CHAPTER XIV
TOWNS
SOUTHBRIDGE.--CHARLTON.--TRADITION.--OXFORD.--QUABAUG LANE.--MILLBURY.--SINGLETARY POND.--INDIAN RELICS
SOUTHBRIDGE
The western part of Oxford became the town of Charlton; and a piece which included a section of the path, was set off from the southwest corner of the latter town and became a part of Southbridge. Crossing the old line, between Sturbridge and Oxford, perambulated in 1740, at the place where the Oxford Path is on record, we now enter Southbridge.
The path up the hill eastward, is in pasture land until the appearance is wiped out by a heavy stonewall and a field. Beyond that, the path is covered by an eastward bound public road, which crosses a long narrow swamp on a strip of hard land, and a half mile beyond, the town road turns abruptly northward; leaving the path to extend eastward over the town line, passing near the site of the Jonathan Clemence homestead.
CHARLTON
The course of the path was, down the slope through the Sherwood farm, and across Southbridge and Charlton road to the "old ford: over Cady Brook.
It is visible up the opposite slope to the Daniel Harrington place on the old Charlton road. Passing directly across the highway, the path continues in a northeasterly course to the site of a long ago abandoned homestead. Then in the same direction west side of old Cedar Swamp, now a pond and so on a mile further up the "great valley"; then bending more easterly, entered the location of the street east of the Masonic Home.
The Tradition in Charlton
The path from the west of Cedar Swamp through the "great valley" to Charlton Center, has, among local antiquarians, always been known as "The Bay Path."
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The tradition appears to have been cherished and passed along down the generations among the descendants of Major Gen. Salem Towne; they having owned much of the land through which it passed.
The senior General Towne was born in Oxford in 1746, removed to Charlton when twelve years old, with his mother, who then married Mr. Joseph Twiss of that town; her second husband.
The "Old Oxford Path" having been traced to Charlton Center, probably continued in the same course as that occupied by the present road to Oxford Plains.
OXFORD
The first English settlers of Oxford, called "the 30 proprietors" laid out their "Home Lots" on both sides of a main street which was eight rods wide; as is fully described and illustrated in the History of Oxford, by G. F. Daniels.
The home lots were large, and the lines extended at right angles with the street. To preserve the form of the lots, and to keep open to the public the only way used to central Charlton and Sturbridge until after the Revolutionary War, a right of way for a road was located between Lots 13 and 15; running west to connect with the Old Quabaug Path, and called Quabaug Lane.
After coming upon the "plains" the path ran diagonally across the Lot No. 13, thru the south common, and passed beyond the limits of the town of Oxford, by the way of Federal Hill road.
The Indian corn-grinding stone, that now stands on exhibition upon the lawn of the home of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, was removed from near the path on Federal Hill.
The old path between Oxford and the Bay has never been lost sight of an in history, where writers have usually called this eastern section "The Old Connecticut Path."
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MILLBURY
On Federal Hill elevation, we enter Millbury on what is known there as the Oxford road. The old path must have run along near West Millbury.
When the surveyors, Woodward and Saffery, went this way in 1642, they noticed and pictured on their map, two places which are within the town limits. So the north end of Singletary Pond and the bend in Nipnet River are records of the location of the path.
At the Museum of the Worcester Society of Antiquity are many specimens of soapstone pottery found at an exhausted quarry near Bramanville.
Traces of the path and many Indian relics have been found in this vicinity.
The route thence was by the general course of Singletary Brook, crossing Blackstone River at a fordway now covered by the village of Millbury.
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