USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register > Part 1
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UMASS/AMHERST 312066011881109
LIBRARY
OF THE
ENSE PETIT
QVIETFM
IBERTATE
ACIDAM
MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE
No. 21646 DATE 12-100 n.P. R- ditch. SOURCE 2
F 84t 74 F8T2
-
OF
DATE DUE
11:7086481
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT AMHERST
Tras 18. Tras
HISTORY OF FRAMINGHAM.
MASSACHUSETTS.
EARLY KNOWN AS
DANFORTH'S FARMS,
1640-1880
WITH A
GENEALOGICAL REGISTER.
BY J. H. TEMPLE,
AUTHOR OF "HISTORY OF WHATELY," "HISTORY OF NORTHFIELD," "" "HISTORY OF BROOK- FIELD," ETC.
PUBLISHED BY THE TOWN OF FRAMINGHAM, 1887.
PREFACE.
THE volume herewith offered to the citizens of Framingham, and the public, covers a period of 240 years. It is the result of ten years of investigation among the papers preserved in the State Archives, in- cluding the Journals of the General Court; also of the writings of John Eliot, Daniel Gookin, Gov. Thomas Danforth and their cotempo- raries ; also of the records of the Probate and other county courts, and the Registry of Deeds of Suffolk, Worcester, and Middlesex coun- ties ; also of the town and church records of Sudbury, Sherborn, and the Indian plantation at Natick, as well as the town and church rec- ords of Framingham.
The writer has been allowed free access to the libraries of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and the New England Historic- Genealogical Society, where are gathered stores of manuscripts and printed volumes illustrative of the local as well as general history of our early settlements.
In the early part of his labors he was assisted by the well-stored memories of Mrs. Nabby (Morse) Freeman, Dea. John Temple, Nathan Stone, Mrs. Martha (Trowbridge) Gibbs, Adams Littlefield, Warren Nixon, Esq., Col. Moses Edgell, and Mrs. Eliza (Buckminster) Eaton ; and later by Miss Chloe Haven, Dea. Jonathan Greenwood, Luther Kendall, Jonathan Eames, Joseph Brown, Charles B. Clark, Charles Parker, George Haven, George Warren, Dexter Hemenway, Henry Eames, and others.
The diaries kept by Dea. Ezra Hemenway, Mrs. Freeman, and Mrs. Uriah Rice, have been of much assistance in fixing dates, and furnish- ing items of family history.
Of course the writer has availed himself of the labors of Dr. Wil- liam Ballard and Rev. William Barry, whose published histories are still extant. And it is a pleasure as well as a duty to recognize the fruitful work of Mr. Barry, who culled the field in advance, and found . a rich harvest of facts, which were given to the public in 1847. His Family Register is a monument of patient and successful research. Whenever statements are copied from Mr. Barry's History, due credit
vi
Preface.
is given ; but in all cases where the originals are still in existence, those originals have been examined and copied. And this, together with the numerous documents which have come to light since the date of Mr. Barry's publication, will account for the many corrected state- ments found in the present volume. The war records of the American Revolution and the war of 1812 were not accessible to Mr. Barry ; and as they constitute an essential part of our annals, they properly occupy a large space in this book.
Our Town Records are in a good state of preservation, except for the years 1782-87, which are missing.
The Church Records are imperfect. Rev. Mr. Swift left a journal of ecclesiastical events [really a Church Record], covering the period from Dec., 1716, to July, 1728. Then there is a hiatus of 18 years. The regular book of Church Records begins with the settlement of Rev. Matthew Bridge in 1746. Mr. Barry intimates that the early Church Records were maliciously destroyed in modern times. But in a letter written in 1771, Mr. Bridge says, "There are no records belonging to the Framingham church so ancient as 1726," and the records are complete since the date of his letter.
The writer has been fortunate in discovering the "remains " of many Indian village-sites, forts, corn-fields, etc., on our territory, and in col- lecting authentic information relating to the natives who dwelt here. He also has been able, from natural marks and historical data, to locate the principal Indian trails and early bridle-paths running through the town. Indeed, traces, more or less distinct, of several of these paths were in existence in his youth, and have been followed by him for many a mile. Detailed accounts are given of the first visits hither of white men ; of original land-grants; of the gradual coming on of settlers ; the incorporation of the town, and the founding and progress of its social, civil, ecclesiastical, educational, and industrial institu- tions. The honorable part taken by our citizens in the earlier and later wars is fully set forth ; and thus long-deferred justice is done to the memory of many who were patriots and heroes in their day, and who contributed materially to the glory of our Commonwealth.
In the matter of Family History, pedigrees are traced, where prac- ticable, to the emigrant ancestor. And the list contains the name of every inhabitant, whether native or foreign-born, who has held taxable estate, and reared children in town, down to the present generation. In the preparation of these genealogies, besides the town records, family registers, family Bibles, and inscriptions on grave-stones have been consulted. And where irreconcilable contradictions occur in these records, a solution has been sought by reference to the specifi- cations on the enlistment rolls, wills, and guardianship papers, and collateral facts. The result of exhaustive research has often led to
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Preface.
conclusions at variance with family tradition and published records. But no dates and lines of descent have been adopted, without what appeared to be reliable evidence of accuracy. Cases of doubt are marked with an interrogation point.
Some months were spent in the Registry of Deeds, and devoted to the investigation of original land-titles, and early transfers of estates ; and the descriptions herewith given, will enable present holders, in a majority of cases, to trace their rights to possession.
Biographical sketches are given of several of our citizens who, by common consent, are regarded as public benefactors, or have attained marked distinction in life. The list might have been much extended.
This work is not the expression of the writer's opinions on the sub- jects brought to view; but is largely composed of Original Records and Official Documents, copied verbatim ; and the facts in the case are left to tell their own story, and indicate the legitimate inferences.
The Military Records comprise the names and terms of service of all officers and privates furnished by the town, for the Indian and French Wars, the Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War of 1861-65, so far as these are preserved in the State muster-rolls.
JOSIAH H. TEMPLE.
FRAMINGHAM, May 2, 1887.
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
On p. 24, 14th line from bottom, for Coolett read Corlett.
On p. 77, 9th 1. from top, erase 6.
On p. 106, 2d 1. from bottom, for Henry read Hervey.
On p. 144, 10th 1. from top, after Mendon, add in the present town of Douglas.
On p. 167, 4th 1. from top, for Shewsbury read Shrewsbury.
On p. 216, sixth paragraph, after expedition. add and Joshua Train.
On p. 276, 10th 1. from bottom, for Noah Eaton 2d, read fr.
On p. 323, 7th 1. from top, for died of disease, read k. at Harlem Heights, Sept. 16, 1776.
On p. 347, for Ashbury, read Asbury.
On p. 386. for Silas W. Ingraham, read Ingram.
On p. 419, after Z. B. Adams, read Bowd. Coll. 1849; Harv. Med. Sch. 1853, etc.
On p. 457, Hervey W. Allen's 2d w. should read Charlotte, not Henrietta.
Old and New Style .- All dates, prior to 1752, are understood to be in con- formity with old style, then in use.
Double Dating .- The custom which prevailed in former times, of double- dating events which transpired between January I, and March 25, has in most instances been retained ; but sometimes the true date is given, i. e. the year is considered as beginning January 1 ; and sometimes the author has met the same perplexity which will confuse the reader.
4
HISTORY OF FRAMINGHAM.
CHAPTER I.
TOPOGRAPHY AND NATURAL FEATURES OF THE TERRITORY- MILL- SEATS - FIRST NOTICES OF THE PLACE - NAME OF THE TOWN - WITH BRIEF NOTICES OF SUDBURY, MARLBOROUGH, NATICK AND SHERBORN.
RAMINGHAM is situated in the southwestern part of Middle- sex County, midway and on a direct line between Worcester and Boston. The old turnpike between these cities ran through the Centre village ; the Boston and Albany railroad runs through the South village ; the Old Colony railroad, Northern division, from New Bedford to Fitchburg, and to Lowell, runs through both the South and Centre villages.
When the act of incorporation was granted in 1700, the town was bounded easterly by Sudbury, Wachituate Pond and Natick lands ; southerly by Sherborn and. the Indian lands ; west by Marlborough, and north by Sudbury. Its present boundaries are, northeasterly by Wayland; easterly by Natick; southeasterly by Sherborn ; south- westerly by Ashland ; west by Southborough and Marlborough, and north by Sudbury.
As originally laid out, the Plantation contained about 20,500 acres. Subsequently several tracts, of greater or lesser extent, were transferred to other towns. Simpson's Farm of 500 acres was set to Hopkinton, when that town was incorporated in 1715. Holliston took off a point of the southern extremity of the town in 1724. In 1727 South- borough took in the long strip of land known as Fiddle Neck. The Leg was annexed to Marlborough in 1791. By these subtractions the area of the township was reduced to 18,976 acres. In 1846 a tract of about 3,000 acres was set off to form, with parts of Hop- kinton and Holliston, the new town of Ashland. In 1871 a triangular
1
2
History of Framingham.
piece of land was taken from the town of Natick and annexed to Framingham. The present area of the town is 15,930 acres.
English adventurers explored these lands as early as 1633, and became acquainted with the features of the country ; but the Colonial government took no action intended to promote a settlement here till 1640, when a considerable grant, within its limits, was made to the widow of Rev. Josse Glover. At this date, the nearest towns were Sudbury, Watertown and Dedham. To the westward, the nearest and only settlement in Massachusetts was Springfield. The country adjacent on the south and west was inhabited only by Indians.
In the earliest notices of the territory now embraced in this town, it is described as Wilderness Land lying north of the path from Sudbury to Nipnox. Later (1662) it is called "The tract of waste lands belonging to Thomas Danforth Esq. lying between Marlbury and the Old Connecticut Path ;" and still later (1693), "A Plantation situated between Sudbury, Marlbury, Sherborn, and the Indian Plan- tation at Natick, and westerly is the wilderness." A considerable part of these lands, viz: those which lay on the easterly side of Sudbury River, was disposed of by the General Court to individuals and to the Natick plantation, between the years 1640 and 1660. In 1660-62 the Court granted to Thomas Danforth, Esq., the larger part of the lands on the westerly side of the river. To this granted land Mr. Danforth added, by purchase, the tract situated west and south of Farm Pond, extending as far as the old Sherborn line. The combined gift and purchases covered about two-thirds of what con- stituted the township ; and the place was, for many years, officially designated as " Mr. Danforth's Farms."1
No record has been discovered of any act of the General Court by which these lands were created into a plantation. Settlers came on slowly and were much scattered. Until 1675, all the adults were members of the church in Sudbury ; and most of them had home-ties there, and did not desire, and were not able to bear the burdens of separate civil and ecclesiastical charges.
After a considerable number of families had located, and made valuable improvements, and stocked their farms, the residents were called upon by the Colonial authorities to pay "country rates," and required to furnish their proper quota of soldiers for the army. This, so far as appears, was the only public recognition of our existence as a plantation, previous to our incorporation as a town. And up to that date, the inhabitants exercised no plantation rights.
1 The plural Farms was used, from the fact that he received three distinct grants, and purchased two farms, viz : the Wayte farm, and the Russell farm.
3
Name of the Town.
NAME. - On the Colonial records, the place is officially designated as Mr. Danforth's Farms, and Framingham. In a single instance, on the Middlesex county records, where entry is made of the births of two children of Thomas Eames, and one child of Joseph Bradish, the name is written Framlingham. And in a petition drawn up by Peter Clayes in 1698, and presented to the legislature, this spelling is used. Neither has anything more than a clerical authority; and both may have been clerical inadvertencies. In the records of the Middlesex County Court, under date Dec. 23, 1673, and elsewhere, the name is written Framingham, and uniformly so in the General Court rec- ords ; and in Mr. Danforth's numerous leases, of different dates, and in his will, the name is written without the l. Mr. Danforth's own usage is, of course, final authority in the matter. Oct. 27, 1675, a tax was laid, "to meet the charges of the present war with the Indians," and Framingham was assessed £1. Dec. 28, 1675, Framingham is ordered to raise one soldier, as its proportion of a levy of 300. Under the same name, the inhabitants were assessed till 1699, when the amount was 36 pounds, which they had declined to pay, assigning as the reason, that " they were not a settled town, and consequently were incapable to choose town officers, and levy a tax."
But, whether the word be spelled with or without an /, there is no doubt that the Plantation received its name from the birthplace of Thomas Danforth in England. "The interest which naturally at- taches to the name of this town," says Mr. Barry, " may justify a brief account of the original town in Great Britain. Framlingham is in the hundred of Loes, county of Suffolk, England, and lies 88 miles north- east from London. The river Ore runs by it, and upon the W. side of the town spreads into a sort of lake. By the bounty of King Henry I. here was formerly a castle of the Bigods. It is described by Camden [1695] as 'a very beautiful castle, fortified with a rampire, a ditch, and a wall of great thickness, with thirteen towers; within it has very convenient lodgings. From this place it was that, A. D. 1173, when the rebellious son of King Henry II. took up arms against his father, Robert, Earl of Leicester, with his stipendiaries from Flanders, harassed the country all around ; and here also it was that An. 1553, Queen Mary entered upon the government, notwithstanding the vio- lent opposition of Dudley, Earl of Northumberland, against King Henry VIII's daughters.' This town contains a free school, and also the chapel of Saxtead, valued in the King's books at £43.6.8, the pat- ronage of which is in Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. The church is ded- icated to St. Michael. The resident population of this parish, in 1801, was 1854, and the amount raised by the parish rates, in 1803, was £1129.12.0, at 5s. 412d. in the pound. Cotton Mather relates of
4
History of Framingham.
Nicholas Danforth (father of Thomas), that he was ' of such figure and esteem in the church, that he procured that famous lecture at Fram- lingham in Suffolk, where he had a fine manor, which lecture was kept up by Mr. Burroughs and many other noted ministers in their turn ; to whom, and especially to Mr. Shepard, he proved a Gaius, and then especially, when the Laudian fury scorched them.' Fram- lingham is a market town, its market being held on Saturday. The Fairs are on Whit-Monday and the Ioth of October."
As considerable parts of our territory were claimed by adjoining towns, and the early settlers were taxed and had civil and religious rights in said towns, it is proper, in this connection, to give the dates of settlement and incorporation of these older neighbors. By an early statute, it was provided that "Every inhabitant shall contribute to all charges both in church and commonwealth, whereof he doth or may receive benefit ; and the lands and estates of all men (wherein they dwell ) shall be rated for all town charges, both civil and eccle- siastical, where the lands and estates shall lie, and their persons where they shall dwell. And for all peculiars, viz : such places as are not yet laid within the bounds of any town, the same lands with the persons and estates thereupon, shall be assessed by the rates of the town next unto it, the measure or estimation shall be by the distance of the meeting houses." Statutes, 1651, 1657.
As a consequence, the settlers who came on before 1699 were re- garded as belonging to Sudbury, Marlborough or Sherborn, according to their location ; and through the exercise of civil jurisdiction for a longer or shorter period, one or other of these towns laid claims to lands within our limits, and opposed the incorporation of the new town, unless the bounds could be fixed to suit their several interests.
SUDBURY. - The township of Sudbury - the elder of our neighbor towns - was petitioned for by inhabitants of Watertown Nov. 20, 1637 ;1 was first settled in the spring of 1638; was incorporated as a plantation Sept. 6, 1638 ;2 and received the name of Sudbury Sept. 4, 1639.3 The first planters located near where is now the village of Wayland ; and here all the original home-lots were laid out.
The town plot was originally five miles square. The southwest cor- ner was near the east foot of Nobscot. The south line of the town . corresponded with the present bounds from that point east, and con- tinued a straight course to Weston. In 1640, the inhabitants pe- titioned for an addition of a mile in length upon the southeast and southwest sides of the town ; which petition was allowed, on condition "it may not hinder Mrs. Glover's farm of 600 acres formerly granted."4
1 Mass. Col. Rec. 1. 210. 2 1bid. 1. 238. 3 Ibid. I. 271. 4 Col. Rec. I. 289.
5
Sudbury.
The Glover farm lay on the east side of Sudbury river, its north bound being the old south line of Sudbury, and its east bound a straight course from Sudbury line to the northeasterly point of Dudley pond ; so that the "mile addition " was laid out to the east and south of this farm, and easterly of Cochituate pond. Later, i. e. in 1649, the town was enlarged by the addition of two miles in width, on its westerly side.
Sudbury men were the earliest settlers within the territory now comprised in Framingham, and pitched upon the lands contiguous to the mother town. The families of Stone, Rice, Bent, Adams, Brown, et als., had grants or bought rights near the falls in Sudbury river (now Saxonville), and at Rice's End ; built houses, and became permanent residents between the years 1646 and 1683. But they were known as "out-dwellers," and described in deeds as "living near unto Sudbury;" and their lands were assessed as " Sudbury Farms." That the territory in question was not included in Sudbury town bounds, is shown by the following extract from the Sudbury Town Records : " Oct. 26, 1686. Agreement between the town of Sudbury and certain out-dwellers, viz. Corp. Henry Rice, Corp. John Bent, Matthew Rice, Benjamin Rice, William Brown, Daniel Stone, John Loker, John Adams, Samuel King, and David Rice, who are inhabitants bordering upon, but dwelling without the line or bounds of this town -have engaged to pay all rates for building the meeting house, and for the maintenance of the ministry of the town, and for defraying town debts and the support of the poor - provided the town do relieve the poor amongst them and free them from repairing the highways within the town bounds."
Notwithstanding the explicit terms of the Records, it has been claimed by Dr. Stearns and others, that Sudbury town bounds once included Saxonville. Probably the claim is based on the following "Order " passed by the General Court Mar. 8, 1691-2 : " In answer to the petition of the selectmen of Sudbury, ordered : That the out dwellers adjoining unto the said Town, comprehended within the line beginning at Matth. Rice's, from thence to Cornet Wm. Brown's, Corp. Henry Rice's, Thomas Drury's, Tho. Walker, Jr., John How, and Samuel Winch's (not belonging to any other towne), be annexed unto the Town of Sudbury, and continue to bear their part of all duties and partake of all priviledges there as formerly, until further order." The terms of the order seem to limit its application to persons and taxable estates, and carry no transfer of territory. And that it was so understood by the parties in interest, is evident from the following petition, bearing date July 4, 1700, signed by these same farmers, and sent to the legislature : "The said town of Sudbury have for above
-
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History of Framingham.
a year denied your Petitioners the liberty of voting and other town privileges, utterly disclaiming them as not belonging to the said town, though your Petitioners have contributed to the building the Meeting house and maintenance of the minister, and have paid several town rates and done many town duties ; wherefore they pray to be annexed to the town of Framingham." Whereupon, on the following day, July 5th - without serving any order of notice upon the adverse party, as would have been necessary in case these lands were included in Sud- bury bounds, -it was "ordered, that the petitioners and other the farms lying betwixt the Northerly end of Cochitawick Pond and the line of Framingham, be laid and annexed to the town of Framingham ; and enjoy all immunities, and privileges with other the inhabitants in said town, and that they and their estates be liable to bear a propor- tion of charge in the said town."
Gore's Survey [1699], and other official plans, place the Sudbury south line on the north side of the Glover grant.
NATICK PLANTATION. - This was originally settled and organized as an Indian village, and so continued for nearly a century. It be- came an English precinct or parish in 1745 ; and was incorporated as a town Feb. 19, 1781.
The village was located at what is now South Natick. What is now Natick Centre is of comparatively recent origin.
In 1636, the General Court granted to the town of Dedham, a tract of five miles square, lying on the northerly side of Charles River. 1 This was laid out in general terms in 1639, and covered the neck of land now forming the towns of Needham, Natick, and the easterly part of Sherborn.2 But the exact bounds were not settled till 1643.3
In 1650 the Apostle Eliot gathered his praying Indians into a set- tled community at the Falls on Charles river (South Natick), on Dedham land. October, 1651, on petition of Eliot, and on motion and the offer of the inhabitants of Dedham to allow 2,000 acres of land within her bounds, the General Court ordered that the said 2,000 acres be set apart and established as the Indian Plantation at Natick.+ In 1658, Eliot petitioned for an enlargement and change of bounds of the Natick plantation ; and a committee was appointed by the Gen- eral Court, " to lay out convenient bounds to Natick, out of the com- mon lands adjoining, and also to treat with Dedham, and compound with them for such lands as lye adjoining to ye said place, and seemed to be necessary for the Indians."5 This committee proceeded to lay out a large tract, bounding on Sudbury, Mr. Danforth's Farms, Magun- kook and the Charles river. 6
1 Mass. Col. Rec. 1. 180. 2 1bid. 257 ; III. 247. 3 1bid. II. 50.
p. 362. 6 Ibid. p. 408.
4 Ibid. III. 246. 5 Ibid. IV. pt. I.
7
Natick.
Dedham claimed to own 4,000 acres (exclusive of the 2,000 already by her consent set to Natick) of this tract. And in May, 1662, a committee was appointed by the General Court "to make final issue of the controversy between the town of Dedham and the Indians at Natick."1 June, 1663, the committee reported, and " the Court judgeth it meete to grant Dedham 8,000 acres of land in any convenient place or places, where it can be found free from former grants ; provided Dedham accept this offer."2 In 1665 this 8,000 acres was laid out at Deerfield, on the Connecticut river, "to recompence Dedham for what land [4,000 acres] they part with, over and above the 2,000 acres above said."3
The exact bounds of the Natick Plantation, as established under the order of 1658 (laid out Nov. 1659), were as follows: "from Natick meeting house, the line shall extend up the [Charles] River as far as the house of Nicholas Woods, and from his house to be continued upon a westerly line four miles : And on the northerly side, the line to extend from the Ponds along Cochittuate brook to the common fording place or highway that leadeth from Sudbury to John Stone's house, and from this point the bounds to be John Stone's land and Sudbury river, extending up the river four miles, the distance to be measured by a straight line from the aforesaid common wading-place on Co- chittuate brook : And on the west side, the bound to be a straight line from the termination of the above named four miles, to the termination of the four miles from Nicholas Woods. Any lands within this compass, already granted to any particular person or town, are excepted."4
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