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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES 3 3433 08190340 7
Abington
AN
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF
ABINGTON,
PLYMOUTHI COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
WITH AN APPENDIX.
BY AARON HOBART.
BOSTON:
PRINTED BY SAMUEL N. DICKINSON, 52 Washington Street, 1839.
.
.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations. 1896
3 M/51
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PREFACE.
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Some time ago, the writer, to gratify a curiosity to look back on the past, began, and continued as he had leisure, researches into the history of his native town. At the particular request of several respectable individ- uals, who have supposed the result of his labors might not be without interest to the inhabitants, he has, with some reluctance, consented to its publication.
A work of this kind must, in the nature of things, be imperfect. In the course of time, many important facts are lost, past recovery. Information derived from individuals, is often incorrect-and records are some- times false. The aim has been, to use faithfully the materials which have fallen in the writer's way, and though he has no right to boast of perfect accuracy, he hopes not to have committed many or important errors.
The object has been, to collect and preserve facts, which might not only be interesting at the present time, but useful by way of reference hereafter. Whether the selection of these has been judicious, and whether,
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in stating them, a proper medium has been observed between too much minuteness of detail, on the one hand, and too great generality on the other, each reader will judge for himself.
The history is respectfully dedicated to the inhab- itants of the town, with the wish that they may enjoy all that prosperity and happiness, which results from a cultivated mind, industrious habits, simple manners, pure morals, and religious principle.
EAST BRIDGEWATER, November, 1838.
ORIGINAL GRANTS OF LAND.
THAT part of Abington, south of the Bridgewater four-mile line,* was within the first grant to the pro- prietors of Bridgewater. In 1710, some of the lands towards the northeast corner of that town were laid out into seven shares. The fourth was mostly in Ab- ington. It extended from the four-mile line one mile southerly on the east side of the third share, and was 160 rods wide. Its southeast corner was in East Bridgewater, near Jacob Bates's.
The fifth share, 360 rods long northerly and souther- ly, lay in Abington, on the east side of the road from the Rev. Mr. Thomas's meetinghouse, by Christopher Dyer's to East Bridgewater. It was divided in 1714 into eight unequal lots, by easterly and westerly lines, from the road to the Bear Meadow lots.
The remainder of the territory, south of the four- mile line, was granted from time to time, and generally in small tracts, to the different proprietors or to pur- chasers of their rights.
In 1668, an additional grant of two miles was made to Bridgewater.f That part of it, without the four- ›
This line runs with the road by Asa Fullerton's, due east a little to the northward of Ephraim S. Jenkins's and near Lebbeus Gurney's, to Scituate.
t This grant gave Bridgewater an extent of 'six miles from the centre on all four sides.' Former grants, however, within the additional grants were
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mile line to the north, was divided into what were called the West shares, the Old Men's shares, and the Young Men's shares.
The Old Men's shares lay between the four and six mile line, and extended from a line a mile to the west of the Bridgewater north and south centre line, three miles east, where they did not interfere with prior grants. Their easterly end was in Abington and bounded on the western division of the Young Men's shares and on 'Streams Grant.'
The Young Men's shares, twenty in number, were wholly in Abington. They lay in two divisions. The eastern bounded west on the grant to the four younger sons of Lieut. James Torrey ; north 276 rods on the Hatherly grant; east 374 rods on the Scituate line (so called) and south 80 rods, on the four mile line. It was divided by east and west lines in 1700.
The western division bounded west on the Old Men's shares, by a line running due north from the four mile line one mile and a quarter ; south on the four mile line and easterly by a line running by ' Good- man Shaw's head line;' 'west northwest or there- about,' to Shaw's westerly corner, bounds 'about 4 poles from the Old Men's shares line, and from thence north northeast by Shaw's line, three quarters of a mile or thereabout, unto Shaw's northerly corner, and from
not to be disturbed, though to ' belong to the township of Bridgewater.' A line running east six miles from the Bridgewater north and south centre line, would probably reach the west line of Scituate, and therefore all that part of Abington south of the six mile line, was at the incorporation of the town, part of Bridgewater. This line, now the north boundary line of North Bridge- water against the Belcher grant in Abington, would, if continued due east, run near deacon Richard Vining's, Zelotes Beals's and Harvey Torrey's.
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thence east southeast 12 poles unto John Richards's line, and from thence north northeast by John Rich- ards's,' to
1642. The Colony granted to ' Nathaniel Souther* a farm land, with competent meadowing in some con- venient place, so that it do not much prejudice a plan- tation.' James Lovell, of Weymouth, having purchased for himself and Andrew Ford, Souther's title, this grant containing 200 acres was laid out to him, on the west side of the Hatherly grant, running in Hatherly's range 200 rods nearly south, and 160 rods nearly west.
In 1679, Lovell conveyed to Ford half of this tract, describing it as laying 'by the road that goeth from Weymouth to Bridgewater, bounded upon a tract of land now in the possession of several of the inhabitants of Hingham, which is in the possession and hath been ever since it was laid out, of said Ford, and is known and called by the name of Ford's Farm.'t
1654. The court 'in regard to sundry contentions and entanglements between Mr. Timothy Hatherlyt and some of the inhabitants of Scituate, granted unto
* Nathaniel Souther or Southworth was the first Secretary of Plymouth colony.
t The first settlement of the town was undoubtedly on this grant. The colony tax in 1682, was £244 11s. 4d., of which 15 shillings were assessed on the inhabitants of ' Ford's Farms.' In 1690, the Colony ordered £1350 to be raised to pay debts incurred on account of the expedition to Canada : of this sum £3 were assessed ' on the lands above Weymouth, viz. the lands called Ford's Farm, and parts adjacent.'
# Mr. Hatherly was one of the principal settlers, and a very generous bene- factor of the town of Scituate. For a long time, he was an important mem- ber of the government, having been as assistant thirteen years-treasurer of the Colony, and a commissioner of the United Colonies. He was honorably distinguished as the friend of religious toleration, and the firm opponent of all those severe and oppressive laws, made by the Colony against the Quakers. He died 1667
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Mr. Hatherly to satisfy the partners at Conahasset, a certain competency of land out of the bounds of any township, on the westerly side of the town of Scituate.'
1656. This grant was more particularly described as 'a tract of land to begin at Accord Pond on the southerly side, and to run three miles southerly towards Indian Head River Pond ; and to be laid out three miles square' on the west line of Scituate. As the north line of this grant, if run at a right angle with the east, would soon reach and cross the Colony line, the Court in 1671 ordered it to be run from the south side of the pond, so far south of west, as to avoid the Pa- tent line until it come to its western termination, thus leaving a long strip of land in the form of what was called a Gussett, between the grant and the Colony line.
This grant in 1672, was divided into forty shares, thirty and one half of which then belonged to John Ja- cob, Edward Wilder, John Thaxter, and Matthew Cushing of Hingham, and John Otis of Scituate,* and nine and one-half to Thomas Andrews and Jeremiah Beal and others. These companies then made parti- tion, into three lots by two north and south lines paral- lel with each other and with the West line of Scituate. The eastern and western lots, the former 240 rods and the latter 492 wide, were assigned to Jacob & Com- pany, and the middle lot 228 rods wide to Andrews & Company.
In 1699, the proprietors of the Eastern and Western lots, divided by east and west lines, to hold in severalty.
* These individuals in 1663, bought twenty-three of these shares of Hath- erly, for £69.
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The eastern into two divisions, the first lying on the southerly end into five lots, each 64 rods wide, and the second into five lots 128 rods wide. The western* into two divisions of five lots each, all 96 rods wide.
The proprietors of the middle lot, commonly called the small shares, divided by lines north and south, probably to give each owner a portion of cedar swamp.
The southwest corner of the Hatherly grant was at a corner now between Jacob Reed's and Seth Pratt's land, in the side line of Daniel A. Ford's.
1664. The Court 'in reference unto the request of Phineas Pratt,t and the Elder Bates in the behalf of
" The first lot in the first division at the southerly end of the western divi- sion, was set off to Daniel and Theophilus Cushing, in the right of John Thaxter ; second, to Jabez and Thomas Wilder, sons of Isaac Wilder, de- ceased, in right of Edward Wilder ; third, to Stephen French, in right of John Otis; fourth, to Matthew Cushing, the only surviving original partner ; fifth, to David Jacob, in right of his father John Jacob. The first lot in the second division to Daniel and Theophilus Cushing ; second to David Jacob ; third, to Jabez and Thomas Wilder ; fourth, to Stephen French ; fifth, to Matthew Cushing.
t Phineas Pratt came over in the Ann, in 1623. Soon after he visited Wes- ton's plantation, at Wessagussett, (now Weymouth,) and there became ac- quainted with a conspiracy of the Massachusetts and Cape Indians to destroy that settlenient. Being much alarmed for its fate, he took his pack on his back, and set off for Plymouth, to give information of the danger. As he was not well acquainted with the way, he missed the direct path, but fortunately for him thus saved his life, as he was followed by two Indians, who intended to kill him. Immediately after his arrival, the Plymouth company despatched Capt. Standish and eight men, with orders to protect the settlement, and it being ' impossible to deal with the Indians upon open defiance,' ' to take them in such traps as they lay for others.' Standish and his party proceeded very cautiously, but finding it necessary, finally attacked and killed seven Indians, and in obedience to orders brought the head of one of them, Witawamut, 'a bold and bloody villian,' and a chief conspirator, to Plymouth, where it was by way of terror set on the fort.
Pratt and Briggs are in this grant called purchasers or old comers. This may need explanation. The Leyden Company of Pilgrims, before they em- barked for this country, formed a partnership in trade with certain London merchants, commonly called merchant adventurers. The connection was to continue for seven years, at the end of which time all the common property
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the children of Clement Briggs, that whereas they the said Phineas Pratt and Clement Briggs have not had their proportion of land with others, formerly called purchasers, or old comers, that they may have some consideration of land in that respect, in a parcel or tract of land lying near unto the line betwixt the Plymouth and Massachusetts jurisdiction, and near unto Wey- mouth, doth grant unto the said Phineas Pratt and unto two of the said Clement Briggs, his sons, viz. David Briggs and Remember Briggs, three hundred and fifty acres of the said lands, viz. unto the said Phineas Pratt two parts of the said three hundred and fifty acres, and the remainder thereof unto the two sons of the said Clement Briggs,' the grantees to pay the cost of extin- guishing the Indian title. This grant was laid out 'at the path that led from Weymouth to Bridgewater,' 'a little brook (that by Jacob Bicknell's) running through the same.' Pratt, in 1672, then of Charlestown, sold his part of the grant, 232 acres, to John Shaw of Wey- mouth, for £35. Shaw conveyed it to his three sons, John, Nicholas, and Joseph, and they, in 1705, to Wil-
was to be divided. In 1626, the Colony bought out the interest of the adven- turers for £1800. Soon after, the Colony hired to Gov. Bradford and his eight associates, the trade of the Colony for six years, they on their part un- dertaking to pay therefor the £1800 to the adventurers, and all the other debts of the Company, amounting to £600 more, and also bring over yearly £50 in hoes and shoes, and to sell corn for six shillings a bushel. Those who engaged in this contract were called Purchasers. The old comers were certain of those who came over in the three first vessels, viz. the Mayflower, the Fortune, and the Ann. When, in 1640, Gov. Bradford, in whose name the Patent from the Plymouth Company in England had been taken out, surrendered that Instru- ment to the ' Body of freemen.' three large tracts of land, the first compre- hending Eastham, Orleans, and Brewster, in the County of Barnstable. second, a part of New Bedford and Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol, and the third, Swansey and Rehoboth, in the same County, and Barrington, Warren, and perhaps Bristol, in Rhode Island, were, in the surrender, reserved to these purchasers or old comers. They were in all 58.
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liam Tirrill, senior. It bounded easterly on the grant to the Briggs's, southerly on the 4 mile line, westerly on the western division of the Young Men's shares, and northerly on the 120 acre grant to Lieut. John Hol- brook.
Remember Briggs, of Weymouth,* who had probably bought his brother David's share, in 1687 sold their part, 116 acres, with 12 acres of 'swampy land grant- ed by the court in 1668,' to Caleb and Samuel Chard. This land was between Pratt's land and the land grant- ed to the sons of Lieut. Torrey.
1665. There was granted to Phineas Pratt and James Lovell, ' about four or five acres of meadow, or such swampy ground as tendeth towards meadow, laying on the westerly side of Phineas Pratt's land, that was granted unto him the last Court.'
1665. There was granted to Cornet Robert Stetson, of Scituate,t two hundred acres of land on the south side of Hatherly's grant. The tract was laid out in 1667, and was bounded ' on the North by those lands granted at Accord Pond-on the East by the line of the Town of Scituate, until it crosses a deep, still brook ; and so again from the town's line as Mr. Hatherly's land runs westerly, until it crosses the said brook there again,
* He was of Taunton, 1694.
t Cornet Stetson was an enterprising and useful man in his day. He was many years a deputy from Scituate-a Commissioner in 1664 to run the line between the Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies, and a member of the board of war. In 1658, the Colony ordered a Troop of Horse to be raised, a certain number from each town, who were to 'be freed from foot service, watching and warding and their horses rate free.' The officers were William Bradford, Captain, John Freeman, Lieutenant, and Robert Stetson, Cornet .- The company was disbanded in 1675, for refusing to procure carbines and serve as a troop of Dragoons. He died 1702, aged 90.
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with all the spots and holes of meadow, that are within said bounds.'
1665. 'In reference unto the request of the King's Commissioners, in the behalf of Lieut. Peregrine White, desiring that the Court would accommodate him with a portion of land, in respect that he was the first of the English that was born in these parts, and in answer unto his own petition preferred unto this Court respect- ing the premises, the Court have granted unto him Two Hundred acres of land lying and being at the path, that goes from Bridgewater to the Bay, adjoining the Bay line.'*
1665. Two Hundred acres of land were granted ' unto the four younger sons of Lieut. James Torrey, (of Scituate,) lying above Weymouth, near unto the line of the Massachusetts, to be at the disposal of Capt. William Torrey, for the good of said children.' Ac- cording to the return of the laying out, the boundaries of this grant began 'at a stake and stones in an angle made by the 4 mile line of Bridgewater, and the side line of Briggs' land,' (about twenty rods to the west- ward of the Country road,) thence running north east
* This grant is now in North Bridgewater. It adjoins the Beleher grant in Abington, and its easterly line is now the boundary in that direction between the two towns. The extent of it was for many years the subject of bitter controversy, between the owners and the Province and claimants under the Province. In 1722, Col. Samuel Thaxter, of Hingham, Robert Spurr, of Dor- chester, and John Quincy, of Braintree, were appointed by the General Court to sell what was considered Province land, on the gore between the Bridge- water 6 mile, and the Colony line. In their attempts to make the necessary previous surveys, they were so resisted by force by the owners of the White grant, as to be unable to proceed. The Legislature, on receiving their report, caused the offenders to be arrested, and imprisoned in the Gaol at Boston .-- After a short detention, they were released upon acknowledging ' their great fault and offence in resisting and obstructing the Committee,' and 'paying the charge and damages occasioned by their misdemeanor.'
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240 rods-160 in Briggs' range to a corner tree, thence south east ' for the most part through a swamp,' to the 4 mile line, at a point distant 80 rods from the Scituate line, (so called,) then west on that line to the first bounds. William Reed, Samuel Porter, Nicholas Porter, John Reed and Jacob Reed, of Abington, and Thomas Beal, of Hingham, owned this land in 1714, and then divided-the upland on the east side (of the mill pond meadow) into 5 lots, running east to the Young Men's shares-the upland west of the meadow into 2 and the meadow into 8 lots-each meadow owner agree- ing to maintain his share of fence around the meadow.
1668. The Court ' in reference unto a deed surren- dered into court by Lieut. John Holbrook of Weymouth, made and given by Josiah Wampatucke and Webconet unto Sergeant Thomas Streame, for the lease of a cer- tain tract of land, for the gratification of the said Lieut. Holbrook, and in reference unto his free acknowledge- ment thereof, hath granted unto him one hundred and twenty acres of land.' Holbrook sold to John Lothrop, and he, in 1671, to Dea. Thomas Dyer, of Weymouth. The land bounded east on the Hatherly grant and some waste land, and southerly on the grant to Pratt.
1668. Mr. Constant Southworth of Duxbury, and Cornet Stetson of Scituate, acting for the Colony, for £23, conveyed to Lieut. John Holbrook, James Lovell, and Andrew Ford, of Weymouth, ' a certain tract of land containing two miles upon the said line, (the colony line,) beginning at a heap of stones lying at the path going to Bridgewater from Weymouth, and to extend three quarters of a mile from the said line, southerly- provided the said bounds do not entrench upon the land
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of John Hammond, (or Hanmer,) which in case it doth, then it is to be supplied in some other place adjoining the said tract of land.' It was afterwards found, that the grant did include land before conveyed, and there was therefore added to it all the land easterly between it and Hatherly's Grant, and another parcel of land on the west of that grant, and north of Ford's farm .- This grant was divided in 1695. From the Colony line, a south southeast line was run through the middle of the tract so as to cut it into two equal parts. Each part was then divided into five unequal lots, by parallel lines running from the centre line, easterly and west- erly, and one lot in each, but in a reversed order, was assigned to the several proprietors, according to their respective interest.
1669. The Court confirmed a sale by their agents, Maj. Josiah Winslow and Mr. Constant Southworth, to Cornet Robert Stetson, of a tract of land, more or less, ' bounded towards the north to the three miles square granted to Mr. Hatherly by Accord Pond, towards the south to a white oak tree, marked on the north side R. S. and from the tree through the land to the utmost ex- tent of the purchase made by Cornet Stetson of Josias, and bounded towards the east, to the land given Cornet Stetson by the Court.'
1671. The Court confirmed a sale made by the same agents to Joseph Barstow and Joseph Silvester, (of Scituate,) of 'a parcel of upland, be it more or less, lying and being on the westward side of Scituate bounds, and is bounded on the north with the bound tree of Cornet Stetson, which is marked R. S. and the rocks by the brook that bounds the Cornet's land, and so
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ranging southerly until it meets with three black oak trees and one stump, marked J. B. J. S., and from thence west to the utmost extent of the land purchased by Cornet Stetson, and from the three trees southeast to the brook, only there is excepted out of the aforesaid sale, fifty acres contained within the aforesaid bounds granted by the Court to William Barstow, deceased, for services done for the country.' Barstow and Joseph Silvester, son of the Court's grantee, divided, 1693.
1671. The Court confirmed a sale, also made by the same agents, to Joseph Barstow, and Moses and Aaron Simmons, of Scituate, for £8, of 'a parcel of upland, more or less, lying and being on the westward side of Scituate town bounds, and bounded on the north with the lands of Joseph Silvester and Joseph Barstow, extending itself southerly to the utmost extent of the purchase made by Cornet Robert Stetson, for the use of the Colony, and westerly to the utmost extent of said purchase.' In a deed of one-third of this tract by Joseph Barstow to John Cushing of Scituate, in 1694, it is described as running south from Barstow's other land on the west line of Scituate, one mile and a half, ' to a corner marked white oak tree, about two feet over,' thence westerly two miles to a stake and stones on the westerly side of Poor-meadow river; thence north about a mile and a half to Barstow's land, and thenee east with his land two miles to the line of Seit- uate. This and the two preceding grants, were doubt- less made before the additional grant to Bridgewater, as otherwise they would have been embraced in that grant.
1671. There was granted to Ensign Mark Eames,
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of Marshfield, 'a certain piece of land in the form of a gusset, lying next to Accord Pond, between the land there granted to Mr. Hatherly, and the patent line, be it an hundred acres, more or less.' John Jacob having for himself and partners in the Hatherly grant, pur- chased this gusset, it was annexed to that grant, and that part of it within the extended lines of the middle lot was, in the division of that grant, conveyed to An- drews & Company.
1727. Paul Dudley and others, a Committee of the Court, sold to Robert Howard, Ephraim Fobes, and Joseph Snell, for £200, all that part of the gore between the 6 mile and Colony line, lying westerly of the high- way from Bridgewater to Braintree, (now Randolph.)
1730. The Province 'in further consideration of the services' of Gov. Belcher as their agent in Eng- land, granted him 800 acres of land. 328 acres, part of the grant, were laid out to him in Abington, on the gore. It bounded northerly ' on the Colony line,' ' west- erly on the land called Peregrine White's grant,' south- erly on the 'Bridgewater 6 mile line,' and 'easterly on a line about twenty-five rods west from a brook called Beaver-brook, home to the Colony line.'
1764. The General Court confirmed to Andrew Belcher, of Milton, 'one hundred and fifty-two acres and one hundred and six rods of land, being part of a gore of Province land, lying within or adjoining to the town of Abington,' ' to compleat a grant to him of two thousand acres.'
Beside the above grants, there was probably one to a John Hammond, (or Hanmer,) north of the 6 mile line and west of Ford's farm. There was also a grant
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of meadow to James Lovell and Andrew Ford .- ' Thomas Pratt, an inhabitant of Bridgewater Ford's farm,' (so called,) 1694, conveyed 'all his own quarter part of that swamp or meadowish ground granted by Ply- mouth Court to Andrew Ford formerly, and James Lov- ell, which is called by the name of Streame's* meadow, as yet undivided, and is about half a mile from Nicholas Shaw's.'
* This meadow may, possibly, have been part of the land, which, in the grant to Lieut. Holbrook it was said, had been leased by the Indians to Ser- geant Thomas Streame ; and it may have derived its name from that circum- stance. It does not appear that there was any Court grant to any person of that name.
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