History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

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In tlie warrant for the town-meeting, Jnne 17,
1776, was tins important article: "That in case
the honorable Continental Congress should, for the
safety of the American colonies, declare them in-
dependent of the kingdom of Great Britain, whether
the hihabitants of this town will solennily endeavor
with their lives and fortunes to support them in
this measure." After the debate the (juestion was
put, and the vote passed unanimously in the affirma-
Roger Sherman.
tive. John Woodward w^as moderator of this
memorable meeting. A centennial celebration of
the same was held June 17, 1S76, at which a his-
torical address was deli\ ered by the Hon. James
F. C. Hyde, and the proceedings and address were
afterwards published in a volume worthy of tiie
occasion by the city of Newton.
In August, 1777, a company of ninety-six men
was raised by Captain Joseph Fuller, of whom
thirty were Newton men. They marched to Skenes-
borough, Bennington, and Lake George, to oppose
the advance of General Bnrgoyne. In ]\Iarch,
1778, a company of sixty-eight men was rnised by
HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
Captain Edward Fuller, of whom forty belonged
to Newton. In .lanuary, 1777, sixty-fnnr Newton
men eidisted for three years, or Ihe war. In 1780
fifty-four Newton men marcjied to reinforce the
continental army. So sensitive were the people
in their patriotism, and so averse to tlie toleration
of tory principles, that a list was made out of ])er-
sons whose residence was deemed prejudicial to
the public safety, and arrangements were made for
their removal from the town.
About four hundred and thirty men from Newton
served in the continental army during the war
of the Revolution. Among these were forty-four
descendants of Edward Jackson, bearing the name
of Jackson. TJiere were twenty-two bearing the
name of Fuller, sixteen the name of Parker, fifteen
of Hyde, eleven of Stone, six of Seger, etc. Cap-
tain Henry King, of Newton, was one of the guard
at the execution of Major Andre.
The citizens freely voted their money as well as
gave their services to their country during this
great struggle. Many individuals loaned their
property in generous sums. Besides this, in 1778
a tax of £:i,000 was voted towards the expenses
of the war, and the next year a similar sum for the
purpose of raising men for the army and other ex-
penses. In March, 1780, £;30,0U0" were voted for
a like purpose ; in September, £40,000, and in
December, £100,000. Paper money, it is true,
had greatly de])recinted in value. But this enormous
depreciation, making many poor who had
been rich, did not render these valiant patriots
penurious. The entire population of tlie town in
1775 has been estimated at less than 1,400. If
this be correct, about every third person in the entire
population was more or less in the army, and all
the families left by them at home must have shared
painfully, though uncomplainingly, in the self-
denials and hardships of the times. It is not un-
worthy of notice that Roger Sherman, one of the
signers of the Declaration of Independence, Avas a
native of Newton, born near the Skinner Place, on
Waverley Avenue.
SCHOOL IIISTOKY.
It was many years before the education of the
young in Newton took the rank, among the meas-
ures adopted by the townsmen, which its im-
portance claimed. The earliest settlers of the
territory, oiigiually embracing what was after-
wards denominated Newtown, enjoyed the advan-
tages of the " fair grammar school " at Cambridge,
taught by Master Corlet. But only a few would
be likely to travel such a distance from day to day,
even if the instruction had been, as it jirobably
was not, adapted to their wants. Doubtless, children
were taught more or less at home in many
families ; but in that forming period of .society,