USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > The early records of Groton, Massachusetts. 1662-1707 > Part 2
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6th 5" 1666 it was this day voted and declared by these foure men that are aboue mentioned in this order of granting lands to builde a mill haue also released the towns engagement unto them
17
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
The following two entries are in the handwriting of John Morse, the sixth town clerk, and belong some years later.
At a Towne meeting granted by the Towne a five acre acomada- tion of vpland and medow with priuledg of commonage to such a psell vnto Thomas Williams wife and children and soe to remaine theirs without any salle or alteration and if in case they leaue the town then it is to returne againe to the town the towne paying him for what nesisary charg hee hau bin at
Upon an exact calculation found seaven hundred and forty acres of ratable meadow [10]
at a generall town meeting held 26 . . . [1666.] ... It was agreed and declared by vote that our re [verand ] Pastor M' Willard should haue sixty pounds al[lowed] him for this year Ensuing : beginning at the 29 of Semptember 1666:
And also euery inhabited, is hereby ingaged to pay vnto our reuerent Pastor the third pt. of his pption in merchantable corne at price currant and also to cutt and Car[t] to his house and there to Cord for him the aforesaid 30 cord of wood at fiue shilling p cord, betwixt this & the 25th 10 m
Att the same meetinge, Nathaniell Lawrenc and Samuell Woods now agreed with to lay the planks vpon the meeting and to do them sufficiently, and they are to haute 4 s 6 : d p ooo alowed them in the meeting rate
Att the same meeting, James Knapp & Ellis [Barron] were agreed with to make 2 doores for the meeting house & to mak 2 p of stares for 14 : and to lay the vpper floure for 45 6
At the same meating Will Greene and Joshua Whittney where cohosen, to he[lp] the Glassiar Goodm Grant to bring vp his glasse and to be allowed for their tim in the meeting house rate
Att a towns meeting held IIth : roth 1666 Samuell Woods was Chosen Constable for the yeare Ensuing.
Att the same meeting Sergeant James Parker John Lakins John Lawrence James Knapp & William Longley we[re] Chosen select men for this yeare en[suing.]
Att the same meetting William Longley was chosen town Clarke for the year Ensuing.
John Longley of Grawton took the oath of fidelity this 24th of the 2 month 1666
before DANIELL GOOKIN
18
EARLY RECORDS OF
Att the same meeting the towne grant[ed] vnto John Morse that 2 acres & a h[alf] that was layed out vnto Tho[mas] boydens in the general [field.] [11]
JIth: 10 1666 . .. the same meeting Benjamin [Crispe] did lay downe 2 acres & a halfe of we he purchased of Thomas Boyden in the generall feild, and he had liberty by the towne to take it vp with his gratuity y he purchased of Thomas boyden and the towne granted vnto the sd beniamin Crispe two acres and a halfe of vpland to be layed out with the rest abouesd :
A true account of all the pticuler soms of all the work done to the meeting house frame and other charges as nailes hookes & hinges glasse and pulpit et :
Inpr for Thatch
5 - 0 0
It . to John morsse for thathing and getting withs 1 13
0
It for wages for those did attend the thatcher 5 14
8
It carting clay & stones for dawing the wall & un- der pinning 3
0
0
It the dawbing of meeting house walls
4
125
6
= laths and nailing on
2
0
0
It for nailes
3 12
3
It for nailling on the clap bords
7
10
S
It for getting the sleepers and laying of them
1
4
0
It for planks 600 & halfe
IS
6
It fo seanson bords 700 & 5 foot 2
12
10
It for laying of the lower flore at 4º 6ª p ooo
I
S
2
It making doores and two payres of stares 1
O
0
It for laying 40382 of bords on the gallery floors
It for shutts for the windows and making p'uison
for M' Willard to preach till we haue a pulpitt o
10
0
It making a pulpitt
3
It for glass for the windows 3
5 0
It for 200 of bords and more nails and more work
done by carting & laying seats &c I
S 0
50 16 IO
. . . f the meeting house rate Josiah Parker
[12]
19
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
Att a Town mee[tin]g held 24 10" [1666.] It was agreed & by vote Declared yt all the lower seates in the new meeting house that now is: should be deuided six for men & six for women, And also the two front seats of the Gallery : the best prouision that the town can provide both for the minister and also for the people to sit upon, against the next Lords day come seauenight and euery one to be placed in their places as they shall continue for the future
Att a Generall Town meeting held 31th rom 1666 ffor better pceed- ing in setling seates for the women as well as for men It was agreed & by vote declared that the ffront Gallery on the north side of the meeting house should be devided in the midle; and the mens that shall be placed there ; their wiues are to be placed by their husbands as they are below
£ sd
12 3 4 A rate made ; 13th 5" 1666 and put in to the hands of Joseph to colect, to pay these debts follow
Impms I pound
2 IO
It to seuerall men fo laying out highwais and other time spent for the towne use
It t sergent Parker
I
3
0
It to richard Blood
00
18
4
It John Lakins
00
12
0
It Tho Tarball .
00
IS 0
It John Page
00
16
It James Knap
OI
12
It
James ffisk
00
IO
It John Nutting
00
IO
It Joseph Parker
00
06
It
Joseph for the stocks and Irons to hang
I2
I Sam Woods
00
02
It Will Longley
0
02
It rich holdin
00
02
It
for the for the rate about first meeting falling short to pay the workers .
II
09
4
It toe black staffe .
0
3
6
I for beanes, & a halfe bushell peck & halfe
0
16
0
12
8
10
[13]
0
20
EARLY RECORDS OF
Att a meeting of [the] Select men held 22th . .. [1667.] It was agreed for the puenting of vnessary Charges y' might fall vpon the towne, by any Constable or any other men, that shall or may be au- thorized, by the towne, to gather towne rates yearly It is therefore ordered for the future, that any Constable or Constables that shall be legally Authorized from the Towne to gather rates for the vse of the towne, being Comitted vnto him or them orderly ; And after due demand made of each inhabitant of this towne, that now arc or after shall be from time to time: who euer they shall be that shall refuse to make payment, or to satisfy the Constabls their respectives sumns so demanded the s" Constable or Constables are hereby Impowered to leuy a distresse vpon the goods or chattells of any man or men rusing or mon paying theirs dues as aforesd ; And the sd Constable is to take two shillings for euery distresse so leuyed for his fees always puided that he or they make but one distresse of any one pson for any one rate, and this order was appued of by the towne to stand in force till the Towne so cause to repleale the same
Att a generall Towns meetings held 8" 3" 1667 The Towne hav- ing further agitations about a mill vnderstanding that Captaine Clerke of Boston had manifested his willingnesse to build a mill for the Towne; It was agreed & by vote declared : that There should be three men chosen to go to Mr Clerke and power giuen vnto them at the same meetings to make a firme agreement with sd Capt Clerke in the behalfe of the Towne, and the Towne did by vote declare to stand to confirme what should be inacted by them, puided they attended to the Instructions then agitatted by the Towne The Three men chosen by the towne as the Trustees are These Sergeant James Parker Corporall James Knapp & Beniamin Crispe
Att the same meetings it was declared by vote that the Towne Clerke, should in the behalfe of the town signify vnder his hand by writing vnto Captaine Clerke that the sd three men now chosen by the the towne and had full power Committed vnto them to make a firme & full agreement with him about his building a mill for the towns use [14]
[At a to]wns mee[ting h]eid 64 6m 1667. [The t]owne hauing
.
21
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
another meeting about a mill [it] was agreed & by vote Declared yt the lands & meadows granted to John prescott : for to build the towne a mill ; namly the 500 acres of vpland and twenty of meadow, together with the mill should be freed from all towns charges whatsoeuer for the space of twenty years : and this was the vote of the major part of the towne that was present at this ineet- ing : these fouer men as folloeth, manifested their Descent at yt time
Richard Blood - Will Longley James ffiske Thimõ Allen
At the same meeting : James Parker, James Knapp John Page & Ellis Barron were chosen, by the major p' to agree with John Prescott & full power given them, to make a firme bargaine with him :
Att a generall towns meeting held 7th Sm 166[7,] It was agreed & by vote declared that the rate that was formerly made for amu- nition should be made voide : that order was giuen to the select men to make another and to add to the former i penny vpon the acre, and the pay to be such as carry it self down to Charles Towne.
Att a meeting of the select 8th Sith 1667 : a rate made for amuni- tio" and Committed in to the hands of Joseph Parker Constable to Colect, and procure the same for the Towne use
the totall 125 00
Att a generall Towns meetting held 10th 9m 1667 It was agreed and by vote declarded to giue vnto Mr Willard our pastor for his maintenance for this present yeare beginning the 29" 7" should haue sixty pounds, to be paid at two payments the one halfe to be paid into to him, betwixt this and the last of March next: and the other half of the pay to be paid vnto him by the last of September next after the date hereof. And for quality ; the major pt of the Towne agreed y' one third p' each inhabitant shloud pay his third pe of his proportion ; in wheat at 55 p bushell or porke a[t] 3 pence p pound or butter at 6 pence p pound fo . . . thirds in Indian corne
22
EARLY RECORDS OF
at 35 p bushelle : or other .. . at the price currant as it passeth betwixt . . . amongst ourseleues [15]
At the same [meeti]ng it wa[s voted that] Sergeant James Parker should ... Inhabitant bring in his Just pportion . . . time and quality of pay as it is stated in the [for]mer order & that the sd James Parker shall haue full power giuen to him vnder the select mens hands to force any Inhabitant to mak payment that shall not come vp to pforme his duty aft[er] due demand and all due means used to bring him or them as abouesd
Att a generall Towns meetting held LIth gmth 1667 The towne agreed with Thimothy Allen to swe[ep] the meetinge house & to puide water ffor the babtizing of the towns children from time to time, for this yeare ensuing, and the sa Thimothy allen is to haue twenty shillings allowed him for his labor in the next townes rate
At the same meettinge it was agreed that the seats in the meet- inge should be mad in a pleaine and desent and comly manner, and euery seuerall company (that ar now present inhabitants and as they are now placed by the towne and the Committey for- merly chosen,) they should build their seates at their owne charge, And all the fronteers both aboue and below, shall be at the charge of the laying the foundation sills for the seates that are behind them ; And what euer any maior p' of any company that are placed together in any seat shall agre to build their seats the minor are hereby inioyned to pay with their neighbors and it was further agreed that whereas the seates are larger than the present inhab- itants do fill vp then when any shall placed hereafter in any seate or seates yt then they are hereby enioyned to pay an equall pportion to be & with those that haue laid down the pay for the building of the seates
Att meeting of the select men 2 1th gth 1667 A rate made for our Pastor of 60 00 00 and put it into the hands of Serg James Parker to colect
[At] the same meeting was a rate made for the Count . . . acer ii -- -- and Committed into the hands [of] Joseph Parker to colect [16]
[At] a meeting [of the select] men the [22 9 1667,] Rekonde with Joseph Parker both for the towne rate of 126 3$ 4 and for the
23
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
Meeting house Rate being 19-00-06, he the sd Joseph : paying all the pticuler bills assigned to him by the select men or stated in the townes book to be paid as there remaine Due ; to the sd Joseph Parker 024-15 - 04 of wch summe rof oo oo [{[ ?] is due to him for 2 wolues heads that he paid to the to the Indians for the towne
At the sanie meetinge was a towne rate made ffor to pay the Artest and the men that attended him and his diet for himself and his horse, and for two sheets of parchment, for him to mak two platts for the towne, and for Transportation of his pay all which amounts to about twenty pounds and to pay seuerall other town debts that apear to us to be due ; which sd rate ariseth to 9 pence p acre vpon the meadow of cach inhabitant of this towne, and Comitted vnto Joseph Parker now Constable to Colect, and to dis- charg the aforsd debts being ordered to him by the selectmen due to John lakin OI 00
James Parker, for going to boston to search to Coun- try records and to Captain Clerke 00
15 00
due to Joseph Parker
02
15 00
ffor two sheats of Parchment
00
05 00
due James Knap for going to Cap Clerke
00
05 00
James Parker hath p'mised to Discount that 2-6. 55
thats due from him to the towne, in that wch
is due from the town to him ; & therefore the rate was laid so much lesse vpon the towne : wch sume abousd is discounted
attest MITHIAS FARNWOR[TH]
due to Thimothy Allen for sweeping the meetinge house of oo ffor to build a seat ffor the deaco" and a seat ffor the
Pastor wife 02 00
At a towns meeting held the rrth Io" 1667 Samuell Dauis was chosen Constable for the yeare Ensuing. [17]
[James] Knop . . . [John] Nutting selectmen for the .
Item, Jno Page chosen [Town] Clerke :
Item. Rich: Blood & Tho Tarbol Senio' surveyo's for ye high wayes.
Item, Tim : Allyn : Sam! Kempe, & Jno Ba[rron] chosen sur- veyo's of fences.
Item, Sam! Wood, & Nath. Lawrence chosen to s[ee] that hogs' bee legalt
24
EARLY RECORDS OF
John Page was the fourth town clerk, and held the office during the year 1668. He was the son of John and Phebc Page, of Watertown, and removed to Groton in the year 1662. He was married May 12, 1664, to Faith Dunster, by whom he had five or six children. In the spring of 1676 he returned to Watertown, where he died probably in the year 1712.
1668. Att a towne meeting held the 11 of 9 month John Nutting was Chosen Constable for yeare insu[in]g
att the same meeting James Parker Willa longlye Beam Crispe Willa lakin Richard bl[ood] wheare Chosen select men for this yeare and Richard Blood towne Clark
att the same time Willa longlye Joseph Parker Nathaniell Law[rence] Richard blood wheare Chosen Oveseers for the high wayes
at the same time Thomas Tarball Juni willia greene Joseph gil- son was Chosen oversears of fences and that swyne be ordered according to Court and towne order
At the same time Josefh parker was agreed with for [to] keep the meeting house Cleane for this y[ear] for twenty shillings
Richard Blood, the fifth town clerk, was the son of James and Ellen Blood, of Concord. He held the office during the year 1669, and lived in the district called " Nod," which is sit- uated in the neighborhood of the cross-roads, just below the soapstone quarry. He was one of the original petitioners for Groton, and the largest proprietor in the town, owning a sixty- acre right. He was also one of the first board of selectmen chosen by the inhabitants. His wife's name was Isabel ; they had five children, and perhaps more. He died on Decem- ber 7, 1683. James, his eldest son, was killed by the Indians at Groton, in the autumn of 1692.
the 6 of the Io moth in a towne meting it was voted that . . . Acommidations with all the visible estat of [the] towne is that which is to be Rated for the defraing of publick Charges Civill and eycle [siastical.]
Richard Blood Willa longlye with sum others refuse to Join with them but showing theire desent to the Contrarie
25
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
The : 8 of the ro moth It was this day voted by the mayior part of the towne that the minist[er have] sixty fiue pounds for this yeare beginning the tewnty nine of september 68 shall shall be Raysed the one halfe vpon the Accomdations and the other halfe vpon all the visible estat of the towne will longley Richard blood and sum others declaring the Contrarie by voyt [18]
[At a gen]erall [town]e meting the . . . It was this voted by the to[wn] ... County Court shall be .. . from the Charges of . . . so to other Courts to efect and to be Chosen for that end
At the same meting it was determined to buil[d a] bridg over stonie brook fitting for Cart[s to] pass over. as also that James knop W[illiam] lakin Richard blood ar mayd cho[ice] of to vew where the best place be for that end and what the Char[ge] may amount vnto and to haue ther p[ay] when sargent parker and Richard . .. hath theirs for going to the gener[al Court.]
5 of the first moth 68 69 At a meeting of the sele[ct] men for the dividing of heards ar so divided as th . , yeare onely Richard Blood and . . lakin shall heard ther Cattell with there neighbors according to a towne order formaly mayd in the yeare 62
the 22 of march 68 69 Att a towne meting it was [by] vot de- clared that the deaken should be satisfied for in the Ratt now put into the counst[able's] hand which is tow pounds three shillings and six pence.
2 -3
the 19 of the second moth 1669 A Rate mayd by the select men for belerica bridg Contaying the sum [of] sixtene pounds put now into the h[ands] of John nuttinge Counstable
At the same meting it was o[rdered] that sargent parker and so to . . . . lakin shall heard ther Cat[tle] together notwithstanding any order formalie to the Contrarie for this yeare [19]
[At a] town meting the second . .. by vote granted to Robert parish . .. [Park]er and timothy Couper that th[ey shall be] and now ar free Comoners for wood and timber and for there owne Cat[tle] as other men of this towne haue paying to all towne Charges according to there proportion
[Sa]me [meeti]ng formalie being an account taken of all the
26
EARLY RECORDS OF
grants that had bine giuen and granted and the Comitties order being fulfiled the towne did solemlie determine to take in no more but a taylear and a smith and Consedering the great Charg that hath bine vpon the present inhabitants the do now by vote declare that by way of grant or gift directlie or indirectlie as a towne and the townes mind herein declared by vote the second of June 1669. onely a smith and no other
same meting theise men gaue vnto Robert parish sum small grants of vpland as followeth
sargent parker
4 accors
will longlye
3 accors
Richard Blood
4 acors
John longlye
2 acors
James knop
I acors
James ffiske
1 acors
matt farnworth
I acor
John baron
I acor
sargent lakin
I acor
Thomas tarball senior 2 acors
this not giuen as a towne act but out of everie mans owne pertikuler Right provided hee Come and settell amonst vs a townes man and not other wayes
it was voted that our pastors maintenance should be Raysed the one halfe ypon the Acomidations and the other halfe vpon the visible estat of the towne and the sum to be sixtic fiue pounds as followeth
first to pay 30 pounds in Corne and tenn pounds in provision and what is wanting in provision to be payd in Corne and . . . tewnty fiue pounds to be payd in . . . seasonnablelye or other- wayes in Corne [20]
. . month [166]9 * Ratte mayd for the . . . [ge]neral towns dets the sume . pounds eighteene shillings and . . . put into the hands of John nu[tting.]
Att a meting of the select men the night moth 69 it is ordered that all and eu[ery] inhabitant shall from time to time p[revent] his swine from doing his neighbor [damage] either in Corne feilds medowes or a[ny] other pertikuler propritye but if any [man] or
27
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
men shall neglect his or ther du[ty] herein the shall for the first traspass [pay] Just damag according to Just valuati[on ;] for the second traspass the shall pay d[ouble] damag according to a Just valuation for a third traspass a trible damage a[s] aforesayd and that this order sha[I]] stand in force till this towne se a way to efect and prevent damag by swine
A Countrie Ratte put into the h[ands] of John nutting Coun- stable for this yeare 1669 being the sum [of] tenn pounds sixtiene shillings
the 10 of the 9 moth 69 att a towne meting James . was chosen counstable for [the] yeare next insuing
At the same meting John Mos chosen towne clarke for the y[ear] insuing
John Morse was the sixth town clerk, holding the office from the year 1670 to 1676, when the town was burned by the Indians, -and subsequently during the years 1680 and 1681. He was the son of Joseph and Dorothy Morse, of Ips- wich, and a native of England. He wrote a handsome hand, and was an accomplished man. At the burning of the town he was taken prisoner, but ransomed in the course of a few weeks on the payment of "about five pounds." He removed from Groton to Watertown about the year 1699.
The 15 of the 10 month 69 At a town meeting chussen [se]lect men for this year insu[ing] Will martin Sergent Parker Benjamin Crisp John Nutting John Page James knop John Morse
[A]t the Same meeting for the same year chosen for cominis- sioners William martin Sergent Parke[r] william Longly
for Surveyers Joseph Parker Thomas Tarball senior [21]
for veiwers of fences W . . . Blood and John Barro [n] , Iso at the same tim were chosen Pel[eg Lawr ]ance and Joshua Whitney for [look]ing after swine to be acording to orde[r. At] the same meeting were chosen [John P]age and John Nutting by the [town ] to see that Mr Willard haue maintenance duely and truly payd him and that they bring the towne a generall acquitance :
Agreed with Timothy Allen for the keeping the meeting house cleane for twenty shillings and to be payd in his town charges
28
EARLY RECORDS OF
The Towne voted that the men shold be payd for the laying out of John Prescots land
and also agreed vpon at the same meeting that the select men shall haue power to petition to the Court for one to marry persons in our towne
At a meting of the Select men the 27. December 1669 [I]t is orderd that all and euery Inhabitant of the Towne shall bring in a tru invoyce [o]f their pticuler estat to any one of the select men whensoeuer it is called for (or else it must be left to the discretion of the select men) or to a town meeting deputed for that end
endepted to the towne from James ffisk Thirteen 0 13 6 shillings sixpence
This acknowledged to be payd by John nutting
At a meeting of the Select men Decem 27 1669 Agreed vpon that you are to make a Sufficient cart bridge ouer Sandy brook and also a Sufficient horse bridg ouer stony brook with a Raille of one side and to make a firm goeing in and out for a cart at the same brook and to mend such countrey hyewayes as doc nesisarily fall in and for pticuler hyewaye working all such as are behind are to be called vpon by the surveyers to work their due proportion answer- able to those that haue wrought before and that euery man work proportionabley according to his estat and that the wayes are to be mended in the seuerall anggells of the towne and if any man or men shall willfully neglect working in any part of the hyeway after three dayes warning by the Surveyers they shall have power to hire any one in the roume of th[ose] that doe soe neglect and to mak them to pay three shill a day for euery such defect giuing the man they hire 2. 64 for his day and reseruing the other 64 for the towns vse. [22]
. . meeting of the select men Ja 10 1[669. Or]der about fences
[T]o the intent that we may preserue loue and peace in the towne and preserue our corne from unnesisary beeing destroyed It is ordered according to power giuen to the select men to mak orders according to their best discretion as in pag II sexion 6 we order that all the out sid fences about all cornfeilds orchards and gardens in the towne shalbe a sufficient fiue Raill fence or that that
29
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
is in the judgment of the veiwers of the fences eqvivolent theirto and if any man refuse or neglect to mak such fences and theirby occasion either his owne or his neighbours cattell to an ill haunt which otherwise would be orderly shall forfeit to the towne for euery such default legally proued as a fine ten shillings and we doc expect that the veiwers of the fences shold atend their dutyes herin according to the law and towne order
according to that law concerning swine in page 74
for the preseruing our medowes from damage as much as may be from s[wine] that goe vpon the commons shalbe suff [i]ciently ringed from three months old and vpward with two sufficiently ring[s] in each swines nose well put in and to be ringed by the first of Aprill from tim to tim and to be continved so ringed till the last of September and to that end that they may goe sufficiently r[inged] doe order that the man or men [who] are to look after swine shold hau sixp[ence] a swine for euery swine that he or they find vnringed in the towne that is abo[ve] three months old and mak it apear le [gal]ly that he or they haue ringed them alre[ady] according to the intent of this order
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