During the first half of the 18th century, Colonial governors were attempting to encourage expansion by chartering communities north and west of areas that were initially occupied. The Town of Upton's charter was signed by the governor on June 14, 1735.
Between the years 1720 and 1725, hostilities between the settlers and Indians flared. Northfield and Deerfield, MA were then the frontier towns on the Connecticut River. To keep the enemy at a distance it was voted by the Massachusetts government to build a fort somewhere above Northfield on the west side of the Connecticut River (in present-day Windham County).
The area had long been a center for the fur trade. Until the English settlers arrived, the trade was largely among Indians and French frontiersmen. Fort Dummer established an important trading-post for English Colonials as well.
A Border Dispute
The territory North of western Massachusetts (now Vermont) had become a part of the New Hampshire Colony. The NH Colonial Governor, Benning Wentworth, and his Council awarded grants along the CT River to groups wishing to settle there.
The original proprietors, usually about 60 men residing near each other in older New England settlements, would associate together, select a desirable area in the wilderness, then make application to the Colonial Governor to grant them a Township.
Of the original grantees of Townshend, several are of particular interest to Clayton descendants;
Alexander "Claton" had married Miss Ruth Smith of "Ranthumisic" (Wrentham) MA, intentions published 26 Feb 1741. Later, on August 26, 1744, Alexander and his wife, Sarah Smith, had a daughter, Mary, in Wrentham, MA. I believe that they also were parents of a son, Jonathan, (b. Abt. 1745 per military records) who also lived and was married in Upton MA. -rhc
On July 24, 1753, at the first meeting of Townshend Proprietors, 72 lots of 40 to 50 acres were laid out. Actual settlement of the tracts was not begun until June of 1761/ 1764 (depending on your reference). The French and Indian War (1754-1763) made the "frontier" too dangerous, and delayed settlement of Townshend.
Applicable Homestead laws were familiar. Within five years, every grantee was required to cultivate five acres of land
In 1760, Governor Wentworth had a survey made along the Connecticut, and townships were laid out on either side of the river. The surveys were extended westward beyond the Green Mountains. By the end of 1763, 138 townships in all had been granted west of the Connecticut River.
A desperate Act
NY Governor Colden sent out a proclamation laying claim for New York to all that territory between Lake Champlain and the
Connecticut River. For a long time it had been understood that the eastern boundary of New York was a line twenty miles east of the Hudson River and running parallel to it, so New Hampshire refused to recognize this claim.
Townshend Prospers
Townshend citizens served in the War for Independence either in the Militia, or in the Continental troops under General Samuel
Fletcher. Our ancestor, Jonathan Clayton, served 300 days with Captain Tyler's group of Fletcher's regiment.
At the last meeting of proprietors, on October 7, 1782, The sites had grown from 74 (1753) to 98 in 1782.
UPTON, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Upton was formed from parts of four neighboring towns. All of Upton is within present day Worcester County at the southeastern edge. From its founding, and well into 20th century, Upton was known for the manufacture boots and shoes. The manufacture of straw hats also became a significant industry.
It was in this place that we have our first evidence of Alexander Clayton. MA vital records record his intentions to marry Ruth Smith of that place. He, with spouse Susanna Smith had a child, Mary, a few years later. Still later, Alexander was included as an original proprietor of Townshend, Windham County, VT.
In 1724, Fort Dummer was built. Its first garrison consisted of fifty-five men, of whom about a dozen were "western" Indians who came from the vicinity of the Hudson River.
Within and around this fort grew up a settlement which was called Brattleboro. This is believed to be first permanent settlement in Vermont .
So it was that, on June 20, 1753, a group of 69 petitioners, largely from Worcester, MA, were granted a charter by the Governor and Council of New Hampshire. The grant was to be named Townshend to honor one of New Hampshire Governor Wentworth's Ministers, Charles Townshend. Townshend was the seventh township to be chartered by New Hampshire.
The entered landowners included:
for each fifty acres contained in his share, and to continue to cultivate them thereafter on penalty of losing his grant. Meetings of Proprietors was suspended from 1754 to 1761, so we can imagine that their new lands were deemed unsafe during most of the war. "Few proprietors so much as visited their possessions, but sought purchasers in all the neighboring colonies."
Lieutenant-Governor Colden, of New York, learned that Governor Wentworth was granting townships west of the Connecticut. Wishing to seek profits for himself, Colden commanded Wentworth to stop all grants of land west of the Connecticut River. Nearing the close of the French and Indian War, ignoring the claims of NY State, Gov. Wentworth resumed granting lands.
New York appealed to King George III, supplying requests that claimed to be from effected landowners. The New York petition claimed that they would be better off as citizens of New York, not New Hampshire. Many settlers subsequently denied having signed such papers or having any knowledge of them.
King George, on July 20, 1764, declared the eastern boundary of New York to be the west bank of the Connecticut River.
Fortunately, New York did not revoke the New Hampshire Grants, so the impact of its takeover was diminished. But
divided interests between the people who lived east -Vs.- west of the Green mountains continued. It was not until September 25, 1776, at a convention in Dorsett, VT, that the contested land was wrested from NY and became a separate colony, Vermont - (Verdant Mountain).
The first known census of Townshend, in 1771, showed no resident Clayton family. We have no evidence that Alexander Clayton ever set foot in Townshend. But from the MA and VT vital records (birth dates of his children), it is clear that Jonathan Clayton moved with his family to Townshend sometime between 1771 and 1776.
The entered landowners included:
- SOURCES USED:
- (1) Vermont Primer
- (2) Gazetteer of Vermont, Hayward, 1849.
- (3) History of Windham County
- (4) Index to Revolutionary War Service Records Vol. 1: A-D
- (5) Vital Records of Upton, MA to the end of Year 1849, Franklin D. Rice, Publisher
- (6) Birth Certificates for Townshend, VT.
- (7) Upton, A Pictorial History
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©Copyright R.H. Clayton - 2000