I08 NATURAL HISTORY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF GROTON, MASS. 



"THE NECK." 



In the town-records, as early as February 17, 1670, a refer- 

 ence is made " to the neck upon the riuer." This is an allusion 

 to a peninsula that once belonged to Amos Farnsworth's farm. 

 It was formed by a long bend in the Nashua River, — perhaps 

 a hundred and thirty rods around, — and joined to the main 

 land by a neck, probably not more than thirty rods wide. At 

 a period near the middle of the last century, very likely dur- 

 ing a January thaw or a spring freshet, it was entirely severed 

 from the farm, by the river's breaking through the neck, thus 

 leaving an island of perhaps twenty acres, now partially cov- 

 ered with a growth of pines. The late Honorable Claudius 

 Buchanan Farnsworth, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, who was 

 born and passed his early life in the immediate neighborhood 

 of this particular place, once told me that, during his boyhood, 

 his grandfather. Major Amos Farnsworth, used to relate how 

 the affair happened, though it was before his grandfather's 

 recollection, and he was born on April 28, 1754. The Ma- 

 jor's father, Amos, Senior, had previously owned the neck or 

 peninsula, and it was during his ownership that the new chan- 

 nel was formed. He continued to hold it, until the day of his 

 death, which occurred on December 5, 1775, by the upsetting 

 of a boat, in which he and his youngest son, Benjamin, were 

 crossing over the river to this very island, where both were 

 drowned. 



It is highly probable that the neck was cut through, and 

 the island formed, during a freshet which took place in Janu- 

 ary, 1 75 1. In a note-book kept for many years by Joseph 

 Farwell, of Groton, is the following entry : — 



in Groton January the 22, 1 750-1 their was a grate storm of Rain 

 and wind to that Degree that it Blew down 4 Barns and one house 

 and Rent a Grate Number of Barns and other Buildings to that De- 

 gree that the oldest person Now Living Cant Rember the Like. 



The following extract is taken from " The Boston Weekly 

 Nevvs-Letter," January 31, 175 1, and undoubtedly refers to 



