History of the town of Hollis, New Hampshire, from its first settlement to the year 1879, Part 13

Author: Worcester, Samuel T. (Samuel Thomas), 1804-1882; Youngman, David, 1817-1895
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Boston : A. Williams & Co.
Number of Pages: 860


USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Hollis > History of the town of Hollis, New Hampshire, from its first settlement to the year 1879 > Part 13


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37


ON THE EAST SIDE.


1 .


d.


Wd. Elizabeth Abbot,


-


5 John Boynton. Jun ..


3


Jeremiah Ames,


0


3


-William Brooks.


5


Ens. Stoplien .Ames.


5 - John Brooks.


jonathan Ames.


2


6 >Ephraim Burge, John Campbell. 2


1.


. "Nathaniel Ball. Jun ..


S Sani'l Chamberlun.


Wa. Abigail Barron. Phineas Bennett.


-1


10


"Josiah Conant.


Joshua Blanchard. 1. Sam'l Cummings, Esq ..


Josiah Blod.


5


2 John Cummings,


"Josiah: Blood. Jun ..


0


Lt. Reuben Dow,


*Nathanie Blood, 1.


S . Peter Ends


"Francis Bloed.


( Lt. Amos Eastman.


Ebenezer Blood.


f


*Amos Eastman. Jun.,


" Nathan Bloed.


*Jonathan Eastran. -


Caleb Blood.


*Christopher Fark y. 4


1


Dea. John Bovotos.


Lt. Sam'] Farley.


Benjamin Farmer.


* Benjamin Boy' to4.


"Minott Farmer. S


". Nathaniel Ball,


S


-


.r. *jaunes Colbarn. 1.


137


i s. d.


*D.vid Farnsworth,


S


James Nutting,


3


3


*Ens. Jonas Flagg,


5


Benjamin Pari.er,


4


James French,


3


2 Eles'r Parker,


2


3


John French,


4


S Sam'l Parker,


6


Josiah French,


5


2 Sam'! Parker, Jun.,


2


3


*Timothy French,


3


0


*Ephraim Pierce,


3


3


*John Goss,


7


6 *Solomon Pierce,


2


*Col. John Hale,


14


Barzillai Pierce,


2


3


*Lemuel Hardy.


4


9


Richard Pierce,


4


S


*Samuel Hill,


3


Simon Pierce,


5


0


* Hon. Samuel Hobart.


1


3


S


Jona. Philbrick,


S


(


Shubael Hobart,


S


S Wd. Anna Powers,


2


*Parmeter Honey,


2


3 *Samson Powers,


Richard Hopkins.


Z


S *Stephen Powers,


II


*Ephraim How,


3 William Pool,


*Joseph How,


Cyrus Proctor,


3


Wd. Hannah Hunt.


1


Moses Proctor.


5


S


Josiah Hunt,


4


S *Moses Proctor, Jun.,


5


2


*Ebenezer Jaquith, *Thomas Jaquith, .


C


3 Nehemiah Ranger,


*Jacob Jev ctt,


7


5


William Rend, 6


Den. Stephen Jewett.


S


5 +Janu .. Rideout,


3


0


Dea. Nath'l Jewett, .


10


O William Searl,


4


* Ebenezer Jewett,


+


0 Ebenezer Shed,


5


Edward John,


6 Abel Shipley,


S


11


*Samuel Jewett,


11


Joshua Simonds,


1


6


Zach'h Kemp,


5


2


Jacob Smith,


3


*Israel Kinney,


5


*Joshua Smith,


:


Oliver Lawrence,


14


3


*Isaac Stearns,


Zach'h Lawrence,


1%


=


*Caleb Stiles.


3


Zach'h Lawrence, Jun ..


3


0


Edward Taylor.


Joseph Lesley,


5


Benjamin Tenney


*jonas Lesley.


2


0 William Tenney,


Chris'r Lovejoy,


2


* Willian: Tenney, Jun., 5


2


S


Daniel Lovejoy, 0


3 Daniel Wheeler.


?


Daniel Lovejoy. Jun ..


2


3 *Ens. Noch Worcester.


Wid. Patience Martin.


I


6 Capt. Joshua Wright,


Eas. Daniel Merrill.


5


C * Lemuel Wright. 5


0


*James McConnor.


2


3 Timothy Wyman. 3


is


Dee. Enoch Noves.


ON THE WEST SIDE.


.. . d.


ci.


Samuel .Abbot,


3 *Daniel Blood, Jun.,


*john .Aswell,


3 Elnathan Bloed. 5


! 1


Benjamin . Austin,


-i *Jonas Blood, 2


*Daniel Bailey, 5


*Abel Brown.


3


*Joel Bailey,


Joseph Bailey,


10 William Brown,


+ Richard Bailey,


2 Edward Carter. "Edward Carter. Jon .. i


* Ebenezer Ball,


6 Lt. Robert Colburn, 5


* Eleazer Bal.


3 Robert Colburn, jon ..


f


William Colburn.


josh a Blanchard. Jun., * Ebenezer Ball. jr ..


= Job: Conny,


* Daniel Blod.


S.


d.


1775.]


HOLLIS TAX LIST.


Philip Proctor,


5


2


5


1 1


S


y Joseph: Brown.


Timothy Bailey.


138


HOLLIS TAX LIST.


[1775.


.


dł.


S.


*Samuel Conroy,


3


Benj'n Nurse, Josiah Parker,


Timothy Cook, .


* Philip Cumnings,


₾1


5 ¥Thomas Patch, 4


1 .


Jonathan Danforth,


3


3 John Phelps,


7


*Jacob Danforth,


2


11 *Jolin Philbrick, :


*Dan't Emerson, Jun.,


5


Thomas Powers,


4


Joseph Estabrooks,


2


3 *Thomas Pratt, 2


5


>Caleb Farley,


7


6


*Ezekiel Proctor,


Ebenezer Farley.


6 Benj'n Reed.


Ebenezer Farley, Jun ..


7


3 *jacob Reed, 3


5


Oliver Fletcher.


3


5


1 *Benj'n Saunderson, 4


2


Ephraim French,


2


3


*Robert Scaver,


O


3


*Isaac French,


2


3


*Jerem'h Shattuck.


3


*Nehemiah French.


3


*Wm. Shattuck,


3


Nicholas French,


3


3 Zach'h Shattuck,


5


1


*Williun French,


0


1 1


*Zach'h Shattuck, Jun.


3


John Goodhne.


1


2


Benj'n Simpson,


3


Samuel Gridley,


G


Moses Hadley,


3


2 *Joseph Stearns,


*Aaron Hardy,


4


Sam'l Stearns, Jr ..


1


*Nehemiah Hardy,


2


Isaac Stevens,


*Phineas Hardy.


4


3


*Isaac Stevens, Jun ..


S


*Phineas Hardy, Juu.,


3


3


*Jonathan Taylor,


3


Stephen Harris,


1


S *David Wallingford, 6


Samuel Hayden,


5


0 Solomon Wheat, 2 1 E


*John Hobart,


3


*Thomas Wheat,


9


Jonathan Hobart,


3


*Thomas Wheat, Jun.,


3


*jona. Hobart, Jun.,


2


3


*Ebenezer Wheeler. 1


Jacob Jewett, Jr.,


5


*Lebbeus Wheeler. S


*Jaines Jewett,


*Thaddeus Wheeler,


5


*Edward Johnson.


2


S


Benj'n Whiting, Esq.,


2


"Samuel Johnson,


6


Capt. Leonard Whiting.


*Daniel Kendrick.


IL


*Bray Wilkins,


*Abner Keyes,


3


*Jonas Willoughby,


...


Abra'm Leeman,


3


6


John Willoughby. 3


/


Sam'l Leeman,


3


Sam'l Willoughby,


5


*Sam'l Leeman, Jun.,


2


3


* Israel Wilkin-,


Israel Mead,


1


5 .


*Nehemiah Woods,


-1


*James McDaniels. 5


0 *Benj'n Wright,


*Daniel Mooar,


1.


Sam't Wright.


*Joseph Minott.


*Sam'l Wright, jun.,


:


S


William Nevins.


9


2 *Jesse Wyman,


;


'W'm. Nevins. Jun ..


+


11 Timo. Wyman, Jna.,


*Benj'n Nevins,


3 *Ebenezer Youngman. 3


*Joseph Nevins,


* Nicholas Young maa.


Whole number of names on the above tax-lists. 239. marked thus *. as having been in the army. 130.


Number


2


Thomas Smith,


>Samuel Goodhue,


6


Wd. Mary Smith,


S


*Thomas Emerson, 3


S *Nathan Phelps,


-


*James Fisk,.


5 *Jonathan Russ, 3


,


=1


..


=


THE BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION.


CHAPTER XII.


THE BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION. - HOLLIS TOWN MEETINGS. - PATRIOTIC RESOLUTIONS. - HOLLIS MILITIA. - ALARM LIST. - THE COUNTY CONGRESS AT ,AMHERST .-- COMPANY OF MINUTE MEN TO LEXINGTON AND CAMBRIDGE APRIL 19. - OFFICERS AND ROLL OF THIS COMPANY. - WAGES OF THE MEN.


Written history as well as tradition. and the provincial and carly State records, alike with the records of many of the older towns in New Hampshire, bear ample testimony to the unanimity. courage, constancy and sacrifices of the people of the then province in the cause of our national independence. The town meeting of those times, the family gathering of a sturdy. grave and thoughtful yeo- manry, was near of kin and the next door neighbor to the family altar and hearth-stone. It was an original New England invention -- the rude. it may be, but fitting cradle of American Independence-alike the admiration and despair of the friends of constitutional liberty the world over.


"Stern rugged nurse, thy rigid lore With patience many a year she bore. What sorrow was thou badst her know."


One could hardly find or hope for a better or more perfect work- ing model of this novel political machinery than was to be met with in the town meetings of Hollis from the year 1775 to 1783. There is abundant evidence that the like spirit and patriotism animated many of the other New Hampshire towns as were manifested in the town meetings and doings of the people of Hollis, though it is be- lieved that in but few of them were their revolutionary records and documents, at the time. so carefully kept. and since then so well preserved. In what I have to say of the doings of Hollis, in the Revolution, it is not my wish or purpose to make any invidious com- parison between those doings and what was done in the same cause in the same years by other New Hampshire towns, but rather to


140


WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.


[1775.


present this sketch of Hollis as an illustration of the predominance of the public sentiment of the province. Ab uno disce omnes.


Hollis (spelled Holles in the town charter as well as in all the carly town records) was on the south line of the province, adjoining Pepperell, about forty-five miles northwest of Boston and twenty - three from Concord, Mass. By the census taken in September. 1775. the whole number of its inhabitants was 1255. of whom 1 ;; were males between the ages of 16 and 50, 71 males over 50. 60 o' its men then in the army, besides the eleven who had before been killed in the service or died of sickness .* There were also in the town one hundred and thirty-one fire-arms, and one hundred and eleven pounds of powder, the property of private persons, but non at that date in the town store. the ammunition of the town having been all exhausted the spring previous.


In respect to what was done by the town in the war that followed. the " coming events cast their shadows before" in the resolution- and doings of several town meetings held long before the first blood was shed at Lexington. The records of these first gatherings, and of all other meetings of the town, for the like purpose held till the war was ended. tell their own story in plain. blunt. terse Angle Saxon. and need no comment of mine to add force or point to their meaning, or to make them more intelligible. Where my limit will permit. it is my purpose to let them speak in their own language.


In the record of a special town meeting held November 7. 1774. more than five months before the battle at Lexington. I find the first recorded allusion to the existing political troubles and forthcoming conflict. This meeting was called to choose delegates for the town to a County Congress (so-called) for Hillsborough County. to be held the next day. (November S. ) at , Amherst. this being the firstof three special Hollis town meetings called for the like purpose. After having made choice of .. Dea. Stephen Jewett. Ensies Stephen Ames and Lieut. Reuben Dow " to represent the town at that Congress. the following preamble and resolution, with three other resolutions of the like tenor. were adopted by the meeting : " PREAMBLE .- We. the inhabitants of the town of Holles. having taken into our most serious consideration the precarious and most alarming affairs of our land at the present day, do firmly enter into the following resolutions :


*N. H. Mist. Coll. v. c. p. 233.


141


WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.


:775.]


Ist. .. That we will at all times endeavor to maintain our liberty and privileges. both civil and sacred. even at the risque of our lives and fortunes. and will not only disapprove, but wholly despise all such personus as we have just and solid reasons to think even wish us in any measure to be deprived of them." .


This year. (1774) it appears from the tax list. that the sum of £27, 16s. 3d. was assessed upon the inhabitants for ammunition for the town. as a part of the annual tax.


The next special town meeting was held December 30. 1774 to choose delegates to a Provincial Congress at Exeter, called to advise in respect to a Continental Congress. At this meeting. as shown by the record, the following votes were passed :


.. ist. Voted to send a delegate to Exeter to meet the delegates of this province to consult on a Continental Congress. and John Hale, Esq .. was chosen said delegate.


"2d. Voted that we do cordially accede to the just statement of the rights and grievances of the British colonies and the measures adopted and recommended by the Continental Congress for the res- toration and establishment of the former. and for the redress of the latter.


" 3d. Voted that Col. John Hale. Dea. Stephen Jewett. Dea. John Boynton. Ensign Stephen Ames. Dea. Enoch Noyes. Ensign Noah Worcester. Daniel Kendrick. Jeremiah Ames. William Brown and William Nevins or the major part of them, be a com- · mittee in behalf of the town to observe the conduct of all persons touching the association agreement.


" 4th. Voted to raise £16. 13s. Sd. as a donation to the poor of Boston."


There are still to be found among the revolutionary documents of Hollis, three original rolls of military companies. all made in the year 1775. The two oldest of these rolls bear date Janmary 26. 1775. and the third of them June 7. of the same year. ten days be- fore the battle of Bunker Hill. The heading of one of the two oldest rolls is .. . A List of the Company of Militia in Holles under the command of Capt. Joshua Wright. made January 26, 1775. Of this company. Reuben Dow was Lieutenant and Noah Worcester. Ensign. There were also four Sergeants. viz .. John Atwell. Jacob Jewett. Jun .. John Cumings and William Brooks. Besides those officers. this roll contains the names of one Corporal, one Drummer, one Fiter, and 214. rank and file-224 in


1.42


WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.


L'77:


all -- supposed to have been the names of all the able bodied mes in the town liable under the law to do military service.


The caption of the second roll is the " Alarm List" made Jan- nary 26th, 1775. On this list are 100 names, and it is supposed to include the names of all such able bodied men of the town as !a the province law were exempt from military duty, either of at- count of age or other cause specified in the law. The list contains the names of two millers, viz., Thomas Jaquith and Enoch Noyes. --- millers then being excused from doing military duty. It also, contained the names of twenty-seven persons who were designated with the title senior, indicating that each of the twenty-seven had a son of the same name. For the purpose of exhibiting the character of this roll as a curiosity of the times the first twenty-four names. copied from it in the order in which they stood upon the list, are presented below with the several titles prefixed or appended to each of them. Whether or not this order is intended to indicate the rel- ative social rank and standing of these dignitaries is left to con- jecture.


Capt. LEONARD WHITING,


Ensign DANIEL MERRILL,


BENJAMIN WHITING, J.sq., Ensign JONAS FLAGC,


RICHARD CUTTS SHANNON, Esq ..


Ensign BENJAMIN PARKER,


SAMUEL CUMINGS, Esq.,


Rev. DANIEL EMERSON,


DANIEL EMERSON, Jun., Esq.,


Dea. SAMUEL GOODRUE,


Lieut. BENJAMIN FARLEY,


Dea. NATHANIEL JEWETT.


Lt. SAMUEL FARLEY,


Dea. ENOCH NOYES,


Lt. DAVID FARNSWORTH.


Dea. JOHN BOYNTON,


I.t. AMos EASTMAN.


Dea. STEPHEN JEWETT,


LL. ROBERT COLBURN.


WILLIAM CUMINGS. Sch. Master,


L.t. SAMUEL GRIDLEY,


Ensign STEPHEN AMES,


JOHN HALE, Physician, SAMUEL HOSLEY, do.


The title of the third of those rolls is as follows: " The List of the present Militia Campany of Holles. Exclusive of the Mis .- ute Men and all that have gone into the army fune ye 7th. 1775." Of this Company Noah Worcester was Captain, Daniel Kendrick. Lieutenant, and Jacob Jewett, Ensign. and inclusive of these officers this roll contains 122 names. 102 less than the militia com- pany roll made on the previous 26th of January.


In the record of the annual town meeting of March 6. 1775. no reference in any way was made to the impending troubles. but on the 3d of April following. a special town meeting was summoned to choose delegates to a second County Congress to be held at Am- herst on the 5th of that month, " and to see what method should be taken to raise money for the Continental Congress at Philadelphia."


143


WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.


1775.]


Having made choice of " Dea. Stephen Jewett " and ". Dea. Enoch Noyes" as delegates to that Congress, and voted such instruction- to them as the meeting thought prudent, it also " Voted that all persons who shall pay money by subscription to send now to the Continental Congress, shall have the same deducted out of their Province Rates."


The next special town meeting was held April 23, 1775, upon the receipt of the following letter from Col. John Wentworth, writ- ten the day after the battle of Lexington, to the selectmen of Hollis. in behalf of the New Hampshire Committee of Safety, and which forms a part of the record of the meeting :


" Gentlemen : This moment melancholy intelligence has been received of hostilities being commenced between the troops under the command of General Gage and our brethren of the Massachu- setts Bay. The importance of our exerting ourselves at this critical moment has caused the provincial committee to meet at Excter. and you are requested instantly to choose and hasten forward a delegate or delegates to join the committee and aid them in consulting measures necessary for our safety.


J. WENTWORTH. In behalf of the Committee of Safety."


" Province of New Hampshire. 1 Special town meeting. April Hillsborough County, SS. 23. 1775. " Pursuant to the above notice and request, the inhabitants of the town of Holles being met. unanimously voted, that Samuel Hobart. Esq., be and hereby is appointed to represent this town at Exeter. with other delegates, that are or shall be appointed by the several towns of this Province for the purpose above mentioned.


NOAH WORCESTER, Town Clerk."


The following is a copy of the full record of a town meeting. April 28, 1775: called to raise soldiers for the army, nine days after the battle of Lexington :


"Province of New Hampshire. ) Special meeting April 28, 1775. Hillsborough County. SS. Col. John Hale. Moderator.


"At a meeting of the town of Holles called on a sudden emer- gency in the day of our public distress.


"Ist. Voted, that we will pay two commissioned officers, four non-commissioned officers, and thirty-four rank and file, making in the whole forty good and able men to join the army in Cambridge.


-


144


WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.


[1775.


paying said officers and men the same wages the Massachusetts men receive. and will also victual the same till such time as the resolu. tion of the General Court or the Congress of the Province of New Hampshire shall be known respecting the raising of a standing army the ensuing summer.


" 2nd. Voted, that the selectmen provide necessaries for sundry poor families where the men are gone into the army till further orders, and the amount be deducted out of their wages.


" 3d. Voted. that what grain was raised for the poor of Boston shall be one half sent to the army. and the other half to be dis. tributed to the above families."


The sequel of the doings of the town, both in the first and follow- ing years of the war, furnishes abundant evidence that this vote of the 2Sth of April was not an empty boast, and that the patriotic pledges then made were amply and faithfully redeemed.


The extract presented below is copied from the proceedings of a town meeting. May 11. 1775, called to choose delegates to the Pro- vincial Congress at Exeter, to be holden May 17th.


" Voted and chose Col. John Hale and Deacon Enoch Noves Delegates to the Provincial Congress to meet at Exeter on the 17th of May inst. Also. Voted and instructed our delegates to join the other Governments in raising and paying their proportions in men and money in the defence of the Liberties of these Colonies."


Next below is presented a copy in full of the record of the third town meeting. May IS. 1775. to appoint and instruct delegates to the third and last County Congress to be held at Amherst. on the following 24th of May.


".Province of New Hampshire, ) Speci'l town meeting MayrS. 1775:


Hillsborough County. SS. f Ensign Noah Worcester.moderator. " At a meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Holles. May the 18th, in the day of our public distress, occasioned by a letter from Mr. Daniel Campbell and Mr. Jonathan Martin. a committee for calling a Congress for this county. which Congress was called for the following purpose :


" I. To go into some measures for the better security of the inter- nal policy of the county to prevent declining into a state of nature.


"2. To see if the Congress will appoint a committee of corres. pondence to wait on or join the Congress of Massachusetts Bay.


".3. To enforce a strict adherence to the Association Agreement of the Continentel Congress.


145


MINUTE MEN TO CAMBRIDGE.


$775.]


.. Mr. William Nevins. Mr. Jeremiah Ames and Lieut. Samuel Farley, chosen delegates for the Congress which is to be holden at Amherst on the 2.1th of May next. As to the article in the letter of Messrs. Campbell and Martin respecting the sending a committee to the Massachusetts Congress.


" Voted unanimously that as we have a Provincial Congress now sitting, which will doubtless send to them -- therefore it appears to us not best for this county to take it upon them to send such a com- mittee."


It is very evident from the foregoing proceedings and vote that the people of Hollis were in no degree in sympathy with a part, at least, of the supposed purposes of this County Congress. On the contrary they regarded some of the objects and doings of that Congress as usurpations, and as tending to disunion. This view of the people of the town will more fully appear in an able and thoughtful memo- rial of their Committee of Safety (still preserved) and addressed to the County Congress in July of that year. A copy of this memorial may be found in the " New Hampshire Provincial Papers, vol. VII. page 450."


It is shown by the town records that the style " Province of New Hampshire." was used in the margin of all warrants for town meet- ings till after the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775. After that date. till July 4. 1776. the word " Colony" was used in those war- rante. in the place of Province. After the Declaration of Independ- ence the word .. State " took the place of colony and province.


The following is a copy of the record of the last Hollis town meeting in 1775. and shows among other things how the right to vote of soldiers absent in the army was settled by our ancestors one hundred years ago.


.. Colony of New Hampshire. ? Special meeting. Dec. 12, 1775. Hillsborough County, SS. Col. John Hale, Moderator.


" Voted and chose Ensign Stephen Ames a delegate to the Con- gress or Assembly at Exeter for a year.


" SOLDIERS' VOTES. - A dispute arose respecting some votes which were brought in writing of persons gone into the army, which being put to vote they were allowed as if the men were present themselves."


(10)


-


146


MINUTE MEN TO CAMBRIDGE. E1775


THE COMPANY OF HOLLIS MINUTE MEN FOR


CAMBRIDGE.


Late at night on the 18th of April the detachment of British troops under command of Lt. Col. Smith crossed over fr :: Bos- ton common to East Cambridge on their march to Lexington and Concord. The distance from Hollis to Cambridge, by the road- then travelled, was forty-two miles. The alarm of this expedition was at once spread through the country by mounted express. At- cording to well established tradition the news of it was treasbt to Hollis about noon of the 19th. by Dea. John Boynton, who Uvedl in the south part of the town, near the province line, and was che of the committee of observation. Dea. Boynton came riding through the town at the top of his horse's speed, calling out to his townstten. as he passed, " the Regulars are coming and killing our met." Des Boynton (as the tradition tells the story ), riding at full speed and out of breath, announced his message at the door of Capt. Wol- cester, another member of. the same committee, living a little south of the Hollis common, who had just risen from his dinner. and was then standing at his looking glass with his face well lathered. and in the act of shaving. Capt. Worcester, without stopping to finish his work, with his face still whitened for the razor, at once dropped that instrument. hurried to his stable, mounted his horse. and in that plight assisted in spreading the alarm. Other mounted mes- sengers were soon despatched to the several parts of the town to carry the news. and in the afternoon of the same day ninety-two minute men were rallied and met on the Hollis common. with their muskets, -cach with his powder horn, and one pound of powder from the town's stock and twenty bullets.


A story is told in the same connection of five brothers of the name of Nevins, then living in the north part of the town, all of whom were afterwards in the army, which illustrates the spirit and promptness with which these minute men met this alarm. Early in the afternoon of the igth of April three of these brothers were at work with their crowbars in digging stone for a farm wall at short distance from their home. At the coming in sight of the messenger, they had partially raised from its place a large flat stone embedded in a farm roadway. Seeing the messenger spurring towards them at full speed, one of the brothers put a small boulder under the large stone to keep it in the position to which it had been raised, and all stopped and listened to the message of the horseman.


.


ב-1775


MINUTE MAN TO CAMBRIDGE. 147


Upon hearing it, leaving the stone as it was in the roadwas, with the little boulder under it, they hastened to the house, and all three of them, with their guns and equipments, hurried to the Hollis common to join their company. One of those brothers was after- wards killed at Bunker Hill ; another, the spring following, lost his life in the service in New York. As a family memento of this inci- dent, this large stone, with the small one supporting it, was per- mitted to remain for more than seventy years afterward. in the same position in which the brothers had left it on the igth of April.


Having made, choice, the same afternoon. of Reuben Dow as Captain, John Goss, first Lieutenant, and John Cumings. 2d Licu- tenant, this company on the evening of the 19th. or before day- light the next morning, was on its march from Hollis to Cambridge. The names of all the officers of the company, and also of the private soldiers, are presented in the list below, copied from an original company roll, preserved by Capt. Dow, and now with the Hollis documents, showing the date of enlistment, time of service. daily wages of officers and privates, pay for travel from Hollis to Cam- bridge, and back, and the amount of money paid to each of them by the town. . This document is entitled. " A Muster Roll of Capt. Reuben Dow's Company of Minute Men who marched from Holles the Igth of April, 1775," and may be found in full. in the October. number of the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. pp. 382, 383.




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