Rehoboth and Attleboro. 230

south of the Congregational meeting-house in Seekonk. In 1667 Swansea was set off as a town. In 1668 King Philip gave a quit-claim deed relinquishing his right to all land purchased of his father. At this time he was apparently friendly with the white people. But a few years later, in 1675, his feelings had changed; for then what we know as King Philip’s war broke out. It lasted only a year, but was fierce and bloody, and it took a long while to overcome the bitter feelings engendered by it. Philip was slain in 1676, after which the conflict was continued briefly by his general Annawan. In October of that year this latter chieftain was surprised and captured by Capt. Church and his men, at a great rock which is in Rehoboth, still called " Annawan Rock." He had committed atrocities, it is true; but they were such as were sanctioned by his savage training. His character as a whole was a noble one, and his hatred of the English was inspired by what in more civilized men would be called patriotism, by a determination to regain the land which had belonged for many generations to his ancestors. Against the wishes of Capt. Church he was beheaded.

Life in old Rehoboth was primitive. No railroads then, nor telephones, nor factories, no pianos for the young women nor sewing machines for the older ones, no tools for the men such as to-day make farming a pleasure. The men made their own tools and furniture; the women wrought at the spindle and loom. There were almost no books or papers. There was almost no communication with the outside world, each community supplying by its own industry about everything it used. Ample provision for the preacher, so far as land went, was almost the first thing considered. His pay otherwise was very small; there was little money, and provisions had to take its place. It is a pleasing thing to chronicle that one of the first acts of these humble folks was to set apart lands to the value of £50 for the schoolmaster. Rehoboth claims the honor of being the first place in America to establish an absolutely free public school. The old-fashioned schoolmasters and later the little red schoolhouses, sent out manly men and womanly women for many generations.

In 1640 a dispute occurred between the Massachusetts and Plymouth colonies regarding the boundary line, and commissioners were appointed who undertook to run a correct line between them. But when they were about three miles from their destination they found the line would end south of where it

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