History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 167

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 167

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).

every of them, their and every of their heires, Executors, and Administrators, & Assignes, forever by these Presents. HAVE & hereby DoE for the ffurther Confirmation and Ratification of the sd Guift, grante, bargaine, or sale of the sd Grand Sachem, Chickatabut, ffully, freely, and willingly, approve, ratifie, Estab- lish, Enfeoffe, and confirme the same; and Doe also ffully and Absolutely remise, release, and for ever quitt claime unto the said Elisha Cooke, Elisha Hutchinson, Samuel Shrimpton, John Joyliffe, Simon Lynde, John Saffin, Edward Wyllys, Daniel Turel, Senr. Henry Allen, John Faireweather, Timothy Prout, Sent and Theophilus Ffrary, theire heires, and assignes respect- ively forever, Soe farr as their owne severall and respective rights, and Interests, are or may bee : And farther, for and in behalf of the rest of the Proprietated Inhabitants of sd Town of Boston and precincts thereof Severally and their severall and respective heires and assignes, for ever. According to the Sev- erall Interest, rights title and propriety which each person, re- spectively hath right unto, and now Standeth seized, and pos- sessed of, ALL THE AFORESd NECK & TRACT OF LAND, now called and knowne by the name of the TOWNE of BOSTON, and all other Lands whatsoever, within the sd Township or precincts thereof, Easterly and Southerly of and from Charles River ; with all and every the Houseing, Buildings, and Improvements thereupon, and on every part and parcell thereof; And the Island aforest called Deer Island, and the buildings thereon, with all Har- bours, Streams, Coves, flatts, waters, Rivers, Immunityes, rights, benefitts, advantages, Libertyes, privilidges, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever, to all and every ye aforementioned premises belonging or in any manner or wise appurtencing : or therewith, heretofore or now, used, occupied, or Enjoyed; Also all the Estate, right, title, interest-property, claime & demands of me the Sd Charles Josias, alias, Wampatuck, and of all and every of my before named Councellors, of in and to the same and every part parcel or member thereof. To HAVE AND TO HOLD, all and singular the abovementioned Lands, prem- isses, and appurtenances and every parte and parcel thereof unto them the said Elisha Cooke, Elisha Hutch- inson, Samuel Shrimpton, John Joyliffe, Simon Lynde, John Saffin, Edward Wyllys, Daniel Turel, Sent Henry Allen, John ffaireweather, Timothy Prout Sent and Theophilus ffrary, their heires and assignes respectively forever for and in behalf of themselves, So far as their owne Severall and Respective rights and interests are or may bee therein; And further for and in behalf of ye severall and respective proprietated Inhabitants of Je sd Towne and precincts thereof, their Severall and respective heires and assignes forever, According to the Interest, title, and proprietary, wch each person hath, or may have just right unto ; and Standeth now Seized & possessed of; And to their onely proper use benefitt and behoofe forever. FREELY, PEACEABLY & QUIETLY without any manner of Reclaime Challenge or Contra- diction of me the sd Charles Josias alias Wampatuck and my above named Councellors or either or any of us our or either, or any of our heires, Executors, Administrators, or assignes and without any account, Reckoning, Answere Summe or Summes of money in time to come to be made, yeilded paid or done. SOE THAT neither I the s' Charles Josias alias Wampatuck, my Councellors, our or either of our heires, Executors, nor any others by from or under me, us or them or any of them shall or will by any wayes or meanes hereafter have aske, claime, chal- lenge or demand, any Estate, right, title, or Interest of in or to ye premisses ; or any part, or parcel thereof. BUT, are and shall be utterly Excluded and forever Debarred from the same by vertue of these presents. AND I the said Charles Josias, alias Wampatuck, and Councellors afforesd for us and every of us, our and every of our heires Executors Administrators and suc- I cessors respectively, DOE hereby covenant promise grant and

794

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

oblige unto ye aforenamed Grantees their heires Executors Ad- ministrators and assignes by these presents, do warrant main- taine and defend the aforementioned premises, all and every parte, and parcel thereof unto them the sd Grantees their heires and assignes forever as aforesaid for and in behalfe of themselves, and. others the Proprietated Inhabitants according to their re- spective rights and Interests ; Against all and every person and persons whomsoever Lawfully claimeing or demanding the same or any parte and parcel thereof. AND at any time or times hereafter upon demand to give, pass, make ffull and ample re- lease confirmation, and assurance of all and every the sd premises, unto ye sd Grantees, their heires and assignes to ye uses aforesd : and to doe and performe any other act or acts, device or devices in the Law necessary or requisite thereunto, as in Law or equity, can or may be devised, advised or required-IN WITNESS whereof I sd Charles Josias alias Josias Wampatuck,- William Hahaton-Robert Momentauge, and Ahawton Senrr my Councellors, have hereunto Sett our hands and Seales ye Nineteenth day of March, Anno Domi, One Thousand Six hun- dred Eighty and ffoure, 1684/5, Annoq RRs Caroli Secundi Anglia, &c XXXVII

" CHARLES A JOSIAS. Signum " AHAWTON M SENT

"Signed, Sealed and Deliv-

Signum

ered in presence of us.

" WILLIAM WILLIAMS

" E. LYDE.

" WILLEM HAHATO". his " ROBERT 8 MOMENTAUGE. marke

five l ( seals )

" Charles Josias & William Ahawton Junr in ye Behalf of himself and his father Ahawton, Indians, Acknowledged ye Abovesd writing to be their volluntary Act & Deed March 19th 1684, Coram

Jas Russell, Assist

" We underwritten Prochain Amyes and Guardians to Charles Josias, Sachem of the Massachusetts Do consent and approve of the Above sd confirmation of title and release of clayme.

" WILLIAM STOUGHTON.

" JOSEPH DUDLEY.

" David, son & Heire of Sagamore George & in his right hav- ing some claym to deere Iland doth hereby for Just Considera- tion, relinquish his right to the Town of Boston, of all his right & claym thereto and consents to ye abovesd Deed of Sale. As witness his hand & seal.

" In presence of us WILLIAM WILLIAMS. " BENIMAN DOWSE.

" Boston ffebruary Ist 1708. Received and Recorded with the Records of Deeds for the County of Suffolk Lib XXIV. to ffol 101, et se :-

"pr ADDINGTON DAVENPORT, Registr."

[Indorsed on the back] "Josias, Sachem & other Indians. Confirmation of the Town of Boston & Lands belonging. datd, March 1684."

Indian History.

" There was a time when red men climbed these hills, And wandered by these plains and rills ;

Or rowed the light canoe along yon river,

Or rushed to conflict armed with bow and quiver,

Or, 'neath the forest leaves that o'er them hung.

They council held, or loud their war-notes sung."

The very first mention of the name of the locality known as Muddy River in history informs us that there were Indians here at the time when the Eng- lish settlers were coming over in 1632, and there is every reason to believe that the territory in and around Boston was at a much earlier period occupied by aborigines. These native occupants of the soil numbered about fifty thousand. They were divided into tribes, and each tribe subdivided into numerous smaller tribes. The Agawams occupied territory ex- tending from the mouth of the Merrimac River to Cape Ann ; the Wamesits, at the junction of the Con- cord and Merrimac Rivers, on the west side of the Merrimac, and on both sides of the Concord; the Nashuas, at Nashua ; the Namaoskeags, at Amoskeag. The home of the Penacooks, or Pawtucket Indians, was in the Valley of the Merrimac and the contigu- , ous region.

The Massachusetts tribe dwelt around Massachu- setts Bay, and was under the government of the famous Chicatabut, who had under his command three thousand warriors. His dominion was bounded - on the north and west by Charles River, and on the south extended as far as Weymouth and Canton, in- cluding this section. As before stated, these larger tribes were divided into numerous smaller divisions, and each had its sachem, or sagamore, kings and petty lords, each having a settlement of their own. It is supposed that one of these tribes occupied a se- cluded spot on a knoll in the centre of Longwood, then a primeval forest, and in the centre of the old Cedar Swamp, or Great Swamp, so called. On this spot the natives had about one-eighth of an acre of land, in square form, inclosed by palisades of cedar, around which was a ditch three feet in depth, and a parapet three feet in height, with an opening or gate- way on each side, one of which was towards the swamp. Traces of this ancient fort were visible as late as 1845, which were removed by William Amory, Esq., the owner of the estate, who erected a beautiful residence near the same.

The following is an account of the Indian settle- ment by Hon. Robert C. Winthrop, as described in his address at the dedication of the new town hall, in Brookline, Feb. 22, 1873:

" Less than two years had thus passed since the birth, or certainly the baptism, of Boston, when the first recognition or mention of the locality in which we are interested to-day was entered in his journal by Governor Winthrop. That record, I think, is full of implication and suggestion as to the condition of the site on which we are now assembled, as well as in regard to | the immediate circumstances and surroundings of the Massachu-

795

BROOKLINE.

setts colony. Swarms of savages were still hovering around them. 'Ten sagamores and many Indians,' we are told, were assembled in this very neighborhood. A sagamore is second only to a sachem, or king of the tribe, and the titles are some- times employed indiscriminately. Ten sagamores would thus imply a large number of warriors under them. They were evi- dently understood to be lying in ambush, the Governor's phrase being that our musketeers were dispatched 'to discover, etc.' John Underhill was the most trusted captain of that day, bear- ing very much the same relation to the Massachusetts colony which Miles Standish bore to the earlier but wholly distinct and independent Pilgrim colony at Plymouth. Twenty musketeers were sent with Capt. Underhill, more than twice the number which Miles Standish took with him when he was dispatched on a similar expedition ten years before, and when he achieved his grandest victory, or what is called his ' capital exploit.' Every- thing indicated danger, or certainly the strongest apprehension of danger, and before another week had elapsed, although this particular party of Indians had been 'broke up' or dispersed, | we find Governor Winthrop recording the gravest reasons for suspecting that a conspiracy existed among the Narragansett men and the Neipnett men, under pretense of quarreling with each other, 'to cut us off to get our victuals and other substance.' And then the record proceeds : 'Upon this there was a Camp pitched at Boston in the night, to exercise the Soldiers against need might be; and Capt. Underhill (to try how they would behave themselves) caused an alarm to be given upon the quar- ters, which discovered the weakness of our people, who, like men amazed, knew not how to behave themselves, so as the officers could not draw them into any order. All the rest of the planta- tions took the alarm and answered ; but it caused much fear and distraction among the common sort, so as some which knew of it before [that is, which knew that it was a false alarm], yet through fear had forgotten, and believed the Indians had been upon us. We doubled our guards, and kept watch day and night.'

"Such is the picture which Massachusetts and its principal town present to us, as we unfold the page which contains the earliest record of what is now called Brookline. There was plainly no settlement here at that day, or the Governor would have sent that little army of musketeers to assist and rescue the inhabitants, and not merely to discover and break up an am- bush of the natives. And may we not well rejoice that it was so? May we not well rejoice that there was no handful of scattered planters here to encounter the wild savagery of those 'ten sagamores and many Indians ?' and that Underhill and his twenty musketeers heard at Roxbury that they were already dispersed ? Yes, my friends, let us thank God to-day that the narrative of our beautiful village-I might rather say of its prehistoric period-does not open with a scene of massacre. Let us thank God that yonder river -- ' Muddy,' as it was called -was not crimsoned and clotted with the gore of either white men or red men. Let us thank God that our brook was not destined to be called 'Bloody Brook.'

" I do not undervalue the gallantry and heroism of those upon whom the dire necessity has been laid, whether in earlier or later days, to wield the sword and wage war to the death against an Indian foe. Brookline, as we shall presently see, has exhibited her full share of such heroism. I fully recognize, too, that a real and inexorable necessity has often existed for suppressing and punishing by force of arms the lawless ferocity of the savage tribes. The early colonists must have abandoned their plantations altogether unless they were ready and resolved to defend them at all hazards against the conspiracies and treacheries and mad assaults of the aboriginal race which sur- rounded them on every side. Even at this hour there may be

Modocs or Apaches uncontrollable except by force. But we may all still sympathize with the sentiment which was so ex- quisitely expressed by the pious John Robinson, in Holland, when he heard of the first great victory of Miles Standish, in which six Indians had been slain, ' It would have been happy if they had converted some before they had killed any.' We may all rejoice to remember, also, that within a few months only of the date of this record about the Indians at Muddy River there arrived at Boston, and was immediately settled at Roxbury, where the first planters of this village so long went for their Sunday worship, a godly minister from England, who made it his special mission, in the same spirit which had actu- ated those brave Jesuit priests in Canada, to Christianize and civilize the natives, and who, during the next thirty years, had not only preached to many of them, and taught many of them to pray, but had accomplished the more than herculean labor of translating the whole Bible into their language. No more marvelous monument of literary work in the service of either God or man can be found upon earth than that Indian Bible of the noble John Eliot; nor can any of us fail to admire and ap- plaud the earnest and seemingly successful efforts for the in- troduction of a more humane and Christian policy towards the Indian tribes still left in our land by the illustrious soldier who has just been called again to the executive chair of the United States. There has been nothing more creditable to our country, since, for a similar exhibition of humanity in the re- moval of the Cherokees beyond the Mississippi, William Ellery Channing paid that most eloquent and most enviable tribute to Winfield Scott.1

" Pardon me, my friends, for such a digression. I may seem to have traveled a long way out of our little Brookline record ; but it has only been, after all, to explain and amplify the grati- fication I could not refrain from expressing, and which I am sure you all feel with me, that those ten sagamores and their followers were fairly dispersed before Underhill and his mus- keteers arrived here."

In 1617 a fearful pestilence prevailed among these natives of the forests, called by the French " Les Hommes des Bois,"-" Men Brutes of the Forest," resulting in the destruction of thousands of the In- dians. "The people died in heaps, whole families and tribes perished, so that the living were in no wise able to bury the dead," and for seven years afterwards the bones of the unburied lay bleaching on the ground around their former habitations. This epidemic is said to have been the yellow fever or smallpox.

We may thus judge that at the time of the early settlement of Boston the natives had become so re- duced in numbers as to render occupation of the soil by the English settlers much easier than it would have been at an earlier period. In this immediate vicinity but little difficulty was had with the natives ; undoubtedly the famous friend of the Indians, well known as the " Apostle" Eliot, had much to do with moulding the character of the natives from the rude and barbarous life of the tribe into a more civilized and enlightened community. When he passed back and forth, as he did often, from Roxbury, where he

1 Channing's Works, vol. v. p. 113.

796

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

was pastor of the church, to " Nonantum Hill," New- ton, his route from the Punch Bowl village was through Walnut and Heath Streets, Pond and Reser- voir Lanes, to Newton. On his way he often called at the Indian village or settlement of Praying Indians, which occupied the territory on the west side of | Brighton Street, known as the " John Ackers farm," including Ackers Avenue. Many relics are coming to light in the tilling of the soil, and for many years after the last Indians had disappeared from these early scenes some aged remnants of the tribe who had removed to the far West visited these old graves of their fathers. This locality is one of the wildest and most picturesque spots, and the land thereabouts such as any one who had never explored would hardly suppose could be found within the limits of such a town as Brookline, and so near to Boston. The present lane is narrow, rocky, winding, steep, up hill and down vale, bordered with briers and gay with wild flowers, or attractive with berries in their season. Although it is so secluded, since the Chestnut Hill Reservoir was built, every one should visit this lo- cality. In the days when the many allotments were made, the "Great Swamp," or "Jacob Eliott's Swamp," was often alluded to, which was adjoining the above-named locality, leading from Ackers Ave- nue to the reservoir.

In the journal of Judge Sewall we find a statement under date of March 27, 1688, of "three Indiau children being alone in a wigwam at Muddy River, the wigwam took fire, and burnt them so that they all died." Where this wigwam stood we have no infor- mation. As the principal settlement in the earliest days of this town was in, around, or west of the cen- tre, or west of the head of Cypress Street, so it was necessary to have a central position for a guard-house or fort in case of invasion. The garrison-house for the protection of the inhabitants was located in the rear of the old Caleb Clark house, at the corner of Cypress and Walnut Streets. It was a simple log house, with one door ; no windows except in the upper part of the house. The upper part of the house pro- jected over the lower three or four feet all around. In the floor of this projection were holes or scuttles, through which hot or cold water could be poured in case of fire, or in case the Indians came too near the building. This was the store-house or fort for the town, into which all the inhabitants gathered for protection from the savage foe in the event of an alarm. Whether this fort was ever attacked we know not. Thus much for the history of the times when our fathers began the settlement and the territory was somewhat occupied by the native Indians.

" Alas for them ! their day is o'er; Their fires are out on hill and shore."

Allotments of Land .- Among the first acts of the citizens of Boston as soon as it became a municipality, was that of dividing the land out to different settlers. For that purpose a certain number of persons were selected from their midst, usually five or seven, whose duty it was to define the number of acres, amount, and location of their lots. These persons were usually called " overseers of the town's occasions," " towns- men," and " allotters."

We here append a record of those granted between 1634 and 1640 :

" 10th month, day 18th (1634) .- Att a generall meeting upon publique notice ;

" Imprimis :- It is agreed that Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Codding- ton, Mr. Bellingham, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Olyvar, Mr. Colborne and William Balstone shall have power to devide and dispose of all such lands belonging to the towne (as are not yet in the lawfull possession of any particular persons) to the inhabitants of the towne, according to the Orders of the Court, leaving such por- tions in Common for the use of newe commers, and the further benetitt of the towne as in their best discretions, they shall think fitt; the Ilands hyred by the towne to be also included in this Order.

" The 14th of the 10th moneth 1635 .- At a genrall meeting upon publique notice ;

" Imprimis :- It is agreed by general consent; that Mr. Wil- liam Colborne, Mr. William Aspynwall, Mr. John Sampford, William Balston and Richard Wright, or four of them, shall lay out at Muddy River a sufficient allotment for a farm for our teacher Mr. John Cotton :

" Item :- It is agreed that Mr. William Colborne shall have his proportion of ground for a farm unto him, laid out att Muddy River near unto and about his house which he hath there built, by the other four, before mentioned vizt., William Aspynwall, John Sampford, William Balstone and Richard Wright or three of them.

" Item :- That the two Elders Mr. Thomas Ollyver, and Thomas Leveritt shall have their proportion of allotments, for theire farming layd out at Muddy River by the before named five persons, viz., William Colborne, Wil iam Aspynwall, John Sampford, William Balstone and Richard Wright or four of them.

" Item :- That the poorer sort of the inhabitants, such as are members or likely so to be, and have noe cattell, shall have their proportion of allotments for planting ground and other assigned unto them by the Allotters, and layd out at Muddy River, by the aforesaid five persons or foure of them, and those that fall be- tweene the foote of the hill and the Water, to have but 4 acres upon a head and those that are farther off, to have five acres for every head, the plott to begin next Muddy River side :

" The 4th of the 11th moneth called January 1635 .- Item :- It is agreed that hereafter from this day none shall fell any Wood or timber at Muddy Ryver or any other place of private allottments but upon their owne allotments.

" Item :-- That all such as have felled any trees in any the appointed place for private allotments shall eyther cart away the same within this six monthes or else the owners of the ground shall have it.

" Item :- It is agreed that every one shall have a sufficient way unto his allotment of ground wherever it be, and that the Inhabitants of the towne shall have libertie to appoint men for

797

BROOKLINE.

the setting of them out, as need shall require, and the same course to be taken for all comon High-ways both for the towne and countrie.

" The 23d of the 11th moneth 1635 .- Att a generale meeting upon publique notice ;

" Item :-- That such of the poorer inhabitants whose allot- ments were other where, should have libertie for 3 years, to plant at Muddy Ryver where the rest doe plant, upon such part of their Allotments, as themselves are not able for the present, to plant; they in regard thereof making their part of fence and leaving such fence as they doe make in due repara- tion and not taking away any of the Wood or timber upon those allottments.

" 15 of the 9th moneth 1636 .- Also it was agreed that our Teacher, Mr. John Cotton, shall have unto his lott at Muddy Ryver all the ground lying between the twoe brooks, next to William Colborne's allotment there and soe to the other end unto shortest overcut beyond the hill towards the north- west.

" The 12th of the 10th moneth (1636) .- Att a meeting this day of Thomas Olyvar, Thomas Leveritt, Willyam Hutchinson, Robert Keayne, John Newgate, William Coulbourne, John Coggsehall, William Brenton, John Sanford and William Bal- stone, it is agreed that Edward Belchar, William Talmage, Thomas Snowe, William Dewinge and John Arratt, the ser- vants of William Brenton, shall have their great Allottments at Muddy River, and also, our brother Robert Hull and Thomas Wheelar : Also it is agreed that not above one dwelling house shall be built upon any one lott without the consent of the Towne's overseers.

" The 9th of the 11th moneth called January 1636 .- Att a meeting this day of Thomas Olyvar, Thomas Leveritt, William Hutchinson, Robert Keayne, John Newgate, William Coul- borne, John Coggeshall, William Brenton, John Sanford, and William Balstone --

" It is agreed that the Captaine Underhill shall have a great Allotment of 80 acrs of Upland and 20 acrs of marsh ground, in the most convenient place, after the laying out of the former graunted Allotments att Muddy Ryver.

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 Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 167

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1534