CHAPTER III.

INCORPORATION, NAME, BOUNDARIES.

AFTER a united existence with Dorchester of thirty-two

years, the residents on the south side of the river, having into a vigorous community of twenty five or more families, expressed a desire to set up for themselves.

The principal reasons alleged for this separate existence were their remoteness from church, and deprivation of religious privileges. The families were scattered over a wide territory; some at Brush Hill, some in the central and western parts of Milton, but most at East Milton. The nearest church was at Dorchester, many miles distant.

The river at that time was an impediment as well as a natural boundary. There were fords at Mattapan and at the Lower Mills, and also a foot-bridge at the Lower Mills.

CHURCH SERVICE.

The route to church from all parts of the town could only be in the direction of the bridge, as there was no other passage over the river for those who walked.

But no apology was available for absence from public worship; and, could we enter the humble abodes of those who lived here two hundred and twenty-five years ago, we might witness a scene similar to the following in almost every family:

On Sabbath morning the whole family is astir betimes, each dressed in Sunday attire, in readiness for church.

The father mounts his horse, with his wife upon a pillion behind him, sometimes with a child in her arms, and leads on towards the meeting-house, the children walking by his side if the weather is fair; he fords the river, they cross on the footbridge.

If it be rainy the oxen are hitched to the cart, and the whole family, packed into this vehicle, ford the river, and wend their way to the distant church.

EARLY SETTLERS.

The following is a near approach to a correct list of the taxpayers who lived on the south side of the river at the time of incorporation, and the year of their settlement here:

For many years prior to the establishment of the town of Milton, Dorchester had recognized the meagre religious privileges enjoyed by her citizens south of the Neponset, and had granted them liberty to maintain their own ministry; and, by reason of their having religious worship among themselves, had exempted them from paying a proportional part of the salary of Mr. Mather.

There were still other considerations that influenced our fathers in seeking to become a separate township. The river was a barrier between them and the more numerous residents on the other side.

They were in the outskirts of the town, needing care and

exposed to danger, and failed to receive the full benefits enjoyed by the central population and the protection of the central government. This arose from their position and circumstances, as a natural consequence of out-residence.

As soon as the mother-town realized the aspirations of her sons for a home of their own, she readily assented to the idea and hastened to carry it into effect, as appears from the following action of the town:

DORCHESTER. 5 (8) 1662. At a generall Town meeting orderly appointed for that end.

It was proposed and voted whether Unquity should be a Township of themselves, with such limitations and agreements as in a writing by the committee for such purposes is drawn up.

The vote was affirmative if the honored General Court please to give themselves thereunto.

WILLIAM BLAKE, Cleric.

Four days after the above action of the town of Dorchester a committee of the residents at Unquity presented to the Great and General Court the following

PETITION FOR INCORPORATION.

To the hono Gene" Court now Assembled att Boston, 7th May 1662, the humble petition of us who are inhabitants of that part of the Town of Dorchester which is situated on the south side of the Naponsett River commonly called Unquatiquisset.

Humbly showeth That ffor as much as it hath pleased God for to cast the bounds of o' habitations in the more remote parts of Dorchester Town; as that we stand in a more remote capacitie unto a constant and comfortable attendance upon such adminstrations as doo respect sivill and ecclesiastical communion in the Town and Church of Dorchester.

And though indeed amongst all the inconveniences which we have hitherto sustained by this our uncomfortable disjunction from our brethren and neighbors, there is none more grievously afflictive unto our souls than that restraint which we have lived under, as to a constant attendance unto that Ministry, under the powerful and plentiful dispensation of which, we have, some of us, lived a great part of our lives, and would desire still, (if it were the will of God) untill we dy, upon which we have heretofore, (as we have opportunity) we shall still attend.

Yet notwithstanding, the difficulties and almost impossibiltyes of the constant attendance of us and our familyes have compelled not only our selves but also y Towne of Dorchester to acknowledge some necessity of providing and settling a public ministry amongst our selves.

And to that purpose, y Towne of Dorchester (divers years since) granted us liberty, by our own contribution to maintayne our own Ministry, but we finding by experience that the orderly managing of such an Affair as Settlement hath some dependence upon the exercise of Civil power, unto the effectual exercise of which [as to the attaynement of such an end], we find ourselves altogether out of a capacity as now we stand, therefore we have obtayned from the Towne of Dorchester by a second graunt liberty to become a Township of our selves.

A coppie of which graunt we here withall present to the view of the honorable Court.

Our humble petition to this honorable Court therefore is That [if according to y terms and tenor of this graunt you shall in your wisdom judge us capable of being a Township] you would please by your authoritie to confirm the sd. graunt unto us.

And it being a more than ordinario juncture of affairs with us as to our present settlement, we do also humbly crave our freedom from Country rates according to the accustomed graunt to now Plantations, we being, [by reason of our slowness and the straight limitts of our place as unable for public affayres as if we were a new Plantation.]

This our humble petition is.

If it shall bee by this honored Court accepted, wee hope wee shall doe what in us lyes to manage affayres in our communitie according to the laws of God and this Government, our present design beeing the promotion of the publique weale, which, that it may be the period of yo' con

sultations

so pray your humble petitioners

STEPHEN Kingsley.
ROBERT VOSE.
JOHN GILL.

In the names of all the rest of the inhabitants.

ACTION OF THE GENERAL COURT.

The deputyes think meet to graunt this petition, viz. so far as it concerns y Township but do not think meet to exempt them from rates. With reference to y' consent of y' Honorable Magistrates hereto. WILLIAM TORREY,

Consented to by the Magistrates.

Cleric.

EDW. RAWSON,
Secretary.

By this action of the General Court that portion of Dorchester situated on the south side of the Neponset, and lying between the river and Braintree, and extending from the river and marsh to the extreme part of the Blue Hills, was set off into a distinct municipality, which, at the request of the citizens, received the name of MILTON.

SIGNIFICATION OF UNQUITY-QUISSET.

Hitherto, and from the first settlement, this section of Dorchester had borne the old Indian name of Unquity-quisset. This, like all Indian names, was spelled in many different ways. We meet it as Unquatiquesset, Unkata-quaessett, Unkety-quissitt, Unquety-quisset, Uncataquisset, also Uncatie, Unquatie, Unquity, and Unquety.

For the purpose of ascertaining the Indian signification of this name, I applied, as in the case of "Massachusetts," to that

undoubted Indian authority, Dr. J. Hammond Trumbull, of Hartford, and received the following very satisfactory reply:

DEAR DR. TEELE: :

HARTFORD, Dec. 9, 1883.

I have been asked, at least a dozen times, for an interpretation of Unquety-quisset, or, as Thomas Lechford wrote it, in 1639, Unkata-quaessett, and could never analyze the word until your letter gave me the clue just

now.

It is plain enough, now I have seen my way to it.

You mention" the fall of water at the village," and describe the locality as at "the head of navigation on the river."

The name, which Eliot would have written Uhque-tukq-ees-et, or Wequetukq-ees-et, denotes a place at the end of a small tidal-stream or creek. The same name occurs in Charleston, R.I. as “Wequatuxet (and Tuckset) brook.

It marks the head of tidal water in a creek, river, or estuary.

The n of the first syllable is intrusive, indicating that the vowel was

nasalized.

Yours sincerely,

J. HAMMOND TRUMBULL.

NAME OF MILTON.

There are no data from which can be ascertained with entire certainty the origin of the name of this township.

Up to the time of incorporation it was embraced within the limits of Dorchester, and was known by the old Indian name of Unquity-quisset, or, by contraction, Unquity.

In the Colony Records, CXII., 141, appears the following order :

There having been granted to the inhabitants of Unkety quisset within the township of Dorchester to become a township of themselves, upon the motion of your inhabitants it is ordered that the said Town shall be called MILTON.

Passed by the deputies with consent of ye honorable magistrates present. WILLIAM TORREY. Cleric.

Consented to by the magistrates present.

ED. RAWSON. Secy.

There are several plausible theories, on either of which we may suppose the inhabitants may have been led to fix upon Milton as the name of the new town.

First Theory. One theory is that it was named in honor of John Milton, the immortal poet, who was born, Dec. 9, 1608, and died Nov. 8, 1675.

In 1662 Milton was at the height of his glory. His fame arose not merely from his numerous and wonderful writings,