USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of Bridgewater, Massachusetts > Part 2
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FRANCIS SPRAGUE,
ARTHUR HARRIS,
WILLIAM BASSETT,
Mr. JOHN AIDEN,
JOHN WASHBURN,
JOHN FORES,
JOHN WASHBURN, Jr.,
SAMUEL NASH,
JOHN AMES,
ABRAHAM SAMPSON,
THOMAS GANNETT,
GEORGE SOULE,
WILLIAM BRETT,
EXPERIENCE MITCHELL,
EDMUND HUNT,
HENRY HOWLAND,
WILLIAM CLARKE,
HENRY SAMPSON,
WILLIAM FORD,
JOHN BROWN,
Mr. CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH,
JOHN HAWARD,
JOHN CARY.
FRANCIS WEST,
EDMUND WESTON.
WILLIAM TUBBS,
SAMUEL TOMPKINS,
JAMES LENDALL,
EDMUND CHANDLER,
SAMUEL EATON,
MOSES SIMMONS,
SOLOMON LEONARD.
To these fifty-four shares the proprietors afterwards added two more, and granted one to the Rev. James Keith, of Scotland, their first minister, and the other to Deacon Samuel Edson, of Salem, who erected the first mill in the town, making in all fifty- six shares.
The grant of this plantation was considered by the court as preemptive merely, and as little more than an authority or right to purchase it of the natives: and accordingly Capt. Miles Standish, Samuel Nash, and Constant Southworth, were ap- pointed to make the purchase. which service they performed as will appear by the following deed.
" Witness these presents, that I Ousamequin, Sachem of the county of Poconocket, have given, granted, enfeofed, and sold unto Miles Standish of Duxbury, Samuel Nash and Constant Southworth of Duxbury, aforesaid, in behalf of all the towns- men of Duxbury, aforesaid, a tract of land usually called Satucket, extending in the length and breadth thereof as fol- loweth, that is to say, from the wear at Satucket, seven miles due east, and from the said wear seven miles due west, and from the said wear seven miles due north, and from the said wear seven miles due south ; the which tract the said Ousamequin hath given, granted, enfeofed, and sold unto the said Miles Standish,
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Samuel Nash, and Constant Southworth in the behalf of all the townsmen of Duxbury as aforesaid. with all the immunities, privileges, and profits whatsoever belonging to the said tract of land, with all and singular all woods, underwoods, lands, mea- dows, rivers, brooks, rivulets, &c., to have and to hold to the said Miles Standish, Samuel Nash, and Constant Southworth in behalf of all the townsmen of the town of Duxbury, to them and their heirs forever. In witness whereof I, the said Ousa- mequin, have hereunto set my hand this 23d of March, 1649. JOHN BRADFORD Witness the
WM. OTWAY (alias) PARKER. S mark of OUSAMEQUIN.
In consideration of the aforesaid bargain and sale, we, the said Miles Standish, Samuel Nash, and Constant Southworth do bind ourselves to pay unto the said Ousamequin for and in consideration of the said tract of land, as followeth : -
7 Coats, a yard and a half ) in a coat,
9 Hatchets,
8 Hoes,
20 Knives,
4 Moose Skins,
Io Yards and a half of Cot- ton.
MILES STANDISH, SAMUEL NASH, CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH.
It appears the worthy old Sachem, when called on to execute his deed, endeavored to verify the testification he had offered, by affixing his mark or signature to the instrument as near as he could in the rude form and shape of his hand. The grantor, Ousamequin, or Ossamequin, sometimes also written Woose- mequin, was the good old Massasoit himself, who in the latter part of his life had adopted that name. It was no uncommon occurrence for these Chiefs or Sachems to assume new names, which were probably appropriate and expressive of the principal exploits or events, which had occasioned the change.
This purchase and contract were said to have been made and executed on a small rocky hill, anciently called Sachem's Rock, a little south of Whitman's Mills, where the East Bridgewater manufacturing establishment now is, and near the house where Seth Latham formerly lived, now owned and occupied by David
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SACHEM ROCK.
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
Kingman. The Indian name of the place was Wonnocooto. The wear, which was made the central point of the purchase, was some distance above the present mills, directly back of the late Deacon William Harris' house on the south side, and of the late Deacon Barzillai Allen's house, on the north side of the river, near the ancient fording place and where the first mill on the river was erected. Traces of the old road are still visible on both sides of the river, and particularly on the south side. The mill was subsequently taken down, and a new one erected further down stream, near where the works now stand. The old wear was entirely overflowed by the new mill pond, and of course discontinued as a fishing place.
This river, and the pond from which it proceeds, now called Robins' Pond, as well as the whole neighborhood in which they are situated, still retain the name of Satucket, a contraction of Saughtuckquett, Saughquatuckquett, or Massaquatuckquett, as it was sometimes written. While the grant from the court was only four miles every way from the wear, equal to eight miles square, this purchase from the Indians was seven miles every way, equal to fourteen miles square. The reason of this differ- ence is not very obvious, but probably the purchase was made thus extensive, with a view to additional contemplated grants, or perhaps to give themselves room to locate their four miles every way more advantageously, as they had the express privilege of setting up their centre, wherever they should deem it most conducive to their interest. For some reasons, however, now inexplicable, they neglected to fix and establish their centre, notwithstanding the frequent and pressing admonitions of the court. In 1656. eleven years after the grant of the plantation, and the same year in which Bridgewater was incorporated into a distinct township, a grant of three hundred acres had been made to Capt. Miles Standish, "with a competency of meadow to such a proportion of upland, lying and being at Satucket Pond ; provided it came not within the court's grant of Bridge- water." Hence it became necessary that the centre of Bridge- water should be fixed, in order to ascertain its limits and extent. It was with this view, and for the purpose of running out and locating Capt. Standish's grant, that the court had so urgently called on Bridgewater to fix and " set up " their centre. In the
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HISTORY OF THE
spring of 1658 the court ordered, "that the centre of the town of Bridgewater should be set sometime this summer before October court." Still it was not done. Again in 1660, Mr. (William) Bradford, Constant Southworth and William Paybody were "requested and appointed by court to lay out the land granted to Capt. Standish, at Satucket Pond ; " and at the same time " Mr. Josiah Standish was appointed by the court to join with any two, whom the town of Bridgewater should appoint, to set out the bounds of their town, betwixt that time and the last of July then next on the penalty of fifty shillings, which, if forfeited, should be paid to those appointed to lay out Capt. Standish's land, who were ordered to lay out their line." It seems, however, the town still neglected it, as we find no record of any committee appointed for the purpose, nor any other movement or agency of the town concerning it. The only record relating to the subject appears altogether historical, without date, and quite out of place in the book where it is inserted. It is as follows : -
"The town, receiving an order from the court at New Ply- mouth to fix and set up the centre of their town in order to the laying out of Mr. Alexander Standish's land, joining to the outside of said Bridgewater four mile line from the said centre ; which being, according to said order, done about the year 1659 ; the centre being a small white oak tree of low stature about a foot over, standing on high ground, on the westerly side of a stony swamp and brook, about ten rods to the westerly side of said brook on the southerly side of the highway; the said tree being marked on the easterly side with an S, and on the westerly . side with a C, it being a mile and a quarter to the eastward of said Bridgewater meeting house." This entry, without date, by the place it occupies in the records, and the dates of entries immediately before and after it, appears not to have been made before 1695, thirty years or more after the work was performed; and it is moreover incorrect as to the year in which it was done, as the court's committee was not appointed till 1660, and Stand- ish's land was not laid out till 1663. It is very evident also that the court's committee at last, and not the town, fixed the centre, as the monumental tree bore the initials of Constant Southworth, (C. S.), who no doubt was the efficient member of the court's
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
committee in performing the work. Capt. Miles Standish had in the mean time deceased, and the land was laid out to his son Alexander. It cannot be doubted that Bridgewater was essent- ing to, if not aiding in this result, as there is neither record or tradition that any dissatisfaction was ever manifested by them. This centre is about a mile and a half west of the old wear at Satucket, and the place has ever since been called the Centre, and is near the house of Thomas Hayward, now aged eighty- six, whose father Thomas, and grandfather Thomas lived on the same spot, which will probably also descend to his son Thomas now living with him. They have successively owned and occu- pied it from its first settlement ; about 140 years.
In 1658 the town petitioned the court for a grant of a large and valuable tract of swamp and meadow lands, called by the Indians Hockomock, lying on the west side of the town towards Taunton, (now Easton and Raynham), as appears, as well as the reasons assigned for it, in the following order of court : -
"It is agreed by the court that there shall be chosen such as the town of Bridgewater shall think meet, that are noways engaged in the new plantation of Duxbury, to view out the land and meadow desired by Bridgewater, and to consider of the reasonableness of their desire, in reference to the accomodating of some useful men in church and commonwealth, and make true report of the same to the court."-The same was after- wards granted, and confirmed to them as follows :-
"1662. In answer to a petition preferred to the court by Bridgewater it is agreed, that the meadow land lying northward . and westward from the Centre within the seven miles is granted them."
The centre here, as well as the seven miles, refers no doubt to the original purchase of the Indians, the new centre tree not having been then fixed and established. This will appear from the deposition of Constant Southworth and Samuel Nash, two of the purchasers, which had been taken about this time in conse- quence of some doubts entertained by the court probably, whether the purchase would include the lands prayed for by the town. It is here subjoined :-
"The town (Duxbury) appointed me with others to purchase of Ossamequin a tract of land about a place known to our town
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HISTORY OF THE
by the name of Satucket, which we did from the centre six miles, which centre is the wear in the river above expressed, and we paid him for it; the writing or deed expressed, under Ossamequin's own hand, was seven miles .- The oath of Con- stant Southworth, Lieut. Nash being also deposing to the same ; in court held at Plymouth, June 10th, 1662."
A few years afterwards, July 5, 1667, the town made applica- tion to the court for a more general and extensive grant, whereupon "Capt. Bradford, (William) and the Treasurer, (Constant Southworth) were appointed to view the land desired by Bridgewater in reference to their enlargement according to their petition." The following grant was accordingly made :-
"An additional grant made by the court of New Plymouth to the town of Bridgewater, AD., 1688. In reference to a former grant upon a petition presented to the court by Bridgewater, desiring their enlargement may extend to where the six miles extends that they purchased of the Indians by order from the court ; the court having granted unto the township of Bridge- water that they shall have six miles from the centre on the north side, if the line of the Colony hindereth not, and on the west side up to Taunton bounds, (now Raynham and Easton,) and on the south and south-easterly sides unto Titicut River, as far as the six miles extends; and so likewise on the east side ; that is to say, the whole six miles from the centre east, west, north, and south ; always provided that grants of lands formerly made by the court be not molested. It is also ordered, that as to those lands that are between Bridgewater and Namasket, (Mid- dleborough,) already granted, it shall be determined by the court unto what town they shall belong; and that the Indians be not molested, notwithstanding this enlargement; and that all these grants that are within the six miles shall belong to the township of Bridgewater; and that the said town of Bridge- water be careful to accommodate Mr. Keith, (their minister,) with a competency of land within the said grant of six miles."
This has been commonly called the "two miles additional grant," and the first one, the "old four mile grant." It would seem by this grant, as well as by Constant Southworth's deposi- tion, as if it were understood by the court, that the original purchase of the Indians had been only six miles each way, and
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not seven as the fact was. This, however, was so expressed in conformity with the new centre, which had been established a mile or more farther west, leaving them not more than six miles on the west side, and on the east six miles would extend to, and even beyond the Major's purchase, so called, of which the great cedar swamp in Hanson constitutes a principal part, and which, being an earlier grant, was the utmost limit of their purchase on that side of the town. By this additional grant, therefore, they obtained their two miles on the north towards the Massa- chusetts Colony line, and a part on the south, but little, if any, on the east and west. On the south, the six miles would extend into the Indian settlement at Titicut, which the court reserved in all their subsequent adjacent grants. This reserve had been early made to the Titicut Indians, extending three miles on each side of the river. In the former account of Bridgewater, it is stated that the Indian plantation of Titicut was granted by Chickatabut, a Sachem of Massachusetts living at Neponsit. This is probably incorrect, as he died in 1633, of the small pox ; and Titicut, as we have already seen, was not established till after 1644, when it was spoken of as "being about to be erected." If granted at all, therefore, it must have been done by his son Josias Chickatabut or Wampatuck, who lived at Mattakeset, or Pembroke, and who went to the Mohawk country after 1666, and there died, and whose son Josiah gave a deed of confirmation of the Titicut purchase to Bridgewater in 1686, who had a son Jeremy, whose son, Charles Josiah, was the last of the race. If it was ever granted, or was anything more than a reserve, the limits were probably not very accurately defined; as the court in their grants round about it required the grantees not to encroach or locate their lands "too near to Titicut," or to "molest the Indians." There seems to have been some un- certainty as to the precise limits of the respective jurisdictions of Massasoit and Chickatabut. We find on record the deposi- tion of five Indians taken before Increase Nowell, John Eliot, and John Hoare in 1650, as follows :- "We do all affirm, that Chickatabut's bounds did extend from Nishamagoguanett, near Duxbury mill, to Titicut, near Taunton, and to Nunckatateset, (a pond in Bridgewater,) and from thence in a straight line to Wanamampuke, (Whiting's Pond in Wrentham,) which is the head of Charles River, this they do all solemnly affirm." Not-
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withstanding this, Massasoit as we have seen, sold and con- veyed the whole of the eight mile square, containing the princi- pal part of Bridgewater, and a part of Abington and Pembroke, all within the above limits, to Duxbury; which corroborates a remark of Prince in his chronology, that "these Massachusetts Sachems were not completely independent, but acknowledged a degree of subjection to Massasoit." This Indian testimony favors the plea of Massachusetts, in the case pending between us and Rhode Island with regard to the line of jurisdiction, in which the great Wrentham Pond is claimed to be the southern- most part of Charles River, which claim is contested by Rhode Island. All the land on the north side of Titicut River was within the six miles, and Bridgewater were allowed afterwards to purchase it, and Nicholas Byram, Samuel Edson, and William Brett were appointed by the court tor that purpose; and the deed they procured is as follows :-
"This deed, made November 20th, AD. 1672, witnesseth, that I, Pomponoho, alias Peter, an Indian, living at Titicut, in the colony of New Plymouth, in New England, have sold for the full sum of sixteen pounds, viz., six pounds of current money of New England, and ten pounds in good merchantable corn, as by bill appeareth, all the lands lying on the north side of Titicut River within the bounds of Bridgewater, what lands were mine, or were either my father's or grandfather's, or any otherwise conferred on me, excepting those lands expressed as follows, viz :- one hundred acres of land lying up the river to the eastward of small brook, given to an Indian called Charles, my brother-in-law, and a certain parcel of land lying against the wear, and bounded by the landing place, running to the head of my field, containing about ten acres at the utmost, I say, I, the abovesaid Pomponoho, alias Peter, have bargained, sold, and by these presents do bargain, and sell for myself, my heirs and assigns forever, unto Nicholas Byram, sen., Samuel Edson, sen., and William Brett, sen., in and for the use of the townsmen of Bridgewater, joint purchasers with them, which persons abovementioned were ordered by the court to make purchase of those lands, as by court record appears, I say I have sold all these lands, with every part thereof, and all the immunities and privileges belonging thereunto to them, their
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
heirs and assigns forever, the same quietly and peaceably to possess, without the lawful let, interruption, or molestation of me, the abovesaid Pomponoho, alias Peter, or other persons whatsoever lawfully claiming by, from, or under me, them, or any of them. In witness whereof I have here set to my hand and seal. his
Read, sealed, and delivered POMPONOHO, (P.) mark.
in presence of us,
JOSEPH HAYWARD, JOHN CARY, Sen."
Acknowledged before JOSIAH WINSLOW, Gov., Feb. 20, 1676. Recorded by NATHANIEL CLARK, Secretary, March, 1685.
The two reserved lots, in the above grant, were afterwards purchased by individuals in the town. Thus all the lands within the most extensive limits of the town appear to have been justly and fairly purchased of the Indians; and we have the above named Governor Winslow's attestation on record, that this was the case in all the towns in the Old Colony of Plymouth.
In the year 1685, the court of assistants were empowered to examine, allow, and confirm from time to time all claims and titles to land formerly granted either to towns or individuals by the general court, and, when allowed, they were to "pass the seal of the Government for confirmation." In pursuance of this order, all the grants made to Bridgewater as above stated and described, were confirmed by the following deed under the hand of Governor Hinckley, and the seal of the Government.
" At his Majesty's Court of Assistants, held at Plymouth, the 6th of March, AD. 1685-6.
To all to whom these presents shall come, Thomas Hinckley, Esq., Governor of his Majesty's Colony of New Plymouth, in New England, sendeth greeting .- Whereas, at his Majesty's general court held at Plymouth the 4th of June 1685, it was ordered and enacted, that the court of assistants be from time to time a committee empowered to examine, allow, and confirm all such claims and titles to lands, which were formerly granted or allowed by the general court, either to townships or particular persons; which being allowed by the said committee, shall pass the seal of the Government for further confirmation thereof ;
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and forasmuch as it hath been made to appear to the said court of assistants now sitting at Plymouth, the first Tuesday in March, 1685-6, that a certain tract of land was granted by William Bradford, Esq., and his associates assembled in court in the year of our Lord 1645, unto the inhabitants of the town of Duxbury, (a competent proportion of lands,) about a place called by the Indians Massaquatucket, for a plantation for them the inhabitants of Duxbury, and that they shall have it four miles every way from the centre; the inhabitants of Duxbury being fifty-six in number, by agreement among themselves, every one were to have equal shares, who, by the approbation and appointment of his Majesty's honored court in New Ply- mouth 1645, did employ Mr. Constant Southworth, with some others, to purchase the above mentioned tract of land of Ossa- mequin, chief Sachem of the Poconocket country, which being done, and now inhabited by many of the proprietors, is now called Bridgewater, and all such privileges allowed to them as the court allows or grants to other townships ; and having set up their centre, his Majesty's court held at Plymouth 1658, did grant to Bridgewater six miles from the centre on all four sides, where former grants made by the court hindereth not, as appears in court records, and is bounded out by the agents of each respective town adjoining, as appears by their hands to their agreement, and assented to and acknowledged before the Governor and his associates, sitting in his Majesty's court held at Plymouth, the 2d of March 1685-6, the bounds of the whole township being settled between them and other towns adjoin- ing, are as followeth :- The bounds betwixt Bridgewater and Taunton being a heap of stones lying four miles west from the centre, and running north from station to station, till it meet with the line of the colonies; and from said heap of stones south, to a heap of stones lying to the west of Unketest Pond, and from thence south-east unto a great white oak being marked with a T for Taunton, and on the north side with a B for Bridgewater ; and so from station to station till it come to the great river on the westward side of a spot of meadow, accord- ing to the agreement of the agents of both towns. And the bounds between Middleborough and Bridgewater is the great river, until it come to the north side of Mr. Standish's land, lying on the mouth of Winnetuxit river, and so from the north
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side of said Standish's land until it meet with the eastermost line of Bridgewater, being a heap of stones four miles from the centre, which is the bounds between them and the Major's purchase, running from said heap of stones south and by west half a point westerly, until it meet with said Standish's land, &c., and from the aforesaid heap of stones running north north- east from station to station to four white oaks, the easternmost marked on all four sides, and so from station to station until it meet with the north line. The north bounds being six miles from the centre, to a company of small trees marked, being to the northward of a great rock, and from the aforesaid marked trees running east until it meet with the abovesaid northeast line, and from the aforementioned marked trees running west till it meet with the line of the colonies, and with the line of the colonies till it meet with the westerly line and Taunton (now Easton) bounds. All which lands both upland and meadow, swamps, cedar swamps, ponds, rivers, brooks, springs, wood, underwood, and all herbage, feedings, minerals, with all rights, liberties, privileges, and appurtenances thereto belonging, unto the appropriated inhabitants and other proprietors, though not inhabitants of the said town of Bridgewater, according to each person's several and respective title or interest therein, except- ing two-fifth parts of the royal mine, one fifth part to his royal Majesty, and the other fifth part to the President and Council. To have and to hold unto the said town and proprietors respect- ively, to their and every of their heirs and assigns forever, according to the tenor of our charter or letters patent granted by the honorable council at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ordering, and governing of New England, derivatory from his Majesty King James the first of happy memory; and in testimony hereof, doth allow the public seal of the Government to be affixed thereunto for the further confirm- ation thereof. THOMAS HINCKLEY, Governor. Attest NATHANIEL CLARK, Secretary.
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