Bristol County, Massachusetts - Chapter 46: Norton, 1883

Geographical - Original Purchasers - Original Bounds - Petition for Precinct - Incorporation of Town - The First Settlements - Extracts from Records - Early Settlers.

The town of Norton lies in the northern part of the county, and is bounded as follows : On the north by Mansfield and Easton, on the east by Easton and Taunton, on the south by Taunton and Rehoboth, and on the west by Attleborough.

Norton originally comprised, in addition to its present territory, the present towns of Mansfield and Easton. Easton and the greater part of Mansfield, with a portion of Norton, comprised what was known as the " North Purchase," which was purchased June 6, 1668, of Thomas Prence, Josias Winslow, Thomas Southworth, and Constant South worth ("the country's agents"), by Richard Williams, Walter Dean, George Macey, James Walker, Joseph Wilbor, William Harvey, Thomas Leonard, John Turner, Henry Andrews, John Cob, George Hall, John Hall, Samuel Hall, James Leonard, Sr., Nathaniel Williams, Thomas Williams, Nicholas White, Sr., Nicholas White, Jr., Hezekiah Hore, Alice Dean, Israel Dean, Robert Crossman, Shadrack Wilbor, Thomas Caswell, John Macomber, John Smith, Edward Rew, John Parker, Samuel Paule, Thomas Lincoln, Sr., Thomas Harvey, Sr., Nathaniel Thayre, Thomas Lincoln, Jr., Peter Pits, Jonah Austin, Sr., John Richmond, Samuel Williams, Christopher Thrasher, Mrs. Jane Gilburt, George Wats6n, Samuel Smith, James Burt, Richard Burt, John Tisdell, Sr., John Tisdell, Jr., James Phillips, Edward Bobbot, John Hathway, Jonathan Brigs, Increase Robinson, John Brian t, Thomas Harvey, Jr., and was called " Taunton North Purchase."1

This tract was bounded as follows : " Begining on the north-west, att the bounds of the lands formerly sold by us unto the Town of Rehoboth, and to be bounded on the northerly syde by the Massachusetts line, untill it cometh to beare with the Western bounds of the Town of Bridgewater ; and soe from the said Massachusetts line by a south line home to the bounds of Taunton, and thence by a Westerly line untill it meets with the bounds of Rehoboth aforesaid : and so to follow the said bounds of Rehoboth untill it comes unto the bounds first mentioned upon the Massachusetts line ; all the lands within this compas, excepting onely a small parcel granted unto John Bundey, and alsoe a grant made unto

Thomas Briggs, the son of Clement Briggs, together with the meddows, woods, waters, and other benefitts, privileges, emoluments, proffitts,and emunities thereto appertaining and belonging."

" We whose names are underwritten, being part of the Inhabitants of Taunton old Town, and part of Taunton north purchase, being all very sensible of the great difficulty that we are under in liveing so remote from the publick worship of God, and great need of haveing it settled amongst us, that so our children and those under our care & charge, as well as ourselves, may injoy the nieens of grace, and in order theirto, we have this 27th day of novem., 1707, met together, and made choice of George Leonard and Nicholas White, whome we chuse as our agents to act in our behalf in makeing Request to the town to bound us out a presink for the maintainnence of a minister; and that, when we have procured a minister to dispence the word of God amongst [us,j we might be freed from paying to the minister & Schoolmaster at town, and we do also give our sd. agents full power to do any further act or acts, thing or things, that they shall see needfull to be dun for ye bounding of sd. precink, and procureing an able orthodox minister to be orderly Settled amongnst us, whether it be by petitioning to the General court to Settle the bounds of sd. precink, or by any other way or nieens whatsoever; as witness our hands, the day and year above written, we further promise, that in case a minister be procurde as abovesd., that we will each of us pay our proportion by way of rate for his maintainance. witness our hands, George Leonard, Nicholas White, John Lane, Thomas Braman, sen., Thomas Stevens, Selvanis Gamble, John Briggs, John Hodges, Nathaniell Hodges, Samuell Hodges, Jabez Pratt, Thomas Braman, jun., William Hodges, Robert Tucker, Ephraim Grover, Mathew White, Seth Dorman,Ebenezei' Hall, John Caswell, jun., Benjamin Caswell, John Wetherell, Ebenezer Edy, Samuel Brintnell, John Caswell, sen., Eliezer Fisher, Richard Briggs, William Wetherell, sen., Eliezer Edy, John Cob, Andrew Grover, Peter Aldrich, Israel Fisher, Thomas Grover, Nathaniel Fisher, Joseph Briggs, Benjamin Williams, Nathaniell Harvey, John Briggs, jun., Nicholas Smith, John Newlaud, William Cob, Benjamin Newland, John Skinner."

Petition to the Town of Taunton. - "March ye 23d, 1708. - Whereas divers Inhabitants of Taunton north purchase, together with divers of the Inhabitants of Taunton old township, bordering on the north purchase, made choice of we, the subscribers, whome they chose as thare Agents to make request to the town to bound us out a precinct for the maintenance of a minister; we, whose names are underwritten, do therefore, in the behalf of our friends and neighbours, humbly A earnestly desire the town seriously to consider of the vary difficult circumstances that we are under in liveing so remote from the publique worship of God, that great part of the year we cannot come to meeting; and that we can at no time of the year, without very great dificulty, bringing allmost any of our children to meeting: so that, if we continue long after this manner, the sowls of our children, and those under our care and charge, will be in danger of perishing for lack of knowledge, for it is Evident from sciiptre that faith comes by heering, and heering by the word preacht. Tho we are not insencable of our poverty, and great difficulty that we shall thereby meet with in carrying on such desire, yet, on the other hand, we have cans to be thankful! that our neighbours an- generally very forward to promote so good a work ; and our povertye can be no Argument to have our precink Iesened, but rather Enlarged, wbarefore we Earnestly desire and hope that the town will forward and incorage so good a design, and giant thai tin- military line maybe the bounds of the precint, which is hurt's brook, and from the mouth of sd. brook to the bridge neer William wetherell, and from sd. bridge uorth- Estardly to the north-purchase line ; that so we may not have one line for the military, and another for the minister, anil, in hopes you will grant us this our request, we subscribe ourselves your humble peti oners,

" To his Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esquire, Capt.-Generall and Governor-in-chief in and over her majestie's province of the Massachusetts bay in New England; And to the Honored councill and Representatives now convened in Generall court this 20 day of October, 1708: "The humble petition of Diverse of the Inhabitants of Taunton North purchase, and Diverse of the Inhabitants of Taunton old Township bordering on said north purchase, humbly sheweth, that sd. Inhabitants being vary sensible of the great difficulty they are now under in liveing so remote from the publick worship of God, and the great tieed of having it settled amongst them, that so their children, and those under their care and charge, as well as themselves, may Injoy the meens of Grace, They made choice of us, the subscribers, to be their agents, to make known their desire to the town of Taunton to have a precinct bounded out to them for their maintenance of a minister to dispence the word of God among them; and also to petitiou the Generall Court to settle the bounds of sd. precinct ; and also to procure an able orthodox minister to be orderly settled among them, as may appear by a writeing under their hands, dated November the 27th, 1707, and also on the 23d of march, 1708; by which writing they also promise to pay their proportion by way of rate for the maintenance of sd. minister provide as abovesd. In pursueauce of sd. power and trust committed to us, we have communicated this matter to the town of Taunton, at a town meeting; and although we have Great Incorragement that the most considerable Leading men will be and are for it, yet there is some few that do hesitate about the bounds That we desire for sd. precinct; so that hetherto nothing of that nature is finished, and seeing our young ones increase and grow up apace, and that the Lord hath in marcy (as we hope it is in marcy) so Inclined the hearts of our neighbours so earnestly to desire and seek after this thing, we therefore, the subscribers, as agents for and in the behalf of sd. Inhabitants, do humbly pray this Generell Court to grant this our humble petition, and the bounds of sd. precinct which we desire is, the line or bounds of the military company called the North-purchase company may be the bounds of the said precinct, which is a brook called hurt's brook, and from the mouth of sd. brook to wennaconnit bridge, and from sd. bridge northeasterd to the North-purchase line, but leaveing out of sd. precinct all the inhabitants in the North purchase that commonly go to Bridgewater meeting, who live on the Estardly side of the rhode that Leeadeth from winnacunnit to the bay, - for they in time hope to be a precinct with part of Bridgewater, which we shall not oppose, - but takeing into sd. precinct all belonging to Taunton old Township within the bounds above mentioned, but, if all the North purchase ware Enexed to Taunton for the present, we think it woald be best for the manageing of public concerns; only that the lands within the bounds settled and agreed on between the propriators of Taunton North purchase and thair neighbours, on all parts, be confirmed to said proprietors, and the abovesaid precinct settled for the maintainance of the ministry in said precinct, and we farther pray that this honored court woald also apoint a committee to order where the meeting-house shoald be sett, all which, if this honoured court please to grant, your humble petitioners shall, as in duty they are bound, ever pray.

"22 0cto., 1708. - Read in Council; and Ordered, that the Selectmen of Taunton be served with a copy of this Peton., and heard thereupon before this Court upon the Second Tuesday of the next Session of ye sd. Court, if any thing they have to say why the prayer of the within Petition should not be granted.

"In the House of Representatives, Oct. 25, 1708. - Read and Passed a concurrence, And that the Hearing be upon the Second Tuesday of the next Session of this Court.

" To his Excellency Joseph Dudley, Esquire, Captain-Generall, Governor-in-chief in and over her majestie's Province of the Massachusetts bay, and the rest of the honorable Councill and Representatives Convened in Generall Court, May the 25, 1709, humbly Sheweth:

"That whereas the Honoured Court sent to the Selectmen of Taunton to show their reasons (if any they have) why Taunton North purchase and South Purchase should not have their prayer granted, -

" In answer whereunto we say that although it hath pleased God to Increase our numbers, - which we hope is in mere}', - yet must say that through the providence of God, a great many are so extream poor, and rates and taxes so high, that we find it hard and dificult to rub along, and the Generality of the North purchase are so poor that we ffear they will not be able to build a meeting-house and to maintain a minister."

June 4, 1709, Taunton appeared at the General Court with a remonstrance against the prayer of the petitioners, signed by James Leonard, Philip King, Thomas Gilbert, Thomas Harvey, and Jonathan Paddleford. Finally, after various petitions and remonstrances, the precinct was formed Sept. 19, 1709.

" The following Order passed by the Council and Assembly respectively upon the Petition of the North Precinct in Taunton, Praying to be made a Town, having the consent of Taunton therefor, viz., -

"Ordered, That the North Precinct in Taunton be, and hereby is granted to be a Town, distinct from the Town of Taunton, by the name of Norton, and have and enjoy the Powers, Immunities, and Privileges by law granted to Townships, and that a bill be projected, and brought in at the next Session of this Court, fully to perfect the sd Grant. Provided that the East End of the North Purchase shall have half the said Purchase as their Precinct when they are able to maintain a minister and this Court judge them so.

" Whereas, The tract of Laud commonly called and known by the name of the North Purchase, Lying situate within the Township of Taunton, in the county of Bristol, circumscribed within the Lines and Bounderies prescribed by a committee some time since appointed by the General Assembly, as follows, viz.: Beginning at the Line between the two late Colonies of the Massachusetts and Plymouth, in the line of the said North purchase and Attleborough ; from thence Running Southward to Rehoboth North-East Corner; and from thence Eastward, on the North-purchase Line, to Taunton bounds; thence eastward to the Mouth of the Brook calld Burt's Brook, and extending from tho mouth of Burt's Brook to the Bridge over the Mill River, near Wm. Witherel's; and from thence North-eastward to the North-Purchase Line; and, from the North-purchase Line, the Road that leads from the said Bridge towards Boston to be the Bounds till it come to the Line betwixt the two Late Colonies aforesaid; which Line to be the bounds to Attleborough aforesaid was set off from Taunton by and with the consent of that Town, and by an order of the General Assembly, passed at their Session in March, 1710, made a distinct and separate Town from Tawnton, containing a sufficient quantity of Lands and a competent number of Inhabitants for that purpose, and named Norton ; the full perfecting of the said Grant being adjourned and refered to the present Courts.

cellency the Governor, Council, and Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the aforesaid Tract of Land commonly called the North Purchase, circumscribed and bounded as above expressed, Be and is Granted to be a Township Distinct and separate from Taunton; the Town tube named Norton, and the Inhabitants thereof to have, Use, Excercise, and enjoy all such Immunities, Powers, and Privileges as other Towns within this Province have and do by Law excercise and enjoy, so that the said Inhabitants settle an aide, Learned, Orthodox .Minister in the said Town, and from time to time allow him a Comfortable support.

"Provided Nevertheless, That the Inhabitants in the east end of the said North Purchase shall have one-half of the said Purchase as their Precinct, when they are able to maintain a minister, and this Court judge them so.

The First Settlements. - To William Wetherell is due the honor of having been the first settler within the bounds of the present town of Norton. He located in 1669 on the easterly side of Winneconnet Pond. Rev. Mr. Clark, in his excellent " History of Norton," says, -

" By an examination of the Proprietors' Records of the old town of Taunton (p. 50), I find that on the 29th of April, 1669, William Wetherell sold several parcels of land situated on and near Mill River (which is the stream that runs out of Winneconnet Pond), and included in this sale were ' five accres, more or less, which was granted to him by the town for a home-lotte.' And on the same day was laid out to him, in four lots, about sixty acres of land on the easterly and northerly side of the pond ; and the bounds of these lots can be pretty generally identified at the present time. Hence we think, in the absence of all testimony to the contrary, that in the spring of 1669, and on the east side of the pond, only a few rods from the meadow, was erected the first habitation in our town.

" Tradition says that this William Wetherell, whose name will ever be a household word to the people of Norton, came from England in the capacity of a cabin-boy, with William Dunn, the master of the vessel, and one of the original proprietors of Taunton, who is said to have soon returned to England, leaving his cabin-boy in charge of his proprietary, with the understanding that if he (Dunn) did not return to claim it, the right should escheat to young Wetherell, and such was the result. Of the exact time Capt. Dunn arrived in America we have no reliable account; it might have been just before the settlement of Taunton, and he might have brought over in his vessel many of the first settlers of the town, and as most of these were from the vicinity of Taunton, in England, it is possible that the birthplace of Wetherell was in that neighborhood. All this is, however, mere conjecture. The first reliable evidence we have of William Wetherell being in Taunton is in 1643, when his name appears on a list of males, between the ages of sixteen and sixty, subject to military duty. He was one of the inhabitants of Taunton who, on the 28th of December, 1659, had a division, of land made in the proportion of two acres on each shilling of the rate paid by the individual, two acres on each head in the family, and two acres to the lot. Mr. Wetherell's rate was seven shillings and ten pence, and there were five heads in his family (supposed to be himself, wife, and three children), and twenty-eight acres of land were assigned him.

married is uncertain, but it is supposed to have been about 1650, for, in 1672, William Wetherell and William Wetherell, Jr. (supposed to be his son), were among the proprietors of the South Purchase of Taunton, including what is now Dighton and a portion of Berkley.

" He was admitted a freeman at the Plymouth Court in June, 1658. June 6, 1664, William Wetherell and three others, of Taunton, were fined ' twenty shillings for an abuse done to a saw-mill att Taunton belonging to James Walker and others, by coming in the night and breaking downe some parte of the said mill, and for takeing away sevuerall thinges from the same.' It is presumed that this difficulty grew out of the fact that the dam to this mill was so built as to prevent 'the alewiues from goeing vp' the river, and hence was not legally built, for on the same day that Wetherell and others were fined the owners of the mill were required, before ' the next season of the fishes goeing vp,' to make ' a free, full, and sufficient passage for the said fish.'

" Just before the commencement of Philip's war in 1675, a list of the proprietors of Taunton was made, and on this list is the name of William Wetherell, who owned 'on his own rights and that which was Mr. Dunn's.' His name appears several times on the Grand Inquest between 1650 and 1690. He was a constable in Taunton for the years 1662 and 1676. In 1671 and 1685 he was a ' deputy' or representative from Taunton to the Plymouth Colony Court. He was also a deputy at a special court held on the last day of October and first of November, 1676. In 1685 he was one of the selectmen. In 1671 he was one of a committee ' appointed in each town to see to the gathering in of the Minister's Maintainance,' etc. In 1679-80 he was one of the court's committee ' to bound the meddowes on Assonett Neck.' June 2, 1685, he was licensed 'to retaile cider, beeir, and strong liquors.' It is presumed, as he lived at this time on the road leading from Taunton to Boston, and known then and now as the ' Bay road,' that he kept a sort of 'ordinary' or victualing-house for travelers; and hence he no doubt kept the first publichouse within the limits of Norton. May 25, 1680, he was appointed one of a committee of the town ' to revise the town orders, records of land,' etc.

"Thus it will be seen that he was a man of some consequence, and possessed a good reputation among the early settlers of Taunton. From an old deed now in possession of our townsman (descendant of the first settler), William D. Wetherell, given by John Wetherell, son of William, to his son Jonathan, it appears that William Wetherell was an ' Eldest Sergeant in Capt. Gorrom's (Gorham's) Company in the great Narragansett-Swamp fttt,' which took place Dec. 19 (?), 1675, in the present town of South Kingston, R. L, and that a grant of land was made by the court to the soldiers who were wounded in that evermemorable battle. From the Plymouth Colony Records, vol. vi. p. 119, it appears that ' Sergt. Witherly' and 'other Taunton men' came wounded to the house of Peleg Sanford, Dec. 24, 1675, and that he remained till Oct. 17, 1676. His wound must, therefore, have been of a pretty severe character to have confined him almost a year before he was able to return home. It was in consequence of his wounds rereceived in the battle of Narragansett Swamp, we presume, that the court granted Mr. Wetherell ten pounds in 1685, and five pounds in 1686.

" From all the facts that we can gather relating to Mr. Wetherell, he seems to have been a man blessed with a good share of worldly goods, holding two rights in the original purchase of Taunton (his own and Mr. Dunn's), one right in the South Purchase of Taunton, and, at the time of his death, half a right in the North Purchase. In the year 1690 he deeded most of his property to his children and grandchildren, and in his will, dated Aug. 15, 1691, and probated November 18th of the same year, he makes some little legacies to his children, and confirms the deeds he had previously given of his lands. He mentions in his will his sons William, John, and Ephraim (who was dead at the date of the will), and his daughter, Dorothy Wood, who was the wife of William Wood (her second husband), to whom she was married April 1, 1686. Her first husband was Elias Irish, and they were married Aug. 26, 1674. He lived only about three years, for, in October, 1677, William Wetherell was appointed administrator of his estate."

" Dec. 6, 1695," says our excellent authority before quoted, "Thomas Leonard, Sr., and James Leonard, Sr., received a deed from the proprietors of the North Purchase of two hundred acres of land at Stony Brook, ' on the westward side of Coweesset River,' as an ' Incouragement' ' to set up and build a forge to make iron at said place,' and it was ' to be built and in some considerable forwardness' before Dec. 1, 1696, or the grant of land was to be null and void. I have in my possession the affidavits of two persons, taken in 1717, who declare that the iron-works or forge near the dwelling-house of Maj. George Leonard, deceased, was begun in 1695, and in some considerable forwardness in 1696. To these Leonards was also given the liberty to take their next division of one share in the North Purchase lands 'in the best of iron-oare that they can find.' They were also allowed the privilege of digging ore on any other man's land for the use and benefit of said works by ' paying the owner of such land one shilling a tun for every tun of iron-oare they shall dig.' George Leonard, the son of Thomas and the nephew of James Leonard, to whom this grant was made (probably as their agent), set up a forge or 'bloomery,' as it was called, at the place designated, which was nearly in front of the spot where the old Leonard mansionhouse now stands ; and the establishment of this iron forge, together with the energy and business tact of young George Leonard, soon gave new life and vitality to this neighborhood. The lands in the vicinity were speedily taken up, the population rapidly increased, and everything seemed to prosper beyond the most ardent expectations of the proprietors of this movement."

" Voted, that they would Pay out of the treasury of Norton five shillings a head to any Person or Persons that shall Bring any wildcat's head to the Jowne Clerk : and if the said clerk any ways scruples whether they ware cilled in the sd. towne or Present, that then they shall make oath that they ware before the towne Clerk ; and then the said clerk shall Give an order to the towne treasurer for sd. sum or sums, who shall Pay it accordingly. And there shall be a rate made upon the Poles and estates of sd. towne and Present to supply the treasury for that Purpose."

Sept. 14, 1724, the town and East Precinct " voted to pay Benjamin Drake for killing one wild-cat, £00. 05s. Qd." He probably was of the East Precinct.

" Marcb ye 1st, 1724-5. - Joseph Godfrey, John Caswell, and Ebenezer White, Brought Each of them a wild-cat's Head to me, and I cut the Ears of from them ; and the towne of Norton was to pay five shillings a head for each of them.

March 28, 1726. - "Voted, that they would not Pay for Killing of wildcats the year ensueing, nor for the wild-cats which have been Killed sence ye act about said cats was out."

May 23, 1715, the town " voted to pay three halfpence a head for every flying blackbird or Jaw's head that shoald be kild in this town, and the heads brought to the selectmen, or John Smith or Eliezer fisher, between this time and next March."

March 19, 1718, by a vote of the town, "The act Revised Conserning the kiling of birds ;" and it is supposed that for several years a premium was thus paid for the destruction of these birds.

In September, 1741, the town " voted to raise £40 for the Suport of the Scoole, and for the birds' and Squrils' heads, and the poor." We suppose this was for the support of " the poor," and not a bounty offered for cutting off their " heads."

First Settlers. - The following is a list of the first settlers of Norton, all of whom, with one exception, are known to have been here prior to or in 1711, condensed from Rev. Mr. Clark's " History of Norton" :

Deacon John Andrews might have been the son of Henry and Mary (Deane) Andrews, who were married Feb. 17, 1685-86, and was born about 1686. He is supposed to have been a grandson of Henry Andrews, one of the first settlers of Taunton.

John Austin was the son of Jonah Austin, Jr., of Taunton, and was born 1st July, 1671. He lived at the east part of the town. When he died is unknown.

Samuel Bayley lived at the east part of Mansfield. He married, Aug. 28, 1711, Elizabeth Caswell, and had eight or nine children. He died previous to March 5, 1754.

Thomas Braman, Sr., might have been the son of Thomas, who with his Avife were at Taunton June, 1653. He died June 7, 1709; his widow died Sept. 18, 1714*

Thomas Braman, Jr., is supposed to have been the s6n of Thomas, Sr., just mentioned, and to have been born about 1686. He was dead previous to May 1, 1725.

Daniel Braman was the son of Thomas, Sr., and Hannah (Fisher) Braman, and was born Oct. 11, 1688. He lived at the place where his father settled.

Deacon John Briggs was the son of Richard and Rebecca (Haskins) Briggs, of Taunton, and was born Feb. 26, 1669 (79?). He is presumed to have lived near the Centre, as he used to sweep the meetinghouse, and was several times chosen " Clark of ye Market."

Deacon John Briggs, Jr., is supposed to have been the son of William and Sarah (Maeomber) Briggs, of Taunton, and was born 19th March, 1680.

Capt. Samuel Brintnell was the son of Thomas and Esther Brintnell (the first settlers of what is now Mansfield), and born Dec. 2 (?), 1665. He lived at the homestead of his father, and was a very influential man in the early history of the town, much employed in public affairs as selectman and representative to the General Court.

John Caswell, Sr., was the son of Thomas Caswell, of Taunton, and was born July 1, 1656. He settled at the east part of what is now Mansfield.

Benjamin Caswell was probably the son of Thomas, and the grandson of Thomas, Sr., of Taunton, and was born Nov. 16, 1675. He probably lived somewhere in the east part of Mansfield.

Ebenezer Eddy was the son of John and Deliverance (Owin) Eddy, of Taunton, grandson of Samuel and Elizabeth Eddy, of Plymouth, great-grandson of Rev. William Eddy, a Non-conformist minister of Cranbrook, Kent Co., England, and was born 16th May, 1676 (?). He settled near Crane's Depot,

Israel Fisher was born 27th March, 1680, and is supposed to have settled near his brothers, Samuel and Eleazer. He was one of the original members of the church.

Thomas Grover was the son of Thomas and Sarah (Chadwick) Grover, of Maiden, and was born, according to records, March, 1668 (1669?). He settled near what is now West Mansfield.

John Hall is supposed to have been the son of Samuel Hall, of Taunton, and born 19th October, 1666. He lived in the Mansfield part of Norton, near to Cobbler's Corner, probably on the east side of Rumford River.

John Hodges was the son of John and Elizabeth (Macy) Hodges, of Taunton (grandson of William Hodges, who was at Taunton in 1643), and was born 5th of April, 1673.

William Hodges was also a brother of those just mentioned, and was born 6th of June, 1682. He settled near the common graveyard, just beyond Austin Messenger's.

John Lane was the son of Andrew and Tryphena Lane, of Hingham, and grandson of William Lane, who came to Dorchester from England (?) in 1635- 36, and died about 1654.

" Hon. George Leonard, the son of Judge Thomas and Mary (Watson) Leonard, of Taunton, grandson of James and Margaret Leonard, who came to Taunton in 1652, and great-grandson of Thomas Leonard, of Pontypool, Wales, was born 18th of April, 1671. This family of Leonards claimed descent from Lennard Lord Dacre, one of the most distinguished families of the nobility of the United Kingdom, and descended in two lines from Edward III. through two of his sons, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and Thomas Plantaganet, Duke of Gloucester. There appears to be some ground for this claim, from the fact that the arms of the Lennard and Leonard families were the same. Near the close of the last century the last Lord Dacre, bearing the name of Lennard, died, and it is supposed that the late Judge Leonard, who was a grandson of George, who first settled in Norton, could have claimed the title. At any rate, there was some consultation among the Leonards in this vicinity upon the propriety of claiming it; but I am told the matter ended by the judge saying that ' he preferred to be lord of acres in America rather that Lord Dacre in England.' 1 Whether descended from Lord Dacre or not, the subject of this sketch and his descendants lived very much in the style of the English nobility, being the owners of an immense tract of land, and surrounded by their tenantry. Probably no family in New England were lords of more acres than the Norton Leonards. The ancestors of George Leonard were interested in the ironworks both in England and America, and, as we have already stated, he acted as the agent of his father and Uncle James in setting up, in 1695, the first bloomery or iron-forge within the limits of our town. The house (built before 1700) in which George Leonard lived is still standing, and is said to have been the first framed house erected in town."

Thomas Skinner, the son of Thomas and Mary (?) Skinner, and grandson of Thomas, who came from Chichester, England, about 1650, and settled in Maiden, was born November, 1668. He settled in the westerly part of the North Purchase, now Mansfield, as early as 1695.

John Skinner was a brother, or perhaps only halfbrother, of Thomas, for Mary, the wife of Thomas Skinner, died at Maiden, April 9, 1671, and John was born April, 1673. He settled in the west part of the North Purchase about the time Thomas did.

Thomas Stephens was the son of Richard Stephens, of Taunton, and was born 3d February, 1674. He is supposed to have lived near the centre of the town. In 1712 he had land laid out to him on Lockety Neck, near the junction of Rumford and Wading Rivers. He was one of the first board of selectmen.

William Wetherell was the son of the first settler of Norton, and was born about 1650 (?). He lived at the place where his father is supposed to have first "pitched" his habitation within the limits of Norton, near the outlet of Winneconnet Pond.

Jeremiah Wetherell was the son of William and Elizabeth (Newland) Wetherell, but when born is unknown. He lived at the east part of the town, and afterwards moved into Taunton.

John Wetherell, Jr., the son of John, already mentioned, was born Oct. 8, 1688, and is said to have been the first child born within the limits of Norton. He lived at the east part of the town, upon the old homestead.

grandson of Nicholas, of Taunton,1 and was born Feb. 3, 1675. He settled within the limits of Mansfield, close to the line between the old town of Taunton and the North Purchase.

Deacon Benjamin Williams was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, of Taunton, grandson of Richard and Francis (Dighton) Williams, and was born 15th October, 1681. He settled, about the time of his marriage, at the northerly part of Mansfield.