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1800
Glass Fra
Book
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THE
ESSEX MEMORIAL,
FOR
-
1836:
1327
EMBRACING
A REGISTER OF THE COUNTY. -
BY JAMES R. NEWHALL.
CI
SALEM : PUBLISHED AT THE BOOK STORE OF HENRY WHIPPLE. 1836.
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1835, BY JAMES R. NEWHALL, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts.
BOSTON : TUTTLE, WEEKS AND DENNETT, PRINTERS. No. 8, School Street.
F78 EIN5
PREFACE.
WE have but few words to say on introducing this little book to the notice of the public. Small as the volume may appear, it is one which has been prepared with much labor and expense. The ground over which we have gone was new, and our progress has been without chart or com- pass, so far as any model was concerned. But we have not been without assistance ; many gentlemen in the various sections of the County, whose kindness will not be forgotten, have ren- dered essential aid, - some by collecting and transmitting useful data, and interesting sketches and facts, - some by the loan of books of refer- ence, - and some by pointing out as we visited the various towns, such matters as were deemed most worthy of notice.
It is designed to continue the Memorial as an annual, should the reception of the present volume appear to offer sufficient encouragement. There are many subjects of deep interest, the reader must be aware, which did not come within the scope of the present volume, but which could be
iv
PREFACE.
presented in one where the plan was somewhat varied. It will at present, however, be only necessary to say, that should the patronage be- stowed on this, be sufficient to warrant the issuing of another volume, we shall use our best endeavor to render it useful and interesting.
It will be perceived that in one or two particu- lars we have deviated somewhat from the plan set forth in the prospectus ; but the deviations were made under a conviction that they were improve- ments. In the mechanical department, it was proposed to have the volume an 18mo. " of about 300 pages," but we have adopted a form one size larger, thinking that to be most convenient, with a small number of pages less ; which was done at an expense much exceeding that of full 300 pages 18mo.
In a work of this nature, it could not, of course, be expected, that the sources from which every item of intelligence was derived, should be partic- ularly stated, as they are almost innumerable, and would occupy a large space on every page. Most of the information, was collected from oral tes- timony, and personal observation ; but what has been derived from publications of any kind, we have aimed to have from the best authorities ; not deeming it necessary to be so fastidious about credits as would be requisite in works of a differ- ent character.
CONTENTS.
ESSEX COUNTY.
Page.
Discovery of,
-
9
First Visit to, 9
Fishing and Planting Station at Cape Ann, - 10
Settlement of Salem, - 11
Arrival of Endicott, 12
Arrival of Winthrop, -
12
Management of the Colony,
12
Scarcity of Money,
13
Indians, 14
Incorporation,
16
Celestial Phenomenon,
16
Violent Storms,
17
Great Comet,
17
Sir Edmund Andros,
17
Witchcraft, -
18
Discovery of the Northern Lights, 24
Great Earthquake, - 24
First Printing Establishment, -
24
Fashions of Dress,
25
Revolutionary War, 25 -
Cloth - Nails, 26
Dark Day, - - 26
Indian Wars, 17
vi
CONTENTS.
Page .
War of 1812,
26
Rivers, -
26
Boundaries and Population,
27
Sheriff, -
27
Supreme Judicial Court,
28
Court of Common Pleas,
- 28
County Commissioners,
28
Probate Court,
.
29
Register of Deeds, -
29
Clerk of the Courts,
- 30
Treasurer, -
30
Justices of the Peace,
30
Notaries Public,
31
Coroners,
31
Military, -
31
Agricultural Society,
34
Medical Society,
36
Historical Society,]
37
Natural History Society,
38
Temperance Society,
38
Anti-Slavery Society, -
39
Teacher's Association,
39
Divisions of Land, -
40
Public Buildings, &c.
40
Colored Population, -
40
Slaves, - -
40
Aged Persons,
41
Deaf, Dumb and Blind,
41
Highest Land,
41
AMESBURY, -
41
ANDOVER,
50
BEVERLY,
57
BOXFORD,
67
BRADFORD, - - 71
DANVERS, 79
vii
CONTENTS.
Page·
ESSEX,
.
91
GLOUCESTER,
95
HAMILTON,
- 113
HAVERHILL,
116
IPSWICH,
- 130
LYNN, -
140
LYNNFIELD, -
- 155
MANCHESTER,
158
MARBLEHEAD,
- 162
METHUEN,
188
MIDDLETON, -
- 192
NEWBURY,
194
NEWBURYPORT,
.
207
ROWLEY,
223
SALEM,
.
228
SALISBURY,
258
SAUGUS,
- 264
TOPSFIELD,
268
WENHAM,
270
WEST-NEWBURY,
274
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
278
TABLE OF TOWNS, containing List of Towns- Dates of Incorporation-Distances from Bos- ton- Population-Ratable Polls-Valuation- School Districts-Churches- Banks-Banking Capital-Lawyers-Physicians, -
- 282
ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS.
Page 48, line 11, for " John H." read John W.
Page 55, line 7, dele " Nehemiah Adams"-lie was appointed, but did not accept.
Page 89, line 30, for " Presson," read Preston.
Page 90, line 23, for " Perry," read Berry.
Page 96, lines 1 and 2, transpose the words " planting" and " fish- ing".
Page 99, line 18, for " 1774" read 1704.
Page 105, add Lonson Nash, lawyer, and substitute Moses H. Shaw for " Joshua P. Trask," Deputy sheriff.
Page 106, line 34, for " 1813" read 1810 ;- same page, line 36, for " 1827," read 1830.
Page 112, line 25, for 1639, read " 1642."
Page 149, add as Newspaper, the Lynn Mirror, which succeeded the Chronicle, Dec. 12, 1835, published every Saturday morning, by G. W. D. Andrews, at $2 per annum ; in politics Whig.
Page 166, line 29, for " 79" read 97.
ESSEX COUNTY.
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
THE first discovery, by Europeans, of that por- tion of Massachusetts now forming Essex County, of which we have any knowledge, was made in 1602. On the 21st of March, Captain Bartholo- mew Gosnold sailed from Falmouth, England, with a company of thirtytwo persons, ten of whom were to commence a settlement on the shore of New England, or North Virginia, as this portion of America was then called. On the 14th of May, they discovered the coast between Cape Ann and Nahant, and as they approached the land, eight Indians went on board to welcome them. Hence the company proceeded across the Bay and cast anchor near the southern shore; here they took great quantities of cod, a circumstance which sug- gested the name they gave to the great promontory, to this day known as Cape Cod. They then passed round the Cape, and after making a few discoveries, some of them landed for the purpose of commencing the settlement ; but they soon abandoned their project, and all set sail for Eng. land, arriving at Exmouth, in July.
The year 1611 is rendered memorable as being the first in which any European is known to have
.
10
ESSEX COUNTY.
set foot upon the soil of Essex County. Edward Harlie* and Nicholas Hobson sailed for New Eng- land, on a voyage of discovery. They stopped at several places on the coast, and finally arrived at Agawam, now Ipswich, where they were kindly received by the Indians ; here they remained a short time, and then returned to England, taking five of the natives. From this year to 1624, sev- eral visits were made to this region, though it does not appear that any settlement was attempted.
In 1624, the Dorchester Company, in England, was formed through the instrumentality of the Rev. Mr White. They sent over persons to commence a fishing and planting station at Cape Ann. John Tilley was employed as overseer of the planting, and Thomas Gardener of the fishery. Of their " Salt-Man," (a pretty important personage) Brad- ford appears to have entertained rather an un- favorable opinion, as he says of him, writing at Plymouth, he " is an ignorant, foolish, self-willed man, who chooses a spot for his salt-works, will have eight or ten men to help him, is confident the ground is good, makes a carpenter rear a great frame of a house for the salt and other like uses ; but finds himself deceived in the bottom ; will then have a lighter to carry clay, &c., yet all in vain ; he could do nothing but boil salt in pans. The next year is sent to Cape Ann ; and there the pans are set up by the fishery ; but before the summer is out, he burns the house and spoils the pans ; and there's an end of this chargeable busi- ness."
In 1625, Roger Conant, whom Mr White styles " a pious, sober and prudent gentleman," was
* Mr Felt, in his history of Ipswich, has this name Har- die ; but in ancient books we find it as in the text.
11
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
chosen by the Company to superintend the affairs at Cape Ann, both planting and fishing. 'Thither he removed, taking Lyford,* as minister, and others. Oldham was also invited to go, but it appears declined the invitation.
The settlement at Cape Ann was broken up in the autumn of 1626, the adventurers not having met with the desired success, and Conant, together with Lyford and many others of his associates, removed to Naumkeag, now Salem. They located themselves on the tongue of land through which Bridge Street now runs ; - and thus commenced the first permanent settlement in Essex County. A frame house, which had been erected at Cape Ann at the commencement of the station, was afterwards taken down and removed to Salem, where it was erected on what is now Court Street, at the north corner of Church Street; and there it stands to this day, though it has undergone so many mutations as to render it hardly probable that honest Roger would recognise it, should he return.
The following introductory clause of a petition made to the General Court, by Conant in May, 1671, embraces one or two interesting particulars. " The umble petition of Roger Conant, of Bass River, alias Beverly, who hath bin a planter in New England fortie eight years, and upwards, being one of the first, if not the very first, that resolved, and made good my settlement in matter of plantation, with my family in this collony of
* They went from Nantasket. Lyford and Oldham had been living at Plymouth, from which place, on account of some seditious proceedings, they were expelled, and retired to Nantasket; some of their former adehrents followed them, among whom was Roger Conant.
12
ESSEX COUNTY.
Massachusetts Bay, and have bin instrumental both for the founding, and carrying on of the same, and when in the infancy thereof, it was in great hazard of being deserted, I was a means through grace assisting me, to stop the flight of those few, that there were heire, with me, and that by my utter deniall to goe away with them, who would have gon either for England, or mostly for Vir- ginia, but thereupon stayed to the hazard of our lives." Mr Conant further says in his petition that he was the first person who had a house in Salem ; but adds that he did not have " any hand in naming either that or any other towne."
Capt. John Endicott, with his company, arrived at Salem, on the 6th of September, 1628, and im- mediately entered upon his duties, as agent of the patentees of Massachusetts colony. The next year, on the 10th of April, he was chosen Gov- ernor, and six persons were appointed for his Council. In the course of this year, at a meeting of the Company in London, the expediency of removing the government, with the patent to New England, was agreed upon, and on the 20th of October, 1629, officers were elected with refer- ence to their removal hither. John Winthrop was chosen Governor, and at a subsequent meeting Thomas Dudley was chosen Deputy Governor. Winthrop came over in the Arabella, arriving at Salem on the 12th of June ; and it was on board this ship that he commenced his Journal, which is a work of much interest, and furnishes the most authentic accounts relative to the Massachusetts Colony, from that period to 1649.
Of the notions which prevailed in regard to the management of the colony among those in Eng- land, who directed the affairs of the Company, we
13
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
may form some idea, by their instructions to Endi- cott and his council. They were instructed to appoint careful overseers to every family ; and to see that those sent over for the company were employed in their proper business. Blank books were sent for the overseers to keep a perfect reg- ister of the daily work done by each person ; and copies of the books were to be sent semi-annually to England. They were particularly cautioned against permitting the culture of " that vile weed," as will appear by the following : " As in our for- mer, so now again we especially desire you to take care that no tobacco, be planted by any of the new planters under your government, unless it be some small quantity, for mere necessity and for physic, for preservation of their health, and that the same be taken privately, by ancient men and none other." They were enjoined to have no " idle drones," among them, &c. &c.
Some idea of the scarcity of money among thie early settlers, may be formed from the following extract of a letter addressed by the Court to the Saugus Iron Company, in September, 1647 : - " We acknowledge wth you that such a staple comodity as Iron is a great means to enrich ye place where it is, both by furnishing this place wth yt comodity at reasonable rates, and by bring- ing in other necessary comodityes 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 here without ready money, what advantage will that be to us if wee have no money to purchase it. Itt is true, some men have here Spanish money sometimes, but little comes to our smiths' hands, especially those
14
ESSEX COUNTY.
of inland tounes. What moneys our smiths cann gett you may be sure to have it before any other ; if we must want Iron so often as our money failes, you may easily judge if it were not better for us to procure it from other places (by our corne and pipe staves, &c.) then to depend on ye comming in of mony wch is never so plentiful as to supply for ye occasion."
The Indians who inhabited Essex County, were principally at Haverhill, Andover, Ipswich, Lynn, Marblehead, Newbury and Salem. They followed hunting and fishing for support, but were generally deficient in industry. The skins of animals af- forded them clothing, and the warriors painted their faces, for the purpose of appearing more ferocious. In the settlement of this region, the Europeans appear, with few exceptions, to have had little regard for the feelings and rights of the aborigines, but to have seized upon their heritage, at all times in a manner according with the princi- ple set forth in the following votes, passed at a church meeting in Milford.
Voted, That the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.
Voted, That the earth is given to the saints.
Voted, That we are the saints.
The following lines, found in Lewis's History of Lynn, are supposed to have been written about this time, and exhibit some of the peculiar circum- stances of the settlers : -
The place where we live is a wilderness wood, Where grass is much wanting that's fruitful and good ; Our mountains and hills, and our valleys below,
Being commonly covered with ice and with snow.
And when the northwest wind with violence blows, Then every man pulls his cap over his nose ;
15
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
But if any is hardy and will it withstand, He forfeits a finger, a foot, or a hand.
But when the spring opens we then take the hoe, And make the ground ready to plant and to sow ; Our corn being planted, and seed being sown, The worms destroy much before it is grown.
And while it is growing some spoil there is made By birds, and by squirrels, that pluck up the blade ; And when it is come to full corn in the ear, It is often destroyed by raccoon and by deer.
And now our old garments begin to grow thin, And wool is much wanted to card and to spin ; If we can get a garment to cover without, Our other in garments are clout upon clout .*
Our clothes we brought with us are apt to be torn, They need to be clouted soon after they're worn ; But clouting our garments, they hinder us nothing, Clouts double are warmer than single whole clothing.
If fresh meat be wanting to fill up our dish, We have carrots and, pumpkins, and turnips, and fish ; And if there's a mind for a delicate dish, We haste to the clam banks, and there we catch fish.
'Stead of pottage, and puddings, and custards and pies, Our turnips and parsnips are common supplies ; We have pumpkins at morning, and pumpkins at noon, If it was not for pumpkins we should be undone.
If barley be wanting to make into malt, We must then be contented, and think it no fault ; For we can make liquor, to sweeten our lips, Of pumpkins, and parsnips, and walnut tree chips.
Now while some are going, let others be coming, For while liquor's boiling it must have a scumming ;
*Patch.
1*
16
ESSEX COUNTY.
But I will not blame them, for birds of a feather, By seeking their fellows are flocking together.
Then you whom the Lord intends hither to bring,' Forsake not the honey for fear of the sting ; But bring both a quiet and contented mind, And all needful blessings you surely will find.
Essex was incorporated as a County, in 1643. It then consisted of eight townships and settle- ments, viz : Salem, Lynn, Enon, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Gloucester and Cochichewic. Enon was, at the same Court, admitted as a town under the name of Wenham. Cochichewic was the territory now forming Andover.
In the spring of 1668 there appears to have been a phenomenon witnessed in the heavens, which caused much alarm. From the following grave description, found in New England's Memo- rial, we should conclude that it was an exhibition of
he zodiacal light, so frequently witnessed at this day; but the description affords a good illustration of the manner in which the venerables of that period looked upon the display of celestial phenomena : " There appeared a sign in the heavens in the form of a spear, something thicker in the middest than at either end, of a whitish bright color; it was seen several nights together in the west, about an hour within the night; it stood stooping and the one end pointing to the setting of the sun, and so set- tled downwards by little and little, until it quite vanished, and descended beneath the horizon." In the preceeding autumn, "there was heard sev- eral loud noises or reports, as if it had been guns discharged in the air, first one distinctly, and in a short time as it had been a volley of shot dis- charged."
17
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
The year 1671 was remarkable for the violence of its storms. On the 18th of January there was a great snow storm, with much thunder and light- ning. On Sunday, the 18th of May there was a thunder storm, in which a house at Ipswich was struck. During another storm, it is said, " a sheet of fire descended."
During the Indian wars, this County furnished many soldiers for the field ; particularly in the Pequot war, and in the great war with King Philip. In this last, about seventy of the most promising young men of whom the County could boast, were cut off in a single battle, on the 18th of September, 1675 at the village of Muddy Brook, in Franklin County. They were commanded by Capt. Thom- as Lathrop, of Beverly, and appear to have halted near a swamp to regale themselves upon the grapes, in the very midst of an Indian ambuscade of seven hundred warriors ; Hubbard, however, has it that they were on the march when the attack was made. But ten of the whole company escaped.
In 1680, a great comet appeared which was the largest ever seen, and terrified the people of New England as well as Europe exceedingly. It was the great Newtonian comet; and will not appear again until the year 2255, its period being five hundred and seventy-five years. The train is rep- resented to have reached near half way across the heavens.
In 1686, the government of Sir Edmand Andros went into operation ; and the people of Essex County, manifested their dissatisfaction, by refus- ing to assess the taxes granted by him and his council. At Ipswich, the Selectmen were fined from twenty to thirty pounds each and Mr Wise,
18
ESSEX COUNTY.
the minister, together with one or two others, was imprisoned.
In 1692 the memorable witchcraft delusion be- gan to rage in this County. It had made its appearance in the colony some years before, and for more than a century, had been a terrible scourge to some portions of England. But it was ever a matter upon which much diversity of opin- ion existed ; many were the discussions held, and many the books written upon the subject by the learned and pious of Europe. We have before us at this moment, several tracts from able hands, treating upon the fearful mysteries; one of them printed at London as early as 1653. But we must keep to our own land. Here, it is well known, during those trying times, many of the wise and good ceased not to declare that witchcraft was but an evil of the imagination, and continued, at their peril, to exhort their fellow-citizens to return to the guidance of reason. But, alas, by far the largest number of the wise and good were themselves par - takers in the delusion ; and hence are we forced to perceive that the strange doctrines were founded upon a principle of our nature - a principle which, as God's handiwork remains unchanged ; and it becomes us to consider the tendency of our pop- ular conceptions, lest the time should again arrive for the exhibition of scenes as terrific, though perhaps of a different tenor. 'This remark may appear idle, but, are not some of the cherished opinions of the present "enlightened age," as ri- diculous as those of 1692 ?
We propose giving a brief account of one or two cases out of the many that occurred during the memorable delusion; and perhaps it would be best to do so by extracts from a publication of that pe-
19
HISTORICAL SKETCH.
riod, as the ancient style would do more towards conveying a correct impression, than any other mode of description that could be adopted. What follows, therefore, is from a book printed in 1693, and sure are we, that the reader will be astonished to find with what gravity " Increase Mather, Pres- ident of Harvard College," describes the absurd transactions.
" On the nineteenth day of March last, I went to Salem Village, and lodged at Nathaniel Inger- sol's near to the Minister's, Mr P.'s house, and pre- sently after I came into my lodging, Capt. Walcut's daughter, Mary, came to Lieut. Ingersol's and spake to me ; but suddenly after, as she stood by the door, was bitten, so that she cryed out of her wrist, and looking on it with a candle, we saw ap- parently the marks of teeth, both upper and lower set, on each side of her wrist.
"In the beginning of the evening I went to give Mr P. a visit. When I was there, his kins- woman, Abigail Williams, (about twelve years of age) had a grievous fit; she was at first hurried with violence to and fro in the room, (though Mrs Ingersol endeavored to hold her) sometimes mak- ing as if she would fly, stretching up her arms as high as she could, and crying, 'whish, whish, whish,' several times ; presently after she said, there was goodwife N. and said, 'Do you not see her ? Why here she stands !' . And she said goodwife N. offered her The Book, but she was resolved she would not take it, saying often, ' I wont, I wont, I wont take it, I do not know what book it is, I am sure it is none of God's Book, it is the devil's book for ought I know.' After that she run to the fire, and begun to throw fire-brands
20
ESSEX COUNTY.
about the house, and run against the back, as if she would run up chimney, and, as they said, she had attempted to go into the fire in other fits.
" On Lord's Day, the twentieth of March, there were sundry of the afflicted persons at meeting, as Mrs Pope, and Goodwife Bibber, Abigail Williams, Mary Walcut, Mary Lewis, and Doctor Grigg's maid. There were also at meeting Goodwife C. (who was afterwards examined on suspicion of be- ing a witch). They had several sore fits in the time of public worship, which did something interrupt me in my first prayer, being so unusual. After psalm was sung, Abigail Williams said to me, 'Now stand up, and name your text !' And after it was read, she said, ' It is a long text.' In the begin- ning of sermon, Mrs Pope, a woman afflicted, said to me, 'Now there is enough of that.' And in the afternoon, Abigail Williams, upon my referring to my doctrine, said to me, ' I know no doctrine you had, if you did name one, I have forgot it.'
" In sermon time, when Goodwife C. was pre- sent in the meeting-house, Abigail Williams called out, 'Look where Goodwife C. sits on the beam suckling her yellow bird betwixt her fingers!' Ann Pitman, another girl afflicted, said, there was a yellow bird sat on my hat as it hung on the pin in the pulpit ; but those that were by, restrained her from speaking loud about it.
" On Monday the twentyfirst of March, the magistrates of Salem, appointed to come to exam- ination of Goodwife C. And about twelve of the clock they went into the meeting-house, which was tlironged with spectators. Mr Noyes began with a very pertinent and pathetical prayer ; and Goodwife C. being called to answer to what was alledged against her, she desired to go to prayer, which was much wondered at, in the presence of
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