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CHAPTER XI

CONCORD HOMES OF HISTORY IN 1775

      THE names of Barrett and Buttrick are confusing to the student of history not familiar with the town of Concord. Both homesteads are now in possession of the descendants of the heroes of the Revolution, and are here described.
      The Barrett homestead is about two miles from Old North Bridge, and having a mill in connection with it, and being the home of Colonel James Barrett, was one of the objective points of the British visitation.
      The name of Barrett has been prominent in the history of Concord for two hundred and fifty-five years.
      Humphrey Barrett came to Concord from England about 1640, and was the head of the large and influential family. He died in 1662, and his wife died one year later.
      In the record of divisions, a sort of proving of claims, etc., made in 1663, there are eleven lots, containing 316 acres, credited to Humphrey Barrett. This owner was doubtless Humphrey 2d, who had succeeded to the grant, which passed to his son Joseph (captain), and then to his son Humphrey, and to Humphrey of the fifth genera-

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tion, and then to Abel B. Haywood. A legacy of five hundred dollars to the ministerial fund of the town of Concord keeps the name of Humphrey of the fifth generation before the people of the present time.
      Positive proof of the exact date of the first appearance of the family at the Barrett estate of Revolutionary fame is not at hand. The above-named registry gives it as property of Richard Temple in 1663 (5 lots, or 291 acres). It is apparent that Benjamin, son, of Humphrey 2d, born in 1681, located here, with his wife Lydia Minot, to whom he was married in January, 1704, and that their eight children were born here. Benjamin died in 1728; and the farm was later divided into three, each of which was occupied by Barretts.
      Colonel James, the third son of Benjamin, born in 1710, inherited the homestead, and built the house of Revolutionary interest. He married Rebecca Hubbard in 1732, and their nine children were born at this house.
      At the opening of the Revolution, their son James was established, with a large family, in one of the three homes; and his older brother, Deacon Thomas, born 1707, was occupying the other home with his large family.
      These, with the mill, made up a Barrett settlement, of much importance at that time, and remained in the family many years; but at present only the original homestead remains in the name.

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[Photo - "Barrett Home, Concord"]

      Colonel James Barrett was a leading figure during the opening year of the struggle for liberty. In 1768 he was chosen a representative from Concord, and honored by a re-election on each succeeding year until 1777. He was a prominent member of many of the conventions, and also of the Provincial Congress. He was placed in charge of the military stores deposited at Concord, and was active in gathering and manufacturing army supplies. He was made colonel of the regiment of militia organized in March, 1775, and was in command on April 19.
      When the alarm of the march of the British reached Colonel Barrett's home, the family made haste to secure the stores that were on the estate. Cannon were dismounted, placed in the field near the house, and covered by turning furrows over them; while the new gun-carriages were taken to a place of safety in the rear of the home, known to this day as Spruce Gutter.
      Colonel Barrett's duties were twofold on that eventful morning. He not only had to look after the stores, which he well knew to be the main object of the morning excursion, but he had to see to the gathering of his regiment. It was while he was engaged with the latter that the regulars, under Captain Parsons, marched to the Barrett farm, directed, doubtless, by Daniel Bliss, the Tory of the town. They committed many depredations, and were foiled in many attempts

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by the shrewdness of a woman. They pulled Deacon Thomas Barrett, brother of Colonel James, from his house by the hair of his head, but gave him up upon his own plea of old age and inability to do harm.
      These brothers died within three months of each other in 1779, without fully realizing the importance of their proceedings on April 19, 1775.
      The old house still stands, and serves the descendants of the hero of that day; and the mill grinds for other purposes than the preparation of food for the army.
      The Barrett house of to-day is very much the same as in 1775. The end door through which the soldiers of the king passed still swings on the time-honored hinges, and the doorstone is the same as when pressed by the feet of the enemy. In the flooring of one room may be seen a place where a board has been inserted to fill a hole said to have been made by the fall of a cannon-ball during the haste of that morning. It was in this room that Colonel James Barrett mustered in the soldiers after his appointment to office.
      One of the British soldiers, named Thorpe, who aided in searching the house on that memorable morning, deserted from the king's army, visited the Barrett home, and was later employed on the farm, where he fully appreciated that food which he so hastily sampled in the absence of the master of the house.

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      After the death of Colonel James Barrett, this farm went to his son Peter, who was twenty years of age at the time of the invasion. He married Mary Prescott of Danvers, and had seven children. During the years of Peter's possession, the farm was mortgaged; and had it not been for another famous patriot the estate would have been lost to the Barrett family. Roger Sherman, the patriot of Connecticut, whose name appears upon the Declaration of Independence, having married a sister of Peter's wife, came to the rescue, and saved the historic estate.
      After the death of Peter, in 1808, his son Prescott came into possession. He was born in 1788, married twice, and had ten children, of whom George is the present owner. He represents the seventh generation of the family. The spinning-wheel and flax-wheel which were kept humming in busy preparations for the soldiers are still in the family possession; the pewter tableware from which the soldiers lunched is scattered throughout the families; while Peter's clock, exchanged for neighbor Joseph Clark's cow, is now owned in that family by Mr. Tower.

BUTTRICK HOMESTEAD.

      This is of interest from the fact that the Buttrick family dates back to the beginning of civilized life in Concord.

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      William, the head of the family, was born in England about 1617. He was a co-worker with Rev. Peter Bulkeley, Hon. Thomas Flint, and others of that little company who pushed out from tide-water, and began that settlement at Musketaquid (Concord) in 1635.
      In the record of 1635, twelve lots of 215 acres are credited to William Buttrick. The homestead of the present comprises a portion of that territory, and is one of the very few estates that have never been sold out of the family name in the historic town.
      William Buttrick had a share of the "Commons" in the first allotment, where he established his home on the southerly slope of the hill, beyond the river, to which his meadows extended. Here his descendants of the seventh generation enjoy a prosperous home, and cherish the acres of their illustrious ancestors.
      In the course of family descent and settlement of estates, divisions of the original territory have necessarily been made; but a good portion remains, and every visitor to the Old Battleground treads upon a portion of the Buttrick farm, which was given by Stedman Buttrick, and on which the Minute-Man stands.
      It was Deacon Jonathan Buttrick, of the third generation, whose memory is perpetuated by the epitaph upon his gravestone. He died March 23, 1767, aged 77, and "was followed to the

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grave by his widow and thirteen well-instructed children." Four of these sons and several grandsons were in arms on the morning of April 19, 1775, for the Colonial cause.

[Photo - "Buttrick Homestead"]

      The sixth son of Deacon Jonathan Buttrick was John, who was in command at the battle of Concord, and was the "hero of the fight." He led the gallant band to meet the invading enemy at North Bridge.
      His words of command, uttered within sight of his own hearthstone and in the presence of his anxious family, are too familiar to need repeti-

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tion here. Major John's son and namesake, then nineteen years of age, was a fifer in the battle of Concord; and Jonas, too young to enter the ranks, viewed the memorable scene from behind a buttonwood-tree that stood near the present dwelling.
      Major John Buttrick divided his estate between his sons John and Jonas. The latter occupied the site of the present dwelling, where his son Stedman maintained the family integrity, and transmitted estate and good name to the present owners, who occupy the old homestead, and continue the enviable reputation of the fathers.
      In the last will of Major John Buttrick is a good example of the manner in which the head of the family, one hundred years ago, provided for his wife in her years of widowhood. Besides giving her the use of his dwelling, he provided that his sons should "bring into my wife and their mother, 100 pounds of beef, well fatted; six bushels of Indian corn; six bushels of rye, ground into meal if she desires it; one bushel of malt; one bushel of salt; one barrel of cider; one barrel of good winter apples; two pounds of tea; 14 pounds of sugar; six pounds of candles; together with two silver dollars yearly, and a sufficiency of sauce of every kind at all seasons of the year; and firewood cut fit for the fire sufficient for one good fire, and carried into the house.
      "In case of sickness or indisposition of body,

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to provide for her necessaries in such case, also keep one cow summer and winter for my wife, and drive and fetch said cow from pasture in the summer; and she shall have a horse with suitable tackling to ride when and where she pleases."
      No costly monument marks the resting-place of him who led the Provincials at Old North Bridge, but thousands of patriotic tourists annually seek out the humble grave, and read: --

IN MEMORY OF

COLONEL JOHN BUTTRICK,
WHO COMMANDED THE MILITIA COMPANIES WHICH MADE
THE FIRST ATTACK UPON THE BRITISH TROOPS, AT CONCORD
NORTH BRIDGE, ON THE 19TH OF APRIL, 1775.

Having with patriotic firmness shared in the dangers which led to American Independence, he lived to enjoy the blessings of it, and died May 16, 1791, aged 6o years. Having laid down the sword with honor, he resumed the plough with industry; by the latter to maintain what the former had won. The virtues of the parent, citizen, and Christian adorned his life, and his worth was acknowledged by the grief and respect of all ranks at his death.

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