USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Weston > History of the town of Weston, Massachusetts, 1630-1890 > Part 5
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44
HISTORY OF WESTON
Two rods to the squadron line to a heap of stones on a rock on the said squadron line. (So over Brewer's land and Jackson's land to the Town road first mentioned.) The way upon record out of which this is ex- tracted was brought to the Town for confirmation at their annual meet- ing on the 1st day of March 1730/1 and voted in the affirmative.
Extract from the Weston Book of Records, pages 130, 131.
Examined per NATHANIEL GODDARD, Town Clerk.
It would seem at this period, when a road was made through land of owners, such as that of the above-mentioned Brown and Garfield, instead of the town paying damages, the owners were allowed to erect gates and charge toll. There seems to have grown out of the above privilege granted to Brown and Garfield a complaint made to the Selectmen in 1734/5 by both Brown and Garfield. As is probable (there being no paper to show by whom), a petition had been made to the town to have the gates removed, etc. Both Brown and Garfield protest against any action being taken by the town.
This matter of the Brown and Garfield gates seems to have come up continuously until 1735, when, at a town meeting held May 13 of that year, the town voted to reconsider the privilege granted to Brown and Garfield, but that the road should not be laid open till after the first day of December next ensuing. The action of this meeting is attested by Ebenezer Allen, town clerk.
The road of which mention is made in the following present- ment before the Court of Sessions was probably a part of the Lexington road before mentioned. This road over Lamson's Hill has no longer any existence. It was a narrow rod-wide road, running from the meeting-house past Richardson's farm- house, formerly the dwelling of John Lamson, along the wall north-east through the meadow, over the hill now heavily wooded, still belonging in part to the Lamson estate, and coming out on the old road near house of Jesse Viles. It was over this road, still traceable, that Captain Samuel Lamson marched his com- pany to Concord on April 19, 1775. A part of this old road still has a wall on each side.
45
THE OLD TOWN RECORDS
At a meeting of the Selectmen of Weston with Justice Fullam, held in May, 1734, they addressed John Jones, one of the Sur- veyors of Highways, the following warrant, viz .:-
At a meeting of the Selectmen of the town, in order to appoint to the Surveyor of said town, their respective divisions or Districts of high- ways to amend and repair for this succeeding year, have appointed to you the Division and district as follows, viz, Begining at Needham line, near Nathaniel Dewing's, and along by John Hastings and Thomas Peirce into ye great country road near Mr. Williams. 2dly from Thomas Peirce to Needam line near the house of Josiah Upham and ye way from Thomas Peirce to ye run of water east of Colonel Fullam's barn, and from thence by Jonas Harrington's out into the way near Bullard's: and from Abel Allen's house out into ye Town way near Adam Smith's.
The persons named with those of their families upward of sixteen years old are in proportion enjoined by law to work at high way belong- ing to your Division or District:
Deacon John Parkhurst.
Jonas Livermore.
George Parkhurst.
Thomas Peirce.
Adam Smith.
Joseph Lovel.
Abel Allen.
John Train.
John Felch.
Samuel Train.
Nathaniel Felch.
Nathaniel Dewing.
Ebenezer Allen.
Nathaniel Jennison.
Benjamin Bullard.
John Jennison.
John Barnard.
Jonas Harrington.
Joseph Livermore.
WESTON, May 22, 1734.
BENJAMIN BROWN,
EBENEZER ALLEN, Selectmen. JOHN JONES,
FRANCIS FULLAM, Justice of Peace.
This is the only allotment of surveyors to be found, and the above list remained in force until 1737, when a new one was drawn, but the names are not given.
In 1738 the town was presented at the Court of Sessions for obstructions on the king's highway "leading from the Meeting House to what is called the Concord road, and near a place called
46
HISTORY OF WESTON
Lamson's hill in Weston." Below will be found the statement of the case as appeared in the petition or presentment :-
To the Sheriff of the County of Middlesex, his under sheriff or Deputy, Greeting,-
Whereas before the Justices of His Majesty's Court of General Sessions of the Peace, begun and held at Charlestown in and for the County of Middlesex, aforesaid, on the second Tuesday of March last, the Grand Inquest for the body of the said County, did present that the King's Highway leading from Weston Meeting house to what is called Concord road in the County of Middlesex, aforesaid, then was and for the space of three months last past hath been, and still continues to be very much obstructed for the length of almost a quarter of a mile at and near a place called Lamson's hill in Weston, in the County aforesaid. It being there very steep, dangerous and full of great rocks so as renders it almost impassable for teams, and carts loaded, so that the same is and hath been for the time aforesaid a common nuisance, and yet like to continue so, and the said Grand Inquest further presents that it belongs to the In- habitants of the town of Weston, to repair, amend, and render the same passable for loaded teams, carts and horses &c, all which is in evil ex- ample to others and contrary to law as also to the Peace, Crown and dignity of our Lord the King.
These are therefore in his Majesty's name to will and require you to summon the selectmen of the Town of Weston, aforesaid, to appear at the next Court of General Sessions of the peace to be holden at Cam- bridge within and for the County of Middlesex on the third Tuesday of May next, then and there to make answer to the said presentment and to abide and perform the judgment of the said Court that shall be given thereon: and you are likewise required to summon as witnesses for the King, John Walker, Deacon John Warren, Samuel Miller and Josiah Hobbs: hereof fail not and make return hereof under your hand, with your doings therein before the sitting of said Court. Dated at Charles- town the 14th day of April In the eleventh year of His Majesty's reign Anno Domini 1738.
By order of Court.
THADDIUS MASON, Clerk.
MIDDLESEX, SS., April 29th, 1738.
A true copy examined
per RICHARD FOSTER, Jr., Sheriff.
At a general town meeting of the freeholders and other inhabi- tants of Weston, qualified according to law to vote in town affairs, on the twelfth day of May, 1738, it was-
THE REV. DR. FIELD MANSION, CENTRAL AVENUE.
Built by Isaac Fiske in 1805, and became the property of Rev. Dr. Field in 1815, whose descendants still own and occupy it.
-
THE GOLDEN BALL TAVERN, CENTRAL AVENUE.
Built in 1768 by Colonel Isaac Jones. The old sign of the Golden Ball still exists. Its fame as a tavern lasted eighty years. It was the headquarters of the local Tory element during the Revolution. The house is still owned and occupied by the descendants of Colonel Jones.
47
THE OLD TOWN RECORDS
Voted by said Town at said Meeting that they desire Francis Fullam, Esq., and Deacon Benjamin Brown to make answer to the presentment of the way over Lamson's hill, so called, at the next Court of General Sessions of the Peace to be holden at Cambridge on the 3d day of May current.
A true copy taken off from Weston book of Records
examined per EBENEZER ALLEN, Town Clerk. MAY 19th, 1738.
In August, 1744, the inhabitants or proprietors of tenements in the easterly part of Concord and the northerly part of Weston and the westerly part of Lexington petitioned
His Excellency William Shirley, Captain General and Governor-in- chief in and over his Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the Honourable his Majesty's Council, and the hon- ourable House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston August 10, 1744, That your Petitioners labour under great difficulties and inconveniences by reason of their distance from their respective places of publick Worship in said town; their families being many of them numerous, in the winter season more especially they have been obliged for many years past to promote and maintain the preaching of the word of God amongst them in a private House, or otherwise many of them must have been deprived of the great benefit thereof; your Petitioners have applied themselves to the said towns to consent that they should be set off from their respective Towns or otherwise to relieve them, both which they refused your Petitioners. Difficulties yet remain- ing, whereas your Petitioners have not where to go but to your Excellency and Honours for relief in the premises, We humbly pray this honourable Court will be pleased to take their case into your wise and serious Con- sideration and make them a precinct, and invest them with such priv- iledges as this honourable Court shall see fit, the bounds of the lands for which your Petitioners pray may be made a precinct, begins where the line between Sudbury and Concord goes over the Great river, so called, and so to run down said river to a brook running out of Well meadow, so called, from thence to the South easterly side of Walden Pond, so called, from thence to the South Westerly Corner of Daniel Brooks' land lying upon the South side of the County road and then across the said road to the South West Corner of said Brooks' land upon the North side of said road from thence in a straight line to the North west Corner of said Brooks' meadow by a way leading to Brick Kiln Island, so called, and by said way to a small White oak tree at the North West Corner of said Brooks' field, upon said Island, from thence in a straight line to a small black oak tree at Bedford line in Timothy Wheeler's land near the end of a
48
HISTORY OF WESTON
ditch, and by Bedford linc to Concord corner, adjoining to Lexington, and from thence in a strait line to the Bridge in Concord road, Westerly of Thomas Nelson's house; thencc to the top of a little hill eastward of Nehemiah Abbott's house, from thence to Waltham North west Corner including Ebenezer Cuttler's land, from thence to the South west Corner of John Bemis' land, from thence to the South east Corner of Concord, and from thence by Concord line to the place first mentioned, or by any other such bounds as the Court shall see meet, &c., &c.
Ebenezer Hunt.
John Wright.
Jeremiah Clark.
Thomas Baker.
Ambrose Tower.
Thomas Garfield, Jr.
Samuel Dakin.
David Reed.
Benjamin Brown, Jr.
Joseph Parks.
Mary Conant.
Hannah Corey.
John Headley.
Nathan Brown.
Zebediah Smith.
Timothy Wesson.
Edward Flint.
John White.
Benjamin Monroe.
Stephen Wesson.
Ebenezer Lamson.
Jonathan Gore.
John Adams.
Joshua Brooks.
Samuel Bond.
Jon: Wellington.
Thomas Garfield.
Thomas Wheeler.
John Gore
Benjamin Brown.
Ephraim Flint.
George Peirce.
James Brooks.
Joseph Peirce, Jr.
Joseph Brooks.
Robert Gage.
Joseph Brooks, Jr.
Judah Clark.
Ephraim Sagard.
John Garfield.
Amos Merriam.
John Whitney.
Ebenezer Cutler.
Joseph Peirce.
Benjamin Allen.
Jonas Peirce.
The inhabitants of the south side of Weston seem to have had equal trouble with those of the north side in their travelling to and from the house of public worship. The petition for a new road leading to the meeting-house is preserved, but the names of the petitioners, with the exception of those of Jonathan Stimson and Ebenezer Allen, are torn off the existing copy. The follow- ing is the petition :-
WESTON, February 15, 1742.
TO THE SELECT MEN OF WESTON, &C.
The petition of us the subscribers humbly show that we labor under very great difficulty in travelling to and from the place of public wor- ship in said town by reason of the badness of some parts of the way, which we apprehend can never be made much better, as also by reason of the many great crooks and turns which are therein: which makes the way so much the longer for our petitioners to travel every Lord's day: Therefore your petitioners humbly pray the said selectmen would please to take our circumstances into your consideration and lay out a
49
THE OLD TOWN RECORDS
way through the land of Daniel Modub and James Stimson Jr. along under the westerly side of the great hill, and also through the lands be- longing to the heirs of George Parkhurst, deceased, and through the lands of the Reverend Mr. Williams and others across the meadow land to the meeting house: which will very much redress our difficulties in travelling morning and evening: and sundry of us which now cannot with any comfort do it may then go to their respective houses in the intervening season on the Lord's days: and your humble petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.
The petition to the General Court, as seen above, was signed by fifty-six heads of families. It will be seen by these petitions of the inhabitants of what is now Lincoln that they were laboring under the same difficulties in their distance from meeting-house that caused the inhabitants of the Farmers' district to apply for separation from the Watertown precinct in 1695, and which was finally accomplished in 1698. As we have seen, the refusal of the Weston town officials to repair their roads communicating with Lincoln led to the petition to the Governor and General Court to be made into a separate precinct in 1744, which being granted in August, 1746, with the injunction that they serve the towns of Concord, Lexington, and Weston with copies of their petition, so that they may show cause, if any, why their prayer should not be granted, Weston made no objection to their being so set off. However, when the precinct of Lincoln applied to the General Court to be incorporated as a town, in 1754,-
at a Town Meeting held in Weston April 11, 1754, it was voted:
1. That the prayer of the Petitioners ought not to be granted because it included four families that have never belonged to said precinct of Lincoln, viz., Theophilus Mansfield, Benjamin Hager, John Binney, and Thomas Russell.
2. Because the parties above named are unwilling to be set off, but choose rather to remain with the town of Weston.
3. Voted that they consent that the other inhabitants of Weston in- cluded in said petition be set off as a Township with the following bounds.
The bounds referred to are those before given.
The discovery of an old document, the existence of which does not seem to be known in our day, is of great interest in the his- tory of the difficulties which seem to have beset both the north
50
HISTORY OF WESTON
and south sections of the town upon the question of reaching the meeting-house on the Lord's Day, owing to the bad condition of the roads at all times, but particularly in winter. A scheme was set on foot on the north side of the town to have the meeting- house removed to the North Road, or Lancaster Turnpike. This petition was signed by forty-eight heads of families, and is suffi- ciently curious to warrant the whole story being inserted here. It certainly forms an episode known to few, if any, persons of the town at the present day. Here follow the names of those signing the petition on the north side of the town :-
Ensign Joseph Livermore. John Warren.
Lieut: Josiah Livermore. John Whitney.
Capt. Joseph Harrington. Joseph Whitney.
William Bond.
James Mirick.
Abijah Wheeler.
Benjamin Bond.
John Mirick.
Wid: Sarah Warren.
Joseph Woolson.
Isaac Cory.
John Walker. John Hager. Nathaniel Walker.
Abraham Whitney.
William Whitney.
Nathaniel Goddard.
Thomas Russell. Nathaniel Allen.
William Smith.
Samuel Philips. Edward Gearfield.
Ebenezer Hammond.
Nathan Fiske.
Jonathan Stratton.
Nathan Upham.
Braddyll Smith. Daniel Carter.
John Lamson. Isaac Allen.
Jeremiah Whittemore. Ebenezer Hobbs.
Josh. Wellington.
Henry Spring.
Josiah Hobbs.
Isaac Hager. Jonas Allen.
Elisha Warren.
Shubal Childs.
William Lawrance.
Nathaniel Livermore.
John Train.
John Bemis.
It would seem that, to checkmate this movement for the re- moval of the church to the north side, a counter-movement was made on the south side. This south-side movement would seem to have been rather to serve the purpose of a check to the north rather than any desire that the church should be moved south. The list is signed by fifty-five heads of families. Rev. William Williams heads the south-side list :-
Rev. William Williams. Jonas Harrington. Col: Fullam. Josiah Colledge.
Elisha Jones.
Capt. Jones.
John Jones.
Isaac Harrington.
Joseph Woolson.
Widow Train. Nathaniel Jameson.
Thomas Flagg.
Benjamin Harrington.
Joseph Bigloe.
Samuel Severns.
Deacon Warren.
Isaac Gregory. Moses Jones.
51
THE OLD TOWN RECORDS
Jonas Harrington.
Jonathan Stimpson.
William Upham.
Daniel Livermore.
Abraham Gale.
Abijah Upham.
Nathaniel Felch.
James Stimson.
Thomas Upham.
Ebenezer Allen.
William Smith, Jr.
Abraham Gregory.
Abel Allen.
Jonathan Bigloe.
Abraham Bigloe.
John Allen.
Benjamin Bigloe.
Samuel Hunt.
Ebenezer Allen.
Nathaniel Bigloe.
Francis Fullam.
Adam Smith.
Joseph Norcross.
John Felch.
Noah Shephard.
Deacon Parkhurst.
David Allen.
Jonathan Bullard.
Joseph Parkhurst.
Benoni Flagg.
Thomas Peirce.
Daniel Smith.
Daniel Medub.
Joseph Lovell.
Nathaniel Stimpson.
George Harrington.
John Hastings.
Thomas Spring.
William Buxten.
Nathaniel Dewing.
Deacon Benjamin Brown writes the petitioners of the north side, where his lands lay, an able, well-reasoned letter, in which he gives his reasons for not signing their petition. (They had evidently been annoyed at his refusal to do so.) The letter is here inserted, since it explains the whole business fully, and is withal very interesting :-
Dear and Honored Sirs,-I being yesterday closely questioned whether I had done justice to my opposing neighbours in joining with the peti- tioners, I freely acknowledge that as I profess to be a Christian I am under obligation to render a reason of my conduct to every man that does soberly ask it of me: and soever I was not joyned with you formerly: what was then my reluctance was 1, I thought that in as much as the meeting house was sot near the middle of the town that if we on the north should get off the meeting house must be removed. 2d, That in as much as I had helped to build one meeting house and settle one minister &c., and had now my own family to take care of I might be excused as having done the work of my day. But what gave a turn to my mind was as to the first, it was told to me by a person over in the town: said he, if you do get off the meeting house will never be moved, for said he, those that remain on the North won't vote it away from them: and the Warrens corner and the Allens corner, so called, will still remain at a considerable distance: and all they that are upon the great road can't be better on't and all that are at a convenient distance on the South they won't give a penny to move it: and then you will find but a very few that will vote for moving it, and then besides if any should petition the General Court to move it they will find that if it should be moved it must go over on ye southerly side of a Great meadow
52
HISTORY OF WESTON
that lyeth in the way: and would said house be removed it would en- commode more of the remaining inhabitants than where it now standeth.
3ly. My neighbours used these arguments with me: viz., that al- though I might possably travel so far myself: yet there were ten or eleven families of my neighbours that the nearest of them had near a mile farther to travel to meeting than I had: and some of them had no way at all to go to meeting and some of those that had: the way was so un- tollarable that at some times in the winter it was altogether impossible for a man to ride along either double or even single: the bushes and trees hanging down, being loaded with snow: besides the way being very rocky and mountainous: and that the town, although being often requested, had done nothing effectual for their help-and further they told me that when any thing of this nature was done it was necessary that some per- sons must do it themselves for the sake of others or else there could be no relief in such cases, which seemed to me were reasons that I was not able to gainsay: and which I hope will not be unseasonable for me at this time to offer.
Your much obliged and humble servant,
BENJA. BROWN.
WESTON, April 23, 1746.
It may prove interesting to see the invoice, as it was then called, or the tax list of the inhabitants of Weston in the year of its incorporation as a town. While many of the names are those of persons who were then residents of Weston, but are no longer on our tax lists, and many more are those of persons now belonging to the town of Lincoln, still there remain on the list the names of many families now with us. 1
The Tax Rate in Weston in 1712.
£
S.
pce.
Captain Jones
1
6 3
Captain Fullam
1
6
3
Mr. Woollson
1 0 0
Corporal Benjamin Harrington
1 7
9
Joseph Livermore
15
9
Lieutenant John Livermore
1 14
0
Joseph Wollson
1 0
0
Ebenezer Hunt
10
6
Nathaniel Whitney
10
6
William Whitney
16
8
Samuel Whitney
10
6
53
THE OLD TOWN RECORDS
Richard Robins
18
3
Daniel Warren
1
16
6
Joshua Biglo
17
9
Joseph Abbott
1
11
6
Joseph Allen
1 16
10
Simon Tozer
12
7
Joseph Dunn
1
14
8
Samuel Jones
1
11
5
Corporal Benjamin Allen
1
14
9
Nathaniel Jones
1
10
6
Michael Falshaw
18
2
Samuel Philips
10
0
James Biglo .
10
0
James Jones
1
16
4
Benjamin Bullard
19
3
Daniel Livermore
19
8
Thomas Fladge [Flagg]
1
17
4
Joseph Whitney
17
0
Jonathan Stimpson .
1
11
0
Isaack Madob [Modock]
12
3
Ensign Josiah Jones
2
3
3
John Smith
1
2
10
Thomas Spring
1
11
5
John Parkhurst
1
16
10
Nathaniel Coolidge
1
11
10
Abolm. Allen
1
1
6
Samuel Jones
15
9
Corporal Benjamin Allen
1
1
0
Nathaniel Jones
15
9
Michael Falshaw
7
3
Samuel Philips
10
0
James Biglo
9
6
James Jones
12
5
Benjamin Bullard
10
6
Daniel Livermore
10
6
Thomas Fladg [Flagg]
1
1
0
Joseph Whitney
10
6
Jonathan Stimson
4
0
Isaac Madoc
10
6
Samuel Robins
10
6
Ensign Josiah Jones
1
1
0
John Smith
12
7
Thomas Spring
1
1
5
John Parkhurst
1
1
0
17
9
Abbot Allen
54
HISTORY OF WESTON
Nathaniel Coolidge
13
0
Richard Norcross
1
4
0
John Wellington
1
11
5
Benjamin Brown .
1
3
7
Thomas Gearfield
1
2
2
Benoni Gearfield
1
12
3
Benjamin Gearfield
1
8
0
John Warren Jr.
1
14
5
Charles Chadwick
19
7
John Wright
16
8
Joseph Wright
1
14
6
Jacob Piori
1
0
4
Thomas Waight
1
16
2
William Fisk
17
5
Lieutenant John Brown
2
14
9
Jonathan Bullard
1
7
9
Jonathan Bullard Jr.
1
17
4
Joseph Bullard
1
4
0
Joseph Lovewell [Lovell]
1
3
0
Richard Norcross
10
6
John Wellington
1
1
0
Benjamin Brown
1
1
0
Benjamin Gearfield .
1
8
0
John Warren Jr.
17
3
Charles Chadwick
12
0
John Waight
16
8
Joseph Waight .
10
6
Jacob Piori
10
6
Thomas Waight
1
1
0
William Fisk
5
5
Lieutenant John Brown
1
8
3
Jonathan Bullard
1
7
9
Jonathan Bullard Jr.
1
1
0
Joseph Bullard
15
9
Joseph Lovwell
11
6
Francis Pirrico
1
2
7
Daniel Madob Jr.
12
3
James Stimpson
1
17
11
Samuel Gonorans
1
2
10
George Robinson .
1
13
11
John Jones
11
6
Daniel Estabrook
1
13
3
Caleb Grant .
1
1
4
Thomas Gearfield
5
9
Benoni Gearfield
55
THE OLD TOWN RECORDS
Joseph Pierce
6
8
Samuel Lov
1
8
6
Jonathan Biglo
1
2
7
John Mixor
1
10
0
John Sawin
1 14
9
Ebenezer Allen
19
7
Daniel Madob
9
7
Richard Parks
13
4
Thomas Woolson Jr.
12
7
Corporal John Warren
1
4
1
Benjamin Harrington
1
2
7
George Robinson
1
1
0
Capt. John Warren
1
4
0
Benjamin Harrington
14
3
Thomas Wollson
6
4
Richard Parks
13
0
John Sawin
1
1
0
Samuel Love
15
9
Caleb Grant .
10
8
V.
THRIFTY FINANCE OF YE FATHERS (RATES, TAXES, BOUNTIES, ETC.).
The Narragansett townships were grants by the General Court to each county of the State, divided among the several towns by lot. These grants of land were by way of payment and gratuities to the soldiers of the crown in previous Indian wars. The Mid- dlesex grants and several divisions were made about 1734. There were six townships, or allotments. Weston and Sudbury drew Township No. 2. The loss of records of the town prevent any full or interesting account of the part Weston had in this town- ship (now Westminster). In 1737 John Sawin, of Natick, drew his father's, Francis Sawin's, lot in No. 2. John, Thomas, and Manning Sawin owned a part of the Livermore farm in Weston, afterwards sold to John Train. The only documentary evidence of the part Weston took in Township No. 2 bears date of June, 1736, when Mr. Abijah Upham is appointed collector of the Narragansett grantors, originally of Weston, with orders to collect the sum of five pounds on each lot or right in said township for the encouragement of settlers. The following names are those of proprietors belonging to Weston :-
Ebenezer Boynton, Lot No. 51. Drawn by Deacon Brown, £5. Onesiphorus Pike, Lot No. 81. Drawn by Benj: Robbins, £5. Thomas Cory, Lot No. 44. Drawn by Ebenezer Cory, £5.
Nathaniel Norcross, Lot No. 37. Drawn by Nathaniel Norcross, £5. Daniel Warren, Lot No. 34. Drawn by Daniel Warren, £5.
A total of £25. This is signed by Joseph Bowman, Richard Foster, Jr., and Benjamin Brown as assessors.
Newton would seem to have also been included in Township No. 2, as a list was addressed to Edward Jackson, as collector of that town.
The following letter from Rev. Elisha Marsh, settled over Township No. 2, has a pathos about it that makes it worthy of
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