USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > Quarter millinnial celebration of the city of Taunton, Massachusetts, Tuesday and Wednesday, June 4 and 5, 1889 > Part 28
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
339
APPENDIX.
subscribers, to act and make answers to this honrd. Court now, for which reasons we have layed down, and what may be farther offered, we do desire and humbly hope that this honerd. Court will so far in their wisdom consider the matter as not to grant the precinct Desired, Least it should be the beginning of trouble with us. we would farther offer this honrd. Court, as the mind of the whole town, that they are very willing and Desirous that the north purchase should have all previleges proper and needfull for them both civil and Ecliasticall; and, therefore, have not the least to say against their being a township of themselves, according as was intended from ye foundation of it (as above was hinted) and not any way to Joyn to, or Entermeddle with, the old township, or with that sd. purchase. craving pardon for our boldness and a charitable construction of what we have writ, we pray the allmighty God to Direct you in all the affairs before you, and subscribe your honer's most humble servants.
Dated Taunton, June 4th, 1709.
"JAMS. LEONARD, )
PHILLIP KING,
)
THOMAS GILBERT, ) Commity."
THOMAS HARVEY, )
)
JONATHAN PADELFORD, )
|State Papers, Vol. CXIII, p. 509.]
Some of the inhabitants of the North purchase evidently pre- ferred a new town to a precinct and thus expressed their views :
"To his Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esqr., &c.
"We whose names are underwritten, being inhabitants of ye town of Taunton, humbly sheweth, that wee being very sensible of ye great daingur we are in of being Impoverished and brought to great distress for yt, to witt, Som of our neighbors, Inhabitants of sd. Taunton, and som of ye west part of Taunton North purchase, being often very im- portant with us to agine with them to pertetion ye General Court to grant them a precinct; but we knowing ye inability of ourselves and our neighbours, could not comply with them but they, after pleading there want of a precincts to be granted to them, and their inability to main- tain ye same without our help, we, willing to doe them a cindness, did, som of us, signified to ym, yt if they would petition ye General Court to
340
QUARTER MILLENNIAL CELEBRATION.
grant a township to the whole north purchase, and so much of Taunton as was agined to them in ye military, that we would agine with them. som of us whose names are underwritten, and ye rest of us, did wholly refuse to sett our hands to any writing Either for a township or precints neither; But they, having pertitioned ye honored Court for to grant them a precincts, contrary to our minds and intent, and hath set forth ye limets of sd. precincts to make us a part thereof, which will be no ben- efit to us, but so great a charg yt will soon bring us to poverty; for we are not able to pay our parts to a precincts charg, and to pay ratts to ye town also. And as ye petitioners do preten to ye want of a minister to dispence ye word of God to them, we say we are in no such want; for we have ye benefit of hearing ye word preacht by ye Reverant Mr. Danforth, under whose ministry we desire to continue. Therefore we pray ye hon- ored Cort to consider our condition, yt we may not be consarned with our precincts, but yt we may injoy our privilidges as formerlly. And whereas som of us (namely John wetherell, John Nulan, Benjamin Nulan, Nicholas Smith, John Briggs, junior) did sett our hands to soms of there papers, but we understood ourselves only conserned with them for a township; but we understand they have made a wrong improve- ment of our names; we did not think they wold have taken such ad- vantage as to improve our names as petitioners with them for a pre- cincts. But our comfort is yt ye honored Cort will not suffer us to wrong one another. we subscribe ourselves your most humble petitioners.
William Wetherell, sen., John Austin,
John Briggs, junr.,
John Nulan,
Edward Whit,
Ben. Nulan,
Jeremiah Wetherell, Jeremiah Newland,
Nicholas Smith,
William Cob.
John Wethell,
[State Papers, Vol. CXIII, p. 511.]
The General Court with all these petitions and counter peti- tions, apparently took this action as the next step :
"June 8, 1709. In Council .- Upon the hearing of the several peti- tions of the inhabitants of the No. and So. Purchases, in Taunton, to be made separate Precincts for the settling and support of the ministry in the respective places,-
"Resolved, that Nathaniel Thomas, Nathaniel Byfield, and James Warren Esqrs., be a committee to repair to Taunton, and view the said sev- eral purchases, and upon consideration of all circumstances, to set off proper Precincts to encourage the good Ends desired by the petitioners, and to advise and direct to the most suitable places for the raising of their meeting-houses, and to make their report to the next session of
341
APPENDIX.
this Court for conformation, Nathaniel Thomas Esqr., to appoint the Time. The charges of the said Committee to be borne by the said Pre- cincts."
[Gen. Court. Rec. Vol, VIII, p. 441.]
The Legislative Committee soon visited Taunton, to perform their duty and made a report as follows :
.
" Taunton Augt. 31, 1709.
"Pursuant to an order of the Great and General Court dated June ye Sth, 1709, to us Directed to Repaire to Taunton and view the several tracts of land which the Inhabitants of the North and South purchases in Taunton have petitioned to be made separate precincts, for the settling and support of the ministry in said Respective places ;-
And we the subscribers, having viewed the several tracts, and heard the allegations of the opposite Parties thereto, upon consideration of all circumstances, have sett the bounds of the several Precincts as follows: That is to say, That the Bounds of the North Precinct (according to their petition) shall begin at the line between the two late Colonies of the Massachusetts and Plymouth, in the line of the bounds between Taunton North Purchase and Attleboro' and from thence southward to Rehoboth North-east corner; and from thence eastward, on the said North Purchase line, to Taunton Bounds; and from thence eastward to the mouth of the Brook called Burt's Brook, Leaving out Capt. Hodge's Land at Burt's Brook, and extending from the mouth of Burt's Brook to the Bridge made over the mill River, near William Wetherell's; and from thence North-eastward to the North-Purchase Line; and from the North-Purchase line, the road that leads from said Bridge towards Bos- ton to be the bounds till it come to the Line between the said late Col- onies; wch line to be the Bounds to Attleborough Bounds aforesaid.
And that the meeting-house for the said North Precinct be sett on the Northward side of the way that leads over Rumford river at Cross- man's way, at the place where the way crosseth it that leads from John Hodge's to the Beech Island.
In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands,
NATHANIEL THOMAS, NATHANIEL BYFIELD, JAMES WARREN.
ĮState Papers, Vol. XI, p. 296.]
This report, in favor of a precinct, merely stirred up those who desired a new town to make one more effort for the latter; and they again addressed the Governor as follows :
.
342
QUARTER MILLENNIAL CELEBRATION.
"September 9, 1709. " To his Excellency Joseph Dudly, Esqr., &c.
" Wee ye subscribers, Inhabitance and propriators of Taunton North purcheis (so called) humbly sheweth, that whereas we understand that som of our neighbours, with som of ye Inhabitants of Taunton, have ob- tained incoragement from this General Cort to be a precincts; but, for- asmuch as our neighbours have not acwuainted us therewith as they ought so to do, we, being major part of sd. purceis inhabitance, and ye first Setlers, do, in all humble submition, offer to your honors ye un- happy effects yt may happen not only to ourselves, but to ye whole tract of land which was from ye foundation, intended for a township, which now it is capable of; there being many inhabitance already settled, and many more going to settel, on said tract of Land. But if there bc so great a part of sd. Land taken of us as we understand is set forth for a precincts by those honorable gentellmen ye committy, who have donc ac- cording to their plesure; and if ye meeting-hous be built wharc sd. com- mitty hath appynted,-which is neare ye west End of sd. purchies, which will be serviceable but to very few; wh. will be a means to spyle ye said tract of Land and caus it to be wholly unfit for a township, and frus- teratc yc intention of us, ye proprietors thereof, and will discourage many from settling on their lands in sd. purcheis. And whareas they have left about one-third part of sd. purchies of ye East part, supposing Bridgewater will add part of their town to it, to make ye part a pre- cints, it is a great mistake. ye inhabitants of Bridgewater give us no such incoragement. Therefore we pray this honored Cort, that therc may be pertition-lines between ye one end of our sd. purcheis and ye other; but yt; if ye honored Court thinks it convenient, wee pray yt ye honerd Cort would grant us a township, with all the privilidges ^ belonging to a town, to ye whole north purches, and so much of Taunton old township as belongs to our military Company, which is from ye month of a Broock called Burt's Brook, and from thence to wenaconnett bridge, and from thence north-east to ye sd. north purcheis line; and yt ye meeting hous may be set in ye most con- venient place in ye senter, between the East and ye West End, which wc conceive will be most convenient for ye whole town, both for ye worship of God on Sabbath dayes and for militery trainings, and all other pubiick meetings. And wee would humbly say, yt wee are very sensable yt we are in a great necessity of an able orthodox minister to be settled amongst us to dispence ye word of God amongst us; which when we are a town, we hope we shall be able procure and settel amongst us; which we hoop we shall soon indevor for, that tharein we may be happy. And whereas some have objected, and said yt ye north purcheis is to long to come to one mitteng, we think it a great mistack; for we can come to ye senter; and why cannot those who do object against it com as well as we? And furder, we pray this Cort to give a name unto
343
APPENDIX.
our town; but, if this Cort thinks it is not proper to grant us our peti- tion, we pray the preeinets may not be conformed to those who have perti- tioned for ye sam, but it may be suspended untell ye Cort can be better informed. We do appynt and impower --- to be our adiants to prefare this our pertition to ye Honored Cort. we Subscribe ourselves your most humble petitioners,-
William Manley, senr., Thoam Drake, John Phillips, Benjamin Drake, William Manley, jun., John Daily, Clemant Briggs, Ephraim Howell, Isaac Leonard, John Drake, George Hall, John Howard, Nathan- icl Ames, Samuel Leach, Ephraim Howard, William Ames, James Keitlı, Samuel Lathrop, Sener, Samuel Lathrop, Juner, Nathaniel Packard, Joseph Hayward, - - Haris. "
[State Papers, Vol. XI. p. 302.]
Three days afterwards, Sept. 12, certain individuals in favor of a town, presented this additional petition :
"To ye Honered Generall Cort held at Boston.
"We ye subscribers, Inhabitance of Taunton, liveing within ye pre- cincts Line of ye North pureheis, on ye Easterly part thereof, in all humble submition doe offer to this Cort, yt whereas our naighbors have obtained a preeinets to be set forth by a Committy appynted for ye same, and they have taken us into sd. preeinet, which was contrary to our minds, altho' we signified our minds to sd. Committy yt. we ware not willing to be cut of from our minister and mitting-hous so near ye west end of sd. North purelieis yt we shall have no benefitt thereby, so yt we are like to be in wors condition than we ware in before; it being so re- mote from us, and a more uneasy way to travill on: Tharfore, if it be ye pleasure of this Cort yt wee must be drawn of from our minister and mitting-hous, unto which we have heatherto belonged, and have layed out part of yt littel Estate yt we have towards ye supporting of, and help with others to build another mitting-hous, and settell another minister. we pray yt ye whole north purehies, and ye part of Taunton which be- longs to ye miletary Company, may be made a township, and ye mitting- hous may be sett where it may be servisable for the whole town: which, we conceive, will be a great benefit to all ye inhabitance within ye tract of Land; for it is a great pity but so good a work should be prophitable
344
QUARTER MILLENNIAL CELEBRATION.
to all ye inhabitance abovesaid; whereas, if ye mitting-hous be bult in ye place whare it is appynted, it will be prophitable to but a very few. We subscribe ourselves your most humble petitioners,
"Dated in Taunton
September 12, Ana Domini 1709.
We desire yt Mr. Robert Crossman may deliver these lines into ye Cort.
JOHN BRIGGS, Junior. JOHN AUSTIN. JEREMIAH WETHEREL.
WILLIAM COB.
EDWARD WHIT.
JOHN WETHERELL.
BENJAMIN NEWLAND.
NICHOLAS SMITH.
WALTER MERY.
JOHN NEWLAND.
JEREMIAH NEWLAND."
[Sate Papers Vol. XI: p. 302.]
The friends of a precinct were not idle, and thus again gave their reasons for a precinct.
1st. Because now is the time that the spirit of God seems to move the hearts of those people So earnestly to desire it.
2dly. Because if it be now granted, it is to be hoped that some most considetable persons will be Incouraged to come and settle there, when they know that an orthodox minister is settled there.
3dly. Because it is to be feared, if there be no settlement of the ministry among them till some of those leading men among them are taken away, and others grown up in their room that will be brough up in an ungospelled way, many of them will be so far from desiring a min- ister, that, if some among them should Invite a minister among them, some others would warn him away.
4ly. Because if the Court do not grant what is desired to settle a minister in these places, when the report thereof is spread abroad that these people desired such a Grant, but the Court would not grant it, It is to be feared that it will be an Incouragement to some Envious persons to come and settle there, to the undoing of the places, and creating trouble to the Government; whereas it is to be hoped that a timely settlement of the ministry there will be a means to make those places useful in the Government, and happy to the Inhabitants.
These petitioners do not act through any dislike to their present pastor, nor to the church in Taunton, but have as great a love for, and esteem of, said pastor and church, as to render them well satisfied and contented, if their habitations were near enough to the meeting.
345
APPENDIX.
And the pastor has as great a love and respect for them both in the north and south purchase. 1
Therefore it is not any discontent or Animosity that causeth the petitioners to stir as they do, but only that they and their children may Injoy the means of grace nearer to them.
[State Papers. Vol. CXIII, p. 517.]
The General Court, on the 16th Sept. 1709 accepted the re- port of their Committee, before referred to, in favor of a new pre- cinct with a slight proviso, and thus this long and exciting contro- versy seemed to have terminated in favor of George Leonard and Nicholas White and the prospect for a new town was not encour- aging. But in less than two years the new Precinct and the Town both agreed that a new town should be established, and on their petition, this order was passed :
"March 17th, 1710-11 .-
The following Order passed by the Council and Assembly respect- ively, upon the Petition of the North Precinct in Taunton, Praying to be made a Town, having the consent of Taunton therefor; viz :-
Ordered, That the North Precinct in Taunton be, and hereby is, granted to be a town, distinct from the Town of Taunton by the name of NORTON, and have and enjoy the Powers, Immunities and Privileges by law granted to Townships; and that a bill be projected, and brought in at the next session of this Court, fully to perfect the sd. Grant. Provided that the East End of the North Purchase shall have half the said Purchase as their Precinct when they are able to maintain a min- ister, and this Court judge them so."
[Gen. Court Rec. Vol. IX, p. 100.]
Thereupon the bill was passed for a new town as follows, and the final disposition of the question was reached,
" An Act for raising a new Town by the name of NORTON, within the County of Bristol.
Whereas the tract of Land commonly called and known by the name of the North Purchase, Lying situate within the Township of Taunton, in the county of Bristol, circumscribed within the Lines and Boundaries prescribed by a committee some time since appointed by the General Assembly, as follows, viz .: Beginning at the line between the two late Colonies of the Massachusetts and Plymouth, in the line of the said North Purchase and Attleborough; from thence Running Southward to Rehoboth North-East corner; from thence Eastward on the North-pur-
346
QUARTER MILLENNIAL CELEBRATION.
chase Line, to Tanton bounds; thenee Eastward to the Mouth of the Brook called Burt's Brook, and extending from the mouth of Burt's Brook to the Bridge over the Mill River, near Wm. Witherel's; and from thenee North-eastward to the North-Purchase Line; and from the North- purchase Line, the Road that leads from the said Bridge towards Boston to be the Bound till it come to the Line betwixt the two Late Colonies aforesaid which Line to be the Bounds to Attleborough aforesaid was set off from Tanton by and with the consent of that Town, and by an order of the General Assembly, passed at their Session in March, 1710, made a distinct and separate Town from Tanton, containing a sufficient quan- . tity of Lands and a competent number of Inhabitants for that purpose, and named NORTON; the full perfecting of the said grant being ad- journed and referred to the present Courts.
In pursuance, therefore, of the afore-recited Order and Grant, and for the completing and perfecting of the same, Be it enacted by his Ex- cellency the Governor, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same That the aforesaid Tract of Land commonly called the North Purchase circumscribed and bounded as above expressed, Be and is Granted to be a Township Distinct and separate from Tanton; the Town to be named Norton, and all the In- habitants thereof to have, Use, Exercise, and enjoy all such Immunities, Powers, and Privileges as other Towns within this Province have and do by law exercise and enjoy, so that the said Inhabitants settle and an able, Learned, Orthodox Minister in the said Town, and from time to time allow him a Comfortable support.
Provided Nevertheless, That the Inhabitants in the cast end of the said North Purchase shall have one-half of the said Purchase as their Precinct, when they are able to maintain a minister, and this Court judge them so."
June 12th, 1711.
[1 Prov. Sts. p. 676.|
(In the preparation of this Appendix much aid has been derived from Rev. Mr. Clark's History of Norton.)
APPENDIX Y.
(Page 53.)
The original petition for the setting off of the South Precinct, dated Oct. 11, 1708, and signed by thirty-one residents in that locality was in these words :
347
APPENDIX.
"To His Excelency Joseph Dudley Esqr. Governour, And to the Honour- able Councell, And Representatives Assembled in their Great and Gener- all Court Att Boston October 20, 1708.
We the Subscribers, Inhabitants of Taunton South purchase together with severall Inhabitants of the old Township of Taunton That dwell on the east side of the great river; Being under great disadvantages By reason of remoteness from the meeting-House in the center of the old Township, many of us liveing six and seven and some of us Eight miles and some more then so distant therefrom, so that it is impossible for us to carry our whole families with us to meeting. And those that are Aged and Crasey among us ean seldom repayr thether And while the heads of the families are absent, the younger persons are exposed to pro- phayn the sabbath att Home.
We doe therefore out of a sincere respect to the glory of god and the leaveing religion as a portion unto our posterity; Pray This Great and Generall Court, That we may have the liberty to settle a minister among our selves That is able orthodox Learned and pious Hoping that there is a competent number of us the Petitioners, to Afford that support to such A quallifyed Minister as may Incorrage one to settle among us In Case this Court will please to free us from paying to the support of the Minis- try in the old Township; Which we humbly conceive may be thought reasonable; Considering that there will be as great a number of Inhabi- tants Remaining in the old township to support the ministry there when we are drawn of, As there was in the whole township twenty years since And that the greatest part of the Inhabitants of this south purchase have settled themselves there within this twenty year, And we submit to the wisdom of this Great and Generall Court to make us either a precinct or a township as they shall see Cause, And to set such a line thereunto as may Comprehend All the families of your Petitioners; Although the line we our selves Have thought upou is the line that Runs Betwixt the south- purchase and Taunton old township; And Crossing the great river to keep the same point till it meet with the line of fretown Township; And we have chosen Capt. Jared Talbut To present this our petition and to wait upon the Court As is need full to obtain their favourable answer therein.
Dated In Taunton October 11th 1708. By your very Humble Peti- tioners.
Edward paull John Reed
Henry Pitts Nathaniell Briggs Nicolas Haskens James Talbut Isaac pooll
John paull Richard haskins
Ebenezer briggs
James paul
Ebenezer Pitts
Samuel Waldron
Ephraim Hathway
Thomas Jones Hezekiah Hoar
348
QUARTER MILLENNIAL CELEBRATION.
Abraham blanchard
Matthew briggs
Penieman briges
Thomas briges
John Crane
David Walker
Isaac hathway
Amos briggs
Edward Shove
Joseph pooll
James Tysdale
Samuel Whitmarsh
Joseph Dean
Jared Talbut
Abram hathway
This petition was followed by the following order :
" In Council, 28 Octo. 1708.
Read and Ordered That the Petrs cause the Selectmen of Taunton to be Served with a Copy of this Petition and that they be heard thereupon before this Court, on the second Tuesday of their next Session; If any thing they have to Say why the Prayer thereof may not be Granted.
Jsa. Addington Secry. Sent down for Concurrence.
In the House of Representatives.
Octo. 29th 1708. Read &
Pass'd. in Concurrence.
Thomas Oliver Speaker."
Upon Reading of a Petition of the Inhabitants of Taunton South Purchase, with several of the old Township, Setting forth their Remote- ness from the Place of publick Worship, Praying to be made a Separate Precinct for the Ministry; Ordered that the Petitioners Cause the Select Men of Tannton to be served with a Copy of the said Petition And that they be heard thereupon before this Court, on the second Tuesday of their next Session, If any Thing they have to say; why the Prayer there of may not be granted.
Voted a Concurrence in the House of Representatives.
(Date of meeting, October 28, 1708.)
Consented to J. Dudley.
On the service of this petition there was a tumult in Taunton, as is easily gathered from the following action of the town : viz. : "Tanton feb ye first day 1708-9
Whereas ye select men of our town was served with a coppy of ye north purchas and south purchas petitions and they Caused ye town to meet to Gather this day and Read thayr petitions in ye town meeting when matters was fairly debated and thare being many men of many minds so that nothing was Concluded on, only some persons would have ye select
349
APPENDIX.
men to take thayr time and write ye Court an answer, so ye assembly ware dismissed.
John Wilbore Town Clerk.
Henry Hedges
Another town meeting three weeks afterwards as follows :
At a Legall Town meeting, warned and held at Taunton publick meeting house the 22 day of february 1708-9 It was voted that the Town doth Im- power the present select men, to make Return to the Generall Court in answer to the petitions of the north and south purchasers
A True Coppy Transcribed by me John Wilbore Town Clerk.
In May following the Selectmen sent in this communication :
" And as for the South Purchase, we are very sensible that they will be exposed to great difficulty, by reason of the Great River that runs through the middle of that desired precinct, which will be difficult to pass in Winter by reason that the ice is many times not strong enough to bear, and to hard to break. Yet we say, that if this Honored Court in their wisdom see it convenient, and our neighbors and friends see their way clear,we shall not oppose them; so that the Court order it that we be no way concerned with any of their charges, but that they bear it themselves. "
But the town apparently desired to reinforce this protest and accordingly a special committee was appointed for this purpose, as appears by the following :
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.