USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Middlefield > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 10
USA > Massachusetts > Hampshire County > Huntington > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 10
USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Chester > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 10
USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Montgomery > History of the town of Murrayfield : earlier known as Township No. 9, and comprising the present towns of Chester and Huntington, the northern part of Montgomery, and the southeast corner of Middlefield : 1760-1763 > Part 10
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At a town meeting held in January, 1781, the town voted "that Timothy Lyman shall take a plan of the town and go to Major Tay- lor's on account of the land that Norwich has taken off of this town to straighten the line."
On the 8th of May, 1781, the General Court passed the following:
" An act to set off a part of the town of Murrayfield & annex it to the town of Norwich.
Whereas, It appears that Abel Partridge and others, living in the easterly part of Murrayfield, would be greatly accommodated by being set off from said town of Murrayfield & annexed to the town of Norwich.
§ 1. Be it, therefore, enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, & by the authority of the same, that all that part of the town of Murrayfield that lies easterly of a direct line from the south west corner of Ingersole Grant, so called, to the south west corner of Chesterfield, with the inhabitants thereon, shall forever hereafter be consid- ered as belonging to the town of Norwich.
§ 2. Provided nevertheless, that the said inhabitants shall pay their propor- tionable part of all the taxes, & of men to be raised for the Continental army, which are already ordered by the General Court on said town of Murrayfield, anything in this act to the contrary notwithstanding.
101
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
§ 3. Provided also, & be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the amount of the estate contained on & in said tract of land, & the polls thereon returned by the assessors of the town of Murrayfield, be deducted from the return made by the assessors of the town of Norwich."
MIDDLEFIELD.
The inhabitants of the northwest part of the town thought they would be better off if annexed to the town of Middlefield, and signified their wish by a petition as follows:
" MURRAYFIELD, February 18th, 1779. Whereas we, the inhabitants of the north west part of the town of Murrayfield being convened together with the inhabitants of the north east part of Becket & south west part of Worthing- ton unanimously think it best to be set off as a town; wherefore we request & desire to be set off from this town & adjoin those forementioned inhabitants; our living so remote from the Middle of the town makes it very tedious attend- ing any town business, especially the preaching of the Gospel; therefore we, whose names are underwritten, do humbly petition to this town to set us off near as far as Thomas Elder's.
" To the select men of Murrayfield: The above writing to be put into the warrant for the March meeting or immediately to call a meeting on the same account.
SAMUEL JONES, JOHN TAYLOR, JOHN THOMPSON, JOHN JONES, BENJAMIN EGGLESTON,
BIGOTT EGGLESTON, LEBANON ISHAM."
It was put into the warrant for the March meeting, but the town refused to grant the request of the petitioners. But the petitioners went to the General Court and obtained their desire.
VALUATION LISTS.
The aggregate valuation of the town in 1775 was sixteen hundred and five pounds and six shillings.
In 1276, Capt. Abner Smith was rated at one hundred and nineteen pounds and fifteen shillings; Joel Seward was rated at seventy-one pounds and four shillings; Capt. Enoch Shepard was rated at sixty- six pounds and four shillings; James Clark was rated at sixty-four pounds; Thaddeus Newton was rated at sixty-three pounds and six- teen shillings, and Malcom Henry was rated at sixty-eight pounds and fourteen shillings. Abner Smith was for several years the richest man in town.
102
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
In 1777 the aggregate valuation of the town was thirty-eight thou- sand eight hundred and nineteen pounds and sixteen shillings. The same year Abner Smith was rated at twelve hundred and seventy-three pounds. This same year the Rev. Mr. Bascom's name appeared for the first time on the valuation list, and he was rated at one hundred and ninety pounds; but no poll tax was assessed to him. The rating of non-resident tax-payers in 1777 was as follows:
Abijah Willard,
rated at
£3000
John Murray,
4000
John Chandler,
66
5600
Timothy Paine,
66
4400
James Otis,
516
Col. James Otis,
66
400
Col. Samuel Ward,
1400
Brig. Joseph Otis,
יי
487
Capt. Beaumont,
118
In May, 1780, the town's valuation had shrunk to four thousand nine hundred and fifteen pounds, and Abner Smith's rating was one hundred and thirty-nine pounds, he being the only resident tax-payer who was rated as high as one hundred pounds. In October the aggre- gate valuation of the town was four thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight pounds, and Abner Smith's rating was one hundred and thirty-seven pounds.
In July, 1781, the aggregate valuation of the town was four thou- sand nine hundred and twenty-four pounds; and in November it was three thousand and six pounds; at which time Abner Smith, still the richest man in town, was rated at only thirty-one pounds and six shil- lings. But this same year the valuation of Timothy Paine, non-resi- dent, was twelve hundred pounds. The valuation list showed that the property of the other non-resident tax-payers did not shrink propor- tionately with that of resident tax-payers.
The last valuation list taken by the assessors of the town under the name of Murrayfield, was dated November 15, 1782, a copy of which is given:
Poll.
Real, £. s. d.
Personal.
Total.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
Joseph Abbott,
1
0 4 9
0 13 8
0 18 5
Abial Abbott,
1
0 15
0
1 13 5
2 8 5
John Abbott,
1
2 5
0
2 13 11
4 18 11
Ebenezer Abbott,
1
0 11
0
0
0 18 0
David Allen,
0
0
6
0
0 0 0
0 6
0
William Bell,
2
2 18
0
7
5
5
5 5
Aaron Bell,
1
1
6
5
1 14 10
3
1 3
Samuel Bell,
1
1
8
1 10
5 2 19 0
103
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
Poll.
Real.
Personal.
Total.
John Bell,
1
2
6
5
1 19
5
4 5 10
Ebenezer Babcock,
2
1 13
2
1 13
3
3
6
5
Rodolphus Babcock,
1
0
0 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
James Campbell,
1
1
4 11
1
4
5
2
9
4
Matthew Campbell,
1
0 12 11
1
1
2
0
0
Lieut. Wm. Campbell,
1
1 10
6
1 10
6
3
1
0
Robert Campbell,
1
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
8
0
William Crossman,
1
1
4
0
0 10
6
1 14
6
Samuel Kellogg,
0
0 12
0
0
0
0
0 12
0
Ebenezer Collins,
0
0 11
6
0
0
0
0 11
6
Edward Crafts,
1
2
8
0
0
0
0
2
8
0
Robert Crawford, Ebenezer Dowd,
1
0
4
0
0
5
9
0
9
9
Joshua Draper,
1
0 14
3
0
9
4
1
3
7
Samuel Elder,
1
10
0
1
10
0
3
0 0
Thomas Elder,
1
1
1
9
1
5
8
2
7 5
John Elder,
1
1 10
2
1
6
9
2
16 11
William Elder,
1
1 10
0
1
16
1
3
6
1
Benjamin Eggleston,
1
1 11
1
1
14
6
3
5
7
Abraham Fleming,
1
3
5 11
2 15
0
6
0 11
William Foot,
1
1 12
4
1
9
0
3
1
4
Jacob Fowle,
1
0 17
1
0
9
0
1
6
1
Thomas Flint,
1
0
8
8
0
0
0
0
8
8
Alexander Gordon,
1
2 16
8
2
7
7
5
4
3
David Gleason,
1
3
2
11
1 13
2
4 16
1
Capt. Grout,
1
0
0
0
0 10
6
0 10
6
James Hamilton,
3
2
5
0
2 13
3
4 18
3
James Mulhollon,
3
2
11
2
1 13
0
4
4
2
Simeon E. Mulhollon,
1
0
0
0
0 13
2
19
2
William Hill,
1
0
9
5
0
2
5
0 11 10
Zebulon Isham,
1
0
12
6
0 14
1
1
6
7
Jesse Johnson,
2
1
2
2
2
4
9
3
6 11
Samuel Jones,
1
2
1
2
1
8
9
3
9 11
John Jones,
1
1
16
4
0 19
2
2 15
6
Stephen Lyman,
1
4 12
5
3
4
0
7 16
5
Timothy Lyman,
1
4
1
0
3 10 15
7 11 5
John Laccore,
0
0
4
9
0
2 5
0
2
John Laccore, Jr.,
1
0 12
2
0 15 11
1
8 1
Poll.
Real. €. s. d.
Personal.
Faculty.
Total.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
€. s. d.
William Moore,
1
2 18
2
6
8
0
0
0
55 3
John Moore,
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
8 1
James Moore,
1
1
1
3
0 18
7 2
0
0
0
2
3
8
Samuel Matthews,
1
1
1
4
1
3
7
0
0
0
2
4 11
Gideon Matthews,
2
2
0
0
0
0
7
2
0
0
0
1
2
William Prior,
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
David Mathar,
1
0
0
0
0
0
0 4
0 0
0
0
5
9
1
Amasa Pomeroy,
1
13
1
8
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
John N. Parmenter,
1
1
4
1 10
0
0
0
0
2 17
4
1
0
4 0
0
3
7
0
2-
0
0
0
John McIntire,
2
3
2
9
2 0)
6
6
0
0
0
4
3
2
Ebenezer Prior,
0
1
19
6
1
4
2
2
0
0
0
1 19 10
Widow Jane Mann,
1
0
0 16
0
0
10
1
4 10
1
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
€. s. d.
Daniel Babcock,
0
0
7
104
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
Poll.
Real.
Personal.
Faculty.
Total.
Solomon Root,
1
1
4
9
2 3 11
Abner Smith,
2
8
0
0
9 11
0
0
0
13
9 11
Abner Smith, Jr.,
1
4
3
6
4
7 7
0
0
0
8 11 1
Timothy Smith,
1
2 10
0
1
8
4
0
0
0
3 18 4
Thomas Smith,
1
1
0
7
0
14
9
0
0 0
0
4
9
0
Daniel Smith,
0
0 12
1
0
7
3
0 0
0
0
6
6
5
David Shepard,
1
, 17
6
1 12 2 14
1
0 16 0
0
0
1
16
8
Ebenezer Tillotson,
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0 0
0
0
0
6
0
Edward Wright,
1
4
3
2
3
9
6
7
7 0
0
0
0
0
0 0
0
Jesse Wright,
1
0
0
0
0
0
3
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
7 0 7 1 0
Zadreus Farnsworth,
1
1
0
0
0
0
0 0
2 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 12 2 7
Ephraim Shelden,
0
0 18
4
4
3
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Thomas Armes,
1
1
0
0
0
3
7
0
0
0
1
3
7
William Rhoades,
1
1
0
0
0
0
4
4
1
3
9
0
0
0
2
8
Widow Smith,
1
1
0
0
0
11 0 0
0 0
0 0
0
0
1
1
4
John Hamilton,
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Ebenezer Smith,
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0 0
0
0
1 19
0
Abial Baldwin,
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Isaac Bissell,
1
0
0
0
0
4
2
9
0
0
0
5
3
9
John Crow,
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Benjamin Converse,
2
3 14
9
0
0 11
4
0
0
0
1 1 10
Eliakim Cooley,
0
0 10
0
1
0
4
0
0
0
0
12
4
John Clark,
1
0
0
0
0 12
4
0
0 0
1
6
1
Samuel Ellis,
2
1
2
1
1
6
0
0
0 0
1
0
2
James Gilmore,
0
1 10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0 0 0
2
8
1
Silas Freeman,
2
0 10
0
0 10
2
0
0 0
0 0
1 18
1
4 0
0
James Nooney,
1
1
3
0
0 14
4
0
0
1 17 4
John Taylor.
0
0
0
0 7
0 12 0
5 5
3
0
0
0 0
1 16 3 1 0 5
6
Elijah Stanton,
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1 0
4
0 0 1 5 0
Lieut. McIntire (wild land),
0
1
4
0
2
9
0
()
7 0 1 0
0 0
4 0)
4 0
0
0
John Blair,
1
0
12
0
1
7
0
2
0
0
0
1 15 0
2 0
Jonathan Miller,
1
0 10
0 10
0
0
0
0
1
0
5
8
0 4 4
James Cores,
4
Isaac Dowd,
1
0 12
0
0 14
1
0 0
0
0 0 0 0
1 9
1
7 0
Widow Sarah Anderson,
1
1
0
0
0
0
6 4
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
11 8
Samuel Morse,
0
1
8 1
0
0
5
0
0
0 2 0
4 14 8
Edward Wright, Jr.,
1
2
1
11 0
1 13 8 0
Bazalel Wright,
1
0
3
0
0
0 12
0 0
0
Elijah White,
1
0
1
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
6
5
0 0 0 0 0
0 0
0
6
7
7
Widow Thompson,
1
1
4
8
1
4
4
0
0
C 0 19
4
Enoch Shepard,
2
4 14
1
0 10
0 15 10
0
0
Widow Ann Williams, John Ward,
0
0 13
1 12
4 0
0
0
Ebenezer Webber,
0
1
4
0 0
1
7
Zadock Ingall,
Daniel Stone,
0
0
Isaac Rhoades,
1
0
Noadiah Seward,
2
1
1
1 7 10
0
0 19
0
4
0 11
James Black,
William Russell,
James Clark,
2
2 15
1 13
7
0
0
1 15 4
Joab Smith,
1
3
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
£. s. d. 0 0 0
£. s. d. 3 8 8
0 0 12 0
Jude Wright,
1
0
9
0 0 12
John Williams,
0 13
7 12 8
0 15 7
0
0 19 4
0
0
0
1 1 11
0
0
6
1 10 0
0
0
4
1 0 16
1 15
0)
0
0
105
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
Poll.
Real.
Personal.
Total.
Andrew Henry,
1
0 16
0 1 12
0
0 0 0
0)
0
4
5 2
John Kelso,
1
4 14
3
6 0
0
4
9 9
0
0
0
1
3
1
Samuel Moore,
1
3 18
0 0
3
9 5 3
5 8
0
0
0
2
5
8 7
Ebenezer Freeman,
1
0
9 10
0
9
6
0)
0
0 19
4
Gershom Rust,
1
1
6
8
0 16
0 5
0 0 0 0
0
0
2
2
4
Ebenezer Stowe,
1
2
14
0
1 19 0 14
6
0
0
1 14 6
William Smith,
1
0
0
0
0 8
9
0
0
0
0 8
9
David Scott,
0
0 19
2
0 0 0 0 Personal.
Poll.
Real. C. s. d.
€. s. d.
Joel Seward,
1
7 0
0
3 19 7
10 19
Daniel Twadwell,
0
0 13
0
00 0
0 13
0
Jabez Tracey,
1
4
8
0
2 2
0
6 10
John Smith, 2d,
1
0
0
0
()
0)
0
000
Reuben Woolworth,
2
2 15
0
1 19
0
4 14
0
Eli Woolworth,
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
Jonathan Webber,
1
2
9
4
2 2
1
4 11 3
Jonathan Wait,
1
0 19
0 19 11
1 19
6
Joseph Stebbins,
0
1 0
0
0 0
0
1
0
0
Joseph Stebbins, Jr.,
0
16
0
0
0
0
0 16
0
Daniel Smith, Jr.,
1
0 0
0
0)
0
0
0
U
0
Samuel French,
2
0 16 11
1
0
0
1 16 11
Gershom Flagg,
1
0 6
0
0
3
9
0
9 9
David Hedges,
0
0 10
0
0
0
0
0 10
0
Capt. Alexander,
1
0 6
6
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
Joseph Pomeroy,
0)
0 12
0
0
0
0
0 12
0
Robert Smith,
2
1 12
3
2
4
0
3 16
3
Oliver Hitchcock,
0
1
10
0
0
0
0
1 10 0
Robert. Proctor,
2
1 14
0
1
0
9
2 14
9
John Bolton,
0
1
0
7
0
0
0
1
0
7
William Stone,
1
1
9
0
1
5
4
2
14
4
John Carlisle,
1
0 10
0
0
8
1
0
8
1
Solomon Cooley,
1
0
0
0
0
3 10
0
3 10
Job Clark,
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Sylvester Sanderson,
0
0 10
0
0
0
0
0 10
0
William Hunt,
0
0 10
0
0
0
0
0 10
0
Zophar Searle,
0
2
0
0
0
0
0)
2
0
0
John Griswold,
0
0 10
0
0
0
0 10
0
Timothy Culver,
0
1 13
0
0
0
0
1 13
0
Bildad Fowler,
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1 0
0
Lieut. Simeon Fobes,
0
1
9
3
0
3
0
1 12
3
George Cooley,
0
0 10
0
0
0
0
10
Sylvester Judd,
0
1 0
0
0
0
0
1
C
0
1
2 11 10
1 13
4 0
0
3
0
0 0
8 0 0
0 9
9
Robert Moore,
1
15
4
0
7
0
(
0
7
7
5
Thaddeus Newton,
1
1
0 4
0
1 0
0
0
0
0
7
0
4 13
5
John Smith,
1
1
0
0
5
9
1 12
9
3 18
6
Richard Falley,
0
1
12
0
1 18
0
Ebenezer Meacham,
0
0
0 0
0
Noah Kingsbury,
0
0
5
0
0
0 0
0
Faculty. t. s. d.
C. s. d.
C. s. d.
C. s. d. 2 8 0
Joseph Henry,
3
0) 0
Hugh Kelso,
1
0
0
0 19 2
Total. C. s. d.
Joseph Northrop,
0
0
0
106
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
Poll.
Real.
Faculty.
Total.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
£. s. d.
Davenport Williams,
1
0
3
0
0
3 0
0
6
0
Ward & Willard, heirs,
0
8
6
5
0
0
0
8
6
5
Samuel Ward,
0
5
5
0
0
0 0
5
5
0
Joshua Brocket,
0
4
1
0
0
0 0
4
1 0
James Otis,
0
4
4
0
0
0
0
4
4
0
Samuel Chandler,
0
3 12
0
0
0
0
: 12
0
Personal.
William Sizer,
0
3 11
7
0
0
0 3 11
7
Elijah Blackman,
0
3 11
0
0
0
3 11
7
Abner Witt,
1
0 16
0
0
0
0
0 16
0
Ebenezer Stowe,
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Richard Falley &
0
4 10
0
00 0
4 10
0
Timothy Paine, Esq.,
0
12 0 0
000
12
0 0
ACCESSIONS TO THE VALUATION LIST.
The valuation list taken in September, 1774, showed the following new names among the resident tax-payers: Aaron Bell, Russell Dewey, Asa Gould, William Brown, John Jones, William Lunnon, Samuel Moore, James Moore, Abel Partridge, Larkin Williams, George Will- iams, and Rodman Williams. Between September, 1774, and Sep- tember, 1777, the following named persons became citizens of the town of Murrayfield: Samuel Bell, Benjamin Babcock, Daniel Stone, John N. Parmenter, Calvin Torry, Joshua Draper, Nathan White, William Foot, Samuel French, Allyn Geer, Samuel Gould, William McIntire, Ebenezer Stowe, John Morse, James Bentley, Samuel Con- verse, Matthew Campbell, and Moses Orcutt. The list of 1778 showed the following new resident tax-payers: Aaron Crawford, Thomas Judd, Jethro Kenney, Thomas Kenney, Silas Freeman, Noah Kings- bury, Manuel Northrop, Robert Campbell, Moses Hale, Zebulon Isham, Joseph Wilter, Abraham Bell, and Elijah White.
The new resident tax-payers upon the list of 1779 were, Henry Lam- berton, John Carlisle, and Jacob Fowle. The valuation list taken November, 1781, shows new names of resident tax-payers, as follows: Ebenezer Abbott, John Bell, Daniel Babcock, Job Belknap, Samuel Baldwin, Job Clark, Calvin Dunham, Maj. Edward Crafts, Othiel Pratt, Joab Smith, Simeon E. Mulhollon, Thomas Flint, Joseph Pomeroy, Capt. Nathaniel Alexander, Eli Woolworth, John Smith, 3d, Jabez Tracy, and Gershom Flagg.
DIFFICULTY OF COLLECTING TAXES DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
At a town meeting called and held at six o'clock in the afternoon of June 25, 1776, the town passed the following vote: "Voted that
2
Capt. Black, undiv'd lands 0
0 10
2
0
0 0
10
Wood & Company,
107
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
those persons that do not pay their rates to Mr. Woolworth and Capt. Smith by next Monday shall pay interest till they do pay them." And the selectmen were appointed " a committee to take security of those which do not pay their rates by the time appointed. Also voted that those that will not comply with these votes shall be obliged to pay their rates as soon as the constables can collect them in the usual manner, unless the committees of the neighboring towns do advise otherwise: that this committee shall examine the treasurer and con- stables and see if they have not got some money in their hands; and if they have the town money, that they shall pay interest for it from this time till paid. Also voted that the committee shall meet next Monday to do this business, and those that do not come there, that have not paid their rates shall be viewed as persons that don't intend to comply with the votes of the town, unless they can give this com- mittee satisfaction for their not coming. Also voted that this commit- tee shall examine the list of those that have not paid their rates, and if they find that there is any that in their judgment ought not to pay their interest, to make report of that and all their other proceedings at the next town meeting."
At the November meeting, 1778, the town voted " that the assessors, in making the rates, where a man's rate in the pence column is above six pence to set it down one shilling, and where it is under six pence to set it down naught."
TOWN FINED FOR NOT FILLING ITS QUOTA OF MEN FOR THE WAR.
At a meeting held in May, 1779, one article in the warrant was: " To see what the town will do concerning the fine that is laid on us for want of three continental men." The town voted " not to have the assessors assess the fine at present," and also " voted to choose a committee of three to get things ready to get the fine off." The com- mittee were Dr. David Shepard, Capt. Enoch Shepard, and Lieut. John Newton Parmenter. The town also voted " to give Mr. Stowe (who was constable) his part of the fine if the town is obliged to assess it." Touching this fine the town sent to the General Conrt a memorial as follows:
"To the Honorable Council & House of Representatives of the State of Massachusetts Bay, now sitting at Boston: We, your humble petitioners, beg leave to represent to your Honors the true state of affairs relative to the town of Murrayfield's raising their quota of men in the present war, & their will- ingness always to obey all orders & resolves of the General Court of this State
108
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
& the Honorable Continental Congress. Pursuant to which in the year 1777 the Honorable General Court of this State resolved that every town in this State should raise for the Continental service every seventh man; which in this town amounted to fourteen men. Accordingly the town by a large hire imme liately procured the men; some for three years & some engaged during the war; soon after which, upon the Continental Army's not being filled up, there came a resolve from the Honorable Continental Congress that if any two men would hire a man for the Continental service more than their propor . tional part of every seventh man they should be freed from further draughts. Upon this encouragement from Congress that we should be favored in future draughts, a number of the inhabitants of this town, though unable to spare the money, joined together and hired five men more than our quota into the Conti- nental service, supposing they would answer for the town when called upon afterwards. Accordingly in the year 1778 this town was called upon by the Hon- orable General Court of this State for two men to go for eight months & three for nine months to join the Continental Army to have it completed. The town being called together to get the men agreeably to orders from the Gen- eral Court, they judged it no more thau reasonable that we should have some allowance made us for those men that we had in the Continental service more than our proportion, & had given them a larger hire; therefore, relying on the justice of the cause of the town, thought it no more than honest & right not to draught any men for the nine months' service to join the Continental Army, but to make return of three of those meu that we had already in the Conti- nental service more than our quota; not doubting but that the Honorable General Court would, as soon as they saw the return, allow the men to stand good & answer for the town; though to our disappointment we find the town of Murrayfield fined three hundred pounds for the neglect of those three men which we viewed were in actual service for the town, & for no other, & are still in the service. Therefore your humble petitioners pray that the Honor- able Council & House of Representatives would take into their wise consider- ation the poverty of the town, the services we have done in the war more than our proportion, especially in the Continental service, as we have in a great measure exhausted ourselves of money to hire so many men into the service. Therefore we pray that your honors would take these things into your wise consideration, & be pleased to take off our fine as your Honors in your wisdom shall judge best, & as in duty bound your petitioners shall ever pray.
Signed, by order of the Selectmen, in behalf of the town.
DAVID SHEPARD, Town Clerk of Murrayfield. Murrayfield, April 13th, 1779."
At a meeting held in October, the town voted " to impower Capt. Enoch Shepard to borrow three hundred pounds to pay the fine laid on the town for want of three Continental soldiers." Also " that the three hundred pound fine or any part of which must be paid shall be assessed in the great State rate."
109
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
But when the facts were laid before the General Court and fully in- vestigated, justice was done to the town, as appears by the following copy of the action of the General Court:
" State of Massachusetts Bay. In the House of Representatives, No- vember 25th, 1779. On the petition of the inhabitants of the town of Murray- field praying for abatement of a fine laid on said town by the tax bill in February last, in being deficient in raising two men for nine months and one for eight months. And whereas it appears to this Court, that said town had two men inlisted for three years more than their quota of the seventh part of the inhabitants of said town,
"Resolved, that the fine of three hundred pounds laid on said town be remitted. And that there be allowed & paid out of the treasury of this State to the town of Murrayfield, the aforesaid sum of three hundred pounds for the fines above mentioned."
A meeting was called to be held October 1st, 1782, " To see what measures the town will take with regard to the uneasiness of the non- resident proprietors about the taxes laid upon them last year."
The proprietors claimed that their lands were " taxed in a greater proportion than any other new town in the neighborhood of Murray- field." But the town was inexorable, and voted "to have the rates that are set to the absentees settled as the selectmen and agents agreed, and that the selectmen be a committee to see this done." The assess- ment to the non-residents stood as follows:
€. s. d.
Bildad Fowler,
100 acres of land; tax
2 10 0
Job Clark,
100
66
2 10 0
Silvanus Sanderson,
50
66
1 50
William Hunt,
50
..
66
66
17 10 0
Capt. Ward,
1230
66
27 10 0
Willard's Heirs,
6.80
66
15 10 0
Samuel Chandler,
600
66
13 10 0
Israel Bissel,
260
7 00
Luther Loomis,
260
66
66
7 00
Abel Baldwin,
100
١١
2 10 0
Timothy Paine, Esq.,
1200
25 00
Allen Otis,
400
10 0 0
1 5
Brigdr. Warham Parks, 777
CHAPTER SIXTH.
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
The General Court of the Province of Massachusetts Bay had for some time been held at Cambridge. In 1772 by order of the governor it was adjourned to meet at Boston. The House, learning that the governor had accepted a salary from the King, voted 85 to 19 that " the making provision for the support of the governor of the prov- ince, independent of the acts and grants of the General Assembly, is an infraction upon the rights granted to the inhabitants by the royal charter, and in derogation of the constitution." And the court refussd to repair the Province House occupied by the governor as his residence.
In a letter to Hillsborough, the governor recommended that severe measures be taken to put down "this new doctrine of independence." It was soon after announced that the King, " with the entire concurrence of Lord North, had made provision for the support of his law servants in the Massachusetts Bay." This excited the inhabitants of Boston to call a town meeting. John Hancock was chosen moderator ; and an address to the governor was prepared requesting information as to the truth of the report that "stipends had been fixed to the offices of the judges." The governor refused this request. A new petition was immediately drafted and sent to him with a request that the subject be referred to the General Court. This request he also refused, and in response said : "If, in compliance with your petition, I should alter my determination, and meet the Assembly, contrary to my own judg- ment, at such time as you judge necessary, I should, in effect, yield to you the exercise of that part of my prerogative, and should be unable to justify my conduct to the King. There would, moreover, be danger of encouraging the inhabitants of the other towns in the province to assemble from time to time in order to consider the necessity or ex- pediency of a session of the General Assembly, or to debate and trans- act other matters which the law that authorizes towns to assemble does not make the business of town meetings."
"This reply," says Barry, " which invaded the rights of the little republics of New England, was communicated to the meeting, and read several times ; after which it was unanimously voted that the
111
A HISTORY OF MURRAYFIELD.
inhabitants of Boston 'have ever had, and ought to have, a right to petition the King for the redress of such grievances as they feel, or for the prevention of such as they have reason to apprehend, and to communicate their sentiments to other towns.' Then followed the step ' which included the whole revolution,' and Samuel Adams, the master spirit of the times, who had matured his plans by consulting the oldest men in the province, moved ' that a committee of corre- spondence be appointed. to consist of twenty-one persons, to state the rights of the colonists, and of this province in particular, as men and christians, and as subjects ; and to communicate and publish the same to the several towns and to the world, as the sense of this town, with the infringements and violations thereof that have been or from time to time may be made.' This motion was carried without a division, the vote in favor being nearly unanimous." Otis was the chairman of this committee. Its first meeting was held the following day in the representatives' chamber, and William Cooper was elected its clerk. The members of the committee pledged their honor "not to divulge any part of the conversation at any of the meetings to any person whatsoever, excepting what the committee itself should make known." This pledge was faithfully kept .*
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