The authorities of Massachusetts were determined to keep their territory free of contrary religious beliefs and the Society of Friends, the Quakers, was especially prohibited. At first the Quakers were merely banished, but when this didn’t work the oppressions became harsher and harsher. In Sandwich, where the majority of the residents were disposed to accept the Quakers, George Barlow pursued his duties with uncommon zeal. Those duties included the right to appraise property, choose the goods to be taken in forfeiture and to receive all fees and fines, with ten percent for himself. The Plymouth Colony Court records are full of the accounts of George Barlow’s activities.

In his book Cape Cod, Its People and Their History, Henry C. Kittredge wrote of George Barlow: “It was his habit to take not what would be most valuable to the authorities, but what would be most poignantly missed by the Quaker families.” He tells the story of Priscilla Allen, whose husband was driven out of town, leaving her and the children with only a cow. The marshall took the cow, all the corn in the house, a bag of meal that had been given by neighbors, and her only copper cooking kettle. Kittredge further wrote that George Barlow had, “so far as can be discovered from contemporary authorities, not a single good trait.”

As the history of Sandwich puts it, “Sandwich thereby went abruptly from a democratic town run by its own citizens, to a little police state run by a stranger with wide powers, who turned out to be a nasty and drunken man as well.” Interestingly, no ill-feelings were held against his descendents, some of whom married into Quaker families. The actions taken against the Quakers were brought to an end late in 1661 by a decree issued by King Charles.

Thank you,

The Freeman family was very large in Sandwich and just about everyone in town was either a Freeman, or married into the family until the rush of immigrants arrived with the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company in 1825. Our now-retired town Archivist, Russell Lovell, wrote an excellent history of Sandwich entitled Sandwich, A Cape Cod Town, published by the Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts Archives and Historical Center, 1984. 612 pages.

The Index of Names has too many Freemans to count and 22 entries for Edmund Freeman Sr. alone. I highly recommend that you get your hands on a copy of the book before you make your trip. It makes entertaining reading even for those of us who are not descendents of Sandwich.

Concerning the Freeman farm, it was very large – but the Freeman family was larger. The farm was divided and passed to the many descendents through the years, so there is nothing identifiable left. The only farming done in the area today is for cranberries and that industry wasn’t invented until well after the farm’s days were over. Still, Sandwich is a delightful town and I know you will enjoy your visit.

W. Blake