The Tory
House in Central Bridgewater derives its name from its historical association
with Loyalists, commonly referred to as Tories during the American
Revolutionary War.
The house was
built in 1698 by Jacob Leonard, (still standing today) a descendant of James Chilton who came over on
the Mayflower, and whom we also descend from.
It was run as a hotel with many small rooms. Later, during the “Ante
Bellum” days preceding the Civil War, this house was a station on the Underground
Railroad helping runaway slaves escape to Canada.
Rev Allen,
Minister of the First Parish Church, who under pressure for his Tory
sympathizers, sold the property in the year leading up to the Revolutionary
war, to our sixth great grandfather, Colonel Josiah Edson. He was a sympathizer
and head of the militia. Edson was born
in Bridgewater on New Year’s Day, January 1, 1682.
He was a Justice of the Peace, a Deacon of his
church, a town Selectman from 1704 to 1734, a representative of the General
Court in Boston for many years, and owned the largest and best kept farm in
Bridgewater. Josiah was a highly respected and trusted man in town.
But, in
1774, Josiah’s great loyalty to the Crown and King George angered his fellow
townsmen because he sided with the British, was forced to leave town and the
Tory House was confiscated by the Continental Congress in 1775.
Josiah
feeling threatened, left his farm, family and friends behind to seek the
protection of the British Army in Boston and became identified as the enemy of
Bridgewater. In the early part of 1776, he accompanied the British Army from
Boston to Halifax, Nova Scotia and from there to Newport Long Island where he died
on December 26, 1778.
Bridgewater
for many years had a 4th of July celebration with a pageant
depicting the town’s history during the Revolution, with Colonel Josiah Edson
featured not as a strong and courageous man who dared stand up for his minority
and mistaken beliefs, but as the dirty villain, and a bronze plaque in front of
the house labeled it as “The Tory House” for all to revile.
No comments:
Post a Comment