USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Warwick > Warwick, Massachusetts; biography of a town, 1763-1963 > Part 6
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Actually the tax imposed on the colonies was much smaller than that paid by people in England, and the Parliament believed that the colonies would forego their objections to any tax. But there was a principle involved, "taxation without representation," and this the colonies would not overlook just to obtain cheap tea. The famous Boston Tea Party followed in December, 1773 and the tea was thrown into the harbor. This action enraged Par- liament and alienated many of the friends of the colonies in Eng- land.
The result was the harsh act closing the port of Boston to all shipping. General Gage replaced Governor Hutchinson and brought an army of 4,000 soldiers with him. It was expected that these and other severe acts would speedily cause Boston to cry for mercy. But not so. The temper of all the colonies was now thoroughly aroused and steps were taken by "Committees of Correspondence and Safety" to inform and arouse the inhabit- ants and urge the formation of militia companies.
All of these events were well known among the men of War- wick. They became the most common topic of conversation whenever men met in the taverns, the stores, the blacksmith shop, and noon hour recess between the morning and afternoon service at the meeting house. The overwhelming majority were heartily in favor of the steps taken to resist the oppressive and harsh laws of England. True, there were a few men who did not appear to be disturbed at the course taken by King George
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and Parliament. They counseled patience and loyalty to the King. There were two sides to every question, and justice would be done if people were not hasty to commit rash deeds that could only make matters hopeless.
Two of the latter group were the minister, Lemuel Hedge, and his close friend, Doctor Medad Pomeroy. Hedge had been exceedingly active in the town. Aside from his ministerial duties he had built a sawmill on the brook that still bears his name. His interest in the education of the youth was shown when he asked and received pemission from the inhabitants to build a schoolhouse on the town common in 1771. No further mention is made in the town records beyond the recorded vote, and so it is doubtful if he actually built the school. However it is evidence that perhaps he may have conducted a private school in his home. Two years after the death of his firstborn son, Le- muel, a second son was born who was named Lemuel also, and then at regular two year intervals five more children joined the family circle.
Doctor Pomeroy had moved to Warwick from Northfield in 1769. A graduate of Yale in the class of 1757, he had set up the practice of medicine in the town where his ancestors had been prominent since 1675. His father was Seth Pomeroy, by trade a blacksmith, but famous as a soldier. He had led a com- pany of men at the capture of Louisburg in 1745. When Colonel Williams and his men had been ambushed in the "bloody morn- ing scout" in 1755 he was the only surviving officer. In 1774 he was Brigadier General of the Massachusetts militia, but when the army was reorganized in 1775 and Congress made him Senior Brigadier General there arose some question of rank and he re- signed his commission. When the battle of Bunker Hill began he rushed into action and fought as a private soldier, barely avoiding capture. Too patriotic to remain idle he entered the army again, though now 66 years of age, and died in the service at Peekskill, New York in 1777.
By 1774 his son, Doctor Medad, had become firmly esta- blished in Warwick. He had built a home just a few rods north of his friend and neighbor, Parson Hedge, where the Goldsbury homestead now stands. Beside his practice as a doctor he car-
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ried on a large farm, employing several men. He had been a selectman of the town, from the year of his arrival, and held many other town offices. Because of their professions, educational advantages, similar interests and close family ties the two were inseparable companions. Both in their early 40's, they often must have mounted their horses and rode about the township visiting the sick, the one to minister to the physical needs of the patient and the other to minister to the spiritual.
The minister was a Tory and admitted the fact. Moreover he had no qualms about saying so publicly. It was his duty not only as a loyal subject of the King but as a minister charged with the welfare of his flock. Now indeed they were sheep, blindly following the rabble rousers to certain doom. The doctor loyally defended his friend's right to express his opinions. Privately he doubtless tried to argue and to attempt to persuade him that the course he was following would lead to his downfall, but to no avail. And so, because of his loyalty to his friends, the doctor too became suspect.
It is interesting to note that many other ministers in the sur- rounding towns also had similar opinions and the same diffi- culties to a greater or less degree. Among these were Reverend John Hubbard of Northfield, Reverend Samuel Kendall of New Salem, Reverend Whitney of Petersham, Reverend Abram Hill of Shutesbury, Reverend Jonathan Ashley of Deerfield and Rev- erend Micha Lawrence of Winchester, New Hampshire.
On August 30, 1774 Constable Petty posted a warrant on the meeting house door "in his Majesty's name" notifying the in- habitants to meet :
To take into consideration several papers sent to the town of Warwick from the town of Boston and from Committees of Correspondence and see if the town will act anything respect- ing those papers or on any thing else relating to the public difficulties that this Province labours under at this day.
To see if the town will make a grant of the sum desired to defray the charges of the Committee of Congress.
At two o'clock in the afternoon of September 5, at the same hour that the delegates to the first Continental Congress were
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assembled in Philadelphia, the men of Warwick met at the meeting house. After listening to the reading of the papers from Boston and the actions requested, they discussed the issues with intense feeling and eloquence. Then they voted to grant the sum of eight shillings as requested, as the town's share of the expense of John and Samuel Adams, delegates sent to Philadelphia. They further voted "to get two barrels of powder and led and flints for a town stock."
To place themselves firmly on record they then voted
To adhere strictly to our Charter Rights and privileges and to defend them to the utmost of our capacity. And that we will be in readiness that if our Brethhren at Boston or elsewhere shall be Distressed by the troops sent here to force a Compli- ance to the unconstitutional and oppressive acts of the British Parliament and shall give us notice that we will Repair to their Relief forthwith. Voted to choose a Captain, Lieutenant and Ensign and that they Inlist fifty men in the town to be at a minutes warning to go if called for the Relief of our Brethren in any part of the province.
Samuel Williams was chosen captain; James Ball, lieutenant; Amzi Doolittle, ensign. And the expenses of the company were to be borne by the town.
Two weeks later the town voted to send Captain Samuel Will- iams and Josiah Pomeroy as delegates to a congress called to meet in Northampton, and a week later Captain Williams was sent to represent the town in the provincial congress to be held at Concord.
November 7 a town meeting was held to hear the reports of their delegates to the county and provincial congresses. Each delegate to Northampton received two shillings a day for four days, plus five shillings for expenses and five shillings for the "journey of my horse." When we know that two shillings a day was less than the rate paid for labor on the town highways, we realize the delegates were extremely modest in their bill.
Now the town voted to have two companies, a militia company and an alarm list company. The former was to consist of able bodied men 44 years of age and under. The Alarm Company
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was composed of men from 45 to 60. They were expected to keep themselves armed and equipped but were only required to turn out for inspection once a year, unless ordered out by the state authorities. The Militia Company was reorganized with Captain Williams still in command, Peter Proctor, First Lieuten- ant, Reuben Petty Second Lieutenant, and Thomas Rich, En- sign.
On December 12, 1774 the town voted that the tax collector should pay the province tax to Henry Gardner of Stowe, who had been chosen by the Provincial Congress in defiance of the treasurer appointed by the royal governor.
Captain Williams was sent to the Provincial Congress held at Cambridge, February 1, 1775, and again to sessions held in May and July.
The results of the annual town election March 6 showed that a revolution on a small scale had taken place in Warwick. The preceding year Doctor Pomeroy had been elected moderator, selectman, assessor, treasurer and sealer of weights and measures. James Ball had served as town clerk continuously from 1763, and selectman and assessor with the exception of two years, as well as many other minor offices. Both lost all their town offices. A Committee of Inspection was elected to cooperate with the pro- vincial Committee of Correspondence and Inspection. Reuben Petty was chairman and Seth Peck, Josiah Pomeroy, Thomas Rich and Amos Marsh were the other members. In May a Commit- tee of Correspondence was created and this consisted of David Buckman, Jonathan Woodward and Josiah Rawson.
On March 14th an item appears in the town accounts showing John Alden and David Cobb received 10 shillings 8 pence for running lead into bullets for the town's stock of ammunition and for going for and returning the moulds.
When the news of the battle at Lexington and Concord reached Warwick on the morning of April 20, 1775, word was sent all over town. Before night fell the Minute Men of War- wick had assembled at the meeting house. Here they were joined by 26 men from Northfield under the command of Captain Eldad Wright. Lieutenant Thomas Rich led the Warwick con-
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tingent composed of Sergeant Joseph Mayo, Sergeant Abraham Barnes,* Corporal Seth Peck, Corporal Henry Burnet,* Daniel Whitney,* John Whiting, Samuel Denny, William Pitcher, Jo- tham Merriam, Isaac Burnet, William Burnet, Ashahel Newton, Simeon Stearns,* Stephen Gould, Francis Leonard,* Wilder Stev- ens,* Jonathan Gale,* Caleb Rich, Peter Ripley, Gove Stephens, John Mayo, Jedidiah Gould, Samuel Griffiths, William Bradley and Joseph Allen.
They found that there was no prospect of immediate fighting and the siege of Boston had begun. It was time for the spring planting back home and they could ill afford to remain idle, so some returned after three weeks, while others remained a month.
But now the die had been cast, blood had been shed and any loyal sentiments for the King and England would no longer be tolerated. The Committees of Correspondence of Athol, North- field and Warwick held a joint meeting June 12 and 13 and considered the conduct of Reverend Hedge among others. He was summoned to appear before them for a hearing. He refused to do so and instead sent a letter stating his political convictions. At the same time he wrote to his friend who now was president of the Provincial Congress and chairman of the all powerful Pro- vincial Committee of Correspondence. From the records of the Worcester Society of Antiquities we copy portions of his long letter to Doctor Joseph Warren:
Sir: The miseries and calamities into which our country has fallen by reason of our political disputes is the reason for my troubling you with this letter. You are placed at the head of our Provincial Council and must, I presume, know what is the sense of your body in respect to those persons who cannot think favorably of the measures generally gone into by the country in order to obtain a redress of grievances and there- fore are commonly called Tories. . . I must acknowledge my- self to be one of that denomination which of consequence has rendered me obnoxious to my countrymen. . . suspected of being an enemy of his country, though a truer friend and well wisher I presume to say is not to be found in it. (He explains
*Denotes buried in Warwick Cemetery.
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the Committee of Correspondence has called him to account but he refused to appear fearing wrangling, hard reflections if not blows. Instead he writes to his old friend.) I freely own, sir, I am not a friend to the measures presented. I never thought it was best under our disadvantageous situation to take up arms against the parent state to fight against the King, and the consequences of civil war fill my mind with horror nor can I think we would be succeeded in our attempt. (He has no thought of opposing by force but will continue to speak his sentiments freely) ... observing the rules of candor, decency, and charity. No cause that is good can suffer from such an examination.
If Dr. Warren thinks it would be advisable he would retire to Boston but he wants to remain in Warwick. He requested an answer by the bearer of his letter, Colonel Samuel Williams.
According to tradition this letter or a similar one was found on the body of Doctor Warren after he was killed at Bunker Hill on June 17. Now the doctor could no longer advise or aid his old friend.
As a result of a letter sent to the committees of Athol, North- field and Warwick by Hedge, the committee sent their recom- mendations to the selectmen stating that Hedge claimed "Parliament had a right to tax the Collonies as much as they saw fit." His letter appears "so Contradictory and absurd we thought not worth to inlarge upon it. . . We can view him in no other light than a bitter enemy of his country's freedom. . . Agreeable to the advice of congress we recommend to the inhabit- ants of Warwick to disarm and confine him, by order of the Committee, Samuel Smith, Chairman."
As a result a town meeting was called for July 13 "To see if the town will take into consideration the present difficulties that subsist between us as a people and ye Rev. Hedge." The friends of the minister rallied to his support and requested the following article to be placed in the warrant: "To see if the town will take into consideration the request of a number of inhabitants request- ing the dismission of all or any of the Committee of Correspond- ence."
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Reverend Hedge was present at this meeting and he, with others, entered their protest against the Baptists acting upon the articles quoted. (For the past two years this group had opposed paying the ministerial tax for the support of the church.)
We can only imagine the scene that ensued. The record of the meeting reads merely:
Voted that the inhabitants do concur with the resolves and recommendations of the Committees of Correspondence of Athol, Northfield and Warwick to disarm and confine the Reverend Mr. Hedge to the town of Warwick without a per- mitt from the Committee of Correspondence of said towns. Voted that the town choose eleven men as a committee to treat with the Rev. Mr. Hedge to come into or agree upon some plan in order to accommodate the present difficulties that subsist between the people and the Rev. Mr. Hedge. Voted and chose Amos Marsh, Ezra Conant, Col. Samuel Williams, Capt. Peter Proctor, Moses Leonard, Jonathan Woodward, Jeduthan Morse, Abram Barnes, Samuel Shearman, Benj. Conant. The eleventh man was not chosen by reason of a mis- count.
From the Worcester Society of Antiquities record (Vol. IX) we are told the vote to disarm and confine was 55 Yea and 45 Nay, and each name registered. James Ball and Doctor Pomeroy head the list supporting the pastor and also included are Shear- man, Captain Proctor, Ezra Conant, Barnes, Leonard and Ben- jamin Conant. Marsh and Morse opposed with Woodward and Williams unrecorded.
During the spring of 1775 Doctor Pomeroy had passed through a very difficult and painful period. His father, General Seth Pomeroy, had been in Cambridge and Watertown in his capacity as a delegate to the Provincial Congress and as an officer in the militia. There was no doubt in the mind of the doctor that his father had heard of his son's fall from grace and that his political beliefs were questioned. To set the record straight with his father he sent the following letter :
Honored Sir:
Never did I put my pen to paper upon so melancholy an occasion. The controversy between Great Britain and the colo-
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nies has arrived to that pitch, that it must now be decided by the length of the sword (and I pray God the cause of equity may prevail). I can truly say I hate all oppression and tyran- ny and am a real friend to the cause of liberty, and you, sir, have my constant prayers for the restoration and inspiration of it in your important station and may the same God who has preserved your life and covered your head in the days of battle heretofor, now give his guardian angels the charge of you that no evil come near you, and may your important life be pre- served and may you see the cause of liberty prevail over hateful tyranny, and peace and good order restored (which I know you are a true friend of) and that we may all sit peacefully under our vines and fig trees.
As much of a Tory as I have the character of, you have my ardent wishes for success. I am ready with heart and hand to assist in the attempt to regain our wonted or lost privileges. Altho I might have the unhappiness to differ from you in some things, yet in the principle matter of dispute we were agreed.
Sir, I beg you to write me a line by the first opportunity and if you will send me a permit I will come (God willing) and see you and if there is any iniquity (political I mean) in me then slay me.
Honored Sir, I am with all dutiful respect your son and ser- vant.
Medad Pomeroy
P.S. My wife presents her duty. If my brothers are with you my love and wishes to them.
Warwick, May 2, 1775.
in great haste.
Shortly thereafter he visited his father and returned home. On June 13, the day following the receipt of the recommendations of the Committee of Correspondence regarding Hedge, he worte again :
By Col. Williams I have a safe conveyance of a letter to you. I have heard nothing from you since we parted at Head- quarters. At my return home I found my affairs in the farm- ing way very weak, my hired men going into the army and I now have only one lad with me. I think at present it will not be best for me to join the army; altho I have a desire for it. I believe I should enjoy myself much better with you than
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shall at home; we are not the most peaceable at Warwick owing as I believe to a very few zealots whose zeal is not found- ed upon honest principles (I believe the bearer can give you a most particular account ...
Sir, May God direct all your councils and prosper and bless all your righteous attempts for the restoration of our privileges and in His own time restore order. peace, and good govern- ment to an oppressed people is the sincere prayer, of Honored Sir. your obedient son and servant
N.B. My wife presents her duty to you. Medad Pomeroy
On July 13 the adjourned town meeting was called to order to hear the report of the committee that met with Reverend Hedge and to complete the action on the remainder of the war- rant. The committe reported:
Mr. Hedge proposes that he will upon ye town's rescinding the vote to disarm and confine him to ye said town that he will pledge his honour that he will not influence or prejudice the minds of ye people against ye common cause which ye country is engaged in, and then will join with the town in three proposals, that is to refer the present difficulties that subsists between ye town and Mr. Hedge, viz., to leave it to ye General Assembly of this province now sitting at Watertown or to a mutual council or to any set of good judicious men that ye town and Mr. Hedge shall agree upon.
The motion to accept this proposal and rescind the former vote was lost "by a vast majority." An attempt to dismiss Josiah Rawson from the Committee of Correspondence was defeated and then four new members were added, namely Seth Peck, Jeduthan Morse, Daniel Gale and Savel Metcalf. An attempt was made in September to dismiss Mr. Hedge from his ministerial office and when this failed by a "vast majority" after "long de- bate," a second attempt to rescind the vote passed at the annual meeting to raise and pay his salary was also lost. The minority entered their protest against the vote but upon what grounds is not stated. At the annual town meeting in 1776 the articles to raise the minister's salary and provide his firewood were passed over without any provision being made. The last mention of
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Mr. Hedge in the town records is found February 2, 1777, when the town agreed to pay Lemuel Hedge 18 shillings for "keeping and sweeping the meeting house from March 1, 1775 to Septem- ber 1, 1776." It is probable that Hedge continued to serve as minister until that date.
Apparently his attitude, or at least his presence, continued to irritate some of the inhabitants because it is known that he suf- fered persecution that must have wounded his spirit severely. We have evidence that many acts of vandalism were committed to annoy him. Finally a group of men seized him with the avowed purpose of taking him to Northampton. Friends rescued him before he had reached Northfield, and shortly after this he left town and went to his father's home in Hardwick. The state- ment is made that, broken in spirit, he soon became ill and died October 15, 1777.
Apparently he requested that he be buried in the town to which he had devoted his life. On the day on which Burgoyne was sur- rendering his army to General Gates at Saratoga the body of Lemuel Hedge was brought back to the meeting house he had presided over for 16 years. Here occurred a dramatic scene as Reverend Bunker Gay of Hinsdale, another Harvard classmate and staunch friend, arose to deliver the customary funeral oration. It was printed and distributed, and as we read the yellowed pages we learn much of the life and thoughts that governed the minds of people in those disturbed and trying times. It should be quoted but its great length and rambling oratorical style pre- vent it.
His text "Be Ye Also Ready?" deals first with the great loss suffered by the town, his family, his friends, and warns all to pre- pare for their own death. "In the future life after death only Heaven or Hell awaits us. The life we lead on earth determines our eternal abiding place." He eulogizes his dead friend and de- fends his right to freedom of speech. He condemns the "very shameful and abusive treatment" Hedge endured because of his political sentiments as unChristian. He turns to his brother clergymen and alludes to the fact that many of them also have been driven from their pulpits and the people "have in several
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places as it were, killed the prophets and stoned such as were sent unto themselves. And how long any of us shall be permitted to retain either our office or our life is a great uncertainty."
And now we can see him as he points his finger at his con- gregation and says,
Is it not greatly to be feared that there are some among you who would be ready to say in your hearts: Why, this is no dreadful thing, it is good enough for the rascal; he was a damned Tory and is only gone to receive the due rewards for his deeds. Lastly I would inquire will not wrath, hatred, malice, envy and revenge, defamatory and lying, cursing and reviling and such like against whomsoever they are indulged and practiced, effectually fit you for the infernal regions. Oh, God, that we were wise, that we understood these things, that we would consider our latter ends and turn our hearts to wisdom before it is too late. Grant this, O God, for Jesus sake, Amen.
One can easily find his grave in the center of the oldest section of the cemetery on the hillside. Only his name remains legible on the horizontal marble slab held up by six brick piers. On either side lie the graves of his two closest friends, Deacon James Ball and Doctor Medad Pomeroy. The inscription on the Rever- end's stone has been entirely obliterated by years of exposure to nature's elements but it once read :
In private life he was cheerful, exemplary and benevolent. In his ministerial character faithful, solemn and instructive. In full belief of the truths he preached to others he fell asleep in Jesus with the Christian hope of rising again in eternal life.
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6 CRITICAL YEARS, 1776-1780
WE HAVE TOLD about the response Warwick made to the call from Lexington and Concord. Several men enlisted in the army that besieged the British in Boston. Among them we find John Mayo, Abijah Adams, Joseph Alden, James Kelton and Ben- jamin Simonds. However as far as we can determine none of these were engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill.
In the fall and winter of 1775 two expeditions were sent to capture Quebec under the commands of General Montgomery and Colonel Arnold. They failed in the attempt, but in the spring of 1776 a second army was raised and advanced by way of Lake Champlain and down the Richelieu and St. Lawrence Rivers to Quebec. A company of men was recruited in North- field and the surrounding towns, and under Captain Thomas Alexander of Northfield joined this expedition. In the Northfield Public Library we find the original enlistment record signed by six men from Warwick with the following agreement:
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