Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-10-21
Centennial Anniversary in Princeton.
GALA DAY AT OLD WACHUSETT.
INTERESTING KEarINIscENcEs.


ADDRESS OF CHARLES THEODORE
RUSSELL.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES.
The native and adopted sons of Princeton,
3hose who had gone abroad to reside in other
parts of the country or the world, and those
who had remained by the old homesteads-
united, yesterday, in celebrating the one hun
dredth anniversary of the incorporation of the
town. The day, though uncomfortably cold,
was in other respects favorable, and very
large part of the Princeton family assembled to
express their grateful regard for the old town
and its associations, and to participate in the
festivities of this joyful anniversary.
The Early Records.
The settlement of Englishmen, on the terri.
tory where the present anniversary is celebrat-
ed, was not commenced till nearly seventy
years after the landing of the Pilgrims. The
ancient towns of Salem, Lynn, Boston, Cam,
BRIDGE Concord, and Sudbury Lancaster
Mendon, Brookfeld, and Oxford, were already
beginning to exhibit many of the fruits of civ
liization. On the 23d of December, 1856, five
Indians, whose names are given below, and
who claimed, by primitive title, to be lords of
the soil, gave to the first English owners the
large territory which is here described. This
Indian deed, bearing the memorial marks of
the original sovereigns, is recorded in the
ancient registry of Middlesex county, from
which we have taken the pains to copy it:
This Indenture made the 23d of December in the year
of our 1885, between Joseph Trask alias Puagasion
Simon Piscom alias Wananacompon of Wumasck and
Sosowonow of Natck and James Wiser alias Qua1apu-
nit of Nack-those five Indians dwelling in his naiestys
territory in America all the above named in the par
ter Benjamin Willard and Cypran Stevens, in the other
party. Know We that for and in consideration twenty
selves be fully satisfied contented and paid
the same do hereby fully and absolutely acqait exoner
Foster Benjamin Willard, and Stevens, and all their
above named i've indians nane JOSEPH Trask job t s
Psicom, and Sosowonow, and James Wiser doth by
these presents for themselv and all their heirs execu
tors administrators and assigns freely, fully, and abso
utey give grant, bargain SELL alien eneoe make
and confirm unto the above named Willard oalandson
Foster Benjamin, Willard, aud Stevens their heirs,
ecutor administrators, and assigns certain of
land, meadows, swamps tmbers, Notwithstanding
ing twelve miles according the butts aud bounds
south corner buttng upon Muscopaug Pond ana running
north Quonibock and to Wonkotopck and running
ming northwest TO walamanaumpscook, and to Qua
qnanunawick, little pond and to Asnaconcomck Pond,
which is the northwest corner and running SOUTH and
so to Musshauge great to Sasaketasick, winch
is the south corner and running east to Pascatick
Quango and so to Ahampatunshango little pond, and
to Sumpango Pond and TO Muscopauge Pond which
is the east to have and to hold quietly ami peace
ably enjoy the with all and singular, the rights
liberties privileges, profits, and commodities thereof
any manner OF way arising therefrom, to them the said
Willard, Richardson, Foster, Benjamin. Willard, and
Stevens their heirs, executors administrators, assigns
and to them and their proper use aud Dehoofe for
estate of inheritance forever, And the above named five
PROMISE and grant to and with Henry Willard Joseph
Rowlandson, Joseph Foster, Benjamin Willard and Gy
assigns that they at the writing and sealing hereof
the proper and lawful of all the mentioned
lands meadows, swanps, intervaes, timberS 9TH
er matters both mine or mines or any ore alns within
mentioned and that the above named Indians namely
Joseph, Job, Simon, Sosowanow, James Wilson,
ate the hes same and that they the e sd i've nias
their heirs executors, administrators and assigns,
shall, and will at all times any time and OF
times warrant and defend the same against
and plea and all manner of and claimants what
soeyer the said Willard Ronlandson Foster,
jamin Willard and Stevens their heirs executors adj
ill., or by any way evided elected quiet
possession thereof BY them, the said indians, any of
them OF their heirs executors administrators
assigns And the above named five Indians, any of
them, their heirs, executors administrators assigns
shall will any time and times upon demand
readily perform do, to be done, other
acts thing things, that the law doth require
for the more making full confirming all the above
bargain promises or any part or parcel thereof aud for
cutting on all persons or pleas whatever unto which 10
DO set their hands and seals IN the year loss Ammo Reg
regis Jacob ocund 1856 Joseph Trask (his marx and
seal.
Signed sealed and delivered in presence ofus; Ma
thaniel Wilder, Elias Reyes Nossowinnowk This niark
Jethro Chis mark Punhowsk cher mark Qulsauonnusk
cher mark. Job and Sosowanow, and james WISER &C
knowledged this instrument March Is 1856 before F. b.
Reed, and accordingly endorsed by Samuel Phipps Reg
lister
Charlestown April Is. l7l4.
This twelve miles square, conveyed with
such solemn redundance of verbiage, embraced
the present territory of Barre, Hubbardston
Oakham and Rutland, and the greater part of
the town of Princeton. The early settlers
were not especially respectful to Indian rights,
and the above deed had to be sanctioned by
the provincial Legislature before it could be of
any legal effect. The part of the territory
known as Rutland East Wing" comprising
l1,600 aeres,) till October 1859, was at that
time erected into a township, and named
Prince Town, after the Rev. Thos Prince, for
many years colleague pastor of the Old South
Church, Boston, and the chief owner Of the
soil. The act of incorporation, passed in the
time of Mr.. Pownall, is surmounted by the
regal title:
Ammo Regni Regis Georgii secundi
Tricesimo L. S. Terco.
The domestic, civil, and ecclesiastical history
Of the town is full of interest, and the tradi-
tons, securely preserved in all the old families,
would furnish abundant material for any his
torian bold enough to CLEAN after, even so
faithful an husbandman as Charles Theodore
Russell
1t may be proper to relate a single rcminis.
cence in the somewhat monotonous and uni
form history of old Wachusett AT the time
of the Inauguration of John Quincy Adams in
1925, many of the ardent patriots assembled
at the base of the mountain, and proceeded to
rename the unconscious hero of the town. Mt.
Adams, after the new president The papers
of that state contain glowing accounts of the
christening, at which persons were sponsors.
whose names have since passed into the scroll
of history, and had honorable places in the
memory and tradition Of their townsmen. But
the old mountain, however broad the base on
which it rested, could not bear the weight of
new name. And, four years later, on the
llth of March 1929, it published ia the Mas
sachusetts Spy, over its own name the follow
ing communication
M Editor 1t win be recollected that on the nanr-
uration OF John Quincy Adams to the Presidency fur
years ago tins day, the good people of Princeton chastity
no Doubt at the suggestion Of an old friend mine saw
ut 10 homer me with new name | had at that lime
very serious doubts as 10 the propriety the course
en- by my friends 10 Princeton, though did not then
demonstrate. During the four years last passed have
been In a rather disagreeabe dilemma. some OF n, =
friends and visitors have greeted BY new name
other than ancient and well established title w asu