USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Boxford > The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31
178
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
and then, wishing him prosperity, the parson was left . alone. Mrs. Stowe has beautifully pictured this scene in her Oldtown Folks. Modern custom has long since laid aside the romance which clung around the lives of our ancestors, and has left civilization in a cheerless and un- lovely form.
Early in the eighteenth century, a wonderful attention to religion had been excited in various sections of New England, terminating in a genuine revival. Soon after this the celebrated Whitefield, whose sincere and honest piety Cowper has immortalized in the most glowing colors, and whose eloquence vanquished on one occasion even Franklin's philosophical caution, came to New England from his fruitful labors at the South. He preached con- siderably in our neighborhood, mostly in the open air, and wherever the people could be got together to be addressed. Mr. Whitefield urged a more earnest devotion to the work of God, and the leading of a higher life, - closer communion with the Father. In consequence of his teaching, many lay-preachers sprang up, who boldly proclaimed the truth, and their right, under the immediate command and influ- ence of the Holy Spirit, to preach. These "New Lights," as they were called, rose up in many of the towns in this vicinity and throughout New England generally. In Box- ford, the Second Church was disaffected by the "new doc- trines," and some of their members, one of whom was John Woster, one of the deacons of the church, being per- suaded of the correctness of the doctrines, embraced them ; and lay-preaching was carried on in some of the houses, Deacon Woster's being one of them. The church-records mention two of these itinerant preachers, - Joseph Adams and Francis Woster, -one, if not both, being residents of Boxford. This was in the summer of 1744. The church expounded upon the matter, and, believing the doctrines taught to be contrary and dangerous to the platform of the
179
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
church which was then common throughout New England, they came to the conclusion that these members had committed a sin worthy of excommunication ; and because they would not recant their opinions in regard to itinerant preaching, and refuse the said preachers the use of their houses, they were suspended from communion. One of them said that his wife was sick on her bed, therefore not being able to attend services at the meeting-house, and he thought it no more than right that he should have preach- ing in his house, where his wife could hear. The church was kept in an uproarious state for about four years, when the members were restored to the fellowship of the church. Deacon Woster had removed to Leicester in 1745. Nov. 28, 1744, the parish voted that "Benjamin Porter Should Keep the Keyes of the meeting house Carefully that the meeting house doors bee not opened to any Preachers Conterary to the mind of our Revnd Pastor, the Church and parish or the major part of them."
From 1725 to the beginning of the French War of 1755-59, the Indian depredations were few. The colonists heard but little of their disturbances, and the times were getting to be more peaceful and prosperous. Through this intervening period the town kept a full supply of ammu- nition on hand. Dec. 8, 1741, the town allowed Nathan Peabody £2 for procuring and bringing a barrel- of gun- powder from Newbury, £60 having been voted for its pur- chase the preceding May. The next September (1742) Capt. Jeremiah Perley was ordered to keep one-half of. the town stock, and John Symonds the other half. March 24, 1747, it was voted by the East Parish that their ammuni- tion should be kept in the meeting-house.
Only one short period of a few months' duration dis- turbed the equanimity of the lives of the colonists during this long period of peace. We have reference to the cap- ture of Louisburg, on the island of Cape Breton. Soon
180
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
after the treaty of 1713, in which the French gave up Nova Scotia . and Newfoundland to Great Britain, the French built a large and formidable fort at Louisburg. They had been twenty years at work upon it, and had made it so strong that it was regarded as a sort of Gibraltar.
Troubles had commenced in 1744 between Great Britain and France. The colonies were considered by the Cana- dian French as a part of Great Britain, and as such they greatly annoyed the colonial commerce. As this fortress was the retreat of the depredators, the colonies were very eager to capture it. To accomplish this a naval fleet was first got ready for sea. Next, 4,366 men were raised from the various towns in the province. How many and who went from Boxford we have not ascertained. The fortress was built in two divisions, - the town and the batteries, - and cut off from the main land by a wide marsh. They surprised the French, and easily captured the batteries and the outposts. But the town was not to be so easily taken. The colonists, having taken two months' provision with them, were determined upon a siege. The men easily crossed the morass that surrounded the town, but it was so soft the horses could not pass over. Fourteen days and nights were spent in dragging their cannon across. At last fire was opened upon the town. The siege lasted forty-nine days; and on the 17th of June, 1745, the town and island surrendered.
When the capture of this important post was made known, France quickly prepared a large fleet of forty ships of war, and fifty-six transports, with forty thousand stand of arms, to re-capture the fortress, and punish the colonies for their insolence. But by the interposition of Divine Providence a violent storm arose after they were at sea, and only two or three of the ships ever reached Halifax. Soon after, their admiral and vice-admiral died; and, when the
181
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
remnant of the fleet attempted to do something, another storm arose which prevented the ships from acting in concert, so that nothing was done by the French of any importance, except upon the Canadian frontiers. A treaty of peace between England and France was at last made, and signed at Aix-la-Chapelle, in October, 1748.
During this conflict we find the names of some of the Boxford men who were in the service. They were in the company of Capt. Joseph Frye of Andover, doing service at Scarborough. We give their names and time of service, viz .: -
Ebenezer Aver (Sergeant) . from Dec. 1, 1748, to Dec. 16, 1748.
John Bradstreet
66
. 66
Moses Spofford .
-66 66
George Carleton
Samuel Fisk
66 66 April 27, 1748,“ 66 " May 1, 1749. 66
Hast Williams of Boxford was in the company of Capt. Daniel Hills of Newbury, at Gorham Town and New Marblehead. Time of service, from Dec. 5, 1749, to Jan. 5, 1750-51.
Again, when the Eastern frontiers were being troubled, in 1754, the following men went out from Boxford, in the company of Capt. Humphrey Hobbs of Souhegan, for their defence : -
NAMES.
TIME OF SERVICE.
Israel Herrick * (First Lieut.) .
Daniel Perkins (Clerk of the Co.)
April 23, 1754, to Sept. 19, 1754. May 31, 1754, " Sept. 22, 1754. 66 66
Perley Rogers
66
66
66
66
66
Thomas Wood .
66
Sept. 15, 1754.
William Spofford
66
66
66 66
66
Nathaniel Bixby
John Bradstreet
66
66
66
* Israel Herrick was soon afterward commissioned captain, and com- manded a company in the French War. He also fought at the battle of Bunker Hill. Mr. Herrick was a son of Joseph Herrick, sometime of Topsfield, and a lineal descendant of Sir William Herrick. He married,
182
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Also, in the company commanded by Capt. Abiel Frye (probably an Andover company), in service from May I to Sept. 20, 1755, were James Andrews (Sergt.), Asa Andrews (Corp.), Abner Curtis, and Robert Willis.
Joseph Stickney was in Col. Winslow's expedition to Nova Scotia as a private from Boxford. His brother Jede- diah Stickney is also found on Col. Winslow's manuscript journal as one of the soldiers who assisted him in removing the Acadians. These two brothers were also in Major Preble's company May 28, 1755 (Jedediah as a private from Boxford), on board The Sea Flower, Samuel Harris, master.
In 1755 the French of Nova Scotia took the oath of allegiance to the British crown. But they were soon after accused of furnishing support and intelligence to the French and Indians, and annoying the colonies. Some of them being found in arms, it was determined to remove them (they being in all about two thousand souls) to New England, and distribute them among the various towns. About March, 1755, the General Court ordered to Boxford thirteen of these people, to which were soon after added two more, making in all fifteen. These were Ommer Landry, his wife, and four children; Renar Landry, his wife, and one child ; Paul Landry and his wife; a young lad ; and three others. The semi-annual bills for their support presented by the town to the General Court are kept on file in the Massachusetts archives, and form our medium of information concerning these French "neutrals." These accounts commence June 1, 1756. Some of the French
June 22, 1749, Abigail, daughter of John and Abigail (Symonds) Killam of Boxford, who was born Nov. 30, 1725. He resided in Topsfield till 1753, when he removed to Boxford, and built the residence of our present towns- man Mr. Israel Herrick, his descendant, in which he resided till after 1762, when he removed to Lewiston, Me., where he died, having attained to the rank of major. He entered the army in 1745, and was out in nineteen cam- paigns. Gen. Jedediah Herrick of Maine, deceased, was Capt. Herrick's grandson.
183
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
resided in a house belonging to Jonathan Foster, for which he charged four shillings per month as rent. They were supplied with fuel, provisions, &c., by the selectmen at the town's charge. Others were let out to the highest or lowest bidder, according to their ability to work. Capt. Francis Perley kept " Old Landry" and two others who were wholly supported by the town. Five of the number were young children, and several of the remaining ones were sickly and hardly able to work a large part of the time. In the winter of 1756-57 one of the men received a bad wound in the leg, which prevented him from working for several months. In the winter of 1757-58, after an illness of about five months, the " old woman " died. Her funeral charges were 9s. 4d. The "old man " probably survived but a few months. The same winter the town, thinking they were doing more than their share in maintaining the "neutrals," - though why, we do not know, as the Colony paid the bills, - sent the following petition to the General Court, praying for an alleviation of their burden :-
" MASACHUSETTS-BAY
" To his Excellency the Governer the Honble his Majestyes Council and the House of Representatives In General Court assembd
" The petition of the Town of Boxford humbly sheweth that Where- as there was by order of this Goverment sometime about the month of March anno 1755 thirteen of the Inhabitants of Nova-Scotia sent to sd Town to which number there was Two more soon added & still likely to Increafe an old man with his wife & one Chield has wholly relied on the Town for their support ever since they came to sd Town, Two others heads of families have been for six or eight months paft Difabled for labour by reafon of sicknefs & Lamenefs fo that there families have been In great meafure supported by the Town Where- by sd Town is very much burthend with the Charge & trouble. Therefore there Circumftances being fo Indigent, Your humble Peti- tioners pray, that if it may be Confistant with this Honble Court, that some of the sd French Inhabitants may be removd to some adjacent Town where their is none of sd French, or any other way agreable to
184
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
the wifdom of sd Court, whereby your humble Petitioners shall be greatly relived
" As in Duty shall ever pray &c.
L " THOS PERLEY
P us
AARON KIMBALL Jos. HOVEY JACOB CUMMINGS Mos PORTER "
Selectmen
of Boxford.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPR Jany : 6, 1758.
" Read and Ordered That the Prayer of this Petition be so far granted as that the select men of the said Town of Boxford, have lib- erty, if they see Cause, to remove six of the french people mentioned that have been fent to them to the Town of Middleton, Vizt Ommer Landerie, his wife and family ; and the Select men of the Said Town of Middleton are hereby directed to receive the said Ommer Landerie and his family Accordingly
" Sent up for Concurrence
"T. HUBBARD Spkr
"IN COUNCIL Jany 6 1758
" Read & Concurred
"THOS CLARKE Dpty Secry
"Consented to
"T POWNALL."
So six of their number, to quote the words of the select- men, " a family most able to provide for themselves," were sent to Middleton. After 1758 the town took little care of them. July 3, 1760, Paul Prichard, a constable of Boxford, was ordered by the selectmen to remove Joseph Landry, John Baptist Landry, and Roseale Landry to Dan- vers ; and Margaret White, alias De Blank, to Manchester. Joseph Landry was in Chelsea, and so Prichard did not warn him; the others were supporting themselves, so he only warned and did not remove them. On the 17th of the same month the General Court's committee ordered these French to be removed from Boxford. Some of them went to Canada, but the number of the survivors was
185
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
small. When the French were ordered away, Renar and Paul Landry were being supported by the town. The following is one of the items of the bills of their support : "To a pair of Lether Briches for Renar Landry, 8s. 8d."
A writer of those days says of these neutral French, that " they were remarkable for the simplicity of their manners, the ardor of their piety, and the purity of their morals ; that the cloud of their sorrows was never dispelled ; and in a land of strangers many of them pined away and died."
In May, 1756, eight years of peace having passed, Great Britain declared war against France. This declaration began the tedious conflict known in the annals of American history as " The French and Indian War." The Canadian French struck the first blow in America by Gen. Mont- calm's attacking and taking Oswego, the American key to Lake Ontario, including sixteen hundred of the provincial troops, and a large quantity of cannon and military stores. This great disaster came upon the colonists very suddenly ; but they immediately prepared for action, and quickly sent troops into the service.
An expedition was planned against the fort at Crown Point, in which at least one of our young men entered, in the company of Capt. Israel Davis. This was Nathaniel Bixby, aged twenty years, son of Jonathan Bixby. He was taken sick at Fort Edward, and brought to, and placed in, the hospital at Albany. His uncle Elias Bixby was living at Sheffield, Mass., and, hearing of Nathaniel's condition, went to see him, and found him almost beyond hope of recovery. His uncle took him to his home in Sheffield, where, by careful nursing and good doctoring, after a stay of five weeks, he was able to come home (in October, 1756), his uncle attending him the one hundred and sixty miles of the journey .*
The placing of William Pitt (Lord Chatham) at the head
See Mass. Archives, Vol. LXXVIII., p. 55.
I86
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
of the British Ministry in 1758 infused a new spirit into all the affairs of the government. He sent letters to all the American governors, requiring them to raise as many troops as they could. They quickly complied with his request ; and Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connect- icut alone raised fifteen thousand men. Boxford raised a " company of foot" for a "general invasion of Canada," which was placed under the command of Capt. Israel Herrick, in Col. Jedediah Preble's regiment. John Pearl enlisted in this company, 30 March, 1758. Under the attack of these troops, Louisburg, which had again fallen into the hands of the French, and the whole country from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Nova Scotia, surrendered.
The campaign of 1759 was an important one to the English. Niagara, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and, most important of all, Quebec, surrendered to the American troops. In this campaign Capt. Herrick again com- manded a company of provincials from Boxford and vicin- ity. He was also out the next year (1760).
Samuel Stickney of Boxford was in the company of foot commanded by Capt. Israel Davis (a Topsfield (?) company), Col. Jonathan Bagley's regiment (1759) : entered service April 2, and served until Nov. I. He was in the same company and regiment at Louisburg, and served from Jan. I, 1760, until April 14, 1761, but entered service Nov. 2, 1759.
In the campaigns of 1759 and 1760, Capt. Francis Peabody of Boxford had a company under his command. Lemuel Wood (father of our present resident, Mr. Daniel Wood) was a private in Capt. Peabody's company ; and from a diary kept by young Wood during these. two cam- paigns, we have gleaned abundance of information relative to the history of the company. The company met and started on their march, Thursday, May 24, 1759. They reached Springfield a week later, and lodged just by Con-
187
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
necticut-River ferry ; after making a stop of two days they again started on their march toward Albany, which they reached on Tuesday, June 12, having been ten days on the road, and much hindered by heavy rains. They left Al- bany on the 15th, went to Stillwater, then to Fort Miller, and then to Fort Edward, where they arrived on the 20th. The whole army was stationed there; but on the arrival of our company they marched for the lake, under the com- mand of Gen. Amherst. July 4, three of the company were placed in the train of artillery, a party consisting of fifty-five men. July 21, they marched to Ticonderoga, and assisted in making breastworks and intrenchments in front of the fort, while all the time the French kept their cannons and mortars in constant use, trying to drive the provincials from their work. Every thing was ready to open fire upon the fort at break of day on the morning of July 27 ; but on the preceding evening the French took what they could carry with them, and went aboard their boats, and sailed off, leaving a lighted slow-match attached to the fort's magazine, which blew up about eleven o'clock, making a terrific noise. The fort was immediately repaired, and taken possession of by our troops. On the next day (July 28) our Boxford company helped to transport provis- ions, whale-boats, and bateaux, over the land from Lake George to Lake Champlain, in order to advance toward Crown Point. The labor being tedious and hard, many of them having to take their place in the ranks of the sentries, and their only provisions being pork and bread, they felt their duty to be very hard. The French having deserted Crown Point, Capt. Peabody's company remained at Ticon- deroga, spending their time in fishing and hunting, some- times having some narrow escapes from the savages, till the end of the season, when they returned to their homes.
On Thursday, April 24, 1760, the company again left home to participate in the Canada expedition. Following
188
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
nearly the same line of march as the year before, they reached Albany, May 16. Till the 24th they were engaged in transporting flour and provisions from Albany to the " Three-Mile House." Tuesday, May 27, there was a draft on Capt. Peabody's company for twelve privates and one corporal. Monday, June 2, they left Albany, and went by water to Stillwater ; and after being employed more or less of the time in conveying provisions, &c., from one place to another, they reached the Lake the 10th inst. After wait- ing two days for the boats to be got ready, they set sail for Crown Point, where they arrived June 16. Major Rogers, with some provincials, - one of whom, at least, belonged to Capt. Peabody's company, - on Monday, June 23, re- turned from a scout, bringing with them " twenty-six pris- oners and two scalps." On the following Friday morning, several companies, under command of Col. Ingersoll, among whom was Capt. Herrick's (of Boxford), went up the lake to Putnam's Point to cut timber with which to build bateaux. Monday, Aug. II, the whole army embarked for St. John's (Canada), and the next Saturday came in full view of the fort. Here they built breastworks, placed their cannon, and after firing for ten days upon the fort the French evacuated it on the night of Aug. 28 ; the next morning it was taken possession of by our troops. Aug. 30, they pursued the French in their bateaux to Fort Chambly. Here they built some breastworks, and three times sent a flag of truce to demand the surrender of the fort, which was acceded to at the third time. Hun- dreds of the French surrendered to the King's colors and authority, and many lent wagons or carts to our troops to convey their baggage in. They left Chambly, Sept. 8, pro- ceeded to the St. Lawrence River, each place surrendering to them as they advanced, and returned to Crown Point by way of their outward trip. The season was getting late, and the weather cold and stormy, in consequence of which
189
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
hundreds of the men were taken sick, and many of them died. Many had been previously sent to their homes, which they never reached. Ten of Capt. Peabody's com- pany died while stationed at Crown Point, some of whose names are given by our journalist, viz. : John Pemberton, died Sept. II ; Israel Dwinnels, Sept. 26; Samuel Rowell, Oct. 9; and Mrs. Samuel Fisk, Oct. 6. Mrs. Fisk had probably gone to the fort to help take care of the sick, and fell a victim to the disorder. The winter was close upon them; and, considerable snow having already fallen, the soldiers proceeded to Ticonderoga, where they encamped over night, and hurried on their homeward way next morn- ing. They marched in as direct a line as possible, through Vermont and New Hampshire, and reached home just before the first of December.
Timothy Barker was a private in Capt. Edmund Wooer's (of Haverhill) company, in Col. Bagley's regiment, serving from Nov. 2, 1759, till Jan. 12, 1761.
The following served as privates in a company com- manded by Capt. Gideon Parker of Ipswich :-
David Jewett . from May 31, 1761, to Dec. 13, 1761.
Benjamin Williams
66 June 9, 1761, to Jan. 6, 1762.
John Smith
66 June 10, 1761, to May 27, 1762.
Daniel Wood June 12, 1761, to Jan. 10, 1762.
John Riddell June 20, 1761, to Dec. 13, 1761.
Ebenezer Staples served in the army from Nov. 2, 1762, till June 10, 1763. Philip Bunker also served from Nov. 2, 1762, till July 18, 1763.
The officers of the Boxford militia companies in 1762 were : First Company, Asa Perley, captain ; John Hale, lieutenant ; and Thomas Andrews, ensign. Second Com- pany, Isaac Adams, captain ; Nathan Barker, lieutenant ; and John Chadwick, ensign.
The wages paid per month at this period were : captain,
190
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
£9; first lieutenant, £5; second lieutenant, £3; ser- geant, £2; corporal, £1 18s. ; and a private, £1 16s.
In 1763 peace was made between the contending nations, by which all the possessions of the French, north-west of the United British Colonies, came into the hands of Great Britain, to whom they still belong. Except the Revolution the French War was the most important conflict in which the Americans had to deal. "Nearly one-third of the effective men," says Minot, " were in military service in some mode or other ; and all this zeal was manifested after the most depressing disappointment, and a burden of taxes which is said to have been so great in the capital as to equal two-thirds of the income of the real estate."
Let us go back to the year 1743, when Rev. Mr. Rogers suspended his ministry. The church was again destitute of a settled pastor. Meetings were irregular, and there- fore very annoying. The parish hired miscellaneous min- isters to preach for a few Sundays only, though some of them continued here a number of months: Prominent among them were Rev. Jacob Bacon, Rev. Aaron Putnam, Rev. William Symmes, Rev. Josiah Stearns, Rev. Moses Hale of Byfield, Rev. Mr. Thayer, Rev. Mr. Foster, Rev. Mr. Upham, Rev. Stephen Minot, Rev. Mr. Robart, Rev. Mr. Bass, Rev. Mr. Fisk, Rev. Joseph Swain, Rev. Mr. Gardner, Rev. Moses Hale of Haverhill, Rev. Mr. Verney, and Rev. Mr. Ainger.
Tiring of this irregular worship, the parish met together Aug. 8, 1752, and voted that Thursday, the 22d inst., should be set apart for a day of fasting and prayer, to take the advice of the neighboring ministers as to whom they should settle in the ministry. The council consisted of the following reverend gentlemen : Messrs. Clark, Wigglesworth, Phillips, Emerson, Chandler, and Cushing. The result of this meeting was not adequate to the ideas of the people, and so nothing was donc.
191
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Six years more passed before they did any thing further. Nov. 3, 1758, the parish invited Rev. Elizur Holyoke of Cambridge to become their pastor, agreeing to give him £160 on settlement, and £66 13s. 4d. with twenty cords of wood as salary, annually. About a month later, he accepted their call by the following letter :-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.