USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Holliston > Genealogical register of the inhabitants and history of the towns of Sherborn and Holliston, 1856 > Part 39
USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sherborn > Genealogical register of the inhabitants and history of the towns of Sherborn and Holliston, 1856 > Part 39
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To the Honoured Gov. & Deputy Gov., with the rest of the assistants & deputyes of the Generall Court of his Majesty's Colony of the Mas- sachusets, in New England, now sitting in Boston this seventh day of October, 1674 :
The petition of diverse of the Inhabitants & proprietors of lands at or near Bogestow-
Humbly sheweth, Whereas the Lord who hath appointed unto all men the bounds of their habitations to dwell on the earth, hath by the good hand of Providence planted neere twenty families already settled on farmes formerly granted unto severall by the Honoured Gennerall Court in this part of the wildernesse called Boggestow, & neere there- unto, besides some other farmes, not yet Improved, lying between the bounds of Naticke & Meadfeild, & upon the west of both, which probably may shortly be emprooved also ; & whereas your humble petitioners, that have for some years lived at Boggestow & there abouts, amongst other difficultyes have not found it our least to goe to meeting on the Lord's day unto Meadefeild, by reason not only of the distance from theare, and the leaving of severall at home, but also in regard of the dif- ficulty in passing over the water betwext in winter seasons & times of floods, which sometimes prooves hazardous to health & life ; wherefore for our releife herein, and that wee may not wholly omit our duty what in us lyeth to spread the Gospel in this wildernesse by the procuring of the ministry of the Word amongst ourselves, not only for our owne edification & consolation, but also that after us God & the Word of his grace may be to our posterity a standing refuge ; wherefore for our encouragement in this worke, & for the better regulating of affayres amongst us, we your petitioners do humbly crave the favourable help of this Honoured Court, first that this Court will be pleased to grant unto your petitioners
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
all those parcells of common or countrey lands that lyeth between the bounds of Meadfeild & the bounds of Naticke, & so at the west end of Meadfeild & Naticke bounds, so much of the country lands as conteynt six miles square ; and secondly, that this Court would be pleased to grant that all the farmes & lands of your petitioners, & all the other farmes, improved or not improved, lying betweene the bounds of Mead- feild & the bounds of Naticke, with the quantity of land of six miles square of the wildernesse land, and all those farmes formerly granted falling within that tract of land as may [be ] layed out, may be by this Hon- oured Court made a towne, & that the name thereof may be [-], and your petitioners shall ever be your remembrancers. And further your petitioners humbly desire leave that this Court would grant unto us liberty of Naticke Indians to purchase, by way of exchange of lands or otherwise, for pay, two miles in breadth of their lands on the south side of their bounds from the west bounds of the farm of Daniel Morse unto the west end of Naticke bounds, and also that this Court would be pleased to grant us freedome from country rates for 7 years, or such time as this Court shall please.
JOSEPH MORSE, HENRY ADAMS,* SAMUEL BULLEN, BENJ. BULLARD, THO. HOLBROOKE,
JOHN HILL, HENRY LALAND,
THO. BRECK (his mark),
GEO. FAIRBANK, DANIEL MORSE,
JOHN PERRY, DANIEL MORSE, JR., JONATHAN MORSE, OBADIAH MORSE, JOHN BULLEN, < JONATHAN WOOD.
" At a General Court, held at Boston, Oct. 7, 1674 .- In answer to the Petition of the Inhabitants and proprietors of Land near Bogestow, the Court, Oct. 21, granted the Petitioners the quantity of Six miles square, not exceeding eight miles in length, to take in as many Farms with the vacant Lands adjoining or intermixed therewith as that quan- tity of Land will admitt ; provided that none of the Farmers shall have any part of the aforesaid vacant Land now granted by this Court ;- but the said Land to be distributed amongst such other persons as will come to inhabit in the said Town as the major part of the Farmers think meet ; provided that there be a Farm of 200 Acres of meet land re- served, and by Captain Fisher laid out for a Farm for the Country ;
* Henry Adams was of Medfield, but signed the petition as a proprietor and occu- pier. The remainder were residents.
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
and that no Man shall have allotted above fifty Acres, till there be twen- ty new families settled there, and then the whole that is free to be dis- posed of as the major part of the Inhabitants, capable by law to vote, shall judge meet. And the name of the Town to be called Shearborn. A true Coppy attested.
EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary."
The form of the township, when laid out, was very peculiar. The original S. line of Natick was directed to be drawn 4 miles Westerly from Charles River, or the house of Nicholas Wood, which stood 13 rods S. of Holbrook's mills, and it extended W. to a rock on Jasper Hill W. of the Comb manufactory in Holliston. From this " corner" or " Jasper Rock" the W. line of Natick extended N. Westerly to Sud- bury River to a point 4 miles in a straight line S. W. of " the wading place" on Cochituate Brook, supposed to have been not far from its mouth. When, therefore, Sherborn was protracted, it must, in form, have resembled a hand card with its handle between Natick and Medfield, about 1 mile wide, and with its blade W. of those towns extending N. to Sudbury R. and S. to Charles R. and the N. line of Bellingham, then a part of Dedham. It included the S. W. quarter of Ashland, except 500 acres between Sudbury R. and Cold Spring Brook, the East- ern third of Hopkinton, and the E. part of Milford, then Mendon. But when the survey was found to have " intrenched" upon a previous grant, and Mendon corner had been taken out, its form next resembled the arms of a wind-mill with the North and West arms conjoined. Af- ter an exchange of the N. W. quarter of the township for the S. part of Natick, the form was more convenient, but hardly more comely.
As the petitioners modestly refrained from proposing any name for their town, the G. C. are presumed, as in similar instances, to have as- signed the name of the native place of some settler or proprietor. Sherborn, after which it is named, is an ancient, large and well inhabited town in the N. part of Dorsetshire, 40 miles W. by S. from Salsbury, and 118 W. by S. from London .* Present population about 2,000. It was formerly a place of much distinction, where some of the an- cient Saxon kings were buried, and where a monastery existed. It was at a later day rendered famous as the place where the prime nobil- ity met William, Prince of Orange, and welcomed him to the throne of England. Other circumstances almost prove that some of the sires of the first planters were from Dorsetshire; and Sherborn was not improbably the birth-place of some prominent settler or proprietor, and most likely of Henry Adams, then a venerable member of the G. C., from Medfield, and the most distinguished of the petitioners and proprie- tors. Six weeks after the passage of the above act the records of the town commence.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE TOWN, AND GENERAL COURT.
Sherborn, 1674-5, Jan. 4th .- Assembled for the ordering the affairs of Shearborn, Daniel Morse, George Fairbanks, Robert Badcock, Henry
*Some antiquarians derive the name of Sherborn from the Saxon words Scine brun- denoting pure water. If this etymology is correct, it is most appropriately applied to our town.
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Adams, Thomas Holbrook, Benjamin Bullard, John Hill, Henry La- land, Joseph Morse, Obediah Morse, Daniel Morse, jr., Jonathan Morse, John Perry, Jonathan Wood. Thomas Eames is accepted as an inhabi- tant of Shearborn.
At this meeting Committees were appointed, to take a view of the Land for the laying out of the Courts grant ; to agree with Thomas Thurston, Surveyor, for the laying out that Tract of Land-and assist the measurer about laying out the Land, &c. Also, Henry Adams, Robert Badcock & Thomas Eames are required to treat with Capt. Gooken and whom it may concern else, for the purchasing of some Na- tick Land to the accommodating the Plantation, and to make return to the Company.
Sherborn, 1675 .- March 8th-Assembled for the ordering the affairs of Sherborn. " Voted to raise fifty shillings for the Surveyor for his work." At this Meeting Committees were chosen "to take a view where to add to the grants of Land what is yet wanting to make up the complement, and to take a view of Natick Land, for the exchanging with them."
But the consent of the G. C. was first to be obtained, and on their records the following act occurs, dated May 12, 1675 :- " In answer to the petition of Henry Adams, in the name and by appointment of the far- mers and petitioners of Sherborne, it is ordered that Capt. Daniel Fisher, Sarjant Richard Ellis, and Sarjant Tho. Thurston, of Meadfield, be a Committee to see the said exchange performed to mutual consent of par- ties ; and Capt. Gookin and Mr. Eliot, on behalf of the Indians, and to consider the equality of their other request, [probably the offer of £50 to boot,] provided Natick bounds be first layd out and agreed upon, and pre- sented perfected to this Committee by the 1st of Sept. next, however, that the Committee go on to perfect the plantation by the next session making their report to this Court."
Philip's war broke out immediately afterwards, and suspended for nearly two years all further action relative to the town. Alarmed for the safety of their lives, the inhabitants prepared for the murderous visit to which they were peculiarly exposed. Their two garrisons were doubtless put in order, and every man, woman and boy trained to handle a musket and watch against surprise from an enemy who knew no honor or mercy. Of their situation let imagination conceive. Surely the pains of fear and suspense which they must have endured would have worn out any but the stoutest hearts and the most determined purposes. But they meditated no retreat, as appears from the following note, ad- dressed, as is supposed, to Maj. Gen. John Leverett, then Governor, and found in the Sec'y of State's office :-
" May it please your Worship,
Prostrating my humble service to your Worship, I made bold lately to request your help of 4 men to be the garrison at my house which is for my family and my sons with me, most being married men; I humbly prosecute my request that so it
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
might be that I might have 4 men out of Medfield, and that Edward West and Benjamin Fisk (sons-in-law) might be two of them, they living in the remote part of Medfield next my farme and they being willing to come if liberty by authority were given that they might be imprest by authority to be ready when I shall call for them. Thus I make bold, humbly begging the everlasting blessing and constant presence of the Almighty to be with your Worship. So prays
Your humble servant, DANIEL MORSE, Sen'r,
" Sherborne, 26, 11, 1675-6. " Granted for the present." (See also p. 24.)
In the name of my sons.
Although only one house was burnt in S. by the enemy, the inhabi- tants suffered the loss of 5 or 6 lives, (see p. 79 and 264) and of pro- perty to such an amount that they were included in the act of the G. C. ordering them and the people of Medfield a remittance of £120.
Sherborn 1676-7 .- March 15th-Then was Obediah Morse chosen to keep the Records of Sherborn. It was the mind of the Inhabitants and their desire that Capt. Fisher should be treated with, that He would be helpful, or undertake the settlement of the Plantation.
G. C. Record, Jan. 24th, 1676, [pr. 1676-7.]-It being pro- pounded in Court at Nonantum to have a parcel of land belonging to Natick encompassed by Mr. Danforth, Goodman Death and John Stone, on three parts, it was consented that this parcel shall be included with the land Sherborn men have in exchange from Natick. This tract was bounded W. by Washacum and Farm ponds, now in Fram., N. by Sud. River, E. by the lands of Stone and Death which lay W. of Cochituate lake and brook. Death's farm was subsequently annexed to S.
1676 .- 2d m. 13th day-Assembled to prepare for the exchange of Land between Natick and Sherborn, as encouragement has been given at the Court by Mr. Eliot and Major Gookin.
3d month, 9th day .- At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Sherborn, The Committee chosen by the General Court being then with us-The Committee enquiring where was the place intended for a Meetinghouse. It was then voted and agreed on that the place intended for a Meetinghouse should be on a parcel of Land joining or bordering on the Land of the late Nicolas Wood and Capt. Hull's Farm .- Capt Hull's house stood a few rods W. of Mr. Thos. Bickford's, and the spot agreed upon was on the top of the hill about 20 rods N. E. of the New South burying ground.
Voted that propositions should be made to Maj. Gookin and Mr. Eliot and to the Indians in referring to the exchange of Lands between Natick and Sherborn, as to give Fifty Pounds in current pay and as much Land as a Committee of the General Court shall think meet.
Report of the Committee of the General Court.
At a General Court held at Boston, 28th of May, 1677.
We, whose names are subscribed, being appointed by the Gen. Court to consider the case referring to the petition of Sherborn about exchang-
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
ing of Lands with the Indians and other things contained in that Peti- tion, in pursuant whereof & obedience whereunto, being desired by Sher- born the 1st of the III mo., 1677, when we expected major Gookin & Mr. Eleot with some Indians : but waiting some time, only two Indians came with a paper from Mr. Eliot, by which we understood nothing was likely to be done. But taking notice of the order referring to the pur- chasing the Plantation, we find there is but little or no Country Land near the place where they intend to sett their Meetinghouse.
2d. " As to the farmes adjacent we conceive all those, in Medfield bounds that were granted by this Court and received nothing from Med- field, shall be accounted and liable to all charges and take up priviledges in Sherborn : those in Natick bounds, all the Petitioners Lands shall be accounted Inhabitants in Sherborn, and all other Farms that are nighest Sherborn Meetinghouse, shall be likewise in the bounds of Sherborn, and do duty and receive priviledges therein : but we doubt whether they be like to a Town, if some considerable tract of Land be not procured from the Indians, either by exchange or purchase or both.
Your Honors humble servants,
DANIEL FISHER, RICHARD ELLICE, THOMAS THURSTON.
23 3mo. (77)
The Court approves of this Returne provided always, that the tract of waste Lands, situate and lying indifferently accommodable for Sud- bury and Marlborough as well as Sherborn and are now belonging to Thomas Danforth, Esq., Dep. Governor, be excepted.
A true Coppy. Attest, EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.
Sherborn, July 31, 1677 .- Voted and agreed to by all of us from this time to improve the Liberty of a Town in a Civil Body that the honored Court and Laws of our Country gives to us. At this meeting it was voted that Edward West, as Sergeant, should take the care of the Military in Sherborn.
7 mo .- Voted if any of the Inhabitants shall neglect to attend Town meetings appointed and being warned of it, shall be under the penalty of 3s. 4d. for every such offence, to be for Town use.
G. C. Rec., Oct. 7, 1678 .- Granted Sherborn inhabitants freedom from one single rate in a year during the term of three years now next coming, provided they be supplied with an able minister there.
Sh., 1677-8th Month 26th day. Then was consultation and con- sideration in way of preparation for a Minister, &c.
Voted to raise thirty pounds per year by the present Inhabitants, one third part to be paid in money, and two thirds to be in current country pay as may be raised by us. N. B. Only 15 persons were present when the above vote passed.
Sherborn, '78-11 mo .- 1 day .- Voted that five men be chosen as Se- lectmen, Daniel Morse, sen., Geo. Fairbanks, Edw. West, Thomas Eames, Obediah Morse chosen to keep the Records or as a Clark. N. B. This was the first time the Town chose Selectmen who stood for 10 years.
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
Voted That the first second day of January should be from year to year held to be a public meeting for the public affairs of S.
Sh., 1779 .- 13th mo. In reference to the settleing a Minister ; Voted, that we shall pay to the Maintainance of the Minister £40 per year by the Inhabitants; £20 in money & £20 in good country pay as is most suitable to the Minister and to build a suitable house.
Voted, that Daniel Morse, sen., Thomas Eames, Henry Lealand, and Edward West be chosen as a committee to act as the town for the set- tleing the Minister amongst us, Mr. Gooking or some other Minister as God shall direct.
Voted, to Ewd. West that in case he do stay in Sherburn one year from the date hereof then he shall have that land and meadow formerly granted to him by the Town, in the same state as the Petitioners land is ; if the Town have not a Minister settled. If there be a Minister settled, then to be in the same state and condition with other Inhab- itants.
July 18th .- At a meeting &c. to choose a Committee to treat with Mr. Nathaniel Gookings to settle amongst us. Then was chosen this Committee, Daniel Morse, sen., George Fairbanks, Thomas Eames, En- sign Bullen, to act representing the Town to engage & settle a Minister amongst us.
7 mo. 18th .- Voted, That this Committee Capt. Prentice, Deacon John Stone, & Mr. William Bond which are chosen by the Councell 12th present month to act according to the Law published since the last ses- sion, in 19th this present month this Committee conserning the place they have determined for the settled place for the Meetinghouse. For their satisfaction desiring should be voted by the Inhabitants of the town, the place voted was and thereby determined on a hill. Mr. the Committee and the Inhabitants made a second stand to look about on that account near Edwards Plain.
8 mo. 29 .- Then was chosen four Men to be undertakers for our- selves in building a suitable House for a Minister, viz. Edward West, Thomas Eames, Joseph Morse & John Hill, these 4 to call others to as- sist in that work as they shall see meet, and as Men are capable to help. Also, that all shall bear equal charges on their house Lots according to their proportion of Acres.
And concerning the Ministers House that is to be built it is voted and concluded that it shall be built according as is agreed with the 4 Men chosen as undertakers to see it done. The length 38 feet the breath 20 feet.
It was also concluded that the undertakers shall see that this House be covered and inclosed by the last of May next ; and that this house be thoroughly finished by the last of September next.
Also, that the place concluded upon by the Committee for the Meet- inghouse near Edwards plain be reserved for the accommodation thereof to the quantity of 20 rods square as may suit.
3
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
SOCIAL COMPACT OF SHERBORN ADOPTED.
1679. " For as much as the further promulgation of the Gospel, the subdueing this part of the Earth, among the rest given to the Sons of Adam, and the enlargement of the bounds of the habitations formerly designed by God for some of His people in this wilderness; It hath pleased the Lord to move and direct the much Honoured Gen. Court to grant a tract of land in the land adjoining to or near the place called Bogestow with the Farms therein laid as is judged a meet place for the erceting and settleing of a Town."
" We the persons whose names are next under written, for the pre- vention of questions and mistakes, disorders and contentions that might otherwise arise, do order and determine and resolve as fol- loweth."
1. " That all persons whatsoever, that shall receive lands by grant from the said Town now called Sherborne, shall become subject to all such Orders in every part and point of Town Government, as are at present, or hereafter by the authority of the said Town shall be made and appointed for the ordering, regulating, or governing thereof: Pro- vided they be not repugnant to the Orders, or any Orders of the general Court from time to time. And that every such Grantee, shall for the firm engagement of himself and his successors, thereunto subscribe his name to our Town Book, or otherwise, his grant made to him shall be of none effect."
2. " That if questions, differences, or contentions should fall out or arise in any manner or way in our Society, or betwixt any party therein ; that they shall really endeavour, to resolve and issue the same even in the most practicable way and manner, by Refference, Arbitration, or some other like means before it shall come to any place of publick Judicature except it be in our own Town."
3. " That we shall all of us in the said Town faithfully endeavour that only such shall be received to our society and Township as we may have sufficient satisfaction that they are honest, peaceable, and free from Seandal and erroneous opinions."
4. " That none of the inhabitants aforesaid or our successors at any time hereafter for the space of seven years from the date hereof upon any pretence whatsoever without the consent of the Selectmen for the time being first had and obtained, shall alienate, Let, assign or set over for the space of seven whole years any part or parcel of Land formerly granted to him or them by the Town, except to some formerly accepted of by our society ; always provided that this shall in no sort prejudice or hinder any Heirs at Common Law." (signed)
Edward West, Daniel Gookin, Ephraim Bullen, Benjamin Bullard, William Sheffield, Moses Adams, John Holbrook, Joseph Morse, Benj. Twitchell, Jonathan Whitney, Jr., Thomas Holbrook, Joseph Twitchell, Eleazer Wood, Jonathan Morse, Abraham Cusanes, Thomas Hol- brook, Jr., John Death, Walter Shephard, William Rider, John Perry, Benoni Learned, Eleazer Fairbanks, Hopestill Lealand, Nathan-
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
iel Morse, Obediah Morse, Thomas Sawin, William Goddard, Thomas Breck, Benjamin Whitney, Ebenezer Lealand, Nathaniel Johnson, John Coolidge.
1679 .- Articles of agreement between Daniel Morse, sen., Thomas Eames, Henry Lealand and Obediah Morse in behalf of the Town of Sherborne on the one part. Wabon, Pimbow, Thomas Tray, John Awonssamage, sen., Peter Ephraim and Daniel Takawombpait on be- half of the Town of Natick on the other part, concluded and agreed upon this sixteen day of April, 1679.
Whereas, It hath pleased the general Court by their Order bearing date May 12th, 1679, to give leave to the People of Sherborn to pur- chase by way of exchange, from the people of Natick, a quantity of Land belonging to Natick, for their furtherance and promoting of Sher- born Plantation.
2. The people of Sherborne above named in behalf of the rest, do de- sire about Four Thousand Acres as it is Plotted, described and bounded on the Northeast with Natick : on the Southeast Southwest and West by Sherborn, on the West and Northwest with a Farm belonging to Mr. Danforth.
3. In compensation for the same, they agree to give by way of ex- change the like quantity of Land be it 4,000 acres more or less, lying and being adjoining to Mauguncoog Indian Hill, which Land was grant- ed unto Sherborn by the general Court of Massachusetts ; moreover they do promise and covenant to pay unto the persons above named, their Heirs or Assigns, the full and just quantity of 200 bushels of In- dian Grain to be paid one half in hand or at demand, and the other half the last of March next ensuing. Moreover, they are willing that Peter Ephraim do enjoy the Land he hath broken up within that Tract of Land they are to have of Natick, at a place called Brush Hill, and to add thereunto so much more as may make the Lot 12 Acres, with an equal proportion of Meadow, to enjoy to him the said Peter Ephraim and his Heirs and Assigns forever ; but to be under the government of the Township of Sherborne as the English Are.
4th, Also, we agree & consent that on the Lands we are to have of Natick there be a Lot of Fifty Acres sett out where the Commissioners of the Colonies, Major Gookin and Mr. Eliott, and Indian Rulers shall choose within that Tract of Land, to be appropriated forever to the use of a free School for teaching the English and Indian Children there, the English Tongue & other Sciences.
In witness whereof, &c.,
Witnessed by DANIEL GOOKIN, NATHL. GOOKIN, EDW'D. WEST.
Signed as above.
Coppy attested by DANIEL GOOKIN, Senr.
In answer to a motion in behalf of Sherborn Inhabitants this Court does ratify and allow of the exchange of Lands made as abovesaid.
Attest, EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.
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HISTORY OF SHERBORN.
'79 .- At a meeting of the Inhabitants of Sherborne, in reference to exchange of Land with Natick : for the paying of 200 bushels of Corn to boot, &c. 18 persons present.
Daniel Morse for his Farm do engage 25 bushels of Indian Corn this year. Thomas Eames and that Corner of the Town, 25 bushels. Henry Lealand 25 bushels, others assisting him-and in case the other quarter cannot be defrayed, then Obediah Morse do engage for the other quar- ter upon the desire and promise others to bear him out in either Corn in wheat or money ; to be paid wheat at 5s. per bushel, money at reason . able abatement." Ensign Bullen and Henry Lealand are chosen a Committee with the Selectmen to grant home Lots to those that are come amongst us.
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