USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > The early records of Groton, Massachusetts. 1662-1707 > Part 4
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and the commitee chussen by the towne at the same time the persons are as followethe
Sergent Parker Richard Blood and
James Knop
Joseph Parker
John Morsse
a
42
EARLY RECORDS OF
At a Generall towne meeting held November 13 1672 It was this day agreed vpon and by vote declared that the remainder of the pay that is still behind for the building the seates in the meet- ing house shalbe raised in a generall way notwithstanding all other actes done to the contrary either by towne or commitee
William Longley seni descenting
At a meeting of the select men no 13 72 A Towne rate made for the defraying of seuerall towne depts and put into the consta- bles hand to gather (viz)
for shuts for the windows of the meeting house I 0 for pay for the comitee chussen to se that non Incroach
vpon the towne common 1 16 0
for pay for a woalfes head to John Nutting 0
10
for taking an Invoyse
3
And for Timothy Allen 5 And for expenses for towne and countrey 0 15
At a Generall town= meeting decem 10 1672 chussen for consta- ble for this next year Richard Holden
And for the sellect men
Major Willard Sergent Parker
William Longley and
James ffiske
John Page James Knop John Morsse
for surueyers Thomas Tarball seniz Nathaniell Lawrance
for veiwers of fences Joseph Gilson & Jacob Onge
for to look after swine to se that they be according to order James Blood & Joseph morsse [34]
At a meeting of the sellect men Janevary 10 1672 a committe chussen to meet with concord committe chussen by the generall court to shew them the south line and the line runing between groaten and the new plantation and the nam[es] of the men are these
Sergent Parker = James ffiske James Knop
At a Generall towne meeting held Janevary 13 1672 This day agreed vpon and by vot declared that their shalbe a commit chossen
43
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
for to seat the persons in the meeting house according to their best discretion and at the sam time a commitee chosen and their names are thess
Maior Willard Sergent Parker and S
James ffiske
sergent Lakin John Lakin
and at the same meeting it was agitated and voted that all the prohibitated land shalbe proportioned and layd out to the severall Inhabetants now in beeing proportionable according to what they pay in their publik charges as shall apear in mr willards rate only Cornelius Church Peleg Lawrance John Cooll and Samuell Scriptur are to haue a proportion out of it the surveying of it and the laying of it out is commited into the hands of a committe and they ar as followeth
sergent Parker Richard Blood and John Lakin
Agreed vpon at the same meeting that those men that layd out the hye wayes shalbe payd 2 - 6 per daye
At a meeting of the sellect men febr 12 1672 It was this day agred vpon that their shalbe three heards the catell shalbe diuided into three heards the one Reaching from Matthias ffarnworths and so long the neck to James fiskes and along till we come to Pelleg Lawrances which heard is to goe out by Indian hill by James ffisks and the south side of Rock medow
The second heard to begin at samuell Woods taking nath = Law- rances and thomas smith and to goe along till we come at Thomas Williams and William Longley taking in John Lakins and his neigh- bors catell and they are to goe out with their heard by Nathaniell Lawrances and into vnquetenorset woods by Serg lakins and Wil- liam Longleys and Richard bloods
The third heard to begin at timothy [Coo]pers and along the west sid of broad medow to Jonathann Sawtells taking in the catell of Richard holden and Justin and they likewise are to goe into vnquetenorset woods if the se case [35] These severall angles are to hire their heards man if the major part of any company agreeing theirto the minor are to submite
Concerning Swine
At the same meeting it was ordered to that end our medowes
44
EARLY RECORDS OF
and cornfeilds should be preserucd from damage it is ordered that all swine that goe vpon the common from three year [month inter- lined] old and vpward shalbe ringed with two sufficient rings in each swines nose well put in and to be ringed by the tenth of March and so continue from time to time till the last of september and to that end they may be soe we doe furder order that those men that are chusen to look after swine shall haue sixepence a swine for euery swine that they find vnringed in the towne from three months old and vpward and mak it apeare legally that he or they haue ringed them already according to the intent of this order
And furder we doe order that if any mans swine in this towne tak any mans cornfield beeing legally proued the owners of these swine shall forthwith sufficiently secure them by yoking them or shuting them vp vpon the penalty of paying double damage after the first time of damage beeing done
At a meeting of the select men febr 26 72 Agreed upon by the sellect men that this division of land which is granted by the towne to the seuerall Inhabitants shalbe as followeth by proportion their shalbe one acre to one shill= disbursement in mr Willards Rat and we doe also agree that of this land that was prohibited shalbe only Indian hill and the hill behind Nath= Lawrances
and we doe furder agree that euery Inhabitant shall haue an equall proportion in these lands according to disbursements in mr Willard rat and for the rest of their proportion shalbe else wheir wheir it is most convenient for them either Joyning to their medowes or of Oake land on this sid the Riuer
only Mr Willard shall haue a proportion to a forty shilling dis- bursement - the town consenting here to
Also agreed vpon by the sellect men at the same meeting that all such as haue taken in any of the towns land by Incrachment as have bin determined by the commitee chussen for that end they shall turne it out to the common again by the 25 of march next after the date heir of vpon the penalty of all charges that they shall put the town to for the vindecating their own right
and a committe chussen for that end to see it done is Sergent Lakin Corporall Parker and Daniell Pearsse
At a meeting of the select men Janeuary 10 1672 a commite chussen to meet with concord men chelmesford men and Robert
45
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
blood to lay out the way to the bay betwene this and the spring wheir it is most passable and the commite are maior willard sergent parker James knop The maior hauing not tim to atend it Richard Blood is chussen by the towne in his roume at a towne meeting march 17 72-73 [36]
At a Generall towne meeting held March 7 1672-73 It was this day agreed vpon and by vote declared that divisions of land shalb[e] acording to our first grants that all publik charges from this day forward shalbe raised in that way according to the com- mites order and our first seauen years payment
Richard Blood and William Longley senior descenting
Also agreed upon and by vote declared that these seuerall psels of land here specified shall from hence forward lye coflion
I A peice of common land about the meeting house Bounded by John Nuting Samuell Kemp James Roberson Timothy cooper Wal- ter Skinner and the hye way
2 A swamp that lye by John Longley Bounded by the land of William Longley se= Richard Blood John Page and Lanchester hye way
3 A peice of land that lye Bounded by Samuell Woods Broad medow Richard Sawtell and the Bay hye way
4 All the Swamp that lye Bounded by Joseph Gilson Timothy Allen William Lakin and ye Bridge that Run to halfe moone medow
These last four votes appear to be a repetition of what was done at the town meeting, held February 13, 1670.
At a meeting of the sellect men Wheiras by the prouidence of god the Goodwife Onge beeing in a sad condition and her case requiring constant care and Inspection with present charge and wheras the select men in whose care it lyes liuing remote and hard on all ocasions to be caled together theirfor we doe desire and im- powre Sergent parker and James ffiske as a commitee to Inspect and tak care vpon nesisary ocasions of the woman and her child and in case more then ordinary herein they are to acquaint the rest of the select men that so this sade prouidence of god may bee caryed on with christianity and as much ffrugalitye as may be for the towns ease
This 5th: 4th mo 1673
46
EARLY RECORDS OF
At a meeting of the ssellect men may 28 73 Sergent Parker and corperall knop wer chussen a comitte to meet with lancaster men for the altering the high way to lancaster [37]
Wedensday 4 of June 1673 fforasmuch as the countrey hye way as it was formerly layd out by Lankaster and groaten vpon seuerall yeares triall, proned to be very insufficient and very difucult to be made passable in regard it was for the most part lyeing in the Intervailes wheirin their are seuerall soft places and litle brookes vpon which bridges and other mater for making the same passable is apt to be raised and torne vp by floods and vpon experiance of the same Lancaster made aplication to groaten for Remouing of the said way to Run more vpon the vpland which was Readily atended and John Prescott seni- and Roger Sumner for Lancaster and sergent Parker and corperall Knop for groaten wer chuse committe by both to townes to lay out the said hye way as aforsaid which was atended the day aforsaid as followeth (viz) first within the bounds of groaten they toke their begining at their meeting house to the mille of Jonas Prescott by Matthias ffarn- worths his house six Rods wide turning of out of the common mill way near twenty Rod aboue the mille and then it Runs 4 Rode wid through the land of the aforsaid Jonas Prescott acording as it is described by trees marked by the men aforesaid and from the said Jonas Prescotts land to penicooke Riuer in Lancaster through swan swamp 6 Rod wide as it is already marked out by the comitte aforsaid and from the way aforsaid butting vpon Penicook near to the night pasture wading place, they tak the way as it is left in width through the Intervayle and ouer nashaway bridge and soe to the meeting house and as it is to be understood that the way within lancaster bounds Runes neare the mideway betweene the brook medow and plumtrees medowes ouer a hill called Mahaneknits hill and soe along on the vpland to the pond path as it Runes near to the Still River medow and Josiah Whits medow vntill it come to the Swan Swamp path as aforsaid and to the confirmation hereof the comitte aforesaid haue here vnto put their hands the day and year aboue said
JOHN PRESCOTT ROGER SUMNER JAMES PARKER JAMES KNOP
47
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
The Twenty shillings due to andrew the Indian from the towne for his warre at stonny brook assigned by the sd Indian to Richard Blood the sd Richard Blood assigne it ouer to Leiftennant James parker
At a towne meeting no 19 1673 By the agrement of the towne Jonas Prescot is to grind the towns corne for the towne euery second day and cuery sixth day in euery weeke [38]
At a Generall Towne meeting held no : 19 1673 This day agreed vpon and by vote declared that Mr Willard rat shalbe raised ptly by vissible estat and partly by accomodations whatsoeuer votes hau past formerly to the contrary as also it was agreed vpon that euery man hence forward shall haue their draughts of land according to their disbursements and those y haue them not shall have them mad vp and that he shall haue eighty pound for this present yeare and a fourth part of this payment to be payd in money and the other sixty pound to be payd in all sorts of graine at price currant as the court haue determined and in prouision - and ten pound for his firewood which is to be payd in by tim preffixd and if not then to pay their proportion in corne or prouision and also agreed vpon that this twenty pound in money is to be payd in to Cap' Parker and to Richard Blood by th last of August or the first of septem- next -as also henceforward he shall haue a quarter of his payment in money yearly
At a Town meeting nouem= 24 1673 Graunted vnto Alexander Rousse by the Towne ten acres of vpland
At a Generall Town metting December 10 1673
ffor constable William Longley Seni ffor Select men
Major Willard Capt parker Leif Lakin
and
John Morss
Serg knop John page
Serg ffisk
ffor Surveyers
Richard holden ? and Serg Lakin John nutting Se
John Page
48
EARLY RECORDS OF
ffor veiwers of fences
Corperall Cady Joseph Morse Timothy Allen Justin holden
ffor to look after swine that they be according to law and towne order Jonathan Sawtell Samuell Kemp
At the same meeting their was a finall agreement betweene the towne and Samuell Davis concerning the differance that was about his lands that is to say thus that samuell Davis hau Ingaged to rest satisfied and mak noe more disturbance about his lands prouided the bounds doe continue as they were befor they were defaced by the last committe to wit Richard blood and John pag and that he doe Inioy those three psells of land in the generall feild in the south squadron of lots namely that which was John Nutting and James Knops and Thomas Tarballs seni and simon stones that he had of captain parker and that samuell Dauis is to shew the com- mite the markes of these lots the last specified and they are to renew them and this being done samuell Dauis doe acknowledge [him ]selfe fully satisfied for all diuision [of] lands that was due to him from the begining of the towne to this present [39]
and now we doe agree to giu him a Record of his lande
SAMUELL DAVIS - John Morsse in the name of the towne
At the same meeting Timothy Alen was agred withall by the towne to swep the meeting house for the year following for twenty shil
Decem 13 73 The Towne committe haue condescended vpon Samuell Dauises request to enterchang two psells of land specified in the former agrement to wit that which he had of Thomas Tarball senior and simon stone and they are to be Joyned to the south sid of the line of that division of land lyeing by his house from the hye way on the east sid soe downe to the River
SAMUELL DAUIS
JOHN MORSE clark WILLIAM LONGLEY JOHN PAGE RICHARD HOLDEN marke R JUSTIN HOULDIN
49
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
At a meeting of the sellect men Janeva 13 1673 It was then agreed vpon and by vot declared that all such towne hye wayes regulerly layd out and marked out with the townes marke all the wood and timber vpon these hye wayes soe marked from halfe a foote and vpward at the Stub walnut trees and pine trees only exempted shalbe reserved for mending of hye wayes and other publik work and that noe man shall ffell any such tree or trees vpon the penalty of ten shillings a tree
It is furder agreed vpon that that order concerning swine bearing date the year 69 shall stand for this present yeare
And to the end that each Inhabitant of this towne may Injoy the benefit of his own medow and prevent censuring of and beeing troubled each with others for the eating vp each others medows we doe order that if any of our Inhabitants shall haue nead to let their catell goe out to feed befor their be grasse vpon the vpland that they shall keep them vpon their owne medows or any of the towns comñon and not vpon any mans medow that is in propriety without their leaue who is the proprietors their of vpon the penalty of pay- ing sixepence a beast every time that any catell be found vpon any mans medow either vnder the hand of a keeper or otherwise and this to continue till the later end of haytime
for hearding of Cattell the agreement of the sellect men it is that the catell in the towne shalbe divided into three heards as it was the last yeare and what euer the maior pt of any company agree vpon the minor part is to consent theirto
At a generall towne meeting held Janevary 16 1673 At the same meeting William Longley seni was fred and Jonathan Morss was chussen constable [40]
At the same meeting Cap Parker Leiftenant Lakin and Serg Knop were chussen for a commitee to lay out the diuisions of land on the other sid of the Riuer both of vpland and Enteruaill to euery man their proportions and to butt it and bound it ssufficiently and to mark it so as they may see from mark to marke and they are to haue for their labour one half penny an acre for the vpland and one penny half penny for the enteruaille
At a Generall Towne meeting held December 11 1674 William Longley sene chusen constable for the year ensueing
capt Parker serge ffisk serge Knop ensine Lawrance Matthias ffarnworth serge Lakin John Morsse chussen for sellect men
.
50
EARLY RECORDS OF
John Morsse chussen Towne Clark
Chussen for ssurveyers Thomas Tarbell sen and Samuell woods for veiwers of fences John Nutting sene and William Greene
At a Generall Towne meeting decem 21 74 Granted to William Longley ju= that he shall haue liberty to fell those trees that stand by his fence shading his corn to the sume of 3 or 4 and tha he will giu the Towne as many trees for mending hye way worke
A Rate made for the countrey treasurer
the sume containing 14 -10-0 and commited into the constable Jonathan Morses his hand to gather and to giu an account of the principle and how he discharged the bills to the sellect men to bring an acquitance 1674
A Rat made for the county treasurer the sume containing 4-1-5 and commited into the hands of the constable William Longley se= to gather and to return the rest of the pay back again to the towne
Captain Parker payd ten pound the barell of powder
discharging Timothy Allen
for sweeping the meeting house and his own bill discharged at a meeting of the sellect men 30 10 mº ---- 1674
At a meetting of the sellect men febr 11 74 for hearding of cat- tell It was then agred vpon that euery Inhabitant shall heard their catell that is to beard according to law and that they shalbe diuided into three beards
The first heard beginning at Samvell Woods reaching to William Longley and to serg Lakin and his neighbours taking in Nathaniell bloo[d] with the rest of those that liue their with Ensigne Law- rance and Thomas Smith
The second heard begining at Sergent ffiske and driving out by Pelleg Lawrance taking in cattell belonging to the neck to matthias ffarnworth taking in the catell of John Barron
The third heard to begine at Timothy Cooper and along the west side of Broad medo[w] to Jonathan sawtell takin in the catell [of] Richard holden and Justin [41] and that these seuerall angles shall heard provided they doe their best endeavour to hire a heards- man and in case they cannot hire a heardman for 12 shill p week that company is at their liberty whither they will heard or how pro- uided their cattell doe not exceed abou a 100
5I
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
At a meeting of the Sellect men febr 22 74 concerning swine It was then agreed vpon that the same order that was made in the year 69 shall stand for this present year
At the same meetting at the request of Matthias ffarnworth thir was a committe chussen to veiw a piece of land that he desire by way of exchanng with the towne or otherwis that may be for his convenience and to bring the report to the towne and the land lye from the Bridg by his own house along his own land to Justin holdens land on both sids James Brook and he is to satisfie the committe for their paynes if they desir any thing
and the names of the committe are sergent Knop Thomas Tar- ball sen= Benjamin Crispe Ellis Barron se= Daniell Pearse
as also It is agreed vpon that noe man shall put away any of their catell from any of these seuerall companyes as they are now stated by the sellect men vntill they have done their best endeavour to hire a heardsman as before for twelue shill p week vpon penalty of paying the full prise as the rest of their neighbours for specya and tim
At a Towne meeting March 3 74-75 granted vnto Nicolas Cady a small peice of land by way of exchaung at brown loaf plaine ad- joyning to his owne land y' he had of Captain parker for a peice of land the same quantyty at browne loaf medow
At the same meeting graunted to Thomas Smith a peice of land of forty poll by way of exchaunge below his house adjoyning to his own land in the corner next to Samuell Woods and William Greenes land
At a meeting of the sellect men march 3 1674-75 chusen Captain Parker serg Knop and Justin holden to renew the bounds between moshobo and our bounds And also chusen to lay out a hye way betweene Dunstable and this Towne captain Parker and serg Knop
At a meeting of the sellect men Jully 2 Jully 22 75 a rat made for the defraying of the charg of the ware and put in to the hand of William Longley constable to gather the sume 23! 145 4 added 7 shill more than the Just proportion [42]
At a Generall Town meeting held October 20 1675 Agreed vpon and by vote declared that our Reuerand Pastor shall haue
52
EARLY RECORDS OF
eighty pound for this present year sixty I in Corne and prwisi[ons] forty pound of it to be payd betwixt this and ye twenty five of December next ensueing and the other 201 to be payd in the spring of the yeare vnlesse god by some speciall prouidence Doe preuent and the other zol to be payd in money the last of august or the first of september in the year 1676
and 40 cord of wood to be proportioned according to euery mans proportion to be caryed in now pressently
At a Generall Towne meeting held no: 8 1675 It was this day agreed vpon and by vote declared that their should be a committe chussen to treat with Mr Willard about sending down to the gen- erall court to Enforme and supplicat to them that we may haue payd to vs what is our due from the countrey and also that the Billit of the souldiers may be vpon the countreys account and also agreed vpon that if this would not doe for to stand it out at law with them
and the commitee chussen was Cap® Parker Leiftenant Lakin William Longley seni- John Page
At a Generall Towne meeting held Decem 9 75 It was this day agreed vpon and by vot declared that the soldiers that are still re- maining in the town shalbe continued in the towne at the town charg till such tim as we hear a returne from the army goei[ng] against the naroganset and then the towne to meet againe to con- sider what is furder to be done
At a Generall Towne meeting held Dec 1o 1675 Chussen for constable for that yeare following William Greene
for sellect men Capt Parker : Leiftenant Lakin William Longley se= Sergt ffisk John Morsse
for surueyers Thomas Tarball sen= Samuell Woods
for veiwers of ffences John nutting sen= Corporall Cady [43]
This is the last record of any meeting held before the de- struction of the town by the Indians, March 13, 1676. The inhabitants then were compelled to forsake their homes, and did not return until the spring of 1678.
At a generall town metting of the inhabitants of groaton warned by Captin Parcer leftenant lacin insine lorranc and Goodman
53
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
morse and asembled at Concord the (12th) of the (10h) munth : 1677 : Such as wear present did then and thear agree that if the prouidenc of god preuent not by death or sicknes or by the Enimy that then we will goo vp in the spring following and begin to Re- payer our habitations againe if god parmitt and for ye true pur- phormanc of this agrement we doe ingeage the forfiture of our wholle Right in groaton unto those that doo goe vp and cary on the work and to this agrement we heaue hear sett to our hands
JAMES PARKER sen RICHARD BLOOD
WILLIAM LAKIN NATHANNIL LAWRENCE JONATHAN SAWTELL
JOHN MORSSE JAMES KNAP
SAMUELL WOOD
his - mark NATHANELL BLUD
his & mark
THOMAS TARBALL JOHN TARBELL JOHN PARISH PELEG LORRANC
Voatted that all publick charges for this present year insuing shall be Raysed vppon the furst deuision of land : grantted or acomidation of lands :
chosen to warn a town metting goodman blud leftenant lakin sargent knop Insine lorranc & thomas tarball Seneyer this met- ting to be the furst thuseday in marche and this metting . .. town offisers to nominat . .. other publick charges this metting to be at groaten [44]
The meeting mentioned in the following entry was undoubt- edly the first one that was held subsequently to the return of the inhabitants after the destruction of the town. It was probably on "the furst thuseday in marche," 1677-8, which day fell on the fifth of the month. The record is signed with the name of James Parker, senior, though neither the record
54
EARLY RECORDS OF
nor the signature are in his handwriting. There is some resemblance, however, between it and that of his son, Josiah, who, a few years later, was the town clerk.
[Date torn off.]
At a general towne meeting of the inhabitants of Gro[ton] warned we did then and thar agre and by desair that the publick charges should be raised for this present year upon the furst deuishan of medow and in whaus handes socuer ye furst deuishan shall apeer to be he or thay shall pay ye charges that dus arise upon them
Jonathan Morses desent
That pees of land that lyes betwen Samuell Wodes land and the high way yt goes to ye bay and the highway that gos to sargant knapes end is granted to Jonas prescot or his brother Jonathan prescot prouided ether of them come and buld and live up on it betwen this and next winter and ther is to be a cart way in it to broad medow :
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