p B41-t CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 3 1924 099 277 687 m ^"^ Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924099277687 HISTORY OF NEW Bedford AND ITS VICINITY 1602-1892. BY LEONARD BOLLES ELLIS SYRACUSE, N. Y. D. MASON & CO., Publishers. 1892. F PREFACE. IT has been a pleasure for many years to delve among the arch- ives of my native city, and from its historic treasures to gather records of incidents and events which occurred in the early years when it was a part of the ancient township of Dartmouth ; to glean from rare documents and papers interesting facts that bear upon its entire history ; and to receive from aged hps, now forever silent, well authenticated traditions and stories of local interest. With the kindly assistance of many fellow citizens, this collection of historic material has been largely extended, and is now presented in this volume. It has been rqy endeavor to give a faithful history ,of New Bedford and its vicinity. L. B. E. CONTENTS, CHAPTER I. FOUNDING AND DESTRUCTION OF DARTMOUTH. Bartholomew Grosnold'a Voyage — ComiDg of the Pilgrims — Purchase of the Territory of Dartmouth from Massasoit and Wamsutta — Copy of the Deed — Allot- ments of Territory — John Cooke's Settlement — Relations of the Colonists with the Indians — Outrages upon the Natives — Cause of the Indian Outbreak — Destruction of the Town — An Early Burial Ground — Location of Block Houses — Thrilling Ex- periences — Ancient Ruins 17 CHAPTER n. THE QUAKERS. Characteristics of the Quakers — Their Reception in Massachusetts Bay — Trans- fer of their Peculiarities from England to the Colonies — Reasons for Strife be- tween Quakers and Colonists — Difference of Attitude in Massachusetts Bay and in Plymouth Towards the Quakers — Catalogue of Persecutions of Quakers — Appeal to the Crown — The Trial and its Decision in favor of the Quakers — Loyalty of the Quakers 31 CHAPTER HI. AFTER THE KING PHILIP WAR. Freemen of 1670 — Increase of Population — Early Officials — Town Proceedings — ^Earty Roadways — Those who took the Freeman's Oath in 1686 — The First Meeting House — Organization of the Monthly Meeting — Early Methods of Punish- ing Malefactors — Bounties for Killing Wild Animals — Early Educational Measures — Building of a Town House — Agitation of Town Division — Records of Soldiers. . . 43 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. BEDFORD VILLAGE. Foundiag of Bedford Village — Joseph Russell's Purchase — John Loudon's Settlement— Benjamin Taber— Other Early Eesidents — Beginning of the Whale Fishery — The Rotch Family — Extracts from Early Dartmouth Records 56 CHAPTER V. DARTMOUTH IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. The Tea Tax and its Consequences — Opposition of the Colonies to the Mother Country — Approach of War — Dartmouth Soldiers on the March — Local Naval Operations — Story from the Pope Manuscript — Exploit of the Sloop Falcon — The Battle in Buzzard's Bay — Bunker Hill — Dartmouth's Records of the Revo- lution — Town Meeting Proceedings Relating to the War 65 CHAPTER VI. REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY CONTINUED. A Celebrated Cipher Letter — Rev. Dr. Samuel West Deciphers it — A Modern Document — Captain Kempton and His Kindness — Many Quaint and Interesting Documents — Rolls of Dartmouth Soldiers — Location of Whipping Posts — Price of Provisions, etc 80 CHAPTER VII. PRIVATEERING IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Characteristics and Attractions of Privateering — The Extent of this Species of Warfare — Dartmouth's Part in It — Beginning of the U. S. Navy Extracts from the Stoddard Papers — Sir Peter Parker's Fleet — Details of Spirited Con- tests gy CHAPTER VIII. THE BRITISH INVASION. Dartmouth's Loyalty— Defenceless Condition of the Town— Anticipatory Prepa- rations— Operations at Newport— The British Fleet and Forces— Terror of the In- habitants— Authentic Incidents of the Invasion— Burning of the Town— Bloodshed — Feeble Defence — The Enemy at Fairhaven , jnq CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER IX. THE BRITISH INVASION CONTINUED. Further Destruction — The Traitor ;,Tupper— A Famous Bible — Suffering and Want that Followed the Invasion — Wretched Condition of the Township after the Raid 128 CHAPTER X. FROM 1779 TO 1 8 10. Town Proceedings During and After the War — Prices of Provisions — The Qua- kers in Belation to the War — Incorporation of the Town and First Officers — Divis- ion of the Town — Opening of Streets — The Small-pox — Measures for its Exter- mination — The First Newspaper — Early Advertisements — Primitive Modes of Travel — Difficulties of Early Maritime Operation&--Public Events of the Period. . 141 CHAPTER XL THE WAR OF 1812. England's Disregard of the Rights of the United States — Impressment of Ameri- can Seamen — The Embargo Act and its Effects- -Opposition to it in New England — Political Strife between Bedford and Fairhaven — Declaration of War — Its Effect upon New Bedford — Measures for Defence — The GonsUtution and Lieutenant Parker —Two Useless Gunboats — The British Brig Nimrod — The ' ' Wagon Brigade. " 158- CHAPTER Xn. WAR OF 1812 CONTINUED. Privateering — New Bedford Harbor a Haven for Privateers and Prizes — The Yankee — Resolutions of the People Concerning Privateering — Defenceless Condi- tion of New Bedford, and the Consequences — Doings of the Mm,rod--The Revenge- Retaliation — Bombardment of Falmouth — Militia Defenders — Attitude of the Friends — False Alarms — The Attack of June 13, 1814 — Details of the Affair — Further Depredations — More of the Nimrod — Opinions of William C. Bryant — A Sad Incident 173- lo CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIII. DARTMOOR PRISON. An Interesting Memento — Impressment of American Seamen — Arrival in New Bedford Harbor of Cartel Ship— A Fragmentary Account of the Arrival — Charles Andrew's Journal — Partial List of Sufferers —Thrillmg Personal Accounts- Joseph Bates's Account — Captain McKenzie's Narrative — Militia Rosters of 1814 — Peace — Enthusiastic Celebration 1"' CHAPTER XIV. AFTER THE WAR OF 1812-I5. A Restrospective View — A Lucid Description of the Buildings and Streets — The Great September Gale — Organization of the Bedford Commercial Bank — Amusements —The Bible Society — MiUtary Matters — Fourth of July, 1823 — Temperance— First Great Fire— Merchants of L820 —Important Occurrences — Necrological Record of First Quarter of the Century 231 CHAPTER XV. 1826-30. "Hard Dig''— A Mysterious Murder— Mob Law— " The Ark''— Origin of the Name — Story of the First Ark Riot — A Second Ark— The Second Riot — The Meir- cury's Account of the Affair — Action of the People, in Town Meeting Assembled, Regarding the Riots — The " Committee of Vigilance " — The Militia 245 CHAPTER XVI. 1830 TO 1840. Events of Interest — The Cholera — Financial Distress — Disastrous Fire — Mili- tary Matters — Disorganization of the Militia — Divers Events — The First Direc- tory — The Pacific Insurance Company — Notable Deaths 266 CHAPTER XVII. FROM 1840 TO INCORPORATION OF THE CITY. Small-pox — The Athenaeum — Notable Events — Death of President Harrison- Proposal to Change Form of Local Government — The New Bedford Guards — Their Uniform — Their First Parade — Their Excursions, Receptions, Visits and Parades — The Old Militia — The Last Parade — A Humorous Incident — Dissolution Of the Guards — The Parker House — Assistance to Fall River Sufferers — Adoption of City Charter— Necrology— Selectmen 1812-46— Street Extension 279 CONTENTS. 1 1 CHAPTER XVIII. FROM THE INCORPORATION OF THE CITY TO THE CIVIL WAR. Adoption of City Charter— First Officers Under the New Government— Inaugu- ration Ceremonies — Events of Interest — The Dudley Davenport Fire — Summary of Bvlnts — Burning of Liberty Hall — Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law— the How- land Street Riot— The Water Street Fire— Opening of New Streets— Necrology . . 300 CHAPTER XIX. NEW BEDFORD IN THE CIVIL WAR. Loyalty of New Bedford — Early Response to the First Call for Troops — De- parture and Service of the City Guards — The Roster— Harbor Defences — The Ladies' Relief Society — Company D, Twenty-third Regiment — Fifth Battery — The Stone Fleet — The Thirty-third Regiment — The Thirty-eighth Regiment — The Third Regiment M. V. M. — The Fifty-fourth Regiment — New Bedford's Maritime Losses — Company B, Third Heavy Artilllery — Company B, Fourth Cavalry — The Fifty-eighth Regiment — Peace — The Assassination of President Lincoln — The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument — New Bedford in the Navy — Lieut. W. P. Ran- dall and the Gumherland — Thomas Almy of the Wachusett — The Tecumseh Incident — Naval Officers from New Bedford 316. CHAPTER XX. FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT. The Two-Hundredth Anniversary and its Celebration —Address sent to Dart- mouth, England — Establishment of Water Works — Development of Manufactures — Minor Incidents— Fourth of^July Celebration in 1876 — Estabhshment of Various Manufacturing Institutions — Necrology — Statistics of Growth — City OfBcers from 1847 to 1891 36ff CHAPTER XXI. TOWNS ADJOINING NEW BEDFORD. Original Territory of Dartmouth— The Act of Separation — Fairhaven — West- port — Dartmouth — Acushnet 391 12 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXII. THE WHALING INDUSTRY. Beginning of the Industry— Early Whale Pishing in Massachusetts — Orders and Rules Governing the Fishing — The Industry at Nantucket — The First Sperm j Whale — The Havoc Made by French and Spanish Privateers — Founding of the Industry at Dartmouth — Log Book of the Belsty — Expense of Fitting Out — Records Previous to the Revolution — Unjust Restrictions — Burke's Defence of the Whalers — British Invasion — Re-estabhshment of the Industry by the Rotch Family — Prosperity — The War of 1812 and its Discouraging Effects — Rapid In- crease of Vessels and Financial Success of the Industry up to 1858 — Effect of the Oalifornia Gold Discovery on Whaling — Petroleum — The War of the Rebellion and the Losses Occasioned by It — Renewal of Whaling after the War — The Disaster of 1871— The Calamity of 1876 — The First Steam Whaler — Thrilling Expe- rience — Hon. Weston Howland's Account — Incidents — Profitable Voyages. 401 CHAPTER XXIII. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. Character of Early Mechanics — John Loudon's Ship Yard, 1760 — First Me- chanics — Nevir Bedford as a Cotton Manufacturing City — Population — Capital Invested — Number of Establishments and Employees — Value of Manf aotured Product — Brief Sketches of Various Industries — The Wamsutta Mills — Their Growth and Development — The Potomska Mills — The Acushnet Mills — The Hathaway Manufacturing Company — The City Manufacturing Company — The New Bedford Manufacturing Company — The Howland Mill Corporation — The Bennett Manufacturing Company — The Grinnell Manufacturing Corporation — The Oneko Woolen Mills — Early Cordage Factory — The New Bedford Cordage Company — The Manufacture of Oil — First Try Houses — Early Oil and Candle Factories — Advent of Petroleum — Modern Methods — Present Oil Works Manufacture of Glass — Silverware — Toys and Novelties — Art Manufactures Early Shoe Factories — Present Boot and Shoe Factories, etc 453 CHAPTER XXIV. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, ETC. The First Railroad — Particulars of its Construction — Its Opening to the Pub- lic — The Road to Pall River — Express Business in New Bedford — The First Telegraph Line — Introduction of the Telephone 495 CONTENTS. 13 CHAPTER XXV. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF NEW BEDFORD. New Bedford as a Financial Center — Elements of its Monetary Stability — The First Banking Institutions — Other State and National Banks — Savings Institutions — Board of Trade 509 CHAPTER XXVI. THE PRESS OF NEW BEDFORD. An Early Field for Journalism — The First Publication in New Bedford — Extracts from Its Contents — The Second Newspaper — Other Early Journals — The Newspapers of the Present Day 522 CHAPTER XXVn. ■N RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. The First Congregational Church of New Bedford — The North Congrega- tional Church — Trinitarian Church — County Street M. E. Church — Fourth Street M. E. Church— The Pleasant Street M. E. Church — The Allen Street M. E. Church — The Primitive M. E. Church — Portuguese M. B. Church - Sec- ond Baptist Church — The Salem Baptist Church — The Bethel African M. E. Zion Church — The Society of Friends — Grace Episcopal Church — St. James Episco- pal Church — North Christian Church — Spruce Street Christian Church — Chris- tian Scientists — Church of the Sacred Heart — St. Hyacinthe Parish— Latter- Day Saints — St. John Baptist Church (Portuguese) — Ladies' City Mission and Early Tract and Missionary Societies — Seaman's Bethel and Port Society — First Presbyterian Church — Rockdale Free Chapel — Cannonville Chapel — Extinct Churches — Charitable and Benevolent Organizations 532 CHAPTER XXVHI. THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NEW BEDFORD. Means for the Maintenance of First Schools —"Pauper " Schools — Final Adoption of Free Schools — Establishment of the High School — Closing of the High School — Re-establishment of the High School — Grading of the Schools — School Visitors — Harrington Training School -Evening Schools — The Sylvia Ann Howland Educational Fund — Review of Public Education — Cost of Public Schools — The Swain Free School — The Friend's Academy — The Aimwell School— The Free Public Library — The New Bedford Lyceum 608 14 CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXIX. BENCH AND BAR. Judicial System of the Early Settlers— Primitive Civil Government — Recourse to Courts — First Attorneys — First Mention of Attorneys by the Legislature — Early Laves Governing Attorneys — Paul Dudley Appointed Chief Justice — Legal Character of the Early Bench — Bristol County Lawyers in 1767 — Members of the Bristol Bar in 1779 — The " Old Colony Bar Association '■' — Members of the Bar in New Bedford in 1834 — Incorporation of Bristol County — Seth Pope, First Justice of the Peace — Thomas Taber — Samuel Willis — Sessions of the Early Courts — New Bedford Established as a Half Shire Town — First Court of Com- mon Pleas — County Buildings, Court House, Jail, etc. — First Police Court — Nathaniel S. Spooner — Present Court House — Present Courts — ^ Early Judges — Edward Pope — Early Lawyers — Timothy G. Coffin — John S. Russell — Lemuel Williams — Charles H. Warren — Ezra Bassett — Thomas D. Eliot — Adam Mackie — H. G. 0. Colby — J. H. W. Page — Joshua G. Stone — John H. Williams — Oli- ver Prescott — George Marston — Lincoln F. Brigham — Robert C. Pitman — Alanson Borden — Short Sketches of Present Lawyers 6 CHAPTER XXX. THE MEDICAL PROFESSION. Formation of Massachusetts Medical Society — Its Membership — District So- cieties — Incorporation of Southern District Medical Society — Change of Name to Bristol South District Medical Society ^ Physicians of New Bedford Members of State Society Prior to 1839 — First Physicians in the Town — Benjamin Burg — Daniel Hathaway — Elisha Tobey — Samuel Perry — Samuel Perry, jr. — Bbenezer Perry — Samuel West — William C. Whitridge — Alexander Reed Elijah Colby — Julius S. Mayhew — Paul Spooner — Aaron Cornish — Lyman Bart- lett — Andrew Mackie — Henry Johnson — John H. Jennings — Charles L. Swasey — William A. Gordon — John H. Mackie 665- CHAPTER XXXI. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF NEW BEDFORD. The First Fire Engine, Independence No. 1 — Citizen No. 2 — The " Jolly Rope- maker," Phoenix No. 4 — Oxford No. 2 — Flood No. 1 of Fairhaven — Columbia No. 3 of Fairhaven — The Bedford Fire Society — Fire Districts and Firewards CONTENTS. IS — Engines Nos. 3 and 4 — Mechanic No. 6 — Battering Rams — Columbian No. 5 — First Engine at the Head-of-the-River — Novelty No. 8 — Failure of Interest in Fire Matters — Reorganization — Philadelphia No. 7 — Hancock No. 9 and Franklin No. 10 — Membership of Companies at Organization of City Grovernment — Demoralization and Reorganization — Disastrous Fires — Ohio No. 3 — Dis- banding of 'Colambian No. 5 — Young Mechanic No. 6 — Veteran Association of Firemen — Palmy Days — Young America No. 8 — Hook and Ladder Companies — The Introduction of Steam — Onward No. 1 — Disbandment of Hand Engine Companies — Progress Steamer No. 2 — Excelsior Steamer No. 3 — Cornelius Howland No. 4 — Franklin Hose No. 1 — Frederick Macy No. 6 — The Firemen's Mutual Aid Society — Firemen's Beneficial Association — The Protecting Society — Hook and Ladder Truck No. 2 — La France Hook and Ladder Truck — Steamer No. 7 — Boards of Engineers : 678 CHAPTER XXXII. MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS OF NEW BEDFORD. The First Musical Organization — The Philharmonic Society and its Career — Introduction of Music in the Pubhc Schools — Organization of the Choral Union The Gentlemen's Amateur Glee Club — New Bedford in the Peace Jubilee — Organization of Choral Association — The Worlds Peace Festival, etc 694 CHAPTER XXXIII. VARIOUS PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. The PoUce Force — Post-office — City Alms-house — Public Amusements — Cemeteries — Police Department, Military, etc., etc , 709 PART II. BIOGRAPHICAL 1 APPENDIX 123 INDEX 139 HISTORY NE^A^ BEDFORD, CHAPTER I. FOUNDING AND DESTRUCTION OF DARTMOUTH. Bartholomew Gosnold's Voyage — Coming of the Pilgrims — Purchase of the Xer- ritory of Dartmouth from Massasoit and Wamsutta — Copy of the Deed — Allot- ments of Territory — John Cooke's Settlement — Relations of the Colonists with the Indians — Outrages upon the Natives — Cause of the Indian Outbreak — Destruction of the Town — An Early Burial Ground — Location of Block Houses — Thrilling Ex- ^ periences — Ancient Ruins. THE history of New Bedford as a definite ^art of the Common- wealth of Massachusetts, and of the old town of Dartmouth, would properly begin with the record that, in the year 1765, Joseph Rotch, who had previously settled on the Island of Nantucket, came here. with his capital, energy, and enterprise to establish himself in the whaling business. He found here upon his arrival a little hamlet, com- prising among its inhabitants Joseph Russell, John Loudon, ship build- ers ; Benjamin Taber, block maker and boat builder; Gideon Mosher, mechanic ; Elnathan Sampson, blacksmith. Under the impulse of these sturdy pioneers, Bedford village was founded and grew. But in order that the reader may gain a comprehensive idea of the immediate locality and of the influences leading to its settlement, it is important to note briefly the march of events for a considerable period prior to the date above recorded, some of which were of vital importance, 3 i8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. not only to the settlement of the locality with which this work is concerned, but to the early settlement of the Atlantic coast and the birth of freedom in the New World. In 1602 Bartholomew Gosnold, with a company of adventurers, sailed in the ship Concord from Falmouth, England, in quest of a more direct route to America than had been traversed by the earlier explorers, and also to establish a plantation on the coast. Rounding Cape Cod, which he named from the abundance of fish he observed near the shores, Gos- nold landed on the west end of an island which he named Elizabeth, in honor of the English Queen. This island is known to the present genera- tion as Cuttyhunk. On a little islet in the pond on that island he built a fort and store-house, and a flat- bottomed boat with which to reach them. While these operations were going on, Gosnold, being desirous of seeing the main land, took several of his companions with him in his bark, crossed the " stately sound " and landed on the shore near Round Hills. They were cordially received by a company of Indians, men, women, and children, who made them presents of " skins of wild beasts, tobacco, sassafras root, turtles, hemp, artificial strings colored (wampum), and such like things." Gosnold found these natives " a fair conditioned people " and " the main the goodliest continent he had ever seen, prom- ising more by far than we any way did expect, for it is replenished with fair fields and with fragrant flowers, also meadows, and hedged in with stately groves, being furnished also with pleasant brooks and beautified with two main rivers." It was this company of adventurers under the leadership of Gosnold, "an active, intrepid and experienced seaman from the west of Eng- land," that may be properly deemed the advance guard in the march of civilization to New England, and their visit to the shores of Dart- mouth as the beginning of its history. In 1620 the Mayflower came to the shores of New England, bring- ing the colony of sturdy men and women who, for conscience's sake, had fled from their native land. Amid hardship and sufifering, the new nation was born that now holds dominion from ocean to ocean. Other vessels, immortalized in history, followed with their companies of people who shared in the early experiences and honors of the new Common- PURCHASE OF DARTMOUTH. 19 wealth founded at Plymouth. Following these came the colonists who settled in Salem in 1628, and those of Massachusetts Bay in 1630. From these and from subsequent settlements went out the bands of pioneers who penetrated the wilderness and forests of New England, who pushed their way to the coast of the Narragansett and Buzzard's Bay, established their homes and farms, and dwelt among the Indians who for many years were the unswerving friends of the white men, but who, from. varied causes, later on became bitter and relentless foes. The friendly attitude of the Indian tribes made it possible to establish centers of civilized communities, and in due time the towns of Duxbury, Scituate, Middleboro, Taunton, and Dartmouth came into existence. In 1652 the territory of Dartmouth was purchased of the good Massr asoit and his son Wamsutta, and the deed was recorded in 1664. It reads as follows : "New Plymouth, November the 29, 1652. "Know all men by these presents, that I, Wesamequen and Wam-sutta my son have sold unto Mr. William Bradford, Captam Standish, Thomas Southwonh, John Winslow, John Cook, and other associates, the purchasers or old-comers, all the tract or tracts of land lying three miles eastward from a river called Cushenagg, to a certain harbor called Acoaksett, to a flat rock on the westward side of the said harbor. " And whereas the said harbor divideth itself into several branches, the westermost arme to be bound, and all tract or tracts of land from the said westermost arme of the said river of Cushenagg, three miles east of the same, with all the profits and benefiis within the said tract, with all the rivers, creeks, meadows, necks and islands that lie in or before the same, and from the sea upward to go so high that the English may not be annoyed by the hunting of the Indians, in any sort of their cattle. And I, Wesamequen and Wamsutta do promise to remove all the Indians within a year from the date hereof that do live in said tract. And we the said Wesamequen and Wamsutta have fully bargained and sold to the aforesaid Mr. William Bradford, Captain Standish, Thomas Southworth, John Winslow, John Cook, and the rest of their associates or old-comers to have and to hold for them and their heirs and assignees forever. ■'And in consideration hereof we the above mentioned are to pay to the said Wesa- mequen and Wamsutta as followeth : " Thirty yards of cloth, eight moose skins, fifteen axes, fifteen hoes, fifteen pairs of breeches, eight blankets, two kettles, one cloth, £22 in wampum, eight pairs stockings, eight pairs of shoes, one iron pot, and ten shillings in another commoditie. "And in witness hereof we have interchangeably set to our hands the day and year above written. In the presence of, Jonathan Shaw, Samuel Eddy. " John Cooke, John Winslow, His Wamsutta i^ H\" — Mark. 20 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. In this connection is also found the following document in records of deeds, Plymouth Colony, book 2, page 107. " The names of those who by order of the purchasers met at Plymouth the seventh day of March, 1652, who by joint consent and agreement of the said purchasers are to have their parts, shares or proportions at the place or places commonly called and known by the names Acushena, alias Acquessent, which entereth at the western end of Weeck- atay and to Ooaksett, alias Acoakus, and places adjacent, to extend three nqiles to the eastward of the most easterly part of the river or bay called Coaksett, lying on the west side of Point Pritt ' and to the most westermost side of any branch'of the aforesaid river, and to extend eight miles into the woods, the said tract or tracts of land so boui\ded as above said, which is purchased of the Indians, which were the right pro- prietors thereof, as appears by a deed under their hands, with all marshes, meadows, rivers, waters, woods, timbers, and other profits, privileges, emunities, commodities and appurtenances belonging to the said tract or tracts above expressed, or any part or par- cel thereof to belong unto the parties whose names are underwritten who are in number thirty-four whole parts or shares, and no more, to them and their heirs and assignees forever. " Mr. William Bradford, one whole part or share. Captain Standish, Mr. John Al- den, Mr. Collier and Sarah Brewster, Mr. Howland and William Bassett, George Mor- ton, Mannasses Kempton, James Hurst, John Dunham, sr., John Shaw, sr., Francis Cooke, John Cooke, Joshua Pratt, George Soule, Constant Southworth, Thomas Southworth, Miss Jennings, Steven Tracye, John Faunce, Henry Sampson, Philip Delanoye, Miss Warren, Robert Bartlett, William Palmer, Edward Dotye, Samuel Hickes, Peter Brown, Francis Sprague, Moses Simons, Samuel Baton, Thomas Morton, Samuel Culbert, Edward Holman, Edward Bumpus. m all thirty-four shares." These were the owners of the whole township of Dartmouth in the year 1652. There were, however, a number of settlers in the township prior to that date. The town of Dartmouth was incorporated in 1664, and sent its first representative, John Russell, to the General Court at Plymouth. John Cooke, a prominent figure in the early history of Dartmouth, was one of the boys of the Pilgrim Colony, and came to this country with his father, Francis Cooke, in the Mayflower, in 1620. He was a Baptist preacher and was the only one of the original grantees who became a resident in the town. He represented the town at Plym- outh Court for six years, was authorized to make contracts of mar- riage, to administer oaths and perform other legal duties, that made iiim one of the important men of the town. His home was located in 1 Gooseberry Neck (Point Prill.) DESTRUCTION OF DARTMOUTH.. 21 Oxford Village, Fairhaven, and its ruins formed the meeting place for Church's soldiers in the prosecution of King Philip's war. Cooke's garrison, of which I shall speak later, was named for him. He died in 1694, and was buried on Burial Hill, Oxford Point, Fairhaven. In 1675 the township of Dartmouth was destroyed by the Indians, its inhabitants put to merciless torture and many of thetn slaughtered in cold blood, while their houses were burned and their farms pillaged. Those who escaped fled to the garrisons for protection and safety. This grave condition of affairs was recognized by the Plymouth Court, and the following order was passed October 14, 1675 : " This Court taking into their serious consideration the tremendous dispensations of &od toward the people of Dartmouth in suflfering the barbarous heathen to spoil and destroy most of their habitations,- the enemy being greatly advantaged thereunto by the unsettled way of living, do therefore order that in the rebuilding and resettling thereof, that they so order it as to live compact together, at least in each village as they may be in a capacity both to defend themselves from the assault of an enemy, and the better to attend the public worship of Grod and the ministry of the word of God, whose careless- ness to obtain and to attend unto we fear may have been a provocation of God thus to chastise their contempt of his gospel, which we earnestly desire the people of that place may seriously consider of, lay to heart, and be humbled for, with a soMcitous endeavor after a reformation thereof, by a vigorous putting forth to obtain an able, faithful dis- penser of the word of God amongst them, and to encourage them therein, the neglect vyhereof this Court, as they may and must, God willing, they will not permit for the future." — Book 5th, Cowrt Orders, page 102. The demoralization of the township was so complete that for a num- ber of years taxes were suspended and the unfortunate people relieved of many burdens. With the death of King Philip terminated the diffi- culties with the Indians in this vicinity, the courage of the people began to kindle and the town again took new life. To comprehend the train of events that culminated in such fearful disasters to the early towns, and especially to Dartmouth, it is impor- tant to investigate the relations of the colonists with the Indians from tha earliest period. The difficulties that beset the Pilgrims in their earliest history were manifold in character and perplexing in the highest de- gree. Fleeing from persecution ^nd outrage in the old world, they met at the very threshold of the new, experiences fraught with suffering, privation, want and death. They found themselves in a land not their own ; with little or no knowledge of its people ; with no organization 22 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. save that of the compact made on the Mayflower ; and with the broad ocean between them and the strong arm of civil and judicial govern- ment. The severity of the climate, the hardness of the soil, and the terrible uncertainties of the future, the successions of sickness and dis- aster, the oppression of isolation, and the distance from their former homes and scenes made the stoutest heart tremble with evil forebod- ings. To all this was added a problem that required nearly a century for its solution, and which continues even to the present time in a meas- ure unsolved — a problem loaded with disgrace and injustice meteyd out to the native of the forest. In 1614, six years before the arrival of the Pilgrims, the master of a ship belonging to Capt. John Smith's expedition had come to " fit for Spain with the dried fish," and added to the cargo " four and twenty poore salvages," whom they carried tq Malaga, where they undertook to sell them into slavery! Many of these were rescued from an untimely fate by Spanish friars, who gave them instruction, treated them as brothers, and taught them in their religious faith. Again, just before the Pil- grims set up their colony at Plymouth, an English captain had enticed a company of Indians on board his vessel and shot them down in cold blood. Regardless of the fact that the early Jesuits had received from the Indians only the kindest treatment, and that Hudson and Champlain were similarly received in the early years of the seventeenth century, the latter opened fire upon the natives near the lake that bears his name and was, according to his journal, " highly pleased at the astonishment and fear created among the few Indians who appeared to him by the sound of the guns and the sucjden death of some of their number." Similar treatment was accorded the natives in other parts of the New World ; and the tale might be indefinitely continued. It is not to be wondered at that three months elapsed after their ar- rival before the Pilgrims saw the faces of the natives of the soil, and when the Indians told their stories of outrage the reasons were clearly apparent why they had delayed so long in communicating with the whites. " P'or," says Governor Bradford, " by all which it may appear how far these people were from peace and with what danger this plan- tation is begun." Prejudged from the very beginning, the early settlers were destined -7^^-?—^/ Vnij-'-ini Htiffpll S ::on:}.jUn^'li:r!, CAUSE OF THE INDIAN OUTBREAK. 23 to suffer untold violence and horrible torture from the Indians ; but their own acts of injustice, their occupation and possession of the land that had been the home and hunting-ground of the natives, went far to intensify the troublesome condition of affairs. From 1623 to 1675 there was a succession of disturbances between the colonists and the Indians. Without doubt the encroachments on their lands, the enmity springing out of the attempt of the English to settle the disputes of the Indians, the frequent acts of injustice and wrong by the white men — all these causes and more, assisted in bringing on the clash of arms. It must be remembered that while the tomahawk, the scalping-knife, and the bow and arrow were the cardinal weapons of the Indians, they had early learned how to use the gun and were well supplied with firearms at the time. The immediate cause of the outbreak that brought such disaster to Dartmouth was the murder of Sassamon, a friendly Indian, who, being in King Philip's confidence, had visited Ph'mouth and revealed to the authorities Philip's hostile intentions. He learned that for a considera- ble period King Philip had been maturing plans for a general destruc- tion of the English settlements. His revelations were at first received with incredulity by the authorities, as matters had for some time been of a peaceful character. They, however, decided to investigate, and in a few days sent for King Philip to appear at Plymouth. This summons not being responded to, it was learned that Sassamon had been mur- dered and his body thrown under the ice into the pond at Middlebor- ough. The suspected Indians were arrested, tried before an English jury and condemned.^ Two days before their execution, April 8, 1675, war dances were held by the Indians (Sagonites) ; and the day after, the squaw sachem, Weetamoo, met Captain Church on Rhode Island and told him that Philip intended to begin a war on the English settle- ments, and had already granted authority to his people to kill the cat- tle of the settlers.2 1 Josiah Winslow states that these Indians acknowledged the fairness of theif trial, and one of them confessed the crime.— il/aji. Hisi. Coll., I, 428. 2 "Philip, better known as Metacomet, was king of the Pokanokets, a tribe occupying that tract of country about Bristol and Mount Hope, and extending to Uttle Compton. When our Pilgrim Fathers landed at Plymouth in 1620 the good Massasoit was king, he who greeted them with a cor- dial welcome, and with whom friendly relations were maintained during his life. He was sue- 24 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. These events were full of significance, and foreshadowed the attacks upon the settlements. The soldiery of the Plymouth and Massachu- setts Bay colonies were being marshaled to resist the savages, but this could not stay the terrible tragedies that ensued. Philip, with his 500 warriors (Pokanokets) and supported by 800 Narragansett Indians, was soon on the war path. Hostilities began on the 29th of June, 1675 (N. S.), with the burning of two houses at Swansea, and then followed in quick succession the attacks upon Middleborough, Taunton, Reho- both, Dartmouth, and other towns. Many of the inhabitants were put to death, while others suffered " exquisite torments and inhumane bar- barities." Farms and plantations were destroyed and cattle killed or brutally mutilated. Many of the townships were destroyed and among them that of Dartmouth. Drake says : " They burnt nearly thirty houses in Dartmouth (a place in New Plymouth Colony), killing many people after a most barbarous manner, as skinning them all over alive, some only their heads, cutting off their hands and feet; but any woman they took alive they defiled, afterward putting her to death by some of these or the like ways." Increase Mather's account states : " Dartmouth did they burn with fire and barbarously murdered both men and women ; stripping the slain, whether men or women, and leaving them in the open field as naked as in the day wherein they were born. Such, also, is their inhu- manity as that they flay off the skin from their faces and heads of those they get into their hands, and go away with the hairy scalp of their enemies." The scattered condition of the inhabitants of Dartmouth made them an easy prey, and their sufferings were extreme. Those who escaped the tomahawk and scalping knife fled to the garrisons for safety and protection There were three of these, one on the north bank of the Apponagansett River, another near the shore just north of the present site of the Riverside cemetery in Fairhaven, and the third was on ceeded by Alexander, the eldest of his two sons . Plottings against the English commenced during his brief reign, and culminated in open war when Phihp came into power. The immediate cause of the outbreak was the hanging of three Indians for the murder of John Sassamon, who had been secretary and chief counselor of King Philip, and had become a professed convert of the Indian apostle, John Elliot. Through him the English obtained much information of King Philip's plots, which so enraged him that he sought Sassamon's death, whom he considered a rebel and traitor." — Drake, LOCATION OF GARRISONS. 25 Palmer's Island. The defenders of these garrisons were few in number, but every man was a soldier, and with matchlock, sword, and hatchet, defended his loved ones from the enemy. The garrison on the north bank of the Apponagansett was known as Russell's garrison, and was situated about a mile from the mouth of the river on the land now (1892) owned by Captain Charles Gifford. The cellars are still as clearly defined as when visited by Drake in 1827. The space indicates that the house was about twenty feet square, with an ell on the south about ten feet square Years ago there were walls of rude masonry about four feet high, with an exit on the northeast corner, leading to a brook near by. On the opposite side of the river, and a little to the southward, is Heath's Neck, where were located an Indian fort and settlement. The Cooke garrison was situated at Oxford Village in Fairhaven, on land now owned by John M. Howland. Its exact location is on the north side of Coggeshall street, six hundred feet from Main street, and on the northwest corner of what is known to-day as the Garrison Lot. A short distance to the southwest is a bountiful spring of water that, no doubt, supplied the inhabitants of the garrison. Thirty years ago the entire field was graded and the excavation filled up. At that time the walls were in good preservadion, and from the cellar many valuable relics were taken that are still in possession of the Howland family. Among them were three pewter spoons with iron handles, a number of arrow heads, flint stones from which it is evident that arrow heads had been chipped ; several stone tomahawks, a cylindrical block of stone ten inches long that was probably used in crushing corn, a small deer horn, a boar tu.sk, fish hook, stone chisel, and, what is more curious than all, an iron key eight inches long, rude in construction and corroded with rust. About five hundred feet from this garrison, and near the shore, was an Indian settlement and burying ground, the latter a mound seventeen feet high. Forty- five years ago a number of skeletons were here unearthed. Among them was one in sitting posture, with elbows on the knees, wampum wound about the wrists, and a brass kettle over the head. The western view from the garrison lot is one of surpassing beauty. A quarter of a mile northea.st of the garrison lot, near the junction 4 26 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. of Main street and the back road (the original highway leading into the village of Fairhaven), was located the house of John Cooke, before men- tioned, one of the original settlers of Dartmouth, and from whom the garrison or block-house took its name. It was destroyed by the In- dians, and the " ruins of Cooke's house " are mentioned as the meeting place for the English soldiers. Close to the water's edge, on the south side of Oxford Point, is a bury ing ground that, with the adjoining land, was given by William Wood for this purpose. Following is an extract from the original will : " And whereas, the bodies of some persons that were of good account in their day were buried on the little hummock or island in the meadow at the foot of my homestead commonly called 'Burial Hill' and I, not being willing that their graves be any way defaced, do therefore in this, my will, hereby give the said hummock or island to or for a burying place forever, and for no other use to be made of it, for all persons to bury their dead that have a mind to; that my two sons, Zeruiah Wood and John Wood their and their heirs after them, shall think it suitable to be buried there, to whom I leave the care thereof." This will was approved and allowed, July 6, 1 778. In this burying ground John Cooke was buried. He was a prominent figure in every- thing pertaining to the early settlement of Dartmouth, and was himself the owner of three thirty- fourths of the township. He died in 1695.' Another and the third garrison was*Palmer's Island, its natural ad- vantages making it a convenient place of refuge. It was to this island that Captain Benjamin Church sent Little Eyes and his family, who had deserted their own tribe (the Sagonites), choosing to make friends with the English. When they came to this vicinity they were met by Church, who was preparing for an expedition east of the river. " Mov- ing to the riverside they found an old canoe, with which the captain ordered Little Eyes and his company to be carried over to an island, and lest the English should light on them and kill them, he would leave his cousin Lightfoot (whom the English knew to be their friend) ' " Francis Cooke had expended a considerable estate in promoting the colony. ■ He died in 1663 aged about eighty-one years. His son John, " a boy in the May/lower," was ten times a deputy from Plymouth and many years a deacon, but in the Quaker troubles was excommunicated John was a pioneer m the Lakeville region, and in 1676 joined in resettling Dartmouth. He then con nected himself with Obadiah Holmes's Baptist Church in Newport, and is said to have preached m Dartmouth. He was living in 1694 when he was the only surviving male passenger by the May- flower." — Goodwin' s Pilgrim Republic. 28 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Connected with the story of the destruction of Dartmouth by the Indians, is an event that in the light of modern civilization seems too shocking to be true ; yet the pages of history record that at the cessa- tion of hostilities, a company of Indians had surrendered themselves as prisoners to Captain Eels, of Russell's garrison. He, with Ralph Earl, had made them promises which the Indians accepted in good faith, and they were encamped near the garrison when the Plymouth soldiers, under the command of the famous Indian fighter. Captain Benjamin Church, arrived. They had been ordered to the relief of the beleaguered inhabitants by the Plymouth authorities. In spite of the united pro- tests of Captain Church and those in authority at the garrison, who felt bound in honor to keep their promises to their Indian prisoners, the Indians were carried to Plymouth, and after a so-called trial were con- demned and sold into slavery. What a strange procession was that which on that eventful day marched from Russell's garrison through what is now our city of New Bedford, on its way to Acushnet, and thence on to Plymouth. For the forest path from the garrison led to the head of Clark's Cove, and thence by the line of County street. One hundred and sixty Indian captives, guarded by Plymouth soldiers, who were the representatives of those who had fled from British op- pression to our New England shores, marched through this road into slavery. A century later, another martial host of 4,000 British soldiers, armed with all the terrible enginery of war, advanced triumphant through the helpless township and over the same thoroughfare. At Plymouth Captain Church gave up his captives to the authorities. They, with others, and among them King Philip's wife and little son, 178 in all, were sold as slaves and transported to Spain. Says Drake: "Do we wonder that King Philip was ready to die; that his heart was ready to break when his wife, Wootonakanuska, and their little son fell into the hands of the authorities at Plymouth ? They still lived and this most harrowed his soul. Lived for what?— to serve as slaves in an un- known land. Could it be otherwise than that madness should seize upon him and torment him in every place ?" In Edward Everett's ad- dress at Bloody Brook, 1835, he says : " And what was the fate of Phil- ip's wife and son? This is a tale for husbands and wives, for parents and children. Young men and women, you cannot understand it. TREACHERY TO THE INDIANS. 29 What was the fate of Philip's wife and child ? She is a woman, he is a lad. They did not surely hang him. No, that would have been mercy. The boy is the grandson of good old Massasoit, the first and best friend the English ever had in New England. Perhaps, now Philip is slain and his warriors scattered to the four winds, they will allow his wife and son to go back, the widow and orphan, to finish their days and sorrows in their native wilderness. They are sold into slavery. West India slavery! An Indian princess and her child. Sold from the cool breezes of Mount Hope, from the wild freedom of a New England for- est, to gasp under the lash, beneath the blazing sun of the tropics. Bitter as death ; aye, bitter as hell. Is there anything animated that would not struggle against this?" According to Belknap, some of those Indians who were thus seized and sold, afterward made their way home, and found opportunity to satisfy their revenge during the war with the French and Indians, known as King William's war. " After thi.5, Dartmouth distress required succor, a great part of the town being laid desolate and many of the inhabitants killed. The most of Plymouth's forces were or- dered thither, and coming to Russell's garrison they met with a number of the enemy that had surrendered themselves prisoners on terms promised by Captain Eels of the garrison, and Ralph Earl, who persuaded them (by a friendly Indian he had employed) to come in. And had their promise to the Indians been kept and the Indians fairly treated, it is probable that most, if not all, the Indians in these parts had followed the example of those who had now surrendered themselves, which would have been a good step towards finishing the war. Bvit, in spite of all that Captain Eels, Church, or Earl could say, argue, plead, or beg, somebody else that had more power in their hands improved it, and without regard to the promise made the Indians on their surrender- ing themselves, they were carried away to Plymouth, there sold and transported out of the country, being about eight score pei'sons. An action so hateful to Mr. Church that he opposed it to the loss of the goodwill and respect of those that were before his good friends." — Drake. In another foot-note Drake says: '■ I can find no mention of these two gentlemen (Messrs. Eels and Earl) in any of the histories. But their names are sufficiently immortalized by their conduct in oppos- ing the diabolical acts of the gov'ernment for selling prisoners as slaves. It is possible that they might decline serving any more in the war after being so much abused, and hence were not noticed by the historians, who also passed over this black page of our history as lightly as possible.'' In a field directly east of the residence of Joseph H. Burgess, in Ox- 30 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. ford village, are the ruins of an ancient building, the Annis house, that was built by Thomas Taber, son-in-law of John Cooke, and dating back to the period when Dartmouth was restored from its destruction by the Indians. Dartmouth was not called upon for soldiers by the Plymouth authori- ties during King Philip's war, because of the maintenance of the garri- sons by the settlers, and for several years after peace had been declared the town was exempted from taxation because of the great sufferings and loss of property by the inhabitants. The court of Plymouth passed an order October 14, 1678, commanding the people to build compactly, especially in each village, for mutual protection and defense from the attacks of the enemy. King Philip's war was most disastrous to New England, and the en- ergies of the colonists were crippled for many years. In Massachusetts and New Plymouth, thirteen towns were destroyed, 600 houses burned, and 600 persons killed. It is estimated that $750,000 worth of property was destroyed. It is not, perhaps, to be wondered at that knowledge of such horribly savage barbarities as those noted herein, and others that followed through many long years in the various parts of the New World, barbarities which have not wholly ceased even at the present day, should have led later generations of white people not only to regard their authors as merciless savages without one redeeming trait, but also to believe that the bloody deeds of the red men were committed with- out any material provocation. What lias been briefly chronicled, it is believed, will indicate that such is not the case. While it is undeniable that the march of civilization cannot be stayed, and that the weaker must give place to the stronger in the world's progress, it is also true that the natives of the Western world never failed to meet the first white comers to any particular locality, with open arms and peace in their hearts. That the contest with all its horrors was inevitable, is un- doubted ; but in it each side took its share of responsibilty, and the untutored savages, their brains inflamed by the rum of the white man, turned upon the latter the very guns for which they were deluded into giving up their birthrights. In short, it was a struggle for supremacy, and each side used whatever advantage it possessed to achieve victory, and met their foes according to their nature and circumstances. QUAKER SETTLERS. 31 CHAPTER II. THE QUAKERS. Characteristics of the Qual:**«^,A«i..a4iC**' OLDEST EXISTING PAGES OF THE DARTMOUTH RECORDS. From Photographs by Bierstadi Brothe7s. PLATE I. <■.. OLDEST EXISTING PAGES OF THE DARTMOUTH RECORDS. Front Photographs by Bim stadt Brothns. PLATE 1. FIUST TOWN MEETINGS. 45 " That all such persons as do neglect to appear at the town meeting, shall forfeit to the town i shilling and six pence a piece, and for coming to the meeting too late, three pence an hour. " That the town clerk shall judge equal for said fines, and shall have the one-half of them for his pains, and in case any do refuse to pay them, to return the names to the town. " That by vote that there shall be no alteration in the rule of rating for the following year, and that Henry Tucker, Joseph Briggs, and James Shaw are chosen raters for the following year."i At the town meeting held on the 17th of May, 1675, only a month previous to the destruction of the town by the Indians, "John Cooke was chosen deputy for the following year. John Russell, constable ; Joseph AlHnne, grand juryman ; John Cooke, Arthur Hathaway, and James Shaw, selectmen ; William Earlle, John Hawerd, jr., and Thomas Briggs, surveyors." A complaint being presented of the "badness of the fences," "Thomas Teabor and James Shaw, for Acushnet; John Smith and Pelige Sher- man, for Ponagansett; Pelige Briggs and William Wood for Acock- sett," were authorized " to view men's fences and to notify them for a sufficient fence, or condemn them and give men warning when they are bad to mend them." From these extracts taken from the original records of the township, it is clear that the town had begun an organization full of promise and usefulness. A few days elapsed when the outbreak of the Indians oc- curred that brought destruction and desolation to Dartmouth and the other towns, as before described. So completely was this work of the savages accomplished that for three years no attempt seems to have been made to reorganize and establish the government ; and so helpless were the inhabitants that by order of the Plymouth Court they were exempted from taxation. Slowly but steadily, however, they began to recover, and the meager record indicates that a new and permanent existence was begun. The bitter experience of the King Philip war had taught the inhabitants im- portant lessons, and these were supplemented by wise counsel from the court at Plymouth. ' Dartmouth Records. 46 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. At a town meeting held June 20, 1678, and the first that finds record after the Indian attack, Seth Pope was chosen constable, and Arthur Hathaway, grand juryman. It would seem that the term of release from taxation was limited to three years, for at this meeting John Smith, John Russell and Peleg Sherman were chosen raters ; their spe- cial duty being to raise money to discharge a debt due Simon Cooper. The functions of the town government were resumed in 1679, when a full list of officials was chosen as follows : John Cooke, deputy to the Court at Plymouth ; John Cooke, Arthur Hathaway and John Russell, selectmen ; John Hathaway, constable ; Richard Sison, Henry Tucker, and Thomas Pope, surveyors ; John Haward, grand juryman ; Thom.as Taber, clerk; George Sison, Thomas Briggs, and Seth Pope, raters. The township seemed to have now settled into a permanent organ- ization, and its steady development is seen from the records. The majesty of the law was tested in the case of one John Harmon, who was probably a troublesome character. At the town meeting in 1682 Seth Pope and James Samson were chosen to convey the, said Harmon from Dartmouth to Plymouth, and receive " twenty shilling for their pains with what they have already received, to be paid out of the rate." John Cooke was authorized to go with this John Harmon to the next Court and plead for the clearing of the town of the said Harmon, for which service Mr. Cooke was to receive "two shillings and sixpence per day for the time he shall spend in the matter." It was agreed that Cooke should have Harmon in custody in the mean time, and three shil- lings and sixpence was allowed him for this service. Roadways received the early attention of the inhabitants, and in 1684 Seth Pope was chosen to acquaint the Court " concerning the manner of laying out of the roadway." He was also authorized to make answer to what may be " proposed by the Court concerning the towns being put under Bristol." At the town meeting of this year (1684) it was ordered that the Indians be allowed to hunt, provided " that ihey do kill three wolves or three bears or pay ten shillings to each village ; the Indians that belong to Quishnet are to pay ten shillings to John Spooner, and the Indians belonging to Ponagansett are to pay ten shillings to Return Badcok, and the Indians of Cocksett are to pay ten shillings to James Sisson. The aforesaid money is to be recorded for the towns no,w and delivered to the towns at their demand." TOWN MEETING ORDERS. 47 It is recorded that the following persons " have taken the oath of fidelity : John Cooke, John Russell, sen., John Smith, Arthur Hatha- way, Samuel Jene, sen., Richard Kirby, sen., Joseph Tripp, Seth Pope, Jonathan Delino, Thomas Taber, Johnathan Russell, James Samson, John Shearman, William Wood, Samuel Cornell." In 1685 the town was summoned to make answer to Plymouth Court for neglecting to make a rate of twenty pounds, for the encouragement of a minister to preach the word of God amongst them. John Cooke, Seth Pope, and Joseph Tripp were chosen agents to represent the town on this question. The following names are recorded " who have taken the oath of fidelity, or freeman's oath," May 24, 1686: John Cooke, John Russell, sen., John Smith, Samuel Jene, sen., Arthur Hathaway, William Wood, James Sampson, John Shearman, George Cadman, James Tripp, Samuel Jeney, jr., John Hathaway, Josiah Smith, Joseph Russell, Hezikiah Smith, Deliverance Smith, Seth Pope, Joseph Trip, Jonathan Russell, Jonathan Delino, Thomas Taber, Samuel Cornell, James Sison, John Spooner, Nathaniel Soule, George Soule, John Jeney, Eliazer Smith, Return Badcock, William Spooner, Lettice Jeney, Shearman, Howland, Richard Kerby, sen., Joseph Taber, John Earl, Ralph Earle, jr., Stephen Peckum, Ralph Earl son of William Earl, William Macomber, Samuel Willcocks, James Franklin, Samuel Spooner, William Wood, Anthony Savery. From the phraseology of the record it is probable that this list em- braces the names of all of the inhabitants entitled to vote at the annual meetings of the town. In 1686 it was ordered by vote of the town that a meeting-house be built that shall be " 24 feet long, 16 feet wide, 9 feet stud, and to be covered with long shingles, and to be enclosed with planks and clab- boards, and to have an under floor laid, and to be benched around, and to have a table to it suitable to the length of said house. Also for two hght windows." Seth Pope and Thomas Taber were chosen "to agree with a workman to build said house ; " and it was ordered " that the workmen shall be paid in the same spase of the County Rate to be raised by rating all the ratable inhabitance, and gathered by the con- stable, and paid to the workmen." At this town meeting it was provided that John Russell, sen., should 48 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. make a pound and a pair of stocks. It is evident that the town had use for them, for he was ordered to furnish them " forthwith," and it was stipulated that " four and twenty shiUings " should be paid him by the constable. Meetings of the Society of Friends were established in the township about this time, their services being held at a private house. They built their first meeting-house in 1699, on the same spot now occupied by the present one at Apponegansett. The land, comprising six acres, was given them by Peleg Slocum. The Dartmouth Monthly Meeting was organized during this year (1699), and the records of the denomination are in existence from the above date until the present time (1892).! At the town meeting held February 16, 1703,2 it was voted "that James Gardner should not be the minister of the town." This item is a significant one and reveals the strained relations of the people with the Established Church. The cause of education was considered at this early period. In 1704-05, Daniel Shepherd was chosen schoolmaster, and "eighteen pounds and his debt " was voted to him for his service for the year. It was also ordered " that every householder being a planter shall kill twelve blackbirds between the first day of January and the middle of May yearly, on pain of forfeiting three half pence for every bird they shall neglect killing of said number, said forfeiture to be added to each defective person's town rate yearly to be paid into the town stock. And further, it is ordered that for every blackbird that shall be killed within the time limited over the number of twelve, each planter as above shall be paid one penny out of the town stock, or be abated out of their rate in the next town rate. It is also ordered that Joseph Tripp, Mat- thew Wing, Nathan Howland, John Russell and Isaac Spooner be the persons to take an account of what birds are killed in the town, and give an account yearly to the selectmen, so that the penalty may be laid on such as are negligent and money may be raised to pay them that kill more than their number. It is also ordered that there shall be 1 The records are in possession of the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting ; and a copy of the same (from 1699 to 1793) is held by the New Bedford Monthly Meeting, for purpose of reference. 2 From 1686 to 1703 the town records are not in existence so far as known. TOWN MEETING ORDERS. 49 a law book bought for the town's use and be paid for out of the town rates." In 1705 the town was presented to the Court at Boston for want of a minister according to law. The matter came up for discussion at the town meeting and answer was made to the charge, " that we have one qualified as the law deems, an honest man, fearing God and hating cov- etousness, and a learned orthodox minister, able to dispense the Word and Gospel to us." In 1709 it was agreed with Henry Rowland "to make a pair of stocks and whipping-post." The wild beasts of the forest were a source of trouble to the inhab- itants, as indicated in the action of the town in 17 13, when it was voted " that twenty shillings shall be added to each person that shall kill a wolf within the township of Dartmouth.'' In 1 72 1 it was voted that " all geese running at large from the ist day of April to the last day of October without their wings cut and without a yoke upon them shall be placed in the town pound, and the owner of such geese shall pay one penny a piece for pounding the same." At the town meeting held in October of this year, " John Akin, Philip Taber, and Thomas Taber, jr., were chosen trustees to receive Dart- mouth's proportion of the ;^5 0,000 — ^^580." It was voted' that "no man shall have more than ;^So, or less than;^25 of said money." In 1722 the town voted that there shall be "three shillings allowed for any grown wild cat that shall be killed within our township from the last day of September to the first day of March yearly to the per- son or persons that kill them, and six shillings for each wild cat killed the other part of the year, and that the selectmen are ordered to make such orders to prevent any fraud on the account, as they may think proper." The town meetings of this year were frequent, the proceedings relating largely to taxation, and important action was also taken bear- ing upon the case of the Quakers in their appeal to the home govern- ment, related on an earlier page. The cause of education was advanced in 1728 by vote, "that there shall be two schoolmasters upon the town charge beside the grammar schoolmaster." 7 so HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The town engaged the services of two ministers in 1730, who found favor with the inhabitants, as shown in a vote that Philip Taber and Nicholas Davis be " chosen and approbated as ministers to dispense the word of God and promote the gospel of Christ." The township placed itself on record against the sale of ardent spirits by a vote taken at the town meeting on November 23, 1730, "That Samuel Cornell shall have the three pounds, six shillings and eight pence which was due by a note under his hand to John Aikin, for a fine for his wive's selling drinks, the note bearing date January, 1722—3." The following record, passed in 1733—34, shows how the schoolmas- ters of early days were paid and cared for. It was voted that " Will- iam Lake as grammar schoolmaster, paid forty-five per annum " (prob- ably forty- five pounds). Voted, " that all people who receive benefit of the said schoolmasters by sending their children shall frankly give said master their proportionable part of his diet, washing and lodging as he shall be removed by order of selectmen." In 1736 the bounds between Dartmouth and Tiverton were defined by the selectmen of the two towns. The record quaintly reads : "We began where the bounds between Little Compton and Dartmouth ended, and renewed by a range of marked trees until we come to a tree fallen down near the pond and so to the pond, which pond is the bounds, and so to the stony brook, which brook is the bounds to Watupa pond, the west side of said pond to a white oak tree, and from thence over said pond to a stump of a tree fallen down, and by a range of old marked trees, and marked them anew with a blaze, with three chops of an axe over said blaze, until we come to the peaked rock, which rock is by a path that leads from Dartmouth to Plymouth and ended there. Dated 30th of the tenth month, called December. Joseph Anthony, Philip Taber, jr., Isaac Wood, Restcom Sanford, Selectmen ; and by order of selectmen of Dartmouth and Tiverton." In 1739 a new town- house was ordered to be built, and Capt. Sam- uel Willis, George Lawton and John Howland were chosen a commit- tee to superintend its erection. They were ordered " to have it finished as soon as may be done with conveniency, and with convenient glass windows and shutters." They were also instructed " to make the best of the old town house either in selling it or in pulling it down and use TOWJV AFFAIRS. 51 what of it maybe profitable toward finishing of the said new town- house, and they which buy the said old house shall convey it off tlie lot where it now stands." At the town meeting held March 30, 1741, it was put to vote " whether it be the town's mind to come under the government of Rhode Island, and it passed in the affirmative by a clear vote." A workhouse was established in 1742 for " the setting to work of all idle persons," and William Sanford was placed in charge. In 1746 the selectmen were instructed to " take charge of the child of Sarah Manchester who had deceased, to care for her and administer and recover the estate for the benefit of the said child." These two in- stances illustrate the humane character of the local government in those early times. In 1747 the town clerk was empowered " to draw so much money out of the treasury as will purchase a book for the town to record mar- riages and the intention of marriages in." At a town meeting Jield June 2d of the same year, Nathaniel Soul [Soule] was chosen agent to represent the town of Dartmouth "in pre- ferring a petition to the Great and General Court now assembled at Boston, with the rest of the neighboring towns, who are for petitioning for the several Courts to be holden for the county of Bristol to be re- moved from Taunton to Dighton or elsewhere nearer the center of the county." The distance by road from Dartmouth to Taunton at that time was thirty-five miles, and much inconvenience and hardship was experi- enced by the inhabitants of this section in reaching the terms of Court. The following petition was presented to the General Court at Boston in 1747; it reveals continued division of opinion among the inhabitants regarding church matters : "The petition of us, the subscribers, inhabitants of Aooushnet village in Dartmouth, in behalf of ourselves and others humbly showeth that the Presbyterian Church and congregation in said village being now destitute of a settled minister of the Gospel and finding ourselves unable to proceed in calling and settling one either as a town precinct and methods in which we settled in times past now failing and being desirous of a speedy settlement, having been without a pastor for more than a year therefore humbly pray your excellency and honors to consider our case and form us into a precinct by the known bounds of Accushnet village and invest us with the privileges of a precinct. 52 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. or in any other way oloath us with power regularly to proceed under the protection of the law to call and settle an orthodox minister among us for which as in duty bound your petitioners shall ever pray." At a meeting held September 22, 1747, Capt. Lem'll Pope and Chris- topher Turner were chosen agents to show to the General Court on be- half of the town that the above petition, signed by a small number of the inhabitants of Acushnet village, should not be granted. It was voted unanimously that the town was unwilling that " Acushnet village" should be set ofif from Dartmouth. The record says that Samuel Willis, Esq., was present but would not vote, " and declaired himself nuter." Several ways were laid out in the year 1750 by the selectmen, all of which were ordered recorded at a town meeting held May 15, 1750. They are described as follows : One "that comes from the way that leads from the northeast corner of Robert Kirby's homestead ; " another, " running from Isaac Spoon - er's homestead ;" and one " that begins at a stake standing in the dividing line between Noah Allen's land and the land of the Giffords." Another description of a way laid out by the selectmen of Dartmouth on the second day of the third month, 1750, is as follows : '■ An open way of forty foot wide beginning at a stake standing in ye dividing line between Noah Allen's land and ye land of ye G-iffords and in the hue of the way that comes by David Giffords, from thence south four degrees and a half west twenty-four rods to a stake and a heap of stones about it, thence south four degrees and a half east eighteen rods to a stake and a heap of stones, thence south thirty degrees east thirty- three rods to a stake and heap of stones which Archepas Hart declared to be ye north- east corner bounds of John Handy's land, thence south twenty-four degrees and a half east Iwenty-three rods to a stake and heap of stones which ye above said Archepas Hart declared to be ye southeast corner bounds of ye said John Handy's land ; all the bounds and ranges are on ye westward side of said way, which way Noah Allen prom- ised to warrant to ye said town in liew of that way that runs through his meadow land that was formerly there laid out, as witness my hand, Noah Allen. " Finished by us the subscribers the day and date as above said, " Humphrey Smith, ) c. , Thomas Hathaway, \ Selectmen of Jedediah Wood, S ^^'■'■'"°utl^- ' At a meeting held September 26, 175 i, Humphrey Smith was chosen agent to prefer a petition to the General Court for the " setting a juris- diction line between Dartmouth and Rochester." ACTS OF THE TOWN MEETING. 53 November 9, 175 i, voted, " that Henry Rowland should have twenty- four pounds allowed him for his extraordinary services and for collect- ing all the taxes in said town for the year 1750-1." December 25, 1751, William Sanford gave the town one-quarter of an acre of land on which the town- house was to stand forever. (So reads the deed.) From the following copy of a certificate found in the town records, it appears that the authorities in those days were very careful regarding those who were received as inhabitants of their towns: " To the honorable the Selectmen of the town of Dartmouth ; — " G-entlemen — These may certify that Thomas Anthony hath moved out of our town to the town of Dartmouth, he thinking it being for his advantage, and if you will Re- ceive him and his family into your town we will Receive them back again at any time when they shall become Chargeable, Provided you send them back as soon as they shall become Chargeable, they being inhabitants here. " By order of Council I have given forth this certificate. " Portsmouth. June ye 8th, 1752. Robert Denniss, Con'l Clerk.'' "The above said certificate was recorded by order of the selectmen of Dartmouth by me, Bartholemds Taber, Town Clerk." The non-combative spirit of the majority of the inhabitants is shown in their neglect to obey the law requiring each town to have on hand a stock of powder and bullets. In a warrant issued by the selectmen • February 5, 1756, it is stated : " Whereas by Law the Selectmen are obliged to Procure a Town Stock of Powder and Bullets and we have been sent to by the Commission Officers of the Ridgment and we daily expect to be fined unless we speedily Procure one ; now for the town at said meeting to Pass a vote that the selectmen shall Draw money out of the Town Treasury for to Procure a town stock according to law." At a town meeting held February 17 the voters heeded the warn- ing and passed the order. In reference to this ammunition the follow- ing receipt is recorded : " Dartmouth June ye 18, 1756. " Then received of ye selectmen of ye town of Dartmouth one barrel and three quar- ters of gunpowder and five hundred two quarter.^ and three pounds of lead it being ye stock ye selectmen procurred for ye town above sd and I promise to deUver out ye sd powder and lead again to ye selectmen as they shall order and to their successors in sd office. " S''^"^'' ^1°°"' i Selectmen of Benjamin Akin, V Dartmouth." JiRF.n Swift, ) 54 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. In 1758 the township was compelled to furnish its quota of soldiers as follows : " Return of the Men inlisted or impressed in Dartmouth for His Majesty's Service, within the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in the Regiment, whereof Ezra Rich- mond by— is Col., to be put under the immediate Command cf His Excellency, Jeffry Amherst, Esq., Commander-in-Chief of His Majesty's Forces, in North America,— for the Invasion of Canada. Samuel Tripp, age 24; James Salter, 17; George Hack, 30; Corn's Spooner, 26; Q-eorge Jenne, 24; Josiah Warren, 17; Zernal (?) Haskell, 34; Nathaniel Haskell, 27 ; Thomas Wilwoks (?) 17 ; Gideon Sherman, 16 ; Joseph Caswell, 19; James Jones (Indian) 23. " P. S. These men marched to Lake George, 1758. " A Muster Roll of the Company from Dartmouth in His Majesty's Service, Under the Command of Baeachiah Basset, Capt. 1760 : Samuel Trip, Joseph Caswell, Josiah Drew, George Hack, Jehazael Jenny, James Jones, Gideon Sherman, Thomas Willcoks, (all served seven months). ''A Muster Roll of the Company of Foot in His Majesty's Service Under Command of Capt. James Andross, in a Regiment raised in Dartmouth by the Province of the Mass. Bay, for the Reduction of CANADA ; whereof Thomas Dotty, Esq., Colonel. Privates, John Rouse, James Spooner, William Willcocks, Aholiah Washburn, Phillip Washburn, Isaac Wickom, John Peagon. "1760 — Stephen Bennett Inlisted Moh. 10, Age 22; Benjamin Brownell Inlisted Mch. 20, Age 27; Gideon Bennit, Inlisted Moh. 17, Age 18; John Tucker, Born at Dartmouth. Residence at Boston." In this connection the following further extracts from the military records bear an especial interest for this locality : " Pay Roll of the Company in His Majesty's Service, Under the Command of Capt. Josiah Dunbar, Esq., 1763: John Tobey, (Father's name Timothy) served from Mob. 20 to Nov. 19, Silvanus Tobey. Bazeliel Washburn, Thomas Washburn, Richard Charles Waist (Probably Waistcoat, as I find that name on the Roll), served from Mch.. 24th to Nov. 19th as Privates ; George Hack, served from Mch. 22 to Nov. 19. ''List of Officers Commanded for the 2d Regiment of the Militia, First Company in Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol, July, 1771 : Capt. Elnathan Tobey, First Lieut Samuel Pope, Second Lieut. Elnathan Sampson, Ensign Chillingsworth Foster (since made a Lieutenant). "List of Officers Commanded for the Second Regiment of Militia in the County of Bristol, Zaccheus Tobey, 1st Major, 1762. " First Company in Dartmouth, Capt. Ebe'r Aken, Lieut. Jona. Winslow, Ensign Elnan. Tobey. " Second Company in Dartmouth — Capt. Job Almy, Lieut. James Wilkey, Ensign Jofshua Richmond, Ensign, Jerh. Gifford. " Third Company in Dartmouth — Capt. Ezek. Cornell, Lieut. William Hix, Ensign Samuel Brownell, Lieut. Benj. Davall. A QUAINT RECORD. 55 " Fourth Company in Dartmouth — Capt. Benjamin Sherman, Lieut. Thomas Dennes, Ensign, John Baboook. " Fifth Company in Dartmouth — Capt. Hezh. Winslow, Lieut. Benj. Terrey, Ensign, James Clark." In 1760 James Smith was granted the privilege of living in the work- house for two years for $5 per annum. This sum he was to expend in repairs on the house, and he was empowered to " take care of all the poor and idle persons that^hall be sent to him to keep them to labor." A quaint law was in operation that made it necessary that the select- men should be apprised of each new inmate of every man's house or the acquisition of a new member in his family. The following is a copy of a notice in the town records : " To Humphrey Smith, Walter Spooner, and Bzekell Cornell the present selectmen of ye town of Dartmouth Greeting : " This is to notify you as the law directs that I have taken in my house a young woman to dwell in said town named Elizabeth Baggs, daughter of John Baggs, of New- port in the Colony of Rhode Island, &c., she came to reside with me this day. Given under my hand this 30th of the six month called June 1762, pr. " William Anthony. "Received the above July ye 14th, 1762. Humprey Smith, one of the selectmen of Dartmouth.'' The events chronicled in this chapter span a century of time, and compose quite all of any importance or interest on record that relate to the early history of the township. It should be borne in mind that the inhabitants of Dartmouth were not attracted thither because of its fertile soil, and yet agriculture was their principal employment. Many had located their homes on this, the border line of Plymouth Colony and far away from the then centers of civilization, that they might be free from religious persecution. The growth of the township was necessarily slow ; and it is only during the closing decades of the century that any record is made that refers to industrial or maritime affairs. S6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. CHAPTER IV. BEDFORD VILLAGE. Founding of Bedford Village — Joseph Russell's Purchase — John Loudon's Settle- ment — Benjamin Taber — Other Early Residents — -^Beginning of the Whale Fishery — The Rotch Family — Extracts from Early Dartmouth Records. MAYING in the preceding chapter given the details of early times in the old town of Dartmouth and its vicinity, and of the strange and often trying experiences of the pioneers, let us now follow the founding and settlement of Bedford village. Joseph Rotch, an enter- prising merchant from Nantucket, moved here in 1765 and established himself in the whaling business. His first intention was to settle on the Fairhaven side of the Acushnet River; but not being able to se- cure satisfactory shore privileges, he made land purchases on the west- ern slope. He purchased of Joseph Russell ten acres of land 1 in one lot, besides other smaller tracts in various parts of the town. As the territory had been held in the Russell family, and as this was the famil);^ name of the Duke of Bedford, Mr. Rotch made use of the name and Bedford village came into existence. Mr. Rotch found an infant settle- ment established, composed of a few industrious merchants and artisans. In 1760 John Loudon had purchased the first land sold from the homestead farm of the Russells, an acre of ground just south of the four corners (the intersection of the present Union and Water streets), on which he built a house in 1761. He was a caulker by trade, and his intention was to carry on ship-building. The shore line of the land was eligible for this purpose, the tide then flowing as far west as the present South Water street. At one time Loudon kept a tavern. His house was burned by the British, September 5, 1778. In the spring of the same year (1761), Benjamin Taber purchased land to the north of the site of Snell's bakery and erected a structure for boat-building and block-making. He built the first whaleboat in 1 For deed see page 74, " Centennial of New Bedford." '^^^A^ty STILES' S MAP. 57 the village. His home was in the house still standing on the north side of Union street, the first one below North Water. This house was built by Gideon Mosher, a mechanic, and was purchased of him by Benjamin Taber in 1765. This, and other adjoining property, is still held by the Taber family, and the buildings are used in the art business of Charles Taber & Co. John Allen, a house carpenter, was another early resident, and in 1761 built a house on the south side of Union street below South Wa- ter, in those days called Prospect street. This house he afterward sold to Barzillai Myrick, a ship carpenter. In 1762 Elnathan Sampson, a blacksmith from Wareham, purchased a lot of land south of that owned by John Loudon, and north and east of " land left for ways or streets." These ways or streets are to-day known as Union and Water streets. Along the county road (now County street) were the farm houses of Joseph Russell, Caleb Russell, Ephraim Kempton and Samuel Willis, while on the river front was a single wharf and a try-house. In 1762 Rev. Ezra Stiles, of Newport, visited this locality. Among his papers and documents, now in possession of Yale University, is a sketch or map made by him of this territory and river. The drawing is crude and incorrect in a few particulars, but it serves to lift the veil from the past, and gives a glimpse of the place as it appeared more than a century ago. From this map it is easy to understand that the western shore of the Acushnet River was a broad domain of forest and meadow, and that the scattered houses of the few inhabitants made no percepti- ble break in the primeval scene. On the eastern shore is a small clus- ter of houses at Oxford village, and another near the corner of Bridge and Main streets. Between this and the " point of rocks," known to the present generation as Fort Phoenix, there is one solitary house marked on the map as that of Mr. Allen. A " fort in ruins " is located about where is now the beacon, but no fort is indicated on the extreme point where now stands Fort Phoenix. It is, therefore, a fair conclusion that this structure was a creation of the American Revolution. The whale fishery was at this period in its infancy, a few small vessels being employed as early as 175 i. Joseph Russell, the founder of Bed- ford village, was the pioneer in this industry, which became an impor- 58 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. tant factor in the growth and development of the place. The voyages of these craft of forty or sixty tons were made on the Atlantic coast, and were from six weeks to two months in duration. The operations of this business were necessarily limited by want of capital and experience. A-brE & Tn 2Jip From a sketch made in June, 1762, by Rev. Ezra Stiles, of Newport, R. I., and preserved among his papers in Yale College Library. Such was the primitive condition of the settlement wl>en Joseph Rotch made his permanent residence here in 1765. Under the mighty impetus given by this energetic business man, with his abundant means ENTERPRISE OF JOSEPH ROTCH. 59 and skillful methods, the wheels of industry began to move. Houses and shops multiplied, highways were opened, wharves were built, tlie population increased, and the river front became the center of an active business. Ship-building was vigorously prosecuted, one after another vessel was launched, and soon a goodly fleet was engaged in the fishery on the coast, returning with good cargoes that found a ready market. Other ships were engaged in the merchant service, sailing over every ocean and bringing home the products of other countries in exchange for those of our own.' Under a grove of button wood trees that stood by the river bank, near the spot where now is Hazard's wharf, the keel of the first ship was laid. This vessel, built and owned by Francis Rotch, the son of Joseph, was named the Dartmouth and placed in the merchant service. It was not only famous as being the first ves- sel built on these shores, but it was distinguished in the American Rev- olution as one of the fleet of tea ships that were boarded by the "Tea Party" in Boston harbor on a certain evening of December, 1773. Other famous ships were the Bedford and the Rebecca, which weie among the first built here. Joseph Rotch was born in Salisbury, England, in 1704, and with his three sons, William,^ Joseph and Francis, removed from Nantucket in 1765. His residence was located on the west side of what is now Water street, just south of William. It was burned by the British during the invasion in 1778. (See sketch of the Rotch family in later pages of this work.) •At this time, and even as late as 1815, the tide flowed close up to Water street, at the foot of Elm ; southward the shore took an easterly bend, and then swept southwesterly to the very head of what now is Commercial street, on Water, 2 William Rotch, sr., who came to New Bedford in 1795, is thus described by his grand-daughter, Mrs. John Farrar, in her charming book, published in 1866, " Recollections of Seventy Years :" " William Rotch was a very handsome man, tall and erect, dressed in a whole suit of light drab broadcloth, with knee breeches, shoes and buckles. His head was a little bald, with flowing white locks, while still in the prime of life. His appearance commanded respect, and his manners were as polite as Quaker sincerity would permit. My earliest recollections date back to the time when my parents and grand-parents resided in Dunkirk. France, during the latter part of the reign of Louis XVT. * * * * William Rotch was a native of Nantucket and a member of the Society of Friends. * ♦ * * The residence in a French town of such an exemplary of Friends was hailed by the English Quakers as affording an excellent opportunity for promulgating their doctrines, and a succession of preachers came over to Dunkirk for that purpose, and always staid at our house. As they spoke no French, my father (Benjamin) used to act as their interpreter. But once, when he could not attend, a person was employed in his stead. The preacher began his discourse with these words : ' Job was an upright man,' and they were rendered into a French expression equivalent to, ' Job was a tall, gentlemanly man,' and the rest of the sermon was probably no nearer than that to the real meaning." 6o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Under the skillful and energetic leadership of these pioneers thewhal- ing enterprise rapidly developed to a remarkable degree of success, only to be as quickly paralyzed by the war with the mother country. At the town meeting, June 24, 1766, Walter Spooner was chosen to represent the town in making an alteration in the jurisdiction line be- tween Dartmouth and Freetown. In 1768 the question was considered by the citizens relating to " the Incouraging our own Manufactures." The following extract from the Dartmouth records foreshadows the events that led up to the American Revolution : At the town meeting held September 19, 1768, "Walter Spooner was chosen as committeeman to appear at Funal [Faneuil] Hall in Boston on the 22d instant, Septem- ber, and joyn the committee in the several Towns in the Government to Consult on some wise and prudent Measures to prevent the distress and misery that is like to come on said Government by reason of a Number of Troops to be Quartered on said Government." March 8, 1769, the highways known at the present time as Union, North Water and South Water streets were laid out. In 1770 the town took an advanced step in the education of youth and voted, "There be one Grammar Schoolmaster Provided for said Town by the Selectmen and by them placed and replaced as they shall judge proper." The following interesting document is found among the Dartmouth records. It points with no uncertain hand towards the birth of that Abolition sentiment which subsequently developed to such a degree as to make New Bedford famous in the great anti- slavery movement: " Whereas Elnathan Samson of Dartmouth in the county of Bristol and Province of the Massachusetts Bay, in New England, Blacksmith did on the eighth Day of Novem- ber, A. D. 1769, at Publick, Auction purchase, buy and become possessor of a Negro Man slave Named Venter aged about Forty six years as may appear by a bill of sale of said Negro given to the said Elnathan Samson by Job Williams a Deputy Sheriff in said county of Bristol, who was then Taken and sold by virtue of a Writ of execution where- in one Daniel Russell was creditor and one Jeremiah Child Debtor, as the proper Estate of the said Jeremiah Child before the said Sale and the said Elnathan Samson Did after- wards reconvey one half of said Negro to John Chaffee of said Dartmouth, Spermaceti Manufacturer. These are therefore to certify whom it may concern, that we the said Elnathan Samson and John Chaffee for and in consideration of the Sum of Twenty one pounds six shillings and five pence Lawful money of sd Province to us in hand paid by the said Negro man Venture, the Receipt whereof we hereby Acknowledge have aquit- THE TOWN FINANCES. 6i ted and renounced all Right Title or Interest whatever in and to said Negro & Do here- by set him at full Liberty to act his own will from the day of the Date hereof forever. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this ninth Day of July in the Tenth of His Majestys Reign Anno Domini : 177 Signed and sealed in the presence of Edward Pope. " Elnathan Sampson, "Blisha Tobey, "John Chaffee." " William Rotoh. "Bristol, ss., July 9th, 1770. Personally appeared Elnathan Samson and John Chaffee & acknowledged this Instrument to be their act & deed, before me Elisha Tobey, Just. of the Peace " Recorded by me this eighteenth Day of July 1770 "Benjamin Aikin, Town Clerk.'' Elisha Tobey, Esq., was elected to represent the town ot Dartmouth in "a Great and General Court appointed to be convened, held and kept for His Majestys service at Harvard College in Cambridge upon Wednesday the 29th Day of May Instant.'' The importance of regulating the seining of fish near the Dartmouth shores was recognized by the town, and on May 21, 1771, it was voted " to lay a duty of two Shillings Lawful Money per Barrel on all fish Seigned within the harbors or coves of this Town this present year and the duty Rased thereby to be paid to the Town Treasurer for the use of Said Town." In 1773 it was voted " that the workhouse in the Town of Dartmouth be Properly Endowed with suitable Utensils for said house and to be regulated according to Law." It was also voted " to raise by way of tax the sum of Eighty seven pounds eight shiUings and four pence Lawful money to defray the charges accrued to said town by Building the New Workhouse in Bedford in Dartmouth." This is the first instance in which Bedford is mentioned in the Dartmouth records. The building alluded to was located on the east side of South Sixth street, between Spring and School. The following account of the financial condition of the town in 1774 is worthy of preservation here. May i Ith, Thomas Hathaway, William Wood and John Wady were appointed to receive and examine the accounts of debts brought against the town. They found the " hole of 62 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the Demand Brought against said town that are Come to hand Amount to the sum in Lawful money - - $i!^i86=7^o^. We also find by outstanding orders £197=0=0. £383=7=0i We also find the bal. due to \ £n^i'7^^],^i the town from John Smith to be f ^ In Mathew Wings hand, . . . £1^ 5^5^0 In Thomas Denneys hand, . '^= 3^6^^ In Isaac Spooners hand, .... ^= 9^0^-J In Samuel Haws hand, . 118= 4=0=0 In Prince Aliens hand, . 76= 9.-.4=0 In Natha'll Potters hand . . . 80= 9=0=0 , In WiUiam Tallmans hand, . . . 27=11=1=0 £;!14=14=6= 1774 May 10th Town in Debt, 383= 7=0=i Towns Credit, . . 3t4=14=6=i £68=12=6=0 1773 Terries Account, . £30= 0=0=0 Crans oder, . . 0= 0=0=0 Town of Dartmouth in Debt May the 11th, 1774, £98=12=6 The following article in relation to the first proprietary lines in New Bedford, was published in the New Bedford Evening Standard, March 26, 1885. It was written by Hon. Thomas M. Stetson, and with his permission is inserted here : " On May 31, 1711, a splendid tract was laid out to Manasseth Kimton. It extended IJ miles west from the river, and was 182^ rods wide. August 25, 1711, the home- stead of Joseph Russell, jr., was laid out to him 96 rods wide. The two locations by their terms bound on each other. The exterior line on the north was the Willis line, and on the south the Allen line. The Willis line is well known. It is still visible from Cedar street nearly to Rockdale avenue. It was proved in the case of Johnson vs. Black. It is authenticated also by Mr. William A. Read, the present representative of the race of Col. Samuel Willis. Mr. Reed still owns lands (which never have been sold) bounded to that line. It lies 143 feet south of Smith street. • The Allen line is also well known. It is the north side of the ' Common Burial Ground ' ; the south side of the Fifth street school-house lot, the garden of the late Joseph Grinnell, etc., etc. " From this Willis line to the Methodist church line is Vil^-^ rods. This will not do at all, for the ' Kimton Lott' was 182| rods wide. From the Allen Une to the Methodist church line is 158f rods. This will not do either, for the location to Joseph Russell, jr., was but 96 rods wide, and the liberality of the old surveyors could never overrun so uiivh. Wh-rc, then, was the original Kimton line? THE "XIMTON LINE." e^ " The total width of the two lots (Russell and Kimton) was, by the calls of their loca- tions of 1711, 278^ rods. By modern measure it is 290/^ rods, that is an excess of 4i per cent., an excess by no means unusual in ancient surveys. The excess is ascertained here, because the positions of the Allen line and of the Willis line are known. The same surveyor in the same year surveyed both the Russell lot and the Kimton lot, and we may presume he used the same method of measure in each, viz. : exceeding our modern measure by 4-J- per cent. " Applying this rule, we find the original Kimton line. It ran from the river at foot of Shepard's lane, along the south \ide of thje house of Thomas R. Rodman, esq., and through a singular 'jog ' which existed not long 'since at the south gate of the late James Arnold on County street. [See city map of 1871], In this jog stood securely an oak — not very large — stunted, gnarled, and evidently quite aged. It interfered with the natural curve of Mr. Arnold's carriage way. Its ugliness was so salient that I once asked him why he left it in front of his beautiful grounds. He said, ' That oak is a historic bound.' It is stated by Mr. Edward Russell that a lane formerly van westward from this point. •• Another test is useful. The ' Kimton Line ' was only 38 rods from the still existing 'Lowden Wall.' [See location to Joseph Russell, jr., of his "addition" May 10, 1712]. This distance, with the excess of 4J per cent, as above, brings us again to the Arnold oak. " It is not surprising that the original Kimton line has left few or no traces upon the ground. It existed only thirty-five years, and during that period the territory east of County street was substantially a forest. The first settler m the village of Bedford came about 1760. West of County street there were a few cleared fields. The ancient wall which extends westerly by the five trees across Mr. William J. Rotch's field to Cottage street, may be the sole representative now existing of the Kimton line of 174 years ago. " It may be said that the Kimton line left the river near the ' Southward side of a little run of water,' and that such a run existed formerly at the Hazard's Wharf Dock, which is in the line of the Methodist Church. This is so, and if there were no otlier ' little run ' it would be quite important. But there was another before the gutters and sew- ers diverted its supply. It originated west of the court-house, where the land (now owned by Mrs. Eliot) was once, as Mr. Arnold stated, a cedar swamp. It crept and wound eastward, keeping the sidewalk south of the court-house quite wet a few years ago. It next showed its moisture on the sidewalk north of Mrs. Ellis's house on Eighth street. It next appeared in the three spring-holes of City Hall Square. Passing Cheap- side it had acquired the character of a ' little spring brook,' and is so described in the Joseph Rotch purchase of 1765. The southwest corner of Mr. Rotch's purchase just hit this spring brook. It next gave name to the Fountain Lot (China Hall), and justified the establishment of the tan yard in Sears Court. Then turning southeasterly it crossed Union street at the store of J. & W. R. Wing. Here was a street bridge. It next jus- tified another tan yard (James Davis's) about where the police court-house stands, and finally debouched into the propeller dock, eastward of Spring street or Shepherd's lane, just where it should, to answer the descriptive call of the location to Manasseth Kimton. 64 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. " If all this is true it may still be asked how did Joseph Russell (son of Joseph Russell, jr.), become owner of the land between the Arnold oak and the Methodist church line. He certainly was such owner, and after 1760 was conveying the lots near the four cor- ners to John Lowden, Benjamin Taber, Elnathan Sampson and others. In 1765 he conveyed to Joseph Rotch the tract from Rotch's wharf to about Cheapside, and in the same year the tract on which the city library stands, and part or the whole of city hall, to David Shepherd. This question can be answered. " In 1733 half of Manasseth Kimton's share in the Dartmouth proprietary came to his nephew Bphraim. This included rights to further locate undivided land, and also some land that had been already located in severalty, notably the great tract between the Willis and Russell lines. This land had been quaUfied at 282i acres, but really con- tained about 500 acres. In the same year Ephraim conveyed 150 of these acres — rather less than a third— to his brother Samuel. In 1736 Ephraim and Samuel made an agree- ment to divide the whole tract, so that Samuel should have his 150 acres on the south and next to Joseph Russell, jr. In 1742 they carried this into effect. Bphraim con- veyed all his right in the southern 150 acres to Samuel, and Samuel released to Bph- raim all his right in the residence on the north and extending to the Willis line. Thus Samuel's 150 acres became bounded by the Arnold oak on the south and by the Metho- dist church line on the north. In 1744 Col. Samuel Willis bought all this of Samuel for £300 and two years later sold it for £500 to Joseph Russell, jr., who thus became sole owner from the common burial ground to Hazard's dock, and the original Kimton line became extinct " Until further information turns up we will conclude that the boundary between Russell and Kimton passed at or near the Arnold Oak, his ' historic bound.' As the other line, viz., by the Methodist church to Hazard's dock, has left so many traces it will doubtless continue to be styled the ' Kempton line.' But it was not the original line of Manasseth Kimton, the first and largest landholder in the populous part of New Bedford." In 1768 there were in the township 772 dwelling houses, 158 tan, slaughter, and other workhouses, thirty grist, fulling and saw mills, one iron works, 525 horses, 797 oxen, 1,965 cows and heifers, 7,108 goats and sheep, 383 swine, 10,236-5 acres of pasturage land, 2,124 acres of tillage land. There were twenty- one persons between the ages of fourteen and forty- five years, who were held as slaves, or, as the rec- ord reads, "servants for life;" 2,933 tons of vessels of every kind, 16,- 400 superficial feet of wharves. The number of rateable polls in 1765, was 1,033; in 1768,1,148; in 1773, 1,231; and in 1774,1,240. Total valuation of estates, real and personal: In 1765, .^31,710; in 1773, ^44,574; in 1774, ^^44,560. From these statistics, gleaned from original documents, it would seem that the township of Dartmouth was in a prosperous condition at the period when the American Revolution began. THE TEA TAX. 65 CHAPTER V. DARTMOUTH IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. The Tea Tax and its Consequences — Opposition of the Colonies to the Mother Country — Approach of War — Dartmouth Soldiers on the March — Local Naval Op- erations— Story from the Pope Manuscript — E)(|fcloit of the Sloop Falcon — The Bat- tle in Buzzard's Bay — Bunker Hill — Dartmouth's Records of the Revolution —Town Meeting Proceedings Relating to the War. THE Colonies were now in the atmosphere of the mighty struggle against the tyrannies and oppressions of the mother country. Events were occurring throughout the land that inspired the spirit of rebellion and imbued the American patriot with earnest desires to be free from arbitrary government. Dartmouth had its own peculiar experiences in the Revolution, and its local history touches many of the important events, the issues of which brought glory and final success to the American cause. One of the most famous incidents of the American Revolution was the destruction of large cargoes of tea in Boston harbor on the evening of December 16, 1773. Since a Dartmouth ship, built by Dartmouth mechanics and owned by a Dartmouth merchant, was a prominent fig- ure in this event, it is fitting to briefly sketch the story in these pages. The tea tax imposed by the British government aroused great indig- nation in America, and the use of tea was practically discontinued throughout the land. Patriotic men and women refused to drink it, merchants would not buy it, and the American market of the East In- dia Company was well-nigh ruined. On the lOth of May the govern- ment passed a law authorizing the company to export it on their own account, shipping it to consignees who were appointed in the principal, colonies. The Sons of Liberty determined that the tea should not be landed, for already three loaded ships were on their way to our shores. The final outcome of this feeling was the casting overboard, by the ex- cited people, of the first cargo of tea that arrived in Boston harbor. Two hours' work and the deed was accomplished, and the marauders retired 66 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. in good order. This affair gave wonderful impetus to the American cause throughout the country. Meetings were held everywhere, at which resolutions were passed approving this plucky resistance. Even the women joined the protest by making solemn vows that they would not drink tea till the act of Parliament was repealed. A meeting was held in Dartmouth in January, 1774, at which fifty- seven women were present. Strong patriotic action was taken. They pledged themselves to abandon " tea drinking" until the unjust act was repealed. Some of them, hearing that one of the citizens had just purchased some of the proscribed article, waited upon him and requested that he return it. This he gallantly did without delay, much to their gratification. They treated him to a glass of this country's wine. Several gentlemen pres- ent on this occasion honored him with a round of cheers.^ As a legitimate result of this important event (the Boston tea-party) the people of the colonies, especially those of New England, grew bold in their open defiance of the oppressive acts of Parliament. The latent strength of the coming nation began to assert itself, " committees of safety " were organized on the recommendation of the Provincial Con- gress, companies of minute men were formed, military stores collected in convenient places, all in anticipation of the coming struggle. In Boston, Prescott, Warren, Revere, Church, Hancock, Adams and others (in all about thirty, most of them mechanics,) banded themselves to- gether, and two by two they traversed the city nightly, watching with jealous eyes every movement of General Gage and the British troops. Every suspicious act was reported at their midnight meetings. They were keenly aHve to the importance of watchfulness, for they well knew that General Gage was disturbed by the large amount of military stores collected at Concord. Telegraph and telephones were then un- known, and so the church belfry became the signal station ; the lighted lantern the flashlight that was to send out to the watchers the earliest information. Swift horses were ready to carry intrepid riders into the surrounding towns with the rallying call to the minute men. Anxious hours these must have been to the patriotic heart. The crisis ' On the shady side o£ Fir avenue, in our Rural Cemetery, close to the front line of the burial lot , stands a grave-stone, weather beaten and stained. It bears the following inscription : " Erected' to the memory of Henry Perkins, who died February i8, 1836, aged 87 years, A soldier of the Rev- olution. He was a participant in the famous Boston tea-party." (Tv\s DARTMOUTH'S PATRIOTISM. 67 came on the 19th of April, 1775, when the British troops in solid Col- umns marched out of Boston aod made their attack on Lexington and Concord. Paul Revere mounted his horse and made his famous ride into the surrounding towns. " The Britishers are coming ! " was the alarm that he sounded. The minute men from Acton, Medford, Sud- bury and the near villages responded to the call. The war was begun. 1 And what had Dartmouth to do with this mighty event ? What part did its villages of Bedford, Fairhaven, Acushnet, Padanaram and West- port take in these opening struggles for liberty ? One of these swift riders sped to this southern shore, giving the alarm to the towns through which he passed. Down he came, through the road now called Acush- net avenue, giving the call to Acushnet and Fairhaven. Into Bedford village he dashed, sounding the call " to arms ! " What excitement must have followed the arrival of this courier ! What painful forebod- ings must have filled every heart when the drum -beat was heard through the town ! On the 2 1 St day of April (mark the date, for the attack on Lexington was on the 19th,) three companies of minute men marched out of Dart- mouth and went into camp at Roxbury to become a part of that grand army of twenty thousand men gathered for the defence of American liberty. The following are the rolls of honor : A pay roll of the minute company which marched from Dartmouth April 21, 1775 : Captain, Thomas Kempton ; first lieutenant, AraasaSoper; second lieutenant, G-amaliel Bryant; sergeants, John Ohadwick, John Swift, George Brownell, Ezra Winglow ; corporals, James Spooner, Elijah Allen, Simson Spooner, Jeduthan Spooner; drum- mer, Benjamin Spooner; fifer, Obed Cushman; privates, Bleazer Allen, Noah Ball, David Badcock, Prince Brownell, John Coggshall, Lemuel Hathaway, Thomas Ingra- ham, Michael Spooner, John Spooner, Joshua Austin, Lettis Washburn, William Wash- burn, Ward Spooner, John Jenney, Peter Sands, Simeon Fuller, Robert Trighton, 2 '•'• The bad news flew fast. Into the country in all directions men rode, carrying the fearful tid- ings. There was a shock of pity and terror which crystallized into a fierce determination to do or die and men grasped their muskets. Old Putnam, the boldest of men, unhitched his horse from the plow, and at the head of his troops marched on to Boston. Arnold started with his men from New Haven, declaring that none but Almighty God should stop him. Company after company followed him. So it was m Massachusetts. Hastings and Childs led the men of Greenfield (they volunteered to a man) ; Stacy, the men of New Salem ; Prescott, the men of Groton ; John Stark marched at the head of a crowd of volunteers from New Hampshire. In three days twenty thou- sand Americans had gathered about Boston eager to fight for liberty. General Ward took com- mand and General Gage, who commanded the English troops, was besieged in Boston by a crowd of exasperated men." — New England History. 68 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Thomas Wrightington, Giles Tallman,. Samuel Wait, Thomas Washburn, Samuel Trip, Thomas West, John Donerson, Robert Stewart, John Miles, Robert Grossman, John Nye, Benjamin Ellis, Samuel Howland, Jesse Boin, Job Winslow, George Badcock. A pay roll of militia who marched from Dartmouth for Roxbury April 21, 1775, un- der the command of Captain Luen Pope: Captain, LuenPope; first lieutenant, Isaac Drew; second lieutenant, Jacob Pope; sergeants, Isaac Annabel, Alden Spooner ; pri- vates, Edward Eldredge, David Todd, Jacob Hathaway, Israel Jenney, John Chapman, Hathaway, Pierce Brownell, John Noells, Joseph Martin, David Kirby, Sam. Sherman, Edward Stoddard, Cornelius Spooner, Thomas Jenney, Bbnr. Hammond, Ichabod Perkins, Elicher Hathaway, Joseph Chornish, Jona. Jenney, Samuel Joy, Will. Warren, Benjamin Roach. Pay roll of the minute company which marched out of Dartmouth under command of Captain Daniel Bgery, April 21, 1775 : Captain, Daniel Egery ; first lieutenant, Jno. Perkins; second lieutenant, Avery Parker ; sergeants, Thomas Marshall, Joseph Pope, Joshua Loring, James Kempton ; drummer, Ephraim Drew ; corporals, Silas Cross, Jno. Eastland, Ezra Gauzy ; privates, Daniel Kempton, Thomas Anderson, Thomas Crandon, Isaac Barrows, Abisha Jenne, Joseph Hinckley, Nathaniel Hammond, Thaddeus Par- ker, Seth Pope, Josiah Damons, Simeon Clark, Ebenezer Jenne, Ansel Blossom, Sam- uel Tupper, Jeremiah Stoddard, John Cowan, Samuel Cushman. According to the pay rolls, this call was for five days' service ; but these companies were soon after enrolled in Colonel Danielson's regi- ment of foot of the army of the United- Colonies of North America. " I well remember," says John K. Cushing, grandson of the com- mander, Capt. Kempton, " hearing my mother tell the story as she heard it from my grandfather's lips, how, when the news arrived in town, he was at work upon his new house, situated on what is now Thomas street. He was at work on the outside of the building when the alarm was brought to him (and it must have been conveyed to him by the swift rider) as the chief military man of the village. 'You must take care of every- thing now, for I am going to camp at Roxbury,' he said to his family, as he hastened away to muster his company of minute men. One of the neighbors took grandfather's horse, and away he went carrying the startling news into Rhode Island." Captain Kempton, in command of the first company mentioned, was an important man in his day and gen- eration, for he was soon commissioned colonel and had already held the office of ensign under George III. The organization of the Revolutionary army went on rapidly at Bos- ton ; and on May lo, less than a month after the battle of Lexington, the Provincial Congress, then in session at Philadelphia, elected George THE "FALCON'S" CAPTURES. 69 Washington commander-in-chief; Artemus Ward, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler and Israel Putnam, major-generals; and Seth Pomeroy, Rich- ard Montgomery, David Wooster, William Heath, Joseph Spencer, John Thomas, John Sullivan, and Nathaniel Greene, brigadier- generals. The organization of the army of the United Colonies was complete with a force of about thirteen thousand men. General Gage, with his British troops, was shut up in Boston, and the city was surrounded with a cordon of colonial troops, who cut off to a serious extent the subsistence for his army. The naval vessels under his command were sent along the coast, foraging for supplies ; and it so happened that the sloop of war Falcon, Captain Linzee, was dispatched to Martha's Vineyard to obtain cattle and sheep. Rodolphus W. Crocker states that the house he now owns and lives in, at Vineyard Haven, was occupied by the officers, and the sitting- room was their headquarters. At that time it was owned by Tristam Luce, who was in serious agitation lest his farm stock might be sacri- ficed. The commander informed him that the soldiers had been so long without meat that he could not be responsible for their acts. He prom- ised him, however, that he should retain a milch cow ; and so to make her safety sure, Mr. Luce kept her at night in the room occupied by himself and his good wife. The soldiers took from the island many thousand sheep. A tradition is given of a Portuguese who resided on Martha's Vine- yard, and who gained a livelihood in a small vessel by fishing. One day on the sound he was overhauled by the Falcon and ordered to heave to. Not understanding the English language very well he did not compre- hend the order, but supposed the inquiry to be who he was. He mounted the rail and shouted " Manuel Jo." A second time he was commanded to heave to, and a second time he shouted back, " Manuel Jo." Again the order came with a threat, " Heave to or we will fire into you." "Manuel Jo, fire and pe plowed," was his reply, and he came about and put for the shore. He was allowed to escape. While the Falcon was cruising in the sound she captured two sloops, one belong- ing in Wareham. The crews were put on board under the charge of a lieutenant. The story of their recapture, on Saturday, May 13, 1775, is told in the manuscript history of the Pope family, by Joshua L. Pope, who received it from the lips of his father, Captain Nathaniel Pope, one of 70 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the heroes of the first naval capture of the American Revolution. He was acting lieutenant, in charge of the minute company of this famous exploit: " On Saturday afternoon of the 13th of May, 1775, twenty-four days after the battle of Lexington, the two military companies were in a field just out of the village paraded for drill. While they were engaged in their instructions a rider was seen coming at full speed from the east, who, on nearing, turned to those in the field, and, leaping from his panting gelding, informed them that a twenty gun ship of the enemy, having come into the Vineyard Spund, had captured two sloops, one of which belonged in part to himself, a resident of Wareham ; that they were in the bay manned and armed as decoy cruisers, and that the object of his visit was to apprize the 'Committee of Safety ' of their character. [These committees were appointed in all the colonial towns by recom- mendation of the Colonial Congress in 1774.] " With this information it was immediately resolved that the old sloop Success, of 40 tons burden, then lying in the wharf, be put in service to intercept the enemy. It was deemed that a force of 25 men would be sufficient, and that number would be as many as could be put out of sight on the Success. These points settled, the companies were paraded, calls were made for volunteers, and at the tap of drum those ready to offer would step two paces to the front. At the drum beat of Capt. Glig (a nick-name given to the drummer, Mr. Spooner,) the whole 50 men stepped forward. As only 25 could be taken, a ballot for chances was taken. At 9 p. m., all being ready and on board, the Success, with the two commanders, Capts. Nathaniel Pope and Daniel Bgery, the drummer, a boy (in after years a shipmaster of Pairhavenj, and the 25 rank and file put out from the wharf at Fairhaven. There was light air from the southwest with fog, and as the little wind was adverse the sloop had to be ' swept ' from the river to the lower harbor, where she was then left to drift. Capt. Pope had the helm and conduct of the vessel, the programme being that but two men — the two commanders and a boy — be seen, Capt. Glig (drummer) to remain in the cabin and the 25 men in the hold; that in event of discovering the cruisers (both or either) a rap of Capt. Pope's foot upon deck at the helm to bring Capt. Egery to him, if below, for a council of war, when he, returning below, would through the bulkhead partition between the cabin and the hold order the men to be ready, and when Capt. Pope should have succeeded in placing his vessel in a desired position, a second tap of his foot to immediately followed by a tap by Ghg on the drum in the cabin, a signal for the men to leap on deck ready for action. " The night continued dark and foggy. At early dawn they heard the crowing of cocks at the east of them on Soonticut Neck, thus defining their position. Just as the gray dawn pierced the fog, a sloop at anchor and but a cable's length from them was dis- covered directly under their lee in the tide, which would in a few minutes sweep them upon her. The discovery by the other party soon brought the hail, " Ship, ahoy. Sheer off. You'll be into us ! " '' Aye, aye," was the response of Capt. Pope at the helm, while his rap immediately brought Capt. Egery from below, whose glance at circumstances was suf- ficient, when he disappeared to apprise his men and await the second rap. Upon the deck of the vessel at anchor were two men, one a sailor, the other a marine in His Maj- CAPTAIN POPE'S NARRATIVE. 71 esty's service, who immediately commenced loading his gun. The sailor now again cried out, " Sheer off, you'll be into us ! " "Aye, aye," again responded Capt. Pope, at the helm, now endeavoring to lay his vessel aboard. On the next instant the tap of the drum brought the eyes of both the sailor and marine to the Success, at the moment the men were tumbling up from the hold. " The marine immediately dropped his gun and seizing an axe was about to cut the cable. The sailor ran out upon the bowsprit to loose the jib ties, but both were checked by the threats of Oapt. Pope, who, in the next moment, laid the Success alongside her victim, when, grappling the two vessels together, the patriots leaped aboard, surprised the party below with this unceremonious morning call. There were below eleven officers and men, well armed and prepared for rough work, all of which ample provision was turned over to their captors. With the rise of the sun the fog disappeared, a gentle breeze sprang up at the west, the thirteen prisoners were disarmed and placed below, their position secured by the weight of cable and anchor put over the gangway. Capt. Pope, with one man and the boy, took charge of the prize and prisoners. Both vessels then made sail for the light-house about three miles from town. On nearing the point a consultation was held, and it was decided that the prize be run in and the Success stand out and look for the second cruisef. In half an hour the prize with the prisoners was at anchor oft' Fairhaven. " The Success standing out in the bay soon discovered the second vessel at anchor in a cove to the west, and making sail, ran out for a chase. A near approach evincing their mutual character, the contest began. The commander of the British cruiser being dressed in the livery of the king, and evidently deeming discretion the better part of valor, sought to screen his plumage from the Yankee sharp-shooters by standing within the gangway, giving his commands from that quarter, seldom exposing his person. This being perceived by Captain Egery he called Shockley, a minute man, ordered him to present him with his card when next he should pop out. He did so and the commander fell, receiving the shot in the head. The enemy soon struck their colors. One of the facetious Yankees said the Success had but one carriage gun, a swivel, which, having lost its trunnions, was then loaded, lashed to a timber head, and when chance brought it in range, fired, but proving yet loyal to the king, it kicked out of the traces and went overboard at first fire. The prisoners were soon disarmed and the Success, with her two prizes, was at anchor before ' meeting time.' "The prisoners were sent ashore to the lock-up and the wounded to the old surgeon, Dr. Perry. The wounded officer, a lieutenant, took his mishap philosophically, saying his kin had been characterized as a thick-skulled family, and the truth of it had been exemplified in his case. He had received a buckshot directly in front, on the retreating line of his forehead, which, piercing to the bone, slid on its surface, cutting the scalp in its course, and was found flat, thin and sharp on the back of his head. " This starthng incident produced an immense sensation, and it was unoubtedly true, so stated by a rather irreverent Fairhavener, that the devotions of the Friends on that ' first day ' was not all in calm silence. This bold stroke seriously alarmed the people of New Bedford, who had much of their commerce afloat in the port, while the British sloop-of-war, Falcon, Captain Linzee, then lying in Tarpaulin Cove, twenty miles off, poB- 72 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. sessed the power of retaliation for the loss of his ofBcers and crew. Acting on the im- pulse of this feeling a strong delegation from ' men of peace ' came early Monday morn- ing from New Bedford to Fairhaven, and in the house of Esquire Williams, in conven- tion resolved to return the men and captured property to Captain Linzee with a proper and suitable apology. The captains, having early notice of the current feeling of the convention, ordered Captain Q-lig to beat to arms, then hastily dividing and distributing the spoils of victory among themselves. Captain Egery marched off with fifteen prisoners to Taunton. This number, with the three or four wounded left behind, composed the offi- cers, marines, fighting men, those who were emphatically the servants of King George. There were six or eight others, sailors, who, being deemed more cosmopolitan, were allowed to go. Captain Egery, leaving his prisoners in Taunton jail, reported to the Provincial Congress in Watertown, then in session. The affair occasioned much em- barrassment, for the same fear that had developed in New Bedford was felt by the au- thorities, for really at that time a state of war could hardly be said to exist. " At New Bedford a large majority of its influential citizens were of the Society of Friends, by principle and profession non-combatant, and as they had large commercial interests afloat and exposed, it was quite natural that this outcropping of belligerent pa- triotism with their neighbors across the harbor should excite in them, as it did, an earn- est feeling of repression. A demonstration of this feeling at once gave rise to, and fostered passes of, taunt and recrimination, which soon ran to terms void of pleasing euphony, and under this popular impulse a wag of the period delivered himself of a specimen in the following doggerel : " ' It was a goodly town, and busy with the hum of thrift. Deep laden barques were coming and departing; The townsmen were men of peace — meek and sleek. With fair round bodies cased in drab. Their brows were broadly shadowed from the sun ; Their speech was bland, and on their Consciences written — non-resistance. Another town there was, a little town across the stream ; Poverty stricken, and to which its fat neighbors gave A sobriquet of unmentionable euphony ; It possessed no richly freighted argosies. And could only boast of here and there a shallop In the mud. Its men were men of peace, but Jealous of their rights — strong in faith; Trusting in G-od, yet kept their powder dry.' " Of the sloop-of-war Falcon and Captain Linzee it may be said that the object of the visit of his vessel to Vineyard Sound was to seize cattle and sheep upon the Vineyard and in captured vessels to send them to General Gage, in Boston. We next find the Falcon before Bunker Hill on the 17th of June, her commander, Linzee, the loyal op- ponent of the patriot Prescott, commander of the trenches. Two generations later we find the descendants of those gentlemen in a more peaceful relation, the marriage of the grand-daughter of Captain Linzee with the grandson of the hero of Bunker Hill • and there may be seen the two swords of the once opposing commanders, now crossed in unity upon the library wall of the historian Prescott at Boston." BEGINNING OF THE WAR. 73 This naval exploit finds recognition in the best of historic author- ities. ^ Thrilling events followed each other in rapid succession during the year 1775. The clash of arms at Lexington and Concord in April, and the first naval battle in Buzzard's Bay in May, were followed in June by the battle of Bunker Hill. By the ist of June General Ward had under his command a force of about 16,000 men. This was the army that participated in, and to whom belonged, the glory and honor of this famous struggle. Dartmouth was represented in this struggle by at least two full companies in the Bunker Hill army, both attached to the Eighteenth Regiment of foot, Colonel Danielson, in Roxbury camp, that section being under the command of General Thomas. It is pos- sible that Captain Pope's company also is entitled to this honor, but no record has been found as yet to justify the claim. Dr. Edward Strong, in the office of the Secretary of State, Boston, is authority for the state- ment that every man identified with this army is entitled to a place on the most distinguished roll of honor of the American Revolution. Though only about 1,500 men were immediately engaged at Breed's Hill, all were on duty that eventful day. The following are copies of the names in the pay rolls of companies under command of Captains Kempton and Egery, the former in the possession of John K. Gushing and the latter in the possession of the State. The enlistments were made in May and were for three months' service : "A muster roll of the company under the command of Captain Thomas Kempton, in' Colonel Danielson's regiment, to the first of August, 1775 : Captain, Thomas Kempton ; first lieutenant, Amasa Soper; second lieutenant, John Chadwick; sergeants, John 1 The foUowing is an extract from an article on the '* Naval History of the American Revolution," by Edward E. Hale, D.D., published in the " Narrative and Critical History of America," by Jus- tin Winsor : " The battles of the revolution were foug:ht on the sea as often as on the land and to as much purpose. * * * So soon as the outbreak of hostilities began to disturb the natural course of their commerce, the seamen of the New England coast took up the business of cruising against their enemies, as if it were quite normal and something to which/ they had been born and trained. ***** a people thus bred to the sea and able to assertlthemselves upon it lost no time when they found themselves at war with England in carrying their war upon the element to which they were born. They won their iirst naval victory over England on the 5th of May, 1775, scarcely a fortnight after the battle of Lexington. The Falcon, a British sloop of war, had, under some pretence, seized one or more prizes from the people of Buzzard's Bay. Inspired probably by the success at Lexington and Concord, the people of New Bedford and Dartmouth fitted out a ves- sel with which they attacked and out out onejof the Falcon's prizes, with .fifteen prisoners, from a harbor in Martha's Vineyard. On the 12th of June the people of Machias, in Maine, seized the Margaretta, the King's sloop, and two other vessels." 10 74 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Swift, George Brownell, Thomas West, John SuUings ; corporals, James Spooner, Robert Grossman, Elijah Allen, Paul Weston ; fifer, Obed Cushman ; drummer, Simeon Puller; privates, Benjamin A-dams, Eleazar Allen, Joshua Austin, David Badcook, Noah Ball, Jazeb Bennet, Thomas Bennet, Jonathan Bradshaw,Prinoe Brownell, G-am- aliel Bryant, Jessey Burt, John Coggeshall, William Counts, Robert Grossman, jr., Louis De Moranville, Thomas Eskridge, John G-ammons, Phineas Hammond, Roger Ham- mond, G-eorge Haskins, David Hathaway, John Hathaway, Lemuel Hathaway, Silas Kirby, David Lewis, Preserved Merrihew, Jacob Mott, John Ormsby, Peter Phillips, Daniel Sherman, Lemuel Sherman, John Spooner, Joseph Trafford, Nathan Waste, David Kentch, Robert Knowlton, Humphrey Maccumber, Jonathan Mosher, Isaac Noble, Silas Perry, Peter Sand, John Sherman, John Solomon (Indian), Giles Tallman, Lettioe Washburn." Of these, David Lewis was from Rhode Island, Phineas Hammond from Rochester, and Lewis De Moranville from Freetown. On this pay roll Mrs. Hannah Hathaway, widow, is credited with the enlist- ment of Peter Sand. In the pay roll of the following company from Fairhaven the officers are not designated : " A muster roll o£ the company under the command of Captain Daniel Bgery, in Colonel Danielson's regiment, to the first of August, 1775 : Daniel Egery, John Pickens, Avery Parker, Thomas Marshall, Pardon Taber, Joshua Loiing, Walker Cathel, Seth Tobey, Isaac Annable, Thomas Tobey, Jacob Pope, Joshua Randall, Ephraim Drew, Thomas Anderson, Ansil Blossom, Ephraim Briggs, Gideon Bennet, Isaac Barrows, Henry Gamil, Neil Gushman, Simeon Clark, John Cowing, Lemuel Cushman, Josiah Damon, John Eastland, Benjamin Ellis, Ephraim Frost, Ezra Geurnsey, Samuel Gibson, Richard Hammond, Isaac Hathaway, Nathaniel Hammond, John Hich, Jonathan Hast- ings, Abel House, Joseph Hinckley, Abisha Jenney, Ebenezer Jenne, Edward Jenner, Daniel Kempton, David Kirby, WiUiam Mingo, John Nancarrow, Seth Pope, Thaddeus Parker, Thomas Peokham, Jacob Penney, James Pratt, Benjamin Rotch, Samuel Sher- man, Noah Stoddard, Jeremiah Stoddard, Andrew Southward, Peter Sarsfield, John Skiff, David Todd, Samuel Tupper, WiUiam Taber, Joseph Tower." Let us now present an outline of the events leading up to the conflict. On the 12th of June General Gage issued his insulting proclamation declaring martial law and stigmatizing those in arms as rebels and par- ricides of the constitution. He offered free pardon to all who would re- turn to their allegiance, excepting John Hancock and Samuel Adams. These he declared outlaws and offered a reward for their capture. The issue of this manifesto only resulted in increasing the hatred of the Americans and in strengthening their patriotism. The inhabitants of Boston were held under strictest surveillance by the British. All com- BUNKER HILL. 75 munication with the country was cut off, and none were allowed to leave the city without permission. Even the women and children were included in this order, and were held as hostages for the good behavior of the patriots. This action brought great distress and suffering, for their regular supply of provisions was cut off, and many of the families were separated from their husbands and brothers on whom they de- pended for support. The situation was a serious one. The Provincial Congress had invested the Committee of Safety, whose headquarters were at Cambridge, with full power to act as circumstances might dic- tate. It came to their knowledge that General Gage had set the i8th of June as the date for taking possession of Bunker Hill and Dorchester Heights. On the evening of the i6th Colonel Prescott received orders from the Committee of Safety to fortify Bunker Hill, and with 1,000 men and a company of artillery he marched to Charlestown Neck. It was de- cided to build the fortifications on Breed's Hill and to throw up breastworks on Bunker Hill to cover retreat, if found necessary, across the Neck. All night they labored with pickaxe and shovel, and when the morning of the 17th dawned the British found to their astonishment that the Yankees had full possession of this strategic position. The city of Boston was soon in wild frenzy ; what with the hasty marching of troops, the rum- ble of artillery, the clanging of bells, the hasty council of war called by General Gage, there was a condition of affairs little dreamed of by loy- alist or patriot. The Tories, who had formed a military company and offered their services to General Gage, found themselves in a most uncomfortable position. It is said that many who had been lukewarm suddenly ex- hibited decided sympathy with the American cause. The audacity and pluck of the Continentals were as bold and fearless as they were sur- prising. At noonday the British army, composed of from four to five thou- sand well- disciplined soldiers, thoroughly equipped, under experienced officers, landed at Morton's Point, and, aided by the squadron of war ves- sels, made their attack on the entrenchments. To add terror to the scene that followed, Charlestown was set on fire, and four hundred build- ings were burned to the ground. On that bright June afternoon, mid 76 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. shot and shell and burning town, the battle of Bunker Hill was fought and lost. The loss of the American army was four hundred and fifty killed and wounded, while the British lost, according to the best author- ities, one thousand five hundred. " The battle was lost to the Ameri- cans," but " the physical defeat was a moral victory." The colonies took inspiration from the events that led to final triumph. Washing- ton arrived in Cambridge in July and took full command of the army, and the loosely-organized and widely-scattered band of patriots was soon transformed into a compact body of fighting men. In the collection of documents that belonged to Captain Thomas Kempton, and which are now in the possession of John K. Cushing, many interesting facts are to be found. Among them is a record that contains the monthly payments to the officers and privates of Captain Kempton's company, as made up to December 22, 177S: "Captain £€), first lieutenant £\, second lieutenant £l, surgeons £2 8s., corpo- rals £2 4s., drummer and fife £2 4s., privates £2." It is a fair conclu- sion that the Continental army was paid at the same rates. The following letters will explain themselves : " Cozen LEMnEL: " These lines may inform you that we are all well at present through the goodness of Grod and hope you are. So I have sent a man to take your berth, and you may let him take your blanket and bed sak and your catrig box and the rest of yout things you must bring home.'' " Captain Thomas Kimton, Sir: " Please to pay James Cook eight dollars per month from the time he takes Lemuel Sherman's berth till the time Lemuel inlisted for. Reduct out what I have let him James Cook have in the letter above, and when he brings them home I will pay him for them at the price you let them all, and in so doing you will much oblige. " Yours to serve, Elihu Sherman." " EoxEDRY Camp, December 31st, 1775. " Then received of Thos. Kimpton the sum of six pounds six shillings and ten pence lawful money, it being in fool for my service in Lemuel Sherman's Room for 2 months and twenty days. James Cook." Here is a little book of twelve pages. On the front cover is written in a good, legible hand : " December 2d, 1775. Jesse Bush — his hand. Jesse Bush's Accounts, Roxbury, 1775." On the back cover is the following: ■\ ^"r*^^* /C (^rtin- INTERESTING DOCUMENTS. 77 " Jesse Bush, hia Book, God give him grace there in to look. Not to look, but understand, That Learning is Better than house or land ; For when house and land is gone and spent Learning is most Excellent. Since I steal not this Book for fear of Shame, For up a Loft is the oner's name. And so for the General Orders head Quarters, Camebridge made Counter same." Within is a list of articles " Bought in the Continental Armey at Roxbury Camp in the year of our Lord, 1775. Shoes, Shirts, Hanker- chif, Hat, Briches, Stockings, Nee Buckles, Gaiters, Cap, Jack Knif, ribin, trousers," the price for each carried out and the total ;^4 — 06s. — 05 d. One page is devoted to the record of money evidently loaned to his comrades in arms. " Silus Kirby is. — 2d. Isaac Noble 6s. — 4d. David Lewis 7d. Thomas Exkridge £\ — 14s." Here is a petition for wood to one of the selectmen, dated 1775, suggestive of the privation and suffering incident to the times : " I am again out of wood and my family sick, and must desire you to let me have a load to-morrow at all events, which I think is the last time I shall ask you for any , wood. Lemuel Williams." And still another that tells its own tale of woe : " To the Selectmen of the Town of Dartmouth : ■'Gentlemen — We, your petitioners, being a number of the Inhabitants of Bedford, beg leave to make application to you in a business that is of the greatest importance to every one of us, that is by the precaution that has been this day taken to cut off all in- tercourse from Bedford and the country, and for other reasons, we are but too well sat- isfied that the inhabitants there are determined generally to innoculate for the small pox unless timely prevented by the interposition of your authority. We think it quite needful to point out to your good judgement the very bad consequences to the inhabit- ants of this Town in General if that practice is suffered to go on in Bedford, as they must on reflexion immediately appear to your view. "Our own situation (being shut up in Dr. Perry's hospital) makes us extremely uneasy for our famihes in Bedford, and urges us most earnestly to petition your honours to make immediate inquiry into the grounds of this information and to use your authority to suppress a plan big with so many evils, and your petitioners will forever pray. Thomas Tripp, George Olaghorn, Samuel Thrasher, Daniel Smith, John Wanton, Joshua Doune, Manasseh Kempton, Thomas Whitridge, Anthony Wilbour, J abez Hammond, Thomas 78 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. Ingrahara, Q-ideon ," and four or five others, whose names have been torn from the paper. '' August 9, 1775. An account of the things received out of the province house of General Thomas : 1 pair shoes for Giles Tallman ; 1 shirt and 1 pair stockings for David Lewis ; 1 shirt for Jonathan Mosher ; 1 pair breeches and 1 pair of shoes for Humphrey Maocumber; 1 pair breeches and 1 pair of shoes for Gobes Bennit ; 1 pair breeches for John Youmans." At the very beginning of the war the patriotic spirit of the inhabitants of Dartmouth was thoroughly aroused. July i8, 1774, a town meeting was held to decide what steps should be taken in regard to certain op- pressive restrictions enacted by the British government. The warrant stated that the majority of the inhabitants were confident that in order to maintain their liberty and freedom some positive action should be taken by the town. Agreeable to the said warrant a town meeting was held on the above- mentioned date, and the Hon. Walter Spooner, esq., chosen moderator: " Voted to act on this warrant for calling this meeting. " Voted that the Honorable Walter Spooner, Esq., Benjamin Aiken, Esq., William Davis, William Tallman, Maj. Ebenezer Willis, Jirah Willis, Seth Pope, Seth Hathaway and Hannaniah Cornish, be a committee to prepare and draw up what they shall think most proper relating to said warrant and make report to this meeting for the towns con- sideration as soon as they conveniently can. Voted to adjourn to three of the clock this afternoon. " July 18th, three o'clock afternoon. The town meeting according to the adjourn- ment, the above committee agreeable to order made the following report which was voted by the town. " Voted that we are Grieved being necessitated to act a part which at first appears unfriendly with respect to our manufacturing brethren and friends in Great Britain and Ireland. But we trust we shall readily be excused by them when they consider that this part of our conduct is wholly designed and in our judgment will have the greatest tendency of anything in our power to save both them and us from Bondage and Slav- ery. For upon mature consideration we judge the several late unconstitutional acts of the British Parliament have a direct tendency to destroy the harmony which has sub- sisted among all the British subjects and to entirely aboMsh the English constitution and form of Government, and therefore as the most probable means to prevent those De- structive purposes, we unite with our American Brethren and Resolve that we will not purchase any goods manufactured in Great Britain and Ireland which shall be imported from thence after this day ; that we will not purchase any English goods of any hawker or pedler, that we will not purchase any foreign teas whatever, that we will not ex- port any flaxseed to any foreign market, that we do acquiesce in the need and necessity of raising our proportion of moiney to pay the Congress and to raise the sum by sub- COMMITTEES APPOINTED. 79 scription, and that these resolves do remain in force so long as the present grievous acts of the British Parliament remain unrepealed, or until this town shall see fit to alter the said resolves, and that the town clerk transcribe a copy of these proceedings to the committee of correspondence this day chosen for publication. '' Also voted that Benjamin Akin, Esq., Messrs. Jirah Willis, William Davis, Williard Tallman, Seth Pope, Hannaniah Cornish, Jirah Swift, Jr., be a committee of corres- pondence with the other committees of correspondence in America. " Attest Benjamin Russell, Town clerk. " N. B. Immediately after the above resolves were passed the towns proportion of the money to pay the committee of Congress was advanced." At a subsequent meeting Benjamin Akin, William Davis, and Will- iam Tallman were selected as a committee to attend the County Con- gress to be held at Taunton, September 28, 1774, and it was voted "that said Delegates be Impowered only to advise and consult upon such meas- ures as the magistrate of the county Congress shall judge expedient, and make report to said town as soon as convenient." At a town meeting held January 7, 1775, it was voted that a com- mittee of twenty- one persons be chosen agreeable to the advice of the Congress held at Taunton. The following is a list of those composing this committee: "Benjamin Akin, Capt. Philip Taber, Samuel Perry, James Akin, Nathaniel Richmond, Richard Kerby, George Brownell, Fortinatus Sherman, Seth Pope, John Perkins, John Smith 3d, Thomas Crandon, Gamaliel Brient, Abraham Smith, John Chase, Griffith Bar- ney, John Alden, Daniel Eggey, Nathan Delino, William Wood 2d, and Philip Sherman." It was voted that this committee "be continued in said service until the acts or parts of acts mentioned in the Continental Congress Associ- ation Agreement be repealed." A committee was also appointed to "receive all the donations for the poor of Boston and Charlestown now suffering by reason of the Boston Port Bill, so-called, that may be offered by the inhabitants of this town, make remittance as soon as may be to the overseer of the poor of Boston." So HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. CHAPTER VI. REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY CONTINUED. A Celebrated Cipher Letter — Rev. Dr. Samuel West deciphers it — A Modern Document — Captain Kempton and His Kindness — Many Quaint and Interesting Documents — Rolls of Dartmouth Soldiers — Location of Whipping Posts — Price of Provisions, etc. WHEN Washington's headquarters of the army were at Cambridge, in 177s, the movements of the troops and much of the secret action of the Provincial Congress were known by the English admiral, whose headquarters were at Newport. How this news was obtained was for some time a mystery. Its solution was accomplished by one of our distinguished citizens, the Rev. Dr. Samuel West, to whom allusion has already been made. Among the officers belonging to General Washington's staff was one named Church, who lived at Cambridge. His mistress had a brother in Newport ; and, proposing to make him a visit, she was entrusted with a sealed letter by this officer, with instructions to deliver it to the Eng- lish admiral, who, it seems, was expected to arrive there with the Eng- lish fleet. Her visit was concluded before his arrival, and she gave the letter to her brother to deliver. Suspicious that something was wrong about it, he spent a sleepless night, and the next morning went to his neighbor, a Quaker, celebrated for his good judgment and counsel. Frankly stating the affair to him he asked his advice. " Thee knows," said the Friend, " that I have nothing to do with this war, but if thee wants advice I can give it to thee. I advise thee to take it to the gov- ernor ; he can open it and if nothing wrong is found in it, it can be sent to its destination." Acting on this suggestion he himself took it to Boston. The governor opened it but could not read it, neither could his secretary, for the letter was written in cipher. The brother was then sent with an escort to Cambridge, where he delivered the mis- terious epistle to Washington. He also was unable to read it. A Frenchman in the camp suggested that there was a chaplain at Dor- A TREASONABLE LETTER. 8i Chester who could decipher such writing. This proved to be Dr. Sam- uel West, of Acushnet, then pastor of the Congregational Church of that village. Washington sent the letter to him, and all night long Dr. West worked upon it. Captain Kempton, with his company of Dartmouth soldiers, was on guard duty that night about Dr. West's quarters, and saw him through the half- opened door, busy at his task. He was at last successful in deciphering the letter, the contents of which proved to be of the most treacherous character. Tradition says that the letter was then given to a clergyman belonging in Northampton, with the same results, the two versions being alike, with the difference of some grammatical errors of no great importance. " I am not responsible for Church's bad grammar," was the reply made by Dr. West, when told the circumstances. Church was arrested and placed in confinement during the war. This was the story as told by Rev. Addison Woodward, an elderly clergyman of New Bedford, who said that he received it many years ago from the hps of Thomas Kempton, son of Captain Kempton. A few weeks after this interview with Mr. Woodward, a similar ac- count was received from Jireh Swift, jr., whose father, Jireh Swift, was a Revolutionary soldier. In reply to the question if he had ever heard the story related above regarding Dr. West, he answered that his father told the same incidents, the similarity of the traditions from two separate and distinct sources being of a very striking character. The following is the translation of the cipher letter : "I hope this will reach you. Three attempts have I made without success in effect- ing. In the last the man was discovered in attempting his escape ; but fortunately my letter was sewed in the waist band of his breeches. He was confined for a few days, during which you may guess my feelings, but a little art and a Uttle money settled the matter. It is a month since my return from Philadelphia. I went by the way of Providence to visit my mother. The committee for warlike stores made me a formal tender of 12 cannon, 18 and 24 pounds, they having taken a previous resolution to make the offer to Gen. Ward. To make a merit of my services, I sent them down ; and when they received them they sent them to Stoughton to be out of danger, even though they had formed the resolution as before hinted of fortifying Bunker's hill which, together with the cowardice of Clumsy Gerrish and Col. Scammon was the ludcy occasion of their defeat. The affair happened before my return from Philadelphia. We lost 165 killed there and since dead of their wounds; 120 more lie wounded; they will chiefly recover. They boast that you have 1,400 killed and wounded in the action. 82 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. You say the rebles loft 1,500 ; I suppose with equal truth. The people of Connecticut are raving in the cause of liberty. A number of their colony from the town of Stam- ford, robbed the King's stores near New York, with some small assistance which the New Yorkers lent them. These were growing turbulent; I counted 280 pieces of can- non, from 13 to 24 pounders, at King's-bridge, which the committee has secured for the use of the Colonies. The Jerseys are not a whit behind Connecticut in zeal. The Phil- adelphians exceed them both; I saw 2,000 men reviewed there by Gen. Lee, consisting of Quakers, and other inhabitants in uniform, with 1,000 riflemen and 40 horses, who together, made a most warlike appearance. I mingled freely and frequently with the members of the Continental Congress ; they were united and determined in opposition, and appeared assured of success. Now to come home, the opposition is become formid- able. Eighteen thousand brave and determined men with Washington and Lee at their head are no contemptable enemy. Adjutant-General Gates is indefatigable in arraying the army. Provisions are very plentiful ; cloaths are manufactured in almost every town for the soldiers. Twenty tons of gunpowder have lately arrived at Philadelphia, Connecticut and Providence; and upwards of 20 tons are now in camp. Saltpetre ia made in every colony. Powder-mills have been erected and are consequently employed at Philadelphia and New York. Volunteers of the first fortunes daily flock to the camp. One thousand riflemen will arrive in town in a few days. Recruits are now levying to augment the array to 22,000 men ; besides 10,000 mihtia of this government are appointed to appear on the first summons. Tlie bills of all the colonies (probably those issued by the Congress) circulate freely, and are readily exchanged for cash. Add to this unless some plan of accommodation takes place immediately their harbours will swarm with privateers. An army will be raised in the middle colonies to take possession of Canada. For the sake of the miser- able convulsed empire, solicit peace, repeal the acts or Britain is undone. Tliis advice is the result of a warm affection for my King and realm. Remember I never deceived you. Every article here sent you is sacredly true. The papers will ac- quaint you that I am a member again for Boston. You will there see our motley Coun- cil. A general arraingement of ofiicers will take place, except the chief, which will be suspended but for a little while, to see what part Britain takes in consequence of the late Continental Petition. A view to independence appears to be more and more gen- eral. Should Britain declare war against the Colonies they would be lost forever; Should Spain declare war against England the Colonies would declare a neutrality, which would doubtless produce a league oflersive and defensive between them. For God's Sake prevent it by a speedy accommodation ! Writing this has employed me for a day. I have been to Salem to reconnoitre, but could not escape ihe Oeese in the Capital. To-morrow I set out for Newport purposely to send this. I write you fully, it being scarcely practicable to prevent discovery. I am out of my place here by choice and therefore out of pay ; and am determined to be so, unless something be ofi'ered in my way. I wish you would contrive to write to me largely in cyphers, by way of Newport, adressed to Tom Richards, Merchant, inclosed under cover to me, intimating that I am a perfect stranger to you; but that being recommended to you as a gentleman of honor. DR. SAMUEL WEST. 83 you took the liberty to inclose it entreating me to deliver it as directed to the person liv- ing, as you are informed, in Cambridge. Sign some fictitious name and send it to some confident friend in Newport, to be delivered to me at Watertown. Make use of every precaution or I perish." In a sketch of the life and character of the Rev. Dr. Samuel West published in 1808, by Rev. John Allen of Duxboro', who was a student in theology with Dr. West, the following paragraph is found which will explain Dr. West's relation to this remarkable event : " In the latter stages of life he is said to have appHed himself to chemistry, in which it is testified by adepts that he was a distinguished proficient. The year 1775 awakened his attention to politics, and he became a Whig partisan, writing many forcible pieces in the newspapers, which animated the confident and revived the spirits of the fimid for the important contest. These speculations gratified his friends, and were highly ap- plauded by the public. He also brought himself into a considerable degree of notice by deciphering Dr. Church's letter, which was written at the commencement of the Eevo- lutionary war and exposed to a relation — who had joined the party of the enemy the particular state of the army. The alarm which that letter occasioned is still remem- bered, and it was natural for every one to inquire who the person was that made it in- telligible for the public eye, and it was acknowledged by the writer that it was done correctly." It is a singular fact that Samuel West and Dr. Benjamin Church were both members of the class of 1754 in Harvard. That Dr. West was one of the distinguished men of his day is shown by the fact that he was selected to preach a sermon before the Honorable Council and the Hon- orable House of Representatives of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, May 29, 1776. His text was from Titus iii. i, " Put them in mind to be subjects to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, and to be ready to do every good work." The sermon is given in the "Pulpit of the American Revolution, or the Political Ser- mons of the Period of 1776, by John Wingate Thornton, A.M." Captain Kempton, in whose company we are specially interested, possessed a kind, accommodating spirit, which is revealed on nearly every page of the camp books. It seems as if every soldier looked to him, not only for his regular supplies, but for every need, real or imagin- ary. So we find a record of money advanced and clothing furnished. From the varied character of articles supplied we infer that Captain Kempton possessed the characteristics of the Quaker who was contin- ually called upon by a neighbor for the loan of tools and implements 84 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. about his farm. One day he returned the wheelbarrow with the remark, " Here's your blamed old wheelbarrer ; it's broke ! " " Well," blandly remarked the Quaker. " Well," says the neighbor, " I want yer to have it mended ; I want to borrow it again this arternoon ! " Gazing serenely at him for a moment, the Quaker repHed, " It shall be repaired; I will send it to thee." Lieutenant Soper seemed to require frequent accommodations, most likely on account of the liberal patronage bestowed on the sutler. "October 18, 1775, Lent him [Soper] 6 shillings. £2, 10s., 6d. Paid the olarke 12s. for Soper for his horse to ride to Denham." The lieutenant occasionally furnished money for his family, for the captain passed over to his son " one month's pay of his for son, ;^i, 17s. 4d." Without doubt, Soper was a good soldier and a jolly fellow, for we find him commanding a company in 1776. John SuUings was short of funds in October, so the captain loaned him £\, for which he took his note. November 25, 177S, John Solomon paid his "loan in phool," 7s. 6d. Many other accounts of like character are on record, but enough have been mentioned to illustrate the military banking business of the period. In May, 1 775, Captain Kempton's company was supplied with " cartouch boxes," and the account gives the list of names. Each man is charged 3s. 4. The soldiers were well supplied with milk in August, 1775, for a con- siderable " quonti " is recorded as being received on September 2. " Reed, at Barestones, 75 qts., 10s. low money. " " Mr. Coburns, 179 " £1, 4s. " " Mr. Clarks, 208 " £1, 7s, 8d." August 17, 1,274 feet of "white pein clabbords'' at 40s. per thousand were received from Jonathan Hart Howard. August 18, Jacob Mott bought 31^ yards of " clorth," for which he paid ^^3, 3s. October 12,1775, "Preserved Merrihew, Roger Hammond, Silas Cidreg, Jonathan Moshar, Jacob Mott, John Spooner, Obed Cushman, Isaac Noble, John Coggeshall, Jonathan Bradshaw, receipted for their blanket money — 12s. low money pr man." The following charges were also made : " John Spooner, 1 pare Sheepskin Breeches, 14s. ; Isaac Noble, 1 pare Sheepskin Breeches, 13s. ; Silus Derrey, 1 pare Bearskin, 14s. ; Sergeant John Swift, 1 pair Sheep- ./r-^^'^^U f * /^./ /-///- 27c'^pW2^tULAR . QUAKERS. BLACKS. 185 21 3 47 5 3 162 31 1 93 5 1 88 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. POPULAR. QUAKERS. BLACKS. . 190 29 5 109 31 3 . 103 74 7 45 10 1 . 74 42 6 Mr. Tallman, Capt. Sherman, ..... Thomas Smith, ...... Philip Shearman, .... Jabez Barker, .... 1,008 248 30 Total 1,286. The entire population in 1776 was 6,773 ; in 1765 it was 4,506. The following Dartmouth men were mustered at Taunton, July 14, 1778, for Fishkill, by James Leonard: Jethro Taber, David Spooner, Benjamin Weston, Leonard Crowell, Peter Sand, Preserved Wilcox. In 1779 is found an item of cash paid by several companies of militia to a number of persons as a bounty, to engage said persons in the Con- tinental service duringj:he war, or for the term of three years, ;£'i,356, 9s. id, as follows : Capt. Haskins' bounties, Capt. Hathaway's " . / . Capt. Hawfse's, " Capt. Taber's, "..... Capt. Hixe's " . . Capt. Warren's '' ..... It is a fair inference from the above documents that Dartmouth was represented in the different regiments of Massachusetts militia in 1778 and 1779 by at least six companies, and that these were largely com- posed of the soldiers belonging to the companies that have heretofore been given in the full muster rolls. If this conclusion be a just one, then it is a fair inference that Dartmouth had a share in the thrilling events that occurred at Stony Point, July 15, 1779, at West Point in 1780 (when Benedict Arnold made the treacherous attempt to surren- der that important fortress to the enemy), and at Yorktown in 1781. A familiar sight to the present generation is the old cannon now planted in an upright position on the corner of Main and Center streets in Fairhaven. It has a Revolutionary history, the details of which were given the writer by the venerable Charles Eldredge, who received them from Mrs. Emily Winsor, the granddaughter of Col. Nathaniel Pope. On February 11, 1777, the war ship Alfred, 28 guns, under the com- mand of Ezekiel Hopkins, sailed from Delaware Bay to cruise with a £ s. D. 203 17 9 338 12 113 13 4 406 4 71 2 77 AN OLD CANNON. 89 squadron of ships on our southern coast in order to intercept and cap- ture English vessels. It is said that Paul Jones, the bold and saucy- privateer captain, was lieutenant of the ship at this time. The fleet made sad havoc among the British merchantmen and performed many- daring exploits. The Alfred entered the harbor at Nassau, West In- dies, March 2, 1777, and took General Brown, the acting governor of the island, a prisoner. Hopkins captured a large quantity of military stores and lOO cannon, and on March 13, thirty-four days from the date of sailing from Delaware Bay, landed his cargo at New London. A short time after, a number of these cannon were sent to our harbor, mounted at Fort Phoenix, and put to the excellent service of protecting the towns from the British cruisers. During the British in- vasion in 1778 these guns were spiked by the enemy, trunnions knocked off, and the guns otherwise made useless. This one, now a lone senti- nel on Phoenix Hall corner, was secured by Capt. Nathaniel Pope, of naval battle fame, mounted on a carriage, secured with straps of iron, and was placed on duty again at the corner of Union and Water streets, to protect the shore from the landing of troops. It remained there till the Union wharf was built in 1833, and was then placed muzzle down- ward in its present location. There it was allowed to stand till the church was remodeled into the present Phcenix Hall, about 1846, when it was ordered to " move on." It found a resting-place on a public lot at the foot of Washington street, near the corner of Water, when it was again moved to the residence of Wilson Pope on Union street, a de- scendant of Capt. Nathaniel Pope. In 1883, through the public spirit and generosity of Capt. Alexander Winsor, the gun was removed once more to its old location on Phcenix Hall corner, where we trust it may remain forever, a monument of the early days of Yankee Doodle, and a visible reminder of the British invasion of September 5, 1778. The Fairhaven Improvement Association in 1885 placed a brass tablet on the old cannon that bears the following inscription : " Taken from the British at Nassau, in 1777, by Colonial Ship of" War Alfred. Placed On Fort Phcenix in 1778. Recaptured by the British and Left on the Fort Spiked and •with Trunnions Knocked off. After-wards Mounted on Union Street for Village Defense. Placed in its Present Position in 1883." Many of the old papers contain lists of bounty money paid by the township, with dates and amounts ; but no names are recorded of the 12 90 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. soldiers receiving it. This is proof that men were constantly being en- listed to fill Dartmouth's quota, and the proof is strengthened by re- peated records of soldiers' families who were assisted with money, clothing, and food. A curious record is one giving an account of the horses purchased by the town of Dartmouth for army use. The follow- ing verbatim copies of bills are found among the Kempton papers. The enormous prices were due to the depreciated currency: ''Town of Dartmouth to Nathan Nye, Dr.: " July 7, 1778. To one horse, sold to the Selectmen of sd town for the use of the State of Massachusetts Bay, £750. " To John Smith, town treasurer. Pay to Nathan Nye the above sum of seven hun- dred and fifty pounds, and charge the same to the town's act. " William Davis, 1 o i i. RiOHAED KiRBT, ! Selectmen " August 22, 1780. Thomas Kempton, { -r, ° ,, „ Benjamin Russell. J Dartmouth. •'An account of horses purchased for the Armey. Dollars. £ s. d. 1 of Stephen Taber, . . . 1800 540 1 of Ephraim Kempton, 1900 970 1 of John Nie, . . . . 200 600 To time spent in purchasing said horses. To 4 Days myself To Riding my horse 20 miles. The above are sufficient to show the prevailing prices. Here is an interesting account of the town of Dartmouth with Capt. George Claghorn. It is evidently a record of drafted men who paid for release from military duty, and a hst of soldiers who received bounties as against their names : 1779. Cash reed, of Isaac Rowland & Son, . £300 " " William Russell, . . 150 " " John Williams, . . I50 " " Joseph Austin, _L50 " " Seth Russell, 150 " " Jonathan Allen, ... _ X50 " " Thomas Kempton by the hand of Charles Church, 600 £ s. To Cash paid Jonathan Smith toward his bounty, . . 150 To Capt. Prince Jenne, as part of his bounty, 150 To ditto for niilige, . - ^ To Cash paid Seth Jenne as part of his bounty, . 90 To Cash paid Seath Tobey as part of his bounty, 90 To Cash paid Job Tobey as part of his bounty, . 90 To Cash paid Isaac Tompkins as part of his bounty, 12O 6^i't-r 72?^^,^/ ^^., ^'-jl' ijy ji rjRil .^^^^^^ ^ ^)Z^7Zyt^-Z- £. s. 10 4 15 15 13 6 15 135 17 10 SOLDIERS' BILLS. gt In the following bills may be seen some of the shady sides of the sol- dier's life : State of Massachusetts Bay to Thomas Kempton : July 24, 1779. To supplying Paul Johnson (died), Thomas Francis, Michael Boomer and John Williams, who had been prisoners at New York and were discharged and brought to Bedford sick and incapable of travelling home. To 25 lbs. mutton, delivered at several times, To 6 feet of wood . . . To 26 quarts of milk, To Gideon Howland's Bill for a OofBn for Paul Johnson, To Mary Doubleday's Bill for nursing, hording, washing and loging Robert Ourney 45 days, at £3, .... To the amount of William Tallman's Bill, ... To my time spent a taking the care of the sick and providing nuses and other supply from the 24th of July to the 17th of August, 45 An account for supplying the families of John Sullen and Philip Taber : John SuUen's Family, September the 28th, 1779. To 15 lbs. of mutton at 4s. per lb., To one gallon moiasses, . To 2 lbs. sugar, at 14s. per lb., To 1 Peck Corn, To half a Bufhel of Rye, . Philip Taber's Family, September 23d, 1779 : To one half Bufhel purtatoes. To one peck corn. To 121 lbs. of mutton. Account of orders delivered to several persons by the Selectmen for supplying soldiers' families, 1779: Robert Bennett, the 2d, for one order to supply, . . £100 William White, to supply the family John Omey, . . 80 Bartholomew Aiken, to supply the family Paul Perry, . . .200 Lemuel Pope, to supply the family John Austin, . . 150 Benjamin Blossom, to supply the family Timothy Jenne, . 150 Benjamin Church, to supply the family Cornelius Spooner, . . 100 Weston Talman, to supply the family Henry Wrightington, . . 100 John Chaffee, to supply the family James Bates, ... 100 Edward Thurber, to supply the family Jeremiah Exiene, 150 Thomas Kempton, to supply the family Samuel Tripp, . 150 Malitiah Hathaway, to supply the family Mical Mosher, . 200 William White, to supply the family John Omey 20O £ s. d. £ s. d. 5 stated price. 8 4 4 7 stated price. 4 4 1 8 stated price, 1 8 1 2 6 C( (( 1 4 9: 10 stated price. 1 2 2 18 2 10 6 6 9 2 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Here is a petition that will explain itself: " Partmouth, February the 20th, 1779. " Sir, We the subscribers, being the marjor part of the Selectmen of sd Town, Do think it not Safe for this Town nor for the Publick, that any person Should hve and Improve on the Ehzabeth Islands at this present time for Divers Reasons. One is that when the Enemy was there last there was three Refugees Left there, that is to say, one Bldad Tupper and two more that Compeld two of Said Islanders to Carry them to Newport, and kept them four Days and Sent them home. Therefore pray your hon- urs to take our Deplorable Situation under Serious Consideration and Do What you think Will be most for the Publick Service, and for further Information we Refer you to Conl. Thomas Kempton, the Bearer. " From your Esteemed Friends, "Pgd. Keebt, ) Selectmen Job Almy, >■ of Benj. Russell. ) Dartmouth." "To Brigdr. Gen. Cornell: " N. B. There was Eight of the Inhabitants of the island on the Island at that time. Staid all night. Carried of foreteen Sheep, nine turkeys, one jug." Another list of men furnished the army is as follows : "Enlistment of Soldiers 1779. — Worth Bates, David Hammond, Benajah Dunham, Stephen Potter, William Drafs, Nathan West, Stoghton Booth, Gideon Hathaway, Cornelius G-rinnell, Obed Kempton, Isaac Hathaway, Thomas Smith, Jobe Trip, Elisha Smith, Thurston Dotter, Jabez Hathaway, Gideon Woodmane, Samuel Weller, Weston Bedon, Henry Bedon." Perhaps the reader is already weary of these extracts from Revolution- ary documents ; yet they seem of sufficient importance to warrant their preservation here. They lift, to a certain degree, the veil covering a most interesting period of our local history ; and with the light given by a perusal of this fragmentary account, there comes a better knowledge of the conditions and circumstances with which our fathers were envi- roned in the early life of the nation. After a few further extracts from the records we shall return to the events preceding the British invasion of 1778. The following document is a novelty in its way, and illustrates the early methods of disciplining the raw recruit : ADVERTISEMENT. " Deserted from the Camp in Roxbury— Giles Talman and Robert Nolton, Soldiers in Capt. Kempton's Company of Col. Danielson's Regiment. Said Tallraan is a native of Dartmouth in the County of Bristol— dark complexioned, well set and effects to be some- thing of a bully, about 5 feet 10 inches high. Said Norton is of a light or rather reddish complexion, a middling well set man about 5 feet 4 inches. They carried of with them REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTS. 93 all their Oloaths & two large Pistols & 17 cartridges belonging to another man. Whoever will discover said deserters and secure them so that the subscribers may come at them or will send them to him at the Camp in Roxbury shall Receive Ten Dollars reward or five dollars for either of them. "Roxbury Camp, Nov. 11th, 1775." The following letter needs no explanation : " Watertown, Jan'y 24th, 1776. " Sir— It is with pleasure that I have it in my power to informe you that you are ap- pointed a Lieut Colo, of a Regiment of Men to be raised as temporary reenforcement of men to continue for the Space of two months or until the first day of April next (if needed so long.) Jacob French is appointed Chief Colo. 50 men are to be raised in the County of Bristol, the other part are raised in the County of Cumberland, the Majr of P' Regiment is appointed in the County & the Adjitent also, the other officers time would fail me to give you a perticuler account ofi'. Bsqr. Baylies is appointed by the Court to come into the Town of Dartmouth in order to raise men. He will furnish you with more particu- lar accompts. I also expect to be at home this weak and shall be glad to see you before I return again. Tho this appointment may be unexpected, yet I hope it will not be dis- agreeable. I wish your conduct may anser the expectations of your friends, for in your appointment 1 have taken no small part. " I with truth subscribe my Selfe " Your Friend, " To Colo. Thos. Kempton. W. Spoonee.'" The regimental officers with whom Captain Kempton was associated in his promotion, follow : Colonel Jacob French, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Kempton, Major Nathaniel Jordan, Chaplain Mr. Cambel, Sur- geon Daniel Hathaway, Mate Surgeon Nathaniel Cook, Adjutant Thomas Beny, Quartermaster Jacob French, and a list of captains : Silus Cobb, Samuel Tubbs, Paul Elis, Winthrop Baston, Israel Now, Noah Hall, Matthew Randol. While some of these documents do not bear directly on the military history of the township, they are none the less interesting and valuable as a part of its local history. The foil-owing petition for a town meeting reveals the early movement for the division of the township, though the town was not divided until 1787 : " To William Davis, Thomas Kempton, Alden Spooner, Isaac Shearman, Job Almy, Benjamin Russell and Stephen Peckham, selectmen for the Town of Dartmouth. " We the Subscribers, Freeholders in Sd Town do hereby request that you grant out your Warrant for Calling the sd Town together as soon as conveniently may be to act on the following Particular, viz., to know whether it is not the mind of said Town that 94 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. it be divided into two Towns or Three, and if so to choose a committee to Point out the Bounds & Petition the General Court to Establish the Same. " Dartmouth, Jan. 9th, 1778. " Daniel Smith, Edw. Pope, Joseph Austin, Abraham Smith, Thomas Tripp, Isaac Shearman, Patrick Huxfld, Leonard Jacobs, Ladok Maxfeld, Lemuel Williams, Joseph Rotch, Samuel Pope, Lemuel Pope, Jireh Swift, Jur., Jetbro Jenne, James Huttlestain, Clark Hathaway, Joseph Russell, Jun.'' The following valuable lists are on record in the State House, and constitute a part of the history of the period : "List of men raised in Dartmouth Dec. 2, 1780: Edward Stebbins, Richard Covell, John Knolton, Oladne DeBoire, Cornelius Spooner, Levi Caswell, James L Merill, Thomas Johnson, John Rannolds, Prince Jenne, William Stoodly, Abner Luce, Frans- wery Parran, Cain Abel, Seth Davol, Levi Tousant, Josiah Haskell, Nathan Claghorn, Blkanah Hamblin, Robert Crossman, Francis Rayrose, Jesse Richmond, Elijah Blaokmer, Deliverance Bennet,' Zilbah Fuller, Moses Gardner, David Cushraan. '' Pay-roll of six months' men, October 5, 1781 : Ebenezer Chace, David Handy, Pompey Peckham, Peter Pond, David Cushman, Martin Sekins, Eliphlet Weston, Jo- seph Shockley, Thomas Tobey, John Tobey, Solomon Deck, Prince Almy, Ebenezer Paine, Ezekel Tallman, Isiah Smith, Jonathan Smith. '' Dartmouth, January 12, 1782. " William Davis, ^ Selectmen Benj. Russell, \ of " Vol. 4, page 66. Pakdon Cook, \ Dartmouth. "List of soldiers raised on December 2, 1781, from Dartmouth: Richard Covell, James Merell, John Konnoles, Franswery Parran, Lois Tousaint, Elkannah Hamblen John Knolton, Thomas Johnson, William Stoodly, Seth Davel, Josiah Haskell, JSTathan Claghorn." Here is a letter that will explain itself: " Dartmouth March 7th 1781. "Sr I understand that you have gave obligation to Ebenezer Chace for 15£ in ad- dition to his Bounty for the Servis Last Six Months in the Continental Armey. Now I beg that you will postpone the payment of that Obligation[a littel while till Nathaniel 1 Mr. Ricketson, in his History o£ New Bedford, tells the " Story of an old pensioner " who resided in New Bedford, and died in 1836, at the age of 86 years. Mr. Ricketson says : " At the cele- bration of the Fourth of July, 1835, our old friend [Deliverance Bennet] rode in an open carriage in company with two or three old Revolutionary soldiers in the procession. His appearance on this occasion was a very dignified one." THE WHIPPING-POST. 95 Pope corns home which will Bee verry soon. Shure he can give you Satisfaction of the agreement Between him and Chase you may Depend on it the agreement no Doubt Can be proved that the hire of the man muft Com out of Chace, which I can be a good Sucumstance of Pope advanced one hundred paper Dollars which I know to be tor'ds the additional Bounty that the Town agreed to pay, which Chace Denies ! Chase acts the grateft viliney that can be acording to his knoledge therefore I hope you will not settel till Pope coms home then you will have the true light of the whole afair. This is from your humbl Servt. " Calvin Delano." ' List of six months' men enlisted 1783 : Eliphas Weston, Martin ■ David , Thomas Tobey, Pompey Peckham, David Handy, Jonathan Smith, John Taber, Joseph Shockley, Bbenezer Chase, Josiah Smith, Ezekal Tallman, Prince Almy, Solomon Hich, Bbenezer Doune, Peter Proud." In the year 1785 there stood on the Head- of- the- River and Bellville roads, directly in front of Humphrey Hathaway's residence, a whipping- post that, up to that time, had been used for the punishment of pubHc offenders. " My mother," says George H. Taber, " witnessed the last whipping administered at this place. She, a little girl at the time, went to school in the school-house located just east of the ' Parting ways ' (the point of intersection of Fairhaven and Head-of-the-River roads). This event drew a large crowd of the people, and its importance was signal- ized by the closing of the school, so the children experienced a thrill of joy that always comes with the unexpected suspension of school duties. When the bystanders had grouped themselves about the whip- ping-post they were entertained with the lashing administered to John Black, who was punished for stealing.'' Tradition says there was an- other whipping-post in Fairhaven, on the northwest corner of Center and Middle streets. The gradual depreciation of Continental money, its failure as a cir- culating medium, and its disastrous effect on the country have been noted. Public credit was entirely ruined, and to restore it was the purpose of an important convention held in Concord in 1779. Many readers remember the days during the civil war, when one gold dollar was worth nearly three paper dollars, and how the very foundations of business were unsettled because of the inflated currency. Can we comprehend the situation of affairs when one silver dollar was worth sixty paper dollars, as shown by the following document found among the Kempton papers : 96 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. " Bedpord, July 28, 1780. "We the Subscribers being desired by Col. Thomas Kempton to assemble & give our candid Judgment how much a silver dollar ia worth in paper money, do unanimously agree that the medium o£ Exchange, as near as it can possibly be ascertained is $60 for one silver dollar. Witness our hands : " John Proud, A. H. Smith, Caleb Greene, Zadok Maxfeld, Jambs Hatdon, Moses Grinnell." What difficulties beset these wise men in their councils when it be- came necessary to establish an arbitrary list of prices for the very ne- cessities of life, and that on a basis of forty paper dollars for one Span- ish mill dollar. It is worth mentioning that the president of this im- portant gathering was the Dartpiouth delegate, Walter Spooner, esq. The following is an abridged account of their action, taken from a small pamphlet printed by Benjamin Edes & Sons, State street, Boston : " Proceedings of the Convention Begun and held in Concord on the Sixth Day of October 1779 — to take in Consid- eration the Prices of Merchandise and Country Produce and make such Regulations and Reductions therein as the public Good require. "The Convention then made Choice of the Honorable Walter Spooner, Esq., of Dartmouth as President. " There were 185 delegates from 143 towns." The following selection is made from a long list of articles, with the rates as established : " Prices at the sea ports, free of charge: Indian corn and meal 41. 4s. per bushel; wheat, 91. per bushel; white beans, 61. 12s. per bushel, potatoes, 24s. per bushel; butter, 12s. per lb.; new milk cheese, 8s. per lb.; new milk, beer measure, 3s.; good walnut wood, 221.; oak and other woods, 201.; train oil, £90 per bbl; blubber, 301. per bbl.; New England rum, 41. 10s. single gallon; coffee, 18s. per lb.; brown sugar, 13s. per lb.; loaf sugar, 36s. per lb.; cotton wool, 42s. per lb.; good merchantable French and Spanish Brandy, 7 1. per Gallon ; Bohea tea, 6 1. per lb.; white pine boards, 36 1. per thousand; maokrell, per bbl. 301.; Menhaden, Alewives & Herring, 251. per bbl.; mol- lasses, 41. 14s. per gall.; West India Rum, 61. 6s. per gall; rice, 361. per 0. " Whereas, the goods and wares imported from Europe are so various in their kinds and Qualities as to render it quite impracticable to affix the exact Price at which every article ought to be sold and as it is necessary the Prices of those goods should be regu- lated—The average prices by Retail of all kinds of European wares and merchandize shall not exceed Forty Times what they were sold for in the year 1773 " A long address is made to the People of Massachusetts Bay on the theme of the Restoration of the Public Credit &c. " Signed by Walter Spooner, President. "Thomas Llotd Halset, Secy." FIUST PRIVATEERING EXPLOIT. 97 CHAPTER VII. PRIVATEERING IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. Characteristics and Attractions of Privateering — The Extent of this Species of Warfare —Dartmouth's Part in It — Beginning of the U. S. Navy — Extracts from the Stoddard Papers — Sir Peter Parker's Fleet — Details of Spirited Contests. THE American privateer was a child of the American Revolution. Its existence was a cruel necessity. A monster of the sea, it preyed upon helpless commerce and throve to fatness on its spoils. Brave men and good men entered its service. But privateering was a cruel master. It caused them to commit deeds of violence ; it made the selfish man more selfish, the brutal man more brutal; it compelled the man of honor to wink at dishonorable transactions ; and it forced Chris- tian men to fight their brethren. On the other hand, privateering made heroes, prompted men to valiant deeds, to make noble sacrifices, and court death for love of country ; it was a strange mixture of good and evil. The dreadful calamities following in the footsteps of the British sol- diery that invaded Dartmouth in 1778, were retributions visited upon the township for her part in the havoc made upon the British commerce by the privateers that swarmed the ocean during the Revolution. It is important to glance backward at the principal events which charac- terized that peculiar and effective feature of warfare. The very first naval exploit and capture recorded in the annals of the American Revolution was m.ade by Dartmouth men in this harbor, May 13. 1775- Does not Dartmouth, therefore, occupy the same honored relation in the naval struggles that Lexington does to the first clash of arms by the land forces ? Both performed a glorious part in the dawn of freedom. The extensive coast line of New England naturally made its people a maritime race. Its forests furnished excellent timber, its shores conven- ient places for the building of ships, its homes a sturdy host of artisans to 13 98 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. build, and intrepid seaman to man these vessels that became the carriers of merchandise over the wide seas. When hostilities with the mother country began, the sea-going traffic of every description was seriously crippled, and but a few vessels ventured out of the harbors for fear of the British cruisers that swarmed our coasts. This was especially true of Dartmouth. The whaling enterprise, grown to extensive proportions in 1775, was paralyzed the moment war broke out in the colonies. The whaleships lay idle at the wharves, and a host of energetic, daring men were without occupation. The development of the naval and privateer- ing elements was as rapid as it was effective. In October, 1775, Washington, then with headquarters at Cambridge, issued the first commissions to six vessels, with authority to capture only English supply vessels. Their names were the Lynch, Franklin, Lee, Washington, Harrison and Warren. The first two named were commissioned to intercept two English transports bound for Quebec. This they failed to do, but they captured ten prizes, took a fortification at St. John, and made prisoners of the governor and many others. On their return, however, the commanders were reprimanded for exceed- ing their orders, the prisoners were released, and the prizes given up. In the following month the Lee captured the ship Nancy, loaded with mili- tary stores. This event gave great joy to the Americans and carried profound consternation to the besieged in Boston. Well it might, for it provided for the American army 2,000 muskets, 105,000 flints, sixty reams of cartridge paper, thirty tons of musket shot, 3,000 round shot for 12- pounders, 4,000 for 6-pounders, etc., — a welcome contribution at that time. The importance of this branch of warfare was quickly appreciated by the Continental Congress, and a fleet of thirteen vessels was built that may be regarded as the beginning of the United States navy. They were named Washington, Raleigh, Hancock, Randolph, Warren, Vir- ginia, Trumbull, Effingham, Congress, Providence,- Boston, Delaware, Montgomery. They were nearly all captured or burned before the close of the war. In the mean time commissions to privateers were issued by every State bordering the coast, and prize courts established with au- thority to condemn such vessels as were claimed as prizes. In many of the seaport towns, vessels hitherto employed only in the peaceful pur- ENGLAND'S LOSSES IN VESSELS. 99 suits of commerce, were transformed into well-armed privateers, ofificered with brave and daring seamen accustomed to life on the ocean. So popu- lar was privateering among the people that the government found serious difficulty in obtaining crews for the naval vessels. Patriotism, com- bined with the free and easy life of the bold privateer, the frequent op- portunities for personal bravery, and the desire for prize money, were strong attractions that drew into the service thousands of New Eng- landers. Rehable authorities state that during the war more than 600 privateer vessels belonged in Massachusetts alone. Boston had a list of 36s; Salem nearly 150. Dr. E. E. Hale, in Winsor's "Narrative and Critical History," says : " If we had lists equally full of the privateers which sailed from Falmouth (Portland), from Marblehead, Falmouth, Dartmouth, Plymouth, Barnstable, and the other towns on Cape Cod, it is probable that we should enlarge the list of Massachusetts privateers so that it should include more than 600 vessels. It is to be remem- bered that all the regular operations of the fishing fleets were stopped, and that therefore in every town on the coast there were vessels and men ready for service, and very easily commissioned if a spirited com- mander appeared. . . . We suppose that the average crew of a Massachusetts privateer when she sailed was about 100 men." On the authority of Almon's Remembrancer it is stated that in 1776, 342 sail of English vessels were captured by the Americans ; and in 1777 England suffered a loss of 467 sail, though the government kept seventy cruisers on the American coast alone. In 1780 the Admiralty Court in Boston had condemned 818 prizes, and in the single month of May, 1779, eighteen prizes were brought into New London. A suffi- cient account of this branch of the warfare has been and will be given, to show the importance of certain ports on the coast possessing good harbors, easy of access, and convenient for recruiting and for running in prizes. Among these were Portland, Portsmouth, Boston, Salem, New- buryport, Marblehead, Falmouth, Newport, New London, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, and not the least important in the list was Dartmouth. These were the lurking-places for the dashing privateers which shot in and out of the harbors, threading the coast in all directions, disappearing at the presence of some English frigate, only to dash out and pounce on some unsuspicious merchantman, a hail, a loo HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. shot across the bows, a crowded boat alongside, decks swarming with men armed to the teeth, a feeble remonstrance, a surrender, and the combat ends ; the merchantman is a prize and is soon at anchor at Dartmouth, possibly, or in some more convenient harbor. A few occurrences and exploits connected with privateering will be mentioned, to illustrate what has been said regarding it. The most convincing proof of its magnitude and importance, however, in the ab- sence of records, is the fact that General Clinton sent such an enormous army to lay waste the little township of Dartmouth, which at that time numbered about 7,000 souls. And not only did Dartmouth feel the revengeful hand of British authority, but towns, villages and hamlets bordering the entire sea coast received similar visitations, that caused great suffering and want among the people through the destruction of property and the desolation of their homes. In the lack of written history of American privateering, it has been my good fortune to have access to valuable manuscripts in possession of the Stoddard family of Fairhaven. Many of the extracts are cred- ited as being made by Rev. Dr. Robbins of Rochester. These were taken from the files of the Cotinecticnt Courant from the year 1780 to 1783 inclusive. Others are from English magazines. While the rec- ord deals with dates as early as 1776, it is evident that the principal work of the privateering fleet was accomplished from 1778 to the close of the war. " In June, 1776, brig Adventure. A party of American soldiers from Boston cap- tured a brig off the harbor; beai off the tender to the Nautilus man-of-war, and carried their prize into New Bedford. " Ship Congress, Capt. Boucher in 1776 captured several Jamaica ships in the West Indies, Lt. Thomas Truxton (afterward Commodore Truxton), brought one of the prizes into New Bedford. " The fleet under Com. Sir Peter Parker, with troops under Sir H. Chnton, left Sandy- Hook for Rhode Island, and at Weaver's bay the evening of the 7th, (the Bruno-Mer- cury, King Fisher, convoying the transports, went through the sound under Com. Hol- tham. Sir P. P., with the large ships and two transports, went outside.) " The two fleets joined on the 5th in Black point bay. Capt. Wallace, of the Experi- ment led the fleet in by the way of Narragansett and took a brig of 160 tons, loaded with staves and beeswax, The debarkation took place at daybreak on the 8th. Rhode Island, with adjacent isles, is in possession of the British. Capt. Montague, of the Mer- cury, was dispatched to England." '■hvr.aKar'^.cml'^' PAUL yONES. loi In the magazine for January, 1777, is a dispatch from Admiral Sir Peter Parker, acquainting the admiralty of the expedition to Rhode Island, which closes as follows : " On the first appearance of the fleet three rebel privateers of 34, 30, and 28 guns went up from Newport to Providence, where they are now with several others, and I shall hope to put an effectual stop to any farther mischief from that nest of pirates." Then followed a list of what they termed " the rebel privateers at Providence, commonly called the Continental fleet." The most conspicuous figure in naval history was Paul Jones. He had no equal as a brave privateer. A Scotchman by birth, he became a sailor, at twenty- nine was commissioned a lieutenant in the navy, and was associated with Hopkins in the Alfred in 1776. Jones himself on this ship unfurled the American flag the first time it was flung to the breeze. Soon afterward he took command of the Providence, a fast sailing craft of twelve guns. His first cruise lasted forty-seven days, dur- ing which he captured sixteen prizes. During his famous career he swept the British coast, carried terror to the seaport towns, burned British vessels in their harbors, and actually cleared the British channel of merchantmen for a time. While in command of the Providence his cruising ground made him a frequent visitor in Dartmouth harbor, and his crew was often recruited from Dartmouth men. Among these was Henry Perkins, of Boston Tea Party fame, who related most interesting tales of the fierce fights in which he was engaged under Paul Jones, some of which occurred oft" our coast. In a terrible encounter with a British brig- of- war of superior strength it was said that the Providence was covered with cotton bales to pro- tect her from the large shot of the enemy, and was provided with a lot of scrap iron that belonged to a Mr. East, a mason, who built the man- sion House in New Bedford, then the residence of William Rotch. The struggle was a terrific one, and after an obstinate contest the enemy struck his flag. It was quickly flung to the breeze again and hoisted into position. After a tremendous broadside from the guns of the Providence, loaded with old spikes, bolts, and pieces of hoop- iron, the brig finally surrendered. "Why," said Perkins, thumping the floor with his cane in his enthusiasm, " it took three men to handle each gun when we went into action, but before the fight was finished one man did the 102 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. same service." When the commander was asked why he replaced the flag, he said, "I couldn't bear the idea of striking to a serving mallet." Not much wonder that he felt mortified, for he had accosted Capt. Paul Jones with the hail and command, " Surrender, you d d old serving mallet " (referring to the Providence as having only one mast). This battle took place so near this port that Jones brought his prize into Dartmouth harbor; and it is said that the blood of the killed and wounded was running down the sides of the brig when she came into port. A writer in the New Bedford Mercury years ago, stated that "the wounded of the crew who died were brought on shore and interred in a small hillock that rose near the shore a short distance north of the spot once occupied by the wheel-house of William Rotch's ropewalk. A carpenter's shop built by William Coffin covers the ground where those men were buried." ^ The following extracts are chiefly taken from the English magazines and, of course, relate to the captures made by the British navy. The list might be largely extended. The American privateers were also busy at that time, and, if records existed, it would doubtless appear that they did equally effective work : "Admiralty office, June 27, 1777. Capt. G-riffith of Her Majesty's ship the Nonsuch [64] has sent to Plymouth a rebel privateer sloop of 10 carriage guns and 80 men, called the Charming Sally, Francis Brown commander, which he took on the 16th inst. to the W. of Cape Finistere. She belonged to Dartmouth in Mass. Bay, had been out about five weeks, and had taken a sch. called the Betsey, William Clarke master, from Gaspee to Jamaica, and a brig called the Hannah, Henry Beaty master, from New- foundland to Lisbon, both laden with fish." " Jan. 29. 1777. The Aurora, John Hutchmson master, late the Oxford of Glasgow, taken by the rebels with a party oE the 71st regiment on board, and carried into Virginia, is brought into Liverpool laden with 312 Hhds. on aoct. of the Congress and bound to Nantz. She was navigated by 15 men, 8 being Englishmen, rose upon the others and took the ship." " List of vessels taken by the squadron of Sir P. Parker, Dec. 7, 1776. Ship Polly Robert Nelson master, 160 tons, from N. C. to Lisbon ; Dec. 18, the Betsey, James Sut- ' When Mr. C. built'his shop, in 1830, he levelled this mound,;unearthed these skeletons, and buried them a few feet north of the building. His son Frederick, from whom these facts were obtained by the writer in 1889, was present at the time and secured two buttons found in the grave each bearing the figure 2 and a letter. In 1841 an addition was made to the shop, and the bones were again resurrected and reburied a short distance still further north. In September, 1889, they were again dug up in excavating for an addition to Edmund Grinnell's iron foundry. Dr. William H. Taylor, the medical examiner, emphatically stated that these skeletons were those of white men. Their present resting place is in Oak Grove Cemetery. CAPTURES BY THE BRITISH. 103 ton, from Sp. river, Cape Breton, to Lisbon ; Deo. 29, the Success, Giles Pierce, from Charleston, S. C, to Providence ; Dec. 30, the Betty, I. Pierce, from Jamaica to Lon- donderry ; Deo. 30, the Liberty, Solomon Phipps, from N. London to W. Indies. Signed, P. Parker." " Feb. 28, 1777. Extract of a letter from Antigua, Jan. 17, 1777 : Last Wednesday ariived here, brig Peace & Plenty, John Nalder commander, belonging to this island. The 8th inst. was brought to by an Am. privateer, who put a boat's crew and officer on board. In gale of wind parted them, when Capt. Falder and his crew fell upon the rebels and overpowered them. Secured them under hatches and brot them into this place. The privateer was Achilles Snow, of 12 car. guns and 16 swivels, commanded by one Williams, formerly a midshipman in the English navy." " Adray, Mch 12, ] 777.- By letter from Admiral Young it appears that he has taken the Am. Privateer Putnam 12 guns and 80 men, beside 12 other rebel vessels between 30th Sept & 6th Dec." " June 24. Vice Admiral G-ayton on the Jamaica Station writes in his letter of- 2d last month that the whole number of rebel vessels which had been taken by the ships under his command amounted to 124 sail." "Sept. 3, 1777. Lieut. Jarvis, commanding armed cutter, took the Am. privateer Liberty, of S. Carolina, Pitney, commander, off the Berry Head, after a warm engage- ment of 5 Glasses, [Hours.] She mounted 6 four-pounders and six swivel guns, had 62 men. Five men killed and captain wounded. Hunters had 4 men killed and 3 wounded slightly." "Admy office, Oct. 6, 1777. Lieut. Bouchier, commanding H. M. sloop Druid, writes that he had a severe action with a rebel privateer in Co. with H. M. ship the Camel. The Druid lost her captain, who was named Cartent, and died of a wound reed, the first broadside, and six killed; 4 died of wounds received in action and 21 wounded." "H. M. Ship Centaur at sea, Oct. 16, 1777. Capt. Hughes of the above ship writes that on the 12th he fell in with and took the Am. schr. Betsey from Nantz, bound to Bdenton, N. C, laden with gunpowder, arms, tents and woolen for the rebel army, all consigned to Congress." "Nov. 6, 1777, Vice Adml. Montague writes that Cap. M'Bride of H- M. Ship Bien- faisant had taken the Am. Privateer Ann Tartar, 24 guns, 200 men." "July 9, 1778. Universal Magazine. Capt. Bryne of H. M. ship Andromeda writes to M. Stephens that on his voyage from the Delaware on the 31st of May he fell in with and took the Angelica, privateer, from Boston, 16 six-pounders, 98 men, set on fire." " Aug. ^, 1778. The Swallow, packet, on board which was Marleani, agent of the. Nabob of Arcot, with it is supposed £100,000 of property was carried into Fayal by two American privateers. They took her off the Cape of Good Hope, and after disposing of her property converted her into a privateer and sailed in company on a fresh adven- ture." '•Jan. 25, 1780. Extract from letter from Bergen, Feb. 4. The American priv. Al- liance, Capt Landers, two days ago sent in her 2 prizes,, viz. The Betsey Fisher from 104 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Liverpool to N York, and the Union Johnson from London to Quebeok. She has taken also 3 others which she sent to France she only sailed from L' Orient Aug 14. One of Paul Jones fleet." "Boston, Feb. 14. By Oapt. Potter who arrived here last night in 20 days from Oharlestown, S. C, we learn that the Boston, Providence, Eanger and Queen of France which sailed from hence the latter part of November, arrived at that port the 19th Dec, after a passage of 26 days." "Took a Brig of 12 Guns from St. Augustine that a Packet boat had decoyed in there, a Privateer brig called the Lady Crosby of 12 guns and 18 men from N. Y., laden with cloathing for the new levies there, not knowing but she was going into Georgia by which they learnt that the fleet from N. Y. bound to Georgia which sailed & the latter end of Deo. had been separated by the storm that scarcely 2 vessels were to be seen together. That in consequence the Providence & Eanger in conjunction with 4 French Frigates sailed from there on or about the 23d January in order to pick up some of the scattered transports." " Portsmouth, July 20. Last Monday was sent into port by the Rover, privateer, com- manded by Capt. Bradstreet, a Priv. Brig from Ireland, bound to New Fouudland, laden with the following articles, viz. : 250 barrels pork and beef, 200 firkins butter, 10 tons flour, 10 tons bread, 50 barrels oatmeal, 500 bushels salt, and a large cable fit for a 70 gun ship and a large quantity of cordage, sails, etc. The Privateer that took her was a small schooner with 15 or 20 men.'' "Boston, June 8, 1780. Monday last arrived at Dartmouth a brig bound from Cork to New York, taken by H. M. C. M. Frigate L'Hermione, commanded by the Chevarle Touche. Cargo 1760 firkins Butter, 150 Boxes Candles, & 150 boxes Soap. The prize is now commanded by Mons. Louis Daniel Charier volunteer of the Frigate. "Boston, July 27, 1780. Tuesday arrived at Salem a prize ship with upwards of 1000 bbls. of Beef captured by priv. Fortune ot that port. Last week arrived at Cape Ann the priv. Genl. Stark from a Cruise in which she captured 3 Ships bound to Quebec, laden with rum and dry goods, one of which has since arrd." " Hartford, Jan. 16, 1781. A few days since a Schooner arrd. at Newport in 6 days from Wilmington, N. C, being manned by several people belonging to Rhode Island, who had made their escape from a Prison Ship in Charleston, S. C, in the following manner: One evening observing a Schooner come to anchor near the prison ship with several negroes on board, they took an opportunity while the sentry was off his guard to get from the prison ship on board the Schooner, and immediately making sail they got out of the Harbor. They afterward put into Wilmington, where they sold the negroes, and with the money, bought a cargo of Naval Stores, with which they arrived safe at Newport." "New London, Sept. 12, 1781. Tuesday arrived a small sloop laden with naval stores, prize to the Hancock. The Br. fleet that left the sound lately were at Martha's Vineyard last week demanding large supplies from the inhabitants. Since seen standing S." "Philadelphia, Sept. 19, 1781. Yesterday came up to town the private armed ship HON. WESTON HOWLANUS ACCOUNT. * 105 Congress, Capt. Gaddis, of this port, from a cruise. About seven days ago oif Charles- town she fell in with the Br. sloop of war Savage, Capt. Stirling, of 20 guns, with whom she engaged upwards of six glasses, most of the time yard arm and yard arm, when the Congress attempting to board her, she struck. We hear that the Savage had between fifty and sixty men killed and wounded, and the Congress 8 killed and between 20 and 30 wounded, some of whom are now dead. The C. brot in near 100 prison- ers from the prize, which may be hourly expected." " 0. C. March 5, London Nov. 10. The Iris man-of-war taken in company with the Richmond and Q-audelope by the French is an American built vessel, was called the Hancock, taken by H. M. ship Rainbow of 44 guns. She is a prime sailer, and since be- ing in our service has taken so many prizes in America that the of&cers have all made fortunes. She was distinguished by the name of the lucky Iris." "The S. 0. G-az. of Jan. 12 says that Capt. Samuel Spencer in the Brig. Betsey from Georgia for the port of Charleston with upwards of 100 souls on board was taken by the Guadelope (Br. Frigate) Captain Robinson, who treated his prisoners with great human- ity and generosity." " Capt. Simeon Samson, in the Mercury packet belonging to the U. S., arrived at Holmes Hole last Tuesday night from Nantz, in France, which he left 18th Nov. with despatches for Congress. Passr. Elisha Hunt Saybrook." Hon. Weston Rowland gives the following interesting account relat- ing to privateering, mentioning many family names that are familiar to New Bedford citizens : '■ In those days American vessels were manned by Americans, captains, officers and crews. It was customary for the crews to engage their services for so much per month, With liberty to take a certain amount of cargo on their own account for the purposes of trade. Quite early in the war (1778 or 79), Captain Daniel Rioketson, grandfather of our present honored and exemplary citizen, and historian, with Cornelius Howland, grandfather of the present Cornelius Howland, Jr., as mate, Cornelius Grinneil, father of the late Hon. Joseph Grinneil, and Weston Howland (ray grandfather), with other Dartmouth boys in the crew, sailed from Boston with a full cargo for foreign pons. Bach of the above mentioned carried their venture for trade, purchased with the money saved up from previous voyages. A few days from home they were captured by au English 74-gun ship, and were taken with the Brig to the Island of Bermuda, and there confined as prisoners on board the prison ship. In o, short time a Baltimore dipper schooner as a prize, was brought in, which the Governor of the island had fitted as a yacht for pleasure sailing about the group of islands. Among those he took for a crew were Cornelius Howland, Cornelius Grinneil and Weston Howland, and now as yacht- men they were faring sumptuously. Yet the restless Yankee spirit led them, under the lead of Cornelius Howland, to conspire and plan on their next excursion to capture the schooner, and bring the Governor, with his suite, into New York' or Boston, and it would have been successful but for the conscience of one of the Dartmouth boys, who claimed that they had all been treated so handsomely by the Governor that it would be wrong to attempt the capture, and to prevent it, he notified the Governor of the yacht, 14 io6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. when they were all taken out of the clipper schooner and kept as close prisoners until exchanged, when they returned to their homes in Dartmouth." The records reveal abundant illustrations of valor and prowess. In spite of the suffering and cruelty involved, there is a charm about those terrible conflicts on the sea. Think of that great fleet of merchant ves- sels under the convoy of British frigates that sailed from Torquay on May 30, 1780, thirty-eight sail in all, richly laden with ammunition and military stores, provisions and supplies of every kind. West India goods for soldier and citizen — all intended for Quebec, the base of supplies for the English army. What a magnificent sight that fleet must have been as it swept out into the broad ocean ! Three days out, a French fleet of war vessels swept down upon the fleet and captured seven of them. A number of American privateers then took a hand in the affair and captured nineteen. The remainder of the squadron was nearly all captured by American cruisers at the mouth of the St. Lawrence. It was a crushing blow to the province of Canada, and must have caused great suffering to its people and the Brit- ish army. It was estimated that each prize was worth ;£'20,ooo, and the captured cargoes were well adapted to the wants of the Americans. A few days after this event is recorded the arrival at Salem of the ship Brutus, which, in company with the America and the Saucy Jack, privateers, had captured ten richly laden vessels of the Quebec fleet. In January, 1782, the brig Marian, Captain Packwood, captured the British ship St. Lawrence. A prize crew often men, under command of Lieutenant Cardwile, was put on board, with orders to proceed to New London, or the first safe port. On the lith of January they sighted Martha's Vineyard and anchored off Old Town (Edgartown), and fired two guns for a pilot. Henry Fish, with five men. came on board and was given charge of the ship by Cardwile. While getting under way another pilot, with the same number of men, came on board. Soon afterward Captain Peter Pease,. with five men, put in an appearance. The presence of so many pilots on one vessel proved an unfortunate circumstance for the captors; for while the ship was working its way to the westward under the direction of Fish, Pease was below with Card- wile (who was sick) and persuaded him to give the charge of the craft to Pease. On gaining his consent he brought the vessel to anchor off CAPTURE OF LUNENBURG. . 107 Gayhead about four o'clock in the afternoon, the wind blowing east- northeast. For three days she lay at this point, until Captain Card- wile and his people grew weary and insisted that the ship should pro- ceed, the wind being fair. Pease accordingly made sail and stood be- tween Gayhead and No-Man's-Land, bringing the ship to anchor at eight o'clock. This caused great uneasiness among the people and they soon complained to Captain Cardwile, for the boats crews had refused duty and the sails remained unfurled. At 12 o'clock the wind suddenly shifted to west- northwest, blowing a gale, and the ship dragged anchor. Pease then advised the men to assist in handling the sails, but the ship continued to drag, with every prospect of going ashore unless immedi- ately put to sea. Captain Cardwile and his men, with Fish, the first- named pilot, were in favor of this plan, but Pease and two or three of his men refused to go to sea and raised such a mutiny that the ship could not be got under way. Suddenly the cable parted and the vessel was at the mercy of wind and wave. It was too late to get clear of the land. Pease then ordered the men at the helm to run her ashore, which was done, and she went crashing into the breakers on the rockbound shore. The vessel immediately went to pieces, and out of the twenty- eight persons on board, fifteen perished. Among those who lost their lives was Captain Cardwile. Captain Noah Stoddard, of Fairhaven, was a prominent privateer commander of the Revolution and participated in many spirited con- flicts. Conspicuous among his exploits was the capture of Lunenburg, a little town on the shore near Halifax, N. S. An expedition consist- ing of four privateers, the Scammel, Captain Stoddard ; Hero, Captain Babcock; Hope, Captain Woodbury; and the Swallow, Captain Tib- bets, sailed for that place July 1st, 1782, and landed a force of ninety men under Lieutenant Barteman, two miles below the town. They marched rapidly with the intention of surprising the inhabitants, but were greeted with heavy discharges of musketry as they entered the town. They quickly burned the commanding officers' headquarters, a block -house in the northwest part of the town, spiked two 24-pounders and drove the plucky defenders into the south block-house. Here they made a stubborn resistance, opened a brisk fire on the invaders, and dis- closed their purpose to hold out to the last extremity. Their courage io8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. forsook them on the receipt of several four-pound shot from the Hero, and they surrendered themselves prisoners of war. The account says that " the victorious party, with a natural and pleasing vivacity, fell to plun- dering the town and quickly emptied the stores of a considerable quan- tity of dry goods, beef, pork, flour, and twenty puncheons of West India rum." While this was being accomplished, the combined fleet ap- proached the town, and two 1 8-pound guns were spiked and dismounted, the royal magazine captured, and taken on board the Scainmel. The town was ransomed for ^i,ooo. Colonel Creighton, with several prom- inent citizens, was made prisoner and placed in charge of Captain Stoddard. The account says " the strictest decorum was observed to- ward the inhabitants, their wearing apparel and household furniture be- ing inviolably preserved for their use. On the side of the brave sons of liberty, three were wounded slightly or dangerously ; on the part of the abbettors of oppression and despotism the number of slain and wounded was unknown, only one of the slain being found." A remarkable capture and recapture occurred on the Massachusetts coast in the month of April, 1782. A new ship lay at anchor at Cape Ann, laden with a valuable cargo and ready for a voyage to Carracas. Early one morning a barge with fifteen men belonging to a British brig of fourteen guns, swept alongside. This audacious crew took quick possession of her, hoisted the anchor, shook out the sails, and away she went on the wings of the wind, a prize to the British crown. The news of this event reached Salem at lo o'clock on the same morning. At i o'clock the privateer ship Marquis de La Fayette and a cutter got under way and went out in quest of her. On the same day an armed vessel sailed from Newburyport on the same errand. From Portsmouth the privateer Revolution, Captain Webb, was likewise sent out. They re- turned at night unsuccessful. At Cape Ann there lay a ship at the wharf with neither sails, rigging or ballast on board, and with topmasts on deck. Between sunrise and II o'clock on the morning of the following day, the enterpris- ing inhabitants of Cape Ann rigged, ballasted, manned and armed this vessel, bent her sails and got under way in eager pursuit of the captured ship. The next morning they sighted her, came up with her at I o'clock, retook her, and that afternoon both vessels were safe at INVASION OF DARTMOUTH. 109 anchor at Cape Ann. It is an interesting circumstance that both ves- sels were the property of the same merchant. None but thoroughbred Yankees could have performed such a daring deed. The privateer es- caped. There were no privateers owned and fitted from New Bedford. They were mostly owned in Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island, and ren- dezvoused here. A large sloop called the Broome, twelve guns, com- manded by Stephen Cahoone, of Rhode Island, and The Black Snake, a long, low, black schooner, frequently came into this harbor. The latter was owned in Connecticut and mounted eight carriage guns. These authentic incidents are sufficient to give a comprehensive idea of the bold privateer of song and story, his peculiar methods of opera- tion, and to show that Dartmouth harbor was an important rendezvous for those engaged in this species of warfare. And herein lies a potent reason for the punishment administered of September 5, 1778. CHAPTER VIII. THE BRITISH INVASION. Dartmouth's Loyalty — Defenceless Condition of the Town — Anticipatory Prepa- rations—Operations at Newport — The British Fleet and Forces— Terror of the In- habitants — Authentic Incidents of the Invasion — Burning of the Town —Bloodshed — Feeble Defence — The Enemy at Fairhaven. SATURDAY, September 5, 1778, was a notable day in our local history. In her devotion to the country's cause, Dartmouth had sown the wind ; she was to reap the whirlwind. She had proved a rankhng thorn to the enemy, and was now to receive the scourging lash of the British army. No better proof of Dartmouth's loyalty is needed. The people had ample notice that something unusual was to happen. On August 17 the selectmen and committee of safety posted a notice 1 1 o HIS20R Y OF NE W BEDFORD. in the public places ordering the inhabitants immediately to cause all goods, wares, and merchandise, that were private property, and not necessary for subsistence, to be moved into the country or to some safe place. They were informed that the selectmen and committee of safety were authorized and would move all goods, at the owners' expense, after two days had passed. If necessary they would impress teams or employ vessels to convey the goods to a place of safety. In this posted notice all persons having charge of property belonging to the State, or to the United States, the Continental agents, Board of War, were de- sired to remove such as soon as might be. How portentous was the wording of this order, and how defenceless was the whole township should the enemy come in large numbers ! True, the little fort at Fairhaven (known to the present generation as Fort Phoenix) was armed and equipped and might resist any ordinary attack from the sea. Eleven iron cannon were mounted on platforms, the magazine was full of ammunition, the fortification was well garri- soned with a company of thirty-two men under command of Capt. Timothy Ingraham and Lieut. Foster, and the barracks would accom- modate 200 men. Moreover, there were two cannon mounted and in working position on Clark's Point. Surely these defences would be sufficient to repel an attack from the sea, and would not the companies of minute men from the surrounding towns respond quickly to the alarm ? Would they not be a wall of protection from any demonstra- tion on the land ? Many of the people thought so and gained much comfort thereby, little dreaming what a mighty host would soon march through the town. The harbor swarmed with ships, sloops, boats, and prizes, either at anchor or lying at the wharf For safety many of these were moved up the river, as if the little distance would place them beyond the reach of any possible harm. While the people were waiting in hope and fear thete was at anchor in the harbor of New London a formidable squadron of British war ships soon to sail for this port. Why they were there, and under what circumstances, it is important to consider at this point. Philadelphia was evacuated in the latter part of the month of June, 1778. Lord Clinton, with the army, departed for New York. Lord Howe, with, the British squadron, sailed from the Delaware on June 28, arrived at NAVAL MOVEMENTS. iii Sandy Hook the next day, and worked his way over the bar into the inner harbor. Count D'Estaing, with his fleet of French frigates, after a long passage, arrived off the Delaware too late to intercept the British squadron, and he proceeded to New York, arriving at Sandy Hook July II. It was expected that a fight would take place, but the pilots provided for the French ships declared that the large vessels could not be safely conducted over the bar, and the project was abandoned. At the request of Washington, the Count proceeded to Rhode Island, then in possession of the British. General Greene had been sent there by Washington to co-operate with General Sullivan in arranging the plans of the army. Lafayette with 2,000 French troops was to participate in this notable event. Ten thousand troops had been gathered from all parts of New Eng- land, and when D'Estaing entered Newport harbor joy came to the hearts of the Americans and dismay to the 6,000 British soldiers who held the island and its defences. Several British warships were burned to escape capture by the French. In a few days D'Estaing sailed from the harbor to meet the British squadron that had followed him from New York. They had an encounter off Point Judith without any spe- cial advantage to either party. At this time a fearful gale arose that is stiil remembered in tradition among the Newport people, when the windows of the houses inland were incrusted with salt, deposited by the sea water borne on the wind. The storm continued with great violence for forty-eight hours. The fleets were scattered and separated, D'Es- taing's flagship, the Langnedoc, ninety guns, losing her rudder and all her masts. When the gale had subsided, the French fleet sailed for Boston for repairs, against the earnest protests of Greene and Lafayette. The American troops that had crossed over to the island retreated and the siege was raised. The British squadron followed D'Estaing to Boston harbor, and it was thought that a sea fight would occur at this point. It was found that the French held a superior position, and it was deemed unwise to risk an attack. The British squadron left the coast and pro- ceeded to New London, where it had hoped to capture a number of privateers. Here Sir Henry Clinton left the fleet. In his dispatches to Lord Germaine, dated September 15, he says: "I left 'the fleet, di- recting Major- General Gray to proceed to Bedford, a noted rendezvous 1 1 2 HISTOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. for privateers, etc., and in which there were a number of captured ships at the time." And thus it happened through this singular chain of events that the British had a powerful force to send to this harbor. The detached fleet consisted of two frigates, one of them the Carysfoot of forty guns, with Rear Admiral Gambler and Major-General Gray on board, an i8-gun brig, and thirty-six transports. The troops numbered about 4,000, and consisted of the following : First Battalion, Light Infantry ; First Bat- talion of Grenadiers; Thirty- third, Forty-second, Forty-sixth, and Sixty- fourth Regiment of Foot. The Forty-sixth Regiment plays an important part in this history. It holds in its possession to-day a Bible that was taken by its soldiers from a house in Dartmouth at the time of the invasion. The book is carefully preserved in the mess-room of the regiment, and it has been carried on every campaign and expedition for more than a hundred years. The history of this remarkable book is of special interest to the Masonic fraternity. This incident will be devel- oped in its course. On the evening of the 4th of September the squadron sailed for Buz- zard's Bay. A few days before the arrival of the enemy, a company of artillery had been sent from Boston, consisting of eighty men and four officers, Capt. James Gushing, and Lieuts. Joseph Bell, William Gordon, and James Metcalf The men were entertained at the poor-house, then situated on Sixth street south of Spring. The garrison at the fort and the artillery company were the only armed forces stationed in the town ; and unfortunately the latter was at Stone Bridge, except a de- tachment with one gun under command of Lieuts. Gordon and Metcalf, that had returned on the day of the invasion. There must have been a large number of citizens away from their homes in the service of the army at this time, as the muster rolls indi- cate. Then there was a considerable number of Friends, who had scruples against bearing arms. It was said that aside from the above- mentioned soldiery there were not fifteen able-bodied men on this side of the river at the time of the coming of the British army. The proclamation of the committee of safety was significant enough to carry terror into every household. From the date of this alarming document, the families on both sides of the river were transporting their ■•'■l-yAHRU:ohL'- C^ ^-^-c^ FLIGHT OF THE INHABITANTS. 113 valuables into the woods, secreting tliem in out-of-the-way places, stor- ing their food where it could be easily found, and using every expedi- ent to make bearable their enforced stay in the woods. The following authentic cases illustrate what probably occurred in many a household on the Acushnet River. Mrs. Lydia T. Barnard, a woman of eighty-four years, and a member of the Society of Friends, gives the following facts : Her grandfather, William Russell, who came to Bedford with the Rotches from Nantucket in 1765, lived in a house on the southeast corner of Water and School streets. (This building was subsequently moved to Front street and is now used as a stable by A. K. P. Sawin. Denison's flour-mill stands on the old location.) Many of Mr. Russell's household goods were moved into the woods. Among the articles which he was obliged to leave in the house was a tall clock which he prized highly. So he carefully removed the works, and with grandmother, the baby (Mrs. Barnard's mother), went to Rockdale. Here he hid the clock works in a stone wall, and leaving his family in the woods, returned to the house and awaited the enemy. The house was set on fire by the British soldiers. Mr. Russell succeeded inputting out the fire after they had left, and so saved his dwelling from destruction. Watson Ellis, jr., now seventy-nine, gives the following inci- dents related to him by Miss Betsey Tinkham, who lived to the age of ninety-five, dying in 1842. She lived in a house on the northwest cor- ner of Union street and Acushnet avenue. This was the ancestral home of the historian, Daniel Ricketson, and the building is still stand- ing. Miss Tinkham was attending a wedding at Clark's Cove on the day of the invasion. Happening to look out of the window she saw the approaching fleet far down the bay. Miss Tinkham lost her inter- est in the wedding and wanted to go home. She went up the road with flying steps, not stopping until she reached the Ricketson house at the head of the Cove. Here she stopped a few minutes to rest, and then resuming her flight, she hastened to her home, gathered up what she could of her household treasures, carried them to the shore and packed them in a boat, whence they were floated up the river to a place of supposed safety. Alas, for human calculation ! They were burned, boat and all, by the enemy during the succeeding night. Miss Tink- ham, with her neighbors, spent several days in the woods. 15 1 14 HIS20R Y OF NE W BEDFORD. Among the many interesting incidents in Mr. Ricketson's history of New Bedford, is one told of a man named Joe Castle, who was in the employ of Joseph Russell. He went over to the enemy at the time of their landing. Deeming a written notice to his master more agreeable than a verbal one, he wrote with chalk on the barn door the night he took his departure : " I make no more stone wall For old Joe Russell." This impolite traitor and Eldad Tupper, a Quaker Tory, were em- ployed as guides by the British in their work of destruction. Tupper's name is found in a long list of persons who had left the State and joined the enemy. These were forbidden to return under penalty of arrest and heavy fine.^ George H. Taber, of Fairhaven, now eighty-three years of age, tells a story related to him by his mother, of a woman, who, in her haste to get to a place of safety, abandoned her household effects, her wearing apparel, and all the precious articles that comprised her worldly possessions, and fled with her neighbors to the woods. Abandoned all? No, not quite all ; one precious thing she could not leave — her warm- ing-pan. And so, with this useful article swinging to even time with her fleeting steps, she sped on the wings of the wind. She might as well have had a copper drum, for it sent out ringing notes on the air as it received the thumps of nature's drumsticks protruding from tree and bush. Her companions in terror protested against its being carried farther on the journey, for fear that the martial tones would reveal their whereabouts to the enemy. Their appeals were in vain. Nobly she struggled against their importunities, and when at last they turned from her, leaving her alone and unprotected, she bravely held to her warm- ing-pan and prepared to battle single-handed with the enemy. But they came not in that direction and so happily ends the story. Mother Gerrish, a staid and matronly Friend, was busily engaged in her household duties, and was about to sand her well-swept floors (car- pets were a rare luxury in colonial days), when her affrighted neigh- bors appeared and urged her to flee with them. She quietly proceeded with her work, simply remarking to her anxious friends: "If the enemy come to my house they shall find it in good order." 'AUeii's Remembrances. LANDING OF THE INVADERS. 115 Miss Alice Hart, now living on County street (1892), gives the fol- lowing experiences of her ancestors in those early days of trial. Her grandfather went to sea and never came back ; vessel and crew were lost. At the time of the invasion, her grandmother, Mrs. Jerusha Smith, and two little children were living alone and struggling for ex- istence. When the panic came a kind neighbor offered to help them away from their house. "Taking my mother, then two years old, on his back, my grandmother with the baby in her arms, they traveled through the woods until they reached a house in wh'ich they hoped to find shelter. But to their astonishment they were refused admittance, because the children had whooping-cough. Pursuing their way, they came to a more hospitable roof, where they were taken in with a hearty welcome, their kind host remarking, ' we are in fear of enemies more to be dreaded than the whooping-cough.'" Worth Baits was a soldier, and his name appears in- the Dartmouth list of Revolutionary patriots. He went down the bay on the morning of the 5th of September, 1778, and was the first to discover the ap- proaching fleet. Landing at the fort, he communicated this important intelligence to the garrison. The boom of the signal gun carried the tidings to the inhabitants on both sides of the river. " With a favorable wind," said the dispatches of Sir Henry Clinton, the British fleet set sail from New London on the evening of the 4th of September. A portion of the fleet worked to the eastward, and pass- ing Egg Island, landed their soldiers on Sconticut Neck, out of range of the guns of the fort. Most of the vessels however, glided into Clark's Cove, under the pilotage of a Dartmouth Tory, and reaching the deep water line about due west of the city farm, landed their contributions of armed men and military stores. What a host must have crowded the shore and adjacent fields! Yet without confusion, for everything was conducted with military discipline. By the time the barges had landed the last of this formidable foe, the day was far spent and the sun far on its journey toward the horizon. ^ In the group surrounding the general was a figure, conspicuous for 1 In a letter to Sir Henry Clinton, September i8, 1778, General Grey said : " By five o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th, the ships were at anchor in Clark's Cove, and the boats having been pre- viously hoisted out, the debarkation of the troops took place immediately." 1 1 6 HISTOR Y OF NE W BEDFORD. his manly beauty and martial bearing, who was to fill a pathetic page ill our national history — Capt. John Andre, bearer of dispatches on General Grey's staff, a mere stripling of twenty- seven when he marched with the British troops through our township. Two years later he was adjutant-general, with the rank of major, on Sir Henry Clinton's staff, and purchased his death and fame by one courageous service for his king. The lovely Acushnet, now so calm and peaceful, stretching away among the woody plains, was to be the scene of a conflagration abso- lutely consuming in its greed the prosperity, and well-nigh the exist- ence, of the town. The British army marched up the old middle road, and sweeping across the head of the Cove, entered the forest path that led to the town. Over this highway (County street) a century before, and two centuries before Our day and generation, marched Capt. Benjamin Church and his Plymouth soldiers, guarding their train of Indian captives from Russell's garrison on their way to Plymouth and to servitude across the sea. When the troops reached the intersecting road, Union street (then called King street), the columns divided, one part marching down to the river, while the other continued onward to the Head-of-the-River^ and then southward through Fairhaven to Sconticut Neck. The most important work devolved upon the former party, for to them came the duty of destroying the business part of the town. Tradition says that the night was one of surpassing beauty, for the moon made it as light as day. It is probable that the naval forces co- operated with the troops, but just what that part was is not clear from the meager records. In the dispatches sent September 6 to Sir Henry Clinton is found the following, which certainly shows that they partici- pated in the work : " I send you an outline sketch of the scene of op- erations, the plans of execution of the naval part, with the minutes of the manner in which it was performed." It should be borne in mind that in 1776 there were but 6,773 inhab- itants in the entire township, and that that number was probably not exceeded in 1778 ; that Bedford village was a cluster of houses border- ing the river front ; that three wharves — Rotch's, Russell's and Mc- THE BNEMY'S WORK. uy Pherson's at Bellville — were the principal places for the fitting of ships ; that the warehouses, shops, and stores were largely situated east of Water street and between Commercial and Middle streets; that the farms and forests covered the western slopes. All this should be re- membered in order to comprehend what a disastrous affair this invasion was. The evident purpose of the expedition was to cripple the maritime interests of the town rather than to destroy the homes of the people. However this may have been, a large number were burned, and with them much private property and household goods. With the arrival of troops along the river front commenced the con- flagration, the distillery and two ropewalks being „the first buildings ' burned. The exact location of the former was definitely fixed by the late Thomas Durfee. He said that it stood on the west end of land now covered by the granite building of Thomas M. Hart at the head of Commercial street. The tide ebbed and flowed at that time close up to the distillery. Mr. Durfee said his father used to send him to get clay that was found in the distillery ruins, and which was used for plas- tering the chimneys of their blacksmith shop. The ropewalks above rnentioned were undoubtedly situated near the Second street cemetery, and extended to the river. According to the map of Bedford village in 1815, made by Gilbert Russell, Butler & Allen's ropewalk was im- mediately south of Rotch's ropewalk, north of this site. It is a fair in- ference that those destroyed were located in this section. Along the lower streets and wharves moved the troops, continuing their work of destruction — warehouses, shops, and stoi-es were soon en- veloped in the flames. On the whole river front the fire fiend held high carnival, embracing everything that had made the people prosperous. The property destroyed, as reported by the enemy, was as follows : Eight sail of large vessels from 200 to 300 tons, most of them prizes ; six armed vessels, carrying from ten to sixteen guns ; a number of sloops and schooners of inferior size, amounting in all to seventy, be- sides whaleboats and others. Among the prizes were three taken by Count D'Estaing's fleet. Twenty- six storehouses at Bedford, several at McPherson's wharf. Craw's Mills and Fairhaven were destroyed. These were filled with quantities of rum, sugar, molasses, coffee, to- ii8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. bacco, cotton, tea, medicines, gunpowder, sail-cloth, cordage, etc. Two ropewalks were also burned. ^ The brig No Duty on Tea, enveloped in flames, floated from Mc- Pherson's wharf and grounded on Marsh island. Other vessels drifted on the islands and shores as far down as Fort Phoenix. For many years after, navigation on the river was obstructed by sunken craft. Charles Eldredge relates that within his memory wrecks were to be seen near Crow island, on the shore where now is Rodman's wharf, and east of Rotch's wharf was a sunken vessel that proved a serious obsta- cle to navigation until it was finally removed by the United States gov- ernment about fifty years ago. A little before 9 o'clock, or after some of the vessels which had been set on fire on the Bedford side had drifted down towards the fort, the detachment which landed on the east side advanced upon the fort from the eastward. Two guns were fired at the fleet, and after spiking the guns the garrison retreated to the north, leaving their colors flying. The British, supposing the fort to be still garrisoned, opened fire upon i-t with their artillery, but soon ceased as the fire was not returned. The garrison were at this time ranged along a low wall a short distance to the north of the fort, waiting to discover the exact position of the enemy in order to make their retreat successfully. They were soon discovered by the British, who opened fire upon them and wounded a man by the name of Robert Crossman. A ball passed through one wrist and across the other. A hasty retreat was then commenced, and the enemy, not knowing the exact position and strength of the Americans, did not make a vigorous pursuit. The whole garrison, with the excep- tion of the wounded man and two others, John Skiff" and his father, who were taken prisoners, succeeded in making their escape to the woods at some little distance north of F"airhaven, where they lay concealed through the night and until the British had passed them from the Head- of-the River. Before the fort was evacuated a train of powder was placed from the magazine to the platform. The British upon entering, after destroying the ramrods, sponges, etc., applied a slow match to the 1 From the records of the Forty-sixth, or South Devonshire Regiment of Foot, is made the fol- lowing extract ; " On the evening o£ the 5th of September the troops landed, overcame all opposi- tion, destroyed seventy privateers and other vessels, demolished the fort and artillery, blev? up the magazine, destroying immense quantities of naval stores, etc., and returned on board the trans- ports at noon fhe following day." THE FIRST BLOOD SHED. 119 magazine, which, communicating with the train left by the garrison, was blown up sooner than was expected. One man at least was killed, for the fragments of his gun, cap, and accoutrements were afterwards discovered near by. After burning the barracks and guard-house the detachment moved north, destroying vessels and stores, and formed a junction with the detachment from the west side somewhere near the head of the Acushnet, after which they marched down toward the fort. John Gilbert who was in the employ of Joseph Russell, and who had been engaged during the day in removing the household goods, was sent back with a horse to convey Mrs. Russell to a place of safety. She had gone, leaving orders that he should take Miss Peace Akins, a relative of the family, and the only person remaining in the house. Gilbert was at the horse-block, ready to perform his gallant duty, when the advance soldiers came in sight down County street. He urged her to hurry ; but she had forgotten something (how like a woman ! ) and must return to the house. Before she came back the troops were pass- ing, a;id while Miss Akins was in the act of getting on the horse, a sol- dier came up, seized the bridle, and ordered Gilbert to get off. Gilbert made no reply, but pulling the reins suddenly, the horse knocked the soldier down, and Gilbert made his escape, leaving Miss Akins on the horse-block. She was evidently in a favorable position to see the mil- itary procession ! Several British officers rode up and assured her that if she would remain quiet she would not be harmed, and so she re- mained, a calm spectator of the passing pageant. The officers were courteous enough to stay with her until the review closed. Gilbert re- ceived no injury and made his escape up the Smith Mills road. Though in haste, he found time to answer the inquiries of William Hayden and Oliver Potter, whom he met, regarding the whereabouts of the British troops, and informed them that they were passing abreast of them. These citizens, who were armed with muskets, cut across the fields, secreted themselves under cover of the dense woods bordering what is now County street, near the head of North street. They chose their opportunity and fired into the troops, killing two of the soldiers. This was the first blood shed. It was quickly followed by what was the most tragic occurrence of the invasion, and which took place but a few moments after the killing of the soldiers. Three citizens, Abram I20 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Russell, Thomas Cook, and Diah Trafford, were coming up the road we now call North street, on their way to the woods beyond. They were fired upon by the British soldiers and advanced upon with the bayonet. Russell was killed immediately, his head, as one account gives it, "being entirely cut to pieces." Cook died early in the morning, his bowels being ripped open with a bayonet. Trafford was wounded in the leg and died the next day. The three men lay in the road all night, but were carried into Joseph Russell's barn in the morning. Trafford was a young man, twenty- one years of age, and in the employ of Jo- seph Russell. Cook was occasionally employed by him. Russell was forty years of age. He and Cook were buried in Dartmouth. Traf- ford's body found a resting-place in the burial-ground on the shore where the sailors that were killed in the Paul Jones privateer fight were buried. Many of our elderly citizens remember the old house that stood near the corner of County and North streets. It was standing in the days of the Revolution ; and it was in this vicinity that the tragedies above spoken of occurred. The inmates of this house had an experience that must be given at this point. The facts are given the writer by Mr. David B. Kempton. His grandmother died in 1848, at- the age of ninety- seven, and it was one of the rare pleasures of his childhood to hear her tell the wonderful tales of the Revolution, and above all the story of the invasion. She said that when the soldiers were approach- ing her home she took her children and fled to the woods at the west. They had to get over the bars of a fence, and in this act they were dis- covered by the soldiers, who fired upon them without effect. The fugitives lay flat on the ground for some time, and then ran through the woods to Smith Mills, passing through the small-pox hospital grounds, a piece of cleared land formerly a wheat field, and now covered by the southerly portion of Oak Grove cemetery. When the burial-ground was graded the cellar of the hospital was to be seen. On, over these grounds, sped the refugees, hiding themselves as much as possible under the thick foliage, to Haskin's Corner, now the termination of Rock- dale avenue on the Hathaway road ; thence they wandered to Smith Mills. They arrived at the house of a friend, Mrs. Mott, at midnight, and caused great alarm when they clamored for shelter, the people sup- AN INDIAN PUDDING- CATASTROPHE. 121 posing they were enemies. " The Regulars are here ! The Regulars are here ! " was the cry raised by Mrs. Mott to her daughter, who was in a distant part of the house. With a grim satisfaction the heroic grandmother shouted in tones that were clearly heard by the inmates, " We are regular enough after this journey through the woods, and the distance we have travelled makes us perfectly harmless." Then it was that they were recognized and received with great joy. The soldiers took possession of the house from which the brave mother had fled, destroyedthe furniture, beds and bedding, threw the crockery, glassware and light articles into the well, which was then lo- cated on the west side of County street. Mr. Kempton's grandmother related an incident which confirms the account of the action of Hayden and Potter alluded to above. She said that two or three men went into the woods north of the old house and fired into the soldiers as they passed, killing two and wounding others. These men heard the shout, " Run, soldiers, run, the woods are full of men ! " and they made double-quick time toward the Head- of- the- River, The family in a day or two returned to the house. It has already been said that a company of artillery had been sta- tioned here for general defence. It consisted of eighty men under the c, large of Capt. James Gushing and Lieuts. Joseph Bell, William Gor- don, and James Metcalf. Several days before the invasion they had been called to Rowland's Ferry, to take part in what is known as the battle of Rhode Island. It happened that on the very day when the British made their landing at Glark's Gove, a part of this company, with one gun, under charge of Lieuts. Gordon and Metcalf, had returned to the town and were in charge when the alarm was given. There is a well established tradition that Lieut. Gordon, while on the watch for the enemy, was attracted into the house of Galeb Russell, below which he had been reconnoitering. The attraction was a strong one to a hun- gry soldier ; for it was nothing less than a luscious repast of hot Indian pudding, served in a capacious pewter platter. Now, either he had come too late or the enemy had appeared too early^ for the lieutenant had no more than made himself comfortable and was in the act of taking a liberal slice from the platter, when the alarm was sounded. The gal- lant lieutenant forgot his empty stomach and the delicious feast before 1 2 2 HIS2 OR V OF NE W BEDFORD. him, and quickly took his departure. But misfortunes never come sin- gly. Gordon found himself a prisoner, the first captured by the British army. What a thrill of satisfaction must have been felt by the conquer- ing foe, and what pride must have swelled the breast of General Grey, to know that his soldiers had at the very outset captured one-half of the officers of the defensive force ! If such satisfaction was felt by the in- vaders, it was of short duration, for soon after his capture the brave lieutenant, accepting his chance and seizing a cape from one of the guards, leaped a wall, fled to the woods, and soon joined his com- mand. As the enemy advanced, this detachment of Yankee soldiers with their one piece of artillery pluckily did their best as they steadily re- treated. At the Head- of- the- River Lieutenant Metcalf was mortally wounded. The artillery officers were quartered with Mrs. Deborah Doubleday, who kept a hotel in the building now occupied by law offices, No. 30 North Water street. It was then owned by Seth Russell. John Gilbert in his account says that after Metcalf was wounded he was brought to this house, where he saw him the next day. Metcalf died in three days, and was buried with military honors in the old cemetery at Acushnet. Lieutenant Gordon held several commissions in military life, and was appointed by John Hancock as commander of a company of maltrosses (artillery) that was at other times commanded by Capt. Amos Lincoln, and by that famous mechanic, Paul Revere. Gordon was a highly re- spected citizen and lived to an advanced age. The road to the Head-of-the-River, known to the present generation as Acushnet avenue, was the way of escape for many of the fleeing in- habitants, and the thickets by the wayside were utilized for secreting many of their worldly goods. On the east side of this road is the cottage with its numerous additions, owned by Mr. Willard Nye, jr.' 1 Mr. Nye has in his possession probably the most valuable memento o£ the invasion. It has been in the Tallman family for several generations, and was given to him by Mrs. Betsey m! Nye, a relative. It is a belt ornament that undoubtedly belonged to John Dodge, whose name was en- graved upon it, and who was one of the soldiers who no doubt visited the place on that memorable Saturday night. It is about eight inches long and consists of a metal circle six inches in diameter, wiih ahalf globe in the center. Linked to the surrounding circle on the surface of the ball, in bold outline, is the figure 17. Attached to the outer circle is the British crown. This ornament was found in the peach orchard. Mr. Nye, appreciating its possible historic value, sent a photograph of it to Washington, and the following reply to his communication will explain itself : A TORY'S FAMILY. 123 In the days of the Revolution it was the prope/ty of Timothy TaDman, who lived here with his three brothers, Seth, William and Elkanah. When the invasion took place these grounds were used by their friends as a place of deposit for their household treasures ; and so it happened that the peach orchard then growing at the south of the house, and be- tween that and the running brook, was covered with a promiscuous variety of furniture, beds and bedding. Among the citizens of Bedford who did not sympathize with the American cause was David Hathaway. Early in the war he espoused the Tory cause, and in January, 1777, left the States and took up his resi- dence in Nova Scotia, where he staid six years. Before leaving this vicinity he placed his family in his country residence, the homestead just north of Riverview Park, near where is now located the house of Thomas Nash. This gentleman says that the homestead was purchased of Thomas Hathaway by his grandfather, Simeon Nash, and stood upon the spot perhaps a few feet to the east of his present dwelling. The old well is still in exist- ence, under his porch, and fur- nishes a never-failing supply of excellent water. Here Mrs. Hathaway lived and devoted herself to the instruction of her children. Thomas, the oldest United States National Museum, "j under tlie Direction of the > Smithsonian Institution, Washington,) April 23d, 1887. Mr. Willard Nye, New Bedford, Mass. Dear Sir — Prof. Baird has handed me your letter of April lo, with photograph, and asked me to give you the information you desire. I have had the photograph examined, and it proves to be that of a Elate for belts (and also on cartridge oxes) worn by the British infantry about 1776, and was generally silver plated. Should you desire any further informa- tion, I would refer you to Raike's History of Honorable Artillery Company of Lon- don. Yours Respectfully, G. Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary Smithsonian In- stitution, in charge of the United States National Museum. 124 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. child, was fourteen years of age when the invasion took place. On that eventful evening Mrs. Hathaway, with her children, was standing in the doorway of her house watching the flames that rose from the burn- ing town. Along the road people were passing to and fro, many of them with their goods. They cheered her with promises of assistance. About 8 o'clock three horsemen rode furiously by, warning the dwellers of the near approach of the enemy. When they appeared, Mrs. Hath- away sent her boy Thomas, with two other boys, into the woods for safety. There he climbed a tree and watched the depredations of the British along the road as they passed. The record says that a British officer entered the house of Mrs. Hathaway and demanded to know the whereabouts of her husband. He would not believe her statement of his being in Nova Scotia, and, taking her by the shoulders, shook her, giving her a fright from which she never recovered. From that time her health failed, and she died in 1783, soon after the return of her husband to his family. It is not probable that the terror-stricken people were able to save all their property from destruction. Many were obliged to carry their goods themselves, while their more fortunate neighbors who owned horses utilized them in conveying their treasures to the woods. Some of these, even, failed in getting free from the clutches of the enemy. History records the fact that William Tobey, afterward postmaster of the town, was the happy possessor of a yoke of oxen, and was on his way to the woods when the advancing soldiery came uncomfortably near — so near as to threaten his capture. Mr. Tobey finally abandoned his loaded wagon and with his oxen gained the woods, leaving his worldly possessions an easy prey to the British. Mrs. Susan Brightman, whose husband was at sea, was compelled to flee with her family of four children up the country road, and beyond the village at the Head-of-the-River. She turned into a pasture and found shelter in a shed used for herding sheep. There she waited with fear and trembling while the troops passed by on the main road, near enough for the refugees to hear the strains of music from the regimental bands. On her way back to her house, located on the west side of Water street, between Elm and Middle, she met a citizen who wasdeemed li^. THE MOVEMENT UPON FAIR HAVEN. 125 rich, who said to her, " Mrs. Brightman, my property is all destroyed, and 1 am now as poor as you are." ^ About an eighth of a mile above the Acushnet bridge, and dose to the river, stands to-day a gambrel- roofed house, in fair preservation, that was the home of one of the chief men of the village in Rev- olutionary times. Mention has previou.sly been made of the eminent pastor of Acushnet Church, Dr. Samuel West, and of his distinguished services to the country. It is a fair presumption that Dr. Tobey, who lived in the hoiise spoken of, was alike useful in his profession. A tra- dition is given by G. H. Taber, that a company of British soldiers, on their way around the river, made a social call at Dr. Tobey's residence. Not finding the family at home they proceeded to make themselves comfortable. It happened that the oven in the cellar was piping hot and doing good service in cooking the bread, and that most famous of all New England dishes, pork and beans. The soldiers invited themselves to the banquet in the absence of the host, and " licked the platter clean." Though the doctor lost his Sunday morning breakfast, he had the good luck to save many of his valuables and clothing, for they happened to be in a room at the head of the cellar stairs, and when his uninvited guests opened the door to go down to the feast the entrance to this eToom, where the family treasures were, was completely hidden and the soldiers departed none the wiser. It is said that there gathered on Tarkiln hill a large throng of people who had fled from their homes. When the British troops turned east- ward at Lund's corner they descried them in the moonlight, and sup- posing them to be a body of minute men, did not deem it prudent to send a detachment to attack them. Having accomplished their dire revenge upon the helpless people of Acushnet the British proceeded down the road to Fairhaven. The first house destroyed was that belonging to Col. Edward Pope on the west side of the road, on the exact spot now occupied by the dwelling once I One of the Brightman children, Phebe, was twelve years old at the time of the invasion. She afterwards married Capt. William Header, jr., who was one of the original members of the Star in the East Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. They lived in the house on Acushnet avenue, south of Spring street, now occupied by Dr. Flagg. It was here that IVIrs. Telson B. Denham heard Mrs. Meader relate the above story. One of her grandmothers, Charity Slocum, was a prominent worker in the relief society that did so much noble service for the boys in blue during the Civil war. 126 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. owned by David Russell, and now the property of Thomas H. Knowles, of this city. Colonel and Judge Pope was a prominent citizen, and it is a fair inference to suppose that it was because of his loyalty to the cause that his property was destroyed. The enemy were well posted as to who were fit subjects for their wrath, for they had for guide that distinguished Quaker Tory and traitor, Eldad Tupper. The next house that received the attention of the enemy was one on the east side of the road, the home of Stephen Hathaway. The host and hostess, both members of the Society of Friends, aware of the approach of the en- emy, had sent their children into the woods and had deposited their silver spoons and valuables in the well, which is still in use. The en- emy must have been informed that Mr. Hathaway was in good circum- stances, for the advance soldiery made a vigorous demand for money. Their request not being granted they proceeded without formality to search the house. Here was an opportunity to carry out again the spirit of General Grey's orders, and the bayonet came into use. It is not known whether they obtained the desired treasure, but the old family desk, now in the possession of Humphrey N. Swift, bears the marks of the bayonet made when the noble sons of Briton tried to pry it open. The soldiers carried off a number of things belonging to Mrs. Hatha- way. While they were engaged in their operations the commander-in- chief rode into the yard. Mrs. Hathaway complained to the general that the soldiers were troublesome. He replied that it was not his in- tention to have anj' of the Society of Friends disturbed, and at once ordered a guard for their protection. For this gracious favor she treated the officers to a liberal lunch of milk, bread, and cheese. Notwithstanding the assertion made by General Grey that the Friends were to be free from annoyance, the truth remains that many of them did receive personal abuse. Among them was Jethro, the father of Stephen Hathaway. The soldiers removed his broad-brimmed hat and amused themselves by tossing it in the air. When they had exhausted this highly dignified sport, they returned it to the old gentleman, probably in a battered condition. Moving southward, the troops called at the house of Thomas Hath- away, now known as the Laura Keen farm, on the west side of the road. Jonathan Kempton, a nephew and ward, happened to be on Sconticut DOINGS OF THE INVADERS. 127 Neck when the troops were coming through Acushnet village. He re- turned in great haste, and had only time to pack the silver plate and other articles in a small trunk, when he entered into an interesting con- versation with the advance guard, who met him as he was passing out of the front door. They kindly relieved him of further care of the trunk, and invited him to accompany them on board the fleet. Af- ter setting fire to some bedding in an upper story, and closing the doors, they departed from the house. Mr. Kempton must have been a shrewd young man and of an original turn of mind, for among his ex- pedients to save his clothing he had put on two pairs of trousers. This proved to be a most fortunate circumstance, for while walking with his guard down the lane leading to the main road, he made use of his op- portunity and bribed him to let him go, offering as a reward the extra pair of trousers. The guard was aware of his having them, for the fact was revealed when, becoming curious as to the time of night, he had forcibly relieved Kempton of his watch. The traitor guard consented to the proposition, took the trousers, and Kempton took to his heels. It is said that the soldier, in order to deceive his commanding officer, fired a shot at the retreating prisoner. It failed to hit him and lodged in a cherry tree. Mr. Kempton reached the house in time to extin- guish the fire and thus saved the homestead. Richard Delano, who lived a short distance east of the village, re- moved some of his household effects, at the approach of the enemy. His loaded wagon, in charge of a lad named Look, was met on the road to the woods by a British soldier, who, saluting the boy with a blow mounted the wagon and ordered the lad to drive on. When they reached the house of Mr. Alden they found it in possession of the en- emy, and the soldier entered. The lad quickly made his escape, and re- turning home, told his adventure to Mr. Delano. The family fled, and on their return, found that their home liad been invaded by the enemy, and their furniture destroyed. Tlie house, built by Mr. Delano in 1773, is still standing ; and over a closet door in the front entry may be seen the marks made with a bayonet in opening it, — another evi- dence that General Grey's orders to use the bayonet were well ob- served. 128 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. CHAPTER IX. THE BRITISH INVASION CONTINUED. Further Destruction — The Traitor Tupper — A Famous Bible — Suffering- and Want that Followed the Invasion — Wretched Condition of the Township after the Raid. AFTER the British troops had visited the house of Thomas Hatha- way, they proceeded southward and burned a store on the east side of the road, filled with West India goods, belonging to Obed Hath- away. Just south of the Woodside Cemetery the main road branches off to the east and continues down through the village of Fairhaven. In Revolutionary days this was the only thoroughfare that led to Sconticut Neck and the southern part of the village. It was on the gentle elevation at the very entrance of this back road that the house of John Cook was situated, to which allusion has been made. This historic spot is made still more interesting by the fact that here, a century later, stood a dwell- ing house said to have been built upon the same cellar walls as the first. It was the home of Bartholomew West and his two sons, William and Edward, the domestic affairs being managed by Hannah Sogg. At the time of the invasion the old man was feeble and helpless and unable to leave his bed, and thus the British soldiers found him. His son Will- iam was at the village with the ox team, and when he returned the house was in flames. On entering the dwelling the soldiers treated the inmates with great rudeness, because of the patriotism of the old man, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the American cause. No doubt faithful Eldad Tupper had given them correct information as to his position. While looting the house they informed the Wests that they intended to burn it and refused the request of Miss Sogg to remove the old man to a place of safety. She, like a true heroine, carried him out herself and placed him on a feather bed against a wall in the orchard. The house was burned to the ground, and the troops departed to new fields A shed that escaped the flames was used for shelter by the family and was afterward' enlarged and remained the old man's home until his death. A FAMOUS BIBLE. 129 Among the many articles carried away from this house by the sol- diers was a copy of the Bible which was destined to have a history. It is to this day in possession of the Forty-sixth Regiment, now known as the Duke of Cornwall's Regiment, Light Infantry, Colonel Grieve commander, and now stationed at Plymouth, England. When the regi- ment was stationed at Gibraltar, the chaplain. Rev. Mr. Patterson, cop- ied .the many entries from the book, and from him have been obtained these facts. One of the entries that bears a special local interest is the following : " In the year 1746-47, a hard winter, the horses began to pass over the river the 20t.h of December, as I was informed by WilHam Peokham and his wife, and to ray knowledge continued to pass with horses and oxen on the river from Joseph Russell's to the head of Aooshamet River until ye 11th of March, ye snow being then in ye woods knee deep upon a level. Adjudged by credible persons further it is credibly reported by them y t say they keep account y t there was 30 snows this winter and they continued riding until 23d day of March. Benj. Akin rid over against his father Ta- bers, viz. Jacob Tabers, and on the 23d day in the morning it began to snow and con- tinued to snow for forty-eight hours, it wafting as the fall got to a great depth and they could now journey on the ice from Capt. to Taber's side until ye 27th of March.'' The old Bible also contains several, family records and other notes, among them the following : "Mother Mercy West, deceased November 21, 1733, in ye 77 year of her age, who was ye daughter of John Cook, ye first ordained minister of Dartmouth." This entry is written on the back of the title page. On the back of the last page of the Apocrypha is the following: "Stephen West deceast July 7, 1769, in the 76th year of his age." On still another page is the following : "Greorge Hathaway, son of Jethro Hathaway, deceast on the 7th day of Novemlier, 1746, in ye 5th month of his age. " Mathew West, son of Samuel West, deceast Feb. the 17th, 1753, New Style, in the- 24th month of his age." " Father Samuel Jenney, deceast April ye 3d, 1716, in the 58th year of his age." " Our mother, Hannah Jenney, deceast September 2d, 1749, 80 years of age." The family traditions regarding this famous Bible have been well preserved, for down through the successive generations the story has- been told that the old man Bartholomew held this book in great ven- 17 3 Z < m X THE WASHIXGTOX MASOXIC lilBLE— Back OF Title-Page. 132 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. eration, and to his death spoke with regret of its loss. He supposed that it was burned with the other household goods ; and so during the long century intervening, the family of Wests have had no knowledge of its existence until the development of events spoken of in this article. " The Second Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, which has so recently left Pembroke Dock, has in its possession a Bible on which it is stated Washington took one of the degrees of Masonry. This corps was originally numbered the Fifty- seventh, and was raised in 1741. Six or seven year's later, by the disbandment of eleven regiments, it became the Forty-sixth Foot, by which name it was known until 1881, when it received its present territorial designation. In 1752, when quartered in Ireland, a Masonic charter was obtained from the Grand Lodge of that country. This regimental lodge was numbered ' 227,' and was also known as the Lodge of Social and Military Virtue, its motto being ' Libens Solvit Merito Votum.' Both name and motto, it is to be remarked, have the same initials, ' L. S. M. V.' In 1757 the regiment embarked for America, where it was quartered for ten years in Nova Scotia, and in 1767 returned to Ireland. In 1776 the Forty- sixth again crossed the Atlantic, and was landed on the coast of North Carolina. In 1778, along with other regiments, it proceeded on an ex- pedition to Massachusetts, as the privateers belonging to New Bedford had inflicted much damage on British shipping, and it was resolved to put a stop to such depredations. On the evening of September 5, 1778, the British fleet, with the four regiments of infantry on board, appeared unexpectedly at New Bedford. The force was landed almost without opposition, and passing through the little town, the troops entirely de- stro)'ed it, as well as some seventy privateers, whalers and other ships. Amongst the plunder carried off on this occasion was the family Bible of the Wests, whose descendants are still in the neighborhood of the now flourishing city of New Bedford. We learn from the title page that the volume was printed ' in London by the assigns of Thomas Newcombe and Henry Hills, deceas'd, printers to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, in the year 1712.' The first record is written on the back of the title page, and contains entries of the deaths of mother Mercy West, who died November 21, 1733, aged seventy- seven, and of father Stephen West, aged ninety-four, who died August 12, 174B, and REV. PATTERSON'S RELATION. 133 the births of eight of their descendants betweein the years 1720 and 1737. The second entry is on the last page of the Prophets, and con- tains a description of the severe winter weather experienced by the dwellers on the banks of the Acushnet River on which New Bedford is built, in the year 1746-47. " This is followed by entries relating to the births of the children of Reuben Packhom, and Petience Hatherley, between the years 1731-34. The third entry is on the last page of the Apocrypha, and registers the death of a Stephen West who died in 1769, aged seventy-five years. The fourth records the deaths of two Thomas Summertons who died, one in 1736, aged twenty-six years, and the other in 1740, aged seven months. These entries are on a page containing the Thirty- nine Arti- cles. The last register is on the same page as the 'Table of Kindred,' and records the deaths of George Hathway, Mathew West, father Sam- uel Jenney and our mother Hannah Jenney. It is to be noted that the latest entry appears to be that of the death of Stephen West on July 7, 1769, about eight years before the book fell into the hands of the Brit- ish. It is stated that the volume was retaken by the Americans, but for some reason or other was returned to the Forty- sixth before the corps sailed for England in 1782. "After having been quartered in Ireland for several years, the Forty- sixth proceeded to Gibraltar in 1792 ; thence to the West Indies in 1794, and back to England in 1796, where it remained until 1804, when it proceeded to garrison the Island of Dominica, which was shortly after attacked by an overwhelming French force, under General La Grange. The British commander. General Prevost, was obliged to evacuate the city of Rosseau, which fell into the hands of the enemy. The Bible in question, along with all the furniture and regalia of the lodge, had to be abandoned, but was afterwards restored to the regiment under a flag of truce, as is set forth on a silver plate attached to the walnut case, with glass Hd, in which it is kept in the ante-room of the officers' mess, the inscription on which reads as follows : — ON THIS SACRED VOLUME WASHINGTON RECEIVED A DEGREE OP MASONRY IT WAS TWICE TAKEN BY THE ENEMY AND BOTH TIMES RETURNED TO THE REGIMENT WITH ALL THE HONORS OP WAR 134 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. " It followed the fortunes of the corps afterwards to England, Jersey, the Isle of Wight, New South Wales and India. " Here the Masonic Lodge, which appears to have been all along the custodian of the sacred volume, ceased working in the year 1827. The Bible and jewels were brought to England along with the regiment in 1833, when the lodge was revived under the mastership of Colonel W. Lacy, who was followed in the chair by Colonel Catly. "About a dozen years ago, when the regiment was quartered in Ber- muda, the case was opened to display the book to some guests, when unfortunately a page which contained the signature of General Washing- ton mysteriously disappeared. Margoliouth, a distinguished Masonic authority, gives it as his opinion, that although there is no written testi- mony to the effect that the Father of his Country was obligated on this book, yet as the statement has been handed down from Mason to Mason, there .is little doubt that such is the case. It may be mentioned that Lodge No. 4, in Fredericksburgh, is in possession of a Bible on which Washington is stated to have taken at least one degree, and there is be- sides this another volume, which was carried in a Masonic procession in Washington, D. C, on February 22, 1885, which lays claim to a similar honor. " The Bible, which is about ten by twelve inches, is handsomely bound in purplish brown morocco, covers and back, being richly stamped in gold with Masonic emblems, the title and motto of the lodge, the regi- mental number, etc., etc. — Yours, etc., "December 15, 1891. R. STEWART PATTERSON." 1 1 The task of securing photographs of this Bible has been one of much difficulty ; and only for the interested co-operation of Rev R. Stewart Patterson could it ever have been accomplished. My last letter to him, urgently requesting him to make another effort to secure the pictures, reached him only twenty-four hours before the departure of the regiment for new quarters. But the Bible was fortunately not yet packed tor the journey. Mr. Patterson writes : " The following morning, immediately on my return to Pembroke Dock, I went to the barracks and saw Captain Harvey, the mess president. He told me that he had directed that the book should be packed and that although several photographers and others had requested that they should be permitted to take photos of the volume, the colonel and officers had always declined, as they did not wish the book to be taken out of barracks, for on one occasion, when in Bermuda, about a dozen years ago the page containing Washington's signature had been abstracted. However, as a personal favor they would let me have the photo provided it was done at once and in barracks. I had my man ready with his camera, and the Bible being handed over to the care of a subaltern of the regiment, it was taken down to the station hospital and photographed." It may be added that branches of the West family came from Virginia and other points south of New York at an early day. This fact, together with the signature of Washington in the book, is regarded as evidence that the great commander received a degree of Masonry over its sacred pages. It is preserved with the most jealous care by the regiment now possessing it, and accompanies them wherever they may be sent. It has been a rare privilege to connect it intimately with the history of New Bedford. THE ENEMY'S FIERY PROGRESS. 135 Still pursuing a southern course through Fairhaven, the invaders next destroyed a store situated directly across the road from the present resi- dence of Edward A. Dana. The building was filled with West India goods. Close by the present residence of George H. Taber was a school-house that was next burned by the invaders. Mr. Taber states that his grandfather, Bartholomew Taber, whose house was a short dis- tance northward, heard an officer give the command, " give me a match," and in a few minutes the school-house was wrapped in flames. Down the road (now Adams street) they pushed on, and soon Zeu- riah Wood's house was set on fire. The family had fled to the woods for safety, and when they returned their dwelling was in ruins. A one- story house was afterward erected on the same spot, to which a second story was added in 1807; and in 1838 an addition was built on the north side. The house is still standing and is occupied by descendants of the family. On the east side of the Sconticut Neck road, about a mile from the en- trance of the Mattapoisett thoroughfare, is located one of the most ancient and interesting houses now standing, and one of the very few that date back to the times of which we are writing. It is very much dilapidated and quite dependent for support upon the massive floor timbers and the im- mense stone chimney that occupies the center of the structure. The latter is a curious specimen of the chimney building of our forefathers and stands after all the years as perfect as when first erected. The shell mortar with which it was cemented holds it with a grip of iron. The chimney is nine feet square at the base and about five at the top, which is finished with imposing cap-stones. Spacious fire-places open on the north and east sides, and the ovens on all sides seem sufficient to cook provision for a small army. In Revolutionary days this house was the home of John West, whose son-in-law, Achus Sisson, a rabid Tory, was obliged to leave here and take up his residence in the Brit- ish provinces until after the war closed. The elder West provided in his will an ample maintenance for his daughter, but excluded the Tory from any benefit under it. Sisson eventually returned to Fairhaven, and George H. Taber says he remembers him as a gray-haired old man, who taught school in the academy for a time. The latter building is still standing and is owned by the heirs of the late John A. Hawes. Mr. 136 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. West left this and other property to the New Bedford Monthly Meet- ing of Friends for the benefit of the industrious poor of the township. This ancient house was the last one visited by the British soldiers during the invasion. They here very properly gave an exhibition of the bayonet exercise so rigidly insisted upon by Sir Charles Grey — they killed a pig. About a mile below, on the western shore, was the place of embark- ation, on land now owned by Daniel W. Deane. Here the British army encamped until Monday morning. The official dispatches of General Grey state that all were re- embarked on Sunday, September 6, but they did not set sail until Monday, as the wind was southwest and light. Sixteen pris- oners were taken on board to exchange for the same number of British soldiers. Among these was one of the Delano family, who was treated with great kindness. He spoke of General Grey as an old man, but hale, active, and of engaging manners. The general said in his dis- patches : " The wind did not admit of any further movements of the fleet on the 6th and 7th than hauling a little distance from the shore. Advantage was taken of this circum- stanoe to burn a large privateer ship on the stocks, and to send a small armament of boats, with two galleys, to destroy two or three vessels, which, being in the stream, the troops had not been able to set fire to." This was the expedition that came up the river on Sunday evening, September 6. The enemy had been keenly watched and their land- ing north of Fort Phoenix was no surprise, for the minute men had been gathering from the surrounding towns during the Sabbath, and there must have been a force of several hundred, judging from pay- rolls that are in existence. The colonel in command of this force is described as a feeble old man, unequal to the emergency at hand. He announced to the militia that it would be useless to make any defence of the village. This had a paralyzing effect upon the soldiers, and the whole town of Fairhaven would have been left to the ravages of the British but for the timely and heroic action of Maj. Israel Fearing, of Wareham. He gathered around him a large number of volunteers and placed them in good position to meet the enemy, who were seen ap- proaching up the bay. The landing was made about 8 o'clock in the evening, and the militia, whose presence was unknown to the British, RELIEF FOR SUFFERERS. 137 were secreted in position to do effective service. But the action of some of their officers and the firing of several buildings by the British as they advanced towards the point where the militia were posted de- moralized the latter and they would have fled ignominiously but for the determined action of Major Fearing. He placed himself in the rear and declared he would shoot every man who attempted to desert. Making a thrilling appeal to their manhood he changed their fright to something akin to courage, and under his inspiring command the sol- diers presented a bold front to the enemy, now at close quarters. At the signal a tremendous volley was poured into the British ranks. The tide of victory was turned and the enemy fled in disorder, took to their boats, and made good time to the ships in the lower harbor. On Mon- day the British fleet sailed away to Martha's Vineyard and Falmouth, where many American vessels were destroyed and money and cattle taken. Padanaram did not escape the attention of the British, for on Sunday morning barges loaded with soldiers were sent to that village and sev- eral houses were burned. Most of them belonged to the Aikin family, who were enthusiastic supporters of the American cause, and had been instrumental in expelling Richard Shearman, Eldad Tupper, and Will- iam Castle from the vicinity. Tradition says that it was information from these men that caused the property of the Aikins to receive the special attention of the enemy. The first .two named are credited with acting as pilots to the squadron. The suffering and want that followed in the footsteps of this disas- trous event are indicated by the action of the General Court in 178a An appropriation of £1,200 was made for the relief of the sufferers. Following is a list of persons to whom the selectmen allowed portions of the ;i^l,200, allowed to the sufferers by the enemy September 5, 1778, at Bedford, and paid by Col. Thomas Kempton : Sylvanus Allen, Sylvanus Allen, jr., Walla Adams, James Akin, Betsey Cathel, widow ; Uriah Dunhani, John Gerrish, Samuel Hawes, Sarah Kempton, widow ; Lemuel Mendal, Anna Mot, Stephen Merrihew, Mary Negus, Shoebal Peas, Joseph Rotch, Abigail Samson, Reliami Summerton, Geoige Whippe, Timothy Ingraham, John Wait, Sarah Shearman, Seth Reed, Oliver Price, Benjamin Taber, Experience Tripp, George Wrightington, 18 138 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Griffin Barney, Eleazer Hathaway, Micha Hathaway, Gamaliel Briant, Thomas Boland, Freeman Taber, Ephraim Annibal, Elihu Akin, James Chandler, Charles Church, Sole Cushman, Venture Child, Joshua Doune, Martha Hamblin. One of the most interesting documents found in connection with this event is the detailed statement of Joseph Tripp, who was evidently a well-to-do citizen, of articles lost and damaged by the enemy. Besides its interest in relation to the invasion, it also gives an idea of what con- stituted the outfit of a household at that time. It is as follows : ''Memorandum of articles lost and damages sustained by the enemy on their expedi- tion to Dartmouth, September, 1778, viz. :. 1 Silk Damask gound, . 2 Silk Lute String gounds, 1 pergan do. 1 Chime do. 1 Linnen do. 1 Red Brod Cloth Cloak, 1 Pair Stays, 1 Holland Handkerchief, . 1 Lawn do. 1 Barcelona do. 3 Holland aprons, Underlining & 1 pair Silk Mitts, 1 Superfine Broade Cloth Coat, . 1 Superfine Broade Cloth Jacket, 1 Silk Damask Jacket, 1 fustin Coat & 1 pair Linning Bretohes, 1 Pair Lether Bretohes, 1 Great Coat and a par Silk Stockings, 1 Par Cotton Stockings <& a par Gloves, 1 Cotton Coverlid, 1 Complete Set Dammask Curtins, Except Valants, 1 Large Dammask Table Cloth, 3 Large Dammask Napkings, 1 Large Diaper Table Cloth, 4 Diaper Napkings, 2 Small Diaper Table Cloths, \ yard Spring Satting and 1 yard Tammey, 2i yards worsted Cloth, 3 Bolster Cases, . ... 18 Table Knives & 12 forks, . £ s. D. 32 58 12 15 9 9 10 6 12 1 1 5 18 6 15 6 36 15 15 2 8 12 18 4 11 6 12 90 9 4 10 3 12 3 4 10 3 12 6 1 10 3 12 6 '<^^AAA^iy^4^y^'i^ -^y^ ^^ CRUSHED CONDITION OF THE TOWN. 139 1 Hard Mettle Tea pot & 1 Earthen do., 18 Delf ware plates, . . 1 Coffee Pot & Large China Cream pot, 2 Earthen Milk pots, . . . . 2 China Tea Cups & Saucers, 5 Cups & 5 Oaueers Yellow ware, 1 Copper Sauce pan & 1 par Snuffers, . 1 Bubble flint Vinegar Crute, . 5 Wine Glasses, . 1 Shoe Brush & 1 Buckle, .... 1 par Wool Cards & 2 yards Check Linning, 1 Serenet Bunnett, 2 Linning Skirts, 1 Tamey Skirt, 2 Stripe Cotton Skirts, 2 Cheokdo., . 1 White Skirt and par Silver Knee Buckles, 1 Stone Ring and par Jewil Drops. 1 Small trunk with papers, 3 flannel Sheets, ... . . 3 cotton do., anii 5 Pillow cases, Damage Red Cedar Desk, 1 pistol and a glass tankard. Schooner Burnt damage. Errors excepted. A case Razors and papers and sundry other articles, Bristol, ss., Jan. 5th, 1779. . 2 8 5 8 . 1 10 12 18 16 . 1 10 10 1 1 15 3 10 1 . 4 4 6 4 10 . 7 10 2 5 6 18 10 3 18 100 £589 6 10 14 £600 Then personally appeared Joseph Tripp and made oath to the truth of the above acot before me. Edw. Pope, Just. Peace." Let us now for a moment contemplate the condition of the township after the English had left it. Warehouses, shipyards, ropewalks, and stores, that had given employment to the inhabitants ; dwellings and barns, the property of loyal citizens who had in their love for liberty dared to avow themselves open enemies of the British crown ; the fleet of seventy ships, numbering nearly as many as to-day lie at bur wharves, most of them creations of the skill of Dartmouth citizens, all these in one single night were offered up in flame and smoke, Dart- mouth's contribution to the price paid for American independence. What hopeless despair must have taken possession of the people, as 140 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. they began to understand the extent of the disaster ! When they saw the wrecks of the splendid fleet that represented the business enterprise of the town, lining the shores on both side of the river, deep must have been their sorrow ; for all knew that the community was literally crushed out, and with it, for a time, the courage and energy of the men who had been the leaders in its prosperity. Fort Phoenix, destroyed by the British troops, must have been re- built soon after the invasion. This is indicated by the following ex- tract from a letter written by Jabez Delano to William H. Waterman, April 17, 1874. In response to inquiries regarding the fortification, he says: " Isaac Drew, the father of the late Joshua Drew, related in my hearing the follow- ing : ' I had occasion to go to Fort Phoenix on the evening following the dark day, (which occurred May 19, 1780). The night was as much darker than ordinary as the day had been. I could not see my hand before me, nor discern anything whatever. I found the fort through my perfect familiarity with the road. It was then garrisoned by 100 Continentals.' " We find in the same letter the following interesting statement : " Royal Hathaway stated that Benjamin Dellingham was captain and his father, Blezer Hathaway, was lieutenant of the company that built Fort Phoenix, and his im- pressions were that it ws,s begun previous to the battle of Bunker Hill, June 17, 1775, and that it was about two years in building." Mr. Hathaway also stated that there were eight companies of sol- diers from the township of Dartmouth, and that his father succeeded Captain Dellingham in command of one of them and was stationed at ithe fort. Judging by rolls that are still in existence, it is reasonably sure that Dartmouth township furnished at least 500 men for the army during the last great struggle for liberty. She must also have had a large number of seamen in the naval service. Our township was in the front rank of the battles fought by the colonies. There were Tories in Dart- mouth, certainly, and so there were in Boston; indeed the aristocracy of that town was never in full sympathy with the cause. New York was a hot bed of Toryism, and the same may be said of Newport, Phil- adelphia and Baltimore. All over the land there were men who never lost their love for the home government, and it would have been ■strange if Dartmouth did not have her proportion of such. It is a REVIVAL OF BUSINESS. 141 grievous wrong, however, to class the Society of Friends with the To- ries. Their non-resistance does not prove them traitors. Just so far as their religious principles permitted, they were friendly to the Amer- ican cause. They could not bear arms and at the same time be true to the principles of their religious faith. In closing this account of our local Revolutionary history, it is per- haps proper to state that it has been compiled with all possible care, from records that were very incomplete, and in many cases from the reminiscences of aged people who are even now beyond the reach of the living. CHAPTER X. FROM 1779 TO 1 8 10. Town Proceedings During and After the War — Prices of Provisions — The Qua- kers in Relation to the War — Incorporation of the Town and First Officers — Divis- ion of the Town — Opening of Streets — The Small-pox — Measures for Its Exter- mination — The First Newspaper — Early Advertisements — Primitive .Modes of Travel — Difficulties of Early Maritime Operations — PubUc Events of the Period. THERE seems to have been but little public business transacted by the authorities of Dartmouth between the years 1776 and 1779, excepting the regular election of officers ; and possibly for one or more years even this may have been omitted. Attached to the warrant call- ing the town meeting for 1779 are the names of Aulden Spooner, Thomas Kempton, Benjamin Russell, jr., and Job Almy as selectmen, and as these were not the ones chosen in 1776, it would seem that there must have been a town meeting in 1778. In 1779 the town chose Jon- athan Taber, Nathan Richmond, Robert Earl, Jireh Willis, Gamaliel Bryant, Obed Ney (Nye), John Taber, Paul Ingraham, Elihu Gifford, Benjamin Babcock, Elisha Russell, Henry Soul and Stephen Davis a committee of safety, correspondence and inspection. This committee was empowered to furnish all the men called from the town for the de- 142 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. fense of the country. In 1777 the General Court passed the monopoly- act, intended to prevent monopoly and oppression. It authorized the towns to fix certain prices on staple commodities, which prices -could not be exceeded by those having such goods for sale without breaking the law and thus rendering themselves liable to arrest and their goods to confiscation. In 1779 the selectmen of Dartmouth prepared such a list. Some of the prices were as follows : Q-ood merchantable imported wheat, per bushel, Indian corn, per bushel, Good fresh pork, well fatted, per pound, Men's best shoes, made of good neats leather, per pair. Imported salt, per bushel, . . . . Good West India rum, per gallon by the hogshead. Good New England rum, per gallon, Best Muscovado sugar, at the place where it is first landed, per lb. Good English hay, per ton. Horse-keeping with good English hay, per night, or 24 hours. The best broadcloth manufactured in this town, per yard, . Mowing and reaping and other labor, from 25th March to last of September, per day. Good coffee, per pound, DIET AT PUBLIC HOUSES. For a dinner of boiled and roasted meats and sauce, equivalent, A common dinner, A common supper and breakfast, each, A night's lodging, At the annual meeting in March, 1780, Robert Bennet 2d, WiUiam White, Jirah Swift, jr., Thomas Kempton, and Thomas Crandon were chosen a committee to supply the soldiers' families during the ensuing year. It was voted at a town meeting held October 14, of the same year, that 1,057 pounds and sixteen shillings, silver money, be raised by way of tax on the inhabitants of the town by the 25th of December of that year, " to be paid to the committee who shall be chosen for purchasing the town's proportion of beef, sent for by the General Court to supply the Continental army," and "the overplus of said sum (if any), when said beef is paid for, to be paid into the town treasury." The ship Bedford, Captain Moores, belonging to William Rotch, jr., who at this date lived in Nantucket, sailed for London with a cargo of £ s. D. 7 6 4 4i 8 10 6 8 3 10 8 4 10 2 14 3 6 1 4 1 4 1 10 4 INCORPORATION OF THE TOWN. 143 oil in February, 1783. She arrived in the Downs on the day of the signing of the treaty of peace, and was the first to display the Amer- ican flag.^ At a monthly meeting of the Quakers of Dartmouth, held in 1783, a petition was prepared and presented to the selectmen and other offi- cers of Dartmouth, requesting that " no more publications of political or mihtary matters be set up or posted up on their meeting-houses." Also that notices of marriages should not be posted upon their meeting- houses. The petition states at length that the quarterly and yearly meetings, to which the Quakers were subordinate, recommended that all such publications were disagreeable to the society, and that all or many of them were " such as their religious principles enjoin them to have no concern with," etc. The town of New Bedford was incorporated in 1787, and at the first town meeting, held in the Congregational meeting-house, March 21, completed an organization and elected officers as follows : Selectmen, John West, Isaac Pope, William Tallman ; clerk and treasurer, John Pickens ; assessors, Bartholomew Aiken, Joseph Taber, Thomas Kemp- ton ; surveyors of lumber, Benjamin Taber, Benjamin Dillingham, Bar- tholomew Aken,2 Jethro Allen ; inspector of fish, Peleg Huttleston ; ■ constable and collector, northwest district, Gamaliel Bryant; northeast district, Samuel Bowerman ; southeast district, Joseph Damon ; south- west district, Abishar Shearman ; Robert Bennit, sr., Paul Wing, Job Jenne, Elisha Cushman, northeast district ; Barnabas Russell, Caleb Russell, sr., Jireh Willis, southwest district ; Samuel Hathaway, of Scon- ticut, William Dexter, Joseph Damon, James Kempton, Benjamin Church, Bartholomew Aiken, southeast district; John Chaffee, Chris- topher Hammond, William White, William Andrews, northwest dis- 1 *' The ship Bedford^ Captain Moores, belonging to Massachusetts, arrived in the Downs on the 3d of February, passed Gravesend on the 3d, and was reported at the Custom House on the 6th inst. She was not allowed regular entry until some consultation had taken place between the commis- sioners of the customs and the Lords of Council, on account of the many acts of Parliament in force against the rebels of America. She was loaded with 487 butts of whale oil, is American built, manned wholly by American seamen, wears the rebel colors, and belongs to the Island of Nan- tucket, in Massachusetts. This is the first vessel which has displayed the thirteen rebellious stripes of America in any British port. The vessel is at Horseledour, a little below the Tower, and is in tended to return immediately to NewEngfland." — Barnard's History of England. 2 The reader will notice that in many cases in this work names are spelled in more than one way. Such is not the case, however, except in transcriptions from records, which it is considered advisa- ble to take literally. In some few instances families have changed the spelling of their name. 144 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. trict ; wardens, Maj. George Claghorn, Capt. Benjamin Dillingham,. Isaac Drew, Amos Simmons ; tithingmen, Zadok Maxfield, William Allen, Pardon Taber ; fence viewers, Samuel West, Silas Sweet, Ste- phen Taber, Henry Jenne; cullers of staves, Daniel Ricketson, John Shearman, Benjamin Dillingham ; hog reeves, Sampson Spooner, Sam- uel Tupper, jr., Gilbert Bennit, Daniel Smith, Seth Hathaway. The four districts above alluded to, into which the town was divided, were made up of the sections separated north and south " by the har- bor and river, and east and west by the highway, beginning in the line between this town and that of Dartmouth, at the bridge about twenty rods eastward of the house where James Peckham, deceased, last dwelt, and leading easterly to the bridge at the Head of said harbor and thence still easterly by the dwelling house of Hannaniah Cornish to Rochester line." In the records of the proceedings of this first town meeting are the following items which possess some degree of interest : That " there be one person employed as a town schoolmaster;" that "the wages of selectmen, assessors and others employed, shall be four shillings per day; " that " the Hering Fishery at the head of Acquisnot Harbor be inspected and see what will be proper to be done in respect to opening the dams &c., to facilitate the passage of Alewives up the River;" that "John Pickens (town treasurer), as soon as money sufficient there- for comes into the town treasury, shall purchase a Rhiem of paper for the purpose of making Books convenient for the Records and Accompts of s'd town." A petition was prepared this year by a large number of inhabitants of " Acoakset" village in the town of Westport, praying that, as that portion had been set off from the town of Dartmouth, the residents therein be excused from paying any of the back taxes, and from work- ing the highways in Dartmouth. On the 15th of September this peti- tion was granted by Dartmouth. The town cast its first vote for governor of the State as follows : James Bowdoin, forty-one; John Hancock, 171. Three hundred and twenty pounds were assessed on the " polls and estates for the repair and amendment of the highways." In the following year (1788) an additional section of North Water A C/aMfl^ni(jl^jAun ^ffumj)^ Z3 Tni&i, an /hi /Stud, tiMiaff^ Ooviti, liu duA^OAjtU. (Bom- J^P&^ M^J^ Mvl^t^^ci^>^Jc^■(S^-g.- NEW BEDFORD IN 1795. THE SMALL-POX SCOURGE. 145 street, the easterly portion of Middle street, from the above highway, and North Second street from Middle street north, were opened as highways. During this year small-pox visited the town, and its ravages were sufficiently serious to demand public action. At the town meeting held June 10, it was voted to build a pest house " 26 feet in length, 16 feet wide, and 7 feet posts, with double floors below and single floor above." A chimney was placed at one end, with a fire-place, and a room parti- tioned off from the other end. Two glass windows were provided. The house was located on Ebenezer Willis's land, and he was allowed six shillings for every person taken into the house. The question whether the town should take the matter of inoculation into consideration and act upon it was decided in the negative. In 1790, Water, Middle, and a portion of Main streets in Fairhaven were accepted as highways. In 1791 the road on Clark's Point and in the following year that on Sconticut Neck, were also accepted. In the last named year the small- pox again broke out in the village, with results far more distressing and fatal than those of four years ear- lier. It was about this time that inoculation was heralded as a remedy for this pestilence. Its introduction met with violent opposition in many parts of the country and often with disastrous results. This was especially true in New Bedford. In response to a petition signed by a number of citizens, a town meeting was called "to take into considera- tion the request for establishing an hospital for inoculation of the small- pox under such rules and regulations as may be thought best, and act and do at said meeting whatever may be thought proper to prevent its spreading in a natural or unlawful way." The meeting was held July 31, 1792, and the vote in favor of the hospital stood eighty-five to sixty-eight. A series of rules, regulations, and orders recommended by a committee, of which William Rotch, jr., was chairman, was adopted, making ample provision for the care of patients and for their isolation from other persons. Physicians, nurses, and a superintendent for the hospital were provided for, and apparently every precaution was taken to check the contagious disease. Following are the names of the com- mittee : William Rotch, jr., chairman; Thomas Hazard, Lemuel Will- iams, Robert Bennett, jr., Gamaliel Bryant, John Rowland, Alden- Spooner, Eleazer Hathaway, Ebenezer Keen. 1^ 146 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The committee recommended that the hospital be erected on West Island ; but at a town meeting held October 22, it was voted that four houses located in different parts of the town should be selected for in- oculating hospitals. This action seems to have been unwise and disas- trous. Had the plan of the committee been adopted, the disease could probably have been controlled by isolation and the rigid enforcement of the regulations. The malady was introduced into the town in the month of September by the very means that had been chosen to prevent it. The weather at this season, together with other local causes, was favor- able to the development of the disease in its most malignant form. It spread with great rapidity and with alarming results. About lOO per- sons died from the disease. It should be remembered that this was before the discovery of vac- cination, and those who submitted to inoculation were forced to ex- perience the dread disease with all its attendant suffering and evil effects. The only favorable result expected for the inoculated was that the pa- tient could be better nursed and more humanely cared for in the hos- pital than elsewhere. In 1796 vaccination robbed this pestilence of most of its horrors. Among those who died of small pox between Sep- tember, 1792, and January i, 1793, are the following : Widow Dorothy Phillips and son John, Nathaniel Farr, Experience Pease, Polly Pease, Eunice Done, Phebe Jenne and son Silas, Thankful Pope and child Eunice, Jonathan Delano, Desire Tabcr and child, Edward Foster, Anna Russell, Phebe Kempton, Jonathan Smith, Lemuel Hathaway, Antipas Taber, James Sherman, a child of S. Proctor, jr., a child of Benjamin Drew, a child of Jonathan Jenne, a child of Abraham Russell, a child of Col. Edward Pope, a child of Asa Sherman, a child of Benjamin Howland, and a child of Humphrey Hathaway. Tlie Medley or New Bedford Marine Journal. — The first newspaper published in the town was issued Tuesday, November 27, 1792. It was printed and published by John Spooner at his office near Rotch's wharf A detailed description of this early paper may be found in the chapter devoted to the press. The editor announces, " by request of several gentlemen and for the information of the public," that " the street beginning at the four corners and running west is distinguished and known by the name of Union street, the street running north from FIRST NEWSPAPERS— STAGE LINES. 147 said four corners, North street, the street running east, Prospect street, and that running south, Water street." ^ Advertisements were inserted "not to exceed twelve lines, three weeks for four shilhngs." Among the advertisers were William Rotch, jr., sail cloth, cordage, and general merchandise ; Caleb Greene, book binding in its several branches, school and account books, inks, etc. ; John Spooner, books, including bibles, testaments, hymn books, poems, histories, etc., any of which would be exchanged for clean cot- ton and Hnen rags, old sail cloth or junk ; Joseph Damon offers for sale a large well-built vessel, just launched, 59-^ ft. keel, 22^ ft. beam, etc. ; Joseph Ricketson, cutlery, hardware, etc ; Joseph Clement, compass maker. In 1798 the Columbia Courier was printed and published every Sat- urday by Abraham Shearman, jr., at the four corners. Among the business advertisers were Peleg Rowland, European and West India goods ; Caleb Greene & Son, drugs and medicines ; William Ross, dry goods ; Jeremiah Mayhew, dry goods, carpets, china and crockery- ware; Rowland Hathaway, European dry goods, teas and flour ; Henry Dean, Indian cotton ; Abraham Shearman, jr., books and stationery, school books and almanacs; Daniel Ricketson & Son, dry goods, broadcloths, hardware, etc. The postal facilities and traveling methods of our forefathers are in- dicated by the fact that, in 1793, a post route was established by Sam- uel Sprague from New Bedford to Barnstable, by way of Rochester, Wareham, and Sandwich, and returning through Plymouth and Mid- dleboro. Weekly communication with Boston was maintained by Wil- liam Henshaw's stage, that left New Bedford every Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock, arriving in Taunton the same evening; leaving the latter town on Wednesday morning, the traveler arrived in Boston in time to dine at Colonel Coleman's Bunch of Grapes tavern. Returning, the stage left Boston every Friday morning at 9 o'clock, and Taunton on Saturday, arriving in New Bedford in time for dinner. The fare was three pence per mile. 1 Union street during the period of the American Revolution was known as King street. North street mentioned above is now known ae North Water street. Prospect street is a continuation of Union, and Water street is ^own as South Water street. 148 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Abraham Russell ran a stage to Boston via Middleboro and Bridge- water. On account of the advanced price of every article used in the stage business, Mr. Russell, in 1794, increased the charges to $3 for each passenger trip to Boston. The clo.se of the Revolutionary War, in 1783, found the village of Dartmouth slowly recovering from the terrible scourging administered by the British army in 1778. The men of enterprise and capital began to push their business schemes ; shops, warehouses, and wharves be- came busy with the fitting of vessels for merchant and whaling voy- ages, and but a few years elapsed before a goodly fleet was again on the ocean. But the difficulties that beset the American nation at the be- ginning of its existence were deeply felt by the towns and cities devoted to maritime pursuits. Benjamin Franklin said, " That the war that ended with the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown was only the war of the revolution, and that the war of independence was yet to be fought." Twenty years after the death of this statesman, the struggle did occur that accomplished the complete recognition of the sovereignty of the nation. The French Revolution of 1789, the Napoleonic wars in the early part of the century, and the reluctant recognition of our rights on the sea, made the intervening years, from the close of the Revolu- tionary War to the end of the War of 1 8 1 2, a season of great uncertainty to the floating commerce of the American nation. The restrictions placed upon the entry of American ships into foreign ports, especially those of England and France, led to the seizure of many of our vessels. This, with the impressment of American seamen, was the prime cause of the War of 181 2. The confiscations made by the French government resulted in the French spoliation claims, paid by France to the United States, but never wholly distributed to the rightful owners, who lost their vessels and cargoes during these years of bloody contest in continental Europe. The final payments are even now being made. Our township suffered much from this condition of affairs, and many vessels and much property were lost. One historic incident will suffice to illustrate the difficulties under which the maritime business of Bedford village was pursued in those troubled times, and to show the pluck and daring of the men who conducted these enterprises. Isaac Rowland, who manumitted the last slave held in bondage in A YANKEE TRICK. 149 the township, was the owner of several merchant ships that sailed from this harbor. During the closing years of the last century he sent two vessels loaded with New England products to the West Indies. These he consigned to his nephew, Weston Rowland (father of Hon. Weston How- land, who related the incident to the writer), who also commanded the largest and fastest vessel. The cargoes were disposed of, and the ves- sels, laden with West India goods, sailed for New Bedford. Two days out they were overhauled and captured by French war ships. The mates and part of the crews of the brigs were taken on board the French vessels. Prize-masters, with a half dozen French soldiers each, were placed on board the captured ships and ordered to proceed to the near- est French port. The commander, who was navigator, and therefore in full charge, was placed on Captain Rowland's vessel, and the other brig was ordered to follow after. The Yankee skipper was not long in dis- covering that the prize- master was exceedingly fond of gin, with a special weakness for the old Holland brand ; and when he had partaken of a liberal supply, he would rest his weary head on the table in the cabin and sleep off the intoxicating draught. One day when enjoying this delightful repose, the companionway of the cabin was gently closed and firmly secured. The half dozen French sailors were made prison- ers and securely imprisoned in the forecastle. Captain Rowland had worked up the affair with his three Yankee sailors, and soon found him- self in command of the quarterdeck. Running down within hailing distance of the other brig, he informed the Dartmouth captain that he had possession and requested him to follow him into port. The passage in the summer season was eight days long, during which time Captain Rowland did not go below or allow himself sleep, beyond what he could get on his feet. The prize-master, who was a powerful, athletic fellow, did not enjoy the situation of affairs when he had re- covered from the effects of the old Holland, and made positive objection to the proceedings. The fact of his being locked up in the cabin proved to his disadvantage in the discussion, for Captain Rowland declined to make any change. The fractious Frenchman finally subsided under the promise of Captain Rowland that, if he behaved himself, no personal harm should come to him. The tedious voyage finally came to an end, the two vessels came up the bay into Acushnet River and were brought 150 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. alongside Rotch's south wharf. Considerable excitement was created when the facts were known, and a large crowd gathered on the wharves with the evident design of administering punishment to the Frenchmen. There were securely held in the cabin until after dark, when Captain Rowland took them on a stage to Sampson's tavern near Middleboro. Here they were supplied with money and letters to the French consul in Boston, and on the following morning they proceeded on their jour- ney to that city. Among the events of public and personal character that happened during this period of our local history, the following seem worthy of in- sertion in these pages : At a meeting of the Philomathean Society, March ii, 1794, the fol- lowing officers were elected for the ensuing year': Rev. Dr. West, presi- dent ; Rev. Lemuel Le Baron, vice-president ; Mr. Isaac Tompkins, Dr. Samuel Perry, jr., counselors; John Spooner, secretary; Capt. Jonathan Swift, treasurer. The emigration of the French, due to the persecution of the Hugue- nots under Louis XIV. and his predecessors, contributed to the forma- tion of the population of New England. A number of families in New Bedford are descended from thes5 refugees. A curious incident in this connection is the fact that shortly after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, a French privateer appeared in Buzzard's Bay and was there wrecked. Those who escaped to the shore were made prisoners of war. One of them was Dr. Francois Le Baron, the surgeon of the ship, who was a Huguenot refugee. He afterwards was given his liberty and the right to a settlement in Plymouth, in gratitude for a very skillful surgi- cal operation which he there performed. It is from him that the Le Baron family is descended, many of whose representatives are now liv- ing in New Bedford and vicinity. During this year (1794) a public pound and workhouse were erected. A bounty of thirty- three shillings was offered by the town to soldiers for frontier service. The street over the milldam in Fairhaven was opened in 1795. Record is made that at this time Bedford village con- tained 454 houses and 1,313 inhabitants. In 1796 William Rotch deeded the lot of land, on the northwest corner of Purchase and William streets, to the new Congregational society. .-^^-^s^s^ X^^^ OBSERVATION OF ANNIVERSARIES. 151 The twentieth anniversary of American Independence was this year celebrated by the town of Bedford with great rejoicings ; and it is re- corded that the military honors of the day were performed by the artil- lery under command of Captain Ayers. The festivities included an instructive oration by Rev. Samuel West, D.D., and a pubhc dinner at which toasts and speeches were in order, accompanied by the discharge of cannon. In 1797 the anniversary was celebrated with the usual parade, the artillery company under Captain Henshaw, performing the military exercises of the day. The oration was delivered by Mr. Jireh Willis " before a large and respectable audience." Patriotic toasts and speeches were offered, and every sentiment expressed evinced that " New Bedford would not be the last to espouse the cause of our country against any encroachments upon her independence, whether from En- glish or French. To speak in fact, they were Columbians." ^ Washington's birthday, February 22, 1799, was commemorated with great rejoicings; and "the celebration of the American Cincinnatus's birth was accompanied with the Federal discharge of artillery. Federal toasts and Federal harmony ran through the scene, and no misfortune beclouded the general mirth." Thursday, January 6, 1800, was set apart as'a day of public mourn- ing in New Bedford, in memory of General Washington, who died at his country seat in Virginia, December 14, 1799. The news reached the town via New York, on December 22, and a handbill issued by the Courier announced the fact and gave every particular of the event that had been received up to that date. On the day of the ceremonies, a procession was formed under the direction of Colonels Pope, Kemp- ton, Claghorn, and Captain Bryant. It consisted of the artillery and militia companies, a body of Free Masons,^ orator, clergy, choir of singers, civil officers, and the school children each with a black ribbon on the left arm. While the procession moved, the bells tolled and minute guns were discharged. The funeral oration was delivered by Rev. John Briggs, of Tiverton. The flags on vessels were set at half- mast during the day. 1 Columbian Courier. 2 Probably the Washington Remembrance Lodge, F. and A. M., which was in existence about this time. I s 2 HIS TOR V OF NEW BEDFORD. The New Bedford Academy, established for the education of both sexes, was opened May, i, 1800, under the care of Galen Hicks and Miss Sally Cady. Noah Stoddard and Robert Bennett were the com- mittee on behalf of the proprietors. In 1796 the New Bedford and Fairhaven bridge was built. The rates of toll in 1800 were four cents for each foot passenger, twelve cents for each person and horse, twenty- five cents for each chaise or sulky, eighteen cents for each sleigh drawn by one horse, and six cents for each additional horse; thirty-six cents for each coach, phaeton, curricle, or four-wheel carriage for passengers, twenty-five cents for each cart, wagon, sled, or other carriage of burthen, drawn by two beasts ; and for the privilege of rolling a wheelbarrow or hand-cart over the bridge, six cents were charged ; for the same money, a dozen sheep, swine, cattle or horses, in droves with one driver, could cross this private highway. On the 4th of July, 1801, a unique military display was made in Fairhaven by the Democrats. It was a reproduction of the assault and defense of Bunker Hill. A broad field with a high hill, in front of Joshua L. Pope's house, was selected as the center of operations, and weeks before the event the people were busy with the preparations. The hill was prepared with masked ramparts, built of plank, behind which the Yankee forces were to resist the attacks of the British. It is recorded that Capt. Noah Stoddard of privateering fame, and an en- thusiastic Democrat, loaned his fine horse to the representatives of the British crown for the occasion. The fact occasioned much amusement to the populace, and Mr. Stoddard was the recipient of good-natured chaffing, when his fiery charger appeared on the scene with the attack- ing party. The British army, not in red coats, but in the homespun of Yankee yeomanry, filed in through the wall in front of Mr. Pope's house. The force on the hill gathered noiselessly by a route in the rear. It was afternoon when, after various marches and counter- marches, the attack began, and attack and repulse followed repeatedly, the dead and wounded, in large numbers, lying scattered on the field. At last the hill was stormed with the bayonet and defended with clubbed muskets, until at last the flags of the Pine Tree of Massachusetts re- treated down the hill to the frog pond, and the victors took possession. The whole affair was well done, the field and its surroundings resembled EVENTS OF INTEREST. 153 very well the original, and the hill was ever afterwards called Bunker Hill. During the months of September and October, 1801, a fatal fever prevailed through the town. It excited much alarm, and caused the people to stay closely in their homes. The authorities were alive to the gravity of the situation, and exercised their influence to control the malignant disease. There were eleven deaths in three weeks ending October 1st, most of them from the fever. The Bedford Bank was organized under an act of incorporation, April 2, 1803, by Thomas Hazard, jr., Edward Pope, and Seth Russel, jr., stockholders. (See later chapter.) The first legal meeting of the Bed- ford Aqueduct Association, Charles Russell, clerk, was held March 17, 1804. On September 26 of the same year, Joseph Willard, D.D., (LL.D.), president of Harvard University, died at the house of Edward Pope, esq. Belleville road was opened during this year. An interesting story' was related by Capt. John Aikin, for many years an experienced pilot in our harbor, who died in 1885 at the ad- vanced age of ninety- seven years. It touches one of the greatest of naval contests, the battle of Trafalgar, fought October 21, 1805, be- tween the English fleet and the combined fleets of France and Spain. "I was born in the town of Dartmouth in the year 1788, and was seventeen years old when I sailed m the ship Ann Alexander, commanded by Capt. Loum Snow. The ship sailed from New Bedford (her port of departure was New York) for Leghorn, with a cargo of general merchandise consisting of flour, tobacco, salt fish, and apples. Eight- een days out, we fell in with the English fleet off Cape Trafalgar. The different ships were repairing damages which had occurred during the battle with the combined French and Spanish fleets only a few days previous. We had on our deck a quantity of lumber which had been taken on board just before the departure from New York, and was, I believe, the personal property of Capt. Snow. An English ofiicer boarded us and informed our captain that Lord Nelson had been shot through the shoulder and spine, and had died on board the Victory a few hours after the battle was over ; that Lord Collingwood was the next senior officer in command. We could readily see the effect of the enemy's fire upon the English ships. The men were on the outside of the different men-of-war, repairing the damages which had been done. The English officer returned to the Victory, Lord CoUingwood's flagship, and soon afterward came back with a request that we let him have our lumber, a quantity of flour, and some of the apples. Our captain agreed, and soon after the boats from the ships came alongside and were furnished with these different articles. The captain was paid for these goods 1 Related by Captain Aikin to Surgeon George F. Winslow, U. S. N. 20 154 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. in English gold by the fleet paymaster, who came on board and settled the accounts. We squared away for the Straits of Gibraltar and on the following day came up with the new 74-gun frigate United States which had recently arrived on this station. They lowered a boat and came alongside. We gave them the news and sent the commander two barrels of apples." The Afin Alexander will live in New Bedford history as the vessel which was afterwards destroyed by an infuriated whale while that ship was on a voyage in the Pacific Ocean, August 20, 1851. The public spirit and patriotism of the town at this period is revealed in the demonstrations made on Washington's birthday in 1807, when the vessels in the harbor and the flagstafis about the town were deco- rated in honor of the event, and a public parade of the artillery com- pany, Capt. John Coggeshall, was made. The year 1808 seems to have been a patriotic one, for July 4 was notably observed, A grand procession was formed at Nelson's Hotel (located where now stands Ricketson's block), and under the escort of the artillery company, Capt. Coggeshall, and the infantry company, Capt. Samuel Bonney, marched through the principal streets of the town. A grand banquet was served at the hotel for 200 people, and speeches and toasts followed. A similar celebration was observed in 1809, and a military display was made under the direction of Col, Benjamin Lincoln. The artillery company was under the command of Capt. John Coggeshall, and the infantry under Capt. Thomas Barstow, Fireworks were set off and lan- terns displayed. Through the brief notices of these public events is traced the contin- ued existence of militar)'^ organizations in the town. In the 4th of July parade of 18 10 the artillery company was under command of Capt. Samuel Stall, and the militia company in charge of Lieut. John Grey. The following, a complete roster of this company, dated January 25, 1810, was obtained through S. D. Horton, of Dor- chester, a son of Sergeant Enoch Horton. Muster Roll of Capt. Thomas Barstow's Company of Foot, January 27, 1810. Officers. — Captain, Thomas Barstow ; lieutenant, Job Grey ; sergeants and musicians, Enoch Horton, Robert Weaver, Alanson Caswell. Rank and File. — George Bliss, Stephen Wing, Zephaniah Winslow, Benjamin War- ren, Charles Forbes, Jethro Hillman, William Dalton, Benjamin Simmons, Thomas SELECTMEN, 1682-1811. 155 Allen, John S. Himes, Samuel Bliss, Jeduthan Cadwell, Jonathan Wirt 2d, John Free- man, Zebedee Booth, Timothy Perry, Charles Allen, Nathaniel Perry, Charles Covell, Benjamin Kempton, John llefFards, Richard Hill, Samuel C. Tobey, David Plowland, WiUiam Blackmer, Uriah Head, Elisha Knapp, Charles , William B. Ellis (ap- pointed quartermaster), John Puller, Jonathan Howland, jr., Samuel Taber, John Tay- lor, WiUiam Cranston, iSlathan Pa,rker, Stephen West, Oliver Crocker, Elijah Wilbour, Martin Oicut, David Wilcox, Stephen Tripp, Timothy Mosher, Richard Randall, Na- than Perry, William 0. Nye, Mathew Swain, jr., Stephen Potter, Joseph Dunbar, Thomas Hammond, Jonathan Fuller, David G-reen, John Sisson, Enoch Butts, Ezra Hathaway, Henry Place, Josiah L. Bliss, Edward Taber (at B. Hills), (one name illegi- ble), Simeon Nash, Nye Holmes, Francis Allen, Ralph Cadwell, David Stowell, Allen Sherman, John Clapp, James Heffards, Thurston Sherman, Nash Decost, Perry Jen- nings, Francis Smith, Pardon Pierce, \^"illiam W. Kempton, Thomas BurriU, Smith Simmons, Soloman Cadwell, Philip White, Latham Cross, Benj. Taber (cooper), David Sawdy, James Hathaway, Stephen Howland, William Nash, William Tuckerman, Ben- jamin Hillman, Charles G-ilbert, Gilbert Brooks, George Simmons, John Evans, Clem- ant Covin. For the sake of convenient reference, there is presented here a list of the selectmen of Dartmouth and New Bedford, from 1682 to 181 1. The original spelling of the records is preserved : 1682, John Rusel, Arthur Hathaway, John Cooke. 1G83, John Eusel, Arthur Hath- away, John Cooke. 1684, John Rusel, Arthur Hathaway, John Cooke. 1685, Seth Pope, Jonathan Russell, Thomas Taber. 1686, Joseph Tripp, Seth Pope, Jonathan De- lino. 1687, Joseph Tripp, Seth Pope, Jonathan Delino. 1688, Abraham Tucker, James Tripp. 1689, Seth Pope, Jonathan Delino, James Sison. 1692, Thomas Taber, Joseph Tripp, Thomas Brigs. 1693, Thomas Taber, John Akin, George Cadman. 1694, Thomas Taber, Abraham Tucker, George Cadman. 1695, Jonathan Delino, Recompense Kirby William Soal. 1696, Jonathan Delino, Abraham Tucker, George Cadman. 1697, George Soul, Isaac Pope, Benjamin Howland. 1698, George Cadman, John Tucker, Jonathan Dihnay. 1699, Thomas Taber, Nathaniel Howland, Joseph Tripp. 1700, Bliezer Smithy Thomas Hadaway, Thomas Rogers. 1701-2, Joseph Tripp, William Soul, James Sam- son. 1701-2, Jonathan Delano, John Tucker, Phillip Taber. 1704-5, William Spooner, Thos. Getchel, Joseph Hix. 1706, Joseph Tripp, DiUiverance Smith. 1708, Joseph Tripp, Deliverance Smith, Thomas Taber, jr. 1709, Joseph Tripp, Deliverance Smith, Thomas Taber, jr. 1710, Jonathan Delano, Joseph Tripp, John Aken. 1711, Thomas Taber, James Tripp, Henry Tucker. 1711-12, John Russell, John Taber John Tripp. 1713, John Tripp, John Taber, Gersham Smith. 1714, John Tripp, John Taber, Gersham Smith. 1716, Phillip Taber, John Akin, John Taber. 1717, De- liverance Smith, Thomas Taber, jr., George Lawton. 1717, Jonathan Deleno, Nathan- iel Soule, John Tripp. 1719, John Akin, PhiUip Taber, Thomas Taber, jr. 1720, John Akin, PhiUip Taber, Thomas Taber, jr. 1721, John Akin, Phillip Taber, Thomas Taber, jr. 1722, John Akin, Phillip Taber, Thomas Taber, jr. 1723, John Akin, Berriah God- dard, Jacob Taber. 1725, John Akin, Phillip Taber, Jacob Taber. 1726, John Akin, iS6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Phillip Taber, Jacob Taber. 1727, Beriah Goddard, Isaac Howland, Jacob Taber. 1728, Beriah Goddard, Henry Howland, Stephen West, jr. 1720, Beriah Goddard, Henry Howland, Stephen West, jr. 1730, Jacob Taber, Timothy Shearman, Isaac Wood. (These refused to serve). 1730, John Tripp, Beriah Goddard, James How- land, Stephan West, jr. 1731, James Howland Stephan West, jr., John Tripp. 1732, Stephen West, jr., James Howland, John Tripp. 1733, John Tripp, James Howland, Benjamin Allen. 1734, Jacob Taber, John Tripp, John Akin. 1735, John Tripp, Jo- seph Tucker, Benjamin Allen. 1736, Benjamin Allen, Joseph Tucker, Isaac Wood. 1737, John Tripp, Holden Slooum, Benjamin Allen. 1737-8. Nathaniel Soul, Holder Slooum, Benjamin Allen. 1739, Benjamin Allen, Holden Slocum, Nathaniel Soul. 1740, Capt. Samuel Willis, James Allen, Jonathan Sisson. 1741, John Tripp, Humphry Smith, Stephen West. 1742, John Tripp, Humphry Smith, Stephen West, jr. 1743, Jedediah Wood, Jonathan Taber, Humphry Smith. 1744, Moses Mendal, Humphry Smith, James Tripp. 1745, Jedediah Wood, Humphry Smith, Moses Mendall. 1746, Humphry Smith, Jedediah Wood, Jonathan Taber. 1747, Humphry Smith, John Soul, Jonathan Taber. 1748, Capt. Lemuel Pope, Humphry Smith, Jedediah Wood, 1748-9, John Wing, Jedediah Wood, Richard Peiroe. 1748-9, Peleg Hudlestoue cho- sen in place of Jedediah Wood, who refused to serve. 1750, Humphry Smith, Jedediah Wood, Thomas Hathaway. 1751, Thomas Hathaway, Benjamin Akin, Jonathan Sole. 1751, John Shepherd and Jirah Swift were chosen in place of Thomas Hathaway and Benjamin Akin, who refused to serve. Jedediah Wood was chosen in place of Jona- than Sole. 1752, Capt. Nathaniel Sole, Pelig Smith, Jirah Swift. 1753, Jethro Delano, Jirah Swift, Capt. Nathaniel Sowle. James Allen chosen in place of Jethro Delano, who refused to serve. Peleg Smith was chosen in place of James Allen, refused to serve. 1754, Richard Oornal, William Hart, Thomas Hathaway. 1755, Jireh Swift, John Soule, Benjamin Akin. 1757, Jireh Swift, John Soule, Benjamin Akin. 1757, Jethro Hathaway, Christopher Cadman, Holder Slocum. 1758, Humphry Smith, Jireh Swift, Christopher Cadman. 1759, Humphry Smith, Christopher Cadman, Walter Spooner. 1760, Humphry Smith, Christopher Cadman, Walter Spooner. 1761, Humphry Smith, Walter Spooner, Ezekell Cornell. 1762, Humphry Smith, Walter Spooner, Ezekell Cornell. 1763, Humphry Smith, Walter Spooner, Ezekell Cornell. 1764, Humphrey Smith, Walter Spooner, Ezekell Cornell. 1765, Humphry Smith, Walter Spooner, Daniel Wood. 1766, Walter Spooner, Daniel Wood, Giles Slocum. 1767, Walter Spooner, Daniel Wood, Giles Slooum. 1768, Walter Spooner, Daniel Wood, Giles Slocum. 1769, Walter Spooner, Daniel Wood, Giles Slocum. 1770, Walter .Spooner, Giles Slooum, William Davis. 1771, Walter Spooner, Giles Slooum, Wilham Davis. 1772, William Davis, John Wady, Seth Russell. Giles Slooum Chosen in pi. of .John Wady. 1773, Jabez Barker, jr., William Davis, William Tallman. 1774, Jabez Bar- ker, jr., William Davis, William Tallman. 1775, Jabez Barker, jr., William Davis, Will- iam Tallman. 1776, Jabez Barker, jr., William Davis, William Tallman. 1777, Jabez Barker, jr., William Davis, Wilham Tallman. 1778, Aulden Spooner, Thomas Kemp- ton, Benjamin Russell, jr.. Job Almy. 1779, Wilham Davis, Richard Kerby, Benja. Russell, jr., Maletiah Hathaway, Thomas Kempton, Aulden Spooner, Benjamin Church. .1780, Richard Kerby, Benja. Russell, Alden Spooner, William Davis, Thomas Kemp- iS8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. ton, Melatiah Hathaway. 1781, Benjamin Russell, Pardon Cook, William Davis. 1782, Edward Pope, Jabez Barker, Stephen Peokcom. 1783, Ebenezer Willis, Stephen Peck- com, Jabez Barker. 1784, Ebenezer Willis, Stephen Peokoom, Jabez Barker. 1785, Ebenezer Willis, Stephen Peokoom, Jabez Barker. 1786, Ebenezer Willis, Henry Smith, William Almy. 1787, John West, Isaao Pope, William Tallman. 1788, Walter Spooner, William Tallman, Stephan Hathaway. 1789, Walter Spooner, William Tall- man, Stephen Hathaway. 1790, Walter Spooner, William Tallfaan, Stephen Hathaway. 1791, Walter Spooner, William Tallman, Stephen Hathaway. 1792, Walter Spooner, William Tallman, Stephen Hathaway. 1793, William Tallman, Ebenezer Keen, Bar- tholomew Aikin. 1794, Walter Spooner, William Tallman, Isaac Shearman. 1795, Walter Spooner, Wilham Tallman, Isaac Shearman. 1796, Walter Spooner, William Tallman, Isaac Shearman. 1797, Alden Spooner, Wilham Tallman, Isaac Shearman. 1798, Alden Spooner, Wilham Tallman, Joseph Bennett. 1799, Alden Spooner, Will- iam Tallman, Joseph Benne'tt. 1800, William Tallman, Alden Spooner, Killey Eldredge. 1801, Wilham Tallman, Alden Spooner, Kelley Eldredge. 1802, Alden Spooner, Killey Eldredge, Simpson Hart. 1803, Alden Spooner, Cornelius G-rinnell, Joseph Bennet. 1804, Roger Haskell, Bartholomew Aikin, James Taber. 1805, Bartholomew Aikin, James Taber, Silas Kempton. 1806, James Taber, Roger Haskell, Thomas Nye, jr. 1807, Alden Spooner, Roger Haskell, Thomas Nye, jr. 1808, Alden Spooner, Roger Haskell, Thomas Nye, jr. 1809, Alden Spooner, Roger Haskell, Thomas Nye, jr. 1810, Alden Spooner, Roger Haskell, Killey Eldredge. 1811, Alden Spooner, Roger Haskell, Joseph Church. CHAPTER XI. THE WAR OF l8l2. England's Disregard of the Rights of the United States— Impressment of Ameri- can Seamen — The Embargo Act and its Effects — Opposition to it in New England — Political Strife between Bedford and Fairhaven — Declaration of War — Its Effect upon New Bedford — Measures for Defence — The Constitution and Lieutenant Parker — Two Useless Gunboats — The British Brig Nimrod — The " Wagon Brigade." EVENTS were happening during the early years of the century that had an important bearing on the final issues that resulted in the declaration of war with England. Many of the stipulations of the treaty of 1783 had been disregarded. The mihtary posts on the front- ier that were to be abandoned were still in possession of the English, PORTENTS OF WAR. '59 and had become centers of assistance to the Indians in their attacks upon the American settlements. It was difficult for England to recog- nize the sovereign rights of the new nation that had once been subject to the British crown. On the land these rights were ignored, often to the humiliation of the representatives of the United States, but it was on the sea where the most flagrant outrages were committed. The conflict raging between England and France furnished opportunities for the development of these wrongs. In 1806 the former nation declared the Continental coast under a strict blockade. In a few months Napo- leon issued a decree, placing the entire British coast in a similar condi- tion. These decrees (which practically forbade neutral nations from entering their ports) were of no serious importance to the nations di- rectly involved, but they bore heavily upon the floating commerce of the United States, especially that of New England, where the maritime interests were dependent upon the markets of the Old World. Many vessels and cargoes were confiscated by the ships of war of both na- tions, and the ocean traffic of the new republic was seriously crippled. These misfortunes were increased by the claim of right of search by the English government. British cruisers waylaid American vessels, and American sailors were forced into their naval service. The press- ing need of men for the thousand vessels that composed the English navy at this time made every sailor without protection papers a sure victim, and even these often failed to secure his sovereign rights. It was stated by Mr. Lyman, United States consul at London, that in 181 1 there were 14,000 Americans serving under compulsion in the British navy. In 1807 the United States government issued a proclamation, placing an embargo on shipping in American ports, thus forbidding all exports from the country. The evident purpose of this manifesto was to save men and cargoes from capture. The Federal party vigorously opposed this action, and New England was especially violent in opposition to this unwise move, for she was' far more seriously affected by it than other sections of the country. Her spacious harbors had become cen- ters for a prosperous traffic and her forests furnished the finest lumber in the world, which found a ready market across the ocean. The ports of Salem, Newburyport, and New Bedford sent out large fleets of ves- i6o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. sels in the whale fishery, and here we find the true reason for the fierce opposition of New England in general, and New Bedford in particular, to the declaration of war in 1812. The maritime interests of the Acushnet River and the capital invested were largely centered in Bed- ford village, which was therefore more sensitive to the anticipated ca- lamities of war than Fairhaven, whose attention was given to agricul- tural pursuits. The business of the whole New England coast was blighted by the unwise action of the government, unwise, that is to say, in the eyes of the Federal party of the country. The following significant figures of the presidential election in 18 12, when the peace majority was 24,000 in a total vote of 74,000, show the state of public opinion in Massachusetts. New Bedford cast 399 votes for Clinton, the presidential candidate of the Federal, or peace party, and thirteen for Madison, who was re-elected by the Republican, or war party. Dartmouth cast 341 votes for Clinton and twenty-three for Madison, and Fairhaven 157 for Clinton and 201 for Madison. The act " Declaring war with England " was passed by Congress with ninety- eight yeas and sixty- two nays, a plurality of only thirty-six votes. In 1813 Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut refused to give up the command of their militia to United States officers. It is difficult to understand why the reasons urged for war with Eng- land did not apply with equal force to France, for she made wanton depredations upon our commerce and manifested an equal disregard of the rights of the American nation. It is evident, however, that the United States government knew its inability to cope with both powers, and so joined cause with France against England, hoping by force of arms over the one, and by fraternal interest with the other, to secure a lasting recognition of the rights of an independent nation — and it suc- ceeded. In 1809 Congress repealed the Embargo act and substituted a rule of non-intercourse with England and France until they should remove the restrictions upon trade. This was done by France in 18 10, but was not accomplished by the English government till June 22, and before the news had been received of the declaration of war on June 18, 1812. It did not modify the action of the United States government, how- ever, for other existing grievances seemed to justify the pursuance of the war policy. POLITICAL DIFFERENCES. i6i Bedford village at this time was strongly allied to the Federal party, of which Washington and Adams were exponents, while Fairhaven was equally pronounced in its loyalty to the Republican, or what would be termed to-day the Democratic party, whose great leaders were Jefferson and Madison. The Federal party was opposed to the war, and so was Bedford village. The Republican party was in favor of the war, and so was Fairhaven. The result of this marked division of opinion upon the great issues of the period made lively times at town meetings. Record and tradition both show that these gatherings were character- ized by great vigor, and oftentimes with much rancor. The modern town meeting can not claim originality in this direction. The town-house was situated near Parting Ways, the intersection ol the Acushnet and Fairhaven roads, and was the scene of many a con- test between the two villages. When they were separated into different townships in 1812 the town-house was moved to the northwest corner of Second and School streets, and is now standing. It was used as a house of worship by the Calvinist Baptist Church until the erection of the present edifice on William street. At one time an exciting question was under discussion, and the pent up walls of the town-house could not contain the populace, so an ad- journment to the open green was made, where the orators continued the debate. When the vote was taken the house divided, as was then the custom, on either side of the road, the persuasive tongues of the leaders still wagging to influence the voters as they took position. On this occasion Capt. Noah Stoddard, of privateering fame, was much ex- cited, and as the voters moved to the side of the road where he stood he pointed with pride to his flock and shouted, " I began alone on this question, and now, you see, I have a respectable company." At which Caleb Congdon, of Bedford village, an equally enthusiastic leader on the other side, retorted, "Yes, and old Cloven- foot commenced his career alone, and he's got a respectable following, too." The incident has no value, except that it illustrates the rivalry existing at this time between the villages, and which was manifested in a marked degree during the War of 181 2. Many of the Republican party of the time were in sympathy with France in her contest with England, and so it happened that Fairhaven 21 i62 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. imbibed tlie same spirit. The Fairhaven youth won the name of " Cor- sicans," derisively given them by their rivals across the river, whose war song suggested the character of the relations between the factions : " Corsica Jigs, put on your wigs, And over to Bedford come ; New Bedford boys put on your hats, And make the Oorsioans run !" The state of public opinion in New Bedford is forcibly illustrated in the action of a town meeting held in May, i8i2, at which resolutions were adopted declaring that " We view with extreme regret and appre- hension an impending war with Great Britain, which in our opinion will be disturbing and ruinous to our country, destructive to our com- merce, and cause a heavy increase of direct taxes. Ruinous, as it would lead to an alliance with France, to which no nation has hitherto acceded without loss of its liberty and independence." It was resolved that a petition be sent to Congress, expressing the wishes of the town that a war might be avoided. A few days after this public meeting in Bedford village, one was called in Fairhaven, May 15, 1812, to which the citizens were invited in the following significant advertisement in the New Bedford Gazette: " The friends of the present administration, the adherents to the good old cause of Republicanism, whom British gold can not corrupt, nor old Tories affright, who are will- ing to aid the government of their country in a firm and vigorous defence of national honor and dignity, are requested to give their attendance to-morrow afternoon at 3 of the clock, at the Academy in Fairhaven, then and there to take into consideration the present situation of our public affairs, and to adopt measures expressive of their undi- minished attachment to the cause of their country. P. S. — The Republicans of Fair- haven and New Bedford and the towns in the vicinity are particularly invited to attend." A few days after, May 23, a similar meeting was held at the town- house, Head-of-the-River, at which Hon. Nathaniel Morton, of Free- town, presided, and John Hawes was secretary. It was declared that in their opinion there exists, and has long existed, ample cause of war by the United States with both France and England, but as a prudent pol- icy required the selection of our actual enemy, so it clearly pointed to England as the aggressor. Such were the varied opinions which served to color the train of LOSSES OF NEW BEDFORD. 163 events which, with other causes, led to the final separation of the two towns, February 22, 1812. On the i8th of June, 1812, Congress declared war, and President Madison made public proclamation on the following day. How the news was received in New Bedford was expressed in the following edit- orial in the Mercury : "The awful calamity is at length officially announced. A war which has been so long predicted by the wise, ridiculed by the weak, deprecated by the honest, and courted by the wicked is ofScially announced. Never have we seen dismay so generally and forcibly depicted on the features of our fellow citizens as at this portentous moment. The hand of enterprise is withered, and the heart sickened, the hard-earned treasures of industry are dissolved, and the business of life seems to pause in awful suspense." This was without doubt a fair and cSndid statement of the attitude of New Bedford at the beginning of the war. If it was conservative, and even antagonistc, it should be borne in mind that all New England oc- cupied this position, and that the powerful Federal party of the land vigorously opposed the war measures of the administration. The war policy was also opposed by many of the Republican leaders of the day, notably the eloquent John Randolph, whose fiery speeches brought down upon him the maledictions of his party and the promise of a coat of tar and feathers. History records the fact that Madison purchased his re-election by committing himself to war measures against his judg- ment and convictions. It was claimed by the opponents of the war that the existing grievances could and would be remedied by milder measures and that these wrongs did not justify armed resistance. New Bedford received crushing blows at the very outset of this sec- ond conflict with England. During the three months following the declaration of war, made June 18, 18 12, eight vessels belonging to this port were captured by the enemy, each with valuable cargos : Ship Sally and cargo, value, . Ship Triton " " Ship Castor " " . • Ship Arab " " . . Ship Science " " . . Ship Bbnestiis " " . Sch. Caroline '' " Sch. Three Friends and cargo, value. Ship Catharine " " $40,000 16,000 20,000 21,000 28,000 20,000 9,000 4,000 60,000 Total valuation, .... ... $218,000- r64 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. August 6, 1812, the brig Wasp of Fairhaven, on a voyage to Liver- pool, was seized by His Majesty's cutter Earl Spencer, Lieutenant Bothwell, off Cape Clear. The mate and crew were taken on board the cutter. The Wasp was carried into Cork, and detained as a prize. Captain Hitch, the mate, and three of the crew were sent to Plymouth as prisoners of war. Preparations for the defence of this harbor were soon manifested on both sides of the Acushnet. New guns were mounted on Fort Phoenix and a regular garrison placed on duty. Advertisements appeared in the newspaper calling for enlistments of able-bodied men from the age of eighteen to thirty- five years, all such to receive a bounty of $16, and, after five years' service and an honorable discharge, a further bounty of three months' pay and 160 acres of land. Recruiting offices were opened, and recruiting for the United States army began in earnest. In Fairhaven an office was opened on Water street in the second build- ing north of the street leading to the old south wharf, owned at the time by Capt. Harrison G. Church, afterwards commander of a military company. On Center street, just west of the present Congregational Church, and directly in front of Whiting's market, was a large rock that extended across the street. On this rock were mounted two cannon, and the south entrance of the original Congregational Church, now PhcEnix Hall, was used as a magazine. In the month of September, 1812, two companies were formed in Fairhaven, one of regular militia, with the following officers: Captain, John Alden, jr. ; lieutenant, Barnabas Hammond ; clerk, Freeman Pope. The other company was commanded by Capt. Joseph Bates.sr., and was called the "volunteers." Its members were elderly men, whose age prevented their joining the regular militia. Both companies were largely composed of adherents to the Republican party. A mud fort was built on Love Rocks, situated due south of Fort street. The barracks extended to the cluster of trees directly west. They were built under the supervision of Capt. William Gordon, and were garrisoned by the Sea Fencibles. Charles Eldredge, who wit- nessed the erection of the fort, gathered the names of a few of this company, which numbered about forty men: Captain, Barker; first lieutenant, a Frenchman (name unknown) ; second lieutenant. CjihXmjL(L^, ^oMuj PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE. 165 Bradford ; Hardy Hitch, John Wallace, Nathaniel Snow, Peter Harvey, Charles Glover, Andrew Pickens, George Alden, Peter Har- per, Thomas West, Solomon, Barstow, Benjamin Swain, Waters. The fort mounted six guns. Another mud fort was built at Smok- ing Rocks, near the sight of Potomska mills. Thomas Durfee was on duty when this fort was building and remembered being stationed near the shore when Captain Gordon was directing operations. Mr. Durfee was the only surviving New Bedford soldier of the war of 1812 at the time of his death and gave the writer many interesting reminiscences of that struggle. He was a member of Captain Nelson's infantry com- pany, the roster of which is here given : Captain, Nathaniel Nelson ; lieutenant, Job Grey, jr ; ensign, G-eorge Clark ; first sergeant, Benjamin Warren; second sergeant. Gamaliel Hart; third sergeant, Nathan- iel Perry ; fourth sergeant, Thomas Ridell ; drill sergeant, Charles Hathaway ; corporals, David Howland, Robert Tuckerman, James Proud, Charles Covel ; drummer, Alanson Caswell; fifer, Charles Pratt; captain's waiter, Abner Soule-; privates, David Allen, Joseph Wilcox, Josiah L. Bliss, William Tuckerman, Edward Gardner, Willet Seabury, Joseph Merritt, Nathaniel Bassett, Charles Gilbert, Benjamin Hammond, Nye Holmes, Jonathan Howland, jr., Blisha Briggs, William W. Kempton, James Babcock, Samuel Proud, Josiah Winslow, Ivory C. Albert, Uriah Head, Perry Jenkins, Russell Wood, Thomas Kempton, William Lane, Heman Cushman, Avery Parker 2d, Thomas Durfee, Elisha Clark, Thomas Burrell, Stanton Burch, Stephen West, jr., Jonathan Haffords, David Wilber, Ezra Hathaway, Noel Taber, Benjamin B. Covell, Michael Randall, Till- inghast Tompkins, J. Haffords (armorer), Israel Smith, Hampton Pierce, Benjamin Douglass, William Cud worth, Oliver Price, jr., John Sisson, Stephen Howland, Moses Washburn, Charles Wood, Richard Hill, John Wadkins, Benjamin Brownell, Felix Filuel, Warren Mosher, John Aikin, William Bliss, jr., Elijah Knop, Elihu Mosher 2d, Merril Hathaway, Henry Frederick, Gardner Chase. The declaration of war carried consternation and terror into every town and hamlet on the seacoast, for they were at once exposed to the ravages of British cruisers and privateers. To illustrate this fact we re- cord that a few days after war was declared, forty families left the island of Nantucket; and at Eastport, Me., out of 1,700 inhabitants, only four or five families remained, the rest having fled inland with their movable property. It might interest the reader to recount the prominent battles of the War of 18 12 which took place on the lakes, on the Canadian border, at the South, and also the wonderful naval engagements which 1 66 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. made the campaign at the very beginning so brilliant and successful. But these pages must deal only with events that touch our local history. One such was the famous contest between the American frigate Consti- tution (which was built by a New Bedford citizen, Capt. George Clag- horn), and the British frigate Java, on December 29, 18 12. The fight occurred off the coast of Brazil and proved to be one of the most terrific encounters of the war, resulting in a complete victory for Commodore Bainbridge and the brave crew of Old Ironsides, as she was ever after called, for she came out of the conflict unscathed. The Java was blown up, as it was not deemed prudent to carry her prize into a Brazilian port, for Brazil was friendly to Great Britain. The Constitution re- turned to Boston, and Commodore Bainbridge, his officers and crew, were received with wild demonstrations of joy at the signal victory. The importance of this event to the country was manifested in the act of Congress which appropriated $50,000 as prize money for the crew. While Commodore Bainbridge was receiving the ovations of Boston, Lieut. George Parker, one of his officers, made a visit to his wife Elizabeth, who was the daughter of Thomas Adams, of Fairhaven. His sword, worn in the fight, is in the possession of the family. He re- ceived the marked attention of the citizens on both sides of the river. On March 2, 1813, he was tendered a public dinner at the Academy hall, by the people of Fairhaven. This building is still standing on Main street, just north of the Hawes homestead. On the afternoon of the 4th, Lieutenant Parker was entertained in New Bedford. A pro- cession was formed at 2 o'clock at Nelson's Hotel (then located where now is Ricketson's block), consisting of a large and respectable body of citizens. Thus reads the account : " Attended by an excellent band of music from Taunton and escorted by a part of Capt. Stall's artillery company, the procession marched to the bridge, where they received the distinguished guest, who was accompanied by Lieut. King, com- mander of the garrison at Fort Phoenix. He was greeted with repeated cheers as he came off the bridge, and escorted to Nelson's Hotel, where an excellent repast was furnished by the landlord." Great preparations had been made for this occasion, and the hall was "decorated with tro- phies and devices emblematic of the occasion." The record says " the party was very harmonious, and hilarity and propriety marked the pro- OVATION TO LIEUTENANT PARKER. 167 ceedings.'' The following toasts were received with marked applause and accontipanied with appropriate music. The reader will find them well worth a perusal, for they bristle with allusions to men and events that are important elements in our nation's history : " 1. Our naval heroes — Hull, Jones, Decatur and Bainbridge. Their names will stand inscribed on the roll of fame with Washington, Montgomery, Warren and G-reene. " 2. Our gallant tars. It is not superior weight of metal, but better metal that gives ■ them victory. " 3. A navy to protect commerce, and commerce to support a navy. "4. Commodore Rogers. We ask not Fortune to give him victory, but an opportu- nity to earn it. " 5. The memory of Lieutenant Awyer. While others hail the rising sun, we bow to him whose race is won. '' 6. The memory of Commodore Preble. We recollect with pride and gratitude the hero who first caused our name to be respected on a foreign shore. " 7. Our National and State legislatures. May their wisdom equal the bravery of our mariners. " 8. French alliance. Tenfold more dreadful than British war. " 9. An Algerine war. In times of peace with other nations it would be mere pas- time to chastise the insolence of these Corsairs. " 10. A brisk exchange of prisoners. Our navy supplies the funds. " 11. Our Constitution. May it be as well managed on the land as it has been on the water. " 12. The memory of Washington. " 13. The memory of Hamilton and of Franklin. The former the hero of Yorktown, the latter the friend of morality and science. " 14. The President of the United States. " 15. The Governor of Massachusetts. " 16. The members of Congress who refused a donation to the gallant conquerors of the Oiierriere. Those who have no gratitude to reward merit, can have no patriotism to serve their country. " 17. A speedy peace with England on equitable and honorable terms. '' 18. Russia. Rendered truly great by her successful opposition to the destroyer of liberty.'' After Lieutenant Parker had retired the closing toast was offered : '" Lieut. Parker and his brave associates. May our country reward their services with something more substantial than praise." The account says " many excellent volunteer sentiments received the approbation of the company, but as they are but imperfectly recollected, it would be but injustice to those who gave them to attempt a mutilated pubHcation. The committee of arrangements, on behalf of the com- i68 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. pany, tender their compliments to the gentlemen of the Taunton band, who politely graced the day by their attendance." The original letter of reply to the invitation tendered the lieutenant by the New Bedford committee of arrangements is in possession of Rob- ert C. Ingraham, librarian of the Free Public Library. It read as follows: " To L. Williams and David Leslie. " G-entlemen — With pleasure I accept the poUte invitation of dining with you on Thursday next at the appointed hour. What little service I have been to my country at present is mere nothing. But I am in hopes that before the vyar is over to have an opportunity of doing honor to my country in any situation I may be placed in. "Very respectfully, gentlemen, " Tour obt. St., Geo. Parker." The brilliant services of the lieutenant were recognized by the gov- ernment, and he was placed in command of the Siren in 1814. He died on board of this vessel shortly after she went to sea, July 12, 18 14. The following is the roll of the artillery company that performed escort duty on the occasion of Lieutenant Parker's reception. Artillery Company, Second Brigade, Fifth Division, Stationed at New Bedeord. Officers. — Captain, Samuel Stall ; first lieutenant, Frederick Mayhew ; second lieuten- ant, Hayden Coggeshall ; sergeants, Thomas Earl, George S. Dunham, Thomas Martin, Jesse Haskell ; corporals, David Kempton, Thomas Ellis, Peleg Clark, Watson Ellis ; drummer, George Caswell; fifer, Russell Booth; matross, John Wrigh tin gton. Privates. — Charles Coggeshall, John Heath, Martin Hathaway, Ira Caswell, Wing Howland, Thomas Maxfield, Warren Maxfield, Henry Cannon, Henry Place, Avery Parker, Griffin Barney, jr., Barnabas Smith, James Howland 2d, Edmund Jackson, John P. West, Lloyd Howland, Nash De Cost, Sylvanus Sowle, Isaac Kempton, Josiah Smith, Abraham Pierce, James Cannon, Bryant Macomber, Jonathan Gifford, Smith Stetson, John Reynolds, Bzekel Tripp, Allen Sherman, Joseph L. Jenney, Richard West, Isaac Smith. In the month of June, 18 13, two United States gunboats arrived in our harbor. They were schooner- rigged, were numbered 54 and 56, and were commanded by two brothers, John and Charles Cousins. The reader will understand from the following announcement, headed "New Bedford Safe," in the Mercury of June 18, the estimation in which they were held by the people : " On Friday last two of those engines of destruction, commonly called gunboats ar- rived at this port. We understand they are to cruise in our harbor for the protection of this port." USELESS GUNBOATS. 169 At the commencement of the war the government was in possession of a very considerable fleet of these vessels, and they performed effect- ive service in keeping British privateers away from the coast, and checked somewhat the raids attempted by boats and barges belonging to British frigates upon the plantations and towns along the extensive coast line. They were also useful in convoying coasting vessels and protecting them from the boats of the enemy's cruisers, their service in this direction being specially important in Long Island Sound. The largest of these gunboats, of about ninety tons, was armed with one or two long bow chasers. A large proportion were of smaller size and car- ried a pivot gun of sixteen or twenty-four pound calibre, and were de- pendent upon oars for motive power. As a means of serious defence these "engines of destruction" were signal failures. They were useless in rough weather, for the very weight of the gun caused the vessel to careen in such a manner as to make effective aim impossible. In fair weather, the first discharge of the bow chaser was the only effective one, the recoil throwing the vessel out of position, making it necessary to use the oars to bring her again into effective relation with the enemy. In the interim, either the enemy's barges were making an uncomfortably close acquaintance or were putting themselves into safe positions. It is not surprising that but little confidence was felt in these gunboats as a protection to our harbor; nor was this feeling strengthened by their failure to attack the British brig Nimrod when she got ashore on Great Ledge. The opportunity was a favorable one to do serious injury to this craft that had given so much trouble on the coast. The gunboats lay at anchor up the river, while the people grew sorrowful at the lost opportunity. George H. Taber relates that his father rode hastily down Sconticut Neck, and found a number of people gathered on the shore, who were watching the stranded vessel and endeavoring to organize an expedi- tion to attack her. The Nimrod came off safely at high tide, however, before the plans were completed. Capt. Russell Maxfield remembers the event, and the expressions of indignation against the gunboats. Their final departure from the port created no serious apprehensions of of danger. The presence of British cruisers on our coast not only checked the 22 170 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. ocean traffic, but the coasting vessels found it dangerous to pursue their ordinary trips to New York, whence a large portion of the supplies for the daily needs of the people were obtained. This condition became all the more serious when the British war vessel Nintrod, commanded by Captain Mitchell, made her cruising ground about our harbor, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and as far west as Newport. Her armament was formidable for the time, consisting of sixteen 32-pounders, two long 9- pounders and one i8-pounder. She had ample accommodations for a large number of soldiers, and barges with which to transport them into the rivers and inlets of our coast. This war vessel was a constant ter- ror to the inhabitants, as will be shown in the progress of this story. The closing of the port against all traffic, in 18 13, caused for a time much inconvenience and trouble to the people. But it developed a new mode of transportation that was unique if not original, and which must have afforded a relief to the pressing wants of the people. This was the " Wagon Brigade," formally recognized in the Mercury, dated Septem- ber 24, 18 1 3, by the following article headed " Sailors' Rights and Free Trade " : " As it is customary for printers of newspapers in seaport towns to keep a diary of the arrival and clearance of vessels, it may be thougtit by some of our readers that we have latterly been inattentive in this respect. But the jugglers who stand at the helm of government have been so successful in establishing the principle of the above motto as to have driven all our vessels of burthen into dry dock; and the navigation of this port is almost entirely confined to a few open boats. We, however, propose to keep a journal of the arrival and departure of such craft as are employed in the transporta- tion of goods, and any information in the line of this department with which we may be favored will be duly attended to." And so radiating from our villages by the sea were constant proces- sions of loaded wagons, some of them extending their land voyages as far west as Albany, which was a distant city in those days of the stage coach. A few extracts taken from these weekly reports will serve to give an intelligent idea of these operations and reveal the peculiar character of some of them. Under the caption of "Horse Marine News," September 12, 1813, there was spoken a wagon from Fairhaven standing to the northward with cargo of coffee. On the same day, lat. 41.49, the same wagon was seen with signals of distress, having been chased by the enemy and obliged to throw nearly the whole cargo "HOUSE MARINE NEWS." 171 overboard. The enemy was probably a custom-house officer. On the same day a wagon was spoken bound from Boston to this port, " and she might be expected in port with first northerly wind." September 17, arrived packet wagon Capt. Cole, from Boston, with cargo of dry goods, and on the same date three wagons under convoy of Com. Phin- ney, cleared and sailed with cargoes of brandy. " A convoy of wagons, with families and household furniture, from Nantucket, left Falmouth on September 19, 181 3, for Ohio. They were to touch at Sandwich for some others to join the fleet. The farms of Nantucket men were formerly on the ocean, but Madison's war has obliged them to take their land tacks on board and pass the mountains. October ist, a fleet bound to Ohio was spoken in the longitude of Taunton." Here is an arrival that reveals how far these lines of trans- portation extended. "October nth, arrived, a squadron under com- mand of Admiral Heaton, consisting of seven square-rigged wagon ves- sels, Capts. J. Bates, D. Bates, Whitcomb, Lyon, Cooledge and Sher- man, eight days from Albany, with flour. Had good passage, except Capt. Lyons' wagon springing a wheel spoke. Spoke nearly 100 sail from this port, all in good health and well provisioned." The following will be appreciated by nautical readers : " Port of Boston, October 11, 1813. Arrived, two-horse wagon Teazer, Capt. Hun- tington, three days from New Bedford, with cable and pig iron to the captain. Spoke on Saturday last, five leagues from New Bedford, in great distress, the wagon ' Pump,' Capt. Clark, two days out from Boston, bound for New Bedford. He had experienced considerable rough weather on the passage; got on the flats at Bridgewater, and after laying there, bowsprit under a few minutes, by the timely assistance of Capt. Gibbs, who was passing in a small craft, was enabled to proceed to Assawamsett Pond, where he was washing his bowsprit and horses, and repairing injuries done to his wagon. Oct. 10th, arrived, the regular packet wagons, Capts. Cole and Lyon, from Boston, with dry goods. Spoke several coasters on the road, all singing the popular ditty, " ' Our march is on the turnpike road, Our home is at the Inn.' " " Nov. 4th, 1813. Arrived and came to anchor at the head of Taber's wharf 3 square rigged Jeffersonian ships, (not gunboats) and one cartel lugger navigated by 4 oxen each; all from Dartmouth, laden with potatoes for a southern market. P. S. The cattle were chained to anchor to prevent their running away while the teams were un- loading." " Nov. 23d, 1813. Arrived one 3-horse and two 4-horse wagons, 14 days from New York. Experienced much bad weather and rough roads. About 10 days out was 172 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. boarded by a snow storm, but after a short detention was permitted to proceed — slowly. Same date, sailed one 3-liorse and one 4-horse wagon, Stevens & Smith commanders, with cargoes of sperm candles." The latter item suggests one of the lines of business pursued at this time. If tobacco, brandy and other articles of French manufacture could not be claimed as home productions, sperm candles surely could be so regarded. We fear that during this period there was a large amount of illegal business done in foreign goods. The Embargo Act, passed by Congress in December, 1813, placed still further restrictions upon the already ruined traffic of our port. The constant presence of British cruisers and privateers along the en- tire coast had destroyed the ocean commerce and nearly all the coasting trade. It was left for the Embargo Act to give the finishing touch. Its enforcement practically closed the harbor to all seagoing craft. How thoroughly it was carried out is shown by the following incidents : " A man in an open boat from one of the Elizabeth Islands, coming to market in this town, brought with him two bushels of corn to be ground, as there was no mill on the isl- and. The collector by force of the embargo refused to grant him permission to carry his meal home in his boat. A person from Falmouth in an open boat purchased in this town a small quantity of iron for the tire of a pair of wheels. Having put his iron on board of his boat, he was refused permission by the collector to proceed home until he should reland his iron. A person came in here in a, boat with some oysters. Having sold his oysters, he purchased with the proceeds two slates, a hat and half of a cheese, but the collector refused to permit him to carry them home in his boat, and he was .obliged to deposit them in this town and leave them.'' — N. B. Mercury. THE PRIVATEERING FLEET. 173 CHAPTER XII. WAR OF 18 12 CONTINUED. Privateering — New Bedford Harbor a Haven for Privateers and Prizes — The Yankee — Resolutions of tlie People Concerning Privateering — Defenceless Condi- tion of New Bedford, and the Consequences — Doings of the Nimrod — The Revenge- Retaliation — Bombardment of Falmouth — Militia- Defenders — Attitude of the Friends — False Alarms — The Attack of June 13, 1814 — Details of the Affair — Fur- ther Depredations — More of the Nimrod — Opinions of WiUiam C. Bryant — A Sad Incident. THAT history repeats itself was demonstrated in the War of 18 12, by the sudden development of that branch of warfare, " priva- teering," so successfully carried on during the American Revolution. The English government well understood that privateering would play an important part in a contest with the United States. This ap- prehension was expressed in a London journal, the Statesman, before war was declared. It said : " America can not certainly pretend to wage a maritime war with us. She has no navy to do it with. But America has nearly a hundred thousand as good seamen as any in the world, all of whom would be actively employed against our trade on every part of the ocean, in their fast- sailing ships of war, many of which will be able to cope with our small cruisers, and they will be found to be sweeping the West Indian seas, and even carrying desola- tion into the chops of the Channel." A most formidable fleet did plow the seas and captured more than 1,500 vessels during the war. There were 251 regularly commissioned privateers, beside a large number of private armed vessels, that pursued this business. Of the former, fifty-eight sailed from Baltimore, fifty- five from New York, forty from Salem, thirty-one from Boston, eleven from Portsmouth, N. H., and one from Fairhaven. This was the Gov- ernor Gerry, Capt. Joshua Hitch, and was owned by Hitch & Bradley. She was a schooner of sharp model, a fast sailer, and thoroughly equipped for the business. Her career was, however, of short duration. 174 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. After landing a cargo of silks and other valuable goods in some French port, she came out July 29, 1813, and ran directly into a fleet of British men-of-war. She was given chase and only surrendered after she had carried away all her spars. The favorable situation of our harbor made it again available as a rendezvous for the privateers, and during the war it was made a convenient port for recruiting and for running in the cap- tured prizes. Public auction sales of prize vessels and their cargoes were of frequent occurrence at the wharves on both sides of the river. It is recorded that, in September, 18 13, the Shaving Mill, generally called the Handsaw, had sailed for Boston on a cruise. Why this pri- vateer was called the Shaving Mill has not been ascertained. Her name was the Camelion. She was probably nicknamed the Handsaw from the fact that at a public gathering in Fairhaven one of her owners offered the following toast : " Our enemies — May they be lathered with aquafortis and shaved with a handsaw." This vessel was built on the south shore of Oxford Point, just east of the present residence of Charles H. Gifford, the marine artist. Charles Eldredge gave the writer the following facts regarding it : The Shaving Mill was an open boat about forty feet long, with lateen sails, was a fast sailer, and was well provided with sweeps for rapid pulling. Water was carried in tiny casks that could be easily stowed ; strapped together in pairs, they were conveniently fitted to take ashore to be filled. The armament was one swivel bow chaser, and the crew were well armed. Messrs. George Whitfield and F"rancis Neil were among those who played the part of " jolly privateers " in this craft. Her operations were along shore within easy reach of safe harbors. It is said that when on the coast of Maine she was closely pursued one day by the enemy; the Shaving Mill was run ashore and the crew stranded in a cornfield. This story is given on the authority of Capt. George Neil, whose father was one of the sailors. Arrivals and departures of privateers were occasional during 1813, and largely increased in 1814. February 25, 1814, the British brig Britannia, Skidmore prize-master, came into the port. She was one of the nine prizes captured by the privateer Mars, Captain Ingersoll, of New York. On March 12, the private armed schooner Viper, Cap- tain Dethenbade, dropped anchor in our harbor, having captured a few THE ''YANKEE:- I7S days before, February 22, the British ship Victory, of London. On July IS, 1814, the privateer brig Yankee, Captain Snow, arrived at this port after a four months' cruise, having captured seven vessels. Among them was the Portuguese ship St. Jose Indiana, which had already come into our harbor. The Yankee had captured on May 14 the British ship Hugh Jones, with a valuable cargo of piece-goods and provisions. Ninety- five cases of articles were taken out and the vessel ordered into Savannah. The Yankee was one of the most famous of the privateering fleet. She belonged in Bristol, R. I., and was owned by a Mr. D'Wolfe. Af- ter a single cruise of 150 days on the coast of Africa, she came home, after capturing eight prizes, with thirty-two bales of fine goods, six tons of' ivory and $40,000 in gold dust. The total value of the cargo was $300,000. The late Thomas Durfee gave the writer an interesting episode con- nected with this noted cxaft. He, with other boys, was attracted to the river front one Sunday morning to see this bold privateer as she lay off Taber's wharf. A tempting invitation to take a sail in the harbor was made to the boys by Officer Smith, who was in command, as Captain Snow had gone ashore. As was found out afterward, the crew had been discharged. Eagerly did the boys accept, Durfee among the rest, and the Yankee sailed down the bay. The lads gladly made themselves useful in the many ways suggested by Lieutenant Smith, his orders being transmitted to the fresh crew through Billy Haffords, one of their number, who had once been on a sea voyage. When off Round Hills, Lieutenant Smith discovered the British brig Nimrod looming in the distance, and for most excellent reasons he ordered about ship, and made a lively trip homeward. As they neared the wharf they were blandly informed by the lieutenant that but for this occurrence he in- tended to carry them to Bristol, from which place they would have to walk home to New Bedford. Mr. Durfee says the Yankee carried a 24-pounder midships and two carriage guns on either side, and was a formidable craft. The prosecution of the privateering business and the free-handed use of this harbor in its interests brought with it a train of evils that created much alarm among the inhabitants. In September, 1813, a vessel ar- 176 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. rived in our harbor, was thoroughly recruited, and a crew shipped os- tensibly for a voyage to New Orleans. She was cleared September 26 and lay at anchor in the lower harbor, when it was ascertained that she was the French privateer Cleopatra, alias Bellona, with evil inten- tions toward American as well as towards English vessels. She showed her teeth by stopping the Rosetta, Captain Gibbs, of this port, as she came up the river. Pistol shots were fired at Captain Gibbs, and he was threatened with a broadside. The incident created great commotion in the town. When the crew had ascertained her real character, they re- belled and refused duty, and finally it resulted in their being put ashore at Newport. It is evident that the arrival of the noted privateer Yankee brought matters to a crisis, and was the immediate cause of the call for a town meeting that was held July 21, 18 14. The action taken at this gathering of the people vividly portrays the serious condition of affairs, and the sentiments of the community regarding it. " It was voted unanimously, as expressive of the sense of the inhabitants of this town, that inasmuch as we have uniformly disapproved of the unpolitic, unnecessary and ruinous war in which the United States are engaged, we have considered it our duty to abstain, and have scrupulously abstained from all interest and concern in sending out private armed vessels to harass the commerce of the enemy, and from voluntary acts which appeared to us to have a tendency to prolong the duration, encourage the pros- ecution, or increase the ravages of the ' unprofitable contest ' ; that we have Seen with disapprobation several private armed vessels, belonging to other ports taking shel- ter in our peaceful waters, and regret that we have not the authority of law wholly to exclude them from our harbor, where they serve to increase our dangers, and to excite tumult, disorder, riot and confusion. "Voted, unanimously, as expressive of the sense of the town, that private armed vessels, while cruising in various climates, and visiting ships and vessels from every country, are extremely liable to contract and receive on board infectious diseases, and that in all such cases there is reason to suspect that such vessels and the persons, bag- gage, clothing and goods on board may be infected with some contagious distemper. " Voted, unanimously, as expressive of the sense of the inhabitants of this town, that the safety of the inhabitants thereof requires that any private armed vessel or vessels which shall arrive or be bound into the harbor of New Bedford, from any port or place, shall be required to perform quarantine during a term of not less than forty days; and that the Selectmen and Health Committee of the town be requested to cause all such vessels to perform quarantine at such places as they shall appoint and under such re- strictions and regulations as they may judge expedient. " Voted. That the privateer called the Yankee, now in this port to be ordered by the Selectmen immediately to quarantine ground, to be designated by them, for forty days. PERILOUS CONDITION OF NEW ENGLAND. 177 " Voted. That the town will indemnify the Selectmen from all harm which may ac- crue to them in the execution of their duties in enforcing the quarantine laws as well in regard to the Yankee privateer as all other vessels. " Voted. That the following persons be a Committee of Safety, whose business it will be to advise and direct in measures that may best secure the peace and safety of the town in case of an invasion by an enemy : Roger Haskell, William Hathaway, Eoland R. Crocker, Lemuel Wilhams, jr., Lewis Ludlam, Samuel Perry, Francis Rotch, James Washburn, John A. Parker, Cornelius Grinnell." Changes in the condition of affairs in Continental Europe, during the year 1814, set free a number of naval and other vessels in the English service, and their attention was quickly turned toward the United States. Our New England coast swarmed with British frigates, gun brigs and privateers. The seaboard towps and villages were in a help- less condition, for the general government had withdrawn all means of defence, the troops being engaged in the invasion of Canada. What aggravated still more the perilous condition of New England was the fact that the United States authorities had withdrawn all supplies from the militia, on which she had to depend for her own defence. A supply of ammunition was refused Fort Phoenix, July 8. The reader may judge that these were alarming times for our town, for during the year 1814 a thousand troops were stationed along our shores, five hun- dred arriving on September 25 and 26 from the northern part of the county. The presence of such an armed force indicated that the serious apprehensions occasioned by the presence of such a fleet of armed cruis- ers were well founded. How New Bedford was directly affected will be seen in the many captures made of her vessels. On July 8 twenty Cape Cod boats, loaded with corn and flour from New York, sought refuge in our harbor. July 13 schooner Night Hawk of Apponagansett was captured by barges from the English frigate Superb. The American privateer Ultor, Capt. Lane, came into Fair- haven for repairs ; when she cleared, she took among her crew several Fairhaven men, among them Mr. Tripp Taber. When off Watch Hill, July 19, an attempt was made by two barges belonging to the frigate Superb to board the Ultor. No answer being given to their hail, the Ultor fired a brisk volley of musketry at them. This reception seemed to be a surprise, for the larger barge, with thirty men, made a quick retreat, and the other was captured with ten men. It was found 23 178 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. that one of their number, a midshipman, had been killed. His body was taken into Stonington and buried. On July 20 schooner Maria, Capt. Hillman, was taken by British privateer Saratoga, and released. August 23 two barges and a launch from the British frigate Pomona came up the bay and captured a sloop just out of Dartmouth. The two gunboats and an armed smack went down to encounter the enemy, and it is recorded that the gunboats actually fired several shots. It is the only statement found where they did practical service. It should be said that they did patrol duty in the night in the harbor, their barges constantly moving about and boarding any craft that attempted to come up the river. September 15 sloop Chauncey, Capt, Howland, was taken in Long Island Sound. A passenger, Griffith Barney, jr., was made prisoner and sent to Melville prison at Halifax. October i sloop Rover, Capt. Reynard, was captured by British schooner Whiting. October 28 she took the sloop Philadelphia, and on the same day schooner Fair Trader, Capt. Allen, was captured by British privateers Liverpool Packet and Rolla, off Narragansett beach. December 28 brig Mary, Capt. George Hitch, was captured four hours after leaving port. January 6, 18 15, sloop New York, Capt. Clark, of Fairhaven, was taken off Newport by British brig Despatch. March 3 British brig Flying Fish arrived in our harbor a prize to American privateer David Porter. She had $100,000 of cargo of dry goods, hardware, and spices. March 29 the schooner Russell, Capt. Vibbert, arrived ninety-six •days from Canton, with full cargo of teas, silk, etc. March I she was chased for twelve hours by a frigate and brig, but by throwing over- board her guns she easily outsailed them. When offGayhead she spoke the Spanish brig Virgin Mary, thirteen days from Matanzas, and was informed that peace was declared. Her safe arrival caused much rejoic- ing in the town, for the Russell was built here, and this was her first voyage. Her cargo was of great value, and her capture would have been a serious loss. While the English naval and privateering vessels inflicted serious damage on our coasting trade, as has been illustrated by the accounts given of captures of vessels coming and going from this port (and the list is not by any means complete), it remained for the British hx\%Nim- rod. Captain Mitchell, to be the reigning terror to New Bedford and the DEPREDATIONS OF THE " JVIMROD." 179 whole southeastern coast. So connected were her operations with neighboring harbors, that it is necessary to include in this account much that is not local in character. The Nimrcd mounted sixteen 34-pound- ers, two long nines, and one i8-pounder, and was a most formidable vessel for her day. The Nimrod made her appearance off our coast in 181 3. The first record we find of her work is December 6, when the schooner Hitta Franklin arrived in this harbor. On the Sunday night previous, at two o'clock, she was captured off Tarpaulin Cove by the Nimrod. Her commander, Captain Mitchell, proposed a ransom, which Captain Kelley assured him was out of his power. The schooner was delayed for some time and finally released with the loss of her anchor, cable, and other articles. Captain Kelley and his crew were treated with great kindness by Captain Mitchell. At this time the Nimrod had in her toils the ship Chili of Nantucket, from the South Sea, with 1,240 barrels of oil. On Sunday evening, while ofi" Gayhead, five boats full of men undertook to recapture her, but a fire of musketry from the ship led them to abandon this plucky attempt. April 5, 18 14, sloop Sally Hallet was captured by the Nimrod. June 3 a Swedish brig, the Caro- lus Magnus, sailed from this port, was boarded in the bay by the Nim- rod and ordered back. The 74- gun frigate Superb and the gun brig Recruit were, in connection with the Nimrod, making things lively all along the coast. Saturday, June 6, several gentlemen belonging to this town made an excursion to the islands in Pilot boat No. i. If the day's outing had proved to be one of great enjoyment to this company of pleasure-seek- ers, and it is fair to suppose it had, their fun soon ended, for on their re- turn they were captured by a barge from the Nimrod, carrying twenty- two men and propelled by eighteen oars. After being detained some time, they all, with the exception of Captains Simeon Price and Ste- phen Potter, were released and probably put ashore at Woods Hole, for the pilot boat was seen there at anchor several days after the capture. She was finally given up to Captains Price and Potter, and they brought into our port the crew of a Spanish brig that had been seized by the Nimrod for attempting to enter Newport harbor after being warned off by the blockading squadron. August 5 the Nimrod captured sloop i8o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Eagle, Captain Stowell, off Point Judith, and on the 6th took five open boats off Watch Hill. One of these belonged to Jonathan Card, of Fair- haven. September 4 she captured schooner Maria, with a cargo of salt fish; and September 10, off Point Judith, she took four boats, all belong- ing to this port. The ship Harmony, an East Indiaman of Philadelphia, cleared from this port some time in 1814. On one of her voyages she was hotly- chased by the Nimrod into the bay. Hugging the shore closely, care- fully directed by the pilot, William Slocum, of Nashawena, the Harmony was brought safely along and succeeded in deceiving the Nhnrod, which went ashore high and dry on the rocks off Round Hills. Hon. Weston Howland says that this exciting affair was witnessed by his brother, Hon. Abraham H. Howland, the first mayor of our city, then a mere lad. He and the others were in the observatory on School street at the time, eagerly watching the race, and when the Nimrod grounded, the glad news was greeted with a round of cheers. " I saw the Harmony ," said Thomas Durfee, " when she sailed up to Rotch's wharf, and her sails were perforated with cannon shot. She" was taken above the bridge and moored in the stream. Among the articles in her cargo was a lot of skins, which were taken to Boston in the sloop Boston, Capt. Philip Mosher; and I remember that when she cleared it was in a driving snow storm." Another capture made by the Nimrod, January 3, 181 5, of the schooner Horizon, Captain Potter, is on record. George H. Taber re lates an interesting fact in the Nimrod' s history. In 1840 he was mate of ship Samuel Robertson of this port, and when in Mobile Bay he saw this famous vessel taking in a cargo of cotton. She was still under the British flag. Among the privateers that played an important part on our coast • during these troublesome times was one that originally sailed from Sa- lem under the Yankee flag. The Revenge (for that was her name) was captured and turned into a British privateer under the significant name of Retaliation. Her cruising ground was along Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Long Island. Early in October, 18 13, she captured seven or eight boats belonging to Cape Cod. The owners of these craft or- ganized an expedition consisting of three boats and twenty armed men. ^^fv?^- '-^2^52^ -'^^J-^^-r^-^"^-^'^ THE ''RETALIATION" AFFAIR. i8i and went in search. On the afternoon of October i6 they discovered two of their boats and twelve or fourteen men on the shore at Naushon, who were making preparations to spend the night. On the approach of the Cape Cod boats the privateersmen took to the woods. Two of them were captured, however, and also some loaded muskets, pistols, and swords, which had been left in the boats. The prisoners were taken to Falmouth and thence to Boston. The Retaliation soon came to grief as a Britisher and again sailed the ocean under American colors. This is how it came about. On the evening of October 22 the schooner Clementine, from Den- nis, arrived in this harbor. The day before, when near Woods Hole, she was boarded by a boat with five armed men from the Retaliation, who ordered the captain and his crew of five sailors to " pick up their duds and go ashore." While pretending to obey this command they were watching their chances, and when the favorable moment arrived they each seized a man and in a twinkle the confident vicitors found themselves prisoners. The next day the Clementine came up the bay and delivered the prisoners to the commandant at Fort Phoenix. These events did not escape the attention of the people along the Falmouth shore, and it soon came to their knowledge that the Retaliation was lying at Tarpaulin Cove with but twelve men on board. This was an opportunity not to be disregarded, and no time was lost in organizing an expedition to capture her. A force of fifty men from Falmouth, under the command of Capt. Weston Jenkins, soon sailed for Tarpaulin Cove, where they found the privateer Retalia- tion at anchor. Placing his volunteers below decks, out of sight, and with but one man and himself on deck. Captain Jenkins approached the enemy and dropped anchor some distance from her. A boat with the captain and six men soon put oft" from the Retaliation. In answer to inquiries made. Captain Jenkins replied that he was from Nantucket. They came quickly alongside, calculating that the vessel would be an easy capture. At the signal ^iven by Captain Jenkins the men tum- bled up from below and made prisoners of the astonished privateers- men. Taking possession of the Retaliation, they sailed for Falmouth. The year 18 14 was filled with exciting events. Not only the villages in, our own harbor, but the towns and hamlets of the neighboring coast 1 82 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. felt the keen sufferings of relentless war and the terrors incident to in- vasion and pillage. Individuals may have prospered on the spoils of this needless war, but the burdens and cruelties imposed on the people were grievous to bear. Such were the sad experiences of Falmouth. January 28, 18 14, the town of Falmouth was bombarded by the British gun brig, Nimrod. The particular cause for this severe chas- tisement was her sturdy resistance to the devastating operations of the English vessels. Early in the morning the Nimrod C3.m.t out of Tar- paulin Cove, and at ten o'clock anchored abreast of the town. Captain Mitchell sent ashore, under a flag of truce, an imperative demand for the surrender of the two field pieces that had served to protect the vil- lage from the enemy. At the same time he demanded that the Nan- tucket mail sloop, then lying at the wharf, should be surrendered. The authorities of the town firmly refused to accede to these demands. They were then notified that two hours would be granted for the re- moval of women and children, at the expiration of which Captain Mitchell promised that the bombardment would begin. At once the village was in the wildest excitement. The hastily sum- moned militia, as they came into the town to assist in its defence, were met by processions of women, children and the sick, who were all seek- ing refuge. During these hours the meager preparations for security were being completed. An entrenchment was thrown up, behind which many of the inhabitants retreated during the bombardment. The flag of truce passed to and fro, but without results, for the people were firm and would not submit. At noonday the Nimrod unmasked her bat- teries and the canrlonade of the town was opened. All the afternoon shot and shell were thrown into the village, damaging many of the houses and destroying much property. Nor did the firing cease till some time after sunset. The next morning the Nimrod took her de- parture westward probably to join a man-of-war then lying at Tarpaulin Cove. Among the residences that were injured were those of Capt. John Crocker, Elijah Swift, Silas James, Thomas Brown, Ichabod Hatch, Shubael Hatch, jr., and Rev. Henry Lincoln. The salt works, located along the shore, received the especial attention of the batteries, and were much damaged. Captain Crocker evidently was a leading spirit of the town, for his DEFENDERS OF NEW BEDFORD. 183 house was complimented with no less than eight 32-pound shot that were sent crashing through the building, destroying a large part of the furniture. It is-said that when the first of these made entrance, Captain Crocker, who did not desert his castle during the siege, coolly took a chair and seated himself at the aperture, expressing his belief in the safety of his action by saying that shot wouldn't strike twice in the same place. For most convincing reasons, Captain Crocker changed his mind in regard to this generally accepted theory. Having occasion to go to another part of the house, he and his chair had but parted company, when crash came another 32-pounder through the same hole. About thirty houses were injured during the bombardment. It is a remarkable fact that not a single life was lost, though several had nar- row escapes. More than 250 round shot were picked up that had been thrown into the village by the Nimrod. The troops stationed in New Bedford for the town's defense during the year i8i4have been mentioned. The were commanded by Lieut- Col. Benjamin Lincoln. Among his staff" officers who were residents of the town were Maj. Edward Pope, Major of Artillery John Cogge- shall. Surgeon Samuel Perry, and Quartermasters William Kempton and Elijah Wilbour. The regimental records of Lieutenant- Colonel Lincoln (afterwards major-general) are in the possession of our Free Pub- lic Library, and were presented to this institution by Mrs. Caroline Whit- ridge, daughter of Major- General Lincoln. The Head- of- the- River company (Acushnet), commanded by Cap- tain Reuben Swift, was stationed at Clark's Cove and along the shores of Clark's Point, the lines extending to the Smoking Rocks on the east side. The following is the roster of the company taken from an original pay-roll in possession of Jireh Swift, jr.: Captain, Reuben Swift;, lieutenant, Job Millard; ensign, Seth Bumpus; sergeants, William Swift, James Ripner, Allen Bourne, Allen Chase, Zenas Co*en, Nathaniel Spooner, Thomas Hathaway, Thomas Collins; musicians, Joseph Purrington, Noah Waste, fifers; Thomas B. Smith, drummer; privates, Elijah Parker, James Omans, William Hathaway, Joseph H. Jenne, Oliver Walcott, Peter Taber, Elias Hoard, Cor- nelius Pope, Phillip Reynolds, John Hunter, Russell Pierce, Lemuel B. Ormsby, Paul Oifford, Silas Pettis, Samuel Hammond, Samuel J. Tobey, John Freeman, James Davis, jr., Timothy Howland, Enoch Weston, John Williams, Nathan Brightman, Asa 1 84 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Orapo, John Myrick, Humphrey Russell, Henry Rider, Joshua Winslow, Abel Snell, John Allen, Stephen Samson, James TJpham, Israel Chase, Abiel Crapo, Benjamin Rey- nolds, John Andrews, Benjamin S. Hathaway, Gardner Allen, Abraham Allen, Richard Winslow, Leonard Snell, Arnold Thomas, John Cummings, Jonathan G-ifford, Calvin Wheeler, Joseph Chase, Stephen Wing, Lot Strange, Jonathan Higgins, William K. G-reene, George Douglass, Alden Giflford, Edmund Jackson, David Weaden, John Eddy, Holder Mosher, Lemuel P. Reed, Major Pool, Stephen Sherman, John Edminster, William Tobey, James Wood, Stephen Wing 2d, Joshua Spooner, Stillman Washburn, Micah Spooner, Geurdon Demmings, Abraham Reynolds, Abiel Jones, jr., Ira Phillips, William Cowen, Isaac Babcock, Nathaniel Woddell, Isaac Case, jr., Jonathan Whalen, Uriah Sherman, James Burden, Sylvester Burt, Job White, Abiathar Pool, Ebenezer Tripp, Noah Reynolds, Alden Reed, Richard Mosher, Daniel Whalen, jr., William Rey- nolds, jr., Samuel Reed, jr., Simegn Burt, Holder Burden, Rufus Tripp, Gideon Mosher. The monthly pay for service was as follows : Captain, $40 ; lieuten- ant, $30; ensign, $20; sergeant, $11; private, $8; musician, $9. Capt. Rodolphus N. Swift relates a camp incident that he heard his father, who commanded the company, tell with great glee. His friend, Thomas Riddell, a sergeant of Captain Nelson's infantry company, and a well- known citizen, resolved to make a visit to him while in camp at Clark's Point. On his way down he was given a sheep by a generous- hearted farmer to present to the company mess. Cheerfully accepting the mission, and feeling that his visit would be doubly welcome, he shouldered the mutton and resumed his journey. It was night when he reached the lines. Trudging down the road, no doubt contemplating with satisfaction the pleasure he was to give his fellow soldiers, he was suddenly halted by a vigilant sentinel, made prisoner, and marched into the presence of Captain Swift as a "sheep-stealer." Explanations were followed by roars of laughter, and the closely-guarded prisoner was set free. A royal feast was enjoyed by the company mess. It is not stated whether Mr. Riddell joined the banqueters, but it was many a year be- fore he heard the last of this episode in which he figured so promi- nently. Capt. Reuben Swift's sword is now in possession of his son, Mr. William C, N. Swift. The position of the Society of Friends, " Resistance to taxes for war purposes," maintained during the American Revolution, was continued during the War of 181 2. New Bedford capitalists were very largely of this faith, and the demands of the collectors were persistently refused. It was no enviable position for these representatives of the United REFUSAL OF QUAKERS TO PAY TAXES. 185 States government, and their experience must have been of a disagree- able character. Abraham Barker used to express his views upon the subject by relating the following story : " He said that during the War of 1 8 12, his father and another person were appointed to collect the taxes in this town. Every Quaker whom they called on refused to pay, on conscientious grounds. On their rounds of duty, the collectors came upon one man to whom they prefaced their application by stating that they supposed he would refuse to pay as all other Friends had done, but they nevertheless deemed it their duty to call upon him. After considering the matter for a little time, he astonished them with the reply that he should not decline to pay the tax. The spokesman was led to inquire how it happened that he could conscientiously pay when the others had refused. He answered, 'The fact is that the money has got to go through so many hands like thine and Stephen Barker's, I have no fears that any of it will ever be used for war expenses.' " New Bedford, like all New England, paid reluctantly what was con- tributed towards sustaining this war with the British Crown. The sad experiences of Bedford village and Fairhaven during the British invasion of September 5, 1778, had left a powerful impression on their inhabitants. Many were still living and participating in the active affairs of the War of 18 12 who suffered the sad experiences of that day. The younger generation must have been imbued with mem- ories of these events, transmitted through the traditions told at the fire- sides. That this was true is illustrated by the manifestations of fear frequently exhibited during the eventful months of 18 14. Reports of the presence of war vessels in the vicinity were brought in by arriving craft, and kept the communities in a constant state of agitation. In the middle of April the British war vessels, Victorious, Endyinion and Peacock made their appearance in Vineyard Sound. On wings of the wind the fact was brought to our community, and with it the report that the fleet was to operate against New Bedford. Though the report proved to be without foundation, for the fleet left the sound April 20, its effect was fruitful in thoroughly alarming the people on both sides of the river. Many families packed their household goods and con- veyed them to places of safety. Ships and other sailing craft were moved up the river, and every precaution taken to place them beyond 24 1 86 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the range of the guns of the enemy. The garrison at Fort Phoenix was alive with activity in putting the fort in trim, while the militia were busy in completing their preparations for the defence of the town. The throngs of people who yearly picnic at the fort in the lovely summer days can little appreciate how important was their rock of de- fence to the villagers on either side of the river at this period. At the present day this little redoubt, with its battery of small guns, may seem to have been of puny strength. But let our readers remember, when they shall be tempted to look with ridicule upon this fortification, that in the times of the American Revolution and the War of 1812, it was in reality a tower of defence to our harbor, and was justly looked upon as being equal to any emergency that might arise. There can be no question but that Fort Phcenix, with its garrison, was an effective men- ace to the fleets of war vessels hovering in our bay during the times of which we write. But the enemy came not ; in a few days peace and quiet were restored, and the affairs of the towns moved on as before. This peaceful condition was of limited duration, for the advent of the State troops weekly arriving in the town served to keep matters in com- motion and prepared the people for the ruder shock that occurred a few weeks later on. On Monday morning, June 13, 18 14, the guns at Fort Phoenix sounded an alarm, announcing the approach of seven or eight barges from the British brig, Niinrod. The weather being hazy the boats were not discovered till they were close in to the fort. The towns on both sides of the river were at once in wild commotion, and preparations were made to receive the enemy. The militia gathered in force, and had the enemy attempted to land he would have met with a warm reception. It is evident that the enemy was aware of this, for the flotilla of barges soon withdrew from the river and proceeded eastward to effect (it is supposed) a landing at Mattapoisett. The sudden ap- pearance of the loaded barges caused intense excitement among the people. The defenceless portion of the community was taken into the suburbs, the roads leading out of the town were alive with wagons loaded with women, children, the sick, and household goods, and eve- rywhere was panic and confusion. Charles Eldredge said : " I was ■seven years old when this event took place, and I well remember the CONSTERNATION OF THE PEOPLE. 187 consternation that prevailed among the families on the other side of the river. I was taken in the arms of my father's housekeeper and carried to Ephraim Pope's house at Naskatucket, where our family remained until the excitement over the event had subsided." Capt. Warren Delano, with his three sons, Warren, Frederick and Franklin, called at the house of Silas Allen, and taking his daughter Rebecca with him in his chaise, drove to Long Plain." Here he left the four children in charge of a friendly farmer and awaited the anticipated attack on the village. That night all four of the little ones slept in the same bed with the good woman of the house. The farmhouses scat- tered along the frontier of the towns were objective points to the refu- gees, and proved to be asylums of rest for the weary and helpless. Says our friend, George H. Taber: "Our house" (the same in which he now resides at Oxford village) " was filled all day long with neighbors from the village, who had fled from their homes." The venerable Mrs. Rachel Samson says that she was at the little school-house, then located on the corner of North and Main streets, in Oxford village, when the guns at Fort Phcenix sounded this alarm. The session came to a speedy close, and the 'children, filled with frantic fear, sped to their homes. When Mrs. Sampson arrived at her father's (Richard Wood's) house, she found it filled with people from the lower village. Some of them stayed all night ; and she remembers that the front hall stairs were occupied by a number of children, who slept through the weary hours, with their little heads pillowed on the stairs above them. Her father was making preparations to shave, and was in the act of warming water in a skillet by the fire when the guns boomed their notes of warning. He sensibly postponed the completion of his toilet, and buckling on his regimentals, hied away to the village to join his milita company. These incidents may not be of much value, perhaps, but they serve to show > This young miss was the late Mrs. Thomas C. Stoddard, of Fairhaven, who died in 1890 at the age of eighty-two. She related a story of Capt. Noah Stoddard, who one day visited Fort Phoenix in an official capacity. As he approached the officers' quarters he saw a man apparently transact- ing some business with an officer in charge. Looking through a window, he saw them secrete a paper lin the table drawer, upon hearing his approach. Entering the room Captain Stoddard de- manded the paper, which proved to be a pass granted by the fort officer to a New Bedford mer- chant, allowmg passage for his vessel to the lower harbor for the purpose of supplying the en- emy's war vessel with fresh provisions. The sequel was the naarching of the fort officer through the town on the following day, on his way to Boston for trial. 1 88 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the terrified condition of the people during these days of anticipated in- vasion by the enemy. A party of militia marched to the assistance of the people at Matta- poisett, but the barges passed that place, the enemy showing no dispo- sition to land. On the afternoon of June 13, a meeting of the citizens of Bedford village was held to consult upon the grave condition of af- fairs and to adopt additional means for the defence of the town. Guards were stationed at different points, who were charged with the duty of giving prompt alarm on the approach of the enemy during the night. We may well suppose that little sleep came to the disturbed house- holds during these weary hours, for at night the signal guns from the fort sent out again their notes of alarm, and once more were renewed the scenes of terror, intensified by the blackness of night. " They are vividly before me now," said Thomas Durfee. " My father then lived on Johnny Cake hill (Bethel street), and my room was on the south side of the house and overlooked the river. At the boom of the first gun I leaped from my bed, and saw the flash of the second as I stood at the window. Hastily dressing, I rushed down stairs, where I found the household in the most intense fright, my mother walking the floor and wringing her hands in terror. I made good time in reaching Captain Nelson's, where I obtained my order for arms and ammunition, and joining the military company, marched to the fiver and waited in vain for the enemy to land." The cause of this second alarm was the report brought in by a man from the Vineyard who said he saw two barges a mile or two this side of Black Rock. A statement was made by the captain of a Swedish vessel, who boarded the Nimrod a few days after to obtain permission to clear his vessel from this port, that they had come for the express purpose of capturing the fort and to burn and destroy the shipping in the harbor, but not being able to ar- rive before daylight they suspended operations till a more favorable occasion. After the British barges had left the harbor they proceeded up the bay, and under a flag of truce effected a landing at Wareham Narrows at II o'clock A. M. The invading force consisted of 225 armed men in six barges. Their coming was not unexpected, for information of it had reached the town early in the morning. The surrender of the pub- INCIDENTS OF THE INVASION. 189 lie buildings was peremptorily demanded, and the threat made that should the troops be in any manner interfered with, every house within reach should be burned. The demands of the enemy were acceded to, for the town was unable to make any resistance. To make their posi- tion doubly secure, the British seized several men and boys who were detained as prisoners, and the enemy declared that they should be put to death if the promises were violated. After stationing sentinels back of the village, the soldiers proceeded with their work of destruction. Twelve vessels were set on fire, five of which were totally consumed. The torch was applied to the cotton factory, but the flames were extin- guished soon after the enemy's departure. It was estimated that $25,- 000 damage was done to the property in the town. These facts were gathered from accounts of the affair that bear the date of June 17, 1 8 14, and over the signatures of the selectmen of the town, Benjamin Bourne and Benjamin Fearing. The story is told of Billy Freeman, a character of this town, that, observing a squad of soldiers in Squire Fearing's cornfield, he mounted a fence and shouted to the representatives of the British crown, " Say now, you'd better get out of that lively, for if Squire Fearing catches yer he'll give yer h — 1." This threat did not seem to alarm the soldiers, for they continued in their work of destruction. When the enemy had departed, some one told Billy that the invaders were English soldiers. This information fairly paralyzed the fellow for a time, and when he had sufficiently recovered, he put straight for the adjoining woods and was not seen again for several days. Billy was well known all about the neighboring towns for his wit and humor. One day he called at Hum- phrey Taber's store, at Long Plain, to get his mug of cider from the barrel that in the season was always kept on free tap. Mr. Taber drew a large pitcher full and from it poured a glass for him. Disposing of this, Billy took up the pitcher and drained it to the bottom. The pro- prietor gazed at him with a look of indignation and remarked, "I didn't mean all that for you ! " "I didn't mean to drink it all," said Billy, "but the cider was so hard that I couldn't bite it off." The passage up the bay of this flotilla of armed British barges carried terror to the inhabitants along shore, and every little community was thrown into the wildest excitement. The arrival of the militia from the igo HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. inland towns added to the confusion that reigned everywhere ; and the inspiring strains of drum and fife, heard along the roads leading to the coast, made the day one long to be remembered. It happened on this very eventful morning that a happy thought came to the young wife of Tilson Denham, then a resident of Rochester town, and for many years afterward a citizen of New Bedford. It was a lovely day to visit her mother at Great Neck, Sippican, the good old name of Marion. It was not long before she was mounted on her saddle-horse, and with her babe in her arms was cantering off through the woods, joyous in the an- ticipation of her visit to the old homestead. As she emerged from the woods and was entering the village, she found the terror-stricken people packing their household treasures, for the Nimrod panic had struck the town, and the same scenes of fright were being enacted that had taken place at Bedford and Fairhaven. Seeing this, Mrs. Denham was soon galloping homeward, making as good time as her horse was capable of doing. When halfway home she was suddenly brought to a halt by the sound of martial music and the tread of advancing soldiery. Pa- tiently she waited, and soon there came down the road to the swinging music of fife and drum the Rochester militia company, Capt. Micah H. Ruggles commanding, then on their way to the defence of the seacoast. Urgent as seemed their country's call, the courtesies due to the fair sex were not overlooked, for at the gallant captain's command the soldiers halted, opened ranks, presented arms, and, at Captain Ruggles's request, Corporal Denham left the ranks and escorted his wife and baby through the lines, amid the plaudits of his fellow soldiers. As the company continued their march toward the sea, Mrs. Denham and her baby pro- ceeded on their homeward journey. It is proper to mention the fact that that baby was our well-known and honored citizen, Tilson B. Den- ham. The weeks that followed the visit oi \h& Nimrod' s barges to our har- bor, and their subsequent attack on Wareham, resulted in awakening the inhabitants to a keen appreciation of the serious character of the situation. The Nimrod still hovered in the bay and was liable at any moment to make an assault on the town. Charles Eldredge said that, with other boys, he often climbed to the belfry of the church, now Phoenix Hall, and watched with eager interest the movements of this :e^J--> ■g°-hyF.G.Ka--'"".o.-^J^3^ -^^^ ^^^^-f^^Z^ // NOTABLE EVENTS— THE SECOND GREAT FIRE. 261 but Orderly Sergeant Leonard furnishes a list of names of some who belonged to the organization : Captain, Cyrus Washburn: lieutenant, ; ensign, Tillinghast Bailey, jr.; or- derly sergeant, Elisha C. Leonard; privates, Charles P. Seabury, James H. Richmond, Frank Dillingham, James Hafifords, Charles Heath, James D. Parker, Thomas Allen', Charles Tarr, Peregrine White, William Luce, Davenport, Benjamin Hill, Charles h! Sylvester, Seth McFarlie, Lorenzo Dillingham, Roderick Harrison, Elisha D. Howland, Jacob S. Parker, Thomas Peaks, James Bates, William H. Doane, John W/iod, Seth Sampson, John Nash. Mr. Leonard says it is possible there are errors in this list, for it is now sixty years since the last parade. James R. Denham has in his pos- session one of the original spears carried by the Jackson Blues, and also exhibits the sword of Capt. John Harrison when he commanded the Washington Artillery. Ensign Charles Eldredge gives the following list of boys who com- posed a juvenile military company in Fairhaven about 1820: Captain, Edward Marchant; lieutenant, Isaiah F. Terry; ensign, Charles Eldredge; drummer, Samuel H. Eldredge ; fifer, Joseph Stetson ; privates, John Terry, Alexander Swift, John Church, Elery T. Taber, Daniel Taber, Nathaniel Stott, William Stetson, Joseph B. Merrihew, Joseph Taber, Josiah Taber, Henry Dabney, Ansel Gibbs, Bar- nard Damon, Nathan Delano, Gideon Alden. January 6, 1826, the New Bedford Mercury was enlarged to a six- column sheet. It was published by B. Lindsey & Co., the firm consist- ing of B. Lindsey, B. T. Congdon, and B. Lindsey, jr. June 12, 1827, the first number of the New Bedford Courier appeared, published by Benjamin T. Congdon. A circus was advertised Novem- ber 14, 1828, to appear every evening except Sundays, on County street, opposite the academy, with the best equestrian company in America. The circus house, or amphitheater, as it was sometimes called, was located on the northwest corner of County and Elm streets, just north of the County street M. E. Church. The Lyceum Society was organized December 8, 1828. The officers elected were: Stephen Merrihew, president; Abner Bourne, Benjamin Rodman, vice-presidents; curators, Charles W. Morgan, Thomas A. Greene, Joseph Congdon ; committee of arrangements, Orville Dewey, J. H. W. Page; corresponding secretary, Francis Rotch; recording sec- retary, William T. Hawes ; treasurer, W. C. Taber. 262 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The Mansion House, formerly the residence of WilHam Rotch, cor- ner of Union and North Second streets, was opened as a hotel by J. Webster, December 19, 1828. On July 25, 1830, occurred what may properly be termed the second great fire. I present the account as vividly portrayed in the New Bed- ford Mercury : " On Sunday morning last the inhabitants of this town were alarmed by the cry of fire, which proved to be the dwelling-house of William H. Allen (now southeast corner of School and Seventh streets) and ow- ing to the combustible material, after a long spell of dry weather, and the citizens being collected in the several churches at distant points, before effective aid could be obtained the whole building was enveloped in flames. The dwelling-house of Gideon Allen adjoining was almost immediately on fire and entirely consumed. As the wind was strong from the west and the position elevated, cinders were wafted from the burning mass in great quantities, threatening destruction to all within their range. The large carpenter's shop of Dudley Davenport, as also a boat-builder's shop belonging to Jethro Coffin, both considerably re- moved from where the fire originated, the latter three-quarters of a mile at least, were set on fire by these floating flakes of fire and consumed to the earth with the rapidity of magic. " For a time the aspect of affairs was truly appalling. Several build- ings narrowly escaped, which in their destruction would necessarily have involved a widely-spread conflagration. But through the untiring and judicious efforts of the fire department and the citizens generally, the further progress of the devouring element was happily arrested. The loss of property is very considerable, and it has fallen upon citizens eminently distinguished for worth and enterprise. Besides the above enumerated, a barn belonging to Tilson B. Denham, and a quantity of oil owned by Abraham Barker, esq., in the cellar of Mr. Davenport's shop, were consumed, the latter insured. Mr. Davenport's loss is esti- mated at not less than $10,000, being perhaps one-half of the whole amount sustained. "The efficacy of the newly organized Protecting Society was very strikingly shown on this occasion. Much property was rescued from destruction, and much preserved from injury through the well-directed ANOTHER FIRE — NECROLOGY. 263 exertions of this association. It was an occasion which loudly called for the best efforts of every one ; and to the backward in exertion, if such there were, the conduct of the softer sex (ladies were actually seen passing water and furnishing refreshments to the exhausted firemen) must have proved an effectual monition. " There is no doubt that this fire was occasioned by a lad's inadver- tently dropping coals from a shovel. This should be a caution to every one to provide themselves with a covered shovel made for the purpose of carrying fire, which may be had at a small expense, and is perfectly secure. " We have heard the interminable ringing of bells in cases of fire justly complained of After the alarm is effectually given, surely no possible advantage can result from keeping up a ringing for hours, and it may be seriously injurious to the sick as well as annoying to the near dwellers." , This criticism recalls a story of a gentleman visiting this town, who, hearing the fierce ringing of the bells, rushed into the street, and see- ing the people running in one direction (for it was the prevailing cus- tom to depend on the clanging bells, rather than on the boisterous cry of fire), was led to inquire of a passer-by what was the matter. " A fire," was the response. " A fire ? A fire ? My dear sir, do they have private fires in this town ? " The fact that he heard no voices crying fire led the stranger to ask this question. In 1833 Perry Russell's prussian-blue works, then located on the northwest corner of William and Sixth, street took fire in the night and burned to the ground. The house recently torn down by the Y. M. C. A. was in great danger and would have been consumed but for the vigor- ous efforts of the firemen. One of these, Capt. Humphrey W. Seabury, helped drag an engine into the yard, and finding the well had given out, took the contents of one of the vats to supply the engine. The owner of the house had the satisfaction next morning of seeing his house saved from the flames, and of finding it painted a new color, a beautiful blue. Among the deaths occurring in the town at this period were: 1826, March 18, Abraham Smith, for twenty years postmaster of the town, aged seventy-seven; 1826, September 29, Capt. John Rowland, aged eighty-five; 1826, October 5, William B. Rotch, son of Benjamin Rotch 264 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. of England, aged twenty-three; 1826, December 21, Deborah, widow of Capt. Philip Rowland, aged seventy^two ; 1827, January 30, Eliza- beth, wife of William Rotch, a worthy member of the Society of Friends; 1827, July 18, William West, aged seventy-four; 1827, July 28, Syl- vester Greene, aged ninety; 1828, May 16, William Rotch, aged ninety- four; 1829, March 3, Capt. William Meader, aged seventy- eight; 1829, June 16, Joseph Bourne, for many years chairman of the Board of Selectmen, aged forty-one; 1829, August 22, Gilbert Russell, aged sixty-nine. As late as 1824, cows were allowed to run at large, except at night. The community was again alarmed with regard to the small -pox in 1824. A committee consisting of the selectmen, William Whitridge, Gideon Randall, Paul Spooner, and Alexander Reed was authorized to raise money for the purpose of preventing the spread of the disease. At a town meeting held December 20, 1824, the selectmen were au- thorized to employ "four good and sufficient persons to keep a night watch for four months from the present time, and two men during the remainder of the season." A tovyn clock was purchased in May, 1825. At a special meeting, May 23, 1826, the town voted to petition the legislature that a " public gaol " for the county of Bristol be erected within the limits of New Bedford. The high school was discontinued in 1829, under an act of the legis- lature. The number of watchmen was increased in 1829. This, without doubt, was deemed necessary on account of the Ark riot. Among the business men of New Bedford in 1830 were the following: WilUam C. Maxfield, tailor ; John Bailey, britannia ware ; Mr. Negus, lessons in penmanship ; Brightman & Barstow, spars, planks, ship tim- bers, etc.; Wing Russell, fresh northern honey in pots, worm lozenges and medicine ; E. W. Greene & Co., dye stuffs, logwood, vitrol, etc.; Oli- ver Swain, boots and shoes; Macomber & Sullings, dry goods; S. & C. S. Tobey, dry goods ; Philip Anthony, dry goods ; WiUiam Swain, portrait painter; Jacob Parker, chains, anchors, gunpowder; WiUiam Eddy, groceries and general goods; Francis Taber, jr. & Co., hardware, stoves; Ivory H. Bartlett, southern corn, salt; Coggeshall, Richmond & ACCEPTATION OF HIGHWAYS. 265 Vose, dry goods and notions; F. S. Alden, flannels, woolens, and yarns; Oliver Crocker, general merchandise; John P. West, lime and bricks; Frederick Bryant, hardware and looking glasses; Elisha Thornton, fresh figs from Turkey ; Watson Ellis, cabinetmaker ; Paul Ewer, boots and shoes ; Isaac Howland, jr. & Co., patent cordage, hawsers and rigging ; Benjamin Hill, groceries. West India goods; Dyre & Richmond, copper- smiths; Edward Stetson, quadrants, compasses; A. Gerrish, jr., agent Delaware and Hudson Coal Company. At the annual town meeting in 1830, the boundaries of streets and roads were fixed, and monuments placed in proper positions. Each monument was a block of granite, with the top squared. The upper end was placed nearly even with the surface of the ground, and a cross- cut, or a drill hole, marked the precise line of intersection. The following table gives the dates, previous to 1830, when many of the streets were accepted as public highways : Union Street April 26, 1769. Spring street, first part March 22, 1 800. second " May 8, 18-.^4. School street, first part.. . .March 22, 1800. second " May 14, 1807. third " May 10, 1809. Walnut street March 14, 1796. Bush street May 14, 1807. Water street, first part March 8, 1769. second " ... .March 13, 1788. First street March 10, 1796. Second street, first part. . .March 22, 1800. second "" .April 22, 1823. Third street, first part March 14, 1796. second " May 8, 1797. third " May 14, 1807. fourth " ... March 20, 1804. Fourth street, first part .. March 22, 1800. second " ....May 14, 1807. third " April 13, 1829. Fifth street, first part March 22, 1800. second " April 6, 1829. Sixth street, first part . . . .March 22, 1800. second " May 9, 1806. third " May 2, 1818. fourth " March 29, 1821. Seventh street May 14, 1807. Russell street March 21, 1821. [At an earlier period this was called Halifax street.] Wing street March 29, 1821. 34 South street March 20, 1808. North Second St., first part . . May 13, 1784. second " May 3, 1794. third " May 4, 1795. fourth " March 22, 1796. Purchase St., first part May 4, 1795. second " Aug. 24, 1802. Ray street May 14, 1 798. William street May 4, 1795. Elm street, first part April 6, 1800. second " April 5, 1819. third " May 13,1808. fourth " March 28, 1831. Middle street, first part May 13, 1788. second " Jan. 30, 1796. third " ... .May— ,1798. fourth " Aprils, 1813. Middle street, first part May 13, 1788. second " Jan. 30. 1796. third " May-, 1798. fourth " ..Aprils, 1813. High street May 8, 1800. Charles street May 15, 1807. Mill street March 30, 1806. Pleasant street March 30, 1806. North street Sept. 8, 1787. Hillman street April 26. 1808. Maxfield St., first part March 22, 1796. second " April 26, 1808. Willis street, first part. . . .Aug. 24, 1802. second " . ..May 14, 1812. 266 HISTOR\ OF NEW BEDFORD. CHAPTER XVI. 1830 to 1840. Events of Intereit — The Cholera — Financial Distress — Disastrous Fire — Mili- tary Matters — Disorganization of the Militia — Divers Events — The First Directory — The Pacific Insurance Company — Notable Deaths. VIGOROUS action was taken by the town in 1830 to restrict the sale of liquor At the town meeting in April resolutions were passed recommending the selectmen to limit the number of retail dealers to five, and " that they be qualified by their character for integrity, discretion, and firmness, faithfully to fulfill the important obligations which the law enjoins." The school appropriation for 1830 was $4,225, and was distributed through the six districts into which the town was divided, with a special sum of $300 for a school for colored children. A stage route between New Bedford and Padanaram village was established June i, 1830. The New England Caravan gave an exhibition in New Bedford Oc- tober 28, 29, 1830. Ninepence was charged for admission. The Siamese twins were first exhibited in New Bedford at the Mansion House, October 24, 1831. They remained in town for a week on ac- count of the detention of the boat for Nantucket. The Mechanics' Insurance Company was chartered June 9, 1 83 1, with a capital of $I00,000, for marine risks only. A subscription was opened October 28, 1831, to procure funds for erecting an observatory on Prospect Hill, to be attached to the Mariners' Church, then building. This observatory was built on the tower of the church and was seventy feet in height from the level of the street. In 1 83 I the streets were lighted with " lanthorns," and $1,250 were appropriated for their provision and maintenance. In 1832 special at- tention was given to the improvement of the streets and highways. The first flagged sidewalks were laid this year, and several reservoirs were built. . AV) FINANCIAL EMBARRASSMENT. 267 , Peony-post delivery for letters was first inaugurated in New Bedford, February 2, 1832, when Richard Williams was postmaster. Two cents were charged for local mail. In 1832 the Asiatic cholera, that had devastated many cities in the old world, made its appearance on this continent. It created great con- sternation throughout the land, and every precaution was taken to pre- vent the spread of the pestilence. At a special town meeting held June 23, 1832, action was taken by the appointment of a vigilance committee. It was given extraordinary powers ; and the town treasurer was author- ized to borrow such moneys as were necessary to carry into effect such sanitary measures as the committee should adopt. Samuel Rodman, jr., was the chairman of this committee, which was composed of thirty of the most prominent citizens. The dreaded scourge did not gain a foot- hold in New Bedford, but was very fatal in the West and South. The Courier oi August 17, 1832, says the Christian church (the North Christian) was raised in three days by twenty men under the direction of the Messrs. Davenport. It was probably the largest place of public worship in the county — 90 feet in length, 70^ feet in breadth, and 145 feet to the top of the spire. No ardent spirits were used during its erection. June 4, 1833, the town passed a vote, inviting President Jackson, who was making a tour through several Northern cities, to visit New Bedford. The committee of citizens, Rowland R. Crocker, Robert S. Smith, Lemuel Williams, John H. Clifford, Charles W. Morgan, Joseph Grinnell, and William T. Russell, received the following reply. to the invitation : "New York, June lb, 183.3. " Grentlemen : I have received your communioation inviting rae in behalf of the citizens of New Bedford to take that place in my tour to the North. It vvould give me pleasure- to exchange friendly greetings in that quarter, but finding that it i.s some distance from the route which I propose to travel, I must beg leave to decline the invitation and rely upon your kindness in making acceptable to ray friends at New Bedford this assurance of my respect and gratitude to them. Your obedient servant. " Andrew Jackson." The years 1833—34 were seasons of great distress and financial em- barrassment in New Bedford, as elsewhere. A public meeting was held January 16, 1834, to take into consideration the deranged state of the 268 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. money market. James Arnold presided, with John Perkins and Joseph RicTtetson, secretaries. The meeting was largely attended, and many citizens were unable to gain entrance to the hall. A committee con- sisting of James Howland 2d, Alfred Gibbs, Charles W. Morgan, James B. Congdon, John H. CliflFord, and William W. Swain, was appointed to prepare resolutions, which were adopted by the meeting. Their case was presented to the House of Representatives in Washington, Febru- aYy 5. Hon. John Reed, who presented it, said that New Bedford had been highly distinguished for its enterprise, and that its prosperity had been almost unexampled in the country. But three cities in the country had more vessels than New Bedford, and in none had they been more successfully or usefully employed. He stated " that while in the full tide of success, suddenly and unexpectedly they have been plunged into almost overwhelmed distress; that trade and confidence are in a great measure destroyed and business stopped ; that they can- not fulfill their engagements, because they cannot sell their property for cash, or obtain any loan of money ; many worthy and hitherto prosper- ous men have been ruined, and the future presents prospects awfully alarming and distressing. They believe the present calamity and dis- tress are mainly owing to removing the deposits and the measures re- sulting from the removal. They earnestly intreat Congress to restore the deposits, because they see no other mode of obtaining relief; but, at all events, to unite in affording speedy and effectual relief in such manner as their wisdom may direct." On February 22, 1834, a memorial adopted at a meeting of the citi- zens was forwarded to Mr. Reed. It was signed by 832 citizens of New Bedford, 219 of Dartmouth, 417 of Fairhaven, 287 of Wareham, 175 of Rochester, and 136 of Westport, in all 2,058. Only twenty individuals in New Bedford declined to sign the document This memorial was addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America. It set forth the deep distress and calamity befalling the people of New Bedford and vicinity and pra)ed for speedy relief. It urged the establishment of a national bank, claiming that such an in- stitution would again restore credit, security, and prosperity to the whole country. □DDUDD -j H^g:&flJ[jgtf DO a ■5'W»=r™»,^^^ 270 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. On Tuesday, November 18, 1834, there occurred a destructive fire, an account of which I take from the Mercury : " Yesterday morning at an early hour fire broke out in the building on Water street partly owned and occupied on the lower floor by James Wady as a boot and shoe store. The fire had previously made such progress that the building was almost immediately enveloped in flames, and notwithstanding that our firemen and citizens repaired to the shop with accustomed alacrity, their efforts to subdue it proved unavailing until after several buildings in the vicinity were entirely consumed. A violent gale from the east prevailed at the time, and such was the power to accelerate and extend the flames that the.scene presented at one time was truly appalling. Fortunately a rain during the night assisted to prevent the destruction which would otherwise have inevitably ensued. " The following is an enumeration of the buildings destroyed : On Water street (west side) a valuable dwelling-house, owned and occupied by Captain William Blackmer ; a two-story building adjoining, on the south, also owned by Captain Blackmer, and oc- cupied as a milHner's shop on the lower floor, and by a family in the chambers ; a three- story building, also adjoining on the north, owned by Captain Isaac Vincent, and occu- pied as a dwelling by several families, and in the basement as a victualing establish- ment by James Carver ; on the east side, a shop of James Wady, with a stock in trade valued at about $7,000 and heavy outstanding accounts; a building owned by J. & J. Howland, and occupied as a bakery by Messrs. Sayre & Denham ; a building owned by John Baston, and occupied by him- as a store-house for casks, etc.; a building owned by Mr. Thomas Howland, and iiiproved as a dwelling-house ; on First street (in the rear of Mr. Vincent's building) dwelling-house owned and occupied by Captain Bphraim Hathaway^ two small tenements owned by Mr. Richard Johnson, and occupied by families; and also another building occupied as a dwelling-house. " We have not been able to ascertain with correctness the amount of property de- stroyed. It cannot, however, be estimated at less than $20,000. Insurance on part of the property had been effected as follows: At the Bristol County Mutual Insurance Co.'s office, by Captain Blackmer on dwelling-house, $2,700; Jas. Wady, on building, $1 100- J. & J. Howland, on bake-house, |2,100; at the Manufacturers' office, Boston, by James Wady, on stock, $2,000 ; Isaac Vincent, on building, $2,000 ; W. Blackmer, on furniture $1,000.;. Thomas Howland, on building, §(300. None of the property was fully insured and the l^ss by several of the sufferers will be felt with much severity. To such we hope the benevolence of our citizens will be cheerfully extended." Some difficulty was experienced in removing a piano from one of the burning houses. The problem was solved by sawing off the legs in or- der to more easily get the piano through the doorway and down the staircase. It did not occur to these enthusiastic firemen that the legs could be unscrewed. At the regimental muster, held at Smith Mills in 1832 an episode oc- curred that without doubt resulted in the final disbandment of the Light DISSOLUTION OF THE LIGHT INFANTRY. 271 Infantry Company of New Bedford. The corps came on the field under command of Lieut. John H. Chapman ; and, as the other companies of the regiment were all commanded by captains, the Light Infantry Com- pany by strict military rule was assigned the left of the line. They had long occupied the post of honor, the right of the line, and were highly indignant when they found themselves displaced. When the regiment was drawn up in line and the places of each company definitely fixed, the Light Infantry Company under the command of a non-commis- sioned officer, Paul Ewer, marched off the field and encamped in an ad- joining meadow. Lieutenant Chapman retained his position in the line and thus escaped court-martial, though he was undoubtedly in sympa- thy with the action of his company. The incident created great excite- ment, for it was unprecedented in the history of the regiment. Such a violation of military law could not be overlooked ; each member was fined $12, and an apology from the company was demanded from head- quarters. The Light Infantry Company held several meetings to consider the situation, but refused to apologize, and were therefore disbanded. Their last meeting and parade was held December 17, 1833, at 12:30 P.M. Af- ter a business meeting, the company formed in line and marched up Union street, bearing a banner with the inscription, " United we stand, divided we fall." When the band struck up the tune, " O dear! what can the matter be?", the steps of the soldiers were animated to a re- markable degree, and the parade assumed somewhat of a grotesque character. So says one of the lads who stood on the sidewalk as the procession passed by. The company marched into the dining hall of the Eagle Hotel, where they partook of a sumptuous banquet. Thus closed the career of the Light Infantry Company, an organization that had its origin far back in the days of the American Revolution. The New Bedford Mechanics' Rifle Company was the legitimate suc- cessor of the Light Infantry Company, and was organized in 1834, with the following officers: Captain, Jeremiah G. Harris, commissioned Janu- ary 28, 1834; lieutenant, Benjamin F. Shattuck, commissioned Febru- ary 28, 1834; ensign, Eliphalet Cushman, commissioned February 8, 1834; clerk, Charles O. Boutelle. The company consisted of four ser- geants, four corporals, and sixty- three privates. Among the latter 272 ' HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. were : Caleb Maxfield, E. L. Foster, James Foster, C. B. Lucas, Dexter Jenney, Horatio Ely, Stephen Curtis, Joslyn, Charles Tanner, and William B. Doty. July i8, 1836, Captain Harris was elected major of the battalion of light infantry and continued in that office till March i, 1838. Stephen Curtis succeeded him in command of the Rifle Com- pany and was commissioned April 28, 1836. The other officers at this time were : Lieutenant, Seth H. Ingalls, commissioned September 26, 1836; ensign, Thomas Bailey, commissioned September 26, 1836. The company wore a rich uniform that consisted of a short frock coat and trousers of gray cloth, trimmed with black cord, the uniforms of the officers being decorated with gold cord. The imposing feature of the uniform was the leather cap, crowned with a plume of silver-gray hair. The first public parade took place on Friday, June 20, 1834. The Rifle Company was accompanied by the Boston Brigade Band. After marching through the streets they gave an exhibition of military move- ments, " performing a few evolutions which, for precision and accuracy, could hardly have been exceeded by practiced veterans." They then proceeded to the residence of Ensign Timothy Ingraham, on North Second street, where an elegant standard was presented them by Mrs. Ingraham, in a graceful and becoming manner. At the conclusion of these ceremonies, the Rifle Company returned to their armory in Mechanics' Hall and partook of a collation, served by Mr. Blake, of the Commercial Coffee House. Then over the bridge they went and exhibited themselves to the admiring gaze of the Fair- haven people, performing their military evolutions to the evident satis- faction of the crowds that lined the streets of the village. On their return they escorted Brigadier- General Thompson and staff and Lieut.- Col. Henry H. Crapo and staff' to Mechanics' Hall and there partook of a banquet. The hall was elegantly decorated in honor of the occasion. The festivities of the day were suddenly transformed into scenes of mourning by the receipt of the news of the death of Lafayette. While minute guns were being fired, the corps marched again through the streets to the solemn strains of a dirge, bearing badges of crape, with arms reversed, and with other demonstrations of sorrow. The Mechanics' Rifle Company was highly honored during its brief existence, being frequently called upon for escort duty on public occa- THE WASHINGTON ARTILLERY. 273 sions. In 1836 Edward L. White composed the New Bedford Me- chanics' Riflemen's march and dedicated it to Major-General Thompson. A copy of this music is in the Pubh"c Library. The company was dis- banded December 27, 1837. The Washington Artillery, whose existence dates back to the Amer- ican Revolution, was disbanded in 1836. It is impossible to give a complete roster of the company. Through the kindly aid of our ven- erable townsmen, Gideon T. Sawyer, the following list is presented of persons who were members of the organization at different times : James D. Proud, Stephen Daggett, Timothy Western, Gideon T. Sawyer, Joseph Chase, Isaac Maxfield, Caleb Hathaway, William Little, Samuel Little, George P. Dunham, Spooner Babcock, Lewis Thrasher, Philip Allen, Joseph Cromwell, Edward H. Wilkie, Thomas West, Simmons, David B. Chase, William Phillips, Thomas Booth, Spen- cer Pollard, James Davenport, Alden Braley, Reed Haskins, Ebenezer Parlow, Hartley H. Sparrow, Darius Davis, Thomas Jenney, James H. Collins, Charles Tobey, Elisha Everett, Stackpole, Benjamm F. Lewis, Thomas Peckham. Among the captains who served this company were George Dunham, John Harrisson, David Sylvester and Stephen W. Taber. John K. Gushing has given some boyhood reminiscences of the artillery company. He says that the gun-house stood in the line of State street and very near the big tree in the center of the Common. The " target- shoots " were great occasions for the Bedford youth, who were sure to be present. They were held on the lot on County street immediately south of the Bullock residence, the target being placed near the Cove shore. On returning to town the riddled target was elevated on the gun carriage, and displayed to the admiring crowds as the company passed through Purchase street on their way to the gun-house. At the time the artillery company disbanded they had an elegant- blue uniform, consisting of a double-breasted swallow-tail coat with heavy gilt buttons, and trousers decorated with heavy gold stripes. The head covering was a black chapeau, surmounted with a plume of brilliant red feathers. Major-General Thompson has kindly given free access to his military records, from which has been gleaned much valuable and interesting in- formation. The following correspondence contains important facts rela- tive to the closing career of the Washington Artillery. Major-General 35 274 HISTORY 01'' NEW BEDFORD. Thompson, in his report to Adjutant-General Dearbon, August 31, 1837, said : " Having occasion a few days since to visit the gun-house [-then situated wheje is now the Common], I found the guns in a shocking condition, having been injuied very much from the recent damp weather and from other causes. They have been without a company for more than a year. Liberty was granted about ten months since to form a company here, and at that time there was a prospect of raising one ; but it failed alto- gether, and I now see no prospect whatever of a company being formed to take charge of them. I have endeavored to raise a volunteer compan}', mostly for the purpose of taking care'of the guns (wii-hing to retain them w)th us), but that I find to be impos- sible. The gun-house is situated some distance from the village, and is very much out of repair, and I found on my recent visit that it had been broken open and the imple- ments were scattered all over the building and a part of the harness missing. I shall therefore recommend the removal of the guns, etc., to Boston, as I am sati-'fjed that nothing can be done toward raising a company here." In°October, 1838, the guns were sent to Boston, the house sold, and thus closed the career of the Washington Artillery. Bedford village was now without a uniformed military company, and the regular militia was in a deplorable condition. The annual musters were but burlesques, and every man who could escape service did soon the most trivial excuse. Indeed, the constant changes in the State laws which enlarged the class of "exempts" formed the chief cause of the demoralized condition throughout the State, and served to bring the whole service into contempt. In response to inquiries made in August, 1834, the following opinion was expressed and a prediction made by General Thompson that found its fulfillment within three years : " As my opinion as to the future prospects of the volunteer companies, in this brig- ade is requested, I will only state that I consider the law of March 29, 1834, directly calculated to destroy one of ihe most valuable of our republican institutions viz.: the organization of our militia. Under this law our volunteer companies can not lon^ ex- ist, and the cause I believe must be apparent to all who investigate the subject. " Very respectfully yours, James D. Thompson, " Brig.-Gen. 2d Brigade, 5th Division. "Adjt.-G-en. W. A. Sumner, Boston." It was about this period (1837) that the militia system of the State went to pieces. From its ruins arose the present organizations of vol- unteer companies. The training days and annual muster had become scenes of drunken- ^",9% rOKur'tcmt'^' ^^m,^^:r^^''K^ (3 DECLINE OF THE MJLITIA. 275 ness, gambling and riot. Thiere is a record of a muster in this vicinity where there were eight or ten open groggeries on the field. So dis- graceful were the scenes enacted that they called forth the severest conr demnation from the newspapers of the day. At a muster held in Fairhaven four or five members of a militia company came to the field each with a codfish strapped to his back in place of the regulation knap- sack. Their grotesque appearancjs made fun for the crowd, and for a time the performers in their novel armor absorbed the attention of the whole field. They continued to do so throughout the day, but under a change of circumstances, Colonel Crapo put them under arrest, sta- tioned a guard over them, had them fed at noonday on crackers and water, and kept them in confinement till the regiment was dismissed. The most attractive company of that time was the Washington Ar- tillery with its nearly new Continental uniform. Ensign Tuckerman carried a rich blue flag with the arms of the State upon it. The inusic of the fife, kettle and bass drums answered for ordinary occasions, but on extra days a full band was employed. At the May training in 1836 a militia company paraded in front of the court house on County street. At this time the whole militia system was in disrepute, and several of the company dressed in caricature. One represented the then renowned Jack Downing, and another the Indian chief, Black Hawk. Both were tall men, and they marched side by side for greater effect. Another soldier had a salt codfish strung over- his back. It was a cold, bluster- kig day and the captain, to keep up the dignity of his office, marched and counter-marched his company up and down the principal streets, much to their disgust, as the dust was blowing fiercely in their eyes. About the year 1835 there was formed a juvenile military company, consisting of twenty-five or thirty lads, many of whom lived on or about Johnny Cake Hill. They drilled in one of the rooms of the Dudley Davenport house, now standing on the southwest corner of Walnut and South Water streets. The company wore the inherited uniforms of the Jackson Blues, so far as boy soldiers could be found to fit them. The life of this organization was very brief, else it might have met the same fate as did the company whose members were once occu- pants of these same uniforms. The company was officered as follows : Captain, Charles C. Case ; lieutenant, Thomas L. Allen ; drill sergeant, 276 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Dudley Davenport. Among the privates were James Chase, Nathaniel Lucas, Joseph Dodge, and Charles G. Davenport. The most important feat of this corps of youthful soldiers was to march around the Head- of-the-River, which meant a tramp of seven miles for the lads. An in- vitation to partake of a collation by a resident on the route caused a full attendance, and as they marched over the bridge on their way to Acushnet, visions of sandwiches, jelly cakes, pies and tarts arose before them. " Blessings on the man who gives to youth a genuine pleasure," so thought these juvenile soldiers as they proudly marched to the res- idence of their host and grounded their arms under the sheltering oaks. Their thirst was assuaged at the open well with cool, sparkling water, and a liberal supply of apples was what they got for refreshments. The march homeward was in marked contrast to that of the morning. The company never survived this disappointing seven-mile march, and so it died. An Anti-Slavery Society was formed at Lyceum Hall June 25, 1834. A constitution was adopted and the following officers elected : Presi- dent, William Rotch, jr.; vice-presidents, Joseph Ricketson, John O. Choules, Andrew Robeson, Joseph Congdon ; corresponding secretary, John Burrage ; recording secretary, James B. Congdon ; treasurer, John F. Emerson. The subject of temperance was at this period in constant agitation. The following theme was discussed before the New Bedford Lyceum, October 28, 1834: "Would it be justifiable to make the subject of tem- perance a political question ? " The Mercury says : " The favorable state of affairs in New Bedford to-day, as concerns the scarcity of the grog-shops and liquor elements, is undeniably due to the earnest efforts of the citizens a generation or two ago, to suppress intemperance and the sale of ardent spirits." On June 15, 1835, the Mercury office was removed from the Macom- ber building to the brick building on Water street occupied by the Bed- ford Commercial Bank. It appears that in 1835, and for several years prior to that date, the sentiment in New Bedford against the circus and other traveling shows was expressed by the refusal of the selectmen to grant licenses. Circus managers escaped the effects of this edict by holding their exhibitions NOTABLE EVENTS. 277 in Dartmouth just across the line. The matter was discussed at two town meetings, and it was decided by a majority vote to instruct the selectmen to grant licenses for such entertainments. So it happened that the citizens were privileged for the two weeks following December 23, 1835, to attend Buckley, Weeks & Co.'s circus at the Amphitheater, corner of County and Elm streets. The Fourth of July, 1836, was observed with unusual ceremonies. The vessels in the harbor made a brilliant display with bunting and flags ; the revenue cutter McLane fired a salute early in the morning; at 10.30 o'clock a procession was formed in front of the court house, under the direction of Lieutenant Sturges, and marched through several streets ; an oration was delivered by Wendell Phillips. In the evening the cut- ter McLane, anchored in the harbor just abreast of Union street, was brilliantly illuminated. The Young Men's Anti-Slavery Society was organized in 1836, and held its first annual meeting January 2, 1837, '" the building formerly known as the Elm Street Academy. I. C. Taber was elected secretary. The first directory of the town of New Bedford was published this year by J. C. Parmenter. It was edited by Henry H. Crapo. It con- tained the names of the inhabitants, their occupations, places of busi- ness, and dwelling-houses ; the town register, with list of streets, wharves, town officers, banks, churches, fire department, etc. It con- tained also the by-laws and ordinances of the town. The subscription price was fifty cents ; extra binding, seventy-five cents. The subscription books for the building of the first railroad from New Bedford, were opened April 30, 1838. The Unitarian Church, corner of Union and Eighth streets, was dedi- cated May 23, 1838. An account of the services will be found in the chapter on churches. The Young Men's Anti- Slavery Society commemorated the abolition of slavery in the British West Indies by appropriate exercises, in the Elm street Methodist Episcopal Church, August 12, 1838. Rev. Orange Scott made the address. In 1838 a short section of South Water street south of Union was paved as an experiment to test this method of improving the highways. It proved successful and received the approbation of the citizens. 2 78 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. In 1839 the work was extended, and South Water street to School street, and Purchase street from Union to William, were paved. The record says : " The work stands well, and it is believed that this mode of repairs for our streets will prove more economical than any heretofore adopted. It is the only remedy that can be applied to those streets so situated as to be impassable with mud at certain seasons of the year." The Pacific Insurance Company was organized February 9, 1839. A meeting of the stockholders was held February 8, 1839, at the office of the Institution for Savings and the following board of directors was chosen: Elisha Dunbar, Abraham H. Howland, Thomas Nye, jr., Mat- thew Luce, Abraham Gififord, William C. Taber, Richard A. Palmer, Stephen N. Potter, Caleb S. Tobey, Jireh Perry, Frederick Parker, Isaiah Burgess, William H. Stowell. Elisha Dunbar was afterwards chosen president and Samuel Lumbard, secretary. The capital was $100,000, of which $50,000 was paid up and invested. The company took marine risks only. Among the deaths which occurred at this period were the following: 1830, February 24, Achus Sisson, aged eighty- two years; April 17, Ezekiel Chandler, aged ninety six ; July 19, Maj. John Coggeshall, aged seventy- three, an officer in Revolution ; August 30, David Kemp- ton, aged fifty two ; December 16, Timothy Howland, aged seventy- eight. 1 83 1, November 10, Benjamin Lindsey, aged fifty- four, original pro- prietor of the Mercury ; May 19, Ephraim Taber, aged eighty. 1833, January 25, Isaac T. Hathaway, aged thirty six, killed by a fall from a staging on the brig Hope ^ December 25, Paul Hathaway, aged seventy- eight. 1834, January 16, Isaac Howland, aged seventy-eight, an eminent and successful merchant. 183s, January I, David Kempton, a worthy member of the Society of Friends; January 6, Cornelius Howland; January 26, William Gor- don, aged eighty-one, an officer of the Revolution; August 24, Philip Cannon, aged seventy-nine, a wealthy citizen and a Revolutionary sol- dier ; September 5, Thaddeus Swain, aged eighty- three. 1836, January 22, Samuel Tupper, aged seventy-eight, a hero of the NECROLOG Y— SMALL-FOX. 279 Revolution; December 24, Samuel Rodman, aged eighty- three, a prominent and successful merchant and esteemed citizen; February 17, Allen Russell, of Fairhaven, aged ninety- one; February 21, Capt. Ephraim Simmons, aged ninety-seven, an officer in the American Rev- olution, a beloved citizen and patriot ; August 26, Deliverance Bennett, aged eighty, a hero of the Revolution ; December 9, Humphrey Rus- sell, aged ninety- nine, and esteemed member of the Society of Friends. 1837, February 6, Sijas Swift, aged ninety-two; January 22, Robert Wilson, aged ninety five; January 29, Desire Hathaway, aged loi years, 10 months, and 14 days, relict of the late Obed Hathaway; Au- gust 29, Maria Jenncy, aged sixty-six, wife of Jehaziel Jenney. 1838, July 21, Daniel Taber, aged seventy-four years. He was the first male child born in this village. 1839, July 10, Capt. Joseph Howland, of South Dartmouth, aged seventy-eight. CHAPTER XVn. FROM 1840 TO INCORPORATION OF THE CITY. Small-pox — The Athenseum — Notable Events — Death of President Harrison — Proposal to Change Form of Local Government — The New Bedford Guards — Their Uniform ^ Their First Parade — Their Excursions, Receptions, Visits and Parades — The Old Militia — The Last Parade — A Humorous Incident — Dissolution of the Guards — The Parker House — Assistance to Fall River Sufferers — Adoption of City Charter — Necrology ;— Selectmen 1812-1846 — Street Extension. "T'^HE small-pox again made its appearance in New Bedford in 1839 I and 1840. Prompt measures were instituted to control the dis- ease. Each house containing a case was constituted a hospital and its occupants subjected to rigid rules. One of the regulations reads : " Every person, without any exception, who shall leave your premises, shall be thoroughly smoked by you, before so doing." General vac- cination was enforced. The annual meeting of the New Bedford Athenaeum was held Jan- 28o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. uary 15, 1840. The report of the trustees was presented by Rev. John H. Morrison. It showed the receipts for the year to be $1,264.10, and expenditures $1,147. 14. The trustees made an Urgent appeal to the young men to more hberally patronize the Athensum, and to " take ad- vantage of the books and collections in the natural history cabinets, thereby developing their minds and preparing themselves for a thor- ough knowledge of those things most useful in a business life." The New Bedford and Taunton Railroad was completed in .1840, and opened jto the public July i. An account of the opening ceremonies is given in the chapter on railroads. The question of granting licenses for theatrical exhibitions, which was a vexed topic for several years, again came up at a special town meeting held September 14, 1840, and by a decisive vote of 566 to twelve the selectmen were instructed to grant such licenses. A license had been granted I. P. Adams for a concert and exhibition of comic songs and narrations at Mechanic's Hall, September i. It would seem that this fact had prompted the action of the town. The Whaling Insurance Company of New Bedford was organized under the State laws in 1840. Its marine risks were limited to $5,000 on each policy issued. George Howland, jr., president; J. H. How- land, secretary ; Thamas S. Hathaway, Gideon Richmond, Edward L. Baker, Oliver C Swift, B. S. Rotch, Wilson Barstow, Abraham H. How- land, Joseph C. Delano, Barton Ricketson, Jonathan Bourne, jr., Ed- ward W. Howland, S- W. Rodman, B. B. Howard, Clement P. Covell, directors. The market and town hall building was finished and occupied early in 1840. At a special town meeting held April 10, 1841, Joseph Grinnell pre- sided and Henry H. Crapo acted as secretary. Appropriate resolu- tions were presented and adopted, " lamenting the untimely death of William Henry Harrison, president of the United States, only one month from the date of his inauguration." April 27, 1840, was desig- nated for a memorial ceremony, and it was observed with great solemnity. A procession was formed at the town hall, Gen. James D. Thomson acting as marshal. It comprised military and artillery companies, rev- enue officers, congressmen, postmasters and civil officers, judges of the AGITATION FOR CITY GOVERNMENT. 2S1 court, school committee, town officers, and citizens. The procession, numbering 1,000 persons, marched to solemn music by the bands through the principal streets to the North Baptist (White) Church, where impressive services were held. In 1841 the town-house on South Second street was fitted up as an armory for the city guards, and for police court rooms. During the year 1841 the agitation of the question of changing the form of local government was begun. A series of articles appeared in the Mercury, written by a citizen under the nom de plume of " Romulus," earnestly advocating the change. He favored it in point of economy and set forth at length and in detail the plans of a complete municipal government. He described the benefits to be derived by the people therefrom, and endeavored to show that the size and business impor- tance of New Bedford had become too great for town government. The articles, which exhibited much erudition, were responded to and commented upon by other contributors. Among these were "Remus," " North End," and " Interrogation." The substance of these articles plainly indicated that the subject of a city government haei taken a firm hold on the public mind. This was revealed at the town meeting February 5, 1842, when the subject came up for general discussion. A test vote was taken upon the following resolution offered by Benja- min T. Congdon : ^'Resolved, That in the opinion of the citizens of New Bedford the time has not yet come, when the convenience of the citizens, or the public necessities call for an act incorporating this town into a city ; therefore, " Resolved, That the future consideration of the application for a city charter for New Bedford be indefinitely postponed." The vote on these resolutions was 373 in favor af their adoption, and 320 against, showing the w^de-spread feeling in favor of a city govern- ment five years before it was actually established. A volunteer light infantry company under the name of the New Bed- ford Guards was organized January 25, 1841, with the following officers: Captain, Harrison G. O. Colby; lieutenants, James H. Collins, Samuel Watson, James H. Crocker ; sergeants, Henry P. Willis, James B. Congdon, David Sifvester, John H. Chapman, William Howe; corpo- rals, Cyrus W. Chapman, Josiah B. King, Nathaniel R. Childs, Robert 36 282 HISTORl OF NEW BEDFORD. K. Eastman; surgeons, William R. Wells, R. S. S. Andros; treasurer, James B. Congdon ; armorers, Nicholas T. Brownell, William Brownell. The membership roll comprised about lOO citizens, many of them occu- pying positions of prominence in the community.^ The Guards wore a blue uniform, swallow-tail coats and trousers, both trimmed with white, the former with shoulder knots ; black leather belts, with priming wire and brush attached (for these were the days of the flint lock gun) ; cartridge boxes, held in position by broad white cross-belts over the shoulders; regulation caps, the form of which was unpopular, so they were called " coal hods." This dress was worn at stated drills and musters prescribed by the State. On festive occasions and public parades the Guards wore white trousers and Polish hats of unique design. The hat was of black leather, closely fitting the crown of the head, and rose in the form of an inverted bell, finished with a square flat top. From this floated a tall plume of white and red feath- ers; a braided loop of white cording from the sides across the front, and over the silver plated visor was a fluted metal plate called the ray, with a gold spread eagle, both brilliantly polished. The Guards numbered loo men, and formed one of the largest com- panies in New England. Henry C. Kelley, who happened to be the last one who signed the roll at its organization, was ever after known in the corps as " Old Hundred." The corps had a brass band well trained in martial music under the leadership of Sihon Packard. The first parade of the New Bedford Guards was on Tuesday, April 27, 1 841, on the commemoration of the death of the President of the United States, William H. Harrison. They performed escort duty on this occasion, aided by the Cohannet Rifle Company of Taunton and the Norton Artillery. After the exercises in the Norton Christian Church, the soldiers partook of a collation in the town hall. The chief marshal, Gen. J. D. Thompson, and Maj. J. H. W. Page made speeches in which the military organizations were highly complimented for the prompt and soldier- like manner in which they had performed their du- ties of the day. The death of one of the members, John Howland Allen, was recog- nized with appropriate resolutions, and the corps attended his funeral, 1 For the full list of members see appendix. THE NEW BEDFORD GUARDS. 283 which was held in the Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal Church May 27, 1841. It was a singular fact that the first two parades of the Bed- ford Guards were to perform escort duty for funeral processions. The first training day was observed June 8, 1841, and the company was exercised in military tactics under the command of Captain Colby. On the 5th of July, 1841, the Guards opened the festivities of the day by escorting a procession of Sunday-school children to the church where public exercises were held. They then proceeded to Taunton in response to a courteous invitation from the Cohannet Rifle Company, Captain Hall. They received the most cordial welcome and were the lions of the day. They were met by the Rifle Company and a large concourse of people, and escorted to the Green, where they were greeted with appropriate words of welcome by Hon. Francis Bayh'es in behalf of the citizens of Taunton. In the afternoon a banquet was given, at which speeches and toasts were made, highly complimentary to the New Bedford Guards. After the banquet, another parade through the town took place, and at 6 o'clock the Guards took their departure for home. The day's pleasure closed with a levee given by the officers. On July 29, 1841, Third Lieutenant James B. Congdon (who had been elected to that office June 7) presented his resignation and a request for discharge from the company. The high esteem in which he was held by his comrades is shown in the following resolutions which were adopted : " New Bedford, July 29, 1841. " liesnlved, That the New Bedford Guards have leoeived the resignation of their friend and comrade, Lieut., J. B. Congdon, as an ofBcer and member of the corps with profound regret ; but from the character of tlie reasons set forth in his letter of resigna- tion, they feel obliged reluctantly to yield to his requent." Mr. Congdon was a member of the Society of Friends, and it was in deference to its peace principles that he withdrew from this military or- ganization. On August 4 the Guards were again marching. They spent the day in Fairhaven, where they were greeted with a hearty speech of welcome by E. Sawin, esq., and were provided with a collation. The corps then made a parade about town, and after performing a number of evolutions returned home. August 25, 1841, was a gala day in New Bedford, the event being the arrival of the Providence Light Infantry, Captain Brown, that was 284 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. to hold an encampment for several days in our town. The occasion had been looked forward to with great interest in military circles, and liberal preparations were made by the residents to give the visitors a royal welcome. They were met at the station by the New Bedford Guards and a large cavalcade of citizens under the command of Col. John H. Clifford, who, after a parade through the principal streets, es- corted the visitors to their encampment on County street, near the residence of John A. Parker. At 3 o'clock the two military companies proceeded to the town hall, where a sumptuous dinner had been pre- pared for them by Mr Horton of the Mansion House. After dinner speeches by Caplain Colby, Colonel Clifford, and Captain Brown were followed by volunteer toasts and sentiments, intermingled with songs by Mr. Warner of Providence. The' occasion was one of keen pleasure and it was half-past five when the visitors were escorted to their tented field. The next day, Thursday, the ladies of New Bedford complimented the soldiers with an entertainment,. an account of which is taken from the records of the Guards : " The ladies of New Bedford have been long distinguished for their elegance and taste, but in the beautiful arrange- ments for the picnic at Blackmer's Grove they certainly exceeded them- selves. The tables extended nearly the entire length of the grove, and with the snowy drapery, the festoons and wreaths, the flowers, cakes and luscious fruits, formed the most elegant display ever witnessed. It is not enough to say that the affair was beautifully arranged, it was more; it was beauty's battle-field." Friday, the 27th, had been set by the Prov- idence Infantry for a reception of their friends in camp, but the weather was stormy, and this feature was abandoned. The disappointment was more than met by a ball given in the evening at the armory, now the Central Police Station. More rain and more disappointment followed on Saturday, and the anticipated drill was given up. The tents were struck in the forenoon, and under the escort of the Guaids the Provi- dence Light Infantry marched to the station and departed for home. Notwithstanding the stormy weather the occasion was conceded to have been one of the pleasantest of the season. A few weeks passed, and again the Guards in full uniform are on their way to the station to receive the Norfolk Guards, Captain Spoontr, THE NEW BEDFORD GUARDS. 285 of Roxbury, who had selected the day — October 11, 1841 — for a visit to the prosperous whaling city. These two companies are said to have been the largest in New England, and they made a fine appearance as they marched down town. At i o'clock they sat down to a public din- ner provided by the citizens, after which both companies gave an exhi- bition of their proficiency in drill. In the evening the Norfolk Guards were entertained with dancing in the armory hall, and returned on the following day to their homes, well pleased with New Bedford hospi- tality. In October the ante-rooms of the armory were elegantly furnished with carpets, mirrors and tables, the whole expense being borne by vol- untary contributions of the members. The Guards were now estab- lished in most comfortable quarters, and the close of the first year of their existence found them in a well- organized condition. June 21, 1842, the New Bedford Guards made an excursion to Nan- tucket in the steamer Telegraph, Captain Phinney. The hospitality of the islanders was unbounded and served to make the visit of the corps an occasion of the highest enjoyment. The event is spoken of with en- thusiasm by the few surviving veterans of to-day. The discipline and military accomplishments of the Guards at this time were in marked contrast to the rude methods of the militia that preceded them. The weekly drills were schools of learning in military tactics, and rapid ad- vancement was made in true soldierly graces that made the corps fa- mous in its day. The New Bedford Guards had barely recovered from the festivities at Nantucket before a committee was appointed to make arrangements for an excursion to Roxbury to visit their old friends, the Norfolk Guards, and on August 26, 1842, they spent the day in that city, re- ceiving a royal welcome from the citizens and military. On Septem- ber 21 the sad news of the death of their comrade, Alexander B. Dunbar, at Bremen, Germany, was received. Appropriate resolutions were passed; and the company marched to the residence of Mrs. Dun- bar and presented her an engrossed copy. The season of 1842 closed on October 10 with the annual target-shoot. The season of 1843 opened with a parade on Washington's Birthday. On election day in Rhode Island, May 2, the New Bedford Guards went on an excursion to New- 286 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. port in the steamer Massachusetts, where they were received by the Newport Artillery, Captain Swan, and the Rhode Island Horse Guards. In the afternoon the guards had dress parade in front of the State House and returned home the next morning. May training was observed on the 31st by a visit to Fairhaven. A rest of less than three weeks, and again the Guards are on the march, this time to take part in that great event, the celebration of the completion of Bunker Hill monument, June 17, 1843. They assembled at the armory at 3 o'clock Saturday morning, and marching to the sta- tion took the 4 o'clock train, arriving on Boston Common at 7.15. Here they joined the other military companies (fifty- eight organizations in all), and at 12 o'clock wheeled into the line of procession for Bunker Hill. It was fitting that New Bedford should be represented on this occasion, for the old township of Dartmouth had two militia companies in the army about Boston when the battle of Bunker Hill was fought, June 17, 1775. The Guards were entertained with a bountiful collation by their old friends, the Norfolk Guards. It was their privilege to listen to the famous oration by Daniel Webster. Our own city had a part in the patriotic enterprise of building Bunker Hill monument. In 1836 $642 were contributed for this ob- ject. ^ In speaking of the old militia times the opportunity must not be lost for recording some reminiscences of those days, furnished by Elisha C. Leonard. The old militia system gradually fell into contempt ; and as wealth increased, those who had military aspirations and could stand the ex- pense went into the uniformed companies; The uniforms, precise evo- lutions, and martial music served to render the parades and half-yearly exercises of the militia ridiculous; and the continued peace of the na- tion had allowed the active generation to come forward without knowl- edge of the art of war except that obtained from the traditions of the Revolution and the War of 18 12. The State laws, however, were in force, and all citizens between twenty and sixty years of age were sub- ject to a warning to perform military duty at May trainings and at yearly musters. 1 A list of the subscribers will be found in the appendix. CAPTAIN JACK'S LAST PARADE. 287 The afternoons of the training days were generally devoted to firing exercise. The companies fired by platoons on the march, divided and filed off to the right and left, and loaded muskets while the other pla- toons advanced and performed the same exercise. Sometimes the companies were drawn up in line and the firing was simultaneous ; then again a fusillade was discharged down the line from right to left. Re- freshments were deemed absolutely necessary in those days before the advent of temperance societies, and many an officer obtained his com- mission through his liberality in Santa Cruz, lemons and sugar. By the time the afternoon exercises were in operation the refreshments had begun to tell, and in the roar of the discharges one could not always be sure that his musket went off.. It was no unusual thing to see a soldier knocked head over heels by the explosion of a double charge in his musket. The effect was all the more terrific if the gun happened to be an old king's arm that was rusty and considerably breech-burned. The very last parade in this town was notable. There were three companies called the North Enders, Middle Company, and South End- ers. The latter company had elected a fine looking fellow as captain, who entered upon his duties full of enthusiasm. He determined that every man in his district should obey the laws of the State. " Train or pay " was his watchword, and he sent out his warning to every one liable to do military duty. There was a man boarding with this cap- tain's father who was rather feeble, and whom the old man requested his son, Captain Jack, to leave off the list and not to warn him, as he could ill, afford to pay the fine. The noble commander said he should be warned, and then ensued a contention that culminated in a fight in which the old man was soundly thrashed. The story soon became known by everybody about the town. On the day of inspection and parade Captain Jack appeared with a full company of one hundred men. His persistent energy, combined with the fear of being fined, had brought satisfactory results. The inspection and drill were as thorough as possible, and the enthusiasm of the commander permeated the whole force. A good dinner and plenty of refreshments followed, and in the afternoon the company was exercised in marching. At about 3 o'clock they paraded down Union street, Captain Jack at the head of the column, resplendent in a blue coat trimmed with lace, 288 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. epaulets, white trousers, red belt, sword, a bell- topped enamel hat, sur- mounted by a tall plume of red and white feathers ; in fact he was ar- rayed in the full uniform of an infantry officer. There was unusual order and compactness along the line save a little unsteadiness now and then, that betrayed the working of the punch. John Perry, of 'Dog Corner" fame, was in his place next to the second sergeant. His mus- ket was properly shouldered, and in his right hand he carried a long switch stick. He was constantly saluting and pointing to persons he knew among the spectators. The company passed down Union street, and Captain Jack wheeled his command into North Water street, which was crowded with people. Merchants, lawyers, traders, bank and in- surance officers and mechanics were there gazing upon the pageant as it marched along. No commander ever carried himself better than did Captain Jack, his form perpendicular and his step as measured and true as the most rigid disciplinarian could have desired. His lofty plume nodded gracefully in the air, and there was a manifest haughtiness and pride in his bearing that showed his appreciation of the dignity of his office. As the second section wheeled around the corner of North Water street, John Perry, with a broad smile on his countenance, and pointing forward with his stick, with stentorian voice that rang out above the music, shouted " That's the boy that whipped his daddy," The effect was electric, the crowd burst into one uproarious shriek of laugh- ter, and poor Captain Jack collapsed. In a meek and despondent spirit he marched his company home and dismissed it, never again to be as- sembled. Captain Jack's military days were ended. At six o'clock on the morning of August 2, 1843, the New Bedford Guards marched to the Pearl street station, and received the Boston Light Infantry, Captain Andrews, who, accompanied by the famous Boston Brigade Band, were to hold a three days' encampment in the town. After exchanging military courtesies, the two corps paraded through the principal streets. The encampment was held on the County street lot near the John Avery Parker residence, corner of Willis street. Late in the afternoon the soldiers partook of a banquet in the armory \ and in the evening there was a grand parade, the brilliancy of the oc- casion being enhanced by torchlights carried by the Philadelphia En- gine Company No. 7. On Saturday, the last day of the encampment. THE NEW BEDFORD GUARDS. 289 high carnival pervaded the town, and the festivities closed with another parade through the streets. The annual muster was held in South Bridgewater, September 25,1 843, and the New Bedford Guards were honored by being selected as escort for the governor and his staff. It is apparant from a glance through the financial records that at this time the Guards were feeling the force of the saying that " if you dance, you must pay the fiddler." Never- theless, they held their annual target shoot, May 29, 1844, at Benjamin Rodman's farm. The honors and a gold medal were won by John N. Barrows. The morning of August 22, 1844, found the Guards in marching order on their way to Providence, where they were to hold a three days' encampment for improvement in military tactics and other con- siderations. They were met by the First Light Infantry, Captain Brown, who provided them with an excellent breakfast at the railroad station. They were then escorted to the City Hotel and made wel- come with a speech from the mayor of the city. Their tents were pitched at the head of the cove, a convenient location, with beautiful surroundings. In the afternoon, a banquet provided by the Light In- fantry Company was enjoyed at the Franklin House. It is presumed that the next day, August 22, was devoted in part to military exercises, the only event that hindered the whole time being used for that purpose being a clam bake at Medbury's grove. The reader may judge for himself as to the proportion of time given to each. The 23d had been set down for a grand parade in the city, but the stormy weather made it impossible ; so the day was spent in camp pleas- ures peculiar to such conditions. Dress parade was observed late in the afternoon, during which time guard duty was performed by the Rhode Island Horse Guards. In tb^ evening the corps attended the theater, and on the next day, after visiting the several armories of the city, the New Bedford Guards were escorted to the station and pro- ceeded homeward. A pleasant surprise was in store for them on their arrival, for they were met at the station by a large body of cavalry and infantry under the command of their late sergeant, Henry P. Willis, who escorted them to the armory, where a second surprise greeted them 37 290 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. in the shape of a,bounteously spread table of refreshments. Thus ended one of the most enjoyable excursions in the history of the New Bedford Guards. Washington's birthday in 1845 ^'^'^ recognized by the Guards with a street parade and an entertainment in the town hall that was attended by military men from Boston, Providence and elsewhere. May training was held on May 28, 1845. The Guards pitched their tents at Fort PhcEnix, making the voyage across the river in the ferry boat Union, or the Crab, as she was called in our boyhood days. The best shot during the target practice was made by Mr. Tilson Wood, and he was awarded the silver medal. The Guards then embarked for home, and after a short parade re- turned to the armory, where they closed the festivities by assessing themselves 62-5- cents each to pay for the day's sport. It was about this time that the minds of some of the Guards began to be stirred with pleasant memories of the past. Visions of Nantucket, with hospitable people, their lavish entertainment in 1842, the genuine heartiness of the reception accorded the Guards, all these and more, came before them with such fascination that it required but little argu- ment to convince them that another excursion was indispensable. And so it came about, that on Tuesday, July 31, 1845, under the command of Lieut. Lincoln F Brigham, they were again on their way to the island. The visit of the New Bedford Guards had long been anticipated by Nantucket people ; and when the steamer Massachusetts hove in sight, large crowds wended their way to the various localities by which the Guards were to march. The windows and doorways along the route were filled with women and children, and the sidewalks were lined with men and boys. The American flag was flung to the breeze at the Whig reading-room, and salvos of artillery were fired as the steamer rounded up at Commercial wharf The Guards were received by a cavalcade of seventy citizens, under command of Matthew Starbuck, esq., assisted by William Summerhays, Barker Brownell, John Cook, jr., and Henry H. Jones. The escort was accompanied by the Nantucket band. As the procession marched through the principal streets, the visitors were greeted with shouts of welcome, the waving of handkerchiefs and other THE NEW BEDFORD GUARDS. 291 demonstrations of joy. The encampment of sixteen tents was pitched on a charming location, and the Guards went into camp fully prepared to enjoy themselves to their heart's content. Their own band was sup- plemented with several members of the Boston Brigade Band, and the citizens were daily entertained with music. The Guards were complimented for their manly and soldier- like ap- pearance and were considered good specimens of New Bedford citizen- ship. On Sunday they attended church and listened to a sermon by Rev. Mr. Knapp The service was an interesting one, the excellent singing by the choir and the fine organ music by Prof. Townley adding much to its impressive character. The festivities were continued on Monday with an excursion in the steamer Telegraph to Tuckernuck, and a ball in the evening in Washington Hall. The Guards returned home from the week's outing on Wednesday, August 6. They were met at the wharf and escorted to the armory by a. detachment of the Wilhs Guards, Henry P. Willis, commander This company was com- posed of former members of the New Bedford Guards. When, a few days afterwards, the Guards met and assessed themselves $20 apiece to pay the bills, the occasion was marked by its solemnity, quite in contrast to the target shoot when 62 1^ cents was all that was required from each to settle accounts. The following item in the rec- ords, written with pencil, is significant: "Excursion to Nantucket on camp duty for one week, August i, 1845," of which there seems to be no record. The fact was that the Guards, having in remembrance the unprecedented generosity of the Nantucket people on their former trip in 1842, made no special provision for the expenses. The New Bedford Guards paraded on the afternoon of September 1 1, 1845, and visited by invitation the residence of their commander, Capt. H. G. O. Colby, where they were treated to a collation. This enter- tainment seems to have been given to mark the close of Captain Colby's career as commander of the corps, for the annual muster that immedi- ately followed was the last public appearance of the New Bedford Guards in 1845. January 29, 1846, Lincoln F. Brigham was unanimously chosen captain, and on May 27 the list of officers was completed by the election of the following: First lieutenant, Seth Russell; second lieutenant, Ferdinand Vassault; third lieutenant (not mentioned), prob- ably A. B. Cory; fourth lieutenant, Barnabas Ewer, jr. 292 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. It being the regular May training, the company marched to Clark's Point, armed and equipped as the law directed, pitched their tents and proceeded to the duty of target- shooting. Stephen A. Tripp distin- guished himself on this occasion by making the best shot, and he was accorded the honors of the day. The Guards then struck their tents and proceeded to New Bedford, where they paraded through the princi- pal streets. Fourth of July was celebrated in an unusually patriotic manner It would surely interest our readers if we gave a detailed description of the procession, for which the New Bedford Guards acted as escort. Among the many organizations in line were the Masons, Odd Fellows, temperance societies and eleven fire engine companies, including one from Fairhaven. This company bore a beautiful banner, presented by ladies of that town. An oration was delivered by George Lunt, esq., of Newburyport, in the South Congregational Church (Trinitarian). In the evening there was a grand display of fireworks and a torchlight pro- cession of firemen with 400 flashing torches in the line. In the after- noon the Guards partook of a dinner at the Parker House, as guests of Philadelphia Engine Company No. 7. The occasion was enlivened with speeches and toasts, by Judge Colby, J. A. Kasson, and others. After their return to the armory their hearts were made glad by the receipt of a check for $50, the gift of J. H. W. Page, esq. Judging from the liberal expenditures made by the corps at this time, they had good reason to rejoice over the generous donation. The following list of officers of the New Bedford Guards appears in the city directory for 1845: Captain, Lincoln F. Brigham ; first lieu- tenant, James H. Crocker; second lieutenant, William Howe; third lieutenant, George A. Bourne; fourth lieutenant, John H. Chapman; quartermaster, David Baker; paymaster, Seth Russell; commissary, J. B. King; surgeon, Ebenezer Plant; treasurer, George A. Bourne; clerk, Thomas Bailey ; sergeants, H. F. Clark, B. Ewer, jr., F. W. Hatch, J. P. Merrick, Thomas Bailey; corpopals, E. T. Taber, S. A. Tripp, I. F. Parsons, Benjamin Hill; armorer, Benjamin Hill; assistant armorer, S A. Tripp. According to the records Captain Brigham was not fully commissioned till January 29, 1846. The sound of martial music on July 21, 1846, announced to the citi- THE NEW BEDFORD GUARDS. 293 zens that the New Bedford Guards were again on the march, this time to receive the Union Rifle Company of New York, who arrived in the schooner Ellen Rodman, Captain Sherman. Artillery salutes were fired by Captain Dunham, a veteran of 18 12, as the vessel rounded up to the wharf. The Guards escorted their guests to the Parker House, after a street parade, where a collation was served ; thence to their encamp- ment on Kempton street. The Riflemen were a fine looking body, in excellent discipline, and in their Highland uniforms made a splendid appearance. An excursion to Woods Hole, in steamers Massachusetts and Naushon, and a grand ball were included in the festivities of the occasion. At 5 o'clock in the morning of September 29, 1846, the New Bedford Guards took the train for the muster field at Abington. On their re- turn they went to Boston, where they paraded and were entertained with a collation at the Exchange. The opening months of 1847 found the New Bedford Guards wrest- ling with the financial problem that seemed to constantly harass their existence. By April they had recovered sufficiently to hold a grand ball on the 2d, that was not only attended by prominent men from out the city, but " the beauty and elite of this city were present, and a mer- rier company probably were never congregated together on any similar occasion in this place." The annual inspection and target-shoot took place on the Nash farm May 26, 1847, when Stephen Wing won the prize. It will interest many readers if we give the list of officers elected at the annual meeting : Captain, Seth Russell, vice L. F. Brigham, re- signed ; first lieutenant, Ferdinand Vassault ; second lieutenant, Barna- bas Ewer, jr.; third Heutenant, John A. Hawes; fourth lieutenant, Francis W. Hatch. In the evening, by invitation, the Guards attended the theater in Liberty Hall. April 29, 1847, the town of New Bedford became a city. The Guards recognized the event by calling upon His Honor, Abraham H. How- land, the first mayor, on the evening of June 8. The brass band vol- unteered their services for the occasion, and the evening proved to be highly enjoyable to all concerned. A fine collation was served. From the mayors residence they proceeded to the home of their former com- mander. Judge H. G. O. Colby, where a jolly hour was passed. 2 94 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. At 7.30 o'clock on the morning of June 28, the Guards embarked on steamer Nanshoti for an excursion to Woodville. Some 500 citizens joined them, and a good time was enjoyed by all. It was the intention of the Guards to spend the Fourth of July, 1847, in Edgartown, but they consented to postpone this excursion so as to perform escort duty at home. The day was observed with unusual enthusiasm, the festivities including a procession, an oration by J. A. Kasson, esq., a dinner in City Hall and fireworks. Among the visitors were two fire companies from Nantucket. The postponed excursion to Edgartown was made July 14, and while it proved to be a very pleasant affair it involved a pecuniary loss of over $300. It was confidently ex- pected that hundreds of people would accompany them on the trip, but only seventy-five went. It was an unfortunate affair, for it involved a heavy assessment to pay the bills. A brave attempt was made to rise above the existing difficulties, and with apparent success. A new uni- form was purchased in August, and the Guards went to muster at Abington, September 21, in fine style and with a goodly number in the ranks. The financial affairs of the company at the opening of the year 1848 were in a healthy condition, and the treasurer's account showed that all bills were paid and a small balance in the treasury. It was manifest that there was a steady decline of interest in military affairs, and it was with difficulty that the rolls could be kept full. The annual target-shoot was held at Clark's Cove, May 31, when Amos Chase was the winner of the medal. An invitation to visit Wash- ington to participate in the laying of the corner-stone of the Washing- ton monument July 4, 1848, was declined, and so was the request of the city authorities for escort duty. A desperate attempt was made in the fall to recruit the ranks, and some fifteen men were elected. The Guards were able to make a good appearance when, on October 3, 1848, they marched to the station on their way to the annual muster at Middleborough. On their return they were escorted to their armory by engine companies Philadelphia No. 7 and Hancock No. 9, and the parade was made brilliant with many lighted torches. The discourage- ments that presented themselves at this period, however, called for de- cisive action; and at a meeting held December i, 1848, the committee appointed to consider the situation made the following report: O-C-C^LOc^ DISMEMBERMENT OF THE GUARDS. 295 " Whereas, The New Bedford Guards for a series of years, by their disciphne, soldier- like deportment, numerical strength and martial bearing have eUcited the warmest en- comiums of applause from those whose province it was to review and inspect, and " Whereas, From cause for the last two years, that military ardor which, for the pre- vious years of the existence of said corps, characterized its rise and progress, has almost imperceptibly vanished, and " Whereas, In our judgment every tangible argument, every honorable concession, and every patriotic feeling has been appealed to unsuccessfully to restore to its original stand- ing the reputation of the corps ; and finally, where every effort compatible with the dig- nity of the citizen soldiery has been exhausted to accomplish a result so much to be desired and coveted, and all these without the most remote prospect of success, there- fore " Resolved, That, in consideration of all these discouragements, we see no other alter- native than a dissolution of the corps ; and although many of your committee have passed through many or all the vicissitudes before enumerated, they can, nevertheless, but feel that this anticipated dismemberment, though more sudden in its effects, is preferable to a lingering disease, a recovery from which can not for a moment be cherished. " "Which is respectfully submitted by your committee. " Heney F. Thomas, E. T. Taber, Israel T. Bryant, Levi Nye, F. W. Hatch, George G. Nye, A. G. OoREY, James H. Tallman, H. F. Clark." Committees were appointed to wind up affairs, and a nominal exist- ence was maintained for several months Weekly drill and business meetings were held until the month of June, 1849, when the New Bed- ford Guards, one of the best organized and most thoroughly equipped military organizations the city ever had, closed its career. The Parker House was opened and dedicated on Thursday, February 10, 1842, by a sumptuous dinner given by the hosts, Messrs. Horton & Son. There were about 200 citizens and strangers who sat down and partook of the good things spread before them. Among those present were Col. John H. Clifford, Messrs. R. R. Crocker, W. T. Hawes, J. H. W. Page, and T. D. Eliot, of this city ; Messrs. Baylies and Holmes, of Taunton ; Weeks, of Boston, and Thomas, of Worcester. Grace was pronounced by Rev. Sylvester Holmes, and at the close of the re- past Rev. Thomas M. Smith returned thanks in a brief and appropriate manner. Many brilliant speeches were made, and toasts suited to the occasion were tendered. Among the latter were, " The Parker House," responded to by John Avery Parker, esq. The building thus opened 296 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. as a public hotel was built and occupied for many years by this gentle- man as his private residence. It was named in his honor. The toast, " The Homes of New Bedford," was responded to by Colonel Clifford ; "The Health of the Hostess of the Parker House," drunk standing, by- W. T. Hawes ; " The Nestor of the Ocean, Commodore Crocker," by the president; " Our Host," by William Eddy. A public meeting was held in the town hall July 8, 1843, to take steps to raise funds for the relief of the sufferers at Fall River, from a disastrous fire in that town on the afternoon of July 2. Stephen Mer- rihew presided. A committee was appointed and the result of their work was submitted for publication July 2 : Cash contributions of citizens, % 1,347 89 Proceeds of Mr. Russell's concert, . 222 00 Proceeds of Mr. Harrington's diorama, . 12 00 Total, . $1,581 89 In addition to this generous sum there were sent six wagon loads of household furniture, provisions and clothing. Collections were taken for this object in the William street Baptist Church, amounting to $36.75, and in the North Christian Church, $70. On the evening of September 27, 1843, ex- President John Quincy Adams visited New Bedford as the guest of Hon. Joseph Grinnell. He was escorted from the depot by a cavalcade of forty young men bear- ing torches under the command of George A. Brown. The next day a public reception was given to the distinguished visitor in the town hall. An address of welcome was delivered by James B. Congdon, chairman of selectmen. Mr. Adams made a twenty- minute speech to the audience that crowded the hall. At the close of the exercises hun- dreds of citizens availed themselves of the privilege of shaking hands with the honored statesman. His first visit to New Bedford was on Saturday, September 19, 1835, when with his son and several gentlemen he arrived from Nantucket in the Steamer Telegraph. The party was quartered at the Mansion House, and on Sunday attended religious worship at Rev. Mr. Angler's church. The first negro minstrel concert ever given in New Bedford was in Mechanics' Hall, February i8 and 19, 1845, by the " Sable Sisters and Ethiopian Minstrels." ACCEPTANCE OF THE CITY -CHARTER. 297 In 1843 Daniel Webster was in New Bedford. His presence here was as counsel in a will case, then being tried in the court-house. His address to the jury was of thrilling interest to an immense audience that crowded the court- room. The Pacific Congregational Church, located on the corner of Foster and Kempton streets, was dedicated Wednesday afternoon, November 5, i845. Almost every year a committee was appointed to suppress the sale of intoxicating liquors. In 1846 the committee was instructed to call on every family in town and ascertain if they were for, or against, the temperance movement, and whether they would adopt the teetotal pledge. The question of accepting a city charter came up for discussion early in the year of 1847. At a special town meeting held January 23, the matter was referred to a committee of twenty citizens : J. H. W. Page, George Howland, jr., Sampson Perkins, John Baylies, Horatio A. Kemp- ton, Thomas Mandell, George Hussey, Henry H. Crapo, Abraham Barker, John H. Chfford, William H. Taylor, Henry Taber, James H. Collins, Edward W. Green, I. D. Hall, E. M. Robinson, Ward M. Par- ker, Thomas A. Greene, Ephraim Kempton, Seth Russell. At a meet- ing held February 6, the committee reported a form of charter. Sev- eral amendments were made, and after a vigorous discussion the com- mittee was instructed to petition the General Court for the passage of an act granting the town a city charter. Another town meeting was held March 8 for further consideration of the subject, but it adjourned without action by a vote of 398 to 273. On March 18 the citizens voted upon the acceptance of an "Act to establish the city of New Bedford." It was carried by a vote of 1,150 to 814 against. Among the deaths occuring at this period were the following : 1840, May 4, William Howland, aged eighty- fcjur ; November 2 1, Nathaniel Rogers, an influential citizen of the town, aged fifty-six. 1 841, July 20, Captain Joseph Dunbar, a successful and retired ship- master, aged fifty-four; August 6, Weston Howland, a respected mem- ber of the Society of P'riends, aged seventy- eight ; October 9, Joseph Ricketson, an eminent citizen, distinguished for his unblemished char- 38 298 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. acter and usefulness, cashier of the New Bedford Commercial Bank, aged seventy- ®ne. 1842, January 16, John Hathaway, a pensioner of the American Rev- ;Olution, the oldest citizen at date of his death, aged eighty seven. .1844, June 16, Thurston Potter, aged eighty-six ; July 24, Elihu Rus- sell, aged eighty ; August 8, Deacon James Tripp, one of the original members of William Street Baptist Church, aged sixty-five. 1847, March 18, Benjamin Drew, soldier of the Revolution, aged eighty; June 15, Capt. Stephen Merrihew, a prominent and much re- spected citizen. List of Selectman ; 1812 and 1813, Roger Haskell, Samuel Perry, Manasseh Kempton ; 1814, Roger Haskell, Samuel Perry, Capt. William Hathaway ; 1815, Samuel Perry, Manasseh Kempton, Joseph Ricketson ; 1816, Joseph Rioketison, Jonathan Swift, James Howland 2d; 1817, James Howland 2d, William Hathaway, Manasseh Kempton; 1818 and 1819, Manasseh Kempton, William Hathaway, Dudley Davenport; 1820, Roger Haskell, William Hathaway, Eh Haskell ; 1821, Eli Haskell, Gideon Howland, jr., William Hathaway ; 1822, Eli Haskell, Gideon Howland, jr., Killey Eldredge ; 1823, William Hathaway, Elkanah Tallman, Ephraim Kempton; 1824, Ephraim Kempton, William Hathaway, Joseph Bourne; 1825 and 1826, William Hathaway, Joseph Bourne, Ephraim Kempton; 1827 and 1828, Joseph Bourne, William Hathaway, Eph- raim Kempton; 1829, Joseph Bourne, William C. Nye, Thomas Mandell ; 1830, Will- iam C. Nye, Thomas Mandell, Joseph R. Shiverick; 1831, Thomas Mandell, WilUam C. Nye, Joseph R. Shiverick; 1832, Alfred Gibbs, Eli Haskpll, Ephraim Kempton; 1833, Charles W. Morgan, James B. Congdon, Samuel Little ; 1834, Charles W. Morgan, James B. Congdon, Thomas Nickerson ; 1835, James B. Congdon, Thomas Nickerson, Joseph R. Shiverick; 1836, James B. Congdon, Samuel Tobey, E. N. Chaddook; 1837, James B. Congdon, Thomas B. Bush, Ephraim Kempton ; 1838 and 1839, James B. Congdon, Thomas B. Bush, John P. West ; 1840, James B. Congdon, Ephraim Kemp- ton, John P. West; 1841, Samson Perkin.s, Edward W. Greene, Rodney French ; 1842, 1843, 1844, and 1845, Ephraim Kempton, James B. Congdon, George Howland, jr. ; 1846, George Howland, jr., John Baylies, Horatio A. Kempton. STREET EXTENSION. I 183 1, March 28, First street extended from Walnut to Bush street. Fifth street from School to Walnut street. Elm street from Purchase to County street. 1832, road accepted from Ricketson house, near Clark's Cove, east- erly and southerly, to road leading to Clark's Point. 1833, Sixth street accepted from Elm to Middle streets, Maxfield street from Purchase to County road. Mill street from Purchase to Ray EXTENSION OF STREETS. 299 street, Fourth street from Francis Taber's house to Bedford street, Rus- sell street from Sixth to Third street, Bedford street from Cou-nty street to Third street. 1834, Fifth street accepted from Walnut to Bedford street, Walden street from Maxfield to Hillman street, Water street from Bush to Grif- fin street. 1835, Eighth street accepted from Spring to William street, Kempton street from County to contemplated Foster street. Mill street from Mill street to , Center street from Water to Orange street. Bush street from County to contemplated Seventh street. 1836, Pleasant street accepted from North to Willis street, Campbell street from Purchase to Pleasant street, Ray street to Pearl street. Pearl street from Ray to Purchase street, Sixth street from Union to William street. Sixth street from Russell to Bedford street. 1837, Foster street accepted from Maxfield to Hillman street, Foster street from North to Middle street. Sixth street from William to Elm street. Cannon street from Second to Third street. Middle street from County street to African church, Summer street from Middle to Kemp- ton street. 1838, Seventh street accepted to Bush street, Grinnell street from Third to Water street, Pleasant street from North to Maxfield street. 1839, Walnut street accepted from Water street to River, First street from Grinnell to South street. First street to School street, South Water street from Griffin to Clark's Neck, North Water street from Middle to North street. Market street from Sixth to Cheapside. 1840, Purchase street widened and laid out anew from Maxfield street to junction of County road, Hill street accepted from Kempton to North street. 1 84 1, Pleasant street accepted from Maxfield to Willis street. Ark Lane from North Second to North Water street, Thomas street from Hillman to Maxfield street, Bush street from Sixth to Seventh street, Rodman street from North Water to Orange street. 1842, Sixth street accepted from Wing to Grinnell street, Bedford street from County street to Dartmouth lane. Union street from County to contemplated Orchard street. North Orchard street from contem- plated Union to contemplated Morgan street. Smith street from County to Albro lot. Eighth street frorn William to Elm street. 300 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. 1843, Orchard street accepted from Hawthorn to Bedford street, Foster street from North to Hillman street, Elm street from County to C. W. Morgan's land. 1844, Grinnell street accepted from Third to County street, State street from Campbell to Willis street, Campbell street from Pleasant to State street. Hill street from North to Hillman street. 1845, Russell street accepted from South Second to South Water street, South Second street from Grinnell to South street, Hawthorn street from County to contemplated Cottage street. North street from Ray to Water street, Pleasant street from Willis to Pearl street. 1846, Cedar street accepted from North to Kempton street, Grinnell street from South Water to South Orange street, Grinnell street from County to contemplated Orchard street, Washington street from County to Dartmouth street, North Water street from Hillman street to , State street from Willis to contemplated Franklin street. South street from Third to contemplated Orange street. Summer street from Elm to Middle street, Bellyille Road from McPherson's wharf to Head-of- the-River. CHAPTER XVHI. FROM THE INCORPORATION OF THE CITY TO THE CIVIL 'WAR. Adoption of City Charter — First Officers under the New Government — Inaugu- ration Ceremonies — Events of Interest — The Dudley Davenport Fire — Summary of Events — Burning of Liberty Hall — Effects of the Fugitive Slave Law — The Rowland Street Riot — The Water Street Fire — Opening of New Streets — Necrology. THE city charter was adopted March 18, 1847, ^"^ the city govern- ment was organized April 28, with the following officers: Mayor — Abraham H. Howland. Aldermen — Ward one, John Avery Parker ; ward two, Thomas B. White ; ward three, Ivory H. Bartlett ; ward four, William H. Taylor ; ward five, James B. Wood ; ward six, Edward W. Howland. Councilman — Ward one, Abraham Gardner, Joseph Clarke, Clem- ent Covell, Jere. Greenman ; ward two, Perry G. Macomber, Isaac M. INAUGURATION OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT. 301 West, Pardon Potter, jr., Abraham Delano; ward three, Peleg Butts, jr., Isaac Brownell, James Durfee, jr., Bennett Wilcox ; ward four, L. Ma- comber, Caleb L. Ellis, William H. Allen, Daniel McKenzie ; ward five, James B. Congdon, Lemuel Kollock, Francis Baker, Charles R. Tucker ; ward six, B. F. Rowland, James L. Pierce, Josiah S. Bonney, Nathan- iel Gilbert. Overseers of the Poor — Ward one, Obed Nye; ward two, Horatio A. Kempton ; ward three, Robert Ingraham ; ward four, William A. Gordon; ward five, David Brayton ; ward six, Edward W. Howland. Assessors — Ward one, George A. Bourne; ward two, I. M. Rich- ardson; ward three, Ichabod Chase; ward four, John R. Thornton; ward five, Barnabas S. Perkins; ward six, Benjamin R. Sayer. School Committee — Ward one, George A. Bourne, Linneas Wood, Daniel C. Burt ; ward two, Sylvester Holmes, Horatio A. Kempton, Luther G. Hewins ; ward three, William H. Stowell, Thomas Davis, William W. Sweet; ward four, Rufus Babcock, Charles Haffards, Thomas D. Elliot; ward five, Thomas A. Greene, George Howland, jr., William Howe; ward six, Henry H. Crapo, William P. Howland, Fran- cis Post. The inauguration ceremonies took place in the Common Council chamber on Wednesday afternoon, April 28. George Howland, jr., made declaration of the election of mayor, aldermen, and councilmen. The oath of office was administered by Hon. Oliver Prescott, and prayer was offered by Rev. Moses Howe. The mayor delivered his inaugural address, in which he described the many advantages to be attained by the new order of government. He said: "It must be obvious to every person of experience that the great interests of a population of 16,000, including the management of public property, the instruction of chil- dren, the support of the poor, the maintenance and control of the fire department, the raising of taxation and proper annual appropriations of from $70,000 to $80,000 cannot be either judiciously or satisfactorily managed in a town meeting, in which not more than one-fifth of the legal voters can be present, composed, as it is liable to be, of a large number of temporary residents, and comprehending a small portion of those who have the largest interest in the affairs of the community. A city government with two council boards, each having the power to nega- 302 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. tive the proceedings of the other, and consisting of a limited number of persons in whom the electors have reposed confidence, affords the surest guarantee that important measures will receive mature deliberation, and be satisfactorily administered, while it secures greater accountability in the expenditure of the public money." At the conclusion of the lengthy address, the government completed its organization by the election of James B. Congdon, president of the common council; Henry H. Crapo, city treasurer and collector; Isaac M. Richardson, city clerk. The school committee organized with Thomas A. Greene as chairman, and William Howe secretary. The event of the birth of the new city was signalized by expressions of rejoicing from the citizens. The bells were rung, salutes were fired, the Citizens' Band performed martial music, and all the demonstrations were of a very enthusiastic character. The city at this time had a pop- lation of 16,000 and was enjoying a tide of prosperity. The whaling industry, which had been to a large extent the source of the wealth and growth of the place, had about reached its climax of importance, and the new city entered upon its municipal existence under the most en- couraging prospects. The months succeeding the inauguration were busy ones to the city officials in adapting public affairs to the new order of things. Ordi- nances were passed to regulate and govern rhatters relating to finance, accounts, public buildings, public instruction, roads, bridges and sewers, fire department, police department, burial grounds, alms houses, etc. The following citizens were elected to fill the positions named : City marshal, Timothy Ingraham ; assistant marshals, Shubael G. Edwards, William O. Russell ; policemen, Thomas Davis, George W. Shearman, Daniel Ripley, Lewis G. Allen, Marshall B. Bird, Joshua P. Dunbar; watchmen, Otis H. Horton, captain ; Calvin Harvey, Ichabod Co,gge- shall, James N. Sampson, Thomas Albert, John C. Banker, John Allen, Winthrop Adams. The establishment of the city charter evidently gave great satisfaction to a majority of the people. Their sentiments were voiced in an edi- torial in the Mercury which closed with the following : "Success to the city of New Bedford ! may she ever be foremost in good works, ever be eminent as the friend of freedom, liberality, good will, education, and SUMMARY OR EVENTS. 303 Christianity ! To the latest generation may she be a burning and a shining light ! May she be illuminated with the oil of gladness and blessed with plenty and prosperity ! " The magnetic telegraph was exhibited January 17, 1847, by Dr. Bur- bank to the citizens of the town. The new alms-house on Clark's Point, built by James Wheaton and Wright Brownell, at a cost of $17,000, was completed and opened with a public service and addresses on January 10, 1847. The making of daguerreotypes was commenced by C. E. Hawes & Brothers, at their rooms in Liberty Hall. Their productions were of great merit and beauty. The New Bedford Mercury announced in strong head lines the re- ception of news "twenty-eight days later from Europe." Independence Day of this year (1847) was observed with great pomp and parade, as it was the first city celebration. The day opened with the usual round of salutes and ringing of bells. The public buildings were decorated with flags and bunting. Excursion boats brought 1,700 visitors from Edgartown and Nantucket, and hundreds of others came from surrounding towns. At 10 o'clock a procession was formed at the City Hall under the marshalship of Gen. James D. Thompson. The New Bedford Guards, Capt. Seth Russell, performed escort duty. In line were the entire city government, civil officers. Masons and Odd Fellows, Sons of Temperance, fire departments of New Bedford, Fair- haven, and Nantucket, and a cavalcade of citizens. The Citizens' Band furnished music. An oration was delivered by J. A. Kasson, in the North Christian Church. The festivities closed with a brilliant display of fireworks, attended by 10,000 people. On May 18, 1848, occurred the Dudley Davenport fire, so-called, which destroyed about $30,000 worth of property. The fire com- menced at 10 o'clock in the evening, and was one of the fiercest ever ex- perienced in our history. At this period there were thirty miles of streets in the settled portion of the city, twenty of which were graded, curbed and flagged. It is a fact worthy of record that but few cities in New England to-day are better provided with flagged sidewalks than New Bedford, and the atten- tion by the government to this feature in the early city life, did much 304 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. to accomplish this result. The important matter of sewerage also com- manded the attention of the officials at this time. Public sewers w ere constructed through portions of Union and Middle streets, in- 1852 ; through School, Kempton and Spring streets, in 1853 ; William and Maxfield, in 1854; Hillman and Bush, in 1855 ; Merrimac, Kempton, Bedford, Third, and Sycamore, in 1857. The Fourth of July, 1849, was celebrated with a grand procession, Timothy Ingraham, marshal. There was an oration by H. G. O. Colby, fireworks, and a torchlight procession of firemen. The city was honored by the presence of Father Matthew, the great apostle of temperance, in September, 1849. Several hundred signers to the pledge were secured. In the summer of 1849, *^he Asiatic cholera, that had been prevalent throughout the country, made its appearance in New Bedford. Several citizens died from the disease. The New Bedford Horticultural Society, which was in a very flourish- ing condition, held an exhibition in the City Hall in September. James Arnold was president; Henry H. Crapo, chairman of committee on fruits ; Thomas A. Greene, chairman of committee on flowers. Tuesday, August 6, 1850, was solemnized by funeral services in memory of Zachary Taylor, late president of the United States. A salute was fired by Boston artillery near the court-house, and an im- pressive service was held in the North Christian Church. A long and representative procession was formed at the City Hall at midday, under the direction of Gen, James. D. Thompson, Maj. George A. Bourne and Col. James H. Collins, acting as aids. These were assisted by Col. David Baker and twenty-one other citizens. The military, fire department. Masonic and civil societies took part. While the proces- sion was moved, minute guns were fired, and the bells sent out their solemn peals. On the evening of July 21, 1852, a grand ratification meeting was held in the William Street Baptist Church, in celebration of a new liquor law. The edifice was crowded with the friends of temperance. Will- liam J. Rotch, mayor of the city, presided and made an impressive speech. The meeting was characterized by great enthusiasm, and reso- lutions were adopted. "i^Ua^ cO' CcC^c e • I. ■>► ''^•i. ■^5„ t^yj^^^c^t^S^v^^^^^^-^^^^A^, BURNING OF LIBERTY HALL. 305 March 3, 1853, the Free Public Library, located at 139 Union street, was thrown open to the public. An exhaustive account of this institu- tion will be found in a later chapter. In 1854, on petition of 1,200 citizens, the " Point Road " was laid out and graded eighty feet wide, at a cost of about $50,000. It was subse- quently named French avenue, in honor of Rodney French, under whose administration this important pleasure drive was opened to the public. During the administration of Hon. George Rowland, jr., in 1855, the approaches to this popular highway were much improved. Horatio A. Kempton's lumber yard fire occurred on the night of Oc- tober 18, 1854. November 6 the famous Liberty Hall building was entirely destroyed. The Evening Standard oi November 9, 1854, con- tained the following: "At five o'clock this morning Liberty Hall building was discovered to be on fire. The fire department was immediately on the spot, but their efforts were unavailing to save the far-famed ' temple of liberty,' within whose hallowed walls freedom for all men has so frequently been proclaimed, and from whose tower the note of warning to the poor, trembling fugitive from oppression has so often sounded. At about seven o'clock the structure was destroyed. It had fretted away its short terra of existence and witnessed its last exhibition of impressive tragedy and mirth-provoking farce. The actors have positively made their last appearance. The fire caught from a lamp in a transparency in front of the restaurant, in the lower part of the building, that had been left burning all night. From thence the flames were communicated to the building, and thence ascended to the upper portion, between the wall and ceiling, and were consequently invisible for some length of time. Being out of reach of water until it had gained strong headway, it was impossible, from the combustible character of the building and the scenery attached to the theater, to stay the progress of the flames. The occupants of the building were as follows : B. C. Leonard, carpet store ; Bourne & Perry, shoe store ; City liquor store; Davis & Allen, merchant tailoring establishment; Isaac Quinnell, res- taurant; Uncle Tom's Cabin, a restaurant of long standing, owned by Thomas T. Allen ; Charles E. Hawes, daguerrean rooms ; Mechanic, No. 6, club-room ; telegraph office, Benoni R. Paine, operator. The Grotto restaurant, west of the building, and Eli Has- kell's house,, on the north, were repeatedly on fire, "badly charred and scathed by the fiery element and drenched with water." I have gathered from various sources some facts about this building which will prove interesting to the reader. The tract of land on which it was located (northwest corner of Purchase and Williams street), was given by William Rotch, in 1795, to the First Congregational Church, and a building was erected during the years 1/95-97 by Manasseh 39 3o6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Kempton, jr., and Eastland Babcock. It was occupied by the society for public worship some time before its completion. It is said that one of the pew-holders was so anxious to occupy his pew on the following Sunday that he gave a carpenter a quart of brandy to saw open the pew door. This was, however, long before the Maine law was projected and while temperance movements were in their infancy. The famous bell was purchased February i8, 1796, of Capt. Silas Jones, of Nantucket. The money, $255, was raised by subscription, the largest amount, $10, being given by Thomas Pope, and the next largest, $6, by a colored man named Aaron Childs. It was a bell of remarkable tone and clearness. In the November fire it was melted in the flames. The metal was gathered from the ruins, and several of our townsmen had tea-bells and articles of ornament made from it, which are still held as valuable relics of the old liberty bell. During the excitement that thrilled the nation following the passage of the infamous fugitive slave law, in 1851, and at the time Thomas Simms was arrested and sent back into slavery from Boston, a rumor became current in that city that the United States marshals were plan- ning to visit our little Quaker city by the sea in J. H. Pearson's brig Acorn, accompanied by United States Marines, to recover certain fugitive slaves that were supposed to be in hiding, awaiting transit to Canada by the underground railroad. The news was brought into town by S. P. Hanscom, the New Bedford express rider, who rode all night, arriving Sunday morning with the startling intelligence. It was not long before the warning notes of the Liberty Hall bell rang out and said in thunder tones to the affrighted colored people that their enemy was near. The immediate cause for the alarm was that a 'strange vessel was reported to be in the bay, and on this account Rodney French! ordered the bell to be rung. Some of our citizens will vividly remember the excitement that followed, for every one, especially the colored people, felt that real danger was at hand. No officers, however, made themselves known, and it is not certain whether they entered the city or not. One thing is sure, that the reported presence of the vessel was a mistake. The marshals would have assuredly met with a warm reception had they put in an appearance. This is but one of many in- teresting episodes that occurred during those days when it cost some- ' Mr. French was an unswerving friend to the colored people. THE HOWLAND STREET RIOT. 307 thing to be an anti-slavery man. To illustrate the work going on in the interest of the slave during that eventful period, I quote the follow- ing from the Mercury, April 21, 1851 : "Extradition Extraordinary. — We are pleased to announce that a very large num- ber of fugitive slave?, aided by many of our most wealthy and respectable citizens, have left for Canada and parts unknown, and that more are in the way of departure. The utmost sympathy and liberality prevails toward this class of our inhabitants." At the completion of the elegant stone church, corner of Union and Eighth streets, in i8^8,^the old building was sold and became "Liberty Hall," and was used for lectures, political meetings and entertainments. From time to time several additions were made to the building on the west end, and about 1846-47 stage and scenic properties were added, and the hall became the principal place for theatrical representations. It became chiefly noted as the place for lyceum lectures and for lectures by the distinguished advocates of the cause of the slave. The mere mention of the names of William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Frederick Douglass, Stephen Foster, Theodore Parker, Parker Pills- bury, and Henry Ward Beecher will call up recollections of an era in our history that was pregnant with the results afifecting the extinction of slavery in the United States; and it was in this hall that these orators poured forth their torrents of eloquence, argument, and invective. On the evening of April 19, 1856, occurred the celebrated Howland street riot, an event that must carry us back to the years 1826 and 1829, to find any parallel occurrence. It is somewhat remarkable that the conditions that brought about the riot were kindred to those of the two riots above mentioned. Our readers will remember in the descrip- tion of those events that we found certain sections of our town infested with a dangerous class of citizens, occupying dwellings that were moral pest-hous£S, and with surroundings that were detrimental to the dig- nity and good order of our community. In each case a murder had beeri the prime cause that brought into existence the organized mob. In the riot we are now discussing we find a simple repetition of the same condition of things. So that we may have an intelligent knowl- edge of this affair, let us take a general survey of the place and the peculiar circumstances of the event. Howland street is a short street in the south part of the city, running east and west, parallel to and situated between Grinnell and Griffin 3o8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. streets, beginning at Acushnet avenue and running east to the river front. In the years gone by, and especially at the time of the riot, the eastern section was a noted resort for drunken sailors and evil disposed persons. Nor was this confined to Howland street, for South Water and other intersecting streets partook of the generally bad reputation. They abounded in dance-halls, saloons, gambling dens, and brothels. When our ships came in from their long voyages, these abodes of iniquity were in high carnival, fights and brawls were of frequent occur- rence, and it was dangerous to pass through this section after nightfall. It was no uncommon circumstance for persons to be knocked down and robbed. Matters grew steadily worse and more uncontrollable, when the climax was reached in a murder. Early on a Sunday morning a man coming out of Benjamin Baker's fish market, then located at the foot of Howland street, discovered the body of a man close to the water's edge. Supposing that he was drunk he called the attention of the bystanders to the danger from the coming tide. What was their horror, on approaching the spot, to find the man dead ; an ugly wound on his head showed with certainty that he had been foully dealt with. The investigation that immediately followed under the direction of William O. Russell, coroner, revealed several startling facts : that the man had been murdered ; that a crushing blow on the top of the head was the immediate cause of death ; that the man had been seen in the house No. 17 Howland street the night before; that the track of blood from the spot on the shore where the victim was found was traced in direct and unbroken Hne to this same house. All this was brought out clearly and positively; but who did the deed, and under what circumstances, was never found out, at least by any official investigation. The name of the unfortunate man was Rogers, and he was a resident of the northwest section of the city. * Not long after this event, another body of a dead man was found in the " Long House," and though no bruises were found showing violence, it was deemed necessary to have an inquest. The body was removed to the boat-builder's shop of R. C. Topham, where an investigation was held, but without any satisfactory results. My readers can easily un- derstand how intense the feeling became after two such tragedies. A thrill of terror went through the community as these dreadful oc- currences became known, and they became the all-absorbing topic of PURCHASE STREET IN 1856. YOUNG MECHANIC NO. 6 RETURNING FROM A FIRE. THE HOWLAND STREET RIOT. 309 conversation. But few days elapsed after the fruitless investigations, when the preliminary arrangements were commenced which' ended in a most complete organized mob.' Several meetings were held in which- the plans were matured. Triangular pieces of white paper pasted about the city gave the call to these gatherings. Whenever a red paper was posted it signified danger. The date first selected for the demonstra- tion was April 5, but the affair was postponed because of the delay of the engineers in moving the old hook and ladder truck to the Second street house. The new truck, built by Joseph Brownell & Co., was to be placed in the engine-house on Market street. Let it be understood that the municipal authorities, with his honor, George Howland, jr., at the head, were not lax in their efforts to main- tain order; indeed, his administration was conspicuous for the vigorous enforcement of law. Just east of the house on the northeast corner of Howland and Sec- ond streets was a small two-story house, No. 17. It was here that the murdered man, Rogers, was last seen alive. The occupants of the house were of the worst class, and the place was noted for being one of the vilest on the street. Through an alleyway on the east of the house and in the rear directly northeast stood what was known as the Long House, a large building occupied by similar characters and used for kindred purposes. On these two houses centered the demonstrations of the mob. Several weeks before the riot tl"e streets were filled with rumors in regard to something that was going to happen. At first it was not even hinted where or when. Not many days elapsed, however, before "Jerry " was announced as having arrived in town. My information regarding him and the organization of which he was the acknowledged head is of the most reliable character, and the facts relating to the finding of the murdered man on the shore were told me by the very man who made the discovery. One morning our citizens were greeted with bits of red paper, posted everywhere through the city, bearing the significant words : " Fire ! Fire! On Howland street! Paint your faces and look ouffor the police." This was an appeal to more than 300 members of the organization that the attack was to take place on the following Saturday night, April 19. 3 1 o HISTOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. They met that evening on City Hall square, and, at an early hour, a party of rioters took the old truck from the Second street house, pro- ceeded to Howland street, and undertook to pull down the house, No. 17. Their efforts were unsuccessful, until about 9 o'clock, when a false alarm of fire was raised and brought the whole force and an immense crowd of people to the scene. The rioters were now in their greatest strength. They proceeded to the vicinity of the house, quickly stripped the carriage of the long hooks, and the work of demolition commenced. One of these hooks was thrust into the front window, another to the roof, and the house began to come down. The Long House in the rear, was the first to be set on fire, though both were soon in flames and burning fiercely, while dense volumes of smoke filled the heavens. Jerry mounted the ridgepole of No. 17, and directed the operations. A thrilling episode occurred when this building was entirely wrapped in smoke and flame. The roof fell in with a tremendous crash, carrying Jerry with it, and it was for some time supposed he had perished in the seething furnace. But he soon put in an appearance and continued to direct opefations. The fire soon spread to the next building east, called the Block, but the damage here was slight. Any attempt on the part of the engines to play on either of the first two buildings was de- feated by cutting the leading hose. The fire department was promptly on hand but its operations were distinguished by apparent stupidity and want of efficiency. The Franklin, No. 10, was the first to arrive. Singular as it may seem, the engine stopped directly over the reservoir cover, and not a man could find it. Nos. S and 6 came tearing through the streets, anxious, of course, each to beat the other in gfetting first water, shoved their suctions under No. 10, got water and played on — no, they didn't play on the fire, for the reason above stated. All the engines of the de- partment were hindered from doing any service. The only instance where they were at all effective was in putting out the fire in the Block. The crowds of people were great, for the papers of the day mention the number as at least 3,000. The police were present, but were helpless in preventing the work of the mob ; indeed, the mischief had been ac- complished before they were present in any force. The city Guards, Capt. Timothy Ingraham, were ordered out by the mayor, and marched to the scene, fully armed and equipped for serious THE WATER STREET EIRE. 311 work. They halted on Second street, near Howland, and awaited or- ders. By this time the rioters had dispersed, evidently satisfied with the work accomplished, and the Guards were not called upon for service. At midnight the crowds of people retired, and thus ended the famous Howland street riot. Several persons were arrested, but their cases never came to trial. The denizens of other notorious sections of the city were badly frightened, and during the night outposts were sta- tioned to give the alarm should the mob be seen approaching. The city government took vigorous action to prevent further demonstrations of this character. The military were under arms for several weeks, and many of the engine companies were sworn in for special duty, but for- tunately their services were not required. At noonday on August 24, 1859, the greatest fire in our local history, involving an immense amount of property, occurred on Water street, north of Middle. It was past twelve, an hour when the shops and streets were deserted, and the workmen were at dinner, when fire broke out suddenly in the engine room of William Wilcox's planing-mill, on the east side of Water street, on the same spot where now stands Tilling- hast's mill. The structure was of wood and, in an instant, was envel- oped in flames. A strong southeast wind was blowing at the time, and the fire spread with great rapidity to the buildings north, leaped across the street, even before the alarm was given, taking all the shops on the west side of Water street clear to North street, and worked its way steadily westward to Second street. Meantime along the wharves the flames made steady progress, tak- ing in their path all the buildings and their contents. Wilcox's lumber yard was now one dense mass of flame, and the condition of things at this time was appalling. But when the cargoes of oil stored in the vicinity of Richmond & Wilcox's wharf took fire, and the ship John & Edward, lying at the head of the dock, was absorbed in the destruction, the flames enveloping the entire vessel, and leaping upward to the top of the masts, the scene was one of great impressiveness. The oil, at this point, as it ran from the wharf into the dock, took fire, and at one time the water for some distance out into the dock was covered with burning oil, forming literally a sea of fire. Several ships in this dock tied to the wharf had to be pushed out into the river in order to save them from destruction. 3 1 2 HISTOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. The spectacle now presented was one of sublime grandeur. At the north, mountains of black smoke were rising, tinged at the lower edges with the forked flames that rose from the burning oil, while in the fore- ground was the burning ship — at this moment in the last stage of de- struction. At the south the burning lumber had reached its intensest heat, and solid masses of flame shot high into the heavens. In the inter- vening space were the standing chimneys, grim monuments of the fright- ful disaster, and the burning ruins of what but a few hours before had been hives of industry. Here and there might be seen groups of fire- men at their work, defying the danger that beset them on every hand. The houses on Second street were now in flames and the fire was spreading with fearful certainty to the north, promising to cut a path through the northwest section of the city ; and without doubt it would have done so but for the decision of the authorities to blow up the building on the northeast corner of Second and North streets. This was quickly accomplished, and the stunning explosion that was heard in every part of the city was the announcement to the affrighted citizens that danger from that section was over. On the northwest corner of North Water and North streets were stored under seaweed 14,000 bar- rels of oil, valued at $200,000. To save this from destruction a num- ber of citizens armed with big brooms made of brush, thrashed out the burning cinders as they fell in great clouds, The fearful heat made this task almost unbearable, and yet pluckily they stood to their work and saved this large property. They were aided by the fire department who kept the seaweed wet. The burning of so many oil casks sent rivulets of oil in all directions, much of it into the river, much into every sunken spot, and ponds of pure spermaceti were formed in many directions. When the conflagra- tion was under control the gathering of this oil became a hvely busi- ness. Empty oil casks were at a premium and every sort of vessel that would hold liquid was brought into requisition. " Dipping ile " was a very profitable business and was followed for a time, some persons get- ting as much as forty barrels. It was subsequently bought by the oil refining factories at about twenty-five cents a gallon. At nightfall the fire had spent its fury and apprehensions of any fur- ther disaster were allayed. Several engines were at work all night THE WATER STREET FIRE. 313 playing upon the ruins. Ships Illinois, Congaree and Cowper, lying in the dock, were slightly damaged by fire, but were towed out of danger by tugboat Spray. The occasional explosion of the bomb-lances was terrific and the reports were like those of artillery on the battle field. The following buildings were destroyed : WiUiam Wilcox's steam planing- mill, loss $14,000, no insurance; Thomas Booth's sash, door, and blind manufactory, upper story, loss $1,500, no insurance ; Ryder & Smith's building and spar yard, totally destroyed, loss $3,000, no insurance; Thomas Booth's carpenter shop, loss $1*000 ; all these were on the east side of Water street. The flames now crossed the street and burned Hayes & Co.'s mill for dressing staves, loss $2,500, no in- surance; the second story was occupied by Charles and Edward Bier- stadt, turning and sawing shop, loss $1,000, no insurance; the building next north was Warren Hathaway & Son's, manufacturers of whaling apparatus, mincing machines, etc., loss $7,000, insurance $2,600; in the rear was a blacksmith shop, entirely destroyed. In these buildings was a large lot of bomb-lances that exploded during the progress of the fire, creating much alarm among the people; next north, building occupied by Howland & Coggeshall, storage of casks ; second story, car- penter's shop, G. & C. Brownell, loss $400. The flames then attacked the lumber yard, sheds and buildings belonging to Thomas Booth, loss $8,000, no insurance; John D. Hursell, paint shop, in upper story of building, loss $1,200, no insurance. Next in order came the three- story building on the corner of North and Water streets, occupied by Nathaniel H. Nye, ship chandler ; second story, counting-rooms of Messrs. Wilcox & Richmond, B. B. Howard, Edmund Maxfield, Rus- sell Maxfield and David B. Kempton ; third story occupied by Charles Searell, rigger; loss on building $3,000, Mr. Searell$500, no insurance. To the west of the machine shop of Messrs. Hathaway was the cooper- age of Howland & Coggeshall. Their entire loss was $3,000, no insur- surance. Near this were two small dwelhngs that were destroyed. The fire continued to spread to the west. The engineers blew up the building on Second street at 1.30 o'clock belonging to Dennis Daly. This effectually stopped the fire from going south. The next building destroyed north of Daly's was the house belonging to Stephen N. Pot ter, loss $3,000, no insurance. Then came the large cooperage of 40 314 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Hayes & Co. It was entirely destroyed, loss $8,000, no insurance. Following this a dwelling house owned by Wilcox & Richmond, loss $1,200, no insurance. Next, southeast corner of Second and North streets, fish market of Gardner & Estes, loss $400, insured. The fire then extended to the west side of Second street and destroyed a dwel- ling owned by Mrs. Ezra Smith, loss $3,000. Next, on the same side, a house on the southwest corner of North and Second streets, owned by D. R. Greene, loss $4,000, insurance $2,200. At 2 o'clock the en- gineers blew up the dwelling house of Mrs. Joseph Maxfield on north- west corner of North and Second streets, loss $1,500. The above, embracing about twenty buildings, were destroyed, and a large number of sheds, and 8,000 barrels of oil. The entire loss, as recorded in the books of the Board of Engineers was $254,575 with but $6,975 insurance. This was the most disastrous conflagration our city ever experienced ; and what made it especially sad was that the loss fell with such terrible force upon a class of our most industrious and worthy citizens, many of whom saw all the hard earnings of years in a few hours entirely obliter- ated. Some not only lost their business, but their homes even were sacrificed in the great disaster. Hardly had the embers died out before there came an imperative de- mand by the citizens for a more adequate protection of our city. The newspapers took up the appeal, and " steam" became the popular cry. The hand engine service fought the battle for all it was worth, but with- out avail ; the beginning of the end had come. The scoffs and jeers of the multitude of friends of the fire department under the old regime could not stay the tide of progress. The steam fire engine rolled into town one day, only a few months later. In less than a year following its ad- vent, the hand engines began, one after another, to go out of service, and the number of steam fire engines increased. The following list shows the names and dates of the opening of , a large portion of the prominent streets of the city: 1847 — Walden, from Maxfield to Sycamore; Sycamore from Wal- dei to County; Franklin, from County to Purchase ; Orchard, from Hawthorn to Arnold. 1848— Walnut, from Water to the river; Mill, from Hill to County ; Arnold, from County to Orchard ; Grinnell, from County to contemp- NEW STREETS— NECROLOGY. 315 lated Bonney street ; Pleasant, from Franklin to Pope street ; Hatha- way road, from Perry's Neck road to Smith Mills road; Nash road, from Acushnet avenue to Perry's Neck road ; School, from Seventh to County ; South Second to Griffin street ; Bonney, from Allen to Wash- ington ; Hillman, from North Second to North Water. 1849 — Hillman, from Summer to Chestnut ; Cedar, from North to Smith ; Elm, from Summer to Ash. 1850 — Pope, from County to Purchase ; Parker street, from County to wood land of Dr. A. Reed; Bush, from County to Orchard; Sum- mer, from Kempton to Hillman ; Charles, from Kempton to County ; Ray, from Pearl to County ; Merrimac, from Ray to Purchase ; Mill, from Cedar to County ; North, from Cedar to County ; Hillman, from Chestnut to Cedar; Cypress, from Kempton to Hillman ; First, from Union to William ; Chestnut, from Hillman to Smith ; Fourth, from' Bedford to A. Gifford's land ; Union, from Orchard to Cottage. 1852 — Parker street, from terminus to Oak Grove Cemetery; Crape street, Grinnell to South ; Sycamore street, from Chestnut to County ; Sycamore street, from Pleasant to Walden ; Sycamore street, from Chestnut to Cedar ; Pearl street, from Purchase to Pleasant ; Orange street, from Grinnell to South ; Cottage street, from Hawthorn to Bed- ford ; Pleasant street, from Franklin to Merrimac ; State street, from Willis to Franklin ; Forest street, from County to Bonney. DEATHS. 1847 — October 19, John Taber, aged 75 years, a citizen of Fair- haven ; December 26, Abraham Shearman, a distinguished Friend. i84^^January 8, Ephraim Delano, aged 79 years, a citizen of Fair- haven ; February 6, Mannasseh Kempton, aged 83 years ; April 30, Robert Wait, aged 73 years ; November 9, Capt. John Howland, aged 73 years; November 10, Capt. David Jenney, aged 82 years. 1850 — January 23, Capt. David Brayton, aged 66 years; January 29, Capt Noah Stoddard, aged 95 years, a citizen of Fairhaven, a soldier of the American Revolution who rendered distinguished service to his country ; April 19, CorneHus Grinnell, aged 92 years, an eminent 3i6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. citizen,; June 28, Desire Rowland, aged 81 years; October 22, James Hathaway, aged 60 years 1852 — October 10, John Rowland, aged 70 years. 1853 — April 19, William Tallman, aged 92 years; December 30, John Avery Parker, aged 84 years, one of the most influential citizens of his day. CHAPTER XIX. NEW BEDFORD IN THE CIVIL WAR. Loyalty of New Bedforf' — Early Response to the First Call for Troops — Depart- ure and Service of the City Guards — The Roster— Harbor Defences — The Ladies' Relief Society — Company D, Twenty-third Regiment — Fifth Battery — The Stone Fleet— The Thirty-third Regiment— The Thirty-eighth Regiment— The Third Regi- ment M. V. M. — The Fifty-fourth Regiment — New Bedford's Maritime Losses — Company B, Third Heavy Artillery — Company B, Fourth Cavalry — The Fifty-eighth Regiment — Peace — The Assassination of President Lincoln — The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument — New Bedford in the Navy — Lieut, W. P. Randall and the Cum- berland — Thomas Almy of the Wachuseti — The Tecumseh Incident — Naval Officers from New Bedford. IT is not within the scope of this book to discuss the causes that led to the civil war, nor to record the national events that characterized the four years' conflict. The story has probably been written inore thoroughly and exhaustively than that of any war in the world's his- tory. Every State in the Union has in its archives complete records concerning every regiment, company, and soldier. They contain relia- ble information relating to all matters regarding the army and navy. The innumerable military organizations throughout the country have preserved the experiences of iheir members, and the thrilling stories of camp and field. These, with the official documents and records in the possession of the national government, form a vast treasure house of historic material relating to the civil war. It remains for this work to briefly enumerate the organizations from New Bedford that one after another responded to the nation's call for defenders, and to note the more prominent local events that relate to THE DEPARTURE OF THE GUARDS. 317 the great rebellion. The echoes of the enemy's guns fired against Fort Sumter were heard all over the land and roused the patriotism of every loyal heart. The call to arms was promptly responded to by thou- sands of citizens who were ready and anxious to render service to their country. The old Bay State, true to her record in the past, stood in the front rank with the loyal States in furnishing her quota of the 75,000 volunteers first called for by Abraham Lincoln. New Bedford acted promptly ; and on the morning of April 16, 1861, four days after the attack on Fort Sumter, the New Bedford Guards, Company L, Third Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, stood in line in front of City Hall, to receive the tributes of praise from eloquent speakers, and an ova- tion from an immense throng of citizens, who crowded the square and adjoining streets. Ex -Gov. John H. Clifford made a touching and elo- quent address to the soldiers. His words were full of lofty patriotism, and they stirred the loyalty and enthusiasm of soldier and citizen. His closing words to the company were : " Go in peace about your families ; your fellow citizens will see to it that those you leave behind shall want for nothing while you are gone. We shall hear from you on the field of duty, and that not one has failed, wherever he may be. God keep you safe under His care, and bring you back with untarnished glory, to be received by your fellow citi- zens with hearty joy and honor." The solemn and impressive exercises closed with a fervent prayer by Rev. John Girwood. At the invitation of Govenor Clifford, a large number of citizens formed in Hne, and, to the inspiring music of " Yankee Doodle" by the band, escorted to the station the New Bedford City Guards, every man of them a volunteer. Thus went the first of the thirty- two hundred men furnished by the city of New Bedford during the war, a surplus of eleven hundred and ten men over and above all demands from the United States government. The patriotism of the community was thoroughly aroused and found expression in flag raisings and in similar demonstrations. Physicians offered their gratuitous services to the families represented in the membership of the City Guards, and the warmest sympathies of the community were supplemented by practical action. The Guards arrived in Boston at midday in a drenching rain. 3i8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. and were escorted to the United States Hotel, where they were enter- tained by Horace Scott and other New Bedford friends. On the 17th they joined their regiment and passed in review at the State House, re- ceiving the ovations of an immense crowd of citizens gathered to do honor to the departing soldiers. They took their departure for Fort- ress Monroe the next morning in the steamer S. R. Spaulding, where they arrived on the 20th, and marched into~the fort at 1 1. 30 o'clock, A. M. After a few hours' rest, and a oollation of crackers and cheese, the regiment at 3 o'clock marched on board the steam frigate Pawnee and were conveyed to Norfolk that evening, where the men took an ac- tive part in destroying the navy yard, to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy. Ten thousand sixty-four pound balls were thrown into the river, guns were spiked, and many buildings destroyed. On the 24th the regiment was mustered into the United States service, and entered with enthusiasm upon the routine life at the fort. The New Bedford soldiers were made happy on May i by the arrival of Stephen A. Tripp, State agent, with letters, clothing, and gifts from home. On the 8th, $600 from Edward C. Jones and $80 from the ladies were distributed to the Guards. The three months' service of the City Guards was confined to duties in the fort, and to picket dut}' in its vicinity. The records reveal many interesting events that took place in the fort during their short term of service. On the first Sunday the Guards voted to hold weekly religious services, and they were inaugurated at once. For want of a regular chaplain, Lieut. A. S. Cushman officiated " in the capacity of presiding elder." Runaway slaves daily came into the fort, seeking and obtaining protection. On May 27 thirty-three of these people were embarked for Newport News. July 4 was recognized by a flag-raising, and the stars and stripes were flung to the breeze amid the cheers of the soldiers and the booming of artillery. July 8 a detachment of New Bedford soldiers under Sergeant Samuel C. Hart was detailed to throw up breastworks, and the sergeant found himself in the novel position of a slave overseer. Sixty runaway slaves were sent him to assist in the work. The thermometer stood at 1 10°. Many of the Guards were overcome with the heat and, returned to quar- ters. Thursday, July 23, was the last day of enlistment, and the regi- RETURN OF THE GUARDS. 319 ment embarked in the steamer Fanny for home. Their departure was signalized by the hearty good wishes of their companions in arms. The steamer passed Minot's Ledge at 5.30 o'clock on the morning of the 19th, and the troops landed at the wharf in Boston at 7. The reg- iment went into camp at Long Island, Boston Harbor, and was mus- tered out of service on Monday, July 22. On the 23d, under the escort of the Second Battalion of Rifles, Major Newton, the regiment pro- ceeded to Boston Common, where it passed in review and was dis- missed. The City Guards returned to New Bedford on the evening train and were greeted with salvos of artillery, and with the warm wel- come of friends who met them at the station. Escorted by companies A, B, C, and D, Home and Coast Guards, they marched to City Hall, where they were addressed in complimentary speeches by Mayor Isaac C. Tabor and Hon. John H. Clifford. At the close of these, they pro- ceeded to the armory, where the company in line received a few words of commendation from its commander. With rounds of cheers for Captain Ingraham, First Lieut. James Barton, Second Lieut. A. S. Cushman, and for the Home and Coast Guards, the New Bedford City Guards were dismissed. This ended the service of the first company of volunteers from New Bedford. Among the field and staff officers of the Third Regiment of Infantry M. V. M., belonging in New Bedford when mustered into service April 23, 1861, were David W. Wardrop, colonel; John H. Jennings, major ; Alexander S. Holmes, surgeon ; Johnson Clark, assistant surgeon ; Austin S. Cushman, adjutant ; Albert C. Maggi, sergeant-major ; Fred- erick S. Gifford, quartermaster-sergeant. Line officers, Company L, New Bedford Guards : Timothy Ingra.- ham, captain; James Barton, first lieutenant; Austin S. Cushman, second lieutenant; Samuel C. Hart, first sergeant; William M Bates, Elisha Doane, Thomas S. Palmer, sergeants; Nathan B. Mayhew, Walter D. Keith, Timothy D. Cook, jr., Anthony D. Lang, corporals. Privates, William M. Bates, Daniel A Butler, Frederick S. Gifford, Walter D. Keith, George Barrows, John E. Henshaw, James H. Hath- away, Thomas Martin, A. C. Maggi, John H. Babcock, Joseph E. Nye, Augustus Arnaud, William E. Manchester, Charles B. Walker, Nathan B. Mayhew, Aaron Upjohn, jr., Eliphalet H. Robbins, Sanford M. 320 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Robinson, William H. Sisson, Frank Herley, Isaac C. Hart, George H. Freeman, Franklin S. Herley, Hosea C. Clay, Edward R. Richards, Daniel W. Hall, Ingersoll B. Endicot, Edward L. Pierce, Timothy D. Cook, jr., Jonathan W. Davis, Warren Moore, Charles West, Thomas C. Allen, jr., Ezra K. Bly, William G. Davis, Peleg W. Blake, George T. Sears, Charles H. Tobey, John P. Hood, Ira S. Negus, Timothy W. Terry, Franklin Tobey, jr., Edward Hicks, William H. Allen, George H. Chase (drummer), WiUiam H. Taylor, jr., Henry A. Wilcox, Isaac H. Barrows, Roland L. Hillman, Charles Grand, Josiah B. Hamblin, James Skinner, Rollins H. W. Carnes, George P. Sisson, William H. Salisbury, Charles N. Avery, Charles H. Nevins, Owen P. Conley, Eli- sha Doane, Anthony Lang, Charles M. Collins, Thomas S. Palmer, Seth A. Wilcox, Andrew W. Russell, Owen Brady, Jonathan M. Rix, A. W. Young, George P. Lee, Harrison O. Thomas, Pardon A. Davis, Anson E. Ferris, George W. Hunt, H, Nye, Frank Staples, George S. Palmer. April 17, the day following the departure of the City Guards, a pat- riotic meeting was held in City Hall, Col. C. B. H. Fessenden pre- siding, and the immense throng of citizens was addressed by Hon. Thomas D. Elliot, Hon. John H. Clifford, Hon. Rodney French and others April 19 the city council, in response to the action of this meeting, appropriated $5,000 for the benefit of the soldiers who had already departed for the South. The menacing character of the rebel cruisers that already were upon the ocean occasioned much uneasiness, and it was feared that New Bedford would receive a visit from them. Means for defense were at once begun. A sand battery on Clark's Point was thrown up April 27, and three twenty-four pounders were mounted. Fort Phcenix was put in good condition and the barracks renovated. While these operations were in progress, companies of home and coast guards were being or- ganized. May 4 Company A, Capt, Henry F. Thomas ; Company B, Capt. William S. Cobb ; Company C, Capt. George A. Bourne ; Com- pany D, Capt. B. Ewer, and an artillery company, Capt. John B. Hyde, were organized under the command of Gen. James D. Thompson. Company D belonged to Fairhaven. The duty of this corps was to guard the coast and garrison the forts. A detachment from one of the New Bedford companies was placed in Fort Phoenix May 4, and one at LADIES' RELIEF SOCIETIES. 321 Fort Taber (for that was the name given the satid battery on Clark's Point, in honor of Mayor Isaac C. Taber) on May 11. A vigilant watch was maintained day and night of vessels approaching the harbor. An appropriation of $5,000 was made by the city government on July 29 for the maintenance of the home and coast guard. The Ladies' Soldiers' Relief Society was formed soon after the de- parture of the City Guards, and their beneficent work was at once directed to the immediate wants of this company. Quantities of cloth- ing and hospital stores were sent to them. This was but the beginning of the patriotic work of this society, and its record during the war re- dounds to the honor of the city. The official statement says it donated for the relief of the soldiers upwards of $20,000 in money ; in cotton cloth and flannel, $4,000, and in hospital stores to the amount of $6,000. The following are some of the articles contributed : Condensed milk, preserved fruits, jellies, pickles, farina, maizena, tamarinds, lemons, dried apples, tea, coffee, cocoa, 1,116 bottles of wine, 423 bottles of brandy, 1,130 bottles of blackberry brandy and syrups, 345 bottles of port wine large contributions for the Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas trees at Portsmouth Grove Hospital, besides bushels of lint and bandages. The Society for the Comfort and Relief of Our Soldiers in Hospitals furnished among other things, 5,904 flannel shirts, 3887 pairs of drawers, 4,573 pairs of woolen socks, 1,790 towels, 94 coats, 76 waistcoats, 120 collars, 1,000 handkerchiefs, 368 cravats, 314 dressing-gowns, 1,837 pocket handkerchiefs, 300 pairs of trousers, 148 napkins, 679 pairs of slippers, 265 pairs of woolen mittens, 524 blankets, 515 sheets, 673 pillows, 750 quilts, 988 canes, and 1,280 woolen undershirts. The ladies of New Bedford began this work early in the war. They held a meeting for organization on the nth of April, 1861. Mrs. Joseph C. Delano was chosen president, Mrs. Lawrence Grinnell, vice-president, and Mrs. William Eddy, secretary and treasurer. In addition to the above con- tributions, $500 were given by a lady to pay soldiers' wives for sewing. Contributions were also sent to the St. Louis and Baltimore Soldiers' Fairs, and tables were furnished at the New York and Boston Fairs. The city authorities were active in giving all possible aid in the en- listments for the army, and were lavish in their financial support of all war measures. On September 5 Mayor Isaac C. Taber was authorized 41 3 2 2 HISTOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. to organize companies for the national army with bounties for each member of $15. November 20 $1,500 were appropriated for State aid to soldiers' families, and December 15 $5,000 for the payment of sol- diers' bounties. In October, 1861, Company D, Twenty-third Massachusetts Infantry was raised in this city for three years' service. It was largely composed of New Bedford men. The following officers were in command when the company departed for service : Captain, Cornelius Rowland, jr.; first lieutenant, Samuel C. Hart ; second lieutenant, Anthony Lang. The regiment left Lynnfield, November 11, 1 861, and embarked in steamers State of Maine and Metropolis for New York. They arrived and went into camp at Annapolis, November 16, 1861. On January 9, 1862, the regiment embarked on board the gunhoa.t Iluzzar and schooner Highlander for Fortress Monroe. A violent gale on January 12 sepa- rated the vessels, and with much difficulty and danger the regiment reached Pamlico Sound, where the vessels remained at anchor nearly two weeks. The furious winds made it unsafe to send boats to the shore, and the men were placed on short allowance of both food and water. They joined the fleet of sixty vessels to accomplish the reduction of Roanoke Island. On the 7th the gunboats began their attack on the rebel fleet and on the forts of Roanoke Island. Later in the day the Union forces commenced landing, the Twenty-third Regiment being the first to reach the shore. The engagement lasted several hours, when the enemy capitulated at 4 o'clock. Three thousand persons, 2,000 stand of arms, and three shore batteries with forty guns were captured. General Burnside, in his order issued February 14, thanked the Massa- chusetts troops for their gallant conduct and " Roanoke, February 8," was authorized to be inscribed on their banners. Thus early in the war did the New Bedford soldiers of this regiment receive their first baptism of fire. The regiment took part in the capture of Newbern, March 16, 1862, in which it lost seven men killed in action and forty-seven wounded. October 30, 1862, Company D, the New Bedford company, with four others of the regiment, took part in a raid up the Neuse River. At Swift's River, the cavalry, artillery and baggage trains, the whole force under the command of Major- General Foster, 'marched through a sec- tion of North Carolina, embracing Washington, Rawles Mills, Williams- ^^^9 -'kyT. C.l<2-'-no.-'%ny ^^^^(3^ ^^C::^,^.^^^^^''^ TWENTY.THIRD REGIMENT. 323 ton, Hamilton, Tarboro, and Plymouth. The expedition was gone thir- teen days and captured fifty prisoners, four hundred horses and mules, and a hundred wagons. November 14, 1862, the regiment participated in the battle of Kinston, in which it took sixty prisoners belonging to the Twenty-third South Carolina Volunteers. November 16 it en- countered the enemy at Whitehall. This proved a serious affair, for, says the account, " the enemy poured the lead andiron into us like rain." The regiment was under steady fire for two hours and lost thirteen killed and fifty- four wounded. On the march back to Newbern, " owing to the bad quality of shops, a great many marched part of the time bare- footed over the frozen and icy roads." During the year 1863 the Twenty-third Regiment was doing loyal service, frequently changing camp, and participating in occasional expeditions. June 26 the New Bedford company was sent to Fort Spinola, near Newbern, for garrison duty. The regiment did service in defending Wilcox Bridge, and en- countered the brisk fire of the enemy at this point In the latter part of October the regiment left Newbern and sailed for Fortress Monroe, where it went into camp and spent the early winter months. In 1864 the Twenty- third Regiment took part in the battle of Arrow- field Church, and in the ill-fated movement towards Richmond that ended so disastrously at Drury's Bluff. It suffered severely in this en- gagement, having thirteen killed, twenty six wounded, and fifty-one made prisoners, thirty- seven of whom died in prison. In 1865 it partic- ipated in several engagements before Richmond. The full time of serv- ice expired June 15, and the Twenty- third Regiment was mustered out of service at Readville, July 12, 1865. Colonel Raymond, who com- manded the regiment, said of the men : " Their excellent conduct while in camp or garrison, their coolness and bravery under fire, their vigilance and fidelity at all times displayed, entitle them to the highest praise." Inscribed on their regimental flag are the battles of Roanoke, Newbern, Rawles Mills, Kinston, Goldsboro, Wilcox Bridge, Winton, Smithfield,. Heckman's Farm, Arrowfield Church, Drury's Bluff, and Cold Harbor. FIFTH BATTERY. The artillery company organized for coast defense at New Bed- ford in the summer of 1861 was the nucleus of this battery. A large- 32 4 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. proportion of its officers and members were New Bedford citizens. At the time when it left Camp Massasoit, Readville, December 25, 1861, its officers were : Captain, Max Eppendorf, New Bedford ; first lieuten- ants, George D. Allen, Maiden, John B. Hyde, New Bedford ; second lieutenants, Robert A. Dillingham, New Bedford, Charles A, Phillips, Salem; quartermaster- sergeant, Timothy W. Terry, New Bedford. Its armament consisted of four rifled six-pounders and two twelve-poiinder howitzers. These were exchanged for three inch guns during the win- ter of 1862. The battery went into Camp Duncan, Washington, December 27. In January, 1862, many changes were made in its officers. Captain Eppen- dorf resigned. Lieutenant Allen took command, and the other officers were promoted in succession. Sergt. Henry D. Scott was advanced to second lieutenant. In February the battery marched to Hall's Hill, Va., and was as- signed to Gen. Fitz John Porter's division. In March it went into camp near Fortress Monroe, where it awaited the movement of the army against Richmond. In April it took part with Gen. Fitz John Porter's division in the advance on Yorktown. It performed picket duty on the Chickahominy during the month of June, and took part in the battle of Gaines's Mills June 27. In this battle the Fifth Battery was attached to General Butterfield's Brigade. James T. Bowen, author of " Massachu- setts in the War," says : " About the middle of the afternoon it took position on a hill, where it assisted in repulsing several advances of the enemy, and then changed location to serve with the brigade in covering the retreat of the Union army across the Chickahominy. This it did faithfully, checking the pursuit with discharges of canister, but in with- drawing could only bring off two guns, the horses of the others being killed. The loss in men was two killed and three wounded. With the two guns the battery was engaged in the battle of Malvern Hill, July i, being placed first at the left, and afterwards on the right. The effect- iveness of the battery in this engagement may be estimated from the fact that with these two pieces 250 rounds were fired." In July the battery was temporarily dissolved, and the men were dis tributed among other organizations. In October, 1862, it was re-or- ganized, under the command of the following officers : Captain, Charles THE FIFTH BATTERY. 325 A. Phillips ; first lieutenants, Henry D. Scott, New Bedford, Frederick A. Hull, Cambridge; second lieutenants, Peleg W. Blake, New Bed- ford, Joseph E. Spear, Quincy. In was attached to the Fifth Corps, and in December participated in the unsuccessful attack on Fredricks- burg. It shared in the " mud march " in January, 1863, and in the bat- tle at Chancellorsville in May. With the artillery reserve, it was sum- moned to Gettysburg in July, and assisted in repulsing the great attack of the Confederate forces. During the two days' fight it lost seven men killed (or died from wounds), and thirteen were wounded, including Lieut. H. D. Scott, who was shot through the face while directing the removal of a gun from the field. He was again wounded in the Mine Run campaign in November. The battery went into winterquarters at Rappahannock Station, where it remained till the opening of the spring of 1864. It took part in the battle of the Wilderness on May 5, in the battle of Bethesda Church, June 3, and in an attack on Petersburg, June 18. In the last engage- ment Lieutenant Blake was killed. In August this battery took part in repulsing the enemy in their attempt to regain the Weldon Railroad. At the final assault on Petersburg, the Fifth Battery, under command of Captain Phillips, had a part in the fiercest of the battle. Lieutenant Page was detailed to take possession of the guns of Battery B, Sumter Artillery, of Georgia, consisting of six twelve-pounders. The record says: "These were worked by the brave men under Lieutenant Page all day, though exposed to a fire of artillery and musketry, by which Page and three of his little band were wounded." That day saw the last shots fired by the Fifth Battery. It was mustered out of service June 12, 1865. By orders from headquarters of the Army of the Poto- mac, the battery was authorized to emblazon on its flag : Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Mechanicsville, ^Gaines's Mills, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rappa- hannock Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Bethesda Church, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, and Hatcher's Run. THE STONE FLEET. In the fall of 186 1 the United States Government purchased a large number of old vessels, principally whalers, loaded them with stone, and 326 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. sank them in the channels of Charleston and Savannah, important ports of the Southern Confederacy on the Atlantic coast. Many of the inlets on the coast of North Carolina were closed to ocean traffic by this novel method. Twenty-one Baltimore schooners were used in this case. The principal operations of this so-called "Rat- hole Squadron" were, how- ever, directed to the harbors of Charleston and Savannah. This work supplemented that of the blockade squadron, and resulted, for a time, in the practical closing of the southern coast against blockade-running. The whaling vessel, from its peculiar model, seemed well adapted for this enterprise, and so it happened that twenty-foUr of the forty-five vessels of the fleet were bought and fitted at this port. The prepara- tion of the ships was under the supervision of Messrs. Ivory H. Bartlett & Sons. Capt. Rodolphus N. Swift was the general agent, and Capts. James B. Wood and Fred A. Stall assistant agents. The first fleet consisted of the following vessels : Barks Garland, Commodore Rodney French, 243 tons ; Harvest, Capt. W. W. Taylor, 400 tons; Leonidas, Capt. Joseph W. Rowland, 200 tons; Amazon, Capt. J. S. Tripp, 336 tons; Cossack, Capt. John D. Childs, 350 tons; Frances Henrietta, Capt. Michael Cumisky, 381 tons, and the Herald, Capt. A. H. Gifford, 346 tons. Ships Maria Theresa, Capt. T. S. Bailey, 425 tons; Archer, Captain Worth, 380 tons; South America, Capt. David G. Chadwick, 550 tons; Courier, Capt. Shubael F. Brayton, 350 tons ; Kensington, Capt. B. F. Tilton, 350 tons; Potomac, Capt. Thomas Brown, 350 tons ; L. C Richmond, Capt. M.a.rtin Mallory, 306 tons; Rebecca Simms, Capt. J. M. Wells, 425 tons; and American, Capt. W. A. Beard. The wharves were alive with gangs of workmen engaged in fitting the vessels for their southern voyage. As about 7,500 tons of stone were required, for which a price of fifty cents a ton was paid, the farmers in the suburbs found a profitable use for their stone walls, and many were pulled down and sold for this purpose. The highways were gleaned of cobble stones and refuse granite ; and constant processions of loaded carts found their way to the river front with their contributions toward paving the channel of Charleston harbor. Loads of provisions were stowed in the ships, and everything hastened to completion, so that the 328 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The sealed instructions were opened on the 2 1st, and it was found that the fleet was ordered to Savannah, and to report to the commodore of the blockade squadron. Space forbids a detailed account of th6 voyage, which was favored with good weather, except a lively gale on December 2 and 3. The wind being from a favorable quarter, its violence only sent the vessels at a booming pace toward their destination. The crews evidently en- joyed the greatest liberty, and were free from the usual discipline which characterizes government vessels. There were, however, one or two exceptions. One captain insisted that the daily "washing decks" should be observed, and so the crew was obliged to perform this duty, much against their will. There being no sand on board, the captain had blocks of granite brought on deck and pulverized into powder, for a substitute. Another captain put his crew on limited rations, and though an abundant supply was provided by the government, the jolly sailors were put on regulation diet. Quantities of potatoes and other vegetables were thrown overboard at the end of the voyage. Commo- dore French, to give an appearance of- dignity to flagship Garland, mounted a formidable " Quaker " gun. It was made of a section of a spar, painted black, and mounted 'midships. Just how much the presence of this gun served to protect the fleet from attack is not re- corded but the following significant memorandum was found in the commodore's diary: "December 7, 1861. Passed a schooner which eyed our big gun attentively, and kept off." On the arrival of the fleet at Port Royal, December 11, it was found that the authorities had changed their plans somewhat, and it was neces- sary to alter the instructions. The vessels lay at anchor for nearly a week, the crews spending their leisure time visiting one another and making excursions on shore. Commodore Dupont, U. S. S. Washburn, received the officers with great courtesy and showed them marked attention. The second fleet of New Bedford vessels sailed December 9. The following is the list: Ships America, Capt. Henry B. Chase; William Lee, Capt. Horace A. Lake ; barks India, Capt. Avery F. Parker ; Me- chanic, Capt. Archibald Baker, jr.; Valparaiso, Capt. William Wood ; Margaret Scott, Capt. Henry F. Tobey ; Majestic, Capt. Joseph Dim- THE STONE FLEET. 329 mick. They arrived at Port Royal in due season, and joined the first squadron. The ships Harvest and Valparaiso were retained at Port Royal as store ships. Most of the vessels found their way to Charleston harbor. On Friday morning, December 20, the ships were towed to their various stations by steamers Ottawa and Pocahontas. " The sinking of the fleet was entrusted to Capt. Charles H. Davis, U. S. N., whose plan for closing the harbor was to place the obstructions on both sides of the crest of the bar, so that the same forces which cre- ated the bar might be relied upon to keep them in their places ; also, to place the vessels checkerwise, and at some distance from each other, so as to create an artificial unevenness of bottom, resembling Wood's HoU. This unevenness would give rise to eddies, counter currents and whirl- pools, thus making navigation extremely dangerous. The placing of the vessels in the desired position proved a difficult undertaking. Many of them sat very deep in the water, and much skill was required to keep them from swinging away while being sunk. By ten o'clock the plugs were all drawn, and every ship had sunk or was sinking. None disap- peared wholly from sight, and the scene is described as a novel one when the work was finished. Some were on their beam ends, some down by the head, others by the stern, and masts, spars and rigging of the thickly crowded ships were mingled and tangled in the greatest con- fusion. They did not long remain so. The boats which had been swarming about the wrecks, picking up stores, sails, and whatever was to be got, returning heavily laden, were . ordered back to cut away the masts. As they fell, the sound of heavy cannon echoed down the bay, and for the next two hours the crash of falling masts was accompanied by the same salute. The guns of Sumter were the requiem of the fleet. I have frequently heard of masts going by the board on ships at sea in a gale of wind, but never saw the deed performed till to- day. It is certainly worth witnessing, where you have not the accom- paniments of a howling gale, a wild mountainous sea, and a groaning ship, leaking at every point beneath you. Under these circumstances the cutting away of masts may afford a sense of relief, but none of grati- fication or pleasure. But #ith a fleet of ships sunk across and block- ading an icnportant channel, leading to what was once a thriving city^ 42 330 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. but what is now the seat of the rebellion, and an object of just revenge, the dismantling of the hulks within sight of rebel flags and rebel guns, is really an unalloyed pleasure. One feels that at least one cursed rat- hole has been closed, and one avenue of supplies cut off by the hulks, and anything that adds to the efficiency of the work affords additional pleasure. " Most of the ships in sinking had listed to one side, and the masts, of course, stood at an angle over their sides. The braces and shrouds on the weather side were cut by the sharp axes of the whalemen, and the tall masts, swaying for an instant, fell together with a loud crash, the sticks snapping like brittle pipe- stems, close to the decks, and strik- ing the water like an avalanche, beat it into a foam, throwing the spray high into the air. For an hour or two this crashing, smashing sound was heard on every side, and one after another the ships became mere hulks upon the water. " The scene presented in the harbor, when the work was done, was novel and interesting. Here were sixteen dismasted hulks in every position, lying across the channel — some on the port, others on their starboard sides. Some were under water forward, others aft. xThe sea swept over some of them, others stood upright on their keels and spouted water from their sides, as the heavy swells raised them and dropped them heavily down upon the sands again. "^ The work was finally accomplished, and the sixteen vessels formed, at least for a while, an impassable barrier to navigation. Here is the list ; Amazon, America, American, Archer, Courier, Herald, Kensington, Leonidas, Maria Theresa, Potomac, Rebecca Simms, L. C. Richmond, and Will- iam Lee, all belonging to New Bedford, and the Fortune and Leonidas, of New London. The remaining vessels from New Bedford were dis- posed of at various points, a number of them being used for store ships and temporary wharves. On January 8, 1862, the officers and crews of the New Bedford ships were taken on board the Ocean Queen and sailed for home. The city government was constantly active in rendering all possible aid to the prosecution of the war. July 10, 1862, it appropriated $7,500 to establish a general hospital for sick and wounded soldiers, provided 1 Correspondent New York Tribune. C'CA^'-'l/-2^ THIRTY-THIRD REGIMENT. 331 the general government should " decide to locate one in the city." It voted a bounty of $100 to each volunteer for three years' military ser- vice, and appropriated $26,000 for this purpose. The city alms- house was offered to the government for a hospital, and was considered capable of accommodating 350 patients. This offer was not accepted. August 15 the bounty money for volunteers was increased to $250, and $20,000 was set apart for its payment. August 29, $200 bounty money was offered to all volunteers for nine months' service. Twenty-five thou- sand dollars was appropriated for this work. October 21 it made further appropriations of $5,000 for the continued maintenance of the home and coast guard, and $20,000 for military bounties, which amount was increased to $26,000, December 13. THE THIRTY-THIRD REGIMENT M. V. The Thirty-third Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was mustered into service August 5, 1862. It had several commissioned officers and one company (I) from New Bedford. Col. A. G. Maggi, in command, was from New Bedford. The officers of Company I, at the time when it left the State for the seat of war, were : Captain, Elisha. Doane ; first lieutenant, Jas. F. Chapman ; second lieutenant, Charles H. Nye. The regimental band attached to the Thirty-third was under the leadership of Israel Smith, of New Bedford. It had attained a national reputation for its excellent music, and was frequently called upon to per- form on State occasions. The band was composed entirely of en- listed men of the regiment, and so the members received no special re- muneration for their services. The regiment left the State August 14, 1862, marched through Bal- timore on the 1 6th and reached Washington the same day. It was joined to General Siegel's Corps, and went into camp at Alexandria. It shared in the weary march in November to Thoroughfare Gap. A heavy snow storm prevailed, and the men were thoroughly exhausted' when the regiment returned to camp. November 22 Siegel's Corps marched towards Fredericksburg, over roads that were in wretched condition, and aside from being poorly supplied with provisions, the men were exhausted and worn out. These troops did not reach the vicinity 332 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. of the engagement till after the unfortunate attack on Fredericksburg. The wearing and exhaustive service required of the Thirty- third at so early a stage in their military life was severe, but it was bravely en- dured and served to prepare the men for their widely extended cam- paigns. In February, 1863, the regiment moved to Brooks Station and went into more permanent quarters. The first battle of this regiment was at Chancellorsville, where the casualties were five men wounded and two missing. The Thirty- third was honored in being one of the Massachusetts regiments selected to support General Pleasanton's cavalry at the battle of Beverly Ford on June 9, 1863. It shared in the Gettysburg campaign in July, and sup- ported the Union batteries on Cemetery Hill. During July 2 and 3 it was constantly under heavy artillery fire, and suffered the loss of seven men killed and thirty-eight wounded. It gained praise from regular army officers for the " unflinching steadiness with which it maintained its position. Through the remainder of the fight it was constantly in the front, and took a prominent part in repulsing the rebel attack on the center." It took part in storming the rifle pits on Lookout Moun- tain, October 28. The account says : " For this desperate work, the brigade commander selected his own regiment and the Thirty-third Massachusetts, the two numbering altogether but some 400 effective men. At the word of command, the lines, in the best order possible under the circumstances, clambered up the steep slope, through and over the obstructions, until finally they stood facing the hostile works. ' Don't fire en your friends,' said some one through the darkness, and the men of the Thirty-third, deceived, were led to give their regimental number. The response was a terrible volley, delivered almost in their faces, which killed and wounded nearly one-half their number. Tem- porarily stunned and shocked, they retreated to the foot of the hill. Adjutant Mudge fell dead at the first fire. Col. Underwood, with a terribly shattered thigh, had fallen fatally wounded, it was supposed, close to the hostile works, and among the dead lay many of the regi- ment's bravest and best; but the survivors were only momentarily re- pulsed. As soon as possible the shattered line was re-formed, and then, knowing what was before them, the undaunted men climbed once more the deadly steep. This time it was the silent bayonet which did THIRTY-EIGH2H REGIMENT. 333 the work. Up to, over, and into the entrenchments, the boys in blue Went resistlessly ; the enemy was driven from his works, broken and demoralized, and the stars and stripes waved in triumph. The civil war saw no more heroic charge than this. The men of the Thirty-lhird had captured a position defended by a superior force, which, according to all military science, should have been impregnable against many times the number of the defenders. The Thirty- third had twenty- four men killed and fifty-three wounded in this engagement." The regiment took part in the battle of Missionary Ridge, November 25, and formed a part of General Sherman's expedition to relieve Burn- side at Knoxville. In April, 1864, it was engaged in the battle of Re- saca. The severity of this work may be judged from the fact that this regiment lost two officers and seventeen men killed, and sixty-three wounded. During the spring and summer the regiment was engaged in several skirmishes and engagements, notably those of Cassville and Dallas. In September, 1864, the regiment was ordered to Atlanta, and was detailed to guard the Confederate prisoners at the military prison on Peach Tree street. While at this place Major Elisha Doane was, pro- moted to lieutenant- colonel, and had command of the regiment. The regimental band, under Israel Smith, gave a number of concerts while in the city that gave great pleasure to large audiences. In November the regiment joined its brigade in Milledgeville and proceeded to camp near Savannah. It participated in the battles of General Sherman's army, and was mustered out of service June 11, 1865. The regiment was accorded a most enthusiastic reception on its arrival in Boston, and was served with a collation in Faneuil Hall. THE THIRTY EIGHTH REGIMENT INFANTRY Was mustered in August 12, 1862, for three years' service ; colonel, Timothy Ingraham ; lieutenant-colonel, William L. Rodman. The line officers of Company H, when they left the State for the front were • Captain, Thomas R. Rodman, of New Bedford ; first Heutenant, Julius M. Lathrop, of Dedham ; second lieutenant, Charles C. Howland, of New Bedford. Subsequent officers of this company were : Timothy Ingraham, jr., and Charles F. Shaw as first lieutenants. 334 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. This regiment, to which were attached many New Bedford soldiers (Company H was raised in this city), left Lynnfield for the seat of war August 26, 1862, and went into camp at Baltimore, where it remained until NdVember 10. It sailed for New Orleans, via Fortress Monroe, December 8, arriving off Ship Island December 13, and on January i, 1863, it was ordered into camp at Carrollton, four miles from New Or- leans. April 9, with the rest of the Nineteenth Army Corps, under Major General Banks, it started on the Western Louisiana campaign. The Thirty- eighth was in the Third Brigade, Third Division, and was under the command of Lieutenant- Colonel Rodman, Colonel Ingraham being in command of the First Brigade, Third Division. The following is an authentic account of the experience of the regiment, its hard marches and continuous fighting, leading to the siege of Port Hudson, in which one of the noblest of our citizens was killed : " We came upon the enemy, strongly entrenched, at Bisland, on the Bayou Teche, on the afternoon of April 12, when a lively artillery duel commenced, which was kept up until dark. The next morning (13th) our brigade crossed the bayou, and after a day's fight compelled the enemy to evacuate the works, which were taken possession of next morning; and then the pursuit commenced. We had six killed and twenty-nine wounded on the 13th. Among the former was Captain Gault, Company A. We pursued the enemy so closely that we were frequently enabled to prevent the destruction of the bridges, which span the almost innu- merable bayous of this section of the country. We arrived at Vermilion Bayou on the 1 7th and rested one day, during the rebuilding of the bridge across it, and on the 19th we continued our forced march. On the 20th we arrived at Opelousas, where we encamped until May 4, when we started for Alexandria, arriving the evening of the 7th, and remaining there until the 15th ; then we started for Semmesport on the Atchafalaya, where we encamped on the 19th. At 10 o'clock on the morning of the 21st we took up our line of march for Port Hudson. We reached the town of Mor- ganza on the afternoon of the 22d, where we immediately embarked on the river steamer Empire Parish for Bayou Sara. Here we landed, and the same afternoon, amid a terrible storm, started for Port Hudson. On the 25th and 26th we supported the Eighteenth New York Battery, and protected the bridge builders at Sandy Creek, a few hundred yards from THIRTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT. 335 the extreme right of the enemy's works, when we were relieved by the Third and Fourth Louisiana (colored) and were ordered to rejoin our brigade, preparatory to the grand assault of the 27th. "In this connection let me remark that the Thirty-eighth had the pleas- ure of witnessing the admirable behavior of the first colored troops un- der fire in this war, namely, the Third and Fourth Louisiana, May 26. On the 27th we were ordered to support Duryea's Battery F, First United States, which we did till about 10 o'clock A. M. when we volunteered in a charge with a few regiments of Grover's Division. We charged over ravines and an abattis of felled timber to within about 150 yards of the works, when the severity of the enemy's fire compelled us to seek such cover as we could find. Lieutenant- Colonel Rodman was instantly killed by a sharpshooter, while in the act of giving a command. On the 30th Major Richardson rejoined us and took command, although still un- well. There being some fear of an attack in our rear, the Thirty-eighth, with other troops of our division, were marched out to Clinton, start- ing on the morning of June 5 and arriving at Clinton the 7th, The heat was so intense that many officers and men were sunstruck, and for that reason the rest of the marching was done by night. The enemy having left, we returned to Port Hudson, arriving on the gth. On the 14th of June another assault was ordered. The Thirty- eighth and Fifty-third Massa- chusetts were deployed as skirmishers, and had the advance. We skir- mished up into the ditch around the works, and waited for the column of assault, but waited in vain; and we were obliged to remain there all day under a broiling sun. Our loss was : Commissioned officers, one killed and five wounded; enlisted men, seven killed and seventy- seven wounded. Upon the surrender of Port Hudson, July 8, two regiments from each division were ordered to march in and take possession. The Thirty- eighth was selected to represent the Third Division, but during the night the Third Brigade was ordered to Plain's Store, about four miles in the rear of Port Hudson, and we were ordered to go to them, where we re- mained on picket until the afternoon of the nth, when we started for Baton Rouge in charge of artillery and baggage. We arrived there early on the morning of the I2th and remained in camp until the afternoon of the iSth, when we embarked on board the. steamer 5/. Charles forDonaldson- ville, where we remained in camp until the 31st. August i we moved 336 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. back to Baton Rouge, to the old camp of the Forty-ninth Massachusetts, which was called Camp W. L. Rodman, where we remained until De- cember 9, 1863." From Lieut. Chas. F. Shaw the following account is obtained : "March 23, 1864, the regiment broke camp and left the city of Baton Rouge, and was transported by boat to Alexandria. Here for a time it was kept busy in drilling, unloading steamers, and on fatigue duty. April 1 1 the regiment embarked on the Mittie Stephens and started on the disastrous Red River expedition. While on this trip the boat was fired on by guerrillas and one man was killed, and Lieut. T. Ingraham, jr., and two soldiers were wounded. The regiment went into camp at Grand Ecore, but remained only a few days, as General Banks's army had met the foe, and the battle had resulted in favoj- of the Confederates. So, on the 21st of April, preparations were made to evacuate our camps and retreat to Alexandria. April 23 the regiment was fired into by the rebel artillery in crossing Cane River, and later in the day a sharp bat- tle took place while our troops were charging across a field, and in this engagement the regiment lost two killed and eight wounded, among the latter being Thomas E. BlifRns, now residing at Smith Mills. The reg- iment arrived at Alexandria again on the 26th, and immediately went to work with other regiments in constructing a dam, planned by Lieuten- ant-Colonel Bailey of the Fourth Wisconsin regiment. " The water in Red River was at a very low point, and most of our gunboats were hard aground ; but by Bailey's fine engineering all our boats were successfully extricated. May 1 1 we bade farewell to Alex- andria and commenced our march towards the Mississippi river. The enemy kept at our heels continually, and another engagement was pre- cipitated at Mausura on the 1 6th. This battle was essentially an artillery duel, and proved to be the finest military spectacle seen in the Depart- ment of the Gulf during the war. May 20 the regiment marched to Semmesport, and for nearly two months suffered the intense heat of a Louisiana summer in camp, near Morganza. July 3 the regiment em- barked on board the steamer City of Memphis, and the next day, July 4, landed at Algiers (opposite New Orleans), went into camp and re- mained until the 20th. On that day it embarked and steamed out of the Mississippi into the Gulf of Mexico. July 28 the steamer arrived at RETURN OF THE THIRTY-EIGHTH. 337 Fortress Monroe and, a few days after, the troops were transported to Washington and thence went by rail to Harper's Ferry. During the autumn of 1864 the regiment participated in all the engagements in the Shenandoah Valley under the leadership of that intrepid general, Sher- idan, and in this campaign saw more real fighting than ever before. On the 19th of October, made memorable by Sheridan's ride, the regiment lost heavily, and performed its share in turning a rout in the morning to a decided victory in the afternoon. During the campaign in the Shenandoah Valley the regiment suffered a loss of 120 men. In Jan- uary, 1865, the regiment embarked on a transport, the destination of which proved to be Savannah. During the balance of the service it performed garrison and fatigue duty at Newbern, Morehead City, and Goldsboro, N. C." The Thirty eighth Regiment was engaged in the following battles : Bisland, Port Hudson, Cane River, Mausura, Opequan, 'Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. May 4, 1865, the Thirty-eighth went into camp again at Savannah. Here it remained until June 30, and, the war being over, it embarked on the steamship Fairbanks for home, arriving at Boston July 6. It went into barracks on Gallup's Island, and on the 13th was paid off and dis- charged from the service. By invitation of the city of Cambridge,, where companies A, B, and F belonged, the regiment visited that place and received a most gratifying reception and ovation. Reception of Veterans} — " The returned members of Company H,. Thirty -eighth Massachusetts Regiment, whose names we give below, re- ceived a hearty welcome upon their arrival home last evening. They were escorted from the north depot by the City Guards, preceded by the New Bedford Massachusetts band, with members of the celebrated band of the Thirty third Regiment resident here, and these, preceded by a cavalcade of citizens, marched to City Hall square. Here were collected the children of the public schools, with their several drum corps, their pretty banners, and a liberal supply of bouquets. Clustered upon the steps and in the space in front of the hall, with their neat uniforms and showy banners, the gilded mottoes upon which glistened in the setting sun, they formed a most pleasing spectacle. As the veterans approached, • From the New Bedford Mercury^ July 14, 1865. 338 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. handkerchiefs were waved by the children, and when the former halted in front of the hall, they were greeted with hearty cheers and a shower of bouquets from the httle ones, who then sang, to the grand " Old John Brown " tune, the song of welcome composed by James B. Congdon, esq., for the celebration on the 4th. Cheers followed from the children and from the throngs of citizens with which the entire square was packed, when the soldiers retired to the Guards' armory, laid aside their arms, and then partook of a collation at the dining rooms of Messrs. Wing & Brockway. They subsequently assembled in the armory, and after hearty cheers for Lieutenant Shaw and their old commander. Captain Rodman, they retired to their homes." The following are the names of the returned veterans : New Bedford. — Lieut. Charles F. Shaw, commanding ; Sergeants Benjamin Hillman, Henry Hillman ; Corporals John P. Brenning, Gil- bert M. Jennings ; Privates Thomas Lapham, James F. Edgerton, George S. Howard, Matthias H. Johnson. Acushnet. — Sergeant George D. Bisbee ; Privates A. E. H. Brooks, Orrin D. Perry. Westport. — Peleg S. Borden. Sandwich. — Corporal N. H. Dillingham. Falmouth. — Sergeant George W. Swift; Corporal Reuben E. Phin- ney ; Privates John B. Crocker, Henry O. Davis, Leonard Doty, Perry W. Fisher. P'airhaven. — Private Thomas Nye, Middleborq. — Private James C. Reed. Capt. Albert F. Bullard, of Company E, of New Bedford, returned with Company H. The following members of Company H were wounded during their term of service : George Y . Lincoln, Luther P. Williams, Albert F. Ballard, T. Ingraham, jr., Isaiah B. Bullock, Thomas E. Bliffins, James N. Parker, George D. Bisbee, Benjamin Hillman, Perry W. Fisher, Will- iam Phillips. Killed in action or died of wounds : Lieutenant Colo- nel Wm Logan Rodman, Joseph H. Bly, Alonzo W. Leach, Augustus E. Foster, Silas C. Kenney, J. M Lathrop. Taken prisoners: Henry Hillman, also wounded ; Otis B. Phinney, Matthias H. Johnson, George W. Swift, afso wounded ; Peleg S. Borden, Arthur E. H. Brooks, THIRD REGIMENT MILITIA. 339 George Crabtree, Levi Pittsley, Edwin R. Pool, died in hands of the enemy, and Patrick Honan, all captured October 19, 1864, except the last. Deaths from disease : Leander A. Tripp, Peter C. Brooks, George E. Hawes, Bartholomew Aiken, William Bentley, Hiram B. Bonney, Samuel E. Dean, Timothy F Doty, John Dunlap, George W. Fish, Jehiel Fish, James Holmes, Benjamin Jenks, Ezra S, Jones, Shu- bael Eldridge, jr., Charles G. Kempton, Horace E. Lewis, Walter T. Nye, Jason S. Peckham, William Pittsley, Joshua Roach, James Ryan, John W. Phipps. Received commissions : J. M. Lawton, jr., Edward J. Anthony, as lieutenants in the colored troops ; Edward Bealy, as captain in Louisiana Cavalry ; Albert F. BuUard, as captain Company E, Thirty-eighth Massachusetts ; Elijah Swift, as quartermaster of reg- iment; George A. Fletcher, as lieutenant in another regiment; Charles F. Shaw, as first lieutenant in Company H, Thirty- eighth Regiment. THIRD REGIMENT INFANTRY M. V. M. Of this regiment, Companies E, F, and G were from New Bedford. This regiment, which had rendered three months' service at the begin- ning of the war, under Colonel Wardrop, was again recruited for nine months, in October, 1862, under Col. S. P. Richmond. The following New Bedford men were attached to his staff:' Lieut. Col. James Barton, Qwartermaster Bethuel Penniman, jr., Sergt.- Ma- jor, Joseph E. Nye, Quartermaster- Sergt. Theodore A. Barton. Company E — Captain, John A. Hawes ; first lieutenant, Wm. E. Maso« ; second lieutenant, James L. Sharp ; sergeants, Daniel A. Butler, Joseph E. Nye, Charles H. Tobey, James C. Hitch, Isaac A. Jennings ; corporals, John H. M. Babcock, Francis Herley, George R. Paddock, Alexander M. Brownell, Frank H. Kempton, Henry H. Pot- ter, Franklin K. S. Nye, Sylvester C. Spooner. Company F. — Captain, George R. Hurlburt; first lieutenant, William^ H. Allen 3d; second lieutenant, Jonathan W. Davis; sergeants, Pat- rick Canavan, James H. Williams (Dartmouth), Frederick A. Plummer, Joseph C. Brotherson, Charles H. WaiJ'ker; corporals, Charles A. Gould, James Smith (Edg.irtown), Zacheus H. Wright (Acushnet), Andrew Dexter, John H. Ricketson (Dartmouth), Frederick Hoffman, C. W. Cleaveland (Edgartown), Henry Kohn. 340 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Company D. — Captain, William S. Cobb ; first lieutenant, Henry W. Briggs ; second lieutenant, James L. Wilbur ; sergeants, Charles West, William H. Chase, John W. Look, Abel Soule, Roland W. Snow ; cor- porals, Simeon Webb, Thomas H. Hammond, William G. Hammond, Andrew Potter, William Eldredge, John L. Flynn, George W. Perry, Ira P. Tripp. The organization of the regiment was completed at Camp Joe Hooker, Lakeville, and it left for Boston October 22, 1862, where it embarked on transports Merrimac and Mississippi for Newbern, N. C, October 29. The men were supplied with Austrian rifled muskets. These arms were of poor quality, and much dissatisfaction was felt because of it. The regiment was at once put to drilling, and entered upon its nine months' service. It performed picket duty at Newport barracks and at Batchelor's Creek No. i. in November, and December 1 1 it joined the expedition for Goldsboro, N. C. The troops were gone eleven days and marched a hundred and fifty nniles. They participated in the battles of Kinston, Whitehall and Goldsboro, and were authorized by General Fos- ter to inscribe these names and dates of the battles on their banner. They performed efficient service in the last-named battle, and received compliments from their brigade commander "for their bravery in tear- ing up the railroad track while under fire, and their steadiness in sup- porting Belger's and Morrison's batteries while repelling the brilliant charge of the rebels under General Pettigrew, and also for its coolness while re-crossing the creek, which had been flooded by the rebels." Although the regiment was under fire for several hours during the day, yet it was miraculously fortunate, its loss being but six men killed. January 14, 1863, the Third Regiment M. V. M. was attached to Col J. Jourdan's brigade, with which it continued during its term of en- listment. It gained a high reputation for excellence in discipline and drill, and received the compliments of its division and corps command- ers. General Foster says: "The Third Massachusetts Regiment al- ways obeys orders, and performs all its duties promptly and without grumbling." Camp Jourdan was located near Newbern, and it was, by reason of the diligence and persistence of this regiment, pronounced by tlie medical director '" one of the cleanest, prettiest and most healthy camps near Newbern, although formerly considered a very unhealthy FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT. 341 locality." This regiment was engaged constantly in reconnoissances, expeditions and marches, and the names of Deep Gully, Fort Ander- son, Neuse River, Washington, N. C, and Blount's Creek represent some of the places at which they did excellent service. When the term of enlistment expired the regiment was escorted to the station at Newbern by the One Hundred and Fifty- eighth New York Volunteer.s, preceded by the band of the Forty-sixth Massachu- setts. General Foster and Colonel Jourdan hgnored the column by a standing review. In Boston the regiment received a most cordial reception, and was welcomed at the State House by Adjutant- General Schouler. June 22, 1863, it was mustered out of service at Camp Joe Hooker. The official record says : " During the campaign the regiment was transported by steamers and railroad more than 2,000 miles, and marched more than 400 miles over the swampy roads of North Carolina, most of it being done during the most inclement season. It bivouacked upon the ground, without shelter, when the water froze in canteens, and also marched when the thermometer averaged 107 degrees in the shade. During a portion of the time more than 200 men were furnished for extra duty as mechanics, and a number were detailed as overseers of • contrabands' and others." FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT MASSACHUSEITS VOLUNTEERS. The organization of the Forty-first Regiment of Massachusetts Vol- unteers, of which Company A was raised in New Bedford, in August, 1862, was completed November i, 1862, and the regiment was that day mustered into the service of the United States for three years or for the war. Company A was largely composed of New Bedford men, and was officered as follows when it left the State : Captain, John F. Vinal ; first-lieutenant, James W. Hervey ; second lieutenant, Eliphalet H. Robbins. The regiment went into camp at Lynnfield, Mass., until, August 27, when it moved to camp E. M. Stanton, at Boxford, Mass. It remained there until November 4, 1862, when it proceeded to New York City, with orders to report to Major- General Banks; and it then went into quarters at Park Barracks, located on the site of the present 342 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. post-office. November 13 the regiment was transferred to Camp Banks, on the Union Race Course, Jamaica, Long Island, and remained there until December 3. December 4, 1862, it embarked on the steamer North Star, having on board General Banks and staff, and after a pleasant voyage arrived at New Orleans December 15. The next day it proceeded up the river, arriving at Baton Rouge on the 17th, fol- lowed by seven other ocean steamers, transports for the expedition, and six gunboats. After g. few shells had been thrown from the iron-clad Essex, the rebels fled and the various regiments landed, under com- mand of General Grover (General Banks having remained at New Or- leans), and occupied the city. P'ebruary I Captain Vinal was pro- moted to major, and First Lieutanant Hervey was placed in command of Company A. The regiment, besides garrison and picket duty, made several excursions into the rebel lines, destroying bridges and meeting with stubborn resistance from the enemy. On the 28th of March Grover's Division, to which the Forty-first was attached, pro- ceeded by steamer to Donaldsonville, and from there marched through the La Fourche country via Thibedeaux, Terre Bonne and Bayou Boeuf to Brashear. After remaining here from April 4 to April 9, the regi- ment went by steamer Arizona across Grand Lake, and reached the bay of Indian Bend at noon of the 13th. The Forty- first was soon en- gaged with the enemy's pickets, and the firing lasted until dark. On the 14th it was engaged in battle at Irish Bend. It participated in the raid on Avery's Island, Bayou Petit Anse, and assisted in the destruc- tion of the salt-works and in corralling a large number of horses from the enemy. On April 20 Grover's Division reached Opelousas, having marched from Baton Rouge, 300 miles. Here it performed provost duty, and confiscated a sufficient number of horsesfrom the residentsof that territory to mount the entire regiment. When it moved. May 1 1, to Barre's Land- ing, horse equipments were furnished, and the command was thence- forth known as the Forty- first Mounted Rifles. The official record says : " During the month it was on duty at Opelousas and Barre's Landing, it collected and sent to New Orleans via Brashear upwards of 6,000 bales of cotton, large quantities of sugar, molasses, and other products of the country, and at least 10,000 contrabands (men, women. FORTY-FIRST REGIMENT 343 and children), to work the government plantations in the La Fourche country. This regiment set all the corn-mills in operation, thus fur- nishing large quantities of meal to the troops and inhabitants, and feed- ing the contrabands. It established a free market for the benefit of the poorer inhabitants, reopened the printing- ofifice, and issued a daily- paper. The regiment left Barre's Landing May 21, in advance of a wagon-train five miles long, and an immense number of contrabands. The flanks and rear were covered by seven regiments of infantry and a section of artillery. Colonel Chickering commanding the column. •About. 7 o'clock P. M., May 25, near Franklin, the rear guard with the train was attacked by about 2,500 Texas cavalry and 2,000 infantry. Two or three companies of the Forty- first, including Company A, with a section of Nimm's Battery, were sent to assist the rear guard. After a struggle of about two hours, the rebels were repulsed. The march to Berwick City occupied five days. Thence the regi- ments were forwarded to General Banks at Port Hudson, early in June. Here the Forty-first was transformed into a permanent mounted regi- ment, June 17, by special order No. 144, and for 'the rest of its service was known as the Third Massachusetts Cavalry. The regiment was re- tained at Port Hudson for the remainder of the year 1863 and was en- gaged in collecting forage and in such service as belonged to a force of cavalry. On the 7th of January, 1864, the Third went to New Or- leans and remained there until about March i, when it left the city to participate in the Red River expedition, and was. assigned to the Fourth Cavalry Brigade, Colonel Dudley commanding. The regiment reached Brashear on March 18, and on the 2 1st engaged the enemy at Hender- son's Hill. The month of April brought vigorous work, frequent en- counters, and severe fighting with the enemy. The official account says that on the I2th it escorted a flag of truce with three wagons loaded with supplies for the Federal wounded within the Confederate lines ; that after the Union army had fallen back to Grand Ecore, where it remained till the 21st, the regiment, for several days follow- ing, skirmished and fought, driving the enemy before it, and clearing the way for the general column. After the battle the Third took post on Henderson Hill, which was held till the Union army had passed. On the 29th it crossed the Red River, and after a march of twenty 344 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. miles to the north, it had a sharp engagement with Quantrell's soldiers. In May, after the conflicts at Semmesport and Calhoun Station, it re- tired with the army of General Banks to Morganza, on the Mississippi. June 25 the Third Cavalry was again transformed into a regiment of infantry for temporary service, and on July 15 sailed for Fortress Mon- roe. On July 28 the regiment reported at Chain Bridge and went into camp at Monocacy. September 2, 1864, Maj. John F. Vinal was pro- moted to lieutenant- colonel. It was on continuous service in the movements of the army of the Shenandoah Valley, and took an impor- tant part in the battle of Opequan on September 19. It was part of the front line in the charge that at first pressed back the enemy's forces. Of the 600 men the regiment carried into^this battle, it lost 104 officers and men, eighteen of whom were killed. It participated in the final charge on the 22d, that drove General Early from his position at Fisher's Hill. With the rest of the Union army, it pursued the retreating force until Harrisonburg was reached on the 26th, where the regiment went into camp. It assisted in the destruction of Confederate supplies at Mount Crawford on September 29, and took part in the battle at Cedar Creek on October 19, where it lost seventy-seven men killed and wounded. De- cember 26 this regiment went by train to Harper's Ferry, and thence it escorted a quantity of artillery to Remount Camp in Pleasant Valley, Md. The march was made through deep snow that filled the roads, and in weather of intense cold. The regiment went into winter quarters till February 18, 1865, when it was again remounted, resuming its char- acter as a cavalry organization. It had continuous duty to perform dur- ing the spring campaign at Deerfield Station, Winchester, Jeflfersonville, Harper's Ferry and Frederick City. In May the original members of the Forty- first Regiment were mustered out and left for home. The regiment took part in the general review at Washington May 23, and performed further service at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and Fort Kear- ney, Neb. It was mustered out of service in Boston, October 8, 1865, after a con- tinuous service of thirty- five months. The official record says, that "the regiment marched 15,000 miles, and had been in more than thirty en- gagements". On its regimental flag were inscribed the battles of Irish Bend, Henderson Hill, Cane River, Fort Hudson, Sabine Cross Roads, FORTY- SEVENTH REGIMENT. 345 Muddy Bayou, Piny Woods, Snag Point, Bayou de Glaize, Yellow Bayou, Opequan Creek, Fisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek. In the course of its long and arduous service it had received high commendation for good discipline and gallantry in action from many eminent commanders, under whom it had the honor to serve. Among these may be mentioned Major-General Banks, Sheridan, A. T. Lee, Grover, and Emory. THE FORTY- SEVENTH REGIMENT, Company D of which was largely composed of New Bedford men, was recruited for nine months' service through the efforts of Lucius B. Marsh, a well-known citizen of Boston, in the fall of 1862. In Novem- ber it went into camp at Readville, and on the 29th was ordered to join the Banks expedition, then being organized in New York. It went into camp on Long Island, and December 21 sailed in the steamer Missis- sippi for New Orleans, At this time Austin S. Cushman was major of the regiment, and the following were the officers of Company D : Captain, Joseph Burt, jr. ; first lieutenant, William H. Topham ; second lieutenant, Samuel G. Blaine. On its arrival the regiment reported to General Banks, January i,. 1865, at New Orleans; thence to CarroUton, where it reported to Gen. W. T. Sherman On January 1 1 it was ordered to proceed to the United States barracks at New Orleans. The companies of this regi- ment were occupied in special guard duty, being detailed to various points during the term of service. In March, 1863, the detached com- panies were united again, and were ordered to the Metaire Race-course. Colonel Marsh commanded the post. While at this point the New Bed- ford company, together with that belonging in South Boston, crossed Lake Ponchartrain and captured a steamer, a schooner, and other prop- erty, including a quantity of cotton. May 19 the regiment was sent to Camp Parapet, and was occupied in the long line of defenses. A com- pany of negroes was recruited, which was the nuSfeus of the Second- Louisiana Regiment, and which was soon filled. Its officers were drawn from the Forty-seventh, the enlisted men being furnished from the con- traband camp. The Forty-seventh Regiment was on duty at Camp Parapet during the famous siege of Port Hudson. Its term of service 4^ 346 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. having expired, it came home by way of Cairo, 111., reaching Boston August 1 8, 1863. It was accorded a generous welcome, and went into camp at Readville. The men were furloughed till September 1, when they were mustered out of service. FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT INF. M. V. Of this regiment Robert G. Shaw was colonel, and one of its com- panies, C, was raised in New Bedford. This regiment was the first com- posed of colored soldiers which was raised in the State. It left for the seat of war May 28, 1863. It made a famous record ; and its regimental banner is emblazoned with the follwing named engagements : Fort Wag- ner, and the several engagements before Charleston, Olustee, James Island, Honey Hill, and Boykin's Mills. Company C was recruited in New Bedford with the following officers : Captain, James W. Grace ; sergeants, William H. W. Gray, Wesley Furlong, William H. Carney, Warton A. Williams, George H. Lee ; corporals, James H. Buchanan, George Delevan, David S. Fletcher, James H. Gooding, William D. Kelly. The regiment continued in faithful service to the government till it was mustered out and disbanded on Boston Common, September I, 1865. It was at the siege of Fort Wagner, July 17, that these col- ored troops made a noble reputation for bravery and sacrifice, forever silencing the prediction that the negro would not fight. It was at this assault that Color-Sergeant William H. Carney, of New Bedford, per- formed a brave deed in holding aloft the flag in the fiercest of the fight, and bringing it into camp, proudly saying, "The old flag never touched the ground, boys." This act, acknowledged to be one of the most heroic deeds of the civil war, is recorded in the State documents. In 1889, at the urgent request of the writer. Color- Sergeant Carney wrote a detailed account of the affair. It seems proper that it should appear in this chapter. He has added so much interesting material regarding the formations of Company C and of the regiment, that the entire article is herewith presented. " Early in 1863 there was a strong movement on the part of the gov- ernor of Massachusetts, John A. Andrews, to raise a regiment of colored soldiers. The citizens of New Bedford, both white and colored were FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT. 347 glad of the opportunity, and went earnestly to work in order to aid the governor in accomplishing his object. Before he had been officially authorize!d by the United States government to raise the regiment, New Bedford was actively at work to do her part by organizing a company. A meeting having been held by the citizens, and the subject thoroughly discussed, a soldier, Colonel Maggi, by his stirring speech, roused us to a sense of duty and patrotism. Only a few weeks passed, when a public meeting was called in Liberty Hall. This meeting was to see E. M. Hallowell, who came fresh from the field, with his arm in a sling from a wound received in battle. As he came with authority and information from the State Department in regard to recruiting, he was listened to with intense interest. From that meeting the spirit of enlisting was im- bibed, and in a few days recruiting was commenced. Down on William street, in the building that was for many years occupied by Tobey & Coggeshall, and which is now on Second street, was where the recruit- ing was begun, with James W. Grace as recruiting officer, and Dr. John H. Mackie as examining surgeon. Everything being ready the enlist- ment commenced, and forty- six men were enlisted in New Bedford. I will give the names of these as far as I can : William H. W. Gray, Joseph H. Campbell, George Delevan, Abram Terrants, Joseph Hall, Treadwell Turner, James H. Buchanan, James N. Gooding, Cornelius Heuson, Lewis Fleetwood, George H. Lee, Samuel Layton, Wesley Furlong, John L. Wright, Charles H. Harrison, John Harrison, Nathan Young, Richard Nelson, Abram Conkling, Wanton A. Williams, John Atkins, Alexander H. Johnson, Henry A. Monroe, Charles Guinn, Richard Foster, William H. Carney. March 4 we marched to the station and took the train for Readville, where, with Gen. R. A. Pierce as commander, we were received and quartered. Now we began to reahzewe were enlisted men, and about to become soldiers. You can imagine a roll of raw recruits, standing guard on a cold March night for the first time, those who were not on duty going to bed in a bunk filled with straw, shivering under one blanket in an unlined barrack. We were extremely Susceptible to the change from March 3 to March 4, but March 5 came and found us no longer in citizen's clothes, but in the blue trousers and coats, with fatigue caps. For the reveille, roll call, breakfast, for all these things we had to fall in and out. In this 348 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. way we passed the time at Readville until May, interspersed with squad, company, and battalion drill ; then we were ordered to Boston to em- bark for South Carolina. Having arrived at Hilton Head, we were ordered up the river to Beaufort, S. C. We were here only a few days, however, before we were ordered to St. Simon's Island. Upon arriv- ing there we found it deserted by all but one man, and we took charge of him. From here we made a successful raid to Darien, capturing a lot of supplies — vessels loaded with cotton and cattle — and the city itself. Thence we proceeded to James Island, S. C, staying only four days, during which time we were engaged with the rebels and successfully re- pulsed them. Thence to the charge and attack on Fort Wagner. On the 1 8th of July, 1863, about noon, we commenced to draw near this great fort, under a tremendous cannonading from the fleet, directed upon the fort. When we were within probably a thousand yards of the fort, we halted and lay flat upon the ground, waiting for the order to charge. The brave Colonel Shaw and his adjutant, in company with General Strong, came forward and addressed the regiment with encouraging words. General Strong said to the regiment : ' Men ot Massachusetts, are you ready to take that fort to night ? ' And the regiment spon- taneously answered in the affirmative. Then followed three cheers, proposed by General Strong, for the regiment ; three cheers for Colonel Shaw ; three cheers for Governor Andrew and Massachusetts, and three cheers for General Strong. We were all ready for the charge, and the regiment started to its feet, the charge being fairly commenced. We had got but a short distance when we were opened upon with musketry, shell, grape and canister, which mowed down our men right and left. As the color-bearer became disabled, I threw away my gun and seized the colors, making my way to the head of the column; but before I reached there the line had descended the embankment into the ditch, and was making its way upon Wagner itself While going down the embankment our column was staunch and full. As we ascended the breastworks, the volleys of grapeshot which came from right and left and of musketry in front, mowed the men down as a scythe would do. In less than twenty minutes I found myself alone, struggling upon the ramparts, while all around me were the dead and wounded, lying one upon another. Here I said, ' I cannot go into the fort alone,' and so I FIFTY-FOURTH REGIMENT. 34.9 halted and knelt down, holding the flag in my hand. While there, the musket-balls and grapeshot were flying all around me, and as they struck, the sand would fly in my face. I knew my position was a criti- cal one, and I began to watch to see if I would be let alone. Discover- ing that the forces had renewed their attack farther to the right, and the enemy's attention being drawn thither, I turned and discovered a bat- tahon of men coming towards me on the ramparts of Wagner. They proceeded until they were in front of me, and I raised my flag and started to join them, when, from the light of the cannon discharged on the fort, I saw that they were enemies. I wound the colors round the staff and made my way down the parapet into the ditch, which was without water when I crossed it before, but was now filled with water that came up to my waist. Out of the number that came up with me there was now no man moving erect, save myself, although they were not all dead, but wounded. In rising to see if I could determine my course to the rear, the bullet I now carry in my body came whizzing like a mosquito, and I was shot. Not being prostrated by the shot, I continued my course, yet had not gone far before I was struck by a second shot. Soon after I saw a man coming towards me, and when within halting distance I asked him who he was. He replied, ' I belong to the One Hundredth New York,' and then inquired if I were wounded. Upon my replying in the affirmative, he came to my assistance and helped me to the rear. 'Now then,' said he, 'let me take the colors and carry them for you.' My reply was that I would not give them to any man unless he belonged to the Fifty-fourth Regiment. So we pressed on, but did not go far be- fore I was wounded in the head. We came at length within hailing dis- tance of the rear guard, who caused us to halt, and upon asking who we were, and finding I was wounded, took us to the rear and through the guard. An officer came, and after taking my name and regiment, put us in charge of the hospital corps, teUing them to find my regiment. When we finally reached the latter the men cheered me and the flag. My reply was, ' Boys, the old flag never touched the ground.' I de- jlivered it from my own hands to the officer in charge. The limits pre- scribed for this paper would be exceeded if any account of the remain- ing forty-eight days of the heroic strife on Morris Island were attempted. The truest courage and determination were manifested on both sides on 350 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. that day at Fort Wagner. There was no longer a question as to the valor of northern negroes. The assault on Fort Wagner completely removed all prejudices in the department. General Gillmore issued an order for- bidding all distinction to be made among the troops in his command, so that, while we lost hundreds of our numbers, we nevertheless were equal in all things save the pay. However, while the government refused to pay us equally, we continued to fight for the freedom of the enslaved, and for the restoration of our country. We did this, not only at Wag- ner, as has been seen, but also in the battles on James Island, Honey Hill, Olustee, and at Boykin's Mill." February 26, 1863, New Bedford was honored with the presence of the war governor, John A. Andrew, and General Wool. A public re- ception was given the distinguished guests in the City Hall, and hun- dreds of citizens paid their respects. In March State aid was directed to be paid to the families of colored citizens who should be mustered into the service of the United States. This act of justice brought assistance to many families in the city which were represented in a number of companies of colored soldiers in the army. In May $1,000 was authorized to be expended in raising a company of heavy artillery. Among the local events that are recorded during 1863 was the dis- charge of a watchman, July 15, "for using seditious language." State aid was ordered to be paid to the families of all drafted men. Bells were rung and artillery salutes fired on the day of public thanksgiving, August 6. New Bedford suffered great losses in her maritime pursuits in the American Revolution and in the war with England in 18 1 2, as has been shown in previous pages. She again, and for the third time, had her whaling fleet swept from the seas and the pursuit of this industry seri- ously checked by the rebel cruisers. The Alabama in particular made sad havoc in our fleet, and many of our best ships were destroyed. Just how serious this was may be judged from the fact that, of the forty-six vessels destroyed, twenty-five of them belonged in this port, and two in Fairhaven ; that the estimated value of the whale ships destroyed by rebel cruisers was $1,150,000, and of the oil $500,000, making a total ZOSS£S OF THE WHALING FLEET. 351 of $1,650,000. The following is the list of ships destroyed, belonging in New Bedford, and the amounts of the cargoes : 1862. — Ship Benjamin Tucker' 350 barrels of sperm oil ; bark Eben Dodge, bark Elisha Dunbar, ship Levi Starbuck, bark Virginia. 1863. — Bark Lafayette, 750 barrels of sperm oil; bark Nye, 350 bar- rels of sperm and 150 barrels of whale oil. 1864. — Bark Edward, 100 barrels of whale oil; bark Golconda, 103 barrels of sperm and 659 barrels of whale oil. 1865. — Bark Abigail, 30 barrels of sperm oil; bark Brunswick, 200 barrels of whale oil ; bark Congress, 360 barrels of whale oil ; ship Eu- phrates, 200 barrels of whale oil; bark Gypsy, 320 barrels of sperm and 50 barrels of whale oil; ship Hector, 275 barrels of sperm oil ; ship Hillnian, 200 barrels of whale oil ; ship Isaac Howland, 160 barrels of sperm and 480 barrels of whale oil ; bark Isabella, 300 barrels of whale oil ; bark Jireh Swift, 400 barrels of whale oil ; bark Martha 2d, 200 barrels of whale oil; ship Nassau, 100 barrels of whale oil; bark Nim- rod, no barrels of whale oil; ship Sophia Thornton; bark Waverly, 50 barrels of sperm and 400 barrels of whale oil ; ship William Thomp- son, 250 barrels of whale oil, making a total of twenty-five vessels be- longing to New Bedford, and 2,742 barrels of sperm and 4,150 barrels of whale oil. An indication of the damage inflicted on New Bedford by the civil war may be seen in the statistics given: -Valuation in i860, $24,196,- 138; in 1865, $20,525,790. This diminution was largely due to the effect of the war upon the whaling industry. Company B of the Third Regiment of Heavy Artillery was raised in New Bedford in the spring of 1863, and with eight other companies was mustered into service for garrisoning the forts on the coast of Mas- sachusetts. This company (Sixth unattached) was ofiicered as follows : Captain, John A. P. Allen ; first lieutenants, T. Washburn Cook, Will- iam Cook; second lieutenants, Edwin Dews, Frederick S. Gifford. With other unattached companies in Massachusetts, it was given a reg- imental organization under the name of the Third Regiment of Heavy Artillery, and in the fall of 1864 was ordered to report at Washington for dutyjn that city's defenses. Captain Allen was promoted to major, and later to lieutenant- colonel, October 13, 1864. The command of 3S2 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Company B was then given to Edwin Dews, who had been promoted to captain. It did faithful service in garrison duty in the various forts surrounding the capital city, and as the record reads, "executed well the duties which came to it." Captain Dews commanded the company until it left the service. T. Washburn Cook was commissioned captain and assigned to another company. New Bedford was well represented in the Fourth Cavalry, organized February 12, 1864. Company B was largely composed of New Bed- ford men. Its ofificers, when the regiment left the State, were : Cap- tain, George R. Hurlburt ; first lieutenant, Joseph C. Brotherson ; second lieutenant, James E, Mulligan. Several members of Company K were from New Bedford. Company M was in command of Capt. Lucius H. Morrill, of New Bedford, and William T. Soule was second lieutenant. The regiment sailed in March on the steamer Western Metropolis for Hilton Head, S. C, and in May returned to Fortress Monroe and re- ported to General Butler. It entered upon service in the Army of the James, participating in the unfortunate battle of Drury's Bluff, May 9 to 16. In June it took part in the operations of the cavalry against Petersburg and Richmond. During the year 1865 the companies of this regiment were widely scattered. Captain Hurlburt's company was in the Department of the South, with headquarters at Vienna, Va. It was in several engagements in Picolata Road, Fla., in February, and at Manning, Quigley's Mills, Swift Creek, Camden, Waterbury and Deep Creek in the month of April. In the spring. Company M, Captain Morrill, with Companies I and L, under the command of Colonel Washburn, was stationed with General Ord at the headquarters of the Army of the James, and it fell to their honor to participate in one of the most important achievements of the war. April 6th this force, numbering thirteen officers and sixty-seven men, was sent to the support of two regiments in holding High Bridge, eighteen miles from headquarters at Burkesville. It was of the greatest importance that this point should be held, for it was feared that the enemy would cross the Appomattox. The following account is given of this affair: " The expedition was commanded by Brevet -Brigadier General Theodore Read, of General Ord's staff. Leaving the infantry FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT. 353 at the bridge, which was reached about noon, the cavalry pushed on some two miles further, till they met a superior force of Confederate cavalry with artillery. Falling back to the bridge, Colonel Washburn found the infantry there already attacked by the cavalry advance of Lee's army, under Generals Rosser and Fitz Hugh Lee, and, with a bravery worthy of all renown, the gallant band delivered battle against the overwhelming odds. Twice did the cavalry cut its way through the surrounding hosts, but the infantry could not escape, and the third time did Colonel Washburn hurl his handful against the enveloping lines. During the struggle that ensued that noble officer was mortally wounded. General Read had been killed, and eight of the twelve officers of the Fourth engaged, were killed or wounded." But the importance of the delay which the heroic sacrifice had se- cured can scarcely be over-estimated; it had enabled General Sheridan and the Sixth Corps to fall on the Confederates' rear guard and to prac- tically destroy it at Sailor's Creek ; and General Ord to have his bat- talions within striking distance of the escaping army. The little band of the Fourth Cavalry had been almost annihilated. Captains Hodges and Goddard and Lieutenant Davis were killed outright, but the sur- vivors knew that their daring had much to do with the final surrender of Lee's entire army, less than three days after. The various detachments of the regiment were gathered at Richmond at the close of hostilities, where they remained during the summer and autumn. They were mustered out of service November 14, 1865. FIFTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT OF INFANTRY, M. V. The organization of this regiment was completed in April, 1864, and it was the last infantry regiment mustered into the national service for three years. It was largely composed of men who had already seen service during the civil war. Company E was raised in New Bedford, and the following were its officers when it left the State for the front. Captain, William E. Mason ; first lieutenant, Charles A. Tobey ; second lieutenant, Allen Almy. The regiment was under the cc%imand of Lieut-Col. John C, Whitton. The major was Barnabas Ewer, jr., and the quartermaster, Theodore A. Barton. It left Readville April 28, and 46 354 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. reached Alexandria, Va., two days later. On May 2, having dispensed with surplus, baggage, the regiment took the cars for Brisfow Station, where it was assigned to the First Brigade, Second Division, Ninth Corps, under Gen. A. E. Burnside. On May 4 the forward movement was begun ; the troops marched twenty miles and were much exhausted. The next day Rappahannock and Rapidan Rivers were crossed, and a much longer distance was covered, though many of the men fell out by the way. On May 6 the command reached Wilderness Tavern, joined with the Third Division under General Wilcox, and moved forward to fill the gap between the right and left wings of the Union army. An engage- ment ensued with the enemy, entrenched on the opposite side of a swampy ravine. The Fifty- eighth lost seven killed and twenty- three wounded. This regiment took part in many severe engagements in the battles of Spottsylvania and North Anna, and lost many men. On June 3 the Fifty- eighth moved forward and joined the assault on the Confederate lines at Cold Harbor. The account says: " Through a deadly fire it advanced to within fifty yards of the hostile works, where the men with bayonets and tin cups threw up slight defenses of earth, being ordered to maintain the position at all hazards. They did this during the day, though at a heavy loss, eighteen being killed and sixty-seven wounded." Among those killed was Maj. Barnabas Ewer, of Fairhaven. The regi- ment was continually on duty and in action till the close of operations before Cold Harbor, June 12. In the Battle of the Crater, July 30, the Fifty-eighth was assigned to assist in the charge on the exploded fort and the capture of a battery. The attempt proved disastrous ; many of the Union troops were made prisoners. The Fifty- eighth alone lost five killed, thirty wounded and eighty-four captured. In September it crossed the Weldon Railroad, and joined in the battle of Poplar Spring Church, in which nearly the entire regiment was captured by the enemy. It was recruited and ren- dered still further service at Forts Mahone and Sedgwick. It took part in the grand review, May 23, 1865, in Washington, and was mus- tered out of service at Readville, July 26. Few regiments of the Union army did more loyal service, or lost more severely than did the Fifty- eighth. It bears on the regimental THE ASSASSINATION OF LINCOLN. 355 colors the names of Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg, Weldon Railroad, Poplar Spring Church, Fort Sedg- wick, Fort Mahone. The Fifteenth unattached company of infantry was raised in New- Bedford and mustered in for loo days' service July, 29, 1864. Its offi- cers were : Captain, Isaac C. Jennings ; first lieutenant, Henry H. Potter ; second lieutenant, Thomas J. Gififord. It served in the forts along the coast of the State and at other points where needed in its defense. The company was mustered out of service November 15, 1864. The news of the signing of the emancipation proclamation by Abra- ham Lincoln was received in New Bedford with manifestations of great joy. The church bells were rung and a hundred guns fired in honor of this event. A public meeting was held in Liberty Hall on the after- noon of February 22, 1865, James B. Congdon presiding, and congratu- latory speeches were made by Rev. Messrs. Goodwood, Quint and Thomas, Hon. Rodney French, of this city, and Rev. J. Stella Martin, of New York. The surrender of General Lee and the downfall of the Southern Confederacy was announced to this community by the clang- ing bells and the roar of artillery at 5 o'clock on the morning of April 10. The unusual hour led many of the citizens to suppose that a fire was in progress, and, like their ancestors in the War of 1 8 12, they were anxious in their inquiries as to its location. Their fears were soon turned into joy, and the city was wild with excitement at the glad tidings. Business was suspended, schools closed, public and private dwellings and the shipping in the harbor were decorated with flags and bufiting. All day long the bells were rung, and the artillery discharged its booming notes of thanksgiving. The New Bedford Band was stationed at an early hour oh City Hall square and for hours enter- tained the citizens with national airs. Throughout the day and evening the city was alive with demonstrations of satisfaction and delight, because of th^ victory of our arms and the approach of peace. A few short days aud the city was turned from its condition of ecstatic joy to that of deepest sorrow. The tolling bells that awoke the people from their slumbers on the morning of April 15 heralded the mournful news of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. 356 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The City Council passed a series of resolutions in regard to this sad event, which, it is believed, were the first adopted by any municipal or- ganization. They were as follows : Apkil 15, 1865. Whereas, It has been permitted in the workings of a mysterious Providence, that Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, should fall by the hand of an apsassin, and Whereas, The murderer's dagger has struck down WiU-am H. Seward, the Secretary of State, next to the President the most exalted and important officer of the govern- ment, and we are prepared at any moment to hear that he is no more ; therefore. Resolved, That an agony of sorrow that finds no relief but in the deep conviction that the Lord God Almighty liveth and reigneth, and that He is still the refuge and support of His people, has taken possession of our souls and bows us down to the dust with its awful and overwhelming reality. Resolved, That in view of the exalted virtues and eminent public services of Abra- ham Lincoln, his wisdom, his firmness, his unassuming piety, and unswerving adherence to the great principles of universal liberty ; the masterly statesmanship and inspiring confidence which he has exhibited during the fearful struggle in which our country has been engaged, and which, with the help of God and a devoted people, he had brought so near to a triumphant termination; we deplore, with intensity of emotion which finds no language for its adequate expression, the loss of this great and good man, of this faithful and devoted public servant. Resolved, That while we bow submissively before the Sovereign Disposer of events, and seek, with this great calamity upon us, for the consolation which flows from the conviction " that He doeth all things well ;" while we weep manly tears at the loss of our greatest public benefactor, of our dearly beloved and venerated Chief Magis- trate, and are deeply apprehensive that soon the tidings will reach us that the gifted and faithful Seward has shared his fate, we will nerve our hearts and our hands to meet the crisis this awful event has brought upon our country, and the performance of the high and solemn duties which as men and as citizens of the TJnited States now devolve upon us. At noonday, April 15, a religious service was held in the North Con- gregational Chapel. Appropriate addresses were made by Rev. Messrs. A. H. Quint, William J. Potter, Thomas Skinner, and other speakers. The service was one of deep interest and solemnity, and was a fitting expression of grief at this national calamity. Among the New Bedford men who served in an official capacity in the military service during the civil war were: Brig.-Gen. Richard A. Pierce, Governor Andrew's staff". Eighteenth Regiment — Lieut.-Col. Timothy Ingraham, First Lieut. THE SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' MONUMENT. 357 Sanford Almy, Com.-Sergt. William M. Ingraham, Principal Musician Cyrus A. Vaughan. Twenty-first Regiment — Lieut-Col. Albert C. Maggi. Thirty-third Regiment — Col. Albert C. Maggi, Capt. Peleg C. Sears. Twenty-ninth Regiment, Co. G — First Lieut. Freeman A. Taber. Forty-fourth Regiment — Q.-M.-Sergt. Frederick S. Gifford. Fifty- fifth Regiment — Chaplain William Jackson. Fifty-eighth Regiment — Q.-M. Theodore A. Barton, First Lieut. Free- man C. Luce, First Lieut. William H. Caldwell ; Co. E — William E. Mason. Sixtieth Regiment — Sergt.-Maj. W. H. Caldwell. Second Heavy Artillery, Co. F — Lieut. Roland L. Hillman. Fourth Heavy Artillery — Lieut.-Col. Samuel C. Hart, Chaplain Isaac H. Coe. Thirteenth Battery — First Lieut. Timothy W. Terry. Fourteenth Battery — Capt. E. P. Nye. Sixteenth Battery — Capt. Henry D. Scott. U. S. Cavalry — Capt Isaac C. Hart. The city of New Bedford furnished 3,200 men for the war, a surplus of 1,100 over and above all demands. It expended during the four years $125,495.85 for the families of volunteers. It expended on ac- count of the war $177,000 beside the above. The Soldiers' and Sailors' monument, erected by the city in memory of the citizens who died in the service of their country during the Southern Rebellion was dedicated July 4, 1866. It is located on a commanding site within the city common. The monument was designed by George F. Meacham, of Boston, and is an artistic and beautiful structure. The stone is of Concord granite of superior quality. The inscriptions upon it are as follows : [North sids.J Navy. I East side.] Erected by the City of New Bedford as a Tribute of Gratitude to Her Sons WIno Fell De- fending Their Country in Its Struggle with Slavery and Treason. [Soutil side.] Army. [West side.] Dedicated July 4th, 1866- 3S8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. In the corner-stone were deposited a roll containing, as far as could be gathered, the names of the patriot dead, photographs of distinguished generals, city documents, newspapers, etc. The cost of the monument, fencing and grading the grounds, was $13,300. The corner-stone was laid with imposing ceremonies on July 4, 1866. A grand procession was formed on City Hall square. Brig.- Gen. Tim- othy Ingraham, marshal, assisted by Col. Samuel C. Hart, Majs. W. E. Mason and Edwin Dews, Capts. George R. Hurlburt and Frank L. Gilman, assistant marshals. The procession included soldiers, children of the public schools, temperance societies, city officials and a cavalcade of citizens. At the Common the exercises included singing by children, music by New Bedford Brass Band, prayer by Rev. T. C. Moulton, reading of the Declaration of Independence by Master I. C. Cornish, laying of the corner-stone by His Honor, John H. Perry, reading of a poem by James B. Congdon, and an oration by Rev. A. H. Quint, D. D. The eloquent speaker closed his oration with the following words : " Here, on this sunrise slope, and looking to the free waters, let this column rise. Here, where old men come to rest, let them dwell on the memories of the dead sons. Here, where young men and maidens lin- ger in the evening air, let them remember the heroic men who did their duty and did it well. Here, where the children play on the grassy sod, let them reverently drink in the inspiration of this silent stone, and know that they owe to their country their hearts and their hands. Here, where the children and the widow come to weep, let them feel that their heroes did not die in vain. Here, where the orphan stays to look at the memorial of his father, let him learn to be as heroic, as noble, and as true." The interesting exercises were closed by the singing of " America" by the audience, and a salute of thirty-six guns by the artillery com- pany. The committee of arrangements for erecting the monument w^* composed of Aldermen Joseph Knowles and George G. Gifford, Coun- cilmen Austin S. Cushman, William C. Taber, jr. and William T. Smith. NEW BEDFORD IN THE NAVY. Glorious were the achievements of the Northern armies in the four years' struggle that resulted in the perpetuation of the unity of the NEW BEDFORD IN THE NAVY. 359 American States. They have been recorded upon the pages of history that will preserve for future generations their deeds of valor and of suf- fering in camp and field. The means afforded for the preservation of a record of these events have been so many and so complete that every incident of any importance has been chronicled. The telegraph, sup- plemented by the accounts daily given by the newspaper correspondents, furnished the latest news of army movements and operations. The newspaper, finding its way into every city, town and hamlet, became the medium that supplied information to the people regarding the boys in blue who represented those communities in the grand armies of the nation. The very nature of the naval operations during the great struggle rendered it impossible that such frequent and full information concern- ing them could be obtained. Guarding a coast line of three thousand miles, operating in the gulf and in rivers, the vessels of the United States navy rendered a service that can never, perhaps, be justly appreciated, for the reason that the daily occurrences did not come under the regular surveillance of the telegraph. Because of these conditions the navy has not yet had full credit for its noble part in crushing out the southern re- bellion. Time is developing a more just appreciation of, and history may yet record, the. fact that the navy deserves to share equally in the glory and success of the nation's preservation. Let the reader contemplate for a moment the important service ren- dered by the blockading squadron. At the very beginning of the war blockade-running was for a time a holiday affair;- but when the navy department had completed the line of armed vessels that threaded the southern and gulf coasts, this enterprise soon became hazardous and costly to those engaged in it. The operations of the blockade- runners were soon crippled and towards the end of the war were confined to one or two ports. The efficiency of the blockading squadron is seen in the fact, that during the war there were 1,1 19 prizes captured, including 350 steamers, their estimated value being $30,000,000. A large number of these captured steam vessels were very fast and had been built for the special purpose of running the blockade. They were utilized, when captured, by the government and when armed and equipped were added to the blockading fleet. 360 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Of vastly greater importance to the Union than the captures made by the blockading squadron, was the fact that, by its prompt and efficient formation and operations, it compelled the respect of European powers and thereby defeated the recognition of the Southern Confederacy. Its vigilance deprived the rebels of munitions of war, provisions, clothing, and other necessities from abroad. General Porter says : " It may be well said that without the close blockade which was kept up by the navy, the war might have been carried on indefinitely, while the battles would have been far more bitter and bloody than they were. As long as the Confederacy could be furnished with provisions, cloth- ing, arms, and munitions of war, they could fight on even in a desperate cause, but when the sinews of war were taken from them, they col- lasped." Who can comprehend the disasters to the cause of the Union that would surely have followed the appearance of the ironclad Merri- mac in Chesapeake Bay in March, 1862, had it not been providentially met by Ericsson's nondescript Monitor ? Did not the death throes of the rebellion begin when Farragut, with his fleet, passed the forts in Mo- bile Bay, thus closing the last and most important base of supplies for the Confederate cause ? Pages might be filled with accounts of what the navy did in the civil war, but enough has already been mentioned to indicate the importance of this arm of the service. It remains to show that while New Bedford made a noble and praiseworthy record in the army, she has an equally creditable one in her relations with the navy. In earlier pages of this work allusion has been made to New Bedford's contributions to the naval service in the American Revolution, and in the War of 18 12. True to her loyalty in those national contests, she continued her noble history in the civil war. New Bedford furnished about 2,000 men for the Union armies, and 1,336 for navy. A large portion of the former went forth from the city in organized companies, and it has been a comparatively easy task to arrange their departures in chronological order. Such is not the case with the sailors who entered the naval service. The records show that enlistments began here with the very commencement of the war. They show that New Bedford men found positions either as offi- cers, engineers, or seamen, in almost every vessel attached to the naval squadron. The names are here given of a few of the many war vessels. MERRIMAC AND MONITOR. 361 on which New Bedford men did service in the civil war : Cumberland, Mississippi, Genesee, Sabine, Conemaugh, Shenandoah, Portsmouth, St. Lawrence, Black Hawk, Minnesota, Mohawk, Bainbridge, North Car- olina, Marion, Vincennes, Dale, Montgomery, Cambridge, Preble, Colo- rado, Congress, King Fisher, Mohican, Sagamore, Kensington, Kearsarge, Vermont, Aroostook, R. R. Cuyler, Tioga, Sonora, Albatross. Santee, Niphon, Ethan Allen, Pequoit, Susquehanna, Curfew, Hartford, Huron, Nantucket, Kennebec, Canandaigua, and San Jacinto.. Scores of New Bedford seamen are mentioned as serving in the Atlantic, Gulf, Du- pont's, Farragut's, Lardner's and other squadrons. Many names ap- pear of officers and seamen who rendered service in' the flotillas that operated on the western and southern rivers. The pages of history are full of stories of brave action and fearless fighting in the navy. The capture of Roanoke Island ; the fight be- tween the Monitor and the Merrimac ; the sinking of the Congress and the Cumberland , the capture of Fort Henry and F"ort Donelson ; the capture of New Orleans ; the battles of Mobile Bay and Fort Fisher — these and many other events during the civil war, were characterized by bravery and heroism worthy of any age. It seems proper to mention one or two prominent events in which the New Bedford men bore a creditable part. In the famous fight between the Merrim.ac and the Monitor, on March 8, 1862, it will be remembered that when the first named vessel made her appearance in Hampton Roads, off" Fortress Monroe, there lay at anchor a fleet of wooden ves- sels of war. Among these were the Congress and the Cumberland, An authentic account says : " It was a beautiful day, following a storm. The water was smooth and the vessels in the roads swung lazily at their anchors. Boats hung to the swinging booms, washed clothes on the lines ; nothing indicated that an enemy was expected, and no one had, apparently, the least idegi that the Merrimac was ready for service. The utmost ignorance seems to have prevailed in our squadron with regard to her capacity to do harm. . . As the squadron lay quiet, httle dreaming of the danger that was so near, ' three small steamers' were reported to the senior officer at 12.45 ?• M., coming around Sewell's Point. It was soon ascertained by her large smoke stack, that one of these vessels was the Merimac, and great excitement 46 362 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. prevailed. . . The Merrimac stood straight for the Congress Bind Cumberland, and when she was within three-quarters of a mile, the lat- ter vessel opened on her with heavy port guns, closely followed by the Congress. Paymaster McKean Buchanan, a brother of the Confederate commander of the Merriinac, was an officer of the Congress ; passing that vessel the Merrimac steered direct for the Cumberland, the Confederate flag-officer hoping that the Congress would surrender on seeing the fate of her consort and that his brother would escape. In passing the Con- gress, the Merrimac delivered her starboard broadside, which was quickly returned, and a rapid fire from both vessels was maintained on the ironclad. The Merrimac, continuing her course, struck the Cum- berland at right angles under the fore channels on the starboard side, and the blow, though hardly perceptible on the ironclad, seemed to those on board the Cumberland as if the whole ship's side had been smashed in. Backing out, the Merrifnac put her helm hard-a- starboard and turned slowly while the two Union ships poured in a continuous fire, which apparently fell harmless on the iron plating of the enemy. On the other hand, as the ironclad swung round from the Cumberland, the Congress lay with her stern to the enemy, which raked her three times fore and aft. In fact, the Congress was a mere target for the ene- my's shot and shell, with little danger of the latter being injured in re- turn. In the mean time the Cumberland was stitWng in the water from the effects of the great opening in her side, and although it was evident to all on board that the day was lost, and that the ship must inevitably go to the bottom, these brave fellows kept up a rapid fire until driven by the water from the lower deck, when they retreated to the upper deck and continued to fight the pivot guns till the Cumberland went down with her colors still flying."^ " During the whole war," says Ad- miral Porter, " there was no finer incident than this, and the bravery of the officers and men of the Cumberland even^ won the applause of the enemy." Among the casualties in this contest was the drowning of the following seamen from New Bedford : Michal Milan, James Fuller, John A. Pierce. One of the officers in charge of those pivot guns was Lieut. William P. Randall, of New Bedford. The account says of the closing moments 1 Admiral Porter's Naval History. DEATH OF ALMY. 363 of this sanguinary conflict : " Of course as long as the Cumberland kept up her fire, the enemy returned it, their shells inflicting death on all sides. Those who had escaped from below were decimated by the merciless shot and shell poured into them by the enemy as they stood crowded together on the spar deck. There is little generosity or sen- timentality in war; the object is to kill or wound, and this was too fav- orable an opportunity to be neglected. In the absence of Commodore Radford, Lieut. George N. Morris was in command of the Cumberland, and his heroism inspired his crew to the deeds which they performed on that eventful day. Of the Cumberland crew 121 were either killed outright, or drowned, while of those saved, a large portion were wounded." " We reached the deck. There Randall stood : " Another turn, men — so," Calmly he aimed his pivot gun : '' Now, Tenny, let her go." Brave Randall leaped upon the gun. And waved his cap in sport ; " Well done. Well aimed. I saw that shell Go through the open port." It was our last, our deadliest shot ; The deck was overflown, The poor ship staggered, lurched to port, And gave a living groan." ' The Norfolk Daybook, a rebel paper, in speaking of the fight, said : "The last shot came from her after pivot gun. She sank with her colors flying, a monument to the gallant men who fought her. Would to God they had died in a better cause ! " Thomas Almy, of New Bedford, was acting master's mate on steamer Wachusett, and met his death under the following circumstances : The steamer laid off City Point, James River, May 20, 1862. At the time there were no Confederate soldiers in the city. A lady came on board and solicited the services of the ship's surgeon for her mother, who was critically ill. The surgeon responded to the call of humanity, and went ashore accompanied by the paymaster. The boat was in charge of young Almy and awaited the arrival of the surgeon at the wharf, A 1 By George H. Bolter. 364 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. company of Confederate soldiers came into the city at this moment, and probably not knowing the circumstances that called them ashore, killed Almy, made the surgeon and paymaster prisoners and sent them to Richmond. They were promptly released by the authorities when made acquainted with the facts. A thrilling incident connected with the battle of Mobile Bay, April 5, 1864, was the sinking of the monitor Tecicmseh. She was struck, by a torpedo and went down almost instantly, carrying with her the larger portion of her officers and crew. In the account given by Acting- Masters Langley and Cottrell, they report that the Tecumseh was nearly abreast of Fort Morgan and about 150 yards from the beach, when it was reported to Commander Craven that there was a row of buoys, stretching from the shore a distance of from one to two hundred yards. He immediately ordered full speed and attempted to pass between two of the buoys. When in their range a torpedo was exploded directly under their turret, blowing a large hole in the bottom of the vessel, through which the water rushed with great rapidity. Finding that the vessel was sinking, the order was given to leave quarters and from that moment every one used the utmost exertions to clear himself from the wreck. After being carried down a number of times, they were picked up in a drowning condition. Only ten men were saved, 120 being killed or drowned, and among the latter was the brave Commander Craven. Among the survivors was Acting-Ensign John P. Zettick, of New Bedford. He gives the following account of his experience in this disaster: " All hands were called at 3 o'clock on the morning of the 5th to clear the ship for action. We were informed by Commander Craven that his orders from Commodore Farragut were to engage the rebel ram Tennessee, single-handed, and that he hoped to have the hearty co- operation of all hands in the work. At 5 o'clock the Tccnm- seli got under way and proceeded toward Fort Morgan. We fired the first shell that opened the general attack on the forts. The guns were then loaded with solid shot and forty-five pounds of powder, prepara- tory to our anticipated engagment with the Tennessee" Mr. Zettick says that he was in charge of the powder division under the turret. The Tecumseh had proceeded but a short distance when Mr. Zettick saw a great rush of water approaching. He gave the alarm, for he knew the ZETTICX'S NARRATIVE. 365 significance of the advancing monster. The executive officer ordered all hands to remain at their stations, and the chief engineer, who sat be- side Mr. Zettick, arose and stood as motionless as a statue. Making his way to the guns and finding that their crews had gone through the port holes when the torpedo exploded and that the fate of the vessel was sealed, Mr. Zettick went up to the turret and took shelter under the lee of the pilothouse. A shell from Fort Morgan struck it and he leaped into the sea, as the vessel sank beneath the waves. . Mr. Zettick says he was drawn down into the vortex, and but for his being an expert swim- mer he would have been drowned. When he came to the surface the Tecumseh's boat was five rods away. His shouts were not heard and the crew pulled away, leaving him in the water. He was finally picked up by a boat from the U. S. S. Metacomet, under command of Acting- Ensign Henry C. Neilds, whose bravery exhibited under a raking fire from Fort Morgan, while engaged in rescuing ten seamen, received honorable mention from Admiral Farragut. Mr. Zettick was placed on board the monitor Winnebago, and had the satisfaction of participat- ing in the capture of the ram Tennessee. One hundred and twenty offi- cers and men were killed or drowned in this tragic occurrence. Many other similar incidents might appropriately find a place in these pages, could space be spared, but these will suffice to show that New Bed- ford, true to her record in the past, was honorably represented in the naval operations of the civil war.' Among the officers in the U. S. Navy belonging in New Bedford who did service during the civil war were : Lieut. -Commander William P. Randall. Paymaster Gilbert E. Thornton, Acting Assistant Paymaster James H. Hathaway. Assistant Surgeon George F. Winslow. Acting Volunteer Lieutenants William H. Woods, Henry Arey, I. H. Eldredge. Gunner Felix Cassidy. Acting Masters Charles M. Anthony, Ezra S. Goodwin, Prince S. Borden, George P. Lee, Joseph A. Bullard, Henry R. Baker, Henry K. 1 For " Roll of Honor," comprising a list of soldiers of New Bedford who lost their lives through the war, see appendix. 366 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Lapham, Charles A. Crooker, Frederick Reed, James B. Wood, jr., W. K. Tallman, jr., Ira B. Studley, I. H. Ferney, Henry Arey, Henry D. Edwards. Acting Master's Mates, George P. Gififord, Henry Few, C. P. Purring- ton. Acting Ensigns Henry Hathaway, John J. P. Zettick, James H. Barry, William Jenney, Jere. H. Bennett, Charles W. Cleveland, Samuel H. Damon, Edward N. Rider, William H. Jennings, Stephen E. Merri- hew, Timothy Delano, Samuel G. Swain, James D. Babcock, James E. Carr, Ansel S. Hitch, Oscar F. Wixon, James B. Russell, George H. Drew, Calvin S. Wilcox, William C. Borden, John H. Chapman, Will- iam Ottawell. CHAPTER XX. FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT. The Two-Hundredth Anniversary and its Celebration — Address Sent to Dart- mouth, England — Establishment of Water Works — Development of Manufactures — Minor Incidents — Fourth of July Celebration in 1876 — Establishment of Various Manufacturing Institutions — Necrology — Statistics of Growth — City Officers from J 847 to 1 891. WHILE the great Rebellion was drawing to a close, an event oc- curred in New Bedford, the details of which it is a pleasure to record. This was the celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Dartmouth, on Wednesday, September 14, 1864. The exercises were under the direction of a committee of arrangements representing the towns of Dartmouth, Westport, Fair- haven, and Acushnet, and the city of New Bedford. Invitations had been extended to the sons and daughters of Old Dartmouth abroad and a cordial greeting to all who by birth, descent, marriage, or former residence, were interested in the celebration. A procession was formed on City Hall square at ten o'clock, under the marshalship of Henry J. Taylor, assisted by Andrew G. Pierce, TWO HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY. 367 Lemuel M. Kollock, Cornelius Davenport, John W. Macomber, William C. Taber, jr., and Charles H. Gifford. It was arranged in the following order : New Bedford Brass Band; Marshal; Common Council of New Bed- ford; Clerk of the Common Council ; Board of Aldermen ; City Clerk; Selectmen of Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Acushnet ; Town clerks ; Rhode Island and Massachusetts Christian Conference ; Invited guests ; Mayor of New Bedford ; Orator, poet, and officiating clergymen. The pro- cession marched through several streets and then proceeded to the North Christian Church, where the following exercises took place : Music by the New Bedford Brass Band ; Singing by the choir of an original hymn, by James B. Congdon ; Prayer by the Rev. William J. Potter; Address by His Honor, George Howland, jr.. Mayor of New Bedford ; Singing by the choir — The Battle Hymn of the Republic, by Julia Ward Howe ; Historical address by Hon. William W. Crapo ; Music by the band ; Reading of an original poem by its author, James B. Congdon ; Music by the band ; Benediction by Rev. Tyler C. Moulton. The exercises were of a highly interesting character and engaged the close attention of an audience that completely filled the church. The eloquent address of Hon. William Wallace Crapo was replete with valu- able information relating to the early history of the township. At the conclusion of the exercises, which for two hours afforded much pleasure and profit to all who attended, the procession was again formed and marched to City Hall. At 2 o'clock P. M. a banquet was served to a large company of citizens and invited guests. Mayor Howland presided at the post-prandial exercises, and Col. C. B. H. Fessenden officiated as toast-master. The following toasts were offered : " The President of the United States — honest and faithful Abraham Lincoln." Hon. Thomas Dawes Eliot. "The Governor of Massachusetts — sound. in head and heart ; true to the State, careful of its interests, jealous of its honor, tender of its citi- zens, and true to the nation, the sovereign and safeguard of the State." Hon. Robert C. Pitman. " The Army and Navy — more than sympathy, all honor to the brave and gallant soldiers and sailors, the true peacemakers, who, by their 368 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. heroism in suffering and exploit, have added to the nation's glory, and through whose noble deeds we have the assurance of the nation's safety." Rev. William J. Potter, late chaplain U. S. army. Mr. Potter closed his address with the following sentiment : " The free church, the free school and the free ballot, we would defend and spread throughout the land, and open to all the inhabitants thereof" An interesting letter was read from Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, presi- dent of the Massachusetts Historical Society, stating his inability to be present, and requesting ex-Governor Clifford to respond for him and for the society. Governor Clifford made an eloquent speech and closed amid great applause with the sentiment : " The old town of Dartmouth — its founders were among the first to form a union to secure religious liberty for the individual : May their descendants be as steadfast and uncompromising in maintaining the ' Liberty and Union, now and for- ever,' of their common country." The toast to the clergy was as follows: "They owe much to those sturdy men of Old Dartmouth, who, though they refused to pay church rates, never failed to support honest and God-fearing ministers; and who, in a tolerant and catholic spirit, chose in 1730 as their religious teachers, Nicholas Rowland, a Friend, and Philip Taber, a Baptist." Rev. Dr. Babcock, of Poughkeepsie, a former pastor of the William Street Baptist Church, responded in a pleasant speech, and offered the following: "The absent sons of Dartmouth — wherever they are, they remember their mother with undying affection." The toast-master read several letters from the following named gen- tlemen who had been invited but could not be present: His Excellency Gov. John A. Andrew, Hon. Henry H. Crapo, Rev. Orville Dewey, Hon. Alexander H. Bullock, Hon. J. H. W. Page, Martin L. Eldridge, Thomas Almy, Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, Rev. Charles Ray Palmer, Hon. Lemuel Williams, Rev. William S. Studley, Daniel Ricketson, and Hon. Stephen Salisbury, president of the American Antiquarian So- ciety. The following lines were read by Colonel Fessenden in response to the question : " What is there of interesting incident connected with the history of Dartmouth ?" TWO HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY. 369 " A Dartmouth' ship to Dartmouth'' shore, The bold adventurous Grosnold bore ; 'Twas Dartmouth's' wide, historic strand, Sheltered the storm-tossed Pilgrim Band ; Against the wrong of British greed, Hear Dartmouth's peer for justice plead ; A Dartmoth ship" with Dartmouth" crew, With Dartmouth's name" and owner" too, Had lading of th' historic tea. Which found its steeping in the sea — Wave-offering to Liberty." James B. Congdon then read an address that he had prepared to be sent to the mayor and aldermen of the city of Dartmouth, county of Devon, England, as follows : " To the Mayor, Recorder, and Aldermen of the city of Dartmouth, county of Devon, England : " Gentlemen : — On this day of our solemn festivities, while we are assembled to com- memorate the incorporation, two hundred years ago, of the town called by a name which your historic city has borne for nearly a thousand, we, the people of the city of New Bed- ford, and of the towns of Dartmouth, Westport, Fairhaven and Acushnet, municipalities into which the territory of the mother town has been separated, would to you and through you to the inhabitants you represent, send a greeting of remembrance and re- gard. " Forcibly and pleasantly have we at this time been reminded of the many interest- ing circumstances which connect your ancient borough with the town whose corp- orate birthday we now commemorate. We call to mind the fact, that it was from^ Dartmouth and in a Dartmouth ship, bearing a name significant of that feeling of Con- cord which wii', we trust, forever characterize the intercourse between the nations to whicU we respei'tfuUy belong, that Bartholomew Gosnold, in 1602, put forth upon his voyage to America, landed upon our shores, and upon an island often called by his name, in sight from the spot where we are now assembled, erected the first white man's dwelling upon the soil of New England. " Deeper still have been our recoUective associations as we have remembered, that it was in your noble harbor, and in the nobler hearts and homes of the then inhabitants of your city, that our Pilgrim Fathers found a shelter, when the perils of the storm drove them from their course across the ocean to found an empire in the New World. It was the memory of that providential preservation, and of the hospitaUty extended to them in that hour of despondency and weakness, that prompted them, when they went forth from Plymouth Rock, to subdue the forest and extend the borders of their common- wealth, to bestow upon this portion of their goodly heritage the name of that city by 1 Dartmouth in England. ' Dartmontli in New England. ^ The owner was Francis Rotch, o£ Bedford, in Dartmouth. «7 370 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the mouth of the Dart, from which they had taken their last departure for the new home amid the wilds of America. " The occasion demanded of those who had been selected to address us a brief recital of that conflict which led to that separation of the United States of America from the land our people have ever loved to call the Mother Country. And while we have been moved and saddened by the recital, we have with deep and grateful feelings remem- bered that it was William Legge, Earl of Dartmouth, Secretary of the colonies under Q-eorge III, and who derived his title from your ancient city, who gave the force of his character and his commanding talents in opposition to the G-renville administration, for conciliation and peace. For the memory of this friend of Franklin, the friend of justice, the friend of peace, this high-minded Christian gentleman and peer of England, we shall ever cherish the sentiments of profound respect. "Such are some of the links of the golden chain of associations which at this moment stretches across the ocean, and binds together the city whose harbor sheltered the cru- sading fleet of the Lion Hearted Richard, with the family of communities which are rest- ing near the waters of Oosnold's Hope. We would add, as a circumstance calculated to strengthen the force of the historic reminiscences to which we have alluded, that we too, are to a great extent a family of fishermen. At a period not remote, a whaling fleet of nearly four hundred ships belonging to the communities we represent, manned ■ by more than ten thousand seamen, was afloat upon the ocean. " We would assure you, gentlemen, that in sending you this greeting, which finds its justification in, and depends for its interest upon, the incidents and circumstances we have recited, we have a purpose deeper than the extension of a compliment, or the indulgence of pleasant and interesting associations. " We wish not to withhold the expression of the fact, that in the civil strife which is now raging in our land, its loyal people would fain have extended to them that moral encouragement and support that attends upon the favorable testimony of enlightened Englishmen. They feel that they are doing battle for principles which they have de- rived from their Saxon ancestry, and dear to the heart of every Briton. " Allow us, therefore, to express the hope that the reception of our earnest and af- fectionate greeting will give such a direction to your feelings and lead to such an ex- amination of the questions at issue between us and our infatuated southern fellow- countrymen, as shall result in your giving the weight of your enlightened minds and the testimony of your Christian character to the cause of universal freedom. We address you amid the smoke and the roar of conflict; but we hope and believe that the end is near — and when peace shall be restored and the flag of our country shall again wave over an undivided soil and a united people, we feel assured that such will be then our condition, that closer than it has ever been before will be the union between us and our Mother Country. •'New Bedford, September 14, 1864." This address was beautifully engrossed by George B. Hathaway, and after being signed by the mayor, aldermen, common councilmen, and clerk of the city, and by the selectmen and town clerks of the towns uniting in the celebration, it was forwarded to its destination. THE WATER WORKS. 371 The exercises closed with the singing of an original hymn written for the occasion by William G. Baker. The celebration was highly suc- cessful in every particular and gave great pleasure to the citizens and their invited guests. The addresses at the City Hall were of high char- acter and supplied important additions to the history of the early days of the township of Dartmouth.' The civil war not only checked business enterprise in the community, but it also stayed public improvement ; and during its continuance little was accomplished in this direction. It was during this period, however, that one of the most important improvements in the history of the city had its birth — the introduction of water into New Bedford. The proj- ect first demanded the attention of the government on March 8, i860, when Frederick S. Allen introduced into the Common Council an order for the appointment of a committee to " consider the practicability and expediency of introducing a permanent supply of fresh water into the city, and to report some plan, with the probable cost of doing so." Messrs. Hunt, Lewis, and Reynard, on the part of the mayor and al- dermen, and Messrs. i¥llen, E. Perry, Anthony, and Hammett, of the Common Council, were selected as the committee. By a vote on July 26, i860, an expenditure of $300 was authorized to be made by the committee, and with their succeeding investigations began the work on this great undertaking. The subject came before the city government many times for discus- sion ; and it met with vigorous opposition from the very beginning, not only from a portion of the city government, but from many of the citi- zens. The advocates of the measure, however, were enthusiastic and persistent in their cause ; and as the benefits and advantages that would follow the introduction of water began to be understood and appre- ciated, the proposed measure grew rapidly in public favor. The services of Capt. Charles H. Biglow, an experienced engineer in the service of the United States, and who had charge of the construc- tion of the fort upon Clark's Point, were engaged in making the first surveys and measurements. He was assisted in the work by George A. Briggs, then city surveyor, and by William F. Durfee. The first report of the committee was made December 21, 1861. It clearly set » For description and text of reply to the greeting sent to England, see Appendix. 372 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. forth the practicability of the enterprise, its importance to the future welfare and prosperity of the city, and the necessity of prompt legisla- tion in the matter. It showed that the Acushnet River was the only reliable source of supply, and that this source was abundant for all de- mands. It urged that, as a mechanical auxiliary, the introduction of water was an imperative necessity, and that " it was a part of wise statesmanship to look at the future, to anticipate its wants and guard against its casualties. Cities, like men, flourish and prosper only by their own exertions, and it becomes those whom the people have placed in power and trust, to be equal to the present emergency. We know its wants and necessities, and can comprehend the present crisis in our afTairs. Shall we grasp and control that crisis, turn it with a steady hand to our interests and prosperity, or allow it silently and timidly to pass by and float beyond our reach ? Shall we legislate only for to- day, and shrink from looking the great future in the face ? or, shall we, knowing the necessity and perceiving the remedy, fearlessly perform our duty ?" Constant agitation of the subject in the city government and by the public press awakened a thoughtful and progressive sentiment in the community. It was seen that there was great force in the arguments presented from time to time in the various official reports ; that pure drinking water, an improved sanitary condition, an unfailing supply of water for the fire department, the opening of hydrants and fountains, all would conduce to the health, safety, and happiness of the people. Public sentiment in favor of the enterprise grew fast ; and an act for supplying the city of New Bedford with pure water was passed by the General Court, April 1 8, 1863. It provided for the appointment of commissioners ; gave power to take land, water, and water-rights for the purposes of the works; authorized the issue of water bonds to an amount not exceeding $500,000, and also the passage of such ordinances and by-laws as might be deemed necessary to govern and control the enterprise. The act, in short, provided for all cohtingencies that seemed important to its prosecution. On the 14th of April, 1864, the act was accepted by the city. The whole number of votes cast was 1,375, of which 782 were in favor and 594 against the acceptance. The serious and uncertain condition of national affairs at this time delayed the progress of the work, and little was done until the follow- THE WATER WORKS. 373 ing year, when the great rebeUion had received its doom and peace was estabhshed. The first board of commissioners was organized Decem- ber 13, 1865 ; William W. Crapo, chairman ; Warren Ladd, and David B. Kempton ; James B. Congdon, clerk. With the appropriation of $100,000 made December 14, the great undertaking was fairly begun. The reader who is sufficiently interested to follow in detail the con- struction of this great improvement to its final completion, can do so by consulting the minute reports that have found their proper place in the city documents, and for which space cannot be spared here. They enable one to fully appreciate the difficulties that beset the work and which followed it to the close. The great undertaking was finished during the closing weeks of 1869; and the water flowed through the miles of pipes in the main streets of the city. Since that time great extensions have been made, until now there are nearly sixty miles of pipes in the streets. In addition to the first supply obtained by a dam across the valley of the Acushnet, seven miles north of the city, a con- duit has been opened to Little Quittacas Pond, two miles farther distant. The whole cost of the works has been over $1,300,000. The great ex- pense of the undertaking was somewhat lightened by the generous be- quest of $100,000 for this object, from Sylvia Ann Rowland. The marvelous growth of the mechanical and industrial interests of the city since the completion of the water- works forcibly illustrates the wisdom of the men who inaugurated and encouraged the undertaking. The subsequent history of the city shows that its prosperity is largely due to its abundant and cheap water supply. The multitude of cotton mills and various other factories that border our river front and lower streets have sought this city largely because of the water supply. The superintendents of the works have been as follows: To 187 1, George A. Briggs; 1871-72, Israel C.Cornish; 1872-77, George B. Wheeler; 1877-81, William B. Sherman; 1882, to the present time, Robert C. P. Coggeshall. The Board of Commissioners of 1891, are Mayor C. S. Ashley and Joseph Dawson, both ex-officio ; Henry How- ard, David B. Kempton, and William N. Church. The history of New Bedford since the close of the civil war, so far as it relates to this part of the volume, can only be a brief record of the principal features of its steady growth and development, and of con- 374 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. spicuous incidents that have taken place in that period. During this quarter of a century, the city has been changing from a port in which the whaling business was the chief source of wealth. This industry had given the city a world-wide reputation through the numberless vessels that for nearly two centuries had visited every ocean and clime. The transition was fraught with anxiety and forlorn hope. For a time it seemed as if the city was to experience the fate of Nantucket and be- come an abandoned seaport. Its capitalists sought investment for their accumulated wealth in theWestandin enterprises that had no direct influence in maintaining local business. Our idle wharves were fringed with dismantled ships. Cargoes of oil covered with seaweed were stowed in the sheds and along the river front, waiting for a satisfactory market that never came. Every returning whaler increased the de- pression. Voyages that in former times would have netted handsome returns to owner and crews resulted only in loss to the one and meager returns to the hardy mariners. Such was the condition of affairs in New Bedford when peace came in 1865. Not long, however, did this feeling of apathy and discouragement exist. The forces of energy and shrewdness that for a time were latent and inactive, were roused, and it was clearly seen that something must be done to save the city from a per- manent decline. The natural advantages of climate and situation for the development of cotton manufacture, and of kindred industrial oper- ations, were seen ; and capital, of which the city had an abundance, . was soon finding rapid and profitable investment in home industries. The following brief notes of many of these industries and of other feat- ures of the city's rapid growth during the period in question, will give the reader an outline, which he can fill up from the later chapters of this volume devoted to such topics. On the 17th of January, 1867, occurred the heaviest snow-storm since 1857. Travel was generally suspended, and no railroad trains arrived or departed during the day. The business of the city was extended this year by the establishment of the New Bedford Glass Works in the winter. The first stone-crusher was put in operation by the city on the lOth of April. In March, 1868, Charles Dickens visited the city and gave a public" reading of the "Trial of Bardell vs. Pickwick." The hall was crowded. IMPORTANT EVENTS. 375 and the reading of the distinguished author gave great dehght to the large audience. The Fourth of July, 1868, was celebrated with unusual demonstra- tions, the sum of $2,000 having been appropriated by the city for that object. The day was ushered in by the customary clanging of bells, and artillery salutes. Public and private buildings and the vessels in the harbor were profusely decorated with flags and bunting, and the entire city presented a holiday appearance. A procession composed chiefly of the Grand Army men and city officials paraded the streets in the morning. A patriotic service was held at the Soldier's Monument on the Common. Eloquent addresses were made by Rev. Alonzo H. Quint and Rev. William J. Potter. Music was supplied by the New Bedford and Taunton brass bands. The pleasures of the day were marred by an unfortunate occurrence. A balloon ascension took place in the afternoon from the eastern part of the Common, and an immense crowd of people filled the space near the inflated balloon. As the bal- loon, in charge of George Collard, began its ascent, the anchor fell from the aeronaut's basket, when about thirty feet from the ground, and struck upon the head of William Mottram, of Taunton, and then caught in the clothing of two boys, Charles Jones and J. C. Borneau. They were quickly carried upward in the air. Mr. Collard promptly cot the line and the boys fell into a tree from a height of about seventy-five feet. Strange as it may appear, neither of the lads was seriously in- jured. The festivities of the day were closed by a brilliant display of fireworks on the Common. At an election held July 18, 1868, the acceptance of a revised city charter was decided unfavorably by the large majority of 381 against 61 votes. The objectionable features seemed to be the increased salary and power that would be given the mayor. In April, 1869, the New Bedford Choral Association was organized, and began rehearsals in City Hall in preparation for the great Peace Jubilee held in Boston in the following June. On the 8th of September, 1869, a destructive southeast gale swept over the city and vicinity. It began about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, increasing rapidly in force, and continued until about 7 o'clock. Por- tions of the County Street M. E. Church, and the balustrade on the roof 376 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. of the Evening Standard building were blown down; several buildings were unroofed, trees were uprooted, and general havoc wrought with fences throughout the city. In Fairhaven, the spire of the Congrega- tional Church was blown down. The most serious disasters, however, occurred on the river. The tide rose to the level of the wharves, and huge waves swept over them, carrying valuable merchandise into the water. Many of the vessels lying at the wharves were badly injured. The ship Syren broke from her moorings, went through the bridge- draw stern foremost, and was driven against Wilcox & Richmond's wharf. Brig Eliza Stevens ran afoul the revenue cutter and a schooner, both of which were badly damaged. Several other vessels were driven in collision with one another, resulting in considerable damage. A costly result of the gale was the destruction of the New Bedford and Fairhaven bridge. The whole force of the storm was spent upon it, and nearly all of the wood-work was soon floating up the river. The scene presented when the gale subsided was, in spite of the damage done, an interesting one. Many of the main avenues of the city were blockaded with fallen trees and broken fences, and were strewn with limbs and leaves. Chimneys were blown down from many of the buildings, and the debris deposited in the yards and on the sidewalks. On both sides of the river and on the island shores were the tempest- tossed ships, schooners, yachts, and boats, all more or less damaged and some of them dismasted. One of the beneficent results of this September gale was the purchase of the franchise of the bridge corporation at a cost of $20,970,31, and the building of the new structure which, when finished in the fol- lowing June, was made a free bridge. A vigorous movement to have the draw widened was defeated. The entire cost of the bridge was about $45,000. Bridge square, formed by the continuation of Front street, was macadamized at a cost, including curbing and crossings, of $1,107,00. It was in the winter of 1869 that the velocipede mania, which swept over the country, made its appeardnce in New Bedford. One of the prominent features of the growth of manufactures in 1870 was the building of a new mill by the Wamsutta corporation, and the in- stallation of a Corliss engine, which was then the largest stationary engine IMPORTANT EVENTS. 377 in the world. This was among the earliest manifestations of the growing interest by our capitalists in the cotton manufacture. On September 13 the New Bedford flour-mills were burned, with a loss of $100,000. They were rebuilt at once. As has been shown in former pages, the temperance question has ever had a place in the local politics of the village, town, and city of New Bed- ford. It was at this period (1871) that the topic again entered into the discussions of the day, and the political contests resulting therefrom were distinguished for their energetic character. In October, 1871, a meeting was held in aid of the sufferers from the great Chicago fire. In two weeks, $20,000 in money and clothing were sent to the devastated city. Another step in the advance of cotton manufacture was taken in 1 87 1, by the erection of the Potomska Mills. The year 1872 saw the inauguration of horse railways in New Bed- ford. Since this time, as explained in later pages, the system has been greatly extended. In 1873 the subject of a railroad to Fall River was agitated. An ex- cursion was made by a party of New Bedford capitalists on the 15th of May, to look over the ground and consider the feasibility of the enter- prise. In the same year the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad passed into the hands of the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Company. The small-pox, which has periodically visited this vicinity, made its appearance in South Dartmouth in November, 1873, and about fifty cases and several deaths followed. On the 31st of August, 1874, the city was honored by the presence of Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, who came from a visit to Cottage City and Nantucket. The party came up the bay on the steamer Monohansett,. Capt. Charles H. Smith. This steamer had been Grant's dispatch boat on the Potomac during the civil war, and it was a happy circumstance that it could be used in conveying the distinguished general and his party in their excursions on this coast. The shipping in the harbor, many of the public buildings and private residences, and the main thoroughfares of the city were profusely decorated with flags. As the steamer came up the harbor and entered the river, the scene presented to the coming guests was one of rare beauty. It was a bright, sunny 48 378 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. day, and the river was filled with gaily decorated vessels, yachts, and boats; indeed, every kind of craft that would float seemed to have been brought out to do honor to the occasion. Peals from the signal guns of the yachts and salvos of artillery from the wharves greeted the Mono- hansett as she approached the wharf. Immense crowds of people filled the adjoining wharves and streets and lined the sidewalks. The New Bedford City Guards and the Schouler Guards performed escort duty for the procession to City Hall. Here Mayor Richmond made a speech of welcome that was briefly responded to by General Grant. A recep- tion was then held, during which hundreds of citizens were introduced. A dinner was served to the visitors at the Parker House. The subject of annexing the town of Fairhaven was considered in February, 1874, a petition of the citizens of that town being presented to the city government. It was deemed inexpedient to take any action, as strong opposition to the project was developed. In June of this year the opening of the new steamship line to New York was celebrated by excursions down the bay in the new steamers. City of New Bedford and City of Fitchburg. December 31, 1874, His Majesty Kalakua, king of Hawaian Islands, and his staff" visited New Bedford. They were given a cordial recep- tion by the city authorities and citizens. The visitors were entertained at the Parker House. The following day the guests were shown about the city, visiting the cotton-mills and other points of interest. At noon Mayor Richmond gave a reception at his home, and about a hundred shipmasters paid their respects to the royal party. At its close the visitors were escorted by the military to the City Hall where a public reception and banquet was given. Mayor Richmond welcomed the king and his suite in a cordial manner. The king bowed his acknowledg- ments and fitting responses were made in behalf of the king by Chief Justice Allen, and Governor Kapena of his staff". Very important changes in the city charter were proposed in 1875, and several were adopted. The steady development of business and manufactures is indicated by the building of Wamusutta Mill No. 5, and the incorporation of the Citizens' National Bank. The Fall River Railroad was opened to travel December 15, of this year, and the event was celebrated by a banquet at the Parker House. There were pres- FOURTH OF JULY, 1876. ' 379 ent many prominent people from Fall River. The New Bedford Rail- road extended its tracks and began running trains to the steamboat wharf in the spring of 1876. Several meetings were held during the year in the interest of a railroad to Middleboro. The Fourth of July, 1 876, was observed in this city with unusual cere- monies. March 13 Congress passed a resolution recommending "the people of the several States to assemble in their counties and towns on the approaching centennial anniversary of our national independence and that they cause to have delivered on that day an historic sketch of said county or town, from the date of its formation, and that copies of said sketch be filed in the clerk's office of said county and in the ofifice of the librarian of Congress " In accordance with this suggestion the City Council appointed on April 6 a committee of arrangements and made an appropriation of $4,000. ■ The elaborate plans were executed in a very satisfactory manner, and the celebration proved to be the most complete and enjoyable in the history of the city. The procession was made up in three divisions and included fine displays by the military and fire department, Grand Army posts, disabled veterans in carriages, cavalcade of truckmen, civil government, U. S. officers and invited guests. An interesting feature was the Centennial Battalion, consist- ing of the Centennial Guards and the Yankee Volunteers. The old- fashioned uniforms worn by this body mingled in pleasant contrast with those of the modern military organizations. The parade was one of the finest features of the day and was fully worthy of the occasion. Base ball games, a regatta, a balloon ascension, and the fireworks were all successful and gave great pleasure to the multitude. The exercises in Liberty Hall at midday were of a very interesting character. The preliminary services consisted of a prayer by Rev. O. A. Roberts, the singing by a quartette (Messrs. Wood, Littlefield, Tinkham, and Mor ton) of a patriotic hymn, " The flag that's waved an hundred years," and an original hymn composed ^by James B. Congdon. The historical address was dehvered by Hon. William W. Crapo. It covered the entire period of time from the settlement of the township of Dartmouth, in 1664, and vividly portrayed the leading events that characterized our local history. The address closed with the following eloquent pas- Sages : 38o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. "•Beautiful, indeed, for situation, is this city of New Bedford. Few places are there on this continent, or elsewhere, which so well unite the institutions, benefits and ad- vantages of the city with the freshness and simplicity of rural life. Lying between green pastures, on the one hand, and the still waters of the river on the other, fronting upon this bay which is as charming as the Bay of Naples, and rising with the elevation of conscious pride from its shores, its physical condition and position are delightful be- yond exception. We rejoice to observe and remember that those who have shaped its outward fortunes have been studious to make it attractive and healthful, as the home of a cultured and enlightened people. Its well-made and well-kept avenues and streets, shaded by long lines of trees which our fathers have planted; its complete and cleanly drainage, which the incoming and outgoing tides make perfect and efficient; its abund- ant and pure water distributed and available for all the purposes of domestic, mechanical, and protecting use; itstraraed, alert, and electric fire department; its well diffused sys- tem for gas lighting ; its schools, its churches and chapels, and bethel ; its hospital, its home for orphans, its many union of hearts and hands for good works; its comfortable and pleasant homes after the best methods of New England life, combine to make this ' municipality worthy our best affections, ajid of our constant effort for its prosperity and peace. " We celebrate to-day the centennial birthday of our independent national existence. The republic was born amid the smoke and fire of battle, and at the cost of the blood of patriots. It achieved its place among the nations of the earth through the grim desola- tion and prolonged sacrifices of war, and, ordained of G-od, it entered upon its destiny as a government of liberty and free institutions. It has survived the perils of outward violence, and the wild storms and bloody conflict of internal strife. It has grown from three millions of people to forty-four millions; from a few scattered colonies it has be- come an empire reaching from ocean to ocean, and bounded on the one hand by perpet- ual snows, and on the other by perpetual verdure. '' We remember with pride the sacrifices and the self-denial of the men of Bedford in 1776, and the losses sustained and grevious burdens borne by them in the War of the Rev- olution. A feeling of deep sadness mingles with the pride with which we recall the noble army which New Bedfoad sent to the War of the Rebellion, and many of us will carry to our graves a heavy sense of loss and grief for those who never came back to us. " The son of New Bedford who one hundred years hence may review the history of his city, will with proud satisfaction dwell upon the loyalty of this people and the con- tributions made by them in men and money for the preservation of the Union. The Roll of Honor bears the name.s of 3,200 men furnished by New Bedford to the army and navy, being 1,110 more than her quota under all the calls made upon her. Some of those names will never disappear from our history, for they gave their lives in patriotic ■ devotion to their country. Rodman, Howland, Brown, Almt, and many others, born and reared upon our soil, are enrolled among the martyrs who died that our flag might still wave a symbol of freedom and the equal rights of all mankind. " Tlie memory of the heroism and the patriotic devotion of those who struggled for our independence, and of those who gallantly contended for the preservation of the na- tional union, stirs our blood and arouses our emulation. We remember the brave men INCIDENTS OF INTEREST. 381 •who would not be trampled on by tyranny, and the loyal men who suffered to perpetu- ate free institutions. We cannot forget the record, and we ought not to forget it. It inspires us with faithfulness and determination to meet the needs and requirements of the coming age ; it stimulates us to labor strenuously for the highest welfare of our country, believing that America holds in trust the destinies of the world. We are de- scended from a noble ancestry. We are proud of their achievements, and their history incites us to effort. Our birthright, this inheritance of the principles and sentiments which have made the republic great, imposes upon us grave responsibilities." In October, 1876, the whaling industry sustained a severe blow in the loss of twelve ships in the Arctic Ocean. The details of this unfortu- nate affair are given in the chapter on the whale fishery. The years 1876 and 1877 were notable in the growth and develop- ment of the city. A large number of streets were opened, many new buildings were erected, and general prosperity characterized all business enterprise. The only exception to this tide of progress was a strike of the employees of the Wamsutta Mills. The differences were at last re- moved, and work was resumed May i, 1877. The strike proved to be a disastrous one to all concerned ; but its lessons of bitter experience afforded some compensation, for no strike of equal magnitude has since occurred in this community. Potomska Mill No. 2 was built in 1877, and local prosperity continued in spite of the general financial depression of this period. On the 1 2th of October, 1878, a severe gale blew down several sheds and many trees and fences, and a number of boats in the harbor were destroyed. It was the most severe gale since that of 1869. The bark Sarah sailed that morning on a whaling voyage and when about forty miles off Block Island, she was carried down in the gale and was lost. On the 17th of December, a public meeting was held, at which the project of erecting a new opera house was for the first time considered. Early in January, 1879, the railroad passed under the control of the Old Colony corporation. Of the history of New Bedford during the last decade there is noth- ing to record but a few features and incidents, all of which indicate the most encouraging prospect of future growth and prosperity. These may be summarized as follows : The Pairpoint Manufacturing Company began business in 1880, and the following year added a second building to their plant. 382 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. In 1 88 1 the Southern Massachusetts Telephone Company was organ- ized, and the telephone was introduced into the city. In July, the New Bedford Co-operative Bank was organized. In 1882 the Acushnet Mills Corporation was organized, and a mill was built in the following year. The Grinnell Manufacturing Company and the Oneko woolen-mills were incorporated. The city made many important street extensions during this year. The year 1884 saw the organization of the New Bedford Manufactur- ing Company, and their mill was erected in the same year. The New Bedford Board of Trade was organized in March. In 1885 the city made extensive street improvements and new sewers, the most important of the latter being that in North street west of Cedar, which abated a long-existing nuisance in that part of the city. A special appropriation was made also for the further improvement of the Point road. The Edison Illuminating Company located a plant here in 1886, and began supplying light and power in July of the same year. In 1887 the New Bedford Safe Deposit and Trust Company was in- corporated. The city purchased a tract of land and erected city stables, and the Oak Grove Cemetery was enlarged, in this year. In 1888 the Hathaway Manufacturing Company was organized (in December), and their mill was erected in 1889. In April, 1888, the City Manufacturing Company was organized, and a mill was begun in December. The Rowland Mills were also established in this year. The New Bedford Clearing House was established on the 1st of Sep- tember. The year 1889 saw the organization of the Bennett Manufacturing Company, and the beginning of the erection of the first mill ; the sec- ond followed soon afterwards. The Acushnet Co-operative Bank was organized on the 15th of November. AH the foregoing institutions are described in detail in subsequent chapters of this work. The foregoing pages of this chapter, giving brief annals of the more in^portant events and proceedings in the city's growth during the past twenty- five year's, show that it has been a period of rapid transition from its former conditions to the formation of one of the important manufacturing centers of the Commonwealth. This period has wit- NECROLOGY. 383 nessed, as has been observed, the introduction of modern ideas into the city government ; modern methods of transportation ; improved con- struction of streets ; modern facilities for lighting ; and many other improvements that go to constitute a progressive American city. New Bedford is becoming important also as a summer resort and especially as a gateway to several beautiful and popular seaside homes. The Mattapoisett shores, Onset and its beautiful bay, the Buzzards Bay shores, Wood's Holl, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket are attracting every year larger numbers of those who are learning the value and profit of leaving their cares for a time; and many of these people visit New Bedford. The resident of the New Bedford of modern days is in all re- spects to be congratulated on the bright prospects of his home. In contirfuation of lists in preceding pages, the following is a partial ■record of names of prominent citizens, with the years of their death. Many names that would otherwise appear herein, are included in the succeeding chapters on various topics, and in the later biographical de- partment of the work : 1 84 1. — Joseph Dunbar. 1849. — Jireh Perry. 1850. — Cornelius Grinnell. 185 I. — Benjamin Congdon. 1852. — Roland R. Crocker, Dudley Davenport, George Rowland. 1853. — John Coggeshall, Job Eddy, John A. Parker, Mark B. Palmer. 1854. — Jethro Hillman. 1855. — Charles Grinnell. 1857. — Joseph Congdon, John C. Haskell, Jireh Swift, Frederick Parker. 1858. — Asa R. Nye, Paul Kempton. 1855. — Robert Ingraham, William Hussey, Charles Haffords, Hervey SulHngs, John Perkins. i860. — Ezra S. Kempton, Joseph Davis, Rev. Asa Kent, Humphrey Nye, Leonard Macomber, Calvin Staples. 1 86 1. — Charles W. Morgan, Elisha W. Kempton, Benjamin Tucker, Hayden Coggeshall, James Howland 2d, Benjamin R. Almy. 1862. — Andrew Robeson, Job Shaw, Franklin Tobey, Stephen Taber, Isaac C. Taber, Stephen N. Potter, Henry C. Kelley, John Hunt. 384 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. 1863. — Rev. Nathan Paine, Bethuel Penniman, Ephraim Kempton, George M. Eddy, Henry Cannon, Benjamin Cummings. 1864. — Capt. Latham Cross, J. B. King, Robert Bennett, Nathaniel Perry, Clothier Pierce, Dr. Aaron Cornish, Tucker Damon, A. Sydney Rowland. 1865. — Cornelius Howland, George G. Chase, Philip Cannon, Edward Mott Robinson, Willard Nye, Southward Potter, J. H. W. Page, Dr. Lyman Bartlett, Thomas Bennett. 1866. — James Cannon, Warren Delano, William Gififord, Eli Haskell, Rev. Sylvester Holmes, Timothy R. Cushman, Rev. Timothy Stowe, William Whippey, Joseph R. Shiverick. 1867. — Zachariah Hillman, Rev. Benjamin K. Sayer, Capt. Barton Ricketson, Paul Ewer, William G. Gordon, Alex. Gibbs, Thomas A. Green, Rev. John Girdwood, Benjamin B. Howard, Abraham H. How- land, Obed Sherman. 1868. — Henry P. Willis, Joseph Wilcox, Andreas Thorup, Samuel Leonard, Rev. Wheelock Craig, Kelley S. Eldridge, George Hussy, Capt. Arthur Cox, Philip Menage, James H. Mendall. 1869. — Jacob L. Porter, Nathaniel Nye, Nehemiah Leonard, Lemuel Williams, Joshua C. Stone, Capt. Abraham Gardner, Francis S. Hath- away. 1870. — Cephas Cobb, Rodman Howland, Borden Wood, Ezekiel Sawin. 1 87 1. — Jacob Parker, Gideon Richmond, Loum Snow, Pardon Til- linghast, William A. Dana, Isaac Case, John Goodspeed, William Cranston, Abraham Barker, Ivory H. Bartlett. 1872. — William Cummings, Nathan Durfee, George Hussey, jr., John M. Hathaway, William Beetle, William T. Russell, James A. Tripp, William A. Robinson, Martin Pierce, Allen Lucas, Zenas Whitte- more, James B. Wood, Benj. Rider, Tilson Wood, William Penn How- land. 1873. — Thomas B. White, Daniel Wood, Benjamin Rider, Pardon Potter, James Harper, Sherman White, Abraham Delano, Joseph C. Grinnell, Isaac D. Hall, John Briggs. 1874. — Jabez Delano, Elijah H. Chisholm, Jonathan P. Lund, James Rider, Andrew Robeson, jr., Caleb T. Sullivan, Capt. F. A. Stall. NECROLOGY. 385 1875. — Gideon Nye, Cuffee Lawton, Caleb Anthony, James H. Col- lins, Edmund Gardner. 1876. — Joseph Knowles, Marsena Washburn, Robert Earle, William C. Taber, Benjamin Rodman, Samuel Rodman, Joseph S. Tillinghast, Edmund Maxfield, Simpson Hart. 1877. — Rufus Sherman, Thomas Knowles. 1878. — Thomas S. Hathaway, Gideon Allen, David Wood, Dennis Wood, Obed Nye, Edward L. Baker, Charles Hitch. 1879. — H. G. Ricketson, W. H. Reynard, Elias Sampson, Hiram Webb, Elisha Thornton, jr., Samuel Watson, Edward W. Howland, Henry T. Leonard, Samuel Watson, Joseph Brownell, David R. Greene. 1880. — Nathan Johnson, Walter Spooner, Elisha Haskell, Charles M. Pierce, William H. Taylor, James B. Congdon, William G. Blackler, .Edward C. Jones, Wright Brownell, Otis Seabury, Henry F Thomas. 1881. — C. L. Wood, Rev. Moses How, W. H. Jenney, Ward M. Parker. 1882. — Andrew Craigie, Thomas Nye, jr., Jonathan Howland, Stephen G. Driscoll, Joseph Tabor, Caleb Kempton. 1883. — Henry T. Wood, Daniel Thornton, Joshua Richmond, John A. Hawes, William H. Allen, Frederick P. Shaw, John H. Perry. 1884. — Matthew Howland, James Howland, Edward Merrill, Amasa Whitney. 1885. — Horatio A. Kempton, Abraham Russell, Benjamin Russell, W. A. Wall, Joseph Grinnell, WilHam Hathaway, Alfred Kempton. 1886.— Joseph C. Delano, William Phillips, W. C. Tobin, Ohver Swain, Benjamin Pitman. 1887. — William Tallman, jr., A. H. Howland, jr., Charles Taber. 1888. — Seth K. Aikin, William Ingalls, Henry R. Wilcox, Ambrose Vincent, Cyrus W. Chapman, Alanson Williston, Niles Tilden, Lemuel Kollock, Dr. Charles Swasey, Timothy D. Cook, Benjamin F. Howland. 1889. — R. C. Topham, Rev. James D. Butler, Joseph W. Cornell, Elisha Dunbar, Joseph Tillinghast, David B. Wilcox, Thomas Cogge- shall, Henry J. Taylor. 1890. — Thomas Cook, Nathaniel Gilbert, Josiah Holmes, jr.. Col. A. D. Hatch, Charles P. Seabury, Charles Tucker, B. F. H. Reed, Oliver Prescott. 1891. — Thomas Durfee, Thomas M. James, Robert C. Pitman. 49 386 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The following table shows the growth of population in New Bedford and its vicinity, from the year 1790 to the present time : Fairhaven. New Bedford. 1790... . 3,313 1800 4,361 1810 ... 5,651 1820 3.947 1830 7.592 1840 12,087 1850 .. Ifi443 1855 20,389 New Bedford. Fairhaven. Aoushnet. 1860. .... 22,300 3,118 1,387 1865. .... 20,853 2,547 1,251 1870. .... 21,320 2,626 1,132 1875. .... 25,895 2,768 1,059 1880. . . . 26,845 2,875 1,105 1885. . . . . 33,393 2,880 1,071 1890. .... 40,733 2,733 3,034 3,951 4,304 4,693 Probable population of New Bedford in 1891, 45,000. CITY OFFICERS — 1847-189I. 1847. — Mayor, Abraham H. Rowland. Aldermen, John Avery Parker, Thomas B. White, Ivory H. Bartlett, William H. Taylor, James B. Wood, Edward W. Rowland. 1848. — Mayor, Abraham H. Rowland. Aldermen, Thomas Nye, jr., Thomas B. White, Ivory R. Bartlett, William R. Taylor, Jonathan Bourne, jr., Edward W. Rowland. 1849. — Mayor, Abraham R. Rowland. Aldermen, Joseph Clark, William F. Dow, Jonathan R. Ward, Ivory H. Bartlett, Jonathan Bourne, jr., Edward W. Rowland. 1850. — Mayor, Abraham R. Rowland. Aldermen, Joseph Clark, William F. Dow, Jonathan R. Ward, Ivory R. Bartlett, Jonathan Bourne, jr., Edward W. Rowland. [851. — Mayor, Abraham R. Rowland. Aldermen, Joseph Clark, Isaac M. West, Jonathan R. Ward, Mark B. Palmer, Jonathan Bourne, jr., Renry R. Crapo. 1852. — Mayor, William J. Rotch. Aldermen, Thomas Nye, jr., Isaac M. West, Wilmot Luce, Mark B. Palmer, Jonathan Bourne, jr., Rertry R. Crapo. 1853. — Mayor, Rodney French. Aldermen, James Beetle, Aaron C. Cushman, Isaac C. Taber, John A. P. Allen. Jireh L. Ferguson, Marshall G. Sears. 1854. — Mayor, Rodney French. Aldermen, James Beetle, Aaron C. Cushman, Thomas N. Allen, Joseph Brownell, Isaac C. Taber, Mar- shall G. Sears. CITY OFFICERS. 387 1855. — Mayor, George Rowland, jr. Aldermen, Edward Milliken, James Wheaton, Asa R. Nye, Jacob L. Porter, Oliver Swain, Cranston Willcox. 1856. — Mayor, George Howland, jr. Aldermen, Charles Almy, James H. Mendall, Thomas Willcox, Jacob L. Porter, Simpson Hart, Alanson Williston. 1857. — Mayor, George H. Dunbar. Aldermen, Sherman White, Hiram Van Campen, Thomas Willcox, John A. P. Allen, Elisha Thorn- ton, jr., Henry T. Wood. 1858. — Mayor, George H. Dunbar. Aldermen, Sherman White, Calvin Staples, Thomas N. Allen, Joseph Brownell, John Hicks, Henry T. Wood. 1859. — Mayor, Willard Nye. Aldermen, Sherman White, Calvin Staples, Cyrus W. Chapman, John Hastings, John Hunt, Henry T. Wood. i860. — Mayor, Isaac C. Taber. Aldermen, Joseph W. Cornell, James L. Humphrey, Nathan Lewis, John Hastings, John Hunt, Will- iam H. Reynard. 1 86 1. — Mayor, Isaac C. Taber. Aldermen, Warren Ladd, James L. Humphrey, Nathan Lewis, John P. Barker, Matthew Howland, Will- iam H. Reynard. 1862. — Mayor, Isaac C. Taber. Aldermen, Warren Ladd, Bethuel Penniman, jr., Nathan Lewis, John P. Barker, Matthew Howland, Will- iam H. Reynard. 1863. — Mayor, George Howland, jr. Aldermen, Warren Ladd, George G. Gifford, Ambrose Vincent, John P. Barker, Matthew How- land, John H. Perry. 1864. — Mayor, George Howland, jr. Aldermen, Warren Ladd, George G. Gifford. Ambrose Vincent, John P. Barker, Matthew How- land, John H. Perry. 1865. — Mayor, George Howland, jr. Aldermen, Warren Ladd, Goorge G. Gifford, Joseph Knowles, Geo. F. Kingman, Matthew How- land, John H. Perry. 1866. — Mayor, John H.Perry. Aldermen, Caleb Hammond, Geo. G. Gifford, Joseph Knowles, George F. Kingman, John B. Baylies, Weston Howland. 388 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. 1867. — Mayor, John H. Perry. Aldermen, Caleb Hammond, Joseph Buckminster, George G. Gifford, George F. Kingman, John B. Baylies, Samuel Leonard, jr. 1868. — Mayor, Andrew G. Pierce. Aldermen, Joseph H. Cornell, Ellis Perry, Elijah H. Chisholm, George H. Dunbar, John B. Baylies, Samuel Leonard, jr. 1869. — Mayor, Andrew G. Pierce. Aldermen, Joseph H. Cornell, Ellis Perry, Charles H. Taber, Elijah H. Chisholm, William H. Sherman, Isaac C. Sherman. 1870. — Mayor, George B. Richmond. Aldermen, Joshua W. Frost, Joseph Buckminster, George G. Gifford, Caleb L. Ellis, Humphrey W. Seabury, Isaac C. Sherman. 1871. — Mayor, George B. Richmond. Aldermen, Joshua W. Frost, Joseph Buckminster, George G. Gifford, Caleb L. Ellis, George Wilson, Samuel C. Hart. 1872. — Mayor, George B. Richmond. Aldermen, William Bosworth, Joseph Buckminster, Joseph Knowles, Caleb L. Ellis, Augustus H. Greene, Samuel C. Hart. 1873. — Mayor, George H. Dunbar. Aldermen, Joseph H. Cornell, Edward R. Milliken, Henry H. Fisher, Andrew G. Pierce, Frederick S. Allen, Thomas B. Tripp. 1874. — Mayor, George B. Richmond. Aldermen, William J. Kil- burn, Joseph Buckminster, Joseph Knowles, Joseph R. Read, Augustus A. Greene, Soloman Chadwick. 1875. — Mayor, Abraham H. Howland, jr. Aldermen, William J. Norton, William T. Soule, J. Augustus Brownell, James D. Thompson, John B. Baylies, George R. Stetson. 1876. — Mayor, Abraham H. Howland, jr. Aldermen, Jonathan C. Hawes, William T. Soule, William G. Taber, J. Augustus Brownell, John B. Baylies, George R. Stetson. 1877. — Mayor, Alanson Borden, Aldermen, James E. Stanton, Sa- vory C. Hathaway, James C. Stafford,' John Hastings, George How- land, jr., Henry T. Wood. 1878. — Mayor, George B. Richmond. Aldermen, James E. Stanton, Savory C. Hathaway, Isaac W. Benjamin, John Hastings, Augustus H. Greene, Shearjashub T. Viall. CITY OFFICERS. 389 1879. — Mayor, William T. Soule. Aldermen, Otis A. Sisson, Ebeti C. Milliken, Isaac W. Benjamin, Andrew R. Palmer, William H. Sher- man, Shearjashub T. Viall. 1880. — Mayor, William T. Soule. Aldermen, John Wing, John* McCuUough, Caleb Hammond, Thomas W. Cook, William H. Sherman, John P. Taylor. 1 88 1. — Mayor, George Wilson. Aldermen, James E. Stanton, Isaac N. Marshall, James C Stafford, Thomas H. Knowles, Samuel C. Hart, William H. Basse. 1882. — Mayor, George Wilson. Aldermen, John Wing, John Mc- CuUough, James C. Stafford, Atwood Holmes, Dana B. Humphrey, Thomas Donaghy. 1883. — Mayor, George Wilson. Aldermen, Andrew B. Hathaway, John McCullough, James C. Stafford, Stephen W. Hayes, Robert W. Taber, Thomas Donaghy. 1884. — Mayor, George Wilson. Aldermen, Andrew B. Hathaway, Benjamin F. Hathaway, jr., James C. Stafford, Stephen W. Hayes, Rob- ert W. Taber, John P. Taylor. 1885. — Mayor, Morgan Rotch. Aldermen, Benjamin Dawson, Chas. W. Coggeshall, Benjamin F. Brownell, Edward T. Pierce, Wendell H. Cobb, Edwin Dews. [886. — Mayor, Morgan Rotch. Aldermen, Benjamin Dawson, Chas. W. Coggeshall, Benjamin F. Brownell, Edward T. Pierce, Wendell H. Cobb, Edwin Dews. 1887. — Mayor, Morgan Rotch. Aldermen, Simeon Hawes, Charles W. Coggeshall, Charles S. Ashley, Edward T. Pierce, Wendell H. Cobb, Monroe Holcomb. 1888. — Mayor, Morgan Rotch. Aldermen, James E. Stanton, Charles W. Coggeshall, Charles S. Ashley, Stephen A. Brownell, Wen- dell H. Cobb, Monroe Holcomb. 1889. — Mayor, Walter Clifford. Aldermen, Luther G. Hewins, jr., Charles F. Shaw, Benjamin F. Brownell, Edward T. Pierce, James De- lano, John Welch. 1890. — Mayor, Walter Clifford. Aldermen, Luther G. Hewins, jr., Charles F. Shaw, Benjamin F. Brownell, Stephen A. Brownell, James Delano, Ezekiel C. Gardiner, 39° HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. colt O r r o Si t1 a M u m M > H H > n r »■ 03 11 a s u d y ■^ o 3 3 m O o fa H M o n ■fl o 0) M > r 55 o m n ^ B Tl Tl > !0 o W 7 i to LO OJ -^ *■ OOW M vj o O O O M Ui \o p\w - — Lnuj M to O^O mVO-O^O-J-^ ai--J \0 \0 '■J --J 03-^ 00-J (ji OJ -^ 4»- o>ooiooio oiw m cc oovd -^i 00 bo "os o o\ 56 00 oooj oj 'p ^ u» — p^-^ N (ji tji --J M a>^ to tji vo co p\-^ "^ '^ ■?■ *■ , CT. 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Aldermen, Allen Russell, jr., Henry C. Hathaway, Charles H. Brownell, Stephen A. Brownell, Will- iam H. Sherman, William H. Rankin. CHAPTER XXI. TOWNS ADJOINING NEW BEDFORD. Original Territory of Dartmouth — The Act of Separation — Fairhaven — West- port — Dartmouth — Acushnet. 7~'HE history of the towns which were originally a part of the town- ship of Dartmouth is necessarily interwoven with that of the city of New Bedford. The foregoing pages of this work have dealt, there- fore, with the history in which all these towns have shared. It remains to briefly chronicle the important events which have occurred during the years subsequent to the separation of these towns from the old township. In 1787 Dartmouth, which then included the present territory of Acushnet, Dartmouth, Westport, Fairhaven, and New Bedford, was divided into three town organizations, namely, Dartmouth, Westport, and New Bedford. The domain now included in the town of Fairhaven was a part of New Bedford. It is not necessary to rehearse the causes that led to their separation from each other, as these causes have been dwelt upon in former pages, and the reader is already familiar with the political and local events indicating the existence of a strife that began in the period of the Revolution, and which continued to the commence- ment of the second war with England. It was the violent political agi- tation incident to the latter contest that precipitated the separation into distinct townships. The act of separation was passed by the General Court, February 22, 18 12, a few months prior to the declaration of war. 392 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The early records of the town of Fairhaven were destroyed in the great gale of 1815 ; and not until the year 18 16 can there be found any list of town officers. The board of selectmen for that year consisted of Bartholomew Aiken, James Taber, and Joseph Wheeden. A complete list of the selectmen who have served the town down to the present time will be found in the appendix. Like New Bedford, Fairhaven was devoted to the prosecution of the whale fishery, and the town grew and prospered during the palmy days of the enterprise. Its wharves were centers of activity in fitting out the fleet of whaling vessels, and the people found profitable employment in the ship-yards, shops, and ware- houses. Scores of its citizens became officers and seamen, and their ships brought home profitable returns. The little village grew apace ; and the comfortable homes now scattered tliroughout the town are the visible results of the labors of the people upon the ocean. The im- portance of the whaling industry is seen in the fact that in 1837 there were thirty-seven vessels belonging to Fairhaven, employing a capital of $950,000, and nearly one thousand men. In 1858 the fleet num- bered forty- eight vessels, and their voyages were very profitable. The succession of returning vessels and the refitting of them for new voyages made the village teem with enterprise and thrift. Statistics show that from 1832 to 1861 there were from eight to sixteen vessels which re- turned to Fairhaven each year from whaling voyages. The success of this industry was contemporary with that of New Bedford, and so was its decline and final abandonment. While Fairhaven has not introduced manufacturing industries to a very large extent, yet many of its later enterprises have prospered, and the town has grown in population. It is to-day one of the most beauti- ful and picturesque in New England. There is little to record in its history during the years that followed its incorporation. Its develop- ment has been similar to that of many of the seaport towns of this section of the country — a gradual and steady growth in which has been developed all that makes them delightful abodes of comfort and refine- ment. It is only necessary to note some of the more interesting and important events that belong to Fairhaven's later history. In the great gale of 1815 the village suffered much. The tide rose to a great height, inundating the lower part of the town. Several store- FAIRHA VEN. 393 houses on the wharves were carried awa)', and many houses were injured. The town meetings were held at the Head-of-the-River during the early years of the village ; but about 1832 they began to be held in the Academy building which is still standing. Its distance from the north- ern part of the town, however, made it inconvenient for many voters ; and so a new town-house was erected in 1843, on land near the Wood- side Cemetery. This town-house was destroyed by fire in 1848. The decade following the year 1832 was marked by an increase in the number of streets opened and of buildings erected — a legitimate re- sult of the prosperity that attended the whaling industry. Many high- ways were improved, sidewalks laid and curbed, and other public improvements carried out. In 1850 the Riverside Cemetery, one of the most beautiful for location and natural scenery in this vicinity, was pre- sented to the town by Warren Delano, an honored descendant of one of the old families of the town. In 1854 the Fairhaven Branch Railroad was opened, connecting with the Cape Cod Railroad, thus giving a direct route to Boston. Previous to this date passengers were carried by coach to the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad. A steam ferry plied for many years between Fair- haven and New Bedford, and continued until the street railway was put in operation in 1872. The civil war brought to Fairhaven its legacy of depression, disaster, and mourning. The decrease of the whale fishery at that time added to the general discouragement, and the condition of affairs was almost hopeless. The calls for defenders of the American Union found a re- sponse in the hearts of the people, and an honorable list of names is recorded in the annals of the civil war belonging to the town, In the Riverside Cemetery stands a monument in granite, erected to the mem- ory of the loyal dead of Fairhaven. In spite of all discouragements the town has not only held its own, but it has continued to grow in proportions and in beauty. The in- creased facilities for travel have brought employment near at hand ; and its sightly places have been secured by many well- to-do citizens and former dwellers. The Fairhaven Improvement Society, organized in 1885, has done effective work in beautifying the village and in saving 30 394 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. many of its attractive natural features, and has made them seductive spots to the many visitors who frequent the locality in summer. The good offices of the society continue in a vigorous life which is sure to produce further beneficent results. The town has received many aids from its sons who gratefully remem- ber their place of birth, and who hold in precious regard the memories that cluster about the town. Among those is one whose benefactions are deserving of the broadest recognition, and whose generous gifts to his native town will ever remain fruitful sources of instruction and help to the present and to coming generations. Henry Huddleston Rogers was born in Fairhaven, January 29, 1840. His early education was obtained in the public schools of the town, and he was graduated from the High School April 11, 1856. In 1861 he removed to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, where for several years he was occupied with pursuits incident to the development of that remark- able industry. It is an interesting fact that his subsequent good fortune came from the very enterprise that had, to a large degree, served to destroy the great industry of his native town. He removed to New York city in 1868 and was further engaged in the petroleum business with the late Charles Pratt, under the name of Charles Pratt & Co. A few years later the affairs of the firm were associated with those of the Standard Oil Company, of Ohio. In 1882 the combined business of the two concerns, with that of others of a kindred character, was united by an agreement which placed the properties of the whole under con- trol of a board of trustees. This was known as the Standard Oil Trust, and Mr. Rogers was one of the board of trustees. He now occupies numerous positions of honor and trust connected with financial insti- tutions, banks, and railroads. His permanent home is in New York city, but he has a summer residence on Fort street, in Fairhaven village. Mr. Rogers has always maintained a deep and abiding interest in his native town, and has made and continues to make practical demonstra- tions of his sincere regard for the place. In 1885 he presented to the town the Rogers School building, which is thoroughly equipped with all modern appliances for educational purposes. His children are erect- ing the Millicent Library building, as a memorial of their deceased sister Milliceiit Gifford Rogers. The structure is now approaching comple- 7c 60^ FAIR HA VEN. 395 tion and when finished will be a beautiful as well a most useful addition to Fairhaven. A town hall is also in progress of erection, which is to be the gift of Mrs. Rogers. These benefactions demonstrate the regard felt by Mr. Rogers for the town, as well as his practical sagacity in do- ing that which is certain to bring the greatest possible good in the future. While occupying a position in the foremost rank of financial men of the country, Mr. Rogers retains and exhibits his inborn democratic nature in all his intercourse with his friends and neighbors in Fairhaven. He is genial and approachable at all proper times and commands the utmost good will and respect of all intelligent citizens of the town. The ecclesiastical history of Fairhaven dates back to the earliest years of the Dartmouth township, and many interesting events relative to the church detailed in former pages are connected with families whose de- scendants are prominently associated with present church organizations. The First Congregational Church was organized about 1794, and its first meeting-house was erected on the site now occupied by the Phoenix building, on the northeast corner of Main and Centre streets. The belfry and some other portions of the present building were part of the origi- nal edifice. In 1844-45 the society erected the brick edifice which is now occupied by them. Rev. Harvey B. Greene is the present pastor. The Washington Street Christian (Unitarian) Church was organized in 1832, and the present edifice was dedicated in the same year. The society was in existence several years prior to this date and worshiped in the Academy Hall. Rev. Don C. Stevens is the pastor. The Methodist Episcopal Church began its existence when its first meeting-house was erected and dedicated in 1830. A permanent or- ganization was effected in 1832. In 1849 the society purchased the edifice left vacant by the Centre Congregational society. (The latter organization consisted of a number of persons who in 1841 withdrew from the First Congregational Church, and erected this building.) The original building owned by the Methodists still stands. It has for many years been owned by the town and is used for the High School. Rev. N. C. Alger is now the pastor. The Second Advent Society was the outgrowth of a series of meet- ings held in 1842, by adherents of that faith. The meetings were held in private houses and in Fountain Hall. About 1866 the society was 396 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. permanently organized, and the present house of worship, formerly Sawin's Hall, was purchased. The Friends' meeting-house, built in 1849, is situated on Bridge street. The Society of Friends never had a strong foothold in the town, and but few families have been connected with this meeting Occa- sional services are held in the hall. The financial interests of Fairhaven are well cared for by the Fair- haven National Bank, incorporated in 183 1, and reorganized in 1864. Its capital is $120,000 and its present officers are Chas. H. Morton, pres- ident ; Reuben Nye, cashier. The Fairhaven Institution for Savings was incorporated in 1832. George H. Taber is now president and Chas. H. Morton treasurer, The American Tack Company, which has been a flourishing organi- zation since its incorporation in 1867, has been merged with other kin- dred industries, located in other cities, into the Atlas Tack Corporation. It continues to do a thriving business, and is now the most important manufacturing industry in the town. The Fairhaven Star, a weekly newspaper published by C. D. Wal- drom, was established in 1879, and is a sprightly sheet and ably con- ducted. The fire department is well organized and has one steam fire engine and other modern apparatus. The marine railway is an important factor in the maritime affairs of the town. Its convenient facilities are in constant use in the season by the scores of vessels and yachts that visit the harbor. Boat building is carried on to a limited degree. The public schools of Fairhaven are sufficient in number, and are well conducted. The addition of the Rogers School gives the town advant- ages for the instruction of youth that are unsurpassed by those of many New England towns. WESTPORT. The territory of this town, once a part of the township of Dartmouth, was separated into a distinct township in 1787. Its previous history is substantially told in the early chapters of this book, as it was a part of 6/y^' O Sy}^^ WESTPORT. 297 old Dartmouth. The first town meeting of Westport was held August 20, 1787, when William Almy, Richard Kirby, and Edward Borden were chosen selectmen, and Abner Brownell, town clerk. Other offi- cers were chosen, and the machinery of local government was put in operation, which has continued without change for more than a century. The Indian name of this town was Acoaxet. Its early people were of the true New England type who made Dartmouth famous in the early days for its sturdy character and rigid adherence to the principles of true liberty and of religious freedom. The boundary lines of Westport bear such relations to the other parts of the county as to preclude its growth into a manufacturing center. At one time the town was engaged somewhat in maritime pursuits. It was from an early date interested in the whaling industry, grew and pros- pered with its development, and with its decline settled down into one of the most delightful villages in southern Massachusetts. Its people are well-to-do, its farms broad in extent and productive, and its shores afford good harbors. Its natural advantages as a summer resort have found a just appreciation, and its sea cliffs are dotted with cottages and summer homes. The principal villages of the town of Westport are Westport Factory, Head -of- Westport, and Westport Point. At the first named place is situated the Westport Manufacturing Company, the only important manufacturing plant in the town. It has been in operation many years and has given employment to a large number of persons. Its products are carpet- warp, twine, cotton- batting, wicking, etc. Head-of- Westport is situated at the head of the east branch of West- port River and is largely devoted to agriculture. Westport Point is situated in the southern part of the town between the east and west branches of the river. It was at one time engaged in the whaling industry, and many vessels were owned there and sailed from the port. The church organizations of the town are as follows: The First Christian Church at Westport, organized about 1823-5; the Second Christian Church, at South Westport, organized in 1838; the Third Christian Church, at Westport, organized in 1839; and the Third Christian Church, at Brownell's Corner, organized in 1843. The his- 398 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. tory of the Society of Friends dates back to the middle of the last cent- ury (1766), when it was set apart from the Dartmouth Monthly Meet- ing under the name of Acoaxet Monthly Meeting. Its present meet- ing-house was built in 1814. The Pacific Union Church was organized in 1858. In the civil war the town of Westport responded to the calls for de- fenders of the Union and sent 250 of its citizens into the service. DARTMOUTH. In the division of the township of Dartmouth in 1787, the present town of Dartmouth inherited the name and retained the largest section of the original territory. The Pascamanset River, which rises in the extreme northern part of New Bedford, winds through the entire length of Dartmouth and empties into Buzzards Bay. The principal villages of the town are Smith Mills, Russell's Mills, Padanaram, and the sum- mer resort at Nonquitt. Like its sister towns, Dartmouth is largely devoted to agriculture, and valuable farms are scattered throughout its territory. In former days the whaling industry was prosecuted to a considerable extent, and, when the business was in its most vigorous condition, Dartmouth had a fleet of about a dozen vessels engaged in it. Its interest in the industry was not confined to these, as its capital was largely employed in New Bed- ford ships, and many of its citizens were officers and seamen connected with them. The first manufacturing industry was established in the original township, at Russell's Mills, by Ralph Russell, one of the earliest set- tlers. He came from England and erected an iron forge at that point, which received its name from him. The village is situated on the east side of Slocum's River, and its vicinity is noted for the beauty of the scenery. Among the historic spots within the town limits is Russell's Garrison, which has been described in earlier pages. There John Russell was born during the early trouble with the Indians, the inhabitants having fled to the shelter of the garrison for safety. The first meeting-house of the Society of Friends was built in 1699, on the same site now occupied by the one at Apponagansett. The First DARTMOUTH— ACUSHNET. 399 Christian Church, at Hixville, was organized in 1780, by Elder Jacob Hix, of Rehoboth, and his brother, Daniel Hix, was installed as the first pastor in 1781. The Congregational Church at Padanaram village was organized in 1807. Its first pastor was Rev. Daniel Emerson, who died soon after his installation. The South Dartmouth Baptist Church was organized in 183 1, but the meeting-house has now been closed for several years. The Second Christian Church in the town is located at Russell's Mills and was organized in 1836. The Methodist Episcopal Church at the head of Apponagansett River, was organized in 1838. Rev. James D. Butler was the first pastor. The church is now under the care of the Allen Street M. E. Church in New Bedford. Smith Mills Christian Church was organized in 1838; and the Christian Church at Bakerville was organized in 1865. A beautiful library building, the gift of the late John H. Southworth, was erected in South Dartmouth village and dedicated February i, 1890. It is furnished with a creditable library and is destined to be of perma- nent value to the town. The shores of Dartmouth are dotted with cottages, which are the summer homes of many who find health and pleasure in ocean breezes and in the fishing and bathing facilities which have given the locality a wide reputation. ACUSHNET. When the town of Fairhaven was set off from New Bedford in 18 12, the territory now included in Acushnet was a part of its domain. It so remained until the year i860, when, after several years of agitation, a division of the town was finally made, and an act incorporating the town of Acushnet was passed by the General Court February 13, i860. The first town meeting was held March 14, when Cyrus E. Clark, Benjamin Wilson, and Benjamin White were chosen selectmen, assessors, and overseers of the poor. Like the other towns that were once a part of ancient Dartmouth, the early history of Acushnet has already been given in preceding chapters of this volume. The business of the town is largely agricultural, though there are several saw-mills that turn out large quantities of box boards and shingles. The stream that enters the Acushnet River supplies power for a number of these mills. In early 400 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. years of the town's history there was a factory on this stream, in which Joseph Rotch and Job Eddy made the first bed- ticking manufactured by water-power in this country. In the prosperous days of the whale fishery, the manufacture of whale boats was carried on here by Ebenezer Leonard. Hundreds of these boats were brought on trucks, six miles, to New Bedford. The pleasant Acushnet village has steadily enlarged its borders, new highways and residences have multiplied, and it would seem that with the steady growth of New Bedford to the northward, not many years will elapse before both will be united in one compact city. The Acush- net of the past is rich in historic associations ; and the town will ever hold in memory its important relations to the romantic traditions of the township of Dartmouth. It was Acushnet village that gave Dr. Samuel West to the country in the American Revolution, one of the greatest men of the times ; and many other historic names are found in the lists of Revolutionary soldiers from Dartmouth. One of the most ancient and interesting burial grounds in this section is the Acushnet Cemetery. It is the resting place not only of the early settlers of Dartmouth, but of some of those of the Plymouth Colony, This cemetery has within a few years been cleared up, avenues and foot-paths have been opened, and trees and shrubbery trimmed. From the cemetery is afforded a fine prospect of the beautiful scenery that borders the banks of the Acushnet River. The churches in Acushnet are as follows : The Congregational, Rev. E. C. Fellows, pastor ; the Methodist Episcopal, Rev. E. D. Gurney, pastor ; a second Methodist Episcopal, at Long Plain, Rev. A. S. Weeks, pastor; and the Friends' Meeting, also at Long Plain. There are also places of worship at " Perry Hill," known as Clifford Chapel and Whel- den Chapel. FIRST WHALERS. 401 CHAPTER XXII. THE WHALING INDUSTRY. Beginnings of the Industry — Early Whale Fishing in Massachusetts — Orders and Rules Governing the Fishing — The Industry at Nantucket — The First Sperm Whale — The Havoc Made by French and Spanish Privateers — Founding of the In- dustry at Dartmouth — Log Book of the Betsey — Expenses of Fitting Out — Records Previous to the Revolution — Unjust Restrictions — Burke's Defence of the Whalers — The British Invasion — Re-establishment of the Industry by the Rotch Family — Prosperity — The War of 1812 and its Discouraging Effects — Rapid Increase of Ves- sels and Financial Success of the Industry up to 1858 — Effect of the California Gold Discovery on Whaling — Petroleum — The War of the Rebellion and the Losses Oc- casioned by it — Renewal of Whaling after" the War — The Disaster of 1871 — The Calamity of 1876 — The First Steam Whaler — Thrilling Experiences — Hon. Weston Howland's Account — Incidents — Profitable Voyages. IT is recorded that the Biscayans pursued whale fishing during the fifteenth century, and that towards its close they employed a fleet of fifty or sixty vessels. At the period when Columbus discovered Amer- ica the English and Dutch were engaged in the fruitless attempt to reach India by a northeast passage. These bold navigators "in here- tofore penetrating the icy regions met with vast numbers of whales, un- disturbed for centuries in the peculiar and exclusive seas, tame, sluggish, and disposed to yield as ready captives to the intruder. The navigators determined to unite profit with pleasure, and although they might fail in obtaining, by their imagined passage, the spices of India, to bring home, at least, in their vessels the products of the bear, the walrus, the seal, and the whale. From being only the incidental, these soon be- came the principal objects of these hazardous voyages, and the high hopes of men, panting for the lofty names of discoverers, were merged in the arduous toils of catching whales for profit." ^ In 1610 the English sent out their first vessel specially devoted tc the whale fishery. This was soon followed by fleets of vessels from London and Amsterdam. Then the Spanish and French became in- 51 1 William Scoresby, jr., i8zo, American Revieiv. 402 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. terested in the enterprise, and the industry grew and developed. Long before the settlement of Plymouth Colony, in 1620, the whale fishery was pursued by the Indians along the coast of New England. They ventured from its shores in their frail canoes, and with their rude har- poons captured these monsters of the deep. Among the Montauk In- dians the most toothsome offering to their deity was the fin or the tail of the whale ; and the Greenlander's idea of heaven, according to Father Hennepin, was a " place where there would be an immense cal- dron continually boiling, and each could take as much seal blubber, ready cooked, as he wanted." It is recorded that Capt. John Smith in 1614 found whales so plenty along the coast, that he abandoned for a time his intended enterprise of discovery, and for a time pursued the whales. In the journal of Richard Mather, who came to Massachusetts Bay in 1635, he says that when near New England he saw " mighty whales spewing up water in the air, like the smoke of a chimney, and making the sea about them white and hoary, as is said in Job, of such incredible bigness that I will never wonder that the body of Jonah could be in the belly of a whale." In the settlement of the colonies in Mas- sachusetts, it was one of the important considerations that a convenient place was afforded for the pursuit of fisheries. The charter of Massa- chusetts made grants to certain persons, authorizing them to catch "all fishes, royal fishes, whales, balan, sturgeon, and other fishes of what kinde or nature soever that shall at any time hereafter be taken in or within the saide seas or waters," etc.^ Among the early questions that arose in both the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies was that in regard to the drift whales that frequently came ashore. The colonial government claimed a portion, 1 Another ancient prerequisite belonging to the Queen Consort, mentioned by all old writers, and therefore only worthy of notice, is this ; that on the taking of a whale on the coasts, which is a royal fish, it shall be divided between the King and Queen, the head only being the King's por- tion, and the tail of it the Queen's. The reason of this whimsical division, as assigned by our an- cient records, was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe with whalebone.— i Blackstone's Com. Bk i, Ch. A^pa-S^ 222. X. A tenth branch of the King's ordinary revenue, said to be grounded on the consideration of his guarding and protecting the seas from pirates and robbers, is the right to royal fish, which are whale and sturgeon ; and these, when either thrown ashore or caught near the coast, are the prop- erty of the King, on account of their superior excellence Indeed, our ancestors seem to have en- tertained a very high notion of the importance of this right, it being the prerogative of the Kings of Denmark and the Dukes of Normandy, and from one of these it was probably derived to our Princes — i Blackstone's Com, Bli. i C/4. 8, page ago. WHALING AT NANTUCKET. 403 and divided with the town and the finder of the whale. This matter produced much dissatisfaction among the early settlers, especially in the towns on Cape Cod. The troubles were brought to an end by an agreement that the finders should " pay to the country 2 bbls. of oyle" from each whale. In 1662 the town of Eastham voted a portion of stranded whales on their shore for the support of the ministry. It is certain that the col- ony at New Plymouth found the whaling industry a source of profit, and the business assumed such importance as to demand the appoint- ment of inspectors of whales in 1690. The rules adopted provided " that all whales killed or wounded, and left at sea, should be reported to the inspectors, giving marks, time, place, etc.; all whales brought or cast ashore, were to be viewed by them, and all questions or dispute were decided by them." From the best authority (Starbuck), it is safe to- assert that the first organized whaling prosecution of the American whale fishing was made along the coast of Long Island. In 1644 the town of Southampton was divided into four wards, and eleven persons in each were assigned the duty of attending to the drift whales cast ashore. Two persons, who received a double share, were employed to cut up the whale ; and every inhabitant, with his child or servant, who was above sixteen years of age, shared in the division. A new feature of the prosecution of whale fishing was developed a few years later ; expeditions were formed of several boats that went together for a few weeks' voyage, sharing in the labors, dangers, and profit. An inter- esting record is found in the archives of Massachusetts that alludes to the sperm whale. It is a petition dated August, 1688, from Timotheus Vanderuin, commander of the brigantine //«//jj' Return, of New York, to Governor Andros, praying for " License and Permission, with one Equipage Consisting in twelve marines, twelve whalemen, and six Din ers — from this port, upon a fishing design about the Bohames Islands And Cap florida for sperma Coeti whales and Racks: And so to return for this Port." This we believe, is the first historic allusion to this par- ticular specie ofthewhale. Macy, in his history of Nantucket, says that the first whaling expedi- tion from that island, was undcrkaken by some of the original purchas- ers. A whale came into the harbor and continued there for three days. 404 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The event caused great excitement among the people, who devised means for its capture. They caused a harpoon to be made, and with it they attacked the monster and killed it. This success gave them en- couragement, and led to the permanent establishment of the business on the island. Anxious to become efficient, they sent to Cape Cod for one Ichabod Paddock, to instruct them in the best methods of killing whales and obtaining oil. Many interesting records have been collected concerning the whale fishing at Martha's Vineyard.' The methods of catching whales were the same that were employed in the other places mentioned. This is indicated from a record of No- vember, 1652, when Thomas Daggett and William Weeks were chosen " whale cutters for this year." The following year " it was ordered by the town that the whale is to be cut out freely, four men at one time and four at another, and so every whale beginning at the east end of the town." In 1690 Mr. Sarson and William Vinson were selected by those entitled to shares in the whales that were cast on the shores of Edgartown " to oversee the cutting and sharing, they to have as much for their care, as one cutter." At the beginningoftheeighteenth century the inhabitants of Nantucket gave this industry such attention as to rapidly devolop a lucrative busi- ness. The situation of the island was favorable to the enterprise, whales being abundant in the vicinity, and it was not often that the fishermen were obliged to go out of sight of the island. The south shore was dis- tricted, and companies of six patrolled it, while from a mast erected on a high point, a lookout station was maintained for observing the spout- ing of whales. When one was captured, it was towed ashore, and after the blubber was cut and sliced, it was tried out in try-houses located on the beach. The first sperm whale caught by Nantucket whalemen was in 1712, when Christopher Hussey, cruising for right whales near the land, was blown off shore, and fell in with a school of this species of whale. He killed one of them and brought it home. This event was an important one in the prosecution of the whale fishery. Larger ves- sels were built and deep sea whaling was commenced. Voyages were made of from four to six weeks, and after filling a few hogsheads with blubber, the product of one whale, perhaps, the vessels returned home. * Richard L. Pease, of Edgartown. OU^y/ZtJ^^^^aJru^ WHALING AT DARTMOUTH. 405 The owners would take charge of the cargo, and at once send out the vessel on another voyage. In 1730 Nantucket had about twenty- five vessels of from thirty- eight to fifty tons burden, engaged in the fishery. At this period whaling was prosecuted, with varying success, at Province- town, Sandwich, Eastman, and other towns on Cape Cod. The sea- sons from 1737 to 1740 were unfortunate ones, but few whales being <;aptured, and the people were, in consequence, placed in straitened circumstances, many of them being without money or provisions. In 1741 the Provincetown fishermen were encouraged by the appearance of large numbers of blackfish and porpoises in the bay. They killed 150 porpoises and over 1,000 blackfish, yielding about 1,500 barrels of oil, which found a ready sale. At this time the French and Spanish privateers began depredations on English commerce. This checked the operations of whaling vessels, and many of them were captured. Deep sea whaling at Martha's Vineyard commenctd about 1738, continued for a few years without success, and was for a while aban- doned. In 1748 the English parliament encouraged the American whale fishery by the passage of an act remitting duties on many articles necessary for its prosecution, and granting bounties. The enterprise, however, was pursued under great difficulties and dangers, for the pri- vateers made sad havoc with the fleet. Their operations extended even into Long Island Sound, and several Nantucket whalers were captured. The continuation of foreign wars occasioned much distress among the people of New England, for the demands of England upon her colonies were many and hard to fulfill. It was the intolerant measures enforced at this period that gave birth to the spirit of resistance which culmi- nated in the American Revolution. Joseph Russell was the founder of the whaling industry in Dart- mouth. From authentic sources it has been well established that as early as 1750 shore whaling was carried on here. It is evident that the modes used were like those in vogue on Cape Cod and Nantucket. Vessels were fitted out for voyages of a few weeks and returned with the blubber, which was tried out on the shore. If the reader will refer to the map, page 58, made by Rev. Ezra Stiles in 1762, he will notice that on the western shore of the Acushnet but one building is marked on the entire river front. Unquestionably this was the location of the 4o6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. try- house of the Russells. It is certain that at this period several ves- sels were fitted from the harbors of Dartmouth. Ricketson's history of New Bedford contains an interesting account of a voyage of the sloop Betsey, of Dartmouth, in 1761. These extracts from the log book re- veal much that is valuable relating to the early methods used. " Aug. 2d, 1 761. Lat. 45° 54', Ion. 53° 57', saw two sperm whales ; killed one. Aug. 4th, lat. 44° 27', Ion. 51° 36', sounded on the Grand Bank in 45 fathoms. Saw humpbacks. Aug. 6th, spoke with John Clasbury. He had got 105 bbls. Spoke with two Nantucket men. They had got one whale between them ; they told us that Jenkins and Dunham had got four whales between them, and Allen and Pease had got two whales between them. Lat. 42° 57'. Sunday, Aug. 9th. Saw sperm whales. Struck two and killed them between us (naming their consort). August loth. Cut up blubber into casks, filled 35 hhds. ; our partner filled 33 hhds. Judged ourselves to be not far from the Banks. Finished stowing the hold. August 14th. Sounded. Got 45 fathoms Tried for codfish, but got none. August 20th, lat. 42° 2'. This morning spoke with Thomas Gibbs. Had got 1 10 bbls. Told us he had spoke with John Aiken and Ephraim Delano and Thomas Nye. They had got no oil at all. Sounded. Got no bottom. Thomas Gibbs told us we were but two leagues off the Bank. August 22. This morning saw a spermaceti and killed her. Saw a whale to leeward standing westward. August 23. Went to work on the head. Filled six hhds. Went on board Capt. Shearman and rafted blubber. Aug- ust 28th. This morning saw a sloop. Spoke with her. It was Wil- mot West. Had got 65 bbls. Saw a spermaceti. It set in foggy. Lost sight of him. Lat. 43° 22'. August 30. Saw a spermaceti, but could not strike her. Lat. 43° 14'. Aug. 31. Squally. Thunder and lif:;htning. Saw spermaceti, plenty. Sept. 2. Saw a spermaceti spout, It set in thick and foggy. Sept. 3. This morning at 8 saw a sperma- ceti. Got into her two short warps and the tow iron. She drawed the short waips and the tow iron and ran away. In the afternoon came across her. Got another iron in, but she went away. Judged ourscrJves to be nigh the Banks. Sept. Sth, saw spermaceties ; chased, but could not strike. Sept. 6th. Yesterday afternoon saw whales ; struck one, but never saw her again. Sept. 7th, saw a school of spermaceties. EXPENSE OF FITTING OUT. 407 Capt. Shearman struck one out of the vessel and killed her. Brought her alongside of our vessel. Cut in her body. Lat. 43°." September 17, they made the land and are supposed to have ended the voyage. The rest of the log is missing. The captain's name of the sloop Betsey does not appear, and no estimate is given of the oil taken. This journal shows that sperm whales were taken near the Newfound- land Banks, and that several vessels cruised about that ground as early as 1 76 1. The following extracts are from the journal of a whaling voy- age dated 1762, in the same handwriting as that of the preceding jour- nal. The journal of the commencement of the voyage, and while they were on the cruising grounds for whales, is missing. The first date of the journal is September 2, 1762. At this date it appears they had sailed for home. The amount of oil obtained is not stated. "Sept. 2, 1762. This day judged ourselves to be abreast of Cape Race. Spoke with Shubel Bunker and Benjamin Paddock. They told us that we were 1 5 leagues to the westward of the Bank. Sept. 3. Kept her W. by N. ^ N. Wind east; moderate, but a bad sea. Knocked down try works. Sept. 15. Spoke Henry Folger and Nathan Coffin ; they judge they came off of Brown's Bank yesterday, and off George's this morning. Sept. 17. Made land, the highlands of Cape Cod." Here the journal ends. The following is illustrative of what would be called a poor voyage in these days : Settlement of Sloop Betsey's whale voyage, 1767. Tuns. Bbls. Gal. £ s. /• 8 6 2J Body oil at £150 per tun, 1,313 17 ' 6 1 7 Head matter at £200 per tun, 376 1,688 17 6 Sundry charges for settling the voyage 56 19 8 1,631 17 10 Men's shares, 709 19 921 18 10 Sundry bills against the ship for outfits, 1,140 12 1 Leaving a loss to the oveners of 218 13 3 4o8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Upon the back of the log we find some figures headed " What we owe Joseph Rotch & Sons for sloop Betsey" which throw some hght upon. the cost of fitting a whaler at that time : £ s. p. Before we began to fit for whaling, 45 00 4 bbls. pork, 103 10 60 lbs. tallow, 15 00 60 lbs. butter, 20 10 1 towline 53 00 45 bushels of corn, 50 12 6 3 cwt. of bread, 14 00 66 qr. of flour, 17 10 Leather and sundries, 15 00 Coffee, 1 cheese, 18 00 2 bushels of beans, 4 00 1 cwt. of cordage, 34 00 2 lbs. of twine and breeks, 11 18 402 00 6 We then have the following additional memoranda of expenses : £j. s. A. Tallman & Russell to 5 lbs. tea 10 12 6 Two pails, and 1 shovel and boards 9 10 Tabour, for mending boats 12 00 Richard Dilno and Abisha Dilno 22 10 Jonathan Smith and Sampson, blacksmith 35 00 Louden & Hudson 10 00 William Claghorn, sundries 134 00 David Shepherd, new cask 150 00 Sundries put in 40 00 John Slocum, sundries 238 00 Cheese 23 00 Jethro Hathaway, beef 166 lbs 14 00 £1,100 13 In 1 759 the sloop Industry, Isaiah Eldredge, master, probably of Dartmouth, was captured by a French privateer. It is evident that the whaling industry was prosecuted from Fairha- ven prior to 1760, for it is recorded that in that year William Wood sold to Elnathan Eldredge, of the same town, a certain tract of land located within the present town of Fairhaven,' and within three-quarters • Starbuck's History of Whale Fishery. GROWTH OF WHALING. 409 of a mile of the center of the town, on the banks of the Acushnet River, " always excepting and reserving . . . that part of the same where the Try house and oyl shed now stands." In 1765 four sloops, the Nancy, Polly, Greyhound and Hannah, owned by Joseph Russell and William Tallman, were engaged in whale fishing. During this year a new whaling sloop from Dartmouth was run down and sunk by another whaleman from the same port. At this period most of the vessels fished in the Gulf of St Lawrence and Straits of Belle Isle. In spite of the depredations of the French and Spanish privateers, the heavy claims made by the English government, and the disasters of the ocean, the whaling industry in Bedford increased. Whaling vessels be- longing in Dartmouth in 1768 were commanded by Joseph Tripp, Benjamin Jenney, Salathiel Eldredge, Isaiah Eldredge and Fortunatus Sherman ; in 1769, by Isaiah Eldredge, Delano, Joseph Tripp, James Coffin, Melatiah Pease, Lemuel Jenkins, Benjamin Dillingham, Fortunatus Sherman and Thomas Marshall; in 1770, by Isaiah El- dredge (in sloop TryaW), Delano, Seth Hamblin, Lazarus Spooner, Fortunatus Sherman, Dillingham and Joseph Tripp. It is recorded that in 1770 the sloop Deliverance, Marchant, of Dart- mouth, in two voyages this year took 360 barrels. John Claghorn, mate of a Dartmouth brig, was taken out of his boat by a foul line and drowned, the fourth brother in a family of six to lose his life in this way. The importance of the whale fishery during the years prior to the American Revolution is forcibly indicated in the statistics given — that there were annually fitted during the years 1770 to 1775 for the northern fishery about 200 vessels of 16,120 tonnage; for the southern fishery, about 146 vessels of 16,320 tonnage, employing 4,500 men ; 45,890 barrels of sperm oil and 8,850 barrels of whale oil taken annu- ally. This fleet was composed of whaling vessels that sailed from Nantucket, Wellfleet, Dartmouth, Lynn, Martha's Vineyard, Barnstable, Boston, Falmouth, Cape Cod, Swansea, Providence, Newport, Warren, Sag Harbor, New London and New York. From Dartmouth there were annually fitted, 1770-1775, eighty vessels of 6,500 tonnage ; total number of seamen employed, 1,040; 7,200 barrels of sperm oil and 1,400 barrels of whale oil taken annually. 52 4 1 o HISTOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. From these statistics it is plainly indicated that the whale fishery at Dartmouth was in a most flourishing condition. Such a thriving and growing business carried with it prosperity to the inhabitants. Every branch of mechanical art connected with the fitting of ships was in full operation. Vessels were built on the Acushnet and Apponegansett Rivers, and sail lofts, ropewalks, cooper-shops and wharves came into existence Houses were erected to accommodate the scores of work- men employed. Streets were opened on which to locate these homes, and on the western slope of the Acushnet River, that had been com- paratively an unbroken forest, arose the prosperous village of Bedford. Mr. Ricketson says that " previous to the Revolutionary War a can- dle-house, the first in the place, was built by Joseph Russell ; and Cap- tain Chaffee, who had been engaged in manufacturing spermaceti in Lisbon, was employed by Mr. Russell at the then large salary of $500 per year This building stood near the corner of Centre and Front streets, and was burnt by the British during the general conflagration of the place." In 1775 there were forty or fifty vessels employed in the whale fish- ery that belonged to Dartmouth. They were about forty tons burden, and made two or more voyages in a year. But this tide of prosperity was of short duration, and the fleet of whaling vessels was eventually destroyed or driven from the sea. In a former chapter I have spoken of the events of local interest that clus- ter about the battles of Lexington andBunker Hill. Some of the deeds performed by Dartmouth, even before these notable events took place, have been recorded. With the advent of the American Revolution came the death of the whaling industry, not only in Dartmouth, but in all the New England towns that had been engaged in it. One of the main causes that led to the conflict with the mother country was the heartless cruelties inflicted upon those engaged in the whale fisheries of New England. The Boston port bill, the stamp act, tea tax and the other tyrannical measures, severe and outrageous as they were, were not more so than those imposed on the fishermen of the Atlantic coast. It is proper at this point to briefly notice a few of these. The difficulties commenced as early as 1765, when a large portion of the whaling fleet operated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Straits ^n.^'-tiyAHRiafti-^' ^ UNJUST RESTRICTIONS. 411 of Belle Isle. The News Letter, a paper printed in Boston, of date August 8, 1765, says that " the vessels employed in the Whale Fishery from this and the neighboring maritime Towns, amounting to near 100 sail, have been very successful this season in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Straits of Belle Isle, having 'tis said, already made upwards of 9,000 barrels of Oil." This encouraging report was followed in the issue of the Neivs Letter of August 22, by one that contained the orders of the governor of Labrador that placed restrictions upon the fishery. He ordered that useless parts of the whales captured be carried away three leagues from the shore, forbade the carrying of passengers from Newfoundland or the Labrador coast to any part of the Plantations, or- dered the whaling vessels to leave the coast by November ist and not to fish in any of the ports or coasts of Newfoundlannd between Point Rechi and Cape Bonavista. The order forbade any trade or intercourse with the French, and also prohibited all fishing on the coast except for whales. The latter order was a severe one, for it had been the custom of the whalemen to fish for cod when the catch of whales proved a fail- ure. The result of these measures was that several vessels returned not only with no success, but reported that they had been ill-treated by some of the cruisers on the Labrador coast. An additional decree was issued in 1766 that vessels from the Plantations found to have any fish but the whale on board, would be seized and confiscated. This action drove the fleet from these seas, and they pursued their calling along the edge of the Gulf Stream, Western Islands, Cape de Verds and Brazil Banks. From time to time the new decrees were issued that hindered the whalemen in the prosecution of the fishing on the North American coast. In February, 1775, Parliament passed a bill restricting the trade and commerce of Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island to Englahd, Ireland and British West Indies, and pro- hibiting the colonies from carrying on any fishing on the bank? of Newfoundland, or on any other part of the North American coast. The bill was resisted 'by a minority of the House of Lords and Commons. It was during this debate that Burke made his eloquent defense of the colonies — an address worthy to be enshrined in the memory of every New Englander. Such praise from our ancestors is indeed a noble in- heritance. " For some time past, Mr. Speaker," said Burke, " has the 412 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Old World been fed from the New. The scarcity you have felt would have been a desolating famine if this child of your old age — if America — with a true filial piety, with a Roman charity had not put the full breast of its youthful exuberance to the mouth of its exhausted parent. Turning from the agricultural resources of the colonies, consider the wealth which they have drawn from the sea by their fisheries. The spirit in which that enterprising spirit has been exercised ought to cause your esteem and admiration. Pray, sir, what in the world is equal to it ? Pass by the other parts and look at the manner in which the people of New England have of late carried on the whale fishing. Whilst we follow them among the tumbling mountains of ice and be- hold them penetrating into the deepest frozen resources of Hudson's Bay and Davis Straits ; whilst we are looking for them beneath the arctic circle we hear that they have pierced into the opposite regions of polar cold ; that they are at the Antipodes, and engaged under the frozen serpent of the South Falkland Island, which seems too remote and romantic an object for the grasp of national ambition. Nor is the equi- noctial heat more discouraging to them than the accumulated winter of both the Poles. We know that whilst some of them draw the line and strike the harpoon on the coast of Africa, others run the longitude and pursue the gigantic game along the coast of Brazil. No sea but what is vexed by their fisheries. No climate that is not a witness to their toils. Neither the perseverance of Holland, nor the activity of France, nor the dexterous and firm sagacity of English enterprise ever carried this most perilous mode of hardy industry to the extent to which it has been pursued by this People, a People who are still, as it were, in the gristle and not yet hardened into the bone of manhood. When I con- template these things, which I know that the colonies in general owe little or nothing to any care of theirs, and they are not squeezed into this happy form by a watchful and suspicious Government, but that, through a wise and salutary neglect of generous nature, has been suf- fered to take her own way to perfection — when I r^ect upon these effects, when I see how profitable they have been to us, I feel all the pride of power sink and all presumption in the wisdom of human con- trivances melt and die away within me. My rigor relents. I pardon something to the spirit of liberty." WHALING DURING THE REVOLUTION. 413 In spite of the vigorous protests against this unjust bill it became a law. Not satisfied with this iniquitous action Parliament passed another measure none the less barbarous and inhuman. It enacted that all per- sons taken from American vessels should serve as common sailors on British ships of war. This was denounced by the opponents of the bill as " the refinement of tyranny, which, in a sentence worse than death, obliges the unhappy men who shall be made captives in this predatory war, to bear arms against families, kindred, and friends, and country, and after being plundered themselves, to become accomplices in plun- dering their brethren." In 1799, when John Adams resided in Paris, he discovered that when an English man of- war had taken an American vessel, the whalemen among the crew had been given, by order of the government, their choice either to go on board of a man-of-war and fight for their country, or to go into the whale fishery. By this means, many crews of English whalers were composed of American whalemen. Adams urged the Continental Congress to send an armed vessel and relieve these captive seamen, but nothing was done. Many of them remained in the English service, and served to strengthen the attempt to wrest the fisheries from the Americans. From this train of events the reader will see the causes that led to the destruction of the whaling industry, not only of Dartmouth, but of that of the entire New England coast. Joseph Rotch abandoned the enterprise he had begun at Bedford vil- lage and returned to Nantucket. In former pages have been recited the events that took place in Dartmouth during the dark days of the Revolution. From August, 177s, to January, 1776, bonds were filed with the State treasurer by Francis Rotch and Leonard Jarvis of Dartmouth for brigantines Falk- land, William Covell, master; Fox, Silas Butler, master; George, Thomas Banning, master; Enterprise, James Whippey, master; Ann, Simeon Coffin, master; and brig Royal Charlotte, William Roberts, master. By Aaron Lopez, of Newport, and Leonard Jarvis, of Dartmouth, ship Africa, Joseph Ripley, master ; and brig Minerva, John Locke, master. By Joseph Russell, Isaac Howland, Barnabas Russell, and Caleb Greene, of Dartmouth, schooner Juno, George Shockley, master. By David Sheppard, Seth Russell, David Sowle, and Abraham Smith, brigantine 414 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Kesia, David Sowle, master. By John Alden and Walter Spooner, of Dartmouth, schooner Gramptis, Job Springer, master. By Lemuel Williams and William Tallman, of Dartmouth, sloop Neptune, Luther Burgess, master. No other vessels appear to be recorded during the Revolutionary war. It is a fair supposition that these vessels were the last in the Dartmouth fleet that made whaling voyages. The chapter on the British invasion tells the story of the destruc- tion of seventy vessels in the harbor, September 5, 1778. This blow to the maritime affairs completely annihilated the hopes of Dartmouth, and for several years nothing was done toward the restoration of the whale fishery. In 1785 the sloop Hero, Capt. Joshua Delano, made a whaling voyage. This is the first indication of a renewal of the whale fishing in Dartmouth. Again, in 1787 Captain Delano made a voyage in the sloop Rainbow. It is quite likely that other Dartmouth vessels were engaged, but these two voyages are the only ones recorded. It is evident that after the return of the Rotch family to Nantucket they attempted to establish the whale fishery at Edgartown. The basis of this supposition is that there is a deed on record in that town, dated August 8, 1777, from Thomas Arey to William Rotch, of Sherburn, county of Nantucket, of about six acres of land bounded easterly by the harbor of Edgartown, and otherwise by the cartway leading to Starbuck's Neck, and otherwise bounded so as to be easily identified. The consideration named is £l?>0, lawful money. January 3, 1796, James Tupper and Deborah, his wife, deeded to William Rotch, of New Bedford, merchant, for £600, about three acres of land adjoining the above described premises. This tract also was on the shore, and there was a dwelling-house standing on this lot, which doubtless accounts in part for the amount of the consideration. May 21, 1829, William Rotch, jr., merchant of Hew Bedford, Lydia Scot Rotch, Mary Rotch, single woman, Samuel Rodman, and Elizabeth his wife, and Benjamin Rotch, of Harrow in the Kingdom of Great Baitain, by their attorney, Francis Rotch, sold both of the above de- scended tracts to John O. Morse, of Edgartown for i;'i,200. Thereisa tradition among the people of Edgartown that William Rotch destred to leave Nantucket and locate at Edgartown, but not being able to ob- tain sufficient land except at extravagant prices, was virtually driven FROM THE REVOLUTION TO 1815. 415 from Edgartown. It would seem as though he never abandoned the idea until after the second purchase in 1796. At any rate the old peo- ple of Edgartown for many years have looked back upon this refusal of theirs as a neglected opportunity. The ship Rebecca made, it is claimed, the first whaling voyage on the Pacific Ocean. She sailed from Dartmouth September 21, 1793, return- ing with a cargo of 750 bbls. sperm oil, and 180 bbls. whale oil. This ship was built by George Claghorn, the famous builder of the U. S. frigate Constitution. The Rebecca was launched from the shore near the foot of North Street. Mr. Ricketson, in his history of New Bed- ford, says : " A handsome figurehead had been made in Philadelphia for the Rebecca and was placed upon her previous to launching, but there being considerable objection made to it, on the part of members of the Society of Friends, of which the owners were members, it was removed. A mock funeral was held over it by a few gaj' young men, one or more of them sons of Joseph Russell, when it was buried in the sand, upon the shore. Although the Rebecca was only 175 tons, she was considered a very large vessel, and was visited as an object of wonder. It was no small matter to obtain a captain sufficiently expe- rienced to take charge. At length Captain Hayden, who had made several foreign voyages, was engaged, and Capt. Cornelius Grinnell was her first mate. The ship proceeded to Philadelphia, and thence took a cargo to Liverpool. The captain on her return passage was taken ill and rendered incapable of continuing the command, which devolved upon the first mate, who conducted the voyage so much to the satisfac- tion of the owners that, the command was given to him on the next voyage. Captain Grinnell was one of our most successful shipmasters, a gentleman of the old school, and one of that class of worthies with which the rise and progress of New Bedford is inseparably connected. The Rebecca was finally lost on her homeward passage from Liverpool, in the winter of 1 803-4. The 7?^(5^^c« was so named from the eldest daughter of Joseph Russell, wife of Daniel Ricketson." In 1792 the following vessels returned to Dartmouth from voyages: The ships Columbia, and Eliza ; schooners Lively, Polly and Betsey : sloops Betsey, Tryall, and the brigs Polly and Union. \7gi,s\\\p Rebec- ca, hugs Atlantic, Beaver, Keziah, Mary, Nancy, Russell, and schooners 41 6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Swan, and Friendship. 1794, the sloops Hero and Industry, and schooner Sally. 1795, ships Ann, Berkeley, Commerce, Delaware, James, Lydia, Suzy, Union. 1797, ships Barclay, Bedford, Juno, Warren, Wareham, Maria, Nancy, President, and Fox. 1799, ships Edward, Franklin. 1800, ship Dolphin. 1801, ships Diana, Exchange, Herald, Hunter, Hanttah, and Eliza ; schooner Eliza, and sloop Oxford. 1802, sloop Susan ; ships Winslow and Merchant. This list indicates that the whaling and merchant fleet numbered about fifty vessels at the beginning of the century. The whaling in- dustry had been conducted during these years under circumstances that were discouraging. The depredations on the whaling fleet by the French and Spanish cruisers have been alluded to in a former chapter. They were of a most serious character, many vessels being captured or destroyed. These cases gave rise to the French spoliation claims. In spite of these difficulties, the whaling business prospered, and every year witnessed additions to the fleet. In 1805 there were belonging to this port seventy-three ships and thirty-nine brigs.^ Such was the prosperous condition of the whaling business at the period when the difficulties with England began that resulted in the War of 18 1 2. The embargo act of 1807 materially diminished the already demoralized commerce, and but one vessel arrived at this port from a whaling voyage. The business improved somewhat during the few years until the advent of the war, when it received crushing blows that practically closed operations till peace was declared in 1815. In 1816 seven vessels arrived from voyages, with cargoes of 1,350 bbls. sperm oil, market price $1.1 2)4, and 1,500 bbls. whale oil, market value sixty- five cents. Total valuation, $458,700. In 1817 thirteen vessels ar- rived, with 7,499 bbls. sperm oil, market price seventy-two cents, and 7,800 bbls. whale oil, market price sixty cents. Total valuation $1, 091,576. The ste.idy and somewhat remarkable development of the whale fish- ery m;iy be seen in the tables given at the close of this chapter. It will be interesting to note the ever- changing values of the product and the 1 ■• 1807, in New Bedford, there were seven wharves, between ninety and a hundred ships and brigs, and between twenty and thirty smaller vessels."— ^'w^ J^ote Mass. Hist. Coll. Abraham Shear- AFTER THE WAR OF 1812. 417 increase of total valuations, till the highest point was reached iu 1857, $10,802,594. From the close of the war of 18 12 the whale fishery increased in extent, and the industry was carried on in the North and South Atlan- tic, the Indian, and Pacific Oceans. New Bedford shared in the gen- eral prosperity, and its energetic citizens reaped fortunes from its pros- ecution. So rapid was its increase that it soon outstripped Nantucket in number of vessels and in capital employed. In 1820 many of the ships found good whaling ground on the "off-shore grounds," where whales were found in almost countless numbers. Other fields were dis- covered as the years passed by, and whales where discovered in the Japan Sea, off the Sandwich Islands, and the coast of Zanzibar. In 1835 the industry was in full tide of success and for several years con- tinued to grow and increase. In 1843 the first bowhead whales taken in the Northern Pacific were captured on the coast of Kamschatka, by New Bedford ships, the Hercules, Captain Ricketson, and the James, Captain Turner. It is recorded that the value of the bowhead whale was discovered by Capt. George A. Covell, of New Bedford, while fish~ ing for sperm whales in the Ochotsk Sea. He struck one of this species and killed him with but little difficulty. "Before cutting him in they judged he would make seventy bbls., but to their surprise he turned out 150, with bone in proportion." i- This discovery was an important one, and the pursuit of the bowhead. whale became an important factor in the whale industry. In 1848 the first whale ship, the Superior, of Sag Harbor, passed through Behring's Straits and obtained a good catch. This was the beginning of arctic whaling, and soon scores of vessels from New Bedford found their way thither, returning with full cargoes. For forty years whaling has been continued in the arctic with varying success. In later pages it will be seen how important the product of whalebone is to even the limited prosecution of the fishery at the present time. Among local matters of interest at this period relating to the whale fishery, that have been gleaned from many sources, are the following : The names of the pilots who resided in New Bedford in 1844 were Z. Allen, Benjamin Aiken, Peleg Crowell, Caleb Church, John Aiken, D.. 53 1 Scammon. 41 8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Demoranville. May 31, Captain Hiller, of Fairhaven, was lost from ship Sarah Frances, a whale upsetting the boats. In i8-!i3 fifty-six ships arrived. September 21, brig Two Sisters, Captain Maxfield, was lost, crew saved. Among the business houses in New Bedford at this time, whose ad- vertisements appear in the Shipping List, are William C. Taber, 40 Union street, instruments, charts, books, etc.; N. B, Cordage Co., B. S. & W. J. Rotch and Jacob Ricketson ; Jacob Parker, cables, an- chors, etc., 15 Centre street; Bedford Commercial Insurance Co., James Howland 2d, secretary; Whaling Insurance Co., George Rowland, jr., president; J. Dunbar & Co., dealers in duck ; John Kehew, instrument maker, 69 North Water street ; Swift & Allen, Middle street ; Bedford Mutual Marine Insurance Co., James Howland 2d, president ; Mutual Marine Insurance Co., S. Merrihew, president; William P. Grinnell, duck, copper and cordage ; Ebenezer Rider, spars, masts, etc., Leon- ard's wharf; Thomas H. Howland, oil and bone broker ; Pope & Mor- gan, oil, Rotch's wharf. The whaling industry in New Bedford in 1847 was in a most flour- ishing condition, and the editor of the Shipping List asks the people who are accustomed to sneer at New Bedford and Nantucket and the whaling business, to look at the list of whalers belonging to New Bed- ford. He says they number 254, worth $6,350,600. The crews aver- age twenty-five men, and the fleet employs 6,350 seamen. He speaks in high terms of the character of the captains and challenges the world to produce an equal number of ships of better quality or in better con- dition. March 22, 1848, bark Pacific 2d, Captain Little, was wrecked on a reef at Pernambuco. April 30, ship Hope, Captain Tucker, was wrecked near Cape Brett. She was owned by George Howland. January 28, 1849, bark London Packet, Captain Howland, was lost at Cape de Verd Islands, and five or six of the crew were drowned. In March, 1649, bark Einigrant, Capt. Bartholomew West, was lost, and the crew of nineteen seamen was never heard from. The discovery of the gold mines in California at this period was pro- ductive of serious results to the whale fishery in the North Pacific EFFECTS OF THE CALIFORNIA GOLD FEVER. 419 and Arctic Oceans. Starbuck says : " Immediately after the discovery of the gold mines of Cahfornia, desertions from the ships were numer- ous and often causeless, generally in such number as to seriously crip- ple the efficiency of the ship. In this way large numbers of voyages were broken up and thousands of dollars were sunk by the owners. During a portion of the time many ships were fired by their refractory and mutinous crews, some of them completely destroyed, others dam- aged in amounts varying from a few hundred to several thousand d (tin a' gS a 6 Ok « a< u « fH Z Oi l-H fM '"' ^ 1804.. 23* 2,035 $1.40 14,600 % .50 % .08 $ 530,126.70 1805.. 16 3,100 .96 11,300 .50 .10 703,752.92 1806.. 1 1,200 .80 .07 680,103.48 1807.. 1 1.00 6,700 .50 .07 828,771 88 1808.. 8 3,800 .80 3,800 .50 .07 543,016.50 1809.. 7 4,750 .60 2,000 .44 .08 525,164.92 1810.. 13 10,920 .75 4,500 .44 .08 666,86.5.81 1811.. 4 4,700 1.25 1,500 .40 .09 1,180,494.96 1812.. 6 6,000 1.00 1,000 .40 .10 529.120.00 1813 . . 2 2,400 1.25 .50 .10 180,167.85 1814.. 1 1,800 1.25 1.40 140,167 80 1815.. 2 620 1.00 .83 71,522.01 1816.. 7 1,350 1.12i 1,500 .65 .12 458,700.08 1817.. 13 7,490 .72 7,800 .60 .12 1,091,576.88 1818.. 3 2,250 .90 1,000 .50 .10 838,.570.30 1819.. 13 .83 17,880 .35 .10 987,381.52 1820. 28 8,680 .93i 21,580 .35 17,045 .10 1,523,571.37 1821 . . 29 12,680 .67i 15,070 .33 .12 1,324.396.29 1822.. 25 12,305 .65 20,705 .32 13,174 .12 1,402,857.70 1823.. 39 29,843 .43 23,736 .32 14,068 .13 1,820,114.25 1824.. 38 29,100 .45i 32,969 .30 9,314 .13 1,973,756.58 1825.. 23 13,659 .70i 23,178 .32 38,365 ,15 1,912,765.87 1826.. 16 5,723 .75 18,220 .30 11,389 .16 1,035,018.78 1827 . 36 47,127 .n\ 18,186 .30 47,785 .18 2,499,735.00 1828.. 38 22,208 .62i 26,438 .26 32,191 .25 1,495,181.15 1829.. 35 30,277 .61i 26,130 .26 211,631 .25 2.172,947.50 1830 46 40,513 .65i 35,271 .39 280,438 .20 3,487,949.56 1831.. 47 45,833 .71 49,186 .30 21,200 .17 4,139,790.61 1832.. 50 23,705 .85 72,735 .23i 24,000 .13 3,352,618.17 1833.. 56 43,775 .85 62,750 .26 ,13 4,170,754.89 1834.. 56 57,688 .72i 41,419 .27i 16,000 .21 4,033,317.55 1835 . . 53 66,792 .84 30.488 .39 90,000 .21 6,095,787.35 1836.. 53 39,654 .89 38,243 .44 32,000 .25 5,888,044.42 1837.. 53 56,831 .82^ 63,683 .35 242,316 .20 6,483,651.90 1838.. 92* 77,000 .86 84,100 .32 .20 6.250,842.89 1839.. 75 61,695 1.08 72,890 .36 .18 7,524,060.30 56,118—1839 1840.. 82* 63,465 1.00 75,411 .30 .19 7,230,534.30 Note.— Up to 1815, and in years marked * Pairhaven is included. 1 Prom Starbuok's History of American "Whale Fishery. 452 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. SYNOPSIS CONTINUED. 6 g o J" O "!« li " It § ■ TOTAL uB «u kS Ss Valuation, New Bedford "h Sg It o -^ U.S. Tonnage. < [> 6 O y S IMPORTS. > % l-H ^ fM I-* PLi 1841. 57 54,860 % .94 49,555 $ .32 $ .20 $ 7,12.5,970.88 1842. 63 70,909 .73 51,112 .34 .23 4,379,812.03 1843. 56 61,066 .63 40,922 .34 409,220 .36 6,293,680.21 69,708—1843 1844. 76 54,509 .90f 102,992 .36i 978,592 .40 7,875,970.38 76,784 1845. 68 52,022 .88 83,724 .33 1.006,007 .34 9,283,611.75 82,633 1846. 62 38,380 .87i 80,812 .331 456,900 .34 6,203,115.43 82,701 1847. 79 56,437 l.OOi 98,735 .36 1,568,200 .31 8,419,288.49 80,947 1848. 75 48,827 1.00 115,436 .33 621,900 .25 6,819,442.78 81,075 1849. 64 46,338 1.08i 72,961 .40 797,300 .211 7,069,953.74 77,138 1850. 64 39,298 1.20f 91,627 .49^ 1,081,500 .32 7,564,124.72 81,442 1851 94 45,150 1.27i 155,711 .45i 2,349,900 .34* 10,031,744.05 94,642 1852. 59 40,313 1.23f 42,352 .68i 925,600 .501 5,565,409.89 104,006 1853. 91 44,923 1.214 118.673 .58i 2,835.800 .34* 10,766,521.20 107,512 1854. 113 42,924 1.48f 175,336 .59i 1,669;200 .39J 10,802,594.20 105,459 1855. 78 42,987 1771 102,968 .71i 1,460,500 .45i 9,413,148.93 107,702 1856. 79 52,885 1.02 81,783 .79* 1,087,600 .58 9,589,846.36 114,364 1857. 105 48,108 1.28i 127,362 .73J 1,350,850 .961 10,491,548.90 110,267 1858. 80 46.218 1.21 103,106 .54 1,184,900 .92i 7,672,227.31 107,931 1859. 89 64.327 1.36i 121,522 .48i 1,608,250 .88 8,525,108.91 103,564 1860. 88 43,716 14H 90,450 .494 1,112,000 .80i 6,520,135.12 98,760 1861. 85 47,404 1.31i 72,134 .44i 724,434 .66 5,415,090.59 86,971 1862. 68 30,529 1.42f 61,056 .50* 297,600 .88 5,051,781.64 73,061 1863. 66 42,458 1.61 43,191 .95J 307,950 1.53 5,936,507.17 64,815 1864. 77 48,172 1.89^ 35,883 1.28 224,250 1.801 8,113,922.07 58,041 1865. 57 21.292 1.1h\ 51,693 1.45 376,450 1.711 6,906,650.51 50,403 1866. 40 21,345 2.55 44.513 1.21 392,100 1.37 7,037,891.23 53,798 1867. 62 24.552 2.27 72,108 .731 731,146 1.171 6,356,772.51 52,652 1868 69 31.841 1.92 49,939 ,82 667,507 1.02* 5,470,157.43 50 628 1869. 59 .32,673 1.81J 54.566 l.Olf 471,495 1.23 6,205,244.32 50,775 1870. 69 42,886 1.364 49,563 .67* 569,861 .85 4,529,126.02 50,213 1871. 56 30,654 1 31 55,710 .64 560,993 .77 3,091,469.18 40,045 1872 33 33,021 1.45J 15,573 .65* 177,868 1.28* 2,954,783.00 36,686 1873. 39 30,229 1.47^ 25,757 .62 J 150,598 1.08* 2,962,106.96 32,556 1874. 32 25,480 1.59 26,349 .60* 321,637 1.10 2,713,034.51 29,541 1875. 53 34,43Q 1.60i 25,067 .65i 359,973 1.201 3,314,800.24 31,691 1876. 55 30,233 ] 40i 20,535 .56 93.484 1.96 2,639,-l 63.31 30,464 BIRTH AND GROWTH OF MANUFACTURES. 453 CHAPTER XXIII. MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. Character of Early Mechanics — John Loudon's Ship Yard, 1760 — First Mechanics — New Bedford as a Cottov! Manufacturing City- — Population — Capital Invested — Number of Establishments and Employees — Value of Manufactured Product — Brief Sketches of Various Industries. — The Wamsutta Mills — Their Q-rowth and Develop- ment — The Potomska Mills — The Acushnet Mills — The Hathaway Manufacturing Company — The City Manufacturing Company — The New Bedford Manufacturing Company — The Howland Mill Corporation — The Bennett Manufacturing Company — The Grinnell Manufacturing Corporation — The Oneko Woolen Mills — Early Cord- age Factory — The New Bedford Cordage Company — The Manufacture of Oil — First Try Houses — Early Oil and Candle Factories — Advent of Petroleum — Modern Meth- ods — Present Oil Works — Manufacture of Glass — Silverware — Toys and Novelties — Art Manufactures — Early Shoe Factories — Present Boot and Shoe Factories, etc. AN important feature in the history of New Bedford is the birth and growth of its industries, the development and magnitude of its manufactures. Prior to the introduction of cotton factories in 1846-47 the thousands of busy workers had been employed for nearly a century in trades and professions particularly identified with marine navigation and the whaling industry. The vicinity of New Bedford, Fairhaven, Russell's Mills and other places in Dartmouth, has, however, for many generations been the scene of active pursuits, employing the skill and genius of almost every class of mechanics and artisans, and inculcating in their posterity an aptitude for trade, and a clear and far-seeing busi- ness sagacity. To-day New Bedford stands third in number of spindles in operation in cotton manufacturing cities of the country, being exceeded only by Fall River and Lowell. In the number of looms she is fourth, Man- chester, N. H., in addition to the cities just named, outranking her. The cotton- mills here are among the best examples of their class. It is safe to say that in point of architecture, construction and equipment, as well as in the quality of their products, these mills have no superior in this or any other country. 4S4 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The estimated total capital invested in home corporations carrying on various kinds of manufactures, and bank stocks, including premiums on shares, is over $27,000,000. In the 650 establishments there are employed more than 12,500 people, to whom are paid in salaries $4,- 600,000 annually. The stock and material used in these establishments is valued at $8,750,000, and the manufactured product at $16,000,000. The following brief sketches of the manufacturing and industrial inter- ests are inserted to show how New Bedford capital is, and has been, invested : The Wamsutta Mills. — The location of the mills at New Bedford to which was given the name of "Wamsutta," was the result of a com- bination of circumstances. During the months of September and Oc- tober, 1846, several gentlemen in New York and the Hon. Joseph Grinnell, of this city, had under consideration a proposition from Thomas Bennett, jr., for the purpose of engaging in the manufacture of cotton in the State of Georgia, the business being extremely profitable there at that time, and Mr. Bennett having previously had experience in it in that State. This enterprise v.'as looked upon with so much favor by those parties that Mr. Bennett, in company with the late William T. Russell, of this city, proceeded to that State on the ist of November following, and examined several water-powers and mill locations, and made the requisite estimates and reports for adopting either one of them which might be considered the most desirable. On their return North late in December, 1846, they stopped in Washington, D. C, to confer with the Hon. Joseph Grinnell, then the representative to Congress from this district, and to make known to him Mr. Bennett's reports of the examinations made of the localities in the State of Georgia* This was in the first week of January, 1847. Mr. Grinnell gave the reports, estimates, and the prospective profits of the Georgia enterprise a thorough examination, and in conclusion in- quired why the mill could not be located in New Bedford, aad on be- ing informed that it could, but that it would be doubtful about the profits of the business if located there, he replied that the profits of the busi- ness were of not so much consequence as the safety of the capital in- vested, which he considered would be much more reliable in New Bed- ford than if the business was established anywhere in the Southern WAMSUTTA MILLS. 455 States. The Mexican War was then in progress, which so far alarmed Mr. Grinnell that he thought the plan of locating the mill in the South should be given up. It was then arranged that Mr. Bennett should pro- ceed at once to New Bedford and prepare his plans and estimates for locating the mill there, and have them ready to meet Mr. Grinnell on his return home after the adjournment of Congress on the 4th of March, 1847, when the whole matter would be carefully considered and an early decision reached. On the return of Mr. Grinnell, and after mak- ing an examination of the plans and estimates of Mr. Bennett, he decided that the mill must be located at New Bedford, but before coming to a conclusion as to the advisability of the project, he sought the advice of a practical cotton manufacturer, David Whitman, of Warwick, R. I. Mr. Whitman approved and encouraged the enterprise, and with this recommendation Mr. Grinnell gave it his hearty support, and headed the subscription list with $10,000, and made every effort to bring it to a successful result. This was the starting point of the Wamsutta Mills. Fortunately, in the year 1846, the Hon. Abraham H. Rowland ob- tained from the Legislature of Massachusetts, by a special act, a charter for a manufacturing company to be located in New Bedford, under the name of the Wamsutta Mills, for the manufacture of cotton, wool, or iron, in the names of Jireh Perry, Matthew Luce, Thomas S. Hathaway and their associates. This charter was given to the proposed com- pany, which enabled it to organize and proceed to business as soon as sufficient capital was subscribed. It was proposed to obtain a capital of $300,000, to build and put in operation a cotton mill of 15,000 spindles and 300 looms. After great efforts had been made by Mr. Grinnell and other friends of the enterprise, $157,900 was subscribed, and here it stopped and could not be advanced beyond that point. After several weeks of persistent labor to increase the amount of the subscription with- out avail, Mr. Grinnell added $2,100 more to his amount, making the whole $160,000, and it was then decided that the enterprise must be started on the $i6o,000, or be abandoned. The chief obstacles which were encountered in the establishment of the first mill, were the follow- ing : At that time the whale fishery was at the height of its prosperity. Every one who had money to invest sought for opportunities to join with some favorite agent in the numerous vessels that were being added 4S6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. to the fleet. The profits were large and very certain, and the entire prosperity of the place had grown out of it. This was the one great obstacle in the way of getting sufficient capital for the first mill. The general sentiments of the citizens were in opposition to the introduction of manufactures by incorporated companies, and preferred those con- ducted by individual capital and enterprise, and such as were in connec- tion with the whaling and shipping interests. Particularly so were the mechanics, who regarded the organized and disciplined labor and the longer hours of mill work as inimical to the labor interests. The en- terprise was looked upon by the great majority of the people as an un- suitable one for the locality and doomed to failure from the start. Everything except the building stone had to be brought here, and all of the stone used for the engine foundations, shafting supports and some other uses was brought from Fall River. After the buildings were com- pleted, all the overseers, machinists, carpenters and operatives were brought here from the manufacturing localities in Rhode Island, Con- necticut, and central parts of this State. To provide homes for these people the company was obliged to build and maintain boarding- houses and tenements, and this feature of the enterprise has been con- tinued ever since. There were but two outward and inward trains a day on the railroad. All water transportation was by sailing vessels. The telegraph had not been introduced here. The facilities in the place for doing any machine work were so limited that a machine shop be- came one of the first necessities of the mill, and one was estabhshed in the basement of the main building. The first stockholders' meeting was held June 9, 1847, ^nd was called by a notice signed by Joseph Grinnell, Jireh Perry, Matthew Luce and Thomas S. Hathaway. At this meeting Mr. Grinnell presided, and Thomas Bennett, jr., was the secretary. The company organized and the charter wi» accepted, the following officers being chosen : President, Joseph Grinnell ; treasurer and clerk, Edward L. Baker ; directors, Joseph Grinnell, David R. Greene, Thomas Mandell, Pardon Tillinghast and Joseph C. Delano. It was voted to build a mill of 10,000 spindles, and Mr. Bennett was ap- pointed agent, who, with David Whitman as consulting engineer, pro- ceeded at once with the plans for the buildings and the contracts for the machinery. The selection of the location was a matter of careful con- WAMSUTTA MILLS. 457 sideration, and as the tract of land to the south of Benjamin Rodman's mill-pond afforded such a valuable combination of advantages in its proximity to an ample supply of pure fresh water from the pond, the easy extension of the tracts of the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad into the mill yards, and the use of the railroad company's wharf, that it was fixed upon as the one site of all others to be secured. Negotiations were opened with Mr. Rodman for its purchase. To the great surprise of the directors, Mr. Rodman would not make a price for it, but re- quested them to make an offer for the land and the use of the water from the pond not to exceed four feet below the level of the waste way. The offer made was $7,500, which was at once accepted by Mr. Rod- man, and work was commenced as soon as the title to the property passed to the company. It may here be remarked that all transactions with Mr. Rodman were conducted with the utmost liberality on his part. The buildings of the No. i Mill were designed and erected for the capacity of 15,000 spindles and 300 looms, but on account of the in- sufficiency of the capital obtained, 10,000 spindles and 200 looms were all that were put in. The buildings were completed in the summer of 1848, and the starting of the machinery for the manufacture of goods was begun January i, 1849. Near the end of the month of March fol- lowing the 10,000 spindles and 200 looms were all in operation. Mr. Bennett recommended the style of goods that should be made in this mill, which in that day was considered impracticable by some manufac- turers, for the reason that all previous attempts in the New England mills to produce that style and quality of goods had been failures. It was known as the Wamsutta shirting, and subsequently gained a world- wide reputation. At the close of the month of April, 1849, an account of stock was taken to ascertain the cost of the goods, the result of which proved much below the original estimate, and from this showing the success of the enterprise was assured On the 9th of May, 1849, ^ meeting of the stockholders was held to consider the subject of increas- ing the capital of the company, and the report of the directors relating to the operation of the mill. It was voted to increase the capital stock to $300,000, and put in the additional 5,000 spindles and 100 looms. This additional capital was subscribed and paid in so slowly, that only $225,- 58 458 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. 500 participated in the first dividend which was declared of five per cent, payable February i, 1850. Before the second dividend was pay- able, August I, 1850, the full $300,000 had been paid in. In January, 1853, the profits derived from running Mill No. I had been so satisfac- tory, the stockholders decided to build a second mill, which was fin- ished and in full operation in the fall of 1854. The capital had been increased to $600,000 and the company had 30,000 spindles and 600 looms in operation. At the closing of the accounts on the ist of August, i860, the suc- cess of the business had been so marked, and the company being unable to supply the demand for its productions, the stockholders decided to build a third mill, to contain 15,000 spindles and 300 looms. The cap- ital was increased to $1,000,000. Building operations were com- menced in September, and the mill completed late in the following sum- mer. On account of the War of the Rebellion then prevailing, the building of the machinery was delayed as much as possible, but the company had to receive it in the summer of 1862. It remained unused however, until the fall of 1865. At this time a great demand came for the goods, and by January I, 1866, the machinery was all running, and at that time the company was marketing the production of 45,000 spindles and l,lOOlooms. The increased demand for the goods con- tinued, the profits were in the ascension, and the stockholders decided to build still another mill, making four in all. This mill was to have a capacity of 45,000 spindles and i,lOO looms, and the capital was in- creased to $2,000,000. Work was begun as soon as possible, and in the summer of 1870 the new machinery was all in operation. At this time the company was operating 89,236 spindles and 2,173 looms, of which 2,071 looms were on the Wamsutta shirtings, and the remaining 102 looms on wider goods. Thomas Bennett, jr., terminated his con- nection with the company April i, 1874, after having been in its em- ploy as resident agent for twenty-seven years. He was succeeded by Edward Kilburn, who filled the position until 1888, when he was suc- ceeded by Wm. J. Kent, the present agent. From the ist of Febru- ary, 1850, when the first dividend was paid, to April i, 1874, the com- pany paid fifty dividends amounting in the aggregate to three hundred and one per cent, and had an undivided surplus of about nine percent. WAMSUTTA MILLS. 459 The following is an extract from a memoir of Joseph Grinnell, printed for private distribution, March 7, 1863 : "In 1847 a reaction in manufacturing occurred. Then Mr. Grinnell urged his friends to unite in the erection of a cotton- mill. After great effort a capital of one hundred and sixty thousand dollars was subscribed, and a company under the title of ' Wamsutta Mills' was organized. Here again, after the act of incorporation was obtained, the presidency was thrust upon him ; for whatever distrust he might feel in regard to taking the respon- sibility, his CO -partners were determined to take no refusal. " A lot of land was purchased, with a supply of water, of Benjamin Rodman, with whom, and the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad Cor- poration, many liberal and advantageous arrangements were made, so that the mill was connected with the railroad and tide water, to its great convenience and profit. The stock of the corporation has been increased from time to time, until it now amounts to one million of dollars. It has made hberal dividends after paying all taxes and retaining sufficient means to meet all depreciation in the value of buildings and machinery. In passing it may be remarked that the dividends of this company have amounted to one hundred and forty-eight and a half per cent, up to this time. But Mr. Grinnell does not claim for himself the merit of this success. To Thomas Bennett, jr., the agent and engineer of the estab- lishment, he attributes the high reputation of the goods manufactured, and considers that the stockholders are largely indebted for their profits- to his constant attention and skill." As soon as the goods produced at the Wamsutta Mills in the spring of 1849 were put on the market, they were received with so much favor by the trade and consumers that the demand for them and the prices- which they sold at once proved the mills to be a success, and a contin- uous one, demonstrating that New Bedford as a location for the manu- facture of cotton goods was unequaled in its natural advantages, and possessed some v/hich were peculiar and unattainable in other localities. There is a certain dampness and softness in the atmosphere, prevail- ing almost the entire year, which is exceedingly favorable to the pro- duction of cotton yarns of all numbers, and particularly so of those of the finest quality, and of an immense advantage in all weaving opera- tions. The winters are mild and with but little snow and the summers 46o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. are cool with the exception of a few hot days, and it is never necessary for any of the operatives to loose time in the extreme heat of summer on account of its debilitating effects. From observations made from 1849 t^o 1874 the operatives in New Bedford enjoyed better health than those employed in interior towns, and consequently the amount of earn- ings was correspondingly increased. But notwithstanding all the advantages to be obtained here, together with the success of the cotton manufacture, as demonstrated by the Wamsutta Mills, for some unexplained reason, although large sums of capital were often seeking investment, a further extension of the cotton manufacture did not attract it. Twenty-one years went by with those mills constantly turning out their profitable productions, before any attempts were made to establish the second manufacturing company, which was finally done in 1 87 1, in the Potomska Mills and later by the Acushnet and others. In the years 1863-65 the shortage of help was so great that resort was made to Canada to supply the deficiency, and the Canadian French were obtained as the substitutes. Large numbers were brought to this city, as well as to all parts of New England, and since that time a constant supply has continued from that source. Number 5 Wamsutta Mill was built in 1875 It is four hundred and thirty-three feet in length and ninety-three feet in width. Number 6 Mill was built in 1881-82, is of brick, three stories high, five hundred sixty-nine and one half feet long, and ninety-five feet wide. There are now in operation in all the mills of this corporation more than 220,000 spindles, and nearly 4,500 looms. The average number of hands em- ployed is 2,200 and and the weekly pay roll $15,000. The magnitude of the motive power required to move the many thousands of spindles and looms is almost beyond comprehension, reaching nearly 6,500 horse power. The products of the Wamsutta Mills comprise some two hundred varieties in all grades and widths, of fine shirtings, cam- brics, muslins, lawns, momie cloth, fancy weaves, sateens and cretonnes, and bleached and brown sheetings, plain, twilled, and double warp, in all widths up to one hundred twenty-four inches. There is also a yearly production of two million five hundred thousand pounds of cotton yarn Nos. 18 to 100, which meets with a ready sale. The quality of the Wamsutta shirtings and sheetings is well known, and the products of POTOMSKA MILLS. 461 the mills have always ranked among the highest. The mills consume weekly when in full operation, 500 bales of cotton, making an annual consumption of over 25,000 bales, out of which is manufactured 24,000,- 000 yards of cloth. The corporation provides for its operatives com- fortable tenements of five and seven rooms each, over three hundred in number, and charges them rental at from $5.25 to $7.50 a month. The capital stock of the company was again increased in 1875 to $2,- 500,000 and in 1882 to $3,000,000, at which figure it now stands. The first president of the company, Joseph Grinnell, remained in that position, giving every phase of the enterprise constant and faithful thought and attention, until his death, February 7, 1885. His successor was Andrew G. Pierce, who had been treasurer since the resignation of Edward L. Baker on the 25th of August, 1855. Mr. Pierce is now treasurer, hav- ing been succeeded as president by William W. Crapo. The present officers are : President, William W. Crapo ; treasurer, Andrew G. Pierce ; directors, William W. Crapo, William J. Rotch, Edward D. Mandell, Horatio Hathaway, Francis Hathaway, Francis B. Greene, and Andrew G. Pierce. The selling agents of the corporation are Grinnell, Willis & Co., of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, and Francis A. Foster & Co., of Boston. The Potomska Mills. — These mills occupy ground facing on South Water street, and running thence easterly to the Acushnet River. Mill No. I was erected in 1871, and is 427 feet in length, ninety-two feet in breadth, and four stories high. It has a weaving shed 180 feet in length, ninety-seven feet in breadth, one story high. Potomska Mill No. 2 was erected in 1877, the main building being 348 feet in length, ninety- two feet in breadth, and four stories high. It also has an ell 184 feet in length by ninety- two feet in breadth, which is one story high. There is a picker house seventy-one by forty- seven feet, two stories high. The buildings are all constructed of brick. The total number of spindles in both mills is 108,000, and the total number of looms, 2,734. The ma- chinery is operated by steam, with engines of 1,900 horse power. In the two mills are employed 1,200 hands, and the company owns twenty- six four-tenement houses, which are rented at nominal rates to the help. The weekly pay-roll averages $8,000. The present average consump- tion of cotton is 10,000 bales per annum, and the amount of cloth 462 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. manufactured 20,000,000 yards. When originally incorporated the compan)'- had a capital of $600,000, but upon the erection of Mill No. 2, in 1877, this amount was increased to $1,200,000, at which it still remains. James Robinson was the first president, being succeeded by Edward Kilburn, who was subsequently succeeded by Andrew G. Pierce. Hiram Kilburn acted as superintendent until January, 1884, when he was succeeded by Manly U. Adams, who was followed by the present superintendent, S. E. Bentley. The present officers of the corporation are : President, Andrew G. Pierce; treasurer and agent, Manly U. Adams ; directors, Horatio Hathaway, William J. Rotch, Wm. W. Crapo, Andrew G. Pierce. William Watkins, Francis Hatha- way, Charles W. Clifford. The Acushnet Mills. — This corporation was organized in November, 1882, and a four-story factory building was erected early in the follow- ing year, east of South Water street and south of Potomska Mills. A second mill was built in 1887, and the total number of spindles in both mills at present is 108,000 with 2,700 looms. The total number of operatives is 1,000. The average consumption of cotton is 9,000 bales annually, and a variety of fine goods is manufactured. The machinery is driven by two engines with a total capacity of 2,300 horse power. John Sullivan is the superintendent of the mills. The capital stock of the company was originally $750,000, but has been increased to $800,- . 000. The present officers are: President, Horatio Hathaway; treas- urer and clerk, Joseph F. Knowles; directors, Horatio Hathaway, Will- iam W. Crapo, Loum Snow, Gilbert Allen, Francis Hathaway, Thomas H. Knowles, William A. Abbe, Joseph F. Knowles, of New Bedford, and Thomas E. Brayton, of Fall River. The Hathaway Manufacturing Company. — This company was organ- ized in December, 1888, and in the following year a factory building was constructed just south of the Acushnet Mills. A fine quality of cotton cloth is manufactured, which entails the consumption of 2,650 bales of cotton annually, with a product of 5,550,000 yards of cloth. One engine of 800 horse power is used to propel the machinery, and 450 hands are employed. The capital stock is $400,000, and the present officers are : President, Horatio Hathaway ; treasurer and clerk, Joseph F. Knowles ; directors, Horatio Hathaway, Sidney W. Knowles, Francis SUNDRY COTTON-MILLS. 463 Hathaway, William W. Crapo, Thomas E. Brayton, Joseph F. Knowles, Edward D. Mandell. The City Manufacturing Company. — This company's mill is located at the foot of Grinnell street, is built of brick, three stories high, 206 feet in length by 112 feet in width, and contains, together with No. 2 Mill just completed, 64,000 spindles, and manufactures 3,000,000 pounds of yarn annually. The average consumption of cotton is 6,000 bales per annum, and the company manufactures fine and medium count cot- ton yarns in chains, skeins, and warps, and on spools and beams. Two engines with a combined capacity of 1,500 horse power are employed, and 540 operatives. George A. Ayer is the superintendent. The com- pany was organized in April, 1888, with a capital of $250,000, and work was begun in No. i Mill in December of that year. The capital stock ■ has been increased to $600,000. The present officers are: President, Thomas H. Knowles; treasurer and clerk, Benjamin Wilcox; directors, Cyrenius W. Haskins, Thomas H. Knowles, Edward KiJburn, John P. Knowles, jr., Otis N. Pierce, Rufus A. Soule, Thomas B. Wilcox, Ben- jamin Wilcox, of New Bedford ; William H. Parker, of Lowell. The New Bedford Manufacturing Company was organized in March, 1883, principally through the efforts of William D. Howland, who had been employed prior to that time in the office of the Wamsutta Mills, Mr. Howland devoted several months to travel and the careful study of cotton yarns, and the new company was the outcome of his researches and endeavors. The company purchased a piece of land on the south side of Hillman street, between North Second and Water streets, and the foundation of a mill was begun in the following May. This mill is 226 by 52 feet in area and four stories high. The mill started with 1 1,- 000 spindles, and the first yarn was shipped in January, 1884. Byron F. Card, who had acquired a large knowledge of yarns, was engaged as superintendent, and soon after the industry was fairly under way, John H. Hines, another experienced man, was employed to take charge of the spinning, spooling, reeling, twisting, and warping departments. The capital stock was originally $125,000, but at the end of two years was increased to $150,000, by issuing $25,000 in certificates, representing the earnings of the corporation during that period. In the spring of 1886 the building of a second mill was commenced, with a capacity 464 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. thirty per cent, larger than that of Mill No. i. It is 218 by lOO feet in area, three stories high, and is situated just south of the first mill on the same square. It started in the autumn with 10,000 frame spindles and 5,000 twister spindles, and the capital was increased to $500,000, the present figure. The number of spindles has from time to time been in- creased until now the total is 37,000, and the annual consumption of cotton will average 3,000 bales. Two engines, with a combined horse- power of 900, are employed to move the machinery, and the mills furnish labor for 300 operatives. Charles W. Clifford, the first president, resigned shortly after the organization of the company, and Edmund Grinnell served in that capacity for about a year, when he also resigned and Morgan Rotch was elected and still holds the office. The present officers are: President, Morgan Rotch; treasurer and clerk, William D. Rowland ; directors, Morgan Rotch, William D. Rowland, Oliver P. Brightman, Edward T. Pierce, Charles W. Clifford, Charles W. Plum- mer, George F. Kingman. The How land Mill Corporation — This mill was established in 1888. The project of additional mills had been discussed and finally overtures were made by Messrs. Rowland, Rotch, Plummer, and Clifford, with some others, for the purchase of a tract of land as the first step toward the establishment of an extensive cotton manufacturing enterprise. At length the title to about 150 acres of land, including the old Crapo and Ashley farms and a part of the real estate of the Cornelius Rowland estate, was secured. This land is favorably situated for manufacturing and for the houses of help. A part of the property is covered with timber, extending from the northwest corner of Clark's Cove and skirt- ing the salt marsh to County street. When the land had been finally secured the company was organized with a capital of $350,000 and the following officers: President, William J. Rotch; treasurer, William D. Rowland; clerk, Charles W. Plummer; directors, William J. Rotch, Roratio Hathaway, Thomas B. Tripp, Charles W. Clifford, Morgan Rotch, and Charles W. Plummer. The corporation was named for William D. Rowland, who had suc- cessfully managed the New Bedford Manufacturing Company. Mill No. I is 217 by 100 feet in area and four stories in height, with a two- story picker-house, 62 by 100 feet, and an engine and boiler-house 99 E^/'b^yT. GKeTncmjn' SUNDRY COTTON-MILLS. 465 by 40 feet. The main building was completed August 1, 1888, seven weeks only having been required for the brick work. The mill started with 12,952 mule spindles, 12,288 frame spindles, and 6,144 twister spindles. A second mill was built, thirty feet longer than No. i, but otherwise of the same dimensions. An addition was built to this in 1 89 1, which is 90 by 100 feet in area and two stories high. There are at present in both mills 78,000 spindles, which are driven by two en- gines of 1,600 combined horse power. The amount of cotton used averages 12,000 bales annually. Byron F. Card is superintendent of the mills. The capital stock has been increased to $1,000,000, and the present officers are : President, William J. Rotch ; treasurer, William D. Rowland; clerk, Charles W. Plummer; directors, William J. Rotch, Charles W. Clifford, Horatio Hathaway, Morgan Rotch, Thomas B. Tripp, William D. Howland, Charles W. Plummer. The Bennett Manufacturing Corporation. — This company confines itself to the exclusive manufacture of cotton yarn, and its mill is situ- ated at the North End, on Sawyer street. The organization was effected in 1889 and work on the first mill immediately begun. A second mill was soon afterward added. The company employs 650 hands, and there are 100,000 spindles in both mills. The capital stock is $700,000. Samuel C. Hart was the first president, but sold his interest and re- signed shortly after the organization of the company, and was succeeded by Frank R. Hadley. The present officers are : President, Frank R. Hadley ; treasurer and clerk, Frank R. Hadley ; directors, Frank R. Hadley, H. A. Holcomb, C. W. Brownell, J. A. Brownell, W. E. Brownell, J. A. Beauvais, A. R. Palmer, J. J. Hicks, S. W. Hayes, Will- iam Lewis, Antone L. Sylvia. The Grinne II Manufacturing Corporation. — This company was organ- ized in 1882, and work was commenced upon its mill without delay. The main building is 666 feet long by 98 feet wide, and runs from east to west on the south side of Kilburn street. The building is three stories high with a basement, two-thirds above ground. The picker- house is also constructed of brick, 117 feet by 98 feet in area, is situated west of the main building and connected therewith by a structure twenty- eight by thirty feet. An engine room, with an area of forty by fifty feet, and a boiler-house, fifty-two by sixty- eight, one 59 466 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. story high, also adjoin the main building, making the total length of all the structures, in a straight range, 859 feet. The company manufact- ures a large variety of fine goods. There are 70,000 spindles and 1,837 looms in their mill, which are driven by three engines, with an aggre- gate capacity of 1,600 horse-power. They employ 800 hands, and the average consumption of cotton is 6,100 bales annually, producing about 10,000,000 yards of cloth. The capital stock is $800,000, and the pres- ent officers are: President, Edward Kilburn ; clerk and treasurer, Otis N.Pierce; directors, Stephen A. Jenks, Pawtucket; William F. Draper, Hopedale ; Thomas M. Stetson, Joseph A. Beauvais, Andrew G. Pierce, Thomas B. Wilcox, John W. Macomber, Charles W. Plummer, Otis N. Pierce, Edward Kilburn, New Bedford. The Oneko Woolen Mills. — These mills are situated at the head of Purchase street and comprise a main building one story high, with a monitor roof, 400 feet long by lOO feet in width, and a picker-house and dye-house 230 by 52 feet in area. The company was incorporated in 1882 with a capital of $210,000, and the mill was completed and in operation in the following year. The mill contains 4,500 spindles and sixty-three looms, employing on an average 150 hands. The machin- ery is driven by a 225 horse-power Corliss engine. The goods manu- factured are ladies' dress goods and cloaking. The present officers are : President, Loum Snow ; clerk and treasurer, Fred S. Fuller ; directors, Loum Snow, Edward D. Mandell, George S. Homer, Frederick S. Al- len, Charles W. Clifford, Thomas H. Knowles, and Charles W. Plummer. Cordage. — A cordage factory was built in New Bedford at a very early date, and was burned by the British in 1778 ; but another must have taken its place shortly after the Revolution, as two extensive rope- walks were in active operation in the neighborhood of the Second Street Cemetery in the year 1815. The New Bedford Cordage Com- pany was established by Joseph Ricketson, William J. Rotch and Ben- jamin S. Rotch in 1842. In January, 1846, the company was incor- porated by a special charter from the Commonwealth, with a capital of $60,000. In 1849 this amount was increa.sed to $75,000. The officers at the time were Joseph Ricketson, president; William J. Rotch, clerk and treasurer, and Joseph Ricketson, William J. Rotch, Benjamin S. Rotch and Leander A. Plummer, directors. William J. Rotch succeeded OIL MANUFACTURE. 467 Mr. Ricketson as president in March, 1857, ^"d Leander A. Plummer became clerk and treasurer. Upon the death of Mr. Plummer in Sep- tember, 1884, Isaac W. Benjamin became treasurer, but was later succeeded by Frank T. Wall, and John W. Macomber was elected to the presidency. The company makes a specialty of the manufacture of patent cordage employed in boring artesian wells. The cele- brated cordage rigging used on the Puritan and other fast sailing yachts was also made at this factory. The buildings, covering an area of four acres, are located in the square bounded by Court, Park, Ash and Kempton streets, and employment is furnished for about 250 hands. The machinery is propelled by a steam-engine of 500 horse power, and the several mills are fitted with the most improved machin- ery. The present officers are : President and general manager, John W. Macomber ; treasurer, Frank T. Wall ; directors, James M. Water- bury, John W. Macomber, Frank T. Wall, John A. Tucker and Chaun- cey Marshall. Oil. — The manufacture of oil is the one industry that began when New Bedford began, and has continued with more or less activity down to the present day. As in all other arts and sciences, the refining of oil has reached a standard of excellency not thought of in the early days when Joseph Russell, the originator of the whale fishery of New Bed- ford, brought in his blubber and tried it out on the shore. Between 1825 and 1830 a number of factories were in operation, among the first of which was that of Samuel Rodman. The building he occupied is still standing on the corner of North Water and Rodman streets. It is directly north of the Mechanics' Bank. There was also the factory of Humphrey Hathaway, on the north side of School street, west of Fourth, and west of this stood the fattory of Isaac Howland, jr. On the site now occupied by the gas works there stood the old " Marsh Candle- Works," which are supposed to have bee« built by William Rotch & Sons. The business of these works was subsequently carried on by Francis Rotch and Charles W. Morgan. The processes of an)- of these factories were common to all and they were engaged in mak- ing sperm candles and oil, and the refining of whale oil. Later on John James Howland built candle-works at the corner of Water and Middle streets. Ihis building is occupied at present by the soap factory of 468 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Bryant & Brett. Soon afterward James Henry Rowland, a son of John James, together with George Hussey, established a candle -factory at the Smoking Rocks. A factory was built on the north side of Middle street by William W. Swain, and the building at present occupied by Charles S. Paisler & Co. as a storehouse. Andrew Robeson built a fac- tory on Ray street which was afterward conducted by Edward Mott Robinson. George Rowland had a factory on Rowland's wharf and William T. Russell engaged in the business at 86 First street. Two of the older factories were those of Davis Coffin at 96 First street, and of Charles W. Morgan at 82 South Water street. Fish Island was also the scene of early oil and candle-works. Samuel Leonard established a factory on the north side of Leonard street, east of Water, and was at one time the most extensively en- gaged in this industry of any one in the country. Subsequent to 1850 Samuel Leonard & Son erected the stone building on Acushnet ave- nue, now occupied as a carriage factory by George Brownell. Nehe- miah Leonard also successfully operated a factory near that of Samuel. Somewhat later the oil refinery of William W. Swain came into the pos- session of Sandford & Rowland. While in Mr. Swain's hands the fac- tory was burned. Some time afterward, being rebuilt, it came into the hands of Milliken Brothers, of Boston, and then passed into the hands of Eben Milliken, of this city. George T. Baker established a factory on South street, which was subsequently conducted by Oliver and George O. Crocker, and later by Charles H. Leonard. The business at this factory is now conducted by George Delano's Sons, who succeeded their father. It was at a later date that Mr. Baker built the stone fac- tory on Water street now occupied by W. A. Robinson & Co. A fac- tory was built at the northwest' corner of First and South streets by Cornelius Grinnell, and one at the northwest corner of First and Grin- nell streets by Joseph Ricketson, both of which were subsequently burned. The factory at the foot of Grinnell street, now operated by Swan & Finch, of New York, was built by the Rastings brothers and conducted by them for many years. About 1855 Sylvanus Thomas & Co. established the factory on Prospect street now operated by Romer Brothers. Many large fortunes have been amassed in the oil business, and though a decline set in upon the advent of petroleum, yet the man- OIL MANT7FACTURE. 469 ufacture of sperm candles and the refining of oil for lubricating and manufecturing purposes is still extensively carried on. Abraham H. Rowland purchased the Joseph Ricketson works in 1857, and began experimenting in the distillation of oil from coal. A company was formed, consisting of Abraham H. Howland, William C. Taber, Joseph C. Delano, William P. Howland, John Hicks, Weston Howland, Henry T. Wood, and B. Frankhn Howland, which estab- lished and successfully operated a coal oil factory. It is claimed that Weston Howland was the first person to successfully refine petroleum oil. The discovery of a process by which to do this was only achieved by him after many attempts and as many failures. He was much im- pressed with the belief that successfully refined petroleum would super- sede coal oil, and he finally demonstrated that he was right. Following this, his first negotiation was to purchase fifteen hundred barrels of the crude oil of Schieffelin Brothers at twenty-five cents per gallon, and when refined he readily sold it for seventy-five cents. In a short time the Downers commenced the manufacture of the oil, and it came to Mr. Rowland's ears that they had purchased all the oil on the market. He sent an agent to the oil vvells in November, i860, and contracted for the entire product. To protect the machinery from being exposed and cop- ied, it was covered with ship's sails, and work was immediately begun upon the erection of a new factory. At this time a great quantity of oil was shipped to California, being purchased at the refinery by Will- iam P. Howland, shipped across the isthmus and over the mountains on mules and sold readily at $2 a gallon. The manufacture of tin cans, in which the greater part of this oil was shipped, became an extensive in- dustry in New Bedford, the firms of Stephen A. Tripp and Wood & Brightman being largely engaged in the manufacture. Oil works were subsequently built at Willis Point, known as the Seneca Oil Works, and small refineries were built at Fairhaven. Mr. Howland was the last to abandon the industry in this vicinity. The oil works of George Delano's Sons occupy nearly two acres of land at the corner of South Second and South streets and the firm is probably more extensively engaged in the refining of grease oil than any other establishment in the world. George Delano, the father of the present members of the firm, succeeded to the business of Charles 470 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. H. Leonard on January i, 1869, having been in his employ since 1855. The sons, Stephen C. L. and James, entered the firm in 1884. Since their father's death they have been sole proprietors. During the busy season forty-five men are employed. The firm has an office in New York city. They are principally engaged in the manufacture of sperm, whale, sea elephant, fish, and cotton-seed oils, patent and paraffine wax candles, spermaceti, whale and fish oil pressings, and sperm and whale oil soap. At this factory between 500,000 and 600,000 pounds of spermaceti and paraffine are made into candles every year. The fish oil is refined by a patent process, and is rendered very white, although of course it is more gummy than the sperm. All modern improve- ments in the way of machinery and processes are used, and the product has an enviable reputation. The oil factories of William F. Nye are located on Fish Island, where commodious wharfage facilities are available, his buildings being sur- rounded on three sides by wharves. Mr. Nye returned from California in 1855 and began a small trade in kerosene oil on Second street in this city. He was not known as a manufacturer until 1866, when he com- menced the manufacture of lubricating oils on a small scale in Fairhaven. He remained there but a short time, coming over to New Bedford in the same year and opening a factory in the refinery of Hathaway Sc Luce at the foot of Walnut street. Here he continued until 1877, when he moved to the present location on Fish Island, where he has from time to time added to the original buildings and about doubled their capacity. Mr. Nye has, by maintaining a standard of excellence for his goods, gained a world wide reputation and eecured the distinction of being the largest manufacturer of sewing- machine, watch and clock oils in the world. The oils for use on such delicate machinery are made of porpoise-jaw and blackfish-head oil. The process of refining these oils for watches and clocks requires about two years. A few years ago Mr. Nye established a factory at St. Albans, Vermont, which is kept in op- eration during the winter months. At this factory the oil passes through the several processes with the thermometer thirty-five degrees below zero. In this way the oil is made much whiter than can be done in this latitude ai*d is at the same time freed from impurities that corrode and blacken the pivots of a watch ; and it is also unaffected by heat or £"-1 ''h AH. Ritchie OIL MANUFACTURE. 471 cold. The product of Mr. Nye's factory will amount to twelve thou- sand gross bottles of various sizes of sewing-machine, watch, clock and typewriter oil this year. Mr. Nye also makes a compound called oleo- tannatine, for the preservation and softening of leather harnesses. There are employed in the establishment from twenty-six to thirty hands and the power is furnished by a fifteen horse power boiler and an engine of smaller capacity. The large factory of W. A. Robinson & Company, refiners of oil, is located at 144 South Water street. The firm was originally established in Rhode Island in 1829, removing its business to this city in 1853, when a factory was occupied on the site of the present passenger sta- tion of the Old Colony Railroad. The establishment has occupied its present quarters since 1863. The manufacture and sale of whale and sperm oils and their products is the principal business of the firm in this city. Employment is furnished to from twelve to fifteen hands. The office of George S. Homer, manufacturer of oil and candles is lo- cated at 23 Centre street, and the factory occupies one and one-half acres of ground facing Front, South and Prospect streets. The busi- ness was established about the year 1850, and in 1857 the firm of S. Thomas & Co. was formed. Ten years later Mr. Homer succeeded to the business, as surviving partner. The factory comprises two main buildings, containing pits, vats, cisterns, kettles, strainers, and hydraulic presses. Seventeen hands are employed and the products of the works rank high in the trade. Ezra Kelley manufactures chronometer, clock and watch oils at Mount Pleasant. Mr. Kelley was born in Dennis, Mass., in 1798, and came to New Bedford in 18 18 and engaged in the manufacture of clocks. He was the first to apply fish oil for the lubrication of clock machinery, and the celebrated oils now produced by him are the result-of a series of experiments carried on by him while yet a young man. Mr. Kelley has crossed the ocean ten times, securing orders from the principal watch manufacturers of England, France, Germany and Switzerland. His oils received a diploma at the Geneva exhibition in 1880, and a diploma and medal at the Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia in 1876. The business is now conducted for Mr. Kelley by John Wing, a son-in- law. 472 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Glass. — The works of the Mount Washington Glass Company are located on Prospect street, just south of the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company's buildings. The product of the company is of the highest standard and its ware ranks with that of the finest glass manufactories in the world. The business was brought to New Bedford in 1869 from South Boston by W. L. Libbey, who purchased the present site and works on Prospect street. These works had been built and occupied by the New Bedford Glass Company, which unfortunately had a short Hfe, owing to financial difficulties. The factory was erected in 1861, under the designs of a practical glass maker, and was well adapted for its new occupants. Besides a commodious glass-house, with a ten- pot furnace, there is immediately joining the works an extensive water frontage with facilities for landing supplies and the shipment of goods. On the first floor are well arranged annealing kilns, selecting rooms, mould room and office. On the second floor is a large machine shop and cutting shop, and on the third floor are the stock and chandelier rooms. On the basement floor are the mixing, packing and engine rooms, and car- penter shop. After being transferred to this city the business was con- ducted under its original name of the Mount Washington Glass Works. The increase of the business, however, soon called for more capital, and Capt. Henry Libbey became associated with the business, the firm name bein^ W. L. Libbe}' & Company. In 1871 a stock company was formed, named the Mount Washington Glass Company, with a capital of $100,- 000, which was afterwards increased to $150,000. W. L. Libbey was appointed agent and Capt. Henry Libbey, superintendent. In 1872 the management devolved upon Capt, Libbey, W. L. Libbey having re- signed. Although the business rapidly spread, the general depression felt throughoul: the land in 1873 impaired the company's capital, and Captain Libbey resigned in 1874. The factory was then closed until the fall of the same year when business was resumed, and placed in the hands of Frederick S. Shirley, with Robert G. Tobey as treasurer, and Robert King, glass-house manager, A. H. Seabury acting as president. The company was reorganized in 1876, since which time it has worked continuously. The facilities of the factory were increased in 188 1 by the erection of an additional glass-house on the south, provided with an eight pot furnace. GLASS MANUFACTURE. 473 The late A. H. Seabury was president of the company until his death, July 17, 1887, when he was succeeded by Hon. William J. Rotch. An- drew Snow, jr., who has grown up in the business, was elected treas- urer, and has taken an active part in the management of the company's affairs. In iSgoThomas A. Tripp, manager of the adjacent works (The Pairpoint Manufacturing Company), was elected president and the busi- ness has taken new impetus. The specialties manufactured include opal globes, shades for electric and gas lights and lamps, also fine blown goods. A line of decorated lamps and vases is also produced and the beautiful Burmese ware which recently attracted the attention and pat- ronage of the royal family of Great Britain. The main stack contains ten pots, and the furnace in which they rest is twenty-two feet in diameter. The fuel now used is oil gas. The fires are seldom allowed to go out, as the pots, which are made of clay, would crack, rendering the operation expensive. One blast burned contin- uously for four years. Previous to this time it had not been out during eight years. Work commences in the glass-making department at one o'clock on Monday morning and the men are divided into two gangs. The gang which commences at this hour works until six o'clock in the morning, then recommences work at one P. M. and continues work un- till six o'clock in the evening. The second gang works between the hours of seven and twelve o'clock A. M and P. M. The introduction of electric lighting has created a demand for a new line of goods. This company supplies shades and globes for incan- descent and arc Mghting systems, and about ten thousand of these are kept continually in stock. The bulbs for Edison lamps are also blown here and the company makes 150 varieties of incandescent lighting shades. Amberina, or rose amber ware, is another popular novelty made by the company. The pearl satin ware is also made at the works and a patent has been granted to the company for the same. Albert Steffin is the superintendent in the decorating department. The com- pany employs over 300 men and the annual pay roll aggregates over $1.50,000. They also employ four traveling salesmen and maintain a stbre in New York city. The present officers of the company are : President, Thomas A. Tripp ; treasurer, Andrew Snow, jr. ; directors : William J. Rotch, Edward D. m 474 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Mandell, William W. Crapo, Thomas A. Tripp, William Baylies, F. S. Shirley. The Pairpoint Manufacturing Company is located on the east side of Prospect, south of Rowland street, and manufactures all varieties of useful and ornamental household goods, and recently has entered quite extensively into the manufacture of casket hardware. The first build- ing was erected in 1880, was of brick, I20 by 40 feet in area and three stories high. A second building was added in 1881, which was builtof wood, three stories high, and 120 by 30 feet in area, and the following year a four story brick building was erected, 150 by 40 feet in area. The company's increasing business demanding still more room, another building was erected in 1890, with an area of 40 by 80 feet, four stories high, and in 1891, still another, measuring 260 by 40 feet in area, four stories high, both of brick. The company employs 500hands in the factory and fifteen traveling salesmen. It is estimated that 200 young men from the schools of New Bedford have learned trades in this factory and be- come proficient workmen, many of them now having charge of depart- ments. The base of most of the ware is britannia. The britannia metal is poured into brass moulds and is quickly turned out again, leaving the inside of the mould coated with the metal. After being cleaned and soldered the articles go into the plating vats, where a deposit of silver is placed upon them from a solution of the cyanide of the metal, through which a current of electricity passes. There are many other processes which the article must undergo before completion, and many of the de- signs are engraved by hand instead of being stamped. The firm also manufactures ware from german silver. A new engine with a capacity of 27s horse power has recently been placed in the company's engine room, and an independent electric light plant of 1,000 lights is operated. The company also owns an extensive wharf property. The organization of the company was perfected in 1880 with Edward D. Mandell as pres- ident, Alexander H. Seabury as treasurer, and T. J. Pairpoint, super- intendent. The capital stock was originally $100,000, but is now $400,- 000, to which amount it was increased in July, 1887. T. J. Pairpoint resigned as superintendent April I, 1885, and was succeeded by Thomas A. Tripp. Mr. Seabury resigned as treasurer in the following May, and Mr. Tripp succeeded him also. The present officers of the corporation ART INDUSTRIES. 475 are : President, Edward D. Mandell ; treasurer and general manager, Thomas A. Tripp; clerk, F. S. Shirley; directors, Edward D. Mandell, William J. Rotch, William Baylies. The Weedefi Manufacturing Company. — This company occupies the two story brick building Nos. II2 and 114 North Water street. The business was founded in 1883 by the late William N. Weeden, of New Bedford. In 1884 Mr. Weeden invented a toy engine under an arrange- ment with Perry Mason & Co., publishers of the Youth's Companion, and later this scientific toy was patented, and has been largely manu- factured since. Movable toys are also manufactured, as well as other novelties in metal. A stock company was formed in July, 1887, with a capital stock of $50,000, and the business has steadily increased. The company employs seventy-five workmen with a weekly pay roll of $500. The present officers are as follows: President, J. Arthur Beauvais; treas- urer, Charles E. Barney ; directors, J. Arthur Beauvais, Charles E. Barney, George S. Homer, and Edward S. Brown. Art Industries. — New Bedford has the honor of being the home of extensive art manufactories, and to the firm of Charles Taber & Co. belongs the credit of being the first to engage in this line of manufact- ure in this country. The business has a history commencing with the early part of the present century, when William C. Taber, father of the present senior member of the firm, became a partner with Abraham Shearman, jr., in the book business at the northeast corner of Union and Water streets. From 1835 Mr. Taber conducted the business alone, receiving his son, Charles Taber, as a partner in 1845. A store was soon opened at No. 6 Purchase street, and in 1849, the father having retired, Charles and another brother, Augustus, carried on the business at the corner of Union and Purchase streets. It was at that time the firm of Charles Taber & Co. was established, which has continued to the present day, although constituted of different members. The busi- ness then included the sale of books, engravings and charts, many of which were imported. Later on, upon the withdrawal of Augustus, Abraham Taber and Asa C. Pierce were received as partners by Charle.s Taber, and still later William C. Taber, jr., became a member of the firm. In 1861 the business was moved to 47 Purchase street, and the following year the brothers, Abraham and William C. Taber, jr., took 476 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the two book and stationery stores, and Charles, with Asa C. Pierce, started as manufacturing photographers at No. 6 North Water street. This firm continued until 1871, when Charles Taber assumed entire control of the business. In 1881 he took as partners William C. Taber, jr., and his sons, Charles M. and Frederick. Charles Taber died in 1887, and the firm is now composed of the three latter. The business has grown in magnitude and importance with wonderful rapidity. Aside from the manufacture of photographs, various other branches of the decorative art have been from time to time added to the industry, as well as the important and wonderful manufacture of ambrotypes, the invention of which was the result of an incident which happened in i860, which developed into the reproduction of engravings by Mr. Taber, which subsequently became a permanent feature of the business. The firm began the manufacture of artotypes about nine years ago, and their productions are to-day recognized as superior in style and finish to any work of like character. The firm now occupies five buildings: The three-story brick and stone structure at the corner of Union and Water streets ; most of the two-story wooden building on Water street next north ; the three-story wooden building on the northeast corner of Union and Water streets ; the wooden building next east, and the three- story wooden building on the soath side of Spring street, extending from Water to First street This latter building is used as a frame fac- tory, where numerous styles of frames, and wooden and composition mouldings are made. The King Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1883, with a capital of $20,000. The company manufactures frames and artistic novelties in the three-story brick building at 147 North Water street. It makes a specialty of pastel or crayon drawings, and of fancy frames for original pictures. The firm manufactures a novelty in the shape of a permanent pastel on porcelain panels. The process of fixing the colors so that they will not rub off is a secret which the company guards care- fully, and its goods are in generous demand. It also manufactures many artistic novelties. The enterprise furnishes employment for about 100 workmen, and has several salesmen on the road. The present officers (1891) of the corporation are as follows : President, George S. Homer ; treasurer and clerk, Charles E. Barney ; directors, George S. Homer, BOOTS AND SHOES. 477 Charles E. Barney, William H. Washburn, Frank C. Smith, Henry P. Jenney. January i, 1892, the plant was sold to the Ulman Manufac- turing Co. The Pierce & Bushnell Manufacturing Company occupies the three- story building at Nos. 72 and 76 North Water street. It manufactures photographs, pastels, etchings, mouldings, etc. Its frame mouldings are ornamented and carved on the premises from original designs, and have an enviable standard for beauty and excellence. The enterprise was founded in 1870, Mr. Pierce at that time severing his connection with the firm of Charles Taber & Co. Mr. Bushnell died in 1882, and in the spring of 1887 a corporation was formed and known as the Pierce & Bushnell Manufacturing Company, with a capital stock of $30,000. The company employs seventy-five hands at present, and the value of the product for 1891 will aggregate $75,000. The present officers are: President, William D. Howland ; treasurer, Arthur G. Grinnell ; direct- ors, William D. Howland. Arthur G. Grinnell, Walter Clifford, Charles W. Plummer, George H. H. Allen. Boots and Shoes. — The first shoe manufactory in New Bedford of im- portance was that of the New Bedford Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company, located on the corner of Ashland and Durfee streets, and commonly known as the North Shoe Factory. Joseph Cornell was the president, Edwin P. Taylor treasurer, and William H. Hopkins, the agent. The factory was built in i860 and employed between fifty and sixty hands. It was in active operation about fifteen years. The build- ing is now used as a tenement. The next establishment was that of the South Shore Boot and Shoe Factory, organized and btiilt about 1863. The factory was located on Washington street at the junction of Fair street. Prominently connected with this factory at different times were George F. Kingman, Henry J. . Taylor, Edwin P. Taylor, Josiah Bonney and others. It was burned in 1873. Quite a number of the workmen employed in these factories are to-day working in, or connected financially with, large boot and shoe factories in New Bedford and other cities throughout the State. The shoe manufactory of Hathaway, Soule & Harrington, is located at the corner of Acushnet avenue and North street. The company man- factures hand sewed and machine sewed goods, making a specialty of 478 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. Goodyear welt. They have branch factories at Middleboro and Cam- pello, where they manufacture medium grades of shoes. The business was started in a very small way by Savory C. Hathaway, who began manufacturing shoes in July, 1865, on Hillman street, with two em- ployees. Three months later Rufus A. Soule became a partner and the firm was known as Hathaway & Soule. In December, 1865, they moved to the brick building on Pleasant street, corner of Mechanics' lane. One floor only was occupied at first, but soon afterward the en- tire building was leased and finally a wooden addition at the north was built and occupied. In 1874 a four- story brick building, 32 by 100 feet in area, was erected by the firm at the corner of North Second and North streets, and another building of wood recently completed has an area of 45 by 158 feet and is also four stories high. The present floor surface exceeds forty-two thousand square feet, and the business has gradually increased; the sales for the year 1890 were $1,200,000. The firm now employs in all its factories 650 hands and its total pro- duct is 500,000 pairs annually. Herbert A. Harrington was admitted into partnership in 1876 and the firm became Hathaway, Soule Sz Har- rington. Under this name the firm was incorporated in 1890 with a capital stock of $250,000. They have at present fifteen traveling sales- men, with salesrooms and offices at Boston and New York. The firm is very proud of the class of workmen it employs and many men have gone out from this factory to accept responsible positions in shoe factories elsewhere. Tinkham & Gilford. — This firm is composed of Elisha B. Tinkham and Jesse Giff"ord, and manufactures ladies', misses' and childfen's shoes, hand sewed, hand turned, Goodyear welts and McKay sewed. They occupy the three- story brick building at Nos. 19 and 21 North Second street. The business of which the present firm is an outgrowth was established by Paulding, Reed & Giffbrd in 1873, who were succeeded by Reed & Gifford in 1880, and they in turn by Tinkham, Reed & Gifford in 188 1. The present firm of Tinkham & Gifford was made by the withdrawal of Mr. Reed in 1890. Mr. Tinkham was one of the first to manufacture ladies' fine shoes in New Bedford. Paulding, Reed & Gifford first began business on William street in the building now occupied by Smith Brothers. When Hathaway & Soule moved from CARRIAGE MANTIFACTURE. 479 their factory on Pleasant street to their new quarters on North Second and North streets, Mr. Tinkham occupied a part of their new building. He afterwards took the wooden building just south of the Hathaway, Soule & Harrington factory, and carried on his business there. Tinkham & Giflford have occupied their present location since 1881. They em- ploy forty-five hands and have a capacity of nine hundred pairs per week. C. F. Watkins, manufacturer of men's foot wear, is located at 92 Pleas- ant street. He began business in 1877 in the same location, and at present employs about twelve hands. His factory has a capacity of from fifty to sixty pairs per week. Schuyler Brothers, manufacturers of ladies' and gentlemen's foot wear of all kinds, established their business in 1882. They are located at "]& Purchase street and employ eighteen hands, with an average capacity of 200 pairs per week. Carriages. — Brownell, Ashley & Co., manufacturers of fine grades of carriages, in all varieties excepting coaches, are located at the corner of Fourth and Spring streets. Seventy years ago, when the manufact- uring interests of New Bedford, outside of those industries directly or indirectly connected with the whale fishery, were extremely limited, Joseph Brownell, the father of J. Augustus Brownell, started a modest business on the corner of Fourth and Spring streets, of which the present manufactory is a legitimate outcome. About ten years later he removed his business to the two-story stone structure on the southeast corner of the same streets. A little over forty years ago the present proprietors, J. Augustus Brownell and Joshua B. Ashley, were admitted to the firm. A repository was built in 1854, with dimensions of 100 by ^56 feet, and four stories high. H. G. O. Cole occupied this building for a few years, but later on he removed to a location on Acushnet avenue, and Brownell, Ashley & Co. took possession of the building. The company employs thirty men, and in connection with its regular carriage work does all kinds of repairing. George L. Brownell,. manufacturer of hearses, carriages and under- taker's wagons, came to New Bedford from Westport in the year 1830. Four years later he began business for himself in a small way. His business rapidly increased and in 1846 he was forced to make extensive 48o HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. additions to his premises. In 1853 he built a new shop on Third street, where he located for the next ten years. Here, however, his business outgrew his premises, and in 1863 he purchased the large stone build- ing at the corner ot Aucshnet avenue and Cannon street, formerly oc- cupied as an oil manufactory by S. Leonard & Sons. This building was occupied by Mr. Brownell on November 12, 1863. His factory now gives employment to lOO skilled workmen, and is superintended by Giles G. Barker. Mr. Brownell is engaged in building hearses, coaches, and undertaker's wagons for the New England, Southern, and Western trade, and also ships his products abroad. Clarence Lowell, carriage manufacturer, 274—278 Acushnet avenue. Mr. Lowell came to New Bedford and began his business in 1875, locat- ing himself on Middle street and employing four hands. His business rapidly increased, and in 1879, in order to accommodate his establishment he removed to his present location, employing at that time ten hands. In 1889 he built his present factory, a large three-story brick building, at a cost of $25,000. He now employs twenty-eight hands, and his manufactory is the second in point of size in the city. His annual sales amount to between $50,000 and $60,000, his trade being largely south- ward from Boston and in this vicinity. His product is a general line of light work and bears an excellent reputation. The carriage manufactory of H. C. Hathaway occupies the building at the corner of Acushnet avenue and Elm street. The business was established by Forbes & Sears in 1862 at 33 Elm street. In 1872 Mr. Sears withdrew and Henry H. Forbes continued the business. About 1877 Charles H. Forbes purchased the establishment and conducted it for a short time, when J. R. Forbes succeeded to the business and operated the factory for twelve years. He sold out to H. C. Hathaway in February, 1891. Mr. Hathaway is at present engaged in the manu- facture of carriages and deals in harnesses. He also has weekly auctions of horses and carriages. Fifteen men are employed. Caskets. — The New Bedford Casket Company was incorporated in 1889 with a capital of $50,000, which has since been increased to $75,- 000. The company's works are located upon the square bound-ed by Pope, Seneca, Acushnet avenue and the Old Colony tracks. The build- ings comprise a three- story wooden structure on Seneca street, a two- MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 481 story building on Pope street, and a two- story brick dry house adjoin- ing botli buildings. Its products consist of burial caskets and under- taker's supplies, and the goods are rapidly gaining favor throughout New England. The officers of the company are : President, William A. Kirby; treasurer, Alfred G. Studley ; clerk, Geo. P. Brock; direct- ors, William A. Kirby, Jacob B. Hadley, Charles H. Adams, Benjamin F. Brownell, James N. Parker, Weston C. Vaughn, jr., Robert F Ray- mond. Bakers. — David A. Snell conducts a large steam bakery at the north- west corner of William and North Water streets. The business was established here in the fall of 1857. In 1858 Charles D. Capen was taken in as a partner, and the business increased by the accession of the bakery of Jacob B. Hadley. In the fall of 1859 Mr. Snell sold his inter- est in the business to his partner, and established the first patent bakery in New England. The manufacture of ship bread declined with the whaling interests, and in 1867 Mr. Snell moved into his present build- ing and began the manufacture of fancy crackers and cake goods. At present forty hands are employed and the consumption of about 8,000 barrels of flour per year entailed. John McCullough manufactured ship bread at No. 13 Centre street. He succeeded to the business of Jonathan Buttrick in 1889, who had carried it on since 1879. The bakery was originally established about 1822 by Enoch Horton, and subsequently passed into the hands of Watson & Manchester, and then Samuel Watson alone, who carried it on for more than forty years. At present four men are employed. Paper Boxes. — Coffin Brothers are located at 38 Middle street, and manufacture all kinds of paper boxes. The business was established by Frederick Coffin in 1854 on Clark's Point. He moved to Tallman's block shortly after, and was alone in the enterprise until 1875, when the firm name was changed to Coffin Brothers, his brother Charles H. coming into the business. The present proprietors, Walter H. and Arthur S. Coffin, were received into the firm in 1883, upon the death of Charles H. Coffin. They became sole proprietors in 1 890 upon the death of Frederick Coffin. About twenty-five hands are employed. Miscellaneous. — George S. Bowen & Company manufacture all kinds of corn brooms and brushes at 54 South Water street. They have oc- cupied the present location since June, 1886. ^' 482 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. T. M. Denham & Brother occupy the building at 384 Acushnet avenue in the manufacture of shirts. The firm employs during the busy season nearly two hundred hands, and has a capacity of about one hundred dozen shirts per day. The soap factory of Bryant & Brett is located at the corner of Water and Middle streets. The firm consists of Frank W. Bryant and H. M. Brett. The business came into their hands in 1888. Fifteen hands are employed. The planing mill of Frederick A. Sowle occupies the four- story brick building on the square bounded by Elm, Bethel and North Water streets. Mr. Sowle began the business in a small way in 1873. His buildings were burned in 1884, and the present brick structure imme- diately erected. About thirty men are employed. Brightman & Washburn, stair builders and furnishers, are located in the brick building at the corner of North Water and North streets. The business was' established in 1869 by Gardner & Brightman, Mr. Gardner withdrawing from the firm about 1 87 1. Mr. Brightman con- ducted the establishment alone until 1878, since which time Mr. Wash- burn has been a member of the firm. The individual members are Jacob Brightman and L. R. Washburn They manufacture house and cottage trimmings, window and door frames, brackets, balusters, newels and inside shutters. Pattern making and scroll and circular sawing is also done Sixteen hands are employed. Fred E Delano, pattern and model maker, occupies the second floor of the stone building at the corner of South Water and Coffin streets. The business was established by Nathan S. Ellis and Matthias Hatha- way in 1863, who were succeeded by Mr. Delano in i8ci. He employs twenty-six hands. The lumber yard and planing-mill of Greene & Wood is located on Leonard's wharf The history of this business dates back to the year 1835, when Samuel Leonard started in the lumber business at the bend of Clark's Cove, near the location of the present bath houses of the street railway company, and for a long time all the timber was brought up into the cove and rafted ashore. After a few years the present Leonard's wharf was built, and he removed his yards and business to the water front, where through successive ownerships the plant has MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 483 ever since remained. Shortly after the removal, Mr. Leonard's son, Henry T. Leonard, took the business, forming a partnership with Augustus A. Greene, a young carpenter who had come to New Bed- ford from Providence. The business was continued under the firm name of Leonard & Greene until 1848, when Henry T. Wood bought out Henry T. Leonard, and the style of the firm became Greene & Wood, and although Mr. Greene retired in 1872, and Henry T. Wood died in 1883, the firm name has remained the same for upwards of forty five years. The present firm consists of William G. Wood, who entered it in 1861, and George R. Wood and Edmund Wood, who were admitted soon after the death of their father in 1883. The yard and buildings now occupy an area of eight acres of land, including the wharf, where every facility is afforded for the loading and unloading of cargoes. The old mill was burned in 1888, but a new and more com- modious one was immediately erected and fitted with automatic fire sprinklers. In 1888 the firm decided to engage in an entirely new in- dustry — the manufacture of spools and bobbins for cotton and woolen mills. • This business so rapidly increased that a stock company was formed and incorporated with a capital of $100,000, under the name of the Greene & Wood Manufacturing Company. Other factories were either bought or leased in Fall River and Burlington, Vt., until this company became the largest producer of spools and bobbins in the United States. In February, 1 891, this company sold all its property to the American Bobbin, Spool and Shuttle Company, of Boston, a cor- poration recently formed, and which now owns nearly all the bobbin interests of the country. This company continues to operate t',e fac- tory in this city. The planing-mill and lumber yard of William A. Tillinghast is located at 172 North Water street. The business was established by Tilling- hast & Terry in 1878. Mr. Terry withdrew in 1887, since which time Mr. Tillinghast has conducted the enterprise alone. At present twen- ty-two hands are employed. In all cities the lumber and wood- working interests are greatly diver- sified, embracing the manufacture of sash and doors, boxes, carpenters' finishing lumber, etc. The same is true of New Bedford,, and the fol- lowing comprise many of the more conspicuous of these manufacturers : 484 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Mosher & Brownell, 162 North Water street; W. W. Allen, 193 North Water street; Sturtevant & Sherman, North Water street; Blossom Bros, 238-42 North Water street; William H. Washburn, 213-17 North Water street ; all of these firms manufacture sash, doors, blinds, etc. The office and factory of Job Wade is at the corner of Hamilton and North Front streets. He began the manufacture of shoe leather twenty- five years ago in the old paint mill on Wall street, which was burned. Mr, Wade moved to his present location in April, 1887. He employs from twenty to twenty five hands. Mr. Wade came to New Bedford in April, 1861, from Woburn, Mass., and worked in the First street tannery for six years before engaging in business for himself. The Bay State Chair Company comprises as its members W. E. Sparrow, George Purrington, jr., I. P. Atsatt, and J. C. F. Atsatt. The business was begun in 1887 by the same parties in Mattapoisett and was removed from that place to their present location on Middle street in July, 1891. They are engaged in the manufacture of reed chairs, etc. Employment is given to thirty- five hands. The White Oak River Company was incorporated in 1886 with a capital of $30,000. The company is engaged in shipping southern lumber from the White Oak River district of North Carolina. The office is at 29 North Front street and the present officers are : President, Loum Snow; clerk and treasurer, Fred. S Fuller; directors, Chas. W. Plummer, Loum Snow, Killey E. Terry. The Triumph Heat and Light Company was organized in Portland, Me., April 1 1, 1888, for the manufacture of gas and vapor stoves. The business of the company is transacted in New Bedford, where the factory is located. The capital Stock is $500,000 and the present officers are: President, Edmund Rodman ; treasurer and clerk, S. T. Viall; directors, Edmund Rodman, Joshua B. Winslow, S. T Viall, Francis C. Smith, Robert B. Carsley, Chas. F. Borden, Pardon Cornell. The Nickerson Piano Company was organized in June, 1888, under the laws of the State of Maine, with a capital stock of $100,000. The manufacture was commenced in September. At present the cases and actions are bought at manufactories, and the Nickerson patent is put in here. The company has a factory on Middle street and a salesroom at MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 485 392 Acushnet avenue. The present officers of the company are : President, William Lewis ; clerk and treasurer, Frank R. Hadley ; direc- tors, Wendell H. Cobb, James C. Stafford, H. B. Nickerson, J. Augustus Brownell, Pardon Cornell, John Wing, Warren E. Chase. The Clark's Cove Guano Company was incorporated in 1881 with a capital stock of $100,000 and its product was first placed on the market in 1882. Extensive works were established on the west side of Clark's Cove. The present capital of the company is $800,000 and the officers are: President, Chas. W. Plummer ; treasurer, Vinal F. Hatch; clerk Samuel H. Cook; directors, Chas W. Phimmer, Edward D. Mandell, Wm. J. Rotch, Chas. W. Clifford, Wm. W. Crapo, Edmund Grinnell, Samuel Ivers. The Electrical Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1890 with a capital of $5,000 and began the manufacture of electrical goods at 31 North Front street. The officers of the company are: President, Walter Clifford; treasurer, Henry W. Parker; clerk, Wm. M. Butler; di- rectors, Henry W. Parker, Walter Clifford, Wm. M. Butler, David L. Parker, Chas. F Shaw. The Strange Forced Twist Drill Company was incorporated in 1887 with a capital of $15,000 for the purpose of manufacturing twist drills under the patents of John F. Strange. The officers of the company are: President, Edwin Dews; clerk and treasurer, Henry M. Knowles; directors, Edwin Dews, Henry M. Knowles, John P. Knowles, jr., William M. Bates, Thos. M. Hart, Moses C. Swift, Joseph C. Knowles. The plant of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company is one of the largest in the city, covering 5^ acres of land, betweeen Water street east to the water front. H. C. Fowler manufactures power- loom harness for silk and cotton- mills at Parker's Wharf. He began business in 1886, and at present employs sixteen hands. Hayes & Company are located at 193 North Water street. They manufacture whale boat timbers, knees, stems, lobster- pot frames and dress staves, employing four men. The business was established by Andrew G. Hayes in 1848, on Greene & Wood's wharf. He subse- quently removed to the shop of Abner Allen, and was burned out in the big fire of 1859. He started the present mill in 1867, and his son. 486 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. ' L. W. Hayes, became associated with him. He died in 1890, since which time the business has been conducted by L. W. Hayes alone. The H. V. Davis Chemical Works are located on Court street at the corner of Chancery. The industry commenced in the manufacture of Prussian blue in a little shanty at the corner of William and Sixth streets, and about the year 1840 the business was purchased by Henry V. Davis and Philip B. Lewis. Mr. Davis soon became sole proprietor, and since his death the heirs have continued the business. The prod- ucts of the works are cyanide of potassium and prussiate of potash. Employment is furnished for eighteen hands. The Standard Chemical Manufacturing Company has a salesroom at 211 Purchase street. It manufactures all kinds of vaseline and polishes, cologne, window polish, etc. The business was established about two years ago. The bookbindery of Edwin Dews, at 125, 127 and 129 Union street, was established by George A. Bourne in 1837. The business came into the hands of several firms, first of which was Parsons & Robinson, who were followed by Parsons & Palmer, and later by Parsons & Com- pany. Dews & Haswell became proprietors in 1867 or 1868. Mr. Haswell remained in the firm for about one year, since which tirue Mr Dews has carried on the business alone. He employs five or six hands. H. F. Damon began the manufacturing of Chinese sheet washing bluing in 1880. His factory is located at 34 North Second street, and twelve hands are employed. Denison Brothers have two flouring and feed-mills, known respect- ively as the " North " and " South " Mill. The South Mill was started by Warner & Denison in 1858 and conducted by them until 1864, the firm consisting of Joseph B. Warner and John H. Denison. At that time Henry C. Denison and Burrage Y. Warner were admitted to the firm, and that partnership continued until 1868, when Mr. Warner sold his interest to S. M. Hall. Mr. Hall continued with the Denisons un- der the firm name of J H. Denison & Qompany until 1873, when he withdrew and Denison Brothers became sole prpprietonB. The North Mill was built in 1870 or 1871 on the site that was occupied prior to that time by the old saw-mill, at the corner of North Water and Hill- man streets. The old building was afterward used as a cotton- mill, and MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 487 subsequently converted into a flour-mill and operated by Silas Bullard, incorporated, B. B. Howard being president, and Mr. Bullard, treasurer of the company. In 1869 John N. Bullard, a nephew of Silas, assumed the management of the mill, and it was thus continued until September 13, 1870, when it was destroyed by fire. A new mill was immediately built and started by a new corporation, consisting of George R. Phillips, president, John N. Bullard, treasurer, known as the New Bedford Flour Company. They operated the mill until 1877, when Denison Brothers purchased the property in connection with George Wilson. Mr. Wilson withdrew in the spring of 1881, since which time the business has been conducted entirely by the Denison Brothers. A corporation was formed March i, 1 891, known as Denison Brothers Company, with a capital of $100,000. The officers are : John H. Denison, president, and Henry C. Denison, treasurer, who, together with John P. Denison, form the board of directors. The present capacity of the two mills is about 1,500 bushels of meal per day. No wheat flour has been made for some time. Thirty five hands are employed, and the mills have two engines with a capacity of 450 horse power. The firm of Burt & Tobey, manufacturers of electrical specialties, consists of Henry P. Burt and Charles W. Tobey, and their factory and office are located in the brick building at 23 Middle street. The busi- ness was established in 1890, and at present the firm is making an in- genius light-controlling switch, a resistance box, wire couplings, wire tags, etc. They also have American, German, French and English patents on an improved stamp battery for affixing stamps to envelopes automatically. Their productions are all neat and useful, and their business is assuming gratifsing proportions. The firm of Baker & Gifford was established about three years ago, and is at present engaged in the manufacture of a variety of displaying receptacles for merchants and dealers, at 15 and 17 Centre street. Mr. Gifford is the inventor of several of the specialties manufactured by the firm, which have come into extensive use by grocers and fruit sellers. John H. Lawrence came from Taunton to New Bedford in 1886, and together with two other gentlemen, also of Taunton, established the New Bedford Top Roll Company, on Acushnet avenue. In two years Mr. Lawrence bought out his partners' interests and has carried on the 488 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. business in his own name since that time. In 1 889 he moved to his present quarters in the second story of the building at the corner of Pleasant and Kempton streets. He employs fifteen hands. The electric plating establishment of L. A. Littlefield is located at 134 Union street. From a comparatively small start Mr. Littlefield has increased his business to one of considerable importance. He began the enterprise in 1884 with George Needham, and the firm was known as Needham & Littlefield until April, 1888, when Mr. Needham with- drew. Mr. Littlefield employs six men, and his power is supplied by an electric motor of five horse power. Fred H. Sargent began business at 92 Pleasant street in 1880. He employs seven men. P. P. Jenney & Son began the manufacture of lawn and park settees, water tanks and specialties, at 40 Kempton street (old number) in 1878. Since that time Pleasant street has been extended, and the entrance to their establishment is now on that thoroughfare. They employ nine men on an average. Charles F. Folger, manufacturer of brackets, cabinets, mantels, etc., occupies the three -story building at 135 South Water street. He be- gan business in 1884 and at present employs four workmen. Bates & Kirby, manufacturers of all grades of candy, cake and ice cream, are located at 48 and 50 Pleasant street. The firm employs about fourteen men in the winter and eighteen in the summer season. The Manufacture of Cigars. — Probably the first cigar manufactory in New Bedford was that of Niles Tilden. He came from Methuen, Mass., in 1834, at which place he had been engaged in making cigars for many years. He established himself here on Spring street, corner of Acushnet avenue, then Third street, and afterwards moved to a loca- tion on Union street near the corner of Front. He also carried on his trade for several years on the site of Caswell's paint shop and subse- quently moved directly across the street. In the year 1848 he moved his business to a building on Second street, opposite the post-office and carried on the manufacture of cigars there until 1887, about one year prior to his death. He was for many years a familiar figure on our streets, had formerly been a member of the Methuen Guards and was very fond of anything that pertained to the military. MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 489 Another prominent cigar manufacturer of war times was Amos K. Haswell, who began making his goods in 1866 in the store now occu- pied by Edwin Dew's book and binding estabhshment. Prior to that time he had, with his father, been engaged in cigar making at Long Plain, and at one time peddled his wares through the country. Charles W. Oesting was also a cigar manufacturer, and carried on his business, first at 59 Union street (old number), afterwards moving to the corner of Purchase and William streets, the present location of Haskell & Tripp's store. He was engaged in the business for about thirty years. Antone Thomas also made cigars for eight or nine years at 1 1 1 South Water street (old number). John Francis began the manufacture of cigars about i860, in a store on South Water street. In 1869 he removed to a location on Union street. He also carried on the business for upwards of thirty years, selling out to Francis & Swain in 1884. Frank W. Francis, son of the above, is now located at 169 Union street. He first began business as a manufacturer of cigars in i88o, and at that time was located on Acushnet avenue corner of Grinnell street. He continued there about two years, when, finding the business un- profitable for the time being, he discontinued its prosecution and did not again resume it until 1884, at which time he, together with H. S. Swain, bought out his father's business, which had been carried on for many years. Mr. Swain withdrew from the firm in 1885, his interests coming into the hands of Allen Almy, and during the next year the firm was known as F. W. Francis & Company. In i886 Mr. Almy also withdrew and Mr. Francis assumed entire control of the business. He conducted the establishment at 148 Union street until July, 1889,, when he moved to his present quariers. He employs nine hands, and has a capacity of about 5,000 cigars per week. A. Robingon & Co. manufacture cigars at 117 Union street. The Jirm is composed of A. Robinson and A. L. Sylvia. The business was established in 1873 by Mr. Robinson on South Water street, between Griffin and Howland. He carried on the factory alone for about four years, when Mr. Sylvia came into the firm. They then moved to what is now 73 Union street and remained there in one location thirteen years. They have occupied their present quarters about two years, and 62 490 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. at present employ seven hands and manufacture about 7,500 cigars per week. Sail Making — This industry, which at one time was an important factor in the various trades and pursuits allied to the whale fishery and marine commerce, has been steadily on the decline for more than a score of years. In 1888 there were but four firms yet in the business, and during the past three years two of those have dropped out. In the palmy days of whaling, when vessels were fitted out at New Bedford wharves by the score, there were any number of sail and rigging lofts, and many hands were kept busily engaged making sails and ship's out- fits. The firm of Thomas M. Hart & Company, whose sail loft is on Commercial street, comprises as its members Thomas M. Hart, James C. Briggs, and Oliver W. Cobb. The business was originally estab- lished by Simpson Hart, father of Thomas, in 1834. In 1843 the gran- ite building on the north side of Commercial street was built and Mr, Hart moved his business into it. He remained in that location until his death, November 5, 1876, after which Thomas M. Hart conducted the business until January, 1888, at which time Mr. Briggs and Mr. Cobb were received into the firm. They employ from seventeen to twenty hands. John Almy also makes sails, his loft being located on Merrill's wharf Iron and Other Metals. — The New Bedford Copper Company was one of the first to extensively engage in the manufacture of metal in New Bedford. The company was incorporated in i860 with a paid up capital of $250,000, and its works are situated on the east side of North Front Street, just east of the Wamsutta Mills. The product of the mills includes copper and yellow sheathing metals, copper rollers for calico printers, yellow metal bolts, and cut nails, braziers', dimension, and bolt copper. The main rolling-mill is 250 by 100 feet in area, and the build- ing for mixing metals and refining copper is 175 by 60 feet. Lake Superior copper is used exclusively in the manufacture of sheet copper and the print rollers, and the products of the mills have a wide repu- tation. The present officers are : President, Gilbert Allen ; clerk and treasurer, Clarence A. Cook; directors, Gilbert Allen, Edward D. Mandell, William J. Rotch, Frederick S. Allen, and Charles W. Clif- ford. MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 491 The extensive works of the Morse Twist Drill and Machine Company occupy the entire square bounded by Bedford, Fourth, Fifth, and Wing streets. The business which has reached such magnificent proportions is the outcome of a small and unpretentious beginning. Stephen A. Morse conceived the idea of making a twist drill, and began the manu- facture of his invention at East Bridgewater, Mass., in 1861. In 1865 he secured a patent upon the drill, and moved to New Bedford, where he had succeeded in interesting capital, and a shop two stories high, 30 by 60 feet in area was erected for his occupancy. The present corpora- tion was incorporated in 1864 with a capital stock of $30,000, which was increased January i, 1883, to $600,000. The first ofificers were: President and treasurer, Nathan Chase ; directors, Frederick S. Allen, Andrew G. Fierce, Thomas M. Stetson, and Gilbert Allen. The prod- uct of the company includes twist drills for machinists' use, twist drills for blacksmith drill presses, machine bits, bit stock drills, reamers, chucking reamers, beach chucks, center drill chucks, counter bores, mandrels, milling cutters, drill grinding machines, standard gauges, taps, dies, screw plates, and tap wrenches. These goods find a market in all parts of the United States, in England, Europe, Australia, India, Rus- sia, and South America. Employment is furnished for 300 hands, and an engine of 150 horse power is used. The present officers are : Pres- ident and treasurer, Edward S. Taber ; directors, Frederick S. Allen, Andrew G. Pierce, Thomas M. Stetson, and Gilbert Allen. Pope's Island Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1890 and the company's works are located on the island from which it takes its name. Horse bits and harness trimmings are manufactured at these works from Howard's non-corrosive metals. The company also makes castings and bearing metals. Twelve hands are employed and a forty horse power engine is used. The capital stock is $50,000 and the present officers ar«: President, David B. Kempton ; clerk and treas- urer, H. Wilder Emerson ; manager, W. H. Bassett ; directors, David B Kempton, H. C. W. Mosh»r, H. Wilder Emerson, William H. Bassett, Charles A. Gray, and James S. Howard. Babbitt, Wood & Company, steam fitters and boiler makers, are located at 32 Commercial street. They succeeded to the business of the Union Boiler Company. Employment is furnished to thirty-five men. 492 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The New Bedford Boiler and Machine Company occupies the build- ings at 24, 26 and 28 Front street. The firm is composed of Joseph S. Lewis and Henry A. Holcomb. The business was established February i6, 1876, by H. A. Holcomb, Gilbert Bradley, jr., J. S. Lewis and Henry A. Holcomb. It was then known as the New Bedford Boiler Company. They manufacture and make a specialty of a patented steam heating apparatus. They employ twenty- five men on an average. Gardner & Southwick, brass founders, coppersmiths and plumbers, are located at Middle street. The firm is composed of Reuben M. Gard- ner and Arnold W. Southwick. The business was established in 1884. Seven hands are employed. J. C. Rhodes & Company are manufacturers of eyelets for shoes, etc. Their office and factory is located on North Front street at the corner of Rotch's square. The New Bedford Reed Company occupies the premises at 189 North Water street. The firm is composed of Manuel D. and John D. Martin, who established the business about 1885 on Acushnet avenue. They moved to their present quarters in 1888. The American Carrier Rocket Company was organized and incor- porated in 1886, with a capital of $250,000, consisting of 2,500 shares of $100 each. Most of the stock is held in New Bedford. The com- pany manufactures self line-carrying rockets which are used for life- saving purposes. The company's office is located at 23 Middle street and the present officers are : President, Hiram B. Coffin ; secretary, Geo. R. Phillips; treasurer, Geo. R. Phillips; directors, Hiram B. Coffin, Jacob B. Hadley, William Lewis, Samuel C. Hart, Chas. A. Gray, S. T. Viall, Frank R. Hadley, Jas. H. Murkland, Frederick Swift, J. W. Clifton, Gilbert N. Hall. The New Bedford Iron Foundry is now located at the corner of Water and Cannon streets. It was founded many years ago by F. & I. C. Taber & Company, who were then located at the corner of Fourth and Bedford streets. They were succeeded in 1847 t>y Taber & Grin- nell, and in 1859, Joseph G. Grinnell became the sole proprietor. The present proprietor is Edmund Grinnell, who assumed control in 1873. The works have a capacity of twenty tons of castings per day and one hundred men are employed. MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. 493 Bowker & Tripp, machinists and manufacturers of steam-engines, valves, etc., occupy the brick building at the corner of North Water and North streets. The business was established by Edward E. Bow- ker and Robert R. Sherman in 1874 on William street. In 1875 they removed to their present quarters. Mr. Sherman continued in the firm until 1878 when he sold his interest to F. S. Tripp, since which time there has been no change in the firm. Twenty men are employed. The foundry of the Acushnet Iron Company is located at the corner of North and Water streets in the same place where it was established in 1878 by Augustus Swift, who is still the proprietor. Mr. Swift had previous to that time been in charge of the Boston and Fairhaven Iron Works, at Fairhaven. Castings of various kinds are made and general jobbing is done. From thirteen to fifteen men are employed. The machine shop of D. W. Wilson occupies a part of the building at 21 Commercial street. Mr. Wilson began business there in 1889 and at present employs eight hands and does steam fitting, hot water heat- ing and machine work. The New Bedford Machine Shop. This establishment occupies the lower floors of the stone building at the corner of Coffin and South Water streets. The business was begun in 1864 by Jonathan Bourne and was conducted by him until June, 1890, when Brownell & Besse assumed control and carried on the business until February, 1891, when upon the death of Mr. Brownell, Edward L. Besse became sole proprie- tor. Luscomb & Corey, machinists, occupy the building at 13 Rodman street. The firm is composed of Frederick W. Luscomb and David A. Corey, and the business was begun by them in October 1885. They employ seven men. The Jenney-Star Electric Company is located in a three story build- ing on North Front street, near Rotch's square, The company was incorporated in 1891 with a capital of $200,000 and the following offi- cers: President, J. A. Jenney; treasurer, Albert W. Rounds; superin- tendent, Edward E. Bowker. These gentlemen also form the board of directors. Mr. Jenney, together with Mr. Bowker, an experienced and practical mechanic and machinist, manufactured the first improved dynamos in New Bedford and a new arc lamp in 1891. The company employs ten hands. 494 HIS20RY OF NEW BEDFORD. Hedge, Lewis & Company, manufacturers of shoe buttons, occupy the stone building at the corner of South First and Rivet streets, which was originally built for the New Bedford Rivet Factory. The present business was established by Hedge & Lewis in October, 1889, on Acush- net avenue, where the enterprise was carried on until October, iSgo, when the firm removed to its present quarters. The firm name was changed to Hedge, Lewis & Company in January, 1890. Ten, hands are employed. Daniel Kelleher manufactures bomb guns and bomb lances at 56 Parker street. He began the business in this city in 1880. Eben Pierce manufactures bomb guns and bomb lances at 12^ William street. His business was established in 1870. C, R. Sherman & Son, manufacturers of nautical instruments and electrical goods, are located at the corner of North Second and William streets. The business to which this firm succeeded was established in 1840 by John Kehew, who began making and repairing nautical instru- ments in a building on the west side of Water street between Elm and William. In 1864 he sold the business to C. R. Sherman and James Hanley, who carried it on under the style of C. R. Sherman & Co. Mr. Sherman had been with Mr. Kehew since 1841. In 1866 Mr. Hanley's interest came into the hands of Wendell Macy who remained in the firm until 1872, when Mr. Sherman took entire charge of the business and conducted it until 1880, when W. R. Sherman, a son, was received as a partner, and the firm has since been known as C. R. Sherman & Son. They have occupied the present location since 1886. Paint Manufacttirers. — The firm of George Kirby, jr., & Co. is com- posed of George Kirby, jr., George A. Kirby, and Eugene M. Barrows, The business was originally established by the senior member of the firm in i86i, on Pine street, where he remained until 1866. He then removed to Centre street, and was known as Humphrey, Kirby & Co. remaining in that location one year. In 1867 the factory was moved to the present location on Wall street, east of Acushnet avenue. Mr. Humphrey retired in 1877. George A. Kirby was admitted to the firm in 1885 and Mr. Barrows in 1887. The buildings were destroyed by fire in April, 1887, and a new factory immediately erected on the same site. Twelve hands are employed. THE FIRST RAILROAD. 495 Brownell & Company, manufacturers of paints and colors, are located at 13 North Front street. The business was established by H. J. Brownell, at the corner of First and School streets, in 1879. Albion T. Brownell entered the firm in January, 1 880, and has conducted it entirely alone since 1883. Brightman Brothers are manufacturers of paints and colors at 7 Rod- man street. The firm consists of W. O. and F. W. Brightman, and the business was established by them in January, 1886. F. W. Brightman had been employed in the paint-mill of George L. Kirby for ten years. Four men are employed on an average. CHAPTER XXIV. TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES, ETC. The First Railroad — Particulars of its Construction — Its Opening to the Public— Tlie Road to Fall River— Express Business in New Bedford — The First Telegraph Line — Introduction of the Telephone. NO active steps were taken towards the building of a railroad to New Bedford, until some time after the line had been completed to Taun- ton. Passengers destined for Boston or Providence traveled by stage from here to Taunton and there connected with the railroad in either direction. The stages left New Bedford twice daily and arrived twice, making close connection with the trains and carrying the mail. The route for the railroad from New Bedford to Taunton, to connect there with the Taunton Branch Railroad was first surveyed in 1836 by Will- iam Gibbs McNeill and E. T. Chesbrough, engineers, and the total cost of construction estimated at $285,230. A later survey was made by George W. Whistler, and the estimated cost of the road placed at $400,000. Compared with the present day, railroading was in its in- fancy in 1836, and fears were entertained that troubie would be expe- rienced in making a substantial grade for a roadbed through the low, 496 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. swampy land several miles north of here. Joseph Grinnell and a few other influential men of the town, however, were persevering in their efforts to secure a railroad, no matter what obstacles had to be sur- mounted. The Legislature of 1838 passed an act incorporating Alfred Gibbs, Joseph Grinnell, and James B. Congdon, their associates and successors, as the Old Colony Railroad Corporation, for the purpose of building a railroad from Taunton to New Bedford. No reason is as- signed for the selection of the name " Old Colony Railroad," and it is evident the choice was reconsidered, for at the first meeting the name was changed to the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad Company. The subscription books for the sale of stock of the Old Colony Rail- road corporation were opened at each of the banks in this town on the 30th of April, 1838. One dollar was required to be deposited on each share of stock at the time of subscribing. William W. Swain, one of the committee appointed to procure subscriptions, made a report to the effect that $293,000 had been subscribed. The list of original subscrib- ers is still in existence. There were 2,505 shares of stock taken in New Bedford by 205 persons, and in Boston 266 shares were subscribed, as well as 230 in New York. Those who took 100 shares were Gideon Howland, George Rowland, John A. Parker & Son, and William Rotch, jr. A meeting of the subscribers was held at the Lyceum Hall, Wednesday, February 6, 1839, and the following directors chosen : Joseph Grinnell, Thomas Mandell, William W. Swain, William A. Crocker, Alfred Gibbs, Pardon G. Seabury, David R. Greene. At a subsequent meeting Joseph Grinnell was elected president, and Joseph R. Anthony, treasurer and clerk. Work was begun at once, and the contract for grading was awarded to William McDermott and I. M. Ross on May 7, 1836. The rails were purchased in England through Baring Bros. & Co., and weighed 50 pounds per yard. There appears to have been some delay in filling the order, and almost a year later it was voted to send George Howland, jr., to England " for the purpose of hastening forward the railroad iron." In less than eighteen months trains- were running into New Bedford, for the first time in its history. The location of the depot at Pearl street was decided upon at a meeting of the stockholders, by a vote of 1,563 to 258, it having been the subject of considerable controversy as to OPENING OF THE RAILROAD. 497 whether it should be placed there or half a mile farther north in the vicinity of " Mr. Rodman's barn." The railroad was opened to the public on the first day of July, 1840, from the depot on Pearl street, and just fifty years later, to a day, the foundations were laid on the same site for the present commodious and imposing freight depot. An excursion train left New Bedford at 8 A. M., carrying a large number of prominent people to Taunton, among whom were His Excellency the Governor of the Commonwealth, the the Lieutenant-Governor, members of the Council, the Hon. Mr. Grat- tan, English Consul at Boston, and many others. Returning to New Bedford, the company assembled at i o'clock in the town hall, where a bountiful collation had been prepared, and the room handsomely decorated by the ladies. There were five tables running the entire length of the hall, at which about three hundred persons were seated. Rev. Mr. Upham, of Salem, offered an impressive prayer and during the progress of the repast several toasts were responded to, among them, " His Excellency, the Governor;" " The Boston and Providence Rail- road ;" " Edward Everett" " Our beloved Commonwealth;" " The City of Boston ;" and others. During the festivities at the town hall, Hon. Joseph Grinnell, presi- dent of the railroad, made an intellectual and fitting address, narrating the history of the enterprise which had been so successfully completed. He stated that this was the only railroad that had been built within the estimates and completed within the appointed time. The credit for this he bestowed mainly upon the resident engineer, Stephen S. Lee. Among others who made brief remarks on. this occasion were Governor Morton, John H. Clifford, Josiah Quincy, jr.. Judge Charles H. War- ren, James B. Congdon, Hon. Daniel P. King, William Sturgis, Thomas D. Eliot, Hon. Barker Burnell, of Nantucket; Nathan Hale, of Boston; and Francis Baylies, of Taunton. On Thursday, July 2, regular trains began running, leaving New Bed- ford at 6.30 A. M., and 3.15 P. M., leaving Boston on the return for Taunton and New Bedford at 7 A. M., and 4. 15 P. M. On July 4th an excursion train for the general public was run to Taunton and return, all kinds of cars being fitted up for the occasion and hundreds of people making the trip. The fare for the whole ride was $1.25. 63 498 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. A description of the old depot on Pearl street as given in the Boston Atlas, July 2, 1840, reads as follows : "The car house and ticket office is built in the Egyptian style of architecture, with ends in imitation of the entrance of the catacombs, or the arches of gates. The appearance of the building is singularly odd and appropriate." Of the columns re- ferred to there were four in number, two of which were afterward re- moved to make room for the entrance and exit of passengers. William A. Crocker, of Taunton, was the first superintendent of the road, and the road- masters were Benjamin Kenniston and Amos Burnham. Rufus Godfrey, who had for many years carried on a freight business by wagon from this city, assumed a contract with the road to handle its entire freight traffic, and this arrangement continued for several years. The railroad dealt a severe blow to the packets which had freighted oil from New Bedford to Boston, and held out inducements in the way of rebates and low tariffs until it secured the bulk of the business. War- ren Ladd, who was afterwards agent at New Bedford and superintend- ent at this place for more than forty years, came to this city and began work as a clerk for Mr. Godfrey, with the opening of the road. He made out the first way bills in the freight office, which was established at the north end of the station. Elias Sampson was the first ticket master. The receipts of the railroad for the month of August, 1840, were $3,464. The property of the road was sold April I, 1873, to a corporation known as the New Bedford Railroad Company for $323,500, the latter company to pay the outstanding bonds of $171,500. This company was consolidated in 1873 or '74 with the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad, which gave the officials of the latter control of the New Bed- ford Railroad. The stockholders of the New Bedford were given the preference of taking shares in the new corporation for those of the old, or of being paid in cash. Most of them decided to accept the latter. This crippled the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg financially and resulted in the consolidation with the Old Colony Railroad January ist, 1879, which up to that time had been a competing line. It was in conse- quence of this competition that the branch from here to Fall River was built in 1876 to enable the New Bedford people to secure traffic for THE FALL RIVER RAILROAD. 499 Fall River from the north. The present passenger station was finished and occupied June 21, 1886. The land on which it stands was par- tially used at one time as a ship yard, and for a great part of the dis- tance between the depot and Acushnet avenue the ground has been filled in and taken the place of water. The location was selected prin- cipally with the idea of making it more convenient for the trains to run through to the steamboat wharf At present eight passenger trains run each way north and south, and four east and west each day, the former via Taunton and the latter via Fall River. The tonnage of coal for the year ending July, 1881, was about 230,000 tons, while in 1885 it was only 95,000. William B. Fisher, the present local superintendent, succeeded Warren Ladd in 1885, but has been with the Old Colony for twenty years. He has jurisdiction over all departments of the road in New Bedford, including both rail and boat, the latter business assuming large proportions during the summer season. The company also has a line of propellers running to New York every day, which are devoted to the transportation of freight. Luther G. Hewins, the present ticket agent, succeeded his father, who held that position for many years. Fall River Railroad. — During a few years preceding 1874, when New Bedford was feeling the tide of prosperity that has continued to this time, the subject of connecting the city with Fall River occupied the attention of a number of prominent men. The matter was dis- cussed in the public press, a committee passed over the proposed route to learn as to the feasibility of the enterprise, all of which action re- sulted in the formation of a company and contracting the building of the line in October, 1874. The contract was let to Henry W. Phelps, of Springfield, at $200,000. The road eventually cost considerably more than that sum, reaching nearly to $300,000. While a great con- venience, and at the present day of great value to the city, the road did not meet the expectations of its projectors, and it finally passed under control of the Boston, Fitchburg and Clinton Company, and in the gen- eral consolidation was taken under a lease by the Old Colony Company^ by whom it is now operated. J. A. Beauvais, of New Bedford, was the first president of the company; and continued until 1876, when he was succeeded by Harrison Bliss, of Worcester. The directors at the present tinre are Mr. Beauvais, Charles F. Choate (president), William Rotch, H. A. Blood, Morgan Rotch, Frederick L. Ames, and J. S. Brayton. 500 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Express Companies. — In early days the business of carrying express was so small that what freight did not come by the way of saihng ves- sels and occasional teams and wagons, was usually sent in care of the drivers of the different stage routes. Among the first to make a regular business of carrying freight and express between Boston and New Bed- ford were Samuel Cook and Rufus Godfrey, who drove baggage wag- ons, each making one trip a week, taking three days for the journey. They went by the way of the turnpike, driving their own teams. This was between 1 830 and 1840. They often carried specie in quite large quantities, having no other protection than a dog or possibly a pocket pistol. When the Taunton Branch Railroad was completed. Cook changed his route, going from Taunton to Wareham, and Godfrey took the route from Taunton to New Bedford, carrying the freight and ex- press until the completion of the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1840, when he took the contract for handling their freight traffic at this place. Elias Sampson, who had been agent of the old mail and accommodation stages, and had kept a hotel at Middleborough, came to New Bedford and assumed charge of the ticket business for the railroad. Contemporary with the baggage wagons, and some time prior to the completion of the Taunton Railroad, a daily line of stages ran between New Bedford and Fall River, connecting there with lines for Providence and Newport. These stages were conducted by R. B. Kingsley. Some of the well-known drivers who drove on this line were Frank Blake, who was afterward clerk in the express office at Fall River for many years ; Josiah BMss, afterwards a clerk on Kingsley's boat from New- port to Providence ; Josiah Thurston and Samuel Burnham. Later on this line of stages changed hands several times, and finally the business became insignificant, owing to the erection of railways. A line of stages was early established between New Bedford and Newport to meet the New York boat, by Nye Chadwick and Thomas Cole. Their stables were down by the old steamboat wharf, on Water street. Some of their drivers were Thomas Forbes, Robert Minkley and Thomas Dun- more. This line was very irregular in its hours of leaving and arriving, as the boat from New York was often late when the wind was unfavor- able. A line of stages, carrying small express, was also run to EXPRESS LINES. 501 Plymouth by the way of Wareham, going one day and coming back the next. On alternate days it ran to Sandwich. Some of the familiar drivers on that line were Alden Reynolds, " Doctor " Maynard, and a man named Harris. The Sandwich line was afterward managed by Borden & Howard, and the Plymouth route was managed by Gass & Chandler. Both these routes came into the hands of Salmon F. Perry about 1850, as did also a route between New Bedford and Wareham, which had been conducted by one Onley, of Plymouth. Mr. Perry did his first staging at the age of nineteen, driving between Sampson's and Wareham, in 1836. In 1845 he began driving a baggage wagon and stage between New Bedford and Bridgewater, making the trip each day, a distance of sixty miles. He connected at Bridgewater with a line of stages for Boston and carried both passengers and express. The fare to Boston by stage was $1.50, and this compelled the railroad to re- duce their rates of fare which had been considered exceedingly high. Mr. Perry ran this line for about five years. He took a route to Ware- ham in January, 1848, and conducted it seven years, and also a line of stages between here and Mattapoisett. Some of the drivers on the old New Bedford and Boston route of stages managed by Mitchell, Smith & Co., Elias Sampson, agent, were Abram Poole, Dexter Dean, Jack Downing, Jacob Cushman, Gideon Southworth, Joseph Hunt and John Long. Some of the drivers on the line that ran between New Bedford and Taunton to meet the trains of the branch road, were Dexter Dean, Franklin Poole, Charles R. Sisson, William Peck, William Sims, afterward depot master at Myricks for many years; Andrew Sisson, Jacob Cush- man, Alfred Richards, who now runs the Little Compton stage ; and George Richards. Among the early express offices that were established in New Bed- ford within a few years after the completion of the railroad, there were in existence in 1849 the Boston and Providence Express, by Hatch, Gray & Co., 119 Union street; New York Express Office, by Godfrey & Munroe, via Fall River, 1 16 Union street; New York Express Office, Davenport & Mason, via Stonington, 119 Union street; Nantucket Ex- press Office, Charles B. Swain, 1 19 Union street. In 1865, at the close of the war, there were six express routes operated by different parties as follows : Boston, Taunton and Providence, by Hatch & Whiting, 142 S02 HIS10R\ OF NEW BEDFORD. Union street; Boston, via Wareham, Albert R. Paulding, 122 Union street; New York Express, Davenport, Mason & Co., 142 Union street; Nantucket, A R.Paulding, 122 Union street; Edgartown Express, Sylvanus L. Pease, and John Mayhew, and Holmes Hole Express, by George Peakes. Albert D Hatch began the carrying of express matter between New Bedford and Boston with the opening of the railroad, and the origin of Hatch & Co.'s line of express dates from that event. Under his ad- ministration the business developed rapidly and formed the foundation for the present e.Ktensive operations of that company. Street Railways of New Bedford. — New Bedford was without street railways until the year 1872. The city then had a population of about 32,000, and the need of these popular lines of transportation was seri- ously felt, particularly by those coming here on their way to the Vine- yard. Passengers were compelled to make their way as best they might from the station in Pearl street to the steamboat wharf at the foot of School street. How long this condition might have remained but for the extension of the Old Colony Railroad to Wood's Holl is uncertain. When that improvement was inaugurated, the New Bedford and Taun- ton Railroad was forced, for self-preservation, to give its passengers better conveniences. The stockholders of this road, largely citizens of this city and identified with its prosperity, had long felt the need of a horse railroad, and appreciated the advantages it would confer on the public. After long discussion and the proposal of various plans, the stockholders of the railroad began the movement that resulted in success. The New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steam- boat Company, clearly discerning the benefits that would accrue to their interests, promptly enlisted in the project. A committee was chosen, a charter drawn and applied for, and on the 6th day of Febru- ary, 1872, the road was ineorporated as the New Bedford and Fairha- ven Street Railway Company, with a capital of $50,000. The subscri- bers to the stock met on March 2, in the office of the Wamsutta Mills. Hon. Joseph Grinnell presided at the meeting. W. W. Crapo, Weston Howland, Warren Ladd, James V. Cox, George Wilson, Samuel P. Burt, Nathan S. Ellis and Andrew G. Pierce were chosen directors. At this meeting it was voted that three miles of street railway be built and STREET RAIL WA YS. 503 equipped as soon as the stock subscription would warrant it, provided that satisfactory arrangements could be made with the city of New Bedford and the town of Fairhaven, and that no free passes be granted except to officers and employees of the road. On March 5 the board of directors met, and Hon. A. G. Pierce was chosen president and treas- urer. S. P. Burt was elected clerk, and the subscription books were opened in Fairhaven. The route proposed and accepted by the city was from Linden street through Purchase street. Fourth street and School street to Front street. W. S. Barbour, the engineer of the Met- ropolitan Horse Railroad Company, of Boston, was employed to survey the road, and the contract for laying the track was awarded to Hon. George W. Lobdell, of Mattapoisett, and Elias Terry, of this city; and it stipulated that the road should be completed to the Ferry depot from Linden street, a distance of 7,681 feet, by the 15th of June. At this time the New Bedford and Taunton Railroad Company had chosen a committee to see what amount of stock it was advisable for that com- pany to take in the horse railway. This committee reported favorably to the subscription of $25,000 of the stock of the new company, and its action was ratified at a special meeting held for that purpose. The steamboat company had subscribed for $12,500, and this only left $12,500, which was taken by the citizens of the city. Nearly all the latter was subscribed by men who held stock in the other two companies. Warren Ladd, Andrew G. Pierce and Weston Howland had been ap- pointed a committee to construct the road. Work was commenced on Purchase street near the head of Pearl street, and was pushed so rapidly that on June i it was completed as far as the Parker House. On June 13 the road was completed to the Ferry depot as called for by the contract. Twelve horses for the road arrived from Prince Edward's Island on June 15, and seven cars were provided in the same month, four of them being for two horses. A baggage car for the accommo- dation of passengers to the Vineyard was soon added to the equipment of the road. The first car- house was erected just west of the north de- pot ; it was 30 by 60 feet in size, and was built by William A. Kirby. On the 28th of June one of the cars was run over the road for the first time, and on the 1st of July the collection of fares was commenced. 504 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. Patronage of the road was unexpectedly large from the first, and in July it became necessary to hire two cars of a Boston road. On the 1st of August work was begun on the Fairhaven division of the road, and it was finished to the north end of the bridge on the 9th of September. October 7 the cars began running to Fairhaven. In May, 1873, the directors of the road voted to extend the city line from School to South on Third street, and subscription books were opened for an increase of the capital stock of from $10,000 to $15,000 for that purpose. The road was already making a showing that was gratifying to the stockholders, and property owners along the line of its route could see that the value of their property was being enhanced It was about this time that cars commenced to run Sunday trips, not, however, without considerable doubt on the part of the directors that it would prove to be a paying venture, as their announcement that the step was an experimental one plainly shows. Arrangements were made to connect with Hersom's Omnibus Line to the west part of the city, and the advantages of easy means of communication to any section was demonstrated by the increased activity in real estate in that locality. The ferry between this city and Fairhaven had for years been a source of great convenience to the public, but was now run at a pecuniary loss, as the horse cars received the greater part of the travel. Although strenuous efforts were made to have the railroad continue to run it, its last trip was made September 30, 1873. In July, 1873, land was purchased of John Church on Main street in Fairhaven for a stable and car house. A house was standing upon the lot at the time which was sold to John P. Ellis and afterward removed to the west side of Water street. The car house was built 132 feet in length, extending from Main to Middle streets, and 35 feet wide. A large stable joined it on the north, givng the building a frontage of 126 feet on Main street, and the stable had a rear of 50 feet. The first annual meeting of the stockholders was held November 5, 1873. The old board of directors was re-elected, except that Thomas B. Tripp took the place of Nathan S. Ellis, who had died during the year. The net earn- ings of the road were shown to have been 6 per cent, on the capital, 21,530 round trips having been made, carrying 347,771 passengers. At this meeting an additional subscription of $10,000 to the capital stock was called for, to extend the main line to Washington square. STREET RAILWAYS. 505 At the annual meeting in 1874 it was shown that the net receipts of the road, over and above expenditures for the year, were $1 17.03. Al- though it had not proved the greatest success, viewed from the stock- holders' standpoint, it had shown itself to be an important factor in the city's growth. Advancement and great increase in value of property had marked every step it had taken in the line of extension of its tracks. In the year 1877 it was extended on Fourth to Rockland street, and in less than a year it was found that this extension had doubled the busi- ness of the road from what it was the year before. Warren Ladd had been elected president of the road, and with his acceptance of the office the affairs of the company advanced with re- newed prosperity. The car stable on the corner of Weld and Purchase streets was built in 1878. In 1882 the capital stock of the company was increased to $135,000, a step rendered necessary'by extensions of the line. At that time the cars ran to Cove street, and the Fairhaven cars to Parker street. In 1887 the road was extended to Jenney street towards Cannonville. The board of direction had remained without change up to that time, with the exception of the election of Charles H. Gifford in place of Thomas B. Tripp; at the annual meeting of 1884 Jonathan Bourne was placed in the board in place of James V. Cox, de- ceased. In 1885 the Acushnet Street Railway Company was incorporated,, with a capital of $125,000, and became a formidable rival of the old company, and it was war to the hilt between the two companies. The first year the Acushnet showed a deficit of $106.80, and the old road a profit of $6,762.15. In 1887, 'fi seven months of warfare, the New Bedford and Fairhaven road shrunk $6,364.83, and the Acushnet road fell behind $16,197.28. In this year the two roads consolidated, and in this way at least one-third of the expenses of operating the same amount of track was obviated'. The new road was known as the Union Street Railway, and in the last five months of the year the net income was $21,614 79, and still the interests of the general public were better sub- served than before. S. C. Hart was chosen president of the road, succeeding Mr. Ladd,, and held the position until August, 1891, when he was succeeded by Weston Rowland. Upon Mr. Ladd's retirement from the office he 61 5o6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. was highly complimented by his associates, and given credit for a large share of the success of the enterprise. William H. Allen was superintendent of the road from August, 1887 to January, 1890, and then on the resignation of Andrew G. Pierce as treasurer he was elected to fill the vacancy, and at the same time Frank- lin Woodman was elected superintendent. October 18, 1890, electric cars were run on one line of the company for the first time, the motive power being furnished then as now by the New Bedford Gas and Edison Lighting Company, and two eighty-horse power generators are required. The company owns several large and commodious buildings — the stable and car- house in Fairhaven, to which an addition has been made since it was built, the large stable and car-houses at the corner of Weld and Purchase streets, where accommodations are found for ninety horses, and about thirty cars are stored; the central station, where lOO horses are cared for and thirty five cars are housed, and the Mt. Pleasant elec- tric car station, where the eight electric cars are stored. The First Telegraph Line. — A wire was strung from Fall River to New Bedford during the year 1847, ^"d was known as the Magnetic Telegraph. The first office was located at 34 North Second street in the same building with Henry Lindsey's reading-room, and Clifford Thomas was the first telegraph operator, and had charge of the office. He was succeeded in 1852 by Benoni R. Paine, and prior to 1856 the ofiice was moved to No. 30 Purchase street. Under Mr. Paine's management the ofiice was subsequently moved to the Ricketson block on Union street where it remained for several years. At this time it was known as the Union Telegraph Office, and contemporary with it the Commercial Tel- egraph Company maintained an office at No. 9 North Water street, employing E. O. Laughton as superintendent and manager. The com- panies were consolidated later on, being known as the American Tele- graph Company. The Western Union took possession of the wires in 1866 and the office was removed to its present quarters at 32 North Water street, August i, 1870. Mr. Paine retained the position of man- ager under the successive companies until the time of his death, Sep- tember II, 188 1, when he was succeeded by George S. Hoyt, who had been an operator in the office for many years. Mr. Hoyt continued as THE TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE. 507 manager until September i, 1889, when he resigned to engage in other business. He was followed by the present manager, John Q. Ryder. Besides the main office there are three branch offices in New Bedford and one in Fairhaven. There are fourteen wires in the switch board at the inain office, which includes direct connection with Boston and New York as well as all important intermediate stations. Six operators, a clerk and five messengers are employed, and the office is under the jurisdiction of the Third District, Eastern Division, with headquarters at Boston. The Telephone. — The modern telephone first made its appearance in Southern Massachusetts in 1879. The first meeting toward organizing a stock company to erect and operate telephone lines in New Bedford was held January 24, 1880, and the Southern Massachusetts Telephone Company was organized February 2, 1880. The first officers were Charles W. Clifford, president ; Samuel Ivers, clerk and treasurer ; directors, Charles W. Clifford, Morgan Rotch, S. A. Williams, Fred S. Potter, Moses E. Hatch, Edmund Grinnell, Samuel Ivers. Systems were successively secured in Fall River, Taunton, Brockton and other places, and the company controls the entire system in Southern Massa- chusetts. The New Bedford central office is located in the Waite build- ing on William street, and Moses E. Hatch is the manager. The original capital stock was $30,000, and the number of subscribers in New Bedford did not exceed ten or a dozen. The capital stock has been increased from time to time to $450,000 and the total number of subscribers is now about 2,500, more than 800 of them being located ia New Bedford. The present officers are : President, Charles W. Clifford ;. clerk and treasurer, Samuel Ivers; directprs, Charles W. Clifford, Oliver P. Brightman, Walter Clifford, Morgan Rotch, Moses E. Hatch, Samuel Ivers, William H. Forbes, Thomas Sherwin, Sidney W. Knowles. Old Hotels. — Two of the oldest hotels in Southern Massachusetts are the Parker House and the Mansion House The Parker House was opened and dedicated on Thursday, February 10, 1842, by a sumptuous dinner given by its first hosts, Messrs. Horton & Son. The hotel had. for years been the mansion and residence of John Avery Parker, and' was a familiar object to all the old residents of the community. On the- occasion of its opening as a hotel there were nearly 200 citizens and 5o8 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. strangers present, who partook of the good things prepared for them. Among those present were Messrs. Baylies and Holmes of Taunton, Weeks of Boston, and Thomas of Worcester. Grace was impressively pronounced by Rev. Sylvester Holmes, and later on at the close of the repast, Rev. Thomas M. Smith returned thanks in a brief and appro- priate manner. Many brilliant speeches and remarks were made, and toasts suitable to the occasion were tendered, among which were " The Parker House," responded to by J. A. Parker, esq. ; " The homes of New Bedford," by Colonel Clifford ; " The health of the hostess of the Parker House," drank standing, by W. T. Hawes; "The Nestor of the ocean, Commodore Crocker,'' by the president, and many other excellent and appropriate terms, including a rousing toast to " Our Host," by Will- iam Eddy. The Parker House has been a popular hostelry ever since and is now under control of Holder M. Brownell. The Mansion House was formerly the residence of William Rotch. It was converted into a hotel and first opened in that capacity Decem- ber 1 8, 1828, by J. Webster. It has in the three score years' service as a public house witnessed many changes in the appearance of the " Four Corners " and has been greatly altered and enlarged. It is impossible to get an accurate list of the different proprietors of the hotel, but it was conducted for many years by Lewis Boutell, and was purchased in 1878 by S. T. Viall and Charles T. Cook, from the heirs of the Boutell estate. Messrs. Viall and Cook are the present owners. Charles W. Ripley has been the proprietor since 1885 and the house has been a successful en- terprise under his management, so much so, that a large addition was built to the north end of the old structure in 1887 and in 1891 exten- sive alterations made in the interior of the hotel, connecting it with the building just east which now forms a part of it. In front of the Man- sion House on Union street, in the early part of the century were two or three poplar trees, and two poplar trees on Second street. When the house was modeled into a hotel these trees were cut down. THE FIRST BANK. 509 CHAPTER XXV. FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS OF NEW BEDFORD. New Bedford as a Financial Center — Elements of its Monetary Stability — The First Banking Institutions — Other State and National Banks — Savings Institutions — Board of Trade. THE National Bank of Commerce, which by two successions and change of name is the outgrowth of the first bank ever established in this town, has an interesting history. By reference to old newspaper files and early town records we find that in 1803 the business of the town had reached proportions sufficiently large to warrant the estab- lishing of a bank. In that year the Bedford Bank was incorporated with a capital of $60,000, an amount which at the beginning of the en- terprise was thought would be more than could be loaned ; but in 1804 prosperity had so far attended the venture as to make it necessary to increase the capital to $150,000. The old charter expired in 18 12, dnring the last war with England, and all branches of business were in such an unsettled state that the afi'airs of the bank were concluded and for an interval of four years following. New Bedford was without a bank- ing house. Thomas Hazard was the first president of this early bank and John Pickens the cashier, while among the directors were John Howland, Cornelius Grinnell, William Rotch, jr., and Thomas Nye. The Bedford Commercial Bank was organized in t8i6, with a capi- tal of $100,000, which in 1821 was increased to $150,000; in 1825 to $250,000; in 1831 to $400,000, and in 185 1 to $600,000. Joseph Ricketson occupied the position of cashier at a salary of $500 per year, and John Avery Parker, Cornelius Grinnell, Gideon Howland, George Howland, Seth Russell, jr., James Arnold, Joseph Ricketson, Thomas Nye, and Samuel Rodman, jr., were chosen directors, with George Howland as president. Mr. Howland retained the position of presi- dent until his death in 185 i, when he was succeeded by Edward Mott Robinson, who was followed in i860 by Thomas Nye, jr. Thomas S. Sio HISlORy OF NEW BEDFORD. Hathaway was president from 1868 until 1878, since which time Fran- cis Hathaway has held that office. On December 19, 1864, a reorgan- ization took place and the Bedford Commercial Bank became the Na- tional Bank of Commerce, with directors of follows : Thomas Nye, jr., William J. Rotch, Thomas S. Hathaway, George Hussey, Matthew Howland, Charles L. Wood, William Hathaway, jr., Thomas Knowles, Henry Taber, and William C. N. Swift. The present capital of the bank is $1,000,000, to which amount it was increased in 1874, and the present surplus is $200,000. The old bank building at the time of its erection, with its improved subterranean vaults, was believed to be burglar proof. The present building was begun in 1883 and completed and occupied in July, 1884. It is a handsome structure and one of the city's best examples of modern architecture. The directors of the bank since its organization in 1816, with the years of their term of service, have been as follows : John Avery Parker, 1816 to 1825; Cornelius arinnell, 1816 to 1831; Gideon How- land, jr., 1816 to 1825; George Howland, 1816 to 1852 ; Seth Russell, jr., 1816 to 1834; James Arnold, 1S16 to 1836, 1837 to 1838, 1840 to 1854; Joseph Riclcptson, 1816 to 1842 ; Thomas Xyp, 1816 to 1831 ; Samuel Rodman, jr., 1816 to 1849 ; Nathaniel Hath- away, 1825 to 1832 ; Thomas Rotch, 1825 to 1826; Charles W. Morgan, 1826 to 1848; Joseph Grinnell, 1831 to 1832 ; William T. Russell, 1831 to 1837 ; Thomas S. Hathaway, 1832 to 1878; Jireh Perry, 1832 to 1849 ; Thomas Nye, jr., 1834 to 1869, 1871 to 1883; Edward Molt Robin.son, 1836 to 1840, 1848 to I860; William Hathaway, jr., 1838 to 1886 ; Abraham H. Howland, 1842 to 1847; Charles L. Wood, 1847 to 1882; William 0. Nye, 1849 to 1 850 ; Wdliam C. N. Swift, 1849 ; George Hussey, 1849 to 1866 ; Will- iam J. Rotoh, 1852 ; Matthew Howland, 1852 to 1885 ; Frederick Parker, 1859 to 1862; John Hunt, 1860 to 1862; Henry Taber, 1862; Thomas Knowles, 1862 to 1878; John H. Clifford, 1866 to 1872 ; Leander A. Plummer, 1867 to 1885 ; James Robinson, 1872 to 1875; Benjamin T. Cummings, 1877 to 1882; Charles W. Clifford, 1878; Francis Hath- away, 1878; Frederick Swift, 1880; Morgan Rotch, 1882; Wilham A. Robinson, 1882 to 1889; Oliver Prescott, 1883 to 1890; Otis N. Pierce, 1883; Charles W. Plummer, 1883; Joseph F. Knowles, 1883; Walter Chfford, 1885; Manly U. Adams, 1885; Will- iam D. Howland, 1880; Francis H. Stone. 1891. The cashiers have been as follows: Joseph Ricketson, 1816-44; James H. Crocker, 1834-38 ; Thomas B. White, 1838-75; Benjamin F. Coombs, 1875-76; and James H. Tallman, 1877 to the present time. The teller is Horace Wood. The present officers are as follows : President, Francis Hathaway ; vice-president, William C. N. Swift; cashier, James H. Tallman; di- rectors, Francis Hathaway, William C. N. Swift, Henry Taber, William MECHANICS' NATIONAL BANK. 511 J, Rotch, Charles W. Clifford, Frederick Swift, Charles W. Plummer, Walter Clifford, Morgan Rotch, Otis N. Pierce, William D. Howland, Manly U. Adams, and Francis H. Stone. The Mechanics' National Bank occupies the north half of the bank building on the east side of Water street at the foot of Wilham. The structure is fashioned after the style of old colonial architecture and is one of New Bedford's landmarks. It was originally a State bank, and was incorporated October 3, 1 831, under the title of " the President, Directors, and Company of the Mechanics' Bank of New Bedford." A petition was tendered the Legislature for a renewal of the original char- ter, March, 1849, which would expire by limitation October i, 1851. Notwithstanding the fact that the bank was reorganized as a National bank June 3, 1864, it did not discontinue business as a State bank until March 31, 1865. The original capital was $200,000, which was increased to $400,000 April 12, 1854. The, present capital is $600,000 to which amount it was raised in June, 1857. The present surplus is $225,000. The first board of directors comprised William R. Rod- man, Thomas Mandell, George T. Baker, Joseph R. Shiverick, John Perkins, Edmund Gardner, Pardon Tillinghast, Andrew Robeson, and Dudley Davenport, Those who have served as directors, with the dates of their service have been : William R. Rodman, 1831 to 18.51 ; Thomas Mandell, 1831 to 1870; George T. Baker, 1831 to 1843,- Joseph R. Shiverick, 1831 to 1860; John Perkins, 1831 to 1849: Edmund Gardner, 1831 10 1872; Pardon Tillinghast, 1851 to 1872; Andrew Robeson, 1831 to 1843 ; Dudley Davenport, 1831 to 1843 ; James H. CoUms, 1843 to 1861 ; William Cum- mings, 1843 to 1849; Jonathan Howland, 1843 to 1849 ; John R. Thornton, 1849 ; Jireh Swift, jr., 1849; Edmund Tiiber, 1849 to 1861; Henry Taber, 1851 to 1852; WiUiam Watkins, 1852 to 1880; Loum Snow, 1860 to 1872; William W. Crapo, 1861; Thomas Wilcox, 1861; Sylvanus Thomas, 1866 to 1867; Andrew G. Pierce, 1867; Edward D. Mandell, 1871; Horatio Hathaway, 1872; Henry F. Thomas, 1872 to 1880 ; Loum Snow, jr., 1876 ; E. Williams Hervey, 1883 ; Edward Kilbui-n, 1884 to 1889; Henry C. Denison, 1887 ; William 0. Taber, jr., 1890. William R. Rodman was the first president, holding the office twenty years, resigning in October, 1851. His successor was Thomas Man- dell, who was elected October 1 1, 185 i, and retained the office until his death, February 13, 1870. William W. Crapo, now president of the in- stitution," was chosen to that position June i, 1870. Joseph Congdon, the first cashier, held that position twenty-six years, resigning in Octo- 5 1 2 HISTOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. ber 7, 1857 on accountof ill health. E. Williams Hervey succeeded Mr. Congdon as cashier and retained the position until August 9, 1882, leaving it on account of feeble health, after having been in the service of the bank for twenty- nine years, nearly twenty- five of which was spent as cashier. The present cashier, James W. Hervey, was his suc- cessor. Lemuel T. Terry is the assistant cashier, and the bank's offi- cers are as follows: President, William W. Crapo ; vice-president. Andrew G. Pierce; cashier, James W. Hervey; directors, William W. Crapo, Andrew G. Pierce, John R. Thornton, Jireh Swift, jr., Thomas Wilcox, Edward D. Mandell, Horatio Hathaway, E. Williams Hervey, Loum Snow, jr., Henry C. Denison, and William C. Taber, jr. The Citizens' National Bank is located in their handsome new build- ing at the northwest corner of William and Second streets. The bank was incorporated May 17, 1875, with a capital of $250,000, and the following board of directors : J. Arthur Beauvais, John P. Knowles, William J. Kilburn, Joseph H. Cornell, Lewis S. Judd, and John F. Tucker. Mr. Beauvais was at that time engaged in a banking enter- prise and was elected president, a position which he still holds. The present capital of the bank is $500,000 and this amount is supplemented by a surplus and undivided dividends of $125,000. The first cashier was Thomas B. Fuller, who died in 1886, and was succeeded by Edward S. Brown, the present incumbent. George M. Kingman is teller. The names of those who have comprised the bank's board of directors follows : J. Arthur Beauvais, 1875; John P. Knowles, 1875; William J. Kilburn, 1875;; Charles Tucker, 1875 ; Joseph H. Cornell, 1875 to 1886 ; Henry T. Wood, 1876 to 1883; George Marston, 1880 to 1883; Fred S.Potter, 1881; Oliver P. Brightman, 1884; Wendell H. Cobb, 1884 to 1888; Thomas B, Puller, 1885 to 1886; David B. Kenjptou, 1886 ; Cyrenius W. liasknis, 1887; Hosea M. Knowlton, 1889; Benjamin Wilcox, 1889; David L. Parker, 1891. The present officers are : President, J. Arthur Beauvais ; cashier, Edward S. Brown ; directors, J. Arthur Beauvais, John P. Knowles, William J. Kilburn, Fred S. Potter, Oliver P. Brightman, David B. Kempton, Benjamin Wilcox and David L. Parker. The new building was first occupied April i, 1891, and is constructed of Long Meadow Free Stone. THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK. 513 The First National Bank, located at the southeast corner of Union and Second streets, had its origin in the organization of the Marine Bank, April 3, 1832, with a capital of $200,000 Joseph Grinnell was its first and only president. The first board of directors comprised Joseph Grinnell, Nathaniel Hathaway, Kimball Perry, Joseph S. Tilling- hast, Alexander H. Campbell, Ephraim Kempton, Benjamin Russell, Joseph R. Anthony, and William W. Swain. John E. Williams, William M. Sisson and John P. Barker were the cashiers. Its name was changed to the First National Bank in 1864, and it was the first national bank in the city and one of the first to adopt the national banking system. The directors under its reorganization as the First National Bank were Joseph Grinnell, Ward M. Parker, William Gifford, Edward W. How- land, Edward C. Jones, Lemuel Kollock, George F. Barker, Otis Sea- bury, 'and Ivory H. Bartlett, jr. Joseph Grinnell continued to act as president of the bank until January, 1878, when he was succeeded by Edward W. Howland. William Watkins was the next president, and he was followed by Edward S. Taber, who at present holds that posi- tion. The capital of $200,000 as originally established was increased in 1833 to $300,000, in 185 I to $500,000, in 1855 to $600,000 and in i860 to $1,000,000, at which figure it now stands. The bank's surplus aggregates $200,000, and since its organization it has been designated as a depository of United States funds. Walter P. Winsor succeeded John P. Barker as cashier in 1874 and continues to hold that position. George B. Hathaway is the teller. The directors since the organization as the Marine Bank, with the years in which their terms of service began and ended, have been as follows : Joseph Grinnell, 1832 to 1885; William W. Swain, 1832 to 1845; Nathaniel Hath- away, 1832 to 1837; Joseph S. Tillinghast, 1832 to 1835; Joseph R. Anthony, 1832 to. 1840; Kimball Perry, 1832, six months; Alexander H. Campbell, 1832 to 1834; Ben- jamin Russell, 1832 to 1833; Ephraim Kempton, 1832 to 1863; Stephen Merrihew,. 1832 to 1837; William C. Taber, 1833 tq 1857 ; James Howland 2d, 1834 to 1861 Atkins Adams, 1835 to 1850; Alexander H. Seabury, 1837 to 1840, and 1867 to 1887 Edward C. Jones, 1837 to 1880; Ward M. Parker. 1840 to 1881; .Lemuel Kollock 1840 to 1888; Edward W. Howland, 1845 to 1879; William Gifford, 1851 to 1866 George F. Barker, 1857 to 1865; Otis Seabury, 1860 to 1875; Ivory H. Bartlett, jr. 1862 to 1865 ; James Henry Howland, 1865 to 1884 ; Joseph 0. Delano, 18' 5 to 1886 Charles H. Gifford, 1866 to 1881 ; John P. Knowles 2d, 1867 to 1887 ; Samuel P. Burl 65 SH HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. 1871 to 1875 ; Abram T. Eddy, 1876 ; Walter P. Winsor, 1879 ; William Watkins, 1879 ; Thomas M. Stetson, 1880; Edward S. Taber. 1881; Edmund Grinnell, 1882 to 1888; William Baylies, 1885; Edward T. Pierce, 1886; Humphrey W. Seabury, 1887 to 1891; Savory C. Hathaway, 1887 ; Mathew Luce, 1888; Sidney W. Knowles, 1888; Thomas B. Tripp, 1890; Thomas A. Tripp, 1891. The present officers are: President, Edward S. Taber; cashier, Walter P. Winsor; directors, Abram T. Eddy, Walter P. Winsor, William Watkins, Thomas M. Stetson, Edward S. Taber, William Bay- lies, Savory C Hathaway, Edward T. Pierce, Mathew Luce, Sidney W. Knowles, Thomas B. Tripp, and Thomas A. Tripp. The Merchants' National Bank has its present comfortable quarters in the south half of the building at the foot of William street, but antici- pating the wants of its customers and the public needs, coming with increased population, it will ere long be installed in a fine block, which in all probability will soon be erected on the sight of the present Liberty Hall building, which property is owned by the bank. This bank is really the outgrowth of the Merchants' Bank which was organized July 13, 1825, with a capital of $150,000. While the bank was doing busi- ness under the State laws in 1828, this amount was increased to $250,- 000, again in 1831 to $400,000 and in 185 1 to $600,000. The first board of directors consisted of John Avery Parker, Samuel Borden, Job Eddy, Abraham Barker, Joseph Bnurne, William H. Allen, David R. Greene, John Coggeshall, jr., and Alfred Gibbs. Mr. Parker was president of the bank until his death, December 23, 1853, being suc- ceeded by Charles R. Tucker, who held the office until his death Decem- ber 21, 1876. Jonathan Bourne was the next president, and was followed in 1889 by the present incumbent, Gilbert Allen. James B. Congdon was the first cashier, holding that office thirty-three years. He resigned January i, 1858, and was succeeded by Peleg C. Howland, wlio devoted many years of faithful application to the welfare and best interests of the institution. He died October 26, 1 885, and was followed in the position by Henry C. W. Mosher, the present cashier. Gideon B. Wright and Lloyd S. Swain are the tellers. February 14, 1865, the bank was reorganized as the Merchants' National Bank of New Bedford with the following board of directors: Charles R. Tucker, Abraham Barker, David R. Greene, Gideon Allen, Thomas Bradley, Dennis Wood, Jonathan Bourne, William P. Howland and Andrew Hicks. The capi- 'n.^ f'-fy F Gi^yn^m^NX. VARIOUS BANKING INSTITUTIONS. 515 tal stock at this time was $600,000 with a surplus of $166,050.58. The capital was increased to $1,000,000 in 1869, at which figure it still re- mains, and the present surplus is $500,000. The directors of this bank since the beginning, with the years of their term of serv- ice, have been as follows: John Avery Parker, 1825 to 1854; William H. Allen, 1825 to 1829; Abraham Barker, 1825 to 1871; John Coggeshall, jr., 1825 to 1844-; Joseph Bourne, 1825 to 1828: Alfred Gibbs, 1825 to 1842; Job Eddy, 1825 to 18.i3; David R. Greene, 1825 to 1880; Samuel Borden, 1825 to 1849 ; William C. Nye, 1829 to 18-31 ; Gideon Allen, 1832 to 1878; Rehemiah Leonard, 1832 to 1843; Edward L. Baker, 1843 to 1864; Charles R. Tucker, 1844 to 1876 ; Dennis Wood, 1850 to 1878; William Penn Rowland, 1850 to 1869; Jonathan Bourne, 1854 to 1889; Andrew Hick.=, 1854; Thomas Bradley, 1855 to 1873; George F. Bartlett, 1866; William R. Wing, 1866; George R. Phillips, 1866 to 1889; Joseph Arthur Beauvais, 1872 to 1875; George F. Kingman, 1876; Stephen G. Drisool, 1876 to 1881; Lewis S. .ludd, 1877 to 1886 ; Samuel C. Hart, 1878; Thomas H. Knowles, 1878; Gilbert Allen, 1879; Abraham H. Howland, jr., 1879 to 1887; Francis B. Greene, 1880; William N. Churon, 1882 ; George S. Homer, 1887 ; James Delano, 1888; Charles M. Tripp, 1889. The present officers are as follows: President, Gilbert Allen; cash- ier, Henry C. W. Mosher ; directors, Andrew Hicks, George F. Bart- lett, William R. Wing, George F. Kingman, William N. Church, Thomas H. Knowles, Samuel C. Hart, Gilbert Allen, Francis B. Greene, James Delano, George S. Homer, and Charles M. Tripp. An organization known as the New Bedford Clearing House was es- tablished September i, 1888, comprising as its members the national banks of New Bedford. James W. Hervey was elected president and Edward S. Brown, secretary, both gentlemen still holding those posi- tions. All clearings are made at the National Bank of Commerce under the management of James H. Tallman. The New Bedford Safe Deposit and Trust Company occupies the brick building at the corner of Acushnet avenue and William street. The company was incorporated by an act of the Legislature in 1887,- with a capital stock of $100,000, and authority to increase it to $500,- 000. The first business was transacted in June, 1888, and in the fol- lowing November the capital stock was increased to $200,000. At that date the number of depositors was one hundred eighty-two, and the deposits amounted to $150,000. At the present time the deposits have increased to over $475,000, and the number of depositors to 1384. The company has a fine vault for the safe deposit of any article of 5i6 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. value, built by the Hall Safe and Lock Company of Cincinnati, Oliio, and aside from acting as agent for any corporation or city in issuing certificates of stock, bonds, or other evidences of indebtedness and for payment of dividends thereon, the company does a general banking business, identical with that of a national bank, excepting in the matter of issuing bank notes. Interest is allowed on daily balances and credited monthly. Storage rooms are also maintained for the safe keeping of pictures, silver ware and jewelry. The directors of the in- stitution are : Charles E. Hendrickson, William D. Rowland, Abbott P. Smith, Benjamin F. Brownell, Savory C. Hathaway, Lot B. Bates, Stephen A. Brownell, Standish Bourne, Frederic Taber, John W. Macomber, Lemuel Le Baron Holmes, George C. Hatch, Charles A. Gray, Charles C. Paisler. Charles E. Hendrickson was the first president and held that office until 1891, when he was succeeded by John W. Macomber. The present officers of the bank are : President, John W. Macomber; vice-presidents, Rufus A. Soule, Abbott P. Smith; cashier, Edmund W. Bourne; secretary, Edward T. Tucker; executive committee, William D Howland, John W. Macomber, Lemuel Le Baron Holmes, Standish Bourne, Lot B. Bates, Frederick Taber, The New Bedford Institution for Savings was one of the earliest sav- ings banks of the State, the first one being the Provident Institution for Savings, which was organized in Boston in 1816. The next one was the Salem Savings Bank, incorporated in 1818, the New Bedford insti- tution coming into existence August 15, 1825. Among other savings banks organized about the same time were the Springfield Institution for Savings, in 1827, and the Worcester Institution in 1828. The sav- ings bank which is the subject of this sketch was incorporated by the following gentlemen: William Roloh, jr., Gilbert Russell, Cornelins Grinnell, Andrew Robe.'ion, Hayden Coggeshall, Benjamin Rodman, John Avery Parker, Eli Haskell, Richard Williams, Georjje Howland, Joseph Bourne, Abraham She.irman, jr., William W. Swain, Thomas Rotch, Thomas A. Greene, Charles W. Morgan, Samuel Rodnjan, jr., John B. Smith, William C. Nye, Thomas S. Swain, William H. Allen, Lemuel Williams, jr., John How- land, jr., Charles H. Warren, William P. Grinnell, Joseph Ricketson, Charles Grinnell, Nathan Bates, John Coggeshall, jr.. James Howland 2d, and Gideon Howland. The first officers were as follows: President, William Rotoh, jr.; treasurer, Abraham Shearman, jr.; secretaiy, John B. Smith; trustees, William Rotch, jr., Gilbert Russell, Cornelius Grinnell, Hayden NEW BEDFORD INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS. 517 Coggeshall, John A. Parker, Eli Haskell, Joseph Bourne, Abraham Shearman, jr., Thomas Rotch, Thomas A. Green, Charles W. Morgan, Samuel Rodman, jr., William C. Nye, Thomas S. Swain, John Howland, jr., William P. Grrinnell, Nathaniel Bates, John Coggeshall, jr., and Gideon Howland. Following is a list of officers from 1825 until the present time: Presidents, William Rotch, jr., Abraham Barker, Thomas Mandell, Pardon Tilling- hast, Wilham C. Taber, and William Watkins. Secretaries — John B. Smith, Abraham Shearman, jr., Thomas A. Green, Joseph Rioketson, George Howland, jr., James B. Congdon, Charles R. Tucker, William C. Taber, Edmund Taber, Henry T. Wood, and William G. Wood. Treasurers — Abraham Shearman, jr., William C. Taber, George W. Baker, William C. Taber (treasurer pro tern.), Reuben Nye, William C. Coffin, and Charles H. Pierce. The present officers are as follows : President, William Watkins ; vice-presidents, William J. Rotch, Edward D. Mandell ; treasurer, Charles H. Pierce ; clerk, William G. Wood ; auditors, Benjamin Irish, Robert B. Gifford ; auditor of depositor's accounts, Benjamin Irish ; trustees, John R. Thornton, George A. Bourne, William J. Rotch, William Watkins, Edward D. Mandell, Gilbert Allen, Andrew G. Pierce, Charles H. Gifford, Asa C. Pierce, William G. Wood, William C. Taber, jr., Abram T.'Eddy, Horatio Hathaway, Edward S. Taber, Thomas M. Hart, Charles W. Clifford, Francis Hathaway, William A. Robinson, Charles W. Plummer, Isaac B. Tompkins, jr., George D. Watkins, William D. Howland, Jonathan Handy, Morgan Rotch, Lemuel T. Terry, Edmund Wood, Charles P. Rugg, Gideon Allen, jr. Edward T. Pierce, Henry H. Crapo, Charles M. Taber, Gardner T. Sanford, Charles H. Lawton. The first deposit, fifty dollars, was made by Rhoda E. Wood, of Fair- haven, August 15, 1825. A report of the institution issued December 28, 1825, shows that $13,051 had been deposited since its organization, and that during that time no deposits had been withdrawn. During the first two weeks of its existence $950 had been deposited by eleven persons. The annual report of the institution for the year 1829 shows that the deposits for that year were $48,392.68 and the dividends credited during the same period $4,765.35. The total amount of de- posits on hand January 7, 1830, was $134,195.61. At that time there were 748 depositors. In the year 1830 there were deposited $77,795.- 66 and the dividends credited were $6,313.84. Total amount of funds deposited and earned on hand January 11, 1831, was $199,699.51, and the number of deposits 973. The amount of deposits October 5, 1891, was $11,459,133.97; guar- anty fund, $523,000; undivided earnings, $80,880.31. The number of Si8 HISlORy OF NEW BEDFORD. accounts was 21,743. The total amount of regular dividends paid by the institution to 'date is $12,800,879.31, which exceeds the present total amount of deposits. The institution has never missed a semi- annual dividend. The present commodious building on the corner of William and North Second streets has been occupied since 1854, prior to which time the institution was located in the rear of the Merchants' Bank building, with entrance on Hamilton street. The New Bedford Five Cent Savings Bank is located on the west side of Purchase street, at the corner of Mechanic's lane, but has in course of erection a magnificent building on the same street, between William and Union, which will soon be occupied. The bank was incorporated April 14, 1855, by the following men : Thomas B. White, William H. Taylor, Lemuel Kollock, Ivory H. Bartlett, Alexander H. Seabury, Charles Almy, Henry H. Crapo, George Howland, jr., and Asa R. Nye. Of these George Howland, jr., is the only survivor. The first officers were as follows : President, G-eorge Howland, jr.; vice-presidents, Henry H. Crapo, Alexander H. Sea- bury ; treasurer, John P. Barker; secietary, Charles Almy; trustees, Georjre Howland, jr., Henry H. Crnpo, Alexander H. Seabury, John P. Barker, Charles Almy, Thomas B. White, Ivory H. Bartlett, Nehemiah Leonard, Andrew Robeson, Edward W. How- land, Moses Howe, Joshua Richmond, George F, Barker, Dennis Wood, Charles Hitch James Durfee, Lemuel KoUock, Asa R. Nye, Edward D. Mandell, William P. How- land, Alden G. Ellis, J. Arthur Beauvais, Moses G. Thomas, Samuel Ivers, Simpson Hart, Abner J. Phipps, William H, Taylor, James Taylor, William L. Rodman, Horatio Leonard, and John Wood. The following have served as officers of the organization to the pres- ent time : President, George Howland, jr.; secretaries, Charles Almy, James Taylor; vice-pres- idents, Alexander H. Seabury, Dennis Wood, Frederick S. Allen, Lemuel Kollock, and Walter Clifford; treasuiers, John P. Barker, from May, 1855, to October, IS.Jo; Jemes C. Ricketson, from October, 1855, to April 6, 1861 ; Barton Ricketson, jr., from April,. 18G1, to May, 1889; William H. Pitman, June 10, 1889, to the present time. The present officers are: President, George Howland, jr.; vice-pres- idents, Frederick S. Allen, Walter Clifford ; treasurer, William H. Pit- man ; clerk, James Taylor; trustees, George Howland, jr., Frederick S. Allen, Walter Clifford, James Taylor, Samuel Ivers, Thomas Wilcox, William G. Taber, E. WiUiams Hervey, James P. Macomber, Warren Ladd, Edwin Dews, Loum Snow, Frederisk S. Gifford, J. Augustus VARIOUS BANKING INSTITUTIONS. 519 Brownell, Thomas H. Knowles, Otis N. Pierce, Benjamin T. Cum- mings, John F. Swift, Henry C. Denison, Samuel H. Cook, George N. Alden, George F. Kingman, Horace Wood, Oliver F. Brown, William J. Kilburn, William R. Wing, Edward B. Whiting, Samuel C. Hart, William Baylies, Frederick S. Potter, Parkman M. Lund, Frederick H. Hooper, George H. H. Allen, J. Arthur Beauvais, Gilbert D. Kingman, Oliver P. Brightman, Cyrenius W. Haskins, James Delano, George B. Richmond. The first deposit, $25, was made by Horace W. Barker, May 26, 1855. At the present time the deposits have reached $4,641,064.78; guaranty fund, $150,985.51 ; undivided earnings, $97,024.20. The New Bedford Co operative Bank, or Loan Association, was or- ganized July 3, 1 88 1, chartered three days later, and began business August 19. On the first night $374 was paid in. The membership has increased from forty or fifty to seven hundred and four and the present amount of real estate loans is $235,747.73; the amount of share loans $18,96500. The earnings for the past six months have averaged six per cent. The authorized capital of the institution is $1,000,000. The present officers are: President, Geo. R. Stetson; vice president, Benj. F. Browntll ; secretary, Charles R. Price ; treas- urer, Gideon B. Wright ; directors, Benjamin Anthony, Oliver P. Brightman, Jasper W. Braley, Jethro C. Brock, John L. Gibbs, Henry Howard, Samuel S. Paine, Rufus A. Soule, John A. Bates, Charles S. Paisler, David W. Holmes, Andrew R. Palmer, Stephen A. Brownell, Samuel Jones; auditors, Isaac B. Tompkins, jr , Frederic Taber, Daniel W. Cory ; attorney, Hosea M. Knowlton. The Acushnet Co-operative Bank was organized November 12, 1889, chartered November 15, and commenced business the following day. The bank is located with the New Bedford Co operative Bank in the Winslow building on Union street. It was organized at a time when the rates for money were very high, and the great increase in the mem- bership of the New Bedford Co-operative Bank made it appear advis- able to the officers of that institution to organize another bank. The first series of shares was issued in November, 1889, consisting of 1,087 shares issued to 160 members in the first six months. The bank had at that time six real estate and no share loans. The total issue of 520 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. shares is now 1,893, and the membership 263. There are twenty-four real estate loans amounting to $33,05000, and nineteen share loans, amounting to $2,295.00. The authorized capital is $1,000,000. The officers of the bank are: President, Rufus A. Soule ; vice-president, Charles S. Paisler; secretary, Charles R. Price; treasurer, Gideon B. Wright; directors, Benjamin Anthony, O. P. Brightman.J. C. Brock, J. A. Bates, Lot B. Bates, J. W. Braley, B. F. Brownell, John Eldridge, jr., David W. Holmes, William A. Kirby, George R. Stetson, Frederick Taber, Charles M. Taber, Edmund W. Bourne; attorney, William M. Butler; auditors, Daniel W. Cory, Albion T. Brownell, Benjamin H. Anthony. The private banking house of Sanford & Kelley is located at 47 North Water street. The partners are Gardner T. Sanford and Charles S. Kelley. They do an investment business, are members of the Boston Stock Exchange, and are stock auctioneers. They have a private tele graph wire connecting their office with that of their correspondents in Boston, by which they have telegraphic connection with New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Providence. They were the first in this city to lease a private wire. The business was established in 1848 by the late Edward L. Baker. He sold out to Samuel P. Burt, his confidential clerk, in 1865. In 1875 Mr. Burt took as partners Mr. Sanford and Mr. Kelley, under the firm name of S. P. Burt & Co., Mr. Burt being located in Milwaukee, Wis. On the death of Mr. Burt, in the West in 1884, the surviving partners formed the present firm. The Bristol County Mutual Fire Insurance Company was organized in Taunton, being chartered February 29, 1829, and was removed to this city September 14, 1839, Joseph S. Tiliinghast then being ap- pointed its secretary. At his death George N. Alden was chosen sec- retary. The amount insured up to 1891 was $3,564,346. The present officers are : President, James Taylor ; secretary and treasurer, George N. Alden ; directors, James Taylor, Oliver P. Brightman, George F. Kingman, Thomas H. Knowles, Isaac H. Coe, William R. Wing, Sam- uel C. Hart. New Bedford Board of Trade. — This organization, numbering about 200 of the representative business men of the city, was organized March S, 1884, with Frederick Swift as president. The board had for its ob- «. ^na'^bvr. C Kernaiii''^^^ BOARD OF TRADE. 521 ject the industrial, financial, and architectural improvement of New Bed- ford, and has been so far successful that since its organization there have been invested in home manufacturing $4,000,000, and the population increased more than 6,000. It held industrial exhibitions during two successive years — 1887, 1888 — and another in 1890, which were well patronized and wielded a powerful influence upon the people in favor of home investments. The board includes among its officers and members men who have the best interests of New Bedford at heart, and who n.ever neglect an opportunity to speak and act for its welfare and advancement. Frederick Swift retained the position of president of the board from 1884 to 1886, when he was succeeded by Jireh Swift, jr., who held the ofBce until 1888. Since that time Isaac B. Tompkins, jr., has been the president. The officers and directors for 1891 are: President, Isaac B. Tompkins, jr. ; vice-presidents, Jireh Swift, William J. Rotch, Francis Hathaway, Samuel C. Hart, Charles S. Kelley, Frederick Swift ; secre- tary and treasurer, George R. Phillips; assistant secretary, Augustus A. Wood ; directors, William A. Robinson, George R. Stetson, George S. Homer, Walter Clififord, William D. Howland, Thomas B. Tripp, William G. Wood, William BayUes, Eben C. Milliken, William C. Taber, William R. Wing, James Delano, William N. Church, William Lewis, William Sanders, Lemuel LeB. Holmes, Charles S. Ashley, Stephen A. Brownell, Rufus A. Soule, George M. Eddy, Antone L. Sylvia, William H. Besse, A. G. Alley, jr. The rooms of the board are at 33 North Water street. 52 2 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. CHAPTER XXVI. THE PRESS OF NEW BEDFORD. An Early Field for Journalism — The First Publication in New Bedford — Extracts from Its Contents — The Second Newspaper — Other Early Journals — The News- papers of the Present Day. rEW cities in New England can boast of the publication of a weekly- newspaper at as early a date as New Bedford. The people who composed a large share of our inhabitants in the latter part of the eight eenth century were highly intellectual as a class, and hence the field was a good one for the establishment of a newspaper. In the year 1792, when our republic had reached only the sixteenth year of its independ- ence, appeared The Medley, or New Bedford Marine Journal, edited and printed by John Spooner, " at his office near Rotch's wharf." The first number appeared Tuesday, November 27, 1792, was a sixteen col- umn folio, and was the first newspaper ever published in New Bedford. It was devoted to miscellany, marine news, political events, some for- eign news and advertising. In his address to the public the editor says he " flatters himself, that so long as his exertions tend to scatter the rays of knowledge, of morality, and of refinement among the people, the public will afford him every reasonable encouragement, in propor- tion to the utility of his exertions." Advertisements were inserted, not exceeding twelve lines, three weeks for four shillings, each contin uation nine pence. Among the advertisements in the first few issues we find that of William Rotch, jr., who "respectfully informs his cus- tomers and friends he has for sale, wholesale and retail, at his store in New Bedford, sail cloth of an excellent quality," coarse and fine sheet- ing, large and small looking-glasses, glass tumblers, twine and cordage, flour and shipbread, pork and salt, Philadelphia and Russia bar iron, paints of several kinds, sheathing paper, wrapping paper, etc. The brig Mary is advertised to sail on or before the 20th of Decem- ber for Havre de Grace, Cornelius Grinnell, master. " For freight or THE FIRST NEWSPAPER. 523 passage apply to Seth Russell, or to the master on board." The sloop Mayflower, Gibbs West, master, is advertised to sail for New York and Chesapeake, on or about the 1st of December. " For freight or passage apply to Elisha West," etc. Caleb Greene respectfully informs his friends and the public in gen- eral, " that he carries on and proposes to enlarge the bookbinding busi- ness in its several branches. He has for sale account books for shop- keepers, tradesmen, etc.; books for records and school books. Also black and red ink of the best quality." John Spooner announces that he has just received from New Lon- don, and has for sale a long list of books, including Bibles, Testaments, spelling books, hymn books, poems, histories, books of adventure, any of which " will be given in exchange for clean cotton and linen rags, old sail cloth or junk." The printer also announces that he will receive of country customers any kind of produce, or wood, " if they prefer cash to it," in payment for newspapers, or of any farmer who wishes to become a customer. The" second issue, published Saturday, December i, 1792, contained the speech of President Washington to both houses of Congress, deliv- ered in the Senate chamber November 6 of that year. The third number contained, among other things, the Congressional proceedings of the Second Congress of Confederated America, third session, Philadelphia. Joseph Damon offers for sale, December 8, 1792, "a large well built vessel, just launched, S9j^ feet keel, 22^ feet beam, 9 feet in lower hold, 4 feet between decks." The first marriage notices found in the paper are those of Beriab Howland, of Westport, to Mrs. Lucy Brightman, of this town ; at Nan- tucket, Cj(».rles Coffin to Mrs. Meriam Parker; Thomas Marshall to Miss Ruth Dow ; Jonathan Waldo Colesworthy to Miss Polly Coffin ; Capt. Joseph Clasby to Miss Hannah Chadwic?k. For seven years this primitive sheet greeted the eyes of the inhabit- ants of this vicinity, and not one of those who searched its columns is- hving to-day, while many of their grandchildren have lived and passed' from our view. The Medley was discontinued in September or Octo- ber, 1799, Mr. Spooner having sold his interest in the paper and print- ing business to Abraham Shearmafi, jr. 524 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. The Columbian Courier, edited by Abraham Shearman, jr., which appeared first on December 8, 1798, was the second paper pubhshedin New Bedford. It was also a sixteen- column foHo, devoted to " authen- tic intelligence, foreign and domestic, and to accomplish which the ed- itor will avail himself of every arrangement which he can form for that purpose ; " proceedings of Congress and the Legislature, and other acts of government " as may be generally interesting, mercantile and marine information and articles of a local nature, with others adapted to a newspaper." Advertisements were inserted at reasonable rates. The Courier continued to appear each week until March i, 1805, when it was discontinued. The Old Colony Gazette appeared in October, 1808. The name was altered to the New Bedford Gazette in 181 1, and again to the Bristol Gazette in 181 2, at which time its place of publication was removed to Fairhaven. The large proportion of Federalists on this side of the river had given the paper poor support, and the removal was made to gain the patronage of the many Democrats of Fairhaven. The publication ceased after the issue of July 10, 1813. Billings & Tucker had charge of it until 1810, and were succeeded by Joseph Gleason, jr., who, hav- ing received an appointment in the army, disposed of the paper to Paul Taber February 5, 1813. The New Bedford Courier, edited by Benjamin T. Congdon, made its first appearance June 12, 1827. Beginning with the seventh volume, June 5, 1833, the words Weekly Lyceum were added to the title, and an engraving, representing the Lyceum building, was placed at the head. In the ensuing year the Workingmen s Press, a paper which fiirst appeared in May, 1832, was united with the Courier. The first number of the consolidated sheets was issued February 26, 1834, under the charge of Harris & Burroughs, to whom Mr. Congdon had trans- ferred his interest in the paper ; but owing to some disagreement, after the publication of the second or third number the paper again passed into his hands and was continued by him under the same tide. New Bedford Weekly Courier and Worki7tgmen' s Press, until July 2, 1834, when he disposed of it to Jeremiah G. Harris and Charles W. Rexford, who changed the title to The New Bedford Gazette and Weekly Courier, and published it in connection with the Daily Gazette until November EARLY NEWSPAPERS. 525 3 of the same year, when the partnership wag dissolved by the with- drawal of Mr. Rexford. The paper was then continued under the ed^ itorship of Mr. Harris until 1838, but it was printed and pubhshed after January i, 1837, by J. AUyne & Co. The name seems to have been again changed in 1838 to the New Bedford Weekly Advertiser, but neither this paper nor the Daily Gazette was published in 1839. The New Bedford Daily Gazette, established in 1833, was edited by Charles W. Rexford and J. G. Harris, as above noted. The Register, a daily and weekly paper, edited and published by William Canfield, first appeared in 1839. It was continued as the Morning Register, and Nezv Bedford Register, by Canfield & Andros, in 1841. It also appeared as the Evening Register, and New Bedford Register, under William Young, in 1845. The Daily Evening Bulletin, and The Semi- Weekly Bulletin com- menced in 1842, edited by William Eddy in 1843, by Charles T. Cong- don in 1844, by Henry Tilden in 1845-6. During the year 1846 the evening paper was published tri- weekly, and the name of the weekly changed to The Weekly Bulletin and Advocate. The Whaleman's Shipping List and Merchant's Transcript was edited by Henry Lindsey from its commencement, March 17, 1843, to i^SS. •" which year Mr. Lindsey died. The paper then passed into the hands of Benjamin Lindsey, and was conducted by him until 1875, when it was purchased by E. P. Raymond, who has managed it since 1861. Mr. Raymond still conducts the paper and in its peculiar character it has no competitor in the world. Its subscribers are found in every land and every clime where civilization is known. The Seaman's Reporter and Family Visitor, afterwards the New Bed- ford Reporter and Whaleman s Visitor, edited by Joseph H. Smith, appeared in July, 1844. In 1848 it was issued in an enlarged form and was still edited by Mr. Smith. He was succeeded in 1849 t>y Charles H. Kingsford. In connection with the weekly, Mr. Smith also pub- lished from July 2, 1847, ^ ^^mi weekly, called the New Bedford Re- porter and Semi- Weekly Democrat. Mr. Kingsford subsequently issued an octavo sheet, containing advertisements almost exclusively, and cir- culated it gratuitously. The New Bedford Times, a weekly paper, was edited and published by John Eraser, from 1857 to 1861. 526 HISlORy OF NEW BEDFORD. The New Bedford Signal, a twenty-column sheet, edited and pub- lished by George Robertson, began its career December 14, jSyS. It was subsequently enlarged to a twenty-four column paper, and was in- dependent in its political and religious views, being " bound by no sect, ruled by no party." It was, however, published but a short time. The Old Colonist, published quarterly at the office of Charles W. Knight, 88 Purchase street, first appeared in July, 1884. H. J. Stone was the news editor and business manager. The paper was devoted largely to church matters, its supporters being members, according to an article contained in its columns, of the Old Colony Conference of Congregational Churches. No place was given to political controversy, but the paper contained a display of well- chosen advertising matter, poetry, and personal sketches. Rev. Albert Hayford Heath assumed editorship in October, 1884, and Mr. Stone continued as business man- ager. The paper was then published monthly and enlarged from eight to ten pages. During the last year of its existence it was not pub- lished regularly and the last number appeared in December, 1886, at 45 William street, Mr. Stone having previously withdrawn from the enter- prise. New Bedford has been prolific, indeed, in its production of news- papers, many of which, although of comparatively short life, were of a high standing, morally and intellectually. The following were pub- lished at irregular intervals and by various editors. Some of them ad- vocating political causes, ceased to be of value when their ends were served or their constituents defeated, while others from lack of patronage by the public, or indisposition on the part of the proprietors, were discon- tinued within a few months of their first appearance : The Christian r^anthropist, edited by Daniel K. Whitaker, first appeared May 14, 1822. It was issued every Tuesday, and printed by B. Lindsey. It was devoted to the discussion of religious topics, com- ments upon philanthropy, and contained a summary of the United States Congress, some foreign intelligence, marriages, deaths and ship news. It was discontinued wfth the fiftieth number, May 13, 1823, when the editor announced through its columns that the paper would thereafter be "incorporated with the Christian Register, a weekly peri- o(3bal published at Boston." EXTINCT NEWSPAPERS. 527 The New England Gazette, published in 1823 by Joseph C. Melcher and a Mr. Rogers, under the firm name of Melcher & Rogers. On Jan- uary 23, 1826, under the proprietorship of Benjamin T. Congdon, the paper was united with the Weekly Mercury, and its pubHcation as the New England Gazette was discontinued. The Bristol Reporter, which was first issued January 3, 1826, was published by Bigelow & Clark, second door south of Commercial Bank on Water street, and came out every Tuesday. Only a few numbers are known to be in existence. The New Bedford Advertiser was published by Lindsey & Co. at the Mercury office. It was begun January 3, 1826, and lived less than a year. The Censor. The Record of the Times, a weekly published in 1830, by Stephen S. Smith, was printed on Water street, a few doors south of what is now Union street. The Morning Halcyon, Frederick S. Hill, editor, first appeared Oc- tober 18, 1843, 3nd was published under the firm name of Shaw, Still, Ellis & Co., at No. 4 Third street, corner of Union. It was a daily paper and lived but a short time. The Mayflower, printed at the Advocate office for the managers of the temperance fair, held at the City Hall, May, 1844. The Advocate, commenced in January, 1844, published by Henry Tilden. The Independent Press, first appeared November i, 1848, and was issued only a short time. It advocated Hon. A. H. Howland for Con- gress, and was discontinued after the election. It was a sixteen- column, small folio. The Harpoon, edited by William Miller. The Weekly Echo, first appeared in March or April, 1849, edited by Moses Brown, and printed by P. B. Sherman and I. F. Jones, at No. 20 North Water street. The Path-Finder, an anti slavery sheet, began April 9, 1854. It was published weekly, "by an association of men and women, if sufficient means ar£ supplied." John Bailey was the manager and publishing agent at No. 23 Purchase street. On October 18, 1854, there appeared S 2 8 HIS TOR Y OF NEW BEDFORD. under the same editorship The People's Press, which lived only a few months. Mr. Bailey afterwards removed to Lynn, Mass., where he died at an advan«ed age. The Whaleman, published weekly from January 4, 1854, to August 18, of the same year. It was edited by William S. Anderson. The Express, Chaney & Co., daily and weekly, February 25 to No- uember 3, 1856 The Herald. The Union, 1857, t>y Henry Tilden. The Citizen, one number, March 3, i860. The City Hall Advertiser, February, i860. Several numbers were afterwards issued as The City Hall Hour Glass, March 3, i860. The Waste Basket, a semi-weekly school journal, was established by William M. Emery and George A. Hough, and was published from September, 1884, until June, 1885. Numbers one to nine were edited by George A, Hough, with William M. Emery as business manager;- numbers ten to twenty, and supplement to number twenty, were edited by William M. Emery. New Bedford and Its Industries was an official paper printed and published at the second annual exposition of the New Bedford Board of Trade, which was held October i to 27, 1888. The paper was illustrated and there were nine numbers issued. Having noticed the early newspapers, most of which no longer exist, it remains for us to review New Bedford's representative journals of to- day, in the order in which they were established. The New Bedford Mercury, a weekly newspaper, and the third one published in the place, was established August 7, 1807, by Benjamin Lindsey, a compositor and foreman, who came from the printing office of the- Palladium in Boston. It was a sixteen-column folio, printed by the editor "in Water street," and the subscription price was $2 per annum. In his address to the public, the editor says : " It is our wish and intention to publish a useful, and as far as our resources will per- mit, an entertaining journal, embracing all those objects which properly fall within its scope." In politics the paper adhered to the Republican principles of Washington's Farewell Address, " being convinced that all Americans are alike interested in their support " The Mercury was a THE NEW BEDFORD MERCURY. 529 very interesting sheet, considering the disadvantages experienced in those days in securing any intelh"gence of a foreign nature. The first number contained a proclamation by Thomas Jefferson, and several local advertisements, among which were those of Abraham Shearman, jr., Peter Barney & Sons, John Alexander, William James, Howland & Grinnell, Congdon & Taber, and Josiah Wood. Mr. Lindsey conducted the Mercury alone until 1826, when he associ- ated with him his son, Benjamin Lindsey, jr. For five years father and son conducted the paper together and it grew in importance and value, was edited with ability, and enjoyed a wide circulation. In 1831 they started the Daily Mercury (the first daily paper published in New Bed- ford), and the senior member retiring soon after, the entire management devolved upon the son. His ability to successfully assume the whole responsibility is amply shown by a glance at the files of the briglit and enterprising sheet issued under his management. On Monday morning, October 3, 1842, the Daily Mercury appeared in an enlarged form, the columns being lengthened to meet the steadily increasing demand for advertising space and give the readers a more generous supply of ed- itorial and miscellaneous matter. Thirty- five years had elapsed since the initial issue of the Mercury as a weekly paper, and speaking in its own behalf, at that time, it happily says: "During the whole of that long period — in times of adversity and prosperity, in sunshine and in storm — it has enjoyed the confidenee and support of the community, in a degree flattering and substantial. It has grown with the growth of New Bedford, and strengthened with her strength. It has outlived many of its best and earliest patrons, and has chronicled the marriages, of nearly two generations." Mr. Lindsey was appointed United States consul at St. Catharines, Brazil, in 1861, and finding it impractical to continue the duties of edi- tor longer, he disposed of the newspaper establishment to C. B. H. Fessenden and William G. Baker, who took charge of the paper on the very eve of the late civil war, July 15, 1861. The new proprietors had. a limited amount of capital and were deficient in knowledge of the de- tails of the newspaper business, but were persevering, industrious, and' were animated by ambition that could not be restrained. The charac- ter of the Mercury did not suffer under their supervision. It was among 67 530 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. the earliest to advocate through its columns the arming of the enslaved negroes, and one of its many editorials on this subject had this caption: " We must fight them or free them." It at all times heartily supported the Republican administration in the prosecution of the war and throughout the long dark days of the Rebellion it assumed a cheery and hopeful tone. It also advocated with rnuch urgency the introduction of pure water into New Bedford, and the supplementing of the loss to the city from the inevitable decline of the whale fishery by the increase of manufactures. The Mercury passed into the hands of Messrs. Stephen W. Booth, Warren E. Chase and William L. Sayer, on May I, 1876. These gen- tlemen are thoroughly qualified to conduct a modern newspaper, and under the style of The Mercury Ptiblishing Company, still continue it. Mr. Booth had for years been in the employ of Fessenden & Baker as clerk and then as business manager. Mr. Chase had unlimited experi- ence and skill as a practical printer, and Mr. Sayer had graduated with honor from the Mercury office as a reporter. Mr. Sayer, its editor, has essayed to keep the paper independent in politics, approving or con- demning measures irrespective of party, and always maintaining a moral tone and character beyond reproach. The Evening Standard, and the Republican Standard, weekly, were founded by Edmund Anthony a native of Somerset. He learned the newspaper business in Taunton and established several newspapers there, publishing for many years the Bristol County Democrat awA also establishing the Daily Gazette. In 1865 he founded the Springfield Union. The Standard was first issued in February, 1850, and from that time to this it has been one of the representative news organs of the city and stands among the leading newspapers of Southern Massachu- setts. In politics it has always been unflinchingly Republican and its editorial columns have endorsed and advanced the great reforms of the times in touch with morality and progress The 5/««fl'«r^ began as a four-page sh'Set, of twenty columns and has grown to a large eight-page paper, publishing every Saturday an extra four- page supplement to accommodate the increasing amount of matter. From a limited circu- lation at first, it has grown to an issue of over 7,000 copies per day. The paper has been printed on a variety of presses, the first being a ^•i-J •'by.J.LPhMips-jri' EVENING STANDARD — EVENING JOURNAL. 531 small hand press. In 1889 a web perfecting press, manufactured by C. Potter, jr , & Co , with a capacity of 12,000 copies per hour, print- ing from stereotype plates, was put in to supply the growing demands for the Standard. This press has worked with wonderful success. Ex- tensive improvements of great advantage have recently been made on the Standard building and its facilities for collecting and printing news matter are of the best. It originally occupied a part of the building on the corner of North Water and Union streets, now used by Charles Taber & Company. Since its removal to its present location, additions have been made until now its floor space covers an area of 96,750 square feet. Upon the death of Edmund Anthony, his sons, Edmund, jr., and Benjamin, succeeded him in business, and have since been at the head of the establishment. The firm was incorporated January i, 1891, under the name of E. Anthony & Sons, and is comprised of the following: President and managing editor, Edmund AnthoYiy, jr., treasurer, Ben- jamin Anthony; clerk, Benjamin H. Anthony; cashier and manager advertising department, Gearge S. Fox ;\ foreman job department, Charles E. Pierce. Geoi^e A. Hough is fhe city editor and Henry Willey, editorial writer. The New Bedford Evening Journal, published daily except Sun- days, was first issued October 1 1, 1890. The company was incorporated with the following officers : President, Robert F Raymond ; clerk^ Charles W. Knight; treasurer, Eben C. Milliken ; directors, Robert F Raymond, Eben C. Milliken, Charles W. Knight, Isaac W. Bei^'amin,. William H. Pitman, Henry S. Hutchinson and W. P. Tobey. The present officers are: President, H. S. Hutchinson; treasurer, Eben C. Milliken ; clerk, Charles W. Knight ; directors, H. S. Hutchinson,. Henry G. Walters, John W. Macomber, and Alexander MacColl. The editorial staff consists of Alexander MacColl, editor; Horace B. Allen, city editor; J. B. Rockefeller, foreman composing-room. 1\i& Jotirnat has secured a wide circulation and has remained independent in politics. 532 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. CHAPTER XXVII. RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS. The First Congregational Ciiurch of New Bedford — The North Congregalional Church — Trinitarian Church — County Street M. E. Church — Fourth Street M. E. Church — The Pleasant Street M. E. Church — The Allen Street M. E. Church — First Primitive M. E. Church — Portuguese M. E. Church — Second Baptist Church — The Salem Baptist Church — The Bethel African M. PI. Church — African M. E. Zion Church — The Society of Friends — Grace Episcopal Church — St. James Episcopal Church — North Christian Church — Spruce Street Christian Church — Christian Sci- entists — Church of the Sacred Heart — St. Hyacinthe Parish — Latter-Day Saints — St Jihn Baptist Church (Portuguese) — Ladies' City Mission and Early Tract and Missionary Societies — Seaman's Bethel and Port Society — First Presbyterian Church — Rockdale Free Chapel — Cannonville Chapel — Extinct Churches ^Charitable and Benevolent Organizations. TH E First Congregational Society in New Bedford. ' — " It was in 1 795 that the first action was taken by which J:his society, in time, came to have an individual and corporate existence of its own. But before that corporate existence came, it had a specially organized joint existence with the ancient parish of the old township of Dartmouth, which had its meeting-house at the head of the Acushnet river. This society was a direct offshoot from that old parish by ecclesiastical procedure. More- over, by a special provision, it continued to hold certain rights in the mother society even after attaining a corporate life by itself; and now, of the several Congregational societies within the limits of New Bedford and Fairhaven, this one is bound back to the common parentage by more direct ties of ecclesiastical and legal continuity than any other. " The early and long-continued struggles between the several religious sects, Presbyterians, Baptists, Episcopalians and Quakers, in the col- onies have been quite fully treated in the opening chapters of this work, and therefore need not be further discussed here. It was not until 1 708, sixteen years after the Plymouth and Massachusetts Bay colonies were consolidated under a new charter, that the persistent efforts of the Gen- 1 Condensed from the historical discourses of Rev. William J. Potter, delivered in New Bedford in May and June, 1888. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. 533 eral Court to have in Dartmouth a minister after its own heart were crowned with success. In that year Samuel Hunt came to town and began his labors for estabUshing a church of the Congregational order. He was an educated man, a graduate of Harvard College. He was regularly appointed June 8, 1708, by an order of the General Court. He lived and labored here twenty-one years, and then died at his post in middle life, on the 25th of January, 1720, (N. S. 1730). But there had been Congregational preaching here before that time. James Gard- ner, a minister from Scotland, was living and working here in the earlier years of the century. The town records say that on the 15th of Feb- ruary, 1703, ' the town did vote that Mr. James Gardner should not be the minister of the town.' But this rebuff did not prevent the contin- uance of his labors. It was not, however, until Mr. Hunt came that Congregationalism began to have in Dartmouth a 'local habitation and a name.' There is evidence in the manuscripts preserved in Yale College, that the church was not organized until 1716; but this, doubt- less, means the church as a body of communicants. There were un- doubtedly preaching services from the time of Mr. Hunt's arrival, which were probably held at first in private houses. But a meeting-house was soon built, as is shown by a vote of the General Court on June 15, 1709, that 'fifteen pounds be allowed and paid out of the public treas- ury to Seth Pope, esq., towards the finishing of the meeting-house lately erected in the town of Dartmouth.' That meeting-house stood on the old burying ground at the head of Acushnet River. The grave-yard was in usp at least as early as 171 1 — the date of the earliest marked stone. " A petition of Mr. Hunt to the General Court one and three-quarters years after his arrival in tiie town, .shows that there were sixteen families dependent on his ministry, and that they had engaged themselves to pay him thirty pounds a year, and also to give him eighty acres of land and help him build a house upon it, " as a farther encouragement to stay among them.' From 1708, therefofe, the orthodox theory o{ the town as a parish was considered to have taken effect. Dartmouth, with 140 square miles, had a meeting-house at one side of it, and one minister for the whole, and approved by the General Cour^. It is certain, however, that the town as a whole never built the meeting house nor had any 534 HISIORY OF NEW BEDFORD. control over it. Mr. Hunt told the governor's council the next winter that his auditors had agreed to build a meeting-house. John Jenne's deed of the land says that the house had been built ' by the people of God called Presbyterians.' In reality the church was not of the Pres- byterian order. It was Congregationalist, of the colonial era. But while the orthodox polity of one established church co- extensive with the limits of the town, and having a lien upon all the town's inhabitants, had now been nominally introduced into Dartmouth, the town parish was so shaped and curtailed in its action by its peculiar surroundings, that from the outset it exhibited strong tendencies to differentiation from the authorized standard. By the provincial charter of 1692 the religious test in voting had been swept away (except as to Papists). Quakers as well as Baptists now had the franchise in Dartmouth, if they held certain estate, and the two classes together could largely out-vote the Congregationalists in town meeting. And both Baptists and Quakers were conscientiously opposed to the imposition of a general tax upon the town for religious purposes. " Mr. Hunt began early to recognize this peculiar condition of things in the field of his ministry, and was evidently moved by it to a spirit and methods of toleration. In the succeeding strife between the town and the provincial authorities relative to taxation for the church and the ministry, and in the difficulties surrounding the collection of his salary, he acted as an honorable pacificator. Regarding his salary, he went before the governor and council at Boston and said, among other things, that he was 'altogether unwilling any distress be made upon the said town, of Dartmouth for any part of the said sum ' for his mainte- nance. Here, then, was a proposal by a Congregationalist minister himself, at the outset of his ministry, to trust to the voluntary prin- ciple of supporting religious institutions in Dartmouth. It was utterly contrary to the theory which the provincial authorities held and were trying to enforce. The long struggle that followed between the court and the town upon this point need not be followed here. It must suffice to state that in the end the town was victorious, and in 1729 the General Court passed the important law exewipting Baptists and Quakers from taxation for the support of the town churches. " Mr. Hunt died in 1730, and on the 19th of June of that year a com- mittee was appointed to present to the town in due Congregational FIJiST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. 535 order the name of Rev. Richard Pierce as minister. The officers of the town were as dexterous as ever in resisting the authority of the ecclesiastical powers, and after considerable agitation of the matter, Mr. Pierce's name was not put to vote ; but on the same day, ' Philip Taber and Nicholas Davis were chosen and approbated by the said town for the said town's ministers to dispense the word and promote the gospel of Christ' This indicates the persistence of the town in op- position to Congregationalism, and in having its own way in the choice of ministers. Nicholas Davis was a Quaker, and Philip Taber was a Baptist. However, Mr. Pierce stayed with the parish as its pastor for sixteen years, and finally had a contest with the church for his salary, showing that he had probably entered into an understanding with the attendants of the so called town-church, by which they became re- sponsible for his pay. Mr. Pierce died in 1849. During his ministry a new meeting-house had been built on the lot of land deeded by John Jenne to ' the people of God called Presbyterians.' It was dedicated January 5, 1744, and stood nearly a century. Another important event during Mr. Pierce's administration was the act of the General Court in 1747, by which all this part of Dartmouth around the Acush- net River was set off from the town as a separate precinct, and was called the second precinct, the remainder of the town being left by right as the first precinct. The petitioners for this division — the Congrega- tionalists — acknowledged in their petition that the methods of the past had failed, as far as related to taxation, business, etc. When a separate precinct was set up in a town, the act meant that all parochial affairs were thenceforth to be removed from the town's business, not only those of the precinct established by law, but those also of the older parish, if there was one. A precinct still had power to tax for religious purposes all inhabitants in its territory (except those exempted by statute) and power to levy on the estates of persons who did not pay such tax, but it did not do its business any longer in town meetings or through the town officers. The special act in this case went further in the matter of freedom from taxation and exempted not only the Quakers and Anabaptists, ' but all such that shall hereafter commonly attend the Quaker and Anabaptist meetings,' Now that the township of Dartmouth had ceased to be even theoretically a parish, it is proper 536 HISTORY OF NEW BEDFORD. to state here that the evidence is almost absolutely conclusive that it had never at any time been a town parish in reality; that the town, as a town, never once levied nor paid a tax to support a preacher or to build a house of worship, nor elected a preacher who would receive any part of his support from the public treasury. "The next pastor was Israel Cheever, who was settled in 1751, and was dismissed in 1759. He was a native of Concord, Mass., and a graduate of Harvard College. " Mr. Cheever was succeeded by the famous Dr. Samuel West, inci- dents in whose remarkable career have been treated in earlier pages of this work. Like all of his predecessors in the old pulpit, he was a graduate of Harvard College. He was born in Barnstable in 1730, and graduated in 1754. He came to Dartmouth in June, 1760, and was invited to settle by both the church and the precinct on the 25th of September, 1760. His ordination did not take place until July 3, 1761. Dr. West was a man of powerful intellect, possessed of deep knowledge of the Bible, was well versed in history and politics, and an ardent pursuer of truth in all fields. He ^vas strong in controversy and did not hesi- tate to measure his powers with the ablest men of his time. He was an ardent patriot, one of the earliest believers in the necessity of the Revo- lution, and his influence was a great help to the cause of freedom. In religious thought he was ahead of his time, and judged by his own time he was an Arminian, which was the transition passage to Un-itarian- ism. It was a strong point with him to urge the people to take the Bible itself for creed rather than any creed which sectarians had ex- tracted from it. For forty years he ministered t^p this church and it will readily be understood that his influence for good in the community was most powerful. Yet' he sometimes suffered for want of the salary he had earned. One of his statements made in 1785 gives the amount due him as 541 pounds, 12 shillings and 11 pence. 'This account,' he says, ' I desire may be laid before the quarter sessions which sits in Taunton this week, that they may order the precinct officers to collect the money for me. My reasons for this request are: First, I owe money which I want to pay. Secondly, I want bread -corn for my family, and I can neither get money to purchase it nor the promise of it from those who owe me. Thirdly, I want clothing for myself and FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY. 537 family. These are important articles, for which, if they cannot be ob- tained, my family must suffer.' That was only one hundred years ago, and Samuel West was one of the greatest men of his time, yet this must not be attributed all to the thoughtlessness, much less to the in- tentional injustice of his parishioners. They were for the most part, especially at this time, just after the Revolution, in a condition of poverty. They were all poor together, with few exceptions. Ur. West knew this, and evidently waited as long as he could before presenting his account and asking for a legal collection. And it is evident, too, from the large amount that remained due at the end of his labors, that the legal measures had not Brought anything like the full sum owed to him. It is probable they brought enough for his temporary relief, and that then he would not permit the last legal resort to be taken for his benefit. " In 1787 the township of Dartmouth was divided and the town of New Bedford formed. The parish then had the same bounds with the territory of the new town. In consequence the defining -numeral, 'Second,' was dropped off its name and it became 'The Precinct' — only now the precinct of New Bedford, instead of Dartmouth. Still, by its incorporation, as well as by the tendencies of the time, it retained the management of its affairs in its own hands. Another change of still more importance was impending. After the Revolution, the popu- lation having largely increased on both sides of the river near its mouth, the inhabitants who were accustomed to go to church at the Head of- the-River, in the old church, began to be restless. They wanted a place of worship nearer home. This resulted, in 1790, in building a church in Fairhaven by certain Congregationalists who were members of the old parish, and Dr. West for about a year preached to b