USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > Old Bridgewater tercentenary (1656-1956) : June 13-17 1956 > Part 1
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GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
3 1833 01787 0780
ITED
GENEALOGY 974.402 B760L
Bridgewater .. Bridgewater
X er .. East Bridge ter .. West Bridgewat JaZoMabp - Center Tree
ewater .. North Bridge y
BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY
(1656-1956) JUNE 13-17 1956
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
(Copy of Original Deed for the Purchase of Old Bridgewater)
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Nash and Constant Southworth in behalf of all townsmen of the town of Duxbury to them and their heirs forever. In witness whereof I the said Ousamequin have hereunto set my hand this 23d of March 1649.
In consideration of the aforesaid bargain and sale we the said Miles Standish Samuel Nash and Constant Southworth do bind ourselves to pay unto the said Ousamequin for and in consideration of the said tract of land as followeth; 7 coats a yard and a half to a coat, 9 hatchets, 8 hoes 20 knives, 4 moose skins, 10 yards and a half of cotton. Miles Standish. Samuel Nash. Constant Southworth.
- Translation by Stella J. Snow.
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OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY GENERAL COMMITTEE, 1956.
FRONT ROW - Left to Right: W. Noyes, Selectman, West Bridgewater; Leo Nourse, Selectman, Bridgewater; Bradford Alexander, Vice Chairman, Tercen- tenary Committee, East Bridgewater; Laurist Reynolds, Chairman Tercentenary Committee, Brockton; Margaret Alexander, Secretary, Tercentenary Committee, East Bridgewater; Hjalmar Peterson, Mayor of Brockton; Marjory MacDonald, Selectwoman, West Bridgewater ;.
SECOND ROW - Left to Right: Professor L. Stearns, Bridgewater; H. Sowerby, Bridgewater; E. Leonard, Brockton; Marie Mitchell, Bridgewater; Thelma Cook, West Bridgewater; Ruth Caswell, West Bridgewater; Stella Snow, Historical Spots Committee, West Bridgewater; Max Berkowitz, Chairman Print- ing Committee, West Bridgewater; Wm. R. Brown, West Bridgewater; Edward Lalli, Chairman Brockton Committee.
THIRD ROW - Left to Right: R. King, Bridgewater; Wm. Shinnick, Historian, Brockton; Rev. W. L. Mckinney, Historian, Bridgewater; A. Atwood, Brock- ton; E. A. MacMaster, Bridgewater; J. E. McDuffy, Brockton; J. J. Gorman, Bridgewater; T. W. Prince, Committee Attorney; W. C. Holmes, Bridge- water; F. Adams, East Bridgewater.
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
OLD
BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
To those who will celebrate the 350th and 400th anniversary, we, the printing committee of 1956 salute you. We hope that these pages have given you a fair glance at our way of life. Those of us who were born before the turn of the 20th Cen- tury have in the last fifty years seen what, to us, are a series of miracles in science, industry, medicine, aviation and electron- ics. From gas lights to flourescent lighting, from horse drawn vehicles to air flight greater than the speed of sound. In medi- cine we have seen many diseases conquered, we are working and praying that in your day you will see cancer conquered just as we feel we have diphtheria, poliomyolitis and many other scourges of humanity con-
quered to make life for those who come after us more secure and happier. The Printing Committee has tried its utmost to make this book pleasant and informative both by the written word and pictorially. We wish to thank the historians William T. Shinnick, Mrs. Ethel B. Chandler, and Rev. William L. Mckinney for the many hours of research and preparation. To the advertising committee for their tireless ef- fort in solicitations, Mrs. Margaret Alex- ander, Mrs. Marie Mitchell, Mrs. Thelma Cook - many thanks. To the many people who supplied the photographs you see, especially Mrs. Stella Snow and Mr. Laurist Reynolds of the Old Bridgewater Histori- cal Society, we are deeply grateful.
MAX BERKOWITZ, Chairman FRANK ADAMS MARIE MITCHELL RICHARD COOPER
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
WEST BRIDGEWATER
EWATER
IN
1656
MASS.
INCORF
1822. -:-
OR
PULPIT ROCK
16.
RATED
FEB.
SELECTMEN
MARJORY E. MACDONALD WILLIAM W. NOYES H. ROY HARTSHORN
OLD
BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
T HE recorded history of the old town of Bridgewater began in 1628, when King Charles I of England located the southern boundary line of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which became the northern bound- ary line of Plymouth Colony, and in part the northern boundary line of old Bridge- water.
When the Town of Marshfield was in- corporated in 1642, with land taken prin- cipally from Duxbury, the latter town peti- tioned the Plymouth Colony Court for a grant of land to compensate it for the loss of land to Marshfield. In 1644 the Court ordered, " a view taken of the lands - twelve miles up into the woods from Plymouth bounds at Jones' River", for the purpose of confirming same to Duxbury, "if it prove not prejudicial to the planta- tion to be erected at Titicut", nor to the meadows of Plymouth at Winnetuxet", ( Plympton) .
In 1645 Duxbury was granted "lands about Satucket, (East Bridgewater), for a plantation, and to have it four miles every way", from a center to be deter- mined by the inhabitants of Duxbury. On March 23, 1649 (Old calendar) , or April 2, 1650 (New calendar), Captain Miles Stan- dish, Samuel Nash, and Constant South- worth purchased this land from Ousame- quin, formerly Massasoit, at Sachem Rock
in East Bridgewater for the "township of Duxbury" for seven coats, nine hatchets, eight hoes, twenty knives, four moose skins, and ten and one-half yards of cotton.
This deed from Massasoit conveyed land, from the "wear" at Satucket river seven miles in all directions, and it was recorded at Plymouth in May of 1650. In June of 1650 some Indians appeared and claimed that this land did not belong to Massasoit; that it belonged to Chickatabet, gave a confirmatory deed of the land "lying northward of the south four mile line of Bridgewater" to the purchasers of Bridge- water, for ten pounds in money and one hundred acres of land at Poor Meadow. In 1662 Constant Southworth and Samuel Nash made a sworn statement in the Plymouth Court that they bought from Massasoit the land from the "wear" as the centre six miles, but that the deed "ex- pressed" seven miles.
The first settlements in old Bridge- water were on both sides of the Town river in what is now West Bridgewater in the year 1651, by some of the Duxbury people, and it was then known as, "Dux- burrow New Plantation". When Nicolas Robbins of Duxbury, one of the original proprietors of old Bridgewater, made his will on "the 9th day of the twelfth month
OLD RAILROAD STATION
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
anno Domi: 1650", or on February 19, 1651, according to our present calendar, he bequeathed his "lands which I have in the New Plantation and yet not Inhabited" to his son, John, and his three daughters.
Originally there were 54 proprietors of the town, to which later were added, Deacon Samuel Edson, who built the first mill, and the Reverend James Keith, their first permanent minister. Only sixteen of the original purchasers or proprietors be- came settlers, the others sold, conveyed, or bequeathed their shares to relatives mostly, or to others who became residents of the town.
The original purchasers who settled in Bridgewater were: John Ames, William Bassett, William Brett, John Cary, John Fobes, Thomas Gannett, Arthur Harris, Thomas Hayward, John Howard, Solomon Leonard, Experience Mitchell, Samuel Tompkins, John Washburn, Sr., John Washburn, Jr., John Willis, and Nathaniel Willis. The writer is of the opinion that John Starr and possibly John Irish may have been residents of Bridgewater for awhile in the sixteen fifties and around 1660 and 1661. They also were original purchasers.
The first lots laid out were called gar- den lots or house lots, and were six acres in area, butting on Town river twelve rods in width, and extending eighty rods in length from the river. Then followed the laying out of lots from ten to fifty acres in area, and of meadow lots of two and a half acres each. On the north side of the river, from west to east, house lots were laid out to, or occupied by, Guido Bailey, Mark Lathrop, Samuel Packard, Nathaniel Willis, Rev. Ralph Partridge, Rev. James Keith, John Starr, John How- ard, Zaccheus Packard, Francis Godfrey, Samuel Edson, Church lot, Arthur Harris,
William Brett, Thomas Hayward, John Cary, Sr., John Robbins, Samuel Tomp- kins, Thomas Hayward, Esq., William Bassett, Joseph Bassett, and Joseph Alden.
On the south side of the river were the lots of William Snow, Samuel Edson, Ex- perience Mitchell, John Fobes, John Cary, Jr., John Ames, Giles Leach, Samuel Wads- worth, John Willis, Jr., and Solomon Leonard. Some of the above had two or three adjoining lots, such as John Ames who had three lots, which were bought or inherited, in whole or in part, from others.
Some of the other early settlers at West Bridgewater were: Joshua Rae, John Richmond, Jr., George Turner, John Field, Thomas Snell, John Hayward, John Tompkins, Daniel Bacon, Thomas Randall, John Kingman, James Dunbar, Lawrence Willis, Thomas Alger, and possibly Ed- ward Bumpas, John Bolton, and Joseph Lapham.
The center tree, which is the motif of the beautiful cover to this booklet, and which marked the alleged center of the town, was located on the south side of East Centre street, south of the Westdale railroad sta- tion on the West Bridgewater and East Bridgewater town line. A stone marker now marks the location of the center tree.
By 1656 the plantation had grown suf- ficiently in population and worldly goods to be incorporated as a separate town with the name of Bridgewater ; on June 3, 1656, according to the old calendar, or on June 13, 1656, according to our present calen- dar. In the old records, and in Nahum Mitchell's history of the town, there does not seem to be any connection between the people of old Bridgewater and the town of Bridgwater, England. Note that the English Bridgewater does not have the let- ler "e" after letter "g". However, in the old records Bridgewater, Massachusetts, is often spelled Bridgwater.
OLD
BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
In 1668 Bridgewater was granted "the six miles they purchased of Indians from the center, - where the line of the Col- lonie hindereth not, that graunts of land formerly made by the Court be not mo- lested, and that all those graunts that are within this six mile shall belong to the township of Bridgewater". In February of 1691 the General Court of Plymouth made the following order: "And the lands between Bridgewater & Waymouth, called Foords Farms, & ye parts adjacent are hereby put under ye constable rick of Bridgewater, till this Court shall otherwise order". In 1692 Plymouth Colony was united with Massachusetts Bay Colony, and never did "otherwise order".
At its greatest extent old Bridgewater included the present towns of West Bridge- water, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater, Whitman, the major part of Abington, part of Rockland, the westerly part of Hanson, a few acres in Halifax, and the City of Brockton.
In 1712 "several of the inhabitants of the easterly part of old Bridgewater, and several proprietors of land adjoining" peti- tioned the General Court of Massachusetts "to be made a township". Their petition was granted, and their town was named, "Abingdon". It included within its bounds the present towns of Abington, Whitman, and Rockland, and parts of the towns of Hanson and Hanover.
Deacon Samuel Edson deeded his house, barn, and 57 acres in Salem to a William Browne, on December 4, 1655, (new calen- dar). This deed is recorded in the Essex County Registry of Deeds at Salem. In this deed Mr. Edson is described as being "late of Salem", and from the description of his land as being "on Cape Ann side" it ap- pears that the deacon lived in that part of Salem that is now the City of Beverly. Ac- cording to a book on the Edson family in
the Brockton Public Library the deacon was in West Bridgewater on May 27, 1656, (new calendar) , when Joshua Rea, then of Salem, sold him his, Rea's, house with two house lots, a full purchase right of lands and saw-mills in Bridgewater.
On September 25, 1662, William Brett and others, as guests for the Town of Bridgewater, "having Power Given us by the Town to agree with Samuel Edson of ye same Town to Build a Mill having now finished ye same according to our agree- ment", granted Mr. Edson a full purchase of land in Bridgewater, the lands about the mill, and also the mill itself. This deed is re- corded at Plymouth Registry of Deeds. The deacon's new mill was a grist mill, and was needed to save the people from a long trip through the wilderness to the nearest grist mill in Taunton.
The first preacher of old Bridgewater was a young man named Benjamin Bunker, from Charlestown, who served for a year in 1660 - 1661 for twenty-five pounds and his "diet". He was a brother to Martha Starr, the wife of John Starr, who was one of the original proprietors. It may be that it was because of the presence of his sister and his brother-in-law in the town that Mr. Bunker came to Bridgewater. He went to the Church in Malden, and died in that town in 1670. John Starr's purchase right in Bridgewater became the property of George Turner, whose two house lots were on the west side of Howard street and the east side of Mr. Keith's lots.
The first permanent minister was an- other young man named James Keith, from Scotland, who served his people faithfully and well for 55 years, from 1664 to 1719. His homestead on River street is still stand- ing, and it may be the oldest house in West Bridgewater. It is said that the Reverend Mr. Keith preached his first sermon from
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OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
PULPIT ROCK, WEST BRIDGEWATER
SACHEM ROCK, EAST BRIDGEWATER
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
what is known as Pulpit Rock, near the Town river. The story of Mr. Keith is so well known it will not be repeated here. Mr. Keith's successor was the Reverend Daniel Perkins, who died in 1782 in the 62nd year of his ministry. His successor was Reverend John Reed. Mr. Reed passed away in 1831. Therefore, for 167 years the parish had only three ministers, a truly remarkable record.
The south parish, now the town of Bridgewater, was established in 1716. The east parish, now the town of East Bridge- water, was established in 1723. The north parish, now the City of Brockton, was es- tablished in 1738. West Bridgewater was known as the west parish until 1823, when it became the town of West Bridgewater. A considerable part of the northern sec- tion of West Bridgewater was annexed to Brockton in 1893.
Any history of old Bridgewater, how- ever condensed, must mention the heroic stand of its people during King Philip's Indian war in 1675 and 1676. They could have retreated to the coastal towns for greater safety, in fact they were strongly advised to do so, but they refused. They fortified some of their buildings and strengthened their fort, which was located on a hill on the south side of Town river near Forest street in West Bridgewater. They were fortunate in not having any of their people killed by the Indians, but their financial losses and expenses were stag- gering considering their economic condi- tions at that time. The late Mrs. Fred (Idella) Packard of Montello stated that the Bridgewater people did not recover from their fear of the Indians for years and years afterwards.
Down through the years West Bridge- water has remained an agricultural town principally. It still retains its well shaded streets, its green lawns and meadows, and
the charm of an old town grown serene with age.
THE COCHESETT METHODIST CHURCH
Methodism began in Cochesett ( Indian word meaning "Hill of the Pine Tree") in 1806 with intermittent preaching at the home of George Howard and his son Nehemiah. This continued for a period of years until a Methodist "class" of fifteen persons was organized in 1832. Nehemiah Howard's son Caleb then deeded the pres- ent site and a small meeting house to the new society. The first resident pastor, the Rev. I. J. P. Colloyer, was appointed by the Methodist Conference in 1841. The so- ciety soon outgrew its original quarters and raised a new building on the present site in 1844. The total cost was $2,468.00, most of which was donated by Caleb How- ard. A parsonage was built beside the church at a later date and burned to the ground in 1878. Another parsonage was then acquired across the street. In 1888 the building was raised up, the vestry built under it and the wooden Gothic vestibule attached to the front to enclose the stairs. Shortly after the turn of the century the church began to be served by student pas- tors from the Boston University School of Theology. The first of these was Edgar Sheffield Brightman in 1909. This was the beginning of Dr. Brightman's brilliant ca- reer as an author and world-famous professor of philosophy. With the excep- tion of the Rev. Lewis B. Codding, who was pastor from 1914 - 1926, theological stu- dents have continued to serve the church. In 1932 the Cochesett Church was joined with the East Mansfield Methodist Church in a yoked parish, the Cochesett minister serving both congregations. The Church celebrated its centennial in 1940 with ap-
FIRST PARISH
STATION
BAPTIST
JUDGE HOMARD
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FROM SOUTH
CHURCH MASSES
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
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BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
propriate ceremonies under the leadership of the Rev. Raymond Spears. In 1954 the parsonage was moved back beside the Church and received a long needed renova- tion and remodeling which made it a mod- ern house. Fifty-five ministers have served the church during the 116 years of its existence. It has produced one minister, the Rev. J. Kenneth Pearson, now District Superintendent of the New Bedford Dis- trict of the Methodist Church. The church has enjoyed steady growth through the years with 120 members listed on its rolls now. The present pastor, the Rev. Ronald G. Whitney, was appointed in 1952 and has enjoyed a good ministry in church and community.
THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL - UNITARIAN CHURCH
As soon as the first settlers and their families had arrived and built houses along the river they began to gather regularly for religious services. The First Society was organized in 1651 and in 1662 called James Keith, a young student from Aber- deen, Scotland, as minister. His first ser- mon was given on Pulpit Rock in Town Park. The house built for him on River Street about the time of his arrival is still standing and occupied.
A small log meeting-house stood on South Elm Street and was used until 1671 when a larger edifice (40 x26) was voted and built near the monument in Central Square. A third Church and Town-House with three balconies occupied the same spot about 1750, and upon completion of the fourth and present building on Howard Street, was given to the Town in 1801. Lightening and fire caused the loss of the tall, white spire in 1951, but a complete restoration of the old land-mark is anti- cipated within the year.
Of thirty ministers who have served the Church, the first three, James Keith, Daniel Perkins and John Reed, accounted consecutively for a total of 169 years. This record is believed to be unequalled anywhere.
Of Congregational affiliation until about 1825, the church then became a member of the American Unitarian Asso- ciation and continued solely as a Unitarian Church until 1954 when it united with the Sunset Avenue Congregational Church which had been organized about 1920.
The evolution from Congregational to Unitarian to Congregational - Unitarian reveals a natural cycle of development in a free fellowship of faith having deep roots, modern meaning and endless expectations.
ST. ANN'S CHURCH West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
The establishment of St. Ann's parish is of recent origin in terms of the history of the town. Until 1928 the Catholic popu- lation of West Bridgewater attended serv- ices at St. Thomas' Church, Bridgewater. In the spring of 1928 Dr. Ellis Le Lacheur gave a piece of land at the corner of Ellis Avenue and West Center Street to Dr. A. O. Belmore for the purpose of building a Catholic Church in the town. Dr. Bel- more organized a committee, consisting of Mr. Frank Ferranti, the late Mr. John Kent and Mr. Thomas Davock. When the mat- ter was brought to the attention of the pastor of Bridgewater, Rev. Francis S. Hart, he gave his whole-hearted approval for a mission Chapel in West Bridgewater. In the meantime permission was obtained to use the local town hall for Sunday serv- ices. Father Hart was shortly succeeded by the Rev. James A. Brewin. After four and one-half years of earnest work land was bought next to the Town Hall from Mr. M. A. Simmons because the land do-
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
nated by Dr. Le Laucheur was not large enough for the size of building needed. Work was started on November, 1932, and the first Mass was said in it on January 29, 1933, by Father Brewin. The Church was called St. Ann, the name chosen by Dr. A. O. Belmore, who was given the privi- lege because of his donation of $5,000.00. Numbers increased and on April 27, 1938, St. Ann's became an independent parish with Rev. Cornelius L. Reardon as its first pastor. In the following year a Rectory in garrison colonial style was erected. Suc- ceeding pastors have been Rev. Thomas F. Devlin (1942), Rev. John J. Scollan (1946), Rev. Francis Foley (1950), Rev. Francis S. Shea D.D., (1950). Starting with a group of 150 families, St. Ann's now comprises over 400 families. Every Sun- day over 1,100 persons attend Mass at its four services. Activities became so numer- ous that on October 12, 1953, Rev. Robert V. Meffan, the first curate, was assigned to the parish. Now firmly established, St. Ann's is a tribute to the sacrifices and faith of the people and clergy who continue to work for their families, their God and their country.
HISTORY OF BAPTIST CHURCH West Bridgewater
In May, 1785, sixteen members were legally discharged from the First Baptist Church in Middleboro to form the First Baptist Church, West Bridgewater. On June 7, 1785, a formal organization was formed with the following as the first membership. Elezer Snow, Seth Howard, Nathaniel Ames, James Perkins, Rhoda Lothrop, Bathsheba Carver, Rebecca Pool, Maltiah Howard, Mary Perkins, Mary Snow, Mary Ames and Charity Howard. Elder George Robinson was the first pas- tor.
The first meeting house was on West Center Street in Cochesett where meet- ings were held until 1833 when the Church was declared extinct because of a lack of interest.
In February, 1835, the church was re- organized with twelve members of the for- mer church. The first meeting house had become unfit to hold meetings in because of neglect so that a new meeting house was built in 1837. This meeting house was used until 1887 when it was decided to move to the center of town. Services were held in Gardner Hall until the new edifice was completed in 1889.
WEST BRIDGEWATER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING CLASS, 1956.
OLD BRIDGEWATER TERCENTENARY-1656-1956
EDUCATION THEN AND NOW
One hundred years ago, with a school population of about 300 and a school budget of $1,484.59, the educational picture was a far cry from today in West Bridgewater when there are approximately 1,000 stu- dents and the school budget hits over $275,000, with a teaching staff of forty- seven.
There were eight district schools in town and one union school with East Bridgewater; with each district financially responsible for the conducting of classes. A school committee of three members made their annual report to the Town. Even then, the problem of underpaid educators was a matter of note as is shown by a quote, "The teachers all labored faithfully, and earned well their wages. Many of them deserved more than they received - May Heaven reward them !"
Adequate housing was a controversial subject - even as in the 20th Century. A report on school houses included this re- markable statement, "Dist. 8 school needs extending. There is no room on the floor for a class, none for visitors, and but very little for the teacher, - hardly enough for suitable respiration."
Conditions improved in the short span of ten years as the school budget jumped to over $4,000. The highest paid teacher re- ceived the astounding sum of $62.50 a month and the lowest was supposed to live on the munificent $28 salary. A school superintendent was "hired"; also serving on the school committee. His yearly re- muneration was $92. The Cochesett gram- mar and primary schools had both the larg- est attendance and the highest paid teach- er. A note of interest is the fact that serv- ing on the school board was Erland Thayer. A direct descendant, bearing the same name serves on the school committee of 1956.
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