2012 Patriots Day Celebration at Faulkner Homestead


(photo credit: Patrick Clark)
Confederate camp life: Banjos and spoons, chickens and sheep - these were some of the happenings that took place at the the Faulkner Homestead during the 2012 Spirit of Acton Patriots Day event.


The Ghosts of Faulkners Past

This is a true story written by Janine Gauntt, based on research of historical records,
 about Abigail Faulkner -  tried and convicted of witchcraft in the Salem Witch Trials.

The Faulkner Homestead still stands as a living history museum in Acton, MA, and
 Iron Work Farm in Acton, Inc. is proud to be the homestead's current steward.

The Faulkner House -- located at 5 High Street, Acton MA

The house was built for Ephraim Jones (1679-1710), founder in 1702 of an early textile business and other mills that formed the nucleus of the present town of Acton. The largest and most central house of this settlement, it served as the local garrison house for protection from Indian raids made along the Massachusetts frontier during Queen Anne’s War of 1702-1713.

 

For 202 years it was the homestead of six generations of the Faulkner family, prominent in many fields of endeavor, who carried on the processing of woolen cloth at the fulling mill across the road, said to have been one of the earliest attempts in the United States to manufacture woolen cloth on a large scale.

 

 

Faulkner homestead from a photograph taken about 1880

Courtesy American Antiquarian Society

 

Faulkner House and the American Revolution

 

The Faulkner homestead served as a garrison for South Acton Militia during the Revolutionary War. As Paul Revere rode to raise alarm on April 18, 1775, he found that he would need more riders to continue the message. He found Dr. Samuel Prescott in Lexington and enlisted his help. Prescott was sent to Concord, and then Acton. After informing Captain Joseph Robbins, Isaac Davis and Deacon Simon Hunt, he went to South Acton and then to the Faulkner house. Major Francis Faulkner fired off three shots, the signal alarm, and soon the militia of Acton were ready. From Acton, a man named Edward Bancroft continued the message on towards Groton and Pepperrell.