340 Report on Rowley hands

    [Cambridge October 24 1726]

    The Corporation having desired us to go to Rowley and get the best information we could of the College Lands. We have been there and find

    1. 1 The Old dwelling House Lot about Six Acres of good plow land bounded Easterly on the Road that goes by the Meeting House, South Easterly by the Towne Road, Southerly and S: Westerly on Mr. Lambert and Deacon Hopson,197 North and N: Westerly on Bradford Road. From Hopsons corner 27 lengths stone wall with two rails over it and from thence good new rail fence to the Brook, and from thence to Lamberts, Old. The line between Hopson and Coll[ege] is from a Stake and Stones on the High-way down by an Elm tree to a cross fence about 5 lengths beyond the Elm. Then the fence runs Easterly between Lambert and Coll[ege] 2 or 3 Rod beyond a black Oak in Lamberts ground, then turns away Southerly to the Road.
    2. 2 The Upper House Lot consisting of about 8 Acres good plowland, bounded Easterly on Mr. Payson partly and partly on the great Road, South somwhat Easterly by Bradford Road, Westerly on Deacon Hopsons, Northerly on the Horse Pasture and Mr. Smith.
    3. 3. The Lot in Ipswitch Field, Six Acres good plowland, bounded S: East on Ipswitch dividing line, S: West on Mr. Todd, N: West on the Road to the Ferry, N: East on Capt. Northen. Memo: the Town of Ipswitch have encroached about a Rod upon the Coll[ege] Lot at the S.E.
    4. 4. Hunslow Hill Pasture of 30 Acres or more bounded on the East by John Dresser, formerly Clark’s right and Lambert, Southerly on Mighill, by a crooked line, Westerly on Boynton, Northerly on Bradford Road and the Road to Ipswitch Farms. 20 Acres within fence and ten without at the West end, the Fence being partly a low stone-wall with a rail or two over it but mostly a rail fence pretty Old. On the S: East corner about 2 or 3 Acres are now left without Fence and claimed by Lambert, which formerly Clark possessed in right of the Coll[ege], the Wood all cut off a good while ago.
    5. 5. The Horse pasture about 20 Acres bounded East somwhat Northerly on Mr. Payson and Smith, South somthing Easterly on the Upper House-Lot, on the West by Brucklebank, North somthing Westerly by John Steward.
    6. 6. The Ware-house Pasture consisting of about 30 Acres, half of which belong to the Coll[ege] and the other half to Capt. Northen, bounded Easterly on Warehouse River, Southerly on A Creek partly and partly on a Ditch and Fence, Westerly on Mr. Thomas Lambert, Northerly on Mr. Bradstreet and Lambert. There was a Division, by Mr. Fowler between the Coll[ege] and Capt. Northen, and the Coll[ege] property is the lower part. The Northerly Boundery is from a Corner Fence of Mr. Bradstreets down to a stake and stone on the Bank, and from thence down to the creek. The Town claims half an Acre on the Creek for a Ship-Yard but there’s no Record for such a Claim.
    7. 7. The Marsh below Sandy Bridge, 15 Acres, bounded Easterly on a large Creek partly and partly on a small Creek that runs towards the Upland, and partly on Capt. Pickard, and from the Upper End of that Creek where there is a Stake to another Stake and Stone, in the midst of a little piece of rough Marsh and from thence to an heap of Stones on the Road, Southerly on a Creek, Westerly on the Town Marsh, Northerly on the Old Road. Of late they have carried the Road somwhat into the Coll[ege] Land, the Old Road is our Northerly Boundery.
    8. 8. Cow-bridge Marsh about 10 Acres, bounded Easterly on Capt. Pickard, Southerly by Richard Dowel, and James Platts, Westerly on the Town Marsh, Northerly by Plumer on the Upland.
    9. 9. Satchels fresh Meadow about 6 Acres, bounded North-Easterly on Deacon Hopson, South-Easterly and South, on a Brook, Westerly on the Towns Marsh, Northerly on Northen.
    10. 10. High way Marsh ¾ of an Acre, bounded Easterly on the high-way, Southerly on Clark, Westerly on Maximilian Jewet, Northerly on Jonathan Pickard.

    There are also two other Divisions of Land called the Upper and lower Divisions, in each of which the College has Eight Lots of about five Acres in each Lot. Some of them more and some they suppose hardly so much. In the lower Division are on the Letter R: 11th Lot a shrub Hill. On the Letter Q: 1st Lot, good Pasture land. On the Letter P 2d Lot. On G 1st Lot both Swampy Wood-land a pretty many good Trees cut down, and carried off lately.

    On K: 10th Lot. On L 5th Lot. On G 2d Lot. On S 9th Lot.

    In the Upper Division, or three Thousand Acres are On A: 10th Lot.

    On E: 3d Lot. On L: 4th Lot. On S: 4th Lot. On S: 7th Lot. On S: 14th Lot.

    These particular Lots are recorded and their particular bounds described.

    Smith had encroached on the North Side of the Upper House Lot, about a Rod along from the Highway to the Horse Pasture, and set his Barn mostly on the Coll[ege] Land. As an equivalent for which we accepted of a Strip of Land on the West Side of said Smiths Lot 4 rails length on the top of the Hill, and so we run the Line down to a Stake that we Sat up in Samuell Paysons Meadow, where the said Payson had also encroached somwhat on the Horse Pasture which we likwise rectified.

    Mr. Payson Acknowledged that he had carryed out his Fence between his Orchard and the Upper House Lot on Bradford Street two Lengths and half which ran away […] on the Hill. Steward said it was four Lengths, and […] which Mr. Payson refused to rectifie on pretence that he had been at some extraordinary charge of fencing.

    In the West Ox pasture we find four Ox-Gates which makes 28 Acres, laid out to Mr. Roger’s right the 21 of Feb. 1680.

    There is also an East Ox-Pasture in which there are four Ox-Gates, laid out to the right of Mr. Rogers. The Town has the possession of those Ox-Gates in both these Pastures, we suppose the Coll[ege] has a right in them.

    There is also a large Tract of Marsh called Hog-Island Marsh, which was formerly laid out among the Free Holders. We are informed that the Coll[ege] has a very considerable interest there, but the Records relating to that Affair are very dark and intricate.

    There is 24 Acres Upland and Meadow laid out on the right of Mr. Rogers at Hawke Meadow, which the Town possesses. We suppose that in Strictness the Coll[ege] has some interest there unless the Division at Hounslow Hill, which was also laid out on the same right, and which we possess the whole of be an equivalent for it.

    There is one more Division of about 800 or 1000 Acres, which the Town talks of making in a little time and it will be left for the Corporation to take seasonable care about it and employ sombody to make the draughts that belong to them on Mr. Roger’s right.

    We were informed that Mr. Coffin of Newbury and Ensign […] of Rowley were as well acquainted with the Methods in which the Town of Rowley have managed their Affairs as any Body, and that they might be very likly to help us, if we should want assistance in our Affairs.

    [Endorsed:]

    Mr. Treasurer Hutchinson, Mr. Appleton and Mr. Sever were desired by a vote of the Corporation, Oct. 11, 1726 to make inquiry about the College Lands at Rowley, in Answer to which vote, those Gentlemen went to Rowley, and on their return gave this information to the Corporation.

    [Note by President Wadsworth:]

    This was given […] by Mr. […] Sever to the Corporation, Nov. 14, 1726. But other [business?] hindred them from considering it at that [time?]. B.W.

    Rowley Lands Papers. The ms is torn in places. The Committee was appointed on October 11, 1726 (CSM Publications, xvi. 544). They were further directed to look into the matter of ox pastures on April 5, 1727 (CSM Publications, xvi. 550).