Cambridge sketches
Estelle M. H. Merrill, Ed.

[18] in the vicinity of the Delta. It included the Norton estate, the site of the Museums and Divinity Hall, the grounds of the New-Church Theological School, and of course “Professor's Row.” Some of the old trees at Professor Norton's and the oaks seen near the upper end of Cambridge street and Broadway no doubt belong to that day of Foxcroft grandeur. Would that we might still see the famous pear tree which apparently was the northwesterly bound of the estate and thus probably stood near the corner of Quincy and Kirkland Streets! In a deed of Nov. 27, 1764, we read of the “Warden pear tree” (a hard winter pear, called Warden because it would keep a long time) from which the line ran eastward and so around to “the forementioned pear tree.” The estate was nearly equally divided by the Charlestown road. Foxcroft street was laid out in the southerly part, but its name was changed to Cambridge street, at a later day.

The first Francis Foxcroft was Judge of Common Pleas from 1707 to 1719, and Judge of Probate 1708 -1725. Tutor Flint in an obituary discourse said of him that “he was a gentleman by birth, was bred a merchant, was expert and skilful as well as just and upright. His natural powers were extraordinary, his acquired knowledge of various kinds was so too. His temper indeed was sudden, but this was his burden and lamentation. He was a person of grave and austere countenance and conversation, mixed with much of the gentleman and the Christian.” He died at seventy. It should be recited in his honor that he was wholly opposed to the witchcraft trials and boldly so declared himself; but in vain, as popular clamor demanded them.

His two sons were Francis, born 1695, graduated at Harvard 1712, died 1768; and Thomas, born