USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Brockton > History of Brockton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, 1656-1894 > Part 3
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TROUT BROOK .- This brook also rises in the southerly part of Stoughton, and runs south about a half mile east of the middle of the town till it meets Salisbury Brook, near Sprague's works. At this point the two are joined, and run in a southerly direction, a short distance east of Campello, into the town of East Bridgewater.
28
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
Beaver Brook is another stream, rising in Weymouth; runs in a southerly direction, and forming a boundary line between Abington and Brockton till it enters East Bridgewater. Another river rises in Easton, and runs through the southwest part of the city into West Bridgewater, and is called Cowesett Brook.
Mike's Brook rises in the northeast part of the city, and runs south- westerly, and empties into Trout Brook, and is a very small stream.
West Meadow Brook rises north of the residence of Caleb Phillips, near Pleasant street, and runs in a southerly direction into West Bridge- water, near the late Henry Jackson's,
Another small stream rises in the south part of Stoughton and north part of Brockton, near George W. Hunt's; running southeasterly it empties into Salisbury Brook, near Galen Packard's mill at Pleasant street.
Also, a small stream rises near the residence of Samuel French, and, running south, enters West Bridgewater east of the residence of the late Nahum Hayward, and empties into Salisbury River.
Although the streams in this city are small, there has been, at vari- ous times, considerable manufacturing done by water power. There are no ponds in the city of any size, excepting those made by flowing meadows for mill privileges, the largest being that at Sprague's works, one at Howard's mills, and one at Marshall's Corner, and one at Keith's
or Packard's mill, south of Crescent street. There is about a thousand acres in the city covered by water, the balance is well divided into wood- land, pasturing, and mowing, and there is no city or town in the county where there is less unproductive or unimproved land than in this city. There are over four thousand acres of good woodland, and over eleven hundred acres of land tilled, exclusive of orcharding ; over fifteen hun- dred acres of good upland mowing land, about eighty acres of orchard- ing, about six hundred acres of fresh meadow, about three thousand acres of pasture land.
GEOLOGY .- The geological formation of this city is similar to many other towns in Plymouth county. The hills, meadows, large plains and intervales, deep swamps and rocky pastures, furnish food for almost all kinds of grass, trees, and shrubs. Of the rocky portions of the town, we find sienite, or composition of feldspar, quartz, and hornblende. Says Dr. Hitchcock in his survey through the State,-
29
GEOLOGY.
The most elegant variety of porphyritic sienite that I have met with in the State occurs in North Bridgewater and Abington, and in other parts of Plymouth county. Its base consists of quartz and feldspar, with an abundance of epidote, disseminated, and in veins. This rock, if polished, would form, it seems to me, the most ornamental stone in the State. The feldspar and crystal, that constitutes it a porphyry, are of a flesh color. There is a dark-colored mineral diffused throughout the mass, which may be hornblende or mica.
Where mica is found plenty in composition, it is sometimes called sienite granite.
Large quantities of peat have been cut in the meadows of the town in past times, and was used extensively as a fuel, which was of an ex- cellent quality.
Large quantities of iron ore have been found in the western and other sections of the city, and some has been manufactured into iron. It is not, however, plenty now, and the business of making it into iron ceased several years since.
SOIL .- Hutchinson, in writing of the quality of lands in Plymouth Colony, as compared with the Massachusetts Colony, says, they were light and sandy for the most part, except those on the northern portion of the old town of Bridgewater, by which was meant that part included within the limits of what is now the city of Brockton, and particularly the north section of the city.
The northern part, bordering upon Massachusetts, affords many good farms, par- ticularly the town of Bridgewater, which hath been famous for the quality of the land, and for good husbandry. They were few at first and but little additions were made after Massachusetts was planted, except upon their natural increase, and yet before the year 1643 beside the town of Plymouth, they had settled Duxbury, Scit- uate, Taunton, Rehoboth, Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, and Eastham.
30
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
CHAPTER II.
OLD BRIDGEWATER.
Grant of Bridgewater Plantation-Names of First Proprietors-Purchase of the In- dians -Indian Deed - Confirmatory Deed from Pomponoho-Deed from Governor Thomas Hinckley for the Government- Confirmatory Deed from Josiah Wampatuck to the Inhabitants of Bridgewater-Gore of Land Purchased by Daniel and Robert Howard-Boundary of the Old Town of Bridgewater Previous to Its Division.
T HE town of Brockton, having shaken off the old methods of town government and put on the robes of a city, it will be a matter of much interest to the present population to know something of the early history of the changes that have taken place within the past two hun- dred and thirty-seven years when this territory formed a part of the old town of Bridgewater.
The original town of Bridgewater-then comprising what is now North, East, West, and South Bridgewater, or Bridgewater proper-was former- ly a plantation granted to Duxbury in 1645, as a compensation for the loss of territory they had sustained in the setting apart of Marshfield from them in the year 1640. The grant was in the following language :
"The inhabitants of the town of Duxbury are granted a competent proportion of lands about Saughtuchquett (Satueket), towards the west, for a plantation for them, and to have it four miles every way from the place where they shall set up their eentre; provided it intreneh not upon Winnytuekquett, formerly granted to Plymouth And we have nominated Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. John Alden, George Soule, Constant Southworth, John Rogers, and William Brett, to be feofees in trust for the equal di- viding and laying forth the said lands to the inhabitants."
How these lands were divided, or what should entitle any one to a share, no record appears to show. Governor Hinckley, in his confirm- atory deed, says that the "inhabitants agreed among themselves." There were fifty-four proprietors, each of whom held one share, the names of whom are as follows: William Bradford, William Merrick, John Bradford, Abraham Pierce, John Rogers, George Partridge, John Starr, Mr. William Collier, Christopher Wadsworth, Edward Hall, Nicholas Robbins, Thomas Hayward, Mr. Ralph Partridge, Nathaniel Willis, John Willis, Thomas Bonney, Mr. Miles Standish, Love Brew- ster, John Paybody, William Paybody, Francis Sprague, William Bas-
31
OLD BRIDGEWATER.
sett, John Washburn, John Washburn, jr., John Ames, Thomas Gannett, William Brett, Edmund Hunt, William Clarke, William Ford, Mr. Con- stant Southworth, John Cary, Edmund Weston, Samuel Tompkins, Edmund Chandler, Moses Simmons, John Irish, Philip Delano, Arthur Harris, Mr. John Alden, John Forbes, Samuel Nash, Abraham Samp- son, George Soule, Experience Mitchell, Henry Howland, Henry Samp- son, John Brown, John Howard, Francis West, William Tubbs, James Lendall, Samuel Eaton, Solomon Leonard. To these shares were afterward added two more shares-one to Rev. James Keith, of Scot- land, their first minister, and the other to Deacon Samuel Edson, of Salem, who erected the first mill in the town-making fifty- six shares.
This grant was considered as little more than an authority or right to purchase it of the natives. For this purpose Capt. Miles Standish, Samuel Nash and Constant Southworth were appointed a committee to make the purchase, which they did, as appears by the following instruments :
WITNESS THESE PRESENTS, that I, Ousamequin, Sachem of the Country 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 townsmen of Dux- bury aforesaid, a tract of land usually called Satucket, extending in the length and and breadth thereof as followeth : 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, 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, meadows, rivers, brooks, rivnlets, &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 Ousamequin, have hereunto set my hand this 23ยช of March, 1649.
Witness the mark of OUSAMEQUIN.
In consideration of the aforesaid bargain and 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.
S hoes. 20 knives. 4 moose-skins. 10 yards and a half of cotton.
MILES STANDISII, SAMUEL NASH, CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH.
32
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
This contract is said to have been made on what was called " Sa- chem's Rock " (called by the Indians " Woonocooto "), in East Bridge- water, a little south of Whitman's Mills (now known as the Carver Cotton-Gin Company) and near the house of the late David Kingman.
This Ousamequin, sometimes called Ossamequin, was no other than Massasoit himself, who, in the latter part of his life, had adopted that name. The deed written by Capt. Miles Standish, one of the original planters of the colony, and signed with the mark of the sachem, is still in existence. When the old sachem was called upon to execute his deed he endeavored to make it as sure as possible. For that purpose he affixed a mark in the shape of a
Thus we have seen that the original town of Bridgewater, comprising the territory now known as Brockton, East Bridgewater, West Bridge- water, and Bridgewater, including a portion of " Titicut Parish," was purchased by Capt. Miles Standish and others for the trifling sum of seven coats, nine hatchets, eight hoes, twenty knives, four moose-skins and ten and a half yards of cotton, the whole not amounting to thirty dollars in value.
The original town of Bridgewater was the first interior settlement in the Old Colony. The grant of the plantation, as we have seen, was in 1645, and the settlement made in 1650. The first settlers had a house- lot of six acres each on the Town River, and the place was called Nuckatest, or Nuncketetest. The first lots were taken up at West Bridgewater, along the Town River, first houses built, and the first im- provements made there. The settlement was compact-the house-lots being contiguous-with a view to mutual protection and aid against the Indians, and as a further protection from the natives, they erected a stockade or garrison on the south side of the river and fortified many of their dwellings. It is said that not more than one-third of the original fifty- six proprietors ever became inhabitants of their new settlement. From this original home the settlers scattered into other portions of the town, extending their dwellings first into the southwest part of the town, toward Nippenicket Pond, a locality known as Scot- land, on the road to Taunton, and Titicut, on the road leading to Middleboro', whither they were in the habit of going either to mill or
33
OLD BRIDGEWATER.
to trade, and we are told they frequently went to those places on foot, with the grists on their backs, a distance of several miles.
The last settled part of the town was the North Parish (now Brock- ton), which was not till after 1700, no permanent settlement being made in what was called the North Parish till after that time, and the settlers were mostly from the West Parish (now West Bridgewater).
The plantation remained to Duxbury until June, 1656, when it was incorporated into a distinct and separate town in the following concise language :
ORDERED, That henceforth Duxborrow New Plantation bee allowed to bee a toun- shipe of ytselfe, destinct from Duxborrow, and to bee called by the name of Bridge- water. Provided that all publicke rates bee borne by them with Duxborrow upon equally proportions.
The court settled the rates to be paid by the proprietors as follows :
The town of Bridgewater is to bear one part of three with Duxbury of their pro- portion of the country rates for the officers' wages and other public charges.
Previous to the incorporation of the town the plantation had been called Bridgewater, but of the origin of the name we have nothing authentic except a matter of fancy for a town in England of that name. From the time of its first settlement the town has maintained a strong position in the history of the country, and for a long time continued a united and harmonious whole, until 1715, when a petition was sent to General Court to be set off into a separate parish or precinct, the peti - tioners representing themselves as inhabitants of the easterly part of Bridgewater. A committee of two in the Council and three of the House was appointed to examine into the matter, who attended to their duties and reported in favor of granting their request, which was ac- cepted, and an act of incorporation passed June 1, 1716, with this condition :
That the whole town stand obliged to an honorable maintenance of the Rev. James Keith, their present aged minister, if he should outlive his powers and capacities of discharging the office and duty of their minister.
The new parish was called the South, and the old one the North Precinct, which then included the West and what was afterwards known as North Bridgewater (now Brockton). In 1723 that part of the old North Precinct now known as East Bridgewater (then known as the
5
31
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
West Parish) was set off, and constituted a precinct called the East Parish, December 14, 1723.
Titicut Parish was formed from the southwest part of the South Parish, with a part of Middleboro', Feb. 4, 1743. This place consisted of forty- eight families, forty-one houses, two hundred and sixty-two inhabitants in 1764, and in 1810 it had a population of three hundred and eighteen.
As some disputes arose regarding the original purchase of Ousame- quin, confirmatory deeds were given by Pomponoho, an Indian, at Titicut, and Governor Thomas Hinckley, in behalf of the government, and another from Josiah Wampatuck, another Indian, thus making a perfect title to all the land comprising Ancient Bridgewater. Here follow copies of the above-named decds :
CONFIRMATORY DEED FROM POMPONOHO.
This deed, made November 26th, A. D., 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 sum of sixteen pounds,-uz., 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 a 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 above-said 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 above mentioned 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 belong- ing thereunto, to them, their heirs, and assigns forever, the same quietly and peaceably to possess, without the lawful let, interruption, or molestation of me, the above-said Pomponoho, alias Peter, or other persons whatsoever, lawfully claiming by, from, or under me, them, or any of them.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set to my hand and seal.
Read, sealed, and delivered
his 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.
35
OLD BRIDGEWATER.
The two reserved lots in the above grant were afterwards purchased by individuals in the town. Thus all the lands within the most exten- sive 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 form- erly 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 :
1137003
CONFIRMATORY DEED FROM GOVERNOR THOMAS HINCKLEY TO THE TOWN OF BRIDGEWATER.
At his Majesty's Court of Assistants, held at Plymouth the 6th of March, A. D., 1685-86.
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 particu- lar persons, which, being allowed by the said committee, shall pass the seal of the Government for further confirmation thereof; and forasmuch as it hath heen made to appear to the said court of assistants, now sitting at Plymouth, the first Tuesday in March, 1685-86, that a certain tract of land was granted by Wm Bradford, Esq., and his associates, assembled in court, in the year of our Lord 1645, unto the inhabitants of 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 center; 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 Plymouth, 1645, did employ Mr. Constant Southworth, with some others, to purchase the above-mentioned tract of land of Ossamequin, chief Sachem of the Poco- nocket 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 center, his Majesty's court held at
36
HISTORY OF BROCKTON.
Plymouth, 1668, did grant to Bridgewater six miles from the center 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 at his Majesty's court held at Plymouth, the 2nd 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 stone lying four miles west from the center, and running north from station to station till it meets 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 southeast into a great white oak marked with a T' for Taunton, and on the north side with a B for Bridge- water, and so from station to station till it come to the great river on the westward side of a spot of meadow, according 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 side of said Standish's land until it meet with the easternmost line of Bridge- water, being a heap of stones, four miles from the center, 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-northeast from station to station to four white-oaks, the eastern- most 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 center 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 above said northeast line, and from the aforemen- tioned marked trees running west until 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 Bridge- water, according to each person's several and respective title or interest therein, excepting two-fifth parts of the royal mine, one-fifth part to his royal majesty, and the other one-fifth part to the president and council. To have and to hold unto the said town and proprietors respectively, 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 confirmation thereof.
Attest, NATHANIEL CLARK, Secretary.
THOMAS HINCKLEY, Governor. ::
A confirmation of the original purchase made of Ossamequin was also obtained about the same time, as follows :
37
OLD BRIDGEWATER.
CONFIRMATORY DEED FROM JOSIAH WAMPATUCK TO BRIDGEWATER.
To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come, Josiah. Wampatuck sendeth greeting.
Know ye, that I, Josiah aforesaid, for and in consideration of ten pounds in money to me in hand paid, and one hundred aeres of land lying on the upper end of Poor Meadow, on the lower side of a foot path that goeth to Scituate, lying on both sides of the river, doth confirm, establish, and ratify unto Samuel Edson, sen., Ensign John Haward, and John Willis, sen., in behalf of the purchasers and town of Bridgewater, in New Plymouth Colony, in New England, and to their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns forever, all that whole traet of land lying northward of the south four-mile line of Bridgewater, which Ossamequin, Sachem of the Poconoeket country, by the con- sent and approbation of his Majesty's General Court held at Plymouth, in New Eng- land, in the year 1645, sold to the inhabitants of Duxbury, as appears by deed, under Ossamequin's hand, to Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. Constant Southworth, and Samuel Nash, as agents for the town of Duxbury. I, the above said Josiah, do ratify and con- firm the above said sale of Ossamequin's, and bargain of lands belonging to Bridge- water, as uplands, swamps, meadows, brooks, rivers, ponds, timber, underwood, herb- age, mines, with all commodities, benefits, privileges, immunities, and appurtenances whatever therein contained.
I, the above said Josiah, also do ratify, establish, and confirm, and forever make over all my right, title, and interest in the above-mentioned land from me, my heirs, executors, and assigns, unto the above said Samuel Edson, John Haward, and John Willis, agents for the town of Bridgewater, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns forever, to have, and to hold, occupy, and enjoy as their proper right forever, without any claim, title, interest, or molestation to be made by me, my heirs, executors, or assigns, or any other person or persons, to any part or parcel thereof, in, by, or under me any way appertaining; and do by these presents bind myself, and heirs, and ex- ecutors, and assigns to maintain and defend the above-mentioned sale of lands against other Indian or Indians that shali make any claim or title to any part or parcel thereof.
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