USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Lancaster > The early records of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1725 > Part 17
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Sixtly They Voted that Ebenezer Wilder have sixty-three acres of Land in full of what was purchased by him of John Adams where he hes now Layed it out by Jonas Houghton Juner : with alowance for a hieway through a part of it
Seaventhly they voted that they will Lay out y" Stated Comon on ye west side the River & appointed Jonas Houghton Ju. to be the servaier & that Eph Wilder & Joseph Wilder assist him therein & make a Return to the ajornment of this Meeting
Eaightly they voted that ye first Monday of March next be the Meeting for Choosing of Town offisers.
Ninthly they voted that John Houghton Ephriam Wilder James Wilder & Joseph Wilder should Treet with the Noninhabitance Refering to there Right
In ye Tenth place, There was a motion made in sd Meeting that ye Stated Common & other Commons should be divided : but was left to Consederation
There was allso then a Return made to the Town by a Commity who sent to vew ye Land of Edmund & Ebenezer Harris & to se how there bounds was betwene them & the Stated Common & Reported thus that they had made bounds, from Ebenezer bemans Corner to ye Corner of John Benit Layed out to ye Right of Mucklode takeing in ye swamp to the Harrises as it is now marked John Benits Corner being a little pine & so Runs to a popler takeing in a Smal Corner of Land to Ebenezer Harris & from thence it Runes to a Red Oke at ye hiway on ye west side of the hiway & so to a Red Oke. one the east side ye way & so runs to a white oke & so to another white oke & so to Ebenezer Bemans Corner .. Note allso that ye line from Jonn Benits Corner Runs straight to the ould Corner of Ebenezer Harris Land being a pine. Said Report was Excepted by the Town and yo Meeting was ajorned by the Moderater to ye fifth day of March next following.
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
March ye 5 1716/17. The propriaters of the Town of Lancaster Meet at the Meeting hous upon ajournment from ye forth of February & first took into there Consederation the Motion & Clam Made by Seaverall persons Represented by Cpt frances Fullum upon ye 4 of february last past of and in a tract of Land purchased by the Inhabitance of Lancaster of Goorge Dahannata & other Indias & since aded & confermed to ye Towa of Lancaster by the Great & General Court, agitated the Same & Con- cluded that they towit the proprietors of the Town of Lancaster have no Right nor Enterest in sd Land purchased of ye Indiens by any former Rights of the Town of Lancaster & allso further Conclude & agree that they will haue nothing to do with ye said Land in point of devition apon ye OReginall Rights of said Town. But Conclude that it be to ye Inhaby- tance of said Town of Lancaster who purchased ye same, set off as a pro- priaty ye first tusday of March 1715-16 as their proper Right & propriety to order Divide Improve & despose of the same according to there enter- est therein by purchas as ye Law in that case hes made provition.
Secondly They Made Choyce of Mr Joli Houghton & Jabaz Fairbank to give an answer to ye Non Resodance Refering to there Clame.
thirdly they Chose Jonas Houghton Ju to be a Servairer to Lay out Land in ye old Town Bounds
forthly The Town Made Choyce of John Houghton Nathanil Sawyer Jonas Houghton & Joseph Wilder to be a Committy to Mesuer & find out y Lotts formerly Layed out in Quasaponacin & make Report to ye Town as soone as may be
fifthly that ye Stated Common Extend half a Mile wide till ye first or loer line com to ye River
6 They Granted a half devision of Land in the undevided Land in Lancaster to be divided by the same Rule as formerly & that they begin to Lay out the first of May next & not before
7 They Granted Eaighty acres of Land to John Houghton Sr for Serveing as Clerk & Makeing of Rates, Lying aboue ye Red Spring if found out of ye Stated Common
8 They Town Granted six acres of Land to John Wilder & foure to James Wilder for alowance for a biewaie through ye Land of John Wilder from ye Corner of his Land till it Comes to ye Land of Joseph Wilder & from y" Land of Joseph Wilder to ye hieway that Comes from Mariburrow
Lastly they ajorned the Meeting to ye 8 of april being the Second Mon- day of sd month.
1717. April ye 8 1717 on ajornment from ye 5 of March the Town Meet at ye Meeting House and first John Goss Proposed to have ; Hiway moved that Goeth to ye Mill the Town made Choyce of John Wilder Sr & Robard Houghton to be a Commity to vew ye same & make Report to ye Town
2 Samuell Warner put in a proposision to ye Town Requesting them
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
to Grant a Hiway to Pin hill medow : the Town thereupon made Choyce of Jonas Houghton Sr David Whetcomb & Jacob Houghton to be a commity to vew y" same & make report to ye Town at there next Meeting.
3 They proseeded to y' Reading of som Lands to wit ye Land of Edward Phelps Simon Steevens & Joseph Sawyer & Joseph Hutchins : James Atherton Ju objected against sd Hutchinses Land, Laying som Clame there to
4 The Comitty, to wit Ephriam Wilder Jonas Houghton & Joseph Wilder Presente a plat of ye Stated Common to ye Town which they were ordered to Measuer Lyeing on ye west side y" River : the town after som descors Gave order that ye same Comitty Mcasuer ye Stated Common on ye Neck side ye River & then ajorned ye Meeting to that day fourtnite being ye 22 of sd Month at 8 of y' Clock in ye Morning.
April ye 22tb 1717 The Town Meet on Ajornment from ye S of sd Month i Upon ye Report of a Committy sent to Vew ye Way to Pres- cotts Mill towit upon ye proposition of John Goss & ya Town Voted that said Hiway be moved & He by yt River - Provided said way be kept four Rods Wide from ye Scar bridge till it com to ye Hill from yo top of ye River bank : and after it amount said Hill to Lye where it shall be most Conven- iant to ye Town till it Com to sd Mill sd Goss to Cleer said Rode when that Committy shall stake it out.
The scar bridge and the road crossing it were disused more than one hundred years ago. The highway came down the hill not far from the scar known as Emerson's Bank, and over a bridge a few rods down the river from the present northern end of High street in Clinton.
2. ys Town voted that y+ Hiway to Whashacom be four Rods Wide
3. The Town Gave leve that Samuel Rugg Have his Land Recorded that was Granted to His Father as it was Layed out by Capt Wilder
4. \' Town Voted that no Land be laid out from Pin bill Medow to barehill Roode with out an alowance in it for a hiway of foure Rods wide where it is likely to be wanted
5. They Voted that ye fifth devision be not entered upon till y' first of September next
6. they voted that ye Town Books should be searched to see what persons have Layed out there full Right & who have not & no person to lay out any more Land till be have under the hands of such as shall be Chosen : what his orejonall Right is & how much he hath Laied out & how much he hath to laye out & then made Choyce of John Houghton S" & James Wilder to search said Town Books & Give forth a Counts: to be payed by such as improve them
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
They exsepted ye Return of ye Commity who was sent to Lay out y. 7 Stated Common
8 They Voted that all those Persons who have Layed out Land in ye Stated Common should hould ye same as it is Layed out.
9 They voted that the Stated Common be divided according to the Interest
10 They voted that no person Cut any timber on ye Stated Common otherwise then under ye like penalty as by Law provided for Cuting on other mens Land till it be Layed out.
1717.
CHARLESTOWN April 30 1717.
Lancaster Selectmen are allowed to enter theire Caution agst one Rob- ert Hues being an Inhabitant of their Town having by their Lawfull Officer warned bim to Depart theire Town as per theire Caution allowed on file. [Middlesex Court Records.]
To the Honable Justices . . . . March ye 13th 17161Z.
May it Please your Hont, that whereas the selectmen of the Towne of Lancaster Did in December last past by an order to Josiah White Con- stable, Warne Robbert Hues to depart out of yo Bounds or Limits of said Lancaster & accordingly said Constable on ye 4th of said December did warne said Robbert Hues forthwith to Leave said Towne & also made Returne of his so doing to y" selectmen & they also Did notifie your Hon" Desiring that an entry thereof might be made : that so the Towne might not be Lyable to be at ye Charge for his maintenance in case he should come to want Reliefe, but understanding said notification was not ac- cepted, because not signed by the constable, wee have herewith presented to your Hon's ye sd selectmens order to said Constable with his Return upon it signed by him, Humbly Requesting it may be Received & Entered & said Towne of Lancaster secured from being Chargeable with ye main- 'tenance of said Hues, we apprehending that our former notification was agreeable with ye Law.
JOHN HOUGHTON JAMES WILDER JOSEPH WILDER
Selectmen
Dated Lancaster March 8 1716/17.
1717 August. . . . . and allso we present ya town of Lancaster for neglecting to repair ye great bridge in sd town neer ye meeting house . . [Middlesex Court Files.]
Tusday august ye 29th 1717. In a meeting of ye Propriaters of Lan- caster warned by a Warrant from Justice Thomas How Esqr first Made Choyce of John Houghton Sr for a Moderater & then Suspended the forth devision till the next february meeting :
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
Lancaster February the 3 1717 /18 att the Stated Meeting for propriatie, Made Choyce of Capt Peter Joslin for a Moderator for Said Meeting: & then Received in Sum Propositions towit first the proposition of the Rov- erend Mr John Prentice Requesting the propritie to appoint som meet persons to State the bounds betwixt the land his Hous now Stands upon & the Land Called the Minesteeriall Land
Reverend John Prentice. June 1, 1708, had purchased of Samuel Prescott, the unfortunate man who by accident killed the Reverend Andrew Gardner, "all his houseing, Lands and meadows." The deed includes "one upland house Lott by estimation Twenty acres more or less lying on the West side of the River on the North side of the Lott of Thomas Sawyer, bounded south by said Sawyer's Lott: North & West by the highway." This was the "Rye Field," so called, of the first John Prescott, and somewhere near the easternmost end of it stood Samuel Prescott's house. In 1841 or 1842 a large and undoubt- edly ancient house, known as the Dr. Atherton mansion, was here torn down by Deacon Charles Humphrey, and the present house erected upon its site. That old house, which Dr. Israel Atherton possessed through his marriage with the widow of Dr. Stanton Prentice, may have been, in whole or in part, the house of Reverend John Prentice above alluded to. The ministerial land included the grounds to the north recently purchased by Eugene V. R. Thayer.
2 the Harrises Requested the Town would throw up the Hiway through there Land from the other Hiway to butlers feeld
3 Danil Preest Requested the Town would Give him one acre of Land by his Barn.
4 Samuell Carter Requested the Town would Grant a Comitty to vew the Hiway through plumtrees & Stake it out
5 Caleb Sawyer & Jabaz ffairbank Requested that the Town would grant them libertie to set a fence upon the towns Land to fence in there Medow which lyeth upon the north branch of bare hill brook
6 John Prescott Requests the town would Grant a hiway from his Land att the Slabbin to his medow Called prescots Medow
And I in answer to the propozition of ye Revered Mr Prentice the
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
2 Pop'tors made Choyce of John Wilder St Jonas Houghton Sr & James Wilder to be a Committe to vew & Stake said bounds.
2 in answer to the propozition of Edmund & Ebenezer Harris the Town voted to give said Harrises the Hiway proposed for provided the said Harrises Cleer the owld bering fecld & Keep it well subdued five years
3 they Granted the propozition of danil Proest :
4 the town in answer to the propozition of Samuell Carter then made Choyce of John Houghton Esq John Wilder Sr & Jabaz ffairbank to be a Committy to stake the hieway through plumtrees entervail as neer where it was first Layed out as they can. by the best Enformation they can Gitt
5 the town Granted the propozition of Caleb Sawyer & Jabaz fairbank & Gave them liberty to set there fence upon the towns Land for the fence- ing there Medows.
6 The town Granted a hieway in answer to the propozition of John Prescott from his Land to the loor end of the medow Called preescots meedow neer where the path now goes to witt the parth called the dugway
7 Vpon the Report of a Committy sent to vew the Land in ponarin & Reporting that they can find bat fifteen acres of Entervaill Left for Jabaz fairbank the town voted that ye said'Jabaz fairbanks should haue thirty acres of Land to make up said entervail where he shall find it in Land not yet Layed out
8 they voted that the forth devision be sospended till the ajornment of this meeting and then the Moderator ajorned the Meeting to the 17 day of february Currant.
Monday February the 17 : 1717 /18 the town meet att the meeting house and ajorned the meeting to the Last wensday of March next coming at 8 of the Clook in the Morning & also defered the forth devision till then : & also warned a town meeting to be on the I monday of sd mrch for the Choyce of town offisers
The following records are in the hand of John Hough- ton, Esq., town clerk.
Monday ye Toth of March 1717/18 The Inhabitants of Lancaster Met at the Meeting house in order to Consider about Building ye Neck Bridge by Night pasture: & first chose John Houghton Sen! Moderator for sd Meeting & then Discoursed about y" Demenssions of sd Bridge : & con- cluded it should have 5 Trussells, & to be a foot Higher than before, to make good buttments : & to be 13 foot wide between ye posts which are to be of sound oak & so ye Caps and braces : and to brace into ye Posts above ye caps & Down into yer Mudsells which are to be to foot Long & to cover sd Bridge with good Plank or Logs, as they which Build it shall count
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
best, & voted to give 35 pounds to them that should build it, according to sd Demensions one balfe when it shall be Raised, & the other halfe when it is finished : and then Chose three Men : viz : John Houghton Sen" Josiah White & James Wilder : to Lett ont sd Bridg & it to be umnished at or before the first Day of Angust Next: the Town to help to Rais it & nextly chose Samuell Bennitt Sen to be of ye Committie in stead of John Wilder Sen".
1718. Wednesday ye 26 of March 1718 the Town met at ye Meeting- house upon ajournment of theire Late ffebruary Meeting : Capt Joslin being Moderator: & first some Lands of John Houghtons & Jabez flair- banks were Read; and also some Lands Laid out by Benjamin Bellows to ye Right of Stephen Gates: but Simon Gates Made some objetions against that Laid out by Bellows being 100 acres mostly beyond cannoo brook all being third Divission :
Next the allowance for ye highway through Quassaponikin Intervall was Read & voted (as followeth) that they should have two acres for one allowed them and so proportionable (to such of thent as have had no allowance already ) & Liberty to Lay it out either in ye Stated Comon or other undivided Land as they please & then some other Land was Read : viz : seventy one acres for ye Carters ; one acre & quarter for elias Sawyer ; 5 acres & halfe for James Snow ; and nine acre & halfe to James Ather- ton : & seventy four acres to Nath Hapgood; all third Divission. & then gave the Committie appointed about ye Highway at ye Plumtrees ; power to Lay or State ye said Highway where it may be Most Convenient for all Concerned. & nextly appointed James Wilder Josiah White & John Houghton Jui a Committie to Lay out y Highway from ponikin Intervall to Whites Pond & to mens Land in that part of ye Towne : & the way from ponikin Brook Down to Cumbery Intervals & medows ; & then added John Houghton Sent to James Wilder & Jonas Houghton Sent; to state y' line betwixt Mr Prentices Land & ye ministrey Land; & then adjourned sd ffebruary Meeting untill ye second wednesday in May next at 10 of y Clock in ye forenoon then further to Consider of, & give oppertunity for Reading of more Lands in order to Record; & for what is necessary & proper to be done. Also upon sd wednesday ye 26 of sd march 1718: ye Proprie- tors in ye Stated Common in ye old Township of Lancaster Met at ye Meeting house : upon Due warning given in order to Chuse a Cleik for said Propriety : & to Consider & agree of a Method for ye Dividing of sd Common : as set forth in said warning & other affairs therein Mentioned : & after some Discourse Proceeded to ye choice of a Moderator John Houghton Sent: & then accordingly Chose Joseph Wilder Clerk of sd Proprietors in said Propriety : & because there was Severall Proprietors Missing the sd meeting was Adjourned till ye second wednesday in May Next; which would be ye 14 day of said Month & to meet at 12 of ye Clock.
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
Wednesday the 14 of May 1718 the Town met at ye Meetinghouse according to adjornment of theire Town Meeting of )+ 26 of March Last & also upon ye account of warning given for Choice of a Represemative, & first Chose John Houghton Sent Moderator for sd meeting, & nextly Chose John Houghton Jur Representative to serve for the yeare ensuing : & nextly voted to have Mr Samuell Stow for a Schoolmaster for ye yeare ensuing, begining the first Day of May Currant & to allow him 40 pound for ye yeare : or proportionable for what time he shall Serve : & to Raise the same by the Next Invoice, & then voted that ye 35 pound Granted or allowed for building ye Neck bridge be Raised by ye last Invoice : & then granted a Town Rate of 7 .. 12 .. o for Defraying of Towne charges, Viz: 5 pounds for ye Representative John Houghton Jur & twenty five shillings for edmund Harress for sweeping the meetinghouse, & 12 shillings to Mr Osgood for going after a scholmaster & for payment of the Assessors & then Granted a highway Rate of 20 pounds.
Wednesday ye 20'h of August 1718: The Inhabitants of Lancaster met at ye Meetinghouse upon Due warning Given, In order to give in an Invoice of Polls & estates for ye Province Tax & other The Assesments arising in sd Town for y yeare ensuing : & Accordingly then The Select- men took Account of what they could obtain : & afterwards a writing sent by Mr Prentice to be Comunicated to ye Towne was Read in which after bis Desiring the Towne to Consider his Present Circumstances & what Need he was in of some help by the Towne he Requested that some Addition Might be Made to his Sallerey : & after Considerable Discourse about it : it was thought it might be better to appoint a Meeting purposly for to Consider of it: & in ye Meantime to Request a Contribution for his present Reliefe : & accordingly appointed or Desired John Houghton Sent to acquaint ye Congregation of it the next Sabaoth Day : to Desire such as were willing to do it that Day fourtnight ; & then appointed that Day Month to be a Meeting for the Consideration of sd Sallery & accordingly then ye Towne met at ye meetinghouse (being Legall warned thereto) & first Chose John Houghton Sen' MoDerator for sd meeting : & after some Discourse Relating to ye pmisses the Towne seemed Inclined to make some Addition to sd. Sallery & some expressed theire thoughts what sum to Add thereto, & after some Tryall by vote, & not effecting ye matter, it was voted whether the Town would add fifteen pounds & so make y" sd Sallery 85 pounds a yeare which was voted in ye affirmitive upon ye Con- sideration that Bills of Creditt were of so Low a value : & to Continue to be paid Anually till such time as the Creditt of them was better: or some other Method of traffique betwixt man & man found out that might be more Reasonable in equity to Remidy that Inconvenience : as the Towir may Consider & Conclud thereof.
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
Then follow records in the hand of Joseph Wilder, pro- prietors' clerk.
May the 14 1718 the proprietors being meet att the meetinghous in Lancaster Capt frances fullam Requested sd proprietors that they would . appoint a Comittie to accompanie him to se his Clame of 200 acres of Land at Whashacom hill which he purchased of John addames & was Confermed to Preorge & frances addams by the Generall Court the town in answer to sd Request voted that John Houghton Sr Capt peter Joslin Capt Eph Wilder Ensigne James Wilder & Joseph Wilder be a Comittie to treet with sd Capt fullam in the towns behalf & to see the Land Clamed & to do what they apprehend to be Resonable & just be tween him & us the sd propriators of Lancaster : & then ajorned the meeting to the next morning to eaight of the Cloock
In 1672 " John Addam" was granted Ioo acres of land by the General Court, de- scribed as " lying at Weshecum nere the south side of that pond." The town had also given George & John Adams in exchange for a twenty acre lot on George Hill claimed by them, 60 acres near "Washacombo great field."
May the 15 the proprietors of Lancaster being meet Conclude & agree that those persons who have Layed out there third devision in the Stated Common or any part there of have libertie to Lay out there Stated Com- mon in undevided Land & to Lay 3 acres for one they aquiting the Stated Common of the fifth devision it being a devision granted upon the Stated Comon
2 they agree to Chuse a Committic to make an Equallity as to quantitie & quallitie to every proprietor according to his Right, who shall make his Choyce in the Stated Common where he will laye it
3 that the Rule for the Standard be Justice Houghtons lott Compared in its own Quallitie to geather
4 they Conclude that every four pound of town Right draw one acre according to that Standard
5 they Conclude that all persons who have a desier to Lay out there fifth devision in undovided land haue a libertie so to do & to Lay out three acres for one & to find it them selves & to Lay it out by the Comon Ser- vaiers as former devisions
6 they Conclude that if any two or more persons shall applie them- selves to the Comittie for Servaiers for one pece of Land then it shall be desided by a lott who shall injoy it & the other to make a new Choyce
7 they Concluded to Chuse three men for a Comitty and then made Choyce of John Houghton S' Capt Peter Joslin & Hooker Osgood to be the Committy
8 they Concluded to Leve six acres of Land for a training feeld by the Hiway below Thomas Sawyers door to be Layed out by the Committy for that vse
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MASSACHUSETTS. 1643-1725.
9 they Concluded to Give Joseph Wilder 3 acres of Land in the Stated Common att y" Walnut Swamp to Ly to gether with the Rest of his devis- ion on sd Common which they give him leve to Lay there, He giveing the Propriaty thre acres in the Lew there of by the Hiway neer Justice Houghtons barn to Ly Comon for a training feeld.
10 they Conclud that Mr John Prentice baue ten acres in the Stated Common Layed out to him where he shall chuse the same before any other person begin
II the Conclud that the Committy begin to Lay out the stated Com- mon the next Monday: Lastly that the forth devision be defered till the first of Ocktober next and then to begin all the perticulers aboue sd ware voted destinctly & caried in the affermitive.
John Houghton, Senior, was Town Clerk in 1718-19, but the following record is in the hand-writing of his son, Jonathan.
Monday ye a! of march, 1718/19. the Inhabitants of Lancaster meet at y'meeting House, according to apointment in order to Choose Town officers &c: & first chose
Capt Ephraim Wilder moderater for said meeting, & then next a I warrant was Read for Choice of a Grandjuror, & accordingly y Town was warned p Sam! Willard Constable to Choose one,
2 & then ye Town proceded to ye Choice, & Chose John White the per- son to serve on ye Grandjury for ye year ensuing.
3 the Town proceded to ye Choice of Selectmen, & Chose John Houghton Sr. Capt Peter Joslin Josiah White Jonas Houghton Jun & Joseph Wilder Selectmen for y" year ensuing
4 the Town Choose John Houghton Sen. Town Clerk, & then voted to choose assessors
3 voted & chose John Keys Joseph Wilder & Jacob Houghton Asses- sors for ye year ensuing.
6 the Town voted & chose Daniel Rugg Jonathan Houghton & Heze-
kiah Whetcomb Constables for ye year ensuing, & then ye Laws enjoined to be Read were Read in said meeting
In 1712 it was enacted that " the laws against drunkenness prophaneness and other immoralities . . . . be solemnly read by the town clerk in each town at their anniver- sary town meeting in March."
7 The Town voted & chose Servaires of Highways, namely George Glazier Jonathan More Jonathan Sawyer & Oliver Wilder.
8 The Town Chose James Wilder Town treasurer.
9 the Town Chose Josiah White & Samuel Warner Tything men
10 The Town Chose Bezaleell Sawyer & Thomas Carter fence vewers
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ANNALS OF LANCASTER,
the Town Chose Hooker Osgood Jur. John Hinds Junr Daniel Houghton & John Goss Hawyards.
12 the Town Chose Thomas Carter Sealler of Leather.
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