 |
|||||
An American Family History |
|||||
Richard and Elizabeth Linton |
|||||
England Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts |
|||||
Immigrant Ancestors |
|||||
|
Richard Linton and his wife, Elizabeth. married in England. Their daughter, Anna Linton Waters, was born about 1613. The family immigrated to American and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts. In 1639, the first inventory of grants and possessions showed that Richard Linton had eight acres bounded on the east by Hill Street, on the west by Thomas Smith and Ellis Barron, on the north by Thomas Boyson, and on the south by William Godfrey. In 1636, the third inventory showed that he still had eight acres. In September, 1645 he sold his house and land to Robert Sanderson and the family moved to Nashaway Plantation which became Lancaster. Their daughter and son-in-law, Lawrence and Anna Waters, also moved to Lancaster. On August 5, 1647 John Cowdall deeded 50 acres of land in Nashaway to John Prescott "on which parcel of land Richard Linton and Lawrence Waters have planted corn. Richard died in 1665. The deed of gift to his daughter, Anna Waters, was not filed until 1674 because she and her husband did not have complete ownership until Elizabeth Linton's rights were ended by her death. Elizabeth, therefore probably died between June 20, 1665 and October 6, 1674. |
|
|||
Historical Collections: Being a General Collection of Interesting Facts, Traditions, Biograpical Sketches, Anecdotes, &c., Relating to the History and Antiquities of Every Town in Massachusetts, with Geographical Descriptions
By John Warner Barber |
|||||
| The settlement of this town goes far back into the early history of Massachusetts. According to Winthrop, the plantation of Nashaway was undertaken in 1643. The whole territory around was in subjection to Sholan or Shaumay, sachem of the Nashaways, and whose residence was at Waushacum, now Sterling. Sholan occasionally visited Watertown for the purpose of trading with Mr. Thomas King, who resided there. He recommended Nashawogg to King as a place well suited for a plantation, and invited the English to come and dwell near him. Accordingly King, united with a number of others, purchased the land of Sholan, and procured a deed for 10 miles in length and 8 in breadth, stipulating that the English should not molest the Indians in their
hunting, fishing, or planting places. This deed was confirmed by the general court.
The precise time of the removal to Lancaster is not known. The first building was a "tracking house," erected by Symonds and King, about a mile south-west of the church. Mr. King sold all his interest in this grant to his associates, who, having given lots of land to Richard Linton, Lawrence Waters and John Ball, sent them up to make preparation for the general coming of the proprietors, and these were the first inhabitants. Others by the name of Prescott, Atherton, and Sawyer, soon followed. For the space of seven years little was done to forward the settlement of the plantation; nevertheless, there being nine families in the place, they petitioned the general court to be incorporated as a town, which was granted on the 18th of May, 1653, (0. S.) by the name of Lancaster. The first town meeting on record was held in the summer of 1654, probably soon after the petition just mentioned was granted. At the next meeting it was voted not to take into the town above 35 families, and the names of 25 individuals are signed who are to be considered as townsmen. |
|
||||
|
For family trees and all source information, link to my RootsWeb File
|
|||||
