Brothers Rocks

The charter of Massachusetts was granted in 1620, by King Charles I.  In 1630 John Winthrop and Thomas Dudley arrived with fifteen hundred passengers.  In November 1637, the Court made grants to Governor Winthrop and his deputy, Dudley.  The following spring the grants were located, the original having been somewhat enlarged.

It was ordered by the present Court that John Winthrop, Esq. the present Governor shall have 1,200 acres of land whereof, 1000 had formerly granted him.  And Thomas Dudley, Esq, the Deputy Governor, has 1000 acres granted to him by a former Court both about 6 miles from Concord northwards; the said Governor to have his 1200 acres on the southerly side of two great stones standing near together, close by the river side that comes from Concord.

I. Gov. John Winthrop Farm, 1638 II. Lieut. Gov. Dudley Farm, 1638 III. Gov. John Winthrop Meadow, 1639 2. Brothers Rocks

Going down the river about 4 miles, they made a choice of a place of one thousand acres for each of them.  They offered each other the first choice, but because the deputy’s was first granted, and himself had store of land already, the Governor yielded him the first choice.  So, at the place that the deputy’s land was to begin there were two great stones which they called Two Brothers in remembrance that they were brothers by their children’s marriage and did so brotherly agree, and for that a little creek near those stones was to part their lands. *

In June 1641, Shawshin is granted to Cambridge, provided they make it a village.  The town of Bedford comprises a portion of the Musketaquid grant, the whole of the Winthrop and a portion of the Shawshine grant.

Of the grants made to the Governor and deputy (Lieutenant), the whole of the former is included in the present limits of Bedford.  Bedford was taken from Concord and Billerica and incorporated on September 23, 1729.  Much happened before the incorporation of this town.

*“The Governor and Deputy went to Concord to view some land for farms, and, going down the river about four miles, they made choice of a place for one thousand acres for each of them.  At the place where the Deputy’s land was to begin, there were two great stones, which they called the Two Brothers, in remembrance that they were brothers by their children’s marriage and did so brotherly agree.”  John Winthrop’s Journal, April 24, 1638.

The above information is taken from Abram English Brown’s book, The History of Bedford”, published by the author in 1891, and adapted for today’s use.

Brothers Rocks – Pictures