USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 13
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Kingston 20
Nathan Cobb
Middleborough 48 (for N. Wood's Co.)
3 yrs. or during war
Elisha Paddock
(for N. W.) 23
30
66
Samuel Bates
David Burges
66
Jan. 15
Emanuel Doggett ("Doged ")
20
Isaac Wilson
66
23
from Nath'l
James Morris
66
By Isa Hatch from
Nehemiah Curtis
Rochester I6
66
Rowel Foot
14I
Stephen Cobb
Zachariah Eddy Thomas Eddy Nicholas Wood Thomas Cushman Joseph Bump
Middleborough (for N. W.) ag. 19 3 yrs. or during war
66
25
66
20
66
60
66
18
66
Plimpton
18
Washburn
"enlisted," not draught, May 26, 1777 to serve till
Isaac Willison Bridgewater
for 3 yrs. to end in 1780 Alden's reg't.
Thomas Cole
Middleborough
Benjamin Simmons jr.
Benjamin Hacket
66
Lewis Harlow
Moses Sturtevant
Wareham
ag. 19
Nathan Faunce
Middleborough " 33 (from N. Wood's Co.) (Jonah Washburn Ist. Lt.)
3 yrs. or during war
Seth Cobb
Zebedee Caswell
66
ag. 22 66
Benjamin Raymond (a noted drummer) 20
Carver Bates
Middleborough I7 66
Stephen Bryant
Jona or Joshua Eatton Leach 66
Ephraim Eddy
66
Ebenezer Smith
46
William Ellis Leach
William Paddy Rochester
William Randall
ag. 21
Barzillai Nicholson
66
29 (or 20) 28
Cuff Perry
Solomon Doty
Middleborough
Sampson David
Andrew Warren
FROM Capt. Wm. Tupper's Co.
John Billington
Francis Billington Pelham Wood Wareham
Shubael Bump
ag. 18 Feb. 19
Samuel Philips
66
19 Jan. 13
Joseph Bump 3d.
8 months
John Mefrick Cary (a Indian)
Middleborough 22
John Morris
Plimpton
29
Jan. 10, '78
Feb. 19, 78 from Capt. White's Co. in Col. Sprout's reg't. Cont1. Army. during war
1777]
THE REVOLUTION
66
142
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1778
Perez Simmons Middleborough ag. 16 3 yrs.
Gideon Cobb
till Jan. 10, 1778
Simeon Cotton Rathem 66
17
Micah Leach 66
2I
Thomas Gannet 66
39
A. Fuller, an officer afterwards a capt.
Prior to 1778 the maintenance of the soldiers who were serv- ing in the different campaigns had been left to their families and neighbors. While the men were absent in service, the work on the farm was done by the old men, by the women, or by those too young to enlist. The long continuance of the war resulted in great hardship to many of those who were in the field. Accordingly we find that from time to time the town provided for their necessities by votes : -
At a town meeting held January 5, 1778, it was voted that " the town treasurer hire the sum of $200. for the use of the committee to enable them to procure necessaries for the families of the soldiers in the continental service."
And on the 9th of March, 1778, at a town meeting it was voted " to choose a committee of 7 persons to take care of the families of the soldiers that are in the Continental army, and that said committee deal out provisions to the families of the soldiers agreeable to a former act of the town.
" Committee is as follows : -
" Edmund Wood Edward Shairmin Zaddock Leonard Francis Thompson George Leonard Isaac Peirce Ichabod Wood."
At a town meeting held May 5, 1778, it was voted that "the selectmen hire the sum of 626£ and 13 shillings in order to purchase clothing for the soldiers in the Continental army.
" Voted to choose a committee of 5 persons to set a price to said clothing.
" Voted that the select men and company of inspection assist the above said committee relating to the price of said clothing."
May 5, 1778, committee reported on the price of clothing as follows : - " Shoes I pound, 16 shillings a pair. Shirts I 7 a piece, Stockens I pound a pair."
one shirt to contain 3 yards of one yard wide of linen and tow cloth.
The town voted to accept said report.
I43
THE REVOLUTION
1778]
May 18, 1778 : -
" Voted to pay the 26 Continental men now raising for Gen. Washington's army the sum of 30 pounds to be paid to each man," and also voted that "the town treasurer give his note for 30 pounds payable to each man in behalf of the town, said note to be paid in nine months from that date without interest."
" Voted to deal stores to the families of soldiers of the Continental service to one fourth part of their wages, the committee to deal out said stores."
7th of July : -
" Voted that the town treasurer give his note for 14 pounds in behalf of the town to each of the 19 men now raising for the service of the state of Rhode Island, said notes to be on interest to be paid on the first day of Jan .. next."
January Ist, 1779 :-
" Voted that those soldiers that continue at home, with or without furlow, have no supply from the committee while absent from the army."
"An Order sent out by the Great and General Court of the state of Massachu- setts Bay, dated June 8, 1779.
"That the Town of Middleboro have 10 men to raise for the Rhode Island Service, to serve until the Ist. day of Jan. next, and said men are to be paid 3c lbs. each out of Treasury of said Town of Middleboro. Voted that the Town Treasurer give his note of 30 lbs. to each of said 10 men with interest till paid."
June 14, 1780: -
" Voted to raise men to reinforce the army, 55 the number assigned to this town for the term of six months.
" Voted that the town treasurer give his security to the men that engage in said service or that were held in said service, the securities, if any are demanded to. be given, are to be given in farming produce or silver money or lumber or paper currency."
On June 14, 1780, at a town meeting it was voted that the town treasurer hire. money for the help of raising the men if wanted.
" Voted that there be paid to each man that engages in the service as a soldier 200 .¿ of bloomery bar iron per month or farming produce in proportion to said. iron.
" Voted that 400 Continental dollars be paid to the men that engage in said ser- vice instead of 100 of iron, the said sum to be paid to him that demands it and cannot do without the same."
July 3, 1780, it was voted according to an order sent out by the Great and General Court of this state to raise 65 men for the term of 3 months for the present service of war.
By resolve of the General Court December 4, 1780, the town of Middleboro was required to furnish 49,733 pounds of beef for the use of the army or money suffi- cient to purchase the same. The town remonstrated to the General Court that they were unable to meet such requisition for several reasons : that they had recently complied with a similar requisition with great difficulty; that the lumber in town which furnished money for inhabitants had failed ; that the men engaged in farming had been absent during the season for planting crops; that a large:
.
I44
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1791
number had been in service and had not had the pay which was promised them, and that the town was not as fertile as many other towns, so that they were unable to realize either the money or the beef to meet with that requisition.
What action was taken by the General Court upon this requisition does not appear.
March 14, 1791 : -
" Voted to loan all the old Continental paper money now in the Town Treasury to the United States and that the Town Treasurer be the person to put said money on loan in the Town's behalf."
MUSKET AND POWDERHORN
CHAPTER IX
THE LOYALISTS OF THE REVOLUTION
A T the commencement of and during the struggle for independence, Sabin, in his " American Loyalists," estimates that there were in the province of Mas- sachusetts Bay more than two thousand loyalists, for the most part wealthy influential and professional men of the colony.1 Many of them had held commissions under the Crown, and had served with distinction in the army of George III, during the French and Indian and other wars. Others had held various civil appointments, which were then regarded as positions of honor. They were familiar with the history and the traditions of the mother country, and had the love and enthusiasm for England of loyal British subjects. While mind- ful of the wrongs and injustice that the colonies had suffered, the claims of the Crown were so strong that they could not readily throw them off.
Many of the inhabitants of Middleboro had a great struggle in choosing the side of the patriots and taking up arms against the mother country. In the neighboring towns, many of the prominent families of Plymouth, Halifax, Freetown, Marsh- field, Rochester, and Taunton early espoused the cause of the king. The loyalists 2 all over the country were banished
1 John Adams was inclined to believe that in the colonies at large not more than two thirds were against the Crown at the breaking out of the Revolution. The last vote that showed the strength of the loyalists in the town of Boston was in 1775, when the vote stood five against two. Of the three hundred and ten persons who were banished from the country and their estates confiscated, over sixty were graduates of Harvard College. Memorial History of Boston, vol. iii, p. 175.
2 " Upwards of eleven hundred retired in a body with the royal army at the evacuation of Boston. This number includes, of course, women and children. Among the men, however, were many persons of distinguished rank and consid- eration. Of members of the council, commissioners, officers of the customs, and other officials, there were one hundred and two; of clergymen, eighteen ; of in-
I46
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1776
and went to England, Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, and their estates were confiscated under the statutes of 1778 and 1779. The English government paid fifteen million dollars for their relief. Popular feeling early in the struggle was intense against them ; Washington was most severe in his expression of contempt. The term " tory " was applied to them as the most opprobrious epithet that could be used, and the position which many of them had held in the colony seemed to be no bar against the treatment they received.
The following instances show to what lengths the popular feeling went in neighboring towns : Daniel Leonard of Taun- ton, an attorney and barrister of wide reputation, a graduate of Harvard College, and a member of the General Court, had been appointed a mandamus councillor ; against him the feeling was so strong that bullets were fired into his house by a mob, and he was obliged to take refuge in Boston. In 1776 he, with his family of eight, left for Halifax and England, and was ap- pointed chief justice for the Bermudas. Daniel Dunbar was an officer in the militia when in 1774 a mob demanded of him that he surrender the colors of his company, which bore the insignia of the British Crown. When he refused to do this, they carried him from his house, put him upon a rail, and held him there until he was exhausted. He was then beaten until he was forced to give up the standard to save his life. Jesse Dunbar bought some cattle of a mandamus councillor in 1774, and drove them to Plymouth for sale. So great was the indig- nation of the patriots that, on learning that Dunbar had pre- sumed to have business relations with such a hated officer, they commenced punishing him for his offence (after the animals had been slaughtered). He suffered great indignities at their hands. He was carried to Kingston and there delivered to a mob, which carted him into the town of Duxbury. Here another mob seized him, and after beating him severely and
habitants of country towns, one hundred and five ; of merchants and other per- sons who resided in Boston, two hundred and thirteen ; of farmers, mechanics, and traders, three hundred and eighty-two." Sabine's Loyalists of American Revo- lution, vol. i, p. 25.
147
THE LOYALISTS OF THE REVOLUTION
1776]
offering him many gross insults, they took him to a house and compelled him to give up the money he had received ; then he was left in the road with the remains of his slaughtered animals, to recover and return home as best he could.
At the breaking out of the Revolution, Middleboro was one of the largest towns in the commonwealth, and contained many persons of influence who were well known throughout the colony. It was hoped that Judge Oliver, by reason of his long residence and the universal respect in which he was held, would induce the town not only to resist the tide of patriot- ism which was sweeping over the country, but to join the loy- alists of Marshfield.1 There a company of one hundred men had been formed, and arms were sent to them to defend the rights of the Crown. Judge Oliver labored faithfully to induce prominent men of his acquaintance to side with him and to resist the growing sentiment against the English nation, but in vain. At one of these interviews Zachariah Eddy asked the judge if the king had done right. The judge replied, "As to that I cannot say, but he has the power."
The people of Middleboro, however strong in sentiment and sympathy with the patriot cause, refrained from many outbreaks of violence toward the tories. A committee had been appointed to confer with them in the early stages of the war, but the most that could be obtained was a promise not to assist the enemy. The only indignity that was offered was burning the house of Judge Oliver at Muttock, in 1778. Judge Oliver, however, had left the colony with his family, with the avowed intention of never returning until the rebellious spirit of the British subjects in America should be subdued and the power of the British throne again reestablished.
There were but two citizens of Middleboro who were ban- ished by acts of the legislature ; these were Judge Oliver 2 and his son, Peter Oliver, Jr. Ebenezer Spooner, a former citi- zen, was not then a resident of the town. Judge Oliver's son Daniel was a graduate of Harvard University in 1762, and .
1 See account of minute men in the Revolution.
2 For life of Judge Oliver, see chapter on Muttock.
148
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1776
studied law. In 1765 he had been a representative to the Gen- eral Court from Middleboro. Later he settled in Worcester County and went to England with his father. He died in the year 1826 at the age of eighty-two.
Peter Oliver, Jr., a graduate of Harvard University, was a physician, although he did not practise long in Middleboro. He was one of the eighteen country gentlemen who were driven into Boston in 1775 to address General Gage. In the act proscribing him, he was called "the Middleboro physician." After leaving the country, he resided in Shrewsbury, England, where he died at the age of eighty-one years. He had none of the regard towards his native land which his father showed in his later years, but was very bitter towards everything which reminded him of his former home. In his father's library was the only perfect manuscript of Hubbard's " History of New England." In 1814 the Massachusetts Historical Society de- sired to publish that work, and applied to Dr. Oliver to give or loan them this copy for that purpose, or to permit a tran- script of such parts of the manuscript as were missing in the American copy which we now have. His spirit of animosity against the country was shown in the very curt and surly answer which he sent, refusing to comply with either request, and in consequence, Hubbard's "History of New England," one of the earliest and most authoritative histories we have, is incomplete at the beginning and at the end.
Portions of his diary may be of interest : -
DIARY OF PETER OLIVER, JR., 1757
Abt. the Ist. week in Oct. I got home to Middleborough.
In Novr., about the second week, I went to Boston with my father & mother, lodged at Milton at G. Hutchinson's, who was then only Mr. Hutchinson, or, perhaps Lieutenant-Govr. I remember it was of a Saturday evg. & the Ist. time I ever saw his eldest daughter, Sally, who was afterwards my wife. I went to meeting the next day with the family.
In this month I was examined at Harvard College, Cam- bridge, & was admitted into the Freshmen's class under Mr. Handcock, the tutor, my elder brother, Daniel, being then a Senior Sophister.
149
THE LOYALISTS OF THE REVOLUTION
1761-74]
In July my brother took his degree of B. A. and went home. Nothing very particular while at College, only I spent most of my time very agreeably, became much acquainted with Mr. Hutchinson's family (Elisha and I living together the greater part of my last two years), & especially with Sally. She had a very agreeable way in her behavior which I remember pleased me beyond any other of my female acquaints, though I had not the least thought of any connection with her.
While I was at college I lost a favorite uncle, Clarke, who was a physician in Boston, & likewise some cousins.
In July, 1761, I took my dege of B. A.
In Augt 21, follows, I went to live at Scituate with Dr. Stockbridge as an apprentice. Here I enjoyed a many happy & more happier Hour than I ever experienced in my life before. I had no care or trouble on my mind, lived easy, & became acquainted with an agreeable young lady in the neighbor- hood but only on a friendly footing.
In March 21, 1764, I left Dr. Stockbridge's and went to Boston to reside at the Castle, to understand the nature of the smallpox under Dr. Gelston. I staid there till the last of Ap! follows, when I cleared out, as they term it ; went to Middle- borough in May ; and in June set up for myself in the practice of physic amidst many difficulties & obstructions. My father built me a small shop near his house. I gradually got a little business but poor pay.
In June, 1765, first pay'd my addresses to Miss S. H., and obtained leave of her father in Augt follows, being just before his House was tore down, he losing everything he had in his House ; his Daughters & rest of the family likewise shared the same fate.
I went down in a few days after to see the family ; found Miss S. H. most terribly worried and distrest.
I found that courtship was the most pleasant part of my life hitherto ; the family were very agreeable.1
At a later date, we find these entries in his diary : -
June Ist 1774. - The Govr, Elisha, and Peggy, sailed for England, just as the Mandamus Counsellors were ordered to take their oaths by G. Gage, who succeeded the Govr H. -- Nothing but mobs and riots all this summer. Wednesday the 14 of Sepr I was mobbed.
Aug. 23. - Well Col. Watson is sworn in to be one of His
1 An account of his wedding reception is given in the chapter on Muttock.
150
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1774
Majesties Council ; he has got home ; they left the Meeting to the number of 40. The first Sunday they passed him in the street without noticing him which occasions him to, to be very uneasy. Some of our pupies in town are coming to wait on the judge [Peter Oliver, Sen.] You will hear more of it by the time you finish this letter.
Sept. 2. - 3 men deputed from 40 Middlebg. brutes came to the Judges house the 24th to know abt these difficulties, and they went away as dissatisfied as they came.
Col. Ruggles, Murry, Willard and some others are obliged to retire to Boston to get rid of the mob. The Judge is now in Boston. We have been threatened and whether we shan't be mobbed is uncertain. I dread to think of the consequences that must follow our behavior here whether ever so mild mat- ters are struck upon by the ministry. If the ministry give way to us we are an undone people ; and if they set out to punish us according as we deserve it there will be bloodshed enough before they can reduce us. The Middleborough people and indeed the Province in general, declare solemnly never to sub- mit to this new plan of government. I wish I was safe with my family out of the reach of threats and insults. I never knew what mobbing was before. I am sick enough of confu- sion and uproar. I long for an asylum, - some blessed place of refuge.
Sept. 10. - The Judge is in Boston yet for safety, and will be this one while. You have no idea of the confusion we are in abt the Counsell and new mode of government.
Sept. 14. - To-day I was visited by about 30 Middlebor- ough Puppies, who obliged me to sign their Articles. They proceeded and increased their number to 80, and attack'd Mr. Silas Wood, carried him off, and threatened his life if he would not sign their paper to stand by the Old Charter, and give up the Protest he had then in his pocket. He finally yielded. The next day they visited abt 10 or 12 people who are called Tories, and made them resign to their unwarrantable demands. M. R. Spooner among the rest.1
The following letters refer to this period :-
MIDDLEBOROUGH, Aug. 11, 1774.
SIR, - We have just heard of the arrival of the Acts of Parliament by a Man-of-War, last Saturday or Sunday. Tues- day the General sent an express to the Judge, Col. Watson,
1 Diary and Letters of Thomas Hutchinson, pp. 246, 459.
15I
THE LOYALISTS OF THE REVOLUTION
1775]
Daniel Leonard, Col. Eden [doubtless should have been Edson], N. Ray, Thomas [Hutchinson], and a number of others in the Province, as we imagine as His Majesty's Council, upon the new Establishment. Col. Watson says he bids farewell to all peace and comfort in this world. I never see him so uneasy in my life. He will refuse, and if he does he will do the Tories more dishonor than ever he did them good. There are num- bers in the Province that swear they will never consent to this new plan. By next fall, the last of October, the whole matter will be decided."
To his brother-in-law, Elisha Hutchinson : -
DEAR BROTHER, -
BOSTON, June Ist, 1775.
·
We are besieged this moment with 10 or 15000 men, from Roxbury to Cambridge ; their rebell sentrys within call of the troops' sentrys on the Neck. We are every hour expecting an attack by land or water. All marketing from the country stopt ever since the Battle. Fire and slaughter hourly threatened, and not out of danger from some of the inhabitants within, of setting the town of [on] fire. All the interest the Judge and I ound [owned] in Middleborough exposed to the ravage of a set of robbers, Mr Conant at the head of them. Poor Jenny and Phœbe, and children, we can't hear of, or get any word to, whether they are all living or not, or whether the works and buildings are left standing is rather a doubt with me, for we have heard since the Battle, that a number set out to destroy and burn our interest, but that the Selectmen interposed and saved them.
James Bowdoin, Esq., is very ill in health, and has desir'd leave of the Judge to live in his house, and improve his land till he shall want it himself. What consummate impudence ! It is more than I would consent to, but the Judge will consent to it.
IOth Instant. - Yesterday I heard from Plymouth : all well at present : can't send your letters.
The rebells, I hear, have put out our Farm, to take the profits themselves : they have serv'd every friend to govern- ment in that way.
O tempora ! O mores ! Yrs as usual,
PETER OLIVER, Jun".
I52
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1775
BOSTON, Decr 7, 1775-
SIR, - This by Nath1 Coffin Jun". I determine to write you by all the opportunities for the future, when I have anything to relate.
This once happy country must for the future be miserable. Most of the Governments, especially these 4 Governments of N. England, are inevitably forfeited to His Majesty. All we poor Refugees must be made good our losses and damages. Hanging people won't pay me for what I have suffered. No- thing short of forfeited estates will answer : and after damages are sufficiently compensated, then hang all the Massachusetts Rebels by dozens, if you will.
You may remember our Wilder, the Blacksmith : he has turn'd Rebell. Neighbour Tupper, on the hill as you turn to the Meeting House, or Boston Road : in fine, but a very few in Middleborough but what are Rebells or Devills. The Parson stands foremost in the list : he must be looked up one of the first. The rest of this matter in my next.
Sally [his wife, the Governor's daughter] sends her love to you. - I am Yrs Affectionately
PETER OLIVER, Jun".
In a letter from Thomas Hutchinson, Jr., to his brother Elisha under date of September 22, 1774, he writes : -
" It is become mighty fashionable here for the people to wait on any person who has done anything that they are pleased to look upon as unfriendly to the cause of liberty, and oblige them to confess, and promise reformation. Dr Oliver was visited last week by about five hundred, who assembled at some distance from his house, and sent a Committee to confess him for having promoted some Address or Protest some time agoe, which penance he readily underwent, to get rid of his unwelcome guests, and I suppose may now remain at Middleborough with- out molestation.'
Others who were put under surveillance by the town author- ities were also men of property and of the highest respectability. Such was the confidence in the integrity of these men that although they were known to be in full sympathy with the British cause, they were not proscribed, or banished, neither were their estates confiscated as were those of other tories of the province.
153
THE LOYALISTS OF THE REVOLUTION
1775]
DOGGETT HOUSE
RANSOME HOUSE
The house in which Simeon Doggett lived is still standing on South Main Street, Lakeville. He came from Marshfield in 1742, and was with his brother in the French and Indian War in the company of Captain Benjamin Pratt. He was a skilful cabinet maker, living upon the farm which he cultivated. He was generally known as "the tory farmer," and as a staunch Episcopalian he differed from most of the townspeople in his- religious opinions. He was conscientious in his belief that it was wrong for the colonies to rebel against the mother country, and he took no pains to conceal this. Although no treasonable acts were ever proved against him for his opinions freely expressed, he was imprisoned in the New Bedford jail, but was afterwards released upon a promise that he would not leave his farm without permission. One of his contemporaries said that he and his tory neighbor, Lemuel Ransome, while under the injunction of the town, obeyed it carefully, but availed themselves of the privilege of walking daily to the bounds of their adjoining farms, discussing the turbulent state of the times and freely expressing their sympathy for the king they loved so well. When the war was over they regained the esteem and confidence of their fellow citizens. Mr. Dog- gett was the father of Rev. Simeon Doggett, a clergyman of reputation, at one time principal of the Taunton Academy. His daughter, Abigail, married Judge Weston. He was the grandfather of the Rev. Thomas Doggett and William E. Doggett, an eminent business man of Chicago.
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