USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Norton > History of the town of Norton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, from 1669 to 1859 > Part 3
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Way, Crossman's, 42. Wayland, 356.
West, 335, 352, 472. William A., and family, 360. Hiram, and family, 361.
Wetherell, 164-170, 278, 302, 344, 347, 415, 515, 516, 527, 530. Wil- liam, first settlement by, 6; a cabin boy, 7; enrolled for mili- tary duty, 8; admitted a freeman, 8; notice of, 8-11; autograph of, 11; where buried, 382. William, notice of, 90; autograph of, 91. William, jun., notice of, 91. Je- remiah and John, notices and au- tographs of, 91. John, jun., notice of, 91. William, William, jun., Hiram H., Caleb S., Benjamin C., Stillman A., William D., and fa- milies, 361.
Wheaton, 169, 278, 302, 307, 516, 526. Dr. George, notice of, 369. Rev. George, notice of, 482. Hon. La- ban, notice of, 483. Daniel, Esq., notice of, 490. Hon. L. M., notice of, 496. Female Seminary, 540. Laban M., and family, 361.
Wheeler, 417, 526. Elkanah, William B., Wheaton, and families, 361. Wheelwrights' shop, 329, 331, 332, 334.
White, 3, 165-167, 278, 361, 417, 451, 463, 515, 516, 526, 528. Deacon
Nicholas, autograph of, 92; notice of, 92, 214. Matthew and Edward, notices of, 92. Abraham, notice of, 303. Dr. Nicholas, notice of, 368. Ebenezer, ordained minister of North Precinct, 440; death of, 441. Jacob, notice of, 486. E. P., Esq., notice of, 495. Howe, Cyrus, Jason, George, jun., George A., John H., Earl C., Isaac, and fami- lies, 361.
Whipping-post, 519.
Whitman, 193, 206.
Wilbor, 3.
Wilbur, 344, 354. Oren, Oren, jun., Oliver K., Benjamin, and families, 362.
Wife, runaway, 531.
Wild, 166, 170, 353, 526. Dr. John, jun., notice of, 368. George W., and family, 362.
Wild-cats, 44, 45.
Williams, 1, 3, 165-170, 278, 279, 302, 351, 353, 526. Deacon Benjamin, notice of, 92; autograph of, 93. Lyman D., Greenleaf, Betsy, and families, 361.
Willis, 168, 169. Rev. Eliakim, cho- sen pastor, 134; protest against choice of, 135; note of, declining to settle, 135; notice of, 136. Cal- vin, and family, 361. Ichabod, Loren, and families, 362.
Wilmarth, Dr. Butler, notice of, 505.
Wilson, 1.
Winchel, 168.
Winslow, 3.
Wiswall, 169, 526.
Witchcraft, 532.
Whitney, 206.
Wolves, 44.
Wood, 11, 334, 339. Elkanah, El- kanah, jun., Eli, and families, 362.
Woodbury, 347.
Woods, Neck, 41; Great, 42.
Woodward, 166-171, 451, 515, 526, 528, 530. Isaac, Bradford N., Ann M., David, Joseph, Josiah, jun., and families, 362.
Wrigley, James L., and family, 362.
C
HISTORY OF NORTON, MASS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
" When wild in woods the noble savage ran." - DRYDEN.
ABOUT the year 1637, Henry Uxley, Richard Williams, Joseph Wilson, Benjamin Wilson, William Coy, George Hall, David Corwithy, Mr. William Pool, George Macy, William Harvey, Hezekiah Hoar, Walter Dean, John Dean, John Strong, Henry Andrews, Thomas Cooke, John Smith, Mr. Thomas Farwell, Edward Case, John Kingsley, Richard Paull, Richard Smith, Mr. John Gilbert, William Phillips, William Hail- stone, William Parker, John Parker, John Richmond, William Holloway, the Widow Randall, Francis Doty, William Dunn, William Scadding, John Bryant, An- thony Slocum, John Gengille, Francis Street, Hugh Rossiter, John Gilbert, Thomas Gilbert, Robert Hobell, Richard Burt, John Crossman, John Luther, John Drake, and Mr. John Brown,1 purchased of the Ply- mouth Colony a tract of land, at a place called Cohannett, which soon after took the name of Taunton.
By order of the court, the bounds around this first purchase (sometimes called the Tetiquet Purchase, to distinguish it from subsequent purchases) were made on the 19th of June, 1640, by Miles Standish
1 Baylies's Memoir of Plymouth Colony, part i. p. 286.
1
2
INTRODUCTION.
and John Browne. This tract of land was laid out in " a long square,"1 measuring eight miles on a side. It was doubtless in the form of a diamond, or rhombus, the northerly angle of which extended to within about two miles of the line between the Plymouth and Mas- sachusetts Colonies, now the line between Bristol and Plymouth Counties, and is known to this day as " Cobbler's Corner."2 It included within its limits portions of the present towns of Mansfield, Norton, Raynham, Berkley, and Taunton.
In 1641, the township of Rehoboth, westerly of Taunton, was purchased by Walter Palmer and others.
In 1649, Bridgewater, easterly of Taunton, and ex- tending northerly to the line between the two Colonies, was bought by Miles Standish and others.
In 1666, the territory north of Rehoboth (now Attle- borough), and extending to the line between the two Colonies, was sold to the town of Rehoboth, and was called Rehoboth North Purchase. There was then between Attleborough and Bridgewater, and between Taunton and the line of the two Colonies, an irregular- shaped tract of land, about twelve miles long on the northerly side, seven and a half miles wide on the west- erly end, and a little less than that on the easterly end. Into this the northerly angle of Taunton projected some five miles. This as yet nameless tract of land contained an area of about fifty square miles.
After additions had been made to the original pur- chases of Rehoboth and Bridgewater, Taunton people, no doubt, thought it proper that their town should be enlarged. Accordingly, a company was formed, and this irregular-shaped piece of land on the north was purchased the sixth day of June,3 1668, of Thomas
1 For bounds, see Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. ii. pp. 99, 100.
2 It is said to have been so called from the fact, that in making the bounds, when Miles Standish and his men came to this corner, one of them mended or " cobbled " his shoes.
3 See Records of Deeds in Plymouth County, vol. iii. p. 118; also North-Purchase Records, p. 1.
3
INTRODUCTION.
Prence, Josias Winslow, Thomas Southworth, and Constant Southworth ("the country's agents"), by Richard Williams, Walter Dean, George Macey, James Walker, Joseph Wilbor, William Harvey, Thomas Leonard, John Turner, Henry Andrews, John Cob, George Hall, John Hall, Samuell Hall, James Leonard, sen., Nathaniell Williams, Thomas Williams, Nicholas White, sen., Nicholas White, jun., Hezekiah Hore, Allice Dean, Israell Dean, Robert Crossman, Shadrack Wilbor, Thomas Caswell, John Macomber, John Smith, Edward Rew, John Parker, Samuell Paule, Thomas Lincoln, sen., Thomas Harvey, sen., Nathaniell Thayre, Thomas Lincoln, jun., Peter Pits, Jonah Austin, sen., John Richmond, Samuell Williams, Christopher Thrash- er, Mrs. Jane Gilburt, George Watson, Samuell Smith, James Burt, Richard Burt, John Tisdell, sen., John Tisdell, jun., James Phillips, Edward Bobbot, John Hathway, Jonathan Brigs, Increase Robinson, John Briant, Thomas Harvey, jun .; and was called " Taun- ton North Purchase."
" March 8, 1681-2. - By order of ye Court, Mr. George Shove his name was afixed to the sd. deed as a proprietor." 1
The bounds of this purchase, as given in the deed, are these: "Begining on the north-west, att the bounds of the lands formerly sold by us unto the Town of Re- hoboth, and to be bounded on the northerly syde by the Massachusetts line, untill it cometh to beare with the Western bounds of the Town of Bridgewater; and soe from the said Massachusetts line by a south line home to the bounds of Taunton, and thence by a West- erly line untill it meets with the bounds of Rehoboth aforesaid; and so to follow the said bounds of Rehoboth untill it comes unto the bounds first mentioned upon the Massachusetts line ; all the lands within this com- pas, excepting onely a small parcel granted unto John Bundey, and alsoe a grant made unto Thomas Briggs, the son of Clement Briggs, together with the meddows,
1 North-Purchase Records, p. 1.
4
INTRODUCTION.
woods, waters, and other benefitts, privileges, emolu- ments, proffitts, and emunities thereto appertaining and belonging." 1
The price paid for this tract of land was " the full sume of one hundred pounds." The northerly line of this territory, bordering upon the ancient limits of Dorchester, was the scene of many vexatious disputes.
Both the Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies laid claim to a gore of land, extending from Accord Pond (on the borders of Hingham, Abington, and Scituate), some twenty-five miles, to Rhode-Island line, and con- taining more than "fourteen thousand acres," as it appears from a plan of this disputed territory which I have found, and which bears evident marks of age. This line was not definitely settled till 1773.2 Dec. 3, 1717, the North-Purchase proprietors raised a com- mittee " to see into that matter concerning the runing
1 The land of John Bundy was in what is now Easton, and is supposed to have been granted to him by the government, in consequence of his being one of the first children born in the Colony. It is very probable that he was the first settler within the limits of that town. Of him not much is known. He is supposed to be the same person who, on the 14th of March, 1635, was apprenticed to " Griffin Mountegue, carpenter, in New England," for eight years; and who, after the lapse of two years, agreed to serve out the residue of his time with Elder William Brewster .* While with Mr. Brewster, he was " found guilty of lude behavior and vnciuill carriage towards Elizabeth Haybell," and was "seuerly whiped " for so doing.t In 1638, Bundy was transferred from the service of Elder Brewster to his son Jonathan, for the remaining time of five years. In 1645, he was one of a squad of soldiers sent from Plymouth against the Narragansett Indians, &c .; His first wife's name was Martha She died May 1, 1674. By her he had four, and perhaps more, children: viz., James, b. 29th of September, 1664; Sarah, b. 4th March, 1668; Samuel, b. 4th October, 1670; and Patience, who died 27th March, 1665. He m., for second wife, Ruth Gurney (? ), of Mendon, Jan. 9, 1676; and by her had John, b. 6th October, 1677; Joseph, b. 1st January, 1679; and Edward, b. 13th August, 1681. This is all that is known of him; except, it is stated in Baylies's Memoir, part ii. p. 274, that he " removed to Point Judith, Narragansett."
Of Thomas Briggs, we know but little aside from his parentage. His land, consisting of a hundred and fifty acres, and twenty acres of meadow, was granted to him in 1659, " in the way to Deadum from Taunton, betwixt a pond and the mill-riuver which comes to Taunton betwixt Taunton and Massapauge Pond." § This was probably in the north-easterly part of Mansfield, or the north-westerly part of Easton.
2 For more particulars relative to the line between the Colonies, see Hobart's Sketch of Abington, p. 95, &c.
* Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. i. p. 51. ¿ Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. ii. p. 90.
t Ibid. vol. i. p. 65. § Ibid. vol. iii. p. 164.
BRID GEW
STOUGHTON.
NORTH.
À
TE
Cohasset
WEST. R
EASTON. RAYNHAM. 1
SHARON
Leacks
Stream
Winneconnet
R. P.a.
Canoe
NO RTON
T
Three Mile H.
0
D.B.
Rumford
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1
GreatBr
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I.B.
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Wading RX
Goose Br.
A
S.B.
REHOBOTH.
ATTLEBOROUGH.
MAP OF
TAUNTON NORTH PURCHASE AND THE TOWNS OF NORTON, EASTON AND MANSFIELD. EXPLANATIONS Bounds of North Purchase. Bounds of Towns. i Cong. Parish Church of Norton.
JH.Buffords Lith. Roston.
Scale 2 12 miles to @
FOXBOROUGH.
MANSFIELD
J
TAUN
Hoages Br.
5
INTRODUCTION.
of the line by Dorchester men, and how much there is taken out of any man's particular propriety ; " and a former committee were empowered " to make satisfac- tion to those that are damnified by the running of the line by Dorchester men."1 The Punkapoag Indians, who lived in the neighborhood of Blue Hill, also claimed a portion of the territory ; and hence, Feb. 24, 1686 or 7, the North-Purchase proprietors " voted to levy and raise sixteen pence in money on each share in said Purchase, to pay Josiah, the Indian sachem,2 for a deed they have procured of him." 3
The town of Norton, whose history we are to record in the following pages, as originally constituted, com- prised the whole of the North Purchase, together with the northerly angle of the original or Tetiquet Pur- chase of Taunton.
On the opposite page we give a diminutive map of Taunton North Purchase, and the town of Norton as originally constituted, with its subdivisions, Easton and Mansfield.
The dark, heavy lines show the boundaries of the North Purchase. It will be seen that Norton, as now bounded, comprises only a portion of the westerly end of the North Purchase, with a little triangular tract of land at the north-easterly corner of the town. Most of Mansfield is included in the North Purchase, and all of Easton.
The two bounds of North Purchase that meet at C, near the centre of Mansfield, form Cobbler's Corner, which is west of Rumford River, and a short distance below the road leading from the four corners by M. Allen's, in Mansfield, to Isaac Skinner's. The angle within the lines meeting at C (Cobbler's Corner) is a portion of the old town, or the original purchase of Taunton. The North-Purchase line, running from A (which is a corner of Taunton, Rehoboth, and Norton,
1 North-Purchase Records, p. 48.
2 This was probably Charles Josias.
8 North-Purchase Records, p. 10.
See chapter on Indians.
1*
6
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
and known on the old records as Abel's Corner) to Cobbler's Corner, passes along directly in front of Allen D. Lane's house and the school-house in No. 4, across the upper end of Barrowsville Factory Pond, easterly of the common burying-ground, and within a few feet of the westerly end of Austin Messinger's old house. The line from Cobbler's Corner to the south- eastern corner of Easton passes between Nathaniel Newcomb's house and factory.
It will be seen by the map, that Easton is bounded on three sides by the North-Purchase bounds, Mansfield on two sides, and Norton wholly on only one side by the same.
Other portions of the map will be explained in sub- sequent chapters.
CHAPTER II.
THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
" Across the flood the Pilgrims fled, And Heaven their trusting footsteps led, Till on these savage shores they trod, And won the wilderness for God."
H. WARE, Jun.
THE first settlement within the present limits of Norton is believed to have been made by William Wetherell in 1669, on the easterly side of Winneconnet Pond, about twenty rods northerly from the bridge, over the outlet of this pond, which marks the bounds between the present towns of Taunton and Norton.1
1 From his will, made just before his death in 1691, it appears that Mr. Wetherell's dwelling-house then stood "on the south side of the pond; " and it is possible that there was where his first habitation was "pitched," though we think the weight of evidence is decidedly in favor of the east side of the pond. In 1690, he deeded to his son William a portion of his land on the easterly side of the pond, including what we supposed to have been the site of the first house; and it is presumed that this deed was given about the time he moved to the spot where he died. Possibly, during
7
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
By an examination of the Proprietors' Records of the Old Town of Taunton (p. 50), I find that, on the 29th of April, 1669, William Wetherell sold several parcels of land situated on and near Mill River (which is the stream that runs out of Winneconnet Pond) ; and included in this sale were "five accres, more or less, which was granted to him by the town for a home-lotte." And on the same day was laid out to him, in four lots, about sixty acres of land on the easterly and northerly side of the pond; and the bounds of these lots can be pretty generally identified at the present time. Hence we think, in the absence of all testimony to the contrary, that in the spring of 1669, and on the east side of the pond, only a few rods from the meadow, was erected the first habitation in our town.
Tradition says that this William Wetherell - whose name will ever be a household word to the people of Norton - came from England, in the capacity of a cabin-boy, with William Dunn, the master of the vessel, and one of the original proprietors of Taunton, who is said to have soon returned to England, leaving his cabin-boy in charge of his proprietary, with the under- standing, that, if he (Dunn) did not return to claim it, the right should escheat to young Wetherell ; and such was the result. Of the exact time Capt. Dunn arrived in America, we have no reliable account : 1 it might
King Philip's war in 1675 and 6, Mr. Wetherell left his dwelling unoccu- pied, on account of its exposed situation, and placed his family in one of the garrisoned houses for safety; and when the war was ended, his house having probably been destroyed by the Indians, he might have gone to the southerly side of the pond, or, more properly, to the south-westerly side, and erected his house there. It is well known that Mr. Wetherell himself was engaged in Philip's war. From his will, it appears that another house stood near where he lived. Our oldest men remember that two houses once stood on the south-westerly side of the pond; and traces of both can be seen at the present day. Yet from the fact, that, in 1685, he was licensed to keep a sort of public-house, we are strongly of the opinion that he then lived on the east side of the pond, and left in 1690, when he deeded the homestead to his son William.
1 On the gravestone of James Wetherell, who died in 1837, it is stated that he was the " great-grandson of Mr. William Wetherell, the first of the name that came to America." This, we think, is an error. Rev. William
8
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
have been just before the settlement of Taunton, and he might have brought over in his vessel many of the first settlers of the town; and, as most of these were from the vicinity of Taunton in England, it is possible that the birthplace of Wetherell was in that neighbor- hood. All this is, however, mere conjecture. The first reliable evidence we have of William Wetherell being in Taunton is in 1643, when his name appears on a list of males, between the ages of sixteen and sixty, subject to military duty.1 He was one of the inhabitants of Taunton, who, on the 28th of December, 1659, had a division of land made in the proportion of two acres on each shilling of the rate paid by the indi- vidual, two acres on each head in the family, and two acres to the lot. Mr. Wetherell's rate was seven shil- lings and tenpence ; and there were five heads in his family (supposed to be himself, wife, and three chil- dren) ; and twenty-eight acres of land were assigned him. His wife's name was Dorothy -. When they were married is uncertain : but it is supposed to have been about 1650 ; for, in 1672, William Wetherell, and William Wetherell, jun. (supposed to be his son), were among the proprietors of the South Purchase of Taunton, including what is now Dighton and a por- tion of Berkley.
He was admitted a freeman at the Plymouth Court in June, 1658.2 June 6, 1664, William Wetherell and three others, of Taunton, were fined "twenty shil-
Wetherell, of Duxbury, and afterwards the minister of Scituate, arrived in America in 1634 .* There was also a John Wetherell at Cambridge in 1635, who was afterwards a proprietor of Watertown: f he was, probably, the brother of Rev. William Wetherell. What connection, if any, our William Wetherell was to Rev. William, of Scituate, we know not: he might have been a nephew. The orthography of the name is various: the first settler here wrote it Wetherel, his son William wrote it Wetherell, and his son Jeremiah had it Wetherel. On old records it is spelled Witherel, Witherell, Wetherel, Wetherell, Wethrell, Witherly, Wetherly, &c. The name is now generally spelled Wetherell; and we shall so write it.
1 Baylies's Memoir, part ii. p. 267.
2 Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. iii. p. 137.
* Winsor's History of Duxbury. See also Dean's History of Scituate.
t See Farmer's Register of First Settlers in New England.
9
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
lings for an abuse done to a sawmill att Taunton, belonging to James Walker and others, by coming in the night and breaking downe some parte of the said mill, and for takeing away sevuerall thinges from the same." 1 It is presumed that this difficulty grew out of the fact, that the dam to this mill was so built as to prevent " the alewiues from goeing vp" the river, and hence was not legally built ; for, on the same day that Wetherell and others were fined, the owners of the mill were required, before " the next season of the fishes goeing vp," to make " a free, full, and sufficient pas- sage for the said fish." 2
Just before the commencement of Philip's war in 1675, a list of the proprietors of Taunton was made ; and on this list is the name of William Wetherell, who owned " on his own rights and that which was Mr. Dunn's." 3 His name appears several times on the Grand Inquest between 1650 and 1690. He was a con- stable in Taunton for the years 1662 and 1676. In 1671 and 1685, he was a " deputy," or representative, from Taunton to the Plymouth-Colony Court. He was also a deputy at a special court held on the last day of October and first of November, 1676. In 1685, he was one of the selectmen. In 1671, he was one of a commit- tee " appointed in each town to see to the gathering-in of the Minister's Maintainance," &c.4 In 1679-80, he was one of the court's committee " to bound the med- dowes on Assonett Necke." 5 June 2, 1685, he was licensed " to retaile cider, beeir, and strong liquors." 6 It is presumed, as he lived at this time on the road leading from Taunton to Boston, and known then and now as the " Bay Road," that he kept a sort of " ordi- nary," or victualling-house, for travellers ; and hence he no doubt kept the first public-house within the limits
1 Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. iv. p. 66.
2 Ibid. vol. iv. p. 66.
3 Baylies's Memoir, part ii. p. 278.
4 Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. v. p. 58.
5 Ibid. vol. vi. p. 31.
6 Ibid. vol. vi. p. 170.
-
10
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
of Norton. May 25, 1680, he was appointed one of a committee of the town "to revise the town-orders, records of land," &c.1
Thus it will be seen that he was a man of some con- sequence, and possessed a good reputation among the early settlers of Taunton. From an old deed now in possession of our townsman (descendant of the first settler), William D. Wetherell, given by John Wetherell, son of William, to his son Jonathan, it appears that William Wetherell was an " Eldest Ser- geant in Capt. Gorrom's (Gorham's) Company in the great Narragansett-Swamp fitt," which took place Dec. 19 (?), 1675, in the present town of South Kingston, R.I .; and that a grant of land was made by the court to the soldiers who were wounded in that ever-memo- rable battle. From the Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. vi. p. 119, it appears that " Sergt. Witherly " and " other Taunton men " came wounded to the house of Peleg Sanford, Dec. 24, 1675; and that he remained till Oct. 17, 1676. His wound must, therefore, have been of a pretty severe character, to have confined him almost a year before he was able to return home. It was in consequence of his wounds received in the bat- tle of Narragansett Swamp, we presume, that the court granted Mr. Wetherell ten pounds in 1685, and five pounds in 1686.2
From all the facts that we can gather relating to Mr. Wetherell, he seems to have been a man blessed with a good share of worldly goods ; holding two rights in the original purchase of Taunton (his own and Mr. Dunn's), one right in the South Purchase of Taunton, and, at the time of his death, half a right in the North Purchase. In the year 1690, he deeded most of his property to his children and grandchildren; and in his will, dated Aug. 15, 1691, and probated Nov. 18 of same year, he makes some little legacies to his children, and confirms the deeds he had previously
1 Baylies's Memoir, part iv. p. 76.
2 Plymouth-Colony Records, vol. vi. pp. 189 and 201.
11
FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
given of his lands. He mentions in his will his sons William, John, and Ephraim (who was dead at the date of the will), and his daughter Dorothy Wood, who was the wife of William Wood (her second hus- band), to whom she was married April 1, 1686. Her first husband was Elias Irish; and they were married Aug. 26, 1674. He lived only about three years ; for, in October, 1677, William Wetherell was appointed administrator of his estate.1 Of the sons William and John we shall say something in connection with the early settlers. These few meagre items are all we have been able to gather relative to the first settler ; but they are full of interest, and furnish abundant food for the imaginative mind.
We here give the only autograph known to be in existence of the first settler, written in 1690, the year before he died.
In the course of a few years, a number of other settlers had made their "pitch" in the immediate neighborhood of the pond; doubtless from the fact that the land was of easy cultivation, and particularly adapted to the growth of Indian corn and other grains.
About the year 1685, Thomas Brintnell, with his family, made a settlement in the north-west part of what is now Mansfield, a few rods easterly of Wading River, and but a short distance from the line between the two Colonies, near to what is now Foxborough, at the place where Obadiah Brintnell lived a few years since.
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