Newton Township

Newton Township

Signed, sealed, published and deviared to be the last will and testament of the Isrc ? Newton in presence of John Bulkley, Thomas Toziar. James Jones.

This will was proved Aug. 2, 1745, at which time the Colchester records give a list of his property which in value amounted to 2,398 Pounds, 4 Shillings, 11 Pence. His household goods and personal property follows:

Four Bibles, law book, Psalm book, dictionary, Mayher's book Grammar, 19 Paper Books, parlour bed and furniture, case of draws, small case of books, bread chest, trunk, desk, case of bottles, lent currains, round table, two looxing glasses, 4 pictures, the desk, black table, 4 new black chairs, 3 black chairs, 1 cane back't chair, 5 small chafing dish, turet, grid iron, tongs and peal, great tramil, little tongs, spet, great steelyards, bax iron and heaters, two iron brass-candlestick, great pot and hooks, hooks, iron kettle, brass kettle, warming pan, great bason, 4 pewter plates, 4 plates, quart cup, tankard, punch bowl, tea-cup-spoons, 7 spoons, 6 tea spoons, 2 silver spoons, 5 dripping pans, butter tub, trenchers, knot dishes, 4 peelers, 2 pails, hand pail, churn, 2 butter tubs, cheese tub, three bottles, can, brown ticken bed, bedstead and rope, two sheets and bolster case, streaked blanket, flock and feather bed bolster, bedstead & rope, one coverlid and sheets, case, 1 bed bolster and pillows, bedstead cord and matt, Lester head cloth valants, two sheets, pillow beim and bolster case, 1 flock and feather bed to ticken, card and matt, two sheets and two pillows and bolster, chest, fringed rug, three blankets, coverlid, table cloth, two towels, 12 napkins, great wheel, 1 wool comb, hatchet, taylor sheer, small round table, two stands, 2 Brittan pots, 1 pair of leather iron bars, 1 calf skin, Clery & Pin, spade, 9 barrels, one gun, the tent, the feathers, 2 sheep to be added one note from Sam O. Olinster June 2. In old tenor, his wearing clothes, red coat, jacket, briches, hat, cape and wig, Duroy coat and Briches, plate button coat, black coat, great coat, broadcloth jacket, Fustian coat, plain cloth coat, white Holland coat, Brown Ho!- land coat and briches, leather briches with plate buttons, black rosed hatt, dark gray wig, little wig, 4 rufiled shirts, 1 Holl shirt, ) stocks, Holland cape, cotten stockings, purple blue stockings, pr. gloves and cane, silver shoe buckles, knee buckles, gold butts, silves butts, 15 bus. Indian corn, 8 bus. wheat, 1 p. of wool, 223 O of cheese, one sad!e, woman sadle, one old sadle, bridles and haltevs, pipe, hogs, 4 hollow tubs, 1 pr. hog tubs, three barrels meat, tuys, peperidge tub, £ hogs meal sline, turrill, 3 trays, 5 barrels, one hogshd, two-third of barrel of pork, one and one-half bu. salt, spectacles, tea cups and bowls, one pitcher, great hog, sow, small hog and 7 pigs, two oxen, bull, fat cow, Cambo, brindle heifer and ealf, Rose, Poosh, Vilet, Buxom, Blackeye, Blossom, Pink, Cleary, Wells, cow Pinnach to Begert, yoke 2 yr. old steers, 2 heifers, yoke 2 years old steers, 7 calves 9 years old, black mare, black horse, crow colt, Ashael mare, sorrel mare & colt, Israel mare, great chain, yoke and irons, Dutch plow, cart wheels and irons, Dave, Nero, Cloe, knives, forks, three pair woolen sheets, 1 one-half bushel, tallow, 2 hogs, loom and qu ll, wheel & Swift Scullet, shettles, 97 sheep, 1 Eng. plow, frying pan, best axe, old axe and iron, the land on east side of Lime road, stave maker's tools, old plush seated saddle, buttewings and wedges, horse chain und hoop, old plow and irons, hand saw, 2 scythes and tackling, 3 pitch forks, one axe, one sickle, stone hammer, razor, 283 O of cheese, one hire and two ealf skins not prised in the back or at tanners, onc stack of hay added a cane, one cow portmanteau. Sum tota reads as follows; "In Memory of Major Israel Newton who died at the Siege of Cape Breton on the 24 day of May A. D. 1745, Aetatis 5l, And here are deposited the Remains of Mrs. Hannah Newton, his Widow and Retort who denarted this life on the 98th day of May A. D. 1750 in the sstn year of her age."

Four or five attempts to take the island battery, which commanded the entrance to the harbor had failed. The failure is talked of among the troops; a party of voluntecrs, after the fashion of Indian expeditions, under a chief of their own electioz, enlist for a vigorous attack by night; ''but now Providence seemed remarkably to frown upon the affair.'' The assailants are discovered; a murderous fire strikes their boats before they Jand; only a part of them reach the island, a severe contest for near an hour ensues, those who can reach the boats escape, with the loss of sixty killed and one hundred and sixteen taken prisoners

To annoy the island battery, the Americans, under the direction of Gridley of Boston, with persevering tcil, erect a battery near the north cape of the harbor, on the Light House Clif, while, within two hundred yards of the city, trenches had been thrown up near an advanced post, which, with guns from the royal battery, played upon the northwest gate of Louisburg.

Still no breach had been affected, while the lubors of the garrison were making the fortification stronger than ever. The expedition must be abandoned, or the walls of the city scaled The naval officers, who had been joined by several ships of war, ordered from England on the service, agree to sail into the harbor and bombard the city while the land forces are to attempt to enter the fortress by storm. But, strong as were the works, the garrison was discontented, and Duchambon, their commander, ignorant of his duties. The Vigilant, a French ship of sixty-four guns, laden with military stores for his supply, was deccyed by Prentis of the Defence, and Douglas of the Mermaid, into the English fleet, and, after an engagement of some hours, was taken, in sight of the besieged town. The desponding governor sent out a flag of truce, terms of capitulation were accepted, on the seventeenth of June, the city, the fort, the batteries, were surrendered: and a New England minister soon preached in the French chapel. As the troops, entering the fortress, beheld the strength of the place, their hearts, for the first time, sunk within them. ''God has gone out of the way of his common providence,"' said they, ''in a remarkable and almost miraculous manner, to incline the hearts of the French to give up and deliver this strong city into our hands.'? When the news of success reached Boston, July 3, the bells of the town were rung merrily and all the people were in transports of joy.

Oct. 4, 1745, Lothrop wrote Gov. Law that the Duke of New Castle notified them ''Grete acclemation of joy in London, English troops immediately sent Gen. Pepperrell made Knight and Bar:onett and that Nels and 21 men had been sent home reducing their number to 300."

This same Duke of New Castle, Prime Minister, when first asked to send Warren with his ships, had said, ''Oh yes - yes - to be sure Annapolis must be defended - troops must be sent to Annapolis. Pray where is Annapolis? Cape Breton an Island! Wonderful! Show it to me onthe map. Soitissure enough. My dear sir, you always bring us good news. I must go tell the King that Cape Breton is an Island."'

Gen. Roger Wolcott

He had marched with Nicholson from Albany in 1711-0n the projected invasion of Canada, being then Deputy Commissary of the Cons necticut quota of the troops. In 1°45 he was 66 years old. He was the 2nd oldest man with the expedition, Mr. Moody being the oldest. During the expedition he was sick but in June commenced a diary, the original being in the possession of the Connecticut Historical Society and published in volume, one of their collection.

Connecticut At Louisbourg, 1745

tion of Independence' The Connecticut Historical Society have a genealogy of the family. At the request of the President of one of the New England colleges he wrote a history of the important events of his life which has also been published.

"Thursday 18 - I went to Millers to wait on Dept. Gov. Majr. Genl. Woolcott who is come from Cape Breton in Dove of Midletown, one of the transports. Several sick some well persons come near about 80.

Tuesday 15 Nicholus Clark, son of Mr. John Clark of Hartford, returning from Cape Breton, died towards night at M. Roberts. One soldier from Cape Breton buried Oct. 1.

Tuesday, July 1 - .\ Schooner came in from Cape Breton with soldiers, about 50 which are the last of our men. Some few have enlisted there for three years

_ Monday 28 - News is come of the death of my nephew, John Edgecomb, at Cape Breton about a month since, and Mr. Backus ye Minster and Do (st) Tozar and divers others."

We also learn from reports made by two Captains that one Company had lo Indians, another 8, and these Indians were weary and desired to be sent home.

David Wooster, Capt. from Connecticut, was retuined among those that garrisoned the fortress at Louisburg. He afterward took charge of a Cartel-Ship for French and England. In England he was received with marked honor, presented to the King and became a favorite of the Court. He and Seth Pomery were made Brigadier Generals in the battle, April 27, 1775, in an attack on General Tyron and was much lamented. Congress decreed a monument to his memory. The bullet that killed him was years later found in his grave and is in the Connecticut Historical Rooms.

Connecticut At Louisbourg, 1740 John Prentis

I have 80 men on board and all ready to saile Excepting powder, our rigging is bad and there is none to be had hear, if your hon' will please to order 5 or 6 hundred weight of flax I can have it made Directly, we must have spare rigging in case of an ingagement wheare we must Expect to have our rigging Cut to Pieces.and if we have none to reave and mend we must suffer. I shall strictly observe ye Hon' orders from time to time. I remain ye Hon' most Obed Humble Serv.

Prentis was ordered home by Gov. Law and in turn by Lothrop, Sept. 28, 1745, but Shirley had gone to take personal charge at Louisburg and would not let him go. He however arrived in New London . .

in October and wrote Gov. Law that his men were ''weak and low and beg to be discharged" that he had buried 21 of his men and had only 40 that belonged to the Sloop.

Oct. 30, 1745, Law wrote to Prentis that the Assembly had chosen him to be agent to '"'Repair with convenant speed to Great Britain to transact ye affairs of obtaining for the Colony the Reimbursement of the expences of the expedition'? and in case of refusal or hinderance, Col. Bulkley could go in his place, but John Prentis did not refuse to go.

marricd Sarah, daughter of the Hon. Christopher Christophers in 1737 and died in London, England, January 1746-7. The General Assembly by a vote of Feb. 7th, 1744-5, ordered 50 men to be immediately raised in Connecticut by voluntary enlistment to join the forces of the expedition against Cape Breton. The sloop Defence was to be equipped and manned and to sail as a convey with the transports. .

The land forces were ordered to New London to embark and to return to New London to disband. The troops embarked Saturday, April 13th, and the next day at one o'clock the fleet sailed. It consisted of the Colonial sloops of Connecticut and Rhode Island, four other sioops, two brigs, and one schooner.

In October, after the capture of Louisburg, Captain Prentis returned to New London in the colony sloop. Of his crew of one hundred men not one had fallen by the sword but a fourth part had died of disease. .

Captain Prentis in the sloop Defence had made a part of the naval force and was with the fleet in actual service at the time that the rich pr'zes were taken. In April 1746 he accompanied Mr. James Bowdoin of Boston to England to urge the claim of the provincial seamen to a share of the prize money which was withheld by Admiral Warren. The admiralty allowed the claim and placed the British and provincial vessels on the same footing.

But Captain Prentis while awaiting the decision of the court, made an excursion into Cornwall to visit the Edgecombs cf Mount Edzecomb, being invited thither to partake of the Christmas festivities. While absent on his tour he took the small-pox, of which disease he died after his return to London in January 1746-7.

Bavomeltol Ta Toottoemos

While it may be possible that Prentis was successful in obtaining for the men of the Defence the share of money due them, the State of Connecticut never received anything from England.

After the capture of the place a call was made to Connecticut for more troops and Connecticut voted to raise 300 additional men and in all the colony furnished 1100 men to the expedition and the garrisoning of Louisburg and paid their expenses out of the colonial treasury. in 1748 Parliament granted money to reimburse the colonies for expenses on account of Louisourg 14183649 it is claimed reached Boston but Connecticut never received any of this or any other reimbursement. On returning from Louisburys the men brought with them an iron cross, 22 inches x 30 inches, 7-16 thick, supposed to have come from the Parish Church of the Recollets oz Convent de Notre Dame. Some historians claim this cross stood in the market place or square. The cross was evidently hand made and is now in the 'Treasure room of Harvard University library. I have seen this cross. The bottom of it is now flattened and two holes through the upright bar at base for fastening in place. It is claimed these holes were made since it reached Boston. Another cross from Burying Ground, is in Chateau de Ramegay, Montreal, Canada.

It is a historical fact that the colonial forces were much disappointed at finding so little of value when Louisburg was taken. They expected that there would be very much plunder to divide and they

The story of the buried treasure amounting to nearly two millions in gold coin and bullion is well known to all who have ever visited Louisburg, and the facts have been told and retold by the old-timers who have had it handed down from father to son for generations.

During the great siege of 1745, which finally ended in the fall of the strong fortress of Louisburg, fabulous sums of money were sent Out from France to aid the French in their defence of the fort, and to pay the soldiers. Louisburg being the nearest port to France the vessels usually landed their treasure at the fortress. When after months of fighting, the Colonial troops finally gained the upper hand, and the French troops were forced to evacuate the fort, they loaded their gold and bullion on an ox-wagon and fled for their ships. While crossing a small bridge over a pond near the fort, it is legendary that one of the teams broke down and that being closely pressed, rather than allow the gold to fall into the hands of the Colonials, the French Commander ordered that it be thrown over the bridge into the pond. This was 'done, according to the story, and many people believe that since 1745 this vast sum of money has been lying at the bottom of this pond. The finding of a few old Freuch coins near this pond at different times has strengthened the belief that the treasure is there.

Local tradition tells of several ineffectual attempts to secure the treasure, one of these being to the effect that many years ago this pond was drained of water, and a man lowered to the bottom. On the bottom he landed on the iron chest, and the anxious watchers above heard his joyful shout of ''I've got her now!"' but, according to the story, he had no sooner uttered the words than immediately there was a great clap of thunder, a strong smell of sulphur arose, and amid a great cloud of smoke the chest disappeared.

An effort was made some eighty years ago by a company of Quebec capitalists to recover the treasure, and they spent some time about Louisburg trying to get the gold by means of a great coffer dam, which completely surrounded the pond: They tried to pump the water out, but the soil was too marshy, and the water seeped in from below faster than they could take it out.

gigantic pump has been installed near the pond, and is working night and day. It is estimated that there were between two and three million gallons of water in the pond when the work was started, and some three hundred thousand gallons have been pumped out.

The story as given above, and which is firmly believed by a large number of people, is a vesy old legand of the town of Louisburg. A historic episode given in connection with the triaiof Intendant Bigot, who was in charge of affairs at Louisburg at the time upsets this legend. Bigot, who was afterwards promoted to the position of Intendant at Quebec, was accused of having stolen large sums of money from the French government, and after being tried in France was condemned. As a defence he pleaded long, and up to that time, faithful service to the French government, and among other things told of having saved this same chest of gold which is now being searched for, by stating that it was the property of the merchants of Louisburg, and the money did not belong to the state. According to his story the chest, with its contents was put on board ship and sent back to France.

The Sidney Record of June 17, 1912, published the following description of the Louisburg Hospital of 1730, where the sick and wounded of 1745 were cared for:

A very interesting plan copied from the original in the National Library, Paris, has been shown the Record by Mr. Albert Almon, of Glace Bay. This plan shows the first floor and yards, also elevations of the King's Hospital, Louisburg, C. B., which was conducted by the Brothers ot Charity, who very often acted as nurses, physicians and spiritual advisers in case of necessity.

This hospital was a large well constructed building of solid masonary with timber roof, two story clear in front and same in rear with the addition of a basement to each wing. The institution occupied a whole city block two hundred and sixty feet by two hundred feet. The hospital covered all the frontage on Dauphen Street, two hundred and sixty feet and extended with all wings seventy feet on both Pond and Desenting Streets. The wards were four in number one hundred by twenty-five feet with a capacity of one hundred and four beds, twenty-five each in two wards and twenty-seven each in the other two. Added to this were six private beds for attendants or private patients. The wards were heated and ventilated by large open hearths of which there were fourteen in the whole building. The main entrance on Dauphin street continued through building yard and gardens to Royal street in the back, the elevation of first floor from street line was two feet, approached by three stone steps. Immediately at the main entrance were the ward entrances each twelve feet wide, directly in the rear or right side was the main stairway to the upper hall and wards. Also in this section of the building were located the offices, lavatories 'and other rooms of administration as well as a private chapel.

At the corner of Dauphin and Descating were located private rooms with corridor and entrance to yards and gardens, also this part had stairways to room above. In the opposite corner, Dauphin and Pond streets, was located the hospital chapel and vestry, also private rooms with outlet to yards and garden. No kitchen or work rooms were shown in this first floor plan. These were supposed to be in basement of wings, as the wells are shown near the foundation walls of tnese wings. At the corner of Pond and Royal and Pond and Descating Sts. were two well shaped buildings, stone and timbered roof, one story high and fifty feet on each street. One building was provided with a well, bath, iavatories, etc., while the other had only the outer walls with only one partition. The yard back of hospital ran out as far as the hospital wells and was same as Dauphin street level. This was protected by a retaining wall six or seven feet high. From this leve) or yard to the gardens were four inclines two in center and one at each wing. The gardens were fenced with pailings as also were the smaller yards from the two smaller buildings in corners of Pond and Descating streets.

All spaces on street lines between buildings were inclosed by 4 stone fence or wall fifteen feet in height, the highest part of the building from ridge to street line was forty feet, added to this was a spire 40 feet, surmounted with 4 weather vane and rooster. All corners of the different buildings were ornamented with Fleur de lis.

Any one visiting the old ruins can be shown the remains of this large building and trace out the different sections on plan according to the different sizes of heaps of remaining stone.

Jeremiah Miller Jr. of New London, appointed March 1745, Commissary and Muster Rolls, wrote Gov. Law Aug. 27, asking permission "To depute some capable person to act in my behalf that I may return for a little respit.'? He gave his power of attorney to Nathan Whiting, born Windham, 1724, graduated at Yale College 1743 and died

Nathan Whiting's complete list of the men on roll when turned over to him and dates of death of those dying after that date are published in Connecticut Historical Collection, Volume XIII. The list of the Connecticut dead obtained from this and other sources, all buried at Louisburg, are as follows:

In conversation with a friend of mine returning from the Boer war, he said that it was impossible to express how good the green fieids looked to him after being for more than 4 year in Africa. Doubtless it would be hard to describe the feelings of the sick men from Louisburg when they returned to New London or sailed up the beautiful Connecticut River to Middletown.

It is a matter of history that the officers were not strict and that not a single man was disciplined during the siege. Some part of this may be due to the fact that in Colonial days the officers of the train bands were elected by popular choice at a training day properly ''6worned for."? However there was more or less ill feeling at times among the men.

Vaughan of New Hampshire wrote home June 19, 1745: 'I havo lived in great bitterness of mind and have cheerfully done my duty at the same time despite those who chose to fret me. It is also known that Warren wrote Pepperrell several times and asked him why he did not do something.

In the Revolutionary War the descendants of Pepperrell were Torys and fled the country, their estate being confiscated by the Colonies. Connecticut, as one writer expressed it, was 4 "hot bed of patriotism."'

Oliver, the son of Roger Wolcott, signed the declaration of independence. When in July 1776 the American soldiers puiled down and broke in pieces the leaden eqnestrian statue of George the Third, which stood in the Bowling Green, New York, the greater portion Was sent to Oliver Wolcott to be converted into bullets. This service was prrformed by a son and two daughters of Wolcott. The statue furnished material for forty-two thousand bullets. A letter of the time to Gates

It is noted further in regard to David Wooster that he was with Arnold at Capture of Ticonderoga and that he was born at Stratford, Conn., March 2, 1710, graduated Yale College 1738. In 1740 married Miss Clapp, daughter of the President of Yale, and that while Congress ordered a monument, the Connecticut legislature actually erected it.

Pepperrell's report to the British government shows all the officers present at time of the taking of Louisburg. The Connecticut men were as follows:

It would appear that Wolcott wrote Pepperrell, making some complaint in regard to the report to the British Government, for Pepperrell wrote Wolcott from Louisburg, Dee 13, 1745, saying he was glad he had arrived safely with his dear family and had recovered his health and said he had tried to. be a common Father to them all, whether from Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Connecticut. He further advised that "Upwards of 400 brave men have died since we came to this city,'' owing largely to the fact that there was not ''a home in town but was damify'd by our shott that we could not lye dry on our beds'? There was also complaint that Rhode Island had not done her share toward the expedition and inquiry was made of Wolcott. In reply he advised that Rhode Island sent their guard ship, "The Tartar,"? under Cap. Daniel Fones, mounted with 14 carriages, 12 swivel and 90 men and on the trip a French war vessel was sighted and the Tartar led her away from the fleet and kept her in chase all day and got rid of her at night and that without this help from the Tartar doubtless the fleet would have been lost as the Defence with her 12 carriage guns and 12 swivel would not alone have been able to protect them.

Monday, 3d. The general with some of his officers went on board the Commodore. Nothing was coucluded upon. We heard the enemy had beset Annapolis. A vessel arrived from Boston with 4 thirteen inch mortar and some powder

Tuesday, 4th. The sickness much abated. Our scout under Maj. Gilman killed a Frenchman and brought in 17 prisoners. - - - - Borch landed his carriages at the light-house, and from the two-gun battery red-hot shot were discharged into the town; the mortar was carried to the cahorn battery.

Wednesday, 5th Col Gorham's regiment got forward the lighthouse battery; in the night a deserter came from the city, who says the inhabitants are 3000, of whom 700 are soldiers, 100 of whom would desert if they had opportunity, that they are resolved to hold out to the last, that their provisions will last until September, that we had killed and wounded about ninety in the town, ----

..-- We are now ready for landing 3250 men for the land service | furnished with 16 18-pounders, 2 nine-pounders, 3 mortars, 1 thirteen, 1 eleven, and 1 nine-inch diameter, and a suitable number of shot and. shell, with about 500 barrels of powder. --- -

{This action will appear to be such a conquest as we seldom meet with in history, if we consider the smallness of the army, how ill they were provided, with other circumstances, together with the strength of the fortifications they overcame. .

---- When we sat down before it there were 1700 defenders mustered in arms; it cost us 49 days siege, in which time we bore the continual fire of the enemy, ---- 3 - 2. --+ We discharged 9657 great shot and shells against the town, besides small shot in abundance, and 'tis supposed the fire of the enemy did equal if not succeed ours; in the last 24 hours of the firing they sent 74 large shells to our batteries, and several of them fell in the trenches, the ground about our batteries was plowed up like a cornfield, and the earth as it were covered with broken shells. and yet we lost not 20 men by the fire from the town, and about 130 in all,

Wolcott had returned to Connecticut at the time of the death of the most of those shown in preceding list so there can be no doubt the 130 he referred to were those that died in the taking of Louisburg only. Where those 130 are buried I believe is not known.

It is of interest however that Bronze Medals made from cannon taken from wreck of a French boat in Louisburg harbor were made for subscribers of the fund for the monument on Point Rochfort.

When the Treaty of Peace was signed at Aux la Chapelle, Louisburg was given back to France so that all the loss of life and expense to the Colonies was without benefit to them. Men believed that England, from motives of policy, desired France to retain possession. "There is reason enough for doubting whether the king, if he had the power, would wish to drive the French from their possessions in Canada.'"? Such was public opinion at New York in 1748, as preserved for us by the Swedish traveler, Peter Kalm. "The English colonies in this part of the world," he continues, '"'have increased so much in wealth and population that they will vie with European England. But to maintain the commerce and the power of the metropolis, they are forbid to establish new manufactures which might compete with the English; they may dig for gold and silver only on condition of shipping them immediately to England; and have, with the exception of a few fixed places, no liberty to trade to any parts not belonging to the English dominions, and foreigners are not allowed the least commerce with these American colonies Andthere are many similar restrictions. These oppressions have made the inhabitants of the English colonies less tender towards their mother land. This coldness is increased by the many foreigners who are settled among them, for Dutch, Germans and French are here blended with English and have no special love for Old England. Besides, some people are always discontentep and love change, and exceeding freedom and prosperity nurse an untamable spirit. I have been told, not only by native Americans, but by English emigrants, publicly, that, within thirty or fifty years, the English colonies in North America may constitute a separate state, entirely independent of England. But, as this whole country is towards the sea unguarded, and on the frontier is kept uneasy by the French, these dangerous neighbors are the reason why the love of these colonies for their metropolis does not utterly decline. The English government has therefore reason to regard the French in North America as the chief power that urges their colonies to submission."'