History of Princeton, Worcester county, Massachusetts; civil and ecclesiastical; from its first settlement in 1739, to April 1852

Front matter

,t.LoiA-

HISTORY OF PEINCETON,

WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS;

Preface

In the followmg pages the author has aimed to present a brief, yet distinct statement, of the prominent events in the history of the town of Princeton. Particular attention has been directed to the various trials, toils, and hardships of the early settlers, — to the spirited resolutions and acts of the citizens in the period of the revolution, — to the difficulties that presented themselves in the organization of our federal government, as far as they had to do with the acts of the people, — to the ecclesiastical history, — and to tracing the progress of the town in its march o-f prosperity through tfee period of years which have rolled onward since the first settlement. Throughout the composition, he has confined himself almost exclusively to facts — having his eye npon the original documents — which, so far as he is capable of judging himself, have been presented with entire impartiality. The work was commenced and prosecuted witk an ardent desire to benefit and interest, not only the citizens of this town, but also those of the adjoining towns, and of the State generally. It is true that this is a local history ; yet the reminiscences of events that have transpired in this vicinity, anecdotes of men who have li-ved here, the record of their manners and habits, all constitute a tributary stream to the general current of our country's history. "All history should be, and American history in particular must be, the history of the people. Not an account of the proceedings of a court, of the operations of a government only but of what the people have been doing in villages, and com-

IV PREFACE.

munities, and families. Here things lie at the foundation of national character and sentiments, and consequently of national events. We are carried by this means behind the scenes, or rather into the scenes, of private history, and shown what are really the secret springs of public history."

The volume we have thus drawn up, makes no pretensions to attractiveness, otherwise than the nature of the subject, and the facts exhibited, may be attractive.

Many things worthy to be perpetuated, have, no doubt, for the want of information, been omitted ; accuracy, however, has been the constant aim of the author. Materials have been collected from sources as various as can be readily imagined by individuals who have not attempted a similar work, — the most of which it will not be thought necessary to specify particularly. The Town Books, Church and Society Records, and various Publications, were of course, carefully examined. Many of the facts here presented, were obtained from a History of Princeton, written some years since by Charles Theodore Russell, Esq., to whom we would here publicly acknowledge our indebtedness. We are also particularly indebted to several of the aged people whom we have consulted.

That this, our effort has many imperfections, and some slight inaccuracies, is extremely probable ; yet we dismiss it, to those for whom it was compiled, with the hope that it may prove to be interesting and profitable to them. The Author,

Princeton, April 1, 1852,

Contents

CIVIL AFFAIRS.

Chapter I

General History— Purchase of the Indians— Proprietors' Petition— Order of General Court — Division of the Twelve miles' Square of the Indian Purchase—Rutland East Wing— Watertown Farms— First Settlement— Loss of Robert Keyes' Daughter— Incorporation of the District— Dr. Har\ey— First Town Meeting — First Roads 9

Chapter II

Character of the First Settlers— Their Ancestry— Increase of Population- Province Lands— Land granted by the General Court to the First settled Minister— Petition to be Incorporated as a Town— Act of Incorporation — Opposition of the Town to the addition of Territory— First Representative— Boundary 24

Chapter III

American Revolution— First expression of the town in relation to revolutionary measures — Resolutions— Committee of Correspondence — Alarm — Preparations for War — Instructions to Representative — Declaration of Rights — Bounty to the Minute Men— The citizens leave their homes for the Contest—Trouble with Rev. Mr. Fuller— Declaration of Independence— Regulation of the currency— War terminated. ...... 31

Chapter IV

Insurrection- Distress of the People— County Convention— Instructions to Col. Sargent— Grievances— Courts suspended— Capt. Gale at tbe Coirt House — Court of Sessions interrupted — Preparations of Government — Daniel Shaye — Forces of Insurgents— Insurgents occupy the Court House— . Consultation of the Insurgents — The Retreat— Gen. Lincoln's Army— Termination of the Rebellion— Henry Gale 52

VI CONTENTS.

Chapter V

Political History— Adoption of the National Constitution— Funeral Honors to Washington — Embargo — Petitions to President Jefferson, and to the Legislature of Massachusetts — Opposition to the War with England— Resolutions— First Town House — Benefactions of Mr. Boylston — Adoption of Amendments to the State Constitution— Part of No Town annexed— New Town House — Proposed Division of the County — Incidents in Local History. 67

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY- CHAPTER VI.

Introductory Remarks — First Preaching in Town— Attempts to erect a Meeting House — Committee to measure the District — Building of Meeting House — Assignment of Places in Church— Church Music — Church Covenant — Unsuccessful attempt to settle a Minister— Call to Mr Fuller— His Ordination— Covenant of Admission — First Deacons and Present to the Church — Complaints against Mr. Fuller— His Reply— Ecclesiastical Council— Mr. Fuller's Dismission— Suit against Town— Biographical Notice of Mr- Fuller 81

Chapter VII

U^saccessful efforts for a re-estafelishment of tlie Gospel Mi*itstfy— Settlement of Mr. Crafts— He requests a Dismission— Letter to him— Rev. Mr. Goodrich—New Meeting House— Mr. Russell's Settlement— Dedication of Meeting House— Mr. Russell's Dismission— Settlement of Mr. Murdock— First General Revival of Religion in Town— Church Covenant— Mr. Murdock's Dismission 98

Chapter VIII

Religious Drrisions— Attempt to settle Rev. Mr. Clarke— Remonstrance of tTie Church— Church has a right to choose its own Pastor— Mr. Clarke's R&- ply to Call— Second effort of the Town to settle Mr. Clarke— His Reply- Petition circulated through ilieTowH— Call of Mutual Council— Its Result—Protest of the Minority— Mt. Clarke's Covenant— Third Call of the Town to 3Ir. Clarke— His Reply an^ Settlement J 13

Chapter IX

Call of Council by the Church— Result— Organization of the Presbyterian Church— Ruling Elders— Call to Mr. Bond— Accessions to the Church and Congregation— New Meeting House— Seizure of Property to pay

I

CONTENTS. Vii

Ministerial Rates— Seizure of the body— Mr. John H. Brooks carried to Jail— Suit, Samuel Brooks vs. Town — Mutual Settlement of the Controversy—Settlement of Mr. Phillips— Origin of Division— Mr. Clarke's Dismission—Biographical Notice— Proposal for a Union— First Parish, and Mr. Cowles' Settlement and Dismission. 130

Chapter X

Farther Measures for a Union— Call of a Council— Result— Proceeding upon it— Objections — Votes of First Parish — Votes of Evangelical Society —

Action of Congregational Church— Doings of the Council's Committee

Societies unite— Mr. Phillips at the House of the First Parish — His return to his former place of labor — Church Meetings 142

Chapter XI

Attempts to effect a Reconciliation— Further examination proffered, with a plan therefor— Amendment Proposed— Objections to Amendment— Call of

Exparte Council— Mr. Phillips' letter to the Council— Result of Council

Mr. Phillips' Dismission — Biographical Notice — Meetings suspended at the Meeting House of First Parish — Mr. Demond's settlement over First Parish— Disaffected ask for a Dismission — Call of Council — Result — Mr. Harding's Settlement and Dismission — Mr. Goldsmith's Settlement and Dismission—Call of Mr. Hitchcock 160

CHAPTER Xn.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Introduction of Methodism into Princeton — Messrs. Lewis and Fay join Class at Worcester — First Methodist Preaching by Rev. James Porter — Revival of Religion under the Labors of Rev. Mr. Paine — Formation of Classes— Hubbardston and Rutland made Stations — New Meeting House — First Quarterly Conference — Purchase of Furniture for Parsonage — Present to the Church — Stationed Preachers — Munificence of Mrs. Nabby Brooks 172

Chapter XIII. The Baptist Church

Formation of the Baptist Society — First Baptist in Town — First Preaching- Rev. Mr. Andrews — Organization of the Church — Articles of Faith — Rev. Mr. Walker — Rev. Mr. Johnson — Settlement and Dismission of Mr. Morse —Call and Settlement of Mr. Lovel — His Dismission — Settlement of Mr- Ball — Settlement of Mr. Cunningham — Accessions to the Church — Dismission of Mr. Cunningham — Temporary Supply of the Pulpit. . 176 viii CONTENTS.

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.

Chapter XIV

First Public School in Town— Division of the Town into School District*— Appropriations for Schooling — Select Schools — Munificence of John Brooks, Esq. — Native Ministers 183

Chapter XV

Bingrapiiical Notices — Physicians — Postmasters — Public Buildings — Accommodations at the VVachusett Hotel — Streams and Ponds — Wachusett Mountain— Hills— Products 189

Appendix

List of Officers chosen at Town Meeting, 1761, 197

Location of Roads, 1784, ib.

Petition of Rev. Mr. Fuller and Resolve of General Court thereupon,. . . 198 A Document, containing an imperfect account ol the number of men fur.

nished in the Revolutionary War, at the expense of the town,, . . 200

liist of Votes for Governor since 1780, 201

Municipal Officers from 1760 to 1762,. 20-3

HISTORY OF PRINCETON.

CIVIL AFFAIRS.

Chapter I

General Ilistorj-— Purchase of the Indians— Proprietors' Petition— Order of General Court — Division of the Twelve miles' Square of the Indian Purchase— Rutland East Wing — Watertown Farms — First Settlement— Loss of Robert Keyes' Daughter — Incorporation of the District— Dr. Harvey — First Town Meeting — First Roads.

After the first settlement of Massachusetts, but a few years elapsed before the hand of industry penetrated far and fast into the uncultivated wilderness. In 1628, but eight years after the landing of the Pilgrims, Salem was settled. In 1629 Lynn was inhabited. Boston and Cambridge and Waterlown were founded in 1630. The stream of emigration soon began to flow westward from its fountain. In 1635 Concord was purchased of the Indians and a settlement commenced. In 1638 Sudbury was planted, and Marlborough was incorporated but a few years subsequent to that period. The increasing population pushed farther onward the frontier of improvement. The fertile region in the vicinity of Worcester attracted the attention of the early settlers of Massachusetts. The first settlement in the County of AVorcester was made in Lancaster, in 1645. Mendon is a very ancient town, the second in age in the County. Brookfield was incorporated by an Act of the Legihla-

10 INDIAN DEED.

ture in 1660. Oxford embraces a tract of land which was a grant made to certain individuals by government in 1682.

On the 22nd of December, 1686, Joseph Trask, alias Puagastion, of Pennicook ; Job, alias Pompamamay ; James Wiser, alias Qualipunit; Sassawannow, of Natick, and Simon Pilicom, alias Wananapan, of Wamassick, — five Indians, who claimed to be lords of the soil, gave and executed a deed to Henry Willard, Joseph Rowlandson, Joseph Foster, Benjamin Willard, and Cyprian Stevens, in consideration of twenty-three pounds of the then currency, of a certain tract of land, twelve miles square, going under the general name of Naquag, and bounded as follows : " The south corner butting upon Muscopague Pond, and running north to Quanitick and to Wanchatopick, and so running upon great Watchusett, which is the north corner ; so running northwest to Wallamanumpscook, and so to Quapuanimawick, a little pond, and so to Asnaconconiick Pond, which is the northwest corner ; and so running south and so to Musshauge a great swamp, and so to Sussahatassick which is the south corner ; and so running east to Pascutick' quage, and so to Ahumpatunshauge, a little pond, and so to Sumpauge Pond, and to Muscopague, which is the east corner." This Indian deed, signed and acknowledged by the above named Indians, was received April 14, 1714, and recorded in the Registry of Deeds for Middlesex County, Vol. xvi, p. 511, — > Worcester County not having been incorporated until April 2, 1731.

That this deed did not give to the grantees an indisputable legal title to the territory it purported to convey is evident. For prior discovery, or occupancy, by the

ORDER OF GENERAL COURT. 11

Indians, was not acknowledged by our legislators and courts as creating any fee in the soil ; while discovery by the English was recognized as vesting all lands, mediately or immediately, in the Crown. Consequently, as this tract of land was included in the grant to the colony of Massachusetts, any conveyance of it by the natives must be invalid until sanctioned by the Provincial legislature. And that the original purchasers, regarded the deed as worthless is also obvious. For a little more than twenty-six years subsequent to its date, we find that the General Court on the 23d of February, 1713, upon the Petition of the sons and grandsons of Major Simon Willard * of Lancaster, deceased, and the other heirs of the grantees, for approbation and confirmation of their title to the above tract of land, passed an Order, " That the lands in the Indian deed, and according to their buts and bounds, be confirmed to the children of the said Simon Wiilard, deceased, or to their legal representatives, and to the other petitioners, or their legal representatives, and associates, provided that within seven years time there be sixty families settled thereon and sufficient lands reserved for the use of a gospel ministry and schools, except what part thereof the Hon. Samuel Sevvall, Esq. hath already purchased, and that this grant shall not encroach upon any former grant or grants, nor exceed the quantity of twelve miles square. The town to be called Rutland, and to liye to tiie County of Middlesex." The tract of land purchased of the Indians, which was thus conditionally con-

♦ This was the famous Major Willard, wJio marched with 46 men from Lancvisier to Hrookfieldf in 1675, tor the relief of the little band there surrounded |iy more ilian 3J0 Indians, and whose meniory Jias been unhappily slandered by tradition.

12 DIVISION OF TERRITORY.

firmed, comprised in all 93,160 acres, including 1,000 acres owned by Hon. Mr. Sewall ; and was surveyed by William Ward in October, 1715. This purchase, with the exception of that owned by Mr. Sewall, was distributed among the heirs of the original grantees in thirty-three shares : Joseph Foster had two, and the others had one share each.

The proprietors, at a meeting held Dec. 14, 1715, at Boston, voted to survey six miles square of the territory, for the settlement of sixty-two families, in order to the fulfillment of the condition of the grant of 1713. The settlers, on the 11th of August, 1720, entered into a written agreement with the proprietors, and bound themselves by certain articles, signed and witnessed. And on the 26th of June, 1721, this six miles square was confirmed to the settlers by the proprietors, and it now composes the town of Rutland, which was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature, May 30, 1722.

Of the remainder of the Twelve miles' Square, one portion, known as " Rutland District," was, by an Act of the Legislature, incorporated on the 14th of June, 1774, and called Barre, as a token of respect to a worthy friend of America, at that lime a member of the British House of Commons ; a second portion, called *' the Northeast quarter of Rutland," was incorporated on the 13th day of June, 1767, and called Hubbardstou, to perpetuate the name and memory of the Hon. Thomas Hubbard, Esq, of Boston, who had been sometime Speaker of the House of Representatives, a member of the Corporation of Harvard University in Cambridge, and a large proprietor of lands in Rutland original grant ; a third portion was styled " Rutland West Wing*' until the year 1759, when the inhabitants had certain

RUTLAND EAST WING. 13

privileges granted them, and the place was called the ** Precinct of Rutland West Wing" until its incorporation by an Act of the Legislature, June 7, 1762, when the name of Oakham was given to it ; a fourth portion, with an equal tract from the town of Leicester, was incorporated on the 12th of February, 1765, as the town of Paxton — named after Charles Paxton, aconmiissioner of the customs; while the remaining portion, known as "Rutland East Wing,'" and comprising 11,626 acres, now constitutes the southerly and greater part of Princeton. The last mentioned tract is the only portion of the original purchase with which we are intimately concerned in this work.

Agreeable to a vote of the proprietors, this tract was surveyed and laid out into forty-eight farms, of two hundred and thirty-seven acres each and numbered by letters, and a strip of two hundred and fifty acres undivided, which now includes the ^'Pouf-toater" and •♦ Letter M" lots. Rev. Thomas Prince, then colleafrue pastor of the Old South Church, Boston, was by far the largest proprietor of the tract, he owning nearly three thousand acres, the most of which subsequently came into the possession of the late Ward N. Boylston, Esq. The entire tract was bounded on the north and east by the line which separated it from several farms termed " Watertown Farms," and which in the Indian deed is described * as running from ** Wanchatopick," now de-

* The line referred to cros^s the Boston road near the "Great Maple," at the foot of the " Whitney hill," and, running northwest, leaving the farms ot the late Jabez G. Read and Harlow Skinner a little to the north, constitutes tiie dividing line between those of Messrs. Elisha &. Charles A. Mirick and Mr. Davis. " After reaching the height of land near Mr. Enoch Brooks's, it pursues a southeasterly direction jind meets Huhbardeton line on the land fif Ezra B«)oks."

2*

14 WATERTOWN FARMS.

nominated Rutland Pond, to *' Great Watchuselt ;" on the south by Rutland and Holden ; and on the west by Ilubbardston. The original proprietors, at the before mentioned meeting in Boston, Dec. 14, 1715, chose a committee, to which the absolute control of the concerns of the proprietary was entrusted, and who made the first conveyance of any portion of said territory, subsequent to the purchase of the Indians in 1G86.

Another portion of territory, now comprised in the town of Princeton, was the " Watertown Farms." " This was a tract of about three thousand acres, granted, tradition says, by the General Court to the town of Watertown, to aid in building and maintaining a bridge. I find, after diligent inquiry, no record existing of the grant, nor any act or clue, by which its date, or specific purpose, other than that above stated, can be ascertained. It dates, probably, about the year 1745, and was regarded as of little or no value. The line bounding it on the north and east, ran from the north boundary of Rutland East Wing, beginning at a stake and stones in the 'pine woods' on land of" Sewell Richardson,* "nearly due north to a stake and stones, still existing, at the corner of lands owned by Dea. Israel Howe, James Brown, and formerly by Charles Gregory, now by Daniel Parker. Thence it pursues nearly a westerly direction, crossing the county road near the mill-dam of James Brown, and passing a little to the south of Dea. Howe's dwelling-house, over the top of Pine hill, to the easterly side of VVachusett. Whence it pursues a crooked southerly course, on the side of the mountain, to the aforesaid line of Rutland East Wing, which it meets at a stake and stones on land of Enoch Brooks. This

* Formerly owned by the late Col. John Whitney.

FIRST SETTLEMENT. l^

tract was sold by the town of Watertown to sundry prcprietors. At a meeting of these, soon after the conveyance, a committee, of whom I believe Jonas Harrington, grandfather of the" late Capt. Benjamin Harrington, "was chairman, was chosen to survey the territory, and divide it into farms of equal value. This accounts for the inequality in extent of the lots, some containing nearly double the number of acres of others. After the completion of this survey and division, the lots were numbered and drawn by the original proprietors, some of whom settled on the farms thus obtained, wiiile tlie greater portion made a second conveyance of them to settlers."*

We can find no records which lead us to conclude that any settlement was made on either of the above-mentioned tracts of land previous to 1739. The solitude of the wilderness had remained unbroken, unless the occasional report of a huntsman's gun, or the shrill whoop of the Indian, echoing among the hills, aroused the timid deer, or hungry wolf. Tradition says that numbers of both these continued in the vicinity, sometime after the first settlers made their homes in the wilderness. Some more than a century had now elapsed, since the Pilgrims disembarked from the Mayflower, upon the shores of New England. It had been a century of great labor, — of hardships, perils and wars, — to the first settlers of the country. During this time, the colonies were continually increasing in population and importance. Every year witnessed new settlements in the wilderness. About this period — Spring of 1739, — Mr. Joshua Wilder removed from Lancaster, and cleared a small spot, beside the brook, a little east of the dwel-

* Russell's History of Princeton, pp. 3, 4.

\Q FIRST SETTLEiMENT.

ling house on the farm owned by the hite Peabody Houghton, and erected tliereon a log house, in which he with his family resided for many years; probably until HGO. " Mr. Wilder was a saddler by trade, and the son of Capt. Nathaniel Wilder of Lancaster, a man somc what renowned, in the annals of his time and town, for his temerity and facetiousness. He married a daughter of Ma]. Jo'in Keyes of Shrewsbury, who was also no little fiimous ' in his day and generation.' During the French war, somewhere about the year 1760 or 61, Mr. Wilder purchased a large number of cattle for the purpose of driving them to Canada, and disposing of them at a profit to the English army. This intended speculation, however, was a total failure. On his arrival at its place of destination, with his stock, the war was so far concluded that he found no sale for it, or at least none at any adequate price. He returned, broken in property, and sold his farm to Benjamin Houghton, who owned the adjoining land, and with whom he had some litigation as to their respective boundaries. Soon after this he removed toBelchertown, then Cold Spring, where he died in 1762. Miss Sarah Wilder, his fourth child, was the first white person born in Princeton. Her birth occurred in 1739. In 1762 she was married to Thomas Meriam of Westminster, and was the mother of the Meriams* at present residing in that place. She died 1819, at the advanced age of 80 years. The descendants of Miss Wilder recollect hearing their mother frequently speak of gathering blueberries in company with others on the Meeting-house hill, with a file of soldiers to protect them from the Indians."! No other settle-

* Grandmother of Mr. dark Meriam, who resides in this town, t Russell's History of Princeton, p. 7.

I

MR. KEYES' DAUGHTER. 17

ment was probably made, subsequent to that of Mr. Wilder, prior to the year 1750, when Mr. Abijah Moore commenced to clear the farm at present owned and occupied by Maj. Joseph A. Read. Mr. Moore opened the first public house that was kept in town. The third settlement was made by Mr. Cheever, on what is at the present day called the Cobb farm. And in May, 1751, (the following year) Mr. Robert Keyes with his family removed from Shrewsbury to this place, and se.tled on the farm now owned by Amasa Smith, which is situated at the foot of the Wachusett, east side.

On the 14th day of April, 1755, a daughter of Mr. Keyes, named Lucy, aged four years and eight months, attempting, as was supposed, to follow two of her sisters, who had gone to Wachusett Pond, about a mile distant, for some sand, and having nothing but marked trees to guide her, wandered out of the way, and became lost in the forest. The people for nearly thirty miles round immediately collected, and in companies traversed the woods, day after day, and week after week, searching for her, but without success. They also repeatedly dragged the neighboring pond. Nothing of the child was discovered. Many journeys were taken by the father in consequence of reports, but all in vain. The conjectures of the people were and have been various as to its fate ; "the most prevalent, and which divers concurrinor circumstances render most probable," was, that it was carried off by the Indians on a visit to the mountain; and that she soon forgot her native language and became as one of the aborigines. " This, was made more probable, by the story of two men, who went some years after this occurrence from Groton, on a trading expedition among the Indians on Canada line. They re-

18 FIRST SETTLEMENT.

lated, on their return, that they found living among the Indians, a white woman, who knew nothing further of her birth or parentage than that she once lived near 'Chnsett hill.' •'

Mr. Oliver Davis was the first settler in the west part, and the fifth in the town. He settled on what is at the present time called " Clark hill," in 1751. Mr. Davis was industrious and frugal. He did much for the early advancement of the new settlement, by his example of diligence, and the introduction of useful, especially mechanical, arts. He purchased a large tract of land, part of which lay in Princeton, and the remainder in Hubbardston ; and erected a saw-mill on a branch of the Ware river. This was not only the first application of water power to mechanical purposes in the town, but also the first in the immediate vicinity. He also, a short time subsequent to this, built a grist mill on the above-mentioned river, some half a mile below where the- " Slab-city" mill now stands.* At a subsequent period this was consumed by fire, and both a saw and grist mill were afterwards built by him on or near the same site. Some of the first mills in Hubbardston were also built by him. Three of Mr. Davis's sons enlisted in the army, at the commsncement of the Revolutionary contest, and one fell on the field of battle. Mr. Davis died on the 25th of January, 1803.

From the consultation of ancient records, or inquiries among the most aged inhabitants, we have not been able to decide upon the precise years when settlements were made in diflferent parts of the town. During 1752, and the four or five following years, several settlements were commenced in various parts of the town. Among

* At present owned by \Vm. D. Cheever, Es^q.

FIRST SETTLEMENT. 19

the settlers of about this period, were a Mr. Peter Goodnow, on the site where the dwelling-house of Charles Russell, Esq. now stands ; a Mr. Norcross commenced the farm at present owned and occupied by Mr. Israel Everett ; Caleb Mirick, on the farms occupied by Messrs. Elisha and Charles A. Mirick ; Samuel Nichols on Mr. Enoch Brook's farm ; Mr. Mede, on the farm at present occupied by Ephraim Osgood ; Joseph Eveleth, en the farm of the late Capt. Benjamin Harrington; Samuel Hastings, on the farm of Mr. George Davis ; James Mirick, on the farm now owned by Mr. Geo. O. Skinner ; Messrs. Thomas Gleason and Gibbs, on the site where the VVachusett Hotel now stands. A Mr. Stratton also commenced a farm where the '* Union'' meeting-house now stands. There were also, about this time, several settlements made in the west part of the town. Among this number, subsequent to the settlement of I\rr. Davis, were Joseph Rugg, Charles Parmenter, Sadey Mason, Seth Savage, Timothy Keyes, David Parker, Robert Cowdin, Mr. Rosier, — Thomas Mason on the farm now owned by Joseph Mason, — Mr. Wheeler, and subsequently Col. Benjamin Holden from Dedham, on the farm now owned by Benjamin Holden, the grandson of the latter, — and Isaac Thompson, on the farm of Isaac Thompson.

The first settlers in the town labored under very great difficulties for a time, by reason of a rough, mountainous and rocky soil and the naturally moist state of the , land, for want of passable roads, and from the prodigious quantities of heavy timber with which the ground was covered. The inhabitants were for some years dependent on the neighboring towns for most of their' supplifis. They were industrious, however, and in a

20 ACT OF INCORPORATION.

few years brought the soil into successful cultivation, when grass, especially, was produced in great abundance— the soil being rich and fertile.

The toils and dangers of original settlement being past, the increasing population and expanding resources required municipal powers for the management of the common interests of the inhabitants. In 1759, the freeholders and proprietors presented a Petition to the Legislature for Incorporation, whereupon the following Act was passed by the General Court : — •

Tricesimo L. S. Tercio.

*'An Act for erecting the East Wing of Rutland, so called, in the County of Worcester, and sundry farmo contiguous thereto, lying between Lancaster and Narraganset number two, into a separate District by the name of Prince- Town.

" Whereas a number of the Inhabitants and Proprietors of the East Wing of Rutland, in the County of Worcester, and the proprietors and inhabitants of sundry Farms contiguous thereto, lying between Lancaster and Narraganset No. 2, have represented to this Court many difficulties they labour under, and praying that they may be made a separate District.