USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts > Part 53
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Many points on the line were exceedingly picturesque. One in particular, was quite charming-the place where the canal skirted Horn Pond at a much higher elevation, and you looked down through the buttonwood trees on the broad expanse of water, with its little wooded islet in the centre, and across to the mountain that guarded and guards, like a giant sentinel, its southern shores.
In fact, a panorama of the Middlesex Canal, after the fashion of Banvard's Mississippi, would have been by no means an uninteresting exhibition. But the condition of this pleasure was fine weather. To embark on the "raging canawl," in a storm, required a hardihood and nerve vouchsafed to few. Then furious waves, at least an inch in height, disturbed the usually placid surface of the water. The little ponds into which the canal frequently widened realized the descriptions of a mud-puddle in a thunder-storm to be found in ancient poetry. Your safety depended on the strength of the tow-rope, the skill of the rider- boy, the docility of the horses, the vigor of the mariner with the setting-pole, and the experience and energy of the captain, who usually managed the helm. The captain, the ruling spirit of the elements combined in canal-voyaging, must needs be an "ancient mariner" of unequivocal force of character. Fabius told the Roman Senate-and a very sensible gentleman was that same Fabius-that any of the sailors could steer in pleasant weather, but when a storm had arisen, and the deep was disturbed, then the helm required a strong hand. This was emphatically true of canal navigation.
In pleasant weather, the very cabin-boy could steer; in a storm, it took a man, and he "couldn't hardly."
* *
* But the voyages of the canal-boats on the Middlesex, though pursued frequently in the midst of storms, had this alleviating feature-they were never made in the night; that horror at least was spared the hardy mariners. When darkness covered the face of the earth and heaven as with a pall, the canal- boat rode out the storm either at Chelmsford or Boston, with both bow and stern anchors under foot, fast grappling in the mud, a stopper on the tow-rope and the tiller lashed amidships. [From an article by Maj. A. C. Varnum in Lowell Vox Populi, July 6, 1881.]
The Merrimack Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1822; they built a dam across the Merrimack above Pawtucket falls, and, having obtained possession of the Pawtucket canal,
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
doubled its width, and also built the Merrimack canal, which leaves the Pawtucket canal near the Swamp Locks, and furnishes power to the Machine Shop, Lowell Company, the Merrimack Mills, and the gristmill at the foot of Anne street. In 1825, the Locks and Canals Company was reorganized, and regained possession of the Pawtucket canal.
STEAMBOATS.
The first steamboat was put on the Merrimack by Hon. John L. Sullivan about 1814 or '15. "It had four wheels, two on each side connected by a broad belt or chain, from which stood out at right angles with the belt square pieces of board which, as the wheels revolved, were carried forward on the top of the wheels till they came to the forward wheel, when they were plunged into the water, and passed back to the hind wheel." It was of a size to pass through the locks. [Old Res. Hist. Soc., Contrib. I, 4.]
In order to afford the passage of boats and rafts by the Wicassee falls, just west of Wicassee Island (Tyng's Island), the present home of the Vesper Country Club, the Middlesex Canal Co. were authorized to widen and straighten the natural waterway of the river on the east side of the island, and construct a lock through which boats and rafts could be lowered to the level of the canal, as the new waterway was called. The original Act of 1793, in which this power appears, was amended in 1814, Chapt. 100, and reads as follows: Be it enacted &c., That the Proprietors of Middlesex Canal be, and hereby are authorized and empowered to demand and receive toll on boats and rafts that shall pass Wicassee Lock and Canal in the town of Tyngsboro, in this Commonwealth, at the following rates, viz., for every cord of pine wood, eight cents; for every other kind of wood, ten cents per cord; for every ton of merchandise or other loading, ten cents; for other articles going down the canal, one tenth of the toll now collected on the same articles at Middlesex Canal, Feb. 11, 1815. [See Chapter: "Annals," 1816.]
The raising of the water by the dam at Pawtucket smoothed out the Wicassee falls, but the remains of the old lock can be clearly seen where the canal leaves the river, just north of the boat house.
The Act of 1812, Chapter 113, provides as follows: "The Proprietors of the Middlesex Canal are hereby authorized and empowered, in order to make Merrimack River completely and conveniently navigable for boats, from the said canal to the boundary of the State, to make and construct a lock and a dam at the rapids in Tyngsborough, known by the name of Wicassee Falls, at such place or point of said rapids or falls, and on which- soever side of the island that may be found most convenient." The company were required to keep and maintain an opening, slope, or fishway in the dam for the passing of fish and rafts.
509
TERRITORIAL LIMITS
In 1819, the General Court passed an Act (Chapter 51), to incorporate William Bartlett, Moses Brown, John Pettingill and others as Proprietors of the Merrimack Canal, empowering the proprietors within the term of six years from the passage of the Act, to open and cut a canal from the head of Hunt's falls in Merrimack river to the tide-waters of said river, to erect such locks, and dams as may be necessary in order to admit the passage of boats, rafts, and masts into and through the said canal and to the tide-waters of said river. Nothing appears to have been done under the authority of this Act.
The improvements in the navigation of the Merrimack, in connection with the canal were, says Mr. Gilman: the locks built at Wicasee falls, round Tyng's island, which were afterwards rendered useless on account of the back flowage when Pawtucket dam was built; the locks at Moor's falls, at Little Cohoes, at Short's falls, at Moor's Big falls, at Amoskeag (now Manchester), at Hooksett falls, Craven's falls, and Turkey falls, a little below Concord. Going up, those locks had to be used; but, coming down, the boats, in an ordinary state of water, ran the falls.
In 1851, the proprietors of the Middlesex Canal surrendered their charter, and in 1852, sold the property in sections, and the owners on its borders were, in most cases, the purchasers. On October 3, 1859, the proprietors were declared, by the decree of the Supreme Judicial Court, to have forfeited all their franchises and privileges by reason of non-feasance, non-user, misfeasance, and neglect. On November 25, 1851, the last boat, owned by Dix and Rand, and in charge of Samuel King, passed through the canal. Its cargo consisted of eighteen tons of stone and two cords of pine wood.
RAILROADS.
The early railroad charters of Massachusetts, about 1830, gave extraordinary powers to the Corporations. The Boston and Ontario Railroad, in 1831, was authorized to construct a railroad, beginning at any point in or near the town of Lowell, and running thence to the northerly and westerly line of the Commonwealth in such manner as they might deem most expedient -six rods wide and to take as much more land as might be necessary. Railroads were considered to be like common high- ways, over which any one could run his carriage by obeying the rules and paying toll. In the Boston and Lowell charter, it is provided that "such road may be used by any persons who shall comply with such rules and regulations, and the corporation are authorized to erect toll-houses, establish gates, appoint toll col- lectors and demand toll upon the road."
The Boston and Lowell Railroad was chartered June 5, 1830, and, although not lying at all within the limits of the town of Chelmsford, affected the interests of the inhabitants con-
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
siderably. It was opened June 24, 1835. Stone sleepers and fish-bellied rails were used. The stone was soon replaced with wood. The Lowell and Nashua Railroad was chartered in 1836, and opened October 8, 1838. There is a station at North Chelms- ford. The Stony Brook Railroad has stations at North Chelms- ford and West Chelmsford.
The first locomotive used on the Boston and Lowell Railroad was a Stephenson engine made in England. It was taken apart in Boston, and was brought to Lowell on the canal, the usefulness of which, by the irony of fate, it helped to destroy.
The Proprietors of the Canal fought the proposed railroad. They argued against it at the State House; spoke of a supposed source of revenue to a railroad from carrying passengers; thought they could be carried as rapidly and safely on the Canal, and said that the terminus of the road must always be at Lowell, as there never could be sufficient inducement to extend it further. "Railroads," they said, "may do well enough in old countries, but will never be anything for so young a country as this." But the charter was granted, with the provision that no other railroad should be constructed within five miles, thus preventing the Canal Proprietors from becoming competitors by putting iron rails on their canal line.
The Framingham and Lowell Railroad was opened, August 22, 1871, with stations at Chelmsford and South Chelmsford.
The next year $2,000 was raised by subscription in the Centre Village to secure an "Early Train" from Chelmsford Centre to Lowell, guaranteed by the Boston, Clinton and Fitchburg Railroad, lessees of the Framingham and Lowell Railroad. Of this amount, David Perham paid $500, and Israel Putnam, $200. The others varied from $100 to $10. The train was put on July 8, 1872, and was to run once each way daily for five years, arriving in Lowell at 6.45 A. M., and leaving there at 6.15 P. M. Later, what was known as the "Scoot-train" went back and forth several times a day, making in all eight passenger trains daily between Chelmsford and Lowell. When the trolley cars began to run, in 1894, the "Scoot" was taken off.
This road is now operated by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
In 1837, a committee was appointed "to see that the railroad corporation does not intrude on the public roads and passageways."
In 1839, the Lowell and Nashua Railroad was required to put up gates at the crossing near Amos Whiting's.
CHAPTER X. PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM.
T THE following papers, by Mr. Perham, are of such interest that it is thought they should find a place in this history, in which, had he lived to complete it, he would, no doubt, have incorporated much of the material they contain. They have been printed in the Contributions of the Old Residents' Historical Association.
THE WAMESIT PURCHASE. BY HENRY S. PERHAM, CHELMSFORD. READ BEFORE OLD RESIDENTS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, LOWELL, MASS., FEBRUARY 16, 1897.
By the Wamesit Purchase the Indians relinquished forever, to their white neighbors, their ancient possessions upon the south side of the Merrimack and west of the Concord rivers.
Here from immemorial time their wigwams had dotted the landscape and their frail canoes had glided over the waters of the Merrimack. They hunted the noble game of the forest and plied their rude arts all unconscious of the mighty changes to be wrought upon their native haunts by the white man's civilization.
Through the kind offices of the apostle Eliot, this tract had been reserved to the Indians by an act of the General Court in 1653. Their title now passed to other hands and their home from henceforth was in the northern wilderness. It was such a movement as has since become somewhat familiar in Indian history. Allen* states that a few families still "remained at Wamesit several years; and others were occasionally there on hunting and fishing parties and for the purpose of visiting their English friends and former neighbors." Several families lingered upon the Dracut side of the river as late as 1820. Two Indian pilots were employed about that time, to guide the log rafts down the river, one at Wickiseck and the other at Hunt's falls. ; (The rafts were taken apart above Pawtucket falls and the logs floated around by way of the canal and Concord river). But from the time of King Philip's war the Indians had practically abandoned their Wamesit "plantation" and in 1685 the people of Chelmsford took steps looking to the purchase of their title.
*History of Chelmsford, p. 151. tM. L. Hamblet, Esq.
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HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
The Wamesit purchase was consummated by Jonathan Tyng, Esq., of Dunstable, and Maj. Thomas Hinchman of Chelmsford the same year, and conveyed by them the year following to fifty proprietors living in Chelmsford.
The conveyance from Tyng and Hinchman was by separate deeds one from each conveying to the fifty associates one moiety, or half part of one fiftieth of the entire purchase, to each purchaser. The original deeds, executed upon scrolls of buckskin, * are now in the possession of a descendant of one of these proprietors now living in this city.
The deed from Tyng reads as follows:
To all people to whom these Presents shall come greeting know ye that the worshfull Jonathan Ting Esqur of the Towne of Dunstable in the county of midlesex in his majties Territory and dominion of New England in America. For and in consideration of the full and just summe of one hundred and fiuety pound pound sterl. New England coyne to to him well and truely paid by Maj. Thomas Hinchman Ens: John ffisk & Serj: Josiah Richardson all of the Towne of Chelmsford in the forenamed county in New England aforesd which money so paid by t[ ]m was for their owne use and behooffe as also for the use and behooffe of seuerall other gentlemen and neighbours here after mentioned in this Instrument. The receits of said hundred and fiuety pound, the said Jonathan Ting doth by these presents acknowledg, and there with to be fully satisfyed, Contented and paid, & Thereof and of euery part part and parcell, Thereof do fully, freely, clearely and absolutely: acquit, release and discharge the said Thomas Hinchman, John fiske and Josiah Richardson, they & euery of them their h[ ]res associates and assignes and eurey of them for Euer. Haue granted, bargained and sold. Aliened, Enfeoffed and confirmed, and by these presents to fully freely clearly and absolutely grant bargaine and sell, Alien, enfeoffe and confirm vnto the said Thomas Hinchman, John fisk, Josiah Richardson senr and to their associates, Mr Moses ffisk, of Brantry, Mr Tho clarke, Josiah Richardson Junr Jerihmeel Bowers, James Richardson, Thomas parker, Solomon Keys Junr Joseph Parkiss senr Joseph Hide, Edward Spaldin Senr Samuel ffletcher, Sen. Steuen Peirse, Benjamin Parker, Moses parker, Andrew Spalden, Eliazar Browne, william vnderwood, Nathaniel Howard, John wright Junr John perrum, John Spalden Junr Josiah ffletcher, Benjamin Spaldin, Joseph Spalden, Joseph ffarwell, Solomon Keys Senr Peter Talbott, John Kidder, William ffletcher, Samuel ffoster Junr Edward ffoster, Sam ffoster Senr John Steuens, Nathaniel Butterfield, Samuel Butterfield, Joseph Butterfield, John Spaldin Senr John Shipley, mr Cornelius Waldo Senr georg Robbins, John Parker, John Bates, gorsham Proctor, Peter Proctor, Isaack Parker, and Abraham Parker, to each of them and to euery one of them, their heires and assignes, and to each and Euery of their heirs and assignes, for euer, to their only proper vse and behoofe, one moiety or half part of weymesit lands which were sold by ye indians of sd Weymesit to the said Jonathan Ting, by a deed of sale baring date, the sixth day of Septembr last past, the moiety or half of said Weymesett lands being at ye same time and by ye same instrument Conueyed to Maj: Hinchman aforesaid, this aboue said grant contained in this instrument, containes the one half of the wholl purchase which was joyntly made by the afore sd Thomas Hinchman and Jonathan Ting, the wholl purchase containing all that part of indian plantation called Weymesitt, & lying on ye west side of concord Riuer, but not taking any part of the indian field that is within fence and ditch, by Concord River side, but said land is bounded eastward, by said field & Concord riuer, from the most southerly Corner, (which is at Chelmsford corner stake, where Billerica, chelmsford & weymesitt land meet all at one stake, by ye riuer side) vntil you come to the mouth of Concord riuer by merimacke, bounded Northward by merimack riuer & Westward by
*A hole in one of them is said to have been made by the bullet that brought down the buck.
ST. JOHN'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, NORTH CHELMSFORD
No. 30
INTERIOR OF ST. ALBAN'S MISSION, NORTH CHELMSFORD
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PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM
wanalansits old field, and Maj: Hinchmans land, formerly purchased by him of the indians, and on ye South West it is bounded by Chelmsford according to a former exchang betwene said Towne, & said Weymesitt indians. Also fiue hundred acres more of wilderness land lying on the Northside of Merimack, bounded by patucket falls southward & by beauer brooke, eastward, according as it was granted by ye Honrble Generall Court to said plantation & laid out to them be the same more or less. The indians by said deed reseruing to them selues, their heires and associates for euer, their ancient priuiledges of all fishing places in said land for their owne vse as formerly they haue made vse of it, as also free liberty of fier wood & timber upon said wholl Tract of land on both side merimack (not making any strip and wast of said wood & timber, but to cleare all they cutt downe) to them ye said weymesitt inhabitants their heirs and associates foreuer. Now it is the one half only yt is sold by said Jonathan Ting by this instrument. To Haue and to Hold the aboue granted and bargained moiety or halfe part of said purchase of Weymesitt with all the priuiledges and appurtenances to the same appertaining or in any wise belonging to, them the said Tho Hinchman to each indiuidall person, one fiuetyeth part of ye wholl moiety to be enjoyed by euery and each Pson afore- said, their and euery of their heires and assignes forever to theire and their only Proper vse and behooffe. And hee the said Jonathan Ting, for himself his heires and admstrators do couenant, promise, and grant to and with the said Thomas Hinchman, John ffisk, and Josiah Richardson Senr and with their heires & assignes by these Presents, as Trustees for and in behalfe of the rest of the above Named Persons, that hee the said Jonathan Ting, Now is and at the ensealing and delivery here of shall stand and Bee lawfully and rightly sole seized in his demeanes of the aboue granted premises, of a good and indefeasable estate of inheritance, in fee simple by good right and lawfull authourity, absolutely without any manner of condition, or mortigage or limitation of vse or vses, to alter change or determine the same. And that hee the said Jonathan Ting hath in himselfe good right full power and lawfull authority the premises to grant bargaine and confirme to them and to each and euery of them named Psons, and to their heires and assignes for euer. And that they the said Thomas Hinchman, John ffisk, Josiah Richardson, Moses ffisk, Tho: clark, Josiah Richardson Junr Jarahmeel Bowers, James Richardson. Thomas Parker, Solomon Keys Junr Joseph Parkiss Senr Joseph Hides, Edw: Spaldin Senr Samuel ffletcher senr Steuen Peirce, Benj: Parker, Moses Parker, and the rest of the persons aboue named their heires and assignes for Euer hereafter shall and May at all times, and from time to time for euer hereafter, quietly and peaceably Haue, Hold, occupy, possess and enjoy each person aforesaid and euery one of them, one fiuetyeth part of the sd Moiety and aboue granted Premises without the lawfull lett, Hinderance, Eiuction, Expulsian, sute, Molestation, contradiction or denial of him the said Jonathan Ting, his heires or executors, adm'strators or assignes of him, or of them, or of any other Pson or Psons what so euer lawfully claiming and hauing any ciuill and legall right title & interest therein or therevnto by from or vnder him, or by any other lawfull way and [ ]what so ever, in Witness whore of the said Jonathan Ting hath affixed his hand and seale herevnto, December the forthten day. Anno Domini one thousand six hundred eighty six Anno: Regin Regis Jacobi secunde secundo Memor anduni, that is couenanted & agreed, that the said Jonathan Ting, doth yet reserue to himself & at his dispose, one fiuetyeth part of said moiety exprest in th prmises & is at equall charg for it wth any one of ye fortynine, aforesaid. signed, Sealed and delivered in the Presence of
Samuel Manning Senr
Josiah Parker
Nathanell Hill.
Before signing it is to be vnderstood yt ye worshipfull Jonathan Tynge Esqr doth not in this instrumt make sale of the meadow in wamesit belonging to ye Honrable House of ye wynthrops wch meaddow is excepted & not [ ] ye Honrd Councills Answer to ye sd worshipful Tyngs petition.
JONATHAN TYNG.
514
HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
The Winthrop meadow mentioned was a part of the grant to Margaret the widow of Gov. Winthrop in 1640. A part of this grant lay upon the west side of Concord river.
In Hinchman's deed of the other undivided half the con- sideration is 49 pounds (euery man hauing paid for himself twenty shillings in silver and so are thereby all equal in purchase.")
Maj. Hinchman had already purchased Nov. 18, 1685, Wana- lancet's old planting field which lay at the west of the Wamesit Purchase in what is now Middlesex. This land is described as 30 acres -* "south of Merrimack river at a place called Neaham- beak near Wamesit upon Black brook-bounded by Merrimack river on the north Hinchmans land on ye west, it contains that whole corn fields fenced in with ditch & other wise that was broken & improve for some years by said Sachem Wanalansit & by his sonnes & by his men it lying near to the old Indian fort in that place."
The Indian field at the east end of the Wamesit purchase, was bought by Jerathmel Bowers, for "3 pounds & also much former kindness." It is described as "west side of Concord river lying within the Indian field that is within Ditch & fence-near their old pound" &c.t June 9, 1686.
This Indian name of what is now Middlesex, Nehambeak, is given in an earlier deed from the Indians to Hinchman, Naamcook .¿ It is to be regretted that more of the Indian names in this vicinity have not been perpetuated. The Indian name of the tract at the mouth of Stony Brook, is given "Suneanassitt" in a deed from Hinchman to Andrew Spaulding, in 1692.§
The acreage of the Wamesit Purchase is not given. General Daniel Gookin who accompanied the apostle Eliot, in one of his visits to the Wamesits, estimated that their grant consisted of about 2500 acres. Allen estimated that of this amount 1500 acres were upon the west of the Concord. It included about the same area as was originally incorporated as Lowell.
These 50 proprietors of the Wamesit Purchase managed their lands very much as did the proprietors of townships in the early days.
Their record book covers a period of a hundred years, and then the last Proprietors' clerk, Benjamin Parker, at whose house the last recorded meeting was held, laid away the old book, and deeds, in his attic where they have since remained. This old book now comes forth brown with its age of more than two centuries, and with its covers badly worm eaten, but with contents unimpaired to enlighten us as to the doings of the first white owners of the land now occupied by this populous city.
In this book is given a full description of what each man received by the first division of the land, but no
*From copy of M. L. Hamblet, Esq.
+Copy of M. L. Hamblet, Esq.
#Cambridge Registry, Vol. 4, p. 120.
§The deed is now in the cabinet of the Adams Library, Chelmsford.
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PAPERS BY MR. H. S. PERHAM
separate descriptions are given of the alotments by subsequent divisions. They laid out highways, erected a pound, made regulations respecting the maintenance of fences, set apart a quantity of land to encourage the erection of a mill, and at one meeting (1726) to enforce their regulations they chose Surveyors of Highways, Fence Viewers, and Field Drivers, who were sworn to the performance of their duties.
The title page of the record book reads:
"This booke belongeth to the purchasers & proprietors of the Wameset neck and was bought by theire order & for theire use may: 26: 1687: prise: 4s:"
Town Voted.
The record upon the first page is as follows:
"Seuerall of the inhabitants of Chelmsford hauing bought a persel of land of mr Jonathan tyng of Dunstable and maigor Thomas hinchman of Chelms- ford, the sd purchesors at a generall meeting at Chelmsford; did Joyntly agree together: to ffence in & in Close part of sd land for their present use & in order their unto sd Company did make Choise of a Comette to state ye fenc & make a division of sd land medow & fenc into fifty parts acording to the nomber of ye purchesors of sd land; whos nams are spescefied in ye deeds granted from sd. Tyng & hinchman, the Comette haueing stated the fenc & mad a division of: sd: land medow & fenc. & bownded them wt so many marked staks, as are Judged soficient (Js maintained by the owners) for each proprietor to know his own proportion of upland medow land & fenc; the Comette guing notes to the proprietors for a meeting: sd; Company did meet upon the: 13: theenth. day of may 1687; whear each persun had liberty to draw his fiuger from under a hat each mans proportion of upland medow land & seueral persels of fenc answering the fiuger yt fell to him by lot; each proprietor hauing receued his lot desired their seuerall persels of upland medow land & fences should be recorded. for the preuenting of futer trobel;"
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