USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Princeton > History of the town of Princeton in the county of Worcester and commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1759-1915, Volume I > Part 8
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I 38×30
27 336 7X9
2 stories, I mile to meeting. (Built in 1786.)
Ephraim Mirick, Jr. . Enoch Brooks.
I 40X28
2I 282 6×8
I mile to meeting.
I 30X28
21 277 6×8
Part upright with porch.
·
4 30 6×8
3 miles to meeting. 2 sto- ries, 12 miles from meeting
Abishai & Theophi- lus Eveleth, occu- pied by Theophilus.
I 37×34
25 351 7X9
Adjoining.
I 32×18
Elisha and Phineas Gregory, one dwelling house 40 feet by 16, one adjoining thereto 49 by 12 feet, the house unfinished. 17 windows 223 squares of glass, 7 by 9 40 rods to compose the Home lot, 12 miles from meeting, 83 acres in the farm; bounds easterly on Stephen Mirick,
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Early Inhabitants
northerly on Abijah Harrington, westerly on Elisha Hobbs, southerly on Moses Gill. One barn 60 by 30 wants cover- ing, one shed 30 by 10, twenty-nine acres, six acres meadow, the rest upland and ordinary, bound N & W on Thos. Raymore, S & E Israel How and Edward Raymore.
Jonas Beaman, one dwelling house, 38 by 30, 16 feet by 38 two stories high, stone, one porch 12 by 8. 20 windows 291 glass 7 by 9. 80 rods home lot one dwelling house 38 by 20. Stone, 2 stories, floors laid only part finished. 17 windows 360 squares glass 7 by 9. 40 rods home lot 832 acres, one barn 62 by 28, one barkhouse 40 by 28, 28 squares glass in Barkhouse. Shed 69 by 12 & one 22 by 10.
CHAPTER V
INCORPORATION
The District and Town. The action of the inhabitants and proprietors of the East Wing and the farms adjacent, towards incorporation of either or both tracts as a dis- tinct town, forms an interesting chapter in the history of Princeton.
The subject had evidently been under discussion for several years, but the first public act in relation thereto was in the form of a petition to the General Court on the 8th of June, 1758, by Benjamin Houghton and others " praying that certain Farms formerly granted by the General Court to Separate petitioners lying near the great Wachusett Hill, and contiguous to Rutland East Wing, containing a Tract of about six miles by three miles in extent, may together with the East Wing of Rutland containing about the like quantity, upon which there are about thirty families already settled, be erected into a Township."
Unfortunately the original petition cannot be found and we lose the names of those who joined with Mr. Houghton in this petition. Mr. Houghton owned several large tracts of land, purchased of the Province, and lived upon another in the Eastern part of (Princeton) near Sterling, hereto- fore described as Wilder's purchase, and the scheme pro- posed above would naturally appear very desirable to him.
The petitioners were granted leave to bring in a bill, and although no such action appears to have been taken, the two tracts were surveyed, the East Wing in June 1758 and the farms probably during the following July or August.
The accompanying plans show the relative situation of the two sections and enable the reader to form some idea
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Incorporation
of the nature of the controversy which ensued between the two, a controversy which waged fiercely for some time.
The proprietors of the Wing were not at all satisfied with the action upon Mr. Houghton's petition, forcing upon them the burdens consequent upon the building of roads through the farms, and other expenditures, and they prepared a petition asking incorporation of the Wing alone as a town. The petition is as follows:
" Province of the Massachusetts Bay,
To His Excellency Thomas Pownall Esq', Governor & Commander in Chief in and over His Majestys Province of the Massachusetts Bay, to the Honble His Majesty Council & Honble House of Representatives December 29, 1758.
The Petition of vs. the Subscribers Inhabitants of the East Wing of Rutland soe called. In the County of Worcester Humbly shews -
That the Major Part of your Petitioners Live Six or Eight miles from the Nearest Pleace of Publick Worship which renders it Almost Imposable for your Petitioners to attend and more especially in the winter Season By Reason of the Badness of the Roads, that under our Present Situation we have no Power To Lay out Roads no Buld Bridges nor to Do anything else that may Be an Induce- ment to people to Come and Setle amongst vz, the Quan- tity of Land Contain'd in said Tract is near about the Halfe of Six Miles Squeir as May appear by the Plan Hereto Annexed, that we have Now about 25 familys Living on Said Tract and we apprehend with a Little of your Excellency & Hon's assistance we should soon have Double that Number to Settle on said Tract.
Wherefore your Petitioners Humbly Prays your Ex- cellen(c)y & Hon's Compassionate Consideration and that the Lands Contain'd and Delineated in the forementioned plan be Erected Into a Town or District as your Excellency and Hon's In your great wisdom may Think Proper, and
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History of Princeton
your Humble Petitioners as in Duty Bound Shall Ever Pray.
Ephram Wheler
Eliphalet How
Joseph Gibbs
Robert Work
Ephraham Hartwel
James Thomson
Isaac Wheeler
Thomas Masson
Isaac Wheeler Ju
Amos Powers
Boaz Moore
Joseph Eveleth
Ephraim Allen
Timothy Keyes
Benjamin Willson
Charly Durntcan
Robert Forbus
Stephen Brigham
Pebody How
Oliver Davis
George Smith
Sadey Mason
John Bartlet
William Muzzy
Rob Cowdin
This petition has the following endorsement.
" In Council January 5, 1759. Read and Ordered that the Petitioners notify the Non Resident Proprietors of Land lying in said East Wing of Rutland by Inserting the substance of this Petition in some of the Boston News Papers three weeks successively that they shew Cause if any they have on the second Wednesday of the next sitting of this Court why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
Sent down for Concurrence Thos. Clarke, Dpty Secry.
In the House of Repes Jany. 5, 1759.
Read and non Concurred; and Ordered that this Peti- tion be Dismissed. Also Ordered that the Petition of Benja Houghton & others presented to this Court in June last be likewise dismissed.
Sent up for Concurrence, T. Hubbard Spk".1
This movement of the inhabitants and proprietors of the Wing set the ball in motion, and for a time there was evidently some active work done by the friends of the 1 Mass. Archives, Vol. CXVII, page 430.
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Incorporation
different parties, the one favoring the scheme of incor- porating the Wing alone, and the other fearing that the Farms would be left out in the cold.
If in those " good old days " a " lobby " existed, it very likely had its part to perform in this contest.
Petition of "The Farms." The summary dismissal by the House of How's as well as of Houghton's petition of the previous June was doubtless a surprise and a disappoint- ment to both parties, and seemed to add fuel to the flames or increased motion to the ball of controversy, and the contest was renewed with vigor. A month had scarcely passed when Mr. Houghton and his allies presented another request, fortified doubtless by stronger arguments, and perhaps with more signatures than before.
This petition is as follows: the Signatures to the original appearing to be genuine autographs, comprising nearly all, if not all of the inhabitants of the Farms; together with a few of the proprietors or residents of the Wing.
To His Excellency Thomas Pownal Esq' Capt. General and Governor in chief in and over His Majesties province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England to the Honor- able His Majesties Counsel and House of Representatives.
The Petition of the Proprietors and Inhabitants of sundry farms Lying between Lancaster and Narragansett No. 2 and Contigious to Rutland East Wing So called and also proprietors and Inhabitants of Said Wing, Humbly Sheweth that said farms and Wing being Incorporated into a Destinct Township Will make a very good one and Do not Contain the Contents of Six miles square and that Said Wing by itself will not be able to Defray the Charges of building a Meeting House Setling a minister and main- taining the Gosple among them and making Rodes Without an Intolarable Hevey Tax, and that said farms are no wayes able to Defray such charges by themselves and cant be accommodated to aney other town, and will be forever Disobliged if not Laid to said Wing and both together Will find the charges of a new settlement hevey enough and both Wing and farms are at present under very Deficult
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History of Princeton
Circumstances by the extream Distance and badness of the Rodes to the Public Worshep of God in aney other Town. We can but Sildom attend it and in the Winter Season are quite shut up which circumstances are not only Destresing to the present Inhabitants but very Descorag- ing to new setlers.
Wherefore the Humble prayer of your petitioners is that said Wing and farms may be Incorporated as above said, Which we as in Duty shall Ever pray.
January ye 29th 1759.
Farms.
Benjamin Houghton
Jonathan Spring
Robert Keyes
Zechariah Harvey
Timothy Bemis
Tille Litteljohns
Elisha Wilder
Isaac Whittemore
Saml Hastings
Joel Houghton
Jonathan Bulard
Amos Spring
Silas Whitney
Henry Gail
Paul Mathew
Tristam Cheny
Lemuel Jones
Jonas Harrington
William Joyner
Jonathan Jones
Henry Spring
Abel Ray
Braddyll Smith
Jeremiah Whitemore
Peter Goodenow
Jabez Stratton
Wing. Elisha Jones Isaac Jones
Richard Cheever
Ezra Gleason
Jonathan Power
John Mirick, Jur
Nathan Meriam
Abijah Moore
Moses Gill
Ebenezer Jons
Caleb Mirick
Amos Powers
John Jones, Junt
Samuel Nickols
Daniel Sumner
Ambrose Tower
James Mirick
Aaron Peary
Joseph Tower
In the House of Rep. Febr' 7, 1759.
Read and Ordered that the Pet" serve the prop's and Inhabitants of the East Wing of Rutland (so called non petitioners) with a copy of the Pet" by inserting the Sub- stance thereof in one of the Boston Newspapers three Weeks successively That so they Shew cause (if any they have) on the second thursday of the next Setting of this Court why the Prayer thereof should not be granted.
Sent up for Concurrence,
T. Hubbard Spk'.
In Council Febr' 8, 1759.
Read and Concurred,
A. Oliver, Sec'.
Consented to T. Pownall.1
1 Mass. Archives, Vol. CXVII, page 437.
Janaway & 2gt 1759 harms Robert 40 neves
Benjamin Houghton.
Techariah Harvey Alisha Wilders
Tille little Johns Samuel Haftings Jack Houghton Almos Spring] Silas whitney Paul Mathew Jonas Harrington Free From hery Sterny going William Joynero
Whitemare. Jeremiah
Abel Ruy
Jonathan Turing
Whitemon gymnas
Jonathan Buland Henry Gail Lemuel forces Janathan Jones Bradyle Smith
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Wing Peter Goodenow Richard cheaus. Imathan power Abych Moore Caleb Murich anual Nichols James Minich Jafez fratton Ezra gleason
Amos Powers Daniel Summer Aurore peary
Jones Nathan menu Ebenezertons Jahu Junessun Ambrofe Tower Joseph Jouer
John Mirick, gur Motes Pill 0000000
Pliphalet How Jadey majon Boas moore
Robert Courdin
Jaac Wheeler Thomas major
Isilliam muzzy
Charles Parminter Ephrain Allen Beniamin Müyor
Isaac Wheeler. Joseph Gibbs
Tobrush Robert Danh george smith
James Thomson Oliver Davis
Ribody for Jonathan Frisk
Timothy Reyes
Then Ballet
Joseph Evelithe Ephraim Wheeler
oGest Rozer
Stephen Brigham
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Incorporation
Protest. The failure of the petitioners to give proper notice to the other parties occasioned the following protest and action.
" The memorial of the Subscribers, Inhabitants and proprietors of the East Wing of Rutland and the County of Worcester.
They therefore humbly pray that Inasmuch as they have never been served with a Copy of a Petition by having the Substance thereof Inserted in the News Papers agreable to sd order of Court, that sd Petition may be dismised or Referred to the next Session of this Honble Court that so they may make answer to said Petition when they know the Substance of it.
And as in Duty Bound shall Ever Pray."
" Eliphalet How Stephen Brigham
Sadey Mason
Boaz Moore
Robert Cowdin
Charles Parminter
Isaac Wheeler
Ephraim Allen
Thomas Mason
Benjamine Wilson (This is
not the B. Wilson of the north part.)
William Muzzy
Robert Forbush
Isaac Wheeler
George Smith
Joseph Gibbs
Pebody How
James Thomson
Jonathan Fisk
Oliver Davis
John Bartlet
Timothy Keyes
Ephraim Wheeler
Joseph Eveleth
Robert Rozer
" In Council March 9, 1759. Read again together with the Answer of Eliphalet How and others Inhabitants & Proprietors of the East Wing of Rutland; and it appearing that they had not been notified of the Substance of the Petition as the Court had ordered. Ordered that the con- sideration of said Petition be referred to the next May Session " notice to be given in Boston Papers.
" In Council June 8, 1759. Again read with the answer of the Inhabitants & Proprietors of the East Wing &
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History of Princeton
ordered that Samuel Watts and Benjamin Lincoln Esqrs with Such as the Honble House shall appoint be a Committee to take the same under Consideration hear the Parties & Report what they judge proper to be done thereon." 1
Rejoinder. The House appointed Col. Lawrence; Col. Gerrish & Col. Whitcomb. The time intervening between March and June afforded ample opportunity to the pro- prietors of the Wing to prepare a vigorous answer to the argument of the opponents.
Province of the Massa- chusetts Bay
It is well worth reading.
To His Excellency Thomas Pow- nall Esq' Governour & Com- mand' in Chief in & over his Majestys Province of the Massa- chusetts Bay To the Honble his Majestys Council & the Honble House of Representatives in Gen1 Court assembled May ye 30th, 1759.
The Memorial of us the Subscribers, Inhabitants & Proprietors of the East Wing of Rutland (so called) in the County of Worcester, in answer To a Petition of the Pro- prietors & Inhabitants of Sundry farms Lying Between Lancaster & Narragansett No. 2, in sd County, Humbly Sheweth -
That Whereas the said Proprietors and Inhabitants of said farms did by their petition To the Honble Court at their Session in March last Represent that the said wing and farms Being Incorporated into a District Town or District would make a very good one; your Memorialists Beg leave to say, that they are very sure that Every Impartial man that is acquainted with the Situation & Circumstances, of said wing & farms will Readily say that the wing of itself will make a Much Better Settlement than if the farms are laid to said wing, for this Reason, Because the farms in General are some of the Poorest land, perhaps, that there is in the Province, and Lyes in a very Bad form,
1 Mass. Archives, Vol. CXVII, page 439.
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Incorporation
and although the said Proprietors and Inhabitants of said farms did Exhibit a Plan to Your Excellency & Honours that Appeared that said farms lay in a Very good form to Be adjoyned to sd wing; your Memorialists beg leave to say that they are very sure that said Plan is not true. But Done as they Apprehend to Deceive your Excellency & Honours; and as almost all the Best of the land in sd wing Lyes in the Southerly side of it, & the Chief of the Inhabi- tants living on that side, and Not Only so, but the land on the Northerly side, Never will admitt of Half so good a settlement as the Southerly side will and if the farms, shall be annexed to said wing, it would Carry the Center of the wing & farms to the Very Northerly side of sd wing, which would oblige the two thirds of the Inhabitants always to Travel Three or four miles to meeting, and the great Difficulty that your Memorialists must be put to, in making Highways & Building Bridges through a very Rough Rocky Country will Burden them so, that they had Rather have one Quarter of their Real Estate Taken from them, then to be Obliged to Joyn with those People where they are Certain they shall always live in Trouble and Difficulty. And as the Said Wing Contains Better than Twelve Thousand Acres of land and is Capable of making a very good Settlement of itself and Cost your Memorialists a Very great Price, And if your Excellency and Honours shall annex those Farms to the wing, we apprehend it would be taking away the Rights of your Memorialists and giving it to those that have no Just Claim to it -
Your Memorialists Therefore Humbly Pray Your Ex- cellency & Honours wise and Compassionate Consideration in this affair and that you would Relieve your Memorialists out of the great Difficulty that they must Inevitably fall into if they are sett off with the said farms & Dismiss the Petition of the Proprietors And Inhabitants of sd farms, and Incorporate said wing into a Town, or District as your Excellency & Honours Shall See meet, or otherwise Relieve your Memorialists as in your great wisdom you shall Think Proper.
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History of Princeton
And as in Duty Bound shall Ever Pray.
Joseph Eveleth
Sadey Mason
Timothy Keyes
Ephraim Allen
Stephen Brigham
Oliver Davis
John Bartlett
Thomas Mason
Boaz Moore
Isaac Wheeler
Ephraim Hartwell
William Muzzy
Pebody How
Rob Cowdin
Isaac Wheeler
Jona Knight
Eliphalet How
Jorg Smith
Joseph Gibbs
Robert Forb(us)
James Thompson
Benjamine Willson 1
To the casual observer it would seem that the advocates of the incorporation of the Wing alone, held the strongest position, but the difficulties of reconciling the interests of all concerned can be readily understood.2
With these petitions are several other papers of interest.
" We the Sibscribers Inhabitants upon the farms Lying Beetwen Lancaster and Narragansett Do pray your Hon's to Consider the Sad Condition that we shall Be in if sd farms petisioned for should Be annexed to the East wing for By Survoing we Do find as we think a Sufficiency of sd farms for a Township to Settle the Gospel in But if sad part petisioned for should Be laid to sd wing we Shall have no privelidge of the Gospel preached By Being So far of tharfor we humbly pray your honers that you would Lett the whole of sd farms Lye to Gether til Such times as we Can Be Incorporated into a Town By our Selves and you
1 Mass. Archives, Vol. CXVII, page 442.
2 Three plans are on file in the State Archives with these petitions. The first, dated June 26, 1758, measuring about 12 by 18 inches, shows the Wing alone with an area of 12,899 acres. The second dated, Sept. 4, 1758, gives a view of the Wing rated at 11,708 acres only, and the farms adjoining contain- ing 7283 acres. This plan covers the territory first incorporated as a District.
The third, dated Oct. 2, 1759, endorsed " A Platt of the farms," includes with the farms shown on the second plan, a large tract of 4900 acres on the north embracing "No Town" and extending to Lunenburg line.
All of these farms were included within the bounds of the town as incorpo- rated in 1771, but the 4900 acres were taken off by act of 1773.
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Incorporation
will Greatly as we think add to the interest and welfare of your most humble Servants.
September ye 28th 1759 Benja Wilson
William Joyner Edward Wilson John Frost Tristram Cheney
The latter, Oct. 5, 1759, desired his name to be " blotted oute " of this petition.
Lancaster October 7th 1759
these may Certifie that the Lands north of the farm Called Potash farms betwixt Leominster & Narragansett is Generally Rough Land & will admitt of but fue Good Settlements.
Att Joseph Wilder John Bennit
N. B. The above subscribers were the Gentlemen that Layed out the above mentioned Lands and assested in Deviding them."
" October ye 6th 1759 This may Certify Womesoever it may Consern that the lands Between Leominster Lewning- burge and Narrowgasett No. 2 and as far as potarsh farms is Chefly uninhabitable and very bad Land and no waye fit for but a very few Inhabitants.
Test our hands,
Ezra Houghton. Jonathan Wilder.1
This description of the land as " Chefly uninhabitable " will not be contradicted by any of the present generation who are at all familiar with " No Town " lands.
Upon the recommendation of the committee to whom the several petitions were referred a special committee was appointed " to view the farms & the East wing and report to the Court."
1 Mass. Archives, Vol. CXVII, pages 445-447.
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History of Princeton
Report. On the IIth of October their report was pre- sented as follows: "The Committee appointed on the Petition of the proprietors and Inhabitants of sundry farms Lying between Lancaster and Narragansett No. 2 and Contigious to Rutland East Wing so called and also proprietors of sa wing having Repaired to the Land men- tioned in sd Petition viewed the same And heard the Parties are of oppinion that the prayer of the Petition be Granted and the sd farms together with sd East Wing be incorporated into a Sepperate District agreable to a Plan accompanying sd Petition and the Petitioners have Liberty to Bring in a bill accordingly.
Which is Humbly Submitted, Gam1 Bradford by Order."
This report was accepted the same day and Capt. Richardson was directed " to bring in the Bill," which was done the following day.
The act of incorporation is as follows:
Anno Regni Regis Tricesimo
Georgii Secundi Tercio
L. S.
An Act for erecting the East Wing of Rutland, so called, in the County of Worcester, and sundry farms contiguous thereto, lying between Lan- caster and Narraganset number two, into a separate District by the name of Prince Town.
Whereas a number of the Inhabitants and Proprietors of the East Wing of Rutland, in the County of Worcester, and the proprietors and inhabi- tants of sundry Farms contiguous thereto, lying between Lancaster and Narraganset No. 2, have represented to this court many difficulties they labour under, and praying that they be made a seperate District.
Therefore, be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and House of Representa- tives, That the said East Wing of Rutland, so called, and sundry farms lying contiguous thereto, contained within the bounds hereafter mentioned, be and hereby is erected into a distinct and seperate District by the name of Prince Town: - viz. beginning at the northwest corner of Lancaster second Precinct, being also the southwest corner of Leominster, from thence running north 54 degrees west seven hundred and sixty rods to a heap of stones upon the line of Narraganset No. 2, from thence run- ning west thirty-five degrees south seven hundred and eighty-eight Rod to the southern corner of said Narraganset number two, then turning and running south-east fifty-six Rod to the northeast corner of said
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Incorporation
Rutland East Wing, then turning and running west thirty Degrees south eleven hundred and sixty Rod, on the northwest line of said Wing to the westerly corner of said Wing, then running south thirty-nine de- grees east sixteen hundred and seventy Rod, being the dividing line of the first settlers part of Rutland, the said Wing to the southerly corner of said East Wing, then turning and running east thirty-five degrees north eleven hundred and fifty rods on Holdin line to the corner of said East Wing, Holdin and Shrewsbury, and from thence running on the same point three hundred and ninety Rod on Shrewsbury line to the River, and from thence bounding on Lancaster second Precinct to the first mentioned bounds, at that the said District be and hereby is invested with all the Privileges, Powers, and Immunities that Towns in the Province by Law do or may enjoy, that of sending a Representative to the General Assembly only excepted.
Provided, nevertheless, and be it further enacted, That the said District shall pay their proportion of all Town, County and Province Taxes already sett or granted to be raised on the Towns of Rutland and Lancaster as if this act had not been made.
And be it further enacted, That William Richardson, Esq. be and hereby is empowered to issue his warrant to some principal Inhabitant of said District requiring him to notify and warn the inhabitants of said District qualified by law to vote in Town affairs to meet at such time and place as shall be therein set forth to choose all such officers as shall be necessary to manage the affairs of said District.
October 12th, 1759. This Bill having been read thru several times in the House of Representatives -
Passed to be enacted.
S. WHITE, Spk.
October 16th, 1759. This Bill having been read thru several times in Council -
Passed to be enacted.
A. OLIVER, Sec'y.
October 20th, 1759. By the Governor. I consent to the enacting of this Bill.
T. POWNALL.
Thus ended the controversy so long and so earnestly carried on by early inhabitants of the town. During its later history there have been struggles equally warm and vigorous over matters of far less importance.
For some years after the organization of the District, there was a continual increase in the number of inhabitants, and with the formation of a church and establishment of schools as hereafter described, there was a marked growth in prosperity.
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History of Princeton
The Town. As long as they remained a " District " they could send no representative to the General Court, which appeared so desirable that in 1771 measures were taken to secure incorporation as a town and the following petition was prepared.
" Province of Massachusetts Bay. To His Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esq., Governor and Commander-in- Chief in and over said Province. The Honorable His Majesty's Council and House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Cambridge.
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