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split even by the many wedges driven into it. It was left where it fell and afterwards, by much labor, it was sawed up into lengths of four or five feet. These pieces, as large rustic flower stands, grace the lawn of the Hemmenway estate in Milton, Mass. At a subsequent sale of the two remaining trees the auctioneer, Col. Eliphalet Stone of Dedham, bid them in himself for the sum of fifteen dollars, paid the money out of his own pocket, and would not have them molested; thus they were given a longer lease of life. Within the last ten years they began to die; and by a fire built by some boys in the rotten trunk, the larger tree became so weakened that its gigantic arms fell to the ground.

According to a tradition in the Fales family, it is said that the land upon which these trees stand was first owned by James Fales [originally Vales], who came to America from Chester, England. The date of his birth is unknown. He married in Dedham, May 28, 1655, Ann Brock, sister of Rev. John Brock of the Isles of Shoals, and daughter of the Rev. Henry Brock. Mr. Fales built a house on what is now Sprague Street, opposite Greenlodge Street.

The land passed through the following generations of the Fales family, and others: .

1. JAMES FALES, b. July 4, 1656; m. Deborah Fisher, Oct. 20, 1679; d. March 5, 1741.

2.

Capt. DAVID FALES, b. 1702; m. Mary Darwin, March 5, 1745-6; d. Jan. 23, 1793.

3. Deacon SAMUEL FALES, b. Jan. 26, 1746-7: m. Rebecca Baker, April 4, 1771.

4. NANCY FALES, only child, m. Deacon Joseph Swan, Jr., Dec. 25, 1794; he d. Nov. 13, 1818; m. 2d, Joseph Daniels, Oct. 25, 1821; d. Jan. 1, 1839. Adeline Swan, her daughter, b. Oct. 5, 1802; m. Leonard Alden (Pub. Dec. 2, 1820): d. Dec. 12, 1834. On the settlement of the estate of Mrs. Daniels in 1843, there were three heirs, grandchildren, Samuel Fales Alden, Rebecca Swan Alden, Martha Clark Alden, who received one undivided third each. The so-called "Deacon Fales Farm" was received by

5. SAMUEL FALES ALDEN, b. Nov. 2, 1821.

The property conveyed to Ebenezer Paul, its present owner, was bounded on the north by lands of Nehemiah Fales's heirs and heirs of Deacon Joseph Swan; east on the old Dorchester line and land of said Swan's heirs; south by land of said Swan and Fales's heirs and road to Milton; west by the road to Dorchester, and land of said Fales's heirs and Edward Whiting. It contained eighty-three acres.

The range of the chestnut is extensive, being from York county in Maine, to Florida and the West. It flourishes on rocky hills and land where there is no great depth of soil, which is difficult to till, and fit only for pasture or forest. The soil of Dedham seems specially adapted to its growth, judging by numbers as, next to the oak and elm, it is the most numerous tree in our forest flora.

The circumstances of our country, unfortunately, are not favorable to the existence of large trees. The insatiable greed of owners

of woodlands of the past, whose only idea of value was measured by dollars and cents alone, together with the numerous forest fires which prevail, have put out of existence many noble trees and forests. If they existed to-day they would increase the value of many New England farms, which lie basking in the sun, stripped of everything except the rocks.

It is very doubtful if the chestnut in this country ever reaches the age of 250 years, while in Europe there are numerous instances of remarkable trees, notably the famous "Castagno di cento cavalli," on Mt. Etna, so called from the fact of its sheltering a hundred mounted cavaliers. This tree, in 1770, measured 204 feet in circumference, and had the appearance of five distinct trees. The Tortworth chestnut in England, measured by Strutt in 1820, was 52 feet in girth, while near Sauserre, in France, was one measuring ten feet in diameter, at a distance of six feet from the ground. The American tree is of the same species as the European, the only difference being in the size of the fruit, which in our tree is only one quarter as large, and much sweeter. Its name, Castanea, was derived from a town of that name in Pontus, Asia Minor, where it was first found by the Greeks and Romans, and by them introduced throughout Europe.

NEEDHAM EPITAPHS,

WITH NOTES.

BY CHARLES CURTIS GREENWOOD.

Joshua Balch Son to Capt Joshua & Mrs Rebekah Balch Died Decr 18th 1744 In ye 5th Year of His Age.

Jemima Everden Dau To Mr John & Mrs Jemima Everden Died
APL 1745, in ye 6th Year of her age. [b. in Leicester, Oct. 9, 1739.]

Here Lyes ye Body of Mrs Lydia Smith Wife to Mr Archib Smith.
She died June ye 17th A. D. 1745. Aged 23 Years.
Archibald Smith married

17, 1745.

Lydia Burridge of Newton, Jan.

Here Lyes the Body of Mr Ralph Smith Died May ye 9th 1746 In ye 24th Year of His Age.

He was b. Sept. 22, 1722, son of Jonathan and Martha Smith. Here Lyes ye Body of Mrs Mary Thornton Formery ye Wife of Mr John Brown of Dorchester. She Died Nov 26th 1747 Aged about 87 Years. Here Lyes ye Body of Mrs Submit Cook ye Wife of Capt Robert Cook. She Died June 18th 1748 in Ye 77th Year of Her Age.

She was b. in Dorchester, Feb. 3, 1671, dau. of William Weeks; m. Capt. Robert Cook, who was prominent among the pioneer settlers of the Town, Oct. 26, 1693. He was b. in Boston, Dec. 9, 1670, son of Robert and Sarah Cook; d. April 1, 1756.

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Here Lie ve Body of Mrs. Hannah Man ye Wife of Mr Nath Man. Aged 29 yes. Died June 25th 1748.

Nathaniel Man married Hannah Fisher of Dedham, Nov. 16, 1738 [D. T. R.].

Nathaniel Man Son to Mr Nath & Mrs Hanh Man Died Augt ye 10th, 1748 Aged 3 months. [b. May 10, 1748.]

In Memory of MTM Mehetable Dewing. Wife to Mr. Henry Dewing who Died May 19th 1750 in ye 57th Year of Her Age.

She was b. in Dedham, May 13, 1695, dau. of Eleazar and Mehitable (Thurston) Ellis; m. Henry Dewing, Dec. 4, 1716; d. May 17 1750 [T. R.].

Here Lies Buried ye Body of Aaron Dewing Son To Mr Henry & Mehetable Dewing who Died June ye 15th 1750 In ye 19th Year of his Age. [b. Sept. 24, 1731.]

Here Lies Buried ye Body of John Fisher Esq. Who Died May ye 6th, 1752. Aged 64 Y*.

You reader Stop & Lend a tear :

think on ye dust that slumbers here.
& when you thus my Silence see
think on ye glass that runs for thee.

He was b. May 2, 1688, son of John and Rebecca (Ellis) Fisher; Selectman, 1732, 1736, 1738, 1745, 1747, 1750; Representative to the General Court, 1735, 1736, 1737, 1738, 1740, 1741, 1751.

Here Lies ye Body of Mrs Ann Pain The Wife of Mr John Pain. She Died June 17th 1753 in ye 71st Year of Her Age.

John Pain married Ann Wilson, April 30, 1712 [D. T. R.]. Ephraim and Rebecca had a dau. Anna, b. March 12, 1682.

Here Lies ye Body of Mr John Pain who Died Nour 28th 1753 in ye 69th Year of His Age.

He was b. Feb. 28, 1684, son of John and Mary Pain of Dedham [D. T. R.].

Here Lies The Body of Mr James Smith who died May 16th 1754. Aged 66 Years.

"Jan: 9 1726.

He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry. James Smith and Mary his Wife admitted into the Church. They came from Ireland A. D. 1718 & Brought a Testimonial with them from Mr. John Stirling Minister of the Congregation of Belly Kelly in the County of Londonderry" [Ch. Rec.] In 1727, he bought the lot granted to Elder John Hunting on "Great Playne" in 1643.

Lydia Daughter of Mr Joseph & Mrs Experiance Daniell who died Novm ye 8th 1754. in ye 8th Year of her age [b. April 2, 1747.]

Josiah Son of Mr Joseph & Mrs Experience Daniel who died Novm 21th 1754 in ye 7th yr of his age [b. Sept. 24, 1748.]

In memory of Timothy.tolman Dewing son to Henry Dewing Jvn & Eliza Dewing Who Died Jana 15th 1755 Being 14 months & 7 Days Old [b. Nov. 7, 1753.]

Here Lies ye Body of Mr John Pain who died May 15th, 1756 in ye 41st Year of his Age.

He was b. August 24, 1715, son of John and Ann Pain.

Here lies ye Bodys of Ezekiel & Enoch Richardson sons To Mr Ezekiel & M Mary Richardson Died Sept 1756. Ezekiel in 5th & Enoch in 34 year of their Age.

They were Pleasant in Life & in Death not much Divided.

Ezekiel, b. Jan. 31, 1752; d. Sept. 29, 1756. Enoch, b. March 30, 1754; d. Sept. 25, 1756 [T. R.].

Here lies ye Body of Mary Richardson Daur to Mr Ezekiel & Mr Mary Richardson Died Oct 9th 1756 in ye 7th Year of her Age. [b. Jan. 15, 1750.]

Here lies ye Body of Mrs Rebecca Kingsbery Wife to Dean Eleazer Kingsbery. She Died Feb'y the 15th 1756: in ye 69th Year of her Age.

In Memory of Mr Samuel Kingsbery 31 Son of Cornett Timy & Mrs Jemima Kingsbery who Died Oct 12th 1756 In the 18th Year of his Age. [b. May 14, 1739.] This life's a dream & all things show it Once I thought so but now I know it

Here Lyes Buried The Body of Mr Jonathan Parker Died Feby 21st 1758 in ye 47th Year of his Age

He was b. July 21, 1711, son of Jonathan and Deliverance Parker.

In Memory of Mrs Lydia Daniels Wife of Mr Jofeph Daniels Died March ye 24th 1758 in ye 84th Year of her Age. [Stone removed from Sherborn, 1879.]

Joseph Daniels married Lydia Adams of Medfield, Jan. 27, 1696. She was d. of Jonathan and Elizabeth Adams of Medfield. Her father's house was burned by the Indians in 1676. In Memory of Eleazer Son of Mr Timothy & Mrs Lydia Newell Died Feb. ye 20th 1759. Aged one year & 8 Days [b. Feb. 12, 1758.]

Here lies interred The Remains of Mr Josiah Newell who Died May ye 8th 1759 in the 80th year of his Age.

He was b. in Roxbury, March 6, 1680, son of Isaac and Eliza [or Elizabeth] (Curtis) Newell; Selectman, 1719, 1722, 1724 and 1725. Town Clerk, 1719. May 14, 1759 the aged Josiah Newell died" [Ch. Rec.]

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Here lies ye Body of Mrs Mary Fisher Wife of Mr John Fisher who Died Octobr ye 2d 1759. Aged 43 years.

He m. Mary Fuller May 22, 1740. Thomas and Mary Fuller had a d. Mary, b. Oct. 20, 1716.

Here lies Buried the Body of Dec" Timothy Kingsbery who [died] Oct 5th 1760 in ye 80 Year of his Age.

He was b. in Dedham, Oct. 15, 1680, son of Nathaniel and Mary (Bacon) Kingsbery; one of the petitioners for the incorporation of Town, 1710; first Town Clerk, chosen 1711, 1712-18, 1720, 1721; Treasurer, 1725; Selectman, 1711-18, 1720, 1721, 1723, 1724, 1732, 1733, 1786, 1739, 1747; Repre

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