USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > The history of Concord, Massachusetts > Part 22
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Various quaint adjectives were made use of in describing the preachers. They were sometimes spoken of as "painful preachers," meaning pains-taking, "fit to teach," "soul ravishing," "soul piercing," "angel rivaling," "septemflous," "holy savored," "soul affecting.'
The relation of the pastor to his parish was substantially the same as now in churches of the congregational order, except that his authority was considered much greater, and although theoretically a fiction yet he was a bold parish- ioner who attempted to overthrow it.
They called themselves "a church without a bishop," but practically the pastor sometimes took the place of a bishop and came near being a king.
When a minister was settled after the "old standing order" it was difficult to unsettle him. According to a supreme court decision he could hold the meeting house, church records, church funds, and draw his salary unless dismissed by a council.
The contract entered into between the pastor and people was evolved from the congregational common law, as prin- ciples are crystallized by acts of the civil courts.
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But notwithstanding the strong position held by the minister, he was sometimes subjected to such sorties by the laity as made the throne tremble; occasionally there were severe controversies, - it might be over creed, church polity, or some simple town affair.
In Concord there was great dissension concerning the preaching of Mr. Bliss about the time of Whitefield's visit.
In the Sudbury Church there was a great strife con- cerning the stinting of the cow commons, and the conten- tion was carried so far, that the Colonial Court sent dele- gates to meet with it in council, and Rev. Edmund Brown was one of the chief actors ; all of which goes to show that peace cannot be maintained by ecclesiastical metes or bounds however firmly set.
After the conversation about ministers we walked around and looked over the locality in which Goodman Dakin had cast his lot. His first settlement was near the central vil- lage where he had a house and barn which he sold to John Hayward, when he took up his abode beyond the river. His neighbors were Michael Wood, Obadiah Wheeler, and Edmund Wigley ; the two latter living near Broad Meadow.
As the history of this family is an interesting one we will give some of the outline facts. Thomas was the common ancestor in this country and was at Concord before 1650.
His first wife died in 1659, his second wife, widow Susan Stratton died in 1698. He died Oct. 21, 1708.
After a generation or two, a branch of the family moved just over the line into Sudbury and established there an estate which long bore the family name. For many years there was in the family a long succession of deacons, one of whom Deacon Samuel Dakin, grandson of Thomas, fell in battle in the last French and Indian war, July 20, 1758, at Half Way Brook near Fort Edward while connected with the expedition of General Amherst.
The site of the home where Deacon Dakin dwelt was a little over the Sudbury and Concord boundary line, and not far from the old farm long owned by his descendants
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in the former town. The spot is marked only by an earth dent. The locality of the Dakin homestead on either side of the town boundary line has been a lonely one and there have been traditions about it of concealed booty. The spot is quite near the well known Concord woods which consist of many acres concerning which, legends might nat- urally arise. The stories represent that a part of the pirate crew of Captain Kidd repaired to a spot about there for se- creting their spoils ; and it is certain that strangers were seen about there under suspicious circumstances, remaining for some hours without divulging their errand.
The place where they went has been approximately pointed out and traditions have been passed down from generation to generation until doubtless some came to believe them and to search for the treasure supposed to be buried.
On one occasion as one of the proprietors was plewing by the help of a neighbor in a pasture in close proximity to the spot, he noticed that the plow struck a large, flat, stone.
The team passed on and the day's work was ended.
Early the next morning the Deacon repaired to the spot to examine the aforesaid stone. But what was his surprise on arriving to find his neighbor there before him intent on the same errand. They looked at each other and laughed over the humorous situation, but neither carried back any treasure except a cheery good morning.
Probably the stories related of this locality are similar and have no more truth than those related concerning the visits of the Pirates to other towns. In some instances it has been said that the Evil One stands guard over the booty and that in searching for it silence was to be main- tained, for a single word might break the spell and the treasure would vanish, but in process of time better conclu- sions were entertained and it is now supposed that the Pirates were profligate rather than provident and spent as they went.
We have now, as we believe, sufficiently set forth by ficti-
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tious representation, intermingled with fact, what were some of the customs, experiences and pioneer processes of the first settlers of Concord ; and now we propose no longer to give descriptions of supposed visits to their families, neither to draw inferences from analogy nor to resort to conjecture to supply any absence of record or lack of authentic tradi- tion. Our purpose will be hereafter to deal purely with history ; and in a plain matter of fact manner, state in the present book some further annals of the township dur- ing the first score of years ; reserving for a future volume events that occurred during its continuance as a colony and then to the close of its history as a province.
PART II
HISTORY
OF THE
SETTLEMENT
OF
CONCORD, MASS.
1654-1692
CHAPTER XXVIII
Early Record Relating to the Concord Plantation - Permission to Purchase Territory - Land Sale - Indian Deed - Depositions Confirmatory of title to the Township - Original Boundary - Additional Land Grants - Petitions to the General Court.
A MONG the remaining things to be considered that are related to the first two decades of the town's history are further matters appertaining to real estate.
We have already noticed that a tract of land six miles square was purchased of the Indians in 1636, and that the price of it was paid in wampum and merchandise. We stated that a deed was delivered and lost, and that depo- sitions concerning this transaction were taken in after years confirmatory of a bona fide sale.
The land then purchased was lotted out and divided up, additions were made to it, records made of it, and such regulations provided as would secure to all their rights.
It is our purpose in the present chapter to produce the evidence of these things by giving a transcript of some of the original documents and some statements taken from old writers.
The first recorded statement about a proposed plantation at the place which was later to become Concord is the fol- lowing, in vol. 1 page 57 of the state Archives, bearing date Sept. 2, 1635:
"It is ordered, that there shallbe a plantacon att Mus- ketequid, & that there shallbe 6 myles of land square to belong to it, & that the inhabitants thereof shall have three yeares imunities from all publ [ic] charges, except traine-
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ings; Further, that when any that plant there shall have occacon of carryeing of goods thither, they shall repaire to two of the nexte magistrates where the teames are, whoe shall have power for a yeare to presse draughts, att reason- able rates, to be payde by the owners of the goods, to transport their goods thither att seasonable tymes ; & the name of the place is changed, & here after to be called Concord."
This order of the Colonial General Court was succeeded the next March by the following :
"It was further 'agreed, that the imunitie of Concord for three years shall begin the first of October nexte, & that none shall have benefitt thereof but those that lyve there, & with respect only to the stocke they have there.' " Mass. Records, I. 167.
A permission for the Concord settlers to purchase terri- tory was given by the General Court and the record of it made May 17, 1637, is as follows :
"Concord had leave graunted them to purchase the ground wthin their limits of the Indeans, to wit, Atawans & Squa Sachim." (Mass. Records I. 196).
A record relating to a land sale at Concord whether of the original grant or of some other transaction, a matter that has perhaps never yet been settled by any published history, is the following dated August 1, 1637 :
"Webb Cowet, Squa Sachem, Tahatawants, Natan quaticke alias Oldmans, Caato, alias Goodmans did expresse their consent to the sale of the weire at Concord over against the towne & all the planting ground wch hath bene formerly planted by the Indians, to the inhabitants of Con- cord of wch there was a writing, wth their marks subscribed given into the Court expressing the price given." Mass. Records, I. 196.
With regard to the Indian deed of the original land grant Shattuck states, History of Concord, page 7.
"I have sought in vain for the Indian deed. It was probably lost very early, since measures were taken in
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1684, when the colony charter was declared to be void, and the claims of Robert Mason to large portions of the coun- try were asserted to establish the lawful title, which the inhabitants of Concord had in their soil. The original petition was also lost."
The measures referred to by Shattuck as having been taken to confirm the evidence of a legal ownership, are the following depositions which have been preserved in the records of both Middlesex County and the town of Concord :
"The Testimony of Richard Rice aged seventy-two years Sheweth that about the yeare one thousand six hundred Thirty six there was an Agreement made by some under- takers for the Towne since called Concord with some In- dians that had right unto the land then purchased for the Township. The indians names was Squaw Sachem, Tohut- tawun Sagamore, Muttunkatucka, and some other indians y' lived then at that place, The Tract of land being six miles square, The center of the place being about the place the meeting house standeth now, The bargaine was made & confirmed between ye English undertakers & the Indi- ans then present, to their good sattisfaction on all hands.
"7. 8. 84. Sworne in Court
"THO DANFORTH Record""
[Middlesex Deeds, Lib. 9, fol. 105.]
"The Testimony of William Buttrick aged sixty-eight years or thereabouts Sheweth, That about the yeare one thousand six hundred thirty & six, there was an Agreement made by some undertakers for the Towne since called Concord with some Indians that had right unto the land then purchased of them for the Township; the Indians names was Squaw Sachem Tohuttawun Sagamore & Nut- tankatucka & some other Indians that lived and was then present at that place & at that time. The Tract of land being six miles square, The centre being about ye place the meeting house now standeth on. The bargaine was made & confirmed between the English undertakers &
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the Indians then present & concernd, to theyr good sattis- faction on all hands
“7, 8, 84. Sworne in Court
"THO DANFORTH R." [Middlesex Deeds, Lib. 9, fol. 105.]
"The Deposition Jehojakin alias Mantatucket a christian Indian of Natick aged. 70 years or thereabouts,
"This Deponent testifyeth & sayth, that about 50 years since he lived within the bounds of that place which is now called Concord at the foot of an hill named Nawshawtick now in the possession of M' Henery Woodis & that he was p'sent at a bargaine made at the house of Mr Peter Bulkly (now Capt Timothy Wheeler's- between M' Simon Willard M' John Jones, M' Spencer & severall others in behalfe of the Englishmen who were setling upon the sª Towne of Concord & Squaw Sachem, Tahuttawun & Nimrod Indians which sª Indians (according to y' particu- lar Rights & Interests) then sold a Tract of land conteyn- ing six mile square -the sª house being accounted about the center) to the sª English for a place to settle a Towne in. And he the sª Deponent saw sª Willard & Spencer pay a parcell of wompompeag, Hatchets, Hows, Knives, Cotton Cloath & Shirts to the sª Indians for the sª Tract of land : And in p'ticular he the sª Deponent perfectly remembreth that Wompachowet Husband to Squaw-Sachem received a Suit of cotton cloath, an Hatt, a white linnen band, shoes, stockins & a great coat upon account of sd bargaine And in the conclusion the sª Indians declard themselvs sattisfyed & told the Englishmen they were Welcome. There were also present at the sd Bargain Waban, Merch' Thomas his brother in law Nowtoquatuckquaw an Indian, Aantonuish now called Jethro
"taken upon oath. 20th of October 1684
"Before Daniel Gookin Sen'. Asisist "THO: DANFORTH. Dept. Gov'." [Middlesex Deeds, Lib. 9, fol. 100.]
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As regards the shape or form of the territory contained in the original grant, the historian Walcott says, "The original grant was laid out in the form of a square. Right angles and straight lines were preferred by the early settlers whenever they could be had. No other grants had been made near this place ; consequently it was not deemed nec- essary to notify any adjoining owner of the running of the line, and the simplest possible form was adopted.
"The original grant may be bounded as follows : Begin- ning at the southwest corner at a stone post which marks the present southwest corner of the town, the line runs north 40° east (approximate needle course) on the Acton line to a stone at the present northwest corner of Concord, near the Dudley place. When Acton was made a town, the statute bounded it on the east by 'Concord old bounds ;' from which it appears that Acton includes no part of the original Concord, and that the dividing line be- tween the two towns is a portion of the old Concord line on that side. The Acton boundary extended leads to a heap of lichen-covered boulders surmounted by a stake. This ancient monument is near the top of a hill in the southwesterly part of Carlisle, and undoubtedly marks the old northwest corner of our town. It was identified and pointed out to the writer on the ground by Major B. F. Heald, of Carlisle, who says that he has often heard his father and other ancient men, long since deceased, speak of this bound as marking the old Concord corner ; and every- thing goes to corroborate this testimony. The place was commonly known by the name of "Berry Corner" and was the original northeast corner of Acton; but, in 1780, a portion of that town near this point was included in what was then constituted as the District of Carlisle, and subse- quently formed a part of the town of the same name.
Making a right angle at this corner the line runs south- easterly through the lower part of Carlisle, coinciding in two places with our present boundary, and, crossing the river, runs about a quarter of a mile to the southward of
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the main street of Bedford and parallel with it, to a point on the upland about forty rods east of the Shawsheen River. Ancient stone walls preserve this line in part. The bound at the northeast corner must have been re- moved at some time after Bedford was incorporated ; and, as it stood in cultivated land, near a house, the farmer would not be likely to value it so highly as we should, had he allowed it to remain. The corner can be located with sufficient accuracy however, by the intersection of the north line, just described, with the line on the east; and it appears from the Billerica records of 1700 that the corner was then marked by a stake and stones.
Returning to the southwest corner, we run southeasterly on the present Sudbury line to the river, and thence in the same course, on the Wayland line, to the corner at Lin- coln ; then striking across the lower corner of Lincoln and keeping in the same straight line, we come to a heap of stones situated near a brook, and in a line with that part of the boundary between Lincoln and Weston which extends southwesterly from the great road at G. F. Harrington's house. Turning and making a right angle at this corner, we proceed towards the northeast, on old stone walls, just touching the eastern edge of Beaver Pond and including a portion of the boundary between Bedford and Lexington, thus meeting our north line and completing the square."
Besides the territory contained in the grant of six miles square, other lands were subsequently petitioned for, an account of which is thus given in Shattuck's History :
"Additional grants of land were occasionally made, ad- joining Concord, after the first purchase. On the 2nd of May, 1638, Governor Winthrop had 1,200, and Thomas Dudley 1,000 acres granted them below Concord. When they came up to view it, "going down the river about four miles, they made choice of a place for one thousand acres for each of them. They offered each other the first choice, but because the deputy's was first granted, and himself had store of land already, the governor yielded him the choice.
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So, at the place where the deputy's land was to begin, there were two great stones, which they called the Two Brothers, in remembrance that they were brothers by their childrens' marriage, and did so brotherly agree, and for that a little creek near those stones was to part their lands. At the court, in the 4th month after, two hundred acres were added to the governor's part." The governor's lot lay southerly, and the deputy governor's northerly of those rocks, and they were divided by a little brook, which may now be seen a short distance below Carlisle bridge. Gov- ernor Winthrop selected (judiciously, I think) a lot in Concord, which "he intended to build upon," near where Captain Humphrey Hunt now lives. The changes, which took place in his property and family, probably prevented him from putting his plan into execution.
In Nov. 1636, 500 acres of land were granted to Increase Nowell, Esq." on the north side of the bounds of Concord beyond the river against the governor's 1200;" and 500 acres to the Rev. Thomas Allen of Charlestown, on the north side of Mr. Nowell's ; and, Oct. 7, 1640, to the Rev. Thomas Weld of Roxbury 533 acres, next to Mr. Allen's. Another tract of 400 acres, was also granted to Mr. Atherton Hough. All these lands were sold about 1650 to John and Robert Blood, and comprised what was afterwards known as the Bloods' Farms, which became a part of Concord and which will be hereafter noticed."
But notwithstanding tract after tract was bestowed upon the people of Concord they still wanted more territory. This is indicated by the following petition dated Sept. 7, 1643 :
"Whereas your humble petitioners came into this country about four years agoe, and have since then lived at Concord, where we were forced to buy what now we have, or the most of it, the convenience of the town being before given out : your petitioners having been brought up in husbandry, of children, finding the lands about the town very barren, and the meadows very wet and unuseful,
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especially those we now have interest in; and knowing it is your desire the lands might be subdued, have taken pains to search out a place on the north west of our town, where we do desire some reasonable quantitie of land may be granted unto us which we hope may in time be joined to the farms already laid out there to make a village. And so desiring God to guide you in this and all other your weighty occasions, we rest your humble petitioners."
THOMAS WHEELER TIMOTHY WHEELER EPHRAIM WHEELER THOMAS WHEELER, JR. ROGER DRAPER RICHARD LETTIN.
Indorsed : "We think some quantitie of land may be granted them provided that within two years they make some good improvement of it."
In addition to the foregoing statement of Shattuck relating to land transactions of Concord he further states as follows on page 38 of his History :
"It has already been intimated that additional grants of land were made to Concord about 1652. The following details relate to these and other grants.
"'To the Honored Generall Court assembled at Boston. The returne of the nommber of acres of land granted as an addition to the Towne of Concord according to the order of the General Court in 1654.
" 'Whereas the Court was pleased to grannt to our Towne a village some fouer years since upon condition they should improve it before others, but neglecting their opportunity, the plantation of Chelmsford have taken a good parte of the same, also Nattatawants [Tahattawan] having a plan- tation granted him which takes up a good some also, we whoes names are subscribed have taken a survey of the rest remayning, and wee finde about seven thousand acres left out, of which Major Willard hath two thousand acres, except a little part of one end of his farme which lyes in
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the place or parcell of vacant land being by the last court granted to our Towne on this condition that at this Court we should acquaint the Court of the quantitye of what wee have.
"This is a true copie compared with original on file, as it was exhibited to the Generall Court may 1655 as attest. EdWARD RAWSON, Secretary. THO. BROOKS TIMOTHY WHEELER
JOSEPH WHEELER
GEORGE WHEELER
GEORGE HEAWARD JOHN JONES."
Other territorial acquisitions followed, but as these belong to a subsequent period mention of them here is omitted.
CHAPTER XXIX
Land Allotments and Divisions - Early Records Relating to Real Estate - Public Reservations - Undivided Territory - Location of Land Tracts - Amount of Acreage - The grant of Thirty-one Acres to Rev. Peter Bulkeley.
HE settlers did not long allow their landed posses- sions to remain undisposed of or unused, but soon divided them. The first apportionment was of houselots and a limited quantity of lands outlying. The second was by what were called land divisions.
Of the first method, Walcott, in his History, page 18 states as follows :
"As soon as the most pressing needs of the situation were met, allotments of land were made to the members of the company, and house-lots were laid out with some regular- ity on both sides of the Mill Brook, eastward as far as the Kettle place lately owned by Mr. Staples, and on Walden Street to the Almshouse ; in a westerly direction as far as the Damon place ; and to the Old Manse and the Edmund Hosmer place on the north. Besides his house-lot, each one received his due proportion of the planting-ground and meadow lying in the near vicinity. This was the first division of lands, the price paid into the common stock being a shilling per acre, or, in some special cases, a six- pence per acre. The land thus divided constituted a small part only of the whole grant, and the remainder was held in common and undivided, subject to such regulations as the inhabitants thought fit to establish, until the second
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-
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PROVINCIAL STORE HOUSE
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division in 1653, by which, substantially, the whole remain- ing portion of the original grant was disposed of."
About the second division the same author writes :
"By the first division of lands, which has already been alluded to, a small portion only of the township passed into the hands of individual owners and became private prop- erty."
A rule relating to the second division of land is the fol- lowing, which was voted upon at a town meeting held on January 2nd, 1653:
"A meting of the Towne of Concord the 2th of the II mo. 1652 about second devitiones as foloweth,
Impr it is agreed that 20. acres of land shall be for one Cow Comon (of all the land men hold) and two yearling shall goe for one grown beast, and one horse for one beast, and 4. sheep for one beast.
I' The bounds of the Towne is devided into three parts ; as foloweth : only the hogpen walke is not to be devided ; Imp' All on the north sid of the great Rivre shall be for them, on that sid of the same; and all on the east sid to Mr Bulkelyes,
I' the second part of the devition is on the East sid of the aforesid rivre, beyond Cranefild to Shawshine corner, and to Mr fflints pond to the gutter that comes out thereof, and to the goose pond and along the path that comes to the Towne medow & to the Towne; and the psones to Inioye this part are all the Inhabitants from Mr farweles to the East end of the Towne, also Thomas Brookes is to come in amongst them for two, third Ats of his land, and Robert Meriam ; Sargent Wheler and Georg Meriam to Joyne with them ;
I' the third pt of [the] devition is from the gutter that comes from Mr fflints pond as aforesaid; to the south rivre & betwen the rivres; and those appoynted for that devition, are the Rest of the towne not beforementioned.
It is agreed that if the mair Ot of any of the Companyes shall agree for the laying out of the devitiones as before
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exprest then the minor it shall be Compeled to agree there to, but in Case the maior pt shall not agree; then any ¡ticular pson shall not be hendered of ther wright, but they shall have power to call on indeferant man and the Company to whome he belongs shall choose one other, or if they refeuse so to doe, then the Townsmen shall choose on man, who with the suerveyer shall indeferantly lay out his or there lands so requiring it, this votted.
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