Worcester County, Massachusetts - Chapter 71, 1889

Incidents Of The Revoi.Ution

Emflmimfnl of a Teacher - Dedication of a Liberly Tree - Breakiyig Open a School-home - A Suit for Damages - A Brilliant Attorney - A Ilepresentatiee Instructs - Warlike Resolutions - Greeting to Boston - Tltat " Town" Invited to Petersham - The Doings of Several Parties - Rwjal~ isU Disarmed - A Town-meeting in 1170 - The Miuter-roll - Clearing a Parade Ground - Captain Holland Dines with Washington - Inoculated with Small pox - Financial Honor of the Town.

the first grew out of the etnployment of a teacher. Rev. Aaron Whitney, pastor of the church and member of the School Board, was a royalist. (More than a hundred years removed from the passions of that time, we may well avoid tlie current epithets and show the literary courtesy of styling the two parties to the revolutionary stuiggle royalists and revolutionists, words exactly expressing the political position of the opponents.) Eusign Man, an applicant for the position of teacher, was in sentiment a revolutionist ; in view of which Mr. Whitney refused to take part in his examination, but was present. The teacher was employed notwithstanding the opposition of Mr. Whitney, and became a party to several events connected with the war. In 1768 the Massachusetts House of Representatives had forwarded an address to the King, relative to grievances, which was deemed by the crown offensive in its terms, and the House was ordered to rescind its action. The vote upon this question was seventeen in favor of to ninety-two against rescinding the petition. The " Sons of Liberty," at Petersham, celebrated, in characteristic fashion, this refusal to withdraw a petition for redress of grievances. They selected a thrifty young elm tree, and cut away seventeen branches, leaving, as tradition declares, ninety-two remaining. With songs, toasts and patriotic ceremony the dismembered branches were consigned to the flames, and the living tree dedicated to the Goddess of Liberty. That Ensign Man, teacher of the children of the place, should take part, as he did, in such ceremonies, would naturally arouse theindignation of the royalist citizens of the town. A certain school-house stood upon giound which was claimed by Captain Thomas Beaman, as was the school-house itself, to be his property. For the purpose of keeping the offending schoolmaster from using this school-house, Captain Beaman closed the door with a padlock. Mr. Sylvanus How, who had formerly owned the land, claimed that the school-house stood in the highway, and, going with Mr. Man, they broke open the door. A suit ibr damages arose, the decision of which awarded the plaintiff, Captain Beaman six shillings. The defendants appealed and obtained, a reduction of this small award, but were compelled to pay the costs, which were a considerable sum. Utterly trivial, petty and insignificant as this is, it led, such being the complications of human events, to that which rises to the dignity of historic consequence. Sylvanus How had employed no less a personage than the brilliant and distinguished Josiah Quincy, Jr., to defend him from being, as he thought, unrighteously mulcted in the sum of six shillings for opening a school-house. This able lawyer was unsuccessful so far as the main question was concerned. A petty reduction of the petty fine was all he accomplished, leaving the right of the cause, as awarded, to the plaintiff Beaman. But Mr. Quincy was able to render Mr. How other and very much more important services, which may now be narrated.

The Boston Committee of Correspondence had sent out its Circular Letter to the towns. Mr. How was chairman of the town committee to draft a reply to that circular. He sought unofficial assistance from his attorney, Mr. Quincy, who used the opportunity with good effect. Mr. How's associates upon the committee were Colonel Ephraim Doolittle, Jonathan Grout, Samuel Dennis, Daniel Miles, Captain Elisha Ward, John Stowell, Theophilus Chandler and Deacon William Willard. This committee, with the friendly assistance of Mr. Quincy, prepared a reply to the circular from Boston, a series of resolutions relative to the condition of the colonies, and a series of instructions to their representative to the General Court. Colonel Ephraim Doolittle represented the town and was also moderator of the town-meeting, held January 4, 1773, which acted upon the report. An excerpt from the instructions to their representative is of special interest as showing the temper of the report:

It is our earnest desire, and we liere direct you to use your utmost influencr^ (as one of the legislative body) to uonvinco the imtion of Great Britain that the measures they have meted out to us will have a direct tendency to destroy both them and us ; and petition the King and Parli.auiaut of Great Britain, in the most pathetic and striking manner, to relieve us from our aggravated grievances. But if this slionld fail, we reconunend it to your consideration and direct you to move it to the consideration of the honorable Court, whether it would it not be best to call in the aid of some Protestant Power or Powers, requesting that they would use their kind and Christian influence with our mother country, that so we m.ay be relieved, and that brjtherly love and harmony may again take place, and that natural alliance again be restoted between us and Great Britain, which may coQtinue until time shall be no more.

An excerpt from the resolutions, known to have originated in the mind of Mr. Quincy, presents the alternative of the town in case of the failure of the peaceful methods of petition and arbitration:

Eesolved, That it is the first and highest social duty of this people to consider of, and seek ways and meiuig for a speedy redress of these mighty grievances alul intolerable wrongs ; and that for the obtainment of this end, this people are warranted by the laws of God and nature in the use of every rightful art, aud energy of policy, stratagem and force.

This historic deliberative action of the town recommended a petition, "in the most pathetic and striking manner," for redress of grievances, arbitration as the alternative; but failing in these, the town declared resistance warranted by use of every rightful art, energy of policy, strategem and force. Can it be truly said that this deliberative conclusion of the town in parliament, January 4, 1773, was in any respect less significant, though less famous than the actual use of force which began at Concord two years later?

Gentlemen ; The town of Petersham having received the circular letter from the town of Boston, with the 8tate[luent] of rights aud grievances as published by them, most sensibly congratulate you on retiecting on that pr nciple of virtue which must have induced your town, at GO critical a day, to take the lead in so good a cause ; and our admiration is heightened when we consider your being exposed to the first efforts of the iron jaws of power. The time may come when, if you continue your integrity, that you may be ilriven from your goodly heritages; and if that sliould be tlio case {wliicli God of Ilia infinite mercy prevent), we invite you to share witli us in our small supplies of the necessarys of life. And should the voracious jaws of tymnny still haunt us, and we should not be able to withstand them, we are determined to retire and seek refuge among the inlanil aboriginal natives of this country, with whom we doubt not but to iind more humanity and brotherly love than we have lately received from our mother country.

We are sensible that there i.s a number amongst us who are wicked enough to make use of their whole influence to divide and render the efforts making for a union abortive; and that they are induced to conduct in this manner from the low motives of expecting to be sharers in the .arbitrary power which they are so active in endeavoring should take place, and of sharing in the unrighteous plunder of their fellowmen. But may God graciously disappoint their me.asures and turn their hearts ! We herewith send an attested copy of the doings of our town. If the nature of causes ever again bespeaks any more from us, we then again shall offer what then may appear right, for we read that those that were faithful spake often one to the other; and may God of his infinite mercy, in his own time deliver us !

Specially noticable is the invitation given to the " town of Boston," in view of the then possible future event of being overcome by " iron jaws of power," to take refuge in Petersham and share with them in their " small supplies of the necessarys of life." Fortunately, the British lion was not able to drive the " town of Boston " to an acceptance of this hospitable invitation ; but it is a curious fact that a century later many of the people of Boston, overcome by a lion, did, and still do, take refuge in Petersham, to there share with the good people the ample supplies of the " necessaries of life." Not the lion of the English flag, but the astronomical lion, whose fury brings July and August temperatures, constrains at least some of the people of Boston to favorable consideration of the historic invitation to Petersham.

Of several parties to these incidents it may be said that Ensign Man became captivated by the charms of Miss Alice Whitney, the minister's daughter, whom he married, renouncing his former political views. Colonel Doolittle, although not personally present, was the first officer of a Worcester County regiment which took part at the battle of Bunker Hill. Daniel Miles and Sylvanus How became soldiers in the Revolutionary army. Captain Beaman, who locked the school-house door, won execrable distinction by piloting the British troops from Boston to Concord. Josiah Quincy rendered his country memorableservice by his eloquence and patriotism.

Royalists Disarmed. - The town was not without a local exhibition of force, which, however, did not lead to bloodshed. Dr. Ball, of Templeton, which then included Phillipston, on a visit to Petersham, fell into a disputation with one or two young men who were of the revolutionary party. Separating with ill-feeling, the men waylaid the Templeton royalist on his way homeward, and pelted him with stones, one of which took serious, one tradition says subsequently fatal, effect. The outrage naturally aroused the royalists of Templeton, and friends of Dr.

Ball, who came over in force and were joined by friends of their cause in Petersham. A like assembly of the friends of the colonial cause took place under the leadership of Captain Holman, also of Templeton, the result being that the royalist party took refuge in a house then owned by David Stone, now in possession of Mr. George West, and barricaded their place of refuge. The opposing revolutionists besieged the house and guarded it during the following stormy night, after which the royalists were induced to surrender. They came out and were escorted to the hotel kept by Mr. Winslow, and an investigation took place with this result: the royalists were required to give up their arms and agree not to act against the revolutionary movement in future. The injury to Dr. Ball had given them just cause of complaint, but the cause of independence was in their estimation superior * to any question of personal assault and battery, and these Petersham patriots took occasion, in January or February, 1775, to thus disarm their opponents, and parole them substantially as prisoners of war. Tradition declares that on that night of siege two wives, whose husbands were in the opposing ranks, met in the fields between their respective dwellings, and exchanged personal sympathies as neighbors and friends.

A town-meeting was held May 27, 1776, " to see if the inhabitants will instruct their representative to inform the Great and General Court of this Province that they stand ready, and are fully determined to support the Continental Congress with their lives and fortunes, on condition they should declare the American colonies independent of corrupt and arbitrary Great Britain." Affirmative action was taken, with but one negative vote.

Enrollment of Soldiers. - The virtue of a promise is in the performance thereof. How well the town kept its promise in behalf of the cause of independence may be seen from its roll of revolutionary soldiers.

Col. Ephraim Doolittle commanded a Worcester County regiment. Capt. John Wheeler led a Petersham company in the same regiment. The names of the men of this company, some of whom may have enlisted from other towns, are given, with various marks of interrogation, by Rev. Edmund Willson. Edw. Barker (or Bowker), Lieutenant ; John Bowker, Lieutenant; Thos. Davenport, John Holland, John Roger.*, Joel Doolittle, Sergeants; Thad. Houghton, Corporal ; Thomas Wheeler, Drummer ; Caleb Bryant, Fifer; Israel Houghton, Caleb Perry, David Perry, Aaron Allen, Bezile Amsdel (Bezaleel Amsden ?), Sam. Bryant, Thomas Bowker, Ezekiel Bouker, Nat. Bozworth, David Clarke, Reuben Cummings, Ephraim Clafflin, David (Daniel?) Claflin, John Finney (" Fiendly '' or Findlay?) Benjamin Ganson, Joanna (?) Gallen, Peter Gore, Luther Holland, Phazez (?) Houghton, Si Ivan us How, John How, Jacob Houghton, Henry W. Hunt, James Havvkes,

The following additional names are given as Petersham men who belonged to the company of Capt. Fletcher, of Templeton : Jotham Houghton, Ebenezer Ingersoll, William Clements, Daniel Duncan, David Fling, Silas Harris, Stephen Hall, Robert Hill, Joseph Negus, Abel Wheeler.

In the company of Captain Jonathan Holman, also of Templeton, were found Martin Rice, fifer, David Bruce, Thomas Groce, Daniel Hastings, Isaac Palmer, Amos Rice, Ebenezer Wilson. Seventy-two names are thus given as either belonging to the Petersham company or enlisted from the town in the companies of Captain Holman and Fletcher, of Templeton.

In addition to these names given by Willson, we mention those of two brothers. Captain Ivory Holland and Captain Park Holland. For a sketch of the life of the latter, see biographical notes. One incident of his service may be here given in his own words:

A Dinner by 'Washington. In the spring of 1781, 1 think it was, our troops marched down to "White I'lains and formed an encampment, and while there we were amused hy an order that was said to liave come from Gen. Heath, but, as we all knew Washington's abhorrence of the sin of profanity, we knew well where it originated. Our parade-ground was cleared with much difficulty. The order was that the lirst one who was heard to utter an oath should dig up by the roots one of t4ie pitch-pine stumps, which was no very easy matter. Not long after a soldier was seen sweating and toiling away at one, declaring that it was paying too dear, and itshould be the last he would dig. Speaking of Washington's dislike of profane habits reminds me of a scene at his own table, where twenty or more of the officers were invited to dine with him. His habit was usually to take a single glass of wine after dinner, and retire, leaving us to ourselves, .is he, at this time of care and an^iet3', rarely made any conversation except on business. We had finished our dinner, and AVashington had taken his wine in bis hand, when a young officer from New Hampshire at the end of the table, who had long been in the habit of using profane language, being so much engaged, forgot where he was, and swore an oath, when he heard a rap on the tabln by Washington, who set down his untasted wine, arose and said, " Gentlemen, when I invited you here it was my intention to have invited gentlemen only, lam sorry to add I have been mistaken," and left the room. \ dead silence reigned for some time, which was broken by the offender himself calling us all to witness that the oath he had uttered should be his last ; adding he should rather have been shot through the heart than have deserved the reproof from AVashington. Such was our love and reverence for this great and good man that the most profane left off the habit, and it was done away with among us before the close of the war.

The regiment in which Captain Holland served, as a matter of preparation for service, went into barracks at Bunker Hill and, this being before the discovery of vaccination, were inoculated with smallpox. He passed through this experience and tells us that "about nine hundred entered the hospital, eight hundred of whom recovered." Such was the cost of independence.

6, 1780, contains an entry which is very creditable to the financial honor with which the soldiers were treated. It appears that the town "Chose a committee for hiring soldiers: Joseph Gleason, Robert Peckham, John Bouker, - voted that the committee, if they have to hire money or soldiers, that they engage on the Town's credit to keep the money of Equal value." It will be borne in mind that the United States did not undertake to act upon this principle in payment of the soldiers of the Rebellion.

During the Revolution the town well and patriotically sustained the military charaitter of its population at the time of settlement, which gave it for a time the occasional name Volunteer's Town.