Colonial America
1718 Town Constable's Assessment Norton, Massachusetts for His Salary to about 90 Named Individual Landholders
November 14, 1718-Dated Colonial America, Manuscript Document Signed, "John Skiner and John Wetherell, Assessors" presented by the Town Constable of Norton, town (Massachusetts), "John Austin" with Assesments to about 90 Named Individual Landholders, Choice Very Fine.
November 14, 1718-Dated listing of the accounts of the various people who live in Norton, town, Massachusetts who owe Constable John Austin and the amounts owed to him by each person. Norton town was settled in 1669 by a cabin boy, William Wetherell, according to local lore, and incorporated in 1711. The assessors, John Wetherall and John Skinner, signed their names to the bottom of this 7.5" x 12". Among the list is the name Elieser (sic) Eddy, father of Colonel Jonathan Eddy of French and Indian War and American Revolutionary War fame.
This extensive, beautifully penned register listing of Norton Townsfolk is in Choice condition with folds. It is written on very clean solid laid period paper that has significant eye appeal considering its use. The blank reverse has a statement reading, in full: "this with in Ritten (sic) is a true coppe (sic) of Norton town Rate assest (sic) - (Signed) John Austin Constable". Docket reads: "a coppe of Norton town Rate to John Austin in 1718". A remarkable early Colonial Massachusetts document recording how each of the townsfolk paid their hired Constable in the year 1718. Notes at bottom left on the face page "11-18-18" likely the date this official copy was written and signed.
Norton, town (township), Bristol county, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S., 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Brockton and about 30 miles (50 km) south of Boston. Norton was a centre of Witchcraft hysteria in the early 18th century. It was known for the presence of the alleged witches Dora Leonard and Naomi Burt, and Major George Leonard was accused of having sold his soul to the Devil there in return for gold.
John Skinner, one of the assessors making the rate, seems to have been the "bellweather" of the opposition to Mrs. Leonard and son for their rates. He accused them of lying, and gave wings to other slanderous reports. The church did not probably approve of the course he pursued. This inflicted a wound upon his pride, and he absented himself from the holy ordinances of Christianity; or perhaps he did this because he could not in conscience commune with those he deemed guilty of falsehood and other unchristian practices. But, whatever might have been the cause of his nonattendance upon the ordinances, the church, in order to bring him to repentance, suspended him from their fellowship. But, as is generally the case, this suspension did not send the arrow of sorrow and repentance to his heart. Instead of allaying, it rather increased, the flame.
Norton, Town (township), Bristol County, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S., 14 miles (23 km) southwest of Brockton and about 30 miles (50 km) south of Boston. It was settled in 1669 by a cabin boy, William Wetherell, according to local lore, and incorporated in 1711. Norton was a centre of witchcraft hysteria in the early 18th century. It was known for the presence of the alleged witches Dora Leonard and Naomi Burt, and Major George Leonard was accused of having sold his soul to the Devil there in return for gold.
I, John Skiner, have had a Strong opinion, that ye charge upon ye Assessors, yt they had Refused an abatement of madam Leonard and her son's rates, was a false charge; but, ye Councill of Churches haveing otherwise determined, I do Submit to and aquies in their determinations, and ye sd. holy Council of chhs. haveing Judged yt I ought to humble myselfe before God and ye Lord Jesus Christ for my hard words against and charges upon my Reverend Pastor and ye chh., for my long disorderly withdrawment from ye Communion of ye chh. at ye Lord's table, and Confes my fault to them, and Promice Reformation and Harty union with them for time to come; besids what I, in comon with other good people in Norton, am exhorted to, and charged to love and Honour my worthy Pastor, ye Revrd. Avery, and earnestly Pray for him, and to do my utmost endevour for his Peace, Comfort, and good subsistance in Norton; and that I will labour to ye utmost yt I may be a Profitable hearer of ye word of ye Lord dispensed by him, " I do acordingly humbell myself for my hard words against and charges against my Revrd. Pastor and ye chh., and for my long and disorderly withdrawment from ye communion of ye chh. in norton; and I do Penetently confes I have ben very falty tharein; and I ernistly beg Pardon thereof at ye hand of God and of ye Lord Jesus Christ, and ask forgivenes also at ye hand of my. Revd. Pastor, mr. avery, and of ye chh. in norton; and Promise, by ye Grace and Help of ye Eternall Sperit, to Reforme to ye time to come, and to Performe my duty to ye Revrd. Pastor and chh., to God, and to my own soul, yt ye Councell of chhs. at Norton has advised in yr Result, Dated November 13, 1722; nor will I be an Incendiary of strife in norton; nor will I Bring my Pastor or others to an uneasenes by complaining of and finding fait with any words spoken in ye sd. Counsell, or Bringing in of any charges or testemonies against me or any others; and Pray to be Relesed from ye eclesasticell suspencion.
Jonathan Eddy
Jonathan Eddy (c. 1726"1804) was a British-American soldier, who fought for the British in the French and Indian War and for the Americans in the American Revolution. After the French and Indian War, he settled in Nova Scotia as a New England Planter, becoming a member of the General Assembly of Nova Scotia. During the American Revolutionary War, he was strongly supportive of the rebellion against the Crown. He encouraged the residents of Nova Scotia to join in open revolt against King George III and England. He led a failed attempt to capture Fort Cumberland in 1776 and was forced to retreat to Massachusetts, the place of his birth. The following year, he led the defense of Machias, Maine during the Battle of Machias (1777). After the war, he established the community now known as Eddington, Maine in 1784, where he died.
French and Indian War
Jonathan Eddy was born in Norton, Massachusetts in 1726 or 1727. In 1755, he enlisted in the Massachusetts militia and participated in Robert Monckton's successful capture of Fort Beausjour on the Isthmus of Chignecto in the French and Indian War. He received a militia captain's commission in 1758, when he apparently saw no action, and again in 1759, when his company was garrisoned at Fort Cumberland (the name Fort Beausjour was given after its capture). After the war, Eddy returned home to Norton, only to return to Cumberland as a New England Planter in 1763. From 1770 to 1775 he served in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
American Revolution
When the American Revolutionary War began in Massachusetts in 1775, Eddy openly supported the rebellion. Following Governor Francis Legge's crackdown on seditious persons, and seeing an opportunity, Eddy fled to his riding in Cumberland. He made frequent excursions to see Samuel Adams and the General Court of Massachusetts, as well as to General George Washington. There, he was met with varying degrees of support for his proposed rebellion. Adams pledged full support, troops, weapons, ammunition and more, while George Washington was less enthusiastic, failing to promise direct support for the venture. He was eventually able to convince the Massachusetts legislature to provide logistical support in the form of small arms (muskets) and other military supplies.
In the summer of 1776, Mariot Arbuthnot, the new governor of Nova Scotia, ordered Colonel Joseph Goreham's Royal Fencible Americans to secure Fort Cumberland and keep watch for any signs of an American invasion of the province. Eddy, knowing he was being monitored by authorities loyal to the Crown, fled to Massachusetts where he was made a full colonel in the Continental Army and was given authority to raise a regiment of his own with the sole purpose of the invasion of Nova Scotia through Cumberland and Truro and then east into Halifax.