USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Dracut > History of Dracut, Massachusetts, called by the Indians Augumtoocooke and before incorporation, the wildernesse north of the Merrimac. First permanment settlement in 1669 and incorporated as a town in 1701 > Part 2
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SETTLEMENT OF DRACUT
their heyres, Excecutors & assignes forever, and to no other use behooffe, intent or purpose whatsoever. In witness whereof the said partyes to these presents above mentioned have hereunto put their hands & Seals the day and yeare first above written. Mem. before the sealing and delivce hereof Mary Evered als. Web the none wife of the said John Web, hath by these presents covenanted and granted to joyne with the said John Web in the bargaine & Sale of the said land & premises as witness her hand and sale, hereunto set and subscribed.
In the presence of viz.
HUGH STONE.
HEN NELSON.
JNO. EVERED als. Web and a seal.
RICHARD SHATSWELL and a seal.
SAMUEL VARNAM and a seal."
ORIGINAL BOUNDARIES By Edwin M. Currier
It is in many instances difficult or impossible to apply an old plan to a modern map with satisfactory results. Measure- ments were far more liberal than indicated on paper. "The seven miles in a strait line" was practically eight or about ten, measuring by the curves of the river. What allowance was made for the variation of the compass is not stated, or if they allowed any. The actual limits of the township are to be ascertained by other data.
The east line has never been changed save as cut off at the north by the new province line of 1741. The west line in- cluded about one half of Wekasook or Tyngs Island. From Wekasook, or Island brook as the eastern channel of the river was called, the line ran about a mile, in a northeasterly course to its first angle, now indicated by a stone post on the north side of Bear meadow. In the survey of town bounds in Middlesex county in 1907 this is the one called Corner 1, Lowell-Tyngsboro. There is little doubt that this mile line was the bound between the military grant, owned by Capt. John Webb, and a grant to Richard Dummer and sold to Samuel Scarlet lying up on the river in what is now Tyngsboro.
10
HISTORY OF DRACUT
From Corner 1 the old line ran some thirty degrees east- ward of the north about a third of a mile to a corner now marked by a stone post and called Corner 5, Dracut-Tyngsboro, on the survey map before mentioned. This post stands on the east side of Trotting Park road, a short distance south of the old trotting park and eastward by Mud pond or Little Mascuppic. The locality was called "Bear Meadow Plain." From this point northward to the state line, the western bounds of the town have never been changed as far as known. The writer has ex- amined five or six different plans, showing the old western boundaries, but varying somewhat one from another. While there may be errors in the foregoing description he feels reasonably sure of its substantial correctness.
By resolve of the General Court, April 22, 1755, the estates of Abraham, Thomas and John Littlehale were, on their petition, annexed to the town of Dunstable. The new line commenced at the mouth of Scarlet's brook and followed the brook up about one fourth of a mile. Then from the brook it ran about twenty- two degrees eastward of the north one hundred and eighty-six rods to the old corner bound north of Bear meadow (corner 1 before mentioned) and about one hundred and forty rods from the roadstone on Varnum avenue. From this angle, by five courses, the old angle on Bear Meadow Plain is reached (corner 5). By reference to the map the singular projection of Tyngs- boro territory into the town of Dracut is noticeable. The granite posts at the corners were placed in 1822, as chiseled on them.
A perambulation by the selectmen of the two towns Oct. 6. 1773, mentions both the old and new bounds; "Commencing at the mouth of Scarlet brook and following up said brook to a stake and stones, then an old stump with stones by it, near a meadow, then cross the said meadow & not finding the bounds there, then to a large pine tree marked, then to a stake and stones, at the Corner of Samuel Colburns Willow Honse so called, then to two Black oak trees marked, then to a small Birch tree marked, then to a large crotched pine tree marked standing in Dunstable old line." After perambulating the rest of the old line to the state boundary, "We renewed the old bounds upon the old line between the said towns. Beginning at the river upon Wekasook Island at a white oak tree marked D. D. then to a heap
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SETTLEMENT OF DRACUT
of stones where is a tree fallen down marked D. D. then to a dry pine tree marked D. D. then not finding any more bounds till we come to the crotched pine above mentioned; the above said bounds first upon the new line then upon the old we mutually agree to be the bounds between the two towns." Just what was the structure called "Samuel Colburns Willow House" we are not informed; but apparently it stood near the north east corner of the territory annexed to Dunstable. The corner post is "forty nine feet distant from an angle in the wall at the edge of Bushy Meadow." (Survey of 1907.) The east line of Dracut, nominally six miles, was certainly seven or more, and must have reached within half of a mile of the southern end of Canobie Lake.
The perambulation of the Dracut-Dunstable line in Decem- ber, 1723, begins, "At a pine tree on the north side of Beaver brook in sight of said brook, being marked and lettered with F., it being fallen down we have laid stones about it ; from thence running sonthward by the old marked trees, many of them lettered D. D. till we come near to a place called the Stone Dam, then not finding the old bounds we aGreed both parties to mark a pine which stands on the east side of Beaver Brook 4 rods from said Dam * * * * from said bound tree running south- ward to a pine tree marked and lettered D. D. So running to a pine marked and stones about it near to a pine tree which is called the South East angle of Henry Kimbals farm, and from said pine tree we run the old bounds to Long Pond." Stone Dam was a natural dam across Beaver brook where Butlers mills (now Atwood's) at North Pelham, now stands.
Further data are given by a perambulation, December 15, 1733, omitting the numerous white oaks, black oaks, pine, etc., mentioned as bound marks: "Began at the Northern corner of Dracut next to Methuen, so went on the North West line of Dra- cut crossing a meadow to a pine tree * * #
then a maple with a heap of stones on the southerly side of Goldings Pond otherwise called Cobets Pond crossing said pond, then a red oak, then crossing Goldings Brook, then a pond crossing Drye pond *
* ; then a west line, a white oak near Beaver Brook, then several pines lettered D. D. to Beaver Brook or Stone Dam to a pine ye east side then a heap of stones on
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
the end of Round Hill on the west side of the road, we did not show the line to the tree lettered F." The pine tree marked F near Beaver Brook is mentioned by Jonathan Danforth in his survey of Dunstable in 1674. It cannot be located with accuracy. According to Mr. Kimball Webster (History of Hudson, N. H.) it later became the "northwest corner of Dracut, the northeast corner of Nottingham and the southeast corner of Litchfield, as these towns were chartered by Massachusetts; notwithstanding that the south line of Londonderry, as chartered by New Hamp- shire was two miles south of the aforesaid ancient bound pine." Mr. Kimball Webster locates this bound as a short distance north of the point where the Worcester division of the Boston and Maine Railroad crosses Beaver Brook and on the northwest side of the brook.
In this connection it may be stated that Methuen as char- tered by Massachusetts, 1725, covered a part of the territory north of Dracut occupied by Londonderry settlers. The charter of the latter, 1722, gave them as far south as the present Pelham- Windham line, although by their deed from Wheelwright, 1719, they could claim only to the old line of Dracut. After this terri- tory was set off to New Hampshire, 1741, of course the London- derry charter was sustained. From the foregoing data a plan may be drawn showing approximately the bounds of the northern part of Dracut. Placing the northeasterly corner of the town about one half mile south of Canobie Lake and a short distance eastward of the Salem-Windham line, a northwesterly line will cross the southerly line of Corbett's pond, then Goulding's brook and reach the point designated as Dracut northwest corner about three fourths of a mile southwesterly from Windham depot. Thence from the data quoted, the line must run four rods east of the Stone Dam and over the east side of Round Hill a little west of Mammoth road. The hill is about one fourth of a mile westerly of Hutchinson's bridge. From Round Hill the line continues on the same course, doubtless intended for a mag- netic north and south to the "Southeast angle of Henry Kim- ball's farm," a little west of Beaver brook. From all attainable data this "southeast angle" was some quarter of a mile southeast of the farm buildings on the old Darius Stickney place, and near the electric road. From this angle the line ran in a south-
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SETTLEMENT OF DRACUT
westerly course to the north end of Long pond touching the pond on the northwesterly side as shown by the old map of 1702. It is understood to have been the southerly boundary of the old Stickney farm, eastward of the Stickney road. It would cross the Dr. Batchelder place, now the residence of Mr. Frank Stickney, north of the house, and cross the Tenney road east- ward of the Edmund Tenney house. Thence crossing Broad Meadow, southward of the house, it would reach the Mammoth road near the old Gumpus burying ground .*
By the adjustment of the boundary line between New Hamp- shire and Massachusetts, 1741, nearly one half of the original area of Dracut came under the jurisdiction of New Hampshire. That portion lying north of the Londonderry line became part of the new town of Windham chartered 1742. It had been considered by Dracut as a part of the Reserved lands and lots had been laid out to some of the proprietors, though it is not probable that any Dracut people had settled there. In 1746 that part of old Dracut between Windham and the new province line, with a section of Nottingham on the west and a small portion of former Methuen territory on the east, was incorporated as the town of Pelham. The present northeast corner of the town at the angle formed by the junction of the Dracut-Methuen line with the state line is on a hill about one third of a mile south of North or Whites Pond known as Poplar or Ayres hill. Refer- ence has been made to this hill as being a double hill and it is between the two summits where the boundary monument is erected, lettered on the north side P 1890 and on the south side D & M 1890.
In 1702 a petition was presented to the state authorities, the substance of which is found in the reply of the Council :
*A singular error occurs in the record of the laying out of Dunstable 1674 : "From the pine tree marked F to the angle of Kimballs farm the line is said to run two degrees west of south. From the same angle to Long pond it ran 'two degrees and a quarter westward of the south' as it is stated a difference of only a quarter of a degree which is obvi- ously wrong. Probably 'south west' was intended instead of 'south.' Fox seems to have been misled by this error in drawing the map for his 'History of Dunstable.'"
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
"COUNCIL RECORDS Vol. III p. 316
AT A COUNCIL held at the Council Chamber in Boston upon Saturday the 30th of May 1702. Upon reading the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Town of Dracut therein setting forth that they are obliged to attend military Exercises at Chelmsford the next adjoining Town which being several miles from their houses is not only a great hardship to them, but doth much expose their wives and children to the Insoleney of the Indians and put them in fear, praying to be excused from that difficulty and that some suitable person among them- selves may be commissioned to train and instruct them in Military Exercises. Ordered. That the Petitioners be discharged from Attending of Military exercises in the Town of Chelms- ford, and that Jonathan Tyng Esqr. major of the regiment whereto they belong do appoint one of themselves to exercise them upon the place until further order. Which order was signed by the major part of the Council.
EDW. RAWSON, Secretary."
After the incorporation of the town the people continued to act with Chelmsford in religious matters until the relations were severed by the following action of the General Court : "Jan- awary the : 14 : 1705-6. It was voated that Draw Cut shall not voate In Chelmsford." The descendants of the first settlers realized the hardships which their ancestors endured to settle the new town of Dracut and generally resisted all efforts for a change in its boundary lines.
In 1774 there was inserted in the town warrant an article "to see if the town will vote off the easterly part as far up Merrimac river as to a white oak on the bank of the river 10 rods east of Ephraim Richardsons Brook to the Province line 40 perches west of George Burns' house in order to join with the westerly part of Methuen for a town." The line would have been east of the Jonathan Fox house and near the Warren Rich- ardson honse which was east of Marsh Hill on Burns hill. The town refused to consent to the proposition. In 1788 the inhabi- tants of that part of Dunstable east of the river petitioned the General Court to be annexed to Dracut. The latter town at a
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SETTLEMENT OF DRACUT
meeting held April 7, 1788 consented to receive them. The Court however did not favor the petition and no further action was taken.
About the year 1790 a petition was received requesting the town to set off the west portion between a line drawn from Merri- mack river at the "Sor Pit" * northward to the station tree on Parker Varnums land, with Merrimack river on the west. The object was to have Dracut, parts of Chelmsford and Tyngsboro join to be incorporated as a new town. The line would run from a point in the river east of the mouth of Beaver brook to the boundary pine monument on the State line. The town re- fused to agree to the partition of its territory.
In 1805 the town was invited to become a part of New Hampshire but again declined to change. The boundary lines remained undisturbed for many years after the establishment of the state line in 1741, except for the change of bounds at the west end in 1755 as before mentioned, but the Pawtucket falls with their available power produced remarkable changes in a short period of time. If the river had been unobstructed by the falls, Chelmsford and Draeut would have retained their con- dition as towns in which the chief business was farming, and Lowell would never have existed. The population, which was greatly increased by the erection of the factories required a large territory on which to reside. There were no street cars and when the land on the Chelmsford side of the river was occu- pied as far as it was convenient for the operatives to reside while employed in the mills, the land in Centralville was in demand for homes. In 1844 Centralville was so thickly settled that the roads on the hill leading up from Bridge street were laid out by the town and accepted. The village was beginning to assume the conditions of a city and demanded a fire engine and the formation of an engine company. Although in need of fire pro- tection the project was not favorably received and the article relating to it, which had been inserted in the warrant, was dis- missed.
In 1851 the inhabitants of the village petitioned the Legisla- ture to be annexed to Lowell. The petition was granted and the
*The Saw pit was a deep hole in the river in the vicinity of the mouth of Beaver brook.
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
lines defined as follows: "So much of the town of Dracut in the County of Middlesex as is commonly called Centralville thus bounded to wit, Beginning at the thread of Merrimack river near the foot of Hunts falls opposite the southeast corner of the land of the Proprietors of the Locks and Canals on Merri- mack river thence running north 19° 30' west to the margin of said river at said southeast corner bound thence in the same course northerly 3827 feet to the northerly side of the new County road leading from said county to Methuen thence North 89° west 5270 feet to the margin of said river near the end of the wall opposite or near the head of Long Island thence westerly in a direct line to the thread of said river, then down said river by the thread thereof to the point of beginning."
Contrary to the usual course, the town had given its consent to the division, January 20, 1851, by a vote of Yes, 126, No, 70. The east line of the part annexed to Lowell began at the river opposite a group of islands called Abbott's islands and from that point it ran to the northeast corner bound on Methuen street nearly one fourth of a mile eastward from Beacon street. From this corner it ran in a straight course reaching Bridge street, a few rods south of Richardson street, which it crossed diagonally to Hildreth street at the angle immediately south of the house formerly owned by Warner Coburn. It reached Lake- view Avenue near its junction with Aiken avenue. The original size and shape of Long Island has been changed as that portion of the river between the avenue and the island has been filled and Aiken street now crosses it while the northerly end of Aiken street bridge rests on the island. The introduction of street cars again brought changes and was a further factor in the expansion of the city and the line was established which embraced more of Dracut territory. This change was made in 1874. The line extended from the northeast corner which was the original bound in 1851, which was on Methuen street and was carried over the top of the hill east of and near the high service reservoir and through the Thomas Fay buildings to the present northeast corner on Willard Street south of the former town farm house. From this point running in a straight line it crosses Bridge street in the hollow below Dracut centre, and Hildreth street a few rods below Hovey square reaching Lakeview avenue near Bach-
CAPTAIN NATHANIEL FOX
(Sec Page 3ª7)
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SETTLEMENT OF DRACUT
man street. It crosses Riverside street between the tenement houses which were built by the Merrimack Woolen Co. and reaches the Mammoth road at Ledge hill continuing westward reaching the river at Scarlet's brook. In 1879 several hundred acres at the extreme southwesterly corner of the town were an- nexed to Lowell.
The town has not favored these annexations and in 1873 an attempt was made to prevent the loss of more territory. A com- mittee was appointed to attend to the interests of the town and if not successful in defeating the arrangement they were to ad- vocate the annexation of the whole town. But the division was made and the lines drawn as stated. In 1904 another attempt was made to annex more territory, which would include the Navy Yard village, Hovey square and Dracut centre, but it was strongly opposed and the project failed.
The name Draycot is of ancient British origin, and in use long before the Roman conquest of B. C. 54. Until that time the country was occupied by many savage tribes of Britons who were almost continually at war with one another. Julius Cæsar with his Roman soldiers were masters of the known world. They had subdued Gaul and the white cliffs of England across the channel seemed to reveal more countries to be conquered. The Britons were a courageous people and only yielded to the Romans after many years of fighting. Throughout the period of the Roman occupation, of the raid of the Picts and Scots, of the occupancy by the Saxons and Normans, the name survived, being spelled according to the manner of the language of the conquerors. This accounts in a measure for the different ways of spelling with which we meet in the ancient parish records. After the Norman conquest (1066) surnames became common and the name of the locality where a nobleman dwelt, or had his estate was often adopted for his surname. Among the followers of William the Conqueror was one of the Fitzanculph family called Lord Dra- cota. This Fitzanculph was afterward Baron Malbans and brother to Philip, whose son was Lord Dracota. This is re- corded in the early English record books and shows the existence of the name at a very early date.
In 1322 the Scotch invaded England, and an order was given in Draycot and other towns for the people to assemble and be
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
ready to follow their feudal lords to war. This order was read in Draycot church. In 1086 by order of William the Conqueror the Domesday Book was written in which was recorded the sur- vey of a great part of the landed estate of England. The name in this old book is spelled in different ways according to the lo- cality of the town. Draycott in Cheddar, Somersetshire, was spelled in the record to which reference was made, Dracota, also Dracotta. The Saxon owner was Godewinns or Goodwin. Dray- cot in Lymington, near Bath, and Wells, Somersetshire, was spelled Dracota, the Saxon owner being Alwe. Draycot-Foliot and Draycot-Cerne, the last being in Wiltshire were respectively Dracote, Saxon owner Levenot, and Draicote, Saxon owner Edrie. A brief mention of an early charter may be of interest to lovers of ancient history.
DRAYCOTE CHARTER
"William Malbant grants to Hugh, son of Nicholas de Draycot and his heirs Draycote, Cunshall, Newton and Leye (Leigh) and also a salting (a - saltmarsh) in Wich-Cheshire, Circa A. D. 1160."
In Staffordshire, William Malbane held, with other places, Draycote-le-Moors. The name Draycot is a corruption of Tre- Cord which means town in the woods. Tre or Dor meaning town and cord meaning woods.
As Dracut in America bore an honorable part in the struggle for liberty and freedom from British oppression in the Revolution, so Draycot in Staffordshire, more than 130 years previous to the time of securing our independence, furnished soldiers who fought for Charles I against Cromwell in 1664, but in this case they were on the side that met defeat. Richard Draycot, the name having become a family name, retired to Paynerley Hall, which he fortified, as was the custom, and sur- rounded it with three moats; but resistance though stubborn, was in vain, the castle was demolished and when peace was re- stored a brick building was erected on the site.
Like many other proper names the name in this country may be found spelled in different ways. Drawcutt was a common way of spelling the name in the early days, while we find in
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SETTLEMENT OF DRACUT
the records of Chelmsford the name is spelled Draw Cut. In a transference of property under date of 1665 the name is re- corded as Drawcutt alias Augumtoocook. The substance of the transfer will appear in the chapter on Indian History. The earliest mention of the name as applied to this town is in a transfer from John Evered alias Webb to Samuel Varnum and Richard Shatswell "1100 acres in Drawcutt on Merrimack River," January 10, 1665.
CHAPTER II
PERIOD OF THE GLACIAL MOVEMENT
A S we study the formation of the earth with its hills and valleys, its rocks and streams, too often we are led to think that its present condition has existed since the creation.
But we are taught that since the planet called the Earth assumed its present globular form there have been stupendous changes. Mountain ranges have been upheaved, continents have been submerged by the ocean, the land, now the site of large cities, was once the bed of the sea, and the changes that are taking place are continuous, but so slight as the centuries pass away, that in the short space of time allotted to us as individuals we are unable to detect them. Uncounted ages have passed away since the light of the sun shone through the firemist that filled the space which we now call the solar system and the earth began to take its form. Man takes note only of days, months or moons, years and centuries.
Of the vast periods which he calls ages, cycles and eons he has but faint conception. Scientists have divided geologie time into five great eras or periods. The earliest is the Archæzoic, then in their order, the Proterozoic, Paleozoic, Mesozoic and the present or Cenozoic. During the last named period, and before the advent of man, came the age of glaciers, of which this chapter treats. To explain the meaning of the glacial period we may consider it as one long winter of thousands of years, during which time the ice and snow accumulated until it covered nearly all of the northern hemisphere. Exact data relating to depth cannot be obtained, some estimating the thickness of the ice at 300 feet, others placing it at half a mile.
This great ice sheet travelled slowly south and after the passing of this age-long winter, thousands of years of gradually increasing warmth succeeded and the present condition was the result. In proof of the existence in the middle states of a former tropical climate we may refer to the immense coal formations
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