History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

MANY
THE BOURNE GARRISON HOUSE
years ago Gov. Bourne, of Bristol, R. I., accom-
panied by a Mr. Miller, gave me a call, and after a word
of introduction humorously asked if I could tell him
what happened in this section of the town three hundred years
ago. I rephed substantially that I could not trust my memory
to state anything that occurred here quite so far back.
What they wished to learn was the location of the garrisoned
house occupied by a Mr. Bourne at the breaking out
of King Philip's War in 1675. This Bourne was an ancestor of
Mr. Miller. Mr. Miller seemed much interested in local historical
matters, was well informed and was the author of several
valuable papers. I think he wrote the history of the Wampanoags.
I could not give them much satisfactory information in
regard to the location of the garrison house, but after a somewhat
extended conversation told them that I would give the
subject attention, investigate certain matters and report at a
future time.
The result of all my labors was that the garrison house
was located where Mr. Green's house now stands, near the
old Gardner Cemetery; that this and the first house erected
here were identical. The proof is almost entirely traditional
and circumstantial. I know of no positive documentary evidence.
It has been handed down without dissent for several
generations that the first house on Gardner's Neck was located
as above stated. The circumstantial evidence is very strong.
The first settlers, whenever they could, other things being
favorable, selected sites for building near salt meadows or
fresh meadows. There were probably but comparatively few
clear spaces in the whole town; it was doubtless heavily
wooded. From these valleys and hill sides the maple, the
chestnut, the pine, the oak towered toward the sky. In my
old barn there are oak boards nearly two feet wide. The idea
of meadows, of open pastures, must be left entirely out of mind.
In places where the trees were scattered, probably underbrush
and wild shrubbery thickly grew.
Under these circumstances where would the closely
observing pioneer most fikely pitch his tent ; not on the hill top,
but in a partially sheltered place, where the land was a little low
and water might be easily obtained ; where without much labor