i884.]
��The Boundary Lines of Old Grot on. — /.
��281
��that town, is very incorrect, so far as it relates to the boundaries of Groton. The Squannacook River is put down as the Nissitissett, and this mistake may have tended to confuse the author's ideas. The southern boundary of Dun- stable was by no means a straight line, but was made to conform in part to the northern boundary of Groton, which was somewhat irregular. Groton was incorporated on May 25, 1655, and Dunstable on October 15, 1673, ^"*^1 no part of it came within the limits of this town. The eastern boundary of Groton originally ran northerly through Massapoag Pond and con- tinued into the present limits of Nashua, New Hampshire.
On the southeast of Groton, and ad- joining it, was a small township granted, in the spring of 1654, by the General Court to the Nashobah Indians, who had been converted to Christianity under the instruction of the Apostle Eliot and others. They were few in numbers, comprising perhaps ten fam- ilies, or about fifty persons. During Philip's War this settlement was entirely deserted by the Indians, thus affording a good opportunity for the English to encroach on the reservation, which was not lost. These intruders lived in the neighboring towns, and mostly in Groton. Some of them took pos- session with no show of right, while others went through the formality of buying the land from the Indians, though such sales did not, as was sup- posed at the time, bring the territory under the jurisdiction of the towns where the purchasers severally lived. It is evident from the records that these encroachments gave rise to controversy. The following entry, under date of June 20, 1682, is found in the Aliddle-
VoL. I. — No. v. — B.
��sex County Court records at East Cam- bridge, and shows that a committee was appointed at that time to re-estab- hsh the boundary lines of Nashobah : —
Capt Thomas Hinchman, U. Joseph Wheeler, & D. Jn" flynt surveyc, or any two of them are nominated & impowred a Comittee to run the ancient bounds of Nashobah Plantation, & remark the lines, as it was returned to the genall Court by said mr flynt at the charge of the Indians, giving notice to the select men of Grotton of time & place of meeting, wdi is referred to mf flint, to appoint, & to make return to next Coun Court at Cambridge in order to a finall settemt
Again, under date of October 3, 1682 ("3. 8. 1682."), it is entered that —
The return of the committee referring to the bounds of Nashobey next to Grotton, was prsented to this Court and is on file.
Approved
The "return" is as follows :
We Whose names are underwritten being appointed by ye Honrd County Court June: 20* i6b2. To run the Ancient bounds of Nashobey, haue accordingly run the said bounds, and find that the town of Groton by theire Second laying out of theire bounds have taken into theire bounds as we Judge neer halfe Indian Plantation Seuerall of the Select men and other inhabitants of Groton being: then with us Did See theire Erro"" therein & Do decline that laying out So far as they haue Inuaded the right of ye Indians.
Also we find yt the Norwest Corner of Nashobey is run into ye first bounds of Groton to ye Quantity of 350 acres accord- ing as Groton men did then Show us theire Said line, which they Say was made before Nashobey was laid out, and which bounds they Do Challenge as theire Right. The Indians also haue Declared them Selves willing to forego that Provided they may haue it made up upon theire West Line,
�� �
