USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Natick > History of the town of Natick, Mass., from the days of the apostolic Eliot, MDCL, to the present time, MDCCCXXX > Part 1
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Go 974.402 N21bi 1775987
M. E.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Ga
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01145 6446
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HISTORY
OF
THE TOWN OF NATICK, MASS.
FROM THE DAYS OF
THE APOSTOLIC ELIOT,
M DC L,
TO THE PRESENT TIME,
MDCCC XXX.
BY WILLIAM BIGLOW.
BOSTON : PUBLISHED BY MARSH, CAPEN, & LYON. M DCCC XXX.
Y
1575957
THE
HISTORY OF NATICK
Mass FROM
M DCL, TO M DOCC XXX.
NEWBERRY
1:
F
84457 . 12 .
Biglow, William, 1773-1844.
History of the town of Natick, Mass., from the days of the apostolic Eliot, MDCL, to the present time, MDCCCXXX. By William Biglow. Boston, Marsh, Capen, & Lyon, 1830.
87, [1] p. 23}em.
F another copy. 84457 .12a
SHELP CARO 1. Natick, Mass .- Hist.
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Library of Congress
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ADVERTISEMENT.
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As there is much excitement, at the present time, respecting the rights of the Indians and the treatment, which they ought to receive from the government and people of these United States, it is thought that many will be desirous to know, as far as can be ascertained, the circumstances which accompanied the gradual decrease and final extinction of the first tribe, that was brought into a state of civilization and christianity, by a Protestant missionary. To gratify, in a degree, this desire, and to preserve some of the most interesting facts, relative to this town, is the object of this publication.
BOSTON : WAITT & Dow's PRINT, 122 WASHINGTON STREET.
10502
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
1 1
TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION, PRESENT STATE, & C. NATICK lies in the County of Middlesex, south-west- erly from Boston. The central meeting house is six- teen miles distant from the State House, and about fourteen miles from the Court Houses, in Concord and Cambridge. It is bounded N. by East Sudbury ; E. by Weston, Needham and Dover ; S. by Dover ; S. W. by Sherburne ; W. and N. W. by Framingham. It contains about 11,000 acres. Deducting for water, 635 acres, leaves 10,365 acres of land. A neat lithographic map of this town, executed at Pendleton's office, Bos- ton, in 1829, has served, as a model, for several other towns to imitate, On this are laid down all the houses, roads, ponds, principal streams, wood lands, &c.
ROADS, MAILS, &c .- There are three principal roads through this town, leading from Boston to Hartford, Connecticut ; namely, Worcester Turnpike, through the north part ; Central Turnpike, through the cen- tre ; and the Old Hartford road, so called, through the south part. On the Worcester Turnpike, the great southern mail passes each way daily. Several other mail and accommodation stage coaches are very frequent- ly passing. On the Central Turnpike, Boston and Hart- ford Telegraph line of stage coaches passes every day, Sundays excepted, up one day and down the next. On the Old Hartford road, Boston, Mendon and Ux- bridge daily line of stage coaches passes, and continues
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May 33
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
on to Hartford three days in the week, and returns to Boston on the other three. This line makes the Chris- tian Sabbath a day of rest.
There are two Post offices ; one on the Worcester Turnpike, and the other on the Old Hartford road, where a mail is opened daily, Sundays excepted.
One survey of a rail road from Boston to Albany pas- ses through the centre of the town, parallel to the Central Turnpike, a few rods distant from it. A survey of a canal from Norwich, in Connecticut, to Bos- ton passes a few rods in front of the south meeting house, but the present generation have not high expectations of reaping very great advantages from this project.
SOIL, PRODUCTIONS, &c .- The soil in the south part is generally loam, inclining in some parts, to clay ; in the central and northerly parts, it is a sandy loam. In all parts of the town are found lands, favourable to the rai- sing of grass, Indian corn, rye, barley, oats and fruits of all kinds, usually produced in this climate. There is little or no waste land in the town. Wood lots are be- coming scarce; but meadows, affording an inexhaustible supply of excellent peat, the use of which is yearly in- creasing, insures an ample supply of fuel for future gen- erations. The soil, in its original state, produced all kinds of forest trees, usually growing in New England. Formerly a great variety of nuts and berries were produ- ced spontaneously ; but these productions have been greatly diminished by the hand of judicious cultivation.
SURFACE OF THE COUNTRY, &c .- Natick is the abo- riginal name of the township, and signifies a place of hills. This name is very descriptive, especially of the southerly part of it. At the S. E. corner, about a mile
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
from Charles river, next to Dover, Pegan hill rises, in a beautiful conical form, and is capable, like all the oth- er eminences in the town, of profitable cultivation to its summit. From the top a very extensive and elegant prospect is presented. The land, as far as the eye can reach, is well cultivated, excepting a due proportion of woodlands ; and from fifteen to twenty village churches appear scattered in various directions. The romantic meanders of Charles river may be traced for several miles, and a number of ponds are interspersed in the surrounding scenery. At the distance of thirty and fif- ty miles, the Wachuset and Monadnoc mountains tower in pleasing majesty ; and many others, hardly distinguish- able from azure clouds, skirt the distant horizon. Be- tween this and Charles river, Perry's hill, considerably less elevated, slopes gently down to the margin of the water. On the opposite bank, Carver's hill gradually rises to a corresponding height, and beyond this, Broad's hill, a twin brother of Pegan, appears, at the distance of a mile from the river. About half a mile north of the south meeting house, Train's hill, similar to Car- ver's and Perry's, in shape and elevation, adds to the beauty of the variegated prospect. In plain sight of these, are Bullard's hill in Needham, and Brush hill in Sherburne, near the bounds of Natick, which were un- doubtedly taken into view, when the place received its significant name. On and around these hills, the cele- brated Eliot apportioned the lands among his Indian converts ; and here was the principal scene of his pious labors.
In the middle and northern parts of the town the land is agreeably undulating; but there are no hills so elevated, as those already described, or which are dis- tinguished by proper names, excepting the beautiful one
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
in the northwest corner of the town, which is called Tom's hill, from its having been owned, in olden time, by a celebrated Indian, who went by the name of Cap- tain Tom. From many of these heights the prospect is similar to that from Pegan, though not so exten- sive.
Three plains may be deemed worthy of particular no- tice. One, about half a mile square, spreads east of the south meeting house, and is sometimes called Eliot plain, in remembrance of the ' Apostle to the Indians.' Another lies south and west of the central meeting house, is about a mile square, and is called Pegan plain. This and Pegan hill were so called from their being formerly owned and inhabited by two distinguished In- dian families of this name. Boden plain, so named af- ter William Boden, Esqr. stretches about three miles in length, from the westerly side of Long pond to Fra- mingham line, and is about one mile in breadth. There are several smaller plains scattered among the hills in all parts of the town.
MINERALS, &c .- Bog iron ore has recently been found in several places, near the centre of the town, and transported to the foundery in Chelmsford, in con- siderable quantities. A quarry of limestone was opened during the revolutionary war, which was burnt to ad- vantage ; but since that time it has been neglected, ow- ing to the diminution of fuel, in its immediate vicinity, and its distance from a market. In the westerly part of the town, on the west margin of Long pond, there is a very valuable brick yard. Four hundred and fifty thousand bricks have been burnt here in one year; but the average number is from three to four hundred thou- sand.
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
There is an indication of clay, suitable for the same purpose, on the eastern side of the pond. It is said that there are appearances of mountain iron ore, in some parts of the town. But as no professed geo- logist has ever, to my knowledge, examined these parts attentively, I shall make no further observations under this head.
PONDS, BROOKS, RIVER .- About one half of LONG POND, lies in Natick, covering 450 acres. The remain- der is in Framingham and East Sudbury. The Indian name of this was COCHITUATE .. Its English name is descriptive, as the pond is not far from 6 miles in length, and the breadth varies from a few rods, to, a mile, or more. Its outlet is at the north end, in Framingham, on which mills are erected. Formerly shad and ale- wives were taken in this pond ; but, for some years past, the mill dams have prevented them from reaching it. DUG POND, lies south of the above, at the distance of about a quarter of a mile, and covers 50 acres. It is so named, from its resemblance to an artificial excavation. This has no natural inlet, excepting from the clouds above, or springs beneath ; and no outlet, but by evap- oration, or absorption. For a few years past, however, a small rivulet has been conducted into it, by an artifi- cial channel ; and a drain has been made to conduct its waters into Long Pond. Thus it serves as a reservoir, in which to lay up water for the use of mills in Fra- mingham. NONESUCH POND, lying partly in Weston, covers 50 acres in Natick. How this pond obtained its name is not known. Though there may be none ex- actly such, yet there are many, which, to a common ob- server, appear very similar.
SNAKE BROOK, so named from its serpentine wind-
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
ings, forms part of the boundary line between this town and East Sudbury, and empties into Long Pond from the eastward. PEGAN and STEEP brooks likewise emp- ty into Long Pond, the former from the East, and the latter from the West. SAWIN's and BACON's brooks enter Charles river from the north, about two miles from each other.
CHARLES RIVER winds very beautifully through the southern section of the town, covering 100 acres. The township is also well watered, by springs and rivulets, in every part. The height of land, in this region, is where Captain Luther Broad's house stands, and on Pe- gan plain, which lies westerly from it. The water that falls from the eaves of this house, on one side, runs in- to Charles river, and meets the ocean at Charlestown; or, following the channel of Mother Brook, mingles with the waters of the Neponset, and joins with the great deep, at the mouth of this river. That which falls from the eaves on the other side, flows into Long Pond, thence into the Concord, and Merrimack, and thus finds its way to the sea. The same may be said of two riv- ulets, on the plain ; one of which directs its course to Charles river, and the other to Long Pond. Either of these might be conducted into the other, by digging a slight trench, but a few rods in length. The ponds and river are pretty well stored with the usual variety of fresh water fish.
MILLS, &c .- The first mill, erected in Natick, was a saw mill, on Charles river, nearly in front of the dwell- ing house of the late Hezekiah Broad, Esq. It was built by John Sawin, about the year 1720. The own- ers of the great meadows in Medfield, complained that his dam prevented the water from draining off from their
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
premises ; and Sawin was induced to move his mill up to the brook, which still bears his name. Here he again erected his saw mill, and built a corn mill on the most simple construction. It consisted of a horizontal wheel and a perpendicular shaft, on the top of which the upper stone rested, and with which it was turned. The Indians were much gratified with these mills, and Sawin found it very easy to gain possession of a large tract of land, many acres of which are inherited by his descendants, to this day. The mill privileges are also owned by his posterity, on which are two saw mills, a corn mill, a boulting mill and a machine for making shingles.
A few years after Sawin's removal from Charles riv- er, one Hastings built a dam across it, where Sawin's had stood, and erected a saw mill, corn mill and fulling mill. This occasioned a law suit, brought by the own- ers of Medfield meadows, which eventuated in the re- moval of the mills to the site, where Biglow's estab- lishment is now. The natural channel of the river, was on the north side of the island, near these mills; and from the island to the south shore, was solid land. Not long after the dam was erected, there came what is common- ly called, 'a great freshet,' which excavated the 'deep hole,' so called, on the south side of the island, and rendered it necessary to build another dam.
On this site, on the north side, there are now one saw mill, three runs of mill stones, two crackers, for corn or plaster, one paper mill and two carding ma- chines, all under the same roof. On the south side, a wheel factory was put in operation, several years ago ; but the machinery, though very ingenious, was too complex and expensive, to be profitable. Some parts of it, however, are still used to advantage. This privi- 2
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
lege is capable of great improvement, and is considered one of the best on Charles river. It is supposed, that as much water flows in the channel here, as at Water- town ; owing to Mother Brook draining out of the riv- er, as much as flows in from all the brooks between Natick and Watertown.
Besides the mills already mentioned, there are a saw- mill on Bacon's brook, in the south part of the town ; a saw mill, and corn-mill, on Steep brook, in the west- erly part, and a trip hammer, and other blacksmith's works, moved by water, on Pegan brook, near the centre.
Were all the water privileges used to the best advan- tage, and all the land, that is suitable, cultivated, as a considerable portion of it now is, double the number of inhabitants might here be supported, as comfortably and respectably, as the present population. Beautiful and even romantic situations for country seats, for gentle- men of fortune and taste, are not wanting among the hills, plains, and ponds, in the northerly portion of the town, and on the charming banks of the Charles, in the southerly section. Could its present uncouth name be changed, as has been proposed, to Eliot, or Eliot- ville, it would pass for a very delightful village. It is difficult for a stranger to realize, that the only habitations here, were ' magalia quondam,' formerly wigwams.
REMARKABLE TREES .- There are two oaks, near the south meeting house, which have undoubtedly stood there ever since the days of Eliot. They have been decaying about forty years. The red oak, on the west- erly side of the meeting house, measures 17 feet in cir- cumference, two feet from the ground ; and the white oak, on the easterly side, 14 1-2 feet, at the same height.
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
In 1722, a deputation of Indians came to Mr Peabo- dy's house, one bearing two elm trees on his shoulders. They presented themselves to their minister, and re- quested permission to set out those trees before his door, as a mark of their regard, or as ' the tree of friendship.' These trees flourished for about 90 years, when the lar- ger one was stricken by lightning, and soon after failed. The other being in a state of decisive decline, was re-' cently cut down. These trees measured, one foot from the ground, about 21 feet, and in the smallest part, for ' 14 feet up, 13 feet. The growth was about 1 1-2 inch- es per year .- Hon. John Welles' communication, in Mas- sachusetts Agricultural Repository, &c. No. 1, Vol. 9. These trees stood in front of the house, now owned by Mr John Bacon, the front part of which was built by Mr Peabody.
In 1753, soon after the settlement of Mr Badger, a like request was made by the Indians, and the same ce- remony took place in planting the ' trees of friendship' before his door, as had been done before that of his pre- decessor, Mr Peabody. In 1826, the Hon John Welles observes, ' these trees are now in full vigor, having been set out 73 years. They are about fifteen feet in cir- cumference, near the ground, and have given in circum- ference, nearly 1 1-2 inches growth a year.' They still remain in full vigor, May, 1830, in front of the house now occupied by Mr Oliver Bacon, which was built by Mr Badger.
The button-wood trees, in front of the south tavern, were set out in 1783. They were brought to the spot one at a time, on the shoulder of a man of ordinary strength. Their being planted on the Indian burying ground gave offence to some of the few remaining indi- viduals of the tribe ; and one poor girl, with a mixture
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
of grief and anger, endeavored to uproot them; but they resisted her efforts, as they have many a violent storm, are .still in a thriving condition, and measure 17 feet in circumference, at the height of two feet from the ground.
COLLEGE GRADUATES .- The following is a list of those belonging to this town, who have received a col- legiate education. H. U. stand for Harvard University ; B. C. for Bowdoin College. Those with this mark * prefixed are dead.
* Oliver Peabody, H. U. 1745. He was the son of the Natick minister of the same name ; was settled in the ministry in Roxbury ; and died soon after his ordin- ation, much respected and lamented.
* Nathaniel Battelle, H. U. 1765. He inherited considerable landed property, and devoted his attention chiefly to agriculture. He died a few years since in Malden, in this state.
William Biglow, H. U. 1794. He has been em- ployed most of the time, since he was graduated, as a teacher of youth.
Robert Peteshal Farriss, H. U. 1815. Attorney at law, in St. Louis, Missouri.
John Angier, H. U. 1821. Teacher of an Academy in Medford, Mass.
Calvin E. Stowe, B. C. 1824. Teacher of the Hebrew language in Andover Theological Seminary and trans- lator of Jahn's History of the Hebrew Commonwealth.
Charles Angicr, H. U. 1827. Teacher of an Acade- my in Medford, in company with his brother John.
Joseph Angier, H. U. 1829. Student in the Theo- logical School in Cambridge.
PHYSICIANS .- The Indians abounded with physi-
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
cians and doctresses. One of the former by the name of Joshua Bran, was the most celebrated in his day. He owned a small house, in which he resided, which stood between Mr Oliver Bacon's and Eliot Walker's, where his well and traces of his cellar still remain. His wid- ow, who was ' quite a tidy' white woman, survived him many years. She was known by the name of 'nurse Bran,' an appellation, which designates the employ- ment, in which she was generally engaged.
Isaac Morrill, son of the Rev. Mr Morrill, formerly minister of Wilmington, Massachusetts, came to this town in 1771. He is now living, in the 82d year of his age ; and resides in that part of Needham, which was set off from Natick in 1797.
Asa Adams came to Natick aboutt e year 1782, and remained ten or twelve years. He removed to Wolf- borough, where he died. He professed chiefly to be a surgeon of the Kittride school ; but occasionally, practi- sed physic.
Alexander Thayer, a native of Milford, Mass., came to Natick to reside in 1813. He passed two years of the academical course in Harvard University. He af- terwards attended the medical lectures in Dartmouth College, and received the degree of M. D. He died in 1824.
John Angier, a native of Southborough, came to this town in 1817, and still resides in the north part.
Stephen H. Spaulding, a native of Chelmsford, came in 1823, and resides in the south part.
John Badger, a white native, resides in the westerly part of the town, and has gained no small celebrity, as a root and herb physician. But it is believed that ow- ing to envy, rivalry, or some other cause, the regularly educated gentlemen of the faculty are somewhat un-
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
willing to acknowledge him, as one of the fraternity. The sovereign people, however, from whom all power and honors emanate, have decreed to him the title of Doctor, and frequently employ him to cure the diseases both of man and beast.
LAWYERS .- But one of this class of citizens has ever attempted to gain a residence in this town ; and he re- mained but a short time. The inhabitants, however, have contributed as liberally towards the support of nonresident gentlemen of the profession, as is consist- ent with good economy and a due regard to their own interest.
BURYING GROUNDS .- The Indian burying ground, in the south part of the town, now lies chiefly common. It is pretty well ascertained, that the original bounds of it were nearly as follows, viz : beginning at the oak tree, on the east side of the south meeting house, by a straight line running north of the meeting house, to the N. E. corner of Dr Spaulding's land ; thence following the fence in front of his dwelling house, and a straight line, a few feet in front of the neighbouring red house, the barn, house and store, belonging to the tavern es- tablishment, as far as the front door of the house, adja- cent to said establishment; thence by a straight line in front of Mr Moses Eames' dwelling house, to near the centre of the front yard, belonging to the house of the late Deacon William Biglow ; and thence by a straight line to the oak tree first mentioned.
These bounds have been ascertained, to the satisfac- tion of the writer, from several circumstances. Old people told him, fifty years ago, that the road from Bos- ton to Sherburne, originally passed north of the meeting
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
house, and west of where Dr Spaulding's house and the other buildings on a line with it, now stand, and came into the road, as it now runs, in front of Moses Eames' store. In digging wells, cellars, &c. near these bounds, on the outside, no skeletons have been found. In all parts of the ground within these limits, skeletons have frequently been disturbed.
It will be seen that this repository of the dead, in- cludes part of the garden and front yard of the late Dea- con Biglow, and a small portion of the land now belong- ing to Miss Eunice Biglow, and of that belonging to Dexter Whiting, Esq. and that the roads leading from Boston to Sherburne, and from Framingham to Dover, cross each other nearly at right angles, not far from its. centre.
A number have been interred, within the memory of the writer, on the sloping common, in front of the tav- ern; and one on the land, since purchased and enclosed by the late Deacon Biglow, as a door yard. Many have been disinterred, in digging graves for others, in procuring sand for masons' work, or moving gravel for repairing high ways. Nearly twenty were disturbed, when preparations were making to build the wall round the south meeting house, and carefully reinterred. In two or three instances, black and white beads, formed of shells from the sea shore, and called, in the aboriginal language, wampam, have been found in the graves; also a few glass beads, and other trinkets. Several spoons, composed of a mixture of the baser metals, have been disinterred with their bones. In one instance, a small junk bottle was discovered with a skeleton, nearly half full of some kind of liquid ; but the lad, who dug it up, emptied it before the quality of its contents was ascer- tained. This bottle, with several other Indian curiosi-
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HISTORY OF NATICK.
ties, was sent to the museum of the Antiquarian Socie- ty in Worcester.
There is another small Indian burying ground, lying common by the road side, near the Rev Mr Moore's dwelling house, not far from the centre of the town ;
' Where heaves the turf, in many a mouldering hean, And the rude children of the forest sleep.'
The south burying ground, for the white population, was granted by the Proprietors, 'to Mr Peabody and his successors, and for the use of other English inhabi- tants,' June 22, 1731. In this inclosure, there are 92 grave stones, for single persons, and one, Rev Mr Bad- ger's, for 7. There is also one tomb containing five bodies. We may therefore consider 104 individuals, as having monuments erected to their memorv. The numbers of those, who arrived at the age of 60 years, or upwards, are as follows, as stated on the monumental stones.
1-60
1-70
2-79
1-61
1-73
1-80
1-62
1-75
1-84
1-63
1-76 1-87
1-64
1-77 2-88
1-67
2-78
1-94
The time is not ascertained, when the north grave yard for the whites was laid out. A vote was passed, 'to fence the English burying places with stone wall,' A. D. 1758, which proves that it was previous to this date. In this there are 43 grave stones. The numbers, who arrived to 60, or upwards, are as follows.
1-64 1-71
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