Over a 10-year span, there was unrest in the American colonies before Americans fought the British and declared their independence in 1776. Rochester answered the call for rebellion well before many other area Massachusetts communities, according to town native and Tri-Town Veterans Service Officer Chris Gerrior.
To celebrate this history, a group of residents gathered in front of Town Hall on May 7 to unveil a Revolutionary War memorial. The scene was perfect: Under idyllic blue skies and a summer-like Sunday afternoon, local officials and residents were joined by Revolutionary War reenactors, including Wareham, Fairhaven and Rehoboth militiamen, a colonial fife and drum group out of Fall River and the local Boy Scouts troop.
The reenactors marched toward Town Hall, drums and musket fire blasts temporarily drowning out the Route 105 traffic.
Connie Eshbach, chairwoman of the town’s Historical Commission, said conversations about this memorial began more than two years ago.
She noted that Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge and local Peter Foss worked with the commission to make it possible.
Eshbach said before the ceremony on Sunday that Rochester has a memorial for every other war. She and Gerrior added that Rochester, of all local communities, should have a memorial commemorating this conflict.
Gerrior talked about many local issues over a 10-year span that impelled colonists toward war.
Eshbach said Rochester had one of the highest percentages of soldiers among its local population to take up arms. At that time, Rochester also encompassed neighboring communities Marion and Mattapoisett.
“Many Rochesterians answered the call,” Gerrior said, later adding that these men fought an “empire” and “sacrificed time and comfort for the birth of our country.”
“They wanted self-government and self-governance,” Gerrior added.
He noted that with May being Military Appreciation Month, the town picked a perfect time to unveil the monument.
Gerrior informed the public about lesser-known holidays in May, including May 1 – armed forces day – and the Friday before Mother’s Day, a holiday commemorating military spouses.
The monument itself pays tribute to the men who fought in this war. Gerrior and Eshbach said women of this time period – though they could not fight – played a pivotal role. Women helped keep businesses and families running while the men took up arms against the British soldiers, noted Gerrior and Eshbach.
Gerrior named many of the families that were involved in the conflict, local surnames that now are the names of local streets and places – Church, Briggs and Barlow – to name a few.
Gerrior, a member of the town’s Conservation Commission, said he hopes many of the town’s younger generation become inspired by the memorial and get more involved in town government.
By Jeffrey D. Wagner