History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 17

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464

USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 17

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The origin of the name is unknown. Deacon Leland gives an old tradition, which he regards well- established : It is this John Wampus visited Eng- land ; while on his return voyage to New England he received medical aid and other kindnesses from a fellow-passenger, Dr. Sutton, and from gratitude to him for his kindness, suggested his name for the town-

ship, when he gave the deed conveying it to the pro- prietors.

The original deed from John Wampus & Co. seems to have been lost, from the fact that the " Proprietors of Sutton," at a meeting held February 22, 1731-32, ordered "That the Clerk shall provide a new book and transfer this regularly, and that on the first pages of it, the original deed of John Wampus, alias White, together with the Grant of the General Court, be first placed "-and though a new book was procured and the transfer made, no deed appears. The grant re- ferred to was recorded on the first pages, and is as follows :

Joseph Dudley, Esqr., Captain General and Governor In Chief Io and over her Majesties Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England io America-To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting.

Whereas John Conner, Pewterer, James Smith, Shop-keeper, William Mumford, Stoue cutter, and Joshua Hewes, foukeeper, all of Boston In the County of Suffolk, within the Province aforesaid by their petition presented to the said Joseph Dudley, Esqr., Govenor, and the General Assembly of the aforesaid Province, at their last Session begno the Eightlı day of March last passt before the sale hereof, Have humbly prayed in behalf of themselves and company, a confirmation by a grant of this Court of their right and title to a certain tract of land purchased of John Wampus, alias White, and Company, Indians situate in the Nip- mug Country between the towns of Mendon, Worcester, New Oxford, Sherburne and Marlborough, of eight miles square, in which is included a tract of land four miles square called Hassanamisco, and poasessed by the Iadiana. Aod Whereas the said Goveoor and General Assembly have ordered that the prayer of said petition be granted, saving the lands purchased by the Haynes's, and reserving the Indian property of Hassanamisco-Provided also that they iotrench upon no former grant of the General Court, and they be obliged to settle a town of thirty fam- ilies, and a minister upon said lands, within seven yeares after the end of the present war with the Indians. And that they reserve three hun- dred acres of the aaid lands for the first settled minister, four hundred acres for the ministry, and two hundred acres for the use of a achool, all to be laid out conveniently. The said tract to begin upon the line of Marlborough next Ilassanamisco, a platt thereof to be returned and ap- proved by thia Court, aa in and by the record of said General Assembly, relation being thereuoto had, doth and may appear.

Know ye therefore that I, the said Joseph Dudley, Esqr., Governor, agreeable to the abuve recieved order passed by the Council and Assem- bly respectively, and pursuant to the power and authority contained and granted in and by her Majesties Royal Charter the Governor and General Assembly of the aforesaid Province of Massachusetts Bay, have granted, ratified and confirmed and by these presents do freely, fully and absolutely grant, ratify and confirm unto the above named John Conner, James Smith, William Mumford, Joshua Hewes, and others, their Partners, viz. : Paul Dudley of Bostou aforesaid Esqr., John Jack- son of said Boston, housewright, Mary Cooner and Elizabeth Pittom, daughters and co-heirs of John Pittom Plummer, deceased, Edward Pratt of Newtowo within the County of Middlesex, Physician, and Elizabeth Wilson of Hartford in the County of Connecticut, Widows, their heires aod assigoes forever, all the aforesaid certain tract of waste land purchased of the Indians, Native Proprietors, as above mentioned, scituate and described as aforesaid, and to be surveyed, platted aod ap- proved as above directed, with and under the severall savings, reserva- tions, Provisoa and conditions above expressed, and all the estate, right, Title, Inheritance, nse, property, and Interest of the said several per - sona therein and thereto-Together with all and singular the fields, feeding, herbage, pastures, soils, awamps, Meadows, Rivers, Rivulets, Ponds, Pools, Woods, underwoods, trees, timber, stones, fishing, fowl- ing and hunting Rights, Members, Heraditaments, Emoluments, Profits, Privileges and Appurtenances thereto belonging or in any way apper- taining. The said tract of land being hereby granted for a towoship, the same to be called Sutton. And to have, use, exercise, and enjoy the same powers, immunities, and privileges by Law granted to towns. To have and to hold all the said tract of land by the name of the town of Sutton, with all the aforesaid premises, Emoluments, Profits, Privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging, with and under the severall say- ings, reservations, Provisos and conditions herein before expressed. And to be surveyed, plotted, returned and approved as above said unto

1 Io preparing thia History of Sutton, the writer has selected largely trom the " History of Sutton " printed for the town in 1878, edited by Rev. W. A. Benedict and others, instead of culling over again the origi- nal material from which that work was compiled, as collected and pre- aarved by Deacon Jonathan Leland and Christopher C. Baldwin. There- fore, while I have not followed the form or arrangement of the book, I have taken from that history auy material facts and used them with- out other acknowledgment of authorship .- J. W. S.

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HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

the said John Conner, James Smith, William Mumford, Joshua Hewes, Paul Dudley, John Jackson, Mary Conner, Elizabeth Pittom, Edward Pratt, and Elizabeth Wilson, their heires and assignes to their proper use and behvofe forever. Yielding, Rendering aud Paying therefore unto our Sovereign Lady Queen Anne her kings and Successors one fifth part of all the Gold and Silver Oar and Precious stones, which from time to time and at all times forever hereafter shall happen to be found. gotten had or obtained in any of the said lands and Premises, or within any part or parcel thereof-In lien and stead of all Rents, Services, Dnes, Dutys, and demands whatsoever from the said lands and premises, und for every part and parcel thereof. In Testimony Whereof I the said Joseph Dudley, Esqr., Governor have signed these presents and caused the Publick seal of the Province of Massachusetts Bay aforesaid to be herennto atfixed.

Dated ut Boston aforesaid the fifteenth day of May in the third year of her Majesties Reign Anno Domini 1704.

1 The publick seal

on a label appending

J. DUDLEY.

Copy of Records Examined.

H. ADDINGTON, Sec.

The tract of land included in the above grant was, with the exception of here and there a cleared space, on which the Indians raised their corn, and a few marshes, called meadows, an unbroken forest, heavily wooded with pine, oak, hickory, chestnut, birch and maple. In its physical aspect it presented many at- tractive features, and was a favorite resort of its na- tive owners, who reserved a home within its limits. Its surface is uneven and hilly, and, though none of its hills rise to a great height, yet many of them are of sufficient elevation to reveal from their summits scenes of quiet beauty unsurpassed in any other por- tion of New England.

The soil is varied, in the southern and eastern part being of a sandy and gravelly nature, while in the northern and western parts much of it is a clayey loam. In the main it is well adapted to agriculture, though some portions, particularly in the southern part, are too rocky to be brought under cultivation, and none of it was subdued and made productive without much patient toil.

The fine farms of to-day, which embellish hill-side, hill-top and valley, are the result of the muscle and money the several generations that have occupied them have contributed. This township furnishes great facilities for manufacturing purposes, as well as for agriculture. There are within its limits several natural ponds, fed largely by hidden springs, whose outlets afford fine water privileges. The principal of these are Dorothy Pond in the north part of the town,1 Ramshorn in the northwest, Crooked Pond

(Singletary Lake) near the centre and Manchaug Pond in the southwest. Blackstone River-called by the Indians Kittatuck-has its rise in Ramshorn Pond, and passes through the town from northwest to southeast. This river furnishes valuable water- power. So also does Mumford River, the outlet of Manchang Pond. Mill Brook, the outlet of Crooked Pond (Singletary Lake), has in the distance of a mile a fall of one hundred and seventy five feet, and affords seven water privileges. There are several

other streams in town which the early settlers utilized by the erection of saw-mills, grist-mills and fulling- mills, and which in later days have been employed in manufacturing of various kinds.

In its geological features the town presents nothing of a peculiar nature. Like many other towns in Eastern Massachusetts, the rocky formation is chiefly granite, quartz rock and gneiss. Gneiss predominates, and the quarries which have been opened furnish most excellent stone for building purposes. This rock often contains iron pyrites, mica, lead, tin and some other mineral substances in small quantities. The glitter of the little particles has led to the belief that gold and silver might be found in this town, and, in common with many others in the State, it has had its excitements over wild and fruitless searches for the precious metals.

There are natural curiosities in the town, some of which are thus referred to in Whitney's " History of Worcester County :" As first. In the west part of Sutton, within sixty rods of the rise of the inlet of Ramshorn Pond, which is the head of Blackstone River running to Providence and falling into the sea at Bristol, is a brook sufficiently large to carry a saw-mill in Sutton, then bears away into Oxford, joins French River, which unites with the river Quinebaug, and enters the sea at New London.

Secondly. A few rods west of the Second Parish Meeting-house there is a swamp having two outlets, one at the southwest, the other at the southeast. Both these outlets enter Blackstone River above described, at about one mile's distance from each other. But the river is estimated to run ten or twelve miles after the entrance of that one on the westerly side before it returns and takes in that on the east.

Thirdly. In the southeastern part of the town is a cavern in the earth or rocks, commonly called Purga- tory. The rocks on each side of the chasm evidently appear to have been rent asunder. People may enter some rods under the ground or rocks, and there are cracks down which they drop pebbles, and after these strike the sides alternately several times they are heard to fall into the water; and a brook issues out at the bottom of the hill.

It may be acceptable to give a more particular de- scription of this place called Purgatory.

It is the side of a hill which consists of vast ledges of rocks. Where the natural descent begins, a chasm has heen formed of perhaps thirty, and in some places forty feet in width, in these ledges by some violent concussion which left this body of stones of all shapes and sizes to fall in. Above, it is open to the heavens, and the ledges, on either side, are from five to ten and so on to twenty and even forty feet in height. This chasm is, perhaps, near eighty rods in length, and the descent is gradual and not very difficult. Where the greatest depth is, water issues from crev- ices in the rocks and hangs in icicles and even in solid bodies of ice, not only in May, as I have seen,

1 Now Millbury.

955

SUTTON.

but in June, although the descent is to the south. Some small caverns were formed by the falling of these rocks, through which persons have descended and come out several rods below. This is a most stupendous place, and fills the mind of the beholder with exalted ideas of the infinite power of the great Creator of all things, "who removeth the mountains and they know it not; who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble."

After all, no description given of this place by another will enable persons to form just and adequate conceptions of it.

The ledges which Mr. Whitney says are " from five to ten and so on to twenty, and even forty feet in height," are found by actual measurement to be in some places between fifty and sixty feet in height. Dr. Hitchcock, in speaking of Purgatory, puts the extreme height of the sides of the fissure at sev- enty feet.

The settlement of the town was delayed by the war known as "Queen Anne's War," which began in 1702 and was not ended until 1713.

November 17, 1714, the proprietors held the first meeting of which there is any record. At this meet- ing (held in Boston) it was voted, " That three men should be chosen for a committee to order the affairs of that place "-Sutton. Nathaniel Brewer, Jonathan Draper and Eliezer Daniels were chosen such com- mittee, and " were to stand until others were chosen."

It was the same day voted that all the charges that has been and shall arise, till the next meeting should be payed by the Proprietorsequally according to their several proportions at twenty shillings for every 500 acre right.

The next meeting was held in Boston, March 2, 1714-15.1

At this meeting it was voted

That Jonathan Draper, Eliezer Daniels and Nathaniel Brewer should be a committee to go and lay out sixty lots at Sutton, for the Proprietors, of thirty acres a lot, thirty rods wide and one hundred and sixty long.

Voted the same day that all such as had one five hundred acre right should have a thirty acre lott, and they who had more according to their proportion.

It was also

Voted that there should be a rate of sixty pounds, one pound on every five hundred acre right.

It appears from these votes that the first division of the township was into sixty five-hundred acre rights. Each proprietor owned at least one right, some more. Actual surveys, as will appear, were afterwards made of lots, corresponding in number to the number of rights, and varying in area from thirty to one hun- dred acres. These lots were drawn by the proprietors -each right being entitled to one-and disposed of by them individually.

At the meeting held March 2, 1714-15, it was like- wise

Voted, that all such as should appear to go first and live at the town of Sutton, for their encouragement should have one hundred acres of land given them for their own, provided they settle two years from the date hereof ; and they to bear their proportion of town charges, the Proprie- tors to bear half the charges of building a Meeting-house and settling a minister the first four years.

March 18-19, 1714-15. Meetings of the proprietors were held at which it was

Voted that every man shall have a convenient way to his lott through his neighbor's lott, where it shall be most convenient for him and least damage to his neighbor ; also in all after divisions in the town every person shall have a convenient way to their lotts, which lott is to be nuderstood to be a proper whole lott.

Also

Voted the same day that for encouragement of thirty families to go and settle first, they should have four thousand acres laid out to them ou the northwest side of the road from Marlborongh to Oxford provided, and it is to be understood that such as appear and are allowed by the Committy do go and work upon their lotts within six weeks, and make a return to the Committy. And upon their default the Committy shall have liberty to putt in others as shall appear.

Voted the same day that the Committy shall go and survey the four thousand acres of land, and lay out thirty home lots iu it, containing forty acres per lott, at the settlers' charge.

Voted the same day that Jonathan Draper, Edward Summer and Na- thaniel Brewer should be a Committy to allow of the settlers.

It seems that the survey of the land granted to the thirty families who should be approved by the com- mittee and settle upon it within the time prescribed was made and the thirty lots of forty acres each were in due form laid out. But no settlement was effected during the year. It appears that no formal " Act of Incorporation " was ever secured, or asked for by the proprietors or settlers of the town. The following en- dorsement is on the hack of a plan of the township on file in the land office.

In the House of Representatives, June 18, 1715.

Ordered that the Land described and Platted, on the other side, be al- lowed and confirmed to the Proprietors of the Township of Sutton. Pro- vided it Intrench on no former grant. Sent up for concurrence.

JOHN BURRELL, Speaker.

In Council, June 21, 1715, Rec'd and Concurred,

A true Copy, Examined,

JOSEPH HILLER, Clerk Coun.

Jos. MARION, D. Sec'y.

The next meeting of the proprietors of which there is a record was held in Boston, March 13, 1715-16, at which the following votes were passed :

Voted that every five hundred acre right should draw a second right of one hundred arres.

The same day it was voted that wheresoever any clay was found in any man's lott, it should be for the use of the whole town till a publick place was found for that use.

Voted the same day that the Mill lot2 and stream in the settlers' side shall be at the Proprietors' disposal.

Voted the same day that the proprietors will be at half the charge of building a meeting-house and settling a minister for the first four years from the date hereof.

Voted the same day that the settlers shall have liherty to cutt grasse and timber in the Proprietor's land till they come to improve and to be laid out.

1 Before the adoption of the "New Style" in England, 1752, the year was considered as beginning March 25th. Any date between the 1st of Jannary and the 24th of March would be a year too little ; so to avoid mistakes, it had become customary to give both years as above. March 2d would occur in the year 1714, should the year begin the 25th of March; in 1715, should it begin the Ist of January.

2 This lot embraced a tract of one hundred and sixteen acres at the foot of Crooked Pond, and included the privilege of the stream to the lower falls.

956

HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

During this year (1716) three families were found of sufficient nerve and enterprise to pioneer the set- tlement of the town. These families were those of Benjamin Marsh, Elisha Johnson and Nathaniel Johnson.

They built their cabins near the centre of the town, and spent there the winter of 1716-17. It proved a trying winter to them. It was the winter made memorable by the deep snow which fell the last of February, and wholly covered the cabins.

Elisha Johnson, whose cabin was located near the place now occupied by Mr. Samuel Prescott, had left his family the morning of the day the great snow com- menced falling, for the purpose of obtaining some supplies in Marlborough.

He was seen on his way by a friendly Indian, who, when the storm had subsided, started on snow-shoes for the little settlement, and found the cabin of Mr. Johnson by the hole which the smoke from the fire-place had made through the snow. His family would doubtless have perished had it not been for the kind forethought of this friendly Indian. Mrs. Johnson said " no human voice ever sounded half so sweet as did that." Other families were attracted during the year 1717 by the offer of a farm for the taking, so that, at its close, the thirty families to whom a grant of four thousand acres had been made, and for whom home- lots of forty acres each had been laid out, were on the ground.

The tract of land which the four thousand acres embraced was so located on the north side of the Oxford Road, that a north and south line dividing it into equal parts would pass directly through Single- tary Lake.

The home-lots fronted some of them on the Oxford Road, extending as far west as the place now occu- pied by Deacon John Marble, and east as far as the place now occupied by H. S. Stockwell. Five of them were north of and joining those most easterly and eight of them in what is now the "Eight Lots District "-the most easterly of these being the place now occupied by Mr. Solomon Severy.

The entry in the proprietors' records with reference to the thirty families to whom four thousand acres of land were given is as follows :

These are the names of such as are entered settlers in the four thou- sand acres that was given to them upon the conditions that they would go and settle first there and bear charge with the proprietors according to their agreement.

William King. Oliver Gosse.

Thomas Gowing.

Samuel Parker.

Samuel Stearna.

Joseph Sibley. William Stockwell. Benjamin Mersh. Thomas Glesou. Samnel Gowing. Johu Waite. Benjamin Smith.

John Bates.

Jonathan Sibley.

William Rutter.

Timothy Manning.

Jobn Sibley. Samuel Dagget.

John Stock well.

Nathaniel Johnson,

William Larned.

Jonathan King. Samuel Bixbee. Samuel Barton.

Elisha Johusou. Richard Gibson.

William Stockwell.

Freegrace Marble.

Ebenezer Cutler. William Heywood.1

The plat of "Settlers' Land " contains four thou- sand nine hundred and sixty acres. The south line on the Oxford read was 1,240 rods, the west line 640, the north line 1,210, the east 700 rods. Six hun- dred acres were allowed for " Crooked Pond " (Sin- gletary Lake), and three hundred and sixty acres for farm. This farm was at the southwest corner of the plat, and fronted on the north side of the Oxford road, the east line being near Deacon Marble's house. For what purpose this farm was laid out cannot now be learned. There is no record with reference to the use to which it was put, and no al- Insion is made to it, only as bounding the land adja- cent as this was apportioned among the settlers. The thirty persons above named style themselves "Proprietors of the four thousand acres," and kept a record of their meetings. This record contains lit- tle of interest, as it is mainly filled up with proceed- ings pertaining to the division of what remained of the four thousand acres among the occupants of the home-lots, and the boundaries of each man's portion.

The aim seems to have been so to divide the land that no one should have reason to complain that he had been wronged ; and that no dissatisfaction was expressed when the allotments were made is pleasing evidence of the good feeling which existed, and the disposition of all to see that exact justice was done.

The mill-lot to which reference has been made was assigned to Ebenezer Dagget, as appears from the following entry in the proprietors' records :

Ebenezer Dagget hath the mill-lot with the privilege of the stream to the lower falls, upon condition that the said Dagget, or his Heires, keep a Grist-mill for the use of the town ; and if the said Dagget de- niea or refuse to keep a mill for the use of the town be shall return the stream to the town again.

The return of the mill-lot, with boundaries care- fully defined, is noted in the proprietors' records of November 23, 1717.

The first town-meeting was held at the house of Captain John Stockwell, December 3, 1718 .? This house was a small one, about fifteen feet by ten, and stood near the present dwelling of Mr. Simeon Stock- well. Elisha Johnson was elected moderator; and selectmen, a town clerk and a constable were chosen "to continue in office until the next March meeting."

Action was also taken on a proposition of the pro- prietors, that a committee be appointed to act with a committee whom they had chosen, to aid in the mat- ter of building a meeting-house, and establishing the preaching of the Gospel.

1 A few of these names will be recognized as still common. Nu- meroua descendants of some of these families are now residents ut the town.

2 Not within the house, hot at the house. The moderator, Elishu Johu- son, atood upon a rock, nearly flat on one aide, and this rock is the foundation-etone in the southeast corner of the cellar wall of tha house Dow owned by Simeon Stockwell, and illustrated on page 235 of the "History of Sutton."

957

SUTTON.

Referring to the proprietors' records, we find that at a meeting held in Boston, March 5, 1717-18, the following votes were passed :

Voted the saone day that the four years charges for carrying oo the worship of God, and building a meeting-house should begin from this day above mentioned.

Voted the same day that there shall be twenty pounds raised by the Proprietors and settlers towards the carrying on of the worship of God amongst them, which money is to be paid into the Clerk's hands to be improved for that use.

Voted the same day that Jonathan Draper, Nathaniel Brigham, Joha Haye, aod Nathaniel Brewer are a committee to agree with work- oen to build and furpish a meeting-house ; and the Proprietors obliged themselves and heires to hear their equal proportion of said charges.

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History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 17

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1464

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464