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in: Watertown, Massachusetts, History of Massachusetts, Massachusetts cenotaphs, Warren in Massachusetts

Watertown Founders Monument

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Watertown Founders Monument = Henry H. Kitson, Sculptor

This monument honors 116 men who played a significant role in the very early years of this historic city, founded in 1630.

Overview[]

Watertown, Massachusetts, first known as Saltonstall Plantation, was one of the earliest of the Massachusetts Bay Colony settlements. Founded in early 1630 by a group of settlers (116 households) led by Richard Saltonstall (1586-1661) and George Phillips (1593-1644), it was officially incorporated that same year. The alternate spelling "Waterton" is seen in some early documents.

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The original monument was dedicated in 1931, and rededicated in 2009. It consists of a statue of Sir Richard Saltonstall and two bas-reliefs on the sides that showcase two historical moments in Watertown’s history.

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Several of the early settlers listed here can be found interned nearby at Old Burying Place (AKA: Arlington Street Cemetery). This first documented internment occurred in 1642.

Base Inscription[]

Inscription at Base of Monument:

SIR RICHARD SALTONSTALL TO MR. WILSON AND MR. COTTON.

"I HOPE YOU DO NOT ASSUME TO YOURSELVES INFALLIBILITIE OF JUDGMENT WHEN THE MOST LEARNED OF THE APOSTLES CONFESSETH THAT HE KNEW BUT IN PARTE AND SAW BUT DARKELY AS THROUGH A GLASS” “THAT THE LORD WOULD GIVE YOU MEEKE AND HUMBLE SPIRITS, NOT TO STRYVE SO MUCH FOR UNIFORMITY AS TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT IN THE BOND OF PEACE”

1632 Tax Protest[]

In 1632 the residents of Watertown protested against being compelled to pay a tax for the erection of a stockade fort at Cambridge; this was the first protest in America against taxation without representation and led to the establishment of representative democracy in the colony.


Left Plaque[]

Watertown 1630

Official Seal of Watertown MA.

  1. Thomas Arnold (1599-1674) - later moved to Providence RI
  2. John Ball (1620-1675) - died in King Philip's War with indians.
  3. John Barnard (c1607-1646)
  4. Ellis Barron (1600-1676)
  5. William Barsham (1610-1684)
  6. Michael Barstow (1600-1674)
  7. Thomas Bartlett (c1606-1654)
  8. Richard Beach (1620-1674)
  9. Richard Beers (1616-1675)
  10. Joseph Bemis (1619-1684)
  11. John Benjamin (1585-1645)
  12. John Bigelow (1617-1703)
  13. Nathaniel Briscoe (1629-c1650)
  14. Edmund Bloise (1584-1681)
  15. William Bond (1625-1695)
  16. Nathaniel Bowman (1608-1682)
  17. Thomas Boylston (1614-1653)
  18. Henry Bright (1602-1686)
  19. Thomas Brooks (1594-1667)
  20. Abraham Brown (1579-1650)
  21. Richard Brown (1575-1662)
  22. George Bullard (1607-1689)
  23. Charles Chadwick (1596-1682)
  24. Lambert Chenery (1593-1673)
  25. Garrett Church (1611-1662)
  26. Hugh Clark (1613-1693)
  27. John Coolidge (1604-1691)
  28. Benjamin Crisp (1610-1683)
  29. Henry Curtis (c1608-1678)
  30. James Cutler (1605-1694)
  31. Richard Cutting (1621-1696)
  32. Robert Daniels (c1592-1655)
  33. Edward Dix (1612-1660)
  34. John Doggett (c1602-1672)
  35. John Eaton (1611-1658)
  36. John Eddy (1597-1684)
  37. Simon Eyre (1587-1658)
  38. John Eliot (1604-1690) - "Apostle to the Indians"
  39. Robert Feake
  40. John Firmin
  41. David Fiske (1601-1662)
  42. John Fiske (c1629-1684)
  43. Nathaniel Fiske (1615-1676)
  44. Thomas Flagg (1621-1698)
  45. John Fleming (1610-1657)
  46. Samuel Freeman (1595-1639)
  47. Richard Gale (1618-1678)
  48. Edward Garfield (1583-1672)
  49. John Goss (1610-1644)
  50. Christopher Grant (1608-1685)
  51. Nicholas Guy (c1588-1649)
  52. William Hagar (1620-1684)
  53. William Hammond (1575-1662)
  54. Robert Harrington (1616-1707)
  55. Thomas Hastings (c1605-1685)
  56. Justinian Holden (1611-1691)
  57. Ephraim Child (c1599-1663)

Right Plaque[]

  1. Samuel Hosier (1614-1665)
  2. Edward Howe (1587-1644)
  3. Miles Ives (1598-1684)
  4. William Jennison (c1608-1657)
  5. Robert Keyes (1607-1647)
  6. Richard Kimball (1595-1675)
  7. William Knapp (1578-1658)
  8. John Knight (1594-1674)
  9. Edward Lamb (1612-1648)
  10. John Lawrence (1610-1667)
  11. Edmund Lewis (1601-1650)
  12. John Livermore (1604-1684)
  13. John Lovering
  14. Hugh Mason (1606-1678)
  15. John Masters (1581-1639) - prominent leader of Watertown after Slatonstall left.
  16. Thomas Mayhew (1593-1682) - afterwards became 1st governor of Martha's Vineyard in 1640.
  17. Isaac Mixer (1602-1655)
  18. Joseph Morse (c1610-1691)
  19. George Munnings (1596-1658) - veteran of Pequot War
  20. Jeremiah Norcross (1585-1657)
  21. John Oldham (1592-1636) - died at start of Pequot War.
  22. John Page (1586-1676) - 1st Constable of Watertown - 19 Oct 1630.
  23. William Payne (1596-1660) - owner of New Haven Ironworks
  24. George Parkhurst (1588-1675) - made frequent trips back to England where he died.
  25. Daniel Patrick (c1605-1643) - militia captain, shot dead by Dutch soldier.
  26. Anthony Pierce (1611-1678)
  27. Brian Pendleton (c1599-1681) - Militia Major, died in N.H.
  28. Thomas Philbrick (1584-1674) - moved to Hampton, N.H.
  29. George Phillips (1593-1644) - leader of group settling Watertown and founding minister of 1st Congregational Church there.
  30. John Prescott (1604-1681) - in 1643 moved to found Lancaster MA
  31. John Reynolds (1612-1641)
  32. John Richardson
  33. Thomas Rogers (1586-1638)
  34. Richard Saltonstall (1586-1661) - Group leader
  35. Richard Sawtell (1611-1694)
  36. Robert Sanderson (c1608-1693)
  37. Robert Seeley (1602-1668) - Founder of Watertown MA, Wethersfield CT and New Haven CT, 2nd in command of militia at Pequot War, died in NYC.
  38. William Shattuck (1621-1672)
  39. John Sherman (1612-1691)
  40. John Smith (c1595-1663)
  41. John Spring (c1584-1664)
  42. Isaac Stearns (1603-1671)
  43. John Stimpson (1605-1643)
  44. Gregory Stone (1590-1672)
  45. Simon Stone (1585-1665)
  46. Samuel Stratton (1592-1672)
  47. Joseph Tainter (1613-1690)
  48. Gregory Taylor
  49. Samuel Thatcher (1615-1669)
  50. John Traine (c1610-1680)
  51. Martin Underwood (1596-1672)
  52. Richard Waite (1608-1669)
  53. John Warren (1585-1667)
  54. Roger Wellington (1609-1698)
  55. John Wetherell (c1594-1672)
  56. Timothy Wheeler (1604-1687)
  57. John White
  58. John Whitney (1592-1673)
  59. Richard Woodward (1585-1665)

References[]

  • See also LifeFromTheRoots Blog - complete photo gallery of the monument
  • Genealogies of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts.
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