USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Littleton > Proceedings of the Littleton Historical Society, No. 1 1894-1895 > Part 1
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LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PROCEEDINGS NO. 1
1894-1895
Gc 974.402 L73s no.1-2 1894/95 1906 1128715
L M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00085 1714
·
HOUGHTON MEMORIAL.
PROCEEDINGS
-OF THE- -
LITTLETON
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NO. 1
1894-1895.
LITTLETON, MASSACHUSETTS : PUBLISHED BY THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 1896.
HIS.TURNER PRINTER
AYER.
MASS.
CONTENTS.
1128715
FRONTISPIECE.
Houghton Memorial Building, given to the Town of Littleton, Dec. 4, 1895, by Elizabeth G. and Clement S. Houghton as a memorial to William Stevens Houghton. It contains the Reuben Hoar Library and the room of the Littleton Histori- cal Society. PAGE.
RECORDS OF THE LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY, George Augustus Sanderson, Secretary.
3
LIST OF MEMBERS, 18
THE GARRISON HOUSE AT NASHOBA, 20
Frank Bigelow Priest.
LETTER FROM MR. CHARLES STEARNS, 23
JOHN ELIOT-THE APOSTLE TO THE INDIANS, 26
Rev. Isaac Francis Porter.
LITTLETON LAND MARKS IN PROPRIETORS' DEEDS, 34
George Augustus Sanderson.
AN INCIDENT OF KING PHILIP'S WAR CONNECTED WITH THIS PLACE. 39
Herbert Joseph Harwood.
THE ERROR ON THE SHATTUCK MONUMENT, 47
Edward Frost and Executive Committee.
HISTORY OF LITTLETON SCHOOLS, Albert Francis Conant.
49
THE WORK OF HISTORICAL SOCIETIES, 63
Fulius Herbert Tuttle.
THE LITTLETON LYCEUM,
Rev. William F. Cloues.
75
nect . 1- 17-74
CONTENTS.
JOEL PROCTOR, AN OBITUARY, Edward Frost.
89
WHAT OUGHT THE TOWN TO DO FOR THE BETTER PRE- SERVATION OF ITS RECORDS, Edward Frost. -
93
THE INDIANS OF NASHOBAH, 96
Herbert Joseph Harwood.
TREES OF LITTLETON, 107
Frank Bigelow Priest.
OUR GREAT ELM,
II2
Edward Frost.
MY GRANDMOTHER'S ELM, Marian Dix Sullivan.
116
CORRESPONDENCE UPON THE MEANING OF THE INDIANS
NAME NASHOBAH, 117
REMINISCENCES OF THE CIVIL WAR,
I22
Daniel Cooledge Fletcher.
EPITAPHS FROM THE OLD BURYING GROUND AT LIT- TLETON COMMON, I27
George Augustus Sanderson, Herbert Joseph Harwood.
INDEX,
174
Herbert Joseph Harwood.
RECORDS
OF THE
LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
In response to a call, signed by Herbert J. Harwood, George A. Sanderson and Frank B. Priest, inviting " All adult persons interested in the formation of a Littleton Historical Society," to meet "in the Lower Town Hall on Monday, June II, 1894, at 7.30 P. M.," the following persons came together :
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert J. Harwood,
Mr. and Mrs. Albert F. Conant,
Rev. George B. Frost,
Rev. William J. Cloues,
Hon. George W. Sanderson,
Mr. Daniel C. Fletcher,
Mr. Albert Smith,
Mr. Waldo E. Conant, 1
Mr. William L. Kimball,
Mr. Frank B. Priest,
Mr. Edward B. Bigelow,
Mr. George Yapp,
Mr. George A. Sanderson.
The meeting organized by choosing Herbert J. Harwood, temporary chairman, and George A. Sanderson, temporary secretary.
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LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Remarks favoring the formation of an Historical Society were made by Herbert J. Harwood, Daniel C. Fletcher, Hon. George W. Sanderson, Rev. George B. Frost, Rev. William J. Cloues and George A. Sanderson.
Voted, That the three persons who signed the call be a committee to draft By-laws for the Littleton Historical Society and report at a future meeting.
Voted to adjourn subject to the call of the committee on By-laws.
GEORGE A. SANDERSON, Temporary Secretary.
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BY-LAWS.
ARTICLE I.
The Society shall be called the LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
ARTICLE II.
The object of the Society shall be to collect and preserve manuscripts, printed books, pamphlets, historical facts, biographical anecdotes and historical relics, and to stimulate research into local history.
ARTICLE III.
Any person who has, at any time, been a resident of Littleton or Boxborough* may become a member by paying a membership fee of one dollar, and signing the By-Laws. There shall also be an annual fee of one dollar from each member.
Any person, whether a resident of either of said towns or not, may be chosen an honorary member, and shall be exempt from the payment of fees.
ARTICLE IV.
The officers shall be a President, a Vice-President and a Secretary who shall also be Treasurer, each to be chosen by ballot at the annual meeting and to hold office until the next annual meeting, or until their successors are chosen. These officers shall constitute the executive committee of the Society.
ARTICLE V.
The annual meeting shall be held on the second day of November in each year. The other regular meetings shall be on the following days : February the twenty" second, June the seventeenth, and the first Monday of September. If the day of the November, February or June meeting falls on Sunday, the meeting shall be held on the Monday next following.
Special meetings of the Society may be called at any time by the executive committee.
ARTICLE VI.
Five members shall constitute a quorum.
* Boxborough was made in part from Littleton.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE
ARTICLE VII.
The officers of the Society shall perform the duties usually performed by officers of similar societies. The executive committee shall arrange the programs and make all plans for the meetings.
ARTICLE VIII.
Special committees to investigate matters of historical interest may be chosen by the Society at any meeting.
ARTICLE IX.
The annual fee shall be due at the annual meeting. Any person neglecting for one year to pay said fee shall cease to be a member of the Society.
ARTICLE X.
These By-Laws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting next after the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing and read to theSociety.
Adopted at a meeting called for the purpose by the Com- mittee on By-laws, Wednesday, July 18, 1894, in the Lower Town Hall, at 7.45 P. M.
At the same meeting officers were elected as follows :
President, HERBERT J. HARWOOD. Vice-President, FRANK B. PRIEST. Secretary and Treasurer, GEORGE A. SANDERSON.
SEPTEMBER 3, 1894 .- The Littleton Historical Society had its regular meeting on the afternoon of Labor Day. Thirty-four people came together near the southwesterly base of Nashoba hill to consider the first white settlement on land known as " Powers farm," then a part of Concord, now a part of Littleton. Here some investigations were made to locate the old garrison house and its supposed underground passage. A letter and pa- pers were read by Herbert J. Harwood, Frank B. Priest and Ed- ward Frost. Mr. Frost's paper was entitled, " Notes of a survey
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LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
made August 25, 1894, on the slopes and near the southwester- ly base of Nashoba hill." The theory that the old garrison house was in a pasture, a short distance westerly from the house now occupied by Mrs. McElligott, at a place where a cellar hole may now be seen, met with some opposition and the theory that the traces of an underground passage from the garrison house are now shown by a depression leading from the cellar hole, six hundred and six feet, and ending at a stone wall in the woods, was doubted by many. Joel Proctor, the oldest member of the society, was sure that the garrison house had stood at the cor- ner made by the great road and the road by Mr. Murphy's house to Westford and on the side of the road toward Nashoba hill. A cellar hole still marks this spot, and the house is said to have stood there until comparatively recent times.
The first burying ground was next visited. It is reached by a lane near John Daly's house, being situated some distance from the great road. All tombstones have been removed, and the land is now cultivated as a part of the farm. One or two head- stones have been found in stone walls near by and others are believed to be covered in the ground. Not far from the bury- ing ground is the course of a stream, now dry, leading into the woods to an artificial earth mound extending across a valley at right angles to the stream. Another earth mound begins here and runs parallel with the stream showing the channel of an ancient canal. At the end of the canal pieces of timber, which were probably parts of the first mill erected here by white peo- ple, may be found in the ground.
Extracts were read from the journal of the late Francis P. Knowlton, and notes of a conversation with Charles W. Reed, of Westford, were given. A long letter written by Charles Stearns, of Townsend, located many points of historical interest in this part of the town. Mr. Stearns was elected an honorary member of · the society.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Information which will aid in determining the location of the first garrison house will be gladly received by the society. It also wishes to know the place and date of death of Stephen Coggswell, born in Littleton in 1772, and graduated from Har- vard College in 1797.
GEORGE A. SANDERSON, Secretary. /
NOVEMBER 2, 1894 .- The regular meeting of the Littlet on Historical Society was held in the Lower Town Hall, Friday evening, November 2, 1894. Seven new names were added to the membership list. The society now has twenty-seven regular, and three honorary members. After the approval of the secre- ry's report, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year : Herbert J. Harwood, president ; Frank B. Priest, vice- president ; and George A. Sanderson, secretary and treasurer.
A paper giving information lately obtained concerning the first garrison house was read by Frank B. Priest. Rev. I. F. Porter read a paper on John Eliot and his work. The gifts to the society by Eli F. Davis and Mrs. Julia A. Davis, to be known as the Davis collection, were then mentioned and some of them examined. A sword, inscribed on each side with the words " God Bless The Province of Massachusetts Bay," was given by Mrs. E. Amanda Kimball. The society passed a vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Kimball for their gifts.
A series of printed questions prepared by the society to obtain information concerning the members was circulated. George A. Sanderson exhibited an ancestral blank arranged for tabulating the direct lines of ancestry and asked that members obtain and fill such blanks to be filed with the society. Mr. Sanderson also read a paper entitled " Landmarks in the Pro- prietors' Deeds."
9
LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Herbert J. Harwood read a paper entitled "An incident of King Philip's war connected with this place."
Hon. George W. Sanderson stated that he had a set of town reports which would be complete if some one would give him that for 1849, and that he was intending to give the collec- tion to the society.
Voted, that the society hold a meeting in the Littleton Ly- ceum course on February 22. Voted to adjourn.
GEORGE A. SANDERSON, Secretary.
FEBRUARY 22, 1895 .- The meeting of the Littleton His- torical Society, in connection with the Lyceum, Friday evening, February 22, 1895, was attended by an audience estimated at two hundred, which paid close attention to the exercises and en- joyed them thoroughly.
Rev. William J. Cloues, president, of the lyceum, announced this as the last of the winter's course of entertainments.
After a vocal solo by Charles A. Priest, Mr. Cloues intro- duced Herbert J. Harwood, president of the historical society, who conducted the meeting and in opening made a brief state- ment of the purposes of the society, mentioning that Washing- ton's birthday, is one of the dates provided in the by-laws for the four stated meetings of the year.
Albert F. Conant read an excellent paper on the history of Littleton schools and school-houses, which showed careful prep- aration and traced in an interesting manner the development of the schools from the first one in 1725 to the present time.
Julius H. Tuttle, of Dedham, gave an address on historical societies of the state, telling of the origin of the Massachusetts historical society, the oldest in the country, and of some other local societies, with a sketch of their work particularly that of the Dedham society, and closed with valuable suggestions as to the course of investigation which the Littleton society might
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE
pursue. Mr. Tuttle stated that Dedham annually prints a por- tion of the older town records with the town report of the cur- rent year and suggested that Littleton could do the same thing to advantage.
Rev. William J. Cloues read a very bright paper on the Littleton Lyceum, relating many amusing incidents recorded of its meetings and showing that it is the oldest lyceum in the coun- try which has continued without a break.
An obituary notice of Joel Proctor, an honorary member of the society and the first to die, was read by the president, the notice having been written by Edward Frost, now absent for the winter, who closed by presenting to the society, for Mr. Proc- tor's heirs, six ancient and valuable documents relating to the Russell family, his ancestors. One original paper bears date of 1691. Also a silouette portait, subject unknown.
A paper also prepared by Mr. Frost, on " What ought the town to do for the better preservation of its records," was omitted for the lack of time and will be read at another meeting.
James F. Moore presented to the society the front door in two parts, of the house of Rev. Daniel Rogers, second minister of Littleton. These doors have in them the holes made by the bullets from a volley fired at Mr. Rogers in or about the year 1775, by a party of patriots who demanded that he come out and de- clare his political principles. He was a tory.
Miss Augusta Nye presented to the society, through Rev. William J. Cloues, a book of sermons by Vice-President Willard of Harvard College, which was once the property of Rev. Benja- min Shattuck, first minister of Littleton, an ancestor of Miss Nye ; also a deed signed by John Porter, 1752, and other papers of much interest.
Julius H. Tuttle presented a heliotype picture of a Rogers group, representing Rev. John Eliot preaching to the Indians and a book giving the exercises at Dedham school celebration.
II
LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Beside the Davis collection, belonging to the society, and the show case and tavern sign from the library, many articles of historic interest were exhibited by the individuals, including the powder horn of Capt. Eleazer Melvin, dated 1754, a bugle said to have been captured in the sea fight between the " Hornet " and the " Peacock," and an Indian deed of half of what is now Littleton, dated 1714.
HERBERT J. HARWOOD.
JUNE 17, 1895 .- Littleton Historical Society. One of the objects of the out-door meeting of the historical society was to learn something of the location and the history of the "Indian Farm," so-called. This was a reservation of five hundred acres of land, made by the General Court in the act of incorporation of Nashoba in 1714, laid out at the southeasterly corner of the plan- tation to the descendants of the Indians, taking in parts of two ponds. By authority of the Legislature, given in 1735, Sarah Doublet, otherwise called Sarah Indian, relict of Thomas, sold this reservation to Elnathan and Ephraim Jones. The part of Littleton called Newtown, which probably derived its name from this reservation to the Indians, is mentioned in 1716, in a deed to Edward Wheeler of " certain parcels of upland and meadow in Littleton, formerly Nashobah, at a place called the Indian Newtown."
The society met at the centre of the town, June 17, 1895, in the afternoon and drove to a point in Newtown, southeasterly of the house of John H. Kimball, where a clump of three small white oak trees* marks the northwest corner of the Indian farm. In 1716, and later, this corner was marked by a white oak tree. The party then went to the intersection of the roads near the house of Elbridge Marshall, which marks the location of the first school-house in this part of the town. On the road leading from this spot by George H. Cash's place, the wall which marks
*This clump of trees has since been cut down.
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE
the northerly boundary line of the Indian farm was seen, it be- ing the northerly boundary of the Cash farm. A drive through Mr. Cash's yard into the woods brought the party to the north- east corner of the Indian farm, which is distinctly marked by the intersection of two walls, one bounding the Indian farm on the north, and the other bounding it on the east. The easterly boundary wall marks also the westerly line of the land which was once know as " Powers farm " or "Concord village." The Ac- ton line makes the southerly boundary line of the Indian farm.
The next point visited was a cellar hole in the southerly part of the pasture of Solomon S. Flagg, between the house of George C. Durkee and Fort Pond. This is supposed to be the location of an Indian dwelling. The society then gathered near the shore of Fort Pond, at the westerly end of land of Ar- thur Drew, under a spreading pine tree, which has a trunk nine feet in circumference. Here William H. H. Tuttle, of Arling- ton, whose ancestors for five generations lived in Newtown, de- livered an address which was full of information concerning the old boundary lines of the Indian farm and the early settlers in that part of the town. It is through Mr. Tuttle's researches that the corners of the Indian farm can be now located. Herbert J. Harwood read a paper on the Indians, in which arguments favor- ing the location of the Indian fort on the hill-side between Fort Pond and Mr. Durkee's house, were given. George A. Dorsey in- structor in anthropology at Harvard university, delivered the last address, in which he commended the work of the society, speaking of the great value of historical research, and exhorting the members to continue their investigations to learn more of the history of the Indians who lived in and near our town.
Frank B. Priest gave notice that Augustus Kendall Porter, of Leominster, had given to the society the original commission as Colonel to John Porter, signed by Governor Han- cock.
I3
LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The society voted that the secretary acknowledge the re- ceipt of the above commission and of the following articles and express the thanks of the society to the donors :
Six ancient and valuable documents relating to the Russell family, given by the heirs of Joel Proctor. The front doors of the house of Rev. Daniel Rogers, showing bullet holes, given by James F. Moore. A book of sermons by Vice-President Willard of Harvard College, once owned by Rev. Benjamin Shattuck, and other valuable papers given by Miss Augusta Nye. A picture of John Eliot preaching to the Indians, given by Julius H. Tuttle.
Historical sketch of Littleton was given by Herbert J. Har- wood.
A General Catalogue of Lawrence Academy also a Finan- cial History of Lawrence Academy was given by George A. Sanderson.
George A. Dorsey was made an honorary member of the society.
GEORGE A. SANDERSON, Secretary.
SEPTEMBER 2, 1895 .- Meeting of the Littleton Historical Society was held in the old burying ground at Littleton Com- mon near the grave of the Rev. Daniel Rogers. Forty-five people were present. Herbert J. Harwood opened the meet- ing at three o'clock in the afternoon. After the Secretary's minutes were read and approved, notice was given that those eligible might become members of the society by signing the by-laws and paying one dollar, and that the annual dues would be payable at the next meeting.
"The trees of Littleton " was the subject of a paper read by Frank B. Priest. A discussion of the subject followed.
Edward Frost read a paper entitled "The Story of Our Great Elm." This tree formerly stood in the yard of the John
14
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Dix Warren place. Dr. Edward Y. White called attention to a poem cencerning this tree written by Mrs. Marian Dix Sullivan.
George A. Sanderson read a paper on the epitaphs in the Old Burying Ground, giving a list of the deacons, professional and military men buried there.
Edward Frost read a paper on "What ought the town to do for the better preservation of its records?" in which he recommended that an appropriation be made by the town.
Herbert J. Harwood read two letters from John M. Currier, of Brandon, Vermont, Secretary of Rutland County Historical Society, on the meaning of the word "Nashoba." The original name of Brandon was Nashobe, probably so named by a man who came from Littleton. There is also a county in Mississippi named Nashoba. Trumbull's opinion as to its mean- ing was read.
Also from History Worcester County, Lunenburg :
" Hon. Josiah Stearns, another of our Revolutionary wor- thies, was the son of Thomas and Abigail (Reed) Stearns. He was born in Littleton, July 18, 1747, and removed to this town several years before the Revolution. He commanded a com- pany of minute-men and was a captain in the siege of Boston. He was a selectman fifteen years, treasurer nine years and a school committee, collector, and town clerk, as well as a deacon and a magistrate.
He was a representative four years, and in 1792 he was chosen to the Senate to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Hon. Abel Wilder, of Winchendon, and was subsequently elected. He was a member of the Governor's Council, 1797 to 1799. He died April 7, 1822."
The above is a brief record of the boy who was articled as a blacksmith's apprentice to John Merriam, in Littleton, in 1765.
15
LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
Gifts received since the last meeting and to be acknowl- edged, from Charles Stearns, of West Townsend, Mass.
I. Photograph of Province tax notice to town of Littleton, 1748, Thomas Stearns constable.
2. Photograph of articles of apprenticeship, Josiah Stearns to John Merriam, to learn blacksmith's trade, 1765.
3. Account book of Levi Stearns, 1799 to 1811.
4. Receipt of Lieut. Daniel Kimball for £4 from Thomas Stearns for hiring men for Rhode Island service, July 15, 1778.
5. Letters of administration on estate of Samuel Stearns, of Lexington, granted to his widow, Phœbe Stearns, 1722.
6. Deed, Amos Muzzey of Lexington, mariner, to Phœbe Stearns, one-half acre in Lexington near meeting house, 1727. (Never recorded.)
7. Mortgage, Joseph and Sarah Gleason, of Sandisfield, Berkshire Co., Mass., to Thomas Stearns, of Littleton, March I, 1722, containing a peculiar provision that if Caleb Gleason, late of Bedford, brother of Joseph, of whom Thomas Stearns was guardian and who had been absent ten or eleven years and was supposed to be dead in Great Britain, should appear within fif- teen years, the £16, for which mortgage was given, should be paid with interest, if not, mortgage should be void. (Never re- corded.)
8. Littleton Town rate list, 1748.
9. Littleton County rate list, 1748.
IO. Littleton Province rate list, 1748.
II. Littleton Constable's warrant to Mr. Thomas Stearns for collecting taxes, 1748.
12. Littleton highway rate list for road from Acton line to house of Joseph Gilbert, thence to meeting-house, 1753.
GEORGE A. SANDERSON, Secretary.
NOVEMBER 2, 1895 .- Annual meeting of the society was held in the Selectmen's room at 7.30 o'clock p. m. A heavy rain was falling at the time, but sixteen persons attended the
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PROCEEDINGS OF THE
meeting. The Secretary's report was read and approved. The Treasurer's report to November 1, 1895, showed receipts amount- Ing to $35.60, and expenditures $ 15.18. Balance $20.42. Mem- bers active, 34, honorary, 4, total, 38. The President an- nounced the appointment by the executive committee of Miss Julia S. Conant, as historian of current events. He referred to the publication of the proceedings of the society which is being considered by the executive committee.
Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows :
President, HERBERT J. HARWOOD,
Vice-president, FRANK B. PRIEST,
Secretary and Treasurer, GEORGE A. SANDERSON.
Daniel C. Fletcher read a paper entitled "The War of the Rebellion," in which he referred to California just before the war and paid his tribute of praise to his commander in the war, General McClellan. Mr. Fletcher exhibited a pass issued to him during the war, and letters of interest from himself and brothers previous to and during the war.
Miss Julia S. Conant read a history of current events, be- ginning with January 1895. She began the history with a state- ment of the area, population and occupation of the citizens, business enterprises, churches and other organizations in town, and continued by giving a narration of the important events in the town's history since January 1895.
Frank B. Priest read two letters, the first written by Amos H. Knowlton, on the trees in the west part of the town; the second by Daniel C. Fletcher, on the trees near his home.
Voted that the officers of the society procure, if possible, the marking of shade trees for their preservation.
The following gifts to the society have been received since the last meeting :
I. An old pocket-book bearing the name of Peter Wright.
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LITTLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
2. A deed, from the Proprietors' Committee to Moses Whit- ney, dated April 20, 1719, conveying the lots, first, eighty-eight acres and buildings, (possibly Edward Wesley's farm) ; second piece of land upon "reedy meadow plains between reedy meadow and Bever Brook," (possibly quarantine land) ; third, four acres of meadow in "Pine Tree Hill meadow, so called." (Frank A. Patch says that the hill back of his house was called " Pine Tree Hill " or "One Pine Tree Hill.")
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