Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog
Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog
108 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. country, and the constable had a right, I presume, to surrender those also. Now if these are the facts, the refusal or neglect of Deacon Crocker in returning the cows is a blot on his fair fame. The daughter died that year, and the father two years after. That their deaths were, as it is pretended, a judgment of God, to punish them for their guilt in being nccessory to the taking of the cows is nonsense—as stupid as any of the marvels of the unseen world related by Cotton Mather—and in reply to which this and other equally absurd stories are printed by Bishop in his appendix to New England Judged. There is another side to the story, I will not say the right side ; but it was this that had the support of the best legal talent of the times. The lands in the Old Colony were granted to the churches, on the express Condition that a learned and orthodox minister should be maintained in each town. The ministerial tax was a lien upon the land, and the civil authorities, until that condition was changed, were bound to enforce it. The rental of the Cape Cod fisheries was devoted to the maintenance of a free school, and he that hired a right to seine on the shore, might with the same show of equity refuse to pay the tax, because the school was established at Plymouth, and he yras thus deprived of his share of the benefit. The original owners of the lands and of the fishing privileges in the sale or lease imposed certain taxes on them, and the right of a Quaker or an Orthodox to complain is not apparent. The policy of such taxation is another question. Ralph Jones was as stiff-necked as Dea. Crocker. When Mr. Walley informed him that he would not insist on his legal rights, and that he could take the two cows to which he was enti- tled, Jones said, "No, your son-in-law drove them away, now let him drive them back, I wont go after them." Perhaps he was right, but a more conciliatory course would have exhibited a bet- ter spirit. If four cows and their calves were taken to pay the tax, it was an exorbitant sum. The market value at that time was about £4 sterling, or $20 for each or $80 for the whole. Deducting one-half, the fine for not paying voluntarily, left the sum taxed $40 in silver money, equal to $120 at the present time. Ralph Jones was not a man of wealth, and a part of his estate was taxable in Sandwich. There were about one hundred tax payers in town at that time, and Jones' proportion of the gross sum raised to support the ministry would not be over the one hundredth part. If his tax was £8 sterling the gross would be £800, a sum equal to the gross amount of Mr. Walley's salary during the sixteen years he was minister of Barnstable. It is preposterous to believe that Jones was so taxed, yet this is a part of the story, and as much entitled to credence as the rest of it.
GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 109 To aver that the death of Mr. Crocker and of Mr. Walley was a judgment of God, in punishment of a particular sin, is a palpable absurdity. The amount of the tax is exaggerated. It probably included his town and colony tax, and had probably been in arrears for a considerable time. Jones refused to pay, as others* at that time did because all the taxes were put on one list. Both parties were in the fault, and the one was as stubborn as the other was stiff necked. None of the descendants of Ralph Jones have been distinguished in church or state, or for their great wealth. Like their ancestor, they belong to the middling class of honest, induistrious farmers and mechanics. In his will dated the 11th of the 3d month, 1691, and proved April 20, 1692, he says, "I, Ralph Jones, of ye town of Barnstable in New England, being aged and weak in body," disposes of his estate to his children. He does not name his wife, and the presumption is she had then deceased. He says, "My mind and desire is, that after my decease my body be decently buried by ye advice and assistance of my dear Friends ye people of God called Quakers at their burying place in Sandwich." He refers to meadow which his father Capt. Matthew Fuller bought, of John Freeman, and names his seven sons, Shubael, Jedediah, Ralph, Samuel, Matthew, John and Ephraim, and his daughters Mercy, Mary and Mehitabel. He appoints his son-in-law John Fuller, the younger, and Edward Perry, the Quaker, overseers. The witnesses were Capt. Thomas Fuller, John Isum, and his daughter Mehitabel Fuller, wife of John Fuller, Jr. He signs with his mark, showing that though he might be able to read, he could not write. His daughter Mehitabel also signs "M," "her mark." Ralph Jones being himself an unlearned man, and residing several miles from schools or churches, his family had no opportunity for acquiring even the rudiments of a good education. Among his neighbors there were, however, men of intelligence. The brothers Samuel and Matthew Fuller, the wayward Mr. Thomas Dexter, and Robert Harper, the stalwart Quaker, resided at Scorton, and their families were well educated for the times. Edward Perry and several of the early Quakers, earnest men of some intelligence, were also his neighbors. Ralph Jones married April 17, 1650, Mary Fuller, daughter of Capt. Matthew Fuller, then of Plymouth. His older children were probably born in Plymouth, the earliest date on the Barnstable record being 27th A.ng. 1654. I have carefully examined only the Barnstable records. From the Probate and the Sandwich records much information may be obtained by those who *For particulars of the proceedings in collecting ministerial taxes see "Bourman Family." Soon after this time the laws were modified and made more libeial.
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108 GENEALOGICAL NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES.<br />
country, and the constable had a right, I presume, to surrender<br />
those also. Now if these are the facts, the refusal or neglect <strong>of</strong><br />
Deacon Crocker in returning the cows is a blot on his fair fame.<br />
The daughter died that year, and the father two years after.<br />
That their deaths were, as it is pretended, a judgment <strong>of</strong> God, to<br />
punish them for their guilt in being nccessory to the taking <strong>of</strong> the<br />
cows is nonsense—as stupid as any <strong>of</strong> the marvels <strong>of</strong> the unseen<br />
world related by Cotton Mather—and in reply to which this and<br />
other equally absurd stories are printed by Bishop in his appendix<br />
to New England Judged.<br />
There is another side to the story, I will not say the right<br />
side ; but it was this that had the support <strong>of</strong> the best legal talent<br />
<strong>of</strong> the times. The lands in the Old Colony were granted to the<br />
churches, on the express Condition that a learned and orthodox<br />
minister should be maintained in each town. The ministerial tax<br />
was a lien upon the land, and the civil authorities, until that condition<br />
was changed, were bound to enforce it. The rental <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Cape Cod fisheries was devoted to the maintenance <strong>of</strong> a free<br />
school, and he that hired a right to seine on the shore, might with<br />
the same show <strong>of</strong> equity refuse to pay the tax, because the school<br />
was established at Plymouth, and he yras thus deprived <strong>of</strong> his<br />
share <strong>of</strong> the benefit. The original owners <strong>of</strong> the lands and <strong>of</strong> the<br />
fishing privileges in the sale or lease imposed certain taxes on<br />
them, and the right <strong>of</strong> a Quaker or an Orthodox to complain is<br />
not apparent. The policy <strong>of</strong> such taxation is another question.<br />
Ralph Jones was as stiff-necked as Dea. Crocker. When<br />
Mr. Walley informed him that he would not insist on his legal<br />
rights, and that he could take the two cows to which he was enti-<br />
tled, Jones said, "No, your son-in-law drove them away, now let<br />
him drive them back, I wont go after them." Perhaps he was<br />
right, but a more conciliatory course would have exhibited a bet-<br />
ter spirit.<br />
If four cows and their calves were taken to pay the tax, it<br />
was an exorbitant sum. The market value at that time was about<br />
£4 sterling, or $20 for each or $80 for the whole. Deducting<br />
one-half, the fine for not paying voluntarily, left the sum taxed<br />
$40 in silver money, equal to $120 at the present time. Ralph<br />
Jones was not a man <strong>of</strong> wealth, and a part <strong>of</strong> his estate was taxable<br />
in Sandwich. There were about one hundred tax payers in<br />
town at that time, and Jones' proportion <strong>of</strong> the gross sum raised<br />
to support the ministry would not be over the one hundredth<br />
part. If his tax was £8 sterling the gross would be £800, a sum<br />
equal to the gross amount <strong>of</strong> Mr. Walley's salary during the sixteen<br />
years he was minister <strong>of</strong> <strong>Barnstable</strong>. It is preposterous to<br />
believe that Jones was so taxed, yet this is a part <strong>of</strong> the story,<br />
and as much entitled to credence as the rest <strong>of</strong> it.