History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

Mr. Nathaniel Wade and Peter Tuffts, in behalf of
the inhabitants of Meadford, the Court judgeth it
meete to grant the petitioners request, and declares
that Meadford hath been and is a peculiar, and
hath power as otlier towns, as to prudentials, &c."
In fact, the views expressed by Frothingham
[Hisforj/ ofCharledomn, 70 - 92) seem entirely correct.
Medford was a plantation rather than a town
unto the date of the new charter. Its records begin
with the first Monday of February, 1677, when
"Joseph Wade, John Hall, and Stephen Willis
were chosen selectmen for ordering of the affairs
never came to New England, he sent his servants
and supplied them with money to build a house, a
ship-yard, a bridge, and to make other improve-
ments. Wood writes to this effect in IG^-i. After
Cradock's death, his widow and daugliter, in 16.52,
sold their land to Edward Collins. In 1656 Col-
lins sold the house and 1,600 acres of the land to
Eichard Russell of Charlestown; and in 1661 the
bart of Braintree (who sold, in 1678, to his brother-
in-law, John Whitmore of Medford), and other parts
to Stephen Willis or Willowes (another brotherin-law),
John Poulter (step-son of Whitmore),
Thomas Willis, and John Hall. Thus a family
settlement sprang up at this point. In 1660 Collins
sold 400 acres to Thomas Brooks and Timothy
Wheeler.
The following extracts will give some idea of the
early settlement at Medford. Wood's New Eng-
land's Prospect (Prince Society edition, p. 43) has
the following descriptions, which we modernize in
copying.
" Towards the northwest of this bay is a great
creek, upon whose shore is situated the village of
1 Brooks, p. 97.
'' That Governor Cradock's plantation was established prior
to September 28, 1630, is evident from the proceedings of an in-
quest taken from the colony records of that date :
" A jury impanelled to inquire concerning the death of Austen
Bratcher .... dying lately at Mr. Cradock's Plantation," ad-
judged Walter Palmer guilty of manslaughter. The date of this
occurrence is thus fixed between the courts of September 7 and
September 28. — Ed.
—
MEDFORD. 159
j
, a
, resort
Medford, a very fertile and pleasant place, and fit
for more inhabitants than are yet in it."
Again, p. 44, lie writes —
:
" The next town is Mistick, whicli is three miles
from Charlestown by land, and a league and a half
by water. It is seated by the water's side very
pleasantly ; tliere are not many iiouses as yet. At
the head of this river are great and spacious ponds,
wjiither the alewives press to spawn. This being
noted place for that kind of fish, the Englisli
hither to take them. On the west side of
this river the Governor has a farm, where lie keeps
of \h^ 2)1antalio V for the year ensuing." '
j most of his cattle. On the east side is Mr. Crad-
It is indisputable that the first establishment of dock's plantation, where he has impaled a park,
Medford came from the grant in 16:J4, by the where he keeps his cattle, till he can store it with
General Court to Matthew Cradock.- He is thought deer. Here, likewise, he is at charges of building
to have owned some 3,.j00 acres; and though he -ships. Tlie last year, one was upon the stocks of
a hundred tons ; that being finished, they are to
build one twice lier burden. Ships, without either
ballast or loading, may float down this river; other-
wise, the oysterbank would hinder them which
crosseth tlie channel."
In Winthrop's Journal, page 74, Vol. I., of the
edition of 1853, we find the following passage —
:
" The governor, being at his farm-house at Mis-
latter sold the house and 1,200 acres to Jonathan tick, walked out after supper, and took a piece in
Wade. In 1677 the Russell heirs sold 350 acres his hand, supposing he might see a wolf, (for they
to Peter Tufts. Collins seems later to have sold a came daily about the house, and killed swine and
farm of 500 acres, one eighth going to Caleb Ho- calves, etc. ;) and, being about half a mile off, it
grew suddenly dark, so as, in coming home, he
mistook his path, and went till he came to a little
house of Sagamore John, which stood empty.
There he stayed, and having a piece of match in
his pocket, (for he always carried about him matcli
and a compass, and in summer snake-weed,) he
made a good fire near the house, and lay down
upon some old mats, which he found there, and so
spent the night, sometimes getting wood, but could
not sleep. It was (through God's mercy) a warm
night ; but a little before day it began to rain, and
liaving no cloak, he made shift by a long pole to
chmb up into the house. In the morning, there
came tliither an Indian squaw, but perceiving lier
before she had opened the door, he barred her out
yet she stayed there a great while essaying to get
in, and at last she went away, and he returned safe
home, his servants having been much perplexed
for him, and having walked about, and shot off
pieces, and hallooed in the night, but he heard
them not."
Again, under date of February 7, 1631 - 32, we
find —
:
;