History of Lancaster, Massachusetts
by Rev. Abijah P. Marvin
1879
Extracts from the Book
p.17
For some reason, unknown at the present day (1879), the boundaries of
Lancaster were not
surveyed and marked previous to the year 1659, tho a committee had been
chosen, some years
before, to perform the work. In that year Thomas Noyes was sent up by the
General Court
and the Selectmen voted that when "Ensign Noyes comes to lay out the bounds,
goodman
Prescott (John), go with him to mark the bounds, and Job Witcomb and young
Jacob Farrar to
carry the chain, and such others as Ensign Noyes shall desire, if need be."
With proper
caution it was voted, "that a bargain be made first between him and the
selectmen, in
behalf of the town, for his art and pains." This was on the seventh of April
1659.
p.45
1654.
"The humble petition of the inhabitants of Lancaster was signed by
William Kerley
William Lewis
William Kerley, Jr.
Richard Smith
Henry Kerley
John Johnson
John Lewis
Edmund Parker
Thomas Sawyer
John Whitcomb 2d.
Lawrence Waters
Richard Linton
The petition concluded in these words: "the desire of your petitioners is
that they desired
the full power and privileges of the plantation, and for the present they
desire, and shall
be well satisfied if the court do grant seven men out of the ten here, under
written, to
order the prudential affairs for this year ensuing; and that afterwards it
shall be lawful
for the plantation to make their elections and order their prudential
business in full
state of a plantation according to law." Then follow the ten names: viz., -
Edward Breck
John Prescott
William Kerley
Ralph Houghton
Thomas Sawyer
John Whitcomb
John White
William Lewis
Richard Smith
Edward* (probably Edmund Parker).
Of these are freemen:
Edward Breck
William Kerley
Thomas Sawyer
William Lewis
John Whitcomb.
p.64
John Whitcomb, senior, of Dorchester, 1635, removed to Scituate and became a
freeman of
Plymouth colony, June 1652. He had five sons and daughters. His death
occurred here in
Lancaster, in 1662, September 24th.
John Whitcomb, Jr. his eldest son, was born in England. He died about 1683.
His
descendants have been numerous and respectable.
p.73
Coming now to the west side of the Neck and starting from Lawrence Water's
lot, the first
lot on the west of the road which goes by the churches to the North Village,
we find the
lot of Richard Linton. This extended from the spot where Mr. Royce resides,
up the road
forty rods, and eighty rods west, or to the North River. Next came the lot
of Robert Breck,
forty rods, extending along the west side of the Common. Breck never resided
in the town.
In order came John Whitcomb, John Whitcomb, Jr., John Gates, Nathaniel Joslin
and Thomas
Joslin.
p.252
Crown Point Expedition 1755 - Lancaster
They marched in considerable numbers, under the lead of different officers.
Colonel Abijah
Willard was in this service and the troopers were in the regiment of Col.
Josiah Brown.
Included in the roster was:
Jonas Whitcomb.
Another company of infantry had Joseph Whitcomb for their captain and these
names were
included:
Jonathan Priest Whitcomb
p.253
The rolls also contain the names of some who returned home by way of Albany -
In the
regiment of Col. John Whitcomb of Bolton were the following Lancaster men:
Lieut. Hezekiah Whitcomb
John Whitcomb
p.254
The petition of William Willard humbly showing that he was an enlisted
soldier under the
command of Capt. Joseph Whitcomb in the regiment of Col. Timothy Ruggles in
the year 1755
the expedition to Crown Poinnt.
p.259
In the years 1758/9 in the Regiment of Col. Jonathan Bagley, Capt. Asa
Whitcomb's company
were engaged nearly ten months. The Lancaster men were
Sgt Jacob Smith
Abner Osgood
Benjamin Atherton
John Brooks
Shubael Bailey, Jr.
William Brabrook
John Bailey
Joseph Bigsby
Ebenezer Bigelow
Jedadiah Cooper
Oliver Butler
Oliver Dunsmore.
p.260
In 1759, the names of Asa Whitcomb's men were:
Nathan Eager
Robert Fletcher
Phinehas Goodale
Jonathan Gearry
Ephraim Goss
Nathaniel Hastings, Jr.
Daniel Johnson
Joshua Johnson
Philip Jena
Edward Larkin
William Larkin
John McBride
Moses Sawyer
Ezekiel Snow
James Squineen
John Sampson
Aaron Tufts
David Thurston
Jonathan Townsend
Phinehas Wilder
Silas Warner
Elijah Wood
Jedediah Wood
Silvanus Johnson, servant to the captain.
p.303
In June, 1777, Asa Whitcomb, by direction of the town of Lancaster, and in
accordance with
a resolve of the General Court, collected evidence against such as were
deemed "internal
enemies of the state." He reported the names of Moses Gerrish, Daniel Allen,
Ezra Houghton,
Joseph Moore, Solomon Houghton, James Carter and Rev. Timothy Harrington.
Most of these
men, perhaps all of them were upon examination, exonerated by the town, and
lived
as peaceable citizens.
p.58
Edward Breck entered, in connection with his name on the Covenant, these
words: "I subscribe
to this for myself and for my son Robert, save that it is agreed we are not
bound to come up
to inhabit within a year's time, in our own persons." In fact, Robert Breck
never became a
resident and Edward, the father, was here but a short time.
Edward Breck was from Ashton, Devonshire probably and came to Dorchester in
1636. He re-
turned to Dorchester from Lancaster and died there in November 1662. Joseph
Breck a well
known seedsman of Boston, lived here, and had a fine garden extending from
the house of Mr.
Symmes across the railroad and onwards between the road and the North river.
James Atherton was, perhaps a brother of Major General Humphrey Atherton of
Dorchester. If
so, he came from Preston, in Lancashire, England. He became a resident in
1653 but returned
to Dorchester. His sons James and Joshua were born in this town. The latter
was a resident
and had descendants here within the memory of those now living.
Gamaliel Beaman came over in 1635 when twelve years of age, to Dorchester.
Removed to
Lancaster in 1659, with several children and had several after his removal.
His son John
Beaman left town, but returned and died in the west precinct, now Sterling,
in 1740.
William Billings soon left the place.
Samuel Dean did not remain.
James Draper was from Roxbury, and returned thither.
Richard Dwelley was a transient resident. He served with credit in King
Philip's war.
Jonas Fairbank, son of Jonathan, came from Sowerby, Yorkshire. He married
Lydia, daughter
of John Prescott. Seven children were born to him. He was killed by the
Indians with his
son Joshua in 1676.
[Note: I have transcribed "John Prescott and His Friends by F. L. Weis" and
reports the
origins of many of the settlers of Lancaster, Mass., who followed John
Prescott to MA
It is a Wordpad text file of 74 kb's and freely shared on request.
John Prescott and his Friends by F. L. Weis
John Prescott of Lancaster, MA 1643 - 1681
by F. L. Weis, Th.D, Dublin, NH]
Jacob Farrar was killed in August 1675 by the Indians. His son Jacob was
probably born in
England. He left children here. Some of his descendants through his son
George, became
distinguished.
John Farrar, brother of the first Jacob, came here, perhaps from Woburn. He
died in 1690.
Daniel Gaines was killed in the great massacre, or reserved for torture.
There is no record
of posterity here.
Stephen Gates came from England in 1638 to Hingham. Here he was a freeman in
1656 and a
constable in 1657. He went to Cambridge and died in 1662.
John Houghton came from England. His last will was presented in 1684. His
wife was Beatrix. His sons were Benjamin, Robert, Jonas and John Harris.
Mrs. Beatrix Pope was his
daughter and there were others.
Ralph Houghton was cousin to John and probably older. He left three sons,
John, James, Joseph and perhaps others; and four daughters. He with his
cousin and their families went to Woburn at the massacre but returned. He
was town clerk as early as 1656 and for many years after. In 1668 he became
a freeman and was representtive in 1673 and perhaps in 1689.
p.60
Thomas James died shortly after March 13, 1660, the date of his will, in
which, to his wife
who, if living, was then in England, and cousins named Isaac, Lydia, Mary,
Hannah and
Christopher Lewis, he gave all his estate and made John Lewis, perhaps their
father, his
executor. Yet they may have no relation to our country and he have been only
transient.
John Johnson may be the same as John of Marlboro, who died in 1713. If so,
he came here from Sudbury.
Thomas Joslin came from London in the Increase, 1635. He died in 1661, seven
years after
coming to Lancaster. His widow married William Kerley in 1664.
Nathaniel Joslin, his son, was a freeman in 1673. His brother Abraham was
also here. After
the massacre he moved to Marlboro, where he died, 1694. He had two sons,
Nathaniel of
Marlboro and Peter of Lancaster. The latter had a wife and three children
killed by the
Indians, July 18, 1692, when they took away another child, Elizabeth Howe,
the sister of
his wife, and other prisoners, but killed the child in the woods. He was a
tough old veteran, was a captain, outlived his fourth wife and died in
Leominster at a great age in 1759.
William Kerley, or Carley, senior, after the death of his wife in March 1658,
married Bridget Rowlandson, widow of Joseph and mother of the minister, in
May 1659. She died in
1662. It is supposed that he married Rebecca, widow of Thomas Joslin in
1664. His death
occurred in 1670.
William Kerley, Jr. supposed son of the former, was in Sudbury in 1672 and in
Cambridge in
1683. Probably he removed before the massacre.
Henry Kerley, son of the first William, was born about 1632 and was brought
by his father
to Hingham. He married Nov 2, 1654 Elizabeth the daughter of John White and
sister of Mrs.
Rowlandson. He became a freeman in 1668. His wife and two children, William
& Joseph were
killed by the Indians at the burning of the minister's garrison, in the
spring of 1676. He
went to Marlborough, where he spent his days having married again. The
family disappeard
from this town, except old "widow Kerley," or "Caley," mentioned subsequently
in the records.
p.61
William Lewis was probably from Cambridge. He died in 1671 and left no
children in the
place unless John Lewis which is uncertain.
Richard Linton was here in 1643/4 and became a permanent settler among the
very first.
He was probably of Gov. Craddock's plantation in Medford in 1630 and at
Watertown in 1638.
He died March 30, 1665. His wife was Ann, daughter of Lawrence Waters, his
brother pioneer.
George Bennet, who was killed by the Indians in August 1675 was his grandson.
John Mansfield, son of John and grandson of Sir John Mansfield had five
hundred acres given by his aunt, Ann Keayne.
John Moore, Sr., of 1653 was a freeman in 1669 and representative in 1689 and
1690. He
married Anna, daughter of John Smith and among other children had a son born
April, 1662
named John Moore, Jr, called junior representative in 1689.
Mordecai MacLoud or McLoad or McLoud or Macloud, was killed by the Indians
August 1675. His
wife and two children shared his fate. Probably the whole family was cut
off, as we do
not again meet his name. [That is incorrect. See my report on Mordecai
McLeod.]
Anthony Newton was freeman in 1671. Probably he left at the time of the
massacre in 1678
One of that name was in Dorchester in 1678 when Lancaster was uninhabited.
Willard supposes
him to be the same man.
Edmund or Edmon Parker, was from Roxbury, whither he carried children to be
baptised in
June 1656, before Mr. Rowlandson was ordained. We can easily imagine him
going with his
family on a pleasant visit to his old home and church.
John Pierce of Watertown, freeman in 1638, and a man of very good estate. He
died on the
19th of August 1661 leaving several childdren; but they are not found in the
succeeding
history of the town.
John Prescott, blacksmith, came from Sowerby in the parish of Halifax,
[Yorkshire, England]
where he had married Mary Platts, a Yorkshire girl. But he was born in
Lancashire, as were
Atherton and several others who settled here. [see Weis "John Prescott &
Friends, above]
He came here to stay in 1645 or 1646 with the purpose of building up a town.
Many children
were born to him before and after he came hither. John [Prescott, Jr.] a
blacksmith also,
and Jonathan and Jonas were sons. His daughter Mary married Thomas Sawyer;
Sarah married
Richard Wheeler; Martha married John Rugg; and Lydia married Jonas Fairbank.
He took the
oath of allegiance in 1652 and was admitted freeman in 1669. His family
escaped from the
massacre, and he returned to Lancaster in 1682, when the number of families
was only one-
third as large as seven years before.
To be continued Part 2
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
Subject: Earliest Settlers of Lancaster, Mass ~ Miscellanious Notes by Rev.
Marvin
Source: History of Lancaster, Massachusetts by Rev. Abijah P. Marvin, 1879
Part 2
Edward and John Rigby seem to have left no trace, unless the "Rigby road," so
called,
from Deers Horns district to Clinton is named for them.
Jeremiah Rogers of Dorchester, married Mehitable, daughter of John Pierce,
not the John
Pierce mentioned above.
John Roper, who was in Charlestown, 1647 to 1658, is thought to be the man of
that name who
came here in 1656 and was killed by the Indians in 1676. Perhaps it was his
son Ephriam
Roper who was the only man who escaped from the minister's garrison.
John Rugg, freeman in 1669, married Martha, daughter of John Prescott and had
two children
who died quite young. She died in 1665. His second wife had eight children.
He died in
1696 and next year his widow was killed by the Indians. His son John had
eight children.
Another son, Joseph, with his wife and three children were killed in 1697 by
the Indians, at
the same time that his mother was murdered.
p.63
Thomas Sawyer one of the first six settlers, became a freeman in 1654. He
married Mary,
daughter of Prescott, and lived next south. His children and descendants
were numerous.
His son, Ephraim Sawyer was killed by the Indians in 1676 at Prescott's
garrison, now in
Clinton.
The Smiths, John and Richard cannot be traced and individualised.
Roger Sumner of Dorchester, was son of William and born in England. He
became freeman in
1657 and came to Lancaster two years later. He married a daughter of Thomas
Joslyn. One
record of him fixes the date of the origin of the church in this town,
formerly a disputed
point. The record reads, "1660, August 26, Roger Sumner was dismissed, that
with other
Christians at Lancaster, a church might be begun there." At the destruction
of the town he
removed to Milton and became a deacon there, where he died May 26, 1698 aged
66.
Richard Sutton of Charlestown and probably of Roxbury, is supposed to have
been one of the
proprietors of of Lancaster.
John Tinker of Windsor, Conn., removed to Boston, where his daughter Sarah
was born 1652.
He was made freeman in 1654. He was a great acquisition to this town, and
was clerk and
selectman. According to Willard his "chirography was very neat." He left
the place in
1659, and settled at Pequid, or New London, where he was held in great esteem.
John Towers of Hingham came from Hingham in Norfolk County, England, in 1637,
and was a
freeman two years later. His wife was Margaret Ibrook, and he had several
children.
Probably the family did not remain here, if they ever came.
Benjamin Twitchell came from Dorchester and probably went to Medfield, where
he was in 1663
with a wife and several children.
Henry Ward of Hingham.
Lawrence Waters has been already mentioned.
p.64
John White of Salem, 1638, had grant of land next year; joined the church in
1643. He with
his son, was one of the first planters of Lancaster. He had children:
Josiah, his executor,
Thomas, besides daughter Joan, Elizabeth, Mary and Sarah, who were married,
and Hannah who
lived with him until after his decease and then married Ensign Divoll. There
is an entry
in the Records of Lancaster in March 1658, which it is not easy to
understand, but seems
to indicate that he was a man who stood up for his rights. The records reads
as follows:
"all the orders of the selectmen passed, except that of goodman White, which
was rejected
because he feared not to speak in his own cause."
John Whitcomb, Senior, of Dorchester, 1635, removed to Scituate and became a
freeman in
Plymouth colony June 1652. He had five sons and daughters. His death
occurred here in
1662 September 24. John Whitcomb, Jr his eldest son was born in England. He
died about
1683. His descendants have been numerous and respectable.
James Whiting or Witton, left no record here.
Thomas Wilder, or Wyellder, of Charlestown, 1639, joined the church on the
13th of March
1640 and was admitted freeman June 2, 1641. Besides daughters he had four
sons, Thomas,
John, Nathaniel and Ebenezer.
Matthew Knight owned quite a tract between the house of Charles L. Wilder and
the center
bridge, on the north west side of Nashua river, which went by the name of
"Knights Pasture"
besides a lot in south Lancaster and perhaps in other parts of the town; but
it is not easy to locate him. His descendant, William Knight, now resides at
Ponakin.
Stephen Day was the noted printer of Cambridge. He never lived here, but had
a connection
with the town which will be noted in the proper place.
Rev. Mr. Rowlandson was a proprietor by the conditions of the grant to
legalise a township.
He became owner of 40 acres either west of Knight's pasture or including it.
But his house
and lot was the garrison and its surroundings.
p.64
John White of Salem, Mass, 1638, had grant of land in 1639; joined the church
in 1643. He, with his son, was one of the first planters of Lancaster. He
had
children:
1. Josiah White, his executor
2. Thomas White
3. Joan White
4. Elizabeth White m. Henry Kerley
5. Mary White m. Rev. Rowlandson - inherited 1638 antique from England see
below
6. Sarah White
7. Hannah White who lived with her father until after his decease and then
married
Ensign Divoll.
There is an entry in the Records of the town in March, 1658, which it is not
easy to
understand, but seems to indicate that he was a man who stood up for his
rights.
The record reads as follows: "all the orders of the selectmen passed, except
that
of goodman White, which was rejected "because he feared not to speak in his
own
cause."
p.60
Thomas Joslin came from London in the Increase, 1635.
He died in 1661, seven years after coming to Lancaster.
His widow married William Kerley in 1664.
Nathaniel Joslin, his son, was a freeman in 1673. His brother Abraham
Joslin* was also
here.
After the massacre he [Nathaniel] moved to Marlboro where he died 1694. He
had two sons,
Nathaniel of Marlboro and Peter of Lancaster. The latter [Peter] had a "wife
and three children
killed by the Indians, July 18, 1692, when they took away another child,
Elizabeth Howe, the sister
of his wife, and other prisoners, but killed the child in the woods." He was
a tough old veteran,
was a captain, outlived his first wife, and died in Leominster at a great age
in 1759.
Note: *Abraham Joslin aged 26 was killed by the Indians at the Rowlandson
Garrison
Feb. 10, 1675/6. Also Mrs. Ann Joslin wife of Abraham was killed in captivity.
Beatrice Joslin dau of Abraham Joslin also killed in captivity, Joseph Joslin
brother of
Abrahah died during the Indian attack, aged 16.
p.73
Coming now to the west side of the Neck and starting from Lawrence Water's
lot, the first
lot on the west of the road which goes by the churches to the North Village,
we find the lot
of Richard Linton. This extended from the spot where Mr. Royce resides, up
the road forty
rods and eighty rods west, or to the North River. Next came the lot of
Robert Breck, forty
rods, extending along the west side of the Common. Breck never resided in
the town. In
order came John Whitcomb, John Whitcomb, Jr., John Gates, Nathaniel Joslin
and Thomas Joslin.
All the above named proprietors were settled compactly together, south and
north of the
North River, or in South Lancaster, and the Center, then styled "the Neck."
The meeting
house stood as near the center of the plantation as possible, if it were to
be on high land,
and south of the river. And remembering that the settlement soon extended to
the Prescott
mills, what is now Clinton, it will be seen that the convenience of all was
consulted in the
location of the house of worship. As new families came, they either
purchased of those
already here or took lots in other parts of the town, though at first not
very remote.
Mordecai McLoud was somewhere near the cemetery in the North Village. John
Houghton took a
house lot in what is now Bolton, but his land extended into Lancaster.
Richard Wheeler
was next north of John Houghton. His intervale came to the Nashua River east
of South
Lancaster. Later John Houghton had his home on the Old Common.
p.108
Indian attack on Lancaster Feb 10, 1675/6 - Captives
[excerpt]
One woman, Mrs.[Ann] Joslin [wife of Abraham] met a different fate. She had
a little child
about two years old,and expected soon to have another. Wearied by travel
through the
wilderness and over the snow, after several days of of extreme suffering, she
was, as we might
well suppose, extremely unhappy and often begged the Indians to return her to
her friends.
At length when in or near Bayquage, (now Athol, or Orange), impatient with
her complaining,
they built a fire, deprived her of clothing, killed her child, [Beatrice]
knocked her on the
head and cast her into the flames.
[See p. 105 - The Early Records of Lancaster by Henry S. Nourse.]
p.126
Rev Abijah P. Marvin continued
July 29, 1692 Indian Attack on Lancaster
Though the frontier towns had been alarmed from the opening of the war
between England and
France in 1689, no attack was made on the inhabitants of Lancaster before
1692 when on the
29th* of July, 1692, "the Indians assaulted the house of Mr. Peter Joslin who
was at his
labor in the field and knew nothing of it till entering the house, found his
wife and three
children and a woman, the widow Whitcomb that lived in his family,
barbarously butchered
by their hatchets and weltering in their gore." His wife's sister, Elizabeth
How, continued,
Mr. Harrington, "with another of his (Peter's] *children, were carried into
captivity; but
that child was murdered in the wilderness. Thus was he stript naked and
called to bitter
weeping and lamentation."
There are faint traditions connected with this massacre which have some human
interest even
to this day. The location is commonly supposed to be where Mr. McNeil now
resides; but in
all probability, it was on or near the site of Mr. Frederick Johnson. The
former lived
on the old lot of John Gates, and the latter on the lot of Nathaniel Joslin.
Somewhere
between the houses of Mr. McNeil and Mr. Johnson and a little farther west of
the road,
was probably the scene of the bloody deed.
It has come down to us on what authority is not given, that the Indians did
not intend to
murder when they entered the house; but that they were provoked by the sharp
tongue and
the long oven-shovel of Mrs. Joslin and in their rage slew her and the other
victims. This
is quite credible because the Indians were accustomed to enter houses freely
and in an
insolent and lordly way, demand food, drink and whatever they desired.
Besides, they had
no patience with scolding women or crying children. The proper resentment of
a spirited
woman might have been the occasion of a ruthless massacre by men who had no
self control.
Note: see p. 130 - Annals of Lancaster by Henry S. Nourse
"Of the murder of the Joslin family by the Indians July 18th*, 1692,
the victims were:
Mrs. Hannah Whitcomb the widow of Jonathan.
Mrs. Sarah Joslin wife of Peter.
Three young children of Peter Joslin
Captives:
Elizabeth Howe, sister of Mrs. Joslin
*Peter Joslin, son of Peter Joslin, aged 6 years, killed shortly after.
p.131
Annals of Lancaster
April 17, 1701, a resolve passed in General Court allowing three pounds,
eighteen shillings to Mr. Thomas Howe, "he haveing Paid so much for the
Redemption
of Elizabeth Howe who was Captive by the Indians." She returned from Canada
in
1696 being then about twenty years of age and married Thomas Keyes Dec 23,
1698
p.98
Rev. Mr. Rowlandson was surrounded by many relatives and friends. By his
marriage to Mary White he became connected with an important family, since
Capt. John White, Sr. was the largest property holder in the town and the
father of
several children. Another of his daughters, Elizabeth, was the wife of Henry
Kerley.
Two other daughters of Capt John White, Mrs. Drew and Mrs Divoll were married
and settled in town. In short, about seventeen (some say nineteen) persons
(not
including old Mr. White who died the year before) were related to Mrs.
Rowlandson
were murdered or taken captive at the time of the massacre.
p.155
In 1688 Josiah White was allowed by the county, twenty shillings for "killing
one
growne wolf" in Lancaster.
p.169
At a Town Meeting March 2, 1718/19, John White was the person chosen to
serve on the grand jury for the year ensuing.
Also at the same Meeting, Josiah White was chosen Selectman.
p.188
Selectmen for 1724 were Josiah White, Joseph Wilder, Jonathan Houghton,
Ebenezer Wilder and Samuel Carter.
p.252
The Crown Point Expedition of 1755 included Nathaniel White in the Regt of
Col.
Josiah Brown. In Capt Benjamin Ballard's company was Elisha White.
p.64
John White of Salem, Mass, 1638, had grant of land in 1639; joined the church
in 1643. He, with his son, was one of the first planters of Lancaster. He
had
children:
1. Josiah White, his executor
2. Thomas White
3. Joan White
4. Elizabeth White m. Henry Kerley
5. Mary White m. Rev. Rowlandson - inherited 1638 antique from England see
below
6. Sarah White
7. Hannah White who lived with her father until after his decease and then
married
Ensign Divoll.
There is an entry in the Records of the town in March, 1658, which it is not
easy to
understand, but seems to indicate that he was a man who stood up for his
rights.
The record reads as follows: "all the orders of the selectmen passed, except
that
of goodman White, which was rejected "because he feared not to speak in his
own
cause."
p.98
Rev. Mr. Rowlandson was surrounded by many relatives and friends. By his
marriage to Mary White he became connected with an important family, since
Capt. John White, Sr. was the largest property holder in the town and the
father of
several children. Another of his daughters, Elizabeth, was the wife of Henry
Kerley.
Two other daughters of Capt John White, Mrs. Drew and Mrs Divoll were married
and settled in town. In short, about seventeen (some say nineteen) persons
(not
including old Mr. White who died the year before) were related to Mrs.
Rowlandson
were murdered or taken captive at the time of the massacre.
p.155
In 1688 Josiah White was allowed by the county, twenty shillings for "killing
one
growne wolf" in Lancaster.
p.169
At a Town Meeting March 2, 1718/19, John White was the person chosen to
serve on the grand jury for the year ensuing.
Also at the same Meeting, Josiah White was chosen Selectman.
p.188
Selectmen for 1724 were Josiah White, Joseph Wilder, Jonathan Houghton,
Ebenezer Wilder and Samuel Carter.
p.224
During a long series of years there was an intimate connection betweet
Lancaster, Massachusetts and Fort Dummer. The connection began prior to the
old French War and
continued till after its close; but it will be convenient to give a connected
narrative
of this episode in our town's history in this place.
Fort Dummer was located in what is now Brattleborough, Vermont. It was in
the southeast
corner of the present town, about a mile and a half from the village. The
fort was on the
river bank, just above the reach of the high floods which often overflow the
broad intervale
between the river and the plateau which rises on the west. The house of Mr.
Wells S. Brooks
(1877) stands on the site of the fort.
p.225
The situation was admirably chosen for commanding the river both above and
below. The
modern visitor is not attracted to the spot by its historic interest, merely,
but charmed
by the beauty of the scenery, mingling intervale and river, plateau and
mountain, adorned
with every variety of foliage.
The fort was built in the year 1723/4, by the Province of Massachusetts, and
named after
the acting Governor, William Dummer. The work was done by Lieutenant Timothy
Dwight of
Northampton, under the command of Colonel Stoddard. The enclosure was one
hundred and
eighty feet square.
The eastern side of the fort was close upon the river bank, which descends
steeply to the
water side. Remains of the foundation can still be found in piles of stone.
The fort was
built of large yellow pine logs, squared on two sides, and locked or framed
together at the
angles. It had mounts, or square towers, from fourteen to twenty feet high,
made of heavy
timbers framed and boarded up; and the upper story was planked. These were
for sentries or
watchmen.
There was a row of houses built on the inside, against the wall, with a
single roof sloping
outward. There are wells now within the space enclosed, and probably were
when the fort was
first occupied. Water could be easily obtained from the river, subject
however to the
danger of Indian shots from the eastern bank. This old fort was doubtless
known to the
scouts of Lancaster, as we know that Captain John White and others who went
scouting to the
north of New Hampshire, used to return by the Connecticut River, and
Northfield, as the
region was then called, before the town was reduced to its present limits.
In the time of the Spanish War, 1740 to 1741, the fort was repaired - in a
sense, rebuilt.
Two bastions were added, on which two swivels and two other guns were
mounted. At this time
four houses, each two stories high were erected, besides several smaller
houses containing
a single room.
p.226
Four depressions in the ground, within the circuit of the fort, still show
where the four
larger houses stood. At this time a line of pickets or palisades was
extended round eight
acres of land, enclosing the fort on three sides, and connecting with the
fort on the east,
or river side. These pickets were twenty feet high, and enclosed land enough
to supply the
garrison with a large quantity of the necessaries of life.
During the long interval of peace preceding the Spanish war, the fort seems
to have been
neglected; but the exigencies of this war, and of the French and Indian War,
1745-1748,
caused it to be strengthened. Another fort was built at Williamstown, called
Fort Massa-
chusets, or No. 2. These two forts, with a chain of block-houses, several
miles apart,
from Fort Dummer to Dunstable, formed a barrier below which the enemy seldom
came after
the middle of the century. Charlestown, New Hampshire, was styled No. 4, and
the region
from Keene to Hinsdale was called the Ashuelots, because it bordered the
Ashuelot River.
Northfield was on both sides of the river, and included Gill and the Vernons,
as far north
as Fort Dummer and perhaps Brattleboro.
>From the year 1740, Fort Dummer appears to have been a Lancaster
"institution." Kept in
repair, armed and nammed by Massachusetts, it was under the special charge of
men born and
bred in Lancaster, and the adjoining towns. In 1740, between May 21 and
November 20th, we
find Colonel Josiah Willard and his son, Captain Josiah Willard, Jr. with a
small comple-
ment of nem at the fort. Another bit of record proves that they were there
till the follow-
March. This Josiah Willard was a son of Henry Willard and the grandson of
Major Simon
Willard and a brother of Colonel Samuel Willard, the hero of Louisburg. The
famous "Good
Secretary," Josiah Willard, was his cousin. Colonel Josiah Willard was born
in Lancaster
in 1693 and about 1723 he married Hannah, daughter of John and grandaughter
of the first
Thomas Wilder. He removed to Lunenburg, but continued for many years to
attend meetings in
his native town, where several if not all of his children were baptised.
p.227
He was a captain and led expeditions against the Indians, while yet a young
man. When a
commander was needed at Fort Dummer, he was sent to that post, and his name,
or that of his
children appears in connection with the fort during fifteen years. For
example, Capt Josiah
Willard, Jr., and his brother Nathan, afterwards captain, were at the fort in
1742.
Repeated entries show that Josiah Willard, father or son, or both, was at
Fort Dummer be-
tween 1745 and 1748. Letters, bills, receipts and orders, preserved in the
State Archives
are the evidence. During these years there was need of constant vigilance as
the Indians
were on the watch to break in at any unguarded hour. Scouts were sent out
frequently to
scour the woods in search of the enemy. In May 1746 the French and Indians
attacked No. 4
in considerable force and "were driven off by the spirited behavior of Major
Willard at the
head of a small party of soldiers."
Major Josiah Willard was at the fort from February 1 to July 12, 1748, with
the following
men under his command:
Lieut. John Sergent
Sergeant Nathan Willard
Sergeant William Willard
Joseph Willard
Wilder Willard
Andrew Gardner, Chaplain
Simon Willard
Oliver Willard, Clerk.
Four of these Willards were brothers of the Major, and sons of the Colonel.
In these days
the colonel would be liable to the charge of nepotism.
On the fourteenth of July, 1748, Sergeant Taylor was marching up the east
side of the river
when his party of sixteen men were attacked by a company of ambushed Indians
and four men
were killed. One escaped, and by running along the east bank of the river,
reached a point
opposite the fort. He was saved, the rest were missing.
At another time the Indians came near capturing the fort by an ingenious
ruse. The side of
Chesterfield mountain, opposite the fort was covered with dense woods, with
opening intervals. One day an Indian, disguised as a bear, was seen on the
hillside, and the
occupants of the fort were tempted to cross the river and pursue him.
"Bruin" seeing them
approach, withdrew gradually up the mountain while his comrades were watching
to make a rush
for the fort; and it is said that the trick was discovered only just in time
to foil the
enemy.
p.228
The same hillside was fruitful in strawberries and when the families residing
in the fort
ventured over the river to pick them, they were liable to attack from Indians
who came
down from the inaccessible wilds that extend far to the east and north. At
times it was
unsafe to get water from the river, the Indians sending dangerous shots from
bow or gun, from the bushes on the eastern bank. In 1748, January 5th,
Colonel Samuel Willard, having
been informed by Captain Stevens of Fort No. 4, (who also was of Lancaster
stock, being a
grandson of Major Simon Willard), that Indians were coming between the rivers
(probably the
Connecticut and Merrimac,) sent out a detachment to meet the enemy.
Seargeant James Houghton was the leader of the party, and he was followed by
John Wilder, Asa Whitcomb,
(afterwards colonel in the French War, and the Revolution), Hezekiah
Whitcomb, John Hidley,
Joseph Kilborn, Nathan Burpee and Jonathan Powers.
>From July 7 to 12, 1748, the following men were in some public service but
whether scouting
between Lancaster and Fort Dummer, or in some other direction, it is
impossible to determine. The names are given because most of the men
belonged to Lancaster:
Captain Ephraim Wilder Jr.
Lieut. John Whitcomb of Bolton
Cornet Hezekiah Gates
Quarter Master Hezekiah Whitcomb
Corp. Nathan Wilder
Corp. Samuel Burpee
Corp. Aaron Dresser
Corp. Thomas Fairbanks
Sentinels or Soldiers
Thomas Sawyer
Aaron Dresser
Ebenezer Buss
William Richardson
Elijah Sawyer
Ephraim Osgood
Stephen Johnson
James House
Joseph Rugg
Hezekiah Ballard
John Dupee
John Farrar
Hezekiah Hunt
Phineas Willard
Abijah Houghton
John Prentice.
John Whitcomb became distinquished in the next French War and in the
Revolution.
p.229
Several other names in the above list, reappear in later years, in honorable
service.
This Captain Epharim Wilder scouted in 1746 in the western towns as far as
Athol, and
perhaps to the river. Capt. Samuel Willard, son of Colonel Samuel Willard,
was in the
public service from March to October 1748.
In 1749 Colonel Josiah Willard was at the fort and his son now a major was in
the Ashuelot
country. In December of this year he petitioned for pay as sub-commissary
for all the forts
and garrisons and marching forces on the line of the Province since the
commencement of the
war. The next year the colonel died when on a journey from home, in his
fifty-eighth year.
He was a man of high character and in his private and public capacity,
sustained a good
reputation. Willard quotes from a public journal as follows: "He was
grandson to the
renowned Major Simon Willard and was a gentleman of superior natural powers,
of a pleasant,
happy and agreeable temper of mind; a faithful friend; one that paid singular
regard to ministers of the gospel; a kind husband and tender parent. His
death is a great loss to
the public, considering his usefulness in many respects, particularly on the
western frontiers, where in the late wars, in his be-trustments, he has shown
himself faithful,
vigilent and careful. Of late years he has had the command of Fort Dummer
and always
used his best endeavors for the protection of our exposed infant towns; and
his loss will
be greatly regretted by them." He was succeeded in the command of the fort
by his son,
Lieut. Colonel, now become Colonel Willard, to whom the secretary wrote, "I
heartily join with you and your family in mourning for the death of your
father, esteeming it a great
public loss." In 1750 Colonel Josiah Willard, Jr. had under his command at
the fort the
following men:
Lieut. Nathan Willard
Lieut. William Willard
Oliver Willard
Simon Willard
Moses Wheeler
John Alexander
Ebenezer Alexander
Daniel Sergeant
Simeon Knight
Wilder Willard
Valentine Butler
Fairbanks Moor
John Sergeant
Elias Alexander
John Moor
Nathan Fairbanks.
The same force was continued in 1751 with slight changes of men.
p.230
The fort appears to have been in the hands of the Willard family during the
interval between
the old and the last French and Indian Wars. The latter began in 1755 when
we find Capt.
Nathan Willard in command with the following men:
William, Oliver, Wilder and Joseph Willard
Jacob Ball
John Sergeant
Uriah Morse.
The fort became a kind of thoroughfare, soldiers constantly going and coming
between the
Province and the frontiers of Lakes George and Champlain. During the last
French war,
troops passed up through the routes by Fort No. 4, Fort Dummer and Fort
Massachusetts, to
meet the enemy on and near the lakes and this Fort Dummer was often crowded
with passing
soldiers while the war was removed to a greater distance. By degrees, as the
country was
settled, and the seat of conflict was changed, and the Indians were driven
far to the north
and to the west, the need of Fort Dummer became less pressing. Soon all
interest in it
became historical. But whatever interest attached to the locality, as
connected with Indian
wars, or with the sad fortunes of Mrs. Rowlandson, its history has a peculair
connection with the town of Lancaster. Fort Dummer closed the path by which
the French and Indians came down from the north in the year 1704 and
assaulted Lancaster; and it was fitly manned
by her soldiers.
p.252
The Crown Point Expedition of 1755 included Nathaniel White in the Regt of
Col.
Josiah Brown. In Capt Benjamin Ballard's company was Elisha White.
p. 290 Company of Minute-men under Capt. Benjamin Houghton
The following Minute-men under Capt. Benjamin Houghton marched to Lexington
and Capt.
Thomas Gates' company of calvary rode to Cambridge. The roll of cavalry men
follows,
being a part of the regiment of Colonel John Whitcomb of Bolton.
Capt. Thomas Gates
Lt. Jona. P. Whitcom
Sgt. Richard Townsend
Sgt. William Watson
Sgt. Peter Thurston
Sgt. Thomas Brooks
Corp. William Whitcom
Corp. Moses Burpee
Corp. Jonas Wyman
Levi Sawyer
John Hawks
James Goodwin
Joe Osgood
Phin. Fletcher
Reuben Gary
David Willard, Jr.
John May, Jr.
Tho. McBride
Benj. Bruce
Uriah Wood
Shadrach Hapgood
Jona. Puffer
Israel Willard
Gardner Moors
Simeon Hemenway
Jona. Willard
Gab. Priest
Asa Rugg
Joel Phinney
These men were in service from four to fourteen days. Probably all of them
did not march
at once; and some might have returned before the rest.
The minute-men belonged to the same regiment and these are their names:
Capt. Benjamin Houghton
Lt. Samuel Josslyn
Sgt. Nath. Sawyer
Sgt. Samuel Wilder
Corp. Aaron Johnson
Corp. William Wilder
Dr. John Wheelock
Dr. Ephraim Kendall
Paul Sawyer
Thomas Bennet
Abijah Hawks
Henry Willard
Jona Kendall
Jona. Knowlton
Stephen Wilder
Titus Wilder
John Dana
Elijah Ball
Daniel Knight
John Thurston
Edm. Larkin
Joseph Josslyn
David Horseley
John Bennet
Jonas Prescott
Nathan Esterbrook
Elisha Houghton
Stanton Carter
Joseph Jones
Joshua Fairbanks
Abijah Houghton
Matthew James
John Chower
p.291
The British had retreated before the company reached the scene of action and
they were
stationed at Cambridge, under General Artemas Ward. They were out on this
expedition from
six to eighteen days.
A third company of the same regiment was commanded by Capt. Samuel Sawyer and
continued
in the service from ten to nineteen days. The names of officers and men were
as follows:
Capt. Samuel Sawyer
Lt. Manassah Sawyer
Ensign Joel Houghton
Corp. Ebenezer Ross
Corp. Lemuel Fairbank
Corp. Jabez Brooks
Jonathan Wilder
Samuel Church
Timothy Harwood
Ephraim Powers
Jacob Robins
Aaron Kilbourn
John Spafford
Thomas Sawyer, Jr.
Silas Rice
John Parsons
Oliver Powers
Ezra Sawyer
Asa Smith
Ephraim Wyman
Obadiah Grove
Abel Bigelow.
A fourth company had Joseph White for captain. This belonged to the regiment
of Col. Asa
Whitcomb and was engaged at this time for only four or five days. More men
hurried to
Cambridge than were needed, and some were poorly equipped. These returned
home, and pre-
pared for more extended service, as the war was prolonged from year to year
till its
triumphant close.
Capt. Joseph White
Lt. Cyrus Fairbanks
Lt. Moses Sawyer
Sgt. Samuel Thurston
Sgt. John Fletcher
Sgt. John Clarke
Corp. Peter Larkin
Corp. Moses Wilder
Jona. White
Nath. White
William Richardson
Phinehas Wilder
Joseph Lewis
Jona. Whitney
Abel Phelps
Joseph Fairbanks
Josiah Bennet
William Phelps
Joseph Beman
In June, probably before the battle of Bunker Hill, Andrew Haskell became
captain of the
minute-men and with an enlarged number, served under Col. Asa Whitcomb, three
months and
fourteen days. This is the muster roll:
Capt. Andrew Haskell
Lt. John Kendrick
Lt. Jonathan Sawyer
Sgt. John Hewitt
Sgt. Abijah Phillips
Sgt. Jeremiah Haskell
Sgt. Joshua Fairbanks
Corp. Josiah Bowers
Corp. Benj. Houghton
Corp. Ebenezer Allen
Corp. Jacob Wilder
Dr. Nathaniel White
p.292 roster continued
Fifer, John Wheelock
Abel Wyman
Abijah Houghton
Benjamin Ballard
Benjamin James
Daniel Clark
Daniel Wyman
David Hosley
Eber Sawyer
Elisha Rugg
Ebenezer Abbot
George Richardson
Mark Heard
Matthew James
Nathan Esterbrooks
Peter Airs
Gersham Flagg
Israel Willard
Joseph Beaman
Joseph Phelps
Jacob Phelps
Jonathan Ross
Joseph Wilder
Jacob Pike
Isaac Kilbourn
Isaac Eveleth
John Fletcher
John Ballard
Jonathan White
Jonathan Wilder
John Warner
Peter Manning
Samuel Barret
Stanton Carter
Thomas Goodwin
William Shaw
William Deputron
William Phelps
Winslow Phelps
Jonas Prescot
David Robbins
Robert Phelps
John Baker
John Myers
William Calley
Samuel Adams.
David Robbins was killed on Bunker Hill. Robert Phelps was wounded and
captured on the day
of the battle. Some of these men were with Capt. Houghton when he hastened
to Concord.
To be continued Part 2 p. 292 continued.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Subject: Lancaster, Massachusetts Revolutionary War Rosters
Source: History of Lancaster, Massachusetts by Rev. Abijah P. Marvin 1879
Part 2
p.292
Ephraim Richardson, under Col. Asa Whitcomb, led a company to Concord and
Cambridge, and was
in the service from April 19 to August 1, three months and fourteen days.
They were,
officers and privates, fifty-four in the company:
Capt. Ephraim Richardson
Lt. Seth Heywood
Lt. Ephraim Boynton
Sgt. Ebenezer Pike
Sgt. Luther Graves
Sgt. Samuel Rice
Sgt. Tilly Wells
Corp. Solomon Holman
Corp. Nathaniel Brown
Corp. Roger Boutelle
Corp. Matthias Larkin
Dr. John Wheeler
Fifer, William Kendall
Ebenezer Belknap
John Burns
Timothy Brown
Thomas Blodget
Noah Kendall
Israel Kooke
Thomas Cleland
Elijah Dole
Elijah Dresor
John Densmore
Calvin Fairbank
Asa Farrar
Aaron Gary
Aaron Glasier
Ephraim Goss
Jacob Kilbourn
Joshua Kendall
Israel Manning
Reuben More
Jonathan Phillips
Elisha Prouty
Jacob Piper
David Pike
Ephraim Pike
Josiah Person
Asa Rugg
Seth Buss
Luther Rice
Benja. Smith
Jude Sawyer
James Sawyer
Thomas Smith
David Gary
Israel Tower
Jacob Wilder
Joshua Whitney
Josiah Brunson
Joseph Savage
John Sawyer
Thomas Prossor.
p.293
Jabez Brooks, Nathaniel Brown, Elijah Dole and Thomas Smith went to Quebec
under Arnold.
Savage and Brunson joined the artillery.
The men who made forced marches to Concord, were either volunteer militia or
minute-men.
They were not called out by any constituted authority; but a messenger,
probably chosen by
the committee of correspondence, in each town, took up the message as it came
from the town
below, and galloped with it to a town to the westward, and thus the summons
flew over the
hills of Worcester county to the valley of the Connnecticut, and on to
Berkshire. But there
was an immediate necessity for a more permanent military organization, and
men were invited
to enlist in the service, for a longer or a shorter time, as the case might
be. From the
Rolls we learn that the following men enlisted in the Continental Army and
served from six
to nine days:
1st Lt. Andrew Haskell
Sgt. John Sawyer
Sgt. John Kendrick
Corp. John Farwell
Corp. John Haskell
Fifer, John Wheelock
Mark Heard or Ward
Jacob Wilder
Eber Sawyer
Abel Wyman
Benjamin Ballard
Daniel Wyman
James Beaman
John Baker
Josiah Bowers
Joseph Phelps
Josiah Phelps
Abel Allen
Samuel Adams
Thomas Goodwin
Elisha Rugg
Jonathan Ross
Jacob Phelps
Isaac Eveleth
Abijah Phillips
Benjamin Houghton.
Probably these men entered the general service when the volunteers returned
home, and re-
mained a few days until a more permanent arrangement could be made. It
appears from the
Rolls that officers and men were immediately enlisted for a period of eight
months. Under
Col. Asa Whitcomb, Capt Andrew Haskell, and others, enlisted into the train,
or artillery,
May 24 and 28, 1775.
Capt. Adrew Haskell
Corp. Ebenezer Allen
Abel Allen
Corp. Josiah Bowers
Samuel Barret
John Baker
Peter Airs
Samuel Adams
Ebenezer Abbot
Joseph Beaman
John Ballard
Benjamin Ballard
p.294
And on the thirtieth of May, the following are supposed to have joined the
same company of
artillery:
Daniel Clark
Stanton Carter
William Calley
Sgt. Joshua Fairbank
John Fletcher
Gershom Flagg
Thomas Goodwin.
Other men joined the company of Capt. Haskell at dates not recorded. It will
be seen that
many names are repeated, proving that a large number of the soldiers were in
the service,
at different times, and under different officers.
Fifer William Kendall
Joshua Kendall
Jacob Kilbourn
Sgt. Abijah Phillips
Sgt. Robert Phelps
Jonas Prescot
Joseph Phelps
Josiah Phelps
Jacob Phelps
Jacob Pike
Elisha Rugg
George Richardson
Jonathan Ross
David Robbins
Eber Sawyer
William Shaw
Corp. Jacob Wilder
Dr. Nathaniel White
Fifer, John Wheeler
Joseph Wilder
Jotham Wilder
John Warner
Jonathan White
Israel Willard
Daniel Wyman
Abel Wyman.
To be continued, Part 3, p. 294.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~
Subject: Lancaster, Massachusetts Revolutionary War Rosters
Source: History of Lancaster, Massachusetts by Rev. Abijah P. Marvin 1879
Part 3 of 3
p.294
Opposite the name of Robert Phelps is written "wounded and in captivity, June
17." It is
safe to infer that he was in the battle of Bunker Hill, was wounded and taken
prisoner. In
Frothingham's "Seige of Boston" it is stated that only a few of Col. Asa
Whitcomb's regi-
ment were in the battle. Probably the bulk of the regiment were in
Cambridge, as General
Ward feared a movement of the enemy in that direction.
Capt. Ephraim Richardson was in the service in the spring or summer of 1775
at the head of
the following men, but the the duration of his or their service has not been
found. The men
evidently entered and left the service at different times.
Lt. Seth Heywood
Lt. Ephraim Boynton
Lt. John Kindrick
Sgt. Luther Graves
John Hewitt
Ebenezer Pike
Samuel Rice
Falls Wills
Corp. Jonas Beaman
Corp. Benjamin Houghton
Corp. Ephraim Sawyer
Dr. John Wheeler
Nathaniel Brown
Jabez Brooks
John Bunn
Thomas Blodgett
Josiah Brunson
Israel Cook
Aaron Gary
Ephraim Goss
Calvin Fairbank
David Hosley
Mark Heard
Jacob Piper
Thomas Smith
Benjamin Smith
Seth Ross
Joseph Savage
Jude Sawyer
Jacob Wilder
James Wall
Abijah Houghton
Jeremiah Haskell
Isaac Kilbourn
David Pike
Josiah Pearson
Elisha Proute
Manassah Powers
Jona. Phillips
Ephraim Pike
Winslow Phelps
Asa Rugg
Luther Rice
James Sawyer
Ephraim Whitcomb
Joshua Whitney
Thomas Proser.
p.295
Two of these men joined the expedition to Quebec, through the wilderness of
Maine and
Canada, under Col. Benedict Arnold, Sept 11, 1775; viz., John Bunn and Joseph
Savage.
James Sawyer joined the artillery May 16th.
Joseph Beaman served in Col. Doolittle's regiment; Israel Davenport in Col.
Nixon's; Moses
Osgood in Col. William Prescott's; and Nathan Osgood in the company of Capt.
David, under
Col. Asa Whitcomb.
In the muster rolls is found the following list of names. Perhaps the
majority of the
company belonged to the second precinct, but their service is a part of the
history of
Lancaster:
"Provincial regiment of foot of militia men, commanded by Col. Asa Whitcomb.
Part of the
second and thirteenth companies, whereof Capt. Daniel Robbins commanded, who
marched to
Cambridge in consequence of an alarm, by order of the Colonel and returned
again, not
listed in the above service, 19th April, 14 days."
Capt. Daniel Robbins
1st Lt. Josiah Kendall
Lt. Asa Wilder
Lt. Fortunatus Eager
Ensign Edward Newton
Ensign Jonathan Baley
Sgt. Samuel Baley
Sgt. Nathaniel Wright, Jr.
Sgt. John Dusser
Sgt. Thomas Wears
Cornet Samuel Thompson
Cornet Thomas Ross
Cornet Samuel Herring
Cornet Simon Lyon
Benjamin Whitemore
Seth Fairbanks
Ephraim Wright
Thomas Wright
Josiah Wilder, Jr.
Abraham Howe
Seth How
John Robbins
Seth Brooks
Gamaliel Beaman
Benjamin Beaman
Jonas Bailey
Jonathan Thompson
John Kilburn
William Palmer
Calvin Moor
James Houghton
George Hibris
Joshua Sawyer
Joseph Densmore
Jonathan Prescott
Ephraim Bowker
Elijah Wilder
David Whitteor
Samuel Tarritt
Samuel Holman
Thomas Sawyer
Asa Smith
Hugh Moor
Timothy Wilder.
p.296
"Private men's names that enlisted April 26, 7 days in service."
Joshua Whitney
Elijah Dole
David Gray
Daniel Farrar
Noah Kendall
Seth Ross
Jonas Beaman.
Only two of the whole number registered above deserted.
p.312
The following is a list of soldiers who were in the continental service in
the years
1777 to 1780 and who "enlisted for three years, or during the war."
George Giddion
Ebenezer Glasier
James Armstrong
Cornelius Baker
Abel Bigelow
Benjamin Ballard
Samuel Bennett
John Carter
Thomas Cleland
Elijah Dole, died in service
John Dollerson
Nathaniel Easterbrook
Hiram Eager
Gershom Flagg
Asa Farrar
Samuel Harring
Joshua Johnson
Job Lewis
Levi Larkin
Abel Moor
Nathan Osgood
William Prentice
Jacob Phelps
Perley Rogers
James Russell
George Richardson
Seth Ross
Luther Rice
Reuben Ramsdell
Wharf Rand
Simeon Kemp
Lemuel Shed
Robert Skinner, died in service
James Snow
Oner Simes
Peter Tew
John Wyman
David Whitcomb
Francis Whitcomb
John Warner
Asa Wyman
Jonathan Wheelock
Joseph Wheelock, died in service
James Willard
Daniel Wyman, died in service
Benjamin Wheelock
Samuel Wood
Abel Wright, died in service
Joshua Whitney
Aaron Willard
Caleb Whitney, died in service
p.314
The above names were found in two volumes, in the office of the Secretary of
State, relating
to the war of the Revolution. The names are entered in the volumes by
regiments. Two or
three, who shall be nameless, deserted, after being long in the service. In
the same volumes is another list containing the names of a few men who joined
the artillery:
John Baker
Joseph Bennett
Josiah Bowers
Ebenezer Flagg
Gershom Flagg
Thomas Goodwin
Jacob Wilder
Joseph Beaman
John Keene.
There is still another list of men, whose time of service was in 1780 as
appears by the
following record. "Six months' men belonging to Lancaster, who marched to
West Point in
the continental service, including ten days travel."
Sgt. Ebenezer Flagg
Sgt. Andrew Haskell
Jacob Allen
Isaac Eveleth
Paul Sawyer
Jeduthun Sawyer
Daniel Willard
Samuel Phelps
Ezra Moor
Joshua Phelps
Jona. Barnard
Samuel Johnson
Ebenezer Burditt
Reuben Wilder
William Flud
Samuel Corey
Stephen Corey
Oliver Wheelock
Jona. Tenney
Jotham Woods
Abel Sawyer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note: Spelling of surnames are as they appear in this book.
p.761
The John White place No. 13, where Edward Houghton now (1879) resides had
been the property of the White family from 1653 to the decease of the late
Deacon
Samuel F. White. His widow married the late Deacon Peter Osgood, whose
daughter was the wife of Mr. Houghton. The present house is recent, the
former
one having been destroyed by fire, as the earliest one was, by the Indians.
Here
the first John White lived till two or three years before the destruction of
the town.
His son Josiah White, deacon and captain, probably succeeded his father,
though
his son, Josiah White Jr. also a deacon, was on the south side in 1705, and
joined
in the petition to the general court in favor of locating the third meeting
house on the
old site.
John White, the famous captain, who died in 1725, was the brother or son of
the
preceding, and occupied the homestead of the family. He died in the prime of
life,
leaving several children. In 1724 he purchased a lot of land at the north
end of Pine
Hill of John Goodman of Hadley. He was a blacksmith as well as a farmer and
a man of energy and character. A road extended from the White place over
Wheelock
hill, and the whole length of Pine hill, to the Dyer place. Doubtless one of
the sons
of Capt. John White took up his abode on the south side of the road, nearly
opposite Dyer's, where the old cellar is still to be seen, because in later
times there
were in that neighborhood, three Whites, styled John, John Jr. and John White
3d.
I find in 1788 one John White bought a small parcel of intervale of Dorothy,
the
wife of Phinehas Ward. She was grandaughter of Eunice White, widow of Capt.
John White, who died in 1725.
p.762
The Church at Lancaster.
Deacon Josiah White, last mentioned, resigned in 1749 on account of age, but
continued in the office of treasurer till 1766, when Deacon Joseph White was
chosen treasurer of the church. His son Joseph White became deacon in 1802,
though modestly reluctant. In 1839 his son Samuel F. White was elected to the
same office, and held it worthily about a quarter of a century. The latter
had two
brothers in the ministry: the former, Rev. William H. White, Unitarian pastor
of
Littleton, Mass., deceased, and Rev. James C. White, Orthodox
Congregationalist
still living (1897).
The family of the original John White of Lancaster is scattered abroad in the
land,
far and wide, and a full genealogy of it would fill a respectable volume.
His descendants have almost uniformly held a respectable position in society
and in the
church. Some have risen to distinction in military and civil life. The
Honorable
Joseph White, late Secretary of the Baord of Education, is in the line of
succession.
The only living male representative of the family, bearing the name in
Lancaster in
1897 is Emery H. White. The late deacon Samuel White had several sons and
daughters, none of whom reside in Lancaster.
p.115
Early in the year 1876 the Postmaster of Lancaster, Mr. Humphrey Barrett,
received a letter from J. W. Dunlap of South Hadley saying that he had in his
possession an article of furniture that once belonged to the Rev. Joseph
Rowlandson
and that he would sell it for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars,
though re-
luctant to part with it on account of its history. The Lancaster Library
Committee
on learning the facts, requested one of their number, Horatio D. Humphrey to
visit the owner, see what he had to sell, and learn, if possible, its
descent; or in
other words, its connection with the first settled minister of Lancaster.
The quest was successful. The article, whether bureau, buffet, sideboard or
locker,
was of solid English oak. It was four feet and seven inches high, four feet
and one
inch long, and nineteen inches deep. It had drawers, and a closet or
cupboard, and
other capabilities of a useful piece of household furniture. There was
considerable
carving on the doors, and it was adorned with egg-shaped balls made of a
softer
wood. The ownership was traced directly to Mr. Rowlandson. Mr. Humphrey
being
authorized to give one hundred dollars, made the offer which was accepted.
Happily the committee did not have to draw from the annual income of the
Library.
Miss Mary Whitney, in her will, had left one hundred dollars to the library,
to be used
according to the discretion of the committee. It had been their intention to
purchase
some costly, illustrated work, and inscribe her name upon it in lasting
honor. It now
seemed that the best use to which the money could be applied, would be to
exchange it for the antique sideboard or locker. This was done. The
article was
covered with a coat of paint, and two of varnish. An ingenious painter
removed
the covering and brought out the real surface. It stands now in the cabinet
in
Memorial Hall, with a suitable inscription in reference to Miss Whitney. The
chairman of the committee, Rev. Mr. Bartol, with great felicity, selected
the following
motto for the plate which is fastened to the furniture - "Sic siti Lares
Laetantur."
p.117 However!
One interesting question remained to be decided, if it were admitted that Mr.
Rowlandson was formerly the owner, the question was this. Was the article
ever
in Lancaster? It was the general opinion that the furniture was burned in the
universal conflagration., Therefore the probability was that the locker, if
such it may
be called, was bought when Mr. Rowlandson began housekeeping in Wethersfield.
But inquiry elicited the fact that it had belonged to John White, who brought
it from
England. He came over in the early years of the colony. The minister
married Mary
White, the daughter of John White. The latter died not long before the
massacre.
Hence it follows that the article was brought to Lancaster, and at the
division of
John White's personal estate probably fell to the Rowlandsons. The
connection
was complex. It is supposed that the sideboard had valuables in it and that
the
Indians, after getting possession of the burning garrison hastily carried it
out, in
order to save its contents from the fire, and then rifled it at their
leisure. These
things being so, Memorial Hall, Lancaster, is the fittest depository for it
in all the
earth, and truly as well as classically may it be said to rejoice in being so
placed.
p.623
Mr. Willard inserted in his History of Lancaster, a list of the graduates at
different
colleges belonging to this town, preceding the year 1826.
Mr. Henry S. Nourse kindly prepared a "Supplementary List of College
Graduates, natives of
or residents in Lancaster."
Both of these lists are given below. Unless specified otherwise, they were
graduates of
Harvard University. The year of graduation and decease are stated when
known. The first
date is at the left of the page; the second at the right side.
Year
Graduated Name Deceased
1733 Josiah Swan, minister of Dunstable.
1752 Abel Willard. 1781
1855 Samuel Locke, S.T.D. son of Samuel,
President of Harvard 1770 to 1773.
1766 Peter Green b. 1745 son of Peter Green.
1770 John Mellon son of Rev. Mr. Mellen
Sterling, MA.
1775 Levi Willard b. 1756.
1776 Timothy Harrington, son of the Minister,
a physician in Chelmsford.
1777 Joseph Kilburn - probably of Sterling.
1781 Isaac Bailey of Sterling.
1798 Artemas Sawyer of Sterling.
1799 Samuel John Sprague, son of Judge Sprague,
killed by a fall from a horse.
1817 Sewell Carter, son of Dr. James, a merchant
in Lancaster.
1817 Moses K. Emerson, a physician in VA where he
died in 1825.
1817 Paul Willard; counsellor at law, Charlestown.
1821 Henry Lane, M.D., a physician in Boston.
1822 Samuel Manning. He studied law. At one time he
resided in Mexico.
1822 Ebenezer Torrey, lawyer in Fitchberg and president
of Fitchburg bank.
1823 Levi Fletcher, at one time chaplain in the navy.
1824 Christopher T. Thayer, son of Dr. Thayer, former
pastor of a church in Beverly.
1825 Frederick Wilder, son of Jonathan & brother of the
late Henry Wilder. He died at Northampton 1826.
[Josiah Wilder, M.D. graduated Yale some 10 yrs before
the Revolution, and Israel Houghton grad. Yale abt
the same time.]
1826 Stephen M. Weld.
1826 Jacob Willard grad. Brown Univ. & studied theology at
Cambridge.
1826 William White grad. Brown Unive & studied theology at
Cambrdige.
[Abel Willard, son of Joshua Willard entered Harvard in 1772 but left in
1775 & went to England. He died in Canada.]
[Nathan Osgood entered Univ of Cambridge in 1782, but left before graduation.]
[Samuel Ward entered Harvard in 1784 and left.]
[Jeffrey Amherst Atherton entered Harvard in 1791 and left in 1793.]
[Abel Willard Atherton entered Harvard in 1795 and left.]
The following list by Mr. Nourse gives the date of entrance, graduation and
decease, with
titles in some cases:
Entered Name Graduated
Died
1811 Hasket Derby Pickman 1815
1815
He came from Salem in 1814.
1822 Richard Jeffrey Cleveland 1827
1823 Henry Russell Cleveland 1827
1843
1823 Nathaniel Burger Shaler, M.D. 1829.
1829 James Carter
1835 Richard C. Shaler Stillwell, M.D. 1843 1839
1840 Benjamin Apthorp Gould 1844
1841 Frederick Warren Harris 1845
1846 James Cooledge Carter LL.B. 1850
1849 John Davis Washburn, LL.B. 1853
1849 Henry Stedman Nourse 1853
1854 Sylvanus Chickering Priest (Amherst)
1858
1854 Joseph Robie Putnam
1861 Enos Wilder 1865
1866 Stephen Van Rensselaer Thayer 1870
1870
1867 Albert Mallard Barnes 1871
1867 Francis Newhall Lincoln 1872
1867 Nathaniel Thayer 1871
1871 Harold Parker
1874 Herbert Parker.
p.761
The John White place No. 13, where Edward Houghton now (1879) resides had
been the property of the White family from 1653 to the decease of the late
Deacon
Samuel F. White. His widow married the late Deacon Peter Osgood, whose
daughter was the wife of Mr. Houghton. The present house is recent, the
former
one having been destroyed by fire, as the earliest one was, by the Indians.
Here
the first John White lived till two or three years before the destruction of
the town.
His son Josiah White, deacon and captain, probably succeeded his father,
though
his son, Josiah White Jr. also a deacon, was on the south side in 1705, and
joined
in the petition to the general court in favor of locating the third meeting
house on the
old site.
John White, the famous captain, who died in 1725, was the brother or son of
the
preceding, and occupied the homestead of the family. He died in the prime of
life,
leaving several children. In 1724 he purchased a lot of land at the north
end of Pine
Hill of John Goodman of Hadley. He was a blacksmith as well as a farmer and
a man of energy and character. A road extended from the White place over
Wheelock
hill, and the whole length of Pine hill, to the Dyer place. Doubtless one of
the sons
of Capt. John White took up his abode on the south side of the road, nearly
opposite Dyer's, where the old cellar is still to be seen, because in later
times there
were in that neighborhood, three Whites, styled John, John Jr. and John White
3d.
I find in 1788 one John White bought a small parcel of intervale of Dorothy,
the
wife of Phinehas Ward. She was grandaughter of Eunice White, widow of Capt.
John White, who died in 1725.
p.762
The Church at Lancaster.
Deacon Josiah White, last mentioned, resigned in 1749 on account of age, but
continued in the office of treasurer till 1766, when Deacon Joseph White was
chosen treasurer of the church. His son Joseph White became deacon in 1802,
though modestly reluctant. In 1839 his son Samuel F. White was elected to the
same office, and held it worthily about a quarter of a century. The latter
had two
brothers in the ministry: the former, Rev. William H. White, Unitarian pastor
of
Littleton, Mass., deceased, and Rev. James C. White, Orthodox
Congregationalist
still living (1897).
The family of the original John White of Lancaster is scattered abroad in the
land,
far and wide, and a full genealogy of it would fill a respectable volume.
His descendants have almost uniformly held a respectable position in society
and in the
church. Some have risen to distinction in military and civil life. The
Honorable
Joseph White, late Secretary of the Baord of Education, is in the line of
succession.
The only living male representative of the family, bearing the name in
Lancaster in
1897 is Emery H. White. The late deacon Samuel White had several sons and
daughters, none of whom reside in Lancaster.
p.115
Early in the year 1876 the Postmaster of Lancaster, Mr. Humphrey Barrett,
received a letter from J. W. Dunlap of South Hadley saying that he had in his
possession an article of furniture that once belonged to the Rev. Joseph
Rowlandson
and that he would sell it for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars,
though re-
luctant to part with it on account of its history. The Lancaster Library
Committee
on learning the facts, requested one of their number, Horatio D. Humphrey to
visit the owner, see what he had to sell, and learn, if possible, its
descent; or in
other words, its connection with the first settled minister of Lancaster.
The quest was successful. The article, whether bureau, buffet, sideboard or
locker,
was of solid English oak. It was four feet and seven inches high, four feet
and one
inch long, and nineteen inches deep. It had drawers, and a closet or
cupboard, and
other capabilities of a useful piece of household furniture. There was
considerable
carving on the doors, and it was adorned with egg-shaped balls made of a
softer
wood. The ownership was traced directly to Mr. Rowlandson. Mr. Humphrey
being
authorized to give one hundred dollars, made the offer which was accepted.
Happily the committee did not have to draw from the annual income of the
Library.
Miss Mary Whitney, in her will, had left one hundred dollars to the library,
to be used
according to the discretion of the committee. It had been their intention to
purchase
some costly, illustrated work, and inscribe her name upon it in lasting
honor. It now
seemed that the best use to which the money could be applied, would be to
exchange it for the antique sideboard or locker. This was done. The
article was
covered with a coat of paint, and two of varnish. An ingenious painter
removed
the covering and brought out the real surface. It stands now in the cabinet
in
Memorial Hall, with a suitable inscription in reference to Miss Whitney. The
chairman of the committee, Rev. Mr. Bartol, with great felicity, selected
the following
motto for the plate which is fastened to the furniture - "Sic siti Lares
Laetantur."
p.117 However!
One interesting question remained to be decided, if it were admitted that Mr.
Rowlandson was formerly the owner, the question was this. Was the article
ever
in Lancaster? It was the general opinion that the furniture was burned in the
universal conflagration., Therefore the probability was that the locker, if
such it may
be called, was bought when Mr. Rowlandson began housekeeping in Wethersfield.
But inquiry elicited the fact that it had belonged to John White, who brought
it from
England. He came over in the early years of the colony. The minister
married Mary
White, the daughter of John White. The latter died not long before the
massacre.
Hence it follows that the article was brought to Lancaster, and at the
division of
John White's personal estate probably fell to the Rowlandsons. The
connection
was complex. It is supposed that the sideboard had valuables in it and that
the
Indians, after getting possession of the burning garrison hastily carried it
out, in
order to save its contents from the fire, and then rifled it at their
leisure. These
things being so, Memorial Hall, Lancaster, is the fittest depository for it
in all the
earth, and truly as well as classically may it be said to rejoice in being so
placed.
The Voters in the town of Lancaster, Massachusetts in 1807 from the Library
of Antiquarian
Society, Worcester.
p.404
Allen, Ebenezer
Allen, Samuel
Atherton, Israel
Atherton, Peter
Baldwin, Oliver
Ballard, Jeremiah
Ballard, John
Ballard, Thomas
Barrett, Jonathan
Barrett, Reuben
Bennett, Elisha
Bennett, Nathan
Bennett, Thomas, Jr.
Blanchard, William
Bowers, Jeremiah
Brigham, Ephraim
Burbank, Nathaniel
Butterick, Horatio G.
Carter, Calvin
Carter, Ephraim
Carter, James
Carter, James, Jr.
Carter, John
Carter, John Jr.
Carter, John 3d
Carter, Oliver
Carter, Solomon
Carter, Thomas
Chase, Charles
Chinnery, Thaddeus
Clark, Gregory
Clark, James
Cook, Aaron
Daby, Nathan
Damon, Samuel
Damon, Samuel Jr.
Divol, Ephraim
Divol, Manassah
Divol, Peter
Dolleson, John
Eager, Horace
Eaton, Nathaniel
Elder, James, Jr.
Emerson, Elias
Emerson, Ephraim
Fairbank, Cyrus
Fairbank, Jonas
Fairbank, Jonas, Jr.
Fales, Jeremiah
Fales, Jeremiah, Jr.
Farwell, Joseph
Farwell, Leonard
Faulkner, Paul
Fisher, Jacob
Flagg, Josiah
Fletcher, Joshua
Fletcher, Timothy
Fletcher, William
Fuller, Edward
Fuller, James
Gates, Abraham
Gates, Thomas
Goodwin, Edward
Goodwin, James
Goodwin, John
Goss, Daniel
Goss, Daniel, Jr.
Goss, John
Goss, John, Jr.
Gould, Nathaniel
Gould, William
Harris, Daniel
Haskell, Elias
Haskell, Henry
p.405
Haskell, Israel
Haven, Richard
Hawks, John
Hawks, John Jr.
Hayden, Daniel
Haywood, Moses
Hazen, Ebenezer
Hildreth, Micah
Hildreth, David
Hiller, Joseph
Hosley, John
Houghton, Benjamin 2d
Houghton, Oliver
Howe, Thomas
Hudson, Robert
Hyde, John
Johnson, Aaron
Johnson, Aaron, Jr.
Johnson, Jonas
Jones, Aaron
Jones, Moses
Jones, Samuel
Keyes, Daniel
Knight, Charles E.
Knight, Manasseh
Laughton, Daniel
Lawson, James
Leach, Joseph
Lewis, Charles
Lewis, Timothy
Lincoln, Caleb
Lincoln, Jacob
Low, Edward
Low, Jabez B.
Low, John
Low, Nathaniel, Jr.
Lyon, John
Lyon, Luther
Mallard, Abraham
Mallard, James
Maynard, John
Mead, Theodore
Newman, Gowen B.
Newman, Joseph
Newhall, Pliny
Nichols, Joseph
Oliver, Joel
Osgood, Ephraim
Osgood, Joel
Osgood, Moses
Peabody, Calvin
Phelps, Abijah
Phelps, George
Phelps, Robert
Phelps, Sylvester
Pollard, Abner
Pollard, Gardner
Pollard, John
Prentiss, John
Prescott, John
Rice, Benjamin
Rice, Ezekiel
Rice, Joseph
Rice, Merrick
Rogers, Joseph
Robbins, John
Robbins, John 2d
Rugg, Aaron
Rugg, Abel
Rugg, Abijah
Rugg, Daniel
Rugg, Elijah
Rugg, Ephraim
Rugg, Isaac
Rugg, Joseph
Safford, Thomas
Sargent, John
Sargent, Seth
Saunderson, Elisha
Savary, John
Sawyer, Amos
Sawyer, John
Sawyer, Luther
Sawyer, Moses
Smith, Moses
Smith, Moses, Jr.
Stearns, Eli
Stedman, William
Stevenson, Martin
Stowe, Jacob
Studley, C.
Sweetser, Jacob
Thomas, Joshua
Thurston, Gates
Thurston, John
Thurston, Peter
Thurston, Peter, Jr.
Thurston, Silas
Torrey, Ebenezer
Tower, Asahel
Townshend, John
Townshend, Robert
Turner, Nathaniel
Wales, Joseph
Ward, Samuel
Warner, Asa
Wheeler, Reuben
White, Abijah
Whiting, John
Whiting, Paul
Whiting, Timothy
Whitney, Ephraim
Whitney, Jonas
Whittemore, Nathaniel
Whittemore, Nathaniel, Jr.
Wilder, Abel
Wilder, Ebenezer
Wilder, Calvin
Wilder, Gardner
Wilder, Joel
Wilder, John
Wilder, Jonathan
Wilder, Manassch
Wilder, Samuel
Wilder, Samuel 2d
p.406
Wilder, Stephen
Wilder, Titus
Wilder, Titus, Jr.
Wilder, William
Willard, Abel
Willard, Amasa
Willard, Benjamin
Willard, Benjamin W.
Willard, Paul
Willard, Salmon
Willard, Simon
Willard, William
Worcester, Samuel
Wyman, Benjamin
Zweir, Jacob, Jr.
p.482 - p. 483
At the November meeting, 1848, a movement was begun, looking to a division of
the
town of Lancaster, by the separation of Clintonville. The subject was
referred to the
following gentlemen, living in both sections, as a committee:
Elias M. Stillwell
James G. Carter
John H. Shaw
H. N. Bigelow
Ezra Sawyer
Sidney Harris
Charles G. Stevens
J. T. Otterson
Jacob Fisher
The committee, as might have been expected, were divided in opinion, and at a
meeting held in November of 1849, presented majority and minority reports.
Both
reports were laid on the table.
At the same time another committee made a report in regard to the land under
and near the old town house. It seems that a Mr. Danforth had built where
Mr. Royce now resides in 1832 and Capt Shaw was then living in the house. By
some means the town had six hundred and fifty two feet of Capt. Shaw's land.
How the matter
was settled the records do not inform us; but probably all that belonged to
the town
is now in the highway between the houses of Mrs. Abby Lane and Mr. Royce.
The dividing of the town was a matter that could not rest, as Clintonville
was rapidly
increasing in population and business. Therefore a special meeting was held
on the
fifteenth of February 1850, with Solon Whiting, Esq., in the chair. Charles
G. Stevens, Esq., then a young lawyer, recently settled in Clintonville,
submitted a preamble and resolve to the meeting in favor of a new town.
The subject was discussed, but before any action was taken, a committee was
appointed to confer with a like committee, chosen by the people of
Clintonville, and
"report as soon as may be, what terms, in their opinion, ought to satisfy the
town
of Lancaster to consent not to oppose a division of the town."
The committee chosen by the town were: John G. Thurston,
Jacob Fisher, Silas Thurston, Henry Lincoln and Nathaniel Warner. The
meeting
then adjourned, forty minutes. On reassembling, the committees unanimously
reported as follows:
1. That all the property, both real and personal, owned by the town of
Lancaster, at
the present time, shall belong to and be owned by the town of Lancaster,
after the
division shall take place.
2. That the inhabitants of Clintonville shall support and forever maintain
those persons who now receive relief and support from the town of Lancaster,
as paupers,
who originated from the territory proposed to be set off; and also forever
support
all persons who may hereafter become paupers, who derive their settlement from
this territory.
3. That Clintonville, or the town of Clinton, if so incorporated, shall pay
to the town
of Lancaster, the sum of ten thousand dollars in consideration of the large
number of
river bridges and paupers that will remain within the limits of the old town.
The same
to be paid in ten equal annual payments of one thousand dollars, with
interest semi
annually on the sum due, the first payment of one thousand dollars to be made
in
one year after the separation shall take place. And the amount shall be in
full for all the town debt which Lancaster owes."
The fourth article fixed the bounds as they now stand. Henry Wilder, Benjamin
Whittemore and John G. Thurston were chosen a committee to see the substance
of the foregoing articles put into the act of incorporation.
The report was adopted by the town; Clinton was incorporated by the
legislature at
its next session and in due time, paid for its freedom, according to
agreement, and
went on its way to prospering, with the good will of its venerable, but still
growing
and comely mother. Comparing the two, and reversing the words of Horace, we
may
write: "O filia pulchra mater pulchrior."
The number of families in the town previous to the division was six hundred
and
ninety two. Supposing the families averaged five persons, the population was
three
thousand four hundred and sixty. Now the population of Clinton is probably
double
the latter number while that of Lancaster is less than two thousand. But the
old town
has time and room for growing.
p.616
Lancaster has always been a healthy town. In the reports respecting health
and vital
statistics it holds a high rank in comparison with the towns and cities of
the state.
The following taken from the Lancaster Gazette, March 25, 1829, indicates the
longevity
of one family which has had representatives in the town from very early times
to the
present.
RUGG
"Died in this town on the sixteenth instant, Daniel Rugg, the tenth and
youngest child of
James Rugg, who was the eleventh and youngest child of Daniel and Elizabeth
Rugg, of this
town, who have lived together sixty-two years, the former aged 85 and the
latter aged 82
years. They, - that is Daniel and Elizabeth, attended the funeral in company
with twenty
five of their own descendants, fifty-four being absent."
p.617
OSGOOD
The Osgood family were long-lived. For example, Joseph Osgood at his decease
was 77; his
wife, 92; his daughter Jerusha, 96; Martha, 92, Joel, 75. An average of 86
years.
WHITE
The following record of Deacon John White is very remarkable in this respect.
Josiah White
90, his wife, 84. Children: Mary 86; Martha, 94; Jonathan, 80; Hannah, 77;
Abigail, 86;
Josiah, 94; Ruth, 40; Joseph, 60; Joanna, 75; Jotham, 87; Silence, 75; John,
91; Elisha, 90.
The average age was over 80 years.
The deaths in Dr. Thayer's society between 1793 and 1826, were 656. Of
these, 66 were the
deaths of persons over 80 years of age. Below is a list of those who lived
to the age of
80 and more. The names are given in the order of time, beginning in the year
1769.
p.618
1769 Ephraim Wilder died aged 94
1784 Joshua Phelps 84
1784 Edward Phelps 90
1797 John White 83
1797 John Priest 88
1797 Manasseh Divol 82
1798 Ephraim Divol 84
1798 Elizabeth Priest 84
1798 Joseph Priest 83
1799 John Rugg 85
1800 Elizabeth Houghton 82
1801 Josiah Sawyer 82
1802 Edward Fuller 85
1802 Sarah Adams 81
1802 Rebecca Tenny 81
1802 Martha Wheelock 94
1805 Jane Rugg 93
1805 Mary Jones 85
1805 Bathsheba Robbins 85
1807 Zeruiah Rugg 86
1807 Lydia Rugg 91
1808 Alice Houghton 83
1811 Martha Wilder 94
1811 Priscilla Thurston 83
1812 Asahel Phelps 86
1813 Mary Fletcher 86
1813 Elizabeth Divoll 93
1814 Joshua Fletcher 90
1814 John Pollard 85
1815 Keziah Baldwin 91
1816 Isaac Stone 93
1817 Micah Simmons 83
1818 Mary Leach 86
1820 Rebecca Fletcher 92
1822 Israel Atherton 82
1823 Rebecca Atherton 86
1824 Samuel Wilder 81
1825 Simon Willard 97
1825 Mary Joslyn 88
1826 Samuel Joslyn 88
1826 Joseph Nichols 82.
The above period of fifty-seven years gives a list of forty-one persons whose
age was 80
years or more. The average is less than one each year. But taking the
period between 1797
and 1826, which was twenty-nine years, we find that thirty-eight persons, or
one and a trifle over one-third per annum, lived to be eighty.
To be continued - 1826 to 1877 Part 2 p. 618
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subject: Longevity - Lancaster, Massachusetts
Source: History of Lancaster by Rev. Abijah P. Marvin, 1879
Part 2 of 2
p. 618
Between the years 1826 and 1878 (52 years) in which one hundred and seventy
five aged
people deceased, whose age equalled or exceeded eighty years.
1826 Samuel Ward Died aged 86 Years
1827 Samuel Wilder 81
1828 Ephraim Robbins 80
1829 Elizabeth Willard 89
1829 Sarah Todd 80
1829 Jonas Fairbank 86
1829 Anna Clarke 93
1830 Daniel Rugg 87
1831 Dorothy Thurston 92
1831 Jonas Fuller 81
1831 James Goodwin 90
1832 Daniel Butler 95
p.619
1832 Jacob Zwiers 93
1833 Sarah Manly 84
1833 Tabitha Allen 87
1834 Elizabeth Rugg 88
1834 Relief Divoll 86
1834 William Gould 80
1835 Rebecca Fletcher 83
1835 Hannah Beaman 99 her death was caused by a fall.
1835 Rachel Fales 85
1835 Susanna Arnold 81
1835 Beulah Goodrich 81
1836 Jonathan Wilder 81
1836 Josiah Bowers 84
1836 Rebecca Bowers 84
1837 Titus Wilder 87
1837 Susanna Carter 82
1837 Martha Wyman 81
1837 Jemima Whitman 87
1837 Lucy Laughton 81
1838 Margaret Sweetser 85
1838 Martha Carter 83
1838 Ruth Sawyer 93
1838 Jeremiah Ballard 86
1838 Daniel Harris 80
1838 John Thurston 84
1839 Elizabeth Gould 84
1839 Prudence Dinsmoor 87
1839 Phebe Atherton 82
1839 Beulah Phelps 86
1840 Abigail Fairbank 88
1840 Mary Conquerette 81
1840 Mrs. Silas Thurston 81
1840 Thomas Davis 87
1842 Oliver Carter 84
1843 Relief Phelps 83
1843 Sarah Wilder 86
1843 Hannah Upton 80
1843 Abel Rugg 92
1843 Elisha Sanderson 81
1843 Relief Houghton 81
1843 Mary Wilder 95
1843 Amos Sawyer 85
1843 Katherine Rugg 84
1844 Elizabeth Tidd 88
1844 Betsey Sawyer 94
1844 Davis Whitman 82
1845 Annis Andrews 81
1845 Sally Carter 86
1845 Prudence Robbins 90
1845 Lois Bartlett 84
1846 Gardner Phelps 88
1846 Lucretia Osgood 91
1847 Lucy Eaton 97
1847 Rachel G. Wilder 88
1848 Lucy Allen 80
1849 Jonas Lane 87
1849 Elizabeth Thurston 86
1849 Seth Larkin 81
1849 Polly Washburn 84
1850 Samuel Wilder 80
1850 Elizabeth Sawyer 84
1850 Nancy Newell 80
1850 Joseph Bennett 94
1850 Amy Thurston 88
1850 Samuel Rugg 83
1850 Jacob Lincoln 88
1850 Lucy Rugg 83
1851 Peter T. Vose 81
1851 Mrs. Gardner Phelps 86
1851 Rufus Fletcher 87
1853 Lucy Goddard 81
1853 Betsey Rice 84
1853 Mary W. Goss 87
1853 Joseph Rice 83
1853 John Wilder 87
1853 Polly Willard 83
1854 Aaron Pollard 80
1854 Ruth Wilder 93
1854 Mrs. Osgood 91
1855 Thomas Miles 81
1856 Anna Barnard 83
1856 Stephen Sargent 80
1856 Samuel Willard 96
1857 Nathaniel Whittemore 82
1857 Abigail Blood 84
1857 Betsey Newman 83
1858 Polly Houghton 89
1858 Sophronia Howard 83
p.620
1858 Sarah Thayer 83
1858 Esther Phelps 84
1858 Lucy Wilder 84
1858 Ann Goodhue 94
1858 Sally Fuller 84
1859 Annis Pollard 81
1859 Nancy Hosmer 80
1859 Nancy Colburn 82
1860 Salmon Willard 90
1860 Mary Lawrence 90
1861 Sarah Savage 95
1861 Benjamin Holt 87
1861 Oliver Baldwin 93
1861 James Dickinson 86
1861 Martha Lincoln 85
1862 Abigail Damon 81
1862 Lydia Lane 85
1862 Dorcas Farnsworth 80
1863 John Wilson 82
1863 Hannah Pierce 95
1863 Elizabeth Fletcher 84
1864 Susan W. Prescott 81
1864 Charles E. Knight 89
1864 William Damon 84
1865 Mary Whitney 88
1865 Benjamin S. Rice 86
1866 John Ollis 85
1866 Deborah Johnson 89
1867 Nathaniel Warner 82
1867 Sally Jones 92
1868 Lucretia Wyman 83
1868 Lewis Priest 81
1868 Elias Danforth 80
1869 Edward Powers 92
1869 Dolly Chandler 85
1869 Mary Davis 81
1869 Polly Warren 85
1869 Martha Bragg 81
1870 Elias Barrett 90
1870 Mary Phelps 86
1870 Joseph Maynard 90
1870 Austin Davis 81
1871 Jesse Hosmer 87
1871 Elizabeth Carter 91
1871 Josiah Fay 83
1872 Cyrus Merrick 89
1872 Tarbell Bancroft 80
1873 Sarah Farwell 88
1873 Calvin Johnson 85
1873 ____Brahney 82
1873 Mary Crouch 86
1873 Ebenezer Bragg 88
1873 Sarah Barrett 82
1874 James Mattoon 80
1874 Phinehas Houghton 80
1874 Rebecca Houghton 85
1874 Judith Goss 90
1874 Lucinda Bancroft 81
1874 Elizabeth S. Stone 87
1875 Elmer Burbank 81
1875 Dolly B. Laughton 80
1876 Rosalinda Townsend 82
1876 William Bell 84
1876 William Townsend 89
1876 Catharine Sweetser 85
1876 Francis B. Fay 83
1876 Martha D. Bancroft 80
1877 Candace Alley 84
1877 Sally Mallard 91
1877 Polly Childs 82
1877 Jacob Fisher 82.
p.641
Samuel Locke was from Woburn where he was born August 24, 1702. He married
Rebecca Richardson in 1730 and came to Lancaster in 1742. His widow married
(2)
Colonel Joseph Wilder. Her sons, James and John Locke married two of the
daughters of her 2d husband. James Locke married Rebecca Wilder and John
Locke married her sister, Lucy Wilder.
This Colonel Joseph Wilder was not Judge Joseph Wilder. One of the sons of
Samuel Locke and Rebecca Richardson was Rev. Samuel Locke, S.T.D., born
at Woburn, Nov 23, 1731, who came to Lancaster when twelve years old. He
studied with Rev. Mr. Harrington when fitting for college; graduated at
Harvard in
1755 and then studied for the ministry under his pastor's guidance. He became
President of Harvard college in 1770 and remained in that position until
December
1773. He was a classmate of John Adams who regarded him as one of the ablest
men and first scholars in his class. In his Diary he wrote: "Locke has been
president
of Harvard college, a station for which no man was better qualified." And
President
Styles of Yale College wrote of him in 1773: "He has a liberal understanding,
a
penetrating discernment and is capable of looking into and judging upon
everything.
He is a good classical scholar in Latin, Greek, Hebrew and Chaldee. He made
an
oration in Chaldee at the first public commencement after his election to the
presidency, which I heard. He is excellent in philosophy and academical
literature and in all branches of knowledge, is far superior to any president
of any of the
American colleges, unless Dr. Witherspoon of Nassau Hall should exceed him in
theology."
Gravestone at Lancaster Old Burying Yard
p.640
"Here lies interred ye Body of Mr. Samuel Locke who died April ye 13th A.D.
1775 in ye 73d year of his Age.
"The stroke of death hath laid my head
Down in this dark and silent bed;
The trump shall sound, and I hope to rise,
And meet my Saviour in the skies.
"Here lies interred ye Body of Mr. James Locke who deceased on ye 19th of
March
A.D. 1772 in ye 33d year of his Age.
"Behold the numerous Crowd
That, mouldering in the ground,
Ready to start when Christ commands
The awful Trump to sound."
p.641
Tombstone
"Here lies interred ye body of Mr. Josiah Locke, who died May ye 16th A.D.
1769 Aetatis 33.
"Every man at his best state is altogether vanity.
Cease ye from Man, whose breath is in his Nostrils and Trust in the Ever
Living God."
p.642
Tombstone
"Esther, Daughter of Mr. Joseph & Mrs. Esther Locke, died March ye 25th
1768 Aged 6 months and 10 days."
Tombstone
"Abel, second Son of Mr. Josiah and Mrs. Esther Locke, died Oct. ye 13, 1766,
Aged 2 months and 1 day."
Tombstone
"Abel first son of Mr. Josiah and Mrs. Esther Locke, died May ye 6th 1765
aged
3 months & 20 days."
P.640
Tombstone
"Erected in Memory of Mrs. Mary Locke Wife of Mr. William Locke who died Nov
17th 1796 in the 50th year of her Age.
"The sweet remembrance of the just Shall flourish when they sleep in dust."
Transcribed by: Janice Farnsworth
Transcription prepared: April 2002
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