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"History of Lynn, Essex County,
Massachusetts: Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscott, and
Nahant"
by Alonzo Lewis, James R. Newhall
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Transcribed and submitted
by Shaun
Cook |
To help transcribe or submit information,
please e-mail Shaun
Cook.
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The committee appointed by
the town to divide the lands, completed their task, and a book was
provided, in which the names of the proprietors, with the number of acres
allotted to each, were recorded. That book is lost; but a copy of the
first three pages has been preserved in the files of the Quarterly Court,
at Salem, from which the following is transcribed. I have taken the
justifiable liberty, in this instance, to spell the words correctly, and
to supply a few omissions, which are included in brackets. The word "ten,"
which is added to many of the allotments, implies that a separate lot of
ten acres was granted. [The first allotment, it will be seen, was to Lord
Brook. And the Court, 13 March, 1639, empower Edward Holyoke to manage the
estate of his lordship, "vntill the Lord Brooke do otherwise dispose of
it.]
PAGE I.
These lands following were
given to the inhabitants of the town of Lynn, Anno Domini
1638.
To the Right Honorable the Lord Brook, 800 acres,
as it is estimated.
To Mr. Thomas Willis,
upland and meadow, 500 acres, as it is estimated.
Mr. Edward Holyoke, upland and meadow, 500
acres, as it is estimated.
Henry Collins,
upland and meadow, 80 acres, and ten.
Mr. [Joseph] Floyd, upland and meadow, 60 acres, and
ten.
Edmund and Francis Ingalls,
upland and meadow, 120 acres.
Widow
Bancroft, 100 acres.
Widow Hammond, 60
acres.
George Burrill, 200 acres.
John Wood, 100 acres.
Thomas Talmage, 200.
Nicholas
Brown, 200.
William Cowdrey, 60.
Thomas Laighton, 60.
John
Cooper, 200.
Allen Breed, 200.
John Pool, 200.
Edward Howe,
200 and ten.
Thomas Sayre, 60.
Job Sayre, 60.
Thomas Chadwell,
60.
William Walton, 60.
Christopher Foster, 60.
William
Ballard, 60.
Josias Stanbury, 100.
Edmund Farrington, 200.
Nicholas Potter, 60.
William
Knight, 60.
Edward Tomlins, 200, and twenty.
[" Mr." ] South, 100.
Boniface
Burton, 60.
John Smith, 60.
Mr. Edward Howell, 500.
PAGE
II.
To Nicholas Batter,
60.
Mr. [Richard] Sadler, 200, and the
rock by his house.
Joseph Armitage,
60.
Godfrey Armitage, 60.
To Matthew West, upland and meadow, 30, and ten.
George Farr, 30, and ten.
James Boutwell, 60 acres.
Zachary Fitch, 30, and ten.
Jarrett Spenser, 30 acres.
Jenkin Davis, 30, and ten.
George Taylor, 30, and ten.
[William] Thorn, 30, and ten.
Thomas Townsend, 60.
Thomas Parker, 30, and ten.
Francis Lightfoot, 30, and ten.
Richard Johnson, 30, and ten.
Robert Parsons, 30, and ten.
Edward Burcham, 30 and ten.
Anthony Newhall, 30.
Thomas
Newhall, 30.
Thomas Marshall, 30, and ten.
Michael Spenser, 30.
Timothy
Tomlins, 80.
[William] Harcher, 20.
Richard Roolton, 60.
[Nathaniel] Handforth, 20.
Thomas Hudson, 60.
Thomas
Halsye, 100.
Samuel Bennett, 20.
John Elderkin, 20.
Abraham
Belknap, 40.
Robert Driver, 20.
Joseph Rednap, 40.
[John]
Deacon, 20.
Philip Kertland, senior, 10.
PAGE III.
To Philip Kertland, junior,
10.
[Goodman] Crosse, 10.
Hugh Burt, 60.
[Goodman]
Wathin, 10.
Richard Brooks, 10.
Francis Godson, 30.
George Welbye, —.
William Partridge, upland, 10 acres.
Henry Gains, 40.
Richard
Wells, 10.
[Josephl Pell, 10.
John White, 20.
Edward Baker,
40.
James Axey, 40.
William Edmonds, 10.
Edward Ireson, 10.
Jeremy Howe, 20.
William
George, 20.
Nathaniel Whiteridge, 10.
George Frail, 10.
Edmund
Bridges, 10.
Richard Longley, 40.
Thomas Talmage, junior, 20.
Thomas Coldam, 60.
Adam Hawkes,
upland, 100.
Thomas Dexter, 350.
Daniel Howe, upland and meadow, 60.
Richard Walker, upland and meadow, 200.
Ephraim Howe, next to the land of his father, upland,
10.
[Thomas] Ivory, 10.
Timothy Cooper, 10.
Samuel
Hutchinson, 10, by estimation.
Mr. Samuel Whiting,
the pastor, 200.
Mr. Thomas Cobbet, the teacher,
200.
These three pages were taken
out of the Town Book of the Records of Lynn, the 10th 1 mo. Anno Domini,
59, 60, [March 10, 1660,1 by me,
ANDREW MANSFIELD, Town Recorder.
The "Lord Brook" to whom the
grant of 800 acres was made, "was one of those patriots," says Ricraft,
"who so ardently longed for liberty, that he determined to seek it in
America." He was shot with a musket ball, through the visor of his helmet,
in the civil war of 1642, while storming the cathedral of Litchfield. Sir
Walter Scott alludes to this sacrilege, in Marmion.
- "When fanatic Brook
The
fair cathedral stormed and took:
But thanks to heaven and good
St. Chad,
A guerdon meet
the spoiler had."
"He was killed by a shot
fired from St. Chad's Cathedral, on St. Chad's day, and received his death
wound in the very eye with which he had said he hoped to see the ruin of
all the cathedrals in England.''
[In the foregoing list of
distributees are a few whose names appear nowhere else in Mr. Lewis's
pages. Concerning some of these I have been able to collect interesting
facts. And of some of the others, a few matters, deemed worthy of note
will be added. They will be distinguished by italics.
[William Walton. This was
probably Rev. William Walton, who, as Farmer says, was minister at
Marblehead nearly thirty years, though not ordained; having gone there in
1639. He could have been at Lynn but a short time, as nothing is found of
him here before 1635 or after 1638. He seems to have been a man of
enterprise and worth. And he was well educated, having taken his degrees
at Emanuel college. We find him at Hingham, in 1635; and he was admitted a
freeman in 1636. He became interested in the settlement of Manchester; and
it seems not improbable, went there, more or less, every year, to teach.
The passage from Marblehead to Manchester, by water, it will be observed,
is short and safe. He died in September, 1668. Mather misnames him
Waltham.
[Mr. South.
There is difficulty in determining with certainty who this individual was.
The "Mr." appears to have been supplied by Mr. Lewis. It was a title of
dignity, and more charily used than "Esq." is at the present day. Perhaps
he bestowed it, in this case on the supposition that because a hundred
acres were allotted, the recipient must have been more eminent than the, "
Goodmen," who received but ten. But judgment founded on such a
circumstance would be quite unsafe, for the miserable Jenkin Davis
received "30 and ten." There was a William South, who, at a Court of
Assistants, 4 September, 1638, was "censured to bee severely whiped and
kept to the Generall Courte. By whom he was banished, to returne no more
vpon paine of death." His offence is not stated. But this seems to dispose
of him, and confirm the belief that he could not have been the Lynn
settler. There is among the Salem Court files a will of Ann Crofts, of
Lynn, wherein she speaks of her father South. Now this Ann Crofts, or
Crafts, as Mr. Lewis has the name, was grandmother of Hon. John Burrill,
the shining legislative light, her first husband having been Thomas Ivory,
and their daughter Lois having married John Burrill, senior. And by
recurring to the deposition of Clement Coldam, on page 143, it will be
found that there was a "mr. South" here about the year 1650, for whom the
deponent says he "kept the key of the old sluce." But it will not profit
to pursue inquiries respecting this rather mysterious individual.
[Richard Sadler. Mr. Sadler,
it appears, had granted to him, in addition to his 200 acres, "the rock by
his house." And this lofty porphyry cliff, which towers up near the
junction of Walnut and Holyoke streets, is still known as Sadler's Rock.
The view from it is extensive and beautiful, commanding the whole compass
of the great plain on which the city stands, with the exception of a small
portion of the northern and eastern fringe, and almost the whole extent of
the Bay. The stone dwelling, erected near its base, in 1854, by the
writer, stands a few rods farther up the hill, than the romantic nestling
place of Mr. Sadler's modest habitation. That our worthy predecessor in
this locality stood high in public estimation, is manifest, from the
responsible duties he was elected to perform. And that he was a man of
education seems evident from the fact that soon after his return to
England he was ordained as a minister at Whixall, in Shropshire. See pages
157 and '8.
[Joseph
Armitage. Mr. Armitage, at the Ipswich Court, 26 March, 1661, then aged
"about sixty years," under oath stated as follows: "In this division of
lands, I and my brother Godfrey Armitage had given vnto vs about fourscore
acres. I sold it about twenty and one years since for fifteene pounds in
gold. And that the Land in Lyn Village, the thirty and forty acre lotts,
are worth and sold for twenty shillings pr acre."
[Jarrett Spenser. I think the
baptismal name of this individual should be spelled Garrett. He was the
person to whom the "fferry at Linn" was granted in 1639. He came to Lynn
in 1637, and was admitted a freeman the same year. Sometime before 1660 he
removed to Haddam, Ct., and was there a representative in 1674 and '5. He
was the father of a numerous family. About 1665 his daughter Hannah
married Daniel Brainard, grandfather of the celebrated missionary.
[Thomas Halsye. Mr. Halsye
was one of the Long Island settlers who went from Lynn. He remained many
years at Southampton, and was the richest man in the place. He had much
influence, and was active in establishing the Connecticut jurisdiction. In
1664, he was a representative. In 1666,, his wife, or possibly the wife of
his son Thomas, was murdered by a drunken Indian. And that was the ohly
Indian murder committed in the Southampton colony. The murderer was
promptly surrendered and executed.
[John Elderkin. Mr. Elderkin
seems to have removed from Lynn soon after these land allotments were
made. He became a sojourner in divers places. In 1651 he was at New
London, and there built the first church and the first mill. He finally
settled at Norwich, in 1664, and there likewise built the first church and
the first mill, and died 23 June, 1687. He had two wives and several
children. His widow died at the mature age of 95, in 1716, at
Norwich. While at Lynn, Mr. Elderkin owned the mill which previously
belonged to Mr. Howell.
[Richard Brooks. This settler arrived in 1635, and was then 25 years of
age. He came in the Susan and Ellen. In 1650 he went to Easthampton, being
one of the first settlers there.
[Francis Godson. This
individual was a laborer, or craftsman. On the Colony Records, 5 Aug.
1634, appears this entry: "Frauncis Godson hath bound himselfe in xl. for
his psonall appearance att the Court to be holden in Octobr nexte to
answer for breach of an order of Court in takeing to greate wages,
&c." It will be remembered that the wages of mechanics and laborers
were regulated by the Court.
[Richard Wells. Mr. Wells
removed to Salisbury, where he became a prominent citizen, and a deacon in
the church. He died 12 July, 1672.
[Jeremy Howe. This was a son
of Edward Howe, and he came over with his father, in the Truelove, 1635.
He removed to New Haven, where he reared a family. Jeremiah Howe, one of
the first settlers of Wallingford, in 1670, was probably his son, though
at that time but about 20 years old. He died in 1690.
[Richard Longley. A singular
dispute arose respecting this grantee, a William Longley, or Langley,
claiming that he was the person intended. By the records, it appears that
at the Court held at Ipswich, 26 March, 1661, Andrew Mansfield, aged
"about thirty eight yeares," made affidavit that he had been an inhabitant
of Lynn, " aboute two or three and twentye yeares," and that William
Longley came at the time he did, and "by him selfe and familye" had
remained an inhabitant, having bought a house and land; that about 1649,
this William Longley, at a general town meeting, demanded that his portion
of land should be laid out, according to the town records; that the
Records were vewed and therein was found 40 acores granted to one Richard
Longlye; but his name being William, and not Richard, as alsoe sum asking
the sd Longlye whether hee had pd for the Laying it out; he Answering that
he had not," the majority voted that it was not his. Mr. Mansfield also
testified that Longley had been called by the name of Langley, and that he
never knew an inhabitant of Lynn " called Longlye or Langlye, but this
William Longlye and his ffamilye." Clement Coldam and Hugh Burt, at the
same Court, gave similar testimony, Coldam declaring - "the sd W. Longley
did in my hearing demand his proportion of land according to a former
grant, and this demand being at a generall Town Meeting, some present
answered that if he, the sd Longley, could prove Landes to be granted to
him by the Towne, he might have it, or else nott; some present granting
that there was land granted to Richard Langley, but none to William
Langley; further, this deponent, being an Inhabitant of the Towne of Linn
before William Longley came into the sd Towne, and many years after,
affirme that the sayed Longley was for many years caled Langh, and nott
Longley, and is frequently so called vnto this day; neither hath this
deponent knowne any Inhabitant of Linn called by the name of Langley or
Longley but onely this William Longley and his ffamiley." On the question
of laying out the land to William Longley, however, the town voted in the
negative. But it is a little remarkable that at the "generall towne
meeting" at which his petition was considered, there should not have been
numbers who really knew whether he was the person intended in the
distribution, which was made but twelve years before. It is difficult to
conclude that the town was determined to withold the land, right or wrong,
or that the petitioner was fraudulently endeavoring to gain it by boldly
claiming what he knew was intended for another. It seems, however, on the
whole, pretty well established; though there remained room for, doubt,
that William was intended. Yet it must be added, that there was a Richard
Longley in some part of Lynn, in 1636, who had two sons, William and
Jonathan. He may have left town before the distribution and without the
deponents having any knowledge of him. In conclusion of the mysterious
matter, it must be remarked that William Longley, the petitioner, finally
recovered a judgment, in the Court, for the land, or forty pounds in
money. And it was out of this affair that the charge of perjury which John
Hathorne made against Andrew Mansfield and William Longley, grew; an
accusation which, in its turn, produced a jar between the legal and
ecclesiastical powers. See under dates 1662 and 1663. It was a small
matter but it kindled a great fire.
[Thomas Talmage, jr. This is
thought to be the same Lieut. Talmage, of New Haven, who was killed in the
savage attack on Schenectady, 8 Feb., 1690, though he must then have been
ripe in years.]
Though
the 8680 acres of land thus laid out among 100 families, comprised the
best portion of the plantation, the people thought they had not sufficient
room, and petitioned the Court for more. On the 13th of March, "Lynn was
granted 6 miles into the country; and Mr Hawthorne and Leift. Davenport to
view and inform how the land beyond lyeth, whether it be fit for another
plantation or no." The land laid out by this order was for many years
called Lynn End, and now constitutes the town of Lynnfield. The Court
afterward very prudently ordered that the Governor and Assistants should
"take care that the Indians have satisfaction for their right at Lynn."
The preceding winter was extremely severe, the snow continuing from 16
November to 4 April; and the spring was so cold that the farmers were
compelled to plant their corn "two or three times."
On the first of June, between
the hours of three and four in the afternoon, there was an earthquake. It
shook the whole country very heavily, making a noise like the rattling of
coaches, and continued about four minutes. The earthquake was very great;
people found it difficult to stand, and furniture and chimneys were thrown
down. Other smaller shocks occurred for several weeks after. [This appears
to have been the first earthquake noticed by the settlers. It seemed to
proceed from the northwest, and began with a noise resembling the roar of
distant thunder.
[The
celebrated Military Company, which has continued in existence to this day,
and is now known as the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, was
formed on the first of June. Daniel Howe, of Lynn, was chosen lieutenant.
And two other Lynn men, Edward Tomlins and Nathaniel Turner, became
members at the same time. And fiom time to time during the long period
from that day to the present our townsmen have been found in the ranks.
The early settlers did not come for purposes of conquest, and were
accompanied by no military force; the common means of defense, indeed,
seem to have been grudgingly supplied by the Directors. There were few
among the first immigrants, possessing skill in the arts of war, for they
especially prided themselves on being followers of the Prince of Peace. It
soon, however, became apparent, that in retaining their foothold here,
they would occasionally be compelled to resort to carnal weapons; that
guns as well as catechisms would be called in requisition; that whatever
might be the views of the government at home, or their own views, on
political doctrine or abstract questions of right, the natives, in their
rude conceptions of justice, would view them as intruders or occupants at
sufferance. And having the shrewdness to perceive that with adequate
preparation the battle would be half won, they speedily set about
perfecting some sort of military organization. Train-bands, as they were
called, were presently formed in every considerable settlement, officered
by the most experienced and fearless. And these held themselves in
readiness to do their utmost for defense. But under a system so inadhesive
it was seen that much force must be wasted through diversity of
organization and mode of discipline. It was therefore thought advisable
that a company should be formed at Boston, embracing members from the
various sections, which should operate as a sort of regulator in military
affairs, and a school for instruction in tactics. Action was soon taken; a
charter was obtained; and on the first Monday of June, 1638, the
renowned Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company was formed.
[In the charter, it is called
the " Military Company of the Massachusetts." But having soon obtained
field pieces, it began to be called the Artillery Company, or the Great
Artillery, As late as 1691, Cotton Mather, in his election sermon, calls
it the Artillery Company. In 1708, however, Mr. Danforth, in the
title-page of his sermon, prefixes the word "Honorable." Finally, in 1738,
Dr. Colman, who preached the centennial sermon, gives the full title,
"Honorable and Ancient Artillery Company." The charter granted privileges
to the Company, and it was fostered with much solicitude. There were some,
however, who viewed the new institution with distrust, fearing that it
might prove the germ of a power that would subvert or endanger the
liberties of the people. Indeed there was some difficulty in obtaining the
charter, on the ground that several of the proposed members were known
adherents of Mrs. Hutchinson.
[At the organization, Robert
Keayne, an eminent merchant of Boston, was elected Captain. He was father
of Benjamin Keayne, who lived a short time at Lynn, and of whom some
particulars may be found under date 1645. Daniel Howe, as before stated,
was elected lieutenant. He was a Lynn man, and an officer of the
train-band here. Such was the beginning of this famous military Company,
and it yet continues in healthful existence. The elections are still made
on the first Monday of June. And the pleasant holiday of Artillery
Election continues to be honored by a sermon, and a dinner. And the
Governor dispenses the commissions from his seat on Boston
Common.
[It is not now known whether
the Company had a uniform at the time of its organization. There is a
tradition, however, that they soon appeared in enormous white wigs. Dr.
Colman, in his centennial sermon, before alluded to, remarks, "The
captains awed their families and neighbors by their gravity and piety, as
well as frightened their enemies by their boldness and firmness. The
natives trembled when they saw them train, and old as well as young stood
still and reverenced them as they passed along in martial order." Though
they do not inspire precisely such feelings, as they parade, at the
present day, they yet receive marked attention. And may the venerable
organization flourish through centuries to come. A list of the members
from Lynn will appear among the tables at the close of the volume.
[This year, some of the
Pequot captives were sent to the West Indies and sold for return cargoes
of cotton, tobacco, and negroes. And this was the beginning of negro
slavery here. Along in the next century large quantities of rum were
shipped from New England to the coast of Africa and exchanged
for negroes, some of whom were carried into the southern colonies and
others disposed of here. It is not easy to determine precisely what the
real feelings of our puritan ancestors were regarding negro slavery. To
judge from the occasional Court orders, it would appear that for the most
part it was entirely discountenanced or existed only in a greatly modified
form. But from other sources are derived hints that it was favored, in
some of its most inhuman features. In 1641, the Court declare, by a
general act, that "There shall never be any bond slaverie, villianage, or
captivitie amongst us, unless it be lawfull captives taken in just warres,
and such strangers as willingly selle themselves or are sold to us. This
exempts none from servitude who shall be judged thereto by authoritie."
This is very loose. What is to prevent the existence of negro slavery,
under the clause "such strangers as selle themselves or are sold to us "?
And under the clause "lawfull captives taken in just warres," where stand
the poor Indians? In 1701, the people of Boston passed a vote, desiring
their representatives to use exertions to encourage the in-coming of white
servants and to put a period to the enslaving of negroes. Judge Sewall
writes, 22 June, 1716, "I essayed to prevent negroes and Indians being
rated with horses and cattle, but could not succeed." There were 4,489
slaves in Massachusetts, in 1754. It was not, in reality, till 1783, that
slavery came to an end in the state, though there were some Court orders
professedly aimed at its extinguishment, at a much earlier date. The
following appeared as an advertisement in the Boston News Letter, in
August, 1742: " A negro woman to be sold by the printer of this paper; the
very best negro woman in town, - who has had the small-pox, and the
measles, - is as healthy as a horse, - as brisk as a bird, and will work
like a beaver."]
A
settlement was this year begun at Hampton, in New Hampshire, by Rev.
Stephen Bachiler, Christopher Hussey, and fourteen others, most of whom
had been inhabitants of Lynn.
Many farmers pastured their
cows in one drove, and watched them alternately. When it came to Mr. John
Gillow's turn, an ill-minded man detained him in conversation till the
cows strayed into a field of corn, where two of them ate so much that they
became sick, and one of them died. It happened that these two cows
belonged to the man who had occasioned the mischief, who complained of Mr.
Gillow before the Court of Assistants, at Boston, 7 September. As it was
proved that the man had boasted of having designed that the cattle should
stray, the case was decided in Mr. Gillow's favor. On the sixth of
September, Mr. John Humfrey sold to Emanuel Downing, of Salem, "the 2
ponds and so much high ground about the ponds, as is needful to keep the
Duck Coys, privately set, from disturbance of ploughmen, herdsmen,
and others passing by that way, which he may enclose, so as to take not in
above fifty acres of the upland round about the same." These two ponds
were probably Coy and Deep ponds, near Forest river. In the Registry, at
Salem, where the above is recorded, Mr. Humfrey is called of Salem; but
that is not a copy of the original grant. In early time, the deeds were
not recorded literally, but only a sketch of them was entered by the
clerk. A common form of beginning deeds then was, "To all Christian
People." One deed is recorded, which commences thus "To all Christian
People, Fishermen, and Indians."
Among
those who promoted the settlement of New England, were several of the name
of Lewis. Some of them were in the country at a very early period, but the
name first appears at Lynn, this year. I have copious memoirs of this
family, from which I shall make a few brief extracts, that I may not be
like the poet described by Leyden, who
"Saved other names, and left his own unsung."
When the whole country was a
wilderness, Thomas Lewis came from Wales to establish a plantation. He
made his first visit to Saco, then called by the Indians, Saga-dahock, in
1628; and on the 12th of February, 1629, received the following grant, a
copy of which was preserved in the archives of Massachusetts.
To all Christian People, to
whom this present writing indented shall come:
The Council for the Affairs
in New England... in consideration that THOMAS LEWIS, Gentleman, hath
already been at the charge to transport himself and others to take a view
of New England... for the bettering of his experience in the advancing of
a Plantation, and doth now wholly intend by God's assistance, to plant
there, both for the good of his Majesty's realms and for the propagation
of the Christian Religion among those infidels; and in consideration that
the said Thomas Lewis, together with Captain Richard Bonython, and their
associates have undertaken, at their own proper costs and charges, to
transport Fifty Persons thither, within seven years... have given all that
part of the Maine Land, commonly called and known by the name of
SAGADAHOCK... containing in breadth, from northeast to southwest, along by
the Sea, Four Miles in a straight line, accounting seventeen hundred and
three score yards, according to the standard of England, to every mile,
and Eight English Miles upon the Maine Land, upon the north side of the
River Sagadahock... He and they yielding and paying unto our Sovereign
Lord, the King, one fifth part of gold and silver, one other fifth part to
the Council aforesaid.
This deed was signed by
Edward Gorges; and the Rev. William Blaxton, of Boston, was named attorney
for the Council. This grant included 32 square miles, and comprised the
whole of the town of Saco. Thomas Lewis died in 1640. Judith, his eldest
daughter and heiress, married James Gibbins. William Lewis was descended
from a very respectable family in Wales. His descendants enjoy great
satisfaction in being able to trace their descent from a very high
antiquity. He came to Boston in 1636. In the year 1640, he and his wife
Amy are recorded by Rev. John Eliot, of Roxbury, as attendants at his
church. In 1653, he became one of the proprietors of the pleasant inland
town of Lancaster, on the Nashua river, and was the third person in regard
to wealth among the settlers of that town. He died 1 Dec. 1671. He had
eight children; 1. John, born 1 Nov. 1635. 2. Christopher, b, 2 Dec. 1636.
3. Lydia, b. 25 Dec. 1639. 4. Josiah, b. 28 July, 1641. 5. Isaac, b. 14
April, 1644. 6. Mary, baptized 2 Aug. 1646. 7. Hannah, baptized 18 March,
1648. 8. Mordecai, born 1 June, 1650. His son John returned to Boston, and
built a house on land which his father had purchased of Governor Richard
Bellingham.
[At this
point Mr. Lewis gives his own lineage thus:
William Lewis, of Wales, and Amy his wife, had
children, John, Christopher, Lydia, Josiah, Isaac1, of Boston, Mary, Hannah, Mordecai.
Isaac Lewis1, of Boston, married Mary Davis, and had
children, Mary, Isaac2 of Boston, Joseph,
John, Abraham.
Isaac
Lewis2, of Boston married Hannah
Hallett, and had children, Isaac, John, Hannah, William, Abijah, Mary,
Nathan, of Boston, Joseph. \
Nathan Lewis, of Boston, married Mary Newhall,
and had children, Lois, Nathan, John, Thomas, David, Henry, Benjamin,
Zachariah, of Lynn, Stephen, William. Zachariah
Lewis, of Lynn, married Mary Hudson, and had children, [ALONZO, of
Lynn, the historian, Irene, Mary, William.
[But since Mr. Lewis traced
his pedigree additional facilities for genealogical research have been
secured, and many doubtful points determined. It now seems quite clear
that the first of the two Isaacs named was not a son of William of Wales;
and that the following, is a correct pedigree: [John Lewis, of Malden, by his second wife, Mary,
daughter, of Abraham Browne, of Watertown, had Isaac, who, by his wife Mary Davis, had Isaac, of Rumney Marsh (Chelsea), who, by his
wife Hannah Hallett, had Nathan, of Boston,
who by his wife Mary Newhall, had Zachariah,
of Lynn, who by his wife Mary Hudson, had ALONZO, the historian. "... it
must be observed," says Savage, in speaking of the first Isaac, "that this
Isaac is by Lewis, in History of Lynn, made son of William of Roxbury [or
Wales]; and the historian asserts that his grandfather Nathan was grandson
of this person.. But court records, as brought out in the invaluable
History of Watertown, by Bond, p. 125, show the
contrary."]
EDMUND LEWIS - was one of the
early proprietors of Watertown, and was admitted a freeman, 25 May, 1636.
On the 14th of October, 1638, he was one of the committee appointed
to lay out the lands in that town. He came to Lynn in 1639, and was the
first settler in Lewis street. He died in January, 1651. The name of his
wife was Mary, and his children were John, Thomas, James and Nathaniel.
His descendants remain.
George Lewis came from East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, England. He
was at Plymouth, in 1633. He removed to Scituate, and afterward to
Barnstable. He married Sarah Jenkins, in England, and had nine children,
of whom Joseph and John were killed by the Indians, in the war of 1675.
Dr. Winslow Lewis, of Boston, descended from this family.
On the 14th of January there
was an earthquake.
[There
was an unusual drought in the early part of this year. Scarcely any rain
fell between 26 April and 4 June.]
Another grant of land was
made to the town, by the General Court, on the ninth of September. "The
petition of the Inhabitants of Lynn, for a place for an inland plantation,
at the head of their bounds is granted them 4 miles square, as the place
will affoard; upon condition that the petitioners shall, within two years,
make-some good proceeding in planting, so ag it may be a village, fit to
contain a convenient number of inhabitants, which may in dewe time have a
church there; and so as such as shall remove to inhabit there, shall not
withall keepe their accommodations in Linn above 2 years after their
removal to the said village, upon pain to forfeit their interest in one of
them at their election; except this court shall see fit cause to dispense
further with them." The settlement thus begun was called Lynn Village, and
included Reading, South Reading, and North Reading. [The land was
purchased of the Indians for L10.16, and the
deed signed in 1640, by Sagamore George, his sister Abigail, and one or
two others.]
Two other
settlements were this year begun by people who removed from Lynn; one at
Barnstable, and the other at Yarmouth. The General Court allowed the town
fifty pounds to build a bridge over Saugus river, and fifty shillings
annually to keep it in repair. They forbade the people to spread bass or
codfish upon their lands, as they had been accustomed to do, for the
enrichment of the soil. A tax of one thousand pounds was laid, of which
the proportion of Lynn was L79.19.9. On the
third of December, the Court laid a fine of ten pounds upon the town, for
not maintaining a watch against the Indians.
The following order, passed
by the General Court for the regulation of women's dresses, will be
interesting to my lady readers. "No garment shall be made with short
sleeves; and such as have garments already made with short sleeves, shall
not wear the same, unless they cover the arm to the wrist;
and hereafter no person whatever shall make any garment for women
with sleeves -more than half an ell wide; " that is, twenty-two and a half
inches. Our early legislators were anxious to keep the minds, as well as
the persons, of their women "in good shape." It seems that in 1637, the
ladies of Boston were accustomed to meet for social improvement; on which
Governor Winthrop remarks, "That though women might meet, some fehw
together, to pray and edify one another, yet such a set assembly, where
sixty or more did meet every week, and one woman in a prophetical way, by
resolving questions of doctrine, and expounding scripture, took upon her
the whole exercise, was agreed to be disorderly, and without rule." [The
alarm of the Governor at the power and success of Mrs. Hutchinson is
conspicuous. If women had been allowed greater sway than they were, in
those early times, some things might have been better managed. One cause
of the harsh tone of the whole economy of the period is to be looked for
in the restricted influence of the gentler sex.] What would they have
thought in these later times, when women write books, and supply our
pulpits. It might have been well for human welfare, if our legislators had
always been as harmlessly employed, as when they were cutting out dresses
for the ladies.
[John
Oliver, Robert Keayne, and Richard Sadler, were appointed to run the
bounds between Boston and Lynn.
[At the same Court, Lynn was
fined 10s. for "their bad wayes," and admonished to mend them by the next
Court. There is something a little equivocal in this; but highways are
probably intended. At the December Court, she was fined 5s. for want of
sealed weights, and 5s. for not giving in a transcript of her lands.
[This year, the Court granted
to Garrett Spenser, " the fferry at Linn, for two yeares, taking 2d for a
single person to the furthest place, and but a 1d a person for more, to
the furthest place, and but a 1d for a single person to the nearest
place." This ferry, was, without doubt, from Needham's Landing, between
Chase's mill, and the Turnpike, in Lynn, to Ballard's Landing, in East
Saugus, and was a great convenience.]
Many new
inhabitants appear at Lynn about this time. The great tide of immigration
ceased in 1641, and after that time not many came over.
SAMUEL ABORNE - was a farmer,
and resided at first on the Common. He afterward removed to Lynnfield,
where his descendants remain.
HUGH ALLEY - Was a
farmer, and lived at the south end of Market street. He had a son Hugh,
who married Rebecca Hood, 9 Dec. 1681, and had seven children.
Solomon, born 11 Oct. 1682; Jacob, b. 28 Jan. 1683; Eleazer, b. 1 Nov.
1686; Hannah, b. 16 Aug. 1689; Richard, b. 31 July, 1691; Joseph, b. 22
June, 1693; Benjamin, b. 24 Feb. 1695. [The first-named Hugh came over in
1635, at the age of 27, and had sons, John, born 30 Nov. 1646; Hugh, b. 15
May, 1653; Solomon, b. 2 Aug. 1656; Jacob, b. 5 Sept. 1663 - and
daughters, Mary, b. 6 Jan. 1642; Martha, b. 31 July, 1649; Sarah, b. 15
April, 1651; Hannah, b. 1 June 1661. He died, 25 Jan. 1674. His son
Solomon, at the age of nineteen, was killed at Bloody Brook, 1675, having
been one of the "flower of Essex," under Lathrop.]
JOHN ALLEY - was a farmer,
lived in Market street, and had five children. John, born in January,
1675; Hannah, b. 22 Jan. 1679; Rebecca, b. 28 May, 1683; Hugh, b. 15 Feb.
1685; William, b. 14 July, 168-. The descendants of Hugh and John Alley
are very numerous.
THOMAS
BANCROFT (Lieut.) - was a son of widow Bancroft, and had two children;
Ebenezer, born 26 April, 1667; Mary, b. 16 May, 1670. He died 12 March,
1705. His wife Elizabeth died 1 May, 1711. His descendants remain.
WILLIAM BASSETT - was a
farmer, and died 31 March, 1703. He had two sons; William, who married
Sarah Hood, 25 Oct. 1675; and Elisha, whose wife's name was Elizabeth. His
descendants remain. [He lived on Nahant street, on land which is still
(1863) in possession of his descendants. He married Sarah, daughter of
Hugh Burt, who died in 1661. He was an ensign in the company of Capt.
Gardner, of Salem, in the Indian war, and was at the "swamp fight." For
his services, the General Court made him a grant of land. Capt. William
Bassett, supposed to be the same individual, was one of a council of war,
with Major Benjamin Church, at Scarborough, Me. 11 Nov. 1689. His name
often appears in the oldest town records of Lynn, where, in 1691, he is
called Quartermaster Bassett. He died 31 March, 1703. His son William, who
married Sarah Hood, as stated above, by Mr. Lewis, succeeded to the
estate. This Sarah was the same person spoken of under date 1692, as
having been imprisoned for witchcraft. He also had a daughter Elizabeth,
who married John Proctor, of Danvers, who was executed for witchcraft. She
was condemned, but pardoned. She had a second husband, named Richards. His
children, besides those named, were Sarah, who married Thomas Elwell, of
Gloucester, in 1675, and in 1701 lived in Salem county, N. J.; Rebecca;
John, born in 1653; Miriam, b. 1655; Mary, b. 1657, who was also
imprisoned for witchcraft, in 1692; Hannah, be 1660, who married John
Lilley, of Woburn; Samuel, b. 1664; and Rachel, b. 1666, who married
Ephraim Silsbee. And this is, perhaps, as convenient an opportunity
as any that will occur, to follow the line down to the present time.
(2) William Bassett, son of
William the first Bassett here, married Sarah Hood, 25 Oct. 1675, and had
children, Sarah, born 1676, who married Joseph Griffin, for her first
husband, and a Newbold for her second; William, b. 1678, who married
Rebecca Berry, in 1703. His father's lands were divided between him and
his brother John; Mary, b. 1680, who married a Hill; John, b. 1682, who
married Abigail Berry, of Boston; Hannah, b. 1685, who married John Estes,
of Salem; Ruth, b. 1689, who married Abrahanm Allen, of Marblehead;
Joseph, b. 1692, lost at sea; Deliverance, b. 1695, who, in 1719, married
Samuel Breed; Abigail, who, in 1728, married Samuel Alley.
(3)William Bassett, son of
(2)William, had children, Rebecca, born 1709; Miriam, b. 1712, who, in
1732, married David Northey, of Salem; Joseph, b. 1715, who inherited his
father's lands, and married Eunice Hacker; Elizabeth, who in 1729, married
Benjamin Hood.
(4) Joseph
Bassett, son of (3)William, had children, William, born 1738, who died
young; Isaac, b. 1741, who, in 1769, married Mary, daughter of Joshua
Collins, was a farmer and shoemaker, and inherited one half of the lands
of his father, and died in 1829; Nehemiah, b. 1749, who married Abigail
Fern; Rebecca, b. 1754, who married James Breed; Sarah, b. 1757, who
married Abraham Breed; Eunice, b. 1759; Hannah, b. 1763, who married
William Breed, of Nahant.
(5) Isaac Bassett, son of (4)Joseph, had children, Elizabeth; William, who
died young; Eunice; William, again, who also died young; Isaac, who
married Ruth Breed; Eunice, again, who married Ezra Collins; Hannah, who
married Samuel Neal.
(6)
Isaac Bassett, son of (5)Isaac, who is now (1863) at the mature age of 83,
residing in Nahant street, on the site occupied by his forefathers, has
long held position as a citizen of energy, enterprise, and wealth. His son
William is cashier of Lynn Mechanics Bank. And William's son William is
cashier of the Bank of the Republic, at Boston.]
ROBERT BRIDGES - was admitted
a freeman, 2 June, 1641. In the same year he was a member of the Ancient
Artillery Company and a captain in the militia. He had a large share in
the Iron Works. In 1644, he was chosen representative, and appointed a
member of the Quarterly Court at Salem. In 1646, he was Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and the next year became an Assistant, in which
office he continued until his death, in 1656.
WILLIAM CLARK - a farmer,
died 5 March, 1683. His children were Hannah, John, Lydia, Sarah, Mary,
and Elizabeth. His descendants remain.
JOHN DIVEN - died 4 Oct.
1684. He had a son John.
THOMAS FARRAR - was a farmer, and lived in Nahant street. He died 23 Feb.
1694. His wife Elizabeth, died 8 Jan. 1680. [And he married his second
wife, Abigail Collins, 3 March, 1681.] He had one son, Thomas, who married
Elizabeth Hood, 6 Dec. 1682, and had four daughters; Hannah, Sarah,
Susanna, and Elizabeth. [He also had Peleg, and Mehitabel, twins, born 6
Oct. 1660, who died young. Susanna married Joseph Newhall, son of the
Thomas who was the first white child born in Lynn. This Joseph
settled in Lynnfield, and had eleven children; among them Samuel, who was
adopted by his uncle Thomas Farrar, who was a farmer and lived on Nahant
street. Thomas Farrar, the elder, was familiarly called "old Pharaoh," and
was one of those accused of witchcraft, in 1692.]
JOHN FULLER - came from
England, with his brother Samuel, in 1630, and when they arrived in
Boston, "only seven huts were erected." After residing there several
years, Samuel went to Scituate, and John, in 1644, came to Lynn, and
settled at the western end of Waterhill street. He was chosen
representative in 1655, and clerk of the writs, in 1662. He died 29 June,
1666. The name of his wife was Elizabeth, and he had five children -
Lieut. John Fuller, who married Elizabeth Farrington, and died 24 April,
1695; William; Susanna; Elizabeth; James. Several of his descendants have
borne respectable offices, and some of them remain.
JOHN GILLOW - died in 1673.
The name of his wife was Rose. He had two sons, Benjamin and Thomas.
ZACCHEUS GOULD - owned, at
one time, the mills on Saugus river. He had a son Daniel.
NATHANIEL HATHORNE - had two
children; Ebenezer, who married Esther Witt, 26 Dec. 1683, and Nathaniel.
RICHARD HAVEN - was a
farmer, and lived near the Flax pond. [He was "40 odd" years old in 1666.]
His wife Susanna, [a daughter of Thomas Newhall, senior,] died 7 Feb.
1682. His children were Hannah, born 1645; Mary; Joseph; Richard; Susanna;
Sarah; John; Martha; Samuel; Jonathan; Nathaniel; Moses. Several of his
sons were among the first settlers of Framingham. [A great family
gathering of the descendants of this Lynn settler was had in Framingham, a
number of years since, at which some fifteen hundred were present. Many
eminent persons appear in the family line. E. O. Haven, LL. D. president
of the Michigan State University, recently informed me that he is a lineal
descendant.]
JOSEPH
HOLLOWAY - died 29 November, 1693. He had a son Joseph, whose wife's name
was Mary, and who had four children - Mary, born 16 April, 1675; Samuel,
b. 2 Nov. 1677; Edward, b. 1 Feb. 1683; John, b. 11 Oct. 1686. His
descendants remain, and spell their name Hallowell.
RICHARD HOOD - came from
Lynn, in England. He lived in Nahant street, and died 12 Sept. 1695. He
had three sons; Richard, born 1670; Joseph, b. 8 July, 1674; Benjamin, b.
3 Jan. 1677. His descendants remain. In those early days, a young man, who
was inclined to indulge in the laudable custom of courting, went to visit
a young lady of this family named Agnes. As he was returning, late one
evening, he was overheard saying to himself - " Well, so far proceeded
towards courting Agnes." This phrase became common, and has been
introduced into an English comedy.
ROBERT HOWARD - had a son
Edward, whose wife was named Martha, and who had two children; Amos, born
16 April, 1696; Jane, b. 4 March, 1699. His descendants remain.
EDWARD IRESON - died 4 Dec.
1675. His son Benjamin married Mary Leach, 1 Aug. 1680, and had a son
Edward, born 9 April, 1681.
THOMAS KEYSER - was mate of a
vessel which sailed from Boston. Governor Winthrop tells a story of one of
his men, who was whipped for stealing a gold ring, and some other articles
from him at Portsmouth. [He sailed for Guinea, to traffic in slaves. And
James Smith, a church member, of Boston, joined with him.]
ANDREW MANSFIELD - came from
Exeter, in England, to Boston, in 1636. He came to Lynn, in 1640. He was a
farmer, and lived in Boston street. The neighborhood in which he lived was
called Mansfield's End. He was town clerk in 1660, and died in 1692, aged
94. He had a son Andrew, who was representative in 1680, and who married
Elizabeth Conant, 10 Jan. 1681. His descendants remain.
JOHN MANSFIELD - was a
tailor. He was a freeman, 1643; died in 1671, aged 52.
Lady DEBORAH MOODY - came to
Lynn, in 1640. Five years before, she went from one of the remote counties
in England, to London, where she remained in opposition to a statute,
which enjoined that no person should reside, beyond a limited time, from
their own homes. On the 21st of April, the court of the star-chamber
ordered, that "Dame Deborah Moodie, and the others, should return to their
hereditaments in forty days, in the good example necessary to the poorer
class." On the 5th of April, 1640, soon after her arrival at Lynn, she
united with the church at Salem. On the 13th of May, the General Court
granted her 400 acres of land, [" where it may not hinder a plantation nor
any former grant."] In 1641, she purchased Mr. John Humfrey's farm,
"called Swampscot," for which she paid L1.100. Lechford, in 1641, says, "Lady Moody
lives at Lynn, but is of Salem church. She is, good lady, almost undone,
by buying Master Humphrie's farm, Swampscot." [See p. 201.] Afterward she
became imbued with the erroneous idea that the baptism of infants was a
sinful ordinance; for which, and other opinions, she was excommunicated.
In 1643, she removed to Long Island. Governor Winthrop says, "the Lady
Moodye, a wise, and anciently religious woman, being taken with the error
of denying baptism to infants, was dealt with by many of the elders and
others, and admonished by the church of Salem, whereof she was a member;
but persisting still, and to avoid further trouble,
she removed to the Dutch, against the advice of all
her friends. After her arrival at Long Island, she experienced much
trouble from the Indians, her house being assaulted by them many times.
Her wealth enabled her to render assistance to Gov. Stuyvesant, of New
York, in some difficulties which he encountered in 1654; and so great was
her influence with him, that he conceded the nomination of the magistrates
that year to her. She was of a noble family, and had a son, Sir Henry
Moody. With the exception of her troubling the church with her religious
opinions, she appears to have been a lady of great worth. [But was it not
rather that the church troubled her and itself about her religious
opinions?
[EDMUND
NEEDHAM, - came in 1639. He was one of the Long Island grantees, but does
not appear to have gone with the settlers. He died at Lynn, in 1677. For
something relating to his descendants, see notices of Daniel and Ezekiel
Needham, under date 1650. His will may be found in the Salem Court files.
It is a quaint and curious document. He was a man of property, and one
evidently occupying no mean position in his own estimation. Several
matters appear in the will which would be more appropriate in some other
form of writing, and througlhout, his piety is more conspicuous than his
modesty. He was connected with the Harts and the Mansfelds, and did not
forget them in the distribution of his effects. He had sons Daniel and
Ezekiel, and several daughters, by whom he became connected as above and
likewise with the Armitages. Some passages from the will are here given -
enough to illustrate certain habits of thought and peculiarities of the
testator, to give an idea of the amount and character of a very fair
estate for that time, and to show something of his family connections.
The
will and Last Testament of Edmund Needham of Lyn in Nu England, being,
blessed be God, in his perfeet knowledge, memory, and understanding, tho
otherwise ill in Body, mak ye writin by min on [mine own] hand and
according to min on mind to my children and grandchildren as follows, and
First, I humbly Desire my
only true God, maker and creator of heaven, ye earth, the sea, and all
that is therein, Exodus 20, 11; Psalms 95, 3, 4, 5, and 146, 5, 6;
Jonah 1, 9,)) and me his most poor and unworthy creature amungst ye Rest
and to resone my poor and unworthy soull of his moor pur and only free
Grace and love for ye sake of his only and well beloved son Jesus Christ
sake alone, excluding all things of min on carnall or corrupte natur in or
of myself, in any natur or means in all or in part to my Justification but
to Jesus Christ alon, my only and alon mediator, advocat and intercessor
at ye throne of grase and alon propisiation for all my sinnes. 1st John 2,
2.
Next, I desiar and
impower my son Ezekiel Needham, my true and lawfull executor to this my
last will and Testiment, to se my body desently and Christianly burried as
near my old wife, being his own mother, as may be.
Next, I give to my son
Daniell Needham,...
Next,
I give to my sun Ezekiell Needham,....
Next, I give to my dafter,
Hannah Dinen, and her two children,...
Next, I give unto my
son-in-Lawe Samuell Harts children,...
Next, I give to my son-in-law
Joseph Mansfields children,....
And further this I ad as a
codasell or breefe inventory to this my last will and testament, that my
sun Ezekiell Needham, my Lawfull Executor, shall not be put to any oath or
oathes at any court or any manner or intent what soever; therefor I have
set this according to min own valuation of my holl estate, and if this
will not save him from any oath in court he shall safly swer that yt is
all my holl estate, I having firmly given him as his own propar estate as
if it had never bin min, so soon as ever ye breat is out of my body, and I
quite dead, all ye rest; I well knowing yt he canot give any just othat
wth out wronging his consience, as I only know how my estate lieth and
this min on valuation or inventory as following: First, all my housing,
barn and outhousing, and all my lands, wth all the range of ston wall
fensing, L400 0d; two holl peses of baies one
red and ye other of ye collar of a chesnut on or to [one or two] and forty
yards apease at ye lest, L12 00 00; on holl
peese of red peniston on or to and fortie yards long at ye lest, L6 00; 3 parsells of Canvis now about on hundred
yards, and other parsells oflinin cloth and Calico, L10 00 00; my silver watch and silver box and
other silver cupes and spoones and othar plate, L15 00 00; My clock yt striks, and another wach
and larum that dus not strik L5 00 0d; sum
putar, sum old and sum new, L2 00 00d; sum
parsells of Carsies and sum parsells of serges, and my wearing clothes,
L26 00 00d; sum pots and kettles and tramels
and clothes and bedsteed, L7 00 00; beds and
beding, L7 00 00; Debts in old England in
suffisient Bonds and most in Abell Mores hands as the company of ye
marchant adventurers and another like it as a great rith citizen, fit for
an Alderman of London, tho they do what they can to deseve us, yt is to
say, my brothers and sisters to whom they o us about three thousand
pounds, L600.
L s. d.
400 0 0
12 0 0
06 0 0
10 0 0
15 0 0
5 0 0
2 0 0
26 0 0
7 0 0
7 0 0
600
1090
and one horse yt was forgot, L3
and 4 cows and two
young bullock, forgot allso, L17
and 20 sheepe, forgot allso, L7
to be added to this inventory, L27
to all with this
addition is...... L1117
This addition was made before it was signed or sealed
or confirmed by the witnesses.
[The above certainly
indicates that Mr. Needham occupied a very respectable position. And the
chirography shows that he was by no means unskilled in the use of the pen.
There are some interlineations, and the will closes thus: "all thes
interlines were dun by me before it was signed or sealed, and yt this is
the last will and testament of me, Edmond Needham, in lin, the Lin in New
England."]
ROBERT RAND -
was a farmer, at Woodend. He died 8 Nov. 1694. His wife Elizabeth, died 29
Aug. 1693. His children were Robert, Zachary, Elizabeth, and Mary, and his
descendants remain.
HENRY
RHODES - was a farmer, and lived on the western side of Saugus river. He
was born in 1608, and had three sons. Jonathan, who died 7 April, 1677;
Henry; Josiah. Their descendants remain.
JOHN TARBOX had two sons;
John; and Samuel, who married Rebecca Armitage, 14 Nov. 1665, and had
eighteen children. Samuel died 12 Sept. 1715, aged 93. His descendants
remain. [In his will, dated 25 Nov. 1673, he says, "I bequeath unto every
one of my sonn John Tarbox his children and my son Samuel's children, one
ewe sheep a peece." See under date 1649, for what befel his daughter. See
also under date 1674.]
SHUBAEL WALKER, (Capt.) - was buried 24 Jan. 1689. He lived at the
Swampscot farms.
THOMAS
WELMAN - died in 1672. His children were Abigail, Isaac, Elizabeth, Sarah,
and Mary.
JOHN WITT -
died in December, 1675. His children were Ann, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary,
Martha, John, who married Elizabeth Baker, 14 Jan. 1676, and Thomas who
married Bethia Potter, 26 Feb. 1675. [John was great-grandfather of Thomas
Witt, now living on North Common street, at the ripe age of 86 - a
gentleman of more than ordinary intelligence and constitutional vigor, and
one who can number a large and respectable circle of descendants. He was a
son of Benjamin Witt, who was born in 1739 - which Benjamin was a son of
Thomas, born in 1696 - which Thomas was a son of the before - named John,
who married Elizabeth Baker. Some of the family, in other places, write
the name DeWitt, as was the case with a late secretary of the
commonwealth; and they adopt that orthography, it is understood, on the
supposition that they are descended from the DeWitts of Holland, or from a
Huguenot.]
Other
inhabitants were: ANDREW ALLEN, THEOPHILUS BAYLEY, who died in 1694, HUGH
CHURCHMAN, who died in 1644, JOHN COLE, WENTWORTH DANIELS, DANIEL
FAIRFIELD, JOHN FARRINGTON, HENRY FITCH, THOMAS GAINES, TOBIAS HASKELL,
JOSEPH HOWE, JAMES HUBBARD, WILLIAM HUBBARD, WILLIAM KNIGHT, MICHAEL
LAMBARD, ROBERT MANSFIELD, THOMAS MANSFIELD, MICHAEL MILNER, who went to
Long Island in 1640, RICHARD MOWER, ABRAHAM OTTLEY, ADAM OTTLEY,
EDWARD PAINE, QUENTIN PRAY, RICHARD PRAY, THOMAS PURCHIS, [spoken of under
date 1678,] THOMAS PUTNAM, HUGH STACEY, JOHN STACEY, GEORGE TAYLOR,
WILLIAM TAYLOR, JOHN TILTON, WILLIAM TILTON, DANIEL TRUMBULL, NATHANIEL
TYLER, WILLIAM WELLS, JONATHAN WITT.
[Something may be added
regarding a few of the individuals named in this list. Those under notice
will be distinguished by italics. [Andrew
Allen - married Faith, a daughter of Edmund Ingalls. He removed to
Andover, and there died in 1690. There was also a George Allen here, who
came in 1636, and soon after removed to Sandwich. His house, built in
1646, Savage remarks, (1860), is said to be still in good repair, and
occupied.
[Hugh Churchman. Of this individual little is
known. He was, no doubt, the same person alluded to in the presentation to
the Salem Court, 27 May, 1643: " Wee present oulde Churchman for liveing 7
or 8 yeares without his wife; and for haveing the wife of Hugh Burt locked
with him alone in his house. Witness, Joseph fflood, Jarrard Spenser." And
again: "Ould Churchman for living 7 or 8 yeares without his wyff, unless
he bring unto Mr Endecot, our depty Govr a certificat fr Mr Dumer, yt he
hath used meanes for his wyfs comeing, and then he is discharged."
Churchman left a will, which was probated in 1644. Hugh Burt and Robert
Driver were appraisers. The amount of his estate was L24.9.11.
[Daniel Fairfield, was the abandoned fellow, who,
with Jenkin Davis and John Hudson, so abused the little daughters of Mr.
Humfrey. He was sentenced to a severe, though well merited punishment. He
was ordered, on the fourteenth of June, 1642, to be whipped, have his
nostrils slit and seared, and be "confined to Boston neck, so as if hee
bee found at any time dureing his life to go out of Boston neck, that is,
beyond the rayles towards Roxberry, or beyond the low water marke hee
shalbee put to death upon due conviction thereof; and hee is also to weare
a hempen roape about his neck, the end of it hanging out two foote at
least, and so often as he shalbee found abroad wthout it, hee shalbee
whiped... and hee is to pay Mr Humfrey forty pounds." A year or two after,
however, he was "alowed to go to work wthin any part of Boston lymits,
both in the ilands and elsewhere, and also at Roxberry, so as hee go not
above five miles from Boston meeting house." And by the Court, 2 May,
1649, on the petition of Elizabeth, his wife, leave was granted for "her
husband, shee and their children, to depart out of this jurisdiction unto
such other parts of the world as it shall please God to dispose; pvided
that her husband shall be under his former censure if hee returne hithr
againe." But they do not appear to have availed themselves of this liberty
to depart; or if they did, they must have soon returned, for on 27 May,
1652, the Court, on another petition of the wife, give him leave to "'lay
the rope aside." Finally, 14 Oct. 1656, the Court granted him liberty " to
goe in one of theire shipps, to England, as he desires." He had lived in
Lynn but a short time, when he committed the abominable offence. See
Colony Records, vol. ii.; also notice of Jenkin Davis, under date 1635.
The John Hudson alluded to as a partner in guilt with Fairfield and Davis,
is mentioned by Winthrop as an unworthy servant of Mr. Humfrey.
[Nathaniel Tyler, does not seem to have remained
in Lynn many years after this date. By a record on page 20 of the first
book of the Essex Registry, it appears that he and his wife Jane sold
"unto Philip Kirtland, shoemaker," all their "lands and houses, with their
appurtenances, in Lynn," by deed dated 1 Oct., 1654. And on the 16th of
the same month, he made a will, dated at Boston, being then about to
embark on board the ship New England Merchant, "and because our lives are
ficle and mortall, and dangers at sea are many." In this will he mentions
his wife Jane, his son Joseph, and his sister Jane Sanford, wife of Edward
Sanford, living in London.
[William Wells is thought to be the person who was
"enjoyned in 10l." by the Court, 7 Sept.,
1641, to answer "for oppression." But little concerning him can be
gathered. He seems to have been one of the Long Island settlers.
[Jonathan Witt, may have been
of the family of John Witt who was under notice a few paragraphs back, and
the one who married Mary Dinan, 23 March, 1663. He had one child, Esther,
born 5 Feb., 1665. And he died during the latter year. Oliver Purchis was
one of the appraisers of his estate, which was small.]
In the short space of ten
years from its settlement, we have seen six other towns deriving their
origin from Lynn; yet the place continued to abound with inhabitants, and
this year beheld the commencement of the seventh. About forty families,
"finding themselves straightened," left the town with the design of
settling a new plantation. They invited Mr. Abraham Pierson, of Boston, to
become their minister, who, with seven of the emigrants, entered into a
church covenant, before they left Lynn. [Hugh Peters was present at the
formation of the church.] They sailed in a vessel commanded by Capt.
Daniel Howe, to Scout's Bay, in the western part of Long Island, where
they purchased land of Mr. James Forrett, agent of Lord Stirling, and
agreed with the Indians for their right. On receiving information of this,
the Dutch laid claim to that part of the island, on, account of a previous
purchase of the Indians, and sent men to take possession, who set up the
arms of the Prince of Orange on a tree. The Lynn people, disregarding the
claims of the Dutch, cut down the trees and began to build. Capt. Howe,
likewise took down the Prince's arms, and instead thereof an Indian drew a
very "undhandsome face." This conduct highly incensed the Dutch governor,
William Kieft, whom Mr. Irving, in one of his humorous works, has
characterized by the appellation of "William the Testy," but whom Mr.
Hubbard denominates "a discreet man," who, on the 13th of May, sent
Cornelius Van Ten Hoven, the secretary, the under-sheriff, a sergeant, and
twenty-five soldiers, to break up the settlement. They found eight men,
with a woman and an infant, who had erected one cottage, and were engaged
in building another. They took six of the men, whose names were John
Farrington, William Harcher, Philip Kertland, Nathaniel Kertland, Job
Sayre, and George Wells, and brought them before the governor. These he
examined on oath, and then put them in prison, where they remained while
he wrote a Latin letter to the governor of Massachusetts. To this Mr.
Winthrop replied, in the same language, that he would neither maintain the
Lynn people in an unjust action, nor suffer them to be injured. On the
reception of this reply, the Dutch governor liberated the men, after they
had signed an agreement to leave the place. They accordingly removed more
than eighty miles, to the eastern part of the island, where they purchased
land of the Indians, and planted a town, which, in remembrance of the
place from which they sailed, in England, they called Southampton.
[It was evidently expected,
from the character of many of those engaged in the Long Island enterprise,
and from their stipulations, that the settlement should be one of
importance, and not an inconsiderable and straitened little community. The
agreement with Captain Howe required that the vessel should be "reddy at
the Towne of Lynne to transport such goods as the aforesaid undertakers
shall appoint; that is to say, three tymes in the yeare." And they
furthermore "thought good to express the tymes, viz: the first moneth, the
fourth moneth, and the eighth moneth " - March, June, and October. A few
of the general stipulations will be here given, for the purpose of
illustrating their ideas of the formation and government of a new
plantation. From some of the points, it might be imagined that they
fancied themselves founding an independent commonwealth.
"Furthermore, because
delaying to lay out the bounds of townes and all such lande within the
said bounds, hath bene generally the ruin of Townes in this Country,
therefore wee, the said undertakers, have thought goode to take upon us
the dispose of all landes within our said boundes soe that that which wee
lay out for a house lott shall at all tymes from tyme to tyme hereafter
continue to be a house lott, and but one dwellinge house shall be builded
upon it; and those lottes that we lay out for planteing lotts shall not at
any tyme nor tymes hereafter be made house lotts, whereby more inhabitants
might be receaved into our Plantacon to the over chargeing of commons and
the impoverishinge of the towne; and that alsoe what is layd out for
common; and noe man shall prsume to incroach upon it, not soe much as a
hands breadth. Whatsoever wee lay out fdr farmes, shall remain so after
tyme; and ye dispose of all such landes so layed out shall alsoe be at all
tymes and from tyme to
tyme according to the
will and pleasure of us, the said undertakers, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, namely," - at this point the manuscript
record is so injured as to render some words illegible; but the substance
is, that whoever disposes of his estate, shall not subdivide it, but shall
sell "house lott and plantinge lott or lotts, and meddow, intirely, and if
hee sell his farme hee shall not divide it, but sell it together, viz: his
ffarm intirely and his accommodations in ye towne, intirely. Moreover,
whosoever cometh in by us hould himself sattisfyed with foure achores to
an house lott, and twelve achores to a plantinge lott, and so much meddow
and upland as may make his accommodation fifty achors, except wee, the
said undertakers, shall see cause to inlarge that proportion by a farme or
otherwise. Furthermore, noe person whatsoever shall challenge or claime
any proper interest in seas, rivers, creeks, or brookes, howsoever
boundinge or passinge through his grounde; but ffreedome of fishinge,
fowlinge, and navigation, shall be common to all within the bankes of the
said waters, whatsoever."
[The requirements, generally,
were rigid, and strongly expressed. But they closed in the following pious
and liberal strain:
"Lastly, wee, the said
undertakers, testify by these presents in our admittinge of inhabitants to
our intended Plantacon that wee, without any kind of reservation leave
euery man ffree to choose and determine all causes and controverseys
arbitrary among themselves, and that whensoever it shall please the Lord,
and he shall see it good to adde to us such men as shall bee fitt matter
for a church, that then wee will, in that time, lay ourselves doune before
ye constitutes thereof either to bee or not to be receaved as members
thereof, according as they shall discerne the work of God to be in our
hearts."
[The articles were signed by
John Cooper, Edward Howell, Edmund Needham, Josiah Stanbury, Henry Walton,
Alien Breed, William Harcher, Thomas Newhall, John Farrington, Richard
Yatt, Edmund Farrington, Thomas Sayre, Daniel Howe, Job Sayre, George
Webb, Thomas Halsye, Philip Kertland, Nathaniel Kertland, Thomas
Padington, Thomas Terry. Almost every one of these names is familiar to
those who are versed in the early history of Lynn. Two or three signed by
their marks; but from their names being signed in full in other places, it
seems probable that they made their marks on this solemn occasion, because
they deemed them more dignified or ornamental. There is a supplementary
declaration which contains one or two matters that may facilitate an
understanding of the spirit which moved in the enterprise:
"Know
all men whome these presents may consern yt whereas it is expressed in our
Articles that the power of disposinge of lands and admission of
Inhabitants into our Plantacon shall at all tymes remaine in the hands of
us the said undertakers, to us and our heirs forever, our true intent and
meaneinge is, that when our plantation is laid out by those appointed
according to our Articles, and that there shall be a church gathered and
constituted accordinge to the minde of Christ, that then wee doe ffreely
lay down our power, both in orderinge and disposeinge of the plantacon and
receaving of Inhabitants, or any other things that may tende to the goode
and welfare of ye place, at the ffeete of Christ and his church - provided
that they shall not doe any thing contrary to the true meaneinge of the
fformer articles."
[The
probable meaning of this is not well expressed. It seems to say that
Christ and his church may manage the affairs of the colony provided they
do so according to "the fformer articles." But the intent doubtless was
simply to confirm that sort of union of church and state which existed in
Massachusetts.
[Mr.
Lewis's brief allusion to the perils which surrounded the first of the
Long Island settlers, is perhaps sufficient for the purpose. And one or
two items, giving glimpses of their situation, are all that need be added.
The Court - as it was called, though in reality but a general town meeting
- ordered, 29 Oct., 1645, that the inhabitants should be relieved from the
practice of taking their arms to the meeting-house on the Lord's day, from
the first of November to the first of March ensuing. And on 25 January,
1655, it was ordered that no one should sell strong liquors within the
bounds of the town, excepting "our neighbor John Cooper;" and he was not
to sell to any Indian, nor to any but those who would use them properly.
And he was prohibited from selling more than three ankers -about a hundred
gallons - a year; a third part being for the people of the North Sea, so
called, a small settlement three miles. from the village of Southampton.
It will be well for the reader to bear in mind that some of the Lynn men
who joined in the Long Island enterprise did not remove there, and some
who did, returned in a short time. (See an article communicated by G. R.
Howell, of Southampton - and probably a descendant from Edward
Howell, who was among the first who went from Lynn in N. E. Historical and
Genealogical Register, 1861.)
[The Rev. Abraham Pierson, who went with the Long Island
colony, as their minister, and who was a man of excellent education, and
unstained character, I had not supposed was ever a resident of Lynn. And
Mr. Lewis states that he was of Boston; yet Savage gives him a son
Abraham, born at Lynn, who graduated at Harvard, in 1668. Mr. Pierson left
Long Island, about 1647, and went to Branford, Ct., it having become
necessary to divide the church, and his removal being approved by a
council. Twenty years after the last date we find him at Newark, N. J. His
son Abraham was settled as his colleague, at Newark, in 1672. In 1692, the
son went to Connecticut, and in 1701 was made the first president of Yale
College, in which office he remained till his death, in 1707. The
Southampton church was, of course, constituted according to the
Congregational order; but it became Presbyterian. In 1716, the Presbytery
of Long Island was set off from the Philadelphia Presbytery, and organized
at Southampton, 17 April, 1717, being the first Presbytery in the state of
New York. It was in 1640 that the Southampton settlers erected their first
church edifice; the second was built in 1651, and the third in 1707. The
last one is still standing. A fourth, however, was erected in 1843. The
colony placed themselves under the jurisdiction of Hartford, in 1644, but
continued very much in the way of a pure democracy. "The government of the
town was vested in the people. They assembled at their town meetings, had
all power and all authority. They elected town officers, constituted
courts, allotted lands, made laws, tried difficult and important cases,
and from their decision there was no appeal. The Town Meeting, or General
Court, as it was sometimes called, met once a month. Every freeholder was
required to be present at its meetings and take a part in the burdens of
government. All delinquents were fined for non-attendance at each
meeting."]
Dr. P. S.
Townsend, of New York, says the people of Lynn also settled five other
towns on Long Island; Flushing, Gravesend, Jamaica, Hempstead, and Oyster
Bay.
At the Court, on the
13th of May, William Hathorne, Samuel Symonds, and Timothy Tomlins, were
appointed to lay out "the nearest, cheapest, safest, and most convenient
way," between Lynn and Winnisimet ferry.
Lynn Village, now South
Reading, was ordered to be exempted from taxes, for two years, as soon as
seven houses should be built, and seven families settled.
William Hathorne and Timothy
Tomlins, having been appointed to lay out the bounds of the town of Lynn,
made reports on the 4th of June, that they had fixed the bounds at
Charlestown line, Reading pond, Ipswich river, and Salem.
[It appears by the Suffolk
Records, that Thomas Dexter this year mortgaged lands in Lynn, to Humfrey
Hooke, an alderman of the city of Bristol, and others.
[At the September Court,
Salem, an action for defamation, Timothy Tomlins, of Lynn, against John
Pickering was tried, and the jury found "that ye said John Pickering shall
not only pay fforty shillings damage and ffower shillings coste, but yt in
some publik meeting at Lynn, before next Courte, the said Jno. Pickering
shall publiklie acknowledge the wronge done ye sd Tomlins, or else shall
pay and make his fforty shillings Tenn pounds."
[A good many goats were kept
in this vicinity in the early days of the colony. Josselyn says they were
"the first small cattle they had in the countrey; he was counted no body,
that had not a trip or flock of goats."]
The Court ordered that grain
should be received as a lawful payment for debts; Indian corn at 5s., rye
at 6s. 8d., and wheat at 7s. a bushel. The price of a cow was L5.
Richard Sadler was appointed
clerk of the writs.
Mr.
Humfrey's barn, Nahant street, with all his corn and hay, to the value of
one hundred and sixty pounds, was burned by the carelessness of his
servant, Henry Stevens, in setting fire to some gunpowder. At the Court of
Assistants, on the first of November, "Henry Stevens, for firing the barn
of his master, Mr. John Humfrey, he was ordered to be servant to Mr.
Humfrey, for 21 years from this day, towards recompensing him." The Court
afterward allowed Mr. HIumfrey for his loss and his good services, I250.
There was one woman in the town, at this time, who contended that all
things ought to be common, as at one time among the early Christians; but
she found it difficult to persuade the people that she had as good a right
to their property as themselves. She went "from house to house," helping
herself to such little accommodations as she wished, till her demands
became so extravagant, that she was brought before the Quarterly Court, at
Salem. On the 29th of September, the following record was made. "Mary
Bowdwell, of Lyn, for her exorbitancy, not working, but liveing idly, and
stealing, and taking away other victuals, pretending communitie of all
things: The court sentence that she shall be whipped; but throwe their
clemency she was only admonished, and respited till next courte."
[It was this year voted that
Lynn meeting-house be permitted to be used for a watch-house.]
This year a new version of
the Psalms was made for public worship. It was an octavo volume of 400
pages, and was the first book printed in America. The following is a
specimen of the poetry, from Psalm 44.
Our eares have heard our fathers tell
and reverently record
The wondrous workes that thou hast done
in olden time, O Lord.
How thou didst cast the Gentiles out
and stroid them with strong hand;
Planting our fathers in their place
and gavest to them their land.
They conquered not by sword nor strength,
the land of thy behest,
But by thy hand, thy arm, thy grace,
because thou louedst them best."
Lord Say,
having an intention of forming a plantation at New Providence, one of the
Bahama Islands, had engaged Mr. Humfrey in the design, with the promise of
making him governor of the new colony. Some of the Lynn people had
determined to accompany him; but the intention was frustrated by the
Island falling, for a time, under the government of Spain. Mr. John
Humfrey was a native of Dorchester, in Dorsetshire, England, a lawyer, and
a man of considerable wealth and good reputation. He married Susan,
the second daughter of Thomas, Earl of Lincoln, and sister of Frances, the
wife of Mr. John Gorges, and of Arabella, the wife of Mr. Isaac Johnson.
He was one of the most influential in promoting the settlement of the
colony, and the people of Massachusetts will ever regard him as one of
their earliest and most efficient benefactors. He was one of the original
patentees of the colony, and the treasurer of the company at Plymouth, in
England; and by his exertions many donations were obtained, and many
persons, among whom were some of the ministers, were induced to emigrate.
He was chosen Deputy Governor in 1630, and Assistant in 1632, both before
his arrival; and such was the respect in which he was held, that when the
formulary for the constituting of freemen was in debate, an exception was
made in favor of "'the old planters and Mr. Humfrey." He arrived at Lynn,
in 1634, received several liberal grants from the Court, and fixed his
residence at his farm. In discharging the duties of an Assistant in the
general government, he devoted his time and energies for seven years to
the service of the state, and seems not to have been surpassed in
devotedness to her welfare. He became a member of the Artillery Company,
in 1640; and in June, 1641, was appointed to the command of all the
militia in the county, with the title of Sergeant Major General. But with
all his honors and possessions, a shade of dissatisfaction had spread
itself over his prospects, which his numerous misfortunes contributed to
darken. The disappointment of the Bahamas must have been severely felt by
a mind so ambitious of honor as his appears to have been; and it is not
improbable that he experienced a secret chagrin at seeing the young and
uninformed Henry Vane promoted to the office of governor, above one whose
years, knowledge, and services, entitled him to precedence. [Vane was
young, but could he have been called uninformed?] It is probable,
likewise, that his affection for his wife, whose hopes were in the land of
her nativity, had some influence in determining his conduct. Living so far
removed from the elegant circles in which she had delighted, and having
lost the sister who might have been the companion of her solitude, the
Lady Susan was weary of the privations of the wilderness, the howling of
the wild beasts, and the uncouth manners of the savages, and had become
lonely, disconsolate, and homesick. She who had been the delight of her
father's house, and had glittered in all the pride of youth and beauty, in
the court of the first monarch in Europe, was now solitary and sad,
separated by a wide ocean from her father's home. The future greatness of
America, which was then uncertain and ideal, presented no inducement to
her mind to counterbalance the losses which were first to be endured; and
the cold and barren wilderness she dwelt in, populated by its few lonely
cottages, round which the Indians were roarming by day, and the wolves
making their nightly excursions, had nothing lovely to offer to soothe her
sorrows or elevate her hopes. What the misfortunes and disappointments of
Mr. Humfrey had begun, her importunities completed. He sold the principal
part of his farm to Lady Moody, and returned to England with his wife, on
the 26th of October. They were much censured for leaving their children,
but their intention of visiting the Bahamas, and the approaching
inclemency of the season, rendered it imprudent to take them, and they
undoubtedly intended to return or send for them. That Mr. Humfrey
possessed deep sympathies, his letters sufficiently evince; and it would
be extremely uncharitable to suppose that the Lady Susan was without the
endowments of maternal love. A woman of high feelings and keen
sensibilities, the daughter of an English Earl, and according to Mr.
Mather's own account, of "the best family of any nobleman then in England
" - it cannot be supposed that she was destitute of those affections which
form the characteristic charm of her sex. The emotions of the heart are
not always regulated by rule, and disappointment sometimes makes sad havoc
with the best feelings of our nature.
'T
is thus with the dreams of the high heaving heart,
The come but to blaze, and they blaze to
depart;
Their gossamer wings are too thin to
abide
The chilling of sorrow, the burning of
pride;
They come but to brush o'er its young
gallant swell,
Like bright birds over ocean,
but never to dwell.
JOHN NEAL.
[It is true, as Mr. Lewis
remarks, that "disappointment sometimes makes sad havoc with the best
feelings of our nature." Yet there are many who possess that invincible
resignation, the offspring of a true and lively faith, which enables them
to meet disappointment and disaster with a heroism that saves from all
such sorrowful results. And the sympathies and affections of the heart are
not confined to any class. The "daughter of an English Earl," may not be,
as to them, more liberally endowed than the daughter in the lowly cot.
What a terrible example to the point do we find revealed in Johnson's Life
of Savage.]
The misfortunes which afterward
befell some of the children, inflicted a wound on the heart of the
affectionate father, from which he never recovered.. In a letter to
Governor Winthrop, dated 4th September, 1646, he says: "It is true the
want of that lost occasion, the loss of all I had in the world, doth, upon
rubbings, of that irreparable blow, sometimes a little trouble me; but in
no respect equal to this, that I see my hopes andl possibilities of ever
enjoying those I did or was willing to suffer any thing for, utterly taken
away. But by what intermediate hand soever this has befallen me, whose
neglects and unkindness God I hope will mind them for their good, yet I
desire to look at his hand for good I doubt not to me, though I do not so
fully see which way it may work. Sir, I thank you, again and again, and
that in sincerity, for any fruits of your goodness to me and mine; and for
any thing contrary, I bless his name, I labor to forget, and desire him to
pardon." [Certain distressing calamities that befell the daughters. of Mr.
Humfrey, are alluded to elsewhere. See notices of Jenkin Davis, under date
1635, and Daniel Fairfield, under 1640.] Mr Humfrey died in 1661, and in
the same year, his administrators, Joseph Humfrey and Edmund Batter,
claimed the five hundred acres. of land "by a pond of fresh water," in
Lynnfield, which had been given him by the Court. The character of Mr.
Humfrey has been drawn with conciseness by Governor Winthrop, who
represents him to have been "a gentleman of special parts of learning and
activity, and a godly man." His children were John, Joseph, Theophilus,
Ann, Sarah, and Dorcas. Ann married William Palmer, of Ardfinan, Ireland,
and afterward the Rev. John Miles, of Swanzey. I have in my possession a
deed signed by her, and sealed with the arms of the house of Lincoln.
Mr. Humfrey appears to have owned nearly all
the lands from Sagamore Hill to Forest river. His house was near the
eastern end of Humfrey's beach, and his place there was called the
Swampscot Farm. His lands were chiefly disposed of in 1681, when his
daughter Ann sold ten acres to William Bassett, jr., and twenty acres
with-a house in Nahant street to Richard Hood. Robert Ingalls bought nine
acres of the farm at Swampscot for two hundred and eighty pounds, and
Richard Johnson had sixty acres of salt marsh for thirty pounds. The
wind-mill at Sagamore Hill was valued at sixty pounds. The whole of Mr.
Humfrey's lands, at Swampscot, were about thirteen hundred acres, besides
five hundred at Lynnfield. In 1685, we find that Daniel King, senior,
having bought four hundred acres of this land, mortgages the same to widow
Elizabeth Curwin of Salem. He afterward married her, and thus secured it;
but in 1690 it was again mortgaged to Benjamin Brown, of Salem. In 1693,
March 20, it was sold by Elizabeth and Daniel King to Walter Phillips and
John Phillips, ancestors of the numerous and respectable family of
Phillips. [Mr. Lewis is in error here. This Elizabeth Curwin was still
living as the widow of Captain George Curwin, in 1694, as appears by
public records. See something further, under date 1650.] This tract of
four hundred acres is mentioned as beginning at the farther end of the
beach beyond Fishing Point, and extending to the west end of the Long
Pond. Another description of this same four hundred acres, makes it extend
to Beaver Brook, which is the little stream next eastward of Phillips's
Pond, and runs out at the bounds between Lynn and Salem. [It may be
mentioned, in passing, that there is another little stream, bearing the
name Beaver Brook, in the western part of Lynn. It crosses Walnut street
and flows through the low lands in the rear of the almshouse, to Saugus
river.] Henry Mayo bought Fishing Point, which is the point next east of
Swampscot, which he sold, 10 March, 1696, to Walter Phillips, for
L140. Mr. Humfrey's house, and the land adjacent, was bought by
Hon. Ebenezer Burrill, in whose family it remained until 1797, when it was
bought by Robert Hooper of Marblehead. In 1842, his daughter Hannah, widow
of Hon. William Reed, sold it to Enoch Redington Mudge, Esq., who built,
near the old house, a beautiful Gothic stone cottage, worthy of the olden
time.
[There is, however, without doubt an
essential error in locating Mr. Humfrey at Swampscot. As remarked on page
147, he had lands there, but I have now no doubt that his place of
residence was on the east side of Nahant street. My attention was first
drawn to the point by Mr. Josiah M. Nichols, who has spent much time in
examining the old records; and subsequent investigation furnished what
falls little short of conclusive evidence. It is certain that he had a
house. on Nahant street, and that his adjacent lands were known as his
farm. I find in no deed, will, or inventory evidence that he had a house
at Swampscot; and is it probable that during his brief sojourn here, he
would have erected more than one? Lechford speaks of his farm Swampscot;
not his farm at or in Swampscot. And it may have been only a name by which
his estate at Nahant street was distinguished, a name which was afterward
applied to the territory now known as Swampscot, where he had a large
tract of wild land. Mr. Lewis, indeed, says that Swampscot was the Indian
name of the place now so called; but he gives no authority. No doubt the
name is Indian; but it is very questionable whether, if it was thus
territorially applied at all, at that time, it did not, in a loose way,
touch any of the coast lands, from the east shore of Lynn harbor, or Beach
street, to the Salem line. There is much reason for the belief that the
old house which many will remember as the Samuel Newhall house, and which
had.previously been known as the Hood house, which stood on the east side
of Nahant street,, between Baltimore and Ocean, was the identical one in
which Mr. Humfiey lived, the one in which Lady Deborah Moody dwelt, and
the one which Mr. Humfrey's daughter Ann, in 1681 sold to Richard Hood, as
stated on page 200.
[By a careful examination
of the descriptions of Mr. Humfrey's lands it does not appear that his
bounds included the site of Mr. Mudge's residence. But that the old
Farm House, which still stands on the beautiful grounds and is now owned
by Miss Fanny O. Mudge, was owned and occupied by Hon. Ebenezer Burrill,
there is no doubt. The estate was willed to him by his father, John
Burrill, who lived at Tower Hill. Indeed, he could not have bought it, as
Mr. Lewis appears to have supposed, of Mr. Humfrey's daughter Ann, about
the year 1681, for he was not then three years old. It is not easy to
determine when the house was built, and hence its age cannot be stated.
But it is a venerable and most interesting relic, and can quite well
afford to dispense with a few of the honors with which it has heretofore
been invested. It stands a few rods east of Mr. Mudge's picturesque villa
and occupies a site that seems to have been chosen for security against
the most disagreeable winds. Hon. Ebenezer Burrill, of whom a biographical
sketch may be found by turning to page 492, died in 1761, and was
succeeded in the property by his son Samuel, who was born in 1717, and,
like his father, became a man of note - was a Representative during the
Revolution - was a member of the Convention for forming the State
Constitution - and became the envied proprietor of the first chaise that
appeared in the vicinity, eliciting much curious observation as he rode
down to meeting. He died in 1797, and the premises were sold to Mr.
Hooper, as stated by Mr. Lewis. Repairs and alterations have been made
about the house, from time to time, and the exterior is modernized by
adding a piazza. The second story projected ever the first, and the gable
ends, in their turn, projected over the second. The noble elm, in front,
which dispensed its refreshing shade for sporting children who long since
became grandfathers and grandmothers, and departed in the great procession
that returns not, still extends its inviting arms, invested with the
dignity of age and the vigor of youth. It was planted there in or about
the year 1740. It is a matter of congratulation that the estate has fallen
into the hands of one who can appreciate such a relic. And may the day be
far distant when the Vandal hand of uncultivated Improvement shall be
uplifted against it.
[Around such venerable
relics as this old Farm-House, cluster memories of the deepest interest,
even though their earlier histories should be deep in the oblivion of the
past; for we know that as they were human habitations, within them must
have transpired the common events of human life - that misfortune must
have come to baptize in sorrow, and that other days must have found hearts
overflowing with joy - that again and again with the tide of years, must
have come those ever-occurring incidents, the birth, the bridal, and the
yielding up of life. No human habitation, indeed, is without its sorrows,
nor, blessed be God, without its joys.]
[Edward Tomlins, having been
arraigned for expressing opinions against singing in the churches, was
discharged, 1 June, he having retracted.]
In
the early part of this year, says Governor Winthrop, "a goodly maid of the
church of Linne, going in a deep snow from Meadford homeward, was lost,
and some of her clothes found after among the rocks."
A great
alarm was occasioned through the colony by a report that the Indians
intended to exterminate the English. The people were ordered to keep a
watch from sunset to sunrise, and blacksmiths were directed to suspend all
other business till the arms of the colony were repaired. A house was
built for the soldiers, and another, about forty feet long, for a safe
retreat for the women and children of the town, in case of an attack from
the Indians. These houses were within the limits of Saugus, about eighty
rods from the eastern boundary, and about the same distance south of
Walnut street. The cellars of both these buildings remain, and near them,
on the east, is a fine unfailing spring.
At
the Salem Court, 12 July, George Sagamore and Edward, alias Ned, sued
Francis Lightfoot for land. The case was referred to the Boston court.
[The Court ordered, 27 Sept., "for the better
direction of the watch and alarums," and for general safety, in addition
to what was called the " county alarum," as follows: "One musket
discharged shalbee an alarum to all the sentinels at the severall quarters
of each towne, who shall answere the said alarum, not by shooting of any
more peeces, but by going to and awakening the sevrall houses wthin their
quartrs, by crying, Arme! arme! Thus the towne being raised, if danger
appear, it shalbee in the discretion of the cheife offics either to
strengthen their sevrall quarters, as they shall see occasion, or else to
give alarum to the whole country. It is left to the discretion of the
cheife officers of every towne to appoint the most convenient quarters or
randevous where to set sentinels or Corts of garde."
[The Court made an order that every house in
the several towns should aid in the "breeding of salt peeter." Sergeant
Tomlins was appointed to see that the order was enforced in Lynn.
[On the 12th of November, there was a very
great storm. The tide rose higher than at any time before since the
settlement began.]
Governor Dudley, in a
letter to his son in England, dated November 28, remarks, "There is a want
of school-masters hereabouts."
At the Quarterly Court,
December 14, " The Lady Deborah Moodie, Mrs. King, and the wife of John
Tillton, were presented, for houldinge that the baptising of Infants is
noe ordinance of God."
The winter was
exceedingly cold, with deep snow, and the harbor was passable with teams
for five weeks. The Indians said that the weather had not been so cold for
forty years. [Johnson says that when the ice thawed it removed rocks of
above a ton weight, and brought them ashore.]
Iron ore was discovered in Lynn at a very early period, but no attempt was
made to work it until the year 1643. It is of the kind called bog iron,
and was found in large quantities in various places within a mile or two
from the meeting-house, where it still exists. The great want in the
country of iron tools and iron ware, induced several enterprising
gentlemen to attempt the establishment of a forge. Among the principal of
these were Thomas Dexter and Robert Bridges.. Mr. Dexter was a very active
and energetic man, foremost in every public enterprise; and his greatest
fault appears to have consisted in speaking somewhat too freely of the
government, because they did not keep up with his plans of improvement.
The character of Hon. Robert Bridges has been given by Johnson, in a few
words: "He was endued with, able parts, and forward to improve them to the
glory of God and his people's good."
[It is
not possible to avoid the conclusion that Mr. Dexter had serious faults,
and that he must have been an uncomfortable neighbor. He possessed an
irritable disposition and was provoking in his bearing toward such as
stood in any way antagonistic to him. And that he had an inveterate
propensity for the law is abundantly proved by the court records. Mr.
Lewis mentions two or three instances of his being dealt with for
misdemeanors more grave than that of sleeping in meeting. See under dates
1631, 1633 and 1646. And besides what Mr. Lewis has noticed it is found
that in 1633 he was fined twenty shillings for drunkenness; also, 3 July,
1632, it was ordered that he be '"bound to his good behavr till the nexte
Genall Court, and ffined vl. for his midemeanr and insolent
carriage and speeches to S: Bradstreete, att his owne howse; also att the
GenallWCourte, is bound to confesse his fault." At the Court in November,
however, 4l. of the fine were remitted. There is some amusing
romance about his having purchased Nahant of an Indian chief, for a suit
of clothes; and Mr. Lewis thought proper to add an attractive gloss by a
lithographic representation. But it is clear that the transaction was not
generally deemed to have been a fair one; and it was judicially adjudged
invalid. That he was active and enterprising, there is no doubt; and men
so characterized never pass lives of obscurity. But we fail to perceive
that he possessed those higher qualities necessary to entitle him to be
ranked among the most useful class of citizens. He was never a
representative, and seems seldom to have been called to any public office.
This proves little, to be sure, for it may have been then, as it now is,
that the most worthy are not generally found in those positions, which are
the cravings of the ambitious and selfish; though there is much reason to
believe that there was far more political principle in those days than
there is in these. And it is significant that the title of "Mr" was not
awarded him. He was known simply as "goodman." Mr. Lewis, indeed, says
that he "was called, by way of excellence,'Farmer Dexter."' But it is most
likely that the title was bestowed merely on account of his occupation.
His enterprises certainly seem.to have had no higher incentive than
personal interest. And there are many like him, in every community, at
this day, whom it is fashionable to laud and magnify as sincere and
devoted public benefactors. There are, however, descendants of Mr. Dexter,
in New England, of prominence and great worth. Rev. Henry M. Dexter, of
Boston, may be named as among them. A fac-simile of the signature of our
famous old settler is here given. It was traced from a document
bearing date 1657.
This year Mr..Bridges took
some specimens of the iron ore from the mines in Saugus, and went to
London, where he succeeded in forming a company, called "The Company of
Undertakers for the Iron Works," consisting of the following wealthy and
enterprising gentlemen: Lionel Copley, Esq., of York county, England;
Nicholas Bond, Esq., of Westminster; Thomas Pury, Esq. of Westminster;
John Becx, London, merchant; William Beauchamp, London, merchant; Thomas
Foley, London, gentleman; William Greenhill, Stepney, Middlesex county;
Thomas Weld, minister, Gateshead, Durham county; John Pococke, merchant
tailor, London; William Becke, merchant tailor, London; William Hicocke,
citizen, London. This company advanced the sum of one thousand pounds for
commencing the work. Land was purchased of Thomas Hudson, and a foundry
erected on the western bank of Saugus river, where large heaps of scoria
are still to be seen. John Winthrop, jr., also engaged in the enterprise;
and Mr. Endicott, of Salem, in a letter to Governor Winthrop, dated,
December 1, says, "I want much to hear from your son's iron and steel."
The village at the Iron Works was called Hammersmith, from some of the
principal workmen who came from a place of that name in England. This
Iron Foundry at Lynn, was the first which was established in America.
Several persons came from England, this year,
to engage in the Iron Works, either as superintendents or workmen, among
whom were the following:
RICHARD LEADER - was
general agent for the Company of the Undertakers of the Iron Works, and is
mentioned as a man of superior ability.
HENRY
LEONARD - was a workman at the Iron Foundry. [With this Henry Leonard, and
his brother JAMES, whom Mr. Lewis does not notice, is, in fact, identified
the whole early history of the iron manufacture in America. And to this
day, descendants of these enterprising men are extensively engaged in the
iron business. They seem to have become interested in the American iron
works, as follows: first at Lynn, then at Braintree, afterward at Taunton
and Rowley Village, and subsequently at Canton and New Jersey. In process
of time it came to be said that wherever there were iron works a Leonard
might be found, for they seem very generally to have bred their sons to
their own occupation. And their fathers in England were engaged in the
same calling.
[Henry was at Lynn in 1642,
though it does not seem certain that James came with him. But that the
latter was here in 1651 is shown by entries in an account book of that
date, kept by the Lynn Company. These entries are given as found extracted
in the N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Register, v. 5, and are as follows: "James
Leonnarde, 15 days worke about finnerey Chimneye and other worke in ye
forge, 1: 13: 0. To ditto Leonard for dressing his bellows 3 times, 1:10:
0. To ditto soe much allowed him for bringing his goods from Prouidence,
2: 0: 0." In 1652, both James and Henry engaged in the establishment of
the works at Taunton. At a town meeting there, 21 October, 1652, as
appears by the records, "It was agreed and granted by the town to the said
Henry Leonard and James Leonard his brother, and Ralph Russell, free
consent to come hither and join with certain of our inhabitants to set up
a bloomery work on the Two Mile River." These works were what are
sometimes called the Raynham works. The Braintree works had previously
been established, and with the Lynn works had a monopoly of the business
by grant. The works at Taunton, by the way, continued long in a prosperous
condition. They were well-managed, and not subjected to harrassing
law-suits, such as proved so disastrous to those at Lynn.
[I do not find that James Leonard was at Lynn
after this; but Henry was here in 1655. A deposition of his, sworn to on
the 27th of October, of that year, contains one or two interesting
particulars. It is as follows:
"The
Testimony of Henry Leonard, of Hammersmith, of the age of 37, or
thereabouts. This deponent saith that there was a small Heap of Coles at
Brantrey Forge, which was Coled about nine yeares agoe; and these Coles
Lay Rotting, and noe vse was made of them before they were spoyled, and
Mr. Gifford, being Agent, was to bring in a new stock, weh stock could not
be Layd before the Rotten Coles were Removed, because the Cattle Could not
Turne. Whereupon They being well observed both by Mr. Gifford and my
selfe, Mr. Gifford gave me order that if Goodman Foster, or some other of
Brantrey, could make any use of them I should dispose of them; whereupon
Goodman Foster had about two halfe Loads, and some of ye Rest of ye
neighbors thereabouts fetched some of them; but they were soe bad they
would fetch no more, and Goodman Foster took as much paynes about them as
they were worth; and although they would serve his Turne. they would not
serve us at the forge; and whereas Goodman Prey saith he got out of them
to make a great quantity of Iron, I know the Labor yt hee and Thomas
Billington bestowed about drawing of them was more than they were worth.
And whereas Goodman Pray saith he made so much Iron of them, hee made not
a quarter of a Tunn of those Coles but did cast now and then a Baskett of
them among other Coles, but they were worth nothing to his worke."
[By this deposition it may be inferred
that Henry was at Braintree about 1646. And it seems fair to conclude that
as he was here in 1642, he engaged in the Iron Works at their
commencement, and afterward went to Braintree and assisted in establishing
the forges there. And this supports the position that the Iron Works at
Lynn were the first in America, and those at Braintree the second.
[Henry Leonard married at Lynn and reared a
respectable family of six children. He was here in 1668, and was then made
a freeman. After the last date he went to Rowley Village and there
established iron works. And in 1674, his sons Nathaniel, Samuel, and
Thomas, contracted with "ye owners of ye Iron Works " there to carry on
the business. After establishing the works at Rowley Village, he went to
New Jersey, and there again engaged in the iron manufacture.
[James and Henry had a brother Philip, who
does not appear to have come to Lynn. The Leonards were smart,
enterprising settlers, and many of their descendants, at this day, are
distinguished for energy and business talent.]
HENRY STYCHE - lived at the Iron Works. It
appears by a deposition given by him, at the Salem Court, in 1653, that he
was then 103 years of age. [He died in 1654, aged 104.]
ARZBELL ANDERSON - came from Scotland, and
was a workman at the Iron Foundry. He died in 1661. [His baptismal name is
elsewhere given as Archibald; but Arzbell is right. In the office at Salem
is "An Inventory of ye estate of Arzbell Anderson, Scotchman, whoe
deceased at ye Iron Works at Lyn, ye thirteenth day of ye sixt month,
(August) 1661." The estate amounted to L54.18.5.]
MACCALLUM MORE DOWNING - came from Scotland.
He worked at the forge, and died in 1683.
JOSEPH JENKS - came from
Hammersmith, in England. He was a machinist, at the Iron Foundry, and was
a man of great genius, of which abundant evidence will be found in this
history. He made the dies for coining the first money, built the first
fire-engine, and took out several patents for improvements in mills and
iron tools. He is said to have descended from an ancient family in Wales.
He came over a widower, leaving two sons in England, and married a lady
whose baptismal name was Elizabeth, by whom he had one son and two
daughters. He died in March, 1683, and his wife died in July, 1679. His
children were: 1. Joseph; born in England, resided some. time in Lynn,
where he married Esther, daughter of William Ballard. He then removed to
Pawtucket, where he built a forge, which was destroyed in the Wampanoag
war, in 1675. In 1681, he was an Assistant in the government of Rhode
Island; he had a son, Joseph Jenks, who was governor of that state from
1727 to 1732. 2. George, went to Virginia. 3. Sarah, married John Chilson.
4. Samuel, like his father, was a workman in iron, and married Elizabeth
Darling. 5. Deborah. 6. John, married Sarah Merriam. 7. Daniel, went to
Rhode Island, where he built several mills. The descendants of Joseph
Jenks, throughout New England, are numerous, and several of them have been
eminent; among whom is the Rev. William Jenks, D. D., of Boston. Joseph
Jenks, the founder of the family, deserves to be held in perpetual
remembrance in American History, as being the first founder, "who worked
in brass and iron," on the western continent. By his hands the first
models were made, and the first castings taken of many domestic implements
and iron tools. The first article said to have been cast, was a small iron
pot, capable of containing about one quart. Thomas Hudson, of the same
family with the celebrated Hendric Hudson, and the lineal ancestor of my
mother, was the first proprietor of the lands on Saugus river, where the
Iron Foundry stood. When the forge was established, he procured the first
casting, which was this famous old iron pot, which he preserved as a
curiosity. It has been handed down in the family ever since, and is now,
[1844] in the possession of my mother, who, I suppose, would not exchange
it for a silver one.
Much
difficulty was occasioned, for several years, by an opinion which some of
the people entertained, that the baptism of infants was sinful. Mr.
William Witter was presented at the Salem Court for his conduct in this
respect, and on the 28th of February, the following record was made:
"William Witter - Now comeing in, answered humbly, and confessed his
Ignorance, and his willingness to see Light, and, (upon Mr. Norris, our
Elder, his speech,) seemed to be staggered, Inasmuch as that he came in
court meltinglie. Sentence - Have called our ordenonce of God, a badge of
the whore - on some Lecture day, the next 5th day, being a public fast, To
acknowledge his falt, And to ask Mr. Cobbett forgiveness, in saying he
spok against his conscience. And enjoined to be heare next court att
Salem."
At the same court, Roger Scott was
presented, "for common sleeping at the public exercise upon the Lord's
day, and for striking him that waked him." In December following, not
having amended his conduct, he was sentenced by the court, to be severely
whipped." It was the custom at this time, during the public service, for a
person to go about the meeting to wake the sleepers. He bore a long wand,
on one end of which was a ball, and on the other a fox tail. When he
observed the men asleep, he rapped them on the head with the knob; and
roused the slumbering sensibilities of the ladies by drawing the brush
lightly across their faces.
On Sunday
morning, 5 March, there was an earthquake.
[Henry Walton was presented at the court for saying "he had as Leave to
heare a dogg Barke as to heare mr Cobbett Preach."' He was acquitted,
however, for want of proof.]
A controversy
was in agitation respecting the right of the Assistants to a negative vote
upon the resolves of the Representatives. Mr. Cobbet wrote a treatise, in
which he advocated the right of the Assistants, and the question was
finally decided in their favor.
On the 5th of
June, says Governor Winthrop, "there arose a sudden gust at NW. so violent
for half an hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. It lifted up their
meeting-house at Newbury, the people being in it. It darkened the air with
dust, yet through God's great mercy it did no hurt, but only killed one
Indian. It was straight between Linne and Hampton."
In June, Mr. Edward Tomlins was appointed by
the Court, a commissioner to treat with the Indians. He was also appointed
clerk of the writs instead of Mr. Richard Sadler. [Mr. Lewis has placed
his Indian mission a little too early, or else he was more than once
detailed for such service. It was on the 30th of May, 1644, that he was
"ordred and appoynted, by both howses of the Courte to goe vppon a
messuage to ye Narragansett sachems," and dismissed from the "howse for ye
present to ppare himselfe for ye jurney." (Col. Recs.) He went on his
mission in company with Humphrey Atherton. And it is represented that one
of their first acts was to catechise the benighted Narragansetts on the
Ten Commandments.]
Mr. Joseph Armitage, who
kept the tavern on the west of Saugus river, having become involved in
pecuniary difficulty, in consequence of certain speculations beyond his
means, his wife Jane presented a petition to the General Court, in
June, that they would "reconfirme the custody of the said ordinary to the
petitioness." It was signed by the two ministers, and by thirty-two other
principal inhabitants, and was granted on the 26th of October. "Joseph
Armitage is allowed to keep the ordinary, but not to draw wine."
[It is probable that Mr. Armitage remained in
straitened circumstances for some time, for at the June term of the court
at Salem, in 1669, he presented a petition for the payment of a number of
old demands for entertainment furnished to sundry dignitaries, which reads
thus:
To the Honered Court now sitting at
Sallern. The fIumble petition of Joseph Armitage Humbly Sheweth that in
the time that I kept Ordinary ther was sum expences at my Hows by some of
the Honored magistrates & Depetys of this County as apears by ther
bills charged oupon Auditor Generall, which I never Receaued. Therfor your
Humbell petticioner doth humbly request this Court that they would give me
an Order to the County Treasurer for my pay & so your pour petitioner
shall ever pray for your prosperity.
JOSEPH ARMITEGE.
[The demands and
vouchers appear as follows. And they certainly present a refreshing
glimpse at the simplicity of the times. Just think of a governor of the
present day traveling in the style of Endicott and Bradstreet.
[No. 1.]
Mr Auditor Generall, There were divers gentlemen,
that attended mee at my going to the election, together with the servants,
that at their going & returning back, which had in beare & wine,
at Joseph Armitages, eleven shillings & 4d., which I pray give you a
bill to the Treasurer that bee may be paid,
4th of the 8th moneth,
1650.
yrs,
Jo. ENDECOTT.
[No. 2. Armitages bill.] the gouerners Expences from
the Coart of election, 1651, till the end of October, 1651: to bear &
cacks, [beer and cakes] 6d.; bear and cacks to himself and som other
gentllemen, 1s. 2d.; bear and cacks with Mr Downing, 1s. 6d.; bear & a
cack, 6d. -3s. 8d.
to the Sargents from the
end of the Coart of election, 1651, till the end of October, 1651, bear
& cacks, 1s. 2d.; for vitalls, beear & logen, 5s.; to Benjamin
Scarlet, the gouerners man, 8d.; bear & vitells, 2s.; to the Sargents,
1s. 9d.; beear and cacks, 1s.; to a man that Caried a leter to warne a
Court about the duchman, 1s. 6d.; to the Sargents, 1s. 2d. - 14s. 3d.
Mr Auditor, I pray you give a note to Mr
Treasurer, for the payment of 17s. 11d. according to these two bills of
Joseph Armitage.
Dated the 7th of the 11th mo.
1651.
Jo. ENDECOTT.
[No. 3. Wiggins bill.]
Mr tresorer, I pray you pay to Joseph
Armitage the som of one shilling fouer pence, which I expended going to
the generall Court this 17. 8 mo. 1650.
THO. WIGGIN.
[No. 4.
Bradstreetes bill.]
due to goodman Armitage,
for beare & wyne att severall times as I came by in the space of
aboute 3 veares, 4s. 3d. May 15th,'49. More for my man
& horse, as hee returned home the last yeare when
I was a Commissioner, hee being deteyned a sabboath day, 6s.
8d.
SIMON BRADSTREETE.
[No. 5. Armitagis bill.]
Payed, by the order of the Magistrates, To
Henry Skerry with a Udall a prisoner, 3s. 10d.; To John Kiching going with
Abner Ardway to the prison, 3s; To the Constable, when Rubin went to
prison, 3s. 10d.; To them that carried Robert Hithersay to prison from
Salsberry, 4s. 10d. - 15s. 6d.
Mr Auditor, I
pray you passe this bill allso to the Treasurer.
23. 11 mo.
1649.
Jo. ENDECOTT, Govr.
[No. 6. Samuel Symonds bill.]
7th first mo. 1650. Due to Joseph Armitage
for my refreshment in returning from Boston Courts of Assistants,
10d.
SAMUEL SYMONDS.
[No. 7.]
There is due
to Joseph Armitage, of Lyn, one shilling and four pence for our dinner,
the 6th of ye 3d mo. 1651.
THO. BRADBURY, ESDRAS READE, Depts.
Reseved
of Joseph Armitage tenn pence. Witnes my hand this 6. 3 mo.
1651.
Jo. WHIPPLE.
Reseved at Joseph Armitages
fouer pence by mee.
6. 3 mo.
1651.
HUGH CAUKING, [who signs by a cross, his mark.]
Mr Auditer, pay to Joseph Armeteg fouer pound
sevene shillings one
pence. 9.
4 mo. 1652. JOSEPH JEWET, Guard, EPHRAIM CHILD.
It was probably on account of the refusal
of the Court to allow Mr. Armitage to sell spirit, that he procured the
warrant mentioned in the Salem court files, 27 December, when Joseph
Armitage was presented, "for procuring a warrant for seaventy persons to
appeare forthwithe before the Governor, which we conceave may be of
dangerous consequence."
[Mr. Armitage having
been fined for not informing the constable of a person being drunk in his
company, as the law required, petitioned to have the fine remitted. But
the Court answer, 13 May, 1651, that they see "no cawse to abate the
petitioner any part of that fine."
[Mr.
Armitage died in 1680. His administrator was Henry Styche. Richard Haven
and John Ballard appraised the estate which they rendered at
L6.2.6.]
The
Company of Undertakers for the Iron Works, on the 7th of March, laid
before the Court ten propositions for the advancement of their designs;
the most important of which were granted. They were allowed permission to
make use of six places, three miles square in each place, wherever they
might choose, without interfering with previous grants. Their privileges
were to continue twenty-one years; with exemption of themselves, their
workmen, and stock, from all public taxes, for ten years.
On the 20th of May, the Court
allowed the town "thirty sacre shot" for their two great guns, of which
Captain Bridges had the care. [The sacre, or saker, was a peculiar kind of
ordnance, of French invention, as the name would seem to indicate. It was
frequently used as a field piece. " Of guns, the long sacre is most
esteemed," says Dampier in his Voyages, 1688.]
At the same Court, the name of Lynn Village
was altered to Reading.
[There was a great
drought this year, and much sickness prevailed in the summer. A public
fast was held in July, in consequence.]
At
the Quarterly Court, 27 August, the following persons were presented: "Wm.
Hewes and John his son, for deriding such as Sing in the Congregation,
tearming them fooles; also William Hewes for saying Mr. Whiting preaches
confusedly; also John Hewes for charging Mr. Cobbitt with falsehood in his
doctrine. Wm. Hewes and John his son, shall pay 50s. a peece for a fine,
and that it be Injoyned they shall make an humble confession at Lynn, at a
publick meeting, which according to it the Court will consider of their
fines." [The name seems to have been spelled Hewes, or Hughes,
interchangeably. Thus, on the Colony Records, 16 Oct. 1650, is found the
following: "In answer to the petition of Purnell Hughes, wife of William
Hughes, of Lynne, the Court accept of hir acknouledgment, and according to
hir request, pardons hir hir offence in selling strong waters wthout
license whereby one was distempered." This Hewes family does not seem to
have been above reproach.
[Hugh Burt and
Samuel Bennett, of Lynn, were presented to the grand jury as "common
sleepers in time of exercise." They were fined 2s. 6d. each.]
On the 13th of November, the Iron Company
presented to the Court seven more propositions; in reply to which, the
Court, in addition to their former grants, allowed them three years " for
the perfecting of their worke, and furnishing of the country with all
sorts of barr iron." They gave any of the inhabitants liberty to share in
the work, by " bringing in within one year, no less than 100L a
person, with allowance to the adventurers, &c., for 1000L
already disbursed; " if they would complete the finery and forge, as well
as the furnace, which is already set up." They gave them liberty, in all
waste places, "to make use of all yron ston, or yron oare," to cut wood,
and to make ponds and highways. They likewise granted them immunities,
civil and religious, equal with any in the jurisdiction; and recommended
them to provide religious instruction for the families of their workmen,
who were to be free from all watchings against the Indians, and from all
trainings.
The
establishment of the Iron Foundry was highly approved by the Court, who
passed the following order on the 14th of
May:
"Whereas it is now found by
sufficient purpose that the iron work is very successful, both in the
richness of the ore and the goodness of the iron, and like to be of great
benefit to the whole country, especially if the inhabitants here should be
interested therein, in some good proportion, one half at the least, and
whereas the time limited for adventurers to come in will be expired in the
ninth month next: This Court, taking the same into serious consideration,
and being careful that such an opportunity, for so great advantage to the
Commonwealth might not be let slip, have taken order, that speedy notice
thereof should be given to every town within this jurisdiction, expecting
that all such persons as are of sufficient ability, and intend their own
benefit, with the common good, will forthwith appear to come in to share
in the work, according to their abilities; and for their better
instruction, and direction herein, they are hereby to understand that
there is already disbursed between L1200 and L1500, with
which the furnace is built, with that which belongeth to it, and good
quantity of mine, coal, and wood, provided, and some tons of sow iron
cast, and some other things in readiness for the forge, &c.; they are
also to know that no adventurer is to put in less than L100; but
divers may join together to make up that sum, so it come all under one
name. There will be need of some L1500 to finish the forge,
&c., which will be accepted in money, beaver, wheat, coals, or any
such commodities as will satisfy the workmen; and these are to be paid in
to Mr. Henry Webb, of Boston, by such direction as they may receive from
the undertakers, Mr. John Winthrop, jun., Major Sedgwick, Mr. Henry Webb,
aforesaid, and Mr. Joshua Hewes; the new adventurers are also to know that
they must bear their part in such loss as is befallen the first stock, by
forbearance or otherwise, to the time of the new adventurers paying in
their adventures; and all such as will adventure are desired to hasten
their resolutions, that the work may go on speedily."
A question has arisen, whether the first
forge might not have been established at Braintree. It certainly was not.
The first purchase of land for the iron works at Braintree, which has been
discovered, was not till some months after this time, namely, on the
twenty-ninth of September, 1645, when George Ruggles sold to Richard
Leader twenty acres. The grant of "2860 acres," made for the iron works "
to be set up " at Braintree, was not laid out till the eleventh of
January, 1648. It is certain that an iron foundry was in successful
operation at Lynn, as early as 1643, and as mention is only made by the
Court of one forge, it follows of course that it must have been this. In
1691, iron ore, called "rock mine," was taken from the ledges at Nahant
for the forge at Braintree.
[The first deed
on record, in our County Registry, is one from Thomas Dexter, who, "for
the sum of 40L the year, hath sould unto Richard Leader, for the
use of the Iron Works, all that land," &c.] The Court ordered, that
youth, from ten to sixteen years of age, should be exercised, on training
days, in the use of small guns, half pikes, and bows and arrows. They also
ordered, that any person who should make or publish a false report,
should be fined ten shillings, or set in the stocks.
Mr. Edward Burcham was chosen "Clarke of the
Writts, and to record deaths, births, and marriages for the Towne."
"Thomas Layton hath liberty granted him by
the house of deputies, to drawe wine for the town for one yeare." [The
license was granted to him at the request of the town.] " Thomas Layghton,
Edward Burcham, and Thomas Puttnam, are chosen by the house of deputies to
end small controversies." [These controversies, or "small cawses " as they
are sometimes called on the records, were such as in pecuniary matters did
not exceed twenty shillings.]
The number of
inhabitants having been considerably diminished by the removal of so many
families to Reading, Long Island, and other places, a petition was
presented to the Court for an abatement of taxes. The original paper, very
much torn and trampled by the mob which dilapidated Governor Hutchinson's
house and papers in 1765, is still in existence. It commences with "humbly
shewing, that whereas the overrulinge Providence of God hath much weakened
our hands, which yet were never of like strength with others about us, to
bear such a share in the publique disbursements and debts of the country
as formerly, we therefore make bold truly to informe this honoured Court
of our infeebled estate with which we have more immediate cause to be best
acquainted. Those fewe able persons which were with and of us, its not
unknowne how many of them have deserted us; as my lady Moody, whose share
in a former rate of this town, at 80L was above 4L and
her estate, left now in a life rate, pays not 1L 10s. Mr. Howell,
6L. Mr. Willis, 5L. Mr. Keayne, 2L. Mr. Edward
Tomlins, neare 3L. John Poole, 1L 15s. Mr. Sadler,
1L 10s. Nic. Browne, as much. Lieftenant Walker, 1L. Wm.
Halsey, 1L. John Cowper, 1L. Mr. Wade, 12s. James
Hubbard, 12s. Win. Cowdrey, Wm. Blott, Win. Martin, Thomas Marshall,
Zachary ffitch, 10s., each of them, besides above 20 more, whose share in
such a rate was, some 8, some 7," &c. The petitioners state, that
between " two and three hundred acres of the deserted farms is soe overrun
with Sorrel that it is scarce quittinge cost to such whose necessities is
such as with us force them to improve the same. We would not envy our
neighbor townes, which are of the risinge hand by tradinge or otherwayes;
we rather wish theyr prosperity; but for ourselves, we are neither fitted
for or inured to any such course of trade, but must awayte God's blessinge
alone upon our Lands and Cattel; our Earnest Request therefore is, that
this honoured Court, in which is the Confluence of the wisdom, fidelity,
and Equity of the Country, would please seriously to weigh the premises
touching our present estate, and proportion out such share of
Publique Charges, according not to our supposed but real Abilities which
the Lord hath left us; and we shall cheerfully put too our shoulders and
continue our joynt prayers for you and yours. Resting yours to serve and
obey in the Lord." This petition was signed by Thomas Putnam, Francis
Lightfoot, Henry Collins, William Longley, and Thomas Laighton, selectmen.
The Court, in their reply, say: "We conceive the estate of lin should be
considered;" and when they lay the tax, which was L616.15, they
required only L25 from Lynn.
[A few
facts regarding some of the individuals named in the foregoing paragraph,
which do not appear to have fallen under the eye of Mr. Lewis, will be
here given. Those spoken of will be distinguished by italics.
[Mr. Keayne, seems to have been
Benjamin, son of, Robert Keayne, of Boston, the first captain of the
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company; and he is elsewhere mentioned in
this volume. He could have been in Lynn but a short time. His wife was a
daughter of Gov. Thomas Dudley. But their connection proved to be an
unhappy one. He repudiated her and went back to England. She was
excommunicated in October, 1647, and became greatly reduced in position.
Their only child, Ann, seems to have inclined to the wayward paths her
mother trod. Old Mr. Keayne provided well for the granddaughter, by his
will, enjoining, however, that no part of the property left for her should
in any event go to her mother, and appointed certain eminent gentlemen,
with his wife, "to dispose of her for her future education, to some such
wise and godly mistress or family, where she may have her carnal
disposition most of all subdued and reformed by strict discipline; and
also that they would show like care and assistance in seasonable time to
provide some fit and godly match, proportionate to her estate and
condition, that she may live comfortably and be fit to do good in her
place and not to suffer her to be circumvented or to cast away herself
upon some swaggering gentleman or other, that will look more after the
enjoying what she hath, than live in the fear of God, and true love to
her."
[Benjamin Keayne had a farm at Lynn,
which, in 1646, was under a small mortgage. Those two eminent divines,
John Cotton, of Boston, and Thomas Cobbet, of Lynn, were guardians of a
young man named Theophilus Skeppar, and Mr. Keayne was indebted to this
Skeppar "in ye sume of 511. payable to ye said Theophi: at ye age
of 21 yeares," for which payment he had mortgaged " his farme at Linn."
Keayne afterward made over all his estate to his wife and his father for
distribution among his creditors. Upon this the guardians became alarmed,
apparently lest the assignment should supersede the mortgage, and
petitioned the Court on the subject. And the Court ordered thabt the "said
farme in Linn shall not be allienated or any way disposed by ye wife or
fathr of Mr Benia: Keayne, but shall remain engaged for securing ye
511. to ye said orphan, at ye age of 21 yeares as is pvided in ye
deed above mentioned." Benjamin Keayne died in 1658. His wife, who in her
low estate had become the wife, real or reputed, of a Mr. Pacey, died in
1659. And Ann, after having had two husbands, died in 1704.
[William Halsey. I think this must
mean Thomas Halsey, who came here in 1637. He remained but a short time,
and went to Southampton. His will was probated in New York, in 1679, and
in it he names three sons and a daughter. See the name under date 1638.
[John Cowper. I do not see who this
can be unless it is the individual called John Cooper, under date 1635, in
the list of land distributees, 1638, and elsewhere, who became one of the
Southampton settlers, and was "our neighbor John Cooper," licensed, 25
January, 1655, to, sell strong liquor to all the people there excepting
Indians and such as would not "use it properly."
[Mr. Wade. This was probably Samuel
Wade who was here in 1641; the same individual who was robbed by hid
servant, Richard Wilson, of "81. of money & divers
small things," for which the Court ordered the said Richard " to be put
fourth to servise for 3 or 4 yeares except hee can procure 101.;
also hee is to have a T set vpon his vpmost garment; the servise is to bee
wth his mr, if his mr will have him, or else to bee put out by the
countrey." Mr. Wade must have left Lynn before 1645. There was a Richard
Wade here, for a short time, about 1637.
[James Hubbard. There was a man of this name here, in 1637. In
1641 he went to Long Island. From the circumstance that the following
mysterious entry on the Colony Records, 1 December, 1640, is immediately
succeeded by two others relating to Lynn, it is judged that the individual
in question had been complained of for assault and battery: - "James
Hubbard is discharged, the hurt being little, and done unwiting, the other
pressing upon him."]
Some of the inhabitants
of Lynn and Salem petitioned the Court for liberty to form an independent
company. The Court gave permission, and a band was formed, called "The
Military Company of Lynn and Salem." [And they were allowed to assemble
for military exercise, either in Lynn or Salem, as often as they pleased.]
At the Quarterly Court, on the 5th of July,
Samuel Bennet was presented, "for saying, in a scornful manner, he neither
cared for the Towne, nor any order the Towne could make."
Captain Robert Bridges was appointed by the
Court, a commissioner to negotiate between Lord De La. Tour and Monsieur
D'Aulney, the governors of the French provinces on the north of New
England. He was accompanied by Richard Walker and Thomas Marshall. For
their "good service" in this embassy, Captain Bridges was allowed ten
pounds, Lieutenant Walker four pounds, and Sergeant Marshall forty
shillings.
[On the 14th of May, the Court
chose Captain Bridges and four others to draft bills for "possitive lawes"
against lying, sabbath-breaking, profanity, drunkenness, &c.]
On the 14th of October, the Company of
Undertakers for the Iron Works presented a petition to the Court, which
was granted. As the answer of the Court comprises some interesting
information respecting the Iron Works, it is transcribed.
1. It was granted and by this Court
ordered, that the undertakers, their agents and assigns, are hereby
granted the sole privilege and benefit of making Iron and managing of all
Iron mines and works that now are, or shall be discovered and found out,
or hereafter shall be in this jurisdiction, for the term of twenty-one
years from the former grant: Provided that the said adventurers, their
agents or assigns, do, within three years from the former date, use their
best endeavors to their utmost skill to perfect so many of the said works,
that the inhabitants of this jurisdiction be furnished with bar iron of
all sorts for their use, not exceeding twenty pounds per ton: Provided,
also, that it shall be in the liberty of any within this jurisdiction to
be adventurers with the undertakers, that by the last day of this October
they bring in their adventures, not less in one man's name than fifty
pounds, with allowance to the adventurers, for the stock of one thousand
pounds by them already disbursed.
2. The
Court doth hereby further grant to the said undertakers, their agents and
assigns, in all places of waste and lands not appropriated to any town or
person, that the said undertakers, their agents or assigns, at all times
during the said term of twenty-one years, shall and may freely and at
their own discretion have and take all manner of wood and timber, to be
converted into coals, or any other uses for the service of the
undertakers, as also all manner of earth, stones, turf, clay, and other
materials for buildings and reparation of their works, forges, mills, or
houses built, or to be built, or for making or moulding any manner of
guns, pots, and all other cast-iron ware, and for converting wood into
charcoal, and also to get, dig, and carry away of all manner of stone,
iron ore, and wood of all sorts, and any other material, or things of use
for their works, and it is hereby also granted to the said undertakers,
their agents, or assigns, that they shall have free liberty to make all
convenient ways and passages, as also all manner of dams, watercourses,
sluices, ponds of water, in all waste grounds, or other conveyances, to,
from, and for the service of the said works built or to be built not
appropriated to any town or person, during such time as the said works
shall continue: Provided, if by any pond, sluice, dam, or any other work
(though in land appropriated) they should spoil, or any ways prejudice the
land appropriated to any town or person, the said undertakers shall make
due and just satisfaction.
3. Also the Court
doth hereby further grant to the said adventurers, their agents, or
assigns, in all the grounds that are or shall be appropriated, that the
said adventurers, their agents, or assigns, shall have free liberty at all
times during the term, to dig, get, carry away all manner of stone, or
iron ore, and to make and use all convenient ways and sluices,
watercourses, pools, dams, ponds of water, and other conveniences, to,
from, and for the service of the said works through all the said grounds,
that are or hereafter shall be appropriated, (except houses, orchards, not
exceeding three acres, and yards) giving such due and full recompense
for the same to the owners thereof, for the time being, as three
indifferent men shall adjudge, whereof one to he appointed by the said
Court at the next general meeting after the undertakers, their agents, or
assigns, shall make or use aly of the said ways, or watercourses, or other
particulars therein mentioned for the services aforesaid, and one other by
the owner of the land, and the third, by the undertakers or adventurers.
4. The Court hereby do further grant unto the
said adventurers and to their heirs and assigns forever, so much land now
or hereafter to be in this jurisdiction, as aforesaid, as shall contain in
six places three miles square in each place, or so much in quantity as
containeth three miles square not exceeding four miles in length to be set
out in such places and parcels, as the said undertakers or their agents
shall. make choice of, not being already appropriated as aforesaid, upon
which said land the said adventurers shall have free liberty and hereby do
undertake that within the said term of [twenty-one] years, to search, set
out, and find convenient places within the said compass of land, for the
building and setting up of six forges, or furnaces, and not bloomeries
only, or so many more as they shall have occasion for, for the making of
iron as aforesaid, which they shall, (the iron stone and other materials
appearing proper and fit for the making of iron as aforesaid,) build and
set up within the term aforesaid: Provided that the Court may grant a
plantation in any place where the Court doth think meet, the undertakers
or their agents there residing having first notice thereof, and not making
choice of the same for part of the land to be set out and granted to them,
for the design of planting the said iron works and making iron as
aforesaid.
5. And it is further granted and
ordered that what quantity of iron of all sorts and qualities the said
adventurers, their agents, or assigns, shall make more than the
inhabitants shall have need or use of for their service to be bought and
paid for by the said inhabitants as aforesaid, they shall have free
liberty to transport the same by shipping to other ports or places of the
world, and to make sale thereof, in what way and place the said
adventurers shall please, for their best advantage: Provided they sell it
not to any person or state in actual hostility with us.
6. It is further granted and ordered, that
the said undertakers, and agents, and servants, shall, from the date of
their presents, have and enjoy all liberties and immunities whatsoever,
present or to come, equal with any in this jurisdiction, according to the
laws and orders thereof, for the time being, and according to the rights
and privileges of the churches.
7. It is also
granted, that the undertakers and adventurers, together with their agents,
servants, and assigns, shall be and are hereby free from all taxes,
assessments, contributions and other public charges whatsoever, for so
much of their stock or goods as shall be employed in and about the said
iron works, for and during the term of [twenty-one] years yet to come from
their presents.
8. It is also hereby further
granted and ordered, that all such clerks and workmen as miners, founders,
finers, hammer-men and colliers, necessarily employed, or to be employed,
in and about the said works, built or to be built, for any the services
thereof, shall from time to time during the term of [twenty-one] years, be
and hereby are absolutely freed and discharged of and from all ordinary
trainings, watchings, etc., but that every person at all times be
furnished with arms, powder, shot, etc., according to order of Court.
9. Lastly. It is ordered by the Court, that
in all places where any iron work is set up, remote from a church or
congregation, unto which they cannot conveniently come, that the
undertakers shall provide some good means whereby their families may be
instructed in the knowledge of God, by such as the Court or standing
council shall approve of."
On the 22d of
December, " Thomas Hudson of Linne, granted unto Thos. Hutchinson of
Linne, sixty acres of ground, amongst the ffurnaces, adjoyning to Goodman
Townsend's ffarme."
A book
was written this year, by Rev. Nathaniel Ward, of Ipswich, which
attracted, much attention. It is entitled, "The Simple Cobler of Aggawam,
willing to help mend his Native Country, lamentably tattered, both in
Upper Leather and Sole, with all the honest Stitches he can take." It
abounds in pungent wit and satire, interspersed with much good sense. He
is particularly severe on those who cause innovations in religion, and
deny the rite of infant baptism. He says, "The removing of some one iota
in scripture, may draw out all the life, and traverse all the truths of
the Bible. To authorize an untruth by a toleration of state, is to build a
sconce against the walls of heaven, to batter God out of'his chair !" His
book concludes. wita the following stanza:
And farewell, Simple World,
If thou'lt thy cranium mend,
There is my Last and Awl,
And a Shoemaker's End.
The proprietors of the Iron Works, in the
beginning of this year, made an agreement with Thomas Dexter, for opening
a new water-course, and enlarging the pond. They purchased "all that
parcell of land neere adjacent to the Grantor's house, which shall
necessarily be overflowed by reason of a pond of water, there included, to
be stopped to the height agreed on betwixt them; and sufficient for a
water-course intended to be erected, together with the land lyinge
betweene the ould watercourse and the new one, And also five acres and
halfe in the cornfield next the Grantor's house;" for which they allowed
L40. They agreed to make a fence " toward Captain Bridges's
house," with " a sufficient cart bridge over the said water-course," and
"to allow sufficient water in the ould river for the Alewives to come to
the wyres before the Grantor's house." This extension of the pond caused
it to overflow three acres of land belonging to Mr. Adam Hawkes. The whole
amount purchased was forty-five acres.
Thomas
Dexter's house stood at some distance above the Iron Works, on the left.
The present road to the northward runs through the bed of the old pond.
This year the dam was moved farther up the river, and a little canal was
dug from the pond, and brought along on the high ground, until it reached
the foundry. This canal was the "new water-course" mentioned in the
preceding agreement.
On the 18th of February,
Mr. William Witter was presented at the Quarterly Court "for saying that
they who stayed while a Childe is baptized, doe worshipp the dyvill; also
Henry Collens and Mathew West, deling with him about the
former speeche, he speaks to them after this manner, That they who
stayed at the baptising of a Childe, did take the name of the Father,
Sonn, and holly ghost in vaine and broke the Saboth, and confesseth and
justifieth his former speech. Sentence of Court is, an Iniunction next
Lord's day, being faire, that he make a publique confession to
Satisfaction, in the open congregation at Lyn, or else to answer it at the
next General Court. And concerning his opinion, the court hath yet
patience toward him, till they see if he be obstinate, and only admonish
him."
By permission of the Court, Mr. Leader
purchased some of "the country's Gunnes," to melt over at the iron
foundry.
[The General Court, 6 May, passed an
order forbidding the smoking of tobacco, out of doors, under a penalty of
two shillings for every offence, besides recompense for all damage that
might be occasioned; "pvided, nevertheles, yt it shalbe lawfull for any
man yt is on his iourny (remote from any house five miles) to take
tobacco, so that thereby he sets not ye woods on fire to ye damage of any
man." To avoid the inconvenience of this order it is probable that the
gracious dames allowed a comforting whiff now and then to be taken in
their capacious chimney corners.]
On the 10th
of June, Mr. Joseph Jenks presented a petition that the Court would
patronise his improvements in mills, and the manufacture of sythes. " In
Answer to a petition of Joseph Jencks for liberty to make experience of
his abillityes and Inventions for the making of engines for mills, to goe
with water, for the more speedy dispatch of worke than formerly, and mills
for the making of sithes and other edge tooles, with a new Invented
sawemill, that things may be afforded cheaper than formerly, and that for
fourteen yeeres without disturbance by any other's setting up the like
Invention, that so his study and costs may not be in vayne or lost, this
peticon was graunted, so as power is still left to restrayne the
exportation of such manufactures, and to moderate the prizes thereof, if
occacon so require."
Mr. Daniel King
complained to the Court that his goods had been taken, to the amount of
fifty shillings, by " the captain of ye trayned band of Lin, for supposed
neglect of trayning, he being lame, and willing to find a sufficient man."
The Court ordered him to pay the fifty shillings for the past, and ten
shillings, annually, for the future. [But by the proceedings of the
General Court, in May, it is found that " for time to come, this Courte
doth discharge him, in regard of his bodily infirmity, from attendance
vpon ordinary traynings, for any service in armes." And nothing is said
about fines.]
Much damage was done to the
corn, wheat, and barley, this summer, by a species of large black
caterpillar.
On the 4th of
August, Mr, Thomas Dexter was presented at the Quarterly Court "for a
common sleeper," in meetings for public worship, and fined.
[Joseph Armitage petitioned the Court to
license " to draw wine," whoever the town should choose for that purpose.
The Court allowed the choice to be made, and provided that the one chosen
might act till the next sitting, at which he might be presented for
confirmation. Nicholas Potter was chosen, and at the next Court duly
licensed.]
The proprietors of the Iron Works
addressed a letter to the Court, in May, which was answered in September.
In their reply, the Court say, "We acknowledge with you that such a staple
comodity as Iron is a great meanes to enrich the place where it is, both
by furnishing this place with that comodity at reasonable rates, and by
bringing in other necessary comoditys in exchange of Iron exported, but as
we use to say, if a man lives where an axe is worth but 12d., yet it is
never the cheaper to him who cannot get 12d. to buy one. So if your Iron
may not be had heere without ready mony, what advantage will that be to us
if wee have no money to purchase it. Itt is true some men have here
Spanish mony sometimes, but little comes to our Smiths hands, especially
those of inland tounes. What monyes our Smithes cann gett you may be sure
to have it before any other; if we must want iron so often as our mony
failes, you may easily Judge if it were not better for us to Procure it
frc other places by our come and pipe staves, &c. then to depend on
the coming in of mony which is never so plentifull as to supply for the
occacon."
In October, Captain Robert Bridges
was chosen Speaker of the House of Representatives.
On the night of the 4th of November, "began a
most dreadful tempest at northeast, with wind and rain." The roof of Lady
Moody's house, at Salem, was blown off. (Winthrop.)
At the Court, this month, "on the motion of
the Deputies of the towne of Linne: It is ordered that there shalbe once a
weeke a market kept there on every third day of the weeke, being their
lecture day."
[The courts had been for some
time vexed by a suit - Taylor against King - brought to recover damages
for the goring to death of the plaintiff's mare, by the defendant's bull,
which was decided this year. Considerable evidence as to the vicious
character of the bull was introduced. And some of the peculiar customs of
the time are so graphically exhibited that a few passages of the testimony
will be given. Robert Bridges says:... myself being on horseback with my
wyfe behinde me, ye sd Bull stood in the high way as I was riding a Longe.
When I came up to the Bull, not knowing whos beast it was,
neither thinking of any opposition, I struck at the bull, wth my
stick, to put him out of the way; ymediately ye bull made att my mare, and
placed his horne vpon her shoulder, and had well nigh overthrone both the
mare and his riders; and although I endevored to shunne ye bull, yet he
still so prest vpon mee yt I cannot but conceave ihad not the neareman bin
att hand to beat him off that some hurt had bin done, either to orselves
or my mare, or both; but gods good hand better provided." Ann Knight
testified that "shee dwelling with wid. Tayler, did see her mare alive,
the evening before, eating chaffe where they had bene winnowing corme; and
the next morning, about breake of day, she saw the bull in the roade where
the mare used to: ly, and the bull seeing her, went away, she thinking
nothing of any harme done by him; then going into the house with a few
stickes for the fire, she came presently out againe and saw: the mare
lying in the roade with her body lying on one side," with her entrails
out, and " that there was no other cattell in the yard, but only the colt
of that mare. Shee also testifieth that shee helped to dresse the same
mare of a former wound that was very deepe." The judgment in the case was
as follows: "Bost. 7: 3: 1646. It was agreed that in the Judgmt of Lawe,
it is to be concluded that ye bull did kill ye mare, and yt ye owner of ye
Bull, upon such notice as he had, ought to have taken order to prevent any
future mischief."... "Salem, 18 5mo. 1646: The magistrates assembled at
Salem, doe judge yt mr King shall pay halfe the vallue of the mare unto mr
Tayler, wh is Judged to bee 7L, that is, according to the rate of
14L for the mare, shee being great with foale, with a mare
foale."
[The winter of this year was thought
to be the coldest since the settlement commenced.]
On the 20th of January, Richard Leader sold
to Joseph Jenks, the privilege to build a forge at the Iron Works, for the
manufacture of sythes.
On the 26th of May,
Capt. Robert Bridges was chosen an Assistant.
In June, an epidemic sickness prevailed through the whole country,
supposed to have been the influenza.
In
October, the Court ordered, that every town containing fifty families,
should have a school for reading and writing; and that all towns
containing one hundred families, should maintain a grammar school.
An order was passed, that if any young man
should address a young woman, without the consent of her parents, or in
their absence, of the county court, he should be fined five pounds.
The Court fixed the prices of grain to be
received for taxes; Indian corn at 3s., rye and peas at 3s. 6d.,
barley at 4s., and wheat at 4s. 6d. a bushel.
[The Court, 11 Nov., designated the marks by which cattle and horses owned
in the different towns should be branded. The brand was to be on one of
the near quarters. An L was to be on those belonging to Lynn.
[Sarah Ellis, of Lynn, was presented at the
Salem court, for not living with her husband for eight years. But, it
appearing that he abused her, while they lived together, she was
acquitted.
[Elizabeth Lambert, wife of
Michael Lambert, of Lynn, was presented "for brewinge on the Lord's day.
But it appearing to the Court that she breweing on the last day did leave
some things to finish, on the Lord's day; sentence of the Court is an
admonition, and to pay for witnesses, 3s. 4d., and 2s. 6d. fees of court.]
Among the presentments at the Quarterly
Court, was the following. December 14: "The town of Lynn, for want of a
staff for the constable."
December 29: " John
Turner, living at the Iron Workes, at Lin, being convicted before the
Court for stabbing Sara Turner, his daughter-in-law -the sentence of Court
is, that'he shall be severely whipped."
Mr. Edmund Ingalls, the first white inhabitant of Lynn, was drowned, in
March, in crossing Saugus river. Soon after, "Robert Ingalls, with the
rest of his brethren and sisters, being eight in number," petitioned the
General Court, " That whereas their father hath been deprived of life by
the insufficiency of Lynn Bridge, that according to the law in such cases,
there shall be an hundred pounds forfeited to the next heir." This was
granted. It was in conformity with an old British law, established by
Howell the Good, King of Wales, by which the value of each person's life
was nominally fixed, and so much money paid, in case of his being killed.
On the 23d of March, the Court allowed the
town twenty pounds toward repairing the "great bridge " over Saugus river.
On the 18th of October, thirty shillings were granted annually for the
same purpose.
On the 27th of April, Capt.
Robert Bridges's house, near the Iron Works, was burned. (Winthrop.)
[The following license was granted on the
10th of May: "Whereas, Mr. Downings farme, in the way between Linn and
Ipswich is a convenient place for the releife of travellers, it is ordered
that Mr. Downings tenant shall have liberty to keepe an ordinary, his said
tenant being such an one as the towne of Salem shall approve for that
impliment." (Col. Recs.) Mr. Downing's farm was next to Endicott's.]
In June, Margaret Jones, of Charlestown, was
executed at Boston, for a witch. This was the first execution for this
offence, in New England, and should have been the last.
In a letter to his son, dated 4 August, Mr.
Winthrop remarks: "The iron work goeth on with more hope. It yields now
about 7 tons per week, but it is most out of that brown earth which lies
under the bog mine. They tried another mine, and after 24 hours they had a
sum of about 500, which, when they brake, they conceived to be a 5th part
silver. There is a grave man of good fashion come now over to see how
things stand here. He is one who hath been exercised in iron works." In
another letter, 30 September, he says, "The furnace runs 8 tons per week,
and their bar iron is as good as Spanish. The adventurers in England sent
over one Mr. Dawes to oversee Mr. Leader, but he is far short of Mr.
Leader. They could not agree, so he is returned by Teneriffe."
[The inhabitants of Lynn desired the Court to
give them a right understanding of a clause in a grant to the undertakers
of the Iron Works, concerning taxes. They wished to know what was intended
"by ffreedome from all publicke taxes, assessments. and contributions;
whether particular town taxes, &c. both civill and ecclesiasticall."
The Court resolved that the meaning was to include "rates, levies, or
assessments of the common wealth, and not of the town or church."
[Joseph Armitage was licensed to sell wine
for the year, for twenty nobles.]
[William Hooke, of Salisbury, conveys to Samuel Bennet, of Lynn, 15 March,
"all that upland that was given him by arbitration betwixt Thomas Dexter
and him or his father Humphrey Hooke." Humphrey Hooke was probably the
Bristol alderman referred to as mortgagee of some of Mr. Dexter's lands,
under date 1640.]
The Rev. Thomas Cobbet
preached the Election Sermon before the Court, on the 3d of May. [And it
was voted that "Mr Speaker, in the name of the Howse of Deputyes, render
Mr Cobbett the thankes of the howse for his worthy paines in his sermon
wch, at the desire of this howse, he preached on the day of eleccon, and
declare to him it is their desire he would print it heere or elswhere."]
On the 10th, the Governor and Assistants,
among whom was Captain Robert Bridges, signed a protestation against the
prevailing custom of wearing long hair, "after the manner of ruffians and
barbarous Indians."
On the
7th of September, Nicholas Pinion was presented at the Quarterly Court,
for swearing. "The deposition of Quinten Pray. This deponent saith, that
meeting with Nicholas Pinion the last Lord's day, cominge out of his
corne, hee heard the said Pinion sware all his pumpkins were turned to
squashes." The Court, as a comment upon Mr. Johnson's text, (p. 33, old
edition,) "let no man make a jest at pumpkins," fined him. [Elizabeth, the
wife of Mr. Pinion, was, a year or two before this, indicted for adultery,
which was then a capital offence. She was, however, acquitted of the
graver charge; but the Court, 13 May, 1648, sentenced her for swearing and
lewd behavior, to "be sevearly whipt twise, first at Boston and then
agayne at Lin, within one month after."]
On
the 11th of September, Matthew Stanley was tried for winning the
affections of John Tarbox's daughter, without the consent of her parents.
He was fined L5, with 2s. 6d. fees. The parents of the young
woman were allowed 6s. for their attendance, three days.
In the preceding pages, I have given the names of every man whom I
found in Lynn before the year 1650, excepting those who staid but a short
time, and left to settle in other places. I shall here give a list of a
few more names, which I find before the year 1690, and after that time
they become too numerous to be continued. [But after all, a great many
escaped the notice of Mr. Lewis. And I began to prepare a list of
additions, following his plan of giving brief notices. It was soon found,
however, that even this would require more space than could be allowed.
And hence, it was concluded to say a word or two concerning a few whose
lives became of importance in our history, and then prepare as complete a
list as possible of the surnames of all settlers down to the year 1700.
Such a list will be found at the close of the volume. And it cannot be
doubted that it will prove useful as the foundation for future inquiries.
It would be altogether too venturesome to claim that the list is perfect,
though great labor and care have been bestowed upon it.]
SAMUEL APPLETON, Jr. - was here from 1677 to
1688, in connection with the Iron Works, which he owned at that time. He
was a descendant of John Appulton, who died at Great Waldingfield, in
1414. The following record of the family is from the old volume of Lynn
Records which was discovered by me, after it had been lost for many years.
"Mr. Samuell Apleton, Junior, and Mis Elizabeth Whittingham, the Daughter
of Mr. William Whittingham, Marchant, in Boston, was married the 19th of
June, 1682. Mary, the Daughter of Mr. Samuell Appleton and of Elizabeth
his wiffe, was born into this world the 30 of March, 1683. Hannah, ther
Daughter, was born the first of November, 1684. Elizabeth, their daughter,
was Born the 10 of July, 1687." He removed to Boston in 1688; and was the
ancestor of the very respectable family of Appletons in that city.
WILLIAM BARBER - married Elizabeth Kirk, 4
May, 1673. He had two children; Elizabeth, born 1 Nov. 1673; William, b. 8
Jan. 1674.
THOMAS BEAL - had two sons.
William married widow Mary Hart, 5 March, 1684. Samuel married Patience
Lovell, March 28, 1682.
THOMAS BERRY - whose
wife's name was Elizabeth - had two sons; Thomas, born 14 March, 1695; and
Samuel, born 25 June, 1697. His descendants remain.
JOHN BLANEY - married Elizabeth Purchis, in
November, 1678. He had a son Joseph, whose descendants live at Swampscot.
SAMUEL BLY - married Lois Ivory, 19 Dec;
1678, and died 31 Dec. 1693. He had two sons, Theophilus and Samuel.
THOMAS BREWER - married Elizabeth Graves, 4
Dec. 1682, and had six children; Mary, Rebecca, Mary again, Crispus,
Thomas, and John.
JOHN HENRY BURCHSTED - a
native of Silesia - married Mary, widow of Nathaniel Kertland, 24 April,
1690. Henry, his son, was born 3 Oct. 1690. They were both eminent
physicians, and lived on the south side of Essex street, between High and
Pearl. [There were two sons, both physicians. One was a surgeon in the
British Navy; the other was Dr. Henry, of Lynn, who also had a son Henry,
a physician.] Dr. John Henry Burchsted died 20 Sept. 1721, aged 64. The
following is his epitaph:
Silesia to New
England sent this man,
To do their all
that any healer can,
But he who conquered all
diseases must
Find one who throws him down
into the dust.
A chemist near to an adeptist
come,
Leaves here, thrown by, his caput
mortuum.
Reader, physicians die as others do;
Prepare, for thou to this art hastening too.
THOMAS BURRAGE - married in 1687, and had
six children; Elizabeth, John, Thomas, Mary, Bethiah, and Ruth.
JOHN COATS - married Mary Witherdin, 14
April, 1681, and had two children, Mary and John.
PHILIP GIFFORD - married Mary Davis, 30 June,
1684. He had two children, Philip and Mary.
ZACCHEUS GOULD - had a son Daniel, born about 1650, who married a
lady whose name was Elizabeth, and who died 3 Aug. 1691.
JOHN GOWING - was married in 1682; his wife's
name was Joanna, and he had seven children; John, Thomas, Elizabeth,
Samuel, Joanna, Lois, and Timothy.
SAMUEL
HART - married Mary Witteridge, 29 Jan. 1673, and had two children; John
and William. [In a deposition of Mr. Hart, sworn to 27 Oct. 1653, he calls
himself about thirty-one years of age, and says that he was sent over by
the Company, to the Iron Works. The two sons mentioned by Mr. Lewis were
children by his second wife, and both died young. He had a previous wife,
also named Mary, who died 24 Dec. 1671, by whom he had children - Mary,
who died in 1657; Hannah, born in April, 1657; Joseph b. 10 April, 1659;
Abigail, b. 15 Nov. 1660; John, b. 3 Aug. 1666, who died the next year;
Rebecca, b. 27 Jan. 1668; Ezekiel, b. 28 April, 1669, who died in infancy.
Savage seems to think his second wife was Mary Whiting. But I have no
doubt Mr. Lewis is correct in stating it to be Witteridge. Mr. Hart
himself died 25 June, 1683. The son Joseph, named as born 10 April, 1659,
married, 24 June, 1685, Ruth Chadwell, and had children - Ruth, born 4
July, 1687; Joseph, b. 12 Sept. 1689; Moses, b. 25 Dec. 1691; Elias, b. 30
Sept. 1695; Ruth, again, b. 3 April, 1697; Aaron, b. 17 Aug. 1700; Edmund,
b. 18 Oct. 1702; Benjamin, b. 21 April, 1705; Samuel, b. 15 Nov. 1707.
This last named Samuel married Phebe Ivory, and the Joseph spoken of on
another page, was a child by this marriage. He, Joseph, married Eunice,
daughter of Samuel Burrill, and granddaughter, of Hon. Ebenezer, whose
farm embraced the beautiful estate of E. R Mudge, at Swampscot, and had
children - Anna, born 12 April, 1767; (who married Joseph Lye, and was
grandmother of Amos P. Tapley, president of the City Bank); Joseph, b. 1
Nov. 1768; Eunice, b. 8 Oct. 1770; (who married David Tufts, who for many
years ran an express wagon to Marblehead, and was the first regular Lynn
express driver); Phebe, b. 12 June, 1773; Burrill, b. 12 Nov. 1775;
Samuel, b. 2 May, 1778; Sarah, b. 24 Jan. 1781; (mother of the writer);
John, b. 8 Dec. 1783; Joseph Burrill, b. 8 Oct. 1788. The Aaron named
above as born 17 Aug. 1700, was father of Edmund Hart, who built the
famous frigate Constitution. For something further concerning the Harts
see other dates.]
THOMAS IVORY - had two
sons, Thomas and John. He died 18 July, 1690. [Mr. Ivory came in 1638. His
wife's name was Ann, and he had daughters, Lois, Ruth, and Sarah. Lois
married, 10 May, 1656, John Burrill, and was the favored mother of Hon.
John Burrill, the "beloved speaker," and Hon. Ebenezer, his brother;
notices of whom may be found elsewhere in this volume. Ruth married
Theophilus Bailey, and Sarah married Moses Chadwell.]
DANIEL KING - married widow Elizabeth Corwin,
of Salem. He died 27 May, 1672. His widow, Elizabeth, died 26 Feb. 1677.
He lived at Swampscot, and bought a large portion of Mr. Humfrey's farm.
He had two sons; Daniel married Tabitha Walker, 11 March, 1662. Ralph
married Elizabeth Walker, 2 March, 1663. [It appears by the records that
this Elizabeth Corwin, or Curwen, as Mr. Lewis elsewhere spells it, was
not a widow till 3 Jan. 1685; and in 1694, she was still living as the
widow Elizabeth Corwin.]
JOHN LYSCOM - had a
son, Samuel, born 16 Sept. 1693.
DANIEL
NEEDHAM - married in 1673, and had five children; Elizabeth, Edmund,
Daniel, Ruth, and Mary.
EZEKIEL NEEDHAM -
married Sarah King, 27 Oct. 1669, and had five children; Edmund, Sarah,
Ezekiel, Daniel, and Ralph. [Mr. Lewis is evidently in error about these
two Needhams. They were doubtless sons of Edmund Needham, who came to Lynn
in 1639, and the same mentioned in his will copied under date 1640. Daniel
married Ruth Chadwell, 24 Feb. 1659, and had children, Daniel, born in
1665; Judith, b. 1667; Ezekiel, b. 1670; Mary, b. 1672; Elizabeth, b.
1675;. Edmund, b. 1677; Daniel and Ruth, twins, b. 1680. And Ezekiel's
children were, Edmund, born in 1670; a child born in 1673, who died in
infancy; Sarah, b. 1674; Ezekiel, b. 1676, who survived but a short time;
Ezekiel again, b. 1677; Daniel, b. 1680; Ralph, b. 1682. I do not see how
the error of placing Daniel's marriage in 1673, occurred.]
THOMAS NORWOOD - married Mary Brown, 24 Aug.
1685, and had six children; Francis, Ebenezer, Mary, Thomas, Mary, and
Jonathan.
GEORGE OAKS - had five children, by
his wife Janet; John, born 31 July, 1664, Mary, Richard, Sarah, Elizabeth,
and George.
SAMUEL PENFIELD - married Mary
Lewis, 30 Nov. 1675, and had two children, Samuel and Mary.
JOHN PERKINS - married Anna Hutchinson, 29
Aug. 1695, and had five children; Anna, John, Elizabeth, Mary, and
William.
JOHN PERSON - had Eleven children;
James, born 28 Nov. 1680, Tabitha, John, Rebecca, Kendall, Susanna, Mary,
Thomas, Ebenezer, Sarah, and Abigail.
JOHN
PHILLIPS - had two children; John, born 3 Dec. 1689; Hannah, b. 6 June,
1694. He lived at Swampscot, and his wife's name was Hannah. He died 29
Sept. 1694.
WILLIAM ROBINSON - had three
sons; William, born 7 Oct. 1683; Aquila; John.
HENRY SILSBE - had three sons; Jonathan
married Bethia Marsh, 1 Jan. 1673; Samuel married Mary Bistow, 4
July, 1676; Henry married Grace Eaton, 18 Nov. 1680.
HENRY STACEY - had five children; William,
born 3 Jan. 1674; Henry, b. 1 April, 1677; Sarah, b. 3 Jan. 1678;
Ebenezer, b. 4 Jan. 1680; John, b. 30 Oct.
1682.
[JOHN VINTON - settled in Lynn as
early as 1648, and was in some way connected with the Iron Works. His
wife's name was Ann, and his children were, Eleanor, born in May, 1648;
John, b. 2 March, 1650; William, b. in April, 1652; Blaise, b. 22 April,
1654; Ann, b. 4 April, 1656; Elizabeth, b. in Jan. 1658; Sarah, b. 16
Sept. 1662. Eleanor married Isaac Ramsdell, of Lynn. John married Hannah
Green, of Malden, and removed to that place. He was an iron worker,
acquired a large property, and is now considered to be the progenitor of
almost all who at the present time bear the surname in the country,
including those emtnent brothers, Rev. Dr. Alexander H. and Rev. Dr.
Francis Vinton. One of the family, a number of years since, collected the
names of more than a thousand of his descendants. Blaise served in thee
Indian war of 1675, and is supposed to have perished then. The Vinton
family is, no doubt, of Huguenot origin.]
JOSHUA WAIT - married Elizabeth Mansfield, 10 Jan. 1675, and had two
children, Moses and Mary.
ABRAHAM WELLMAN -
whose wife's name was Elizabeth - had a son born, 3 May, 1676.
DOMINGO WIGHT - a colored man, had three
children; Mary, born 31 Aug. 1675; Joseph, b. 23 May, 1678; Hannah, b. 5
Sept. 1679.
[Mr. Whiting, Mr. Cobbet, and
four other ministers, send a letter to Cromwell, 31 December, in which
they say, "since your honor hath so large a heart given you of the Lord as
to desire you to build him a temple amidst the ruinous heaps of Ireland,
we know not but we may attend this providence of the Lord, hoping that as
we came by call of God to serve him here, so if the Lord's mind shall
clearly appear to give us a sufficient call and encouragement to remove
unto Ireland, to serve the Lord Jesus Christ there, we shall cheerfully
and thankfully embrace the same."]
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