USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The history of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889 > Part 29
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The conflict which then followed between the parties, in which the
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
sharp-shooters bore a prominent part, was of the most exciting nature. The two commanders had been known to each other in times of peace, and were both distinguished for their intrepidity.
Sackett, who could speak English, frequently called upon Hobbs, in tones that made the forest ring, to surrender; and with threats in case of refusal that he would annihilate his force with the tomahawk.
Hobbs, with a voice equally loud and defiant, challenged him to come on and put his menace, if he dared, into execution. The action contin- ued for four hours, Hobbs and his force displaying throughout the most consummate skill and prudence, and neither side withdrawing an inch from its original position. The Indians, during the fight, not unfre- quently approached the line of their adversaries, but were as often driven back to their cover; the fire of the sharp-sighted marksman opposed to them being more than they could endure. Thus the conflict continued, till, finding that his own men had suffered severely in the struggle, and that the resistance of Hobbs and his men was not likely to be overcome, Sackett retired and left them the masters of a well fought field.
The company of Capt. Hobbs was so well protected that only three, Ebenezar Mitchell, Eli Scott, and Samuel Gunn, were killed. The wounded were Daniel McHenney of Wrentham, who had his thigh broken by a ball, by which he was disabled for life; Samuel Graves, Jr., of Sunderland, a brave lad of seventeen years of age, who was shot through the brain in a horrible manner, yet recovered, but not so as to be afterwards capable of business ; - also slight wounds were received by Nathan Walker of Sudbury, and Ralph Rice. Many of the enemy were seen to fall, especially when they left their cover and advanced. Yet, though their loss was undoubtedly great, so effectually was it con- cealed that its extent was never ascertained. After the retirement and disappearance of the Indians, Captain Hobbs and his men remained concealed till night, apprehending another attack; but, as the darkness fell around them, discovering no signs of the enemy, they gathered up their packs, and took their dead and wounded, and after burying the former under some logs, about half a mile from the scene of action, and conducting the latter to a more conveniant place, about two miles dis- tant, they encamped for the night. They arrived at Fort Dummer the next day, which was the 27th, at four o'clock in the afternoon, whence they sent their wounded to Northfield where they could receive the needed medical aid.
Nathan Walker recovered and arrived safely home. He afterward petitioned the General Court for assistance. In the petition he states that he was a soldier in the Province service under the command of Capt. Hobbs, and that on June 26th, 1748, in a fight with the Indian and French
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
enemy, he was wounded in the arm. (State Archives, Vol. LXXIII., p. 620.)
Capt. Josiah Brown, the commander of the troop which went from Sudbury to assist in the defense of Fort No. 4, was a brave soldier and worthy man. The following is a brief sketch of his life, together with two lists of men who be- longed to his troop before the war began and also towards its close. As some of the names are in both lists, perhaps they served through the intervening years, and were present at the defense of No. 4. The troop of 1747-8 was called into service that year, September 23, and served a short time.
CAPT. JOSIAH BROWN.
Mr. Brown was a prominent citizen of Sudbury. He passed through all, or nearly all, the grades of town office ; and his name is also conspicuous in the annals of the church. In 1757, Josiah Brown, Samuel Dakin, and Jabez Puffer were chosen delegates to assist in settling the difficulty be- tween the church in Leominster and their pastor. The first two were brave captains in the war against the French and Indians ; the first was prominent at Fort No. 4, the other was killed near Fort Edward in 1758. (See period 1750- 1775.) As a token of his regard for the West Side Church, Mr. Brown gave it a piece of land, the proceeds of which, it is stated, were sufficient for the supply of the elements for communion. He was one of the signers of the church cove- nant in 1724-5.
SUDBURY June 4th 1739
A list of the Gentmen of the Horse under the command of Capt. Josiah Brown
Trum: Jonathan Belcher,
Nathaniel Seaver
Cor. Josiah willas [willis ]
Cor. Daniel Winch
Cor. Daniel Gregory,
Bezebeal Frost
Cor. Edward Moore
Benja Whitten
Cornelus Wood
Benony Prat David How
David Stone
Danil Goodenow
Elipha wheler
David Maynard Jr.
Ebenezer Puffer.
Elijah Bent
Elijah Smith
Ebenezer Heminway
Edmond Parmenter
Ecobad Heminway
Hezekiah Moore
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
Ephriam Puffer
James Crage
Hopestill Browne
Joseph Parmenter
John Cheney
Nathaniel Rice
John Heminway
Phinehas Gibbs.
Jabez Mead
Sam1 Heminway
John Maynard Jr.
Sam1 Browne
Nathan Loring
Jabez Puffer
Robert Seaver
Jonathan Maynard
Sam1 Brigham
Jonathan Puffer
Timothy Sternes
Philis Part
John Bent
Sam' Stone
[Isaac] Reed
Solomon Parmenter Jr.
Thomas Winch Jr.
Muster roll of Brown's company 1747-8.
Josiah Brown Capt
Micah Gibbs
John Noyes Cornet
Joseph Brintnall
Dan1 Stone Clerk
John Brigham
Jona Belcher Trumpeter
Wm Hunt
Nathaniel Seaver
Matthew Gibbs
Phinehas Gibbs
Henry Smith
Sam1 Brown
David Maynard
Jonathan Maynard
Samuel Maynard
Isaac Reed
Isaac Brewer
Joseph Reed
Obediah Moore
Wm Brown
Nathan Walker
Dan1 Stone
Joseph Greene
John Bruce
Isaac Brintnall
- Parmenter
Henry Loker
John Gould
Other names are
Thomas Winch
Sam1 Giles
Dan1 Gregory
Beng Eaton
Sam1 Frost
James Peterson Thomas Biglo
Elias Whitney
Thomas Winch
George Whitney
Samuel Winch
Sam1 Whitney
Josiah Hoar.
CHAPTER XIX.
1750-1775.
The Work- House. - Regulations of it. - Pest-House at Nobscot. - - Graves of Small-Pox Victims. - Pest-Houses on the East Side. - Graves of Victims. - Inoculation for the Disease. - Statistics Relat- ing to It. - Highway Work. - Lottery for Repairing the Causeway. - Schools .- School-Houses. - Fourth French and Indian War. - Causes of It. - Lists of Sudbury Soldiers in Various Campaigns. - First and Second Foot Companies. - Alarm List. - Troops of Horse. - Battle at Half-Way Brook. - Death of Captain Dakin. - Sketch of his Life. - Covenant. - Correspondence. - French Neutrals. - Death of Rev. William Cook. - Settlement of Rev. Josiah Bridge. Death of Rev. Israel Loring. - Sketch of His Life. - Settlement of Rev. Jacob Bigelow. - Division of West Part into Wards. - Powder House .- Noon Houses .- Pound .- Measures to Suppress Swindling.
Over the roofs of the pioneers Gathers the moss of a hundred years ; On man and his works has passed the change Which needs must be in a century's range. WHITTIER.
BETWEEN 1750, and 1775, the country was in an unsettled condition. Events of a stirring character transpired, and the times were productive of lasting influences. Peace prevailed when the period began, but was very short-lived. The treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, made in 1748, was of little avail to hold England and France in friendly relations. After the lapse of about a half-dozen years, war was again declared, and hos- tilities in America broke out anew. The close of the period also was stormy. It was just before the Revolutionary War. The provinces were in process of preparation for that far- famed struggle from which they were to emerge a new nation. Before, however, entering upon military matters, we will notice some of the civil events of the period.
327
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HISTORY OF 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 & Disorderly People may be properly Employed." Ephraim Curtis, Joseph Brown, and Ebenezer Roby were a committee in the matter. In process of time the project thus begun was accomplished. March 17, 1762, the town decided " to hire some suitable house for a Work House that the Idle Persons in sd Town might be kept to Labor." Pursuant to vote, a building was rented of Isaac Reed, for which he was to receive two pounds eight shillings. In 1765, the town " voted to give Mr. Reed two pounds eight shillings for his house (and garden spot) & his putting sª house in good Tenantable Repair." In 1763, the town chose "overseers of the poor for sd house," and Mr. Isaac Reed was of this board.
WORK-HOUSE REGULATIONS.
At a quarterly meeting of all the Overseers of the Poore in Sudbury at the work house in said Sudbury on the first Tuesday of the month, April, Anno Domini 1763, in order to inspect the management thereof and for ordering the Affairs of the said House when we the said over- seers were Duely and lawfully meet together at the said work house, and after Due and mature consideration, we Came into the Folowing need- full Rulls and orders for the Regulation of the said house, and those Idle Persons that are by Law or may fall under our Inspection.
Which Rules & orders are as followeth. 1stly That every one of the overseers Shall Punctually meet at the Said work house, at the times set for their monthly or Intermediate Meetings, and in Case of their not attending or unseasonably attending, Shall forfitt and pay to the sd over- seers and for their use, the Sum of Two Shillings Lawfull money, and in Case he or they Shall neglect or Refuse to pay the Same or to Shew any Reasonable Excuse for his neglect, the Same Shall be Recovered from him or them by their Clark by Distress and Sale of his or their Goods, the Clark observing the Same Rulls that Constables are by law obleged to Do in making Distress for their Rates.
2ndly. That when any Parson whome we Shall Judge Doath Fall under our Immediate care and Inspection Shall be by a Summon under the hand of our moderator or Clark Duly Sent to him Setting forth the time for his appearance before us at the said work house, and Shall not
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
Punctually apeare before us the said Overseers, at the said work house, that then and in that Case, a warrant under the hand and Seal of our said Clark Shall Isue out Dyrected to the master of the said work house or to the Constable of the sd Towne of Sudbury forth with Requiring them to apprehend the body of the sd Contemptous Parson and Cause him or her to appear before us, the sª overseers, at the said work house, that he or she may be Proceeded with or Punished for his or her Con- tempt, by being publickly whipped at the whipping post at the work house not Exceeding Ten Stripes or otherways as the Said Overseers Shall then order, and be Subject to pay to the officer that Shall have served the sd warrant his fees by Law allowed him, the Service of which Summons Shall be found by Giving him or her Summon in form afore- said or Leaving same at his or her Last or usual place of abode, by any Constable of sd Sudbury or any one of the Overseers who Shall make Return of ye sd Summons to the sd Overseers at the time therein ordered.
As evidence of further modes of discipline employed in this period, we find that, in 1760, the town allowed payment to Colonel Noyes for making stocks, and also for four staves for the tything-men. 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 ordered the selectmen "to make strict inquiries who brought Dido into town."
SMALL-POX HOSPITALS.
Another institution introduced into the town in this period was the pest-house. There is in the Stearns' "Collection " a document, without date, that is presumably a petition to the selectmen, asking that a town-meeting be called -
As soon as may be by Law, for the Purchase of and Erecting a House or houses for the conveniance of taking the Small Pox by Inoculation, for the better Security of the Good Citizens of sd town, [to] do or act as the Town shall Judge proper when met.
As in duty Bound
Jno. Goodenow
Luther Richardson,
-
Elisha Goodenow, Elisha Moore, Silas Goodenow, Joel Goodenow.
Jonathan Bent, Jotham Goodenow, Israel How, Caleb Wheeler.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
Probably the above petition antedates the record given below, dated " Oct. 14, 1761: Town Dr. To Mr. Isaac Reed for sledding wood and assisting to repair a House, for those who may have the small pox." 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 eastern side of the hill, on land owned by Mr. Hubbard Brown, and a short distance from a small pond, are the graves of the small-pox victims. 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 wild-wood bird, alone break the stillness and disturb the loneliness of that forest burial- place. On a stone that marks one grave is the following inscription : --
IN MEMORY OF MR BUCKLEY HOW, SON OF MR BUCKLEY HOW OF HUBARDSTON WHO DIED OF THE SMALL POX, NOV. 14th 1792 IN THE 21st YEAR OF HIS AGE.
MR BUCKLEY HOW.
Just how many graves are about this spot we have no information, but a former owner of the land, Mr. Edward Brown, conjectured, as he mowed the brush thereabouts many years ago, that there were at least eight or nine well-defined graves there. This burying-place, as we have said, is on a part of the Thirty-rod Highway. The small- pox hospital at Nobscot, tradition says, was in the " Nixon pasture," which is the large field on the northern slope of the hill; and the same authority asserts that the house in which John Nixon once lived, and which was on his farm,
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
was the building used for the hospital. Tradition also says that the Browns, who at that time dwelt at a place just west of the residence of Hubbard Brown, were accustomed to carry milk to a designated spot, and put it in vessels left there to receive it by those in charge at the hospital.
In the north part of Sudbury there are several graves of persons who died of small-pox. Three of them are on the plain, a inile west of the old Pratt Tavern ; but they were levelled down by a person who came into possession of the place about 1825. Other graves are on the farm south of Mr. Jonathan Rice's Tavern, in the northwest part of the town. There is another at Bridle Point, just east of the bridge near the railroad crossing.
There were two pest-houses on the east side ; one on "the Island," and the other at the northeasterly part of the pres- ent town of Wayland, not far to the northerly of the Sumner Draper estate. There is a field in that vicinity still called the "pock pasture." On the Draper farm, not far back of the dwelling-house, are the graves of other victims of this dreaded disease. The following inscriptions are taken from stones that mark these graves : -
IN MEMORY OF MR. ZEBADIAH ALLEN WHO DIED OF THE SMALL POX - JUNE 2, 1777 AGED 75 YEARS.
IN MEMORY OF MARY, WIFE OF MR. ZEBADIAH ALLEN WHO DIED OF THE SMALL POX JUNE 7, 1777 AGED 75 YEARS.
These hospitals were designed especially for persons who desired to be inoculated for the disease with the virus of a small-pox patient. This method of treatment was introduced about 1721. For a time it met with great prejudice, but
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
at length it gained ground, and many people incurred the risk involved in having the disease in this way, which, with proper treatment, was said to be very light, rather than the risk of taking it in the ordinary way by contagion. The fol- lowing statistics, taken from Rev. Israel Loring's "Diary," will tend to show with what reason society believed in this method : -
July 19th 1764. Persons who have had the small pox in Boston in the year 1764. : : : : .
In the natural way -
Whites -
644
Blacks,
55
Total,
699
Died -
Whites,
102
Blacks,
22
Total,
124
By inoculation
Whites,
4690
Blacks,
207
Total,
4897
Died,
Whites,
43
Blacks,
3
Total,
46
Removed into the country to avoid the disease, 1537.
This old manner of practice is now among the things that were ; and with it the pest-houses, too, have passed away.
HIGHWAY WORK.
In 1751, it was voted that in highway work " eight hours shall be accounted for a days work," "two shillings shall be a day's wages for a man, or so in proportion to an hour ; " also " that one shilling be allowed for a good yoke of oxen .a day."
In 1756, a proposition was started to raise money by way of a lottery to repair the long causeway from the town bridge to Lieut. Benjamin Estabrook's. When it came to town- meeting it "passed in the negative." In 1758, the town again proposed to raise and repair the long causeway, and
0
BOST
THE SUMMER RESIDENCE OF HON. HOMER ROGERS. Biographical Sketch, page 619.
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
two short ones towards Lieutenant Estabrook's, and to do it by means of a lottery. To this proposition a formal remon- strance was presented, in which it was stated that the raising of the causeway would damage the meadow, by causing the water to flow back ; that there was "a good bridge over the river where people may travel at all seasons of the year, from Boston to Marlboro; " and that there is not " one foot of fall in said river for twenty-five or thirty miles." This remon- strance, however, did not prevent the ultimate accomplish- ment of this project. At a March meeting, 1758, the town voted to petition the General Court for leave to repair and raise the causeway by lottery, and chose the following com- mittee to attend to the work : Col. John Noyes, William Baldwin, and Col. Josiah Brown. The Court gave its assent, and made specifications and conditions as to how the scheme should proceed. One of the conditions was that drawing lotteries was not to continue over fifteen days, exclusive of Sunday. In these lotteries the town took ventures. In 1761 "the town voted to take the tickets in Sudbury Lottery third class, that shall remain unsold in the manager's hand, when the drawing 1st Lottery shall commence, : : : and ordered the tickets that remain unsold aforesaid to be lodged with the Town Treasurer, on the day the Lottery commences draw- ing." The town lost by this venture, as May 11, 1761, it "granted 27lbs 12s Lawful money, to defray the loss the town sustained by the tickets which the town voted to take, and ordered the assessors to vote it into a rate forthwith, and each person to have the liberty to work out his rate, pro- vided he or they work it out at or before the time set for working out sd rate, and to be under the regulation of the managers of sd Lottery." In October of the same year the question came up as to taking tickets in Sudbury lottery fourth class that should remain unsold in the hands of the managers when the drawing began. "The vote passed in the negative."
In 1653, it was "voted to accept of a highway laid out from Peletiah Deans North east corner, unto ye town way leading from the Training field by Ephraim Curtis, Esq. by Lt. Rice's to Weston." The same date a road was laid out
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
from " Mr. Jonathan Griffin's Corner, running southwesterly into the way by Mr. Eliab Moor's North Corner, formerly Mr. John Adams'." In 1769, the town " granted money to improve a road lately laid out from Rev. Josiah Bridges, to the school house near the East meeting house." The school- house was the old Newell Heard store, and the road referred to, was the present way from the Wellington place by H. B. Braman's into Wayland Centre. In 1773, the town took action to see if it would discontinne the road " leading from Dr. Roby's [now Warren Roby's] to Zecheriah Briant's [now H. B. Braman's] lying between the two county roads." This was a travelled road before the laying out of the one last mentioned. It had its course from near the old Roby house, just west of Mr. Braman's, along the ridge toward Bridle Point. In 1774, the town accepted "a way laid out from Samuel Goodnow's dwelling house to the Lancaster road." The same date the town accepted a way "laid out from Lancaster old road to Lt. Joseph Willis' gate by the widow Brigham's dwelling house." In 1774, the town accepted a road "laid out from Mr. Thomas Walker's land leading to the west meeting house." In 1771, money was granted " to widen the causy at Iron Works meadow." Jabez Puffer, John Balcom, and Joseph Willis were chosen a committee.
SCHOOLS.
While the town was advancing in means for the public convenience and safety, educational matters were progressing also. In 1751, the selectmen agreed " with Mr. Wm Cook [only son of Rev. Mr. Cook] to keep a grammar school . . . for six months, beginning the school the first day of Novem- ber; and also to teach children & youth to Read English and wright and Instruct them in Rethmetick, and to keep the school in the Town School House as the Selectmen shall from time to time order For the sum of Twelve pounds Exclusive of his Board." It was voted that year that the grammar schools should be kept in the two town school- houses by each meeting-house. This shows us where two of the town school-houses stood at that time; and this, with other records, show that school matters were at that time
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
conducted by the Board of Selectmen. Another record of 1756 shows where two other school-houses stood, inasmuch as the town voted that year that the grammar school should be kept at four places, - " two at the school houses near the meeting house, one at the school house near Joseph Smith's, and the other at that near Nathan Goodnow's." John Mon- roe was to keep the school, and have five pounds thirteen shillings four pence for a quarter, and the town was to pay his board. Other school-houses were also alluded to in the following record made the same year: "The town voted 14 pounds for a reading and writing school, and that it should be kept at four places, viz, at the school house near Samuel Puffer's [perhaps the Pantry school], at the one near Deacon Rice's, at the one near Joseph Stanhope's, and the one near the house of Jonas Brewer."
In 1755, the town " voted for Grammar school 30 pounds, three fifths to be spent on the west side, and two fifths on the east side the river; for the west side the school was to be kept at the farm.", In 1752, it " voted for the support of the Grammar school in sd town the year ensuing 37 pounds 6 shillings 8 pence." The school was to be held in five places, -" two on the east side the river and three on the west, in places as followeth. In the school house near the house of Mr. Joseph Smith, and in a convenient place or near the house of Dea Jonas Brewer as may be, or in a con- venient place as near the house of Mr. Edward More as may be, and in a convenient place as near the house of L' Daniel Noyes as may be, and in the school house near to and north- erly from the house of Dea Jonathan Rice all in sd town." The same year the town voted that "the Reading & writing school should be kept In the two Town school houses the year ensuing." During this period several school-houses were built, which stood about half a century. In 1705, it was " voted, that the School house near [the] East meeting house [should] be improved, [and] to build a new school house near said meeting house." This may have been afterwards the Newell Heard store. Besides school-houses. repaired and built, an attempt was made to supply them with fuel at the town's expense. It is recorded, that, March
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
1, 1774, the town voted " to see if [it] will order that the several school houses in said town shall be supplied with wood for the future at the charge of the town, agreeable to the petition of Jacob Reed and others." " The article passed in the negative."
FOURTH FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
The peace that followed the treaty of Aix-la-chapelle was of short duration. But a few brief years elapsed before the thunder tones of a terrible conflict burst on the ears of a startled land, and sent a shudder to hearts and homes. For the fourth time the English and French were to cross their weapons in an inter-colonial war. For years the two nations had been expanding in population and power on the Ameri- can shores, and during this interval they had been fanning the old flame of jealousy which had its origin far back in a feudal age. Each was desirous of supremacy on this side the Atlantic, and to obtain it each was strengthening its lines for aggressive and defensive work. The one power worked on the seaboard, and extended its operations from the Penob- scot a thousand miles south ; the other stretched its lines of defense along the far-distant interior, and dotted the valley of the St. Lawrence River, the margins of the Mississippi and far-distant lakes, even to the borders of the Gulf of Mexico, with its trading-posts, its strongholds, and its papal missions. These powers sought the same common prize, - the conquest of the country. Already the English claimed that part of it south of the latitude of the north shore of Lake Erie, and westward to the far-off Pacific, by right of charter. Already the Frenchman disputed this right, and claimed the interior as it bordered the Mississippi River and its tributaries, by right of exploration and settlement. Which was to be the permanent title was to be settled, not by diplomacy, but by the arbitrament of the musket, toma- hawk, and torch. The French early prepared for this mode of adjusting their claims. More than sixty fortifications had been constructed by them prior to 1750. The English, made suspicious by the erection of garrisons, and knowing the sig-
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