USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, including the Plantation, from 1640 to the present time, with an appendix, containing a notice of Sudbury and its first proprietors > Part 7
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March 18, 1733-4. A highway from Jona. Jackson, through Timo. Stearns' land, to Mr. Joseph Maynard's (as it is now occu- pied), was accepted by the town.
1735. Return of highway, beginning at Southborough high- way, near the house of Daniel Mixer ; so down, as the way is, to Ichabod Hemenway, Jun's. house ; thence S. side of Jona. Morse's house, to a small pine N. side of the old path in the low land, about 30 rods from said Morse's ; thence to Col. Buckmin- ster's dam ; and thence, as the way is used, over the other dam ; thence to the corner of the fence between Edward Wright and Serg. Treadway ; thence S. to an oak in said Wright's field ; thence to the line between Col. Buckminster and said Wright; thence, as the line runs, to the path from the said Wright's to the meeting house ; thence, as the way is, to the road from Mr. Tredway's to the meeting house.
Feb. 2, 1735-6. Return of a highway from Benj. Ball's corner, over the land of Jona. Maynard, to an oak near the brook ; thence near the N.W. corner of Benj. Tredway's barn ; so over said T.'s land, to a pine on the N. part of the hill ; thence over Col. Buckminster's land, to near the crotch of Mr. Tredway's
56
CIVIL HISTORY.
land ; and so on the line between Mr. T. and William Pike, to the meeting house land.
7 March, 1736-7. The highway from the old meeting house place to William Pike's, is discontinued, so far as it goes over Col. Buckminster's and Mr. Treadway's land ; and laid out from the house of Francis Moquet, by the end of Bear Hill, to the meeting house.
March 24, 1737. Return of alteration of the highway from the old mecting house to Rice's end, near to Sucker (Succo) pond ; - the alteration to begin at the corner of Ezekiel Rice's fence near Sucker brook, and the way to run over said brook, to a stake and stones on the brow of the hill ; thence E., by marked trees, to the way formerly laid out.
July 15, 1737. Return of a highway from Southborough to Sudbury ; viz. - beginning at Southborough line, on land of Mr. Isaac Gleason ; through his land as the way is, said G.'s fence to be the S. bound ; thence through Mr. Eben. Frizzell's land as the way is, said F.'s fence to be the S. bound ; thence through Mr. Timo. Stearns' land, as the way is, to the way from Lt. Willson's to the meeting house, - said Stearns' N. fence to be the S. bound ; - thence in said way to the foot of the hill near the N. W. corner of Lt. Winchester's fence ; thence through said W.'s land, as the way is, to Capt. Clark's N. corner; thence between lands of Capt. Clark and the widow Frost, to the N. side of Jona. Clarke's frame ; thence to the crotch of the paths leading, one to Stone's mills, the other to the new bridge ; thence along Stone's path, near the corner of Ebenezer Pike's new broke up land ; thence N. over to said new bridge path ; thence as the way is, to said new bridge.
Nov. 14, 1737. Return of highway, viz. - from near Amos Gates' house, through his land to Isaac Clark's gate ; through said Clark's land, as the path is now trod, to land of Cornet Matthias Clark ; thence to the road from Marlborough to Stone's mills.
Dec. 26. 1737. Return of a way from Singletary's bridge. through Jona. Maynard's land to the bridge ncar Benj. Tred- way's, - beginning at said Maynard's fence, at the E. end of said bridge, by marked trees to the Salem end road.
57
TOWN HIGHWAYS.
May 12, 1738. Return of a way from the house of Matthias Bent, to the road about 20 rods E. of Dea. Adams' house, - be- ginning at said Bent's house, running by marked trees along by the S. side of Dea. Adams' orchard ; and so to the old road lead- ing from Mr. Thomas Stone's to Mr. Moquet's.
Return of a road, beginning at Jonathan Rugg's N.W. cor- ner; thence N.W., by marks, to a stake and stones on South- borough line.
Alteration of the road from Rev. Mr. Swift's new house, to the old meeting house bridge.
March 5, 1743-4. The town accepted the following way ; - beginning at Singletary's bridge ; thence, as the way is, to near Mr. Richard Mellen's ; thence W. side of a stone wall, into the way leading by Daniel Mellen's barn ; thence, as the way is, by Joseph Haven's to the road leading from Coller's bridge ; thence by W. end of Elkanah Haven's house ; thence, as the way is, to Mr. Nathan Haven's stone wall; thence by said wall, into the road formerly laid out by said Nathan Haven.
March 5, 1743-4. Accepted an alteration of the road by Mr. John Parmenter's house to the country road, -by various marks, over the brook below the saw mill ; thence to the country road, within Eben. Hager's land.
May 8, 1744. Alteration of a highway, - turning out of the old road at the corner of Mr. Jona. Morse's fence, S. of his barn ; thence N.E. into the old road ; thence, as the old road is now trodden, to the Colonel's dams.
Alteration of a highway, - turning out of the old road, near the lane coming from Lt. Rice's door ; running a little W. of the old road ; coming into it again on a hill near Mr. Moquet's fence.
March 3, 1745-6. Record of a highway, - beginning at the end of the lane from Jona. Morse, to the highway from Ball's bridge to the meeting house ; E. from Mr. Benj. Ball's fence, - said fence to be the W. bounds of said road ; - thence, as now used, to James Clayes' house ; and also from the house of Mr. Caleb Bridges, till it comes into the aforesaid highway to the meeting house.
Oct. 12, 1747. Alteration of the road by the Rev. Mr. Bridges' house.
58
CIVIL HISTORY.
March 7, 1747- 8. Alteration of a road (probably at the N.W. corner of the town) - beginning near the road now occu- pied, by the land of John Bullen ; thence E. by marks, by the path coming from William Upham's, into the road formerly laid out.
March 4, 1750-1. Return of highway from Sudbury line, near Jona. Robinson's, to the great road in Sudbury, by the house of David How, innholder, of Sudbury ; - beginning two rods N. of Robinson's N.E. corner on Sudbury line; and thence S., bounding E. on Sudbury line, to the great road by David How's.
March 1, 1756. The town accepted a private way from Na- than Haven's house to Holliston line ; - also an alteration of a private way, from the great road coming from Hopkinton to Benj. Barnard's, to William Ballard's.
Nov. 22, 1756. Accepted a highway laid out, - beginning at the river between Hopkinton and Framingham ; thence on Elisha Bemis' land, by marks, to Theo. Peirce's land ; thence by marks to Southborough line.
March 6, 1758. Return of a highway from Sudbury line by Cornet Eaton's to the meeting house, - beginning at Sudbury line, to said Eaton's tan house ; thence S.E. to his gate ; thence, as the road is, through Geo. Walkup's land, to Tho. Winch's lane ; thence, as said lane goes, to the place where old Mr. Streeter's house formerly stood ; thence S.W. ; thence by marks to the W. fence of the lane leading over the bridge over Hop brook ; thence, as now trod, to the meeting house.
Road laid out, - beginning at Stone's mills ; running E. to Hezekiah Stone's fence ; thence N. towards Sudbury, as the way is, having lands of Hez. and Micah Stone for the E. bounds, till it comes to Moses Stone's land ; thence to Silvanus Hemenway's land ; thence to Sudbury line, as the way is now trod, to Land- hạm.
March 5, 1759. Highway through George Walkup's and G. Walkup, Jun's. land, discontinued as an open highway ; but re- served as a bridle way.
March 1, 1762. Voted, to accept as a town way, the road from Capt. John Butler's corner at the foot of the Rice's hill, to the road leading from Daniel Adams' to Stone's mills. Also, an alteration of the way, turning out of the country road, a little W.
59
TOWN HIGHWAYS.
of Tho. Kendall's barn, and running to Stephen Jennings his house.
March 2, 1763. Return of a townway, -beginning at the end of the road bounded W. on land of Eben. Singletary's origi- nal lot, - said road extending S., to the land of Simon Pratt and James Glover.
Return of highway, - beginning at Jona. Hemenway's house ; thence W. by Ralph Hemenway's house, over a bridge and cause- way, to the country road, a little to the E. of Mr. Eben. Bout- well's house.
Alteration of a town way leading from Jona. Barret's to the highway, toward the great road in Sudbury, a little above David How's field.
March 9, 1767. Return of a town way, -beginning at a large rock at the end of a stone wall on Marlborough road, now in possession of Joshua Fairbank; thence S. on Micah Gibbs' land, and widow Fairbank's, to Mr. Brinley's land; thence on said Gibbs' land, wild land of Mr. Brinley and Mr. John Mixer, to land now improved by Jos. Nichols and John Eames ; thence to the country road leading by said Nichols.
Return of a town way, from the corner of Cornet Abr. Rice's stone wall, by William Merret's, Daniel and Cornelius Claflen's.
1771. Alteration of a town way near Mr. John Fisk's.
1772. Alteration of the road by Wm. Merrit's.
1774. Return of a highway, laid out from the end of the road from Cornet Abr. Rice's, to Timothy Pike's ; and thence W. to the lot No. - , in the river range : thence by marks to Geo. Stimpson's land ; thence meeting a road laid out by Hopkinton.
1779. The town accepted the exchange of a way laid out through lands of David Rice, 2d.
1781. Accepted a town way, -beginning by the road W. of Simon Pratt's house ; thence S. to an oak N. of Daniel Tombs' house ; thence to the corner of lot No. 14, river range ; thence to the head of the lane near Capt. Ballard's house.
1795. A road was laid out from Capt. John Jones' mill to Mr. Nathan Dadman's, and to the town road N. of said Dadman's house.
April, 1797. Accepted an exchange of the above road.
1799. Accepted an alteration of the road near Lt. Cornelius Claflin.
60
CIVIL HISTORY.
Table of Annual Grants for Highways and Bridges.
1701
£ 20
1748
£ 400, old tenor.
1723
30
1759 -
150
1736
100
1771
250
1737
-
200
1789
100
1741
250
1798
$ 800*
POUNDS.
March 2, 1702. Voted, that there shall be a pound set up upon the W. side of the river, by the bridge.
Oct. 28, 1703. Voted, that there shall be a pound set up upon the land of John Town, joining to Mr. Swift's land, by the road.
April 10, 1719. Voted, that the town's pound be removed and set up upon Col. Buckminster's land, adjoining or near to Benj. Tredway's land, by a certain pond hole.
June 15, 1719. The above location having been found incon- venient, ordered that the pound be set between the two highways, one leading from the plain, the other from Singleterry's bridge to the meeting house, so as to join Mr. Swift's land; and to be set up near the top of the hill.
May 8, 1733. Mr. Maynard made offer of land for a town pound, by the oak tree upon the hill near his dwelling; which was accepted by the town.
1741. Granted £ 7.11 to Henry Eames for building the pound in said town.
1755. A grant was voted to Lt. Hezekiah Rice for building a pound.
1781. Voted to build a new pound and set it where the old one stood.
The annual appropriations since 1798,have been generally $800, to the present time. The only years before 1835, when they exceeded that sum, were in 1818 and 1819-having been, the former year $1200, and the latter $1000. The roads in this town are
kept in good repair at so moderate a charge. The allowance to such as worked out their highway tax, was in 1737, 5s. per diem for a man, and the same for a cart and four oxen, or two oxen and a horse. In 1754, the allowance was 4d. per hour.
61
FISHERIES.
FISHERIES.
The river and ponds in Framingham have, from the earliest times, afforded an abundant supply of fish, until the obstructions of the former, by dams, impeded the communication with the sea.
In 1743, Josiah Drury and David Gregory were appointed by the town to take care of the fish.
March 1, 1762. " Voted, that Messrs. James Clayes, Isaac Fisk and Joshua Harrington be a committee to view the Stones' mill dams in said town, and consider of the necessity and conven- iency of opening a passage way through said dams, to let the fish called alewives pass up into the pond called Farm pond, to cast their spawn." The subject was dismissed the May following.
March 7, 1763. Pursuant to an act, &c. to prevent the de- struction of the fish called alewives, and other fish, " Mr. Wm. Brown and Mr. Bezaleel Rice were chosen to see that the passage ways mentioned in said act (within our bounds) are open, &c .; and also to appoint the proper place or places for the taking such fish with scoop nets or otherwise, and to limit the particular times and days for the taking the same." Committees were in like man- ner chosen in succeeding years.
March 8, 1792. An act was passed by the General Court, " to enable the town of Framingham to regulate and order the taking of shad and alewives within the limits of said town; " and a farther act was passed June 15, 1821, regulating the pond fishery.
April 2, 1792. The town voted that the fish called alewives and shad, be taken only one day in the week, that to be on Tues- day ; and to be taken only at one place, and that to be within 15 rods of Dea. Wm. Brown's fulling-mill dam.
Voted, to choose a committee to let out the catching the ale- wives to the highest bidder ; whoever purchases the privilege is to sell them for no more than 4d per score .*
* The proceeds of the fisheries were given for some years to the singers, and hence were called the " singers' fish privilege." 'T'he only fish now taken in the town are pond fish, which are found in considerable abun- dance, though the regulations estab-
lished by law are but little regarded. The fine fishing afforded by the ponds, formerly attracted numerous visiters from Boston. Trout, which were once abundant in the small streams, have nearly disappeared.
6
62
CIVIL HISTORY.
POPULATION.
Years.
Houses.
Families.
Males
under 16.
Females
under 16.
Males
over 16.
Females
over 16.
rateable.
Polls r.
and non r.
Free White
Females.
Colored.
Total.
1696
1699
64
near 200 over 350
1708
75(?)
1710
ab't 1760
198
1763-5
205 234
325 302 306 347
1,280
1776
whites, 1,574
1777
384
1778
337
1781
370 389
1791
221 292
350
394
828 26
1,598
1810
354 354 437 517
13
1,670
1820*
445 404 510 661
17
2,037
1830
15
2,313
1840
7
3,030
1845
about 4,000
VALUATION ABOUT 1760.1
301 polls rateable,
331 polls.
30 " non-rateable,
198 dwelling houses,
at 60s. each,
£594.
28 work houses,
at 25s.
-
35.
8 mills,
at 80s.
32.
1 iron work, -
· at 60s.
3.
7 servants for life,
at 40s.
14.
£60.130 Trading stock, at 6 per cent.
£936.17 4 money at interest at 6 per cent., 162 horses, · at 4s. 9d.
38.09.06
265 oxen,
at 4s.
53.00.00
724 cows,
at 3s.
108.12.00
886 sheep &c., 35 swine, -
at 12d.
1.15.00
1,023¿ cow pastures,
at 10s.
511.15.00
20,665 bushels grain,
at 8d.
688.16.08
1,716 barrels of cider,
at 2s.
171.12.00
4472 tons of English hay, at 12s.
268.10.00
1,021} tons of meadow hay, at 6s.
306.09.00
£2897.17.072
* In 1820, 308 were engaged in agriculture, 22 in commerce, and 140 in manufactures. In 1840, 715 were engaged in agriculture, 463 in manu- factures, 3 in navigation, 15 in the
learned professions and engineering ; 16 were revolutionary pensioners, 6 insane and idiotic. Official Returns. t This valuation, it will be under- stood, is a reduced one.
.
at 3d.
11.01.06
3.12.09
56.04.02₴
1784
111 301 331
Polls
63
COLORED INHABITANTS.
COLORED INHABITANTS.
We possess a few data relating to this class of the inhabitants of the town, who, during the first century succeeding its incorpo- ration, until the adoption of the Constitution, were generally held as slaves. Slavery, however, in New England, existed in its most mitigated form, and to a very limited extent. In 1708, the number of slaves was computed at 400 in Boston, and 150 in the rest of the State. In 1754 and 5, a census of negro slaves gave the entire number in the State at 2,717; none, however, were reported from Framingham. Yet before 1743, five slaves, (three males and two females), were owned by the Rev. Mr. Swift ; and there is reason to believe that there were then others in various families of the town. In the valuation of 1760, (several of Mr. Swift's slaves having left the town), the number of " servants for life " reported, was seven. In 1764-5, the number of "ne- groes " in Framingham is given at 25, the entire colored popula- tion of the State being 5,312. The number of persons of color in this town has gradually diminished. The census of 1840, re- turns but seven .*
* The names of Mr. Swift's slaves, disposed of in his will dated Sep. 1743, were a negro man Francis, a legacy to his son, the Rev. John Swift of Acton; Guy, a negro man, to his son-in-law, the Rev. Philips Payson of Walpole; Nero, to his son-in-law Eben'r Robie. He also left two women, Dido and Esther, for the service of his wife until her decease ; after which, they were to be the prop- erty of his daughter Martha, the wife of Maj. John Farrar.
NERO, (his entire name being Nero Benson), had married Dido (Dingo) in 1721, and served as trumpeter in Capt. Isaac Clark's troop in 1725. His religious scruples appear to have been respected by his master, the Hopkinton church record informing us, that Sep. 20, 1737, " Nero, servant to Rev. Mr. Swift, applied for admis- sion to the church." This occurred at a period of much contention in the church of Framinghamn, which will be explained in that branch of our history. Tradition preserves a favor-
able account of Nero's character. He had several children. A son Wil- liam was owned at one time by Joseph Collens, of Southborough. Esther, above named, was probably daughter of Nero and afterwards lived in a Ha- ven family. His descendants are yet living in this town. Of other indi- viduals of this class, we are induced to give the following memoranda.
Jane, colored servant to Col Buck- minster, was bap. in 1722. Primus, servant to Aaron Pike, was bap. in 1744. Mereah, servant to the widow Frost, in 1746; Jenny, servant to Lt. Winch, and Vilet, servant to Jonathan Rugg, in 1746; Flora, servant to Dea. Balch, in 1747, and named in his will 1755 ; Flora, Brill and Titus, ser- vants to Mrs. Winchester, in 1748 ; Hannover, servant to Nat. Belknap, in 1755; Phebe, servant to Simon Edgel, in 1767. In 1716, John Stone held as a slave, Jone, wife of John Jackson, of N. London, Conn., who commenced a process to recover her freedom. Oct 9, 1733, Thomas Frost
64
CIVIL HISTORY.
CASUALTIES AND REMARKABLE EVENTS.
1717. About this time, a Gleason house was destroyed by fire, near the site of Mr. Charles Clark's present house.
1717. The great snow of this season is referred to in a Jour- nal kept by the Rev. Mr. Swift, as follows, viz. : "Feb. 24. We had no meeting by reason of a very deep snow, that fell on the
bought of Jona. Smith of Sud., for £60 current money, a negro man named Gloster, æ. about 30 years. Dill, a negro woman in the service of Dea. Daniel Stone, died Dec. 13, 1767. Plato Lambert, probably a negro, born in 1737, was taken when an in- fant, by Mrs. Martha Nichols of Fra- mingham.
KATA HUNKER, as he is commonly called, was probably the same person rated as Cato Hart in 1786. He was slave to Joseph Haven, Esq., and was born in his house (now occupied by Mr. Francis Cooledge). A grand- son by the name of Primus, was late- ly an inmate of the Poor House.
BRIN, (otherwise called Blaney Grushy), is said to have been a slave of Col. Micah Stone. He was at the battle of Bunker Hill, and served on other occasions during the war. He died Feb. 1820.
PETER SALEM - alias Salem Mid- dlesex - was originally the slave of Capt. Jeremiah Belknap, and was sold by him to Maj. Lawson Buck- minster. He married in 1783, Katy Benson, a grand daughter of Nero, and lived for a time, where is now a cellar hole on the farm of the late Mr. Rich- ard Fiske, near the pond. He served in the war of the Revolution as wait- er to Col. Thomas Nixon, of Framing- ham; and at the opening of the war was present at the battle of Bunker Hill. Emory Washburn Esq., in his interesting Hist. of Leicester(Worc. Magazine II, 113), says of him - " There was residing here, till with- in a few years, a black man, who, we have good reason to believe, was the one who shot Maj. Pitcairn, whose death forms so affecting an incident in that bloody affray. History relates that he was shot by a negro; and
from the story of the one we allude to and many corroborating circum- stances, we are led to conclude that he was the person who did the deed. The person to whom we refer was
named Peter Salem. * * * * * * * Maj. Pitcairn was shot as he was mounting the redoubt, and fell into the arms of his son. His loss was a severe one to the British, and added not a little to their regret at the events of that day." Peter died in Fram., Aug. 16, 1816.
But the most noted individual of the class under consideration, was PRINCE, sometimes called Prince Young, but whose name is record- ed as Prince Yongey, and Prince Jo- nar, by which last name he is noticed in the Town Rec. in 1767. He was brought. from Africa when a young man of about 25 years, having been a person of consideration in his native land, from whence, probably, he derived his name. He was first owned by Col. Joseph Buckminster, and afterwards by his son, the late Dea. Thomas. He married,( by name Prince Yongey) in 1737, Nanny Pe- terattucks, of Framingham, (the naine indicating Indian extraction) by whom he had several children, among them a son, who died young, and a daughter Phebe, who never married. Prince was a faithful servant, and by his general honesty, temperance and prudence, so gained the confidence of his first master, Col. Buckminster, that for about a quarter of a centu- ry, he was left with the management of a large farm, during his master's absence at the General Court. He occupied a cabin near the Turnpike, and cultivated, for his own use, a piece of meadow, which has since been known as Prince's meadow.
65
REMARKABLE EVENTS.
Thursday before, and a great storm on that Sabbath." Contem- porary accounts represent the depth of the snow, as about six feet. " March 10. The Lord's supper adjourned till the next Sabbath, by reason of the restraint of the season by deep snow."* The annual Town meeting, which was to have been held March 4, " provided the town can come roundly together, and are not hin- dered by reason of the extremity of the season," was not held until the 18th of the same month.
1719, April 12. " A contribution recommended for Mr. John Dunton, who had been burnt out a little before."+
1720, Feb. 21. Under this date, Mr. Swift notices a great deluge, (Diluvium magnum), but with no particulars.
1724, Oct. 18th. " Contribution for David Prat, my neigh- bour, who was burnt out, £24.14.6."}
1727, Oct. 29. Mr. Swift enters the following notice of the great earthquake. “ Nocte subsequente fuit terræ motus valde terribilis, circiter horas 10m. and 11m."
1736. " Voted that 30s. be paid or abated to Moses Haven. late constable, in consideration that the like sum is said to have been burnt of the town's money, when his house was burnt."§
1736, Aug. A very fatal disease prevailed in this and neigh- bouring towns, of which many died.
1747, April 29th. "The wife of Mr. David Harrington of Framingham, returning from market at Boston, while crossing a river in that town, fell from her horse and was drowned."
1749, Oct. The house of Robert Sever was destroyed by fire. ||
He chose the spot as resembling the soil of his native country. During the latter part of his life he was of- fered his freedom, which he had the sagacity to decline; pithily saying, " massa eat the meat ; he now pick the bone." Prince shunned the society of persons of his own color, and though accustomed to appear in pub- lic armed with a tomahawk, was a great favorite with the young, whom, under all provocations, he was never known but in one instance to strike. He had been sufficiently instructed to read, and possessed the religious turn
characteristic of the African race. In his last sickness, he remarked with much simplicity, that he was " not afraid to be dead, but to die." He passed an extreme old age in the family of Dea. Thos. Buckminster, and died Dec. 21, 1797, at the age of 99 years and some months. Numer- ous anecdotes are yet related, illus- trating the simplicity, intelligence. and humor of " Old Prince."
* Swift.
t Swift. # Swift.
§ Town Rec.
|| Mr. Sever, after this event, peti-
6*
66
CIVIL HISTORY.
1754. The first four months of this year are made memorable by the occurrence of a fatal distemper, known as the " great sick- ness."*
1755, Nov. 18. A terrible earthquake took place " a little after four o'clock, in a serene and pleasant night, and continued near four and a half minutes; the shock was the most violent ever known in the country."+ Tradition has preserved among us the memory of this event, and the consternation it produced. Its effects were less destructive here than in some other towns. ¿
1756-7. A Journal kept by Mr. Henry Eames of this town, represents the total depth of snow, fallen this winter, at nearly six feet.§
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