USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Reading > Genealogical history of the town of Reading, Mass., including the present towns of Wakefield, Reading, and North Reading, with chronological and historical sketches, from 1639 to 1874 > Part 4
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N. B. The piece of highway suspended as above was that part of the present Salem Street that is west of Daniel Nichols', and was early known and long called Fitch's Lane ; and the " first highway " referred to above extended from the present Vernon Street westerly, over the present Sweetser street to Main Street, near the house of Wm. White ; and this last named way was long the main road to Andover and Salem.
This year "Wm. Cowdrey was empowered and ordered by the Court to sell wine of any sort, and strong liquors, to the Indians, as to his judgment shall seem most meet and necessary for their relief in just and urgent occasions, and not otherwise, provided he shall not sell or deliver more than one pint to any one Indian at any one time upon any pretence whatever."
The General Court agreed "that for the dispatch of business the Deputies shall eat and especially dine together in the Court House chamber. Lt. Phillips was to supply each of them with breakfast, din-
1 Said saw-mill stood where "Newcomb Saw-Mill" recently stood.
14
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
ner and supper, and a cup of wine or beer with the two last meals, and fire and bed, for 3 shillgs a day."
John Brock was appointed one of a commission to divide lands in York, Me.
Ensign John Smith, of Redding, having been licensed to keep an Ordinary, was fined 2s. "for not having a sign."
1655. - This year there were 20 slaves - 14 males and 6 females - in the town.
Robert Burnap, Jr., is chosen to keep the pound, and is to have two pence for every head he turns the key upon.
Town agreed, " that our pastor, Mr. Haugh, should have his yearly maintenance payed him every quarter, one half in wheat, pease and barley, and the other half in rye and Indian, and to make even every half year."
This year "the meddow from Jeremiah Swayne's meddow, downe be- low the falls, was divided by lott among the settlers," and the following changes from the list of drawers as given under the year 1652, appear, viz. :-
"Omitted : Ensign Marshall, Henry Bellflower, John Pearson, Francis Smith, Jeremy Fitch, Robert Dunton, and John Laukin.
Added : Nath. Cutler, Wm. Laukin, John Weston, Samuel Haugh, Peter Palfrey, Tho. Chandler, Tho. Hartshorn, James Pike, Tho. Dut- ton, Robert Burnap, Jr., and John Browne."
1656. - Town ordered " that every inhabitant that is in the town when Mas. Haugh's salary is made shall pay for the whole year, al- though he go out of the town before the year is out."
Ordered, " that no man shall turn any cattell upon the Common from the middle of March till herding time, upon the penalty of 6d. for every cow or beast thus turned."
In June, Mrs. Ann Hibbens was executed in Boston for the supposed crime of witchcraft.
Isaac Hart was convicted of stealing hay.
1657. - Town ordered, "that a town way be laid out from the Com- mon, in the middle of the town, to the Country Way, at the other end of Goodman Dustin's lott, - one pole upon Josias Dustin and one pole upon Goodman Fitch."
Also, " that there shall be two general town meetings every year : one on the first second day in February yearly, and one the first second day
I5
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
of December yearly ; and every inhabitant that shall absent himself from these meetings, shall pay 2s. 6d. if he be not there by 9 o'clk in the morning."
Also, "that the Selectmen have power to make a levy for the building of a gallery, to the value of 6 or 7 pounds."
Also, "that liberty be given to some young men to build a gallery between the two great beams on the south side of the Meeting-house, for two seats 'breadth, upon condition the gallery shall be their own, and to sell to any townsmen that the town shall approve of."
1658. - Town chose, for Commissioners to try small causes, Nicholas Browne, Peter Palfrey, and Wm. Cowdrey.
Town ordered " the minister's pay this year to be } in Wheat and Barley, 3 in Pease and Rye, and § in Butter and Indian."
The Court ordered, "that Lynn, Reading, and Rumney Marsh (Chelsea) have liberty to raise a troop of horse and choose their offi- cers, provided they be not ferry free, nor have five shillings yearly allowed them from the country as other troops have."
Forty-six persons were assessed this year to pay the minister.
Jeremiah Swayne, Sen", the father of Major Jeremiah, died.
This year the town ordered and agreed "that the meadows in the ' Two Mile Grant' shall be divided into three rows, from West to East ; and that we are to begin to lay out the lotts of meddow, at the East end of that row as lyeth next to Ipswich river and so to come West, and then the second row and so to go East, and then the third row to run West ; and then to take all meadow in the 'Four Miles ' at one row, and so to run it to the West part of our bounds."
Also ordered, "that there shall be a Highway of tenn poles broad left at each end of all those lotts of Upland beyond Ipswich river."
Names of the inhabitants of Redding, with the several plots of Up- land that were given to every man, as it fell to them by lott, on the north side of Ipswich river, with the number of akers, viz. (Feb. 14, 1658 or 9).
A.
P.
A.
P.
Wm. Cowdrey,
188
57
Thos. Clark,
277
30
Richard Walker,
200
57
Geo. Lilley,
40
IO
Wm. Hooper,
50
14
Nicholas Browne,
327
90
John Weston,
70
20
Nathan'l Cutler,
60
17
Walter Fairfield,
40
II Tho. Kendall,
214
0
John Buttery,
32
9
James Stimpson,
(illegible.)
Ezekiel Morrill,
47
13
Henry Felch,
Benja. Bellflower,
91
25
Matthew Edwards,
16
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
A.
P.
Wm. Laukin,
A. P. (illegible.)
John Bachelder,
226
O
(Name illegible),
Wm. Martin,
183
0
Wm. Eaton,
John Smith,
190
Tho. Burnap,
66
Samuel Haugh,
399
Jonas Eaton,
66
Robert Burnap, Jr.,
102
Zackery Fitch,
66
Tho. Taylor,
I20
Tho. Parker,
66
Henry Bellflower,
47
Edward Taylor,
Nath'l Cowdrey,
85
John Wyley,
66
James Pike,
40
Henry Wormwood,
66
Isaac Hart,
91
Peter Palfrey,
66
John Poole,
206
Samuel Dunton,
60
I6
Robt. Burnap, Sen.,
399
O
Geo. Davis,
204
52
John Browne,
47
O
John Damon,
43
II
Isaac Burnap,
40
O
Jonathan Poole,
145
36
John Brock,
40
O
Josiah Dustin,
II6
27
N. B. - The last two names seem to have been subsequently added. A great earthquake this year.
Isaac Hart admonished by the Court " for divers evill and naughty speeches against the Court."
1659. - " A highway was laid out this year through Zackery Fitch's lott, for a Town Highway for Cart and horse and foot-this highway is layd out from the Common to County highway, at the lower end of the lotts ; is to be a pole broad from the Common up to the white oak stump; and from thence to the other end of the lott, it is to be one pole and three quarters broad. Furthermore, it is agreed that Brother Fitch is to have the gate that the town made, and to hang it up, but the town to maintain it ; and Brother Fitch is to make another gate at his own charge, and to sett it up at the other end of the lott, and to main- tain it at his own charge.
" This is a perpetual agreement for us."
(N. B .- This is the highway over Fitch's Hill from Main to Vernon Streets.)
Wm. Cowdrey, of Reading, authorized to join parties in marriage.
" Redding being presented for not having a sufficient pound, are in- joyned to reforme before the next County Court under a penalty of £5, and are to pay costs of Court-25. 6d."
1661. - The town " did agree with Jonathan Poole, John Browne, Jr., Matthew Edwards, and Nath'l Cowdrey, about the Gallery, viz : that it should be taken down and sett up in the west side of the new Meeting-
17
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
house, but one seat broad, and the -, and five young men should sit in it so long as the town should see cause, and that the town should give them three pound."
The town ordered, " that John Smith, Jonathan Poole, John Browne, Jr., and Wm. Cowdrey, lay out the two mile grant and four mile grant beyond the river.".
Also ordered, "that there shall no upland be layd out on the South side of Ipswich river, nor given to any man for the time to come ; but it shall be for Common."
Also ordered, "that all the meadow that is common on the South side of Ipswich river, near to the hundred acres, shall be layd out to every inhabitant by equal proportion, as every one is in Mas. Haugh's levy in the year 1661, but none to John Browne of the hill, because he had 3 acres given to him the same day this order was made."
Mary Dyar, a quaker, was hung in 1660 ; and this year the Court ordered, "that hereafter, quakers, when discovered, shall be made bare from the middle upwards, tied to a cart, and whipped through the town towards the boundary of Massachusetts ; and if returning, that they shall be similarly punished, with the addition of being branded with the letter R. on the left shoulder ; and if coming back a third time, that they shall be banished on pain of death."
John Weston " admonished and to make public acknowledgment for challenging Thomas Clark in the field to fight."
1662. - March 30, Rev. Samuel Haugh, second minister of Reading, died at Boston. (See subsequent list of early settlers.)
The town ordered, " that no woman, maid nor boy nor gall shall sit in the south alley and east alley of the Meetinghouse, upon penalty of twelve pence for every day they shall sit in the alley after this present day."
Also, " that every dog, that comes to the meeting, after this present day, either on Lord's day or lecture-day, except it be their dogs, that pay for a dog whipper, the owner of those dogs shall pay sixpence for every time they come to the meeting."
The names of twenty-six men are recorded as agreeing to pay to the dog whipper.
Rev. John Brock came to Reading this year and was ordained No- vember 13th, as the successor of Rev. Mr. Haugh. There was given, by the town, "to Mas. Brock all the neck of land, that lyeth between the 200 acres, that were Mrs. Richard Sadler's and the meadow that is called Bare Meadow, provided that every man shall have free liberty to
3
18
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
fetch his hay out of Bare Meadow ; and a highway is to be layed out through this land to the meadow for that same purpose.
N. B. Mas. Brock did not accept of this land, but took "twenty pounds in lew of it." Sadler's neck, so called, is in North Reading, and is the tract of upland, lying on the south side of Ipswich River and between said river and Bare Meadow.
It was so named after Richard Sadler, of Lynn, who was Town Clerk of Lynn in 1641, and went back to England in 1646. Mr. Sadler owned at one time, it seems, 200 acres of the said tract.
January. The town ordered, "that all the land and meadow beyond. Ipswich river, that is given out into great lotts, shall be layed out be- tween this day and March come a twelve month ; and the men, that are to lay out this land and meadow, shall have two pence an acre, round, the man."
The town "sold to Tho. Tower of Redding, half an acre of land near to the lott of Josias Dustin for to sett his house upon, for which he is to give the town two pence. John Smith and Wm. Cowdrey were chosen to lay it out for him, where it shall be."
1663. - This year, Josselyn, an eccentric traveller, visited New Eng- land, and in his published account thereof says : "In the centre of the country, by a great pond side, and not far from Woburn, is situated Reading ; it hathe two mills, a saw mill and a corn mill, and is well stocked with cattell."
N. B. The corn mill stood near where the rattan factory now is, and the saw mill stood on the site of the mill formerly known as New- comb's mill, at the northerly end of Vernon Street, in South Reading.1 Both mills were originally built and owned by John Poole and his heirs.
January 26, there was an earthquake.
1664 .- The town "exchanged lands with Matthew Edwards, he paying 30 shillings and a gallon of liquor to boot."
'Town gave to John Smith, Jona. Poole, John Browne, and William Cowdrey, "all the Slip or Tract of land (if there be any) that lyeth be- tween the line that Bray Wilkins or his sons did run, which was the supposed line of Mas. Bellingham's Farm, and the line, that Maj. Haw- thorne and Ensign Howlett did agree to be the line, etc."
1 The reader is desired to bear in mind that wherever the name "South Read- ing " occurs, the present town of " Wakefield " is referred to.
19
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
1665. - A herdsman was appointed for taking care of the cattle upon the town commons, and for securing them from the wolves, and secur- ing the meadow, "that the cattell may not eat up and destroy in the Somer, what should be for them in the winter."
Deacons Tho. Kendall, Tho. Parker, and William Cowdrey were ap- pointed Commissioners for ending small causes.
Robert Burnap, Jr., was chosen Sealer of Weights and Measures.
1666. - The town ordered the Burying-place to be fenced in with pine rayles.
This was the first Burial-Ground, and was the spot of land in South Reading, now Wakefield, on which the old Town House and Yale Engine House stood in 1873.
This year " the Court laid out the Tract of land of the 'two miles,' formerly granted to the town, and confirmed the same."
The town ordered "that the 'Great Swamp,' and all other Swamps that are wett and fitt to make meadow, shall all be (divided) quantity and quality considered, to every man, according to each man's propor- tion."
Names of the inhabitants that drew land in the "Division of the Great Swamp," with their minister rates in the preceding year : -
s. d.
£
s. d.
Geo. Davis,
2
9
9 Nath'l Cowdrey,
I 15 7
John Browne,
I IO 5 Mas. Walker,
I IO
3
Ralph Dix,
I
4 4 Tho. Kendall,
2
I IO
Wm. Cowdrey,
I 18 I
Henry Felch,
I
6
9
Hananiah Parker,
O 19 3
Henry Bellflower,
O
IO
8
Henry, servant to John Smith, I
8
5 Geo. Thompson,
O
15 O
Jeremiah Swayne,
I 2
7 Nath'l Cutler,
O
16
9
John Bachelder, Jr.,
I
6
4 Geo. Lilley,
O
8
6
Tho. Clark,
I
I
6 Philip McIntire,
O
O
IO
Joseph Fitch,
I
I
6 · John Poole,
2
14
5
Abr'm Bryant,
O
16
I Josiah Dustin,
I
O
O
John Browne of the hill,
I
2
II John Damon,
O
18 8
Josiah Browne,
O
15 8
2
James Boutwell,
O
12
3
Tho. Taylor,
I
3
Tho. Dustin,
I
19
8
John Bachelder, Sen.,
I
6
5 John Eaton,
I
I
3
John Wyley,
I
9
3
Benja. Smith,
I
6
5
Nicholas Browne,
I
18
7 John Buttery,
O
9
9
Cornelius Browne,
O
12
8 James Pike,
I
4
7
Samuel Fitch,
O
17
2 Edward Taylor,
2
I
O
Henry Merrow,
I
I
9 Robert Burnap, Sen.,
3
2
3
Benjamin Fitch,
I II
5 Robert Burnap, Jr.,
I IO
2
20
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
£. S.
6. S . d.
Fdward Marshall,
0
II
8 Tho. Burnap,
O 12 9
John Parker,
O
18
5 Isaac Hart,
I
6
0
Jonas Eaton, 3
16 6 Mas. John Brock,
3
16
6
Nath'l Goodwin,
0 17
8 Richard Nichols,
I
5
2
James Stimpson,
O 13
6 Tho. Hodgman,
William Eaton,
I 10 II
John Weston, O
19
Tho. Hartshorn, I
9
Sam Dunton, Jr.,
7
O
Richard Harnden,
O II
N. B. - Matthew Edwards, Wm. Hooper, Tho. Colson, Tho. Hodgman, Samuel Dunton, and Jona. Poole, did not draw land at that time, for the reason, probably, that they had received special grants.
The above table shows, not only who were inhabitants at this date, but their relative standing as to property.
1667. - This year the town ordered and agreed "that all the privi- leges of land, timber and commons shall belong unto the present houses, now erected, and to no other, that shall be erected hereafter."
There were at this time, already erected, fifty-nine houses, owned as follows : -
John Bachelder,
Henry Bellflower,
James Boutwell,
John Brock (3 privileges), John Browne, Sen.,
Josiah Dustin, Jonas Eaton, William Eaton, John Eaton, Henry Felch,
Richard Sutton, Jeremiah Swayne, Jonathan Poole,
Josiah Browne, Abr'm Bryant,
Joseph Felch,
Thos. Taylor,
Thos. Burnap,
Samuel Fitch,
George Thompson,
Robert Burnap,
Isaac Hart, Daniel Hartshorn,
Thos. Clark,
Wm. Cowdrey,
Nathaniel Cowdrey,
Nathaniel Cutler,
John Damon,
Henry Merrow,
John Weston, John Wiley.
Benja. Davis, Joseph Davis,
Tho. Parker (2),
Hananiah Parker,
John Parker, James Pike, John Smith, Benj. Smith, James Stimpson,
John Browne, Jr.,
Nicholas Browne,
Cornelius Browne,
Benja. Fitch,
Edward Taylor,
Robert Burnap, Jr.,
Tho. Hodgman, Wm. Hooper, Tho. Kendall, George Lilley,
Tho. Tower, Tho. Hartshorn, Richard Nichols, Matthew Edwards, Nathaniel Goodwin,
1668. - The town ordered, "that no man after this date shall come into the town, here to inhabit, without the consent of the town ; but he shall put in security, to secure the town of all charges that shall come thereby."
Ralph Dix, Samuel Dunton, Samuel Dunton, Jr ,
7 4 d.
2I
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
This year the town made the following agreement with Jonathan Poole, who lived on the site of Wakefield's rattan factory : "The town of Reading doth give to the aforesaid Jonathan Poole and to his heirs and assigns, free liberty of the river, that now the Corn Mill stands upon, without molestation from any other, so long as the said Jonathan Poole, his heirs and assigns, shall keep the said Mill in good and sufficient case to grind the town's corn only (except there be suffi- cient water to grind out of town's men's corn), and to maintain the same from time to time, at his own cost and charge. And to keep the Millhouse in such repair as may secure men's corn and meal, and to clear the river to the Mill from time to time, at his own cost and charge. This sufficiency of grinding, we mean so much as the water will grind, with the best husbandry as may be used."
1669. - Town ordered, " that a bounty of twenty shillings be offered for every wolf killed in Reading for the ensuing seven years."
Town agreed concerning the Great Swamp, "that all the wood that grows on any man's lott, shall be free For our townsmen to cutt, and so to be for Common Forever ; Provided they cutt not down any marked trees, that are between man and man ; neither shall any man fire the wood that is on his own lands, but it shall grow there until the owner or some of the townsmen shall make use of it; and he that cutts the wood shall cutt up Butt and Top."
1671. - Benja. Davis was chosen Clerk of the Market, or Sealer of Weights and Measures.
Josiah Dustin, an original settler, died.
Thomas Clark, Ordinary Keeper at Redding, convicted on his own confession of suffering disorderly persons in his house at an unreason- able time of night, and of threatening the Grand Jury, was sentenced to pay 15 shill and 5 pence.
Silvester Haye and Elijah Browne, for wanton dalliances, were whipt.
Tho. Hodgman and his wife, Cornelius Browne, John Wiley, Sam'l Dunton, and Sarah Eaton, "for their uncivill carriages in an unseason- able time of night at Tho. Clarke's house, were admonished and fined costs."
1672. - Town ordered, "that if any man shall entertain any dog or bitch, and if they shall come to the meeting, contrary to the town's order, they shall either pay according to the town's order, or else, - shall forthwith hang him until he is dead."
22
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
The Court ordered, "that all such women, as are convicted before any proper Court or Magistrate, for Railing or Scolding, shall be gagged, or set in a ducking stool and dipped over head and ears three times, in some convenient place of fresh or salt water, as the Court shall order."
Saml Dunton and wife were summoned to Court to answer "for not coming to the publique worship of God on the Lordsday."
1673. - This year the term "Wood End," as applied to what is now Reading, first occurs in the town records.
Town ordered, "that all owners of stone wall shall make some Fence upon the stone wall, for the keeping of sheep from doing damage, upon penalty of ten shillings."
Also ordered, "that every inhabitant shall have a sufficient ladder to his chimney, within one month, upon penalty of 10 shillings."
Nicholas Brown and Wm. Eaton, early settlers, died.
1674. - Town ordered, " that there shall be but one town meeting in a year, except upon a special occasion."
Jonas Eaton and George Thompson, early settlers, died.
Samuel Dunton of Redding, appearing before the Court and being convicted of bringing up his children in a rude, irreligious, profane, and barbarous manner, contrary to the word of God and the laws of the Commonwealth, the Court doth order "that the Selectmen of said town do take care to dispose of the children of said Dunton to service or apprenticeship, as they may be capable, and in case they be obstructed therein through the refractiveness and stubbornness in parents or chil- dren, they are to inform the Court, who will proceed with them accord- ing to law by committing them to the House of Correction until they will learn to submit themselves ; and the said Dunton is ordered to pay costs." Mary Pike, for fornication, sentenced to be whipt or fined.
1675. - This year commenced the famous Indian War, known as " King Philip's War."
The town of Reading were required to furnish their quota for the Massachusetts troops. Among those who entered the service from this town were: Jeremiah Swayne, Major ; Jonathan Poole, Captain and Quarter-Master ; Tho. Bancroft, Samuel Lamson, David Bachelder, James Case, Samuel Damon, Gabriel Taylor, Thomas Nichols, William Roberts, Nicholas Lunn, John Arnold, William Arnold, William Rob- bins, Thomas Brown, Ebenezer Flint, Daniel Flint, Joseph Hartshorn,
23
OF THE TOWN OF READING.
John Weston, Richard Smith, and probably others. Samuel Haugh, son of Rev. Samuel Haugh, was impressed, but hired a substitute.
William Cowdrey, Jona. Poole, Jeremy Swayne, Robert Burnap, and Tho. Parker, petitioned the Court, "that, whereas the Iron Works at Lynn stop fish from coming up to refresh and relieve the people, some- thing may be done to remedy the matter."
Of a Colony rate of £1553 6s. 4d., ordered by Court, Reading paid £16 9s. IId. Of forty-nine towns in the Colony assessed, twenty-eight were higher, and twenty lower than Reading.
1676. - The following petition was presented to the Governor and Council : -
" Your humble petitioners desire to present something for the good of the town -
" Ist. That, if your Honors see cause, to give power to stay our inhabitants to- gether; otherwise we judge it may weaken the whole and hazard the town.
"2d. To give power to let land, not improved, to persons in want.
"3d. Then when your Honors shall see cause, to draw off the out towns, that our town may receive some more inhabitants, to strengthen us to stand as a frontier town ; whereas if they draw into the inner towns, we remain still weak, and so must come in one after another.
" 4th. Having soldiers out at several towns, whether and when it may be expedient to have them home, our town being weak and possibly shortly like to be a frontier.
" JONATHAN POOLE. THOMAS BANCROFT."
John Damon was appointed Lieutenant of Reading company.
To show the feeling of alarm and apprehension existing at this time among the people of Massachusetts, occasioned by the bold and bloody raids into the colony of the hostile Indians, it may be mentioned "that several considerable persons made application to the Court, and pro- posed it as a necessary expedient for the public welfare, and particularly for the security of the whole county of Essex and part of Middlesex from inroads of the common enemy, that a line or fence of stockades or stones (as the matter best suiteth), be made about eight feet high, extending from Charles river, where it is navigable, unto Concord river, from Geo. Farley's house in Billerica ; which fence, the Council were informed, would not be above twelve miles, a good part whereof is already done by large ponds that will conveniently fall into the line, by which means the whole tract will be environed for the security and safety (under God) of the people, their houses, goods and cattle, from the rage and fury of the enemy."
The Court ordered, " that one able and fit man from each of the
24
GENEALOGICAL HISTORY
included towns should meet at Cambridge to survey the ground, esti- mate the expense, etc."
Many of the towns erected "Garrison houses," as they were called, which were large, strongly-built houses, with thick plank walls and sur- rounded with palisades, into which the people, upon a sudden alarm, might retire and defend themselves. Such a building was erected at this time in what is now North Reading, on the farm of Geo. Flint, one of the earliest settlers of that part of Reading, and tradition says " the marks of Indian bullets might be long seen upon the doors."
Indeed, many other houses, built about this time, had plank walls inlaid with brick, for the same purpose of affording a place of security in case of a hostile attack.
The Council sent the following order to Capt. Swain of Redding : -
"Capt. Swain : - The Council having taken into consideration the present state of matters, as to the common enemy, do judge meet to order that forthwith upon receipt of this, you garrison, and as soon as may be draw up the garrison soldiers, under your command, of the towns of Hadley, Hatfield, Springfield and Westfield, and with them to march to Deerfield and the places thereabouts and then search for and destroy the common enemy, etc."
1677. - "A motion from Redding, 23-3-1677." (Copied verbatim from Mass. Records.)
"To the Honourable General Court, boath Governor and Majistrates, with the Deputies, now sitting in Boston : -
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