USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > History of the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, with genealogical registers > Part 1
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Gc 974.402 D95W 1136493
M
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01105 3375
(Plymouth Co)
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofd00wins_0
Ad
Br K Hathaway del. 1793.
Tappan & Bradford's With
COL. BRIGGS ALDEN. BORN 1723 -DIED 1796 .
A
HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF DUXBURY,
MASSACHUSETTS,
WITH
GENEALOGICAL REGISTERS.
BY JUSTIN WINSOR.
"TO ATTEND TO THE NEGLECTED, AND TO REMEMBER THE FORGOTTEN." - BURKE.
BOSTON : CROSBY & NICHOLS, WASHINGTON STREET ; SAMUEL G. DRAKE, CORNHILL.
1849.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, BY JUSTIN WINSOR, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
BOSTON : JOHN PUTNAM, PRINTER, 81 CORNHILL.
1136493 TO
THE INHABITANTS
OF
THE TOWN OF DUXBURY,
THIS
Record of their Ancestry and Ancestral Monor, IS INSCRIBED.
PREFACE.
MORE than two years have now elapsed, since the writing of this work was commenced by the Author. That the matter which he then began to collect would ever, or at least in so short a time, be submitted to the press, was a thing unthought of. As no opportunity was passed by for adding to the stock, which soon became gradually to increase, he had accumulated at the end of this time such a store of historic and genealogical inform- ation, that it was deemed advisable by many to whom the manuscripts were shown, that they should be put into a more durable form in print. With their request he was induced to comply, and although conscious of its many imperfections, he now submits it to them in their desired form, and also to those for whom it was more especially designed, the inhabitants of the town, and to professed antiquaries elsewhere, it is now given emanating from himself alone, and entitled to what consideration each may be per- suaded to confer upon it.
The work has been one of much care and research. To the Author it has been one of amusement, though oftentimes subjecting him to considera- ble labor and toil; yet it has been more than recompensed, when with feelings of pleasure he has traced the nearly obliterated and illegible records of the past, and discovered in the language of their writings the spiritual character and heroic nature of the actors, in their struggles for religious freedom and civil independence.
Where is the land that can look back to a race of founders worthy of a higher and truer distinction, than can the people of New England ? and where should there be their existing influence, mightier and more effectual, than among the descendants of that Pilgrim band, in whose midst were the ahodes of a Brewster, a Standish, and an Alden? May they cherish that natural character of their inheritance, may they preserve it in its original purity, guard it with the watchfulness of their christian fathers, make their lives, as theirs, an example, and their end a monument of worldly excel- lence, worthy to be cherished.
In regard to the arrangement of the work it seems scarcely necessary to say a word. The matter embraced on the first eighty-eight pages seemed to be better placed by itself, distinct from the General History, than em- bodied in the latter. The Ecclesiastical History has been arranged in a
-
vi
PREFACE.
chronological order, and biographical sketches of the pastors introduced. Of the Genealogical Registers, which have been prepared with considerable care, more will be said hereafter.
My acknowledgments are due to many, who have cheered me by their countenance, and afforded me aid in the compilation of the work, as well as to those whose advice and counsel in matters relative to its publication have been of much and valuable service. To Messrs. SAMUEL G. DRAKE and JAMES S. LORING I have to express my indebtedness.
To the REV. BENJAMIN KENT, the present Librarian of the Roxbury Athenaum, I feel under great obligations for the loan of his MS. Notes on Duxbury, made during his ministry in the town, as also for the use of his volume of original MS. Collections.
To Messrs. CHARLES EWER, WILLIAM H. MONTAGUE and others, who have aided me in different portions of the work, and encouraged me in the undertaking, I return my thanks ; and especially to the REV. JOSEPH B. FELT, the courteous Librarian of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and to DR. NATHANIEL B. SHURTLEFF, the accurate genealogist of the Old Colony. To many of the aged inhabitants of the town, to whose tales I have listened with interest, and whose words I have taken from their lips, I must express my indebtedness. In regard to others whose assistance I have received, my acknowledgments will be recorded in their proper places.
Where such a multitude of dates, and variety of matter is recorded, it would seem almost impossible that some mistakes should not occur, though it has been a special care, that everything erroneous in its nature, arising from carelessness or a mistake in facts should be excluded from the work. Traditional authority has been received for what it is worth, and in no case is credence allowed it, except it is corroborated and substantiated by unquestionable proof.
Boston, October, 1849.
J. W.
--
CONTENTS.
PAGE
SETTLEMENT
9
INCORPORATION
11
. NAME 11
BOUNDS 13
PATHS, HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES 17
SURVEYORS OF HIGHWAYS 21
ANCIENT LANDMARKS 23 ·
TOWN'S COMMONS
35
MILLS, DAMS, ETC. .
43
BOUNTIES, FINES, ETC.
45
ORDINARIES 46
FIRST SETTLERS . 48
71
INDIANS
74
TOWN OFFICERS
77
ז׳ REPRESENTATIVES
77
66 SELECTMEN
79
:6 CONSTABLES 81
TREASURERS 82
66 CLERKS 82
RECORDS
82
MISCELLANEOUS
83
GENERAL HISTORY (CIVIL AND MILITARY) . 89
PHILIP'S WAR 103
CHARTER OF 1691 112
STAMP ACT .
118
REVOLUTION 123
SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION
viii
CONTENTS.
PAGE
BIOGRAPHIES OF REVOLUTIONARY MEN
147
WAR OF 1812
161
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
171
FORMATION 171
REV. RALPH PARTRIDGE
171
REV. JOHN HOLMES .
178
REV. ICHABOD WISWALL
180
REV. JOHN ROBINSON 184
REV. SAMUEL VEAZIE
191
REV. CHARLES TURNER
202
REV. ZEDEKIAH SANGER
205
REV. JOHN ALLYN 207
REV. BENJAMIN KENT 210
REV. JOSIAH MOORE 210
GENEALOGICAL REGISTERS
213
APPENDIX I. . 348
II. 348
66 III. 349
INDEX
353
HISTORY
OF THE 1
TOWN OF DUXBURY.
SETTLEMENT.
THE town was first settled about the year 1632, by the people of Plymouth. Twelve years had elapsed since the first settlement of New Plymouth, and their numbers had greatly increased by emigration from the mother land, and larger allotments were called for by the inhabitants, so that by degrees the circle of the bay was occupied. We find this early record of the settlement, under the date 1632; -
" This year the people of [Plymouth] begin to grow in their outward estates, by the flowing of many People into the coun- try, especially into the M. C: [Mass. Colony.] By which means Cattle and Corn rise to a great price, Goods grow plen- tiful; and many are enriched. And now their Stock increas- ing, the Increase vendible; there is no longer holding them together. They must go to their great Lots : they can no otherwise keep their cattle; and having Oxen grown, they must have more land for Plowing and Tillage. By this means they scatter round the Bay [of Plymouth] quickly, and the Town wherein they lived till now compactly, is soon left very thin, and in a short time almost desolate. The Church also comes to be divided, and those who have lived so long together in Christian and Comfortable Fellowship must now part."
That before this period in 1630 or 1631, there were some settlers in Duxbury is most probable; but they returned to Plymouth in the winter to insure their better attendance at Public Worship, as well as on account of their exposed situa-
2
10
SETTLEMENT.
tion, which would be liable to the attacks of the Indians at that remote distance from immediate relief. Their cottages here, too, being probably of hasty construction for the sum- mer, they wished to resign for their more substantial abodes at Plymouth. Alden, Standish, Brewster and Prence, and also Collier, Delano, and some others, were the earliest set- tlers, and they could not be spared from the Town, unless under a promise of return at winter. We find the following in the Colony records :-
" Anº 1632 } The names of those which promise to remove
Aprell 2 \ their fam[ilies] to live in the towne in the winter time, that they m[ay] the better repair to the worship of God.
JOHN ALDEN, CAPT. STANDISH, JONATHAN BREWSTER, THOMAS PRENCE."
The year previous to the incorporation of Duxbury, the question was agitated about uniting the two Churches of Ply- mouth and Duxbury at some convenient place between the two settlements ; and there to build a town, for the purpose of uniting for prompt protection in time of danger. And at a Colony Court held at Plymouth, March 2, 1635-6, persons were appointed "to confer on reuniting with them of Dux- burrow at Jones River or such place as shall be most conve- nient." And again there was a meeting of the Court on the 21st of March, and " At this meeting, after much conference about the neerer uniting of Plymouth and those on Duxbur- rough side, divers were apointed to view Jones his river and Morton's hole, wch were thought the fittest placs & to render a reason for their judgement. The pties for Duxburrow side were Mr. William Collier, Stephen Tracy, Mr. Joh Howland, Edm Chandler, Joshua Pratt; for the other side Capt. Myles
Standish, Manasseh Kempton, George Kenrick, John Jenney, & Edward Bangs; All these but Edward Bangs went and conferred together, and on the 21st of sd moneth of March brought in their opinions and rendered their reasons for the same, wch are many and still extant; seaven of the said nine holding Jones River * to be the fittest place for the uniting of both pts unto a neerer society & there to build a meeting house and towne. And the two preferred the other, wch is Morton's Hole + before Jones River.
* This region, for many years a part of Plymouth and Duxbury, seems first to have been made a district about 1641, when separate surveyors of roads were appointed. Many years after, the portion belonging to Ply- mouth was incorporated under the name of Kingston.
+ Morton's Hole is the name given to a round and deep hole on the flats, to the west of Captain's Hill, and the vicinity thereabout was without doubt the situation here intended.
11
INCORPORATION. - NAME.
" Afterwards the Govr. & Council sumoned sd psons depu- ted as before had done, & read their reasons of their judgemt. And after long debating of the thing it was at length referred to the two churches on each side as churches to agree upon and end the same."-Old Col. Rec. Ct. orders. I. 90.
What conclusion the churches came to, we know not, as nothing more concerning it appears on the records, and the matter was probably dropped.
INCORPORATION.
ON the Colony Records we find the following relative to the incorporation.
"June 7, 1637. It is enacted by the Court that Ducksbor- row shall become a towneship and unite together for their better securitie and to have the prveledges of a towne, onely their bounds & limmits shalbe sett and appoynted by the next Court."
This date is old style; and here again I must repeat the fact, so often announced by historians, that style is old and new. In 1532, Pope Gregory corrected the calendar, and this correction was not adopted by the English Parliament until 1751, when the 3d of September, 1752, was ordered to be call- ed the 14th, thus dropping eleven days, for the purpose of bringing the vernal equinox on the 21st of March ; and the year was to begin on the 1st of January, instead of March 25th. Hence arose the practice of double dating between January 1st and March 25th, before 1752; thus March 2d, 1635-6, would be 1635 O. S., but 1636 N. S. In these pages the latter, or N. S. date, for the year is generally given ; but the O. S. for the day.
NAME.
IT received the name of Duxbury out of respect to Captain Standish, from Duxbury Hall, the seat of the Standish family in England. Even as early as 1306, it appears from English works on Pedigree, that there was living at Duxbury, in Lan- cashire, Hugh Standish, (the son of Ralph, the son of Thurs- ton de Standish, who was living 1222), and in 1677, Sir Rich- ard Standish, the great grandson of Hugh, occupied the same
4
12
NAME.
domain in England, which was held in 1812 by Sir Frank Standish of Duxbury Park.
This undoubtedly is the origin of the name of the New Eng- land town, and not, as the author of the Notes on Duxbury (Mass, Hist. Coll. II.) derives it, viz. - " The probable ety- mology is Dux [the Latin for Leader] and borough or burrow, as it was then written. It being a grant to the Captain or leader, it was called his borough." *
The name is variously spelled among ancient writers. The spelling of the records is Duxborough and Duxburrow, and sometimes Ducksburrow. Johnson, in his " Wonder-working Providence," calls it "Dukes Berry," and says of it, that it is in the " Plimouth government, scituated upon the sea-coast." Captain Underhill, in his history of the Pequot war, calls it " Dukesbury," and says of it and "Cap Cod " and " New
* Various names have been given at different times to the several por- tions and villages, which are included within the bounds of Duxbury. Ashdod is the name given to a small village in the north-west part of the town. A portion of the south-east is called Weechertown, and sometimes Loringtown. The name Weechertown is said to have been derived from Abijah Sprague, who built a small hut here, and called it his " weecher," the Indian for wigwam. A village in the upper part is called Tarkiln, or Chandlertown, and forms a school district. Here, at the junction of the road from Plymouth to Boston with the road from Duxbury, was the " Tree of Knowledge," so called ; and a box nailed to this was the depository for the Duxbury letters, many years ago, when a regular conveyance was es- tablished between Plymouth and Boston. Here the towns-people repaired to obtain their letters and papers, or some one was despatched to get them and distribute them. The mail was afterwards conveyed here to meet the Plymouth stage for Boston. And before the establishment of a direct mail between Duxbury and Boston, the Duxbury mail was carried to Kingston, and there met the Plymouth. A guide-board is now standing on the place where the tree stood, bearing a representation of it. Tinkertown is another village in the upper part of the town. The portion of the main street of the town, to the south of the Methodist churches, is generally styled " the Village," and sometimes " Sodom." The occasion of the latter name is said to have been as follows :- On one of the roads leading from the inland towns, was situated the house of Dr. John Wadsworth, who was noted as rather an eccentric individual, and concerning whom some anecdotes of an amusing nature are still current. By his door frequently passed the adven- turesome sons of farmers of the interior, eager to ship themselves on board some of the comparatively many fishing vessels, which were then often leaving Duxbury at the proper season. At one time a party of these going by, asked the Doctor the distance to " the village," and other questions concerning the prospects before them, who met them with the reply, " Ah, you are going there ; are you? That place is Sodom. I tell you it is going to be sunk ; it is ! Well now do you want me to make you a rhyme ? Well then --
The Swampineers avoid all fears, A fishing they will go, If they 'scape h-ll, it will be well, But that they will n't, I know."
And with this most solemn warning he dismissed them.
13
BOUNDS.
Plimouth," that they are " well accommodated for the receiv- ing of people, and yet few are there planted, considering the spaciousness of the place."
Indian Name. The Indian name was Mattakeeset; but the north-western part (now Pembroke,) was called generally Namasakeeset or Namasakiset.
BOUNDS.
1640. THE bounds between Duxbury and Plymouth are " from a little brooke, running from Stephen Tracy's, to an- other little brooke, falling into Blackwater from the commons left to Duxburrow and the neighborhood thereabouts." The bounds of the Town were fixed at a Court, held March 1, 1640-1. Ordered, " that the bounds of Duxburrow Towne- ship, shall begin where Plymouth bounds do end, namely at the brooke falling into Blackwater [ut supra] and so along Mattachusetts payth to the North River. The said payth to be the westerne bounds thereof; excepting and reserving all those lands granted wthin the said limmits to pticuler psons in Plymouth, Greens Harbour and Scituate, whose cattell may likewise depasture upon the said comons wth them." *
Between Duxbury and Green's harbor these bounds were fixed ; - "It is concluded and agreed betwixt Captain Miles Standish, Mr. John Alden, Jonathan Brewster & William Basset, and Mr. Edward Winslow the xxviiith day of Decem- ber, 1640, that from a great rock that is flatt on the topp, call- ed parting rock, shalbe the prsent bounds betweene Greens harbour and Duxburrow and shall range from thence norwest to the South river, & on the contrary South East wth payth between Scituate and Duxburrow, and from thence the payth to divide them to the bridge over Greens harbour fresh." Soon after the town was ordered to appoint men to define the bounds with Marshfield.+
* 'The bounds of Duxbury originally included what is now within the limits of Duxbury, Marshfield, Pembroke, Hanson, and the Bridgewaters. Marshfield was bounded off in 1640 ; Pembroke incorporated in 1711-12 ; Hanson set off from Pembroke in 1820 .; and Bridgewater (now four towns) was incorporated in 1656, having been granted to the inhabitants in 1645. For the grantees of Bridgewater, see Appendix I. The " Major's Pur- chase," an earlier grant to the town, was the great cedar swamp in Hanson. + Marshfield was incorporated March 2d, 1640, though its bounds were not fixed until 1642. It was first called Rexham and Green Harbor, and afterwards, from the characteristic nature of its surface, Marshfield. Its
14
BOUNDS.
1658. Namasakeeset was ordered to belong to Duxbury about this year.
1665. Robinson's Creek was ordered to be the bounds be- tween Duxbury's land and Scituate.
1674. A difficulty, which for some time had existed be- tween Duxbury and Major Winslow of Marshfield, in relation to the division of a piece of marsh between the towns, was this year settled. Marshfield sent an order for the final settle- ment of it to Duxbury, bearing date May 21, 1674. There- upon the town appointed Mr. John Alden, Mr. Samuel Sea- bury, Wm. Pabodie, John Tracy, and John Soule, "or any three of them to treat with the said Winslow, and make a full issue and settlement of said controversy." They accordingly met, with the exception of Mr. Alden, on 16th June, 1674, and "after some agitation and treaty," concluded thus ; - From the Easterly side of Careswell Creek to another creek, and along its banks to its mouth, where it flows into the Ma- jor's River ; and then crossing the river pursues the bank of an opposite creek, which flows a little north of Little wood Island, and thence across to Gotum River, and along its banks to a creek on the Easterly side, and from its mouth across to Cut River. Duxbury was to make over to Marshfield a mea- dow at Cut River, near its mouth, and, say the Records, "this instrument being brought to publique record shalbe a finall and perpetuall isshue of the abovesaid controversy."
" June, 1678. This Court have settled the easterly bounds of ye towne of Duxburrow to be ye sea near Green harbour,
Indian name was Missaucatucket. In 1639, the Court granted unto Mr. Winslow and the others of Green harbor "a competent pcon of uplands and medowe betwixt the rivers [Green harbor and South] for a farme for a minister, and one other competent porcon of land, nere unto the said lot for the minister, either for Nehemiah Smyth or some other as the said inhabit- ants shall place in." Mr. Richard Blinman, who arrived from Wales in 1642, was the first minister, and who soon after went to Gloucester, to New London in 1648, to New Haven in 1658, to Newfoundland in 1659, and then to England, and died in the ministry at Bristol in a good old age. Rev. Edward Bulkley was pastor from 1642 to 1658, when he removed to . Concord, and succeeded his father Rev. Peter in 1659 (who was son of Rev. Edward, D. D., of England), and died at Chelmsford 2d January, 1696, and was buried at Concord. His son John died at Marshfield in 1658. The town purchased his house for a parsonage, which was occupied by his successor, Rev. Samuel Arnold, who was settled near the close of 1659, and who received £40 salary per annum. The town agreed with Benjamin Church to build a new parsonage in 1667. There were no Church records kept during his ministry. He died Sept. 1, 1693, leaving a library valued at £7 10s., and bequeathing to Rowland Cotton " his great Laten Book called Augustine Marloret, being an exposition of the New Testament." It is said he was a carpenter by trade. His son Samuel received his divin- ity books. The town records of M. are extant; but the early volumes are in a fragmentary state .- Miss M. A. Thomas's Communication ; Deane's Scituate ; Farmer's Register ; Col. Records and Probate do.
15
BOUNDS.
where ye line cutts betweene Marshfield and Duxburrow to ye Gurrnett's Nose, excepting ye Gurnett, Clarks Iland, and Saquaquash, wh are not to be within ye jurisdition of Duxbo- rough ; saveing also every man's property and right to him, yt is now in possession of any lands or Meadowes within these bounds, whether by grant or purchase, without disturb- ance as touching property by vertue of this grant, yet to be within ye jurisdition off Duxborough townshipp."
1684. Marshfield and Duxbury. From a rock near Cle- ment King's house, northwest to North River, ranging near Samuel Hach's house : and again from said rock southeast to a cartway between Samuel and Seth Arnold's, thence to Green's harbour path, thence to Edw. Bump's at Duck hill, including his land within Marshfield.
Signed Feb. 23, 1684.
WILLIAM PABODIE, for Duxbury. SAML. SPRAGUE, NATHL. THOMAS, for Marshfield. JOHN TRACY,
1
This from the Colony Records : A confirmation of previous grants : 1685 :
" Hinckley, Govr. Duxbury Bounds.
At the Generall Court held at Plimouth the twelfth day of Jun, Ano Domini 1685.
Whereas, William Bradford, Esqr. & his asociats in the yeare 1637, did grant unto Capt. Miles Standish & others the inhabitants & proprietors of the lands within the townshipe of Duxborrough, from and after the said yeare, so called, besides the farmes formerly granted to them, a certaine Tract of land for the settleing A plantation & making of a Townshipp. [Here follows a recapitulation of the several bounds mentioned above.] This prsent Court doth hereby declare it so to bee, and doe hereby Ratifye, Establish & confirme all former grants of land made by the said William Bradford & his aso- ciats to particular prsons there, before the said place became a Townshipp, & all other the Lands within the said Townshipp, to the respective owners thereof, wheather Inhabitants or oth- erwise, According to the true intents & meaning of the said grants. [Here follows a confirmation of a grant made in 1660, viz., of one half of a tract of land, bounded southerly by Plymouth line, and westerly by Jones River Pond and Indian head River ; the other half being granted to Marshfield.] To have & to hold the said Lands & meadows or marishes to the said town in Generall, & owners & propriettors in perticular, whether Inhabitants or not of the said town, & to their suc, cessours, heires & assignees for ever to bee holden of our Sover" Lord, the King, as of his mannor & tenure of East
1
16
POPULATION.
Greenwich in the county of Kentt, &c. They the grantees yeilding & payeing to our Soveraign Lord, the King, his heires & successors & to the president of the honorable councill, such part of the Gold and sillver oar as pr our Charter is expressed. The Seale In Testimony whereof this Court have or- dered the publicke seale of this colony to be afixed to these prsents." of the Country. 5
1686. Duxbury and Scituate. This year there was a con- troversy between these towns about the division of a tract of land. June 24th, Francis Barker was empowered to treat with Scituate, and defend the rights of the town. John Wads- worth and Edw. Southworth petitioned against it.
1714. The following more particular bounds between Duxbury and Plymouth, are from the Town Records.
Beginning at the beach on the northerly end of the highland at the Gurnet, on the easterly side, and running due west to a rock at the north end of Clarks Island, thence to Clarks Island .. Channel, which comes from Powder point, and down that to Jones River Channel, thence up this channel and Jones River to Stoney Brook, up said brook, and thence up Tussock's creek to the head of the western branch, thence northerly across Mile brook, and thence westerly to the mouth of Jones River Pond.
Signed April 30, 1714.
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