History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

498 HISTOEY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
the successive names of Independent Weston Com-
pany and Weston Independent Light Infantry, con-
tinued till May 13, 18:31, a period of almost half a
century, when it was disbanded. It was attached
to no regiment, reporting only to the commander
of the brigade." Its successive captains were
Abraham Biglow, Artemas Ward, Jr., William
Hobbs, Alplieus Bigelow, Nathan Fiske, Josiah
Hastings, Isaac Hobbs, Thomas Bigelow, Nathan
Upham, Isaac Ciiilds, Isaac Train, Charles Strat-
ton, Henry Hobbs, Luther Herrington, Marshall
Jones, S("w;dl Fiske, and Elmore "fiussell. The
cfiin|i;iiiy ;iih iiiliil the reception given to General
L;ifau'tte at Ciiuford, September 2, IS'li, and was
esjK'cially noticed by him.
In the Constitutional Convention of 1788 the
votes of a majority of the delegates from Middle-
sex County were given against the ndo])tion of the
Federal Constitution, seventeen delegates voting
in favor of the adoption and twenty-five against.
The delegates from Weston were among those
voting in the affirmative.
In the War of 1812 Weston was equally as
ready as in the Uevolution, and furnished her pro-
portion of men and means for the naiioiial defence.
Cooper Gaffield, one of her soldiers in this war,
lived to be over one hundred years old, and died
the last day of the year 1875, in the poor-house,
where he had spent the last thirty-six years of his
life in old age and infirmity.
With a population of but 1,2 1;5 in I860, the
town furnished for the AVar of the Rebellion one
luuulred and tjiirty-one men, a little above ten per
cent (if tlie wliolc jjopulation, which was a surplus
of tifteen over and above all demands. Six were
commissioned officers. The total amount of money
appropriated and expended by tiie town on account
of tlie war, exclusive of state aid, was $12,528.90.
In addition to tliis the citizens raised by subscrip-
tion for encouraging recruiting and the payment of
bounties, $5,101.95. The amount of state aid to
soldiers' families, raised and ex])ended in the town
and repaid by the state, was $2,-'].")S.(;(l, niiiking a
total of $19,992.51, nearly tweiit\ jxr cent u[ the
valuation ofllm town in I 8r.().
Twelve nie„ died in (he s.n iee, and tile bod-
ies of those who .•oul,| be foe.nd u,le In-oUght
iiouie, and hnne.l at the exiMiive ..f til,' town.
memorial lalilel
placed in tl... |
The nana.