GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From:
Subject: [GM-L] Lancaster, Mass. & Lovewell's War Part 2 with rosters
Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 14:49:06 EDT

Subject: Lovewell's War 1722 - 1726
Source: The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643 to 1725 by Henry
S. Nourse, A.M. 1884
Part 2 - with rosters

p.2l7

Groton
July 20th 1724

May it please your Honour

I have attended your orders in posting the men at the towns of Groton,
Lancaster and
Turkey Hill (later Lunenburg) precisely except Turkey Hill there is but
eleven men,
Capt. Stevens having not as yet sent so many as ordered -

p.218

and I have taken my post at Groton where I improve the soldiers in the best
manner I can
agreeable to your orders & I have ordered them to lodge in some of ye most
exposed garri-
sons as often as may be, but I find it impossible to improve so small a
number of men so
as to answer ye necessities of the people here; whose circumstances are so
very diffi-
cult & distressing that I am not able fully to respresent your Honour; the
poor people are
many of them obliged to keep their own garrisons and part of them imployed as
guards while
others are at their labour whose whole time would be full little enough to be
expended in
getting bread for their families. My own garrison at Lancaster is very much
exposed &
with humble submission I think requires protection as much as any in that
town, therefore
I humbly pray your Honours would be pleased to give me leave to post a
souldier there.
During my absence in the service of the province, I beg your Honours pardon
for giving you
this trouble and ask leave to subscribe myselfe.

Your most obedient humble Servant [signed] Jabez Fairbanks

[Massachusetts Archives LII, 16.]

Lieutenant Jabez Fairbank was a grandson of John Prescott. His father,
Jonas, and two
brothers, Joshua and Jonathan, were slain in the early Indian wars. The
stone over his
grave in the Old Burying Ground records that he died in 1758, aged about 84
years; the
recorded date of his birth however is "8th, 11 mo. 1670." The following
journals are
not in the handwriting of Fairbank, nor are they all by one hand. A sergeant
or clerk
made up the report of each scout for the Lieutenant to sign, and hence the
diversity in
expression and spelling. The names of localities mentioned are of interest.
Journals
of the scouts by Lancaster soldiers only, are here transcribed. Those from
Dunstable and
Groton were similar and equally numerous.

Scout's Journals

p.218

Lancaster
December the 6th 1723.

A Journal of ye Scoutes sent by Lieut. Jabez Fairbank first to Quasoponican
and to Assoatetick Hill and round the Turkey Hills and another Scout up to
Wecapickit and to Wickapimsee and to Beehill and to the parke - another scout
sente to Washacom Pond and to
Stillwater and to Rutland and then to Lancaster again.

January the 6th 1723/4 etc.

p.219

Another Scout sent up Nashaway River to ye Role Stone Hill and to the
Wachusets Hills and
to Rutland and to Shrubury and on the skirts of Wossester. Another Scoute
sente throu the
woods to Rutland and from thence to Brookfield and then returned. Another
Scoute sent throu
the woods to Groton and from thence to the Turkey Hills etc.

February 3th 1723/4

Another Scoute sent to Wanomihouck Ponds etc called 30 miles from Lancaster
and from thence
to Wachusets Hills and from thence to Ocsechoxit Hills & Washacom Ponds and
then home.
Another Scoute sent to Watatick Hill called 20 miles from Lancaster and came
home by the
Dimon Hills. Another Scoute sente to the Turkey Hill to Mashapoge Pond to
Cateconimoug
Pond to Unchecowalounk Pond and came home by Lancaster North River. Another
Scoute sent to
Rocke Hills and to Quitcous Hills and to the Red Stone and came home by
George Hill.

March 1 1724

Another Scoute sente to the Turkey Hills and so to range the woods upon there
(their) front
and to Mullipurs River and to Squanicock River and to the head of Sowhegon
River and cross
the woods to Lancaster. Another sent to Menousnuck Hills and up the streams
that run into
Nashaway River and then returned. Another Scoute to Mashapouge Hill and
Penequid entervails
and to Monipnet Brook and the the Fall Brook and to Harris entervail and then
home.

April 1, 1724.

Another Scoute sent to gard the men at work at Turkey Hills and to scout
about them.
Another Scoute sente up to Wachusets Brook and to range the woods upon the
frount of Lan-
caster and to gard the people at their plow - working in the woods.
Yours to sarve Jabez Farbank

[Massachusetts Archives, XXXVIII, A, 49-50.]

Lancaster February 5th 1723/4

A Journal of a scout of ten men sent out by Liuet Jabez Fairbanks first to
Turkey Hills &
from thence to ye Dimon Hills and to the head of Mullipurs River and to the
head of Squani-
cook River and from thence to the head of Sowhegon River to the Watatick Hill
and then
steared towards the Grand Wanadnock Hill and from thence to Wanominock and
from thence to Wachusets Hills and to Oxsechoxets Hills and mostly to such
places as the Indians are most likely to haunt in their coming to our towns.
p.220

Sarvice done by we the Subscribers (scouts) to witt:

Serg Edward Hartwell
John Bennit
Ephraim Wheeler
Joseph Wheelock
David Osgood
Ezra Sawyer
Isaac Farnworth
Isaac Lacain [Lakin?]
Moses Willard
John Eames

Yours to command, Jabez
Fairbanke

[Massachusetts Archives XXXVIII, 53.]

Lancaster
April 28, 1724

Journals of the scouts sent out by Lift (Lieut) Ffarbank (Fairbanks) to
Wachusets and
from thence to Rutland and then return'd to Lancaster again to gard the
fields.

May 2.
And another Scoute sente to the Oxsechoxits Hill and to garde the fields.

May 6.
Another Scoute sente to Turkey Hills and from thence to Mashapoge Hills and
so down
Lancaster North River and into Lancaster to gard the fields at Lancaster.

May 10.
Another Scoute sente up Nashaway River to Wachusets Ponds and then returned
to Lancaster
to garde ye fields. Another Scoute sente to Rutland and home by Wachusets
Hill.

May 14.
Another Scoute sent on the west of Lancaster Town to range the front on the
back side of
the fields.

May the 28th.
Another Scoute of five men sente up Nashaway North River - two on one side
and two on the other side and so up said river abought ten miles to a hill
called Rolestone Hill and from
thence to Lancaster again to gard men at their work in their fields.

June the first day.
A Scoute wente to Wachusets Ponds and from thence to Crow Hill and from
thence to back side
of the Rocke Hill and from thence to Rocke Hill Meadow and to Chesnut Hill to
Wickepocket.

June the 4th.
Another Scoute sente to Turkey Hills and from thence to Bennits Meadow and to
Whites Pond
and to Lancaster to gard the fields.

Yours to command. Jabez Farbank
(Fairbanks)

[Massachusetts Archives XXXVIII, A, 64.]

p. 221

Muster Roll of the Company of Jabez Fairbanks, Captain, June 18, 1724.

Lancaster
Jabez Fairbanks Lt.
Edward Hartwell Serjt.
Aron Willard Centle [sentinel]
James Boughton do
Jno. Bennitt do
Eph'm Wheeler do
Isaac Farnsworth do
Samuel Sawyer do
Ezra Sawyer do
Joseph Wheelock do
David Osgood do
Benj'm Hosgood do
Benj'm Houghton do
Benj'm Harris do
Groton
Phinias Parker Serjt.
Jon'a Shipley Sent'l
Jon'a Blood
Ja Shaduch [Shattuck]
Samuel Screpter [Scripture]
Wm Lawrance
Josiah Bauden
Jacob Ames
Isaac Woods
Jason Williams
Nath'l Lawrance
Jona Shepley serj't

Jon'a Blanchard Serj't Dunstable
Jona Butterfield Sent'le Chelmford
Noah Johnson Houbourne (Woburn)
Jno Barrett Chelmsford
Thos Chamberlin Groton
Jabez Davis Haverhill
Benj'a Nichols Redding
Eben Virgin Chelmsford
Joseph Chamberlin do
Jno Wright Dracut
Benja Chamberlin Chelmsford
Jon'a Hildreth do
Jno Williams Dracut
Mich'l Gillson Groton
Ephr'm Chaundler Aniver (Andover)
Wm Cummings Dunstable

For bellitting [billeting] the above men - Jabez Fairbank

[Massachusetts Archives XCI 124.]

To be continued Part 3 - p.222
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
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