It was a most suitable place to carry on this enterprise, both on account of the fertility of the upland and because of the large quantity of salt marsh grass which was considered of special value for forage, so they immediately contracted for the importation of a large number of cattle. In May, 1635, the same day that this territory, known as Wessacumcon, was by the General Court of the colony allowed to be a plantation under the name of Newbury, a committee was appointed to set out a farm for Richard Dummer about the falls of Newbury, not to exceed five hundred acres, that is, provided it be not prejudicial to Newbury. On the eighth day of July it was further ordered by the General Court that a convenient quantity of land be set out within the bounds of Newbury for the keeping of the cattle that came over in the Dutch ship that year and to belong to the owners of said cattle. Richard Dummer removed to Newbury in the spring or summer of 1635, and other grants of land were subsequently made to him. It is a little difficult to determine the precise boundaries, on account of the scanty records. A short time before his death he executed deeds for his sons that showed him to be the owner of most of the uplands and marshes bordering on the south side of the river Parker, a tract more than three miles in length and including most of the extensive marshes, assembling a farm of three hundred and thirty acres. Whether he had more land or not is uncertain, but it is known that it never exceeded five hundred acres. Since the early grant this farm has been in the family, Richard Dummer making his first home on Newbury Neck on the place that was known as Mr. Dummer's farm. A very rich and benevolent man, he contributed much toward the growth of Newbury, being elected one of the assistants of the colony in 1635 and re-elected in 1636, taking the highest office with the exception of governor and deputy-governor. He was an ardent supporter of Governor Sir Harry Vane, taking active part in the election of 1637 which resulted in Vane's defeat. Although he was disarmed, with seventy-two others, he was not removed from the colony. Richard Dummer was an unusual man. Manifesting no resentment at his treatment, two years afterwards, when Winthrop, owing to his impoverishment, called for contributions, Dummer gave one hundred pounds,--more than one-fifth of that contributed in the colony. Two of his sons, Richard and Jeremiah, became very prominent, the former living on the farm by the falls and the latter becoming a judge. It was this Jeremiah who was the father of the governor, William Dummer, and also of Jeremiah, Jr., who was graduated from Harvard in 1699.