes as the people are able to bear. And further, we look upon it very extraordi- nary that said court should lay a fine on the tendering said money, when at the same time the face of said bill saith it shall be of such value, and received in all payments." The town resolved to petition the general court, in accordance with the above.
Another meeting was held on the seventh of February, 1778, when, besides a vote to accept the " Articles of Con- federation and Perpetual Union between the United States of America," the town agreed to make the cost of clothing the soldiers from this town in the continental army, and the pay of a man to transport said clothing, a " town charge." These men had enlisted for "three years ;" some of them " during the war." Their names will be given on a subsequent page.
At the March meeting, the town raised the sum of four thousand and forty-nine pounds and seven shillings to "pay soldiers hired for eight months and nine months, to form the continental army for the present year." This apparently
20
-
306
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
enormous appropriation was, of course, in depreciated cur- rency.
An incidental entry in the Records reveals the fact that sol- diers from the town were in the army when it evacuated New York, and also in " the Jersies," in 1776-7.
On the eleventh of May, it was voted to raise "eighteen continental men for nine months," and to pay them out of the treasury. It was then voted to raise "fourteen men more." The committee to raise the men consisted of the commission- ed officers of the companies, the selectmen and the committee of safety.
In October a committee was chosen to "supply the fami- lies " of those that had joined the army. In the first month of the next year, 1779, three hundred pounds were raised for the benefit of the families of soldiers in the army.
The fluctuation of the currency, by the year 1779, derang- ed all the business of society, and prompted legislatures and towns to undertake the vain effort to control prices by votes and resolves. In May the town chose "four persons as in- spectors of the market," viz., David Osgood, William Duns- moor, Nathaniel Beaman and William Putnam. And in June, there was a vote passed to this effect, "that the price of the commodities of the farmer and any other articles, do not rise any higher than at this time." Then a committee was raised to "ascertain the prices of every article of life." This was done with the hope of keeping prices fixed ; an effort utterly vain.
The call for soldiers, by the general court, to enter the continental army, was met by a vote to enlist men, and pay them forty shillings per month. In October the officers were directed to "proceed to a draft upon their respective com- panies in case the committee cant hier the men," and in case the soldiers would not enlist. To pay the soldiers going into the service, £6381 were raised.
Every year a committee was chosen to fix the prices of articles, wages, etc., and it may gratify the reader to see
307
FIXING PRICES.
some of the prices fixed in 1777. A few examples will be sufficient.
sh. d.
Good wheat, per bushel, merchantable,
6-8
Rye, 66
4-6
Indian Corn, good,
3-0
Sheeps' wool, good, per pound,
2-
Pork, fresh, well fatted, "
0-4
Beef, grass fed, 66
0-23
" stall fed,
0-3₴
Shoes for women, cloth or leather, per pair,
5-8
Mutton and veal, per pound,
0-3
Milk in the winter, per quart,
0 2
Good wood, delivered, per cord,
6-0
Day's labor in summer,
3-0
winter, .
1-6
Dinner, roast and boiled,
1-0
Flip, mug of half a pint New England rum, West India
0-9
1-0
Making a man's cloth breeches,
buckskin “
Boarding a man, with washing, 7 days,
Bricks, well burned, common size, per 1000,
13-4
Grammar school master, per month,
. £2-8-0
Doctor's fees: vomit, 1sh .; purge, 1sh .; mile's travel, &d; pull-
ing tooth, 8d; visit, 8d, and all other doctoring in proportion.
The prices of many articles had been fixed upon by a con- vention held at Concord. The town was represented in the convention, and voted to adhere to the prices prescribed. This became rather embarrassing when the value of the cur- rency depreciated so low that it was worth scarcely as much as clean paper. The town charges in 1780, were £7000. For highways, mending bridges, etc., £6000 were raised. This did not include schools. The price of a man's labor had risen to six pounds per day, and other things in propor- tion.
The following statement of the assessors, for the year 1779, throws light on the cost of the war and the state of the currency.
May 14. Assessed a continental state tax of . £7,604-11- 4
June 18.
town tax,
5,800- 0- 0
66 highway tax, . . . 1,200- 0- 0
4-0
6-0
6-0
308
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
Aug. 27.
Assessed a continental tax,
.
22,219-11- 3
town tax,
· 11,176- 3- 0
66 county tax,
178-12-10
Feb. 3.
state tax,
19,991-13- 4
town tax,
6,381- 0- 0
county tax,
296- 2-11
Total, .
£74,847-14- 8
By June, 1780, the nominal wages of a soldier had risen to a high figure. For example, it was voted to pay each man that would enlist, as a bounty in addition to the wages allowed by the state, "£1400 lawful money, such part as each man may want to be paid down; the remainder when paid to be made as good as at the date of the meeting. Or £13, 6, 8, lawful money, to be paid in the old way, in corn, beef, live stock, or any produce as it used to be sold, or the value thereof in continental money." There was need to stipulate that the pay should be as good as when the offer was made, since the town had borrowed money of Col. Greenleaf in a former year, and felt reluctant to pay him except in depre- ciated currency. The sum of £150,000 was raised for the purpose of hiring soldiers.
In July the general court sent for forty-eight militia men, and the town chose a committee to hire them, promising to indemnify said committee for any expense incurred.
At a meeting held October 24, Capt. David Osgood, Capt. Ephraim Carter and Nathaniel Houghton, were chosen a com- mittee to "purchase the beef sent for by the general court," and the sum of £750 in new emission money was raised for that purpose. The amount of beef was nineteen thousand pounds at one time, and over thirty-six thousand pounds at another time.
With the opening of the year 1781, came a requisition from the general court for beef and for soldiers. The town promptly met the demand by choosing a committee to purchase beef of the value of £1500, new emission, and by a vote to " raise our quota of men to serve in the continental army for three years, or during the war." The committee on beef
309
PRESSING CALL FOR SOLDIERS.
were David Osgood, Joseph Carter, Nathaniel Houghton, Solomon Jewett and Ephraim Carter. The committee for hiring soldiers, were Israel Moor, Samuel Thurston, Nathan- iel Beaman, Cyrus Fairbank, Jonas Wyman, Josiah Kendall, jr., Samuel Sawyer, Ephraim Wilder, Eben. Allen, Joseph Ballard, Joel Houghton, Thomas Brown. The above busi- ness was transacted on the second of January. Adjourned meetings were held on the eighth, eleventh and twenty-fifth days of the same month, at which the committee were en- couraged to act with vigor ; their number was enlarged by adding the following members, viz., Nathaniel Balch, Samuel Ward, Timothy Whiting, William Dunsmore, James Richard- son and Fortunatus Eager. It was truly a military com- mittee, containing no less than six captains. The sum of £6562 was raised to hire the soldiers.
It was found to be an extremely difficult task to hire the re- quired number of men, as is evident from the frequent meet- ings held in February and March. Three times the question was put to see if the town " would class in order to get men for the army," and three times it was voted down. Finally, the town added seventeen men to the committee, making the whole number thirty-four. The town was divided into thirty- five squadrons, probably that the members of the committee might have a definite field in which to labor. Meetings were held on the fifth, nineteenth and twentieth of March; the last of which was adjourned to the second day of April.
Probably the men were raised without a draft, as we hear no more about " classing the town." By an Act of the gen- eral court, the town of Sterling was set up in April, and on the nineteenth of May, the first meeting of the town of Lan- caster, after the separation, was held in the meeting-house of the first precinct.
Calls for beef, clothing and soldiers came from the general court in the course of the summer, and the town responded liberally by raising the money needed. September 10, the town requested the several " captains to call their companies
310
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
together" on the next Friday, at the meeting-house, and the constables were directed to "exert themselves to collect as much money in silver as possible for paying the soldiers their advance pay."
This closes the record of town action in raising men, money, food and clothing for carrying on the revolutionary war. On the nineteenth of October the British army surrendered to Gen. Washington, at Yorktown, and the war was really closed, though peace was not formally ratified till the year 1783. To some readers the details may seem a dry record of the dead past; but to one who reads aright, they are throbbing with life and interest. Every family sent its representative to the frequent town meetings, and at night fathers and sons brought home the story of the united action of the town. Every enlisted man was known, and the blessings of a whole neighborhood went with him to the field of war.
When the town was divided into thirty-four squadrons, and a committee of thirty-five of the most active and respectable men were set to the work of raising soldiers, it is plain that the pressure was brought to bear with great force on all who were in any way eligible for the service. Men who had not been in the army ; men without families ; men who were not bound at home by business ; in a word, all who could go, were appealed to with urgency to bear arms in defence of their country. The men raised bounties, the women made cloth- ing, the old men encouraged, the church and minister prayed for those who put on the harness of war. Dea. Moor, chair- man of the enlisting committee asked a man who was urged to enter the service, what would satisfy him in the way of bounty. He replied that a field of the deacon's adjoining his own lot was what he had long wanted. "Take it," said Dea. Moor, " for if we lose our liberties it will be of no value to me." All felt the need of sacrifice, and there was a gen- eral spirit of devotion to the cause of the country. In this connection, an anecdote in reference to Capt. Samuel Ward may find a place. He was not regarded as much of a patriot,
311
SHREWDNESS OF CAPT. WARD.
in the beginning of the contest, but being a man of great sense and shrewdness, his conduct passed unchallenged by the " in- specting committee." On some occasion, after repeated de- mands had been made upon the people for contributions, a leading patriot named Kendall, expressed doubts about the ability of the citizens to do so much as was required. Capt. Ward seized his opportunity, showed that where there was a willingness to give, a way could be readily found, and ad- vocated a liberal response to the call of the general court. He carried the meeting with him, and doubtless, greatly en- joyed the laurels snatched from the head of a prominent son of liberty.
No pen of historian or poet can adequately tell the story of the revolutionary war, as it actually pressed upon the hands and the hearts of our fathers and mothers. The exertions and sacrifices made by them are beyond computation, but by the blessing of heaven they achieved a success beyond their hopes. During more than a hundred years, their posterity has been reaping the fruit of their toils, and a vast and grow- ing empire is their monument.
It is impossible to find in the Archives of the common- wealth a complete list of the names of the soldiers who went from Lancaster into the war of the revolution. Those who rushed to Concord, Lexington and Cambridge, on the nine- teenth and twentieth of April, 1775, were duly enrolled, and the time of their service, with the officers under whom they served, is now on record. The names have been given in preceding pages. As soon as the business of forming a reg- ular army was begun, the quota of the several states was fixed, and recruiting was carried on by direction of the general court, under requisitions from congress. The quota of this town was always filled, it would seem by the town records, though in the later years of the struggle, much urgency was needed to induce the requisite number to enlist. Nor is this an im- peachment of the patriotism of the people. It was right that those who left their homes, and all that was dear to them,
312
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
putting their lives also in jeopardy, should be sustained by those who staid at home ; and whenever there was a readiness to share with them in sacrifices, the men were found who were willing to meet the dangers of the camp, and the haz- ards of the battle-field.
Capt. Burt, of Harvard, commanded one of the companies in Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment. In this company were two men from Lancaster ; viz., Jonathan Atherton and Moses Brewer. Capt. Longley, of Bolton, was in the same regiment, and Daniel Fleenar, of Lancaster, belonged to his company.
Elijah Dole who went to Quebec, under Gen. Arnold, in the fall and winter of 1775, lived through the campaign, as ap- pears by the following letter to the " Committee for clothing the continental troops. The bearer hereof, Elijah Dole, be- longing to my company in Col. Asa Whitcomb's regiment, en- gaged in the American service immediately after the nineteenth of April, 1775, marched from Cambridge on September 13 following to Quebec ; has never drawn a coat according to the resolve of the continental congress ; would be glad to have the amount of it in money ; has applied to me to inform your Hon- ors in his behalf. SETH HEYWOOD, Lieut.
Lancaster, Dec. 2, 1776."
The following is a list of soldiers who were in the continen- tal service in the years 1777-80, and who " enlisted for three years, or during the war." The number of the regiment and the duration of each man's service, are stated opposite each name.
George Giddion,
70th
regt.,
28 mos.
21 days.
Ebenezer Glazier,
15
36
James Armstrong,
66
Cornelius Baker,
Abel Bigelow,
5
66
Benjamin Ballard,
13
34
12
3 yrs.
Samuel Bennett,
14
66
23
John Carter,
10
12
W.
Thomas Cleland,
15
66
44
28
W.
*Elijah Dole,
10
66
18
66
30
3 yrs.
*Died in service.
. .
313
THREE YEARS MEN.
John Dollerson,
13th
regt.,
45 mos.
16 days
w.
Nathaniel Easterbrook,
14
36
3 yrs.
Hiram Eager,
Crane's "
21
Gershom Flagg.
4
36
66
3 yrs.
Asa Farrar,
15
36
Samuel Harring,
10
36
66
Joshua Johnson,
5
60
34
Job Lewis,
10
36
Levi Larkin,
15
36
Abel Moor,
10
3
1
66
66
Nathan Osgood,
15
19
2
66
William Prentice,
5
36
Jacob Phelps,
10
9
20
Perley Rogers,
2
9
28
60
W.
James Russell,
10
36
3
3 yrs.
George Richardson,
14
66
36
Seth Ross,
15
36
66
Luther Rice,
15
36
Reuben Ramsdell,
15
65
66
Wharf Rand,
15
enlisted, but was substituted by
Simeon Kemp,
36
3 yrs.
Lemuel Shed,
10
14
66
14
3 yrs.
James Snow,
14
32
22
66
w.
Oner Simes.
15
3
3 yrs.
Peter Tew,
16
66
15
22
W.
John Wyman,
10
17
21
66
3 yrs.
Francis Whitcomb,
10
36
66
John Warner,
10
35
26
66
Asa Wyman,
10
66
12
W.
Jonathan Wheelock,
14
66
36
12
66
3 yrs.
*Joseph Wheelock,
14
66
13
6
66
James Willard.
14
36
*Daniel Wyman,
14
66
18
66
16
66
Benjamin Wheelock,
14
66
35
29
66
Samuel Wood,
14
66
36
* Abel Wright,
15
66
19
9
66
Joshua Whitney,
15
66
36
66
66
Aaron Willard,
15
66
36
22
..
66
*Caleb Whitney,
15
3
10
66
8 “ 00
w.
*Robert Skinner.
10
24
David Whitcomb,
10
15
28
12
14 “
66
*Died in service.
314
HISTORY OF LANCASTER.
The above names were found in two volumes, in the office of the Secretary of State, relating to the war of the Revolution. The names are entered in the volumes by regiments. The letter w, indicates that the soldier enlisted during the war. Two or three, who shall be nameless, deserted, after being long in the service.
In the same volumes is another list containing the names of a few men who joined the artillery.
John Baker, Mason's Art.
34 mos.
3 yrs.
Joseph Bennett,
33
11 days,
Josiah Bowers,
27
11 “
Ebenezer Flagg,
36
Gershom Flagg,
33
23
Thomas Goodwin,
33
6 4
66
Jacob Wilder,
27
11
Joseph Beaman, Warner's Art.
18
w.
John Keene, Hawes' reg't.
1
18 "
w.
There is still another list of men, whose time of service was in 1780, as appears by the following record. "Six months' men belonging to Lancaster, who marched to West Point in the continental service, including ten days travel."
Sgt. Ebenezer Flagg,
Samuel Phelps,
William Flud,
6 Andrew Haskell,
Ezra Moor,
Samuel Corey,
Jacob Allen,
Joshua Phelps,
Stephen Corey,
Isaac Eveleth,
Jona. Barnard,
Oliver Wheelock,
Paul Sawyer,
Samuel Johnson,
Jona. Tenney,
Jeduthun Sawyer,
Ebenezer Burditt,
Jotham Woods,
Daniel Willard,
Reuben Wilder,
Abel Sawyer.
These men " marched in July, 1780, and were discharged in December " of the same year. The pay they received amount- ed to £253-0-8. The Andrew Haskell, who figures here as a sergeant, is supposed to be our veteran friend, Captain Andrew Haskell, who resigned because others were promoted over his head, but whose inborn love of military service and patriotic ardor, impelled him into the field, rank or no rank. The spir- it of the man was above his position, and it was inextinguish- able. He lived here till the year 1791, when he enlisted under
315
IMMENSE COST OF THE WAR.
Gen. Arthur St. Clair, who led our forces against the Indians in the northwest. Our army was badly defeated in the battle near the village of the Miami tribes, November 3, 1791. In this fight, Capt. Haskell was killed.
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