((This is the 337th anniversary of the Battle Of Moore's Brook. Benjamin Rockwood
is my 9x great grandfather. I first posted this five years ago in June, 2009))
As I've mentioned before, Benjamin Rockwood was wounded in King Philip's War in Maine.
This took place on 29 June, 1677 at Black Point near Scarborough, Maine in a fight known
as The Battle at Moore's Brook. There's a great account of it by Sumner Hunnewell
posted here at a site from the Lane Memorial Library at Hampton, NH. and I highly
recommend it to anyone interested in colonial history. It has information on many of
the colonial soldiers and their fates, including an image of the actual casualty list
of the battle.
I also found the following on Google Books:
"Many others whose names are not here, appear in the old documents referred to; like
that of Benjamin Rockwood (Rocket), who, in a later Ledger, has credit for Military Service,in 1677. In Mass. Archives, vol. 72, pp. 622- 624, several original documents arc found showing that he was a soldier in Philip's war, was in service at the Westward, and then wassent, under Capt. Swett, to the Eastward; and at Bllackpoynt, was twice severely wounded,and
was confined' in Salem Hospital for " a quarter of a year." A memorial
of his townsmen testifies to the facts, and other evidence shows that he
had " two bullets in his thigh." Muchmore is found about this last case, which, being typical of the times and men, doubtless hadmany parallels, if we knew all."
George Madison Bodge Soldiers in King Philip's War 2nd ed. Self published (?) 1896
page 453
Benjamin Rockwood died in 1747 at age 97. Hunnewell mentions the son in law who
petitioned the colony for a pension to help support Benjamin when he was 93 and who
then was accused of keeping the money for himself. That appears to have been my
ancestor William Man(Mann). The pension was then sent to and administered by the
town of Wrentham
Showing posts with label Rockwood Benjamin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rockwood Benjamin. Show all posts
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
IN NOT SO PERFECT HARMONY
I'm grateful for my Dad's New Englander family. While on the one
hand I have some brick walls, on the other hand, I have other ancestors
and relatves who are mentioned in many of the town histories. Even
better, through the wonders of Google, I can read those histories
online for free.
Tonight I was Googling the name of my 9x great grandfather Benjamin
Rockwood and found this story that mentions a Benjamin Rockwood,
Jr. The date would be about right for him to be the son of my Benjamin.
The story is from The History of Medway, Massachusetts, 1713-1885
edited by Ephraim Orcutt Jameson and discusses a subject I hadn't
really thought about before: how our New England ancestors sang hymns:.
Our fathers had their church troubles as well as those living now. Take for
example, the matter of singing in the early days. It often was at the greatest
remove from harmony.
The Old Way Of Singing was for the chorister to start the tune with the
pitch-pipe, the congregation to follow each in his own fashion at his own
tune, and no two persons singing alike, but singing with all their might,
"like the voice of many waters."
The Westerly Precinct of Wrentham, now Franklin, June 26, 1738, voted,
"To sing no other Tunes than are Pricked Down in our former Psalm Books
which were Printed between thirty and forty years Agoe and To Sing Them
as They are Prickt down in them as Near as they can."
This was a blow at the old way of singing, and March 8, 1739, that church
voted not to sing in the old way: and near the close of that meeting the query
was raised: "To see what notice the church will take of one of the brethren's
striking into a pitch of the tune unusualy raised, Februarv 18, 1739."
And it was voted,
'Whereas, our brother David Pond, as several of our brethren viz.: David
Jones, Ebenczer Hunting, Benjamin Rockwood Jr., Aaron Haws and Michael
Metcalf apprehends, struck into a pitch of the tune on Feb. 18, in public
worship on the forenoon raised above what was set, after most of the
Congregation as is thought, kept the pitch for three lines and after our
Pastor had desired them that had raised it to fall to the pitch that was set
to be suitable, decent or to that purpose.
"The question was put, whether the church apprehends this our brother
David Pond's so doing to be disorderly, and it passed in the affirmative
and David Pond is suspended until satisfaction is given."
David Pond afterwards applied to the Church of Christ, in Medway,
for admission. Letters, which well illustrate the characteristics of the
times, were exchanged by the two churches in regard to the case of
Mr. Pond. It has been suggested that because of his uncommon height
and muscular strength he pitched the tune too high. Whether this, or
because of willfulness, others must determine ; at any rate he was
excommunicated from the church, but some years after made
confession of fault, was restored to good standing, and became one
of the founders of the Second Church of Christ, in Medway.(p 107)
So basically, poor David Pond was a big strong guy, but he was
excommunicated because he couldn't carry a tune!
hand I have some brick walls, on the other hand, I have other ancestors
and relatves who are mentioned in many of the town histories. Even
better, through the wonders of Google, I can read those histories
online for free.
Tonight I was Googling the name of my 9x great grandfather Benjamin
Rockwood and found this story that mentions a Benjamin Rockwood,
Jr. The date would be about right for him to be the son of my Benjamin.
The story is from The History of Medway, Massachusetts, 1713-1885
edited by Ephraim Orcutt Jameson and discusses a subject I hadn't
really thought about before: how our New England ancestors sang hymns:.
Our fathers had their church troubles as well as those living now. Take for
example, the matter of singing in the early days. It often was at the greatest
remove from harmony.
The Old Way Of Singing was for the chorister to start the tune with the
pitch-pipe, the congregation to follow each in his own fashion at his own
tune, and no two persons singing alike, but singing with all their might,
"like the voice of many waters."
The Westerly Precinct of Wrentham, now Franklin, June 26, 1738, voted,
"To sing no other Tunes than are Pricked Down in our former Psalm Books
which were Printed between thirty and forty years Agoe and To Sing Them
as They are Prickt down in them as Near as they can."
This was a blow at the old way of singing, and March 8, 1739, that church
voted not to sing in the old way: and near the close of that meeting the query
was raised: "To see what notice the church will take of one of the brethren's
striking into a pitch of the tune unusualy raised, Februarv 18, 1739."
And it was voted,
'Whereas, our brother David Pond, as several of our brethren viz.: David
Jones, Ebenczer Hunting, Benjamin Rockwood Jr., Aaron Haws and Michael
Metcalf apprehends, struck into a pitch of the tune on Feb. 18, in public
worship on the forenoon raised above what was set, after most of the
Congregation as is thought, kept the pitch for three lines and after our
Pastor had desired them that had raised it to fall to the pitch that was set
to be suitable, decent or to that purpose.
"The question was put, whether the church apprehends this our brother
David Pond's so doing to be disorderly, and it passed in the affirmative
and David Pond is suspended until satisfaction is given."
David Pond afterwards applied to the Church of Christ, in Medway,
for admission. Letters, which well illustrate the characteristics of the
times, were exchanged by the two churches in regard to the case of
Mr. Pond. It has been suggested that because of his uncommon height
and muscular strength he pitched the tune too high. Whether this, or
because of willfulness, others must determine ; at any rate he was
excommunicated from the church, but some years after made
confession of fault, was restored to good standing, and became one
of the founders of the Second Church of Christ, in Medway.(p 107)
So basically, poor David Pond was a big strong guy, but he was
excommunicated because he couldn't carry a tune!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
BENJAMIN ROCKWOOD AT BLACK POINT, MAINE.
As I've mentioned before, Benjamin Rockwood was wounded in King Philip's War in Maine.
This took place on 29 June, 1677 at Black Point near Scarborough, Maine in a fight known
as The Battle at Moore's Brook. There's a great account of it by Sumner Hunnewell
posted here at a site from the Lane Memorial Library at Hampton, NH. and I highly
recommend it to anyone interested in colonial history. It has information on many of
the colonial soldiers and their fates, including an image of the actual casualty list
of the battle.
I also found the following on Google Books:
"Many others whose names are not here, appear in the old documents referred to; like
that of Benjamin Rockwood (Rocket), who, in a later Ledger, has credit for Military Service,
in 1677. In Mass. Archives, vol. 72, pp. 622- 624, several original documents arc found
showing that he was a soldier in Philip's war, was in service at the Westward, and then was
sent, under Capt. Swett, to the Eastward; and at Bllackpoynt, was twice severely wounded,
and was confined' in Salem Hospital for " a quarter of a year." A memorial of his townsmen testifies to the facts, and other evidence shows that he had " two bullets in his thigh." Much
more is found about this last case, which, being typical of the times and men, doubtless had
many parallels, if we knew all."
George Madison Bodge Soldiers in King Philip's War 2nd ed. Self published (?) 1896
page 453
Benjamin Rockwood died in 1747 at age 97. Hunnewell mentions the son in law who
petitioned the colony for a pension to help support Benjamin when he was 93 and who
then was accused of keeping the money for himself. That appears to have been my
ancestor William Man(Mann). The pension was then sent to and administered by the
town of Wrentham.
This took place on 29 June, 1677 at Black Point near Scarborough, Maine in a fight known
as The Battle at Moore's Brook. There's a great account of it by Sumner Hunnewell
posted here at a site from the Lane Memorial Library at Hampton, NH. and I highly
recommend it to anyone interested in colonial history. It has information on many of
the colonial soldiers and their fates, including an image of the actual casualty list
of the battle.
I also found the following on Google Books:
"Many others whose names are not here, appear in the old documents referred to; like
that of Benjamin Rockwood (Rocket), who, in a later Ledger, has credit for Military Service,
in 1677. In Mass. Archives, vol. 72, pp. 622- 624, several original documents arc found
showing that he was a soldier in Philip's war, was in service at the Westward, and then was
sent, under Capt. Swett, to the Eastward; and at Bllackpoynt, was twice severely wounded,
and was confined' in Salem Hospital for " a quarter of a year." A memorial of his townsmen testifies to the facts, and other evidence shows that he had " two bullets in his thigh." Much
more is found about this last case, which, being typical of the times and men, doubtless had
many parallels, if we knew all."
George Madison Bodge Soldiers in King Philip's War 2nd ed. Self published (?) 1896
page 453
Benjamin Rockwood died in 1747 at age 97. Hunnewell mentions the son in law who
petitioned the colony for a pension to help support Benjamin when he was 93 and who
then was accused of keeping the money for himself. That appears to have been my
ancestor William Man(Mann). The pension was then sent to and administered by the
town of Wrentham.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
BENJAMIN ROCKWOOD AND INDIAN POINT, FRANKLIN, MA.
I mentioned my ancestor Benjamin Rockwood (also known as Rocket or
Rockett)in passing in one of my earlier posts about Jeremiah Swain. Now
that I finished the Swain series, I began searching for information on
Rockwood, and discovered this passage discussing his role in an incident
during King Philip's War. It illustrates how intense a struggle it was:
"In that part of ancient and original Wrentham now called Franklin, a man named
Rocket, in the spring or summer of 1676, was searching for a stray horse, and at about
sunset he discovered a train of forty-two Indians that he suspected were preparing
to attack the English settlement at Wrentham. He therefore secretly followed them till
they halted for the night, when he hastily repaired to that settlement and gave notice
to the inhabitants, among whom a consultation was held and it was determined to
attack the Indians early the next morning. A company of thirteen men from
Wrentham and vicinity were collected, who, having secured the women and children
in the garrison house, these men, under the lead of a Mr. Ware, set out for the Indian encampment that they reached just before daylight the next morning. The party were
divided at a short distance from the Indian camp, with orders to reserve their fire till
the Indians began to decamp. Between daylight and sunrise the Indians suddenly arose,
when at a given signal a general discharge of the English musketry threw them into consternation, and in attempting to escape, the Indians leaped down a rocky precipice
of ten or twenty feet, but were pursued by the English, who slew some twenty of them
with no loss of life on their part. The spot where the Indians that night encamped is
still known as " Indian Rock." "
(Ebenezer Weaver Pierce & Zerviah Gould Mitchell, Indian History, Biography, and Genealogy
Boston, Ma. 1878)
I found the book on Google Books here.
Another source claims that only 2 Indians escaped.
Reading this, I couldn't help but wonder: what if the Indians weren't planning an attack but
were "just passing through"?
Rockett)in passing in one of my earlier posts about Jeremiah Swain. Now
that I finished the Swain series, I began searching for information on
Rockwood, and discovered this passage discussing his role in an incident
during King Philip's War. It illustrates how intense a struggle it was:
"In that part of ancient and original Wrentham now called Franklin, a man named
Rocket, in the spring or summer of 1676, was searching for a stray horse, and at about
sunset he discovered a train of forty-two Indians that he suspected were preparing
to attack the English settlement at Wrentham. He therefore secretly followed them till
they halted for the night, when he hastily repaired to that settlement and gave notice
to the inhabitants, among whom a consultation was held and it was determined to
attack the Indians early the next morning. A company of thirteen men from
Wrentham and vicinity were collected, who, having secured the women and children
in the garrison house, these men, under the lead of a Mr. Ware, set out for the Indian encampment that they reached just before daylight the next morning. The party were
divided at a short distance from the Indian camp, with orders to reserve their fire till
the Indians began to decamp. Between daylight and sunrise the Indians suddenly arose,
when at a given signal a general discharge of the English musketry threw them into consternation, and in attempting to escape, the Indians leaped down a rocky precipice
of ten or twenty feet, but were pursued by the English, who slew some twenty of them
with no loss of life on their part. The spot where the Indians that night encamped is
still known as " Indian Rock." "
(Ebenezer Weaver Pierce & Zerviah Gould Mitchell, Indian History, Biography, and Genealogy
Boston, Ma. 1878)
I found the book on Google Books here.
Another source claims that only 2 Indians escaped.
Reading this, I couldn't help but wonder: what if the Indians weren't planning an attack but
were "just passing through"?
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