Holden, MA, Paid For Men Sent To Revolutionary War, Opposed Shays' Rebellion For Sale

When the Revolutionary War broke out, Holden, MA, furnished a company of seventy men at the first call and, at this point, the town’s population was only 750. Twenty-five men enlisted in the regular Continental army, under the immediate command of Washington, for three years or during the war. In 1777, Holden paid from its treasury an amount to discharge its liabilities which had been incurred to enlist soldiers. Since the early American army was constructed on a volunteer basis, bounties were sometimes necessary to ensure regiments were full and state quotas were met.

The one-page, Autograph Document Signed, 6 x 8, April 24, 1780, offered here clearly attests to that practice.

“To the Hon. Henry Gardner, Esq: Treasurer for the State of Massachusetts Bay. Sir please to pay Capt. Nathaniel Harington...the Bounty for Seven men going to Cleaveriok Agreeable to an Account Already Exhibited to the General Court by the Selectmen of Holden.”

The document is signed by the Selectmen of Holden: RICHARD FLAGG, MOSES SMITH, AMOS HEYWOOD, JOHN PERRY and JAMES THOMPSONE.

Of those who signed the document, two stand out for their contributions to the American cause. RICHARD FLAGG was chosen on August 2, 1777, to sit in Convention at Cambridge, MA, to form a Constitution. Research indicates that Flagg and Amos Heywood were involved in preventing Shays’ Rebellion [1786-1787] from resulting in the overthrow of the government. Daniel Shays had led an armed rebellion to protest what he perceived were unjust economic policies and political corruption in the Massachusetts state legislature. [Research included]

Folds with some foxing and toning to the document.

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