USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 12
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FROM 1776 TO 1815.
company of local militia containing thirty-four men served in Rhode Island in July and August, 1780, as did another company under Capt Joseph Horton, in which Percival Ashley and Peter Crapo were lieu- tenants. Throughout the war the whole eastern part of the county manifested commendable patriotism. In Raynham, which received such high praise from General Cobb for its action in Shays's insurrec- tion, it was voted on August 5, 1774, to pay its proportion of the ex- penses of the Continental Congress amounting to 14s. 6d. A Commit- tee of Safety was appointed consisting of Israel Washburn, Joshua Leonard, Benjamin King and Elijah Leonard. From that time onward through the conflict the town liberally voted money for soldiers' boun- ties and for clothing, blankets, etc. In 1778 there was raised $35,416 for the soldiers, and $24,000 with which to purchase 6,000 lbs. of beef; this was in the depreciated currency of that time. In 1781 one hun- dred hard dollars were offered as bounty for three year enlistments.
War measures adopted in Norton, before noticed, involved Mansfield, which was set off from that town in 1770. There were, however, a number of distinct votes by the town of Mansfield, offering the usual bounties to soldiers and for supplies to the army. A meeting was held in the town in June, 1777, to "present tories." In Berkley the full complement of men was sent to the army in proportion to population. In 1776 there was voted £75 10s. bounty in addition to what the gov- ernment paid, for soldiers sent into New York. Col. John Hathaway commanded a regiment. The number enlisted from the town is not known, but there were several Revolutionary pensioners, among them Capt. Joseph Sanford, Josiah Macomber, Samuel Paull, William Evans, Ezra Chace and Paul Briggs.
The foregoing summary indicates that Bristol county as a whole ex- hibited active and unremitting loyalty to the patriot cause in the strug- gle for freedom. Her geographical situation was such, with her extensive seaboard and large harbors and river, that the inhabitants were constantly under a burden of anxiety or suffering from actual alarms or incursions. The most important event that took place in the county during the war, was the invasion and destruction of Dartmouth on September 5, 1778. This memorable event is fully described in the accompanying history of New Bedford, which was a terrible sufferer at the hands of the British at that time. The whaling industry, which employed fifty vessels in 1775 at New Bedford alone, was hopelessly crippled, settlements were destroyed, trade, manufacturing establish-
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
ments and shipping burned, and settlers killed. It was severe punish- ment visited upon the old town in retaliation for her zealous activity in privateering during the early years of the conflict, in which her vessels preyed upon British merchantmen and war craft. In 1780 the General Court made an appropriation for the sufferers in Dartmouth of £1,200.
The proclamation of cessation of hostilities was issued to the Ameri- can army on the 19th of April, 1783, just eight years from the date of the battle of Lexington. The country was left in an impoverished con- dition; business interests of all kinds were paralyzed; money was very scarce, and the prices of all commodities high. During the war much suffering and imposition was averted in many towns by the action of Selectmen in fixing prices that should be charged for the necessaries of life;1 but these restrictions were removed after the close of the conflict, when the currency was depreciated to an unprecedented extent and gold and silver were almost unattainable.
But recuperation was rapid, particularly on the seaboard. In New Bedford and at other points where the whaling industry had been fol- lowed, with its many kindred occupations, shops and warehouses were soon busy in fitting out vessels and ere long a large fleet was abroad in quest of the great inhabitants of the deep, the capture of which returned enormous profits to owners, masters and crews. In the interior of the county manufacturers in various lines, tradesmen and farmers turned again with hopeful hearts to their vocations and under the banner of peace made the region a scene of busy activity.
1 Following is a scale of such prices established by the Selectmen of Dartmouth in 1779: € s. d.
Good merchantable imported wheat, per bushel. 0 7
6 Indian corn, per bushel 0
4
0
Good fresh pork, well fatted, per pound . 0
0 41% Men's best shoes, made of good neats leather, per pair. 0
Imported salt, per bushel
0
10 0
Good West India ruin, per gallon by the hogshead.
0
6
8
Good New England rum, per gallon 0
3
10
Good Muscovado sugar, at the place where it is first landed, per lb.
0
8
Good English hay, per ton 0
4
10
0
Horse-keeping with good English hay, per night, or 24 hours. 0
2
0
The best broadcloth manufactured in this town, per yard. 0
Mowing and reaping and other labor, from 25th March to last of September, 3
1 4 Good coffee, per pound. 0
DIET AT PUBLIC HOUSES.
For a dinner of boiled and roasted meats and sauce, equivalent. 0
1
4
A common dinner ..
0
1
0
A common supper and breakfast, each 0
0 10
A night's lodging. 0
0 4
6
14 0 per day. 0
8 0
105
FROM 1776 TO 1815.
An event of considerable importance, bringing in its train a transient and insignificant war cloud, took place in Bristol county soon after the close of the Revolution. This was what is known as Shays's rebellion of October, 1786, an occurrence of warlike aspect that is unique in the history of the country. The principal actors in the brief drama from this county were Col. David Valentine, of Freetown (now Fall River) and Col. David Cobb, then officiating judge of the Common Pleas Court. The underlying causes of this insurrection were the heavy State debt under which the people were burdened (then about $5,000, - 000) a continental debt of a like sum, and $1,250,000 due to the armies, with consequent heavy taxation. Towns had been greatly embarrassed by the numerous réquisitions for men, money and supplies; gold and silver money was very scarce and the paper currency was enormously depreciated. Legal process had been commenced against delinquents in every town and hundreds of cases where attachments had been made were on the dockets of the courts. Bristol county was no exception.
In August, 1786, citizens of nearly forty towns in Worcester county met in convention to discuss the situation, and resolutions were adopted asking the General Court to "relieve the people of their burden." Other similar gatherings were held in various counties where resolutions were adopted similar to the above, with others asking for a revision of the constitution; protesting against the sitting of the Legislature in Boston and passing onerous tax laws; in favor of abolishing the Com- mon Pleas Court and the Senate; against exorbitant court fees; for re- moving sheriffs and large salaried officers, etc. While these were not visionary causes of dissatisfaction to the people, the changes demanded were palpably impracticable. In this county there existed strong feel- ing regarding the cases in court. Citizens of Rehoboth invited "all the towns to assemble and co-operate in an appeal for relief and redress of grievances," and other evidences of deep dissatisfaction were apparent. Finally one Daniel Shays, of Pelham, who had been an American offi- cer at Bunker Hill but had resigned, assumed leadership of a party of disaffected citizens. Associated with him were Col. Eli Parsons, Maj. Luke Day, Capts. Job Shattuck, Oliver Parker, Thomas Grover, and other leaders of the movement in western counties, with Col. David Valentine, of what is now Fall River, as the local leader.
Operations began under these men in western counties. In Great Barrington, Berkshire county, eight hundred of Shays's forces assembled and prevented the sitting of the court, forcing the judges to sign a
14
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
pledge not to sit in court until the public grievances were redressed. The jail was broken open and prisoners released. At Northampton one thousand five hundred and fifteen men took possession of the court house and prevented court from sitting. In Worcester a similar course was allowed, as well as at other points in New England, the tales of which were spread broadcast.
The government authorities in Bristol county were not so easily over- come as elsewhere. Fortunately we have an authentic and clear ac. count of what took place on that October day on Taunton Green, in the report of General Cobb to Governor Bowdoin, dated October 20, from which the following is taken :
Sir :- As the Honorable Supreme Court returned immediately from this town to Boston, Your Excellency must have been informed of the successful protection that government received here from the militia of this division.
On Sunday evening preceding the sitting of the court, I took possession of the court house and the piece of artillery here with a small company of volunteers of this town. On Monday morning this company were greatly increased in number, and in the afternoon of the same day, were reinforced by the two full companies of militia from the faithful town of Raynham and a small company of volunteers from Rehoboth.
Lieut. Col. Orr, with a detachment from the 3d Regiment of Plymouth Brigade, arrived in the evening at the meeting-house in this town. This body by the active and spirited exertions of the commander came to my assistance much sooner than was expected.
The leaders of the insurgents, during the day, were traversing the county to col- lect their force and frequently threatening that through slaughter they would possess themselves of the court house this night. This gave me no uneasiness as I was secure of my numbers and knew theirs to be trifling. But during the night and on Tuesday morning a report prevailed that a large number were coming from the county of Worcester to join the disaffected here. As it was possible this report might be true, I thought it prudent to call on three companies of the adjoining militia to re-enforce by Wednesday morning. This day the insurgents collected their force and took up a rendezvous within a mile and a half of this place, but finding their numbers insufficient for an attack they dispersed at sunset with orders to assemble at the same place the following morning. Their leaders in the course of the night were to ransack all parts of the county so as to collect every possible addition to their force. Their numbers at this time were ninety-eight in arms and forty-three without.
On Wednesday forenoon these companies of militia that had been ordered the pre- ceding day joined me; these with what were on the ground before made the govern- ment troops 375, rank and file.
About 10 o'clock, being informed that the insurgents were on their march, I or- dered the following disposition of troops, viz.
Lieut. - Colonel Orr with part of his detachment on the right-the two companies
107
FROM 1776 TO 1815.
from Raynham on the left-the Field piece with its company of volunteers in the Centre-composed the front line. The remainder of Col. Orr's detachment with the Rehoboth troops and two companies of militia formed the rear line. The other com . pany of militia was posted at the door of the court house. Soon after this order was completed the insurgents came on the Green with military parade, and with more insolence than force, formed their line directly in front of mine, and not more than thirty yards distant. Their numbers were one hundred and forty-eight in arms, in- cluding officers, and thirty-four without arms.
That fear and rage with which they had alarmed the county for some days past, appeared to have vanished, and the sight of government in force made them as peaceful a set of rioters as ever with so much impudence advanced so near their enemy.
They continued in the same position almost three hours, and after presenting a petition to the Supreme Court and receiving their answer they retired in the same manner they came on. Their commander wished me a good night, as he went off the field, promised to return the next day with petitions that would be more agree- able to the Honorable Court, but before they had marched a mile he dismissed them from further service.
Although the insurgents were dispersed yet I conceived it necessary to continue the troops during the morning session of the court, and accordingly they were not discharged until Friday noon.
The behavior of both officers and men during their continuance here, would have done honor to much older troops. They retired from the town without the least in- jury to person or property. Some of the militia that were called upon on this occa- sion, turned out with alacrity and spirit,-but the exertions of the little town of Raynham deserves every praise from government.
Such was the modest report of the heroic Judge Cobb. While Col. Valentine's party, with and without arms, were demoralized after the first parade and interview with the judge on the Green, and their leader fled to England for safety, Shays and his insurgents were carry- ing on their operations in other sections. When he attemped to seize the arsenal in Springfield in January of the next year, the Legislature declared martial law and four thousand troops were called out under command of Maj. - Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. He proceeded to Spring- field and the insurgents were soon subdued. Shays finally fled to Ver- mont and Canada, and his principal officers also left Massachusetts. After a year in seclusion Shays returned to New York, was ultimately granted a pension for Revolutionary service, and died in Sparta, N. Y., in 1825. The insurgents were all pardoned.
While these important events were taking place, considerable prog- ress was made in the older towns, the organization of which has already been described. In Freetown as early as 1699 an effort was made to- wards the establishment of a church in connection " with some of our
108
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
neighbors in tanton; " nothing was accomplished until 1702, when in town meeting Robert Durfee was made an agent to obtain a minister who would also teach a school. Two years later William Way accepted the place; but he was not entirely satisfactory, although he remained until 1707, when he was dismissed and the Court of Sessions directed the town to provide itself with "an able, learned orthodox minister." It required three more years to comply with this order, and in 1710 Joseph Avery was employed. At the same time the first meeting- house was built "upon a lot of land that Samuel Lynde, of Boston, had promised to give to the town on which to erect a meeting-house and a school-house, and to be used also for the purpose of a burial ground and a training field."1 Mr. Avery remained only a short time and in October, 1714, was ordained pastor of a church in Norton. After two or three attempts had been made to secure a satisfactory minister, a choice was made in June, 1713, of " Jonathan Dodson to be minister of the gospel for this town until there is a supply from England." This action led to a controversy, precipitated by several prominent citizens who applied to Rev. Thomas Craighead to accept the pastorate . and promised to support him. At a town meeting to settle the matter, held February 9, 1717, a majority of twenty-eight to three voted in favor of Mr. Craighead. Dissension followed and he had to appeal to the law to collect his salary. Many of the inhabitants now united with the Friends, who built a meeting-house in 1725, opposite the site of the present Crystal Spring Bleachery in Freetown. For many years thereafter that sect had the largest congregation in the town. Forty or fifty years later the old house was removed to the north part of the town and continued in use by the Friends nearly seventy years, when it was demolished, and the one erected that is still standing. It was not until 1747 that another minister was settled in the town, in the per- son of the Rev. Silas Brett, who was compelled to enter into an agree- ment to not go to law to collect his salary. He continued to about 1775, and the society having declined, no pastor was settled until 1809, when Rev. Joseph P. Tyler was called and a Congregational meeting- house was built in Assonet village; this is still in existence, but in re- modeled and improved form.
Three Calvinistic Baptist Churches have had an existence in this town. One built a house in the southern part of Assonet village, and
1 This old meeting-house stood on the east side of the main road leading from Fall River to Freetown, where the old burial ground is situated.
109
FROM 1776 TO 1815.
Revs. David Simmons, Philip Hathaway, and others were early min- isters. The society subsequently changed their title to "Christians," but continued to use the meeting house until about two years before its demolition, when they built a new one which both societies occupied. The Second Calvinistic Baptist society was formed in that part of the town set off to Fall River and still exists as the First Baptist Church of that city. The third one was in the east part of the town, what is now called East Freetown, the site of the meeting-house being a little east of the village.
Four churches of the Christian Baptist denomination have had an ex- istence in Freetown, three of which were in East Freetown, and each erected a meeting-house.
After the employment of William Way, the first minister, to teach the children in " Reading and Righting," as before noticed, the public records show that no further proceedings took place in that direction until the spring of 1718, when Jacob Hathaway was made "agent to seek for a schoolmaster." Thomas Roberts was found and employed "to keep school at three places," for which he received £36 for one year. He continued about three years and was succeeded by William Caswell. In 1722 it was voted " the school be removed three times in the year; the first remove to be had at the meeting-house; the second remove to be had at the lower part of the town; thirdly, to be removed to the upper part of the town." In the same year it was voted " the school houses to be set at the middle of each half of the town from the meeting-house or centre." In 1727 it was voted to erect two school houses; these were built and in 1758 were sold at auction, one for five dollars and the other for two dollars. Meanwhile the town had pur- chased, in 1746, a new school house of Ephraim Tisdale, and in 1748 voted " to build a new school house of twenty four feet in length and twenty feet wide, upon the town land in the centre of the town, near or upon the spot on which the old school house stands." This land lay within the northernmost limits of Fall River. In January, 1755, it was voted to dismiss the former committee that was chosen to build the middle school house, and then "made choice of Nathan Simmons to finish sd house." March 15, 1762, it was "agred with Capt. Elisha Parker to build a school house in New Freetown, 18 feet long and 14 feet wide, in the most convenient part of sd town, for 21 pounds 6 shil-
1 The reader will find further reference to carly Freetown schools in the history of Fall River herein.
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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
lings lawful money, to be completed be the 1st of Oct. next." This school house was probably situated at what has been known as Mason's Corner. In April, 1768, it was voted "that the selectmen supply the town with a grammar schoolmaster as soon as may be." On the 17th of May, 1773, the town voted to build a school house at Assonet village on the site of the one erected in 1746, which had recently been burned; this building was sold at auction in August, 1809, for $40. In July, 1781, it was voted that " the upper school house at Assonet be a work- house to put the poor in, and Capt. George Chase chose to be overseer." The cost of supporting the poor that year was $416. In the next year it was voted that "the poor of Freetown that are upon the town should be put into the school house near Assonet bridge, except the Widow Davis' family." This was reconsidered and the poor were let out to the lowest bidder, as was customary in early years. In December, 1791, the town was divided into seven districts. Of these districts Nos. 1 and 7 were in what became Fall River; district 4 at Assonet; district 5 included Slab Ridge, Quanapaug, and the Backside; district 6, to in- clude all the inhabitants " to ye eastward of Bolton's cedar swamp, and also to include ye family of Benjamin Westcoat, Mr. Rounseville, Thomas Rounseville, and Philip Rounseville." At the same time the number of weeks of school in each district was fixed. From this time forward the schools of the town were inspected with commendable reg- ularity by committees, and the buildings kept in good repair. In 1809 and 1810 the sum of $457. 91 was appropriated for the schools. Among
those who were prominent on the committees were Col. Benjamin Weaver, Col. Nathaniel Morton, Capt. Charles Strange, Job Morton, Simeon Borden, Dr. John Turner, Abraham Ashley, Joshua Lawrence, Edward Chase, Maj. Joseph Weaver, Capt. Benjamin H. Lawton, Ed- mund Peirce, Lynde Hathaway, Hercules Cushman, Job Terry, Silas Terry, Earl Sampson, and others. Among the many teachers of the town during the last century and the first quarter of the present century may be named William Gaige (1725), Israel Nichols (1733), James Tis . dale, Shadrach Winslow, Joshua Howard Brett, and others in later years.
There were two dams built across the Assonet River in early years, the first about 1695, for supplying power to a saw mill, and later to a grist mill and fulling mill; the second in 1704, for the forge that was operated for nearly a century, and later a grist mill, a cutlery manu- factory, and a nail factory. A third dam was that at Assonet village,
111
FROM 1776 TO 1815.
built about 1710, for a grist mill, and in later years a saw mill, shingle mill, etc. Another dam was built where the bleachery of recent years stands, and where a grist mill, a trip-hammer and a nail factory were operated. The next dam constructed was probably the one where the so-called Howland saw mill stood. The dam near Maple-tree Bridge was erected about 1827, where a grist mill, and later a box-board fac. tory were operated. On Mill Brook, emptying into the Assonet, mills of various kinds were early operated; a saw mill was among them, just within the Fall River bounds, and lower down the stream was a saw mill, and a grist mill and subsequently a small foundry; next a bleach- ery, where the Crystal Spring Bleachery is situated. On the site of the Crystal Spring Bleachery reservoir was in early years a cupola furnace, afterwards used for a bleachery and burned at a later date. On what was Fall Brook, in the easterly part of the town, was erected, about 1784, a blast furnace, where smelting and the manufacture of hollow ware was carried on. The original proprietors were Capt, Levi Rounse- ville, Philip Rounseville, and Capt. Abraham Norton, of East Freetown; Capt. Job Peirce and Joseph Leonard 2d, of Middlebourough; and Seth Keith, of Bridgewater; the ore was taken from Middleborough. A settlement gathered there which was known as Furnace Village. In 1811 James Alger, of Bridgewater, Gen. Cromwell Washburn, of Taun . ton, and Col. Samuel Fobes purchased three-fourths of the furnace, and in 1814 Mr. Alger bought the other quarter; at the same time General Washburn sold his share to Alger & Fobes, who operated the furnace, two saw mills, a grist mill, a store, etc., and did a large business. The property changed owners in 1818 and was operated as the Providence Foundry Company. A sash and door factory succeeded and later a saw mill. Higher up the stream near the depot site, was once a dam and a saw mill; still higher up were two other dams where box-board mills were operated. At the lowest dam, near the stone bridge, was estab- lished a grist mill and a box-board mill.
The early physicians of Freetown were Dr. Richard Winslow, who was probably the first; Dr. Job Turner, in that part which became Fall River; his son, John, jr .; Shadrach Winslow, born December 17, 1750, a graduate of Yale, and taught school in Freetown; Joshua How- ard Brett, another school teacher, who practiced medicine; Jesse Bul- lock, a native of Rehoboth, died December 31, 1805; William Carpen- ter, a native of Rehoboth; Nicholas Hathaway, practiced in the town nearly twenty years and moved away in 1817; Seth P. Williams, a
112
OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.
native of Dighton, began practice here in 1817; Thomas Bump, began practice about the same time and continued nearly sixty years, mean- while holding many public offices. Bradford Braley, began in 1816 and continued to his death in 1873; Barnaby W. Hathaway, Thomas C. Nichols, Henry H. Sproat.
The old town of Rehoboth was also making progress during the period under consideration in this chapter. In 1784 it was voted "in addition to the money already granted for schooling £20 for a gram- mer school." In 1787 it was voted that the Selectmen be instructed "to remove the powder and other town stock, that is now at Col. Thomas Carpenter's as soon as conveniently may be." The town rec- ords for March, 1788, contain a list of those who took the oath of allegiance to the commonwealth, they having been implicated in the Shays insurrection ; they were as follows:
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