— BU HR
it infilt ºf ºti tº
90.15 OO234 471 4
igan
ſae
&
ſ'
8
ſ
8
[]
}
University of Mich
º ºsſº: <！--# ºffſ
¿<！--* * * *ſaeſ
：******«aerae;**;，
§"， （e.·：：
§:№ſſae;№，$№ſſae¿№ſſae✉ae， ！^--.--. .---* --，§§
§©®°¶-tº∞،§§§§、、、。、、。**** ¿&）ſ * *·-、。
|×st=！sº-s** • ********************** ！！！
Ř®* --<· |--:::::：:::::::::：:::::::::：:：::::::：：:::::::::>：:>:>：:
-~ c.··--·· ***&&&&&&-·zººx.á º·، ، ، * * * * x ≤ ∞
…-• • •*. º…§¶√≠ ≤ ≥ ≡*: ， ** **§******）*****§§§§§§§§·…--~~~~ -≡-·***#！*.* * * * * * * * * *·
§），~--~·-¿--- > -:- --**¿.*¿.'，*、、、、、、、、、*|----
·-}，№， ¿∞∞∞…º±，±，±-·*** •ąº : * x））） »ș************:）*，，，，。-- -·
···$wg，-------…、、ș ș.***** & ***********4 ±± √∞ √æ√≠√æ√•&#！*§:sſaeº º se.«******* x ≤≥±−×-
·******¿¿.*¿¿.* *Raeaegae;:）;*、、-***«¿¿| ** *********， **， as:：::::::&！！！！！！！！！！！！?！！?！！?！！?！！！ſaeae， &.ae·
*Ķ***** * * * * *și-ae;a...！»！！!！！！！×wae «șș -，ſeș*****、、、、、、、、、、。*~§¶√≠√æ√° s√≠√¶√≠√≠√≠√∞'，******** *，* * *-* * * *-* * * * * * * * * * *s-
##############################################################################±%
*ae.·** ** * *|-•±-3. º~~.■ ***-
š* *§§§§§§§§§§33:3:rșº:::****:::::::：：:：:::：:::£:::::::::：：：:::::::::::::::::::：:::::ș， * * * ſąs žšą.*4-3.
-�*
：-）----：|-،|--
º， , ;; ; ， ; *（;|g?！*@ ： * · * * ·，·,≤）
*¿¿.*¿¿ {-·*********** ！！！ （gaeae，
∞ √（−x）,¿.*******x*…*¿¿.
&_º\,→··…→- --·**«*.* （º.-> < * * * * * * * · * * * * * * * * *
****** * * * * * * * ·，≤ ∞，∞） × （2）|--** - - ț¢ £ €-
-****** ?.* * * & * ? * * * * * * * * * （?）; = №------
::::::::：:：::：:：:::：：:::：::::：:::№ſ:53?！！！！！！！！！!!！！$$$$、、、、、、、、、、、:::：:::：.*?（3:3:3:3：3:3:3:35，***************~*~*~*~ ~~~~ ~~~. :）！！！！！！！！！.>>:>：::::：:::::：:******
& ºr *.*.* * * * *-* * * * * * *。、、、、、、、3、g:::：:::::::：:::::::::::::::§:ſſ:::：:::::::::::：::::：Zººaeae （??！！！！！??！！?!！?！！?！！?！！?！！！ >:）！！!->=<;：:-: • ***, ** **
::::::::：：:：::：:：::：:>:ſſ:&！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！ ¿í.* && ！.******** * * * * * * & * & * & * ± …， ¿（…）--: ~~~~
::::：:：:::::::：:::::：::：：::::：::E:5253±√¶√5:5:35，:---
*** • • • • •••<aeraežī£333，&#3--
*: ********�::：:：::：::::::::::>:：>：>::：::::：:::：::！！！！！！！！！！！！！！
ș
ș{
*
*

LIBRARYºgº
-N
tº: º
º
*
sf:
§
-*
º
f
N
H
f
§
º
52CZT
Gºrºº, tº
=
E
E º
É
E
- - - * - º
#3 m||||IIIHIJI IIIIHIIIHillſº
tº ſº º ſº dº ſº º sº º ºſ º ºr º 'º as Cºº a º ºſ º ºſ º dº º 'º º Aº a
ºffli
OF THE
winsmºutlºs
* * : * r * * * *
: 'tiv::r,
%
2:
S.
%
:
rºl
#
2.
-
3

//ith the Compliments of
A NUMBER OF VILLAGES
NEAR
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS
FORMERLY KNO AS
“HARBORs”
by t
SAMUEL A. GREEN


A NUMBER OF VILLAGES
NEAR
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
“HARBORS’’
BY, tº
ſº
SAMUEL A. GREEN
GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS
1917
HUNTLEY S. TURNER, PRINTER
AYER, MASS.
(Groton Historical Tract No. One)
A NUMBER OF VILLAGES NEAR GROTON,
MASSACHUSETTS, FORMERLY KNOWN
AS “HARBORS”
The following article was printed first in the
Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, for
February, 1896. At the request of a few friends I reprint
it with slight additions and alterations.
Near the beginning of the nineteenth century there
was a group of three villages, far from the sea-coast, lying
in the same general neighborhood, on the northerly side
of Groton, of which each bore in part the name of Harbor.
They comprised the villages of Townsend Harbor, Mason
Harbor, and Dunstable Harbor, situated respectively in
the towns of Townsend, Massachusetts, and of Mason and
Dunstable, New Hampshire. Two of these towns are ad-
jacent to each other; and Dunstable, the third town, now
known as Nashua, is but a short distance away. Of these
three villages, Townsend Harbor is the only one which
still bears the name.
So far as my knowledge goes, these are the sole in-
stances in New England where the word “Harbor” is con-
nected with the name of a settlement away from the coast-
line, or from a large body of water, like the village of
Centre Harbor on Lake Winnepesaukee.
Names of places all have a history of their own, con-
nected in some way with the neighborhood, though often
the origin of the name is wrapped in obscurity. It is
never beneath the dignity of an historical writer to throw
light on disputed subjects and to clear up doubtful points
even in trivial matters.
4
The question naturally arises, Why were these three
villages called “Harbors”? As the local antiquaries do
not agree in their answer, I purpose to let them speak for
themselves. -
Mr. Ithamar B. Sawtelle, in his History of Townsend,
gives some facts concerning a pioneer of that town, and
then goes on to say:—
Nothing further is known of him except that he was in
charge of a log-house made in a defensible manner against
losses by the incursions of the Indians. One of these castles
was located north of the Harbor and overlooking the same,
and another near the meeting-house on the hill, and the same
tradition further saith that the log-houses and mill, where the
Harbor now stands, and the direct surroundings were called
‘‘the Harbor,” because by signals from these three points, in
case of the appearance of any ‘‘red skins,’’ the settlers could
soon reach these places of safety (pp. 61, 62).
Mr. John B. Hill, in his Centennial Address at Mason,
alluding to Mason Village, says in a note:–
Then called the Harbor. A word of explanation of this
term may not be deemed out of place. In the early settlement
of the country, towns were laid out upon the sea-coast, on which
in many of them there was a bay, cove, or mouth of a river,
used as a harbor for vessels. The meeting-house, where town
meetings were held and public business transacted, was at the
center of the town, but it often happened that the “Harbor.”
was the principal if not the only mart of trade in the place.
And when, in an inland town, a locality on its border became
the principal mart of trade, it was known by the same name
of Harbor, as Mason Harbor, Townsend Harbor, Dunstable
Harbor. (Proceedings of the Centennial Celebration at Mason,
August 26, 1868, page 42.)
On June 28, 1872, Mason Village was incorporated as
a separate town under the name of Greenville.
Dunstable Harbor was a small settlement on the
south side of Salmon Brook, near its mouth into the Mer-
rimack River. At one time in the early part of the cen-
tury the local Post-office was established there. Allu-
sions to the place are found in Charles J. Fox’s “History
of the Old Township of Dunstable” (pp. 193, 195, and
270). - -
5
On January 1, 1837, the name of the town of Dun-
stable, New Hampshire, was changed by legislative en-
actment to Nashua, now the second largest city in that
State.
It will be noticed that Mr. Sawtelle and Mr. Hill do
not agree in their theories as to the origin of the name;
and I shall not attempt to decide between them. There
is no account on record that Townsend was ever seriously
threatened by the Indians,—with possible exceptions dur-
ing the years 1747 and 1748,-though the inhabitants of
the town in early times may have taken precautionary
measures to ward off the attacks of the enemy. Many
years ago Mr. Sawtelle wrote me that formerly there was
a tradition that the village was first called “Tory Har-
bor,” on account of the number of tories living there dur-
ing the Revolution; but he was inclined to doubt it, as
there were so few of that class in the immediate neighbor-
hood. Perhaps the present designation is a survival of
part of this name. In the town of Claremont, New Hamp-
shire, there is a locality known to-day as “Tory Hole,”
from the fact that it was a place of favorite resort for
tories in Revolutionary times.
I take this opportunity to pay a tribute to my old
friend Ithamar Bard Sawtelle, who was born at Brook-
line, New Hampshire, on February 2, 1814, and died at
Townsend, Massachusetts, on November 1, 1905. He was
an accurate antiquary and was the author of several his-
torical papers and of a History of Townsend, Massachu-
setts, his adopted home. The Centennial address at
Brookline, New Hampshire, in the year 1868, was deliver-
ed by Mr. Sawtelle. On May 23, 1850, he married Miss
Martha Ann Hannah Campbell Bills, of Brookline, and
three children were born to them, viz.:-
Arthur Bills Sawtelle, born on May 7, 1851, and died
October 14, 1852. *
Carrie Frances Sawtelle Stickney, who died several
years ago, and
Bertha Sawtelle White, wife of Howard Bertram
White, of Ayer.
6
His funeral was attended by a large number of
friends and neighbors, who came together to pay
their last respects to one, who, for many years, had play-
ed a prominent part in town affairs.
Many years ago Mr. Sawtelle called my attention to a
mistake or inaccuracy in Butler’s History of Groton, which
might lead the investigator into serious error. It is found
on page 291, of the History and is as follows:–
- William Prescott, the second son of the aforesaid Benja-
min, removed from his birth-place after the death of his father,
and while a minor, to the part of his father’s estate which is
now in Pepperell; probably the land given by the proprietors
for services in procuring the grant of Groton Gore, as has been
related in a former chapter.
The point to which I object in this quotation comes
after the word probably. The word “probably” should not
appear there, as this parcel of land had no connection
whatever with the grant of Groton Gore. A correct cut
of Groton Gore is given on page 32, in “The Boundary
Lines of Old Groton,” by Dr. Green. The land lies in sev-
eral towns, near the southern boundary of New Hamp-
shire, and some miles west of Pepperell.
In “The Farmers’ Cabinet” (Milford, N. H.) August
22, 1895, is another allusion to the Groton Gore, which
confirms my account of the matter. The article is found
in the Groton Historical Series (IV. 229).
When the new line was run between the two Prov-
inces, in 1741, a considerable part of the land was lost by
Massachusetts. This loss caused much feeling south of
the Boundary and was the subject of controversy. After
a long dispute between the two Provinces which lasted
more than thirty years it was finally settled by the Gen-
eral Court of Massachusetts, on April 12, 1772.
All these so-called Harbor villages are situated on
small streams: Townsend on the Squannacook River,
where there is a mill-pond; Mason on the Souhegan River,
where also there is a mill pond; and Dunstable on Salm-
on Brook, near the Merrimack River. Townsend Har-
bor is the oldest of the three settlements; and the name
7
may have been carried, by example or through imitation,
thence to Mason, which is only a few miles distant. I am
inclined to think, however, that its origin was due to a
popular fancy then existing in the neighborhood of giv-
ing the second name of “Harbor” to villages of ambitious
hopes. It might be added, too, that this would help pub-
lic sentiment in favor of a later change.
sº
§
*...*.*.*.*.*.*.* *;
º
º
º "...ºgº.º.º.
****
º:
§ 2. čº º ºs
...? § {
º: vº
İiii.
3 got 5 O7025 1700
È
CD
0C
Ll]
>
2
D
|
* * * * ***** **
Y.
unt
Farm phlet
Binder
Gaylord Bros., Inc.
Makers
Syracuse, N
PM, JAH 21, 1908
Photomo
* * {
, , , , ; * *
· · · ·····---···）， （özetiſiä
<:：::::：：:::::::：*№

J & 3 & & & && ！！！！！！！！$3.5 × 3 × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × 3 × ×
a : * & * • • • • + r * * * * * * * * * 4. • • • • * * * * * *~ ¡ ¿ - † * :-（ --...-3. ****** • ** : № şi: :） --★ → -+ - … … ;）， ±， ±, ±, ±）« · *ſær æ ： * & ** ** **
* * & * & *-:æ§ → · § → · § § → · § © ® 5 ） ， （***） ≤ ≥ ± **********************.**…！ :， ’:’， :, :，:w
::::::::：::::::::::::ſtºș<è*。 、、、、、、、、、 、、、、、、、、、、*******************
***************** • ** ********** ！！！！！ā ā5 x * * * * * * · * * * * * * * * zº ：::：:::
-*…”…№.¿-?• × × × × × × × × × × × × × * * ?... * * : « s ae → → → → a + ~; ~& * & • ** * * * · * * * * * * • • • • • • • • * * * · * *~~~ * * * * · * * * * * * * * * *
→ → * * * * * * *.ę y ** ***********§§::::::：:::::::::::::::：:::::::：::::::：::::::::::::：::::::::::
* * x ≡ 33.， s.s. … +:-.* # : » < x < s. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ******* ** **
Z = X 5， y rę §§©®°¶√≠ ≤ ≥ ± − × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ≤ ≥ ≡ ≈ ≠ ≤ ≥ ±,±,±,±，±,±，±
ș » * * * * * * * * ,
**** * * * * xx ° * * * *
±± și
！ ¡№, º « * * * * * * * * * * * 4 ************...* * * * * * · * * * * * & * *>）*...***…*** * * * * *; aeraea × × × × ×× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×）.！！！！!<* -> ·-- * .*.*.
:::：::::::::::::::::：::::::::：::::::::：::::::::：::::::::：:::::::::::::：:::：::::::::::::::::::::::：::::::::„F5，5） × ±:2&5，533，…№， №š）！！！！！ ！！ ！！ ！！！！！！！！！*# y::yſ） x 2. **********s & & & && x < :*:（.*>.*?！！！！！!.!.！.！ 3---! ！！ ??--->ș ș！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ <ſ : »… * * * * * * *
■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Gārſtāvā. № ！！！！ī£ ¥ $ ！！！！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ ！！ >.< > ≡ ≈ ≠ ± ø § ø œ < * ≈ x3 ≠ ≤ ≥ ≡ 5 x ***#！***！*® ：::::：:•“g ***** * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** ** * * · * * * * * * * * * * * 3. ***.**.~ ---*.--:::::：::::::::» ºg ſae.* *ș.»
（...）»，ą.á-±:g！::：::::::::::::šis ſ㺠ſº šā īss （3，5 ± ≠ ≠ ≠√≠√¶√5±√¶ ¡ ¿?， ¿s sººs º £333，&#3;:?***----* * & * =:ſ - №*** --~~~ -******|- --- ~~
|×4）， • • • • • • • ** * * * · ********************* & * * * * * * * * *.*¿¿.**√≠√≠√¶√≠√≠√≠ ≤ ≥ ± − × ≤ ≥ ≡ ≈ ≠ ≤ ≥ ±（-+ ** ** ******************************Țš， ž， š?.?！！！ ¿¿.** 5.ăšaºs »ſraeſ） ， ** * * * * & * & ***********************ę ºsº sešºſ， º ******, ** *?,
-Z， Ź， ſºſ:（55;&š！?！！?！！?！！?！！?！！ī£2，5 （±√（√（√3 ≠√≠ √≠√≠√3， √≠√¶√≠√≠√≠√∞ √≥±−× × × × × × ≤ ≥ ± − × ÷ × ≤ ≥ ≡≡≡≡≡≡*****·+· – wą. -→
、、、、、、、、、ş ********* w:&&*** * * ***
。、、、、、、、, ） » +， *） **************;
-， ș& * & * * * * * *>.*?< *ſ*® i
*…！? &.*** & * *
¿¿ №rr …， x ≤ x * * * ** ***** * * *x*...* * * * ** **
-§ 3-2， x） * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ***
s （ 5 ） » #š#ā ºrvº; e a x & **șºr sºſyº * * * * * * & ******，
√ √ √° √≠ √≠ ≤ ≥ ±√（√° s√x;ř** & * & *********） * * * *£,
- * *„ ș~）; ∞ × ± + -º-： -* * * * ** ***-
§:{5！?！！?！！?！！???）;$$$$（）
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * & * ?
**t
*** x&\xx ★ → ******* ** ** ***
·& * \， x º 3 ſe ? * * * * * * * * * * * * **
* #* & * ?，
&
§§§&
*****） && ！！！ ******¿.***…*_* º *
*** **§¶√¶√∞i√¶
¿-
§§§§ （* ******， **, wº ： * && ！a.
+', # 5 （-， ！ ！ ！ ！ ！ x + „“ ; ** * * * * * * * * * * *
* - * * * * * * *
• * * * * º * r. 8 wr
· « ; ; ; , ， , ， . 4° * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * · * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
******.**.a.
§§
№
ſèſſºſ
§§
º • * * *
*****
ſae:
！№.
gºt jº
t
## * ±± ≠ ≤ ≥ ≡ ≈ ≠ ≤
Łę rºzºs xºxº º wae·
|×******** ！！！！！！!！！!;ſae
|× ≤ ≥ ±± − × × × ×*
• ••••••• • ******ae
-!·
-* · *\ . »~-~- ·-ż|- - ----
→ * &·--
·· |-' +}-→.^
*|-{●>|-{- *--*
---* ... *-3 -- *--* …+, ，.*.* ---
*→ +:-•|-*~-- �-.*»
*-} *»§ →* → »|-. ... - , : * - -• ... * *--|-
·-- - -.*|-}！ ---
→**-* }*ķ· -·
- ~~ , •----s.*#- • …, º «-- -----:
** »** •- --
*^）.|-{··- ·}*
*·*-„*;*u
--- -*|-•·*-* ---- --*
*- .*- -->-----* •· -·* -
- --*→+·.*、---
-•→ -« ș.x »• ... ”•·.* -~
*. -- -|---: ?:* .- +
-... - ~~-*→--> .*--
-ș *-- --x→Y· **, º ·<, º~.*~» |-
|-·|-}→, ！----• 4-'w
ſ.-. . *--. , ·»- r~
** ，-·- --.**.* -•~-+
·• -'. ,*:}•*~ ,|-- ** ,… * *→→ ·* -* -
►* - .*|-~ş----- S
-*----• * ,·- *→
*: -~+ （ -.*|-»ș
· -|× |-A~** - --|- ^~-
→ -|-* -*… », ，- •· |-►----• -
-，· . …-· --* -$-
Y-…-* +-*-• »-- *-* -
-|-·- --· -ſ. •~-∞• .-+
*---- --· *+ę* --·
×.» º ^）. *-*:- ... •· -
-------- -*---→.*ſą*
… *-~*--- .* *|×~+
·º ·}ı*--- --- ·+*-
s', `· · ·' , .-~- -»-&* -|-|--
：-*•* -·|→■-
*|- * {· -ș** ·~*
-|-·*-x.+- --
* -*·~- --&s. »
șsº : ·' .--*|-· §
**+----*· -* -?«*
** *· · *-·-- �
-* & ~~~*， '..- -… -… -
w º, -- →}~ →%- -:-
*-}Ł -- ·* -
----*→-*•→
-~~* -·-* ·*----- ·* |-
.*z→- ---·* *-- *. -
**·-*-{-· * -« *… * *-* .!-- |-·· *
|- &- -、-# ~~
s., ,→�-|-… • - ·-*
, . ”{ ș→-·+~ -----* *}
-* --.~， ,---- {
**- *.· -…~-·
-→& �
*+•-• · * -*
* -« .»→-'s-* ·
~ * -* * * *.|--| * |----'.*----**----... **·*}
-*·-* …--~----*--
-, ’- ----ºs»-· -→ -·！ *
�·· ---|- -----* ..— •* ,|-*
*|- ~·---- →- -* -- - ·Ķ+.**- &
|- * ,S· • • •-ș -*.- ----
W-.* **} -- -, ！
- ~ -_■ * *→ ·}，·· *
%----ſ º* ' ）,…*-- ----- --- *-·-----
- -»- ---*→-- ~
e·- ·-----3-*
* -- - --~ -！-----w.|- --*
*- -----*#-* --
|-»→** - * *•- *r --
r --#*-- *}|×--*-
-* . .* ·~ ?* •×}- -*-
~•*~%--·~,º
-- · ·→-A·*-*.…|--→« '-
* （º...-. , !-- ：|-
-}►--- ~→ -- * ··-
.* *~-», !-·}*... ►.*-
…*-→*-*--* , -• |-··· ---- ·-
*··*• • •----· ，-* .-----|- -----{-
; ;~* *---- ·*�*→- }-
--- «$|-… * -- -
|× -** -º. g.·…- - -?
{*-»-*- *--·-- . .. *|- |-
... • •·- »'w-;·-~|-
·· *~, ，-|-|--• ,*→»~*.* ~
··wº , ,！ ·-- →-· *-|-
•*ww �--, , ~~-- -··* -
*- --~{ --^ . .----- - ---
· ·.* →«. -* *{…--
\*' + …} -|-- -Ț
.*‘. -**- *„. “,·-
3-{{-|-* ... ···
- -ș*&*-·- |-·* , *
-:* '',}… *- *--%
** * · *~\'-*• „* -►-, ！-- �- . Ł-- º →-·· -- ·*
-- --- --|--. -}*|×-- - ·- --|-→}
|-*+ * -…*· ，- -
«*-• .*--*--» （ ）
&-„”-\,~ & T. ~~*·-· +•**··---.|-
· -#*~.* * *！---- * *+ ·- -*--ș- -
-*.*&~*- *--< º.*-
-* &-. -«a *· -•*}** |×* ---*
8»’. ^ |--*+*-
· *-· · · · ·-* #~ * * - ----
-}* -: * *-
*-|-.‘.* &- --**|-→→
|--… *·-**-*-
-- ---- »-- -· *. "•·‘,
-->|-----!\→---*- --*
, ， , , *-----·- -~*-~*
~ º~+* ， , ; '|-»”- -|--·----- . . .
×· •, º·ı %» .----- - --*** → · §- -.*~
:.- ,！:»→ +**.* ~~± ~ș-- -
-→• × °-•-** ·-> -→*
·-* … …-#ķ---+, ’- →*
¿?·.* -* . ：:*| *-·* ·- ~**~* •*· ,·
*- -***«;* ,* …;
« …»→→•* ... --.----** --+*|-· →·
• …»+ · ·:----” …-► t.* ~~* '',* -
-→ ſ.- - ·* -*~ *·
». →-- »--*« …4. --|-* ;----·
---* • -** ，|-· -* + ----~•-··:- ¿?
-→* ·~�* : , :s º· * * * ·-* &----· ,… • •
、---- -*·- ！* -sº s. *·#|----- -- -�-
! • .}~* . –*-#-->，）·
* ſ;·*.- ·<*{ |-… º→ -· *" .~ -**|-
ș-->*~* .·- -*--* < ,-·:r *----
&4|-|-·-: --• -*
. . . *→*----?•----···?-
-|--- · *--*！ 4
-*-----，