Chapter 1 - The Beginning

The Proprietors of the Common Undivided Land were a typical colonial invention. When an area was distinguished as being part of a larger town, there arose a need for a peaceful distribution of the land. Not every person was acceptable as a settler in every town. The Proprietors was invented to control the land not otherwise claimed on behalf of the remainder of the landowners.
 

Land not claimed belonged to the whole. First claim to it should be given to those already settled there. Later, this claim was converted into land sales. The Proprietors not only divided the land, they sold it and raised money for the towns.
 

How the Proprietors divided land is not very clear. It may have varied considerably from town to town. The record keeping was not always the best, so transactions might or might not get recorded. Bellingham was one of the lucky towns. The Book of Proprietors for the Town of Bellingham has been preserved through the centuries and is still a readable history of the original land divisions of the Town. Originally it appears the land transactions were to be grouped with an individual on each page. The volume of transactions probably made this impossible. The Bellingham Proprietors seemed to act independent of town government for much of the time. Its members were the landowners of the Town. They elected their own officers.
 

There were seven divisions of land in Bellingham. The Proprietors were founded in 1713, before the Town was founded, and survived until 1815, when they voluntarily dissolved. The original Proprietors appear to have been founded as an offshoot of the Dedham Proprietors, by settlers in the future Bellingham area.
 

The Book of Proprietors is a handwritten account of meetings, transactions, roadways and many other items that occurred during the slightly more than 100 years it was kept. Its first entry was in 1713.
 

"The first book of proprietors of {page eroded, words lost} of a tract of Land belonging to the Town of Dedham lying and being between Mendon, Wrentham, Attlebourrough & Provedence."
 

"In Pursuence of a Warrant to me Directed by John Chandler Esq--one of her Majestys Justices of the Peace for the counttie of Soffolk--These are to give Publik notice that a meeting of the proprietors of that tract belonging to Dedham lying between Wrentham, Mendon and Provedence is appointed to be held and Kept house of Decon Thomas Sanford in Mendon on the Eighth Day of March next Ensueing att eight a clock. Meeting then and there to Agree upon a Division and what relates there unto, of which all persons are to take notice and give their attendence.
 

Dated the 29th Day of February 1713"
 

Jonathan Wight Constable"
 

"{page eroded at beginning} a meeting of the propriators of a tract of land belonging to the Township of Dedham sittuate between Mendon & Wrentham being leagaly warnd to draw lots for a 2 Division."
 

The business of the meeting was begun by the choosing of officers and then the first division was made by the drawing of lots. At the same meeting they also began to plan for the second division.
 

"The sd propriators did then chuse Cap^t John Ware of Wrentham moderator for sd meeting.
 

"The propriators afore sd did then chuse Thomas Sanford of Mendon to be their clark for the year ensuing as the Law directs.
 

"The propriators proceeded to draw their Lots which was as followeth, William Jenks the 48^th & 66. Capt Siluanus Scot, the 8 & 45. John Inguls, the 27 & 2. John Corbit ye 53. Nicolas Cook, the 34. Nathaniel Weatherly the 17. John Tompson, the 10. Edward Inman, the 58. Ebenezer Thayer, the 7. Richard Blood the 18. Ser^nt John Darling, the 20 & 60. Benjamin Thayer, the 22. Cornelus Darling, the 11. Ser^nt Eleazer Kingsbery, the 9. Josiah Cook, the 31. Frances Inman, the 64. John Tompson Tayler, the 52. --eazer Medcalf, the 14. Joseph Holbrook, the 1. Samuel the 67. Ebenezer Cook, the 70. Samuel Stapes, the 30 & 6 . John Hunting, the 23. Jacob Bartlet the 6. Robert Avery, the 43. Josiah Thayer, the 62. Jonathan Draper the 38 & . John Richurds the 73. William Woodard ye 75. Wails the 24. Daiel Chickering the 13. the Ch the 25. Samuel Aldrish 50. Josiah Thayer 28 & Thurston
 

"John Ware was chosen survayer, Ser^nt John Darling and John Tompson, Comitte to lay out the Second Division."
 

"Then agreed and passed by voat that the Second Division should set out with allowance at the comittees Judgment not accord for one."
 

"Jonathan Draper claiming 8 cow comons & 3 sheep comons, that drawn for in the first division, did desire, that he might lay out his first Division to the east of Ser^nt John Darlings joyn to the Wrentham Line at the Judgment of the Com^tee not intruding upon any mans rights. The sd Draper giveing six acres rto the publick use which was granted and voated in the affermitive."
 

"Then passed by voat that the first Division should be finished by the Last of May next ensueing and those that dont finish first by the time before present, shall be debarred from ding therein, untel the Second Division be compleated and proceed to the Second Division according to the Draught or the propriators voats about the sd Division."
 

The Proprietors undertook a second division of land January 4, 1714, and a third in April 1717. That was the last division under Dedham. Further divisions were made as more settlers entered the Town and were accepted. The Fourth division was on November 22, 1720, the Fifth on June 14, 1779 and the Sixth and final division was on November 1, 1784.