History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 184

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278

USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III > Part 184

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).

Up to 1842 the manufacture of mustard had been carried on by hand. At that time Rufus, who was then eighteen years of age, indneed his father to put an engine into his factory, and thus make himself better able to meet demands which he thought he saw an opportunity of largely increasing. At that time, also, his father established a grocery store in connec- tion with his mustard enterprise, and devoting him- self to the store, surrendered the care and manage- ment of the factory to his son. In 1846, Rufus separated from his father, and began to manufacture mustard on his own account in South Boston, where he remained two years. In 1818 he formed a part- nership with J. R. Poor, of Danvers, under the firm- name of Stickney & Poor, and the new concern built a factory in Charlestown for the purpose of grinding

1 By Wm. T. Davis.

780

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

and packing mustard, spices and coffee. A store was also soon opened in Chatham Row, in Boston, for the sale of goods, the firm afterwards for some years occupying the stores 19 and 20 India Street. Mr. Poor left the firm in 1877, and since 1880, Mr. Stick- ney, retaining the old firm-name, has occupied the store No. 205 in State Street Block.

In 1867, Stickney & Poor built another and larger brick factory in Charlestown, retaining the old wooden one for purposes of storage. The business of Mr. Stickney now consists of the manufacture of mustard, coffee and spices, including cloves, cassia, mace, pimento and ginger, the grinding of herbs, the preparation of yeast powders, sauces and flavoring extracts, in which he employs about fifty hands, and finds for his product a market in every State in the Union. He imports his own raw materials, obtaining his mustard seed from England, Holland, Italy and California.

Mr. Stickney married, October 1, 1846, Mariana D., daughter of Henry Homer, of Boston, and had four children-one who died in infancy ; Anna, who died in June, 1890; Susie, now living, and Rufus, who was engaged in business with his father, and died August 6, 1886. He married, second, October 26, 1865, Abbie L. Beck.

A fair estimate of the character of Mr. Stickney is suggested by his career. There are few men in busi- ness in Massachusetts whose name is more widely known. The products of his establishment have found their way into many thousands of households, and wherever they are used or known they carry with them a trade-mark which commands the utmost con- fidence and trust. From small beginnings, with a knowledge and experience commencing at the early age of thirteen years, he has built up an industry of large proportions and accumulated wealth. His career is only one of many illustrations of the folly of modern legislators who, forgetting that the factory is as much a place for the instruction of youth as the public school, pass laws forbidding their employment in those very occupations which can alone best pre- pare them for a life of enterprise and usefulness. Hlad Mr. Stickney remained longer over his books, under the eye of a teacher, he would probably have failed to learn the alphabet of a trade, upon a thorough knowl- edge of which, in all its parts, his success in life was to depend.

Mr. Stickney has devoted his whole time and ener- gies to his business. In political associations a Re- publican, he has neither accepted nor sought office. In religion an avowed Unitarian, he has always avoided conspicuous notoriety in the affairs of his church. Shrewd, sagacious and prudent in financial affairs, he has been ready to give counsel and advice when asked, but has refrained from accepting posi- tions of responsibility and trust when he knew that he could not give to them that care and scrutiny which the confidence of those interested demanded

and deserved. At the age of sixty-six he is still managing his affairs with unimpaired activity and zeal; and as a merchant and citizen, he has secured universal respect and esteem in both his commercial and civil life.

CHAPTER LIV.

HOPKINTON.

BY CLEMENT MESERVE.

HOPKINTON, which received its name from Edward Hopkins, is situated on the highest land in the ex- treme southwesterly corner of Middlesex County, about thirty miles southwesterly from Boston, on the line of the Hopkinton and Milford Railroad.

It is bounded on the north by Southborough and Ashland, on the east by Ashland and Holliston, on the south by Holliston and Milford, and on the west by Upton and Westboro'. The Congregational Church is in latitude 42° 13' south, and longitude 10° 31' west. Its Indian name was Quansigomog, and originally oc- cupied by the Nipmuck Indians.

The geological formation is calcareous gneiss, and the land is hilly, broken and rocky, but produc- tive and well watered, it being the principal source of the Charles, Sudbury and Blackstone Rivers. The town contains two large ponds. The larger of these is called Lake Whitehall, and is the source of the Sudbury River. The other pond, calied North, is one of the sources of the Blackstone River. The ponds and streams abound in pickerel, perch, bream (fomotis vulgaris), and other edible fish, which made the place a favorite resort for the aborigines at the time of the settlement of the town. The town contains three large swamps, originally covered with cedars, which appears, by the town records, to have been of great value to the early settlers.

Saddle Hill in the northern, and Bear Hill in the southern part of the town, are noted rocky eminences, on which the rattlesnake formerly had its home.

The Hopkinton Mineral Springs, situated west of Lake Whitehall, were discovered in 1816, and at one time were quite celebrated as a fashionable resort. The waters contain carbonic acid, carbonate of lime, and now one of the springs is impregnated with sulphur. In the eastern part of the town-now Ashland-the Rev. John Eliot, previous to 1669, had established a band of "praying Indians" on the northern slope of Magonco Hill, and as early as 1669 had taught them to make cedar shingles and clapboards, of which Elliot says, " Unto which work in moyling in the swamp ye are fitter yn many English, and many English choose to buy ym of the Indians yn make ym themselves." Of these Indians Major-Gen. Gookin, in 1674, gave the following report : " Wagwonkkommonk is the seventh town where the 'praying Indians' inhabit. The

781

HOPKINTON.

signification of the place's name is ' the place of great trees.' It is situated partly within the bounds of Natick, and partly upon land granted by the county. It lieth west-southerly from Boston, abont twenty-fonr miles-midway between Natick and Hassananissett (now Grafton). The number of the inhabitants are about eleven families and about fifty-five souls. There are men and women eight members of the church at Natick, and about fifteen baptized persons. The quantity of the land belonging to it is about 3000 acres. The Indians plant upon a great hill, which is very fertile ; and these people worship God and keep the Sabbath, and observe civil order as do other towns. They have a constable and other officers. Their ruler's name is Pomhamon, a sober and active man, and pious. Their teacher's name is Job, a person well accepted for piety and ability among them. This town was the last settling of the old towns. They have plenty of corn, and keep some cattle and swine, for which the place is well accommodated."

It appears that Vitus Annecocker, Joshua Assalt, John Dublet, William Joseph and John Jackstram were members of the praying band of Indians, who, with others, under the lead of Nitus, made an attack on the 1st of February, 1676, upon the house of Thomas Eames, near Farm Pond, in Framingham. Mr. Eames had gone to Boston, but the mother and her nine children made a stout resistance; but she and four of the children were killed, and the remain- der taken captive. Nitus, the leader of the party, was killed at Marlborough, on the 27th of March fol- lowing. Annecocker died soon after, and three others were tried, condemned and executed Sept. 21, 1676.

What were left of the Magunco Indians at the close of King Philip's War moved from the place and joined the Natick Indians, who for a long time held possession of the Magunco lands. It was voted by them, September ye 24, 1715, " That the land of Ma- gunkook be sold to the trustees of Edward Hopkin's legacy ; that Capt. Thomas Waban, Samuel Abraham, Solomon Thomas, Abraham Speen, Thomas Pegan, Isaac Nehemiah and Benjamin Fay be a committee of agents for the proprietors of Natick to agree with Captain Sewell, Mr. John Leveritt, Major Fitch and Mr. Daniel for ye sale of the lands of Magunkook and to all things requisite in ye law for ye effectual invert- ing ye said lands in yº trustees of Hopkin's legacy."

On July 20, 1715, the trustees had petitioned the General Court for a license to purchase a tract of waste land known by the name of Magunkayoog. This petition was granted, and in accordance with the petition and vote the following deed for eight thousand acres was executed by the Indians :

" A Copy of Record-Book 17, Page 627.

"Attest, CHAS, BI. STEVENS, Reg.

"This Indenture, made the Eleventh Day of October, Anno Domini one Thousand Seven Hundred and fifteen, Annoz Regni, Regis Georgiz nunc Magna Britania, &c., Secundo, Between Thomas Waban, Samuel Abraham, Solomon Thomas, Abraham Speen, Thomas Pegun, Isaac Nehemiah and Benjamin Tray, & Committee or Agents for the Indian

Proprietors of the Plantation of Natick, within the County of Middle- sex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, of ye one part, and Joseph Dudley, William Tayler, Waitstill Winthrop, Samuel Sewell, Ehakim Hutchinson, Peun Townsend, Edward Bromfield, John lligginson and Simeon Stoddard, Esqrs., Increase Mather, Doctor in Divinity, Cotton Mather, Doctor in Divinity, Jon. Leverett, President of llarvard Colledge, Jeremiah Nummer, John Burrell, Esq™s., William Brattle, Minister of Cambridge, Nehemiah Walter, Minister of Rox- bury, Daniel Oliver & Thomas Fitch, Merchant, Andrew Belcher, Ad- dington Davenport and Adam Winthrop, Esqrs., All Inhabitante within the Province aforesaid, Trustees appointed by a Decree in His Majesties High Court of Chancery, Dated the Nineteenth day of March, Anno Domini 1712, for the Purchasing Houses or Land for the perpetuating of the Charity of ye Honorable Edward Hopkins, Esq., and Improving ye same on yo other part, Witnessetb, that the said Thomas Waban, Samuel Abraham, Solomou Thomas, Abraham Speen, Thomas Pegun, Isaac Nehemiah and Benjamin Tray, a Committee or Agents as afore- said, for Divers good Causes and Considerations, Them thereunto mov- iug more especially for, and in Consideration of the Sum of Six Hundred pounds in Good Bills of Credit on the Province aforesaid To them in hand paid To & for the use, benefit and behovfe of the Propri- etors of the Plantation of Natick and of the order of Settled Indian Inhabitants thereof By the Trustees above named at aud before the Ensealing and Delivery of this present Indenture. The Receipt of which sum to full Consent and Satisfaction they do bereby acknowl- edge, and for themselves and all other the proprietors aud inhabitants of the Plantation or Town of Natick afuresaid, theire heires, Executors, Adms., Agents or Committees, Acquitt, Exonerate and Discharge the said Joseph Dudley, William Tayler, Waitstill Winthrop, Sam" Sew- all, Eliakim Ilutchinson, Peun Townsend, Edward Bromfield, John Higginson, Simeon Stoddard, Increase Mather, Cotton Mather, John Leverett, Jeremiab Dummer, John Burrell, William Brattle, Nehemiah Walter, Daniel Oliver, Thomas Fitch, Andrew Belcher, Addington Davenport and Adam Winthrop, Trustees as aforesaid, and theire suc- cessore forever. Have given, granted, bargained, sold, alieued, Enfeoffed, Conveyed and Confirmed, and by these presents Do fully, freely, ('learly and absolutely give, Graut, bargain, Sell, alien, Eufeoffe, Release, Con- vey and Confirme unto the said Josepb Dudley, William Tayler, Wait- still Winthrop, Samuel Sewall, Eliakim Hutchinson, Penn Townsend, Edward Bromfiold, John Higginson, Simson Stoddard, Increase Matber, Cotton Mather, John Leverett, Jeremiab Dummer, John Burrell, Wil- liam Brattle, Nehemiab Walter, Daniel Oliver, Thomas Fitch, Andrew Belcher, Addington Davenport and Adam Winthrop, Trustees as afore- said (who have lately obtained liberty of the Great and General Court or Assembly of the Province aforesaid to Purchase the Same & to theire Successore for Ever All that Certain Tract or parcell of Land Situate, lying and being within the County of Middlesex storesaid Commonly Called and known by the Name of Maguukawog, containing by Estimation Eight Thousand Acres, be the Same more or less bounded Eastwardly and south wardly by Sherborne; Westwardly partly by Men- don, principally by Province Lands ; North wardly by Sudbury River, or, however, otherwise bounded or Reputed-to be bounded. The said Land being more particularly Delineated, Set forth and Described in and by the Plan or Dranght thereof bereunto annexed, Together with all and singular ye Houseing, Ediffices, Buildings, fruits, Trees, Woods, Inder- woods, wayes, Waters, Water Courses, Rivers, l'onda, Brooks, Creeks, Mines, Minerals, profits, Priviledges, rigbts, Commodities, hereditaments, emoluments, appurces whatsoever, thereunto belonging or in any wise ap- pertaining, and the Reversion and Reversions, Remainder and Remain- ders, Renta, Issues and profits thereof. To Have and To Ilold the said Tract or Parcell of Land with the members, profits, priviledges and ap- purtenances thereof and all other ye above granted Premises unto the said Joseph Dudley, William Taylor, Waitstill Winthrop, Samuell Sew- all, Eliakim Hutchinson, Penn Townsend, Edward Bromfield, John Higginson, Simeon Stoddard, Increase Mather, Cotton Mather, John Leverett, Jeremiah Dummer, Johu Burrill, William Brattle, Nchenrialı Walter, Daniel Oliver, Thomas Fitch, Andrew Belcher, Addington Davenport & Adam Winthrop, Trustees aa aforesaid To & for the proper & sole use & uses Expressed in the Said Decree of Ilis Majeg- ties High Court of Chancery and to & for no other use, Intent and l'urpose whatsoever to them & to theire Successore for Ever. And ye said Thomas Wahan, Samuel Abraham, Solomon Thomas, Abraham Speen, Thomas Pegun, Isaac Nehemiah and Benjamin Tray, Agente as aforesaid, Do Covenant and Grant to and with the Trustees afurenamed, and theire Successors, That they, the said Grantors, in theire Capacity aforesaid, Hlave in themselves by vertue of the power and Anthority to them given hy the Indian Proprietors of Natick, aforesaid, full power

782

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

and Lawfull Anthority To give, grant, Sell and Convey the said Granted Land & premises in manner as aforesaid. The ssme heing free and Clear and Clearly Exonerated & Discharged of & from all former and other Gifts, Grants, Bargains, Sales, Leases, Mortgages, Joyntures, Dowers, Titles, tronbles, Charges and Incumbrances whatsoever. And further, they the said Thomas Wahan, Samuel Abraham, Solomon Thomas, Abrahamı Speen, Thomas Pegun, Isaac Nehemiab and Benjamin Tray. Agents aforesaid, Do hereby Covenant and Grant for themselves & ye Proprietors of Natick, aforesaid (who are the owners of the said Granted Land and premises), and for theire severall and Respective heires, Ex- ecators and Administrators To warrant & Defend the same and every part thereof unto them the said Joseph Dudley, William Tailor, Wait- still Winthrop, Samuel Sewall, Eliakim Hutchinson, Penn Townsend, Edward Bromfield, John Higginson, Simeon Stoddard, Increase Mather, Cotton Mather, Joho Leverett, Jeremiab Dummer, John Burrill, Wil- liam Brattle, Nehemiah Walter, Daniel Oliver, Thomas Fitch, Andrew Belcher, Addington Davenport & Adam Winthrop, Trustees as aforesaid, and theire Successors for the uses aforementioned forever against the Legall Claimes and Demands of all and Every person and persons whom- svever, Saving out of the Said Granted Land the farm of Messrs. Simpson and Parker's farm, so culled, who have heretofore purchased the sanie. In witness whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto In- terchangeably sett theire hands & Seals the day & year first ahove writ- ten-Thomas Waban and a Seal, The mark of Samuel Abraham and a Seal, The mark of Solomon Thomas and a Seal, The mark of Abraham Speen & a Seal, The mark of Thomas l'egun and a Seal, The mark of Isaac Nehemiah and a Seal, Benjamin Tray and a Seal. Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the presence of us John Cotton, Sam" Bullard, Wm Ryder, Jr., John Wainsqnon in Middlesex, October 15, 1715, Thomas Waban, Samuel Abraham, Solomon Thomas, Abraham Speen, Thomas Pegun, Isaac Nehemiah and Benjamin Tray, a Committee or Agents for the Indian Proprietors of Natick, personally appeared before me, one of His Majesties Justices of ye Peace for ye sd & acknowledged the within written Instrument by them and in theire said Capacity Executed to be theire free act & Deed, Thomas Oliver, Justice of yo Peace.

"Charlestown, February 17, 1715-16, Rec'd & Accordingly Entered " By SANU PHIPPS, Regr.

" Oct. 15, 1715-16."

Afterward the General Court gave to the trustees the province land, thus swelling their possessions to twenty-five thousand acres, which, on the petition of the trustees, was incorporated into a township by the name of llopkinton. About one-half of these acres was leased for ninety-nine years, and the remainder was held as common land.

The province was granted ou the condition that the fee should remain in the province. This reser- vation prevented the trustees from making valid con- veyances, and the condition was removed December 1, 1716. But this question still remained : Could the trustees legally give leases to run more than twenty- one years, the land being "College or School land " ? To remedy this, the General Court, December 3, 1719, by a special act gave the trustees power to exe- cute leases for a term "not exceeding ninety-nine years."

Under these full powers, the trustees proceeded to renew the leases already made, and to give other leases, all to run for ninety-nine years from March 25, 1723, at an annual rent of three pence per acre. These terms, being unsatisfactory to the tenants, were changed by anthority of the General Court, to an aunnal rent of one penny sterling per acre until March 25, 1823, and three pence per acre during the remaining time of the leases. In 1823 troubles arose again concerning the payments of rent, and the Courts and Legislature were resorted to by both par-

ties. The matter was formally settled in 1832, when the Legislature agreed to pay $8000 to the trustees, and the tenants $2000. In consideration of this amount, the trustees abandoned their claim in the land.

Edward Hopkins came from England in 1637, and settled in Connecticut, and became its Governor. Returning to England, he died in 1657, bequeathing the sum of five hundred pounds out of his estate in New England to trustees, to be invested, after the death of his wife, in houses and lands in New Eng- land; and that the income from these should be de- voted to the support of students in the grammar and divinity schools at Cambridge, Mass., and to the pur- chase of books to be given to meritorious students at Harvard College. .

The widow died in 1698, and after suit in chancery the trustees obtained a verdict in satisfaction of the legacy of five hundred pounds, amounting, with inter- est, to eight hundred pounds. Six hundred pounds of this sum was wasted in the purchase of the Maguncoy land in Hopkinton.

Hopkinton was originally bounded by Sudbury, Sherborn, Mendon, Sutton and Westboro'. At this time the town contained 25,000 acres. On June 14, 1735, by an act of the General Court, abont 4000 acres were set off and formed a part of Upton, leaving about 21,000 acres.

The boundaries of the town remained the same un- til March 16, 1846, when a part was taken to form the town of Ashland. The town at the present time contains 18,509 acres.

It appears that in 1662 the Hon. William Crown received a grant of land, which, according to its de- scription, would cover nearly the entire village of Ashland; the deed and plan describes five hundred acres " at a place near Cold Spring Brook, near the road which leadeth from Sudbury on to Connecticut, known as the (Connecticut Path), on the south side of a branch of the Sudbury River, at a place called by the Indians, Magunco hill."

The path referred to in the description of the grant to the Crown was a trail followed by a small party who passed up between the Charles and Sudbury Rivers, through Hopkinton, Gratton and Thompson in Con- necticut, to the Connecticut River in 1633, and was followed by Hooker and his party of one hundred and sixty persons and about the same number of cat- tle, who started from Watertown in 1635 for the Con- necticut River, crossed Cold Spring at the ford-way and entered upon and passed over the Crown Grant, thence through Hopkinton, following the old Indian trail, to what was called at that time Hassanamissit (now Grafton).

The town of llopkinton was incorporated Decem- ber 13, 1715, and the first town-meeting was held under the charter, March ye 25, 1724, under the fol- lowing warrant :

" Whereas the Greul and General Court of ye provence of the Massa-

783

HOPKINTON.

chusetts Bay in New England, have enacted and constituted all those lands formerly called Magumucoag together with other waste lands lying westward to Suteu line from said Msgumcoag towaship by the name of Hopkinton ; and granted all and singular the priveleges and powers of a township thereunto. Aad whereas it has been a continued practice and enstom in the several towns within the provence annually to choose Selectmen for the managing of the prudentiale of such towus, and other Town Officers for the executing of other matters and things in the law appointed by them to be done aod performed ; and whereas it is enacted by ye said Great und General Court that the Freeholders and inhabitants of each town qualified to vote in town affairs shall come- time in the month of March, annually couvene according to notice given to the said Freeholders and Inhabitants, and nominate and choose Selectmen or Townsmen, and all other officers and convenient for the ordering the prudentials of the town, and executing of all other mat- ters and things in the law appointed by them to be done, and whereas, the Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the town of Hopkinton have often desired the direction and assistance of the Comety of the Trustees of the said Town of Hopkinton in order to there meeting and convening together for the purpose and intentions aforegaid, and the said Comety have desired the Subscriber, one of the said Commity and a Justice of the Pese within the said County of Middlesex to make out and sign notification, there being no Selectmen or other Town Officers in the said town. These are therefore to notify the town tennaats both Free Holders and other Inhabitants of llopkinton aforesaid to meet at their Public Place for Divine Service and worship oo the Lord's Day, on Wednesday the twenty-fifth of March, next coming, at ten of the clock before noon, to choose Selectmen and all other officers that the law allows of and directs unto. Given under my hand and seal in this twenty-ninth day of Feby. in the twelfth year of the reign of King George, Antio goodomi 1723-24. JOHN LEVERITT,

"Justice of the Pence."

" Mr. Jobu How you are directed to set up the above written notifica- tion in some public place in Hopkinton.

" J. LEVERITT."

On the day named in the warrant the town to the number of upwards of thirty met and transacted the following business :

" Voted-that we resolve to take upon us the powers of a Town and proceuil and choose Town officers as the law directs shall be choosen in the month of March.

" Voted-to choose five Seleet Men.

" Voted-that all persons that have taken land and have made im- provements in said town and are here present may vote.

" Voted-that Johu How shall be Moderator in said meeting.

" Voted-tbet John Ilow should be Town Clerk and the first Selectman.

" Yoted-that John Wood should be second Selectman.

" Voted-that ileory Melen should be third Selectman.

" Voted-that Joseph Haven should be fourth Selectman.

" Voted-that James Colar should he fifth Selectinen.

"Voted-that the divisenal line as to the Constables Collections to be the hyway leading from Womsloas meadow, so-called, to the meeting- house place and so continue tothe river.

" Voted-that Samneli Watken should be Constable for the year en- suing, in ye East End of ye town.

"Voted-that Mr. Benjamin Burnap should be Constable in ye West end of ye town.

" Voted-that Mr. Eluathan Allen should be Town Treasurer for ye year ensuing.

" Voted-that Johnsthan Knowlton, Thomas Walker, Mr. John Wood and James Coles, Senior, should be Surveyorys of hyways for ye year ensuing.

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. III, Part 184

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & co
Number of Pages: 1278