REHOBOTH and ATTLEBORO. 233

two companies were enlisted with substantially the same men. In 1776 a regiment was raised in this and adjoining towns under Col. Thomas Carpenter of Rehoboth, which joined Washington at White Plains; and in all a large number, for the small town, entered the Continental army, — most of them for three years. Nor was Attleboro less patriotic. She raised many men who served faithfully. Prominent among them were Col. John Daggett and Col. Elisha May. The former rose from the rank of ensign to that of captain in the militia before the war, and was sent to the legislature as Capt. Daggett. For many years the representatives are recorded as " Capt.," " Col.," " Esquire or "Deacon." Col. May served in military and civil life, in both winning fame. He was a member of the legislature for forty years. He was a friend of Washington, and in all the relations of life appears to have been a model man and citizen.

At the beginning of the Revolution the regiment to which Daggett belonged, the Fourth, was divided, and Daggett was made a colonel; Ephraim Lane of Norton, lieutenant colonel; and Isaac Dean of Mansfield, major. At one time the Committee of Safety gave notice that Nathan Aldis of Franklin was selling British goods contrary to the requirements of the General Court. Col. Daggett sent four Attleboro companies, under Capts. Moses Wilmarth, Stephen Richardson, Jonathan Stanley and Jacob me very cold night in December, to his muse, which they surrounded, and ordered aim to come out. He declined to do so it first; but threats of shooting soon induced him to obey, and he took off his hat and swore not to sell any more British goods during the trouble between the king and the colonies.

When the news of Lexington and Concord reached the town, a company of minute men, under Jabez Ellis, started at once, and marched to Roxbury, where they stayed a week, and were then dismissed. Capt. Caleb Richardson raised i company of sixty-four men, who served eight months. In 1776 a company, partly from Attleboro and partly from Norton, took part in the battle of White Plains, under Capt. Elisha May.

After the Revolution the town grew rapidly, and was divided into several villages, North Attleboro being the prominent one. The Attleboro of to-day was an outlying village, with but little promise of its future growth. In 1830 the whole

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