USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Middleborough > History of the town of Middleboro, Massachusetts > Part 46
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1661]
TWENTY-SIX MEN'S PURCHASE
585
libertie for hunting within the said lands in any way ; excepting by seting of Trapps wherby theire Cattle may be Indangered; which together with un Ne- cesary and un Reasonable dividing of theire Cattle thereon ; I doe heerby engage not to doe, also for the use of some few trees either Cedar or Spruce ; if occasion Shall Require; as alsoe that the Indians Shall have libertie to gather flaggs on the said ground ; if they shall see cause or have occasion ; All the said lands with theire said appurtenances excepting those particulars last excepted and expressed ; I the said Josias Wampatucke doe by these presents fully freely and absulutely with all my Right, title and Interest; make over sell and confirme unto the said Captaine Thomas Southworth and Court of New Plymouth to his and theire heires and assignes forever as above expressed warranting the sale of the said premises and all theire appurtenances against all prsons whatsoever as above expressed. Moreover I the said Josias Wampatucke doe by these presents give libertie for the said Captaine Southworth or Court of New Plymouth to enrowle these presents or to Cause them to bee Recorded or enrowled in the court records of Plymouth aforsaid according to the usuall manor of Recording or enrowling evidences in such cases provided. In Witnes wherof I the said Josias Wampatucke have sett to my hand and seale this seaventh day of March Anno. dom : one Thousand six hundred sixty and one 1661.
Signed Sealled and delivered in the presence of
The mark Josias
Nathaniel Morton
Joseph Bradford
The X marke of Paxquimanekett
The X marke of George Manakes
After this land was surveyed, it was apportioned among the proprietors for whom it had been purchased.1
The following is a list of the original purchasers : 2-
John Adams Samuel Eddy
William Bassett
Lieut. Matthew Fuller
Francis Billington
Samuel Fuller
Thomas Bordman
Edward Gray
William Brewster
William Hodskins
Peter Brown
John Howland
Edward Bumpus
William Mullins
Francis Cook
William Nelson
Philip Delano George Partridge
Thomas Dotey
William (Pontus) ?
Wampatucke and his seale
1 Plymouth Registry of Deeds, Book II, Pt. II, p. 109.
2 New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. iii, p. 334. This is probably correct, although some records give other names in a few instances. It is impossible to give a more exact list, as accounts vary. See History of the First Church of Middleboro, p. 123.
1
586
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1637
Andrew Ring John Shaw Moses Simmons
George Soule
Francis Sprague Resolved White
JOHN ADAMS was the son of John Adams, a passenger in the Fortune, who came to Plymouth in 1621, and settled in that part of Marshfield called Green Harbor. He was one of the Purchade purchasers, but neither he nor his descendants lived in town.
WILLIAM BASSETT was probably a son of William, who came over in the Fortune. The first William lived in Plymouth, Duxbury, and in West Bridgewater. He was an extensive land-owner at the time of his death (1667). His son settled in Sandwich.1
FRANCIS BILLINGTON. See chapter on Early Settlers.
THOMAS BORDMAN, sometimes spelled Burman, at one time lived in Lynn, and in 1637 moved to Sandwich. He was one of the owners in the Sixteen Shilling and the Purchade Pur- chases. He probably disposed of his allotment in this tract before the resettlement of the town.
WILLIAM BREWSTER was the son of Jonathan Brewster, and grandson of Elder Brewster of the Mayflower. He lived upon land of his grandfather in Duxbury, and was also one of the proprietors of the Purchade Purchase. 2
PETER BROWN. But little is recorded concerning him. He may have been a son of the Peter Brown who was a passenger in the Mayflower. In addition to his interest in this purchase, he had originally one of the lots in the Purchade territory.
EDWARD BUMPUS. See chapter on Early Settlers.
1 See Mitchell's History of Bridgewater, p. III ; New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. iii, p. 334.
2 Winsor, History of Duxbury, p. 236.
587
TWENTY-SIX MEN'S PURCHASE
1630]
FRANCIS COOK was a passenger in the Mayflower,1 and one of the proprietors of the Purchade Purchase. He died in 1663, aged about eighty-one. Neither he nor his descendants ever lived in town. The whole or a portion of this tract of land was conveyed to Adam Wright and John Tomson before the gen- eral meeting of the " Liberties of Middleberry " in 1677.
PHILIP DELANO was of French origin, and his name origi- nally was spelled De la Noye, from which the modern name of Delano is derived. He was born in 1602, was with the pilgrims at Leyden as a young lad, and came to this country in the Fortune at the age of nineteen years. He settled in Duxbury, and was admitted as a freeman in 1632. He was one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, and of the Purchade and South Purchases. He married Hester Dewsbury in 1634, and for his second wife Mary, daughter of James Glass, in 1657. He died in 1681, aged seventy-nine years. Neither he nor his descendants ever lived in town.2
THOMAS DOTEY or DOTED was a son of Edward Dotey, who came over in the Mayflower. His father fought the first duel in New England, with Edward Leister, at Plymouth, June 18, 1621.
SAMUEL EDDY was born in England in 1608. He was a son of Rev. William Eddy of England, a non-conformist minister. He came to this country with his brother John, who sailed from Buxted, England, August 10, 1630, and arrived in Plymouth in the ship Handmaid, October 29, 1630. Governor Winthrop says that this vessel had sixty passengers and lost one, and he further says that "one of the Eddy's told me he had many letters in the ship for me." On November 7, 1637, he had three acres of land in Plymouth set off to him, and in 1641 had six acres of land and thirty acres of meadow land set off to him. He bought a house of Experience Mitchell at Spring Hill, at
1 Goodwin, Pilgrim Republic, p. 474.
2 Winsor, History of Duxbury, p. 251.
588
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1678
the end of Main Street, Plymouth, May 9, 1634. He owned land in other places than Middleboro and Plymouth. He spent a portion of the latter part of his life in Middleboro, and died in Swansea. He was enrolled as a person capable of bearing arms in Plymouth in 1643, and a freeman in 1658.
On the 3d of June, 1662, Samuel Eddy with others petitioned to the court at Plymouth for right to be granted them as being the first-born children of this government, and that the right purchased by Major Winslow and Captain Southworth should be assigned to them. He died in 1688, aged seventy-seven years.1
MATTHEW FULLER was a son of Edward Fuller, but his par- ents died soon after their arrival at Plymouth, and little is known of his early history. He was the earliest regular physician in Barnstable, where he settled in 1652. He probably came over to Plymouth in 1640, and was admitted as a freeman in 1653. In 1673 he was appointed surgeon-general of the troops of the colony, and served as a captain of the Plymouth forces in King Philip's War. He died at Barnstable in 1678.2
SAMUEL FULLER. See chapter on Early Settlers.
EDWARD GRAY was a merchant and ship-owner in Plymouth, and lived not far from the Kingston line. He came to Plym- outh with his brother Thomas in 1643, and was a large owner of land at Rocky Nook. In 1678 he hired of the colony Clark's Island for seven years, with liberty to "keep ten neat cattle free of rent," but the people of Plymouth were to have liberty to bring wood for fencing and firing from the island. He died at Plymouth in 1681, and his grave is marked by a stone, one of the oldest upon Burial Hill. Neither he nor his descendants ever lived in town. He was an extensive owner of real estate in different parts of the colony, and was also one of those inter- ested in the Purchade, Sixteen Shilling, Little Lotmen's, and
1 Eddy Family, p. 102.
2 Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, vol. ii, p. 217.
589
TWENTY-SIX MEN'S PURCHASE
1695]
South Purchases. At the time of his death he was the richest man in the colony.
WILLIAM HODSKINS or HOSKINS. See chapter on Early Settlers.
JOHN HOWLAND was one of the passengers in the Mayflower. He married Elizabeth Tilley, a daughter of John Tilley, of the Mayflower. The Plymouth Colony Records speak of him Flosecar as a "godly man, an ancient pro- fessor in the ways of Christ, and an instrument of good in his place." He was the last male survivor of those who came in the Mayflower, who remained in Plymouth. He died March 5, 1673, at the age of eighty. He was one of the persons for whose benefit the Sixteen Shilling and the Purchade Purchases were made. He probably sold that portion of his land included in the Twenty-six Men's Purchase before the breaking out of King Philip's War.1 He left four sons ; Isaac lived in Middleboro.
WILLIAM MULLINS was probably the son William, one of the signers of the civil compact in the cabin of the Mayflower, and his name is among the original Purchade purchasers. Neither he nor his descendants ever lived in town.
WILLIAM NELSON. See chapter on Early Settlers.
GEORGE PARTRIDGE came to the colony in 1636. He always resided in Duxbury, and was admitted as a freeman from that town in 1646. He was one of the original purchasers of much of the territory of Bridgewater, and one of the proprietors of the Purchade and Sixteen Shilling Purchases. Neither he nor his descendants ever lived in town. He died about 1695.
Of WILLIAM PONTUS but little is known ; a man of that name died at Plymouth February 9, 1652, leaving two daughters. 1 Goodwin, Pilgrim Republic, p. 507.
590
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1662
There was a William in " Namasakeesett " in 1663, and this is probably the man who bears that name in the original Twenty- six Men's Purchase, in the Purchade, and in the Sixteen Shilling Purchase. His interest in these had been conveyed before the meeting of the proprietors of the " Liberties of Middleberry," in 1677.1
ANDREW RING. See chapter on Early Settlers.
JOHN SHAW. See chapter on Early Settlers.
MOSES SIMMONS, originally spelled Symonson,2 came to Plym- outh in the ship Fortune in 1621. Governor Winslow says of him : "He was a child of one that was in communion with the Dutch Church at Leyden ; is admitted into church fellowship in New England and his children also to baptism as well as our own." He was one of the first settlers in Duxbury, an ori- ginal proprietor in Bridgewater, and one of the Purchade pur- chasers, but he never lived here. His name is, however, on the list of those in the garrison, but he was probably with other land- owners at this outpost at the time and sought refuge there.
His sons were Moses, who settled in Duxbury and died in 1689, and Thomas, who settled in Scituate.
GEORGE SOULE was the thirty-fifth signer of the compact in the Mayflower, and a member of Governor Winslow's fam- ily. He married Mary goomyers Soubor Becket. In 1637 he volunteered in the Pequot War, but was not called into service. He was the owner of land in Plym- outh, but before 1645 he sold that and moved to Duxbury. He was one of the deputies from that town to the General Court in Plymouth, and one of the original proprietors of the Six- teen Shilling and Purchade Purchases, and of the territory of
1 Winsor, History of Duxbury, p. 293.
2 New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. iii, p. 335.
591
TWENTY-SIX MEN'S PURCHASE
1675]
Bridgewater. He died in 1680, a "very aged man." He never lived in Middleboro, but soon after its resettlement his de- scendants became residents of the town. The name was early spelled Sole, Soul, and Soule.1
FRANCIS SPRAGUE came to Plymouth in the ship Anne in 1623, and settled in Duxbury. He was a man of note in the early history of that town, an original proprietor of Bridge- water, and conveyed his estate in the Twenty-six Men's Pur- chase, before King Philip's War, to Benjamin Bartlett. He was one of the original owners in the Purchade Purchase.2
RESOLVED WHITE was the oldest son of William White, the eleventh signer of the civil compact in the cabin of the Mayflower, who died in the terrible winter of 1621. He lived in Marshfield, and his allotment was conveyed to Isaac How- land before 1677.
CONSTANT and THOMAS SOUTHWORTH, the purchasers of this land, were very important men in Plymouth Colony, and their names often appear in the va- rious purchases of land made Constant South would of the Indians in Middleboro.
Their father, Edward, married Alice Carpenter ; the sons, Con- stant and Thomas, were born in Leyden, Holland. Upon the death of their father Mrs. Southworth sailed for Plymouth, and later became the wife of Governor Bradford. Constant came to Plymouth in 1628, and Thomas soon after.
Constant moved from Plymouth and settled in Duxbury about the year 1637. He was admitted a freeman that same year. He was in the Pequot War, and represented Duxbury as deputy for seventeen years. He was treasurer of the colony from 1659 to 1678, and also served as an assistant ; he was in King Philip's War as Commissary-General. He was one of the
1 Goodwin, Pilgrim Republic, p. 475; New England Historical and Genealogical Register, vol. iii, p. 335.
2 Mitchell, History of Bridgewater, p. 306.
592
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO [1669
grantees in behalf of the court in the Great Men's Purchase, and treasurer in behalf of the colony of a purchase made . from Philip, March 4, 1669, of a tract at the Nemasket Pond, and of the Sixteen Shilling Purchase with John Tomson. He died in 1679. His daughter Alice married Colonel Benjamin Church. In his will, he gave his daughter Elizabeth "my next best bed and furniture, with my wife's best bed provided she do not marry William Fobes ; but if she do then to have five shil- lings." The bed was considered worth thirty times as much as the five shillings, but it was the old story, and " Elizabeth chose to have five shillings with William to two beds without him."
Thomas Southworth, upon the death of Elder Brewster, was elected ruling elder in the church at Plymouth, but through Co Sour Sworth the influence of his stepfather, Gov- ernor Bradford, he declined that of- fice. He was an assistant to the governor in 1652, and continued in the government of the colony until his death in 1669. He was one of the commis- sioners of the United Colonies in 1659, and was appointed governor of the colonies' territory on the Kennebec River in 1664. He was known as Captain Thomas Southworth, and the "New England Memorial " thus speaks of him : "This year 1669 was rendered sorrowful and remarkable by the death of Captain Thomas Southworth, who full of faith and comfort expired at Plymouth December 8, being fifty-three years old, after he had served God in his generation faithfully both in public and private station." He was the grantee for the own- ers of the Twenty-six Men's Purchase in behalf of the court for the jurisdiction of Plymouth, and of the Little Lotmen's Purchase, with his brother Constant.
In the History of the First Church we find Nathaniel South- worth and John Alden mentioned in the list of purchasers.
LIEUTENANT NATHANIEL SOUTHWORTH was the second son of Constant Southworth. He was born at Plymouth in 1648, married January 10, 1672, a daughter of Edward Gray of
593
TWENTY-SIX MEN'S PURCHASE
1690]
Plymouth, and died January 14, 1711. He always resided in Plymouth, and was prominent in affairs of that town.1
JOHN ALDEN was the youngest of the pilgrims of Plymouth who took a prominent part in the government of the colony. He was born in 1599, and died in 1687. His biography is too well John Aston 1632 known to receive an extended no- tice. He became a proprietor of the Twenty-six Men's Pur- chase before King Philip's War, and was one of the original proprietors of the town of Bridgewater. There is a tradi- tion, not substantiated, that for a little time he was a resident of Middleboro.2
Soon after this purchase was made, many of the original proprietors transferred their shares, and at the commence- ment of King Philip's War, in 1675, the owners are mentioned as in the fort.3
A LIST OF PROPRIETORS IN 1690
I. ffrancis Sprague, now in possession of Benj. Bartlett's son
2. John Adams
" Jabez Warren - since of John Wads- worth
3. George Partrage
" John Wadsworth and James Partrage
4. ffrancis Cook 66
" Lieut. Thompson and Adam Wright
5. Thomas Bordman ¥ " Benjamin Nye
6. William Pontus 66
66 " William and John Churchill
7. Samuel ffuler
8. Edward Bumpus 66
66 66 " Joseph Bumpus
9. Francis Billenton 66 66 66 " Isaac Billenton
10. William Brewster 66 66 " Solliman hewit
II. John Shaw 66 66
" Samuel Wood
12. Edward Gray
" Ephraim Tinkham
13. Edward Gray 66 66 Ebenezer Tinkham
14. Resolved White 66 66 Isaac Howland
15. William Hodgkins " 66 " Joseph Vahan
16. Andrew Ring 66 66 ". William and Eliazer Ring
17. Moses Simmons
66
' John Soule
1 Winsor, History of Duxbury, P. 314.
2 Goodwin, Pilgrim Republic, p. 566 ; Winsor, History of Duxbury, p. 213.
3 See chapter on Early Settlers.
594
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1661
18. William Nelson, now in possession of John Bennett
19. John Howland
Thomas and Joseph Faunce
20. Georg Sole
21. Philip Dellano Sr.
22. William Mullens “
" William Nelson and John Cobb jr.
23. peter Brown
60 " Peter Tinkham
24. Samuel Eady 66 66 " Obadiah Eddy
25. Lefton ffuller
26. William Twining “ " John and Samuel Doggett
March 5, 1690. " At a meeting of the proprietors above named on the 5th of March, 1690, at the house of Jacob How- land in Middleboro, all did agree upon the several lying lots . as hereinafter recorded."
A new survey of the Twenty-six Men's Purchase was made March 3, 1695, and Jacob Tomson was appointed surveyor.
WILLIAM TWINING's name does not appear on the earlier lists. He was a son of William Twining of Eastham, born in England. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen Dean, and had four children. "He was living in 1695." 1
PURCHADE PURCHASE 2
The second or Pachade Purchase was made July 9, 1662, in accordance with the following order of court passed June 4, 1661 : -
" Libertie is granted unto Major Josiah Winslow and others the first born children of the jurisdiction of New Plymouth in reference unto an order or grant of the Court bearing date 1633 to purchase certain parcells of land for their accomoda- tion ; viz. a parcell next to the Massachusetts' bounds, and an- other parcell between Namassakett and Bridgewater, and to make report thereof unto the Court that all such may be accom- odated as aforesaid."
In reference to this purchase it was subsequently arranged by the court June 4, 1669, that the first mentioned tract should belong to those eight who had their allotments upon Pochade
1 Savage, Genealogical Dictionary, vol. iv, p. 353.
2 This is often spelled Pochade, Pachade, Pachaeg, Puchade.
595
PURCHADE PURCHASE
1662]
neck and to their heirs; and the second to not only those eight, but to those also who had their allotments on the east side of Nemasket River in Captain Southworth's purchase.
Know all men by these presents that I Josias Wampetuck Sachem have and by these presents doe bargaine sell allien and dispose of ; in the behalf of myself and such other Indians as are Interested therein; a Certaine nocke of Land Comonly Called Pachaeg pond lying and being between Namassakett River and a certain Brook that falleth into Titicutt River; namely the most westerly of the three Smale brooks that doe fall into the said River and bounded on the south by Certaine Swamps and low valleys that goe from the said Namassakett River on the east unto the above said brook with all the woods waters med- dows and all priviledges and appurtenances therunto appertaining and belong- ing unto Major Josias Winslow for himself and other English; and alsoe all the meddows lying on the westward syde of said Namassakett River, as high as the wadeing place att the Taunton path and all such meddows as lye upon any the three brookes abovemensioned though without the Crosse exit that bounds the Nocke for and in consideration of twenty one Pounds of him in hand Received, and doe herby fully and absolutely Resigne and give up unto the said Josias Winslow pteners and to theire heires executors and assignes forever all and singulare the above mentioned lands woods waters meddows etc: with all privilidges and appurtenances by them to be held possessed and enjoyed forever ; and alsoe I the said Josias have as freely and absolutely sold unto the said Josias Winslow; one other Tract of land and meddowes bounded by the lands of Plymouth and Duxburrow on the one syde and of Bridgwater on the other Syde; and extending North and south from the land formerly purchased by Captaine Thomas Southworth unto the Great pond of Mattakeesett pro- vided it enclude not the Thousand acres given to my sonne and Gorg Wampey about those ponds ; and I doe by these presents Resigne up unto the said Josias Winslow his heires executors and assignes forever; all and singulare the lands above mensioned by him and them to be held possessed and enjoyed forever ; In witness wherof I have herunto sett my hand and seale this ninth day of July 1662.
Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of the mark O of Edward Gray mark A of George Wampey mark X of John Wampenes 1
The mark of Josias Wampatucke And a seale
The lands abovemensioned sold by Josias Wampetuck to mee and to my pteners although Included in one deed are to be understood to be two definite purchases ; the former belonging unto those eight persons that had theire allot- ments upon Pochaeg necke and to theire heires forever; and the latter Tract mensioned lying between the bounds of Plymouth duxburrow and Bridgwater ;
1 Plymouth Registry of Deeds, Book III, p. 138.
596
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF MIDDLEBORO
[1662
and extending northward towards Mattakeeseet great ponds ; are belonging unto all the first propriators of Namassakett plantation on both sydes of the River ; viz. unto the eight shares upon Pachaeg and unto those that had theire allot- ments on the Easterly side of Namassakett upon the Purchase made by Cap- taine Southworth. In witness wherof I have hereunto sett my hand.
Josias Winslow.
This was done in the Court held att Plymouth the 4th. of June 1669.
Upon the preceding purchases, the following orders of court were adopted June 3, 1662 : -
"in reference to a petition profered to the Court by sundry of the freemen, and in reference unto a graunt made to some to looke out accomodations of land as being the first borne children of this government, and for the disposing of two small tracts of land lately purchased, the one by Major Winslow and the other by captaine Southworth, the Court having viewed the small lists of the names of those that desired to be ac- comodated therein, have settled it upon these whose names follow : -
Mr. Prince
Mr. Howland 1
Mr. Bradford
Francis Cooke 1
Major Winslow
Lieutenant Matthew Fuller 1
Mr. Aldin 1
Lieutenant White
William Mullins 1
William Pontus 1
Mr. Brewster 1
Steven Dean
Phillip Delanoy 1
Andrew Ringe 2
Mr. John Winslow
Francis Billington 2
John Adams 1
Moses Simonson 1
Peter Browne 1
Resolved White 1
John Chace
William Bassett 1
Anthony Annable for his daughter
Edward Bumpus 2
Hannah Bumpus
Samuel Eddy 1
Francis Sprague 1
William Hoskins 2
Gorg Soule 1
Gorg Partrig 1
Nathaniel Warren
William Nelson by right of his wife 2
Samuel Fuller jun. of Plym- outh 2
" Edward Gray to have a double share to be laid forth to- gether." 1
1 See sketches of owners in Twenty-six Men's Purchase.
2 See chapter containing sketches of the lives of the early settlers.
597
PURCHADE PURCHASE
1674]
A large majority of the men for whose behalf this purchase was made were among the first settlers, or owners of the other purchases.
The following is an account of the lives of the remaining purchasers : -
ANTHONY ANNABEL came in the Ann, in 1623, with his wife Jane and two children. In 1634 he moved to Scituate, where he was one of the founders of the town. In 1636 he was one of eight men, together with the Governor and Council, to prepare a system of laws for the colony.1 In 1645 he married Ann Clark. After moving to Barnstable, in 1640, he took a prominent part in all town matters, although unable to write his name, "and with the exception of Gov. Hinckley no Barn- stable man was oftener employed in the transaction of public business." He never received the title of Mr., but was known as Goodman. He died in 1674.2
HANNAH BUMPUS was probably the wife of Edward Bum- pus.
CAPTAIN BRADFORD was known in the latter part of his life as Major William Bradford. He was born at Plymouth, in 1624, and always resided there, one of her most honored citizens. Next to Standish, he was probably the principal military man of the colony. He was first made captain, and in King Philip's War held the rank of major. He was one of the owners of the Little Lotmen's Purchase, but never lived in town. He served as deputy assistant from Plymouth for twenty-four years, and for the last ten years of the colony's existence was deputy governor, excepting the three years of Andros's administration. From 1695 to 1702 he was the judge of probate.
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