by marriage with royalist families. Abijah Willard, the eldest, had just
passed his fiftieth year. He had won a captaincy before Louisburg when
but twenty-one, and was promoted to a colonelcy in active service
against the French; was a thorough soldier, a gentleman of stately
presence and dignified manners, and a skilful manager of affairs. For
his first wife, he married Elizabeth, sister of Colonel William
Prescott; for his second, Mrs. Anna Prentice, but had recently married a
third partner, Mrs. Mary McKown, of Boston. He was the wealthiest
citizen of Lancaster, kept six horses in his stables, and dispensed
liberal hospitality in the mansion inherited from his father Colonel
Samuel Willard. By accepting the appointment of councillor in 1774, he
became at once obnoxious to the dominant party, and in August, when
visiting Connecticut on business connected with his large landed
interests there, he was arrested by the citizens of the town of Union,
and a mob of five hundred persons accompanied him over the state line
intending to convey him to the nearest jail. Whether their wrath became
somewhat cooled by the colonel's bearing, or by a six-mile march, they
released him upon his signing a paper dictated to him, of which the
following is a copy, printed at the time in the Boston Gazette:--

STURBRIDGE, August 25, 1774.

Whereas I Abijah Willard, of Lancaster, have been appointed by
mandamus Counselor for this province, and have without due
Consideration taken the Oath, do now freely and solemnly and in
good faith promise and engage that I will not set or act in said
Council, nor in any other that shall be appointed in such manner
and form, but that I will, as much as in me lies, maintain the
Charter Rights and Liberties of the Province, and do hereby ask
forgiveness of all the honest, worthy Gentlemen that I have