Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 23

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399

USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts > Part 23

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The land on which the beautiful Riverside Cemetery was established, a tract of about fourteen acres, was originally a part of the Jonathan Nye farm, and was purchased in the winter of 1846-7 by Warren De- lano, jr., and in the following spring work was begun on the ground to fit it for a burial place, under Mr. Delano's direction. Improvement continued until the summer of 1850 when, on the 7th of July, the cemetery was dedicated. Since that time the grounds have been greatly beautified in various ways.

The Fairhaven Improvement Association had its inception at a meet- ing held December 4, 1882, at which the project was discussed. A public meeting was called for January 25, 1883, when a large number joined, and on the 29th of that month a constitution and by-laws were adopted. The association was incorporated in 1885. It has been pro-

211

GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.

ductive of great benefit to the community through the planting of large numbers of trees, the establishment of public bath houses, the founding of a bureau of information, establishment of a drinking fountain, etc.

The last report of the School Committee of this town makes the as- sertion that the schools are not surpassed by the schools of any other town in this Commonwealth. The schools now include the Rogers School, the High School, the Oxford School, and one each at Naska- tucket and New Boston. These employ seventeen teachers, eight of whom are in the Rogers School. Under a recent statute the towns of Fairhaven, Acushnet and Mattapoisett form a district, with Edward B. Gray, district superintendent. The Rogers, the Oxford and the High School buildings are creditable to the town. The school enrollment is very large in proportion to the number of inhabitants.

Fairhaven has been blest to an extraordinary degree by the residence within its limits of Henry H. Rogers. The Rogers School, above mentioned, was presented to the town by him in 1885, the gift repre- senting a building which cost, probably, $100,000 or more. The beau- tiful and costly Millicent Library building was founded and given to the town by Mrs. William E. Benjamin, Mrs. Bradford F. Duff, Mary H. Rogers and H. H. Rogers, jr., children of H. H. and Abbie P. Rogers. The site was acquired in the fall of 1890 and the corner stone of the building was laid September 21, 1891. The structure was ded- icated January 30, 1893. This splendid gift is a memorial to a daugh- ter of Mr. Rogers and bears her name. Moreover, the present beautiful town hall, which has a valuation of about $150,000, was a gift to the town from Mr. Rogers, through his wife, Abbie P. Rogers, whose death took place three months prior to the public presentation on Feb. ruary 22, 1894. This stone structure is a fine specimen of architectural work and admirably adapted to its purposes.

With the decline of the whaling industry Fairhaven lost much of its industrial importance. Those remaining may be briefly noticed. The Boston and Fairhaven Iron Works was incorporated in 1863 and was succeeded in 1879 by the Fairhaven Iron Works. This corporation was followed by the present Fairhaven Foundry Company, which built its present plant in 1894. About thirty hands are employed in general foundry work. The American Tack Company was incorporated in 1867, occupying a building on Fort street, erected for the manufacture of sperm candles. The business was prosperous and a number of other large structures were afterwards erected. The works were merged in

212

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the Atlas Tack Company, a syndicate formed in 1891. The firm of Thatcher Brothers, glass manufacturers and cut glass makers, is the successor of George T. Thatcher, who founded the business about 1890. The firm employs sixty-five hands and the beautiful ware produced has an extended reputation.

The Fairhaven Star is a Republican newspaper that is a credit to its publisher, Charles D. Waldron. He founded the paper in 1891, as a small advertising medium. It met with a warm welcome and was three times enlarged within the first year.

One of the most important pieces of public work ever undertaken in . Bristol county is now in progress in the construction of the splendid stone and steel bridge between New Bedford and Fairhaven. The act authorizing this work was passed in August, 1893, permitting the ex- penditure of $350,000. In 1895 this sum was increased to $450,000, and in 1898 another increase brought the gross sum authorized up to $800,000. The first contract for construction was let to Stewart & McDermott, of New York, in August, 1896; other contracts have since been let to various firms. The bridge has a draw of 290 feet width, over the middle of the river, instead of in the old channel covered by the draw. The entire deck of the bridge is covered with asphalt ; double car tracks, two 8-foot sidewalks and two 25-foot driveways ex- tend through the bridge. This bridge is a long-needed and valuable improvement, and reflects credit upon all who have been instrumental in securing it.

SEEKONK .- This was the eighteenth town formed in Bristol county and was set off from old Rehoboth on February 26, 1812. There was no territorial change in the town until April 10, 1861, when a part of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and certain lands over which Seekonk claimed jurisdiction, lying east of a line to be determined by the Supreme Court of the United States, was annexed. This was created a municipal district on January 29, 1862, which district passed out of existence when the town officers of Seekonk were elected and qualified.

Seekonk is on the west border of the county, north of the center, and is bounded on the north by Attleborough, on the east by Reho- both, on the south by Swansea, and on the west by Rhode Island. It constititues a part of the Twelfth Congressional District, and with Attleborough, North Attleborough, Norton and Rehoboth, forms the First Representative District, with 4,663 legal voters, entitling the dis- trict to two representatives. The population according to the State

213

GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.

census of 1895 was 1,465, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 197, showing that it is the smallest town in Bristol county in point of the number of inhabitants. It has only one post-office, which bears the name of the town, though the hamlet at that point has long been known as Luther's Corners. This place is in the southwest part of the town and contains a general store, a blacksmith shop, a Congrega- tional church, a graded school and the large ice houses of M. A. Smith. On the outskirts of the village is the large Hopkins stock farm, where market gardening and the breeding of blooded stock is carried on. Two miles south on the Taunton and Providence turnpike is the town hall, and near it a small store.

South Seekonk is a small settlement in the south part of the town where there is a public hall, a school house, but no business interest.

The Providence division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad passes across the northwest corner of the town, and there are two stations, called Perrin's Station and Perrin's Bridge Station. They are without business interests. It will be seen that Seekonk is almost wholly an agricultural district, and the city of Providence being near at hand, an excellent market is accessible for garden vegetables and small fruits, the growing of which and the production of milk con- stitute the principal industries of the farmers. Among the leading farmers are George Clarke, David W. Peck, George West, Cornelius Peck, Olney Greene, Cortlandt Bradley, John Greene, Frank West, Horatio Carpenter, Herbert Cushing, Thomas and Walter Gladding, Miles Carpenter, and Jerome Farnum.

ACUSHNET .- This was the nineteenth town formed in Bristol county and is the youngest town in the county with the exception of North Attleborough. It was originally a part of old Dartmouth until the erection of New Bedford, when it became a part of that town. It so remained until the formation of Fairhaven February 22, 1812, when it became a part of that town, from which it was set off and incorporated February 13, 1860. On April 9, 1875, a small part was annexed to New Bedford. The State census of 1895 gives the population as 1, 115, and the number of registered voters in 1897 was 247. The town forms a part of the Thirteenth Congressional District, and with Dartmouth, Fairhaven and Freetown constitutes the Sixth Representative District, with 2,409 legal voters, entitling the district to one representative. Acushnet is situated in the southeast part of the county and is bounded on the north by Freetown, on the east by Plymouth county, on the

214

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

south by Fairhaven, and on the west by New Bedford. It has two post-offices, Acushnet and Long Plain.

The village of Acushnet is in the southern part of the town on the New Bedford line and at the head of Acushnet River. The larger part of its business interests are on the New Bedford side. On the Acush- net side of the line is a general store, a provision store, a blacksmith and a paint shop, and the old Acushnet saw mill, operated by the Acushnet Saw Mill Company in manufacturing boxes. Over the line in New Bedford is the post-office, three general stores, a hardware store, two blacksmith shops, a soap works, carried on by Thomas Her- som & Co , and one of the two school houses in the village, the other being across the line. The old Acushnet Congregational church, the history of which has been given herein, is also on New Bedford terri- tory. On the road to Long Plain is a general store where Capt. David Cochran formerly carried on business. John R. Davis was a former merchant for many years in Acushnet village. About one mile north- east of Acushnet on the road to Long Plain is a second box factory. Beside the church mentioned there are two others in the village, a Methodist and a Quaker.

The hamlet and post-office of Long Plain is situated about five miles northeast of Acushnet and contains two general stores, a graded school and three churches, Methodist, Baptist and Friends'. Caleb Slade was a former merchant here. Two miles from Acushnet village is a.small settlement called Perry Hill, where is a Methodist church, a school and a blacksmith shop.

The last town organized in the county is North Attleborough, which is sufficiently described in the preceding chapter.

215

THE CITY OF TAUNTON.

CHAPTER IX.

THE CITY OF TAUNTON-EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The territory of Taunton and its vicinity was visited by white men from England at a date almost contemporaneous with the landing of the Pilgrims. As early as 1621 Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins passed a night in the Indian settlement of Tetiquet, on the site of the present village of North Middleborough, in Plymouth county. They were on a visit to Massasoit as agents of the Plymouth Colony, and their route took them through the territory of Taunton and Dighton. A record of their journey was kept and is in print in numerous places. In 1623 Winslow made a second visit to Massasoit, and was accom- panied by one John Hampden. For our present purpose we need copy only a brief extract from Winslow's description, which relates to Taun - ton River and its banks :

The ground is very good on both sides, it being for the most part cleered. Thou- sands of men have lived there, which died in a great plague not long since and pity it was and is to see so many goodly fields and so well seated, without men to dress and manure the same. Upon this river dwelleth Massasoyt: It cometh into the sea at Narroliganset Bay, where the Frenchmen so much use. A ship may go many myles up it, as the Salvages report and a shallop to the head of it: but so farre as wee saw wee are sure a shallop may.

As we passed along wee observed that there were few places by the River but had beene inhabited, by reason whereof much ground was cleare, save of weeds, which grew higher than our heads. There is much good timber both Oake, Walnut-tree, Firre, Beech and exceeding great Chestnut-trees. The country in respect to the lying of it, is both Champanie and hilly, like many places in England. In some places its very rockie both above ground and in it: And thongh the country bee wilde and overgrowne with woods, yet the trees stand not thicke, but a man may well ride a horse amongst them.

What more quaint, picturesque or truthful description of this region, as it appeared to those early travelers, can the dweller of to-day in Taunton ask? It is not strange that to this beautiful section came some of the English immigrants who had temporarily located at Dorchester, Salem, Charlestown, Cambridge and other of the early settled locali- ties; but it is not until the year 1637 that authentic history of Taunton

216

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

begins. In the journal of Gov. John Winthrop for that year is found the following :

This year a plantation was begun at Tecticutt, by a gentlewoman, an ancient maid, one Mrs. Poole. She went late thither and endured much hardship and lost much cattle.

This "ancient maid " was less than fifty years old at that time and wrote her name, " Pole;" her brother William was one of the forty-six original purchasers of ancient Cohannet (the Indian name of Taunton). The Pole settlement, or Titiquet Purchase, antedated all other settle- ments in this immediate vicinity and led to the founding of the town. . The Tetiquet Purchase laid easterly of the Eight-Mile Square Purchase (Taunton), and for some years had no really definite bounds. The easterly boundary established in 1663 was as follows:

That the path which goeth from Namassakett to Assonett river, be theire bounds on the southwest, and soe by a line from thence to Baiting Brooke a North line till it meets with the opposite line called the long square.

This line, with slight changes, constitutes the present easterly bound- ary of Taunton. The so-called "Shute Farm " and the so called " Pole Plain," in the easterly part of Taunton, are shown on the accompany- ing outline map. Their ownership and occupancy have for two hundred and sixty years been associated with the honored name of Elizabeth Pole, the pioneer of Taunton territory.

All through the records of the early history of Taunton the name of Elizabeth Pool is conspicuous. The following is a copy of a confirma- tory deed given in 1686 :

Know ye that whereas it doth appear to ye said Josiah, Peter and David, both by Indian and English testimonys, that Mrs. Elizabeth Pole, formerly of Taunton, in ye government of New Plymouth, aforesaid, did for and in behalf of the said Town of Taunton, purchase the lands of Tetiquet in ye year one thousand, six hundred, thirty-seven.

On March 3, 1639, the General Court enacted the following :

That they will see Mr. Hooke, Mr. Streete and Mrs. Pole shall have competent meddow and uplands for farms, layed forth for them, about May next, by Captain Standish and such others with him as shall be especially assigned thereto.

At that date Miss Pool was living on her farm at Littleworth, in the Tetiquet Purchase. (See map.) In May, 1639, her land was laid out as above indicated, and included her "Home lott fifteen acres to be next unto Mr. Hooke's house as also to the mill six acres." The offi-

217

THE CITY OF TAUNTON.

cial description of the Pole lands, which bears the signatures of Miles Standish and John Browne, is as follows:

Those lands which, by order of Court were by Miles Standish and John Browne assistants in the government of Plymouth, appointed to be laid out unto Mrs. Eliza- beth Poole of Taunton, as followeth: May, 1639.

Imprimis. At her farm of Littleworth forty acres of meadow, being at the end next unto her house there, lying at that end between the south and the southwest and so northerly.

Item. Fifty acres of such upland which she will make choice of thereabouts.

Item. Fifty acres of upland lying near the Two Mile Brook, joining to the marsh on the south side thereof, as also half of the same marsh for quantity and quality.

Item. An hundred acres of upland lying on the other side of the Great River of Taunton.

Item. For her home lot XV acres to be next unto Mr. Hooke's house lot, as also to the mill six acres.

The lands were ordered measured by properly appointed men. The Littleworth farm, as seen on the map, was near the Middleborough boundary. The fifty acres near the Two-mile Brook was near the Anchor forge, in what is now Raynham. The one hundred acres on the other side of the river is not clearly located at the present time. The home lot (twenty-one acres in all), was on the south side of what is Main street, extended westerly to near Winthrop street, easterly to Mr. Hooke's lot near the east end of Main street, and was bounded on the south by Mill River. She built a house on her home lot and lived there until 1653, the year before her death, when she bought a house and lot of Robert Thornton, removed thither and died May 21, 1654 In Mount Pleasant Cemetery is a monument provided by women of Taunton in her honor.

The Indian name of Taunton, "Cohannet," varies in its spelling, as most Indian names do. For example, Cohanit, Cohannet, Cohan- nock, Quahannet, Quahannock, etc. The one that is preferred by the best authorities is used. The deed of the original Cohannet pur- chase was destroyed in the fire of 1838, but in the Colonial Records (vol. ii, p. 99) is the report of a committee of the court appointed in 1640 to establish the boundary, which reads as follows:

The limits and bounds of the town of Taunton, alias Cohannet, within the gov- ernment of Plymouth, bounded and ranged for length and breadth, by order of the Court, by Miles Standish and John Brown, gentlemen, assistants in the government, the nineteenth day of June, anno domini, 1640, in XVI year of our sovereign Lord, Charles, &c., as follows, viz: Imprimis. From two marked trees near unto Asso- net, a neck of land lying between Assonet and them lying southerly, and from the

218

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

said marked trees ranging east and by south four miles; ranging also from the ex- tent of the four miles north and by west; also from two marked trees near the Three-Mile-River, lying southerly of Taunton, the range to run four miles west and by north; and from the extent of this last-mentioned four miles, the range to run north and by west eight miles; moreover, from the extent of this eight miles range, then the range to run on the east and by south line to meet with the former ex- pressed north and by west line upon a long square; always provided, that if these ranges do not take in a place of Schadingmore meadows, the said Schadingmore meadows to be included as belonging to the aforesaid town of Taunton, with one thousand acres of upland, near adjacent unto said meadows; provided, likewise, that these lines do not entitle the said town of Taunton to intermeddle within two miles of Teightaquid.

Miles Standish, John Brown.

This description will be more clear to the reader of to-day if it is stated that the starting point was near the mouth of Three-Mile River, on the east side of Taunton Great River, and running from the river east by south four miles; thence north by west, making an acute angle, returning to the river starting point; running again west by north four miles, making a continuous line of eight miles; and thence from the last point north by west eight miles, making an obtuse angle; thence east by south again, until it meets the first north by west ex- tended line, giving a territory of sixty-four square miles, or more than 40,000 acres. The accompanying map makes these descriptions clear. This was the " Eight-Mile Square," taken by the forty-six original purchasers noticed further on. The natural features of this tract are described in Chapter I. The map mentioned was made with great care and much labor by James Edward Seaver, of Taunton, and is printed in Mr. Emery's history, from which it is here reproduced. It is especially valuable as showing the site of the first mills, the home lots of many of the purchasers, the church and town house, and the training-field, now Taunton Green. It will be noticed that the settle- ment of Miss Pole is situated outside of the "Eight-Mile Square," which explains her not being included in the list of purchasers of Co- hannet, and also Winthrop's note of her settlement at "Tecticutt." The date of her locating there was early in 1637, which accounts for the Plymouth record, under date of March 7, 1637, of her brother William and six others, namely, Mr. John Gilbert, sen., Mr. Henry Andrews, John Strong, John Deane, Walter Deane, Edward Case, being propounded "freemen of Cohannett," where they doubtless were prospecting under guidance of Miss Pole; they were not sworn in until December 4, 1638.

219

THE CITY OF TAUNTON.

The following entry in the Plymouth Records (vol. i, p. 105) is the first assurance of the purchase made by the forty-six original purchasers; it is under date of December 4, 1638, and reads as follows:

John Strong is sworne constable of Cohannett until June next.

Under date of March 5, 1639, is the following order:

That Captain Poole shall exercise the inhabitants of Cohannett in their armes.

Here was the beginning of the civil and the military authority in ancient Cohannet.

The exact date of the title from Massasoit of the original forty-six purchasers is not known, except by inference, and the original deed is lost; but a confirmatory deed from the son of the chief is preserved in the Plymouth Records, giving the year of purchase as 1638.

This agrees with the following from a document signed by Richard Williams and others in 1680:

Whereas, by the Providence of God, in the year 1638 and the year 1639, it pleased God to bring the most part of the first purchasers of Taunton over the great ocean into this wilderness from our dear and native land and after some small time here we found this place called by the natives the land Cohannet, etc.

Following is an alphabetical list of the forty-six original Cohannet purchasers, the spelling of the record being followed :

1. Henry Andrews, 16. Mr. John Gilbert, 32. William Phillips,

2. John Briant, 17. Thomas Gilbert, 33. William Pole,

3. Mr. John Browne, 18. John Gilbert,

34. The Widow Randall,

4. Richard Burt, 19. John Gingell, 35. John Richmond,

5. Edward Case,

20. William Hailstone,

36. Hugh Rossitor,

6. Thomas Cooke, 21. George Hall,

37. William Scadding,

7. David Corwithy, 22. William Harvey, 38 Anthony Slocom,

8. William Coy, 23. Hezekiah Hoar, 39. Richard Smith,

9. John Crosman. 24. Robert Hobell,

40. John Smith,

10. John Deane, 25. William Holloway, 41. Francis Street,

11. Walter Deane,

12. Francis Douhtye.

27. John Luther,

43. Henry Uxley,

13. John Drake,

28. George Macey,

44. Richard Williams,

45. Benjamin Wilson,

15. Mr. Thomas Farwell,

30. John Parker,

46. Joseph Wilson.

14. William Dunn,

29. William Parker,

31. Richard Paull,

Each of these purchasers, excepting John Browne, held from six to twelve shares in the purchase, as follows: twenty held twelve each ; seventeen held eight each; eight held six each-an aggregate of four hundred and twenty-four shares. Brief notes of these "first and ancient purchasers" and their families are worthy of record here.

26. John Kingsley,

42. John Strong,

220

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

1. Henry Andrews was admitted freeman in 1638 and was deputy in 1639, the first year any were chosen to the General Court, and also in nine other years. He received a grant of forty acres of land in 1641, for services in attending courts, laying out lands, etc. ; also a grant of a "calves pasture " in 1647 for building a meeting-house. His will named four children, of whom was a son, Henry, who was killed by the Indians in 1676. He lived in the eastern part of the town.

2. John Briant died April 28, 1638; he was a carpenter. His prop- erty was willed to his son John; the latter had six children.

3. John Browne, with three others, of the first purchasers, had the . prefix "Mr." attached to his name; this was a mark of distinction in those times.

4. Richard Burt died before 1647, as shown by his minor son of the same name choosing a guardian in that year. The son had five sons and two daughters, as mentioned in his will, proved October 29, 1685. The elder Richard had a brother James, who was a surveyor and early lived in Taunton.

5. Edward Case came from Watertown to Cohannet; was made a freeman in 1638; was deputy to Plymouth four years and a man of ex- cellent repute. His home lot was on what is now Dean street near the junction of Spring and Main.

6. Thomas Cooke took the oath of fidelity, but his name is not in the list of freemen. He had a son, Thomas, jr., and it is believed that the family removed to Portsmouth, R. I. Cooke's rights in Taunton passed to Increase Robinson.

7. David Corwithy (called David Kerwithy) was proposed as a free- man in 1639. His name does not appear elsewhere in the records.

8. William Coy left no trace of his lineage or descent. It is be- lieved that he came unmarried and alone and died early.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Bristol County, Massachusetts, Part 23

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub Publication date: 1899 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company Number of Pages: 1399

Author: Borden, Alanson, 1823-1900; Boston History Company, Boston, pub
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Company
Number of Pages: 1399