"GROTON," SALEM, IN 1700.

"GROTON", SALEM, IN 1700.

BY SIDNEY PERLEY.

THE name of this portion of Salem, in 1700, has been called "Groton ", because that was the name given by Emanuel Downing to his great farm of more than three hundred acres which is included in this area. The territory included in this article is two and a quarter miles in length, nearly one and one-half miles in width, and has an area of three and one-third square miles. It extends east and west from one hundred rods easterly from Proctor's crossing to the West Peabody junction railroad station and southerly and northerly from about Forest street to about Andover street (formerly the Andover turnpike). The southern line of Salem Village is shown by the broken line.

The ancient Ipswich road, laid out in 1643, runs across the eastern end. This is now known by two names, that part running northeasterly from Proctor's crossing as Prospect street, and that running southerly from Proctor's crossing as the Ipswich road in 1740, and later as Lowell street. What is now called Prospect street was known as the country road in 1700; and was called Prospect street as early as 1882.

Lowell street was called ye highway, in 1681; the path leading from the county road unto Anthony Needham's, in 1700; ye country road, in 1701; the highway leading from Anthony Needham's unto Salem Towne, in 1701; the town highway that leads from Salem to Captain Flint's, in 1721; the highway leading to Joseph Pope's, in 1734; Reading road, in 1740; the road leading from Salem to Reading, in 1802; the road leading to Salem, in 1805; the road leading from Reading to Salem, in 1806; the county road, in 1808; and Lowell street as early as 1858.

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Forest street is an old road; and was called the country road or highway, in 1733; the highway leading from Zachariah King's to George Southwick's, in 1799; the road or highway leading from Zachariah King's, in Danvers, to Lynnfield, in 1800; and Forest street in 1882.

The street up Mount Pleasant is called Felton street. There was early a way between Forest and Lowell streets, shown on the map by broken parallel lines, which was known as Cutler's way in 1729.

Proctor's brook was called the fulling-mill brook in 1740, and is generally known as Proctor's brook.

The western portion of the lot of John Felton and others is on the highest part of what is now known as Mount Pleasant. It was formerly called Hog hill, being, perhaps, a hog pasture in early times. It is one of the few hills of original Salem which are more than two hundred feet in height above sea level.

The location of the Boston and Newburyport turnpike, laid out in 1804, is shown on the plan by parallel dotted lines.

Charles Downing Farm ("Groton"). The town of Salem granted three hundred acres of land to Robert Cole Dec. 21, 1635, in the following words: "That m Cole shall haue a farme of three hundreth acres in the place where his catle are by Brooksby, And Captaine Traske & y rest of the Surveyors are to lay it out and bound yt according to y' discretion, pvided in Case m Cole be disposed to pte wth yt by Sale that he make his first pro[fer] vnto the towne vpon reasonable tearmes before he offer yt vnto any other."* A week later the town "Granted vnto Robt Cole his heires and assignees three hundreth acres of land whereof fortye acr[es] is Marshe fitt to be mowed lying and being abou[t] 3 myles. from Salem West ward vpon a freshe w[ater] brooke called the North brooke."* This included the Roger Morey land.

Mr. Cole sold this farm to Emanuel Downing of Salem before July 16, 1638, when the town granted to Mr. Downing one hundred acres of land on the southwest *Salem Town Records, volume I, page 11 (printed).

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side of Mr. Cole's farm, "next vnto Roger Maury his farme."* Oct. 17th following the town of Salem passed the following vote: "Whereas there was graunted to Mr Emanuell Downinge one hund. acres of land adioyning to Mr Coles farme weh hee purchased lying on the Southwest side of the said ffarme, next vnto Roger Maury his farme. The towne hath thought good to graunt to the said Mr Emanuell Downinge one hund. acres of land one the north side of the said ffarme purchased of Mr Coles, next adioyning to the said farme whereby the ffarme may be comodious to him. And the former Graunt of one hund, acres is reversed."+

Dec. 27, 1638, the town of Salem passed the following vote : "Whereas there were former graunts of Land to Mr Emanuel Downinge of ffiue hundred acres neere vnto Mr [Humphreys] || Bishops ffarme & one hundred thereof taken in exchange of one hundred acres to be added to that ffarme wch hee purchased of Mr Coles, the said Mr Downing finding the said ffarme vnfitt for husbandry in regard of want of plow land, we haue vpon his request graunted vnto him one hundred acres more to be adioyned to the said ffarme whereby hee may be encouraged to plowing, for weh hundred acres hee doth hereby resigne vp vnto the towne one hund. acres more of his ffirst graunt of 500 acres so that there is now remayning vnto Mr Downing but 300 acres thereof.”+

Mr. Downing named this estate "Groton." William Flint lived upon it about 1648;§ and his son Thomas Flint lived here from 1649 to 1653.|| John Proctor of Salem hired and lived upon the farm from about 1666 until his execution for witchcraft in 1692. Thomas Preston subsequently lived upon it. Benjamin Proctor then possessed it until Sept. 13, 1700, when Thorndike Proctor of Salem, yeoman, bought it of Charles Downing of London, England, esquire, grandson of Emanuel Downing,

*Salem Town Records, volume I, page 71 (printed). +Salem Town Records, volume I, page 72 (printed). Salem Town Records, volume I, page 76 (printed).

SEssex County Quarterly Court Records and Files, volume I, page 213; Essex Registry of Deeds, book 15, leaf 5.

Essex Registry of Deeds, book 15, leaf 6.

who had died.* In this conveyance, the estate is described as a farm of three hundred acres of land, in Salem, 66 upon or near a fresh water brooke Commonly Called the north brooke in the prefent tenure and Occupation of Benjamin Procter his afsigne or afsignes now being and was formerly the farme of Emanuel Downing of Salem aforesaid Gent Deceafed Grandfather of the Said Charles Downing purchased by the Said Emanuel Downing of one Robert Cole vnto whome the Same was granted by the Said town of Salem," in 1635, bounded "Southeasterly in part with the land of Joseph Horne and partly by Reeds ffarme from a Stump Standing on the South Side of the brooke unto a black Oake being a bound marke between the said Reeds ffarme and the lands of James Howlton northeasterly with the Common lands of the Said towne of Salem from the aforesaid black oake tree unto a black oake Stump on the northerly Corner of the Said ffarme and from thence Southwestward unto a white oak tree Standing on the Rocks and from thence northwestward unto a Swamp white oake Stump Standing about twenty Poles on the northerly Side of the way leading to Anthony Neadhams and from thence South westward unto a white oak tree standing Southerly from the meadow and from thence Southeasterly into a dry blacke oake tree and from thence near the Same Courfe unto a white Oake tree and from thence unto the first bounds mentioned to witthe Stump Standing on the Southerly Side of the brooke,' with all houses, buildings, etc., thereto appertaining; also, the one hundred acres of land granted by the selectmen of Salem to my grandfather Emanuel Downing July 16, 1638, "next adjoyning the abouefaid ffarme lying on the Southwest Side thereof next unto Roger Morey's ffarme and . . . all other lands granted by the Select men of the Said towne of Salem to lye adjoyning to the Said ffarme.Ӡ

Samuel Stone Lot. Francis Skerry of Salem, husbandman, owned this lot Dec. 26, 1662, when he conveyed it to William King and Robert Stone, both of Salem.‡ Mr.

*Essex Registry of Deeds, book 15, leaves 5 and 6; book 17, leaf 7. +Essex Registry of Deeds, book 17, leaf 7.

tEssex Registry of Deeds, book 6, leaf 78.