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

10
History of Swansea
states— and found himself correct according to Mr. Ridpath.
The church in which the people were assembled for worship
on Sunday the 20th of June, the day of the out-break of the
war, was located "near Kelly's Bridge on a neck of land now
lying within the limits of Barrington, R. I.," possibly 5 miles
in a direct line in a west or northwesterly course from here.
You will all remember that Swansea embraced in its ancient
limits the present town, the towns of Somerset, Barrington
and a part of Warren.
Mr. Brayton tells us "that in King Philip's War the first
blood was shed on Gardner's Neck." Possibly or probably
this is a correct statement, yet there are those who seem to
think that it was in the central or west part of the town that
the first man was killed or wounded.
It would be interesting to refer more fully to King PhiHp's
War, but I will not do so and speak more especially of certain
families who settled on the Neck soon after its close. In doing
this I shall quote largely from Gen. Ebenezer Pierce of
Freetown.
So far as is known, Samuel Gardner—Lieut. Gardner as
he was often called—was the first of that name who settled in
Swansea or on Gardner's Neck. He was probably an Englishman.
He came from Newport, R. I., settled in Freetown,
resided there several years, acquired considerable property
and became a well-known man in this section of the colony.
Gen. Pierce says of him: "Thus it seems that Samuel Gardner
became an inhabitant of Freetown in the latter part of 1687, or
early in 1688; for in addition to the fact that he owned half
of the fifth lot, and in his deed of the sale of those premises said
that it was that on which he dwelt. His name appears as
Clerk of Freetown and also selectman in 1688; and to the last
named office he was re-elected in 1690 and '92. Assessor in
1690-91. Town Treasurer in 1690. Representative or Deputy
to the General Court in 1690 and '92; and one of the town
council of war in 1690." (First Book of Town Records of
Freetown is the authority for these statements.)
The earliest tax lists of Freetown now extant are in the
handwriting of Samuel Gardner, to whom alone we owe a
knowledge of the date at which the south bridge over Assonet
River was erected, who built it and what it cost, together with
the names of those persons taxed to meet this expense and
what sum each was assessed and paid.
It is a singular and significant fact that the town of
Freetown, which was incorporated in July 1683, had no public
record until after Samuel Gardner became one of its inhabitants
in 1687 or 1688, and the only records of taxes made