USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > The Bristol County directory, 1875-6 > Part 9
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In accordance with a vote of the town, Messrs. Leonard & Russell established in Taunton, that part now Raynham, a forge for extracting iron from ore, this being the largest establishment of the kind then upon the American continent.
Henry Leonard ere long removed to New Jersey and set up a like establishment there. Ralph Russell went to Dartmouth and set up works of like character. James Leonard remained at Taunton, now Raynham, and was father of the large and very respectable family of Leonards at Taunton, Norton, and Raynham. The forge remained in the possession of James Leonard and his lineal descendants for an entire century. It is now an anchor forge.
In or near 1700 the Leonards built at Raynham a large, and for that time, in this country, a very elegant dwelling. This house was modelled after the English fashion prevailing in the 18th cen- tury, with a few modifications proper for defence against Indians, with which the country abounded at the date of its erection. This house was the family mansion of the Leonards for six or seven suc- cessive generations, and in some of the early wars was garrisoned. Tradition asserts that at the breaking out of King Philip's war, in. 1675, that chieftain gave strict orders to his followers never to hurt the Leonards, but in the excitement incident to war and bloodshed it was not always practical to carry out these instructions, and hence we hear that Uriah Leonard, who was riding on horse- back from Taunton to the forge, was fired upon by the Indians. He instantly plucked off his hat, swung it around, which started his horse and in full career, he reached the forge dam without a wound, but several bullets were shot through the hat he held in his hand, and through the neck of the horse near the mane, from which the blood on both sides gushed and ran down on both his legs.
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While Deacon Nathaniel Williams with some others were at work in the field on the south side of the road, about half a mile from the forge, one of the number discovered a motion of the bushes at a little distance ; he immediately presented his gun and fired, upon which the Indians were heard to cry cocoosh, and run off, but soon after, one of the Indians was found dead near by.
Near what is called Squabetty, were killed by the Indians, Henry Andross, James Phillips, James Bell, and two boys; they were fired upon by the Indians who were in ambush. The graves of the slain are still pointed out not far from the banks of the Taunton River.
Rev. John Wales was Raynham's first minister. He graduated at Harvard College in 1728, and married Hazadiah, a daughter of Deacon Samuel Leonard. Deacon Samuel Leonard, the fourth son of Major Thomas Leonard, and grandson of James Leonard.
Rev. John Wales was a son of Elder Nathaniel Wales, who was ordained a ruling Elder of the church of Braintree, Feb. 27, 1700.
Rev. John Wales served in the gospel ministry 34 years, and died ' Feb. 23, 1765. -
Next came Rev. Perez Fobes, LL. D. He was ordained in Raynham Nov. 19, 1766. He was born in Bridgewater Sept. 21, 1742. He died in Raynham Feb. 23, 1812.
Rev. Stephen Hull was the successor of Rev. Mr. Fobes. Mr. Hull was installed in Raynham Sept. 9, 1812, and continued pastor of the Congregational church here until May 1, 1823, when dis- missed at his own request.
Rev. Enoch Sandford was the next minister. He was ordained Oct. 2, 1823, and continued in the ministry here until 1837.
- The following named gentlemen of this town have attained to positions in the local militia higher than that of Captain:
Colonels :- Noah Hall from March 22, 1792 to 1795; Warren Lin- coln from August 13, 1831, to 1832.
Lieut. Colonels :- Zephaniah Leonard from about 177 -; Jonathan Shaw, from 1781 to 1788; Noah Hall, from May 15, 1788 to March 22, 1792; Warren Lincoln, from Sept. 23, 1829 to Aug. 13, 1831; William L. Wilbur, from Oct. 23, 1838 to April 24, 1840.
Senior Major :- John Gilmore, from 1805 to 1806.
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Majors :- Jonathan. Shaw, from 1779 to 1781; John Gilmore, from April 26, 1798 to 1805; Eliab B. Dean, from Sept. 16, 1817 to 1822; William D. Robinson, from May 13, 1837 to April 24, 1840. All these field officers held their military positions in the 3d Reg't, in 2d Brigade, 5th Division, except Eliab B. Dean, who was major of a battalion of cavalry.
The present population of Raynham is 1687; legal voters 428.
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SOMERSET.
Somerset is bounded northerly by Dighton,* easterly by Free- town and Fall River, and westerly by Swansea.
By the common carriage roads, (old mail routes), Somerset is 45 miles from Boston, 13 from Taunton, and 13 from Providence.
Population in 1840, 1063; in 1865, 1789; in 1870, 1776; in 1875, 1940. Legal voters in 1865, 385; in 1875, 434.
Under the old militia system, of Massachusetts, abolished April 24, 1840, the train band of Somerset consisted of one company of infantry of which the captains were as follows;
Philip Bowers to 1794, promoted to Major of First Regiment in Second Brigade, Fifth Division; Samuel Read, from Sept. 17, 1794 to 1799; James Wilbur from May 11, 1799 to 1802 ; Samuel Bourne, May 4, 1802, to April 23, 1808, promoted to Major of First Regiment in 2d Brigade 5th Division; John Hood, from Nov. 5, 1808 to Dec. 27, 1817; Hanan Wilbur, from June 29, 1818 to 1820; Elisha Slade, Jr., from April 28, 1820 to Sept 28, 1821, promoted to Major of Fifth Regiment, in Second Brigade, Fifth Division; Stephen Brayton, from May 7th, 1822 to March 20, 1826; Wheaton Luther, from Sept. 9, 1826 to 1831; John D. Cartwright, from Sept. 2d, 1831 to 1832; Bradford Buffinton, from 1832 to 1837.
This system, once so popular, fell into disrepute, and the state rec- ords do not show that any captain was commissioned after 1837, though the company was not disbanded until 1840.
While the Militia of Somerset constituted a part of the First Regiment, this town, or that part of Swansea now Somerset, furnished that regiment with the following named Field Officers and Adjutants.
Colonel :- Jerathmal Bowers, from Feb. 1762.
Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant: - Philip Bowers, from Aug. 24th, 1801 to 1802; Joseph Kellogg from 1807 to 1808; Samuel Bourne, from March 29, 1810 to 1811.
Senior Majors :- Philip Bowers, from March 14, 1796 to Aug. 24 1801; Samuel Bourne, from 1808 to Marchi 29, 1810.
Junior Majors :- Philip Bowers, from 1794 to March 14, 1796; Joseph Kellogg, from April 11, 1805 to 1807.
Adjutants :- Levi' Wheaton, from 1762; Joseph Kellogg, from May 3, 1799 to April 11, 1805, promoted to Major.
While the militia of Somerset was in the 5th Regiment of Second Brigade, Fifth Division, the town furnished the Major, Elisha Slade, Jr., from Sept. 28, 1821 to 1823.
* A small part of Dighton, was annexed to Somerset, April 4th, 1854.
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Some difficulty arose between Col. Jerathmal Bowers and "the higher powers" that caused him to be dismissed from the office of Colonel. Lieut .- Cols Philip Bowers and Samuel Bourne either died in commission or resigned very near the dates of their deaths. Major Elisha Slade, Jr., became a Calvanistic Baptist minister at Somerset, and preached a free gospel without money and without price, and thus obeying the injunction " freely have ye received, freely give" or in a word illustrating apostolic doctrine and primitive christianity in his daily life and conversation. He was also the Post Master at Somerset.
SWANSEA.
This town forms a part of a tract of country called by the Indi- ans, WANNAMOISET .*
Swansey was incorporated as a town, Oct. 30, 1667. and at that date also embraced the present limits of the towns of Somerset, Mass., Barrington, and a part of Warren, Rhode Island. The town, doubtless derived its name from Swansea in Wales, and in its earliest records the name was spelled as that of the place by that name in Wales, but in latter years it has come to be spelled Swansey. In 1649, Obadiah Holmes and several other members of Rev. Samuel Newman's church in Rehoboth, withdrew and set up a separate meeting. The attempt to break up this meeting (that was then deemed an irregularity) only served to increase the zeal and add to the number of its members. "Freedom to wor- ship God" in Plymouth Colony at that date, meant freedom to wor- ship God precisely as those in temporal power should dictate, and not otherwise.
"Freedom to worship God" in the Puritan system of govern- ment must be understood in a limited sense. It only meant free- dom for people of their sect. They had separated themselves from the false teachers of England, and supposed they ought to guard against the heresies and corruptions which cursed the old coun- tries. Even their failings leaned to virtue's side. The world had not then discovered the modern magnanimous idea of universal toleration.
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Fourteen years later, viz: in 1663, this body of dissenters was greatly strengthened by the arrival of Rev. John Myles, with a part of his Baptist Church which he had formed in Wales and soon after this arrival was formed in Rehoboth, the fourth Baptist Church formed in America. This church was organized in the house
*A part of what is now called Swansea was by the Indians called Mattapoi- set.
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of John Butterworth, and at first consisted of seven members, viz .: Rev. John Myles, (the pastor,) James Brown, Nicholas Tanner, Joseph Carpenter, John Butterworth, Eldad Kingsley and Benja- min Alby. The court of Plymouth Colony now interfered, and each member of this Baptist Church was fined five pounds, pro- hibited from worship one month, and advised to remove from the Rehoboth settlement. In compliance with this advice they re- moved to Wannamoisett, and erected a house of worship near Kelley's bridge, on a neck of land now lying within the limits of Barrington, Rhode Island. Their second meeting house stood about half a mile from Myles' Bridge, on the east side of Palmer's .
River.
It was in Swansea that the first English blood was shed in that terrible conflict between races, called King Philips' War.
On Sunday, June 20, 1675, the Indians commenced their work of destruction by killing the cattle owned by the early English settlers of Swansea, and so insolent and provoking did the conduct of the former become that an Englishman fired upon and wounded one of the Indians.
On Thursday, June 24, 1675, the Indians slew eight or nine of the English inhabitants of Swansea, which caused the house of Rev. John Myles to be fortified and garrisoned, and the Colony of Massachusetts Bay in New England to send to the assistance of their suffering countrymen of Plymouth Colony a company of Cavalry under Captain Prentice, and also a company of foot soldiers under Captain Henchman, and these were strengthened by a company of Volunteers, one hundred and ten in number, led by Captain Moseley.
The Massachusetts forces arrived in Swansea on Monday, June 28, where were found the forces of the Plymouth Colony already collected.
But we have neither the time nor the space to enter into the de- tails of that greatest of New England wars.
No town, the history of which would be so generally interest- ing and instructive, from the sands of Barnstable to the hills .of Berkshire, has been so sadly neglected by historians as that of Swansea.
Swansea, by the ordinary carriage road, (the old mail stage coach route), is 46 miles from Boston, 20 from New Bedford, and 14 from Taunton. Swansea, Somerset and Freetown constitute a district for representation in the Massachusetts Legislature, and this dis- trict is entitled to send one representative to the general court each year. This representative is generally selected from each town successively.
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BRISTOL COUNTY HISTORY.
WESTPORT.
Westport is bounded northerly by the city of Fall River, easterly by the ancient and time honored town of Dartmouth, southerly by Buzzards Bay, and westerly by the towns of Tiverton and Little Compton in the state of Rhode Island.
Some additions to the limits of Westport have, at different times, been made, and the extent of her domain enlarged as follows:
A part of Dartmouth was added to Westport Feb. 25, 1793, and another addition from the same town was made March 4, 1805. A part of Portsmouth, R. I., was annexed to Westport in 1861.
By the old mail routes or common carriage roads this town is about eight miles from New Bedford, and twenty-one from New- port, R. I. For the purpose of computing mileage for a Represen- tative in the general court at Boston, Westport is considered to be sixty-five miles from the State capitol.
This town constitutes a representative district, and is entitled to send one Representative to the State Legislature every year.
Population in 1840, 2820; in 1865, 2799; in 1870, 2724; in 1875, 2912. Legal voters in 1865, 769; 1875, 808.
From 1664 until 1787, a period of 123 years, the local militia of that section of country now Westport formed a part of the mil- itary forces of Dartmouth, which forces were in 1667, by the colonial court, ordered to submit to the orders of Sergeant James Shaw and Arthur Hatherway, who by the authority of said court were appointed to exercise the men in arms in the town of Dart- mouth. About six years later, viz. March 4, 1673, John Smith was appointed and commissioned Lieut. Commandant of all the local militia of Dartmouth, and consequently of those residing within the limits of what subsequently became Westport. Lieut. Smith's subordinate officer was Jacob Mitchell, who was commis- sioned ensign bearer.
It is extremely difficult and in some cases impossible to learn who were the military leaders, the "Train Band Captains" of the local militia of the different towns, as very meagre records of these appear in the public archives in the office of the Secretary of State in Boston, and these are particularly deficient for the century com- mencing at the date, when the colonies of Massachusetts Bay in New England, and that of New Plymouth, now called Old Colony, were united. Indeed it was not until the adoption of a state con- stitution, near the close of the war of the American Revolution, that order came out of confusion, system and care succeeded irreg-
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ularity and neglect, and the military history of each town can be definitely and easily traced in the offices of the Secretary of State and Adjutant General in Boston.
It is the great difficulty attending the collection of this class of facts, that has caused the military history of almost every city and town of our commonwealth to be so seriously neglected, and the materials presented in type to be so scanty and meagre in the- extreme. The history of church matters is full to overflowing when compared with the particulars given of military operations, simply because clergymen were our earliest and for many years nearly all our local historians; and to ask who joined the church of any little hamlet or town in Massachusetts, and when they joined, and to some extent the sins he or she confessed while on the stool of repentance, as also the details of their religious experience, whether the convicted sinner was desirous of salvation as a means of escaping fiery torments, or willing to be damned for the glory of God; these, all these and a hundred other questions may be asked with a tolerably reasonable chance of getting a full and intelligible answer. But, if you enquire who from these hamlets, villages, or small towns served their country's cause, risking life and limb on the battle field, and sometimes sacrificing both in the several wars from King Philip's, begun in 1675, to that of the American Revolution, commenced in 1775, the chances are as ten to one that you can get no satisfactory information or the least realization of the promise that
"After years the tale shall tell Who bravely fought, who nobly fell."
While the French and Indian War was progressing, Zacheus Tobey and Ebenezer Willis were captains of Dartmouth militia. Capt. Tobey was promoted to Major of the Second Regiment in 1762, and Capt. Willis was promoted to Major of the same regi- ment in or about 1771 and discharged Sept. 19, 1775.
As early as 1762, or one hundred and thirteen years ago, the mi- litia of old or original Dartmouth had become so numerous as to be divided into five companies, one of which, doubtless, embraced the train band and alarm list of what is now Westport. The com- missioned officers of these companies at that date were as follows:
Captains ;- Ebenezer Aiken, Job Almey, Ezekiel Cornell, Ben- jamin Sherman and Elkanah Winslow,
Lieutenants :- Jonathan Winslow, James Wilkey, William Hix, Thomas Dennis and Benjamin Terry.
Ensigns :- Elkanah Tobey, James Richmond, Samuel Brownell, John Babcock and Jairus Clark.
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BRISTOL COUNTY HISTORY.
Nineteen Years later, the militia of ancient Dartmouth had been increased to nine companies, and that part of these forces in what subsequently became Westport, appeared under these officers, viz .:
Robert Earl, Captain; Sylvester Brownell, Lieut., and John Hix, Ensign.
In July, 1788, Capt. Robert Earl was promoted to Major of the Second Regiment of the Bristol County Brigade, and Lieutenant Sylvester Brownell advanced to Captain of the Westport Company
May 20, 1794, Captain Sylvester Brownell was promoted to Major.
FALL RIVER.
From July 1683 to Feb. 26, 1803, a period of about 120 years, nearly all the territorial limits of Fall River were embraced in Freetown. From April 1659 to July 1683, or little more than 24 years, most of Fall River was a part of "Ye freemen's land at . Taunton River," this being the designation in ancient records, of Plymouth County.
February 26, 1803, was the date of incorporation of Fall River as a town. June 18th the name of the town was changed to Troy, and it thus remained until Feb. 12, 1834, when the original name was resumed. As a town under the names of Fall River, Troy, and Fall River, it remained until April 12, 1854, a period of more than 51 years, and was then incorporated as a city. A part of what had been Tiverton, R. I., was added to the city of Fall River in 1861.
The first church edifice in Freetown was erected within the pres- ent limits of Fall River, and there stood and was used for religious purposes about 98 years. Adjacent to the church edifice and upon the same lot of land, stood a school house where the children of former generations were taught to read, write, and spell, and the delightful task indulged in of "teaching young ideas how to shoot." So long has that house been gone that all traditions concerning it have been silenced, and have passed from the minds and memories of men. Secular knowledge and divine instruction were doubtless for a time imparted under the same roof, as some of Freetown's earliest ministers were also employed to officiate in the capacity of town school-master, as by reference to the town records of "ye olden time," most plainly appears. (See 1st Book Freetown Records :)
"On the first Monday in February, 1703-4 voted that a man should be chosen to endeavour to bring a man into town to edu-
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cate and instruct children in Reading and Writing, and dispensing the Gospel to the town. Exceptance,
" JOHN REED Jr. Town Clerk."
Again we find under the date of May 15th, 1718 :-
"At a legal town meeting in freetown, Voted ;- To set up a school to learn children to read and right, and made a choyce of Jacob hathaway, agent, to seek for a school-master.
"JOHN REED, Jr., Town Clerk."
Hathaway was not only a wrestling Jacob, but a prevailing Israel, for five months later we find upon the time-worn record was entered,-
" October, the 8th day,-Voted, to allow thomas roberts 36 pounds for one years service, to keep the school at three several places, the public meeting house, Walter Chase's, also at or near to John howlands.
" february, the 14th day, 1720-21,-Voted and agreed, to seek out for a school-master for the present year, inasmuch as the last year's school-master, Roberts and the town did not agree.
" JONATHAN DODSON, Town Clerk."
" freetown, May, 17th day. 1721 .- Voted, to leave it in the pru- dence of the Select Men to agree with William Gaige or with Wm. Caswell to serve the town as a school-master for the term of one year."
" freetown, July 19th day, 1721 .- Voted, 30 pounds be raised on the inhabitants to pay the town's school-master."
" freetown, July ye 16th day 1722 .- then at a legal town meet- ing, voted, William Caswell 30 pounds in consideration of his serv- ing the town, to keep school in the town one whole year, the said Caswell to be at all cost of boarding or dieting himself: Said Caswell being present did agree to serve. Voted, the school to be removed three times in the year, the first remove to be at' the meeting-house the second remove to be at the lower part of the town, thirdly to be removed to the up- per part of the town. Voted, the school-houses to be set. at the middle of each half of the town from the meeting-house or centre.
"JOHN REED, Town Clerk."
To carry out the last clause of that vote a schoolhouse had to be built at or near Steep Brook. In 1725, William Gaige was em- ployed to keep school one year for 32 pounds, and board himself.
Wm. Caswell served as schoolmaster for the years 1726-27-28 for 38 pounds per year, and boarded himself, and in 1729 his wages . were raised to 40 pounds.
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3 July 10, 1727 the town voted to build two schoolhouses, one of which should be 18 feet long and 14 feet wide.
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In 1730, William Gaige was again the town's schoolmaster at 40 pounds per year.
In 1733 we find the following record of a vote passed Nov. 2d of that year.
"Voted, the sum of 50 pounds to Mr. Israel nichols, to keep school in said town, always excepting Saturday every week."
In 1738, "Voted, Mr. James Ward 66 pounds to keep school one year.
"JOSEPH REED, Town Clerk."
In 1738, sold two schoolhouses at public auction, one brought five dollars and the other two dollars.
1744, Dec. 17, James Mead was dismissed from serving longer as schoolmaster.
Nov. 13, 1745, the town made choice of Shadrach Hathaway to keep school one year, and he to board himself. Ambrose Bar- naby, town clerk.
Shadrach Hathaway was a graduate of Yale College. His grave- stone bears the following inscription: "In memory of Shadrach Hathaway, M. A., died December ye 3d, 1749, in ye 33d year of his age."
Up to this date, all that was done about schools in Freetown, that part now Fall River, received about one-half the benefits of, as it constituted about one half of the town. East or New Free- town was annexed in 1747, and then Fall River was considered about one-third of the entire township.
A school house standing near the meeting house, was in the town records of 1748, called an old schoolhouse, and a vote passed to supply its place by a new schoolhouse 24x20. The school- house then built must have been the second that stood on the meeting house lot.
These extracts meagre as the same are, furnish nearly all that can now possibly be learned of what was done for the education of children in Fall River, (that now is,) from 1704 to 1748, or the 44 years ending one hundred and twenty-seven years since.
In the pulpit of that meeting-house in what had been the centre of Freetown, now just within the most northerly limits of Fall River, the gospel was preached for nearly a century by the follow- ing divines, several remaining but a short period, as it was found to be an exceedingly difficult matter to "dispense the gospel to the town's exceptance," and taking exceptions to anything, and in fact to almost everything that a minister could do or say seemed to be the darling project of many of the people, instead of accepting or submitting to anything whatever. Jargon and contention was the rule, peace and quiet the exception.
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The patience of one of these preachers having become exhaust- ed, tradition asserts that he with warmth once proclaimed from the pulpit that he never before in all his life saw such a set of heathen and such incorrigible sinners, when, suddenly recollecting some others of the same sort. he checked himself with the words, "God forgive me, for I must and will except Taretown," meaning Tiver- ton.
One preacher who had failed to edify in the morning effort, told the audience that he should improve upon the same text in the afternoon, when one of his hearers blurted out ;- "well, preach from it again in the afternoon, but I shall not come to listen to you and the man in the next pew says he wont."
The laborei's in this stony ground of the Vineyard of the Lord were as follows :-
Rev. William Way, from Feb. 14, 1704 to Jan. 1707; Rev. Joseph Avery, Mr. Joseph Haile, Jonathan Dodson, Rev. Thomas Craig- head, Rev. James McSparrow, *Mr. Israel Nichols and Rev. Silas Brett. Of the 71 years between Feb. 14, 1704 and 1775, Rev. Silas Brett preached about 28 years.
The old church edifice, the first erected in what is now Fall River, was demolished in or about 1808. It was a very modest looking unpretending structure, without a bell tower or steeple, and inno- cent of the adornments of paint.
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