Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 10

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 10

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FROM 1685 TO 1776.

The early industries of Easton were the Randall saw mill, before mentioned, which was doubtless built before 1700 at South Easton, and was owned by Timothy Cooper in 1726. The grist mill, built there by Clement Briggs before 1713, also passed to Cooper in 1723; it was subsequently owned by Ephraim Randall and his son Timothy, and was demolished and rebuilt in 1750. Timothy Randall owned it as late as 1781. The Leonard forge at the foot of Stone's Pond, in operation 1724, and Josiah Keith's saw mill were probably built a little earlier. Shares of this mill property were sold at various dates to dif- ferent persons and it was finally abandoned before 1771.

The iron business started by Capt. James Leonard at the site of North Easton village was in operation in 1723 and became well known as the Eliphalet Leonard forge. Excellent iron was made from the bog ore brought from near Lincoln Spring and elsewhere. The business passed in 1782 to Jacob Leonard, son of Eliphalet, and later to Isaac Leonard, son of Jacob. The forge had several other owners in whole or in part. Some time before 1771 Eliphalet Leonard, jr., built a forge on land deeded to him in 1765 on what has been known as the Marshall place. It is claimed that here steel was first made in this country; also that firearms were made before or during the Revolutionary war. In 1787 Jonathan Leonard built a steel furnace there, and another in 1808. About 1793 the third Eliphalet Leonard (brother of Jonathan) built a dam and a forge, with trip hammer and a nail shop, at the same place. He became bankrupt in 1801 and the property passed in 1803 to Oliver Ames.

In 1724 a forge was built at Cranberry Meadow by a company con- sisting of Timothy Cooper, John. Dailey, Edward Hayward, Jonathan Hayward and Benjamin Fobes; ore was discovered near by. The busi- ness was not profitable and passed in 1727-29 to Josiah Winslow of Bridgewater. Eliphalet Leonard next owned it and sold out to Edward Hayward. It was subsequently demolished and James Dean built a hammer shop and carried on blacksmithing until 1750.

On June 9, 1724, William Thayer, then living near the mill site on the north road to Brockton, gave to a company land for a dam and saw mill. These were built and passed through various hands previous to 1800.

West of the site of the Ames office in North Easton was once a dam where Thomas Randall built a saw mill as early as 1728; this passed to his sons John and Samuel. A grist mill was built there previous to

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

1760. These mills had various owners and managers, the grist mill finally passing to Jonathan Randall who operated in until his death in 1805; in 1813 it was sold to Oliver Ames. The saw mill was discon- tinued about 1780.

In 1742 a saw mill was built on Mulberry-Meadow Brook at Furnace Village by Eleazer Keith, Silas Williams and Benjamin Williams. In 1765 it had been transformed into a grist mill and was deeded at that time to Lemuel Keith, who owned it until later than 1800.

A saw mill was the first industry on the Morse privilege at South Easton and was built by Daniel Williams between 1739 (when he bought the land) and 1747. Williams probably operated it until his death in 1782. Eliphalet Leonard owned it in 1792 and sold it in 1797 to Josiah Copeland. Another dam was built above the Morse privilege, but as far as known its power was not used.

The furnace business at Furnace Village originated in the association of eight men, who built a dam in 1751 and erected a furnace on what is now Beaver Brook. The furnace was completed in the next year. With various changes of ownership and in the business and products, it has been in existence ever since. Cannon were made there for the American army in the Revolution. The owners in 1798 were Samuel Leonard, of Taunton, Josiah Dean, of Raynham, and Thomas Green, a merchant of Easton; they sold out to John Brown, of Providence.

Other early saw mills were built at the Cranberry Meadow dam, by James Dean and Matthew Hayward, 1750; on the Furnace dam at Furnace Village by Matthew Hayward, 1757; at what has been called the Picker place by George Ferguson earlier than 1759; in Poquanticut by John Selee or his son Nathan; on the road westward from No. 10 school house by Lieut. Samuel Corey about 1770. There was also a grist mill at the foot of Stone's Pond before 1800.

James Dean made brick as early as 1754 on his land, and Edward Williams had an early tannery near Furnace Village. In 1760 Lieut. Joshua Howard built a dam on Gallows Brook for power to operate a flax mill. To increase his power he dug a ditch from Cranberry Meadow, but was not allowed to keep it open, as it damaged the sup- ply of Dean's pond. In 1792, however, Josiah Copeland and Calvin Brett built a mill on this dam, which was operated for a period and abandoned. These many industries in operation in Easton previous to the beginning of this century, indicate that it was a busy community.

The town of Raynham formerly constituted the East Precinct of

FROM 1685 TO 1776.

Taunton, the formation of which and much of the early history is given in the chapters relating to that town. Raynham was incorpo- rated April 2, 1731, and, according to custom, a provision was inserted in the act of incorporation ordering " that the inhabitants of the said town do, within the space of three years from the publication of this act, procure and settle a learned and orthodox minister of good con- versation, and make provision for his comfortable and honorable sup. port, and likewise provide a school master to instruct their children to read and write."

The council ordered Ebenezer Robinson, one of the prominent set- tlers, to warn a meeting of the citizens to choose town officers. At that meeting Samuel Leonard, jr., was chosen town clerk; John Staples, Samuel Leonard and Ebenezer Robinson, selectmen; Elijah Dean and Thomas Baker, tithingmen. John White was chosen clerk of the mar- ket in 1732. On account of the small size of the town, no representa- tive was chosen for thirty years after its incorporation.

Raynham was first settled in 1652. Under date of October 21, of that year, the following appears in the Taunton records: "It was agreed and granted by the town to the said James and Henry Leonard and Ralph Russell, free consent to come hither and join with certain of our inhabitants to set up a bloomary work on the Two-Mile river." It was also "agreed and granted, by a free vote of the town, that such particular inhabitants as shall concur with said persons in their design shall have free liberty from town to do so, to build and set up this work, and that they shall have the woods on the other side of the Two Mile River, wheresoever it is common on that side of the river to cut for their cord wood to make coals and also to dig and take mine or ore at Two. Mile meadows, or in any of the commons appertaining to the town where it is not proprietary."

This action led to the establishment of the famous Leonard iron works, which continued in possession of the family for a century, and which are sufficiently described in the history of Taunton herein. Among other families that settled within what became Raynham were the Washburns, Kings, Deans, Shaws, Halls, Gushees, Williamses, Gil- mores, Andrewses, Hathaways, Whites, Tracys, and Knapps. Josiah Dean was one of the leading men of his time, was elected to Congress early in the century and was otherwise honored.

Raynham suffered very little during the King Philip war, a circum- stance that is credited to the kindly influence of Philip who had received

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

favors from the Leonards. The people, however, provided against in . cursions by fortifying houses and procuring arms. A house belonging to Samuel Leonard, which stood a few rods from their forge, was sur- rounded by palisades, and a fort was constructed.

Among the early settlers who graduated from colleges in this town were Zephaniah Leonard, 1785; Joshua Leonard, 1788; John Hatha- way, 1793; William Augustus Leonard, 1793; Jahaziah Shaw, 1792; Mason Shaw, 1795; Lloyd Bowen Hall, 1795; Abiel Williams, 1795; Abraham Gushee, 1798; Samuel King Williams, 1804; Jonathan Gil- more, 1800; Philo H. Washburn, 1801; John Gilmore Dean, 1806; Melvin Gilmore, 1805; Silas Hall, 1809; Eliab Williams, 1821; Abiel Williams, 1835. Most of these became lawyers, physicians or preach- ers, and some attained distinction. Among the Raynham men who were prominent in the early militia were Col. Noah Hall, Col. Warren Lincoln, Lieut. Col. Zephaniah Leonard, Lieut .- Col. Jonathan Shaw, Lieut .- Col. William L. Wilbur, Senior Maj. John Gilmore, Maj. Jon- athan Shaw, Maj. Eliab B. Dean, Maj. William D. Robinson. All of these were officers of the Third Regiment, Second Brigade, Fifth Divi- sion, excepting Major Dean, who was in the cavalry.

Merchants of the past have been Nehemiah Jones, who kept a store at the Center many years; Samuel Robinson traded at North Rayn- ham, Abisha Lincoln, North Raynham, who built in 1825 a store still standing, which has been in the family ever since. Sylvanus Make- peace at Prattville, and Edward Wilbur at the Center, who erected the store building where Elmer Lincoln (present postmaster) has been a merchant thirty years. At the south end were David Dean and Chaun- cey G. Washburn.

Dr. Seth Walker was an early physician, and Dr. Walker settled in the town in 1815 and acquired an extensive practice. Dr. Elisha Hay- ward came in 1820. Jonathan Shaw was a justice of the peace many years, living at the north end. Capt. Samuel Wilbur was a justice and deputy sheriff. Col. Zephaniah Leonard held the office of sheriff about thirty years, and was succeeded by his son, Horatio, who held the of- fice thirty-five years. Benjamin Shaw had a saw mill in 1700 on the Fowling Pond stream; he was also a shareholder in the iron works, and was ancestor of the Taunton Shaws. In 1770 James Presbo had a grist mill near the Shaw mill. His son Zadoc was associated with Capt. Israel Washburn in operating a furnace at the same dam for manufac- turing hollow ware; this business continued many years, the ore being

FROM 1685 TO 1776.

dug on the banks of the river. Captain Washburn became owner of the Presbo grist mill in 1784, died in 1796 and left the property to his son, Dr. Seth Washburn; it subsequently passed to his son, Franklin Washburn.

The first meeting-house in the town was partly finished two years before the incorporation. On the 10th of May following, the date of the first town meeting, it was voted to pay all expenses incurred by indi- viduals in building this house, and a tax for that purpose was levied. John Wales was the first pastor. A Congregational Church was organ- ized on the 19th of October, 1731, by the following persons, who were dismissed from the Taunton church for the purpose: Abraham Jones, John Staples, John Leonard, Samuel Hacket, sr., Joseph Jones, Samuel Leonard, Seth Leonard, Samuel White, Ebenezer Campbell, John White, Gabriel. Crossman, Jonathan Hall, Thomas Baker, Samuel Hacket 2d, Hannah White, Mary Hacket, Katherine Leonard, Hannah Campbell, Susannah White, Hannah Staples, Mehitable White, Ruth Crane, Elizabeth Shaw, Mary Jones, Joanna Leonard, Abigail Hall, Lydia Britton, Patience Hacket, Sarah Hall, Rebecca Leonard and Abigail Baker. Mr. Wales continued over the church thirty-four years and was succeeded in July, 1776, by Perez Fobes, of Bridgewater. He was a learned man and continued over the church forty-five years, and was followed in 1812 by Rev. Stephen Hull. The first meeting-house was built about a fourth of a mile east of the forge and cost $1, 400. The second house was built in 1773 by Israel Washburn, by whom the pews were sold to the people; it stood in the center of the town on land purchased by Amariah Hall. A steeple and bell were added in later years. The existing church was built in 1832 and dedicated in 1834. No other church was organized in the town until after the Revolution, as related further on.

In the promotion of early educational affairs a Mr. Fisher was em- ployed as schoolmaster in 1742, though there was, perhaps, a previous school. In 1744 John Lea taught seven weeks for sixteen pounds and sixteen shillings. The school was kept at different points in the town, as was customary in early times, until about the time of the Revolution, after which the town was divided into districts and school houses pro- vided as needed.

The act of incorportion of the town of Berkley was passed April 18, 1735, the preamble reading as follows:

Whereas, The southerly part of Taunton and the northerly part of Dighton , on

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the east side of the Great River, is competently filled with inhabitants, who labor under difficulties by reason of the remoteness from the places of public meeting in the said towns, and have therefore made application to this court that they may be set off a different and separate parish, and be vested with all the powers and privi- leges that other towns in this province are vested with, etc.

The town was named in honor of Lord Berkley, the noted bishop. A legal town meeting was held May 12, 1735, at the house of Elkanah Babbitt, and Gershom Crane acted as moderator. The following offi- cers were chosen, who were to serve without compensation: Abel Burt, town clerk; Nathaniel Gilbert, John Burt and Gershom Crane, selectmen; Joseph Burt, John Paull and Benjamin Babbitt, assessors; The family names that are most prominent in this town are those of Gilbert, Paull, Burt, Crane, Babbitt, Nichols, Andros, Tobey, French, Tubbs, Dean, Sanford, Hathaway, Axtell, Briggs, Chace, Shove, New- hall and Pierce. Many of these have become obsolete here, but their descendants are doing their lifework either here or elsewhere in the country and usually with credit and honor. Other names that belong among the list of inhabitants of Berkley are found in a petition pre- sented to the town in 1798 for the annexation of Assonet Neck. An attempt was made to consummate this annexation in 1752, when the town of Berkley voted "to grant the request of a number of the inhab- itants of Assonet Neck to be inhabitants of the town of Berkley; " but for some reason this effort failed. The petition in question was signed by the following: James Dean, Joseph Dean, David Dean, Benjamin Dean, Aaron Dean, Walter Dean, Ezra Dean, David Dean, jr., James Dean, jr., George Shove, Asa Shove, John Boyce, Enoch Boyce, Daniel Lew, Henry Lew, Samuel Shove, Ebenezer Pierce, jr., Eben- ezer Phillips, Darius Phillips, William Cotton, John Lew 2d, John Jones, Jonathan Bryant, William Shove. The Neck was annexed to Berkley in 1799 and these inhabitants became, of course, citizens of the town. Among the early town officials whose names have not yet been mentioned are those of George Caswell, John Briggs, Samuel French, Ebenezer Winslow, Abel Crane, William Nichols, Samuel Tubbs, John Crane, Samuel Gilbert, Samuel Tobey, Jedediah Briggs, Jacob French, Stephen Webster, Ebenezer Myrick, Levi French, John Babbitt, Israel French, and others, all of whom were prominent in the com- munity in early years. To these may be added the following who re- ceived college education : Silas Tobey, Rev. Alvin Tobey, Rev. James Barnaby, Rev. James Sanford, Rev. John Sanford, Rev. Enoch San-

FROM 1685 TO 1776.

ford, Rev. Silas A. Crane, Benjamin Crane, Daniel Crane, George Hathaway, Rev. William M. Cornell, Rev. Daniel C. Burt, Rev. Thomas T. Richmond, Rev. James Nichols, Charles G. W. French, Richard S. S. Andros, Rev. Levi French, Milton Andros, Dr. Edward Crane, Dr. P. Chester Porter, Dr. Shadrach Hatheway, William M. Cornell, a physician and author; Jabez Fox, clergyman and editor; Gardner Dean, a noted evangelist; James Nichols, clergyman and pro- fessor in Union College.

Some of the early votes of the town are important in this connection ; for example at the second town meeting, held October 6, 1735:

Voted, To hire a scholar to preach in the town for the space of a quarter of a year.

Fifty pounds was voted to be raised to pay this "scholar" and for other uses.

Voted, To hire no schoolmaster.

At another meeting the same month in was

Voted, That the three selectmen go and hire Mr. Tobey, if they can agree with him, to preach in our town of Berkley one-quarter of a year.

Voted, To build a meeting-house in our said town of Berkley, forty feet long, thirty-four feet broad, and eighteen feet stud.

Voted, That Gershom Crane, John Paull, Joseph Burt. and John Burt, under John Burt, procure the timber, divide the work, and proportion it among the inhabitants equally, and that each man who labors on said meeting-house shall be allowed four shillings per day, and lads or boys proportionally, as the committee shall see fit.

Mr. Samuel Tobey was employed as minister, and in the following year (1736), it was

Voted, That Elkanah Babbitt, Gershom Crane, John Paull, Abiel Atwood, and Abel Burt be a committee to let out our meeting-house as cheaply as they can to finish after a decent and comely fashion or manner.

Voted, To raise six hundred pounds on our said town, to enable the committee which was chosen to finish said meeting-house.

Samuel Tobey's ministry continued until his death in 1781, when he was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Andros, who was ordained in March, 1788; he occupied the pulpit for forty-seven years. He was a very able man and was twice elected to the Legislature after he left the ministry. Other early pastors of this Congregational society were Revs. Ebenezer Poor, J. U. Parsons (dismissed in 1840), Charles Chamberlain and others. Three church buildings have been erected by this congregation, all standing on the site still occupied.1

1 A division took place in this society in 1818, about twenty members withdrawing to organize the Trinitarian Congregational Society; they built a meeting-house and installed Rev. L. R.

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

John Crane was probably the first school teacher employed in this town, and Jonathan Crane also filled the same position, both for short periods and for small pay. The town afterwards employed Rowland Gavin, an Englishman of good ability, who taught at different points in the town in such buildings as he could secure for the purpose. Soon after the settlement of Rev. Mr. Tobey, before noticed, the condition and character of the schools was greatly improved. In 1763 the town began the erection of school houses, and winter evenings were utilized by some of the young men who had profited by the instruction of Mr. Gavin. Soon after 1787, largely through the efforts of Rev. Mr. An- dros, a still greater impetus was given to the schools, and in 1793 the town was divided into four districts, later into five, then into six, and after the annexation of Assonet Neck the number was seven. In 1794 the town voted £120 to the four districts with which to build school houses. In 1800 the number of scholars in the town between the ages of four and sixteen was over 400, and from that time down to the pres- ent the necessary schools have been maintained throughout the town, though in recent years the attendance has declined. Among early teachers who should be mentioned were Capt. Joseph Sanford, Rev. Levi French, Col. Adoniram Crane, and Capt. Giles G. Chace. Later ones were James, John, Enoch, Alpheus, and Baalis Sanford, brothers, Silas A. Benjamin, Ebenezer Hervey, William M. and B. L. Cornell, brothers, David French, Darius Phillips, Daniel S. Briggs, Enoch Boyce, Thomas C. Dean, Dr. S. Hathaway, Walter D. Nichols and others.

Berkley is almost wholly an agricultural town, and not one of the best in that respect. It is without water power and therefore no man- ufacturing of much account has been carried on within its limits. Ship-building was carried on in early years to a considerable extent, as noticed farther on.

Mansfield was the last town to be incorporated in Bristol county be- fore the beginning of the Revolutionary war and within the period covered by this chapter. The district or precinct of Mansfield was formed April 26, 1770, and the town was incorporated August 23, 1775. Previous to that time it was part of Norton and originally was within

Eastman pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. James A. Roberts who continued until 1873. In the spring of that year the First Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, a large part of Mr. Roberts's congregation joining it and occupying the same church until 1875 when they built an editice. There is also a Methodist Church near Myrickville (Myricks) in the eastern part of the town in the district annexed to Berkley in 1878.

FROM 1685 TO 1776.

the bounds of the North Purchase, which has been described. As early as 1732 a number of families, among them the Grovers, Skinners, Well- mans, Leonards, Williamses, and others in this region to the number of nearly thirty, determined to separate themselves from the Norton church. A meeting was held to vote on the question in the Norton church, which was one of a number held for the same purpose, and a majority favored the creation of a new parish. Other meetings fol- lowed, being held at the house of David Wellman, where arrangements were made for raising money by tax with which to build a meeting- house, which was soon begun; the votes at these meetings were re- corded by Benjamin Williams, clerk. At a meeting held June 30, 1732, " for to do what may be proper as to the hiring a minister to preach in said precinct, and to raise money to pay him, and to do what may be proper concerning finishing the outside of the meeting-house," held at Isaac Wellman's house, Ephraim Leonard was chosen moderator; Thomas Skinner, Deacon Nicholas White, and Ephraim Grover were chosen to hire a minister, and twenty pounds was voted to be raised for paying the minister. Evidently the matter was not promptly car- ried out, for a meeting was held June 27, 1733, with the same objects in view, and Capt. Ephraim Leonard, Andrew Grover and Ephraim Grover were given power to hire a minister for the remainder of the year. In the following year the Rev. Abial Hayward was unanimously chosen minister of the church, at a salary of one hundred pounds. When Deacon Nicholas White, Ephraim Grover 1st, and Benjamin Williams were appointed a committee to treat with the minister, a pro- test was for some reason entered which was signed by the following names: Samuel Brintnell, Thomas Skinner, John Skinner, Isaac Well- man, Solomon Skinner, Ebenezer Brintnell, Samuel Wellman, John Skinner, Joseph Skinner, Nathaniel Brintnell, Ebenezer Skinner, Ben· jamin Wellman, Samuel Skinner and Benjamin Skinner. When this action became known to Mr. Hayward he declined to accept the call, and in May, 1735, Rev. Atherton Wales was called; he also declined, and a call was sent to Rev. Samuel Tobey, with the same result. At last, in September, 1736, Rev. Ebenezer White accepted the position and he was ordained. The following persons withdrew from the Nor- ton church at this time and probably all united in forming the Mans- field Congregational Church, with others not known: Nicholas White, John Hall, Thomas Skinner, sr., John Skinner, sr., Ephraim Grover, sr., Benjamin Williams, Seth Dorman, Josiah Pratt, Thomas Fille-

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

brown, Joshua Atherton, Stephen Blanshar, William Pain, Benjamin Lam, William Dean, Jonathan Pratt, Joshua Williams, Andrew Grover, Thomas Grover, sr., Ezra Skinner; most of these were heads of fami- lies and many of the names are still familiar in the town which their descendants have aided in developing.

Rev. Mr. White was dismissed in 1760, and in the following year Rev. Roland Green was called, to begin a pastorate continuing forty- seven years, until 1808.

From the year 1764 to 1768 one-third of the town meetings of Norton were held at the North meeting-house, but in 1767 it was voted to hold no more there, and the North Precinct inhabitants thereupon petitioned the General Court to be set off as a district, which request was granted March 11, 1771. This gave them all the privileges and powers of a town excepting the election of a representative. The first town meet- ing was held in March, 1771, with William Dean moderator. Isaac Dean was then chosen clerk; Dr. George Wheaton, Benjamin Williams and Thomas Skinner selectmen; Samuel White, Dr. George Wheaton and William Dean, jr., assessors; Benjamin White, treasurer; Alfred Leonard and John White, wardens; Nehemiah White and Benjamin Sweet, hog reeves. At the next meeting Job Hodges and Reuben Titus were chosen to keep the river clear for the passage of fish during the ensuing year. Thus was commenced the simple government of the town.

Ephraim Leonard was the most distinguished of the pioneers of what became Mansfield town. He resided at East Mansfield on the easterly side of the road near the Flint saw mill. He was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1747 and continued in office until after the Revolution, was a leader in public affairs in the town, a man of piety and greatly esteemed.

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Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 10

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1399

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399