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On October 31, 1774,
Rev. Stephen
Williams of
Longmeadow wrote in
his diary, “this
day, my son Samuel
set out on a journey
for Boston
(designing to get an
Apprentice Boy)…”
Samuel returned to
Longmeadow on Nov. 9
and Rev. Williams
recorded that “in
the Evening my Son,
returned home in
safety – has had a
comfortable
journey…My Son has
brot home a little
Boy, ye Lord help us
to do our duty to
him and make him a
comfort & blessing
to us.”
This little boy was
5-year-old Oliver
Blanchard. According
to the records of
the Boston Overseers
of the Poor, on May
26, 1774, “received
into the House
Oliver Blanchard a
Child of Margarett
Thorps 5 yrs. old
March 24th 1774.”
Unfortunately, we do
not know more about
Oliver's parents.
Oliver lived in a
Boston almshouse
until he was
indentured to Samuel
and Lucy Williams on
November 3, 1774 and
brought to
Longmeadow on
November 9. The
archives of the
Longmeadow
Historical Society
contain a copy of
his indenture, a
portion of which is
shown above.
In the fall of 1774,
Samuel and Lucy
Williams had six
daughters and a
newborn son. The
family lived in the
Longmeadow parsonage
(where the Community
House is located
today) with Rev.
Stephen Williams and
his wife; this must
have been a full
household indeed.
Rev. Williams
mentions young
Oliver frequently in
his diary and these
references provide a
glimpse into his
life as an
indentured
apprentice.
Oliver's tasks
included helping
Samuel Williams with
farm work. In doing
so, he learned
skills which he
would need to be a
farmer. He must have
proven trustworthy
for, even as a young
boy, he was given a
great deal of
responsibility for
the family’s
livestock. On June
27, 1777 (when
Oliver was 9 years
old), Oliver
successfully brought
oxen from Somers to
Longmeadow by
himself. Rev.
Williams wrote “I
was much concerned
for Oliver who was
alone – (i.e.,
without any human
person) bringing ye
oxen, from J.
Bumstead – but God
was with & preserved
ye child, so that he
was not so much as
wet, being at
Jonathan Burts in ye
time of ye
Shower…” On four
other occasions, the
diary refers to
Oliver’s tending of
the farm’s horses
and cattle.
The Williams family
cared for Oliver
when he was sick
with the measles in
1778 and when he was
injured in January,
1782: “Oliver
Blanchard fell down
from ye Hay loft in
ye Barn, upon ye
colt, and was Hurt –
considerably…” Two
days later, Oliver
was still in pain,
so “his master took
him in a sleigh &
carried him up to
Dr. Pynchon who gave
advice and
direction…” The next
morning, he had
improved: “Oliver is
better – blessed be
to God.”
Per the terms of his
indenture, Oliver
was to receive 13
pounds, 6 shillings,
eight pence at the
end of his indenture
in 1790. This
payment was designed
to provide Oliver
with some capital so
that he could make
his way as a
productive citizen
of the community and
state.
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And, Oliver did just
that. In 1793,
Oliver Blanchard was
established enough
so that he could
marry a local girl,
Clarinda Cooley. By
1798, he was one of
the wealthiest
citizens in town,
according to the tax
valuation.
How did this
enterprising young
farmer earn his
money? The archives
of the Longmeadow
Historical Society
include the account
books of Erastus
Goldthwaite and Asa
Colton and our
president, Dr. Al
McKee, has examined
them for clues to
Oliver's financial
success. These books
list business
transactions with
Oliver and,
from these, we can
tell that he grew
hemp (used for
making rope and
other
products), wheat,
corn, rye and
tobacco. The
Blanchards also
probably had an
apple orchard and
raised sheep.
Page from Account
Book of Erastus
Goldthwaite
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Oliver Blanchard
joined First Church
and, in 1803, was
elected to a
position of
authority within the
church -
tythingman.
Oliver and Clarinda
were not blessed
with children, but
Clarinda’s brother,
John, honored him by
naming his son born
October 4, 1808
after him – Oliver
Blanchard Cooley.
Shortly afterwards,
on October 31, 1808,
Oliver Blanchard
died. The
inscription on his
headstone notes that
"he was an
affection husband,
kind neighbor and a
valuable citizen."
Longmeadow Cemetery
Photo by Al and
Betsy McKee
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enlarge
Sources
-
Longmeadow Historical
Society archives
-
Diary of Rev. Stephen
Williams
-
The Eighteenth-Century
Records of the Boston
Overseers of the Poor,
Eric Nellis & Anne
Decker Cecere, 2007
-
Massachusetts, U.S.,
Town and Vital Records,
1620-1988
-
Massachusetts and Maine
Direct Tax, 1798
