USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877 > Part 18
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ROBBING HOU
Soon after incorporation John Trott settled down on the land now owned by Amor L. Hollingsworth; his house stood near Mr. Hollingsworth's, where the well is now seen. A tract of land east of the house was long known as the "Trott Pasture."
The house of Samuel Trescott stood on the east side of Brush Hill road, directly opposite the driveway to the Robbins house ; his well, near by, is still in use.
James Smith Jr Sugar refiner of Boston bought August 1734, of Margaret Trescott, Samuel Topliff, and Hannah his wife 60 acres of land lying on Brush Hill bounded north by the river and on both sides by the road. - Suffolk Deeds, Lib. 49, Fol. 34.
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
Mr. Smith purchased other tracts of land in the same vicinity, making in all one hundred and seventy-one acres. About this time he built the Robbins house. He was a large capitalist, or became such, and is said to have had more mortgages recorded in Suffolk Registry than any other man of his day.
We find the following notice of his death : -
Last Thursday night, died at his seat at Brush Hill, Milton, Mr. James Smith, of this town, sugar-boiler, in the 81st year of his age. His funeral will be attended from the house of James Murray, Esq., in Queen street, this afternoon, precisely at five o'clock. - Boston Evening Post, Aug. 7, 1769.
Mr. Smith's second wife was Mrs. Campbell, formerly Eliza- beth Murray, sister of James Murray. At the decease of her husband, Mrs. Smith, who afterwards became Mrs. Inman, con- veyed, Sept. 28, 1769, to Honorable Thomas Hutchinson, of Milton, and Ezekiel Goldthwait, of Boston, the estate on Brush Hill and elsewhere, comprising one hundred and seventy-one acres, in trust, the income and improvement of the same to go to her brother, James Murray. Mr. Murray improved the place, and was a resident of Milton in 1674, but, sympathizing strongly with the Government in the struggle of the times, he withdrew to Boston, where he passed about a year, and in 1776 went to England. His interest in the Brush Hill estate was transferred to his daughters. They, too, were strong Royalists, and only by continuing to live in the house through the war were they able to retain their Milton property.
Robert Tucker moved from Weymouth to Milton about 1662. In Nov., 1663, he purchased three tracts of land on Brush Hill, of Widow Farnsworth, Elder Withington, and Mrs. Fenno, con- taining in all about one hundred and seventeen acres. In his will, dated 7th March, 1681, he speaks of the "new house." This house is now standing on the west side of Brush Hill road, at the head of Robbins street, owned by Miss Susan W. Clark, a descendant of Robert Tucker, whose ancestor, George Clark, married Elizabeth, daughter of Jaazaniah Tucker, the son of Manasseh ; his son, Jaazaniah Tucker Clark, was father of the Milton Clarks. It is probably the oldest house in Milton, and evidently belongs to the old colonial times. The annular in- crements in a section of white oak timber removed from one of the beams in repairing this house show a growth of one hundred and eleven years. This timber, which still remains in the build- ing, hard and sound as when first put in place, has an age of at least three hundred years.
Miss Clark, in her travels abroad, stopping in the old Prussian town of Goslar, saw many quaint houses, and secured the photo-
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graph of one after which she decided to fashion the roof and exterior of her Brush Hill house. The knocker on the front door of the remodeled house was brought from Goslar.
The Old TUCKER HOUSE
Remodeled
in 4875 After a house
LACROIX NDELED
in the - Oldt Prussian Powln of Goslar
On the east side of Brush Hill road, but a short distance from the Tucker house, is the Sumner house, built but a few years later, by Roger Sumner, and still owned and occupied by the Sumner family. The inventory of his Milton estate was taken by Thomas Vose, Ralph Houghton, and Samuel
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
Trescott, 14th Dec., 1700, "Mary Sumner, the widow of Roger, to have as her thirds the old end of the dwelling-house in Mil- ton, valued at £18 8s." Waitstill [Sumner] Tucker, eldest daughter, "to have one-third part of the chamber, and one-third part of the garret in the new end of the dwelling-house, and other estate."
Between the Tucker house and the house of Joshua W. Vose, on the same side of Brush Hill road, were the Foord and Jones houses. The Jones house, which was first the Blake house, was struck by lightning in 1789 and the westerly part torn to pieces ; both of these have disappeared. Nathan Foord, of Marshfield, married Waitstill Tucker, daughter of Jaazaniah, son of Manasseh Tucker, and took up his residence on the Tucker estate, Brush Hill, Milton. Here sprang up a family of nine children. All were born in Milton, and most of them marrying residents of the town, became closely associated with its inter- ests. James, the second son, married Hannah Blake, of Milton. He was made Register of Deeds for Norfolk County, April, 1813, and was successively followed in this office by his son Enos Foord, and by James, the son of Enos, now resident in California.
The old Vose house was in the field, down the hill, perhaps twenty rods east of the Jesse Vose house.
The house of Deacon Edward Capen stands on the highest land of Brush Hill occupied by a Milton residence, and lower down, on the same side of the street, is the house of Deacon Amariah Tucker and his son, Deacon Nathan Tucker, all faith- ful, earnest men. In the winter of 1788-9 the house of Dea- con Amariah Tucker was consumed by fire. There was a party that night at Dr. Turner's, who lived on Canton avenue, where Mrs. Eldridge now resides, in full sight of Deacon Amariah's house. When the party broke up, at midnight, Dea- con Amariah's house was seen to be on fire. A horseman gal- loped with all speed over the road, nearly a mile, and aroused the family in season to rescue them from the flames, but not to save their effects. The tall, massive Willard's clock, now ticking in the drawing-room of Miss M. E. Tucker's house, was almost the only valuable article saved ; it cost Deacon Amariah sixty silver dollars. This was passed out of the window, and Deacon Amariah's wife, a slight woman, took it in her arms and bore it through the deep snow across the road to a place of safety. Ordinarily it would test the strength of two men. The present house was built during the next year.
The old original George Sumner house, built about 1662, stood in the field south-east of the Ferry houses. It was burned
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down April 10, 1748, and another house was built. Subse- quently, Abijah Sumner, son of Benjamin and grandson of George, lived in this house. His only daughter, Sarah, married Joshua Kingsbury. Their daughter, Rhoda, married Simon Ferry. Mr. Ferry bought out the other heirs, and came into possession of the estate. He continued to reside in the Sumner house until about 1836, when he built the Ferry house, now standing on the south side of Brush Hill road, near the great elm. In 1848 the old Sumner house was taken down, and an- other was built for George S. Ferry; afterwards this was moved to the position on Brush Hill road, where it now stands, still owned and occupied by G. S. Ferry, son of Simon. In this house is a charred timber from the old house burned in 1748.
April 10, 1748. Mr. Benjamin Sumner's house in Milton caught on fire, and was consumed with most of the wearing apparel of the family. - Boston News Letter.
The old Edward Blake homestead, last owned by Ziba Blake, was on the north side of Brush Hill road, east of the house of Deacon Nathan Tucker, and near the house of Mr. White. His estate extended back to the river, as did most of the estates on the north side of the road.
A little south-east of the Nathan Tucker house, on the opposite side of the road, was the Noah Damon house. It was standing in 1781.
The house of George Tucker, which stood north of the road, in the rear of the Dana Tucker house, was sold by his son, E. G. Tucker, and removed to the Capen estate, on some of the highest land of the hill, where it now stands, near the Capen driveway.
The small-pox hospital was located on the George Tucker farm, in the rear of the Dana Tucker house.
George Tucker of Milton yesterday fell from the tongue of his wagon while passing through Roxbury and was immediately killed. - Boston Evening Post, June 19, 1805.
There lies before me, as I write, a touching obituary notice, with lines on his death, by Edward H. Robbins.
The old Lion house, belonging to descendants of Preserved Lion, one of Milton's earliest citizens, stood on the north side of Brush Hill road, east of the Timothy Tucker house, and very near the house of Edward Finn, no trace of it remains.
The Reuben Lion house is the old Brush Hill school-house enlarged. It originally stood very near the Brush Hill road, on
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
land now owned by William M. Ferry, between his barn and the road. The exact location is indicated by the English elms growing there, first planted by Gov. Robbins when he owned the land.
South of the Elijah Tucker house, and on the opposite side of Brush Hill road, on land now owned by Miss Forbes, stood the first Vose house, where the progenitors of the Brush Hill Voses lived. The Vose land originally extended nearly to Paul's bridge.
Deacon Oliver Houghton, one of Milton's best citizens, lived in the old house on Brush Hill road, at the head of Atherton street. The house is now moved to the rear, and the lot is occupied by "The Woodpecker," a summer boarding-house recently moved to this locality.
John Shepard Crehore had a chair manufactory on the Ly- man Davenport place. Here, and at Adam Davenport's chair factory on Milton Hill, the old-fashioned, hard-wood, high- backed chairs were made. These are still found in Milton families, and are prized for their comfort and durability.
Early in this century John Crehore owned a large farm near Paul's bridge [early known as "Hubbard's Bridge"], a part of which now belongs to Mr. J. Mann. It was then an extensive dairy farm. "In 1812 John Crehore made 2181 lbs. of cheese, and sold 200 bbls. of apples." He was the first in Milton to raise strawberries for market.
Here also originated the "Diana Grape," which took the name of Diana Crehore, wife of John, who raised the grape from the seed of the Catawba. It was named and introduced by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society more than fifty years ago, and still holds its place among our best native grapes. The original vine was living fifteen years ago.
On one corner of Blue Hill avenue and Robbins street stood the toll-house of the old Brush Hill turnpike, where toll was taken as late as 1844. This was moved farther up and con- verted into the house of Mr. Gilbert Sumner. The toll-house was kept by Mr. McKendry, who had a hatter's shop on the opposite corner. Mr. Wilder Broad, the carpenter, bought the shop and land and built his house there. When Mr. H. A. Whitney came into possession of the land on that corner, this house was bought by Herbert B. Tucker, and moved to Matta- pan, where it now stands, on Brush Hill road, owned by Patrick Morton.
SCOTT'S WOODS.
The origin of this name, attached to a portion of the territory annexed to Milton on the south-west, in 1712, is still in doubt.
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
Mr. Robbins' hypothesis, that it took its name from the Scotch- men employed by the Braintree Iron Company, is not supported by facts. In his address appears the following statement: --
The town of Boston was greatly interested in the undertaking, and the location of the works at Braintree was encouraged by a grant of three thousand acres of land, still belonging to Boston, at that place. This tract is the same land which was purchased in 1711 by Mannaseh Tucker, Samuel Miller, and John Wadsworth, of Milton, and divided by the Court be- tween Braintree and Milton at that time. The fifteen hundred acres at- tached to our jurisdiction forms the present Scotch Woods Settlement.
The land purchased by the above citizens of Milton in 1711 was the tract known as the " Blue Hill Land," belonging to Boston. This section was remote from, and had no connection with, the grant to the Iron Company. It is wholly distinct and separate territory. I cannot understand how our honored citi- zen, usually so correct, was led into this error; but, with his statement, such an origin of the name of this section of our town seemed natural.
It is highly probable that Scott's Woods took its name from a family by the name of Scott residing on the territory before its annexation with Milton, and continuing in Milton through the whole of the last century.
Benjamin Scott, of Braintree, whose will was proved April 9, 1684, gives his brother Peter all his estate, until Peter's son, Benjamin, reaches the age of twenty-one years, then the son Benjamin takes half; if this son dies before the father, then the next son takes it. If Benjamin should live to enjoy the house and land after his father's death, he shall pay to his brother, Peter Scott, £10, and to John £5. John, the son of Benjamin, was baptized in Milton, November 22, 1702. Ebenezer Scott joined the church in Milton, 1743; he married Sarah Williams, of Dorchester, April 12, 1741. Sarah, wife of Ebenezer, died 1791. Mary, the daughter of Ebenezer, baptized November 22, 1747, and Catherine, daughter of Ebenezer, baptized November 19, 1749. Jan. 26, 1792, Samuel Scott married Susanna Tucker.
Mrs. Susanna Tucker, wife of Capt. Nathaniel Tucker, of Scott's Woods, fifty years ago made the following statement to Edmund J. Baker: That an old man named Scott lived near the point where the old Scott's Woods road crosses the Randolph avenue, and that some part of that road was through his lands. Mrs. Tucker was born in 1777; she obtained her information from Samuel Tucker, born in 1731. With her in- telligence and means of knowing the facts, and with her im-
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
pression that the neighborhood took its name from this family, the probability almost reaches certainty.
Manasseh Tucker, one of the four grantees of the "Blue Hill Land," continued to reside on his Brush Hill estate. His son Samuel, who had married Rebecca Leeds, of Dorchester, March 2, 1711, moved upon the new purchase in the wilderness, where a house was built, referred to in the will of his father. It prob- ably stood on Hillside street, where the house of Charles K. Hunt now is, and may have been in part the same house. In this house the third Samuel Tucker, great-grandson of Manasseh, lived through most of his life, and finally removed to the tavern on Randolph avenue built by him, where he died, July 19, 1841, aged ninety-one years, then the oldest man in Milton.
The house nearest the Canton line, on Hillside street, known as the "Johnson House," was the old Tucker, afterwards Far- rington house, conveyed by the Tuckers, June 5, 1760, to Seth Crane, and by him conveyed to Jonathan Farrington, June 14, 1785. Here were born Jonathan, Abel, John, and Nathaniel Farrington. This house or some other was standing here in 1754, and was conveyed by William Tucker, son of Ebenezer, to Ebenezer Tucker, Jun.
Dec. 12, 1754. Voted that the town will hire Mr. Ebenezer Tucker, Jun. His house for a work house for the poor. Mr. Benjamin Crane was chosen keeper of the work-house until next March meeting.
The old Benjamin Crane house was that known as the Elijah Hunt house, who married Rachael Crane.
Ralph Houghton removed from Lancaster to Milton in 1690, and soon after built the Houghton house. In 1722 the house and one hundred and fifty acres of land were conveyed to Ebenezer Houghton by his father, Joseph. It continued in the Houghton family until 1885. It is now about two hundred years old.
November 27, 1800, two sons of Jason Houghton, always called " Master Houghton,"- Charles Pierce, aged eleven, and Warren, aged eight years, - were sent upon the ice by their father to bring within shot duck that had settled in the open water, when they broke through, and were drowned before his eyes.
Joseph Hunt, of Randolph, living near the boundary of Milton, whose wife, Beula, died June 13, 1873, at the great age of 104 years, bought of John Houghton, son of Nathaniel, a tract of land on Hillside street, on which stood an old house called the " Barracks," probably a garrison house in the Indian wars. His son Thomas took down the old building and erected the present
Houghtons Pond
The Houghton House .
Blue Hill
Signal Station
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
house, long known as the Thomas Hunt house, and now owned by Mrs. E. M. Cary.
North of this house, on the same side of the street, just where the hill begins to rise, stood an old house in former years, no trace of which now remains. It was occupied for a time by a blind woman, Nanny Smith. When Deacon Houghton's children were drowned in the pond she stood at her door agonized by their screams.
" Aunt Sally Sampson," sister of Thomas Hunt, lived in an old house standing where the Simmons house now is.
Artemas Kennedy, grandson of Andrew Kennedy, Jr., moved from Westport to Milton, to the estate of his ancestors, in Scott's Woods, where he established a bakery about 1820. He built the house now owned by his son, J. L. Kennedy. His bakery was east of his dwelling-house, where a large business was done for several years, and many workmen employed. At his decease the business was continued by his sons and Jason Thayer, till 1856. Andrew Kennedy, Jr., son of Capt. Andrew Kennedy, of the Navy, was the adopted son of John Pitcher. He kept tavern in Milton during the Revolutionary war. He and four of his sons were at the battle of Lexington. He married Amy Went- worth, 1753. The Kennedy place was owned in the first years of the town by John Pitcher; a cellar, on the south side of the street in the fields, indicates the position of his slaves' quarters.
A short distance up Forest street is a cellar where the Tynes house stood which was recently burned.
Jeremiah Tucker, son of Jeremiah, called "Master Jerry," lived in the house east of the Kennedy house, which he built.
Alpheus M. Withington bought the Samuel Tucker estate, and sold to Thomas Hunt, who sold the same to Charles K. Hunt and Samuel Cook. The bakery of Mr. Tucker, occu- pied by his son Joshua, was in a building on the north side of Hillside street, a little east of his residence; it has been changed into a dwelling-house, now owned by C. K. Hunt.
The bakery of Nathaniel Tucker stood on the same side of the street, still further east; it was changed to a dwelling-house and removed to the avenue of Col. Russell, in the rear of his Scott's Woods house.
WHITE'S AND WILD'S TAVERN.
The Copeland house, which stood on or near the site of the residence of C. L. Copeland, and was removed to Randolph avenue, near Pleasant street, was in early times owned by Mr. White, who kept tavern there. It was afterwards known as
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
Wild's tavern. In the year 1787 a man belonging in Mid- dleboro' started on horseback from Boston to that place, and got as far as Wild's tavern, where he died of yellow-fever.
Capt. Nathaniel Tucker's house, now owned by Col. Russell, was the Stephen Miller house spoken of in the history of the Miller family.
Capt. Tucker and Capt. Withington built the Lewis Tucker house, and had a bakery in the shop near by ; this was changed by Lewis Tucker into a cabinet-maker's shop. William B. Washburn, Governor of Massachusetts, and member of Con- gress, the successor of Charles Sumner, when a boy, lived with Capt. Nathaniel Tucker for two years, as assistant on the farm, and attended the Scott's Woods school. He went from Mr. Tucker's to Deacon Adams', and after that began his prepara- tion for college.
Capt. Isaac Tucker, the son of Jeremiah, lived in the house built by himself, now owned and occupied by Aaron D. Vose. This house is very old, and has been rebuilt and repaired. Capt. Isaac was a man of sound judgment and firm principle ; he was greatly respected by all his contemporaries. He was ap- pointed captain of a company of the 6th Regiment, 1st Division, Militia, County of Suffolk, May 25, 1789. His commission, signed by Governor Hancock, is in the possession of his de- scendants.
Deacon Isaac Tucker, son of Capt. Isaac, had a house just west of the Aaron D. Vose house, built for him by his father, which was burned after his death; his widow built again on the same site ; her house was also burned, and a cabinet-maker's shop near by. Deacon Isaac possessed a strong personal character. He was beloved and esteemed in the church and town. He died at the commencement of a career of great usefulness.
Deacon David Tucker, son of Jeremiah, and father of Deacon Jesse Tucker, lived in a very old house standing near the house of David W. Tucker. Deacon Jesse took this house down and built the present house in 1837. These two deacons, father and son, are well remembered, and Deacon Jesse distinctly so, by the people of Milton. They were high-minded, noble men, whose influence will never die.
A knoll, covered with pine-trees in the rear, and somewhat to the east of this house, is, by tradition, an old Indian burial- place. Indian relics have been found in the near vicinity, - arrow-heads and a tomahawk.
Far up on Chickataubut hill, south-east of the house of D. W. Tucker, are seen the well-defined foundations of a building, five hundred feet above sea level and very difficult of access. What
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OLD HOUSES, CELLARS, AND LANDMARKS.
misanthrope could have sought a residence there ? or was it a signal-station during the war ?
CLARK'S TAVERN.
Clark's tavern, on Randolph avenue, was built by Samuel Tucker in 1809, for his son Joshua, for the purpose of accommo- dating the travel on the new turnpike. It was purchased by Minot Thayer, who kept it as a hotel. It was successively rented to Cephas Belcher, Mr. Linfield, Vinton Clark, and Mr. Huckings, each of whom kept it several years. Wm. H. Clark purchased it in 1877, after having carried it on twenty-four years. The house opposite was built by the father of Robert Vose, Esq. It was purchased by Mr. Swift, of Bridgewater, enlarged to its present dimensions, and used as a hotel for sev- eral years. Mr. Swift was a blacksmith, and had a shop near his barn. It now belongs to the Wm. H. Clark estate.
Mr. Isaac Copeland, grandfather of C. L. Copeland, lived on the old Scott's Woods road, a short distance from D. W. Tucker, in a house which has disappeared. It was early known as the Miller house. His wife, Rebecca [Pierce] Copeland, before her marriage lived in the family of Gov. Belcher, while he was a resident of Milton.
The house of Capt. Samuel Wadsworth, who fell at Sudbury, 1676, was opposite the residence of George K. Gannett ; this was burned in 1669. The family took temporary refuge in the barn, where Rev. Dr. Benjamin Wadsworth, minister of Bos- ton, and President of Harvard College, was born. Another house was built, and remained there till 1803. The walls of this house, and of many old houses in Milton, were packed with seaweed.
The gale of 1815 was from the south-east. It prostrated chimneys, unroofed houses, and laid flat acres of woodland. The house of George K. Gannett, then owned by John Gib- bons, was a story and a half high ; the gale blew off the roof, and in repairing the damage, it was raised to two stories.
The old Bent house was probably built by Josiah Bent. Here the bakery was started in 1801, in a single small oven. It is now used as a storehouse for the bakery.
The Reed house, opposite the bakery, was built by John Gib- bons. It was owned for a time by Josiah Bent. Noah Reed, by whose descendants it is now owned and occupied, bought it of Joel Pratt in 1801.
The old Wadsworth house, standing on the grounds of Capt. E. D. Wadsworth, was built by Benjamin Wadsworth, the great-
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
great-grandfather of Capt. Wadsworth, in 1735. It appears at the heading of this chapter.
The large square house, formerly of Josiah Wadsworth, on the east side of Highland street, was built by John Wadsworth, who lived there at the time of the Revolution. About 1800 it was enlarged, and a second story was added by Deacon Will- iam Wadsworth, father of Josiah, for the purpose of furnish- ing accommodations for the pupils of Milton Academy.
NEW STATE.
New State took its name in this wise. Daniel Vose was en- gaged in an extensive grocery and shipping business at the vil- lage, having a large wholesale grocery store, and employing many men.
The idle men from the section of the town in the region of Pleasant street were accustomed to congregate at his store for the extra work which Mr. Vose furnished ; thus, many times, spending day after day in loafing and idleness. Allen Crocker, the chief clerk of Mr. Vose, exasperated by the lazy habits of the people, on one occasion, when the gang were loaf- ing around the store, told them that they were a worthless set, and a nuisance ; that God Almighty would rain fire and brim- stone on them as he did on Sodom and Gomorrah, were it not for Stephen Horton ; he saved the place. They were not fit to live in Massachusetts ; he would rid the State of such a crew, and set them off into a new State by themselves, - that Moses Belcher was to be Governor, John Marshall, Lieut .- Gov- ernor, and Asa Horton, Secretary of State.
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