By the fall of 1776, the Siege of Boston had long since ended and the war was moving south. Nearly 250 men with ties to Natick fought in the American Revolutionary War. For many of them their service ended when the Continental Army left New England. Others traveled well beyond Massachusetts to fight for the Patriot cause. You can read their stories and much more on our new website, www.amrevnatick.org, but here’s a glimpse of what you’ll find.

Private Isaac Dunton, Jr. (English) served from 1781 in New York and New Jersey until the close of the war. Lieutenant Willam Boden, Esq. (English) followed the Army to New York and served at Fort George, the site of the largest smallpox hospital for American soldiers. He and his wife Kezia later donated the land that became Boden Lane Cemetery. Captain John Felch (English) enlisted in the Continental Army and traveled to White Plains, New York where he was killed in battle on October 28, 1776. He was 47 years old. According to family history, Felch joined the army so that his 16 year old son, John Felch, Jr. could stay home. John Jr. later served in Rhode Island.

Many of the soldiers who enlisted for longer terms and traveled farther from home did not have citizenship rights in Natick or in the newly-forming United States of America. These men were of Indigenous and/or African descent. Private James Anthony, who was descended from one of the first Indigenous families to settle in Natick after 1651, enlisted in the Continental Army after serving in the Siege of Boston. His regiment was at both Battles of Saratoga and he spent a grueling period in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Private Joseph Paugenit (Indigenous) also stayed in the army after the Siege of Boston and fought at the Battles of Saratoga. He was reported deceased in 1777. Although the cause of his death is unknown, soldiers were far more likely to have died of disease than from a bullet. Private Jacob Speen (Indigenous), descended from one of Natick’s founding leaders, John Speen, also traveled south to New York and New Jersey and was still in service at the war’s end in 1783.

At least one enslaved man from Natick served in the war and traveled far beyond Massachusetts. Private Caesar Thompson (African descent), enslaved by Samuel Welles of Natick, was sent by Welles to serve in the ill-fated campaign to capture Quebec under General Benedict Arnold. Thompson traveled all over the northeast during the war and later received a pension. Welles granted Thompson his freedom in February 1783, just a week before slavery was outlawed across Massachusetts.

You can read the stories of these soldiers and much more on the Natick Historical Society’s new website: www.amrevnatick.org. This project, funded by Mass Humanities, Mass Cultural Council, and the Frank and Sheila Magullion Foundation, creates a modern record of Natick’s 249 Revolutionary War soldiers. The project also supports several education initiatives, including the Traveling Memorial for all ages, the Revolutionary War Knapsack program for elementary-aged students, and the Archive-in-a-Box project for middle and high school students. Reach out to learn more about booking one of these initiatives.

 
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Proprietress of the Old Natick Inn That Would Get a 5 Star Yelp Review Today!

By Trudy Reisner, Natick Historical Society Volunteer Researcher

Edited by Jennifer Richards, Archivist

Do you know the name Hunnewell? How about Shaw? Anyone who has spent time in South Natick has probably passed one of Isabella Hunnewell Shaw’s most lasting gifts to the village: Shaw Park. This green space across the street from the Bacon Free Library and the Natick Historical Society occupies a site that welcomed travelers, diners, and overnight guests for nearly a century and a half.

The story of the property began in 1782, when Eliakim Morrill purchased land in South Natick and built what became known as the “Old Tavern.” Morrill and his wife, Ruth Russell, operated it along the old road between Boston and New York, now Route 16. The original tavern was destroyed in the South Natick fire of 1872. The following year, Goin Bailey built Bailey’s Hotel on the site, continuing its long tradition of hospitality. His son, Almond Bailey, later managed the hotel.

In 1908, Isabella Pratt Hunnewell Shaw purchased the property. The following year, she renovated the hotel and renamed it the Old Natick Inn. Prominently situated beside the Charles River, the inn offered rooms, meals, and accommodations for small banquets and conventions. Advertisements emphasized its clean, comfortable rooms, excellent food, and scenic location. In 1915, Mrs. Shaw also purchased the adjoining block of stores, had it removed, and constructed an annex to expand the inn.

One of the most interesting pieces of surviving advertising called the Old Natick Inn “A Famous Inn for 145 Years.” The claim connected Mrs. Shaw’s business with the long history of taverns and hotels on the property, beginning with Morrill’s establishment in 1782. At the same time, the reverse side of the card made it clear that the Old Natick Inn did not consider itself the same establishment as the one that came before it.

The card declared that the inn was “not a museum” for the “morbid curious,” dismissed questions about former management, and urged readers to discuss the business instead. It concluded confidently, “We please nice people.” The Old Natick Inn wanted the prestige of the site’s long history, but it also wanted customers to know that this was a new operation under different management. And it was pretty snarky!

By about 1930, after a period of mismanagement and disuse, the Old Natick Inn was torn down. Mrs. Shaw, however, had already begun planning a new future for the property. In 1927, she placed the title in the hands of trustees for the use of the Town of Natick. She hired Charles Gorely to landscape the grounds, and in 1932 the site became Isabella P. Shaw Park.

Today, Shaw Park remains a welcoming green space in the heart of South Natick. The Morrill Tavern, Bailey’s Hotel, and the Old Natick Inn are gone, but the property continues to serve the public. Through her ownership of the inn and her decision to preserve its grounds as a park, Isabella Hunnewell Shaw ensured that this historic corner of South Natick would remain part of community life for generations to come.

Learn more history about Natick’s Inns and Taverns.