USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Sutton > History of the town of Sutton, Massachusetts, from 1704 to 1876, including Grafton until 1735, Millbury until 1813 and parts of Northbridge, Upton and Auburn > Part 18
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The farm adjoining the Dike place on the west was first settled by one Abel Chase; then occupied by Lieutenant Nathaniel Whitmore and his sons; then by Deacon Luther Hall; then by Lewis Griggs, who is the present owner. Mr. Chase erected on this place a shop with a trip-hammer, for the purpose of making scythes and hoes. This was one of the first trip-hammers in town.
The business was carried on for some years by the Whit- mores. But the shop was burned and never rebuilt. There is a private burying ground on this place.
The farm adjoining the Dike farm on the east was first settled by John Stockwell, a son of John Stockwell at whose house the first town meeting was held. He sold it to Deacon John Haven, who with his son John occupied it many years. After their death it was sold to Jeremiah Brown, by him to - Taylor, and by him to Daniel Bug- bee, by him to Aaron Stockwell, and by him to David
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Walsh, the present owner. The barn on this place was struck by lightning and burned when owned by Deacon Haven. Both house and barn have been burned since its purchase by Walsh.
The Hutchinson farm was first settled by Joseph Severy. who lived on it about two years, and then sold to Nathaniel Hutchinson, in 1729 or 1730. Since that time there have been added forty acres on the north end. This forty acres was first settled by David Harwood, who was followed by his son, who died young. leaving it to his widow, who sold it to Bartholomew Hutchinson.
RESIDENCE OF DEA. E. H. HUTCHINSON.
The southwesterly part was first settled by - Bootman, who sold it to the Hutchinsons. Bartholomew sold it to his son Simon, who conveyed it to his son Edwin H. Hutchin- son, who now owns and occupies it. Lieutenant Bartholo- mew Hutchinson served in the revolutionary war.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
The Jonathan Stockwell farin is situated on the west side of Singletary pond, and was first settled by the above named Stockwell. He was one of the five brothers who first came to Sutton. He lived and died on this farm and left several children. His son Stephen lived and died on the same farm. His son Stephen succeeded him, and he also lived and died on it; at his death it passed into the hands of his two sons, Jonas E. and Stephen, who now own it. This farm has been in the hands of the first settler and his descendants since the settlement of the town.
The place west of the Jonathan Stockwell farm, now owned and occupied by Benj. A. DeWitt, is known as the Severy place. It was settled by Joseph Severy, the first of the Severys in Sutton. He died upon the place, and was succeeded by his son Jacob, who is spoken of as one who was often employed in the settlement of estates, and as having been very active during the revolutionary war in securing recruits for the army, and providing for the families of the soldiers. He was also for a long time a collector of taxes. He was succeeded on the farm by his son Moody, who died Dec. 28, 1840, and was succeeded by his son Solomon, who lived upon the place till 1864, when he sold it to William H. Wheeler, and removed to the place where he now lives. The place was in the possession of the Sev- erys one hundred thirty-four years. Mr. Wheeler sold to Isaac H. Redding, and he to Benj. A. De Witt, the present occupant.
Captain John Stockwell was the first settler upon the farm now known by his name. He was one of the five Stockwell brothers. The first town meeting was held at his house .* He lived and died upon this place, and his son Noah Stockwell succeeded him. He sold it to Stephen Hol- brook, who lived and died upon the farm. Mr. Holbrook had several children. Two of his sons were graduates of college. The oldest studied theology at Andover, and was settled over a church in Rowley, Massachusetts. The other son was preparing to go as a missionary to a foreign field, but was drowned while bathing. After the death of the
See Annals, 1718.
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father the place passed into the hands of Simeon Stockwell, who married a daughter of the above named S. Holbrook, and is the occupant at the present time. The barn was struck by lightning and burned about the time Mr. Stock- well entered into possession of the place.
The next place west of that occupied by Mr. Solomon Severy, now in possession of Charles Woodbury, was first settled by Captain Jonathan Sibley, then occupied by his son, Colonel Timothy Sibley, then by Lot Woodbury, then by -- , then by Nathan Woodbury, who sold to Ensign John Woodbury, who conveyed it to his son Nathaniel, and at his death it passed into the hands of his son Charles Woodbury, who is the present owner. This place is the second of the original eight lots, reckoning from the east ; that of Mr. Solomon Severy being the first.
The farm on which Daniel Bugbee now lives was first set- tled by John King, and the successive owners to the present time have been as follows : Lot Simpson, Elijah Brown, John Kenney, Dexter Wood, Amos R. Holman, Mary Knapp, and Daniel Bugbee, who is the present owner.
John Kenney had four sons. The eldest was a scythe manufacturer, and killed by the bursting of a grindstone in the shop. The second son was a Baptist minister. The third an extensive manufacturer of machinery. The fourth was a Baptist minister for a few years, but at the present time is engaged in the book trade.
There was a small farm near the school-house, owned by William Simpson, who was among the first settlers. He had three sons who lived and died in Sutton. He and one of his sons served in the revolutionary war. His son William was in the French and Indian war. After their decease it was sold to Job Darling, who also served in the revolutionary war. After his death it passed into the hands of Jonathan Pike, who was wounded in the French and Indian war. After the war government gave him a pension.
The farm on which David Welsh now lives was first settled by Ebenezer Cutler, who had three sons, all of whom lived on the farm with their father, each one having a separate house.
RESIDENCE OF SIMEON STOCKWELL.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
On this farm was built one of the first saw-mills in town, if not the first. The Cutlers sold to Amos Stockwell - " Uncle Amos," as he was called. Mr. Stockwell died here, leaving two sons, both of whom graduated at Amherst col- lege. Thomas B. Stockwell studied for the ministry, and Amos R. for the bar; both died young. The next owner of the place after the Stockwells was Amos Merriam, who was succeeded by his son, Rufus K., who sold it to Solomon Severy. It is now owned by David Welsh. The first house on this place was a small one, to which additions were made from time to time, one of these additions being, as already stated, the house in which the first town meeting was held. It was kept in very good repair until destroyed by fire, November, 1872.
The farm on which Solomon Severy now lives was first settled by William King, and we find in the plot of the thirty lots laid out in the four thousand acres the name of Jonathan King as occupying it with William. Jonathan's
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EMERSON SE
RESIDENCE OF SOLOMON SEVERY.
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HOMES OF THE
son Jonathan seems to have been the second owner. Then it came into the possession of Eliphalet Rowel, who married a daughter of Jonathan, sen.
The farm on which Orin Johnson now lives, near the Ramshorn pond, is the one on which the first settlers built a fort, or block-house, as a protection against the Indians.
It was first settled by Theophilus Kenney, who was suc- ceeded by Ebenezer Gould, Stephen Kenney, his son Stephen, jr., Moses Waters, M. M. Waters, Jonathan T. Waters, Freeman Van Ornum and Orin Johnson, the ninth occupant.
MILL PLACE.
This place was first owned and occupied by Jonathan Putnam and Capt. Fry. One of the first grist mills in town was erected at this place by the said Putnam. His son Francis succeeded him, who left it to his son Silas, who sold it to his brother Pliny. He sold it to Amos Merriam, when it passed into the hands of his son Rufus K. Merriam, who conveyed it to Henry S. Stockwell, and is now owned by the Sutton Cranberry Company, who are engaged in the cul- ture of cranberries and expect to plant the whole meadow with vines. Capt. Francis Putnam and his son Silas lived and died in Sutton. Capt. Francis was in the revolutionary war. He was a man of great strength and agility. While in the army the soldiers were in the habit of trying to see who could jump a rope suspended across the street six feet high. After various trials only two in the regiment could clear the rope, Capt. Francis Putnam and Jacob Severy, both of Sutton. Jacob Severy soon after died in the army from a wound received in battle.
Mr. James W. Stockwell furnishes the following with reference to the Sutton Cranberry Company.
In the fall and winter of 1868, Rev. Fred. N. Knapp and H. S. and J. W. Stockwell, as equal partners, bought the so-called Putnam water privilege, and lands adjoining, for the culture of the cranberry, and in the spring following began to prepare the ground for that purpose. Subsequently, Rev. Thomas Hill, president of Harvard College, and Fred. Law Olmstead, of New York city, became equal partners. In November, 1870, the "Sutton Cranberry Company " was incorporated, the stockholders being the above-mentioned persons. Since its organization, Dr. B. F. D. Adams of Waltham has become a member of the company . Mr. Knapp has been president, Dr. Hill clerk,
THE DODGE HOMESTEAD. ON THE "EIGHT LOTS." IN SUTTON, MASS. ERECTED PREVIOUS TO 1750. OWNED BY BENJAMIN J. DODGE. OCCUPIED BY DAVID S. DODGE.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
and James W. Stockwell treasurer and business agent of the company since its organization. The company own about 196 acres of land, divided into three meadows and a reservoir; eighty acres suitable for cranberry culture, of which about twenty acres are in vines. They have a good supply of water, four well constructed dams, and a sufficient quantity of pure sand. The cultivated part has been thoroughly prepared, and was set with the best quality of vines. The fruit is unrivaled for size, beauty and flavor (the writer has picked berries three and a quarter inches in circumference), and commands the highest price in market. The cultivated part is not yet in full bearing. In 1875 the crop was 1,200 bushels. The meadows are pleasantly located in the western part of the town, on the line of the county road from West Sutton to Millbury.
The place on which Waters Putnam now lives was first owned (as far as can be traced) by one John Lilley, the father-in-law of Jacob Cummings, who conveyed it to Isaac Dodge, son-in-law of said Cummings. It is now owned and occupied by Waters Putnam.
The Dodge farm was first owned by Samuel Streeter in 1749, when he sold it to Isaac Dodge of Boxford. He con- veyed it to his son Isaac by will, who left it to his family. It is now owned by Benjamin J. Dodge, of Worcester, and occupied by David S. Dodge, son of Isaac the third.
The Arnold place was first settled by Benjamin Woodbury, and occupied successively by Stephen Keith, David Draper, Benjamin Wallace and Nathan Arnold.
There are no buildings on the place except the remains of an old saw-mill. Twelve acres of the place are cultivated with the cranberry by the Sutton Cranberry Company, who now own it. There is a private burial ground on the place.
The place owned by Marble Putnam was first owned by Jonathan, son of Jacob Cummings, who built the house. He sold it to Samuel Trumble, who sold to Solomon King ; he conveyed it to Amos Merriam, who sold to James Burnap, whose widow sold to Marble Putnam.
The place on which George K. Stockwell now lives was at the first settlement of the town in possession of Joseph Fellows. We also find the name of Samuel Barton as an occupant of the place. It was also owned by a man named Hoare, then by - Lilley, Ebenezer Phelps, Capt. Enoch Stockwell, a grandson of Jonathan Stockwell. He lived and died on this farm, and his son, George F. Stockwell, succeeded him. He also died here, leaving it to his son,
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George K. Stockwell, the owner and occupant at the present time. On this farm several years ago, there was supposed to be a very valuable mine of silver ore, and much time and money were expended in digging ; but none of the precious metal was found. The immense hole that was made is not even now entirely filled.
The Marsh farm, situated on the height of land in the Eight Lots district, commanding a very fine view of the sur- rounding country, was first settled by Stephen Marsh, who was succeeded by his son Stephen, who conveyed it to his son Stephen, and he to his son Stephen F. Marsh. Acre to acre has been added, until it is the largest farm in this part of the town. The farm has always been noted for rais- ing fine stock for market. The second Stephen was in the revolutionary war.
The places in District No. 3 which lie upon the Boston road are reported by Mr. G. Hall as follows :
Going east from Mr. Prescott Putnam's, the last place reported in the West Sutton district, I first come to the site where once stood the Baptist church (the second edifice erected by that denomination in town), without steeple or bell.
I remember distinctly my first visit to that church. I went in company with Waldo Putnam; he was a little older than myself, and had been there before; so he led me up into the gallery, and the first thing that struck my wondering vision was the dusty, conical top of the old sounding-board, which hung over the quaint old pulpit, in which stood the venerable and venerated Elder Samuel Waters, leading the morning devotions. There were broad galleries on the south, east and west sides of the house. Midway between them on the north side stood the pulpit. The front seats directly opposite the preacher were reserved for the singers; in them, on that occasion, I remember the manly forms of Capt. Joseph Griggs and Capt. Thomas Smith; also the less commanding form of Deacon Stephen Putnam. The Waters brothers and sister, with Levins Sibley, jr., were there in after time, if not then.
Directly south of this church was a large orchard, belonging to Mr. John Putnam; in it, in apple time, many of the congregation who worshipped here used to spend their mornings regaling themselves upon the luscious fruit which literally covered the ground, and they were welcome to their repast, for Mr. Putnam had more apples than he knew what to do with, and he was no niggard with his neighbors. I think the trees then bore fruit every year; indeed there was less barrenness then than now in every direction; there was more grass, there were more cattle on the hills presented to view from this highly favored site; aye, and there were many more children in the houses within our view from this place then than now.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
Many of the customs of society have changed since then; I recollect on one occasion, when they had a large religious gathering in this church, of seeing shanties erected on the south side of the church-yard for the sale of refresh- ments, including choice liquors. Such sale would not be tolerated now.
In 1817 Miss Abigail Thayer opened a "Boarding School" in the then new and elegant Masonic Hall at West Sutton. She had a very select school of over sixty scholars, several from out of town, some from Providence and other large places. Her school was very popular, and several of her scholars became teachers, and some of them graduates of college. She went from here to Westboro, where she taught, and where she married one of her pupils, a young man by the name of Davis. At the close of her school here she had a public exhibition in this house, which was very fully attended, and was considered a great affair.
After the new church was built at " the street," this house was occupied a few times by the Methodists ; but, drawing small congregations, that enterprise was abandoned, and about 1836 the house was moved to Millbury, where it is now used as a factory boarding house. It stands near the junc- tion and between the roads leading to West Millbury and Sutton.
Directly opposite this church, on the west side of the road, stood a long row of sheds. ^
The next place was first owned by Elder Rathbone, then by Elder Lamson, next by Captain Warren Snow, father of Captain Lawson Snow, now of Oxford ; then Captain Rufus Knapp, whose heirs sold to Elder Moses Harrington, who took down the old house and built the present one in 1826. It has since been owned by Albergense Williams, James Williams, Smith Baker, Robert Aldrich, Fayette Freeland and Franklin Freeland, the present owner, who bought it in 1852. It is not known by whom the old house was built ; it was quite stylish when occupied by the Knapps. Capt. Knapp was a trader and a man of great enterprise. He prided himself on his penmanship, and used to try titles in that art with his friend and neighbor James Freeland. They were men of like tastes. One of his sons was a merchant. He drew ten thousand dollars in a lottery. He died in Dudley. His youngest son is a man of wealth and respect- ability, now living in Brooklyn, New York. His daughters were accomplished ladies. Two of his sons were devotees of Bacchus and came to no good end.
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Mr. Harrington was a man deserving of especial mention in this history.
He carried on and much improved his farm, built a new house thereon, preached the gospel to the Baptist church, established a select school in his own house, which he taught several terms. He also taught in the public schools, and made himself generally useful during his abode in town. At last he displeased one of his chief supporters in some way, who discovered that his hair stuck up in front, which he thought very unbecoming to a follower of the meek and lowly Jesus. So Mr. Harrington gave up his pulpit, and his successor came with his shining black and sleek hair, all stroked down close to his head. So some of the admirers of Mr. Harrington called him "old tallow head;" yet he deported himself with such Christian propriety as to disarm their spite, and reconcile them to the change; but of his successor I have already spoken. Mr. Harrington remained a while on his farm, then removed to Leicester, where he preached several years, then went to Fram- ingham.
He had quite a family of children, lost his wife ; married for second wife widow of Smith Taft, whose first husband was a Lilley, by whom she had a daughter, who is the wife of ex-Mayor Jillson of Worcester. This place was for sev- eral years a sort of parsonage for the Baptist church, and occupied by several of their ministers.
The house nearly opposite was originally an ashery on the Freeland farm, then converted into a dwelling house on the site where King and Thompson have since built. While standing there it was owned first by Tarrant King, and was the birthplace of Deacon Sumner B. King. It was after- ward owned by Parley Stockwell, whose widow was killed there by Peter Sibley, jr., who was proved insane and died in the insane asylum many years after. He beat her to death with the butt end of his gun. It was next owned by Erastus Bates who sold it to Solomon King ; he occupied it until he and his wife were both killed by the same stroke of lightning, July 5, 1835 ; his son, Solomon D. King, was in the house at the time and the electricity passed through his boots.
Mrs. Walter Rosebrooks, living just over the line in Oxford, was also killed by lightning during the same shower. It was on the Sabbath .. Mr. Rose- brooks went out to secure some hay; his wife asked him not to go; when he came back she was dead. His anguish was most agonizing. He could not reconcile himself to the thought that he left her against her wish. Her little child lay in the cradle, nearly covered with plastering that had been torn off by the lightning. Mrs. Rosebrooks was a beautiful young lady, amiable, loving and lowly. She was a member of Rev. Mr. Clark's church, in Sturbridge.
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He attended her funeral, and Mr. Tracy officiated for the Kings. They were all carried into the Baptist church, and their obsequies attended at the same time. It was a solemn day, for they were all much respected in life, and their sudden death struck terror into many hearts.
Several other very respectable families have lived in this house, among them Moses L. Morse, the great inventor. His daughter Ruth, now the wife of the Rev. Mr. Allen, was born in this house. Mrs. Mary T. Nason was also born here, where her mother soon after died. A Mr. Alexander once lived here.
The next house was built by Linus Thompson and his half- brother, S. Dexter King. It was raised the 5th of July, 1836. They lived there and worked at shoe-making for several years, then sold to Foster Freeland, the present owner. Mr. Thompson was a very worthy man ; his brother King will be noticed elsewhere.
On the opposite corner there formerly stood a house once owned by Ebenezer Waters, and afterward by Towne Put- nam and Simeon Stockwell. East of this house stood a store where Nathan Woodbury traded for a while, then Capt. Rufus Knapp, and in 1790 a firm by the name of Clark and Freeland. North of the store a Mr. Fuller had a shop where he manufactured horse-shoe nails and other varieties. His brother owned the Freeland place. The building used as the store above mentioned was originally Lieut. S. Marble's shop ; it was afterward used for various purposes, and is now the shop connected with the King and Thompson place. This old, red, gambrel-roofed house was occupied by many dif- ferent families, among them Dudley Duston, whose twin son and daughter, Joseph and Josephine, are well remembered by those who were their playmates. Mr. Nason also lived there.
The next place in course was first owned, it is said, by Deacon Elisha Putnam about 1725. His house stood some fifty rods west of the present one. The cellar is not quite filled. It is presumed that there the renowned Gen. Rufus Putnam was born, of whom we are happy to give the follow- ing admirable sketch, prepared by Dr. Andrews, president of Marietta college, Ohio.
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General Rufus Putnam was the descendant of John Putnam, who came from Buckinghamshire, England, and settled in Salem in 1634. He was of the fifth generation, being the son of Elisha, grandson of Edward, great-grandson of Thomas, who was one of the three sons of John.
General Israel Putnam was the son of Joseph, and grandson of Thomas. Thus General Israel Putnam was the cousin of Elisha, who was the father of General Rufus.
Elisha Putnam was born Nov. 3, 1685. He married Susanna Fuller, daughter of Jonathan Fuller of Salem, and removed to Sutton in 1725. He was a useful citizen, having been town clerk, town treasurer, and representa- tive in the general court. He was also deacon of the church.
Rufus Putnam was the youngest son of Elisha, and was born in Sutton, April 9, 1738. His father having died in 1745, he lived two years with his grandfather at Salem, then at home for seven years, his mother having mar- ried Captain John Sadler of Upton in 1747. His step-father died in 1753, and in March, 1754, he was bound apprentice to Daniel Matthews, of Brook- field, to learn the trade of millwright. He was in school for two years while with his grandfather, but his step-father gave him no opportunities of learn- ing, and all that he obtained in the way of education, after he was nine years old, was by his own unaided efforts. In March, 1757, he enlisted as a soldier in the provincial service, and served for nearly a year in the French war. In April, 1758, he entered the service again, as also the two following years. With the exception of two or three months in the several winters, he was four years in the service, returning home in December, 1760. For seven or eight years he was engaged in building mills and farming, and then for nearly as long in land-surveying, which he had acquired of Colonel Timothy Dwight of Northampton, father of President Dwight. In April, 1761, he was mar- ried to Miss Elizabeth Ayres, daughter of William Ayres, Esq., of Brook- field. She died within a year, and in January, 1765, he married Miss Persis Rice, daughter of Zebulon Rice of Westborough. This second wife became the mother of a large family, living until 1820. About 1765 he went to the North Parish of Brookfield and lived on a small farm. After the revolution he purchased a large farm with a spacious house in Rutland. It had been the property of Colonel Murray, who had become a tory, and lost his property by confiscation. The house is situated about half a mile west of the meeting house, on the north side of the street.
Mr. Putnam entered the service on the breaking out of the war in 1775, and remained till its close. He was at first a lieutenant colonel, but became a brigadier general. When in the French war he had been employed at times on fortifications under British engineers; but, as he says, had never read a word on the subject of fortifications. Immediately after the battle of Bunker Hill, his regiment, under General Thomas, being near Roxbury, it was deemed indispensable that some lines of defense should be commenced ; but there was no engineer to lay them out. On account of his service in the French war, the general requested Colonel Putnam to undertake the work. Though he frankly declared he knew nothing of engineering, he yielded, finally, to the solicitations of the commander, and attempted the work. He was fortunate enough to receive the approbation of Generals Washington and Lee, who came over soon after to examine the works and the situation of the troops. He was thus continued in this work, constructing lines of defense at Dorchester and Brookline, as well as at Roxbury; and late in the fall laying out the fort on Cobble Hill.
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