William Blaxton was the first European settler of Boston and at one point, was the only resident of the entire city.
Imagine having the entirety of South End, Back Bay, and more to yourself?
Blaxton arrived from England to Weymouth, Massachusetts. In 1625 he moved to the Western edge of the Shawmut Peninsula, which would eventually become Boston. Blaxton lived there for over five years, and was the only resident of the area that would become Boston.
It wasn’t until 1630 that Blaxton wrote a letter to fellow alumni of Emmanuel College or the University of Cambridge, highlight Boston as an excellent place to live. Several months later, Blaxton’s contemporaries settled in Boston, coming from what was Charlestown, per his recommendation. From just one resident in 1625, Boston grew to over 4,000 residents by 1633.
As the first settler of Boston, Blaxton considered himself to “own” most of Boston. There is some controversy in retrospect. However, William Blaxton owned and sold the 50a acres of land that were transformed into Boston Common for the price of 30 pounds in 1634.
Blackstone Memorial Tablet
The Blackstone Memorial Tablet still exists at the Boston Common today, recognizing the sale of the land that would become America’s oldest public park. It reads:
In or about the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred thirty and four the then present inhabitants of the Town of Boston of Whom the Honble John Winthrop Esqr Govnr of the Colony was chiefe did treate and agree with Mr William Blackstone (Blaxton) for the purchase of his Estate and rights in any Lands lying withing said neck of Land called Boston after which purchase the Town laid out a plan for a trayning field which ever since and now is used for the purpose and for the feeding of cattell. The deposition of John Odin and others Concerning the sale of Blackstone’s land known as Boston Common.
After Boston became crowded and Blaxton’s Anglican views had friction with Puritan leaders, he moved to Rhode Island and also became the first settler of modern day Cumberland, near Pawtucket where he is memorialized by a steel statue.