USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 19
USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Westport > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 19
USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Dartmouth > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 19
USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 19
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" In 1676 the place lately belonging to the heirs of Stephen Hathaway [previously spoken of ] had for its occupant one who employed an Indian to hoe in his field. One day a strange Indian came to him in the field, and after a long conversation, the laborer stuck up his hoe and left. His informant told him Philip was going to commence war against the English."
Those who now daily travel upon the Acushnet road hardly realize that on that memorable day, the 5th of September, 1778, just at night-fall,
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passed this formidable army of 4000 men, carrying destruction with them. In imagination we can hear the sound of the fifes and drums, and the sharp words of command from the officers, as they march onward in their work of devastation. Al- though their stay here was of short duration, yet the desolation they left behind was severely felt for years afterwards by our forefathers. Those who have heard the old people of that day speak of the event will well remember the horror which was impressed upon their minds by the destruction made upon their property, and the ruin of their business. Well has the poet said,
War is a game which, were the nations wise, Kings would not play at.
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CHAPTER XXIII.
RETROSPECTIVE VIEW -LIST OF VESSELS REGISTERED FOR 1818 AND 1819-STATE OF THE WHALE-FISHERY IN 1830 - CAPTURE OF A BRITISH BRIG-OF-WAR BY THE ARMED SLOOP PROVIDENCE- THE OLD SHIP MARIA - MEMORANDUM OF SAMUEL RODMAN, SEN .: ABSTRACT OF HER VOYAGES-A REMINISCENCE OF INTEREST TO THE VOTARIES OF MAMMON-NARROW ESCAPE-THE SEPTEMBER GALE, AND ITS EFFECTS UPON THE SHIPPING OF NEW BEDFORD.
THE last war with Great Britain, and the embargo, which operated so destructively upon all our mar- itime towns, were no less severely felt in New Bedford; and the business of our place, which had not only recovered from the losses of the Revolution but had begun to progress rapidly, was again laid completely prostrate by these two combined inter- positions, and it was not till the year 1818 that it again revived. From this year we may date the commencement of a commercial prosperity which has rarely been equalled in the annals of history, and, with but an occasional interruption, has con- tinued to the present time.
At this period, and for several succeeding years, New Bedford, although well known abroad as a place of considerable commercial importance, was but a village of some thirty-five hundred inhab- itants. An American gentleman who was in Liverpool about this time was asked by a merchant of that city in regard to the size of New Bedford,
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who, upon being informed, was much astonished to learn that a place so well known should contain so few inhabitants, having supposed it be a large city. For a number of years after this period there was much peace and prosperity here, and those who remember our place at that time will readily testify to the simplicity of the habits of our people in the way of living, and the consequent comfort growing out of it.
The following is a list of vessels registered at the Custom-House for the years 1818 and 1819 :
1818.
SHIPS.
BRIGS.
Sally,
Pindus,
Indian Chief,
Liberty,
Independence,
Protection,
Sophronia;
Iris,
Planter,
Dolphin.
Balæna,
Elizabeth,
SLOOPS.
Wilmington & Liver- pool Packet,
Agenora,
Milo,
Herald,
Benezet,
Carolina,
Bourbon,
Gleaner,
Good Hope,
Golconda,
Commodore Decatur,
Mercy,
Victory,
Minerva.
Globe,
Augustus, Midas,
SCHOONERS.
Harmony,
Ann Alexander,
Favourite,
Reaper,
Charles,
John Willis;
Collector,
Persia.
Fenelon,
Catharine,
Elizabeth,
Amazon,
Enterprise,
Fame:
1819.
SHIPS.
Winslow;
Leonidas,
Pacific,
Parnasso,
Sophia,
Swift,
Francis,
Portia,
Phoenix,
Minerva Smyth,
William Rotch.
Helen,
Milwood,
Columbus,
Cortez,
BRIGS.
Stanton,
Pacific,
Dragon,
Minerva,
Lorenzo,
Cornelia,
Timoleon,
Martha,
Resolution,
Phebe Ann,
Carolina,
Horatio,
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Trident,
Polly,
Triton,
Juno,
Washington,
Bodfish,
Atlantic,
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Leader, William Thacher, Alliance, Orion, General Marion,
Ebenezer,
Green ,
Industry,
Sally.
Eliza Barker,
SLOOPS.
William,
Reformation,
Clitus, Traveller,
Hiram,
Ohio,
Ospray.
Ono,
Flora,
Laura,
William,
SCHOONERS.
Emerald,
Spartan,
President,
Rose in Bloom,
Brothers,
Emigrant,
Jane,
Rosetta,
Polly & Eliza,
Debby.
In 1774, there were 50 or 60 vessels, mostly sloops and schooners, employed in the whale-fishery from Bedford, a great proportion of which were captured. It was several years after the peace before any ves- sels were again fitted out. In 1787-8, there was but one ship, and that of but about 180 tons, and 2 or 3 brigs, in the business; but soon after this period the whaling spirit revived, and with but little inter- ruption has continued until the present time:
In 1830 the number of square-rigged vessels be- longing to our port was 120, the greater part of which was employed in the whale-fishery. The quantity of oil imported during the year 1830 was 41,144 barrels sperm oil, and 43,145 barrels of whale oil. At this time there were 10 spermaceti candle manufactories. The population 7695.
The following account of a tragic event which occurred during the Revolution was published some years ago in the New Bedford Mercury, and for its preservation I herein include it. The writer is un- known to me, but the public, as well as myself, are indebted to him for his account of this reminiscence in our history.
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Superior,
Albert,
Fame,
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" Many years ago, I heard from some of our folks of Revolutionary times a story about the old sloop Providence, the particulars of which I have nearly forgotten, but which were, I believe, something as follows :
The Providence was an armed sloop, commis- sioned as a privateer early in the Revolutionary contest. She was very successful in her cruising, and such was the extent of her depredations on British commerce it was determined by the ene- my that a stop should be put to her career. Accordingly a brig-of-war of nearly double the force of the Providence was ordered to cruise for her. The two vessels met, and after an obstinate and bloody contest the Yankee sloop forced her pow- erful antagonist to strike, and brought her into the port of Bedford. It was said that after the sloop had fired away all her shot her crew used some old iron spikes and bolts that were on board, belonging to a citizen of this town, as substitutes, and that shocking havoc was made by them among the crew of the British brig. I can remember but two other particulars. So near to this port was the action fought that the blood of the killed and wounded seamen was running down the sides of the brig when she came into port. The wounded of the crews who died were brought on shore, and interred on a small hillock that arose near the shore, a short distance north of the spot once occupied by the wheel-house of William Rotch, Jr.'s, rope-walk. A carpenter's shop, built by William Coffin, covers the ground where these men were buried.
How much of this story is fact and how much is fiction, I have no means of determining. My object in sending you this is to get you to publish it in your paper, so if there are among us those who from memory, record, or tradition, can throw any light upon the affair, the facts may be ascer- tained. All I know about it is this. Often, in my
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younger days, have I walked among the graves on the hillock by the river-side, wondering to whom they could belong, and why they were thus neg- lected. And when the progress of improvement levelled the little mound that was the only monu- ment to the 'unknown dead,' I saw their bones carefully collected, and decently deposited where they will, I trust, remain undisturbed."
The annexed interesting record of the voyages of the ship Maria, the oldest vessel in our port, if not the oldest in the United States, has been for- warded to me for publication. The "old Maria" was built in 1782.
Arrived
Master.
Sperm Oil. Bbls. Galls.
Whale Oil. Bbls:
Sept. 26, 1795.
Benjamin Paddack, Jr.
848
1
Feb. 17, 1797.
Benjamin Paddack, Jr.
864
20
Oct. 10, 1798.
Benjamin Paddack, Jr.
923
21
March 15, 1800.
Benjamin Paddack, Jr.
949
June 18, 1802.
Benjamin Paddack, Jr.
1085
54
Jan. 16, 1804.
J. Brightman.
655
18₺
May 9, 1806.
David Coffin.
1082
26
Nov. 27, 1807.
David Coffin.
1061
11,
May 8, 1810.
David Coffin.
1185
15
May 7, 1812.
David Coffin.
1267
11
May 13, 1817.
Micajah Swain.
1217
23
May 15, 1819.
Micajah Swain.
1297
18₫
Dec. 15, 1821.
Joseph Chase.
1021
24
April 4, 1825.
George Sprague.
1143
30
March 21, 1828.
Ammiel H. Joy.
1287
9
April 20, 1831.
Ammiel H. Joy.
1295
7
May 11, 1834.
J. G. Hedge.
871
14
Jan. 19, 1836.
J. G. Hedge.
428
162
Oct. 21, 1837.
Pearce.
340
100
Sept. 7, 1840.
S. Raymond.
750
Oct. 10, 1843.
S. Raymond.
519
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May 20, 1846.
Joshua Coffin.
880
Sept. 1, 1849.
Joshua Coffin.
1025
Aug. 15, 1852.
Charles C. Movers.
336
9
April 6, 1856.
Charles C. Mooers.
708
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In 1795, the population of New Bedford was about 1,000. The only streets passable at this time, were Main, (now Union,) Water, North, and
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parts of Second and Bridge (now Middle) streets. In an old deed I have seen, the street now known as North street is mentioned as the first street laid out from the County road to the river. There was no market-house, and the inhabitants bought their meat of the country people. The writer remembers when the only place for vending mar- ketable produce was a kind of shed with three arched entrances, painted or washed with a yellow ochre color. This old shed, or one similar to it, formerly stood near the four corners, and is the one represented in the picture of William A. Wall. As I remember, it stood (having probably been moved) on the north side of Main street, near the intersection of Third street. In those days of early rising, William Rotch, Sen., was frequently seen going to market with a lantern. It was undoubt- edly his habits of promptness that made him as a business man so successful. "It is the early bird that gets the worm," saith the old proverb.
In the rear of this market, a livery-stable was at one time kept by Samuel Hussey, and afterwards by Ivory H. Bartlett. Here and at Clapp's stable most of our citizens depended for their horses and carriages, very few except the wealthiest keeping either at that time. Here also wild beasts were ex- hibited, -" caravans," as they were then termed, - which some of my cotemporaries will well re- member.
The chief butcher of the village at this time was Frederick Read, who lived at the corner of Main and Seventh streets. In a building painted red,
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just west of his house, hogs were murdered and scalded, and at one time a half-tamed wolf, to the great terror of the neighborhood, was kept. On the corner directly east, the north-east corner of Seventh street, was the residence of Samuel Stall, carriage-builder, wheelwright, &c., and whose large sign, with a coach, chaise, &c., painted upon it, was placed upon the front of the house, the work-shop being in the rear. Opposite was the residence of Joseph Ricketson, Sen., and next below that of Dr. Ebenezer Perry. The physicians of those days made their visits to their patients either on foot or on horseback, the luxury of wheeled carriages not being known to our older physicians ; and I rarely remember of seeing our old neighbor, Dr. P., unless mounted upon his horse, and he usually rode a very handsome one.
Many of my readers will remember the large old-fashioned house that stood until within a short period at the south end of the town, near the beach, and known as the "old Cove House," originally the property of Benjamin Allen, but for many years owned and occupied by Abraham Ricketson. Not long after the last war between this country and England, a strange vessel was observed by the members of the family who dwelt in this house, sailing into the cove and apparently reconnoitring the shore, but soon leaving. Nothing very remark- able was conjectured by the observers, until some weeks afterwards, the wife of the latter named, who had risen very early on a Saturday morning, and looking out of the window towards the beach,
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observed several figures, dressed in white, passing along the shore, which was covered with snow and ice, it being winter. Watching their movements, she saw them pass around the east side of the cove, and for a short distance along the shore, when they entered the woods, and disappeared. At the same time she also observed the strange vessel at anchor near the cove. Having stated these circumstances to her family, they naturally excited considerable curiosity, and the next day (Sunday) her son and some other boys in the neighborhood set off to as- certain, if possible, the object of their novel visitors, the strange vessel having during the previous night departed. Tracing the foot prints upon the snow along the shore and into the woods, they were led to a rock having a smooth face upon one of its sides, and close against it a square hole, partly filled with water, and the sides covered with iron scales; near by they also picked up a steel rod, and some pieces of manuscript. The conclusion at once drawn from these circumstances was that an iron chest of coin had been deposited here during the late war, and that the object of the visit of the strange vessel was for the removal of the same. It would appear that their first attempt in ascertaining the spot was not successful, as the vessel made two' visits, but did not appear again after this circum- stance. I relate the tale as it was told me, some thirty years ago, by the old lady who first discovered the figures upon the beach. People who rise early in the morning sometimes see remarkable sights, one of which to many is probably the rising of
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the sun. My readers, according to their own views, can give such credit as they may think proper to the foregoing relation, which, although probably true, has rather a legendary shade of character.
From the "Bristol Gazette," published in Fairhaven, Mass., Tues- day, April 16, 1813.
" NARROW ESCAPE. Arrived at this port, last evening, ship Harmony, Brown, of Philadelphia, 104 days from Calcutta. She was boarded off Bermuda by the privateer Jack's Favorite, of New York, and informed of the war, and that the Dela- ware was blockaded. Yesterday morning, off Block Island, fell in with a British frigate and two schoon- ers, which chased her into this port, and discharged upwards of a hundred guns at her; several shots passed through her sails. The Harmony is a large ship, and has on board a very valuable cargo of silks, &c."
Capt. William Slocum, who was crossing the bay in a sail-boat, with a woman passenger, seeing the dilemma of the Indiaman, got on board, and being a good pilot, steered the ship over a shoal place, and in this way the frigate, following close in her wake, was grounded.
The Harmony lay at Parker's wharf. The amount to be awarded to Capt. Slocum was left to William Rotch, Sen., who fixed the sum at $500. The woman also received a present of a string of valuable pearl beads.
One of the most remarkable as well as calami- tous events in the history of our place was that of the great line gale and storm of Saturday, Septem- ber 23d, 1815. The rage of this storm, when the fury of the combined forces of wind and rain ap-
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peared to be aroused, is represented by those who were eye-witnesses as being terrific. It commenced in the early part of the day, with the wind from the north-east, which soon hauled round into the south- east, blowing with increased violence, and bringing in the sea with a flood tide, until it rose from ten to eleven feet higher than ever before known in the highest spring tide, carrying in a general destruc- tion the wharves, ware-houses, shipping, and the New Bedford and Fairhaven bridge. Even at McPherson's wharf, Belville, some two miles up the river, the ship Ladoga was torn from her fastenings, and driven above upon the shore, near the present residence of Isaac Case. The tide rose above the bridge at Acushnet village, and reached into the mill- pond at the paper-mill now owned by J. P. Lund and others. The salt spray was blown so as to settle upon the windows, and the leaves, and grass, at Long Plain, extending even as far as Middlebor- ough, Bridgewater and Taunton, a distance of not less than twenty miles.
In New Bedford the water rose beyond the build- ings on Orange street, filling the cellars and lower rooms. At the south end of the town, the water reached to County street, in the rear of the residence of the late Capt. Cornelius Grinnell, filling up the well of the latter. In the south part of Third street boats could float.
The following interesting account of this event is taken from the New Bedford Mercury of Sep- tember 29th, 1815, then edited by Benjamin Linda sey, Sen. :
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"On Saturday morning last, this town, in com- mon with the other towns in this and the adjacent States, was visited by the most tremendous gale ever remembered in this vicinity. The gale com- menced early in the morning, and continued with increasing violence until near 12 o'clock. The scene presented during its continuance was awful beyond description. The destruction of property which was occasioned by the wind and tide is ex- tensive and distressing, and several lives were lost in this and the adjacent towns.
We cannot go into a particular detail of the de- vastations which surround us, but some faint idea may be formed from the following brief sketch of disasters.
In New Bedford, the whole of the salt-works at the south part of the town, with about 100 bushels of salt, carried away, - [the property of Caleb Russell.] The lower part of the wheel-house of Butler & Allen's rope-walk washed away, and about 30 fathoms of the walk thrown down. Grif- fin Barney's rope-walk injured. William Rotch, Jr.'s, rope-walk nearly destroyed; about 60 fath- oms thrown down, and about 25 fathoms, with the wheel-house, containing about 14 tons of hemp and a large quantity of cordage, carried away. Jona- than Card's turning-mill nearly destroyed. . Will- iam Coffin, Jr.'s, boat-builder's shop thrown down, William Russell's shop and wood-house injured, and his barn down. Mrs. Gerrish's dwelling-house much injured. Mr. Wilcox's blacksmith's shop, and Mr. Cannon's tallow-chandlery, carried away. George Caswell's house greatly injured, and much of his furniture damaged and carried away by the tide, The store occupied by J. A. Parker, with about 800 bushels corn, and other property, destroyed. The large range of stores owned by William Rotch, on his wharf, moved 12 or 14 feet from its founda- tion, the lower story entirely demolished and the sec-
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ond story brought level with the ground; by which means Mr. Weston Howland, who occupied a part, lost about 700 bushels of corn and a quantity of flour. A large, nearly new, staunch store of Will- iam Rotch, on the north side of his wharf, in which was deposited nearly all the valuable cargo of the Regina, from Holland, and other goods, was en- tirely demolished, and many of the goods destroyed and swept away by the tide. The large store on A. Smith's [now Parker's] wharf destroyed. Mr. Ful- ler's dwelling-house principally thrown down and destroyed. A small house occupied by people of color, on A. Smith's wharf, carried away. All the wharves much injured, and appear to be nearly in ruins. The whole of the bridge between Bedford and Fairhaven villages carried away, and also the bridge at the Head of the River. The valuable salt-works of Dr. S. Perry carried away. Some chimneys were blown down, and many other build- ings sustained more or less damage. There is scarcely a store on the wharves but has sustained some injury; among those most materially, not mentioned above, are Capt. Hill's, James & Per- kins', and J. R. Heath's, and their contents nearly all destroyed; large quantities of goods in other stores were much damaged. So rapid was the rise of the tide that the occupants were obliged to quit their stores precipitately, leaving all to its fate ; several lost even their account books and valua- ble papers. The tide rose about 10 feet above high water mark, and four feet higher than ever before known.
Shipping on shore: sloop Emily and schooner Mink, of New Bedford, and Ann, of Dartmouth, are on Russell's wharf, [now Central wharf;] schooners William & Mary and Morgiana, of New Bedford, and Minerva, of Falmouth, sloops John Adams and Atalanta, of New Bedford, and Industry, of
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Sandwich, on Rotch's wharf- the latter upset and stove; ship Ann Alexander, on J. Howland's wharf; ship Harpooner, and sloop Superior of Nantucket, on A. Smith's wharf; Roderick Dhu, in the street below the Post-Office, - [Francis Rotch's; ] ship Augustus, on Fish Island, - [ Hum- phrey Hathaway's ;] sloop Washington, of Fair- haven, on shore below Maj. Coggeshall's.
At Fairhaven, two stores on the Old South Wharf, one store on the Union Wharf, S. Borden's rope-walk, B. Church's barn and its contents, were carried away, and several dwelling houses and other buildings more or less injured. The salt- works of J. Delano, on Sconticut Neck, carried away.
Of the damage sustained in other towns in this vicinity we cannot give any particular details.
We understand the magnesia-works at Dart- mouth, with the property therein, were nearly de- stroyed.
But the loss of lives, though not numerous, is the most distressing consequence of this tornado. Temperance Perry, a young woman from Sand- wich, who was on board a vessel bound for New- port, which came in here for a harbour, was drowned, notwithstanding all the exertions which could be made for her relief. Her body was found on Sunday and interred on Monday last. Mr. William Macy, in his benevolent exertions to save a man who was discovered in great danger, fell from a boat and was drowned. His body was found yesterday. Mr. Marmaduke Tinkham, his son, and two young men, his nephews, of Fair- haven, were all drowned. Mr. John Snell and Mr. Thomas Woddell, Jr., were drowned at Westport.
Several others were in imminent danger, and were saved from death by various interpositions of Providence, which seemed almost miraculous.
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When the ship Augustus parted her fasts, and drifted from Rotch's wharf, a young man* was left by her on a spile which stood at the foot of the wharf. He was discovered from the shore, and exertions were made to relieve him, but in vain. The wrecks and ruins which were floating around him in every direction baffled every effort to reach him; the wind and waves were beating over him, and were expected every moment to wash him from his perilous situation : but he remained in this ex- posed position until the wind and tide abated, and sustained no material injury."
* William Haskins.
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CHAPTER XXIV.
ECCLESIASTICAL, LEGAL, AND MEDICAL REMINISCENCES -DIALECTIC SOCIETY -FRAGMENT SOCIETY -NEW BED- FORD LYCEUM-FRIENDS' ACADEMY - CLIMATE-PUB- LIC ROADS AND STREETS.
THE earliest religious society of which there is any record is that of the Friends, the first mention of which bears date as follows: "at ye house of Wm Coddington in Rhoad Island ye 11th of 4 mnº [cor- responding to the present 6th month, or June] 1683," where in the disposal of the time for their assemblies, the meeting at Dartmouth is thus agreed upon :
" At dartmoh ye generall meeting Begins ye next first-daye After duxbury meeting."
The first meeting-house, which stood upon the spot now occupied by the Apponeganset meeting, was built in the year 1699. For further particulars of this body, reference may be made to Chapter IV. of this History.
The earliest minister of any other denomination was probably John Cooke, one of the early settlers and proprietors of Dartmouth. His death is re- corded in the Dartmouth records, Nov. 23d, 1695.
"John Cooke was a Baptist minister in Dart- mouth for many years, from whence springs the Baptist church in the east borders of Tiverton." Backus's Church History, page 135.
Sept. 16, 1674, John Cotton preached to the Indians at Acushnet.
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"In 1698 there were forty Indian communicants, partly from Assameekg, Cokesit, Acushnet, and Assawampset." Holmes's Annals.
" In 1718 a law was made to compel all the country to assist in building or repairing Congre- gational meeting-houses. Tiverton and Dartmouth were the only remaining towns in the province which had not received any Congregational min- isters. Therefore a complaint against them was made to the Legislature in May, 1722; and they voted a salary for such ministers, to be assessed upon all the inhabitants of said towns, which the ministers were to draw out of the state treasury. But their assessors sent and obtained an account of how much was added to their tax on that account, and then left it out of their assessment. For this two assessors of each town were seized in May, 1723, and were imprisoned at Bristol, until they sent to England and got that act disannulled by the King and Council. One of those sufferers was Philip Tabor, pastor of the Baptist church on the borders of Tiverton and Dartmouth. . But be- fore the order two more assessors of Dartmouth were put in prison for not assessing a like tax imposed in 1723." Backus's Church History of New England.
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