OLD MILL-SITES IN GROTON. 121 



BOSTON GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. 



The Bigelow School and the Lawrence School were both 

 named after natives of Groton. They are schools for boys 

 and situated in South Boston. The first one was so called 

 after John P. Bigelow, mayor of the city, and the other after 

 Amos Lawrence, a well-known citizen. 



OLD MILL-SITES IN GROTON. 



The distinct traces of an old dam on James's Brook at 

 Groton are to be seen on the easterly side of the road to Ayer, 

 near the extreme limits of the town. They are found on the 

 farm, known formerly as the Benjamin Moors place, but lat- 

 terly owned by Nathan F. Culver. The excavations of earth, 

 below the dam, for the purpose of fiUing-in the stones, are 

 clearly visible ; and even the size of the mill-pond can be 

 made out. None of the aged people, whose recollection goes 

 back to the early part of the present century, could tell any- 

 thing in regard to the mill that stood on this site. It is not 

 mentioned by Dr. Oliver Prescott, Jr., in his survey of the 

 town made in the year 1794, which carefully notes all the 

 mills at that time. James's Brook was once a much larger 

 stream than it is now, and in particular places furnished 

 considerable water-power. 



This farm was bought of John Farnsworth, by Abraham 

 Moors, the grandfather of Benjamin ; and the deed, dated 

 February 5, 1716-17, is duly recorded in the Middlesex Reg- 

 istry of Deeds (Book XXIII. p. 47) at East Cambridge. 

 From this record the following description of land is taken, 

 which furnishes a clew to the desired information : — 



Several parcels of upland & Swampy Low land all Situate lying & 

 being within the Bounds and Limits of the Township of Groton in 

 the county and province afores'd containing in all by Estimation 



