Salem town records, gives the line
from the extreme northwestern corner by Putnam's land as running
"strait on to a white oak called Morey's Bound."

In a controversy which seems to have existed in 1685 and in 1690
between Anthony Needham and the owners of land adjoining his,
presumably the owners of the Downing Farm, Nathaniel Felton testifies
that "about 30 years since" (that is about 1660) "Mr. Thomas Gardner
and Jeffry Massey (who by virtue of a grant of 200 acres due unto Mr.
Bacon[A]) when they went to lay out the said 200 acres I this deponent
went with them, where cominge upon the land neere adjoyning to the
farm called Mr. Downings farme, the first bound they made of the said
two hundred acres was upon a hill being as I conceive about 20 rods on
the north side of the highway[B] leading up to Joseph Pope's farme,
and was a white oak sufficiently marked, ye which white oak the
surveyors affirmed was the northeast corner bounds of [Moreys][C]
farm, from thence they went upon a straight line westward to another
white oak which was marked also upon four sides, and stood neer about
20 rods to the northward of ye said highway which the said surveyors
affirmed to be the northwest corner bounds of the said [Morey's]
farme, and it also was the northeast corner bounds of John Marsh his
farme, which did joyne to ye [Morey] farme; and I doe further testifie
that John Marsh shewed me the said white oake and affirmed it to be
the northeast corner bound of his land and the northwest corner bound
of [Morey's] land."

[Footnote A: There are depositions recorded in Essex Reg'y, B. 11,
Fol. 186-9, by which it appears that Rebecca, wife of William Bacon,
was a daughter of Thomas Potter, Esq., and that her brother, Humphrey
Potter, was the father of Ann Potter, afterwards the wife of Anthony
Needham.]

[Footnote B: Now Lowell Street.]

[Footnote C: In the record it is Massey, evidently a mistake, as shown
by Marsh's deposition, next given.]

In 1685 Zachariah Marsh testifies that "about 25 years since my father
John Marsh, desirous I should know the bounds of his farme took me
along with him, and he then shewed me all the four corner bounds
belonging to his farme, and this I doe testifie that he shewed me a
white oake sufficiently marked standing about 20 rods northward of the
highway leading up to Joseph Pope's by a little swamp the which oake
my father affirmed was the northeast corner bounds of his farme, and
that it was a