10 



primitive kind of mill. The first machinery was Im- 

 pounding or beating corn, a mortar mill, as it was after- 

 wards called. 



Various changes were made at different times in the 

 construction and uses of the building or buildings on this 

 foundation; in 1692 it was rebuilt for a Fulling Mill — 

 several mills of this character were erected on the small 

 streams in this county during the colonial and provincial 

 periods in our history. It further appears, that, at an 

 early date, several families located in this neighborhood, 

 which was considered a desirable place for a settlement, 

 hence the necessity of erecting and maintaining the bridge 

 at the "Town's End," alluded to in the records of that 

 period. In 1640, Capt. Traske* obtained permission, 

 and some years after erected a mill about half of a 

 mile lower down the river, and opposite his house (in 

 the rear of 158 Boston street) ; not liking that place, in a 

 short time, he moved it again half of a mile further down, 

 making it one mile from the location of the first mill. 

 This was used by himself and his descendants for many 

 years, when it passed into other hands. During the latter 

 part of the last and the first half of the present century 

 it was under the direction of William Frye, father and 

 son, and was familiarly known as "Frye's Mills." 



July 12, 1633, a grant was made by the town of Lynn 

 to Edward Tomlins for a mill ; this was the second in 

 this colony, and was erected on Strawberry brook, flow- 

 ing from Flax Pond, a few rods west of the junction of 

 Franklin with Boston Street. In 1663, 6 mo. 22, per- 



* Capt. William Trask was born in Somersetshire, England, probably in 1587, 

 died in 106G. The house which he built and in which he resided, was situated a 

 few rods in the rear of the present old mansion. No. 158 Boston Street. The pres- 

 ent house was built by his son, about 1(580. This is the only part of the original 

 estate that is now and has been owned by members of the family in successive 

 generations. 



