USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > History of the early settlement of Newton, county of Middlesex, Massachusetts, from 1639-1800. With a genealogical register of its inhabitants, prior to 1800 > Part 2
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At the General Court, 2. 3. 1638, "It is ordered that Newtown shall henceforward be called Cambridge."
The line of Spencer, Danforth, and Jennison, of 1636, not being satisfactory, (doubtless because blindly described and variously construed,) Boston and Cambridge mutually chose committees from their own towns, 20. 11. 1639, to form a new boundary line, as follows : -
" We, whose names are underwritten, being appointed by the towns to which we belong, to settle the bounds between Boston (Muddy river) and Cambridge, have agreed, that the partition shall run from Charles river, up along the channel of Smelt brook, to a marked tree upon the brink of said brook, near the first and lowest reedy meadow; and from that tree, in a straight line, to the great red oak, formerly marked by agreement, at the foot of the great hill, on the northermost end thereof ; and from the said great red oak to Dedham line, by the trees marked by agreement of both parties, this 2. 8. 1640.
THOMAS OLIVER,
WILLIAM COLBRON, S For Boston.
RICHARD CHAMPNEY, JOHN BRIDGE, GREGORY STONE, For Cambridge."
JOSEPH ISAAC, THOMAS MARETT,
2*
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EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
This line from Charles river, following the brook to the northerly end of the great hill, is the same as it now is; but as the line ends at Dedham, it is plain that there has been an alteration at the south-west end of Brookline, as no part of that town now comes within one mile and a quarter of Dedham.
In 1660, upon the petition of the inhabitants of Cam- bridge Village, to be released from paying church rates to Cambridge, the Court granted them "freedom from all church rates for the support of the ministry in Cambridge, on all lands and estates which were more than four miles from Cambridge meeting-house; the measure to be in the usual paths that may be ordinarily passed."
The inhabitants of the village were not satisfied with this line, and in 1662 they petitioned the Court for a different line. The action of the Court was as follows : -
" October, 1662. In answer to the petition of John Jackson and Thomas Wiswall, in behalf of the inhabitants of Cambridge Village, as a full and final issue of all things in controversy between the town of Cambridge and the petitioners, the Court judge it meet to order and appoint, and fully empower, Major William Hawthorne, of Salem, Captain Francis Norton, of Charlestown, and Captain Hugh Mason, of Watertown, as a committee to give the petition- ers, or some in their behalf, with some invited from the town of Cambridge, opportunity to make their desires known, and Major Hawthorne to appoint the time and place for the hearing, of what all parties can say, so it be sometime before the next court of elections; and on the hearing thereof, to issue fully, and absolutely conclude and determine what they shall judge necessary and just to be done, as to the determining the four mile bounds, that so this Court may no more be troubled thereabouts."
This committee established the bounds between the
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BOUNDARIES.
village and Cambridge, so far as ministerial taxes were con- cerned, in 1662. It became a town line on the separation of the village from Cambridge, in 1679, and is substantially the same line that now divides Newton and Brighton.
In 1705, " The subscribers were empowered to settle the line between Newton and Watertown, and on the 25th Sept., 1705, did mutually agree, namely, beginning at Charles river at high water mark, at the north-east corner of the farm formerly Mr. Mayhew's, and run a straight line south south-west, two degrees west, to a walnut stump, forty-one and three-quarter rods ; then turning and running straight north-west, five degrees north, two hundred and sixteen rods, across Stephen Cook's land and Smelt brook; then turning and running straight, north-east by north, eighty rods, to the river.
JOHN SPRING, EDWARD JACKSON, Newton.
EBENEZER STONE,
JONAS BOND,
JOSEPH SHERMAN, Watertown."
This settlement shortened the easterly line a few rods, and lengthened the southerly and westerly lines a few rods each. The settlement of 1635 gave Watertown seventy- five acres on the south side of the river. The settlement of 1705 increased it to about eighty-eight acres, so that New- ton lost the jurisdiction of about thirteen acres, by the settlement of 1705.
We have thus traced the origin and settlement of the easterly and south-easterly bounds of Newton ; at all other points it bounds upon Charles river, excepting the two hundred rods upon the river, reserved to Watertown by order of the General Court, in April, 1635. The whole length of the river bounds of Newton, from the time it became a town, in 1679, to 1838, was fifteen miles and fifty-
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EARLY . HISTORY OF NEWTON.
one rods ; the whole length of its land bounds, nine miles less fifty-one rods ; the whole length of its land and water bounds, in 1838, twenty-four miles. In 1838, eighteen hundred acres of Newton, at the extreme southerly part of the town, bounding south-west about two hundred and ninety rods upon the river, was set off to Roxbury; and in 1847, about six hundred and forty acres, at the extreme northerly part of the town, bounding northerly ten hundred and eighty rods upon the river, was set off to Waltham. The town contained fourteen thousand five hundred and thirteen acres, in 1838. These dimensions and contents are taken from the map of E. F. Woodward and W. F. Ward, of 1831, revised and corrected by James B. Blake, in 1848.
SPECIAL GRANTS TO INDIVIDUALS.
GENERAL COURT RECORDS.
Nov., 1632. "Mr. Phillips hath thirty acres land granted him, on the south side Charles river, beginning at a creek a little higher than the first Pines, and so upward towards the Wear." This was claimed by Watertown, but in " 1634, the Court ordered that the meadow [marsh] on this side the Watertown wear, about thirty acres, shall belong to Newtown."
April 1, 1634. "There is one thousand acres of land, and a great pond, [Wiswall's pond,] granted to John Haynes, Esq .; five hundred acres to Thomas Dudley, Esq .;
.
acres to Samuel Dudley, and two hundred acres to Daniel Dennison, all lying and being above the Falls, on the east side of Charles river, to enjoy to them and-their heirs forever ; and five hundred acres to Simon Bradstreet, north-west of the land of John Haynes, Esq .; he shall take . no part of it within a mile of Watertown wear, in case the bounds of Watertown shall extend so far on that side the
·
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EARLY CONVEYANCES.
river." In 1643, "Bradstreet had liberty to take his five hundred acres in any other place, not yet granted to another."
June, 1641. " Mr. Mayhew shall enjoy one hundred and fifty acres of land on the south side of Charles river, by Watertown wear."
1643. "Mr. Mayhew is granted three hundred acres land in regard to his charge about the bridge by Water- town Mill, and the bridge to belong to the country."
1634. "The Court ordered that the constable and four men, of the chief inhabitants of every town, to be chosen by the freemen, with the advice of some one or more of the assistants, shall make survey of the houses and lands im- proved, or enclosed, or granted by special order of the Court, of every free inhabitant there, and shall enter the same in a book, with their bounds and quantity, by the nearest estima- tion, and shall deliver a transcript thereof into Court, within six months next ensuing, and the same so entered and recorded shall be sufficient assurance to every such free inhabitant, his heirs and assigns, of such estates of inherit- ance; and also, the same course to be had respecting town lots. And every sale or grant, of such houses or lots, shall from time to time be entered in said book, by said constable and four inhabitants, or their successors."
EARLY CONVEYANCES.
EXTRACTS FROM SUFFOLK DEEDS.
" Thomas Mayhew, of Watertown, merchant, [formerly of Medford,] grants unto Simon Bradstreet, of Ipswich, in consideration of six cows, all that his farm, containing by estimation five hundred acres, lying in Cambridge, with all the buildings thereto belonging ; and this was by indenture, dated 29th September, 1638."
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EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
1646. "Simon Bradstreet, of Andover, gent., granted unto Mr. Edward Jackson, of Cambridge, naylor, in consid- eration of £140 already paid, his farm of five hundred acres land, which was lately in the tenure of Thomas May- hew, adjoining the Wear lands, bounded with Pastor Shep- ard north, Elder Champney west, [east,] and the Common south and east, with all the rights and privileges, yea, and appurtenances ; and this was by an absolute deed, with war- ranty and bond of £2, to secure it from any claim, either himself or Thomas Mayhew."
This deed was acknowledged by Bradstreet, before Gov- ernor Winthrop.
30. 6. 1658. "Thomas Brattle and others, conveyed to Thomas Hammond and Vincent Druce, of Cambridge, six hundred acres at Muddy river, called the 'Royton Farm,' surveyed by John Oliver, bounded north partly on Roxbury line, and south partly on the Cambridge line ; consideration, £100."
September 18, 1643. "Thomas Carter, of Woburn, pas- tor, granted unto Edward Jackson, of Cambridge, naylor, his meadow [marsh] at the Pines, which he bought of Rob- ert Feake, which lyeth in Cambridge between the Pines, and a certain piece of meadow now in the hands of Jeremy Norcross, about six acres, more or less, and the greater part abutting on Charles river, and some smallest of it on Mr. Phillips' land, in consideration of £15."
7. 8. 1643. " Samuel Holly, of Cambridge, grants unto Edward Jackson, of the same town, six acres of land lying on the south side of the way that leads to Roxbury, and joins east to the land now in the tenure of the said Jackson ; it is forty rods long from the highway towards the Common, and twenty-four rods broad; in consideration of £5 in hand paid by said Jackson."
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EARLY CONVEYANCES.
EXTRACTS FROM THE RECORDS OF THE PROPRIETORS OF CAMBRIDGE.
1639. "John Jackson bought of Miles Ives, one dwell- ing house with eighteen acres land, on the south side of Charles river, in Cambridge bounds, bounded south-east on Samuel Holly, north-east upon the river, south-west being the upper end of it, joining the Common, and set out by stakes, north-west with a brook, [creek,] and he to reach to the middle of it."
1639. "Samuel Holly, one dwelling house, with eighteen acres of land, south-east on Randolph Bush, north-east on the river, north-west on John Jackson, and south-west on the Common."
163.9. " Randolph Bush, one dwelling house and eighteen acres of land, westerly on Samuel Holly, east on William Redsen ; common lands, south; the river, Edward Howe and Abraham Child, north."
1642. " William Redsen, one dwelling house and four acres land, west by Randolph Bush, south and east by the Common."
1640. "Joseph Cooke was granted four hundred and fifty acres land, beyond, Cheese-Cake brook; Charles river, north; common lands, south ; and Herbert Pelham, Esq., west ; and four hundred acres to Samuel Shepard, beyond the land granted to Joseph Cooke, bounding east on Cooke."
1641! "Thomas Parish was granted one hundred acres land on the left hand of the great plain towards Mr. Haynes' farm, between two brooks, on the south-east side of Chesnut hill, with a swamp on the south-east." [Both these brooks cross the Dedham highway, one a little south of the Centre Meeting-house, and the other a little north of the old burial place. Thomas Parish sold this, by his attorney Danforth, to James and Thomas Prentice, 1657.]
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EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
1647. "Laid out, on the south side of the river, near Watertown mill, ten acres land to John Jackson ; ten acres to Randolph Bush; ten acres to John Kendall, or (Hol- ly's) house ; [Kendall married Holly's widow; ] and forty acres to Edward Jackson, adjoining that already laid to his brother John Jackson, and to himself for Redsen's house, provided he satisfy Mr. Corlet for the town's gift to him; and eleven acres to Richard Park, abutting on Mr. Jackson's land east and west, and the highway to Dedham runs through it."
1661. "The town do agree and consent, that all the com- mon lands on the south side of the river, on the east side of Dedham path, shall be divided into propriety, to the several inhabitants that have an interest therein."
1664. " At a meeting of the inhabitants and proprietors of the town lands, it is agreed among them, that the persons hereafter named, be a committee to draw up a list of the names of such inhabitants as have interest in said common lands, as near as may be, according to the order and agree- ment of the thirteen men, recorded in the town books, or according to any other righteous rule, as they shall see meet, and the proportion to each inhabitant aforesaid, their just right for the number of acres in the common lands on the south side of the river, yet undivided ; also, in a distinct list, to proportion and allot, in a way of free gift, so much of the said lands unto the inhabitants of the town that have no interest, with respect to quality, desert, or standing in the town, and bearing public charges, according as said committee shall think equal and just; and the said com- mittee, having drawn up the list aforesaid, to call all the aforesaid inhabitants together, and present the same unto them, for their final approbation ; at which meeting the major vote, either affirmative or negative, shall be conclu- sive in the matter."
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DIVISION OF BILLERICA LANDS.
The committee are as follows, viz : - " All the selectmen of Cambridge, Deacon Stone, Deacon Bridge, Mr. John Stedman, Lieutenant Winship, Edward Shepard, Richard Robbins, Philip Cooke, John Shepard, and David Fisk. And if it should appear, that the major vote of the afore- said inhabitants do vote in the affirmative, and agree to what is to them presented, then there shall be a proceeding to draw lots, according to what is agreed to, such a method and manner as shall be proposed by said committee, for the division of all the common lands on the south side of the river, and the committee are desired to despatch the work as soon as conveniently they can ; the townsmen to appoint time and place of meeting. Voted in the affirmative, the day and year above named."
By this vote, about twenty-seven hundred acres upon the south side of the river, were divided among about one hundred proprietors, only four of whom belonged to Cam- bridge Village, namely, Edward Jackson, thirty acres ; John Jackson, twenty acres; Thomas Prentice, nine acres ; James Prentice, nine acres. About three thousand acres were divided, in 1662, on the south side of the river, to about ninety proprietors.
A large tract of lands, about eight thousand acres, in Shawshin, (Billerica,) were granted to Cambridge, by the General Court, in 1656, which were divided among the proprietors, seven of whom belonged to Cambridge Village, namely, Edward Jackson, four hundred acres; Thomas Prentice, one hundred and fifty acres ; Samuel Hyde, eighty acres ; John Jackson, fifty acres ; Jonathan Hyde, twenty acres ; John Parker, twenty acres, and Vincent Druce, fifteen acres.
"The town of Cambridge formerly gave to Thomas Shepard, the late Pastor, three hundred acres land beyond
3
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EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
Watertown Mill, adjoining that which was Mayhew's ; also, two hundred acres more, near Samuel Shepard's farm." *
1647. "Samuel and Jonathan Hyde bought forty acres land, bounded by Richard Park north, late Mayhew's farm west, Dedham highway south-east, and common lands south west."
1647. "Thomas Danforth sold to John Jackson, twenty acres land, highway to Roxbury north, William Clemens west, Thomas Danforth south-west, common lands south east."
1650. "The common lands recovered of Dedham, not formerly granted or disposed of, are sold to Edw. Jackson, Edward Goffe, John Jackson, and Thomas Danforth, for £20, according to agreement by the Town, 25. 10. 1650."
MIDDLESEX DEEDS.
FIRST VOLUME COMMENCES MARCH 20TH, 1648-9.
6. 6. 1650. "Nicholas Hodgsden and wife Elizabeth, of Boston, [Brookline] to John Parker, for £8, 6s. 8d., one third of all the land he bought of Robert Bradish."
April 6, 1652. " Administrators of Deacon Nathaniel Sparhawk to Samuel and Jonathan Hyde, two hundred acres land, part of which is bounded with Roxbury high- way north, Richard Champney south-east, Stephen Day west, and twenty acres more, part of which is lying within the Indian fence."
14. 9. 1656. "Esther Sparhawk, daughter of Nathaniel Sparhawk, to Thomas Hammond, for £40, three hundred and thirty acres of land, granted by the town of Cambridge
* These five hundred acres were probably granted to Shepard at his settlement, in 1636. He died in 1649. About which time they doubtless passed into the hands of Richard Park ; the conveyance, however, is not upon record. They are, no doubt, part of the same lands bequeathed by his Will, in 1665, to his son Thomas Park, and were divided among the children of Thomas, in 1693-4.
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EARLY CONVEYANCES.
to her father, now in possession of said Hammond; John Ward and Thomas Prentice north, land of Robert Bradish south and west."
1656. "Thomas Woolson, of Cambridge, to Jonathan Hyde, eighty acres of land, being one eighth of the land recovered from Dedham, bounded with Thomas Wiswall's farm south." [The same land that Cambridge sold to Edward Goffe, and Goffe to Woolson.]
1650. "Nicholas Hodgsden, to Thomas Hammond and Vincent Druce, both of Hingham, joint purchasers of sixty-seven acres of land on Cambridge hill; also, twenty- nine acres more, adjoining John Parker's land north-north- west and north east."
January, 1658. "Richard Parker and wife Ann, of Boston, to John Kenriek, two hundred and fifty acres of land, which he formerly purchased of Thomas Mayhew ; Charles river west, the Haynes farm north, John Jackson and others east, with farm, house and barn thereon, for £200."
December, 1658. "Joseph Cooke, of Cambridge, to John Fuller, for £160, seven hundred and fifty acres land north and west by Charles river, the winding part of the river west, east by Thomas Park, and south by Samuel Shepard's farm, being a straight line between."
March, 1657. "Thomas Danforth, attorney, to Thomas Parish, of Naylond County, Suffolk, England, to James and Thomas Prentice, Jr., one hundred acres land, for £61, being all that farm whereon James Prentice now dwells ; north-west by Dedham highway; south-west by land of Wm. Clemens ; and north-east by land of John Jackson."
1663. "Elder Frost, of Cambridge, to Capt. Thomas Prentice, eighty-five acres ; John Ward east, Samuel Hyde north, William Clemens, James and Thomas Prentice, Jr. west, common lands south."
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EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
1672. "Jeremiah Dummer, of Boston, to Gregory Cooke, one hundred and twelve acres land, partly in Cam- bridge, [Newton,] and partly in Watertown, with house and barn thereon, for £145; highway east, Edward Jackson and Daniel Bacon south, Charles river north, Thomas Park west."
1661. "Edward Jackson, to his son-in-law John Ward, and Hannah his wife, all that tract of land where they have entered and built their house, being forty-five acres, [which he bought of Elder Frost,] bounded by the highway to. Hammond's south, Captain Prentice west, John Jackson east, and highway north." [This deed was not acknowl- edged until fourteen years after its date.]
1678. "Samuel Hyde, deacon, to his son-in-law Hum- phrey Osland, shoemaker, a piece of land upon which said Osland has erected a house; bounded with highway east, his own land north, and by John Crane west and south."
1669. " William Clemens, Jr. to Daniel Bacon, of Bridgewater, tailor, twenty-five acres of land he lately purchased of Richard Dummer, of Boston; highway from Watertown to Roxbury south; land of said Clemens east ; and Charles river north-east, for £60."
1673. " Thomas Hammond to Thomas Greenwood, seven acres land adjoining Captain Prentice and John Ward. Greenwood also bought Isaac Parker's homestead, in 1686, house, barn, and twenty-four acres; east by Thomas Hammond ; south by Nathaniel Hammond ; west by Jonathan Hammond ; and north by John Druce. He also bought about forty acres of others."
1675. "Thomas Danforth to James Trowbridge, the now mansion place of said Trowbridge, with house, barn, out-houses, and eighty-five acres of land; bounded with the narrow lane north, Samuel Hyde and highway west, high-
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EARLY CONVEYANCES.
way south, and land of said Danforth east; the dividing line being straight through the swamp."
1681. "Richard Robbins, of Cambridge, to John Wood- ward, weaver, and his wife Rebecca, daughter of said Robbins ; north by a way leading to the Lower Falls ; south by Charles river ; east by land of 'Squire Pelham ; and west by Thomas Croswell."
1712. "Mary Eliot, widow of Rev. Joseph Eliot, of Guilford, Connecticut, (brother of Rev. John, of Cambridge Village,) gives to her son, Rev. Jared Eliot, of Connecticut, three hundred acres of land, in Newton, being part of the Governor Haynes' farm ; east by land of John and Eleazer Ward; west by John Hobart; north by Wm. Tucker and Samuel Hyde; and south by Joseph Parker and Jonathan Ward."
1703. "Jonathan, Senior, to his son Samuel Hyde, [Jr.,] forty-five acres of land that his dwelling house now standeth upon; south partly by the great pond, called ' Wiswall's pond ;' and partly by the Haynes' farm, with a way one rod wide, on the south side, to come from his house to the great road, on condition not to sell it to strangers, except through want or necessity ; but to one of Jonathan Hyde, Senior's, heirs, by the name of Hyde. In an agree- ment between his father, Jonathan, and brother Eleazer, May, 1703, Samuel binds himself that the rod-wide way shall be free to bring hemp or flax to the pond, and sheep to washing, or such like necessary occasions to come to the pond through his land, from the pond, to the north end of the stone wall, and so along upon the land that his honored father, Jonathan Hyde, left him, with the liberty of the one rod-wide way between the land of Thomas Wiswall and said Jonathan Hyde, to the great road." This agreement was signed by Jonathan Hyde, Senior, and wife Mary; Eleazer Hyde and wife Hannah, and Samuel Hyde. 3*
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EARLY HISTORY OF NEWTON.
Witnessed by Samuel Hyde and Thos. Wiswall. Acknowl- edged before Jonas Bond, May 28th, 1703.
1703. "Jonathan and Eleazer Hyde, to their brother Samuel Hyde, of Newton, a tract of land bought of Thos. Wiswall ; east partly on land of Jonathan Hyde, Senior, and partly on land of said Samuel; south by the great pond called Noah Wiswall's Pond, and the Haynes' farm ; west on land of William Wilcox; north on land of William Hyde, Daniel Hyde, Ichabod Hyde; and the north-east corner by a walnut tree by the drain." *
November, 1705. "Samuel Hyde, 2d, of Newton, to Daniel Hyde, ten acres for £10; Haynes' farm west, and land of - Wilcut ; north-east by his other land.
( Signed.) SAMUEL HYDE, HANNAH HYDE.
Witnesses : ARCHIBALD MAGOY, JONATHAN HYDE, JACOB HYDE."
1703. "Thomas Wiswall to Samuel Hyde, three quar- ters of an acre on the northerly side of the great pond ; south by the pond ; west by said Hyde; north by Jonathan Hyde; and south-east by the stone wall, lying on both sides of the drain, * that runneth out of the said pond." [Hyde bought this for the convenience of himself and brothers to go to the pond.]
1698. Eleazer Hyde to his brother Daniel Hyde, twenty acres land; east by Jonathan Hyde; south by the pond called Haynes' pond ; west by Daniel Hyde; and north by Ichabod Hyde." [All sons of Jonathan, Senior.]
February, 1702. "Jonathan Hyde, Senior, sergeant, gives and bequeaths to John Kenrick, Nathaniel Healy,
* An excavation to obtain water from Wiswall's pond, to increase the power of Smelt brook.
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EARLY CONVEYANCES.
and William Ward, selectmen of Newton, half an acre of land, bounded north-east by the highway to Dedham ; north- west by his own land, being ten rods on the highway, and eight rods wide south-west, for the use and benefit of the school in the southerly part of the town; to be employed and improved by said Kenrick, Healy, and Ward, or any two of them and such as shall be chosen after them, to succeed in said trust, by a majority of the votes of the families at said south end of the town, for whom said school is now principally accommodated to the ends aforesaid.
JONATHAN HYDE.
Witnesses : JOHN WOODWARD, HANNAH WOODWARD, JAMES HYDE."
1698. "Jonathan Hyde, Senior, and wife Mary, to his son William Hyde, forty acres of upland and five of mea- dow ; south-west by Thomas Danforth; north by Ichabod Hyde; and east by his own land. Also, ten acres more in 1700."
1698. "Also, to his son Daniel Hyde, thirty-five acres, where he hath entered and built his now dwelling-house ; north by Captain Prentice; west by William Hyde; south by Samuel Hyde ; and east by Ichabod Hyde. Also, ten acres more adjoining Samuel and William."
1698. "Also, to his son Ichabod Hyde, forty-two acres, where he has erected his now dwelling house; north by Captain Prentice ; west by Daniel Hyde ; south by Eleazer Hyde. Also, twenty-four acres more north by the high- way. Also, ten acres more."
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