History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

abolished by the town, the several districts were
allowed to clioose their own prudential committee.
October 1-3, ISi'-i, twenty-seven citizens of the
town formed an association for the establishment
of an academy. A building, erected for that pur-
pose, was dedicated May '61, ISM, Rev. Mr.
Newell, the resident clergyman, giving the address ;
and the school was immediately opened under the
care of John M. Cheney. The instil iitidii was very
prosperous during its early history, having students
from six or eight dift'erent states, and from Canada.
It was discontinued after about twenty years.
The town, April 19, 1S53, made an appropria-
tion for a high school to be kept a portion of the
year; and in like maimer it was sustained for a
few years. In the spring of 1871 Colonel Elijah
Hale proposed to give the town $5,000 as a \iermanent
fund, the interest thereof to be used towards
the support of a high school, provided that the
town would appropriate an equal amount. Two
other persons offered to contribute 81,100 addi-
tional. The town accepted the donations May 2-1-,
1871, and chose seven trustees to take charge
of the fund. It also set apart the old academy
building and grounds for the use of the Hale High
Scliool, which was opened about the 1st of Sep-
tember following.
erected for them. The Stamj) Act of 1765 roused
the people, and October 21, 1766, a town com-
mittee prepared instructions to their representative
to the General Court, giving reasons why taxes or
duties should not be levied upon them, and urged
STOW 355
the greatest vigilance to prevent all unconstitutional
draughts upon the public treasury. The town,
March 7, 1768, declared in favor of economy and
industry, against the importation of all " foreign
superfluities," and agreed to " do any thing proper
towards supplyuig the paper mills, at Milton, with
materials for carrying on said manufactures."
January 25, 1773, they approved of what tlu^
Bostonians did November 20, 1772, relative to
the state of afliiirs, and chose a committee to con-
sider what more should be done. The committee
reported the importance of preserving their civil
and religious privileges, expressed their concern at
the action of parliament, and noticed with uneasi-
ness the unreasonable extension of the power of
the vice-admiralty courts, etc. Further measures
were taken, in 1774-, to protect their "rights as
British subjects, men, and Christians." The town
decided in January, 1775, to "do what they can,
in accordance with the constitution, to carry into
execution the agreements of the Continental Con-
gress, and the several resolves of the Provincial
Congress relating thereto." They also requested
the constable to pay the taxes to Henry Gardner,
recently ajipointed province treasurer, and not to
Harrison Gray, the old treasurer. The opening
act of the Revolution, at Lexington and Concord,
Eighteen or twenty natives or residents of the soon followed. Anticipating the raid of British
town have graduated from college.
Mililarij Affairs. — Of necessity the early set-
troops, a large quantity of military stores and
some cannon were sent from Concord to Stow and
tlers had a ([mm military organization. All were concealed near the residence of Henry Gardner.
prepared to defend themselves from the prowling Some of the citizens were in the fight at Concord,
savages. Eegular military companies were formed and Daniel Couant was wounded. The " two mili-
as soon as possible. Sometimes, when met for tary companies, under Captains Hapgood and Whit-
drill, and es])ecially when about to depart on some comb, marched for Concord at noon, passed the
hostile expedition, religious exercises were held. North Bridge, and arrived at Cambridge at sunset."
The town records are almost totally silent relative During the war the town was active in furnishing
to early military operations. From 1755 to 1760, the men and means needed for its successful prose-
during the French and Indian War, soldiers from cution. They purchased hay and beef for the
Stow were in the army at Crown Point, Fort Wil- army, provided fire-arms for those unable to pro-
liam Henry, Nova Scotia, and doubtless at other vide for themselves, su])plied the soldiers with
places. For many years succeeding 1693 towns clothing, and ordered the selectmen to provide
were required to keep a stock of powder and for their families when needy. In the course of
ammunition, and other military stores, for any un- the contest thirty-five men were furnished for three
looked-for emergency. These materials of war years' service, and some three hundred more for
were sometimes deposited in the loft of the meet- different periods, varying from one to eight months,
ing-house, and afterwards a special building was who went to Cambridge, New York, Canada, Nan-
tucket, Dorchester, Providence, Stillwater, Fishkill,
etc., at an expense to the town of £4,880. Some
prisoners were brought to town in 1779, and the
town asked the honorable council what should be
done with them ; and in September voted that