USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Norton > History of the town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859 > Part 35
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Island service. Most of them were from Norton, but probably not all.
Lieutenants. - Isaac White and Jonathan Pratt.
Sergeants. - John White, Jacob Newland, Amos Martin, Thomas Eason.
Corporals. - Samuel Fillebrown, Jesse Hodges, John White, Asa Williams.
Drum. - Joel Briggs.
Fife. - John White, 3d.
Asa Clap, Abijah Clap, Asa Copeland, Eleazer Eddy, Nathan Finney, Thomas Gibbs, Benjamin Hodges, Thomas Bass, Masa Basset, Benjamin Cobb, jun., Mason Cobb, Jo- siah Crossman, William Dunham, Elias Eddy, Levi Francis, David Grover, Phillip Horr, Thomas Hewit, Zebulon Hodges, Bethuel Hack, Amasa Lincoln, Timothy Leonard, Nehemiah Leonard, Oliver Lincoln, Joel Martin, Benjamin Merrifield, Isaac Makepeace, Ebenezer Newcomb, Daniel Phillips, 2d, Ebenezer Richardson, Nathan Richard, Abisha Smith, Asa Smith, Nathaniel Sweeting, Benjamin Skinner, Jonathan Smith, Joseph Titus, Amos Shepardson, Benjamin Trow, Stephen Thayer, Ichabod White, John White, 2d, Job White, Isaac White, Samuel White, Royal White, Silas Williams, Jacob Williams, John Thayer.1
From May 14 to July 6 of the same year, Capt. Trow was again in service, with these men under his com- mand, most of them from Norton : -
Lieutenants. - Isaac White and Michael Sweet; Amos Martin, Amos Ide, Thomas Eason, Daniel Hewet, Joel Briggs, John White, Christopher French, Mason Cobb, Lamech Blandin, Thomas Bass, Isaac White, Noah Robinson, Masa Basset, David Balcom, Asa Clap, Abijah Clap, Asa Cope- land, William Carpenter, David Cooper, Joseph Dagget, Eleazer Eddy, Nathan Finney, Thomas French, David Gro- ver, Thomas Gibbs, Thomas Hewit, Thomas French, jun., Zebulon Hodges, Isaac Jackson, Amasa Lincoln, Timothy Leonard, Oliver Lincoln, Joel Martin, Ebenezer Newcomb, Henry Peck, Isaac Perry, Daniel Reed, Benjamin Richard- son, Abisha Smith, George Stanley, Gideon Stanley, Ebenezer Tyler, Abel Titus, Zelotes Tyler, Noah Tiffany, Benjamin
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. iii. p. 181.
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Trow, Ichabod Willis, Samuel White, Royal White, Jacob Williams, Job White, Jonathan Wilmarth, John White, Asa Williams, Oliver Wellman, Asa Smith.1
Capt. George Makepeace had the command of a company in the Rhode-Island service this year. In it were, from Norton, -
Hezekiah Willard, Daniel Knap, William Makepeace, Edward Darby, Timothy Briggs, Simeon Wetherell, George Cobb, John Briggs, Phineas Briggs, John Clark, Abner Tucker, Seth Smith.2
In December, Capt. Silas Cobb had the command of a company. In it were these men, from Norton : -
John Allen, second lieutenant; Nathaniel White, Amos Martin, Abiel Lincoln, Benjamin Hodges, Jabez Briggs, Daniel Hodges, Samuel Norton, Elkanah Hall, George Har- vey, Nathaniel Prior, Phillip Horr, Edmund Tucker, Josiah Smith, Masa Basset, Thomas Bass, John Hall, 2d, Paul Cook, Joel Martin, Jonathan Smith, William Makepeace, Rufus Lincoln, William Carpenter, Joseph Harridon, John Hall, Timothy Wellman, Jonathan Clark, Thomas Hewit, Ephraim Knap, Snellum Babbit.8
In 1777, the persons whose names are here recorded enlisted into the army for three years. All did not, however, serve the full time of their enlistment. The figures attached to the names show the number of months the individual was in service.
Benjamin Morey (36), William Merry (10),4 Cæsar Makepeace (32), Cæsar Morey (44), Jonathan Morey (5), Isaac Morey (10), Nathaniel Morey (36), Daniel Morey (15), Jedediah Tucker (33), Josiah Tucker (36), Jacob Allen (37),4 Jeremiah Cambell (36), Ezekiel Clap (3),5 John Capron (20), James Dorsey (?) (46), Francis Guillow, John Harridon (36), Josiah King (45), Josiah King (39).
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. iii. p. 184.
2 Ibid. vol. iii. p. 137.
3 Ibid. vol. i. p. 140.
4 Deserted. 5 Died.
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For 1778, the Committee of Correspondence, &c., were Jonathan Clap, David Arnold, Isaac Smith, John Hall, and Seth Gilbert.
March 9, 1778, "voted that the selectmen should procure powder-flints, lead, and gun-locks of the board [of] war."
May 11, " voted that the officers of the several com- panies should raise the men sent for by the General Court on the best terms they can; and, if they cannot procure them for thirty pounds granted by said Court, that the town will pay the overplus." The officers were further directed "to hire the money to procure said men with, if thirty pounds will not."
We give below the members of Capt. Israel Trow's company, draughted for three months' service in Rhode Island, commencing Jan. 1, 1778. The residences are not given. Most of them are known to have belonged to this town.
Lieutenants. - Ebenezer Brintnell, Ephraim Lane.
Sergeants. - Jonathan Newcomb, William Bonney, Wil- liam Wetherell, Jonathan Briggs.
Corporals. - Theophilus Crossman, Joseph Spurr, Joel Briggs, William Verry.
Drum. - John Wetherell.
Privates. - Masa Basset, Thomas Bass, Samuel Bailey, John Bates, Obadiah Brintnell, Jonathan Clark, Ebenezer Cane, Banfield Capron, Caleb Dunham, Abraham Derry, Peter Derry, John Dunbar, Ichabod Eddy, Ezra Eddy, John Field, Israel Fisher, Calvin Fillebrown, William Hodges, Zebulon Hodges, John Hall, jun., William Lane, Ephraim Knap, Timothy Leonard, Paul Lincoln, Jonathan Mebu- ren (?), Daniel Phillips, Ichabod Randall, Solomon Skinner, Enoch Story, Asa Smith, William Story, Benajah Tucker, Jesse Tupper, Stephen Thayer, Benjamin Trow, Ichabod Willis, Permer (?) Wood, John White, Timothy Wellman, Josiah Willis, Ezra Willis, Levi Woodward, Abiathar Shaw, Seth Tiffany.1
The following men from Norton enlisted for one
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. iii. p. 182.
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year, from Jan. 1, 1778, in Capt. Joseph Cole's com- pany, of Bridgewater : -
Seth Smith, Asa Newcomb, Elkanah Hall, Ichabod Eddy, Levi Woodward, John Cobb, John White, Timothy Skinner, Elias Eddy, Simeon Wetherell, John Gilbert, Masa Basset.1
In Capt. Isaac Hodges' company, engaged in Rhode- Island service, we find these names. Most of them were from this town.
David Keith, Isaac White, Lewis Sweeting, Nat Freeman, Alexander Keith, James Newcomb, John White, Eliab Darby, Edmund Macomber, Abiel White, Joel Briggs, Thomas Gro- ver, Alexander Balcom, Thomas Braman, Samuel Bailey, Obadiah Brintnell, Stephen Briggs, Benjamin Braman, Levi Babbit, Rufus Clap, Abijah Clap, Asa Clap, William Clark, William Dunham, James Fillebrown, Asa Fillebrown, Cor- nelius Gibbs, George Hodges, Elijah Hodges, Abial Leonard, Isaac Lincoln, Isaac Lathrop, John Newland, Nathaniel Prior, Seth Pitts, John Patten, Phillip Pratt, Jesse Randall, Benjamin Shaw, Joshua Stearns, Eliphalet Sweeting, Robert Skinner, Mase Shepard, Asa Smith, William Stone, James Stone, Benjamin Tiffany, Seth Tisdale, William Verry, Peter Wellman, Royal White, Asa Wellman, Abijah Wetherell, Simeon White, Seth Williams, Benjamin Homes, Ebenezer Burt, Samuel Copeland, Stephen Cilley, Daniel Pratt.2
These men were draughted from Norton in 1778 for nine months' service : -
Thomas Jenkins, Peter Derry, David Hodges, Joshua Smith, Thomas Bass, Ephraim Knapp, London Morey (ne- gro), rejected, William Axtell.
Ephraim Lane was a lieutenant-colonel in Col. Tho- mas Carpenter's regiment, Rhode-Island service, from July 24 to Sept. 9, 1778. He was also a lieutenant- colonel in Col. John Daggett's regiment in 1775, called out by the alarm at Lexington, 19th of April.
For 1779, the Committee of Correspondence, &c., were William Cobb, William Homes, Esq., Daniel
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. i. p. 109.
2 Ibid. vol. xx. p. 57.
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Dean, Noah Wiswall, Noah Woodward, Silas Cobb, and Eleazer Clap. June 22, "voted that the eight Continental men now called for for nine months, and the three men for the Lines at Rhode Island, be raised by way of a tax on the ratable polls and estates in sd. Norton ;" and a committee were appointed to raise " the above men."
This committee were directed " to procure the above men upon the best terms they can, and lay their ac- count before the town for their allowance and payment, and it should be allowed." Adjourned to July 5. Then "voted to raise on the ratable polls and estates three thousand pounds, for the purpose of raising men for the country's service."
Aug. 30, " voted to Silas Cobb two pounds, nineteen shillings, L. my., for keeping seven Highlanders one night, and finding them all a breakfast." 1
There was an article in the warrant for a town- meeting, Sept. 20, 1779, "to take under their con- sideration a letter from the town of Boston, with regard to the difficulties sd. town is now [laboring under] for want of supplies of the necessaries of life." Samuel Morey and Isaac Smith were chosen a com- mittee " to collect sheep and grain for to carry to Boston, for the supply of sd. town of Boston." During this year, we find but few soldiers on duty from Norton. In the roll of Capt. Joseph Franklin's company, of Rehoboth, engaged in a four months' service in Rhode Island, in the autumn of 1779, we find a few names of men from this town, which we here record : -
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Israel Fisher, Francis Guillow, Isaac Stone.2
1 Rev. Isaac Braman, of Georgetown, recently deceased, wrote me, that, " when Burgoyne surrendered to the Americans, his army was scattered over the country in different towns. Twelve Scotch Highlanders were sent to Norton. They came to church, and sat together on the lower floor, dressed in short red coats; checked kilts, coming a little below the knee, stripes two inches wide; stockings of the same kind of cloth. Their ap- pearance was novel and exciting. How long they continued in Norton, I cannot say." These were doubtless the men for whose lodging and break- fast Mr. Cobb was paid.
2 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. ii. p. 51.
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The years 1779 and.1780 were probably the saddest and darkest known during the whole war. The cur- rency was in a very depreciated condition. To such an extent was it reduced, that, in 1780, fifty or sixty dollars of bills of credit were worth only about one dollar in specie. This state of things added very much to the difficulty of procuring recruits for the army, and of providing food and clothing for those already enlisted.
For 1780, the Committee of Correspondence, &c., were William Cobb, William Homes, and Daniel Dean. June 16, voted to raise such sums of money as shall be sufficient to pay the eighteen men, to be raised for the continental army for six months, by a tax on the ratable polls and estates; and a committee were appointed to raise said men. Then "voted that the committee procure the sd. 18 men upon the best terms they can, and lay their accounts before the town." It was probably found difficult to induce the men to en- list; and therefore, as an incentive, it was, June 23, " voted that those persons, who shall inlist voluntarily into the six months' service before four in the after- noon next Monday, shall be exempted from their poll- tax during their service." Adjourned to the Monday following (June 26) ; then " voted to give the men that shall engage in the six months' service twenty-four pounds, as a bounty ; to be paid in Indian Corn, at 3s. per bushel ; and Rye, at 4s. per bushel ; and Bar Iron, at four dollars per hundred ; or the same sum in Gold or silver paid down; and exempted from paying any poll-tax for six months to come, or during their service this campaign." Adjourned to last Wednesday of August. July 4, the town decided to raise the twenty- two men, called for from this town for three months, by a tax on the polls and estates ; and offered, as a bounty to those who would enlist, " twelve pounds, to be paid in silver money." Afterwards voted " to pay the twelve pounds' bounty in Bar-Iron, Rye, Indian Corn," at the prices offered for the six months' men, and to " excuse them from their poll-tax in proportion
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to the six months' men, according to their time of service." Also voted to give the four men now called for, in addition to the eight men called for (for six months) by a resolve of the General Court of June 5, 1780, " the same bounty as was given to the eighteen men." Chose a committee "to raise the 22 men for three months."
The full quota of men was not raised July 6. It was then ordered, that those men draughted and mustered shall be entitled to the same bounty as those that enlist.
Voted to raise five thousand pounds' tax forthwith, to pay for the horses purchased in this town.
On the last Wednesday of August, the bounty of twenty-four and twelve pounds had not charmed the full number of men desired into the ranks of the army ; and hence, on that day, the town empowered the com- mittee to go into any other town, where they can be insured that they have got their quota of six and three months' men, and hire the men now wanting for this town.
Oct. 9, the town "voted to raise £1,108 .- 5s .- 0., in silver money, to pay the Bounty to the soldiers that were hired the summer past." Also " voted to Mr. Nathaniel Prior 210 pounds, old continental money, for going, himself and team, to Tiverton with the soldiers last August." The same day, " voted to choose a person to purchase the beef called for (by a Resolve of Gen. Court) from this town;" and Major Silas Cobb was chosen to make the purchase.
Oct. 16, it was " voted to raise £1,100 .- 0 .- 0. for to pay for the beef and trouble." Dec. 25, " voted to raise such a sum of money as to enable the town to pay each soldier that shall enlist into the continen- tal service for three years, or during the war, three hundred silver dollars each ; one hundred paid soon, one hundred paid in one year, and the other hundred in two years, with interest."
In the alarm of August, 1780, Capt. Israel Trow marched to Rhode Island at the head of a company of
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men, whose names we here record; all of whom are supposed to have belonged to this town : -
Joseph Hodges, first lieutenant; Jacob Shepard, second lieutenant ; Benjamin Wild, Elkanah Lincoln, David Lin- coln, Jonathan Newland, James Newcomb, Joshua Pond, Rufus Hodges, Joseph Andrews, Sylvanus Braman, Samuel (?) Blandin, George Briggs, Daniel Basset, Joseph Burt, Elijah Briggs, David Balcom, Noah Clap, John Clap, Jere- miah Cambell, Theophilus Crossman, Paul Cook, Tisdale Hodges, George Hodges, Elijah Hodges, Joseph Howard, Abijah Lincoln, Levi Lincoln, Seth Pitts, Thomas Story, Asa Smith, Araunah Smith, Zebulon White, Joel White, Abijah Wetherell, David Wetherell, Josiah Wellington, Elkanah Wilmarth, Abiathar Macomber, Amos Martin, Nathan Perry, Elijah Danforth, Samuel Hunt, Seth Williams, Eleazer Walker, Jacob Shaw, Nathaniel Freeman, Noah Woodward, Jesse Hodges, William Copeland, Samuel Copeland, Josiah Hodges, William Stone, William Norton, Jonathan Hodges, Peletiah Day, Joseph Wellman, Ichabod Perry, William Wetherell, Ebenezer Wetherell, Elisha Capron, Daniel Phil- lips, James Davis, Nathan Dean, Nathaniel Wood, Silas Cobb, John King.1
Capt. Seth Smith commanded a company in the Rhode-Island service this year, probably all Norton- ians ; whose names were - .
Ephraim Lane, lieutenant; Hezekiah Willard, William Makepeace, Nathan Cobb, Daniel Knapp, Isaac Hodges, Ed- ward Darby, George Cobb, Benjamin Stanley, John Hodges, Jabez Briggs, David Arnold, Phineas Briggs, Thomas Bra- man, Benjamin Blandin, Joseph Matthews, John Briggs, Isaac Basset, Nathan Dean, Ephraim Eddy, Ezra Eddy, John Hall, Zephaniah Hodges, Abiel Lincoln, Oliver Leonard, Calvin Morey, William Stone, Nat Stone, Seth Smith, Bena- jah Tucker, Benjamin Tiffany, William Verry, Simeon Weth- erell, John Wetherell, David Woodward, Samuel Willis.2
Capt. John Allen was also absent six days with a company in Rhode-Island service. We give the names of those from this town : -
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. iii. p. 177. 2 Ibid. vol. xxiii. p. 65.
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Jacob Shepard, lieutenant ; Isaac Hodges, Jonathan Briggs, Rufus Hodges, Nathan Dean, John Hodges, Joseph Andrews, John Arnold, David Balcom, Sylvanus Braman, Isaac Bas- set, Benjamin Blandin, William Carpenter, Paul Cook, Noah Clap, Ephraim Eddy, Elijah Eddy, Tisdale Francis, Zepha- niah Hodges, Joseph Howard, Oliver Leonard, Levi Lincoln, William Newcomb, Solomon Newcomb, Josiah Newcomb, Nat Prior, Abisha Smith, Araunah Smith, Thomas Story, Samuel Stevens, John Tisdale, Jacob Tiffany, Elkanah Wood- ward, James White, James Wetherell, Simeon Wetherell.1
In Capt. Jabez Barney's company of Swanzey, at West Point, August, 1780, were the following men from this town. The first two served for the town of Mansfield ; the remainder, for Swanzey.
Isaac Morey, lieutenant ; Levi Francis, jun., John Cam- bell, John Prior, Brian Hall, Vincent Cambell, Benjamin Holmes, John Martin.2
In the six months' service, in 1780, I find the follow- ing list of men from Norton, made up by the select- men : -
Jedediah Tucker, Daniel Hodges, Ichabod Pitts, Jabez Newland, Isaac Stone, Vincent Cambell, Henry Howard, Samuel Willis, John Hall, Benjamin Holmes, Israel Smith, Daniel Hodges, 2d, Daniel Burr, Jonathan Hodges, Benjamin Fuller.3
The following is a list of the men raised in Norton, agreeably to a resolve of the General Court, passed Dec. 2, 1780 ; the term of service, three years : -
Samuel Sherman, Benjamin Fuller, Elisha Capron, Joshua Fuller, Timothy Tucker, Abiathar Macomber, Henry Hay- ward, Jacob Briggs, Samuel Eddy, Francis Guillow, Sey- more Burr, Seth Capron, Benjamin Chotsey (?), Cuff Free- man, Jedediah Tucker, Ezra Hodges.4
Jan. 8, 1781, the town "voted so far to comply with the Resolve of the General Court Respecting
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. i. p. 7.
2 Ibid. vol. i. p. 51}.
8 Ibid. vol. iv. p. 184.
4 Ibid. vol. xxiv. p. 418.
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Beef as to procure sd. Beef, or the money ; " also voted to raise £204. 3s. Od., silver money, in addi- tion to the £1,108. 5s. raised Oct. 9, 1780, -to be devoted to the same purpose. The Committee of Cor- respondence, &c., for 1781, were Silas Cobb, Israel Trow, and Noah Wiswall.
March 5, " voted to give the men, called for to go to Rhode Island for forty days, four pounds and ten shillings per month, including whatever shall be given them from this commonwealth, or any other way from the publick."
In the summer, the General Court called upon the town to supply the army with six thousand seven hun- dred and sixty-eight pounds of beef, twenty-eight shirts, twenty-eight pair of shoes and stockings, and fourteen blankets. July 16, it was "voted to comply with the requisition of the General Court respecting Beef ; and £120 silver money was raised to pay for it, and Capt. Ephraim Burr was authorized to purchase it at fourpence per pound :" and it was ordered, "that there be a clause inserted in the warrant for our fall meeting, to raise a sum of money to pay for clothing." It was also " voted to give the men, that shall go into the three months' service, twenty silver dollars per month, and the town to receive their wages from this commonwealth, and that each man have five dollars advance pay."
We find but few names of soldiers to record for the year 1781. In January of this year, there were in the Continental army, from Norton, enlisted in the years 1777-79-80, for three years, or during the war, -
Josiah King, Cæsar Morey, Joseph Pratt, Lathrop Knapp, John Harridon, Josiah King, Anthony Morey, Jacob Allen, and William Wellman.1
On the 19th of October, Lord Cornwallis and his whole army laid down their arms at Yorktown, Va.,
1 Revolutionary Rolls, vol. xxix. p. 113.
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as prisoners of war, to the combined forces of France and the United Colonies ; which event was the virtual termination of the war, although the articles of peace were not formally signed till nearly two years after- wards.
The town-records are almost entirely silent relative to the war after the siege and surrender at Yorktown. At the March meeting in 1783, the selectmen were chosen " a committee of correspondence and Safety," &c.
March 1, 1784, the town "voted not to give the continental officers any extraordinary pay." Rev. Isaac Braman wrote me, that, "Towards the close of the Revolutionary war, a hen's egg was found about a mile south of the church, on which was written in raised letters, 'Piece to America.' This was thought by the 'Hoi Polloi' to be a true prophecy, - that Peace was soon to take place. I was a little more than 12 years of age, but knew the difference between Peace and Piece, and was convinced that it was an imposition." And such, no doubt, it was. Here, then, we must bid adieu to the war, which forms the greatest era in our country's history.
We do not suppose we have recorded the names of all our citizens who served in defence of their coun- try's rights. It is to be regretted that the names of all who were engaged in the war were not entered upon the town-books.
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Had this been done, our list of Revolutionary pa- triots would no doubt have been much longer than it now is. Yet we would also remember, that the victory was not won by those alone who met the enemy face to face amidst the din of clashing arms, and the shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying. For those who remained at home, and who furnished the " sinews of war," and took care of the families of those absent ; who, out of their poverty, furnished provisions and clothing for the army, and cheered them on through all their reverses, trials, and discouragements, -and among these we must reckon the mothers, wives, and
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daughters of the soldiers, - we would not withhold the praise justly their due. We cannot, it is true, record their names ; they stood not so prominently before the eye of the world: but their heroism was none the less real on that account; and we trust their patriotism and self-sacrifice will never be blotted from our country's remembrance.
Although the war released our fathers from the des- potism of England, it left many of them under the despotism of irreligion and immorality. The whole nature of war is demoralizing in the extreme. In cor- roboration of this idea, we will quote a passage from Rev. Pitt Clarke's "Historical Sermon." Speaking with reference to the causes of waning morals among the people of Norton, he says, -
"The French war, and the revolutionary contest with Great Britain, produced great changes in the morals of the people, and, in particular, led to a greater disregard to the Sabbath, and public worship. War is not only the scourge of nations, but a very corrupting engine to the people. It breaks down the barriers of peace and order. Its bad effects are extensive and lasting, if they can ever be repaired. Its in- fluence was great in corrupting the morals of this town as well as other places ; in consequence of which, many of the past and present generations have lived in total neglect of the Sabbath, and sanctuary opportunities. We find but few instances of those, who were long in the army, returning to their homes with any regard to the Sabbath, or institutions of religion."
With this testimony against war, without the least desire to impugn the motives of the Revolutionary patriots, we close the chapter.
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CHAPTER XXIX.
MILITARY HISTORY.
" Man is a military animal; Glories in gunpowder, and loves parade."
P. J. BAILEY.
OF the early military history of the town, we can learn but little. About 1698, a military company was formed in the North Purchase, and that part of the old town of Taunton now included in Norton. George Leonard was the first captain, commissioned by Richard, Earl of Bellamont, Governor of the Province. It is believed that Samuel Brintnell was the first lieutenant; and Nicholas White, ensign. It will be remembered, that, in the precinct controversy, the "military line " was desired by the petitioners to be the southerly line
of the precinct. This " military line," I suppose, was the bounds between the North-Purchase Company and the other company at Taunton Town. By a law of 1693, the following persons were exempted from mili- tary duty : viz., Councillors, Representatives, Secretary of the Province, Justices of the Peace ; the President, Fellows, Students, and Servants of Harvard College ; Masters of Art, Ministers, Elders, and Deacons ; Sheriffs and their Deputies, Physicians, Schoolmasters, Coro- ners, Treasurers, Attorney-General, Clerk of Courts, Constables, Ferrymen, Millers, Officers of the Revenue, Masters of Vessels, Herdsmen, lame persons, Indians, and Negroes. For many years previous to the separa- tion of Mansfield from Norton, there were three mili- tary companies in town, whose limits were as follows : The first company embraced all the territory of the South Precinct westerly of Rumford River. The second company was in the North Precinct (Mansfield) ; and the third company embraced all the South-Precinct ter-
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