Mr. John Beal will allow it piece of land in exchange for the land where the old Pound stood." This house was constructed in 1763. Tradition states that this school-house stood partly in the road, and was kept by a Air. Fisher, who made it a practice, as it was then the custom in these semi-parochird schools, to hear his scholars recite on Saturday morning in the Assembly Catechism. Mr. Joseph Bass was then a boy, and one morning among the rest was questioned to recite. But lie refused, saying that his father wished him not to recite in the catechism.

The dimensions of the house to be twenty feet long, the width sixteen feet, and seven feet between joints.

1. Mr. Whitney in his history says:-" This while oak tree seems to have been no of note, for it is often referred to, and made of as much importance as if it had been a mountain, never to be removed." 21.

It is said that Mrs. Belcher kept this school for many years. Mr. Whit. toly. relapse " that it was customary with her to carry bar corn to mill herself, exempting when dome one of her scholars lent her a helping hard. John Adams, afterwards President of the United States, was her favorite among ill a rest, and when he carried the corn she gave him as a toward three coppers, and charged him it the same time to keep his money to buy land with. It is common comely to add how well lie proffol by early Instruction.

This school-house was a very fine one for those days. It had a bell attached to it for the use of the scholars, But a bell was so novel a thirm that, when the master or mistress Was Lot ill the 8011001, it was kept incessantly ringing. This was not found so ,agreeable to those who lived near, and who would oftentimes have preferred to have been spared what the scholars considered so delightfut a treat. One mor ing the scholars come to their bell rope with the accustomed earnestness, but must unfortunately for them the bell had been taken away in the night, and was ever afterwards never heard of." by the master, but the matter was the cause of some excitement. Afterwards, reconciliation was effected by the invitation of Mr. Fisher to dine with the father.

As early as 1716, we find that it was voted by the town that a

reading and writing" school shall be kept one-half of the year in the South Precinct; this it appears was the first school estab- lished in what is now the town of Braintree.

They voted, that a convenient school-liouse for writ- ing and reading, be built and set up in some convenient place in the south end of this town, near the meeting-house as soon as may be, and as the committee hereafter appointed shall see meet at the charge of the town." Sept. 17th, 1716.

The moderator moved to the town whether the old school-house by Deacon Belcher's should be disposed of as the committee hereafter appointed shall see meet. It passed in the affirmative. It was then likewise motioned by the moderator, whether the old school-house near Mr. Benjamin Webb's should be disposed of as the committee hereafter appointed shall see meet. It passed in the affirmative."

Land Grants:

1640. F eb. 19th.*Belcher, Gregory, Ss. ,in acre, 18 52

Then agreed to by the freeholders of Braintree the sub. scribers hereunto, tba~whereas there are some persons of Bos. ton, that nake some claims or pretentions to some land in our township of Braintree aforesaid,-and now in our possession by running of bounds.

Samuel Belcher

Iron Works:

The first attempt to establish a manufacturing industry in Braintree was as early as 1643, or three years after the town was incorporated, but for the wantof funds it was not com- pleted until two or three years after. Mr. John Winthrop came to the Colony with one thousand pounds in money, and workmen for the purpose of establishing the manufacture of'iron ware, which was needful for the use of the Colonies

In 1653, the general iron company became embarrassed and failed. It appears in the apprizement of their effects, made at that time, that there was but one forge or furnace belonging to them in the town of Braintree. In 1674-5, after twenty years litigation with the company, Mr. Thomas Wiggin obtained possession, in satisfaction of a judgment of a certain tract of land ; he conveyed the same to Ono Thomas Savage, who sold it to Gregory Belcher and Alex- tinder Marsh, and it appears below that a furnace was located upon this land held by Belcher and Marsh; it also appears that this land included within its bounds, Furnace brook

Mr. Alexander Marsh, the progenitor of the Marsh family in this town, came into possession of Mr. Belcher's share of the furnace land by inheritance through his wife, who Ora; the daughter of Mr. Belcher. It can also be proved by the inventory of Mr. Marsh that lie held this estate at the time of his decease.