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

236 History of Swansea
served in the war of 1812 and four who served in the War of the
Revolution. The record of King Philip's war, 1675, is : *'To the
memory of the brave men who fell in the war with King Philip.
Their names are unknown, but their deeds are not forgotten.
A shield is placed at the top bearing the motto: "Not for
conquest, but for country." This tablet was erected by the
Town of Swansea in 1896, with appropriate ceremonies. The
public library contains about 8,000 volumes and has a yearly
circulation of more than 10,000.
In the village, near Gray's corner, is a house owned by
Mrs. Frank S. Stevens, said to be over 250 years old. Town
meetings were held in this house in early days. An old tavern
once stood near here where the passengers from the stage coach,
running between Providence and Fall River, were transferred
for Somerset and Taunton.
At Milford was formerly an old tavern. The property
here is now mostly owned by the Braytons of Fall River.
At Swansea Centre are the Christian church and the car
bam of the Providence and Fall River street railway.
Further on is Mason's corner. Nearby was Graham's
tavern, where a change of horses was made in the time of the
stage. Next Myles' River Bridge is passed, and in this locaHty
was the old garrison house of John Myles, in which Mr. Myles
lived at the time of attack on Swansea by King Philip's
warriors, June 24, 1675.
At South Swansea was another garrison house of stone
which was ocupied by Jared Bourne in 1675. This was about
one-half mile north from the South Swansea station and was on
land now owned by Miss Annie Bird. In the meadow is the old
garrison spring. This locality lying between Cole's and Lee's
Rivers was in colonial times called Mattapoiset, later Gardner's
Neck. This part of the town once contained only
ancestral farms, but has in later years been built up by
summer residents. Some of these, however, have permanent
homes there now.
If one has an affinity for the old cemeteries, one is found
at the east of the bleachery on the brow of a hill where bush
and briar have over-grown the graves therein. Here he Dr.
Ebenezer Winslow and Ehzabeth, his wife, also Dr. John
Winslow, names which have been household words to old residents
for many years. There also is the name of Peleg Eddy,
who died in Surinam in 1758, aged 32 years. In the cemetery
at rear of Town hall is the monument erected to the memory of
Rev. Aaron L. Balch, who died at the age of 37, and was for six
years a preacher of the "everlasting gospel." One inscription
here reads: "In memory of Mr. John Trott, died June 25,
"