And then how his New Fingland thought and earl)- education stands out in its concise expression, and in his reference to the Town Laws to be enacted. No reference to the Manor whatever, but the autonomy and independence of the New England town was in his thought as he penned those lines. Several pages of the old book appear in his hand writing, and although unfortunately the directly succeeding years are missing from the old record, he was doubtless the Town Clerk of the Manor for quite a period.

When the Colonies resisted the encroachments upon their rights, lie was among the first to join the whig cause, and unhesitatingly took up arms in defense of the rights of he Colonies, but by an adverse fortune became a prisoner to the British, and was imprisoned for nearly

HISTORICAL, SKETCHES.

eighteen months in that horrible den or dungeon of filth, cruelty and starvation, too well known to our patriot ancestors as the Old Sugar House.

So it was on this Manor that Sergt. John Dean, whose name has been rescued from forgetfulness by a respectful notice in that excellent work, " Tossing's Field Kook of the Revolution," was reared, laboring with his father, and imbibing those principles of American virtue and heroism which afterwards characterized his life. It will be unnecessary for us to promise that John Dean was a man of stout, vigorous frame, an iron will, indomitable courage, and great impulse, for these traits were exhibited in every act of his life.