Since there was a request for this tale, I looked it up. One of Pepperell’s claims to fame (and there aren’t many) is that we have one of the few remaining covered bridges in New England, and the only one in Massachusetts, I think, that is in full active use. That is, it was, until recently, because after about fifteen years of wrangling we finally got enough money to rebuild it, and that’s happening right now. Anyway, in the 18th century the bridge was not covered, but it was in the same location, and this exciting event occurred in 1775.
(source: http://www.town.pepperell.ma.us/historical/CoveredBridge.html)
That place on the Nashua River now spanned by the covered bridge has been host to a bridge since about 1740.
Even a brief history of a bridge at that river crossing must include a particular event that took place there just a couple of days after the British regulars marched into Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. Pepperell, Groton and Hollis Minutemen responded to that call by the dozens leaving their wives, mothers and sisters to deal with the children, the farms and any situation that might arise.
One Pepperell woman, Prudence Cummings Wright, had been raised in a household that freely discussed politics and not all shared the same opinions.
Prudence was a Patriot, inside and out while her brother Samuel was a Tory, loyal to the King. By 1775 Prudence was 35 years old, had been married 14 years and mother to 6 living children. While visiting her mother in Hollis, she overheard her brother and his Tory cohort, Benjamin Whiting, discuss a plan to deliver a message to British regulars revealing the location of gunpowder hidden by the rebel Patriots. In short time she was back in Pepperell sending an alert out to other women within that network now committed to active rebellion. The women quickly reacted. It was decided to stop the Tory spies at Jewett’s Bridge, present location of the covered bridge. They gathered together armaments available, probably not guns because those weapons had gone with the men; but farm tools can be threatening weapons.
Then they waited at the bridge, into the night, shielding the lantern, totally silent until two horsemen approached from the north. Taking advantage of surprise Prudence burst upon them with lantern bright demanding to know their identity and business. Her brother Samuel knew the depth of his sister’s commitment to the cause and immediately turned tail avoiding possible fatal injury. Benjamin Whiting pushed forward, believing he couldn’t be stopped by a bunch of women. He was wrong of course. Both were dragged off their mounts and searched. Dispatches intended for the British were found. The men were escorted to Solomon Roger’s tavern. There the prisoners were detained for the rest of night before being taken to Groton and the Committee of Safety in the morning.
Wouldn’t you just have loved to have seen the look on Benjamin Whiting’s face? Ha!
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