History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Part 16

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town
Number of Pages: 916

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates > Part 16

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In 1760 Micah Pratt represented that his son David was, in 1758, sick at Half-moon, 160 miles distant ; that he hired a horse, carried provision for himself and horse and got his son home ; lost 13 days' time and used 1 gal. of rum. Paid 34s. 4d. June, 1760, Edward Davis' son Edward was in Jeremiah Learned's company, sick at Ticonderoga ; he went for him and got him home. Allowed £1. 19s. 4d. March, 1761, Ebenezer Eddy's son Thomas in service under Capt. White in 1758, was sick ; his father went for him; he so far recovered as to enlist again in 1759 under Jeremiah Learned ; was sick again and came home. Received £3. Peter Shumway in the Canada expedition, 1759, was sick. Paid March, 1761, 12 shillings. Same date Benjamin Fitts asked pay; marched for relief of Fort

1 Mass. Arch., XCV .. 518, 536.

2 Goggins was in Capt. White's company and served through the campaign. In Feb., 1761, he had been 38 weeks, five days in Capt. McFarland's company, and that month re-enlisted for further service.

3 The following is extant: "Charlton Apl 15 day 1758.

"These may serly whome It may Consern That

Capt Isaac Hartwell of the Country Gore Has hired Nathaniel Euestis of the above sd Charlton to Go into his Majesty's Service In the Expodi- tion against Canada In his mans Room Ebnezer Lamson by Name and I Accept him in sd lam- sons Room.

"JONATHAN TUCKER, Cap."

123

FRENCH WAR.

1763

William Henry-name left off the roll. Granted 24 shillings. David Town, Jr., asked aid on account of sickness. Granted 35 shillings, Nov., 1761. Nearly all these sums were paid to Capt. Edward Davis for the petitioners.

Canada surrendered. In July, 1758, Louisburg, the key of the Canadas, was taken. In July, 1759, Niagara yielded, and a few weeks later Ticonderoga was surrendered and consequently Crown Point abandoned. On 13 Sept. came Wolfe's victory at Quebec. On 6 Sept., 1760, Gen. Amherst sat down with a large force before Montreal, and two days later French dominion in Canada ended, and " all that magnificent structure which the genius of Cham- plain and the patient labors of the French Jesuits had devotedly raised, vanished."

A roll of Capt. Jeremiah Learned's company, 6 Feb., 1760, includes the following :-

Jeremiah Learned. Captain; Jonathan Holman of Sutton, Lieut .; William Lamb, Samuel Learned, Reuben Barton, Corporals; David Pratt, Jr., Thomas Eddy, Edward Davis, Jr., Hezekiah Meriam, Jr., Samuel Manning, Jr., Ebenezer Lamb, privates; all of Oxford.

This company, most of the members of which were from Sutton and Charlton, was in 1760, at Ticonderoga.

Other Oxford men known to have been in the service were :-

Israel Whitney in Cape Breton exp., 1745; Jonas Gleason, Cape Breton expedition, Jan., 1752 ;. William Campbell in Louisburg expedition, 1758; Naphtali Streeter, 1759; Richard Rogers, the schoolmaster, 1760; Edmund Barton, Samuel Call. Jacob and Josiah Town, sons of Dea. Jonathan, were at Fort Edward, 1755, and Jacob d. there. John Streeter d. 28 Nov., 1756, at Sheffield. Benjamin Davis, Lieut., served many months. [Samuel Jennison, Lieut. in 1756, not from Oxford.]

On a roll of Capt. McFarland's company, 3 Feb., 1761, are :

Abijah Gale, Micah Pratt, Abraham Pratt, Nathaniel Smith, Reuben, son of Oliver Shumway, William Lackey and Joseph Guggins, all of Oxford, who had then served from 35 to 38 weeks each.

At this date the war was nominally ended, but Massachusetts raised a force of 3,000 men early in 1761.

After the close of the war in the first regiment, Worcester County militia, March, 1763, were officers from Oxford as follows :

Edward Davis, Major. First Oxford Co., Elisha Davis, Capt. ; John Nichols, Lieut. ; William Larned, Ensign. Second Oxford Co., Jeremiah Learned, Capt. ; Jedediah Barton, Lieut. ; John Town, Jr., Ensign-in 1771, Edward Davis, Major. First Oxford Co., Elisha Davis, Capt. ; Ephraim Ballard, First Lieut .; William Watson, Second Lieut .; Thomas Town, Ensign. Second Oxford Co., Joseph Phillips, Capt .; Samuel Eddy, Lieut .; Isaac Putnam, Ensign.

French Neutrals. A source of perplexity to the government at the beginning of the war in 1755 was the plantation of French in Nova Scotia. The number of these has been variously stated, the lowest estimate being 7,000. Though British subjects their sympa-

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-61

124

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

thies were with their fellow-countrymen and it was charged that they furnished them with provisions and other means of carrying on the contest. After consultation the Governor and Council determined to remove them by force. Their lands and other property were declared forfeited, and from the town of Grand Pré alone nearly 2,000 were removed. Some escaped, but to prevent their subsistence the country was laid waste and buildings destroyed.1

" Where is the thatched roof village, the home of Acadian farmers, Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodland Darkened by shadows of earth, but reflecting the image of heaven? Waste are their pleasant farms, and the farmers forever departed ! Scattered like dust and leaves, when the mighty blasts of October Seize them and whirl them aloft, and sprinkle them far o'er the ocean. Naught but tradition remains of the beautiful village of Grand pré." 2

Sent to the towns. These people were "scattered like dust and leaves " throughout the colonies. About 1,000 were brought to Massachusetts, sent to the towns and bound out to service. Sixty- three came to Worcester County, a large family named Dugar to this region, two of its members to Sturbridge, three to Oxford, two to Charlton and two to Dudley. They experienced many hardships, families were separated, and being Roman Catholics prejudice existed against them and they were treated little better than slaves.3 A petition for redress was sent to the General Court, signed by nine persons from several towns, among them Claude Bennois of Oxford, as follows, [translation] :-

"To his Excellency the Governor General of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, and to the honorable Gentlemen of the Council,

" We have taken the liberty to present to you this Request, inasmuch as we are in Grief on account of our Children. The loss we have suffered [in being deprived] of our habitations and brought hither, and in our Separations from one another, is as Nothing Compared with that which we experience now, in having our Children taken by force before our very eyes. Nature itself can- not endure this. Were it in our Power to take our Choice, we would choose sooner to yield up our Bodies and our Souls than to be separated from them. Wherefore we beseech you and your honours, that you would have the good- ness to appease this Cruelty. We do not by any means Refuse to work for the support of our Children provided it be endured for our families [intact]. Beseeching you that you would have the goodness to regard our Request : thus doing You will oblige Your very humble and very obedient servants."

On this petition it was ordered that the selectmen "desist from binding out any of them-that houses be provided for each family so they may keep together," and if any should be bound out "the assent

1 Eminent writers have characterized this action of the authorities as unjustifiable and cruel in the extreme.

2 Evangeline, the heroine of this poem, was the daughter of the wealthiest farmer of Grand Pre. Mr. Longfellow wrote: " The poem of Evange- line is only historical as it is based on the fact of the dispersion of the Acadians. The story itself is a tradition-the details and the name are of my own invention,"

3 By a law passed 10 June, 1756, selectmen and overseers of the poor were " ordered to keep the French People from Idling and Wandering about," and that none be permitted to travel from town to town without the leave of two, either of the selectmen or overseers of the poor . Prov. Laws, III., 960.

125

FRENCH NEUTRALS.

1756-8

of two justices of ye peace in ye County be first had thereon, and all of them treated with kindness and humanity." Passed by the Council 15 April, 1756. House of Representatives concurred 17 April, 1756.1

Claude Bennois. On 2 Feb., 1757, Gludo Benway [Claude Bennois, signer of the foregoing petition from Oxford 2] represented to the General Court that he and his family were placed by the gov- ernment at Cambridge and his children were by the selectmen of that town afterward sent to Mr. [Duncan] Campbell of Oxford, whither the petitioner and his wife followed them, that said Campbell dis- persed their five children, whereupon the petitioner and his family fled to Newtown, that the selectmen of said town refused to do any- thing for them and "threaten to send them to Goal,"-praying the Court would provide some comfortable abode for them, they " being willing to do all in their Power to Support themselves." On this it was ordered that the selectmen of Newton be allowed to remove peti- tioners to Cambridge, where they were originally placed. The Council non-concurred, and on 8 Feb. voted that they be sent to Dunstable. On this the House of Representatives ordered the petition to "lye on the table," and Benway had no redress. On 11 April, 1757, Henry Gibbs, Esq., of Newton, asked of the Court that " Glude Benua his Wife and Five Children," lately sent to Oxford, and then of Newton be removed elsewhere-upon which it was ordered that they be sent to Dedham, that the selectmen of that town receive them "and govern themselves with regard to them according to law." 3

Campbell's Petition. On 2 June, 1757, Duncan Campbell repre- sented to the General Court "that the selectmen of Newton bound out to him five children of some of the late inhabitants of Nova Scotia, that on his placing them at Worcester their parents followed them there, and as the result they all went away"; asking allowance, on which was voted him 42 shillings, 32 pence.

In November Mr. Campbell presented another memorial setting forth that :-

"last May session [he] preferred a petition to the honorable Court that £17. 13s. 4d. might be allowed [him] for transporting from Cambridge to Oxford and keeping some French Neutrals . .. from which [he] hath never received any profit or service, they refusing to work-that upon said petition said Court was pleased to allow [him] no more than 42s. 3}d .- that the honor- able Board have sent your petitioners servants to the town of Dedham and so he is deprived of any service from them until this time, notwithstanding the great expense he was put to in maintaining them . ."

He prays he may be allowed the remainder of his account "or that he may have an order from the honorable Court to take those that were bound to him from Dedham and compel them to work."

The chief item in his bill was for boarding the family at Capt. Thomas Stearns', Worcester. Upon this petition, on 20 March, 1758,

1 Mass. Arch., XXIII., 49. into "way," as in " Chamois " to " Shumway."

2 This name furnishes another instance of the

changes in the early times of the French " ois "

3 Prov. Laws., III., 1059.

126

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

1774

in the House of Representatives, five pounds, nine shillings and four pence were ordered paid, but the Council non-concurred.1

Expenses. On 26 Aug., 1757, a warrant was drawn to pay from the treasury of the colony £15. 6s. 6d. to the selectmen of Oxford for the support of "French from Nova Scotia sent there."2

A large family named LeBlanc came to Oxford.3 Supplies from 10 March, 1758, to 24 May, 1759, were furnished them by Dr. Alexander Campbell, for which he sent a bill of £21 to the Legisla- ture. From May, 1759, to March, 1760, Edward Davis, Esq., pro- vided for them at an expense of £18. This family, father, mother and nine children, later removed to Brimfield.4

Revolutionary War. Two adverse influences combined to modify in a measure public action in the time of the Revolution; first, the existence to a considerable extent, especially in the north part of the town, of a sentiment opposed to the popular current; and second, the limited means of the people.5 The majority, however, stood firmly together, and were heart and hand in the great move- ment, and although at times there was a lack of promptness, all demands for men and supplies were met.

In May, 1774, an article in a warning for a town meeting was as follows : " to see if the Town will give their Representative any Instructions concerning the Making good the Damage don in destroy- ing the Tea in the Harbor of Boston sometime past." This article was " not brought to a vote." A warning dated 12 Sept., 1774, has an article " To see if the town will pass a resolve that they will keep strictly to our Province Laws made agreeable to our Charter and that we will support the Justices and other Officers of the Town in the Execution of their Offices agreeable to Said Laws, or act thereon." A postscript to this warrant expressed the desire of several leading citizens " that all the Officers and Soldiers may appear " at said meet- ing " in Order to Consider of Some Measures to be taken to Govern the Military Body of this town." The meeting was held 29 Sept., Edward Davis, Moderator, and passed the following :-

Resolves .-

"Resolved that as by the late acts of Parliament we are deprived of the Constitutional Laws of the Government of the Massachusetts Bay we will Indeavor so far as in us lies to Maintain and keep Peace & good order in this

1 Province Laws, VI., 98.

2 Council Rec., XII., 290.

3 Perhaps the same as ordered 10 Sept., 1756, to be removed from Point Shirley to Needham. Prov. Laws, III., 1058.

4 On 24 June, 1766, the House of Representa- tives, in response to a petition of Francis LeBlanc, ordered the sum of £5. 2s. 8d. to be paid from the treasury for a doctor's bill as set forth in said petition, and that Brimfield should show cause why said sum should not be added to its next province tax.

5 To give an idea of the resources of the town, we copy from the valuation list of 1771, the returns of money at interest: "Edward Davis, £200; Ebenezer Learned, £200; John Nichols, £100; William Davis, £50; Elisha Davis, £50; Isaac Hartwell, £80; John Larned, £65; Sylvanus Town, £25; William Nichols, £10: Jacob Shum- way, £10; Amasa Kingsbury, £10; John Har- wood, £12; Josiah Eddy, £6, total, £851; consid- erably less than $5,000. In a State return, 1781, the amount of money on hand and at interest was given as £490.

127

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

1774-5

Town and Support and uphold all Civil Officers in the Execution of their Offices so far as they conform themselves to the Charter Rights of this Gov- ernment, and assist them duly to punish all offenders against the same laws and do bear Testimony against all Riots as well as against any number of men Collecting in Body's together to hurt the Personal Property of anyone.

"Resolved that we Ever have and will be True and Loyal Subjects of our most Gracious Sovereign George the 3d. King of Great Britain, so long as we are permitted the free Execution of our Charter Rights.

"Resolved that considering the present Alarming and Distrest Circumstances of this Province it is highly Necessary for the Militia Officers of this Town to Resign their Commissions and therefore do advise the said Officers to resign accordingly and for the Souldery as soon as may be to Elect the same Officers to take the Command of the Different Companys in this Town if they will accept and the Major Part of the Souldery shall Elect them and if any Refuse to Serve then to Chuse others Experienced in the arts of War in their Stead.

" Voted and Chose Doctor Alexander Campbell and Capt. Ebenezer Learned to Attend the Provincial Congress at Concord, the second tuesday of October next, or at any other Town in the Province that shall be agreed on. The foregoing Resolves are past with no other aim or View than to keep Peace and Order in this Town untill we can hear of Some Measures taken by the Continental Congress now sitting at Philadelphia to which we mean Strictly to Adhear."

In November a meeting was called " to hear some Resolves of the Grand Congress," and also of the Provincial Congress and act thereon. At this meeting Edward Davis was moderator. Adjourned to 16 Dec. "Then met" and voted " that the Province Tax in the hands of the Constables be paid into the town treasury, and the town will protect said Constables," and chose Lieut. William Campbell, Daniel Phillips and Lieut. Samuel Eddy a committee of inspection to see that the association of the Continental Congress be duly observed.1

Minute-men. In the warning for March, 1775, was an article "To see if the town will use all proper ways and means in a Consti- tutional way and manner to Defend themselves against any Invation against them whatsoever : and Grant pay to the Minute-men so called or act thereon." On which it was voted " That we will in all Reasona- ble ways and means whatsoever Strive to maintain our Charter Rights and priveledgs by all Constitutional measures even to the Resque of our lives and property." "Voted That there shall be ten stands of fire arms fixed with Bayonets provided by the Select Men at the Cost of the Town and Kept for those that are not able to find themselves

1 These articles of association were adopted in Continental Congress, 24 Oct., 1774. By them the members, for themselves and their constitu- ents, "under the sacred ties of virtue, honor and love of country," agreed not to import or use English goods, not to import or purchase slaves, or tea brought from the, East Indies, but to en- courage the growing of wool, and the raising of finer breeds of sheep, to favor frugality, econo- my and industry and promote agriculture, the arts and manufactures among the people; to discourage dissipation, horse-racing, gaming,

shows, etc., to wear no mourning for deceased friends excepting crape on the hat, or black ribbons and necklaces for ladies, and to furnish no gloves at funerals; to take no advantage of a scarcity of an article to raise the price thereof, and to withdraw fellowship and patronage from all who did not adhere to the scales of prices which might be adopted. They also recom- mended that in every State, county and town committees be appointed to see that these arti- cles be observed.

128

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

1775-6

in arms in time of need." These provisions were for the " Minute men," who had been enlisted under an act of Provincial Congress, 26 Oct., 1774.

On 17 April, 1775, Col. Ebenezer Learned moderator, it was voted " that the Publick Money for 1773 be paid to Henry Gardiner, Esq.," receiver under the Provincial Congress. The town thus fully com- mitted itself to the support of the new Provincial Government.

Lexington Alarm. Two days later at Concord and Lexington active hostilities began and the community was stirred by the prepa- rations of its soldiers hastening to the scene of action. Ebenezer Learned was the leading spirit of the hour, and the minute men rallied under John Town as Captain, and with other companies in the vicinage, under Learned as acting Colonel soon joined the army near Boston.1 They were, it appears, organized only as minute men until after the action of the Provincial Congress, which, on 23 April, issued a call for 13,500 men for eight months. The Committee of Safety urged their continuing in the service until permanent organization could be- effected. "Beating papers," with an offer of Colonelcy, were immediately given to Learned, who distributed them to captains, by whom the men were enlisted. His regiment went into camp 19 May at Roxbury, and field and company officers' commissions were issued on the 23d.2

Army supplies. On 29 June, 1775, Provincial Congress sent to the towns a requisition for supplies for the army, including 13,000 coats which had been promised, one each, to the eight-months men. On 30 Aug. the selectmen sent to the public stores five shirts, five pairs of breeches and nine pairs of stockings, and on 16 Oct. 37 coats with the following notes :-

"As thro' want of flax we could not send our proportion of shirts, &c., but we have a prospect of getting our proportion of coats sometime in October, that was set upon Oxford."

"We have provided thirty-seven coats, containing one hundred and thirty- nine yards, and one-half-making thirty-seven coats, 4s. per coat £7. 8s. Total value £47. 1s. 93d." 3

Independence. In a warning, 6 July, 1776, was an article " to see if the Town will instruct their Representatives about Inde- pendence on Great Britain, or act thereon." The meeting was held 8 July at two days' notice, with Edward Davis as moderator. The action of Congress had been anticipated and the town voted "to advise their Representative in the General Court that if the Honora- ble Congress should for the safety of these Colonies declare them independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain, to Concur therewith,

1 Some details of the part acted by these troops are given hereafter under " Gen. Learned in the Revolution."

2 Temple, His. N. Brookfield.

3 The average price of cloth was about 5s. per yard. James Brown the tailor cut these coats and made 20, "Mrs. Hurd " made five, "Mrs. Allen " four and " Mrs. Amidown " eight.

129

REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

1777-8

and that the said Inhabitants do solemnly engage with their Lives and fortunes to Support them in the Measure." 1

In the previous March, William Campbell, Samuel Eddy and Amos Shumway had been chosen a Committee of Correspondence and Safety. At this meeting Reuben Lamb and Ezra Bowman were added. On 7 Feb., 1777, the selectmen were ordered to supply for the army shoes, stockings and shirts, one-seventh as many as there were inhabitants 16 years old and upward. We find no recorded action on this order. Feb. 24, 1777, at a town meeting, Col. Ebenezer Learned was mode- rator, voted to raise money to enlist the quota of soldiers now sent for to recruit the Continental Army ; to add to the bounties offered by the American Congress and the "State," £14 to those enlisting for three years or during the war before any draft be made in the town. Voted and granted one thousand pounds " to be proportioned on the Polls and Estates," making allowance for past services in the present war, by actual service or hire; and chose Col. Ebenezer Learned, Reuben Lamb and Hezekiah Bellows a committee to adjudi- cate said services.

Royalists. June, 1777, the town was called to choose a person to "lay the evidence of the inimical dispositions of any in town to the 'United States of America,'" before the court as required by a recent law, and chose Daniel Griffith for this service. Three weeks later it was " voted to Dismiss those that were in the List suspected to be inimical to the States of America."

In Nov., 1777, Joshua Merriam, John Ballard and Andrew Patch were chosen to take care of soldiers' families, as required by a late law. In December it was voted to reconsider all action relating to raising money for soldiers, which appears to have been in anticipation of conforming to a new law of the Legislature.

Dark days. The summer of 1777 was a time of gloom and apprehension. The British army under Burgoyne was on its way southward from Canada, and the authorities were using every means to put men into the field to meet the emergency. The 28th day of August was observed in Massachusetts as a day of fasting and prayer for the success of the American arms. Hopes were kept up that as every movement of the enemy carried him further from his base he might in the issue be defeated. These hopes were later realized, and the crisis passed with victory on the side of the colonists. The clouds for the time lifted and the 18th of December the people met to give public thanks to Almighty God for His blessings on the cause.

On Jan. 1, 1778, it was voted to pay the town's proportion of the State money agreeably to a late act of Court.

1 The proclamation of the Declaration of Inde- pendence was made in Massachusetts on this wise. In Council, July 17th, 1776, it was ordered that said declaration be printed and a copy sent to the minister of each parisli in the State of every denomination, to be read the first Sunday

after its receipt at the close of divine service, after which it was to be delivered to the clerk of each town or district, who was required to enter it in the public records, "there to remain as a perpetual Memorial thereof." As such it stands on the Oxford records.

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130

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

1778-9

Confederation. At a meeting, 2 Feb., 1778, "to see if the town will Vote to accept the Terms of Confederation and Union as the Congress set forth and published," Duncan Campbell, moderator, it was "Voted to concur with the Confederacy proposed by the Ameri- can Congress." As fitting action to accompany this declaration it was " voted to pay the sum of £880. 14s. 9d. into the state treasury : then the meeting was desolved."1 Notwithstanding this praiseworthy action the town was behindhand in its quota of men. A few weeks later a return was made on an order of the General Court, 3 Feb., 1778, as follows : Whole number of male inhabitants in town, 16 years and upwards, 279, of which one-seventh was 40; there were in service 29, showing a deficiency of 11 men.2

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History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Part 16

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town Number of Pages: 916

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town
Number of Pages: 916