History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Part 1

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town
Number of Pages: 916

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Oxford > History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates > Part 1

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Gc 974.402 0x2d 1136834

M. L

GENEALOGY COLLECTION

---

ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01145 6719

(Worcester Co.)

Tev. & mrs. D. D. Hoyt How

yours truly

mr. & mrs. E. Bartlett

2Lov: 24, 1907.

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015

https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofo00dani_1

ON MAIN STREET-LOOKING SOUTH.

HISTORY

OF THE

TOWN OF OXFORD,

MASSACHUSETTS

WITH

GENEALOGIES

AND

NOTES ON PERSONS AND ESTATES

· BY

GEORGE F. DANIELS

OXFORD

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR

WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE TOWN

1892

PRESS OF CHAS. HAMILTON, WORCESTER.

1136834

TO THE

MEMORY OF

Airs. Huldah Harris Daniels,

WHOSE LONG LIFE AND RETENTIVE MIND ENABLED HER TO RENDER INVALUABLE AID IN THE PREPARATION OF THE FOLLOWING PAGES, THIS VOLUME IS

Affectionately Dedicated.

PREFACE.

THIS book was not designed to afford literary entertainment, or to give what have so often been set forth in town histories, pictures of old-time life, and tradition, which in the eyes of many would have made the work more attractive, has, in the main, been discarded. Charles Reade expressed the general sentiment of modern historians when he wrote : " No one can approach the history of perhaps any age without finding that the truth is all but buried under mountains of chaff and dirt." The prominent facts in the Town's annals are herein given as gathered from the archives of the State, County and Town, Church and Society records, etc., with little of comment or elaboration. Oxford being among the earliest of the Worcester County settlements, materials were found to be abundant, and many pages show the constraint thus placed on the writer and the necessity for brief and summary treatment. And yet a full history of the town is an impossibility, because so much not within the scope of records has lapsed in the unknown past.

The story of the French Colony has been chiefly reproduced from the author's monograph published ten years ago.

The history of the homesteads, an unusual feature of works of this kind, will serve not only to determine the localities of ancestral domains, but, perhaps, as no other means can, to bring up in review the personality of the long procession of those who have lived, toiled and passed away within the town in the last two hundred years.

The extent of the genealogies indicates the large and import- ant place they occupy in the records, and numerous descendants of the old households now dispersed over our broad land who have not access to the originals, will, it is believed, appreciate the labor bestowed on this department. The entries of births, marriages and deaths have been copied, and embrace (coming nearly to the present time) all families having births recorded up to 1850, and none has been intentionally omitted. In the nature of the case family history in most instances must be

PREFACE. 1

fragmentary and incomplete, and errors (the sources of informa- tion being diverse and imperfect) are unavoidable.

Several important matters coming to hand too late for inser- tion in their proper places, are contained in the chapter of notes at the close of the volume.

The existence of this work is largely due to the kindly interest and liberality of the late Hon. George L. Davis of North Andover,1 a native of Oxford, who gave substantial aid in the preliminary studies and researches and also contributed gen- erously to the printing fund.

The repeated favorable action of the Town upon it and the appropriation of means to aid in the publication are hereby gratefully acknowledged.

Acknowledgments are due to Dr. Samuel A. Green, librarian of the Massachusetts Historical Society, John W. Dean, librarian of the New England Historic-Genealogical Society, Dr. Edward Strong of the office of the Secretary of State, Abner C. Goodell, Jr., Commissioner for publication of Province Laws, and C. B. Tillinghast of the State Library, all of Boston ; to Edmund M. Barton, librarian of the American Antiquarian Society, William T. Harlow, Assistant Clerk of Courts, and Harvey B. Wilder, Registrar of Deeds, all of Worcester, for assistance and courte- sies extended in their several official positions ; to Misses Clara Barton and Martha E. Stone for matter relating to family affairs and North Oxford history, and to many others in various parts of the country who cannot be here personally designated who have kindly contributed to give value to the volume.

Obligations are hereby acknowledged to Peter B. Olney of New York City through whose efficient aid plans for publication were consummated. The neatness and correctness of the typo- graphy are due largely to the thorough supervision of Benjamin J. Dodge of Worcester. The illustrations are the production of the press of W. P. Allen of Gardner.

G. F. D.

OXFORD, Jan., 1892.

1 Died 23 December, 1891.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

VIEW ON MAIN STREET, LOOKING SOUTH,

Frontispiece.

THE PLAIN, FROM CAMP HILL ; FORT HILL IN THE DISTANCE,

Page 1

BERNON'S PLAN OF OXFORD LANDS [see page 757], 7

PLAN, SHOWING LOCATION OF SETTLERS' LOTS, -

DIAGRAMS, SHOWING CHANGES IN TOWN LINES,

STONE INDIAN RELICS FOUND IN OXFORD, -

- 42

NORTH END OF THE PLAIN, FROM MEMORIAL HALL TOWER,

HOWARTH'S, FORMERLY OXFORD WOOLEN CO.,

199

ON THE MAANEXIT AT ROCKDALE, LOOKING NORTH,

205

VIEW FROM FORT HILL, WITH MONUMENT,

253

HISTORIC RELICS IN THE POSSESSION OF THE TOWN,

260 RESIDENCE OF O. F. JOSLIN, - 271 I

NORTH SHORE OF TOWN'S POND, LOOKING EAST,

365

FAC-SIMILE OF HAND-WRITING OF REV. J. CAMPBELL,

421

EDWARD DAVIS HOMESTEAD, H. 12,

466

GENERAL LEARNED HOMESTEAD, H. 126,

587

FAMILY RECORD, EXECUTED BY RICHARD ROGERS,

669

FIRST SCHOOL-HOUSE ON THE PLAIN, - 772

CORRECTIONS.

Page 14, middle of page, for " Andrew " read Daniel.

Page 46, middle of page, for "1741 " read 1743.

Page 54, near bottom of page, for " 1745" read 1755. Page 224, under " Embargo," for "1800" read 1808.

Page 317, bottom line, for " Susan" read Mary.

Page 397, under " Rice Barton," add Rice Barton was great grandson of Joshua (2) and son of Abia and Eunice.

Page 480, 9th line, for "Anne d., Frances " read Anne Frances d.

Page 668, under Joseph Rockett, 3d line, for "Abial Twichell, father," read Abiel Twichell, mother.

Page 688, 12th line from bottom should read studied with his father, with a comma after " father."

Page 696, near bottom of page, for " Jacob " read Sylvanus.

Page 700, 16th line from bottom, for "Jonas " read George.

Page 729, under Benoni Twitchell, 3d line, for " Benoni's father" read Benoni's mother.

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

CHAPTER I.

TOPOGRAPHICAL. THE NIPMUCKS. PHILIP'S WAR. DISASTROUS RESULTS. LAND PURCHASES. INDIAN RESERVE. GRANTS. THE VILLAGE. GRAND LOTS. NATURAL ATTRACTIONS. EARLY ROADS.

Location. The town of Oxford is situated in the southern central part of Worcester County, eleven miles distant from Worces- ter, on the line of the Norwich and Worcester railroad. Leicester and Auburn adjoin it on the north, Millbury on the northeast, Sutton on the east, Douglas on the southeast, Webster on the south, Dudley on the southwest and Charlton on the west ; Webster separates it by about five miles from the State of Connecticut. Its estimated area is a little over 25 square miles, or 16,400 acres. It was a part of Suffolk County until 1731, the date of the establishment of the County of Worcester.

It has the usual diversity of surface of the central Massachusetts towns, ranges of hills running northerly and southerly skirt its eastern and western borders, between which lie the plains which constitute its natural peculiarity. On the central or "Great Plain" is the princi- pal village, and its main street, a mile in length and seven rods in width, is attractive and has few equals in the State.1 The highway from Sutton to Charlton crossing at the centre forms also an ave- nue on which are located dwellings and business establishments.

Streams. One mile westerly of the main street, running the length of the town from Leicester to Webster line, is the principal river, the Maanexit, which, rising ten or twelve miles northwesterly and passing through parts of Spencer and Leicester, furnishes water power for eight mill-wheels at North Oxford, and one at Howarth's, is util- ized by many mills below Oxford and joins the Quinebaug at Mechan- icsville, Conn. Its largest tributary in Oxford is Little River, which comes in two branches, the Pierpont from Dudley, and Collicump

1 This feature of the location probably had its weight in the proposition which tradition tells us was made to establish here the seat of the

County of Worcester at its formation, which offer was rejected on the ground that the morals of the young people would be corrupted thereby.

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

from Charlton, furnishing power at Buffumville, in the west part of the town, and joining the main stream a half-mile below. Mill-brook, coming from Long Hill in the northeast part of the town, joined by a branch from a swamp on the southeast, and running southwesterly on the east side of the main street, joins the Maanexit in the south- westerly part of the town. Eliott's Mill-brook, once much larger than now, rises in the Auburn swamps and running southerly crosses the Worcester road near North Oxford and joins the Maanexit on the Kidder farm.

Ponds. Of natural ponds there are : 1. Town's Pond, one-fourth of a mile northerly of the north common, a body of very clear water fed by springs, and having a small outlet on the westerly side. It has an area of about 14 acres. 2. Augutteback Pond, a natural basin of the Maanexit, below the falls, one mile westerly of the cen- tre. Its area is about 10 acres. 3. Grassy Pond, in the south- westerly part of the town, is, perhaps, 8 or 10 acres in extent, the surface being covered largely by floating grass, whence its name. It is fed by springs and has a small outlet into the river.

Hills. There are three principal hills in the northerly part of the town. On the northwest is Rocky Hill or Mount Pleasant. On the north, and projecting into the Maanexit valley, is Prospect Hill, embracing many acres, abrupt and wooded on the south, but sloping gradually on the north into Auburn. On the northeast is Long or Federal Hill, which extends southerly, embracing Barton Hill, to near the Sutton road. A part of this region extending into Millbury is called in the records Flat Hill. A spur of the same, called Brush Hill, lies southeasterly of, and overlooks, the Norwich and Worcester railroad station at North Oxford. Easterly of the centre, on the borders of Sutton, lie the Manchaug Hills, which cover a large area of this part of the town. Fort Hill, named from the Huguenot fort, and Bondet Hill, named for the Huguenot minister, are parts of this elevated tract nearer the village on the southeast. On the southwest lie the steep slopes of the Dudley hills, which are chiefly covered with wood. Camp Hill is a lower eminence near the centre on the west and was named from the fact of the encampment here of a body of United States troops in 1799.

Meadows. The most important tract of meadow in town at the time of the settlement was the Great Meadow, which lies nearly a mile northeasterly of the centre, and is now largely covered with wood or reclaimed for tillage. It was divided into small sections and allotted among the settlers. Bell's Meadow and Hudson's Bay were parts of the lands on the Maanexit between Howarth's and North Oxford. Mendon Meadow, east of the centre, once valuable, is now covered by the reservoir known as Robinson's Pond. Bondet Meadow is a beautiful spot of a few acres, situated in the southerly part of the town, and named for the former owner, the Huguenot minister.

CAMP HILL, FORT HILL IN THE DISTANCE.

THE PLAIN FROM

h r

- e

e e

d S

d f S d

s t h t f

d f

a e

e e

y y

INDIANS.

1674

Cedar Swamps. These swamps were valued as furnishing fenc- ing stuff, clapboards, shingles and coopers' materials. Great Cedar Swamp was located in what is now Auburn and was allotted to settlers in the same manner as were the meadows. Little Cedar Swamp lies westerly of Town's Pond, between that and the river.

Products. The soil of the town is moderately productive, the hill lands are good for hay, grazing and fruit-growing, and the plains being a warm alluvial soil are easily cultivated, and yield the common farm products, and garden vegetables, grapes, strawberries and the small fruits, especially, flourish.

Nipmucks. The site of the town is near the middle of a territory mainly in the southern central part of Massachusetts, known at the time of the settlement of Boston, 1630, as the "Nipmuck Country." Much of this tract was then wild hunting ground, but portions were thinly inhabited by the natives whose numbers had been much reduced by wars with western tribes and fatal disease.1 They were an inferior people, and owned fealty to the Pokanokets.2 Miss Larned, in her History of Windham County, aptly describes them :-

" They were subject clans of little spirit or distinctive character. Their number was small. A few families occupied favorite localities, while large sections were left vacant and desolate. Their dwellings were poor, their weapons and utensils rude and scanty. They raised corn and beans, and wove mats and baskets. Their lives were chiefly spent in hunting, fishing and idling."

Gaming, of which they were excessively fond, might be added.

Through the efforts of John Eliot and Daniel Gookin these people had been partially civilized and had to an extent accepted the Christian religion, and were known as "praying Indians." The earliest mention we find of the natives of this locality is in 1674, when Eliot and Gookin visited them. The latter thus wrote :-

" The first of these [New Praying towns] is Manchaug, which lyeth to the westward of Nipmuck [Blackstone] river about 8 miles and is from Hassana- mesit west and by south about 10 miles and it is from Boston about 50 miles. To it belongeth about twelve families and about sixty souls. For this place we appointed Waaberktamin, a hopeful young man for their minister."

Philip's War. We know no more of this minister, but his term of service must have been short. A few months only elapsed after Eliot's visit before the whole region was under the excitement of Philip's War, and these apparently inoffensive men, to quote Mr. Gookin :---

" Being raw and lately initiated in the Christian profession, most of them fell off . . . and joined the enemy." Palfrey says " A taste for havoc was established between heathen Wampanoag and half converted Nipmuck. Without provocation and without warning they gave full sway to the inhuman

1 Brigham's Cent. Ad., Grafton, 1835. 2 Palfrey, I., 24.

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

1683

Special Grants. The Court duly acknowledged the services of Stoughton and Dudley in this purchase, and 1,000 acres of land were voted to each for their "great care and pajnes." Associated with them was another. man of ability and high standing, Robert Thompson, merchant, of London, who became warmly interested in the success of the colonies as early as 1650, and in 1670 was chosen president of the " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England."1 He ably served the public interests, both here and in England, in acknowledgment of which a grant of land was made to him, as follows :-

" This Court, being informed by our agents, now in England, of the good will & freindship of Major Robert Thompson, of London, & his readiness vpon all occasions to be assistants to them in the service of this colony, wherein they are, according doe, by way of gratuity, give vnto the said Major Thomp- son & his heires, fiue hundred acres of land in the Nipmug countrey, to be lajd out to him w'th all reasonable convenience." Dated May 16, 1683.2

Stoughton was also a man of wealth and high position, and was in 1694 and 1700 acting governor of the Province.

Dudley was a leading spirit of his time, whose eminent executive talents cannot be questioned. Doctor Daniel Cox and John Black- well of London, and Thomas Freak of Hannington, Wiltshire, all men of influence, were also proprietors.3 It would seem that under the fostering care of such patrons, any enterprise which they might undertake would prosper. But in this case progress was slow, and influences beyond human control prevented the initiation of the scheme. For two years after the date of the grant no progress towards a settlement seems to have been made. The scarcity of men of suffi- cient courage and ability to face the existing difficulties was doubt- less a great hindrance to the movement. The demand for men in the older plantations was pressing, and especially in those which had suffered most from the war, the proprietors were anxious to re-build as fast as possible. The grant for Woodstock had been made Novem- ber 7, 1683, and so great were the obstacles that in the spring of 1686 only thirteen men could be mustered who were ready to go and take possession. Confidence in the peaceful professions of the natives had nearly vanished. The horrors of the recent war were

by black James and company to Wm. Stoughton & Joseph Dudley Esq's in behalf of the country -Surveyed by John Gore. Oct. 1684."

The plot of 5,000 acres was surveyed at Quin- natisset, southerly of the first tract, in the present town of Thompson.

On 20 June, 1685, the Court ratified and con- firmed to Black James and company two plots of land surveyed by John Gore, one at Quinnatisset and the other at Mayanexit. Col. Rec., V., 488.

1 Hutchinson, I., 324.

2 Mass. Col. Rec., V., 409. An old plan in the Oxford records shows, among other lots of land

in the territory lying southerly of the town and northeasterly of Chaubunagungamaug Pond, one designated as "Thompson's five hundred acres." After his death the legislature of Connecticut granted two thousand acres to his grandson in London, as a tribute to his memory. This grant was located in North Killingly, which place was afterwards made a town and named "Thompson," in honor of the family.

3 John Blackwell was member of Parliament under Cromwell, and treasurer in his army, and was intimate with Dudley while in this country; was made justice of the peace by him, and was often his adviser. Miss Larned, I., 183.

183

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Delineation of the town of oxford~ Including its Villages ~

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LAND PURCHASES AND GRANTS.

1683

still fresh in mind, and those who lived in the safer places near the coast were slow to go out and endure the hardships of a pioneer life in a wilderness where roving bands of hostile Indians were scouting, and the resident tribes had proved themselves untrustworthy.

Grant to Dudley, etc., for a Town. The grant for Oxford is as follows :-

" This court hauing information that some gentlemen in England are desir- ous to remove themselues into this colony & (if it may be) to setle themselues vnder the Massachusets; for the incouragement of such persons, & that they may haue some from among themselues, according to their motion, to assist & direct them in such a designe, this Court doth grant to Major Robert Thompson Willjam Stoughton and Joseph Dudley, Esq., and such others as they shall associate to them, a tract of land, in any free place, conteyning eight miles square, for a touneship, they setling in the sajd place w'thin fower yeares, thirty familjes & an able orthodox minister, and doe allow to the sajd touneship freedom from country rates for fower yeares from the time aboue ljmitted." Dated May 16th, 1683.1

First Survey. The survey of this grant was made by John Gore of Roxbury, an order having been issued by Edmund Andros, Kt., 19 Sept., 1687, for laying out a plat "near Worcester," on a grant made in 1683.2 The place was named Oxford after the city of that name in England.3

The plan, a copy of which is now in the Town Clerk's office, compre- hended 41,250 acres or a little less than 65 square miles, and was 2,114 rods or six and two-thirds miles on the east side ; 3,340 rods or about ten and one-half miles on the south ; 1,968 rods or about six miles on the west and 3,216 rods or about ten miles on the north. The description in the deed of division-hereafter described-begins at the southwest corner of Worcester, which was not far from the present Auburn centre, and from thence the line ran nearly south to the northwest corner of Mr. Dudley's grant of 1,000 acres before alluded to, and thence S. 15° E. by the west line of said grant to a point about one and a quarter miles southwest of West Sutton, and a mile and a half west of Manchaug Pond, called Manchaug Corner, thence W. 15° S. to a point north of Peter Pond in the east part of Dudley, and thence nearly on the same course crossing the Quinebaug to a point about one mile south of Southbridge centre, thence north including the main water power at Southbridge centre, to a point about two miles west of Charlton City on the Sturbridge line, thence N. 85° E. to the southwest corner of Worcester, enclosing besides the present Oxford, the larger part of Charlton, about one-fourth of

1 Mass. Col. Rec., V., 408.

2 Mass. Arch., CXXVII., 119. From the deed of division noted hereafter we learn that this grant was ratified to Dudley and Company on 11 Jan., 1688.

3 This fact does not appear clearly from the record, but is confirmed by the memorandum of Judge Sewall, of Boston, who in his diary wrote,

"I gave New Roxbury the name of Woodstock, because of its nearness to Oxford, for the sake of Queen Elizabeth and the notable meetings that have been held at that place bearing the name in England." [Holmes's Annals, II., 240.] These places are about eight miles distant from each other, and are places of note in English history.

HISTORY OF OXFORD.

Auburn, one-fifth of Dudley, and several square miles of the north- east portion of Southbridge.

Common way. Through this tract on the Village west line was laid out due north and south a " way" 20 rods in width called "the common way,"-probably a reserve for access to the lands adjoining on the west. This " way" became later a part of the Village.

The Village. This "common way," cut off from the main grant 11,250 acres of the eastern portion, a plot six and two-thirds miles long, and nearly three miles wide, which was given to the settlers for a Village, or " General Plantation."

"Grand lots." The remaining 30,000-acre tract was divided into five equal parts, the division lines running easterly and westerly. These were allotted as follows : the northernmost to Robert Thompson, the second to Daniel Cox, the third to William Stoughton, the fourth to John Blackwell, and the southernmost to Joseph Dudley. Mr. Cox's portion is subdivided on the plan between Blackwell, Freak and Cox.1 All the bounds mentioned in this deed were of a transient nature- marked trees, a heap of stones, or a stake, constituting them all- excepting one, which was at the northeast corner of Augutteback Pond at the present Howarth's village.2

So far as appears, Dudley assumed the entire management of the preliminaries of the settlement. Blackwell early sold, having obtained a new grant in the Quinebaug valley in Connecticut, 28 Jan., 1685.3

The Deed of Division is a valuable document, found in 1872 in London, and now in the possession of the New York Historical Society. Its date is July 3, 1688, and its point of special interest is in the description of Mr. Dudley's tract, where his northeast bound is given as a "white oak stake, square, driven in the meadow, by the river which runs by and from the French houses." 4

A fact of interest learned from this document is the Indian name of the beautiful pond referred to, "Augutteback." 5

Attractions of the locality. The features of the locality which, in Dudley's estimation, made it " capable of good settlement," were, doubtless, its meadows and plains. The western portion was

1 Diagram 1, under " Changes in Town lines," shows the form and chief divisions of the grant.

2 A fact on which the records give no light, is that of the change of the location of this "Village Line." By removing it a few rods to the west the very desirable water power at Augutteback or lower falls, and also a large amount of meadow on the river above were given to the village and the change was made undoubtedly as an induce- ment to settlers to come in. Whatever may have been the motive, the line was before 1713 removed about one-fourth of a mile to the westward, and at Augutteback was near the brow of the hill

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History of the town of Oxford, Massachusetts with genealogies and notes on persons and estates, Part 1

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town Number of Pages: 916

Author: Daniels, George Fisher, 1820-1897
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Oxford : Pub. by the author with the cooperation of the town
Number of Pages: 916