Genealogical notes of Barnstable families - citizen hylbom blog

GENEALOGICAL, NOTES OF BARNSTABLE FAMILIES. 483
vision of the common meadows, April 16, 1640, he had seven and
one-half acres assigned to him. The division of the common
lands and meadows in Sandwich was made "according to each
man's estate and condition," or "quality," a most aristocratic
rule. In the other towns there were three elements on which the
division was made: 1, personal rights; 2, to the owners of tenements
or dwelling houses ; and 3, the estate and quality. This
was an equitable mode. One third was distributed in equal
shares to the legal inhabitants, one third equally to the owners of
dwelling-houses, without reference to the cost, and the other third
to the inhabitants in the same proportion that taxes were levied.
The proprietors of Sandwich rejected the democratic prtnciples
involved in the first and second elements, and divided by the
third, literally observing the rule, "To him that has much, shall
much be given."
The division was made by a committee of ten, five representing
the aristocracy, and five the townsmen. The first five awarded
to themselves, one hundred and fourteen acres, nearly one third
of the whole. The other five were more modest iu their demands,
and took only forty and one-half acres,—leaving to be divided to
the other 56 inhabitants named, 214 1-2 acres, less than four
acres to each, 7 1-2 acres being awarded to Andrew Hallett, it
shows that he had at that time a good estate and was comparatively
a wealthy man.*
The farm of Andrew Hallett, in Sandwich, was that lately
owned by Paul "Wing, deceased, at the Tack P^actory village,
about in the center (from east to west) of the settlement made in
1637. This tract the Indians called Mos-keeh-tuk-gut.t
July 28, 1640, he sold his farm in Sandwich to Daniel Wing,
by whose descendants it was owned till recently. No consideration
is named, and the deed is a specimen of the brevity in which
conveyances of real estate were often made, in early times.
"I, Andrew Hallett of Sandwich, have sold unto Daniel
Wing, of same town, and to his heirs and assigns forever, my
dwelling-house in Sandwich, with three acres of land joyning to
it, and the corn now growing upon it, with the cow-house. It
lieth between the land of George ShawsonJ and William New-
*Thi9 is a fair specimen of the justice displayed by a majority of the first settlers in
Sandwich. By the aid of the notorious Barlo-vv. (father-in-law to the wife of Andrew Hallett,
Jr.j) they maintained their ascendency twenty fiye years, when they were succeeded
by a better class of men. Of the members of the Committee Mr. John Vincent, Richard
Bourne, Geo. Allen and Robert Bodflsh, should be excepted from the censure due
to the recorded acts of the committee.
fMr. Freeman says the Indian name of Sandwich was Shaume. He is mistaken,
Shaume or Shawmet, as its name implies, is a neck of land now known as Town Neck.
The swell of land on the south is sometimes called Shaume Hill; but there is no eyidence
that it was so named by the aboriginers.
Ihe first settlement in Sandwich was made at Manomet in 1627, and the foundation of
the trading house built that year can yet be traced, the spring fi:om which they obtained
water is yet to be seen, and the remams of the landing place or wharf. It is on the south
side of the river, about half a mile west of Monument Depot, on the Cape Cod Railroad.
A settlement was made at Mos-keeh-tuk-gut in 1637, and soon after at Scusset, Spring Hill