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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01100 9526
AN ACCOUNT
OF THE
EARLY LAND-GRANTS
OF GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
BY SAMUEL A. GREEN, M.D.
GROTON: 1879.
.
1779081
F 84432 .39
-
Green, Samuel Abbott, 1830-1918. An account of the carly land-grants of Groton, Massa- chusetts ... Groton, 1879. 58, 11) p. 8°.
SHELF CARD A 1345
1. Groton, Mass .- Hist.
Library of Congress
F74.G9G7 ta21b1]
1-11412
UNIVERSITY PRESS : JOHN WILSON AND SON, CAMBRIDGE.
TO THE MEMORY
OF
The Carly Settlers of Groton,
WHO WENT INTO THE WILDERNESS,
AND, BRAVING UNKNOWN DANGERS AND HARDSHIPS, MADE THEIR HOMES AND LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE TOWN, . THIS ACCOUNT OF THEIR LAND-GRANTS IS INSCRIBED
BY THE AUTHOR.
O.
EARLY LAND-GRANTS
OF
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
-
T HE Colonial governments of Massachusetts and Plym- outh, as well as the Provincial government of Massachu- setts, granted from time to time to certain persons tracts of land suitable for townships. These persons, called proprietors, frequently had an equal number of shares, but sometimes one proprietor would have more than another, and they called their shares by such names and styles as they pleased. In Groton, these were called "acre-rights" ; but, sometimes, as in Bridge- water, they were called "purchase-rights," and, at other times, as. in Nantucket, "cows-commons," or "sheep-commons." These proprietors organized as a corporation, chose a mod- erator, clerk, and all needful committees, at their meetings, and, pursuant to the vote of the majority, allotted the lands to individuals of the corporation or proprietary, as occasion required, in proportion to their respective shares. In the course of time, the lands of the proprietary were all distrib- uted, as appears by their records, which, for the most part, have been preserved. These records are of two kinds : first, those of the votes of the corporation, and, secondly, those of the location of grants to individuals of the corporation, which last records are analogous to the Registry of Deeds. The landed history of the old towns in New England is full of
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6
EARLY LAND-GRANTS OF
interest, and to these records we must recur to obtain the early portion of such history.
The township of Groton was equal to eight miles square, or sixty-four square miles, - equivalent to 40,960 acres, and the whole number of "acre-rights" belonging to the origi- nal proprietors was 827, owned by 51 persons. According to this calculation, in a general division of the property at the outset, the owner of a single "acre-right" would have been entitled to nearly fifty acres of land, and the larger proprie- tors to a similar proportion. The division of land, however, was not made all at once, but at several different times, and the amount set off to each one was determined somewhat by its value. Considerable land was sold at the start in order to raise money, to build in part a meeting-house, and to defray cer- tain other public expenses ; and, even after this was done, many thousand acres still remained unsold. This undivided land was generally called the "town's common " or "town's com- mons," or the "common land." The proprietors of the town .probably never received from their " acre-rights" - or stock, as we should call it - any dividends in money. Their profits came from the division of lands ; and the current expenses of the corporation were met by the income from the sales. The first division was made, doubtless, as early as the year 1661, when a Committee, appointed by the General Court, October, 1659, 'to consider certain difficulties that had arisen in connection with the settlement of the town, made a report recommend- ing : --
" I That the old planters & theire Assignes whose names are John Tincker Rich Smith Wm Martyn Ri : Blood Rob' Blood & Jnº Lakin that they reteine & keepe as theire propriety (of such lands as they now clajme an Interest in) each of them only twenty acres of meadow twenty acres for the house lott tenn acres Intervale land & tenn acres of other vplands & that the same be sett out by a comittee so as may not vnequally prejudice such as are or may be theire Neighbors
" 2 That the neere lands & meadows be so deuided as may accom- odate at least sixty familjes & for that end That the first division of lands be made in manner following viz such as haue one hundred &
7
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
fifty pounds estate shall be allowed equall wth old planters aboue & that none exceed & y' none haue lesse than tenn acres for theire house lott & fiue acres of meadow two & a halfe acres of Intervale & two & a halfe of other lands for planting lotts in theire first divission & that none be admitted to haue graunts of lotts there but on Con- ditions following "
The selection of land by the early settlers was governed largely by circumstances not now clearly understood. A man's lands were widely scattered, and he might want a cer- tain piece because it joined his neighbor's, or for some other simple reason. At times, the division was made by lot, which fact furnishes the origin and explanation of the American use of the word lot, as applied to a portion of land measured off, or appropriated to any particular purpose. It is recorded in the Groton town-records, November, 1663, - the exact date being torn off, - that
" Its agreed that when all men hav their full allowan of medow The residue shall be devided to the p'sent inhabitants by lot acord- ing to every mans proportion "
It should be borne in mind that the first settlers of the town did not attach the same signification to the word meadow which now belongs to it in New England, where it means low, swampy land, without regard to the mowing. They called by the name meadow all grass-land that was annually mown for · hay, and especially that by the side of a river or a brook, and this meaning of the word was the common one in England, whence they brought their language. They sometimes spoke , of a swamp, meaning by it what we call a bog, but much of this kind of land has since been reclaimed, and is known with us as meadow. As a matter of fact it happened that the lands which could be mown for the fodder were low lands, and it would require perhaps less than a generation to transfer the meaning of mowing lands to the low lands, which were about the only ones that could be mown in the early days of the colony. This explanation will make clear the following vote of the town, passed February 18, 1680: -
8
EARLY LAND-GRANTS OF
" At the same meeting it was agreed vpon and voted that M' Hub- bard should haue all the common which was Capable to mak medow in Swan pond medow vp to the vpland for seauen acre and a halfe for to mak.vp his fifteen acres of medow "
Many words in common use in early times have changed their meaning, and others have dropped out of the language. Spong, spang, or spung -different forms of the same word, found several times in these grants - is a case in point. In its struggle for existence, it has not survived, because it was not needed. James Roberts's land-grant speaks of " two parcells or spongs"; William Elluee's, of " the northermost spung of Buck medow," and John Page's, of "severall spongs or angles." It was a local word in England, used in Suffolk, and meant " an irregular, narrow, projecting part of a field, whether planted or in grass." (Moor's "Suffolk Words," London, 1823.) Another obsolete word found in these grants is "hole," of which the signification is not so clear. The record of Joseph Parker's land speaks of an acre lying " In a hole neare the Angle medow"; and that of Cornelius Church's, of a tract of "land containing two holle or three of swampy medow"; and Timothy Allen's grant mentions three acres at " Skull holl." J. C. Atkinson, in his " Glossary of the, Cleve- ' land Dialect," - a dialect spoken in a district of Northumber- land, England, gives " Holl ; a deep narrow depression in the surface of the land or place, of no great longitudinal extent." The preposition through is spelled thorore in these records, showing its old pronunciation and its kinship to thorough. In the early records of the town, "angle" and "squadron " were used to denote districts, and these words are other instances of the natural changes in the language. At a meet- ing of the selectmen, held December 27, 1669, it was agreed upon that
"euery man work proportionably according to his estat and that the wayes are to be mended in the seuerall anggells of the towne "
and again at a meeting, held January 18, 1671, it was
" agreed vpon by the select men for the diuiding of their seuerall
messing in Uniq
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 17
EARLY LAND-GRANTS.
A Record of the severall Propriators of Groton, their Names and Lands, which hath been orderly psented to the Towne Clark. Revised & aproved by the Selectmen, acording to an Order of Towne bearing date Novem. 30, 1663.
THE LANDS OF WALTER SKINER.
1. His Vplands. To his house lot with som adition therevnto, twenty & eight acres by estimation, more or lesse, bounded on the north with the vpland of Timothy Allen, and on the west with Timothy Allen, and on all other poynts with the hie-way and town's comon.
2. Three acres & a halfe by estimation, more or lesse, bounded south-west with the hie-way, north-west wth Joseph Parker. north-east with comon land, south-east with Timothy Allen and Walter Skiner.
3. His Medow. In fflaggy Medow, six acres by estimation, more .or lesse, bounded on the north with ye medow of James Parker, and all other poynts on comon land.
4. In Broade Medow, two acres by estimation, more or lesse, bounded north with the land of John Nutin, east with the lands of James Parker, south with the lands of John Baron & Benjamine Garfield, west with the towne comon.
5. One acre of medow, more or lesse, lying in two parsells, bound- ed west with the pond, & all other poynts with the town's comon.
6. In Maple Medow, two acres by estimation, bounded south- west with the medow of Samuell Woods, north-west with the medow of Joshua Whitny, and all other poynts on ye towne comon.
Jan. 21, 1663. Revised, aproved, & confirmed (according to order of towne) by the Selectmen.
. 2
!
18
EARLY LAND-GRANTS OF
This Indenture wittnesseth that Water Skinner hath sold, giuen, granted, and exchanged, his six acres [of ] meadow, more or lesse, lying in Flaggy Meadow, bounded on the north by the medow of James Parker, and on all points wth ye town's vplands, to and with Samuell Woods, his heirs and executors and administrators, for euer. And also, this Indenture wittnesseth that the sd Samuell Woods hath sold, alienated, giuen, granted, and exchanged, to and with the aboue- sd Water Skinner, his three acres of meadow, more or lesse, lying in Vncattenorset Meadow, bounded west southwardly with Richard Blood's, and on all other points with the town's .pland and riuer ; and with three acres, more or lesse, lying in Mapple Meadow, bounded south west with the meadow of Just. Holdin, and on [all ] other points with the town's vplands and Wallter] Skinner's owne meadow; for him, the sd Walter Skinner and his heirs, executors, and administra- tors, for euer. For the true pformance, the pties abouesd haue entere . . . set to their hands, 27th 2110 1666.
his marke WATER ( [SKINNER], his . . . SAMUELL [WOODS].
[I]n the psence of vs, WIES LONGLEY, NATHANIL LAWRANCE.
1
THE LANDS OF CHRISTOPHER HALLE.
1. His Uplands. And ffirst, his hous-lot, with that we adjoyns to it, thirty acres, more or lesse, bounded north w ye lands of Jonathan Crisp, south wt ye lands of Daniell Metup, east with the hie-way, west with the town's comon.
In the Generall Field, three acres & a halfe, more or less, 2. bounded north with the land of Allexander Rouse, southerly with ye lands of James Blud, westerly wt ye river, esterly wt ye hie way.
2. His Medow. And ffirst, in Broade Medow, two acres, more or lesse, bounded northerly with the medow of Benjamine Garfield, southerly with the medow of Joseph Parker, esterly with the land of James Parker, westerly w ye town's comon.
19
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
2. In Pine Medow, two acres, more or lesse, bounded southerly with the medow of Benjamine Garfield, northerly wth the medow of John & Nathaniell Lawranc, or one of them, easterly and westerly with the town's comon.
3. In fferny Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded westerly with ye medow of Jacob Onge, esterly with the medow of Daniell Metup, and on all other poynts with the towne comon.
4. In fflaggy Medow, three acres, more or less, bounded esterly w* James Parker, westerly with Jonathan Crisp, northerly with ye medow of James Parker, and southerly with the town's comon.
5. In Reedy Medow, two acres, more or lesse, bounded west with the medow of John Lakin, esterly with the medow of John Baron, northerly with the town's swamp and vpland, southerly wth the hieway.
6. Two acres of medow, more or lesse, bounded esterly with ye medow of Jacob Onge, & on all other poynts wt the town's comon.
Decem. 2, 1664. Revised, aproved, & confirmed, by the Select- men, acording to order of towne.
One pcell of thirteen and a halfe acres of vpland, bounded with [th ]ree lines, I on the south, the 2 north east, and the third nor[th we ]st. And also, this writing wittnesseth that Christopher [Ha]ll hath laid downe for common land, fiue acres & a quarter ... in the Gen- erall Feild, it being his owne pportion, and an ... quarter that the sd Hall bought of Elexander [Rouse] ... act and deed delivered into the Towne Clerk hands.
THE LANDS OF CHRISTOPHER HALL.
I. Medows. In fferny Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded westerly with the medow of Christopher Hall, and on all other poynts with the town's vplands.
2. In Spot Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded on all poynts with the town's vpland, and the nearest medow to it is John Clary's, his Cow-pond Medow, which psell of medow is alienated by Joseph Morsse for two acres in fflagy Medow which was somtimes the sd Christopher Hall's, as is specified in the record of the sd Joseph Morsse, vnto which alienation the wines of them both. doe giue their consent to the giuing vp their thirds.
20
EARLY LAND-GRANTS OF
THE LANDS OF DANIELL METUP.
1. His Vplands. And ffirst, his houslot, twenty acres, with an addition, more or lesse, bounded southerly with the land of Benjamine Garfield, northerly with the land of Christopher Halle, esterly with the hie-way, northerly wt ye town's comon.
This is 2. In the Generall Field, one acre and three roode, bounded westerly with the riuer, esterly with the hie-way,
more or. lesse as southerly with the land of James ffisk, northerly with ye the rest. comon.
2. His Medowes. And ffirst, in Broade Medow, one acre, more or less, bounded southerly with the medow of Benjamine Garfield, northerly with the medow of John Baron, westerly with the town's comon.
2. In Pine Medow, two acres, more or lesse, bounded north esterly with ye medow of Ralph Reede, southerly with ye medow of Benjamine Garfield, east & west with the town's comon.
3. In fferny Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded westerly with the medow of Christopher Halle, & on all other poynts with the town's vpland. .
4. In Spot Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded on all poynts with the town's vpland, and the nearest medow to it is John Clary, his Cow-pond Medow.
5. One acre of medow, more or lesse, bounded north esterly wt ye land of John Mos, south west with the town's swamp, & on all other . poynts with the town's vpland.
December 2, 1664. Revised, aproved, & confirmed by the Select men, acording to order of ye towne.
A further grant vnto these aforsaid lands as a gratuity only, the aforsaid lands lying in the Generall Feild, being laid downe as common land for the town's vse, and then the grant is foure acres and three quarters, bounded on all poynts with common lands.
THE LANDS OF JOSEPH PARKER.
His Vplands. And ffirst, his hous-lot with som' additions there vnto, forty & eight acres, more or lesse, bounded north on the land of James Roberts, & on all other poynts wt ye hie-waves.
21
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
2. Eleven acres, more or lesse, of vpland & swamp, bounded southerly on the land of James Roberts, west northerly on the land of William Longly, & on all other poynts with the town's comon.
3. In the Generall Field, six acres, more or lesse, bounded west- northerly with the land of James Knop, westerly with the lands of John Mos, & on all other poynts wt ye hie-wayes.
4. ffourteene acres, more or lesse, bounded north on ye land of James Parker, south & west wt ye land of William Longly, & on all other poynts wt ye town's comon.
[This last paragraph is erased in the original.] .
2. His Medowes. And ffirst, in Broade Medow, six acres, more or lesse, bounded southerly with the medow of John Page, north with the medow of Christopher Halle, east with the medow of James Parker, west wt ye town's vpland.
2. In Browne-Loafe Hill Medow, eight acres, more or lesse, bound- ed north easterly with ye brooke, & on all other poynts wt ye town's vpland.
3. At Vnquetenorset Brooke, lyeing on both sides of it, two acres, more or lesse, bounded north westerly with the medow of Joseph Gilson, & on all other poynts wt ye town's vpland.
4. Lieing on Vnquetenorset Brooke, one acre, more or lesse, bounded south-easterly wt ye medow of William Longly, & on all other poynts wt ye town's vpland.
· 5. Lieing on Vnquetenorset Brooke, four acres, more or less, bound- ed south-easterly wt ye lands of William Longly, & northwesterly & on all other poynts with the town's vpland.
' 6. Two acres of medow in Swamp Medow, more or lesse, lying in two parcels near together, bounded on all poynts with the towne's comon.
7. In Angle Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded westerly with the medow of James Parker, & on all other poynts with the towne's vpland.
8. In a hole neare the Angle Medow, one acre, more or lesse, bounded on all poynts wt ye town's vpland ; and was given him over & aboue with respect to the badnes of his other medow.
9. In Swamp Medow, four acres, more or less, [bounded] east with ye medow of William Lakin, & [on all other] poynts with the town's vpland.
10. In Prety Medow, four acres, more or lesse, bounded westerly
22
EARLY LAND-GRANTS OF
wt ye medow of John Lakin, easterly wt ye medow of James Parker, & on all other p . . .
II. Of vpland, fourteen . . . [ much torn. ]
13. One acre of medow, more or lesse, [bounded] south with the medow of James Parker, west with the medow [of] Benjamine Garfield, [and] on all other poynts with the town's vpland.
December 2, 1664. Revised, aproved, and confirmed by ye Select- men, according to order of towne.
THE LANDS OF JOHN PAGE.
1. His Vplands. And ffirst, his houslot, twenty acres, more or lesse, bounded east with the hieway, west with the town's comon, north with the land of Joseph Blud, south with the land of Nathaniell Laranc.
2. Twenty acres, more or lesse, bounded east with the land of John Page, west with the town's comon, north with Joseph Blud his land, south wt ye land of Nathaniell Laranc.
3. Seaven acres, more or lesse, bounded east with the land of Richard Blud, west with the hieway, north with the land of James Parker, south with the land of Nathaniell Laranc.
4. ffifteene acres, more or lesse, bounded west with the river, east with the land of Samuell Davis, & on all other poynts with the town's comon.
2. ffour acres, more or lesse, bounded north east with ye land of Nathaniell Laranc, south west w ye land of John Longly, & on all other poynts wt ye river. 1 Generall Field." I. ffour acres, more or lesse, bounded south west wt ye land of Nathaniell Laranc, and vpon all other poynts with the river.
2. His Medowes. And ffirst, in Broade Medow, four acres and a halfe, more or lesse, bounded east with ye medow of Timothy Allen & the medow belonging to the minestry, west with the town's comon, north wt ye medow of . .. Parker, south with the medow of Richard B[lood.]
2. In Rock Medow, six acres, more or less, bounded north with the medow of Thomas Boyden, south with the medow of John Barron, east & west with the town's comon.
23
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
3. In South Brooke Medow, three acres and a halfe, more or lesse, lying on both sides of the brooke, bounded south with the medow of Richard Holden, & vpon all other poynts with the town's comon & Long-medow way.
4. Lying vpon both sides of Sandy Brooke and vpon both sides of the Major's brooke, eight acres, more or lesse, bounded east with the medow of James Knop & Ellis Baron, south with the medow of William Longly, west with Major Willard's line, & vpon all other poynts with the town's comon.
5. At Vnquetenorset four acres, more or lesse, lying in severall spongs or angles, bounded north w ye medow of James Blud, and vpon all other poynts with ye town's comon.
[In the margin.] This psell of medow at Vnquetenorset alinated to William Lakin.
Decem. 2, 1664. Revised, aproved, & confirmed by the Select men, acording to order of towne; provided yt if the towne shall see good to view his acomodation of medowes, & shall finde that his medowes be not equivolent . .. medowes. Then .. . to make it equiv . . . But if his medowes be found much be[low] eyther for quantyty or quallyty, then the overplus is by agrement to be desposed of by the towne, provided allso, that Nathaniell Laranc haue his acre & halfe (wc is involued with in the eight acres at Sandy Pond & the Major's brook) made as good for its part as any acre & halfe John Page hath or shall haue with in the foresaid eight acres. As John Page hath promised before the Select men. Decem. 2, 1664.
.December 27, 1664. It was this daye votted and granted y' John Peage shall haue al his medow confirmed to him acording as it was layd out by the Survayers, and yt he shall from this day forth, peacably inioye it without desturbance, not with standing any former ordr to the contrarye.
JAMES FISKE, in the name of the towne.
THE LANDS OF JOHN PAGE.
His Vplands. Twenty acres, more or lesse, lyeing at Sandy Brook, bounded with Major Willard's corner tree, south with his owne medow, and on all other poynts with the town's comons, only their is a highway of ten polle wid goe in thorow it to mill, and at the brook two poll wid.
24
.
EARLY LAND-GRANTS OF
2. For Medow. One acre and a halfe, that is at Sandy Brook, involued in John Pag's medow, which was to Nathaniell Lorance, and is now layd out to John Page.
2. At Cowpond Medow, layd out to John Page, fiue acres, mor or lesse, bounded northeast with Thomas Tarbull, Senior, south west with Nicolas Cady, south east with the broke, and on all other poynts with ye town's comnon.
3. To Jolin Page one acre and a halfe, mor or less, on the east sid of the broke, bounded south with Jonathan Morsse, and on all other poynts with the town's comon. .
4 .. One acre and a halfe, mor or lesse, lyeing near Simon Stone's medow in two patches, bounded round with the town's common, each patch by it selfe.
'Revised, compared, and confirmed by the Select men, according to the order of the towne.
J[OHN MORSE ], Clark, Janevary 3, 1669.
THE LANDS OF JOHN PAGE.
Medows. Six acres, mor or lesse, in Broad Medow, bounded south west with Ralph Reed, and south east with Jonathan Sawtell, north east of the medow of John Page and John Morse, and on all other poynts with the town's common, which medow John Pag had of Ellis Barron for sixe acres which was his in Rock Medow.
One acre and a half, more or lesse, bounded north and south . with the riuer, west with his own land, and east with the common, which acre and half lye pt vpon the necke.
Reuised, compared, and confirmed by the Select men, according to the order of the towne.
JOHN MORSE, Clark, Febr. 24, 1670.
THE LANDS OF THOMAS TARBOLE, SENIOR.
I. His Vplands. And ffirst, his hous-lot, twenty acres, more or lesse, bounded north wt the land of Richard Sawtell, south & south east with the land of Jams Knop, west with Broade Medow, east with the hie way.
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25
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
2. Ten acres of swamp, more or lesse, bounded north with the swamp of Richard Sawtell, south east with the swamp of Jams Knop & Ellis Baron, south with the hie way, north east wt ye medow of James ffisk.
3. Thirty acres of vpland, more or lesse, bounded north with the land of Thomas Boydon, Richard Holden, & the town's comon, west with the land of Justinian Holden, south wt James his brooke, and east with the hie-way.
4. In the Generall Field, seaven acres, more or lesse, bounded west with the lands of John Mos, east wt ye land of William Lakin, south with comon land, north with the hieway.
His Medow. And ffirst, in Broade Medow, fiue acres, more or lesse, bounded north with the medow of William Longly, & on all other poynts with vpland, and vp to the town's hye way.
2. In Littell Halfe-mone, two acres, & more or lesse, bounded east with the Medow of Daniell Pierce, west with the medow of Ellis Baron, & north & south with vpland.
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