Plymouth Town (part 34 of 54)

Philosophical argument, especially Chat drawn from the vastncss of the Universe, in comparison with the apparent insignificance of this globe has sometimes shaken my reason for the faith which is in me; but my lieal't has always assureil and reassured mo that the tiospel of Jesus Christ inu.^t be a Divine Reality. The Sermon on the Mount cannot be a mere human pruiluction. This belief enters into the very depth of my conscience. The whole history of man proves it."

Ill speaking of the earliest settlers of Marshfield Peregrine White, the first-born child of New England, must not be overlooked. As is well known, he was the son of William White, one of the " iMayfiower" passengers, and was burn in the liarbor of Provincetown. His mother, Susanna White, became tlie second wife ol Edward Win.'-low, and he removed with his father tu Cai.swell, his Green's Haibur estate. He married Saiah. daughter of William Uassctt, and settled un au estate given to him by his father-in-law, situated between North and Simth Rivers, not far froui tiicir uniun. His estate was the whole or a part of the one hundred acres granted to Mr. Bassett by the court on the Uth of April, llJlO. lu 1C37 he was one of thirty volunteers, as is slated in the records, " to assist them of Massachusetts Bay and Conneciieut in their wars again.^t the Po(|ain Indians in revenge of the innocent blood of the Engli.ih, which the said Pcquins liave barbarously shed aud refuse to give satisl'actiun lor." In 1012 he was made ancient bearer" of the furets under the command of Capt. Standish, raised lor the wais; in 1(J51 was propounded as a freeman, and in IGTiJ, when lie was styled Capt. White, he was chosen one of the council of war. He held various town uUices, and was twice chosen a deputy tu the General Court. His dcatii occurred on the 2Uth of July, 1704, and he is supposed to have been buried by the side of his mother in the old burial-ground. His aon, Daniel, who died in 1724, and his daughter, Mercy, the wife of William Sherman, who died in 1739, were buried in the grave-yard adjoiniug the present First Congregational meeting-house. The estate owned and occupied by him ha.s always remained in the White family until after the recent death of Jliss Sybil White, when in the settlement of the estate it w.is sold.

The town records as copied begin with the date of Sept. 27, 1643. Those of the first three years after the incorporation arc not in a condition to be read. At the date above meutioned the Pe(|Uot war was going on, and there being more or less fear of Indian invasion, " it was agreed that there be a constant watch in the township, - that is to say, in four different quarters, - at Edward Winslow's, at Mr. William Thomas', at Mr. Thomas Bourne's, and the fourth at Robert Barker's. Edward Wiuslow, Lieut. Nathaniel Thomas, Josiah Winslow, and William Bruuke.s have cliarge there; that Robert Carver, .John Ruuse, Edward Bumpus, and Edward Winslow and families be of the guard under Edward Winslow; James Pitney, Mr. Thomas' faiuily, and Mr. BucLluy's umiIlt Lieut. Nathaniel Thomas ; that Mr. Uourne's laniily, Robert Waterman, John Bourne, Roger Cook, John Russell, Luke Lilly, Kenelm Winslow, and J.iine.s Adams be under Josiuh Winslow ; that (iilbert Brookes, Nathaniel Byram, Robert Barker, William Bardin, John Barker, Mr. Howell, and Edward Bourne be under William Brookes; that a guard ut two ut least be maintained out of these, and that a .sentinel be maintained all day at the place of guard ; that for fourteen days at least every man sinill lodge iu his clothes with arms ready at his be<l5ide ; that in case of au alarm at night from any other tu\vnshi|i every guard discharge only one piece, but if in our own town then two pieces."

History Op Marshfield

and the dansjers which attended its settlement. All other persons beside those here mentioned, to whom i;niMts of land had been made, were in 1643 either non-resident ownei-s or had sold their estates. On the 9th of October, at a meeting specially called, Kenelm Witislow and Josiah Winslow were chosen deputies to represent the town in the October General Court. In the precedinf; years, after the incorporation of tlie town, in 1640, William Thomas and Thomas Bourne were deputies in 1641, Thomas Bourne and Kenelm Winslow in 1642, and Josiah Winslow for the June Court in 1643, and Kenelm Winslow and Robert Waterman for the Au;;ust Court. In April, 1044, Kenelm Winslow and Thomas Bourne were chosen, and John Dinjrley and Robert Barker for the next year; in July, 1644, Josiah Winslow and Robert Waterman ; in November, Kenelm Winslow and Robert Waterman ; in August, 1645, William Thomas and Nathaniel Thomas; in October, William Thomas and Thomas Bourne; in December, Josiah Winslow and Robert Waterman; in March, 1640, Josiah Winslow and Robert Waterman ; in October, William Thomas and John Russell; in December, Josiah Winslow and Robert Waterman ; and in the succeeding year.s annually ai follows:

At a town-meeting held on the 27th of February, 1643 - 44, it was "agreed that at the beginning of every meeting a moderator shall be chosen, and that he shall prepare the business of the day and order the same, so that there be no disturbance in the assembly, and the occasions being eiiditd he shall dismiss the meeting, and, in case any shall be a disturber and not submit, he shall be fined in si.xpence, and, in case any be wanting and do not appear at the hour appointed, he shall be fined sixpence fur one hour, or, if any shall depart without orderly dismissment, shall pay sixpence for every hour, and for nonappearance eightpence." It is believed that this is the origin of the oflSce of moderator, at least so far as the Old Colony was concerned, and the liI-.^t definition of his duties. It is, indeed, appaient that under the direction of such men as the Wiii.slows and William Thomas the town business of Marshfield was conducted with a method which can hardly be said to have characterized other towns in the colony. The following is a list of gendemen who have acted as moderators at annual meetings as far as recorded : in which year also he was admitted an inlialiitaiit of the town. He was succeeded in the office ]May 21, 1683, by Nathaniel Holmes, who was followed by Isaac Winblow, chosen in 1700. Mr. Wiii>low held the office until his death in 1737, and was succeeded by his son, John Winslow, known as the Geueral, who held the office in 1738 and 1739. Arthur Howland followed from 1740 to 1742; Thomas Foster, from 1743 to 1750 ; Nehemiah Thomas, from 1751 to 17S2 ; Asa Waterman, in 1783; William Macombur, from 1784 to 178G ; Asa Waterman again, iVoiu 1787 to 1790 ; Elisha Ford, from 1791 to 1794 ; Eli=ha Phillips, from 1795 to 1807 ; William Macomber in 1808; Anthony Thomas, from 1809 to 1814; Amos 11. Little, iu 1815; Anthony Thomas again, in ISlC; Ebenezer Sherman, in 1817 ; Nathaniel Pratt, from 1818 to 1822; Samuel Curtis, from 1823 to 1839; Luther Hatch, from 1840 to 1848; Charles W. Macomber, in 1849; Luther Hatch again, from 1850 to 18(JG ; Daniel Stevens, from 18G7 to 1875 ; and Luther P. Hatch, the present efficient cleik, from 1875 to 1884.

The first election of town treasurer entered in the records was after the union of the colonies in 1G92. Under date of March 10, 1G93-94, Thomas Macomber was chosen. The succession of inctimbeiits of that office has been as follows :

With regard to the various incumbencies of the i office ipf town clerk there is a little uncertainty. It is pidbable, however, that Josiah Winslow, Sr., the brother of the Governor, was chosen clerk iu 1G4U, as the record of that year states that he was appointed to record the births, deaths, and marriages, and continued in the office until his death, in 1G74. He was succeeded by John Bourne, who held the office until 1G83. Mr. Bourne was a son of Thomas Bourne, wlio in called by Miss Thomas the " eldest of the JIarslilield settlers and a patriarch in its Eden." John Bourne inherited the estate of his father, adjoining the lands of Josiah Winslow and Robert Waterman, who married his sisters, and married Alice, daughter of Thomas Besbcech, iu 1G45,

The eailitjst recuids relate uliiefly to the electioo of ufficL-r.s an J jriants of land. lu February, 1643- 44, j;raiits were made to John Thomas and Robert Chambers at the rei|ue.->t of Edward Winslow, wiio de.icribed them as his servants, and William Thomas and William Vaosall were appointed to lay out to the several inhabitants on the north of Green's Harbor lliver all the meadow undisposed of ou that nide of the river, and also the marshes undisposed of ou tlie south side of the river, accordin;.; to their discretiou. Ou the 14th of that month there were laid out to Thomas Bourne, Josiali Wiuslow, Keuelm Winslow, John llussell, John Din<;ley, Thomas Chillingswortli, Ro-^er Cooke, and Luke Lilly. In April, 1G44, there wa.< " j;ranted to John lluuse the j;reat island next the cut which borders the beach, about ten acres." It is possible that an investigation of this grant may throw some liglit on the direction and character of the passaj;e-cut in 1033.

" On a motion being mado for one to teaub school, we, wlioso names are underwritten, are willing to pay yearly, besides paying for our elilldren wo shall send, viz. :

The family names of three of the subscribers and the sums subscribed by two are illegible. The names were probably Joseph Beadle, Josiah Winslow, and Edward Bumpus. This was the first movement towards a public school in either of the New England colonies.

This record is an important one, and apparently now for the fii'st time publicly disclosed, as it furnisher a satisfactory answer to the charge which has been repeatedly made that the people of the Plymouth Colony lagged far behind those of Massachusetts in the cause of education. Tiiis cliarge has been founded on the references in the colony records alone, and made without any investigation of the records of the various towns. The first entry on the subject in the Plymouth Colony records is under date of 1 6U3 : " It is proposed by the court unto the .several townships of this jurisdiction, as a thing they ought to take into their serious consideration, that some course may be taken that in every town there may be a schoolmaster set up to train up children to reading and writing."

" It being one chief project of Satan to keep men from the knowledge of the Scripture, as in former times keeping theui iu unknown tongues, 80 in these latter times by persuading from the use of the tongues that so at least the I rue seuse anil meaning of the original might be clouded and eijrru])tud with false glosses of deceivers, to the end that learniug may not he buried in the graves of our forefathers in church and commonwealth, the Lord assisting our endeavors. It is thcretorc urderctl by the Court and authority theieof that every town ivithiu the jurisdiction after the Lord h.ith iucieased them U> Che number of fifty families, shall then forthwith ap|>oint one within their towns to tench all such children as shall resort to him to write and read, whose waged shall be paid either by the parents or masters of such children, or by the inhabitants in general by way of supply, as the major )iart of tbein that order the prudentials of the town shall a[>i>oint; provideil tiial those who send their children bo not oppressed byjjaying much more than thuy can liavc tbeiu taught for in other towns.

-* And it is further ordered that when auy town shall increase to the number of one bundled families or householders, they shall set up a grammar school, the master thereof being able to instruct youth so far as they may be bCted for the University ; and if any town neglect the performauce hereof above one year, then every such town shall pay live pounds per annum to the next such school till they shall perform this order."

It is now fouud that in Marshfield, in 1G45, measures were taken to establish a school, and we are Icl't to the presumption that in other towns in the Plymouth Colony similar measures were taken, rendering unnecessary any action of the Colony Court until a much later day, when, perhaps, one or two of the more recently incorporated towns failed to provide suitable means of educating their cliildren.

The limits of this sketch will preclude anything like a history of the schools of the town, but a list of teachers from 1701 to 1774, which is all that is available to the writer, may not be without interest:

The character of these teachers, so many -f whom were graduates at Cambridge, attests the high standard at whieh the schools must have been maintained. The fact that before 1823 Marshfield young men reaped tlie benefits of a Cambridge education is further proof tiiat the preparatory system, on which a higiicr education was built, could not have been ne- "Iceted. The following is a list of the Cambridge "raduates as far as known to the writer, to which it is probable that others might after a more thorough investigation be added : lu 1SG8 the old school district system, which was once universal throughout the commonwealth, was aboli.-ihed by the vote of the town, and at the present time there are nine schools maintained at an expeu.se of about two tliousand seven hundred dollars per year. The incompleteness of the report of the school committee for the last year, owing to the loss of one of the school registers, renders it impossible to state the average attendance at the schools ; but it is probable that it is quite as large as could be expected in a widely extended territory and a scattered population.

lu 1G54, Josiah Winslow and William Ford were authorized to build a sufficient mill to grind the corn of the town at the South River, and in the same year the money raised in the town by rates was as follows : in one or another of the meeting-houses of the town. In that year the present town-house came into use and the meeting-houses were abandoned. During King Philip's war in 1675 and 1G76, Marshfield performed its full share of service. The commander of the united forces of the confederacy was one of its citizens, and, though the conflict was short, seven Marshfield men - Thomas Little, Joseph Eamcs, Joseph Whitu, John Burrows, Joseph Phillips, Saiimel Bumpus, and John Low - were killed. In coniiiioti with other towns, besides the loss of the livcjs of soiiiu of its citizens, the war involved Marshtield in tlur loss of the labor of its people, and imposed on it a pecuniary burden which, in those times, was heavy indeed. In the midst of the distress which prevailed throughout the colony let it be forever remembered that contributions were received from "divers Christians" in Ireland, and divided among the towns to be distributed by the following committees:

In 1602 it was voted that "meetings be warned by the Constables setting up a writing on the meetinghouse door or in the house at least a week before the meeting." Until 183S town-meetings were always held ward end of BruDch'd house, and so aloog a3 tbe way uow is unto Winter's Island, and alunf^ through said Island ue;ir to the cliS' on the east side iboreof, until it comes to the bcjc-b at tbe north corner thereof, and so along the beach till it comet h to the mouth of South Uiver.

'* And also a way up from the said beach leading tiiro-agli tbe laud of Lieut, Little by the south side uf a reed puiid aud tui ning by tbe corner of the stone wall, and so upward by a stone ditch, leaving bis bouse on tbe southerly side of ^aid \Kiy, and so on by the corner of liis orchard land, and so straight down the hill leading through tbe land of Xatbauiel Winsiuvy, leaving bis baru about three rods toward the eastward, and .-u a- the way now lieth through tbe land of Joseph Waterniau and Thuuias Bourne, on straight to the eastward end of a puddle at a head of & cove of meadow, and from tliencc through said We bean on tlie cast .>iide of the North ] Bourne's pasture by the southeast side of a ruck, leaving a small

In 1G82 it WU.S voted that Nathaniel Thomas and | Samuel Spvague, on the pait of Maishfield, with ; others on the part of Suituute, establish the divldin^i line between the two towns, and it was fixed at the main channel of North Uiver, as it then ran from the | upper part of the town of Marshfield to the sea. ' And, aj;ain, in 1092, Jeremiah Hatch, Samuel Clapp, i and Thomas Jenkins, selectmen of Scituate, and John [ Rutgers aud Micliuel Ford, selectmen of Maiahfield, aetiii''' in obedience to an order of the Colony Cum t, reported to the two towns a further dividing line between iNIar.shtield aud the Two Miles in Scituate, as ; folUjws :

River, in the southerly line of the range of John Ford's lot, and from thence to a white-ash, acknowledged by the proprietors of the said Ford's lot, and by ancient inhabitants of the former giants of the five hundred acres and upwards granted by the Court of Plymouth, and from the said ash-tree somewhat northerly to a heap of stones aud a stake at the head of suid Ford's lot, and from thence near east to a stake and heap of stones, being one mile from the river, aud from thence near south with a range of marked trees, until it cometh to the reputed lot of Edward Wartou, and from thence it narroweth with a range of marked trees near south-southwest, half a point west, to a stake and heap of stones standing in the bounds between the town of Marshfield and the town of Duxbury."

In that year al.so it w.ts ordered that " Scituate pay ten pounds, Marshfield five pounds, and Duxbury five pounds in silver money towards the building of Barstowe's bridge, only that twenty shillings is to be taken out of Duxbury's five pounds and placed to Jlannamoiett, to pay it in silver money ; but in case that Scituate, Marshfield, and Duxbury shall see cause to build and maintain a cart-bridge over the North River near Barstowe's bridge, then they shall be free from any other bridge out of their township."

In the same year a jury, consisting of John Rogers, Thomas Macomber, John Foster, John Ilewett, John Rose, John Barker, John Doggett, Joseph Waterman, Isaac Holmes, Anthony Eames, Ephraim Little, Michael Ford, Joseph Crocker, John Thomas, and Nathaniel Thomas, Jr., laid out the highways of the town us follows :

*' We whose names are subscribed, being chosen and sworn as a jury at Marsbtield on the first day of June, lljy2, to lay out and reutove such highways in the said town as are needful according as the law directed, in oriler tbeieuntu having met together on the sixteenth day of June aforesaid, do declare as followefb : Begin on the noitb side of Green's Harbor Uiver, near the river's mouth, antl so upward to John Branch's Island, and alou" through said island as the way now lieth by the westbrushy Bwanip un the southeast side of said way, anil so to the easterly corner of Joseph Waternmn's laud, and so from said ^Vaterman'3 land, loading by the land of Anthony rinow, to the southeast corner of said Waterman's land, and Irom ibeuce straight on to tbe south corner of Josiah Snow's held, and =o along as the way lieth over Josiah Snow's dam, over tbe creek, along into the way near the stony swamp, and so along near to said swamp as tbe way now lieth to tbe meeting-boasc, and from thence as the way now lieth to the ntill, and over the river below tbe mill.

" And also from said way which Icadcth from the meetinghouse into the neck over the said stony swamp, as tliu old way was, to JUr. Arnolds, and so along over the river as the way now lieth to Mr. Isaac Winslow's gate.

" And also from the aforesaid way, near to Mr. .Arnold's, as the way now lieth, to tbe land of John Dingloy and William Carver and the land that was late NVilliam Holmes', and so, as tbe old way lieth by the held of Abraham Holmes', over tbo brook, and so turning upward through tbe old lield that was formerly John Lewis', and as (he new way lieth over Partridge's brook, and so along to the way leading over Green's Harbor brook.

'* Also on the thirtieth of June aforesaid, the said Jury met together and laid out the highways on tbo north side of the South River from the mill ns the way now lieth between the lands of William and Michael Ford and John Walker, and so along over Puddle Wharf, and so as the way now liclli toward ilobert Barker's until it meet with Duxbury road.

'* And also from the said way as tbe way Icadetb toward Walter Joyce's, and in the new way which said Uogers lately made, and so over the Cove Creek by his bouse, and so along between French's tenement and Ueury Perry's house to the upper end of the field before said Perry's door, and then turning suutliward along by the land of Thomas King and John Sylvester's lot, and so till it meet with Scituate way.

" And also from said way at tbe upjter end of tbe aforesaid field above Perry's northward by the land of Bisbeo's lut till it meet with Samuel Tilden's land, and so turning souibwurd upon the land of Thomas King till it comes to the southeast corner of Samuel Tilden's land, and then turning northward upon llie ! land of said Tildcn by the side of .'said King's land till it come near the meadow, and then turning upon the said Kiiig'.^ laud till it come to the gravelly beach.

*' And also from the said Cove Creek downward as tbe old way leadoth by tbe house of Timothy Uogers and up tbe bill by his barn, and so us the way now lieth near to Joseph Uogei's fence, and so on through the land of Elisha llisbec, and .Mr. Cashing, leaving the old way northward and the swam|i on tbo south side, to a blaek-uuk tree standing in the range between the lond of Mr. Cusbing and Justus Eames, and so turning northwiird dtruight dowD to the river upon thu luod of said I Cusliing uod Euiuc:!. Aod from the afore^uid black ouk tree I through the Eauic^ land, &s the old way leadetb, near to a rook on the north side of said way, Dear the outside of Justus Eames, his land, and so straight on by Stephen Titden's fence through his land, and so on as the old way lieth through the land uf Thomas Macoiuber, Juhu Trouant, and Mary Chitds, and along in thu old way through the land of Thomas Tilden, widening the way on the north side between his tield and his pasture, and so on through the land of Francis Crocker and Ephraim Little, as the way now lieth, over the brook between the houses and barns ot' Lieut. Isiuic Little and John Sowyor, and su turning eastward by said Little's land along by his fence, as the way lieti), through the land of AVilliam Noreuit and Jeremiah Ijurrows, leaving said Lurrows' land about three rods northward, and so through Samuel Little's hind from the land of said Uiirrows, by the edge of the bill, on the west side of a white-oak and a black-oak tree and some small rocks, and so between his house and barn, as the way now goeth, to the land of John Barker, and so turning northward and eastward on the land of said Barker, near the range of said Little's, until it come to the beach, and then turning southward along the beach till it comes to a small clitf, and so ovor the cliS', and so along the beach tu a place called Bank, at South River.

" And also turning northward by the southeast corner of Samuel Little's meadow fence upon the beach by the river siile along by the ferry stakes until it comes to the meadow of William Noicutt.

" And aUo from the aforesaid \vay that leadeth from Samuel Littlc'^ on to said Barker's lantl southward to the e;Lstvvard of a white-oak tree, and so along to the eastward of the swamp by the ditch, and so along between the house and barn of said Barker on through the land of Benjamin Phillips between his house aod barn, and so between his Helds till it comes to the foot of the hill, and then leading up the hill as the old way now lieth by the south end uf John Strowbridge's Held into the open way.

''And also from the aforesaid way that lieth between the barns of Lieut. Little and John Sawyer, southward as the old way now leadeth through to the lands of said Sawyer and Sau»- uel Little, Joseph Rose, and John Strowbridgo on through the rugged plain until it come near to the foot of the great hill near John Sherman, and then turning westward from the old path down the bill in a valley, and so turning into the way again through a corner of said Sherman's held and so as the way now leadeth to the mill.

And also from the aforesaid way which leadeth from Benjauiia l^hillips, beginning at the northwest corner of said I'liillips' tield and so turning southward up the hill by his field and so on as the way now lieth through the land of the Sherman's and the Doggetts', and Mr. White's down the hill as the way hath been lately dug, and so on the old way through tho land of Ensign Ford, .\nthony Eames, and Samuel Sprague, and so over the brook as the way now leadeth between the house and shop of John Foster, and so through the land uf Arthur llowlund as the way now lieth until it come to John Walker's land, and then upon the range between said Rowland's and Walker's laud northwestward into the other way.

"And also a way from the way by Arthur ilowland's bouse ovor the South llivcr into tho other way by Xathan Williamson's barn as the old way now lieth fiom road to road.

uncertainty that may exist as to what are old-established highways, but exceedingly interesting and valuable as locating the estates of a large number of the inhabitants of the town. Few towns, if any, possess so authentic a record in a concise and intelligible form of their early landmarks. Its extreme importance must justify the writer in its introduction into this sketch.

Ddrinq the remainder of the first century after its incorporation, indeed up to 1765, the history of Marshfield was uneventful and monotonous, few acts occurring in its municipal life, except a fruitless attempt, in 1730, to set off the north part of the town, together with the Two Miles, into a separate township, worthy of record in this narrative. During that time the town was chiefly distinguished for the men of character and influence within its borders, whose services were valuable at first to the colony, afterwards to the county of Plymouth, and still later, to the province of Massachusetts Bay. The first of these in both time and diatioction was Jusiah Winslow, the son of Governor Edward Winslow, and bora in Plymouth in 1628. He went with his father to Marshfield and there, either in schools or under the care of his father, received that instruction which made him u man of superior attainments and culture. At the age of twenty-nine he was chosen assistant to the Governor, in 1G59 the major or chief military commander of the colony, and he was for many years one of the commissioners of the confederated colonies. During King Philip's war he commanded the united forces of Plymouth, Mass., Connecticut, and New Haven Colonies, and commanded the entire respect and confidence of those in whose service he was engaged. In 1 673 he was chosen Governor of the colony, and continued in that ofiiee until his death, in 1680. As chief executive ho was as broad and liberal as his predecessor, Thomas Preiiee, had been narrow and bigoted, and one of the first acts of his administration was to rescue James Cudworth and Isaac Robinson, of Scituate, from the disgrace to which Governor Prence had subjected them on account of expressed sympathy with the persecuted Quakers of the period. He married, in 1G51, Penelope, daughter of Herbert Pelham, of England. Mr. Pelham, born in 1601, graduated at Oxford in 1619, and came to Massachusetts in 1638, having been pre- ulJl'J by his daughter, Penelope, and a son. The rccoid.i ot' the rolls court, in We.stminster, conceruin^: pa^seuLiers to New Kni;laiid, eoiitain the entry under date of Jlay 15, 1U,j5, - "In the 'Susan & Ellen'. Edward Payn, niasicr, Penelope Pelhaui, sixteen years ot age, to ptiss to her brother's plantation." JMr. Pelhaiu was tlie first treasurer of Harvard ColleL'i'. and returned to England iu 1041), carryiug with hiui probably his daughter, with wiioui JMr. Wiiisluw very likely beeaiue aeijuainted during her re.-ideuee in tiiis country. The writer has seen a letter from John Eliot to Governor Edward Winslow dated in 1G51, the year of Joaiah Wiiulow's marriage, in which he lueutions having seen his son, Jo.^iah, in London not long before. It is probable that the luarriage took place iu England. A portrait of Edward Winslow, painted in London, bearing the date of IGol, is in tiie possession of the Pilgrim Society, and as the society owns also original portraits of Josiah \V'iuslow and his wife, Penelope, it is probable that all these were painted at tiie same time. Josiah Winslow died at Marshfield Dec. 18, 1080, and was buried on the 23d, " at the expense of the colony, in testimony of its endeared love and affection for him." He was buried in the old burialgrouud at MarshQeld, and the stone over lils tomb bears the following inscription :

Samuel Sprague was another prominent man. From 1082 to 1085, and iu 1700, 1701, 1703, and 1704 he was deputy to the General Court; in 1077, lOSl, 16SG, 1087, 1088, 1094, 1095, from 1097 to 1700, and from 1709 to 1710 he was a selectman of Jlarshtield, and was the last secretary of Plymouth (!oluny before the union, iu 1092. JMr. Sprague was a son of William Sprague, who came to Salem in 1029, and became a citizen of JIarslifield about 1050. He married, in 1005 or 1000, Sarah, daughter of Thomas Cliillingsworth, and died in 1710.

Nathaniel Thomas was another citizen of MarslifielJ who rose to eminence and extended usefulness. He was a grandson of William Thomas, the emigrant ancestor, and was called into public service at an early age In 1072, 1077, 1082, 1083, 1084, and 1090 lie was chosen a deputy to the General Court of the colony, and in 1092 was one of the first representatives to the General Court of Massachusetts. He held the office of town clerk from 1084 to 1700, and was a selectman in 1674, 1075, 1(;77, 1082, 1083, and 1080. He Was for many years judge of probate for

Plymouth County, and judge of the Supreme Court of Massachu.setts Bay. He died iu JlarshfieM, and, with his first and second wives, was buried in the old burial-ground. Their grave-stones bear the following inscriptions:

Wife Of

Isaac Winslow was still another gentleman who distinguished this period. Grandson of Governor Edward Winslow, and son of Governor Josiah, he was born in Marshfield in 1070 and educated iu that town. In 1695 and 1702 he was representative to the General Court; was town clerk Iroui 1700 to his death (1738), and selectman in 1091, 1093, 1094, from 1090 to 1709, from 1712 to 1718, in 1720, 1721, from 1723 to 1720, and from 1728 to 1731, - twenty-four years in all. He was also judge of probate and judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and died in 1738. He married, in 1700, Sarah, daughter of John Weuslcy, of Boston. He was buried iu the old burial ground, where may be seen the following inscription on his tombstone :

In the list of distingui.shed men of this period. Gen. John Winslow must nut be overlooked. lie was the son of Isaac Winslow, above mentiuned, and was born in Marshfield in 1702. In 1739, '52, '53, '54, '57, '01, '02, '03, '04, '05, he was a dejiuty to the Geueral Court, acted as moderator at ten annual meetings, was town clerk in 1738 and 1739. He was a selectman in 1739, '53, '54, and for a number of years clerk of the Court of Common Pleas. Among his other manifold duties he devoted himself with zeal to military pursuits, and has been declared by competent authority to have been the most distiu- guishcd military leader of iiis tituc in New Enfjiand, with perhaps the exception of Sir William Ptppiiell. In 1740 he comiuauded a company in au expedition ajraitLst Cuba, and in 1755 was second in cumiuand, under Gen. 3Ionckton, in the expedition again.it Nova Scotia. In 1756 he commanded at Fort William Henry on Lake George, and was at various times u coun.-ielor of the Wassachusetts Province. He married in 172G, Mary, daughter of Isaac Little, of Pembroke, and had Josiuh (1730), who died youug ; Pelliam Wiuslow, a graduate of Harvard, who married Joanna, daughter of Gideon White; and Isaac (17o0), who became a distinguished physician in his native place, and married fii-st, in 17G8, Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Stockbridge, of Scituate, aud second, Frances, daughter of Ebenezer Giiy, of Hingham. Both John Wiuslow aud his son, Isaac, were buried in the old burial-ground, and the Winslow tombstone bears the following inscription to their memory :

In 1765 the citizens of Marshfield shared the excitement, which prevailed iu the colonies on account of the passage of the Stamp Act. At a town meeting, held ou the 14th of October in that year, the act was read, together with the Governor's speech to the General Court, and a committee was chosen, consisting of Abijah White, Nathaniel Ray Thomas, John Little, Daniel White, and Nehemiah Thomas, to report instructions to Gen. John Winslow, then the representative to the General Court. The following report of the committee was made and accepted :

"The coiumittee of the town of MarahGeld, uppuiDted to give instruetiona to their representalive, John Winslow, Eaq., what uietboil he should take in order to have ao grievous a caluiaity removed as threatens this and the neighboring goverunienu by the stamp act, and other things and matters now pending before the General Court; having taken upon them that ti ust in behalf of the town, are of opinion that should that act take effect it would prove the great distress, if nut the utter ruin of this province, and do therefore advise and direct our reprcscntutive to use all proper metliods, in every legal manner, to get the stamp act repealed, and look upon themselves iui holden and bound to abide by suoh deteruiinatioa us the Grand Couimittee now sitting at New York should conclude, or unless something extraordinary should be in that report which they cannot foresee, in such case our Representative tu use his own discretion. And further, the Committou are of opinion that as the circumstances of the province are at this juncture in a difficult situation, and the people distressed in the payment of their present taxes that our said Ueprcsentntive be de^i^ed and directed lo be very careful in making any new or unusual grants of money, and to be as saving of (he public revenues, and of taxing the inhabitants of the provincei as things will admit of. And also wo desire the sjiid John Winslow, Krq., to show his disapproval of the late riotous proeeelliu^s in the Town of IJostou, in the month of September last."

While this report was sufiBciently emphatic against the Stamp Act, it suggests a suspicion of that spirit, which afterwards prevailed, in oppo.-^ition to what was called the patriot cause. No further action wa.s had j in town-meeting on colonial affairs until July 5, j 1773, when it was voted that letters and pamphlets received from Boston be read, and a coinmitti^e was chosen, consisting of Samuel Oakniau, Anthony Thomas, Thomas Waterman, Nclieuiiuh Tlionia-i, Elisha Kent, William Thomas, Ephraiiu Little, Amos Rogers, and John Tildeu, to consider what sliould be done in the alarming crisis of public adairs which then existed." At this meeting the patriuts evidently carried the day, but at a new meeting the loyalists, who were perhaps at that time the most numerous, rallied, and the vote of July 5th was reconsidered, and the committee conaL'f|ui>ntly discharged. One of these pamphlets, whicii the writer has examined, bears the following on its title-patre: " The American Alarm ; or the Bostonian Plea for the Rights atid Liberties of the People, humbly addressed to the King and Council, and to the consecrated Sons of Liberty in America by the British Bo.-.tuiiian. Boston. Printed and sold by D. Kneeland & N. Davis, in Queen Street, MDCCLXXIII." The vote relating to the appointtneut of a committee having been reconsidered, no report was made. A report, however, was prepared, and has been pre- .servcd in private hands. The writer has it in his care, and thinks it proper to make it a part lA' this sketch :

" It is the opinion of this Committee that the late unhappy changes in this government with the utmost urgency el;iiui our attention and the attention of every well-wisher to his cnuntry 'a prosperity. Silence we humbly conceive, when inroads are made on our rights and privileges, is a tacit resignation of the same, and thus our criminal negligence at the hrst lopping olf our privileges may render every future attempt tonbtalu restitution futile and iuetfectual, fur that people are rationally IliougliC tu be an easy prey that does not manfully re^^cnt the lirst infringement on their rights and privileges, while a zealous people are rarely slaves. It would give us pain to see the people easy at this alarming time, when the eneuiies tu our natural and constitutional liberties are so successfully busy to bring ihis laml into slavery, a land that was settled at the expense of much treasure and blood by a poor and well-disposed people, our woi thy ancestor.-*, more seusible of the sweets of liberty under (ho hauil ol oppression. They, not like rebels to escape bunging, but by royal permission, sought out a foreign retreat in the face of iinniinent danger in order to enjoy the blessings of sacred and civil IVeediim. In this land they pitched their tents, then inli;ibited by merciless Indians, of whom they bought it; but, notvvith.-tanding, to have their little safe, it was stipulated unto ihcm and their lieirs by the superior powers, from under whose iiutDcdiLite govermuent they emigrated, ;ind by that mutual, solemn compact it plainly appears that they were to enjoy all the liberlie!) and immunitie:! without re^ierve a^ Britons born within the realm of Kugland. But alas, the contr.iry is tuo notorious to be denied; our rights and privileges are infringed upon, and these material alterations in the best of constitutions prumote not the good of thia people, but tend to deprive them of that peace and impartial administration of justice for which this province ha;- been so conspicuous A state of our rights both natural and <:onstitutional, and wherein the same are violated, you liavo heard rend from the Boston pamphlet, so called, which is justly thought to hold forth the truth lu a clear and mnstcrly m;inucr, and the worthy inhabitants of the town of liostun for this manly performance merit our gratitude, and the province in general, by their late instances of genuine patriotism, have rtiiideied thoiuaolvcs dear to every lover of his country and mankind in general. It is our opinion that theii' many grievous burdL-ns wtiuld never have been laid upon us if His Majesty hail not been misinformed. In duty, therefore, to our- Eitilves, and as staunch friends to Great Brit^iin and this noble constitution, wu would join with the towns in this province in otl'ering our sentiments at this time, fur we doubt not if ilis Miijf^ty is undeceived in (his so important :iflair, the easiness of the people in general under these late impositions, that liis gracious ear is not shut, but will be attentive to the united jictitions of a grateful and loyal people, and restitution of their rights and privileges will be made which are unjustly wrested froui us. Our warm alfcction for Great Britain, our willingness to promote its emolument, and by our prudence and industry greatly extending His Mujesty's dominion, made us fondly hope that wc should be treated its grateful, obedient subjects, and not ils rebels by infectious troops in time of pciice. Nevertheles3, wo are ready to fight for the King of Great Britain, our rightful sovereign, his crown and dignity, and risk our lives when justly called in defence of our happy constitution: wc report further, that the clerk sign a copy of the proceedings of this day in behalf of the town, and transmit the same as soon as may be to the respectable committee of corresjjondeuce at Boston, th'it they iind the world may know that we are not insensible of our increiiaing buriien.>, but that we are willing to take all legal ateps in union with other towns to obtain a redress of our gi ievances."

At a towii-uieetioj; held oa the 3d of Jiiuuary, 1774, a commibtee, consisting of Isaac Wiuylow, Nathauici Ray Thomas, Eiisha Ford, Soth Bryaut, William Stevcijs, John Barker, and Ephraim Little, was chosen to consider the scate of puhlic atfairs, and report what course sliould be taken by the town. Tlie committee reported as follows;

*- The town taking into consideration the late tumultuous, and, as we think, ilk-gal [irocecdings in the town of Boston, in the detention and dcat ruction of the teas belonging to the Eust India Company, which, we a[)prelienil, will aHcL-t our property, if not our liberties, think it our indispensable duty to show our disapprobation of BucU nteasures and proceedings, therefore, voted and resolved, as the opinion of the town, That this Town ever liavc been and always will be good and loyal subjects to our sovereign lord, Iviiig George the thinl, nnd will obey, observe, and enforce as such good anil wliulesoutv law^ us ureorf!<hall be con- Btilutionally made by the legishiture or the commonwealth of wliicii we are members, and by all legal ways and means, to the utmost of our powers and abilities, will protect, defend, and preserve our liberties and privileges againot the machinations of foreign or domestic enemies.

**Jit:nvlvtUy That the late measures and proceedings in the Town of Boston, in the detention and destruction of the teas belonging to the East India Company, were illegal and unjust, and of a dangerous tendency.

** Jitnuived, That our representative be, and hcrel^y ist furilier directed and instructed lo use hia utmost endeavors at the Geueral Court that llie laws of the province be carrieil into due execution, and that all olfenders ag^iinst the same may ijc )>ropcrly punished.

*' And we do further deelai'O it is our opinion that the grand basis of Magna Charta and reformation is liberty of conscience and right of private judgment, wherefore we do renounce ail methods of imposition, violence, and persecution, such us have most ahamefully been exercised upon a numbor of inhabitants of the town of Plymouth by obliging them to sign a recantation, so called, and in case of refusal to have their houses pulled down or they tarred and feathered, and all this under the -specious mask of liberty."

The above report was adopted by the tuwu aod a copy sent to Abijuh White, the representative, aud also to the newspapers for publication. In '* .McFiugal,'* Mr. White, in conseiiuence of his publication of the resolves iu Boston, is thus described :

"Abijah White, when sent Our Marshlield friends to represent. Himself while dread array involves. Commissions, pistols, swords, resolves, In awful pomp descending down, Boro terror on the factious town. "

1774, the patriota seem again to have rallied, and a vote was passed that Nchemiali Thomas bo apjtointcd to co-operate with the reprcsentaEivcs ami oihcr.^ cliosen in the several towns tu meet at Concord un the second Tuesday in that month, iu order to form a Provincial Congress. But in January, 1775, Capt. Balfour, with his company of Queen's Guards, to which reference has already been made, arrived in Murshticld for the protection of the loyalists, and, emboldened by his presence, anotlier rally was made by the conservatives, and at a meeting held Feb. 2U,

Provincial Congress or any illegal assemblages what- | ever." It was also " voted to thank Gen. Gage and Admiral Graves for their ready and kind interposition, assistance, and protection from further insults and abuses, with which we are continually threatened, and that a committee, consisting of Abijah White, John Baker, Seth Bryant, Daniel White, Paul White, Siiiicon Keen, William Macomber, Isaac Winslow, Epliruim Little, John Tilden, Nathaniel Phillips, Thomas Little, Cornelius White, Lemuel Little, Abner Wright, William Stevens, Elisha Ford, Amos Rogers, Seth Ewell, Elisha Sherman, Abraham Walker, Abijah Thomas, and Job Winslow, convey the vote of thanks." Gen. Gage replied in the following letter :

"Gk.vtlkuk.v, - I return you my moat hearty tbanka for your aii(lres:f, and am Co assure you that I fee] great satisfaction in having contributed to the fufety and protection of a people ao uiirmeut for their loyalty to their king and atfectioQ to their country, ut a time when trca^son and rebellion are making such huaty strides to overturn our most excellent constitution, and spread ruin and desolation through the province.

-- I doubt not that your duty to your God, your king, and country, will excite you to peraevere in the glorious cau&e iu which you are engaged, and that your laudable e:caiuplc will .inimate others with the like loyal and patriotic spirit.

-- Gkntlksikn, - The warmth with which you declare your j.rinoiplea of loyalty to your sovereign and hia constitutional government cannot fail of being grateful to the mind of every lover of his country ; and it is much to be wished that the uniform propriety of your conduct will extend iU intlucnce to the reuioval of thoao groundless jealousies which have unhappily marked the alVections of too many of your countrymen from ihu parent state, and which are now tending to raise violent commotions and involve in ruin and destruction their unfortunato pio\ incc.

" The approbation you are pleased to express of Hia Majesty's a|ipi>intmcnt at this critical juncture to the cumuiund of his American licet is llattcriug; and you may he assured that my cuuiitciiancc and supjiort shall never be wanting to protect the friends of liritish government, and reduce to order and submis- .-ioii those who would endeavor to destroy that peace and harmony which is the end of good legislation to produce.

After the battle of Lexington, on the 19th of April, 1775, Gen. Gage determined to withdraw the troops under Capt. Balfour, and on the 20th sent two sloops to transport them to Boston. On the afternoon of thacilay they embarked at Brant Rock, barely in time to escape a patriot force which had marched that very morning to attack ihera. Col. Theophilua Cotton, with a Plymouth company of militia, under Capt. Thomas Mayhen, a Kingston company, under Capt.

Peleg Wadsworth, and a Duxbury company, under George Partridge, reached Marsh field at noon, with about five hundred men iu his command, and was reinforced in the afternoon by a company from Rochester, under Capt. Ciapp, and three coinpaiiii,-s from Plympton. Pending preparations for an attack, Capt. Balfour embarked, and thus MarshfielJ lost the honor of furnishing the second battle-field of the war.

At, a meeting held Jan. 19, 1770, the patriotic spirit of the town was again aroused, and it was voted to send the following instructions, probably written by Mclzar Turner Oakman, to Nchciuiah Thoma.s, then representative at the General Court :

" Your constitueots, not doubting of your patriotism, now in legal meeting assembled, think it necessary to iustruct you touching the Independence of America.

'* To the amazement of your constituents, the King of Great Britain is become a tyrant. He has wantonly destroyed the property of the Americans, and wickedly spilled their blood. He has assented to u£ts of Parliament calculated to subjugate tho colonies unparalleled by the worst of tyrants. Our pctiliuns he bos rejected, and instead of peace he has sent the sword. Every barbarous nation which he could inlluence he has courted for the destruction of the colonies. No rela.\ntion of hostilities, nor distant prospect of an honorable reconciliation, renders this glorious revolution wise and important. Once we would have expended life and fortune in defense of his crown and dignity, but now we are alienated, and conscience forbids us to support a tyrant, whose tyranny is without retinement. Alliance with him is now treason to our country, but we wait ])aticntly till Congress, in whose counsel we coulide, shall declare the colonies independent of Great Britain. The inhabitants of this town, therefore, unanimously instruct and direct you that, if tho Continental Congress shall think it necessary for the safety of tho United Colonies to declare them independent of Great Britain, the inhabitants of this town with their lives aud fortunes will most heartily support them iu the measure."

The voices of the loyalists seem now to have been silenced, and at the same meeting a committee of correspondence was chosen, consisting of Anthony Thomas, Nehemiah Thomas, Thomas Dinglcy, Benjamin White, Elisha Kent, William Baker, Nathaniel Ford, Samuel Oakman, Samuel Tilden, Joseph Clifc, Lemuel Delano, Melzar Turner Oakman, Thomas Waterman, Isaac Phillips, Peleg Rogers, William Thomas, Daniel Lewis, William Clift, Keiielm Winslow, Israel Rogers, and John Oakman. At a uicecing held March 6, 1777, it was voted to pay a bounty of ten pounds to each soldier enlisting for throe years, and a committee was appointed to act in tilling the town quotas. In June, 1777, the selectmen reported the names of the following persons suspected of disloyalty to the Revolutionary cause : Rev. Atherton Wales, Elisha Ford, John Tilden, Stephen Tilden, Ephraim Little, Adam Rogers, Levi Ford, Benjamin Eames, Jr., John Hatch, Caleb Carver, Daniel White, Abraham Walker, Noah Hatch, Cornelius Wliite,

John Baker, Joseph Tilden, Sylviinus Wliite, Elisha Slieniian, Thomiis Eiiiues, Jorcniiah Hatch, Jr., Asa Thouias, Thomas Little, Zophaiiiah Decrow, Joshua Tilden, Joseph Bryant, Jedediali Eaines, Adam Hall, Jr., Isaac Walker, Siiueou Keen, Oliver Porter, Charli's Porter, Samuel Ford, Jr., William White, Calvin Lewis, Daniel Thomas, Elijah Ford, and John Tilden, Jr. Of these, all were finally struck from the list on llieir denial of disloyalty except Adam Roirers, Benjuniin Eamos, Jr., John Hatch, Cornelius White, Jeremiah Hatch, Jr., Samuel Ford, Jr., William Wliite, and Calvin Lewis.

March 25, 1778, the town instructed its representative -' to act at his jud-jment with regard to the articles of confederation." May 25th iu the same year the Constitution for the State of Massachusetts was read in meeting and disapproved by a vote of forty-one to ten. Aug. 23, 1779, it was voted to send Thomas Waterman a delegate to Cambridge to aid in forming a Convention for the Adoption of a State Constitution, and Asa Waterman and Daniel Lewis were chosen delegates to a county convention, to be held at the house of Caleb Loring, in Plympton, to regulate the prices of articles in evcry-day use, and the closing entry in the records during the war of any interest is that of the ciioice of another committee of correspoiideuce in 1782, consisting of Briggs Thomas, Thomas Little, Daniel Lewis, Thomas Ford, Abner Wright, and Jedediah Eames.

The rolls of soldiers who enlisted from Marshfield during the llevolution are probably incomplete, but those in the archives of the State and in tlie possession of the writer, such as they are, contain the following names.

Juseph Clift, cuj>t., JuDiitlian Hutcb, ^er^t., Niitliiiiiiol Ro;5erd, Job Mitchell, Anthuny T. l[ut(;li, i;c>r|i., .Siiinuel TiliU'n, Abiiur Crocker, (Jlt^jIiuiu Ewcll, Ju^x'|>)l Hatch, A^a Lapbafu, Auud llutcil, Cburle^d Hatch, Williain Juycu, \Villiaiii Clilt. Aruuiab Iiu;.;cr.i, Job Kwcll, .Jc^sc Lapll.iui, Lot II. .Sylvester, Sctb .loyce, Jonatlniii Joyce, Nathaniel Joyce, IViiiee llateli. Zaccbeu» Uogei-s, Tohiaa OakitiuD, Saiiiucl Juiic:), Caleb Lapbaiit.

i people of the colonies. But those who had resiatcd the pojiular movement were not permitted to go uiij punished. Nathaniel Ray Thomas, characterized iu '- McFingal" as " that Marsfield blunderer," an edu-

History Of Marsh Field

Nova Scotia his home. Ephr;iiiu Little, Cornelius White, John Baker, Joseph TllJen, John Tildcn, Stephen Tilden, and Nathaniel Garnett were imprisoned in the Plymouth j;iil, and released by order of Council in October, 177(5, on the condition that they would pay the expenses of proceedings a;;ainst them, and remain on their estates except for the purpose of attending worship on the Sabbath. Elisha Ford was imprisoned and released on the same terms, havinj; at the same time been seized and carted to j the liberty-pole and required to sign a statement of i allegiance. Caleb Carver, Melzar Carver, Thomas I Decrow, and Daniel White were proscribed and banished in 1778, Melzar Carver having gone to Halifax after the evacuation of Boston, in 1777. Paul White also was seized and carted to the liberty-pole, where he was required to sign a recantation.

To the Cuiiiinittee of Correapoiidence, Safely, itc, for the tou>n of Mumhficld : Gentlemen, - The petition of U3, the inhubitantsof siiid town, huuibly sUoweth, thut your petitioners, on or iibout the 2Uth of April, A.u. 1775, diJ leave siiiJ town of Marablield and repair to tho town of Boston, which conduct of theirs bus justly given great oH'enso to their townsmen and tho country in general. Your petitioners would therefore beg leave to say, in extenuation of their fault, that at the time of their embarkation for the port of Boston the country in general, and more especially tlie town of Marshticid, was in great tumult and perplexity, which greatly intimidated and affrighted your petitioners, and they left the said town in the greatest anxiety and distress of mind that can bo expressed, not having time maturely to weigh the unhappy consequences that would attend so rash aud inoonsidcrale a procedure. But hoping and expecting that things ici a -liort tinio would subside, they fully intended to have returned to their families and friends again, but after their arrival (hero Ihey found it was impracticable, although they made repeated application for their return, and your petitioners did embr.icc the first opportunity to return home, being fully dctcrminerl not to sell their country, and which permission Ihey with difficulty obtained through the mediation of friends. Your pititioners further beg leave to say that they can sincerely !ind truly affirm and declare that they never repaired to the town of Boston with a design to aid, assist, abctt, advise, or join the ministerial army, and are heartily sorry that their imprudent conduct has given so much offense, and would have you consider that it is human to err, and put the most favorable construction on their conduct, and that it was an error in judgment and not in principle, for which error they are heartily sorry, and beg the forgiveness of tho country in general and ui'M-e especially of their townsmen.

" Your petitioners would further say that, as far as they know their own hearts, they are sincere friends and well-wishers of the good of their country, and would do anything within the compass of their sphere to promote and support tho prosperity and welfare of the same at the bayard of everything dear to theru, and whereas some of your petitioners unadvisedly, without due consideration and through inadvertence, did sign an address to (Jcnerul Uage without any ill design to their country, they humbly ask your forgiveness for that misconduct, and

"Your petitioners therefore humbly beg you will take this petition into your candid and compassionate consideration, and utTord them your assistance in a petition to the Great and i>eneral Court of this colony for their enlargeujent, which petition they propose to send in a suitable time after s.iid court shall sit. Your petitioners determine in said petition to give ample security for their future good conduct aait behaviour, and as Deacon Thomas has the honor to be chosen to represent the town of MarshGeld for the ensuing year, we would in a particular manner supplicate his good offices and interest in our behalf. Gentlemen, you are sensible that now is the prime of the year, and that most of us have large families to support, and that if wo are debarred from improving our time for that purpose they, as well as ourselves, must become a burden aud charge to the community, and our innocent wives and children be involveil in the same calamity with ua. We must beg leave to say that in our bumble opinion it would redound more to the good of the whole that ten or twenty men should be employed in some honest calling, whereby the public and their families may be benefitted, than that they should be confined in u gaol. Wherefore, confident that you will take a compassionate reg^ird to the petition, we beg leave to subscribe ourselves your humble servants,

"And Sylvanus White joins in this petition, and would beg leave further to observe that at the time of their leaving the town of Marshfield bis father was under great indisposition of body, and thought it not prudent to leave home without some person to take particular care of him, which was another great inducement to your petiliouer for his leaving the place.

Gen. John Winslow was recognized in the earliest Revolutionary movements as a thorougli loyalist, but he died in 1774, before actual hostilities began. His brother, Edward, who had removed to Plymouth, where he held the oflSces of clerk of the court, regisi ter of probate, and collector of the port, was proi nounced in his loyalty to the crown, and went to Halifax in 177G, and there died in 178-1. Pclham Win.s- ' low, a son of the general, a lawyer, who had studied I in tho office of James Otis, also adhered to the royal ' cause. He removed to Boston in 1774, to Halifax in 1776, aud returned to New York, where he entered the military service with a commission of major, and finally died at Brooklyn in 1783. He also was proscribed and banished in 1778.

life of Marslifield little occurred except the arrival of Mr. Webster, in 1827, to make an interesting record. Tu tiie sketch of Jlr. Wcb.ster, in another part of this volume, ma}' be found an account of his purchase of the Thomas farm and some reminiscences of his life on the Green's Harbor estate. His citizensliip during the last quarter of the century was an appropriate sea! on a municipal career which all along its line had been marked by the lives of distinguished men.

Ill the agitation which was excited in behalf of the slave and his emancipation, Marslifield was abrea.-^t of the times. During the excitement attending the euforcenient of the fugitive slave law the voice of Jlar.ihfield uttered no uncertain sound. On the 3d of March, 1851, the following preamble and resolves, presented by Nathaniel H. Whiting, were adopted by a vote of one hundred and twenty to thirty-four:

*' Wiii:itEAS, the governuieDt of the United States id professedly biuscd upon the j^rcut truth that all men are free and equal, and have an inalienable right to liberty, and whereaa its cuDbtitution was ordained tor the purpose of establi^^hiug justice, iiisurinj^ douje:]tiu tram^uiltity, provtdiug for the comuioQ defense, proiuotin<^ ttiu <;eiiera! welfare, and scouring the blessings of liberty to the people, and wliereas the late fugitive slave act is nut in accordance with this purpose, but is contrary to suinu of the e.\press provisions of that instrument, among others, that which declares that no man shall be deprived of lifu or liberty without due process of law, and that men charged with criuie or whose interests arc at stake in suits at common law involving a suui ec^ual to twenty dollars shall be entitled to a trial by jury, and whereas this act is efjually repugnant to our mural scuse, a disgrace to the civilizatiuu of the age, and clearly at variance with the whole spirit of the Christian faith i Therefore,

-* JUituJcuil, That until we are prepared to repudiate the principles of independence and abjure all our ideas of justice and huiuauity, of truth and duty, we can render no voluntary obedieuce tu this act.

'' Ji'juutreil, That while we love and defend the Uniuu that secures the object for which this was said to be established, wo are not to be deterred by any threats of disunion, or by any fear of evils, immediitle or remote, present or future, from using all just and lawful means to aid and assist those whu have the manliness and courage to oscape from the prison house of bondage.

** Jic^utvLif, That while we desii'e liberty for our.-.elves, while | we retain one spark uf that .spirit which led the Pilgrims across the ocean, while we liavo the least conception of those sublime precepts of the gospel which eomuutud us to love our neighbor, to do unto others as we would havo others do unto us, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and relieve the sullering, the poor, and the outcast, while we recognize the ubligatiuns of charity and Iu\o aud good-will, our houses shall be open to welcome the hunted fugitive as he pauses at our doors iu his Uight from the natiulial bloodhounds which are baying on his tiacU,

'* Jicifi/li'eU, That we commend to every fugitive from slavery the glorious words of Patrick Henry, - ' Oive me liberty or give uie death.' Leaning upon this idea, let him use all the means which (Jod will justify to protect his freedoui, and if he shall perish in the struggle for his birthright, as bis lust sigh mingles with the common din and goes out over the world and up to heaven a swift witness against the nation which so foully murders biio, let him breathe into the wind that murmurs by hiui, and bequeath, as an inspiring inliuencu to the panting fugitive lie leaves behind him, 'Ciivc me liberty or give me death.' "

When the war of the Rebellion broke out Marshfield had no militia company within lier borders to be called into the service, but whenever enlisted men were called for the town was ready and prompt in rendering it.s service. As far as is known, only one of its citizens, Alfred W. Stoddard, belonged to an organized company, and he, as a member of Company I, Fourtli Regiment, served for three months from the 22d of April, 1861. On the 1st of May, ISUl, the town voted to pay a bounty of ten dollars to each soldier who had enlisted or might enlist in the Unittd States service. It was also voted to increase the monthly pay to twenty-four dollars of all soldiers, including those who might be drafted, and five dollars additional to those with families, aud to accept the services of those ladies who had volunteered to make up clothing for the volunteers. On the 6ih of July, in the same year, it was voted to pay one dollar per week to the wife of each soldier, and one dollar to each child under sixteen years of age, and one dollar to each dependent parent, brother, or sister of any sohiier, provided the amount allowed to one family should not exceed twelve dollars. On the 22d of July, 1862, a committee of one from each school district was cboscn to aid in filling the quota of the town, and a bounty of one hundred dollars was voted to be paid to each enlisted man. On the Stii of September it was voted to pay a bounty of one hundred and fifty dollars to each soldier mustered into the service for three years. The following is a list of soldiers furnished during the war, including one three months' man, six one hundred days' men, twenty-four nine months' men, twenty-sis one year's men, and ninety-four three years' men, - in all, one hundred and sixty-one:

Kegt., Co. I. George Baker, private, lUO days from July 21, IStiJ, IBtli Unattached. C. William Estes, private, 100 days from July 2S, 180-1, llUli

In addition to the above liiit, a sufficient number of men iu tlie navy and of non-resident recruits were credited to the town to make the whole number of credits during the war two hundred and ten, to whom the whole amount of bounties paid was twentyfour thousand four hundred and sixty-five doliar8. Of tliis sum, fifteen thousand four hundred and fifty dollars were paid to residents of the town and nine thousand and fifteen dollars to non-residents. This record of the war is creditable to Marshfield, and fully justifies the followiuj: resolves prepared by Nathaniel H. Wliitiu;;, and adopted by the town on the 22dof July, 1862:

" Itriolved, That in the dark and troubled night which surrounds ua we cherish with a deeper love and more exalted patriotism the noble sentiment proclaimed in that early cuntlict Willi the spirit of dissension on the door of the American Senate by our great statesman, now sleeping in our midst by the sea he loved so well, - * Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable !'

" Iii:mjfved, That, in defense of this sentiment, we will stand by the Government to the extent of our last dollar and our last man, ]>referring to leave ior tliose who shall couie after us a wiMcmess like that our fathers fouud when they sailed into yonder bay, and landed on Plymouth Hock, rather than that this monstrous rcbelliou shall [irevail."

Uobei't Antes, died at Raton Rouge June 24, 1863. Levi W. IJailey, wounded at Winche.-ter Sept. I'J, 1S04. Lucius L. Runnoy, died at Raleigh, X. C, of diseiLso, May 15,

ISC.j. lliram Rutterfield, Jr., ilied of disease. Justin A. Carver, wounded at Newborn March 4, 1802. David Church, killed in battle May 6, 1864. Charles W. Cobbett, died at hospital .Aug. 5, 1803.

died in Washington June 30, 1S64. Edwin Curtis, wounded -Tune 13, died June I'J, 1804. Job L. Ewell, wounded May 6, 1864, died at Alexandria June

5, 1864. Samuel U. Ewell, died in Washington Oct. 1, 1862. Turner Ewell, Jr., died at St. Louis Oct. 16, 1863. James W. Fish, died at Savannah June 14, 1.^05. S. Nelson Gardner, died at Newborn June 4, 1863. Wilbur F. Harrington, died at New Orleans June U), 1803. Andrew W. Hatch, died at New Orleans June 4,'1S63. Joseph Joyce, disch. Sept. 8, 1H62; died of disease contracted in the service Oct. 14, 1862. Hiram A. Oukman, wounded May 3, 1863, at Fretiericksburg. Freemuu A. Ramsdell, died at New Orleans June 4, 1863. William W. Randall, wounded in 1862. Josiah C. Stoddard, died at Stuart's Hospital, Baltimore, Nov.

19, 1802. Josiah Thomas, died of disease Dec. 3, 1804. Fletcher Webster, killed at Bull Run Aug. 3U, 1802. Joseph E. Williamson, died in hospital May 2U, 1804. James A. Wright, died at Newbern May 7, 1803.

In 1866, the farmers of Marshfield, desirous of promoting the interests of ajiriculture in the town and neighborhood, organized the " Marshfield Agricultural and Horticultural Society," having for some time previously enjoyed the benefits of an organization called the " Marshfield Farmers' Club." The society was incorporated by the Legislature in 1867, and made its first annual report in 1868. It then had three hundred and thirty-seven members, and without any indebtedness, held property valued at two thousand two hundred and sixty-one dollars. Its first roll of ofiicera included George M. Baker, president; l^evi Walker, vice-president ; John Baker, secretary ; Warren Kent, auditor, and Luther Thomas, Constant Oaknian, Frank P. Arnold, Stephen Henry, Charles T. Hatch, Charles P. Wright, Joseph 0. Cole, Jonathan S. Ford, Bailey Chandler, James S. Bates, and Hiram Randall, directors. The successful issue of the fair of 1868 induced the society to erect a commodious building for dining and exhibition purposes, which, when approaching completion, was demoli.-ilicd by a severe gale in September, ISti'.). An increa.sing interest in its purposes, however, enabled the society without distress to erect a new building, and since that time its annual fairs have abundantly justified the expectations of its projectors. According to the last report,

The present officers of the society arc George M. Baker, of Marshfield, president; Francis P. Arnold and Edwin Reed, of Marshfield, vice-picsiJents ;

Francis Collamore, of Pembroke, secretary and treas- | urcr; Albert T. Spraguc, of Marshfieid, auditor, and j Frank Ford, George L. Poterhon, Charles A. Walker, | and Barker Spiague, of Marshfieid, Bailey Chandler, j Joseplius Dawes, and Thomas Alden, of Duxbury, Hiram Randall and J. Dean Bonney, of Pembroke, James W. Sampson, uf South Scituate, and Charles 0. EUms, of Scituate, directors.

This .-ketch of Marsiifield, even as limited as it must be, Would be conspicuously wanting in completeuess without some allusion to its church history. It Las already been stated that the first church was organized iu 1632. It is probable that in the earliest days of the church, Edward Wiuslow acted in some capacity akin to a teaching elder. At a later day, before 1640, it is to be presumed from intimations on the records that Nehemiah Smyth was its acting minister. After the incorporation of the town, in 1640, the town and the parish were identical until 1738, when the Second Church or Parish was incorporated. In 1041, Rev. Richard Rlinman emigrated to New England from Wales, and settled in Marshfieid, where lie oiEciated either as a settled minister or acting pastor, soon removing to Gloucester, where he reniaiued until 1648, when he removed to New London, and from there, in 1658, to New Haven, whence he returned to England, and died in Bristol at an advanced age.

In 1642, Rev. Edward Bulklcy was ordained, and continued his services as pastor of the church until about 1050, after which he was settled in Concord, and died in Chelmsford in 1090. He was a son of Rev. Peter Bulkley, and grandson of Rev. Edward Bulkley, both of whom had enjoyed settlements iu England. Rev. Peter Bulkley, after twenty-one years' service at Woodhill, was silenced for his uonconformity, and came to New England in 1635. In 1030 he was settled in Concord, where he remained until his death, in 1051). Until the close of the ministry of 51 r. Bulkley the meeting-house stood on or immediately north of the acre of ground now inclosed and known as the " old burial-ground." It was a thatched building and undoubtedly rude in its construction. In 1057 a new meeting-house was built on the site of the present meeting-house of the First Parish, two miles farther north, to meet the convenience of a population which had gradually spread iu that direction. But notwithstanding the removal of the meeting-house from its old site, the old burialground continued to be the only burial-place until February, 1721. No more interesting spot connected with the early history of New England can be found than this hallowed ground in which so many of the early settlers were buried. Here lies William Thomiis, who died in August, 1651. Here lies Susanna Winslow, who came in the " Mayflower," the wife of William White, and afterwards of Edward Winslow, uliu died iu October, 1080. Here lies, too, Governor Josiah Winslow, the first naiive-born Governur, who died Dec. 18, 1680, and was buried on the 23d at the expense of the colony iu token of its esteem and affection. And here lies Peregrine White, the first boru in New England, who died on the 20th of July, 1704. And here also were deposited the remains uf Rev. Samuel Arnold, the successor of Mr. Bulkley in the church, who died on the 3d of September, 1003; of Rev. Edward Tompson, the successor of Mr. Arnold, who died on the 16th of March, 1705 ; and of Rev. James Gardner, the succe.ssor of Mr. Tompson, who died in 1739. The ground remained uninclosed until 1854. In that year a fair was held by the ladies of Marshfieid, in the Winslow house, and suBicient funds were raised to erect the iron fence which now surrounds the grounds. In connection with the fair Miss Marcia A. Thomas published the Memorials of Marshfieid," and proposed to devote the profits arising from the book to the eroctiun in the " old burial-ground" of a monument to the memory of the first settlers of " Green's Harbor." These profits, to which were added contributions from Juliu Barstow, of Providence, George P. Hayward, of Boston, and Mrs. Sigourney, were deposited in the Plymouth Saviugs-Bank, and the deposit, with its aecuuiulatious, has enabled Miss Sarah Thomas, the surviving sister of Marcia, to consummate the original plan, and within the last year to erect a handsome granite structure as originally intended.

In 1657, Rev. Samuel Arnold removed to .^Iar.shfield from Yarmouth and became the settled minister. After the death of Mr. Arnold, iu 1093, Rev. Thomas Weld received a call to become pastor, but declined. In 1090, Rev. Edward Tompson, of Braintree, a graduate of Harvard in 1684, was ordained and continued in the pastorate until his death, March 10, 1705. In 1700 a third meeting-house was erected on the site of the second, and Rev. James Gardner, a Seotehman, was ordained March 14, 1707, and remained connected with the church until his death, in 173'J. During the pastorate of Mr. Gardner, in 1738, the Second Congregational Society was incorporated in the north part of the town. As early as 1713 an informal organization had been formed, but in the year named an act of incorporation was obtained and a meetinghouse built, which the people iu the .south part of the town within the limits of the old parish denominated the " Chapel of Ease."

increa.sinf: population "m the north part of the town M)on iL'(|uirt;d iucreased accommodations, and in 1755 an addition was made to its meeting-house by cutting the churcli asunder and inserting a piece of twelve feet in length. In tiie year 1793 a belfry was added, and occupied by a bell presented by Capt. Amos Rogers. In 182G the old meeting-house was taken down, and a new one erected. la 1848 the new meetinghouse was remodeled after plans furnished by Isaiah Rogers, late chief of the Architectural Bureau at Washington. After the incorporation of the society Ilcv. Mr. Bryant first officiated in this church, .supplying the pulpit for a year. He was followed by Rev. Atherton Wales, a graduate of Harvard in 1726, whose ministry extended over a period of more than fifty years. Mr. Wales was followed by Rev. Elijah Leonard, who was denominated in his theology an Arminian Trinitarian Congregatiunalist. . He exchanged at first with Calvinists and Unitarians, but finally committed himself conclusively to the doctrines of the Unitarian body. His pastorate continued through a period of ibrty-cight years. After his death Rev. Luke A. Spoiford supplied the pulpit in ISoj for a year, at which time the church was nearly equally divided between those of the old and those of the new faith. As, however, in the old church the evangelical portion of the congregation prevailed, so here the liberal wing predominated, and Rev. George Leonard was settled, whose ministry continued more than twenty-five years. As a result of this action a new society was organized in 1835 under the name of the Second Congregational Trinitarian Society. The pulpit of this society was supplied during the first year, from March, 1835, to June, 1836, by Rev. Eli Smith. Rev. Elbridge G. Howe followed aa pastor from July, 1836, to Aug. 19, 1S3S, and Rev. Daniel D. Tappan from June, 1839, to June, 1851. Rev. Sumner Clark succeeded from October, 1851, to January, 1855, and Rev. Frederick A. Fiske from November, 1854, to July, 1858. Rev. Daniel D. Tappan supplied the pulpit again from October, 1859, to June, 18G5, Rev. Luther Farnham during the winter and summer of 1865-66, and Rev. F. F. Williams from 1866 to 1869. In 1870, Rev. James C. Seagrave became p:istor and continued until 1874, and was followed by Rev. William H. Cutter, whose pastorate extended from 1874 to 1878. Rev. William C. Wood supplied the pulpit from 187S to 1880, Rev. S. E. Lane from 1881 to 1883, and in January, 1884, Rev. Smith B. Goodenow, the present incumbent, was settled. The present pastor of the Second Church, from which the Second Congregational Trinitarian Society seceded, is the Rev. Nathaniel Sever.

An interesting incident in the history of the Second Congregational Society was the formation of a military company within its limits during the Revolution, and its records contain the proceedings during tlie war of " the North Precinct and Company of Militia."

Returning now to the First Parish, its fifth pastor was Rev. Samuel Hill, a native of Maiden, and a graduate of Harvard in the class of 1735. He was ordained on the IGth of July, 1740. During the pastorate of Mr. Hill, a new parsonage was built in 1749, and is .still standing, thougli not used fur the purpose for which it waa erected. After a term uf nearly twelve years the pastorate of Mr. Hill closed, and Rev. Joseph Green, a graduate of Harvard in 1746, was settled Fob. 21, 1753. In 1758, during the pastorate of Mr. Green, a new meeting-liouse was built on the site of the old one. In 1759 he closed a six-years' ministry, and was succeeded Sept. 5, 1759, by Rev. Thomas Brown, a graduate of Harvard in 1752. Mr. Brown terminated his ministry Nov. 1, 1763, and was followed by Rev. William Sliaw, a native of Bridgewater, and a graduate of Harvard in 1762, who was ordained April 2, 1766. During the pastorate of Mr. Shaw, a Baptist society was organized in Marshfield, a movement in that direction having begun in 1773. In 1734, however, Elder Elisha Callendan, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Boston, baptized six persons; and in 1736 and 1748, still others were baptized by Boston pastors. In 1773, Rev. Isaac Backus, of Middlcboro', performed some missionary labors, and wrote in his diary concerning his success as follows : " Deacon Josiah Eames and his wife, Thomas J<]amcs and his wife, David Thomas, Jr., and liis wife, Tbomas Joyce and his wife, and some others seem not only to be convinced that the parish worship is very corrupt, but also that the Baptist principles are right ; were very thankful for my coming, and there is a hopeful prospect of an agreeable society being formed there." The next year Rev. Asa Hunt, of Middlcboro', preached in Marshfield for a short season, again in 1781, and again in 1786. In 178S a Baptist society was formed at the hou.se of Jonathan Joyce, now the house of Howett Simmons, and a meeting-house was built in the westerly part of the town, and iu 1798 the Baptist religious society of Marshfield was incorporated. The constituent members were Tlioma3 Joyce, Lucy Joyce, Zenas Thomas, Abigail Thoma.s, Ichabod Sherman, Rebecca Cliasc, Abigail Joyce, Mary Curtis, Rachel Joyce, Prince Hatch, William Curtis, Lydia Foord, Zaccheus Lambert, and Vaahti Bryant. In 1850 the meeting-house was remodeled and enlarged. The old house was moved round and back, an addition made to its leur, a spiro ercL-ted, and oocupied by a bull presonlod by Henry 11. Glover, of 15ostun, and tlie new .stiuelure was dedicated Jan. 1, 1851, the Rev. \V. F. Stubbert, of Abin!4ton, preaehiug tlie dedication sermon fioni P.^alms Ixxxiv. 1. In 1SS2 aijont twelve acres of land adjoining tlie meetin;j;- bouse LTOuiids, with a small dwellitiji-house, were ])urchased and given to the .society by one of its members, and tlic next year the house was enlarired and rencjvatcd and fitted fur a par.-M)najrc. In 1826 the church voted to consider itself as exi^tina in three branches, one worshiping in the old mcetiiig-hou.se, one in a seliouMiouse in Duxbury, aud one in a newly-erected meetinghou.se ill North MarshCeld. lu 1833 the last branch became an iudependent society. In conse(|Ueuee of this new organization the old society was greatly weakened, aud its members were reduced from one huniired aud twenty-eight members, in 1829, to forty nicinbers in 1837. Previously to this separation several colonies had swarmed away from this church. lu ISUtJ seventeeu members were dismissed to foriu a Baptist Church in Hanover, aud in 1825 nine were dismissed to form the Baptist Church in Scituate.

The church has never been favored with long pastorates, and for a cousiderable portion of its career has depended on neighboring ministers or Newton students for occasional and brief supplies. The ordained ministers who have served the longest are Joseph Buttertield, who begau preaching in 1791 ; Barnabas Perkins, 1803; Thomas Coiiant, 1811 ; Benjamin Putnam, 1829 ; William W. Hall, 1831 ; E. G. Sears, 1839 ; Samuel Glover, 1841 ; A. E. Battelle, 1852; J. H. Seaver, 1855; S. Howe, 1856; D. B. Ford, 186-1; S. A. Cole, 1877; J. H. Wells, 1879; J.N. Studley, 1881. "Father" Conant, as he was familiarly called, served the church in all lucre than sixteen years, giving for the most part, liowever, but tliree-fourihs of his time to this church. Four of the above-named pastors (Messrs. Butterfield, Hall, Battelle, aud Cole) were ordained over the church. In 1812, on the 12th of April, the church licensed one of its members, after having " improved before the church," to preach the gospel, the latelydeceased Dr. Aaron Perkins, whose remarkable conversion and success in the ministry are narrated in Father Conaiit's autobiography.

The following members have served as deacon.s of the cliuieh: Thomas Joyci;, appointed probably in 1788 ; Aaron Slierman and Ebenezer Sherman, 1812 ; William Eames, 1822; John Collamore, 1827; Charles Bailey, 1839 ; Ambrose Magouu aud Amos

In early times the church had frequent occasion for discipliue, arising from the then prevalent habit of drinking. In the beginning of Father Conaiit's pastorate especially, several of the must iiillucntial membeis were excluded from the church fur the '- too i'ree use of spirituous liquors." In lS2o an article, prepared by Dr. Charles JMacomber, Was added to the covenant of the church, pledging its membeis to consider themselves a Society fur the suppicssion ot' intemperance and other vices, and I'ur amelioraiiun of the coudition of mankind." Of this society Christ was considered as the president, and the paatur was made ex ojficio vice-president. It is wortliy, too, of note, that the covenant adopted by the cliuich in 1788 had a clause in it against spending time idly at taverus and ale-houses." In the cause of temperance the church, now flourishing under the pastorate of Kev. J. N. Studley, has always from its earliest organization been active and efficient.

The Second Baptist Society, alluded to above, built a meeting-house iu 1826, and May 8, 1833, was organized with forty-nine members as the North Baptist Church of Marshfield. Of these members only two are now living. At the time of the organization S. llipley was ordained as pastor, and served three years and six months. Lincoln Damon, Hatch Tilden, and William Eames were chosen deacons. After the death of Mr. Tilden, in 1861, Nathaniel Damon was chosen iu his place. E. G. Sears succeeded Mr. Ripley as pastor, and was ordained March 20, 1839, remaining two years in the pastorate. In April, 1841, Mr. Rijiley became pastor for the second time, and remained two years. Rev. C. T.Tucker was ordained June 14, 1849, and remained until November, 1853, and was followed by S. Cutler, who was pastor from April, 1854, to August, 1857. In April, 1859, N. Chapman became pastor, remaining two years, and was succeeded by J. Davis, who began to preach in April, 1861, was ordained June 11, 1863, and contiuueJ his pastorate live years and six months. Iu September, 1869, B. W. Gardner became pastor, and remained until his death, July 6^ 1874, since wiiich time the church has had no settled minister, the pulpit having been supplied by various ministers, among whom have been O. L. Leonard, II. Morrow, A. J. Stevens, William P. Barilett, and S. P. Pendleton, the last of whom has the present charge. During the pastorate of Mr. Shaw another society was incorporated June 9, 1790, by an act of the General Court, which provided that " Sylvauus White, John While, aud Ephraim Little, church waidcua.

History Of Marshfield

and Noah HaCuh, Tliomus Little, and James Little, vifMtijraen, with other proprietors of Trinity Cliurch ill .Mai'slitiold, be iiieurporaleil under the nauie of the Kpi-scopal Protestant Society in Marshfield." Trinity Church had been an old orij;anization, and the act of 17U0 provided really for little more than a chan;;e of name. This society no longer worships within the limits of Maishfield ; its church building has been disposed of and its members are merged in the Episcojial Church at Hanover.

Before returuing again to the First Church it will be as well to com[ilete the list of churches which at Various times have been organized iu the town. Not many years since, a Wesleyan Metilodi^t Society was formed and built a eiiapcl, whieii, since the disbandmeiit of the society, hxs been owned by the Agricultural Society, and is used by that organization iu counection with its fair and general business. In 1813 Methodist Episcopal Society was formed, which continued as a branch of the Scituate jMcthodist district until 1324, when it erected a place of worship near the central part of the town, which iu 1S54 gave place to the present structure. The following is a complete list of the ministers who since 1830 have been connected with its pastorate :

The ministry of Rev. Mr. Shaw in the First Church closed with his death, July 1, 1816, at the age of seventy-sis years, after fifty years' service. It was during his ministry that the Unitarian movement began, and, though periiaps not an avowed Unitarian, his preaching and influence were in the direction of Unitarfan views, and his clerical associates were largely members of tlie Unitarian body. It is undoubtedly also true that more liberal theological views permeated, under his instructions, the minds of his congregation. It is quite evident that a decisive course of action, either on the part of Mr. Shaw or of his successor, would have carried this old church of the Pilgrims over the Orthodox line into the newer faith. On the ^Oth of January, 1817, Rev. Martin Parris, a native of Halifax, and a graduate of Brown University in 171)0, was ordained as the ninth pastor of the church. The character of his ordination and the theological coinplexiun of its participants attest'the attitude of both Mr. Parris and the people. Of the nine churches taking part iu tiie ordaining council, seven were either then ur after- Wards became Unitarian, and only two were Orcliodox. Of the clergymen who took part in the exercises, Zephaniah Willis, of Kingston, who preached the sermon, James Kendall, of Plymouth, who made the consecrating prayer, John Allyuc, of Duxbury, whu gave the charge, and Elijah Leonard, of MarshHeld, who gave the right hand of fellowship, were Unitarians, and Neliemiah Thomas, who made the introductory prayer, and Abel Richmond, who made the concluding prayer, were Orthodox. Neitlierpastor nor people, however, long pursued this uncertain and doubtful course. The current of the pastor's mind ran in harmony with that of the minds of his congregation, and the current of their minds ran in harmony with his. Some years before the close of his ministry, which occurred in 163U, both pastor and people somewhat retraced their steps, and since that time the old church has been definitely settled iu its place as a member ol the orthodox body. Mr. Parris retired from Marshfield to Kingston, and there died, Nov. 15, 1830, at the age of seventy-three.

Before the successor of Mr. Parris was selected, the condition of the church rendered it neces.sary to establish definitely its theological posiliuii. Twenty candidates were heard, some Unitarian and some Orthodox, but finally the evangelical elements of the society prevailed, and Mr. Seneca White, a native of Sutton and a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1818, was installed on the 8th of August, 1838. Mr. White had been previously settled seven years in Bath and five years in Wiscasset, Maine, and married Elizabeth S. Winslow, daughter of John and granddaughter of Dr. Isaac Winslow, of Marshfield. Previous to his settlement the present house of worship was erected, and the dedicatory and installing services were mingled. The names of the clergymen who took part on the occasion - Lucius Aldeo, Richard S. Storrs, Elijah Dexter, Martin Parris, Martin Moore, Paul Couch, and E. G. Howe - suggest the evangelical stand the church had now determined to take. The ministry of Mr. White, tllou^h useful, was short, and terminated on the 1st of May, 1817. After his retirement, necessitated by protracted ill health, he lived for u time iu Marshfield, and after- ward.-i in Aiuhcrsc, N. H. Ik- died in tlie latter place ' Jan. 11, 1S65, and was buried in the "old burialground" in the furmer, among the graves of the ancestors of his wife.

REV. GEORGE LEON.^UD. Rev. George Leonard is a lineal descendant of .James Leonard, one of two brothers wlio came to herst College in 1839, was installed Oct. 30, IBoO, i '" early days of the colony from I'onand still, in the full vigor of middle life, is courage- I ^yP°°^' County of Monmouth, Wales. This James oubly bearing the burdens and faithfully performi")g ' ^^°"^'''l ^as connected with the first iron forges the duties of his ministry. He may well be proud | -^'''^"«="^ '" America. Both in Europe and Amcricu of his connection with a church whose fountain and | '''"^ Leonards have for centuries been prominent in current have been such marked features in the life j ^''" "'°" business, and they were interested in most, of the Old Colony, and the church may congratulate ' '* °"' ^"' "^ ''"^ iron-works established in America itself that, at the end of two hundred and fifty years, j '^"'"'"S '''« first century of its civilization, its dignity is sustained and its prosperity and future ' ^ ^'"^ family are descended through two lines fnjni welfare are kept constantly at heart by one so worthy , ^^^- ^^ England, through two of his sons, - of a place in the line of its ministry. 1 '^^^^ °^ Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and Tiiomas population of Marshfield was 1157, in 1855 it w;ls 1876, in 1865 it was 1809, and by the last State census, 1817, divided into 473 families, occupying 423 dwellings, while 123 dwellings were unoccupied. Of this population 522 were born out of town, 33 were engaged in government and professional work, 532 in domestic labors, 77 in trade and transportation, 216 in agriculture and fishing, 313 in manufactures and mechanical work, 4 were ministers, 2 physicians, 2 teachers, 7 clerks, 6 were in express business, 2 were master mariners, 12 were sailors, 37 merchants, 1G5 farmers, 9 blacksmiths, 15 bootmakers, 54 carpenters, 7 painters, 114 shoemakers, 14 ship-carpenters.

Within the last few years the prosperity of the town has been somewhat enhanced by the construction of the railroad connecting it with Boston and Plymouth and by the settlement of summer residents which has been gi-aduaJly estending along its shores. To the former enterprise the town, in its corporate capacity, subscribed seventy-five thousand dollars, and afterwards sold its interest in tlie road to the Old Colony and Newport Railroad corporation for the sum of five thousand dollars. For the extin"uishhonesty, unpretentious lives, and their hatred of all shams and hypocrisies. James Leonard and his =uiis often traded with the Indians, and were on such good terms with them that when war broke out King Philip gave special instructions to his men " never to hurt the Leonards." Thomas^ the son of James', came to this country with his father when a small boy, and worked with him in the forge. He was a pliysieiaii, deacon, justice of the peace, major, town clerk, and at one time (1702-13) judge of the Court uf Common Pleas. His fourth son was Deacon Samuel, who was a man of distinguished piety, and held the oUices ofdeacon, captain, and justice of peace. Deacon Elijah was his son, and resided at Rayuham, near the old forge. This Elijah was the father of Rev. Klijah Leonard, who graduated at Yale College ( 1783), and married. May 13, 1792, Molly Wales Fobcs, daughter of Rev. Dr. Fobes, and settled in the ministry at Marshfield, where he was in active service forty-five years, and where he resided till his death. He was succeeded in the ministry by his son, Uuv. Geor-u Leonard, whose portrait appears in this volume. The following sketch of Rev. George Leonard is from tarily the charge of his parish, and withdrew from regular )irul'usdiuniil wurk, although he at times preached iu his old puljiil. assisted bis biotlicr iiiioi.^ters, and till his death perluiiiitid Uiucb pastoral work in the parish. It was his custom at ll»c beginning of each new year to preach a sermon to his former parishioners, in which lie reminded them of the events and change of the last year, sought to impress on their minds the importance of s)*lritual realities, and exhort them to piety and virtue. Some of these discourses he had printed. His father's miitistry of forty-tive years, added to his of twentyiivo, make seventy years as the length of the pastorate of the fatlicr and son.