History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 199

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 199

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

count for the violation of the provision made by her master.

The only memorial-stone bearing evidence that this race lived, served and died in Bedford was erected in Shawshine Cemetery by Josiah A. Stcarns, A.M., in memory of Peter, an honored family servant, who was buried in the " African reservation " in the old burial ground.

CHAPTER LXXVI.

BEDFORD-(Continued).

Public Charity, How Dispensed-Town Farm for Poor.

GREAT caution was used to prevent people from be- coming paupers in the early days; but when public support was demanded, and a settlement established, the poor were well treated. When a citizen admitted members to his family he was obliged to report to the selectmen and secure the town against their support as appears by the following :

" Bedford, June 21st, 1736. I, Jacob Kendall, of Bedford, do promise and engage for me and my heirs to free and secure the town of Bedford from any charge that shall arise from the maintenance of my father and mother, Jacob and Alise Kondall, as witness my hand.

" JACOB KENDALL."

People coming into town to settle, whose record was not fully clear, and means of support perfectly cvident to the sclectmen, were warned out of town in a legal mauner, and caution entered at the Court where a record could be consulted. Thus families were compelled to go from town to town in a most unfriendly manner. The following is the form of warning used in this town and served by the consta- ble on the order of the selectman :

" Middlesex, S. S., to A. B., one of the constahles of the town of Bed- ford. Greeting :

"In His Majesty's name you are hereby required to warn D. E. and family that they forthwith depart this town, the selectmen refusing to admit them as Inhabitants. You are also to inquire from whence they last came, and what time they came to this town, and make return here- of under your hand with your doings therein, unto the selectmen or to the town clerk. Dated at B. the - day of -, Anno Domine. In the year of His Majesty's Reign.

" Per order of the Selectmen,

"G. H., Town Clerk."

The records prove that parties were often warned from the town. "Sethi Putnam and his family warned out of town and caution entered at March Court, on ye second Tuesday of March, An : Dom : 1748-9."

A warning cannot be considered as unquestionable evidence against a family ; for we find the record of warning against parties that appear in subsequent records as occupying places of trust in the community. Young ladies were legally warned ont of town who became, in subsequent years, wives of leading men.

That the selectmen were faithful in complying with the law is apparent by the following record : " Fcb. 9,

0 P 0 €

8 tÌ is t 8

839

BEDFORD.

1767-Mr. Thomas Page, who had received Dr. Bal- lard into his family, as a boarder, in March or April last, and never had informed thereof, being then present before the selectmen, it was proposed to him, by the selectmen, whether the Dr. Joseph should be warned out of town; and he, uot desiring the same, the select- men therefore agreed not to caution against the Dr. Joseph, nor yet to admit him as an inhabitant." Dr. Ballard was the second physiciau of the town, coming from Lancaster. He became a valuable citizen ; was a delegate to the Provincial Congress, in Concord, 1774, and was a distinguished man. He died Jan. 29, 1777.

In the list of orders drawn upon the treasury it appears that the constables were liberally paid for " Entering Cautions ;" one charge was seventeeen shillings. In 1737 the town had its first lawsuit. It was with the town of Concord, over the support of a family by the name of Ross. Bedford lost the case, but a feeling of unjust dealing appears, from a record made later, when a committee was chosen "to attend to the witnesses who appeared against the town in the suit before the Superior Court." How Ross got a settlement in Bedford is not clear. The Lexington records show that he was warned from that town. The original of the constable's return is evidence that Bedford did not fail in trying to locate him in Con- cord :

" Middlesex, S.S. Concord, May 30th, 1737." In obedience to this war. rant, I have conveyed ye within named Daniel Rose and his wife unto the said town of Concord, & delivered them to one of ye constables of ad. town and at ye same time delivered him a copy of ye within written warrant.

" EPHRIAM DAVIS, " Constable of Bedford."

The inhumanity of such dealing with a man at the age of ninety years can but arouse the indignation of a reader at this day.

That the town furnished more than the necessaries of life for this family appears from the treasurer's report of 1742. "For keeping of Ross £21 33. 0d. For tobaka for Ross 158.," and another charge in the same year " For tobaka for Ross 8s., and for a jacket £1." Rev. MIr. Bowes' register of deaths shows that Daniel Ross died " Oct. ye 27, 1748, aged 100 yrs." leading to the conclusion that the appetite, so gener- ously gratified by the town, may have been acquired of the Indians long before the struggle with King Philip. For some years the care of the poor was let out annually by "public vendue," the contract being closed with the lowest bidder. As late as 1804 we find the following action : " Dorcas Bacon put to board with Simeon Stearns, until next March meeting, at sixteen cents per week, they to get what service from her they could." At length this plan gave rise to dissat- isfaction, in that the worthy poor were liable to fall to the charge of irresponsible parties, and the duty of assigning homes for the paupers was referred to the selectmen with discretionary power. In 1823 a written contract was made with Thomas Page for the support of the poor, and bonds were required to the

amount of $300. Some of the specifications of the contract are as follows :

"With regard to their diet, they are to be provided with a sufficiency of good and wholesome food, with tea or coffee twice in each day, if they choose, with sweetening; cleanly and comfortable lodgings, sea- sonable medical aid in case of sickness, and other things to make them comfortable as their condition may require."

Paupers were boarded by other towns in Bedford families. In 1741 twenty of such are recorded here, some of whom were from New Hampshire. The long distance from their place of settlement made it possi- ble for great injustice to be done them by those who promised faithful care. In the early years of the town's history the needs of paupers were discussed in open town-meeting, and a detailed report made by the treasurer of each bill of charge for their relief.

The records show that the needs of a poor widow were annually discussed in town-meeting, for many years, without the slightest regard for her feelings. Further on the charge appears, "for Coffin, grave & gloves £1 5s., and a credit for the sale of her property at Vendue £2 13s. 4d."

The treasurer's account of 1802 has the following charge to the town : " Paid John Page for making a coffin for child and fetching the corps, $2.25."

In 1833 the town voted to buy a "poor farm and stock it." This being done, the care of the farm and support of the poor was placed in the hands of a board of overseers, who at the town's expense, employ a superintendent and matron, and public charity is dispensed according to the most approved plans. By a vote of the town, a simple stone, suitably inscribed, is placed at the grave of each pauper, thus preventing the increase of unknown graves in the burial-grounds.

CHAPTER LXXVII.

BEDFORD --- (Continued).

BURIAL-GROUNDS.

A BURIAL-GROUND was indispensable to a well-reg- ulated town, and the incorporators of Bedford has- tened to assign a piece of ground convenient to the meeting-house for that use. October 23, 1729, "The selectmen met and laid out a burying-place in the land that Mr. Israel Putnam gave to the town." Later they changed the location a little, making mention of "a bridal way that leads from the- road that runs from the meeting-hous to Woburn." In 1734 the town voted "to release John Mansfield's rates if he will keep the brush down in the burying- place." Thus the citizens early manifested a regard for this sacred spot. Having a central location, it has

840

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

never been allowed to show signs of neglect that are too often notieed in towns of New England. For one hundred and eighteen years this was the only place of interment in town. The most careful estimate, aided by authentic records, leads to the conclusion that not less than fourteen hundred bodies have been returned to their kindred dust within that enclosure. The town set apart a corner for the burial of the African race, and there in the "Afriean reservation," in unmarked graves, are Cuff, Dinalı, Violet, Jack, Ishmael, Quimbo, Toney, Abraham, Domire, Pomp, Cæsar, Cambridge and others. In 1810 the town erected a house for keeping the hearse. It was in the southwest corner of the yard. The expense was $48.50. The contractor agreed to prepare the ground and underpinning, in addition to erecting the house, which, according to specifications, was "to be built with good material and painted twice over." Here were safely kept the hearse, bier and pall. The old, eracked bell was stored here for a while, and here was stored the town's stoek of powder and other mili- tary equipments, all of which were associated with death or a state of uselessness. The absence of a record of consccration leads one to the conclusion that the incorporators of this town, like the earlier generations of settlers in New England, neither con- secrated their burying-ground nor dedicated their meeting-house by special religious service.

The only family reservations in the burial-ground were such as were secured through neighborly cour- tesy. The ground was extended according to the growing needs of the community. In 1795 John Reed and John Merriam were granted the privilege of erecting a family tomb; and in 1824 Capt. Robert Pulsifer built one adjoining it. In 1824 a private enterprise resulted in the ereetion of thirteen tombs, on land adjoining the publie ground. These became the sepulchres of the leading families, and delayed the necessity of selecting a new place of burial for some years. In 1835 the first steps were taken towards ornamenting the grounds. The town appro- priated the sum of fifty dollars, and trees were plant- ed on the borders of the yard. In the early years of the observance of "Arbor Day " a large number of trees were planted and special care given to the ground then abandoned for the purpose of inter- ments. The advance from the austerity of the Pil- grims, progress in art and improvement in the finan- cial standing of the sturdy yeomen is in no way more evident than in the memorials erected and attention given to the place of burial. The grim "death-head" gave place to the "willow and urn." In 1837 the first white marble slab was erected in the yard. So conspicuous was it, in the midst of seores of primitive slate stones, that it was an object of general eom- ment.

The tombs built for permanence beeame so un- sightly through the erumbling of the exposed ma- sonry that they were rebuilt in 1887.

In 1849 the town laid out a new burial-place, about a mile east of the village. It is the western slope of a commanding hill-side, which terminates in the val- ley of the Shawshine River.

Shawshine ("Shawsheen ") Cemetery is of itself a fitting memorial of the perseverance and sacrifiee of those who started the enterprise, all of whom now sleep without its borders. Both nature and art have contributed lavishly in making this cemetery an at- tractive spot. Burial lots are owned by individuals, subject to wise restrictions, and permanent eare is in - sured by a deposit of funds with the town, agreeable to a statute of the Commonwealth, In 1852 John Merriam gave the town $100 to aid in fitting up the grounds.

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

BEDFORD-(Continued).

Highways-Bridges and Railroads.

THE territory set off as Bedford in 1729 was inhab- ited by a good number of families who had estab- lished homes, but it was traversed by few public roads. The settlers had located their homes on the southern slopes and where they would be the least liable to attaeks from the Indians. Neighborly inter- course was carried on by the shortest euts through comparatively worthless fields, and by the same wind- ing paths the scattered families reached the "coun- try road." The principal roads from town to town were called country roads, and were the only highways that received publie care. The ways for local con- venience were designated as "Trodden Paths," and were obstrueted by gates and bars. The road from Billerica to Concord was laid out "19 12mo, 1660." The description of that portion of the road which was within the present limits of Bedford and on to Coneord Centre, is as follows : " from ye entrance of Mr. Dudley's farme, until you come to Coneord great swamp, it shall lye at least six pole wide ; and from ye great swamp to Concord towne. Centre trees are marked aboute ye old road untill you come to the south corner of the widow foxes land; then leaving the old dirty road on the right hand, and passing through an opening of the swamp, acording vnto trees marked in ye center of it, we continued to cram- field gate, and from thence, keeping the common road, to ye meeting-house."

If one would follow the road through Bedford at present, he should start at Herrick's corner and con- tinue in the present highway to Proctor's corner and so on over the causeway road to the vicinity of the Sampson estate, entering the present highway east of the dwelling-house and so on in a southwesterly direction to the Henry Wood estate, and then eon- tinuing to the " Virginia road," which was doubtless

841

BEDFORD.

the road first laid from Cambridge to Concord, and over which the pioneers of Concord brought their families and goods. The " Loop " by Josiah Davis is given by some authorities as the section of the Bil- lerica and Concord "Country " road, but local records do not support such opinions. It is evident that a road from Billerica to Concord was marked out some years later which crossed the higher land, very prob- ably west of the present North Avenue. "Septem- ber 9, 1743, the selectmen made bounds to the high- way leading from Billerica to Concord, beginning at James Lane's " (Coolidge's), "and meeting the present highway at Joseph Fitches " (Wilkins' Hill). This way must have gone below Farrell's and past the mill site in Captain Lane's land.

A road from Billerica to Cambridge (Lexington) known as the road to Bacon's Mill, or Fitches' Mill, is first ~ mentioned, "16 : 1 : 63"-" Will Tay & George farley are Apornted to Lay out a highway from the Towne, leading to Mr. Michell's farme, on ye South East end of Mr. Winthrop's great meadow, to be layed out four polls wide." The condition of these early roads for many years is shown by an ac- tion of the town of Billerica, mentioned nineteen years later :

"23. Im. 82. Whereas Mr. Muzey makes a complaint for want of ye knowledge of ye highway from his farme, that hee bought of Timothy Brooks, to the town " (Brooks had a part of the Oakes grant now the Page estate), {' The selectmen do order George ffarley, that was one of the committee that laid it out at ye first, & corp Jnº ffrench, forthwith to go and renue ye markes if ye said way, that it may be obvious to all travellers; also to draw up a record as distinct that may bee, how it lyes that so it may be found afterward without much difficulty."

It is obvious that a public way was marked out from Billerica to Wilson's Mill (Staples') about as early as to Bacon's Mill, as it was " made passable " in 1683, and quite probable that it followed the pres- ent discontinued highway from Frost's by Hunne- well's. In April, 1694, a committee was directed " to lay out sufficient highway from Mr. Michael's farm, through Mrs. Page's land to Shawshin River ; and over Shawshin River unto Lt. John Wilson's Mill to Cambridge line; and from the same road to lay out a suphicient highway through Mrs. Page's land unto the land of Patrick Fasset, unto the house of Patrick Fasset, and from thence to state the highway in the most convenient place from Patrick Fassett's house leading up to Concord Road, and from there to Mr. Laines." This road may, doubtless, be traced at present over the hill by Wilson's house (Ladds') to the Cummings road, which led eastward to Woburn, and westerly by the present highway, by the cemetery, crossing the Lexington road at Fitches' corner, by Patrick Fassett's (William Page place), following the old road to Nathaniel Merriam's (Mudge's), and on to McGovern's, and over the discontinued road to the "Virginia " road to Concord. If "the road to Mr. Lane's " is understood as beginning at Fassett's, it may be indicated by the present highway from Mudge's to

the village; but if from "Concord road " to Mr. Lane's, it is the present highway from the Hartwell place to the village, which the town in 1734 tried to make William Hartwell " easy about." There was a road farther south from the Concord road towards Cambridge. It doubtless branched off at Proctor's corner, before mentioned, passed Samuel Huckins' estate, and over Pine Hill by the Brown estate to the Page dwelling, and so on by the cemetery to Fassett or William Page estate and to Lexington, then "Cambridge farms." Pine Hill road appears as a " country " road, in a deed of conveyance in 1721, proving that it was a highway before Bedford was in- corporated. It is also described in 1718, in laying out a way from " Shawshine Bridge " to Concord River, near James Lane's house. A road from Concord to Woburn was undoubtedly in use before the incorpor- ation, and followed substantially the present Main Street until it met the Billerica and Cambridge road at the Page dwelling, which it followed as far as Web- ber's (Kenrick's) and then passed over "Cummings' Hill."

Concord and Woburn road is mentioned in a deed as going by Josiah Fassett's in 1721. Charles Wood's estate was bought by James Wright, of Fas- sett, which aids in the above conclusion. The "bury- ing-place " laid out in October, 1729, was bounded on the Woburn road; three months later the location was changed "a little to the northward," giving the present location of the burial-ground. " A bridal- way is alowed to goe from the road that leads from the meeting-house to Woburn." The bridle-way or horse track referred to represents, substantially, the present Spring Street, until it reaches the " country " road at Brown's corner.

The county roads or highways thus far mentioned constitute, very probably, all of the public highways at the date of incorporation.

The meeting-house, which was nearly completed before the act of incorporation was passed, naturally became the nucleus of the village. The site had been selected as a geographical centre, for it is ap- parent that the dwellings were as scattering here as in other locations; there is positive evidence of only two within the present limits of the village, Deacon Israel Putnam's, and Benjamin Kidder's, which was occupied by Mansfield, after Kidder built the house now standing and owned by Miss C. M. Fitch.

The meeting-house was the centre from which the early roads of the new town radiated. September, 1730, in laying out the land about the meeting-house, "a trodden path that goes to Deacon Nathaniel Merri- am's from the meeting-house" is alluded to, and "Mr. Bowes' compliment of land is laid out on the west side of the trodden path to Deacon Merriam's, next to Concord Old Line," " leaving two poles for convenience for the highway." As Deacon Merri- am's is represented by the Mudge estate of today, it ap- pears that the "trodden path " was the only road to

842

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the south part of the town. The reservation of two poles "for convenience for the highway" shows the width of the road later agreed upon. In 1731 the selectmen laid out the road from the meeting-house to Stephen Davis' (John Neville's) and on to Lex- ington line. This is substantially the present trav- eled highway from the village by the Mudge place to Jolin Neville's where it may be traced in front (south) of the house, across the fields by a deserted cellar to Lexington line. The present traveled road from Neville's to Lexington is a more modern way. The front entrance of the house, when built, was conveni- ent to the road as then traveled.

At the same meeting a road was laid out from the meeting-house to John Stearns' land. This may be the road which, at first, passed north of the present Main Street, in the rear of the Fitch dwelling, and connected with the " country " road after going north- ward to the present estate of Edward Butters.

A road was at once laid out from Kidder's (Miss C. M. Fitch's) to Joseph Fitch's (Wilkins' place), "and over to Cedar Swamp to the land of Davis & Tay- lor, to Concord River meadow path." This at once suggests the present highway from Wilkins' Hill to the Sampson place.

In the same year, 1731, a highway, two poles wide, was laid out from the meeting-house to Lexington, which may be the present road by the Hosmer and Muzzy estate, over the causeway a few rods when it branched off to the south and passed the Mead's place to Lexington. In the descriptive record of this road, a causeway from Woolley's to Hartwell's, twenty-five feet wide, is mentioned, over which the road passed for a short distance. All the remaining road was two poles wide.

In 1734 the road from Benjamin Kidder's (Miss Fitch's) to Ensign James Lane's (Cooledge) was laid out, and later, relieved of its curves, became the pres- ent North Avenue.

In 1738 the road passing in the rear of Kidder's dwelling was exchanged for the present street, pass- ing south of the dwelling. It was widened at that time, and is the present Main Street from the Com- mon to Wilson Park.

March 4, 1734, "Town accepted the way that the selectmen layed out from south side of Oakes' farm to Kidder's land, so on to Deacon Israel Putnam's land by the buring-place, and gave him (Putnam), in ex- change for it, the Rangeway on the easterly side of his land." We here see, with slight alterations, the road from the springs to Main Street. In 1733-34 a road was laid out which corresponds with the present Con- cord road across the causeway (McGovern's).

From the descriptions thus far made, it appears that within the first decade of the town's corporate history highways were laid out to each quarter of the town, but this does not imply that they were in condition for travel ; on the contrary, these acts had been little more than official indications of prospective high ways.

In almost every case the owners of the land were al- lowed gates or bars; in some, however, the time for such accommodation was limited. It may be inferred by this that fences were to be built to divide posses- sions within a specified time.

The unimproved condition of the roads made it easy to change locations, as it seemed wise to do, after more mature consideration. Several decided changes were made during the first ten years, and some roads, of which there is record, are entirely lost.

September 18, 1732, the first highway rate was al- lowed (£50), and Cornet Nathaniel Page was the first highway surveyor, and in each succeeding year simi- lar sums were appropriated for the roads, but the roads were improved slowly, as more than a score of miles had been laid out already.

The new town was favorably situated as regarded the building of bridges. The expense of preparing ways across the streams was very small for a good many years. In 1736 the bridge near the Kenrick place is referred to as the "great bridge on the road to Lex- ington."

The Hill's bridge "Episode," in which Billerica's first and perhaps only mob is seen, caused this town not a little anxiety, and in 1734 "Town voted that the way of Hill's Bridge is not a public good and benefit."

Perhaps the people of this town thereby escaped being forced to contribute to the building of the bridge and road which the Court ordered to be done.

In 1747 the selectmen laid out a road leading from Joseph Fitch's house sontherly, by the cedar swamp to the Concord and Billerica road. It passed through "Hastings' improvement," where he was allowed "to have gates or bars for a period of four years and no more." The road was over a trodden path before- mentioned. The name suggests the means of convey- ance of that time; the better roads were passable for carts, but very many of them could be traveled only on horse-back or on foot. Wagons were unknown, and the "one-horse chaise," which first appeared about 1800, was a luxury only enjoyed by the minis- ter and a few wealthy citizens. A special tax was levied on a chaise, and the aristocratic owner erected a house for its safe keeping.

The system of supporting highways, which continued until the recent method of appointing a commissioner to direct the whole business, was early in practice here. A separate highway rate was assessed and men were allowed to work out their shares, but only on legal highways without a special vote of the town. In 1745 "Col. John Lane is allowed to work out his rate on the way between his house and the Country Road." In 1748 the wages allowed were established by vote in town-meeting: "In the threc summer months four- teen shillings each man pur day, in the month of September Eleven shillings pur day." No one was allowed full pay unless he was sixteen years of age.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 199

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1226

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed. cn
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1226