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Vol. 4, No.11 - 1 May 2003. Circulation: 100 and growing!
(C) 1999 Boylston Historical Society and Museum
7 Central St., PO Box 459, Boylston, MA 01505
boyhisoc@rcn.com 508-869-2720
Editors: Betty L. Thomas and Judith Haynes
Boylston Historical Society and Museum Web Page:
http://users.rcn.com/boyhisoc/
To subscribe or unsubscribe to the PotpourrEmail, or
to submit information to be included in the PotpourrEmail,
e-mail info to: boyhisoc@rcn.com

CONTENTS. Welcome; "The History of Boylston 1642-1741";
Tidbits; BHS News; On The Web; Humor

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Welcome to our Email newsletter! For those of you who are not
members of BHS and don't receive the snailmail newsletter, it is called
The Potpourri. Sooooo, we thought the appropriate name for this version
would be PotpourrEMAIL. This Email version is not meant to repeat or
copy the snailmail version, but to complement it, with the addition of
topics of interest to those with computer and web capabilities. If you
have a story to tell, information to impart, a good joke, computer
or web genealogy info, a Boylston genealogy query, or anything that would
be of interest to our readers--please Email us at:
boyhisoc@rcn.com

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"The History of Boylston 1642-1741"

The following is from Vol.II of the Historical Series.
This book is no longer available for sale, but there are bound
copies of all the Historical Series books in the Museum's Fuller
Research Library, the Boylston Public Library, and the
Allen County Public Library [Fort Wayne, IN.] There are drawings,
sketches and photos in the book that we cannot include
in this Email.

"The History of Boylston 1642-1741"
A Critical Edition of the Papers of George L. Wright
by William O. Dupuis
Volume II in the Boylston Historical Series
Revised edition 1978

Chapter 3
"The Mother Town of Lancaster"
by George L. Wright

The First Settler - John Prescott

There has been some question as to who was the first settler in Lancaster. It is certain that Richard Smith, Lawrence Waters, and John Hall were there in 1643-44. They built two houses, but John Hall was killed, and Smith and Waters were back in Watertown in 1647. Sometime between these dates, John Prescott went to Lancaster, and made it his permanent abiding place, remaining there until his death. He built the first corn-mill,in that section of Lancaster, now Clinton, ever erected in Worcester County. A tablet has been erected at the old Counterpane Mills, which marks the location of his mill. Mr. Willard, in his history of Lancaster, gives the honor of being the first permanent settler to him [Prescott], and the Rev. Dr. Nordin, in his later history of the town says, "there is no evidence that Smith and Waters had left except for temporary purposes. However this may be, Prescott deserves the honor among all the original associates of adhering to the enterprise, and of coming up to put in his lot with the hardy settlers. The others, while clinging to their interest, declined to aid in laying the foundations by personal toil and peril. Senator George F. Hoar gives him the same honor in the inscription upon the tablet erected by the town of Lancaster near the time-worn, and almost illegible headstone in the old Indian Cemetery.

Thomas Sawyer was closely connected with John Prescott in the settlement of Lancaster. He married, Mary, the daughter of Prescott, and with him was named as one of the prudential men selected by the General Court in 1653 to manage the town affairs and make allotments of land among the settlers. He came back to Lancaster after the abandonment of the town in 1676 and remained there until his death. He left numerous descendants and was the ancestor of all families bearing the name of Sawyer in Lancaster, Bolton, Berlin, Boylston, Clinton, Harvard, Leominster, Sterling, and West Boylston.

After the cessation of the Indian troubles, Lancaster began to take on new and rapid growth, and upon the formation of Worcester County in 1731, it was proposed to make it the shire town of the new county. It was the oldest, and at that time, the wealthiest and most prosperous town, and was the most conveniently located of the towns then settled or about to be settled; but the project was abandoned at the solicitation of some of the people of the town as prejudicial to the morals and good order of the town, and so the honor went to Worcester, and with it the attendant wealth and prosperity.

The George Tahanto Grant

In 1713 an important addition was made to the original territory of Lancaster by the purchase of the "New" or "Additional Grant" from George Tahanto [20], a nephew and successor of Sholan. This grant included the ancient capital, or dwelling place, of Sholan, and both of the Washacum Ponds, the great part of Sterling and portions of Leominster, Boylston, West Boylston and Harvard. The Indian deed, or bond, conveying this tract reads as follows:

"Know all men by these present that I,George Tahanto, Indian Sagamore, for and in consideration of what money, namely, twenty pounds, was formerly paid to Sholan, my uncle, sometimes Sagamore of the Nashuah,for the purchase of said township, and also 46 shillings formerly paid by Ensign John Moore and John Houghton of said Nashuah to James Wiser alias Queuepenett, now deceased, but especially for and in consideration of eighteen pounds part paid and the rest secured to be paid by John Houghton and Nathaniel.Wilder, their heirs, executors and assigns forever, a certain tract of land on the west sides of the westward line of Nashuah township adjoining to said line and butts southerly for the most part on Nashuah River bearing westerly toward Wachusett Hills and runs northerly as far as Nashuah township and which land and meadows be it more or less to be to the said Ensign John Moore, John Houghton and Nathaniel Wilder, their heirs and assigns to have and to hold forever. And, I, the said George Tahanto, do hereby promise and engage to procure an order from the Honored General Court for their allowance and confirmation of the sale of said land as aforesaid, and also I will show and mark out the bounds of said land in convenient time not exceeding four months and also make such deeds and conveyances as may be necessary for the confirmation of the premises and that also I, the said George Tahanto, do by these presents, fully satisfy and confirm, all and ever the said township of Nashuah alias Lancaster, to the inhabitants and proprietors thereof, according as it was formerly granted to them or their associates by my uncle Sholan, and laid out to them by Ensign Thomas Noyes and confirmed by the Hon. General Court;For the performance of all the above said, I, the said George Tahanto, have set my hand and seal this 26th day of June in the tenth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William the Third, over England, etc. King, Anno Domini 1701."

George Tahanto - his mark
Mary Aunscaumg
Signed and sealed in the presence of: John Guild -his mark, John Aquitticus- his mark, John Wonsquon -his mark,
Peter Puckataugh his mark, Jonathan Wilder- his mark
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Notes:
20. For whom Tahanto Regional High School is named.

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Tidbits
1931 Deaths

Date - Name of Decease - ageY/M/D - Residence - Birthplace - Cause of Death - Place of Burial

Jan. 20
Ida E. Butterfield -75/4/14 -Boylston- (Braggville) -Pueumonia- Pine Grove C., Boylston
M. N. Higgins- Milford - [Wid. of Lester D.]

Jan. 24
Henry J. Scott -56/6/20- Boylston- Finland- Cario veo Renal- Pine Grove C., Boylston.

Jan. 26
Henry E. Olsen -25/3/- Boylston- Boston -PulmonaryTuberculosis- Pine Grove C.,Boylston.

Feb. 10
Hector F. McRae -66/-/- Boylston- Scotland -Compelation Artioscellosis and myocarditis -Pine GroveC., Boylston

Feb. 21
Mary S. Beldskeis -/3/7 -Boylston- Worcester- Hydrocephalus -Notre Dame C., Worcester

Mar. 3
Charles Keisling- 39/5/7- Boylston- Clinton- PulmonaryTuberculosis- Pine Grove C., Boylston.
[World War Veteran ]

Mar. 24
Henry Loring Reed -85/1/27-Boylston -Boylston -Apoplexy -Pine Grove C., Boylston

May 20 J
Joseph Carroll -55/-/- Boylston-Lithuania -Lobar Pneumonia- Notre Dame C., Worcester

June 22
Eva M. Bunker -62/0/11- Boylston -Northbridge(Whitinsville) -ChronicMyocarditis and Cerebral Hemorrhage-Pine GroveC., Boylston [Wife of William O. and M. N. Gilmore]

Oct. 11
John H. T'iemyer -55/11/3 -Boylston -Worcester- Cardio Renal- Hope 0., Worcester

Oct. 29
Maurice Brown- 62/-/- Boylston- England -Cerebral Disease -St. John's C., Worcester

Dec. 3
Ruth L. Boyden- 47/10/10- Boylston- Cambridge- Hemorrhage/Carcinoma- Pine Grove C., Boylston

1931 Marriages

Date - Name of Parties - Residence - Place of Marriage - By Whom Married

Apr. 3 - Harold J. Christensen - Boylston -Worcester - John A. Eckstrom, Clergyman
Delia, A. McGowan - Boylston

Apr. ?_ Ernest R Andrews-Spencer - Worcester - S. W. Sharp, Clergyman
Ruth E. McCausland - Boylston

May 30 - William G. Colburn - Boylston - Worcester - John E. W. Turpet, Clergyman
Bertha E. Johnsonn - Worcester

May 30 - Edward C. Hempel - Medfield - Boylston - Frederic W. Manning, Clergyman
Marion A. Smith - Orange

June 8- Leslie E. Tyler - Worcester - Boylston - Frederic W. Manning, Clergyman
Hazel E. Runnelle - Worcester

July 25- Herman E. Greenough - Lunenburg - Boylston - Frederic W. Manning, Clergyman
Marguerite C. Allen - Boylston

Aug. 10 - Stanislaus Martinewteous - Worcester - 'Worcester - Augustone Petraitis, Priest
Anna (Cidebras) Kupstal - Boylston

Aug. 15 - Edwin O. Backholm-Boylston - Westborough - Herman F. Fisher, Minister of the Gospel
Grace E. W. Dean - Boylston

Aug. 22 - Eric A. Scott - Boylston - Worcester - John Eckstrom, Clergyman
Florence J. Buxton - Worcester

Oct. 10 - Joseph H. Bassinel - Boylston - Shrewsbury - Thomas F. McKeon, Priest
Susan E. (Duff) Laflin - Worcester

Oct. 10 - Frederick Q. Clark - Worcester - Hartford, Conn - Frederic H. Jacobs, Minister
Mabel L. Alsterberg - Boylston

Oct. 12 - Wa1ter A. Penze - Northborough - Boylston - William G. Poor, Minister or-the Gospel
Ruth Cutler - Boylston

Oct. 19- Herbert N. Gibbs - Nantucket - Boylston - F'rederic W. Manning, Clergyman
Isakil Coffin - Nantucket

Oct. 24 - Edwin S. McCausland - Boylston - ? - Percy H. Hickhox, Minister of the Gospel
Elizabeth D. Miller - Worcester - Worcester

Nov. 24. - George -E..MacDonald - Worcester - ? - Edward D. Disbrow, Minister of the Gospel
Blanche Burdette - Worcester - Boylston

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BHSM News

2003 PROGRAMS and EVENTS
All Programs open to the public and
held at the Society (unless otherwise noted).
7 Central St., Boylston
Donations at the door are gratefully accepted!

Upper Flagg Pond - a slide lecture by Dr. Bob Haynes. Learn about the history, biology, and mysteries of Boylston's Flagg Pond.
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 7:30 pm
*Please Note Change of Date*
Members - $2 Non-Members - $3 Under 18 - free
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Memorial Day Open House - Come and visit!!! Monday, May 26, 2003, 10am to 2pm
Free Museum admission - Look for our "Attic Sale" on the Green!
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WE NEED- Items for our Attic Sale on Memorial Day. Keep us in mind while you are doing your spring cleaning. You may drop items off at the museum during open hours or call 508-869-2720 to arrange a pick up.
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Annual Meeting/ Dinner - Thursday, June 12
at the Manor in West Boylston
6 p.m. Cocktails (cash bar)
7 p.m. Dinner buffet [to include American and Greek cuisine]
$25/ per person
We need your reservation no later than Tuesday, June 3rd.
Call the BHSM at 508-869-2720 to make your reservation.
RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

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Visit the gift shop
http://www.ultranet.com/~boyhisoc/gift.htm

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On the Web

Cinco de Mayo
http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm
http://www.mexonline.com/cinco.htm

Sir Thomas Lipton - birthday 5/10/1850
http://members.aol.com/acalendar/May/lipton.html

Garland Day
http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/festivals/may.html

19th - Execution of Anne Boleyn [1504-1536]
http://www.englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/boleyn.html
http://tudorhistory.org/boleyn/
http://www.britannia.com/bios/aboleyn.html

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -birthday 5/22/1859
http://www.ash-tree.bc.ca/acdsbio.html
http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/

Decoration Day [Memorial Day]
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2328/memday.htm
http://virtual-markets.net/vme/memorial/dvm_mem.html
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyseneca/memorial.htm

Daniel David Palmer - on May 27 he was convicted of practicing medicine without a licence in Scott City, Iowa.
http://www.chirohelp.com/palmer.html
http://www.chirobase.org/12Hx/discovery.html
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Humor -

From National Genealogical Society Quarterly 91, March 2003, page 30
Singular Will and Funeral
North River Times, Haverstraw, NY, 5 September 1834, page 1
Among curious wills, that of Luis Cartusius. a Judge of Padua, deserves to be mentioned;---here are some of the principle [sic] articles: ---1st. I forbid my house being hung with black after my death, and I desire that all who attend my funeral may be dressed in green. 2nd. --I require that there be collected all the violins, and all the flutes, and all the drums in the city, in order that they may accompany me to my long home. 3rd. - I name for my heir the person who shall laugh most at my interment.

Never did a funeral present a more singular appearance. There were all the relations of the deceased striving to laugh, with as much sincerity as under the usual circumstances they would have endeavored to cry. The will was disputed by a near relative, as the production of a madman; but the lawyer who was retained to defend it, maintained that Judge could never be charged with madness, and upon this conclusive reasoning the will was pronounced valid.

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Previously published by PotpourrEMAIL,
PotpourrEmail, Vol. 4, No.11 - 1 May 2003. Please visit
Boylston Historical Society and Museum's main Web page at
http://users.rcn.com/boyhisoc/
This newsletter is distributed monthly, on the first day of the month,
to all Boylston Historical Society members (who have Email!), genealogists,
and friends who have a special interest in the history of the town of
Boylston.
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boyhisoc@rcn.com
508-869-2720
Boylston Historical Society
PO Box 459
Boylston, MA 01505
Web Page: http://users.rcn.com/boyhisoc/