Marlboro, Massachusetts

Settling of Marlboro, Mass

Source: The History Of Sudbury by: Alfred Serno Hudson published: 1889 republished: 1968

"About the time that Sudbury settlers were pioneering on the south of their plantation, their attention turned in a westerly course also. Marlboro, which formerly included Northboro, Southboro, Westboro, and Hudson was a wilderness country bordering in that direction. Very naturally, as the people began to feel the need of more territory, they sought it thitherward as well as towards the south. The result was, that in 1656, the following petition was presented to General court:

"To the Hon. Governor & assembled in Boston. The humble petition of several in habitants of Sudbury whose names are here underwritten showeth, that whereas your petitioners have lived divers years in Sudbury and God hath been pleased to increase our children which are now divers of them grown to man's estate and we many of us grown into years so that we should be glad to see them settled before the Lord take us away from hence and also God having given us some considerable cattle so that we ar so straightened that we cannot so comfortably subsist as could be desired and some of us having taken pains to view the country we have found a place which lyeth westward about eight miles from Sudbury which we conceive might be comfortable for our subsistance, It is therefore the humble request of your Petitioners to this Honored Court that you would be pleased to grant unto us eight miles square for to make a Plantation."

This petition was signed by the following parties: Edmund Rice William Ward Thomas King John Wood(s) Thomas Goodnow John Ruddock Henry Rice John How John Bent Sr. John Maynard Richard Newton Peter Bent Edward Rice

Answer was given to this petition at a General court session held in Boston, May 14 1656, to the effect that a tract of land six miles square be granted, provided it hinder no prior grant, and that a town be settled thereon with twenty or more families within three years time, so that an able ministry might there be sustained. A committee was appointed to lay out the bounds and make report to the "Court of Election". Unless they did this, the grant would be void. A portion of the territory desired had previously been granted to the Indians, on petition of Rev. John Elliot, but a committee was appointed who amicably adjusted the matter so that each party had their lands laid out and duly confirmed. The plantation of the Indians was known as Ockoocangansett, and was partly surrounded by the plantation of the English, which for a brief period was called Whipsuppenicke. A plan of the latter was made in 1667, and approved by the authorities the same year. It contained 29,419 acres, which, with the 6,000 acres which had been reserved for the Indians, made 35, 419 acres. The first proprietors meeting was held Sept. 25 1656, and the same year William Ward, Thomas King, John Ruddock, and John How were "chosen to put the Affairs of the said Plantation in an orderly way". A petition for incorporation was soon sent to the General Court, and being favorably received, in 1660 the place ceased to be merely a plantation legally connected with Sudbury, but became a town of itself, and was called Marlboro.

The places where some of the Sudbury settlers early had their abodes in Marlboro are still known, and some of them have been designated in the history of the town. Such places furnish food for reflection to the thoughtful mind, and not the least so perhaps to the people of the town from whence the early occupants of those dwellings went forth. May the sites of those primitive dwelling places on which the roof tree long since decayed, continue to be pointed out, and suggest the spirit of enterprise that inspired that little company who went forth from Sudbury in search of new lands!"

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