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

8 History of Swansea
salt hay or fresh meadow hay might be procured for his stock.
These conditions are met in the locality of Mr. Green's residence.
On the west shore of Lee's River there is quite an
extent of salt meadow, also on the east shore of Cole's River;
water was obtained probably without digging more than
fifteen feet. The first house was doubtless located several rods
farther down the hill than Mr. Green's. We all know the
Sanders Sherman house was. Had the first settler built his
house where Mr. Davis' is, he would have failed to find water,
which
failure.
circumstance might have proved his settlement a
From these considerations the site
may be safely inferred. Rut was it built
of the first
of wood or
house
stone?
This question in itself is not important, taken, however,
in connection with other historical facts it has some significance.
Hon. J. S. Rrayton in his address at the dedication of our
Town Hall uses the following language: "A stone house, upon
the farm of Gov. Rrenton, at Matapoiset, occupied by Jared
Bourne, was used as a garrison, which the Rridgewater company
was ordered to re-enforce. This Company reached the
garrison Monday night and found there seventy persons, all
but sixteen, women and children."
Gen. Ebenezer Pierce of Freetown, who wrote a book
entitled, I think, the "Pierce Family," devotes a chapter—or
part of a chapter— to the Gardners of this town. His grandmother
was Elizabeth Gardner of Swansea. In referring to
the old cemetery here on the Neck he says
"This is the family cemetery of the Gardner family and
nearly opposite on the other side of the road from the spot on
which tradition informs us that the first Gardner settler built
his log house, that was succeeded by a stone one.
Who is correct? If Mr. Rrayton is in error I am largely
responsible for it, for I furnished him with certain traditions
which I supposed to be according to the facts, and it may be
they are.
There is some plausibiHty in the tradition of Gen. Pierce.
Of what material would the first settler most likely build his
house, wood or stone? There was plenty of each. Rut the
stones were mostly underground; those that we see in our
numerous walls were nearly all turned out by the plow, and
then it would not be very convenient hauling or dragging them
amid trees and stumps. Would not the pioneer be as likely at
first to fell the trees and clear the land for the plow as to go to
digging rocks and stones?
Mr. Rrayton states in historical address, to which refer-
:
"