USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Townsend > History of the town of Townsend, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, from the grant of Hathorn's farm, 1676-1878 > Part 3
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The first paper title to any land in Townsend was made on the sixth day of September, 1676. which conveved to William Hathorn a mile square.
From the printed records of the Colony of the Mas- sachusetts Bay in New England, September 6, 1676, vol- ume 5, page 104 :-
Copy of a grant to William Hauthorn, known in the proprietors' records as "Hathorn's Farm," which is a part of Townsend.
Layd out to the Worspff" William Hauthorn Esq. six hundred and forty acres of land, more or less, lying in the
3.4
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
Wilderness on the north of Groaton river at a place called by the Indians Wistequassuck,* on the west side of sayd hill.
It begins at a great hemlock tree standing on the west side of the sayd hill marked with H. and runns north and by east; three hundred and twenty pole to a maple tree marked wth H; from thence it runns West and by north three hundred and twenty pole to a stake and stones ; from thence it runns south & by west three hundred and twenty pole to a great pine in a little swamp marked wth H; from thence it runns east & by south to the first hemlock.
All the lynes are rvnne & the trees are well marked. It contaynes a mill square and is lajd exactly square. as may be easily demonstrated by ye platform inserted vnder- neath & is on file.
JONATHAN DANFORTH, Survejo".
The court allows & approves of this returne so it inter- feres not with former grants.
This William Hauthorn (sometimes spelled Hathorn. Hawthorn, etc.,) lived in the town of Salem and was a prominent man. He was a delegate to the Great and General Court several times and was Speaker in 1661. The town of Salem in 1661 "voted that £Io shall be paid to Major William Hathorn the ensuing year, for training the foot company." This land was granted him for some "extra service" done in the interest of the Province.
* The word Wistequassuck in the Indian language signifies the tiro pines, or the place of the two pines. The orthography of the word is different in different records. It was generally spelled Nissequassick. It will be observed from reading the grant. that the name was applied to a particular locality and not to the whole town. The summit of this hill is visible at a great distance from the southwest, west, north and northeast. Probably there were two extraordinary pines on this hill, which served the aborigines as landmarks in their journeys trom Lancaster and other places to their fishing grounds at the confluence of the Nashua and Merrimack. Coos, the name of a county in New Ilampshire, signifies in the Indian language the pines-Cohasset, the pine place.
t Surveyed by a mariner's compass.
35
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS.
The great hemlock which was the southeast corner of this grant must have stood at or near the house where the widow Benjamin Wallace now lives, the east line of the grant being at or near the west line of the road leading northerly from that place. The northeast corner of the same was at the distance of a mile from this point. northerly, on the west side of said road, the grant running a mile westerly from these two corners. The great pine at the southwest corner probably was a short distance northerly from the old burying ground. This location was undoubtedly selected by Hathorn's agent on account of the large amount of meadow or swale land* embraced within its limits. The people of those times had a large portion of their personal estates in horned cattle and sheep, and consequently the eligibility of these lands that naturally produced grass. Nearly all the meadow land in that vicinity was within Hathorn's mile square, and many deeds and records describe this tract as Hathorn's meadow, and the brook draining the same as Hathorn's brook.
It appears that Major Hathorn was one of the most noted men of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and that he had more than a military popularity from the fact that he was sent to the mother country to represent the in- terest of the colony. That his services were appreciated is apparent from the fact, that, in 1658, by a resolution of the Great and General Court, Block Island was "granted to J. Endicott, R. Bellinghem. D. Dennisson and Major William Hathorn for services to this country."t It is worthy
* There be likewise in divers places, great broad meadows, wherein grow neither shrub nor tree, but as much grass as may be thrown out with a seythe, thick and long .- Wood's History of New England.
t Massachusetts Archives, vol. 45. page 70.
36
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
of notice that the title and christian names of all these grantees, except Hathorn's, are omitted in this grant, while the ex-governors, one of whom probably made a draft of the resolution, are simply designated by the initial to their christian names.
We almost see Danforth, who, two hundred years ago. then in the full vigor of manhood, taking his way from Groton, on horseback, with a servant and chainmen, pre- pared to fix the bounds of this grant. How keenly he scans the surroundings. The extent of one of the greatest meadows in this town, with its waving grass, all falls under his eye. Notice the firm step, the determined demeanor as he ascends the hill to the "great hemlock marked" with the first steel ever held in the hands of a white man on that hill. From that stand-point see him peering through the trunks of the great forest trees, on that beautiful September morning to catch the outlines of the Watatic and neigh- boring summits. How exciting every prospect. All is buoyant. "This goodly land is a part of my country, a jewel in the crown of his most gracious Majesty." Alas. proud Englishman, one hundred years hence your King will loose these provinces, and when two hundred years shall have passed away. the men of your native kingdom in company with youth and beauty, bringing the costly fabrics of a great nation, will cross the ocean to assist in celebrating the centennary of a generation of men. which "acknowledged no man master."
The following description of Jonathan Danforth was taken from a note by John Farmer, the distinguished anti- quarian.
37
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS.
"Capt. Jonathan Danforth was born in Framingham, in the County of Suffolk, in England, 29 February, 1627, and probably emigrated to this country when young. His family connections were highly respectable. From an original letter of Governor Belcher in my possession. to a son of Mr. Danforth it appears that his family was related to the Governor. When the settlement of Shawshin (Billerica) commenced Mr. Danforth was among the first settlers. He was chosen one of the first selectmen. and continued in that office twenty-one years. The records were made by him for about twenty years. He was elected the first deputy to the general court from this town on record. From his eminence in surveying, he was frequently em- ployed in locating new towns and settlements in the Provinces of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The plans of his surveys were very numerous. There still remain a large number of them. While Mr. Danforth was justly celebrated for his eminence and distinction in mathematical knowledge, by a cotemporary, the most important part of his character is not concealed from view. His piety gave him the lustre which was most admired. A poem on his death, supposed to have been written by his nephew Rev. John Danforth, of Dorchester, is still extant. The following extract, which I received verbally from Samuel Whiting. Esq., is all I have been able to obtain of it :-
" He rode the circuit, chained great towns and farms To good behavior ; and by well marked stations. He fixed their bounds for many generations. His art ne'er fail'd him, though the load stone fail'd When of by mines and streams it was assail'd ; All this is charming, but ther's something higher Gave him the lustre which we most admire.
6
38
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
"Then followed an account of his piety, etc., which are celebrated by the poet in the versification peculiar to that period."
There is nothing of further interest to the town from 1676 to 1719. Perhaps the "Native Americans" carefully examined the letter H cut in the great trees to mark Hathorn's corners, as they crossed here on the war path, but the deep silence of the wilderness remained unbroken by the sound of the emigrant's axe for more than forty years.
The foundation of our municipal rights, and all the titles to the real estate in Townsend (except Hathorn's farm) rest on the following grant from the General Court in 1719, which was forty-three years after Danforth made the survey and plan for the mile square on Nissequassick hill. On account of the importance of this document, it is here presented to the reader, to show some of the views of the puritans in regard to their worldly wisdom and their judg- ment concerning education and religion :-
" Anno Regni Regis Georgii Magna Britannia, &c. Sexto.
"At a great and General Court or Assembly for his Maj- esty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England. begun and held in Boston, upon Wednesday, the twenty- seventh of May, 1719, and continued by Prorogation to Wednesday, the fourth of November. 1719. and then met ; being their second session.
"MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1719.
"In the house of Representatives, the vote for granting two new towns was brought down from the board, with
39
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS.
Amendments, which were read and agreed to-And the said vote is as follows, viz :-
"Voted that two new Towns, each containing a Quantity of land not exceeding six miles square, be laid out in as regular Forms, as the Land will allow ; to be settled in a defensible manner, on the Westerly side of Groton West line, and that William Taylor, Samuel Thaxter, Francis Fulham, Esqrs., Capt. John Shipley, and Mr. Benjamin Whittamore, be a Commitee fully impowered to allot and grant out the land contained in each of the said towns, (a lot not to exceed Two hundred and fifty acres) to such persons. and only such as will effectually settle the same within the space of three years next ensuing the laying out and granting such lots by the Committee, who are instructed and directed to admit eighty families or persons in each Town at least, who shall pay to the said Committee for the use of the Province, the sum of Five Pounds for each allotment, which shall be granted and allotted as aforesaid : and that each person to whom such lot or lots shall be granted or laid out. shall be obliged to build a good Dwell- ing House thereon and inhabit it; and also to break up and fence in three acres of land at the least within the Term of three years ; and that there be laid out and reserved for the first settled Minister, a good convenient Lot; also, a Lot for the School, and a ministerial lot, and a lot for Harvard College, of two hundred and fifty acres each, and that the Settlers be obliged to build a good, convenient House for the Worship of God in each of the said Towns, within the term of four years ; and to pay the charge of necessary surveys, and the Committee for their service in and about the premises : and that the Committee give pub- lic notice of the time and place when and where they will meet to grant allotments.
Consented to-
SAML. SHUTE."
40
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
The portion of "country land" taken to form these two towns was known to the people of the province as Turkey Hills ; referring particularly to the hills situated in the south, southwest and west part of these townships. The committee appointed to allot and grant these two townships. designated them as North Town and South Town. From 1719 to 1732 all references to the territory which is now known as Townsend designate it as "the North Town ;" Lunenburg of course being the South Town.
The Harvard College library contains the original manuscript record of the proceedings of the committee appointed by the Great and General Court to allot and grant the land in these two townships. Through the courtesy of John Langdon Sibley, who while in office was one of the few men in New England who possessed all the learning and experience necessary for a librarian, the writer has had access to this manuscript, from which, that part relating to the North Town is here inserted in full. This manuscript, nearly a century and a half old, is exceedingly interesting :-
"CONCORD May ye Irth 1720
"The Comtee appointed & fully Impowered by ye Great & Gen1 Court or Assembly of His Majesties Province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England at their Session on J'" 7th of Dec. 1719 To Allot & Grant out ve Lands con- tained in Each of ve Two Townships Last Granted by ye Court Each Containing the quantity of Six Miles Squar Lying of, & contiguous to the Town of Groton &c. (After public Notice Given )
Meet at Concord in ye County of Middsx on Wednesday ye Eleventh of May 1720 at ve house of Mr. Jonth Hoberd, In order to Grant out Sd Town-
41
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS.
ships, Agreeable to ye Order and Direction of ve Genal Court ( The whole of sd Comtee viz Wm Tailer & Samuel Thaxter Esq's, Capt. John Shipley Mr. Benja. Whittemore And Fra. Fullam Pe fent ) and accordingly Proceeded to Grant out fª Land to ye Pefons whose Names are under written on ye other Sides, on ye Following Conditions & Provisions &c. Not otherwise.
"Ist That Each and Every p e fon to Whome a Lot is or Shall be granted (No Allottment To Exceed ye quan- tity of 250) shall be at ye Entering his Name with ye Comtee To Pay Down ye Sum of Fifty Shillings* in part. and at the Drawing of His Lott, or when the same is Laid out ye Sum of Fifty Shillings more in full of ve Five Pounds for ye use of ye Province. And if any Pefon who enters his Name & Pays ye First Fifty Shillings shall Neglect or refuse to pay ye Last Fifty to Compleat ye five Pounds as ordered by ve Gena Court When his Lott is Laid out and Redy for Draft, Every such pefon shall Forfit his first Payment and ye Lott be Free to be granted to any other proper pefon as ye Comtee Shall See Meet.
" 2dly That Every Pefon to Whom Any Lott is or shall be granted Shall be and is Hereby Obliged to to Build a good Dwelling House On his sd Allotment & also break up & Sufficiently fence in thre acres of Land at ve Least Within ve Term of Three Years after re s' Lotts are Laid out & Drawn. And so also pay & Do Each of their full
* Each man paid one hundred shillings (old tenor) for his one-eightieth part of Townsend, which was abont 82.22, reduced to Federal money. The province received according to this $177.60 for the township of Townsend. "As many people of the present day, would probably find it difficult to determine the difference between .Old Tenor' and 'Lawful Money,' it may be stated here that in the year 1702, recourse was had in the provinces to a paper currency, to support the expenses of government, and furnish a substitute for coin as a circulating medinm. The bills purported that they would be redeemed at a certain time, which was done at first. but it soon became cus- tomary to redeem them by new emissions. This being done pretty liberally, they began to depreciate in valne. In Massachusetts where their value was kept up better than in the other provinces, the depreciation was at the rate of seren and a half for one in specie. This acquired the name of Old Tenor-seven shillings and sixpence being egnal to one shilling in silver, which was called 'Lawful money' or ninepence sterling of Great Britain."
42
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
Proportions Towards ye building & Finishing a convenient House for ye Public Worship of God in Such Town Wher his Lot shall Fall, sd House To be Finished in four Years according to ye Order of Court, and Do also pay the Necessary Charge of ye Surveys and ye Comtee for Their Service in & about ye P mises.
" 3dly That Every Grantee to Whom to Whom a Lott is or may be Granted Shall be & is Enjoyned Effectually to Settle & Inhabit the Same in his Own propr pe fon and Not have Liberty In Any Way whatsoever to Sell or Alienate or any Ways Dispose of his Interest or Allottmt in Either of ye sd Towns to any pe fon What So Ever Until ye Whole conditions Enjoyned by ye General Court be Fully complied with & Pe formed Without the Leave and Approbation of ye Comtee or the Majer part of Them. Nor to any pe fon or pe fons but Such as they Shall ap- prove & to be Accepted by ye Comtee."
NORTH TOWN. £ s. d.
I John Holden
of Concord 2.10.00
2 Henry Jones
·· Concord 5.00.00
3 Sam1 Biglo
· Marlborough 3.00.00
4 Thoms Ball
" Concord 2.10.00
5 Samel Blond for his son
· Concord 3.00.00
6 John Jefts
·· Bilrica
2.09.06
7 Jonth Forbush
". Sutton 2.10.00
8 Samel Grove
·· Westford 2.10.00
9 Jam& Farly
* Bilrica
2.10.00
IO John Holden for his son
" Concord 2.10.00
II Jonth Whitney for his Son
.. Sudbury 2.10.00
12 Bartholomew
·· Worcester 2.10.00
13 Thomas Baldwin
·· Bilrica 2.10.00
14 Joseph Stevens
·· Bilrica 2.10.00
15 Samuel Sheldon
·· Bilrica 2.10.00
16 John Hayward
· Concord
2.16.00
43
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS.
£ s. d.
17 Solomon Wyman
of Wooburn
2.10.00
18 Thomas Wyman
·· Wooburn 2.10.00
19 Edwd Wyman
·· Wooburn
2.10.00
20 Edward White
" Woburn
2.08.00
21 Sam1 Jones for his son
" Concord
2.10.00
22 Jams Bubbeen
·· Woburn
2.10.00
23 Benj Wyman
·· Woburn 2.10.00
24 John Simonds
" Woburn 2.10.00
25 Jasher Wyman
·· Woburn 2.10.00
26 John Wyman
·· Woburn
2.10.00
27 John Lawrence
· Lexington
2.10.00
28 Sam1 Proctor
" Chelmsford 2.10.00
29 Timothy Adams
· Chelmsford 2.10.00
30 Jonth Adams
" Chelmsford
2.09.06
31 Sam1 Davis
" Chelmsford
2.10.00
32 Ebenzr Tailer
·· Dunstable
2.10.00
33 John Fisk
·· Groton
2.10.00
34 Thoms Woods for his son Josiah .. Groton
2.10.00
35 Jonth Shed
· Groton
2.10.00
36 Sam1 Billings
·· Concord
2.10.00
37 Jacob Farrar
·· Concord 2.10.00
38 Wm Wheeler
" Concord
2.10.00
39 Solomon Woods
·· Mendon
2.10.00
40 John Colbith
". Stow
2.10.00
41 Nath1 Smith
" Hadley
2.10.00
42 Wm Laking
·· Groton
2.10.00
43 John Holding
·· Groton
2.10.00
44 Joseph Wright
·· Concord
2.10.00
45 John Hunt for his servt. Nath1 Colburn
·· Concord
2.10.00
46 Josiah Hale for his son Josiah Hale
· Concord
2.10.00
47 Abra™ Wood
" Concord
2.10.00
48 James Minot Jun.
·· Concord
2.10.00
49 Edward Flint
·· Concord
2.10.00
50 John Fox
·· Concord
2.10.00
44
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
£ s. d.
51 John Perlin for his son Joseph Perlin
of Concord 2.10.00
52 Nath1 Jones for his son Elnathan
·· Concord
2.10.00
53 Joseph Fletcher
·· Concord
2.10.00
54 Sam1 Fletcher
.. Concord
2.10.00
55 Sam1 Wright
. Concord
2.10.00
56 Joshua Hutchins
·· Concord
2.10.00
57 Benja Barron
·· Concord
2.10.00
58 Edward Park
". Newtown
0.00.00
59 Sam1 Randal Ju".
·· Woburn 2.10.00
60 Samel Tenney
·· Bradford 2.10.00
61 Timothy Harris
.. Rowley
0.00.00
62 Sam1 Hale
·' Bradford 0.00.00
63 Joseph Plympton
2.10.00
64 Mr. William Clark
0.00.00
65 Francis Worsster Pd. to Capt Shipley
2.10.00
66 Finehas Rice
.. Sudbury
0.00.00
67 Sam1 Cory
0.00.00
68 Stephen Richard for his son Joseph
0.00.00
69 Jacob French for Wm French
0.00.00
70 Sam1 Merriam for John Farrar
0.00.00
71 Sam' Frail
·· Salem
0.00.00
72 Caleb Blood
0.00.00
158.07.00 £ s. d.
The account of the meetings of these proprietors fully set forth their acts for the years 1720-22 up to June 1723. In May, 1723, the record shows a meeting of these men and that the balance of the five pounds was paid and receipted for. Samuel Jones, of Concord, was the principal surveyor in establishing the line between Groton and North
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS. 45
Town. The cost of surveying this line "including ex- pense of the two committees, surveyor, chainmen and proper assistance," was £22 IOS. Iod., or £II 5s. 5d. for each of the new towns which now constitute the towns of Townsend and Lunenburg. The committee in describing their labors, in part say, "We proceeded to the heap of stones on the easterly side of Nissequassick Hill, etc .. " which clearly indicates that that corner had been previously considered and was fully established.
Among the names in this proprietary list may be found quite a number of men of considerable importance. Business men, those who were and those who had been members of the General Court, two or three members of the legal profession, three or four land surveyors, and others, of more than ordinary pecuniary means, constituted the first owners of Townsend and its appurtenances. Jacob Farrar and David Melvin were both with Captain Lovewell when he fell in the battle at Pequawkett, about the same time that Chamberlain of the same company. killed the stalwart chief Paugus. Melvin is known in our records as "Lieut. David Melvin," his lands being located in what is now the southerly part of Ashby. He must have been a brave man, coming from the Indian wars, as he did, with a commission. Jacob Farrar's land was on the extreme north end of Nissequassick Hill, near the state line, where his descendants settled; and his posterity. although not numerous, are still among the inhabitants of this and the neighboring towns.
A remarkable degree of shrewdness was exhibited by the committee appointed "to grant out and allot" these two towns. Every grantee was obliged "to settle and inhabit his lot," and did not have liberty "to sell or alienate his
7
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
interest therein" until every condition was complied with. without leave of the committee "or the majer part of them." So far as conforming to these restrictions, there is nothing to be found showing that they were carried out either in letter or in spirit. for only about one-ninth of the original grantees were ever bone fide settlers. The members of this committee and many grantees undoubtedly found it for their interest to abrogate part of these conditions, and made an advance on their five pounds by "putting in substitutes" or selling out. There is not much recorded in regard to what transpired concerning this town between 1723 and 1732. It appears, however, that there was a controversy, between the owners of Dunstable and the proprietors of Townsend, about the line between these towns, which con- tinued a long time. This was the reason that the town of Townsend did not obtain its full charter in 1728. at the same time that the boundaries of Lunenburg were made.
It has a peculiar aspect when two frontier towns, the larger having "fifty householders"* or about two hundred and fifty people, and the smaller, perhaps fifteen house- holders or about seventy-five people, the former town containing more than two hundred square miles and the latter working on the promise of having thirty-six square miles, should "indulge" in a wrangle about eighty acres of land. Dunstable at that time extended from its north- east corner. "a great rock," in Londonderry, New Hamp- shire, southwesterly, diagonally across the town, to the northwest corner of Groton, which is a point in the line between Townsend and Pepperell about a mile (300 rods) south of the northwest corner of Pepperell. Thirteen different towns, joining to and surrounding Nashua, New
* Fox's History of Dunstable, page 144.
47
LAND GRANTS AND PROPRIETORS.
Hampshire, which is about the centre of the original "plantation" were either taken wholly or partly from the old township of Dunstable, now extinct, of which Town- send is one.
In order that the reader may form a correct idea of the extent of the town of Townsend, when it was chartered in 1732, the following copy of a conveyance, taken from the proprietors' records, page 134, is here inserted. This hill. now called "Tanapas Hill," is situated just at the west of the village of Brookline. New Hampshire, and in that town. A line drawn west 3212º north from that hill, would not fall at a great distance south of the cemetery at Mason Centre. It will be noticed that the province line cut off a large portion of Townsend, which fell into the province of New Hampshire :-
"Laid out by the subscribers to Capt. William Law- rence for part of his fourth division lot arising upon that grant in Townshend whereof the House Lot bares Number thirty-five, one hundred and fifty acres of land lying on the easterly part of Massaquatanapass Great Hill, Begin- ing, at a white oak marked and running north thirty-two degrees East to a stake and stones in the town line, thence turn a square angle and run on the town line East thirty- two south Two Hundred and forty poles to a chestnut tree marked, then turn and run South thirty-two degrees west One hundred and twenty eight poles to a maple in a swamp marked for a corner. Thence turning and run West forty- five north two hundred and forty-eight poles to the white oak where we first begun as described in the plan- Bounded on the north side by the Town line and on all other parts on common Land.
pr JOHN STEVENS Surveyor NATH" RICHARDSON
AMOS WHITNEY DANIEL TAYLOR
Committee Surveyed March 8 1735."
48
HISTORY OF TOWNSEND.
The extreme southwest angle of old Dunstable termi- nated in what is now Brookline, New Hampshire, at or near the east base of what is known in our records as "Great Massapetanapass Hill." A direct line from this point to the northwest corner of Groton, before described (which was also a southwest corner of Dunstable) , was, without doubt, the line between Townsend and Dunstable, so that considerable land now in the northeast corner of Townsend was within the limits of Dunstable.
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