be wondered at that the redman finds out that he has been outwitted, and takes the natural means to retaliate. Through varied vicissitudes of rapine, fire and blood, the white man at length prevails and justifies his course by that pernicious idea that might makes right, or that he is a chosen instrument under Divine Providence to smite the heathen. This brings us down to historic times and henceforward imagination must be abandoned, fancy curbed and fact alone dealth with. The general government of the Colony, rightly considering that it would be unwise to permit individuals to select and appropriate to themselves large tracts of the best lands, appointed committees with authority to fix the bounds of new settlements and apportion to each settler a certain amount of land to be determined by position, wealth, services, etc., generous provision being first made for defense, the church and the school. The committee intrusted with the settlement of Quinsigamond-so Worcester was designated at first-was appointed in 1668 and consisted of Captain Daniel Gookin, Captain Daniel Henchman, Lieutenant Richard Beers and Thomas Prentice. Lieutenant Beers was slain by the Indians in 1675 and Captain John Wing was appointed in his place. A considerable part of the work of dividing the territory was left to Captain Henchman. To Captain John Wing were "Graunted' & layd out by Dauid Fiske Sworen Suruy within the Towne of worcester in New England order & with approbation of Daniel Henchman vnto Capt John Wing of Boston & vnto his heires and assigns for euer eightene ten accer planting lotts Six whereof are for his mills 3 lotts of Thomas Baker with one hundred And Eighty accers lying Aforsaid village a little to the Northward of the Cittadel; being platted in the General platt, made by the Suruaiors 1May 22, 1685, Prop.'s Rec., p. 42. & is bounded on the East with mil Brook, on the South with mr Adam winthrop & mr peirpoint lotts on the west with Simson in part & with lands not layd out as yet in part Bounded on the north with George Danson of Boston. "Together Herewith graunted to the said John wing & his heires for euer Eighteen Hutt lotts vpon part wherof his dwelling house & Barne now Standeth; moreouer granted to him & his heires & assigns for euer ten Rod of land round where his mills Standeth; together with the priuildge of the mill Booke to him only & his heires whilst Hee or they keep the mills in repaire for the towns vse. An additional grant' of enough to make 450 acres in all was made, the whole on the west side of the stream. About the same time George Danson of Boston, a baker, was granted 200 acres on the same side of the stream to the north as follows: "twenty lotts of ten accers each which amounts to two hundred acers and is for planting lotts eleven of which are in his own Right and the nine as assignee of Charles Creswait 3 of John Birge 3 and Samil Simpson 3 in all 9 which parcell of two hundred acers is lying and being to Norward of the Cittadall in woster bounds east with millbrook, south with Capt John wing, west and north with towne lands undivided and north pond Also twenty Hutt lotts in the cittadel" Trouble arising between Wing and Danson about their respective rights, after several lawsuits, a confiscation of Danson's land by Governor Andros, and a subsequent restoration thereof on his petition for the same, they entered their complaints before a committee consisting of Daniel Gookin, Sr., Thomas Prentice, William Bond, Sr., and Joseph Lynde "appointed and empowered by the Honorable President and Council of his Majesty's Territory in 1Oct. 10, 1718, Prop.'s Rec., p. 125. 2Oct. 5, 1685, Prop.'s Rec., p. 44. L New England, under date of June 11, 1686, to order and regulate all matters of settlement of the Plantations in Worcester, And in particular to have respect to and confirmation of those lands which were granted (or in part, or all laid out), by Capt Daniel Henchman deceased, or by his order." Said committee reported as follows: "At a meeting in Boston, July 9, 1685, they heard Capt John Wing and others and confirmed to him all lands laid out to him by Capt Daniel Henchman. By this decision we apprehended he would be satisfied and would make no further interruption. But since that George Danson of Boston, Baker, and David Fiske of Cambridge, Surveyor, have complained that Capt John Wing has hindered and opposed the Surveyor and broken his measuring chain as he was surveying said George Danson's lots, and Capt John Wing told said George Danson and the Surveyor they had no particular and full order from the Committee that the land was granted to said George Danson. Therefore we declare that George Danson and no other person is the true and just proprietor of those twenty planting lots of ten acres each containing 200 acres being in the Village of Worcester, and bounded south by Capt John Wing, north by a small pond and Common, east by Mill Brook, west by Common, which were granted to him forever by Capt Daniel Henchman. We order David Fiske to survey and return a plat to us to confirm said George Danson's title. We prohibit anyone to molest said surveyor or his work, or said George Danson, in the peaceable possession and improvement of said lands." A portion of George Danson's will is as follows:2 "In the name of God, Amen, in Boston in ye County of Suffolk in New England, this tenth day of December in the 1Aug. 2, 1686, b. 10, p. 132, Mid. Rec. year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred and eightynine and in the first year of William and Mary, King and Queen of England, I, George Danson, Baker, being in health of body and of Good and perfect memory (thanks be to God), and knowing that I am Mortall and therefore must Dye and not knowing how soon, have therefore thought fitt to make this my last Will and Testament following: * I will that the Residue of all and Singular my Goods, Chattels, Plate, Wares, Merchandizes and Debts to me owing shall be to my Dearly beloved Wife Elizabeth and my house and five hundred acres of Land belonging to itt Scituate Lying and being in the Township of Worcester. * * * I will and bequeath to my Dutifull Grandson George Crossweight, one Feather bed and one feather Boulster and one thousand Acres of Land be it more or less Scituate Lying and being in ye Township of Nepmugg Countrey. I give and bequeath to my Grandson Charles Crossweight, two hundred and ffifty Acres of Land Scituate Lying and being In the Township of Worcester Commonly Called or known by the Name of Burnt Cook plaine. I give to my Disobedient Grand Daugher Elizabeth Crossweight, two New England Shillings to Dispose of att Pleasure. I Will and appoint my Loveing Wife to be my Sole Executrix. my Overseers, John Comer of Gibbens, Hatter of Boston * Boston, Brasier & William ordering each of them Tenn Shillings to buy them a Gold Ring as a Token of my Love." An inventory of the property was filed1 February 1st, 1693-4. Personal £395-19-6. Real £140; of the latter 506 acres in Worcester was valued at £100, or about one dollar an acre. April 5, 1694,2 Mrs. Elizabeth Oakes, late Danson, filed her partial account. June 29, 1722,3 Mrs. Oakes having deceased, Thomas 1B. 13, p. 346, Suff. Reg. Prob. 2B. 13, p. 390, Suff. Reg. Prob. 3B. 22, p. 589, Suff Reg. Prob. Palmer, Esq., and Cornelius Waldo, merchant, of Boston, were appointed administrators of the remainder of said estate. No conveyance of this particular portion of Mr. Danson's real estate has been discovered, and by what means it became the property of John Wing is unknown.' Captain John Wing made his will, February 24, 1701; it was filed in the Suffolk Registry of Probate,' February 14, 1703; he left a widow, Joshabeth, two sons, Robert and Cord, and two daughters, Elizabeth (Dowell) and Sarah (Tomlin), wife of Thomas. To his widow, in addition to that for her own, he gave a life interest in nearly all the rest of his estate, which at her death was to go to his son Cord, described as follows: "my Farm House and Land lying and being in Worcester in the County of Middlesex, with four hundred acres be it more or less, on the west side of the River, there and runs to the North Pond and Westerly to the top of Prospect Hill where there is a markt Tree and carrying the same breadth to the North Pond, with all Meadows and Swamps. And also one hundred acres of plain pine Land. Together with all such Meadows, lotts, pieces or parcels of Land as are due to me by Deeds or Towne Records wheresoever the same is or can be found belonging to me in the said Towne or Township of Worcester." Our first impression is that Captain Wing was a rich man, but an inventory of his property gave his real estate at £160 12 shillings and his personal at £176 8 shillings 10 pence. Two hundred years ago property in Worcester was not worth as much as it is to-day. "Sarah Tomlin (daughter of Captain Wing), of Boston, Widow, conveyed' to Edward Lyde, David Jeffries and John Oulton, all of Boston, all my right, title and interest in and to the several tracts or parcels of lands, all the Real 1For an exhaustive treatment of this matter between Wing and Dawson, consult "Incidents in the First and Second Settlements in Worcester, by Francis E. Blake. 2No. 2793, b. 15, p. 122, 233, and b. 17, p. 182. 8Feb. 17, 1705. *Sept. 5, 1716, b. 18, p. 146, Mid. Rec. |