James Eager. No reproach is attached to the names of the loyalists, for they but exercised their undoubted right to decide for themselves what form of government they believed in. All that we can say is, they were short-sighted and faint-hearted.

On June 23, 1777, the town appointed a committee "to take care and lay before the court the evidence which may be produced against the persons in Northborough which are looked upon by said town as inimical to this and the United States of America agreeable to a late act directing the same. Then was a list presented to the town of the names of persons supposed to be inimical and were judged so to be by said town, and voted that their names be returned by the town clerk to such justices as are proper to try the same. The list of the names of the persons are John Taylor, Thomas Billings, Sylvanus Billings, James Eager, John Eager and Widow Miriam Eager."

The "Massachusetts Spy" informs us that some of those men were confined to their farms. That method of detention was more or less general throughout Massachusetts.

One of those men, Sylvanus Billings, found it irksome to be confined within the narrow limits of his farm, and unpleasant to have his loyalty suspected; and in December of that year he petitioned the town "for a reconciliation," and asked "to be restored to favor and friendship." But the town was obdurate and refused to grant his petition.

Nothing more is heard of the matter until May 17, 1781, when Mr. Billings renewed his petition to the town:

"To the Gentlemen Selectmen and Committee of Correspondence for the town of Northborough, the petition of Sylvanus Billings humbly showeth, that he is desirous to settle with this town, and is willing to confess his faults; he owns that he has been backward and unfriendly in not defending this country against the British Power; he owns that he was unfriendly in not bringing Caleb Green to justice who was a notorious villain and an enemy to his country; to this, and all other of his faults in this matter, he is heartily sorry for, and humbly asks forgiveness of the good people of this town, and so is willing to submit to a peaceable and reasonable settlement; he desires you would hear his petition and take it into your wise consideration and restore him to friendship again as in duty bound shall pray. This from your most obedient and well-wishing friend who promises in future to be a good member of society.

"March 23, 1780."

"SYLVANUS BILLINGS.

This change of heart on the part of Mr. Billings, and his willingness to atone for his lack of patriotism was evidently sincere; but there were some citizens of the town who were as yet unwilling to grant him full forgiveness, and they were successful in having consideration of the petition postponed to a future meeting. But at an adjourned meeting, May 28, they were unable to defer the matter any longer (though they tried hard to do so), and by vote of the town, the petition was granted, and Mr. Billings was restored into the good graces of the town.

That the forgiveness of the town was as genuine as was Mr. Billing's contrition is shown by the fact that, within two years Mr. Billings was elected to the important office of surveyor of highways and collector of highway taxes.

That the town was in earnest in dealing with those who were not in sympathy with the revolutionary movement is shown by a vote passed on March 2, 1778, granting "the sum of ten pounds to pay the Hon. Levi Lincoln for pleading the cause of the town against the inimical persons thereof at a special court."

NORTHBOROUGH MEN IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION NOTE. This list includes the company of Minute-men given on another page. One hundred and twenty-four in all.

Joseph Buckman

Josiah Carruth
William Carruth
William Clare
John Colston
Jonathan Conn
John Cook
James Cutting
Jonas Cutting
Bezaleel Eager
Joseph Eager
Oliver Eager

Drury Fairbanks

Josiah Farrar

Adam Fay

Asa Fay
David Fay
Moses Fay
Timothy Fay
William Fay
Cato Freeman
James Gamwell
John Gamwell
Thomas Keene

CHAPTER VII

THE WAR OF 1812

There is no item of any kind on our town records relative to Northborough's participation in the War of 1812.

We learn from other sources, however, that a company of forty-five men was raised in Westborough, Northborough, and vicinity, and that it did service in Boston from September 8 to October 30, 1814. This company was captained by Pierpont Brigham, and was attached to Lieutenant-Colonel S. Town's Regiment.

As knowledge of these facts is not easily accessible we append the names and rank of the full company:

Of the above company the following men were from Northborough:

John Andrews, Corporal Nathaniel Brigham, William Fay, Luther Hawes, Jonas Sibley.

Asa Godfrey, was taxed in Northborough in 1808 and presumably lived here when this company was organized.

Ebenezer Maynard, was taxed in Northborough in 1804 to 1806, and presumably lived here at the time.

Corporal Jesse Rice. His father moved to Northborough from Westborough in 1808, but it is not known whether Jesse came with him or not.

Presuming that the last three men lived in Northborough at the time the above-mentioned company was raised, it appears that the town of Northborough sent eight men into the "War of 1812."