USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 9
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Samuel Morse, Watertown. Came in the "Increase" from London in 1635 ; freeman Oct. 8, 1640; died June 20, 1654.
Philemon Dalton, Watertown. A linen-weaver; came in the "Increase" in 1635; removed to Dedham in 1637, and from thence to Hampton or Ipswich in 1640 ; freeman March 3, 1636; died June 4, 1662.
John Dwight, Watertown. Removed in 1635 to Dedham; freeman March 13, 1638; died Jan. 24, 1661.
Lambert Genere, Watertown. Removed to Dedham in 1636; freeman May, 1645; died June 30, 1674.
Richard Evered, Watertown. Removed to Dedham in 1636; freeman May 6, 1646; died July 3, 1682.
Ralph Shepherd, Watertown. Came in the " Abigail" in 1635, and removed to Dedham the same year, and afterwards to Weymouth, where he died.
John Huggin, Watertown. He never lived in Dedham, but was afterwards at Hampton.
Mr. Ralph Wheelock, Watertown. Educated at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, England, where he took his degree in 1626 and 1631; he came to Dedham in 1638; freeman March 13, 1638; died Jan. 11, 1684, at Medfield.
Thomas Cakebread, Watertown. He never removed to Ded- ham, but had an allotment of land; freeman May 14, 1634; died at Sudbury Jan. 4, 1643.
Henry Phillips. Freeman March 13, 1638; member of ar- tillery company, 1640; ensign of militia company, 1648; he removed to Boston ; he was a butcher by trade.
Mr. Timothy Dalton. He was an elder brother of Philemon Dalton ; freeman Sept. 7, 1637 ; educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, England, where he took his degree in 1613 ; he had been in office in England, and was called to be teacher in the church at Hampton.
. Mr. Thomas Carter came in the " Planter" in 1635 to Water- town. Educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he took his degree, 1629-33; he was called to the church at Wo- burn.
Abraham Shaw, Watertown. His house and goods were burned at Watertown in 1636, and he removed to Dedham; freeman March 9, 1637, and died in 1638.
John Coolidge, Watertown. Freeman May 25, 1636; he never removed to Dedham, but had an allotment of land.
Nicholas Phillips, Watertown. Freeman May 13, 1640; he was a brother of Henry Phillips; removed to Weymouth late in life, and died September, 1672.
John Gaye, Watertown. Freeman May 6, 1635; removed to Dedham ; died March 4, 1688.
John Kingsbury, Watertown. Freeman March 3, 1636, and removed the same year to Dedham ; he was a representative in 1647 ; he died in 1659.
John Rogers, Watertown, 1636. He probably never removed to Dedham, but had an allotment of land.
Francis Austin. He was here but a short time, but removed to Hampton according to Savage; the note in Haven's Centen- nial address respecting him is doubtless an error, as will be seen by the reference to Winthrop's History there cited.
Ezekiel Holliman. Had an allotment of land in Dedham, but remained only a year or two; he removed to Salem, and thence to Providence, R. I.
John Batchelor, Watertown. Freeman May 16, 1635 ; he re- moved to Hampton.
Nathaniel Coaleborne. Freeman June 2, 1641 ; died May 14, 1691.
John Roper. Freeman June 2, 1641; he had an allotment of land in Dedham ; he had one son in Capt. Lothrop's com- pany killed by Indians at Bloody Brook, Sept. 18, 1675, and another who was in Capt. Turner's company in King Phillip's war, and whose wife was killed by Indians.
Martin Phillips. He was in Medfield in 1664.
Henry Smyth. Freeman May 13, 1640; he came from New Buckenham, Norfolk, in England ; he had an allotment of land, and lived in that part of Dedham which became Medfield.
John Frayrye. Freeman March 13, 1638; he was one of the founders of the Dedham Church, and lived in that part of Ded- ham which became Medfield.
Thomas Hastings, Watertown. He probably never removed to Dedham.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Francis Chickering. Freeman in 1640; came in 1637 from the north part of Suffolk, England ; member of artillery com- pany in 1643; ensign and representative in 1644 and 1653.
Thomas Alcock. Freeman 1635 ; came in the fleet with Win- throp ; he lived in Dedham till 1646, and afterwards removed to Boston.
William Bullard. Freeman May 13, 1640; he lived and died in Dedham in 1687.
Jonas Humphrey. He was a tanner and lived in Dorchester.
Edward Kempe. Freeman March 13, 1638 ; he probably re- moved to Wenham, and afterwards to Chelmsford.
John Hunting. Freeman March 13, 1638; one of the founders of the Dedham Church, and the first ruling elder; he died April 12, 1689.
Timothy Dwight. Freeman June 2, 1641; he was a brother of John Dwight; representative for Medfield, 1652, where he died in 1677.
Henry Dengayne, Watertown. He was a physician, and never came to Dedham.
Henry Brock. He came in 1642, and died in 1652.
James Herring. Freeman in 1654; he came in 1642.
Nathan Aldis. Freeman in 1640 ; joined the Dedham Church in 1640 ; one of the first deacons; he died March 15, 1676.
Edward Richards. Freeman June 16, 1641; he married a sister of John Hunting.
Michael Powell. Freeman June 2, 1641 ; he came in 1639 ; representative in 1641; he kept an ordinary in Dedham; re- moved to Boston in 1646, and was one of the original members of the Second Church there in 1650, and was called to act as teacher, but was not approved by the court.
John Elderkin. He came from Lynn in 1641; he removed to Reading in 1646, and thence to New London, Conn., and died June 23, 1687.
Michael Bacon. He came from Ireland in 1640; his de- scendants removed from Dedham.
Robert Onion. Freeman in 1646; came in the " Blessing" to Roxbury at the age of twenty-six, and removed to Dedham.
Samuel Mills. He came in 1642, and lived and died in Ded- ham.
Edward Colver. He came in 1640.
Joseph Shaw. Freeman May 22, 1639 ; he was a son of Abra- ham Shaw, and removed to Weymouth soon after his father's decease, in 1638.
William Bearstowe. He came in the "Truelove" in 1635; he was one of the petitioners for incorporation of the town, and afterwards removed to Scituate.
John Howard. Freeman May 14, 1634; he died in 1660.
Thomas Bartlett, Watertown. He never removed to Ded- ham.
Ferdinando Adams. Freeman May 13, 1640; he had an allotment of land, and was called a shoemaker; in August, 1651, he had leave to go to England, and afterwards went to St. Catherine's and sold his allotment to John Frayrye, Oct. 10, 1652.
Daniel Morse, Watertown. Freeman May 6, 1635 ; he was a son of Samuel Morse; he removed to Dedham, and afterwards to Medfield; he died in Sherborn in 1688.
Joseph Morse, Watertown. Freeman May 6, 1635; son of Samuel Morse ; removed to Dedham; he died June 20, 1654.
John Ellice. Freeman 1641 ; he lived in Medfield, where he died April 2, 1697.
Jonathan Fayerbanke. He came from Yorkshire, England, with six children, before 1641; his name does not appear in the list of freemen : he died Dec. 5, 1668.
John Eaton, Watertown. Freeman May 25, 1636; removed to Dedham ; died Nov. 17, 1638.
Michael Metcalfe. Freeman May 13, 1640; he was born in 1586, at Tatterford, in Norfolk, England, and was a dornock weaver at Norwich; he arrived, with his wife and nine chil- dren and a servant, about midsummer in 1637 ; he was admitted as a townsman July 14, 1637 ; joined the church in 1639, and was selectman in 1641 ; his name stands first on the committee chosen to " contrive the fabrick of a meeting-house;" he died Dec. 27, 1664.
John Morse. Freeman May 13, 1640; he was probably a son of Samuel Morse.
Mr. John Allin. Came over in 1637; freeman March 13, 1638 ; ordained as pastor or teacher of the church April 24, 1639, and continued in that office until his death, Aug. 26, 1671.
Anthony Fisher. Freeman May 3, 1645 ; born at Syleham, near Eye, in Suffolk, England, on the border of Norfolk; he came to Dedham in 1637; in his will he is called late of Dor- chester ; he died Feb. 13, 1670.
Thomas Wight. He came from the Isle of Wight to Dedham in 1637; he was of the Medfield incorporation in 1652, and died March 17, 1674.
Eleazer Lusher. Freeman March 13, 1638; he came to Ded- ham in 1637, and was one of the founders of the church; also one of the founders of the artillery company ; representative in 1640 and for many years after; assistant in 1662 and to the time of his death; captain in 1644, and major of the regiment afterwards; he was town clerk twenty-three years and select- man twenty-nine years; he died Nov. 13, 1673.
Robert Hinsdale. Freeman March 13, 1638; one of the founders of the church Nov. S, 1638; member of the artillery company in 1645; removed to Medfield, where he aided in founding the church ; and thence to Hadley, where he resided for several years, and afterwards to Deerfield, "and there was gathering his harvest in the corn-fields when he was killed, with his three sons, when Capt. Lothrop, with the flower of Essex, fell at Bloody Brook." (Savage's Genealogical Dict.)
John Luson. Freeman March 13, 1638; he came to Dedham in 1637, and was one of the founders of the Dedham Church ; he died in May, 1661.
John Fisher. It is impossible to identify him ; his place in the order of names indicates that he came with John Luson and Thomas Fisher, and may have been a brother of the latter.
Thomas Fisher. Freeman March 4, 1634, and came to Ded- ham in 1637; he was in Cambridge in 1634.
Joseph Kingsbury. Freeman 1641.
George Bearstowe. He came from London in the "Truelove" in 1635; had an allotment of land in 1636, but probably did not come until 1642; member of the artillery company ; he afterwards removed to Scituate; he was a brother of William Bearstowe; the family name is properly written Barstow.
John Bullard. Freeman May 13, 1640; came in 1638, and was either the eldest son or a brother of William Bullard.
Thomas Leader. He came to Dedham in 1640; removed to Boston in 1647, where he died Oct. 28, 1663.
Joseph Moyes. Nothing is known of him except that he re- moved to Salisbury, where his wife died in 1655.
Jeffrey Mingeye. Freeman May 13, 1640, and afterwards removed to Hampton.
James Allin. Freeman in 1647; came to Dedham in 1639; he was a cousin of Rev. John Allin, and received a legacy in his will; he was received into the Medfield Church, Oct. 2, 1646, and died Sept. 27, 1676.
Richard Barber. Freeman May 13, 1640; died June 18, 1644 ; he gave his small estate, by his will, to the poor.
Thomas Jordan. He was probably of Dorchester, and never lived here; his daughter Hannah was probably married to Isaac Bullard.
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DEDHAM.
Joshua Fisher. Freeman May 2, 1649 ; he lived in that part of Dedham which became Medfield; representative in 1653, and six years more, and died in 1674; he was a deacon of the church.
Christopher Smith. He married Mary, daughter of Jona- than Fayerbanke, but there is no evidence that he ever lived in Dedham.
John Thurston. Freeman May 10, 1643; he came from Wrentham, in Suffolk, England, a carpenter, in the "Mary | perhaps later; town clerk ten years; selectman twenty-four Ann," of Yarmouth, in 1637; his estate was partly in Medfield, years; he died Jan. 31, 1718. set off in 1651.
Joseph Clarke. He came probably from Dorchester to Ded- ham, and removed to Medfield.
Thomas Eames. He was in Dedham in 1642; he afterwards lived in Cambridge, Sudbury, and Sherborn; on Feb. 1, 1676, he suffered by the Indians, who burned his buildings, killed his wife and some of his children, and carried away others captive.
Peter Woodward. Freeman May 18, 1642; he was repre- sentative in 1665, 1669, 1670; he died May 9, 1685.
Thwaits Strickland. He came to Dedham in 1643; he re- moved to the Narragansett Country.
John Guild. Freeman May 10, 1643 ; admitted to the church July 17, 1640 ; he died Oct. 4, 1682 ; he had lands in Wrentham and Medfield; he was the progenitor of the numerous family of the name in Dedham.
Samuel Bulleyne. Freeman June 2, 1641 ; he was deacon of the church, and died Jan. 16, 1692.
Robert Gowen. Freeman 1644.
Hugh Stacey. Came in the "Fortune" to Plymouth in 1621; he afterwards removed to Dedham, where his wife and daughters were admitted to the church in 1640; he removed soon after to Lynn or Salem, or may have returned to Eng- land.
George Barber. He came in 1643; member of the artillery company in 1646; freeman May 16, 1647 ; he removed to Med- field; was representative in 1668-69, and the chief militia officer.
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James Jordan. He was the father of Thomas Jordan; he died in April or May, 1655, and in his will speaks of his age and infirmity.
Nathaniel Whiting. Freeman May 18, 1642; he came to Dedham in 1641 ; he married Hannah, eldest daughter of John Dwight; he is said to have lived in that part of Dedham which became Medfield.
Benjamin Smith. Freeman June 2, 1641.
Richard Ellice. He married a daughter of Lambert Genere, but his name does not appear upon the list of freemen.
Austen Kilham. Freeman June 2, 1641; he came from Salem ; removed to Wenham, and afterwards to Chelmsford.
Robert Ware. Freeman May 26, 1647; he came in 1643; member of the artillery company in 1644; he married Marga- ret, daughter of John Hunting; his daughter married Rev. Samuel Mann, of Wrentham, and his son, Robert Ware, was one of the settlers of Wrentham.
Thomas Bayes. He is not on the list of freemen, and re- moved to Boston.
John Fayerbanke. He was probably the eldest son of Jona- than Fairbanks, who died Nov. 13, 1684.
Henry Glover. He died in Medfield, July 21, 1653.
Thomas Herring. Came to Dedham in 1642.
John Plympton. Freeman probably May 10, 1643; he came from Roxbury to Dedham in 1642 ; he removed to Deerfield and was sergeant; his son Jonathan was killed by the Indians, Sept. 18, 1675, at Bloody Brook, and two years after he was taken captive himself by the Indians and carried towards Canada, and,,
according to tradition, burned at the stake; two of his sons, Joseph and John, settled in Medfield.
George Fayerbanke. He was the second son of Jonathan Fayerbanke, and removed to Medfield, and afterwards to Sher- born; he was not on the list of freemen ; he died Jan. 10, 1683.
Timothy Dwight. He was the son of John Dwight, and came to Dedham with his father in 1635, when about five years of age; freeman in 1655; representative in 1678 and 1691, and
Andrew Dewing. Freeman in 1646; member of artillery company in 1644.
Joseph Ellice. Freeman in 1663.
Ralph Freeman.
John Rice.
Daniel Pond. Freeman in 1690'; he died in February, 1698; his sons, Ephraim and John, settled in Wrentham.
John Houghton. He probably came in the " Abigail" from London when quite young ; he removed to Lancaster about 1652.
Jonathan Fayerbanke, Jr. He was the youngest son of Jon- athan Fayerbanke, and came with his father when a child; freeman in 1690.
James Vales (properly Fales). Freeman in 1673; he lived in that part of Dedham which became Medfield.
Thomas Metcalf. Freeman in 1653 ; youngest son of Michael Metcalf; deacon of the church; representative in 1691; died Nov. 16, 1702.
Thomas Fuller. Freeman in 1672; he came in 1643; en- sign ; representative in 1672, 1679, and 1686; died Sept. 28, 1690.
Thomas Payne. Freeman June 2, 1641; died Aug. 3, 1686.
Robert Crossman. He probably was of Taunton; his son Nathaniel was killed by the Indians at Wrentham, March 8, 1676.
William Avery. Freeman in 1677 ; a physician and apothe- cary ; member of the artillery company in 1654; lieutenant of town's company in 1673; representative for Springfield in 1669; died at Boston, March 18, 1687, aged about sixty-five years ; he made a donation of sixty pounds to the town for a Latin school in 1680.
John Aldis. He was a son of Nathan Aldis; deacon of the church, and died Dec. 21, 1700.
John Mason. He was a son of Robert Mason, who removed from Roxbury to Dedham, where he died Oct. 15, 1667; he married a daughter of John Eaton, May 5, 1651.
Isaac Bullard. He was a son of William Bullard, and came with his father when a child ; he died in 1676.
Cornelius Fisher. Freeman May 2, 1649; he was a son of Anthony Fisher; he lived in that part of Dedham which be- came Wrentham; representative under the new charter in 1692, and died Jan. 2, 1699.
John Partridge. He was of Medfield.
James Draper. Freeman in 1690; he came to Dedham in 1683, having formerly lived in Lancaster and Roxbury; he died July 13, 1697, aged seventy-three years.
James Thorpe. Freeman in 1690.
Samuel Fisher. He was of Wrentham, where he was deacon of the church ; representative in 1689, and died Jan. 5, 1703.
Benjamin Bullard .. He lived in that part of Dedham which became Medfield, and afterwards at Sherborn.
Ellice Wood. He married the widow of John Smith, of Dedham, who was the schoolmistress for many years; he re- moved to Dorchester, where he died Oct. 19, 1706, aged seventy- three years.
Thomas Fisher. Freeman in 1678 ; he was a son of Thomas Fisher, who removed to Dedham from Cambridge.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
The covenant may be considered as the constitution embodying the general principles and purposes of the company. But in the work of organizing their gov- ernment they also displayed that remarkable capacity which characterized the Puritan colonists, and in se- curing the titles to their lands and providing for the common weal, they adopted laws and regulations similar to those under which they and their ancestors had lived for centuries. lots of similar size, and all having a margin of meadow. So accurately were these lots defined, that not many years since a plan showing the lots first granted in Dedham village was made from the description in the proprietors' book of grants, and some of the lines verified by an actual survey. Excepting the home- lots, all the lands cultivated were inclosed in common fields. In 1642 the proprietors agreed that two hun- dred acres south of High Street should be made a The inhabitants having acquired the right to make laws, exercised it for three years in their aggregate capacity. But as the affairs of the plantation required monthly town-meetings, these diverted them from their necessary business, and in 1639 they delegated : charge. all their power to seven men to be chosen annually. The powers of these seven men were coextensive in every respect with those of the town in legal town- meeting assembled, excepting that they were subse- mitting townsmen, and from making dividends of lands. The seven men kept records of their doings and inserted them in the town records, and they are recorded promiscuously among the doings of all the proprietors. They met monthly for many years, and passed many necessary by-laws, for the establishment of highways and fences; for the keeping of cattle and swine and horses ; for keeping a proper register of land-titles, and of births and marriages; for the support of schools and religion ; for additional bounties for killing wolves and wild-cats, and for the extinguish- ment of Indian claims. common tillage field, and that each proprietor's share therein should be marked out by the seven men chosen for the purpose. This common plough-field was surrounded by a fence made at the common The wood-reeves decided the number of rods of fence to be made by each owner. This field was to be cleared every year by October 12th, in order that the cattle might be turned into it. After the timber was cleared from the home-lots, then the in- quently prohibited from making free grants, from ad- ' habitants were to obtain leave of the wood-reeves to cut wood and timber from the common lands. After- wards woodlands were assigned to the proprietors according to their services and merit. Besides these lands there were herd-walks or common feeding lands for the cattle. These were burned over annually for many years. By an ordinance of 1637 absence from town-meeting was punishable by a fine, one shilling for the first half-hour, and three shillings for the whole meeting. In 1639 it was required that every householder should provide a ladder for his house under a penalty of five shillings. A long ordinance for the establishment of highways was passed in 1637. Officers called wood-reeves were chosen annually for burning over the herd-walks, to give orders for cutting wood and timber on the common lands, to cause the ordinance respecting ladders to be observed, to collect the penalties for trespasses on the common lands, and to view fences, and cause them to be repaired. One of the earliest of the ordinances declared that there should not any waters become appropriated to any par- ticular man, but should rest for the common benefit of the whole town for matter of fishing. Another ordi- nance provides for the discovery of mines in the town, reports having been made of a copper-mine at Wrentham, and a bright and shining metal near a brook in Natick.
The proprietors were extremely anxious lest any unfit persons should gain admittance to their society, and by an ordinance it was declared that every man should give information of what he knew concerning any man coming into the town, before he should " be admitted into the society of such as seek peace and ensue it." No person in covenant should bring his servant with him, and thereby entitle the servant to a lot of land, without bringing testimony of a good character before he should be permitted to reside here. Nor could any proprietor sell his lots without leave of the company. The purpose of these ordinances was to protect the plantation from such as should be " con- trary-minded," in the language of the covenant. It is to be remembered that a leading idea of the colonists was to build up a homogeneous society, where all should be of the same religious belief, and from its fellowship all others were to be excluded.
In the allotment of lands, each married man had a home-lot of twelve acres, with four acres of swamp- land, and each unmarried man eight acres, with three acres of swamp-land. The village was laid out in
Such was the manner in which the settlers organ- ized their town government. Worthington, in his History (1827), makes the following just reflections concerning the circumstances under which they acted : " Here in the woods at Dedham a number of strangers met, who had come from various places in England, and had probably acquired some slight knowledge of the intentions of each other when they first set out
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DEDHAM.
from Watertown to come here. There were then no general laws in the colony to regulate their various interests or their common enterprises. It was after the coming of the first inhabitants to this place that the General Court delegated powers to the selectmen to execute according to their best discretion what was afterwards regulated by general statutes. They had the common intent of dwelling in the town, and they formed a civil society out of its first simple elements. They actually did what theorists have conjectured might be done in such a case, but of which they could never exhibit a well-authenticated instance. The colonial government was given by a charter. It was the offspring of royalty. The Dedham Society origi- nated in a compact, and its laws derived their force from the consent of the people. It was the begin- ning of the American system of government."
To some of the men who laid these foundations allusion has been made. Edward Alleyne died in 1642, and but few of the original nineteen petition- ers even then remained. In 1637 the company received important accessions by the admission of several men of superior character and intelligence. Among these were Mr. John Allin, invited, it is said, to become the teacher in the church, Eleazer Lusher, Michael Metcalf, Anthony Fisher, and Jonathan Fairbanks, all of whom remained and identified them- selves with the town. Of Mr. Allin more will be | The formation of a church was attended with some delays and difficulties. At first, the settlers I who were members of the Watertown Church re- quested a dismission, with Mr. Thomas Carter as a teacher. This request was not complied with. The people then requested Mr. Allin, with such as he might see fit to associate with him, to undertake the formation of a church. He first applied to Mr. These agreed to go out, each in turn, while his char- acter and qualifications for church membership were scanned by the rest, they agreeing to submit to the judgment of the company, to be taken or left as might seem fit. The result was that Mr. John Allin, Ralph Wheelock, John Luson, John Frarye, Eleazer Lusher, and Robert Hinsdale were accepted. Edward Al- leyne, at first objected to, was afterwards received. John Hunting was admitted towards the end of the summer, making in all eight ready to enter church communion. They endeavored to secure for teacher a Mr. John Phillips, a minister of reputation, then recently from England, and he came, only to spend a year. said in connection with the account of the gathering of the church hereafter. But probably Eleazer Lusher maintains the most eminent position among the real founders of the town. He was the leading | man all his lifetime, and directed the most important ! affairs of the town. He was town clerk for twenty- three years and selectman for twenty-nine years. The full and perfect records he kept, the excellent style of | Ralph Wheelock, and they jointly added eight more. his writings, the peace and success of the plantation under his guidance show that he was the leader in the organization of the town. He was a deputy to the General Court for many years, and an assistant from 1662 to the time of his death, which occurred Nov. 13, 1672. He was also prominent in the colony as well as the town. Johnson, in the " Won- der-Working Providence," styles him the " nimble- footed captain, a man of the right stamp, and full for the country." In the church records, at the time of his death, he is spoken of as Maj. Eleazer Lusher, " a man sound in the faith, of great holiness and heavenly- mindedness, who was of the first foundation of this church, and had been of great use, as in the common- wealth so in the church."
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