USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1869-1879 > Part 22
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2 See Appendix B, note 1.
3 The male members of the church of Boston had been accustomed to convene in order to report and debate on the discourses delivered on Sundays. Mrs. Hutchinson, a very extraordinary woman, established a similar meeting for her own sex. See Hannah Adams's History of New England, p. 58.
4 Bancroft's Cen. Edition, Vol. I, p. 297. Also, for the most correct idea of this important controversy, which did so much towards the formation of Braintree, read the address of Hon, C. F. Adams, at dedication of Braintree Town Hall, in 1858.
5 See Hancock's Cen. Sermon. Also, Hannah Adams's History of New England.
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tlement over the Mount Wollaston flock, in a marked sermon defending the " covenant of grace," maintained the obliga- tion to a "higher law " as against human institutions, a doctrine that became the political faith and creed of states- men of the stamp of Sumner and Seward and Andrews in another generation, Wheelwright was deemed insubordinate by the majority, and was banished to New Hampshire, where he reported a year after.
Roger Williams, the " apostle of intellectual liberty," retiring from the same inflexible majority, had wandered through the forests of Massachusetts to sow the seeds of a " free, full, and absolute liberty of conscience " on the shores of the Narragansett. A large number of the members of the Boston church being imbued with these seditious doc- trines were disarmed and disfranchised, and being allowed to receive allotments of the Wollaston lands, they removed thither in 1639,1 receiving, on petition to the General Court, a grant to set up as the town of Braintree in 1640.2
To ascertain definitely the reason why this name was selected is a difficult if not impossible matter. A body of people known as the " Braintree Colony,"3 of which Hooker was the leader and master, were on the Wollaston lands in 1632-3.
Whether, as Savage (the editor of Winthrop) and John Quincy Adams held at a later day, a portion of the colony remained after the main part had removed to Cambridge, or whether, after the Hooker company left for Hartford, some came back to Wollaston, as Lunt suggests, or whether, as C. F. Adams intimates, the great number who settled here, because of the Boston disruption, would be most likely to
1 August 3, 1869. In Boston "eight men were chosen to consider of Mount Wollaston business and how there may be a town and church there with the con- sent of this town's inhabitants." See Adams's Town Hall Oration, Appendix, p. 63.
2 At a General Court of Election in Boston, May 13, 1640,' the petition of the inhabitants of Mount Wollaston was voted and grauted them to be a town, accord- ing to agreement with Boston, and the town is to be called Braintree.
3 Governor Winthrop in his Journal, under date of August 14, 1632, mentions that the Braintree company (which had begun to sit down at Mount Wollaston, ) by order of Court removed to Newton. These were Hooker's company.
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furnish the name, being the parties most interested in the choice, is an affair more of conjecture than proof; the weight of evidence, however, is with the presumption that from the time of the Braintree company, in 1632, Wollaston was never without settlers; and if this view is sound, as they were the " oldest inhabitants," they were likely to be instru- mental in determining the name. But without troubling ourselves further as to how it came about, I think there has never been any complaint that the selection was not entirely satisfactory.
In 1640 our municipal existence commenced, with fifty square miles of territory,1 but with a population small in numbers ? as the town nucleus.
To understand well the subsequent carcer of Braintree, it is necessary to understand the stern, carnest, religious colonist who was here established. He has been aspersed, bitterly and violently, for his bigotry and intolerance, and the shaft of ridicule, often sharpened by the blade of envy, has been driven at him by scoffer and satirist, while feebler weapons have been aimed at him by the weaker sentimen- talist. Wheelwright in exile, and Williams in retreat, have been pointed to as examples of martyrdom ; and the isolated era of witchcraft has been allowed to eclipse, with some, the lustrous record of the carly Massachusetts colonist. As we owe to him all we have of corporate worth and local char- acter, we should review, with pride, those elemental traits that have done so much, not only for us, but for mankind. The founders of Braintree and its sister towns were true disciples of that profound and logical theologian, John Calvin, of whom Bancroft says he announced "a stern and militant form of doctrine, lifting men above human limita- tions, bringing them into immediate dependence on God, whose eternal, irreversible choice is made by himself alone, not arbitrarily, but according to his own highest wisdom and justice." That was the faith of the colonist, and no other
1 See Appendix B, note 2. Also, see C. F. Adams's Town Hall Oration, p. 33. 2 Appendix to Adams's Oration, p. 61, gives list of grants, with names in alpha- betical order.
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would have kept civilization alive in New England. Others had crossed the perilous ocean, seeking adventure, gratifying ambition, amassing wealth and estate. The colonists breasted the trials, tempests, and dangers of the sea in the interests of the soul, and on his lips, " Thus saith the Lord " was both authority and benediction. These men were of English Puritan stock, the most remarkable body of men, says Macaulay, "perhaps which the world has ever produced, - a body to whose courage and talents mankind has owed inestimable obligations." In England the Puritans drove the theatrical and effeminate dress of the courtier and noble out of fashion ; they purged literature of its foulness, and made life and manners abroad more serious and real. It took precisely these men to face the hostile savage, bear up against the bleak and withering climate, grapple with the meagre and unwilling soil, and wring from this unpromising domain institutions as enduring as the granite on which they were reared. It was such men that Mrs. Browning had in mind when she made her heroes declare, -
" Then we act to a purpose, we spring up erect,
We will tame the wild mouths of the wilderness steeds, We will plough up the deep in the ships double-decked, We will build the great cities and do the great deeds."
And they have done all this, honor to their memory ! Forty millions of people to-day unite to praise them, and nearly forty States bless the civilization which has come from them. Amid the acclaim and hosannas that herald the virtues of the Pilgrim and Puritan, we can forget, if not forgive, those moral and intellectual dwarfs, who would withhold the crown, and sully the fame, of those who laid the foundations of our town and of New England, breathing into the great Republic itself the breath and life of freedom.
With striking consistency the meeting-house, with us, anticipated the municipality, and we had " brethren " before we had townspeople. It was so with the parent town, and with those divisions that came in after years; the " house of God" was always the forerunner of the "precinct " and the
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corporation. The Puritan stamp and " sign manual" is unmistakable in all our civil as well as religious life. The first words that meet the eye upon opening the ancient records of Braintree are "School Fund," 1 and the Act that introduces our town's existence designates property held for purposes of education ; and from the year 1645, when the " Free Latin School "? was established, till now, learning has found a home and friends here. Nothing can exceed the simplicity, fidelity, and rigid economy of our early town management, and a century passes with an unvarying repe- tition of ordinary transactions, by which the roots strike deeper, the branches push out farther, the leaves become more numerous, as the town expands around its central points, - the Church, the School, and the Town Meeting.
Much of the oversight, enterprise, and welfare of the com- munity has always been under the supervision of that especial Puritan officer, the selectman. In the roll of honor, if not of fame, the selectman stands deservedly high, for the cus- todians of the treasure, and the judge of the development of the towns of New England, have been most important factors in its history. The debt which the country owes to these devoted, much-abused, and generally ill-paid public servants will never be adjusted or fully appreciated, for usually the selectman gets his reward, if at all, from a consciousness of duty well done.
For about thirty years the business of the town related to the protection of Richard Wright in his mill privilege, lay- ing out a footway from Goodman Penniman's to the meeting- house, over the "old bridge," providing that "noe inhabi- tante " shall sell land or house, without consent of those hav- ing charge of town affairs, ordering the marsh to be improved for the "Elder's 'use," notifying those "Loving Brethren "
1 In a note to Hancock's Cen. Sermon, William Coddington is referred to as " the munificent donor of our school lands," from which the town has reaped great benefit in good schools for many years past. This is the grant referred to in the first item of the town records.
2 In 1735 the town petitioned the General Court " for something gratis for having had a Free Latin School for nearly ninety years,"
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and neighbors not having " cattel" of their own that they must not take any " cattel " from other towns to feed on the Common, imposing a penalty of " nineteen shillings and eleven pence" for each three days that a stranger is harbored in the town without authority, making the Common free to all legal inhabitants, and equalizing the interest in a grant of six thousand acres of land, made by the General Court for the benefit of the town. We shall hear of this "land grant" again, for it proved for a long time to be an elephant that Braintree could neither get rid of, or put to use.
Six thousand acres of land, most anywhere in Massachu- setts to-day, would be a valuable legacy, but that amount of unimproved real estate, located among " red skins," did not, in 1666, awaken any boisterous emotions of joy.
In 1672 the town allotted a "house and land for an orchard " that " shall stand as an accommodation and supply to the min- istry "; voting the minister eighty pounds a year, " seventy- four in wood parte and corne," at county-rate price. In the same year a movement in the popular direction was made by having " an open town-meeting for the whole inhabitants,"-a step toward the time when individuality rather than property becomes the title to citizenship.
Boundary altercations were an early experience of the town, but were, as a rule, settled by amicable arrangement. Braintree originally comprised an immense territorial extent, and in subsequent town formations, she was liberally sliced up by the executive, Carver. In 1737 the town petitioned the General Court " for consideration for having had four thou- sand acres of land set off to Milton," and this is but a speci- men of a series of dismemberments, which has befallen over- much amputated Braintree.
The first litigation mentioned in the records, in which the town was a party, concerns the mill referred to at the first town-meeting. Gatcliffe, who succeeded Richard Wright, the miller of 1640, had, by his neglect, evidently won the displeasure of the town; but as he promised "by God's assistance," for himself and heirs, " to so improve said pond "
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that the town " should have sufficient grinding," a satisfac- tory issue was the result, and peace and " proper grist " were restored.
In 1674 this mill was burned, making the first fire recorded in Braintree, if we except the conflagration of Morton's habi- tation, which was fired by order of the Court, -that being the summary manner of dealing with objectionable haunts in that age.
In 1679, there evidently being no " Indian Ring " in opera- tion in those days, an agreement was made with Wampatuck, the first tribal sachem of this region, for certain lands, the deed of which, the gift of Hon. C. F. Adams, is an interest- ing possession of this public building, and now hangs upon its walls. 1
Between the years 1682 and 1697 the salary of the pastor of the church appears to fluctuate, ranging from eighty to ninety pounds per annum, this sliding scale clearly indicating a division of sentiment, which finally culminated in the divi- sion of the society. To compromise this salary matter, a town vote was passed in 1695 "to go to contribution every Sabbath, and if Mr. Fiske see cause to take up with what is so given he shall have it all, but if not, we engage that if the contribution falls short of eighty pounds money, we will make it up at the year's end, and if it be over and above, it shall go to the use of the town, and that every man shall give an account to the Deacons what they give in." This plan probably would not have been approved by the man who said, " What he gave to the church was nothing to no- body." The selectmen, among their other duties, were ordered, by vote of the town, "to seat the meeting-house by appointing persons to their places."
An innovation upon the ancient custom of church attend- ance was made in the year 1697, " by allowing, in case any room was left after drawing up the men's seats with the women's seats, in the meeting-house, that by the consent of the selectmen, family pews might be built at private ex-
1 See Appendix B, note 3.
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pense." This radical change was undoubtedly brought about, because of the alteration of the building, and probably broke up the absurd and meaningless custom of the separation of the sexes at public worship. One freeholder certainly obtained a " high " and elevated place in the synagogue, hav- ing been allowed, by special vote, "the privilege of making a seat for his family upon the two beams over the pulpit, but not darkening the pulpit."
The items of expense audited for the year 1694 are as follows, viz. : -
"Five pounds for John Belcher's weekly maintainance ; thirty shillings for keeping William Dimblebee; twenty- five shillings for the ringing of the bell and sweeping of the meeting-house in 1694 ; seven shillings to William Saville for Dimblebee's coffin; eight shillings to constable for warning the town; five shillings for the exchange of a town's cow to Samuel Spear; and ten shillings to Thomas Bass for debt for ringing the bell formerly, this to be raised by rate."
The town allowed, also, "twenty shillings for looking after the boys at meeting." The pay of the representative to General Court was fixed at six pounds per annum, and in those days was paid by the town. The State is more liberal in our day, and has given as high as seven hundred and fifty dollars a session to those self-sacrificing patriots who sit in the modern halls of wisdom.
As an instance of the old style of squaring accounts, I find a receipt copied on the town records, of the school- master, Benjamin Thompson, who had literally grown gray at his task, and receiving only a yearly pittance of one hundred and fifty dollars, had got somewhat behindhand. The acknowledgment says: "Whereas there hath been an old reckoning upon the account of my service for many years which I have served them in; that all may issue in love, and all other matters of difference ended, and all former accounts balanced, upon the clearing my debt to Jonathan Hayward and Mr. Willard, in all being five
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pounds. I do forever acquit and discharge the town of Braintree, from all dues and demands, this being a mutual and everlasting discharge." I think there can be no doubt that after that receipt, the account might be considered as settled.
It appears that in 1697 certain parties from Boston, probably the " Boston Clique " of that period, laid claims to some disputed lands in Braintree, and seventy freeholders agree, by signature, "to defend their ancient rights and oppose the pretenders in a course of law." A year after, they made choice of four " loving friends" to look after the case. This act savors somewhat of a kind of labor latterly called " lobbying," only instead of "loving friends" such agents term themselves "members of the third house."
The controverted grounds were known as the " Blue Hill Lands," and Boston rapacity was finally appeased, and she quitclaimed to the territory, on the payment of seven hundred pounds.
An examination of the rather monotonous flow of town- meeting affairs shows a different method of providing for the poor and insane from that now in practice with us.
It sounds somewhat harsh and severe, and squints toward " ways that are dark," to read that the authorities " treated with Josiah Owen, to clear the town forever of Ebenezer Owen's distracted daughter," especially as we never hear anything more in relation to her. It would be impossible not to become intensely interested in the melancholy and mysterious misfortunes of Abigail Neale, whose condition is tragic, and whose fate is unknown. We learn first of this afflicted sister from an offer of the town of five pounds "for the healing of Abigail Neale, now underhand."
One of the last acts of the seventeenth century, under date of January, 1699, is an endeavor to become emancipated from the aforesaid Abigail Neale, by subsidizing a Roxbury man " five pounds" to take her. Dr. Bayly, the man of Roxbury, does not " put in an appearance" to relieve the town of the Neale dispensation, and she is still a burden
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upon its hands. The matter is now absorbing. As knowing nothing of her complaint or history, the town problem seems to be, What is to be done with her? But the musty records have a new charm in the possibility of solving the vexed question. In 1701 the town offers Dr. Bayly, of Roxbury, " eight pounds more for keeping Abigail Neale, provided he takes up therewith and gives the town no further trouble." There appears a payment on an old account to John New- comb, of twelve shillings, "for keeping Abigail Neale." Newcomb also gets thirty shillings, by reason of Abigail. In 1702 and 1707 it is voted that the selectmen " discourse, if they see cause, with Samuel Bullard, of Dedham or Dorchester, in order to the care of Abigail Neale, to agree upon terms following ; that is, to lay down twenty shillings in order to said cure, and to engage no more to helping than the eighteen pence per week. If in case a cure is performed that may prove sound for one whole year, then to give satisfaction for said cure not exceeding ten pounds, nor to pay such sum until twelve months have expired after the cure, and said twenty shillings to be a part of the said sum ; and if no cure be performed, to pay no more than said twenty shillings for the keeping." This looks as though the town, in those days, could drive a close bargain, holding religiously to the motto, " No cure, no pay." How vividly the sufferer must have realized, as she was bounced about, the truth of the lines, -
" It is a poor relief we gain
To change the place and keep the pain."
Here we must drop the final tear over the memory of our unhappy and suffering Abigail, for the pages of the journal that thus far follow her sorrowing steps are silent concerning her evermore.
The salary question, after much backing and filling and " change of base," at last stands " ninety pounds for the minister, he finding wood." A new church association and meeting-house was the consequence of the exigencies of the
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town's growth, aided by the serious disagreement in church matters.
The town, with the solemnity of a recorded vote, recog- nized " the right of the congregation to worship God in the new meeting-house at the south end"; and in 1707 the quar- rel concerning the school appropriations, that had arisen because of the division of the town into two " precincts," led to the appointment of a committee to reconcile the differ- ences, and a vote, " done in the name of peace and satisfac- tion," harmonized the difficulties, and Braintree went on peacefully, with its north and south precincts, each nearly equal in population and importance, and both starting off in excellent spirits and temper. It would surprise any one not familiar with the details of town government, to find how much attention has been given in bygone times to the animal kingdom. Much of the time of town-meetings is occupied during the first century and a half by such questions as pre- miums on bulls and boars, restrictions on stray swine, restraints on wandering rams, and bounties for the slaughter of blackbirds and squirrels. Year after year the annual ses- sion opens with these important subjects, which are voted in the affirmative, with creditable persistency. Increase of stock and protection for the somewhat scanty products of the New England farm were commanding matters in the struggling era of our fathers. How careful and far-sighted the town guardian was in discharging his duties may be inferred from the regulation requiring of each school-boy, as his tribute to the temple of knowledge, "to cut one load of wood per annum." The "six thousand acre grant" 1 never having been marketed or located, is confirmed or again given to the town by the General Court in 1717, and for a number of years it proves a "bone of contention " to the town mind. It seemed impossible to divide or sell the grant to suit all concerned, and the votes on this question have a look as though some good Braintree people of that period had a sharp "eye for business " and a scent for a keen trade, for an attempt was
1 See Appendix B, note 4.
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made to limit the benefactions of the gift to those who would have been entitled to it under the first grant in 1666. This was, however, thought by the majority to be a "little thin," and it was voted down. For a peaceful settlement of the affair, it was decided to give the town one half the proceeds, ordering that " all the inhabitants that paid charges in 1715 . shall have property in the remainder." But this did not settle the irrepressible conflict, for in 1726, in order again to secure a more peaceful settlement, it was determined that the lands be divided as equally as possible between the two precincts, " to be divided and disposed of by each precinct respectively, from time to time forever hereafter," and this turns out to be a finality. In 1750 the town of New Brain- tree was chartered by the State, and settlers from the old town went there, where these lands had previously been located ; and this pleasant agricultural town, in the " heart of the Commonwealth," may be claimed as one of our success- ful colonies. At this point we can learn wisdom from the past. It was a period of great business depression through- out the Province, and to relieve it, the financiers then in power resorted to the fatal policy of inflation, increasing the volume of paper money, or rather medium, for paper never can be money unless redeemable. The cause of the com- mercial prostration was further extended by the issue of " Bills of Credit," by the Province, portions of which were placed with the towns, and by them loaned on security.1 Braintree, in 1721, took her proportion of this unsubstantial circulation, and when England paid Massachusetts the money she had expended in the war with the French, these " bills " were redeemed, the "old tenor," or the issue prior to 1740, at the rate of "forty to one," a later issue at the rate of " eleven for one." After a fixed date all contracts were based on "gold and silver," and the currency, under this arrangement, was termed " lawful money." The universal experience and testimony of those who have gone before us, on the direful road of forced expansion, should now make us
1 See Appendix B, note 5.
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very earnest for a speedy return to the only correct financial policy the world has yet invented, " hard or lawful money."
Situated on the Monatiquot River, in the east part of the town, are the remains of a dam or building, once known as the Iron Works. The right to construct this industry was given to John Winthrop, Jr., in 1643, and with his asso- ciates he built the furnace that, with changing fortunes, was in a flourishing condition as the property of Thomas Vinton in 1721.1 But at that time it was found that the dam of Furnace Pond interfered with the inalienable right of the freeman to his fish, as it obstructed the passage of the multi- tudinous herring in their spawning expedition, and a some- what bitter and vigorous war was waged in behalf of the alewives against the foundry. The contest raged violently for eleven years, and in 1736 the deadly blow was struck : the dam was demolished, the stream cleared of obstructions, and the iron interest yielded to the all-conquering herring. Most of the sea-coast towns of New England have indulged in " fish fights," and the nimble alewife has played an active part in our legislative annals.
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