The history of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts, By a committee of the Dorchester antiquarian and historical society ...

DISTORY OF DORCHESTER. 601
ground by water power in New England. This mill
was extensively known as the mill at Neponset,
and gave a name to the country around it, until the
Neponset mill of the white man became synonymous
with Unquetyquisit of the red man. Important as
this mill was to the early inhabitants, its history is
simple.
At the time of the separation of Milton from Dorchester, in 1662, by consent of the town of Dorchester this mill was to pay taxes to Milton, and
has always been taxed to that town, while other mills
under the same roof are taxed to the town in which
they stand. Upon the death of Mr. Stoughton it
passed to his heirs, and remained with them until
Mr. William Stoughton, the worthy son of Mr. Israel Stoughton, exchanged the mill, house, barn and
seven and a half acres of land, with Mr. John Gill,
in 1673, for a house and land in Boston.
By Mr. Gill's will, the mill went to his wife upon
his death in 1678, during her widowhood; and at
her decease, which took place in 1683, to his grandson, Joseph Belcher, then living with him, but who
was afterwards the minister at Dedham. After the
death of Mrs. Ann Gill, this mill, with other property, passed into the hands of the overseers of the
will of Mr. Gill, or what is now termed trustees, to
be by them held for the benefit of young Belcher
during his minority. When Mr. Belcher arrived at
21 years of age, in 1689, he was a student in College. Who run the mill at this time, no record
shows. In 1717, Mr. Belcher having become the
minister of Dedham, made an indenture with Walter Everden (sometimes spelled Everenden), who