Natick, Massachusetts

Natick is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 32,170.

History

Natick was first settled in 1651 by John Eliot, who settled a group of "Praying Indians" on both sides of the Charles river. The land was granted by the General Court, part of the Dedham Grant.

Related Topics:
1651 - John Eliot - Praying Indians

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A school was set up, a government established, and the Indians were encouraged to convert to Christianity. During King Philip's War, the Natick Indians were sent to Deer Island. Many died of disease and cold, and the Indians who survived found their homes destroyed. The Indian village did not recover, and the land held in common by the Indian community was slowly sold off to white settlers to cover debts, and by 1725 most of the Natick Indians had drifted away.

Related Topics:
King Philip's War - 1725

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The town was officially incorporated in 1781. Henry Wilson, the eighteenth Vice President of the United States, lived most of his life in Natick and is buried there.

Related Topics:
1781 - Henry Wilson - Vice President of the United States

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