Jason Waters: Life of Service
The first great grandson of Stephen and Huldah Flagg Waters, Jason Waters was born in October of 1824. During his lifetime he carried on the Waters family musical tradition. A singing teacher who sang bass for the Worcester County Musical Association in 1864, Jason also prepared musical programs for the graduating exercises of Sutton High School. The “History of Sutton” describes Jason Waters as an important and valuable citizen of Sutton. He attended Sutton schools and Smithfield Seminary. After leaving school, he studied in Boston to perfect himself for teaching vocal culture. He was a natural orator and an enthusiastic adherent of the anti-slavery movement.
Although he did not seek office, Jason Waters was elected to the Massachusetts General Court and served from 1862 to 1864. While serving he moved an amendment suggesting a change from the Springfield rifle to a breech loading style rifle which he personally demonstrated before the State Senate. The demonstration was extremely successful and use of the Spencer repeating rifle was adopted for use by Massachusetts soldiers as a superior weapon. “The secretary of war, upon learning that Massachusetts had adopted the Spencer repeating rifle, and then had a supply of several thousand ready for her troops as they might be called for, requested the governor to turn them over to the United States government, that they might be immediately placed in the hands of the men in the field”. The rifle used by Jason Waters for this demonstration is on display in the lobby of the Sutton Municipal Center.
For some years after the Civil War, he was editor of the Fall River Daily. After leaving Fall River, he traveled throughout the central states and Canada. After returning to Sutton, he served for seven years on the Sutton School Board of Education, instituting many plans for the advancement of education. He was a Trustee of the Sutton Public Library and librarian of the West Sutton branch from 1887 until his death in 1908.
Jason Waters and the 54th Massachusetts Regiment
The 54th Massachusetts Regiment was one of the most celebrated regiments of black soldiers that fought during the Civil War. Instituted under Governor John Andrew and composed of free blacks from the northern states, primarily Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, the regiment became famous after the heroic and ill-fated assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina on July 1, 1863, and has been immortalized in the movie Glory. Governor John Andrew is known as a guiding force behind the creation of black regiments including the celebrated 54th Massachusetts.
Jason Waters was serving in the legislature at the time and brought forth an order which had far reaching consequences for the creation of black militia units. According to records of the time, “Mr. Jason Waters introduced an order, which was passed, directing the Committee on Federal Relations, of which Peter Harvey was chairman, to consider so much of the Governor’s message as related to the abrogation* of the word “white” in the militia laws of the state, and thus render it possible for negroes to be enrolled in the militia.” Jason was the only white person who appeared before the committee to advocate the message. A bill that was reported striking out the word “white” from the militia laws passed to enactment. ‘Being a believer in purity of politics, Mr. Waters entered with zest into the discussion of political questions of the day; striving to suppress what he believed to be wrong and to elevate what he thought to be right”.
(credit to Biographical Review Volume XXX: Containing life sketches of Leading Citizens of Worcester County, Massachusetts 1899 as provided by former Senator Richard Moore)
*Abrogation means to abolish by authoritative action, to treat as non-existent
