USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, 1622-1918, vol 1 > Part 37
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Pursuant to the action taken at the meeting of March 27, 1661, Anthony Fisher, Isaac Bullard, Robert Ware and Richard Ellis were appointed a committee to settle and determine "such things as shall be mentioned needful for ye Plantation," etc. At a meeting on January 12, 1662, they reported that ten men had been selected, or accepted, by them to go to Wollomonopoag, but that this number was not sufficient to "goe on with ye Plantation." The Town of Dedham evidently did not offer the expected encouragement to "goe on," and the first attempt at settle- ment failed. On March 2, 1663, the proprietors resolved by a unanimous vote that they "could not advise parties to proceed to make it a Plantation all things considered as they are now Circumstanced."
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Three weeks later another meeting of the proprietors was held, at which it was agreed that those who had already made improvements there "might take the lotts they had subdued and Improved and not draw lotts with the rest of ye proprie- tors." The persons who were thus allowed to choose were Anthony Fisher, Jr., Job Farrington, Richard Ellis, Robert Ware, Joshua Kent, Samuel Parker, James Thorpe, Samuel Fisher and Isaac Bullard. These men were the first to break land and begin a settlement within the limits of the six hundred acres alloted for the Wollomonopoag plantation, and were therefore the first settlers in Wrentham. Among those who drew lots on March 23, 1663, were James Draper, Nathaniel Whiting and Ralph Freeman. Later in the year the selectmen of Dedham con- firmed a highway from that town to the Wollomonopoag plantation, "at the request of ye persons who have drawn lotts there, ye highway to be at ye east end of sayed lotts."
The settlement was not a success. Says Samuel Warner: "Although an attempt to settle a colony at Wollomonopoag had failed in 1663, yet the idea was not absolutely abandoned. Proof of this is seen in the transactions had in the interim between that date and 1669. We instance the drawing of lots, the laying out of a highway, surveying of the meadows, the settling of lines of lots, the purchasing of proprietors' rights, and the second treaty with King Philip."
The second treaty with King Philip was concluded in the fall of 1669, and in December of that year the proprietors of Wollomonopoag, now independent of the Dedham proprietors, met at the house of Joshua Fisher (in Dedham) "to adopt some Rules as to the ordering & due management of ye said place for the further- ing and settling a Plantation there." This was their first meeting, distinct from the proprietors of Dedham. Among the rules they adopted were the following :
"Ist-All rates &c for defraying public charges hereunder written Shall be and remayne in full Force to all ends intents & Purposes to all Proprietors there untill the intended Plantation become a Town.
"2d-Every Proprietor shall annualy pay towards the Maintenance of a Min- ister there is 6d for each cow comon right besides what he shall be Assessed upon improved land.
"3d-That the Libertie to call or invite a Minister to exercise to the People there is left to the Inhabitants there & Such of ye principal Proprietors as may be advised without Difficulty provided it be by ye Allowance & Consent of ye Rev. Mr. Allin of Dedham & ye Ruling Elder of ye Church there & Elea Lusher.
"4th-That a Convenient meeting house shall be built to which end 2s per cow common shall be paid whereof Mr Theo Deane Capt Willm Hudson & Mr Job Viale promise to pay accordingly in money which is accepted John Thurston, Robert Ware & Sergt Fuller are appointed a Committee for ye ordering ye building & Finishing that Meeting house in convenient time."
The meeting house was not finished for several years, but on December 27. 1669, Rev. Samuel Man was invited to become the minister at the plantation. The letter of invitation was signed by thirty-nine persons.
INCORPORATION OF WRENTHAM
In October, 1673, the inhabitants, now grown to a considerable number, pre- pared the following petition, which was in due time presented to the General Court :
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"The petition of ye Inhabitants of Wollomonopoage humbly sheweth that whereas it hath pleased God by His especial Providence to sett the place of habi- tation of divers of us in a place within the bounds of Dedham where some of us have lived Severall years conflicting with ye Difficultyes of a Wilderness state & being a long time without any to Dispense the word of God to us although at last it hath pleased God to send the Gospel amongst us dispensed by that faithful servant of his, Mr Samuel Man; but not having power to assess or gather what have been engaged by reason divers live not Within the limits of the Town & the Constables of Dedham are not willing to gather what has been engaged neyther is that Engaged by Town power so the pay is not attayned but that work is like to fail & We perish for lack of Knoledge unless it please God to move your hearts who are the Fathers of the country to take care for us & not for us only but for the Interest of God here now being helpless and hopeless doe yet venture to spread our complaint before your Honours desiring you would put forth your power to Promote the ordinances of God here.
"That which we desire & humbly present to your pious consideration is that there may be a Committee appoynted & Impowered by this Hon Court to settle some way for the maintenance of the Ministrie which we doubt not but most of ye proprietors in Dedham & Elsewhere will readily grant yet some there are that have rights here seem only to be willing that we should labor under the Straights of a new Plantation so as to bring their land to a great Price which no other can regulate (that we understand) but yourselves. Therefore we fly to your wisdom & justice for help which no other under God can do The proprietors also having engaged but for so long as we remain under the power of Dedham & Dedham now advising us to be of our selves Declaring that they cannot act for us as is Necessary in divers cases they living so remote & if it shall please God so far to move you to help us in this distressed State we humbly further crave to be excused from paying any County rates for 7 or 8 years we being very Few and poor & far into the country & not considerable to the County which will oblige us to serve your Honours. We have herewith sent the Coppies of what the Proprietors did engage (which have caused us your Petitioners to Venture upon these Difficul- tyes expecting more would have come to us) which we desire may be ratifyed till they send Inhabitants suitable or what other way God may direct your wisdom to Determine which shall ever Oblige your poor supplyants to pray &c."
The selectmen of Dedham offered no objection to the plantation being incor- porated as a separate town, but ventured the suggestion that "if the Court see meet to grant them town power that it may be called Wrentham." Upon the 15th day of October, 1673, the act incorporating the Town of Wrentham became a law. The name is taken from Wrentham in England, a small parish in the County of Suffolk, from which came John Thurston, Thomas Paine and a number of people who accompanied Rev. Mr. Phillips (or Philip) when he came to Ded- ham in 1638. He afterward returned to England and resumed his pastoral duties in his old parish.
ORGANIZING THE TOWN
John Thurston, Daniel Fisher, William Park and Hopestill Foster were ap- pointed a committee by the General Court "for ordering the affairs of the Town
S
HELEN KELLER'S RESIDENCE, WRENTHAM
VIEW OF THE SQUARE, WRENTHAM
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called Wrentham." This committee met for the first time on December 4, 1673, and adopted the following regulations :
"Ist. Thomas Thurston to have ye Town Book and make record of such orders as have passed respecting such Plantation &c.
"2d. Property holders there shall pay Is 6d for every cow common for sup- port of ye Minister according to a previous vote.
"3d. £50 to be Assessed upon ye proprietors towards building him a House according to an act past by them ye 31 June '72.
"4th. All former committees to continue the work committed to them Here- tofore as to laying out high wayes &c.
"5th. That the order in Dedham Town Book referring to ye admitting of Inhabitants made June 1 '66 be transcribed in this Town Book to be an order for ye Town of Wrentham as to all intents & purposes therein Contayned.
"Per order of Gen Court."
(Signed by all the committee.)
The order referred to in the last paragraph related to "ye entertainment of persons privately," and provided "That no inhabitant of ye Towne or tenant of any house lands &c shall after due Publication hereof grant sell alienate lease assigne sett or to farme lett any house lands or parcels of land whatsoever within sayed Towne to any persons not formerly dwelling within our Towne nor shall hire any out of ye town person for a servant by the years or any apprentice for more than two months without leave of ye committee or select men without Securitie for ye Towne's indemnitie as sayed Committee or Select men shall accept. Notice shall be given of all such Contracts made or intended to be made to some one of ye Committee or Select men & if not forbidden within a month then the partie may proceed therein but if being forbidden he shall notwithstand- ing proceed to contract or entertain contrary to this Order or shall fail to give notice as above provided he shall for every month so continueing forfeit to the use of ye Towne twenty shillings to be levied upon his good by ye Constable by warrant from the Com'ttee or Select men or be recoverable by action at Law."
Such an order seems peculiar in these days, but the early settlers of Massa- chusetts were careful to protect themselves from the presence of undesirable citizens or sojourners, and regulations of this nature were adopted by practically every town in the colony.
WRENTHAM VACATED
King Philip inaugurated his war upon the white settlements by his attack upon Swanzey in June, 1675. At that time the inhabitants of Wrentham were few in number and occupied a somewhat isolated position. Furthermore their settle- ment lay directly in the trail from Mount Hope, where Philip had his headquarters, to Medfield and was in constant danger. In an old record of the town is found the following entry : "March ye 30, 1676, ye Inhabitants ware drawn of by rason of ye Endian worre." After they were gone the savages came into the town and burned all the deserted dwellings but two, which, according to tradition, they spared because they believed them to be infected with the smallpox.
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PERMANENT SETTLEMENT
In January, 1677, a meeting of the proprietors and those who were formerly inhabitants of Wrentham was held and the latter were asked if "they would go on to rebuild and inhabitt Wrentham." To this they replied with the following written obligation :
"We whose names are hereunto subscribed haveing formerly had our residence in Wrentham but by those sad and sollame dispensations of Gods Providence were removed yet desire a worke for the honour of God & the good and Comfort of our selves & ours might be again ingaged in and promotted att that Place. There- fore our purpose is to returne thither God willing But knowing our owne inability for so Great & Waytie a worke both in respectt of our insufficiency for the carry- ing on of new Plantation worke & the dainger that may yet be renewed upon us by ye heathins breaking out on us we thinke it not saffe for us to returne alone except other of ye proprietors joyne to go up along with us or sende Inhabitants to ingage in that worke with us. Subscribed by Elizear Metcalf Saml Fisher Daniell Haws William Macknah Daniel Wight Elizear Gay Samuell Man Cornelius Fisher Joseph Kingsbury Robert Ware John Aldis John Payne Benjn Rocket Nath Ware "John Ware Michell Wilson Samuel Sheeres."
The proprietors gave a favorable answer to this appeal for a larger number of inhabitants and agreed to sell their interests to actual settlers in good faith. The subscribers to the above document then returned to their homes, rebuilt their houses, and in a short time were "joyned by a goodly number." Wrentham was now permanently settled.
SOME FIRST THINGS
The first white child born in the town was Mehitable, daughter of Samuel and Mary Sheers, who was born on February 1, 1668.
The first mill was authorized by the town in January, 1672, when it was ordered that a grant for "a corn mille be made upon that stream that comes out of ye ponde & runns into Charles River in the neerest convenient place to ye lower end of ye ponde in Wollomonopoage & made fitte for work & doe grinde corn as such a mille ought to doe before the first daye of Maye which shall be Anno 1673. & be soe kept & attended that ye Inhabitants there be supplyed with good meale from time to time of the corn they shall bring to mille."
A committee entered into a contract with Robert Crossman to build the mill, but before he had completed it King Philip's war came on, so that the work was delayed. In 1680 it was voted that if he did not speedily put his mill in repair the inhabitants "will see out for the procuring of another mill." In 1685 the grant formerly made to Crossman was conferred upon John Whiting.
The first meeting house was ordered in March, 1681, but it was not completed for more than ten years after that date.
The first school was taught the winter of 1701. The records show that "con- sidering the scarceness of money &c it is proposed that for this winter time ye Select men & such others as will joyne in yt worke with them doe by them selves or som others in their behalfe take their turns by ye week to keepe a school to teach children & youth to read English & wright & cypher gratis & in hope that
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som of Our neighbors will joyn with us in yt worke we Intend God willing to begin next Monday." This record is dated December 19, 1701, and it is to be hoped that those who "joyned" in the work were better spellers than the clerk who made the above entry.
The first school house "twenty foot long and sixteen foot broad," was built in 1702.
The first bank was started in 1832 by Philo Sanford, Robert Blake and others.
THE TOWN DIVIDED
When Wrentham was incorporated on October 15. 1673, it embraced all the present town of that name, the towns of Franklin and Plainville, and the greater portions of Foxboro and Norfolk. Franklin was cut off on March 2, 1778; Fox- boro, on the 10th of June the same year ; Norfolk, February 23, 1870; and Plain- ville, April 4, 1905, thus reducing Wrentham to its present dimensions.
WATERWORKS
On February 16, 1904, the governor of Massachusetts approved an act of the Legislature authorizing the Town of Wrentham to provide a supply of water for the inhabitants by driven, artesian or other wells, or to "take by purchase or other- wise and hold the water of any pond, stream or spring, or artesian or driven well within the limits of said town," etc., and to borrow not exceeding $125.000, to be repaid in annual payments, beginning five years after the first issue of bonds, notes or scrip, the act to become effective when accepted by a vote of two-thirds of the legal voters at a meeting called for that purpose within three years, not more than two such meetings to be called in any one year.
The three years expired before the terms of the act had been accepted by the required vote, and on April 13. 1907, an act was passed extending the time for such acceptance to February 16, 1908. Not long after the passage of this act a meeting was called and the necessary two-thirds vote was obtained. A loan was effected and work was commenced upon the plant. The board of water commis- sioners made their first annual report in 1908.
According to the report of the commissioners in 1916, there were then a little over eleven miles of mains in use; total number of connections, 315; number of gallons of water pumped during the year, 38,486,250; receipts for the year, $5.991.32 ; operating expenses, $2,185.78; bonds outstanding on January 1, 1917, $50,700. Extensions and new connections have been made every year since the works were established, and with receipts more than double the operating expenses it is evident that Wrentham will soon own its water plant unencumbered by debt and its benefits will be extended to all parts of the town. The board of commis- sioners at the beginning of the year 1917 was composed of Edward P. Bennett. Murray Winter and Dr. J. F. Jenckes.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
At the close of the year 1916 the board of fire engineers was made up of Rob- ert A. Wood, George P. Francis, Murray Winter and George H. E. Mayshaw.
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The last named was also forest fire warden. In their annual report for the year they say: "The present equipment consists of one auto truck, one hose wagon, one combination chemical wagon, one hose reel, one hand tub, 1,800 feet of hose and one combination chemical wagon at Sheldonville."
The Pioneer Engine Company, located at Wrentham Village, numbers twenty- five men, and the company at Sheldonville, in the western part of the town, ten men. The cost of the department for the year was $1.422.76.
TOWN HALL
Samuel Warner, writing of Wrentham in 1883, says: "Some years since the town erected a large and convenient building in Wrentham Village for the ac- commodation of the high school and a grammar and primary school. It was also provided with a spacious and convenient hall for the transaction of its public business, and the town bade adieu to the vestry of the meeting house in which. and its predecessors, it had held its town meetings for more than one hundred and fifty years."
This building stands in a convenient location, facing the town common, and is well adapted to the wants of the town. It was completed about 1874 and is still in good condition.
SOLDIERS' MONUMENT
On the common, diagonally across the street from the town hall, stands a granite monument surmounted by the figure of an infantry soldier "at rest." On the front of the pedestal is the inscription: "In memory of the brave men of the army and navy who answered their country's call," and on the die below the dates "1861-1865." On the reverse side of the pedestal is the simple state- ment : "Erected by the Monument Association, 1915."
The erection of the monument is due to the efforts of an association of Wrentham women, of which Mrs. Maria MacCorrison was president; Mrs. Cora Pratt, vice president ; Mrs. Gertrude B. Bean, secretary ; Mrs. Catherine Morse, treasurer. Through the efforts of these patriotic women and their associates, the funds were raised to pay for the monument, which was dedicated on May 22, 1915. Charles Moore, commander of George H. Maintien Post No. 133, Grand Army of the Republic, presided at the dedication; music was furnished by the Norwood Band; the dedicatory address was delivered by Gen. Alfred S. Roe; and the monument was unveiled by Misses Edith Hittenger and Dorothy M. Pierce. George P. Willard, chairman of the board of selectmen, accepted the monument on behalf of the town in a few well chosen remarks. Addresses were also delivered by Gen. Elisha N. Rhodes, past senior vice commander-in- chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, and Charles E. Reed, commander of the Sons of Veterans. Mrs. MacCorrison, president of the Monument Associa- tion, presented the monument to the town.
MODERN WRENTHAM
Two hundred and forty years have passed since the first inhabitants of the Town of Wrentham were forced to give up their homes to the torch of the
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savage. Several volumes would be necessary to trace all the events that have happened in connection with the town history during these two hundred and forty years. Suffice it to say that the people of Wrentham no longer live in fear . of the scalping-knife and tomahawk of the painted Indian. The war-whoop has given way to the hum of civilized industry ; the Indian trail has broadened into the improved highway ; the scream of the factory or locomotive whistle tells the story of progress and development. Wrentham has a national bank, a number of manufacturing establishments, the streets are lighted by electricity, mercantile houses carry stocks of all lines of goods likely to be demanded by the citizens, Catholic, Baptist, Congregational, Universalist and Episcopal churches afford ample opportunities for the worship of God, and four public school buildings bear witness to the fact that the people believe in educating their children. In 1910 the population numbered 1.743, and in 1915 it had increased to 2,414, a gain of 671 in five years. According to the report of the board of assessors, the valuation of property in 1916 was $1,651,333.
TOWN OFFICERS, 1917
Following is a list of the principal town officials at the beginning of the year 1917: George P. Willard, Harrison V. Hall and George S. Sheldon, selectmen and overseers of the poor; David T. Stone, clerk ; James E. Carpenter, treasurer ; Wesley G. Dibble, tax collector; Willard H. Bennett, George S. Sheldon and Albertus J. Whiting, assessors ; Charles L. Eldridge and William A. Morse, high- way surveyors; Ernest A. Hall, Edwin F. Wood and Oliver J. Goodspeed, school committee ; Clarence A. Raymond, auditor ; Fred L. Blatchford, Daniel S. Far- rington and Hiram A. Cowell, park commissioners; Edgar I. Blake, William A. Morse, George H. E. Mayshaw, Frank E. Snow and Joseph P. Quirk, constables.
CHAPTER XXXVII
THE REVOLUTION
NORFOLK COUNTY NOT IN EXISTENCE AT THE TIME OF THE WAR-EARLY CONDI- TIONS IN THE COLONIES-LOYALTY OF THE COLONISTS- THE STAMP ACT-THE PILLAR OF LIBERTY-THE BOSTON TEA PARTY-THE BOSTON PORT BILL-THE SUFFOLK RESOLVES-WORK THE TOWNS-BELLINGHAM-BRAINTREE- BROOKLINE - COILASSET - DEDHAM - MEDFIELD - MEDWAY - MILTON NEEDHAM-STOUGHTON-WALPOLE-WEYMOUTH-WRENTHAM.
Norfolk County, as such, did not come into existence until nearly ten years after the close of the Revolution. At the beginning of that war, the territory now comprising the county was all included in the County of Suffolk. The organized towns then within the limits of that territory, and which were after- ward taken to form Norfolk County, were as follows: Bellingham, Braintree, Brookline, Cohasset, Dedham, Dorchester, Medfield, Medway, Milton, Need- ham, Roxbury, Stoughton, Walpole, Weymouth and Wrentham. In 1778, while the war was in progress, the towns of Franklin and Foxboro were incorporated, and Sharon was established in February, 1783, a little more than six months before the final treaty of peace.
EARLY CONDITIONS IN THE COLONIES
In the very beginning of English settlement in America, it was the radicai element that came across the sea to escape the persecutions of the conservatives- that is, of those who were satisfied with conditions in the mother country. Once here, these radicals sought charters which would give them control of their local affairs. The British Government, "to keep them quiet," granted such charters to several of the colonies. This was a mistake if the government expected or intended to retain permanent control over the colonists. In establishing their local governments, the town meeting became a prominent feature. In these town ineetings, all voters stood upon a perfect equality, each one being at liberty to speak his sentiments fully and freely upon any question affecting the town's welfare. Here 'the measures of local government came up for consideration and by the expressed will of the majority were enacted into laws. Here were chosen the representatives to the General Court, who received from their constituents detailed instructions as to the course to be pursued and were held to a strict accountability. The members of the General Court were themselves of the same class of men who so boldly and unhesitatingly expressed their opinions in the town meeting. They knew the temper of their constituents, with whom they must associate, while the royal government was far away across the
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Atlantic. They realized, too, that any evasion, any shirking of responsibility, would bring them into disfavor with their neighbors. As a rule, however, the representatives in the General Court were actuated by the same spirit as their fellow townsmen who elected them, and were governed by that spirit in the discharge of their official duties.
Thomas Jefferson, writing to Samuel Kercheval under date of July 12, 1816, took occasion to express his opinion of the town meeting as follows: "Those wards, called townships in New England, are the vital principle of their govern- ments, and have proved themselves the wisest invention ever devised by the wit of man for the perfect exercise of self government and for its preservation."
And a more recent writer, James Bryce, in his American Commonwealth, says: "Of the three of four types or systems of local government which I have described, that of the town or township with its popular primary assembly is admittedly the best. It is the cheapest and the most efficient; it is the most educative to the citizens who bear a part in it. The town meeting has been not only the source, but the school of democracy."
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