Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/details/actoninhistoryOOflet_0 ACTON IN HISTORY. COMPILED FOE THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY HISTORY. PUBLISHED BY J. W. LEWIS & CO., OF PHILADELPHIA, with MAP AND ILLUSTRATIONS ADDITIONAL, i; v REV. JAMES ELETCHER. Copyright is!hi isy J, W. Lewis Go., transferred ro Rev. .ia.mks Fletcher. PHILADELPHIA am. BOSTON: J. W. LEWIS & CO., 1890. INTRODUCTORY NOTE. Thanks are hereby expressed to the publishers, J. W. Lewis & ('(>.. of Philadelphia, for their generosity and courtesy in providing the printed extras for the Acton Local, a1 such reduced rates. To the owners of the expensive c'hoice steel plates, — for the tree use of the same. To Rev. F. I'. Wood, for his accommodation in the matter of engraving blocks. To the Pratt Brothers, for their indulgence in the same line. To George C. Wright, for furnishing the new photo-electrotype block of the oil painting of ('apt. Isaac Davis' wife, which has never before been printed for the public eve. The oil painting was a remarkable likeness of the venerable lady, taken by the best artist when she was in her 92d year. It was photographed by Mr. Wright, several years ago in New York, where he found it with some of the descendants. He has had this photograph photo-eleetro- typed for the uses of the Acton Local. It is a rare, historic gem. Thanks are also due to Mrs. Winthrop E. Faulkner for the photo-electrotype engraving of the crayon sketch of her husband, a fine facsimile of the original. To Arthur H. Cowdry, M. I)., of Stoneham, for the block of his father, so highly prized by all. To lion. William A. Wilde, who again has shown his appreciation of his birthtown by the gilt of the frontispiece picture of this book, and also of the photo-electrotype of his own person. To Horace F. Tattle, for his gratuitous services, of the last winter months, in drawing and compiling the original for the lithographic map of Acton. To the public in general, for their response, in interest and subscriptions, to the work, which is now submitted to them in trust. JAMES FLETCHER. Acton, Mass.. Dec. 1^. 18U0. 1 . ACTON IN HISTORY. COMPILED BY REV. JAMES FLETCHER. (ONI E N T S I'AGB Colonist] lr©riocl 238-240 \ null) \V Mi. ii 1 A Pn vi r»c t \ri>i'tiini'_iiiitwi* iiH rii^i .mm i in^-i . 241-:! Iloricc V Tuttle's Mail Sketch 272-4 1 > Ucv. .Tolui Swift 24:!-5 1 1 i 1 1 1 V ^ \ 1 i i 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 i I 1 1 •>7-l-7 •> 1 s 1 1 IIC I fllH'U'IH^ 246-7 Tin- Wnr nf 277 8 *i, 1 |, I. 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 C 1 1 ^ 1 lio IJrooks 1 jivorn 2*7g-j i 1 ' "<J7 1 1 v u''i x'c niwl \ i ii il.'c 1 1 » 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 . i ^ i 1 1 i 1 I' It'll Ill'ilH Mt ilH IK' lU'l _ 1 ' > •'4T-S ( • l ' J 1 I 1 ( ip t . JIH'.^KIIIIHI 1 H'llH Mil \ H IL,R. 'Ivl Mil. * 1 m 11. H M 28( i I 1 > 1 > ll, \ 1 1 i i ' < l \ l 1 1 I \V \ tu 1 1 <l 1 SUQdeC 240 a. 1 "Ki M M i. l > 'St * » 1' ' i i i • \ r 1 1 i i u v 1 1 1 1 1 ( i 1 1 1 1 1 . 1)1 \ 1 1 1 1 1 1 >s>> I \ \ . 3H»st\s .. YU<1 Ml.S 240-50 TIip \ nril Iftftl Ml \. .Mill Sllcvii OUCUU . • . • 250-1 19£h of •>S'! Revolutionary Preliminaries 250,1-2-:! The Davis Guards1 Reception 284 The Faulkner Homestead 253-4 The civil War Record. Bj Lut'.ici- Conant, Est 1. 2S4-7 (Hi. Winthrop E. Faulkner 255 ('apt. Isaac Davis' Route to North Bridge 255 Hon. William A. Wilde Luther Blancbard 256 The Tablet List by Julian Tuttle . 280 James II ax-ward 257 The Congregational Church 200 Aimer Hosmer 257 Rev. James T. Woodbury '00 Mrs. Mehitable Piper 257 Rev. .1. T. Woodbury's S]>eeeli . 357-61 20:! Capt. Isaac Davis 261 204-5 Capt. Isaac Davis' Wife 201-2 Men of the Revolution 263 Graduates of College 200-7 The French ami Indian War - 204 The Second Meeting' House . 204-5 299-0 William D. Tuttle's Sketch 20(5-0 Deaths of the Oldest Persons 301 A. A. Wyman's Sketch . 269-76 Biographical Sketches Mrs. John Hapgood's Sketch of West Acton 27(1-1 PHILADELPHIA AND BOSTOX: .1. W. LEWIS & ('(>.. 1^00. AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF ACTON. BY REV. JAMES FLETCHER. REPRINTED FROM THE "HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF ACTON. The hope of rescuing from the wreck of oblivion some of the precious | tween the two towns is a portion of the old Concord relics of the past has been the solace of care in the preparation of this work. Hearty thanks are here expressed and acknowledgments made to those ' on that side. who have contributed with the pen anil the memory in aid of the sketch. The Acton boundary extended leads to a heap of William D. Turtle, Esq., the town clerk, and his son, Horace P., have rendered important assistance in gathering facts from the town records. lichen-covered boulders, surmounted by a stake. F. Tuttle history, and The historical map prepared by Horace for the This ancient monument is near the top of a hill which it was hoped could be published in the same, is a valuable acquisi- tion for future reference lis important items are given. It should be in the southwesterly part of Carlisle, and undoubtedly printed and doubtless will be soou. Rev. Dr. Knowlton, Rev. F. marks the old northwest corner of Concord. P. Wood, Rev. Mr. Heath, A. A. Wyman, Esq., Horace Hosnier and his daughter Bertha, Deacon Samuel Hosnier, Mrs. John Hapgood, Mrs. It was identified and pointed out to Chas. H. Walcott, Lottie Klagg, Luther Conant, Esq., Moses Taylor, Esq.. and Luke Smith of Concord, on the ground by Major B. F. Heald, of have rendered essential service in gathering up the fragments that that nothing be lost. Carlisle, who says he has often heard his father and The Centennial address of Josiah H. Adams, Esq., Shattuck's " History other ancient men, long since deceased, speak of this of Concord " and the "Colonial History " of Charles H.C. Walcott have been freely consulted in the compilation. bound as marking the old Concord corner. The history of Acton seems to the writer in the review like a romance Everything goes to corroborate this testimony. The dropped freshly from the skies. It is in reality a plain tale of persons place the of " and events which have consecrated for all time this locality. was commonly known by name Berry James Fletcher. Corner," and was the original northeast corner of Coloxial Period.—Acton, tweuty-four miles Acton, but in 1780 (statute passed April 28, 1780) a northwest of Boston, has on the north Littleton and portion of that town near this point was included in what was then constituted the District of Carlisle, Westford ; on the east Carlisle and Concord ; on the and subsequently formed a part of the town of the south Sudbury. Maynard and Stow ; and on the west Boxboro' and Littleton. same name (Carlisle did not acquire all the legal characteristics of a town until February 1805—3 Acton at its incorporation, July 21, 1735, was 18, bounded by Sudbury, Concord, Billerica, Chelmsford, Special Laws, 497). Westford, Littleton and Stow, which then included Thomas Wheeler and others who came to Concord Boxborough. The principal part of what is now about 1639, found the most convenient of the lands Carlisle, then belonging to Old Concord, was set off already given out, and in 1642 petitioned for a grant as a part of the new town, Acton. of land on the northwest, which was conceded on The Carlisle District of Acton was incorporated as coudition that they improved the grant within two a separate town in 1780; the easterly part of Old years. Most of the lands were granted to Concord Concord was incorporated in the new town of Bed- for feeding. ford in 1729 ; and the southerly part of Old Concord They were not very accurately defined, being found was incorporated in the new town of Lincoln in 1754, upon actual survey to contain a greater number of so that from 1754 to 1780 the township of Acton was acres than nominally specified in the grants. larger than that of Concord, though much behind in A settlement was begun on these grants as early as wealth and population. At the time of Concord's in- 1656 and possibly a few years earlier. The Shepherd corporation, in 1635, what is now the Acton territory and Law families were among the first settlers. was not a part of Concord, but was granted to Con- Many of the meadows were open prairies affording, cord a few years after by the name of the " Concord with little or no labor, grass in abundance. Village," or the new grant covering nearly the pres- Some of the uplands had been cleared by the In- ent boundaries of Acton. The Willard Farms in- dians and were favorite places for feeding.