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 8
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Your Petitioners Therefore humbly prayes that yor Excellency and this honrd Court will please take the premise's into consideration and favor them, soe as that the said Tract of Land may be Granted and Confirmed to them for the enlargement of Their streightened accom- modations.
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
And yr petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.
Thomas Varnum
Daniel Rolfe
Edward Coburne
Thomas Richardson
John Coburne Senr.
Thomas Vernon
Thomas Coburne Senr
John Vernon
Daniel Cobourne
Joseph Vernon
Ezra Cobourne
John Cobourne junr
Joseph Cobourn
Thomas Cobourne junr"
The Court granted this petition Nov. 27, 1693. The three Vernon names were afterward erased and written Varnum in another hand.
With the petition the following plan was filed
Meadows of the Petitioners
Chandlers farmes on
the northeast
Northside
This small parcell is the land petitioned for.
farmes on ye West side
Lands of the Petitioners
500 acres of Chelmsford land adjoining on the east
Merrimack River on the South
There is probably an error in the copying of the drawing as Chandler's farms would lie on the northwest in Dunstable. The "500 acres of Chelmsford land" was the Indian Reserva- tion, already described. The 200 acres for which they petitioned was a very elastic term. It covered an ungranted tract adjoin- ing their homesteads on the north, all the land between Long pond and Beaver brook, also all of Collinsville east of the brook, with New Boston district as far east and north as the lines of the Conant, Tyng and Billerica grants. Its south line would be near the paper mill and Meadow bridge. It was long known as the "Lands of the Fourteen Petitioners." This was divided among them. The last division appears to have been made in 1718, and lotted out all of the Collinsville and New Boston land,
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
and some of the Long Pond lots, besides some of the meadow land on Beaver brook north of the Webb grant, purchased of Solomon Wood. The Long pond lots reached from the pond to Beaver brook and contained thirty acres each, northward of the Batter Grant.
THE RESERVED LANDS
No grants of land were made by the General Court in the territory of Dracut later than 1693. There still remained a large area of ungranted or wilderness land. In the resolve of the court granting the petitioners leave to lay out their township, we find the following condition, viz: "And that if any land shall happen to fall within the bonnds aforesaid that hath not been heretofore granted, it shall be reserved to be disposed of by this Government. "
Thus the town could occupy or dispose of this land only with the consent of the Court. There were reasons why the town should have this consent. The people wanted to build a meeting- house and support a minister, and revenues derived from this land directly and indirectly would prove of much benefit in the establishment of a church. Another reason was that they wanted to control the disposition of the land. Undesirable persons or squatters, as they were called, could occupy the land if unclaimed while if the town held the ownership legal means could be taken to eject them. No action was taken in relating to the granting of the lands until 1709. This antedates the town records by one year and is all that is known of the action of the town from 1702 to 1710, as all records of the intervening time have disappeared.
Under date of February 6, 1709, it is recorded that John Varnum, who was town clerk, by order of the town, petitioned the General Court for permission to dispose of the land. It is directed : "To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq. Captain- General and Governor-in-Chief, The Hon.ble the Council and Representatives in General Court assembled Feb. pro. 1709. The petition of John Varnum of Dracut within the County of Middlesex and others the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
said town Humbly sheweth etc" Following the statement found in the petition and survey at the time of the incorporation of the town the body of the petition is:
"Now so it may please your Excellency & this Hon.ble Assembly pursuant to a Clause in the aforesaid Grant that the Inhabitants of the said Land assist in the maintenance of the Ministry at Chelmsford as at present they do, until they are provided with a Minister as the law directs, they have ac- cordingly paid the Ministry dues there, But being desirous to settle the Ministry & Gospel Ordinances among themselves as in duty bound, for their own benefit and advantage & the Benefit of their Families & posterity, have for two or three years past had some young Schollars, Candidates for the Ministry to preach unto them, and at present have young Mr. Cheever of Marble- head with them attending that Work with general acceptance and approbation & have good hopes they shall obtain him to settle among them if they can give him Encouragement. They therefore humbly pray, that it would please this Hon.ble Assembly for the better Enabling them so to do to Order and Grant that the reserved Land lying within the Boundaries aforesaid mentioned in the afore recited Order may be alotted to & among such as shall come to settle with them, as the Free- holders & proprietors may think fit.
JOHN VARNUM"
The answer was favorable and the following order re- turned :
"Feb 6 1709 In Council, Read and Ordered that Colo. Jonathan Tyng Capt. John Lane Capt. Edward Johnson & Lieut. Hill with such as shall be added to them by the Representatives, be a committee to make enquiry into the Quantity of the Reserved Lands mentioned in the within recited order & make Report thereof to this Court at their next sitting & what number of Inhabitants it may be capable of entertaining to make a Strong town.
Sent down in concurrence
ISA ADDINGTON Sec
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
In the House of Representatives Sep'r 7 1709 Read & Concurred & that Mr. John Stevens be added to the said Committee.
JOHN CLARK Speaker
J. WILLARD Sec'ry."
The report of the committee is indicated by the following action of the Court as copied in the book of records of the town: "26 June 1710. Ordered that the eleven thousand acres of Reserved lands reported by the committee be added to the town of Dracut."
Apparently the committee was instructed to lay out lots. Under date of November 27, 1710, we have: "The committee appointed agreed to lay out 15 lots and to lay out to each lot 15 acres of meadow or good swamp land to make meadow and to make up the lots as soon as any persons shall appear to take them up."
Under date of May 15, 1712, in a report made to the committee by Joseph Varnum, Ephraim Hildreth and Samuel Danforth, who had been selected to lay out the lots it is re- corded : "We have laid out 300 acres for the ministry and one lot for the minister on the north of Beaver Brook near Tony Brook. There is about 250 acres laid out on the west of Gould- ings for the 7 lots upon Gumpas to make them equal with the River lots."
The committee made a further report to the General Court, June 13, 1712:
"We have as report followeth laid out 300 acres for the ' ministry in said town, and 50 acres more adjoining unto it for the first settled minister in said towne, because we could find no convenient place for him in The Reserved lands for the settling of a minister, the former proprietors out of their own proper right have given 30 acres of land for a house lot to the first settled minister. Also we gave orders for the laying out of 200 acres for the school in said town, and we have laid 23 house lots in the reserved lands 15 of these we laid out in a small tract of land which lyeth on the great river below, 15 acres of meadow or muck meadow to each lot, and these lots ordered to pay 17 shillings a piece yearly to the support of the
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
ministry & 40 shillings each for the defraying charges expended and shall be expended. We have laid out 8 lots more remote which lots we order to pay 10 shillings yearly to the support of the ministry in said town & 20 shillings each lot for defraying charges. Further we have granted to the several 15 acres of meadow land the full 30th part of the Reserved lands in said town proportional for small lots. Agreed and concluded that no persons shall make sale of his or their lot or lots taken up as above said without leave first had and obtained power from the General Courts committee then being or the selectmen of the said Town of Dracut or the major part of them, and that these residents or said proprietors as to the selling of the above said shall cause and determine their being accepted and approved of as settled inhabitants of the said Town of Dracut.
JONA TYNG JOHN LANE JOHN STEARNS."
The records of the town are supplemented by a small volume known as the Proprietors' records, still preserved among the town archives in its original form, bound in boards and covered with sheepskin. The opening of these tracts to the settlers attracted the attention of citizens of the towns already in ex- istence and the committee was obliged to exercise its judgment in the acceptance of these parties who, it was hoped, would add materially to the numbers and welfare of the town. In the majority of cases the families who came were desirable and while some are known only by name to the present generation, others have remained and been instrumental in the npbuilding of the town. The committee did not allow color to debar any one from becoming a citizen if he appeared desirable in other respects. One negro, to whom reference will be made, was accepted and granted several lots.
These lot owners were called Proprietors and the old book at the town office, to which reference has been made, is called the Proprietors' Record and the old road on Marsh Hill which has been discontinued as a highway is called the Proprietors' road. Many of these lots were bounded by marked trees or heaps
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
of stones which disappeared long ago and only the general loca- tion can be determined. The first entry on the Proprietors' book is as follows:
"We do except of ye parsons within named, to be Pro- prietors of the Reserved Land in the Township of Dracutt and do order their Loots and thir Nams to be entered in the Book of records for Dracutt accordingly, Jonathan Tyng, John Lane, John Stearns.
This is a trew Coppy of the General Corts order.
Wittnas Ouer Hands JOSEPH VARNUM EZEKIEL CHEEVER JAMES FALES"
"These are the names of the men that have the Loots now in possession with ye consent of ye General Corts Committee and sum that have sould to others with ye consent of ye Selectmen of the Town of Dracut. Selectmen : John Varnum, Joseph Colbon, Ebenezer Goodhue.
Benjamin Barans 1 Ebenezer Goodhue 2 Ezekiel Cheever 3 James Colbon 4 Benjamin Hoore 5 Ebenezer Wright 6 Onesimus (Onesiphorus) Marsh 7 Benjamin Barans 8 Solo- mon Wood 9 Josiah Richardson 10 Nathaniel Fox 11 An- thony Neggerow 12 Ezekiel Cheevers 13 William Reed 14 Nathaniel Cheevers 15 Samnel Prime 16 John Higginson. These are the fifteen that Lye between mr. Belchers Farme and mr. Winthrips Farme and every man's nam is seet to his Loot. Samuel Prime, his Loot Lyes below mr. Winthrip's Farme Lying on Merrimack river. John Higginson's Loot lyes on merrimack river below samuel Prime's Loot. Ministers Loot and ministers Farme lies at Gompos on ye north sid of bever Brook. Solomon Wood's Loot lies on Gompos Brooke. George Brouen 2 Joseph Crosby 3 Ezekiel (Cheevers) 4 Callup (Caleb) Balle 5 John Hayward Cheyney Flage these two Loot Lye on the north sid of Bever Brook west of the ministers Farme. Solomou Wood, his Loot Lyes on ye east Side of Bever Brook and on ye north sid of ye Colbons ould Meddowes. John Barans, hesacaah Townasane, Joseph Whittier these three Loots lye north of mr.
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
Winterips Farme." These are recorded in the Proprietors Record which bears the following endorsement: Dracutt March ye 5th 1733-4. This Book Delivered To Nathaniel Fox Pro- prietors Clark To Record in the Proprietors Book all that is Written in the within Written Book Delivered To him By us the Subscribers.
JOSEPH VARNUM - Committee"
EPHRAIM CURTIS
NATHANIEL FOX
The record of the river lots was later placed upon the town book, which gives the number of acres to each lot varying from 36 to 60 acres and totalling about 700 acres. Their dimensions are only to be ascertained from subsequent deeds of transfer. Many of these lots changed hands several times and became divided. A brief notice will be given of the original proprietors and their lots as far as known. As before stated, the owners were required to pay 17 shillings yearly.
The first lot was laid out to Benjamin Barans or Barron. The family was here at the time of the Revolution, when five of the names appear on the rolls of American Soldiers. The lot passed in 1750 into possession of Richard Thissell or Thistle, who settled upon it, and his descendants remained there many years. It was bounded on the west by the line of the Russell Grant or practically Beacon street. Laid out as 44 acres it was sold to Thissell as 50, showing the liberal measurements of the times. It bounded 30 rods on the river and extended 400 rods northward, or nearly to the junction of Beacon and Willard streets where it was 9 rods in width.
The second lot, Ebenezer Goodhue's, contained 46 acres. He has direct descendants in town at the preesnt time. The third lot was Ezekiel Cheever's of Salem, and contained 46 acres. This family was prominent in Dracut, the last of the name, Hannah Cheever, passing away in 1894 at the old Cheever homestead, then owned and occupied by Charles Hazen Stickney. The fourth lot was James Colburn's, who had 46 acres. He was a grandson of Edward, who came from Ipswich. Benjamin Hoar of Concord had the fifth lot, 45 acres, but he early sold to Ben- jamin Barron.
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
Parts of the second, third, fourth and fifth lots passed into the possession of Benjamin Wood and his sons, a prominent family in the town. Ebenezer Wright of Chelmsford had the sixth lot, 46 acres; he also bought some of the other lots. He appears to have been a resident of Dracut for a time, but sold his property and in 1723 was a resident of Dunstable. The seventh lot, 50 acres, was laid out to Onesiphorous Marsh (called Onesi- mus on the record). He was from Bradford, but settled in Dracut on other land which had been laid out to him. The eighth lot was laid out to Benjamin Barron, owner of the first lot. It con- tained 60 acres. It passed into possession of John Barron of Concord, who removed here and probably settled on the north end of the lot, and was succeeded by his son, Eliseus, who lived near the northerly end of Tenth street. The ninth lot was laid out to Solomon Wood of Bradford, who had other lots laid out to him, all of which he sold and never became a resident of the town so far as known.
The tenth lot was laid out to Josiah Richardson and con- tained 50 acres. He was from Chelmsford and died in 1711, and the following year his son Josiah, was granted permission by the town to settle on the lot. In 1727, he purchased of Jona- than Belcher a large tract of land in the former Russell Grant in Centralville, on which he is known to have resided. He is said to have sold one half of this lot in 1712 to his cousin, Joseph, son of Thomas Richardson, who had a ferry across the Merri- mack. If so, he did not retain it very long, for he was a resi- dent in 1715 of Bradford. The eleventh lot of 50 acres was laid out to Nathaniel Fox of Concord. From the town records we have the following: "July ye last day 1714 Mr. Fox came to Dracut." He was the ancestor of the Fox family which has numbered amongst its members many worthy citizens. His river lot passed through many hands and was at one time called the John Cheever farm. The twelfth lot was owned by Anthony, the Negro, who exchanged it with Ezekiel Cheever for a lot of 50 acres on the Cedar pond road, or Haverhill path as it was sometimes called.
The thirteenth lot was Ezekiel Cheever's, 46 acres. The fourteenth lot was William Reed's of Chelmsford. The fifteenth river lot was laid out to Nathaniel Cheever, 36 acres. He ob-
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
tained the ownership of the southern portion of the twelfth, thir- teenth and fourteenth lots which, with the southerly part of the fifteenth, he sold to Josiah Richardson of the fourth generation and owner of the tenth lot. His purchase was inherited by his son, Ephraim. It was long known as the Ephraim Richardson farm, being owned by three generations of that name and later known as the Jonathan Fox farm, now owned by his son, John C. Fox.
As previously stated in the report of the committee, 15 acres of meadow were granted to each lot and later other traets were granted to these proprietors. Eastward of these fifteen lots was the grant to Samuel Symons (Winthrop farm), already de- scribed. Below this grant on the river was a lot of 60 acres laid out to Samuel Prime of Rowley, who had, in addition, other tracts of land laid out to him, some of which adjoined his 60 acres. He sold his land to Joseph Varnum, whose son, Samuel, later married Prime's daughter, Mary. Joseph Varnum had other land laid out to him in this vicinity and acquired more by purchase. In 1737, he deeded to his son Samuel: "700 acres in the easterly part of Dracut commonly called and known as the Prime lot, bounded south by Merrimack river, west by Winthrop farm and by land I have given my son John Varnum." A plan of this farm is on file. It laid over two hundred rods on the river, from the line of the Winthrop farm on the west to the Higginson line at Deer Jump. It was somewhat fan shaped and reached northward over a mile to a point north of the nickel mine, including Belle Grove and the Old Varnum farms on the Methuen road.
Next, below Varnum's land on the river, was a lot of 200 acres laid out to the Rev. John Higginson of Salem, a very schol- arly man and one of the best writers of his time, as well as an eloquent preacher. Some poet has written :--
"With him Gospel and Deeds each had its column, His head an index of the Sacred Volume,
His very name a title page; and next
His life a commentary on the text."
In 1742, the lot was purchased by Timothy Parker, thus introducing that numerous family into Dracut. The lot was
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
bounded on the river 180 rods from Varnum line at Deer Jump to the east line of the town and extending northward one mile to the nickel mine. Thence the line ran northeasterly parallel with the river to the town line. Thus briefly stated is the names of the original lot owners in that portion of Dracut on the river through which is the electric road over which the cars pass be- tween Lowell and Lawrence.
The tract of two hundred acres laid out for the support of schools has been identified. It extended from the Cedar pond road on Marsh Hill southward to Fox Avenue, and from Belcher's east line which was in the vicinity of the old highway west of Dracut reservoir, eastward to the J. Wallace Thissell house, now owned by Henry Fox. The northwest corner was near the house of Eugene C. Fox. It was divided into fifteen lots. The first three covered the Samuel Worcester farm now owned by D. Stedman Fox. The Hildreth and Fred Fox farms lying on the east were for the most part included in this tract. The Cedar pond (now Peters pond) road is at present a right of way, it being super- seded as a highway when the present Marsh Hill road was opened ; it runs at right angles with the old road and is known as The Proprietors' road. On the northwest of Beaver brook in the triangle between the brook and Dunstable line were laid out the seven Gumpus or Gumpsted lots of fifty acres each, as men- tioned. According to the record of 1710, the owners were : George Brown and Joseph Crosby of Billerica Caleb Ball John Hay- ward and Cheney Flagg of Concord. They disposed of their lots. Zechariah Colburn purchased Flagg's lot and Benjamin Rich- ardson became the owner of Hayward's. They laid north of Collinsville.
Referring to the report made by the men who laid out the lots, we find a lot of 300 acres and another of 50 acres north of Beaver brook near Tony brook. They seem to have been con- sidered as lying in the Gumpus district, but if they were near or opposite Tony brook, which enters Beaver brook from the east a few rods below the Abbott bridge, which is the stone bridge south of Pelham centre, they may have included the south part of Pelham which lies west of Beaver brook and extended north to the center of the town. These were the ministers' farm and ministers' lot. In the same report we find "8 lots more remote,"
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
but they cannot be identified. In 1716, the Proprietors were desirous of dividing the remainder of the reserved lands and petitioned Jonathan Tyng, a Justice of the Peace, to call a meeting of the Proprietors, which he proceeded to do. The war- rant is given on account of its being a literary curiosity and shows the manner of writing and spelling which was common two centuries ago. No marks of punctuation seem to have been used :
"To Capt Joseph Varnum of Dracutt in the County of Mid- dlesex yeoman greeting whereas application to me Jonathan Tyng one of his majisties justes of the peace within sd County By five of the Propriators of the common or undivided Land of sd Town Praying for a warrent to Call a Proprietor meeting Showing By Sundry Weighty Reasons That There is Great ne- sesity of the same for the ordering and Desposing of the Common Land as aforesd.
I Do Therefore Pursuant To The Direction of the Law ap- point the Last Thursday of March Currant for the Propriety as aforesd To meet at the house of the A Bove sd Capt Varnum at Two of the oclock in the afternoon For the Ends Following.
To chuse a Propriaty Clark according to Law. (2) To chuse a committee or Agents To mannag in Behalf of the Proprietors. (3) To a Gree how to Despose of aney Part of sd Land as Shall Be Thought best when mett Together. (4) To agree how to call a propriators meatings for the futer I Do also order and Direct that you the a Bove sd Joseph Varnum Do Post up a Copey or Copies of these orders is some publick Place or Places of the sd Town Fourteen Days Before sd meating That all the Propriators may be Duly Notified To meat For The ends aforesd hereof Fail not Dated March ye 14th 1715-16
JONATHAN TYNG, Justis Peace"
The return of the warrant is brief.
"Dracut March ye 29 1715-16 In Observation To The within Writt I have Notified the Proprietors of the undivided land in Dracut as within Mentioned To meat Time and place JOSEPH VARNUM."
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HISTORY OF DRACUT
A record of the meeting may be found in the Proprietors' Record book at the Dracut Town office. It is here reproduced, a few of the legal terms being omitted for the sake of brevity.
"At a Ginerall meating of the Propriators of the common and undivided Land Beloning to the Township of Dracutt con- vened the Last thursday in March 1716 By Vertue of a warrant from the honorable Colonel Jonathan Tyng Esqr Justie of the Peace in Middx Diricted to Captt Joseph Varnum Bareing Dait ve 14th Day of March 1715-16 the Propriators Being mett at the House of Captt Joseph Varnum at the Time and Place Pre- fixed in the sd worron.
Made choice of Ezekiel Cheever of Salem for the moderator of this meating to mannage the several things contained in sd warrant.
lly Coarsen for a Clark Nathaniel Fox.
2ly Chosen for a committee as they shall agree upon Mr. George Brown of Bilricah Capt Joseph Varnum Ezekiel Chever Mr Nathaniel Fox Mr. James Fails.
3ly Voted this committee now chosen shall go upon the un- divided Land that is not yet laid out and Lay it out into Two Squadrons and the Land that Lyeth nearest Vnto the River Shall Be Laid out for the Lots that are Laid out upon the River and that Land that Lyeth next the Gumset Lotts Shall Be Laid out for the Gumsett Lotts a Lowing them the Land that was over for them which is not yet Laid out so answer the 13 acres that was Laid out the Each River Lott.
4ly Voted that there shall be a considerable Quantite of upland Laid out by this Commity unto each mans medow of that Land that Lyeth aBout his meadows for his Better accom- modation according to the quantity of meadows that each man haith and so much upland ay man haith Laid out to his meadow shall Be Reackond to him as so much of his share of undivided Land.
5ly Voted that when the Land is Laid out into Squadrons then there shall Be an Hundred and Thirty acres Laid out for each mans Lott of more if the Committee shall judge it best to lay out more at first and all the Rest of the Vndivided Land Which Remains after the meadows are accomedaited with what
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EARLY GRANTS AND ALLOTMENTS
the committee shall judge suitable and conveanant to Be Laid out to them and the 130 acres Laid out each mans Lott and all that Remains shall Be Laid out at the next laying out Be it more or less.
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