USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Bridgewater > History of the early settlement of Bridgewater, in Plymouth county, Massachusetts, including an extensive Family register > Part 6
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42
On the west end of the town, towards West Meadow Brook, viz :- Goodman, (Guido) Bayley, Goodman, (Mark) Lathrop, Ensign (John) Haward, Goodman, (Samuel) Packard, Elkanah Willis, Mr. Keith, Good- man, (George) Turner, John Field, John Hayward of the plain, Thomas Snell, Arthur Harris.
South side of South Brook, viz :- Goodman (John) Washburn, Goodman, (Thomas) Washburn, Good- man, (Samuel) Washburn, John Porter, Captain Wads- worth.
John Kingman, at the end of his land where his house is.
Joseph Cary, in the swamp below John Kingman's and John Hayward's.
Easterly side of Stony Brook at the Centre Tree, viz : Elisha Hayward, John Cary, Jonathan Hill, William Brett, Joseph Edson.
Easterly side of Satucket River, near Jonathan's plain, and down the river, viz :- Goodman (Robert) Latham, Samuel Allen, Thomas Whitman.
9
66
HISTORY OF THE
At the head of Spring Brook, viz ;- Nicholas Byram, Nicholas Byram, Jr., John Whitman, Thomas Whitman.
NOTE .- Gannett and the Wadsworths were not inhabitants of the town,-all the rest were, and these locations will give some idea of the places of their residence.
1687 .- John Usher's warrant sent to the constable of Bridge- water for choosing commissioners for taking a list of males from sixteen years old and upward, and valuing estates, was received by me, Joseph Edson, constable, August 22. Samuel Allen chosen commissioner.
1688 .-- Division of highways third Monday of May, for repairs, viz :-
For John's Bridge. Goodman Bayley, Guido Bay- ley, Jr., Goodman Orcutt, William Orcutt, Jr., Richard Jennings ; John Packard, to make a horse bridge there.
NOTE .- This was formerly called Jennings' Bridge, then Packard's Bridge, and now Pope's Bridge. It was first called John's Bridge, after John Packard, who lived there, but was not long known by that name. Joppa Bridge was more usually called John's Bridge, after John Haward, who lived near it.
For the bridge at Satucket River, at Isaac Harris' house ; Joseph Washburn, James Latham, Joseph Latham, Thomas Whitman.
For the highway at Goodman Alden's swamp. Thomas Washburn, Goodman (Joseph) Alden, Comfort Willis.
For the ways over at Joseph Hayward's. Elihu Brett, Nathaniel Brett, John Bolton, Zaccheus Packard, John Kingman.
For South Brook to Comfort Willis'. Samuel Wash- burn, John Washburn, Goodman (Nathaniel) Conant, John Leonard, Benjamin Washburn.
For the bridge at Ensign Haward's .- Samuel Edson, Ensign Haward, Edward Fobes, John Ames.
For Salisbury Plain .- John Hayward on the plain, and Thomas Snell.
For Mile Brook .- John Willis, Benjamin Willis, John Aldrich.
67
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
1689 .- Lieutenant Hayward and Samuel Allen chosen agents to go to Plymouth about settling the Gournet.
John Willis appointed by court to solemnize marriages, to summon witnesses before grand jurors, and to ad- minister oaths, &c.
Josiah Edson, Nicholas Byram, and Edward Mitchell to issue the difference between the town and John Soul and Joseph Brastraw, (Barstow,) about the four mile line.
66 David Perkins, John Ames, and Samuel Washburn, to get in Mr. Keith's salary by all loving persuasions and legal means.
1690 .- It was voted to be at charges for procuring a charter and to bear their proportion of the expense in case it may be obtained, and but one, Giles Leach, voted against it, and two appeared afterwards and spoke by word of mouth; voted also that Mr. Wiswall should be their agent to act for them.
1691 .- It was voted the constables should not pay any more money towards the Canada expedition, till their own charges on that account be paid, and the rest of the towns in the colony had gathered and paid their pro- portion, as they themselves had done : and until further order of court at New Plymouth.
1694 .- It was granted that Mr. David Perkins should have lib- erty to make a dam across the river below his house, against his own land, provided he damnifies none of his neighbors by overflowing their lands. And Thomas Washburn, by deed 1697, gave Perkins the right of joining the dam to his land.
Captain Thomas Hayward, Lieutenant John Haward, Deacon Brett, Thomas Snell, and Samuel Allen, to order the seats to each person in the meeting-house ; and Ensign Packard, Sergeant Josiah Edson, Sergeant Samuel Washburn, Sergeant Edward Mitchell, and Sergeant Nicholas Byram to seat the above committee.
68
HISTORY OF TIIE
Edward Mitchell and Jonathan Haward to inspect and take notice of any disorder among the young persons in the galleries on the Lord's day, and declare them by name after the exercise is done.
1694 .-- Thomas Snell, according to former agreement, bought a new book to record the purchasers' lands in, and they gave him for it eighteen acres of land.
1696 .- Thomas Randall, William Manly, and their neighbors allowed to come here to meeting, and to make a horse bridge over Cutting Cove River.
1697 .- The town agreed that for the time to come at every town meeting they would choose a moderator for said meeting.
1699 .- The town agreed to choose town officers annually on the first Monday in March, beginning at 10 o'clock, and also to divide the town for constables into two parts. All on the south side of the town river, and from Lieutenant Haward's on the west side of the highway going to Braintree, to one constable. And from Lieu- tenant Haward's all on the east side of the highway going to Braintree, on the north side of the town river, to the other constable.
1703 .- Voted to divide the town into three constablericks, as follows, viz :- All on the easterly side of Matfield and Satucket rivers to be one constablerick ; and the other two to be divided by the town river.
1708 .- The town passed a clear vote to petetion the General Court for the continuance of the country road where it was laid out when removed from the place where the great bridge was at Jones' River, (at Kingston.)
1717 .- The town gave Mr. Allen (minister) liberty to make use of the pine trees on the stated common on Bayley's Plain for drawing of turpentine.
1737 .- The town voted their consent that the north should be- come a distinct town, agreeably to their petition ; and on November 29, 1738, they also voted their consent
69
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
that the south and east precincts might also each become distinct towns; but these votes were never attempted to be carried into effect only as it regarded the north, who, although they petitioned originally to become a town, were indulged so far only as to be incorporated into a precinct.
1757 .- Voted to choose five selectmen : hitherto they had chosen but three, one from the west, one from the south, and one from the east; ever after they chose one from each of the five parishes, east, west, north, south, and Titicut.
1767 .- Several of the neutral French were supported and pro vided for in this town for several years previous ; and this year Joseph Latham was paid 21s. 4d., for carry- ing them to Plymouth ; (for transportation probably.)
-
EARLY LOCATION OF HIGHWAYS.
1664 .- IT is ordered by the feofees, and agreed upon by the town, that every man shall have a convenient highway to his meadow lands.
They whom it doth concern may have a way through the spruce swamp.
1667 .- There was a highway left by individuals between Na- thaniel Hayward's six acre lot, and Thomas Snell's ten acre lot, upon the east side of Goodman Bacon's, on the plain, and a piece of common land between the lots in form like a gussett.
1668 .- A way towards Plymouth, viz :- from the meeting-house to Arthur Harris' range, to the common-through the swamp to Sandy Hill-up the hill and over to John Hayward, Jr.'s range-and across his lot to Daniel Bacon's house-and in the old way to widow Bassett's lot to the wolf-trap-over the same lot to Thomas Hayward, Jr.'s lot, and across to Goodman John
70
IIISTORY OF TIIE
Tompkin's lot-and so to a piece of land left for a road betwixt him and Thomas Snell-over a corner of Snell's lot, near the river to the bridge-through Nicholas Byram's land to his house-over a little river and over the plain to a narrow place in the swamp, and so to Arthur Harris' fifty acre lot, and on the hard ground to his son Samuel Harris' house-and in a straight line to a bridge on Satucket River, as the rocks will permit-and straight to the highway near Robert Latham's barn-then to the usual road to Ply- mouth, as far as the bounds of our town extends- only in the way we fetch a little compass to avoid a steep hill, a little way from Latham's lot.
1668 .- 2d .- A way towards Boston, viz ;- from the meeting- house on the same road above mentioned, to John Hayward's range-then to the usual road reaching into the bay as far as our bounds extend.
3d .- A way to Taunton, viz :- from the meeting-house to John Haward's-then over the river and between the lots that were Mr. Love Brewster's and John Fobes' -- and so into the usual way that leads to Taunton.
" 4th .- A way to the great meadows, viz :- to come from out of Taunton way at the head of Edward Fobes' six acre lot-so to the head of Samuel Edson's six acre lots to William Snow's-then between said Ed- son's and Snow's lands to the common-then to the river.
These four were laid out by a jury in 1667 and 1668. 1673 .- Thomas Snell was to make and maintain two horse bridges, one at the hither end of Salisbury plain, over the brook, and another at the further end over the river.
1677 .- A piece of a highway granted to John Willis, through his lands, to the river.
1680 .- Ten men were appointed to build and maintain a horse bridge over the river, near where the three rivers
71
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
meet in the road way laid out by a jury for the Ply- mouth road to Pimpkin bridge. (At Pope's bridge.) 1684 .- Lieutenant Thomas Hayward, Nathaniel Willis, Joseph Hayward and Francis Cary to maintain the bridge and causey at Lieutenant T. Hayward's house, fit for cart, horse, and foot : and are to be freed from all other highway work. And John Field, John Washburn, Jr., and Nathaniel Packard are to maintain a like bridge and causey towards Thomas Snell's house, at Sandy Hill, on the same conditions.
1685 .- Samuel Allen, Samuel Allen, Jr., William Brett, Isaac Harris, John Haward, Jr., Jonathan Hill, and Thomas Whitman, pray for a road and bridge over Matfield River, (at Joppa.)
1690 .- A way laid out from John Aldrich's to the corner of Goodman Edson's field, where it meets with the way that comes from the town : the way is to be where it's beaten.
A way to Isaac Alden's ; beginning at the road leading from John Kingman's towards Nicholas Byram's- thence by the edge of Huckleberry plain to the old cow path and to the river-thence upon the plain commonly called Jonathan Cary's plain-thence by a slough and across a swamp to the northward of Jona- than Cary's house-thence to Beaver Brook, at the cartway between Isaac Alden's and James Cary's- thence to Isaac Alden's house-and thence to Snell's plain .- " The jury ordered to lay out such highways as are needful for the inhabitants to come to meeting and to mill, and to their meadows, especially the way to Indian Field and the meadows at Coasters' Kitchen."
" A way to the meadows called Coasters' Kitchen; from the road at the corner of the land that was Mark Lathrop's-thence keeping the easterly side of the ridge to the meadows.
A road laid out by a jury from Isaac Harris' house to Goodman Whitman's house on the east side,-thence
72
HISTORY OF THE
to the river, and over the river and between Edward Mitchell's and John Haward's-so across Haward's land where the way is above his barn, or between his house and barn-so along the way to town.
1690 .- A way from Goodman Bayley's farm and South Brook agreed upon, viz :- the way now goes from South Brook to Samuel Washburn's, where the way now is, it runs on the north side of the barn to a tree where it meets with a way that comes from South Brook below Goodman Ames' meadow, where the way goes over the brook to the said tree-and thence to a white oak-thence in the way over a small run-thence to Jolin Leonard's house-thence with the way to Samuel Edson's land, and down on Comfort Willis' land, and across Samuel Edson's land to John Willis' land- then to a wild cherry tree-then to a rock near the outside of John Willis' land-then through Samuel Edson's land to marked trees-and then to town.
A way from the north end of Samuel Lathrop's land in town over the Spruce Swamp where the bridge is- so straight up through Jonathan Haward's land and Elkanah Willis' land to Ensign Packard's land- thence to a tree on the east side of the way in Lieu- tenant Hayward's land-then to the way that comes from the west meadow, where there is a rock on the easterly side-then as the way is to West Meadow, till it comes to Samuel Tompkin's land-then between Mr. Keith's and Samuel Tompkin's land, till it meets the west meadow path.
Road from (Sproats) or the meeting-house in Middle- borough, over Thompson's bridges, to the road lead- ing from Bridgewater to Plymouth, (at Thomas Drews) then following Bridgewater road by James Latham's to Byram's plain, to the road leading to Weymouth- then as the road goes on the westerly side of Andrew Ford's house, and so to the patent line.
1697 .- A way ordered to be laid out to and over Satucket
73
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
River at the great Gall at Thomas Mitchell's and Na- thaniel Allen's, and so to Plymouth road.
1698 .- The town agreed to make a cart bridge over the town river at Lieutenant Haward's, and the owners of the saw mill, viz :- Josiah Edson, Edward Fobes, Ephraim Haward, Thomas Snell, and Joseph Hayward agreed to do their parts to it over and above what the rest of the town did, because their mill pond made a necessity for the bridge.
The selectmen ordered to lay out a highway from John Whitman's to the commons.
1701 .- The selectmen authorised to lay out a road from Taun- ton road, at the other side of Four Mile Brook, to John Leach's house, and so to Taunton (now Raynham) line.
1702 .- A road laid out from Ensign Mitchell's, along the lane where the way is now trodden, and across Nathaniel Hayward's land, and crossing Samuel Hayward's land, and so along the beaten way, and passing on the east- erly side of a great rock with a cleft in it, straight down to Plymouth road, and along the old way that went to John Packard's, till it comes to Ensign Mitchell's, and keeping the beaten cartway to his farm in the neck.
A way determined on at the westerly end of Samuel Hayward's land, next Israel Alger's to John Bolton's lower lot.
A way laid out from Taunton road by Samuel Keith's house to Edward Fobes' land and Thomas Wade's land, and over the brook and south side of Wade's house to William Bassett's house, and over Nathan Packard's and Samuel Leach's lands, and by Leach's barn across the brook to the north side of Ebenezer Leach's house, to the corner of the pond at the mouth of the brook, across the neck, and over the corner of the pond to Taunton (now Raynham) line.
10
74
HISTORY OF THE
1702 .- A road laid out from Jonathan Haward's, at the rocky gutter, running out of Cranberry Meadow, directly to the bridge over Lathrop's swamp-then turning on the westerly side of the swamp, and in the trodden path to the next swamp-so onward to the south side of Mr. Keith's land-so over the river where the bridge is, and across John Turner's land to the line of the north purchase, (now Easton.)
1703 .- A way laid out from Taunton road between Captain Edson's and Edward Fobes' land, to the brow of the hill, near Captain Edson's, and turning along the beaten way to John Willis' land, and over Joseph Leonard's land, and turning between the land of John Washburn and said Leonard, and by Leonard's house, and so to the way formerly laid out. And beginning again at Jonathan Washburn's, a way was laid out on the west side of his house and barn, and by the west end of old Goodman Conant's house, and crossing South Brook at Captain Edson's meadow, and so to Amos Snell's land.
A way from the bay road on Little Plain, south of Rich- ard Field's house, easterly to Matfield River, and crossing the river at the cart way, and across Thomas Snell's land, and turning up the side of pine swamp, and warping about again to the south-east corner of Samuel Kingman's field.
A way beginning a little to the west of Zaccheus Pack- ard's land, so as to run square over Daniel Field's land to the south-west corner of John Snell's orchard, and by his house to the common.
1706 .- A road laid out from the old way between South Brook and Ebenezer Whitman's house, and running across his land to the river-so over on to Benjamin Hay- ward's land-so to the range between said Hayward and John Hooper-so near said Hayward's house and barn-and over the plain to Plymouth Road.
75
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
1710 .- John Haward and John Field were permitted to stop up the old road across their house lots, and turn it down the mill lane, and so before John Field's door, and . along by the river.
1713 .- A way from the bridge, over South Brook, at William Orcutt's-then up the hill by Orcutt's door-so near the corner of a swamp, and into the beaten way-so over the causey at bear swamp, and up the hill, and as near the ridge as may be, to Josiah Washburn's fence- then turning on the northerly side of his house to the plain, and down the plain to the south end of it-then more westerly across a little swamp, and along the beaten foot-path to the burnt swamp, and through it to the plain not far from Nathaniel Woodward's field- then easterly, by the north side of his house, to Na- thaniel Allen's land.
A way from Josiah Washburn's to Josiah Leonard's, running by Widow Willis' fifty acres, and a little northerly from the fence of Josiah Washburn, Jr., and over the causey by Noah Washburn's-so running before his door, and across the swamp, to the south side of Josiah Leonard's land.
1714 .- A way new marked and settled, from the north-west corner of William Ripley's land, over a little swamp, on a corner of Joseph Keith's land, to the range of James Haward's land-then turning by the southerly side of the swamp to a rock-so straight into the old way, to the east end of said Haward's barn-and then again from the rock in the range of said Keith's and Haward's land, till it meet the way that was laid out to Daniel Packard's.
1715 .- Allowed thirty hands to build a bridge at William Co- nant's, they to be freed from all other highway work so long as they should keep said bridge in good repair.
" A way from where the road was laid, from James Keith's, toward the neck, at Joseph Hayward's-running over the bridge to the east end of Hayward's house-
76
HISTORY OF TIIE
turning on the east side of a pond to the range between Jonathan Haward and Joseph Hayward-turning west- erly in the range of said lots, till it passes the second valley, to a corner of Joseph Hayward's fifty acres-so to the bridge-so over the bridge and Joseph Hay- ward's land, to the north purchase line, (now Easton.)
1716 .- A way laid out toward Poor meadow : beginning on the east side of the river, and running across the meadow and river, and by a bound of John Whitman's meadow -and so between John Whitman's and John Read's lands westerly crossing a poison bottom, by John Whitman's corner bounds and a pond hole-so straight into the old beaten path on the north-east side of a great rock-and so keeping the beaten way, to the swamp at Ebenezer Allen's where the way was for- merly laid out.
A road from where the old way over Spruce Swamp ended, running first northerly and then westerly, and so into the old saw mill way, crossing the swamp to the north-west, and keeping the old way till it crosses James Haward's land, and comes to the land left for a way from the old saw mill to West Meadow.
1717 .- A way laid out, beginning where the three ways part to the eastward of Ensign Johnson's, and so along the southernmost beaten path by John Willis' house- then over a corner of Willis' field, and running down by Thomas Washburn's door, and a little beyond his barn-then turning eastward across a steep ridge, and on the southerly side of a pond hole, and so into the old beaten path that goes to Joseph Alden's.
A way towards Titicut from Benjamin Washburn's land, and so on the south side of the four mile line on Nehemiah Washburn's land to Joseph Hayward's land, and across his land to the common land ; and begin- ning again at John Keith's house, and running north- ward to Samuel Edson's land, and so over South Brook, and into the way formerly laid out.
77
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
1721 .- A private way from the country road on Byram's plain, at the northwest corner of Elisha Allen's land-then southerly by his house across the trodden path, to John Haward's land, and across his land and over the west- erly side of Elisha Allen's land, to the north-west corner of John Haward's twenty acre lot, and so on said lot in or near the beaten path to the westerly side of Josiah Allen's land, and then across the bridge at burnt hill gutter over Josiah Allen's land to his north- west corner-then over a poison bottom in Ebenezer Byram's land, and by his barn, and over Black Brook as far as John Haward's land-so easterly to the outside of Byram's land.
" A private way from the road between Joseph Latham's and the ridge-so across James Latham's and Whit- man's lands, near to the corner of Jonathan Washburn's land-then on the westerly side of a swamp over Washburn's land, and running above the head of Joseph Washburn's home land, and by the head of Isaac Lazell's land, and over a corner of it, and along over William Conant's land, and by the easterly end of his house to the highway.
A way from Deacon Alden's to Mr. Perkin's, keeping the beaten way to John Bolton's lane, and through Jonathan Sprague's field, to the range between him and John Bolton, Jr., and then to come into and keep the beaten way to Mr. David Perkins'.
A way from the old road, over Flaggy Meadow Brook. to the top of the hill-then turning and going near by the house of Israel Alger, Jr., so down over the swamp on the side of a pond hole, and into the way to the bridge over the cove-so westerly near Joseph Alger's house, and by the mile line to Cutting Cove fence. And from the bridge a way was laid over the slough by the west side of Israel Alger's meadow fence, and so by the east side of Thomas Alger's fence to John Field's land.
78
HISTORY OF THE
1721 .- A way from West Meadow, at a corner of Joseph Snell's fence, near Josiah William's, across Snell's land and Benoni Hayward's land, to Seth Brett's land, and so by Brett's land to the country road. Hayward and Snell leave to set up gates.
A way from Thomas Wade's to Jonathan Cary's : from near Wade's house to where Joseph Bassett, Jr., was going to build-so turning into and keeping the cart- way to Cary's land-so over the swamp and Cary's land, and by his house in a drift way, to the old road leading to the great meadow over Bassett's plain.
1722 .- A way from Edmund Hobart's orchard to Lieutenant Davenport's house-then between Davenport's and Jo- seph Pratt's land out to the common. And Davenport and Thomas Hayward agreed Hayward should have a way to pass with horse or cart across said Davenport's land, on a stony ridge out into the above way, Hay- ward keeping sufficient gates.
" A way from Plymouth old road towards Weymouth road, viz :- from the ridge through and over the swamp, and not far from Isaac Harris' fence, and so by his barn in the old way to the river where the bridge is, and up the hill, and turning more easterly, and coming into the way from Josiah Allen's, and keeping said way towards Elisha Allen's-then on the east side of John Haward's and west side of Elisha Allen's land, north- erly over the plain to the east side of a tree in Elisha Allen's other lot, and across the road leading to Ebe- nezer Allen's-so over the corner of Captain Byram's lot, and on the west side of Ebenezer Allen's corner, and across the east corner of Samuel Allen's land, and by the side of this lot into the road leading to Weymouth.
1724 .- A way beginning twenty rods westerly of the house of Jonathan Haward, Jr .- then northerly over said Haw- ard's land, and on the westerly side of Lathrop's swamp, over Joshua Haward's and Thomas Hayward's lands, to the range between Elihu Brett and John
79
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF BRIDGEWATER.
Lathrop's lands-so to the extent of Brett's land, and to the top of the hill-still northerly to Samuel Cary's land, and so across Cary's, Brett's, and Joseph Hay- ward's lands, keeping the beaten way to the saw mill. 1724 .- A way from the head of the lane by Samuel Kingman's, northerly by the swamp to John Kingman's house, and by John Wormell's house, across Benjamin Edson's land, and on the easterly side of a little pond hole, and still northerly over John Kingman's land, to a small run of water, and across Henry Kingman's land, and down to James Packard's land, to the south-east- ward of a ridge, and so on the ridge by the easterly side of James Packard's land to the saw mill.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.