USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > The early records of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1725 > Part 15
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ISA. ADDINGTON Secy.
· In ye house of Representatives voted a concurrence.
THOMAS OAKES Speaker
[Massachusetts Archives, XI, 200.]
157
MASSACHUSETTS. 1643 -1725.
Besides information of general interest given in the mat- ter and by the signatures of this Petition, the clause which asserts in effect that not one man had been killed by the enemy on the east side of the river, is important, as help- ing to prove incorrect the statements of our historians that Richard Wheeler had a garrison at Wataquadock. and that he with Jonas and Joshua Fairbank were killed there in the massacre of 1676; and that Abraham Wheeler was slain there in 1695.
1706. To His Excellency Joseph Dudley Esqr Captain Generall & Gov- ernour In Cheefe : &ºc: Her Majesties Honrable Councill &- Repre- sentalives of the Massachusetts Bay In New England, Convened in Generall Assembly at Boston : May ye 29th; Annoque Dom : 1706.
Wheras it appeares that som of the Inhabitants of the Towne of Lan- caster have made Application to your Excellency & Hon" concerning the place of Setting the Meeting house In said Towne & that a comittie hath been appointed to Consider thereof but not knowing how far they have proceeded therein nor what complaints have been made wee have thought It our duty to acquaint this Great & General Assembley with a breviate of the Townes Proceedings, Refferring to said meeting house & first at a Towne meeting appointed by ye selectmen of said Towne in order therto the 16 of October 1704 the Towne then voted to build a meeting house and agreed on ye demencions thereof unanimously, but when it came to be voted where it should stand about 4 or 5 persons Declared their dissent against it, but the Rest of the persons present at said meeting (or y" most of them by far) to ye number of neere 30 agreed to set sd house on ye East side of ye River on or neer to a plaine knowne by ye name of brid- cake plaine in the most convenient place, but those which were dissattis- fied objected that ye meeting was not Legall because only warned by the selectmen & not by warrant by the hand of ye constable, to Remove said objection the selectmen consented to warne another meeting to consider what was farther necessary to be don, Refferring to ye building of a meet- ing house & accordingly gave out warrants to ye Constables, to warne the Inhabitants to meet on Munday the 14 of May 1705, which was accord- ingly don & the Inhabitants of said Towne being com together atter severall other things agreed upon, they came to discourse about ya place of seting the meeting house & having som debate theire were some that declared theire Dissent against any vote passing Referring to a meeting house, Resolving as they said that nothing should be don about it (with- out a comittie( except it be set on the place it last stood, but notwith- standing the Towne thought they were in theire way to try it by vote (as
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
had formerly been used about our former meeting house & consonant with the first agreement of ye plantation about a meeting house) & accordingly voted by papers to set it on the East side of the River as neer to it as conveniently can be which was don by a major vote neer Double to those that then appeared against it. afterwards at a Towne meeting October ye 89 1705 : upon due warning given to consider about building the meeting house & how to Raise a Rate for it & first as to ye house notwithstanding a former vote about y" demencions thereof the Towne now agreed by a vote to build it Larger, also at another meeting November ye 19th 1705, it was againe voted as to ye place of setting sd house & by a major vote agreed to set it on ye east side of ye River on ye place concluded on by the former votes. In all which transactions the Towne have Indeavoured to accomodate ye whole as neer as may be & apprehend they have taken Right methods in Improving theire Liberties & followed the directions in the Law for the ordering & managing theire own prudentialls by a major vote, & this matter Refferring to a meeting house we think to be very essentiall & of great moment & a thing wherein every one ought to be privilidged with what convenience may be & which is the very thing cared and provided for in ye first covenant & agreement of ye Plantation about a meeting house, that it might be sett in the most equall & convenient place that may be advized by them, which is all we still desire & accord- ingly have endeavoured to follow ye stepes of our predessessors without being sencible of breaking any Law or wronging any persons among us. so humbly Craving your favourable construction of all our proceedings herein, & praying your Excellency & honors would Indeavour that peace with truth & equitie may be promoted amongst us we Remaine your most Humble Servants according to our Capacitie.
THOMAS WILDER JOHN WILDER .Selectmen
JOHN HOUGHTON JOSIAH WHETCOMB
The said John Houghton subscribes to all above written except. what was don at said meeting Novemb' the 19th 1705, at which meeting he was absent
[Massachusetts Archives, XI, 209.]
John Houghton, as town clerk, appends a certified copy of "the townes first agree- ment about a meeting house."
To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. Captain Generall and Governour In Cheife &c. Her Majesties Hourable Councill and Representatives con- vened In General Assembly at Boston May ye 29th 1706.
Wheras som of ye Inhabitants of the Towne of Lancaster have mani- fested theire Disattisfaction with the Proceedings of said Towne Refferring to the Building of a Meeting house & have addressed themselves to y"
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
Generall Court & have obtained a Comittie to Consider of ye premisses which Comittic (som of them) have had ye Reasons of ye Townes Pro. ccedings therein in som measure laid before them which we hope & believe are sufistent to evince the equitie of ye same but what Influence they have had we know not. therefore we have thought it Necessary to acquaint this Great & Generall Assembley with som of many that might be alleadged. & first as to ye place of setting said house the Towne have considered the Circumstances of the case & have condisended (for ye convenience of ye Minister & those on ye west side of ye River) to set it neere a mile to ye westward of y" Center of ye Township & Inhabi- tants, there being neere two thirds of them that live on the east side of the River & neere two thirds of all publique charges are borne by them & neere two parts of ye Lands ly on ye East side & almost all the medowes so that that side not onely is, but forever is like to be the bigest by fur, neither will the setting of a meeting House where the Towne have voted it disoblidge those on ye west side for neere halfe of them will be almost, if not altogether as nere to ye place now voted as they were to y" old place & the other but little farther from it, & there is above twenty famillies on ye cast side that yet will be neere as far agen from y meeting house as the farthest of those on ye west side, of such as are made further off by setting it on y East side the River, & wheras som suppose it will be too far from ye minister we know not as yet how far that will be for the Towne have agreed to give him a hundred pound to settle himselfe & if it be his pleasure to live where he now doth (which is scarcely a mile) the Towne is not in fault about it, & as for setting a house on ye west side the River, the Towne can not comply with it having lost two already burnt by the enemy on that side, & therefore think it not prudence to build thereon againe, it being apprehended to be a very dangerous place & if there be any that is more safe & also more convenient for ye whole Towne then we apprehend it both our prudence & Duty to build it there, & whereas the most of them that seems to be most avers to the Towns proceedings have declared it is because they are contrary to ye first agreement of ye Towne about a meeting house or else they could Redily comply, so on the con- trary we apprehend what ye Towne have don berein is wholly consonant with said agreement as may be made appeare, the essence whereof is only this : viz to set it in the most equall and convenient place that may be advized & concluded by the Plantation, & if we must be compelled to set up a meeting house on ye place it last stood, then the neerest of all ye famillies on ye east side of ye River will be as farr if not farther from said House than the farthest of those that live on y" West side, except the Mill & we think they ar not farther from ye new place then they are from y" old, so that considering all our circumstances we apprehend we have don nothing to wrong any person but Indeavoured to accomodate the whole as neer as may be, so hoping that this Generall Court will not Infringe as of the Liberties & Privilidges Granted us by the Generall Courts Grants &
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
the Laws of this Province, for us to manage our owne affaires which being acted according as we conceive according to said Grants & Laws wee hope will be very much for ye future peace & welfare of our towne. which wee hope & believe this Generall Court will always be Ready to promote & hereby encourage us under those many Difucalties, we are Continually laboring under & be farther oblidged as in duty bound ever to pray &c : & Remaine your Excellencies & Honors most Humble Servants. In behalfe of ye major part of y Inhabitants of Lancaster
JOHN HOUGHTON THOMAS WILDER JOSEPH WHEELOCK Comittee
JOSTAH WHETCOMB JOHN WILDER
[Massachusetts Archives, XI, 208.]
The first clause printed in italics above, as the yet unful- filled prophecy of one esteemed very wise in his generation, is commended to the attention of the Lancastrian towns east of the Nashaway, for their encouragement. The sec- ond passage italicised proves that the first church was burned by the savages, and probably during the abandon- ment of the settlement, 1676-9, being rebuilt upon the same spot about 1684. This has been noted in correction of popular belief and previous printed statement, by Rev- erend Abijah P. Marvin, in his history of Lancaster.
Wharas by the prouidence of God by sicknes I could not atend the commit at Boston yet I thout good to let thos that are concarned under stand my mind about that mater refaring to the seting of the meting houes of lankestr, that the most convenient place for the inhabitance will be on the est sid of the riuer ner to or wher I under stand the town hath voted it. Dat March 3 1796 THO: BROWNE.
CONCORD June. 5. 1706.
This may certifie whom it may concern, that whereas the subscriber was chosen one of a committee to make report where Lancaster meeting hous might most convemently stand for the benefit of the inhabitants his opinion was that it should be on the est side of the town.
[Massachusetts Archives, XI, 210.] JAMES MINOTT
16x
MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
LANCASTER June yº 4 1706.
The Inhabitants of ye east side of ye River in said Towne met together to choose a Comitie to send to ya great and Generall Assembly now sitting : said Court having notified them to appeare that so a hearing of je matter Refferring to y" place of setting up a meeting house in said Lancaster might be had said Inhabitants thought it necessary (the better to acquaint said Court) to measure & see the difference of ye Length of ye way from the houses in that part of y" Towne called ye neck to ye place where two of ye Comittie made theire Report the meeting house should stand & to ye place where ye Towne have voted it to stand & where ye other two of ye Comittie apprehend it most convenient, & find that neer one halfe of them are considerably neerer to ye Latter & the Rest of them but little farther from it than they are from ye place Reported to ye Court, & the farthest of them not fully two miles from ye place the Towne have voted it, except ye mill, & the Inhabitants on the East side of ye River must notwithstanding above 20 famillies of them go farther than any of ye west side & many must go twice, & some neere three times as far though the meeting house should be set where it is voted, so that we do not take the house from them on ye west side as they would Intimate, nor have we don anything but what was apprehended to be designed when ye last meeting house was built : for although then severall voted to set it on ye east side, yet the major vote carried it on ye west side ye River so all was quiet with this expectation and generall discourse, that the next we built should be set on ye east side without obstruction, therefor think it strange to meet with so much trouble about it from some of those on ye west side of y River.
THOMAS WILDER JOHN HOUGHTON JOHN WILDER Comittie
JOSEPH WHEELOCK JOSIAH WHETCOMB
[Massachusetts Archives, XI, 210.]
Province of Massachusetts Bay. To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. . . . . May, 29. 1706.
The Humble Petition of several of the Inhabitants of the Town of Lancaster whose names are hereunto subscribed in behalf of themselves and the Rest of the Inhabitants on the West side of the said Town. Sheweth, That yor Petitioners presented a Humble Petition to this Great and General Assembly at their sessions in November last referring to the situation of their meeting house praying that it might be settled where it formerly stood (vizt : on the west, and most exposed side.) as is most con- venient both for minister and people, as was fully set forth in sd Petition, to which yor Petition" refer, the Consideration whereof yo' Excellency and Honors referred to a Committee of four Gent", two whereof vizt : Col. Tyng
II
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
and Major Converse (who knew the Circumstances of the matter) were clearly for having it built on the West side, but the other two vizt : Major Browne & Capt. Minout who were strangers, refused to Concur with them so that nothing was then done. Vor Petitioners therefore bumbly pray this Great & General Assembly would please to putt a final End to this affair which has been very troublesome & expensive to yor Petitioners and to Determine & appoint the place where theyr meeting house shall stand. And yor Petitioners (as in duty bound) shall ever pray, &c"a
CYPRIAN STEVENS JOHN PRESCOT PETER JOSLIN
JOSIAH WHITE EPHY: WILDER
Verte
[Endorsed.]
May, ult. 1706. In Council. Read, & Resolved That both parts of the Town of Lancaster be heard before the whole Court on Friday the 7th of June next by their Committees, referring to the situation of their meet- ing House, and that they be notifyed to attend accordingly.
Sent down for concurrance.
ISA. ADDINGTON Secry.
In the House of Representatives June 1 : 1706. Read and Resolved a concurrence. THOMAS OAKES Speaker
12, June, 1706. In Council. Upon a full hearing of both parts of the Town of Lancaster by their Committees, Resolved That the Meeting House be Erected and set up at or near the place where the old Meeting House stood, and has been twice before built.
Sent down for concurrance.
ISA. ADDINGTON Secy.
In the House of Representatives June 26: 1706. Read & not agreed, & Comitted.
June 28: Upon a full Hearing. of both parts of ye Towne of Lancaster by their Comittees, & ye pleas made, by and in ye behalf of ye sd West side, vizt, yt upon the setting sd house in y" old place they were obliged to pay for their house Lotts extraordinary to y support of sd House & Min- istry : And ye East side pleading the Rationality of ye Rebuilding of ye Meeting house on ye East side; In regard of ye danger where it stood formerly, & the dissasters that hath befallen them there: & yt it is con- trary to ye vote of about two thirds of ye Inhabitants, that met at a Legall Towne Meeting warned & held for the determining yt affair in their Towne : & seeing most of the first planters children being remoued to ye east side Resolved, that ye meeting house be erected & sett at ye place, where ye Towne last appoynted. it should be sett upon ye East side of ye Riuer & yt ye. obligation layd upon ye sd House Lotts extraordinary shal be for ever hereafter nul! & voyd : & yt said Land be rated to the ministry & sd House
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
according as ye Townes other Lands Improved; by ye Income, as ye Law provides for Towne Rates.
July 5 sent up for concurrence THOMAS OAKES Spkr
July, 13" 1706. In Council ; Read and not concurred.
ISA ADDINGTON Secy.
[Massachusetts Archives, XI, 207.]
To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. Captain Generall and Governour in Chiefe &c : .
The Petition of John Houghton of ye Towne of Lancaster Humbly Sheweth. That Whereas som of y Inhabitants of said Lancaster on yo West side of ye River have applyed themselves to the Generall Assembly Manifesting theire Dissattistaction with ye Townes Proceedings Refferring to ye place of setting theire meeting house & his Excellency & Councill having sent to said Towne to stop theire proceeding theirin till the said Generall Court shall give theire Direction concerning it, In obedience whereunto said Towne have Desisted & have don nothing to it since the Spring so that ye frame is much damnified by ye weather, & ya People under great disadvantage for want thereof, having for above this two yeares been necessitated to meet (on the Sabath) at the Ministers House which will not containe halfe ye Inhabitants but many of them must stand abroad in all weathers which is very greivious, nor can they heare the minister with that benifiti that otherwise they might, & if they may not forthwith go on to finish said House they must still be under the same uncomfortable cir- cumstances this winter also : as for ye distance of ye inhabitants on ye west side the River fiom ye place where the frame now standeth the farthest of them is but about two miles, & there is above 20 famillies on the east side that the neerest of them will still be at least three miles from it & som 4 or 5. & were it not to accomodate those on the west side as neere as may be, said meeting house should have been sett neere a mile more eastward to com to ye center of ye Towneship & Inhabitants, your Petitioner therefore Humbly prayes that your Excellency & Hon" would take ye Premisses into your Consideration & Grant that the former Restriction may be taken off & all obsticles Removed, Refferring thereto, which tis hoped will be much for ye peace & encouragement of said Inhabitants & farther oblidge yor Petitioner as in duty bound ever to pray &c :
JOHN HOUGHTON.
Nov : 1 : 1706, Read In the House of Representatives. Ordered that the Prayer of sd Petition be Granted. Sent up for concurrence.
THOMAS OAKES Sp.
Nov. 2, 1706. In Council Read & Concurred.
ISA. ADDINGTON Secy :
I consent to the within order. J. DUDLEY.
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
An interesting picture for those who have eyes to see, is framed in this simple letter of the old town's clerk -- a pleasant picture, wherein the shadow of a severe asceticism is perfused with the glow of heroic faith - a picture of the Sabbath in Lancaster one hundred and seventy-five years ago -- fifty and more of our sturdy progenitors at stated hour, some on horseback with wife or daughter on pillion behind them, most afoot, with guns on shoulder, wending their way at the head of their families from widely scat- tered homes towards a common centre -- from Prescott's Mills and Bare Hill, from the Neck and Bridecake Plain, from Quasaponikin, Wataquadock and far-away Kequas- sagansit, little processions of God-fearing people clad in leather and homespun, coming through storm or sunshine, in winter's snow or spring mire, and gathering about the parsonage at the road crossing in South Lancaster ; filling its rooms to overflowing, and huddling about its open doors to catch in listening ears and carry away in retentive mem- ories the fervid exhortations of young master John Prentice, the new minister.
The frame, "damnified " by two years' storms, was now quickly covered in, and peace reigned in the church. Very few facts can be gleaned from contemporary records about the edifice, except that Robert Houghton was prob- ably chief architect and builder; the town voting him twelve acres of land "for work don by him at the meeting house," and twenty-five acres "for making the pulpit." His brother John seems to have been a peace maker in the controversy, and is credited with the gift of the site for the building, while Thomas Wilder gave land opposite for the burial ground, now known as the Old Common Cemetery. Reverend Timothy Harrington tells us that Mr. John Prentice began preaching here in May, 1705, was offered a settlement February, 1707, and was ordained on the 29th of March, 1708. Joseph Willard, Esq., in his history of Lancaster gives some information respecting Mr. Prentice's
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
family which, he is careful to state, was derived from the investigations of another. His informant was largely in error, if we may believe the results of more modern re- search. Reverend John Prentice was born in Newton about 1682, being the son of Thomas, Jr., and Sarah (Stanton) Prentice. His father died in 168.4. His grand- father was the captain of cavalry famous in Philip's war, who was alive at the time of his grandson's settlement in Lancaster, but died at the age of ninety, July 6, 1710, "in consequence of a fall from his horse while returning from public worship." John Prentice, according to the Rox- bury church records, was married to Mrs. Mary Gardner, Dec. 4, 1705. His faithful ministry in Lancaster ended with his life, Jan. 6th, 1748.
1707 May it Please your excell?
LANCASTER August y' 19 1707. About four of the Clock afternoon. Wce are sorry that we have Such News to acquaint you with, in yt in our Persuit & Engagement with ye enemy we lost 2 men of marlborough besides Wilder which was taken which is Killed ; one of Lancaster and one of marlborough is wounded : we overtook them about 8 or 9 mile wide of Lancaster this day about 9 a clock this day where we fought them about 2 hours the enemy haveing a great advantage of us when we come up with them ; there being about thirty of them as we suppose, at Length we wholly routed them and' took all their packs and provision & have Slain Severall of them without any doubt. but we had not Time to find them. we have sent about thirty men to waylay them or head them if they can, being in great hast we subscribe
Your excellys Most Humble Servts, Praying your further directs.
[Massachusetts Archives LI, 174.]
THO: HOWE JOSIAHI COVERSE
On Monday last the 16th currant. Thirteen Indians on the Frontiers surprised two men at their labour in the Meadows at Marlborough about four miles distant from the body of the Town, took them both alive ; and as they parted out of the Town took a woman also in their marching off, whom they killed. How, one of the Prisoners broke away in a scuffle, and brought home the Indians Gun and Hatchet, and acquainted the Garrison and Inhabitants, who speedily followed them, and were joyned by 20 from Lancaster, being in all 40 odd, came up with the Enemy who were also in- creased to 36 and on Tuesday at ten of the Clock found them, and in two
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hours exchanged ten shot a man in which skirmish we lost two men and had two slightly wounded, and no doubt we killed several of the Enemy, whose Tracts of being draggd away we saw, but recovered but one of them, tho tis probably conjectured. that we killed io or 12 at least; we took 24 of their Packs, and drove them off their ground, and are yet pur- sued by two Parties of the Forces from Lancaster and Groton : at our Forces overtaking and attacking the Enemy they barbarously murdered the Captive.
[Boston News Letter, 25 August, 1707.]
Parties of hostile Indians had been continually hovering about the settlement, and on the 16th of July. 1707, had killed Jonathan White, a son of Josiah, and brother of Cap- tain John White. The captive mentioned above as " bar- barously murdered," was also a Lancaster man recently removed to Marlborough, by name Jonathan Wilder, whose father, Lieutenant Nathaniel Wilder, had been slain in 1704. He was twenty years of age. The other victims were: Richard Singleterry and John Farrar killed, Eph- raim Wilder and Samuel Stevens wounded severely.
Ensign John Farrar was of Lancaster birth, being son of Jacob Farrar, Jr., who was killed in the massacre of Aug. 22, 1675.
Ephraim Wilder was brother to the captive, and it is probable that the detailed account of the affair given by Reverend Timothy Harrington in the Century Sermon, was derived from him. He lived until 1769, dying Dec. 13th of that year, aged 94. The place where the skirmish was fought is in the northwest corner of Sterling, and to this day is called the Indian Fight.
1708. To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. Captain Generall and Gov- ernour In Chiefe &c: . . . . Boston: June ye roth: 1708 :
The Petition of Samuell Brigham of ye Town of Marleborough In be- halfe of Severall Persons Inhabitants of Marleborough & Lancaster : Humbly Sheweth, That Whereas somtime in ye Month of August Last past, In an Engagement with y" Indian Enemy, In ye woods beyond Lan- caster, besides other Damages not here mentioned; Ephraim Wilder of said Lancaster was then wounded being shot through the thigh which wound was Considerable Damage to him in Loss of time being ten weeks beside ye paine of said wound & cost of cure, which was foure pounds ten
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