Chelmsford Town (part 4 of 6)

Ordered by the Representatives & consented to by the Gov. & Council, July 12, 1689, ''that 20 men be fourth wth dispatched away to Major Henchman to be for the releife of Chelmsford farms" &c.

July 31, Dunstable asked for protection for Samuel Adams' corn mill, "without the use of which the Town cannot subsist."' In August six hundred men were furnished for the frontier towns.

In the first number of "Publick Occurences'" issued at "Boston, Thursday, Sept. 25th. 1690," the oldest newspaper in the United States (which was suppressed by the Governor and Council four days later, because it ''contained Reflections of a very high nature.'') is the following item:

"While the barbarous Indians were lurking about Chelmsford, there were missing about the beginning of this month a couple of Children belonging to a man of that Town, one of them aged about eleven, the other aged about nine years, both of them

To his Excellency Sr. William Phips, Knt. Capt Generall and Govnr. in Chiefe of their Majties Province of the Massachusetts-bay, in Newengland, with the Honod. Council Sitting in Boston.

The Humble petition of Thomas Hinchman of Chelmsford, on behalf of himselfe, and the Captaines, and Soldiers of the Regiment under his Command &c,

Sheweth, That Wheras yor Petitionr. with his Regiment were employed in the Service of the Crown of England, by Commission and orders from Sr. Edmund Andros. Knt, Late Capt. Genll. and Govr. of this their majties Territory & Dominion, for the defence of the said Territory against the Common Enemy in the yeares 1688 & 1689, there became due to yor Petitionrs Considerable Sums for wages and Billeting and other incident Charges in the said Service, much of which remaines unpaid to this day, which the Continued Alarms from the Enemy ever since and the heavy Taxes that have been and still are like to be Imposed upon us, render the more intollerable:

Yor Petitionrs do Humbly pray yor Excellency & the Honod Council wilbe pleased to appoint and Impower meet persons for the Auditing & Adjusting all accompts of wages & Disbursmts in the said Service for the time aforesaid, within the said Regiment, and that speedy and Effectual care may be taken for payment of such arreares as shall appeare to be justly due.

"Chelmesford November 30. 1691 A record of the last devision of the town stock of powder shot and flints acording to the acount that Decan foster gave to the selectmen is as followeth."' Then are given 89 names; and also these 5 under ''Powder lent to the garasons and shott as followeth"' Left. Barett Mr Adams Mr Haward 2 pond pouder & 3 punds shot each. insingh Stevens Capt Richason The longer list includes ''Mistres Shone'' and '"'Mistres Adams." Thomas Chamarling, the second, received three pounds of powder, six pounds of shot and six flints.

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At Lancaster Six men 6 At Groton Six men 6 At Dunstable Town Seven men . 7 At Mr Tyng's Garrison Six men 6 At Nath. Howards Three men . 3 At Edwd. Colburns fourmen . 4 At Sergt Varnum's four men 4 At Sam. Hunt's Two men 2 At Chelmsford four men 4

* * ye 14th Inst. at night a Post came to towne fro air Hinksman wch. gave an acott. of about 80 or 100 Indians, yt our scouts, had made discovery of in ye night siting per theire fires hammering of slugs for theire gunns - our scouts was soe neare them yt they could see ye Indians & heare them talke, yesterday morning we had news yt ye Indians had Killed two men at Groton. Jera: Bowers is gone out wth about 100 men after them * * *

Settlement Of The Garrison In The West Regiment Of Province Wars 135

Mr. Nathaniel Haywood Pee! and his Man, with two Souldiers there Joseph Hildrick and Posted. 4men Peter Dill James Bowen or Burn (?) 7. men [West End] Water Bower (Power ?)

In 1889 this was printed by the N. E. Hist. Gen. Society. The localities as indicated within the brackets are by Mr. H. S. Perham, who noted on the printed copy that it had been compared with the original. [See Hinchman's letter, page 166.]

According to an act of the General Court, March 12, 1694-5, inhabitants of the frontier towns were prohibited from deserting them without permission on pain of forfeiting their property. This included Chelmsford.

The people had all they could do to obtain a livelihood at this time with short crops and attacks by the Indians along the frontier near Chelmsford.

Raids by the Indians had been made on Billerica and Tewksbury, and a number of people killed. Colonel Joseph Lynde with three hundred horse and foot scoured the neighborhood, August 24, 1695, but failed to secure the enemy. He is said to have fortified Lynde's hill in Belvidere. He had a guard of forty men at each of the three fords between Chelmsford and Andover, and ranged the woods ''on the northern side of the great swamp,' and guarded thistown. He camped on Prospect hill ''that lies between Chelmsford and the river.'' [See his report, Courier-Citizen Hist. of Lowell, p. 122.]

Capt. James Converse, Sept. 9, 1695

I order That at your next passing over Merrimack with your Company towards Dunstable &c That you advise with Maj'r. Henchman and Mr Jona Ting concerning the posting yor men in the several Frontiers of Dunstable, Bilrica, Chelmsford, Groton, Lancaster and Marlboro for the better enforcemt of th Garrisons there and maintaining a good brisk Scout for the discovery of the Enemy to prevent their annoying of those Towns during the Harvest Season. . .

1696. November 19, £10, was granted to Jonathan Tyng for journeys and posts to neighboring towns (including two journeys to Chelmsford) to settle garrisons.

Wannalancet died in 1696 and was buried by Jonathan Tyng on the Tyng estate. A memorial tablet on a granite boulder to mark the spot has been placed by the Massachusetts Society of Colonial Dames. [See Old Residents' Contributions, Vols. VI and IIT.]

Petition Of Jonathan Tyng For An Allowance For Supporting Wannalancet

To the right Honorle. Wm. Stoughton Esq Lt. Governr. and Comandr In Cheife, &c: together with ye Hond Council and ye Representatives assembled in Genll Court, now setting in Boston May ye 27, 1697

That some time in ye yeare (1692) Wanalanset ye Indian Sagamore (belonging to patucket vpon Merremack) came in to dunstab with some other Jndians, and a flagg of truce, and sd Sagamore was desirous to stay with ye English, ye other Jndians promised to come again, but did not, this being before Wm phipps his arivall, your petetetior In formed ye then Governmt. brought sd Sagamore to ye Hond. Mr Danford, who ordered him to be kept At ye prison in Cambridge, where he remained for some time, ye sd Sagamore petetioned that he might be removed to your petetioner's hous, upon sd Wm's Arival & addressd his Excelencey concerning this Matter who ordered him back to Dunstable to your petetionrs hous and orded me to supply him with nessessary provisions & promised it should be payd out of ye public, your petetionr also pd his expenses coming to Boston and his returne, Kept him with food and good pt of his cloathing for almost four years, who then dyed. I was also at some small charge to bury him, he haveing shewed him selfe friendly to ye English, in the former warr and now, authorety would not suffer him now in his old age to be Jll treated.

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My prayer to this Hononrle Court is yt you would please to ordr. me out of the publick tresury of ye province some meet compensation for my aforsd exspence, which I dispensed pr ordr of Authorety.

The humble petition of the Inhabitts. of Chelmsford sheweth That whereas yor petitioners have been ever forward to the paymt of all ye publiq Assesmts for the support of his majestys Governmt, maintenance of ye warr &c as in duty wee were bound but by reason of the long continuance of the warr and the Enemys making greater assawlts & Depredations upon these frontier pts & our daily fears of being Invaded wch puts us upon still greater charges of building and repairing our fortifications, being also exposed to extream difficultys & Hazards in managing our husbandry, it having also pleased god to cut us very short inourharvest of late years (altho thro his great compassion wee hope wee have this year sufficient to maintain life) having also suffered great losses in Hay by fires, so that ye estate of the Town is much exhausted by these means & because these accumulated calamitys & a prospect of greater have driven away no less than ten familys not onely out of the Town but most of them out of province, (many more being upon the wing) which weakens and much discourages us, wee do therefore (being desirous yet to maintain our station in this onc flourishing Town) & not without grateful acknowledgmts of ye care yt hath been taken for our defence, (wch through gods blessing wee have found ye benefit of) presume to spread before your honrs our distressing circumstances; & to supplicate humbly yt the wisdom & clemency of this honrable Generll Cort shall appear meet, to whose pleasure wee humbly submit & upon whose fatherly compassions wee cast ourselves, praying God almightys presence & blessing may crown all your publige managmts.

We have Requested Capt Bowers or Representative humbly to prefer this petition for us Octr. 19th. 1697 Read Joseph heldreth Constable. [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 70, p. 358.]

In 1698 various towns were reinforced for the defence of the frontier. Eight men were ordered to Chelmsford. The Council advised that there be forthwith a levy made of 150 soldiers in two companies, one to be posted on the frontiers about Chelmsford, Groton and Lancaster, the other about Andover, Haverhill and Amesbury. An assault was expected along the Merrimack. Jo English brought word that about seventy French and Indians were on the way from Canada, sixteen of them to attack Deerfield, and the rest to strike the river towns.

Resolved By ye House of Representatives that Joseph English an Indian escaping from Frentch Captivity and makeing his way home giveing intelligence of ye motions of the Enemy with intent to doe mischiefe upon ye Frontiers at this tyme that there be six pounds drawn out of the Publique treasurie & put into ye hands of Majr. James Converse & Capt. Jerathmell Bowers to be by ym improved for to suply sd Indian & his wife & children with cloathing as a Recompence for his good Seruas

King William's war, called an unrighteous war, brought only disaster, sorrow and desolation to the English settlements. It came to an end in 1697 by the treaty of Ryswick, by which Acadia was restored to France.

This war began in 1702 when England declared war against France and Spain. The French had the sympathy of the New England Indians, who made constant vigilence necessary in the frontier settlements to guard against raids and massacres. ''For the first time the Indians were well armed and guided by a superior intelligence."

The war ended in 1713 by the treaty of Utrecht. Newfoundland and Acadia came into the possession of England, whose prestige was strengthened in North America.

1702. November 19. A bill was passed providing snowshoes for the men of the frontier towns at the charge of the Province. The Indians were more active and troublesome in the winter, and companies were organized for service upon the snow. William Tyng commanded the first Massachusetts company, and received for services from December 28 to January 25, 1703-4, £71.11.0, 25 shillings of which was paid toa "'chyrugion."' The company brought back five scalps and received as bounty £200. In the Granite State Magazine, Vol. I, is a list, with personal sketches, of forty-four men in this company, who, in 1735, with sixteen others named, were the grantees of Tyngstown, which included the greater part of the present Manchester, N. H. The adjustment of the province line in 1741 voided this charter, and Massachusetts gave the grantees the township now Wilton, Maine. The sketches of men who were born or lived in Chelmsford are here given:

1. John Shepley, son of John, was born in Chelmsford, Mass., in 1677. A few years later the family removed to Groton, Mass., where the father, mother and all the children except John were killed by the Indians, July 27, 1694. John, then seventeen years of age, was carried into captivity where he remained three and one-half years, when he returned to Groton. In memory of the massacre of his kindred, undoubtedly he was a willing recruit in Captain Tyng's company. Subsequently he was prominent in the town and church affairs of Groton. He was a representative nine years. He died September 14, 1736. Among his descendants is the late Ether Shepley, a former United States Senator and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maine.

2. Joseph Parker, Groton, son of Capt. Joseph and Margaret Parker, was born in Chelmsford, March 30, 1653. The family removed to Dunstable in 1675, where Joseph, Sr., was a constable seven years. Joseph, Jr., had considerable experience in Indian warfare. He removed from Dunstable to Groton and there died about 1725, leaving a large estate.

10. Joseph Perham, Groton, son of John and Lydia (Shepley) Perham, was born in Chelmsford, December 22, 1669. He lived in Dunstable and, by revision of town lines, in Nottingham West, now Hudson. At the time of his service in Captain Tyng's company he was a resident of Groton.

11. Joseph Butterfield, Dunstable, son of Joseph and Lydia (Ballard) Butterfield, was born in Chelmsford, June 6, 1680. He removed early in life to Dunstable, living in the section of the town now Tyngsborough, where he died in 1757. His daughter, Deborah, was the wife of Col. Samuel Moor of Litchfield.

12. John Spalding, Chelmsford, son of Andrew and Hannah (Jefts) Spalding, was born August 20, 1682. He lived through life in Chelmsford. He died March 7, 1760.

13. John Spalding, Jr., Chelmsford, son of John and Hannah (Hale) Spalding, was born in Chelmsford, February 15, 1659. Late in life he removed to Plainfield, Conn. His son, Samuel, born August 5, 1686, represented his father's interests in Tyngstown.

14. Henry Spalding, Chelmsford, son of Andrew and Hannah (Jefts) Spalding, was born November 2, 1680. He was a brother of No. 12. He married a daughter of Thomas Lund, Sr.

16. Ebenezer Spalding, Chelmsford, son of Lieut. Edward and Margaret (Barrett) Spalding, was born January 13, 1683. He lived in Chelmsford and later in Nottingham West, now Hudson.

17. Samuel Davis, Groton, son of Samuel and Mary Davis, was born in Groton, January 8, 1669-70. He removed from Groton to Chelmsford in 1707. Many of his descendants have resided in New Hampshire.

22. Nathaniel Butterfield, Chelmsford, son of Nathaniel and Deborah (Underwood) Butterfield, was born about 1676 [1673]. He lived in Chelmsford, where he died in 1749.

26. Jonathan Parker, Chelmsford, son of John and Mary Parker, was born in Chelmsford, January 2, 1683. His right appears to have been improved by Thomas Parker. I do not find that he had a son Thomas but he had a brother of that name.

27. Peter Talbot [or Talbird], Chelmsford, was an emigrant from England. He lived several years in Dorchester, but at the time of his service in the snow-shoe company, under Capt. William Tyng, he was a resident of Chelmsford. At that time he must have been fully fifty years of age. His right in the township was given to his son, George Talbot, who lived several years in Stoughton.

28. Stephen Keyes, Chelmsford. There is no record of his birth and it has been thought that he probably was a son of Elias Keyes of Sudbury. He received land in Chelmsford in the right of Solomon Keyes, and it is possible he was a son of Solomon

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29. Benoni Perham, Chelmsford, lived in Chelmsford. He was living in 1722 and died a short time after that date [1723]. His son, Samuel, represented his interest in the grant of Tyngstown.

32. Josiah Richardson, Chelmsford, son of Capt. Josiah and Remembrance (Underwood) Richardson, was born in Chelmsford May 18, 1665. He wasa town clerk and selectman of Chelmsford, where he died October 17, 1711. His wife was a daughter of Deacon John Blanchard.

36. Henry Farwell, son of Henry Farwell of Chelmsford, Mass., was born about 1665. He was one of the early settlers of Dunstable. In the later years of Queen Anne's war his house was one of the seven garrisons in Dunstable. His son, Oliver was one of the victims of the Indian ambush at Naticook, September 5, 1724. His son, Josiah, was a lieutenant in Captain Lovewell's Company, and was killed by the Indians in the fight at Pigwacket, May 8, 1725.

38. John Richardson, Chelmsford, son of Capt. Josiah and Remembrance (Underwood) Richardson, was a brother of No. 32. Josiah Richardson was born in Chelmsford, February 14, 1669-70, where he died September 13, 1746.

40. Ephraim Hildreth, Chelmsford, removed from Chelmsford to Dracut in 1712, and there died September 26, 1740. He was town clerk of Dracut, a major of the militia, and an active man in town and business affairs. He was one of the proprietors of Concord and an influential factor among the proprietors of Tyngstown. At one time he was the owner of the saw-mill.

41. Samuel Chamberlain, Chelmsford, son of Thomas and Sarah (Proctor) Chamberlain, was born in Chelmsford, January 11, 1679. He was a prominent citizen and styled Capt. Samuel Chamberlain in Chelmsford records. He died April 12, 1767. There was a Samuel Chamberlain of about the same age, a son of Samuel and Elizabeth Chamberlain, who was styled in Chelmsford records Lieut. Samuel Chamberlain. The Tyngstown proprietors' records call the grantee Capt. Samuel Chamberlain, which makes it reasonably certain that the Samuel first named was the soldier and grantee.

42. Stephen Pierce, Chelmsford, son of Stephen and Tabitha (Parker) Pierce and grandson of Thomas Pierce of Woburn, was born in Chelmsford in 1678. He lived in Chelmsford and was the owner of many acres of land. He died September 9, 1749. This Stephen Pierce was the grandfather of Gov. Benjamin Pierce of Hillsborough, who was the father of President Franklin Pierce.

43. Timothy Spalding, Chelmsford, son of John and Hanna (Hale) Spalding, was born about 1676. He lived in the part of Chelmsford now Westford, where he died April 14, 1763. He was a brother of No. 13.

44. Paul Fletcher, Chelmsford, was the son of Joshua. His father was twice married: First, in 1668, to Gussies Jewell; second, in 1682, to Sarah Willey. I cannot state which of the wives was the mother of Paul. The Fletcher genealogy states that Paul Fletcher was a snow-shoe man in 1724. The date is an error.

45. Judge John Tyng, son of Major William and Lucy (Clarke) Tyng, born in Chelmsford, January 28, 1704-5, and graduated from Harvard University in 1725. He lived in Tyngsboro', where he died in 1797, aged ninety-two years. Hewas a colonel of the militia, a representative of Dunstable, Mass., which then included Tyngsboro', and speaker of the house. He was a delegate to the convention at Boston, in 1768, ''for the preservation of the public peace and safety,' and a delegate to the Provincial Congress, which assembled at Cambridge and Watertown in 1775, but he is best known as a judge of the courts of Middlesex county, which office he held many years.

46. Col. Eleazer Tyng, Dunstable, son of Col. Jonathan and Sarah (Usher) Tyng, was born in the part of Dunstable now called Tyngsboro', April 30, 1690, and graduated at Harvard University in 1712. He was a magistrate and a colonel; an active and useful man. He was buried in the Tyng burial ground, about one mile below Tyngsboro' Village. Upon a broad, horizontal tablet is inscribed, ''Underneath are entombed the remains of Eleazer Tyng, Esq., who died May 21, 1782, aged 92; Mrs. Sarah Tyng, who died May 23, 1753, aged 59; John Alford Tyng, Esq., who died Sept. 4, 1775, aged 44.' John Alford Tyng, Esq., was a son of Colonel Eleazer. Fox's Dunstable is in error in calling him Judge Tyng. The judge, John Tyng, is No. 45.

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omitted in the grants of Pembroke, N. H., and Petersham, Mass. In the same connection there appears in the Massachusetts Archives the petition of Zaccheus Lovewell, Thomas Colburn, Peter Powers, Josiah Cummings, Henry Farwell, Jr., and Nicholas Crosby, alleging that they served against the Indian enemy under Captain Lovewell, either on his first or second march, and that all the other soldiers of Captain Lovewell's companies have been rewarded in grants of land. Thomas Colburn appears to have been the only one of the six petitioners who was made a grantee of Tyngstown.

48. John Colburn, Dunstable, son of John and grandson of Edward Colburn, was born in Dunstable. John, the father died December 1, 1700, and John, the son, was the representative of his grandfather, Edward Colburn of Chelmsford, who was killed in an ambuscade in King Philip's war.

51. Jonas Clark, Esq., Chelmsford, son of Rev. Thomas Clark of Chelmsford, was born December 20, 1684. He wasa colonel and a magistrate. Several meetings of the proprietors of Tyngstown were held at his house in Chelmsford. He died April 8, 1770. His sister, Lucy or Lucia, was the wife of Major William Tyng, and his sister Elizabeth married Rev. John Hancock of Lexington, and was grandmother of Gov. John Hancock, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

53. Thomas Parker and William Reed. In a description of lands belonging to this right, the first name is written ''Rev. Mr. Thomas Parker.'' He was a son of Josiah Parker of Groton, Woburn and Cambridge, and he was born in Cambridge, December 7, 1700. He graduated from Harvard University in 1718. At nineteen years of age he was ordained and installed over the church in Dracut early in 1720, and there labored and preached until his death, March 18, 1765. He attended several of the meetings of the proprietors, and was moderator of one or more meetings.

William Read, the joint owner of this right, without doubt, was William Read of Chelmsford, son of Thomas Read, and was born about 1688. He married Hannah Bates and lived in Chelmsford. Among his children were Robert Read of Amherst and Col. William Read of Litchfield, in whose honor Reed's Ferry was named. This family generally wrote the name Read, while the ferry is written Reed's Ferry.

Elizabeth (Wright) Hartwell, was born in Concord, February 15, 1691-2. He lived several years in Chelmsford and, by division of the town, in Westford. He died in Littleton, October 18, 1778.

Philip's war. The heirs of William were grantees of Templeton, Mass. Jonathan Hartwell probably was admitted a grantee on account of the service of his father. See the clause in the grant relative to soldiers ''at the Fort Fight or Long March in the Narragansett War."'

Second, William, born April 22, 1679, was in the service almost continuously from 1703 until his death. He married Lucy Clark, a daughter of Rev. Thomas Clark, and settled in Chelmsford. He was a representative to the General Court from that town in 1707, and in the service was promoted, 1709, to major. In the summer of 1710, while in command of a battalion between Groton and Lancaster, he was mortally wounded by the Indians. He was carried to Concord for medical attendance, and there died a few days later [Aug. 16]. This date is confirmed by probate records, and in the will of the father, Col. Jonathan Tyng, written a few years later, he makes mention of his deceased sons, John and William.

Third, Eleazer, born April 30, 1690, graduated from Harvard - University in 1712 and was commissioned colonel in 1724. He was an influential and honored citizen of Dunstable.

Governor Dudley wrote from Cambridge to Major Lane, November 5, 1702: "Sir, I desire you with two of your troops to repayr to the touns of Marlboro', Lancaster, Groten, Chelms- these are to order you forthwith to give out your warrant to your soldiers in Chelmsford to watch two in a night & the Day following at the wadeing place at Wamesit & to continue in yt service till they have gone Round: The Soldiers are to keep at the said wading place till they are Relieved as the custom hath been by Capt. Bowers men

1703, November 26, £40 was allowed out of the Province treasury for each scalp of the Indian enemy above ten years of age. All Indians taken under that age were to be owned or sold by their captors.

In 1704 six hundred pairs of snow-shoes and "'Mogginsons"' were provided. Chelmsford and Captain William Tyng's company were the special objects of revenge on the part of the French and Indians.

Dr. Green, in 'Groton in the Indian Wars,'"' quotes Penhallow's account of Butterfield's experience, among other instances of cruel treatment by the Indians:

"A third was of Samuel Butterfield, who being sent to Groton as a soldier, was with others attackt, as they were gathering in the Harvest; his bravery was such, that he Kill'd one and wounded another, but being overpower'd by strength, was fore'd to submit; and it hapned that the slain Indian was a Sagamore, and of great dexterity in War, which caused matter of Lamentation, and enrag'd them to such a degree that they vow'd the utmost revenge; Some were for whipping him to Death; others for burning him alive; but differing in their Sentiments, they submitted the Issue to the Squaw Widow, concluding she would determine something very dreadful, but when the matter was opened, and the Fact considered, her Spirits were so moderate as to make no other reply, than, "'Fortune L'guare.'' Upon which some were uneasy; to whom she answered, If by Killing him, you can bring my Husband to life again, I beg you to study what Death you please; but if not let him be my Servant; which he accordingly was, during his Captivity, and had favour shown him."

Dr. Green continues: The account of Butterfield's case was in substance originally printed in a pamphlet entitled '"A Memorial of the Present Deplorable State of New England (1707) - now of great rarity, - which appeared twenty years before Judge Penhallow's History was published. This pamphlet has since been reprinted in the introduction to the sixth volume, fifth series, of the ''Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society." The account is as follows: A man had Valiantly Killed an Indian or two before the Salvages took him. He was next morning to undergo an horrible Death, whereof the Manner and the Torture was to be assigned by the Widow Squa of the Dead Indian. The French Priests told him, they had indeavoured to direct the Tygres from ther bloody Intention, but could not prevail with them; he must prepare for the terrible Execution. His cries to God were hard, and heard; when the Sentence of the Squa, was demanded, quite contrary to Every ones Expectation, and the Revengeful Inclination so usual and well-Known among these Creatures, she only said, His Death won't fetch my Husband to Life; Do nothing to him! So nothing was done to him.

To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. Capt General and Governor in Chief To the Honoble the Council and House of Representatives now in General Assembly convened at Boston - within & for her Majesties Province of the Massachuts Bay April 10. 1706.

That yor. Petitioner is an Jnhabitant of the Town of Chelmsford, and in the month of August 1704, when the Enemy came upon Nashoway & Groton &c, yor. Petitioner (with others) was sent out by the Capt Jerathmel Bowers to Groton to assist Col. Taylor, where yor Petitioner being ordered out with some others to Guard a man who was going to work in the field, the Enemy came upon them, Killed one man and took yor. Petitioner and one other Prisoner, Tho yor. Petitioner made all the resistance possible, Killed one and Knocked down two more after they had seized him, for which yor Petitioner was cruelly used by them afterwards & threatened to be burnt, several times, May it please this great and Generall Assembly yor Petitioner was very well accoutred in all respects when he was taken, And then was stript of all and was between fourteen and fifteen months a Captive exposed to great hardships, and has sustained great loss and Damage.

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Consideration and Grant him such recompence for his Losses and sufferings as a foresd, as to yor wisdom and goodness shall seem meet. And yor Petitioner (as in duty bound) shall ever pray &c Samuel Butterfield

Resolved that there be allow'd and paid out of the publick treasury to John Shipley of Groton, and Samuel Butterfield, the sum of four pounds, each, for the scalp of one of the Indian enemy, being a man by them killed at Groton aforesaid in the summer past [1704] and that no other or further sum be allowed for Killing the said Indian. (Allowed as a special gratuity, he being not entitled to demand the statute bounty.)

Upon reading the petition of Samuel Butterfield setting forth his being taken Captive by the Indian enemy, cruelly used and strip'd of all, having Killed one of them after they had seized him - Resolved that the sum of Five Pounds be Allowed, & Paid out of the Publick Treasury to Samuel Butterfield the Petitioner in Consideration of his Losse & service.

1706, July 3. Captain Pearson's troops at supper were surprised by Indians marching to Dunstable. Jacob Galusha, a Dutchman, his house assaulted by Indians. The house was burned and some persons were killed, and some escaped.

July 27. Lt. Butterfield and his wife, riding between Dunstable and some other town [returning home to Chelmsford], had their horse shot down by the enemy. The man escaped, the woman was taken, and Jo. English, a friendly Indian in company with them, was at the same time slain.

In Vol. VIII of the Acts and Resolves it is stated that a band or bands of hostile savages, apparently those who perpetrated the outrages above described, infested for several days the region extending from Chelmsford to Exeter, N. H.

In the Archives, Vol. 71, page 105, is the petition of William Tyng, stating that just before the mischief was done at Lancaster, by his Excellency's order he was going from Boston by Dunstable to Lancaster on his own horse which he turned into a pasture, and in the morning the Indians drove the horse into the woods and killed and ate him. Also that John Spalding, a young man and good soldier, was killed and his gun taken by the Indians. The gun was his father's, who was very poor. (Nov. 18, 1704.) On page 138 Jonathan Tyng asks to be paid for 42 pair of snowshoes; also 43 pair at 5 shillings a pair; also hired 12 pair at 2 shillings a pair. He was granted £42. 9. 0.

To his Excy ye Gouernor and Hond Councill & Reprsentatiues now in Generall Court Assembled in Boston: Novr. 3d. 1704. The humble motion of Jonathan Tynge, of Dunstable Sheweth That whereas yor petitionr, by vertue of an order from his Excellency ye Gournr for the takeing Care that prsuant to ye Direction of ye Generall Assembly there Should be Erected and built four Blockhouses upon Merimack River In Complyance where wth, he hath procured ye Same to be done and perfected, the Same being all in ye County of Middx - vizt one in Billerica, Two in Chelmsford, and one in Dunstable for ye which according to his agreemt wth Sundry prsons for ye same he Stands obliged to pay them Six pounds apeice, ye whole amounting to Twenty four pounds,

Humbly prayes That yor Excelency and ye Honbl Councill & Reprsentatiues, would please to grant An order that he may be paid out of ye Province Treasury the Said Sum, that he may Satisfy ye Workmen there wth as he Stands obliged.

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In the House of Representatives Novr: 3: 1704 Read and Ordered That the Praier of this Petition be Granted, and the Sum of Twenty four Pounds be Allowed & Paid out of the publick Treasury to Jonathan Tyng Esqr. accordingly. Sent up for Concurrence. Iams. Converse Speaker In Council. Read and Concurrd. Isa: Addington Sectry. [Indorsed] Jona. Tyng Esqr. Allowed £24. for four blockhouses Erected on Merrimack River past Novr. 1704.

Son Tyng I met ym this day at Chelmsford: I had at Chelmsford 30 pr: of Rackets: at my house 42 pr: at Groton 6 pr: beside them yt were brought there of Capt Willards providing, of those about 30 may be fit for a long march & 40 may be serviceable for scouting with riging up, the rest are lost and not fit for any servis:

1706. "A list of the Names of yr. Troopers which serued vnder my comand to the releefe of Dunstable July the fourth seventeen hundred & six: Being seventy nine men two days with theire sustenance."

1706. 'Those which served under me in my march to Groton & Dunstable & Drawcut from the 11th of August to the 13th by Command from his Exelency are as followeth & served 3 days and found thir own sustenance."

1708. Chelmsford names on the Muster Roll of John Lane's Company. 24 Billerica names are followed by these: John Swolow Centinel Aug. 30. Sept. 4. 6 days Samuel Sady ae "se ee "ec "e ae "ee

Samuel Chamberlin Henery Spaldin Benony Periam Eephrim Hildreth Se? Nir John Baritt <é ae ae "e "e ae ae Thomas Tarbell iD rae via mae 5 a Simon Stone Samull Parker William Nutting * oad en Seen sen eek:

Soldiers were ''for their encouragement" paid seven shillings for the first cost of their snow shoes and mogginsons, and two shillings a year afterwards from the year 1711.

In August, 1723, Lieutenant-Governor Dummer, then acting Governor of the Province, ordered detachments of from three to six men from the several frontier towns to range the woods, as the Indians were still in a threatening attitude. Groton, Dunstable and Lancaster were then more on the frontier than Chelmsford, but this town was still necessarily watchful, and contributed men for the service. A number of men (some of them prominent) who are credited to other towns were born in Chelmsford.

In Dummer's, or Lovewell's, War, snow-shoe companies were raised in all the towns lying upon Merrimack river, says Allen, page 182. These companies were minute men, equipt with snowshoes and fire arms, &c., holding themselves in readiness to go on scouting parties in pursuit of the Indians at the moment of alarm.

The following constituted the snow-shoe company in Chelmsford in 1724; under the command of Captain Robert Richardson and Lieutenant Joseph Parker: loyalty, courage and good conduct, constitute and appoint you the said Joseph Parker to be Lieutenant of a company of snowshoe-men, and of those that are appointed to be in readiness to issue out against the Indian enemy and rebels upon any alarm or attack; whereof Robert Richardson is Captain, in the regiment of Militia in the county of Middlesex, whereof Eleazer Tyng, Esq., is Colonel. You are therefore diligently and faithfully to discharge the duties of a Lieutenant, &c.

Given under my hand and seal at arms at Boston, 5th day February, in the Eleventh year of the reign of his Majesty, King George. A. D. 1724.

May it Please your honores_ By Virtue of an order from Coll. Eleazer Tyng I have drawn out of my company Thirteen able bodyed men well fitted with snow shoes and moggasons according to the order of ye General Court and I desire the money may be paid to Robert Richardson Capt. over said snow shoemen to be repaid by him to his men.

Jabez Fairbank, Capt.; Jona. Butterfield, Sentinel; Jno. Barret, Ebenr. Virgin, Benj. Chamberlain, Jona. Heldreth. These are all Chelmsford names.

Sept. 13. 1724. Powder. bullets. and flints were delivered out by the Military officers of Chelmsford. 24 men received from half a jill to a pint of powder, from 6 to 18 bullets and 2 to 4 flints

Petition Of Chelmsford Captains

To ye Honourable William Dummer Esq. Lieut Governour in Chief and over his Majesties province of the Massachusets bay in New England. The petition of us ye Subscribers Humbly

Province Wars 153

John Walker, centinel receivd 28/ per week Thomas Spaulden, . a DS Os. Ts Samuel Barron, a ce an) ii Jonathan Spaulden, '" si Big! on Benj Kidder, . is 7c Le ae Wm. Spaulden, i ty 0 be an John Corey, #5 is SHO te Zechariah Emery, i ' PI oy James Burn, "" rT 28 | 6" " James Kidder iv 7 Pa ea Benj Smith, 'i so Mca alc Gersham Proctor, . ef Poe lie ed The Captain a BOs tn "ec Lieut. ce 40 / ceé 46 '"* Ensign oH Sl ae tg "é Sergt. "é 32 /6 e 4c eee lot % oe (oo '"" Surgeon oe Ai er ier het ace Clerk "é 32 /6 é ae "* Centinel fe 3 Aaa ot

On the 8th of May, 1725, occurred the famous Lovewell's fight. On April 15th Capt. John Lovewell of Dunstable with forty-seven well-armed men (Green: Groton during the Indian wars, says thirty-four were in the fight) set out to travel more than two hundred miles to attack the Pequawkets under Paugus, their Sachem, whose headquarters were on the Saco river in what is now Fryeburg, Maine, named for the English Chaplain, Jonathan Frye, of Andover, one of Lovewell's men who was slain. Of this party Lieut. Jonathan Robbins, and Solomon Keyes were born in Chelmsford, as was John Chamberlain who killed Paugus. (Nason: Hist.-Dunstable says, ''Paugus was probably killed by Ensign Wyman.'') The parents of Chamberlain were Thomas and Elizabeth; his father was a carpenter and miller. John was born March 29, 1692. Solomon Keyes was born May 11, 1701, son of Solomon, son of Solomon. Mr. H. S. Perham quotes Parkman [see "The Wamesit Purchase,'' Old Res. Contributions]: "Solomon Keyes of Billerica received two wounds, but fought on till a third shot struck him. He then crawled up to Wyman in the heat of the fight, and told him that he, Keyes, was a dead man, but that the Indians should not get his scalp if he could help it. Creeping along the sandy edge of the pond, he chanced to find a stranded canoe, pushed it afloat, rolled himself into it, and drifted away before the wind.'' Fortunately a favoring breeze wafted him across the lake, and notwithstanding his wounds, he succeeded in reaching the stockade. There he found several others of the survivers with whom he set out through the wilderness for Dunstable, which they managed to reach six days later. The brave and hardy Keyes recovered from his wounds but was killed in battle thirty years later at Lake George while commanding a company from Western (now Warren), Mass. Why he was credited to Billerica does not appear. Hazen's History of Billerica gives no evidence of such a name there until it appeared upon their tax list in 1749. Hodgman, the Westford historian, claims him for that town. We will make the claim for Chelmsford, where we find his early home at Wamesit, and the name upon the tax list until after the date of Lovewell's fight.

Joseph Farrar (son of George, son of Jacob, son of Jacob), born Feb. 28, 1694, married in 1715, and settled in Chelmsford. He was in Lovewell's fight, where his cousin Jacob was killed. He died about 1731. [John P. Farrar, of Lynn.]

Province Wars 155

Lieut. Jonathan Robbins was a native of Chelmsford born in that part of the town which was afterwards annexed to Carlisle. After sunset the enemy drew off and left the field to the English , who assembling themselves and examining their situation, about midnight, Robbins and Usher were found unable to travel. Robbins desired his companions to charge his gun and leave it with him, which they did; he declaring that ''as the Indians will come in the morning to scalp me, I will kill one more of them #Ican." (Coll. Top. Hist. and Biog., Concord, N. H., 1822.]

"Paugus their chief and several other Indians were known to Lovewell's men. They frequently conversed with each other during the engagement. In the course of the battle Paugus and John Chamberlain, a native of Chelmsford, discoursed familiarly with each other: Their guns had become foul from frequent firing: they washed their guns at the pond, and the latter assured Paugus that he should kill him: Paugus also menaced him, and bid defiance to his insinuations; 'It is youorI,' he said. In loading, the bullet of Paugus lodged in about the center of his gun, which obliged him to draw his ram-rod. This gave Chamberlain the advantage. He fired first and Paugus fell.'' [Ibid.]

Green in "Groton during the Indian Wars," says: ''Paugus had nearly finished loading his gun, and was priming it from the powder-horn, when Chamberlain struck the breach of his own gun on the ground, causing it to prime itself, and in this way got the start of his Indian foe."

The whole story of this famous battle is full of interest, and may be read in the Memoirs and Sermon of Rev. Thomas Symmes and in various histories. Several ballads on the event became very popular, and Captain Lovewell, who was killed, became a great hero. He was a brave and adventurous leader. This battle ended the war, and the Pequawkets removed to Canada.

Commission

PROVINCE OF THE ane Tat: BELCHER, ESQ; MASSACHUSETTS-BAY. { CaptainGeneral andGOVERNOUR. in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England, &c.

To John Butterfield Gentleman Greeting. By Virtue of the Power and Authority, in and by His Majesty's Royal Comission to Me granted, to be Captain General &c. over this His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay aforesaid:

I do (by these Presents) reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct, constitute and appoint you the said John Butterfield to be Capt. of a Troop of hors in the Rigment of hors in the County of Middlesex whare of Joseph Varnum Esq. is Colonel this Troop was the forst Troop in Colonel Tyngs Rigment. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of a Capt in Leading, Ordering and Exercising said Troop in Arms, both Inferiour Officers and Soldiers; and to keep them in good Order and Discipline; hereby commanding them to Obey you as their Capt. and yourSelf to observe and follow such Orders and Instructions, as you shall from time to time receive from Me, or the Commander in Chief for the Time being, or other your Superiour Officers for His Majesty's Service, according to Military Rules and Discipline, pursuant to the Trust Reposed in you. Given under My Hand and Seal at Arms, at BOSTON,the 15 Day of November In the Eleventh Year of the Reign of His Majesty KING. GEORGE the Second. Annoque Domini 1737. J. Belcher. By His Excellency's Command, J. Willard Secty.

Service In The West Indies

The war between England and Spain was declared with due solemnity in Boston, April 21, 1740. New England raised about 1,000 men to join the fleet of Admiral Vernon in the West Indies. Winsor says scarce a hundred of them ever returned.

1740. August 27. A list of Persons as are Entered as Volunteers in His Majesties Service in the West Indies under the Command of Capt. John Prescott.

Province Wars 157

War was declared between England and France in 1744. Peace was again restored by the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, in 1748, which was really a mere truce in the long contest for supremacy in America.

In 1745 about four thousand Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut men went against Louisburg, the French port on the island of Cape Breton, and captured the fortifications which had been twenty-five years in building, and were the most formidable in America. Commodore Warren, the English naval commander in the West Indies, furnished ships for the convoy of the troops. The treaty restored Louisburg to the French. The attack planned the next year against the French at Crown Point came to nothing. The mutual restoration of all conquests by the treaty of 1748, which meant Louisburg given back to the French without the consent of the Americans, was one of the causes of dissatisfaction on the part of the Colonists which led eventually to a desire for separation from the mother country.

1748, December 24. The Commissary General was directed to deliver to Capt. Saml. Chamberlayne a Gun out of the Province store for the use of Ebenezer Foster in place of one he furnished his son, a soldier in the public service, and which was taken from him by the Indian enemy. also

1749, January 3, a gun and £10. for the use of Henry Stevens, Jr. in consideration of his loss of time and sufferings occasioned by his being taken prisoner by the enemy, while in the Province service.

Wm. Blodget and divers others, Inhabitants of Chelmsford, were granted the use of an island in the Merrimack containing 3/8 of an acre for the privilege and conveniency of fishing.

Zacheus Blodgett in Capt. Hartwell's Company was killed by the Indians in 1748. His brother Oliver asked the Province Treasurer to pay the wages of Zacheus to Capt. John Colburn of Dracut.

Province Wars 159 Orders To The Treasurer

In the House of Rep'ives Jany 12, 1748 Ordered that the Treasurer be directed to pay Nathaniel Richardson or Order the Wages due upon muster Roll to his son Joseph Richardson dec'd who was Killed in the Service of the Province, the sd Nathaniel to be accountable to any admr. that shall be appted. upon the Estate of the Dec'd.

Sent up for concurrence Attt. Roland Cotton Cler. Dom. Rep. In Council Jan 13, 1748. Read & Concurred Consented to J. Willard Secy. W. Shirley.

In as much as Zacheus Blogget a soldier in the service of the Province was slain by the Indian Enemy the last summer, and He having left no other Estate than the Wages due from the Province: Therefore Ordered that the Treasurer be directed to Pay sd. Wages to Capt Saml Chamberlayne to be by him paid among the Brethren and Sisters of the Dec'd according to Law.

Lunenburg February the 8th. 1748 These may Certify that Zacheus Blodgett was the last summer in His Majesties Service under my Command as he is born upon my last Muster role who was Killed by the Indian Enemy the fifth Day of July last. Attest Edward Hartwell. [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 404.]

Petition Of Ebenezer Foster. Jr

To his Excellency William Shirley Esq. Province of the Governour and Commander in Chief - Massachusetts Bay {the Honble his Majesties Council and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled Nov. 1748. The Petition of Ebenezer Foster, Jr. of Chelmsford Humbly Sheweth That Reuben Walker a Servant to your Petitioner was Impressed into his majesties Service and being under the Command of Capt. Josiah Willard was Captivated by the Enemy and Lost a gun of the value of Twelve pounds and the Property of your Petitioner who Prays that he may be allowed for the same. Samll Chamberlin in behalf of the Petitioner

Province Store for the Use of the Petitioner. Sent up for Concurrence T. Hutchinson, Spkr, J. Willard Secy. In Council Dec. 24, 1748 Consented to Read & Concurred. W. Thirlbey.

John Henry of Lawful Age Testifieth that he was Taken Captive in July Last by the Indian Enemy at the same time when Reuben Walker was Taken and that he was well Knowing that the said Walker lost his gun he seeing it several times after in the Enemies hand and further saith not.

Province of the Lieutenant Governer, Captain General Massachusetts & Commander in Chief of the Province Bay &ca. aforesaid, the Honoble His Majesty's

Council and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled at Boston on the Twenty second Day of November Anno Domini 1749. The Petition of Henry Stevens junr. of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, Humbly Sheweth,

That, he on the sixteenth Day of June A. D. 1748 Then a Soldier in the Service of the sd. Province under the Command of Capt Josiah Willard, was, at Fort Dummer, captivated by the Indians, stripped of what he had with him, and carried to Quebec, where he arrived the first Day of July next following, and imprisoned until the 27th Day of August then next, and from thence taken and put on board a French Man of War, which was about to sail as a Flag of Truce to Cape Briton: That on his Passage from Quebec to Cape Briton (where he arrived about the middle of September following) he was taken very sick of a Fever, and continuing so at his arrival, was put into the Hospital, and there detained by his sickness until the 14th of October following, before he was able to take Passage for New England (being there sometime longer than his Fellow Captives) from thence he then sailed, and arrived at Home in Chelmsford aforesd. the 12th Day of November following. And that he while in Captivity aforesaid suffered great Hardships & Distresses & ca.

Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honour and Honours would be pleased to grant him his full Wages out of the Treasury of this Province from the: Time he was taken until he arrived at Home aforesaid, and a proper allowance for his Gun (of the Value of Fifteen Pounds Old Tenor Bills) which the Indians took from him when taken.

And also that he may be reimbursed the sum of Ten Pounds Old Tenor Bills, which he was obliged to pay for his Passage from Cape Briton (he not being able otherways to procure the same) who as in duty bound Shallever pray.

In the House of Rep'ives. Decr. 22 1749 Ordered that the Treasurer be directed to pay to Capt. Chamberlayne Rep'ive. of Chelmsford for the use of the Petr. the sum of ten pounds in consideration of his loss of time, sufferings &c Ordered also that the Commissary Genl. be directed to deliver said Chamberlayne for the use aforesaid a Gun out of the Province

Attt Roland Cotton Cler. Dom. Rep. In Council Jan 3 1749 Read and Concurred Sam Holbrook Dep Sec Consented to S. Phips M assachusetts Archives, Vol. 73, p. 565.|

The French And Indian War

This was the fourth intercolonial war and the last and most severe of the struggles between the English and French colonies. It began in May, 1754 and ended in February, 1763. The Indians, as usual, took an important part in this war. After the capture of Louisburg (1745), the French had become aggressive. In 1754 they seized the English fort at the forks of the Ohio, and Braddock's defeat took place the following year. Besides this expedition against Fort Du Quesne, others were to proceed against Niagara and Crown Point. Lord Loudon failed to take Louisburg in 1757, but General Amherst succeeded in 1758, and the power of France in America declined rapidly. The reader must look elsewhere for the fate of Ticonderoga, of Fort William Henry, and the events which took place on our northern boundaries. A tragic feature of this war was the expulsion by the British of the Acadians from Nova Scotia, justified on the grounds of military necessity. More than a thousand, about one-seventh of the whole number carried away, were brought to Massachusetts, to be for years a burden on the public. [See Longfellow's "Evangeline," and Parkman's "Half Century of Conflict.'']

Encouraged by success the Colonists, with England, set out to accomplish the total reduction of Canada, which by the treaty of Paris was ceded to England in 1763.

The Province of Massachusetts Bay to John Winslow, Dr. To cash paid by himself and Major Frye out of his money to the Sundry Soldiers Inlisted in his Regiment. June, 1754.

Eleazer Melvin, Capt., Concord; Centinels Thos. Byam, Nat. Butterfield, Caleb Bean (servant to Saml. Chamberlain), Benj. Byam, Andrew Hutchins, Thos. Hutchins, all of Chelmsford. [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 93, pp. 136-7.]

Province Wars 163 Deposition

with Jonathan Snow & Samuel Butterfield on the head Branches of Little Androscoggin River, on Monday the nineteenth of this Inst. May. We the Deponts parted with ye said Jona. & Samll, & agreed to meet each other at ye place of our departure on ye Wednesday following if our business would allow of it, if not to meet there without fail if alive & well on Saturday following, accordingly our business not allowing to go on Wednesday we went on Saturday, but on our return about three miles before we came to the place of meeting on a Small Brook we Trackt seven Indians (as we then supposed) and coming to the camp we found the said Jonathan (as we judged) Kill'd & Scalpt, lying out of ye Camp and covered witha Bark. The Deponant Jonathan saith as he was viewing the Dead Body (which was very much cut & stab'd) the Depont Oliver told me he heard some noise & disired I would draw of, that we might make our escape which we did and upon our Return to North Yarmouth when we had got about eight miles we Trackt about the same number which were travelling down towards the English settlement. The Deponts say that they judge the person was killed some days before they came to the Camp and that they found the shoes of said Snow and the bullet bag of the said Samuel in the Camp. And a wooden spit stuck in the ground, with a mogasin hung on the end of it pointing towards the North West. And further say not.

Province Wars 165

Captains Adams, Hobbs and Osgood were with Col. Winslow atGrand Pré. See Parkman's 'Montcalm and Wolfe," Vol. 1, p. 270. Col. Edmund Goffe petitioned the Governor for compensation for himself and Henry Blaisdell whom he had appointed "'to be surgeon to the said forces."'

Chelmsford men under command of John Reed & Beniah Young. Expedition to Crown Point from Mch. 30, 1755 to Jan. 5. 1756. Travel from Albany. 20 to 30 weeks service.

Province Wars 167 List Of The Acadians Cared For In Chelmsford

Chelmsford Oct 24, 1757. In obedience & pursuant to an Order of the Great and General Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, made & passed the 21st Day of January A. D. 1757 The following is a true list of the several French Persons names in the Town of Chelmsford, the amount of their age sex & the circumstances of their Health & capacity for Labour. The Number of Frence are seventeen.

The Town Records show many items of expense for the support of these people, such as rye and Indian meal, shuger, beef, mutton, salt pork, peas, syder, rhumb, biscake, fire-wood, and medical attendance. They were well taken care of, but of course suffered much from home-sickness, loss of friends and property, and other things incidental to their sad fate. In one instance one of the French is paid by the town for assistance rendered by him to his less fortunate companions in exile, as appears by the following: - ''Joseph Landrie for time spent in moving Jane Landrie and wife with their goods from David Spaulding's to Ephraim Warrens and for going twice to Dunstable about a nurse for said Jane Landrie and wife when sick, five shillings and four pence," and David Spaulding is paid for his "cart and oxen to move the French from his own house to Ephraim Warren's."

An account was rendered by the Town from time to time to the secretary of the Province of the expense which had been incurred in their support. The following record shows that the Town was wholly, or in part, reimbursed:

+ a meeting of the Major part of the Selectmen it was agreed upon and ordered that Oliver Fletcher, Esq., pay to Mr. Samuel Perham, Town Treasurer for the Town of Chelmsford for the year A. D. 1761, the Sum of twenty nine Pounds eight shillings and two pence lawful money, which the sd. Oliver received of Harrison Gray, Esq., Province Treasurer, a Grant made to the Town of Chelmsford for their last account exhibited for supporting _ Jean Landrie and Family in this Town, which grant was made on or about the first of April currant. £29-8-2."

The fall of Fort William Henry in 1757 occasioned great alarm throughout the colony, and troops were hastily organized in the different towns to repel the threatened invasion. In August the Sheriffs were ordered by the Governor 'to keep watch over French, and not allow them too great liberty at this critical juncture, as in consequence of the surrender of Fort William Henry and the attack of Fort Edward, the issue of which is uncertain."

In 1760 Charles Trawhorn and family were moved from Chelmsford to Concord by order of a committee of the General Court. While in this Town they lived in the house of "John Blazedel."

Province Wars 169

In regard to the treatment of those Acadeans who "'sojourned"' in Massachusetts, Gov. Hutchinson wrote that "many of them went through great hardships, but in general they were treated with humanity." We cannot but hope that those whose lot was cast among the farmers of Middlesex found some loving hearts to help lift the burdens which man's inhumanity had heaped upon them.

Of their ultimate fate much has been written. Many of those who had been quartered in the Southern States found a permanent home in Louisiana.

Fifty thousand "'Cajeans,"' as they are vulgarly called, constitute today a separate community along the '"'Acadean coast"' of the Mississippi in the western part of the State. Papers on file among the Massachusetts archives leave no doubt that those in this state, at least, found homes in Canada.

Soon after the Treaty of Paris, by which Canada was ceded to Great Britain, a correspondence was opened between the Governors of Massachusetts and Quebec in regard to their settlement in Canada. One paper bears the endorsement, ''List of the Acadeans ready to go to Canada, amounting to 890.'

Muster Roll of The Company in His Majesty's Service under Command of Jonathan Butterfield of Dunstable, Captain. Gridley's Reg't. to Crown Point. Feb. 7. 1756 to Dec. 1756. Stephen Adams, Lieut. ee and Cashiered [a broken man

A roll of the Ist Military Co - under Capt James Minott. contains the names of Oliver Barron, Benj. Barrett, John (or Jonas) Bateman, Saml. Estabrooks.

Province Wars 171

Chelmsford names on a ''Muster Roll for the Pay and Subsistence of a Troop of Horse that were ordered by Col Eleazer Tyng and marched for the Relief of Fort William Henry under the Command of Daniel Stickney [of Billerica] in August; 1757 - Marched to Marlboro. 56 miles. Days

Province Of The Thomas Pownall Esq

MASSACHUSETTS-BAY. Captain General and Governor in Chief, in and over His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England, and Vice-Admiral of the same &c.

To Jonathan Spaulding. Gentn. Greeting. By Virtue of the Power and Authority in and by His Majesty's Royal Commission to Me granted to be Captain General, &c. over this His Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay aforesaid I do by these presents (reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage and good Conduct) constitute and appoint You the said Jonathan Spaulding to be second Lieutenant of the South Military Foot Company in the Town of Chelmsford under the Command of John Alford Tyng Esqr. in the second Regiment of Militia in the County of Middlesex whereof Eleazer Tyng Esqr. is Colonel. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of a Second Lieutenant in leading, ordering and exercising said - Company in Arms both inferior Officers and Soldiers and to © keep them in good Order and Discipline and they are hereby commanded to obey you as their Second Lieutenant and you are © yourself to observe and follow such Orders and Instructions, as - you shall from time to time receive from Me, or the Commander in Chief for the Time being or other your Superiour Officers for - his Majestys Service according to Military Rules and Discipline pursuant to the Trust reposed in you.

Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms at BOSTON, the eighteenth Day of October. In the thirty second Year © of the Reign of His Majesty King GEORGE the Second, Annoq; Domini, 1758. T. Pownall

Province Wars

Jonathan Haywood received £2. 19. 0 for sufferings on account of exposure at "Green Bush" and expenses while in Captain Bent's Company in 1759.

Charles Barron Wm. Barron Chelmsford Chelmsford 28 John Jewell Dunstable 17 Saml Cowdre Chelmsford " 25 Wm. Wright * .e 23 Solomon Corey iM ee Jonas Harwood # is 18 Ebenr. Galusha is a; 17 Moses Barron iN i 22 James Screen i Lancaster 22 Levi Spaulding # Chelmsford 21 Dinnes McLane Benj. Byam - 17 John Blassdell 1: is 29 Charles McLane 4 ul 17 Joseph Dow Amesberry a 17 John Porter servant to Jonah Parker Wenham 17 Thomas Durant Billferica] ey 21

Province Wars 175

A Roll of Officers and men in Capt Moses Parker's Company and Col. Frye's Regiment. in Service in the Province of Nova Scotia after the Ist of January, 1760 and at the time of their discharge.

1760. Aug. 26. 'Orders for a number of men to go on bord the Prize Vessals Consisting of 165 men, officers Included, to go Voluntiers from the Proventials, also for 41 men to List out of the Massachusetts Regts. To Joyne Major Roggers as Rangers in Lieu of that Number of the New hampshires that was not fit for Rangers. Thompson Maxwell, of Capt. Whitings Company Listed a Ranger - & Sergt. [Jonas] Parker [of Chelmsford], Samll. Treadwell [of Littleton] Thaddeus Read [of Westford] & John Robinson [of Dunstable] wint on Board the Prizes."

Family

This day a sloop came in fort fradrek [Frederick] from boston and brot Rum and syder and clo[th]ing for us Shuger and all sorts of things for us and we had nuws that all Chelmsford pepel was well that day

May ye 14d 1759. then [we] spied three french and ingings and sent sixteen men besides officers after them and tha spied them and chased them but tha culd not git them and the 15d we sent thurty men beside and the 18 of May then whe went 13 men and I was won of them and they all askered [scared] but one and that was Dutton of birikey and we was a fishing at the wars [wiers] in the euing and there was about twenty french and our men run to help them ~ and our ofes [officers] called them back all but three or four and - then run and shot at them and then halled the wounded men away ~

Gravestones Of Col. Jonas Clark And His Wife

Octoba the 26d 1759 then about one hundred men went up the river and brot down a bout one hundred and seuenty french and we l[ Je in the 8d of Novembr, 1759.

August the 18d. 1759 then these men came in again and they brot in two skonos and riggins fit for sailing and more plonder wch is thort is woth about twoo thousand or more and they got one boot that they thet is woth fiftey pound and they colled it Moses for that was it name.

July the 9d 1759 then whe sent forty eight men be sids ofes [officers] and in hol was sixty men Capten parker and Leaften foster went up the riuer siant John december the 25d 1759 we dined with the gonars [gunners] and we had a god dener and then we had licker and that night and the 26d I went on gard and it snow hard.

Oliver Corey made and mended shoes for the soldiers, and lent them money, and sold ''sider,'' rum and "'bere," and baked bread. He charged Jonathan Snow £0. 12. 10 for making a pair of shoes, and five shillings for mending ''pomps." His name is found on several of the preceding rolls.

Charles Barron, Ezra Corey (servant to John Dutton), Oliver Fletcher (son to Stephen Fletcher), Elijah Galusha, dead, (servant to Saml. Sureen), John Jewell, Chatles McLean (son to Susan McLean).

1762 - Capt William Baldwin, Col. Hoar's Regt. marched from Chelmsford to Boston, shipped to Halifax & then sailed to aid in the reduction of some French ports in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

Moses Parker, Capt.; Jonas Parker, Sergt.; Corpls, Leon Butterfield, John Senter, Rice Knowlton, Saml. Cowdry; Privates, Joseph Barrett, Jerh. Butterfield, Thos. Byam, Solomon Crosby, Ebenr. Foster (son of E. Foster), John Freeland, Benj. Gould, Jr. (son of A. Gould), Jona. Harwood, John Jewell (son of N. Jewell), Daniel Keyes (servant to Jos. Moores), Chas. McLain (servant to J. Dun), Willm. Perry, Saml. Stratton (servant to A. Spaulding), John Stephens.

Daniel Keyes, Sergt., servt. to Jos. Moors; Jeremiah Butterfield, Privates; Luke Bowers (S. of Bowers), Charles Barron, Joseph Barrett, Joseph Butterfield (s. of Wm. Butterfield), Uriah Fletcher (s. of Ste. Fletcher), Robert Fletcher (s. of Robt. Fletcher, Benj. Fletcher (s. of Jos. Fletcher), Benja. Gould.

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The Petition of Oliver Adams of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex Executor of the last Will and Testament of Benjamin Adams junr. late of Chelmsford aforesd, Housewright, deceased, humbly sheweth that the said Benjamin Adams. on the twenty seventh Day of September last being Saturday at evening was impressed into His Majestys service for the Crown Point Expedition then carrying on by Capt Ephraim Spaulding by order from Colo. Eleazer Tyng, to compleat a deficiency of Men in his Regiment: that on the next Day being Sabbath Day, the sd Benjamin received Orders from the said Colo. Eleazer Tyng to march the next Day morning for Worcester in the County of Worcester & there wait for further orders. And accordingly he did the next morning, being Monday, set out for Worcester aforesaid not having any Opportunity to settle any of his Affairs or even so much as to make any Charges for his Labour against those People whom he had then lately laboured for; to the great injury of the Heirs at Law of the sd. Benjamin; and that the sd Benjamin arrived at Worcester aforesd. the thirtieth Day of September last & there Tarryed nine Days and Billetted himself at his own Costs from the time that he marched from Chelmsford aforesd. eleven Days, at one shilling & six pence per Day - before he received, or there was any Provision made for his subsistance, by the Government; that the sd. Benjamin at Worcester aforesd. was put under the Command of Capt Henry Ingalls & with him from thence proceeded to Albany, & was employed from thence to Lake George as a Guard to the Waggoners Carrying Provisions for the Army untill the twenty fourth Day of November last, when through the great fatigues of his marches & the Duty he was ordered to perform & the very bad and unholesome Provisions he did receive & was obliged to eat (or else to starve) he was reduced to a low & bad state of health, and thereby rendered unable to do any further Duty; he on the twenty fourth Day of November aforesd Obtained dismission from the Service under the Hand of Colo. John Hazeltine to return Home to Chelmsford aforesd.; that in his journey & return his illness & weakness increased so upon him that he was unable to travel on foot the greater Part of the way & necessarily put the charged Eight shillings Lawful money for the hire of Horses from Town to Town and assistance therein, as also the expence of one shilling & six pence per Day for his subsistance for eleven Days in his return to Chelmsford aforesd.; being sixteen shillings & six pence Lawful Money, that the said Benjamin on the fourth Day of December last got to Chelmsford aforesd. to the House of one Peter Procter, within about three miles of his own Lodging, and then was taken so very sick of a Fever that he could not hold out to be moved to his own Lodging, & continued so at the sd Peter Procter's until the eighteenth Day of December aforesd. when he died; That thesd. Oliver Adams Executor as aforesd. hath been Obliged to pay to the sd. Peter Proctor for the nursing of the sd. Benjamin & providing for the nurses & watchers & trouble about the same the sum of one Pound sixteen Shillings Lawful money, as per said Procter's receipt.

The Petitition of William Bowers of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex; Humbly Sheweth that he in the month of March Anno Domini 1756 inlisted in His Majesty's Service in the Crown Point Expedition then carrying on in a Company under the Command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo. Gridley's Regiment and proceeded to Lake George & there did perform Duty until on or about the Middle of October last & then was taken Sick of a Fever & thereby rendered wholly unable to perform any further Duty, and on or about the first of November last continuing unable to perform Duty was removed from thence Homeward to a place called the Half Moon, & was there obliged to tarry about six Weeks by reason of his Sickness, not being able to proceed any further homeward for that term of time, that on the 12th Day of December last he got to Capt Brewers at a place called Number one, on his Way Homeward & then not being able to travel any further by reason of his Great Weakness & Sickness & he having before that time sent home to Chelmsford for a man & Horse to assist him in the remaining Part of the Way Home, & that a man and Horse did come thither to him from Chelmsford aforesd. and assisted him Home to Chelmsford aforesd. where he arrived on or about the first Day of January last, that he was necessarily put to the expence of one Pound thirteen shillings and four pence Lawfull Money for the Expence of providing for the Man & Horse on the Road. while performing the sd. Journey being thirteen Days Chelmsford May 23 1757 William Bowers.

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That he in the month of June A. D. 1745 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition against Cape Breton under the Command of Gershom Davis, Captain, & that he proceeded thither, & that in the month of October then next following; the General having given Orders for Each Company to choose an Agent to send to Boston, in New England, to make up the Muster- Roll of Each Company, he was then made choice of by the sd. Davis's Company for the same service and accordingly proceeded to Boston aforesd. & Effected the same Business: & that he was to have returned again to Cape Breton, but was prevented by the Providence of God, being taken sick and continuing so for along time; that when he left Cape Breton, he left his Gun with & under the care of his son Samuel Emmery who was in the same service under the command of Captain Peter Hunt. & that the said son afterward died at Cape Breton, aforesaid, & that thesd Petitioners own Gun and his sons Gun were sent in a Chest with other Guns to Zeuberbukler Commisary to Briggadr. Dwights Regmt. to his Agent or Attorney Mr Jarvis of Boston mercht. tobe delivered to the owners, but it happened through mistake that the sd Chest of Guns was delivered by the sd. Mr Jarvis to Mr. Wheelwright Commisary General of said Province whereby the said Petitioner hath been Prevented receiving his own Gun & the Gun of his son aforesaid, as he ought to have done, they being his & his son's own property.

Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your Honour & Honours would be pleased to make an order that he may be allowed out of the publick Treasury of this Province in consideration of the loss of his own Gun, the sum of ten Pounds ten Shillings Old Tenor Bills and of his Sons Gun the Sum of fifteen Pounds Old Tenor Bills being the true value of the sd Guns and your Petitioner as in duty bound shall ever pray, &ca.

To His Honour Spencer Phips Captain General & Commander in Chief of the Province aforefaid. The Honourable His Majestys Council & House of Representatives in General Court Assembled at Boston on Wednesday the second Day of October Anno Domini 1751.

was a soldier in His Majestys Service under the Command of Capt. Edward Hartwell of Lunenburgh in the year 1748 and that about the middle of July the same year he was Killed by the Indians at Lunenburgh aforesd & Striped of his Cloths & Gun which the Indians carried away with them.

Your Petitioner therefore humbly moves your Honour & Honours would be pleased to give Order that he & his Brother Nehemiah Blodget (a minor) the only Heirs may be reimbursed the Sum of Two pounds thirteen shillings & four pence Lawful Money the value of the sd. Gun out of the Treasury of the Province aforesaid

Massachusetts Bay { Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief of the Province aforesaid, the Honourable His Majesty's Council & House of Representatives in General Court Assembled, at Boston on Wednesday the twenty sixth Day of May, Anno Domini 1756.

The Petition of Asa Martin of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, Husbandman, Humbly sheweth - That he on or about the fifth Day of April Anno Domini. 1755. inlisted into His Majesty's Service, in the then intended Expedition against Crown Point, in a company under the Command of Captain John Read of Woburn in the same County, & proceeded in the same Company to Lake George and that he on the fourth Day of October last being in a low state of Health & not able to do Duty, obtained a dismission from thesd. Service, under the Hand of Colo. Jonathan Bagley and the Hand of Amos Putnam, Surgeon, to return Home to Chelmsford. Where he arrived on or about the twenty first Day of October last, quite in a weak and low state of Health, after which in about six or seven Days he was taken Sick of a grievous Fever & continued so for a month, & there by was rendered unable to do anything for his & his Family's Support for the space of twelve weeks, and put to the Charge of two Pounds eight Shillings Lawful Money for Doctoring, as by the Account of Doctor Samuel King, charged against him herewith exhibited may appear, and also to the further charge of the Sum of three Pounds twelve Shillings Lawful Money for twelve weeks Nursing of him &ca. as per his account for the same herewith also exhibited may appear.

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The Petition of Benja Warren of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex, Saddler - Humbly sheweth that his servant Isaac Warren did in the month of April Anno Dom 1755 inlist into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition then carrying on against Crown Point, in a Company under the Command of Captain John Read of Woburn in the same County & proceeded in the same Company to Lake George, and was in the morning of the Eight Day of September last in the Engagement with the French and Indians in the Detachment under the Command of Colo. Williams, & then & there lost his Blanket, which he received as Part of his Bounty - that he on the thirteenth Day of October last being in a low state of Health & not able to do Duty, obtained a furlough to return home till further order under the Hand of Colo. Jonathan Bagley and two Surgeons, and accordingly arrived At Home in Chelmsford the twenty seventh Day of October aforesd. and on or about the Second Day of November last was taken sick of a bad Fevour and Confined to his Bed three weeks, & needed nursing five weeks where by your Petitioner was put to Considerable Cost & Charge for nursing & watchers, vizt. to the charge of the sum of one Pound ten Shillings Lawful Money * * *

The Petition of David Keyes Humbly Sheweth that his Father Solomon Keyes, Commander of a Company, on the late Crown Point Expedition, in Colo. Ruggles Regiment, who was on the Eighth of Septemr. Killed, on a Scout wth Colo. Williams on said day, and was Entirely Stript of Everything

And likewise your. Petitioners brother Solomon Keyes Jr. had a Mare Imprest from Him, by Major Genl. Johnsons Order to Col Gilbert at Albany for the Use of the Waggoners. Your Petitioner nor His decest brother, not Having any account of Her nor Allowance for said Mare Humbly begs your Honours would take it under your Serious Consideration, and allow the Account annext - And your Petitioner as in duty bound Shall Ever Pray. April 9, 1756. David Keyes. [Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 75, p. 467.] Warrant issued July 31, 1756. £3. for Gun and £10. for horse allowed.

The Petition of Rachel Parker of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex widow, humbly Sheweth. That her late Husband Jacob Parker. of Chelmsford aforesd. in the Month of April A. D. 1755 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Expedition then carrying on against Crown Point, in a company under the Command of Capt. John Read of Woburn in Said County & proceeded to Lake George, & on the Eighth Day of September last in the forenoon was in the Engagement with the French & Indians in the Detachment under the Command of Colo. Williams & then Killed in the same Engagement before he returned to the Army at their incampment at Lake George, and in the same Engagement lost the Gun he had with him, being his own Property of the Value of one Pound Six Shillings, & eight pence Lawful money and also the Blanket which he received as Part of his Bounty (besides all the Clothing he had then with him.)

The Petition of Ebenezer Goold of Chelmsford, &c, Humbly sheweth that his indented servant Zebulon Bootnam in the month of April, Anno Dom. 1756 inlisted in his Majesty's Service in the Crown Point Expedition under the command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo. Gridley's Regt & marched to Lake George & there performed Duty until a little time before the Campain finished the same year, when he was taken sick & when the Army returned homeward he was brought to Fort Edward, and after a considerable time made his way homeward as far as a place called Green Bush, and sent home to his Master for a man & horse who met him at Springfield. [Sick 8 weeks at home.]

March 13, 1757. The Petition of Benjamin Butterfield of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex Humbly sheweth that he in the month of March Anno Dom. 1756 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the Crown- Point Expedition then carrying on in the Company under the Command of Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, of Colo. Gridley's Regiment & proceeded to Lake George and performed Duty there until sometime in October last, when he was taken sick and rendered utterly unable to perform Duty, and as soon after as he was able he proceeded from thence to a place call'd the half Moon, and on the twenty fifth of the same October, at the half Moon aforesd. he obtained a certificate under the hand of James Otis, Surgeon, that by Reason of indisposition of Body he was unfit for Duty, & so suffered to return home, that he got homeward as far as to Capt Brewers at a place called Number one where he was taken sick of a Fever & not able to travel any further on foot for some time, that he sent Home to Chelmsford from thence for a man & Horse to meet him and assist him the remaining Part of the Way Home, & afterward when he was able to proceed from thence homeward to Spring Field, where a man & Horse met him from Chelmsford aforesd. at his Request; and did assist him thence home to Chelmsford aforesaid, he not being able to travel any further on foot, but must have remained there at the Charge of the Province, that he got Home to Chelmsford aforesd. on the eighteenth Day of November last, that he was necessarily put to the Expence of twenty four shillings in providing for the sd. Man & Horse on the Road while performing this Journey being eight Days, and also the Charge of nine shillings & four pence to pay the sd. man for his time therein expended, being eight Days at one shilling & two pence per Day; and also to the Charge of twelve shillings for the hire of the sd. Horse for the Journey aforesd. and that he was sick and Nursed for the space of a month after his return Home, and put to the Charge of twenty four shillings for nursing four weeks at six shillings per week & that he remained utterly unable to perform labour to support himself for the space of two months next after his return home as aforesaid. Your Petitioner therefore &c. Benjamin Butterfield.

The Petition of Mary Keyes of Chelmsford, Administratrix on the Estate of her late Husband Zebadiah Keyes of Chelmsford deceased - Humbly Sheweth that the sd Zebadiah on or about the last of March A. D. 1758 inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the pay of this Province in an Expedition carrying on against Canada in a company under the command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield of Colo Joseph Williams Regiment and marched with thesd. Company to Fort Stanwix, at the Great Carrying Place & then faithfully performed his duty until about the beginning of August then next & there was taken sick & thereby, about the last of August he was sent in a '"'Battoe'' to Schenectada & there put into the Hospital. He wrote home for a man & a horse which the petitioner sent & met him at Canterhook (Kinderhook) 180 miles distant from Chelmsford. He arrived home about Oct. 23, & there languished until the 4th Day of Nov. following & then died: That Benj Butterfield the man who went to assist him home was 15 days in performing the said sasha er Mary X Keyes Admx

$5. for time and service. $7. for provisions. $3. used her own horse on journey. $2. for comfortable necessaries. $17 asked. £3. 6. 10. allowed.

The Petition of Abner Keyes of Chelmsford in the County of Middlesex : Humbly sheweth that in the year AD. 1758 he was a Soldier in the service & pay of this Province at the Westward in a Company Commanded by Capt. Daniel Fletcher of Colo. Nichols Regiment, that he was on the twentyeth day of July the same year, Captivated by the French & Indians near to half way Brook, when Capt. Jones and a number of Officers and soldiers were Killed and taken, that he was carryed by the way of Ticonderoga, Crown Point, St. Johns and Montreal to Quebeck and there confined in Goal (sic) about two months, that he suffered many hardships there & whilest he was with the Indians in travelling thither, that he was sent from there to England where he arrived the twenty eighth Day of October the same year, and tarried there until the twenty second Day of January following and then was with a number of Prisoners shipped on Board a Transport bound for New York, where he arrived the fourth Day of May last; but the Kings Agent of the Transports one Capt. Price refused to put him & the other Prisoners on shore, and told them that if they would not go into His Majesty's Regular Service on shore that he would put them on board the men of war, upon which some of the Prisoners told the Agent that if they must do one or the other they choose to go on Shore, & he amongst the rest, & that he with a number were directly put on board a Schooner with a number of Regular Officers & sent to Albani; and some that refused to go with the sd Officers were put on Men of War; and when he & the rest landed at Albani the sd Officers compelled him & the others with him to march into the Town & immediately clothed them with the King's Cloathing & marched them forthwith to Fort Edward & compelled them to serve in the same Service without signing any inlistment, & that he served in the fifty fifth Regiment under the

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Command of Lieut Colo. Aives in Colo. Prideaux Company, until about the twenty ninth Day of December last, when he obtained a furlough to return Home for a while, not being discharged from the Service.

Your Petitioner therefore most humbly prays your Excellency & Honours to take his sufferings and hard usages into consideration, and Order that he may receive out of the Publick Treasury of this Province a sum equal to what others have received for the like sufferings & loss of time &c. * *

The Petition of John Spaulding of Chelmsford in the Co. of Mddlesex humbly sheweth that his son Jonas Spaulding, a single person in the Spring of the year AD. 1758 was impressed & compelled into his Majesty's service in the pay of this Province, without receiving the Bounty of the said Province, and proceeded to the Great - Carrying Place, so called, and then performed his Duty faithfully in a Company under the Command of Capt Jonathan Butterfield, of Col Joseph Williams's Regiment, until about the middle of September then next, when he was taken sick and rendered unable for further service and there upon was conveyed from thence with others by order of the Commanding Officer to the Barracks at Schenectada, in Order to return homeward, as soon as able to travel, from whence the sd Jonas sent word to your Petitioner to come and fetch him home, pursuant to which your Petitioner on the seventh Day of October following sent his son Peter Spaulding with a Horse to assist the sd. Jonas home, that the sd. Peter Spaulding proceeded to Schenectada about two hundred and eighteen miles and there found the sd. Jonas sick in thesd Barracks - and unable to travel (the sd Peter Spaulding arrived at the sd Barracks the twelfth Day of the same October) that on the next Day he set out homeward with the sd Jonas and travelled with him eight Days to Spencer-Town, so called beyond Sheffield and the sd Jonas then being unable to be removed any further homeward by reason of his sickness & weakness having increased upon him, the sd. Peter left the sd. Jonas at Spencer- Town aforesd. Where he died the twenty-seventh Day of the same October; and that your Petitioner necessarilay expended in performing that journey, in expences paid three Pounds, seven shillings & eleven pence lawful money, and paid for the Journey of the sd Horse eighteen shillings lawful money, besides the sd. Peters time being twenty days performing the same Journey; and that Truman Powell, the man with whom the sd. Jonas was left at Spencer Town aforesd. retained and kept all the sd Jonas's cloathing and blankett of the value of three Pounds lawful money, for nursing and burying the sd. Jonas. John Spaulding.

The petition of Josiah Parkhurst of Chelmsford in the Co. of Middlesex humbly shews that his Apprentice John Porter in the year A. D 1760, inlisted into His Majesty's Service in the pay of this Province in an Expedition against Montreal under the Command of Capt. William Barron and proceeded to Crown Point & from thence to Montreal, & back again to Crown Point, & did his duty faithfully until about the tenth Day of November the same year, when he was taken sick of small pox, and put into the Hospital with a number of others, that when the Army was dismissed & returned home, Lieut Wesson was left to take care of them, and after some considerable Time all of the sd sick soldiers but four, who lived, having recovered so far as to be able to travel, Lieut Wesson & those able to travel came off from Crown Point homeward, and left the sd. Porter and three others, sick & unable to travel; with the regulars in a Hospital, that after some time the others left as aforesd recovered their Health so far as to set out Homeward and left the sd John Porter the only Provincial Soldier - that the sd John after he was somewhat recovered he broke out with greivous running sores and Ulcers which greatly affected him, and some of which run to this Day; and that he tarried at Crown-Point sick and utterly unable to travel until the fourteenth of May A. D. 1761. When he proceeded from thence to Albany about the last of the same May almost naked not having any stockings shoes or cloathing fit for his circumstances nor any but what the Charity of the People supplied him with, and destitute of any money to procure the Necessaries of life to support him home; and to prevent starving inlisted himself at Albani into one of the New York Batalions, and proceeded with them the last year to Osswago & Niagara in their service, and was obliged to make use of all his wages not having recovered his Health well, that he received for the same service, that he was dismissed from the service the first of November, 1761. and returned home to Chelmsford about the first of December last, and that the sd John was not made up on the Muster Roll of the sd Capt Barron for any longer Time than the rest of the Soldiers, who returned home at the Time when the Army was dismissed, although he was confined at Crown Point until May 1761 as aforesd. Where he suffered much, and that there was stopped out of his Wages on the Muster Roll six Dollars, for Hospital Charges, while he had the Small Pox, that the sd Josiah Parkhurst was at the Charge of Six Dollars besides Provisions in sending a Horse and Man, one David Nevens, in May A. D. 1761, to assist the sd John Porter home, who proceeded as far as Ticonderoga & who missed of the sd John, & could hear nothing about him only that he was dead, & so returned home without finding him - Chelmsford May 1762 Josiah Parkhurst.

The greater number of these petitions are written in the hand of Oliver Fletcher. They give as perhaps nothing else could, at this day, the sufferings and losses which these men were obliged to meet in the service of the Province.

The lists of names on the rolls here printed show that Chelmsford was called upon to make a large contribution of men to these wars, and many lives were sacrificed.

Lieut. Jona. Barron was in the successful siege of Quebec. Upon his return he presented Parson Bridge with a silver cup taken there. Lieut. Barron afterwards lost his life in the campaign against Crown Point in 1755, as did three other Chelmsford soldiers, viz.: Jacob Parker, James Emery and Solomon Keyes.

In the unsuccessful campaign of 1756, undertaken against the same point, of twelve Chelmsford men in the company of Capt. Jonathan Butterfield, of Dunstable (a native of Chelmsford), five lost their lives, viz.: Nathaniel Butterfield, Simeon Corey, James Dutton, Isaac Proctor, and Nathaniel Langley. John Barrett died at Lake George.

Joseph Richardson, Elija Galusha and Zebediah Keyes lost their lives. Samuel Emery died at Cape Breton. Jonas Spaulding died after reaching home in 1758.

The fall of Fort William Henry, at the head of Lake George, in 1757, occasioned great alarm, and troops were hastily summoned to repel a threatened invasion.

Among the certificates relating to captives taken at Lake George is this: "'Elijah Butterfield taken at Lake George, A. D. 1757, being one included in the capitulation.

Others who gave their lives in these wars were: William Martin, at Cape Breton, 1745; Zacheus Blodgett, 1748; Timothy Howard, at Halifax, 1749; James Emery, at Fort Edward, 1755; Samuel Foster, of a fever, at Schenectady, and Robert Butterfield at Crown Point, 1756; Leonard Emery, at Louisburg, 1759; Zechariah Keyes, a ranger at Quebec, 1759. These in 1760: A son of Jonathan Harwood, Levi Spaulding (son of Lt. Jonathan), Thomas Durant and James Haywood. Eben Lyon and Abraham Comings died here in 1756, "'lately returned from Nova Scotia.''

Source changes here: from History of Chelmsford, by Waters, Wilson, published 1917; 18,419 words in this source stream.

Introduction

THE work of preparing a history of Chelmsford was undertaken by Mr. Henry S. Perham in 1904, at the request of the Town. Mr. Perham, a native of Chelmsford, whose ancestor was one of the early settlers, had written a sketch of Chelmsford for Hurd's History of Middlesex Coimty, published in 1891; and at the Quarter-Millennial celebration in 1905, he delivered the historical address which was printed in the Report of the Proceedings. At the time of his death, in 1906, he had written so much of the contemplated history as appears in the first chapter of this volume under the title, "The Beginning." This, with whatever other material (consisting of a few notes, some correspondence, and occasional addresses in manuscript), was found among his papers, came into my hands, when, in 1907, I was asked by the Town to take up the work interrupted by the lamented death of Mr. Perham.

I reluctantly accepted the task, realizing the labor involved and the time it would take from other pressing duties. I have endeavored to bring the work to completion in a manner as nearly consonant with that of my predecessor and as worthy of the subject as the imposed conditions and my own limitations would allow. I have traversed the whole field, verifying the quotations made by Mr. Perham, although this was hardly necessary in the case of such an accurate historian, and have searched diligently for the facts now presented to the reader. I am aware that further years of work might yield some things of interest yet unearthed, and perhaps give better finish to the result of my labors.

The reader may discover a somewhat arbitrary grouping of chapters and subjects: perhaps a more homogeneous and logical arrangement might have been made, had the conditional limitations allowed.

As the work progressed, it became evident that, to make a volume of reasonable size, and to shape it in the docimientary and topical, rather than the narrative style, it would be necessary to repress all inclination to the fine periods which make a book more acceptable to the ordinary reader. The doctiments reproduced are of more value in a work of this nature than a mere reference to them, or than anything which an author may say concerning them, and are often more interesting and illimiinating.

This History is compiled, not so much to entertain, as to inform the reader concerning the past life of the Town, and to furnish him with a reference book of lasting value.