An historical sketch of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. With an appendix

Preface

Some time ago, the writer, to gratify a curiosity to look back on the past, began, and continued as he had leisure, researches into the history of his native town. At the particular request of several respectable individuals, who have supposed the result of his labors might not be without interest to the inhabitants, he has, with some reluctance, consented to its publication.

A work of this kind must, in the nature of things, be imperfect. In the course of time, many important facts are lost, past recovery. Information derived from individuals, is often incorrect — and records are sometimes false. The aim has been, to use faithfully the materials which have fallen in the writer's way, and though he has no right to boast of perfect accuracy, he hopes not to have committed many or important errors.

The object has been, to collect and preserve facts, which might not only be interesting at the present time, but useful by way of reference hereafter. Whether the selection of these has been judicious, and whether, in stating them, a proper medium has been observed between too much minuteness of detail, on the one hand, and too great generality on the other, each reader will judge for himself.

The history is respectfully dedicated to the inhabitants of the town, with the wish that they may enjoy all that prosperity and happiness, which results from a cultivated mind, industrious habits, simple manners, pure morals, and religious principle.

East Bridgewater, November, 1838.

ORIGINAL GRANTS OF LAND.

That part of Abington, south of the Bridgewater four-mile line,* was within the first grant to the proprietors of Bridgewater. In 1710, some of the lands towards the northeast corner of that town were laid out into seven shares. The fourth was mostly in Abington. It extended from the four-mile line one mile southerly on the east side of the third share, and was 160 rods wide. Its southeast corner was in East Bridgewater, near Jacob Bates's.

The fifth share, 360 rods long northerly and southerly, lay in Abington, on the east side of the road from the Rev. Mr. Thomas's meetinghouse, by Christopher Dyer's to East Bridgewater. It was divided in 1714 into eight unequal lots, by easterly and westerly lines, from the road to the Bear Meadow lots.

The remainder of the territory, south of the four-mile line, was granted from time to time, and generally in small tracts, to the different proprietors or to purchasers of their rights.

In 1668, an additional grant of irvo miles was made to Bridgewater.f That part of it, without the four-

* This line runs with the road by Asa Fullerton's, due east a little to the northward of Ephraini S. Jenkins's and near Lebbeus Gurney's, to Scituate.

t Tliis grant gave Bridgewater an extent of ' six miles from tiie centre on all four sides.' Former grants, however, within tiie additional grants were mile line to the north, was divided into what were called the PVest shares, the Old Men^s shares, and the Yoimg Menh shares.

The Old Men's shares lay between the four and six mile line, and extended from a line a mile to the west of the Bridgewater north and south centre line, three miles east, where they did not interfere with prior grants. Their easterly end was in Abington and bounded on the western division of the Young Men's shares and on ' Streams Grant.'

The Young Men's shares, twenty in number, were wholly in Abington. They lay in two divisions. The eastern bounded west on the grant to the four younger sons of Lieut. James Torrey ; north 276 rods on the Hatherly grant ; east 374 rods on the Scituate line (so called) and south 80 rods, on the four mile line. It was divided by east and west lines in 1700.

The western division bounded west on the Old Men's shares, by a line running due north from the four mile line one mile and a quarter ; south on the four mile line and easterly by a line running by 'Goodman Shaw's head line ; ' ' west northwest or thereabout,' to Shaw's westerly corner, bounds ' about 4 poles from the Old Men's shares line, and from thence north northeast by Shaw's line, three quarters of a mile or thereabout, unto Shaw's northerly corner, and from not to be disturbed, though to 'belong to the township of Bridgewater.' A Hue running cast six miles from the Bridgewater north and south centre line, would probably reach the west line of Scituate, and therefore all that part of Abington south of the six mile line, was at the incorporation of the town, part of Bridgewater. This line, now the north boundary line of North Bridgewater against the Belcher grant in Abington, would, if continued due east, run near deacon Richard Vining's, Zelotee Beals's and Harvey Torrey's.

II thence east southeast 12 poles unto John Richards's line, and from thence north northeast by John Richards's,' to

1642. The Colony granted to ' Nathaniel Souther* a farm land, with competent meadowing in some convenient place, so that it do not much prejudice a plantation.' James Lovell, of Weymouth, having purchased for himself and Andrew Ford, Souther's title, this grant containing 200 acres was laid out to him, on the west side of the Hatherly grant, running in Hatherly's range 200 rods nearly south, and 160 rods nearly west.

In 1679, Lovell conveyed to Ford half of this tract, describing it as laying ' by the road that goeth from Weymouth to Bridgewater, bounded upon a tract of land now in the possession of several of the inhabitants of Hingham, which is in the possession and hath been ever since it was laid out, of said Ford, and is known and called by the name of Ford?s Farm.'^f

1654. The court ' in regard to sundry contentions and entanglements between Mr. Timothy HatherlyJ and some of the inhabitants of Scituate, granted unto

* Nathaniel Souther or Southworth was the first Secretary of Plymouth colony.

t The first settlement of the town was undoubtedly on this grant. The colony tax in 1682, was £244 lis. 4d., of which 15 shillings were assessed on the inhabitants of ' Ford's Farms.' In 1G90, the Colony ordered £1350 to be raised to pay debts incurred on account of the expedition to Canada : of this sum £3 were assessed ' on the lands above Weymouth, viz. the lands called Ford's Farm, and parts adjacent.'

t Mr. Hatherly was one of the principal settlers, and a very generous benefactor of the town of Scituate. For a long time, he was an important member of the government, having been as assistant thirteen years — treasurer of the Colony, and a commissioner of the United Colonies. He was honorably distinguished as the friend of religious toleration, and the firm opponent of all those severe and oppressive laws, made by the Colony against the Quakers. He died I6G7.

Mr. Hatherly to satisfy the partners at Conahasset, a certain competency of land out of the bounds of any township, on the westerly side of the town of Scituate.'

1656. This grant was more particularly described as ' a tract of land to begin at Accord Pond on the southerly side, and to run three miles southerly towards Indian Head River Pond ; and to be laid out three miles square' on the west line of Scituate. As the north line of this grant, if run at a right angle with the east, would soon reach and cross the Colony line, the Court in 1671 ordered it to be run from the south side of the pond, so far south of west, as to avoid the Patent line until it come to its western termination, thus leaving a long strip of land in the form of what was called a Gusseit, between the grant and the Colony line.

This grant in 1672, was divided into forty shares, thirty and one half of which then belonged to John Jacob, Edward Wilder, John Thaxter, and Matthew Cushing of Hingham, and John Otis of Scituate,^ and nine and one-half to Thomas Andrews and Jeremiah Beal and others. These companies then made partition, into three lots by two north and south lines parallel with each other and with the West line of Scituate. The eastern and western lots, the former 240 rods and the latter 492 wide, were assigned to Jacob & Company, and the middle lot 228 rods wide to Andrews & Company.

In 1699, the proprietors of the Eastern and Western lots, divided by east and west lines, to hold in severalty.

* These individuals in 16G3, bought twenty-three of these shares of Hatherly, for £69.

The eastern into two divisions, the first lying on the southerly end into five lots, each 64 rods wide, and the second into five lots 128 rods wide. The w^estern* into two divisions of five lots each, all 96 rods wide.

The proprietors of the middle lot, commonly called the small shares, divided by lines north and south, probably to give each owner a portion of cedar swamp.

The southwest corner of the Hatherly grant was at a corner now between Jacob Reed's and Seth Pratt's land, in the side line of Daniel A. Ford's.

1664. The Court 'in reference unto the request of Phineas Pratt,t and the Elder Bates in the behalf of

* The first lot in the first division at tlie southerly end of the western division, wras set off to Daniel and Theophilus Gushing, in the right of John Thaxter ; second, to Jabez and Thomas Wilder, sons of Isaac Wilder, deceased, in right of Edward Wilder ; third, to Stephen French, in right of John Otis; fourth, to Matthew Cashing, the only surviving original partner ; fifth, to David Jacob, in right of his father John Jacob. The first lot in the second division to Daniel and Theophilus Gushing; second to David Jacob ; third, to Jabez and Thomas Wilder ; fourth, to Stephen French ; fifth, to Matthew Gushing.

t Phineas Pratt came over in the Ann, in 1G23. Soon after he visited Weston's plantation, at Wessagussett, (now Weymouth,) and there became acquainted with a conspiracy of the Massachusetts and Gape Indians to destroy that settlement. Being much alarmed for its fate, he took his pack on his back, and set off for Plymouth, to give information of the danger. As he was not well acquainted with the way, he missed the direct path, but fortunately for him thus saved his life, as he was followed by two Indians, who intended to kill him. Immediately after his arrival, the Plymouth company despatched Gapt. Standish and eight men, with orders to protect the settlement, and it being ' impossible to deal with the Indians upon open defiance,' 'to take them in such traps as they lay for others.' Standish and his party proceeded very cautiously, but finding it necessary, finally attacked and killed seven Indians, and in obedience to orders brougiit the head of one of them, Witawamut, ' a bold and bloody villian,' and a chief conspirator, to Plymouth, where it was by way of terror set on the fort.

Pratt and Briggs are in this grant called purchasers or old comers. This may need explanation. The Leyden Gompany of Pilgrims, before they embarked for this country, formed a partnership in trade with certain London merchants, commonly called merchant adventurers. The connection was to continue for seven years, at the end of which time all the common property the children of Clement Briggs, that whereas they the said Phineas Pratt and Clement Briggs have not had their proportion of land with others, formerly called purchasers, or old comers, that they may have some consideration of land in that respect, in a parcel or tract of land lying near unto the line betwixt the Plymouth and Massachusetts jurisdiction, and near unto Weymouth, doth grant unto the said Phineas Pratt and unto two of the said Clement Briggs, his sons, viz. David Briggs and Remember Briggs, three hundred and fifty acres of the said lands, viz. unto the said Phineas Pratt two parts of the said three hundred and fifty acres, and the remainder thereof unto the two sons of the said Clement Briggs,' the grantees to pay the cost of extinguishing the Indian title. This grant was laid out ' at the path that led from Weymouth to Bridgevvater,' ' a little brook (that by Jacob Bicknell's) running through the same.' Pratt, in 1672, then of Charlestown, sold his part of the grant, 232 acres, to John Shaw of Weymouth, for £35. Shaw conveyed it to his three sons, John, Nicholas, and Joseph, and they, in 1705, to Wil-

was to be divided. In 1626, the Colony bought out the interest of tlie adventurers for £1800. Soon after, the Colony hired to Gov. Bradford and his eight associates, the trade of the Colony for six years, they on their part undertaking to pay therefor the iilSOO to the adventurers, and all the other debts of the Company, amounting to £600 more, and also bring over yearly £50 in hoes and shoes, and to sell corn for six shillings a bushel. Those who engaged in this contract were called Purchasers. The old comers were certain of those who came over in the three first vessels, viz. the Mayflower, the Fortune, and the Ann. When, in 1640, Gov. Bradford, in whose name the Patent from the Plymouth Company in England had been taken out, surrendered that Instrument to the ' Body of freemen,' three large tracts of land, the first comppehending Eastham, Orleans, and Brewster, in the County of Barnstable, second, a part of New Bedford and Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol, and the third, Swansey and Rehobotli, in the same Count)', and Barrington, Warren, and perhaps Bristol, in Rhode Island, were, in the surrender, reserved to these purchasers or old comers. They were in all 58.

liam Tirrill, senior. It bounded easterly on the grant to the Briggs's, southerly on the 4 mile line, westerly on the western division of the Young Men's shares, and northerly on the 120 acre grant to Lieut. John Holbrook.

Remember Briggs, of Weymouth,* who had probably bought his brother David's share, in 1687 sold their part, 116 acres, with 12 acres of 'swampy land granted by the court in 1668,' to Caleb and Samuel Chard. This land was between Pratt's land and the land granted to the sons of Lieut. Torrey.

1665. There was granted to Phineas Pratt and James Lovell, ' about four or five acres of meadow, or such swampy ground as tendeth towards meadow, laying on the westerly side of Phineas Pratt's land, that was granted unto him the last Court.'

1665. There was granted to Cornet Robert Stetson, of Scituate,t two hundred acres of land on the south side of Hatherly's grant. The tract was laid out in 1667, and was bounded ' on the North by those lands granted at Accord Pond — on the East by the line of the Town of Scituate, until it crosses a deep, still brook ; and so again from the town's line as Mr. Hatherly's land runs westerly, until it crosses the said brook there again,

* He was of Taunton, lfi94.

f Cornet Stetson was an enterprising and useful man in his day. He was many years a deputy from Scituate — a Commissioner in 1GG4 to run tiie line between the Plymouth and Massachusetts Colonies, and a member of the board of war. In 1658, the Colony ordered a Troop of Horse to be raised, a certain number from each town, who were to ' be freed from foot service, watching and warding and their horses rate free.' The officers were William Bradford, Captain, John Freeman, Lieutenant, and Robert Stetson, Cornet. — The company was disbanded in 1G75, for refusing to procure carbines and serve as a troop of Dragoons. He died 1702, aged 90.

with all the spots and holes of meadow, that are within said bounds.'

1665. ' In reference unto the request of the King's Commissioners, in the behalf of Lieut. Peregrine White, desiring that the Court would accommodate him with a portion of land, in respect that he was the first of the English that was born in these parts, and in answer unto his own petition preferred unto this Court respecting the premises, the Court have granted unto him Two Hundred acres of land lying and being at the path, that goes from Bridgewater to the Bay, adjoining the Bay line.'*

1665. Two Hundred acres of land were granted ' unto the four younger sons of Lieut. James Torrey, (of Scituate,) lying above Weymouth, near unto the line of the Massachusetts, to be at the disposal of Capt. William Torrey, for the good of said children.' According to the return of the laying out, the boundaries of this grant began ' at a stake and stones in an angle made by the 4 mile line of Bridgewater, and the side line of Briggs' land,' (about twenty rods to the westward of the Country road,) thence running north east

* This grant is now in North Bridgewater. It adjoins the Belcher grant in Abington, and its easterly line is now the boundary in that direction between the two towns The extent of it was for many years the subject of bitter controversy, between the owners and the Province and claimants under the Province. In 1722, Col. Samuel Thaxter, of Hingham, Robert Spurr, of Dorchester, and John Quincy, of Braintree, were appointed by the General Court to sell what was considered Province land, on the gore between the Bridgewater 6 mile, and the Colony line. In their attempts to make the necessary previous surveys, they were so resisted by force by the owners of the White grant, as to be unable to proceed. The Legislature, on receiving their report, caused the offenders to be arrested, and imprisoned in the Gaol at Boston. — After a short detention, they were released upon acknowledging * their great fault and offence in resisting and obstructing the Committee,' and ' paying the charge and damages occasioned by their misdemeanor.'

240 rods — 160 in Briggs' range to a corner tree, thence south east ' for the most part through a swamp,' to the 4 mile line, at a point distant 80 rods from the Scituate line, (so called,) then west on that line to the first bounds. William Reed, Samuel Porter, Nicholas Porter, John Reed and Jacob Reed, of Abington, and Thomas Beal, of Hingham, owned this land in 1714, and then divided — the upland on the east side (of the mill pond meadow) into 5 lots, running east to the Young Men's shares — the upland west of the meadow into 2 and the meadow into 8 lots — each meadow owner agreeing to maintain his share of fence around the meadow.

1668. The Court ' in reference unto a deed surrendered into court by Lieut. John Holbrook of Weymouth, made and given by Josiah Wampatucke and Webconet unto Sergeant Thomas Streame, for the lease of a certain tract of land, for the gratification of the said Lieut. Holbrook, and in reference unto his free acknowledgement thereof, hath granted unto him one hundred and twenty acres of land.' Holbrook sold to John Lothrop, and he, in 1671, to Dea. Thomas Dyer, of Weymouth. The land bounded east on the Hatherly grant and some waste land, and southerly on th» grant to Pratt.

1668. Mr. Constant Southworth of Duxbury, and

Cornet Stetson of Scituate, acting for the Colony, for

£23, conveyed to Lieut. John Holbrook, James Lovell,

and Andrew Ford, of Weymouth, ' a certain tract of land

containing two miles upon the said line, (the colony

line,) beginning at a heap of stones lying at the path

going to Bridgewater from Weymouth, and to extend

three quarters of a mile from the said line, southerly —

provided the said bounds do not entrench upon the land 3 of John Hammond, (or Hanmer,) which in case it doth, then it is to be supplied in some other place adjoining the said tract of land.' It was afterwards found, that the grant did include land before conveyed, and there was therefore added to it all the land easterly between it and Hatherly's Grant, and another parcel of land on the west of that grant, and north of Ford's farm. — This grant was divided in 1695. From the Colony line, a south southeast line was run through the middle of the tract so as to cut it into two equal parts. Each part was then divided into five unequal lots, by parallel lines running from the centre line, easterly and westerly, and one lot in each, but in a reversed order, was assigned to the several proprietors, according to their respective interest.

1669. The Court confirmed a sale by their agents, Maj. Josiah Winslow and Mr. Constant South worth, to Cornet Robert Stetson, of a tract of land, more or less, ' bounded towards the north to the three miles square granted to Mr. Hatherly by Accord Pond, towards the south to a white oak tree, marked on the north side R. S. and from the tree through the land to the utmost extent of the purchase made by Cornet Stetson of Josias, and bounded towards the east, to the land given Cornet Stetson by the Court.'

1671. The Court confirmed a sale made by the same agents to Joseph Barstow and Joseph Silvester, (of Scituate,) of ' a parcel of upland, be it more or less, lying and being on the westward side of Scituate bounds, and is bounded on the north with the bound tree of Cornet Stetson, which is marked R. S. and the rocks by the brook that bounds the Cornet's land, and so ranging southerly until it meets with three black oak trees and one stump, marked J. B. J. S., and from thence west to the utmost extent of the land purchased by Cornet Stetson, and from the three trees southeast to the brook, only there is excepted out of the aforesaid sale, fifty acres contained within the aforesaid bounds granted by the Court to William Barstow, deceased, for services done for the country.' Barstow and Joseph Silvester, son of the Court's grantee, divided, 1693.

1671. The Court confirmed a sale, also made by the same agents, to Joseph Barstow, and Moses and Aaron Simmons, of Scituate, for £8, of ' a parcel of upland, more or less, lying and being on the westward side of Scituate town bounds, and bounded on the north with the lands of Joseph Silvester and Joseph Barstow, extending itself southerly to the utmost extent of the purchase made by Cornet Robert Stetson, for the use of the Colony, and westerly to the utmost extent of said purchase.' In a deed of one-third of this tract by Joseph Barstow to John Cushing of Scituate, in 1694, it is described as running south from Barstow's other land on the west line of Scituate, one mile and a half, * to a corner marked white oak tree, about two feet over,' thence w^esterly two miles to a stake and stones on the westerly side of Poor-meadow river; thence north about a mile and a half to Barstow's land, and thence east with his land two miles to the line of Scituate. This and the two preceding grants, were doubtless made before the additional grant to Bridgewater, as otherwise they would have been embraced in that grant.

1671. There was irranted to Ensign Mark Eames, of Marshfield, ' a certain piece of land in the form of a gusset, lying next to Accord Pond, between the land there granted to Mr. Hatherly, and the patent line, be it an hundred acres, more or less.' John Jacob having for himself and partners in the Hatherly grant, purchased this gusset, it was annexed to that grant, and that part of it within the extended lines of the middle lot was, in the division of that grant, conveyed to Andrews & Company.

1 727. Paul Dudley and others, a Committee of the Court, sold to Robert Howard, Ephraim Fobes, and Joseph Snell, for £200, all that part of the gore between the 6 mile and Colony line, lying westerly of the highway from Bridgewater to Braintree, (now Randolph.)

1730. The Province ' in further consideration of the services' of Gov. Belcher as their agent in England, granted him 800 acres of land. 328 acres, part of the grant, were laid out to him in Abington, on the gore. It bounded northerly ' on the Colony line,' ' westerly on the land called Peregrine White's grant,' southerly on the ' Bridgewater 6 mile line,' and ' easterly on a line about twenty-five rods w^est from a brook called Beaver-brook, home to the Colony line.'

1764. The General Court confirmed to Andrew Belcher, of Milton, ' one hundred and fifty-two acres and one hundred and six rods of land, being part of a gore of Province land, lying within or adjoining to the town of Abington,' ' to compleat a grant to him of two thousand acres.'

Beside the above grants, there was probably one to a John Hammond, (or Hanmer,) north of the 6 mile line and west of Ford's farm. There was also a grant of meadow to James Lovell and Andrew Ford. — ' Thomas Pratt, an inhabitant of Bridgewater Ford's farm,' (so called,) 1694, conveyed 'all his own quarter part of that swamp or meadowish ground granted by Plymouth Court to Andrew Ford formerly, and James Lovell, which is called by the name of Streame's* meadow, as yet undivided, and is about half a mile from Nicholas Shaw's.'

* This meadow may, possibly, have been part of the land, which, in the gtant to Lieut. Holbrook it was said, had been leased by the Indians to Sergeant Thomas Streame ; and it may have derived its name from that circumstance. It does not appear that there was any Court grant to any person of that name.

INDIAN TITLE.

Our ancestors always acknowledged an Indian title to the soil, which they were bound to extinguish. The character of that title has never been very precisely defined. It seems, however, not to have been a right of exclusive dominion and property, and little else than a privilege of free fishing, trapping and hunting, and a right to the undisturbed enjoyment of their actual possessions. This title, individuals could not receive from the Indians by way of gift ;* nor could it be extinguished, except by the Government, or persons acting under its authority, by purchase from the Indian chiefs, within whose limits the lands lay.

The following extract from the Plymouth Colony records shows, that the northerly part of Plymouth County was within the dominions of Chickatabut, a sachem whose residence was sometimes at Neponset river, near Squantum, and sometimes near the Indian Ponds, in Pembroke.

* The Plymouth Colony records state, that Thomas Joy, of Hingham, ' had caused great disturbance by producing a deed of gift of lands to him, from an Indian sachem, whereby he had broken a law of the colony.' For this offence, Joy w-as committed to jail, but was discharged on disclaiming any title to the lands, and surrendering his deed to the Court. This Joy was probably the same person mentioned in Winthrop's Journal, as having been put in irons (a sample of the tyranny of those times) for merely circulating a remonstrance to the government in England against certain obnoxious proceedings of the government at Boston; and enquiring of the Marshall, when he went to search * Dand's study, if his warrant was in the King's name.' Savage says he moved fiom Boston to Hingham. He died 1678.

1650. Several Indians named in the records, 'came into court and affirmed, that Chickatabut, his bounds did extend from Nisamagogwanet, near Duxbury mill, unto Tightacut, near Taunton, and to Nunkatatest, which is the head of Charles river. This they do all solemnly affirm — saying God knovveth it to be true, and knoweth their hearts. Dated the first of the fourth month, 1650.

Witness : Increase Nowell,

John Eliot, John Hoare.'

In 1667, Josias Chickatabut, alias Wampatucke, acknowledged in Court, that he had sold to Lieut. Peregrine White his right in the two hundred acres granted to him.*

It is not known when the Indian right to the Three miles square was extinguished ; but that it was, appears from the recorded acknowledgment of Josias Wampatucke. In 1668, he 'come into court and owned, that the Three miles square, which was granted to Mr. Hatherly, that he had sold it to Mr. Hatherly, and was by him fully satisfied for it.'

The title to the lands granted to Robert Stetson, Joseph Barstow and Joseph Silvester, and to Moses and Aaron Simmons, was acquired of the Indians, before these grants were made. ' Josias Chickatabut, of Nomassakeset, in the government of New Plymouth,^ 13th April, 1668, conveyed to Cornet Robert Stetson, for

* Within the bounds of this grant, two rivers are mentioned in the Indian deed — one called Manamackndg and the other Shumacastasaut. These names on the lithographic map of Abington, published in 1830, are erroneously applied to Beaver-brook, and the upper part of Poor Meadow, or Hersey's River.

the use of the Colony, ' a certain tract, or parcel of land, by the Indians commonly called Nanumackewit, bounded on the north by the lands formerly granted to Mr. Hatherly, and is to run by his line two miles west into the woods — and on the east is bounded by the line of the town of Scituate, and is to run three miles southerly from Mr. Hatherly's said grant, upon the town's line — and so again two miles westerly upon Mr. Hatherly's line upon the other side, and three miles again northerly* to meet with the first line.'