F.M.
Peck and H.H. Earl, "Fall River and its Industries,"
Atlantic Press Co. New York page 3,
1877
"Of the Pocasset Purchase Mr. Fowler records a division
into shares, following the precedent of its neighboring
grant; we quote his words in full, as having a double
interest in awarding due credit for the first practical
realization of the value of Quequechan, and identifying the
original entire control of the water-power with a name that
has ever since been so worthily associated with the growth
of Fall River. The Benjamin Church referred to was the
great captain of the King Philip wars, a man verily for the
time, before whose intrepid courage and wise command the
great chief of the Wampanoags fell a victim, and his
successor Annawan yielded himself captive. "The Pocasset
Purchase (after reserving thirty rods wide adjacent to the
Freeman's Purchase and the river, and some other small
tracts) was divided into thirty shares and distributed
among the proprietors,-the lot nearest the river being
numbered one. This piece of land, including the water power
on the south side to (the present) Main Street, and on both
sides east of said street to Watauppa Pond, containing
sixty-six acres of land, was also divided into thirty
shares and sold to the original purchasers. Colonel Church
and his brother Caleb, of Watertown (who was a millwright),
bought twenty-six and a half of the thirty shares., and
thereby became the chief owners of the water-power. On the
8th of August, 1691, Caleb Church sold his right in this
property (13 1/2 shares) to his brother, Benjamin, who then
became the owner of thirty-six and a half shares. Probably
John Borden [Quaker John Borden, JP] purchased the other
three and a half shares. In 1703, Colonel Church had moved
to Fall River and improved the water-power, by erecting a
saw-mill, grist mill and fulling mill. His dwelling-house
stood between the present residence of Colonel Richard
Borden and that of his brother Jefferson, and remained til
within forty years. He continued at Fall River but a few
years; and on Sept. 18th, 1714, sold the above named
twenty-six and a half shares to Richard Borden of Tiverton,
and Joseph Borden of Freedom, sons of John; and thus the
lands on both sides of the river, with all the water-power,
came into the possession of the Borden family, John Borden
having previously purchased that on the north side west of
Main street."
Benjamin Church kept his word to his Wampanoag allies.
Church was successful in fighting King Philip because he
adopted the Indian method of fighting. The fighting tactics
were set by the dense forest terrain, narrow paths and
sparse populations to quick strikes and quick retreats.
After the war, Church was able to persuade the Plymouth
Colony to establish a reservation on Stafford Road south of
Notre Dame Cemetery. Later the reservation was shifted to
east of the Watauppa Pond. The reservation fell apart in
the early 1900s.