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Somerset County Herald and Taunton Courier. Saturday 21 Nov 1936
Page 7 Column 4
TWO TAUNTONS
SOMERSET ASSOCIATIONS WITH AMERICA
EMIGRANT PIONEERS
MR. H. J. WICKENDEN'S ROTARY TALK
The associations between Taunton and her sister town in Massachusetts were explained by Mr. H. J. WICKENDEN, a master at Huish's Grammar School, in a talk to members of Taunton Rotary Club on Friday, Mr. L. W. C. LORDEN presided.
Mr. WICKENDEN's remarks were based on an extensive study of the subject, which was published in his recent book, “Emigration from Taunton and District to New England, 1625-1645.”
Mr. WICKENDEN said that in addition to the interest which the people of America displayed in what they sometimes called, “the Old Country,” a large number of them tried to prove that their ancestors went over in the Mayflower – so many that the ship must have been filled to overflowing. “It did not strike me until last year,” he added, “that the inhabitants of Australia do not seem to display the same enthusiasm about the first boat loads of people who reached that country.” (Laughter.)
TWO EMIGRATIONS.
There were two separate emigrations – in 1620 and 1630. Although in both cases the people left because of their religious convictions, there was a great difference between them. The Puritans of 1620 completely severed their connection from the Church of England: those of 1630, including all the Puritans from Taunton and district, were non-separatists; they still regarded themselves as members of the Church of England, although later they, too, severed their connections. The early emigrants were the extreme Puritans. A large number of Puritans must have emigrated from the Taunton district – how many they would never know. One of them, William ROCKWELL, left Fitzhead, nine miles from Taunton, and settled in Dorchester, originally a part of Boston, Mass.; he never became famous. Another, William TREAT, left Pitminster with a wife and large family and settled in Dorchester, Mass. Later he went to Connecticut, and his son, Major TREAT, not only commanded the defence of Connecticut, but became Governor of that State. That was an honour of which Somerset, and that[?] part of the district especially, had reason to be proud.
ANCESTORS OF U.S. PRESIDENTS.
In the Churchyard of Tolland, a village off the Taunton-Minehead road, was a tombstone marking the death of John WOLCOTT. He had a son who also took part in the second emigration, and was well-known both at home and in America to Richard TREAT. The two families were connected by marriage soon after arrival. Henry WOLCOTT also became famous in the development of Connecticut, and in the signatures of the Declaration of Independence could be found the name of WOLCOTT, one of the descendants of the family. He settled at Windsor, Conn., and at the present time there were at least two places named Tolland.
Henry ADAMS left in the second emigration from the village of Barton St. David, near Somerton, and went to Braintree, near Boston, Mass. Members of the fourth and fifth generations of his descent became Presidents of the United States – one succeeded George WASHINGTON and the other succeeded President MUNROE. That was another great honour for Somerset. George PARDEE, who left Taunton and spent the rest of his life in New Haven, Conn., was a schoolmaster.
FOUNDING OF TAUNTON.
“Is it true to say that the Taunton of Mass. is a daughter of the Taunton in Somerset?” Mr. WICKENDEN asked. “With one exception, the subject is not mentioned in local histories. In 1636 Edward WINSLOW, one of the founders of New Plymouth, who went out with Governor BRADFORD at the time of the Mayflower, explored the site of what was to be Taunton, Mass. He recommended that the settlement should be made from New Plymouth, and pioneers began to move westward. In November, 1637, a plantation was begun at a place called Teticutt by 'a gentlewoman and an ancient maid, one Mrs POOLE.' The term 'Mrs.' was applied both to spinsters and married women. The 'ancient maid' bought the site from the Indians, who called it Cohannet, from 'hanna' – a river.
DEVON ASSOCIATIONS.
“I can only suggest (said Mr. WICKENDEN) that the name came from the two Tetticutts you will find on a map of Devonshire, though Mrs. POOLE came from South Devon. I understand that your President is going to take measurements of the ancestral home for the pageant to commemorate the tercentenary of Taunton, Mass. In the following year the town was incorporated, but its real foundation ought to be commemorated in 1938; but apparently they are going to remember Mrs. POOLE rather than those who purchased the site in 1638.
ENGLISH FOUNDERS.
“Of the 46 original purchasers, how many may be said to have come from this district? At the most, six, and I am including South Chard in that. John DEANE, tenth on the list, came from South Chard district, and his brother Walter was eleventh. Thomas FARWELL, the fifteenth name, was from Bishop's Hull, and the 29th was William PARKER, of St. Mary Magdalene, Taunton, whose name may be seen in the baptismal register. His brother, John PARKER, was next on the list. Another, Hugh ROSSITER, probably came from Taunton. These six people would have known Taunton and been interested in the town. Did they put forward their claim to call the new town 'Taunton'? The Indians called it Cohannet; Mrs. POOLE's name for it was Tetticut. I can only suggest that these six men outweighed the wishes of the others and said that the new place was very much like the town they had left behind. In Taunton Library there is a book by the Rev. Dr. EMERY on the history of Taunton, Mass., in which it is stated, 'It is not true that the Taunton in New England was settled as a colony from Taunton in the Mother Country or that many of its first purchasers were from that town: but it is clear that its settlement was largely from the South-West Counties of England, and that it was the love they bore towards the ancient Taunton . . . . which led them to select the name for their new home in the Western World.'”
That, said Mr.WICKENDEN, was probably as exact a conclusion as they would ever reach.
Rotarian F. S. DODSON expressed the Club's thanks to the speaker.