USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sherborn > History of Sherburne, Mass., from its incorporation, MDCLXXIV, to the end of the year MDCCCXXX : including that of Framingham and Holliston, so far as they were constituent parts of that town > Part 1
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SHERBORN LIBRARY SHERBORN, MA 01770-1439
SHERBORN LIBRARY
3 8106 96031 592 8
Sherborn Library
SH
SETTLED
RN
MOOS2
1674
Gift of
Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Fuller
-
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofsherbur00bigl_0
1
HISTORY
OF
SHERBURNE, MASS.
· FROM ITS INCORPORATION,
M DC LXXIV,
TO THE END OF THE YEAR
MDCCC XXX;
INCLUDING THAT OF
FRAMINGHAM AND HOLLISTON,
SO FAR AS THEY WERE
CONSTITUENT PARTS OF THAT TOWN. E
Historical Collection
Ref 174.44 BT
BY WILLIAM BIGLOW, AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF NATICK.
Alilford, Mass. PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY BALLOU & STACY. 1830.
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ADVERTISEMENT.
This Pamphlet is compiled chicfly from the Records of the Town · of Sherburne, in possession of the present Town Clerk. These re- cords, from the beginning of the settlement to the present time, have been made and preserved with a eare, which deserves commendation. They exhibit the transactions of a community of the most independ- ent elass of inhabitants, and of that, on which all other classes depend for subsistenee; namely, the cultivators of the soil. Though there is nothing found, in their transactions, to excite wonder, or astonisli- ment, yet there is not a little, which may afford amusement and in- struetion ; especially to the deseendents of the worthy persons, who redeemed this part of our land from the wilderness, who have "ac- complished, as a hireling, their day, and whose sepulchres remain with us."
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
BOUNDARIES, TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION, &c.
SHERBURNE is situated on the extreme south point of the County of Middlesex, south-westerly from Boston. The ancient milestone at the foot of Meeting-house hill, and within an 8th of a mile from the centre of the town, was marked in olden time, " Boston 22 miles." The distance, as the road now runs, is about 19; and when this shall be straitened, as has been proposed and laid out, it will not exceed 18 miles from the centre of the town to the city.
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SHERBURNE is bounded N. by Framingham ; N. E. by Natick ; E. by Dover and Medfield ; S. E. by Medfield ; S. by Medway ; S. W. and W. by Holliston ; N. W. by Framingham. It contains about 10,000 acres, 200 of which are covered with water. According to a plan, ta- ken by Joseph Ware, Esq. its extreme length, from N. to S. is 6 miles and 30 rods ; and its extreme breadth, from E. to W. 4 miles and 154 rods. A new survey is begun by Dalton Goulding, Esq. from which a map will ere long ' be delineated, according to a late act of the General Court.
PRINCIPAL ROAD, MAILS, &c .- The only mail road through this town is that, which has been called the " Ilart- ford road," from " time which the memory of man run- neth not to the contrary." It leads from Boston to Ilart-
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HISTORY OF SHERBORNE.
ford, in Connecticut. Mail, stage and accommodation coaches are doing a large and increasing business on this route. For their number, names and other particulars the reader is referred to Badger & Porter's Stage Register, published periodically in Boston. There is a post-office kept, on this road, near the centre of the town, where the mail is opened daily, Sundays excepted. The other roads are numerous and generally kept in good repair.
The only tavern in town is near the center and situated on this road. Its owner, Captain Daniel Paul, is the only person in town liceneed to sell liquors by the glass. Here travellers and others may find every desirable accom- inodation. .
On this road there are four or five "variety stores," as they are called in New England, where groceries and dry goods are retailed.
SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS .- The land in most parts of the town is very hilly, rocky and stony ; but the soil is rich and productive. It amply compensates the husbandman for the labour bestowed on it. Pasture, tillage and upland mowing grounds are hap- pily proportioned throughout the township ; and valuable meadows, some abounding in peat, are interspersed in the vallies. There are still remaining many valuable wood- lots, which not only furnish the inhabitants with fnel; but also firewood, charcoal and timber for ship-building and other purposes, for the city market. The inhabitants, like those of many other towns, in this region, are adopting a method to prolong and perpetuate the growth of forest trees, sufficient to supply the present and future generations with this necessary article. They clear a parcel of land entirely of the wood, and leave it to grow up again immediately ;
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
calculating to have it cut down once in about 30 years. The soil is peculiarly well adapted to the growth of the apple and other fruit trees ; and the owners of it have. availed themselves of this advantage to an extent, which deserves and receives commendation. The apples, cider and vinegar, with which Sherburne furnishes the market, do not suffer in comparison with those of any other town- ship in the commonwealth. The butter from the dairies is highly prized ; but the superiority of this deducts from the goodness of the cheese, which is made here ; and induces the dealers in this article to purchase that, which is brought to market from a greater distance, where the skimming dish is not so fashionable. Indian corn, rye, barley, oats, and all the culinary roots and vegetables, which in the Yankee dialect are called sauce, are raised bere in abun- dance. There is a meadow washed by Sewal brook, which has afforded, in one season, 2000 bushels of cran- berries, which have been converted into a very palatable sauce, in the English sense of the word.
But few of the hills are distinguished by proper names ; and indeed if they were, they are so numerous, that a catalogue would occupy more space, than could well be spared in a pamphlet of ordinary size. "The most remark- able is Brush hill, about a mile from the centre of the town, in a northierly direction. This is of a beautiful coni- cal shape, entirely cleared of wood, as elevated, as any other, within many miles of it, and seen at a great distance, in every direction. The prospect from the summit is ex- . tensive and variegated. Standing on this, one looks down . on the handsome villages of Framingham, Natick, Medfield, Medway and Holliston; and in a circle outside of these, the church in Lincoln, and the hill above it, Prospect hill. in.
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
Waltham, Blue hill in Milton, the churches and highlands in Hopkinton, Shrewsbury and other towns, the church in Princeton, the Watchusett, Monadnock and many other Mountains, which appear like clouds rising in the hori- zon. In every point of compass, a tract of country presents itself, exactly suited to an agricultural and man- ufacturing community. Peters hill is about a mile from Brush hill, in a northeasterly direction. This is remark- able for its steepness, presenting on its westerly side, for about 100 rods in length, a ledge of rocks, almost per- pendicular, excepting one place, which is known by the name of the Devil's cart-way, from its resemblance to an artificial road. The perpendicular height on this side is from 40 to 60 feet. At its base a fine thrifty growth of young forest trees hides its ruggedness from the eye of the passenger on the road, that runs parallel to it. Meet- ing-house hill, about a mile distant from Brush hill, in a south casterly direction, is remarkable only, as the place devoted to public worship from the first settlement of the town. City hill, lately so named, about a mile S. W. from Brush hill, is little else than a pyramid of rocks, piled up by the rude hand of nature. When the magnetic needle is brought near this, there is a local attraction, which causes it to vary about five degrees. A similar attraction is observed in a swamp, through which the boundary line runs between Sherburne and Framing- ham ; and in a less degree in other parts of the town.
At the north west corner of the town, next to Framing- ham, the land is flat, moist, free from stone and of good quality, about a mile square. There is considerable plain sandy land, round Farm pond in the easterly part, and so free from rocks and stones, that the inhabitants cannot
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
procure a sufficiency for fencing their grounds, without going to a distance, which renders it inconvenient, labori- . ons and expensive. In the south part there is a plain, elevated considerably above the waters of Charles: river, on the casterly side and a hollow on the opposite. The road, leading from Meeting-house hill to the east parish in Medway, passes through nearly the middle of this plain, which is about 1 1-2 miles in length and 1-4 of a mile in breadth. Edwards Plain, about 1-2 a mile in length and 1-8 in breadth, lies S. E. of Meeting-house hill, com- mencing about 100 rods distant from its basc, on the road from Hartford to Boston.
PONDS, BROOKS, RIVER .- There are two considerable · ponds, in the casterly part of the town. Farm pond cov- ers about 160 acres and is well stored with pickerel, perch, pouts and other fish. There is a beautiful island within it, to which anglers frequently resort to cook and feast on their prey, beneath the shade of the forest trecs. This pond has no visible inlet ; but a perennial rivulet, which empties into Charles river, at the distance of a mile, is constantly supplied by it, and serves to irrigate the lands, through which it passes. Little pond, abont 3-4 of a mile north from the above, covering from 40 to 50 acres, con- tributes to Charles river through Sawin's brook. This af- fords some sport for the angler. On the south margin of this pond is a mineral spring, which was highly prized by the Indians in former days, for its medicinal qualities ; and some white people are supposed to have received escu- tial benefit from it. I know, not that its waters have ever been analyzed.
There are three streams, in this town, on which, mills arc erected .; but these are supplied with a sufficiency of
C.
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
water to move the machinery, only in the winter season. Mr. Isaac Cozens has a saw mill on Chestnut brook, in the north westerly part of the town, and Mr. Jonathan Hol- brook on Sewal brook, in the south-easterly section, has a saw mill and corn mill. On Dirty meadow brook there are two sawmills ; one owned by Col. Daniel Leland, the other by James and Samuel Leland. The town, however, is well watered with springs and rivulets, and possesses many convenient situations for conveying water by aqueducts into dwelling houses, barn yards and wherever else it is wanted. Of this the inhabitants have availed themselves.
On the southerly side of the dwelling house of Isaac Whitney, Esq. near Holliston line, a number of springs. uniting form a rivolet called, in the ancient records, Doppin brook, which runs in a southerly direction, the waters of which are continually accumulating, till they fur- nish a supply for several mill seats, and finally unite with Charles river, in Medway. On the northerly side of this house, at the distance of a quarter of a mile, similar springs unite and form a like stream, which falls into Sudbury river. On the southeasterly declivity of Brush hill, near the dwelling house of Mr. John Perry, the springs con- tributing to Chestnut brook, called also Coarse brook, which empties into Long pond in Natick, and eventually. into the Merrimack, are only about ten rods distant from those, which unite, in an opposite direction, with Sawin's brook, a tributary stream of the Charles. These wa- ters, of course, mingle with the ocean, at a long dis- tance from each other; namely, at the mouths of tlie Merrimack, Charles and Neponset. Charles river sepa- rates Sherburne from Medfield and Dover on the south and cast, and forms the boundary line for nearly five miles.
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
REMARKABLE TREES .- An Elm on the farm of Mr. , Johu Leland, in the westerly part of the town, planted there by one of the first English inhabitants of the place, now measures, on the surface of the ground, twenty-seven and a half feet in circumference ; at the height of 6 feet, the girth is 14 feet. It tapers very gradually to the height. of 20 fect, where its branches spread to all points of the compass, resembling very nearly the celebrated tree of the same kind, on Boston common. There are many other stately elms in all parts of the town. On the farm of John Twitchel, in the N. W. part, there is a cherry tree of the Mazzard species, which measures, at the height of three feet from the ground, eleven feet in circumference. The stone, from which this tree sprung, was brought from the east part of Watertown, near Cambridge line, A. D. 1762. The fruit produced by it in one season, has been sold, in Boston market, for $30. Though it is now decaying, its annual produce is considerable. The inhabitants of this vicinity believe this to be the largest tree of the kind in this Commonwealth. This is the parent of several others, in the town and vicinity, which do honour to their progenitor. The first apple seed, plant- ed in Sherburne, was brought from England in the pocket - of the first Mrs Leland, who settled in the place. This became a large tree and produced abundance of fruit, of the kind, known by the name of Englishi spice apple, till A. D. 1815, when one half of it was blown down in the great September gale. The rest of it gradually decay- ed and fell down about three years since. From the stump another tree has sprung up, which now measures, at 18 inches from the surface of the ground, 2 feet in cir- cumference, and has produced this year two bushels of 2
.. .
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
apples. Scions from this have been ingrafted in many other places. The origin of the Porter apples, so called, which are highly valued, wherever they are known, is said to be as follows. A tree was found growing spontaneously on the farm of Rev. Mr. Porter, which produced no fruit for several years. At length Mr. P. discovered on it a single apple, which he tasted and found to be of very agreeable flavor. He then paid particular attention to the tree, which became very large and productive ; and scions were carried from it, in all directions, and ingrafted on other stocks. The stump of the parent tree is still re- maining, on the farm of Hon. Calvin Sanger. Mr. Ga- lim Bullard, not long sinee, conveyed several sprouts, with part of the parent roots, to his farm, where he set them out. All are now alive, and one of them, at least, bids fair to become a large and fruitful tree. Between 40 and 50 years ago, Rev. Mr. Brown began to procure scions of the best sorts of fruit, and ingrafted them on such stocks, as he found on his farm. In front of his late dwelling house, on the opposite side of the road, the land was over- run with scrub or shrub apple trees, made and kept so by the cattle browsing upon them. Part of these he cansed to be removed, and part to be pruned and sawed off, at a suitable distance from the ground, and ingrafted with scions as mentioned above. This is the history of a flourishing and prodnetive orchard. Many of Mr. B's parishioners have, in this particular, followed his laudable example, with equal success. Many trees, bearing excel- lent apples, have apparently sprung up spontaneously, in various parts of the town.
A large black oak , called the W. tree, from its having this letter carved upon it, served for a landmark, on the
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
line between Sherburne and Framingham, for a long series : of years. It is mentioned in Sherburne records as far back. as Jan. 1683. Its decayed remains were removed, A. D. 1822, and a large stone erected in its place, bearing the same mark ; which bids fair to answer the same purpose, as its predecessor, to very remote generations.
INHABITANTS .-- The inhabitants of this place, from its. first settlement, have been and still continue to be indus- trious, frugal and generally skilful cultivators of the soil. A large proportion of farms are owned, occupied and im- proved by the fifth, sixth and seventh generations, de- scended from those, who first redeemed them from the wilderness. Among these the name of Leland is most prevclent. Of 165 legal voters, on the list for 1830, no less than 29 bear this name. All the other names, which appear on the list of those, who first " assembled for the ordering the affairs of Shearborn, in 1674," arc still found in Sherburne, Holliston, or that part of Framingham, which was set off from Sherburne ; viz, Morse, Fairbanks Babcock, Adams, Holbrook, Bullard, Hill, Perry and Eames. As carly as 1679, we find other names, which are still prevalent in these towns ; viz. Twitchcl, Whit- ncy, Cozens, Learned, Breck, Coolidge, &c.
Among the farmers arc interspersed a dne proportion of the most common and useful kinds of mechanics .- In this class of citizens, Messrs. Partridge and Babcock rank high, as skilful manufacturers of edge tools and clas- tic forks, for moving hay, or manure, and Mr. Lemnel Leland, as an ingenious gunsmith ; his rifles and smooth- bored muskets, cither with flint or percussion locks, being much celebrated. The late Silas Stone Esq. was the in- ventor of a truss, for the relief of persons afflicted with
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
Hernia, which has been highly approved by gentlemen of the medical and surgical professions, and for which he ob- tained a patent. This valuable article is still manufactur- ed by his son, who bears the name and inherits the in- genuity of the father. A number of hammerers of stone are constantly employed, on an inexhaustible quarry of granite, or sienite, owned by Isaac Whitney Esq. and ly- ing partly in Sherburne, but chiefly within the bounds of Holliston.
Till within the last twenty years, the people here gen- erally manufactured their own clothing. Their domestic music was the sound of the spinning wheel and the loom. This, since the introduction of great manufactories, put in operation by water power, has given place to the more silent employment of braiding straw, or palm leaf. Some of the bonnets and hats manufactured here, were they " dear bought and far fetched," would be deemed fit for any ladies or gentlemen in the land.
In 1764, there were 113 families and 630 inhabitants. The number, according to the census of 1820, was 811, and according to that of 1830, it is 900; the increase in 10 years 89. One reason of this slow increase is that, too many of the farmers, like their ancestors, judge of the value of their farms, according to the number of acres instead of the state of cultivation and amount of produce. Hence, instead of dividing a large farm into two, or three to accommodate as many sons, and setting each to culti- vate his portion in the best, which is the easiest and the cheapest manner ; the whole homestead is inherited by one; and the rest, taking the portion of nioney, which falleth to them severally, emigrate to a place, where they can purchase much land for little money, half cultivate a
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
part of it , and let the rest lie unproductive. Others be- take themselves to our large towns and cities, where they, enter into mercantile, or other employments in those places.
This practice, however, is growing less prevalent, than it was formerly ; improvements are constantly made in the methods of cultivation; and it is believed, that the quantity of the most important articles, now produced annually, is double what it was twenty-five years ago.
EDUCATION, &c .- The inhabitants of this town from its first settlement appear to have been sensible of the importance of literary instruction. So carly as 1684 it seems that land was granted for this purpose. In 1694, Edward West was chosen Schoolmaster for the town .- A. D. 1718, twelve pounds, 1719, eightcen pounds were granted for the support of a school for the teaching of children and youth to read, write and cypher. The town has been divided, from the date of earliest grants for this purpose, into from three to six districts ; and the sums appropriated have been gradually increased from the " day of small things" to the present time. The first appro- priation for building a school house was made A. D. 1727 ; and the house finshed A. D. 1728, or 1729.
The town is now divided into six school districts, each of which is accommodated with a convenient school house, and $700 a year granted for hiring teachers, and other expenses. Female teachers are employed in the warm, and male, in the cold season of the year.
In the year 1825, a large and commodious house was crected by subscription, in which an academy, or school for the higher branches of education, has been and continues to be kept ; and which has been of no small advantage to the youth of this and some other towns.
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
A company for the purpose of purchasing a social li- brary was formed A. D. 1808. There are now belong- ing to this establishment 250 volumes, and provision is made for its gradual increase.
A Debating Society has been in the practice of meet- ing for discussing interesting topics, for a number of years ; and a Lyecum has been recently established under favor- able auspices. Sunday schools have been kept and well attended here, for several years past ; and money has been frequently and liberally granted for the defraying the ex- penses of schools, for the teaching of sacred music.
Sherburne has furnished its full share of students in our universities, some of whom have displayed and are dis- playing superiour talents, both natural and acquired. In the following catalogue, H. U. stand for Harvard Uni- versity and B. U. for Brown University. Those, whose names are printed in italics, are, or have been ordained ministers of the gospel. Those, with this mark * pre- fixed, are not living.
COLLEGE GRADUATES.
* Adam Bullard, II. U. 1712.
William Phipps, IL. U. 1746. Minister in Douglass, * Mass. .
* Hezekiah Coolidge, II. U. 1750.
* Joseph Perry, Il. U. 1752.
* Elial Stone, Il. U. 1758. Minister in Reading, Ms.
* Zedekiah Sanger, H. U. 1771. S. T. D. Minis- ter in Duxbury, and afterwards in Bridgewater, Mass.
* Enoch Whipple, II. U. 1779.
* Samuel Kendall, II. U. 1782. S. T. D. Minister of Weston, Mass.
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HISTORY OF SIIERBURNE.
Henry Ware, H. U. 1785. S. T. D. Minister in llingham, Mass. and now Professor of Divinity in Har- vard University.
* Aaron Gardner, B. U. 1799. Schoolmaster on Long Island, N. Y.
* Elijah Brown, II. U. 1804. Dicd July 28, 1805 ; aged 2/1.
* Henry Brown, HI. U. 1801. Died August 5, 1810; aged 27. Attorney at law.
Amos Clarke, H. U. 1804. Minister of the first Con- gregational Church and Society, in his native town.
Ashur Warc, H. U. 1801. Judge of District Feder- al Court for the State of Maine.
Moses Holbrook, H. U. 1808. Physician in Charles- ton, S. C.
* Artemas Johnson, B. U. 1808. Physician in Paw- tucket.
Ebenezer Stone, B. U. 1820. Physician, in Wal- pole, Mass.
Dexter Leland, B. U, 1822. Chaplain and School- master U. S. Navy.
Elbridge Sanger passed two years in B. U. having cn- tered, A. D. 1822. Hle left on account of a deficency in the organs of hearing.
Augustin Leland cutered B. U. 1830.
PHYSICIANS .- The first physician, in this place, ac- cording to tradition, was a Dr. Robinson, who resided in, or near the stone fortified house, at thic south cud, and was drowned in Charles river, while returning in the night on the ice, from a visit to Medfield. Dr. Hill, who settled near City hill, was celebrated in former days, for his skill
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HISTORY OF SHERBURNE.
in medicine and surgery, as was his wife, for her skill in the obstetric art.
Drs. Lincoln, Shepherd, Levet, Flagg, Wise and Wiglit are , mentioned, as having been resident here ; but, at what time they made their entrance, or their exit, is not ascertained.
Dr. Jonathan Tay became a resident here about the year 1772, and died, in January, 1827, at an advanced age. . Samuel Locke, son of the former minister, of the same name, entered on the practice of medicine here, but died in the year 1788, at the age of 27 years.
Tapley Wyeth, a native of Cambridge, and a graduate of Harvard University, in 1786, came to the town 1789 aud died 1813, aged 48. William Sweetser, a native of Boston and graduate of H. U. 1815, practiced here a considerable time, and is now a professor, in the medical department of the University of Vermont. Oliver Ev- erett, a native of Dedham, Mass. and graduate of Brown University, 1821, took up his abode here in 1825, and is now the only physician in the town ; and such is the sal- ubrity of the situation and the good habits of the inhabi- tants, that one is amply sufficient.
LAWYERS .- The celebrated Fisher Ames commenced the practice of law in this town, but soon returned to his native Dedham.
" A lawyer, by the name of Daniel Warren, came to Sherburne about A. D. 1812; but his fees were insuf- ficient for his maintenance, and he soon left the place. Since that the town has been wholly free from lawyers, and generally from lawsuits. Several young gentlemen of the green bag have inquired of the inhabitants, if it were
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