USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877 > Part 16
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Almost all of our privileges are thus associated with others who have been instrumental in conveying them over to our posses- sion. Other men have labored here before us; we have en- tered into their labors. In the place of our residence we are always walking amidst the monuments of preceding genera- tions.
The houses we inhabit, the streets we traverse, the trees that hang over us, the sanctuaries we frequent, -all bespeak the agency of other beings who have preceded us in this place of our sojourn.
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
Before our fathers was the Indian. He was the rightful and original proprietor of this domain. Over these hills he wan- dered unmolested, and free as the winds that blow. Our val- leys and plains were his garden-spots. The river was his pas- sage-way to the hunting and trapping grounds above ; and below the falls, to the islands and fishing-places in the Bay.
There is abundant evidence that Unquity was his chosen re- sort and abiding-place. The land conveyed to Israel Stoughton, who was among the first to receive a grant from the London Company, which embraced a territory of one hundred acres, situated on the south side of Neponset river, is described in the grant as the "Indian Field."
The hill on which Col. H. S. Russell and H. J. Gilbert reside, sloping back towards Pine-Tree Brook, is described in the laying out of one of our roads as "Wigwam Hill ; " while " Thacher's Plain," situated on the northerly side of Pine-Tree Brook, composing the area lying between Brook road and Mattapan street, by well-authenticated tradition, was used as one of their places for raising corn.
At this time Nature was in her primeval simplicity, undis- turbed except by the red man who roamed through the forests.
In the year 1656 Capt. Samuel Wadsworth moved to Milton and took possession of one hundred acres of land on Wads- worth Hill, where Capt. E. D. Wadsworth now resides, which was then a wilderness without roads, and a mile from any other inhabitant.
The first public way of which there is any record is the road passing from the bridge, at the mill, over Milton Hill.
THE FIRST HOUSE.
On this way the first house in Milton was erected by Richard Collicut, in 1634, near the corner of Adams and Centre streets. In December, 1634, an order was passed regulating a passage- way to Collicut's house in the Great Lots. This was in the wilderness, a mile from the river on the extreme outskirts of the colony, and subject to attack from the Indians, who, at that time, were more or less troublesome. Many suppose it was partly fortified, or what was called a "Garrison House," for the purpose of repelling such invasion. In July, 1636, "The Town of Dorchester has leave to use Collicut's house as a watch- house."
Several of our ancient houses were of a peculiar architecture, the second story projecting over the first, two or three feet, thus presenting an appearance somewhat belligerent. Embra-
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
sures and openings for musketry are spoken of. Of this de- scription was the house of Anthony Gulliver, at East Milton ; the house of Col. Elijah Vose, on Gun Hill street; of William Vose, on " Vose's Lane," and the Hensher house, on the Beal's place, corner of Centre street and Randolph avenue, just where the new academy now stands.
It is a well-known fact that, as the early inhabitants were sub- ject to these sudden attacks from the Indians, some of the houses were built in a manner to repel such attacks, as the Craddock house, in Medford. This was more common in interior towns, where garrison houses were built in almost every village. The inhabitants took arms with them into the fields, and even to church.
" Each man equipped on Sunday morn With Psalm book, shot and powder-horn."
It is most likely, however, that these old Milton houses with the projecting fronts were built according to the style prevalent at that time, and which is still continued in old English towns, - a style which is also in a fair way of being reproduced in our day and town.
On this early pathway sprang up many houses during the first century of the town's existence, most of which are spoken of in the chapter on Milton Hill. In the immediate vicinity of the Collicut house the houses not elsewhere described, which have now disappeared, are as follow: On the south-west corner of Pleasant and Adams streets, one occupied by S. T. Bent and J. Myers; on the north-west corner of Centre and Adams street, that of Capt. Jonathan Beal; on the north-east side of Adams street, the houses of W. Badcock, Rawson, Capt. Samuel Reed, Benjamin Field, and Hezekiah Adams, a baker, and also the bakery of Mr. Bent, built of wood, and subsequently, large additions, built of brick, in the rear.
EAST MILTON.
The village of East Milton is of comparatively recent growth. Most of the houses have been built since the granite business was established in that vicinity. On the first day of January, 1834, there were in that part of the town, east of the junction of Adams and Squantum streets, but fourteen houses, one hotel,- the Railway House, - one meeting-house, and one grocery store. Four of these have disappeared, and the places where they stood are now vacant.
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
The old Willard Felt house is the one now standing west of the stone cottage; the stone cottage was Mr. Felt's blacksmith and wheelwright shop, now transformed into a pleasant resi- dence.
The Capt. Lemuel Pierce house stood where the Samuel Bab- cock house now stands. It was bought by Mr. Babcock and moved up towards the ledges on Willard street.
The house of Capt. William Pierce, the 3d, stood in the gar- den of the stone tavern. It was converted into a store, and re- moved about 1826, or later.
The house of Capt. Rufus Pierce is the one-story gambrel- roof house now standing next to the East Milton R.R. Station. It was formerly a tavern.
Deacon Lemuel Adams lived on the north side of Adams street, in the rear of the large house built by the widow of Charles Adams. He carried on a tannery there, and his sons after him. Deacon John Adams lived in the present Gardner house.
In the rear of Nathaniel H. Beals' house was an old cellar, marking the residence of Rev. Grindall Rawson. He was born in Milton, July 29, 1721, the son of Pelatiah and Hannah Rawson ; graduated at Harvard 1741, and died 1794. He was a Congre- gational clergyman, and removed from Milton to the Cape. " Harper's Monthly," in an article on eccentric clergymen, gave some of the sayings of Mr. Rawson.
An old house stood on the east side of Squantum street, near the Quincy line, where lived Patty or Letty Pierce, and for a time old " Jemmy Raven." They formerly lived near the resi- dence of Josiah Babcock.
All other sites and houses in this vicinity are described in the chapter on Milton Hill.
CANTON AVENUE AND VICINITY.
Caleb Hobart, who was first a butcher, began the wool busi- ness about 1811, in a shop standing on Canton avenue, in the rear of the Godfrey house, which he built; afterwards he re- moved the shop to a position just north of the Ruggles house, and continued in the business until 1837.
Ruggles Lane is a very ancient passage-way. Passing the Ruggles house it pursued a westerly course across Central ave- nue, and through the fields and woods to Brook road. There is no evidence that it was ever a public way; but it is highly probable that it may have been of earlier date than Brook road, a part of which, between Mr. Dudley's and Mattapan, was not laid out until 1694.
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
In 1826 Caleb Hobart built a house on the north-easterly corner of Ruggles lane for Charles Breck, then in his employ, where Mr. Breck began his married life. It was removed many years ago. Another house, standing near this, in the garden of Miss Richardson, was burned in 1884.
The Ruggles house is of great antiquity. The old part was probably built by Robert Badcock, who died in 1694. The new part was built by Caleb Hobart about 1820. He lived there in 1797.
Mr. Caleb Hobart purchased land in this vicinity as early as 1797 of John and Abiel White, of Weymouth. He also bought, in 1797, a tract west of Central avenue of the execu- tors of Abijah Sumner, on which were an orchard and an old cellar, and in 1800 he secured a right of way to said land from Joseph Badcock. June 5, 1827, he bought of Richard Blake, of Weymouth, the front land lying between the Ruggles house and Canton avenue ; and in 1829 a tract of Henry B. Smith, called the Small Pasture, at $30 an acre.
Philarman Ruggles began to occupy the Caleb Hobart estate June 25, 1843. It was sold to T. Edwin Ruggles in 1867. The old cellar north of the Ruggles house and east of the brook is said to mark the quarters of a slave of old Robert Badcock. There is the legend that this slave, by prudent savings, accumu- lated quite a sum of money, all in silver, and for safe-keeping buried it in the " Great Pasture " (now owned by N. F. Safford), which is yet to be found. Another statement would place a very different occupant in the house once standing there. In a conversation with Mr. Edmund J. Baker regarding this cellar, Mrs. Daniel Vose said that her sister, when a very young girl, used to read the various publishments in the meeting-house to her young companions so easily as to excite remark. In explana- tion, she told her sister that she learned to read writing from a clergyman living on the back side of Milton Hill, near the brook, who taught her with his own daughter. Others suppose Teague Crehore lived there; and, as there was quite a good road to this house within the century, it is highly probable that it was something more than slaves' quarters.
On the old pathway between Central avenue and Brook road are two cellars; the one nearest Brook road, according to Mr. Robbins, is the cellar of the Teague Crehore house, - Mr. Crehore was one of Milton's first inhabitants. In the other house, near Central avenue, probably owned by some of the White family, the location of which is now discovered only by a depression in the surface of the land, some one or more, in other days, to us unknown, "lived and loved and passed away."
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
Fifty years ago a house and barn stood on the east side of Central avenue, on the rising ground in the rear of the resi- dence of Mr. W. Cunningham. The passage to it was from Brook road, over the brook. Here for a time lived Oliver Vose. Directly opposite this, on the west side of the avenue, well up towards the Dudley house, was another house.
On the westerly side of Brook road, between the extension of Central avenue and the front land of Dr. Littlefield, was the house of Peter White ; no trace of it now remains. He was a prominent man in the early history of the town, and his memory is perpetuated by White's Lane, and now by White street, which bears his name. He died Jan. 23, 1736, aged 77.
Elijah Vose lived in the old homstead of Robert Vose, built by John Glover. It was situated near the brook, at the junc- tion of Brook road and Canton avenue. The guide-posts at the corner stand just where the old cellar was seen a few years since. At this point the brook took the name of Sarah, his wife, and was called "Aunt Sarah's Brook." In the stormy time of the Revolution, when her husband was dead, and her children were all in the army, it is said that "Aunt Sarah " often sat knitting at the door, inquiring of every passer-by : " What news from the war? I have four sons in the war. What news from the war ?"
Years ago the house on Canton avenue, now owned by Mrs. Godfrey, was the Alpheus French house. Capt. French lived there, and carried on a large business, as butcher, taking up the work of Caleb Hobart. Subsequently the place was bought by Mr. William Davis ; the house was enlarged and greatly im- proved. He moved the slaughter-house to his land, near the brook, and converted it into the dwelling-house now occupied by Mr. W. Cunningham.
In the year 1809, and before, there was an old-fashioned tan- yard between the Davis house and the house now owned by Miss Willard. It was carried on by Major Babcock, who built and occupied the Davis house, now owned by Mrs. White. The business was discontinued at the death of Major. Babcock, in 1812.
Gen. Joseph Vose built the house on the corner of Canton avenue and Vose's Lane, now owned and occupied by his grandchildren, prior to 1761. This gives it an age of one hun- dred and twenty-five years. In this house all his children were born. In a letter received from one of his descendants is the following sentence : " He, unfortunately, for his ambitious pos- terity, put in neither gas nor a bath-room into his house."
In the latter part of the last century, the Hobson house, which
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
JOSEPH VOSE RESIDENCE
was moved to its present position from near Gun Hill street, was occupied by Josiah Vose, as a summer residence. Oliver Vose lived there for several years. It finally passed into the possession of Zephaniah Spurr, with much of the adjacent land, Spurr having married into the Vose family. At the decease of Mr. Spurr his estate in Milton was sold at auction by his heirs, in 1824. The whole tract of ten acres, lying between Vose's Lane, Canton avenue, and Centre street, now known as the " Whitney Lot," was sold to Asaph Churchill for the sum of $100. The next morning General Whitney met Mr. Churchill with the question, " What will you take for your bargain ?" - " One hundred dollars," was the reply. "I'll give it," said the General. "Very well," said Mr. C. "Now what will you take for your bargain ?"-"One hundred dollars," was the reply. " Cheap enough," responded Mr. C., " but I'll not part with one hundred dollars quite so suddenly."
The house under the big elm, and twenty-four acres lying between Brook road and Canton avenue, with about twenty
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
acres in the rear of the house, were knocked off to Harvey Vose for $1,500. Two tracts of woodland near by were sold at the same auction to Caleb Hobart, one for eight dollars, the second for sixteen dollars, per acre. Soon after the auction the heirs, thinking they had parted with their property foolishly, bought back of Mr. Vose the house and the twenty acres in the rear, and also the land between Brook road and Canton avenue, pay- ing for it all the money received for the entire sale.
The house now owned and occupied by Mr. Seth D. and Mrs. A. D. T. Whitney, on Canton avenue and Vose's Lane, was built by Isaac D. Vose, second son of Gen. Joseph Vose, and after- wards merchant in New Orleans. It stood near the Barnard mansion, and was moved upon the Whitney land when pur- chased by Mr. Whitney. It had been owned successively by Henderson Inches, Valentine O. B. Brown, John D. Bradlee, and Charles Barnard.
On the north-easterly corner of Reedsdale street and Canton avenue stood the house built by Joseph Calf, about 1760. The name was afterwards changed to Calef. At the decease of Mr. Calef it was conveyed to Ezra Coats, by Ebenezer Winter, and Stephen Calef, May 17, 1798. Jason Reed, Esq., graduate of Harvard, 1816, and for many years Town Clerk and Treasurer of Milton, married Nancy Elizabeth Coats. Ezra Coats died in November, 1824, and his farm of forty-five acres came into the possession of Jason Reed, by various deeds from the heirs. In 1884 the house was taken down, and a new one erected by C. E. C. Breck, who purchased a portion of the front land of the Reed estate. Mr. Reed's store, and hall above the store, stood west of the house, just where Reedsdale road now opens.
The house now owned by G. S. Cushing was built by Rev. Samuel W. Cozzens in 1838. When Dr. Cozzens left Milton, it was sold to Edward Baldwin, April 1, 1848. It has been transformed from a square, stiff structure into the present light and airy abode.
The house and barn of Rev. John Taylor, built by himself about 1738, stood where the Town Hall now stands. It was occupied by the Taylor family until it was burned, Sept. 22, 1864.
North-east of the Unitarian Church was a red store, removed sixty years ago to the land of Charles Stone, on Randolph turnpike, where it now stands, south of the cottage, on the corner of Centre street and Randolph avenue. Mr. Stone kept store in a part of his house, which stood on the corner.
After the red store was moved away, Capt Charles Taylor built a store about where the old Town House used to stand,
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
for his brother Joseph. This, too, was moved, and now forms the front portion of Mr. Charles Breck's house.
Opposite the Academy house, on the easterly corner of Can- ton avenue and Highland street, in the low land now owned by Messrs. Cushing & Whitwell, was a tannery, carried on by one of the Pitchers.
James Read owned a large tract of land on the south and west side of Canton avenue and Highland street. About a hundred years ago he built a house on the site now occupied by the Silsbee mansion. This was removed by Mr. Silsbee, and now stands south-east of his residence, on Highland street.
On the east side of Highland street, at the top of the hill, where Mr. Spafford now lives, stood the residence of Jazeniah Ford, built by Dr. Enos Sumner, in 1771. Mr. Ford married Abigail, the daughter of Seth Sumner, and sister of Dr. Sumner. At the decease of Dr. Sumner the house and land descended to his sister. Near the house was Mr. Ford's factory, in which playing-cards were manufactured. This building was burned Sept. 4, 1861, and the house at a more recent date.
Thomas Read, the son of James, lived on the south-westerly corner of Canton avenue and Highland street. He was a hatter by trade, and had a building there in which he manufactured hats, which was afterwards changed into his dwelling-house. No traces of it now remain, but some of our citizens remember the building and the business there carried on.
Enoch Fenno bought of J. Smith Boies a tract of land, near which Thacher street runs, of one hundred and four acres, ad- joining and including the estate once owned by Rev. Peter Thacher. He lived in the Thacher house until it was burned, and was engaged in the pottery business. The manufactory was on the point of land between Thacher and Mattapan streets. There are traces of a pond on the land marking the spot where he obtained clay for his works. After the Thacher house was burned, in 1798, the pottery building was converted into a dwelling-house, where Mr. Fenno lived for years. This, too, was burned about forty years ago, but the cellar is still seen, over a portion of which a house is now being erected. The cellar of the Thacher house may be found on the westerly side of Thacher street, about fifteen rods north of Pine-tree Brook. A large elm is growing out of it, and two large flat stones, which, perhaps, were steps, lie near by ; while the old well and the cellar drain are distinctly seen. This house, when built, was near the travelled way, as will be seen in the chapter on Highways and By-ways. All the travel from the east part of the town and beyond, to the fresh meadows, and to Dedham,
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
evidently took this direction, as Canton avenue, if laid out, was not passable. The footpath, from Brush Hill to the meeting- house, laid out Jan. 30, 1674, must have entered this road at about this point. A short distance north was the Jonathan Badcock house (now Mr. Dudley's), and between the Badcock house and the Thacher house was the house of Ezra Clapp, the nearest neighbor, and the true and lasting friend of his pastor.
At the decease of Mr. Thacher, Oxenbridge, the eldest son, occupied the place while he lived; and probably Oxenbridge, the distinguished patriot, the son of Oxenbridge, lived there, as he was a resident of Milton for several years. His sons, Peter and Thomas, were born in Milton. Miss Hannah Vose, daughter of Moses, who lived in the Jonathan Badcock house most of her life, has left the record that the Thacher house, then owned by Enoch Fenno, was burned in 1798.
POUND.
The present Pound was built in 1774. This was an impor- tant institution in early days, when cattle and swine were turned loose on the highways.
The first Pound, in 1670, was on Mr. Cushing's land, near White street. The second, 1711, stood on the lot of John Trott, near the Parish Parlor. The third stood where the par- sonage of Dr. McKean was erected; and the fourth was built as follows : -
June 27 1774 voted that Capt. Tucker Mr. Brinsmead Hunt, and Mr. John Bradley be a committee to consider of the most convenient spot for the town to build a pound on and to report at this meeting; accordingly the said committee reported that, in their judgment, the most convenient spot for a pound, is on the ministerial land nearly opposite the lane leading to the house of Joshua and Benjamin Vose, and said report was accepted by the Town.
Benjamin Read, son of James, built the house under the " big oak," opposite the Pound. He married a daughter of Joshua Vose, who owned the house up the lane built by Elijah or Ben- jamin Wadsworth in 1765.1 Hannah Vose, daughter of Joshua,
1 " To be sold by Public Auction at the house of William Badcock near Milton Bridge on Tuesday the seventeenth day of November next at II oclock A M the farm of Mr Elijah Wadsworth of said Milton containing forty five acres, lying on the High road near the Meeting house; it is inclosed and divided almost wholly with stone walls, and has about two acres of good orchading. The soil is very good and is improvable both for pasture and tillage. A large handsome dwelling House has been lately built upon a small eminence near the road extremely well situated for a gentlemans Seat." - Boston Evening Post, Oct. 5, 1767.
This was a sheriff's sale; the place was purchased by Benjamin Vose, tailor, and at that date first passed into the Vose family. May 25, 1769, the north-westerly half was con- veyed by Benjamin to his brother, Joshua Vose.
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married Joseph M. Shepherd, and thus the Vose house passed into the Shepherd family. Benjamin Read was a pump-maker, and his son, J. Elijah Read, who inherited his estate, was a pump- maker, as well as shoemaker; his heirs now live on their father's estate.
The old house that stood on the easterly drive-way to Col. H. S. Russell's mansion, an eighth of a mile from Canton avenue, the site of which is now covered by his farm-house, was built and occupied by Deacon Cornelius Gulliver. Jonathan Gulliver, and other descendants of Anthony, who owned a large tract on Wigwam Hill, probably lived near Cornelius. There is an old cellar on the Churchill land, a short distance from the house of Cornelius, and the site of a house on the Russell land, but a few rods south-east of the deacon's house. Some suppose these cel- lars mark the former residence of some of the Vose family.
John Gulliver, who was a carpenter, built the house now belonging to Col. Russell, opposite that of E. D. Fairbank, where also he had his shop. He died in 1804. Lemuel, his son, whose daughter married Josiah Fairbank, built the Fairbank house, and in settling his father's estate sold his father's house to Misses Polly, Lizzie, and Mindwell Sumner. They were excellent Christian women. "Aunt Mindy," who survived her sisters, is remembered by many of us as a beautiful example of gentleness and patience under deprivations and sufferings.
In the field of Col. Russell, midway between the old Robbins house and the house occupied by the Miss Sumners, once stood a house, doubtless the residence of one of the Gullivers.
On the north-west side of Canton avenue, nearly opposite the homestead of Rev. Nathaniel Robbins, is seen the cellar of the old Milton parsonage. The parsonage was built by the town for Dr. McKean, in 1798. It was occupied by Dr. Gile for many years, and was finally conveyed to him by the parish. It was sold by the heirs of Lewis Tucker, who married Mary P. Gile, to Col. B. S. Rotch, the present owner. After the decease of her husband, Mrs. Gile was accustomed, during the summer months, to receive into her family friends from the city. In the summer of 1838 Rev. Dr. Charles Follen, with his wife and their only child, Charles C. Follen, then nine years old, boarded at Mrs. Gile's. Dr. William Ellery Channing visited him there and remained a week. Our honored citizen, Edward L. Pierce, then nine years old, was boarding at the same place, attending school with the other boys at Milton Academy. His seat at the table was directly opposite Dr. Channing ; and he bears in his mind to this day the impression then made by the benign and placid countenance of Dr. Channing, suggesting to his boyish
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conception the countenance of St. John, the beloved disciple. Dr. Channing's widow passed the last years of her life in Milton with her son-in-law, Rev. F. A. Eustis.
Mrs. Follen, the biographer of her husband, thus speaks of Mrs. Gile, their hostess, vol. I., p. 487 : -
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