History of Stoughton, Massachusetts, USA

Stoughton, Massachusetts
Norfolk county. Some of the head waters of Neponset river rise in this town. When the Indians sold their lands in Dorchester, a residence was established for them at this place, and called Punkapog. There were 12 families of Christian Indians here in 1674. Mr. Elliot, the apostle of the Indians, had the chief agency in their removal.

There are two cotton and a woolen mill in the town, and manufactures of boots, shoes, shoe tools, and boot forms: total value of manufactures, the year ending April 1, 1837, exclusive of cotton goods, $525,940; of which $487,390 was for boots and shoes. Hands employed in the various manufactures, 928.

Stoughton was incorporated in 1736. It lies 20 miles S. from Boston and 10 S. from Dedham. Population, 1830, 1,591; 1837, 1,993.

Stoughton was named after Lieutenant-Governor Stoughton, of Dorchester, of which town it was originally a part.

It was once called Punhapoag, and contained a village of Praying Indians, as the converts used to be called.

Its chief manufacture is boots and shoes.

Distance from Dedham, 10 miles ; from Boston, 20

Stouqhton, a post-village in Norfolk co., Massachusetts, at the terminus of the Stoughton branch of the Boston and Providence railroad, 19 miles S. by W. from Boston, contains 4 churches and numerous shoe factories. Population of the township, 3494.

Stoughton lies in the southwesterly part of Norfolk County, 18 miles south of Boston. The Stoughton and Easton Branch from the Providence Railroad runs through the centre and connects with the Taunton and New Bedford line in the southern part of the town, all being of the Old Colony Railroad system. The post-offices are Stoughton and North Stoughton. The other villages are Belcher's Corner, Dry Pond and West Stoughton.

Canton hounds the town on the north, Randolph and Avon on the east, Easton on the south, and Sharon on the west. The assessed area is 9,028 acres; in which are included 2,765 acres of woodland. Cedar is found in the swamps and deciduous trees in the uplands. The surface is pleasantly diversified with hill and valley; the highest point of land being "The Pinnacle," from which may be seen the islands in Boston Harbor, a wide extent of sea coast and many pleasant landscapes. The rock is sienite, in which beds of iron-ore occur in several localities. In the northwest is...

Stoughton, sto'ton, a post-village in Stoughton township, Norfolk co., Mass., on the Old Colony Railroad, at the S. terminus of the Stoughton Branch of the Boston & Providence Railroad, 18 miles S. of Boston. It has 4 churches, a newspaper office, a high school, and manufactures of boots, shoes, Cardigan jackets, woollen yarn &c. The township contains a village named East Stoughton. Pop. of township in 1880, 4875; in 1890, 4852.

Stoughton, a banking post-township (town) of Norfolk co., Mass., on the New York, New Haven and Hartford R., 18 miles S. of Boston. It has manufactures of boots, shoes, caridgan jackets, and rubber. Pop. of the town in 1900, 5442.