Westborough Town

Westborough Town

THE following sketch of the History of Westborough appears in the Massachusetts Historical Society's Collections, Second Series, vol. x. p. 84. It is entitled *-' An Account of Westborough (Mass.), by Rev. Ebenezer Parkman, Jan. 28, 1767."

This town was formerly part of Marlborough^ and called Chauncy. It is said that in early times one Mr. Chauncy was lost in one of the swamps here, and that from thence this part of the town had its name. Two ponds, a greater and a less, are also called Chauncy, - most probably from the same cause. ^

Marlborough was divided by an Act of the General Court Nov. 19, 17 17, and with the addition of three thousand acres of Province land, and some farm lands, this township was erected. In the fall of the next year, the first meeting-house was raised. The first families were twenty-seven. All the first settlers were about forty.

In June, 1728, a part of Sutton land, about nineteen hundred acres, having ten settlers upon it, was laid to us ; and there have been some small additions of land from other towns since ; from places from the southeast part of Shrewsbury ; and tluree from the northwest part of Upton.

^ There are six ponds here ; the largest of them, or great Chauncy pond, is in the midst of the township, as originally granted, and is about a mile in length. It was by the Indians anciently termed Naggawoomcom, or Great Pond. There is another pond, which was called Hobbumocke, from some supposed infernal influence, which a man was unhappily under nigh that pond, from morning till the sun sat. The River Assabet ( I never knew the meaning of that name) flows through this town. Its source is a little above us. Passing through several other towns, at length it fills into Merrimack.

A church was gathered here Oct. 28, 1724 ; there being twelve members besides the writer, who was that day ordained the pastor. Rev. Mx.John Prentice, of Lancaster, preached from 2 Cor. xii. 15. He also gave the solemn charge ; and Rev. Mr. Israel Loring. of Sudbury, the right hand of fellowship. The number of families when I come here was fifty-eight.^

October 20, 1744, the town of Westborough^ consisting of 125 famiUes, was, by an Act of the General Court, divided into two precincts, the north part being indeed very small.

May 21, 1746, a church was gathered in the north precinct, and Rev. Mr. John Martyti was ordained the pastor. [Rev. Mr.] Parkmaji preached on that occasion from Heb. xiii. 17 ; Rev. Mr. Prentice aforesaid gave the charge ; and Rev. Mr. Cushijig, of Shrewsbury, the right hand.

In the year 1765 the north precinct was, by an Act of the General Court, made a district by the name of Northborough. The number of communicants in Northborough is twenty-one males and twenty-three females.

The present number of families here, in the town, is 120; of church members, including those who occasionally communicate with us, as members of other churches, and a number who, living so contiguous to us as to be nigher here than to their own meeting-house, have therefore joined to our church, but without counting many who are gone into various parts of the country and are not dismissed from us, 130.

^ Mr. Daniel Elmer, a candidate for the ministry, from Connecticut River, preached here several years, and received a call from the people ; but there arose dissention, and though he built upon the farm which was given for the first settled minister, and dwelt upon it, yet by the advice of an ecclesiastical council he desisted from preaching here ; and a quit-claim being given him of the farm, he sold, and with his family removed to Springfield in 1724. He was afterwards settled in the ministry at Cohanzy in the Jerseys, and I suppose died there.

On Aug. 8, 1704, ten Indians rushed down from an hill upon a number of boys who were with divers persons that were spreading flax on the plain below ; they slew one of the boys immediately, and captivated four, three of which continued and grew up in Canada. One of them^ was a sachem many years ago, and well known to Heridrick, the Mohawk chief, when he was here. Colonel Lydius, of Albany, informs me that he is the present principal sachem of the Caghnawaga tribe, near Montreal.

Index

place, the Miletus, 46. Hero, Dr. J. H., 377, 378. Hervey, Rev. Nathaniel, 232. Hevvins, Jeremiah, 365. Hibernians, Ancient Order of, Division

Indian history and legend, 4-9 ; names, 5, 9; treatment by earliest settlers, 10- II ; character, 21, 27 ; attack on Marlborough, 26 ; attack on Chauncy village, 36, 481 ; murder of Mary Goodnow, 40 ; titles, 454.

first chosen, 103. Republican party, 212, 246, 266. Rescue Hook & Ladder Co., 3S7, 390. Reservoirs, 386. Restorationist Society, 233. Revolutionary War, beginning of, 150-

Source changes here: from The History of Westborough, Massachusetts, by DeForest, Heman Packard, published 1891; 806 words in this source stream.

Westborough Town

THE following sketch of the History of Westborough appears in the Massachusetts Historical Society's Collections, Second Series, vol. x. p. 84. It is entitled " An Account of Westborough (Mass.), by Rev. Ebenezer Parkman, Jan. 28, 1767."

This town was formerly part of Marlborough, and called Chauncy. It is said that in early times one Mr. Chauncy was lost in one of the swamps here, and that from thence this part of the town had its name. Two ponds, a greater and a less, are also called Chauncy, - most probably from the same cause.1

Marlborough was divided by an Act of the General Court Nov. 19, 1717, and with the addition of three thousand acres of Province land, and some farm lands, this township was erected. In the fall of the next year, the first meeting-house was raised. The first families were twenty-seven. All the first settlers were about forty.

In June, 1728, a part of Sutton land, about nineteen hundred acres, having ten settlers upon it, was laid to us ; and there have been some small additions of land from other towns since ; from places from the southeast part of Shrewsbury ; and three from the northwest part of Upton.

1 There are six ponds here ; the largest of them, or great Chauncy pond, is in the midst of the township, as originally granted, and is about a mile in length. It was by the Indians anciently termed Naggawoomcom, or Great Pond. There is another pond, which was called Hobbumocke, from some supposed infernal influence, which a man was unhappily under nigh that pond, from morning till the sun sat. The River Assabet ( I never knew the meaning of that name) flows through this town. Its source is a little above us. Passing through several other towns, at length it fills into Merrimack.

A church was gathered here Oct. 28, 1724 ; there being twelve members besides the writer, who was that day ordained the pastor. Rev. Mx.John Prentice, of Lancaster, preached from 2 Cor. xii. 15. He also gave the solemn charge ; and Rev. Mr. Israel Loring, of Sudbury, the right hand of fellowship. The number of families when I come here was fifty-eight.1

October 20, 1744, the town of Wcstborough, consisting of 125 families, was, by an Act of the General Court, divided into two precincts, the north part being indeed very small.

May 21, 1746, a church was gathered in the north precinct, and Rev. Mr. John Martyn was ordained the pastor. [Rev. Mr.] Parkman preached on that occasion from Heb. xiii. 17 ; Rev. Mr. Prentice aforesaid gave the charge ; and Rev. Mr. dishing, of Shrewsbury, the right hand.

In the year 1765 the north precinct was, by an Act of the General Court, made a district by the name of Northborongh. The number of communicants in Northborough is twenty-one males and twenty- three females.

The present number of families here, in the town, is 120; of church members, including those who occasionally communicate with us, as members of other churches, and a number who, living so contiguous to us as to be nigher here than to their own meeting-house, have therefore joined to our church, but without counting many who are gone into various parts of the country and are not dismissed from us, 130.

1 Mr. Daniel Elmer, a candidate for the ministry, from Connecticut River, preached here several years, and received a call from the people ; but there arose dissention, and though he built upon the farm which was given for the first settled minister, and dwelt upon it, yet by the advice of an ecclesiastical council he desisted from preaching here ; and a quit-claim being given him of the farm, he sold, and with his family removed to Springfield in 1724. He was afterwards settled in the ministry at Cohanzy in the Jerseys, and I suppose died there.

Mr. Parkman'S History Of Westborough. 48 1

On Aug. 8, 1704, ten Indians rushed down from an hill upon a number of boys who were with divers persons that were spreading flax on the plain below ; they slew one of the boys immediately, and captivated four, three of which continued and grew up in Canada. One of them1 was a sachem many years ago, and well known to Hendrick, the Mohawk chief, when he was here. Colonel Lydius, of Albany, informs me that he is the present principal sachem of the Caghnawaga tribe, near Montreal.

Index

place, the Miletus, 46. Hero, Dr. J. H., 377, 378. Hervey, Rev. Nathaniel, 232. Hewins, Jeremiah, 365. Hibernians, Ancient Order of, Division

Indian history and legend, 4-9 ; names, 5, 9; treatment by earliest settlers, 10- 11 ; character, 21, 27; attack on Marlborough, 26 ; attack on Chauncy village, 36, 481 ; murder of Mary Goodnow, 40 ; titles, 454.