Canton Historical Society
If Indians Told Story of Early Days
A few notes culled from the pages of one of our predecessors, The Neponset Journal:
1621--date illegible--Chief Chicataubut, potentate of the Massachusetts, has lately returned from Plymouth where he signed a treaty with the newly arrived foreigners from a place called England. At his capital in Braintree he was greeted by our local board, Nonantum, Nashaway and Ponkapoag.
1630--It is reliably reported that Chickataubut has made quite a real estate deal with a new arrival of English and has sold them for a tidy sum of land as far south as the top of Blue Hill.
1633--We regret to advise that our beloved and kindly chieftain, Chickataubut, was buried after a long illness following his partial recovery from small-pox. Kitchamakin, uncle of the young Josiah Wampatuck reaches his majority.
1637--On November 20, our Boston reporter advises that the General Court of the Colony to the North has recorded our deed fixing the Southern limit of the town at the Old Colony line. We are quite elated as this makes us the largest town in New England.
Editors Note--To show how big it really was, we have checked later editions, etc., and find that the following present towns were originally included--Milton, 1662; Wrentham, 1724; Stoughton, 1726; from which Sharon in 1765, Foxboro in 1778, and Canton in 1797; part of Dedham, 1739; Dorchester Heights, 1804; Washington Village, 1849; most of Hyde Park, 1869; and finally Dorchester itself on January 1, 1870, became merged in the City of Boston.
1657--Our new development on the shores of Ponkapoag Pond, seems to be the most popular place of residences for our twelve families. The whole tract totals about 6000 acres but it does not appear that much of it will be opened by us for cultivation.
1666--Ignoring the protestations of various cool-headed members of our community, Wampatuck joined the expedition against the Maquzogs and was ambushed and slain. Our correspondent states that the religious ceremonies were of a simple aboriginal nature, although in his youth he was rather active in the Christian Church. Job Ahauton, his attorney, is administering his estate.
1670--It is reported that our old friend Collicut who with his pal Holman from Milton, have visited with us for many years and with whom we have had many pleasant dealings and through whom many of our families have marketed their furs, was seriously injured in an accident on the South Shore recently.
1671--Early this year a family named Merrifield built a cottage here but did not stay through the season. Note--This was on the Farm more lately known as Fennos. To this is the site of the Blue Hills Regional School and Massasoit College.