THE

MILTON HILL.

HE township of Milton presents an undulating surface broken by valleys of moderate depth, and rising into numerous summits, of which Milton Hill, Brush Hill and the Blue Hills are the principal.

Milton Hill occupies the north-eastern portion of the town. Rising by a gradual ascent from the southerly shore of the Neponset river, and from the marsh adjoining the river, it reaches the height of one hundred and thirty-eight feet above mean tide, nearly opposite the residence of Mr. J. Murray Forbes, and from this point gradually descends to the plain of East Milton, called in early days "Crane's Plain," and later "Pierce's Plain."

The scenic beauty of Milton Hill can hardly be surpassed. From the summit, and along the easterly slope, is seen the river winding through the marshes, which its inflowing tide often covers, and converts into an inland sea. Villages and turrets, interspersed with patches of forest growth, appear on every hand; while near and far the waters of the harbor and bay, stretching north and south towards the ocean, gemmed with islands, and alive with the activities of commerce, combine to make up a picture which the eye never wearies in beholding. Rare is the traveller over this hill who is not held enraptured by the scene.

The westerly slope presents scenery scarcely less picturesque. Academy Hill, from which rise the spires of the Milton churches, and the lower range of the Blue Hills crowned with forests, with the interlaying valley of green fields and cultivated lands, form a striking picture.

On this bold outlook the Indian built his wigwam. And here the first settlers erected their dwellings. In the year 1684 a bridge was built over the river near the mill; and from this time the travel was especially directed over Milton Hill. At first, and for more than twenty years, the way was only a bridle-path or common drift-way without definite boundaries except as the first adventurers could find the easiest pas

sage. The principal evidence goes to show that this first bridge was but a foot-bridge, and that all other passage of the river was by the ford near the bridge, or by the ferries.

FERRIES.

To accommodate the travel between the Bay and Plymouth Colonies the General Court ordered in 1635 that John Holman should keep a ferry at Neponset between the Captain's Point and Mr. Newbury's Creek. Again, in 1638 Bray Wilkins, of Unquity, received a license from the General Court to run a ferry-boat from a point of land between Granite and Neponset bridges called "The Ridge," (now plainly seen) to Davenport's creek, for which he was to receive a penny a person.

Not till the year 1654 was a definite road laid out from Braintree (now Quincy) to Roxbury over Milton Hill, and in the direct line which it now occupies. Thus for the long period of one hundred and seventy years, or until the opening of Neponset bridge in 1805, the road over Milton Hill was the great thoroughfare for travel between Boston and all points south, embracing the whole of Plymouth County.

NEW INHABITANTS.

The precinct inhabitants of whom mention is made in a previous chapter, were followed by valuable accessions to our numbers from Braintree and Dorchester. Most of these settled in the easterly part of the territory near this road. They were doubtless brought into this section from consideration of safety, and of social and neighborly intercourse; and also from its proximity to the water, and to the open and cleared lands by the marshes, and the "Indian fields" along the route from the Bay to the Plymouth Colonies. Several of the inhabitants in this neighborhood, it is known, were engaged at some point on the river in building the "shallops" then in use. Among those thus occupied were William Salsbury, Anthony Newton, Walter Morey and Nicholas Ellen. Exemption from taxation, and free trade with all the world, stimulated greatly this enterprise throughout the Colony.

Here was one of the public landing-places of the town. Another landing-place was located at that point on the river afterwards occupied by the Badcock and Briggs shipyard. This was found unsuitable, the approach thereto being difficult by reason of the steep and winding road, and on petition of John Gill, in 1658, it was changed to its present site near the bridge.

Among the new inhabitants were Stephen Kinsley, Anthony Gulliver, and Henry Crane.

STEPHEN KINSLEY.

Stephen Kinsley received a grant of land at Mount Wollaston in 1639. He was one of six members who formed the Church at Braintree. He signed the Church covenant at its formation and was appointed Ruling Elder. He represented Braintree at the General Court before moving to Unquity. In 1656 he purchased a large tract of land of Hutchinson, in connection with his son-in-law, Anthony Gulliver. He was one of the three petitioners for the incorporation of Milton in 1662, and drew the petition. He was the first representative of the town to the General Court in 1666, and a trustee of the Church in 1664. He is generally spoken of as Elder Kinsley, but is sometimes styled Rev. Stephen Kinsley, although never ordained to the ministry. The record of this excellent man is worthy of particular notice. He was a man of strong religious character, and of decided ability. In the trials and conflicts of the early residents he seems to have.been the guide and comforter. Years before the corporate existence of Milton, or the establishment of a Church, he conducted religious services on the Sabbath with his friends and neighbors in the little meeting-house, and continued the duty several years after incorporation.

We have no knowledge of the exact date of his removal to Unquity; it is, however, natural to conclude that he came with his sons-in-law, Anthony Gulliver and Henry Crane. His house was on the hill, a little to the east of the residence of Cornelius Babcock, on the north side of Adams street. The cellar was filled up by Mr. Babcock, the present owner of the estate. Within a few years a spring of water remarkably pure and excellent has been discovered between the cellar and the street, where the pump now stands. This spring, though long covered by the soil of the hill, was found walled up, and with steps carefully laid, to facilitate its use to the early inhabitants. In his will, proved 1673, he mentions the children of his deceased sons Samuel, John, and three daughters.

ANTHONY GULLIVER.

Anthony Gulliver was born in 1619, and died in Milton Nov. 28, 1706, aged 87 years. He removed from Braintree to Un quity in 1646. He bought land of Edward and Richard Hutchinson, sons and heirs of Richard Hutchinson, bounded

He

north by Gulliver's creek, to which he gave the name. married Elenor, daughter of Stephen Kinsley, and had five sons and four daughters. Lydia, b. 1651, m. Jas. Leonard; Samuel, b. 1653, d. 1676; Jonathan, b. Oct. 27, 1659; Stephen, b. 1663; John, b. Dec. 3, 1669; Hannah, m. Tucker; Mary, m. Atherton; Elizabeth, b. Nov. 6, 1671; Nathaniel, b. Nov. 10, 1675, m. Hanna Billings.

The

His house, built on Squantum street, on the north side of the brook, was taken down about thirty-eight years ago. imported brick used in the chimney bore date of 1680. This house was known later as the Rawson house, David Rawson having married into the Gulliver family.

At an early date Anthony Gulliver came into possession of a large tract of land in the central part of the town, most of which is now embraced in the estate of Col. H. S. Russell. This land was long owned and occupied by the Gulliver family, and here or on land adjacent thereto some of his descendants have lived ever since.

His second son, Lieut. Jonathan Gulliver, one of the leading men of his day, married Theodora, daughter of Rev. Peter Thacher, Milton's first pastor.

Anthony Gulliver was the progenitor of a long line of solid and trustworthy men and women, who have been conspicuous in the history of the Church and Town of Milton, holding many of the important offices, and faithfully meeting the trusts imposed on them for nearly two centuries. The family is still represented among our citizens. This name appears under various forms of spelling, as: Caliphar, Colliford, Cullifer, Gullwer, Gouliver, Gulliwer, Gullifer, Gulliver.

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS.

It is said that Dean Swift received the suggestion of his "Gulliver's Travels" from one of this family. Capt. Lemuel Gulliver, who, according to James M. Robbins, once lived at Algerine Corner, returned to Ireland in 1723, and described the country and its productions and resources to his neighbor, Jonathan Swift, in the most extravagant and high-wrought colors; in which line of description he was favored with especial gifts. The frogs, he declared, reached up to his knees, and had musical voices like the twang of a guitar, and the mosquitoes had bills as large as darning-needles; from these and similar exaggerated stories, the fertile mind of the great writer conceived and wrought out the famous "Gulliver's Travels," which appeared