USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Clinton > History of the origin of the town of Clinton, Massachusetts, 1653-1865 > Part 4
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35
EARLY LIFE. 1137013
Partly, perhaps, on account of religious persecution, and, partly, because he had opinions of his own on various other matters, and was stubbornly tenacious in clinging to them, yet more, probably, because his enterprising nature craved new fields of action, he left England. We find him in the Barbadoes in 1638. He did not stay there long, however, for in 1640, he was in Boston. Rugged New England was more in accord with his stern nature, than the enervating and luxurious tropics. He settled in Watertown, where he is recorded to have possessed some hundred and twenty-six acres of land, and there, he became connected with Henry Symonds, Thomas King, and other prominent business men who lived in that vicinity.
There was a small tribe of Indians, called the Nashaways or Nashawogs, who then lived between the two Washacum Ponds. Probably, at certain seasons of the year, there were several outlying families. One of these was in the habit of locating east of Clamshell Pond, where the plough of the farmer has turned up many an arrow head; another, just above the point where the Lancaster Mills' dam now is. The pestilence, which had proved so destructive to the Algonquin tribes as a whole, had swept these Indians, nearly all, away. They had been forced to fight with the maraud- ing Mohawks, and had been defeated by them. Gookin says: "These (the Nashaway Indians) have been a great people in former times, but of late years have been con- sumed by the Maquas wars and other ways, and are not above fifteen or sixteen families." Their numbers were wasted, their courage was broken, and they thought, if some of the white men, of whom they had heard such marvelous stories, should come and dwell near them, they would receive protection in times of invasion. Accordingly, Sholan, the chief of the tribe, made frequent visits to Water- town, and urged that a settlement should be made in this vicinity.
At length, eighty square miles of land were purchased of
36
JOHN PRESCOTT, THE PIONEER.
the Indians by a company, among the prominent members of which were Symonds, King, Childe, Norcross, Day and Prescott. Dr. Robert Childe was the best known of these, but he, having with others offered a "petition," was driven from the colony for "a conspiracy." His liberal political views, and his advocacy of liberty of conscience and representation as a necessary accompaniment of taxation, seemed dangerous to the colonial leaders. His reputation made the strict Puritans look askance at his associates. It would be most interesting to trace the relations which existed between this theorist, so far in advance of his times, and Prescott, the man of action, who tried to secure for himself in the wilderness the rights that were claimed in vain in the older settlements; but few records of these relations now remain. The names of Symonds and King soon disappeared from the rolls of the company, the first dying in 1643, the second in 1644. It is doubtful, who was the first white man, who visited Lancaster. It may have been King, or it may have been Prescott. It is certain that a trading post or trucking house was established on George Hill, in 1643, under the name of Symonds & King. This point was the meeting place of several Indian tribes, and marked the extreme western advance of the white men in Massachusetts. Nathaniel Norcross was to be the minister when the first settlement was made, but as there were delays, he returned to England. Stephen Day, who had set up the first printing press in English America, was thrown into prison for debt. Thus, one by one, the prominent members of the company dropped away, until Prescott was left alone.
The strength of his individuality was equal to the occasion. He sold his house and lands in Watertown, and in 1645, with his family, started on his difficult journey through the forests, toward the Nashaway. There were a great many hindrances, but the greatest was the Sudbury River, and the bordering marsh, which was a half mile or more in width. Governor Winthrop, expressing the Puritan
37
SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER.
opposition to the company, which arose from the doubtful political and religious views of some of its members, in his History of New England, says, as if he were recording a judgment of God: "Prescott, another favorer of the Pe- titioners, lost a horse and his loading in Sudbury River, and a week after, his wife and children being upon another horse, were hardly saved from drowning."*
* June 12, 1645, Prescott and others sent a petition to the General Court :
1645. The humble petito of the Company Intended to plat at Nashaway 12 June 1645.
To the right Worp" Tho. Dudley Esq" Gournour and the rest of the Magistrates and deputyes now Assembled in the Generall Court at Boston. Yor petitioners, whose names are Vnderwritten Humbly Sheweth vnto yor Worps yt wheras wee haue formerly received favour from this Court in haueing Liberty granted vs to plant att a place called Nashaway some 16 myles beyond Sudbery. Wee, the sayd petitioners doe find itt an vtter Impossibilitye to proceede forwards to plante at the place aboue sayd except wee haue a conuenient way made for the trans- portation of our Cattell and goods ouer Sudbery Riuer and Marsh. Now although Sudbery men have begun to sett vpp a Bridge ouer the Riuer yett the worke is now decisted, And the bridge left altogether vnusefull, and the marsh now way mended, soe that wee caunot passe to the plantation abouesd without exposing our persons to perill and our cattell and goods to losse and spoyle : as yor petitioners are able to make prooffe of by sad experience of what wee suffered there within these few dayes. Yor petitioners haue been & are much damnifyed by the badnesse of the way at this place : formany of vs haue beene dependant on this worke aboue these two yeares past, much tyme and meanes haue beene spent in discouering the plantation and prouiding for our setlinge there. And now the Lord by his prouidence hath gone on thus farre with the worke that diuers of us have covenanted to sitt downe together. And to Improue ourselues there this summer that wee may liue there the wynter next Insueing if God permitt. But vnlesse some speedy course bee taken yt wee haue a way made for the transplanting ourselues, cattell and goods we may perish there for want of Reliefe, not being able to provide for our subsistance there this wynter. Vnless wee ex- pose ourselues and goods to the perill and spoyle as abouesayd. Yo' petitioners doe therefore humbly Beseech yor Worships that as you haue beene pleased to Countenance our beginnings, soe you would please to
38
JOHN PRESCOTT, THE PIONEER.
Three men had been sent on before to prepare the way. These were Ball, Linton and Waters. Prescott, on arriving in June, 1645, chose for his home part of the land now occupied by the public buildings of Lancaster. He did not stay in this location long, but moved to the south- east side of George Hill, where, some time before, the trucking house of Symonds & King had been situated, and here he made his home .* This lot became the center,
order that a convenient way bee made at the place aforsd for trans- portinge our persones cattell & goods, that the worke of God there be- gun may further proceede and wee have Incouragement to carry on the worke else our tyme, meanes and labour hitherto expended will be lost. But if yor worps please to further our proceedings herein yor petitioners shall euer pray &c.
NATHANIEL NORCROSSE
JOHN PRESCOT STEPHEN DAYE HARMAN GARRETT THOMAS SCIDMORE JOHN HILL ISAACK WAKER
JOHN COWDALL JOSEPH JENKES
This petition was granted, and a way made "passable for a loaden horse."
* The following is a copy of his deed :
A COPPIE OF A DEED FROM JOHN COWDALL.
Bee it Knowne by these presents that I John Cowdall of Boston, for good & valluable consideration, by mee in hand received, haue giuen, granted, bargained & sold and by these presents do giue grant, bargain, & sell vnto John Prescott late of Watertown my house at Nashaway, and twenty acres of land therevnto belonging and adjoyneing, bounded with John Prescotts owne lott on the cast, Steeven Day on the North, and George Adams south, as also twelue acres of wett meadow belong- ing to it, and fifty acres of Intervale bounded with Penycooke riuer west, and still riuer east, vpon which parcell of land Richard Linton, and Lawrance Waters haue planted corne, together with all appurtenances, conueniences and priueledges, comunes, pastures, mindalls &c belong- ing & apperteyneing to the said lands to haue and to hold the said
39
SETTLEMENT OF LANCASTER.
from which the other lots had "their boundings and descriptions." It is now known as Maplehurst. The most valuable part of his farm, however, like that of all the original settlers, was on the rich intervale along the river, which needed no clearing, but in a state of nature furnished abundant grass for the cattle. Here, Prescott lived for some years as a farmer and blacksmith, forging, perhaps, the iron for the first ploughshares that turned up the primeval soil, and the first rude nails that were used in the log houses. This man partook of the nature of the material in which he worked. His fellow settlers, who were at first very few in number, leaned upon his rugged strength, and were held to their task by his stubborn tenacity.
In the records of the General Court, we find the follow- ing entry, dated 1652: "Consideringe that there is already at Nashaway about 9 familyes, & that seueral, both freeman & others intend to goe & settle there, some whereof are named in theire petition, this Court doth hereby giue & graunt them libertyes of a townshipp, &, at the request of the inhabitants, doe order it to be called Prescott." But a change was made in the name, during the following year, against the wish of the settlers, probably, because "It smacked too much of man worship." Soon after, the name of Lancaster was given to the town, in remembrance, per- haps, of the English county in which Prescott was born. The act of incorporation was dated May 18, 1653, and the town was rated with Middlesex County.
Thus Lancaster, the mother town of Harvard, Bolton, Leominster, Sterling, Berlin, Boylston and Clinton, was founded. Joseph Willard, in his address in commemoration of the two hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the town, says : "One only of the associates, John Prescott,
house & Lands with all other the appurtenances & priueledges to him and his heyres for euer, witness my hand & seale this 5th of the 8mo. 1647. JOHN COWDALL
40
JOHN PRESCOTT, THE PIONEER.
the stalwart blacksmith, was faithful among the faithless. He turned not back, but vigorously pursued the interests of the plantation, till his exertions were crowned with success."
Although Prescott was the leading man in Lancaster, and held the most important offices, yet he was not a free- man, and therefore he could not vote, and was deprived of many privileges which the others enjoyed. It was necessary in order to become a freeman, that he should join himself with the church, and this he did not wish to do. Moreover, he had so strong an individuality, that he did not depend entirely upon the society of others for his happiness. From these, or other reasons, he was perfectly willing to live apart from his neighbors, although no one else was so earnest as he in serving them.
A corn mill was the great need of the settlement, for all the corn had to be carried to Watertown, for grinding, or else ground by hand, or parched and brayed or hulled. We can imagine Prescott going forth and searching in every direction for the best site for such a mill. The superior advantage of the southern section of the town could not long remain hidden from his keen practical observation, nor could it have been long before he saw that the power, more recently used by the Counterpane Mill, on Water Street, was just adapted to his purpose. There, a little farther down the stream than the mill of today, he built his rude structure of logs. The town gave him a liberal grant of land and certain immunities, in return for his public service .* This
* The following contract was made in regard to his corn-mill, according to the Middlesex County Registry :
" Know all men by these presents that I John Prescott blacksmith, hath Covenanted and bargained with Jno. ffounell of Charlestowne for the building of a Corne mill, within the said Towne of Lanchaster. This witnesseth that wee the Inhabitants of Lanchaster for his encouragement in so good a worke for the behoofe of our Towne, vpon condition that the said intended worke by him or his assignes be finished, do freely and
41
CORN MILL.
was the first grist mill within the present limits of Worcester County.
Prescott's millstone is said to have come from England, but the nature of the rock is similar to that of a formation found in the northeastern part of this state. When the first kernel of corn passed over its surface, on the twenty-third
fully giue grant, enfeoffe, & confirme vnto the said John Prescott, thirty acres of intervale Land lying on the north riuer, lying north west of Henry Kerly and ten acres of Land adjoyneing to the mill : and forty acres of Land on the South east of the mill brooke, lying between the mill brooke and Nashaway Riuer in such place as the said John Prescott shall choose with all the priuiledges and appurtenances thereto apper- teyneing. To haue and to hold the said land and eurie parcell thereof to the said John Prescott his heyeres and assignes for euer, to his and their only propper vse and behoofe. Also wee do couenant & promise to lend the said John Prescott fiue pound, in current money one yeare for the buying of Irons for the mill. And also wee do couenant and grant to and with the said John Prescott his heyres and assignes that the said mill, with all the aboue named Land thereto apperteyneing shall be freed from all coñon charges for seauen yeares next ensueing, after the first finishing and setting the said mill to worke. In witness whereof wee haue herevnto put our hands this 20th day of the gmo In the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred fifty and three.
Subscribed names
WILLM. KERLY SENE. LAWRENCE WATERS, THOMAS JAMES, JNO PRESCOTT, EDMUND PARKER, JNO LEWIS,
JNO WHITE,
RICHARD LINTON, JAMES ATHERTON,
RALPH HOUGHTON,
RICHARD SMITH, JACOB FFARRER. WILLM. KERLY JUNR."
The following entry shows the date of completion :
" Memorandum, that Jno Prescott finished his mill, & began to grind corne the 23th day of the 3mo, 1654.
At a meeting of the Comissioners for the generall Court, the 9th of September 1657 at Jno. Prescott's house, the Towne consented that the imunityes of John Prescott prouided for in the covenant should continue and remayne to him the said Jno Prescott his heyres and assignes vntill the 23 of May in the yeare of our Lord sixteen hundred sixty & two, 1662. SIMON WILLARD EDW. JOHNSON THOMAS DANFORTII "
42
JOHN PRESCOTT, THE PIONEER.
day of March, 1654, the industrial history of Clinton began. Portions of this millstone still exist in various historical museums, and in the hands of some of our own relic-loving citizens.
Prescott, not long content, was soon planning for a saw- mill .* He completed this early in 1659. February 17th of
* PRESCOTT'S SAW-MILL CONTRACT.
Know all men by these presents that forasmuch as the Inhabitants of Lanchaster, or the most part of them being gathered together on a trayneing day, the 15th of the 9th mo. 1658, a motion was made by Jno. Prescott blackesmith of the same towne, about the setting vp of a saw mill for the good of the Towne, and yt he the said Jno. Prescott, would by the help of God set vp the saw mill, and to supply the said Inhabi- tants with boords, and other sawne worke, as is afforded at other saw mills in the countrey, In case the towne would giue, grant, & confirme vnto the said Jno. Prescott, a certeine tract of Land, lying Eastward of his water mill, be it more or less, bounded by the riuer east the mill west the stake of the mill land and the east end of a ledge of Iron Stone Rocks southards, and forty acres of his owne land north, the said land to be to him his heyres and assignes for euer, and all the said Land and eurie part thereof to be rate free vntill it be improved, or any pt of it, and that his saws, & saw mill should be free from any rates by the Towne, there- fore know ye that the ptyes abouesaid did mutually agree and consent each with other concerning the aforementioned propositions as followeth.
The towne on their part did giue, grant, & confirme, vnto the said John Prescott, his heyres and assignes for euer, all the aforementioned tract of land butted & bounded as aforesaid, to be to him and his heyres and assignes for euer, with all the priuiledges and appurtenances there- on, and therevnto belonging to be to his and their owne propper vse and behoofe as aforesaid, and the said land and eurie part of it to be free from all rates vntill it or any pt. of it be improued, and also his saw, sawes, and saw mill to be free from all town rates, or ministers rates, prouided the aforementioned worke be finished & completed as aboue- said for the good of the towne, in some convenient time after this pres- ent contract covenant and agreemt,
And the said John Prescott did and doth by these psents bynd himself his heyres and assignes to set vp a saw mill as aforesaid within the bounds of the aforesaid Towne, and to supply the Towne with boords, and other sawn worke as aforesaid, and truly and faithfully to performe, fullfill, & accomplish, all the afore mentioned pmisses for the good of the Towne as aforesaid
43
SAW-MILL.
this year, "The Company granted him to fell pines on the Com'ons to supply his saw-mill." Although it is probable, that this mill was, at a later date, near his corn-mill and used the same water-power, it was, evidently, at first, further up the brook near the place where the Bigelow Carpet Com- pany's dam now is. Some authorities say that he had a bloomery at the latter place in connection with his saw-mill. Slag from iron works has been found in this locality, al- though it is, probably, of more recent origin.
The log houses of the first settlers gradually gave place to those built of sawn lumber, and Prescott's mills became a central point for all the country round. All persons living nearer to these than those of Sudbury came here to have their corn ground and to buy lumber. Rude roads were con- structed connecting the mills with Lancaster and the main highways of travel. What is now North Main Street is spoken of as "fiue rods wide from the Cuntrie highway [in South Lancaster ] to the mill." In deeds, it is called a "private " way.
The contracts in regard to these mills have been given in full on account of their supreme importance. Through them, Prescott became the first direct individual factor in Clinton history. In him, nature found that practical sagacity,
Therefore the Selectmen conceiuing this saw mill to be of great vse to the Towne, and the aftergood of the place, Haue and do hereby act to rattifie and confirme all the the aforemencconed acts, covenants, gifts, grants, & imunityes, in respect of rates, and what euer is aforementioned, on their owne pt, nnd in behalfe of the Towne, and to the true perform- ance thereof both partyes haue and do bynd themselues by subscribing their hands, this 25th day of february one thousand six hundred and fifty nine
JOHN PRESCOTT
The work aboue mencconed was finished according to this couenant as witnesseth. RALPH HOUGHTON
Signed & Delivrd In presence of
THOMAS WILDER
THOMAS SAWYER RALPH HOUGHTON.
44
JOHN PRESCOTT, THE PIONEER.
which knew how to use her gifts to the best advantage. In every direction, he had that shrewd common sense, which unerringly adapts means to ends. From that time to this, the community, of which Prescott was the founder, has de- veloped along the same line on which he started it, and has always had the center of its industrial life in its mills.
Prescott built his new house a little way from the site chosen for his corn mill, southeast of the point where High and Water streets now intersect. It was a few rods east of the stone watering-trough now on High Street near this corner. There are those living, who can remember the little hollow which showed where Prescott's cellar-hole had been. The spring from which he drew his water was, until recently, used as a well. The first house, known as Prescott's garri- son, was probably built of logs before the saw-mill was started. If it was like the other log houses of that day, the windows were small, with diamond panes either of glass or oiled paper, and with close shutters. It may be, the roof was thatched. The chimney was made of stone, or, perhaps, of brick, as bricks began to be made in Lancaster about this time. It is likely that there were flankers on the corners, for use as watch towers when Indian attacks were feared. It must have been of considerable size, as we know it con- tained two tenements, one of which was occupied by a mar- ried son.
Here for more than a score of years, Prescott lived with his family. He was the father of eight children, all of whom, with the exception of Martha, lived to a good old age.
Mary, born in 1630, at Sowerby, married Thomas Sawyer in 1648, and had eleven children, from whom are descended the Sawyers, who have been so prominent in Clinton history. This Thomas Sawyer died September 12, 1706, aged about ninety years.
Martha, born in 1632, at Sowerby, married John Rugg in
45
PRESCOTT'S HOME.
1655. They had no children, who survived. She died in 1656.
John, born in 1635, at Sowerby, and baptized at Halifax Parish, April Ist, married Sarah Hayward at Lancaster No- vember 11, 1668. He worked with his father as a farmer and blacksmith, and inherited his father's property in the mills. They had five children.
Sarah, born in 1637, at Sowerby, married Richard Wheeler, at Lancaster, August 2, 1658, and had eight or more children by him. He was killed at the massacre in 1676. The widow afterward married Joseph Rice of Marlborough, the ancestor of the Rices of Clinton.
Hannah, born, probably, at Barbadoes, in 1639, bore eight children as the second wife of John Rugg, whom she married May 4, 1660. Her husband died in January, 1697, and she was killed by the Indians, September 11, 1697.
Lydia, born at Watertown, August 15, 1641, became the wife of Jonas Fairbanks of Lancaster, May 28, 1658, and had seven children. He and his son Joshua were killed in 1676, by the Indians. She afterwards married Elias Barron.
Jonathan, born, probably, at Lancaster, in 1647, became a blacksmith, farmer and doctor. He married four times, and is recorded to have had seven children. After the massacre, he lived in Concord and became a prominent man there. For nine years, he represented his district at the General Court. He died December 5, 1721.
Jonas, born in Lancaster in 1648, became a blacksmith like his father. There is a tradition connected with his mar- riage that may be worth repeating. There was a girl living in Sudbury named Mary Loker. She had many suitors. Her wealthy parents had planned an aristocratic alliance for her. When they heard that a young blacksmith was paying attention to their idol and that his advances had met with favor, they forbade him to come to the house, and even barred the window of Mary's room so that no communica- tion could be carried on in that way. Being still outwitted,
46
JOHN PRESCOTT, THE PIONEER.
they determined to take further measures, and, all unknow- ingly, pursued a course tending to strengthen the lovers' purpose. They sent Mary away to live in seclusion. Jonas, after some time, found her by accident when he was upon a hunting expedition. In December, 1672, they were married, against the will of her parents, who refused her a dowry. The father endowed his son with the five hundred and twenty acres of land, which he had received for building the first corn-mill at Groton, and soon made him master in the new mill there. From Jonas and Mary Prescott sprung William Prescott, the hero of Bunker Hill, and William H. Prescott, the historiam. Jonas Prescott had twelve children. He died December 21, 1723.
It is probable that most of Prescott's children lived with him, at first, in the garrison house. Even after marrying, John continued to live here, and he helped him carry on the mill.
Prescott's garrison and his mills were the only buildings in the territory which is now Clinton, his family the only in- habitants, unless, possibly, he may at times have procured some help besides that of his sons and grandsons. All around him, except in the intervale along the river, was a vast forest, which had been cleared only for a small space about his buildings. Here, Prescott and his family lived in their rude log house, enjoying themselves as much in their rough fashion, as if they had every convenience of modern life. We can imagine them seated about the great open fire-place in the evening, telling each other of what had occurred during the day. The father would talk about what had happened in the mills, who had been there with logs to saw or corn to grind, and what news they brought of the outside world. It is possible that some of the children may have attended the dame school at Lancaster, and had stories to relate of the doings there; but it is more probable that they would talk of some deer or bear, or smaller game they had seen during the day, and of their plans for its future capture, Mean-
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