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 2
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It appears from these votes that the first division of the township was into sixty five-hundred-acre rights. Each
proprietor owned at least one right, some more. Actual surveys, as will appear, were afterwards made of lots, cor- responding in number to the number of rights, and varying in area from thirty to one hundred acres. These lots were drawn by the proprietors - each right being entitled to one - and disposed of by them individually.
At the meeting held March 2, 1714-15 it was likewise " Voted, that all such as should appear to go first and live at the town of Sutton, for their encouragement should have one hundred acres of land given them for their own, pro- vided they settle two years from the date hereof; and they to bear their proportion of town charges, the Proprietors to hear half the charges of building a Meeting house and settling a minister the first four years."
March 18-19, 1714-15. Meetings of the proprietors were held at which it was " Voted that every man shall have a convenient way to his lott through his neighbor's lott, where it shall be most convenient for him and least damage to his neighbor ; also in all after divisions in the town every per- son shall have a convenient way to their lotts, which lott is to be understood to be a proper whole lott." Also " Voted the same day that for encouragement to thirty families to go and settle first, they should have four thousand acres laid out to them on the northwest side of the road from Marl- borough to Oxford provided, and it is to be understood that such as appear and are allowed by the Committy do go and work upon their lotts within six weeks, and make a return
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
to the Committy. And upon their default the Committy shall have liberty to putt in others as shall appear."
"' Voted the same day that the Committy shall go and survey the four thousand acres of land, and lay out thirty home lots in it, containing forty acres per lott, at the settlers' charge."
" Voted the same day that Jonathan Draper, Edward Summer and Nathaniel Brewer should be a Committy to allow of the settlers."
It seems that the survey of the land granted to the thirty families who should be approved by the committee and set- tle upon it within the time. prescribed, was made and the thirty lots of forty acres each were in due form laid out. But no settlement was effected during the year. It appears that no formal " Act of Incorporation " was ever secured, or asked for by the proprietors or settlers of the town. The following endorsement is on the back of a plot of the town- ship on file in the land office.
" In the House of Representatives, June 18, 1715.
Ordered that the Land described and Platted, on the other side, be allowed and confirmed to the Proprietors of the Township of Sutton. Provided it Intrench on no former grant. Sent up for concurrence.
JOHN BURRELL, Speaker. In Council, June 21, 1715, Rec'd and Concurred,
JOSEPH HILLER, Clerk Coun. A true Copy, Examined,
Jos. MARION, D. Sec'y."
The next meeting of the proprietors of which there is a record, was held in Boston, March 13, 1715-16, at which the following votes were passed :
" Voted that every five hundred acre right should draw a second right of one hundred acres."
" The same day it was voted that wheresoever any clay was found in any man's lott, it should be for the use of the whole town till a publick place was found for that use." 3
1
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" Voted the same day that the Mill lot* and stream in the settlers' side shall be at the Proprietors' disposal."
" Voted the same day that the proprietors will be at half the charge of building a meeting house and settling a min- ister for the first four years from the date hereof."
" Voted the same day that the settlers shall have liberty to cutt grasse and timber in the Proprietor's land till they come to improve and to be laid out."
During this year (1716) three families were found of sufficient nerve and enterprise to pioneer the settlement of the town. These families were those of Benjamin Marsh, Elisha Johnson, and Nathaniel Johnson.
They built their cabins near the centre of the town, and spent there the winter of 1716-7. It proved a trying win- ter to them. It was the winter made memorable by the deep snow which fell the last of February, and wholly cov- ered the cabins.
Elisha Johnson, whose cabin was located near the place now occupied by Mr. Samuel Prescott, had left his family the morning of the day the great snow commenced falling, for the purpose of obtaining some supplies in Marlborough.
He was seen on his way by a friendly Indian, who, when the storm had subsided, started on snow-shoes for the little settlement, and found the cabin of Mr. Johnson by the hole which the smoke from the fire-place had made through the snow. His family would doubtless have perished had it not been for the kind forethought of this friendly Indian. Mrs. Johnson said " no human voice ever sounded half so sweet as did that." Other families were attracted during the year 1717 by the offer of a farm for the taking, so that, at its close, the thirty families to whom a grant of four thousand acres had been made, and for whom home lots of forty acres each had been laid out, were on the ground.
The tract of land which the four thousand acres embraced was so located on the north side of the Oxford road, that a north and south line dividing it into equal parts would pass directly through Singletary Lake.
* This lot embraced a tract of one hundred and sixteen acres at the foot of Crooked Pond, and included the privilege of the stream to the lower falls.
EMERSON S.C.
SINGLETARY POND, FROM THE WEST.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
The home lots fronted some of them on the Oxford road, extending as far west as the place now occupied by Dea. John Marble, and east as far as the place now occupied by H. S. Stockwell. Five of them were north of, and joining those most easterly, and eight of them in what is now the " Eight Lots District" - the most easterly of these being the place now occupied by Mr. Solomon Severy.
The entry in the proprietors' records with reference to the thirty families to whom four thousand acres of land were given is as follows :
" These are the names of such as are entered settlers in the four thousand acres that was given to them upon the con- ditions that they would go and settle first there and bear charge with the proprietors according to their agreement.
William King,
Thomas Gowing,
Oliver Gosse,
Samuel Parker,
Joseph Sibley,
Samuel Stearns.
William Stockwell,
John Bates,
Benjamin Marsh,
Jonathan Sibley,
Thomas Gleson,
William Rutter,
Samuel Gowing,
Timothy Manning,
John Waite,
John Sibley,
Benjamin Smith,
Samuel Dagget,
John Stockwell,
Nathaniel Johnson,
Jonathan King,
William Larned,
Samuel Bixbee, Elisha Johnson,
Samuel Barton,
Richard Gibson,
William Stockwell,
Ebenezer Cutler,
Freegrace Marble,
William Heywood .*
The plot of " Settlers' Land " contained four thousand nine hundred and sixty acres. The south line on the Oxford road was 1,240 rods, the west line 640, the north line 1,240 - the east 700 rods. Six hundred acres were allowed for " Crooked Pond " (Singletary Lake), and three hundred and sixty acres for Farm. This farm was at the southwest
* A few of these names will be recognized as still common. Numerous descendants of some of these families are now residents of the town.
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ANNALS OF THE
corner of the plot, and fronted on the north side of the Oxford road, the east line being near Dea. Marble's house. For what purpose this farm was laid out can not now be learned. There is no record with reference to the use to which it was put, and no allusion is made to it, only as bounding the land adjacent as this was apportioned among the settlers. The thirty persons above named style them- selves " Proprietors of the four thousand acres," and keep a record of their meetings. This record contains little of interest, as it is mainly filled up with proceedings pertaining to the division of what remained of the four thousand aeres among the occupants of the home-lots, and the boundaries of each man's portion.
The aim seems to have been so to divide the land that no one should have reason to complain that he had been wronged ; and, that no dissatisfaction was expressed when the allotments were made, is pleasing evidence of the good feeling which existed, and the disposition of all to see that exact justice was done.
The mill lot to which reference has been made was assigned to Ebenezer Dagget, as appears from the following entry in the proprietors' records.
" Ebenezer Dagget hath the mill lot with the privilege of the stream to the lower falls, upon condition that the said Dagget, or his Heires, keep a Grist-mill for the use of the town ; and if the said Dagget denies or refuse to keep a mill for the use of the town he shall return the stream to the town again." The return of the mill-lot with boun- daries carefully defined is noted in the proprietors' records of Nov. 23, 1717.
We also find the following with reference to the Oxford road :
" The road from Oxford to Marlborough, beginning at the farms, so returning upon the point of compasse to the meeting-house hill, thence to the north side of Elisha John- son's house to Cold-spring brook, six rods wide from the heads of the proprietors' lotts - laid out March, 1716, by Nathaniel Brewer, Jonathan Draper, Eleazur Daniels.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
1718.
The first town meeting was held at the house of Capt. John Stockwell, Dec. 3, 1718. This house was a small one, about fifteen feet by ten, and stood near the present dwelling of Mr. Simeon Stockwell .* Elisha Johnson was elected moderator, and selectmen, a town clerk and a con- stable were chosen "to continue in office until the next March meeting."t
Action was also taken on a proposition of the proprietors, that a committee be appointed to act with a committee whom they had chosen, to aid in the matter of building a meeting house, and establishing the preaching of the gospel.
Referring to the Proprietors' Records we find that at a meeting held in Boston March 5, 1717-18, the following votes were passed :
" Voted the same day that the four years charges for carying on the worship of God, and building a meeting house should begin from this day above mentioned."
" Voted the same day that there shall be twenty pounds raised by the Proprietors and settlers towards the carrying on of the worship of God amongst them which money is to be paid into the Clerk's hands to be improved for that use."
" Voted the same day that Jonathan Draper, Nathaniel Brigham, John Haye, and Nathaniel Brewer are a committee to agree with workmen to build and furnish a meeting- house ; and the Proprietors obliged themselves and heires to bear their equal proportion of said charges."
The record in reference to the action of the town in response to the proposal of the Proprietor's Committee is as follows :
"The committee of the proprietors who was chosen to manage the affairs relating to the settlement of the worship
* This house was afterwards sold to Amos Stockwell, and moved upon the place now occupied by David Welsh and attached to the house which was burned.
t For the names of town officers chosen this year, and each succeeding year to 1876, see the record in part vi. of this history.
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ANNALS OF THE
of God in this Town having made application to the Town at this meeting that a committee may be appointed by this Town to joyn with them to move forward and carry on proper managements and agreements for said service -
" Voted unanimously that the Town do now choose five persons to be a committee to joyn with the Proprietor's committee aforesaid, who shall from time to time represent the Town in order to building and furnishing a Meeting- house in said Town, and it is Resolved, that William King, Samuel Stearns, Benjamin Marsh, John Stockwell and Freegrace Marble or the Major part of them, be a comittee for said service."
1719.
The Town Meeting was held March 17th at the house of Samuel Stearns, at which, after the choice of Town Officers, it was voted, "That there should be a rate levied on the settlers of the four thousand acres, according to every man's right, of one hundred pounds to defray the charges of building the Meeting-house."
" Voted the same day to have a minister this Summer. Voted the same day to rays a rate of forten pounds ten shillings to defray the charge of preaching, one half to be payable the first of May, and the other half to become payable by the first of Nov. Voted the same day to have preaching three months."
" Voted the same day that William King, Samuel Stearns and John Stockwell shall be a committy to get a minister, by the second Sabbath in May, and so on for three months."
" Voted also the same day to rays a rate of three pounds to defray the charges of building the pound and other charges."
Another Town Meeting was held Dec. 25th, at which it was voted that Mr. Macinstree should have fifteen pounds for three months preaching.
" Voted the same day that the 15 pounds become payable by the first of March."
The meeting-house was built during this year. Its location was on the west side of the Common and nearly that of the
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
Central schoolhouse. It fronted toward the east : was about forty feet by thirty-six, had folding doors in front, and single ones at each end. It was lighted by two small win- dows of diamond glass set in leaden sashes, at each side and end for the lower floor, and one window of the same fashion and size in each side and end for the gallery.
The pulpit was on the west side of the house opposite the front door, which opened into the broad aisle. The seats first used seem to have been nothing more than ordinary benches with backs. The gallery extended across the front side and each end, and had two rows of seats through its whole extent. Behind these seats there was a narrow plat- form which the children who could find no other place occupied. "A very convenient place," Deacon Leland quaintly remarks. " for idlers : not much chance however to escape detection as the Tything Man in his official capacity was ready to notice every delinquent."*
1720.
The Town Meeting for the choice of officers was held at the meeting-house. In addition to the town officers hitherto chosen John Page and Timothy Manning were elected Tything men and " sworn to the faithful discharge of the ofise."
After the choice of officers the town . proceeded toward the settling of a minister," "and it was voted by a major vote the same day to have a minester."
. Voted the same day to send for Mr. Thatcher, to Mr. Swift and to Mr. Dor Concerning the settling of a Minister."
" Voted the same day and desired by the Major part of the voters that Mr. Thatcher, Mr. Swift, and Mr. Dor, that they would send thar advis into the Town concerning the settling of Mr. Macinstree for our minister."
. Voted the same day that it be left with the Selectmen to send for advise to the Minesters."
" Voted the same day for a sallary to the Minester-and it was voted the same day sixty pounds a year to a Mines- ter."
* See Dea. Leland Papers.
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ANNALS OF THE
" Voted the same day that William King, Samuel Stearns, and John Stockwell be a Committy to discors * Mr. Maein- strec."
At an adjourned meeting held March 21, the Town " voted for the choice of a minister and it appeared by a major vote that the Reverend Mr. John Makinstree was chosen to be settled in Sutton aforesaid, and to have sixty pounds per annum for his yearly sallery."
" The same day voted that William King, Sam'l Stearns and William Larned, should aquant the reverend Mr. John Makinstrey that the town has by a vote given him a call to the Minestry and asks his exceptance."
Sept. 27, at a Town Meeting " It was agreed upon by a Major vote that the day for the ordaining ye reverend Mr. John Makinstrey should be wennesday the Ninth day of November 1720." No record is made of the ordination services.
The Proprietors' Record of this year shows the following action :
" Voted that Eben'r Cutler be admitted as a settler of Sutton and have a right to the lott that was John Waite's, and was declared to be forfeited, he paying all the charges with respect to said lott, and also ten pounds money, five pounds of it to be given to John Waite sen'r to reimburse him money paid for said lott, and the other five pounds towards buying a drum, Hallbards and a suite of colours in the Military Company."
" Voted the same day that the summ of twenty five shill- ings be advanced and paid upon and by each propriety or five hundred acre right, amounting in the whole to eighty- five pounds ten shillings, to and for the encouragement and settlement of the first ordained minister of Sutton; to be paid in three months after his ordination either to said Min- ister or to the Committy of the Inhabitants towards the building his house, or paying the charge thereof.
" This vote not to be binding unlesse they have a Minister ordained In five years from this day."
* For discourse - used in the obsolete sense of "to confer with."
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
This year is the date given for the introduction of tea into New England. Its influence upon social manners and morals has been great beyond the power of description, and the end is not yet.
Coffin, in his History of Newbury, gives the following extract from an unpublished letter written in England, Jan. 1, 1740.
" They are not much esteemed now who will not treat high and gossip about. Tea is now become the darling of our women. Almost every little tradesman's wife must set sipping tea for an hour or more in a morning, and it may be again in the afternoon, if they can get it, and nothing will please them to sip it out of but china ware, if they can get it. They talk of bestowing thirty or forty shillings upon a tea equipage, as they call it. There is the silver spoon, silver tongs and many other trinkets I can not name." *
Madame Hall had the first teakettle ever brought into Sutton : and the wife of Dea. Pierce the second : They held about a pint each. t
1721.
John Singletary and Ebenezer Stearns were chosen Tything-men.
This is the first mention of John Singletary, father of the Singletary family. Amos was his youngest son. He was born in Sutton, September, 1721, and was the first male child born in town.
There had been one birth in town previously -that of Abigail Marsh, daughter of Benjamin Marsh. Dr. Whitney refers to her as the first child born in town, and states that she was living in 1793, a widow Chase, having had four husbands.
Upon the Proprietors' Records of Feb. 8, 1721, are the following entries :
" Upon petition of the Church in Sutton, voted that one shilling upon each five hundred aere right, as they are so
* Coffin's History of Newbury, p. 191.
t Leland Papers.
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ANNALS OF THE
called, belonging to the Proprietors, be raised, collected and paid for and towards buying a cushion for the Pulpit of the Sutton meeting-house, the money to be paid to and collected. by Dea. Timothy Manning."
.. Voted that an exact, large plott bee drawn on parchment of the township of Sutton as the survey was granted and conferred by the General Court making the several lines, divisions, and boundaries of the whole and plotting also in said mapp the four thousand acres given and laid out to the settlers numbering the lotts and the names of the present settlers, and plotting the Indian plantation of Hassanamisco also in the plott, the charges to be defrayed by the proprie- tors as other public charges, and advanced by the Clerk ; the proprietors several lotts are also to be marked, num- bered and named in the plott." *
June 20th. " Voted that twenty shillings be raised upon every five hundred acre right for the defraying the charges to the minister, laying out land and other charges ensuing."t
August 8th. The town " voted on the afirmity (in the affirmative) to petition to the Generall Court to get the sum abated that the Town is rated to the Province tax. the same day Timothy Manning chosen by a Major vote to go with it and speak to it." #
1722.
May 29th. The Proprietors " Voted that they that refuse to pay their due proportion of the charges that hath arisen for the support of the minister and other charges shall be liable to be recovered by suing in the lawe."
. Voted that the Proprietors allowe thirty pounds to be for ve maintaining of the minister for the year 1722."
October 8th. " Laid out for the ministry lott three hundred acres of land on the east of the settler's land."
" The same day laid out for the minister one hundred acres of land bounded North on the Ministery land." §
* Proprietors' Records, p. 18.
t Proprietors' Record, p. 20.
# Town Records.
§ Proprietors' Records, pp. 20, 21.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
1723.
March 4th. The town " voted that the Meeting House should be seated."
" Voted that the third seat below be equal in dignity with the fore seat in the front gallery, and that the fourth below be equal with the fore seat in the side gallery."
. Voted that Pereival Hall, Wm. King, Timothy Manning, Nathaniel Dike and Joseph Sibley be a commitee to seat the Meeting House, and for the regulating thereof during the Town's pleasure."
" Voted that the Commitee that are chosen to seat the meeting-House shall consider of what men have paid to the building of it, and what public charges they now bare, and what they are likely to pay for the futer, and to have respect to person's."
March 13th. "Voted to petition the Generell Cort at the next sessions for the Inhabitance of Hassanamisco that dwell on the Southwestward side of the Blackstone River to be laid to said Town and all the land to the west ward of Sutton as far as Sam'l Riches farm reches, and that William King should be joined to the Selectmen for this purpose."
October 22d. " Voted that Inhabitance on the Northward side of the Blackstone River should be freed from paying their proportion to the Minister for this Present year, excepting wat is layed, by an act of the General Cort, on the unimproved land."
December 30th. "Voted that the room allowed in the meeting-Honse for pews be disposed of."
" Johnathan Sibley personally appeared and declared his decent against what is above rated at time and place."
" Voted there be five men chosen for the disposing of the room allowed for Pews.
Voted that Timothy Carter, Ebenezer Dagget, Elisha Johnson, John Whipple and Robert Knolton be a Commity to dispose of ye room allowed for Pews to such Inhabitance of Sutton as they according to their best discresing (discre- tion) shall judge meet."
* Town Records.
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ANNALS OF THE
Jan. 15, 1723-4. The Committee make return as follows :
We the Subscribers being chosen Comittee by the Town of Sutton for the disposing of the Pews in the meeting House have accordingly granted to the men under named, to them, their heires and assignes, to each man his perticular place, as his right to set up a Pew upon for himself viz. to John Ward a Pew in the Northeasterly corner running four feet nine inches from the east wall towards the door then from the North wall to the Ministers- Pew.
Samuel Dagget front 5 foot, in depth 5 foot and 5 inches. Ebenezer Dagget front on the east of the North door 5 foot, depth 5 foot and 5 inches.
Cpt. Benjamin Willird front 5 feet and 2 inches - deep 5 foot and 4 inches being on the west Side of the north door.
Robert Knolton front 3 foot and 3 foot cant, deep 5 foot and three inches.
John Sibley front 3 foot and 3 inches from that to the stairs, cant one foot and 5 inches, deep 5 foot & 6 inches.
James Leland front 5 foot and 2 inches, deep 5 foot and 6 inches, being on the North side of the front door.
Freegrace Marble front 4 foot & 10 inches, deep 5 foot & 6 inches, being on the south side of the front door.
Joseph Sibley and Timothy Manning front 4 foot and 2 inches cant one foot and one inch running to the Stairs, deep 5 foot and 6 inches and so long as the Pew remains between 2 families the men have the liberty of their seats.
Isaac Farewell front 3 foot, cant 3 foot to the stairs, deep 5 foot and 6 inches.
John Whipple front 5 foot and 3 inches, deep 5 foot and 6 inches, being on the west side of the South door.
Elisha Johnson front 4 foot and 11 inches, deep 5 foot and six inches, being on the east side of the South door.
Samuel Barber front 3 foot and 6 inches, deep 5 foot and 6 inches, cant one foot and 3 inches.
Timothy Holton front one foot and 6 inches and from the South wall to Mr. Carters Pew and from the east wall to Mr. Barbers Pew.
Timothy Carter front 3 foot and 10 inches, cant 2 foot 3 inches, deep 6 foot and four inches.
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TOWN OF SUTTON.
Dacon Hall front 5 foot and 2 inches, deep 6 foot and 4 inches being at the South end of the Pulpit." *
1724.
May 18th. "Voted that the Town Peticions to the general Cort for a reconsideration of the vote for ye farms that Mr. Richard Waters and Mr. Samuel Rich ons (owns) to be anaxed to Sutton. Samuel Barton William Waite, John Sible, Richard Nolton Thomas Mede, Samuel Sible, Tim- othy Carter all of them have entered thair disent against the above said vote in gining with Mr. Waters and Mr. Rich in a peticion to the general Cort to have their farms anaxed to Sutton.
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