Montague — Organization Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.       On the petition of the inhabitants of the northerly part of Sunderland, and sundry others, it was ordered in the House of Representatives, June 17, 1751, that the northerly part of the town of Sunderland be erected into a separate and distinct precinct. It was also ordered that that part of the precinct not then appropriated should be sold to the highest bidders, who should be obliged to settle on the tract 10 families, to build 10 houses 18 feet square and 7 feet stud, and to bring fit for tillage 5 acres of land for each family within three years of the time of said sale. This was concurred in by the council on the same day.       Dec. 22, 1753, the General Court passed an act authorizing the erection of the north parish of Sunderland into a separate district, by the name of Montague. The name is said to have been chosen in honor of Capt. William Montague, who commanded "The Mermaid" at the taking of Cape Breton.       The bounds of the district were established as follows: Beginning at the Connecticut River 20 rods north of the mouth of Slatestone Brook, thence east to the east side of the town bounds, thence on the line of the said town to the northeast corner of the town bounds, thence north to Miller's River, thence westwardly by Miller's River to its mouth, where it enters the Connecticut River, and thence by the Connecticut River to the first-mentioned bound.       The district was authorized to enjoy the privileges, etc., of towns, that of sending a representative to the General Court alone excepted. The inhabitants were, however, entitled to join with Sunderland in sending a representative.       This tract, set apart as the district of Montague, included the second precinct of the town of Sunderland (set apart in 1751, as above noted) and a tract of land lying north thereof, between it and the Connecticut River, and belonging to the State. This tract, with the exception of a small strip about a mile wide, set apart to Wendell in 1803, is the tract now occupied by the town of Montague. | Previous Page | Contents | Next Page | | Montague Page | History of the CT Valley in Mass. | | Franklin County | Western Mass History & Genealogy These pages are © Laurel O'Donnell, 2005, all rights reserved and cannot be reproduced in any format without permission This page was last updated on 09 Jul 2005