USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 6
USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > History of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook > Part 6
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lands were purchased by the abovesaid men of his predecessors, which the said Wampatuck doth hereby confirm, being all the lands within the bounde of Braintrey, abovesaid, with all the trees, timber, wood, underwood, standing, lying, growing thereon, together with all the meadow lands, swamps, ponds, rivers, and brooks, lying between the bounde of Dorchester and Waymouth, together with all privileges and appurtenances belonging or anyways appertain- ing to the same, to the said Samuel Basse, Thomas Faxon, &c., in the behalf and for the use of all the inhabitants of Braintrey, to them, their heirs and assignes, forever. To have and to hold the said bargained premises, as before buttelled and bounded, together with all deeds, evidences, writings and monu- ments, that concern the same, in particular, fair and uncancelled nnto the said Samuel Basse, Thomas Faxon, &c., to the only and proper use of the inhab- itants of the Town of Braintree, to them and to their heirs and assignes, forever. And the said Wampatuck, for himself, and for his heirs, and executors, administrators and assignes, doth covenant and grant with the full consent of his wise men, abovesaid, and with Samuel Bass, Thomas Fax- on, &c., and with them, in the behalf of the inhabitants of the Town of Brain- trey, aforesaid, to them, their heirs and assignes, by these presents, that the said Wampatuck is the right owner of the said bargained premises, and to every part thereof, nnto the day of the date thereof, and hath himself full power and law- full anthority to bargain, sell, convey, and assure the same, in manner and form abovesaid. And that the said Samuel Basse, Thomas Faxon, &c., with the inhabitants of the Town of Braintrey, shall forever, hereafter, peaceably and quietly enjoy, have and hold the said bargained, with the appurtenances thereof, as abovesaid, free and clear, and clearly acquitted from all former bargains, sales, gifts and grants, joynture's tytles, dowrys, tytles of dowers, estates, mortgages, forfeitures, judgements, executions, and any other incumbrances,
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goodness, with tranquillity and prosperity, unto this day, and for the continuance of which shall forever remain most humble and earnest suppliants unto the great God and our most gracious King, as the greatest happiness that we can (at this distance) crave, or in this Wilderness enjoy.
" We do profess ourselves (upon reading and hearing a true copy) to be surprised with astonishment at the impudence and presumtion of said Rich. Thayer, in dareing to approach the Royal presence for audence with a complaint made up and com- posed of notorious untruth and falsehood, under which we do relieve ourselves only by the consideration of his character and condition, whereby he is notoriously known in New England to be a person too likely to be the author of such a composure, wherein he boldly and most impudently speaks that which will appear to be incredible, and impossible in reason to be believed when his falsehood therein shall be detected, and the truth de-
whatever ; as, also, from all tytles of any person or persons, claiming any right or tytle, interest or propriety to the same, or any part of the same, in, from, or under him, the said Wampatuck, or any of his predecessors. Excepting some lands abovesaid; whereby the said inhabitants of the Town of Braintrey, their heirs or assignes, shall, or may be, hereafter, molested by either English or Indian person, or persons, or unlawfully hunted out of the possession, by, from or under him. And that the said Samuel Basse, Thomas Faxon, &c., or any other in the behalf of the inhabitants of Braintrey, aforesaid, shall have free liberty to record and enroll the said bargained premises, or cause it to be en- rolled according to the usual custom of recording tytles in such a case. Also the said Wampatuck reserveth liberty to hunt and fish, provided he do the Eng- lish no harm. In the fifth day of August, one thousand, six hundred and sixty-five, and in the seventeenth year of the reign of our Lord and Sovereign, King Charles the second, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c.
Signed, sealed and delivered 'With some words in the original, interlined, but here inserted in their proper places, viz., men by turf and twig. in the 3d line, Mr. Quinsey's farme, line 13th. In presence of ROGER BILLINGS, BENJAMIN THOMPSON.
THOMAS KEYAHGUNSSON, his C marke. JOSEPHI MANUNION, his E marke. THOMAS WEYMOUS, his O marke.
JOSIAH, alias WAMPATUCK, his IO marke, his O seale.
DANIEL SQUAMOG, his 7 marke and a scale. OLD NAHATUN,
his X marke and a seale.
WILLIAM MANUNION, his W marke and a seale.
JOB NOISTENNS, and a seale. ROBERT, alias MAMUNTAGO, his 8 marke and a seale.
WILLIAM HAHATUN, and his seale.
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clared, which we shall hereby endeavor to do truly and fully. For,-
" Whereas, R. Thayer saith that he, with several others of his Majesty's subjects, went into New England about forty years ago. It is true his very poor father, with eight poor children, of which this Richard was one, came into New England two- and-forty years ago, in the year forty-one, in exceeding mean and low condition, and was suffered to sojourn, as a poor man and stranger, in a remote and obscure part of the town, untill he adventured to purchase only four acres of land, which at that time, and in that place, might be bought-shillings-, a very small matter, yet more than the poor man was able or willing to pay. The grantor, yet living with us, now saith he is not paid for it to this day. This Richard, who now affirms him- self to have been such a mighty purchaser as to make himself a partner and proprietor, with about seven more, in and of a town- ship, lands and plantations, which he talk of, was then, and di- vers years after, in his nonage, incapable to be such a potent purchaser or great proprietor as he pretends he was. And,-
" Whereas, he saith that himself, with several others, about forty years ago came to New England, and purchased, &c. We do not know that any one who came with him settled in this town, or were any way concerned with him in this or any other purchase. Sure we are, that none of them nominated with him upon the Indian Deed, by which he claims, came to New Eng- land with him, or know anything of him untill he appeared in the pitiful condition aforesaid.
" He also pretends his great purchase to be made about two- and-forty years ago of Wompatuck Josias, whereas that sachem was then in his nonage as well as himself, under guardianship, not capable to sell his country; which indeed was really sold by Kickquatabut, his father, and Sagamor John, his grandfather, and other petty sachems, and bought by the English long before Richard Thayer was brought to New England, and, we believe, more than twenty years before the deed was given by Wompa- tuck Josias, which indeed was given and received only as con- firmation of the English title, long before truly made by pur- chase, but not so amply confirmed by writing, which was not
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thought so necessary unto Indian Conveyances untill of later time. Neither can it be thought that Wompatuck Josias, who was known to be of more than ordinary understanding in the language and affairs of the English, - being bred up from child- hood among us, and a great lover of us, - would sell our town- ship and lands from us to Richard Thayer, much less for twenty- and-four pounds, which he knew [sic] was valuable at so high a rate with the English proprietors, had he not acknowledged our former right from his predecessors to be good, and accepted that small sum as an acknowledgement from us for his confirmation of our former title by writing.
" He saith, 'themselves and families enjoyed quiet possession for many years,' whereas it is known that neither he, nor any other purchaser nominated upon the said deed, ever possessed the township of Braintree, or any part thereof, by virtue of that purchase ; both he and they had possession and enjoyment long before his pretended purchase was made. Neither have any of those nominated with him upon said deed ever pretended any the least right of propriety to any lands or possession by virtue of that deed. What other deeds and writings in his complaint he speaks of, we know not ; we were never concerned with him in any other. The deed itself, whereby he makes his claim, de- clares him to be only a purchaser for and in behalf of said town and inhabitants thereof, and therefore that he purchased no property unto himself or unto any other, but only purchased the confirmation of the common right, from the Indian title, to his own and to every other particular inhabitant of Braintree,- every other inhabitant having as good claim by that deed to the town of Braintree, and his own particular possession therein, as Richard Thayer, and most of them much better, and paid more to that purchase. It cannot be imagined that we betrusted Richard Thayer to buy both ourselves and our children out of all lands and possessions, and so out of the world.
" The complaint of the General Court hath disposed of a great part of his lands, to his grief. It is true those lands were disposed of by the General Court twenty or thirty years before Thayer was a purchaser, or the deed by which he claims had any being. That ever he had any trial with Capt. Clapp for any 8
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land within the township of Braintree, or by any claims from the foresaid deed, we do not understand. That Major Savage might defend his right and possessions against his imaginary, pretend- ed Indian Claims, rightfully we believe.
"He yet further complains that he hath been dispossessed of his lands and plantation, and prays in his petition that he may be forthwith restored to the town and lands, according to his purchase and former long enjoyment, &c. We never understood that he made such vast claims to whole plantations in New Eng- land, nor unto our town, much less that he had possession, -- and (as he saith,) long enjoyment of our town and lands, and we know that he hath never been dispossessed and ejected. If ever he had possession and enjoyment of the town of Braintree, he hath it still. The government never ejected him that we know of.
"He presumes boldly in his complaint, that this and divers other adjacent towns are neither within the Massachusetts nor Plymouth jurisdiction. But how is it then, that Richard Thayer himself hath been so often and great plaintiff in his Majesty's Courts of Justice here, and brought so many cases and actions to a trial under this Government of this Massachusetts, and pleaded the liberties and laws of it? or, how doth he complain of wrong and injury by their not granting of him an appeal, if both himself, his lands and possessions be (as he saith,) without their jurisdiction, and independent thereupon, and consequently his case beyond their cognizance ? Or, how could he return from England (as he said he did) upon promise from the then New England Agents, with confidence and expectation of all justice and right to be done him by this Government, which he pleads had never any power to exercise any jurisdiction over him or his territories ? Or how can he, with those others whom he pretends to personate in his complaint, approve themselves such good and loyal subjects to his Majesty, having, without charter from him, purchased and possessed some of his Majesty's towns and plantations, (and as now he supposeth,) lived between forty and fifty years without any exercise of his Majesty's Government, and so could have been contented to live forever had it not been for the tyranny and oppression of this Colony,
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which he makes such grevious cry and complaint of, and in the same breath confesseth that he and his people had quiet posses- sion for many years, and former long enjoyment of his said pur- chase, which was made but about twenty years since ? Surely, then, it is but very lately that he hath felt that tyranny and oppression.
" And whereas he complaineth most deeply and sensibly of the utter ruin of himself and family; we believe it to be the real burden of his complaint. But we are witnesses to our knowl- edge that he hath brought this rnin upon himself ; for although he was never much better, yet now we believe he hath made him- self somewhat worse than poor ; having expended his time, and that little estate which he had in contention and litigation by law- suits, and we more than fear, driven an unlawful and dangerous trade with the Indians, tending much to their debauching, with whom he hath been dealing so much for Indian deeds and titles to land, and by these ways, having made himself one of the forlorn hope among men of desperate fortunes, he hath left him- self little or nothing but such imaginary vexations claims to his neighbors lands and possessions ; and can find nothing for his living but by this way of lying and romancing about his vast dominions and territories of lands, plantations and towns to pros- ecute his fictitious claims, whilst his wife and family live in sordid poverty at home.
" We have received notice that he hath presented a protest against us for refusing to give him a copy of the said deed to his great damage ; whereas the town never gave him such denial, only some persons told him the deed was not then perfected, a copy he might have taken long since at his pleasure. Neither did we then understand it the town's business to give him or any other particular inhabitant a copy; and if the town be Richard Thayer's by virtue of that deed, as he supposeth, the town was not concerned in said deed. In obedience to his Majesty's order, we do readily transmit an authentic copy out of the public records.
" That Richard Thayer hath represented us (not only) as his poor terre-tenants and vassals, living upon his lands and planta- tion without rendering unto him his dues, but also as a vagrant
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people living together, with many others in the adjacent towns, without any of his majesty's jurisdiction and the exercise of his Majesty's Government, and also insinuates that we of Braintree and the people of other towns do find ourselves aggrieved by the extension of the southern line of the Massachusetts, and oppressed by the tyranny of his Majesty's Government. Herein he hath most evidently wronged ns, for it hath appeared by an humble address to his sacred Majesty, made and subscribed by an hundred and thirty-four hands out of this small town (con- sisting of about ninety or a hundred families at the most) and by as many proportionably out of the neighboring towns, that we, together with the body of the people in these towns are far from such sense of tyranny and oppression here.
" We cannot tell whether Richard Thayer can find one beside himself that will complain as he hath done. We are beyond our expression thankful for the mercy of God, and the grace and favour of our gracious Sovereign in continuance unto us that Royal Charter, whereby we are settled under his Majesty's Government in the Massachusetts Colony, upon which our fathers with their families were by his Majesty's authority here placed upon and possessed of these lands by the indubitable rights of our Charter, as indisputable by him, the true bounds and limits thereof, and that from the first original of the planta- tion of this Colony, and have ever since, both by person and es- tate, supported his Majesty's Government here, and endeavoured to the utmost of our power and ability to serve his Majesty as his true and loyal subjects, rejoicing in all those great acts of grace w hereby his Majesty hath most graciously heretofore and hither- unto at all times owned and cherished us as his good subjects of the Massachusetts, and we shall ever pray that (as such) we and ours after us, may live to fear God and honor the King." 1
" Remonstrance of the inhabitants of Braintry to the Colonial Agents :
" To our Honoured Agents, Joseph Dudley and John Rich- ards, Esqrs. :
" Besides the universall thanks of an whole colony, which your faithfull and constant endeavours for the preservation of our im-
1, See Mass. Hist. So, Coll., Fourthı Series, Vol. V, p. 104.
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munitys call for, and most really deserve, and our hearts and hands joyne in. Wee, your poore neighbours in Braintry, inhab- itants, thinke ourselves bound to render our particular thankes for your most nervous and suitable answer exhibited to his sacred Majesty and Council, to sundry reports exhibited and insinuated by Richard Thayer of our towne, whose endeavors to pursuade his Majestie and Council that wee are discontented with or tyr- annized over by this Government is utterly ffalse. That wee have sworne loyaltie yourselves can attest, which is more than ever he practized if ever he promised. Neither is it likely that he that layes a traine to blow up the reputation, liberty and rights of his poore neighbours, would (like another F. Faux) refuse to put fire in a more desperate Case. Had wee any com- plaints to make (as meane as wee are) wee could find more man- ly advocates, yet not so sordid, as (if possibly to bee avoided and evaded) to admitt such a bramble to rule over us. Wee (as to the Commission sent over) have attended it. Some things are to be practised, not disputed, of which nature this is. By what (this Mr. Thayer, as your Honours please to call him) is buoyed up, wee cannot see, but hee lookes like a litle Soveraigne here, before the power be in his hands. And of a mushrome, hee's swolne in conceipt to a Coloss, or giant of State, and dreams of a Dukedome or petty province, since at first essay hee hath gotten a Maister-shippe. His father's shoppe, who was a cobler, would now hardly conteine him with his arms a Kembow. The vast tract of land he makes such a puther about is a mere Utopia, or, if more, a derne solitary desert, and his share therein can hardly reach the five hundredth part. As for the limits of the Colonys, wee have nothing but records, they having been stated by a speci ill order from his Majesty, above twenty-five years since, and disputable only by Mr. Thayer, who, having sold himself out of both colonies, seeks to draw in sovereigne assis- tance to create him a new world betweene them. The body of the towne are of one soule as to satisfaction in the present Gov- ernment, and looke at themselves as basely traduced by Thayer's reports. Whose cards, had they been good, hee had the less need of cheating, fraud and falsehood to helpe him ont. If any whose birth or breeding Braintry knows not, have crept into the
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skirts of our seattering towne at unawares, such, and such only, can wee suspect of willingness to alter the present Government, whose despicable fortunes and spirits by such innovations may be heightened to doe their innocent neighbours a mischiefe and themselves no good. Our consciences doe not chide us for dis- loyalty, nor our Sovereigne. Nor are wee afraid to looke our neighbour in the face, having hopes to bee believed in our reports as well as hee, who hath given out such vapouring words, as are sufficient to make an host of cowards run out of y'r wits, but we hope none of us shall step out of the colony. The same clem- ency that hath appeared in our Sovereigne, to lend an eare to a single complaint, wee hope will not be stopt at the petitions of many hundreds living, and thousands unborne, for the con- tinnance of our wonted liberties, according to our ample charter by the Royall James, and by Charles the first of blessed memory, and by our present and most celebrated Sovereigne continued, and which wee have never violated. Wee cease not day nor night to pray for his Royall p'son, Our great defender under God, and for his most Honourable Council. Neither do we forget your honours, our most faithfull advocates, but begge the most high to secure your persons, succeed and prosper your consulta- tions, dispatch your affaires, and hasten your returne, that thousands who at your departure disbursed floods of tears, may once at length embrace you with an ocean of joy.
" Your Honours affectionately obliged serv'ts,
RICHARD BRACKETT, EDMUND QUINSEY,
SAMUEL TOMPSON, CHRISTOPHER WEBBE.
CALEB HOBART.
" Braintry, Newengland, 14th, 6th, 1683.
" Addressed. 'To our Honoured agents, Joseph Dudley and John Richards, Esqurs, at London.'
" Endorsed in Dudley's hand, Braintry." 1
It might be useful to describe some of the old land marks noticed in the early records in laying out and locating the bounds of land, &c., that have now become extinct.
The Newbury Farm, in the early settlement of the town, was in Dorchester, now ward twenty-four, Boston, and located this
1. See Mass. Gen. Hist. Register, Vol .. XIX, p. 53.
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LAND MARKS.
side of the Neponset river ; it has since been annexed to Quincy. This farm contained about four hundred acres.
The Wilson Farm joined the Newbury Farm on its northerly bounds. This farm embraced what is now Mr. E. B. Taylor's, Rawson's, and a part of John J. Glover's farms ; also a portion of Wollaston Heights.
The Furnace Brook probably derived its name from an old iron furnace having been erected on it. It takes its source in the southwesterly part of the town, and runs in a northeasterly direction, and enters Quincy Bay at the Mount Wollaston farm. This portion of the stream goes by the name of Black's Creek, deriving this name from Mr. Moses Black, a former owner of this farm, now occupied by Mr. Peter Butler, and formerly the old Quincy domain. It is said that vessels have been built on this creek.
Town Brook runs through the centre of the town, or as it is called in the early records, the " heart of Braintree," and empties into the Quincy Canal.
Standing or Dead Brook is at what is now Wollaston Heights, running through Mr. Josiah Quincy's land into the bay.
Bear Meadow and Wolf Pit, so often mentioned in the old records of deeds, we have not been able to locate.
Ship Cove was at what is now called Quincy Neck, and was the earliest place where vessels were built. They were princi- pally constructed for fishing purposes.
The Great Fenced Fields so frequently mentioned in the old records comprised the land at Quincy Point, and extended to Knight's Neck, (now Quincy Neck) including Ship Cove.
Stony Fields embraced the Cranch farm, so-called, directly back of President's Hill.
Scotch Pond Road was the old way to the North Commons, and ran in a northwesterly direction through the Commons to Adams street, opposite the estate of Mr. William Greenongh. For years it has been discontinued.
The Old Fields District was that part of the town now called Quincy Point.
Woods' District embraced that part of the town now called West Quincy.
.
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LAND MARKS.
The Farms included that tract now called North Quincy.
Pumpkin Hill,-It seems by the old records that on this eleva- tion, pumpkins, those luxuries of "ye olden times," were raised in common. It was in the vicinity of what is called Souther's Hill, and a part of Dublin.
Monatiquot,-It appears by the records of deeds that this name, so constantly mentioned to locate land in this vicinity, was used to designate the old town of Braintree.
Randolph, or the south precinct of the old township of Brain- trec, before its incorporation, was described as Quocheco, Cocha- to, and latterly Scadding.
" The Three Hill Marsh is the great salt marsh lying immedi- ately southeast of Mount Wollaston."
We find so many Captain's Plains and Captain's Bridges that it is of little or no use to define them.
Moor's Farm was on a tributary of the Monatiquot river, and near Great Pond. By a vote of the town in 1766, they prohib- ited shutting up of any dam that would exclude the course of alewives up the Moor's Farm River.
" Bendal's Farm was probably the tract granted to Mr. Edward Bendal in July, 1641, of four hundred acres. It lies in the west- erly part of Randolph, probably between the site of the present Congregational Meeting-house on the south, and the Baptist Meeting-house on the north."
Knight's Neck was formerly called Braintree Neck, and was annexed to Quincy April 24th, 1856. It is now called Quiney Neek.
Shed's Neek included that traet of land which is now called Germantown.
Hough's Neck still retains its original name.
Penn's Hill was named after a Mr. William Penn, who, in the first settlement of the town, owned the most of the hill and also a large tract of land on the Monatiquot river, which he sold to the Iron Company. In the first town records it is always called Penn's Hill, and we can find no authority for calling it by any other name.
INCORPORATION OF QUINCY.
We find as early as 1728, an effort was made to incorporate the North Precinct of Braintree into a separate town, which proved unsuccessful, as will be seen from the following action of . the town on the question, viz :--
" There was a meeting of the town of Braintree, to receive the report of the committee to whom was referred the subject of dividing the town, who reported in favor, but the town would not accept it." 1
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