USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Maynard > The annals of Sudbury, Wayland and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The annals of Sudbury, Wayland and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > The annals of Sudbury, Wayland and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The annals of Sudbury, Wayland, and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wayland > The annals of Sudbury, Wayland, and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts > Part 7
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Maynard > The annals of Sudbury, Wayland, and Maynard, Middlesex County, Massachusetts > Part 7
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Iu a second list of Capt. Dakin's men eighteen arc supposed to be from Sudbury ; and in a third list are seventeen names supposed to be of Sudbury men. Besides these, there were some who served in other companies. Some were in Capt. Josiah Rich- ardsou's company, and some in Capt. John Nixon's.
In one of the expeditions of this war the town sus- tained the loss of Capt. Dakin and several others of its citizens, who were killed by the Indians at Half- Way Brook, near Fort Edward, July 20, 1758. At the time of this event Capt. Dakin and his company were connected with the expedition of General Am- herst against Crown Point. The following brief ac- count of the attendant circumstances are stated in a diary kept by Lieut. Samuel Thomson, of Woburn : "July 20, Thursday in the morning, 10 men in a scout waylaid by the Indians and shot at and larmed the fort and a number of our men went out to assist
them, and the enemy followed our men down to our Fort, and in their retreat Capt. Jones and Lieut. Godfrey were killed, and Capt. Lawrence and Capt. Dakin and Lieut. Curtis and En." Davis, and two or three non-commissioned officers and privates, to the number of 14 meu, who were brought into the Fort, all scalped but Ens" Davis, who was killed within 30 or 40 rods from the Fort : and there was one grave dug, and all of them were buried together, the officers by themselves at one end, and the rest at the other end of the grave ; and Mr. Morrill made a prayer at the grave, and it was a solemn funeral ; and Nath1 Eaton died in the Fort and was buried ; and we kept a very strong guard that night of 100 men. Haggit [and] Wm Coggiu wounded."
Then follows a list of the killed, beginning :
.
" Capt. Ebenezer Jones of Willmington Capt. Dakin of Sudbury Lieut. Samnell Curtice of Ditlo Private Gront of do "
Samuel Dakin was a son of Deacon Joseph Dakin, whose father, Thomas, settled in Concord prior to 1650. In 1722 he married Mercy Minott, daughter of Col. Minott, who built the first framed house in Concord. The farm of Capt. Dakin was in the north- ern part of Sudbury, on the road running northerly to Concord, his house being very near the town boun- dary. As early as 1745 he was appointed ensign of the second company of foot in Sudbury, of which Josiah Richardson was captain and Joseph Buck- minster was colonel. Sept. 10, 1755, he received the commission of captain in Col. Josiah Brown's regi- ment.
Capt. Dakin was a devout Christian. Just before going on this last expedition, he renewed a solemn covenant with God which he had made some years previous. This covenant is still extant.
Among other services rendered by the town was the maintenance of what were termed French Neu- trals, the people whom Longfellow has described in his poem "Evangeline."
One thousand of these French Neutrals arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Province, and were supported at public expense. Different towns, among which was Sudbury, had their quota to care for. Repeatedly is there a record of supplies furnished them by the town. The following is a general statement of some of these :
" An account of what hath been expended by sd Town of Sudbury on Sundry French Persons sent from Nova Scotia to this province and by sd government to town of Sudbury.
"The subsisting of Eighteen persous ten days-six persons three weeks, and four persons twenty-three weeks, the whole amounting to one hundred and twenty-seven weeks for one person charged at four shillings week for each person £25 - 88.
Ephraim Curtis Josiah Brown
Ebenezer Roby Josialı Hayurs Samnel Dakin Selectmen.
John Noyes
Elijah Smith.
" Some of them being sick a great many comers and goers to visit theni made the expense the greater even thirteen or fourteen at a time for a week together."
IT
THE LORING PARSONAGE. Sudbury Centre.
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SUDBURY.
THE WORK-HOUSE .- In 1753, a movement was made to establish a work-house in Sudbury. At the above-named date a vote was taken, when " it passed very fully in the affirmative, that it [the town] would provide a Work House in sd town, that Idle & Dis- orderly People may be properly Employed."
As evidence of further modes of discipline em- ployed in this period, we find that, in 1760, the town allowed payment to Col. Noyes for making stocks, and also for four staves for the tithingmen. In the warrant for a town-meeting in 1757, is the following article : "To see what the town will do with regard to Dido, a Negro woman who is now upon charge in this town." With regard to this Dido the town or- dered the selectmen "to make strict inquiries who brought Dido into town."
Another institution introduced into the town in this period was the pest-house. Tradition points to several localities, which at that time were within the town limits, where pest-houses were situated. The site of one of these is at Nobscot Hill. On the east- ern side of the hill, on land owned by Mr. Hubbard Brown, and a short distancefrom a small pond, are the graves of the small-pox vietims. They are clustered together beneath a small growth of pines that are now scattered over that briar-grown spot; and the wind, as it sweeps through the branches of this little pine grove, and the occasional note of the wildwood bird, alone break the stillness and disturb the loneli- ness of that forest burial-place.
In 1760, Rev. William Cook died, and Nov. 4, 1761, Rev. Josiah Bridge was ordained his successor. On March 9, 1772, Rev. Israel Loring passed away, and Nov. 11, 1772, Rev. Jacob Bigelow was ordained for the pastorate.
tiou at Sudbury the church numbered one hundred and twenty,-forty-one males and seventy-nine females. During his ministry four hundred and fifty were added to it; of these, forty-two malcs and seventy-two females were added before the division of the church, and, after the division, there were added to the West Church one hundred and twenty-nine males and two hundred and seven females. The whole number of children baptized by Mr. Loring in Sudbury was fourteen hundred.
For a time preceding the Revolution, the West Side was divided into the North and South Wards. In 1765, Richard Heard offered to collect the taxes on the East Side the river for three pence per pound if they would appoint him collector and constable ; and Aaron Haynes offered to collect them for the North Ward, West Side, and Jedediah Parmenter for the South Ward at the same rates.
In 1765, the town " voted to build a new stone pound between Lieut. Augustus Moors' dwelling- house at the gravel pit, on Col. Noyes' land which he promised to give the town to set a pound on by Dead." The pound was to be "30 feet square from Endside to Endside, 6 ft. high with pieces of timber locked together round the top 8 inches square, for six pounds and the old pound."
In 1771, the town voted to build a powder-house in which to keep the town's stock of ammunition. It granted for this object "7 pounds 9 shillings and 4 pence, and agreed with Col. John Noyes to build it, and place it near or on Wm Baldwin's land near Major Curtis'." Another record of the same year states that " the town voted to erect the powder-house on the training field near Mr. Elisha Wheelers." In 1773, it " voted to remove the powder-house to some suitable place on or near the gravel pit hill, and chose a committee to remove the same, if the com- mittee should think the house will be sufficient for the use it was built for, and rough cast and underpin said building."
SKETCH OF MR. LORING .- The service of Mr. Loring in the church at Sudbury was long and fruit- ful. He died in the ninetieth yearof his age and the sixty-sixth year of his ministry. It was said of him that "as he earnestly desired and prayed that he might be serviceable as long as he should live, so it REVOLUTIONARY WAR .- The period from 1775 to 1800, in this country, may truly be termed the period of the Revolution. It witnessed the commencement and close of arined opposition to the Britsh Crown, and the establishment in America of a new nation- ality. In the work of overthrowing the old and es- tablishing a new government, the several provincial towns had a common concern; each supplied its quota and each stood ready to respond to thie country's call. Sudbury, on account of its situation and size, bore a prominent part. It was the most populous town in Middlesex County ; its territory was extensive, and for a time in close proximity to the seat of war; for these reasons much was expected of it, and its patriotism was equal to the demand. pleased God to vouchisafe his request, for he continued to preach 'till the last Sabbath but one before his death, and the next day prayed in the town-meeting, which was on the 2nd day of the month. The night following he was taken ill, and on the 9th of March, 1772, he expired." Mr. Loring had pious parentage. His father, Mr. John Loring, of Hull, came from England, December 22, 1634. It has been said of him that, like Obadiah, "he feared the Lord greatly." His mother was also religious, and " prayed with her family in her husband's absence." Mr. Loring was born at Hull, Mass., April 6, 1682. It is supposed he was converted in his youth. He graduated at Har- vard College in 1701. He began to preach'at Scituate, Lower Parish, August 1, 1703, and preached first at The town was usually present, by delegates, in re- sponse to all calls, and her vote was stanch for the Continental cause. In 1770, the people manifested Sudbury July 29, 1705. On the fidelity of Mr. Loring's ministry we need offer no comments : his works arc his memorials. At the time of his installa- . their hearty appreciation of the agreement of
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merchants in Boston "to stop the importation of British goods, and engaged for themselves and all within their influence, to countenance and encourage the same." At an early day they chose a committee to : prepare and present instructions to Peter Noyes, Representative to the General Court, in regard to the Stamp Act, which set forth their opinions very strongly concerning that petty piece of tyranny. Record after record appears on the town-book, of resolutions and acts that show how positive the people were in their patriotism, and how pronounced they were in declaring it. These are of such a character that to give a few of them will suffice.
"1773. The Town being met the committee appointed by the town to take into consideration the affair relating to the Tea sent here by the East India Company, reported as follows, viz. :
" Taking into Consideration the late Conduct of administration, to- gether with an act of Parliament enabling the East India Company to expo t their Teas unto America Free of all Duties and Customs, Regu- latious and penalties in America as are provided by the Revenue Act ; we are justly alarmed at this Detestable Craft and Policy of the Min- istry to deprive us of our American Liberties Transmitted to us by our Worthy Ancestors, at no less expense than that of their Blood and Treasure. That price our Renowned Forefathers freely paid, that they might transmit those Glorious Liberties, as a free, full, and fair iuher- itance to Posterity, which liberties through the Indulgeut Smiles of lleaven, we have possessed in peace aud Quietness, till within a few years Past (Excepting in the reign of the Detestable Stewarts) but now Behold ! the pleasing scene is changed, the British ministry, assisted by the Inveterate Euemies to Americau Liberty on this as well as on the other side of the Atlantick, Combining togetlior to Rob 18 of our dear bought freedom, have Brought us to this sad Dilemma, either to re- solve like men in defense of our just Rights and Liberties, or sink nnder the weight of their Arbitrary and unconstitutional measures into a State of abject Slavery. Therefore as Freeborn Americans Intitled to all the immnuities, Liberties and Privileges of Freeborn Englishmen, we look upon ourselves under the Strongest Obligations to use our utmost Exertions in defense of our just Rights in every constitutional method within our power, Even though the Cost of the Defense should equal that of the purchase. Therefore resolved
" }st That as we are entitled to all the Privileges of British Subjects, we have an undoubted and exclusive Right to Grant our own monies for the support of Government and that no Power on Earth has a right to Tax or make Laws binding us, without our consent.
"2dly That the British Parliament laying a Duty on Tea Payable in America, for the Express purpose of Raising a Revenue, is in our opinion an unjust Taxation, aud that the specious method of permitting the East India Company to export their Teas into the Colonies, has a direct tendency to rivet the Chain of Slavery upou us.
"3dly. That we will lend all the aid and assistance in our Power in every Ratioual Method, to hinder the Importations of Teas, so long as it is subject to a duty ; and that this Town are well pleased with and highly approve of that Resolution in particular entered into by the Town of Boston, viz. : that they will not suffer any Tea to be imported iuto that Town while subject to au unrighteous Duty ; and it is the desire and expectation of this Town that said resolution be not relaxed in any Degree ; which if it should it would much lessen that confidence (which we hope we may justly say) we have reason to place in that re- spectable metropolis.
ugtbly That the Persons appointed by the East India Company to re- ceive and veud their Teas (by their obstinate refusal to resign their odions Commission) have shown a ready disposition to become the Tools of our Enemies, to oppress and enslave their Native Country, and have manifested such stupidity and wickedness to prefer private Interest to the good of their Country, and therefore can expect no favor or respect from us ; but we leave them to accumulate a load of Infamy, propor- tionate to their vileness.
"5 That whoever shall sell, buy, or otherwise use Ten, while subject to and poisoned with a duty, shall be deemed by us Euemies to their Country's welfare ; and shall be treated by ns as such. The Town by their Vote Ordered the foregoing resolves to be recorded in the Town Book, and a Copy of the same to be forwarded to the Committee of Cor-
respondeuce at Boston, with our sincere thanks to that Respectable Town, for their Manly Opposition to every ministerial measure to on- slave America.
"Thomas Plympton, Ezekiel llowo, John Maynard Committee." "Sampson Belcher, Phinehas Glezen, Josinh Langdon
Military Preparations,-November 14, 1774, " it was voted, that the town recommend to the several com- panies of militia to meet for the choice of officers for their respective companies, as recommended by the Provincial Congress. Also voted, that a company of militia on the East side, meet on Thursday next at twelve o'clock at the East meeting house in Sudbury, to choose their officers; and that the companies on the West side to meet at the West mecting house at the same time and for the same purpose."
Besides looking after the militia, the town took measures to form companies of minute-men. These, as the name implies, were to hold themselves in read- iness to act at a minute's warning. The officers re- ceived no commissions, but held their positions by vote of the men. Two such companies were formed, one on each side of the river. There was also a troop of horse composed of men from both precincts. Be- sides these companies of able-bodied men, there was an alarm company composed of men exempt from military service. The names of the companies were,-
North Militia Co., West Side, Capt. Aaron Haynes, 60 men. East Militia Co., East Side, Capt. Joseph Smith, 75 men.
South Militia Co. (Lauham District), both sides, Capt. Moses Stone, 92 men.
Troop of Horse, both sides, Capt. Isaac Loker, 21 men. Miuute Co., West Side, Capt. Jolin Nixon, 58 men.
Minute Co., East Side, Capt. Nathaniel Cndworth, 40 men.
These make, besides the alarm list of Jabez Puffer, six companies-348 men-in process of preparation for the coming struggle.
In 1776, the town " voted to pay each of the minute- men one shilling and sixpence for training one half day in a week, 4 hours to be esteemed a half day, after they were enlisted and until called into actual service or dismissed ; and the Captains 3 shillings and Lieutenants 2 shillings and six pence and the en- sign 2 shillings."
The muster-rolls are preserved and represent about one-fifth of the entire population. The number in actual service at the Concord and Lexington fight, three hundred and two. The following report shows to what extent these companies were equipped :
" Sudbury, March ye 27th 1775:
"The return of the Severall Companys of Militia and Minnte in Sd Town viz.
"Capt. Moses Stone's Company-92 men of them, 18 no guns. at Least one third party e forelocks unfit for Sarvis others wais un a quipt.
"Capt. Aaron Hayns Company-60 men weel provided With Arms the most of them provided with Bayonets or hatchets a boute one quar. ter Part with Catrige Boxes.
"Capt. Joseph Smith's Company consisting of --- 15 able Bodied men forty well a qnipt twenty Promis to find and a quip them- selves Emedetly fifteen no guns and other wais un a quipt.
"The Troop Capt. Isaac Locer (Loker)-21 Besides what are on the minit Role well a quipt.
" Returned by Ezekiel How. Left" Conl" (Stearus Collection.)
GOVERNMENT STOREHOUSE.
See page 25.
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SUDBURY.
It is not strange that, at the time this report was given, the troops had not been fully equipped. It was not easy to provide for so many at once, but the following record may indicate that the town had been endeavoring to supply the deficiency since the preced- ing fall, October 3, 1774:
To Capt. Ezekiel How for 20 guns and Bayonets 27-0-2 600 pounds Lead . 8-16-0
Early on the morning of April 19th the Sudbury people were astir. The news of the march of the British proclaimed by Paul Revere came by a messen- ger from Concord to Thomas Plympton, Esq., who was a member of the Provincial Congress. In a little more than a half hour after, and between four and five o'clock in the morning, the bell rang and a mus- ket was discharged as a signal for the soldiers to re- port for duty. The West Side companies arrived at the North Bridge about the time that the firing com- menced there, and joined in the pursuit of the retreat- ing British. In the memorable fight that followed the town lost two men, viz .: Deacon Josiah Haynes and Asahel Read. The former was eighty years old and was killed at Lexington by a musket bullet. His remains are buried in the " Old Burying-Ground " at the centre. Asahel Read was son of Isaac Read and a member of Nixon's minute company.
It is said that he exposed himself rashly to the fire of the enemy, and although warned to exercise more cantion, persisted in his venturesome conduct until he fell.
Sudbury was represented by three companies at the battle of Bunker Hill. These were commanded by Sudbury captains and made up mainly of Sudbury citizens. The town also furnished three regimental officers, -- Col. John Nixon, Major Nathaniel Cudworth and Adj. Abel Holden, Jr. Capt. John Nixon of the minute-men was promoted to the rank of colonel, and was authorized, April 27th, to receive nine sets of beating papers. Capt. Nathaniel Cndworth was made major in the regiment of Col. Jonathan Brewer, who received enlistment papers April 24th, and Abel Holden, Jr., was made Colonel Nixon's adjutant.
The three Sudbury companies were commanded by Capts. Thaddens Russell, Aaron Haynes and David Moore. The companies of Russell and Haynes were in Col. Brewer's regiment, and that of Moore in Col. Nixon's. The total number in these companies was one hundred and fifty-two. In the engagement of June 17th, these men were in a very exposed condition. The regiments of Nixon and Brewer were at the left of the American line, in the direction of the Mystic River. A part of the men had no breastwork what- ever to protect them. An effort was made to form a slight breastwork of the newly-mown hay about there, but the Britishi advanced and they were forced to desist. In their exposed position they held their ground, and fought till the order came for them to re- treat. The ammunition of the men in the redoubt 3
had failed and it was useless to protect the flank. Both the colonels, Nixon and Brewer, were wounded and the regiment of the former was one of the last to leave the field. In Capt. Haynes' company, two men were killed, viz .: Corning Fairbanks, of Framingham, and Joshna Haynes, of Sudbury. In Capt. Russell's company, Leblans Jenness, of Deerfield, was slain.
As the war progressed Sudbury soldiers were still in the service. Capt. Asahel Wheeler commanded a company in the Ticonderoga campaign, and Capts. Abel Holden, Caleb Clapp and Aaron Haynes had command of Sudbury soldiers elsewhere. In 1778, several companies were still in the field. Four of these had 327 men, and were commanded as follows: West Side men, Capt. Jonathan Rice and Capt. Asahel Wheeler; East Side men, Capt. Na- thaniel Maynard and Capt. Isaac Cutting.
Government Storehouses .- Besides other responsi- bilities, the town had charge of some government storehouses containing munitions of war, which the Sudbury teamsters, from time to time, conveyed to the front. Varions receipts are still preserved which were received by these teamsters. These buildings were situated on the northerly part of Sand Hill, east of the county road. Several squads of soldiers were employed to guard them, and at one time Captain Isaac Wood was commander of the guard. In 1777, the following soldiers did gnard duty : "Corporal Robert Eames, Silas Goodenow Jr, Philemon Brown, Elisha Harrington, Jona Clark." A guard of the same number was there in 1778 and 79, but all the men were not the same. The field in or near which these buildings stood was used as a training-field in former years, and at one time a militia mnster was held there. But now all trace even of the site has become obliterated, and for years it has been a quiet feeding place for cattle, and all is as peaceful there as if the slow pacing of the old Continental guard had never been heard at Sand Hill. The town had a pop- ulation of 2160, with about 500 ratable pools ; and it is supposed that, during the war, from 400 to 500 men had some service either in camp or field. Of these soldiers, one was brigadier-general, three were col- onels, two were majors, two were adjutants, two were surgeons, twenty-four were captains and twenty- nine were lientenants. That the soldiers were in places of peril is indicated by the following records of casualties :
CASUALTIES TO SUDBURY SOLDIERS.
Killed .- Deacon Josiah Haynes, Aged 80, April 19th 1775 : Asahel Read April 19th 1775 ; Joshua Haynes Jr, of Capt Aaron Hayne's Com- pany, June th 1775, at Bunker Hill ; Sergeant Thadeus Moore, 1777, at Saratoga : Benjamin Whitney,-By accident-
Wounded .- Gen. Jolin Nixon and Nathan Maynard, at Bunker JIill; Lieut. Josliua Clapp, at Saratoga; Cornelius Wood, Nahum Haynes, Captain David Moore, Joshua Haynes ; Benjamin Barry, lost an arm in Canada Expedition, 1776.
Died of Sickness .- Sergeant Major Jesse Moore ; Sergeant Samuel May- nard, of the small pox at Quebeck with Arnold, 1776 ; Sergeant Ilope- still Brown, Sergeant Elijah Willis.
At Ticonderoga .- Eusign Timothy Underwood, Oliver Sanderson, Daniel Underwood, James Puffer, Phinehas Gleason, Steplien Puffer, of
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SUDBURY.
Capt Daniel Bowder's Co., Col Webb's Regt died Oct 3ª ; Solomon Rice, Timothy Rice, Josialı Cutter.
Taken Prisoner and Never Heard of .- Thadeus Harrington, Thomas Dalrimple, Thomas Moore, Daniel Haynes.
Lost Privateering .- Isaac Moore, Silas Goodenow, Lemnel Goodenow, Peletiah Parmenter.
Persons Who Met With Casualties the Nature of which is Not Specified .- Jolin Brewer, James Demander, John Bemis, Timothy Mossman.
In closing this account of Sudbury's military service we will give some facts in the life of General Nixon.
Sketch of General Nixon .- Gen. John Nixon, was a son of Christopher Nixon, who went to Framingham about 1724, where seven children were born, of whom John was the oldest. At an carly age, being but a inere boy, he entered the army, and at the instiga- tion of older persons he left unlawfully, but clemeney was shown him and he was allowed to return to the ranks. His subsequent carcer proved him to be a true soldier.
In 1745, when he was but twenty years old, he was in the Pepperell Expedition to Louisburg, and lieu- tenant in Captain Newell's company at Crown Point in 1755. Later in the war he served as captain. At one time, when operating against the French forees, he was led into an ambuscade and only forced his way out with the loss of most of his mcn. As before noticed, at the beginning of the Revolutionary War he served as captain of a company of minute-men. April 24, 1775, he received the commission of colonel. He fought and was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill. He went with the army under Washington to New York, and was promoted, August 9th, to briga- dier-general. His promotion to the rank of general of brigade was on recommendation of Washington, who stated to Congress that Nixon's military talents and bravery entitled him to promotion. In his new position he had, for a time, command of two regi- ments and a force of artillery at Governor's Island, New York Harbor. August 27th he left there, and subsequently operated with the army in the northern campaign in New York State against Burgoyne. When it was decided to advance against the latter, General Gates ordered Nixon and two other com- manders to make the attack. A cannon-ball passed so near his head that the sight and hearing on one side were impaired. After the surrender of Burgoyne, General Nixon and some others were detailed to escort the prisoners to Cambridge. About that time he had a furlough of several months, in which time he married his second wife. General Nixon was on the court-martial-with Generals Clinton, Wayne and Muhlenburg, and of which Gen. Benjamin Lincoln was president-for the trial of General Schuyler for the neglect of duty in the campaign of 1777, by which Ticonderoga was surrendered. The trial was at the request of General Schuyler, and by it he was fully acquitted with the highest honors. In 1777, General Nixon's brigade had headquarters for a time at Peeks- kill, N. Y., and for a time in 1777, at Albany. On Sept. 12, 1780, he closed his military career by resigning his commission as general, and retired to private life.
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