7 Various Grants and Deeds to Harvard College

    [1646–1724]

    B. 1650–1719

    This Court do Grant Mericoneag Neck of Land in the Province of Mayne in Casco Bay, with 1000 Acres of Land adjacent unto the President and Fellows of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, to be and remain to the use of the Colledge forever. And the President of said Province is ordered to Bound out said Grant; as may be most behooffull for the Colledge.

    Boston Generall Court

    Feb. 7th 1682/3 [Above is Copy of a Grant among the College Papers, written (I think) by the late Deputy Governour Danforth] One Thousand Acres of Land on Mariconeag Neck was Granted by the Generall Court in November 1693, to Samuel Sewall Esq.1 and Hannah his wife, &c. And on the 24th of April 1696 the Said Grantees, Indorse upon the Said Grant as Release and Quitclaim of all their Right and Title to the said 1000 Acres to the President and Fellows of Harvard Colledge and their Successors, for ever. It then Appearing to them, that the whole of the said Neck, had been many years before Granted to Harvard College.

    The Said Honourable Samuel Sewall Esq. and Hannah his wife Give and Grant Five Hundred Acres of Land, lying at Petaquamscot, in the Narrhagansett Countrey alias King’s Province in New England at the Eastermost End of their Lot (which their said Lot lies in the North-West-Corner of the said Petaquamscot and is numbred four) Bounded Southerly by the Lot laid out to Thomas Mumford No. 3, northerly by the Lot laid out to John Wildbore No. 5, and westerly by a Line to run across the abovementioned Lot, of the said Samuel and Hannah. To Mr. Increase Mather, President, and the Fellows of the Corporation, of Harvard College &c. their Successors and Assigns for ever, for and towards the Support and Education, at the said College, of such Youths whose Parents may not be of Sufficient Ability to maintain them there, especially Such, as shall be Sent from Petaquamscot, English or Indians, if any such there be. By an Instrument Dated the 24th of June 1696. Recorded in the Book of Land Evidences, at Kingstown May 29th 1706 in No. 2, Pages 104 and 105, per Sam. Stone, Cl[erk] and in the Book of Land Evidences of the Colony of Rhode Island No. 2, Page 336, per West. Clarke Recorder.

    [In margin:] Entered No. 12

    John Newgate of Boston, by an Instrument Dated the 11th of June 1650 Grants and Establishes upon Harvard College in Cambridge in New England Five Pounds per annum for ever, towards maintenance of lawfull usefull and Godly Literature therein, and chiefly to the furtherance of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and his word and will. To be Disposed of by the President and Fellows of the said College with the advice of the Overseers, for the best Advancement of the aforesaid Godly Ends. To be Paid out of those Rents and Revenues that shall arise out of his Farm at Rumney Marsh so called. Recorded the 15th of March 1702 with the Records of Deeds for Suffolk Lib. 21 page 201 per Addn. Davenport Register.

    [In margin:] Entered No. 2

    Mr. John Cogan3 Merchant of Boston, by an Instrument Dated January 16th 1654/5 Certifieth that in the 4 month 1652 he gave a Parcel of Marsh Lying in Rumley Marsh Bounded on 3 Sides with the great Creek, and on the 4 Side with a Strait Line, running from one Side of the Creek over to the other. To Henry Dunster President of Harvard College for the Use of the President and fellows of the said College So long as they and their Successors, Profess and teach the good knowledge of God’s Holy Words and Works, and Such Languages Arts and Sciences as truly and Christianly further the Said good and profitable Ends. Provided that if any of the children, or Grandchildren of the said Cogan come to be Students in the College, they shall enjoy the Revenue of the said Land.

    The Honourable Samuel Sewall Esq., Purchased of Joshua Scottow 500 Acres of Land in Marikaneag Neck as bounded in the Deed of Sale from said Scottow Dated the 29th Day of March 1690. And by Indorsment on the said Deed dated the 24th Day of April 1696, the said Samuel Sewall and Hannah his wife have Given a Release and Quitclaim of all their Right and Title to the said 500 Acres, to Mr. Increase Mather President and the Fellows of the Corporation of Harvard College, and their Successors and Assigns forever, to the Use of the said College.

    Samuel Ward4 of Charlestown Yeoman by an Instrument Dated the 9th of April 1680, Grants unto Mr. Urian Oakes President, Mr. John Sherman, Mr. Increase Mather, Mr. Daniel Gookin, Mr. Samuel Andrew Fellows, and Capt. John Richards Treasurer, his Island lying between Hingham and Hull called Bumpkin, or Ward’s Island, containing about Thirty Acres, to the said President and Fellows and to their Successors in the said Trust, and Place for ever, to the only Use and behoof of the said Corporation.

    June 5th 1703 recorded with the records of Deeds for Suffolk Lib. 21: page 278.

    per Addn. Davenport Register

    Theodore Atkinson5 of Boston Feltmaker by an Instrument bearing Date the 13th Day of October 1671 Gives & Grants to the President and Fellows of Harvard College in Cambridge, and to their Successors in the said Society for ever, to the Use of the said College, from and immediately after his Decease A Piece of Land, lying at the Southward of Boston, containing by Breadth, and Length about 20 Rods of Ground, Bounded with a High Way Westerly, with Land given to the Church of Charlltown Northerly, with Land given by him to the Church of Ipswich Easterly, and with a Highway that Leads to Mr. Eliakim Hutchinson’s Ground Southerly. Recorded with the Records of Deeds for Suffolk December 17 1695 Lib. 17 pag. 178 per Joseph Webb Cler[icus].

    The Proprietors of Rutland in December 1718 by their Vote (which I suppose is entred in their Town Book) Gave to Harvard College a Lot of Land containing Two Hundred and Fifty Acres, mark’t in the Plat of said Town No. N. being the S.E. Corner of the west wing of Lots Butting Northerly of Jonathan Waldo, No. 1 and westerly on John Smith and John Jeffries Easterly on the Setlers Part Southerly on Leicester. Takes in part of a Pond, and is Said to be good Land.

    The Generall Court at their Session begun the 4th Day of November 1719. Appointed the Honourable William Tailer Samuel Thaxter and Francis Fullam Esqs. and Capt. John Shipley and Mr. Benjamin Whittemore a Committee to Laye out Two Towns Westward of Grotton, In which vote is the following Instruction to the said Committee viz: That there be laid out and reserved for the first Setled minister a convenient Lot, also a Lot for the School, a Ministerial Lot, a Lot for Harvard College of 250 Acres each, and the Setlers be obliged to build a convenient House for the publick worship of God in each of the Said Towns, within the Term of four years &c.

    [Endorsed:] Clauses of Deeds of General Court, Capt. Sewal, Mr. Newdigate, Mr. Cogan, Ward, Atkinson, proprietors of Rutland.

    Lands Papers, Miscellaneous, i. 8. “Entered” refers to College Book IV, which appears in CSM Publications, xvi. These notes were copied in the eighteenth century. The brackets are in the original.