USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of the early settlement of Bridgewater, in Plymouth county, Massachusetts, including an extensive Family register > Part 42
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" It has been a singular felicity unto this good people, that from the very infancy of their plantation, they have sat under the ministry of that gracious, faithful, humble servant of God, who continues with them to this day. He has been a precious gift of our ascended Lord unto them ; and they have hitherto rejoiced in his light ; and we rejoice with them, that after fifty- four years, his light yet shines with such brightness among them.
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" We can make no doubt, but that, as they have grown into such good circumstances under his painful and patient conduct, they will study in all the methods of goodness, to render his old age comfortable to him, and so multiply all the offices and ex- pressions of a grateful people towards him, with an affection and reverence, like what the church of Smyrna paid unto their aged polycarp, that he may anon die, blessing of them, and blessing of God for them. They will certainly find their account in do- ing so !
" The savoury sermon, which is here extorted for the public from him, we recommend unto the blessing of God, that so the ends of piety, which the good people have proposed in thus ex- hibiting a lasting memorial of what God has done for them, and a constant remembrancer of their duty, may be answered.
INCREASE MATHER, COTTON MATHER.
A second edition of it was published and another preface added June 14, 1768, just fifty-one years after, and the Rev. John Angier's sermon, at the ordination of his son, the Rev. Samuel Angier, Dec. 23, 1767, which was the occasion of print- ing the 2d edition, was bound with some of the copies.
See page 47 .- When the South Parish was incorporated in 1716 it was ordered by the General Court, as we have before seen, that the old meeting-house in the West Parish (then called the North Parish) should stand where it was for five years, and then be removed down to the four corners by Isaac Johnson's, in order no doubt to accommodate the easterly part (now East Bridg'r). Before the five years expired however a petition, signed - by John Packard and others, was preferred to the General Court, praying that the old house might remain where it was, which was heard by the Court Nov. 9, 1720, and the prayer granted. This was assented to by the East in consideration of a sugges- tion made by the West, that the East would soon probably be desirous of becoming a separate Parish, and in that case the present house if removed would accommodate neither Parish ; and of a consequent agreement made in parish meeting Nov. 6, 1719, that if the East would contribute towards settling a minis- ter (Mr. Perkins) in the West, whatever they paid (about £65) should be refunded when the East should become a Parish, and
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thus be called on to build a house and settle a minister for them- selves. When therefore that period occured the East called on the West to refund, but were denied, and no record of any such vote or agreement could be produced. The East then, by Josiah Sears and sixty-three others, applied to the General Court in June, 1726, for some remedy or relief; whereon an order of notice passed, and Nathaniel Brett, Clerk of the old Parish, was summoned to attend, who appeared, and on examination testified that such a vote was passed, which he produced on a loose paper made at the time of passing it, and which he confessed " he ought in discharge of his office to have made a record of at that time." This the Court considered sufficient, but referred the petitioners to the judicial courts for a remedy. An action was accordingly commenced at the next September Term of the C. C. Pleas at Plymouth, in which John Read appeared for plaintiff's, and J. Overing for defendants. The East finally recovered, but not till they had expended nearly the whole amount in prosecuting their claim.
July 1, 1730. Jona. Howard, Joseph Keith, Israel Packard, and Ephraim Fobes, a Committee of the West Parish, applied to the General Court, shewing that their meeting-house was much decayed and that it had been voted to build a new one, and that the inhabitants were much divided about the place where it should be erected, and praying therefore for a viewing Committee to determine where it should stand : whereupon Seth Williams Esq., Mr. Thacher and Mr. Lemon were appointed, and reported Dec. 21, 1730, that " having viewed all the places shewn to them by the contending parties they are of opinion that where the old house stands is the proper place," which was accepted.
See pages 54, 55 .- To the List of Graduates there should be added Jairus S. Keith of S. B. or Titicut, gra. B. U. 1819, and Lewis Washburn of S. B. gra. B. U. 1826 ; also Thomas J. Snow of N. B. gra. B. U. 1823, Abel W. Kingman of N. B. gra. Amherst 1830, Austin 'Cary of N. B. gra. Amherst 1837, Samuel Dike of N. B. gra. B. U. 1838.
See page 71 .- The following is the petition referred to in p. 71 : " To the honored Governor (Thomas Hinckley), and Deputy Governor and Assistants sitting at Plymouth in New England the first Tuesday in June 1685.
" God by his providence hath placed the bounds of our
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habitation in Bridgewater, and on the eastward side of the town, and about two miles some of us, and some three miles from the mecting-house and mill and chief parts of the town ; and though we have lived there many years, some of us have had no way into the town, but what we have had upon sufferance through men's lands that have been laid out and of our own making of bridges to pass over a river that lies between some of us and the town. We have made and kept up a horse bridge over this river, called Matfield river, many years, which has been a great benefit to us that live there, and to many others, and strangers that have occasion to pass that way, especially in times of great floods, it being the best place and most convenient for a bridge in a mile up and down the river, which runs about South and North for the length of it, but the lands being laid out on both sides of it and butting upon this river, our bridge lying over this river on the northerly side of a twenty acre lot, the owner of the land has fenced it in ; and now we have no way to go to the town without going three-quarters of a mile about, and partly upon sufferance too many of us ; we think it is very hard that living in a wilderness, we cannot have convenient room for highways. We have made our case known to the town and can have no help. This lot where our bridge lies is the chief hindrance, and yet there is common land joining to the lower side of it left as we understand by the feoffees for allowance for a highway, but of itself it is altogether incapable of a way. There are many others in the town that desire there might be a sworn jury to lay out such highways as are needful, and to perfect such as are begun. So desiring your help as God shall direct you. Your humble petitioners." [See the names, page 71.]
The preceding history was principally compiled before Bridge- water was divided, and therefore applies to it as if entire and as it formerly stood after the separation of those parts which were incorporated with Abington, and Pembroke(now Hanson). Large as it was it remained without further division for nearly one hun- dred years. Movements and applications for it were however early and frequently made. In the year 1719, the South, only three years after its incorporation as a parisli, applied to the General Court to be made a distinct town, as appears by the petition of Josiah Edson and sixty others, and the North, then
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including all the rest of the town, agreed to it, and it was granted in the House of Rep. Nov. 24, 1719, but was non-concurred in by the Council. What is now the North also originally petitioned to be a town in 1738, and the town itself consented, and voted also at the same time, as we have already seen, that the South and East should become distinct and separate towns; but the General Court resisted all these applications. Some years be- fore any division was finally effected strong desires for it were manifested, principally from the South and North Par- ishes, which were the most remote from the centre. But means were adopted to obviate complaints and to prevent separation. The town however at last, having increased in population, and the discontent, never entirely appeased, reviving and no longer to be restrained, was rapidly divided into four distinct towns. The North, though the youngest parish, had become the most populous as well as the most distant from the town house, first applied and was incorporated June 15, 1821, by the name of North Bridgewater.
The West (the old town) was incorporated Feb. 16, 1822, by the name of West Bridgewater.
The East was incorporated June 14, 1823, by the name of East Bridgewater.
The South, with Titicut, remains therefore with the old name, Bridgewater, and the town records which had for 166 years re- mained principally at the West, were transferred to the South. It is somewhat remarkable that the South, which was the first to move for separation and often the most forward in it, should after all secure its object and retain the original name by remaining quiet. The inhabitants felt a pride in belonging to so large and respectable a town, and were somewhat reluctant to separate, and therefore endured the inconveniences of union much longer than otherwise perhaps they would have done; and we accord- ingly see each division still fondly retaining the cherished name as far as public convenience will permit. The old proprietors' records still remain in West Bridgewater.
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ADDITIONAL CORRECTIONS TO PAGE 8. - 1841.
Page 8. To the list of Senators in the first paragraph, add Ar- temas Hale, and Jesse Perkins.
" 83. No. 17. after Eleazar in the parenthesis for 6, read 9.
" 106. No. 4. for Rev. Josiah Smith, read Rev. Thomas Smith.
" 107. No. 3 & 5, dele Capt .-
" 109. Article Barrett. After James 1738, add Robert 1740 b. at N. B.
" 113. In No. 2, after Daniel, insert Jacob, Polly w. of Libeus Smith, and Anna, w. of Captain Seth Gurney.
" 122. Article Brown. for Emily, read Harriet.
" 127. No. 3. for 1643. at the bottom of the page read 1743 .-
" 131. No. 4. dele probably of John Shaw of Weymouth, and insert, of Ens'n. Josiah Standish.
" 152. No. 8. after William Orcutt, for 1755, read 1715.
" 157. Article Egerton. for 1834, read 1734 .-
" 167. Article Gay. for 1725 and 1728, read 1825 and 1828.
" 170. Article Hanmer No 2., for Mary, read Martha.
" 172. In Article 3, for 1820, read 1720.
" 175. No. 10. for 1720, read 1820.
" 182. No. 45. Hannah who m Perkins was not this woman, but D. of Edmund Hayward No. 40 .-
" 1SS. Article Holman. for John Quincy, insert Daniel Quin- cy.
" 193. No 9. dele Captain Zebedee Snell 1761, and insert Nathan Willis 1757. Snell perhaps m. Martha, D. of Joshua Howard, No. 113-m. 1761.
'. 195. No. 24. Susanna who m. Lathrop, was not this woman, but a D. of Capt. Jona. Howard No. 31.
" 199. No. 60. dele David 27, and insert Nathan 64 .-
" 220. Under Article Lydia Kingman-for 1834, read 1734.
" 224. Article Lathrop, add Mark Lathrop was at Salem in 16-13.
" 226. No. 19. dele Theophilus, and insert Capt. Jonathan .-
" 235. No. 5. To the children of Jacob there mentioned, add Joseph, Josiah, and Jacob. Joseph m. an Orcutt, and had Ephraim, Joseph 1696, and a D. who m. a Fisher. Ephraim, (mentioned under No. 7.) had Huldah w. of Josiah Washburn, and perhaps Phebe, who m. Eliab Byram 1741, and several other chil- dren ; he removed to N. Jersey.
" 236. No. 16. dele 10 or William 13, in the parenthesis, and insert who was s. of Jacob 5 .-
66 66 No. 17. dele 11 in the parenthesis and insert, who was s of Jacob 5. IIe had also three other children, viz: Benjamin 1732, Mary 1722*, Mary 1729 *.
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" 237. No. 23. To the children of Simeon Leonard, add Stillman 1783.
.6 66 No. 26. To the children of Simeon Leonard, add Mary 1726, Simeon 1829*, Herman 1831.
" 267. No. 22. For 20 in the parenthesis, read 21.
" 269. No. 35. dele James m Rebecca Packard 1783. " 275. Art. Pratt. " On the 14th of Jan. 1765, died at Bridge- water Joseph Pratt, æ. 100 years wanting one month; a man of good character and profession ; he had 20 children by his first wife, but none by his second, who still survives him, being about 90 years old." Boston News Letter, Jan. 31, 1765.
" 307. No. 4 at the bottom, for 2d. in the parenthesis read 3d. " 308. No. S. dele the son Ebenezer, and also the following. He and his son Ebenezer both died a. 1748. Zerviah Standish m. Zebedee Tomson of Halifax 1745. Ebe- nour Jr. m. a Churchill 1739. Sarah Standish m. Josiah Cushman Jr. 1749.
" 309. In the account of Mrs. Bisbee, dele Standish b. at Captain's Hill in Duxbury, and insert-Sampson, and great grand daughter of Alexander Standish .-
" 310. No. 4. for 1813, read 1830 .-
" 358. Art. Bradford. 2d. line for Ansterfield, read Austerfield, and for 1588, read 1586.
" 359. Lower line, dele m. Gideon, and on the next page, Sampson but left no children-and insert d. 1697.
" 383. Art. Nash. 6th line for Weymouth, read Plymouth.
" 387. Third line from bottom, for Caresrull, read Careswell.
" 389. No. 12. 2d line, for Charles, read William, and for 1739, read 1741.
A. B. KIDDER, PRINTER, 7 CORNHILL.
SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COLL F74.B7 M6 History of the early settlement of Bridg
3 2922 00094 232 3
Sp. col. F74 BT MG
76124
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