Plymouth County, Massachusetts - Chapter 1, 1884

Chapter 1

Topography of the Town - Rirers - Ponds - Indians - First Settlers - Incorporation of the East Precinct - Villngea aud > Lucnlitiea - Elinwooil Villaije - lieaver Village - Satuoket - ; Noi thville - Eastville - Curtisville - MatSuld - Auburnville ! - Post-Otfices - Tax-payers, 1729 - Assessment for 1757 - As- ' sessmeut fur 1778.

Topography of the Town. - East Bridgewater is situated iti the northwest part of Plymouth County; latitude 42° 1' 8"; longitude 70° 57' 29". The township, seventeen miles from Plymouth and twentyfive miles from Boston, is nearly square. From the most northwesterly point to the extreme southeast corner it is six miles, the centre of its territory, in a direct line from north to south and from east to west, being two miles from the borders of the town. Previous to the incorporation of South Abington, in 1875, and the annexation of a part of East Bridgewater to Brockton, the same year, it contained eighteen and one-seventh square miles. Its present limits embrace somewhat mure than sixteen square miles.

The town of East Bridgewater, the original territorial centre of Bridgewater at the time of the purchase of Bridgewater from the Indians, was incorporated June 14, 1823. Though its incorporation as a town is of a comparatively recent date, it was settled as early as 1G60.

Rivers. - There are several rivers and brooks, which furuisii considerable water-power. The lowlands are naturally very productive, and with care yield abundant harvests. Of the rivers, the principal ones are the Satucket, in the southeasterly part, aud the Matfield (named frum an Indian who once lived near it), not far from the westerly side of the town. These two rivers unite at the south point of the " Whitman Neck," and, passing into Bridgewater, join there with Town River and form Taunton River. The Satucket River rises in the northeast part of Halifax, flows through Monponset and Stump Ponds in Halifax, and Robin's Pond in East Bridgewater, receives Poor Meadow River, rising in the northwesterly part of Hanson, and flows southwest, increased by Black Brook, whose course is directly south.

Matfield River, formerly called John's River (so named from John Howard, who once lived in Elmwood), is formed by the union of Salisbury River, which rises in Stoughton and passes through Brockton into East Bridgewater on the west border, Beaver Brook, which rises in Holbrook, flows through Brockton, and enters East Bridgewater near its extreme northerly point, and Snell Meadow Brook, which, rising in Abington and flowing through South Abington, enters East Bridgewater on the north side.

Ponds. - In the southeast corner of the town, near Halifax, b a lake called "Robin's Pond." It is a fine sheet of water covering about a hundred and twenty-five acres. A little north of the centre of the pond is a small island, which, with an abundance of trees and vines, is a favorite resort of pleasure parties, who in the mild season come in great numbers to enjoy this cool retreat. One circumstance connected with this body of water is worth mention. Ever since the first visit to it by a white man, and from what could be learned by tradition from the Indians, although many people have been attracted hither in summer, and in winter also, until a very recent date, it is not known that any person ever was drowned in it. At a picnic on the island, July 19, 1882, a severe tempest occurred. Frank B. Howard, of West Bridgewater, aged twenty-nine years, was sailing in a boat with several companions, when the boom swinging round struck him on the head and knocked him into the water. The blow was so violent that he was rendered senseless, and in a few moments sank. The body was not recovered till seven hours afterwards. This is the only instance known of a death by drowning in this pond.

passed up Sutucket River and spawned in Rubin's Pond was very large. Sliad seemed to prefer Matfield River, and a shad weir was located on that stream, not far from the bridge of the Bridgewater Branch Railroad. The herring weir on Satucket River, built by the aborigines, perhaps hundreds of years ago, still remains much the same as when the last Indian placed his net to catch tlie nimble fisli as they darted along through the stony sluice, whicli might well be called a race-LCUij. Fur more than two hundred years, since the erection and running of mills, this perhaps only surviving structure herealjuuts, built by the dusky owners of the soil, has been out of sight, except as when the water of the stream was drawn off for a short time in the spring of each year to permit the herring to pass up and down the stream, or repairs or building operations might require the water of the pond to be let off. Since 18UI mills have not been stopped on account of the fisheries, and herring have nearly ceased their visits in tliis vicinity, and the Indians' Dam has seldom been visible.

Indians. - The name Saughtuckciuett (ox Satucket, as it is nuw spelt), applied to this territory, appears to signify " the place where rivers meet." Relics of Indian liaiidicraft have from time to time been discovered in digging cellars or plowing the land. Arrow-heads, axes, hatcliets, mortars, pestles, etc., have been found near Robin's Pond, on Wounocooto Hill, where the deed of land sold by the Indians was signed, and particularly un lands along the rivers. On the north bank of Snell Meadow Brook there appears to have been an especial place for the manufacture of Indian implements. Near Robin's Pund is a small hill, now covered with forest-trees, which was once the general burial-ground of the natives here, but skeletons of Indians have occasionally been exhumed in other parts of the town. About thirty rods north of the ancient weir is a piece of ground now covered with trees, which once was a cleared place, where the Indians apparently used to engage in their festivities.

In the Revolutionary war several of the Indians of this town served in the Continental army. One of them, Robert Pegin, died in 1815. He was the last full-blooded Indian who has died here. Tiie last marriages of Indians in this town occurred Jan. 1, 1830. The nuptials took place in the parlor of the dwelling-house of the late Mr. Ezra Alden. The writer, then a pupil of the late Rev. Baalis Sanford, was present, and witnessed the ceremonies. Of the happy couples united on this occasion, one was Isaac Wood, son of Samuel Wood, a Revolutionary soldier.

and Lucy Sepit. The other, Joseph A. Sizar (blacky and Susanna S. Wood, a sister of Isaac Wood. The last of the aboriginal race here, at or near the cluse uf 1843, had either died or removed from town.

First Settlers. - The first white settler in East Bridgewater appears to have been Samuel Allen, Jr., who came from East Braintree as early as IGGO, and erected a house on the east side of Mattield River, near where the Bridgewater Branch Railroad crosses that stream. He was the second town clerk of Bridgewater from 1G83 to 1702, and a deacon o\' the church. His large landed estate extended from Matfield River to and included the greater part of the Centre A'illage, the burial-ground, the common, and the plain. Ensign Josiah Standish is said to have resided in Ea.<t Bridgewater a few years following its settlement. If so, he may have lived in the same liouse with Samurl Allcu, who was his brother-in-law.

In 1002, Nicholas Byram arrived here from \Veyuiouth, and built a liouse near Snell Sleadow Brook, where Jotham Hicks now lives. This spot was in later times known as " the Capt. Whitiuan place," Capt. Isaac Whitmao having resided there many years. Mr. Byram had five shares of the whole tittysix into which the town of Bridgewater was divided, making an estate larger than that of any other proprietor.

The same year (16G2) Thomas Whitman came from Weymouth. He was born in England about 1G2'J, was a son of John Whitman, who settled, lived, and died in Weymouth, and son-in-law of Nicholas Bynmi, whose daughter, Abigail, he had married in KJ.'jG. His first house, it has been said, was built a few rods south of where Irving Bates now lives, near M.itfield River. This house was burned by the Indians, and he built another near Satucket River, on land a little south of Clark Swallow's residence. It i.s not fully decided whether the first house was really near Matfield or Satucket River. The late Deacon Josinh Whitman, a descendant of Thomas, assun.d me it was on Malficld River.

Thomas Whitman died in 1712, having lived fifty years in East Bridgewater. He built another house, whether second or third, where Clark Swallow nuw lives. He had a large estate, most of it in the form of a triangle, between Satucket and Matfield River.-.

The fourth settler was Robert Latham, who came from Marshfield about 1GG3, and built a house near Satucket River, directly south of the herring weir. He was an enterprising man (had in Marshfield held the important oflice of constable), and soon after settling here erected a saw-mill on Satucket River, a few rods below the weir.

History Op East Bridgewater

The next settler was William Brett. He was son of Elder William Brett, of West Bridgewater (whether he was born in England or in Duxbury is not known), was a deacon of the church and a valuable citizen. His house waa near where Spring Street | and Joseph M. Loucroft's brick-yard now are.

Of the first five houses thus far uientiuned, that of Robert Latham was burned by the Indians on Sunday, April 9, 1G7G. Three other houses were, according to tradition, burned in the course of King Philip's war, all probably some time previous to the close uf IGTtJ. The only one not burned was that of Nicholas Byram. The Indians gave as a reason for their not burning his house that he had been kind to them and given them cider. Mr. Byram had, perhaps, the first orchard in this town, and the Indians were not slow to appreciate the value of apples turned to such an account.

King Philip's war brought great distress upon the people here, but soon after Philip's death, which occurred Aug. 12, 1676, the tide of affairs began to turn ; new houses took the plates of those destroyed ; additional dwellings were erected ; and good cheer came in the form of money contributed by Christian friends in Ireland ; " the good .ship, the ' Katherine,' of Dublin," having been dispatched from the Emerald Isle to bring aid to the distressed colonists.

Immigrants from various places soon began to settle here. Experience Mitchell, who had landed in Plymouth in 1G23, one of the passengers in the third ship, the " Ann," and resided several years in Duxbury, came to East Bridgewater about 1680, and with his SOD, Edward Mitchell, built a house in what was for many years named Joppa (now Elmwood). Jonathan Ilill came from Dorchester some time before 1685, and erected a dwelling in Elmwood, a few rods south of the Bridgewater Branch Railroad bridge over Matfield River.

Isaac Harris, son of Arthur Harris, who was one of the original proprietors of Bridgewater, came with his sons, Isaac and Samuel Harris, perhaps as early as 1680, and settled on the north side of Satucket River, near the herring weir.

Francis and James Gary, sons of John Gary, the first town clerk of Bridgewater, settled here about 1685, Francis on the west side of Matfield River, in Elmwood. James in Beaver.

Isaac Alden settled here about 1685. He owned a large tract of land near Beaver Brook, and erected a house where Daniel N. and John Reed now live. The same year or earlier John Howard, Jr., settled in Elmwood. He lived on the Deacon Keen place.

Beaver about 1696, and built on Matfield River the first grist-mill in East Bridgewater. This waterprivilege has ever since been known as Shaw's Mills. Jeremiah Newland lived some time before 1700 " on the eastward end of the Great Plain."

Joseph Washburn was settled in East Bridgewater soon after King Philip's war in what is now called Satucket, and was the ancestor of some, if not all, of the Washburns of Kingston and Plymouth ; also of the Washburns of Worcester, famed for their success in iron manufactures.

The East Precinct or Parish of Bridgewater was incorporated in 1723. The names of the petitioners for an act of incorporation it has been impossible to find.

Incorporation of the East Precinct. - When that portion of Bridgewater now known as East Bridgewater voted to petition to be set off as a separate precinct, the Legislature chose a committee to inquire into the position and propriety of the same. What the petition was we have not been able to find out, but we give the doings of the Legislature, as follows, viz. :

" A Petition of the Inhabitanta of the Eiist End of tlio North Precinct in Bridgewater, shewing that it was voted in the said North Precinct that they should be set oft* a separate Precinct when they should be able to maintain a minister, which vote, they apprehend, waa countenanced, if not continued, by the General Court. That they now looli upon themselves capable of giving an Honorable Support to a Minister, and therefore praying that they may be set olT by a straight line running through the centre of the a'' North Precinct, and that Thirteen families of the South Precinct may be added to them.

" In the House of Representative?, Read and Ordered, that the North and South Precincts of the said Town bo served with a copy of this petition, tfcc. ; and that they may shew reason, if any they have, why the prayer thereof should not be granted, on the third Wednesday of May Sessions.

" The Petition of y' Inhabitants of the East End of the North Precinct in Bridgewater (as entered Dec. 22d, 1722), ivith the answers of the other part of the North Precinct and of the South Precinct were Read and fully considered, and the following Vote passed thereon, viz. :

" In Council : Ordered that Isuac Winslow and Samuel Tha\- tcr, Esq., with such as the Hon"'" House of Representatives shall appoint, be a Committee to repair to Bridgewater in the recess of the Court and hear the pleas and allegations of all Parties, and view the Town and consider the aituation and circumstances of the aeveral parts thereof, and make re]tort whether they judge it reasonable that the East end of the North Precinct be set otf aa a aeparate Precinct, antl, if so, whether any or all of the Thirteen or Fourteen Families prayed for t'roiu the South Precioct ought to be added to them, and by what lines the suid E.iat purt should he set off, the charge to he pnid by the Iubabit;inti of the East end of the North Precinct, who are the petitioners. In the House of Representatiire?, Read and Concurred, and ordered that Jo^iuh Cotton, Isaac Little, and John Quincy, Esq., he added to the Couimittee for the end and purposes above.

** Isaac Winslow, Esq., from a Committee of Both Houses, gave in the following Report as to a New Precinct in the Town of liridgewater, viz, :

"In obedience to an Order of the General Court, bearing date June 13th, 1723, the Committee appointed to repair to Dridgewater, and hear the pleas and allegations of all ])arties, and view tho Town, and consider the situation and circumstances of the .-.everal i>arts thereof, and make report whether they judge it reasonable that the East end of the North Precinct be set off as a separate Precinct, and if so, whether any or all of tho thirteen or fourteen families prayed for from the South Precinct ought to be added to them, and by what lines or bounds the said East Precinct should be set off.

'* Having accordingly met together at Bridgewater aforesaid on the 8th of July, 1723, .t performed the service aforesaid, are humbly of opinion that the East end of the North Precinct be set off as a separate Precinct, when they have procured a Constant, Learned, and Orthodox Minister among them, aud that the dividing line between the East i West Precinct, be a North tL .South Line from the Centre, and that nine of the thirteen or fourteen families i>rayed for from the South Precinct - viz., the Families of Barnabas Seabury, Thomas Latham, Charles Latham, Nicholas Wade, Nathaniel Harding, Thomas Hooper, Wm. Conant,^ Isaac La2ell,and Joseph Washburn (six 'if which have signed with the petitioners) - be set off to the said East Precinct, and that the great road which leads from Plymouth to the Town of Bridgewater bo the dividing line between the South and East Precincts, anil that they bo freed from bearing any charge in tho South Precinct,

'* In Council Read Jt Accepted, A ordered that the Ea.-t End of the North Precinct of Bridgewater be set off a distinct l Precinct accordingly. In the House of Representatives Read i Concurred, Dee, Uth, 1723.

Villages and Localities. - Ea.st Bridgewater contains a number of villages or hamlets; tiie principal one - often culled East Bridgewater or East Bridi^ewater Village, sometimes the Old Village - is near the centre of the town. Here are located three houses of worship, - the Unitarian, Methodist, aud Roman | Catholic, - the town hall, high school, post-oflRce, the I railroad station of the Bridgewater Branch, the i savings-bank, stores, iron-foundry, etc.

Elmwood Village (formerly Joppa), in tho south- | west corner of the town, has a post-office uf its own, and lies on the road to Bridgewater. There are the | New Jerusalem Church, stores, and shoe manufactories. The Elmwood Station of the Branch Railroad is at the crossing of West Street, near the house of Henry Hill. A little farther westward, on the same street, is the East and West Bridgewater Station of the Old Colony and Newport Railroad. A few rods from the depot is the stone which marks the spot where once stood the Centre ^T/ee, indicating the centre of the ancient town of Bridgewater. Near this station, where a few years ago was but one house, is a rapidly-growing little village.

Beaver Village, in the northwest part of the town, derives its name from the fact that the =treaiu running through it once abounded in Leavers, the remnants of their industry having been visible in recent years.

Satucket, in the south part of the town, contains on one side, not far from the E. Carver GiM-Wurk.->, the hill on which the territory of Bridgewater was purchased of the Indians.

Northville, in the northeast part of tlie town, was formerly called the Northeaat School District, where a few years ago was the first Methodist house of worship in the town.

Curtisville, in the southeasterly part of the town, near Hanson and Halifax, was named from Simeon Curtis, a respected resident, who died tliere in 1864.

Matfield is mostly on that part of Pleasant Street north of the Union meeting-house, and includes a part of West Bridgewater where are the Matfield post-office and railway-station of the Old Colony aud Newport Railroad,

Aubumville (formerly called West Crook), a school district in the north part of the town bordering on Abington, received its new name in 1873. On the incorporation of the town of South Abiugtou, in 1875, a large part of the district was set off to the new town. The remainder of the territory is still a part of East Bridgewater.

Each of the above-mentioned localities has its district school or schools, except Matfield. The children of the East Bridgewater part of Matfield attend the Beaver schools.

Post-Offices. - The first post-office in the old town of Bridgewater was established in the East Parish of Bridgewater, in November, 1799, and denominated the " Bridgewater Post-Office," Nahum .Alitchell, Esq, (afterwards Judge Miti-hell), was appointed the first postmaster. The post-office was kept in his lawoffice. Prior to 1799 there were but four post-offices in the county of Plymouth, and in the United States but six hundred and thirty-nine. Dr. Cornell, the mail-carrier, went on horseback carrying the mail from Boston to Bristol, R. I,, once in a week, Thursday was the regular day for him to appear at the post- office iD this village, but sometimes he did not arrive till the following Sunday. Before the office here began operations, people were accustomed to go to Weymouth for their letters. For the first few ycurs the number of newspapers taken here was small, and the amount of business done through the mail was very little.

Silvanus L. Mitchell was appointed postmaster, Nov. 30, 1831 ; Aaron Hobart (afterwards Judge Hobart), Feb. 4, 1835 ; Hector 0. A. Orr, March 31, 1836; Benjamin Watson Keith, July 1, 1861, and is the present incumbent.

The post-office in Northville Village was established Jan. 28, 1839, and Moses Bates, Jr., was appointed postmaster at the same date. John Woodbridge Jenkins was appointed postmaster Sept. 1, 1841. This office was discontinued Blarch 7, 1844.

The post-office in Joppa (now Elmwood Village) was established July 1, 1861, and Warren K. Churchill appointed postmaster at the same time. He still holds the position.

Tax-payers, 1729. - In order that the reader may get an idea of who the residents of the precinct were at an early date, we append a list of tax- payers' names for 1729, as follows:

" This Bill of assessment for Defraying County Charges, to be collected by Ebenezer Alden, was made Bridgewater December 15th, Anno Dom. 1729.

The above list of tax-payers belonged to that part of the parish located west of the meeting-house. The names of the males above mentioned taxed for real estate only were those of non-residents.

Assessment for 1757. - The list of assessments to defray the necessary charges arising in the East Precinct in Bridgewater, together with the Rev. John Angier's salary, and is to be collected by Zacharias

Sliaw, constable, made by us, the subscribers, this 9tli day of December Aduo Domini 1757. Sij^ned, Ebenezer Alden, Thomas Whitman, John Oreutt, assessors.

Assessments for 1778. - A list of assessment for the defraying the town and county cliarge for the year past, to be collected by Josiah Johnson, constable, and was made by us Jan. 24, 1778. Signed by David Kingman, Eleazer Cary, Josiah Richards, assessors for the town of Bridgewater.

A list of assessment for the Defraying: tlie Charge in the East Precinct in Bridgewater. togethrr with Rev" Mr. Angier'a Sallery, to be CoilecLcd by Jonathan Conant, Constable, made by us Jan. 28, 1778. Signed by David Kingman, Nathan Alden, Assessors for Euat Precinct, Bridgewater.