USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1636-1705 (vol. 1) > Part 14
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The Towne have Graunted unto Mr Cotton that incase any Comon land Can be found fitt for pastureing about the first brook, as is Conceived there may, that hee shall have a Competency therof, Graunted and layed forth to him and his heires for ever ;
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
The Towne haveing Graunted the 16th of May 1673 unto ffrancis Curtice eight acrees of land att the second place of Goeing over Jones River by the Indian Bridge by the herring ware ; I have measured and bounded the said eight acrees ; which lyeth on the eastward syde of the said River ware and bridge : and att the southwest Corner of the said Land it is bounded with a Red oake tree standing by the River att or neare a Row of Rockes or stones that lye a Crosse the River ; and from the said tree the line extends to a stone sett into the Ground att the southeast Corner of the said Land by a Red oak sapling marked on four sydes ; and from the said stone and line extends North and by west nearest unto another stone sett into the Ground ; att the Northeast Corner of the said Land by a pyne tree Marked ; and from the stone att the Northeast Corner, the line extends west and by south unto a stone sett downe Neare the bankes of the said River by a Red oake Sapling Marked ; soe to the River And on the west syde of the said Land the said River to be the bounds : from the Northwest Corner stone to the aforsaid Red oake tree ; att the Southwest Corner the Length fifty four pole ; the breadth twenty-five pole; allowance being made for the highway ;
December the 18 th day pr me Willam Crow Surveyor 1678
[132.] The bounds of a Graunt of Land Graunted by the Towne unto Benajah Pratt lying att a place in the Townshipp of Plymouth called Pontuses meddow; It is as followeth viz; 8 acrees of upland bounded att the North end with two acrees of Land which belonges to Joseph Churchill ; and on the east end or eastermost Corner it is bounded with a young Red oake standing by the cart way ; The south bound with a stone sett into the Ground on the syde of a Ridge; The west bound is a smale Red oake marked standing on the syde of a hill; this Last bound pteth the said 2 acrees fornamed from the said Benajah Pratts Land ;
Att the Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the seaventh of Aprill 1679,
The Town Graunted unto Samuell Jenney the watchhouse upon the ffort hill in Respect of his destitute Condition to be for a house for him to dwell in ; and not to be sold or estranged to
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
any other use ; and hee hath liberty to Remove it to any other place for the end aforsaid, when he pleaseth ;
Att this Meeting the Towne Graunted unto Joseph Warren sen : twenty acrees of Land lying att The Eelriver on the Southerly syde of Ephraim Mortons Land, there, bounded on the westerly syde with the Cart way that Goeth to the herring pond, comonly Called the halfway pond, And on the easterly syde by a smale brook or Run of water Comonly Called the shingle brook ;
Likewise the Towne Graunted unto Ephraim Morton Jun : Att this Meeting a smale psell of Land lying att the Eelriver on the southerly syde of his other Lands on which hee Now dwelleth viz : Joyning to his said Land and soe Runing to the brook which Runeth through the swamp and soe to the Road way that Goeth to the herring pond Comonly Called the halfe way pond ; and soe to the Land of Robert Bartlett his Land or the Lands there which belonge unto the heirs of Robert Bartlett aforsaid deceased
A smale psell of Land was Likewise Graunted by the Towne To Nathaniel Wood lying and being att the first brook on the Northerly syde of the brook Neare unto house lately erected between the said house and the Comon Road ;
The Towne then voated to pay to Mr Cotton out of the Townes Corne in the hands of Gorge Morton the sume of six pound and three shillings as due to him for all arreares of Rates made for his Maintainance untill May the 30th 1677 : upon the payment of which Mr Cotton doth wholly acquitt and discharge the Towne of all former arreares and acknowlidge himselfe fully satisfyed with Reference therunto; I under- written having received the said summe above mentioned of George Morton doe fully acquit & discharge the towne of Plymouth as a Towne of all the summes due to me for my maintenance till the said 30th of May 1677
August 4 1679
Witness my hand John Cotton
Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth August the 4th 1679 Nathaniel Morton was sworne Clarke of the Towne of Plymouth for this prsent yeer
Att this Meeting it was ordered by the Towne and voated that all actes and orders and Graunts of lands and all other pticulars formerly entered in our Town book shalbe as Authenticke
PLYMOUTHI RECORDS. 161
and Good in law as if they had bine entered by a Clark under oath
Att this meeting Major Bradford was Chosen Moderator to acte as such as there May be occation att our Town Meetings Leift : Morton Willam Crow Raters to make the
and Willam Clarke were Chosen Rates of all kinds to be now Rated
The Collectors to Gather the Minnesters Maintainance for this yeer are Steven Bryant sen : and Samuell Dunham sen :
and the Towne hath engaged to stand by them in the procuring of it ;
Att this meeting the Towne voated that the one halfe of Mr Cottons Rate shalbe payed into the Collectors by the first of october next; memorandum that the Collectors are to acte in the procuring in the Maintainance for Mr Cotton on the same Conditions as it was don the last yeer ;
The Constable is ordered by the Towne to take Course for the settleing of the bell and the Turrett and the sweeping of the meeting house and the Ringing of the bell and to pay for the doeing of these pticulars ; and likewise to pay Kokawehewan an Indian for the killing A woulfe
The bounds of a tract or psell of land which was Graunted by the Towne of Plymouth unto Mr Nathaniel Warren deceased, which said Graunt of land beareth date the 27th day of october Annº Dom 1662 lying neare Mannomett ponds, in the Township of Plymouth aforsaid neare unto some Meddow Graunted unto Mistris Elizabeth Warren the mother of the said Nathaniel Warren ; sould by Mistris Sarrah Warren of Plymouth aforsaid ; to Joseph Bartlett the 4th of August 1679 The bounds therof is as followeth ; on the southwest Corner with a Rocke and stones layed upon it on the southeast Corner with a pine tree standing upon a hill by the side of a little pond ; on the Northwest Corner bounded with a Great white oake in A maple Swamp by the brooksyde; on the southeast Corner with a smale Red oake standing on the side of a hill ; the brook being the foote bounds of the said land ; and It Joyneth on the Northerly syde to the land of Benjamine hammon which hee bought of ffrancis Curtice ;
New Plymouth ;
Wheras the Towne Graunted unto John Bryant son in law unto Steven Bryant thirty acrees of land, lying att or Neare
II
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
a place Called Billingtons holes. as appeers by theire Graunt the eight of August 1677; wee have by order in the said Graunt measured and bounded the said thirty acrees of Land; Att the southeast Corner therof. with a Red oake tree standing on the Northerly syde. of a little brook. att the Roote of which Red oake tree there is a stone pitched into the Ground; Att the Northeast Corner with a little Red oake sapling att the Norwest Corner with a smale Red oake Sapling : and att the southwest Corner with a sinale Red oake tree : Layed out for thirty three pole in breadth : and one hundred forty six pole in length ; and due allowance Given for the highway that Goes through the said Land the 23 day of July 1679
pr Willam Crow Surveyor Joseph Howland
[134.] New Plymouth
Measured and bounded unto John Morton ffifty Acrees of upland graunted to him by the Towne to his Meddow att Winna- tucksett ; The said land lyeth between Allexander Standish his meddow Abraham Jacksons Land and the Path that Goeth to Bridgwater; The bounds of the said land is as followeth ; Att the Northeast corner therof is Marked a younge white oake tree which standeth in or Near a swampp which is the said Abrahams bounds marke from the said white oake tree the line extends to a maple tree standing in a swampp and soe the line extends hom to Allexander Standish his Meddow ; and then the line extends as the meddow lyeth. to a fforked spruce tree marked ; and from the said spruce the line extends westward as the swamp lyeth untill it Comes to or Crosseth a south line ; that Comes from a white oake tree marked standing on the south syde of Bridgwater Path ; then as Bridgwater Path lyeth soe the line Runeth untill it Cometh to Abraham Jacksons Land att the said Path; then to a Red oake tree which is Abraham Jacksons southwest Corner marke and from thence the line extends to the aforsaid white oake tree which standeth in or Neare a swamp :
June the 7th one thousand six hundred seaventy and nine Willam Crow Surveeyor :
Att a towne meeting held att Plymouth for the Towne of New Plymouth att the meeting house the sixt day of January Willam Crow Joseph Warren Leiftenant Morton Edward Dotey
1679
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PLYMOUTHI RECORDS.
or any three of them are appointed by the Towne to Run the southeren line of the townes bounds accord- ing to the Court order :
Major Bradford Leiftenant Morton Willam Crow And Joseph Warren
are appointed by the Towne to demaund in all the townes debts due to them from any and Incase of Non payment the towne heerby Impowers them to make suite of Law for the Recovery therof and that they keep a due accoumpt of what they Receive and are Impowered heerby to Give legall Receipts and acquittances for what they Receive of Any and that they give in a true and faithfull accoumpt to the Towne Respecting the prmises when by them Required and the Towne doe heerby Impower Nathaniel Morton Clarke in the behalfe of the Towne to Give forth a letter of Attorney to Anny two of the psons above named to make suite and plea for any debt dew to the town for any psons as occation May Require ;
It is Agreed between the Towne and Edward Gray (as an Apendix to his Lease for Clarkes Iland) that hee may keep sixteen Neat Cattle ; on the said Iland Rate free ; And noe more ; The bounds of Serjeant Ephraim Tinkhams land viz : that which was somtimes the land of John Dunham is as followeth ; Att the North Corner a blacke oake tree marked and soe Runing forty pole south and by East to a smale Pyne Marked att the East Corner and soe Runing four score pole southwest and by west to a white oake tree marked ; and soe Runing forty pole North and by west to a Red oake tree on the west Corner, Measured and bounded by Gorge Bonum and Ephraim Morton ;
[135.] Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house in Plymouth the 20th of January 1679
Mr Edward Gray Joseph Warren and Mr Crow
Leift : Morton are appointed by the Towne to Run any line of the bounds of the Townes lands as they shall see cause
And alsoe to treat with the purchasers of Sepican soe called of and concerning our title to the said Lands and places adjacent ; and to Come to Composition with them Respecting the controversy betwixt the said Towne and them about it as they shall see Reason, and in case they Can not Close in a mutuall composition they are heerby Impowered by the said towne and
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
in theire behalfe to Answare or prosecute a suite with them Concerning the said lands as they shall see cause; and that the Clarke of the said Towne shall in the behalfe of the Towne make and seale a letter or letters of Attorney in the townes behalfe to Answare or prosecute a suite or suites Respecting the pmises : and the said Comitte are heerby Impowered to Appoint and Constitute one attorney or more to be healpfull to them Respect- ing the prmises as they May have occation And that the mony belonging to the towne that is or may be in the hands of William Crow be Improved for defraying the Charge of the said expedition as occation may Require ;
Att a Towne Meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 26th day of Aprill Annº Dom 1680 ; The Towne agreed to allow Mr Cotton four score pound pr yeer ; the one halfe therof to be payed in Currant silver Mony of New England and the other halfe in Corne and provisions att prisses yeerly sett by the Country : The one halfe of both specaes to be payed by the first of october; and the other by the first of Aprill yeerly ; The said sumes to be put into and Raised with the Country Rates : and Gathered in by the Constable ; And this to continew soe Longe as the Towne shalbe Inabled to pforme it ; And the Towne doe allow unto the Constable fifteen shillings for the procuring in the said sumes in season ; for the following yeer ; on Condition hee see the said sumes duely and fully payed ; in time and specue The Towne have voated to hier a pasture for the depasturing of Mr Cottons Cattle for this prsent yeer ; And to Indeavor to buy a Pasture for the use of Mr Cotton for the future ;
furthermore severall Men have underwritten to healp him unto wood according to such psells as is expressed in a List of theire Names :
It is ordered by the Towne that every housekeeper of this Towne shall bring in six blacke birds heads or two Crowes heads unto the Grandjurymen of our Towne betwixt this and July Court Next on paine of forfeiting twelve pence for every Neglect therof to the Townes use ;
The Deputies Chosen Att this meeting to serve att the Court were
The Constable
Leift Morton Will : Clarke John Doten
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PLYMOUTHI RECORDS.
The Celect Court
Mr Gray Mr Crow Leift : Morton
The Grandjurymen
serjeant harlow
Thomas ffaunce
The Surveyors of the highwayes James Clarke Abraham Jackson
Ephraim Tilson Elkanah Watson
It was voated by the Towne In Reference unto pay for the killing of woulves between Mr Crow and the Towne that Mr Crow shall have twenty shillings for killing every of those woulves in controversy as aforsaid ;
[136.] 16 may 1667
The bounds of lands graunted to William Hoskins at ye head of 1 mohutchiett at a towne meeting as is to be seen in ye grant 1667 it being thirtie acrees is as followeth a spruce tree marked standing by ye syde of a browne swamp being the northerly corner & soe extending westerly four score pole & there marked with a pine tree standing by another browne swamp & thence extending southerly to a cedar swamp & so following ye cedar swamp that comes into ye said pond
The bounds of Ephraim Tillsons lott of land graunted att ye same time & is alsoe thirty acrees lying at ye head of mohutchett meddow & lyeth on ye northerly syde of William Hoskins is as followeth The north corner is bounded with a white oake Tree Soe runneth westerly eight pole to another white oake from thence ye range runneth southerly sixty pole to a pine tree & from thence easterly eighty pole to a spruce tree standing by a browne swamp ;
[137.] Att a Town meeting held att Plymouth att the meeting house the 16th day of August 1680 The Rators Chosen were Leiftenant Morton serjeant harlow and Willam Crow, these are to Rate for the Country and for Mr Cotton and such other Rates as may fall within this yeer ;
1 Mohutchett brook," a stream a short distance southwest of Carver Green, The district about it is now called " Hutchett,"
166
PLYMOUTHI RECORDS.
In Ausware to Mr Cottons paper put into the Town- meeting Respecting the house and Ground hee lives on; and Reparation therof etc ; The Towne have Referred the Issueing of an Answare to the Next Towne meeting ;
The Towne have ordered that the order about Non appearance att Towne meetings be vigorous put in execution and for that end an exact list was taken of the names of such as made defect att this meeting by Non appearance
The Town have Graunted unto Samuell King Jun : a smale psell of land about ffresh Lake or 1 Sparrows plaine ; to build and plant on That is to say ten acrees Absolute ; and if the Naighboors about the Towne and hee Can agree about it, then hee is to have ten acrees More as hee shall have need therof to Improve it ;
Wheras att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 12 th day of May 1669 the Towne then unani- mosly voated to allow unto mistris Joanna Cotton wife unto Mr John Cotton our minnester ; or his family the sume of fifty pounds Incase God should soe dispose that hee end his Life in this Towne before them ;
Att the Towne meeting held att the Meeting house att Plymouth aforsaid the eight day of November Aunº Dom 1680, The Towne then voated and doe heerby give unto Mr John Cotton theire present Minnester the house hee then lived in and the homsted it Now standeth on att Plymouth aforsaid but not that which was Mistris Bridgett ffullers and Samuell ffullers which is not Intended in this Gift; and bequest ; The said house and homsted on which the said house standeth; (excepting the homsted of Bridgett ffuller and Samuell ffuller aforsaid) To have and to hold unto the said Mr John Cotton To him and his heires and Assignes for ever : on Consideration wherof the said John Cotton and the said Joanna Cotton his wife doeth both for themselves and theire heirs and successors ffreely discharge and Relinquish and quitt claime unto the above mensioned fifty pounds ; as Not payable nor to be demaunded nor Required of the said Towne of Plymouth nor theire heirs executors nor administrators for ever ;
Moreover it was further voated by the said Towne att
1 Sparrow's Plain " was a tract of land near the westerly end of Billington Sea. or Fresh Lake, where forty acres were granted to Richard Sparrow in 1637. The hill near it still bears the name of "Sparrow's Hill."
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
the abovesaid meeting That (after the Conclusion of this prsent yeer for which this Rate for the minnesters Maintainance is alreddy made) that then they will add ten pounds pr annum to his eighty pounds yeerly sallery formerly allowed him, which amounts to Ninety pounds : as it was eighty pounds the Last Rate ; and the said Mr Cotton is to ffind Pasture and fierwood for himselfe and family for the future; and Nathaniel Morton Secretary and Willam Clarke are appointed; in the behalfe of the Towne to give sufficient Legall evidence of the said house and land ; unto the said Mr John Cotton
[138.] The bounds of Jacob Cookes land layed out by Gorge Bonum Three score acrees Att Moonponsett is as followeth The Easterly bounds is a black oake tree Marked The bounds Northerly is a blacke oake tree Marked, which is the Corner bounds of Major Bradfords Land the southerly bounds is a white oake tree standing by a peece of meddow the west is a white oake Marked standing by a swamp These are the bounds of fifty acres of the said land; The Remainder which is ten acrees is bounded by a pyne tree marked standing by a pond syde shore, that is alsoe the west bounds of Major Bradfords Land the southwest bounds of the ten acrees Jacob Runes to the Northeren bounds of the aforsaid fifty Cook acrees, and the west bounds of the said ten acrees is a pyne tree standing by the pond syde, and the southwest bounds of the said ten acrees is a spruce tree standing by a swamp syde; and soe from the said spruce tree the Range Runs through a swamp; which is the westernmost bounds of the aforsaid fifty acrees
Gorge Bonum ; .
Mills
Att a Towne meeting held att Plymouth the twenty third day of May 1681 It was ordered by the Towne in Reference to the Corn mill That Mr Edward Gray Leiftenant Morton and Willam Clarke are authorized by the Towne To treat with Samnell Jenings and the Rest of the ptnors about buying the Mill of him and to come to a prise with him about it if hee be willing to sell it and incase hee Refuse to sell it; that then they signify to him that they Intend to Build another mill ; and the Towne doe alsoe authorize them the
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
said Edward Gray Leiftenant Morton and Willam Clarke to put things in such a posture as that theire may be another Mill Built Incase Samuell Jenings Refuse to sell his :
Atwood
Measured and bounded seaventy Acrees of Land formerly Graunted unto Mr John Attwood in the yeer 1637 on the fift day of March as by Record may and doth appeer, att the Northeast Corner therof it is bounded with a Red oake sapling standing on the North syde of a ditch Called Attwoods ditch and from the said sapling the line extends west and by North Nearest unto a young Maple tree, standing in the swamp between three Maples ; And from the said Maple, which is Marked the line extends to a young Red oake sapling tree Marked, standing on the North syde of James Coles Land ; and the west syde of an old ditch formerly Made by the said Attwood; and from the said Red oake sapling ; the line extends East & by North Crosse a point of upland to the swamp, and soe eastward as the swamp lyeth till the above said first sapling beareth North and by west; I say Measured and bounded the 15th day of ffebruary 1681 by
Mee Gorge Bonum Surveyor
[139.] Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house Att Plymouth the 22cond of August 1681
The Rators Chosen were serjeant harlow and Willam hoskins both for Mr Cotton and the Country Rate for this year
these are to make the Rates
This
* other
likewise
Att this meeting the Towne voated that our pte of the mony due for mount hope shalbe Improved for either the Repairing of the Meeting house or for the the building of A New one as occation May Require
ordered
In Reference unto John harmon the Towne ordered that Incase any should come and sett him downe in the street of Plymouth ; that a warrant shalbe in a Reddines to arrest the man that shall bring him and sett him downe in the street aforsaid ; or
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PLYMOUTHI RECORDS.
any pte or place within our Townshipp to answare for brach of law in that behalfe.
It was ordered by the Towne that Noe foraigne Indians be prmitted to hunt within the precints of our Towneship and that if any shall soe doe that they be first warned to desist ; and incase they goe on therin ; that Complaint be made of them to the Court ;
Att a Towne meeting held att the Towne of Plymouth by the Inhabitants of New Plymouth the 30th day of January Annº Dom 1681
The Towne have voted Leift Morton Mr Willam Clarke Joseph Warren and Joseph Bartlett To be a Comittee to take a view of the meeting house ; and to take some speedy Course either that it may be Repaired ; or to build a New one as they shall see cause and the Towne of Plymouth doth heerby engage to defray the charge seasonably and in such specue as shalbe Requisite ;
It is enacted by the Towne that noe houskeeper or other in this Towne Resideing in the Towne shall entertaine any stranger into theire houses above a fortnight without giveing Information to the Celect men or some one of them therof upon the forfeiture of ten shillings a weeke for all such time as any such stranger shalbe soe entertained and stay without the said Information : To be levied on the estate of such house keepers or others that shall neglect to Informe as aforsaid :
strangers regulated
And incase the Celeet men upon Information as aforsaid shall see cause to either take bonds for every such stranger either; to keep and save the Towne harmles from any damage that may acrew unto the Towne by the stay of such stranger or strangers in the Towne or expell them out of the Towne ; The Celect men are heerby Impowered to doe either as they shall see Reason and cause :
The Towne have Graunted unto Samuell Savory twenty acrees of upland between Johns pond and the Cedar swamp neare Swan hold in the Towneshipp of Plymouth ; and incase hee sell it, that hee pte with it to none but an Inhabitant of the Towne
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PLYMOUTH RECORDS.
Major Bradford The elder Cushman Nathaniel Morton Leift Morton Mr Willam Crow Mr Willam Clarke and Joseph Warren Joseph Bartlett
were Chosen to be a Comittee to agitate and prepare some pticular proposition to be proposed to the Towne they are to meet on the 2cond of ffebruary concern- ing the prmises ;
[140.] Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouth the 13th day of ffebruary 1681 The Towne doe agree that the money due to the Towne the prsent payment therof shalbe devided according to every ones proportion of Charge expended in the warr and to be devided by Major Bradford and Mr Willam Crow ;
It is enacted and ordered by the Towne that noe ffree- holder or Townsman shall sell or allianate theire privilidge in the Townes Comons unto any of any other Towne except hee sell his land therwith
It is enacted by the Towne that noe ffreeholder or Townsman of the Towne of Plymouth shall have but one Right in the Commonage of the said Towne :
Att a Towne meeting held att the meeting house att Plymouthe 24th of May 1682
The Celeet men Chosen were
Leift Morton
Willam Crow Willam Clarke
Leift Morton and Joseph Warren Were Chosen to be deputies
To be Remembred by the deputies that some Course be taken for the Restraint of soe many Indians Assembling some- times att the North side of the Towne att the later ends of the yeer and theire abusive Carriages there ;
Serjeant harlow and Willam Hoskins Chosen Grand Jurymen
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