USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Historical collections, Vol. I > Part 9
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This shows that through the information received from some
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REFORMATION IN FRANCE.
of the members and associates which carried into effect this . ill-fated Huguenot enterprise, on the southern coast of this republic, the efforts of the English were directed to more southern latitudes, and the result was the founding of the first English colony in North America, which, as a reasonable prob- ability, prevented the acquisition of this great southern part of the present territory of the United States by the Spaniards, or perhaps by the Catholic French, by extending their posses- sions east over the same, from their settlements along the Mississippi river and Florida.
Besides being the first in the field in planting a colony on this southern coast, the Huguenots were the first to establish permanent colonies in New France, or what is now known as the Canadas and Nova Scotia.
While John Verrazzani, a Florentine, under the patronage of Francis I, of France, explored all the coast of this republic from near Cape Hatteras to Nova Scotia, in the year 1524, touching the coast of North Carolina, and entering the harbors of New York and Newport, Rhode Island ; and while James Cartier, a mariner of St. Malo, discovered the great river of Canada in 1534, and at different times sailed up its channel and discovered the island of Hochelaga, now known as Mon- treal, so named by this explorer in the year 1535-yet neither attempted to plant colonies, but acted simply the part of discoverers.
But finally in 1541-'42 an actual attempt was made to plant a colony on the banks of the St. Lawrence, when a fort was built near the present site of the city of Quebec.
In this last enterprise Cartier was appointed Captain-Gen- eral and Chief Pilot, as an associate with Francis de la Roque, of Picardy, and Lord of Roberval, a person of distinction, who received the commission and title of Lord of Norimbega, a name given to all this northern region ; yet, with all his high
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titles and the efforts of this generalissimo, they failed to estab- lish colonies.
In this condition this northern country remained ; and, in fact, with the exception of the Spanish colony at St. Angus- tine, the result of the Huguenot enterprise before related, more than forty years elapsed before any successful attempt was made to establish a colony in any part of North America, north of the above-named colony, by Spain. As Mr. Bancroft has expressed it,
" This Huguenot colony at the South sprang from private enterprise ; a government which could devise the Massacre of St. Bartholomew was neither worthy nor able to found new States."
" At length, under the mill and tolerant reign of Henry IV, the star of France emerged from the clouds of blood, treachery, and civil war, which had so long eclipsed her glory."
The number and importance of the fishing stages had increased ; in 1578 there were 150 French vessels at New- foundland, and regular voyages for traffic with the natives began to be successfully made. One French mariner, before 1609, had made more than forty voyages to the North Ameri- can coast. Colonization was again attempted in 1598, but the enterprise entirely failed.
Finally, after some other movements for this purpose, a commission was issued by Henry IV to a Huguenot, the able, patriotic, and honest Governor of Pons, Pierre du Gua, Sieur de Monts. To him was granted the monopoly of the fur trade in all parts of North America, lying between Cape Race, in Newfoundland, up to the fiftieth degree of north latitude, inclusive. All Huguenots or French Protestants, it was or- dained, were to enjoy in America, as then in France under the Ediet of Nantes, full freedom of their public religious wor- ship. Much good was expected to result from this enterprise to be conducted by the able and honest Sieur de Monts ; nor were the public or his patron, King Henry IV, disappointed.
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De Monts was distinguished as one ever zealous for the glory of his country. His ships, with emigrants, embarked at Havre de Grace in March 1604 ; Samnel de Champlain as the naviga- tor. They sailed towards Acadia, which M. de Monts preferred to Canada, because of its milder climate, and which was then the chief place of resort for the French fur trade, and was con- sidered at this time the finest country of New France. They at last arrived on the coast, and entered the Bay of Fundy, and finally the bay, now at Annapolis, but named by Baron Jean de Pontrincourt, who with his family were of the com- pany, Port Royal. From here they sailed to the entrance of the St. Croix river, and decided to make a settlement on an island at the mouth of the same, which proved unsatisfactory, but after remaining here through the winter abandoned the place, and returned to Port Royal, Nova Scotia, and there established the first French colony in the spring of 1605. This occurred two years before the James river was discovered, three years before any settlement was effected in Canada, and fifteen years before the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth .*
* The following authors have been consulted in writing the foregoing sketch, to wit :- Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, vol. II, his History of the Reformation; W. S. Browning's History of the Huguenots ; Rev. John G. Lorimer's Historical Sketch of the Protestant Church of France ; Nathaniel William Wraxall's History of France under the kings of the race of Valois, including the reign of Francis I, and to the close of the reign of Charles IX. Miss Pardoe's Louis XIV, and the Court of France in the seventeenth century; M. Charles Weiss' History of French Protestant Refugees; the Rev. P. F. X. De Charlevoix' History of New France; Bancroft's History of the United States; Historical Collections of Louisiana and Florida, by B. F. French; Hayden's Dictionary of Dates; Bishop Burnet's History of his own Time; Hume's History of England; Henry Thomas Buckle's History of Civilization in England; the Massacre of St. Bartholomew and History of Civil Wars in the reign of Charles IX, by Henry White; Samuel Smiles' The Huguenots, their Settlements, Churches, and Industries ; Menzel's History of Germany; D'Aubigne's Reformation : the History of the Reformed Religion in France, by Rev. Edward Smedley ; the Memoirs of the Duke of Sully (Maximilian Bethune); Henri Martin's History of France; and various other works relating to the History of Germany, Spain, England, and the Netherlands; also, An Analysis of the History of the Reformation, and prior and subsequent History of the English Church, by Rev. W. H. Pinnock, LL. D., 3d edition; Cambridge, England, 1854.
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8
AHJ
NY ARY R
OXFORD.
SECTION II.
CHAPTER I.
THE GRANT FOR OXFORD : ITS HISTORY,
AND THAT OF THE
COLONY OF HUGUENOTS, OR FRENCH PROTESTANTS, WHO FORMED HIERE THE FIRST PLANTATION.
THIS was the first grant for a town within the limits of the territory, now the county of Worcester, after the disas- trous war of King Philip. There had been granted but four townships in this great interior territory, then known as the Nipnet or Nipmuck country, previous to this time, viz. : Lan- caster, in 1653, a place known to the English as early as 1643, as the Indian town called "Nashaway ;" Mendon, petitioned for by some inhabitants of Braintree in 1660, and granted for a town in 1667 ; Brookfield, a place known as the Indian town of the Quaboags, visited by the Rev. John Eliot in 1655, to make known to these natives the revelations of the Gospel ; it was granted to a number of the inhabitants of Ipswich, in the county of Essex, in 1660, and not incorporated as Brook- field until 1673 ; the fourth was Qninsigamond, granted by the request of Daniel Gookin, the Indian agent of the colony, as a favorable place for a town, being an intermediate place between Boston and Springfield, located in 1668, on his and others' petition, made in 1665.
These grants were in the midst of the native occupants of this interior, and mostly located by their solicitation, the first settlers being generally traders, who gained a support by 8
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
traffic with these Indians; and although their progress as towns had been slow, yet they were regarded before this war as permanently established, with little fear from these natives, as there had been a general peace with the Indians since the Pequot war of 1637. This unexpected war of Philip soon extended to this interior, and where peace and quiet had reigned uninterruptedly, a war of extermination and desola- tion, without any apparent cause or warning, followed. All these plantations, during the years 1675 and 1676, were des- troyed, and several years intervened before settlements again commenced in either.
Quinsigamond had only about six English dwellings at this time, which were burned ; and several years passed before another attempt for a settlement began, when, on the petition of Daniel Gookin and others, in 1684, this Indian name was changed for Worcester; but the place was not organized as a town till September 28, 1722.
The English planters were, from their first settling in the country, accustomed to respect the Indian ownership of the soil, and paid for lands they occupied ; and following this war, although but a remnant of these natives remained, and a powerless body, yet the General Court, before proceeding to make new grants in this interior, deemed it proper to seek out the native owners, however humble, and to purchase, at a satisfactory price agreed upon, a large traet of this country. For that end in view an order was passed, February 15, 1681, appointing the Hon. William Stoughton, of Dorchester, and Hon. Joseph Dudley, of Roxbury, to attend to that duty. Having so done, they report as follows :
" Whereas, we were appointed by the General Court, by their order, February 15, 1681, to transact some matters relating to the Indians, con- cerning their lands, and being upon that occasion at Natick, on the 19th of May, there were presented to us the deeds of sale hereto annexed, from the principal men of Natick, which they acknowledged before us, made to Samuel Gookin and Samuel Howe, for a parcel of remote and
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
waste lands, belonging to the said Indians, lying at the uttermost westerly bounds of Natiek, and, as we are informed (having seen the plot thereof), is for quantity about - acres, more or less, being mean lands, and said to be, the most part, composed with lands belonging to the English ; and having inquired into the matter, we conceive it would be no prejudice or inconvenience to the Indians, or their plantation at Natick, to sell the same to the persons concerned, which at ye request of parties, both English and Indians, we offer to the Court for their confirmation of ye sale.
" WILLIAM STOUGHTON. " JOSEPHI DUDLEY. " May 27, 1682."
The Indian deeds referred to in the foregoing report are deemed of sufficient interest to appear in connection with this history, which are as follows :
FIRST DEED.
" To all Christian people to whom this present Deed shall come:
" Know ye, that we, Waban, Pyambobo, John Awassawog, Thomas Awassawog, Samuel Awassawog, John Awassawog, Jr., Anthony Tray, John Tray, Peter Ephraim, Nehemiah James, Rumeny Marsh, Zackery Abraham, Samuel Neaucit, Simon Sacomit, Andrew Pittyme, Ebenezer Pegin, John Maquaw, James Printer, Samuel Acompanit, Joseph Milion, and Samuel Cocksquamion, Indian natives, and natural descendants of the ancient proprietors and inhabitants of the Nipmuck country (so called) and lands adjacent within the Colony of Massachusetts, in New England, for, and in consideration of the sum of thirty pounds, current money of New England, to us in hand, at and before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, well and truly paid by William Stoughton, of the town of Dorchester, Esq., and Joseph Dudley, of the town of Roxbury, Esq., both within the Colony of Massachusetts, the receipt of which valuable sum we do hereby acknowledge ourselves therewith fully satisfied, have granted, bargained, and sold unto said William Stoughton and Joseph Dudley, their heirs and assigns, forever, all that part of the Nipmuck country, lying and being beyond the great river called Kuttatuck or Nipmuck river (now Blackstone), and between a range of marked trees; beginning at the said river, and running soutlı- east till it fall upon the south line of said colony, on the south, and a certain imaginary line four miles on the north side of the road as it now lieth to Springfield, on the north; the said great river Kuttatuck or Nipmuck on the cast, and the said patent line on the west ; all the
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD,
lands lying within the said limits or bounds, be they more or less. In witness whereof, we have hereunto put our hands and seals this 10th day of February, Anno Domini. one thousand six hundred and eighty- one, and in the four-and-thirtieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, King Charles the Second, over England," &c.
" Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of us,
" Waban, X his mark and seal. Pyambobo, O 66
Samuel Ruggles, Sen.,
Jolin Awassawog, O 66
Samuel Awassawog, m "
Samuel Bowman, h
66
John Awassawog, Jr. V "
Anthony Tray, A ..
Thomas Tray, ?
Benjamin Tray, P .. . .
Jethro, B ..
Joseph Ammon, Jo 6.
Peter Ephraim, be
. .
Andrew Pittyme, An ..
Nehemiah, 66
Zackery Abraham, H
..
Samuel Neaucit, M
Thomas Waban, m 66
George Moonisco, G. .. ..
Eleazer T. Pegin
Simon Sacomit, ..
Great Jacob Jacob,
Elisha Milion,
Menumion, O. alias, 66
The second deed was of the same date, embracing the same territory, with the consideration of twenty pounds lawful money of New England, making fifty pounds as the full pay- ment for the relinquishment of the Indian title to the tract of country thus conveyed, but had a reservation as follows:
" Reserving always unto ourselves, our heirs and assigns, out of the above said grant, a certain tract of land five miles square, at such two places as we shall choose, to be wholly at our own use and dispose."*
* This reservation was selected and located at Chabanakongkomun, surveyed in October, 1684, to Black James and others. It extended west from Chabanakongkomun pond (from which the Indian town here took its name), over Maanexit river (French river). Nearly all cf this tract, with other lands between the towns of Oxford and Woodstock, became the prop- erty of Joseph Dudley, and afterwards fell to his sons, the Hon. Paul and William Dudley. l'art of this Indian land is now within the limits of Thompson, Conn., and part in Dudley.
Daniel Morse, Samuel Gookin, John Allen, Obadiah Morse.
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
Signed and witnessed as follows:
"Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of
"Black James, U and Seal. Sam Jaco, E Benjamin, O
William Parker.
Isaac Newell.
Simon Wolamp, Lo 66
John Gove.
Wolowa Nonek, F ..
Samuel Ruggles, Jr.
Pe Pey Pegans,
Poponi Shant, Ts,
Peter (his X mark) Gardiner. Ralph Brodhurst.
Cotoosowk, son of Wolompaw, by his
order 66
Wabequola, Wab
Siebquat, his mark S «
The grant for Oxford, as expressed on the records of the Court, is in the following words :
"This Court having information that some gentlemen in England are desirous to remove themselves into this colony, and (if it may be) to settle themselves under the Massachusetts; for the encouragement of such persons, and that they may have some from among themselves, according to their motion, to assist and direct them in such a design, this Court doth grant to Major Robert Thompson, William Stoughton, and Joseph Dudley, Esq., and such others as they shall associate to them, a tract of land in any free place, conteyning eight miles square, for a township, they settling in the said place within fower years, thirty families, and an able orthodox minister, and doe allow to the said town- ship freedom from country rates for fower years from the time above limited."-May 16, 1683 .*
On the petition of these grantees, in 1685, the General Court extended the time for settling upon this grant, the thirty families, as follows:
" In answer to the motion and request of William Stoughton and Joseph Dudley, Esq., on behalf of Major Thompson and themselves, desiring this Court's favor to enlarge the time of their grant of their plantation, this Court do enlarge the time for settling that plantation therein mentioned, the space of three years from this day."-January, 1685.+
The grantees and their associates interested in this grant were men of distinction ; and some of them had great influence
* See Records of General Court, vol. v, p. 402.
+ See Records of General Court, vol. v. p. 594.
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
in the province. The first gentleman named in this grant, Major Robert Thompson, although for a considerable period a resident of New England, and a firm friend of the Puritans, sympathizing with them in his religions faith, has not been remembered by any of the authors of the biographical dic- tionaries, designed to perpetuate the names and acts of men distinguished in the history of this section of our country.
Major Thompson's connection with the grant for this town, as the first-named in the act for establishing the same by the General Court, the eminence of his associates, and his connection otherwise with the affairs of New England, is deemed a sufficient reason for introducing here some his- torical facts in illustration of his character, and for the preservation of his memory.
It appears that Major Thompson was a member of the first corporation established in England, by an act of Par- liament, July 19, 1649, for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Indians of New England. The colony of Mas- sachusetts had, at the suggestion of some of the leading men among the ministers of the Gospel, passed an act, in Septem- ber, 1646, for Christianizing the Indians; among these min- isters was the Rev. John Eliot, who had here received, while examining this religious question, that inspiration which led him to devote the future of his life to this benevolent object .*
The limited means of the colony at this early period were not equal to carrying on the plans designed for promoting this object. It was, therefore, determined to have this matter presented to the pious and benevolent in England, to enlist their aid in its behalf.
Edward Winslow, of Plymouth, being then the agent of
* Sce Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts, vol. 1, pp. 150-157, 3d edition, 1795; also ace Court Records, October 1, 1645, vol. II, pp. 55, 84, 134, purchase of land at Natick for the first townshlp for collecting and eivilizing the natives.
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
the colony at the English court, was instructed to use his influence in favor of the cause. The result was the act of incorporation as aforesaid ; and in effecting the same, Mr. Winslow received essential aid from Herbert Pelham, Rich- ard Hutchinson, Robert Thompson, and Richard Floyd, all of whom had been in New England, and whose names were inserted, with others, in England ; William Steel, James Shirley, Abraham Babington, Robert Houghton, George Dun, William Mullins, John Hodgson, Edward Parks, Ed- ward Chud, Thomas Aires, and John Stone, with Edward Winslow, as the first corporators in this act of Parliament.
Judge William Steel was elected its first President, Rich- ard Floyd the Treasurer. Mr. James Shirley was the special friend of Plymouth colony, while Herbert Pelham and Rob- ert Thompson were well-known friends of the early settlers in both the colony of Massachusetts and that of Connecticut .*
Major Thompson was identified with this religious enter- prise, established in the last year of the reign of Charles I, and continued through the dictatorship of Cromwell; and, when renewed by Charles II, in 1662, with the Hon. Robert Boyle as the second President, he was continued a member of. the same. When the Hon. Robert Boyle resigned the office of President, after serving the society more than twenty years, Major Thompson became its third President.t
It further appears that Major Thompson was a particular friend of Edward Hopkins, the son-in-law of Theophilus Eaton, one of the founders of the colony of New Haven, and who was the successor of John Haynes, as the second Gov- ernor of the colony of Connecticut.
He calls Major Thompson his loving friend, and in his
*See Hutchinson's Massachusetts, vol. I, p. 154; also, Bradford's History of Plymouth Colony, pp. 157, 229, 246, and 250 ; and Colonial Records of Connecticut, 1678-1689, p. 261 ; likewise, Hazzard's Collections, State Papers, vol. I, pp. 318 and 635 ; also, vol. II pp. 146-147 ; and 483.
+ Soe Hutchinson's History Massachusetts, vol. I, p. 324.
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
" Will," made March 17, 1657, appoints him and Francis Willoughby its overseers.
It is presumed, from the reading of this will, that Major Thompson was his relative by marriage. After devising several considerable sums to friends and relatives, he adds : " My further mind and will is-
"That within six months after the decease of my wife, £500 be made over into New England, according to the advice of my loving friends, Major Robert Thompson and Mr. Francis Willoughby, * and conveyed into the hands of the Trustees-Theophilus Eaton, Esq., Mr. John Dav- enport (the Rev. as supposed), Mr. John Culick, and Mr. William Good- win, in further prosecution of the aforesaid public ends (to give some encouragement in those foreign plantations for the breeding up of hope- ful youth-both at the grammar school and college at Cambridge, for the public service of the country in future times), which, in the simpli- city of my heart, are for the upholding and promoting the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ in those parts of the earth."+
The following letter to Major Thompson, by Gov. William Leete, of the colony of Connecticut, will show something of Itis standing and character in England :
" HARTFORD, Oct. 23d, 1678.
" HONORED SIR:
" I am desired by our General Assembly to intreat so much favor from
* Francis Willoughby was Lieutenant-Governor of the colony of Massachusetts six years, 1665-1670, Richard Bellingham being Governor at the same time.
+ Mr. Hopkins provided similarly for the college and school at New Haven. The receipt of these funds was not realized until many years afterwards. Mrs. Hopkins survived her husband, who died in 1657, over forty years, dying December 17, 1698, at which time the executors, overseers, and trustees named in the will had deceased, and the property devised had passed to other hands. It became necessary to institute a suit in chancery in the Eng- lish courts, and, after much delay. a decision was arrived at by Sir Simon Harcourt, Lord- keeper, who decreed that the money be paid over according to the will of the testator. This, as appears, was received in 1714, and, as the decree directed, was invested in lands, in the interior of Natick (as then known). A tract of 13,000 acres was purchased of the Natick Indians, comprising, with an additional grant from the province, the town of Hopkinton, in Middlesex county (which derived its name from this benefactor), and part of the town of Upton, in the county of Worcester. Governor Joseph Dudley, and other distinguished persons in the province, to the number of twenty-one, were the first trustees. The rents of these lands for many years vielded only $222.22, annually, until March, 1823, when it was agreed that the rent should, in future, for ninety-nine years, be $666.67, one penny sterling per acre, and afterwards three pence sterling. This contract was soon compro- mised for a net sum, which, m 1853, amounted to over $30,000.
See Quincy's History of Harvard University ; also, see Mr. Savage's Notes to Winthrop's History of New England, vol. I. pp. 228-230.
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EARLY HISTORY OF OXFORD.
yourself as to be concerned on their and our behalf, either by your own hand or some other person that you judge meet, and can prevail withall to present this, our humble address, into his Majesty's hand, with the beseeching his Royal candor to pardon both our slowness and* mean- ness therein, as coming from his poor wilderness subjects lately saved out of the hands of a barbarous enemy, and much unskilled in making such a sublime presentation of themselves, yet could not in duty forbear the adventuring to make ourselves known in the capacity of loyal sub- jects, upon confidence of finding his Majesty unchangeable in the grace we have formerly experienced. If anything hereabout should occasion charge, we shall, with all readiness, be responsible, and remain your obliged and thankful servants, WM. LEETE,
"Subscribed these for the Hon. Robert ! on behalf, as above, (Gen'l Assembly)."
Thompson, Esq., at Newington, near London.
Major Thompson was one of the referees to whom the ad- justment of the charter bounds between Connecticut and Rhode Island was submitted by Governor John Winthrop, Jr., and Mr. John Clark, in 1663. Afterwards the colony of Connecticut, as well as Massachusetts, had frequent occasion to ask his good offices for the presentation of petitions and
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