LAKE WINTHROP IN THE EARLY DAYS

The Evening News

Framingham, Mass.

Saturday, November 25, 1911

LAKE WINTHROP IN THE EARLY DAYS

Known By Indians of Village of Mucksquit,

On southwesterly Shore as “Wennakeening” (

Pleasant smile) And abounded With fish, Beavers

and Muskrats

HISTORIC POINTS ABOUT WHICH TRADITIONS TELL WEIRD TALES

                  Another paper, in the series prepared for and read before the Holliston Historical society, is presented in today’s News. Like those that have preceded it, this article is not only of interest but of historic value to the people of Holliston, Framingham, Hopkinton, Ashland and Sherborn, particularly to the inhabitants of Holliston. It follows:

(By John Mason Batchelder)

                  The beautiful sheet of water known by the Indians as “Wennakeening,” which, being interpreted, is said to mean “Pleasant smile” was included in the grant form the Great and General Court in 1659 to Dean Winthrop, son of Gov. John Winthrop, of 700 acres “bounded South by the Medfield line, East by Boggestow Brook, West my Mr. Winthrop’s pond and upon waste land in all other parts.”

                  This lake was so-called in the deeds of that period and is a body of water formerly estimated to contain 400 acres, but a century ago of much larger dimensions than at present during the winter, as the laws of the Commonwealth allowed unlimited flowage of meadows from Nov. 20 to April 20 in each. Year. The northern shore of the lake is qu9ite shallow, with a sandy formation, while the southern portion is quite deep with an abrupt shore.

“Valentine’s Rock”

                  Valentine’s Rock is an object of juvenile interest, being the outermost and largest of the rocks at the north end of the lake. Whether this rock received its name from the early settler of Hopkinton of that name or not, is not fully determined, but the legend says that Mister Valentine, being pursued by Indians and in fear of losing his scalp, swam out to the rock and hiding behind it, prolonged his life and gave his name to the rock. In later days however, the boys in the good old summertime, used to wade out to the rock with small danger to life or limb and the minimum of danger of losing their scalps, certainly until reaching home.

                  Opinions vary as to the size of the lake, but about 400 acres seems to be the general estimate. Professor Morris says one mile long and 3/4 of a mile wide, or about 480 acres. Wallings survey about 368 acres. In 1857 a trotting course was laid out on the ice, one even mile long presided over by Mr. Gaius Thompson, the Boston & Worcester railroad agent at the time.

                  Traces of a heavier dam were in evidence in early days at the outlet of lake Winthrop, indicating a local habitation for a long period, but so far as known their successors are not at present residents of that locality.

“The Indian Spring”

                  The Indian Spring, near the outlet of Lake Winthrop, referred to by Rev. Timothy Dickinson in his sketch of this town in 1785, is still in existence but is fast becoming a matter of history. In the childhood days of the writer [John Mason Batchelder] it was a powerful spring of pure, flowing water and was the dependence of the people of the entire village for water supply in seasons of drought. The autumn of 1840 was exceptionally dry, the drought extending far into the winter, and men with oxen and sleds were kept busy during the early winter months drawing water in barrels from this spring to the village, many families being entirely dependent upon it for their daily supply.

                  So far as known the spring was never walled up by the Indians, as Mr. Dickinson says, or anyone else. It was quite deep, four feet or more, very cold and clear, and open for a circle five or six feet in diameter, with a constant stream boiling up from the sandy bottom and flowing into the brook nearby.

                  Many years later the oxen of the owner ran away and fell into the spring with the cart on top of them, says an eyewitness, being rescued only with some difficulty. The oxen employed at once in filling the spring with stones, of which were required many loads, to the great disappointment of the people of the neighborhood. A small portion of the stones have since been removed, so that the spring can be utilized, but not to its former capacity. The water from this spring was early prescribed by physicians for the cure of disease and is said to possess remarkable medicinal properties.  The water has been but little used during the last half century.

Story of “Tom’s Rock”

                  “Tom’s rock” occupies a conspicuous position near the southern end of the lake and is, no doubt, the remnant of a fourth island shown on early maps of this region. Tradition says, Tom’s rock was the abode of an Indian called Captain Tom, an exceedingly blood-thirsty wretch and it was because he became so wicked or form some other cause, that the island was washed away by successive storms, so that the rock alone remains to tell the tale of the scene of Tom’s cruelties. The island of “Nix’s Mate,” in Boston Harbor, has a similar history.

                  It is of interest to note that Capt. Tom was in command of the Indian village near Farm Pond in Framingham, and at a later period exercised his authority over the villages between South Natick and Grafton, making his home on his island, a summer residence, perhaps.

                  In the journal of Mr.  [John] Eliot we find under date of 1676, Capt. Tom was tried for his life, condemned and executed although protesting his innocence to the last. And Mr. Eliot says: “I believe he spoke the truth.” Another authority says: “Capt. Tom of the Nipmuc Indians received a commission as captain of the militia from the Colonial government and raised a company of Indians which he commanded for several. years.” His Indian name was Wuttasacomponum (Wut-tas-a-com-po-num).

                  Capt. Tom, with his company, often visited the neighboring plantations to exhibit their skill in military affairs, perhaps as an object lesson to the other companies. He was said to have been at Sudbury, Medfield and wherever fighting was going on. He accompanied Messrs. [Daniel] Gookin and [John] Eliot on their visits to the various Indian settlements between south Natick and Grafton and was often at “Mucksquit.”

                  This rock has been the half-way resting place of ambitious youths, who, for generations have made the swimming across the lake one of their sacred duties. The writer once met a young gentleman who had made a successful pilgrimage, on his return, by walking round the shore, clad only in a glad smile, but who dared not attempt the return journey by water, saying gleefully, “My Grand Father swam across the lake, my father also and now I have done it.”

“Grape Island”

                  Grape Island is near the western shore while Uncle Tom the larger island and Saco, or Island No. 2, are nearer the southeastern shore. These islands are the property of the Commonwealth, Lake Winthrop being one of the great ponds of the state, its area exceeding 20 acres. The pond is fed largely by springs, the water is pure and clear, and the shores wooded, providing a delightful resort for the canoeist, or the city dweller in pursuit of ret. Access to the pond is becoming more difficult each year, as private ownership deprives the public of its former easy occupation.

                  Here the natives fished for shad, alewives, and other denizens of the deep which came up the streams for spawning in the lake. Beaver and muskrats were abundant, and the more valuable mink and otter made their home in these waters.

                  From the village of Mucksquit the Indians could float out of the lake, down Boggestow Brook to the Charles River at Boggestow pond and thence paddle their canoes up the same ricer and, by way of Chicken Brook, nearly to the very doors of their wigwams.

                  Fish abounded in every stream and wild fowl upon the meadows, which, with the wild game of the forest, were important factors in the daily living of the natives. Shad and alewives ran up the Boggestow Brook to Winthrop’s pond until the erection of the mills below.

Indian Village of Mucksquit

                  The Indian village of Mucksquit was located upon the southwesterly shore of the lake and in its palm days, contained many wigwams. With a population varying with the needs of the hunting and fishing season, it was said to be the abode of one of the petty tribes into which the Nipmuc nation was divided after the overthrow of the reign of King Philip. The precise location of this village seems to be but faintly defined, but the indications point to the vicinity of the location of the wigwam of “Hendricks,” the last of his tribe, whose place of residence has been marked by a memorial within recent years, by the present owner of the land.

                  It is assumed that this remnant of the Nipmuc tribe made this village their abode when they abandoned their crude stone implements for the more modern steel tools and also changed their mode of living, to conform more nearly to the methods of their white neighbors.

                  Great numbers of these rude stone tools have been found by the settlers hereabouts and have later formed the nucleus of interesting exhibits, showing the type of tools used by that long gone people. One collection made by a local enthusiast was offered for sale in Worcester, but was diverted to a purchaser in one of the Maine colleges.

                  Trapping, hunting and fishing occupied much of the time of these natives while the ordinary methods of farming were slowly but gradually adopted. This was one of the lesser villages in charge of the apostle Eliot and was on the “Mendon path” leading from South Natick to Mendon and beyond, uniting again with the “Connecticut path” at Grafton.