USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of the early settlement of Bridgewater, in Plymouth county, Massachusetts, including an extensive Family register > Part 2
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15
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
the court's committee at last, and not the town, fixed the centre, as the monumental tree bore the initials of Constant Southworth, (C. S.,) who no doubt was the efficient member of the court's committee in performing the work. Capt. Miles Standish had in the mean time deceased, and the land was laid out to his son Alexander. It cannot be doubted that Bridgewater was assent- ing to, if not aiding in this result, as there is neither record or tradition that any dissatisfaction was ever manifested by them. This centre is about a mile and a half west of the old wear at Satucket, and the place has ever since been called the Centre, and is near the house of Thomas Hayward, now aged eighty- six, whose father Thomas, and grandfather Thomas lived on the same spot, which will probably also descend to his son Thomas now living with him. They have successively owned and occu- pied it from its first settlement ; about 140 years.
In 1658 the town petitioned the court for a grant of a large and valuable tract of swamp and meadow lands, called by the Indians Hockomock, lying on the west side of the town towards Taunton, (now Easton and Raynham,) as appears, as well as the reasons assigned for it, in the following order of court :-
" It is agreed by the court that there shall be chosen such as the town of Bridgewater shall think meet, that are no ways engaged in the new plantation of Duxbury, to view out the land and meadow desired by Bridgewater, and to consider of the reasonableness of their desire, in reference to the accommo- dating of some useful men in church and commonwealthı, and make true report of the same to the court."-The same was afterwards granted, and confirmed to them as follows :-
" 1662. In answer to a petition preferred to the court by Bridgewater it is agreed, that the meadow land lying northward and westward from the Centre within the seven miles is granted them."
The centre here, as well as the seven miles, refers no doubt to the original purchase of the Indians, the new centre tree not having been then fixed and established. This will appear from the deposition of Constant Southworth and Samuel Nash, two of the purchasers, which had been taken about this time in conse- quence of some doubts entertained by the court probably,
--
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HISTORY OF THE
whether the purchase would include the lands prayed for by the town. It is here subjoined :-
" The town (Duxbury) appointed me with others to purchase of Ossamequin a tract of land about a place known to our town by the name of Satucket, which we did from the centre six miles, which centre is the wear in the river above expressed, and we paid him for it; the writing or deed expressed, under Ossamequin's own hand, was seven miles .- The oath of Con- stant Southworth, Lieut. Nash being also deposing to the same ; in court held at Plymouth, June 10th, 1662."
A few years afterwards, July 5, 1667, the town made applica- tion to the court for a more general and extensive grant, whereupon "Capt. Bradford, (William) and the Treasurer, (Constant Southworth) were appointed to view the land desired by Bridgewater in reference to their enlargement according to their petition." The following grant was accordingly made :---
" An additional grant made by the court of New Plymouth to the town of Bridgewater, AD., 1688. In reference to a former grant upon a petition presented to the court by Bridgewater, desiring their enlargement may extend to where the six miles extends that they purchased of the Indians by order from the court ; the court having granted unto the township of Bridge- water that they shall have six miles from the centre on the north side, if the line of the Colony hindereth not, and on the west side up to Taunton bounds, (now Raynham and Easton, ) and on the south and south-easterly sides unto Titicut River, as far as the six miles extends ; and so likewise on the east side ; that is to say, the whole six miles from the centre east, west, north and south ; always provided that grants of lands formerly made by the court be not molested. It is also ordered, that as to those lands that are between Bridgewater and Namasket, (Mid- dleborough,) already granted, it shall be determined by the court unto what town they shall belong ; and that the Indians be not molested, notwithstanding this enlargement ; and that all these grants that are within the six miles shall belong to the township of Bridgewater; and that the said town of Bridge- water be careful to accommodate Mr. Keith, (their minister,) with a competeney of land within the said grant of six miles."
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
This has been commonly called the "two miles additional grant," and the first one, the " old four mile grant." It would seem by this grant, as well as by Constant Southworth's deposi- tion, as if it were understood by the court, that the original purchase of the Indians had been only six miles each way, and not seven as the fact was. This, however, was so expressed in conformity with the new centre, which had been established" a mile or more farther west, leaving them not more than six miles on the west side, and on the east six miles would extend to, and even beyond the Major's purchase, so called, of which the great cedar swamp in Hanson constitutes a principal part, and which, being an earlier grant, was the utmost limit of their purchase on that side of the town. By this additional grant, therefore, they obtained their two miles on the north towards the Massa- chusetts Colony line, and a part on the south, but little, if any, on the east and west. On the south, the six miles would extend into the Indian settlement at Titicut, which the court reserved in all their subsequent adjacent grants. This reserve had been early made to the Titicut Indians, extending three miles on each side of the river. In the former account of Bridgewater, it is stated that the Indian plantation of Titicut was granted by Chickatabut, a Sachem of Massachusetts living at Neponsit. This is probably incorrect, as he died in 1633, of the small pox ; and Titicut, as we have already seen, was not established till after 1644, when it was spoken of as "being about to be erected." If granted at all, therefore, it must have been done by his son Josias Chickatabut or Wampatuck, who lived at Mattakeset, or Pembroke, and who went to the Mohawk country after 1666, and there died, and whose son Josiah gave a deed of confirmation of the Titicut purchase to Bridgewater in 1686, who had a son Jeremy, whose son, Charles Josiah, was the last of the race. If it was ever granted, or was anything more than a reserve, the limits were probably not very accurately defined ; as the court in their grants round about it required the grantees not to encroach or locate their lands "too near to Titicut," or to "molest the Indians." There seems to have been some uncertainty as to the precise limits of the respective jurisdic- tions of Massasoit and Chickatabut. We find on record the 3
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HISTORY OF THIE
deposition of five Indians taken before Increase Nowell, John Eliot, and John Hoare in 1650, as follows :- " We do all affirm, that Chickatabut's bounds did extend from Nishamagoguanett, near Duxbury mill, to Titicut, near Taunton, and to Nunckata- teset, (a pond in Bridgewater,) and from thence in a straight line to Wanamampuke, (Whiting's Pond in Wrentham,) which is the head of Charles River, this they do all solemnly affirm." Notwithstanding this, Massasoit as we have seen, sold and con- veyed the whole of the eight mile square, containing the princi- pal part of Bridgewater, and a part of Abington and Pembroke, all within the above limits, to Duxbury ; which corroborates a remark of Prince in his chronology, that "these Massachusetts Sachems were not completely independent, but acknowledged a degree of subjection to Massasoit." This Indian testimony favors the plea of Massachusetts, in the case pending between us and Rhode Island with regard to the line of jurisdiction, in which the great Wrentham Pond is claimed to be the southern- most part of Charles River, which claim is contested by Rhode Island. All the land on the north side of Titicut River was within the six miles, and Bridgewater were allowed afterwards to purchase it, and Nicholas Byram, Samuel Edson, and William Brett were appointed by the court for that purpose ; and the deed they procured is as follows :-
" This deed, made November 20th, AD. 1672, witnesseth, that I, Pomponoho, alias Peter, an Indian, living at Titicut, in the colony of New Plymouth, in New England, have sold for the full sum of sixteen pounds, viz., six pounds of current money of New England, and ten pounds in good merchantable corn, as by bill appeareth, all the lands lying on the north side of Titicut River within the bounds of Bridgewater, what lands were mine, or were either my father's or grandfather's, or any otherwise conferred on me, excepting those lands expressed as follows, viz :- one hundred acres of land lying up the river to the eastward of small brook, given to an Indian called Charles, my brother-in-law, and a certain parcel of land lying against the wear, and bounded by the landing place, running to the head of my field, containing about ten acres at the utmost, I say, I, the abovesaid Pomponoho, alias Peter, have bargained,
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
sold, and by these presents do bargain, and sell for myself, my heirs and assigns forever, unto Nicliolas Byram, sen., Samuel Edson, sen., and William Brett, sen., in and for the use of the townsmen of Bridgewater, joint purchasers with them, which persons above mentioned were ordered by the court to make purchase of those lands, as by court record appears, I say I have sold all these lands, with every part thereof, and all the immunities and privileges belonging thereunto to them, their heirs and assigns forever, the same quietly and peaceably to possess, without the lawful let, interruption, or molestation of me, the abovesaid Pomponoho, alias Peter, or other persons whatsoever lawfully claiming by, from, or under me, them, or any of them. In witness whereof I have here set to my hand and seal. his
Read, sealed, and delivered POMPONOHO, (P.) mark.
in presence of us,
JOSEPH HAYWARD,
JOHN CARY, Sen."
Acknowledged before JOSIAH WINSLOW, Gov., Feb. 20, 1676. Recorded by NATHANIEL CLARK, Secretary, March, 1685.
The two reserved lots, in the above grant, were afterwards purchased by individuals in the town. Thus all the lands within the most extensive limits of the town appear to have been justly and fairly purchased of the Indians; and we have the above named Governor Winslow's attestation on record, that this was the case in all the towns in the Old Colony of Plymouth.
In the year 1685, the court of assistants were empowered to examine, allow, and confirm from time to time all claims and titles to land formerly granted either to towns or individuals by the general court, and, when allowed, they were to "pass the seal of the Government for confirmation." In pursuance of this order, all the grants made to Bridgewater as above stated and described, were confirmed by the following deed under the hand of Governor Hinckley, and the seal of the Government.
" At his Majesty's Court of Assistants, held at Plymouth, the 6th of March, AD. 1685-6.
To all to whom these presents shall come, Thomas Hinckley,
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HISTORY OF THE
Esq., Governor of his Majesty's Colony of New Plymouth, in New England, sendeth greeting .- Whereas, at his Majesty's general court held at Plymouth the 4th of June 1685, it was ordered and enacted, that the court of assistants be from time to time a committee empowered to examine, allow, and confirm all such claims and titles to lands, which were formerly granted or allowed by the general court, either to townships or particular persons ; which being allowed by the said committee, shall pass the seal of the Government for further confirmation thereof; and forasmuch as it hath been made to appear to the said court of assistants now sitting at Plymouth, the first Tuesday in March, 1685-6, that a certain tract of land was granted by . William Bradford, Esq., and his associates assembled in court in the year of our Lord 1645, unto the inhabitants of the town of Duxbury, (a competent proportion of lands,) about a place called by the Indians Massaquatucket, for a plantation for them the inhabitants of Duxbury, and that they shall have it four miles every way from the centre ; the inhabitants of Duxbury being fifty-six in number, by agreement among themselves, every one were to have equal shares, who, by the approbation and appointment of his Majesty's honored court in New Ply- mouth 1645, did employ Mr. Constant Southworth, with some others, to purchase the above mentioned tract of land of Ossa- mequin, chief Sachem of the Poconocket country, which being done, and now inhabited by many of the proprietors, is now called Bridgewater, and all such privileges allowed to them as the court allows or grants to other townships ; and having set up their centre, his Majesty's court held at Plymouth 1668, did grant to Bridgewater six miles from the centre on all four sides, where former grants made by the court hindereth not, as appears in court records, and is bounded out by the agents of each respective town adjoining, as appears by their hands to their agreement, and assented to and acknowledged before the Governor and his associates, sitting in his Majesty's court held at Plymouth, the 2d of March 1685-6, the bounds of the whole township being settled between them and other towns adjoining, are as followeth :- The bounds betwixt Bridgewater and Taunton being a heap of stones lying four miles west from
21
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
the centre, and running north from station to station, till it meet with the line of the colonies ; and from said heap of stones south, to a heap of stones lying to the west of Unketest Pond, and from thence south-east unto a great white oak being marked with a T for Taunton, and on the north side with a B for Bridgewater ; and so from station to station till it come to the great river on the westward side of a spot of meadow, accord- ing to the agreement of the agents of both towns. And the bounds between Middleborough and Bridgewater is the great river, until it come to the north side of Mr. Standish's land, lying on the mouth of Winnetuxit river, and so from the north side of said Standish's land until it meet with the eastermost line of Bridgewater, being a heap of stones four miles from the centre, which is the bounds between them and the Major's purchase, running from said heap of stones south and by west half a point westerly, until it meet with said Standish's land, &c., and from the aforesaid heap of stones running north north- east from station to station to four white oaks, the easternmost marked on all four sides, and so from station to station until it meet with the north line. The north bounds being six miles from the centre, to a company of small trees marked, being to the northward of a great rock, and from the aforesaid marked trees running east until it meet with the abovesaid north-east line, and from the aforementioned marked trees running west till it meet with the line of the colonies, and with the line of the colonies till it meet with the westerly line and Taunton (now Easton) bounds. All which lands, both upland and meadow, swamps, cedar swamps, ponds, rivers, brooks, springs, wood, underwood, and all herbage, feedings, minerals, with all rights, liberties, privileges, and appurtenances thereto belonging, unto the appropriated inhabitants and other proprietors, though not inhabitants of the said town of Bridgewater, according to each person's several and respective title or interest therein, except- ing two-fifth parts of the royal mine, one fifth part to his royal Majesty, and the other fifth part to the President and Council. To have and to hold unto the said town and proprietors respect- ively, to their and every of their heirs and assigns forever, according to the tenor of our charter or letters patent granted
L
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HISTORY OF THE
by the honorable council at Plymouth, in the county of Devon, for the planting, ordering, and governing of New England, derivatory from his Majesty King James the first of happy memory ; and in testimony hereof, doth allow the public seal of the Government to be affixed thereunto for the further confirm- ation thereof. THOMAS HINCKLEY, Governor.
Attest NATHANIEL CLARK, Secretary.
A confirmation of the original purchase made of Ossamequin was also obtained about the same time, as follows :-
" To all christian people to whom these presents shall come, Josiah Wampatuck sendeth, greeting .- Know ye, that I Josiah aforesaid, for and in consideration of ten pounds in money to me in hand paid, and one hundred acres of land lying on the upper end of Poor Meadow, on the lower side of a foot path that goeth to Scituate, lying on both sides of the river, doth confirm, establish, and ratify unto Samuel Edson, sen., Ensign John Haward, and John Willis, sen., in behalf of the purchasers and town of Bridgewater in New Plymouth Colony in New England, and to their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns forever, all that whole tract of land lying northward of the south four mile line of Bridgewater, which Ossamequin, Sachem of the Poconocket country, by the consent and appro- bation of his Majesty's general court held at Plymouth, in New England, in the year 1645, sold to the inhabitants of Duxbury, as appears by deed under Ossamequin's hand to Capt. Miles Standish, Mr. Constant Southworth, and Samuel Nash, as agents for the town of Duxbury. I, the abovesaid Josiah do ratify and confirm the above said sale of Ossamequin's, and bargain of lands belonging to Bridgewater, as uplands, swamps, meadows, brooks, rivers, ponds, timber, underwood, herbage, mines, with all commodities, benefits, privileges, immunities and appurte- nances whatever therein contained. I the abovesaid Josiah also do ratify, establish, and confirm, and forever make over all my right, title, and interest in the above mentioned land from me, my heirs, executors and assigns, unto the abovesaid Samuel Edson, John Haward, and John Willis, agents for the town of Bridgewater, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
forever ; to have and to hold, occupy and enjoy, as their proper right, forever, without any claim, title, interest or molestation to be made by me, my heirs, executors, or assigns, or any other person or persons to any part or parcel thereof, in, by, or under me any way appertaining, and do by these presents bind myself, and heirs, and executors, and assigns, to maintain and defend the above mentioned sale of lands against any other Indian or Indians, that shall make any claim or title to any part or parcel thereof. In witness whereof, I have set to my hand and seal this twenty-third day of December, and in the second year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James II, AD. one thou- sand six hundred and eighty-six.
The mark of JOSIAH WAMPATUCK. A
Signed, sealed, and delivered
in presence of us : JOHN SOULE,
JOSEPH BARSTOW,
SAMUEL TINSLEY.
Acknowledged before
WILLIAM BRADFORD,
Deputy Governor. December 23d, 1686.
Recorded p. 425, Great Book of Records.
Pr. SAMUEL SPRAGUE, Recorder.
The one hundred acres mentioned in the above confirmation were afterwards re-purchased by individuals in the town. From this deed it appears the greatest part of the town was twice purchased of the Indians, once of Massasoit, and again of Wampatuck, and a valuable consideration paid each time.
By the boundaries of the town, as described in Governor Hinckley's deed of confirmation, it is evident a gore of land was still left on the north between Bridgewater and the line of the colonies, commencing at the point where the six mile line met the colony line towards the north-west corner of the town, and thence extending easterly to the north-east corner of the town, where the distance to the colony line is considerable. The westerly and narrow end of this gore, having been purchased of the Government after the union of the colonies, by Daniel Howard and Robert Howard, was on the petition of the select- men of the town, annexed to Bridgewater October 15th, 1730.
These several grants and additions constituted all the territory
24
IIISTORY OF THE
ever belonging to Bridgewater in its greatest extent. The greatest part of Abington, and what is now Hanson, at that period, belonged to Bridgewater, which must then have con- tained about ninety-six square miles. In this situation, and with these extensive territorial dimensions the town remained, without change or diminution, till June 10, 1712, when Abing- ton was incorporated.
When the Abington petitioners first applied for an act of incorporation, July 4, 1706, they denominated themselves " cer- tain inhabitants of the east part of the town of Bridgewater, and proprietors of a certain tract of land between the towns of Weymouth, Hingham, Scituate, and Bridgewater ;" and when the act was finally passed in 1712, the boundaries were thus described. "On the north with the line of the colonies of the Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth,-on the east upon the town of Scituate,-on the south with the line that is the southerly bounds of land of John Cushing, Esq., and of John Cushing, Jr., Esq.,-thence on the south-westerly side by certain bounds, which the town of Bridgewater have set and prefixed, to Beaver Brook,-and on the west with the said brook, until it comes to the extent of Bridgewater northward : together with a small gore of land lying between the said town of Bridgewater and the said line of the colonies : the town of Bridgewater having signified their consent thereto." By the plain and express language of the statute, the whole gore is included in Abington ; but for some reasons now unknown, the "Howard Farms" seem, as the selectmen of Bridgewater in their petition stated, to have been considered as "belonging to no town," till they were annexed to Bridgewater in 1730.
Another considerable tract on the east part of the town was annexed to Pembroke June 7, 1754, and now constitutes the greater part of Hanson. The old Bridgewater line was as far east as the west line of the farm formerly owned and occupied by the late Rev. Dr. Hitchcock. These two are the only in- stances in which any considerable portions of the town have been annexed to other corporations. Questions and disputes as to boundaries were formerly frequently arising between this and neighboring towns. The latest occurred with Middleborough,
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EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
which was finally settled by court June 8, 1716, when the great river was constituted the boundary between them. This seems to have been done in pursuance of the express power which the court had reserved to itself in the " two mile additional grant."
The boundaries of the town as finally settled, may be thus described :- On the east it is bounded by Halifax and Hanson ; on the north by Abington, Randolph, and Stoughton; on the west by Easton and Raynham ; and on the south by Middle- borough, Titicut river there constituting the boundary. It is the north-west town in the county of Plymouth, adjoining the county of Norfolk, or Old Colony line on the north, and the county of Bristol on the west. Its dimensions may be estimated at about twelve miles by six, and as containing at least seventy square miles. The centre of the town is about twenty-six miles from Boston, twenty from Plymouth, and ten from Taunton.
SETTLEMENT, DIVISIONS, AND PROPRIETORS.
BRIDGEWATER was the first interior settlement in the Old Colony. The grant of the plantation, as we have seen, was made in 1645, but the actual settlement was not commenced till after 1650. Each settler had at first a grant of a house lot of six acres on the town river, then called Nuckatest or Nuncke- tetest, an Indian name in close affinity with that of the pond from which it flows, now called Nippenicket, formerly written Neapnucket or Neapnuncket. The first lots were taken up in West Bridgewater, and the first houses built, and first improve- ments made there ; and the settlement was called after the name of the river, Nuncketest, or Nunckety, sometimes Unkety. These Indian names were variously written in the early records and documents. We have seen that in Governor Hinckley's deed of confirmation, the pond itself is called Unketest. The plantation bore the more general appellation of Satucket. These house lots were contiguous, and the settlement compact, with a view to mutual aid when common protection and defence against the Indians should be required, and extended on each side of 4
26
HISTORY OF THE
the river, from where Seth Lothrop lately lived, down to John- son's four corners, a little easterly of where Capt. Rider now lives. The proprietors or original purchasers, whose names have already been given were fifty-four in number, and were all inhabitants of Duxbury, excepting William Bradford, about whom there are some doubts. He is supposed to have been the son of the Governor and afterwards Deputy Governor. He lived in Kingston, near the line of Duxbury, and owned land in Duxbury, and, as it is said, attended meeting there. He was about twenty years old when the grant was made, but before the actual settlement of it, he was over twenty-six, and when the town was incorporated was over thirty .. These were probably house holders, or heads of families ; many of them were so certainly, and probably all. Deacon Samuel Edson, from Salem, was an early settler in the new plantation, and built the first mill in the place ; and the Rev. James Keith, from Scotland, was their first minister ; and the proprietors gave to each of them one share, making the whole number of shares fifty-six, as has been before stated. Of these proprietors, not more than one third actually removed and became inhabitants of the new plantation. The rest from time to time conveyed their shares to their sons, or sold them to others, who became residents there. The follow- ing original purchasers became permanent settlers, viz :-
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