Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

42 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.
of horse in the County of Barnstable, and in 1757 Captain.
The following order has an historical interest, and I therefore
copy it from the original, preserved among Dea. Hinckley's
papers.*
"First Eegiment in the Co. of Barnstable, the 15th of August, 1757.
To Capt'n John Hinckley, Captaiu of the Troop in the County of Barn-
stable, Greetikg :
[L. s.] Having received intelligence this day from his Excellency
THE GovEKNOUR that a very large body of the French and Indian enemy
have made themselves masters of fort William Henry, near Lake
George, and have likewise invested fort Edward ; and there being reason
to apprehend that the enemy will penetrate farther into the country unless
large reinforcements are sent to oppose their progress, and he has
ordered me to send ofif without delay the Troop of horse belonging to
this Regiment, being completely furnished with arms and ammunition
according to law, and with what provision, &c., they can carry to Sir
William Pepperel, Lieutenant-General of the Province, wheresoever
he shall be, and then to put themselves under his command and to re-
ceive his further orders.
These are therefore in his Majesty's name, to require you forthwith
to muster the Troop of horse under your command compleat in arms
and with ammunition and provision as abovesaid to meet to-morrow at
twelve of the clock at the house of the widow Mary Chipman in Bainstable,
to be ready forthwith to march from thence to Sir William Pep-
perel as afores'd wherever he be, and then to put yourselves under his
command and to receive his further orders. Hereof you may not fail.
Given under my hand and seal the day and year aboves'd.
JAMES OTIS,
Coll'n of sd Eegiment.
Dea. Hinckley received a common school education. His accounts
are remarkable for their compactness and clearness. All
the accounts of the materials and labor of building a house, he
would condense into a space not larger than the hand. The following
are his entries respecting the building of the steeple of the
east Meeting House
"Feb. 21, 1762, then began to cut timber for the steeple.
July the 6, then raised the steeple." The accounts for labor are
*Among his papers there is an order from Gov. Thomas Pownal, dated Aug. 4, 1758, by
which he is "authorized and empowered to take upon you the charge of seventy men and
to conduct them to the regiments to which they belong," &c. Also a letter from Hon.
-Thomas Hubbard, dated Boston, Oct. 4, 1757, in which he advises Dea. H. that he has
bought ten thousand feet of seasoned boards, and 16 m of good shingles for tlie Meeting
House at Marsbpee, to be landed at Barnstable.
Dea. Hinckley's mode of keeping the accounts of the men that he employed occupied
but little space, and was as exact as any other mode. A full weeks work he entered thus,
mill 110111
four days, thus, the cyphers representing absence.
mill 100110