USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Shirley > History of the town of Shirley, Massachusetts, from its early settlement to A.D. 1882 > Part 62
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The schedule of apportionment, prepared by the committee, required of the district of Shirley 25 coats ; of Groton 69 ; of Pep- perell 37; of Townsend 30; of Stow 41; of Harvard 56; of Lunenburg 57; of Fitchburg 18, and other towns in proportion, Boston and Charlestown being exempted.
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HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
The patriotic response made by the people of Shirley to this de- mand is shown by the following letter, (in answer to the call of the committee,) which is found on file at the state-house :
"To the Gentmen Commitee of Suplies appoynted by Congress &c. To See to the Providing Clothing for the army. Gentmen- these Are to Inform you that the Dist of Shirley have agreed to pro- vide the Parte of Coats, Shirts, Stockins and Britches to them Assigned and thirty Pare of Shoes for the Benefitt of the Continentle army &c
"By order of the Selectmen,
"OBADIAH SAWTELL, Dist Clerk. "Shirley, August ye 10th A. D. 1775."
The coats furnished were distributed to the army about the first of November, 1775,-one having been promised to each man serving for the term of eight months. Rolls of the army made at the time, accompanied by autograph orders for coats (or for money in lieu of them), are on file at the state-house, and are known as the "Coat Rolls." The presence of a name on these rolls, has always been accepted by the pension bureau at Washington as good evidence of eight months service.
L. (See page 128.) *
The following extract of a letter written by an officer of the govern- ment, in the recruiting service, shows to some extent, the purposes of the insurgents had they not been suppressed at an early period of their career. It is from the Massachusetts Centinel, Jan. 20, 1787 :
"I found on my journey from Boston, in passing through Holden, Hardwick, Greenwich, and Pelham, a great part of the inhabitants much exasperated against the government, and so jealous are they of every person passing through them, that I was twice taken up as a spy, and had to produce my enlisting orders, etc., before I could un- deceive them.
"Yesterday morning I fell in company with two men who were on their way to visit their Great leader Shays ;- after prying into my principles, they thought to their great joy, that I was friendly to their cause-and as I came from Boston, and could give some intelligence about the court party, they gave me an invitation to ride through Pelham and visit their General. As it was but little out of my way, I accepted it, and about ten o'clock arrived at his cottage, situated between two very high mountains, and half a mile either way from any house. He received us kindly, but was suspicious of me, and had not the two men strongly plead in my behalf, I am conscious I should have undergone a rude examination. In conversation Shays informed me, he expected the court party from below, to support the court at Worcester, the week after next; and that he had despatched expresses into the different parts of the county to rally the people. But he thought the court party would not dare to appear,
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if they knew of the strength of his party, which he assured me con- sisted of the three western counties, except about fifty men in Northampton and Hadley,-but I find, on enquiry, that all the inhabitants of these two towns, twelve excepted, are in favor of gov- ernment. He also said that he expected Gen. Lincoln, whom he dreaded, but was ready for him, that he wished to have him take the ground first, in order that he [Shays] might cut off his retreat below, surround him and make his whole party prisoners. That he was not afraid, as he was conscious that he had done nothing to merit the frowns of government or the resentment of individuals-but that he thought proper to keep guarded by a number of men every night. He also expressed his highest disapprobation of the measures govern- ment had taken to secure Shattuck, etc., and that if they were condemned, there were plans laid to lay the town of Boston in ashes, which he thought could be easily executed ; and that it was entirely owing to his unremitting exertions that his men were prevented from doing it. And concluded by saying that times would soon be better, as he was endeavoring to put matters on a footing, whereby every man should enjoy his liberty, free from mercenary rulers, who study their own interest, in amassing large fortunes by extortion, rather than the good of their subjects, etc. Such was the drift of his conversation, as near as I can recollect. What the end will be I know not."
In the same journal, of a subsequent date, appeared the following epigram :
" Cries sober Will, ' Well, Shaise has fled, And peace returns to bless our days ; '- 'Poh ! poh !' cries James, ' I always said He'd prove at best a fall-back Shaise.'"
M. (Sce page 130.)
Nathan Smith, whose conduct was so offensive at Concord, was accounted an excellent soldier in the war of the Revolution. Here his zeal was regarded a merit, because he fought in defence of popu- lar liberty ; but we have no doubt that he was equally sincere to his own convictions in the stand he took in this second revolution. He felt that he must defend the freedom that had been secured, against the acts of unwise legislation and an oppressive judicature.
When the chief mental culture of men is derived from life in a military camp, revolutions are liable to be the order of the day.
Mr. Smith died in Shirley, Nov., 1834, having attained the great age of ninety-six years. His older brother, Sylvanus, who died a few years earlier, was a member of the Society of Cincinnati.
N. ( See page 133.)
As the Rebellion, which so much interested the people of Shirley, has given a certain notoriety to its hero, some account of his origin and subsequent career may not be out of place in this history. Daniel Shays was born in Hopkinton, Mass., in 1747, and as his
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father was not affluent, he worked, in early life, on the farm of a Mr. Brinley of Framingham, as a hired laborer. When the war com- menced he entered the army, being twenty-eight years old, with the rank of ensign. Subsequently he was advanced to a lieutenancy ; and eventually by intrigue he obtained a captain's commission. "He was in the battle of Bunker's Hill-at the capture of Burgoyne, and at the storming of Stony Point, was under the command of Gen. Lafayette and did some good service in many bloody encounters." He was discharged from the service Oct. 14, 1780. His courage was never doubted, but his integrity was very fairly open to question. On the year of his discharge he, with his fellow officers, was presented with an elegant sword by Lafayette. "Such pledge of regard from the patriot chief, a soldier with a spark of generous feeling would have cherished as his dearest possession, and transmitted to his pos- terity as an heirloom of inestimable value. Shays sold the precious gift for a few dollars."
It is said that he was chosen leader of the insurgents by accident, and that he was in no wise competent to fulfil the duties of a leader, else with two thousand men at his command, there would have been bloodshed as well as insurrection, to stain with shame the annals of our commonwealth. The easy conquest of the insurgent army was probably owing to the inertness and imbecility of its commander.
"With the first shade of adversity, he made indirect overtures to the agents of the government, to abandon his comrades to their fate, on assurance of personal safety ; and when his base propositions were rejected, and promises of indemnity and pardon were offered to his followers, his persuasions induced them to reject the proffered mercy, and retain the arms of hopeless controversy, to purchase by their sacrifice security for himself."
After he fled from his men, he lived in concealment for two years or more, when he received a pardon from government, and removed to Sparta, N. Y. Here he was bankrupt in purse as well as in repu- tation, and was supported during the last of his life by a pension of twenty dollars a month, from government, for his revolutionary services. He died Sept. 29, 1825, aged seventy-eight years.
O. ( See page 141.)
Within an hundred and fifty years, runaway slaves have been advertised in Boston newspapers, and rewards offered for their arrest and rendition to their masters.
Later than that, the whipping-post has existed in that same goodly town of Boston, and criminals have been led thither for punishment, the time and place having been previously advertised in the public journals.
Still later, posters, of which the following are a specimen, were set up in different parts of the town (Shirley) to advertise the yearly sale of the livings of the unfortunate poor ; and what was done here was done in most of the rural towns in New England.
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APPENDIX.
" NOTICE.
"The Poor of the Town of Shirley will be let out in lots, for one year from the 3d day of April next, to the lowest bidder, on Saturday, the 29th day of March, instant, at one o'clock P. M., at the store of Thomas Whitney & Son.
"JAMES PARKER, JR., for the Overseers."
"TAKE NOTICE.
" At Whitney's store in Shirley, on Monday next, at seven o'clock P. M., the wife of William Longley will be set up at auction to the lowest bidder, at so much per week, from then until the first of April. "Shirley, Feb. 13, 1821."
" NOTICE.
" David Atherton and Mary Davis will be let out by the week for one year, or a shorter time, at Esq. Whitney's store, Monday, 5 o'clock P. M.
"May 5, 1828."
Now, the wants of dependent poverty are more tenderly regarded by our municipal authorities. Where no almshouses exist, contracts for the sustenance of the poor are made with respectable and respon- sible parties, whose doings are understood to be ever subject to investigation at the call of propriety. Surely the world is moving in the right direction.
P. ( See page 163.)
The following is a list of the names of the persons who volunteered to fill the trenches, which was done July 3, 1847 :
Thomas Whitney, with two men, Asa Jenkins and Charles Adams, and a team.
Joseph Day, with a man and team.
James Parker's man-David Hastings-and a team.
Moses Chaplin, his son Thomas, and a team.
William Little and a team.
Andrew J. Reed, with a man and a team.
George Chandler and a team.
Oliver Lawton's son and a team.
Levi Dodge, his son Charles, and a team.
Daniel L. Chandler and a team.
William Williams, Jr., and a team.
Abraham Fairbanks, master of almshouse, and a team.
Asa A. Jenkins, Jonas Holden, Stillman D. Benjamin, Jephthah Lawton, James O. Parker, Charles Butler, Sylvanus Holden, Levi Wheeler, Moses Lawrence, George Page, Zenas Brown, Stephen Barrett, Jabez Harlow and Leonard M. Parker.
89
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HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
List of citizens who volunteered to fill up and finish off the grounds on the north, east and west sides of the town-house,ª in November, 1848, viz. :
Moses Lawrence, with a man and team.
Andrew J. Reed's man and a team.
William Little and a team.
Daniel L. Chandler with a man.
Stillman D. Benjamin, Zenas Brown, Abraham Fairbanks, Nathaniel Boynton, Thomas Whitney and L. M. Parker.
Q. ( See page 163.)
The following is a list of papers, etc., that were deposited under the corner-stone of the town-house :
Report of Committee and votes of the town thereon, May 8, 1847, including the gifts of the Messrs. Whitney and subsequent additions.
List of Town Officers for the year 1847.
Population of the town.
Religious Societies, and names of Pastors.
The School Districts.
Names of Professional Men.
Copy of regulations for the government of the almshouse.
Bill of. town expenses for the year 1846.
Names of the citizens who volunteered to fill the trenches.
The President and Vice-President of the United States.
Population of the United States.
Newspapers and other publications.
Coins of the United States.
Copy of some of the votes of the Building Committee. ,
R. (See page 175.)
When the hall was finished, it needed the appendage of a chande- lier. To obtain one a tea-party was holden on the evening of January 2d, 1849. The number of subscribers on this occasion was seventy-one, and the proceeds were sufficient to effect the object. A beautiful chandelier was suspended from the ceiling, in the centre of the hall, furnished at first with solar lamps-which have since been supplanted by gas burners, that throw an even and brilliant light over the entire room.
S. ( See page 217.)
Dr. Appleton was minister of the First Church in Cambridge, when it was the custom for the president, fellows and undergraduates of the college to worship in that church, and his pastorate was con- tinued for sixty-six years. He was "impartial yet pacific, firm yet
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APPENDIX.
conciliatory ; he was peculiarly qualified for a counsellor, and in that character he materially contributed to the unity, the peace, and order of the churches." He was the author of twenty-eight distinct publi- cations-some of which were volumes, and three of which were memorial sermons of the three presidents of Harvard University that passed away during his ministry. Dr. Appleton died Feb. 9th, 1784, in the ninety-first year of his age.
T. (See page 220.)
This was upon a lot of land purchased for the purpose. It was near the four acres granted by "the proprietors of Groton," for a burying-place and training-field, as noticed in Chapter V., Part I. There is no record of whom this land was bought, but it is recorded that Obadiah Sawtell was appointed at a district meeting, "to take a title of the ground purchased for a meeting-house lot." This is the land on which the meeting-house of the First Parish stood until its removal in 1852.
U. ( See page 246.)
It is the general opinion of the Shakers that the apostles repudiated marriage, and that if any of them had wives previous to their call to the apostleship, they separated from them, and from every other worldly tie, for the pure faith of the gospel. This subject is discussed in a tract by Lorenzo D. Grosvenor, entitled, “Circular Letter in defence of the United Society of Believers, commonly called Shakers."
4
V. ( See page 249.)
It was James Whittaker who thus supplied the imprisoned mother with sustenance ; he succeeded her as chief leader of the Community in the United States.
W. (See page 252.)
Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright succeeded James Whittaker in the spiritual "lead" of the United Society of Believers, and were the first who held the position after the sect had obtained its complete organization.
W. ( See page 267.)
'T'his "square house" is still standing, in Harvard, and it forms a nucleus around which the Shaker Village has grown up. It is kept in an excellent condition, and as it was the temporary home of their
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HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
venerable "Mother," is held in great reverence by the entire com- munity of "Believers." The Shaker Village in Harvard is six miles from that in Shirley ; the two form one bishoprick, and are under the "lead " of the same ministry.
The following interesting history of the "square house" was fur- nished for these pages, by the bishop, Grove Blanchard, who has from childhood been a devoted believer in the faith of the Shakers, and has been to his brethren a wise counsellor and efficient leader.
"Agreeable to your request, we proceed to give you some account of the square house-so called,-its origin, and its inhabitants ; as this was the place where Mother Ann first opened the everlasting gospel in this vicinity.
"This house was builded about the year 1769, by the followers of Shadrach Ireland, a new-light preacher, who was converted to the faith and doctrine of the famous Whitefield, who was a powerful preacher, and a sort of John the Baptist in awakening souls to see their lost and deplorable condition. He travelled in the Northern and Southern States of America, as a laborer and preacher for thirty years or more, up to about 1770, when he closed his labors in New- buryport, and was there buried." [That is, it was thirty years from the time Whitefield first came to America before he died ; yet, during that time he made several voyages to England, and passed many years in that country.]
"Ireland was an inhabitant of Charlestown, Mass., and he placed himself before the public as a defender of the light and truth which he had received from his predecessor [Whitefield], and which he set forth with increasing light and zeal, until he was given to see that to be a true follower of the meek and lowly Savior he must lead a pure celibate life. In this life he went forth to preach, and to act, and for his plain denunciations against the doctrines and lives of those who professed to follow the Lamb of God, many, and especially the clergy, of different orders, conspired against him, and sought to have him arrested as a disturber of the peace. Some of them said that he had publicly blasphemed and cursed God, and, therefore, deserved to have his tongue bored through with a hot iron. Under this excite- ment Ireland fled from Charlestown and came to Harvard, where several of his disciples resided, leaving his wife and children, and taking another woman as a spiritual helper. Here he remained in entire seclusion from all except his own people, who resided in dif- ferent parts of the state, at a distance from Harvard of from ten to. seventy miles. At this place he remained about fifteen years, when he died.
"Soon after establishing his home in Harvard, his friends, desirous of accommodating their Leader with a habitation, and themselves with a convenient place for society purposes, united in erecting the house-known as the square house-in the then wilderness of Har- vard. Samuel Cooper-one of Ireland's followers-moved into the house with his family, and lived there in company with Ireland and his female helper.
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APPENDIX.
"This house was erected on land owned by some of the members of the community, and a deed was given to Ireland, conveying the house and a snug little farm. Here his people continued to resort for instruction and were permitted to hold their meetings without molestation ; living out, for several years, their principle of celibacy. But Ireland finally lost his justification on this wise, and, with some of his people, fell from the high state, in which, for a series of years, they had disciplined themselves. Yet a portion of his followers 'kept themselves unspotted from the world,' until the arrival of Mother Ann and her companions from Watervliet, N. Y., who came there by invitation from some of the followers of Ireland, and were joyfully received and welcomed to their habitation.
" Ireland deceased some months previous to the arrival of Mother Ann, and had left his people broken by division, in charge of one David Hoar ; or else said Hoar assumed the charge by the consent of the society. On the arrival of Mother, the lead was submitted to her, and she soon succeeded in restoring order, brought them back to their former standing, and imparted new light, and zeal, and strength, to the entire community.
"Ireland had testified that if he should keep his justification he should never die, but as he had lost this he should rise at the third, ninth, or at some future day. To give the prediction full opportunity to be verified, his followers deposited his remains in a brick tomb in the cellar of their house. Here they remained until they became offensive by reason of decomposition, when they were removed, at midnight, to an open field of corn, where a grave was prepared, and the stalks of corn that were removed to give place to the grave, were re-set in the earth that covered the body ; so that, to this day, no one knows of the place of its deposit but the perpetrators of the work and their friends.
" After the death of Ireland, the house and farm were at the dis- posal of the society that had admitted Mother and her companions as residents. But as the property had been deeded to Ireland, and not secured to the society, it was left to fall out thus. David Hoar becoming opposed to Mother and her testimony, informed the heirs- at-law-Ireland's children-of the condition of the estate. Where- upon they soon laid claim to it, as the heirs-at-law of Shadrach Ireland, to whom it had been deeded. This brought Mother and the society into much trouble. But there was no other alternative, than to pay these heirs-at-law their demand, and thus secure the property according to its original design. Aaron Jewett took a deed of the premises in behalf of the society, which placed it in the permanent possession of the members and their successors in the faith.
" But as a judgment will follow the work of the transgressor, so here it fell upon the gain which the heirs of Ireland had fraudulently obtained of this inoffensive people. With it they erected a large house for a tavern ; but, about the time appointed for its dedication -by a splendid ball-it took fire and was totally consunied. Thus the nefarious proceeding of defrauding an honest and harmless society was followed by an evident curse. All that had been in this method gained was doomed to destruction."
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HISTORY OF SHIRLEY.
X. (See page 272.)
The Shakers have a tradition that the limb to which he was tied, to be scourged, soon withered away.
Y. ( See page 275.)
The Shaker meeting-house in Shirley is a large building, of great architectural simplicity, situated on a pleasant plot of greensward, suitably enclosed, and furnished with walks, to the several entrances, paved with argillaceous slate-stone. Its basement forms a large open hall, in which the believers assemble for worship. It affords ample space for the movements of the "devout laborers," and for the numerous spectators who come to witness their exercises.
This building was erected in the early stages of the Shaker organi- zation, and was intended for the double purpose of a place of worship and a fortress of defence. It has side doors with flights of stairs leading to the attic apartments. These entrances are guarded by huge trap-doors that are furnished with massive bars and locks. These doors, having been secured by Perham and his fellow conspira- tors, any attempt at entrance, except from without, was rendered un- available. The outside wall was accordingly scaled, the windows of the upper loft were burst, and the rioters secured.
The doors, bolts and bars still remain, yet are no longer needed for protection.
Z. ( See page 277.)
At the time Universalism obtained a foothold in Shirley, it appeared, as a system, under a different guise from its present aspect. It was mainly a system of negations. This was in a measure necessary on account of the ecclesiastical position of New-England society. The standing order, as the Congregational church was then denominated, had a creed theory but little removed from the standards of faith that had been set up by John Calvin. The churches were estab- lished on this theory, and the catechetical instruction of children was in accordance with it. True, many of the divines of this church, in their preaching, departed from their standards towards the milder forms of Arminian belief, still the letter of the faith remained, and with all its doubts and apparent contradictions, was instilled into the minds of the community as the accredited faith.
To establish his doctrine the Universalist believed that he must first expose the fallacies of the prevailing theory, and this induced that negative style of preaching which was largely prevalent throughout the order during the first half century of its denominational existence. This method of teaching would have the tendency to lead the mind through the misty paths of skepticism into the open area of blank un- belief, if continued.
APPENDIX. 711
At length a transition came gradually over the body ; practical preaching became more common, and the truth was made to prevail that though the fatherhood of God was universal, and though none who bear his moral image can be finally lost, all must " work out their own salvation" by religious obedience, and that, without holiness, none can see the Lord. It is therefore true, that Universalism, under its present aspect, has an important mission to fulfil, in reaching the wants, with its spiritual instructions, of those who have not been able to receive other forms of faith. It has thus become an important element in the upbuilding of the church, and in the progressive work of the Christian kingdom.
AA. (See page 520.)
This account of the origin and settlement of the Longleys in New England is from the History and Genealogy of the New-England families, by the Hon. James Savage of Boston ; but, for substantial reasons which will now be enumerated, some of the Longley de- scendants of the present day have regarded it incorrect. These reasons will here be presented, that all interested may have an op- portunity to compare them with the statement of Mr. Savage, and draw their own conclusions as to the respective validity of the two records.
First .- Mr. Savage accompanies his statement with a doubt. He says that William Longley, (whom he supposes to have been the son of Richard, and who removed to Groton, and died in 1680,) in 1661, " was able to prove that there was no Richard, but that he was the person to whom, in the partition of lands in 1638, a grant was made in the name of Richard." Savage calls this a "blind story," yet in furnishes ground of doubt, or, at least, of controversy.
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