USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Milton > The history of Milton, Mass., 1640 to 1877 > Part 20
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FOOT-PATH FROM COUNTRY HIGHWAY TO MEETING-HOUSE, 1672.
In May, 1672, a foot-path, four feet wide, was laid out by Anthony Gulliver, Thomas Swift, and John Fenno, from the " Country Heigh Waye " to the meeting-house. It began at, or near, Algerine corner, and ran for a short distance nearly in the course of Centre street [built in 1824]; then it passed over upon the land of B. F. Dudley, and crossed the "swampe at a plase known by the name of Shepe Bridge," and so met the "town highway " [Churchill's lane], near the residence of C. M. S. Churchill. "Shepe Bridge " was on the land of Mr. Dud- ley, probably at the point where his bridge now crosses the stream. The same large, flat stone that first covered the bridge has been re-laid by Mr. Dudley, and retained to the present time. The meeting-house at that time was on the Robert Vose lot.
VOSE'S LANE, 1673.
In the year 1673 Vose's lane was laid out by Robert Vose, two rods wide, "from the woods gate," to the parallel line, in- stead of an open highway from the meeting-house to his barn, and thence to the woods gate formerly laid out by the town, " which was grievous to said Vose."
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
FOOT-PATH FROM BRUSH HILL TO MEETING-HOUSE, 1674.
Milton the 30th day of the first Month 1674. Wee whos names are un- derwritten by ordr from the Select men, have laid out a footpath from Brush Hill to ye Meeting House in Milton as followeth, that is to say : be- ginning at the highway at Farnsworth Lot leading down to Edward Vose his Stonewall as is manifest by divers marked trees, and from thence straight to the field of Edward Vose his house, and so by Ezra Clapp's barn, and thence to the brook, and so along the highway to a walnut tree at Vose his cornfield, and thence strait over Goodman Vose [Robert Vose] his pasture to the Meeting house as is manifest by marked trees and stumps. Which way is to be four feet wide.
INCREASE SUMNER. WILLIAM BLAKE. EZRA CLAPP.
This foot-path started at the lot purchased by Robert Tucker of Widow Farnsworth, near the head of Robbins street, fifty years before Robbins street was laid out, and ran in a north- easterly direction, crossing the Church land, Blue Hill avenue, and Mattapan street north of the "Myers house," till it struck the street opened in 1670, running by Edward Vose's farm to Balster's brook, and thence it ran by Ezra Clapp's barn to the brook near Mr. Dudley's house [then Jonathan Badcock's] ; crossing the brook it took a course along Brook road to near White street, and then crossed "Goodman Vose's pasture," now owned by Shepherd, Frothingham, Whitney, and Gannett, to the meeting-house on the Vose lot. A cart-path also led from Brush Hill to the rear of the ice-houses, on Mattapan street, where the foot travel passed on a "Log."
BRUSH HILL ROAD, 1676-7.
The select men of Milton doe order that ther shall be an open way two rods wide too begine at Neponset Rivr where they used to goe and from the place called the Oxpen, and so up the Beaten Rode soe that it come to the southerly side of George Sumners lot wher the way is fenced out, and so from the corner of Goodman Sumners uper field, that is the southely corner next the highway, and so to run a Straight line till it comes to Ebenezer Claps corner of his upper feld next the way, we mene that corner next to Goodman Clemons land, and the way to lie on the lower side of the line 2 Rods wide and so to keep the Beaten Road to the plaine til it com to the way leading to the Blew hil meadows, and we doe order Goodman Tucker Sen. and george Lion and henry Glover to stake out the way from the southerly corner of georg Sumners uper feeld to Runy strait with the corner of Ebenezers upper feeld next the way, which way is to bee tow Rods brod.
ANTHONY GULLIVER,
ROBERT TUCKER, THOM. SWIFT, THOMAS HOLMAN, Selectmen.
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HIGHWAYS AND BY-WAYS.
The above road began at the ford on the river, and ran in the rear of the Hollingsworth house, meeting the old drift-way, to the ox-pen, and thence from Mattapan street, by the Schofield estate, to Brush Hill street, and to the Blue Hill meadows, called later the Great Fowle meadows. Many years prior to the laying out of this road there was a beaten path to Ponkapog, the home of the Indians.
ROAD FROM PINE TREES TO MEETING-HOUSE, 1680.
The records show that a public way was laid out from the pine trees, over the Church land, to the meeting-house, in 1680. It appears not to have been completed, and for years was in a rough and perhaps impassable condition, as, forty-one years later, it was laid out anew on the same ground.
March 2. 1723-4 It was voted that there should be a way laid out on the parallel line, on the south east side of the Church land. We began at the corner of sd. Chh. land near pine tree bridge and laid out the sd. way one and a half rods on each side of the parallel line until we came to the other corner of sd. Church land near the dwelling house of Nathaniel Pitcher.
JOHN WADSWORTH HENRY VOSE BENJAMIN FENNO JOHN DANIEL SAMUEL WADSWORTH,
Selectmen.
March 16 1723.
ROAD FROM PINE TREES TO DORCHESTER LINE, 1681.
The year after the road was opened from the pine trees to the meeting-house it was extended westerly to the Dorchester line [now Canton].
Milton 1.5m, 1681. The select men of Milton laid out a highway leading from the pine trees to Dorchester line; going to punckapog they began at the line between the towns - the first being a chestnut two rods eastward and so run to a whit oche marked on the west . . . and so to keep the ould way til we come to the ridge hill, and so along the top of the ridge we came near Thomas Swifts lot . . . and so to a black ocke on the west side and so to the side of Henry Glovers fense, and then turning a litell about ner the spring we marked 2 trees more, and so to the parallel line beinge upon Ralph hoffens lote and so along the parallel line to John Fenno's lande till we come to Samuel Pitcher's and so over the plain by John dick's land till we come to near the pine trees, thus far was don that day.
ROBERT TUCKER GEORGE SUMNER THOMAS SWIFT HENRY CRANE THOMAS HOLMAN,
·Selectmen.
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
CHANGE IN LOCATION OF BROOK ROAD, 1694.
Whereas there was a way laid out by the selectmen of Milton upon the 25th day of the 12 mo. 1673 from the northwest corner of Edward Voses pasture at the woods gate as it now goes from said gate over the brook by Jonathan Badcocks house, and so by Ezra Clapps house till it comes to Mr Thachers barn, and from thence over ye plain till it comes to the way lead- ing from the oxpen to Brush Hill; but upon further consideration, we the present Select men of Milton this present year 1694 for several reasons do see cause to remove some part of said ways, that is to say, that part of said way that was laid out from Mr Peter Thachers Barn that now is till it come to the highway leading from the oxpen to Brush Hill - and instead of going there it shall begin, and is by us laid out from the brook by Jonathan Bad- cocks house where the bridge now is upon said Badcock's land, and so many rods wide as is needful for the conveniensy of long teams with long timber comfortably to gain and enter the bridge, till it come to the west end of said Badcocks barn, and from thence to go two rods wide &c . . . till it come and mete the aforesaid way which leads from the oxpen to Brush Hill. This is to be an open way without either gates or bars.
The Jonathan Badcock house was a part of the house now owned by J. H. Dudley, Jr. Fifty-six years ago, when this estate was purchased by Charles Breck, the eastern portion of the house was so time-worn and decayed that new sills and timbers were needful ; while the westerly part was sound and modern. A part of this house, therefore, has, we have no doubt, an antiquity of more than two hundred years.
A careful analysis of the above record will show that the way therein described as changed to the present Brook road between the house of Dudley and the ox-pen, before this change, turned sharply to the west, just north of the bridge, and ran between the brook and the barn now standing, as far as the barn of Rev. Mr. Thacher, when it turned northerly, following about the line of Thacher street, and terminated in the open space at the junction of Brook road and Mattapan street, near the ox-pen.
REV. PETER THACHER'S CELLAR.
The knowledge of this early way passing the residence of Milton's first pastor allays the surprise, so often felt, that he should have built his house in this out-of-the-way place.
Near this road, which is here discontinued, is found the cellar of Rev. Peter Thacher, and also the site of Ezra Clapp's house, his nearest neighbor and faithful parishioner. From the centre of Mr. Thacher's cellar has grown up an elm which has attained great size, and spreads its pendent limbs over the whole site of the former dwelling. On the ground near by lie two smoothly worn flat stones, which served for steps or flagging; while
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within sound the brook murmurs by. These little fragments of the past, mementos of other days and other men, are, indeed, impressive messengers, seeming to say : -
" And this our life exempt from public haunts, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in everything."
No one would surmise that in a place, to us so remote, rarely visited, and almost unknown, could ever have transpired scenes of such thrilling interest. Here lived, during forty years of his long pastorate, amid the aspirations and despondencies of an eventful life, one whom, after the lapse of two centuries, we recall with affection and reverence; and from this place he passed to the home above.
SITE OF REV PETER THATCHER HOUSE
On this spot, in the year 1689, was begun the first regular prayer-meeting in Milton, on Friday evening. It was continued during the life of Mr. Thacher ; it was taken up by succeeding pastors for the same evening ; it has never been discontinued ; it will, I am sure, be sacredly observed while time remains.
Visiting this ground in early June, when every landscape smiles with radiant promise, and rejoices in the sweetness of song and in the exuberance of animal and insect life, I was standing near this overspreading tree, lost in the suggestive thoughts awakened by the surroundings, when an oriole in the limbs
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
above poured forth his rich, exultant song. It thrilled my soul with the deepest emotion. The notes of praise, mute on human lips, seemed to be taken up, and prolonged, and borne aloft by nature's voices.
FOOT-PATH FROM NEW STATE TO MEETING-HOUSE, 1696.
In 1696 a foot-path was laid out "from the house of Thomas Horton over land of Mr. Badcock, John Fenno, Daniel Hen- shaw, Charles and John Redman, to the town hye way which gos to the meeting house." It followed about the course of Gun Hill street, and perhaps was afterwards changed into this highway.
BRUSH HILL ROAD WIDENED, 1706.
We have the following record of the widening of Brush Hill road : -
Complaint being made to us, the Selectmen of Milton, namely : Thomas Swift, Georg Sumner Jonathan Gulliver Manasseh Tucker and Thomas Vose, by several of our inhabitants, that there was very great need of lay- ing the ways wider, coming down the north-east side of Brush Hill through a part of Dorchester Church Lands, by reason there is no passing in time of snow and ise where the way now is; therefore, for the better accommodat- ing of passage down said hill, we beeing met thereon upon the 26 day of September 1706, Samuel Triscot being present with us we agreed upon a walnut tree to be marked with a dublue on the north side, said tree standing near the corner of Samuel Triscot's orchard and on the north side of the old way, from thence to a walnut trce also marked with a dublue on that side next the highway, from thence to heap of stones by the old saw-pit, from thence to a great black oak over the run, from thence to a great ould stump with a heap of stones upon it and is neir the old way in the Sandy Valley.
Recorded the 9 day of October 1706 by me THOMAS VOSE, Town Clerk.
The house of Samuel Trescott was directly opposite the resi- dence of Hon. James M. Robbins ; traces of the cellar are still visible, and the Trescott well, over against the avenue to the Robbins mansion, is still in use. From this point the road was widened to Brook road, and beyond through Long pasture 1 to its present junction with Mattapan street.
1 The Town of Dorchester owned a tract of land of two hundred and fifty-five acres on the Milton side at Mattapan, known as the "Long pasture." This was, doubtless, a part of the " Ministerial land," and may have extended up the river as far as the north- ern boundary of the Robbins estate.
March 2, 1801. The "Long pasture " was leased by Dorchester to Jeremiah Smith Boies, Esq., for five hundred years, at the rate of forty-nine dollars per acre, and one cent a year during the term, amounting to the sum of $1,249.50, " reserving, however, about two acres between the old and new way, which they consider expedient." This tract of " about two acres," lying between Brook road and Brush Hill road, is now
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HIGHWAYS AND BY-WAYS.
ROAD FROM OX-PEN TO MATTAPAN BRIDGE, 1712.
In the early part of the last century that portion of Milton about Mattapan was mostly a wilderness, and was known as a part of the " Five-hundred acre lot." It was, to a great extent, covered by woods, but afforded also much pasturage, which was used by the proprietors of the common lands, called Common- ers, as grazing land for their cattle, under the charge of herds- men. Here was located what is often spoken of in our records as the " Ox-pen," an enclosure for herding the oxen and steers at night, or whenever necessary. The " Cow walk " was nearer the Lower Mills.
The following transcript from the Dorchester records will be of interest in this connection.
The herdsmen here spoken of are old Milton citizens : -
Dorchester the 26 of the second mo: 1653. It is covenanted and agreed by and between the select men of this towne for this p'sent yeare and Antoney Newton and Willm Solsbury of the same towne that the said Antoney Newton and Willm Solsbury shall and will from the 9 of the 3 moneth next insueing vntil the 27 or 28 day of 7 moneth following keepe all such oxen or steeres in a heard, as shall at their first goeing forth be deli'ued vnto them for that inde by any of the inhabitants of the said towne and none of other townes to be received or kept with them withont leeve or lysense from the said town first had and obtayned. Their walk or place of feeding to be on the further side of the river Norponset and above or beyond the Cow walke of Dorchester and not suffered to goe among the Cowes. And also the said Anthoney Newton and Willia Solsbury doth covenant to and with the said selectmen, to goe forth with the oxen and steeres halfe an hower by sonn, and bring theni to their appointed place or pen so called abonght sonn sitting eury night that so the owners may have them if they please to send for them either in the eveneing or in the morneing before the said tyme of their goeing forth and not be disapointed when they have vrgent occasion to vse them. And to make the denn suffi- cient for largnesse of ground that so the Oxen or Steeres may be les inin- rious or hurtfull one vnto an other as also sufficient in point of fence, and for their faithfulnesse and care herein they the said Antony and Willm is to have twoe shillings a head to be paid at twoe paymts, the one.halfe within one moneth after they be put to them and the other halfe at the end of the 7 moneth following at som convenient place in towne where they doe appoint, but if in case they be driven to com for their pay then they are allowed to receive two shillings and two pence a head.
WILLIAM SALSBOR * ROBT HOWARD in the name of the rest of the Select men. [Record Commissioners, Vol. IV, p. 62.]
The ox-pen was situated near the point where Brook road crosses Mattapan street, a position convenient for residents of
owned by the City of Boston, and has long been used as a gravel pit. [See Dorchester Records, March 2, 1801.]
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
Brush Hill, and for citizens in other parts of Milton, reaching it over Brook road, as well as for the mass of the inhabitants north of the river. A cattle beat led to the ford on the Dor- chester side, and extended from the ford to the ox-pen. The ford was a short distance west of the Mattapan bridge.
The bridge spoken of at the date specified in the following extract from the Milton records, if built at or near that time, was a private one for the convenience of the mill-owners ; and the road then laid out may not have been opened, except as a bridle- path, as the first reliable evidence of a bridge at this point and a road to the same is as follows : "Road to bridge near Jacksons Mill laid out by a jury in 1734. Bridge built by the Court of General Sessions in 1736." The " road to bridge " referred to above may have been the road on the Dorchester side.
June 24, 1712. The Select men naniely Jonathan Gulliver Ebenezer Wadsworth Ephriam Tucker met by appointment to lay out an open high- way from the Oxpen to the river where there is to be a cartbridge erected and we began by the river where the bridge is to be made and marked a red oak on the east side, and the highway is to be on the east side two rods in width ; then we marked another red oak by the side of the trench, the way lying on the east side of said tree, then we proseded and marked another red oak and the way is to ly on the west side, then the way is to run in a strait line till it comes to a small walnut tree by the way side where it now lies and the way is to be on the west side of said tree, then to go as the way now lies till it meets the way that leads over the river commonly called the oxpen way ; and said way is to be two rods wide.
While it is difficult to trace out and identify many of the roads projected in the early years of the town, as all landmarks except parallel lines, rivers, brooks, and rocks have long ago disappeared, this road may be readily identified.
If we extend the line of the old drift-way from the ox-pen passing the Austin Mansion, straight to the river, it will cross the estate of G. Hollingsworth in the rear of his house, and reach just the position of the "old ford " on the river. The way here described is the road as it now runs from the bridge, and a short distance south of the Hollingsworth house, until it intersects this old drift-way from the ox-pen. The present road, if not built till 1734, is in the line of the road here laid out in 1712.
ROAD OVER THE BLUE HILL LAND, 1713.
At the request of the inhabitants of the Town of Milton, the Select men met the 29 of April 1713, namely Capt. Jonathan Gulliver Manassath Tucker Ebenezer Wadsworth Ephraim Tucker to lay out a highway over the land
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commonly called the blue hill land, we being met we began at the brook beyond Samuel Tuckers house, and marked a small white oake which is to be in the middle of the way, and we proceeded and marked a black oake &c . . . and from thence to a rock and the way to ly on the west side and from thence between John Wadsworths house and barn til it comes to the way that lies on the back side of said Wadsworths house, and at the meet- ing of the Select men since the above day, they then agreed that the way should be where it now is from John Wadsworths house till it comes to the southwest corner of Deacon Swifts Lott, then the way is to ly between the land of Deacon Swift and John Wadsworth till it comes to the land of John Hersey and then to ly between the land of John Wadsworth and John Hersey till it comes to the highway yt lys by Nathaniel Pitchers house and the way to ly on John Wadsworths a rod and a half in width - and on the land commonly called the blue hill land the way is to be two rods wide and to ly open, and John Wadsworth has liberty to lay the way strait from his house till it comes to the south west corner of Deacon Swifts land but the way on John Wadsworths land is not as yet to ly open
Entered the 26 day of December 1713 by me EPHRAIM TUCKER Town Clerk.
The above-described road is Highland street, and a part of Randolph avenue and of Hillside street. The description begins on Hillside street, at the brook south-west of Samuel Cook's house. Charles K. Hunt now lives in the Samuel Tucker house. It proceeds over the line of Hillside street and Randolph avenue, which diverges a little from the old way, to the house of Mr. David W. Tucker, where the old road branches off easterly from Randolph avenue, and crosses it again near the house of Mr. George Vose; passing the Vose and Gannett estate, and the "Bent Bakery," it continues on the line of Highland street, passing through the Wadsworth land, in its entire length to Canton avenue, opposite the Academy house, formerly the resi- dence of Andrew Pitcher.
WHITE'S LANE, 1714.
The next year, White's lane, now White street, was opened.
At the request of some of the inhabitants of the Town of Milton, the Select-men of Milton met the 5 day of April 1714 to lay out an open high- way from the highway leading to the meeting house to the way that lys by Seargeant Peter White's we being by the way leading by Sergeant Whites we began a few rods on the land of Mr Roson &c. . ... and soc to the bounds between the land of Daniel Hensher on the west and Sergent Thomas Vose East and from thence by the highway that leads by the Meeting house one rod in width on the land of Daniel Hensher, and one rod in width on the land of Thomas Vose.
EPHRIAM TUCKER JONATHAN GULLIVER Selectmen.
Sergeant White lived on the north-west corner of White street and the extension of Central avenue, from Brook road to
*
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HISTORY OF MILTON.
Thacher street. The meeting-house then stood on the Robert Vose lot.
ROBBINS STREET, 1722.
The Select men John Wadsworth Benjamin Fenno Edward Blake and Samuel Wadsworth laid out the public way from the way leading over Brush Hill to the way that is made use of over the Church land. Beginning near Deacon Manassah Tuckers barn on Brush Hill we laid it half a rod on Deacon Ephraim Tuckers land and a rod on Deacon Manassah Tucker's land, and near the end of a stone wall dividing the above mentioned Dea- cons' land, it is to be a rod wide on Deacon Ephraim Tucker's land, and from thence on the strait line we laid the way three quarters of a rod on each Deacons land until we came to the land of William Sumner and then we laid the way three quarters of a rod wide on each side of the line until we came to Deacon Manassah Tuckers land and three quarters of a rod wide between William Sumners land and Deacon Manassah Tuckers land until we wanted three rods of coming to the end of William Sumners land, and to run near east with a strait line to the nearest corner of Ebenezer Sumners land, and then three quarters of a rod on each side between Ebenezer Sumner on one side and Deacon Manassah Tucker and his son Ebenezer on the other side until we come to the Brook near the house of said Ebenezer Tucker and in a strait line over the corner of Ebenezer Tuckers land, and a corner of Ebenezer Sumners land into the other way. It is consented that there be two good sufficient gats on the said way that is to say one at each end.
There was much controversy about this road, and it was not fully built until 1734. But the general direction herein described is still retained. The bend in the street midway, run- ning nearly east and west, identifies it as the road in question. Ebenezer Tucker owned the land now owned by D. Murphy, and probably the identical house now standing. In a second laying out of this way his house is spoken of as on the east side, and his barn on the west. The tract of land through which the road passed had been in the possession of the Tuck- ers and Sumners for upwards of sixty years. In 1852-3 Rob- bins street, then called New lane, was widened and greatly improved, at the expense of $844.11.
ROAD OVER BLUE HILL LAND FROM STOUGHTON TO S. TUCKER'S, 1734.
At the request of the inhabitants of the Town of Milton we the subscrib- ers met on the (26) day of June 1734 to lay out an open highway over the land commonly called Blue Hill Land. We began at Stoughton line at the corner of Mr John Puffer's stone wall and laid it out two rods wide wheare the way now goes untill we came near Edward Adams' Jr. honse, we marked a blacke oake at the bottom of the hill the way to be two rods on the south of said tree and so on the south side of a great rock with a heap of stones on the top of the rock and so to come into the way to Edward Adams' house & so keeping the old way untill we came near a stony brook and
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on the left hand of the way we marked a white oake tree in the middle of way and so come to Braintree line and so on the south side of Nathaniel Houghtons house as the way now goes untill we come to the easterly side of Deacon Manassah Tuckers Lote and so turning to the left hand in a foot path down the hill and so over the brook in Mr Samuel Millers land and keeping the old way untill we come to a wet piece of land neare John Pitcher's and so to the old way and so on over the brook neare Mr Samuel Tuckers house.
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