USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Hardwick > History of Hardwick, Massachusetts, with a genealogical register > Part 5
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proprietors and the twenty-four proposed as settlers proceeded to draw their lots." And December 26, 1733, " The proprietors proceeded to draw for their two hundred acre lots, and drew the same as follows :" three lots of two hundred acres each to " Coll. Lamb, Gardner's heirs, Mr. Haskall, Mr. Paige, Ebenezer Pier- pont, Mr. Tucker's heirs, Coll. William Dudley, Mr. Draper's heirs, Mr. Gamblin's heirs, Capt. Willis, Mr. Curtis's heirs, Capt. Ruggles' heirs." At the same meeting "the lots were drawn amongst the proprietors and settlers, viz. : the remaining thirty- two as follows." The list, however, was not entered on the Pro- prietors' Records until November 3, 1743, when it was " voted, that the list of the lots drawn by the proprietors and settlers, laid before the proprietors by their Committee, be and hereby is accepted, and that the Proprietors' Clerk be desired to record them forthwith in their Book of Records." Four one hundred acre lots are recorded, as drawn by each of the twelve proprietors. Then follows a record of the settlers' lots: "The following is a list of the persons' names and the lots drawn by them, with the number of acres belonging to each lot drawn by the persons ad- mitted settlers in Lambstown, so called." I omit the numbers of the lots, as no plan of them is known to exist.
Acres.
James Akins
100
Mr. James Allen
100
John Amadown .
100
Thomas Bennett
100 and addition.
Lidel Buck
120, now Rd Church.
Roger Carary .
100
Nathan Carpenter
110 .
Capt. Will™ Chandler
94
Jonath™ Church .
100, now Miricks.
Sam1 Church .
100
Sam1 Cook .
· 100
Ebenez™ Cuttler 120
. Sam1 Davis 100
Samuel Duglass
104
Michal Gilson
100
David Goldthright
100
Stephen Griffen
100 Ezra Leonard.
Stephen Griffeth
100 and 50. 98, now Pikes.
Griffen .
John Harwood
102
Joseph Haskal
. 125
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35
CIVIL HISTORY.
Acres.
Mr. Josh Haskal
102
John Hunt .
.
100, now Robinsons.
David Ingersole
100
Dudley Jordan
100 .
Edmund Jordan
100
John Jordan .
116
Coll. Joshua Lamb .
100
Ezra Leonard
100
William Maccoy
99, a mill lot, with 6 rodds allowed for a highway.
1136990
Sam1 Marsh 104
Thomas Mayo
100, purchas'd.
Norcross
100
Christopher Page
100
Christop" Page
100
Ebenezer Pierpont .
100
Elisha Pike
100, now Gillet.
Thomas Powers
100
Ramsdel
.
Sam1 Robinson
103
Capt. Josh Ruggles .
100
Mr. Timoy Ruggles
112
Mr. Timoy Ruggles
100
Mr. Timothy Ruggles Shaw
100
Sam1 Shumway 100
Benjamin Smith .
100
Jonath" Southwick
100
Moses Stockbridge
100 and 50.
Benj" Sumner
100, now Edwª Sumner.
Edwd Sumner
100
William Sumner
104, now Edwd Sumner.
William Thomas
104
John Tompson
100
Seth Twitchel
90, forfeited by him.
Wells
100
Andrew White
, now Hunt.
Mr. Will™ Williams
100
Capt. Sam1 Willis
100
Coll. Sam1 Willis 1 .
100
1 After the lots were drawn in 1732, of colonel. Mr. James Allen, Mr. Tim- othy Ruggles, and Mr. William Williams were clergymen. Many of those who drew lots never became settlers.
some were forfeited, and others changed owners, before the list was recorded in 1743, as indicated on the record; and Captain Willis was promoted to the office
100
·
100
36
HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
The Common
Acres. 10
Mill Lot
Minister Lot
200
Ministry Lot
200
School Lot
200
ON THE EAST SIDE OF WARE RIVER.
George Abbot 100
Barr 100
Josiah Barrett . 100
Blair 100
Robert Gatchell .
.
100, now Haskal.
Nichols
50
Ebenezer Pierpont
50
Jeremiah Powers
100
Sam Smith
100
Lt. Warner
50 and addition.
October 30, 1733. " Voted, That the Rev. Mr. Timothy Rug- gles shall have the Mill Lot for one of his settlers' lots to the west side of the 69th lot." 1 "Voted, That Lieut. Leonard shall have the Mill lot adjoining to Ware River, at the southerly corner of the town,2 provided he erects a good grist mill on the River in one year from the last day of June next, and that he keeps and maintains the said mill in good repair for the space of twenty years, so as to supply the inhabitants of the town with grinding from time to time, and for the usual toll ; said lot to be accom- modated as the Committee shall see cause, but not to include above one hundred and fifty acres of land."
Although never actually attacked by hostile troops, in its ex- posed situation on the frontiers the settlement of the town was retarded by fears of invasion. Hence the proprietors voted, De- cember 27, 1733, " that if the inhabitants or settlers are mo-
1 This lot was probably on Moose Brook at the Furnace Village, where a grist mill was very early in operation.
2 At Gilbertville. Lieutenant Leonard failed to perform the conditions, and the lot was granted, September 10, 1735, to " William Jennison, Esq., and Thomas Stearns, both of Worcester, and Stephen Harrington of Lambstown in equal parts. . .. And it is to be understood that the said mill is to be set on either Ware River
or the Brook running through said lot, as may best answer the end of the builders and inhabitants, both." The mill and lot subsequently became the property of John Wells, after whose death they were sold, 24th October, 1750, to Jonathan Warner. The water-power at this place is the most important within the town. Instead of a grist mill it now moves an extensive man- ufactory.
37
CIVIL HISTORY.
lested by a war with the Indian or French Enemy, it is agreed and allowed that if they, within two years after the expiration of the war, shall fulfil and bring forward their settlement according to the Court's grant, they shall enjoy their rights." And six months later, June 12, 1734, it was " represented to the proprie- tors, that Mr. Stephen Griffen 1 was desirous to build and settle on his brother Norcross's lot, that the neighborhood might be more complete and defensible in case of a war ; " and liberty was granted accordingly.
A somewhat suspicious vote was adopted, December 27, 1733 : " Voted, to Mr. Ebenezer Pierpont the quantity of three hundred acres of land, to be disposed of by him to two particular gentle- men, viz., one hundred acres to one of said gentlemen, and two hundred acres to the other gentleman." The mystery is partially solved by a memorandum made on the fourth Wednesday of Sep- tember, 1734, that " whereas there was a grant of three hundred acres of land to Mr. Ebenezer Pierpont some time ago for two particular gentlemen : now the meaning is, that the Honorable Judge Dudley shall have two hundred acres, and one hundred acres to William Dudley, Esq." What service these gentlemen had rendered or were expected to render in consideration of this gift does not appear ; nor is any reason obvious why their names were not mentioned in the original grant, like those of other re- cipients of land, whether by gift or purchase.
Until 1736, the settlement of the township made slow prog- ress ; but in that year there seems to have been a large accession of inhabitants. In the House of Representatives November 29, 1736, " a petition of Benjamin Smith and sundry other inhabit- ants of lands lately granted to Joshua Lamb, Esq. and others, at a place called Lambstown, setting forth that they have fulfilled the conditions of a settlement, being arrived to the number of sixty inhabitants,2 and performed what was enjoined on them as to subduing and improving the lands, and have called and settled a minister, praying that they may be incorporated into a town-
1 Stephen Griffith.
2 If this mean sixty families, - the number required in the grant, - the greater part must have become inhab- itants during this year. Deacon Joseph Allen moved into the town in the early part of the year ; and he says there were
then only twenty-three families in the place.
" In thirty-six I came into This then a wilderness :
Great hardships we did undergo, Our wants did daily press.
38
HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
ship, for the reasons mentioned. Read, and ordered that the prayer of the petition be granted." 1 The Council non-concurred ; but two days afterwards proposed to incorporate the place as a district, to which the House assented, and it was enacted, " That the prayer of the petition be so far granted as that Mr. Benjamin Smith, one of the petitioners within named, be and is hereby authorized and empowered to notify and warn the inhabitants and residents on the tract of land within mentioned, qualified by law to vote in town affairs, to convene as soon as may be in some public place, then and there to choose town officers, and agree upon methods for the support of the ministry, and defraying other charges ; the said officers to stand until the twenty-fifth day of March, one thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight. Provided, nevertheless, and it is hereby declared, that nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to the confirmation of the original grant of the said tract of land, but that the same remain as heretofore until this Court be fully satisfied that the grantees have fulfilled the conditions of the grant."2 The meeting, thus authorized, was holden February 9, 1737 ; and its proceedings are here entered in full, as they show to a certain extent who were then inhabitants. It was voted :
"1. That Mr. Benjamin Smith be the Moderator of said meet- ing.
" 2. That said meeting be adjourned to the house of Nathan Carpenter, on said day.
" 3. That Samuel Robinson be Town Clerk.
" 4. That Benjamin Smith, Joseph Allen, Samuel Robinson, Stephen Griffeth, and Benjamin Ruggles be Selectmen.
" 5. That John Wells be Town Treasurer.
" 6. That William Maccoye, Benjamin Ruggles, and Expe- rience Johnson be chosen Assessors.
" 7. That George Abbot and Ichabod Stratton be Constables.
" 8. That all the remaining town officers be chosen by hold- ing up of hands.
" 9. That Thomas Perry and Benjamin Andrews be tiding men.
"10. That Josiah Barret and James Aikens be surveyors of highways.
" The families were twenty-three, That then did here belong :
They all did hardships bear with me, But now are dead and gone."
Last Advice and Farewell of Deacon
Joseph Allen to the Church and Congrega- tion of Hardwick. Printed at Brookfield, 1795, pp. 51, 8vo.
1 Printed Journal of House of Repre- sentatives.
2 General Court Records.
·
39
CIVIL HISTORY.
" 11. That Dudley Jordan and John Hunt be fence-viewers.
"12. That Phineas Powers and Samuel Church be hog-reaves.
"13. That this meeting be adjourned to the 23d of this in- stant February, at the Meeting-house, at ten of the clock on said day."
Up to this time, the Rev. Timothy Ruggles was more active than any other person in carrying forward the settlement of the town. Although he sold, in 1736, his proportion of the share inherited from his father, Captain Samuel Ruggles, of Roxbury, he made frequent and extensive purchases from the heirs of other proprietors and from those who had received grants as settlers. His activity and the extent of his possessions by grant and pur- chase are partially indicated by votes passed June 29, 1737 : " Whereas Mr. Timothy Ruggles of Rochester, one of the pro- prietors, was obliged to settle five lots, called settlers' lots, in said Lambstown, as granted to himself, each of them one hun- dred acres, and there was a vote passed, that if he did the duties of settling on the thousand acres, so called, that it should answer for the same, and he having performed his duty as such on said thousand acres, as appears by the view of the proprietors' com- mittee, voted that those lots in said thousand acres which are No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, according to the plan of that part of the thousand acres, so called, which lies on the westerly side of Ware River 1 in Lambstown, containing in the whole eight hundred and seventy-three, signed William Chandler, Surveyor, and as entered on the original plan, &c., be and hereby are confirmed to the said Timothy Ruggles, and to be to him, his heirs and assigns forever." At the same time three other lots were confirmed to him, he having bought them of Samuel Willis, Esq., Samuel Shumway, and Samuel Douglass, and " having performed the like duties on the same."
During the two years between the grant of authority to elect
1 This portion of the " thousand acres " was in the northeasterly part of the town, between the Moose Brook Road and the River. The farm marked "D. Billings " on the R. Map was the southwest corner of this tract, being described in the deed from Nathaniel Ruggles, of Roxbury, to Daniel Billings, May 8, 1765, as bounded west on the west line of the thousand acres, north on Caleb Nye (formerly Samuel Nye), east on Captain Benjamin Ruggles's
homestead, and south on the mill lot, this line being " the line between the mill lot and the thousand acres." The proprie- tors voted, in September, 1734, " that the piece of land decyphered on the plat of one hundred and twenty-eight acres, lying eastward of Ware River, and on Brain- tree grant, and on Mr. Barnes's heirs, is allowed to make up the complement of one thousand acres on Ware_River," etc.
40
HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
certain officers and the full incorporation of the town, the inhab- itants transacted very little business at their public meetings, except providing for the erection of a meeting-house and the maintenance of a minister, which will be noticed elsewhere. Heretofore the provision made by the proprietors for this purpose was inadequate; and the inhabitants manifested a strong desire for incorporation, that they might thus become able to raise a sufficient revenue by taxation of all the land, whether owned by residents or non-residents. Accordingly it was voted, June 30, 1737, "That Mr. Christopher Paige be the man to go to the General Court, to get the Town incorporated, or the land taxed." When this petition was under consideration in December, 1737, the proprietors asked the General Court to delay the act of in- corporation for another year, and their request was granted.
At the election of officers, March 6, 1738, several new names appear : John Amadon, Matthew Barr, Samuel Gillett, Robert Gitchell, Roger Haskell, Stephen Herrington, Constant Merrick, Christopher Paige,1 Eleazar Sanyer, Jonathan Warner, and Samuel West.
August 8, 1738, voted, " That Benjamin Smith's yard be a pound for the town this year."
October 19, 1738, voted, "That the town-meetings for the time be warned by posting at the meeting-house." Personal notice seems to have been given, heretofore, by two constables, each being directed " To warn all freeholders and other inhabit- ants in Lambstown, so called, in your district." The Great Meadow Brook was then the division between the two districts. At a later period, the county road, which afterwards became a turnpike, was established as the line between the north and south districts.
November 2, 1738, voted : "1. That Lieut. Eleazar Warner be the Moderator of this meeting. 2. That the town will send to the General Court, to pray for a tax of two pence per acre upon all the land lying within the limits of Lambstown. 3. That Deacon Christopher Paige be the man to go to the General Court, to pray for the laying of the aforesaid tax." 2
This petition was presented in December, and an order of
1 Deacon Christopher Paige was Mod- erator of the meeting April 4, 1737, and had then been here about two or three years.
2 In anticipation of this movement, a petition was presented, December 2, 1738,
by " Ebenezer Ayers, Eleazar Warner, and sundry others, proprietors and in- habitants of the southeasterly part of Lambstown, so called, on the southerly or southeasterly side of Ware River, showing that though they live on farm
41
CIVIL HISTORY.
notice was issued to the proprietors. December 15, 1738, in the House of Representatives, " The petition of Christopher Paige in behalf of Lambstown, so called, praying as entered the 9th current, read again, together with the answer of Joshua Lamb, Esq., and others, a committee of the proprietors and non-residents of Lambstown, and the matter being maturely considered, in answer to this petition, voted, That the Assessors of the plan- tation of Lambstown, so called, are hereby allowed and em- powered to levy an assessment or tax of three half pence per acre per annum, for the space of five 1 years next coming, on all the lands therein and belonging either to resident or non-resident proprietors ; the money arising hereby to be annually applied and paid, viz. one half thereof to the Reverend Minister there for his better encouragement and more comfortable support, the residue for building and finishing a handsome meeting-house for the better accommodating the inhabitants in attending the public worship of God. And the constables or collectors of said plan- tation for the time being during the said term are also hereby directed and required duly and seasonably to collect and pay in the sum of the said tax annually, for the uses and purposes afore- said. And the petitioner is hereby further allowed and empow- ered to prepare and bring in a Bill for erecting the said planta- tion into a township, that so the inhabitants thereof may be vested with, hold, and enjoy, equal powers, privileges, and immunities, with the inhabitants of the other towns of the Province." The Bill or Act of Incorporation was duly enacted, and approved January 10, 1739.2 It is inserted in full at the end of this chapter. On the following day it was "ordered, That Mr. Christopher Paige, a principal inhabitant of a new
land which they hold by purchase, and lately by this Court annexed to the said plantation of Lambstown, and are ac- counted to help make up the number of Lambstown settlers, yet they never re- ceived any of the propriety lands, that their habitations are so situated as ren- ders it much more convenient for them to be annexed to Braintree new grant than to remain as they are ; praying the order of the Court to annex them to Braintree new grant, for the reasons mentioned." This petition failed ; but it was renewed several years later, and was then success- ful.
1 Amended by substituting three years for five years.
2 At this time the township received the name of Hardwicke, and it was thus written for many years. The final letter has since been omitted, and in conformity to the almost universal custom, I have written Hardwick, in this sketch. Hard- wicke, however, is undoubtedly the orig- inal name. This name was probably given in compliment to Lord Hardwicke, an English nobleman. But if the whole vocabulary had been searched for the purpose, it would have been difficult to find a name more accurately descriptive of the character of this township; for it imports a place favorable for husbandry and the raising of cattle. See Rees's En- cyclopedia.
42
HISTORY OF HARDWICK.
Town, lately erected at a plantation called Lambstown, in the county of Worcester, by the name of Hardwicke, be and hereby is fully authorized and empowered to assemble the free-holders and other qualified voters there, on the first Monday in March next, at some convenient public place in said town, in order to their choosing a Town Clerk and other town officers for the year then next ensuing." A meeting was accordingly holden March 5, 1738-9, at which town officers were elected, to wit: Chris- topher Paige, Moderator ; Cornelius Cannon, Town Clerk ; Elea- zar Warner, John Wells, Benjamin Smith, William Thomas, and Constant Merrick, Selectmen ; John Wells, Treasurer ; Samuel Robinson and Matthew Barr, Constables ; Samuel Gillet and Josiah Barrett, Tythingmen ; Ichabod Stratton, John Ama- don, Roger Haskell, and Nathan Carpenter, Surveyors of High- ways ; Phineas Powers and Jeremiah Powers, Fence-viewers ; Richard Church and Amos Thomas, Hog-reeves.
ACT OF INCORPORATION.
" Anno Regni Regis Georgii 2d, g.c. 12 mo.
" An Act for erecting a plantation in the County of Worcester, called Lambstown, into a township by the name of
" Whereas the plantation of Lambstown, so called, in the County of Worcester is competently filled with inhabitants, who labour under divers inconveniences and difficulties for want of a power of enjoying and exercising town's privileges among them, and have addressed this Court setting forth the same, and pray- ing for relief therein.
" Be it enacted by his Excellency the Governor, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the author- ity of the same, that the said plantation of Lambstown inclusive of the additional grant, lying and being on both sides Weare River as the same is hereafter bounded and described, be and hereby is constituted and erected into a separate and distinct township, by the name of
" The bounds of said township being as follows; viz. Begin- ning at the East bank of Ware River at the northwest corner of a tract of land laid out to James Hovey ; from thence extending southerly as that line runs to Brookfield bounds ; and from thence easterly as Brookfield bounds run, to the southwesterly corner of Brantree six thousand acres ; and from thence extending north-
1 The name " Hardwicke" was inserted by the Governor, agreeably to the usual custom under the Provincial Charter.
---
-
43
CIVIL HISTORY.
westerly bounding northeasterly on said six thousand acres till the line comes to Ware River, and so over the River the same course till it comes to the corner of Brantree grant, and there strikes on Rutland Line. Then running N. 39° W. 1760 perch ; then S. 40° W. 1800 perch ; then S. 1° 30' W. 1030 perch ; then E. 2° 30' N. 1005 perch to Ware River.
" And that the Inhabitants thereof be and hereby are vested and endowed with equal powers, privileges, and immunities which any of the Inhabitants of any of the other towns of this Province are or by law ought to be vested with.
" Provided nevertheless, that the Inhabitants of said Town do within three years from the publication of this Act erect and finish a suitable and convenient Meeting house for the public Worship of God among them, they having already an orthodox minister settled among them."
The foregoing is a copy of the original Bill, or act of Incor- poration, on file in the office of the Secretary of State.
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CHAPTER IV.
CIVIL HISTORY.
Early Arrangement concerning Meeting-house, Minister, Schools, High- ways, and Pound. -- Cattle. - Deer. - Destructive Birds and Beasts. - Squirrels. - Beaver-dam. - Land Bank Bills. - Province Tax. - Cart- way across Great Meadow Brook. - Pauper. - Inhabitants on the East Side of Ware River desire to be set off. - Excise Bill - Proprietors' Meet- ings established at Hardwick. - Proprietors' Records. - Advent of Brig- adier Ruggles. - Highways .- Lottery. - Fair.
FOR several years after the incorporation of the town, the records disclose no event of a remarkable character. Prepara- tions for the erection of a new meeting-house and for the com- fortable support of a minister were continued. A beginning was also made for a permanent establishment of schools. Highways were laid out, and made passable for man and beast, but scarcely for even carts : - pleasure-carriages were unknown here until long afterwards. Measures were adopted for the destruction of beasts of prey, and mischievous birds, for the protection of do- mestic animals, and for their restraint from doing damage. At- tention was principally given to the construction of humble dwelling-houses and the conversion of the forest into fruitful fields. Those who now enjoy the fruits of their labor can scarcely conceive the toil, and hardship, and self-denial of the pioneers in accomplishing this work. A few extracts from the records may afford a glimpse of their primitive condition.
April 3, 1739, at the first meeting after the organization by choice of officers, it was voted, " That the town will build a pound, thirty feet square, and that it shall be set near the meet- ing-house, and that Samuel Robinson be the man to build said pound according to law." Voted, " That hogs shall run at large the year ensuing, being yoked and ringed." Voted, " That the former Records shall stand good." 1
1 A record of public transactions was the full incorporation of the town; and commenced February 7, 1737, and con- these "former records" were now duly tinued regularly for the two years before authenticated.
45
CIVIL HISTORY.
April 23, 1739. Voted, "That droves of cattle shall not be brought into town, under the penalty of ten shillings per head, for the men to pay that taketh them in, or yardeth them, or salteth them, or is anywise instrumental in such affair." [This order was modified, a year afterwards, April 14, 1740, when it was voted, " That any person or persons belonging to this town, that shall keep, or salt, or yard, any cattle in this town belonging to any other town, except milch cows or working oxen, from the first day of May next, until the last day of July, shall pay the sum of fifteen shillings per head, one half to the use of the town, and the other half to any person that shall complain and sue for the same."1] Also voted, that fifty pounds be expended on the highways ; "to be in work, at six shillings per day till the 10th day of September, and five shillings per day till the 1st of Decem- ber ; four shillings a day for a yoke of oxen, and two shillings a day for a cart."
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