1676-Dated First Highways Agreement Swansea, MA

Colonial America
1676 First Highways Agreement for Swansea, Massachusetts After being Burnt Down in 1675 During the first Indian Attack of King Philip's War & Rebuilting Started in 1676
December 28, 1676-Dated Early Colonial Era, Historic Manuscript Document Signed, "Beniamin Vaill Clerk to said Community", community Agreement to lay out the First Highways in Swansea, Massachusetts, Settled 1662 and Incorporated March 5, 1667, Choice Very Fine.
Headed, "Swansey December 28, 1676" (this being) "A true cop(y) [sic] taken out of the Reacords [sic] (Records) of Sarvames [sic] (Surnames) and Parts of Ajacent Per me. - Beniamin (Benjamin) Vaill Clerk to said Community". Ten community property owners names are listed as all apparently being in agreement, reading in full:
"That high wayes [sic] be Lay'd out convenient in such places as the Maior [sic] (Major) part shall agree and determine for best convenience both four [sic] the generall [sic] and peticuler [sic].'
A historic agreement was to lay out highways in Swansey for the property owners best convenience. It had importance for trade, travel and military purposes due to recent Indian attacks. Some additional writing on the blank reverse is apparently not pertaining to this document. This document is in choice condition for its age period, and measures 8" x 6" written in bold deep brown ink on a quality watermarked laid period paper. Signed by Benjamin Viall, as Town Clerk, this important piece of the early colonial history of Swansea, Massachusetts retains pleasing eye appeal for display. Swansea is a town in Bristol County in southeastern Massachusetts. It is located at the mouth of the Taunton River, just west of Fall River, 47 miles (76 km) south of Boston, and 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Providence, Rhode Island.
Swansea was named for the Welsh city of Swansea, which had been the hometown of some original settlers. John Miles, the founder of the first Baptist Church in Wales, moved to Swansea in 1662/3. William Brenton had purchased the land from Native American Indians. Parts of its territory were originally part of Rehoboth, Massachusetts.
In 1667 the first Baptist church in Massachusetts relocated to Swansea from Rehoboth after experiencing religious intolerance there, and Swansea was incorporated as an independent town. Initially, the town established a committee to assign rank of 1, 2, or 3 to the residents with the first getting 3 acres of land, the second 2, and the third 1. The committee could promote and demote residents as it saw fit. The system collapsed in 1681 when the committee voted to make five residents the highest rank and to make the rank hereditary. The town unanimously voted to abolish the system.
On June 20, 1675, the first Indian attack of King Philip's War had all 70 settlers confined to their stockade. The attack had taken place at the Miles Garrison, near the Palmer River. By June 25 the entire town had been burned, although a handful of the colonists escaped to Taunton. When the active war ended in 1676, the town was soon rebuilt.
Benjamin Viall, third son and fourth child of John and Elizabeth (Smith) Viall, died in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, September 6, 1750. He was a man of prominence in Barrington, Massachusetts (now Rhode Island), having held many town offices. A list of them is as follows: Assessor of taxes, 1717-19-25; selectman, 1718-19-22-23-26; town treasurer, 1723-25-26-27; moderator. 1725; ensign in militia, 1723-24-25-26-27; school committee, 1724.
September 1, 1708, Benjamin Viall and his brother bought of Samuel Cranston, of Newport, the estate in Swansea and Rehoboth formerly owned by Noah Floyd, of Swansea, and which was originally a part of the "Willett" estate.
Samuel Cranston (1659"1727) was a Governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations during the first quarter of the 18th century. He held office from 1698 to 1727, being elected to office 30 times (twice in 1698), and served as Governor longer than any other individual in the history of both the colony and the state of Rhode Island.
The son of former Rhode Island Governor John Cranston, he was born in Newport and lived there his entire life. Going to sea as a young man, he was captured by pirates, and held captive for several years before returning to his family.