USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Barrington > A history of Barrington, Rhode Island > Part 14
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A volume could easily be written of the massacres and burnings committed by Philip and his confederates, extending to the principal settlements of New England. Swansea, our own town, was practically blotted out for the time, only four houses remaining at the close of the war, and her people had fled to places of safety at Plymouth or Boston. Rev. John Myles, the pastor, who had made a brave fight with and for his people, went to Boston with others of his flock, returning with them at the close of the war in 1676. There is no darker period in New England history than that of Philip's War, and no sadder experiences befell the early settlers than
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during the bloody epoch of 1671 and 1676. We read the account with wonder that men and women and children could withstand so terrible a foe, fighting for life and home, and the names of those who fought those battles of our early civilization should be held in grateful remembrance as heroes of freedom, with all those other brave men and women who have stood for home and country in all the other dark days of struggle from 1675 to 1865. Our garlands should deck the graves of the Pilgrim martyrs of 1675 of Swansea when we remember the splendid achievements of the heroes of 1776, and "The Boys in Blue" of 1861-65, sleeping side by side in the same cemeteries ;
"On Fame's Eternal bead-roll worthy to be filed."
It is worthy of special note that the trials of the New England settlers stirred the hearts and sympathies of far- away Ireland and relief was sent to the colonies, as appears by the following record :
"The order and distribution of this collonies pte of the contribution made by divers Christians in Ireland for the relieffe of such as are impoverished, distressed, and in neces- sitie by the late Indian warr, was, as it respects this collonie, proportioned as followeth :
Swansey,
£ S. P. ( Mr. Browne, 21 .- 00-00 ( John Butterworth."
Of Philip it may truthfully be said that he was the greatest Indian of whom we have any record. His control of his own tribe, the Wampanoags, was supreme and unquestioned. His sagacity, shrewdness and cunning in his dealings with the whites were unequaled in Indian strategy. His skill in uniting the New England tribes, some of which had been-his lifelong enemies, shows a power for organization and control equal to if not superior to that of the great statesmen and warriors of other races. His strong friendships shielded many of his benefactors in the hour of greatest peril, while his revenge was a fearful cyclone of terror that swept all
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before it. His campaigns were short, sharp and decisive. Within a twelvemonth from June 20th, 1675, he had well- nigh destroyed the flower and fruit of fifty years of New England planting. His courage and coolness in battle made him the natural leader of the savage forces, while his caution prevented him from personal sacrifice. The tomahawk, scalping knife, and torch were the only weapons he knew how to use, and stood him in the same stead as the rifle, the cannon, and the bayonet in our military service.
Let us remember that he was a savage, with the nature, the instincts, the education, the traditions of savage races for untold generations. He found himself in a corner of the old Wampanoag possessions, shut out from his hunting grounds, and shut up to the narrow peninsula of Consumpsit Neck. His young warriors clamored for the freedom of the chase, and the wild life of their fathers, made familiar to them by song and story, in the wigwam and in the forest. Instead of the wild deer roamed the contented kine of the white man. "The five rayle fence" of Swansea, obstructed his feet and his vision. What wonder then that the savage was restless, and what wonder, when restrained, that he chafed under the unused harness. He was a slave on his own soil. His own hands had wrought the fetters which bound him. Shall we blame him that he made one manly effort, though a savage one, to be free once more? Could we have done less, and preserved our manly savageness ? It was the freedom once more of the savage, or death at the white man's bullet. He chose the latter in struggling for the former. Death was sweeter to him than civilization.
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CHAPTER . XIV
FROM PLYMOUTH TO MASSACHUSETTS BAY COLONY
Condition of Colonies at Close of Philip's War -The Andros Govern- ment - William and Mary on the Throne - Plymouth Colony with- out a Charter - Massachusetts Bay Influence at London - Swansea Votes "No," on Raising Money -Plymouth Merged in the Bay Colony - Swansea Comes Under a New Colonial Government.
T "HE years from 1675 to 1691, were full of troubles of various sorts to all the dwellers in Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies. Philip's War had broken up homes, destroyed houses and farming property, and sacri- ficed the lives of the people to an extent never fully measured and by us of this day, scarcely known or appre- ciated. The infant colonies were just emerging into the comfortable life of young manhood, when the earnings of the struggling years were swept away in a night and the best blood of the settlers was spent in a defence of life and home. Add to the personal losses the debt incurred for arms, equipments and military service, amounting to the almost incredible sum of £100,000, as stated by the Com- missioners, and one can begin to measure the cost of that perilous encounter, the first and inevitable duel between civilization and savagery on this Continent. Following this destructive war with an interval of only ten years, came the tyrannical usurpation of Colonial authority by Sir Edmund Andros in 1686. James the Second had no friendship for the American Colonies, but bore especial hatred to Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay. He demanded the charters of the colonies, and all were surrendered save that of Connecticut which was hidden in the Charter oak at Hartford. Andros arrived at Boston on the 29th of December, 1686, with a
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royal commission as Governor of the New England Colonies and from this date till his departure, April, 1689, he exer- cised his authority like a despot. The press was put under subjection, the people were threatened with a loss of their meeting houses and the freedom of worship, titles to land were declared invalid, taxes were imposed by Andros and his Council, town meetings except for choice of town officers were prohibited, imprisonment and fines followed remon- strance and opposition to the government orders. The anxiety of the people was great, the peril threatening free institutions was oppressive. Society stood still and awaited its expected overthrow as property, social order, democratic government, religious institutions and chartered rights were ruthlessly assailed. Governor Hinckley of Plymouth had the courage to lay the wrongs and complaints of the people before the throne, but without avail. A war was begun by Andros against the Eastern Indians, and the men able to bear arms were impressed into a fruitless service. Whence was relief to come ? The God of Providence was on the side of the colonists for their protection. On the last of April, 1689, news reached Boston that William, Prince of Orange, had landed in Eng-
land. Inflamed by their wrongs, and overjoyed by the glorious tidings, the people seized their arms, pro- claimed William and Mary sovereigns of England, arrested Andros and confined him a prisoner in the Castle, compelled him to resign, and by acclamation called their old Governor, Simon Bradstreet, then at the age of eighty-seven, to accept control of the government. The Colonies were once more a free people, thanks to the God of Nations. The event of greatest consequence to Plymouth Colony occurred in the year 1691, when the old colony was called upon to surrender its de facto if not its de jure existence and become a part of Massachusetts Bay Colony. Plymouth had never held a charter owing to the hostility of Charles the Second. Rev. Ichabod Wiswall of Duxbury with Cooke and Oakes of Boston were sent to England as agents of the Bay Colony
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to obtain a new charter for that colony. Increase Mather and Sir Henry Ashurst joined the Committee in London. Plymouth also asked for a charter through Wiswall but the king granted one with Plymouth and Massachusetts in- cluded. This was not accepted by the Plymouth agent, nor acceptable to the people. Plymouth was stricken out. There was then danger that Plymouth would be united with New York and Mr. Mather stoutly opposed this. It was then proposed at Plymouth that Governor Hinckley should go to London to use his influence to obtain a separate charter, but the people of the towns when called on refused or neglected to vote money to pay the expenses. The people of Swansea, when appealed to, failed to respond in favor of Colonial existence or independence. In the warrants to the towns to vote on the matter the Plymouth Court desired "that it be known whether it be their minds that we should sit still and fall into the hands of those that can catch us, without using means to procure that which may be for our good, or to prevent that which may be our inconvenience." It was stated in the call that the expense of the charter would not take less than £500 sterling or $2,500. As the debt of the Colony was £27,000, the people poor and in debt, party feeling strong, and the colonists divided on many matters of local government, it was not strange that there was too little united interest in the matter to raise the extra tax for an object that seemed to many as of little consequence. The result was that on October 7, 1691, a charter was obtained by Mr. Mather and his associates for Massachusetts Bay, which included Plymouth Colony within its boundaries. The eldest born of the New England Colonies thus lost its paternal birthright and the coveted prize of colonial inde- pendence was transferred to the sister colony. Mr. Wiswall, the Plymouth agent, in a letter to Governor Hinckley, wrote, " All the frame of Heaven moves on one axis, and the whole of new England's interests seems designed to be loaden on one bottom, and her particular motions to concentrate to the Massachusetts tropic. You know who are wont to trot
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THE END OF PLYMOUTH COLONY.
after the bay horse: your distance is your advantage, by which you may observe their motions. Yet let me remind you of that great statesman, Ecclesiastes VIII. 14. Few wise men rejoice at their chains ; I do believe Plymouth's silence, Hampshire's neglect, and the rashness and impru- dence of one at least, who went from New England in dis- guise by night (Increase Mather), hath not a little con- tributed to our general disappointment."
By her inaction Plymouth lost Colonial existence, possi- bly statehood, and for two centuries her brilliant history with the liberal sentiments of her founders has been eclipsed by the more enterprising, wealthy, and prosperous Colony of the Bay.
" Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these, It might have been."
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CHAPTER XV
GLEANINGS FROM TOWN AND PLYMOUTH COURT LEGISLATION
S `IXTEEN hundred and sixty-eight. Plymouth Court ordered that Wannamoisett and places adjacent shall be called Swansea.
Captain Willett, Mr. Paine, Senior, Mr. Browne, John Allin, John Butterworth, were appointed to have the admission of inhabitants, the disposal of lands, and ordering of other affairs of the town.
Captain Willett was given liberty to purchase what lands he can in behalf of the Court, " soe as hee doe not to much straiten the Indians."
The mark for Swansea horses was an S, "on the farr shoulder."
The Court declared that "for such stronge liquors as are or shalbe brought into the said towne (Swansea) by forraign- ers in the way of trad, it shalbe costom free soe as it be not retailed and this libertie to continue for the tearme of seaven yeares from the date hereof."
Ordered that the town of Swansea send down one to serve in the office of Constable, one for a deputy, and one grand jury man.
1652. "Mrs. Joane Barnes, for frequently slandering and defameing the children of Captain Willett and the daughter of Geo. Watson, shee was sentenced to sitt in the stockes during the Courts pleasure, and a paper whereon her facte written in capitall letters, to bee made fast unto her hatt, or near vnto her, all the time of her sitting there, all which was performed according to the sentence."
In 1669 the town of Swansea petitioned the Court "for a necke of land called Papasquash Neck, that it may be graunted
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unto them for the promoting of a way of trade in this collonie," which was granted.
It was further ordered by the Court "that all such lands as the Indians can well spare shalbe purchased by Captain Willett or Mr. Nathaniel Paine, alwaies provided that the Gou. be acquainted with such lands before any purchase be made of them."
November 4, 1670, persons neglecting to attend town meet- ings were to be fined 4s. by the town.
1670. In the controversy between Swansea and Rehoboth the Court ordered " that the Meadows Commonly Known by the name of The Hundred Acre Meadow though they Ly within Swansea Lyne, yet to be and to belong to the Town- ship of Rehoboth, and there to be Rated as they have bin used to bee and not unto Swansea."
"That the Meadows belonging to Sowamset, Called the five ten Acre Lots Lying within the Lyne of Rehoboth shall be and belong to the Township of Swansea and there to be Rated and not unto Rehoboth."
SWANSEA FREEMEN IN 1670.
Captain Thomas Willett, John Allin,
Mr. James Brown,
Mr. Nicholas Tanner,
Nathaniel Peck, Hugh Cole,
Sacarayah Eddy, Samuel Luther,
Thos. Read, Mr. John Myles, Jr.
1672. A petition was ordered to be presented to the Gen- eral Court "for the obtaining of those lands within our bounds that were lately bought by the inhabitants of Taun- ton " and Mr. Constant Southworth. John Allen, James Brown, and Hugh Cole were the agents.
" It is ordered that Nathaniel Lewes & Caleb Eddy, do view the fence between the Indians and ye Town & return the defects thereof to ye Town by the sixth day come seven- night.
" Ordered that every man shall fetch his cattle out of ye
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neck within ye fence & yt all Cattel yt are found there- after ye 3d of June & brought to Pound shall Pay for every beast or horse 2. s. 6. p."
1675. "Finding that Joseph Kent had Trespassed upon ye Lands of ye sd Town, fencing it in & calling it his own contrary to the order made against any such actions, It is therefore ordered that Hugh Cole & Samuel Luther doe forthwith demolish the said fence & forbid the said Kent to Improve the Land aforesaid and this our order shall save harmless & warrant the aforesaid Cole & Luther, and defend them in any action or actions arising thereupon."
Lieut. John Brown, Nathaniel Peck and Samuel Luther were chosen town auditors to go to Plymouth, to note all the charges of the town.
"At a Town Meeting of ye Townsmen ye 13th of March, 1675, There was granted unto Mr. John Miles, Pastor of ye Church one Acre of Land at ye lower end of New Meadow Neck, vizt : The South Lot on ye East side for to build upon."
1676. "According to a former agreement that ye meeting house, If removed should be removed to ye lower end of New Meadow Neck; It is now ordered & agreed that ye meeting house shall be set upon ye place appointed vizt : upon New Meadow Neck."
1677. "John Allen, John Butterworth, and Hugh Cole are Chosen to agree with a Carpenter to build Mr. Miles a house.
John West is accepted as an Inhabitant ; Dormit Smith is Granted ten acres at Kecamuet and is to yield up ten acres of yt lot formerly granted at Mattapoisett in Lieu of it."
Voted that the townsmen shall give no more land without the approbation of the town."
January, 1677-78. The order of the town for fining ab- sentees from town-meetings was renewed and the following vote was passed : "It is agreed, voted and ordered, that
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whereas upon experience we find, that the moving of many public or private concerns in the beginning or time of our town-meetings before the first be considered and stated, tend to the neglect of many, and imperfect stating the rest : we therefore agree and order that some meet person be yearly chosen by paper votes, to whom all public and private con- cerns before the town-meeting shall be brought, and in the town-meeting shall orderly declare the same as time will permit, having a solution or ejection of the first, before he proceed to a second, always preferring public before private concerns to consideration ; and that no man shall depart from the town-meeting before it be dissolved by our mod- erator so chosen aforesaid, on the penalty of 6d. for every such fault."
1678. "To Prevent Strife ye Town thought it Con- venient to make This order.
It is ordered that all horses that are undermarked within the Town shall be brought up to see who Can lay claim to ym & Mr. Brown & Mr. Allen & Samuel Luther shall have ye dispose of ye sd horses & those men that have those horses shall pay the Charge for ye bringing up of ym."
Mr. Myles, during the Indian war, had retired to Boston, and was instrumental in establishing the first Baptist church there in 1679. On the 21st of May, 1678, " Mr. John Allin and John Brown were chosen to draw up a letter in the behalf of the church and town, to be sent to Mr. John Myles, pastor of the church and minister of the town, mani- festing our desires of his return to us." Thomas Easta- brooke was chosen to carry the town letter to Mr. Myles at Boston. On the 26th of November in the same year, "it was voted for the encouragement of Mr. Myles in the work of the ministry amongst us, to pay to the said Mr. John Myles sixty pounds yearly, thirty pounds in provision at money price, and thirty pounds in current country pay. And whereas Mr. John Myles desires to be accommodated with a servant, horses and cart, and other conveniences for his com- fortable subsistence, the town doth promise to give to the
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said Mr. Myles the sum of four pounds in money, which may procure the said conveniences, which four pounds is to be paid at the end of the year after the coming of Mr. Myles amongst us."
1678. "It was voted that the Complement of ye £18 due to Roger Kinnicutt for building of ye frame of Mr. Miles's house shall be paid in Land out of ye Town Common.
Deacon John Butterworth, John Martin, Joseph Hunt, and William Howard were Chosen and appointed for ye Town of Swansea to perfect ye division of Land on New Meadow Neck with ye Proprietors of Rehoboth."
1679. Plymouth Court allowed the town of Swansea, " that they shall have and fovever enjoy those lands that lye to the southward of their old line until it comes within twenty rodds of Kekamuett Springe, which is the entrance of Mount Hope Neck, - to direct a line quite over or crosse the neck,- all the lands lying on the northerly syde of the line, and soe home to Swansea's former bounds to be and for ever belonge unto the town of Swansea." This line was run by John Richmond, Nicholas Pecke, and Increase Rob- inson, 25th of November, 1679. The committee was out three days, their expenses were fifteen shillings. Mr. Wil- liam Ingraham, Mr. Hugh Cole, and Mr. Obadiah Bowen of Swansea were witnesses of the deed.
"At a meeting Legally warned & ye Town being mett to- gether this 30th day of September, 1679. It is voted & or- dered that a Meeting house of 40 foot in length & twenty two foot in Breadth & sixteen foot between Joynts be forth- with built & a Committee be Chosen for ye letting out of ye sd work & finishing ye same.
JOHN ALLEN, Viz. HUGH COLE, WILLIAM INGRAHAM,
Committie."
"At a Town meeting Legally warned & ye Town being mett together this 16th day of December, 1679. It is voted & or-
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dered that the one Acre Lotts Lying on ye East side of New Meadow neck at ye lower End against William Ingraham's shall be laid out into two Acre Lotts."
" It is ordered, concluded, & agreed that whereas ye Com- mittie Chosen for ye surveying of Brooks's Pasture, 25th of February, 1679, have now brought in their part of it to be 300 Acres.
It is now ordered :
I. That Convenient highwayes may be laid out in sd Land.
2. That ye Land for house Lots be laid out.
3. Hugh Cole, Senior's, Land therein be laid out.
4. That ye Remaindder be laid out to each man accord- ing to his Proportion as Rank't, and that each man draw his lot when put in from which is to be done with Convenient Speed by 5 men as a Committee namely,
John Brown, Wm. Ingraham, Hugh Cole,
Samuel Luther, Obadiah Bowen.
" It is voted three men be Chosen to take an account of ye former Constables. And that the sd three men Shall take an account of Mr. Miles of ye Town debts. viz. John Brown, Mr. Nicholas Tanner, Wm. Ingraham."
"At a Town meeting Legally warned & ye Town being mett together this 25th day of February, 1679. It is ordered and voted that Mr. John Miles shall have and enjoy the House he now liveth in to him & his Executors & administs. and as- signs. Which house was built by ye Town on Conditions yt ye sd Mr. Miles acquit & discharge the town of all debts due unto him before and in ye time of ye War, Except nine pounds, fifteen shillings due to ye sd Myles from ye Estate of Capt. Willett which said Sum Mr. Miles gave to this Town."
"Received of ye Town of Swanzey ye full of all debts due to me fron ye sd Town from ye beginning of ye world till ye eighteenth of June, 1679.
I say Received this 25th of Feb., 1679, by me.
JOHN MYLES,"
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" It is voted that ye whole Tract of Land called Brooks's Pasture unto ye old fence by John Wheatons & what Land is yet undivided which was obtained from ye Countrey, by Com- position shall be divided in a distinct division & a Survey up to Swanzey two miles be taken which shall bear its part to satisfie Hugh Cole.
It is voted that Mr. William Ingraham, Samuel Luther, William Howard shall agree with Hugh Cole as to what part he shall have of Brooks's Pasture & also to survey the whole tract obtained of ye Countrey by agreement."
" At a Town meeting Legally warned & ye Town being mett together this 29th of March, 1680.
It is voted & ordered that ye bridge by Mr. Miles be Re- built with all Convenient speed.
It is voted yt ye Meeting house be set up at ye Lower end of new meadow neck & yt ye Committie for sd houde appoint the Individual place.
It was voted yt a Pound at Kecamuet & a Pound on ye Purchasers neck be set up.
Mr. Jeremiah Child, James Brown, John Martin, Heze- kiah Luther, Joseph Kent, Wm. Howard, John Allen, Dan- iel Allen, Jonathan Bosworth, Thomas Wood, Caleb Eddy, Thomas Cole propounded for freemen."
1680. " It was ordered that Sargeant Hugh Cole, Sargeant Samuel Luther, Obadiah Bowen Senr. do on ye 29th of this Instant attend Taunton Gentlemen to lay out our two mile of Land due to Swanzey from Taunton & to Run our Range betwixt us & them."
1681. Timothy Brooks "had liberty to set up a saw- mill."
A petition was made for a jury "to lay out such highways as are at present needful, namely, through Brooks Pasture to the ferry, at New Meadow Neck."
" It was voted that six acres of land be left perpetually for to accommodate a person to keep the ferry, or to be improved for the use and benefit of the town." In 1725, the town reduced the ferry lot to one acre and one quarter.
لعدد اللى وقال له طاقات الش قاء
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1682. Samuel Luther was elected captain of the military company of Swansea.
1684. " Voted that Timothy Brooks may keep entertain- ment for travelers."
1685. "Voted that the place of all public meetings should be between the Mr. Myles house and the great bridge and a house be there built for that end by a free con- tribution."
1686. "Mr. John Brown approved as Captain of the Town of Swansea, Timothy Brookes, Lieutenant, and James Cole, ensign."
1689. "Commissioned officers of Swansea : Timothy Brookes, Captain ; James Cole, lieutenant ; Robert Sanford, ensign, Approved by the General Court, May 20, 1690, and ordered to be commissionated."
May 16, 1690. " The orders agreed on at Plymouth, February II, 1690-91, were read. Voted nemine contradi- cente that they would give no money towards the procuring a charter."
"August 28, 1693, the warrant from the Quarter Sessions of Massachusetts Bay Colony was read, requiring the town to choose a minister according to law. After some debate the meeting was adjourned for half an hour; the church by Lieut. Cole returned and replied thus, that they had a min- ister they apprehended was according to law, namely, Elder Samuel Luther, and desired the vote of the town to see their assent and approbation, and after some debate, the meeting was adjourned.
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