USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Chelmsford > History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts > Part 6
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This was the old road from Tyngsboro through North Chelms- ford. It swung to the left above Drum hill over a piece of road now little used, coming out upon what is now Westford street near Joseph Bowers'. The travel to Boston, from Dunstable and towns above, passed over this road for many years, passing over what is now Stedman street and the Golden Cove road and crossing the Concord river at Billerica.
The following year a new bridge was built across Stony brook, "to foot higher than the former was."
There were two foot-paths laid out near Jerathmell Bowers in 1677, which are thus described.
43
THE BEGINNING
A highway-By apointment of the townesmen ther is tew foott waies laid out through the land of John Wright the one begining att the still next to Jerathmell bowers and * * * so to the Cartt brige and then below the orchard to the land of Jonathan butterfeild and then close by the fence of John wright vp to the drift way and the other begining Against John Sheplies and then straight to the drift way at Jonathan buterfilds barne by William vnderwoods and Jerathmell bowers and for partt of satisfaction hee hath taken apece of land about an acer and halfe bonendid North vp on the towne common east vp on the medow of John wright South vp on the lands of Jonathan Butterfeild and west upon the land of John wright: Recorded by order of the
Selectt men 21 7 mo 1677
This is a trew Coppey
of the Rettorn of the Comity
[Orig. Records, Book 1656, p. 129.]
Samell Adams clerk
Whether it was Jerathmell Bowers' still which created the necessity for paths leading in his direction, we can only conjecture.
In the transcript of the town records, which was made in 1742, the word is written stile, but the original record gives it plainly "still."
In 1686 and again in 1688 Jerathmell Bowers was licensed to sell "strong waters" by the General Court.
Capt. Josiah Richardson located upon what is now the road leading from Westford to Lowell where, his descendent, the late Edward F. Richardson lived. The farm had been continuously in the family to the time of the death of the latter *.
STONY BROOK PATH.
One of the very early roads at first known as "Stony brook path" was what is now Westford road. Upon this road, about half a mile from the meeting house, settled John Perham, after his marriage in 1664, but at just what time is not known. The place has been continuously in the family to the present time. The present writer, who now occupies it, is of the seventh genera- tion from John. Edward Spalding settled about a mile and a half further west, upon the farm of the late Henry R. Hodson. This farm and those adjoining it on either side were occupied by Spaldings for several generations. To the west of Spalding, at what is now the William Martin place, at the foot of Francis hill, lived John Stevens and his descendants for five generations. *Family tradition.
44
HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD.
William Underwood was also in this neighborhood. His daughter Priscilla, and Edward Spalding, Jr., having united their fortunes in marriage.
The road from this neighborhood was early in use, but, if recorded, its description is, like those of so many of the old roads which were laid out by marked trees, such that it cannot be identified. It swung to the left near the present residence of Geo. F. Snow, crossing Stony brook at Westford corner, where a saw mill was established in 1669.
STONY BROOK VALLEY.
A number of families soon pushed out into the Stony Brook valley: John Snow, Joseph Butterfield and Joseph Parkhurst (probably Joseph, Jr.) and others. The following are the names of those who were chosen fence viewers for "Stony brook" from 1682 to 1700: Samuel Burge, John Spalding, Joshua Fletcher, Benj. Spalding, Joseph Spalding, Samuel Cleveland, Samuel Underwood and Gershom Proctor. Arthur Crouch planted his house upon Tadmuck hill. He was probably the first resident upon this beautiful hill now crowned by the charming village of Westford.
Two highways were laid out, one to accommodate the Stony brook families and another leading into it from Tadmuck hill furnished the first continuous highway from what is now Westford Center to the Chelmsford meeting house. They are thus described:
A hie way Laid out from stony broock houses throw the Land of Joseph buterfild and so ouer frances hill by Josaph Keyses house bounded by marked trees and ouer flagi mado plaine bounded by marked trees and by the East and of henory forwells house in to the Cuntery road the hie way is 3 rod wide all so we laid out A hie way from Arthar Crouchis house and by the houses at Litell tadnick and by the house of Josaph parkhust and as the way is drawn bounded by marked trees untell it Coms to stony broock way
Commity Soloman Keys Samuell Fletcher
This record is not dated but it is recorded in the handwriting of Thomas Parker who was town clerk in 1696 and 97.
The part of the road over Francis hill from No. 2 Schoolhouse, in Westford, to the top of the hill is no longer in use.
45
THE BEGINNING
Samuel Cleveland's land, granted in 1681, was upon the east side of Tadmuck hill, "by the highway to Great Tadnack" with liberty to dam and flow the swamp. It is said that there still remains evidence of an old dam at that place.
Samuel Cleveland was a son of Moses Cleaveland of Woburn, an ancestor of Ex-President Grover Cleveland.
GREAT BROOK SETTLERS.
The meadows upon Great brook early attracted settlements in the southerly quarter of the town, in what is now Carlisle.
The first that we find there were: John Barrett, George Robbins, Thomas Cory and Ambrose Swallow. A highway was laid out for their accommodation "to mill and meeting-house" in 1671, described as follows:
The selectt men vp on Request by George Robines for a highway to mill and metting house have Apointed a Cometty namly John Blanchard Moses Barron and John fiske to lay out the same And they make ther rettorne thatt they have laid out the same from the house lott of the forsaid Robines to And through the land of John Brett and so passing Beefore his house in to Concord Rode way over great Brooke; and so by Judgment of the Commetty And John Baretts Consent the town gives John barett three Acers of land Adioyning to his loott on the south side of his land By order of the selectt men* 31 the 8 mo 1671 Sam Adames
This neighborhood had increased by 1692 to at least ten families, three of which belonged to sons of John Barrett, mentioned above. The section from there to South Chelmsford came to be known as the "South End."
DEVELOPMENT OF WEST END.
In 1719 a highway, which furnished an outlet for other families that had settled in the West End, is thus described:
Chelmsford November the 4th 1719: A High-way Laid out which began at the corner of Jacob Warrens by the Highway to the great pond Called Hart pond: and from sd Corner as the Path now is to Jonathan Minotts from thence as the path now is to Thomas Adams's and Pelatiah Adams through there Land; and from thence as the path now is by marked trees along to Little Tadmuck to the Land of Thomas Adams & Pelatiah Adams & through there Land and through the Land of Ephraim Hildreth *First Book of Records, p. 106.
46
HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
senr-by marked trees running & facing: and from thence to Ebenezer Wrights Land & through sd Wrights Land as the path now is: from thence by trees marked Runing & facing to the High-way that goes from the meeting hous to Ensign John Snows: The afore sd Highway is Three Rods wide*
By the selectmens order
Recorded this : 5th Day of November: 1719 \ Jonathan Richardson pr. Benj. Adams Town Clerk Benjamin Adams Committee
The original petition for this road was preserved in the house of B. O. Robbins until recently. The house is a very old one and it may have formerly been Jacob Warren's house.
Of those mentioned in this description, Thomas Adams lived at the Hayward place. The house is still standing. It may have been built by Mr. Adams, who was a carpenter. He later removed to Dunstable, selling his place in Chelmsford in 1726 to Benj. Heywood, cooper, of Billerica. It has since re- mained in the Heyward name. Timothy Adams lived at what is now the John Sheehan place. Ebenezer Wright lived at what is now Edwin Heyward's place near Chamberlin's corner in Westford. The road terminated on Francis hill at the road which led from the Stony brook houses to the center of Chelmsford.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOWN.
The material from which to draw any picture of the life of the people of those early times is almost wholly wanting. We have neither tradition nor literature written at that period. We can simply present such bare facts as are found in public records, and the imagination must supply the rest.
The houses of that period were small and mostly of one story, with a living room and kitchen and a loft overhead for sleeping rooms, reached by a ladder, or a stairway in front of the big chimney.
The question is often asked, When were the old houses now standing built? It is impossible to say. It was not the custom then any more than today to inscribe upon a house the date of its construction.
Some of the oldest houses are thought to have been standing for two centuries. These are the old gambrel roof house by North square; the Emerson house on Dalton street near the road to North Chelmsford; the railroad house, so-called, near the *Book A, p. 172.
-
47
THE BEGINNING
depot on Littleton road; the Joseph Warren house and the Hazen house on Boston road; the Bowers house in Lowell; and the Hayward house and house of B. O. Robbins near South Chelmsford. Of the first mentioned, we have only its architectural features by which to judge of its age. All of the others have had additions and improvements which have changed their original form.
The meeting house was the social center. The minister was the important man, looked up to with great respect. His presence was called for at all important public, or family occasions. Attendance upon public worship was compulsory. All were taxed to support the church, and, when a minister was to be settled, he was voted upon in town meeting, the church having previously made known its preference.
SEATING THE MEETING HOUSE.
The seats in the meeting house were assigned by a committee chosen by the town, persons being given preference according to their estate, office, or social standing.
In 1678 the town chose "For a Comite to order the seating in metting house Capt thom hinchman, Capt Samell Adams, en [sign] Thom Adams william vnderwod, Josiah Richardson"
It is not probable that the first meeting house contained pews, the people being seated on benches. It was repaired in 1702, "both wtout Side to keep out rain and snow, & also withinside such Inlargement as may be needful & in perticular A long table from one allee to another" At a later period persons were permitted to build pews at their own expense for themselves and families. In 1712, "It Was uoted that Colonall tyng Capt Bowrs Capt Barron and Jonathan Richardson shall haue the Liberty and Benefit of making Pues in that uacant Roome one the East side of the Pulpit in the New meeting hous to the East Window"* At a still later period the town received pay for such privilege. In 1772, "Voted to sell room. for pew, in meeting house by the mens stairs sold to Samuel Perham for ten dollars."¡
PRIVATE ENTRANCES.
There are votes on record which indicate that such pew holders were sometimes permitted to have a door cut through the side of the building, giving them a private entrance to their pews. *Book B, p. 16. +Book I, p. 100.
48
HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
For what other purpose could have been the doors ordered by the following votes? In 1696, "it is voted yt two men shall be ordered to make two dors at ye back side of ye meeting hous" and the year following, "it is uoated that thare shall be A doar mad out at the noarth sid of ye meeting house and A pillor set under ye bame"*
Before the introduction of bells it was the custom to summon the worshipers to meeting with a drum. Among the town charges in 1659, one was "for the paiment for A drum to Henry Farwell £3-5-0"
It appears also that sometimes a flag was flung to the breeze for that purpose.
"The 1 Day of June 1676 the selectt men made an Agreement with George biam to cleane the metting house putt out Cullers [colors] and Attend both saboth and lecttur Daies as formerly hee hath don and for the yeare insewing hee is to have 50 shillens in corne or Cattell to bee paid halfe att the last of Nouembor the other halfe att or before the last of June Foloing"
BELL.
But these primitive methods were soon superseded by better. From 1680 to the present time the sound of the church bell has called the people to worship. On the above date "Ther was a voatt past that ther shold bee a bell bought for the Towns vse and that ther shold be so much land sould out of the Comon as will purchas the bell and hange him in the metting house that is to say if the towns stock in hand will not doe it then to sell landt
The Commity to sell the lands ar
Mr John Fisk Ser [geant] Richardson Soloman Keies"
The date 1682 was inscribed upon the bell. When the third meeting house was built the town voted, in 1793, "to sell the old Bell and buy a new one of 700 wt, raising £110 for this purpose."
The old bell went to Tyngsboro, where it was used on a schoolhouse į.
*[pp. 225, 229, First Book, 139, 143 Copy.]
+First Book, p. 157.
$Allen, pp. 26, 77.
APLAN
OF SUNDRY FARMS Or at
PATUCKET
LY THE TOWN OF
HOST BRINLEY
CHELMSFORD.
FALLONS
1 4 641
5
3
2
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E
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alder
WHITING
John Ford
-
17
18
XVI
BOWERS
ETCHER
CAP
XLVI
FLETCHER
JOSEPH HALL
RIVER
37
36-
ARM.
JON TYLER
30
-
13
THIRDS
31
XIV
.
33
LOCKS
LD
LDING
MELVIN
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F
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Bra Pals
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PARKER
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STAR
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EXPLANATION.
XLV
of
1
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---
WILLIE
SCALE
WIDOW
Reduced from the original plan de the Front of Locks & Canale on Nenhumach Pror Ate 87)
No. 5
A PLAN OF THE FARMS IN EAST CHELMSFORD. 1821.
WHITNEY and HOLDET
23 -
S
R
WRITING
LIV
S
27 vHr
WILLIE or THIRDS
CONCORD
WIDOW
JOST FLETCHER
SWAMP
THIRDS
XXXVII
E
Phallus
19
R
T
P
JCAP* PHINLAS WHITING
JOSEPH FLETCHER
R
LIX
LOCKS
49
THE BEGINNING
Several votes remind us of the Dial, the Hour-glass, and the Stocks, those ancient instruments, the two former for marking time, the latter for the punishment of offenders. In 1698 payment was made
"to John Kyder for tythin mens staues £0-4-6
to John bates for mending the stoxs £0-1-6
Samuell Foster for the desency of the meeting house £0-10-0"
At another time Jona Barrett is paid for "sitting up the dial," and Abraham Byham "for bringing the stooks £0-1-0"
LAND DISTRIBUTION.
The method which governed the proprietors of the town in their land distribution is not described in the records. This may have been contained in the first book of proprietors' records, which Allen says were burned about 1715, with the house which contained them.
The rule was doubtless the same as in other towns at the time. In Billerica the Dudley farm "was divided into twelve lots of one hundred and twenty-five acres each and this number became the unit of measuring shares through the town. Each share was called a ten-acre lot and consisted of one hundred and thirteen acres of upland and twelve acres of meadow and carried with it the right to 'all town priviledges, after additions and divisions of land and meadow.'"* From this it would seem that each proprietor's holdings were much larger than appears by the records.
There were four divisions of the common lands.
As the town controlled the disposal of land and new residents were admitted by vote, undesirable persons were prevented from gaining a foothold. The laws of the colony were very strict in regard to receiving and harboring strangers, it being enacted in 1637 that "No Town or person shall receive any Stranger Resorting hither with intent to Reside in this Jurisdiction, nor shall allow any Lot or Habitation to any, or entertain any such above three Weeks, except such person shall have allowance under the hand of some one Magistratet
At first land was granted to approved characters on condition that they build and settle on same and pay town charges, but land soon came to have a greater value and in 1669 "it was ordered *Hazen's Billerica, p. 31. +Laws and Liberties.
50
HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
by the town, that all those, who shall take up accommodations in town shall pay for a ten acre lot £2-10-0, and in the same pro- portion for any lot greater or smaller."*
Land continued, however, to be granted free to encourage the introduction of useful trades.
John Lowell was admitted an inhabitant in 1682, if he come and settle "and so follow his trade of Tanning" and given the privilege of taking bark from the commons. And James Dutton, in 1693, was granted three acres to set a house and shop on "in order to follow his trade." Thomas Parker, shoemaker, and Zachariah Richardson, blacksmith, were given similar grants.
MILLS ESTABLISHED.
Nothing more marks the enterprise of the people than the mills which were early established upon the various streams. The first saw and corn mill, which the town so liberally endowed in 1656, was followed in 1669 by a second saw mill, upon Saw Mill Meadow brook which flows into Stony brook at what is now called Westford corner near West Chelmsford.
"At a Publick meeting the: 3d: Day in September: 1669: Thomas Hinchman William Fletcher and Josiah Richardson Petitioning for a parcell of Land for there Conveniencies in Erecting of a Saw-mill and Carying along the work thereof." The grant was made by the town, the conditions being that the "Inhabitants thereof shall have there Boards at four shillings per Hundred and not exceeding that prise: for any kind of pay that the afore sd Inhabitants Can make: at price Currant between man and man in this Town: And that any of the Inhabitants of Chelmsford Giveing timely notice of there want of Boards to any of the owners of the Mill afore said that then they shall be suplied for there pay before others. And further it is Granted to the afore sd owners of the Mill that they shall have free Liberty to take of the Town Common What Timber they see meet for the Mill to work on: And to Rattifie the afore sd Grant the Town hath Chosen Samuel Foster and John Burge Senr to se to the Reccording thereof and that it is done according to former Order. Witnes our hands Samuel Foster Senr John Burge Senr" t
The banks of an old canal are still plainly seen at this point.
Att a General metting of the towne the 3 day of Febuary 1673 * *
* by a maior voatt was granted to Farther the *Allen, p. 21.
+Book A, p. 40.
51
THE BEGINNING
Iron worke that thye shall haue For 2d a Cord leave to cutt wood Acording to Former Agreement* This was doubtless Capt Jonas Prescotts mill at the outlet of Forge pond on the Stony brook.
GROTON MILL.
"At A Genll Town meeting August the : 24th 1709: it was voted that Capt Jonas Prescot of Groton shall have the Common Meadow Lying in Chelmsford as it was granted to Thomas Chamberlain of Groton for the sum of Twenty five pounds of money"t When this grant was recorded the following year, the only part of the description now intelligible is "Lying within the Town of Chelmsford near to Groton Mill on both sides of Stony brook"
Capt. Prescott's object in obtaining the meadow was, doubt- less, for the purpose of obtaining bog ore to be manufactured into iron. "Prior to 1730, Jonas Prescott had greatly enlarged and improved the works on Stony Brook by erecting forges for manufacturing iron from the ore as well as other purposes."#
Capt. Jonas Prescott and his descendants continued the business at Forge Village till 1865, almost 200 years from the date of the first action by the town of Chelmsford in aid of the enterprise.
FIRST FULLING MILL.
The first Fulling mill, for the dressing of the homespun cloth, is indicated by a vote of the town Feb. 2, 1691.
"on the day aboue leftenant John barett and his sonn Jonathan barett propounding for libarty to erect a fuling mill on the mill brock it was by uote granted and ther was chosen on the day aboue to setell this mater
captine richarson and Joseph farwell se and Thomes parker commity"§
This mill was probably in the present town of Carlisle near the road leading to that town from Chelmsford. The two Barretts mentioned in the vote lived in that neighborhood at the time.
There are several mill sites on the stream in that section, one of which is still in use.
*First Book, p. 118.
+Book A, p. 172.
#Hodgman's Westford, p. 243.
§First Book, p. 188.
52
HISTORY OF CHELMSFORD
FIRST MILL AT CENTER OF TOWN.
The first mill on Beaver brook at the center of the town, Allen tells us, was erected in "1678 .- John Parker, son of Abra- ham, built a saw-mill on Beaver-brook, of which some remains are yet to be seen."1 I am unable to find any reference to this mill in the town records, but in an ancient deed from Abraham Parker, Senr., to his eldest son John, occurs this language: "Also whereas the said John Parker of his own estate hath ben at one third pt of ye charge in building of a saw milne now standing upon his father Abrahams land * both ye upper & lowr Dam with all the profits and comodityes of ye same According to his proportion of interest in ye said mill. * * *
Dec 29. 1679" and from another deed, from the same to son Moses, it is plain that the mill was on Beaver brook.
FIRST GRISTMILL AT NORTH CHELMSFORD.
Daniel Waldo, who, doubtless, had learned the mill business of Samuel Adams, whose daughter Susanna he had married, proposed to undertake a mill on his own account, and, in 1695, he made an agreement with the town "about Building a corn mill on Stony brook below the Highway to Dunstable"
The agreement stipulated that said Waldo was to maintain a good mill and miller. "The sd mill to be kept for the Towns use Except the fourth Day of each week which is for Dunstable: and to grind the Towns Corn well and there Mault for half Toal Except a small quantity a Bushel or the Like," and the people were to be served in turn, and he is not to "Damnifie" the highway or any man's meadow by flowing. In consideration for which "we grant to the sd Waldow the stream of sd Brook: and also Twenty five acres of Land on each side of sd Brook provided the sd Highway be not Damnified"
The Dunstable highway here mentioned is the street passing through the village of North Chelmsford, now known as Middlesex road. The bridge originally crossed the stream lower down than the present one. Allen, writing in 1820, says of this mill privilege, "This advantageous situation has been constantly occupied by a mill under several successive owners. The present proprietor, Wm. Adams, Esq., rebuilt the saw mill, 1815, and in 1814, the gristmill on an improved plan. It contains three runs of stones,
53
THE BEGINNING
each of which is moved by a tub wheel. The wheels are placed at different elevations, that the uppermost may be used when the water in the Merrimack is at its greatest height, and either covers the other wheels or impedes their motion. As the water in the river falls to its common level, either or all of the wheels may be used at pleasure."* In a note made below, after his book was published, he wrote: "1822 These mills with twenty acres of land around were sold to Kirk Boott as agent for the Merrimack Manufacturing Company for 15 thousand dollars."
But these mills continued in operation after Kirk Boott's purchase, for the present writer has taken wheat there to be converted into flour, I should say, about 1858.
JOHN RICHARDSON'S MILL.
To return again to the earlier period: Daniel Waldo sold, in 1700, to John Richardson, who then lived nearby, "one corn mill also one half of the third part of a Saw Mill Standing on the aforesaid Stony Brook near to said corn mill"t
Daniel Waldo removed to Dorchester, and later to Bridg- water.
In 1707, "Jonathan Richardson and John Richardson had granted the Liberty of erecting Iron works upon Stony brook with Conveniency of flowing provided it Damnifie none of the Inhabitants,"# and in May, 1709, "It was voted that John Richard- son shall have the Liberty of Drawing of the pond Called New- fied-pond to suply his mill with Water: And shall have the benifit of sd pond to the high-water mark"
The attempt of Mr. Richardson to avail himself of the benefit of the waters of this pond caused a most remarkable catastrophe. As the workmen were digging a channel through the bank of the pond the pressure of the water suddenly burst the weakened bank and the water rushing out carried with it a negro who was in the ditch at the time and buried him in a mound of sand washed by the water to the meadow below. Thus this pond, covering 100 acres, was all drawn off with the exception of about an acre in the lowest part. This story rests wholly upon tradition. Allen relates it (pp. 19, 20) and at the time he wrote, the pond still remained dry and its bed "covered with a thrifty growth of wood." The writer's father, the late David Perham, has told him *Page 31.
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