Our city of Concord was settled by our ancestors many years ago. Granted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the year 1725 it was first named Pennycook Plantation, and it was settled two years later in 1727. In 1733, Pennycook Plantation was incorporated as the town of Rumford, and was reincorporated once again in 1765 as Concord.
When the very first permanent settlers arrived in 1727, their first responsibility to themselves and their families was to build temporary shelters for protection from the elements and unknown. At first, the houses were made of logs with thatched wild grass for roofing. Logs were split to provide a floor and oiled paper was used to provide natural light from the windows. As more people arrived from England, there was a demand for more permanent houses, the early Englishmen brought additional building materials, as well as skilled labor, to proceed with construction.
The original dwellings here in Concord would feature very ample kitchens with rough tables and chairs where the family would consume a typical colonial meal such as a bean porridge and a hasty pudding. When the evening meal was completed, the wooden shutters would be closed and locked over the windows as the evening work within the shelter commenced. Knitting was a common pasttime as well as tending to the many children within the Concord colonial household. The grandmother might knit while the goodwife spun. It was not uncommon for a family to have as many as 15 children, sometimes more. Twin babies would be placed in a double-hooded cradle with hoods at both ends. Some children did not survive to adulthood. As the new permanent homes were built, the temporary cabins were removed. Babies born into colonial America often met the world with complete submersion in icy cold water as they were baptized and fed with brown bread and warm beer. A colonial infant diagnosed with rickets was given crushed snails and earthworms as a treatment. With much discipline and limited resources, the children that grew to maturity were often serious in nature with a focus on survival and safety.
Our Concord ancestors, with safety of the utmost importance, were constantly challenged in the early years of settlement. As early 1744, the subject of fortification was discussed in depth and garrisons were constructed at various locations about our town. There was a local committee of militia that consisted of Benjamin Rolfe, Zacheus Lovewell and Joseph Blanchard, all appointed by Governor Wentworth. The garrisons in Concord continued to be constructed over a period of years from 1744 until May 1746 when the last was completed. The garrisons were referred to by some as forts and provided a log building where families could shelter in need of protection. The area of a common garrison was about seven square roads and the walls were rough hewn logs secured lengthwise to the height of the dwelling roof. At the end of some of the walls a sentinel box was constructed to allow for observance of danger from afar while sheltered. The property where these Concord garrisons were constructed was privately owned and the cost of construction was placed on the private landowner. Governor Wentworth would provide the needed military support for each garrison constructed. There were more than several garrisons in Concord during the French and Indian War from 1754 until 1763 where the French and Native Americans launched attacks on the colonies. The English provided protection with their armed troops in our area, but the threat was of real concern.
The Rev. Timothy Walkerโs garrison was located on the east side of Main Street, while the Lt Jeremiah Stickney garrison was located further south on the east side of Main Street near present-day Bridge Street. Timothy Walker Jr., had a garrison on the west side of Main Street at the junction of Thorndike Street and Deacon Joseph Hall had his garrison near the junction of Hall and Water Streets. Henry Lovejoy built a garrison in West Parish near Rattlesnake Brook on the road leading to Long Pond while Captain Ebenezer Eastmanโs garrison was on the east side of the Merrimack River. Jonathan Eastman built his garrison on the south side of Hopkinton Road at Millville. These were all officially recognized and supported garrisons in Concord with British militia provided to each fortification. Some early Concord settlers built their own smaller versions of garrisons about town without the militia support, simply a safe place to harbor during dangerous times. These additional small garrisons could be found at the Edward Abbott House at the southeast corner of Montgomery and Fayette Streets, James Osgoodโs Tavern at the east side of Main Street at the junction with Depot Street. George Abbott built his own garrison at the intersection of Fayette and Main Streets around his residence.
Colonial Concord was under constant threat of attack and never strayed far from their homes or garrisons. The men labored in the fields in pairs with armed men observing the horizon from atop a horse. If three shots were heard from a musket the community would rush from the fields and their homes into each garrison, secure the doors and observe from the safety of the sentinel post. It is said that even the day of Sabbath required the early settlers to attend church service with loaded muskets at the ready, stacked together at the meeting house as the pastor would preach from his pulpit. The men would be seated alongside their families as the Parson Walker preached, each man laden with powder horns, musket balls within reach of their muskets.
The good Parson Walker was known for owning the best musket in the parish, kept gently leaning against his pulpit as he commenced with his service.