Bolton Town

Bolton Town

" Resolved. That it is the duty of all good citizens to frown indignantly upon, and lo follow with uncompromising hostility every individual among us, if any there be, who shall express sentiments disloyal to the Government of the United States, or who shall sympathize with the plotters of treason and bloodshed."

The selectmen during the war were E. A. Holman, John Blanchard, Wm. K. Harlow, Caleb S. Gerry and Andrew Fairbank. The town furnished 12.'5 men and expended $17,009.15 for war purposes. The State paid $5,174.09 to families of soldieis, and over $1800 was raised by private subscriptions, making a total of $23,983.24, certainly good for a " hill town."

Chapter Cxlvi

The town of Bolton is located in the eastern part of the county and is bounded as follows : on the north by Harvard, on the east by the towns of Hudson and Stow, on the south by Berlin and Hudson, and on the west by Clinton and Lancaster. Bolton originally formed a portion of Berlin, and was incorporated as a district of Berlin in March, 1738. It was incorporated as a town February 6, 1812, and named in honor of Charles Powlet, third Duke of Bolton.

The first town-meeting was held August 14, 1738, and the following ofiicers elected : Town Clerk, Jacob Houghton ; Selectmen, Jacob Houghton, James Keys, Henry Houghton, John Priest and Captain Jonas Houghton ; Constable, David Whitcomb ; Surveyors of Highways, Josiah Richardson and William Keys.

The town retained its original boundaries until 1868, when about two square miles of the most populous portion of Bolton was annexed to the town of Hudson, in Middlesex County. The inhabitants of the annexed portion continned to vote in this town in State and national elections until 1876.

Bolton was early settled by a sterling class of people, who have left the impress of the strong New England character upon their posterity. Among the early settlers are the names of:

Atherton, Amsden, Babcock, Ball, Baker, Bacon, Barrett, a once large and influential family that settle \ on Long Hill, from which is descended Roswell B;irrett, Esq. ; Barnard, Bayley, Bigelow, Brooks, Bruce, Butler, Burnam, Carter, Caswell, Cooledge, Chaplin, Chase, Clark, Danforth, Davis, Divoll, Daikiu, Edwards, Ellis, Ellinwood, Fairbanks, Farnsworth, Faulkner, Farwell, Fife, Fuller, Fosket, Foster, Fry, a once numerous family, principally among the " Friends '' or " Quakers " ; Fletcher, Gardner, a name which did not come in with the first settlement, but which belonged, at a comparatively early period, to one of the most influential men the town has ever had, Stephen P.Gardner; Gates, Gibbs, Goss, Goddard, Greenleaf, Goodnow, Gould, Hale, Haven, Harris, Heraenway, Hastings, Holder, Howe, Houghton, a numerously represented family in all periods of the town's history, and associated with some of Bolton's most valued institutions; Holman, a family which has produced individuals who have exercised a most marked influence in all the affairs of the place, among whom were General Silas and his son. General Amory ; Howard, Jacobs, Jewett, Johnson, Jones, Keys, Knight, Kimmens, Earned, Lawrence, Longley, a family which produced several highly useful citizens among whom were three of our town clerks, grandfather, father and son, who held oflSce successively after each other; Maynard, Marble, jNIeriam, Mac- Bride, MacWain, Moore, a name largely represented in several families, remotely, if at all, connected with each other, which has been borne by three of our town treasurers, a father and two sons, one of whom was C. C. Moore, treasurer for more than thirty years; Newton, two or three distinct families ; Nicholls, Nurse, modernized into Nourse; Oaks, Osborn, Pierce, Parker, Pratt, Pollard, Rice, Richardson, Reed, Russell, Ross, Robins, Sawyer, Stearns, Sawtell, Stiles, Swan, Stone, Stratton, Tinney,Townsend and Tombs ; Whitcomb, of whom were Colonel John, his son Jonathan, and his grandson, 'Squire Edwin A., and many more; Wolcott, Whitney, White, Welsh, Wheeler, Woodbury, Wood, Wetherbee and Wheeler.

Ecclesiastical History. - The attention of the people was early given to ecclesiastical afl'airs, and even after the inauguration of the town a meetinghouse was built, which stood until about 1790. A new church was erected in 1793 and remodeled in 1844. The calling of the first minister was a matter of much import, in which the whole town generally participated. The first minister called to the Bolton Church was Rev. Thomas Goss. May 19, 1741, it was voted to raise the sum of one hundred and tw-enty pounds "for a minister's rate," and on June 7, 1741, at a town-meeting then held, at which Mr. Jacob Houghton was moderator, it was put to vote whether "the town would choose by lott for a minister." It passed in the negative ; and then it was voted " that Mr. Thos. Goss should be the minister of the town by 44 votes qualified bylaw." Four hundred pounds in bills of old tenor were then voted to him for his "encouragement and settlement;" and one hundred and eighty pounds in bills of old tenor or passable bills of credit for "stated sallary." September 1, 1741, finds the town again in town-meeting to hear Mr. Thomas Go^s, his answer, and for other business. After prayers the business proceeded, and Mr. Gos.t' answer was read and put on file, a committee chosen

Mr. Goss remained pastor until 1770, " when," in the language of Rev. Richard G. Edes,' " the minister whose coming was prepared for with so much elaboration, with such taking of counsel, with prayers and fastings, and who was received with such large cordiality, had lost his hold upon the good will and support of most of his people; lost it, said his enemies, because the spiritual influence by which he was moved was supposed to come more from the still than from the heavenly spheres: lost it, said his friends, because the views he took and maintained of ministerial, as well as of royal, prerogative, were entirely unsuited to the temper of the times, and the great movement which was everywhere in the air. What measure of truth they either of them had in the allegations made on either side, we will not now take upon us to decide. Sufficient to say the minister was jealously watched ; occasions of offence and stones of stumbliug, and enough of them were speedily discovered (as at such times they generally are) ; and then commenced a quarrel and a controversy which lasted for years, and left its impress on the afi'airs of the town, on the generations born and to be born. Meeting after meeting was held, council after council- called, l)aniphlet written in answer to pamphlet, lawsuits instituted, committees chosen to defend, moneys to pay expenses voted; feelings became deeply embittered, fathers againstsons, mothers-in-law against dauglitersin-law, families separated from familes. But after a while the dismission of the minister, so obnoxious to a majority of the society, is procured, and another minister. Rev. John Walley, duly installed in his place. This event, so far from pouring oil on the troubled waters, rather stirred them to redoubled commotion. The town was divided into Gossites and Walleyites. The latter hold the church, have preaching there, and consider themselves the legal parish ; while the former - the Gossites - adhering to the old minister, meet at a private house - that now occupied by tbe Holnian family - and have preaching there. From 1770, alongside with political affairs, mi.xed up with them continually, cropping out every now and then, in the most unexpected manner, the contest continued till 1782, when Mr. Goss is dead and Mr. Walley has taken a dismission, left the town and removed to Roxbury, the home of his family.

"The effects of this controversy, which for the day of it was one of the most important in New Englond, were long felt, not only here in this, but in all the neighboring towns.

" When Mr. Goss diel his friends, among whom were the neighboring ministers, almost to a man, erected to his memory a monument, still standing in our South burying-ground, inscribed in classical Latin and laudatory terms, with their sense of ' the many virtues both private and public ' with which they supposed him 'adorned.' When Mr. Walley died at Roxbury, a little while afterwards, he left to the Bolton parish to which he had ministered a small legacy, the good effects of which we still receive in Bibles and other good books, throwing light on the s.icred word. The divided sections of the town, the Gossites and the Walleyites, came together and signed their old covenant and became anew one church and society."

Mr. Goss was dismissed in 1771. After the dismission, Mr. Longley, the constable, was instructed to prohibit him from going into the meeting-house ; and " on the succeeding Lord's day, by violence, did prevent him from entering the desk." This done, Mr. Goss then said that " he should continue his labors in the gospel as usual, that those of his friends who wished to hear him might proceed to his house; that he should keep on preaching as heretofore." After the dismissal, and being foroidden the use of the desk at the meeting-house, he held forth, Sunday after Sunday, in his own house ; a considerable minority following him thither, while the major part of the old congregation occupied the meeting-house, and listened to the ministrations of the Rev. Mr. Walley.

" Bolton Church was the first to withstand the power supposed to be vested in the clergy ; thus did triumph the true principles of liberty in ecclesiastical affairs."

The movement was altogether in advance of the times, and was too audacious and high-handed a measure to be passed over lightly and without signal marks of reprobation. Accordingly, the neighboring ministers, sympathizing with Mr. Goss, refused Bolton Church members permission to come to the communion table in their churches ; and in every way, so far as their power extended, and it was not very limited in those days, sought to excommunicate them. The controversy, for its day, was a noted one, and several pamphlets, advocating the views of one side or the other, were published.

The lawsuits for the recovery of Mr. Goss" salary, protracted year after year, lasted, carried on by his executors and heirs, till some time after his death.

Sacred to the memory of Rev. Thomas Goss, .\.M., pastor of the church among the Boltonians, who, for upwards of thirty-nine years, having exercised the sacred office, departed this life January 17, 17S0, in the sixty-third year of his age. A man adorned with piety, hospitality, friendliness and other virtues, both public and private ; somewhat broken in body, but endowed with wonderful fortitude ; he was the first among the clergy in these unhappy times to be gr evously persecuted for boldly opposing those who were striving to overturn the prosperity of the churches, and for heroically struggling to maintjiin the ecclesiastical polity which wag banded down by our ancestors. Friends erected this monument.

Rev.Pbineas Wright, Isaac Allen (who left the whole of his property, amounting to about §20,000, excepting one or two small gifts, to the parish " of which he had so long been a minister"), Richard S. Edes, Thomas T. Stone, Nathaniel O. Chaffee, Edwin C. L. Brown, Ezekie! Fitzgerald, Nicholas P. Oilman, Cyrus A. Roys and Isaac F. Porter.

The Baptist Church was organized in 1832, and has had the following pastors : Elder Goddard, Levi M. Powers, Isaac C. Carpenter, John Walker, P. S. Whitman, Asaph Meriara, W. K. Davey, B. U.; J. H. Giles, from England ; J. H. Learned, Kilburn Holt, Colby University; Joseph Barber, Benj. A. Edwards, George B. Fitz and Andrew Read.

The Hillside Church was organized in April, 1830, with thirty-six members. It was organized under the special auspices of S. V. S. Wilder, an influential and wealthy citizen, exercising a princely hospitality, and who entertained at his elegant abode the beloved Lafayette when on his visit, about that time, to the United States. Mainly by the instrumentality of our fellow-citizen just referred to, a spacious and handsome church was built on the hillside within his estate, near the Lancaster line, a congregation of goodly size from this and neighboring towns gathered, and a succession of pastors settled. After a few years, during which the following officiated as pastors, - J. W. Chickering, D.D., Mr. Pealjody, Mr. Davenport and Henry Adams, it was abandoned.

The Bolton society was organized, having a meeting-house and school-house near it, was erected into a "Monthly Meeting"' in April, 1799. Their first acknowledged ministers were Thomas Holder, Sarah Holder, Thomas Watson and Abel Houghton ; their elders, John Frye, Lydia Gates.

The Houghton School was established through the liberality of Joseph Houghton, who died November 7, 1847, having bequeathed to the town of Bolton twelve thousand dollars to eslablish a school " to be kept near the centre of said Bolton, in which such academical instruction shall be given as said town s-hall decide to be most useful," and also " eighty rods of latid" (described) on which to build a school-house; and the town having accepted the legacy, and built tlie school-house as required to do, a school of the character above indicated, and named after its founder Houghton School, went into operation in October, 1849, first in the town hall, and soon after in the school-house itself.

The Revolution. - The first reference in the town records to the War of the Revolution appears under date of May 21, 1770, as follows: "The freeholders and other inhabitants of the town of Bolton are required, in his Majesty's name, to meet at the meeting-house on Monday, 21st of May, 1770," to see

(among other questions, one of which relates to the Goss difficulties) whether they will "abstain from tea and other British goods imported contrary to the agreement of the merchants of the town of Boston ; and to pass such vote or votes rel. thereto as the town shall think proper."

Accordingly, when at the date mentioned a townmeeting was held, John Whitcomb, Esq., moderator, and on the second article the vote was put, " would they abstain from tea and other British goods? " it passed in the affirmative very unanimously ; and Mr. Caleb Richardson, Col. John Whitcomb and Capt. Samuel Nourse were chosen a committee to prepare a written vote to that effect - doubtless to be transmitted to Boston.

Among those who went into the army from Bolton are the following: Lieut. Oliver Barrett, Benjamin Bailey, William Bigelow, Benjamin Hastings, Abraham Houghton, Jonas Houghton, Jonathan Houghton, Joseph Houghton, Carter Knight, Nathaniel Longley (captain), Dr. Abraham Moore (surgeon), Sewell Moore, Haven Newton, David Nourse (captain), Benjamin Sawyer, William Sawyer, Jonas Welsh, John Whitcomb (colonel), Israel Woodbury.

" The Men that I was called to pay money to in May, 1777 (not signed or dated, but in Capt. Nourse's handwriting): Amos Meriam, Abijah Pratt, Joshua Johnson, David Rice, Samuel Rice, Nathan .Tones, Isaiah Cooladge, Isaiah Bruce, Elijah Foster, Ammeziah Knight, John Nurse, Jonathan Nurse, John Powers, Silas Howe, Silas Houghton, Barnabus Bayley, Samuel Stanhope, Jonathan Moore, Thomas Pollard, Thadeus Russell, Eleazer Johnson, Timothy Bailey, Hezekiah Gibbs, Jr., Jabez Fairbank, Nathan Johnson, Benjamin Bruce, Joshua Heminway, Samuel Jones, Jr., James Townsend, Jonathan Meriam, David Rice, Fortunatus Barnes, James Fife, Jr."

" Jos. How and Eliakim Atherton recfeived £30, lawful money, for negro servant named York, enlisted and passed before James Barrot, of Concord, for three years in Capt. Ashley's company in Col. Badeson's regiment, Coniim-ntal army - said York to do a turn for Bolton in Continental army. Waltham, May 2d, 1777."

The War of 1812 was unpopular in all this region. Few were willing to volunteer. There was, however, a draft made ; and the result was that Mr. Elbridge Sawyer and Asa Houghton were drafted, and afterwards served several months as soldiers in one of the forts of Boston harbor.

History Of Woecester Counts, Massachusetts

Fifteenth Regiment, - Joho Fahee, Thomas Hastings,* Nelson Pratt, Thos. Sheruin, Jr. (captain of a company, but company disbanded ; he went into Twenty-second as adjutant ; teacher of Houghton School on breaking out of war), John S. Williams, afterwards in Fourth Cavalry ; John Wood.

Ttoenty- first Regiment. - Willard A. Bowers, George E, Burgess, Charles R. Haven, James Kennedy, Luke Ollis* (claimed and held by Lancaster, bis name on Lancaster tablet).

Twenty-second Regiment. - George B. Cook,* Charles A. Fry,* Joseph S. Hildreth, Rufus H. WjlUamH* (claimed and held by Berlin, name on Berlin tablets).

Thomas Grassie, chaplain, with One Hundred and Eighth New York Volunteers; Reuben M. Whitcomb and Charles A. Wheelock, settlers, with the Thirty-sixth ; Hall Davis, surgeon, Tliirty-eighth United States Colored Troops, Ambrose Eames, Fifiy-first Kegiment, both physicians in Bolton after the war; Mary Eliz. Haynus, nurse in hospitals.

Regular United Sttdes Nanj. - Rohtrt T. Edes, assistant surgeon in Farragut's fleet at New Orleans, in ttie flag ship " Black Hawk," Com. Porter, on the Mississippi, and passed assistant surgeon on the "Colorado;" John Henry Hapgood, seaman, in the "North Carolina," the "Potomac" and the gunboat " Union."

Volunteer Navy. - Henry Rockwood, assistant surgeon with Farragut's fleet at Mobile, in the "Itasca," the "Monongahela " and the " Pocahontaa," After the war physician in Bolton.

' Subsequently soldier from Berlin. ' Died a year or two after the war ended. 3 Re-enlisted in Fourth Cavalry, sergeant. * Ue-enlisted in Second Heavy Artillery. ^ Re-enlisted in hundred days' men.

John C. Haynes,* Thirty-sixth; Luke Ollis,* Twenty-first; claimed by Lancaster, and their names on Lancaster tablet. Charles Wood, Jr., claimed by Harvard.

The memorial tablets erected in the town hall to the memory of deceased soldiers were dedicated on the evening of December 20, 1866, with appropriate observances. Solomon H. Howe, Esq., was president of the evening. Prayer was offered by Thomas T. Stone, D.D. Biographical notices read by R. S. Edes. An oration delivered by Dr. Geo. B. Loring. A poem, written by Amos W. Collins, was read by Addison G. Smith, teacher of the Houghton School,

Bolton celebrated the centennial anniversary of American Independence July 4, 1876. The proceedings were also in observance of the one hundred and thirty-eighth anniversary of the incorporation of the town. The address was delivered by Kev. Richard S. Edes. The services were held in the First Congregational Church.