Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 11

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 11

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If not the earliest, Thomas Briggs was nearly the earliest settler in Mansfield territory, his home being in the northeast part. The land grant to Briggs reads as follows:

One hundred and fifty acres of land is granted to Thomas Briggs, son of Clement Briggs deceased, and twenty acres of meadow, if it may be had in the place desired, which is in the way to Deadum from Taunton, betwixt a pond and a mill river which comes to Taunton, between Taunton and Massapauge Pond.

This grant was dated June 7, 1659. A grant was made also to John Bundey, but he probably did not settle in the town.

John Caswell settled at East Mansfield and his son John lived near

FROM 1685 TO 1776.

him; he was lieutenant in the army and died December 18, 1773. He was father of ten children. Benjamin Caswell and James Caswell also it is believed lived at East Mansfield; the name has disappeared in the history of the town.

Seth Dorman settled at East Mansfield and was one of the members of the original church. Joseph Elliot also lived at East Mansfield and died in 1752.

Thomas Brintnell and his family made a settlement in the north- westerly part of the town, a few rods east of Wading River and near what was known as the Obadiah Brintnell place; he was from Boston and left numerous descendants who have been prominent in the town. Samuel Buzby lived at East Mansfield, married Elizabeth Caswell and had eight or nine children. Capt. Samuel Brintnell, son of Thomas, lived in his father's house, and became one of the leading men in the community, holding several offices; he was thrice married and in his will names six children. His son of the same name took the homestead.

Thomas Grover, born in March, 1668, settled at West Mansfield, and in that region settled also his brothers, Andrew and Ephraim; their names appear frequently in early records. John Hall lived near Cobbler's Corner, where the first "corn mill " was situated. He had an interest at one period in the grist mill.

Ephraim Sheldon lived at West Mansfield a short time and removed to Attleborough. Thomas Skinner settled at West Mansfield, was one of the original members of the Mansfield church and at one period was schoolmaster. His brother John also lived at West Mansfield.

Deacon Nicholas White built the house on Hall street, Mansfield, occupied fifteen years ago by Charles N. Hall; he was a very promi- nent citizen in early times; was selectman eleven years, a member of the General Court, and much respected. His brother, Marcus White, settled near by.

Deacon Benjamin Williams, grandson of Richard and son of Joseph, lived on the place occupied in recent years by his descendant, Henry Williams. He was a native of the town, a man of large influence in the town, held various offices and enjoyed the respect of the com- munity.

The first lawyer to settle in the town was David Gilbert, who lived on South Main street, Mansfield, was town clerk, and at one period had a large practice; he also held other offices of honor. Among later

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

lawyers of prominence were Horatio Pratt, who began practice about 1830; Erastus M. Reed, born in Taunton in 1830, began practice in Mansfield in 1856 and rose to the position of special justice of the Dis- trict Court.

Dr. Samuel Caswell, a "practitioner of physick," was the first physician in Mansfield; he died about 1747. Dr. Nicholas White, born in 1705, practiced in Norton and Mansfield and died in 1751. Dr. Lewis Sweeting also had a practice extending into both towns; he was one of the Mansfield Committee of Safety in 1776. Other early phy- sicians were Drs. George Wheaton, Jonathan Pratt, born 1729, lived southeast of the Center, died in 1771; Dr. Hezekiah Skinner, lived at West Mansfield many years and had a large practice; Dr. Roland Green, son of the second minister; Dr. Charles Talbot, removed to Dighton ; Dr. Benjamin Billings, Dr. William G. Allen, and others.

Deacon Otis Allen was a prominent pioneer, clerk in the cotton mills and a respected citizen. Ebenezer Williams was a large landowner in the town, prominent in town and parish affairs; died in 1851. John Rogers, began early in life the collection of straw braid from women residents, and later manufactured straw goods successfully; he held various offices, the highest of which was State senator.

Some other citizens of the town who are worthy of mention for their connection with business or public affairs, are Elijah Hodges, a leading Democratic politician; Jacob and Darwin Dean, William B. Bates, Benjamin Bates, Elkanah Bates, son of Elkanah, James Green, Capt. Ellis Fairbanks, Elijah Copeland, an extensive farmer, Elbridge Sweet, farmer and mill-owner at West Mansfield, Isaac Skinner, Gardner Chillson, and others. Samuel Bayley lived in the east part of the town, married Elizabeth Caswell, and had eight or nine children. Dr. Jonathan Pratt, born October 17, 1729, lived southeast of Mansfield Center.

Rev. Richard Briggs was the next minister of the Mansfield Church after Rev. Mr. Green, before noticed; he preached from 1809 to 1833 and was succeeded in 1835 by Rev. James H. Sayward. In 1838 the following named persons withdrew from the church to form what was called the orthodox Congregational society. The compact was as follows.

We, the undersigned, do hereby agree to form ourselves into a society or associ- ation for the purpose of procuring and supporting orthodox preaching in this place. Isaac Skinner. Elijah Copeland, Nelson Paine,

FROM 1685 TO 1776.

Daniel Williams, jr.,

James L. Corey,

Willard Billings,

Julius Skinner,

James H. Bailey,

Levi Skinner,

Daniel Williams,

Leonard Corey,

Jacob Bailey,

John Rogers,

Loring C. Shaw,

Charles B. Corey,

Elijah Copeland, jr.,

Avery O. Dunham,

Joseph Skinner.

Benjamin Williams,

Nahum Williams,

Isaac Skinner, jr.,

David Williams,

Homer Skinner,

Elias Skinner,

Harvey Corey,

John E. Corey,

Jacob A. Blake,

Amasa Copeland

William A. Paine,

William B. Baker,

Apollos Skinner,

Avery D. Allen,

Amasa Pratt,

Apollos Skinner, jr.,

Joseph S. Corey,

Amasa Grover,

Elkanah Bates,

Elisha Hodges,

Almond Copeland,

Isaac Paine,

Alvin Robinson,

Otis Allen,

Isaac White,

Adoniram Skinner,

Charles Turner,

Hermon Hall,

Hosea Grover,

Jesse Hodges,

Erastus Grover,

William White,

Luther E. Skinner,

James E. Paine,

Ruel Mills,

George E. Bailey.

This list adds largely to the names of residents in the early part of the present century. The new society was promptly organized and began holding meetings in the school house near the old church. Rev. N. Holman, of Attleborough, was the first pastor, and was succeeded in 1839 by Rev. Mortimer Blake. In that year a new meeting-house was built, which has since been enlarged and improved.

The first meeting-house in the town was never wholly completed. At a meeting held in 1758 "the very worshipful Col. Ephraim Leonard, Esq.," and Lieut. Joseph Pratt were voted the privilege of building private pews in the church. A part of the ministerial land was on the so-called Dorchester Plain, and was granted by the proprietors of " Taunton North Purchase for the maintenance of the Congregational ministry." It was divided between Norton and Mansfield January 9, 1778; there was also a tract of ministerial land in Taunton cedar swamp. In 1765 measures were adopted to build a new meeting-house; this was accomplished, the structure standing near the former site and being 60 by 44 feet. The work was carried on by a committee consisting of Capt. William Dean, Deacon Benjamin Skinner, Nathan Williams and Job Hodges. The site of the meeting-house was subsequently changed to the west side of Union street. The town meetings were held in the church a great many years, until the building of the new town house in Mansfield village, which was erected in 1882-3. It is a fine stone structure.

Early manufactures of Mansfield were confined to a few saw and

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

grist mills and the shops of small mechanics for making shoes, harness, tin ware, etc .; but in comparatively recent years the town has become a leader in Bristol county in the variety and extent of her industries. All these are properly noticed in later pages.

The first record of importance relating to schools in the town is the following under date of November, 1771:

Voted, that the one month's school which has been lately kept at the dwelling- house of Nathan Williams, jr., should be reckoned to the whole district, and go towards the present year's schooling. They voted not to have three schools at once during the present winter, but they did vote to have schools. Voted to have the schools kept at or near the same places where they were kept last year.

Previous to this date the educational affairs were, of course, directed by the authorities of Norton. In 1775, the year of town incorporation, fifteen pounds only were voted for the support of schools. After the close of the Revolution, when the town was divided into districts, edu- cational facilities were greatly improved, the later aspects of which are noticed farther on.

CHAPTER V.

FROM 1776 TO 1815.

War of the Revolution-War of 1812.

The causes leading to the appeal to arms by the American colonists against the mother country are well understood and need not be con- sidered here. Their existence began years before the first gun of the Revolution was fired, and continued until the forbearance of the people was exhausted, and they rebelled. The famous Declaration of Rights, prepared in Philadelphia in 1774, was sent to the English Court, to be received with only ridicule and threats. The battle of Lexington, where was "fired the shot heard 'round the world," was fought on the 19th of April, 1775-a battle of insignificant proportions, but most momentous as the beginning of eight years of conflict which was to close with the founding of the greatest republic the world has ever seen.

Bristol county, as we have seen, was quite thickly settled, much of

FROM 1776 TO 1815.

its territory cleared and cultivated, and twelve of its towns erected, at the beginning of the Revolutionary war. It may be truthfully stated in general terms, that this county was prompt to respond to the call to arms, voted men and money liberally to aid the patriot cause, and gave to the American armies many men of heroism and distinction. There were loyalists among the inhabitants, as there were in every New England community, some of whom fled to British territory, and some were arrested and imprisoned. But their numbers or their deeds were not in any sense remarkable, considering the numbers of inhabitants and the large Quaker element in this vicinity, who were non-combat- ants.

The then existing villages of New Bedford and Taunton were the military headquarters for this region, and the more important proceed- ings and events connected with the war that took place therein are fully chronicled in the history of those places in later pages. No attempt is made in this work to do more than give a brief account of the strictly local aspects of the conflict in the various towns of this county. Taun- ton was the principal military center, as it had been in preceding wars, and there patriotic meetings were held in the fall of 1774 where intense enthusiasm was manifested. On November 9 of that year, a meeting of the commissioned officers of the "3d regiment of the county of Bris- tol" was held, at which the regiment was divided "by the name of the East and West Division." The East Division contained Taunton, Easton, and Raynham; the West the remainder of the county. In the East Division was "ye Troop in Taunton, Captain Nathaniel Leonard, Capts. Simeon Williams, John Reed 2d, Israel Dean 2d, Cornelius White, James Leonard, Ebenezer Dean," "ye Troops in Raynham," Capts. Elijah Leonard, Israel Washburn, "Ye Troops in Easton," Capt. Zephaniah Keith, Capt. Abiel Mitchel.

On the 22d of April, 1775, three days after the battle of Lexington, the Massachusetts Congress resolved, among other war measures, that it was necessary for the colony to raise 13, 600 men, of the 30, 000 necessary for public defense. Under the resolution Bristol county raised a regi- ment, which was placed under command of Col. Timothy Walker. In the spring of 1776, the militia of Bristol county was entirely reorgan- ized pursuant to orders of the General Court, and George Godfrey, of Taunton, formerly colonel of the East Division of the Third regiment, was commissioned brigadier-general over the Bristol county brigade, consisting of four regiments, as follows: First regiment, Thomas Car- 13

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

penter, of Rehoboth, colonel; second regiment, Edward Pope, of Dart- mouth, colonel; third regiment, George Williams, of Taunton, colonel; fourth regiment, John Daggett, of Attleborough, colonel. This brigade performed efficient and honorable service throughout the war; no one of its regiments was called upon for distinct service, apart from the brigade. When certain services were required, or additional men needed, orders came down to General Godfrey from his superiors, the various quotas were raised in the town, or the specified services were performed by designated companies in a regiment forming part of the brigade, or by a regiment enrolled from the brigade, commanded by officers detailed from the brigade. As the war progressed, and necessity arose for blankets, clothing, etc., requisitions were made for them on the several towns of the State. For example, January 20, 1777, a requisition was made for 5,000 blankets; Taunton's proportion of these was forty, and other towns in the county in like ratio.

It may be justly claimed that Bristol county made the first actual war movement of the Revolution, a movement antedating the battle of Lexington by ten days. On the 9th of April, 1775, an expedition was planned to march to Assonet village (Freetown) under Col. John Dag- gett, of Attleborough, to seize arms and munitions, and capture royal. ists said to be harboring there. Most of the body of this expedition were from Attleborough and that vicinity. Arriving at their destina- tion, there were captured, substantially without bloodshed, forty stand of arms, a quantity of ammunition, and a number of men were com . pelled to swear allegiance to the patriot cause.

Colonel Daggett was a representative to the Congress of 1775. In March, of that year, Attleborough appointed a Committee of Corre- spondence and Safety, as was done in all other towns; bounties were voted by the town, which gradually increased in amount, largely through the enormous depreciation in the currency. In February, 1781, there was voted "the sum of 3,000 dollars hard money, for the pur- pose of raising men for three years." In 1775 Attleborough had thirty- seven men in Capt. Moses Wilmarth's company; sixty-two in Caleb Richardson's company, eleven in Moses Knapp's company. In Jabez Ellis's company of minute men, 1775, ninety-one men; Stephen Rich- ardson's minute men, forty men; George William's company, 1777, eighty-five men; Samuel Robinson's company, militia, 1778, thirty- three men; Alexander Foster's company, 1778, sixty-three men; Sam- uel Robinson's company. 1778, seventeen men; Elisha May's company,

FROM 1776 TO 1815.

1778, twenty-seven men; Samuel Robinson's company, 1780, fifty- three men. Another company in 1780 contained thirty-two Attle- borough men; Samuel Robinson's company, 1781, thirty-nine men; Enoch Robinson's company, 1780, forty-one men; Moses Wilmarth's company, 1781, fifty-three men.

The old town of Dartmouth adopted measures as early as 1774 to up- hold the cause. On July 18, of that year, Walter Spooner, Benjamin Akin, William Davis, William Tallman, Maj. Ebenezer Willis, Jireh Willis, Seth Pope, Seth Hathaway and Hannaniah Cornish were ap. pointed a committee to report the sense of a meeting on the public situation. The report stated that they were grieved at the necessity for doing anything unfriendly to Great Britain, but resolved to not purchase goods made in Great Britain or Ireland, or any foreign teas, etc. Thomas Kempton was captain in August, 1775, of a company of fifty eight men, all but three of whom were from Dartmouth. Captain Kempton was a descendant of Manasseh Kempton, one of the early pro- prietors of Dartmouth. One of two other companies was commanded by Captain Egery, of Fair Haven, and the other by Benjamin Dilling- ham, of Acushnet, both of which towns, and also New Bedford, were then in Dartmouth. This old town, as will be seen in the History of New Bedford herein, was intensely active during the struggle, and suffered accordingly through the British invasion of 1778.

The town of Rehoboth began on July 25, 1774, to appropriate money for the use of the general Congress in the sum of "£5 3s. 8d., it being Rehoboth's proportionable part of the money to be ordered out of the treasury by the selectmen." It was voted also to purchase no goods imported from Great Britain after August 31, of that year. Major Timothy Walker and Capt. John Wheeler were "delegates to the proposed Provincial Congress" of October, 1774. On May 26, 1775, it was voted to raise two companies " to be ready on any special alarm; " one of these was to be raised in the easterly and one in the westerly part of the town. In November, 1775, it was " voted to bor- row four pieces of cannon of Capt. John Lyon and Mr. Nathan Dag- gett." The sum of £60 was appropriated for "mounting said cannon and providing ammunition and other utensils." In the same month the town voted "it expedient to fortify Hog-pen Point." This was in Seekonk. Saltpetre-making was encouraged, and a factory was established in what is now Seekonk. The customary bounties were voted to soldiers. Companies, or parts of companies, were under com-

100

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

mand of Capts. Samuel Bliss and John Perry, in 1775. Captain Bliss's company contained thirty-five men besides officers, and Captain Perry's company thirty-one men. Col. Timothy Walker, in command of a regiment, belonged in Rehoboth, and also a part of the following offi- cers: Staff officers-Timothy Walker, colonel; Nathaniel Leonard, lieutenant-colonel; Abial Mitchell, major. Captains-John Perry, Samuel Bliss, Silas Cobb, Francis Liscomb, Marcy Williams, Peter Pitts, Caleb Richardson, John King, Oliver Soper, Samuel Tubbs, jr., Mason Shaw, Jacob Fuller, Daniel Parker. Lieutenants --- John Paine, Aaron Walker, Isaac Smith, Matthew Randall, Samuel Lane, Enoch Robinson, Noah Hall, Simeon Cobb, John Shaw. From the time that the British first took possession of Rhode Island, in December, 1776, until they evacuated it, more than two years later, the militia of this town and its vicinity were subject to frequent drafts of men, and were often called out on alarms. One company, if not more, marched from this town to Rhode Island in October, 1777, and served one month in Spencer's so-called "secret expedition." In the list of the six-months men, raised to reinforce the Continental army in 1780, were forty-one Rehoboth citizens, who marched to West Point. A list of names that has been prepared of soldiers from Rehoboth during the war, contains one hundred and four names.

The old town of Dighton acted promptly in repudiating the purchase of British manufactures. On December 26, 1774, a committee was ap- pointed "to carry into execution the resolves of the Continental Congress." The following were the committee: Sylvester Richmond 3d, Rufus Whitmarsh, Peter Pitts, Joseph Gooding, Dr. William Baylies, William Brown, Abiezer Phillips, George Codding, David Walker, Samuel Phillips, William Gooding, James Dean, John Richmond and John Simmons. Minute men were raised in 1775, and the customary moneys voted for war purposes. On May 20, 1776 (some weeks previous to the Declaration of Independence), it was voted "that if ye Honourable Congress should for the safety of the United Colonies declare them in- dependent of the King of Great Britain, they, the said inhabitants, will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the measure." In July, 1775, a bounty of fo was voted to volunteers in addition to the bounty provided by the province.

In the town of Norton it was voted on January 16, 1775, "to adhear to the advise and Recommendations of the association of the Continen- tal Congress." A committee of safety was appointed, consisting of

-------

101

FROM 1776 TO 1815.

John King, Benjamin Morey, William Smith, Isaac Smith and Israel Trow. The alarm from Lexington reached Norton on the day of the battle, and Capt. Silas Cobb and Capt. Seth Gilbert, each with a squad of men, started for the scene on the same day. Cobb had eighteen, and Gilbert fifty-two men. Many men from this town enlisted in Easton companies, noticed further on. Capt. Isaac Hodges marched with a company upon the occasion of the Tiverton alarm, and again a larger one went with him upon the before-mentioned secret expedition of September-October, 1776. Capt. Israel Trow took a squad of men to Rhode Island in December, 1776, and commanded a company there in 1777, as also did Capt. George Makepeace. In 1778 Capt. Joseph Cole's Bridgewater company had a number of Norton men. In Capt. Joseph Franklin's company, of Rehoboth, also were a few men from this town. In 1780 Capt. Israel Trow marched with a full company to Rhode Island, and Capt. Smith also commanded a company there at that time. Capt. John Allen was in command of a company, or part of a company, in that campaign. In December, 1780, sixteen Norton men enlisted for three years, and in the same year eight men went in Capt. Jabez Barney's Swansea company. In the summer of 1781 the town was called upon for 6,768 pounds of beef and a large quantity of clothing and blankets. A Norton artillary company was organized in 1776, with George Makepeace captain.

The town of Easton had two military companies at the beginning of the war. It has already been stated, on a preceding page, that Elipha- let Leonard, jr., was making firearms at this time in his Easton forge. The first monthly roll on record was that of Abiel Mitchell's company, which, at the time of the first alarm, contained forty-seven men, chiefly from the eastern part of the town. Another was immediately organ- ized under Macey Williams, containing fifty men. Other companies, and parts of companies, were successively enlisted in this town through- out the continuance of the war. The Committee of Correspondence and Safety for 1776 consisted of Joshua Phillips, Seth Pratt, Lemuel Willis, Joseph Gilbert, Thomas Manley, jr., Abisha Beach and Edward Hay ward.

The town voted that this committee should "Incorage the manufac- ture of Sault Peter in this town." Other captains of companies were James Perry, Matthew Randall, Josiah Keith and Ephraim Burr. A comparison of the muster rolls on record from Easton with the tax lists shows that nearly every able-bodied citizen of the town, as well as

102

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

many boys, served their country in the war; quite a number died in the service, but the experience of the large majority, of course, was confined to responding to the calls of occasional alarms and to drill. The officers of prominence from the town were Capt. Elisha Harvey, Capt. James Keith, Col. Abiel Mitchell, Capt. James Perry, Capt. Mat- thew Randall, Capt Josiah Keith, Capt. Macey Williams, Capt. Ephraim Burr.

On the 21st of April, 1775, the town of Swansea voted "that 40 guns, 250 lbs. powder, 750 lbs. of lead, and 600 flints be provided." Fifty men were promptly enlisted to be ready "at a moment's warning." A penalty of five shillings was imposed for " wasting a charge of pow- der." In 1777 twenty pounds bounty was voted in addition to what was paid by the government for three years' men. Numerous war measures and votes were adopted by this patriotic town in support of the army during 1778-9. In May, 1789, it was voted "that there be a guard on each of the necks for the safety of the good people of this town; that each man have four dollars for each night's service." In the same year twenty two men were "voted to guard the shores." What is now Somerset was then a part of this town and the settlement. along the river was at that time at the zenith of its importance. The Bowers and Slade families had large shipping interests and whaling was carried on to some extent. Shipping, mercantile and manufactur- ing industries were all paralyzed by the war.

In the old town of Freetown, which then included what became Fall River, a company of minute men under Capt. Levi Rounseville re- sponded to the alarm from Lexington; Samuel Taber and Nathaniel Morton were lieutenants; John White and Consider Crapo, sergeants; Joshua Lawrence and Seth Hillman, corporals. The privates were Phillip Taber, Uriah Pierce, Benjamin Lawrence, Abiel Cole, Consider White, Jesse Keen, Jacob Benson, John Clark, John Braley, Percival Ashley, Ichabod Johnson, Micah Ashley, Seth Morton, Jeff. Sachems, Israel Haskell, Louis De Moranville, Abram Ashley, Charles De Mor- anville, Aaron Seekel, Abner Hoskins, Benjamin Runnels, Thomas Rounseville, Peter Crapo and Joseph Hackett. In Captain Rounse- ville's company raised for the Ninth Regiment were many of these same men and others from the town, numbering in all thirty nine; among the names not mentioned above were the familar ones of Bor- den, Bowen, Ingraham, Mason, Parker and others. A company under Capt. Benjamin Reed responded to an alarm in December, 1776, and a

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Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 11

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