USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Weston > History of the town of Weston, Massachusetts, 1630-1890 > Part 9
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WESTON IN THE REVOLUTION
The town borrowed money of the townspeople to pay for the men ordered, in sums as follows :-
Samuel Fisk
£145:12:0
Anna Bigelow
£31:4:0
Jonathan Fisk
113:3:0
Elisha Warren
15:7:6
Jacob Bigelow
61:16:0
Joseph Russell 4:16:0
John Sanderson
61:4:0
Abijah Warren
15:14:0
William Hosmer
154:10:0
Sarah Cox 27:3:0
Amounting in all to
£633:5:6
The full amount of money borrowed of sundry persons for the use of the town from May, 1778, to 1779 was £4,281:5:0
3,965:9:11 Town Debt
It is possible that the records of the campaign of Ticonderoga and Crown Point are defective for the reason that at the sur- render of Ticonderoga by General St. Clair, on the 5th of July, the American army lost their effects. We have a record of the application made by Colonel Thomas Marshall to the General Court, to be reimbursed for his outlay in providing clothing for his command after the surrender. General Burgoyne surrendered his army at Saratoga on the 17th of October, and General Brickett escorted one wing of the British prisoners over the Framingham turnpike, or our south road, through Newton to Winter Hill in Somerville. General Glover escorted the other wing of prisoners over our Main Street to the same destination. General Glover's troops passed a night on our Main Street .* Over one hundred men enlisted in the army from Weston in 1777. In the year 1778 four men from Captain Fisk's company enlisted in the Conti- nental army, viz .: John Norman, Isaac Green, Peter Cotton, John Tibbetts.
* On August 29, 1777, Lieutenant-colonel Paul Revere, in command of Fort Independence, was ordered to march with five drummers and five fifers, one hundred and twenty sergeants, corporals, bombardiers, gunners, and matrosses, with their commissioned officers, to Worcester, there to meet and take charge of the prisoners captured at Bennington by General Stark. They left Watertown at six o'clock, breakfasted at the Golden Ball Tavern in Weston, and dined at Sudbury. While there, Colonel Revere received a letter from Mrs. Jones, of Weston, complaining that her store had been broken open and twelve loaves of sugar stolen. She suspected the soldiers of doing the deed. Colonel Revere had all the packs searched, but found nothing. He says in his report that he suspects they stole the sugar themselves, and out of pretence charged our people. The sugar, he says, belonged to the government, and they are Tories. When he was at the Jones tavern, the pocket of Captain Todd's servant was picked and two dollars taken therefrom while the coat was hanging in the kitchen.
From Worcester several hundred prisoners-Highlanders, Germans, Canadians, etc .- were marched to Boston.
92
HISTORY OF WESTON
These four men not being on the muster-roll of the company, were undoubtedly hired (or substitute) men.
In July Major Lamson, by order of Colonel Brooks, drafted three men from the Weston company to serve as guards to the prisoners at Winter Hill, viz .: John Bemis, Isaac Gregory, and Nathaniel Wyman. Major Lamson in his return states that John Walker, Jr., a Continental soldier of Weston, has not re- turned to his duty as he promised to do, and the major suggests that Colonel Brooks should issue an order for his return at once (Records, vol. 53 [23 ?], p. 192).
The nine months' men drafted from Weston to serve at Fish- kill, N.Y., were as follows (vol. 28, p. 160): Samuel Bayley, Keen Robinson, James Beaman, Peter Cary, Jeduthun Bemis.
On October 15, 1778, Colonel Brooks, of the Third Middlesex Regiment, was made brigadier-general, and was succeeded in command of the regiment by Nathan Barrett, of Concord (vol. 28, p. 120).
At a town meeting held the 18th of May, 1778, it was
Voted to choose a committee of nine to report upon the proposed plan of government.
Voted that Elisha Warren be dismissed as treasurer, and that Isaac Hobbs be appointed in his place.
Voted that £433 : 6 : 8 be granted Rev. Samuel Woodward as a gra- tuity for the present year.
At an adjourned town meeting held June 8, 1778, it was voted to act upon the constitution and form of government sent to the town for its consideration. The vote stood :-
For the approbation of the constitution, 6.
Against it or in disapprobation, 57.
At an adjourned meeting held on the 22d of October, 1778, the town voted the following instructions to their representative at the General Court :-
Mr. JOSEPH ROBERTS:
Sir,-As you are chosen by the inhabitants of this town to represent them in the General Court, your constituents think they have a right
93
WESTON IN THE REVOLUTION
to instruct their representative from time to time as they shall think need- ful. Therefore, the inhabitants of this town think it proper to give you the following.
1. That you use your best endeavours in the General Court to have such laws made as may prevent the return of any of those persons into this town or state who have sought and received protection from the British army.
2. That you also endeavour in said Court, that the Judge of Probate be lawfully authorised to appoint agents over the estates of all such persons as have died in the town of Boston or elsewhere while under the protection of the British army.
At a town meeting held the 24th of May, 1779, it was
Voted to send two delegates to the convention, for the sole purpose of forming a new constitution or form of government. [Joseph Roberts and John Allen were chosen.]
That the delegates transmit to the Selectmen a printed copy of the form of government they shall agree upon, in order that the same may be laid before the town.
Voted the sum of £3,000 to support the war.
At a town meeting held the 2d of August, 1779, it was
Voted to hear the proceedings of the convention, held at Concord on the 14th of July last, for the purpose of forming a constitution or form of government.
Voted unanimously that we approve of and will abide by the proceed- ings of said convention.
Voted to chose two delegates to attend the convention at Concord the first Wednesday in October next. [Samuel Fisk and Thomas Rand were so chosen.]
A subject brought before the Concord convention was that of domestic trade, the establishing of a system of prices at which the necessaries of life were to be sold. The scarcity of money, the high rates which towns were obliged to pay for money to support the war, and the unreasonable prices charged for all prod- uce of daily consumption rendered action necessary. This con- vention fixed a scale of prices for goods and merchandise and for farm produce and wages. Weston chose a committee to see
94
HISTORY OF WESTON
that the agreement was faithfully observed in this town, and to publish the names of those persons who did not comply with the regulation. The convention did thorough work and took in all kinds of business. The prices were in the depreciated currency of that time, which was about 20 shillings paper to 1 shilling in silver. This would bring the price of tea to $1.33 per pound, and wages per day in summer to 58 cents. West India rum, £6 9s. per gallon; New England rum, £4 16s. per gallon; coffee, 18 shillings per pound; molasses, £4 15s. per gallon; brown sugar, from 10 to 14 shillings per pound; tea, £5 16s. per pound; salt, £10 8s. per bushel; beef, 5 shillings per pound; butter, 12 shillings per pound; cheese, 6 shillings; hay, 30 shillings per cwt .; yard- wide tow cloth, 24 shillings per yard; cotton cloth, 36 shillings per yard; men's shoes, £6 per pair; women's, the same; carpenter, per day, 60 'shillings; mason, per day, 60 shillings; common laborer, 48 shillings in summer; flip (West India), per mug, 15 shillings; flip, New England, 12 shillings; toddy in proportion. Extra good dinner, £1; common dinner, 12 shillings. Best sup- per and breakfast, 15 shillings; common supper and breakfast, 12 shillings. Horse-keeping, 24 hours at hay, 15 shillings; on grass, 10 shillings.
At a town meeting held the 15th of November, 1779, it was voted to choose a committee of five persons to ascertain the bounds of the meeting-house lot and the road adjoining thereto. Captain Estes How, Captain Whittemore, Lieutenant Stratton, Jonas Harrington, and John Allen were chosen such committee.
At a town meeting held May 29, 1780, it was voted to accept the committee's report relating to town lands, but the report is not entered on the records.
The two months' men for service in Rhode Island were Ben- jamin Peirce, Jr., Joseph Stone, Jonas Peirce, Nathaniel Billings, William Gill, Daniel Livermore.
The four months' men were Isaac Walker and John Bemis.
The nine months' men in the Continental army from Weston were Thomas Bemis, Jacob Bemis, Abel Peirce, Simeon Pike, Ephraim Capron, John Roberts. They were paid £2,216 7s.
For guarding the beacon: John Hager's son, Samuel Liver-
THE HOBBS HOUSE, NORTH AVENUE.
Built by Deacon Isaac Hobbs as a double house, one-half being occupied later by his grandson, Captain Samuel Hobbs, and the west end by Captain Henry Hobbs. Mrs. Samuel Hobbs was the daughter of Rev. Dr. Kendal, and resided here until her death in 1883. She was succceded by her nephew, General James F. B. Marshall, who extensively remodelled the house and named it Kendal Green. It is now owned and occupied by George N. Aber- crombie.
THE OLD WHITNEY TAVERN, NORTH AVENUE.
This ancient house, now owned by Thomas E. Coburn, has been a commonplace tenement house for seventy-five years or more, and its early history is almost forgotten by the few who ever knew it. Mr. Whitney, who owned and occupied it as a tavern, once kept the famous "Punch Bowl" tavern in Brookline.
95
WESTON IN THE REVOLUTION
more's son, Thomas Graves's son, Thomas Rand's son. They were paid £50.
There were seven three months' men sent to the army on the Hudson, besides those above mentioned; but they were all hired. The six months' men in the Continental army at Fishkill num- bered 15, and were all hired by the town.
The three months' men from Weston were John Bigelow, Samuel Lamson, Jr., Thaddeus Peirce, Daniel Ward, Peter Cary, Jeduthun Bemis, John Clark, and two hired, or substitute, men. These men were paid in bills of the new emission at four for one.
At a town meeting held May 29, 1780, it was voted to accept the constitution or form of government as it now stands, "but it is our opinion that it should be revised within ten years." The vote stood: yeas, 54; nays, 20.
It was also voted to search for Mr. Goddard's deed of gift, to the town of Weston, of a piece of land near the meeting-house. No report is made by the committee appointed, which consisted of Captain Flagg, Israel Whittemore, and Thomas Spring. It is probable there is no such deed.
Sixteen men were raised for the Continental army. They were all hired men and strangers to the town. They were to serve six months. Two of these men deserted, and three were discharged.
A resolve of the legislature required the following amount of beef for Washington's army: Waltham, 7,200 cwt .; Weston, 7,930 cwt .; Lincoln, 5,640 cwt.
In 1780 the Weston company enlisted for three years, or for the war. The company was commanded by Matthew Hobbs, and the two Livermores were lieutenants. The company was employed in the western and northern parts of New York, and was discharged at Newburg on the Hudson. Captain Hobbs died in 1817.
At a town meeting held September 4, 1780, the vote for gover- nor and lieutenant-governor was taken. His Excellency John Hancock had 38 votes; Hon. James Bowdoin had 29 votes. Lieutenant-governor Hon. Henry Gardner had 30 votes; Hon. James Bowdoin had 22 votes.
96
HISTORY OF WESTON
It will be interesting to follow the votes for governor and lieu- tenant-governor for the next few years, as indicative of the re- spective popularity of the leaders of the Revolution in this State. John Hancock was evidently the most popular of all, and it will be noticed that it required a long time for James Bowdoin to supersede him in the affection of the people. Bowdoin was one of the most efficient and public-spirited men who ever held the executive office of Massachusetts, and was free from many of the small traits of character which were prominent in Hancock. Samuel Adams was still the moving power in the background, giving force and animating the public mind to sacrifice and pa- triotism. Mr. Adams was secretary of the Provincial and State Council; but Jonathan Avery as deputy secretary signed public documents, and the military commissions of the day were countersigned by him.
At a town meeting held December 27, 1780, it was voted to grant money to purchase the Weston quota of 15,227 pounds of beef ordered by the General Court, and also voted to raise £20,000 for the purpose, and to procure the thirteen men called for by government and raise the money to pay them. It had now become difficult to find men willing to enlist, and equally difficult to hire men. The Continental currency had so far depre- ciated as to render it almost useless, and loans of money on any terms were extremely difficult to obtain. The times were very hard, and the necessaries of life exhausted all available means. The year ended in general gloom.
At a town meeting held January 8, 1781, it was voted to choose a committee of five to meet with Josiah Smith and his son Joel to set the bounds of the town lands near the meeting-house.
At a town meeting held March 5, 1781, it was voted to present Rev. Mr. Woodward the thanks of the town for relinquishing fifteen cords of his firewood.
At a town meeting held April 2, 1781, the votes for governor and lieutenant-governor were taken. His Excellency John Han- cock had 30 votes; Hon. James Bowdoin had 28 votes. Lieu- tenant-governor Hon. Thomas Cushing had 23 votes; Hon. James Prescott had 16; Hon. Azor Orne had 14.
At the same meeting, "Voted to grant the Rev. Mr. Woodward
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WESTON IN THE REVOLUTION
£33:6:8 for his salary for six months, in silver money at the rate of 6 shillings 8 pence per ounce, or the exchange in paper currency at 75 of the latter for one of the former."
The surrender of Lord Cornwallis and the British army at Yorktown, which occurred October 19, 1781, checked enlist- ments, and, although they continued on a small scale for a period, the war was felt to be virtually at an end.
At a town meeting held April 1, 1781, the votes for governor and lieutenant-governor were taken. His Excellency John Han- cock had 49 votes; Hon. James Bowdoin had 21. Lieutenant- governor Hon. Thomas Cushing had 61.
At a town meeting held October 14, 1782, it was voted to hear the proposals of the proprietors of a bell, which was purchased with a view to the benefit of the town, and act thereon. It was voted to accept the offer of the bell, with the conditions there- unto annexed, which are as follows, namely: "The proprietors make a present of the bell to the Town, provided they will hang it decently for the use of the Town." It would be interesting to give the names of these proprietors; but the difficulty of obtaining an inspection of the papers in the town safe, which have not been examined for probably half a century, has been so great that it had to be abandoned by the writer. Documents belonging to the town are treated too much as private property, not to be examined or touched. At this town meeting it was voted to grant £66 13s. 4d. "for the relief of the distressed family" of the late Rev. Mr. Woodward, "our faithful and be- loved pastor," also £15 for the funeral charges.
It is to be regretted that we have no record of the men from Weston who were killed or who died in the army of the Revolu- tion. Mr. Woodward gives the names of only two,-Daniel and Elisha Whitehead. The company and regimental rolls contain no mention of casualties. We have no record of the pensions awarded to soldiers of that period. The wife of Colonel Samuel Lamson received from the government in lieu of yearly pension a life lease of a tavern which stood in the westerly part of Watertown, upon which site now stands a school-house.
Pursuant to the order of the honorable House of Representa- tives (May 1, 1781), the committee for the sale of the estates
98
HISTORY OF WESTON
of conspirators and absentees lying in the county of Middlesex "ask leave to report that they have sold the Estates hereinafter mentioned and described at the time, to the persons and for the sums set against the same," namely :-
In Weston, March 9th, 1781.
Elisha Jones, Esq., House, two barns, 75 acres of land sold to Colonel Thomas Marshall for
53 Acres of land sold to Thomas Rand
£1,000
30
43 66 M. A. Townsend
152
20
Natick sold to N. Jennison
75
25
66 sold to J. Dammson
85
20
sold to J. Roberts 40
Total amount received from sale of land of Elisha Jones, Esq., £1692
At a town meeting held February 24, 1783, the business was :-
1st, to know the minds of the Town whether they were ready to come to the choice of a Person to settle in the Gospel ministry, and it passed affirmatively by a vote of 43 to 19. 2d, Voted to grant £200 settlement as an encouragement to Mr. Kendal to settle with us in the work of the ministry. Voted that the deacons of the church be a committee to inform Mr. Kendal of the proceedings of the town.
At an adjourned meeting of the town August 11, 1783,-
Voted, That Deacon Thomas Russell, Samuel P. Savage, Esq., Mr. Jonathan Stratton, Deacon Isaac Hobbs, and Deacon Samuel Fiske be a Committee to wait on Mr. Kendal and inform him that the town are now ready to receive his answer to their call to settle with them.
The meeting was adjourned for fifteen minutes, and Mr. Kendal came into meeting and exhibited his answer.
In town meeting held in March, 1783, it was voted that a committee be appointed to draft instructions to the representa- tive of the town, who this year was Samuel Fiske, for his gov- ernment in the General Assembly. The committee was composed of Samuel Phillips Savage, John Warren, Thomas Russell, Thomas Marshall, and Isaac Hobbs, and on May 26, 1783, submitted the following report, written by Mr. Savage :-
Mr. SAMUEL FISKE.
Sir,-The Freeholders and Inhabitants of this Town having elected you to represent them in general Assembly the ensuing year, and con-
185
John Coburn 155
99
WESTON IN THE REVOLUTION
sidering that some matters of the last importance to the happiness, if not to the being, of this Commonwealth, may very probably be laid before the house of Assembly for their Consideration, have thought proper to give you the following Instructions.
While conflicting with a powerful enemy, through a long and bloody war (though ever disposed for Peace that was safe and honorable), we flattered ourselves that when Peace returned, we should be quiet under our own Vine and Fig tree, and none would make us unhappy: but we were mistaken-for although we have sheathed the sword, yet, un- happy for us, a new scene of trouble opens by an article in the Treaty; for Congress are there bound earnestly to recommend to the different States, that they admit the Return of those men and restore to them their estates, who, at the beginning of the Contest, when their invaded Country called for their aid, fled to the Enemy, and many of them joined them in their endeavors to subjugate and ruin it. Is it possible the real friends of America can ever be happy if these men return, until the horrid scenes they have both devised and perpetrated be obliterated from our memories, or what is equally as impossible, they be so changed as to relish the pleasures which flow from real Liberty?
We cannot but approve the prudent conduct of the Commissioners of these States (ever we trust under the Guidance of unerring Provi- dence) that the article though inserted, is but conditional, and not obliga- tory on the States: by which the happiness or inisery of America, at present, seems to rest on the Virtue of the People and their Rulers. If ever a time called for the watchful eye, the wise head and the honest heart, it is now. We have waded through a sea of blood, and been at an immense expense of Treasure to support the glorious struggle; and we most sin- cerely hope we shall not now by one weak act undo what has cost us the blood of thousands to effect. Shall it ever be said those men participated of the first fruits of Liberty who for eight long years have strove to tear up the fair plant by the roots. The thought opens to the mind such scenes of distress, that it is painful to dwell upon it.
To you Sir, (next to Heaven) as one of Guardians of our Rights and Liberties, we look .- Our choice of you evidences how much we rely on your Wisdom and Integrity-yet we must instruct and enjoin it upon you, that when you know, or have reason to believe, this important matter is coming before the house of Assembly for their Consideration, that you be present, and to the utmost of ability, both by your vote and influence prevent, if possible, the return of these men, or either of them to this Commonwealth, or the Restoration of their justly forfeited Estates. There are other things which on this occasion, might have been mentioned, but as our principal Design is instructing you, as for your Government in the above mentioned matter, we shall only say, that every thing which to you appears of real Importance to your Coun-
100
HISTORY OF WESTON
try's peace, freedom, Sovereignty and Independence, you will be par- ticularly attentive unto.
We are surc Sir the Goodness of your heart will keep you from a base act, and we trust your good sense and firmness will, in the hour of Danger, secure you against the poison of the smooth Tongue and the insinuating address of the Secret Enemies of your Country, who are lying in wait to deceive.
SAMUEL PHILIPPS SAVAGE
JOHN WARREN THOMAS RUSSELL THOMAS MARSHALL ISAAC HOBBS
WESTON, May 26th, 1783.
At a town meeting held September 8, 1783,
Voted, That the 5th day of November next be the day for the ordina- tion of Mr. Samuel Kendal.
Voted, That the method of procuring money to defray the expenses of said ordination be by way of collection, and that those who shall advance money for said purpose shall be allowed the same on the next tax assess- ment.
Voted, That Major Samuel Lamson, Enoch Greenleaf and Deacon Samuel Fiske be a Committee to Provide for the Venerable Couneil.
Protest. We the subscribers conceiving that the proceedings of this town of Weston in the meeting of this date, has been illegal and uneonsti- tutional in ealling, granting settlement money and salary to Mr. Samuel Kendal in settling among us in this place in the Gospel ministry-we hereby deelare our protest against the said proceedings, and we advise that this our protest might be of public record in this town, and we plead the advantage of the Bill of Rights in that case provided.
JOSEPH HARRINGTON.
ISAAC JONES.
HEZEKIAH WYMAN. SAMUEL TRAIN.
SAMUEL SEAVERNS, Jr. JONAS HARRINGTON
MOSES HARRINGTON. JOHN FLAGG.
ELISHA HARRINGTON. WILLIAM CUTTER.
JOSEPH ROBERTS.
No attention seems to have been paid to this curious pro- test. The names are probably of those who voted against the call of Mr. Kendal in the meeting of February 24 preceding.
As 1783 virtually closes the war period, it will not be amiss to give a brief account of the money expended and men pro- vided by the following States :-
101
WESTON IN THE REVOLUTION
Between the years 1775 and 1783 Massachusetts furnished 67,907 soldiers, while New York supplied only 17,781. In ad- justing the war balance after the peace, Massachusetts had overpaid her share in the sum of $1,248,801 of silver money. New York was deficient in the large sum of $2,074,846.
New Hampshire, though almost a wilderness, furnished 12,496 troops for the Continental ranks, or quite three-quarters of the number enlisted in New York State.
New York was the Loyalist stronghold, and contained more Tories than any other colony in America (Sabine, vol. i. p. 29).
VII.
IN THE WAKE OF THE REVOLUTION.
1784-1800.
Having passed in review the period of the Revolution, from 1775 to the treaty of peace, we have seen that every available man of Weston had been in the army for a longer or shorter term of service, many re-enlisting several times and serving at remote points, the town straining every nerve to raise the means to carry on the war to a successful termination. We can form no adequate idea at the present day of the privations and sufferings our forefathers went through in the battle for freedom. These severe sufferings of body and soul were not alone felt by the sol- diers in the field, but the women and children at home bore their full share of privation and want. All, then, were glad when they at last saw that their struggles were to have an end. There was no money, or what might be called money. The paper currency had depreciated to an extent which rendered it almost useless. Clothing was all home-made. Tea and coffee, sugar and salt, there was none. Flour had reached the price of $500 a barrel in currency, and at points where the army was stationed was not obtainable at any price. The flour mills had been de- stroyed both by friend and foe. It is a question whether our people, if they had had a forecast of what they would be forced to endure for seven long years, would have thought flesh and blood equal to the attempt of a war against the crown. Men's hearts had become heavy. Mothers in the absence of their husbands looked upon their children and trembled for their future. The inhabitants of the frontier towns were in constant dread of Indian incursions, and those at the seaboard dreaded British invasion and ravages.
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