USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Westford > History of the town of Westford, in the county of Middlesex, Massachusetts, 1659-1883 > Part 5
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20. "February 20, 1759. A town way laid out, beginning at a town way laid out by Jacob Wright Jr.'s dwelling house and running northerly. until it comes to a black oak by the land of Ephraim Wright."
This began at school-house No. 9, and led to the house of Edwin Gould.
2I. "February 3, 1757. A town way laid out beginning at a town way by Jacob Wright's field, northerly between the lane of Jacob Wright and his son John, till it comes to Hide's hole, so called, to a rock on land left for a highway . . . thence to a stake and stones on Thomas Heald's land, and by land of Benjamin Dutton to Ebenezer Prescott's land and so by marked trees to Groton old line."
This led from the Lyon place by Erastus Wright's and Hezekiah Cummings' to the corner of James Woods' and on to Groton line. A part of it over Hide's Hole has been given up.
22. " May 15, 1761. Voted to accept of transcript of town way from Chelmsford line by William Blodget's and Samuel Fassett's and to Henry Richardson's field, and so by Josiah Spalding's into the country road."
This began at the town line east of Oak hill, and came out by Andrew Fletcher's to the Woodward place at the foot of Nubanussuck Pond.
23. "November 26, 1763. A town way laid out, beginning at an old way near Caleb Wright's dwelling house, running easterly near the back side of sd Wright's house to a stake and stones at Chelmsford line."
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INCORPORATION TO BEGINNING OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
This was a short road southeast of Edwin E. Hey- wood's.
24. "March 4, 1763. A town way laid out (in exchange of a way) beginning at a town way a little below Lt. Leonard Spalding's dwelling house . thence southerly to a stake and stones at a stone wall near John Hildreth's barn at the old way."
This is probably the road leading from T. J. Wheeler's to George P. Wright's. 25. " December 20, 1762. A town way laid out, - beginning at the old burying ground near Ebenezer Fletcher's dwelling house, thence from sd burying yard southerly to a black oak tree by Mr. Thomas Comings' stone wall thence southerly to a stake and stones by Mr. Daniel Raymond's land, thence southerly through sd Raymond's orchard, -thence southeasterly to a plum tree between sd Raymond's house and barn. To be a bridle way with gates."
This leads from the east cemetery by C. F. Keyes' to the Abbot Read farm.
26. "March 4, 1763. A town way, beginning at a town way that leads from Lieut. Samuel Chamberlin's by . Aaron Parker's and so by Jacob Robbins' to Chelmsford running southeasterly and southerly to a black oak tree, it being a corner bound of Philip Robbins' land."
This marks the road from Benjamin M. Fletcher's to John Hutchins'.
27. "February 14, 1764. A town way beginning on Tadmuck road, so called, near Mr. Benjamin Farmer's dwelling house " running northerly by various bounds " to a plumb tree between Daniel Ray- mond's house and barn."
This is the identical plum tree mentioned in No. 25, above, and the transcript points out the continuation of the road from the Abbot Read place to the road near Josiah Vose's.
28. " March 2, 1765. A town way turned and laid out a little southerly of Dea. Andrew Spalding's house,
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
and running westwardly crossing a brook where the bridge now is, and as the path goes to a dwelling house of Jonathan Keyes."
This was a change from the meadow to the hard ground of the road from the John Morrison place to George Keyes'.
29. " March 2, 1763. A town way beginning at Thomas Read Jun's land and so running southeasterly to a stake and stones near the corner of Jona- than Keyes' barn, thence easterly to sd Keyes' house."
This is the road leading from George Keyes' in the direction of Alien Fisk's.
30. " February 20, 1767. A town way beginning at a black oak tree, (by. the old town way that leads from Major Thomas Read's to Chelmsford by Jona- than Keyes') then running southerly bounded on Ens. Amos Fletcher's land to a black oak tree, thence southerly to a white oak tree on Eleazer Read's land, thence southerly to a stake in the stone wall near sd Fletcher's corner bound, thence by sd wall to the old town way."
In the Stony Brook valley, near William Taylor's. (?)
31. "January 12, 1767. A town way beginning on the south side of Nashoba Brook at a stake by Jonathan Robbins' land, running northerly by Barrett's stone wall and northerly to a white oak tree by the path at the northeast corner of Joseph Hooker's field and so on to a white oak at the corner of Mr. John Read's stone wall, and thence by sd wall to Groton road. To be a bridle way."
Starting at Nashoba Brook, near the hill, this road or path led eastward of John Wayne's and into or near to the present road above Wayne's, and toward the road that goes to E. J. Whitney's.
32. " October 9, 1772. A town way . . begin- ning at a stake by Jonathan Keyes' land bounding southerly to a stake on Ephraim Wright's land, thence across the meadow on the causeway to a stake near the brick yard,
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INCORPORATION TO BEGINNING OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
thence by the east end of said Wright's dwelling house to the old town way."
The way from George Keyes' to Edwin Gould's.
33. "Nov. 26, 1770. A town way begin- ning at Groton road about one-quarter of a mile from Abner Kent's dwelling house, thence southerly and westerly to a little white oak by the dug-way near the bridge, thence over the bridge by Ebenezer Hadley's and John Hadley to Little- ton line."
This began at Miner's Corner and ran over the brook to the farm of Joseph F. Prescott, and to the town line.
34. "Feb. 8, 1771. A town way beginning at a stake at the old town way near John Raiter's dwelling house, running southeasterly to a pine tree by Jonathan Keyes' field then easterly to a black oak tree by the road that leads from William Spalding's to Samuel Fassett's."
This leads from a point near T. J. Sherburn's by Adam Taylor's, and enters the road west of School-house No. 7.
35. "Feb. 14, 1772. A town way from that road that leads from Daniel Whitney's -to Groton road, so called, near to Moses Keyes' dwelling house : - beginning at a pine tree by the afore [first] mentioned road, running southerly to a pine tree by Simeon Wright's land about twenty poles westerly of sd Simeon Wright's barn; then running southerly and bounding on the land of Samuel Wright and Moses Keyes on the easterly side of sd road till it comes to Groton road near the sd Moses Keyes' dwelling house."
The Groton road here mentioned seems to be the road from Carlisle station to Parkerville. The road appears to start from a point near the Burnham Smith place, and it led by William M. Vose's to Dupee's Corner.
36. " Dec. 7, 1778. A town way beginning at a town way a little below Silas Read's dwelling house and running southerly to a white oak tree near the land of Willard Read, thence to a heap of stones over the brook
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
by the dwelling house of Mr. Francis Leighton to Littleton to line."
This led from the old Groton road, by John Wayne's to John Murphy's house which was the house of Francis Leighton. It was laid out as a bridle way many years before, but was then made a permanent highway.
These appear to be the principal highways established by the town for the space of fifty years after its incorpo- ration.
SOLDIERS IN LOVEWELL'S EXPEDITION.
In' the second expedition of Capt. John Lovewell, of Dunstable, against the Indians, in 1724 - sometimes called the Winnepesockett expedition - there was an Ebenezer Wright; and he, no doubt, was from Chelmsford, West Precinct, and lived on Frances Hill, within the present limits of Westford. Samuel Fletcher was also in that expedition, and he, too, was of Westford, and was, perhaps, the Samuel who settled on the place now owned by Calvin Howard. He was afterwards known as Capt. Samuel.
In the third and last expedition of Capt. Lovewell, which terminated in that sanguinary battle, "nigh unto Pigwacket," in which Lovewell was slain, there was one Solomon Kies. In the list of Capt. Lovewell's men he is said to be of Billerica; but Rev. Henry A. Hazen, in his Genealogy of Families in Billerica, says : "The name (Keyes) has been occasionally on the tax-lists, but no family is recorded." Judge Asa Keyes, in his Genealogy of the Keyes Family, published in 1880, says of this Solomon and of his part in Lovewell's Fight: " Solomon Keyes, in some accounts of this fight, has been accorded to Billerica, as was also the birth of his father, the son of Solomon and Frances. But no record of the birth of either father or son has been · found in that place, and both are recorded in Chelmsford, where the second Solomon lived and where Capt. Solomon probably passed his early life." (Keyes' Gen., p. 131.) The truth seems to be that he was a Westford man whose
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INCORPORATION TO BEGINNING OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
early home was on Frances Hill, at or near the residence of the late Trueworthy Keyes. The story of his adventures is thus given in Abbot's History of Maine, as quoted by Judge Keyes : " Solomon Keyes received three bullet-wounds, and was apparently dying. To save his dead body from being mangled by the savages, he rolled himself down the beach to a canoe which chanced to be there. Almost senseless, he succeeded in creeping into it. A gentle breeze blew the canoe across the pond, diagonally, and landed it but a short distance from the stockade fort, into which he con- trived to creep." "Later in life," says the Judge, " he removed to Western (now Warren), Mass., then a part of Brookfield. Capt. Solomon lived thirty years after the fight at Pequawket, and was killed at Lake George, Sept. 8, 1755, in the French and Indian War." (Keyes' Gen., p. 131.)
Lovewell's Fight took place May 8, 1725. Col. Tyng, of Dunstable, wrote to Lieut. Gov. Dummer, May 14, saying : "I received your orders about eleven of the clock & I forthwith sent to Capt. Willard for twelve of his best men, & to Robert Richardson for fifteen of his Snow Shoe men," etc. These snow-shoe men were a company in Chelmsford, under the command of Capt. Robert Richard- son and Lieut. Joseph Parker. It numbered forty men, of whom fourteen lived in the West Precinct, and these are their names :
Samuel Fletcher, who was in the Winnepesockett expe- dition.
Joseph Keyes, son of Joseph and Joanna, and cousin of Capt. Solomon. He was then 26 years old.
Josiah Spalding, born 1706; then 19 years old. He settled at the foot of Nubanussuck Pond.
Nathan Procter, born 1698; then 27 years old.
John Procter, Jr., born 1694 ; 31 years old.
Benjamin Robbins, son of Benjamin and Hannah, born 1708 ; 17 years old.
James Burn, born 1696 ; 29 years old.
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
Joseph Underwood, probably son of Joseph; age not known.
Joseph Fletcher, afterwards Captain, born 1689; 36 years old.
Josiah Burge, born 1696; 29 years old.
Simon Rumrill ; age not known.
Thomas Read, Jr., born 1687 ; 38 years old.
THE EXPEDITION AGAINST CUBA.
Great Britain declared war against Spain, Oct. 23, 1739, and the next year an expedition against Cuba was under- taken. " An American regiment consisting of about 3600 men was. raised on this occasion. In this expedition, the northern colonies furnished a considerable number of troops and sustained a great loss of men, principally in an uncommon mortality which prevailed in the army." (Holmes' Annals.)
Five companies of one hundred men each were raised in Massachusetts, who embarked for Cuba, Sept, 23, 1740. Of these five hundred men only about fifty returned. They were paid off and dismissed, Oct. 24, 1742. One of these companies was under the command of Capt. John Prescott, of Concord. Shattuck says of him: " When the unfortu- nate expedition to Cuba was proposed, he entered readily into the views of the government, and enlisted a company of one hundred men from this neighborhood." (History of Concord, p. 245.)
In his company, there is reason to believe, were the following men from Westford :
Ephraim Fletcher, aged 30, enlisted July 14, 1740. He was the son of Dea. Joshua, and was born March 12, 1710. He returned in safety, and was afterwards engaged in other wars.
William Skinner. He signed a receipt for bounty (five pounds), Sept: 10, 1740.
Oliver Spalding, aged 29, enlisted July 15, 1740. (Mass. Archives, Vol. 91, pp. 333-'4.)
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SOLDIERS AT THE REDUCTION OF LOUISBURG, 1745.
" After the peace of Utrecht (1713), the French, as a security to their navigation and fishery, built the town of Louisburg on the island of Breton, and fortified it with a rampart of stone from 30 to 36 feet high, and a ditch 80 feet wide. There were 6 bastions and 3 batteries, containing embrasures for 148 cannon and 6 mortars. On an island at the entrance of the harbor was planted a battery of 30 cannon, carrying 28 pounds shot, and at the bottom of the harbor, directly opposite to the entrance, was the grand or royal battery of 28 cannon, 42-pounders, and 2 18-pounders. The entrance of the town on the land side was at the west gate, over a draw-bridge, near which was a circular battery mounting 16 guns of 24-pounds shot. These works had been twenty-five years in building ; and, though not finished, had cost the crown of France not less than thirty millions of livres. The place was deemed so strong and impreg- nable as to be called the Dunkirk of America. In peace it was a safe retreat, for the ships of France .bound home- ward from the East and West Indies. In war it gave French privateers the greatest advantage for ruining the fishery of the northern English colonies and interrupting their entire trade. It endangered; besides, the loss of Nova Scotia. . The reduction of this place was, for these reasons, an object of the highest importance to New Eng- land.
" Early in January, 1745, Gov. Shirley communicated to the General Court the plan which he had formed of attacking Louisburg. The proposal was at first rejected ; but it was finally carried by a majority of one voice. Forces were raised, and William Pepperrell, Esquire, of Kittery, was appointed commander of the expedition. This officer sailed from Nantasket on the 24th of March, and arrived at Canso on the 4th of April. Here the troops, joined by those of New Hampshire and Connecticut, amounting collectively to upwards of 4,000 men, were detained three weeks waiting for the ice which environed the island of Cape Breton to be
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
dissolved. On the 30th of April the General landed his troops. The next object was to invest the city. With extreme difficulty, cannon were drawn, for 14 nights suc- cessively, through a morass to the camp. The men, with straps over their shoulders and sinking to their knees in mud, performed the service which horses or oxen on such ground could not have done. On the 16th of June (1745) articles of capitulation were signed. This expedition was one of the most remarkable events in the History of North America. The plan for the reduction of a regular- ly constructed fortress, was drawn by a lawyer, to be exe- cuted by a merchant, at the head of a body of husbandmen and mechanics." (Holmes' Annals of America. )
In that memorable campaign, Massachusetts furnished 3250 men ; New Hampshire, 304, and Connecticut, 516. Westford was nobly represented there. Dr. Jonathan Pres- cott, of Littleton, was a captain' of engineers in the siege, and a few men from Westford were in his company, while others were connected with other officers. It has been found difficult to bring together the facts concerning them. But in Volume 74 of the Massachusetts Archives, there is a petition of soldiers who went to the reduction of Louisburg, for aid from the State. It is dated 1751. Among the names are these which, there is scarcely any reason to doubt, were the names of Westford men: Enoch Cleaveland, Zacre [Zachariah] Robbins ; Jonathan Procter for Jacob Procter and Ephraim Procter, deceased. Enoch Cleaveland for
Jonathan Cleaveland, deceased. Benjamin Robbins for Jonathan Robbins, deceased. To these should be added James Hildreth, Jr., who, as the town records plainly say, " departed this life at Cape Bretton Oct. 11, 1745." He was the son of Richard and Dorcas Hildreth, and was born in 1701.
Two large volumes of manuscript, entitled the Pepperrell Papers, are now in possession of the Massachusetts Histori- cal Society, and from these the names of soldiers in that siege have been collected and may be seen at the State House. Unfortunately the lists are not complete and the
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INCORPORATION TO BEGINNING OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
residences are not given. From that transcript a few names have been copied, of men who are supposed to hail from Westford.
In Capt. Gershom Davis' company, William Skinner, Ephraim Fletcher, Jonathan Cleaveland.
In Capt. Williams' company, Francis Kidder, " joyner." In Capt. Hunt's company, Jonathan Robbins, corporal. In Capt. Smith's company, Jonathan Fletcher.
In Capt. Prescott's company, Joseph Prescott.
In Col. Choate's regiment, Lieut. Obadiah Perry, who received his commission at Louisburg, June, 1745.
Ebenezer Wright was appointed Ensign, April 15, and Benjamin Butterfield, Ensign, October 29, 1745.
FRENCH NEUTRALS.
The peninsular of Nova Scotia which had been ceded to the English in 1713, was inhabited by French people who adhered to the Catholic religion. Its boundaries were un- settled. The English claimed to the St. Lawrence, but the French insisted on restricting them to the peninsular of Acadie or Nova Scotia. While commissioners were dis- cussing these claims, the French occupied the contested country and erected forts to defend it. Against these forts an expedition was sent out in 1753. The command of it was given to Lieut. Col. Monckton. The New England forces were commanded by Gen. Winslow, of Marshfield. The troops embarked at Boston on the 20th of May, and in the following month they seized the strongholds and took posses- sion of the country. A difficult question then arose : What ought to be done with the inhabitants? They claimed to be neutrals, but some of them had fought against the English. An offer was made to such of them as had not been openly in arms, to be allowed to continue in possession of their country, if they would take the oath of allegiance without qualification. But they unanimously refused it. It was then determined to disperse them among the British colonies. To
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
prevent the re-settlement of those who escaped, the country was laid waste. (Holmes' Annals.)
In Volume 23, p. 3, of Massachusetts Archives, there is a list of the vessels that brought more than a thousand of these French Neutrals to the port of Boston :
CLASS.
NAME.
COMMANDER.'
No. Men.
1
Sloop.
Three Friends.
Captain Carlisle.
160
2 2
Dolphin.
Captain Farnum.
227
1
3
Endeavor.
Captain Nichols.
125
4
Sarah and Mary.
Captain Purington.
151
5
Sloop.
Captain Percy.
205
6
Schooner.
Captain Davis.
209
Total
1077
These arrived November 5, 1755. A second company came after December 27, 1755, and before January 23, '1756. Some of these embarked for France, and others were distributed among the towns of Massachusetts. At least six of these persons were sent to Westford. It would seem from the account that they were sent by the Sheriff of the County in September, 1756. Later in that year several items con- cerning them are recorded on the town book: "Pay to Mr. Nathaniel Boynton 2& Ios. for what he let the french people have since they came to town etc."
In the same volume, p. 347, there is an account rendered by the Selectmen, in which the following names appear :
" Maudlin Robeshaw, a female, aged 83; Maudlin Robeshaw, a female, aged 41 ; Frederick Robishaw; Lise Robishaw, aged 15; Lisebe Robishaw, aged II; Mary Robishaw, aged 8 years." Signed by John Abbot, Jonas
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Prescott, Jabez Keep, William Fletcher, Joseph Dutton, Selectmen of Westford. The bill of expense amounted to £8. 8s. Account rendered to February 7, 1757. Of these persons it is said : "The old woman very helpless and often sick; the young man sick of the fever and ago the great part of the spring and summer past."
" MIDDLESEX SS. To his excellency Thomas Pownal Esq. Capt. General and Governor in Cheafe in and over his majesties province of the Massachusetts Bay in New Eng- land &c and the Honorable his Council : The Desiar of the Town of Westford and pray that your Excellency and Honours would be pleased to allow to ye Town of Westford the sum hereafter mentioned, viz, the sum of Ten pounds five pence and two farthings lawful money for supporting ye French Family that Lately came from Nova Scotia, that are now in Westford,-which sum the sd Town of Westford has expended for ye french family aforesd. sence ye Tenth day of November 1757. In providing a House for them to live in and Nessessaryes for their support-there Being one old woman as she says she is 87 years of age-ye others have been very sickly and Not able to do But Very Little of their one support and could not any waise Comfortably subsist with Less Than the Town has laid out for them. Westford January ye 22nd 1759. Samuel Fletcher, Samuel Read, Amos Fletcher, Nathaniel Boynton, Selectmen of Westford."
In Volume 24, p. 466, of Massachusetts Archives, these names are mentioned : Mary Maudlin Robinshaw, 44; Eliz. Ruhard, 17, and Mary Ruhard, II. This list varies from that given elsewhere, and it is probable that changes were made which are not made known explicitly. Appar- ently the last account was rendered to the Governor and Council, January II, 1761.
" These may certifie to your Honours that there hath been paid out of our Town Treasury in Westford the sum of nine pounds lawful money for one year past for the Neces- sary support of the french family which was sent to Westford,
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HISTORY OF WESTFORD.
being six in Number, and one of said persons being a very aged person of about Eighty Nine years of age and another of said persons very weakly and Not able to maintain her- self, which sum etc. Jonas Prescott, John Abbot, Nathaniel Boynton, Selectmen."
REMOVAL OF THE FRENCH FAMILY.
" MIDDLESEX. Charlestown, April 6, 1761. To the Selectmen of the Town of Westford in sd County, Greeting.
By virtue of the Power and Authority given by the Great and General Court to Samuel Danforth, Will'm Brattle, Samuel Livermore, Charles Prescott and James Russell, Esq'rs You are hereby forthwith to cause to be removed from your town to the Town of Littleton, Mary Maudlin Robe- sheau, Frederich Richar, and Betty Winnett, and that there remain in your town Mary Maudlin Robesheau, aged about 44 years, Eliz'th Richar, and Mary Richar ; and make return of your doings to sd Samuel Danforth of their being removed as aforesaid and the charge of removing them. S. Dan- forth pr. order of the Committee."
" Westford April 14, 1761.
Be it remembered that by order of the abovesd Commit- tee, the abovesd Mary Maudlin Robesheau and Betty Winnett were conveyed to Littleton and delivered up to Mr. Thomas Warren one of the Selectmen of sd Littleton; and that Frederich Richar living at Charlestown was Notified to repair to Littleton also ; and a return sent down of the Re- moveal of sd french persons and cost of removing them." (Town Records, Volume I, p. 403.)
Thus, at the end of five years, one-half the number was assigned to Littleton, and four years afterward one of the three who remained died in Cambridge. The fate of the other two is not known.
" Westford May 20, 1765.
Voted to leave the French affair relating to the town of Cambridge against Westford to the Selectmen to make further enquiry," etc.
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INCORPORATION TO BEGINNING OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR.
" Voted that the town treasurer shall borrow twelve pounds lawful money and give his note in behalf of the town for six months on Lawful interest till paid to ennable him to pay the town of Cambridge their cost in supporting Magda- lene Rubishaw Jun. in her last sickness, death and burial." (Town Records, Volume II., p. 34.)
While these outcasts were in town, they lived near the present residence of the Coolidge Brothers, and Nathaniel Boynton, who then occupied the Coolidge farm, furnished them with a house and garden. Numerous entries are made upon the town book in regard to the cost of supporting them ; but no intimation is given that any of them died here. Their expatriation was a cruel act and their fate was a sorrowful one. To that band of exiles, so rudely forced from their homes in the " Acadian Land," can be traced the beautiful Evangeline, whose story has been so charmingly set forth by Longfellow :
"Far asunder, on separate coasts, the Acadians landed; Scattered were they, like flakes of snow, when the wind from the northeast Strikes aslant through the fogs that darken the Banks of Newfoundland. Friends they sought and homes; and many, despairing, heart-broken, Asked of the earth but a grave, and no longer a home nor a fireside."
SOLDIERS IN THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WARS.
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