but the soil is penurious. This however is not characteristick of the whole. The soil, in general, has sufficient variety, and yields, under the hand of industry, almost every kind of production in tolerable plenty. Rye and Indian corn are in general raised here with great ease, and in such quantities as not only to supply the inhabitants, but to afford considerable for market. There are indeed two kinds of soil here, of which the farmers frequently complain. The one is the clayey cold kind; the other is the light spungy soil: but as these are often found near together, and will, by mixing, correct and meliorate each other, this complaint, it is hoped, will not long continue.

The timber here growing is principally oak, white, red, and black oak; walnut, maple, black and white birch, elm, pine, cedar, locusts, , spruce, beech, buttonwood, hornbine, and sassafras; the last of which, when used for posts, or any other way, is found to be the most incorruptible of any wood hitherto known.

A considerable part of the town lies upon a circular bend of Taunton river. This river is between seven and eight rods wide, and affords a great plenty of herrings and other fish: but so unfavourable is it, in this place to seining or fishing, that the exclusive privilege of fishing is annually sold for less than twelve shillings, while the same privilege in Bridgewater and Middleborough, (towns which lie above this) is annually sold for more than two hundred and fifty pounds. Justice perhaps in this case pleads for indulgence from government, or the grant of some artificial convenience, where nature seems to have denied one. Besides the great river, there are several other useful streams, upon which, in different places, stand six saw mills, three grist mills, one furnace, a forge, and fulling mill. It is remarkable, that notwithstanding the quantity of pine timber sawed at these mills, the logs rafted down the river, and the pine consumed in furnaces, in slitting mills, and common fires yet it is confidently affirmed, that there is now standing in this town as much pine timber as on the first day of its settlement; such has been the growth of swamp pine. But of no other kind of wood or fuel can it be said, that the growth has been equal to the consumption. The large quantities of coals, consumed in carrying on the iron manufacture in all its branches, has, within a few years past, greatly enhanced the value of wood. This has already occasioned emigrations, and will probably produce more. But when the rapid growth of wood in general, of white birch and pine in particular, is considered; when the late use of this species of pine, as an article of firing, which is known to grow faster in our most barren uplands, than even in the swamps; but especially when some of the late discoveries in the philosophy of heat, and its operations on the human body, become more generally known, it is very probable that the want of fuel will not be the cause of so much complaint. Upon the northerly part of the town, there is a large and valuable tract of cedar swamp; and towards the centre, are two considerable tracts more. The one is called the Dead, and the other, Titicut swamp.

On the easterly side of the town is a pond, which is about two miles in circumference. It joins to Titicut swamp, and is supplied with pike, or pickerel, perch, and other kinds of fish. On the westerly boundary are two ponds more, called the Forge, and Fowling ponds. There is also a large pond, which makes part of the northerly boundary of this town, and divides it from Bridgewater.

This pond is two miles in length and one in breadth, and is called Nippaniquit, or Nippahonsit pond Here alewives in millions annually resort, and leave their spawns.

An excellent kind of ore, and various kinds of fish are found here. Allured, perhaps, by the pleasures of fishing, and the beauty of the prospect, that curious political character, Dr. Benjamin Church, of Boston, came here; and in the year 1768, built an elegant house upon one of the elevated sides of this pond.

Although the lands in this town are in general level and smooth, yet there are some considerable elevations or bills. The principal ones are known by the names of Tareall and Smooch hill. The first is exceedingly fruitful; the other is equally barren. There is another situated near the line between this and the town of Taunton, which is called Steep hill.

The first meeting house was built the year preceding the incorporation of the town. It then contained about thirty families; over which, in the month of October 1731, was ordained the Rev. John Wales, father of the Rev. Doctor Samuel Wales, late Professor of Divinity at Yale College in Connecticut. He was blessed with talents, which rendered him very amiable and entertaining in social life. In publick prayer, his performances were eminent, and on some occasions almost unequalled. He was a faithful plain preacher; and having served in the gospel ministry thirty-four years, he died February 23d, 1765, in the sixty-sixth year of his age. To him succeeded the Rev. Peres Fobes, LL. D. He was graduated at Cambridge college, 1762, ordained November 19th, 1766, and is now in the twenty-seventh year of his happy ministry, among a happy people.

The first meeting house was conveniently situated for the first inhabitants; and continued, as the place of publick worship, for more than forty-two years, that is until June 9th, 1771; when a new meeting house was erected nearly in the centre of the town. It stands upon a level spot of ground, near the intersection of two roads. It has an elegant steeple lately built, is pleasantly situated, decently painted, and is about the distance of three miles from the county court house.

The number of families in this town is near two hundred, which, according to the late census, contains about a thousand souls. Of this number nearly one sixth part are of the baptist denomination; of whom some attend worship with the congregationalists in the meeting house, others attend baptist meetings in the neighbouring towns; and some are contented with few occasional meetings at private houses." If it has been said of the baptists in general, that they were rather un

friendly to government and learning, yet in justice to that denomination it ought now to be said, that they are improving in their friendly regard to both.

If the salubrity of the air and soil can be accurately determined by a philosophical instrument, called an eudiometer: yet, among us, it is perhaps best known at present, by the health and longevity of the inhabitants. From a careful inspection of the bills of mortality, which in this place have been kept for more than twenty years past, and which might here have been inserted, it appears that the air is by no means unfavourable to health and long life. In one family born in this place, there were living not long since, five brothers and one sister, whose ages, taken together, amounted to more than five hundred years.

The people of this town are principally farmers, with a proportion of mechanicks, traders, and professional characters. Besides the usual business of husbandry, numbers are here employed in the manufactories, of bar iron, hollow ware, nails, irons for vessels, iron shovels, pot ash, shingles, &c. These, together with the late rapid increase of buildings, as well as improvements in agriculture and iron manufacture, bear unquestionable attestation to the industry and enterprise of the people.

Raynham has been considered as one of the most patriotick towns in the state. The inhabitants, especially those who attend publick worship here, have been distinguished for their zealous attachment to republican government, to learning, to military discipline, and church. musick.

The unanimity and ardour of their publick decisions during the late war; their cautious, but spirited exertions, their prompt and peaceable compliances with the numerous calls of government in the days of exigence and danger, are well known; and perhaps ought the rather to be remembered, as their patience long endured the trial of cruel opposition, and the shock of ridicule, from the tongues, the pens, the publick votes, and contradicting examples of great numbers all around them. The people here can appeal to the living and the dead, when they say that not among their number was ever yet found, either a ⚫tory, a paper money man, or insurgent. Fired at the name of insurgency, and hearing that a conspiracy was formed to prevent the sitting of the October court of 1786, the troops of this little town, consisting of two small companies, roused unanimous; and at the first call of their leaders, mustered in arms, marched alone to Taunton, entered the court house as a preoccupant guard, there lay upon their arms through the whole of the night, preceding the day of the court's sitting; and in open defiance of all the bloody threats of an unprincipled and outrageous mob, in constant expectation of hundreds in arms ready for battle, they stood firm, but alone; until the next day about noon, when by a reinforcement of troops from the county of Plymouth, and a number gleaned from different parts of this county, they formed, and under the command of General Cobb, the insurrection was crushed, VOL. III.

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the supreme court sat, and government was triumphant*; but from the whole county of Bristol, not another whole company appeared, except the two companies from Raynham! On the last regimental muster at Taunton, the equipment and military appearance of the two Raynham companies met with distinguished approbation from the inspecting general; by him they were pronounced equal to any in the state.

As a proof of taste, and of real attachment to literature, it ought to be known, that for more than fifteen years past, a kind of academical school has been constantly taught in this town. It began in the year 1773, under the care of the Rev. Peres Fobes; and a large number of youth, from different towns and states, were instructed here, not only in the languages, but in the arts and sciences. When he could no longer attend, another instructor was employed, and a school of a similar kind set up, at the expense chiefly of a few individuals in the town; and with little intermission, it has continued in the same place to this day.

A publick social library, consisting of a valuable collection of books has lately been established here, and through the last season, five English schools, besides a grammar school were taught in this town. At present there are six schools, four of which are now taught by respectable grammarians. Add to this, that four young men, from this town (two of whom lately settled in the ministry) have been graduated at different colleges, within a few years past; and six others from this place are now members of colleges. If this should not be thought cœteris paribus, an instance without a parallel, it will perhaps be admitted as an evidence of literary zeal. But, in the opinion of the publick, perhaps, that which chiefly gives this little town a claim to publick attention, is, that here once lived PHILIP, the Indian King; and here still remain some pleasing monuments of antiquity and of great natural curiosity. They can here mark the place, and point with the hand to their children, and say, “ Our ears have heard, and our fathers have told us," there once lived the tawny chief, the dread of women and children, a terror that walked in darkness, haunted in dreams, and butchered at noon-day. On that spot of ground stood his house; my great grand parent knew him; he once sold him an ox for beef, and often supplied him with iron made with his own hands, in yonder forge, which he himself built, and was the first America ever saw. See, there yet stands the friendly dome, the once well-known garrison, to which our friends in numbers fled, eager for life and panting in horror of Indian foes-and see-but let history speak➡"

The first adventurers from England to this country, who were skilled in the forge iron manufacture, were two brothers, viz. James and Henry Leonard. They came to this town in the year 1652, which was about two years after the first settlers had planted themselves upon this spot; and in the year 1652, these Leonards here built the first forge in America. Henry not long after moved from this place to the Jerseys and settled there. James, who was the great progenitor, from

See Minot's History of the Insurrection, p. 59.

whom the whole race of the Leonards here sprung, lived and died in this town. He came from Ponterpool in Monmouthshire, and brought with him his son Thomas, then a small boy, who afterwards worked at the bloomery art, with his father in the forge. This forge was situated on the great road; and having been repaired from generation to generation, it is to this day still in employ. On one side of the dam, at a small distance from each other, stand three large elms and one oak tree. Two of the elms are near three feet in circumference, and are still flourishing. These trees are now almost a hundred and twenty years old; which with the ancient buildings and other objects around, present to the eye a scene of the most venerable antiquity. In the distance of one mile and a quarter from this forge, is a place called the Fowling Pond, on the northerly side of which once stood King Philip's house. It was called Philip's hunting house, because, in the season most favourable to hunting, he resided there, but spent the winter chiefly at Mount Hope, probably for the benefit of fish. Philip and these Leonards, it seems, long lived in good neighbourhood, and often traded with each other and such was Philip's friendship, that as soon as the war broke out, which was in 1675, he gave out strict orders to all his Indians, never to hurt the Leonards. During the war, two houses near the forge were constantly garrisoned. These buildings are yet standing. One of them was built by James Leonard, long before Philip's war. This house still remains in its original gothick form, and is now inhabited, together with the same paternal spot, by Leonards of the sixth generation. In the cellar under this house, was deposited, for a considerable time, the head of King Philip; for it seems that even Philip himself shared the fate of kings; he was decollated, and his head carried about and shewn as a curiosity, by one Alderman, the Indian who shot him.

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There is yet in being an ancient case of drawers, which used to stand in this house, upon which the deep scars and mangled impressions of Indian hatchets are now seen: but the deeper impressions made on those affrighted women, who fled from the house, when the Indians broke in, cannot be known. Under the door steps of the same building now lie buried the bones of two unfortunate young women, who, in their flight here, were shot down by the Indians, and their blood was seen to run quite across the road: but more fortunate was the flight of Uriah Leonard, who, as he was riding from Taunton to the forge in this place, was discovered and fired upon by the Indians. He instantly plucked off his hat, swung it around, which startled his horse, and in full career, he reached the forge dam, without a wound; but several bullets were shot through the hat he held in his hand, and through the neck of the horse near the mane, from which the blood on both sides gushed and ran down on both his legs.

While deacon Nathaniel Williams, with some others, were at work in the field, on the south side of the road, about half a mile from the forge, one of the number discovered a motion of the bushes, at a little distance; he immediately presented his gun and fired; upon which