The history of Leominster, or the northern half of the Lancaster new or additional grant : from June 26, 1701, the date of the deed from George Tahanto, Indian sagamore, to July 4, 1852

Preface

Leominster, December 3, 1851« This day I commence the work of preparing a history of this town from its earliest existence as a purchase from the Indians. And in view of my incompetency to perform a task of so great responsibility, in a manner satisfactory to myself or to others. I am ready to exclaim,

0, that some abler native son Had written out what I've begun ; ' Tis too important to be lost, And 'tis too late to count the cost.

Submitting myself however, to the disposal of that Almighty Being through whose goodness my life has been spared beyond the common age of man, I would humbly pray for a few months more, and that He will continue my health, and grant me strength, both of body and mind, to complete an undertaking which, as I trust and believe, may not be wholly uninteresting to ^ those who are at present, or who may hereafter be citizens of this town. DAVID WILDER.

' December 3, 1852.

It is done. My prayers have been answered. My life has been prolonged. My health and strength, both of body and mind, have been preserved. The work which, a year ago, was commenced with doubts and fears has been completed. And while I would be truly grateful for the unmerited favors of the past, I would for the future humbly submit myself to Him who has sustained me through a long and diversified life of difficulties and trials. - ,

PREFACE.

I regret exceedingly that the following pages could not have been written by some one whose education is superior to mine ; but such as they are I cheerfully submit them to my friends, not doubting but that when they read, instead of criticising the language, they will " put on charity." My business has been principally with the facts. And although no inconsiderable portion ot them have been written from memory and oral tradition, yet I have had recourse to the Records of the Church, the town, the County, the State, and the Proprietor's Book. And I have also extracted, and in some instances rather copiously, from the Centennial Discourse preached by the Rev. R. P. Stebbins, in 1843, from the Plistory of Lancaster, by J. Willard, Esq.; that of Sterling, by L Goodwin, Esq., and some others. So that instead of being a work of mine, the book may with propriety be coHsidered a compilation from the works of others.

And now I would return my thanks to those friends who have kindly furnished me with statistical and other facts concerning the Churches, the Agricultural, the Manufacturing, the Mechanical and other interests of the people here.

I feel myself under particular obligations to the Rev. Amos Smith, and to the Messrs. J. C. Allen, Leonard Burrage, James Boutelle, Charles H. Colburn, Samuel M. Carter, Wm. F. Howe, John Gardner, Amos Haws, Jabez B. Low, J. C. Lane, Luke Lincoln, G. & A. Morse, Josiah and Sewall Richardson, Albert Stratton, of this town ; and to Hon. O. B. Morris, of Springfield, Charles G. Prentiss, Esq., of Worcester, Charles W. Lovett, Esq., of Boston, Silas Bruce, Esq., of Townsend, Doctor P. T. Kendall, of Sterling, Mr. S. C. Simonds, of Norwich, Vt., Hon. John Prentiss, of Keene, and Mr. Asa Kendall, of Mount Vernon, N. H., and Hon. Timothy Boutelle, of Waterville, Maine.

If, with their aid, I have been instrumental in preserving such a knowledge of past events as may be interesting and useful to posterity, my reward is ample and sure.

DAVID WILDER.

IlISTOEY OF LEOMINSTER.

In order to render the history of this town the more intelligible, it is proper, and even necessary, to give some account of Lancaster and Sterling, with both of which it has been intimately connected.

Joseph Willard, Esq., in his history published in the Worcester Magazine for September, 1826, says: "The first settlement of Lancaster goes far back in the early history of Massachusetts. It was the tenth town incorporated in the Comity of Middlesex, and precedes, by many years, every town now v/ithin the limits of the County of Worcester. Indeed, no town, so far from the sea coast, excepting Springfield, was incorporated so early. ^ ^ ^ The plantation at Nashaway was undertaken sometime in 1643. The whole territory around was in subjection to Sholan or Shauman, Sachem of the Nashaways, and whose residence was Waushacum, now^ Sterling. Mr. Thomas King, of Watertown, imited y/ith a num-^

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTEfi,.

ber of others, and purchased the land of Sholan, viz : ten miles in length, and eight in breadth ; stipulating not to molest the Indians in their hunting, fishing, or planting places. This Deed was sanctioned by the General Court. It covered a considerable portion of the towns of Harvard and Bolton, the whole, or nearly the whole of what is now Clinton, and one half mile in width on the Easterly side of Sterling. But not much progress was made in the settlement for eight or ten years. The Town was incorporated May 18, 1653, (O. S.,) there being then but nine families in it."

The inhabitants were ordered to take care that a Godly minister be maintained amongst them, that no evil persons, enemies to the laws of this Commonwealth, in judgement or practice, be admitted as inhabitants, and none to have lots confirmed to them, but such as take the oath of fidelity.''

The affairs of the town seem to have proceeded with tolerable quiet for more than twenty years from the first settlement, till 1674. The population had increased quite rapidly and was spread over a large part of the township. The Indians were inclined to peace, and, in various ways, were of service to the inhabitants. But this happy state of things was not destined to fitlSTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

continue. The day of deep and long continued distress was at hand. The natives with whom they had lived on terms of mutual good will, were soon to become their bitter enemies : desolation was to spread over the fair inheritance : firOxand the tomahawk, torture and death, were soon to be busy in annihilating all the comforts of domestic life. On the 22d day of August, 1675, eight persons were killed, and on the 10th of February following, early in the morning, the forces of several tribes of Indians, led by Phillip, made a desperate attack upon the town in five different places at once. From fifty to fifty-five persons were either killed or taken prisoners. And in about six weeks afterwards all the houses but two were destroyed, the town was deserted, and for more than three years Lancaster remained without an inhabita\it. No record exists by which the precise time of the re-settlement took place ; but it was probably in the spring of 1680. Some of the first planters, or their children, who were still living, returned, accompanied by others. Of the former were the Prescotts, Houghtons, Sawyers, Wilders, &c. A number of brothers by the name of Carter came in soon afterwards from Woburn, and were the descendants of the first minister of that town.

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTEH.

The civil history of Lancaster from 1680 to 1724, excepting what is preserved by Mr. Har- * rington, is probably lost ; what progress therefore the town made in population and wealth for thirty years after its re-settlement is unknown. It is however certain that during this whole period the Indians continued hostile, and at nine different times made depredations on the inhabitants, killing some, taking others captive, and burning their dwellings and their meeting-house. The first was on the 18th of July, 1692, when a party of the Indians attackad the house of Peter Joslin, and murdered his ' wife, three children, and a widow by the name of Whitcomb, who resided in the family. Joslin himself; at the time, was at work in the field, and knew nothing of the terrible calamity that had befallen him, till his return home. Elizabeth How, his wife's sister, was taken captive, l)ut was aftewards returned. Another child of his was put to death by the enemy in the wilderness.

Being a lineal descendant from Joslin on my mother's side, I am able, by tradition, to add some particulars to the above account. One of the little boys in the morning requested leave to go into the field with his father, assigning as a reason that he had seen some red men in

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

the hemp ; but the father heeded him not. It was baking day with Mrs. Joslin, and she defended herself against the Indians with the bread-shovel, till she received a death wound from a tomahawk. Elizabeth How was spinning on the little wheel ; and probably was spared on account of the sweet melody she was making with her voice. The Indians used to make her sing to them in her captivity. Peter Joslin, .who out-lived his 'fourth wife, died at the house of his son John in this town, April 8, 1759, aged 94 years, and his grave is in the north-east part of the old burying ground.

" The last attack was on the 5th of August, 1710, and the last person killed was an Indian boy at work with Nathaniel and Oliver Wilder."

THE LANCASTER NEW OR ADDITIONAL GRANT.

It must be a source of satisfaction to the owners of real estate, to know that they have acquired it honorably, paid for it honestly, and obtained a good and sufficient title to it. Thus it was with the New Grant. In October, 1679, a committee was appointed by the County Court, under a law then in force, to re-build

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

the town of Lancaster, and it is not improbable that some encouragement of an additional grant was held out to the first settlers to induce them to return. And this circumstance may have led to the error in the sermon preached on leaving the old meeting-house, Oct. 12, 1823, by the late Rev. Mr. Conant, in which he says that " the first grant of this town must have been prior to the year 1680." That no such grant was either confirmed or made til], many years afterwards, will appear by the following documents copied from the history of Sterling, by the late Isaac Goodvnn, Esq., and published in the Worcester Magazine for 1826. The first agreement was made in 1701.

The following is a copy of the Indian deed of the New Grant, the bargain with George Tahanto and other Indians, for lands of them purchased.

Know all men by these presents, that I, George Tahanto, Indian Sagamore, for and in consideration of what money, namely, twelve pounds, was form.erly paid to Sholan, my uncle, sometime Sagamore of Nashuah, for the purchase of said township and also forty-six shillings formerly paid h j Lisipie John Moore and John Houghton of said Nashuah to James Wiser, alias Quenepenett, now deceased, but espec-

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

ially for and in consideration of eighteen pounds paid part, and the rest secured to be paid, by John Houghton and Nathaniel Wilder, their heirs, executors and assigns forever, a certain tract of land on the West side of the Westward line of Nashuah township, adjoining to said line, and butts southerly for the most part on Nashuah river, bearing westerly towards Wachusett Hills, and runs northerly as far as Nashuah township, and which lands and meadows, be it more or less, to be to the said Insigne^ John Moore, John Houghton, and Nathaniel Wilder, their heirs and assigns, to have and to hold forever. And I, the said George Tahanto, do hereby promise and engage to procure an order from the honored General Court, for their allowance and confirmation of the sale of said lands as aforesaid, and also that I will show and mark out the bounds of said land in convenient time, not exceeding four months, and also to make such deeds and conveyances, as may be necessary for the confirmation of the premises, and that also I, the said George Tahanto, do by these presents, fully notify and confirm, all and every, the said township of Nashuah, alias Lancaster, to the Inhabitants and Proprietors thereof according as it was formerly granted to them or their an-

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

cestors by my Uncle Sholan, and laid out to them by Ensign Thomas Noyes, and confirmed by the Hon. General Court. For the performance of all the above said, I, the said George Tahanto, have set my hand and seal this twenty sixth day of June, in the 13th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, William, the Third, over England, &c.,King, Annoque Domini, 1701.

Signed and Sealed in presence of

George Tahanto, his O mark.

Mary Aunsocamug, her ) mark.

John Wonsquon, his ) mark.

John Aquitticus, his I mark.

Peter Puckataugh, his P mark.

Jonathan Wilder.

John Guild."

The above is a copy of the deed as it stands upon the Proprietor's Records.

The following is the confirmation "Annoque Pegni Annse Eegin^e Duodecimo." " At a Great and General Court or Assembly for her Majesty's province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, begun and held at Boston, May 27, 1713.

" In Council. — The report of the Committee upon the surveys of land prayed for by Lancaster, Nov. 21 and 22, 1711.

f tiiSiORt (31? LeoMinsTeU. 13

" Whereas, we the subscribers, viz : Jonathan Prescott, John Farnsworth, and Samuel Jones, are a Committee appointed to view a tract of land, petitioned for by the Inhabitants of Lancaster, and to make report to the General Court, for their consideration, we have accordingly been upon the spot, the days above dated, and proceeded thereupon as follows : Imprimis. We began at the proper bounds of the Lancaster plantation, and thence run our line upon a Northwest point or thereabouts, along by the ^ Southwest side of Masshapauge and Unkachewalwick Ponds extending said line three miles, from thence we made an angle running near upon a S. W. point, crossing a river called the North river, and so running over hills called Monnoosuck Hills, said line being about six miles in length, till it meets with the middle branch of Lancaster river, at or near a little hill on wiiich the Lidians had marked a tree for a corner of said land, being near five miles wide. At the Southw^ard end bounded partly by Capt. Davenport's farm, to the S. W, corner of Lancaster old bounds. The land included within these bouiuds is rocky and mountainous, and very poorly accommodated with ,meadow. Jonathan Prescott,

Samuel Jones, John Farnsworth. 2

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

" Read and ordered that the tract of land above described, be added and confirmed to the town of Lancaster, as a part of the township, not prejudicing any former grants.

Concurred by the Representatives,

Consented to, Joseph Dudley.

Isaac AnDmoTON, Sec'ry."

Previous to this act of confirmation the Inhabitants of Lancaster, at a Public Town-meeting, Feb. 5, 1711, voted that all such as were inhabitants, might join in the purchase of the ■Indian Land, and all such as would do it, should signify the same, by subscribing their names to the following contract :

" Know all men, that v/e, the subscribers, being desirous to purchase a tract of land which lieth on the West side of Lancaster, which lands have formerly been petitioned for to the General Court, and w^hich the Inhabitants of Lancaster are still in pursuance of, and their petition is still with the General Court for granting the same, and considerable money having been paid to George Tahanto and other Indians, towards the purchasing of said lands, though not yet consummated: "We, the subscribers, do hereby bind ourselves and our heirs to pay each one his equal share of the purchase of said lands and all charges that

HISTORY OF LEOMI^^STEB.

have or shall be expended about thesa me, and to ran equal hazard of obtaining said land, provided, that if said land be obtained, we shall each one have an equal share, and the said money to be paid before the 5th of March next, and shall subscribe hereto on or before the 15th of the present month, or else lay no claim to said land.

Signed by John Prentice, - James Wilder, And 96 others."

Thomas Wilder and John Houghton were appointed to manage the Petition at the Genei'al Court.

Feb. 15, 1714, a Committee was chosen to allot said land in lots of 40 acres to a share of the best land, and 40 acres for a Minister, in the most convenient place, and if they find or know of a convenient place for clay ground, that it be reserved for the benefit of the whole. All lots not so good in quality to be more in quantity, so as to be equal to 40 acres of the best land.

The first legal meeting of the Proprietors was called by Thomas How, Esq., one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex, to be held in Lancaster, March 6, 1716 ; John Houghton was then chosen Clerk.

Ifi

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

Thus the arrangement commenced in 1701, was consummated and confirmed by the General Court, whereby territory equivalent to about fifty square miles was added to the town of Lancaster, making it thirteen miles in length from East to West, and ten miles in width between North and South.

But although the territory thus acquired was under the control of the town in its corporate capacity, yet the land itself was owned by sundry inhabitants of said town in their capacity as Proprietors ; and as such, they, their heirs, and successors, caused it to be laid out and disposed of, and have managed the whole concern up to the present time. Hence came the Proj)rietors' Meetings, and the Proprietors' Books and Records.

Among the principal Proprietors and those who had the greatest number of lots laid out to them, were, the Beamans, the Sawyers, the Houghtons, the Osgoods, the Carters, the Joslins, the "Whites, the Whitcombs and the Wilders. Few, if any, of the original Proprietors, removed on to the New Grant, but their sons w^ere among the first settlers. As early as the year 1720 Gamaliel Beaman, Samuel Sawyer, Benjamin, Houghton, David Osgood and Jonathan Osgood, established themselves in that part

HiStrOEY OF LEOMINSTER.

of it wbich is now Sterling. Their settlements were all within short distances of each other, lying Northyfestwardly of the Meeting House. The Inhabitants found th.ere a small tribe of Indians, with whom they lived on terms of tlie most perfect friendship. In 1725, Gershon Houghton and James • Boutell ventured a few miles farther North and erected houses in what is now the South and S. Westerly part of Leominster. Seven years afterwards Jonathan White fixed himself in the North part. And in two years more Thomas Wilder and Nathaniel Carter became permanent settlers. And- soon afterwards settlements were conmienced in differeat parts of the Northern half of the Grant (for it is yet all Lancaster) by Benjamin V/hitcomb, J onathan Wilson, Jonathan Carter, William Di- * voll, Gardner \YiJder, Ebenezer PoUey, Oliver Carter, Josiah Carter, Thomas Houghton, Thomas Davenport, and others. Tradition says (and I believe the records will prove it to be true) that Samuel Carter owned four or five farms, and that he gave one to each of four sons. Natha^niel being the oldest had his first choice. And, to be the better satisfied wdiich was the most valuable, he would work one week on the Bee Hill lot, and the next on the Unckachewatunk. One Monday morning when he was tUsTOilY OF LtiOMINSTEIl.

about to start, his father says to him, " Nat, which lot did yon work on last week V " Bee Hill, sir/' " Well, that yon go on to this morning must be yours." When he came to the parting of the roads he turned to Bee Hill, where he and his son and grandson Nathaniel lived and died, and the farm is now in the possession of the fourth generation from the first settler.

Thus far we have been speaking of Lancaster as a whole ; but it is now time to turn our attention to, and describe more particularly the Northwesterly corner thereof.

While the settlements advanced with great rapidity in the Southern half of the New Grant, by accessions not only from the old Parish, but also from Essex Comity and other places ; in the Northern, and, as I think, the better half of that Grant, the settlements were comparatively few. For nineteen years after the Grant had been confirmed, there had been but two houses erected. And there were scarcely more than five families even in 17 S3, when they had become so numerous in the Southern half as to induce them to petition to be set off as a separate township. But in a few years afterwards there came in a considerable number of just such men as ai'e necessary to manage a good cause successfully. They were generally intel-

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

ligent and industrious farmers, and not in the habit of taking backward steps. As early as the year 1737 they came to the conclusion that they could conduct their Parochial and Municipal concerns themselves, and with much less trouble and expense than to go to what is now Lancaster. And after several years of persevering efforts, they at length succeeded in satisfying the General Court, that, among other conditions required of them, they could, and they would " maintain a Godly Minister," And on the strength of the fulfilment of the last named condition, probably, more than any or all others, the prayer of their Petition was granted, and on the 23d of June, O. S., 1740, the same as the 4th of July, N. S., just thirty-six years before the Declaration of American Independence, an Act was passed whereby territory equivalent to something more than tive miles square was incorporated into a town by the name of Leominster, with all the po^vers and privileges, and subject to all the duties and requirements generally with the 150 other towns which had previously been incorporated in what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Maine,

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

BOIJOARIES.

Although the Petition has been lost, and the Act of incorporation cannot be fonnd, yet the boundaries of the town may be very accurately described. Commencing at the Southv/est corner, as it was originally, being the Northwest angle of Sterling, it runs east, nineteen and one half degrees South, sixteen hundred and ninety rods on Sterling to a stump at Lancaster ; thence making a right angle, it runs a few degrees East of North on Lancaster old line, about ten hundred and seventy rods; thence, by many angles, in almost every direction, so as to include the whole of what was formerly the faim of Thomas Houghton, quite at the Northeast corner of the town, it comes back up to the point of the said Lancaster line ; thence Northwesterly on the line of Lunenburg to the Southerlj end of Massapog pond ; thence, in nearly the same direction, to the Westerly end of the Chualoom pond ; thence, in a Southwesterly direction, on Lunenburg and Fitchburg to the top of the North Monoosnock Hill ; thence, nearly YVest, on Fitchburg to what, till lb38, was unincorporated land, or " No Town,'' and

HISTORY OP LEOMINSTER.

till said year the Western boundary was on said No Town. But by three Acts passed in 1838 the whole of No Town was annexed to Princeton, Westminster and Leominster ; and the boundaries in that quarter are now as follow, viz : beginning at a stake and stones at the Northeast corner of a lot of land belonging to John Whitney, of Princeton ; and running, first, South, thirty-three degrees West, two hundred and ninety-seven rods to a stone monument, being the S outhwest corner of Leominster ; thence, secondly, from said Whitney's corner, North, fifty degrees and thirty minutes West, on what is now Princeton, about four hundred rods to a stake and stones; thence, North, fourteen degrees East, on the line of that part of No Town annexed to Westminster, about seven hundred rods, to a stake and stones on the South line of the town of Fitchburg ; thence South, seventy-eight degrees and forty minutes East, on the South line of Fitchburg, three hundred and twenty-five rods, to a stone monument, being the Northeast corner of what was No Town, and the Northwest corner of what was previously Leominster.

Previous to the annexation in 1838, the town contained 16,602 acres, being thirty-eight acres short of twenty-six square miles. But by the

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

annexation of a part of No Town, two thousand acres were added, thereby increasing the number of acres to 18,602 being forty-two acres more than twenty-nine square miles.

Although the West line of Lancaster was originally a straight one, yet, by some means or other, there are now several angles in it as Vv^ill appear by the record of the perambulations be* tween that town and this.

PONDS, EIVERS, &c.

Previous to 1838, there were no collections of water wholly within the limits of this town that could be called natural ponds. On the East the line includes a small portion of White's Pond, and on the Northeast it touches Massapog and includes the Southwesterly corner of Chualoom. But by the annexation of No To^vn the whole of Rocky Pond comes within our limits. And but few towns are now better watered in every direction than this.

The Nashua river (in all the old deeds called the North river) after the union of the several branches whose sources are in Ashburnham

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

and Westminster, runs throiigli the centre of Fitcliburg, and enters this town from the Korth, about equi-distant from the Northwest and the Northeast angles, taking a^ serpentine course through the North Village, and in a Southeasteiiy direction, enters the town of Lancaster about a mile South of White's Pond ; thence running in an Easterly, and a Southeasterly direction, till it unites with the true Nashaway, about a mile South of Lancaster meeting-house, formmg what was originally the Penecook, but now by common consent the Nashua^ they pass off together and unite with the Merrimack at Nashua in New Hampshire.

Baker's Brook, quite a considerable stream, w^hose principal sources are in Ashby and Ashburnham, after running through a portion of Fitchburg and the Southwest comer of Lunenburg, enters the Nashua on the East about two hundred rods South of the North line of the town. Several other smaller streams run in on the East side, the last of which is the outlet of White's Pond.

From the West and Southwest the watex a)mes pouring down from the hills through the valleys in rivulets and streams from every quarter and in all directions.

The first in point of size and importance is

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTER.

the Monoosnock Brook, whose principal source is in Rocky Pond, which after receiving several streams from the North, and numerous tributaries from the hills in the West and South, runs through the centre of the town, and unites with the Nashua about a - mile below Crehore's paper-mill.

The next is Fall Brook, whose principal sources are at Long, Baberry, and Sheldon's hills, which, with one other stream from the South, unitedly empty into the Nashua about two hundred rods above where it enters the town of Lancaster.

In the south-west corner of the tov/n there are several streams, the most important of w^hich is, or formerly was, from the Southern outlet of Rocky Pond, and which, when united, form what is at first called Justice Brook, afterwards Still Water, and runs Southerly through Sterling, and unites with the South branch of the Nashua in West Boylston.

Quite at the Southeast part of the town is the source of one branch of the Wichapekett, in Sterling. And at the northerly part, the outlet of Chualoom Pond forms a considerable stream which passes through meadows of the same name, and through Massapog to Shirley Village, and still farther a small stream takes the same course.

SURFACE, SOIL AND PRODUCTIONS.

Although the Committee on the survey of the New Grant in theii: report represent " the land as rocky and mountainous, and very poorly accommodated with meadow," yet with the exception of the Monoosnock, Baberry and Rocky Hills, in that portion of the Grant included within the boundaries of this town previous to the annexation of the No Town land, the surface cannot truly be said to be mountainous or rocky. It is true that numerous parts of the town have from time immemorial been designated under the appellation of Hills, such as Bee Hill, Joslin Hill, Chualoom Hill, Nichols Hill, Houghton Hill, Carter Hill, Gardner Hill, Boutell Hill, and some others ; but they are generally only gentle swells of the first rate of the upland, not difficult for the farmer to get about upon, and were selected by the first settlers. Although there is a good proportion of level and plane land, yet, strictly speaking, the surface is undulating. But to the No Town land annexed in 1838, the language of the Committee is truly applicable. 3

HISTORY OF LEOMINSTEIi.

And although this town may not abound in deep and miry meadows and swamps, yet there is a fair proportion of the true alluvial meadows lying on the river, the brooks and streams. The upland contains stone sufficient for fence, and, to the credit of the cultivators of the soil be it said, that they have made pretty free use of them for that purpose. But very little wooden fence is to be seen.