USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Boxford > The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years > Part 1
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UMASS/AMHERST
D
312061 009061123
R. 4. 45
AS
4
363
DATE DUE
DEC 2
2000
IL: 4558266
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY
F 74 854 P4 CARD
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GIFT TO UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LIBRARY
from
THE FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
45 ... Q. F. Averell x+ 8
Very Truly yours, Sidney Perley.
THE
HISTORY OF BOXFORD,
ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS,
FROM THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT KNOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME :
A Period of about Tivo Thundred and Thirty Years.
BY
SIDNEY PERLEY,
MEMBER OF THE NEW-ENGLAND HISTORIC-GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, MEMBER OF ESSEX INSTITUTE, ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
" Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations." - DEUT. xxxii. 7.
BOXFORD, MASS .: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR. 1880.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, by SIDNEY PERLEY, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Franklin Press: Rand, Avery, & Company, 117 Franklin Street, Boston.
PREFACE.
O literary productions are so interesting to most people as those relating to the place of their nativity ; and, although most of the work may be made up of homely facts and local incidents, uninteresting to the stranger, it will be highly prized by him who loves the home of his birth, and who can discern upon its pages the part that his fathers played in the his- tory of the past. Perhaps this interest has been the sole cause of the production of this volume. . The work was commenced in the fall of 1875,- when the author was seventeen years of age,* - merely to gratify a longing to know about the past ; but, the notes becoming voluminous, the idea of preparing a history presented itself, and was indulged to such an extent that the result is before us.
In the preparation of this work thousands of volumes have been read and referred to; much travel, inquiry and correspondence have been necessary ; and consid- erable money, and month after month of time, have been given it. Some estimate of the amount of work may be made by learning the following facts: Our own local public records have demanded the expenditure of much time upon their examination. The town records consist of about twenty-five volumes, generally of foolscap size, and containing two or three hundred pages each ; the records of the two parishes are contained in fifteen volumes
* Sidney Perley was son of Humphrey and Eunice (Peabody) Perley, and was born in Boxford, March 6, 1858.
.
iv
PREFACE.
of foolscap size, and aggregating more than three thousand pages; the records of the two churches take up six vol- umes of a smaller size : these, together with the innumera- ble scattering private volumes and loose sheets found in all portions of the town, have been read and thoroughly conned. The records of the neighboring towns, parishes, and churches have been read and examined as necessity required. These together with the records of the probate registry, registry of deeds, and court records of the county of Essex, and those in the State Archives, comprise the public records which have been examined. Many town histories, genealogies, biographics, and other printed works have also been perused.
The illustrations are all original, and have been engraved, at a considerable expense, expressly for this volume.
In the compilation of this volume, our thanks are due to all those who have aided in any degree, by forwarding information or correcting errors ; to the custodians of the public records, for their courtesy ; and to all others who have expressed their interest in, and given encouragement to, the work. The pecuniary help which the town has rendered is gratefully acknowledged.
As we present our work to the public, we would remind them, if they find within its pages any thing seemingly not just or equitable, not to judge too hastily, but to re- member the times in which the participants lived, and to make that allowance due to an imperfect age. And, while we derive instruction from their deeds, be they honorable or ignoble, let us regard them as beacon-lights, located along the banks of the river of life to warn us of the shoals and quicksands that endanger our voyage, and to show us where the current runs deep, and the voyager can majesti- cally float down the stream to the ocean of eternity.
THE AUTHOR.
BOXFORD, 6th of 3d mo., 1879.
INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS.
Animals, 14, 175, 248. Blacksmiths, 156, 199, 275, 290, 343.
Boxford, its location, 9; territory, IO; incorporation, 82 ; name, 86; records, 87; bounds con- firmed, 84, III ; in England, 86; trouble with Topsfield, 108 ; ecclesiastical connection loosed with Topsfield, 124, 132; letter to Topsfield, 146; a part of, set to Groveland, 307 ; a part of Ipswich set to, 307 ; town-debt, 262; taxable property in, in 1768, 200; population, 344. Carriage-builders, 343.
Cemeteries. - The ancient, 88 ; West-Parish old, 156; Harmony, 157; near First Church, 276; private in East Parish, 276; West-Parish new, 303 ; hearses and sextons, 251, 289.
Church, First. - Organized, 132 ; first meeting-house built, 124; second, 168; third, 295; cove- nants, 192, 333 ; singing in, 193, 248; letter to Topsfield, 146; internal trouble, 286; deacons, Emigration, 194. 405; miscellany, 190, 248, 263. Pastors. - Thomas Symmes, 130, 142; John Rogers, 146, | Fish troubles, 199.
170 ; Elizur Holyoke, 191, 267 ; Isaac Briggs, 273, 292; John Whitney, 294; William S. Cog- gin, 295, 331-333 ; Sereno D. Gammell, 334.
Church, Second .- Organized, 164 ; first meeting-house built, 161, 163; second, 244; third, 296; covenants, 166, 301 ; singing in, 262 ; internal trouble, 178; dea- cons, 406 ; miscellany, 197, 262, 263, 267, 273, 340 ; Foster's be- quest to, 296 ; Tyler's bequest to, 337. Pastors. - John Cush- ing, 164, 196; Moses Hale, 246; Peter Eaton, 247, 269, 298 ; Calvin E. Park, 299, 301, 336; Charles M. Peirce, 338 ; James McLean, 340; Charles L. Hub- bard, 34I.
College graduates, list of, 398.
Commons and their pasturage, 117; pounds, 118.
Constitution, State, examined, 248 ; Federal, ratified, 250.
Election, colonial, 56; first consti- tutional, 250.
Families, list of, in 1680,.68; in 1791, 256.
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INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS.
Georgetown, settled, 44.
Indians, 18; depredations of, 68, 106, 124; deed of Boxford from the, 135.
Ipswich, first settled, 16; original territory, 16; a part set off to Boxford, 307.
Iron-smelting, 59, 277.
Library, " Mary Ann Peabody Sunday-school," 335; Second Church Sunday-school, 342 ; Public, 342.
Lovewell's, Capt., company, 150. Match-factory, 277.
Middleton, incorporated, 154.
Militia, 58, 65, 79, 106, 134, 189, 279-285 ; ammunition, 179; powder-house, 275; "Boxford Washington Guards," 305; armory, 305.
Military strife .- War of King Philip, 66; King William's War, 105; French War, 179; French and Indian War, I85 ; Revolution, 201 ; Shays' Rebel- lion, 252; War of 1812, 279; Rebellion, 309.
Mills, saw and grist, 139, 149, 177, 198, 248, 289.
" Minister's farm," 61.
" Moral Society of Boxford and Topsfield, the," 301. Mortality, &c., 393.
Musical history, 342 ; brass band, 343 ; "Essex Musical Associa- tion," 264.
Natives, distinguished and profes- sional, 346.
Negroes, 158.
" Neutrals," the French, 182. " New-Lights," the, 178.
Occupation of the people, 344.
Parish, First, originated, 168; funds in 1792, 262 ; fund found- ed, 286 ; parsonage built, 335. Parish, Second, incorporated, 160; part of Andover annexed to, 167; Tyler bequest, 337; par- sonage built, 340.
Pauperism, 140 ; almshouse, 306 ; overseers of the poor, 175. " Pegs manufactured, 339.
Physicians .- David Wood, 147 ; John Andrews, 148; Benjamin Foster, 253; William Hale, George W. Sawyer, Josiah Ba- con, 254; Charles P. French, 255.
Politics, 344.
Post-offices, 266, 277, 303, 342. Prices of merchandise, labor, &c., in 1779, 251. Railroad, the, 306.
Representatives to General Court, 390.
Roads,-" Old Andover, " 23 ; other, 54, 113, 133; repairing, 152 ; breaking out, 153.
Rowley, first settled, 17; original territory, 17.
Rowley Village (Boxford), its ter- ritory, 20; common land laid out, 40, 41.
Schools, &c., 138, 176, 255, 291, 308 ; academy, 286 ; high school, 338 ; Wood fund, 259; Chadwick fund, 276; Foster fund, 292; present fund, 292.
Senators, list of, 389.
Settlers, early, first, 22 ; 1650- 1665, 24 ; 1665-1670, 49; 1670- 1685, 69; 1685-1700, 92; 1700- 1725, 399; customs of, 91. Shoe-manufacturing, 303.
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INDEX OF PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS.
Stores, 156, 277, 303, 342. Tannery, Perley's, 155.
Taverns, 114, 200, 265.
" Three thousand acres," Row- ley's, 44.
Topography, 10-15.
Topsfield, settled, 47; preaching there, 47 ; first meeting-house, 48, 81 ; church organized, 48 ; trouble with Boxford, 108; ecclesiastical connection loosed, 124, 132; letter from Boxford, 146. Pastors before 1725, Wil- liam Knight, William Perkins, 47; Thomas Gilbert, 48, 62;
Jeremiah Hobart, 63, 80; Jo- seph Capen, 81.
Town-meetings, 115.
Town officers, earliest, 68 ; early, 87, 116 ; clerks, 371 ; selectmen, 373.
" Villagers'" ministerial matters at Topsfield, 48, 61, 63, 108; at Andover and Bradford, 108.
Washington, Dr. Eaton's oration on the death of, 265.
Wheelwrights, 155, 343. Witchcraft, 119-123. " Wood-spell," the, 177.
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
CHAPTER I.
TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION.
LOCATION. - TERRITORY. - SOIL. - PLAINS. - HILLS. - PONDS. - BROOKS. - MINERALS. - PLANTS. - ANIMALS.
HE territory of the present town of Boxford occupies a central position in the county of Essex, and a north-easterly one in the old Bay State. Both easterly and southerly, only seven and a half miles intervene between the most easterly and southerly points of the town and the ocean. The near- est part of the Atlantic coast in an easterly direction is Ipswich Beach, located on Ipswich Bay. The same is also true of Salem Harbor in a southerly direction. The marshes which lie along the coast are in such close proxim- ity, that most of the farmers in the town avail themselves of gathering, for fodder for cattle and other purposes, the salt hay which they produce. From the most north- western point of the town to the dividing-line between the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the distance is but three miles, Salem being the nearest New-Hampshire town. Merrimac River, on the north, flows within one hundred and twenty-five rods of the most north-western point of the town's boundaries. The southerly part of the town bounds, for a considerable distance, upon a smaller
9
IO
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
stream, known as Ipswich River. The cities of Boston, Salem, Lynn, Gloucester, Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Newburyport, in Massachusetts, and Nashua, Exeter, and other important places, in New Hampshire, lie less than twenty-five miles away. The location of the town, geo- graphically, is 71° I' west longitude, and 42° 25' north latitude.
Boxford occupies an area of 11,459 acres, or nearly eighteen square miles. Its shape, as viewed from the north-east, appears like a side-view of a shoe, with the toe pointing to the north-west. The entire length of the town is eight and three-fourths miles ; the greatest breadth, which occurs between the Middleton and Rowley boundary lines, is five miles. About one-tenth of the area consists of English mowing, one-sixteenth of meadow land, one-half of pasturage, one-ninth of woodland, one-fifth of land unim- proved, and about four hundred acres of unimprovable area, consisting mostly of that portion taken up by the water- shed.
The surface consists of hills and valleys, with the excep- tion of two or three quite extensive plains. All the varied varieties of soil known to our New-England region, from the rocky, barren hillside to the rich alluvial land, are found here. The best farming-lands lie together in the valleys, separated from others of equal quality by the hills and ridges, on whose slopes, where they are not taken up by the wood-growth, the cattle graze. The soil of the plain land is of a poor nature ; but by assiduous cultivation, and application of manure, some portions are very productive.
The plains most worthy of mention are three in number. The largest of these, containing about four hundred acres, forms the site of the East Parish village. This was known as " The Plain " from the earliest settlement of the town. The second in size is the " Old Camp Ground." This con- tains about three hundred acres, and is noted as the camp-
II
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
ing-ground of some regiments of the Massachusetts soldiers during the Rebellion. * The third in size is that south of the old burial-ground in the West Parish, containing about two hundred and fifty acres. This plain was mentioned as early as 1652.
There are numerous eminences in town, though but few are denominated by a name. Long and Bald ; Hills are the only noticeable ones in the East Parish. The hills in the West Parish afford some grand landscape views, while from their summits the neighboring country can be seen for miles around ; the gentle-flowing Merrimac, which has often inspired the Muse's pen, can be traced in its mean- dering course for miles away. Stiles' is the only hill in the West Parish to which the map-makers have thought fit to give a name.
The ponds in Boxford afford fine fishing and pleasant sailing. There are several quite extensive sheets of water, whose number has been increased by the artificial forming of mill-ponds by flowing some of the lowlands, and the power thus gained utilized for manufacturing purposes. Of this last class Lowe's and Hayward's mill-ponds are ex- amples. Hovey's Pond, more recently known as Mitchell's Pond, ¿ is a beautiful sheet of water, containing thirty-six acres. This has its outlet through a brook into Johnson's Pond, § which is a large lake of about two hundred acres in area, situated partly in Groveland, and partly in Boxford.
* This plain has also been used since the Rebellion for the parade and drill of a part of the Massachusetts militia at their annual muster. In ante- Revolutionary times the town militia held their annual trainings there, at one of which Samuel Symonds, who belonged to the Andover and Boxford Cavalry, fell from his horse, and was killed, July 29, 1775, at the age of twenty-two years : so says tradition.
¡ This hill was known as Bald Hill, probably on account of its bare sum- mit, as early as 1670.
# This pond has recently been stocked with fish by some gentlemen resid- ing in the vicinity.
§ This was known by the same name as early as 1666.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
From this point, through a brook, the waters flow to the Merrimac River, and from thence to the ocean. Fowler's Pond * is a small sheet of about a dozen acres, and has its outlet through Hazzeltine Brook and Parker River. Reyner Pond,; of fifty-four acres, with an outlet through Pen Brook to Parker River, is one of the pleasantest lakes in the county. Stetson's Pond, known half a century ago as Wood Pond, contains twenty-two acres. This has its outlet through a brook into Four-mile Pond. It was mentioned as early as 1652 as Five-mile Pond. Four-mile Pond covers an area of forty-two acres, and has its outlet through Pye Brook and Ipswich River. Stevens' Pond, near by, contains thirteen acres, and also has its outlet by way of Pye Brook. This was known half a century ago by the name of the occupant of the residence which stood near by (Spofford). Stiles' Pond, at the base of Stiles' Hill, is a sheet of water covering an area of sixty acres, entirely hid from the traveller's view, with the exception of a single glance at its placid waters obtainable near the residence of the late Mr. Ephraim F. Cole. This pond has its outlet through Fish Brook into Ipswich River. Cedar Pond, known as early as 1666 as Humphrey's Pond, con- tains thirteen acres, and has its outlet as above. Kimball's Pond, the pond at the match-factory, and a pond at the east base of Bald Hill, known for nearly two centuries as Crooked Pond, are also quite extensive sheets of water.
Hazzeltine, Pye, and Fish are the three largest brooks in the town. Hazzeltine Brook is the beginning of Parker (known two centuries ago as Falls) River. The meadow
* Fowler's Pond, lately known as Hovey's Pond, was called, a century and a half ago, Rush Pond, probably on account of the many rushes that grew upon the water's edge. It has also recently been called Chadwick Pond.
t Reyner Pond, lately known as Perley's Pond, was called Elder's Pond as early as 1666. It was also called, at the same period, Baldpate Pond, because of its close proximity to the eminence of that name.
I3
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
on its edges was laid out to the Hazzeltines of Bradford prior to 1666, from which fact the brook derived its name. Pye Brook has been called by the same name for two hundred and twenty-eight years. It serves to drain Stetson's, Four-mile, and Stevens' Ponds, and through Ipswich River forms their connection with the ocean. Fish Brook, known as early as 1652 as Fishing Brook, rises between Clay Pit and Woodchuck Hills in North Andover, and through Ipswich River flows to the ocean. By means of its tributaries it forms the outlet of Stiles', Cedar, and Crooked Ponds.
Many specimens of the various kinds of metals, such as silver, lead, antimony, zinc, and iron, have been found here. Arsenic, sulphur, and other minerals, are found. The rock is calcareous gneiss and sienite. Ledges are common. During the mining excitement of 1875-77 several shafts were opened in the town at an expense of many thousands of dollars. The expensive work was soon abandoned for something more profitable, however. Mr. Daniel F. Harri- man, on the land of Misses Sarah P. and Lucy A. Perley, opened a shaft to the depth of forty-three feet, through a solid ledge the entire distance. A hoisting engine and apparatus were employed, and for several months business was carried on very briskly. After abandoning this place, he worked for a season in his pasture in the West Parish, and, for the purpose of ascertaining the result of his work, erected smelting-works near his residence, at a large ex- pense. Mr. Nathan K. Fowler, near his residence in the West Parish, opened a shaft to the depth of about fifty feet. He now uses it for a well.
The flora of Boxford is rich and varied. Most of the families are represented. Among the curious plants are two species of Drosera (sun-dew), a curious plant lately found by actual experiment to digest animal food. The order Compositæ is, of course, largely represented. The
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Epigæa repens (trailing arbutus), two species of Azalea (one, the beautiful white, surpassing in beauty and fra- grance many of our cultivated shrubs), and the Cuscuta Gronovii (dodder), a remarkable parasitic plant, being almost the only known flowering genus having no cotyle- dons (seed-leaves), are found. In stagnant water can be found the curious Utricularia cornuta (horned bladder- wort), order Lentibulace, with its leafless stems and fibrous roots, the latter bearing little bladders.
The wolf and bear, which were so dangerous to our early settlers, have long since been forgotten. The wildcat, also a formidable enemy, has not been met with for a century. The moose, red deer, and beaver were quite numerous ; but they, too, have passed away. The red fox (Canis vulpes) is still shot by the sportsman. The porcupine, which is now so scarce in our neighborhood, has recently been killed in town. The raccoon (Procyon lotor) and otter now and then appear in some sequestered places. The mink and muskrat are found on the margin of the streams; the woodchuck and polecat (Viverra mephitis), in the fields ; the striped, red, and gray squirrel, and the rabbit, in the forests. The flying-squirrel and the ferret are occasionally taken. The most mischievous of these denizens of the field and forest is the woodchuck, which is very prolific, and by night, as well as by day, destroys the tender vegetables of the farm and garden. Of birds, we have scores of varieties, among which are hawks, owls, crows, blue-jays, chickadees, larks, blackbirds, bobolinks, robins (Turdus migratorius), pewits, bluebirds, thrushes, wrens, sparrows, woodpeckers, swallows, humming-birds, and many others. The whippoorwill (Ca- primulgus vociferus) may be heard almost every evening during the summer season. The partridge (Tetrao um- bellus), though much hunted, is still found. The ponds con- tain pickerel, perch, and other common varieties of fish ; and Boxford has enjoyed the privilege of furnishing anglers
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
from the city with very good fishing. The town has lately passed a vote authorizing the selectmen to stock whatever ponds in the town they think proper with useful fish.
As a whole, Boxford is a fine old farming-town ; pleasant to live in, healthy, and the many natural beauties of her landscapes, with the sweet warbling of the native songsters, that inhabit the glades, and the exquisite ferns in the spring unrolling from their woolly blankets, the cardinal- flowers of the late summer, the golden-rod and asters of the autumn, and all the lovely sisterhood of flowers which adorn our hills and meadows, give a continual glow of pleasure to the heart which loves the truly beautiful and the wonders of creation.
CHAPTER II.
FIRST SETTLEMENT BY THE ENGLISH.
EARLY NEIGHBORING SETTLEMENTS. - ROWLEY SETTLED. - THE ABORIGINES. - TERRITORY OF ROWLEY VILLAGE. - ZACCHEUS GOULD. - ENDICOTT'S FARM. - ABRAHAM REDINGTON .- " OLD ANDOVER ROAD."- EARLY SETTLERS, 1650-65. - TWO THOU- SAND ACRES OF LAND LAID OUT IN THE "PLAIN." - "VIL- LAGE LANDS " LAID OUT. - ROWLEY'S THREE THOUSAND ACRES. -JOHN SPOFFORD.
SN 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Mass., and commenced the first permanent settlement in New England. From this place, as a centre, new sites were settled on the south, west, and north, during the immediate following years. In 1624 the Dor- chester Company in England was formed, and sent over persons to found a fishing and planting station at Cape Ann. In 1625 Roger Conant was chosen to superintend affairs there. The following year the settlement was broken up; and Conant removed to Salem, and, as he as- serts, was the first person who had a house there. Two years later (1628) Gov. John Endicott, with his company, came to Salem, and formed the first permanent settlement in Essex County. The second place where a settlement was begun was at Ipswich, in 1633, by John Winthrop, son of the governor. The bounds of Salem extended six miles into the country; Ipswich included all that area north of Salem bounds, as far as the Merrimac River, and from the ocean west as far as the line which divides Box-
16
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
ford and North Andover. By the General Court, 4 March, 1634-35, it was
"Ordered that the land aboute Cochichowicke [Andover] shalbe reserved for an inland plantaçon, & that whosoeuer will goe to inhabite there shall haue three years imunity from all taxes, levyes, publique charges & services whatsoeuer (millitary dissipline onely excepted)."
A settlement at Andover had already been begun by New- ton people ; and under the care of Esquires John Winthrop, Richard Bellingham, and William Coddington, of Boston, the settlement prospered. 6 May, 1635, the General Court order as follows :
" Wessacūcon is allowed by the Court to be a plantaçon, & it is referd to Mr Humfry, Mr Endicott, Capt Turner, & Capt Traske, or any three of them, to sett out the bounds of Ipswch & Wessacucon, or soe much thereof as they can, & the name of the said plantaçon is changed, & hereafter to be called Neweberry."
The Newbury settlement was begun on the southerly side of the Merrimac River, in the present town of Newbury. The line, above ordered to be laid out, cut the town of Ipswich into two nearly equal parts; and thus the divid- ing line remained for three years.
Early in the winter of 1638-39 a company of emigrants, numbering about twenty families, with Rev. Ezekiel Rogers as their guide, left Yorkshire, Eng., and came to Salem, Mass., where they spent the winter, -it being then too late in the season to proceed further in their investigations. While in Salem their number was increased to sixty families. When spring opened they removed to a location which they had chosen half-way between the towns of Ips- wich and Newbury. They purchased of these two towns, for eight hundred pounds, an extensive tract of land now comprising the towns of Rowley, Boxford, Bradford, Grove- land, Georgetown, and parts of two or three others. The site of their settlement is the site of Rowley village at
18
HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
the present time. This place was probably selected on account of its pleasantness, its nearness to a river, and the abundance of thatch that grew upon the river-banks, with which they could cover the roofs of their humble dwellings, and apply it to many other useful purposes in their primi- tive arts. Under the name of Rowley they obtained a town-charter, or an " Act of Incorporation," 4 Sept., 1639. They held their lands, and labored in common, for nearly five years, when they laid out to each family a house-lot, &c. The colony lived and throve in spite of the many dis- advantages that accrue to such positions, and soon became a prominent colonial town. Their harvests were mostly abundant, their log-cottages warm, and every thing appeared as cheerful and pleasant as could be expected. What a curiosity it would be to us if we could for a half-hour turn the current of time back to the years of its early history, and quietly "drop in" upon one of these families as its members were seated around the open fireplace some winter evening ! the aged grandfather with his silver locks, and the boys and girls in their homespun garments - the founders and originators of our Union.
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