USA > Maine > Cumberland County > Windham > Windham in the past > Part 16
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"Therefore Resolved, That we declare ourselves to be true and legal subjects to our king, and are ready to do our utmost whenever we are called to defend his royal person and interest.
"'Resolved, That we look upon it our duty as well as interest, both for ourselves and posterity, to stand up in the defence of those privilegs and liberties that our goodly forefathers pur- chased for us at so dear a rate as the expense of their own blood, and that we used formerly and still ought to enjoy.
"Resolved, That the town of Windham returns humble and hearty thanks to the town of Boston for the care and regard that they discover for us and the whole province.
" Resolved, That the foregoing resolves and proceedings be registered in the Town Clerk's office, that the rising generation may see what care their forefathers have taken to defend their liberties and privilegs, that they may take the like care if they are called to it as we are.
RICHARD DOLE,
Town Clerk."
In January, 1774, a further communication was received from Boston relative to public affairs, and a town meeting assembled on Jan. 24, 1774, when it was
"Voted, that the committee of correspondence of this town,
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send to the committee of correspondence for the town of Boston, their sentiments relating. to our public affairs."
This the committee accordingly did, expressing in bold and energetic language their determination to adhere to and support their brethren in every measure touching the rights and liberties of the country.
We find that. at a meeting on Feb. 14, 1774, the proceedings of the committee were sanctioned and accepted by the town. On August 30. 1774, a meeting of the inhabitants of Falmouth (now Portland) was held, at which Jedediah Preble, Enoch Freeman, Stephen Longfellow, Enoch Ilsley, and Samuel Free- man were chosen a "committee to meet committees from the several towns in this county, to consider what measures it will be expedient to adopt for the general interest of the country, in the present alarming situation of our public affairs; and that the said committee write to the said towns acquainting them with this vote. and appointing the time and place of meeting."
Agreeably to this vote, a convention of delegates from nine towns in this county met at the tavern of Mrs. Greele in Fal- mouth (now Portland), on September 21, 1774.
The delegates were : "From Falmouth. Hon. Enoch Freeman, Stephen Longfellow. Esq., Mr. Richard Codman, Capt. John Waite, Mr. Enoch Ilsley, and Mr. Samuel Freeman; from Scarboro. Capt. Timothy MeDaniel, Capt. Reuben Fogg, Mr. Joshua Fabyan ; from North Yarmouth, Mr. John Lewis. David Mitchell, Esq., Jonathan Mitchell, John Gray, and William Cutter; from Gorham, Solomon Lombard, Esq .. William Gor- ham, Esq., Capt. Edmund Phinney, Capt. Briant Morton. and Mr. Joseph Davis; from Cape Elizabeth. Dr. Clement Jordan, Feter Woodbury, Samuel Dunn. Capt. Judah Dyer. Dr. Na- thaniel Jones, Mr. George Strout; from Brunswick, Samuel Thompson, Samuel Stanwood, Capt. Thomas Moulton; from Harpswell. Mr. Joseph Ewing, Capt. John Stover, Mr. An- drew Dunning; from Windham, Messrs. Zerubbabel Hony- well, Thomas Trott and David Barker; from New Gloucester. Messrs. William Harris and Isaac Parsons. Hon. Enoch Free- man, Esq., was chosen chairman, and Mr. Samuel Freeman, Clerk."
After adjusting certain preliminary matters, the convention then formed themselves into a committee of the whole and ad-
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journed to the old "Town House" at 3 P.M., their deliberations to be in public.
The convention met according to adjournment, and it was
"Voted, That Mr. Samuel Freeman, Solomon Lombard, Esq., Stephen Longfellow, Esq., David Mitchell, Esq., John Lewis, Capt. John Waite, Samuel Thompson, Capt. Timothy MeDaniel, Doct. Nathaniel Jones, Isaac Parsons, Enoch Freeman, Esq., David Barker and Capt. John Stover, be a committee to draw up the sentiments of this convention, and report the same at the adjournment."
They then adjourned to Thursday morning at 8 o'clock, September 22, 1774.
Having met according to adjournment, the committee pre- sented the following report, which after being read, paragraph by paragraph, was unanimously accepted :
"The great concern with which the people of this country view the increasing differences, which now subsist between the mother country and the colonies, and the dark prospect which some late acts of the British parliament have in particular opened to them, has occasioned the several towns herein to choose committees for this convention, To consider what meas- ures it would be thought expedient to adopt for the general interest of the country, in the present alarming situation of our public affairs.
"We therefore, the said committees pursuant to the request of our respective towns, guided by a strong attachment to the interests of our oppressed country, think it proper with respec and deference to our brethren of other counties, to make known our minds as follows: We think it the indispensable duty of every subject of the English constitution, for our own sakes as well as that of future generations, to use his utmost care, and endeavour, according to the station he is in, to preserve the same inviolate and unimpaired; for we regard it, not only as the foundation of all our civil rights and liberties, but as a system of government, the best caleulated to promote the people's peace and happiness.
"And we lament that in the present administration there are men so lost to all the principles of honor, equity and justice,
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as to attempt a violation of the rights which we have long en- joyed, and which, while we profess ourselves, as we now declare we do, allegiant subjects to George the third, our rightful Sovereign, we have a right still to enjoy entire and unmolested.
"And it is a melancholy consideration that the acknowledged head of this respected State should be induced to pass his sanc- tion to such laws as tend to the subversion of that glourious freedom, which preserves the greatness of the British empire, and gives it reputation throughout all the nations of the civilized world.
"It is too apparent that the British ministry have long been hatching monstrous acts to break our constitution, and some they have at length brought forth.
"We think the colonies deserve a better treatment from his Majesty than this which he assents to. We are his loyal sub- jects, and merit his regard, and cannot help thinking that if he would pursue his own unbiassed judgment, and lay aside the selfish council of wicked and designing men, he and his subjects would be mutually happy, and provocations on both sides cease. But since the ministry have borne their tyranny to such a length as to endeavor to execute their wicked designs by mili- tary force in our metropolis we fear it is their aim to introduce despotie monarchy. But though their tyranny and oppression seems now with hasty stides to threaten all the colonies with ruin and destruction, we hope no vengeance will affright, or wiles allure us to give up our dear bought liberty, that choicest boon of heaven, which our fathers came into these regions to enjoy, and which we therefore will retain, while life enables us to strug- gle for its blessings.
"We believe our enemies supposed we must submit and tamely give up all our rights. It is true a vigorous opposition will subject us to many inconveniences, but how much greater will our misery be if we relinquish all we now enjoy, and lay our future earnings at the mercy of despotie men ? We cannot bear the thought, Distant posterity would have a cause to curse our folly, and the rising generation would justly execrate our memory.
"We therefore recommend a manly opposition to these cruel aets, and every measure which despotism can invent 'to abridge our English liberties,' and we hope that patience will possess
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our souls till Providence shall dissipate the gloomy cloud and restore us to our former happy state.
"The late act for regulating the government of this province we consider, in particular, as big with mischief and destruction, tending to the subversion of our charter and our province laws, and in its dire example, alarming to all the colonies. This through the conduct of some enemies among ourselves, will soon bring us into difficulties which will require some able council to remove.
"We therefore recommend to each town in this county to instruet their several Representatives to resolve themselves with the other members of the House, at their approaching session, into a provincial Congress for this purpose.
"To this Congress we shall submit the general interest of the province, but for the particular benefit of this county, we do advise and recommend,
"1st. That the justices of the sessions and court of com- mon pleas, and every other civil officer in this county, which no authority can remove, but that which constituted them agreeable to charter and our own provincial laws, would re- ligiously officiate in their several departments, as if the afore- said act had never been invented, and that every private person would pay a strict obedience to such officers, be always ready to protect and support them, and promote a due observance of our own established laws. And if any person whatsoever should henceforth in any manner dare to aid the operation of the said tyrannie act, they should be considered as malignant enemies to our charter rights, unfit for civil society, and un- deserving of the least regard or favor from their fellow country- men.
"2nd. That every one would do his utmost to discourage law-suits, and likewise compromise disputes as much as pos- sible.
"3d. That it be recommended to the Hon. Jeremiah Powell, Esq., and Jedediah Preble, Esq., constitutional counsellors of this province, residing in this county, that they would take their places at the board the ensuing session as usual.
"4th. We cannot but approve of the recommendation given
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by the convention of Suffolk county to the several collectors of province taxes not to pay one farthing more into the province treasury, until the government of the province is placed on a constitutional foundation, or until the provincial Congress shall order otherwise; and we recommend the same to the several collectors of this county. But we think it the duty of the several collectors of town, county and district taxes, to perfect their collections, and pay the same into their several treasuries as soon as possible. And here we think it proper to observe, that though we do not coinside in every instance with our Suffolk brethren, which may be owing to a want of knowing all the cir- cumstanees of affairs, yet we highly applaud their virtuous zeal, and determined resolution.
"5th. We recommend to every town in this County, char- itably to contribute to the relief of our suffering brethren in our distressed metropolis.
"6th. Lest, oppression, which maketh even wise men mad, should hurry some people into tumults and disorders we would recommend that every individual in the county use his best endeavors to suppress at all times, riots, mobs and all licentious- ness, and that our fellow subjects would consider themselves as they always are, in the presence of the great God, who loveth order and not confusion.
"7th. That when a general non-importation agreement takes place, we shall look upon it to be the duty of every vender of merchandise to sell his goods at the present rates; and if any person shall exorbitatly enhance the price of his goods, we shall look upon him as an oppressor of his country. And in order to prevent imposition in this respect, we recommend that a com- mittee be chosen in each town to receive complaints against any one who may be to blame herin. And if he shall refuse to wait cn such committee, on notice given, or be found culpable in this respect, his name shall be published in the several towns of the county, as underving of the future custom of his countrymen.
"8th. That every one who has it in his power, would im- prove our breed of sheep and as far as possible, increase their number; and also encourage the raising of flax, and promote the manufactures of the country.
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"9th. As the very extraordinary and alarming act for es- tablishing the Roman catholic religion, and French laws in Canada, may introduce the French or Indians into our frontier towns, we recommend that every town, and individual in this county, should be provided with a proper stock of military stores, according to our province law, and that some patriotic military officers be chosen in each town to exercise their several companies, and make them perfect in the military art.
"10th. Our general grievances being the subject of delib- eration before the continental Congress, renders it inexpedient to consider them particularly; on their wisdom we have great dependence, and we think it will be our duty to lay aside every measure to which we have advised, that may be variant from theirs, and pay a due regard to their result.
"And now we think it proper to declare, that we have been recounting the hardships we endure by the machinations of our enemies at home, we cannot but gratefully acknowledge our obligation to those illustrious worthies, our friends of the min- ority, who constantly opposed those wicked measures, and would heartily wish that some great and good men would invent and mark out some plan that will unite the parent state to these its colonies, and thereby prevent the effusion of christian blood.
"Then Voted, that every member of this convention be sev- erally interrogated whether he now has, or will hereafter take any commission und the present act of parliament, for regu- lating the government of this province. (The members were accordingly interrogated, and each and every one of them answered in the negative.)
"Voted, that the several committees which compose this eon- vention, or the major part of each, be, and hereby are, desired to interrogate the civil officers and other persons whom they may think fit, in their respective towns, whether they now have, or will hereafter take, any commission under the aforesaid aet.
"Voted, That the whole proceedings of this convention be, by the clerk, transmitted to the press, and also to the town clerks of the respective towns of this county, as soon as may be.
"Voted, That this convention be continued, and that the committee of Falmouth, or the major part of them, be, and
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hereby are, empowered, on any occasion, that in their opinion requires it, to notify a meeting of the delegates thereof, at such time and place as they think proper, setting forth the oeeasion thereof.
"Voted, That, the thanks of this convention be given to the Hon. Enoch Freeman, Esq., for his faithful services as chairman.
"A true copy. Attest.
SAMUEL FREEMAN, Clerk."
Agreeably to the recommendation of the above convention, the inhabitants of Windham called a special meeting, which was held in the old Province Fort on Nov. 7, 1774, for the pur- pose of choosing "three officers to teach those, who are so in- clined, in the military art." At this meeting Richard May- berry was chosen Captain, David Barker, Lieutenant, and Edward Anderson, Ensign.
At the annual meeting in March, 1775,
"Voted, that twenty seven Pounds be Raised as soon as Pos- sible to Provide a Town Stoek of ammunition for this Town.
"Voted, to allow interest to any man that will let the Town have the money to Purchase a Town Stock of Ammunition for this Town.
"Voted, that William Knights be Captain, for the militia for this town.
"Voted, that David Barker, be Lieutenant.
"Voted, that Richard Dole, be Ensign.
"Voted, to choose a man to fix up the great Gun and Swivels, as soon as possible.
"Voted, that Capt. Caleb Graffam be the man to fix up the Great Gun and Swivels, as soon as possible."
The vote relating to the ordnance department of Windham will doubtless excite the risibility of the men of modern times, but let us remember that these guns had protected the strong- hold of our ancestors during the Indian wars and had ever been regarded with a feeling akin to reverence, and the citizens now, in this hour of peril, determined that these should not be found wanting in case of emergency. All honor then to those sturdy
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men of old, for their forethought and true patriotism! Such then were the preparations made by the people of Windham for the long expected confliet.
Ten days after the battle of Lexington was fought, the authorities of Windham ealled a town meeting, and one of the articles in the warrant was,
"To see if the town will agree on any method to provide a quantity of corn, or other bread kind, in times of distress by an enemy which appears to be very soon."
The record of that meeting, if indeed it was ever held, was not copied into the town book, although a space was reserved for it which still remains a blank.
When an attempt was made in May, 1775, to capture the vessels of Capt. Henry Mowatt, in what has since been known as "Thompson's War," the Windham Company was there under Capt. Mayberry. From what we can learn, they, with the sol- diers of Col. Phinney's Regiment, were very active in saeking the Tory Coulson's house on King (now India) Street.
At a town meeting held in the fort, Jan. 12. 1776, the follow- ing gentlemen were chosen a committee of safety: Zerubbabel Hunnewell, Thomas Trott, David Barker, Capt. Caleb Graffam, and Lieut. Richard Mayberry.
Previous to this, in May, 1775, several Windham men had enlisted in Col. Edmund Phinney's Regiment and in July marched to Cambridge, Mass., where they served under Wash- ington, during that year in the siege of Boston. One of these men was Stephen Manchester, the slayer of Chief Polin, in 1756. He enlisted on May 12, 1775, in Capt. John Brackett's company, and was then 58 years old. He also had a long service in other regiments, and was, probably, the first man to enlist for field service from this town.
The other men who served in this regiment from Windham were Daniel Crockett and John Loring, both in Capt. Brackett's Company. In Capt. Wentworth Stuart's Company were Rich- ard Preston, Amos Brown, Job Hall, George Teshary, and Caleb Graffam.
Capt. Richard Mayberry joined Capt. Samuel Knight's Company in June, 1775, and served as lieutenant through that year, as a coast guard on Casco Bay. Edward Anderson was the
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second lieutenant, and five other Windham men were in the Company.
The war was now on, and the calls for men were almost in- cessant. In 1775, Windham is said to have had seven men at Cambridge for eight months; four men at Falmouth for eight months, and six men at Cambridge for two months.
On Jan. 12, 1776, the town elected Zerubbabel Hunnewell, Thomas Trott, David Barker, Caleb Graffam, and Richard May- berry a Committee of Safety. The town Company that year was the 1st in Col. Timothy Pike's 4th Cumberland County Regt. of Militia.
Another Committee of Safety was elected March 19, 1776, consisting of Zerubbabel Hunnewell, Caleb Graffam, Richard Mayberry, Thomas Trott, and Isaac Hardy. At the same time it was "Voted, not to send any Representative this year," doubt- less on account of their extreme poverty, as the towns then paid their representatives for their services.
Windham's copy of the Declaration of Independence did not get into the hands of the Town Clerk for weeks after its issue, but, when it finally came to hand, Richard Dole, then Clerk, transeribed it on the town book in a decidedly bold hand, where it still remains. This is the last entry in the handwriting of Richard Dole as Town Clerk during the war; as, in a short time afterwards he enlisted as a private in Col. Marshall's Regiment and served three years.
It is said that the town had the following in the service in 1776, viz .: Thirteen men in the State's service at Peekskill for three months; nine men in the State's service at Dorchester for four months; six men in the State's service for twelve months; and four men in the State's service at Rhode Island for four months. The statement regarding the thirteen men being at Peekskill in 1776 has not been verified. It is probable that these men were in the army at Cambridge until August, when they marched to reinforce the army at Lake Champlain. The men did not go to Peekskill until 1778. Capt. Richard Mayberry was at Dorchester, a captain in Col. Ebenezer Fran- cis's Regiment, on Nov. 4, 1776, and these men may have belonged to his company. There were more than six men in the one-year regiments from Windham, in 1776, and men were sent
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to a militia regiment, probably Col. Wigglesworth's, to the Northern Army, in the fall of that year.
The following is a list of the tax payers of Windham for the year 1776, as given for the county tax. Timothy Pike, David Barker and Ichabod Hanson were the assessors, and Daniel Pet- ingall, the collector.
"TAX PAYERS OF 1776"
"Anderson, Edward; Allen, Peltiah; Bodge, John; Boulton, William ; Barker, David; Brown, Ezra; Brown, Amos; Barton, Ebenezer; Chase, Eleazer; Chesley, Joseph; Crague, Hugh; Crockett, George; Croeket, Daniel; Cook, Daniel; Frost, Widow Joanna ; Graffam, Enoch; Hutchinson, Richard; Hutchinson, Stephen ; Hutchinson, Stephen Jr .; Hall, Daniel ; Hall, Andrew ; Hall, Hatevil; Hanson, Elijah; Hanson, Ichabod; Hanson, Samuel; Hanson, Jonathan; Hardy, Isaac; Harris, Stephen ; Hawkes, Ebenezer; Hawkes, Amos; Hawkes, James; Hawkes, Nathaniel; Hunnewell, Zerubbabel; Hunnewell, Elijah; Hutch- inson, Samuel ; Jonson, James; Knight, William; Lovett, Jona- than ; Legro, Joseph; Legro, Elias; Little, Paul; Mabery, Mar- garet ; Mabery, Richard; Mabery, John; Mabery, William; Mabery, William Jr .; Mabery, Thomas; Millins, Robert; Man- chester, Stephen Jr .; Mathews, John; Martin, Robert; MeKen- ney, William; Muckford, Robert; Muekford, Nathaniel ; Osgood, Abraham ; Pettingall, Daniel; Pike, Timothy; Pray, James; Proetor, William; Purinton, David; Rand, John; Robinson, John; Roberts, Joseph; Roberts, Jonathan; Rogers, Gershom ; Sweat, John; Sweat, Joseph; Smith, Widow Lucy; Stevens, Chase ; Stevens, Jonathan; Thurrell, James; Trott, Thomas; Woodman, Stephen; Winship, Gershom ; Webb, Eli; Woodman, David; Waite, Benja .; Waite, Enoch ; Loring, John.
"The following were taxed for their ownership in mills in the town, Viz: Margaret Mabery, Richard Mabery. Samuel Eastys, Stephen Morrill, Benja. Winslow, Jr., William Hall, Isaac Allen, Jr., Benja. Winslow."
The foregoing tax list gives us the names of the citizens of Windham in that interesting year of the war, 1776. It is of considerable historical value. Those men who were serving in the army were probably exempted from taxation.
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In November, 1776, Capt. Richard Mayberry, of this town, enlisted a company for three years' service in the Continental Army, of which eleven members, including the captain, were Windham men. They were: Sergeant Josiah Chute, Corporal Ebenezer Barton, Privates James Jordan, William Mayberry, Robert Millions, John Swett, Peter Smith, Thomas Chute, David Mabury, and Benjamin Trott. This was the Fifth Company in Col. Benjamin Tupper's Eleventh Regt., and was in the left wing of the army commanded by Gen. Gates in the memorable campaign of 1777, which terminated in the capture of Burgoyne at Saratoga, on Oet. 17th of that year.
In 1777, the following appears on the town records:
"Agreeable to an Aet of the Great and General Court of this State, we, the Selectmen in Conjunction with the Committee of the Town of Windham, have mett and sett Prices to the Fol- lowing Articles, Viz: Good Fuld Cloth, Dyed Blue of the Best Quality. 18 shillings per yard. Farming Labor in the Summer Season, found as usual, 3 shillings 4 penee per Day. Good Merehantable Wheat at Ss. per Bushel. Good Rye at 5s. 4d. per Bushell. Indian Corn or Meal at 4s. 8d. per Bushell. Toddy, West India, 1s. per mug, New England at 91%d. per mug. Sheep's Wool at 2s. 4d. per lb. Farming Labor 2s. 8d. in the winter season. Fresh Pork, well fatted 61/2d. per pound. Salt Do. in proportion to the price of Salt. Good yard wide, plain Cotton and Linen Cloath at 4s. 8d. per yard. Good grass fed Beef at 31/4d. per pound. Salted Do. in Proportion to the price of Salt. Raw hides 3d. per pound. Tanned hides at 1s. 3d. per pound and Curried Do. in usual Proportion. Raw Calfskins at 6d. per lb. Good yard wide Woosted an Wool Flannel, Striped at 4s. 8d. per yard and other Woolens in Pro- portion. Good Linen and Woolen Cloath at 4s. 8d. per yard. Good Cheese at 8d. per lb. Butter at 101%d. per lb. Good Merchantable Peas at Ss. per Bushel. Good Beans at Ss. per Bushel. Mutton, Lamb and Veal at 4d. per pound. Horse- keeping at 1s. 6d. per Night or 24 hours. Keeping one yoke of Oxen 24 hours, the same. Potatoes of the bes Quality at 2s. in the fall of the year and not to exceed 2s. 8d. at any other season. Spanish Do. at 1s. per Bushel, and not to exceed 1s. 6d. at any other season. Men's Good yarn Stockings at 6s. 8d. per
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