About June 1, 1630, Captain Squib of the ship Mary and John entered Boston Harbor, landing a boat on a narrow peninsula known as Mattapan or Mattaponnock, The emmigrants aboard, who were from Dorchester, Dorset and the southwest of England founded a settlement at what is now the intersection of Columbia Road and Massachusetts Ave. They chose to name it “Ðorchester” after their home in England.
The First Church of Dorchester was organized in 1631. Town meetings were held at the church, which determined policy through open and frequent discussion. The second church house, originally built on the same site as the first, was moved to Meeting House Hill in 1670. On that site, four more churches were constructed, in 1678, 1743, 1816, and the most recent after a fire in 1896. (From the History of the First Parish, Dorchester.)
Dorchester originally was one of the largest towns in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and included South Boston, Hyde Park, Milton, Wrentham, Stoughton, Dedham, Sharon, Foxboro, and Canton. After the formation of those communities, the remaining territory, about 6 square miles, was incorporated into Boston. ( Town History – Dorchester Atheneum).
Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, and Dedham all claim to have founded the first free school supported by public money in the New World.
In 1662, the part of Dorchester south of the Neponset River was set apart as the separate town of Milton. It had been known by its Indian name of Unquity, meaning “Lower Falls”. Milton became an industrial center as many mills were constructed to take advantage of the water power from the river.
Hopestill Leland, (1580-1655) {Probable ancestor, but that is not yet verified.}
Samuel Hills (1669-1704) and Sarah [?] (abt 1671- ) – moved to Dorchester from Malden
First Parish Church – Parish St. and Winter St.
Original Town Center at Columbia Rd and Boston St.
Thomas J. Kane Square and Coppenhagen Fountain
The James Blake House, 1661