USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Townsend > History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878 > Part 14
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"I have some small shears at the loom,' said I.
""But we cannot spin and weave it in so short a time."
"""I am certain we can, mother.'
"How can you weave it? There is a long web of linen in the loom.'
"No matter I can find an empty loom.'
"By this time the sound of the sheep made me quicken my steps toward the yard. I requested my sister to bring
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
me wheel and cards, while I went for the wool. I went to the yard with my brother, and secured a white sheep, from which I sheared, with my loom shears, half enough for the web ; we then let her go with the rest of the flock. I sent the wool in with my sister. Luther ran off for a black sheep, and held her while I cut off wool for my filling and half the warp, and then we allowed her to go with the remaining part of her fleece. The wool thus obtained was duly carded and spun, washed, sized and dried ; a loom was found a few doors off, the web got in, woven and pre- pared, and the pantaloons were cut and made, two or three hours before my brother's departure ; that is to say, in forty hours from the commencement, without help from any modern improvement."
The lady closed by saying, "I felt no weariness, I wept not-I was serving my country ; I was assisting poor mother ; I was preparing a garment for my darling brother. The garment being finished, I retired and wept till my overcharged heart was relieved."
James Locke, the father of the lady who gave this account of her brother John's pantaloons, moved from Townsend, to Sullivan, New Hampshire, in 1784, where he died, 1808, aged 78. The heroine of this story, his daughter, Miss Eunice Locke, about that time married a man by the name of Richards, who resided in Townsend a year or more. Her husband died in middle age, and she survived him and died somewhere in the state of Michigan, at an advanced age. She is represented as possessing much intelligence combined with great perse- verance, and a winning, lady-like modesty.
John, her brother, for whom the garment was made, was born 1761. After serving in the war at two or three different calls upon the town for men, and before peace
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WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
was declared, he joined a privateer, and died of the yellow fever at the island of Antigua, in 1783. aged 22.
This family lived about a mile and a half northeasterly from the Harbor, on the west side of the road that runs almost on the line between the towns of Pepperell and Townsend.
"STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. *Capt. James Hosley's Muster Roll of Volunteers who turned out of the towns of Townshend, Pepperell and Ashby and marched with him to the assistance of Major General Gates, agreeable to a Resolve of the General Court of said State upon Sep- tember 22d 1777 in the Regiment whereof Jonathan Reed is Colonel.
JAMES HOSLEY, Capt.
ASA KENDALL, Lieut. NATHI SARTELL, Lieut.
DANIEL ADAMS, Clerk.
DAVID HEYWOOD, Sergt.
THOMAS SHATTUCK, Sergt. ELIJAH WYMAN, Sergt.
ASA SHEDD, Sergt.
BENJA ADAMS, Corpl. JEDEDIAH JEWETT, Corpl.
LEMUEL PATTS, Sergt.
BENJAMIN WHITNEY, Sergt. JOSEPH LAWRENCE, Corpl. WILLIAM STEVENS, Corpl. JOSEPH SHATTUCK, Corpl. THOMAS FISK, Corpl.
SAMUEL STONE, Corpl.
ABEL RICHARDSON, Corpl.
ABNER BROOKS.
ABRAHAM BOYNTON.
SAMPSON BOWERS.
JONAS BALDWIN.
DANIEL BUTTERFIELD.
ISAAC BLOOD.
SAMUEL STONE, Major in the Militia.
DANIEL CLARK.
ABRAM CLARK, Lieut. ABNER ADAMS, Sergt.
NATHL BAILEY, Sergt.
Militia.
JOHN BOYNTON. JOSEPH BALDWIN.
WILLIAM PRESCOTT, Esq. formerly Colonel. HENRY WOOD, Esq. formerly Major.
Privates.
*Massachusetts Revolutionary Rolls, vol. 19, page 177.
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
JAMES CAMPBELL.
JOHN LOCKE.
JOHN EMERY.
JOHN MANNING.
JOHN EATON.
JOHN STEVENS.
ISAAC FARRAR.
RICHARD STEVENS.
JONAS FARMER.
SAMUEL SEWARD.
JAMES GILES.
NATHL. SARTELL, JR.
JAMES GREEN.
DANIEL SHERWIN, JR.
JAMES HILLDRITH.
Privates.
WILLIAM TARBELL.
BENJA BALL.
SAMUEL WRIGHT, JR.
JOSHUA HOSLEY.
JOSEPH WALKER.
SAMUEL HENSHAW.
JACOB WRIGHT.
ABEL HILDRETH.
TIMOTHY WARREN.
BENJA. HUDSON.
POMP PHILLIS.
DANIEL JEWELL.
JOHN EMERSON.
ASA KENDALL, JR.
NATHAN LOVEJOY.
DAVID LOCKE.
TIMOTHY HODGMAN."
THOMAS LAWRENCE.
Privates.
These volunteers were in the service one month and fifteen days, and the pay of the soldiers was £3 15s., that of the officers being about sixty per cent. more than that sum. This was one of the most efficient military com- panies, that went to the war, from this part of Middlesex county, Col. Prescott, the hero of Bunker Hill, and two of his subordinate officers were in the ranks of this corps, which on the seventeenth of October, 1777, assisted in sur- rounding the haughty Burgoyne, at Saratoga.
Pomp Phillis, whose name appears in this roll, was a servant of one of the privates from Pepperell, in this com- pany, and a few of this black man's descendants may now be found in Temple, New Hampshire, and perhaps in other places. Nearly all the men under Capt. Hosley had previously been in the service.
The soldiers who performed guard duty at Cam- bridge, while the British prisoners captured by Gen. Gates
WAR OF THE REVOLUTION. 205
army, were quartered there, were drafted from the militia. The names of the Townsend men have not been found, although it is beyond a doubt that the town was represented at that point.
In January, 1778, the town "approved the articles of confederation between the United States of America." and instructed their representative "to give his vote in the General Court in compliance therewith."
The town, during the war, kept up their "committee of correspondence, inspection and safety." In 1778. James Lock, Samuel Manning, Lemuel Petts, Daniel Adams. Jr., and Samuel Maynard, were said committee. At this meeting "voted to give forty pounds to each of the last ten continental men that were hired in this town." In March, 1778, "voted that the selectmen provide for the wives of Messrs. Ephraim. Warren, Jr., Solomon Parce, William Stacy, John Sloan, and all others, agreeably to the Court's act for providing for the families of such persons as are in the continental service."
This record is instructive in showing. not only the promptness of the town in complying with the act of the Assembly, but the politeness of the town clerk in calling these poor patriots, Messrs., who had "periled all in the sacred cause of freedom."
During this year, 1778, town meetings followed in rapid succession ; the fourth one, on May IIth, was called "to see if the town will come into some method that will be effectual to raise the men, called for of said town, for the public service by the resolves of the General Court April 20 1778." At this meeting "Voted to give £130 to each of the continental men, and eighty pounds to each of the militia men."
27
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
It must be kept in remembrance that when the war commenced, the enthusiasm of the people was at its height and the pay was good ; after this period it became neces- sary to resort to some regular system for keeping our quota good. Besides, the seat of war was so much farther from home than at first, that there was more dread to enlist in the service.
Townsend then had two militia companies, organized about 1774, known as the North Company and the South Company. These companies are called the "training bands" in the records. The men of the town were en- rolled from sixteen to sixty-five years of age, in these two companies, the dividing line between the two companies being the old county road. Whenever a call was made for troops from this town, these companies would meet and equalize the number of men each company was obliged to furnish. Generally, the soldiers from this town, during this year, received bounties, but some went for less bounty than was offered by the town at that time. In some instances members of these two companies cast lots among themselves to see who should go. The man upon whom the lot fell had to shoulder his musket and march, or hire a substitute. The number of men who could afford to hire substitutes was limited. One feature is worth recording : Townsend sent no men to the war except its own sons and citizens.
In May, 1778, the State Constitution was submitted to the people for their approval or disapproval. Townsend voted : for the constitution fifty-one, against it two. Con- sidering the importance of the subject, this would seem a small vote for a town of more than six hundred inhabitants ; but it must be recollected that a large number of voters were
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WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
in the army. In June, more men were called for, to rein- force the army in Rhode Island. In these trying times so great was the demand for the sinews of war, that an article was inserted in the warrant : "To see if the town will sell the school Lot." This article was passed over. At all these town meetings the war was the all-absorbing subject. in regard to raising and paying the men. The committee to estimate the services done by the citizen soldiery in the war was active during the year, according to the vote of the town.
The year 1779 was equally eventful. At this time. the depreciation of the currency was the trouble. The following brief extract describes the affairs, at that time, in a masterly manner :-
" At the commencement of the war, gold and silver were scarce articles ; and it was soon found that if some- thing could not be devised as a substitute for the precious metals, the patriots must give, up the contest, and surrender all hope of gaining Independence. Congress ordered the issuing of notes, or bills, to a large amount. promising to redeem them at a convenient season. This currency, called Continental Money, soon came into extensive circu- lation. The bills, instead of being executed in the elegant style of our bank note engravings, were rude, coarse prints on coarser paper, and consequently were easily counter- feited. The British, actuated by the double motive of making money and ruining the credit of our govern- ment, flooded the country with counterfeits, so well executed that they could not be distinguished from the true ones. In 1777, the bills began to depreciate ; and all intelligent men soon saw that it would be impossible for the government ever to fulfil their pledge of redeeming them. The government, not being able, or not choosing to devise any other means to raise the credit of the bills,
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
in an evil hour made them a legal tender for the payment of all debts due.
"The consequence of this measure may be seen at a glance. Never, since the time of the flood, were debtors more ready and anxious to pay their debts, or creditors more unwilling to receive their money. Of money, such as it was, there was no scarcity, and miserably poor was he who could not count his thousands. Then was the sun of prosperity darkened upon the prospects of those upon whom it is usually supposed to shine with peculiar favor. I refer to the lenders of money. Hundreds who before were in comfortable circumstances-more than supported by the income of their money-experienced the singular satisfaction of having every debt paid them, and while gazing upon their masses of money, reflecting that they were reduced to poverty."
In June, 1779, a town meeting was called, with this article in the warrant : "To see what the town will give to the men for the nine months continental service, rather than proceed to a draught." On this article "Voted to offer .each Soldier of our quota of the nine months men, 1000 Dollars, or 90 Bushels of Rye."
The average number of men which the town kept in the field from this time to the end of the war is not accu- rately known, but probably the number will not vary much from twenty. There is little on record concerning this ; and it would be equally difficult to ascertain the amount of money paid the soldiers by the town, inasmuch as the value of the continental money varied all the time. Be- sides the expense of taking care of the families of about one-third of these men, which bore heavily on the town, can never be estimated.
The following list of names is the only roll to be found in the records of Townsend: "Names of the six
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WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
months men in the continental service for 1780-Travel 220 miles :-
ELEAZER BUTTERFIELD.
WILLIAM STACEY.
JONATHAN WHEELOCK. BENJAMIN HILL.
ISAAC SPALDING. TIMOTHY SHATTUCK.
JOHN SHERWIN. BENJA WEATHERBEE."
PETER ADAMS.
While the continental scrip was rapidly depreciating in value, the people of Massachusetts did their utmost to arrest its shrinkage and to keep the prices of goods and labor where they then were.
The prominent men, one or two from each town. in this part of the Commonwealth, met in convention at Con- cord, in July, and again in October of this year, "to state the prices of the necessaries of life." This was merely a' repetition of a similar arrangement two years before this time ; the difference being a tenfold increase of prices from that time. It is as difficult to legislate soundness into a paper currency as it is piety into a politician. Public opinion and common sense will scrutinize the intrinsic value, the real gold which each contains. The convention at Concord, in October, fixed the prices for the towns in this neighborhood with much precision. The prices of these "necessaries of life" are in part, as follows, begin- ning as here inserted :-
West India Rum, per gallon, £6 IIS. New England Rum. per gallon. 4 18s.
Molasses, per gallon, 4 15s. Tea, per pound, 6 00s.
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
They appeared to have forgotten about throwing tea overboard. Everything in this list, long as the previous one, was in proportion, in regard to price, with the fore- going articles. Beans were worth £5 2s., wheat £7 13s., and near the end of the list may be found "West India Phlip," per mug, 15s., and the last article on the schedule is "Cyder," per mug, 2s.
The resolutions (now on record, vol. 2, town records, page 190,) passed by the town in 1779, concerning the price of labor and goods were similar to those passed by other towns at that period :-
"Ist. Resolved that this town will use its utmost en- deavors, to carry the resolves of the aforesaid convention (at Concord) into execution, and if any shall be so lost to public virtue and the common interest of America, as to violate said resolves, or any of them, we will view them as enemies of mankind, unworthy to enjoy the benefits of society, and we will withdraw all connections and corres- pondence from them."
Four other resolves following this are equally pointed. The names of those, who, in any sale, violated this list of prices, were "to be posted up in some public place in this and the adjacent towns," and "published in one of the Boston News Papers." Exchanging gold and silver for paper money at unequal rates, subjected the names of the offenders to the same publicity.
These patriots exhibited the utmost solicitude and the deepest feeling concerning their currency. That men of intelligence should then for a moment suppose, that any action similar to that taken in this case, would in the least increase the value of the scrip, or, would materially alter
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WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.
the course of trade, is not easily understood. The cur- rency depreciated as follows :-
January 1778, $1.00 in specie equalled $4.50 continental.
January 1779, $1.00 in
equalled $8.34
January 1780, $1.00 in
equalled $32.50
January 1781, $1.00 in .. equalled $166.00
This last comparison between the two only held good for a few weeks. In July, 1781, the town "Voted to raise £40000 to defray the charges of the war, and other charges," and "£6000 to make up the salery of Rev. Mr. Dix." In June, of the same year, the town "Voted to reduce £15000 raised last May to defray town charges, into £200 silver money to be assessed and to be paid in silver, or paper, at the legal exchange, as those that pay may choose." On January 11th, 1782, an article was put in the warrant "To see if the town will order the constables not to receive any more paper money upon a town rate." On this, "Voted that Capt. Ball settle the town rates now in his hands that are yet unsettled at the rate of one silver dollar in Lieu of 85 paper dollars." This was a specified sum agreed upon by the town in that particular case, and does not express the real value of scrip, which was then almost worthless.
The collection of the foregoing facts in regard to the Revolutionary War, has been attended with much slow. plodding research, in investigating old manuscripts and documents outside of anything afforded by the records of the town. The writer has been unable to do justice, either to the subject, or the determined people of Townsend, who, at a moment's warning, and at different times, grasped their rude muskets and swords, and started to
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
defend their hearthstones-their altars against the in- vaders.
It has been impossible to give the names of all the men who filled the quotas at the different calls on the State for soldiers. Neither can the names of all the persons who lost their lives in that conflict be correctly ascertained. Townsend lost six or seven men in this war, and among that number were James Hosley, (quite a young man) , Israel Richardson, John Locke, and three others. Every- thing considered, the record of this town stands well, com- pared with the other towns in the Commonwealth. Within the bosom of the town was a nest of tories which caused them much trouble, but still its quota was always full. The best men of the town, the town clerks, the selectmen, its representatives to the General Court, all took their turn in the continental army.
But the retrospect grows dim and shadowy as we turn back through the eventful years of the century that has gone.
"Oh checkered train of years, farewell, With all thy strifes, and hopes, and tears ; But with us let the memories dwell To warn and teach the coming years."
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SHAYS REBELLION.
Causes which Led to the Revolt-Mob at Springfield-Excitement in Worcester County-The People of Concord in Fear of the In- surgents-Letter from Concord to the Neighboring Towns- Town Meetings and Committees at this Time-Job Shattuck and his Subalterns-Stopping the Courts-Capture of Shattuck- List of the Shays Men Belonging to Townsend-Peter Butter- field-Luke Day the Leading Spirit of the Insurrection-Daniel Shays.
At the close of the revolution, the country was in a demoralized condition. Almost all the available wealth of the people, at the commencement of the war, had been expended to feed, clothe, and pay the troops. There was much dissatisfaction among the soldiers at being paid off in a worthless currency. The increase of the indebted- ness of the towns and of individuals, the scarcity of money, the decay of business, numerous lawsuits, and a want of confidence in the government, particularly in re- gard to matters of finance, generated a depressed state of feeling, which caused great anxiety among the people. This state of feeling, in some degree, was coextensive with the commonwealth. People began to express great dis- approbation of the manner in which the government was
28
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
administered, and a revolt was freely discussed, as early as 1782. In Northampton, the insurgents were rather numerous. They were headed by a disappointed and disaffected clergyman, by the name of Ely, who under- stood all the arts of the demagogue.
In 1783, a mob assembled in the town of Springfield, resolving itself into a general convention. Proceeding to the court house, on the appearance of the judges and sheriff, they opposed their entrance to that building. A riot was prevented by the timely intervention of some of the most influential citizens there present.
For the next three years "the distressed state of affairs," as expressed in the Townsend records, con- tinued.
In 1786, at a convention of insurgents, assembled in Worcester county, at Leicester, thirty-seven towns were represented, which, without any interruption, freely dis- cussed the propriety of obstructing the sitting of the General Court at Boston ; the closing of the county courts by force ; law abuses ; and other subjects .*
In the counties of Middlesex, Bristol, and Berkshire, similar conventions were held, and votes and resolves passed. On September 5. 1786. a mob prevented the session of the court at Worcester.
The voters in the towns of Groton, Pepperell. Shirley, and Townsend, were about equally divided on this subject. The town of Concord, where the court was then in session, was much excited, dreading the expected approach of the rebels against the state authorities. A majority of that town were in sympathy with the insurgents. Concord
* Holland's Western Mass.
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THE SHAYS REBELLION.
addressed the following letter to most of the towns in this county, and Townsend among the number :-
"To the Town of Townsend.
"GENTLEMEN : Alarmed at the threatening aspect of our public affairs, this town has this day held a meeting. and declared unanimously their utter disapprobation of the disorderly proceedings of a number of persons in the counties of Hampshire and Worcester, in preventing the action of the courts. And apprehending the like may be attempted in this county, and probably be attended with very dangerous consequences, we have thought it advisa- ble to endeavor in conjunction with as many of the neighboring towns, as we can give seasonable information to, by lenient measures, to dissuade from such rash con- duct as may involve the state in anarchy and confusion, and the deprecated horrors of civil war. We conceive the present uneasiness of the people to be not altogether groundless ; and although many designing men. enemies of the present government, may wish and actually are fomenting uneasiness among the people. yet we are fully pursuaded, that the views of by far the greater part, are to obtain redress of what they conceive to be real griev- ances. And since the method they have taken cannot fail of meeting the hearty disapprobation of every friend of peace and good order, we cannot but hope, from what we know of the strenuous exertions, which have been made by the towns around us, and in which those disorders above mentioned now exist, to purchase at the expense of blood our independence, and the great una- nimity with which they have established our present government ; and from what we know of the real grounds
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HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
of their complaints : were lenient measures used, and a number of towns united to endeavor, by every rational argument. to dissuade those who may seem refractory from measures which tend immediately to destroy the fair fabric of our government, and to join in legal and consti- tutional measures to obtain redress of what may be found real grievances ; they would be attended with happy effects.
"We have therefore chosen a committee to act in concert with the neighboring towns, for the purpose of mediating between opposing parties, should they meet. And we cannot but hope, our united endeavors to support the dignity of government and prevent the effusion of blood, will meet with general approbation, and be attended with happy consequences.
"If the above should meet with your approbation, we request you to choose some persons to meet a committee of this town, chosen for that purpose, at the house of Captain Oliver Brown, innholder in Concord on Monday evening or Tuesday morning next, that we may confer together. and adopt measures which may be thought best calculated for the attainment of the end above proposed.
"We are gentlemen, with great esteem and frendship your humble servants.
JOSEPH HOSMER
in behalf of the towns committee Concord Sept 9 1786"
Townsend, during this period, was in a state of great perplexity, judging from the records of many town meet- ings. In May, 1786, a warrant was posted calling a town meeting on the fifth of June following, when a committee of five men was chosen. "to draft public grievances."
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THE SHAYS REBELLION.
consisting of David Spafford, Jonathan Wallace, Daniel Adams, Benjamin Ball, and Thomas Seaver. The first and last named gentlemen on this committee were dis- affected men ; the other three were opposed to the insur- rection. At the same meeting chose the same men as "a committee to confer with other towns," and then adjourned to the twenty-sixth of the same month. Met at the adjourn- ment, and adjourned for two weeks. At this adjourned meeting, the town "chose two men to attend a convention (of insurgents) to be holden at Concord on the twenty- third of August."
There is no record of anything like a response to the letter sent to Townsend by the town of Concord. On the twelfth of September, three days after the date of this letter, the insurgents marched into Concord and forcibly stopped the court. The "head centre" of the insurrection. in Middlesex county, was Job Shattuck, of Groton. assisted by Nathan Smith and John Kelsey, of Shirley. and Peter Butterfield, of Townsend. Shattuck served in the French war. and was a captain in the revolution. Smith, Kelsey. and Butterfield, his lieutenants, were military men, and had all been officers either in the militia or the continental service. Each of these men were well qualified to be conspicuous in such a cause.
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