History of Belmont, Middlesex, Mass, by Samuel Adams Drake, 1880

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Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth    farns10th@aol.com

Subject: Belmont, Massachusetts.
Source: History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
by Samuel Adams Drake.
p.251
                          BELMONT, MASSACHUSETTS.
Six miles west of Boston is situated the town of Belmont. It is four miles from
Waltham, two from Arlington, two from Watertown and three miles from the city of
Cambridge, Mass.

It is bounded northerly by Arlington, southerly by Watertown, easterly by 
Cambridge and westerly by Waltham and Lexington.

Belmont was incorporated March 18, 1859, after a long and bitter contest of six
years in the legislature with the old towns from which it was taken. From Waltham 
were taken 67 square miles or 429 acres, from Arlington 282 square miles
or 1,773 acres and from Watertown 226 square miles or 1,446 acres, making 575
square miles or 3,648 acres.

These parts were outlying districts of old historic towns, having, at the time of 
the first petition for separation in 1853, a population of only 1,001, but when 
incorporated increased to 1,175 inhabitants. When Belmont was incorporated
it had a valuation of $2,127,737, increased to $3,061,798 in 1878.

The town lies in a valley, between two ranges of high hills, which cannot be
styled mountains, neither range being more than four hundred feet above the sea.
The one on the south side, anciently called Meeting-House Hill, King's Common
and Strawberry Hill, makes the boundary between Belmont and the Charles River
valley, in which Watertown lies.  That on the northerly side separates the town
from the valley of the Mystic River; and in this valley Arlington lies. This
is the highest range of hills in the vicinity of Boston, and was called the
Ox Pasture by the early settlers, being then common land, used for pastorage
by all the inhabitants. It was sometimes called The Rocks, because great ledges
of rock cropped out on the top and sides.

                      Colonel Jeduthun Wellington.

In recent times it obtained the name of Wellington Hill, from this circumstance:
At the bottom of this hill lived, in the last century, Colonel Jeduthan Welling-
ton, a somewhat prominent citizen, who was first and foremost in procuring a
chartered turnpike road from Harvard Square in Cambridge to Concord, through this 
valley, thus making a little shorter route to Boston than the old roads
through Waltham and Watertown, or Lexington and Arlington.

But the turnpike must necessarily mount this hill by a very heavy grade, and, in
order to induce Vermont and New Hampshire travellers to take this middle route to 
Boston, he kept his oxen always ready to help loaded teams up the hill. Hence
it became known far and near as Wellington Hill, and the railroad station, located 
near his residence, retained the same name till the incorporation of
Belmont.

The Fitchburg Railroad was built through the valley in 1845, making a depot
here, and one about one

p.252                   HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
mile towards Boston, called Hill's Crossing. Near this depot quite a village
is springing up. Just one mile west another depot was built, called Waverly,
about which a large village has been built, having a store, post-office, a hand-
some brick school-house and a meeting house.  A branch of the same railroad passes 
from Waltham through the southeast part of Belmont, giving another depot,
called Mount Auburn, about which another large village has risen. It lies between 
Mount Auburn Cemetery and Fresh Pond, having a post-office, several
stores, a school house, a large conservatory, marble-yard and meeting-house.

Much the largest village is about the central depot, where there is a meeting-
house, store, post-office, high school and grammar and intermediate school-
houses. All the villages are in a thriving condition. Many of the houses are
very elegant and costly. There are no manufactories in this town.

In shape, the town is somewhat like an hour-glass, the two ranges of hills making 
the frame, the valley easterly the bottom, resting on Spy Pond (in
Arlington), Little Spy Pond, and a part of Fresh Pond, which are in this town,
with a marshy meadow between them. The contracted part, near the central depot,
is formed by a rocky spur of Wellington Hill and a spur from Meeting-House Hill,
between which is a deep gorge, made by a stream called Hassem's Brook, having
just room enough for itself and the Fitchburg Railroad. Then it expands into
a meadow and sandy plain for the upper portion.

In the westerly corner of the town is an extensive meadow, most of which is in
Waltham and Lexington, and anciently called Rock Meadow. It was evidently a
lake during the glacial period, but was drained by cutting a channel down a
rocky gorge, in which now flows a rapid streasm, called Beaver Brook. It has
been called Beaver Meadow by modern residents, because they have discovered the
remains of a beaver dam, showing that these industrious and sagacious animals
had enjoyed a happy home there before they were disturbed by the early settlers.

                                 THOMAS AGAR.

This brook is supplied by the watershed of the surrounding hills and numerous
springs in and about the meadow.  In runs south-east about half a mile, making
the line between this town and Waltham, then turns southwest and empties into
the Charles River.  On this stream Thomas Agar built a fulling mill in 1662,
and in 1690, Thomas Rider built a corn-mill near it; but both have gone to de-
cay, in consequence of the decrease of water.  The eastern valley of town is
drained by three brooks.  Hassam's Brook, taking its rise in the meadows near
Waverley village, runs east through the gorge with the railroad and soon re-
ceives two other brooks, Haslett's and Frost's, coming down from Wellington Hill, 
when, passing entirely through the town, it unites with Menotomy River
(now called Alewife Brook), which drains all three of the ponds mentioned, into
Mystic River.

Agriculture is the principal business of the town. Mostof the inhabitants are
wealthy and thriving farmers, cultivating all kinds of fruit and vegetables
for the city of Boston. They manage business in the most skilful and profitable
manner, in hotbeds under glass, during the winter months, in order to compete
with the products of Southern climates, which rapid transportation enables
Southern plantations to put into Boston market in advance of our seasons. Some
farmers are engaged producing milk for the city, and some in raising fancy
stock.

While some of the farmers are raising lettuce, dandelions and spinach in the
month of January, others are cutting and storing vast quantities of ice from 
the ponds, for home use and exportation to Southern climates. For this great
business our ice-merchants are indebted to the genius and enterprise of Frederick 
Tudor, who in the year 1805 was the first to conceive and demon-
strate the practicability of shipping ice to equatorial climates.

Whem the town was first incorporated there was only one religious society, called 
the First Congregational Society, principally supported by Unitarians,
and under the pastoral charge of Rev. Amos Smith, A.M., who was installed
October 28, 1857.  A new meeting-house had been built, and dedicated the same
year.  He continued with them about sixteen years and resigned March, 1872. In
October, 1873, the society installed Rev. Harvey Bates, who resigned September
18, 1876. Soon after, March 28, 1877, Rev. Ivory Waterhouse was installed, who
still continues the pastor.

A meeting-house was built in the village of Waverley, and dedicated January 13,
1870, by the Orthodox Society, and Rev. J. W. Turner was installed. After his
resignation, April 26, 1873, Rev. J. W. Ewell was installed, December 10, 1874,
and resigned March 6, 1878.  Rev. W. H. Teel was then installed July 8, 1878,
and still continues with the society.  These religious societies have Sabbath
schools with libraries.

p.253                       BELMONT.
In the East Village, near Mount Auburn, the residents being mostly Irish Catholics, 
have erected a small chapel just over the border, in Watertown. 
This town makes liberal appropriations for the support of education. The
graduated plan of the state is adopted.  There are four grammar and seven 
intermediate and primary schools, and a high school.

Six years ago the town established a public library, which now contains 3,200
volumes; amount of annual appropriation $700., which, with occasional donations
by individuals, will form a respectable library in a few years.

The number of inhabitants at this time (1879) is about 2,400. It is worthy of
record, that most of the lands in the three portions taken from the old towns
to make Belmont are still held and occupied by the descendants of the original
owners or grantees at the first settlement of those towns.

It appears in the histories of these towns that Watertown made the final division of 
land among the proprietors in the year 1636, and Cambridge in 1685.
Some grantees bought out others in order to enlarge their domain, and by thrifty
management held their lands for their heirs.  Sometimes large estates were di-
vided among them; sometimes one son would take the whole, paying off other heirs, 
and thus, by a sort of feudal tenure, have been lords of the soil for
six or seven generations.
                          Dr. Philip Shattuck.
All that part taken from Waltham was a grant to Dr. Philip Shattuck, son of
William Shattuck of Watertown, one of the first settlers in 1630, Waltham being
then part of Watertown. He was a distingished physician, and prominent in the
affairs of the town. He was frequently appointed to offices of trust and respon-
sibility.

Lambert, progenitor of the Chenery family, first settled in Dedham, but soon
removed to Watertown. His descendants of the fifth generation now occupy the
estate bought of William Shattuck, a grantee, by his son, John Shattuck. The
latter was killed by Indians in the town of Northfield.

                         WILLIAM SHATTUCK
Source: Genealogies of the Families & Descendants of the Early Settlers of
Watertown by Dr. Henry Bond, Boston, 1860.
P.427
William Shattuck settled at Watertown as early as 1642, or 1643, when he was
not more than 21 years of age. According to his age given when he was a witness
in Court, he was born 1621. His name is on the schedule of proprietors and
possessions, made outn in 1642 to 1644, when he was very young. He then had a
homestall of one acre, and a small lot of upland. Jun 4, 1654, he bought of
John Clough, tailor, of Watertown, and Susan Clough, his wife, his house and
garden, and 30 acres of upland; bounded east by William Paine, and E. Goffe;
west by highway; north by Joseph Morse, and south by highway.  Also 25 acres
of upland, bounded west by a brook, east by common land, south by Edmund Lewis,
north by John Coolidge. Also 3 acres of swamp land. Also, one-third part of
twelve acres of meadow, bounded west by highway, and on other sides by Wm.
Paine, and Ed. Goffe. By his Will dated Aug 3, 1672, then "aged 50 years" he
gave to Samuel Church £6; to son Philip, one half of farm and 2 acres in pond
meadow; to four small children, 'my mare and all her increase'; the remainder
of goods to wife Susanna, until the younger children, Benjamin and Samuel, are
twenty-one years of age; to said Samuel and Benjamin the house and land I dwell
on, bought of Edward Sanderson, and my half dividend; to elder son John Shattuck
£20; and £40 to be divided among his grandchildren. In his Inventory, the house
and land and half dividend, apparaised at £180. The farm at Stoney Brook (given
to sons Philip and William) appraised at £20, and the four acres of pond meadow
at £4. William Shattuck died August 14, 1672, leaving widow Susanna (his only
wife) who m. (2) Nov 18, 1673, Master Richard Norcross. Transcribed by Janice
Farnsworth
                             BELMONT.
A solitary heir, of the sixth generation from Hugh Clarke, now occupies a portion 
of his grant.

One family of Livermores, of the sixth generation from John Livermore, are still
tilling the soil of their ancestor.

Several families of Brights, of the sixth generation from Deacon Henry Bright,
are still cultivating the soil of his broad acres. He was owner of large tracts
by purchase and by grants. 

A farm occupied by Samuel Barnard was granted to his ancestor, John Barnard,
a proprietor in 1634. One of that family, by the name of Samuel Barnard, was one
of the Boston "Tea Boys," and a Major in the Revolutionary army. His cousin
Jonas Barnard was also said to be one of the "Tea Boys" (Boston Tea Party).
Several families of Stones, of the seventh and eighth generation from Deacon
Simon Stone of Watertown, are enjoying the fruits of lands purchased by their
ancestor, Moses Stone.

On the territory taken from Arlington, formerly called Menotomy, and a part of
Cambridge, are now living, the descendants of the first settlers of about 1685.
They were the Wellingtons, descendants of Roger Wellington of Watertown, the
Lockes, descendants of William Locke of Woburn Hills, from Abraham Locke of
Charlestown; the Frosts from Edmund Frost of Cambridge, Prentices from Henry
Prentice of Cambridge, the Richardsons, from Edward Richardson of Woburn, the
Perrys from James Perry of Charlestown, the Fillebrowns from Thomas Fillebrown
of Cambridge.

Many individuals of all the sections have been prominent for ability and sound
judgement, being frequently elected by their fellow-citizens to offices of
trust in town affairs, to the General Court, and other responsible positions.
Nor were they wanting in courage and patriotism in times of peril with the
hostile Indians, or to rish their lives and fortunes in the Revolutionary times.
In our late civil war this town, Belmont, furnished its quota of soldiers, fifty
being citizens and twenty-three substitutes.

Among the early settlers Jeduthan Wellington, of the fifth generation from Roger
Wellington, was quite conspicuous in this thinly settled region. He was con-
sidered a kind of oracle, being consulted about town affairs and in legal
matters. He was often called upon to draw legal documents, being a magistrate.
He was Selectman for man years, and elected to the General Court from 1780 to
1806. He was a Colonel of militia, and a man of great energy and strong will.

The Hill family furnished the most distinguished character. Isaac Hill was the
son of Abraham Hill, and of the sixth generation, born April 6, 1789, in that
part of Arlington set off to Belmont. He was rendered unfit for agricultural
labor by lameness, caused (tradition says) by his father having thrown him down-
stairs, when a small boy, in a fit of insanity, to which he was occasionally subject.  
At fourteen, he was apprenticed to the Amherst, N.H.
Cabinet. He went to Concord in 1809, purchased the American Patriot, changed
the name to the New Hampshire Patriot, and made it the organ of the then Repub-
lican Party. It was supported by the ablest men of the party, and had a great
influence for twenty years. In 1828, after filling various posts in the New
Hampshire legislature,

p.254
he failed of an election to the U.S. Senate. In 1829, President Jackson appointed 
him 2nd Comptroller of the U.S. Treasury.  He was elected United 
State Senator 1830-1836; and Governor of New Hampshire 1836-1839. He was sub-
Treasurer at Boston, 1840-1841 and for a long time Pension Agent. In 1840 with
his two oldest sons, he established Hill's New Hampshire Patriot, which they
published until 1847. He also published the Farmers' Monthly Visitor during the
last fifteen years of his life. He died at Washington, D.C., March 20, 1851,
aged sixty-three years.
End
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth