FITCHBURG HISTORICAL SCEJCIETI/i‘ JOHN FITCH. EVAN ADDRESS ‘WITH APPENDIX ....__}B'y..___ HON. EZRA. s. STEARNS. WITH THE EXERCISES -------A’I‘ ’I‘I-IE——- DEDICATION OF THE FITCH MEMORIAL, AT.ASHBY,JULY 4,1s9g FITCHBURG: _ SENTINEL PRINTING COMPANY, PRINTERS. I A 1895. ‘DEDICATION OF THE FITCH MEMORIAL TABLET, ' . AT AsHBY, it WEDNESDAY, JULY 4TH, 1894:. ll’ Under thelauspices of the Fitchburg Historical Society, dedicatory exercises were held at Ashby, July 4th. There was a large attendance of Ashby citizens, and a good del- egation was _present from Fitchburg, including about one- half of the members of the society. The exercises began soon after 3 P. M., with an intro» ductory address by Henry A. Willis, Esq., president of the society. PRESIDENT WILI4IS’S ADDRESS. Friends :—We meet, to-day, on historic ground and amid historic memories. Filled With. the inspiration which this day of all others brings to the heart of everytrue American, we have left the scenes of boisterous enthusiasm and have come into this peaceful valley to spend a quiet hour in honoring the memory of one of the old pioneers in the civilization of this portionof the state. ‘ The anniversary of our country’s birth falls but one day short of the anniversary of a tragic event which occurred on this spot one hund-— red and forty-six years ago. Here was the scene of a merciless attack bya band of. savage Indians and the heroic defense of a home. ‘ The details of this story the orator of the day will probably re- hearseto you-, and I will not presume to trespass upon his ground. _ ' But perinit me to say that John Fitch,—-livinglhere, miles away from any other white settler, in a rudely fortified dwel1ing.,~1iis only garrison being his young family and two or three soldiers, sent him by the Gov- ernor of: theiProvince, standing- guard as it ;were at ,the.xporta1 of civil, 2 Dea’z'caz.‘z'o7/z of Z‘/ze Fiic/2 Jlfemoi/2'42! Tablet. ization,~—-was a hero, and as such we honor him. So did his fellow citizens honor him, and when, a few years later, it was determined to create a new town out of the too expansive territory of Lunenburg, he it was who was selected to secure the act of incorporation, and his name the one by which to designate the new municipality of Fitchburg. In every age and among all people, it has ever been the custom to commemorate good and brave deeds in song and story and monumen- tal stone and brass. So too, at rather a late day, it has been deemed fit and proper to thus commemorate the deeds and honor the memory of this sturdy old pioneer. The project of a monumentoriginated with the Fitchburg Historical Society about two years ago, and the city government generously ap- propriated the funds for the purpose. A joint committee of the city council and Historical Society have carried on the work to what seems to be an appropriate result. ‘ The completed monument, unpretentious in size but of enduring ma- terial, stands before us. i A The town of Ashby will take it to its perpetual care and keeping, and we are here to pronounce some formal words of dedication. To the simple services of the hour I bid youcordial welcome. The invocation was then made by Rev. ‘George M. Bodge, of Leominster. Ke11er’s “American Hymn” was next rendered by the combined choirs of the Ashby churches in a very effective manner, after which the Hon. Edgar 8.. Moulton, Mayor of Fitchburg, presented the tablet to the Town of Ashby. MAYOR MoUL'roN’s ADDRESS. "The Declaration of American Independence adopted by the Continené tal Congress, at the state house,'Philadelphia, July 4th, 1776, stands, today, the charter of our American liberty- A . - It was the first grand step of American freedom and progress in the march across this,continent, whose influence now-binds together ana- tion extending from the Lakes to Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was the death knell of England’s power over her American colonies, anclsevered the ties that bound them to contribute to her sup- port without a voice in their own government. At this distance from the occurrences of the day, when the enthusi- astic and just indignation that prompted this immortalstate paper. has Dea’z'cczz‘z'o7z of z‘/ze Fz'z'c/z ./lfemm/z'cz[ Tczélez. T 3 passed away, the allegations against King George and his ministers have, to a certain degree, lost much of their interest. At this period, when all nations have learned to respect us, and we count England among our best friends, the bitterness of these charges againstiher has, in our minds, faded away. i In the bosoms of the revolutionary fathers, however, they created a fervor of patriotism stronger than the love of life and property, and in defense of their principles these men took up arms, defied tyranny, fought, bled and died. With them, the issue was simply liberty or death. No- where is this sentiment more forcefully expressed than in the closing sen- tences of the Declaration itself: . “With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” . It was no empty boast. They went forth to battle for their rights with such earnestness that they won the prize for which they fought, and the American Republic, born of patriotism and of strife, won victoryl and peace for succeeding generations. The great principle established by the triumph of the American colo- nies was this: the equality of all men under the law, possessing the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the. pursuit of happiness, as one common heritage. And these rights and privileges are our heritage today. To-day we venerate their- memory; and if from their spirit homes _ they are permitted to Witness our happiness and the blessings they pur- chased for us in those rugged times and dark days, I am sure they must rejoice with us in the triumph of the principles they established and in behalf of which they laid down their lives by the Wayside and on the battle-field. Let us never forget these men, nor those noble mothers, wives and daughters of the Revolution. The lessons which the lives and deaths of these brave and noble men and women bequeathed to us, are worthy of our consideration. They were men of simple habits, living lives of industry in their sev- eral vocations, and overcoming difficulties by their energy and persever- ance. They were men of integrity and honor, knowing and doing their duty as citizens in all the relations of life. They possessed no false am- bition to become rich by speculation and fraud, nor did they encourage hurtful extravagance. They respected the laws of the government under vvhich they lived, until those laws became unjustly oppressive and des- tructive to the best interests of the entire colonies. They encouraged morality and truth in their dealings with each other, and also towards strangers vvithvvhom they came in. contact. ‘ 4 Dedz'catz'07z of Z/z./2 Fix;/z _/llama?/z'a[ Taélez‘. Such were the men and Women in the times that tried their souls. And such a man was John Fitch, the memory of whom we honor to-day by dedicating to his memory this monument, which was caused to be erected by the efforts of the Fitchburg Historical Society. ' ‘ The first public notice that we have of John Fitch is in 1748, when he was taken in captivity and carried to Canada by the Indians. He lived near this location, and at that time this territory, as well as the city of Fitchburg, was included in the town of Lunenburg. After being taken to Canada, he was released by a general exchange of prisoners, and returned to this location. In 1757 we read of his attempt‘ .to have a portion of Lunenburg set off as a new town, and Feb. 3, 1764‘, the request was granted by the general court, and the new town was named Fitchburg in honor" of John Fitch, who was foremost in all things which were‘ a benefit to the town in which he lived. I will not attempt to go into the details of the history of the life of this honored man, but will leave that to the honorable gentleman who will next address you. A ’ ' And now, sir, it affords me great pleasure, in behalf of the city of Fitchburg, to present to the town of Ashby, through you, its representa- tive, this beautiful monument. Guard it zealously, care for it tenderly, that it may ever stand to the memory of a brave man, and an honor to our city and your town. Horace 8. Brooks, Esq., a member of the Board of Se- lectmen of Ashby, accepted the Tablet, in behalf of the town, in the following words :——— MR. :s:eooKs’ izmnnnss. Mr. Chairman, President and Members oftlie Fitchburg Historical Soc1'ety:-—-It seems, on this occasion, as though you had turned baclrvvard the wheel of Time andshown us the scenes that were cut upon its great rim a century and a quarter ago. They are not foreign scenes-—--they are not Western or Southern scenes—-——-they are Ashby scenes. " Old Father Time seems to delight to level and cover all things from sight. We can take you up upon the -northern slope of Mt.;Nemosett and upon the northeastern slope of Watatic and show you -the places Where people once lived. ‘ There are now but a few things that tell us that ‘once there were i homes there. A sunken pile of stone shows us that there the old oaken bucket hung in the vvell-'-a projection where once was the foundation, Dc-wiz'c(zZz'0¢z of 2‘/ze File/2 Mc7%07*z'al Tad/at. 5 points to where the fireplace was, where the family sat and thought and talked. I ask my companions, Whose homes were these? They cannot tell. The memories of the older generations only hold the secret. A few years more and time will level and hide the marks that now remain. An ancient writer has said that it is the office of history to rescue from ob- livion the deeds and virtues of men and record them. We would say, it is the Work of your society to seek out and mark the spot where these deeds were done. We congratulate you on so permanent a work. We accept this tablet from your society today, which marks the spot ‘ where began nearly the first page of Asliby history. We accept it, real- izing that it is a trust, that we are to preserve it from defacement, that we are to perpetually care for its surroundings. We also extend our friendly hand to all the people of Fitchburg. Our hearty wish for you all, for ourselves, is that the history we make, whether it be recorded or unrecorded, may be worthy of record or mon- umental mark. “The Star Spangled Banner” was then sung by the Ashby united choirs, after which President Willis intro- duced the orator of the day, Hon. Ezra S. Stearns, Secre- tary of State of New Hampshire, and a lineal descendant of john Fitch. His address commanded the closest atten- tion, and after the applause following its close had sub- sided, the audience joined the choir in singing “A.merica,” which concluded the program. , The weather was favorable, the attendance gratifying- ly large, the dedication a complete success, and a source of pleasure and profit to all who attended. gADDREss BY HON.” EZRA s. STEARNS. Long ago, near the site of this memorial, in an isolated clearing surrounded by sombre forests, stood a_ dwelling, and in time of War a garrison, that sheltered a human family. This arena, to«day smiling in peace and inviting rest, was once the scene of carnage and massacre. The soil was crimson with the blood of two dying men, and seven persons were led into captivity. The story of the tragedy lives in the traditions, and is a part of the written annals, of a former century. Lunenburg, by a grant of the general court, was severed from the Wilderness in 1718, and until 1764« the town in- cluded Fitchburg and the southern part of Ashby. For many years it was a frontier town, and the early inhabi- tants were inured to the dangers and disciplined in the activities of the border. The garrison, burned onithe site of this memorial, was on the line dividing the settlement and the wilderness, and the peculiar fortunes of its inmates were the accidents of an exposed and exterior situation. John Fitch removed to Lunenburg in 1732, and three years later he bought of David Farnsworth a part of house lot No. 66, of which James Richardson, of Woburn, was the original proprietor. In the deed the modest homestead was estimated at thirty—five and three-fourths acres, and is described as adjoining land of Ephraim Pierce. It was Address by H022. Esra 5. Sieczms: 7 situated on the Lancaster road, and about two miles south I of Lunenburg centre. At this date nearly all the families were residing in the south—eastern part of the -original grant, and for a few years the home of John Fitch was in the midst of the more thickly settled apart of the town. Soon after he had become a resident of Lunenburg the , town granted to him and seven others “a1lthat Roorri be- hind ye seets in ye Front Gallery in ye Meeting House for to Build a Long Pew or Seet for themselves and wives forever to set in.” I Beginning about 1736, settlements were simultaneously begun in Ashburnham, Winchendon, New Ipswich, Rindge, and Peterborough. For a few years Lunenburg enjoyed the security of an interior position. Relieved for a season from an exacting defence of the border, a decade of peace was attended with rapid growth and great prosperity. Settlements were rapidly extended towards the northern part of the town, and westward over a considerable part of the territory now included in Fitchburg. Partaking of a spirit of expansion that pervaded the settlement, John Fitch sold his homestead, and purchased of Capt. Ephraim Wetherbee one hundred and twenty acres on the northern boundary of the town. In the deed of conveyance this land is described as lying at a place called “the rendezvous,” and adjoining Townsend line. Subsequently he purchased ten acres of land adjoining. In 1739 he built a house and removed his family hither. Here, with sudden changes of fortune, he resided over thirty years. Here his younger children were born, and a reasonable measure of prosperity rewarded his honest toil. Here the Indians attacked his dwelling, and here two soldiers were slain while defending the frontier, and himself and family carried into captivity. His house was located on the Northfield road. The history of this famous highway is a part of the annals of Lunen- burg. In the month of April, 1733, the general court 8 Adcimss 53/ How. 5. Steczms. granted atownship, described as adjacent to Northfield, to Josiah Willard and his associates, many of whom were residents of Lunenburg. For several years the township was called Earlington, and sometimes written Arlington. By the adjustment of the province line, in 1741, it was found to be within New Hampshire, and subsequently re- ceived the present name of ‘Winchester. It was stipulated in the grant that within two years the grantees should “clear and make a convenient travelling road, twelve feet wide, from Lunenburg to Northfield.” This historic high- way, the price of a township, was constructed through the wilderness, a distance of forty-two miles, in the summer and autumn of 1783. At many points the location of the road is established by contemporaneous records. Begin- ning near the centre of Lunenburg, its course was north- erly to a point near the North Cemetery, thence westerly to near the present line of Fitchburg. Probably to avoid the rivers, which would be met if the same course was continued, it then bore northerly to the Fitch garrison, and here, making nearly a right angle, the continued course was westerly throuth the northern part of Ashburn- ham and Winchendon, then an ungranted wilderness. In after years the abrupt angle in the road at the house of John Fitch was the parting of the ways for travellers and scouting parties going north to New Ipswich, Rindge, or Peterborough, and those going west to Ashburnham and beyond. On account of its position in the lines'of travel, it was called “the rendezvous” before there was any settlement in the immediate vicinity. Mindful of the advantages of the situation, John Fitch, at an early date, set up a house of entertainment for man and beast. Here on the frontier the weary traveller, resting by the wayside, found rude accommodation and simple fare, while a primi- tive dwelling in the wilderness sheltered a family and contributed to their support. 1 Address Zvjx H072. Esra S. Steamer. 9 The years of the early residence of John Fitch at this place were years of peace and prosperity. The fortunes of Lunenburg and the surrounding towns were materially amended, clearings were enlarged and a spirit of emigra- tion made renewed encroachments on every hand upon the receding forests. Suddenly the ominous shadows of war fell upon the young and prosperous settlements. Confi- dence surrendered to fear, and a general sentiment of alarm everywhere prevailed. The dwellers upon the unprotected borders returned to the older and fortified towns. The settlements in Ashburnham, Winchendon, New Ipswich, Rindge and Peterborough were suddenly deserted. Lunen—- burg again became a border town, and again assumed the dangers and responsibilities of a defence of the frontier. Again the tillers of the soil were attended in the fields by soldiers, and harvests were gathered under the cover of muskets. A war between England and France naturally involved the English and the French colonies in America, and to the dangers and hardships of civilized warfare was added the menace of predatory attacks by the Indians in alliance with the French. The King George, or the first French and Indian War, beginning in 1744: and continuing four years, fell most heavily upon the frontiers. The line of the greatest danger was on the border of the wilder- ness. That John Fitch, in a time of peace and comparative security, settled in a remote part of the township is unworthy of note. If at the outbreak of the war he had joined the fugitives from the outer settlements, who were hastening past his door, and if with them he had found a secure retreat within the lines of defence, the town of Fitch- burg would have sought some other name, and neither monument nor memorial would perpetuate his memory. When all the exterior settlements were deserted, he re- mained, where the brave are ever found, in the line of 10 Adciress 53/ H072. Eam S. Sieezfizs. defence. He firmly stood on the picket line between the foe and the dwellers of Lunenburg. His house was seven and one-half miles from the centre of the town, and three and one~half miles from the nearest neighbor. Aided and encouraged by the province, a series of block-houses or gar- risons was constructed on the exterior lines of Townsend, Lunenburg, and Westminster, and throughout the war a company of soldiers under pay of the province was detailed for the defence of this section of the frontier. For the summer of 1748, a company of which Edward Hartwell was captain, consisting of forty--seven men, was raised for this service, and while constituting an organized force they were stationed in squads along the border of the defended towns. Ten soldiers were assigned to the garrisons on the line of Townsend, ten to Lunenburg, fifteen to '\7Vestminster, and three were stationed at Leominster. The remaining nine, comprising the officers and a body guard, constituted a staff of inspection. Every week the company was assem- bled and inspected at the house of John Fitch, and again assigned to scouting parties or to the several garrisons. Notwithstanding these measures of defence, in the sum- mer of 1748 the Indians made a successful raid upon the borders of Lunenburg, The story of the attack has been told many times, and frequently with misstatement of fact and with unauthorized embellishments from the overflow- ing fountain of tradition. All the witnesses to the tragedy were slain or carried into captivity, and it was several months before the details were learned from the returning captives. The military orders and the public prints of the time announce that two soldiers were slain and that the family was missing, and in all the early accounts the alle- gation of captivity was inferential. On the day of the tragedy two of the four soldiers sta- tioned at the garrison were absent on account of sickness, while john Fitch and the two remaining soldiers were in Address 53/ Hon. Ezm 5. 5z‘m7/72.9. 11 the field near the garrison. About eleven o’clock in the forenoon of Tuesday, July 5, 1748, the Indians made a sud— i den attack, and instantly one of the soldiers was slain, while John Fitch and the remaining soldier escaped unharmed within the garrison. The Indians besieged the fort, and a stubborn defence ensued. After an hour and a half of unequal warfare, the soldier was fatally shot through a porthole in the garrison. The solitary defender of a wife and five children con- tinued a hopeless conflict for a short time, and then surren- dered. The Indians killed an ox, plundered and burned the garrison, and swiftly conducted their seven captives beyond the danger of pursuit. John Fitch, in his account of the affair, makes no specific statement concerning the number of Indians in the attacking party. The Boston Weekly News Letter of July 14, estimates the number at thirty or forty, while other accounts assert that there were about eighty. In any event there were enough, and from the standpoint of John Fitch a few more or less would not have changed his fortunes. I The firing at the fort must have been heard by th nearest neighbors. An alarm was sounded, and before sundown forty soldiers were assembled aroundithe smok- ing ruins of the garrison. They discovered the dead body of their comrade in the field where he fell, and erroneously conjectured that he had been slain while attempting to escape from the fort. Nea.r the pathway leading to the spring they found a bonnet and a pail, which probably at the first note of alarm the wife of John Fitch had hurriedly dropped as she hastened to the garrison. Again in error, the soldiers concluded that the Indians had secured a cap- tive While she was going to the spring for Water. They I found the body of their other comrade within the garrison where he fell, but it was only a lifelesstrunk; his head had been consumed in the flames of the burning building. 12 Aa’d7'es.s‘ Ziy H072. Eam S. Stmrzzs. Through a justifiable fear of renewed hostilities, it is prob- able that a pursuit of the enemy and the recovery of the captives were not attempted. An extended line of frontier was poorly fortified, and the number and purpose of the enemy were unknown. The necessity of defence was more imperative than retaliation. ' Capt. Edward Hartwell, on whom devolved the hereu- lean task of defending, with less than fifty men, a score of block-houses and many miles of frontier, was poorly pre- pared for any aggressive measures. The continued firing in the woods along the border announced that all the Indians had not retired with their captives. A few days later Col. Samuel Willard, of Lancaster, who was in command of the forces in his section, ordered out a considerable number of men for a brief service along the border. The minute men of Lunenburg were rallied, and joining with the enlisted sol- diers, they strengthened the lines of defence, and made sev.- eral excursions into the country beyond. On the seventh day of July the Indians appeared “three miles further into the town than the garrison which they had destroyed,” and there pursued and fired upon David Goodridge, who escaped unharmed. This was the last appearance of hostile Indians in this vicinity. During the six years next ensuing there was a suspension of hostilities, and when the war was renewed in 1754, the Indians were less employed, Lunenburg was pro- tected by exterior settlements, and a general feeling of se— curity prevailed. At this date John Fitch was forty years of age. The exact age of his wife is not recorded. Cath~ erine was thirteen years old, John eleven, Paul six and one~half, Jacob four, and Susannah sixteen months. Under these circumstances, assured of certain sufferings and un- certain fate, apparently there was little choice between captivity and death. Their enforced and hurried journey through the wilder- Aa’a’mss by H022. Esm S. Szcrzms. 13 ness, with an uncertain and insufficient supply of food, was attended by hardships and sufferings approaching the utmost limit of human endurance. In addition to the babe, two otherchildren were nourished upon the breast of their mother. Their bed was the earth, and their only Coverlet was the verdure of the forest. Paul, the third child in the order of age, and who lived to advanced years, was accustomed to relate that he Was transported on the back of an Indian. In the early progress of the party his face was toward the savage, and the smell of the Indian making him sick, he cried so lustily that he was turned around and again bound to the back of his human trans- port; and thus, with his eyes fastened on his receding home, every hour increasing the uncertainty of a safe return, and with limbs painful from the pressure of thongs, he traversed the weary miles of an unbroken wilderness. ‘ Jacob, the youngest son, was also transported on the back of an Indian, and was crippled for life.‘ In other respects well formed, his legs were of dwarfed size on account of the rigor with which he was bound. , The war was practically ended before the arrival of the family in Canada, and their detention in captivity was of short duration. The suspension of hostilities was immedi- ately followed by as general exchange of prisoners, and John Fitch and his family fortunately were included in the early exchanges. Attended by five French oflicers, the family, with other prisoners, arrived in New York by way of Albany and the Hudson river on the tvventy-third‘ day of September, or eleven weeks and three days after their capture. They were not immediately exchanged, and their continued progress by way of Providence in Rhode Island, and Boston, was considerably delayed by continued sick~— ness. The father and his children survived the grievous ordeal, and subsequently enjoyed many years of happiness and prosperity at the old homestead. The wife of John 1'4 /1'(z7z.z’7'6'.s‘.s‘ Zzy 127072. Ezrcz 5. 5z‘m7*zz.y. Fitch fell by the Wayside. The Woman was worn with the fatigue of a prolonged and exacting journey. The mother was Weak and reduced in a constant ministration upon her offspring. Her maternal love, from the vital fountains of her breast, divided her strength with her sick and nursing children, and, yielding up her life for them, she died at 1 Providence, December 24, 1748. Dear to her descendants, and revered by all who read the sad story of her suffer- ings and death, is the memory of a faithful wife, a self- sacrificing and loving mother, a brave and Christian woman, Susannah Fitch. In an account of this affair, written several years ago, it is stated that the name of one of the soldiers was Fletch- er, and a later writer introduces the name of Perkins, but neither of these names appears on the roll of Capt. Edward ‘Hartwell’s company. The two unfortunate soldiers were Zaccheus Blodgett and Joseph Jennings, and upon the 1 company roll in the column giving the dates of discharge against the name of each of these is written “July 5, 1748!’ .‘ Zaccheus Blodgett, the son of Jacob and Mary Blodgett, was born in Chelmsford March 17, 1726. He enlisted April 15, 1748. In 1749, Oliver Blodgett, then residing in Dracut, gave an order for the payment of the wages due “Zaccheus Blodgett who was killed by the Indians last year when under the command of Capt. Edward Hartwell.” In the same document he alleges that he is a brother of the deceased soldier. This statement is supported by a certifi- cate of Capt. Edward Hartwell, dated February 5, 174~8—’9, alleging that Zaccheus Blodgett was a soldier in his com- pany, and that he was killed on the fifth day of July last. Joseph Jennings was drafted, and was assigned to Capt. Hartvvell’s company April 15, 1748. He was an apprentice of Samuel Bliss, of Warren, then called West- ern. In January, 1749, Mr. Bliss presented to the general iA(Za’z/es: fly H022. Esra 5. Steczrzzs. 15 court a petition alleging that his servant man was im- pressed and sent to Lunenburg, and was there killed, and requests compensation for the loss of the man’s time and a good gun which he took with him. The province gov- ernment ordered the delivery of a gun to the petitioner, and, in the absence of any additional compensation for his losses, it is assumed there were no spare apprentices in the government stores. In Torrey’s History of Fitchburg it is stated that John Pitch and his family were ransomed with money raised by residents of Bradford. In earlier times the freedom of un- fortunate captives was often purchased, but in the war beginning in 1744, the hostile Indians were allies of the French, and their captives were held and treated as prison- ers of War. John Fitch had no relatives, and probably no acquaintances, in Bradford. It is further asserted that the soldiers instituted a pursuit of the Indians, but returned upon finding a letter written by John Fitch, and fastened to a tree, imploring them to give up the pursuit, since the Indians had assured him of safety if unmolested, and of death if pursued. This statement is not sustained the records of the time. In the account of the capture in the Boston News Letter of July 14:, and in a military order of Col. Willard of July 7, the captivity of the family is given as an inference, and not as an absolute fact. If such a letter had been found, it is more than probable the cap» ture would have been asserted without conjecture or qualification. I It was the fertile imagination of the same Writer that introduced “a certain half-tamed Indian called Surdody,” whose Wigwam had been ruined by john Fitch. Surdody is a good name for an Indian of any degree of domestica- tion, but the stor r is improbable. It is a matter of regret, that without investigation several subsequent Writers have engraven an improbable story in the annals of Lunenburg. 16 Aa’a’7'es5 Z2}/‘ Hoar. Eam 5. Szmmzs. After three years of war, and for many preceding years, it will not be accepted Without proof that any Indian was suffered to reside in the vicinity. The attributes of chain acter assigned to Surdody, and the many other Indian stories of harbored revenge and rewarded kindness, are mainly traditional. The Indians engaged in war by in- stinct, and not for the lofty purpose of redressing the Wrongs of the injured Surdodies of their race. Led, pos- sibly, by a Canadian officer, they made a raid on the borders of Lunenburg under the plea of war. They selected the most exposed and solitary point in the line of defence, and if, in the last stages of their march, they came over the Northfield road, they were thus led directlylto the point of attack. Previous to the assault they had not been discov- ered in this vicinity. The firing in the woods, and the attacks upon David Goodridge of Lunenburg and William Bowman of Westminster, were subsequent events. The narrative is complete, if not conventional, without Sur- dody. At different times, and by successive writers, many dates have been assigned to the capture of John Fitch. The documents cited leave no room for doubt, and fix the date as July 5, 174.8. The story of those troublous times, in which John Fitch is a prominent character, embraces only a few years in his life. Reference to the manner and the character of the man, and to the more placid and uneventful passages of his career, has been purposely delayed. He was a de— scendant, in the fourth generation, from Zachary Fitch, an English emigrant, who was an early resident of Lynn, where he was admitted a freeman, September 7, 1638. Removing to Reading in 1644, he was a deacon, and for several years a. selectman. He died June 9, 1662. Samuel Fitch, one of the eight children of Deacon Zachary and rMary Fitch, was born March 6, 1645. He married April A(z’cz’re.s‘.s‘ Zzy H072. Eam 5. Sieawzs. 17 23, 1673, Sarah Lane, a daughter of Job and Sarah Lane of Billerica. She died October 9, 1679, and he married, second, July 26, 1681, Rebecca Merriam. He resided in Reading, wherehe died in 1684. Two of his three children died in infancy. Samuel Fitch, son of Samuel and Sarah (Lane) Fitch, was born in Reading May 4, 1674:. He mar- ried, March 20, 1695, Elizabeth Walker, born February 13, — 167 7—’8, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Wyman) Walker, of Billerica; she died November 26, 1716, and he married, second, Eunice Taylor, a daughter of John and Eunice (Wooley) Taylor. From the estate of his grandfather, Job Lane, he inherited one-fourth, or 3’? 5 acres, of the Winthrop farm in Billerica. He built a house and settled there about the date of his first marriage. He was prosperous in busi- ness and prominent in public affairs. In 1729 the town of Bedford, including a considerable part of Billerica and the Fitch homestead,‘was incorporated, and Samuel Fitch was the first town clerk and a member of the first board of selectmen. He died April 4:, 1742; his widow, Eunice, died August 27, 1767. John Fitch, the sixth of the eight children of Samuel and Elizabeth (Walker) Fitch, was born in Billerica, now Bedford, February 12, 1707~—~’8. His brothers, Samuel, Joseph, Benjamin, Jeremiah, and Zachariah were men of ability, and prominent in business and public affairs. Capt. Zachariah Fitch, of Groton, was a son of Zachariah. Sarah (Fitch) Crosby, the wife of Capt. Josiah Crosby, of Milford, N. H., and the mother of a distinguished family, was a daughter of Joseph. Zachariah Fitch, of Boston, who died about 1745, and whose heirs conveyed three hundred acres of land in the south—west part of Fitchburg, and Joseph Fitch, the father of Margaret (Fitch) Downe, the wife of William Downe, were second cousins of John Fitch. About the date of his removal to Lunenburg, John Fitch married Susannah Gates, a daughter of Simon and Hannah 18 Aa’cz’7/as éy H072. Esm S. Simms. (Benjamin) Gates, of Stow. She was a descendant in the fourth generation of Stephen and Ann Gates, who settled in Hingham, and subsequently resided in Lancaster and Cambridge. By this marriage two children were born in the southern part of Lunenburg and three at the garrison. About the time the fortification of his house was begun he received from the estate of his father a substantial legacy, and during the few years immediately preceding his captivity, his possessions were above the average of his time. In the burning of his dwelling, in the destruction of personal property, and in other losses and expenses in- cident to his captivity, his estate was considerably depre- ciated, but subsequent events and information represent that he remained in comfortable circumstances. In a me- morial to the general court soon after his return from cap- tivity, he enumerates his losses and alleges poverty, but in this proceeding he followed a custom of the time. The prevailing language of petition was a licensed expression of a.n exaggerated condition of suffering and poverty. In re- cognition of his losses the general court granted him £8. Better fortune, however, was awaiting l1im. By the will of Simon Gates, the father of his wife, he received at this time both land and money, and until the depreciation and losses incident to the Revolution, he was in affluent cir- cumstances. Immediately after his return from captivity he renewed his home on the frontier. Upon the site of the ruined gar- rison he built a house somewhat larger and more preten- tious than the average dwelling of that period. February 14:, 1750—’51, he married Elizabeth (Bowers) Pierce, born September 2, 1710, a daughter of Samuel and Esther Bowers, of Groton, and the widow of David Pierce, of Lunenburg. Two daughters, Mary and Sarah, were the only children by this marriage. By occupation John Fitch was a carpenter. In those A (z’a’1'e’.s‘5 by H022. L's-'m S. Sz‘e'zz7*7z.s‘. 19 days all were farmers, not omitting the minister, the lawyer, and the doctor, and he divided his time in tilling the soil and in the pursuit of his trade. In his time the favorite employment of capital was a trafiic in land. In addition to the purchase and sale of several properties in Massa- chusetts, he bought and sold many parcels of wild and of cultivated land in New Hampshire. The registry of deeds in several counties attests his active participation in the prevailing speculations of his time. Beginning about 1750, and continuing several years, there was an increasing cur- rent of emigration from the older to the frontier towns. The settlements in this vicinity were largely increased. Lunenburg, Townsend, and Dorchester Canada then includ- ed Ashby, Fitchburg, and a part of Gardner. These towns were large in area, and many of the settlers, in attending church and other public meetings, were obliged to travel several miles over rude and unfinished highways. Almost simultaneously the dwellers in the remote portions of the A three original towns proposed the incorporation of two new towns, now known as Fitchburg and Ashby. .Of the project to divide the town of Lunenburg, John Fitch was an early and an earnest advocate. The eastern part of the town was first settled, and continued to be the most populous. In that section were the meeting»-house, the stocks, and the pound. Here was the repository of the records. Here resided the ruling element of the town, and here were found all the requisites of the seat of government. While the incorporation was solely within the province of the general court, the petitioners desired to fortify their solicitations with the consent and endorsement of a major- ity of the town. For seven years the sentiment and voice of the people were divided on the proposed geographical line, and the proposition was debated on the issues of con- venience, prejudice, and selfishness. The effort was contin- ually renewed by a defeated minority until a more liberal M 20 A(z’cz’7*es.s‘ éy Hora. Eam S. .SZ'6’C?5$”'/‘Z5. spirit prevailed. The town, in a generous and considerate manner. in January, 17 64:, recognized the rights and desires r of the minority, and assented to the proposed division. Immediately the inhabitants of the town instructed John Fitch, Amos Kimball, Samuel Hunt, Ephraim Whitney, and Jonathan Wood to obtain from the general court an act of incorporation. Their mission was eminently successful. The town was incorporated February 3, 1764. A year later Ashburnham, including_the whole of Dor- chester Canada, was incorporated. Evidently the creation of Fitchburg and Ashburnham disconcerted the petitioners and delayed the incorporation of Ashby, which was not consummated until March 6, 1767. On account of these sudden changes in town boundaries within a space of a little more than three years, John Fitch, while occupying the same homestead,_ was successively a resident of Lun- enburg, Fitchburg and Ashby. He was a resident, and the site of the old garrison was a part, of Fitchburg from February 8, 1764, to March 6, 1767. In the creation of Ashby he was ‘a prominent factor, and was chairman of the committee which secured the act of incorporation. While a resident of Lunenburg and Fitchburg, John Fitch Was not prominent in town affairs. In Lunenburg he was five times elected to a minor oflice, and twice ap- pointed on a committeeto lay out a highvvay. In Fitch- burg he was chosen a surveyor of highvvays and a fire Warden. From the fact that during these years he was not prominent in oflicial affairs, it should not be assumed that he did not possess qualities of mind and of character invit- ing preferrnent. The reasons arelobvious. He lived in an isolated part of Lunenburg, and far removed from the ac- tivities of the settlement, and during the short time he lived in Fitchburg the conditions remained unchanged. He re- sided about eight miles from the centre of Lunenburg, and over six miles from the centre of Fitchburg. The isolated Address 53/ H072. E3772 5. Smzrzzs. 21 situation of his home is aptly illustrated in the records of Fitchburg. In 17 64 the town was divided into two school»- districts. John Fitch lived so remote from the inhabited part of the town that he was not included in either district, and in a most considerate manner the town provided for the schooling of his children by a separate vote. In Ashby the conditions were materially changed. The early inhabitants were mainly in the southern part of the town, and he was brought into closer Contact with the community of his townsmen. At the first town-meeting he was elected moderator, selectman, and constable. With the beginning of another year there arose an ani- mated contest over the location of the meeting—house, and he belonged to the defeated party. For this or some other reason he was not continuously elected to ofiice, but the records give evidence that he enjoyed the respect and esteem of his townsmen. In 1772 he was chosen one of a committee for the sale of pews in the new meeting~house In the autumn of 1771 he sold ninety acres of his home- stead, including the buildings, to Ebenezer Stone, of West- ford, and the remaining thirty acres to Joseph Lee, of Con- cord. In the early summer of 1772, he removed from Ashby to Rindge, New Hampshire. Thomas Hutchinson, whose wife was .l\/Iary Fitch, the eldest daughter by the second marriage, had removed to Rindge the preceding year. Of the remaining children of John Fitch, at this a date, Catherine, the wife of V\7illiam Campbell, was resid- ing probably in Harvard. Of John, the eldest son, no record is found. Paul was residing in Lancaster, and Su- sannah had become the wife of Joshua Chase, of Shirley. Only Sarah, the youngest child, and Jacob, the cripple, re- moved to Rindge with the family. In addition to lands in other towns, at this date he owned in Rindge, in his own right and jointly with others, six lots containing five hundred and seventy—five acres. 4 22 I Address éy H077. .E.r3*m S. Smzmzs. One of the two slaves named in the early records of the town was “a negro man, Zeno, servant of John Fitch.” In 1776, with other citizens of Rindge, he signed the association test, pledging life and property in the defence of American liberty. He continued to reside in the town, and his name is occasionally found in the records until the spring of 1779, when he removed to Harvard, Mass. The two children who lived with him when he removed to Rindge had found homes for themselves. Sarah was resid- ing with her brothers, and Jacob had removed to Caledo- nia, Vermont. He purchased a homestead of fifty—seven acres in the northern part of Harvard, and there probably he intended to live the remainder of his days. It is evident that dur- ing the Revolution his estate suffered waste in a general depreciation incident to the unsettled state of business affairs. His lands had been sold, and his little homestead in Harvard was the only property of record that remained. His wife died January 20, 1780, and he, of more than three score years and ten, was left alone and among compara- tive strangers. _ The days of his robust strength and prosperity have ended. His remaining life is cheerless and sad. In 1764 he was one of the only two men in Fitchburg paying taxes on money at interest. After many years of active strength and affluence, he arrived, in 1782, in Jaffrey, New Hamp- shire, in poverty and in feeble health. According to the laws of the time, he had gained no legal settlement since his removal from Ashby. In former times John Fitch re- moved from town to town. In this instance he was car- ried by the town authorities of Jaffrey to the town of Ashby. The date of the transit was 1784. I He first came to Ashby in the flush and strength of early manhood. Wasted in estate and broken in health, he now returns to die amid the scenes of his former activ- Azidmss by H022. 5. Stemvzs. 23 ity. Once, in conscious strength and with unfaltering courage, he bravely defended the frontier, and now, aged, worn, and penniless, nothing is left to him but the mem- ory of a life interspersed with uneven fortunes. His feeble- ness increased with the weight of added years. His eyes grew dim, and his sorrows were assuaged in the mists of a fading memory. The pathway of the brave old man was obscured in the twilight of approaching death. The end. was ever near, and yet, in the shadow of his former vigor, with failing strength and faltering steps, he was ten years in walking to the grave. He died April 8, 1795, aged 87 years- For several years he lived in the family of Abraham Gates, not far from his former home, and during the last two years of his life the town of Ashby contributed in some measure to his support. In stature, John Fitch was about medium height, and in the vigor of his manhood he was robust and strong. In old age his form was bowed and his movements sl.ow. His «complexion was unusually dark, and his features were firm and clearly defined. He was direct and sincere in speech, and, with a certain measure of reserve, he was affable and dignified in manner. In character he was above reproach, and his integrity was the unimpaired inheritance of a pious ancestry. He was an honest, unassuming man. He sought no preferment and shunned no duty. He lived in seclusion and scorned selfiadvancement, but whenever called to the direction of public affairs, his service bears the imprint of force and decision. Measured by the standard of his time, he was an educated man. In childhood and youth he lived in an atmosphere of refinement. His parents and his brothers and sisters were people of intelligence and culture. He wrote a fair, round hand, and a few specimens of his composition that -have been preserved, are expressed in clear and intelligent terms. His children, reared remote , 24 T Azidmss Zzy X27072. Em/cz S. SZeczwz.s‘. from public schools, and dependent upon home instruction, were well educated, and two of them, Jacob and Mary, were school teachers at an early age. The courage ofjohn .Fitch was conspicuous. During the Indian wars brave men only tenanted the out-posts. Tvvice blessed is heroism that springs from a noble purpose. His service at the gar- rison Was voluntary, and his vigilance was the security of the settlement. This willing service, in behalf of many human lives, passes from bravery to the higher plane of duty and heroism. Such traits of character command respect. Such con» duct elicits the spontaneous gratitude of all who enjoyed the fruits of sacrifice. His reward was not long delayed. While he still lived among his tovvnsmen, and while his presence continued to freshen their memory of his good service, they gave an unmistakable expression of esteem and gratitude. In adopting the name of Fitchburg, they rewarded him with an honor imperishable. Coined in the mint of affection, the name of the city has a peculiar significance. Fitchburg is a synonym of heroism. It has _its origin in the story of four long years of watch and vigilance at the lone garrison in the wilderness. It was first spoken in memory of the misfortune and bereavement of a brave defender of the frontier, and it was stamped on the brow of an infant town in lasting honor to the name of him who served and suffered in the common cause of the community. With this memorial, after the lapse of many years, the city of Fitchburg, rejoicing in the name, pays a willing tribute to the memory of John Fitch. APPENDIX. PAPERS RELATING TO THE CAPTURE OF JOHN FITCH AND DEFENCE OF THE FRONTIER. On account of the expected “rupture between the crowns of Great Britain and France” the following sums were appropriated “to put the inland frontiers in this Province in a. better posture of defence.” ‘ I £ s. (7. West Precinct of Groton . . . . . . . 33 O6 8 Townsend . . . . . . . . . . 66 13 4: Lunenburg and Leominster . . . . . . 66 13 4: Narraganset No. 2 . . . . . . . . 100 Pequog . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Nichaway . . . . . . . . . . 100 New Rutlancl . . . . . . . . . . 100 New Salem . . . . . . . . . . 100 666 13 4« [ZV[ass. Council Records, Nov. 11 , ..174~3’.] FROM BOSTON WEEKLY NEWS LETTER, JULY 14, 174.8. Last Tuesday was sev‘night [July 5] about 30 or 4001‘ the enemy came upon a garrison House, at the out-skirts of Lunenburgh and two soldiers posted there were both killed near the Garrison, one being knock’d on the head the other shot thr0 the Body as he was endeavor- ing to escape. The Master of the House Mr. John Fitch ’tis tho’t was seized by them in the Field, as he was spreading Hay and his Wife as she was bringing Water from the spring about 20 Rods Distance, a Pail and her Bonnet being found near the Path. The House they set on fire and burnt it to the Ground and the body of one of the slain soldiers lay so near thereto that the Head was burnt from the shoulders. The neighboring Towns being soon alarmed about 40 men muster’d and got upon the Spot before Sundown but the Enemy had withdrawn: how- ever they Kept a strict Watch and Guard all night and just about dawn Q6 Apperzdzad of the next day they heard a noise among the Bushes which they sup~ posed to be some of the Enemy that were left as Spies who perceiving the Number that came against them skulked away without being discov— ered. Mr. Fitch, his Wife and 5 Children being missiiig ’tis concluded they were taken Prisoners by the Enemy._ Same issue of the paper says: p Last Thursday [July 7] a Man at Lunenburg was waylaid and shot at by some Indians as was also another at Township No. 2 [West~ minster] but both happily escaped. —---—-.-—-—-—-n You are hereby Directed forthwith to order as mony off your Troop to be Ready to march to morrow morning as you Can Pofsebel and I will Go with you for ther is two Souldiers Killed at fitches fort and the man and his wife and five children are caryed Into Captifity as is l'ul'sis- pected att Lunenbergs SAMLL WILLARI) C011 Lancaster July ye 7th 1748 to Ephraim Wilder jun? Capt If to go to Nargonfe_tt Nk ord Paguoage ord Nichewoage you may Ride or go afoot as you fee good Enclofed— On his Majestys Sirvis To 0&1? Ephraim Wilder Jun in Lancaster [.Mass. Arcliires, V0]. 9.9, p. .14-4.] To His Excellency William Shirley Esql‘ Governour with the Honourable the Council of the Province of the Mafsachusetts Bay in afsernbled. The Petition of the Inhabitants of Lunenburg 8.: Leorninster humbly sheweth, that, Whereas the Indian Enemy have very lately been among us in con- siderable numbers & with unusual Boldnels, And have destroyed one of our Garrisons, killing and captivating the Inhabitants, And We have no more than Ten Souldiers allow’d by The Government for our Protec- tion‘ (who are all in Lunenburg) And tho’ in Leominster we have a small Scout of ye Inhabitants, The Circurnstances of this Town are so weak 8: exposed that the Comanding officer can hardly think it prudent to send them into the Woods; So that we are forced to look upon ourselves ' in a very hazardous as well as distrefsed Case, to such a degree that we cannot many of us, labour on our Farms or abide in our Houses with any tolerable safety; But ourselves and Families must be in danger of Ajbjfieizzizir. 2 7 suffering much either by Penury or the direct Insults of a cruel and bar- barous Nation, or both of them. It is therefore, may it please your Excellency & Honours, Our humble & earnest Prayer that you would grant us for our protection such a Number of Souldiers as in Your Great Wisdom and Fatherly Compafsion you shall deem to be requisite for the Preservation of our Estates, our Liberties and our Lives. Such Kindnefs 8: tender Care in your Excellency and Honours, We shall ever _with the sincerest Gratitude remember And Your Petitioners shall ever pray &c. Jonathan Hubbard Samuel Braiclstreet Jonatlian White Thomas Prentice John Manffield Joseph Wheelock Benjé} Bellows, Jr. Ephraim Kimball Thomas Wilder Joni} Hubbard Jr. Timothy Parker Josiah Carter Benji} Bellows. John Gibson Jonathan Johnson Elezer I-Iooten ' Samuel Cuminings Nathan Johnson Josiah Dodge Daniel Hulten David Johnson Joseph Chaplin Joni} Willard, Jur Isaac Johnson Benji} Goodridge Timothy Bonarel't David Robbins Nathan Heywood VVillT_11 Henry Abijah Smith Asael Hartwell Benjamin Gary Thomas White David Chaplin John Martin Joshua W'al1e7zdz°:r. call in further Aid, that the Enemy may not get off without conl'idera- ble Loss; And that you lend good Officers with thefe detachments. a.-unj--up-—.— MEMORIAL OF SELECTMEN AND OFFICERS OF LUNENBURG. The Humble Remonftrance ofthe Commifsion officers And Select men of the T own of Lunenburg sheweth; That on the fifth Day of this Inftant July, The Enemy befett and Deftroyed one of the outmoft Garrifons In the Town aforffi} killed Two Soldiers and Captivated a family Confifting of a man and His wife and five~Children And That on The seventh Day of the month They. Dicoverecl th'eml'elves in a bold Infulting, and unex- pected rnaiiner Three miles further into town Than the Garrifon was which they Had Deftroyed where they Chafed and Shot at one of the Inhabitants, who Narrowly Efcaped Their Hands; Since which we lelax‘-'e Had undoubted Signs of Their being amongft us which fill our Inhabit- ants with Terror and Surprize And Has been the occafion of Sundry of our Inhabitants Quitting Their Habitations and Removing; out of T own, -——And many more are meditating a Removal---being Deftitute of that protection That is necefsary from the province---Severall of the Garrilbns built by order and Direction of the General Court are already Deferted for want of help.-and several more Garrifons of Equal Importance that were built at the Colt and Expence of particular men are Defertecl like~ wife-—~—And we fear That some of the other Garrifons may be Deferted Quickly if further protection is not afforded, for We Have now but Eight Soldiers and some of them sick.~——That fatal Confequence of our thus lileeingn before our Enemies rnuft (we think) be obvious to Every one.-:: our Pitiable and Diftrefsed Circumltances will further appear to your Excellency if you Conlider That now is the time for Securing the Englifh Grain-And Getting our Hay, which the Enemy is Well apprizecl of—- and proves unhappy for us Inafmueh as they Know Where to find us, Even in our fields, and the time when to look for us (viz.) when the seafon is fit for our bulinefs, And How it is pofsible for us to Carry on our Hull bandry bulinefs under our prefent Circumftances without Great Lois and Damage as well as Endangering our lives we Cannot Conceive for Three Days in four The Laft Week The Inhabitants were necefsarily Ral- lied by Alarms And Hurried into the woods after the Enemy;-.:And this we Have Juft Reason to Concluded will be the Cale frequently to be Called from our bulinels for almoft Daily the Enemy are Heard Shooting in the woods above us—And To be thus frequently Called from btilinefs in such a seafon muft lmpoverifh us if the Enemy should not Deftroy Appewzdzlr. _ C 29 us.— ~—-~ And what we Greatly Regret is our Enemies Having a Numerous Herd of our Cattle to support themfelves with and feaft upon-—Amongl't which they Have Repeatedly been Heard Shooting—-_--froni which we Con- clude that there may be Great Slaughter made aniongft our Cattle--And there is Reafon to fear That the Comfortable Supply which they Can Have for provifsions, together with our weak and Defencelefs State may prove powerfull Incentives for Greater Numbers To Invade us, than Have as yet appeared--—In fine by what Difcoveries Have been made almoft Daily It is paft Difpute with us, that our Enemies are Daily Watching of us, And viewing our Weaknefs, and waiting for a fit opportunity to Surprize and Deftroy us-—We therefore I-Iumbly and Earneftly Entreat Your Excellency T o Extend your pity and Compafsion ‘towards us. And That by sending of us a Sufficient Number of Men for our -protection, Surely our prefent State which is Distrels Calls for pity and Speedy Relief-—We I-Iunibly prefume That the prefent al'sen1b1y will Readily and Chearfully Grant pay and Subsistence To Such a number of soldiers as your Excelleiicy should Imprels arid Send to us upon This Ernerge11cy--—In Doing thus Your Excellency will Greatly oblige us the Subl'cribers your rnoft Dutifull and obedient servants.—-—And Give seafonable and Necel'sary’Relief To the S Diftrefsecl Inhabitants of the Town of Lunenburg. EDVVARD I-IARTWELL] JONATHAN VVILLARD lcOmmifS_ion Josmn: DODGE JACOB GOULD 035061?» BENJ3» BELLOWS 1 JONATI-IAN BRADSTREET] Se} t BENJ. Goonnmcn 1, egfmen Joan: GROUT J Lunetlburg BENJAMIN FOSTER Lunenburg, July 12th, 1748. [Mass. Archives, Vol. 73. p. 189.] LETTER FROM LIEUT. GOV. PHIPS TO MAJ. EDWARD S HARTWELL. Bosrozsr JULY. 15. 174-8 .8112. . a i n I have received & eonfidered a Petition figned by you 8;: other Inhabitants of Lunenburgh & Leominster with other Representations made of the Danger of the People on the Frontiers; and I have taken the advice of the Council thereupon, 8: find that there is no Establil'h- ‘5 30 A /fipmzdzlr. ment made by the Legislature for the Pay & Subfiltence of more Soldiers than are now upon your Frontier saving for the two loft at Lunenburgh which Coll. Willard has Directions to supply you with if you have not already enlifted new men So that all I conceive can be done (which I direct you earnestly to advise the Inhabitants of the respective exposed Places to do) is that they join together in their work for getting in their Harvest 8: a Suitable number of them guard while the reft are at work, all of them carrying their Arms & Ammunition’ with them: and upon any appearance of the Enemy the Chief Commanders of the Regiments of Militia are obliged both by Law & exprefs orders already given by the Gov]: to send you immediate Succour I am Sir Your Friend & Servant S. Pmps. Maj. Edwd Hartwell []l[ass. Archives, Vol. 53, p. 361.] LETTER FROM THE LIEUT. GOVERNOR TO COL. SAMUEL ' VVILLARD. Bos'roN July 15, 1748 I have ordered the number of Fifty eight men for the Strengthening of your Frontier at this prefent juncture, 8: principally for guarding those Inhabitants that may be exposed to the Enemy in getting in their Harvefts of Hay 8: Englif h Grain: The men muft be proportioned as follows viz: for New Rutland, for Netchiwog, for Narraganset No. 2: Leominster, Lunenburg, Groton Weft Precinct & Townshend. I _ You must take effectual care that the Inhabitants that shall have the Benefit of these Men work 8: aflist one another in getting in their Harveft One Day in One Mans Field another Day in other till their Har» veft be got in: the soldiers to be wholly employed in guarding 8.: not allowed to be taken 01? from Guarding by working with the Inhabitants: And unlefs they will conform to this Injunction you muft employ the Soldiers in the Service elfewhere. and you rnuft give the Command of each Party to fome folid Man. &'they must be To quartered as that they may Without danger & without loss of time get together for guard- ing the Inhabitants upon their firft going out to their work [Masa Archives, Vol. 53, p. 361.] A ppeezdzlr. 31 LANCASTER July ye 19 1748 Capt White Having repeated accounts of the indians Shooting and being tracked above you, you are hereby directed to Send Six able bodied men to Scout Coiiftaiitly above Luninburg and Leominfter untill further order Yours to serve SAMLL WILL.-«ran [Mass Arcliives, Vol. 9.2, p. 130.] In the Boston Evening Post of October 8, 174-8, and in the Boston News Letter of October 6, 1748, is found a news item dated New York, September 26, 1748: A “Last Friday [September 23] several French ofiicers and three French Indians arrived here [New York] by the way of Albany who we hear ‘‘ are come to settle some affairs relating to an exchange of Prisoners taken on both sides.” In the Boston Gazette of October 4, 1748, is found the following news item dated New York, September 23: “Arrived in town from Canada by Albany five French Gentlemen and brought with them several prisoners among whom were Mr. John Fitch of Lunenburg his wife and five children who was captured the 35- of July last.” I MEMORIAL OF SAMUEL BLISS. To His Excellency William Shirley'Esq'-5' Gouvner Aand To the Honrabel His Maieftys Council for the Province of the mallechueft Bay 8: to ye Honourable Hons. Defember ye 26: 174-8. The memorial of Samuel Bliss of Western In the County of Worcester and Province aforesd-— ' Whoo Had His farvant man: Named Joseph ginins Imprefsed Into the Wars Laft May In 174:8---by His: Captfl Noah Ashley of sd Town aboue sd: and lent to Corlll Chandler att Worceftor and from thence To Luningburg and there His sd man ginins was Killed by the Indians: In the Province Servis by Which means I sd Blifs Have Loft a good gun ——~—Worth Ten pounds In old tenor money—and by all as afore mentioned ‘ I sd Bliss are a great Loofer Not only the Loss of my mans time But sd gun alfo: and The Prayer of you mernorileft Humblely fheweth that your excellencey and Honours Will In your Great Wisdom Confidar my 32 p ' Apperzdzir. memorial and grant my Petision: being Ten pounds old tenor Money as a Reward for my gun and I-Iatchit and'fo .forth-—-If your Excellency and Honors: fhall feem it meet and as In Dewty Bound your n1en1o1'ia1iFt shall ever pray and fo forth per me ‘ SAMWEL BLISS In the House of RepV0S Jany 18 1748. Read and ordered that the Commifsary General be directed to deliver the Memorialift a Gun out of the Province Store. E Sent up for concurrence T. HUTCHINSON Lt Gov In Council Jan. 18, 1748. Read & Concur’d J. WILLARD Secry Consented to W. SHIRLEY [Mass. Archives, V01. 73, p. 295.] -jn—:——-u DRACUTT Aprill ye BS1: 174.-9: M1‘ Foy Esquire Treasurer of the Province of the Maffacliusets Bay Sir, pleas to pay to Capt John. Colburn the full of the Wages Due to Zacheus Bloclgett who was killed by the Indians Laft year when under the Command of Capt Edward Hartwell and in lo doing you will very much oblige your humble servant‘ and Brother to the above faid Zacheus. ‘ OLIVER BLODGET. [Mass. Archives, Vol. 73, p. 405.] .—-—uj—u—naa-nu.-a LUNENIBURG February the 5th 17-6-L819 These may certify that Zacheus Blodgett was the Laft Summer in his Majefties fervice under my Command and he is born upon my Last Muster Role who was killed by the Indian Enemy the fifth Day of July Last. Attest EDVVARD HARTWELL. [Mass. Archives, Vol. 73,‘ p. 104.] In the House of RepV,eS Apl. 7, 1749. Inasmuch as Zacheus Blogget a soldier in the Service of the Province was slain by the Indian Enemy the last summer, and having left no other estate than the Wages due from the Province ‘ A ppendzk. 33 Therefore Ordered that the Treasurer be directed to pay SE1 Wages to Capt Sam’l Charnberlayne to be by him paid among the Bretheren and Sisters of the Dec’d according to Law. Sent up for concurrence IN Council April 7, 174-9 Consented to T. HurcH1NsoN. Lt Gov. Read and Concurred W. SHIRLEY [ll/Iass. Archives, Vol. 73, p. 403.] l S. VVILLARD Secy CAPT. EDWARD HARTVVELI/S COMPANY IN THE YEAR 1748. A Muster Roll of the Company in His Majesty’s Service under the Command of Edward Hartwell, Captain: Edward Hartwell, Capt. John Stevens, Lt. John Holden, Serjt James Johnson, Clerk Joseph Baker, Corp’l Timothy Hal,“ “ Fairbank More, Junlj Cent! Abner Holden William Bernas Jonathan Farnwortli Elias Stone Ephraim Dutton Simon Farnwortli Ebenezer Hadley John Thomson Elisha Pratt Ebenezer Wood Jonathan Pett Zaccheus Bloggett Samuel Wood Joseph Jennings Stephen Farnworth John Nichols Nehemiah Wood Benoni Boynton Jun’1_’ Benoni Boynton Joseph Platts Nicholas Dyke Abel Platts William Smith James Preston from April 8 to Oct. 15, 1748. 6‘ CK ll 4‘ 17’ £5 66 it (5 6‘ ‘t K‘ it 6" (I C‘ 66 (L ‘f “ 15 “ “ 16, “ “ “ 15 “ “ 16, “ “ “ 15 “ “ 16, “ I‘ ‘C £6 (6 16’ (C L‘ 6‘ 66 If 17, CC 56' SC [L H. 17’ CC Cs‘ 6‘ (C K‘ 18, CC £5 CC 6‘ LI 17’ Cl CC (C Ci 5‘ 18’ C6 6‘ II‘ CC C‘ 18, (5 ii ti (C {C 18’ ‘I? ‘L’ ‘K LL 4'.‘ 17, (K Cl. Kl 5'5 (.5 16’ £5 61. Cl Ci 5’ (L “ July 20 “ Oct. 18. “ “ Apl. 15 “ July 5, “ “ Aug. 3 “ Oct. 16, “ “ Apl. 15 “ “ 17, “ ‘C «(C (6 ‘C 17, 85 L‘ If £5 £6 16, (I? ‘I ‘C £4 5, Ch “ Aug. 6 “ Oct. 16, “ “ April 11 “ June 26, 1“ “ June 27 “ Oct. 16, “ Kl 6! ll 16’ Ci £6 ll May 9, 34 Apperzdzk. Ephraim Stevens from May 10 to Oct. 16, 1748. Joshua Benjamin L “ Apl. 11 “ Aug. 8, “ Joseph Rum;-ill “ Aug. 9 “ .Oct. 17, “ Nehemiah Holden “ Apr. 15 “' “ 17, “ Oliver Barrett “ “ “ “ “ ” “ William Gilford ’ “ A131‘. 18 “ May 9, “ James King - “ May 10 _“ Oct. 18, “ Williani Grahams “ Apr. 11 “- “ ' 16, “ Hi -Tune 5; H H cc ,5‘: :2 as cc :5 ‘ cc ;:::~;n:.n;::.1 Thomas Wilder l 3°01“ ‘ “ "Thomas Stearns I “ June 24 “ Oct-15, “' David Dunster _ “ “ “ “ “ “ '-“- Joseph Holden Jun? Stephen Holden Elisha Biggelow Narraganfett A Scout .. .. .. .. .. Townsend 10 men; Lunenburg 10 men; Narragansett No. 2, 10 men; Leominster 3‘ men; Narragansett No. 2, five men. Luneiiburg Nov. 11, 1748. V I desire it may be observed that I received not His Excellency’s Order for dismitsing the above Company of Soldiers, till Oct. 15,in y? afternoon. Suiiblk ff. Decemblj 22? 174-8. Major Edward Hartwell _was Sworn to the foregoing Mufter Roll in the ufual form fave that some of the Persons before named did not attend the Service in their own Perfons during the whole of the time mentioned but by others in their stead. [Mass. Aerchirres, V01. 92, p. 144, 14-5.] .---——-—-u: PETIIION OF JOHN FITCH. To the Honerable Spencer Phipps Esq. Govenour in Chief of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England for the time being To the I-Ionerable His majesty’s Councill 8.: House of Representitives in Generall Court Assembled John Fitch Humbly shews That in the year A. D. 1739 he purchased about 120 acres of Land about Seven miles and an half above Lunenburg Meeting House & about three miles and an Half above any of the Inhabitance on the Road Leading from Lunenburg to Northfield and there by Industry Builtrhim a house and Improved so much Land as to Raise provision for his grow- ing Family and some to spare whereby he Entertained & Refreshed Travilers and being a Carpenter was furnished with such tools necessary Appeizdzlr. ‘ i 35 for that Buisness and being ‘far Distant from Neighbours was obliged to keep the Cheif of his tools 8.: Live within himself and had Husbandry utensels & House hold stuff and that upon the wars Breaking out altho he had no near Neighbours to Joyn with him in a Garrison yet Divers of the Inhabitance of Lunenburg knowing the Great security that a Garrison at his place might be urged him to Build one and many of the Inhabitance assisted 8: helped him in it after which the severall officers appointed ouer the souldiers and scouts ordered a quota to that Garriw son 8: it was a place of Resort & Refreshment to town_ scouts 8; for Large scouts from Northfield To-wnshend Ashuelott & other places 8: your petitioner Received 8: Entertained them and in the year A. D. 1748 the scouts from pLunenburg 8: Townshend were ordered to meet there once every week and he had four souldiers allowed to keep said Garrison and on the fifth day of July in the same year by Reason of Bodily In- firmity there was but two ' souldiers with him, altho others with the scouts were to come that day yet on that day before noon and before‘ the scouts came the Indian Enemy appeared and shot down one souldier upon being Discovered & Immediately drove him & the other souldier into the Garrison and after Beseiging the same about one Hour & half they killed the other souldier through the port Hole in the flanker and then your petitioner was Left alone with his wife and five Children soon after which he surrendredr and became a prisoner with his said Family & the Enemy took and Carried away such things as they pleased & Burnt the House and Garrison with the Rest and then we Entred into a melancholly Captivityiwith one small Child on the mothers breast and two more became sucking Children in the way for want of provision which with other Hardships brought my Dear wife-into a bad state of health and Languishrnent and in our Returnxbeing;-by New York, Road Island and providence there in Decemberllast “she” “Departed this Life and when I with my five Children arrived to this Province we were objects of Charrity for food & Raiment which some Charitable people bestowed upon us yet your petitioners family are Dispearst by Reason of poverty and must so Remain unless some Charritable help may some way or other be bestowed for your petitioner is utterly unable to put himself again into sutable Curcurnstances and to bring home his Dispearst and melancholly Family having his Substance burnt as aforesaid & fences also and your petitioner begs Leave to Inform that he is utterly unable to build & furnish 8: fence and maintain his Dispearst family, two Chil~ dren being a Continual Charge since our Captivity one being under the Doctors hands ever since, your petitioner also Lost his only Gun worth thirty pounds &. an or at the same time and is stock of Cattle are 36 Appendix. Chiefly gone having no Hay Last year as in under very pitiable Curcun1— stances and Humbly begs Releif in some Way or other as this Honerable Court shall think Best & as in Duty Bound shall ever pray l JOHN FITCH Declj 1749 half his Stock of Catel Containing 10 hed of well gi-one Catel & all his swine no Tools of any sort no House hold utensell but one poi-rage pott writing 85$ accounts In the House ofRepv_es Ap1+i1. 9} 1750. Read and Ordereclnthat there be allowed out of the publick T1'eas- i ury to the Petfor‘ his ofder Eight pounds in consideration of his £8 Sufie-rings within mentioned. And to Enable him to Resettle himself and Family on His Plantation. Sent up for concurrence THOS I'IUBBARD Spklj pro Teinpore In Council April 9 1750 Read and Conc1:u*1*’cl‘ V SAML HOLBROOK Dty Secry Consentecl to-——-- S PI-IIPS