History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

The selectmen petitioned the court for assistance
in supporting about sixty needy persons from Bos-
ton and Charlestown, called "Donation People."
In August, 1777, the selectmen certify that the
number of men borne on the training-band and
alarm-list is three hundred and forty-eight, and
they request of the honorable board of war the
town's proportion of fire-arms, gnnlocks, lead, and
flints. The to\^'n also votes £1-2 for purchase of
lead and flints. Calls are made for men to be in
readiness to march " without delay," and " on the
shortest notice/' indicating the frequent emergen-
cies of the times. The town further showed its
loyalty to the patriot cause by voting that the town
treasurer s'aould receive none but continental bills.
In town-meeting, September 22, 1777, Captain
John Goodwin was added to the committee of cor-
respondence, inspection, and safety ; and Mr. Jona-
than Flint was cliosen " tory prosecutor."
Many of the Reading soldiers were in the battle
of Saratoga, which resulted in the capture of Bur-
goyne and his army. Joshua Eaton was killed
there October 7. Colonel Brooks saw him fall,
and exclaimed to Captain James Bancroft, " Our
brave Sergeant Eaton is gone." Eaton lived on
the Ivory Murray farm, near the Esquire Pres-
cott place in Reading.
The town voted in 1778 to raise £246 12*. to
defray the expense of purchase and delivery of
clothing at Concord, required for tlie army by the
General Court.
Burgoyne's men were quartered in Cambridge
and vicinity. Some of the Reading soldiers were
in service during the winter of 1778, at Winter
Hill, in charge of the prisoners. It is said tliat
nearly fifty of the prisoners were quartered in
Reading, in the house near the depot, formerly the
residence of Esquire Sweetser. In repairing the
house a few years since, a metallic spoon, of pecul-
iar shape, was found, stamped with the British
lion and other devices, indicating that it belonged
to the British prisoners. It is said the prisoners,
for their daily exercise, were 'required to march
under guard around tiie Great Pond.
In 1779 pestilence was added to war, the smallpox
prevailing so extensively that the town took
measures to prevent its spreading. Inoculation
was forbidden. The town chose a committee
against monopoly, and another against forestalling.
Active efforts were made to regulate prices, which
were becoming exorbitant. The town voted to
accept the measures recommended by a convention
READING. 279
held at Concord, "for lowering the prices of the
articles of life," and a committee was chosen for
" regulating internal prices." It was voted, a few
montlis later, to choose a committee to carry mat-
ters into speedy execution. The committee was
also required to affix prices to those articles not
regulated by the convention. The meeting was
adjourned to a future day, when the committee re-
ported. It appearing that people in general were
breaking over the " regulating bill," it was thought
proper not to appoint another meeting.
In the following year the town was required
to furnish twenty-three militia soldiers for tliree
months, twenty-three continental soldiers for six
months, and twenty-three for three years, or during
tiie war ; and it is recorded that the town always
filled its quota. In October and December requisi-
tions were made upon the town for 36,000 jjounds
of beef for the army, and the town voted to
raise £56,000, Old Tenor, for purchase thereof.
In July following it was voted to raise £250 in
silver to purchase 9,866 pounds of beef for the
army ; and also voted that their treasurer receive
£1 of new emission for £40 of old emission, or
£1 in specie for £75 of old emission. In 1782
the town voted to empower the treasurer to sell
new emission bills at the rate of three dollars for
one in hard money. At a later date a committee
was cliosen for taking up "inimical Fellows."
No important votes pertaining to the war appear
on record after this date.
On the 19th of May, 1780, occurred what is
called the Dark Day. Captain Joseph Bancroft
recorded : " On this day there was an uncommon
darkness from 10 to 2 o'clock, and the evening
after not to be forgot by me, I trust, while I live."
In 1782 occurred the death of Rev. Thomas
Haven, first pastor of the church in the West
Parish, in the twelfth year of his ministry; "a most
sorrowful event to the people of his charge." Tiie
parish bought back the parsonage estate they had
sold to him. Troubles also culminated in the
First Parish in an attempt to dismiss Rev. Mr.
Prentiss. The chief objection against him was re-
specting his Arminian sentiments ; but the parish
" voted to dismiss the whole," and the pastor re-
mained.
The town had its " relic of barbarism," and it is
said that ])revious to tlie Revolutionary War nearly
every large landholder here had a slave. In 1723
Benjamin Pool advertises his negro man who had
runaway. In 1753 Thomas Nichols sold a negro