Founding of Taunton, Massachusetts
- When
- 1637–1639
- Where
- Taunton area; Taunton
- Episodes
- 2
Taunton was founded in 1637 by Plymouth Colony settlers who purchased land from the Wampanoag. Elizabeth Poole was a key benefactor and church founder, though she did not participate in the land purchase. The town was officially incorporated in 1639.
Episodes
- Land Purchase
English settlers purchased land from the Wampanoag in 1637.
- Town Incorporation
Taunton was officially incorporated as a town on September 3, 1639.
Background and detail
Background. Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, situated on the Taunton River. It is one of the oldest towns in the United States, established by members of the Plymouth Colony. The area was previously known by Native American names such as Cohannet or Tetiquet before the English settlement.
Founding and Incorporation. In 1637, English settlers purchased land from the Wampanoag Natives as part of the Tetiquet Purchase. Remaining native families were relocated to Ponkapoag. The town was officially incorporated on September 3, 1639, with the name chosen in honor of the founders' native country.
People involved
- Plymouth Colony settlers · Founders
- Wampanoag Natives · Land sellers
Sources
- Taunton, Massachusetts Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-11
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.