USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Rutland > History of Rutland; Worcester County, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement, with a biography of its first settlers > Part 3
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Grass Hill is nearly a mile Southwest of the meeting- house. House Lot No. 57, was pitched on this hill to
37
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
George Robbins. It has since been owned by Robert Patrick. The present owners are Joel, William and Jo- seph Hubbard, &c.
There are many hills in this town without any particu- lar name ;- a great part of it is made of hills, or large swells, and is some of the best land in the town; there is not a hill but may be with ease and safety ascended to its summit with a carriage, or that has not been cultivated by the plough ;- from many of them there might be taken beautiful landscapes ; five hundred and fifty rods East of the meeting-house, on the old Turnpike, is an extensive and beautiful prospect to the East, as almost any in the Com- monwealth-the blue hills of Milton are distinctly visible.
VALES OR VALLEYS.
BUT a small part of the town is comprised of lands of this description. We have no valleys to vie with the Mis- sissippi ; the longest is the one that Ware river passes through, -long meadow is something of a valley. From Holden by Mill Brook through the ministry and meeting- house meadows, is a vale or valley, - from No. 5, School house to Holden is another, - East and West of Dublin road are valleys ; there are several others of minor note, as birch valley, &c.
MEADOWS.
THE following are the most noted :- Meeting-house, Long, Ware, Ministry, Sewall's, Pomagusset, Loring's, South, Pine Plains, &c. ; there are many without any par- ticular names. Some of our meadows are good, some middling, and some indifferent; most of them when first 3*
38
*
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
2 cleared, produced abundant crops. It is evident that some were partially cleared by the Indians or beavers, and produced grass before the white people began their settlement, and was a great means in preserving and sup- porting their cattle at its commencement through the winter.
These meadows have many times changed owners, but several of them retain their bounds as first lotted and drawn by the proprietors' committee for the settler.
LOCALITIES.
JUDGE SEWALL'S farm of one thousand acres was granted to him by Government prior to the grant of the twelve miles square to the proprietors of Rutland. It was laid out in an oblong square in the Northerly part of what is now Rutland, seven hundred and thirteen rods in length, and three hundred and seventy in breadth,-bounded Westerly by New Boston, Northerly near Hubbardston line and Bigelow's Mill's, Easterly near No. 1, School house and by Joseph Miles', Southerly a little North of No. 9, School-house. A good tract of land and large measure. -
PROVINCE OR ARTILLERY FARM.
THE General Court at their Sessions in 1715, reserved to themselves one thousand acres ; five hundred of which were granted to the Hon. Artillery Company, and the other five hundred acres were, by said Court at their session in 1717, granted to the Hon. John Burrill, Esq. The one thousand acres were equally divided from East to West, each having a part of Asnebumskit Pond. The South part
39
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
was set off to the Artillery Company, and was bounded by Worcester and Leicester. The other half was subdivided between Messrs. Ephraim Moore, Peter Moore, Nathaniel Goodenow, Samuel Sweetser, and Michael Sweetser.
This one thousand acres is a part of the land set off of Rutland to form Paxton, the Southwest corner thereof is near where Paxton meeting-house now stands.
PROPRIETORS' LANDS.
IN the first division of upland of one hundred and fifty acres among the proprietors, the following lands were laid out in that part of Rutland which is now Paxton. To Rev. Thomas Frink one hundred and twenty acres bounded by Leicester ; Robert Mclem one hundred and thirty acres on a hill near Leicester line; Thomas Wheeler one hundred and fifty acres on Fox hill, near Leicester line ; Joseph Stevens two hundred acres on Turkey hill, &c .; Samuel Brown one hundred and three acres East of Turkey-hill pond, Samuel Goodenow one hundred and forty acres South- west of Turkey-hill pond ; Samuel Ball ninety-seven acres West of Goodenow's ; Malcam Hendry and Sarah Mccarter ninety-five acres near Leicester line ; William Mccarter, Robert and Matthew Patrick sixty-three acres in equal thirds, on a hill near Leicester line. The above named tracts are all good land.
DUBLIN, OR POND END.
THIS tract of land is situated in the Southwest corner of the six miles square, and is a pleasant and fertile part of the town. As it was almost wholly peopled with emi- grants from Ireland, it received the name of Dublin, and
40
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
comprises School District, No. 6. Within its bounds were eight House Lots, and the following divisions of upland granted in 1723 to the following named persons: Jonas Clarke, Esq., of Boston, three hundred acres; James Browning, one hundred and fifty acres ; John Jeffries, Esq., two hundred and two acres; Col. Estes Hatch, one hun- dred and sixty-one acres ; Thomas Smith, Esq., one hun- dred and fifty acres ; Jonathan Sewall, Esq., of Boston, one hundred and six acres; Peter Cutler's heirs, ninety acres ; William Fenton, sixty-seven acres ; Duncan Mc- Farland, sixty-two acres. It is mostly warm and good land.
CAPT. BENJAMIN WILLARD'S NINE HUN- DRED AND THIRTY ACRES.
THE Proprietors of Rutland, for divers considerations, (one of which was to promote a mill,) on December 17, 1715, granted to Capt. Benjamin Willard, one-third part of a thirty-third part of said township, or nine hundred and thirty acres, which was located and disposed of in the following manner, viz : three hundred acres to Rev. Israel Loring; two hundred and forty to Capt. Samuel Stone and one hundred and twenty to Capt. Samuel Wright, all of Sudbury, assignees to Capt. Benjamin Willard. The above described lands were bounded on North Worces- ter and the East Wing. In said tract there is an excellent meadow,-a pasture by the name of Loring, perpetuates its ancient owner; eighty acres of the above grant were locat- ed on and about Buck Brook; forty acres at the falls of Long Meadow Brook, and the remainder on Mill Brook, be- ing the mill farm and mill lot.
41
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
TEN ACRES.
THE Grand Committee surveyed and laid out (the same time they did the ten rod road,) ten acres for a Burying Place and other public uses ; said ten acres were bounded Southerly by a ten rod road, and Easterly by a four rod road leading to Joyner's hill.
PINE PLAINS.
THE Pine Plains were bounded on the West Wing, now Oakham, and were common to all the proprietors to get timber and board logs, until they were laid out, num- bered, pitched or drawn, by lot. It was the practice of some of the first settlers, in a dry season. to fire the plains, that they might have better browsing for their own cattle, and those they took from the lower towns. One season the fire extended into the West wing, and injured the ap- pearance and sale of Oakham for several years.
ROADS IN RUTLAND.
ALMOST every man has a large Road by his house, if not greatly travelled. The Proprietors were liberal in their grants. The roads laid out and opened previous to 1750, were from the Proprietors' lands ; and if any were laid through the land of individuals, they had other land in lieu thereof.
STREET OR TEN ROD ROAD.
THE street or ten rod road granted by the Grand Pro- pr.etors, was on May 8th, Anno Domini, 1743, confirmed
42
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
by them as follows, viz: Voted, "That the Road or Street Ten Rods wide, beginning at the Ministry House Lot (so called,) No. 62, and running Northeasterly over Meeting House Hill, (so called.) and ending at the part- ing of the Roads on Rocky Hill, (so called,) by the cor- ner of Col. Hatches Division Land, be granted and con- firmed to the Town of Rutland, as a common for public use, Benefit and Behoof without any manner of Alienation or appropriation forever.
THOMAS FRINK, Mod'r."
FOUR ROD ROADS.
THE following is a list of four rod roads,-when grant- ed,-where from and where to, with their length.
MILES. RODS.
1729, From ten rod road or street to Paxton line, ·2 219
1729 and 1730, From ten road road through Dublin to House Lot, No. 53, 3 311
1730, From ten road road to Oakham line, called Hadley road, 2 211
1731, From ten rod road by Grass Hill to Paxton line, 3
1
1731, From ten rod road to Joyner's Hill, (Miles's,) 1
11
1733, From Pound Hill to Holden line,
1 106
1734, From ten rod road to Samuel Stone's,
1 2
1734, From Paxton road by Ball's spring to Grass Hill, 2
1734, From the road by Grass IIill to Widow Hendry's mill, (Death's,) 2 200
1
43
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
1740, A road over Muschopauge Hill to Pond street,
MILES. RODS. 0 250
TURNPIKE ROAD.
WHEN the Turnpike fever ran high, the following Act was passed, " Be it therefore enacted, by the Senate, and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That Jonathan Warner, Samuel Parkman, Josiah Knapp, Edward Blake, jun., Aaron and Charles Davis, Spencer Field, Stephen Rice, William Cutler, Paul Mandell, Moses Mandell, Francis Blake, Moses White, Richard Kelley, Jonas Howe, jun., Ebenezer Mattoon, jun., Medad Nickerson, Daniel Walk- er, Thomas Powers, Roger West, Robert Field, Nehemiah Hinds, John Rankin, William Conkey, Isaac Abercrom- bie, Artemas How, Jesse Allen, Joseph Chadwick, Timo- thy Parker, Isaac Hobart, John Dodds, Jonathan Dan- forth, William Henry, Abner Conant, James Lawton, Seth Pierce and Jason Mixter, and such persons as shall be associated with them, and their successors, be and they are hereby constituted a corporation, by the name of the Sixth Massachusetts Turnpike Corporation, for the laying out and making a Turnpike Road from the East line of Amherst, on the County Road near William Breton's house through the Towns of Pelham, Greenwich, Hard- wick, New Braintree, Oakham, Rutland, Holden, Worces- ter, to the great road in Shrewsbury, &c.
In the House of Representatives, June 21, 1799, EDWARD H. ROBBINS, Speaker. In the Senate, June 21, 1799, JOHN C. JONES, President.
June 22, 1799, By the Lt. Governor, approved, MOSES GILL."
44
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
Said Road was forty-three miles and one hundred and twelve rods long,-was made in one summer, and cost about thirty-three thousand dollars.
THE PART TAKEN BY RUTLAND.
WHEN said Road was in contemplation, Rutland chose a respectable committee to use their influence to have it pass through this town; and at a subsequent meeting, voted to appropriate one thousand dollars on certain con- ditions to carry the same into effect. But at an after meeting the vote was rescinded. Then a number of indi- viduals of Rutland associated together, and contracted to make said road through Rutland for one dollar and seventy cents per rod, and take their pay in Turnpike shares at twenty-five dollars each ; - chose Jonas How, Esq., Capt. Benjamin Putnam and Jonas Reed, jun., their committee to superintend the same. Moses White, Esq., contracted to make five hundred and nineteen rods of the West end for two dollars and thirty-nine cents per rod. The re- maining seventeen hundred and fifty rods at one dollar for- ty-one cents per rod, was lotted into seven shares of two hundred and fifty dollars, or ten Turnpike shares each, and was made by the contractors, or such persons as they em- ployed. Jonas Reed made thirty-two parts of the seventy, and the remainder was made by owners of shares. The road being made and accepted, the Corporation for a little time took considerable toll; but it was appropriated to the pay- ment of outstanding debts. The proprietors were under the necessity of taking their own money to pay themselves. New roads were made,-toll evaded, and the shares had the same destiny as the old Continental Money. The Corporation relinquished its Franchise, and on August 11,
45
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
1828, held its last meeting. The Turnpike became a County Road, or Common Highway.
JONAS REED, Late Proprietors' Clerk.
In 1818 the town made eight hundred and thirty-three rods of County Road between Birch Valley and Paxton line, which cost the town for making one thousand one hundred and eleven dollars and ninety-five cents. In 1832, the town made upwards of five miles of County Road between Holden line and Bigelow's mills, which cost the town upwards of three thousand dollars. In 1833, the town made a County Road Northerly of the meeting-house, and North of No. 1, school house.
ROADS. - Length of some of the principal roads, - dis- ance from the meeting house, - and from one place to another.
MILES. RODS.
From Holden line to Oakham line, (old Turnpike, )
5
165
Holden
Meeting House, 2
40
Oakham
Meeting House,
3
125
Hubbardston Meeting House, -
by No. 1, School House,
4 220
Paxton Meeting House, -
East of No. 5, School House,
2 278
Barre,
Northwest corner of
Rutland, by the Folly,
5 75
Barre Corner, Northwest corner of Rutland, -through New Boston,
5 152
Spencer
Meeting House, -
through Dublin, 5 133
Princeton
Meeting House,-
by No. 2, School House, 4
4
46
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
MILES. RODS.
Holden, Hubbardston line, -
by Bigelow's, 5 220
Southeast corner to Northwest corner, 8 98
Northeast corner to Southwest corner, 10 248
The roads in Rutland when added make seventy-six miles ; - supposing the roads to average three rods in width, they cover four hundred and thirty-six acres of land.
COUNTRY AND COUNTY ROADS.
COUNTY. - April 5, 1733, Voted, "That the town will join with Worcester to put in a Petition to the Quarter Sessions to have a County Road from Rutland to Worces- ter."
Samuel Wright, Esq., was chosen to put in said Peti- tion.
ROAD TO MARKET. - March 7, 1737, the town chose Capt. John Hubbard, Lieut. Edward Rice and Moses How, a committee to discourse with, and desire the Selectmen of Worcester and Shrewsbury to lay out a Highway, con- venient for the inhabitants of the town of Rutland to trav- el to market in.
JOSEPH STEVENS, Mod'r.
COUNTY OF WORCESTER,-WHEN INCOR- PORATED.
THE Act incorporating the County of Worcester, pass- ed April 2, 1731, “ An Act of erecting, and making a County in the inland parts of this Province, to be called The County of Worcester, and for establishing Courts of
47
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
Justice within the same."-" Be it enacted by his Ex- cellency the Governor, Council, and Representatives, in General Court Assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the towns and places hereafter named and ex- pressed, that is to say, Worcester, Lancaster, Westbor- ough, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Leicester, Rutland and Lunenburgh, all in the County of Middlesex; Mendon, Woodstock, Oxford, Sutton, including Hassanamisco, Ux- bridge, and the land granted to several petitioners of Med- field all in the County of Suffolk; Brookfield in the Coun- ty of Hampshire, and the South town laid out to the Nar- raganset soldiers ; and all other lands lying within the said townships, with the inhabitants thereon, shall from and af- ter the tenth day of July, which will be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-one, be and remain one entire and distinct County by the name of Worcester, of which Worcester to be the County or Shire town, &c."
On February 1, 1732, the first prison was ordered to be built,-forty-one by eighteen feet, and eight feet stud. The gaol part to be eighteen feet square, of white oak, studded with timber of five inches by four, and placed within five inches of each other, the joists to be of the same biguess, and placed at the same distance, and that it be covered with plank, spiked within and without; a dungeon beneath was likewise directed. On November, 1732, the Court House was ordered to be built, thirty-six by twenty- six feet, with thirteen feet posts. To pay for these pub- lic buildings, and other charges, incident to the County, a tax was ordered upon the several towns, as follows : Lancaster, 62l., 16s., 8d., Mendon, 36l., Woodstock, 32l., Brookfield, 27l., 1s., 8d., Sutton, 24l., 10s., Worcester, 221., 15s., 4d., Westborough, 18l., 2s., Southborough,
48
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
17l., 6s., Shrewsbury, 147., 14s., Oxford, 14l., 4s., Leices- ter, 13l., 9s., 4d., Uxbridge, 12l., 0s., 8d., Rutland, 7l., 16s., Lunenburgh, 7l., 16s. Total, 3111., 10s., 4d.
The following persons, belonging to Rutland, have held offices in the County. William Caldwell, Esq., Sheriff, from 1793 to 1805. Moses White, Esq., do., from 1811 to 1812, and Justice of the Court of Sessions, 1807. Daniel Clap, Esq., Register of Deeds from 1784 to 1816. John Fessenden, Esq., Senator from 1787 to 1791. Francis Blake, Esq., do., from 1810 to 1812, and from 1813 to 1815; also Clerk of the Court, 1816 and 1817. Thomas H. Blood, Esq.,* Senator from 1816 to 1818.
LAWYERS. - Daniel Bliss, Esq., 1760. Daniel Murray, Esq., 1771. William Caldwell, Esq., 1773. Francis Blake, Esq., 1789. Isaac Story, Esq., 1793. Joseph B. Caldwell, Esq., 1802. William C. White, Esq., John Shepley, Esq., Rufus Putnam, Esq., 1809.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. - Samuel Wright, Moses How, John Stone, John Murray, John Frink, John Fessen- den, Jonas How, Moses White, Daniel Walker, Zadock Gates, Tilly Flint, Jonas How, Joel Davis, Calvin How, James Estabrook, Rowland Wheeler.
DOCTORS .- Samuel Robbins, died June 28, 1748. Hezekiah Fletcher, Jan. 21, 1754. Alpheus Fletcher, June 12, 1766. John Frink, John Frink, jun., John Field, James McFarland, Jonah How, M. D., George Estabrook, M. D., Samuel Gates, M. D., David A. Grosvenor, jun., M. D.
*Born in Rutland.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS. %
THE following Table exhibits when each School District was formed, and School-house was built-the distance from the Meeting-house-where situated-and number of inhabi- tants, both male and female in each, in 1828.
TABLE.
No.
Formed. Males. Females. Total. Miles. Rods. Compass.
Where situated, or located.
Centre, Oct.
1734.
102
100
202
0
4
W.
By Meeting-house and Common.
1
Sept.
1781.
74
76
150
3
176
N.
East of Sewall Farm.
2
May,
1768.
40
35
75
2
304
N. E.
West of School Lot.
3
May,
1761. 63
62
125
2
252
N. E.
By Harwood Brook.
4
Aug.
1781.
76
54
130
0
297
E. S.
Rocky, or Pound Hill. By Irish Lane.
5
May,
1767.
50
61
111
2
160
6
May,
1764.
61
65
126
3
212
S. W.
Dublin, or Pond End.
7
Aug.
1781.
71
78
149
1
281
S. W.
Deathville, Barracks.
8
May,
1769.
97
77
174
3
273
N. W.
New Boston, by Ware River.
Total, 634
608
1242
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
49
4*
50
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
In 1832, part of Centre, No. 1, and No. 2, Districts were set off and formed a District, called No. 9, South of Sewall's Farm, six hundred rods North of the meeting- house.
In 1833, No. 3 District, was divided, the West part was called No. 10 District, Northwest of Muschopauge Pond, six hundred and five rods East of the meeting house.
Of the above number of persons, there were under five years of age, eighty-five males - seventy-five females be- tween five and ten, males ninety,-females sixty-one; be- tween ten and twenty, males one hundred and forty-eight, -- females one hundred and forty-six ; between twenty and thirty, males one hundred and seven, - females one hun- dred and seven ; between thirty and forty,-males seventy-two females sixty-four ; between forty and fifty, - males fifty one, - females fifty-five; between fifty and sixty, - males forty, -females forty-nine; between sixty and seventy, males twenty-six, - females thirty; between seventy and eighty, males fourteen,-females six ; up- wards of eighty, males four, females twelve. At the same time there were one hundred and eighty-three dwelling- houses, and the same number of married couples ; thirteen widowers, and forty widows. In 1835, there were be- tween sixty and seventy years of age, sixty-eight persons ; between seventy and eighty, thirty-one persons; between eighty and ninety, seven persons; upwards of ninety, six persons. Total upwards of sixty years, one hundred and twelve persons.
SCHOOLS.
THE General Court and Grand Proprietors made some
51
H'STORY OF RUTLAND.
provision for schools, in their grant to the settlers of the six miles square; it was one of the conditions of the grant, that one sixty-third part of the lands should be set off and appropriated for schooling forever. Accordingly in the division of the lands that proportion was set off for that purpose, and was Lot No. 63, and its after divisions.
What was called the House Lot of thirty acres was pitched or drawn. on a hill one mile West of the meeting- house. The division of one hundred and fifty acres was laid out and located partly by the House Lot and partly by the East Wing. The School lands were by vote of the town in 1744 sold, and the proceeds put on interest. The lands were sold as follows: a piece of forty-eight acres and one hundred rods to Eliphalet How, for 647., 10s., lawful money of the last emission. A second division with all after draughts to Duncan McFarland, for 221., 3s., 2d., 2q .; a meadow lot to Lieut. Moses How, for 31., 10s. ; a farm of one hundred and thirty-three acres to John and James Walker, for 662., 1s., 8d. Total, 156l., 4s., 10d.
For the first twenty years after the grant, there was little privilege of a school, there being no school-houses ; and it being dangerous for children to go from house to house, not only on account of Indians, but of ravenous bears and wolves. Mothers when sitting at the door with their children, could see the wild beasts pass by with their young.
In Oct. 1733, the town voted to provide a school master before November Court, and chose Capt. John Hubbard, Messrs. Eleazer Ball and Dunkin McFarland a committee for that purpose, whom they instructed to provide the best and cheapest they could get. At the same time voted, to have the school kept two-thirds of the time in the middle of the - town, at Col. Hatch's house, and one-third, at the
52
HISTORY OF RUTLAND.
West end, at the pond. This was kept by Mr. Whitaker; and was the first public school taught in Rutland.
In 1734, the town voted that two school-houses be built, to keep school in, at the public charge of the town; one to be set near the meeting-house, in the most convenient place on the ten acres laid out for such uses. The other school house to be set at the Northwest corner of John McEntire's field, (Southwest of Cedar Swamp Pond.)
In 1735, the town engaged Mr. William Brintnal, as a school master for one year. The school was kept at three places, according to their pay.
In 1751, the town built a school house, in what is now Paxton, and set it on the road between Rutland and Leices- ter.
Until 1781, the centre district extended from Holden line to the bounds of Oakham, in which, for several years before the Revolution, there was a latin grammar school kept through the year ; to encourage the same, Col. Mur- ray gave twenty dollars a year.
Through the Revolutionary war, schooling was some neglected. But it is probable Rutland has not been behind other towns of her ability, in affording instruction for her children and youth.
The sum granted yearly is about seven hundred dollars. A considerable sum in addition is paid by individuals, to primary and high schools.
The following persons either born or settled in Rutland, have received a Collegiate Education : - Thomas Frink, at H. U., 1722, Joseph Buckminster, H. U., 1739, Jo- seph Davis, H. U., 1740, Samuel Frink, H. U., 1758, Daniel Bliss, H. U., 1760, Samuel Porter, H. U., 1763, Daniel Murray, H. U., 1771, Samuel Murray, H. U., 1772, Jedidias Estabrook, H. U., 1771, Joseph Buck-
53
IHISTORY OF RUTLAND.
minster, Y. C., John Hubbard Church, H. U., 1797, David Forbes, D. C., John Fessenden, B. U., Francis Blake, II. U., Josiah Clark, jr., Y. C.
On May 8, 1786, Rutland appointed a respectable com- mittee, (of which General Putnam was chairman.) to ar - certain a proper and convenient number of school plots, and the bounds for the same; which service they perform- ed, and made a very particular and accurate descrip- tion of the bounds of each plot, and the head of every family in the same. Their report, although not accepted was recorded. It exhibits the number of families, - the part of the town each lived in, and the number of plots re- commended. By comparing their report with the present inhabitants, we have the change, and the increase of the inhabitants of each part, -and of the whole town, from that time to the present; and the change in heals of its families. Their report was as follows, viz. :
No. I, Plot. John Ames, Solomon Buckminster, Da- vid Bennet, Capt. Peter Davis, Lieut. Asa Davis, Jona- than How, David How, Nathaniel Munro, Lieut. Timo- thy Munro, Benjamin Munro, Robert Haws. John Priest, Lieut. Jason Read, David Smith, Isaac Smith, Stevens Stone, Lient. Simon Phelps .- Seventeen Families.
II. Col. Silas Bent, Ens. William Bridge, Moses Bax- ter. John Briant, Abel Brigham, Daniel Goodenow, Phin- eas Lamb, Lieut. Timothy Metcalf, Lieut. Luke Moore, Jonas Parmenter, Abel Parmenter, John Rice, Josiah Rice, Elijah Stone, Jeduthan Stone, Luther Stevens, Nathaniel Sawyer, Thomas Wood .- Eighteen Families.
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