The law of 1647 enjoins that "where any towne shall increase to ye number of 100 families or house hould they shall set up a gramer schoole, ye mr thereof being able to instruct youth so farr as they may be fited for y university." This law was in force, and the above action of the court fixes approximately the population of Lancaster at this date. 1715. Notandum, August, 4o 1715, Att a Church meeting att y' house of John Prentice, Captain Peter Joslin & Joseph Wilder were chosen to y' Deacons office in the Church of Christ in Lancaster & accepted of said office. [Lancaster Church Records.] Where not otherwise stated, the following pages in the town's records are by the hand of Joseph Wilder, Sen., proprietor's clerk. 1716. Monday Feburary the 4th 1716/17. att a Meeting of the Propratee of Lancaster it being there Stated Meeting. and first made Choyce of Jabaz ffairbank as Moderater for Said Meeting Then severall Propozitions was Read before the Town brou into y Selectmen I Towit the proposition of Nahum Ward Desiers that the Hiway that Leyeth by his Hous may be altered on y* South Side the brook & Lye a little Higher & it will be upon as good Land & as Neer to pass to where it now Lyes on Divols Land 2. Josah White Desiers the Town would Grant Liberty that two gates may be sett up on the hiway through his entervail according to a former order in y Town 3. John Houghton Sen' Desieres the Town would Let him have the entervale aboue the Red Spring which was formerly granted to Danil Gaines to make up his entervale Lott the said Houghton haveing Purchased said Gaines Second devition entervale Lott & Cannot find where it was Laied out: or if he Cannot have sade entervale Then that the Town would Grant him some other land in Lew there off 4. Then Jonathan Houghton desiers the town to Grant him Liberty to Cutt 3 or 4 hundered pine trees & draw the Turpentine, så pines desiered ar ajoyning to Som Land of his fathers on ye west side the hiway that Leeds to Thomas Wilders. The collection of turpentine and manufacture of tar in the New England pine forests had become an important industry, and these products an article of export to Great Britain. So early as 1703 legislation was demanded to prevent the destruction of trees by those engaged in the public forests collecting turpentine. 5. Ebenezer Wilder desiers the Town would Grant him fifty three acres of Land, or there abouts partly leyed out by him soposed to be but a part of what was purchesed by him of John Addams; or Els that the Town would appoint som meet person to state and make bounds with him as Neer as may be according to what is Written the bounds being som of them Lost. 6 Jonathan Moor desiered the Town would Grant him a hiway through ya Land of Will & Joseph Sawyer formerly Granted & Laied out to bare hill Medows. 7 the propozition of John Goss desiers the hiway that goes from the Scar bridge to the mill may go up by the River & so com in to the path after it com up the Hill 8 a Clame was Made by Severall Persons Represented by frances fullom to wit as followeth. We the subscribers whose Names are under Written Daniel How upon the Right of Capt Henry Carley – John Shermon upon the Right of John Moor David Church upon the Right of Edward Breck Do Hereby Demand all & every of our Respective Rights & Divisions of in & unto all Rights & Devitions of Lands Made or to be Made in that tract of Land Last Granted by the Great & Generall Court of the Province of the Massachusets Bay in New England the 27 of May 1713 to be added & Confermed to y° Town of Lancaster as part of that Townsheep in which Tract of Land we have & Clame our Just Rights of property in proportion as being Invested with the oRiganal Rights in said Town of Lancaster JOHN SHERMON DANIL HOw JOHN BARNS SAMLL WRIGHT In the second place they Granted the Proposition of Nahum Ward refering to ye Hiway. Thirdly they Granted Josiah White Leberty to set up Gats in the Hiway foure years forthly they Granted the proposition of John Houghton Refering to Ganes Entervail that it lie aboue the Read Spring provided it be not found to be all Ready Laid out els where In y 5 place In answer to the Proposition of Jonathan Moor they Made Choyce of Left John Houghton Ensigne James Wilder & Josiah Wheeler to be a Commity to vew ye way proposed for by Jonathan Moor from his Hous to barehill Medow, & pertequlerly through y Land of WilliTM & Joseph Sawyers Land to See if there be need there of: & if needed to Lay out y same & make a Report to the Town. Sixtly They Voted that Ebenezer Wilder have sixty-three acres of Land in full of what was purchased by him of John Adams where he hes now Layed it out by Jonas Houghton Juner: with alowance for a hieway through a part of it Seaventhly they voted that they will Lay out y Stated Comon on y* west side the River & appointed Jonas Houghton Ju. to be the servaier & that Eph Wilder & Joseph Wilder assist him therein & make a Return to the ajornment of this Meeting Eaightly they voted that y⚫ first Monday of March next be the Meeting for Choosing of Town offisers. Ninthly they voted that John Houghton Ephriam Wilder James Wilder & Joseph Wilder should Treet with the Noninhabitance Refering to there Right In ye Tenth place, There was a motion made in sd Meeting that y Stated Common & other Commons should be divided: but was left to Consederation There was allso then a Return made to the Town by a Commity who sent to vew y Land of Edmund & Ebenezer Harris & to se how there bounds was betwene them & the Stated Common & Reported thus that they had made bounds, from Ebenezer bemans Corner to y Corner of John Benit Layed out to ye Right of Mucklode takeing in y swamp to the Harrises as it is now marked John Benits Corner being a little pine & so Runs to a popler takeing in a Smal Corner of Land to Ebenezer Harris & from thence it Runes to a Red Oke at y hiway on ye west side of the hiway & so to a Red Oke. one the east side ye way & so runs to a white oke & so to another white oke & so to Ebenezer Bemans Corner. Note allso that y line from Jonn Benits Corner Runs straight to the ould Corner of Ebenezer Harris Land being a pine. Said Report was Excepted by the Town and y Meeting was ajorned by the Moderater to y' fifth day of March next following. March ye 5 1716/17. The propriaters of the Town of Lancaster Meet at the Meeting hous upon ajournment from ye forth of February & first took into there Consederation the Motion & Clam Made by Seaverall persons Represented by Cpt frances Fullum upon yo 4 of february last past of and in a tract of Land purchased by the Inhabitance of Lancaster of Goorge Dahannata & other Indins & since aded & confermed to ye Town of Lancaster by the Great & General Court, agitated the Same & Concluded that they towit the proprieters of the Town of Lancaster haue no Right nor Enterest in sd Land purchased of ye Indiens by any former Rights of the Town of Lancaster & allso further Conclude & agree that they will haue nothing to do with ye said Land in point of devition upon y OReginall Rights of said Town. But Conclude that it be to ye Inhabytance of said Town of Lancaster who purchased ye same, set off as a propriaty ye first tusday of March 1715-16 as their proper Right & propriety to order Divide Improve & despose of the same according to there enterest therein by purchas as ye Law in that case hes made provition. Secondly They Made Choyce of Mr John Houghton & Jabaz Fairbank to give an answer to ye Non Resodance Refering to there Clame. thirdly they Chose Jonas Houghton Ju to be a Servairer to Lay out Land in yo old Town Bounds forthly The Town Made Choyce of John Houghton Nathanil Sawyer Jonas Houghton & Joseph Wilder to be a Committy to Mesuer & find out ye Lotts formerly Layed out in Quasaponacin & make Report to ye Town as soone as may be fifthly that ye Stated Common Extend half a Mile wide till ye first or loer line com to ye River 6 They Granted a half devision of Land in the undevided Land in Lancaster to be divided by the same Rule as formerly & that they begin to Lay out the first of May next & not before 7 They Granted Eaighty acres of Land to John Houghton Sr for Serveing as Clerk & Makeing of Rates, Lying aboue ye Red Spring if found out of ye Stated Common 8 They Town Granted six acres of Land to John Wilder & foure to James Wilder for alowance for a hiewaie through ye Land of John Wilder from ye Corner of his Land till it Comes to ye Land of Joseph Wilder & from y Land of Joseph Wilder to ye hieway that Comes from Marlburrow Lastly they ajorned the Meeting to ye 8 of april being the Second Monday of sd month. 1717. April ye 8 1717 on ajornment from ye 5 of March the Town Meet at y Meeting House and first John Goss Proposed to have ye Hiway moved that Goeth to ye Mill the Town made Choyce of John Wilder Sr & Robard Houghton to be a Commity to vew ye same & make Report to ye Town 2 Samuell Warner put in a proposision to ye Town Requesting them |