USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Fitchburg > History of the town of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, comprising also a history of Lunenburg, from its first settlement to the year 1764 (1865) > Part 3
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Monday, December 7, 1719.
In the house of Representatives, the vote for granting two new towns was brought down from the board, with Amendments, which were read and agreed to -- And the said vote is as follows, viz :=-
Voted that two new Towns, each containing a Quantity of land not exceeding six miles square, be laid out in as regular Forms, as the Land will allow ; to be settled in a defensible manner, on the Westerly side of Groton West line, and that William Tailor, Samuel Thaxter, Fran- cis Fulham, Esqrs., Capt. John Shipley, and Mr. Benjamin Whitta- more, be a Committee fully impowered to allot and grant out the land contained in each of the said towns, (a lot not to exceed Two hundred fifty acres) to such persons, and only such as will effectually settle the same within the space of three years next ensuing the laying out and granting such lots by the Committee, who are instructed and directed to admit eighty families or persons in each Town at least, who shall pay to the said Committee for the use of the Province, the sum of Five Pounds for each allotment, which shall be granted and allotted as aforesaid ; and that each person to whom such lot or lots shall be granted or laid out, shall be obliged to build a good Dwelling House thereon and inhabit it ; and also to break up and fence in three acres of land the at least within the Term of three years ; and that there be laid out and reserved for the first settled Minister, a good conven- ient Lot ;* also a Lot for the School, t and a ministerial lot, ¿ and a lot for Harvard College,§ of two hundred and fifty acres each ; and that the Settlers be obliged to build a good, convenient House for the Wor-
*This lot was where T. & J. Dunsmoor now live, near the north burial place.
tThe School lot was in the N. W. part of Lunenburg; and a portion of it came within the limits of Fitchburg.
¿l'he Ministerial lot was so divided that it is now difficult to fix the precise situation of the several parts.
s The College lot was in the N. N. E. part of Lunenburg.
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG,
ship of God in each of the said Towns, within the term of four years ; and to pay the charge of necessary surveys, and the Committee for their service in and about the premises ; and that the Committee give public notice of the time and place when and where they will meet to grant allotments.
Consented to- SAML. SHUTE."
These two townships were designated by the Committee appointed to allot and grant them out, as the North and South townships. The former was afterwards incorporated by the name of Townsend, in the county of Middlesex. The south township included the present towns of Lunenburg, Fitchburg and a large portion of Ashby.
Whitney, and every other authority which I have seen, assert that this grant was made on the fourth of November, 1719. A copy of the grant is given on the first page of the book, containing an account of the doings of the Committee. It is as follows :-
" At a Great and General Court or Assembly for his Majestie's Province of ve Massachusetts Bay, held Nov. 4, 1719, in ye House of Representatives." &e. This error of thirty-three days as to the date of the grant was probably made either by the Committee's being furnished with an imperfect copy of the act, or by a mistake of Fran- cis Fullam, the Committee's clerk, in copying it into their book. This latter was probably Whitney's authority, and it is not unlikely that others have followed him. However, the authority of the records of the General Court is not to be doubted. The act passed the House of Representatives and received the signature of the Governor on the ith of Dee. 1719, old style, which corresponds with the 18th of Dec. new style.
Whitney's account thus proceeds :- " There is a hill, in the middle of the town, called Turkey Hill, on account of the great number of wild turkeys which frequented the place in that day. It still retains the name ; and gave denomination to the whole tract previous to its incorporation." This account of Immenburg in Whitney's History, ( which was published in 1793) was entirely prepared by Rev. Zabdiel Adams, then minister of Jamenburg, and certainly a good authority in the matters of his own day. This hill is noy called " Clark's Hill,"
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
and is situated about two hundred rods southeasterly from the meeting house. I have enquired of several people who lived in Lunenburg previous to the publication of Whitney's history, and hardly one is to be found who recollects that any one hill in particular was called Turkey Hill, but they say that Turkey Hills was the name given to "all the hills around"-not only to the hills in Lunenburg, but to the loftier hills in Fitchburg, which were equally the resort of immense numbers of wild turkeys, which found a favorite food in a plentiful supply of chestnuts and acorns there abounding. One or two individuals, however, are quite certain that Clark's Hill was once called Turkey Hill; and it is their impression that it went by both names-that it generally was called Clark's Hill, though aged people still clung to its ancient designation. The name of Turkey Hill is now entirely superseded.
There is indubitable evidence that the tract included in the whole south township was called, not Turkey Hill, but Turkey Hills. In the " Account of the General Courts Committees Proceedings," written in 1720, it is so called. And in every other place where it occurs, it is written "Turkey Hills."
What Indian name was given to. this territory, is not known ; but the first name applied to it by white men, was Turkey Hills.
When this order or grant of the General Court passed, Dec. 7th, 1719, there was but one family residing in the territory of Turkey Hills. The head of this family was Samuel Page-universally desig- nated by the honorable title of "Old Governor Page." This pioneer of the wilderness and patriarch of Turkey Hills was born, as I have been informed, in this section of the country (probably in East Cam- bridge,) in 1671 or '2, and removed at an early age to South Carolina. From thence he returned in poverty, to Groton, in this state, where he remained but a short period, and, in the summer of 1718, moved westward into what was afterwards Lunenburg, where he remained till his death in 1747 .*
*The inscription upon his grave stone, executed in rude capitals, reads as follows :
" Here lies buried ye body of Mr. Samuel Page. He was ye first that settled in this town, who departed this life Sept. ye 7, A: D. 1747, in ye 76 year of his age."
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
When the General Court's Committee, (as they were styled) first visited the place in Dec. 1719, in the performance of their duty, they found Governor Page, whose faithful subjects were composed of his wife Martha, and several promising children, occupying a comfortable habitation on the southerly side of Clark's hill, a few rods to the rear of the barn belonging to the farm of Micah Marshall. It is directly opposite to the principal grave yard, little more than one mile in a southeasterly direction from the meeting house. Old Governor Page exercised not a little taste in the selection of his place of abode ; for it is not only one of the most beautiful situations, but the land there- abonts constitutes one of the best farms in the town. He had, how- ever, no title to the land which he was cultivating, for it was then public domain, and belonged to his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay. Accordingly, when the Committee met at Concord, in 1720, for the purpose of granting out lots, Samuel Page purchased one for himself, and one for his son Joseph. This Joseph was employed as a " chaimman," when the town was first surveyed, and probably was about twenty years old. I am inclined to think that he was the Governor's eldest son. This dignitary's nearest neighbors were at Groton on the east. at Lancaster on the south, and on the borders of the Connecticut river on the west. The record of the births of his children commences in 1719, and enumerates six. Previous to this period there were born Joseph, Daniel, Nathaniel, David, John, and probably one or two more. One or more of them settled in Shirley. Joseph resided all his days in Lamenburg. One of them, (David) as I have been told, removed to the northerly parts of Vermont, and was the first settler of the town of Lunenburg, in Essex county. It is reported that he afterwards returned to his native state, and dwelt in Peterham.
An elderly gentlemen of Lamenburg, from whom these data were derived. remarked that he thought that the descendants of the last imentioned son had not entirely disappeared at the present day, and, in support of his opinion, related the following :- This Page, having a roving disposition and a speculative east of mind, tok it into his head.
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when quite young, that he could make more money by trading with the Indians, than by cutting down forest trees and cultivating the soil. Accordingly, he directed his course towards Canada, and commenced purchasing beaver and otter skins of the ignorant natives upon this principle,-that his foot weighed just four pounds and his hand one pound. This they seemed to doubt, but were soon satisfied by his making the declaration that it was as fair for one party as the other, since he weighed off to them, by the same weights, his powder, tobacco, shot, &c. This grand field for making an honest living was, however, soon closed ; for some other traders coming that way, explained the trick to the Indians, and the Old Governor's speculating son had to decamp very suddenly-weights and all-to save his life.
It appears from the town records of Lunenburg, that "John Page, ye son of Samuel Page, died at Jamaica, being there on the Spanish expedition, Dec. 29th, 1740, as they hear."
David Page was undoubtedly among the earliest-perhaps the first of the settlers in that part of Lunenburg which is now Fitchburg. The birth of his eldest child is dated Oct. 1735. Some of the aged people of this town think that the first settlement made within our present precinct, by a white man, was on the place now owned by James L. Haynes-and that the occupant was sometimes called Gov- ernor Page. Others say that David Page lived there, but from how early a period they cannot tell. Perhaps the title of Governor, appended to this Page, was a hereditary privilege, or these informants may have blended the accounts of the two Pages in . their minds. There can be but little doubt as to the residence of Old Governor Page near the centre of Lunenburg; for the land on which the first pound was built, and for a "passage to and from the same," was purchased of him, and the Governor himself was elevated to the office of pound-keeper.
There is, however, strong circumstantial evidence that the first settlement within what is now Fitchburg, was made by a man named Page-that his house stood a few rods westerly of the house of James L. Haynes, a short distance south of the present travelled road,
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
and near the small brook which flows there. This house was " garri- soned," that is, sticks of timber, hewn on two sides to about the thickness of six inches, were firmly driven into the ground so close together as to touch. This kind of barricade extended around the house at the distance of about ten feet from it. Port-holes were made through this of sufficient dimensions to allow the fire of musketry. These fortified houses, called Garrisons, were frequently a good defence against the attacks of the natives. This Page turned the above mentioned small brook from its natural course, and made it flow for some distance undder ground, and then through his garrison. This was done that, if menaced by the savages, he might sit securely in his habitation and dofy their efforts.
Having thus treated of the family of Old Governor Page, the con- sideration of the affairs pertaining to the township of Turkey Hills may be resumed.
The Committee appointed by the act of Dec. 7th, 1719, to allot and grant out the township, commenced their duties on the 21st of the same month, and began the survey. Besides other expense incurred by the Committee, the future proprietors were charged with the sum of 12%. 6d. old time." " for Bisket, Cheese & Jenger to carry into ye wwwls." The survey was resumed and completed in April of the following year. f
.As many of my renders, at the present day, would probably find it difficult to determine the dif- frteure between 'Od Tenor" and " Lawful Money," I will here adil that in the year 1702, recourse was hat in the New England provinces to a paper currency, to support the expenses of government, and furnlet a substitute for a circulating medium. The bills purported that they would be redeemed at n certam time, which was done at first, but it soon became customary to redeem them by new roland Par kome dog pretty liberally, they begin to depreciate in value. In Massachusetts, where ther value was kept up better than in the other provinces, the depreciation was at the rate of ren ditk & Nafter one in sperie. Tais currency acquire I the unme of Old Tenor-seven shillings an I six pence being equal to only one shilling in silver, which was called "Lawful money," or nino pure sterling of Great Britain,
Ih the year 129, The government of Great Britain made a grant of a sum of money to Massachu- selle to enumerate the province for its exertions in the late war with France. Governor Hutchinson prmelihat tifesttin, which was sent over In dollars and parts of dollars, should be appropriated ( redi 1 while at the fall of credit of the province. This proposition, after much opposition, word-1 000 c041 nhd vrulually it wak productive of much good. Accordingly the circulation ef of beer tills wne fully stuppelen the 31st of March, 1750. The last large emission of Old Trollet Unverner Shirley, in order to defray the expenses of the expedition against Ce planet of Chuje Himrien, In Ift. This he did con rary to the express orders of the king to put a at | 1 tant lint =the plan was succe fol no notier was taken of this breach of orders.
Ht Ml rtl that he Committee were directed to make the new township six miles square. An Impression of the paper lagenfurt wh wg that this order was not executed. A corner of Icom- lealle ging to podle day long the thewest part of the town. When the second graut was inade
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG,
On the 11th of May the Committee met at Concord, when the grantees entered their names for lots. . They were obliged to pay at this time the sum of fifty shillings, old tenor, ($1.11) and obligated themselves to pay a like sum when they should finally draw their lots. If any individual refused to pay the last fifty shillings, he incurred a forfeiture of his lot, and of his first payment. The eighty lots were subscribed for, and the sum of 1831. 10s ($81.54) paid. Of the eighty individuals whose names were subscribed, seventeen belonged to Concord, fifteen to Groton, four to Needham, and the others to Newbury, Bradford, Reading, Boxford, Weston, Watertown, &c. Only one person's residence is put down at "Turkey Hills." This is Samuel Page, who subscribed for two lots-one for himself, and one for his son Joseph.
In May, 1721, the Committee again met at Concord, when the grantees drew their lots and paid for them in full. At this time five more grantees had been admitted, notwithstanding that the south township was "almost full." The number of grantees was subse- quently increased to ninety.
It will be recollected that, according to the act of the General Court, each grantee was to receive two hundred and fifty acres. Twenty-two thousand five hundred acres would thus be disposed of. Then a lot was reserved for the first settled minister, for the school, for Harvard College, and there was a ministerial lot. At the first division, forty-five acres, "and that to be the standard of the best land," were allotted to each man-and if any happened to be of an inferior quality, five or more acres were added to it, "to make each lot equal."
This, it will be perceived, was taking but a small portion of the whole township. Accordingly, in January, 1724, a second division of about sixty acres additional was made. The meadows, were also divided into lots and annexed to the several "upland" lots ; and thus
to Lancaster in 1713, (which grant was incorporated into Leominster in 1740) the Indians and whites, who "ran " the line, first watered their horses at Massapog pond, and then proceeded in a straight, line to the southern point of Oonkeshewalom pond. This was the boundary line between the domains of the whites and natives.
E
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
they proceeded, making division after division, till nearly all the town- ship of Turkey Hills was taken up by the original proprietors, or their assigns.
There is one circumstance connected with the grant of the General Court worthy of notice. The limits of the new township, according to that act. were not to exceed six miles square. Yet Turkey Hills embraced the present towns of Lunenburg, Fitchburg, and not a small portion of Ashby. It would puzzle a surveyor of the present day not a little, to discover how the worthy and conscientious progenitors of Turkey Hills contrived to get all this territory in a space of six miles square : for Fitchburg alone is more than six and a half miles long, and nearly four and a half broad-Lunenburg is of about the same size-and add the part afterwards set off to Ashby in 1767, and we have a territory equal to twelve miles in length and six in breadth, containing, at the least calculation, forty-five thousand acres.
No one, however, seems to have found fault with the survey, and certainly people at this late period, ought to remain satisfied with it.
In 1724 the grantees began to move into the town and occupy their respective lots. The first house built by Old Governor Page has already been mentioned. The second dwelling house,* as I have been toll, was built by Edward Hartwell, Esqr., t on or near the place
"I have not satisfactorlly ascertained whether this house, or the one near the centre of the town, (markel 115 on the map of 1 .. ) owned by B. G. Whiting, and occupied by the Widow Goodridge and Daniel H. Humphries, was created first. The latter was undoubtedly bulft as early as 1724, Ty Thomas Prentice, Esq., and was afterwards, and for a long period, occupied by Capt. Joshua Hutchens,
"He was not only one of the earliest settlers, but for a long period he was deservedly one of the most influential per ous of the place. He possessed a strong mind and an education superior to that ef wcost of los felles citizens He was continuudly rid ed upon to fill the ntost important offices In thetown He was one of those bolividans, whose sound judgment and energy so well qualify them te tile the beel in the aff urs of n new settlement, when the Influence of such persons is so essential Ho proposis Whereser muy important of extraordinary business was to be accomplished, Fler| Hattwell was called upon to take the charge of it. He passed through several grades of office to this with, nie finally attlemed the dignity of major-an office at that time of more Importance than that of a major general at the present day .. In this capacity he took the lead In scouring the w. when the 199 8 We enlarmed by the movements of the Indians. He was a justice of the 16 : h 1700, he waroppant.In Judge of the Court of Common Plens, which office he held t 1. IF the representative of the town for a great number of years, even fill he was Opanels of we by (mart'1 tipe le wesalso a deacon of the church. "and, finally he died, " as
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
now occupied by Stephen Gibson. It is about three and a half miles in a southerly direction from the centre of Lunenburg, on the Lancas- ter road. This individual, who exercised a great influence over the rising fortunes of the new township, came from Lancaster as early as 1724-perhaps earlier. The third was built by Dea. Philip Good- ridge, on the place now occupied by his grandson, Phinehas Goodridge, on the road leading to Lancaster, about three miles in a southerly direction from the middle of Lunenburg. This house was built in the Autumn of 1724, or early in 1725. This Dea. Goodridge died in January, 1729, and, as I have been informed, was the first person interred in the principal grave yard of Lunenburg .* I find the deaths of several individuals recorded previous to this time, but where they were buried I do not know. 1145975
At a meeting of the General Court's committee, March 16th, 1726, it appears from information then laid before them, that there were twenty-six houses raised, "and ten of them settled and inhabited." Of these, though the larger portion was probably near the centre of Lunenburg, some may have been in that part which is now Fitchburg. But this is a very doubtful matter.
Among the names which appear on the records at an early date, are those of Benoni Boynton,; John Grout,¿ Moses Gould, Samuel Johnson, § Josiah Willard, | Nathan Heywood, " Jonas
*The inseription upon his grave stone reads thus :-
" Here lyes ye Body of Mr. l'hilip Goodridge (2d son of Mr. Joseph and Martha Goodridge) Who was born at Newbury and died at Lunenburg, Jan. 16, 1728-9 in the 60 year of his age.
The first Man interred in this Place."
tHe probably lived near where O. & J. Peabody now reside, about one and a half miles in a direc- tion N. N. W. from the meeting house.
#He had no fixed habitation, and probably never owned any real estate in Lunenburg. Ile was a speculating, moveable being, and, if any thing, was a pettifogger by trade.
§ This Johnson is said to have lived where Luther Farwell now lives-about half a mile northeasterly from the Methodist meeting house.
IlCapt. (afterwards Col.) Josiah Willard lived on the " Billings place," on the Laneaster road, a little more than two miles in a southerly direction from Lunenburg meeting house. He was a worthy man and had a great share of influence in the affairs of the infant settlement.
TNathan Heywood "settled " in the southern xtiemity of the town, on the Lancaster road, where Oliver Whitney now dwells. He was a man of considerable note, having been appointed Deputy Sheriff, and afterwards Crier of the courts. He also kept in his house what, in those days, was digni- fied with the name of store, but on a very limited scale.
HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Gillson, Daniel Austen,* Joshua Hutchens, Thomas Prentice, i Ke., &c.
Several years after the grant of the General Court, much com- plaint began to arise concerning the speculations which now began to be manifest among the original proprietors-for then, as in modern days, there appeared a strong desire of turning every thing into a money-making matter. Several of the purchasers, totally disregard- ing the conditions of the grant, and the injunctions of the Committee, neglected to perform any labor on their lots, and kept them from others likely to settle them. Inasmuch as they "traded them from one man to another, for excessive gain and prices, which practice was directly contrary to the written conditions and provisos upon which each person had his lot of the Committee," these latter proceeded to declare several lots forfeited, and sold them to other persons, from whom more obedience might be expected. After this summary proceeding, no more complaint was made concerning land speculations.
In November 1727, the General Court's Committee voted that the proprietors should forthwith proceed to the erection of a meeting house, to be not less than forty-five feet in length and thirty-five in breadth. From the diminutive size of this house it may be inferred that Turkey Hills, at this period, did not contain many families ; yet they had already conceived thoughts of rejecting the further tutelage of the Committee appointed by the Great and General Court, and of setting up for themselves. They began to bestir themselves in the matter of procuring an act of incorporation, and the meeting house, proposed by the Committee, was not built. Yet they were not entirely without religions instruction, though they had no meeting house. May 15th, 1728, Rev. Andrew Gardner was settled as minister of Turkey Hills. The meetings, of course, were held in private dwellings.
Mr. Gardner was graduated at Harvard University in the year 1712. In the Antum of 1719 he was ordained the first minister of
Daniel Austen's hallation was where Calvin Eaton lately lived.
The house Inifft 15 Thomas Printire. Eagr., and afterwards occupied by Capt, Joshua Hutchens, has air a Jy lash trentine Ijn a prece ling uote
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HISTORY OF FITCHBURG.
Worcester. Here he remained till his dismission in October, 1722. Where he was during the interval between this time and his instal- ment at Turkey Hills, I do not know. He built and occupied the house now standing on the west side of Clark's Hill, and now the residence of the heirs of David Wood, 2d. It has quite an air of antique decay about it-a small portion of the old diamond form glass still remaining in some of the windows.
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