USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Northfield > History of the town of Northfield, Massachusetts : for 150 years, with an account of the prior occupation of the territory by the Squakheags : and with family genealogies > Part 23
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218
History of Northfield.
1729. A Rate, for defraying je town and country charges, levied on the Polls and Real and Personal Eflates, in Northfield, Feb. 12, 1729. Tax on the Poll, Lo 35. 9d.
Names.
No. Polls.
Estates
Names.
No. Polls
£ s. d.
Capt. Benj. Wright,
6 7
Benoni Moore,
I
0 2 5
Hez. Stratton,
Daniel Wright,
O 3 10
Benoni Wright,
-
2
O
Elie'r Wright Jr.,
I
O
I
5
Hez. Elmer,
Zechariah Field,
I
O 15
9
Isaac Mattoon,
-
o
6
5
Steph. Belding,
Į
0 13
3
Isaac Warner,
o
6
4
Joseph Burt,
I
O
2
6
Theoph. Merriman's heirs,
0
2
O
John Bement,
o
O
3
Lt. Eliezur Wright,
O 16 10
Wm. Wright,
I
o
3
o
6 IO
Rememb. Wright,
o
3
7
Joseph Stebbins,
o
6
I
William Holton,
4
o
13
I
Jos. Merchant,
O
O
5
6
Nath'l Mattoon,
o
9
3
Abra'm Elgar,
I
o
I
1
Jonathan Janes,
0
7
6
Mary Patterson,
0
0
2
3
Eleazar Holton,
1
0
7
IO
Asahel Stebbins,
o
3
Peter Evens,
"
0 12
9
John Stoddard,
John Brown,
o
0
6
Joseph Petty,
2
8
4
Jona. Belding,
0 17
2
Thos. Holton's heirs,
3
4
Elea'r Mattoon,
o
3
Robert Cooper,
5
8
Azariah Wright,
-
0
2
1
Thos. Taylor's heirs
O
3
9
Eben'r Field's heirs,
o
o
I
II
Jona. Hunt,
0
o
12
7
Jos. Alexander,
0
7
9
Ebenezer Webb,
I
o
O
O
Dan'l Shattuck,
I
O
5
6
Israel Warner,
-
o
C
O
0
2
4
Enoch Hall,
o
O
9
Nehemiah Wright,
O
O
3
Eben'r Alexander,
2
Samuel Smith,
o
O
8
Nath'l Dickinson,
O
00000
3
9
8
Amount of Poll tax, £9 6 6; Estate tax, £12 14 10; Total, £22 1 4. £17 16 2 was to defray town charges, the balance was a county tax.
HOW CALLED TO MEETING. - During the war men went to meet- ing on the Sabbath, as they went to their daily labor, fully armed. And at the return of peace, warlike associations were so intimately connected with all public assemblies, that the town voted to call the inhabitants to meeting for public worship on the Lord's day, by beating the drum. Eleazar Holton was appointed for this duty, and was paid £1 10 per annum. Ensign Field was paid 3 shillings, for the use of his drum. He was also paid £1 10 for sweeping the meeting-house. In 1734, the drum beat was discontinued, and the town employed a man to sweep the meeting-house, and " hang out a flagg," paying therefor £2 10. The people were called together in this way for the next ten years, and perhaps longer. In 1744, Daniel Wright was paid £1 5 for hanging out the flag ; and Jona. Janes received £2 10 for sweeping the meeting house.
Estates
£ s. d.
0000
8 10
2
I
Benj. Miller,
1031
6
219
Interval of Peace.
1731. This year, for the first time, the town voted to send a re- presentative to the General Court ; but for some reason failed of making an election, as they did for the succeeding five years.
There was also an article in the warrant for the annual meeting, to see if the town will build a school house ; but the project failed ; and there is no record of any public school till 1736.
DIVISION OF COMMONS .- The main business, of historical im- portance, transacted this year, was the division among the inhabitants of a large part of the lands heretofore held in common. Some of these lands were broken and mountainous, and of little value ; while others were attractive, and subsequently became family seats, and productive farms.
CHOICE LOTS .- The first meeting of the town to act upon the apportionment of undivided lands, was held February II, at which it was voted to distribute the more desirable outlands to the inhabit- ants by choice, i. e. wherever each one's fancy or interest led him to choose, without regard to location or continuous plot. A poll tax drew 10 acres, and a pound in the valuation entitled an individual to a certain number of acres additional. A committee was appointed to determine the proportion of each person; from the valuation of the last year ; and then the choice was to proceed as follows : He who drew the lot marked No. I, could take one-half the number of acres to which he was entitled where he liked best, the piece selected to be laid out by the town measurers in suitable form ; and so with the drawer of No. 2, and through the list. "And he that by lot shall have the first choice in the first half shall have the last choice in the second half of the grant. And if any person shall have a mind to have any part of his grant in the plain below Clarke's Island, he shall take one acre for two, and not to exceed 20 acres for one person. The first choice by lot shall begin on the ist of April next ; and then each grant successively within two days thereafter : And if any per- son neglect or refuse to take his choice within the time specified, then the next on the list shall take his place.
Voted, that there be a reservation made and consideration for suit- able highways through every man's grant, in case of need."
Some of these Choice Lots can be identified. William Holton took his first choice of 81 acres at the north end of Bennett's hill, which eventually led to the location of the Holton family in that vicinity. Hezekiah Stratton chose both his lots on the plain north and west of Wells's meadow ; and this tract, together with 52 acres set off to him as a special grant and laid out adjoining the former,
220
History of Northfield.
constituted what was known as Stratton's Field. Daniel Shattuck took his first choice on the plain against Merry's meadow, and his second on Chestnut hill. These were near his lot in Merry's meadow, and naturally led to the building of his house and fort there. Capt. Benj. Wright took his first lot on the plain south of the town ad- joining the Committee's Farms, and his second betwixt Miller's brook and Saw-mill brook. Ensign Field chose one lot below the first Beers's mountain, and the other on the plain against and above Little meadow. The latter was laid out 160 rods long by 101 rods wide. Serg' Joseph Petty took both his lots above Second Moose plain. His land covered what is now the Railroad station grounds at South Vernon. Tho' Taylor's heirs chose the first 36 acres, in the meadow south of the Ashuelot, where a son afterwards built his house. Theoph. Merriman's heirs took their first choice south of the seques- tered land, embracing the spot where Capt. Samuel Merriman located some years later. Rev. Mr. Doolittle's first 70 acres was laid out on the north west part of Staddle hill. Dea. Eben Alexander took his first choice of 47 acres near Cooper's Point.
THE FIRST AND SECOND DIVISIONS OF COMMONS. - At an ad- journed meeting held Feb. 18, the town voted to apportion to the in- habitants, the common lands lying southerly, easterly and northerly of the town plot. The First Division began at a place called Old Soldier's Hole, the line abutting against the south foot of Beers's plain, and running east 160 rods. From this as the south bound, the lots were laid out in succession, skipping Dry Swamp and Great Swamp, to the north line of the upper home-lot, when the lots were to be extended west 60 rods to the highway, making the remaining lots 220 rods, and so to continue north to Pauchaug great brook. East of and bounding this division, and extending its whole. length, was a 6 rods highway.
The Second Division began at a line coincident with the south line of the First ; ran east half a mile as the other did, to a 10 rods high- way, and extended up north till the number of grants was filled. " These grants not to infringe upon any grants made before the year 1729, with allowance for suitable highways where they are needed ; and timber, wood, stone and herbage to be free for the benefit of the town for the space of seven years, and forever unless men's grants be fenced ; and each man to draw for the number of his lot.
In the First Division, a poll drew 24 acres ; in the Second, 4 acres. The remainder was apportioned on property according to the valua- tion, but by what rule is not known.
221
Interval of Peace.
The Third Division. At a meeting April 10, 1732, the town voted that the Third Division shall begin at a little stoney brook called Four mile brook, or against the Country Farms, and take in all the land between the 10 rods highway and the east bounds of the town, and extend northward above the Ashuelot river. Voted, that every man's grant shall lie free for the town's use, viz. for stone, wood and timber, until men's grants are enclosed by fence. Voted, that the apportionment shall be according to the following rules, viz. three acres upon the pound valuation, and 50 acres upon the poll.
To show who were inhabitants at this date, and the large amount of outlands held by many families, the following tabulated statement is presented, including only the grants made at this time. Most of the inhabitants were already in possession of a large landed interest in the several meadows, plains and swamps ; and their estates were greatly augmented by the subsequent grants under the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Divisions of Commons.
Names.
Choice Lots.
ist Div.
2d Div.
3d Div.
Names.
Choice Lots.
Ist Div.
2d Div.
3d Div.
Capt. Benj. Wright,
116 22
30%
320
Eben'r Severance heirs,
26
Lt. Elie'r Wright,
165
46!
65
425
John Bement,
14
37
65
Ens. Zech. Field,
200 50
711
660
Enoch Hall,
14
4
5:
62
Dea. Eben'r Alexander,
94126
37
185
Samuel Smith,
22
10
14|
104
Mr. Benj. Doulittle,
140|39:
554
400
Tho's Holton's heirs,
68
14
17.1
141
Dea Elea'r Mattoon,
121
231
+54
365
Benj. Miller,
24
7.
10"
75
William Holton,
162
+5
641
416
Theoph. Merriman's heirs, John Brown,
35
6 !
75
Stephen Belding,
134 377
531
+55
Jona. Patterson's heirs,
43
7.
10
75
Jona. Belding,
132 37
473
Eliezur Wright Jr.,
3 1
103
110
Jos Alexander,
21
10
14
65
Nehemiah Wright,
30
6
75
Peter Evens,
165|46:
65
425
Jos. Alexander Jr.,
26
56
Eleazar Holton,
98 27
39.
280
Abraham Elgar,
20
7
65
Hez. Stratton,
111
29.
41.
308
Thos. Taylor's heirs,
72
12
175
171
Isaac Warner,
97
253
36
254
Joseph Petty Jr.,
10
4
98
Nath'l Mattoon,
John Alexander,
10
4
50
Isaac Mattoon,
94 261
374
281
Ebenezer Webb,
10
4
50
Jonathan Janes,
91
-
36 296
Israel Warner,
10
N
4
50
Azariah Wright,
46
13
OC
140
Asuhel Stebbins's heirs,
10
Daniel Shattuck,
69
19.
27. 2.5
Benj. Wright Jr., heirs,
10
Nath'l Dickinson,
61
17:
241
209
Eben'r Field's heirs,
34
6.]
+5
Hezekiah Elmer,
39
15
1 37
Lt. Jona. Hunt,
300
Remem. Wright,
53
179
William Holton Jr.,
214
Joseph Stebbins,
74 20.
9
227
Elias Alexander,
50
Daniel Wright,
45
12
18
149
Daniel Brown,
50
William Wright,
44
12
170
Samuel Holton,
50
Robert Cooper,
71 20
28
197
50
Joseph Burt,
43
12
170
50
Benoni Wright,
301
10
110
Benoni Wright Jr.,
50
-
-
acres acreslucrin acres
acrvalucresjacrealucred
Joseph Petty,
99 28
39
293
14
+ uw+vy+
34.1
48:
12
90
John Beaman,
William Syms,
19
88
---
Benoni Moore,
44
8
12 !! 1 30
Phinehas Wright,
50
175
John Holton,
-
Eben'r Warner,
150
341
122
2 1
i
65
222
History of Northfield.
The proprietors of the Third Division of Commons organized as a body corporate Nov. 12, 1750. They chose a moderator and per- manent clerk, and provided for calling future meetings. Their re- cords have not been found.
The proprietors of the Second Division, organized Mar. 17, 1756, by the choice of Nehemiah Wright moderator, and Seth Field clerk. " Voted, That the flank lines between each proprietor shall be ranged and run agreeable to the first lot in the First Division as that is ranged and laid out." They continued to hold meetings for many years ; but their records have not been found.
An organization, called " The proprietors of common and undi- vided lands," was formed in 1750 or 51, and held meetings from year to year, as late as 1820. They took charge of all unappropriated and unclaimed lands.
Many of the grantees of lots in the Third Division soon made sale of their lots to land speculators. Ezekiel Kellogg trader of Hadley bought up 2124 acres,' which he sold in 1734, for 22 cents per acre, to James Brown of Newport R. I. Jonathan Morton of Hatfield bought 9 lots, amounting to 1048 acres, which land was taxed to his heirs as late as 1797, when a part (450 a.) was sold to Timothy Dutton.
SEQUESTERED LANDS .- In 1728, by vote of the town, a lot of 50 a. of land lying southwardly of Old Soldier's Hole, under the west side of the mountain, 100 rods E. and W., by 80 rods N. and S., was " sequestered for the use of the ministry or a school." The next year, the town voted that 50 a. lying N. of the present seques- tered land, and 50 a. lying S. of the same, " be laid out and seques- tered for the use of the ministry." In 1730, it was voted that 50 a. of " the best land to be found on Staddle hill, 100 rods N. and S., by 80 rods E. and W., be sequestered for the ministry or a school." In addition to these four lots, two small lots of town land in Bennett's meadow were sequestered for the use of the ministry. Most or all of these lands were sold, about the year 1765, to pay for the new meeting-house.
WANTING LANDS .- It often happened that in laying out men's grants, too small allowance for sag of chain would be made, or a bound would be selected for convenience, or a mistake would occur, which subsequent careful measurement would detect. In all such
I Stephen Belding bought his brother Jonathan's right in the Third Division, and sold the united lots, Sept. 26, 1733, to Ezekiel Kellogg.
223
Interval of Peace.
cases the town was ready to vote the requisite number of acres to make up the deficiency. Some of the home-lots fell short, and were made up by meadow lands at the rate of several acres for one. The same thing happened in the choice lot's division. These grants to, supply deficiencies, are named in the records, wanting lands.
SPECIAL GRANTS OF PROVINCE LANDS. - During the period covered by this chapter, the policy became general, of rewarding soldiers, who had rendered special service or been disabled in the Indian wars, with grants of Province land. In some cases, the soldiers or heirs of soldiers that were out on a perilous expedition were, as a body, honored by the General Court. Thus Falls-town, now Bernardston, was granted to the survivors or heirs of the men who were in the Falls Fight under Capt. William Turner, in 1676. Roxbury-Canada, now Warwick, was granted to the officers and soldiers under Capt. Andrew Gardner, who went from Roxbury in the expedition to Canada in 1690. And many similar township grants were made.
A brief account will be given of such grants as were set off to Northfield men ; or were laid out on or near our town borders.
Nov. 1721, 500 acres of land was granted by the General Court to the heirs of John Paine, which was located " on Dry brook, between Deerfield and Northfield, beginning 20 rods west of the fordway."
In 1728, on his petition, a tract of 200 acres near Brookfield, was granted to Capt. Joseph Kellogg, on account of his services as inter- preter, etc.
The same year, [confirmed June 30, 1731] a grant of 200 acres " lying westerly of Braintry 6000 acres," was made to Capt. Benja- min Wright. This land lay to the north of Brookfield.
In 1732, a farm of 500 acres was granted to Gov. Jonathan Belcher, and laid out within the limits of Northfield [See ante, p. 155].
April 4, 1733, a plantation of the contents of 6 miles square, lying to the northward and eastward of Northfield, was laid out to Col. Josiah Willard and others. This included Gov. Belcher's farm, and extended from the south end of Merry's meadow 41 miles and 20 rods up the river ; and then 83 miles and 20 rods east ; then south 6} miles and 52 rods, etc. This grant encroached about 3000 acres on Northfield territory, and was to that extent null and void ; and in 1739, on petition of Col. Willard, an equivalent for this 3000 acres was granted him elsewhere. The plantation was first called Earling- ton, afterwards written Arlington ; and now constitutes, in part, the town of Winchester, N. H.
224
History of Northfield.
In 1733, a plot of 150 acres was laid out to William Hack of Taunton, Bristol Co., " on account of his great losses in the expedi- tion against Canada in the year 1690. This land lay on the east side of, and near to the country road leading from Sunderland to North- field. In 1773, this grant was annexed to Northfield. In 1860, it was set off to Erving. Near this was a small grant known as the " Rose Farm"; but careful search has failed to trace its history.
In 1734, a tract of 200 acres east of Northfield and south of Mt. Grace, was laid out to Joseph Severance of Deerfield.
In the same year, 300 acres of land on Swift river, was laid out to Nathaniel Alexander ; and 300 acres, lying on the west side of the Connecticut, adjoining the south bound of Northfield, to Joseph Clesson of Deerfield, who was a garrison soldier at the time of the destruction of that town in 1704.
Jan. 12, 1736, Benoni Moor, Joseph Petty and Robert Cooper petitioned the General Court for a grant of land, on account of servi- ces in the late war ; and 600 acres of unappropriated land, lying easterly of the township of Northfield was granted to them, 200 acres to each. This tract was located near where is now the village of Orange.
June 27, 1736, a grant of 500 acres was made by the legislature to the town of Pembroke, " to enable said town to keep and main- tain a grammar school.". This was sold to Reuben and Noah Mor- gan, and was annexed to Northfield in 1773.
In the same year a tract of 200 acres, abutting on the east line of Northfield, was granted and laid out to Samuel Field of Deerfield.
Dec. 5, 1737, a tract of land, 185 acres, bounded north by North- field south line, was granted to Col. John Quincy.
1736. SCHOOL .- The town was presented by the County Court this year for not having a school for the education of children, according to law. And at a meeting called for the purpose, it was voted "that the town have a school-master ;" and a committee was chosen to build or buy or hire a school-house. At a subsequent meeting, it was voted " to build a school-house, and set it in the street against Mr. Samuel Hunt's home-lot." From certain votes passed the next year, it appears that a part of the Province bills of credit, loaned to individuals in 1728, was called in, and applied to pay for the School- house. It was voted to raise £13 18 to pay a school-master .. Probably Mr. Seth Field was employed as the first teacher.
225
Interval of Peace.
1737. Number of taxable polls in town. Number of home-lots taxed
79
of oxen
.. " horses
99
" cows
108
" shecp
225
" hogs
141
Total valuation
£2044 12 0
All males over 16 years paid a poll tax of Is. 6d. ; and real and personal estate, and income of trade or faculty, were taxed Id. on the pound.
FIRST PAUPERSIN TOWN .- Voted, that Thomas Stoddard, wife and children be maintained by the town, till they are able to leave.
FIRST REPRESENTATIVE .- This year Mr. John Beaman was chosen to represent the town in the General Court. He had no suc- cessor till the opening of the Revolutionary war.
At the session of the General Court, a petition of Mr. John Bea- man, representative, and in behalf of the town, was presented, show- ing that certain parties by leave, purchased sundry large tracts of land of the Indian proprietors, wherein Northfield is included and is part ; that the Indians have lately acknowledged the purchase to be good ; and the General Court has made sundry grants of land within said purchase, which are quietly held ; that there is a tract of land lying between Northfield south bounds and Miller's river, and another tract between Northfield and Arlington, part of said purchase; and praying that the said town may obtain a grant thereof, for the reasons mentioned.
Read, and passed in the negative.
A NEW TRUCK-HOUSE .- Jan. 21, 1737. Voted by the House of Representatives, that when 20 families are settled in the two upper towns (No. I. on the west side, and No. 4. on the east side of the river) and a corn and saw-mill are put up in said towns or either of them, the Truck-house above Northfield shall be removed and placed on the west side near the Black river, so called.
Concurred by the Council, Jan. 22, 1737.
NEW TOWNSHIPS ABOVE NORTHFIELD .- At this date Massachu- setts held by undisputed right, the territory as far north as the present
52
68
226
History of Northfield.
south line of Westmoreland N. H., and claimed a good title to the country about 30 miles further to the northward, and to the east as far as the Merrimack river. On petition of divers parties, living in different sections of the Province, who were desirous of securing the rich meadow lands in that region, the General Court, Jan. 15, 1736, voted, " That it is expedient to lay out four townships on the east side of the Connecticut river above Northfield, said townships to be of the contents of 6 miles square, and not to extend more than 6 miles from the river." A committee of eleven persons was appointed, who proceeded to lay out these townships ; and in September notified the petitioners to meet at Concord Mass. A large number attended the meeting, of whom 60 complied with the conditions prescribed, and were admitted as grantees.
The south bound of township No. 1. was placed at a point on the river, 43 miles and 20 rods north of the southerly end of Merry's meadow (which would be near the present dividing line between Hins- dale and Chesterfield). The north bound of No. 4. was in the upper part of the present town of Charlestown N. H. The plot of these townships, known by the numbers, 1, 2; 3 and 4, was accepted by the General Court Nov. 30, 1736 ; and Dec. 13, the following per- sons were appointed and empowered to call the first meeting of the several proprietors for organization, viz. Samuel Chamberlain of Westford for No. I. ; Nathaniel Harris of Watertown for No. 2. ; John Flint of Concord for No. 3. ; Thomas Wells of Deerfield for No. 4.
At the same session of the Court, two townships were laid out on the west side of the river, " between the Equivalent Land and the Great Falls." Joseph Tisdale of Taunton was empowered to call the first meeting of the proprietors of No. 1 ; and Palmer Goulding of Worcester to call together the proprietors of No. 2. [The grants lying on the east side of the river were numbered going up stream ; those on the west side were numbered coming down stream.]
BUILDING NORTH OF THE GREAT BEND. The laying out of these new plantations, and the simultaneous beginning of settle- ments at Upper Ashuelot (Keene), and Arlington, naturally gave an impulse to our people to commence improvements on their choice lots and meadow lands lying on and above the Ashuelot. As early as 1723, a highway 2 rods wide was laid from Pauchaug to the Ashuelot ; and in 1736, this highway was extended to and through Merry's meadow. Indeed the travel and transportation between Northfield and Fort Dummer, all of which went on the east side of the river
227
Interval of Peace.
and over this highway, to the fordway above the mouth of Broad brook, had made a well worn road. And the existence of this es- tablished pathway was one of the reasons why men located on the east earlier than on the west side of the river. Fence viewers were first chosen by the town for Merry's meadow, in 1732 ; and the meadow proprietors organized, and ordered the fences built, in the spring of 1736. [See ante, p. 16.]
As near as can be ascertained, the first house in this vicinity, was built by Daniel Shattuck in the fall of '36 or spring of '37. He put up a good sized and heavily timbered log house on the brook that ran through his lot in Merry's meadow, which he afterwards made into a fort, by building another similar structure on the opposite side of the brook, and connecting the two by a plank palisade, and sur- rounding the whole with a line of strong pickets. The fort was on the place now owned by John Stearns, and stood a little distance out upon the meadow where the road then ran. The brook has since changed its course, and now runs some distance to the south of the site of the fort.
In the spring of '37 Robert Cooper built a log house just south of Merry's meadow, near the site of the old Hinsdale meeting house. Probably the other meadow proprietors improved their lots ; but it is not known that more houses were put up at this time.
In 1741, John Evens built south of the Ashuelot, on what is known as the Elihu Stebbins homestead. Cooper and Evens were driven off in 1745, but returned after the close of the war. Evens's house was fortified in 1754, and served as a temporary refuge for the Steb- bins and Stratton families then living on the opposite side of the river.
In 1738, Josiah Sartwell, then living in Northfield, obtained a grant of 100 acres from the General Court, which was laid out on the west bank of the Connecticut. It butted south on the north line of Northfield ; the west line ran N. 14º 30' W. 309 rods. The width at the south end was 115 rods, at the north end 30 rods. He built a block house, for a dwelling and fort, near the south line of his grant in '39 or '40. He was taxed in Northfield in '38, and seems to have moved upon his grant the next year.
In 1742, Orlando Bridgman built a block-house on his farm, which lay south of and adjoined the Sartwell grant. This farm was wholly within the limits of Northfield, and the house stood about half a mile below Sartwell's.
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