USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Braintree > Town annual report of Braintree, Massachusetts for the year 1869-1879 > Part 27
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Though not, strictly speaking, a native of Braintree, my ancestors, in several lines, have dwelt there from the settlement of New Eng- land till now. The names of Adams, Allen, Bass, Faxon, French, Hayden, Holbrook, Penniman, Thayer, and White, I recognize as of my early ancestry, and old Braintree -including Quincy and Ran- dolph - as their home. The word Braintree, when I see it in print, never fails to awaken tender emotions in my breast. During six years or more, Braintree was my home. In the cemetery, in the "Iron Works District," now repose the mortal remains of my grand - parents. my parents, and those of my much-beloved eldest son, my eldest sister also.
Braintree is therefore to me peculiarly honored and dear. I thank the committee for their kind invitation to be present on so interesting and cherished an occasion. But it will be utterly out of my power. During the last four years, I have been confined to my home, and most of the time to my chamber, by painful and incurable illness. I have been unable to visit the house of God, or to receive company, or to attend to any worldly business. I have resigned all my earthly cares to the hands of my wife and son, and am, in respect to business, a mere wreck. I am now seventy-five years and some months old; and though my pen is almost constantly employed, I am looking for a speedy departure from this world.
I trust the citizens of Braintree will have a good time. I must ask the committee to send me whatever may be printed on the subject, particularly the Address and Oration.
You know I take a lively interest in the early history of our country.
The Proceedings of the 250th Anniversary of the Permanent Settle- ment of Weymouth, with the Historical Address, by Hon. Charles Francis Adams, Jr., were kindly sent to me by Mr. Adams, who had kindly consulted me on " Old Spain " some time previous, while pre- paring the Address.
I called on John Adams, his honored great-grandfather, in 1826, about a month before he died. He recognized our relationship. My father's mother was an Adams. Said he, " I have known your family these fourscore years." I received my name in remembrance of him.
With great respect, yours,
JOHN ADAMS VINTON.
God bless old Braintree!
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MILTON, July, 1876.
ELIAS HAYWARD, ESQ., AND OTHERS, COMMITTEE:
Gentlemen, - Please accept my thanks for the invitation to your Centennial celebration, although other arrangements debar me from the pleasure of being present, which I the more regret for the reason that your ancient town has most intimately associated its name and renown with the annals of American Independence.
The President of the Convention, which in the earliest hour of the struggle, the 9th of September, 1774, adopted the memorable resolves written and reported by Joseph Warren, which bid defiance to the vengeance of Great Britain, and which on their approval a few days after, at the opening of the Continental Congress, were declared to be " nothing short of a declaration of independency, without room for retreat," was Joseph Palmer, of Braintree.
His name, and that of Col. Ebenezer Thayer, of Braintree, were associated also with that of Major-General Joseph Warren, as a com- mittee to sound the note of alarm and remonstrance against the forti- fications on Boston Neck.
At the time when Charles Carroll signed the Declaration of Indepen- dence, some one suggested at the moment that there was another person of that name, and that the act involved the peril of their lives, when he forthwith added " of Carrollton."
Had such occasion existed, old Braintree, the birthplace of Hancock and John Adams, would have seen her name emblazoned with that of her illustrious sons upon the same imperishable record.
But local allusions must give place and converge to-day in the re- splendent rays which reflect the centennial glories of the Republic. At this evening hour we may but repeat the words of John Adams, uttered at the time of the Declaration, its century of prophecy fulfilled.
" But the day is past." " The most memorable epoch in the history of America; to be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great an- niversary festival, commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God, from one end of the continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."
In our offerings of gratitude on this centennial era, we may not forget our obligations to those from other lands, who, in the days of darkness and distress, so generously contributed of their treasures, and by their army and navy, and the valor of their sons, aided the patriot fathers in their achievements in the day of battle. Washington and Lafayette; the closing scenes of Yorktown in October, 1781; the final victory that twined double garlands around the banners of France and America.
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France. - Amid the stern vicissitudes of her national history, this anniversary sends greeting to the hero of Magenta to-day, that for- saking the paths of empire by the sword of conquest, and clad in the panoply of a kindred faith, she marched onward to the surer triumphs of a nobler civilization.
Very respectfully, NATH'L F. SAFFORD.
APPENDIX.
-
APPENDIX A.
IN the appendix is matter culled mostly from the ancient records of Braintree. Where allusion is made in the address to what may be considered controverted points, I have thought it proper, in bottom notes and appendix, to give the authorities on which the statements were made.
F. A. H.
APPENDIX A. - NOTE 2.
POPULATION, 1875.
Males.
Females.
Total.
Braintree
1,999
2,157
4,156
Quincy
4,598
4,557
9,155
Randolph
2,033
2,031
4,064
Holbrook,
862
864
1,726
19,101
APPENDIX A. - NOTE 3.
VALUATION, 1875.
Personal Property.
Real Estate.
Braintree
$732,550
$2,036,950
Quincy
1,736,475
5,577,550
Randolph
619,390
1,441,840
Holbrook
200,070
738.570
$2,288,485
$9,794,910
2,288.485
Total .
.
$12,083,395
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APPENDIX A. - NOTE 4.
The population of Braintree at different intervals since 1800 is thus exhibited : -
In 1800 .
1,285
In 1850
2,969
In 1810
1,351
In 1860
. 3,468
In 1820
1,466
In 1865
3,725
In 1830
1,758
In 1870
3,948
In 1840
2,168
In 1875
4,156
In 1870 the valuation was : -
Personal
$668,950
Real
$1,313,840
APPENDIX A. - NOTE 5.
From Massachusetts Industrial Statistics of 1875.
Products, etc.
Braintree
Randolph.
Quincy.
Holbrook.
Manufactures : -
Number of establishments . ..
43
140
116
33
Value of goods made
$1,724,306
$1,301,570
$2,137,047 $1,049,796
Value of stock used
$1,104.215
$800,198
$834,424
$707,135
Capital invested.
$648,883
$207,631
$1,036,598
$229,000
Persons employed .
929
851
1,421
285
Agriculture, including domes- tic manufactures.
$101,222
$51,250
$128,160
$11,480
APPENDIX B. - NOTE 1.
The Rev. W. P. Lunt, in an appendix to his "Anniversary Sermons," quotes from Upham's "Life of Vane " the noble reply made by Vane when, after he had been condemned to death, he was told that by submission to the king his life might be saved. "If the king," said Vane, "does not think himself more concerned for his honor and word than I for my life, let hím take it. Nay, I declare that I value my life less in a good cause than the king can do his promise. He is so sufficiently obliged to spare my life that it is fitter for him to do it than for me to 'seck it."
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APPENDIX B. - NOTE 2.
NAME OF TOWN.
Just how the name of Braintree came to be adopted will probably never be known to the satisfaction of all; but for the sake of those who may be interested in the matter, I give the various suggestions that have been made by those who have examined the subject.
Mr. Lunt, on page 41 of his " Anniversary Sermons," says : "The name of the new town, Braintree, was doubtless derived from the Braintree company already mentioned, which in 1632 had begun to sit down here, and removed hence to Newtown, afterwards Cambridge. This company came from Braintree, in Essex County, England. The celebrated Mr. Hooker, who the next year came over and found them at Newtown, had been their minister before they left England. Among the names of that company. as given in the history of Cambridge, several occur that are at the present day familiar in this vicinity ; and in order to account for the name of Braintree being given to this town, we may either adopt the sug- gestion that has been made by high authority, that this company remained here and did not go to Newtown, or if we think the historical evidence conclusive for their removal, we may suppose that several of them returned hither, when, a few years after, they of Newtown made complaint to the General Court for want of room, and when the great body of the company, together with their pastor, emigrated to Connecticut River, and laid the foundation of Hartford. It is certainly what we should expect, that some place among the new settlements should bear the name of a company that had for their minister so celebrated a man as Hooker; and what place more likely to receive the appellation than that which offered the first resting- place to these pilgrims after their arrival in New England?"
From the appendix to Mr. Lunt's sermons, page 66, I take this extract : " Hon. Joli Quincy Adams gives it as his opinion that the Braintree com- pany, mentioned by Winthrop in 1632 as having begun to settle at Mount Wollaston, did not remove to Newtown, or at least remained, most of them, where they had begun to settle, and that it was at their solicitation that the name of Braintree, the place in England whence they came, was given to the town." To controvert these opinions, we have the high authority of Hon. C. F. Adams, who asks, "How came it (the name) to be adopted? A sat- isfactory answer to the question is not easy. The topic has been a good deal discussed by competent persons, but without leading to any positive result. On the one side, it has been maintained that out of the company of emigrants from the town of Braintree, in the county of Essex, England, who came under the direction of Mr. Hooker in the year 1632, and who began to settle at Mount Wollaston, a large portion remained, notwith- standing the order of the General Court to remove to Newtown, and from these might naturally have come the name of their former liome; but this conjecture is in conflict with the evidence, for it is very certain that what
76
purports to have been the whole company did obey the order to remove to Newton (present Cambridge), and that the names of forty-five of them are preserved in the records of that place. Most of these people ultimately removed with Mr. Hooker to the Connecticut River, and founded the set- tlement of Hartford. From this circumstance it has been inferred by others that a few, unwilling to make so distant a removal, may have accepted allotments (just then freely made) of the lands at Mount Wollas- ton, and have come back here to settle. Here, again, there is no positive evidence to sustain this conjecture. The number of these stragglers could at best have been but small. They must have come, if at all, by the year 1635 : but the allotment to the great majority of the settlers likely to deter- mine the character of the town took place in 1638 and 1639. In the choice of a name, it seems reasonable to suppose that the will of the mass of the real inhabitants would be respected. It was from them, I think, the town must have got the name. It was mainly from them that the draft was subsequently made of the colony which removed at a later period from Braintree to found the town of Chelmsford. Now, Chehnsford is the name of the shire-town of Essex County in England. It is only eleven miles from Braintree, and is the place where Rev. Mr. Hooker had been settled. It seems to me, therefore, reasonable to suppose that the same influence which prevailed in naming the one town in 1640 prevailed in naming the other in 1655." In attempting to find the connection, Mr. Adams says, "It is just here that the proof completely fails. No such connection or identity has or can be now established. The first accounts appear the most reliable and sensible." Whitney's " Quincy," after reciting the act incorporating Braintree, says, " The name, according to all accounts, was given to it from a town of the same name in England." Whitney says, " This was the common practice with those who were engaged in the first settlement of the country."
An anecdote is told of the first minister of Boston, that when the Bosto- nians, who came from a town of that name in England, wrote home invit- ing their minister to join them, he first answered, "I will come, brethren, on condition the place is called Boston"; and it was so, nor is it at all to be wondered at. Their thoughts naturally turned back to the delightful land they had left forever, and it was but in consonance with the best feel- ings of the heart to wish to preserve, though it were but in name, some memories of the spot which was known to them as the scene of their child- hood, the dwelling-place of their relatives, where stood the tombs and where rested the bones of their kindred and friends. This would seem to be sufficient reason why the Braintree company, "who by all accounts did sit down at Mount Wollaston," gave the name to the settlement, and being altogether the most conspicuous fact occurring in its history, it would be natural that it should make a permanent impression. Though the colony itself may all have left, the name remained to the locality, as did the name of Captain Wollaston after he left, and with much more reason.
Mr. Lunt, on page 17 of his sermons, says that Cotton Mather, in his account of Rev. Thomas Hooker, remarks that his "friends came over the
77
year before (he came) to prepare for his reception "; and we learn from Win- throp's journal " that Mr. Hooker arrived Sept. 4, 1633." They remained, therefore, at Mount Wollaston, before removal to Newtown, at most but a few months. This brings us close upon the year 1634. The prepon- derance of evidence shows that if some of the Braintree people did not remain, there were settlers at Wollaston who did, and these undoubtedly acquired the habit of speaking of the Braintree settlement. That the place was referred to as Braintree, after the general removal, seems to be evi- dent from Whitney, page 31, which says, "Mr. Cotton observed in the matter of Mr. Wheelwright, the church gave way that he might be called to a new church to be gathered at Mount Wollaston, near Braintree." This date is supposed to be in 1636. Again, in a note to Hancock's ser- mons, on page 21, where reference is made to a letter concerning Mr. Wheelwright, we find this sentence, "Mr. Wheelwright was a noted preacher of the Congregational way, and so remained as long as he lived. He was a member of the Boston church, was desired by many to be their teacher with Messrs. Cotton and Wilson, but the church being so well supplied, they by vote, Oct. 30, 1636, allowed him to preach to some of their members removed to Braintree for the preparing of a church gath- ering there." Mrs .. Hannah Adams, in her "History of New England," says, on page 58, " In 1637 Rev. John Wheelwright preached at Braintree, which was part of Boston." This would seem to be sufficient to establish the fact of a continuous name, after the Braintree colony first planted, if not a continuous settlement, and clearly accounts for the present name of the town.
APPENDIX B. - NOTE 3.
Mr. Adams, in his Town Hall Oration, on page 38, says, "This deed came into my possession with other family papers. How we came by it I know not, but I am sure it has been held for at least two generations." On the back of it are the words, "In the 17th reign of Charles 2d, · Braintry Indian Decde given 1655 - August 10-Take greate care of it." "My inference is that at a former time, when less value was attached in towns to old documents than is the case now, this was placed in the hands of Jolin Adams for safe keeping. But I do not think he or his successors ever regarded it in any other light than as a trust, and now that this town lias erected so noble a depository for it, I purpose to restore it, and after repairing and putting it in suitable frame, to cause it to be placed in the care of the officers of Braintree, for the benefit and for the edification of all future generations of the people of the three towns."
This deed is printed in Whitney's "Quincy."
APPENDIX B. - NOTE 4.
Six thousand acres of land "not to interfere with any grant already made " were granted to the inhabitants of Braintree by General Court in
78
October, 1666. This land not having been laid out June 13, 1713, a com- mittee was appointed by the town of Braintree to find the land and lay it out. In 1717 this grant was confirmed to the town by the General Court. At length it was voted that all persons who paid town taxes in Braintree in the year 1715 should be deemed to have an interest in the aforesaid grant, and the land so granted was laid out, divided, and sold. This land constitutes the town of New Braintree, which was incorporated in 1751 and received its inhabitants from old Braintree, and is well known for a fine farming town. - Vinton Memorial, p. 49.
APPENDIX B. - NOTE 5.
The rise in exchange produced by the imprudent issues of paper-money in Massachusetts was idly attributed to decay in trade, and the colony was almost unanimously of opinion that trade could only be revived by an additional quantity of bank notes. A few saw the real evil and were for calling in the bills that were already abroad, but it was determined by the great majority that either by a private or public bank the province should be supplied with more money, or rather with more paper. The General Court at length resolved to place bills for fifty thousand pounds in the hands of trustees, who were to lend them with five per cent interest, with stipulation that one fifth of the principal should be paid annually. Still trade would not improve. Mr. Shute, who had just succeeded Mr. Dudly, attributed the fact to a scarcity of money, and recommended that sonie effective measures should be taken to make it more abundant. The specific was therefore doubled. But an additional issue of one hundred thousand pounds so greatly depreciated the value of the currency that the General Court were at last enabled to see the true cause of the difficulty, and the governor, too, when his salary came to be voted in the depre- ciated money according to its nominal amount, began to be somewhat sceptical of his policy. - People's History of America, p. 350.
APPENDIX B. - NOTE 6.
Whitney, on page 50 of his History, mentions the remains of a furnace bordering on Milton, built two hundred years ago, -1830. The dam was still standing in Whitney's time, and cinders were to be found around it. Tradition carried it back prior to 1650. Mr. Adams, in his Town Hall Oration, on page 11 of his appendix, says, "There is a brook in Quincy which has ever borne the name of Furnace Brook, in one part of which remains visible to this day the form of a dam and a furnace, and where slugs of iron and cinders have been from time to time found imbedded in the soil. The place had been long abandoned when the development of the stone business in 1826 brought it once more into notice."
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APPENDIX B. - NOTE 7.
Note to page 301, Vinton's Memorial, says Col. John Quincy, of Brain- tree, was born in 1639, "and was one of the most distinguished public men of that period. He was forty years representative of Braintree in the General Court, and many years in succession Speaker of the House. He was also member of Executive Council." It was for him the present town of Quincy was named when set off, the Hon. Richard Cranch recom- mending it.
APPENDIX C. - NOTE 1.
AN ANCIENT INDENTURE.
The following is a copy of an ancient indenture, preserved among the papers of the late Thomas Howard, Esq. : -
" This indenture witnesseth that Aaron Hayward son of Samuel Hay- ward and Mary Hayward of Braintree, in the County of Suffolk in the Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England, Hath put himself, and by these Presents doth voluntarily and of his own free will and accord, and with the free consent of his Mother Mary Hayward, testified her hand and seal hereunto set, Put and bind himself Apprentice to John Adams of Braintree aforesaid, Cordwainer, or.his heirs to Learn his art, & with him or them after the manner of an apprentice to serve from the day of the date hereof, for and during the term of six years, four months, & sixteen dayes from thence next ensuing, to be compleated and ended. During all which term, the said apprentice his sd Master or his Heirs faithfully shall serve, their secrets keep, and Lawful commands obey; He shall do no damage to his Master or his Heirs nor see it done of others, without Letting, or giving notice thereof to his Master, or his Heirs, he shall not wast sd Masters or his Heirs goods, nor Lend them to any without Leave. He shall not commit fornication nor contract Matrimony within sd Term ; at Cards, Dice or any other unlawful Games he shall not play, whereby his said Master or his heirs may have damage. He shall not absent him- self by day or by night from his Master or his Heirs service without their Leave nor hant Taverns, ale-houses, or Play houses, but in all things behave himself as a faithful apprentice, towards his Master and all his during said Term. Iu consideration whereof the said John Adams the said Master, for himself and his heirs doth hereby Covenant and Promise to teach and Instruct or cause to be taught and instructed the said appren- tice, in the art trade or calling of a Cordwainer, which he now useth, by the best wayes or meanes he can, finding unto the said apprentice good and sufficient meat, drink, apparel with washing and Lodging, and all other necessaries both in health and sickness, during the said Term, likewise to Learne him to write and Cipher, and at the expiration of the said Term, to give unto the sd apprentice two Good suits of apparrel, for all parts of
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his body botlı woolen and Linnen, suitable for such an apprentice, and a seat of good working Geare. In testimony whereof the parties to these Presents, have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals, the twenty sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty-six, and in the twelveth year of his Majesties Reign, King George &:
Signed Sealed and delivered in Presence of
AARON HAYWARD. JOSEPH KING.
BETHIAH ADAMS.
MARY HAYWARD."
Dea. John Adams, above named, was father of President John Adams. E. A.
APPENDIX D. - NOTE 1.
I have thought it worth while to append the transactions of the town from 1640 to 1815 in a condensed form as they appear in the records.
1640 to 1644. Contains reference to school fund, to mill of Richard Right, "and a footway over the old bridge to meeting-house," and a restriction on the sale of houses and lands without consent of authorities.
1644. Orders sale of a part of the marsh for the "Elders use."
1650. Relating to "Townsmen of Braintree," concerning " Cattel" on the Common, given in text.
1653. Restricts strangers from locating in the town "without per- mission."
1656. "Common made free to all inhabitants."
1669. Town vote gives equal rights, by paying equal charges, to the grant of six thousand acres made by General Court in 1666.
1672. House and land " for an orchard " voted to " use of the ministry."
1673. About laying out the six thousand acres; parties to have 1,500 acres for survey.
1674. Vote regulating Mr. Fiske's salary at cighty pounds.
1674. Action taken about the "old mill," which had been burned.
1678. Vote to give schoolmaster thirty pounds a year and an allotment of land, " ordering that each child should carry to the school-master half a cord of wood beside the quarter money every year."
1679. Reference made to lands deeded by Wampatuck.
1682. Town votes Mr. Fiske ninety pounds.
1690. Mr. Fiske's salary goes back to eighty pounds.
1693. Town officers are five selectmen, two constables, five tithing-men, four surveyors of highways, eight viewers of fences. Town votes to authorize selectmen to " seat the meeting-house."
1695. Town votes to raise pastor's salary by contribution. Vote given in text.
1695. Town votes to "repair meeting-house and stop leak on south
81
side." Also, to settle in full with the school-master by paying him " ten pounds extra."
1696. Salary of representative fixed at six pounds per annum. "Ten shillings to be paid for looking after boys at meeting." The pastor, on having his salary fixed at ninety pounds, gives a receipt in full "from the begining of the world to this day."
1697. Selectmen authorized to permit " family pews in Meeting House." 1698. "Four Loving Friends " authorized to look after the lands claimed by Boston parties.
1703. Difficulty in arranging the minister's salary.
1704. Minister's salary fixed at ninety pounds, he "finding wood," and on this Mr. Fiske releases again " from the begining of the world."
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