An ancient diary kept in this town by one Samuel Chandler, who was born Dec. 31, 1708, and died Aug. 5, 1794, contains items of interest to the historian. Many of the occurrences recorded have been proved by reference to town and church records to be accurate, and we have never seen any evidence to disprove the truth of the following entry, made at the time of the decease of the person mentioned. Under the head of "deaths in Stoughton " occurs the following : --"1783, Dec. 26, widow, Thankful Blackman first white child born in Stoughton [ in the ] year 1700" (April 14, 1701). This "white" woman, as has been said a thousand times by old Cantonians, was the daughter of a "Redman" and married a "Blackman".

Is it possible that it was seventy years after the settlement of Dorchester, and thirty--eight after the incorporation of Milton, before a white child was born in our town? Yet such is the fact. Mr. Newton Talbot, anxious as all antiquaries are to go back as far as possible, in his recent account of the first settlement of modern Stoughton, after great research expresses his astonishment "that for ninety years after the settlement of Dorchester there should not have been at least one solitary inhabitant in so large a territory within ten miles of the hometown". Houses may have been built in Canton before 1700, but this must be the date assigned when the first families came to reside in Canton. This year the Selectmen of Dorchester relocate the road from Milton line to the house of Ebenezer Billings in Sharon. They lay it out three rods in width, and as they journey they mention only three houses: that of Isaac Royall, under Blue Hill, of Mr. Edward Savage, erected that very year on the place now owned by John Gerald--the Kenny--Spare Place. The committee then pass on over "Martin's Delight", as they call Ponkipog Brook, by Ridge Hill through Pecunit, and leave the house of Mr. Endicott on the west. No mention is made of any other house, but the saw--mill was standing near the Mashapog Brook. Such was the condition of affairs on the main road through Canton in 1700.

Let us see in what manner the first settlers of Canton obtained possession of the land upon which they lived. The Indians had received their land from the Town of Dorchester with the distinct understanding that they were not to alienate or sell it. The Colony had passed a statute in 1633, rendering null and void all sales and conveyances of land from the Indians to any persons. The substance of this act was reiterated by the General Court in 1701, which declared that whereas "sundry persons for lucre have presumed to make purchases of land, all such sales, leases, etc., shall be null and void, and the purchaser thereof shall be punished with fine or imprisonment unless the approbation of the General Court has been first obtained". In spite of this act, the early settlers of our town squatted on the Indian land. The Indians began to give, and the English, "who had thrust themselves among them," to receive leases, on long terms, of the land lying in the Ponkipog Plantation. These transactions coming to the knowledge of the General Court, it declares that such of the inhabitants as claim hold by leases from the Indians since 1700, are illegal and unjust intruders. That divers indigent profligate persons have "insinuated themselves upon the Indians, and obtained their leases and grants by fraud, without the knowledge and approbation of the government, and contrary to law, and order that they forthwith be ejected, unless within sixty days they submit their leases for the inspection of the Governor and Council, who may grant new leases of equal extent and value outside the reservation, the money to be applied for the support of the Indians. A committee was appointed to make inquiry into the alleged encroachments and report. John Leverett, inspector, in his report, says that in the Plantation at Ponkipog there are a number of English settlements upon leases taken from the Indians. He informs the Governor that about three years before, he went to Ponkipog, and sent for the most considerable English inhabitants, and demanded by what right they had set down, built upon and improved the lands in that plantation. Then they showed him their leases, upon which, he asked them if they were ignorant of the law of the Colony of 1633? They pleaded their ignorance of such law, and prayed that they might not be ruined through their want of knowledge. It would appear from the diary of Judge Sewall that Mr. Leverett consulted him in April, 1706, about the intruders at Ponkipog.

The Settlers, it seems, were not much terrified by Mr. Leverett's visit, for they sent no word to him, nor did they apply to him for a proper remedy; but undoubtedly considering that their title was not being questioned, they went on improving the land, and inviting others to join them. Mr. Leverett, hearing of this, went with Mr. Swift, and desired the English inhabitants to meet him at Pecunet; and told them that if, within six weeks, he did not hear from them, they should hear from him in a manner that would be little agreeable to them. This tone and language produced the desired effect, and the settlers prayed that they might not be severely dealt with, after they had built houses and redeemed the land from the wilderness.

The holders of these leases, some of whom were the first settlers of Canton, were summoned to appear before the Continental Court to be holden in Boston on the 18th of August, 1706.

The following are their names: Johnathan Babcock, Henry Bailey, John Davenport, Gilbert Endicott, Benjamin Esty, John Esty, Moses Gill, Abraham How, John Jordan, Thomas Kelton, Nathaniel Lyon, Peter Lyon, Elias Monk, Samuel Pitcher, Capt. Robert Spurr, Joseph Tucker, John Wentworth, John Wentworth, Jr., James Worth.

The Court did not deal harshly with the lessees. They postponed the matter until the fall session, in the mean time, directing the English tenants to make no more improvements, either by cultivating the soil or by erecting buildings.

The Court again appointed a committee to examine into alleged encroachments, and report. A petition from the Indians themselves was received, begging that their English neighbors--who had been very kind to them, and to whom they had leased their land--might not be disturbed in the quiet possession of it. The Indians represent that they have enjoyed their land under the protection of Dorchester for about fifty years; that in time of war, the town of Dorchester had assisted them by sending soldiers to protect them, and otherwise interesting themselves in their welfare and comfort. They have hired out some of their land to their English neighbors, because they had more than they could improve; more than they or their children ever could or would improve; and that these leases were given by the consent of the town of Dorchester, and the advise of " the Hon. Mr. Stoton." They pray that they may still hold their land from Dorchester, as formerly, and that their English neighbors may continue undisturbed with them.

Nov. 20, 1706.--The House of Representatives, finding that the tribe of Indians at "Puncapoag" desire their title from Dorchester, and having been informed that the town had voted to allow them liberty of their leases taken from the Indians, so long as the Indians live upon the said lands, ordered "that the leases be allowed, but that no more be made without the consent of Dorchester; and in case the tribe become extinct, the land should revert to the town of Dorchester."

All sides agreeing that Dorchester was to manage the matter, the town voted to appoint a committee to attend to the affairs at Ponkipog, and decide all matters of difference that might arise between the English and the Indians (1706), and they were empowered, if they saw fit, to go to law upon any question that could not be settled amicably. It is probable that their duties were more arduous than would at first thought appear. For, undoubtedly, the trouble was that some of the English inhabitants not only occupied the lands belonging to the Indians, of which they held leases, but that they claimed more than was ever leased to them. Others, again, refused to pay the rent that had been agreed upon, and some, indeed, suffered from the imputation of having obtained their leases in the first place by fraud and deceit. The Indians faithfully promised the town that they would not let or lease any more of their lands; neither would they allow any saw-mills, or mills of any kind, to be set up upon any of their streams, nor sell their timber without the consent of the committee appointed by the town; and in 1708, they renewed their promise, at the same time thanking the town for it's care of them, and their interests in settling the boundaries between them and their white neighbors.

The list of lessees before mentioned does not contain the names of all who held leases from the Indians. Certain it is that Charles Redman was a lessee of the Indian land, and probably had erected a house before his daughter Thankful was born. His lease is dated March 1, 1704-5. The land was set down at one hundred acres, but, in all probability, exceeded that amount. It was bounded southerly on Ponkipog Brook, easterly on the Braintree line, northerly on the Dorchester line, (where the present school-house stands.) and westerly on the highway that passes through Ponkipog. For this land he paid a yearly rent of L 3, 1s., (money of New England). This lease was transferred to John Harcey of Milton on the 11th of May, 1715, and again transferred to Redman, Dec. 19, 1720. For the subsequent history of this farm, the reader is referred to "The History of the Redman Farm," compiled by Ellis Ames, Esq., and published in 1870.

The following is an account of the earliest settlers in Canton, as far as I have been able to collate it. It is very imperfect, but the facts are hard to obtain at this late day, and will be harder in the years to come. The memory of the living does not go back to the time of which I am writing, and the records are meager. As these articles may some time take a more permanent form, I desire to have them accurate--I would rather they be dull and accurate, than brilliant and inaccurate. I shall consider myself under great obligation to any person who will communicate to me any additional information in regard to the early settlers, or any other facts in relation to the history of Canton, or point out any errors, of whatever kind, that I may unintentionally have fallen into.

Jonathan Babcock was born in Dorchester in 1652. His lease from the Indians was dated February 27, 1705. In 1709 he removed to Connecticut, and does not appear except that he received a writ at Ponkipog August 18, 1706.

Henry Bailey--the names of his parents are unknown; but he had a brother Edward--who resided in the town of Ringwood, county of Hampshire, old England, where he pursued the calling of a clothier, and died about 1706, leaving children, Richard, Henry and Frances.

Henry, one of our first settlers died Nov. 12, 1717. His will was proved Nov. 25, 1717. He is a styled weaver; his will provides "a comfortable support out of my estate for my wife, while she shall remain my widow; my son Edward, sole executor, to enjoy the land and buildings I have already given him. I give to him all my moveable estate, my cattle, horses, swine, and all my tools, also if my cousin Henry Bailey don't come over and live here and carry on upon the farm according to my honest intent and expectation, then I give that land on the southeast side of Beaver Brook to my son Edward. I also order my son Edward to give my cousin Henry Bailey two good cows, when he shall be ready to settle on his land, which I have formerly deeded, and a house or the use of a house, till he can get one of his own. I also give the half of the land to the eastward of my son Edward Bailey and all my other estate not mentioned in this will, and all my common rights in land I give to my son Edward.

I give to my daughter Elizabeth Wentworth the one half of my land at the eastward of her, and twenty shillings in money, which shall be paid to her within one year and a day after my decease, which shall be in full because she hath already received her portion.

Furthermore, if my cousin Henry Bailey should come over and settle upon the land I have given him, and die without heirs, then the land shall fall to my son Edward and to his heirs; and if both my son Edward and my cousin Henry shall die without heirs, then all my land which I have given to them shall fall to, and be settled upon the first male person of my father Bailey's family that I sprang from in old England, that shall come over and abide and settle here, and behave himself."

Sept. 3, 1716. Joseph Esti, Joseph Esti Jr., witnessess.

The inventory discloses "only land about 50 acres South Beaver Brook and his common rights." Jos. Esty, Joseph Hewins, Isaac Sterns, appraisers. The following is a copy of a letter written to Henry Bailey.

DORCHESTER, (near Boston.) Oct. 24, 1715.

Loving Cousin Henry Baily:--These lines are from your affectionate uncle, Henry Baily, who is, through the goodness and mercy of God, yet living in the town of Dorchester, near Boston, in New England, and although the Providence of God hath cast me a great way off from my native country, yet I would not forget my native land nor my relations in old England. The Lord hath been very good and gracious to me, and hath taken care of me and my family, and we are all this present in tolerable health. I and my wife, and my son Edward, (though not married,) and my daughter Elizebeth, who is married and hath three children, and although the Lord hath spared my life hitherto, yet I now grow into years, and I think it time to set my house in order and to dispose of that estate which God hath given to me in this world by will. I have therefore of late made my will, and, whereas I should be very glad to see you here in New England, so for your encouragement, if you see fit to come over and so settle here with us, I will bestow one-third part of my lands, and cattle and buildings upon you. If yourself cannot come over and settle with us, then I desire that your brother, Richard Baily, should come over and I will be helpful to him also. * * *

If you come over yourself, or cousin Richard, and are not able to pay your passage, I will pay it rather you or he should not come over.

Your loving and affectionate Uncle, HENRY BAILY.

To Henry Baily, living in the town of Ringwood, in Hampshire in old England.

This English Henry, appears to have come to this country, for in April 1722 he released gift of land from his uncle Henry, to his cousin Edward.

Henry Bailey leased land of Dorchester, 1705. Henry and Mary buy land of Ebenezer Clap in 1700. Henry of Dorchester, buys land of Obediah Haws in 1708. He buys 296 acres Lot 52, south of Indian line, with John Wentwoth. In 1716 he deeds to Edward, "the land I now live on purchased of Mr. Robinson, in the Twelve Divisions. North by the Indian line, E. or S. E., by Beaver Brook, S. and S. W., by John Wentworth." This is the estate now occupied by Mr. Frank M. Bird, on Bolivar Street. In 1714 he deeds to Henry Crane fourteen acres with dwelling house and cow house, fourth lot in the Twelve Divisions.

John Davenport appears as a lessee on the Indian land, May 30, 1705, in connection with Peter Lyon. There is no evidence that he ever resided on his land. He was a Milton man, and died there in 1725. His son John was born in 1695, and purchased his estate from Jonathan Puffer in 1717. The house situated down the lane running easterly on Cherry Hill, has ever since been owned and occupied by the Davenport family. Tradition asserts that the Indians greatly assisted in the building of this house. **It probably was erected about 1711, for that year Jonathan Puffer was "allowed liberty to get one load of clapboards and two loads of cedar bolts from the common swamps." Dr. Spare, of New Bedford places the building of this house in 1714. Gilbert Endicott says: Savage was born in Dorchester, in 1658. This is disputed by later antiquaries. He appears to have been in some military service for the colony of Massachusetts in 1677, probably in Maine. His name afterwards appears in 1677, when he receives a grant of land, upon condition that he builds a house within one year, and does not desert the place unless he leaves an occupant upon it. Again, he is seen in 1681 at Kennebunk. His name is found in Dorchester in 1690, and at Reading in 1696, where his son James was born. He undoubtedly came from Maine to avoid the trouble from the Indians, and he was a resident and had built a house in Canton in 1700. His lease is dated February 27th, 1704-5. He was also possessed of land in Sharon, which was bounded easterly on Massapoag brook, and westerly by the road leading to Billings' Tavern.

We are not absolutely certain of the location of Gilbert Endicott's house. Family tradition points to an ancient cellar hole on the land of George Capen, in rear of the lamp-post now standing at the junction of Washington and Chapman Streets. He seems to have obtained, by mistake, a plat of thirty-five acres, which the Indians had granted to Rev. Mr. Morse, in 1710, and his son erected a house upon the land. It is probable that he retained the land, and that another piece was granted to Morse in 1726. His wife's name was Hannah, and she married, after his death, a Minot, or Miner. He was the first person buried in the Canton cemetery, and his gravestone is the most ancient in town. It bears this inscription :

Abraham How was probably the son of Abraham How, of Dorchester. I have no reason to believe that he remained in Canton any length of time, although he was here in 1706. His lease was dated Dec. 3, 1703.

Benjamin Esty was probably the son of Joseph and Jane Esty of Dorchester. He received his lease on March 23, 1704, for two hundred years, in connection with Moses Gill, who was his uncle. He was in Sharon in 1727, and probably died in 1750. He had a brother Joseph who obtained land belonging to the Indians, which he sold to his son Joseph, Jr., in 1712. Possibly this is the name intended, not John, of whom I know nothing.

John Jordan appears to have remained on the land he had leased March 14, 1704. He occupied a house in 1716 on York Road, and was then designated as the "old man." Benjamin, Joseph and Jonathan were living in this vicinity at the same time. John's name does not appear on the tax list of 1727, and it is probable that he died between 1716 and 1727. The extent of the land covered by his lease was five hundred acres, and the time it had to run was two hundred years.

Thomas Kelton died before the 18th of August, 1706.

Nathaniel and Peter Lyon are supposed to have been brothers, and sons of Peter and Ann Lyon, of Dorchester. Of Nathaniel I know but little. He received a lease from the Indians, and in 1710 had fifty acres layed out to him on the road leading to Dry Pond, by the proprietors. Peter was a resident in Milton and taxed there from 1700 to 1705, and perhaps later. It would appear that "Henry Vose, of Milton was granted a point of land where Peter Lyons' house now stands, in 1698." Now, if this is so, that house must have been the first house ever built in Canton. A few years ago, I was informed that a cellar hole had been found on the farm of Col. Walcott--the old Michael Shaller estate,--and that the oldest inhabitant in that part of town, the venerable Capt. William Shaller, could give no information regarding it. It struck me at the time that it must be the spot where Peter Lyon's house stood. In some Fast Day walk this matter must be thoroughly investigated. On 1705, Peter Lyons styles himself as of Ponkipog, and he was an officer for this part of town in 1707. He was the father of Elbanon, "the great troubler of the church," during the pastorates of Morse and Dunbar, and it was he or his son who "set the psalm" in 1721 in the second meeting house. ** This house still exists but somewhat changed on Farrington Lane.

Elias Monk is first seen in Dorchester, in 1690. That year a company of soldiers were raised to embark in the expedition to Canada, and in a list of those under Capt. Withington appears Elias Moonke. He married for his first wife Hope--and on the town records of Dorchester appear the births of his children, George Christopher, Freelove, Abigail and Elizabeth. Between the years of 1696 and 1711, he must have had also a son Elias, and his daughter Mary who married Deacon Joseph Mason, of Watertown, must have been born in 1691. Elias was one of the supervisor of highways, in 1703. His lease is dated March 14, 1705. How early he came to this town we can not say, but "Monk's Meadow" is mentioned before 1700. In 1704 he was residing in Canton, for Edward Pitcher says that "he saw Charles Redman and Elias Monk bring two loads of hay from Beaver Meadow, in Pecunit, about the time that Joseph Tucker lost his hay; that it was carried into Redman's yard and there unloaded." He probably married for his second wife, Abigail, widow of James Puffer. In 1726, he deeds twenty acres of land to Elias, Jr., his son, which was sold by the later to Samuel Spare in 1739. He also deeds land to Shubael Wentworth, on Green Lodge Street. In 1727, Elias with his sons, Elias and George, are assessed. He purchased in 1728 the estate now known as the Capt. Wm. Shaller Place, and occupied the house then standing, built by Edward Wyatt, in 1725. He sold this property to Joseph Billings, in 1729, and removed to Ponkipog village. He died May 29, 1743.

Samuel Pitcher was probably the son of Andrew Pitcher, of Dorchester, and if so was born April 1652. He obtained his dismissal from the Milton Church, with which he had been connected and applied for admission to the church at Stoughton 1717. "Our aged brother, Samuel Pitcher was looked upon as one of the church but was not able to be present at the ordination." Before action could be taken upon admitting him as a member of Mr. Morse's church, he died Nov. 23, 1717.

Capt. Robert Spurr was a Dorchester man. In 1726, he was appointed by that town with others "to take care of the land which, in common with other lands was granted in ye year 1637 to ye Town of Dorchester, and in ye year 1720 confirmed by ye General Court." During the trial of Rev. Mr. Morse, in 1723, he appears to have been residing at Dorchester. He was not here in 1706, when he received his lease, and we know of no evidence that he ever lived in Canton. He was a distinguished man in Dorchester, where he died in 1739. It is probable that his son Thomas came to Canton.

Joseph Tucker was the son of Joseph Tucker, and was born at Milton, January 11, 1679. In 1703 he purchased land in what is now South Canton, on Washington Street, where the "Excresence" building has lately been built. He took from the Indians, on the northerly side, a lease of the land on the east side of Washington Street, extending from the Massapoag House to the residence of Hon. Charles Endicott. He ran the old saw- mill, and cultivated his farm. As early as 1711 he was appointed surveyor of highways. With his first wife, Judith, he joined Mr. Morse's church, June 29, 1717. For his second wife, he married, Nov. 3, 1730, Mary Jordan, who died Dec. 14, 1738, aged 63. He was a prominent man in the affairs of church and town, holding at one time the office of deacon, and was the first Town Clerk of ancient Stoughton. He was also an inn-holder which made him a man of more than ordinary consequence in those days.

Deacon Tucker, like the rest of mankind, had his troubles. In 1742 the gossips declared that he had been "overcome and disguised with drink," and that this had happened in a very public manner; and that his associate and companion at the time was no less a person than Parson Dunbar. Of course, in those days such matters could only be settled by the church; and on the tenth of September, Deacon Tucker made a speech to the church members, in which he strongly denied the soft impeachment. He attributed his behavior, which he owned was like that of a drunken man, to an injury he received by the stumbling of his horse; but after the witness had given their testimony he confessed that the last time he went to Boston, he took many "drams," besides some "mixed drinks," and he might have taken more than he was aware of. The church continued him in communion, but deprived him of the office of deacon.

Deacon Tucker, without leaving any male descendants, who had children, passed from earth in due time. The following inscription on his gravestone in the old cemetery styles him Deacon, but Mr. Dunbar records his death, adding "once a deacon of this church."

"Here lie the remains of Deacon Joseph Tucker, who died September, ye 25th 1745, in ye 66th year of his age."

Sept. 20, 1742, he married for the third time, Susanna Pelton, daughter of Robert and Rebecca (Crehore) who survived him and married for her second husband, Richard Stickney. He died May 24, 1769. This woman seems to be a connecting link between the first settlers and the present generations.

In 1801, the widow Stickney stated that she was then 98 years of age. She was then living in a house that stood between the Crane Schoolhouse and the Vulcan Engine House. Her house was poor and leaky. She was only in receipt annually of ten bushels of corn and one ton of English hay, and a right to get firewood out of her wood lot and apples out of her orchard for family use, the whole of which would not equal fifty dollars a year. She had supported an excellent character for many years. Jonathan Leonard thought it was a shame and disgrace to any civilized society, that one so aged and helpless should be suffering from cold and hunger. She died March 11, 1803, in the 97th year of her age, having been born Sept. 3, 1706, just one hundred and twenty-seven years after her first husband was born.

John Wentworth, one of the first settlers of our town appears to have been appointed constable in 1714 and died about 1716. As a full account of him has been published in the exhaustive work of Hon. John Wentworth (now in our Public Library) we shall leave him, merely saying that he was the ancestor of a numerous posterity, many of whom still remain in town. He left York, in Maine, on account of difficulty with the Indians, sometime between 1690 and 1700. In speaking of these difficulties, Sullivan, in his history, says:

"The Town of York has greatly suffered from the depredations of the Indians. Those from the western part of Massachusetts and New Hampshire used to meet the Pickwocket and Ossipee Indians on the river Newichawanick, and to render their combined force terrible to the towns on or near that river. In the year 1676, they assaulted the settlement of Cape Neddick, in York, where they killed and carried away all the inhabitants, amounting to about forty persons. There were some cruelties practiced upon the people which had not at that time been usual among the northern savages, and which are to shocking to be mentioned. In 1692 the town was entirely destroyed, fifty of the people were killed and one hundred carried into captivity. There were four houses that had been garrisoned and which held out for some time."

It is a touching incident in our local history that these emigrants driven from the place of their first settlement in the Province of Maine, should have named the new place of their residence "York," and that this name should have been applied to a part of our town from that time to the present.

Outside the limits of Ponkipog, on the land owned by the Dorchester proprietors, houses were being erected. Mathias Puffer, as early as 16900 had attempted to build a house near Blue Hill, but an order from the Selectmen of Dorchester forbade him to proceed with it, but having been able to convince them that he had purchased three hundred and forty acres of land of the widow of Capt. Hopestill Foster, and had two hundred and twenty laid out to him (1695) by the town of Dorchester, the restriction was removed; he was allowed to erect his house. He was appointed in 1697 with Capt. Vose and Ebenezer Billings to look after the common swamps and uplands, to see that neither shingles or timber were carried away. This appointment implies residence. In March 1703, he was chosen surveyor of highways, and was the first officer elected by Dorchester, who lived in the New Grant. As his life was an eventful one, and as there are many living who have "Puffer blood" in their veins, a short sketch of probably our first settler will not be uninteresting.

Mathias Puffer first appears in Dorchester in 1663, he married Mar. 12, 1662, Rachel Farnsworth, of Braintree. In 1675 he was at Mendon, when that town was attacked by the Indians. His wife, Rachel, and eldest son, Joseph, were slain. Several of his cattle were killed. He was forced to return to Braintree to take care of his children. This hardship ceased on February 11, 1677, when he fortunately found in Abigail, daughter of Richard and Mary Everett, of Dedham, some one far better adapted to that business. In 1687, he is again at Mendon, and he appears at Milton in 1693, when he joins the church in that town, and on the 14th of May, 1697, leads to the alter Miss Mary Crehore of that town.

The land he owned consisted of a tract bounded by Washington Street on the west, the Indian Line and the Pond on the south, and Blue Hill Street on the north. He divided his lot among his four sons, John, the eldest, having the eastern portion; James, the next adjoining Jonathan, an intermediate track to which Davenport's Lane now runs, and all contiguous on Washington Street to Eleazer. He had a daughter Hester who married June 2, 1697, William Sumner, and Abigail who married March 25, 1708, William Crane. He died May 9, 1717.

Not far from the boundary line between the towns of Canton and Milton, a town road leads from the modern Washington Street to Green Street. It begins nearly opposite Blue Hill Street, upon a level tract of land which, since Colonel Doty came from Plymouth to Canton in 1769 and established his famous tavern, has been known as "Doty's Plain." For many years past this now disused road has been called "Wood's Lane," not because it was a lane that led into the woods, but because within the memory of many now living Edward Wood lived in a house upon the corner of the lane, near where it turned from the main road. In 1881, it was changed to Royall Street. Before his day, however, this corner was known as "Royall's Corner," and the house that stood there, as the Royall House. The road is very ancient, having been laid out in 1704, by James Blake and Samuel Capen of Dorchester, and was described in 1763 as the road leading by Dea. Silas Crane's and through Dr. John Sprague's land, and Isaac Royall's by the Royall House to the country road."

The house now standing at the corner of Wood's Lane, although it occupies the same site as the ancient "Royall House," is quite modern. It was built in 1837, from the materials of the former house. The original house was built at the time when there was great danger of an attack from the Indians. Persons now living who well remember the original house, inform us that the upper story projected over the lower a few feet, and that there were loop-holes in the building at convenient distances to allow the occupants to protect themselves by muskets or hot water from the attacks of hostile Indians; such houses were quite common in the early days of New England.

Here lived Isaac Royall, Esq., and his son William after him. Isaac was the owner of much of the adjacent land. One hundred and fifty acres he had received from his father, Isaac, of Dorchester, "in consideration of love and affection." He, in turn, had purchased it in 1703 from, Daniel Preston, part owner of lot 5, in the 122 Divisions. One hundred and forty acres he had purchased in 1714. He was a captain in 1723 and frequently on the Dorchester committee to sell land. He was one of the original founders of the first works for smelting iron ore in Canton. In a deed dated 1725, he conveys to Ebenezer Mawdsley, one-eighth part of the late iron works built in the town called "London New" with the land bought of Joseph Tucker. In 1726, he audits the Town Treasurer's account and receives therefor ten shillings and in 1736 we find him in his capacity of Justice of the Peace, "sending Mary Holms to Bridewell," carrying "a tinker and his trull to the House of Correction," fining "Thomas Pelton for swearing and cursing," and "David Tilden for drunkenness and taking care of the welfare of the community generally." In 1747 he occupies one of the best pews in the old Stoughton meeting house. In 1727 he sends his son to college. In 1740 he gives our town a blank book in which with his own hand writes "The gift of the worshipful Isaac Royall to the Town of Stoughton for an accopt book." In this old house he lived with his slaves in the old Colonial style. He was by far the most prominent man in Canton in his day. He died Dec. 20, 1761, aged 79 years. His wife died nine days after, at the same age.

Again John Fenno, who lived at what is now known as "The Farms," had, in 1704, erected a substantial two-story house, still standing**--the oldest house in Canton. It stands out boldly in the highway as if to demand notice, and the traveller is forced to go almost around it as he journeys to Randolph over the old road to Bear Swamp. It has an ancient look; its roof is moss grown, and wide clapboards and narrow windows mark it as a relic of the days departed. The farm on which the Fenno House stands was granted by the town of Dorchester, in 1657, to Roger Clap. It consisted of five hundred acres beyond the Blue Hills, and Major Atherton, Ensign Foster and William Sumner were desired and empowered to lay it out. A plan of it was made in 1662 by Joshua Fisher, and on Butcher's map of 1690, is designated as Capt. Clap's farm. The following year, on the death of Capt. Clap, the farm at Ponkipog became the property of his sons, Samuel and Hopestill, and they on the twenty-first of June, 1694, deeded it for the sum of L 100 to John Fenno, of Milton, in whose possession it remained until his death in 1708. The farm was then willed to his three sons, John, Jr., Benjamin and Ephraim. His elder son, Joseph, it would appear, had gone to Canada on an expedition against the common enemy, and his father stipulated that should he ever return, the brothers should give him jointly L 90. John Fenno also mentions having property in the County of Lancashire, in the "Realm of England," which may have been his abode in the old country.

Although his farm had been laid out by the town of Dorchester in 1657, to Roger Clapp. It seems by some oversight to have been granted in 1675 to the Indians, as part of their reservation, and is alluded to in the report of the committee of 1723 as that part which must be "subducted" from the six thousand acres.

At the same time that it was granted to Clapp, Richard Thayer, who figures so notoriously in the early history of Braintree, as a claimant of lands, endeavored to obtain a lease of this farm from Wampatuck, giving the Sachem a pound of tobacco as rental. The council of the chief denied that Thayer had any rights in the land, and assert that the land belongs to Dorchester, and "if the English took it away from Thayer he was to lose it." It is unnecessary to add that he lost it. From some accounts it would appear that there was a family named Merrifield residing on a portion of this farm as early as 1671 but they could only have been transient persons.

John Fenno, Jr., appears to have been the only one of his father's sons who remained in Canton. He may have lived here as early as 1695, for he was chosen that year by Dorchester one of the committee on bounds and in 1704 he was a surveyor of highways. In 1709 he again served in this capacity. In 1716 his house is represented on a plan as of two stories, a rarity in those days, and proves the possessor to have been a man possessed of more than the average of this world's goods. At the organization of the precinct the same year he was chosen assessor. In 1720 he went to the "Roebuck Tavern" with the chief justice of the Province, who treated him and his friend, Capt. John Vose, to a quart of Mederia. It was his duty to keep "the boys in order" in the meeting-house; and his descendants in our day have kept " the boys in order," but in a different way. John Fenno died on the 23d of April, 1741, in the 76th year of his age, so the old gravestone in the cemetery informs us.

The second lot in the Twelve Divisions, originally laid out to the widow Mary Smith, was deeded in 1695 to Thomas Tolman, Jr. It is probable that he settled in the northerly part of town very early. He and his wife were members of Mr. Dunbar's church, who records that "Nov. 6, 1738, Thomas Tolman, our aged brother, falls down dead at his work." And again, "Mar. 14, 1746, the aged Widow Tolman gave L 5 to the church."

A house was also standing, in 1700, on the Spare Farm, now owned by John Gerald, and it was erected the same year, when William Bennet purchased the land. No mention is made of any house, but when it came into possession of Salter, he immediately erected a house, which was, in 1714, purchased by Jonathan Kenny, together with sixty acres of land lying on the west side of the country road, and bounded southerly by the northern boundary of the Indian Reservation Line.

(These articles originally appeared in the CANTON JOURNAL Newspaper in January, February and March 1882.)