USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Boston notions; being an authentic and concise account of "that village," from 1630 to 1847 > Part 3
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3. 6.
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CONTENTS.
Winslow. Mr. Laprisoned, 79. Winter severe. +4.
Witcheratt in Boston. 51. 19%.
Wood, cat wrongfly, neck ba 1. 00.
Woodbridge. Mr. (soloamaster) 160. Woodmansey. Mr. (teacher) Ioo.
Woody. Richard, 22, 65. Women's gown sleeves regulated. 71.
Wompatuck house, Hinghom, 260. Warerster Railroad, 229, 208, 110. Workhouse, 213.
Vale. David. JanI other citizens, You. Thomas. 1 page 12 to 65. Youthe Men's Benevolent Soc. 3ºC. Yarrow path " 'Turner mon.," 425.
BOARDING HOUSE FOR INDUSTRIOUS FEMALES.
During the fall of 1847, a number of philanthropic ladies becoming interested in the welfare of females from the country, who come to the city for employment; united their influence and power for establishing a boarding house for the useful purpose of the strangers' convenience and accom- modation, for a short or longer period of time; where re- spectable females can be secure from the alluring vicious- ness of the city. The house has been opened for a few months past, and favorable auspices have attended the con- cern : this industrial boarding house for the female stranger, is No. 6 Columbia St. near Essex St. : Mrs. Cummings, Superintendent : the asking price for board there, is $1 50 per week, to those who have means to meet ii.
A HOUSE FOR DESTITUTE CHILDREN AND FEMALES.
A Society for affording a home to destitute children and females, supported by subscription, went into operation in Jan. 1817 : their house is 25 Albany St .: Mrs. Garnant is Matron. From 12 to 20 have been there provided for at a time, when from any sudden occurrence they had been deprived of a home or shelter. It is under the government of 24 managers, and report speaks favorably of the aid and benefits conferred. having been jalisigns and opportune.
ENGRAVINGS IN THIS WORK.
I.S,
View of Boston from Chelsea, face the Title page do " Common, face page 17.
Beacon and Monument on Beacon Hill, face page 19.
Hancock House, face page 174.
Bonner's Map of Boston, for 1722, face page 176.
Fac similie of the old Colony 20 shilling Note, face page 180. Athenæum Cut, face page 196.
Franklin's Art of making Money plenty, face page 222. Custom House, face page 225.
Museum, face page 226.
Mariners House, face page 232.
Female Orphan Asylum, face page 233.
Revere House, face page 215.
Gov. Hutchinson, face page 263. Map of Boston for 1848, face page 279. Miniature of J. Q. Adams, face page 280. Dan'l Webster, face page 284
Bunker Hill Monument, face page 285.
Athenæum Theatre, face page 291. Adams House, face Page 375.
Miniature of Samuel Adams. face page 386. Washington, face page 391.
A. Jackson,
394.
66 Van Buren, 6.
.6 397.
Wm. H. Harrison. 399.
66 John Tyler, 66
66 402.
66 James K. Polk, 405.
Chart of Boston Harbor, face page 412. Chapel at Mount Auburn, face page 415. Map of Mt. Auburn, face page 426.
With 19 engravings on wood, additional, in the printed form.
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CAUSES WHICH LED TO THE EMIGRATION
OF THE
DISSENTERS OR PURITANS.
THE established church of England, under the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was the only religion then tolerated; and any dissenter from the thirty-nine articles of that faith, was in danger of imprisonment, loss of caste, property, and of life ; many ministers were suspended, for non-comformity to the rules and forms of that church ; and they, with the laity, united in a separation from it, in 1566 ; and held their meet- ings for worship, in private houses : for this offence against the dictates of the crown, twenty-four men, and seven women were cast into prison at once : In 1571, Parliament passed a few acts for the relief of the puritans, but the Commissioners contrived to put into rigorous execution, the old laws; and burnt two, as hereties, in Smithfield, in 1575; yet the dissenters multiplied and increased in a pro ratio, to the severity exer- cised toward them, until one quarter part of the English min- istry, were suspended from their office, for non-conformity ; so numerous were the parishes, thereby vacated, that it be- came necessary to go, some ten to twenty miles, to attend the dispensations of an authorised priest : the people were warned not to succor, uphold, or employ any dissenters, par- tienlarly as teachers ; petitions of their grievances, were sent in to Parliament for relief, but without any good result : in 1533, the Queen established, a high court of Commissioners ; to punish with fine and imprisonment, at their pleasure, all who held any opposing sentiments to the English church ; and if the House of Commons, inclined to interfere with any proposed relief, they wore repalsed by the prerogative of the
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
Crown. as bring the only safe-guard and protector of the thirty-nine articles of the Christian faith.
Elizabeth died. March 24. 1603, and Jones. her successor, continued a series of the most severe, tyrannical treatment with the puritans : soon after he was seated on the throne of England, he issued his mandate for all of them to conform to the rites of the church. or leave the kingdom with their fam- ilies : and this he determined to put into full effect. His Archbishop. Banerofi, was a proper instrument to deal out the King's wrath, and three hundred of the clergy were silenced, excommunicated, cast into prison, or forced to leave their country, in 1604.
In 1608. the persecutions were increased, through various forms; and they had no choice left. but to stitle their con- sciences, and embrace a revolting religious creed, or that of quitting the land of their birth : the first attempt to escape was made in Boston. county of Lincolnshire; where they were seized and searched : rifled of their funds, books, &c., and then were committed to prison for a month : a greater part were then released. but seven of their principal men were detained, and boand over to take their trial at the as- sizes : a resolution was then taken by them to thee to Amer. ica on the first good opportunity.
In 1608, the Rev. John Robinson, with the people of his charge emigrated to Leyden, in Holland : but there they were discontented, and could not assimilate with the associa- tions and hablis of the Dutch people ; and the prospects for their posterity, were gloomy. After much deliberation, they resolved to remove to America : they took leave of their pastor, and returned to England, where another vessel was preparing for the same expedition : on the 6th of Sept. 1620, they set sail from Plymouth, and on the 9th of Nov. at break ot day, they espied Cape Cod : it was their intention to have gone as far south as the Hudson; but by a trick of the
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BOSTON NOTIONS,
Captain, they were obliged to land on this coast. although their patent gave them nosuch power or privilege : they then, while on board the ship. formed themselves into a body pull- tic, for being regulated and governed by equal and just laws, and signed a Coastiiunion for the better ordering and preser- vation of each other, on the Lith of Nov. 1620. and made choice of Mr. John Carver as their Governor: on the sathe day, they sent 15 or 16 armed men, to seek for a convenient place for a residence: their two first essays, Were unsuc- cessind ; but on the lot of Dec. their ship anchored in the harbor of Pamet, where the Pilgrims took up their abode, and named it New Plymouth.
This was a dreary season to the pilgrims, for in addition to the many privations they suffered during the winter; sickness and death had visited their little baad, and made heart rending havoc in their friendly cirele : but when cheer- ing spring advanced, their hopes were buoyant with the re- newing freshness of the season : when on the 16th of March, 1621, after passing three winter months, on this snow-clad land, without exchanging a word with any one, but their own circle, an Indian came before them, fearlessly. and gave them a friendly salutation. in broken english : his name was Sam- oset ; a Sagamore : he had a bow and two arrows : a tall straight man, with long black hair, braided at the back of his head : he asked for beer, and was given strong water ; and feasted on biscuit, butter, cheese, pudding and roast duck : all which he liked very well : he gave them much informa- tion about the surrounding country : the following day, they sent him with a message to their Indian neighbors, and through him, had frequent intercourse with the sauvages at last, he brought to them. the only surviving native of the clan, that had inhabited that section of the conutry : his Battle was Squanto ; he was one of the 27 natives, that Thing canied to Spain : but soon finding his way to England. he
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
was there kindly treated, and returned to his native soil ; for which he was anxious to requite, by any service to the Eng- lishmen : and as long as he lived, he was faithful to his word and trusts, as a guide, mediator and interpreter : by kind dealing and prudent management, they induced nine Sach- ems, to sign a treaty with them, acknowledging themselves subjects of King James : these measures inspired the emi- grants with a confidence of safety, in exploring the country about them : their first excursion, was by entering Massachu- setts Bay, and viewing the harbor of Boston, on the 19th of Sept, 1621 .- Squanto, with two other natives, were sent to cause speech to be had with the Sachems of the place : Ob- batinewat, was Gov. or Sachem; yet under Massasoyt : he also, signed the treaty under King James.
But little was known, among them, concerning this coun- try, until Sir Walter Raleigh, attempted to colonize Virginia, between the years 1584 and 1608, when he established Jamestown ; a settlement was commenced in Newfoundland, in 1610. In 1614, some Dutch emigrants, built a fort at Al- bany, and founded that city. In 1602, Bartholomew Gosnold, made a direct rout from Falmouth, to Cape Anu, and for the great quantity of Codtish there, he named it Cape Cod. In 1614, the experienced navigator, Capt. John Smith, with two ships from England, explored the coast from the Island of Manhegan, near Penobscot river, to Cape Cod; and in his boats, traded with the natives, and returned to England with- in six months, from the tine he left, with a clear profit of 1500 pounds for his employers ; he formed a crude map of the new regions, and presented it to Prince Charles, who gave to it, the name of New England. Capt. Smith left one of his ships here, under the command of Thomas Hunt; to load her with fish for Spain : when he was ready to sail he enticed 27 Indians on board, on a pretext of trading with them, and immediately seized the poor creatures, and put
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BOSTON AOTIONS. 11
them under the haches: carried them to Malaga. and sold some of them. for twenty pound- each.
May 1622, Mr. Thos. Weston. was one of the first adventu- rers for founding Plymouth Colony, but anerwards deserted it ; sent two ships with 30 or 60 men to settle a plantation at Weymouth, but disolute habits broke it up in one year : another attempt was made, the same year. by Capt. Gorges, but with a similar resnh :- la 1624, Mr. David Thompson. a Scotchman, who began a settlement near Portsmouth, N. H. removed to Massachusets Bay : he squatted on Thompson's Island, and a fine neck of land. which was confined to him afterwards, by the count :- after that several of the Plymouth people, with Mr. Roger Conant. settled at Naniasket (Hul! : ) -another part, from England in 1625, brought out by Capt. Wolaston, and three or four partners for a speculation, located themselves in Braintree (Quiacs. ) While the Capt. and his chief partner were on a trading tour to Virginia, Morton, the next in command, made them all merry ; and they spent their time in drinking, and daneing round a May-pole, ard christened the place, " Merry Mount." Their unruly con- duct attracted the attention of the goverment of the Colony, who sent Capt. Standish with some men, to break up the clan : to take Morton to Plymouth, and put sober men in their places.
The death of King James. occurred March 27, 1625, and the throne was soon occupied by his son, Charles the First : who put the reigns of the church goverment into the hands of those who serupled not to ruin and destroy every one how- ever talented, pious or useful. if an adhesion to the rites of the church of England, be wanting : at this deplorable era for the dissenters, the Rev. John White, of Dorchester, England, and Roger Conant, undertook to form a settlement in 1625, at Namasket: the party soon removed to Cape Ann. and in the call of 1626, to Nawakeag (Salem.) Success did not attend
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
the settlement, but Mr. White did not wish to see the plan relinquished, and promised those who would remain there, that he would procure a patent for them in England, and al- 60, send friends, goods and provisions. It was not long before the Council of Plymouth, in England, had by a deed, bear- ing date March 19th, 1628, sold unto some six Knights, and gentlemen, about Dorchester, that part of New England, ly- ing between the river Merrimac and the river Charles : and soon after that, a new patent was issued, dated March 4, 1629, giving to twenty-six persons, named on the patent, jurisdic- tion from three miles North of the Merrimac, to three miles South of every part of the river Charles, including all boun- daries three miles South of the southern line of Massachu- setts Bay, and in length, from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea.
In June, 1628, Mr. John Endicott, one of the grantees by Patent, brought out a few men, and then there were but 50 or 60 persons : more arrived in June, 1629, in all amounting to 386 ; with the last, came the Rev. Francis Higginson : but seven houses had been built at that time.
CHARLESTOWN PLANTATION.
About 100 of the Salem party, under the guidance of Thos. Graves, soon removed to Charlestown, where a settlement had commenced : three brothers, Ralph, Richard and Win. Sprague, had left Salem the previous summer, to explore the country Westward, and having gone some twelve or more miles, through woods, they came to a neck of land, called Mishawun ; the Sachem, Jolm Sagamore, freely consented to their settling within his bounds.
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
The success which was attending the plantations, encour- aged the grantees who resided in England, to persevere ; and several of the principal members, entered into an agree- ment, to remove themselves and families, provided, the whole goverment, and patent, might be first legally transfered and established, to remain with them, and others who should join with them : this measure was resolved on, to avoid the in- conveniences of administring a government at such a dis- tance, and for alluring men of worth, and wealth, to embark in the enterprise : this alteration was made in the company affairs, Aug. 1629, and on the 20th, a meeting was held for electing a Governor, Lieut. Governor, and Assistant, who would be willing to remove : Mr. John Winthrop, was chosen Governor, and Thomas Dudley, Lieut. Governor; the company appointed 10 agents for the concern, for procuring stock, pro- visions, vessels, &c. &c., five of them to remain in England, and five to accompany the emigrants : by the end of Feb. 1630, fourteen vessels were engaged, to take over 1500 pas- sengers, and every requisite for a firm plantation.
As all the fleet could not be made ready at once, four of them set sail on the 8th of April, and arrived in safety : the first, which arrived, was the Mary-Johu, bringing the Rev. John Warham. and John Maverick ; with families, from the Counties of Devonshire, Dorset-hire and Somersetshire ; and Mr. Edward Rossitter and Roger Ludlow, two assistants: with Roger Clapp, who was soon afterwards, Capt. of Castle Island. They were to have been landed up the Charles riv- er, but the Capt. (Squibb,) insisted on putting them ashore, on Nantasket Point ; there, they obtained a boat, and loaded it with goods, and ten armed men, under the direction of Capt. Southeot, and made for Charlestown : there they saw a few wigwams, some few English people, and one house : they continued their course to Watertown, and landed with
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
their goods, for the night: in the morning, some natives ap- peared, and stood at a distance ; at last, one of them held up a bass ; when an Englishman went to him with a biscuit, for an exchange ; and this commenced a friendly entercourse: they erected a shelter for their goods, for the night. but did not remain there long ; for having discovered a neck of land, (South Boston,) fit to keep cattle on. they removed there.
On the 14th of June, the ship Arbella, so named in honor of the wife of Mr. Johnson, arrived in Salem; bringing Gov. Winthrop, and Mr. Isaac Johnson : this ship was 350 tois burthen; mounting 28 guns: commanded by Capt. Poter Welbourne; on the 3d. of June, they approached the Ameri- can coast, and sounded 80 fathoms : the next day, 30 fall :- oms, and dined on fresh fish : on the 8th. Mount Desert was espied, and the air seemed redolent with garden porfine- ; and birds flew about the ship: on the 12th, passed between Baker's Island, and another small one. and came to anchor, a short distance from Salem harbor; Mr. Endicott and others from Salem. came on board; and some of the passengers returned with him to his hospitable dwelling : the next mor- ing, others left the ship, and went ashore on the other side of the harbor, and feasted on strawberries; which they found in such abundance, they named it Strawberry Bank.
Other ships of the fleet, occasionally arrived, and on July 6th, but one was absent ; the loss by casualty, or sickness, having been but fifteen persons, a public day of Thank-gir- ing and Praise, was kept throughout the plantations, on the 8th, of that month.
This last emigration, was intended to have been mostly located on one spot, and that, to have been called Boston ; that plan was partially frustrated, by the irregularity of arti- vals, and partly by the sad situation of the Salem seulement: sickness, death, and want of the necessaries of life. had been their portion, for some time part : eighty deaths had occured
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
during the previous winter, and those yet alive, were weak, and in want : of corn, meal, or bread, they unitedly, had not enough for two weeks in prospective; and the large lot of servants, they brought out with them, at an expense of 16 or 20 pounds for each, they were obliged to give them their freedom, for want of food, for their sustenance : and many of the first settlers, had left Salem for the Mystic : Charlestown, and up the river Charles.
Gov. Winthrop, stopped at Charlestown, and with some other public Officers, were accommodated in a building, they called the great house, on the westerly side of the market square : others resided in cottages, booths and tents : but so cold, and moist, that sickness prevailed among them, at such an extent, there were not enough well, to take care of the sick. The Gov. had engaged a house to be built for him there, and purposed to make it a permanent residence ; but the water they were obliged to drink, was from one spring only, and which could not be approached, but at low tide, and this was brackish, and impure ; it was at the spot, now occupied by the State Prison : on account of their great af- flictions, the Governor proposed for a day of Fasting and Prayer; and the 30th, of July, was thus solemnly appropria- ted : after the divine services of the day, it was motioned to enter into a church covenant, with all who knew one another as having godliness at heart, and many then signed the cov- enant for the church : their meetings where first held in the open air, under an oak tree; in time, they held meetings in the great house.
Besides the English, who were located in Charlestown, when Gov. Winthrop arrived ; on Noddles Island (East Bos- ton.) there lived Mr. Samuel Maverick, a gentleman ever ready to entertain strangers : he had built a Fort there, and mounted four cannon to protect him, from the Indians: and on the western side of the peninsula, called Shawmut, a Mr.
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
Win. Blackstone had pitched a tent ; which land in those days, at high water, appeared like two Islands, the north and south parts, being connected by a narrow isthmus.
Mr. Blackstone, communicated to Gov. Winthrop, that he had found excellent springs on the peninsula, and urged hin to remove thither; this incident, with the fact that the; were much pleased with Shawmut neck, induced several persons to commence a settlement there.
BOSTON PLANTATION.
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1630, Aug. 23. The first court of assistants, under the authority of the patent, was held on board the Arbella, at Charlestown ; the first question propounded was, " How shall the Ministers be maintained ? it was ordered that hous- es be built for them, at the public expense ; and the salary of Rev. Geo. Phillips, at Watertown, to be £30, and that of Mr. Wilson, £20, till his wife arrived.
At the second court, it was ordered, that the name of Mat- tapan, be changed to Dorchester ;- that upon Charles River, Watertown ; and Tri-mountain, to be called Boston.
Boston was settled Sept. 7, 1630 ; and peopled by dis- senters from the Church of England, some few of whom were from Boston, county of Lincolnshire, England, who gave to it . + its name : the Indians had called it Shawmut, on account (f } its good springs of water, and the English settlers in Charley town called it Tri-mountain, from its then three prominent hills : Chicatabot the reigning Sachem of the then tribe of Indians, gladly received the Europeans within his territory, and for a valuable consideration conveyed to them this land of their choice ; and the descendants of that Sachem, in 1684, ratified the sale by signing a quit claim deed with the ev- pression that " they had received a valuable consideration
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BOSTON COMMON.
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
therefor : " and here we may add, that the whole lands in New England, were in the same manner purchased of the reigning Sachems of the different tribes ; and paid for as in every other fair species of trade, viz : with an equivalent to the amount and in manner asked for, by the previous hold- ers of the soil.
Mr. William Blackstone, from the Charlestown settle- ment, was the first European known to have lodged on this peninsula, and from that circumstance only, claimed most of the land ; he invited Gov. John Winthrop and others to re- move over from Charlestown, on which Mr. Johnson, with several others took up their residence. On the 10th. of Sept. 1634, a Tax of £30, was assessed on the inhabitants, for the purchase of any claim Mr. Blackstone may have on the land excepting about six acres, which he would still hold for his own enjoyment and advantage : every house hol- der was to pay six shillings, at least ; and some more to- ward making up that sum : after that date the town laid out ground for a training field, and for the feed of cattle ; which spot is now our glorious common : this lot was extended in length, by a purchase by the town, Oct. 8, 1787, of two aeres and one-eighth of Wm. Foster, on its southern and eastern boundary, adjoining the burial ground.
The Common contains 48 3-8ths. acres, and the garden west of Charles Street, 25 acres; being 73 3-8ths. aeres in the whole area : the common was surrounded with a wood- en post, three-railed fence ; in 1836, that fence was removed and the present imposing iron picketed enclosure, took its place : the expense therefor, being partially paid by the inhabitants residing on its border ; the rest being paid by the city : the whole cost of it, was $82.159.85 ; individuals subscribed $16,292.00. The length of iron fence is 5932 feet.
The British in 1775, raised a fort near the centre which vet partially remains, and a little north of that is a pretty pond
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BOSTON NOTIONS.
or sheet of water, called 'Crescent pond : ' when the city charter was obtained, in 1822, a clause was inserted, debar- ing the city council, forever, from selling any of the common. 1630, Aug. 23, it was decreed by the court, that carpenters, joiners, brick-layers, sawyers, and thatchers, should take no more than two shillings a day on pain of ten shillings penalty.
The first general court of the colony, was held at Boston, Oct. 19, 1630,-Dec. 28, the G. C. decided, that Newton (name altered to Cambridge, 1638,) should be the seat of government ; and to remove the munitions and ordinance there :- Nov. 4, it was promulged by the court, that if any person would set up a Ferry, between Boston and Charles- town, he should receive one penny for every person ferried over, and one penny, also, for every 100 lbs. weight of goods .- Weekly trainings are ordered.
It has generally been conceded by antiquarians and histo- rians, that the many, and good springs of water, constantly flowing from particular spots on this peninsula, was an im- portant, if not the particular reason, for our puritan fathers' choice, in making Boston their favorite residence : there were a number of those springs about Beacon hill, and at that westerly part of the town ; and one of superior purity and power, continually gushed forth, at the north corner of Spring Lane and Washington Street, over which, is the bookstore of the Messrs. Lorings.
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