USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Historical sketch of Groton, Massachusetts. 1655-1890 > Part 2
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The sources of information relating to the early history of Groton are few and scanty. It is only here and there in contemporaneous papers that we find any allusions to the plantation ; and from these we obtain but glimpses of the new settlement. The earliest document connected with the town after its
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incorporation is a petition now among the Shattur Manuscripts, in the possession of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, which contains some interesting facts not elsewhere given. All the signa- tures are in the same handwriting as the body of the document; but those of the committee signing the re- port on the back of the petition are autographs. The report itself is in the hand of Joseph Hills. The doc- ument is as follows :
" Bost' : 16 : 3 mº : 1656
" To the Right Worll the Gournor the wo,rll Deput Gornor and Magis- trates with the Worthy Deputies of this Honord Court
"The humble Peticon of Certein the intended Inhabitants of Groten, " Humbly Sheweth
" That yor Peticon's hauing obteined theire Request of a Plantacon from this honored Court, they haue made Entranc thervppon, and do Resolue by the Gracious Assistants of the Lord to proceed in the same (though the greatest Number of Peticonrs for the Grant haue declyned the work) yet because of the Remoteness of the place, & Considering how heavy and slowe it is like to be Carried an end and with what Charge and difficultie it will be Attended yor Peticonrs humble Requests are
"1 That they be not nominated or included in the Country taxes vntil the full end of three years from these p,rnts: (in which time they Account theire expenc will be great to the building a house, procureing and maintaining of a minester &c, with all other nessessary Town Charges : they being but few at present left to Carry on the whole worke) and at the end of the term, shall be redy by gods help to yeald their Rates according to their Number & abillitie & what shall be im- posed, vppon them
"2 That they may haue libertie to make Choyce of an other then Mr Danford for the Laying out their town bounds because of his desire to be excused by reason of his vrgent ocations otherwise, & that they be not strictly tyed to a square forme in their Line Laying out
"So shall yor Peticon.rs be incoridged in this great work, and shall as, duty bindes pray for yor happiness and thankfully Rest
yor humble Servants
"DEAN WINTHROPP JNO. TINKER
DOLOR DAVIS . RICHARD SMITH JNO. LAKIN
WILL. MARTIN ROBERT BLOOD AMOSE RICHENSON
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"In Ans. to this Peticon wee Conceiue it needfull that the Town of Groton be freed from Rates for three years from the time of their Grant as is desired.
" 24 That they may Imploy any other known Artist in the room of Mr Danfort as need shall be.
".34 That the forme of the Towne may A little varie from A due Square According to the discrecon of the Comitte.
"21. 3ª mº. (56)
" DANIEL GOOKIN JOSEPH HILLS JOHN WISWALL
" The Deputyes approue of the returne of the Comittee in answer to this petitio & desire the Consent of or honerd magists. hereto
4. WILLIAM TORREY Clerke "Consented to by the magists
"EDWARD RAWSON Secret
".[Indursed for filing :] Grotens Peticon | Entrd & x' secured pd 8 |
The next docunrent, in point of time, connected with the history of Groton is a petition to the Gen- cral Court from John Tinker, one of the original se- lectmen of the town. It is dated October, 1659, and preserved among the Massachusetts Archives (CXII. 120) at the State-House. In this petition Tinker makes some indirect charges against his townsmen, of which the real nature can now be learned only by inference. It would seem that they had taken land in an unauthorized manner, and their proceedings in other respects had obstructed the planting of the town; and that he felt aggrieved in consequence of such action. Evidently the new plantation did not prosper during the first few years of its settlement. The petition reads thus :
· Beton To the Honord Genel Court Assembled at Boston
8 m. The humble Petition of Juº Tinker
1650 Humbly Sheweth that
" With vnfained Respect to the good and welfare of Church and Com- monwealth yor Petitioner hath ondeauored to answer the expectation
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and desires of this honord Court and the whole Countrey In erecting set- ling and Carying an End the Afaires of Groaton, Granted and intended by this honord Court for a plantation, which notwithstanding (all in vaine) it Continueth vnpeopled and soe Like to remaine vnless by this honord Court some wise and Juditious Comitte be impowered to order and dispose of all things there about, after which no doubt it will goe on and prosper, which is the humble desire and Request of yo.r Petitioner that soe it may be, and that yor Petitioner be admitted and appoynted faithfully to declare vnto and informe the said Comitte, 1 what hath allredy bin done, 2 what are the Grounds and Reasons wherefore it Re- maineth at the stay it doeth. being so much desired by so many and such Considerable persons as it is, and 3 what hee Conceuith needfull to the further Confirming what is done according to Right to every person & Cause, and the setleing such due order as may incoridg the Carying on of all things to a prosperous effect, vnto which yor Petitioner shall redyly adress himselfe, as willing to submitt to the good pleasure of this honrd Court & such Authorized by them for such due satisfacon for all his Care time cost & paines in and about the said plantation as shall be thought meete and humbly begging the good fauor of god to Rest vppon . you shall ever Remaine to the honord Court and Country
" Yor humble Servt JNO. TINKER
" The comittee haveing prsed this peticcon, do Judge yt it wilbe very convenient that a Comittee of 3 : or more meet persons be nominated & impowred to Examine the pticulars therein mencconed. and make returne of wt they find to the Court of Eleccon.
" THOMAS DANFORTH ANTHONY STODDARD ROGER CLAP
"21. (8) 59. The Deput approue of the ret. of ye Comitee in answ : hereto & haue Nominated Mr Danfortlı Mr Ephraim Child Capt. Edw : Johnson to be their Committee desireing or Honord magists [consent] hereto
" Consented to by ye magists
" WILLIAM TORREY Cleric. EDW RAWSON Secrety "
It appears from the writing on it that Tinker's peti- tion was referred to a special committee, who recom- mended that the whole matter be considered by another committee with larger powers, who should report to the Court of Election. In accordance with
2
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this recommendation, Mr. Thomas Danforth, Captain Edward Johnson and Ephraim Child were appointed such a committee. I have here given their names in the order in which they are mentioned in the General Court Records (IV. 324), and not as they appear in the approval of the committee's return on the petition. The original report, made eighteen months afterwards and duly signed by them, is now among the Shattuck Manuscripts of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. It is dated May 23, 1661 (" 23 (3) 1661"), and bears the official action of the House of Deputies and of the magis- trates. Edward Rawson, the secretary, made his entry on the paper May 29, 1661. In copying the document I have followed the General Court Records, as this version of the petition contains fewer abbre- viations and contractions. The record-book has been paged differently at three separate times ; and the paging marked in red ink has been taken in this copy. The "Committees Returne ab' Groaten & Courts ordr " are as follows :
" Wee whose names are subscribed being Appointed & impowrd by the Generall Court in october 1659 for the examination of the proceed- ings about Groten plantation & the Intanglements that hane obstructed the planting thereof hitherto hauing taking pajnes to travajle vnto the enjd place & examine the Records of former proceedings in that plase as also the Capacity of the sd place for the enterteining of a meet noumber of persons that may Carry on the affairs of a Toune, doe Apprhend (ac- cording to wt Information we have had) that the place will Affoord a comfortable accommodation for sixty familjes at least that may subsist in a way of husbandry- And for such familyes as be there already planted web are nuit abone four or five acres1 wee doe not finde theire Interest in such
1 The word "acres " occurs at the end of a line in the manuscript records, and appears to be an interpolation. The sense does not require
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lands as they claime is legall & Just nor yet consistant wth the Courts ends in their graunt of the sajd plantation.
" And for the further encouragement of such as haue now a desire &c doe present themselvs as willing to plant themselves in that place,
" Wee craue leaue humbly to leaue our poore apprhentions wth this Honored Court as followeth
" 1 That the old planters & their Assignes whose names are John Tincker Rich : Smith. Wm Martjn. Ri: blood Robt Blood & Jnº Lakin that they reteine & keep as theire propriety, (of such lands as they now clajme an Interest in) each of them only twenty acres of meadow twenty acres for the house lott ten acres Intervale land & tenn acres of other vplands & that the same be sett out by a Comittee so as may not vn- equally prejudice such as are or may be their Neighbors
" 2 That the neere lands & meadows, be so diuided as may accomodate at least sixty familjes & for that end That the first division of lands be made in manner following vizt such as hane one hundred & fifty pounds estate be allowed equall wth the old planters aboue & that none exceed & that none haue lesse then tenn acres for theire houselott & five acres of meadow two & a halfe acres of Intervale & two & a half of other lands for planting lotts in their first divission & that none be admitted to haue graunts of lotts there but on Conditions following vizt
"1 That they Goe vp. wth theire familjes wthin 2 years after theire graunts, on penalty of forfeiting theire graunts againe to the Towne & so many tenn shillings as they had acres Graunted them for theire houselotts & that the like Injunction be putt vpon those aboue named as old planters.
"2 That all towne charges both Civil & Eccleasiasticall be levyed ac- cording to each mans Graunt in this first divition of lands for seuen years next Ensuing Excepting only such whose stocks of Catle shall exceed one hundred & fifty pounds estates.
"3 That the power of Admission of Inhabitants & Regulating the af- faires of the sajd place be referred to a Comittee of meete persons Im- powred by this Court thereto, Vntil the plantation be in some good meas- ure (at least) filled wth Inhabitants & be enabled regularly & peaceably to Carry on ye same themselves
" 4 That this honoured Court be pleased to graunt them Imunitjes [from] all Comon & Ordinary Country charges not exceeding a single rate or a Rate & a half p Annu for three years next ensuing.
it, and the original copy in the library of the New-England Historic, Genealogical Society does not contain it, though the printed edition of the General Court Records gives it.
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"5 That in Graunting of lotts children have theire due Consideration with estates theire parents giving securitje to defray yr charges of the place as is before prinised.
" THO DANFORTH EDWARD JOHNSON EPHR. CHILD
" The Court Approoves of & doe Confirme the returne of the Comittee & doe hereby further onler & Impower the aforesajd Comittee for the unis above mentioned vntill meete men shall be found amongst such as shall Inhabit there & be approoved of by a County Court "
(General Court Records, IV. 371.)
The next document, in point of time, found among the Archives (I. 21) at the State House and relating to Groton, is the following request for a brandmark, which was wanted probably for marking cattle
"The Humble Request of Joseph Parker to the Honoured Governor the Honourd magistrates & deputyes, Humbly Requests in behalfe of the towne of Grawton that the letter GR may bee Recorded as the brand mark belonging to the towne I being chosen Counstible this year make bolde to present this, to the Honoured Court it being but my duty, in the tow nes behalfe thus Hopeing the Honored Court will grant my request I rest yor Humble Servant :
" BOSTON : 31th : may : 1666
" JOSEPH PARKER
"In answer to this motion the Deputies approne of the letters : GR to be ye brand marke of groaten
" WILLIAM TORREY Cleric. " or Hono. M magists consentinge hereto
" Consented by the magists
"EDW : RAWSON Secrety"
Joseph Parker, before coming to Groton, had lived at Chelmsford, where his children were born. He was a brother of James, another of the early settlers of the town.
During this period the town was paying some at- tention to the question of marks for trees as well as for cattle. At a general meeting held on March 5, 1665-66, it was voted that "there should be trees
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marked for shade for cattell in all common hy wayes:" and furthermore that " the marke should be a great T." From various expressions found in the early town records, it would seem that the country in the neighborhood was not densely wooded when the settlement was first made. At a meeting of the selectmen held in the winter of 1669, an order was passed for the preservation of trees, but the writing is so torn that it is impossible to copy it. At another meeting held on January 13, 1673-74, it was voted that all trees of more than six inches in diameter at the butt, excepting walnut and pine, growing by the wayside, should be reserved for public works, and that the penalty for cutting them down, without authority, should be ten shillings a tree.
At a general town-meeting on December 21, 1674. leave was granted to William Longley, Jr., to cut down three or four trees standing in the road near his farm and shading his corn, on condition that he give to the town the same number of trees for mending the highways.
The early settlers of Groton encountered many trials and privations in planting the town. The men worked hard in felling trees and breaking ground, and the women toiled faithfully in their rude houses. They were used to hardships, and they took them with Christian resignation. Their daily life taught them the true principles of philosophy. They lived on the rough edge of civilization, and nothing stood between them and an unbroken wilderness. These pioneers were a devout people; and the strength of their religious belief is shown in no way so clearly as
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in the fortitude with which they met their lot in life. The prowling Indians were their neighbors, whose constant movements required careful watching. There were families of savages scattered along the interval land of the Nashua valley, from Lancaster to the Merrimack River, who at times annoyed the settlers by killing pigs and stealing chickens. Judging from the number of stone implements found in the neighborhood, there was an Indian village just above the Red Bridge, on the west side of the Nashua River. It probably consisted of a few families only, belonging to the Nashua tribe, as they were called by the English. Like all their race, these Indians were a shiftless peo- ple, and often changed their abodes, going hither and thither as they found good hunting-grounds or fish- ing-places. They bartered skins and furs with the planters ; and so much business was carried on in this way, that the government sold to individuals the right to trade with them. As early as July, 1657, John Tinker, one of the original selectmen of the town, appointed by the General Court, paid eight pounds for the privilege of trafficking with them at Lancaster and Groton. A few of these natives knew a little English, which they had picked up from con- tact with the whites. Gookin refers to them in his " History of the Christian Indians," when he speaks of " some skulking Indians of the enemy, that formerly lived about Groton, the principal whereof was named Nathaniel, he and his party did this and other mis- chief afterward, in burning several houses at Chelms- ford."' This Nathaniel was taken subsequently at
1 Archeologia Americana, II. 471.
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Cocheco (now Dover), New Hampshire, and hanged in Boston. Some of these vagrants took an active part in the burning of Groton during Philip's War. The leader of the savages at this assault was John Monaco or Monoco, nicknamed " One-eyed John," from the loss of an eye. After he had taken by strat- agem a garrison-house, he entered into a long conver- sation with Captain Parker, who was stationed in another house near by, and called him his old neigh- bor. From this fact I infer that "One-eyed John" knew Captain Parker, and had previously lived in the vicinity. Warfare among the aborigines did not require generalship so much as knowledge of places; and the head of an assaulting party was one familiar with the clearings and the lay of the land in the threatened territory. During the ensuing autumn this leader was brought to the gallows in Boston, where he suffered the extreme penalty of the law.
The Indians soon acquired from the English the love of strong drink, which is sure to lead to disputes and quarrels. The earliest documents at the State House, relating to Groton and the savages, give an account of a drunken brawl which ended in murder. The affair took place in the Merrimack Valley, and several men of this town were summoned to appear as witnesses at the investigation before the General Court in Boston. In the spring of 1668 Captain Richard Waldron built a trucking or trading-house at Penacock (now Concord), New Hampshire, where a few weeks later one Thomas Dickinson was murdered by an Indian while under the influence of liquor. The homicide created great excitement, and it has
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been supposed to have delayed the permanent settle- ment of the place for many years. A warrant was issued directing the constable of Groton to summon John Page, Thomas Tarbell, Jr., Joseph Blood and Robert Parish, all of this town, before the General Court in order to give their testimony, which they did under oath. It appeared by the evidence that there had been a drunken row, and that Dickinson was killed by an Indian, who acknowledged the crime and expressed great sorrow for it, but pleaded drunken- ness in extenuation of the deed. The culprit was tried at once by a council of the Indians, who sen- tenced him to be shot, which was done the next day. It is interesting now to note the high temperance stand taken, more than two hundred years ago, by the Chief Tohaunto, which places him abreast of the most earnest opposers of the rum traffic at the present time.
During a series of years before Philip's War the Indians had been supplied with arms and ammuni- tion, though this was contrary to the laws of the Colo- nies. The French in Canada and the Dutch in New York had carried on considerable traffic with the na- tives in these contraband articles ; and occasionally some avaricious settler would barter with them, giv- ing powder and shot in exchange. The possession of firearms made the Indians bold and insolent, and the tendency of events was toward open hostilities. This tendency was strengthened by a feeling of suspi- cion on the part of the colonists, and by one of jealousy on the part of the savages. Distrust always grows out of suspicion, and the fears of the settlers
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began to be excited when they thought of their ex- posed situation. Under these circumstances, it was wise to prepare for all emergencies ; and at an early day a military company was organized in this town. The following entry is made in the manuscript records of the General Court during the session beginning May 6, 1673 :
" James Parker of Groaten hauing had the care of the military Com- pany there for seuerall yeares. is Appointed & ordered to be their leiften- nant & Wm Larkin to be ensigne to the sajd Company there." 1
The two officers of this organization were each pro- moted one grade during the next autumn, which would indicate that the company was filling up in numbers. At the session of the General Court begin- ning October 15, 1673, the record reads :
" The military Company of Groaten being destitut of military ofcers The Court Judgeth it meet to choose & Appoint James Parker to be their captane Wm Lakin to be leiftennant & Nathaniel Lawrence to be their ensigne.2
Before this time there had been in Middlesex County a company of troopers, or cavalry, made up of men living in the frontier towns, of which Groton was one-as mentioned in the General Court Records of October, 1669.
One of the prominent men in the history of the Colony at this period was Major Simon Willard. A native of England, he came to Massachusetts in the year 1634. He had lived at Concord, Lancaster and Groton, and in all these places exerted a wide influ- ence. He had filled various civil offices, and in his
1 (General Court Records, IV. 718.)
2 (General Court Records, IV. 726.)
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day was a noted military man. His farm was sit- uated at Nonacoicus, now included within the limits of Ayer ; and his dwelling-house was the first build- ing burned at the attack on Groton, March 13, 1676. During several months previously he had been en- gaged with his men in scouting along the line of frontier settlements and protecting the inhabitants. At this assault Major Willard came with a company of cavalry to the relief of the town, though he did not reach the place in time to be of service in its defence. He died at Charlestown, on April 24, 1676, a very few weeks after this town was abandoned. Benjamin Thompson, the earliest native American poet, pays the following tribute to his character, in a little pamphlet published during Philip's War, and entitled "New England's Tears." It is certainly rude in ex- pression, and probably just in its conception, but not accurate as to the date of his death :
"About this Time Died Major Willard Esq .; who had continued one of our Senators many years, and Head of the Massachuset Bands. In 23 April 1676.
" EPITAPHIUM.
" Great, Good, and Just, Valiant, and Wise, New Englands Common Sacrifice : The Prince of War, the Bond of Lore, A True Heroick Martial Dove : Pardon I croul his Parts so close Which all the World in measure knows, We enry Death, and well we may, Who keeps him under Lock and Key."
Nearly one-and-twenty years had passed since the little settlement in the wilderness was begun, and Groton was fast approaching its majority. The new town had enjoyed a moderate share of prosperity, and
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was slowly working out its destiny. The founders were poor in this world's goods, but rich in faith and courage. They had now tasted the hardships of frontier life, but not as yet felt the horrors of savage warfare. The distant thunders of a threatening storm were beginning to be heard, and the occasional flashes put the early settlers on their guard. Philip's War had broken out during the summer of 1675, and the outlying settlements were exposed to new dangers. The inhabitants of this town took such precautions as seemed needful, and trusted in Providence for the rest. They were just beginning to prepare for the work of another season, when a small band of prowl- ing Indians alarmed the town by pillaging eight or nine houses and driving off some cattle. This oc- curred on March 2, 1676, and was a sufficient warn- ing, probably, to send the inhabitants to the garrison- houses, whither they were wont to flee in time of danger. These places of refuge were usually houses surrounded by a strong wall of stone or timber, built up as high as the eaves, with a gateway, and port- holes for the use of musketry.
In Groton there were five such garrison-houses, and under their protection many a sleepless, anxious night was passed by the inmates. Four of these houses were very near each other, and the fifth was nearly a mile away. The sites of some of them are well known. One was Mr. Willard's house, which stood near the High School; another was Captain Parker's house, which stood just north of the Town Hall ; and a third was John Nutting's house, on the other side of James's Brook. The fourth was proba-
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bly north of John Nutting's, but perhaps south of Mr. Willard's. There is a tradition that one stood near the house formerly owned and occupied by the late Eber Woods, which would make the fifth garrison-house " near a mile distant from the rest." Richard Sawtell, the first town-clerk, was living on this site at that time, and his house would have been a convenient rallying-point for his neighbors. With- out doubt he was the Richard Sawtell who served in Major Appleton's company during Philip's War.
It is recorded in the inventory of his estate, on file in the Middlesex Probate Office at East Cambridge, that Timothy Cooper, of Groton, was "Sleine by the Indeins the Second day of march, 1675-6." Cooper was an Englishman by birth, and lived, probably, somewhere between the Baptist meeting-house and the beginning of Farmers' Row. It is not known that there was other loss of life at this time, but the affair was serious enough to alarm the inhabitants. They sought refuge immediately in the garrison-houses, as the Indians were lurking in the vicinity. On March 9th the savages again threatened the beleaguered town, and by a cunningly contrived ambush, man- aged to entrap four men at work, of whom one was killed and one captured, while the other two escaped. This second assault must have produced great alarm and consternation among the people of the town. The final and main attack, however, came on the 13th, when the enemy appeared in full body,-thought to be not less than four hundred in number. The inhabitants at this time all were gathered into the several garrisons for protection. During the previous
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