USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Bedford > History of the town of Bedford, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, from its earliest settlement to the year of Our Lord 1891 > Part 20
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BENJAMIN JOSIANI DAVIS. - This estate has been in the family and name almost two centu- ries.
Dolor Davis came from England about 1634, and was soon followed by his wife and several
The dwelling that has stood fully two centu- ries has been recently removed to another loca- | young children. After living at the new town,
PAGE HOMESTEAD.
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Cambridge, and later in the Plymouth Colony, the family settled in Concord, Mass., in 1655. Here his three younger children, born in Amer- ica, married and settled.
Samuel purchased, in 1696, the homestead in the west part of Bedford, then Concord. It was conveyed to Samuel, Sr., by John Jones. Jr., Samuel Hartwell, Sr., Joseph Dean, and Nathan- iel Harwood, of Concord. "In the eighth year of the Raine of our Souvereign Lord William the third, by the Grace of God, over England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King and defender of the faith." "The original deed is in the pres- ent owner's possession.
The dwelling marks the site of the original house. It is on a height of land overlooking the Concord River. It faces the south, after the plan of the pioneers. It has stood for a century and a half, was first painted red, but in recent repairs was given a coat of white.
The homestead has passed through six genera- tions from Samuel, in each of which there has been an Eleazer. The first was born in 1680. the second in 1705-6, the third in 1734, the fourth in 17GS, and the fifth in 1805.
The possession has always been in the male line, and until the present, the owner has been Eleazer. The last of the name settled on an adjoining farm, and a brother, Benjamin Josiah who was born in ISI0, is the owner.
There is living with Josiah a brother, Samuel, born in 1815. The eighth generation lives on an adjoining farm, and is often seen in the family group. Thirty-eight children, in five generations of the name of Davis, have been born on this estate.
The Davises have been noted in military affairs. Three of the family went from this place with Lovewell in his famous expedition of 1724-5 in pursuit of the Indians to the wil- derness of Maine : one, Josiah, lost his life, and Eleazer was maimed for life.
Two of the family were in the French and Indian wars, where Paul lost his life in 1763. Eleazer, 3d, was lieutenant of the company of militia at the opening of the Revolution, and foremost of the Bedford men at the battle of Concord, April 19, 1775.
His commission as lieutenant bears date of April, 1775, and is treasured among the relics of the family, of which there are many in the ancient dwelling.
The sword used by Eleazer at the battle of Concord, and in later campaigns of the war, to- gether with the old flint-lock musket, are kept near the bed of the venerable owner. The mus- ket was used by the family in the Revolution,
and bought by Eleazer, 3d, for eleven pounds two shillings, at a "vendue," in 1778, held by the town to sell its firearms, etc., for the pur- pose of raising money to pay public demands.
The old "timepiece," fully six feet tall, stands in the same corner where it has stood for more than a century and done faithful service for four generations.
This estate is regarded as remarkably well located for healthfulness. Longevity is notice- able in the family. The present owner now (1890) is fourscore years old, and conducts the business of his large farm in person.
The family has been prominent in the history of the town and church ever since the incorpora- tion, in 1729.
HOSMER AND MUZZY. - This was the Hartwell homestead, and is on the Concord side of the town. It originally included about two hundred and forty-seven aeres, and fell to William Hart- well in the allotment of common ground about 1666. The present dwelling was erected in 1758, and sold, with a portion of the land, by Joseph Hartwell, of the sixth generation, to the parents of the present owners. Other farms have been taken from the Hartwell allotment, and a good portion of the forest land is still retained in the family.
WILLIAM PARKER. - This estate, and those be- tween it and Concord line, were in the Wheeler name about a century. It is probable that the whole land was included in the twenty-nine lots of three hundred and fifty-seven acres taxed to Joseph Wheeler in 1666. Richard Wheeler is mentioned in the petition for a new town in 1728. Richard. Joseph, and Jonathan Wheeler are all mentioned as land owners in this vicinity in the description of the boundaries of the new town in 1729. The last house on the Bedford side of the line was an early " block house," and" probably erected by a Wheeler before the year
1700. William Page, born in 1737, married Patte Hill in 1763, settled on this farm, occu- pying the Wheeler house. He died in 1812, and the estate went to his nephew, Mather Hay- ward, who came from Boxboro, married Lucy Page in May, 1800, and settled here. The dwell- ing opposite the Wheeler house was originally Page's cider-mill, and turned into a dwelling by Ebenezer, son of Mather Hayward. William, son of Mather Hayward, built the William Par- ker house, and carried on farming there for a series of years. George M. Parker built the modern house standing on the farm.
ELEAZER P. DAVIS. - Patrick Murry, Stephen Haynes, and the other small estates on this road, were included in the shares of the common lands
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of Concord that fell to Dean. Thomas Dean was in Concord in 1645, and died in 1676. His son, Joseph, married Elizabeth Fuller, in 1662, and died in 1718. He, with his sons, Joseph and Thomas, have been located here; for their estates are each mentioned as bounding on land sold by Joseph Bulkley to William Hartwell 1696. The northern boundary of the Dean lands was the Winthrop farm, the southern was Hartwell's, and that of Joseph French was west of it. Winship, Eliab Lee, and Nathan Reed were each owners of the Davis estate be- fore it came to that family, and the latter sold to Eleazer P. Davis, whose son, George P., is the present owner.
We find Col. Timothy Jones at the Murry place very early. The present dwelling was built by him very soon after the Revolutionary War. It was a superior house of that day. Reuben Duren of the town was the architect. At the "raising," Rev. Mr. Penniman offered a most eccentric prayer, after having indulged too freely in the "mixed drink " of the occasion. The council at the ordination of Rev. Samuel Stearns was entertained here in a manner befit- ting the occasion. The farm is now owned by Temple and Beard, and occupied for a nursery.
It is evident that the Haynes estate is covered by the Pellet and Dean shares of the common grounds of Concord. In Walcott's "Concord," p. 133, is the following: "Thomas Pellet, being in great present want, the selectmen gave him a cow, July 13, 1693." The Pellet and Dean families were united by marriage. Dean sold to Moore. Capt. John Moore was living here at the opening of the Revolution, and probably inherited the estate from his father, John, who was established before the incorporation. His wife, Elizabeth, died March 28, 1732, and John, Sr .; died Aug. 21, 1765. He was killed by falling from a load of hay when entering the barn. Bradley Bowers married Lydia Moore Feb. 19, 1793, hence the Bowers' possession, which was followed by Stephen Haynes and others to the present John McGovern.
JAMES KAVANAUGH. - The Moore farm in- cluded this, with the other small homesteads in the vicinity. Leander Hosmer started the Kav- anaugh home.
McGOVERN. - These farms were included in the Hartwell estate. Stephen, son of William, born 1716, is thought to have established the home. He was followed by his son, Samuel, who married, Oct. 26, 1779, Mrs. Desire (Bateli- elder) Brown. They adopted Hannah Evans, a granddaughter of Mrs. Desire Hartwell, who married, first, Jonas Putnam and, second, Moses
Page. Through inheritance the farm was di- vided, and has since been held in separate shares. The discontinued road by this house was original- ly a part of a highway from Billerica to Concord.
NATHAN B. SMITH AND HENRY BACON. - These farms were included in one for many years. The location is that of the farm of Thomas Woolley, son of Christopher, who was in Concord in 1646, according to Shattuck. Thomas Woolley bought of Nathan Stow, in October, 1689, one hundred acres of land for forty-five pounds. It is described as being near a place called " Shawshine " (Billerica), bounded on the north by land of Joseph French, on the west by land of Moses Wheat and Timothy Wheeler, on the south by land of John Hart- well, and on the east and southeast by land of Joseph Taylor and John Merriam. There were three generations of Woolleys in possession suc- cessively, each of them being Thomas. The first died in 1721. The second, with his wife, Mary Chandler, deeded, April 4, 1761, one-half of ninety-six acres of land, in the southerly part of Bedford, to Zachariah Fitch, for one hundred and seventy pounds. This was the easterly part of the farm. Capt. Joseph Fitch married, sec- ond, about 1750, Mrs. Rachel Converse, and set- tled here. He died February, 1769, and left the estate to his sons, Joseph and Thaddeus. Joseph Fitch, then living in New Hampshire, sold, in September, 1769, to Joseph Converse, who, with Thaddeus Fitch, his half brother, became the owners. Converse carried on the business of a tanner and currier here. In 1804 Ebenezer Clark bought an estate of two liun- dred and seventeen and one-half acres, for six thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars, which included the Converse property. In the following year fifty acres were sold to Benjamin Simonds, Sr., and later, in 1812, the homestead was purchased by William Hartwell, who sold his half of the Hartwell homestead to his brother, Joseph, and relocated at the Converse place. William Hartwell died here in 1819. He was followed by his son, Amos, and later by Benja- min F., who sold to his son-in-law, Hannibal S. Pond, who was followed by others to the present.
ZEBEDEE SIMONDS, with his brother, Benja- min, came, with their parents, to Bedford, and located in the south part of the town, about 1805, and started shoe manufacturing. They bought real estate of different parties. Thad- deus Fitch sold his farm to them in 1813, and there Zebedee Simonds built his residence, which was sold after his decease, in 1826, to Obed Stearns, and passed from that family, through temporary possession to the present.
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Between broad fields of wheat and corn Is the lowly home where I was born ; The peach tree leans against the wall, And the woodbine wanders over all.
E
There is the barn, -and, as of yore, I can smell the hay from the open door, And see the busy swallows throng, And hear the peewee's mournful song. Oh. ye who daily cross the sill, Step lightly, for I love it still !
And when you crowd the old barn eaves, Then think what countless harvest sheaves Have passed within that scented door, To gladden eyes that are no more.
THOMAS BUCHANAN READ.
BENJAMIN F. HARTWELL. - This estate was included in the Patrick Fassett share of the squadron division made in 170S. It passed from Fassett to John Lemon, and in 1721 to Israel Putnam, whose dwelling, one of the earliest in this part of the town, was on this estate in 1729. He gave the land for the burial ground "as it was first laid out," and was a prominent citizen, being chosen the first deacon of the church, in 1730. He was also one of the first constables, and a collector of the "rates" at the the beginning of the town's municipal history. John Lane was a subsequent
owner of the estate, and was succceded by David Fitch, who occupied it after leaving the mill farm. He was succeeded by his daughter, Mary Fitch, wife of Benjamin F. Hartwell; and her (laughter, Mary Alzina, wife of Matthew R. Fletcher, followed in the possession. "Fletcher Avenue " runs through this farm. and the land is offered for building purposes. Five handsome dwellings are already seen there, in addition to the Fitch house, which was removed and re- located on the avenue. Mrs. Fletcher has given a lot to the town for a public library, as a memo- rial of her mother.
JOHN NEVILLE. - The name of Davis appears here very early. Steplien, son of Samuel and Mary (Medows) Davis, born in 1686, married, in 1713. Elizabeth Fletcher, and located here. In the description of boundaries in connection with the act of incorporation, in 1729. it appears that Stephen Davis and John Stearns were each located in this vicinity. The Stearns farm was later added to the Davis estate. Stephen Davis, Sr., was a man of marked ability. He was active in the incorporation of the town, and was one of the first constables, hence collector of taxes. He died in 1738, and was succeeded by his son, Stephen (Deacon). He was the only child of seven, of Stephen and Elizabeth, that came to maturity. He died in 1787, and was followed in the possession by his son, Thaddeus, whose wife, Sarah Stearns, died in 1807. Amos Hartwell (Deacon) followed the Davis family. It was sold by him to the present owner.
MEAD PLACE. - This abandoned homestead was once the scene of prosperity. Three fami- lies that flourished early in this territory, now without representatives here, seem, by the rec- ords, to be associated with this place. They are Cheever, Taylor, and Mead. Israel Mead, born in 1639, married, in 1669, Mary Hall, and settled here. Their son, Stephen, born in 1679, mar- ried, in 1700, Ruth Taylor (daughter of Joseph), and followed in the possession. Stephen Mead died, and left one young son. Joseph. Ruth (Taylor) Mead married, second, in 1718, Daniel Cheever; hence the Cheever possession. He was active in forming the new town, and died in 1733. The estate was purchased by Joseph Mead, in 1744, for four hundred and thirty pounds. The next in the family possession was his son, Stephen, who married, in 1765, Desire Batchelder, widow of Joseph Brown. They were succeeded by their son, Asa, who married, in 1803. Nabby Eames. Artemas, the youngest child of Asa and Nabby (Eames) Mead, born in 1817, spent part of his life here, sold the farm, and located in Woburn. Asa, born Feb. 4, 1804,
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and died in 1838, was buried on the farm at his own request.
MUDGE FARM. - This is included in that part of the Merriam share of common lands of Con- cord that came within the limits of Bedford at the incorporation. Nathaniel Merriam, chosen deacon in 1730, was located here, with his fam- ily. He died in 1738, and was succeeded by his son, John (Lieut.). He died in 1767. After his decease the farm was divided, and John established a home on the opposite side of the highway, while William remained at the old home. Lieut. William Merriam had a large family here. He was prominent in town until he was mentally diseased. The farm was sold to Benjamin Simonds, in 1815, by Thompson Bacon, guardian of William. Seth Whitford was a subsequent owner, and William Mudge purchased the estate in 1856. John Merriam, who settled on the other half of this farm, mar- ried Hannah Brooks Dec. 4, 1760. He was suc- ceeded by his son. John, who was followed by Eldridge. He sold to Amos Hartwell.
PETER KEELEY. - The land was a part of the Merriam farm. The house was built from the second schoolhouse in the district.
C. L. WAIT. - This farm probably included the Michael Bacon purchase of Roger Shaw. Oliver Reed settled here about 1750. Had a son, Oliver, born in 1755, who lived in the west part of the town, and a son, Reuben, continued the family possession. He was followed by Cyrus Reed. It then passed out of the family. Roger Lane was a subsequent owner, and his son, George, planted the hedge of pine trees bor- dering " Evergreen Avenue." Hiram Clark fol- lowed Lane, and after him there were several owners before the present, one of whom was Royal Pierce.
KENRICK. - This has been alluded to in the general history as the possible site of the Shaw- shine House. It was an early tavern stand.
Benjamin Danforth was innkeeper here when the town was incorporated. Capt. John Web- ber, of Scotch origin, born 1733, married Sarah Fassett, and settled here about 1760, and had twelve children, who became heads of the vari- ous branches of that family. Nine of the twelve children of Captain John lived to the average age of seventy-six years and six months.
John Webber Jr., succeeded his father in pos- session and was followed by the present owner.
HENSLEY. - Christopher Page was located here on a portion of the Nathaniel Page purchase, about 1700. He sold to Job Lane, Sr., in March, 1727. Lane followed the business of an inn- keeper until his death, 1747. William Webber married Mary Abbott, and settled here in 1791. After his death, 1833, there were Gurney, Ryon, Ward, and Hensley. The old house was de- stroyed by fire, and the present dwelling was erected by the last-named possessor.
WILLIAM LYONS. - It was first included in the Page purchase. James Webber and Hannah Da- vis married in 1804 and established a home here. They had two daughters, and adopted William, who lost his eye in hunting for crows. (See Bounty for crows, etc.) Larkin P. Page spent some years on this farm, and sold to present owner, who built the dwelling.
MICHAEL MYERS. - This farm was included in the Page purchase, 1687. Christopher Page married Susannah Webber, and settled here about 1740. They had six children, two of whom reached mature life. Their son Chris- topher, born 1743, went from this home to Con- cord, April 19, 1775 (one of the minute men). Their daughter Mary, born 1746, married Deacon Nathan Reed. of Lexington. John Davis was a later owner ; he was followed by others who sold to the present occupant.
ERNSTEIN, ROSENTHAL, FISK, SKINNER, FROST, IRELAND, FITCH, BUTTERFIELD and CLARK are settled on the land (five hundred acres) that was
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granted in 1652 to Rev: Jonathan Mitchell, sec- ond minister of Cambridge. (See General His- tory.) It was all purchased by Michael Bacon, ›July 19, 1682. for € 200. No doubt other lands are included in these farms as they are now bounded. The Wheeler family are early found located at Ernstein's and Rosenthal's. O. W. Fisk's farm occupies a central portion of the Bacon purchase. Capt. Jonathan Wilson was living here at the time of the Revolution. He went from his home at the head of the minute men of the town, to Concord, and was killed April 19, 1775. (See Military History and Epitaphs.) Wilson was connected with the Bacon family by marriage. Among later owners were Cogswell and Clifton. Frank Frost occupies the Bacon house, supposed to be the original. Six generations of the Bacon family were born in it. (See Frontispiece.) Garrison "No. 10." of 1675 was in this vicinity. Joseph Skinner purchased of Bacon, erected the buildings which he occupied, and conducted the business of a farmer and blacksmith until his death. John Ireland has that part of the Bacon purchase upon which Capt. Goodridge was early settled. He was succeeded by his son Bowman. Elijah Brown and Frank Frost. Frank P. Fitch has a part of the estate purchased by Benjamin Fitch about 1730. It included the mill site now owned by Charles H. Clark. The homestead and mill were held as one estate by three generations of the Fitch family, viz., Benjamin, David, David. The last-named sold the mill to William M. Ashby, and Charles H. Clark was his successor. The homestead was inherited by Nathan. and is now owned by Frank P. Fitch, who is of the fifth generation in the family possession. The house was built by the second David.
THE STREAM AND MILL.
`Tis the gentle stream that ripples on, To spread its waves amid the sea;
"Tis the rustic mill of days agone That ground the corn for you and me.
Other forms are mirrored now Amid the verdure at its side:
Other men the hillsides plough That rise above the gentle tide.
But them of old we'll not forget
Who faced the red and savage foe;
Their valorous deeds are treasured yet. Their lives of mingled joy and woe.
A stranger's hand may guide the mill, And hold the title of the stream;
But memory has a claim there still Which man will cherish and esteem.
THE AUTHOR.
JOHN BUTTERFIELD's farm includes that upon which Hugh Maxwell settled about the time of the incorporation. The famous warriors, Hugh and Thompson Maxwell were born on this estate. The Bowman family were found here later, and Capt. Elijah Skelton owned and occupied the place is 1816. Josiah Gleason followed him, and was succeeded by Mrs. Walcott.
HUNNEWELL and SKELTON are located on the Gookin grant, which had for its southern bound- ery Vinebrook. It was sold to Robert Thomp- son. August, 1761. Amos Hunnewell has that part which was occupied by Deacon Michael Crosby about 1812, and by his descendants for many years. Edmund Skelton's homestead is that part of the grant on which Hutchinson
lived. The house was built by White. "Esquire Yates " lived here in 1815. The abandoned house was a Bacon possession. Oliver Bacon was the owner in 1778. The Gookin grant also included the Wyman homestead. It was the home of Amos, whose wife entertained Hancock and Adams on April 19, 1775.
WILLARD LADD's farm and H. H. STAPLES' mill. with the other real estate on the south side of Vine Brook, represent several small grants, including one of thirty acres "to encourage John Wilson's Corne Mill," in 1685. It was a Wilson settlement until a comparatively recent date. Gleason and Blodget each carried on the busi- ness of milling here. The brick house was occu- pied by the latter in 1812.
MCCARTY OR WILLIAM PAGE FARM. - The name of Joseph Fassett is early traced to this farm. He bought of Timothy Brooks a part of the Oakes farm. He was the head of the fam- ily in this territory, "accepted inhabitant in 1679, June 2." Ebenezer Page appears here after the Fassetts, and later William Page, whose name is still associated with the land.
DAVID L. B. FITCH. - This farm was included in the Edward Oakes grant. Leonard White established the home. He was a farmer and a noted teamster. His ambition to outdo others of the same business led him to drive a load of wood to Boston, which the authorities refused to admit to the city streets. The present owner is the third generation of Fitches in possession.
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BEDFORD.
E. G. Loomis. - The Edward Oakes grant ! included this homestead. George Farley and Ralph Hill were purchasers in 1661. David Reed had the farm from Hartwell. He removed the original dwelling which stood on the oppo- site side of the street. David Reed married Hannah Raymond, in 1772, and established a home here. He built the mansion now standing, which he occupied as a tavern, with the sign pictured below. After the Reed family's pos-
returned to Bedford and settled on the David Reed farm. It remained in the Lane name until the death of Mrs. Lane, 1882, when E. G. Loo- mis, Esq., grandson of Jonathan and Ruhamah Lane, became the owner.
MOSES E. ROWE. - The land was included with the above described estate. The buildings were erected by John A. Merriam. Albert Bacon was a later possessor and sold to Ephriam Jones, of whose heirs the present owner made the pur- chase.
BROWN and HARTWELL farms with the Town Farm, a home for the poor, were all owned by Pages, and were included in the Page purchase and in the common grounds not divided until 1707. Thomas Page married Anna Merriam and MDR settled at the Hartwell farm about 1756. They had no children, but treated nephews as such. The decease of Anna Page occurred in 1810; when Joseph Brown had one farm, and Nathan- iel had the other. The latter sold to Buttrick, who occupied the farm for awhile; and Joseph Hartwell followed after this, at whose death Entertainment (1868) it was sold to David Constantine. Joseph t Brown was succeeded by son Moses F., whose descendants are now in possession of the farm. David Page, known as "King David," was an session ceased, the farm had several temporary early owner of the "Poor Farm."
owners, among whom was Hodgman, who con- BEDFORD SPRINGS. - Included in the Thomas ducted the business of a butcher. Jonathan Oakes grant. (See Industrial Section.)
BEDFORD SPRINGS.
Lane married, July 27, 1815, Ruhamah Page, and located in the north part of the town, where he conducted the business of a cooper, and later, 1824, became a merchant in Boston. In 1847
CONSTANTINE HILL. - This was a Hill home- stead at and before the incorporation. The buildings and a part of the land came within the limits of Bedford. Josiah Hill married Su-
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sanna Davis, in 1789, and settled here. He was succeeded by his son Constantine, who erected the present dwelling on the site of the old one, which was of a very primitive style. There was a secret apartment in the centre of the house, known as " Grimes' Hole." The tradition is that in the days of Indian alarms a man by that name lived on the farm and had a secret hiding place. The old house was used not only for a dwelling, but as a place for curing hops, this being a crop much cultivated on the farm. There were other buildings near the Hill farm, as appears from the following : -
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