USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Sudbury > The history of Sudbury, Massachusetts, 1638-1889 > Part 8
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
of silk was introduced by the manufacturers from Spitalfields in consequence of disputes with their workmen, and now affords employment to a great number of persons, about one thousand five hundred being engaged in the silk and four hundred in the crape and the bunting business. The river Stour, navigable hence to the Manning tree, affords a facility for the transmission of coal, chalk, lime and agricultural produce. The statute market is on Saturday, and the corn market on Thursday. Fairs are held on the 12th of March and 10th of July, principally for earthen ware, glass and toys. The first charter of incorporation was granted by Queen Mary in 1554, and confirmed by Elizabeth in 1559. Another was given by Oliver Cromwell, but that under which the cor- poration derives its power was bestowed by Charles II. Sud- bury comprises the parishes of All Saints, St. Gregory, and St. Peter, in the archdeaconry of Sudbury, and diocese of Norwich. The living of All Saints is a discharged vicarage, rated in the king's books at £4.11.5} endowed, £400 royal bounty, and £1200 parliamentary grant."
" Quaint old town of toil and traffic, Quaint old town of art and song, Memories haunt thy pointed gables, Like the rooks that round them throng."
From this description we learn that it is a stanch old town from which Sudbury probably received its name ; a place busy and of good repute. The word has been variously spelled, as : Sudberry, Soodberie, Sudwrowe, Sudborrough, Sudborow or, as it is called in Doomsday book, Sutburge.
The boundaries of the town received early attention from the settlers, and at different dates there are records concern- ing it. As already stated, the southern boundary line at the first was from a point a little east of Nobscot, to the northern point of Dudley Pond ; thence, direct to Weston. That part of the line outside the present territory of Wayland has never varied much in its general character. Some slight changes have been made within about fifty years, by which a few acres have been taken from Sudbury and annexed to Framingham ; this was the case along the line by the Brown
72
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
farm and the northerly slope of Nobscot. Before the altera- tion the line was slightly irregular, and the design may have been solely to straighten it. Concerning the boundary in the easterly part of the town's original territory, we have the following order of the General Court, dated June 6, 1701: -
" Ordered that the line between Sudbury and the farms annexed to Framingham, as set forth in the plat exhibited under the hand of John Gore, be and continue the boundary line between the said farms and Sudbury forever, viz .: from the northerly end of Cochittwat pond to the bent of the river, by Daniel Stone's and so as the line goes to Framingham and Sudbury line."
Concerning the Sudbury and Watertown boundary, the fol- lowing facts are recorded : " In 1649 persons were appointed by the town to search the records for the grant of Water- town, and to see if they can find any means to prevent Watertown from coming so near." The Colony Records state that a year later the Court ordered that the inhabitants of Sudbury should have their bounds recorded, and about the same time the town sent a petition to the General Court for a commission to lay out the boundary between the two towns. In 1651 a report was rendered about the boundary, which, with slight abridgment, is as follows : -
" The committee appointed to lay out the Watertown and Sudbury boundary report that the line drawn by John Oliver, three years previous, called 'the old line,' shall be the line between the two towns, and forever stand. This line, beginning at Concord south bound, ran through a great pine swamp, a small piece of meadow to upland, and ' then to an angle betwixt two hills.' After the line left the afore- said angle on its southerly course, it had ' these remarkable places therein : one rock called Grout's head, and a stake by the cartway leading from Sudbury to Watertown, and so to a pine hill being short of a pond about eighty-eight rods, att which pine hill Sudbury bounds ends.'" (Colony Records, Vol. IV., page 53.)
73
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
Such was the territory of Sudbury, the manner in which the lands were allowed, and the parties from whom they were bought. From this plantation was formed the town; and land divisions and allotments were subsequently made, until no portion of it was held by proprietary right, nor as public domain, but all passed into private estates except the high- ways and commons, and here and there a small three-cornered nook.
CHAPTER V.
Place and Plan of Settlement. - Data of House-lots. - Description of Map. - Course of First Street. - Sites of Early Homesteads. - Historic Highway. - Time of Settlement. - Dimensions of First Dwelling-house. - Early Experiences of the Settlers.
Ay, call it holy ground, The spot where first they trod ! They have left unstained what there they found - Freedom to worship God. MRS. HEMANS.
THE settlement of the town began on the east side of the river. The first road or street, beginning at Watertown (now Weston), extended along a course of about two miles, and by this the house-lots of the settlers were laid out and their humble dwellings stood. The plan of the settlement can, to an extent, be made out by tradition and the data of house-lots which are preserved on the Sudbury records, and
74
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
which we here give in abbreviated form, the figures in paren- theses denoting the acres allowed : -
DATA OF HOUSE-LOTS.
Edmond Brown (80), on Timber Neck (east of Mill Brook, Wayland).
John Blanford (3), north by highway to river, south by Joseph Taynter.
Jos. Taynter (4), between John Blanford and Tho. Whyte ..
Tho. Whyte (4), between Hugh Griffin and Jos. Taynter.
Hugh Griffin (4), north by Tho. Whyte, south by John Howe.
John Howe (4), north by Hugh Griffin, south by Edmund Rice; (also one acre parted from his house-lot by highway between Edmund Rice and Hugh Griffin ; also four on Pine Plain, on road from Sudbury to Watertown, west by Mrs. Hunt).
Edmund Rice (4), between John Howe and Henry Rice. Henry Rice (4), between Edmund Rice and John Maynard. John Maynard (4), between Henry Rice and highway.
Robert Daniel (8), northwest by John Maynard and Robert Boardman (or Fordum).
Robert Boardman (4), between Robert Daniel and Robert Best.
Robert Best (4), north by Mr. Boardman, south by John Loker.
John Loker (4), between Robert Best and Tho. Flinn (or Joslyn), [also (one acre) parted from his house-lot by the highway.]
Tho. Flinn (4), between John Loker and John Haynes.
John Haynes (4), north by Tho. Flinn, south by Edmund Goodnow.
Edmund Goodnow (4), north by John Haynes, west by River Meadows.
Wm. Brown (4), north by Edmund Goodnow, south by John Toll.
John Toll (4), between Edmund Goodnow and Widow. Wright.
Widow Wright (6), between John Toll and John Bent. .
75
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
John Bent (6), between Widow Wright and John Wood. John Wood (4), between John Bent and Widow Hunt.
Widow Hunt (4), between John Wood and John Good- now.
John Goodnow (5), north by Widow Hunt, south by Henry Loker, east end on highway going to mill, and west by the great River Meadows.
Henry Loker (4), between John Goodnow and John Par- menter, Sr.
John Parmenter, Sr. (4), between Henry Loker and the highway to Bridle Point.
ON NORTHWEST ROW.
John Freeman (4), on northwest corner of highway leading to River Meadows.
Solomon Johnson (6), east by Wm. Ward.
Wm. Ward (20), on northeast side of Northwest Row.
Solomon Johnson (7), between Wm. Ward and Wm. Pelham.
Wm. Pelham (50), northeast part, near Wm. Ward.
ON THE NORTH STREET OR EAST STREET.
John Rutter (4), (near clay pits).
John Ruddick (4).
Henry Curtis (-).
Jolin Stone (9), between Henry Curtis and Nathl. Tread- way.
Nathl. Treadway (-), on East Street, between John Stone and John Knight.
John Knight (12).
ON EAST STREET.
Bryan Pendleton (5), north by Tho. Noyes south by Pond Brook that runs to the river.
Tho. Noyes (4), south by Bryan Pendleton, north by Geo. Munning.
Geo. Munning (4), between Tho. Noyes and Walter Hayne.
Walter Hayne (6), south by Geo. Munning, north by high- way to Common Swamp.
.
76
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
ON BRIDLE POINT HIGHWAY.
Tho. Brown (4), north by highway leading to Bridle Point, east by the Common, south end running to Mill Brook, west by Anthony White.
Anthony Whyte (4), north by Bridle Point Road, south by Mill Brook. Between Tho. Brown and Wm. Parker.
Wm. Parker (-).
Peter Noyes (8), north by Bridle Point Road, south by Mill Brook. Between Wm. Parker and Thomas Goodnow.
Tho. Goodnow (5), north by Bridle Point Road, south by Mill Brook. Between A. Belcher and P. Noyes. He sold to P. Noyes, making Noyes' lot thirteen acres.
Andrew Belcher (4), north by Bridle Point Road, south by Mill Brook. Between Tho. Goodnow and Richd. Newton.
Richard Newton (4), north by Bridle Point Road, south by Mill Brook. Between A. Belcher and John Parmenter, Jr.
John Parmenter, Jr. (4). Between Richd. Newton and Henry Prentiss.
Henry Prentiss (4). Between John Parmenter, Jr., and Herbert Pelham.
ON MILL ROAD FROM PINE PLAIN.
William Kerley (4), on southwest side of " Pine Swamp," on highway leading to mill, northwest of Richd. Sanger.
Richd. Sanger (4), northwest by Wm. Kerley.
ON ROAD TO COTCHITUATT.
Tho. Goodnow [also on Cotchituatt Road]. Probably the present Pousland lot.
ON PINE PLAIN.
John Howe. Also four acres on Pine Plain, north side of road from Sudbury to Watertown, west by land of Mrs. Hunt.
Mrs. Hunt, or Widow Hunt. She probably sold her lot on " The Street," and took a lot here.
John How. Probably sold his lot on " The Street " to either Griffin or Rice, and took a lot on The Plain.
Henry Loker (4). Between John Goodnow and J. Par- menter, Sr.
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ford
.. Jos Taunter
1
. The White
· Hugh Griffin
.E'dmumt Bice
. Henn' Rice
.. John Marnard
Solomon Johnson (7A)
NORTH - WEST ROW
Common
TO CONCORD
POINT
BRIDLE
. Henry Prentiss
John Pannenter Ji:
· Richard Newton
· Arubrew' Belcher
·
Ge
John Parmenter St.
The
F
ST.
Pond
Brook
PIN
MILL
Pine
TO CUTCHITUATT
& DUNSTER'S FARM
Bro
Great Paver Meadow
· Robert Immeil
· Bolrit Boantman
. Robert Best
.John Lohr!
1)
Thomas Finn
. John Havnes
. Edmond Goodnon
. I'm. Brown
· John Toll
· Widow Wright
. John Bent
John Wood
. John Goodnow
MILL ROAD
Heure Loker
John Rutter
EAST
John Huddich:
Peter Noves
· Win. Parker
. Anthony Ahnte
· Thos. Brmn
Thos Calebread
Mill
her: Edward Brown
Thus Goodnon
to the public wad near Mr Geo Cleasous barn
Note This cart puth is still used. coming out
CART-PATH TO MEADOW
John Freeman (44A )
Solomon Johnson(o'A)
· Im. Pelham ( 50
.. John Knight.
. N. Treadway
(* Mr A Gleason's Ho in 1867
· John Stone
. Henry Curtis
· Walter Hayne
--
MEETING - HOUSE LOT
Herbert Pelham
HIGHWAY TO BRIDLE POINT
7 Swamp
ORIGINAL TRAIL OR WAY FROM WATERTOWN THROUGH SUDBURY . NOW DISCONTINUED FOR PUBLIC TRAVEL.
Munnings
. MAP OF THE.
Noyes ran pendleton
FIRST ROADS & HOUSE-LOTS IN SUDBURY
y00.75
Drawn ly U . S. DRAPER
Plain
SWAMP
* Widow Hunt.
John Howe.
1. Kerler
Fichanl Sanger
Pine
SUDBURY
TO
ROAD
MILL
WATERTOWN
T
GED,H. WALKER & CO. ENGS . BOSTON.
-
0 WON
9 M
IM
77
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
John Parmenter, Sr. (4). Between Henry Loker and Bridle Point Road.
John Goodnow (5). North by Widow Hunt and south by Henry Loker. The east end on the mill road, and the west end on the great river meadows.
Thomas Hoyt. His house-lot containing four acres, having the house-lot of Brian Pendleton on the south side, and the house-lot of George Munnings on the north side.
The map that accompanies the data of house-lots was made by James Sumner Draper of Wayland, as the result of the united investigation of himself and the writer. Mr. Draper has a life-long familiarity with the locality, is a prac- tical surveyor, and acquainted with the traditions and old roads of this ancient part of Sudbury. It is not absolutely certain that every one to whom a lot was assigned ever became a householder in the settlement; furthermore, it may be that an exchange was, in some cases, made before the settlers began to build. With, however, a suitable allow- ance for possible or probable changes, and making such slight departures in certain cases from the data as was thought war- ranted by the circumstances, the locality, and tradition, we believe this map to be a fair representation of the locations of most, if not all, of the first homesteads in Sudbury.
We will now consider the plan of the settlement, and trace the course of the street. The settlement lay along three roads, which afterwards became the common highway. The principal one of these roads, called " the North " or " East Street," and also the "Old Watertown Trail," started at what is now " Weston and Wayland Corner," and probably followed the course of the present road over " The Plain " and Clay-pit Hill to a point near the Abel Gleason estate ; from this place it is supposed to have made its way a little northerly of Mr. Gleason's house, and winding southwesterly passed just south of Baldwin's Pond, and thence to the river at the bridge. The road originally called "Northwest Row" ran from this street to what is still called "Common Swamp," and by the spot designated as the house-lot of Walter Haynes. This spot still bears the traces of having, long years ago, been
78
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
the site of a house. The cart-path which ran from it to the meadow is still used.
Along this road traces and traditions of homesteads are unmistakable : old building material has been unearthed, and depressions in the ground are still to be seen. Mr. Draper, a little east of his house, by the brook, unearthed the stones of a fire-place, with fragments of coals still upon them. Between this and Clay-pit Bridge (the second bridge or culvert from the mill-pond, or the first above " Whale's Bridge ") there are, north of the road, several depressions indicating the sites of old houses. Just beyond Clay-pit Bridge, the writer, with Mr. Draper, went to look for traces of houses on the lots assigned to Bryan Pendleton and Thomas Noyes ; and there, in the exact locality, were dis- tinct depressions, just where they were looked for. The Curtis homestead, until within a very few years, was stand- ing in about the place assigned for the house-lot. Thus strong is the probability that the lots on this street were largely built upon.
Another of the principal streets was that which, starting from a point on the north street near the town bridge, ran easterly along what is now the common highway, to the head of the mill-pond, and then to the mill. Upon this street was the first meeting-house, at a spot in the old burying-ground (see chapter on First Meeting-house, &c.), and the Parmenter Tavern. The house-lots were mainly at the west end of this street, and the road was probably extended northeasterly to give access to the mill. Here, again, tradition confirms the record of house-lots, and shows that the lots were more or less built upon. The John May- nard and John Loker estates were kept for years in their families, and the Parmenter estate is still retained in the family. In later years the descendants of John Rutter built on that street.
The third road was called the "Bridle Point Road." This started near the Parmenter Tavern, crossed the knoll at the Harry Reeves place, and ran along the ridge of " Braman's Hill" for about two-thirds of its length, when it turned southerly, and, crossing Mill Brook, ran towards the town's
79
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
southern limits. While tradition positively locates this road, it points to but one homestead upon it, and that the resi- dence of Rev. Edmund Brown, which it undoubtedly declares was at the spot designated by the house-lot data. Along this street are no visible marks of ancient dwelling-places north of Mill Brook; but beyond, various depressions in the ground, and remnants of building material, indicate that at one time this street had houses upon it. With the excep- tion of those on the south street, the dwellings were about equally distant from the meeting - house, and all within easy access to the River Meadows and the mill. Proba- bly they settled largely in groups, that they might more easily defend themselves in case of danger. They were in a new country, and as yet had had little experience with the Indians ; hence we should not expect they would scatter very widely. In the early times so essential was it consid- ered by the Colonial Court that the people should not widely scatter, that, three years before Sudbury was settled, it ordered, that, for the greater safety of towns, "hereafter no dwelling-house should be built above half a mile from the meeting-house in any new plantation." (Colony Records, Vol I.)
It will be noticed that the positions selected for these streets were, to an extent, where the shelter of upland could be obtained for the house. The sandy slope of Bridle Point Hill would afford a protection from the rough winds of winter; so of the uplands just north of South Street. It was also best to settle in groups, to lessen the amount of road-breaking in winter. It will also be noticed that these groups of house-lots were near, not only meadow land, but light upland, which would be easy of cultivation. Various things indicate that the most serviceable spots were selected for homesteads, that roads were constructed to connect them as best they could, and that afterwards the roads were ex- tended to the mill. Probably the people on North Street made the short way to South Street, that now comes out at Mr. Jude Damon's, in order to shorten the way to church. Those midway of that street, for a short cut to the mill, the church and the tavern, would naturally open a path from the
80
HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
turn of the road by the clay-pits to the mill. To accommo- date the people on "The Plain," a road was opened to the mill in a southwesterly course, which is in part the present highway, but has in part been abandoned, - the latter part being that which formerly came out directly east of the mill.
These several sections of road probably formed what was called the " Highway." A large share of it is in use at the present time, and is very suggestive of historic reminiscences. By it the settlers went to the Cakebread Mill, to the little hillside meeting-house, and to the John Parmenter Ordinary. By these ways came the messenger with fresh news from the seaboard settlements, or with tidings from the tribes of the woods. In short, these formed the one great road of the settlement ; the one forest pathway along which every one more or less trod.
The erection of dwelling-places along these first streets probably began in 1638; but we have no tradition or record of the week or month when the inhabitants arrived at the spot, nor as to how many went at any one time. They may have gone in small companies at different dates; and the entire removal from Watertown may have occurred in the process of months. It is quite probable, however, that they went mainly together, or in considerable companies, both for the sake of convenience and safety; and that they were largely there by the autumn of 1638. On the arrival of the " Confidence," the emigrants would naturally be eager to settle somewhere at once. They would hardly wait long in Watertown, if their design was to make their homes farther west. The cold winter being just ahead, they would pre- sumably hasten to the proposed place of settlement, to pre- pare things for their comfort before cold weather fairly set in.
We have found no record of the dimensions of any of the first dwelling-places, but we may judge something of their size by that of the first house of worship, and by the specifi- cations in a lease of a house to be built by Edmund Rice prior to the year 1655. This house was to be very small, - "30 foot long, 10 foot high, 1 foot sill from the ground,
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
16 foot wide, with two rooms, both below or one above the other, all the doors, walls and staires with convenient fix- tures, and well planked under foot and boored sufficiently to lay corn in the story above head." But it is doubtful if this small, low structure fitly represents the settlers' first forest home ; very likely that was a still more simple building, that would serve as a mere shelter for a few months or years, till a more serviceable one could be built. Houses of ordinary capacity would hardly be necessary when the settlement commenced. The furniture of the dwelling would for a time, probably, be simple and scant, and consist mainly of a few household utensils, their firearms, and tools.
The way from Watertown being at first only a forest trail, it was a difficult task to transport many goods, even if they were brought to this country. That carts were made use of the first year for transportation to Watertown is doubtful, although they were used a few years later. In 1641 it was ordered, " That every cart with four sufficient oxen and a man shall have for a day's work five shillings ; " and that " none shall take above six pence a bushel for the bringing up of corn from Watertown to Sudbury and twenty shillings a day for any other goods." (Town Records, p. 17.) The transportation of corn may have been on horseback.
What the settlers experienced in the rough cabins of logs, the first years, we can only conjecture. The deep snow-fall of winter, as it covered their lonely forest path, presented a strong contrast to the mild climate from which they came. But they had enough to employ their time. There were cattle to care for, and lands to clear and make ready for the coming spring ; and it was no small task to keep the household supplied with wood. The wide-mouthed fire- place, with hearth broadening to almost midway of the cabin itself, with its huge andirons, beyond which was the stout back-log, had the capacity of a dozen stoves; and to supply this was a matter of work. But the routine of work was broken by experiences both sad and glad. In the first year or two there were the birth, bridal, and burial. On the 1st of October, 1639, "Andrew Belcher and his wife were married." "On ye first day of ye first month (March
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HISTORY OF SUDBURY.
1), 1640, Edward the servant of Robert Darnill was buried." A year after, Joseph Rice was born. "On the third day of the twelvth month, 1639, Joseph and Nathaniel the sons of Solomon Johnson were born." In November, 1644, John Rutter married Elizabeth Plimpton. The first body buried was probably borne to the northerly side of the old meeting- house hill, where tradition says the Indians had a burying- ground. Here, doubtless, was buried the servant of Robert Darnill, who was the first, or one of the first, in that long procession which, for nearly two centuries and a half, has been borne to the ancient burying-place upon or about that hill. Beside these experiences, there were others that would tend to break up the monotony of the settlers' experience, such as "log-rollings," when the neighbors collected together and helped clear the land of logs and brush ; " house-rais- ings," where many joined hands to help raise the heavy frames ; "road-breaking," when, with ox-teams, they cleared the snow from the path ; corn-planting in the common fields, or "huskings," when the corn was gathered, - these, with town - meetings, and an occasional drill of the train - band, when Bryan Pendleton exercised his little host, would serve to break up the monotony and enliven the scene at the set- tlement. Thus, -
Toiling, rejoicing, sorrowing, Onward through life he goes ; Each morning sees some task begun, Each evening sees it close ; Something attempted, something done, Has earned a night's repose.
LONGFELLOW.
.
CHAPTER VI.
Town Meetings. - Their Origin and Character. - Conditions of Citizen- ship. - Freemen. - Place of Town Meeting. - Town Officers. - Highways. - Bridges. - " Indian Bridge." - The " Old Town Bridge." - Contracts with Ambrose Leach and Timothy Hawkins. - Causeway. - Formation of Church. - Settlement of First Minister. - Erection of First Meeting- House. - Contract with John Rutter. - Building of Grist-Mill.
But the good deed, through the ages Living in historic pages, Brighter grows and gleams immortal, Unconsumed by moth or rust. LONGFELLOW.
THE first steps in the settlement of the town having been considered, - namely, the acquisition of the territory, the assignment of house-lots, and laying out of the principal highways, - we will now notice further projects for the gen- eral good. The people acted first in town-meeting ; hence it may here be appropriate to consider the origin and character of these occasions, and the manner in which they were con- ducted. The New England town-meeting is an institution that originated in the exigencies of New England colonial life, and sprang into existence at the call of men who op- posed the concentration of political power, and who would confer it on no person or persons, only as it was conferred on them by the people's choice. Situated far remote from the home government in Europe, too much time was con- sumed in the transmission of laws, and too little acquaint- ance was had by the English government with the needs of American life, to make it practicable to rely on such a source of authority.
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