Glimpse into Made to Last Forever: Days of Thanksgiving and Humiliation

Many of you know about the book that is in the process of being published, Made to Last Forever: A Family, A House, A Nation. It’s a historical novel about the original Fairbanks family that came to the budding Massachusetts Bay Colony in the early 1600’s and helped found the town of Dedham, Massachusetts in 1636/37.

It’s difficult to wait for a book of this magnitude to finally be available, especially if you have been following this blog over the last six years. Yes, it’s difficult for me too. I have been working on the book for a lifetime and ten years. While we wait for the final work to be done on the book, I’ll provide you with glimpses of the book. Each glimpse will help you understand more about the 1600s Massachusetts Bay Colony, Dedham, the Fairbanks family, and will let you enjoy the book even more.

Our glimpse for November is about “Days of Thanksgiving and Days of Humiliation” They were both equally important and observed by a community or the whole colony. There wasn’t just one Thanksgiving Day each year. George Washington didn’t proclaim the first first Thanksgiving Day when he called everyone in the colonies to observe a day of thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, 1789. To learn more about this topic, press the button below.

Fairbanks Patriot Project: The Suffolk Resolves and Committees of Inspecion

Featured Patriots

Stephen Metcalf VI

Lineage: Jonathan Fairbanks I, Michael Jr. and Mary (Fairbanks) Metcalf II, Deacon Jonathan Metcalf III,
Deacon John Metcalf, Esq. IV, John Metcalf V, Stephen Metcalf VI

Ralph Day V
Lineage: Jonathan Fairbanks I, Ralph and Susan (Fairbanks) Day II, Ralph Day III, Ralph Day IV, Ralph Day V

Lieut. Joseph Fairbanks V
Lineage: Jonathn Fairbanks I, John Fairbanks II, John Fairbanks III, Joshua Fairbanks IV, Joseph Fairbanks V

Suffolk Resolves

One of the Most Significant Documents Pre-Revolutionary War

Before I introduce this topic, you need some background. The Boston Tea Party occurred December 1773. A British Governor was appointed by Parliament to combine and govern the colonies. The Boston Harbor was closed to shipments, a British military presence plagued Boston and had set up on the Neck of Boston. Several acts of oppression had been enacted by England’s Parliament to control the colonies: the Stamp Act, the Coersive Acts (Intolerable Acts), and Townsend Acts.

Boston, in particular, and all the colonies were seething from the steps Britain had taken to suppress them and their government. There was fear that violence might erupt.

A Committee of Correspondence had already been formed. This committee was the communication system between all the towns of the colonies, so they could present a united front against the British.

A Continental Congress with representation from all the colonies, except Georgia, met for the first time in Philadelphia on September 1, 1774. They asked all the colonial divisions to convene to suggest peaceable ways to address the “Intolerable Acts” in hopes of a peaceful solutions and to divert violence.

Dedham did not choose members for the Committee of Correspondence, however, Bellingham, a spin off town of Dedham had appointed Stephen Metcalf. When the Continental Congress called for meetings to address the grievances against Britian, Dedham chose five men: Ralph Day, Mr. Richard Woodward, Dr. William Avery, Nathaniel Sumner, Esq., and Captain Daniel Gay to serve at the Suffolk Convention.

The Convention of the Suffolk of Massachusetts Bay Colony was represented by Boston, Bellingham, Dedham, Needham, Wrentham, Walpole, Medfield, Medway, Chelsea, and Bookline. You will recognize most of them as spin off towns of Dedham. The leader of the Suffolk Convention was Dr. Joseph Warren, who headed the Massachusetts Third Provincial Congress and was killed at Bunker Hill. The known Fairbanks descendants at the Suffolk Convention were Stephen Metcalf and Deacon Ralph Day.

The first meeting of the Suffolk Convention was at Doty’s Tavern in Stoughton, just six miles east of Dedham, on August 16, 1774. There preliminary work on the Suffolk Resolves was begun. The second meeting, September 6, was held in Dedham at Mr. Woodward’s Inn (near the present day courthouse). The nineteen major responses were formulated at that meeting. The last of the meetings, September 9, three days later, was held at Vose’s Tavern in Milton, six miles east of Dedham. There the document was polished. Immediately it was given to Paul Revere, of the Committee of Correspondence, to carry by horseback to the newly formed Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

The Continental Congress was formed September 1, 1774, the same day the British troops took gun powder from Cambridge, now known as the Powder Alarm. The Continental Congress met for the first time on September 5th. Seven days later Paul Revere delivered the Suffolk Resolves. The next day, it was unanimously adopted as the first act of Congress and sent to all newspapers in the Colonies.

Brief Recap of Suffolk Resolves

Full Language of the Suffolk Resolves
1.        King George was recognized as the rightful Sovereign by the colonies.

2.        It is our duty to maintain, defend and preserve civil and religious rights and liberties for future generations

3.        The late acts of British Parliament blocking Boston Harbor and altering the established Government in this Colony and screening criminals of the law from a legal trial are gross infractions of those rights which we are justly entitled.

4.        No obedience is due to the Acts above mentioned. They should be rejected as attempts to enslave America

5.      A the judicial system and officers appointed by Britain instead of this Province is considered unconstitutional are unconstitutional officers and will be disregarded. Jonathan Day refused to sit on the British held court.

6.        If a British judicial system is held , this County (Suffolk) will support and bear harmless any Sheriff, Deputies, Constables, Jurors and other officers who refuse to carry out the orders of said courts.

7.        Those who collect taxes and public moneys should retain it and not pay to the Province or county Treasurers until the Civil Government of the Province is placed upon a constitutional foundation

8.        Anyone who has accepted a seat at the Council Board by the King under the “An Act for Regulating the Government of the Massachusetts-Bay” must publicly resign they will be considered an enemy of this Colony.

9.        The fortification on the Boston Neck and removal of Powder from Charleston gives us reason to apprehend some hostile intention against that town.

10.  As men and Protestant Christians, we recognize and will take measures to secure against dangers presented by the Act of Parliament establishing the Roman Catholic Religion and French Laws in Canada.

11. The current militia of the towns must reconsider their leaders to assure they support the rights of the people. Each town should practice the Art of War as with once a week training.

12.  We resent the insults and oppression, but we will act merely upon the defensive as long we are not provoked.

13.  If Britain seize our countrymen, then we will seize servants of Britain and keep them safe until our countrymen are released safe and uninjured.

14.  Until our rights are restored, we will withhold all commercial intercourse with Great-Britain, Ireland and the West indies, and abstain from consumption of goods from Britain, especially East-India Teas and Piece Goods.

15.  Encourage Colonial Arts and Manufactures amongst us.

16.  A Provincial Congress to be called of chosen representatives of the towns in this county to be held.

17.  Suffolk county will respect and submit to the decisions of the Contiental Congress and Provincial Congress for the restoration and establishment of our just rights, civil and religious, and renewed harmony and union between Great-Britain and the Colonies.

18.  We recommend no person damage private property or engage on routs, riots, or licentious attacks of any person.

19.  If the enemy suddenly acts in an untoward way against one town, a member of the Committee of Correspondence or a Selectman will dispatch couriers with a written message to other towns in the vicinity or further out as needed.

Webster, Mary Phillips, and Charles R. Morris. The Story of the Suffolk Resolves. HIstorical Commission, Milton, Massachusetts, 1973

Massachusetts Historical Society Supplement to the Massachusets-Gazette, 15 September 1774 https://www.masshist.org/database/viewer.php?item_id=696&img_step=1&pid=2&mode=transcript#pa

Committee of Inspection
Are Your Neighbors Watching You?

On October 20, 1774, the Continental Congress issued the “Articles of Association”   which addressed non-importation, non-exportation and non-consumption of Great Britain. It asked the colonist to act with frugality, cease trade with Great Britain and West Indies, and discontinue slave trade. It also called for towns to elect Committees of Inspection to enforce this act.

The Committees of Inspection were to assure their town was abiding by the Suffolk Resolves and the Continental Congress’ Articles of Association. They would ascertain that militia training was taking place, that every man had the needed equipment of war, that goods from England, Ireland, and West Indies weren’t being bought or sold or consumed.

In Dedham, the same five men who helped develop the Suffolk Resolves were appointed as the
Committee of Inspection. The Fairbanks descendants on that Committee of Inspection for Dedham was Ralph Day. In Wrentham, a spin off city of Dedham, another Fairbanks descendant, Lieut. Joseph Fairbanks, was on the Committee for Inspection of that town. Lieut. Joseph’s Committee of Inspection was made up of fifteen men.

This not only made sure that the colonists were complying with the rules and making difficulties for Britain through non-trade, it also was a way to determine if some among the Patriots favored the British side as Loyalists. It was found that one clergy in Dedham was harboring two British soldiers. He was tried and found not guilty because of his care of men in need. However, when he was asked to take an oath of allegiance to the Patriot cause, he refused. He was then banished from the town.

A closer look at our Patriots

Stephen Metcalf
Lineage: Jonathan Fairbanks I, Michael Jr. and Mary (Fairbanks) Metcalf II, Deacon Jonathan Metcalf III,
Deacon John Metcalf, Esq. IV, John Metcalf V, Stephen Metcalf VI

 We have already established Stephen Metcalf’s lineage. He was the son of John Metcalf of Bellingham. Stephen was born in Dedham to John and Mary Metcalf in 1731. He married Hephzibah Adams. Stephen was selected as a member of the Committee of Correspondence prior to representing Bellingham at the Suffolk Convention. Afterwards he was a Representative in the Massachusetts Provincial Congress.
Stephen participated in the Second Massachusetts Provincial Congress from February 1, 1775 to May to 1775.

In October 27 1776, during the conflict, Stephen received a letter from Abel Bullard at Ticonderoga. It can be found in the New York Public Library Digital Collection

In 1794, Stephen made a plan of the town of Bellingham. A picture of the house Stephen Metcalf built in 1777 can be found at Boston University in the Digital Collection of the Joseph P. Healy Collection

Stephen and Hepzibah had 6 children. He died in Bellingham in 1800 at the age of 68.
History of Bellingham, Massachusetts

Ralph Day
Lineage: Jonathan Fairbanks I, Ralph and Susan (Fairbanks) Day II, Ralph Day III, Ralph Day IV, Ralph Day V

His Daughters of the American Revolution identification number is #A030931. He is not found in Lorenzo Sayles Fairbanks book.

The Day family was among the earliest settlers of Dover or the Fourth Precinct of Dedham. The Days built a bridge across the Charles from Dedham to Dover that was called the Day Bridge. The family lived close to this bridge.

Ralph was born on the family homestead in 1717. He married Mary Ellis of Dedham in 1739. She died in 1761. At that time, Ralph married Mercy Leland of Sherborn. She had been married to a Winship previously. She died in 1795.

As well as helping write the Suffolk Resolves, Ralph also participated in the Committee of Inspection for Dedham, was a Selectman of Dedham several times and a Deacon of the Dover first church organized in 1762. Later, he served in the Lexington Alarm. He was a Private under a close friend, Captain Ebenezer Battle. Ralph had several children. One son, John, served as a soldier in 1780 for which his father received 30 pounds.

Jonathan Day
Lineage: Jonathan Fairbanks I, Ralph and Susan (Fairbanks) Day II, Ralph Day III, Ralph Day IV, Jonathan Day

Ralph’s brother, Jonathan, born in 1719, also served in the Lexington Alarms. He was a Selectman for Dedham several times. Jonathan was called to Boston on August 30, 1774, to serve as a grand juror, but consistent with the Suffolk Resolves and like other Patriots of the time, he refused to serve in a court under the British rule. Jonathan was married to Hannah Battle of Dedham in 1643, then to Prudence Draper in 1784. She was a widow of both Captain Ebenezer Battle and Joshua Whiting. Jonathan had several children. Information for the Days was found at DAR.ORG, History of Dover and Genalogical History of Dover

Lieut. Joseph Fairbanks, Wrentham 1717-1801
Jonathn 1, John II, John III, Joshua IV, Joseph V

Lieut. Joseph Fairbanks (1717-1801 of Wrentham can not be found on the Daughter of the American Revolution website. He is found asf #42 on page 81 of Lorenzo Sayles Fairbanks book. He was on the Committee of Fifteen and ordered on January 4, 1775 to see that the Advice of the Continental and Provincial Congress was executed in his town. That could include being sure the men attend militia training, had the right equipment such as guns and powder, that tea was not being consumed or British goods were not being purchased or sold.

Lieut. Joseph married Ithamar (Farrington) Ware in 1747. She was the widow of Hezekiah Ware of Wrentham. Together Joseph and Ithamar had 7 children; two died young.

SUMMARY

As strife between Britain and the Colonies esculated, Stephen Metcalf of Bellingham and Ralph Day of Dedham stepped up in the Suffolk Convention to devise peaceful ways to express and deal with the dissatisfaction of British oppression, yet they planned for military strength if necessary. Stephen went forward to help run the Massachusetts Government during the Second Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Ralph Day and Lieut. Fairbanks knew that words alone couldn’t make a difference if not backed by action, so they agreed to assure the Articles of Association against the British oppression were adhered to by the towns. Even after a prestigious appointment in British held court, Jonathan Day rejected it in the interest of the Patriot cause. These are all Fairbanks descendants that were able to effect change without weapons. Later, some would pick up arms when it became necessary.

Next Up!

More Fairbanks Patriots of the Revolutionary War
and
They Banned Christmas 1659
(the same year Susan (Fairbanks) Day died)