USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Marlborough > History of the town of Marlborough, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, from its first settlement in 1657 to 1861; with a brief sketch of the town of Northborough, a genealogy of the families in Marlborough to 1800 > Part 12
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" That we will, with God's leave, meet together every Lord's day in the evening, and on the evenings of Thanksgiving and Fast, to carry on among ourselves religious worship, to pray to God, to sing his praises, to read his word or some practical discourse, and to conclude with prayer ; and while we contiune together, our conversation shall be savory, and suitable to the end proposed by us in our meeting together. That when we break up our religious exercises, we will directly return to our several homes, and nothing but what is extraordinary shall divert us therefrom."
About thirty young men entered into this association, and no doubt were improved thereby. At any rate, their example might teach their fathers at that day a practical lesson of union, and furnish a model for many young men at this day, who spend their evenings in a manner less rational or improving.
After being for about four years, not only like sheep without a shepherd, but like other animals which worry and annoy one another, a better feeling seemed to prevail.
" At a meeting of the town of Marlborough, regularly assem- bled, December 24, 1739, It was put to vote whether the town were ready to come to a choice of a minister to settle among them ; and it passed in the affirmative. Then the church withdrew, and made choice of Mr. Aaron Smith for their min- ister, and brought said choice before the town for their con- currence.
" It was put to vote, whether the town would concur in the choice of Mr. Aaron Smith for their minister as above, and it passed in the affirmative."
At the same meeting they agreed to offer Mr. Smith a salary of eighty pounds a year, in bills of credit of the new tenor. or two hundred and forty of the old ; " provided be prove sound in the faith upon examination, and give in a confession of his faith, agrecably to the Confession of Faith of the Con-
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gregational Churches of New England, so long as he shall continue of such faith, and of good conversation ; reasonable allowance being made upon said bills being of more or less value." They also voted a settlement of four hundred pounds, old tenor-one hundred to be paid within six months after his ordination, and one hundred a year from said first payment, till the whole sum be paid ; "provided he continue qualified as aforesaid."
Mr. Smith accepted the invitation, and was ordained June 11, 1740. His settlement gave peace to the town, so far as a minister was concerned. But the old remark, that misfortunes seldom come singly, was fully realized in their case. For while the people were contending, and one said, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, a feeling of alienation, founded upon sectional jealousies, was growing up, and furnishing seed for that full harvest of sectional strife, the bitter fruits of which have since saddened many a heart.
Certain gentlemen in the easterly part of the town, were desirous of being set off as a separate township, as will be seen by the following petition :-
" To the freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Marlborough, in town meeting assembled, February 5, 1738.
"The petition of sundry inhabitants of the easterly part of said town, humbly sheweth :- That your petitioners have expecta- tion that we and others, ye inhabitants of the said easterly part of said town, shall be set off a separate township. What we address you for, gentlemen, is, that you would return us our part of the money that we shall pay towards the settlement or gratuity to a minister, and likewise our part towards ordination cost and charges, if we shall be set off as abovesaid within three years after the above date ; and if we shall not within the term of three years, yet if we shall within the term of seven years, that you would return us half of ye said gratuity and ordination cost-and as in duty bound shall pray, &c.
" Joseph Taylor, John Weeks, Jonathan Barnes,
Samuel Witt, Sen., Uriah Newton,
Joseph Baker, Ebenezer Hager,
Benjamin Goodale,
John Holland, Jabez Ward,
Nahum Newton,
Samuel Witt, John Taylor.
Joseph Bush,
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"The question being put whether ye prayer of ye within petition be granted under the following restrictions, viz., no part of ye ordination charge be returned, nor settlement, unless ye town's money be hiring and carrying on ye public service of ye pulpit there, at ye times within specified. Passed in the affirmative."
But this action, on the part of the town, did not long give satisfaction. In June, 1743, Samuel Witt, John Hapgood, and others residing on the Indian plantation, petition the General Court that that portion of Marlborough be set off as a distinct parish or town. They represent that they reside far from the meeting-house ; that it is "vastly fatiguing " to attend meeting ; that they have an " entire aversion to itinerants and exhorters, who may take occasion to go from house to house," if they had no meeting among them. They also state that they have tim- ber and other materials for a meeting-house. On this petition the Court sent out a viewing committee.
In the mean time, a remonstrance was sent to the Court, signed by Simon Maynard, Jonathan Barnes and others, in which they state that the petitioners are not all voters, and that it would be three times as far for some of those living upon the plantation to go to meeting, as it is at present.
In January, 1743, Uriah Eager, Jabez Ward, John Weeks and others, petition that the easterly portion of the township may be set off from Marlborough, and erected into a separate town. While these two petitions were pending, one for a town- ship formed from the Indian plantation, and the other from the easterly or south-easterly portion of the town, Simon Maynard, Joseph Baker, Uriah Eager and eighteen others, memorialize the General Court-in which memorial they state, that they are utterly opposed to setting off the Indian plantation as a separate precinct, unless the most easterly part of the town be annexed to it, and that with the consent of their neighbors, the inhabi- tants ; notwithstanding some of them had already petitioned for the same. They further showed their moderation and good sense, by saying that the opposition and lasting contention which would result from such a measure would "render our lives uncomfortable, and hinder our grace."
In September, 1744, the town, by a committee, consisting of Edward Barnes and John Warren, responded to these petitions
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by setting forth that the meeting-house was situated on the very territory the petitioners on the Indian plantation asked to have set off ; and that a considerable number of inhabitants upon the territory would be less accommodated by being severed from Marlborough, than they are at present ; and that there would be others left in the old town, as far from meeting as those who are urging their case before the Court. These several papers were referred to a committee, which reported in favor of grant- ing the prayer of the petitioners, with certain limitations ; but the Court refused to adopt the report.
Thus ended the controversy for the division of the town ; but the same principle showed itself in another form. The peo- ple in the northern and eastern part thereof presented, for the consideration of the inhabitants, the subject of building two meeting-houses, so that the inhabitants in every part of the town might be accommodated. But the voters wisely rejected the proposition. In the mean time they made such arrange- ments in their meeting-house, as were necessary to accommo- date all the people with seats. In this way they succeeded in keeping the town together; though the feeling of East and West part, seemed to be somewhat deeply seated in the breasts of many of the inhabitants.
In 1749, a severe calamity befell the Colony by a drought, attended in many places with swarms of devouring insects, which caused great distress in New England. Many brooks and springs were dried up. The first erop of grass was short- ened to a tenth part of what had usually been mown; and some of the inhabitants were obliged to send to Pennsylvania, and others even to England, for hay. In this general calamity, Marlborough shared to the full extent. Feeling their depend- ence upon Him who gives or withholds the early and latter rains, as seemeth good in his sight, the 15th of June was set apart as a day of public fasting and prayer, on account of the extreme drought. Mr. Smith preached two sermons on that day, which were printed " at the earnest request of his hearers " -copies of which are preserved with the church records. The following is an extract from the Appendix.
" The heat and drought daily increased, until not only the ground was chapt, but the corn which clothed the vallies was
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fainting. and on the point of sinking into the earth. The trees languished and died ; the brooks dried up; the small fish so perished, that the rivers stank ; yea the air, by long stagnation, became so putrid and unfit for respiration, that mankind were in danger of being suffocated. In this extremity, when every countenance gathered paleness, for all things appeared dark and dismal, and in consternation men stood gazing one upon another, wisely inquiring, wherefore God's anger burned towards them in such a tremendous manner : I say in this very critical juncture, the Lord wrought graciously for his people on the 6th of July : that memorable day Almighty God compassionated his people, and caused us to behold his great Power in relieving us, when reduced to the lowest ebb New England ever saw. "T'was in the very instant when all hope was ready to fail, that the Father of rain sent plentiful showers, and so refreshed the parched earth, and recovered the perishing fruits, and destroyed the insects, that the earth yielded more than a competent supply for the necessities and comforts of life."
In 1756, the subject of taking down the old meeting-house and erecting two new ones, was again brought before the town. But instead of entertaining the proposition, the town " voted to repair the present meeting-house on the foreside and the two ends, by making new window-frames and casements to slip up and down, and glaze it with sash glass, set in wood,* and to new clabbord the foreside and the two ends, and make new doors and steps at the doors ; and to accomplish said work, Mr. 'Thomas Brigham, Dea. Andrew Rice, Capt. Joseph Howe, Capt. Daniel Barnes, and Capt. Ephraim Brigham, were chosen a committee to cause the same to be done."
And to show the feeling which existed, and the strong desire which prevailed to render their present house convenient and acceptable, several young women petitioned the town that they might be permitted to make some improvements in the internal arrangement of the house ; whereupon, it was " voted that
* " Sash glass, set in wood," &c. The kind of glass generally used at that day was a small light, about four by six inches, set in lead, with bars crossing the window to hold the lead in its place. The form of the lights was that of a Rhombus, or an equilateral Rhomboid, its greatest diameter being placed perpen- dicularly in the window. Such, undoubtedly, was the glazing of the meeting- house up to 1756.
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Mary Ward, Elizabeth Harrington, and Dorothy Burnap, and others whom they shall admit, may build a pew in the front gallery where a seat now is, and set in it during the town's pleasure." The town went on, from year to year, improving their meeting-house-erecting porches, glazing the back side, and even " colouring " the house to make it attractive. These repairs upon the meeting-house have a significancy other than the mere improving of the building. It was a sort of back fire to the movement of the easterly part to be set off as a separate town, or to have two houses erected.
The town historian is frequently charged with dwelling upon trifles ; but those who bring this charge are hardly aware that the character of a town, like that of an individual, is best learned by its minute acts, where the motives and springs of action have full play, and where the mask of dissimulation costs more than the object to be attained. Another charge brought against the local historian is, that he devotes too much of his space to ecclesiastical affairs-to building meeting- houses, and settling and dismissing ministers. This charge also arises from a misconception of the subject. In the early settlement of New England, their ecclesiastical affairs occupied a more conspicuous place than they do at present. Then the minister exerted a controlling influence, not only in religious, but in civil matters ; and to omit ecclesiastical affairs in the history of a town, would be passing over what the people held most dear, and omitting the very subject which most engrossed their attention, caused their severest trials, and drew forth their most fervent prayers.
Who could write the history of Salem Witchcraft, without bringing in the discipline of the church; or even the settle- ment of New England, without touching upon the religious motive which prompted the settlement itself ? In the history of the Pilgrims, Elder Brewster is quite as important as Miles Standish ; and any work would be incomplete which did not place both of them in a prominent position.
A Town History, going back to the early settlements, would be as defective without the minister and the meeting-house, as a History of Rhode Island would be without Roger Williams. Let no one, therefore, say that the settlement of the minister, the building of the meeting-house, the decision of the ecclesi-
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astical council, or the gathering of the church, are events which can be overlooked in the history of a town. These things filled a large space in the contemplation of our fore- fathers ; and their most chastened enjoyment, as well as their most bitter feuds, grew out of these very subjects. People at this day are hardly aware of the prominence of ecclesiastical matters in our early history. The great idea of the age was the religious idea. To build up a religious Commonwealth was the great object, and hence the right of suffrage was con- fined to professors; and men were not only required by law to support the minister, but to attend upon his preaching. In faithfulness, therefore, the historian is compelled to devote a considerable portion of his page to ecclesiastical matters, in order to present the spirit of the age, and
"Catch the manners living as they rise."
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CHAPTER VI.
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS.
Soldiers in 1722-1724-Campaign in 1741 -Capture of Louisburg - Capt. Howe's Company, 1746 - Companies in 1757 - Soldiers in 1746 - Soldiers in 1748 - Soldiers in 1754 -in 1755-in 1756 - Soldiers who march to the relief of Fort William-Henry - Soldiers in 1758-1759-1760 - Importance of the French Wars - Their Bearing upon our Civil and Religious Institu- tions - Wars Overruled for Good - Our present Insurrection.
WE have seen in the preceding chapters, that the inhabitants of Marlborough have been exposed to the horrors of Indian wars, and that these evils have been, in several instances, brought to their own doors. We propose to narrate, in this chapter, other wars which, though they have been more distant, have not been less exhausting ; and though the women and children have been more secure, the male portion of the population have been more exposed. Marlborough furnished a large number of men in every campaign, from 1722 to the peace of 1763. Of the early campaigns there are no full rolls of companies extant, and consequently we can give no list of the men belonging to this town. From a few fragments of rolls which we have been able to find, we learn that William Ward was a sergeant in the service in 1722, and Thomas Butler in 1723. In 1724, Robert Hunt, Henry Allen and Jesse Howe, of Marlborough, are found upon the rolls.
In 1741, the English Government fitted out an expedition against the Spanish West Indies, Cuba being the principal object. Massachusetts furnished five hundred men ; and such was the fatality from disease, and other causes, only about fifty ever returned. Marlborough must have had some men in that unfortunate expedition. But the rolls are believed to be lost. Darius Wheeler is the only Marlborough man, of whose service we have any direct evidence.
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In 1744, England declared war against France ; which in- volved the Colonies in great trials and dangers. The following year the memorable expedition against Cape Breton was under- taken, which resulted in the capture of Louisburg. As Massa- chusetts Colony furnished 3,250 men, Marlborough must have had her complement of soldiers in that expedition. But as the rolls are said to have been sent to England as vouchers, no list of Marlborough men can be found. The obituaries of the town contain the following : " Bezaleel Morse died at Cape Breton, January 12, 1745, aged 25 years." He was undoubtedly among other soldiers, from the same town, in that service.
Encouraged by the success at Louisburg, Governor Shirley designed the general reduction of Canada. This brought the French and Indians upon our frontiers ; and though they did not penetrate as far as Marlborough, soldiers were called from this place to more exposed towns. We have no rolls of the service, but have record evidence that Capt. Joseph Howe, of Marlborough, who commanded a company of horse, was ordered with his company to No. 4, (now Charlestown, N. II.) and that on the 3d of August, 1746, he had an engagement with the Indians. Ephraim Brigham was his Lieutenant. We cannot state the number of his men, nor whether any were lost in the engagement ; but as they petitioned to be remunerated for horses lost in the battle, it is highly probable that some of the men shared the same fate.
The peace of 1748, which terminated this war, was little more than a truce, for digesting and maturing more extensive plans of operation. Hostilities which were commenced in 1754, called to the field, on the following year, three or four thousand men from Massachusetts. It is foreign to our purpose to give a detailed account of the operations in this war; they will be alluded to only in connection with the Marlborough men called into service. The more recent events of the Revolution, and its immediate effects upon our destiny as a people, have thrown the French and Indian wars into the shade. And yet it is undoubt- edly true, that the toils and hardships, the sacrifices and suffer- ings, endured by the New England Colonies, were greater in these wars than they were in the Revolution. The only relief in this case consists in the fact that Great Britain, to a consider- able extent, bore the pecuniary burden in these earlier wars.
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The sacrifices and hardships of the " old French wars," as our fathers used to denominate them, are so little understood by the people at this day, that we propose to give, as far as we are able, the names of the men from this town, who were engaged in that service, thereby showing the part the town took in them.
Marlborough, like other towns, furnished a large number of men. The rolls of that service, originally imperfect, are in many cases lost, and in others very much dilapidated, so that any thing like a complete and perfect list of the men cannot be given. But enough have been found to show the hardships and dangers to which our citizens were exposed ; especially when we consider that this service was in a great degree in the wilderness, at all seasons of the year, and against an artful and wily enemy, inured to toil and destitution, and whose mode of warfare kept the troops constantly upon the watch.
Some idea of the danger which was apprehended at that day appears in the fact that the General Court required the whole people to be organized-those who were able-bodied and active, to be ready for any distant service, while those who were exempt from age, or other causes, were to be organized as an Alarm List, and be ready for any exigency at or near home. The very fact of the " Alarm List " shows that the danger was regarded as imminent, and that the crisis demanded extraor- dinary efforts.
Two large companies were organized in Marlborough in 1757, with the addition of the alarm men ; and as the rolls give us the fullest list we have of the inhabitants of the town at that time, they have been transcribed.
Capt. J. Weeks's Company.
Capt. J. Weeks,
Ens. Robert Baker,
Nathaniel Smith, Jr., Peter Howe,
John Taintor,
Sergt. Ezra Howe,
Micah Bush,
John Davis,
Joseph Townsend,
Josiah Howe,
Micah Newton,
Fortunatus Eager, Solomon Bush,
Daniel Hayden,
Corp. Simon Howe,
66 John Shattuck,
Joseph Goodale,
Ebenezer Eames,
Jesse Bush,
Stephen Brigham,
William Morse,
Francis Weeks,
Jonathan Goodale, Jr.,
Winslow Brigham,
Eliakim Howe,
Amazial Knight,
Thomas Walkup,
Uriah Newton,
Nathan Goodale, Jr.,
Robert Eames,
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Daniel Bayley,
Amasa Cranston,
Uriah Newton,
Ebenezer Hartshorn,
John Priest,
Silas Barnes,
Samuel Robbins,
Abel Ray, Jr.,
Joseph Bush,
Josiah Hayden, Jr.,
Jonathan Eager,
Jonas Morse, Jr.,
Samuel Sherman,
Solomon Wheeler,
Josiah Winn,
Robert Sproal,
Josiah Morse, Josiah Stow,
Fortunatus Barnes,
Kendall Pearson,
John Brown,
Asa Este, Charles Brooks,
Edmund Wilkins,
Levi Goodnow,
Aaron Mason,
Urialı Eager, Jr.,
Abraham Alexander,
Stephen Morse,
John Stow, Jr.,
Joseph Wheeler, Jr.
In addition to this list, the following alarm men were at- tached to the Company.
Uriah Eager,
Nathan Goodale,
David Smith,
Josiah Goodnow,
Ephraim Maynard,
William Newton,
John Bruce, Solomon Barnard,
Josiah Wilkins,
Nathaniel Harthon,
Nathaniel Falkner,
Gideon Smith,
John Morse,
Josiah Wheeler,
Timothy Baker,
Daniel Harrington,
John Hapgood,
Samuel Stow, Jr.,
Eleazer Hager,
Seth Howc,
Simon Ross.
Josiah Potter,
Samuel Witt, Clerk.
Company under Col. Abraham Williams.
Col. Abraham Williams, John Barnes, Jr.,
David Felton,
Lieut. Jesse Rice,
Frederick Barnes,
Elisha Felton,
Ens. Abraham Rice,
Abraham Barnes,
Archelaus Felton,
Sergt. Thomas Howe,
Solomon Barnes,
Moses Barnes,
Silas Gates, Solomon Goddard, John Goddard, Benjamin Howe, Abner Howe, Abraham Howe,
Corp. Stephen Howe,
Ithamar Brigham, Timothy Jones,
66 Asa Brigham, Adonijah Knapp, Edmund Larkin,
Noah Beaman,
Drum. Francis Amsden, John Beals,
Jonathan Brigham, Alexander Boyd, William Barnes, Jr.,
George Brigham,
Noah Brigham, Benoni Baker, Abraham Carley,
Paul Brigham,
Samuel Carley,
Peter Bent,
John Eager,
William Eager,
Jonathan Barnes,
Solomon Eager,
Barnabas Mathews,
Benj. Brigham,
66 Sam'l Stevens, Jr., John Bartlett, Jacob Felton, Timothy Bigelow, Silas Jones,
Simeon Howe,
Adonijah Howe, Jonathan Howe, Joseph Howe, Phinehas Howe, Pelatiah Joslin,
Antipas Brigham,
Samuel Joslin, - Ichabod Jones,
Solomon Harthon, David Newton, John Weeks, Jr.,
James Russell, Jr., Bayley Eager, Asa Ray, Solomon Hayden,
John Johnson,
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Paul Mathews,
Silas Wheeler,
Daniel Maynard, Jr.,
John Wessen, Jr.,
Rediat Stewart, Samuel Ward, Alpheus Woods,
Isaac Morse,
William Williams,
Caleb Newton,
Joseph Wilson,
Moses Woods,
Ebenezer Phelps,
Robert Wilson,
David White,
Joseph Witherbee,
Benjamin Rice,
Manning Sawin,
Caleb Winchester,
Caleb Rice,
Aaron Woods.
Attached to this Company was the following alarm list :
Rev. Aaron Smith,
Nathan Rice,
Moses Williams,
Capt. David Barnes,
Gershom Rice,
Jonathan Taintor,
Lt. John Wessen,
Joseph Brigham,
Abraham Joslin,
Ens. David Ward,
William Goddard,
Gershom Bigelow,
Dr. Andrew Rice,
John Hudson,
Adonijah Church,
Jonathan Loring, Hezekiah Maynard, Jonathan Wilder,
Benjamin Woods,
Daniel Warren, Ebenezer Howe,
Dr. Jeremiah Robinson, Abraham Howe,
William Barley,
Dr. Benjamin Gott,
Asa Howe,
Jonathan Jones,
Jabez Rice,
Joseph Williams,
John Barnes.
Zerubbabel Rice,
Larkin Williams, Clerk.
The above lists contain the names of the principal men of active years in Marlborough, in 1757. It was from these lists, in a good degree, that the soldiers who served in the French wars were taken. The fact that in the alarm list is found the name of the clergyman of the town, shows the exigency of the times, and the danger which was apprehended by the whole community. Nor was this sense of danger confined to a single town, or the patriotism of Rev. Mr. Smith peculiar to him. The clergyman of Westborough, and other towns, having a common interest, and feeling a common danger with the rest of the people, cheerfully enrolled themselves, that they might take part in the defence of what we hold most dear-our homes and firesides.
That the present inhabitants of Marlborough may realize, in some degree, the hardships which were endured, and the dangers which were dared by their patriotic sires, and how many of them were called to the field in defence of houses and homes, which we possess in quiet and in peace, the following lists, gleaned from fragmentary and imperfect rolls, are pre- sented-premising that they fall vastly short of the whole number in the service.
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In 1745, in the expedition against Louisburg, as we have already stated, we have no rolls of the service, and are able to present but a single name-that of Bezaleel Morse, who died at Cape Breton.
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