USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > History of Princeton, Worcester County, Massachusetts, civil and ecclesiastical, from its first settlement in 1739, to april 1852 > Part 1
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F 74 PaHa
IBRARYOF
CONERES
1900
HISTORY OF PRINCETON,
WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS;
CIVIL AND ECCLESIASTICAL;
From its First Settlement in 1739,
TO APRIL 1852.
BY
JEREMIAH LYFORD HANAFORD.
" Those matters which possess a natural interest to a particular neighbor- hood, from association with familiar names and places, should be of interest to every one, who seeks, in the experience of the past, for that wisdom which may be derived from a knowledge of what those who lived before us have done or suffered-wherein they have erred and in what respects they have judged rightly."
WORCESTER: C. BUCKINGHAM WEBB, PRINTER. 1852. S
C. T.
F74 .PqH2
PREFACE.
IN the following pages the author has aimed to present a brief, yet distinct statement, of the prominent events in the history of the town of PRINCETON. Particular attention has been directed to the various trials, toils, and hardships of the early settlers,-to the spirited resolutions and acts of the citizens in the period of the revolution,-to the difficulties that presented themselves in the organization of our federal government, as far as they had to do with the acts of the people,-to the ecclesiastical history,-and to tracing the progress of the town in its march of prosperity through the period of years which have rolled onward since the first settlement. Throughout the composition, he has confined himself almost exclusively to facts-having his eye upon the original documents-which, so far as he is capable of judging himself, have been presented with entire impartiality. The work was commenced and prosecuted with an ardent desire to benefit and interest, not only the citizens of this town, but also those of the adjoining towns, and of the State generally. It is true that this is a local history ; yet the reminiscences of events that have transpired in this vicinity, anecdotes of men who have lived here, the record of their manners and habits, all constitute a tributary stream to the general current of our country's histo- ry. "All history should be, and American history in particular must be, the history of the people. Not an account of the pro- ceedings of a court, of the operations of a government only but of what the people have been doing in villages, and com-
iv
PREFACE.
munities, and families. Here things lie at the foundation of na- tional character and sentiments, and consequently of national events. We are carried by this means behind the scenes, or rather into the scenes, of private history, and shown what are really the secret springs of public history."
The volume we have thus drawn up, makes no pretensions to attractiveness, otherwise than the nature of the subject, and the facts exhibited, may be attractive.
Many things worthy to be perpetuated, have, no doubt, for the want of information, been omitted ; accuracy, however, has been the constant aim of the author. Materials have been collected from sources as various as can be readily imagined by individ- uals who have not attempted a similar work,-the most of which it will not be thought necessary to specify particularly. The Town Books, Church and Society Records, and various Publi- cations, were of course, carefully examined. Many of the facts here presented, were obtained from a History of Princeton, written some years since by Charles Theodore Russell, Esq., to whom we would here publicly acknowledge our indebtedness. We are also particularly indebted to several of the aged peo- ple whom we have consulted.
That this, our effort has many imperfections, and some slight inaccuracies, is extremely probable ; yet we dismiss it, to those for whom it was compiled, with the hope that it may prove to be interesting and profitable to them. THE AUTHOR.
Princeton, April 1, 1852.
CONTENTS.
-
CIVIL AFFAIRS.
CHAPTER I.
General History-Purchase of the Indians-Proprietors' Petition-Order of General Court-Division of the Twelve miles' Square of the Indian Pur- chase-Rutland East Wing-Watertown Farms-First Settlement-Loss of Robert Keyes' Daughter-Incorporation of the District-Dr. Harvey- First Town Meeting-First Roads. 9
CHAPTER II.
Character of the First Settlers-Their Ancestry-Increase of Population- Province Lands-Land granted by the General Court to the First settled Minister-Petition to be Incorporated as a Town-Act of Incorporation- Opposition of the Town to the addition of Territory-First Representa- tive-Boundary. 24
CHAPTER III.
American Revolution-First expression of the town in relation to revolutionary measures-Resolutions-Committee of Correspondence-Alarm-Prepara- tions for War-Instructions to Representative-Declaration of Rights- Bounty to the Minute Men-The citizens leave their homes for the Con- test-Trouble with Rev. Mr. Fuller-Declaration of Independence-Regu- lation of the currency-War terminated. . 31
CHAPTER IV.
Insurrection-Distress of the People-County Convention-Instructions to Col. Sargent-Grievances-Courts suspended-Capt. Gale at the Court House-Court of Sessions interrupted-Preparations of Government- Daniel Shays-Forces of Insurgents-Insurgents occupy the Court House- Consultation of the Insurgents-The Retreat-Gen. Lincoln's Army- Termination of the Rebellion-Henry Gale. 5:2
vi
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
Political History-Adoption of the National Constitution-Funeral Honors to Washington-Embargo-Petitions to President Jefferson, and to the Le- gislature of Massachusetts-Opposition to the War with England-Reso- lutions-First Town Ilouse-Benefactions of Mr. Boylston-Adoption of Amendments to the State Constitution-Part of No Town annexed-New 'Town House-Proposed Division of the County-Incidents in Local History. 67
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
CHAPTER VI.
Introductory Remarks-First Preaching in Town-Attempts to erect a Meet- ing House-Committee to measure the District-Building of Meeting House -Assignment of Places in Church-Church Music-Church Covenant- Uusuccessful attempt to settle a Minister-Call to Mr Fuller-His Ordina- tion-Covenant of Admission-First Deacons and Present to the Church- Complaints against Mr. Fuller-His Reply-Ecclesiastical Council-Mr. Fuller's Dismission-Sult against Town-Biographical Notice of Mr. Fuller. 81
CHAPTER VII.
Unsuccessful efforts for a re-establishment of the Gospel Ministry-Settlement of Mr. Crafts-He requests a Dismission-Letter to him-Rev. Mr. Good- rich-New Meeting House-Mr. Russell's Settlement-Dedication of Meeting House -Mr. Russell's Dismission-Settlement of Mr. Murdock- First General Revival of Religion in Town-Church Covenant-Mr. Mur- dock's Dismission. 98
CHAPTER VIII.
Religious Divisions-Attempt to settle Rev. Mr. Clarke-Remonstrance of the Church-Church has a right to choose its own Pastor-Mr. Clarke's Re- ply to Call-Second effort of the Town to settle Mr. Clarke-His Reply- Petition circulated through the Town-Call of Mutual Council-Its Re- sult-Protest of the Minority-Mr. Clarke's Covenant-Third Call of the Town to Mr. Clarke-Ilis Reply and Settlement. . 113
CHAPTER IX.
Call of Council by the Church-Result-Organization of the Presbyterian Church-Ruling Elders-Call to Mr. Bond-Accessions to the Church and Congregation-New Meeting House-Seizure of Property to pay
vii
. CONTENTS.
Ministerial Rates-Seizure of the body-Mr. John H. Brooks carried to Jail-Suit, Samuel Brooks vs. Town-Mutual Settlement of the Contro- versy-Settlement of Mr. Phillips-Origin of Division-Mr. Clarke's Dis- mission-Biographical Notice-Proposal for a Union-First Parish, and Mr. Cowles' Settlement and Dismission. 130
CHAPTER X.
Farther Measures for a Union-Call of a Council-Result-Proceeding upon it-Objections-Votes of First Parish-Votes of Evangelical Society- Action of Congregational Church-Doings of the Council's Committee- Societies unite-Mr. Phillips at the House of the First Parish-His return to his former place of labor-Church Meetings. 142
CHAPTER XI.
Attempts to effect a Reconciliation-Further examination proffered, with a plan therefor-Amendment Proposed-Objections to Amendment-Call of Exparte Council-Mr. Phillips' letter to the Council-Result of Council- Mr. Phillips' Dismission-Biographical Notice-Meetings suspended at the Meeting House of First Parish-Mr. Demond's settlement over First Par- ish-Disaffected ask for a Dismission-Call of Council-Result-Mr. Ilar- ding's Settlement and Dismission-Mr. Goldsmith's Settlement and Dis- mission-Call of Mr. Hitchcock. 160
CHAPTER XII.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
Introduction of Methodism into Princeton-Messrs. Lewis and Fay join Class at Worcester-First Methodist Preaching by Rev. James Porter-Revival of Religion under the Labors of Rev. Mr. Paine-Formation of Classes- Hubbardston and Rutland made Stations-New Meeting House-First Quarterly Conference-Purchase of Furniture for Parsonage-Present to the Church -Stationed Preachers - Munificence of Mrs. Nabby Brooks. 179
CHAPTER XIII.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
Formation of the Baptist Society-First Baptist in Town-First Preaching -- Rev. Mr. Andrews-Organization of the Church-Articles of Faith-Rev. Mr. Walker-Rev. Mr. Johnson-Settlement and Dismission of Mr. Morse -Call and Settlement of Mr. Lovel-His Dismission-Settlement of Mr. Ball-Settlement of Mr. Cunningham-Accessions to the Church-Dis- mission of Mr. Cunningham-Temporary Supply of the Pulpit. . 176
viii
CONTENTS.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. CHAPTER XIV.
First Public School in Town-Division of the Town into School Districts -- Appropriations for Schooling-Select Schools-Munificence of John Brooks, Esq .- Native Ministers. 183
CHAPTER XV.
Biographical Notices-Physicians-Postmasters-Public Buildings-Accom- modations at the Wachusett Hotel-Streams and Ponds-Wachusett Mountain-Hills-Products. 189
APPENDIX.
List of Officers chosen at Town Meeting, 1761, . 197
Location of Roads, 1784,. ib. Petition of Rev. Mr. Fuller and Resolve of General Court thereupon, ... 198 A Document, containing an imperfect account of the number of men fur.
nished in the Revolutionary War, at the expense of the town,. .. 200 List of Votes for Governor since 1780, 201 Municipal Officers from 1760 to 1762, 202
HISTORY OF PRINCETON.
CIVIL AFFAIRS ..
-
CHAPTER L
General History-Purchase of the Indians-Proprietors' Petition-Order of General Court-Division of the Twelve miles' Square of the Indian Pur- chase-Rutland East Wing-Watertown Farms-First Settlement-Loss of Robert Keyes' Daughter -- Incorporation of the District-Dr. Harvey- First Town Meeting-First Roads.
AFTER the first settlement of Massachusetts, but a few years elapsed before the hand of industry penetrated far and fast into the uncultivated wilderness. In 1628, but eight years after the landing of the Pilgrims, Salem was settled. In 1629 Lynn was inhabited. Boston and Cambridge and Watertown were founded in 1630. The stream of emigration soon began to flow westward from its fountain. In 1635 Concord was purchased of the Indians and a settlement commenced. In 1638 Sudbury was planted, and Marlborough was incorporated but a few years subsequent to that period. The increasing population pushed farther onward the frontier of im- provement. The fertile region in the vicinity of Wor- cester attracted the attention of the early settlers of Massachusetts. The first settlement in the County of Worcester was made in Lancaster, in 1645. Mendon is a very ancient town, the second in age in the County. Brookfield was incorporated by an Act of the Legisla-
-
2
10
INDIAN DEED.
ture in 1660. Oxford embraces a tract of land which was a grant made to certain individuals by government in 1682.
On the 22nd of December, 1636, Joseph Trask, alias Puagastion, of Pennicook ; Job, alias Pompamamay ; James Wiser, alias Qualipunit; Sassawannow, of Natick, and Simon Pilicom, alias Wananapan, of Wamassick,- five Indians, who claimed to be lords of the soil, gave and executed a deed to Henry Willard, Joseph Row- landson, Joseph Foster, Benjamin Willard, and Cyprian Stevens, in consideration of twenty-three pounds of the then currency, of a certain tract of land, twelve miles square, going under the general name of Naquag, and bounded as follows : " The south corner butting upon Muscopague Pond, and running north to Quanitick and to Wanchatopick, and so running upon great Watchu- sett, which is the north corner ; so running northwest to Wallamanumpscook, and so to Quapuanimawick, a little pond, and so to Asnaconcomick Pond, which is the northwest corner ; and so running south and so to Muss- hauge a great swamp, and so to Sussahatassick which is the south corner; and so running east to Pascutick- quage, and so to Ahumpatunshauge, a little pond, and so to Sumpauge Pond, and to Muscopague, which is the east corner." This Indian deed, signed and acknowledged by the above named Indians, was re- ceived April 14, 1714, and recorded in the Registry of Deeds for Middlesex County, Vol. xvi, p. 511,- Worcester County not having been incorporated until April 2, 1731.
That this deed did not give to the grantees an indis. putable legal title to the territory it purported to convey is evident. For prior discovery, or occupancy, by the
11
ORDER OF GENERAL COURT.
Indians, was not acknowledged by our legislators and courts as creating any fee in the soil ; while discovery by the English was recognized as vesting all lands, me- diately or immediately, in the Crown. Consequently, as this tract of land was included in the grant to the colony of Massachusetts, any conveyance of it by the natives must be invalid until sanctioned by the Provin- cial legislature. And that the original purchasers, re- garded the deed as worthless is also obvious. For a little more than twenty-six years subsequent to its date, we find that the General Court on the 23d of February, 1713, upon the Petition of the sons and grandsons of Major Simon Willard * of Lancaster, deceased, and the other heirs of the grantees, for approbation and confirm- ation of their title to the above tract of land, passed an Order, " That the lands in the Indian deed, and accord- ing to their buts and bounds, be confirmed to the child- ren of the said Simon Willard, deceased, or to their legal representatives, and to the other petitioners, or their legal representatives, and associates, provided that with- in seven years time there be sixty families settled thereon and sufficient lands reserved for the use of a gospel min- istry and schools, except what part thereof the Hon. Samuel Sewall, Esq. hath already purchased, and that this grant shall not encroach upon any former grant or grants, nor exceed the quantity of twelve miles square. The town to be called Rutland, and to liye to the County of Middlesex." The tract of land purchas- ed of the Indians, which was thus conditionally con-
* This was the famous Major Willard, who marched with 46 men from Lan- caster to Brookfield, in 1675, for the relief of the little band there surrounded hy more than 300 Indians, and whose memory has been unhappily slandered by tradition.
12
DIVISION OF TERRITORY.
firmed, comprised in all 93,160 acres, including 1,000 acres owned by Hon. Mr. Sewall ; and was surveyed by William Ward in October, 1715. This purchase, with the exception of that owned by Mr. Sewall, was dis- tributed among the heirs of the original grantees in thirty-three shares : Joseph Foster had two, and the others had one share each.
The proprietors, at a meeting held Dec. 14, 1715, at Boston, voted to survey six miles square of the territory, for the settlement of sixty-two families, in order to the fulfillment of the condition of the grant of 1713. The settlers, on the 11th of August, 1720, entered into a written agreement with the proprietors, and bound themselves by certain articles, signed and witnessed. And on the 26th of June, 1721, this six miles square was confirmed to the settlers by the proprietors, and it now composes the town of Rutland, which was incor- porated by an Act of the Legislature, May 30, 1722.
Of the remainder of the Twelve miles' Square, one portion, known as " Rutland District," was, by an Act of the Legislature, incorporated on the 14th of June, 1774, and called Barre, as a token of respect to a wor- thy friend of America, at that time a member of the British House of Commons ; a second portion, called " the Northeast quarter of Rutland," was incorporated on the 13th day of June, 1767, and called Hubbardston, to perpetuate the name and memory of the Hon. Thomas Hubbard, Esq. of Boston, who had been sometime Speaker of the House of Representatives, a member of the Corporation of Harvard University in Cambridge, and a large proprietor of lands in Rutland original grant ; a third portion was styled " Rutland West Wing" until the year 1759, when the inhabitants had certain
13
RUTLAND EAST WING.
privileges granted them, and the place was called the " Precinct of Rutland West Wing" until its incorpora- tion by an Act of the Legislature, June 7, 1762, when the name of Oakham was given to it ; a fourth portion, with an equal tract from the town of Leicester, was in- corporated on the 12th of February, 1765, as the town of Paxton-named after Charles Paxton, a commissioner of the customs; while the remaining portion, known as " Rutland East Wing," and comprising 11,626 acres, now constitutes the southerly and greater part of Prince- ton. The last mentioned tract is the only portion of the original purchase with which we are intimately concerned in this work.
Agreeable to a vote of the proprietors, this tract was surveyed and laid out into forty-eight farms, of two hundred and thirty-seven acres each and numbered by letters, and a strip of two hundred and fifty acres undi- vided, which now includes the "Pout-water" and " Let- ter M" lots. Rev. Thomas Prince, then colleague pastor of the Old South Church, Boston, was by far the largest proprietor of the tract, he owning nearly three thousand acres, the most of which subsequently came into the possession of the late Ward N. Boylston, Esq. The entire tract was bounded on the north and east by the line which separated it from several farms termed " Watertown Farms," and which in the Indian deed is described * as running from " Wanchatopick," now de-
* The line referred to crosses the Boston road near the " Great Maple," at the foot of the " Whitney hill," and, running northwest, leaving the farmis of the late Jabez G. Read and Harlow Skinner a little to the north, constitutes the dividing line between those of Messrs. Elisha & Charles A. Mirick and Mr. Davis. " After reaching the height of land near Mr. Enoch Brooks's, it pursues a southeasterly direction and meets Hubbardston line on the land of Ezra Brooks."
2*
14
WATERTOWN FARMS.
nominated Rutland Pond, to "Great Watchusett ;" on the south by Rutland and Holden ; and on the west by Hubbardston. The original proprietors, at the before mentioned meeting in Boston, Dec. 14, 1715, chose a committee, to which the absolute control of the concerns of the proprietary was entrusted, and who made the first conveyance of any portion of said territory, subsequent to the purchase of the Indians in 1686.
Another portion of territory, now comprised in the town of Princeton, was the " Watertown Farnis." " This was a tract of about three thousand acres, granted, tradition says, by the General Court to the town of Watertown, to aid in building and maintaining a bridge. I find, after diligent inquiry, no record existing of the grant, nor any act or clue, by which its date, or specific purpose, other than that above stated, can be ascertain- ed. It dates, probably, about the year 1745, and was re- garded as of little or no value. The line bounding it on the north and east, ran from the north boundary of Rutland East Wing, beginning at a stake and stones in the 'pine woods' on land of" Sewell Richardson,* "near- ly due north to a stake and stones, still existing, at the corner of lands owned by Dea. Israel Howe, James Brown, and formerly by Charles Gregory, now by Dan- iel Parker. Thence it pursues nearly a westerly direc- tion, crossing the county road near the mill-dam of James Brown, and passing a little to the south of Dea. Howe's dwelling-house, over the top of Pine hill, to the easterly side of Wachusett. Whence it pursues a crook- ed southerly course, on the side of the mountain, to the aforesaid line of Rutland East Wing, which it meets at a stake and stones on land of Enoch Brooks. This
* Formerly owned by the late Col. John Whitney.
15
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
tract was sold by the town of Watertown to sundry pro- prietors. At a meeting of these, soon after the convey- ance, a committee, of whom I believe Jonas Harrington, grandfather of the" late Capt. Benjamin Harrington, ** was chairman, was chosen to survey the territory, and divide it into farms of equal value. This accounts for the inequality in extent of the lots, some containing nearly double the number of acres of others. After the completion of this survey and division, the lots were numbered and drawn by the original proprietors, some of whom settled on the farms thus obtained, while the greater portion made a second conveyance of them to settlers."*
We can find no records which lead us to conclude that any settlement was made ou either of the above- mentioned tracts of land previous to 1739. The soli- tude of the wilderness had remained unbroken, unless the occasional report of a huntsman's gun, or the shrill whoop of the Indian, echoing among the hills, aroused the timid deer, or hungry wolf. Tradition says that numbers of both these continued in the vicinity, some- time after the first settlers made their homes in the wil- derness. Some more than a century had now elapsed, since the Pilgrims disembarked from the Mayflower, upon the shores of New England. It had been a cen- tury of great labor,-of hardships, perils and wars,-to the first settlers of the country. During this time, the colonies were continually increasing in population and importance. Every year witnessed new settlements in the wilderness. About this period-Spring of 1739,- Mr. Joshua Wilder removed from Lancaster, and clear- ed a small spot, beside the brook, a little east of the dwel-
* Russell's History of Princeton, pp. 3, 4.
.
16
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
ling house on the farm owned by the late Peabody Houghton, and erected thereon a log house, in which he with his family resided for many years; probably until 1760. " Mr. Wilder was a saddler by trade, and the son of Capt. Nathaniel Wilder of Lancaster, a man som( - what renowned, in the annals of his time and town, for his temerity and facetiousness. He married a daughter of Maj. John Keyes of Shrewsbury, who was also no little famous ' in his day and generation.' During the French war, somewhere about the year 1760 or 61, Mr. Wilder purchased a large number of cattle for the purpose of driving them to Canada, and disposing of them at a profit to the English army. This intended speculation, however, was a total failure. On his arrival at its place of destination, with his stock, the war was so far con- cluded that he found no sale for it, or at least none at any adequate price. He returned, broken in property, and sold his farm to Benjamin Houghton, who owned the adjoining land, and with whom he had some litiga- tion as to their respective boundaries. Soon after this he removed to Belchertown, then Cold Spring, where he died in 1762. Miss Sarah Wilder, his fourth child, was the first white person born in Princeton. Her birth oc- curred in 1739. In 1762 she was married to Thomas Meriam of Westminster, and was the mother of the Meriams* at present residing in that place. She died 1819, at the advanced age of 80 years. The descend- ants of Miss Wilder recollect hearing their mother fre- quently speak of gathering blueberries in company with others on the Meeting-house hill, with a file of soldiers to protect them from the Indians."+ No other settle-
* Grandinother of Mr. Clark Meriam, who resides in this town.
Russell's llistory of Princeton, p. 7.
17
MR. KEYES' DAUGIITER.
ment was probably made, subsequent to that of Mr. Wil- der, prior to the year 1750, when Mr. Abijah Moore commenced to clear the farm at present owned and oc- cupied by Maj. Joseph A. Read. Mr. Moore opened the first public house that was kept in town. The third settlement was made by Mr. Cheever, on what is at the present day called the Cobb farm. And in May, 1751, (the following year) Mr. Robert Keyes with his family removed from Shrewsbury to this place, and se.tled on the farm now owned by Amasa Smith, which is situated at the foot of the Wachusett, east side.
On the 14th day of April, 1755, a daughter of Mr. Keyes, named Lucy, aged four years and eight months, attempting, as was supposed, to follow two of her sisters, who had gone to Wachusett Pond, about a mile distant, for some sand, and having nothing but marked trees to guide her, wandered out of the way, and became lost in the forest. The people for nearly thirty miles round immediately collected, and in companies traversed the woods, day after day, and week after week, searching for her, but without success. They also repeatedly dragged the neighboring pond. Nothing of the child was discovered. Many journeys were taken by the fa- ther in consequence of reports, but all in vain. The conjectures of the people were and have been various as to its fate ; "the most prevalent, and which divers con- curring circumstances render most probable," was, that it was carried off by the Indians on a visit to the moun- tain ; and that she soon forgot her native language and became as one of the aborigines. "This was made more probable, by the story of two men, who went some years after this occurrence from Groton, on a trading ex- pedition among the Indians on Canada line. They re-
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