GROTON MILE-STONES. 1 59 



taken largely from the Bible, which was the only book univer- 

 sally read at that period. Zerubbabel Kemp was living in 

 Groton at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and he 

 gave the same name to one of his sons, who lived to grow up, 

 notwithstanding the infliction. Mephibosheth Adams was a 

 resident in the west parish of Groton a hundred and seventy- 

 five years ago, — and tradition says that he was known among 

 his neighbors as " Fib " Adams, — but he spared his own 

 boys. A class of girls' names, common in the last century, 

 and representing abstract qualities, such as Faith, Hope, 

 Charity, Temperance, Prudence, and Virtue, have now be- 

 come obsolete. The good old names of Molly, Polly, Dolly, 

 and Sally are never seen in their original spelling. Susie is 

 considered a better form than Sukey, and Bessie is preferred 

 to Betty or Betsey. At the present time, however, there is 

 a tendency to take up certain names long out of fashion, such 

 as Dorothy, Rachel, Esther, etc., and to bring them again 

 into vogue. 



The name of Gabriel Lakin, of Groton, was kept up through 

 several generations, and the name of Sibyl was in common 

 use in the same family. John Frost, perhaps a kinsman of 

 the well-known " Jack Frost," had among his twelve children 

 one called Scripture, perhaps the maiden name of the mother. 

 His eldest daughter was Jemima, and his three youngest 

 children were named respectively Tryphena, Patience, and 

 Submit. 



GROTON MILE-STONES. 



The earliest legislation in this Commonwealth on the sub- 

 ject of guide-posts bears date February 28, 1795. At that 

 time an Act was passed by the General Court requiring the 

 selectmen of the several towns and districts, under certain con- 

 ditions, to erect guide-posts at the corners and angles of all 

 roads in such towns and districts ; and imposing penalties for 

 non-compliance with the law. Before that time, in a few 

 towns, individuals had set up stones by the roadside, marking 



