History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 3

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 3

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accomplished. A son of his, Edward Jackson, was killed by the Indians at Medfield, when they attacked and burned that town, February 21, 1676. The cellar of his house is still visible at the northeastern part of the town on the Smallwood estate, and the pear trees still standing there are supposed to have been planted by him.

THE FIRST SETTLERS OF NEWTON .- Samuel Holly is supposed to have been in New Cambridge in 1636. In 1643, the year of his death, he sold six acres of his land to Edward Jackson for £5.

Samuel Hyde, the second settler, came from London in 1639, and settled here in 1640. He and his brother Jonathan bought of Thomas Danforthi forty acres of land in 1647, and 200 of the executors of Nathaniel Sparhawk, which they held in common until 1662, when it was divided. He was a deacon of the church. His descendants to the seventh generation have con- tinued to own and occupy a part of the same land. He died in 1685, and his wife the same year.

Edward Jackson, brother of John Jackson, was born in London about 1602. His youngest son by his first marriage, Sebas Jackson, according to tradition, was born on the passage to this country. He took the freeman's oath in 1645, and purchased a farm of 500 acres in Cambridge Village of Governor Brad- street for £140. Bradstreet bought the same farm in 1638 of Thomas Mayhew for six cows. This farm ex- tended westward from what is now the line between Newton and Brighton, and included what is now Newtonville. The house of Michael Jackson, built near the centre of this farm, was probably the first house erected in Newton; it was built before 1638. Edward Jackson's house was built with a spacious hall, where probably the first religious meetings were held. He was representative to the General Court seventeen years in succession, and was constantly present at Rev. John Eliot's meetings with the lu- dians. In his will he left 400 acres to Harvard Uni- versity. He divided bis land among his children in his life-time. Fram the inventory of his estate it ap- pears that he owned two slaves, valued at £5 each. . Probably he was the first slaveholder in Newton. He had nineteen children, and more than sixty grand- children. Forty-four of his descendants were in the army of the Revolution.

Joseph Fuller, who settled in New Cambridge in 1644, bought 750 acres next west of Edward Jack- son for £160. His farm was bounded north and west by Charles River, south by Thomas Park. By sub- sequent purchases he increased his lands to 1000 acres, intersected by Cheesecake Brook. He had eight children, and twenty-two of his descendants were in the Revolutionary Army. Edward Jackson and John Fuller bad a larger number of descendants than any other of the early settlers.

Jonathan Hyde, brother of Deacon Samuel Hyde, came into New Cambridge in 1647, and bought, in common with Samuel, 240 acres, which they held to-

gether fourteen years. 1n 1656 he bought eighty acres, which was one-eighth of the tract recovered by Cambridge from Dedham in a lawsuit; and settling upon it, he increased it by later purchases to several hundred acres. He seemed to have had a taste for buying and selling land. His house stood on Centre Street, not far from the residence of Honorable Alden Speare. His home lot ran 160 rods on Centre Street and 100 rods deep, and included the site of the present Congregational and Baptist Churches iu Newton Centre. Wiswall's Pond was its southern boundary. He was twice married, and had twenty-three children. Some years before his death he divided 400 acres of his land, with several dwelling-houses standing thereon, among twelve of his children, and in 1705 gave half an acre to the town for a school-house, at the junction of Homer and Gratton Streets. This was six years after the vote of 1699 to build a school- house. The Common in Newton Centre, or a large part of it, is supposed to have been his gift ; there is no record of the gift. He deeded to his children, " for a cartway forever," the land which is now the high- way known as Grafton Street.

Richard Park owned land in New Cambridge in 1636, and in Lexington, three Cambridge farms in 1642. His house probably stood within a few feet of the site of the present Eliot Church, and was pulled down in 1800. His farm was bounded west by the Fuller farm, north by Charles River, east and south by Edward Jackson, and contained about 600 acres. He bequeathed his land to his only son, Thomas. This son built a corn-mill on the river, where the Bemis factory was afterwards erected (now called Nonantum). His inventory showed that the property standing in his name at the date of his death amounted to £872. The Cambridge Church owned a farm and other property in Billerica, and in 1648 ordained that " every person that from time to time hereafter removed from the church, did thereby resign their interest in the remaining part of the church property." During the contest for the separation of Cambridge Village from Cambridge in 1661, Richard Park petitioned the Court that, in case of a division, he be permitted to retain his connection with the Cambridge Church. Possibly this vote might have influenced him to present such a petition.

Captain Thomas Prentice, born in England in 1621, was in New Cambridge in 1649; for the record shows that in November of that year he became the father of twins, Thomas and Elizabeth. He was a man of military tastes, and chosen lieutenant of cav- alry in 1656 and captain in 1662. In 1663 he bought of Elder Frost eighty-five acres of land, in the east part of Newton, adjoining land of John Ward, and occupied the place as his homestead fifty years, con- veying it by deed of gift in 1765 to his grandson, Captain Thomas Prentice. His house stood on the site of the old Harbach house, at the corner of Wav- erly Avenue and Ward Street. He was very prom-

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

inent in the Indian wars, and distinguished for his bravery. He was hardy and athletic, and continued to ride on horseback till the end. His death was caused by a fall from his horse at the age of eighty- nine. He was Representative to the General Court three years, 1672-74. Hle had eight children, two of whom died in childhood.

John Ward married a daughter of Edward Jackson. His father came from England after the birth of John, and settled in Sudbury. He was the first rep- resentative of Cambridge Village in the General Court, and continued to be a representative for eight years. Ile was also selectman nine years, from 1679. Ilis house stood on the site of the residence of the late Ephraim Ward, near the Newton reservoir, and was at first constructed for a garrison-house in 1661, and used as such during King Philip's War. It was demolished in 1821, having stood 170 years-the home of seven generations. He had eight sons and five daugliters, and died in 1708, aged eighty-two.

Thomas Hammond sold his land in Hingham, where he had been one of the earliest settlers, in 1652, and his house in 1656. In 1650, in connection with Vincent Druce, he bought land in Cambridge Village, and in 1658 600 acres more, partly in Cambridge Vil- lage and partly in Brookline, embracing what is now Chestnut Hill. They held this land in common until 1664. When a division was made the pond fell within Hammond's part, and hence bears his name.

John Parker was also one of the earliest settlers of Hingham. He bonght land adjoining John Ward and Vincent Druce in 1650. He had five sons and five daughters. After his death his property passed into the hands of Hon. Ebenezer Stone, and after- wards became the John Kingsbury estate. The Parkers of Newton are from two progenitors,-John Parker, of Hingham, and Samuel Parker, of Dedham. Nathaniel Parker, a son of the latter, was born in Dedham in 1670. The third meeting-house in New- ton Centre was built on land purchased of him and conveyed to the selectmen of Newton, measuring one and a half acres and twenty rods, and valued at £15. The sale occurred in August, 1716. On this spot of land the First Congregational Church has stood ever since.

James Prentice, Sr., and Thomas Prentice, Jr., bought of Thomas Danforth four hundred acres in March, 1650, in Cambridge Village, and in 1657 one hundred acres more. A part of this purchase is now included in the old cemetery on Centre Street, from which it extended sontherly beyond the estate of the late Marshall Rice. The house was taken down in 1800. It stood a few rods southeast of the Joshua Loring house, on the east side of Centre Street.

Thomas Prentice (2d) married Rebecca, daughter of Edward Jackson, Sr. This Edward Jackson gave him, by will, 100 acres of land called Bald Pate Meadow, near Bald Pate Hill, and to his daughter several other parcels of land. Prentice lived to a great age, and conveyed land to his two sons and two grandsons. It is recorded that in 1753 " he held one end of a chain to lay out a highway over Weedy Hili in New Cambridge."

Elder Thomas Wiswall came to this country from England about 1637, and was prominent among the first settlers of Dorchester. He removed to Cam- bridge Village in 1654, and was ordained "ruling elder " of the church at the same time with the ordi- nation of Rev. John Eliot, Jr., as pastor. His home- stead of 300 acres included the pond at Newton Cen- tre, called after him, "Wiswall's Pond," afterwards " Baptist Pond " and "Crystal Lake." His house for many years continued in the Wiswall family. Later, it was occupied by Deacon Luther Paul and his heirs, and removed in 1889 to the west side of Paul Street. He had seven children and more than thirty grandchildren. His son Noah was killed in 1690 in an engagement with French and Indians at Wheeler's Pond, afterwards Lee, N. H. He had also a son Ichabod, who was minister in Duxbury.

John Kenrick in 1658 bought 250 acres in the southerly part of Cambridge Village. Kenrick's Bridge over Charles River is near his house, and per- petuates his name. In his will he left to his pastor, Rev. Nehemiah Hobart, four acres of meadow land or ten pounds, at the option of his son John, who was his executor.

Vincent Druce came from Ilingham, where his name is found in 1636. The highway from Cam- bridge to Brookline was laid out through the land of . Park, John Fuller and Isaac Williams were the first, Druce and Hammond. The old Crafts house on the Denny place was built by Druce in the end of the seventeenth or beginning of the eighteenth century, and must be now nearly two hundred years old. John Druce, the third of that name, graduated at Harvard University in 1738, and became a physician in Wrentham. The first John Druce was a member of Captain Prentice's troop of horse. He was mor- tally wounded in a fight with the Indians at Swanzey in 1675, and brought home and died in his own house. He was probably the first victim from Cam- bridge Village who fell in the Indian wars.

Captain Isaac Williams was the son of Robert Wil- liams, who came from Norwich, England. He was born in Roxbury in 1688 and twice married. He owned 500 acres adjoining John Fuller. Thomas and probably for a season the only, settlers in West Newton. He was a weaver by trade, selectman three years, and representative to the General Court six years. His house was about thirty rods northeast of the West Parish meeting-house. IIe died in 1707, and, being a military man, was honored with a military funeral. He had twelve children and more than fifty grandchildren. The youngest son, Ephraim, was father of Colonel Ephraim Williams, Jr., the founder of Williams College. William, a son of Isaac, grad- uated at Harvard University in 1683, being one of a class of only three members. Through the thought-

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fulness and enterprise of Colonel Ephraim, Jr., the First Church in Newton became the mother of all the foreign missionary efforts of the Christian church of all denominations in the United States. For the first foreign missionary organization in this country origin- ated in the zeal and piety of a few students in Wil- liams College in the year 1808.

Gregory Cook was a constable in Cambridge Vil- lage in 1667. He removed afterwards to Mendon and Watertown. In 1668 he bought sixteen acres of Samuel Hyde, bounded on what is now Centre Street, and south on Samuel Hyde. In 1665 he bought the mansion house and six acres, the house being near the Watertown line. In 1672 Jeremiah Dummer, of Boston, conveyed to him 112 acres, with house and barn, lying partly in Cambridge and partly in Water- town, and reaching to Charles River. The house, having stood about 150 years, was pulled down in 1823. He was twice married, the second time three months after the decease of his first wife. He was a shoemaker by trade.

Abraham Williams bought twelve acres, with a house, near Mr. Cook, in 1654. After living in Newton eight years he removed to Marlborough, in 1688. He was colonel of militia, and representative to the Gen- eral Court. He kept a public-house in Marlborough many years, and died 1712, aged eighty-four.

Deacon James Trowbridge, son of Thomas, was born in Dorchester in 1636. His father was a mer- chant in the Barbadoes trade, and came from Taun- ton, England, where his father founded a generous charity for poor widows, which still is in existence. Thomas, the father, went home to England in 1644, leaving his three sons in charge of Thomas Jeffries, who also came from the same vicinity in England. In 1637 or 1638 Jeffries removed to New Haven, and afterwards to England, leaving all his estates and goods in charge of Henry Gibbons, his steward. The sons of Thomas obtained possession of their father's property by a suit at law. The wife of James was one of the constituent members of the First Church in Newton. James also became deacon after the death of John Jackson. He was selectman of Cam- bridge Village nine years, and one of the first hoard elected. He bought of Governor Danforth eighty- five acres, with a dwelling-house, bounded by the highways west and south. He was clerk of the writs, lieutenant, and two years representative to the Gen- eral Court.

Lieutenant John Spring was born in England in 1630, and brought to this country in 1634 by his par- ents, who settled in Watertown. The son John re- moved to Cambridge Village about the time of the ordination of Rev. John Eliot, Jr., in 1664. His house stood on the west side of Centre Street, oppo- site the cemetery. He built the first grist-mill in Newton, on Smelt Brook, afterwards Bulloughs' Mill, on Mill Street, near the centre of the town. It is supposed that he gave the land for the second meet-

ing-house, near his own house. On its removal to Waltham, and the adoption of the present site by the First Church, the town re-conveyed the land to his son John. He died in 1717, aged eighty-seven. He had ten children, of whom the first nine were daugh- ters. He was selectman eight years, and representa- tive three years, and served in various other offices, one of which was sweeper of the meeting-house.

Daniel Bacon removed with his family to Cam- bridge Village from Bridgewater about 1699, and bought land in Newton and Watertown, portions of which were afterwards conveyed to General William Hull, Oakes Angier and others. The Nonantum House at Newton stands on one of these estates. From Oakes Angier this part of the town was at one period called Angier's Corner.

Captain John Sherman was an early settler of New- tou, coming from Watertown. His grandson, Wil- liam, a shoemaker, was the father of Roger Sherman, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who was born here, and was also, like his father, a shoemaker. The family residence, where Roger Sher- man was born, was on Waverly Avenue, near the es- tate formerly of Dr. James Freeman, and later of Francis Skinner, Esq.

Rev. John Eliot, Jr., worthy to close these sketches of the early settlers of Cambridge Village, was the son of Rev. John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians of Nonantum, and ordained first pastor of the First Church in Newton, July 20, 1664. He was born in Roxbury, where his father was pastor, in 1636, grad- uated at Harvard University in 1656, and began to preach in 1658, in his twenty-second year. He ac- quired proficiency in the Indian language, and aided his father in his missionary work until his ordination, and afterwards preached once in two weeks to the In- dians of Stoughton, and occasionally to the Indians in Natick, whither the Nonantum Indians subse- quently removed, and where the first Indian Church was organized; for the converts were never gathered into church estate in Newton. He died at the early age of thirty-three, four years and three months after his ordination. He is said to have been "an accom- plished person, of a ruddy complexion, comely pro- portions, cheerful countenance, and quick apprehen- sion, a good classical scholar, and having considerable scientific knowledge for one of his age and period." He lived on the west side of Centre Street, about sixty rods north of the old cemetery. The estate was sold, after the death of his son Jolin, to Henry Gibbs, and by Gibbs to Rev. John Cotton, Eliot's successor as pastor, and by heirs of John Cotton to Charles Pelham, in 1765.

"The number of freemen within the limits of Cam- bridge Village in 1688 -- the date of its complete scp- aration from Cambridge-was about sixty-five. In forty years-from 1639 to 1679-forty-two freemen be- came permanent settlers, some from England, others from the neighboring towns. During the same period

HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

thirty of their sons had reached their majority, mak- ing in all seventy-two. But five had died and two had removed, leaving the sum total sixty-five. There were six dwelling-houses in Cambridge Village in 1639, all being situated near the present dividing line between Newton and Brighton (Boston), and all on farms adjoining one another.

The early inhabitants of Newton, as of New Eng- land generally, had little idea of the future growth of the sapling which they had planted. A committee appointed to lay out a road westward from Boston, having fulfilled their task. reported to the body which appointed them, that they had laid out a road twelve miles, as far as Weston, and in their opinion that was as far westward as a road would ever be needed.

THE INDIANS .- The relations of the settlers of Newton and the Indian population among them, or on their borders, were never otherwise than friendly. Besides the original bargain with the Squaw-sachem, the labors of Mr. Eliot for their religious improve- ment had a happy influence in winning their good- will. Nevertheless the brave men of Newton sympa- thized with the persecuted colonists in other towns, and readily took up arms in their defence. In King Philip's War, which broke out in 1675, Captain Thomas Prentice was a distinguished figure. On the 26th of June in that year he marched for Mount Hope, with Captain Henchman, of Boston, and a company which included twenty men from Cambridge Village and twenty-one from Dedham. In the first engagement with the foe, William llammond, of Newton, was killed, and a few days later John Druce was fatally wounded. In December following, with tive companies of infantry and his troop of horse, he marched to Narragansett, and performed remarkable exploits in destroying or seattering the enemy and protecting the white settlers. In April, 1676, he rushed to the aid of the colonists and of the troops at Sudbury, whom the Indians had overpowered, reach- ing the town in his headlong haste with only six of his company, and after a brave conflict the Indians were put to flight. Four men of Cambridge Village -- Hanchett, Woods, Hides and Bush,-also served in the war against Philip; so also did Edward Jackson. When the Indians in 1690 committed depredations upon the white settlements in New Hampshire and Maine, Newton soldiers volunteered at once for their defence. Captain Noah Wiswall, Gershom Flagg and Edward Walker defended Portland. Two sons of Henry Seger were among the military forces at Gro- ton, of whom one was killed and the other taken prisoner. A son of Nathaniel Healey also perished, and on petition of his father to be remunerated for the gun which was lost by the young hero, the tieneral Court ordered that twenty shillings should be paid him out of the public treasury for the lost gun. John Gibson was slain by the Indians at Portland in 1711. Ephraim Davenport, another of Newton's citizens, was stationed some time at Bethel, Maine, to protect

the inhabitants, and afterwards received a pension. Benjamin Clark, son of Norman Clark, was taken prisoner with Nathaniel Seger. Ebenezer Bartlett, of Newton, had six sons, all of whom went to the de- fence of Bethel. In the war with the French and In- dians, in 1755, several citizens of Newton took part, prominent among whom were Samuel Jenks, Lieuten- ant Timothy Jackson, whose wife carried on the farm while her husband was gone to the war; Colonel Ephraim Jackson and Colonel Ephraim Williams, the fonnder of Williams College, who was shot through the head in a battle with the French and In- dians near Lake George, in September, 1755.

ELIOT AND THE NONANTITM INDIANS .- One of the most interesting portions of the history of Newton is that which relates to the labors of Rev. John Eliot, in behalf of the Nonantum Indians. The interest arises from the fact that this was the first Protestant mis- sionary undertaking on the continent of America ; the first converts from heathenism in modern times were among the aborigines of Newton, and the first translation of the Bible into a heathen language was here consummated. And thus the town of Newton, by a double right, has gained the honor of being the mother of all the Protestant missionary efforts from America in modern times-first, through the labors of Mr. Eliot, and secondly through the found- ing, by one of her sons, of Williams College. The Indians of Newton congregated on the slope of Nonantum Hill, where the ground descends to the village of Newton and the limits of Brighton. Here Waban, their chief, had his honse, and here Eliot preached his first sermon to the Indians, October 28, 1646, near the spot where a monument has been be- gun to his memory. Mr. Eliot was born at Naseby, England, in 1604, and died in Roxbury, where his remains rest, in the cemetery at the corner of Eustis and Washington Streets, May 20, 1690. When he be- gan his labors for the Indians he was forty-two years of age, his age, by a singular coincidence, being the same as the age of Waban. The companions of Mr. Eliot at this first service for the Indians were Major Gookin, Rev. John Wilson, of Boston, Elder Heath, of Rox- bury, and Rev. Thomas Shepard, of Cambridge. The Indians, by intercourse with the white people, had gained some ideas of their religion, and were anxious to know more. The service was opened by prayer in English. Mr. Eliot's text was Ezek. 37 : 9-" Prophesy unto the wind," &c. The Indian word for wind was Waban, which, donbtless, prompted Mr. Eliot to choose this text ; and it must have been most impres- sive to the Indian chief to find that his own namie was thus distinctly recognized in Holy Writ, and a Divine message thus sent, as it were, personally to him. The discourse lasted an hour and a quarter, and the whole service three hours.

After the sermon the Indians affirmed that they had understood all, and, when liberty was given them to ask questions, they proposed these six : 1. How

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they could learn to know Jesus Christ ? 2. Did God understand Indian prayers ? 3. Were the English ever so ignorant as the Indians at that time? 4. What is the image of God, which it is forbidden in the second commandment to worship? 5. If all the world had once been drowned, how was it now so full of people ? 6. If a father be bad and the child good, will God be offended with the child for the father's sake ? Being asked at the close if they were weary, an Indian replied, "No," and " they wished to hear more." A few apples were given to the children, some tobacco to the men, and another meeting ap- pointed a fortnight later. At the second meeting more Indians were present, and deep interest manifested.

The next day one of the Indians visited Mr. Eliot, at his house in Roxbury, and reported how all night at Waban's the Indians could not sleep, partly from trou- ble of mind and partly from wonder at all the things they had heard.

A work of grace, similar to modern revivals of religion, followed the services. Many of the English people came together from neighboring towns to witness the marvelous effects of the Gospel. Many Indians from Concord and other towns removed to Nonantum, that they might be more fully instructed in the truth of religion. Soon after the third meet- ing three men and four children begged Mr. Eliot to establish Christian schools among their people. No suitable arrangement could be made, and they were sent back to their native forests. But it is an inter- esting fact that the first call for a mission school came from the heathen themselves.

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History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. III, Part 3

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