Historic leaves, volume 3, April, 1904 - January, 1905

Cotton Mather relates that, ‘In the year 1632, the governor, with his pastor, Mr. Wilson, and some other gentlemen, to settle a good understanding between the two Colonies, traveled as far as Plymouth, more than forty miles through a howling wilderness’; . . . ‘the difficulty of the walk was abundantly compensated by the honorable reception’ . . . ‘which they found from the rulers of Plymouth; and by the good correspondence thus established between the colonies, who were like the floating bottles wearing this motto: “If we come into collision, we break.” ’

The harmony established at this time between the two colonies, whose interests in many ways were perhaps not identical, grew some years later into that confederation known as the United Colonies of New England, which was a potent factor in the defense and settlement of the country.

The governor resided first in Charlestown, in the so-called ‘Great House,’ where now is City square, in which building, also, was held the general court of the colony. Later, with others he moved to Boston. He settled on the easterly side of what is now Washington street, between Spring lane and Milk street, which place he called ‘the Green,’ where he built his house, at the corner of Spring lane, the frame of this house being brought over from Charlestown; it was destroyed by the British in 1775. His front yard is now occupied by the Old South church. This transfer to Boston was probably hastened by lack of good water in Charlestown. Blackstone, the lone settler of Boston, as the record says, ‘came and acquainted the Governor of an excellent Spring there; withal inviting him and soliciting him thither.’

This spring was probably on the south side of Spring lane, not far from Devonshire street, and from which the lane was named.

On September 6, 1631, Winthrop was granted 600 acres of land on the south side of Mystic river, which he named ‘Ten Hills.’

In 1632 he was granted ‘Conant's Island,’ in Boston harbor, and changed its name to Governor's Garden, he planting orchards, fruit, and vines there. It is now Governor's Island, the site of Fort Winthrop.