History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

358 HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
wilderness, we now write Framiiigham. So on the
west, — oil which side tlie town is two miles square
larger than it was at first, — instead of the wilder-
ness we write Marlborough, which is an offshoot
of Sudbury, and was at the outset largely settled
by Sudbury men.
Our fathers purchased this extent of land, five
miles square, of an Indian called Cato, for the sum
of £5. The original name of this Indian is not
known. In addition to his name, Cato, he was
called Goodman, and the hill a little south of the
Congregational Meeting-house at Sudbury Centre,
as it is in 1879, on the left side of the road as you
go south, is designated Goodman's Hill. It is
where Cato (Goodman) had his wigwam.
The following, taken from the Suffolk Registry
of Deeds, is a true copy of the original deed given
by Cato —
:
" Bee it known vnto all men by these presents
that I Cato otherwise Goodman for & in consideration
of fyve pounds w'''^ I have received in commodities
& wompumpeage of Walter Hayne &
Hugh Griffin of Sudbury in behalf of themselves
& the rest of the planters of Sudbury ; doe this my
write in give & grant bargain & sell vnto the said
Walter Hayne — (Haine) — & Hugh Griffin & the
said planters of the town of Sudbury so much land
southward & so much land westward next adjoin-
ing to a tract of land w'='' I said Cato formerly
souled unto George Munnings & the rest of the
planters of Sudbury as may make the bounds of
the said town to be full fyve miles square w* all
meadows, brooks, liberties priviledges & apperte-
nances thereto belonging w"' all the said tract of
laud granted. And I grant vnto them for me &
mine heirs & brethren that I & they shall & will
at any tyme make any further assurance in writing
for the more p'fct assuring of the s'd land & all
tlie premises w"* the appertenances vnto the s'd
Walter Haine & Hugh Griffin & the s*! planters
& their successors forever as they shall require.
" In witness whereof I herevnto put my hand
& seal the twentieth day of the fourth month one
thousand six hundred fourty eight."
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Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of
"Emmanuel Downing
Epiiraim Child
CuTCiiAMEKiN [mark]> ,
'
, r bmtlier!. I T ol Cato. I
JoJKNNY [iiiarkj
)
" This deed was sealed & acknowledged by the
s'^ Cato (who truly understood the contents of it
the day & year above written) Before mee.
"John Winthrop, Governor."
In Book IX., pages 344 to 352 inclusive, in. the
Registry of Deeds at East Cambridge, is a record
in full of the original deed given by the Indian
proprietors to Sudbury, of two miles square on the
west. This deed is very lengthy, — too much so
to be inserted here in full, interesting as it is, — and
consequently only an abstract of it will be given.
"Forasmuch as the Gen' Court of the Massa-
chusetts Colony in New England hath formerly
granted to the Town of Sudbury in the County of
Middlesex in the same Colony, an addition of land
of two miles westward of their former grant of five
miles, which is also layd out & joynetli to it : and
whereas the English occupiers, proprietors and
possessors thereof, have chosen Capt. Edraond
Goodenow, Leifi Josiali Haynes, John Goodenow,
John Brigham & Joseph Freeman to be a comittee
for themselves & for all the rest of the English
proprietors thereof, giving them their full power to
treat with & to ])urchase the same of the Indian pro-
prietors of the s'' tract of land & to satisfy & pay
them for their native, ancient & hereditary right
title & interest thereunto.
" Know all Peoi)le by these presents That Wee,
Jehojakim, John Magus, John Muskqua & his two
daughters Esther & Rachel, Benjamin Bohue, John
Speen & Sarah his wife, James Speen, Dorothy
Wennetoo & Humphry Bohue her son, Mary
IVeppamun, Abagail the daughter of Josiah Harding,
Peter Jethro, Peter Muskquamogh, John Bo-
man, David Munnoan & Betty who are the ancient
native & hereditary Indian proprietors of the
afores'' two miles of land (for k in consideration
of the just & full sum of twelve pounds of current
money of New England to them in hand well &
truly paid at or before the ensealing & delivery
hereof by the said Capt. Edmond Goodenow, Leift
Josiah Haines in behalf of themselves & of
the rest of the English possessors, occupiers, pro-
prietors & fellow-purchasers) the recipt whereof
tliey do hereby acknowledge & therewith to be
fully satisfied, contented & paid &: thereof & of
every part & parcell thereof they do hereby for
themselves & their heyrs Executors Administrators
& Assigns clearly fully & absolutely release, acquit,
exonerate & discharge them & all the English possessors
. . . . & all & every one of their heyrs ....