Grafton High School - Compass Yearbook (Grafton, MA)

Page 9 text:

DUKE OF GRAFTON Ifrom an English Prinlj ' W xi Q , - - -D 1? v,-257-1591. - Y 1 , ' L , ' 2, -4' ' . idf . 4 fp'-A , H ' mr.-+-:I ' 'P 1 ,vera A ,ff 15-9' - 5 'f l ' ' N i N-' ,?:.i?6,, -A .mx X - g,,,. '1. 1 ,ff av' .lf-V' nun af 5

Page 8 text:

250 Years Old White men probably did not set foot in this part of the country until 1635, when a party of some sixty Englishmen emigrated to the banks ofthe Connecticut River. The conversion of the Indians began in 1646 when John Eliot, known as the apostle to the Indians, began his work among the Indians at Natick, who were friendly with the Nipmuck tribe. Eliot probably arrived in the area of Grafton between 1651 and 1654. Grafton was originally a portion of the Nipmuck country, so called by its being owned and occupied by a large tribe of Indians called Nipmucks, which included the Hassanamesits, the tribe which made its home in Grafton. The town, originally known as Hassanamesit Cmeaning a place of small stones' 'J, was founded in 1660 by Rev. John Eliot for Christian Indians. At the time it was established it contained 12 families. An Indian church was established here in 1671, the second of its kind in the country. Eliot said of the town that No Indian town gave stronger assurances of success than this, at that time. Hassanamesit had become the central point of civilization and Christianity to the whole Nipmuck country. ' ' A school was established, where the Bible was read and studied in the Indian language. Young men were here educated and sent into the neighboring towns to preach the gospel. A regular govemment was created, and the fonns of law strictly observed. The area, later called Hassanamisco, was sold to white settlers in 1720,s. In 1728 The English inhabitants voted to build a meeting-house and a school, as well as homes for minister and the schoolmaster. The petition presented to the General Court to incorporate the township was signed by all but two or three ofthe inhabitants and presented on April 15, 1735. The petitioners asked merely for town privileges and were willing to leave so unimportant a matter as a name to the General Court. Grafton is indebted to Govemor Belcher for its name, given to honor a distinguished Englishman, Charles Fitz Roy, the Duke of Grafton, a member of the Privy Council and grandson of King Charles II. The Duke of Grafton was reported to have warned King George III about his poor treatment of the American colonies. When the king decided to send a large body of German troops to help British forces, Grafton answered earnestly, Your ,majesty will find too late that twice the number will only increase the digrace, and never effect the purpose. 'S from HISTORY OF GRAFTON by Frderick Clifton Pierce 1879

Page 10 text:

I 'QQ W'-fx 4-'Y No .0 l we , .f I 1 v ' Tr swf- 1 AJ' .flax max, ,,r' ,..---r ,,., -' ,pe ,,.,- 4 I ..q-an 'ff' ' 'Q' ,l .....::,, 47 , .,.,. ...,...-. ' .1 4 , I I ' r . Q I ' I - - 1 q ,Q U U 3 1 W ' 1 ' f . Q' 4 3 if 1 . I ' ' , 8 1 Q 1 , , Q W. 3' 2 ,L K a .K 'K fi E ' Y 4 I9 l an 'K' 1 4 Q X? I 4 ,., Q-4 l X 1. 1' ' 'W ' ' . 5 ' H , f ' ,,, gif. . K, LA 1 9 f 1-.Q . ,, lj wg. , nftllilrai. 1 Y . , 41