USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > Quarter millinnial celebration of the city of Taunton, Massachusetts, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 4 and 5, 1889 > Part 4
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TAUNTON SHIP-BUILDING -- 1700.
In the year 1699, Thomas Coram,3 who had previously come to this country from Dorsetshire, England, bought a tract of land of John Reed on the west side of Taunton river, and established a ship-yard in South Dighton, at or near what is now sometimes called Bragg's ship-yard, being south of the town-landing; near the end of the road leading from Dighton Four Corners to the river, at the place now George A. Shove's homestead, a descendant of the Rev. George Shove, our third minister. Here he built several ships and laid the foundation of that industry which flourished for many years in this vicinity; and although actual ship-building has been discontinued in this town, our shipping interests have so largely increased that Taunton is the owner in whole or in part of over fifty vessels of differ- ent kinds, with a combined tonnage said to exceed that of any coast-wise shipping list in any other city of New Eng-
1. 3 Palfrey's N. E. p. 535. Revolution Justified, pp. 13, 14.
2. See Appendix V.
3. An interesting paper on Thomas Coram, by the Hon. Charles A. Reed, of Taunton, may be found in the Old Col. Hist. Soc. Papers, No. 2. A number of Coram's letters are in " The Davis Papers, " in the Mass. Hist. Society Library, Boston,
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land. It may not be uninteresting in this connection to state, that notwithstanding the general disapproval of lotteries at the present day, even for worthy objects, our pious fore- fathers frequently resorted to them on special occasions ; and in 1760 a law was passed authorizing James Williams, George Williams, Robert Luscomb and John Adam of Taunton and Stephen Burt of Berkley, to establish a lot- tery for the purpose of raising three hundred and fifty pounds to remove the rocks and shoals from Taunton Great river "between the Ware Bridge and Rocky Point."1 The first Weir Bridge had been built about 1667, the General Court allowing twelve pounds toward the same out of the pub- lic treasury. The lottery was established, and printed tick- ets were issued, one of which I now have before me. How successful the lottery proved to be in clearing the river may be understood when we know that since that time the gen- eral government has spent $250,000, for the same purpose, besides individual expenditures by parties interested ; and these improvements are not yet complete.
INCORPORATION OF NORTON AND OTHER TOWNS-1711-35.
Our history records no other interesting events until about 1710, when a period of twenty-five years witnessed very important changes in our extensive territory. The earliest settlement in the tract afterwards included in the North Purchase, before spoken of, was made in 1669, on the easterly side of Winnecunnet Pond by William Witherell, a prominent man in Taunton, ancestor of the present William D. Witherell of Norton, and justly called the father of that town. The settlement in the pleasant neighborhood around this pond had so increased in 1707 and the people were so remote from the only place of public worship, that in No- vember of that year they sent a petition to the town to 1. See Appendix W.
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bound them out a separate precinct, "for the maintanance of a minister," whom they pledged themselves to support. Taunton was not quite ready to assent to this request, as- signing to the General Court the ostensible reason that "the generality of the North Purchase are so poor that we ffear they will not be able to build a meeting house and maintain a preacher." Probably the other reason given in their pro- test was no less weighty, namely : "that many of us are so extream poor, and rates and taxes so high, that we find it hard and difficult to rub along. "
Application to the General Court was finally successful, and in 1709 the North Precinct was established, which in 17I I became a new town under the name of Norton, prob- ably an abbreviation of North Town.1 It included, as is well known, the present territory of Easton and Mansfield, subsequently organized into separate towns, in 1725 and 177 I respectively, the latter being so named by Gov. Hutch- inson, in admiration of the eminent Chief Justice of Eng- land. The same inconveniences which led the North-folk to take the step above mentioned, also induced the southern part of the town to similar action ; and in 1708 about thirty of the dwellers in that region also petitioned for a separate precinct. This caused even more opposition than the other ; the town seemingly being anxious lest the petitioners should be exposed to much "difficulty by reason of the Great river that runs through the middle of that desired precinct, which will be difficult to pass in winter by reason that the ice is many times not strong enough to bear, and too hard to break !" An excuse much thinner than the ice itself; for the General Court made short work of it, granted the re- quest of the petitioners, and set out their new precinct as desired ; which in 1712 was declared to be a separate town 1. See Appendix X.
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under the name of Dighton, so-called from Frances Dighton, a sister-in-law of Gov. Dudley, and wife of the Richard Wil- liams before mentioned.1
Several other attempts were made to divide the town, but without success until 1731, when the north-easterly por- tion having become in the language of that day, "compe- tently filled with inhabitants," was incorporated under the name of Raynham.2 The fashion of town-division was now at its height, and in 1735 our old town was called upon to part with another section on its southeasterly border ; and the new town of Berkley (named for Bishop Berkeley, who had resided a short time at Newport, R. I.) took its place on the flag of the Old Colony. This completes the list of our municipal offspring.3 No other town in the Old Colony can boast of so many daughters. As in an earlier age the Heavenly Saturn is said to have successively thrown off its several bright rings, so in a later day, did this our terrestrial planet, in the first century of her existence, set six new stars in her surrounding firmament, which together con- stituting one united constellation, this day revolve-har- moniously revolve-around one common centre of interest and attraction. But to follow them in their respective or- bits would lead us too far from our present path. They will soon have interesting celebrations of their own.
SETTLEMENT OF NEW TAUNTON-1736.
I take especial pleasure as a son of Vermont in stating the fact known doubtless to many of you, that the first per- manent settlement in that state was made by hardy pioneers from this place. In the year 1735 a number of Taunton people petitioned the General Court of Massachusetts to be incorporated as a new town on the Connecticut river. Their request was granted, and a new town was created, under the
1. See Appendix Y. 2. See Appendix Z. 3. See Appendix A. A.
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name of Township No. One, or New Taunton. It was about six miles square, on the west bank of the river, a few miles south of Bellows Falls, and is now called Westmin- ster. Among the petitioners are the familiar names of Capt. Joseph Tisdale, James Williams, James Leonard, first, second and third, William Hodges, Joseph Wilbore, Ebenezer Dean, James Walker and others. I have a complete copy of their entire records for the Appendix. On the 14th of Jan- uary, 1736, they met and organized in the little red school house at the Neck-of-Land, by the choice of Deacon Samuel Sumner as moderator, James Williams as proprietors' clerk, and a committee of allotment, viz. Capt. Joseph Tisdale, Lieut. John Harvey, Ens. Seth Sumner, Mr. Joseph Eddy, Mr. Edmond Andrews and Mr. Ebenezer Dean, to divide and allot the land in tracts of not over fifty acres each. One lot was reserved for the first minister, one for the second, and a third for the school. After expending considerable money in building houses, a saw mill and grist mill, and making other improvements, it was ascertained in 1741, on the re- survey of the boundary line between New Hampshire and Massachusetts, (which latter state had theretofore claimed. jurisdiction as far north as Concord, N. H.) that New Taun- ton was several miles north of the true boundary line, and the grant from Massachusetts therefore invalid. The new settlers thereupon sold out their improvements to other par- ties who had been authorized by Gov. Benning of New Hampshire to take possession, and in 1742 those who had gone to Vermont returned to Taunton where they lived and died. I have reason, therefore, as a Vermonter to feel a special interest in the town of my adoption.1
TAUNTON MADE A SHIRE-TOWN-1746.
In the year 1746 another important event occurred bearing largely upon the future interests of Taunton. The 1. See Appendix BB.
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town of Bristol, though much smaller than Taunton, had been made the county seat in 1685, when Bristol County was created. Every student of history knows that origin- ally the western boundary of the Plymouth Colony, and so of Bristol County, was the Narragansett Bay; and that for many years Bristol, Warren, Barrington, and other neigh- boring towns, were a part of Massachusetts, and sent repre- sentatives to our General Court in Boston ; but by decree of the king and council in 1746 (a very unjust one, in my opinion) the boundary line was so run that those towns fell to Rhode Island, and our jurisdiction over them ceased. Bris- tol, having heretofore been the county seat, all the courts had been held there, and the records of deeds and wills were there also. It became necessary to choose another shire- town ; and the central location as well as the relative import- ance of Taunton rendered its selection natural and easy, a choice which should have been made when the county was established. Accordingly an act was passed, creating Taun- ton a shire-town, and all books and papers in Bristol were brought here, and the first County Court, or Inferior Court . of Common Pleas, was held here December 9, 1746. This event made Taunton the legal centre of the county, a posi- tion that had much to do with her future prosperity.1 Thc first Court House was built about 1747, Taunton contribut- ing nearly one thousand pounds towards its erection. It stood a little southwest of the present building, until 1772, when it was succeeded by another, forty feet square, and twenty-four feet high, which in 1827, being found inade- quate, was removed northward down Cobb's Lane, now Court street, and converted into a tenement house. The present respectable edifice, erected in the same year, even now requires enlargement. The first jail was built in 1747, at a cost of about $3,000, on the site of the Bristol County 1. See Appendix CC.
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Bank building, and during the erection of it the school house was "impressed" for jail purposes. This first jail was used in 1775 for the confinement of "prisoners of war" by order of the council.1 The present one, erected in 1873 at a cost of about $ 160,000, is known as one of the model jails in the Commonwealth, and under the present manage- ment might sometimes be taken by the passer-by for a first- class conservatory, and always as a most inviting home for honest and gentle folk, of whatever degree !
TAUNTON IN THE REVOLUTION-1776.
But time rolls on. Mighty events are fast approaching ; events involving the existence of a nation, and the destinies of a world. The oppressive measures of England had be- come unendurable ; Lord North controlled the British policy ; the Stamp Act had passed ; Writs of Assistance had issued ; the streets of Boston swarmed with foreign soldiery ; the Bos- ton Massacre had taken place ; Crispus Attucks had fallen ; the Boston Port Bill had become a law. These cruel and vindictive measures aroused the indignation of our people. Committees of safety were everywhere appointed ; minute men were organizing companies ; beacon fires were burning on every hill-top ; and the spirit of resistance was kindling into an irresistible flame. In these stirring events Taunton was not backward; indeed she was among the foremost. The same spirit which led her fathers, a century before, to refuse obedience to the arbitrary acts of Governor Andros, inspired the breasts of their descendants.
Long before the Declaration of Independence, long be- fore the burning words of Patrick Henry; before Putnam had left his plow in its Connecticut furrow, or Washington taken command of the American army ; before the march to Lexington, or the fall of Ticonderoga, the citizens of Taun- 1. See Appendix DD.
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ton, with prophetic eye, foresaw the real issues involved in the coming conflict, and as early as October, 1774, unfurled their banner to the breeze on Taunton Green, bearing those inspiring words, "Liberty and Union ; Union and Liberty. "1
The uprising in this vicinity became so great that Gov- ernor Gage deemed an armed force necessary to keep the people in subjection, and at his request, Col. Gilbert, a notorious Tory of Freetown, raised a body of three hundred men to overawe the friends of Liberty. These proceedings produced intense indignation, and Col. Gilbert was denounced as " an enemy to his country, to reason, to justice and to the common rights of mankind;" and it was declared that " whoever had knowingly espoused his cause, or taken up arms for his support, does, in common with himself, deserve to be instantly cut off from the benefit of commerce with, or countenance of, any friend of virtue, America, or of the human race." Such was the spirit of Bristol county, says one of the Boston papers of that day, "that it is more dan- gerous to be a Tory at Taunton, than in Boston itself. "2
On the 28th of September, 1774, a spirited county con- vention was held at the old Court House in this town, at which Zephaniah Leonard, Esq., (afterwards Judge of the Common Pleas) was chairman, and Dr. David Cobb, clerk. Patriotic resolutions were unanimously adopted, declaring that they were " determined at the risk of their fortunes and their lives, to defend their natural and compacted rights, and to oppose to the utmost all illegal and unconstitutional measures, which have been or may be hereafter adopted by a British Parliament or a British ministry. "3 Thus early were the yeomen of this vicinity preparing the way for the full declaration of American Independence.
1. Frothingham's Life of Warren, p. 403.
3. See Appendix FF,
2. See Appendix EE,
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The news of the battle of Lexington reached Taunto on the evening of April 19th, 1775. That very night both of the Taunton companies, one commanded by Capt. James Williams, Jr., the other by Capt. Robert Crosman, rallied in full force, and led by Col. Nathaniel Leonard, suc -. ceeded by rapid night marches in reporting for duty in Roxbury early on the following morning.1 From that day Taunton was all alive. Within four days another company of sixty men was organized, and went into active service under Captain Oliver Soper, on the 24th of the same month. On the 3d of July the town appointed a committee of Inspection and Correspondence,2 consisting of twenty-one of her most active patriots : such men as George Godfrey, Nicholas Baylies, George Williams, Dr. David Cobb and Josiah Crocker, son of the sixth minister, and father of Hon. Samuel Crocker. A complete record of the proceedings of this committee has been happily preserved among the God- frey papers in the hands of that zealous antiquary, Deacon Edgar H. Reed. One of their first acts was to seize the es- tate and effects of Daniel Leonard, who, over the signature of Massachusettensis, had written the most plausible articles ever put forth in support of the Royalist cause, and which were for a long time attributed to Attorney-General Sewall.
In 1776, nearly one hundred citizens of this town headed by John Godfrey, signed a solemn league and coven- ant, (the original of which is still preserved) "not to aid or assist the British forces, or supply them with provisions, or stores, or give them any information, but on the contrary, according to their best power and abilities, to defend by arms the American colonies against every hostile attempt of the fleets and armies of Great Britain. "3
Taunton also furnished the colonel for a new regiment of Bristol County, and a brigadier general for a new brigade 1. See Appendix FF a. 2. See Appendix GG. 3. See Appendix HH.
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of four regiments, viz. Col. George Williams, and Brig. Gen. Godfrey, who became a very prominent figure in our Revo- lutionary period. Two more companies were also raised in '78 and '79, for different periods of service.1 When we re- member that Taunton then had only about three thousand souls, we can justly claim that she did her full part in the Revolutionary struggle. Her contribution to the main body of the army would entitle her to this meed of praise ; but what other town in the Commonwealth, nay, in the entire country-had the honor-the imperishable honor-of fur- nishing not only two of the most trusted members of General Washington's staff, but also one of the foremost signers of the Declaration of Independence !
Nicholas Baylies, a member of the Committee of Safe- ty, before spoken of, and so prominent in our town during the Revolutionary period, was the father of Hon. Hodijah Baylies, the favorite aide-de-camp of Gen. Lincoln, whose daughter he afterwards married. Subsequently he became the friend and aide of Washington, serving under him at the siege of Yorktown. He was a man of polished manners and martial bearing, " an officer with all the elegance of the British generals, without any of their vices." After the war he became a faithful, accurate and accommodating Col- lector of Customs, and a most acceptable Judge of Probate for a quarter of a century. .It is unnecessary to remind this audience that he was the father of our late esteemed and beloved townsman, Mr. Edmund Baylies, who so gracefully wore that highest of all earthly titles, "a Christian gentle- man, " and who but recently came to his grave "in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in its season. "
No doubt the patriotic sentiment of Taunton and vicin- ity was largely molded by Robert Treat Paine, who had married the sister of General Cobb, and at the time of the 1. See Appendix Il.
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Revolution was about forty-five years old. His house was on the east side of City Square, on or near the site of the Taunton National Bank. He had conducted the prosecution against the British soldiers for the Boston Massacre, had warmly espoused the side of the colonists, was delegate from Taunton to the General Assembly of Massachusetts in ,73 and '74, to the Provincial Congress of '74 and "75,and to the Continental Congress which succeeded it, and was one of the fifty-six who, in that "diploma of immortality, " pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor for their country's independence. Subsequently he became Speaker of our House of Representatives, Attorney General, State Councillor, and finally Judge of the Supreme Court. He was a man of great legal attainments, a brilliant wit, an ex- cellent scholar, an able and impartial judge, a devoted pa- triot. His philanthropic descendant, the embodiment of all " Associated Charities, " worthily bears his honored name.
On the other hand Daniel Leonard, then about thirty- five years of age, although born of the best blood of the Old Colony, educated in her highest institutions, gifted with remarkable powers as a writer, lawyer and orator, and for several years our chosen, popular and trusted representative in the General Court, in an evil hour deserted his former friends and embraced the Tory cause. His house, (now standing just east of the Court House) was assailed by his indignant fellow-citizens, and he fled to Boston to join the enemies of his country. For this he was soon banished from the Commonwealth, his property was confiscated, and he died in exile in a foreign land, shunned and despised by his former townsmen and by every true lover of his country. He left no descendants in America. Of these two contem- poraries, the name of the one is ever mentioned with honor and respect, that of the other is almost forgotten. " The
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memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot. "
I have spoken thus particularly of two prominent law- yers in our Revolutionary period. but these are not all. Of the long roll of able counsellors and judges, who at some time resided in Taunton, what more shall I say? Time would fail me to tell of Samuel White, the first Taunton lawyer, and his grandson, Francis Baylies, of George Leon- ard, of Samuel Fales and Seth Padelford, of Seth Williams, of Samuel Sumner Wilde, of Nicholas Tillinghast, of Mar- cus Morton, father and son, nay, three sons, of John Mason Williams and Pliny Merrick, of Theophilus Parsons, Har- rison Gray Otis Colby, of Chester Isham Reed and others ; governors and lieut. governors, justices and chief justices of every court in this Commonwealth. What wonder there- fore, with such a record before me, that I should have been induced, forty years since, to leave the land of my birth, and to say unto this place, henceforth " thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God."
TAUNTON IN SHAYS' REBELLION-1786.
The war of the Revolution was over; but it left the colonists completely exhausted. The expenses incurred in carrying it on were enormous ; taxes were burdensome ; pub- lic and private indebtedness overwhelming. The currency was sadly depreciated ; trade uncertain ; and the avenues of industry were closed. Corn was £15 a bushel; board £52 a week ; wood £40 a cord.1 Every silver dollar was worth seventy-five paper dollars ;2 landed property was worth- less, and starvation stared many in the face. An uprising of discontent took place in many counties, Bristol among the rest. Collection suits were so obnoxious that courts were the special object of attack. At the September term of the Common Pleas in this town, the Court House was 1. Atwood's Reminiscences, p. 55. 2. See Appendix .J.J.
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threatened by an armed mob, demanding that the court should not be held. Gen. Cobb, then one of the justices of that court, in answer to these threats, uttered, according to tradition, these memorable words, so familiar to every Taunton ear, and which have passed into history : "Away with your whining ; I will hold this court if I hold it in blood ; I will sit as a judge, or die as a general. " Awed by his resolute spirit, the crowd dispersed ; but the spirit of in- subordination was not yet quelled; the western counties were soon in open rebellion, and the October term of the Supreme Court was approaching. Apprehending a second demonstration, Gen. Cobb, on the Sunday evening previous, took possession of the Court House with a small body of volunteers from this town, and one field piece, still in exist- ence among us. The court opened its session on Tuesday morning and on Wednesday the insurgents again appeared to the number of about two hundred, and armed with English muskets put themselves in battle array under Col. Valentine of Freetown. Gen. Cobb drew up the militia, numbering about four hundred and planted his loaded cannon. To the de- mand that the court papers be delivered up or destroyed, Gen. Cobb, it is said, drew a line with his sword on the ground and shouted to the rebel leader, " If you want these papers, come and take them ; but pass that line and I fire ; and your blood be on your own head." The insurgents were cowed and fled in dismay, and armed resistance to the law of the land in Bristol county ceased. It is to the credit of Raynham that it sent more men to put down this insur- rection than any other town in the county; two full com- panies from that place having promptly responded to Gen. Cobb's call.
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General Cobb, though born in Attleboro', came to Taunton at an early age. A graduate of Harvard in 1766, when under sixteen, educated in her medical school, a physi- cian of only twenty-seven when Independence was declared, he threw himself heartily into the contest, and with his brother-in-law, Robert Treat Paine, was representative to the General Court in October, 1774. He was appointed Lieut. Col. of the 16th Massachusetts Regiment, then be- came the aide and intimate friend of Washington, and after the return of peace was repeatedly honored by his native state. Speaker of her House of Representatives, President of her Senate, Councillor to her Governor, Lieut. Governor himself, Maj. General of her militia, Chief Justice of one of her courts, what more could he be except her representa- tive in the Federal Congress of 1773-5. Notwithstanding his busy public life he still had time to look after the inter- ests and welfare of his own townsmen, and was so active in procuring the establishment of the Bristol Academy in 1793, as to have received from the trustees the title of its "patron and founder." Take him all in all he was one of the most distinguished men the times produced. His versatility of talent was remarkable. A sagacious physician, an intrepid soldier, an honest politician, an unselfish statesman, a safe councillor, a discreet judge, an earnest patriot. Well did Massachusetts honor itself in directing that his portrait be hung on the walls of her Senate Chamber as an inspiration to the generations to come after him! Well do we honor ourselves in inviting his only living male descendant to be present on this occasion.1
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