USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Chelsea > Documentary history of Chelsea : including the Boston precincts of Winnisimmet, Rumney Marsh, and Pullen Point, 1624-1824, vol 2 > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
When the direct tax of 1798 was assessed, the farm was owned by Moses Collins, and occupied by his son-in-law Jabez Burditt. The house covered 1023 feet, was of two stories, had twenty-five windows, was " Verry Old," and with half an acre of land was valned at $275. The farmland and a barn (60 X 30 feet) were valued at $1360. Twenty acres of saltmarsh, valned at $360, and three and one half acres of marsh on Island End River, valned at $15, belonged to the farm. The former was one half of a forty- acre lot ent out of the marshland of the great Keayne farm in 1703 for Paul Dudley. It was then described as belonging to and commonly let with the little ların. It was at the east end of the great Keayne farm, and was bonnded on the cast by the great Cogan farm and on the north by the Pines River. The northern half of this forty-acre lot belonged in 1798 to James Stowers. When Hopkins' Atlas was prepared Stowers' half belonged to Tewksbury, W. O. Hall and Blodgett, and others.39
Moses Collins' estate was divided September 6, 1811, among his
84 Suff. Deeds, L. 135, f. 100. Ten and three fourths aeres, bounded east by the town road, west by other land of the grantee, and south by the heirs of Jonathan Hawks.
36 Ezekiel Price of Boston vs. Joseph Tuttle of Chelsea. Court Files, Inf. Court of Common Pleas, October term, 1785.
3 Nathaniel Tracy of Newburyport rs. Sammel Clark of Chelsea, Court Files, October term, as above. One item in Tracy's account against Clark was £200 paid Jonathan Williams in July and August. 1784.
37 Snif. Deeds, L. 150, f. 233; L. 161, ff. 183, 184; 1, 184, f. 100, etc.
38 Ibid., L. 184. f. 100.
30 A plan of the Stowers marsh, drawn by Peter Tufts, Jr., in 1817, is in Suff. Deeds, L. 260, end of vol.
84
HISTORY OF CHELSEA
[CHAP. XXI
three daughters, Lydia, wife of Jabez Burditt, Hannah, wife of Thomas Burditt, and Mary, wife of William Kendall.4º In 1836 title was transferred to Dr. Benjamin Shurtleff,41 in whose name it appears on Hopkins' Atlas of 1874.]
40 Suff. Prob. Rec., L. 110, f. 571 ; also L. 112, f. 372.
" See Suff. Deeds, L. 406, f. 295; L. 412, f. 210; L. 283, f. 239; etc.
85
WINNISIMMET FERRY
CHAP. XXII]
CHAPTER XXII
WINNISIMMET FERRY
N OVEMBER, 1630, about two months after the settle- ment of Boston, the wealth of Winnisimmet, estimated by the assessments upon the several plantations for the main- tenance of the clergymen, Mr. Phillips and Mr. Wilson, was one third that of Medford, one sixth that of Roxbury and one tenth that of Charlestown; and in 1633, the proportion of Winnisimnet for public charges, a better test, was two thirds that of Medford and one sixth that of Charlestown.1
The first ferry in New England, perhaps in North America, was between Winnisimmet, Charlestown, and Boston. No- vember 9, 1630, the Court of Assistants ordered " that whoo- soener shall first give in his name to M' Goin' that hee will vndertake to sett vpp a fferry betwixte Boston and Charlton, & shall begin the same att such tyme as M' Goin' shall ap- poynt, shall haue 1ª for city pson, & 1ª for cây 100 waight of goods hee shall soe transport." 2 Apparently this offer was not accepted until Anne 14, 1631, when it is recorded that " Edw : Converse hath undertaken to sett vpp a fferry betwixte Charleton & Boston, for which hee is to hane ijd for cây single pson, & 1ª a peeee if there be 2 or more." 3 But May 18, it is entered : " Tho: Willns 4 hath vndertaken to sett vpp a fferry betwixte Winnettsemt & Charlton, for which hee is to hane after 3ª a pson, & from Winnettsemt to Boston 4ª a pson." 5
September 3, 1634, it is ordered, " that Wynetsemt shall belonge to Boston," and that " the fferry att Wynysemet is
1 Mass. Col. Rec .. i. 82, 110. [ Boston, Roxbury, Cambridge (New Towne), and Watertown were assessed the same rate as Charlestown. ]
Ibid., p. 81.
3 Ibid., p. 88.
' [October 19, 1630, " Thomas Willms, als Harris " was listed among the men who wished to become freemen of the Colony. For his life at Winnis- inmet, see infra, p. 96; for his family, see N. E. Ilist. and Gen. Reg .. ii. 218-220.]
6 Mass. Col. Rec., i. 87.
86
HISTORY OF CHELSEA
[CHAP. XXII
graunted to M' Sam" Madacke, to enjoy to him & his heires & assignes foreuer; & it is agreed, that the Court shall, from tyme to tyme, appoynet what shalbe payde for the transpor- tacon of one alone, & what for two or more, both to Boston & Charlton./ " " That grant was merely the right to set up and maintain a ferry. It included no interest in real estate; nor was it an exclusive privilege, for May 6, 1635, " ordered that there shalbe a fferry sett vpp on Boston syde, by the Wynd- myll Hill, to transport men to Charlton & Wenesemet vpon the same rates that the fferry men att Charlton & Wenesemet transports men to Boston." 7
·
At a town meeting in Boston, January 23, 1635/6, voted : " Thomas Marshall is, by generall consent, choosen for the keeping of a ferry from the mylne point unto Charltowne, an to Wynnyscemitt, and to take for his ferrying unto Charltowne, as the ferryman there hath, and unto Wynnysemitt for a single person, 6d .; for two, 6d .; and for every one above the num- ber of two, 2d. a peece." 8 And later, at the General Court,
" Ibid., pp. 125, 126. [The two votes were not necessarily passed on the same day. All votes are eited as of the first day of the session, unless the preeise date of their passage is given in the margin of reeord. For the eir- eumstanees under which the latter vote was passed, see infra, p. 96.]
7 Mass. Col. Ree., i. 148. Before the building of Chelsea bridge in 1802 [and of Malden bridge in 1787 and Charlestown bridge in 1786], the only way from Winnisimmet to Boston by land was through Malden, Medford, Cambridge, Brighton, and Roxbury. The journey with an ox team and re- turn required two days; sueh is the tradition. This was obviated in part by ferry boats between the two places, touching in transit at Charlestown and Noddle's Island." There were two ferries; that of Maveriek, which passed sueeessively to Bellingham, Watts, Williams, and the Winnisimmet Com- pany, still exists. This was from Winnisimmet to Boston. The other, set up by order of the General Court in 1635, ran from Windmill Hill (Copp's Hill), Boston, to Winnisimmet. At first the rent was paid into the treasury of the colony; but at some time not known to me it was received by the town, which let the ferry and made regulations. Two ferries plying between the same points eonflieted as to their respective rights and regulations. The Boston ferry was let by the town for some years to Samuel Watts. Finally it was merged by purchase in the Winnisimmet Ferry. As both these ferries were in Boston, of which Winnisimmet was part, and mainly for the use of the latter, I give the orders of the General Court and of Boston respeeting them, down to the incorporation of Chelsea in 1739. With these explanations, the following orders and votes, so far as they are specific, ean be readily distributed.
8 Boston Ree. Com. Rep., ii. 7. [Unless otherwise stated, the votes of the town of Boston will be found in this and the following reports of the Reeord Commissioners under their respective dates.]
87
WINNISIMMET FERRY
CHAP. XXII]
September 6, 1638, " There is a ferry appointed from Boston to Winnetsemet, Noddles Hand, & the ships; the pson to bee appointed by the magistrates of Boston." 9
Samuel Maverick had disposed of his interest in the ferry by deed to Richard Bellingham already given.19
At the General Court, December 4, 1638,
" Mass. Col. Rec., i. 24]. [Thomas Marshall was disarmed with other adherents of Mrs. Hutchinson, in November, 1637, by order of the General Conrt. The same court voted that Governor Winthrop and Richard Belling- ham, the Treasurer, also proprietor of the ferry from Winnisimmet to Boston, should let the ferry from Boston to Charlestown for a term of three years beginning December 1, at £40 a year. (Mass. Col. Rec., i. 208.) November 28, 1637, a lease was signed to Edward Converse, who had under- taken the ferry from Charlestown to Boston in 1631. He was to keep two boats, one on either side of the water. No meution was made of Winnisim- met. (Savage, Winthrop, ii. 349.) At a meeting of the selectmen of Boston, December 18, 1637, it was agreed that Edward Bendall should " keepe a sufficient ferry boate to carry to Noddles Island and to the shipps ryding before the towne, taking for a single person iid., and for twoe 3d., and if there be more id. a peecc." As the lease to Edward Converse did not inelude the right or obligation to carry passengers to Winnisimmet, the vote of the General Court in September, 1638, given in the text, legal- ized presumably the ferry established by Boston in December, 1637, and marked a separation of the ferries starting from Boston. Thereafter the ferry from Boston to Winnisimmet carried passengers to Noddle's Island, but not to Charlestown. The ferry right of Richard Bellingham permitted him to touch at Charlestown. Note also that eight of the fourteen owners of a dock conveyed March 25, 1639, to Richard Parker, and by him, the one half sold and the other half leased, to Edward Bendall, are known to have been, then or earlier, owners of land at Rumney Marsh or Pullen Point. - John Coggeshall, John Cogan, John Newgate, James Penn, William Dyer. Richard Tuthill, Mary Hudson (widow of Ralph Hudson), and Edward Hutchinson. (See Lechford, Note-Book, 43-47, in Transactions of the Amer. Antiq. Soc.) This was later known as the town doek. and was " where Quincy Market now is" according to Drake (Hist. of Boston). This was doubtless the landing place for the early attendants at the First Church, until 1650 the only church in Boston; the church held an interest in the dock. 1
1º Vol. i. p. 294. Maverick had granted to William Stitson a life in. terest in the ferry [see infra, p. 961; and Angust 28. 1635. " It was agreed between Richard Bellingham Esqr. & William Stitson as followeth That whereas the sd Wm. Stitson is possessed of the Ferry at Winnisimett for term of his life by grant from Samll. Maverick late Owner thereof, the reversion and inheritance being in the sd Richard Bellingham: Now the sã. Wm. Stitson for the consideration hereafter mentioned hath granted and Surrendred the said Ferry and all his interest therein unto the sd. Richard Bellingham and his heires For weh, they are to pay unto the sd. Wmn. and his Assignes the Sume of three pounds of lawfull mony yearely upon the first day of the first month, and the first day of the Seventh month at the Farme house of the sd. Richard in Winnisimett aforesd.
88
HISTORY OF CHELSEA
ICHAP. XXII
" William Blanton, appearing, was enioy [n]ed to appeare at the next Court, wth all the men that were in the canooe wth him, & Aplegate, wch owned the canoe out of weh the 3 psons were drowned; & it was ordered, that no canooe should bee vsed at any fferry vpon paine of 51, nor no canooe to bee made in or juris- diction before the next Generall Court, vpon paine of 10} " 11
May 13, 1640, " that no man should carry over any other at a fferry wth a canooe, vnder paine to forfet the canoo to the treasury." 12
October 7, 1641, " For settleing of all eomon fferryes in a right course, both for the passingers & owners, it is deelared & ordered, that whosoever hath a fferry granted upon any passage is to have the sole liberty of transporting passingers from the place where such ferry is granted to any other ferry, or place where ferry boates use to land, and that any ferry boate that shall land pas-
yearly by cqual portions. In Witness whereof the sd pty's have subscribed their names.
Witness
the marke of Ri: Bellingham
Jo: Winthrop Will ₼ Stitson
William Stitson acknowledged this writing to bee his voluntary act and deed the 26th. of March 1683. before James Russell Assist Entred 280. March 1683 [Suff. Deeds, L. 12, f. 347.]
p Isa : Addington Clre.
The deed was recorded nearly fifty years after its date in consequence of a suit for the rent above reserved, which Richard Wharton, as agent of Samuel Bellingham, refused to pay. [Infra, chap. xxiii.]
William Stitson did not long hold his annuity: " Know all men by these presents whome it may concern that I William Stitson of Charlestown do acknowledge that I formerly Sold unto mr. Richard Russell of Charlestown and do now confirme unto his Executor James Russell an Annuity of Win- nisiinett fferry which was granted formerly to me when mr. Winthrop was Governor, and the Court kep't at Cambridge, above fforty yeares since and that during my life and then it was to go to mr. Samuel Maverick the then Owner of Winnisimet ffarme which was since sold by him to mr. Richard Bellingham sometimes Governor, with whome I agreed for three pounds in money to be paid me annually for the use of the sd. fferry between Win- nisimet & Moltons point and Boston during my life which was paid me divers yeares by the sd Bellingham till I sold it to mr, Richd Russell and gave him a bill that I had under the sd Bellinghams hand made and wit- nessed by mr. Winthrop the then Governor for the payment of the sd Summe of three pounds p anni in money, and do now further confirme the same unto his Executor. Ja : Russell. As witness my hand this 4th. June 1679 @. Witness Thomas Greaves William Stitson
Anthony Checkley (Suff. Deeds, L. 11, f. 170.)
Thus it appears that soon after Winnisimmet became a part of Boston, Richard Bellingham owned the ferry (subject to an annuity of three pounds ), which descended to his son, Samuel Bellingham.
Mass. Col. Ree., i. 246.
12 Ibid., 292.
89
WINNISIMMET FERRY
CHAP. XXII]
singers at any other fferry may not take passingers from thence, if the ferry boate of the place bee ready; provided, that this order shall not Diudice the liberty of any that do use to passe in their owne or neighbors canoos or boates to their ordinary labors or busines.
" It was voted, that Winnet semet ferry should have but 3ª to Boston, & that both ferryes should have liberty alike.
" The ferry from Boston hath liberty to carry to Noddles Iland & the ships, as to Winnet semet, according to the former order ....
" It was appointed that every capt should pay for the fferrig of his compa out of the fines.
" The fferry men are alowed to take double pay after daylight is downe, & those that pay not are to give their names in writing, or a pawne, or the fferry men may carry them before a magistrate.
The 2.4th 7th mº, 1611.
" Whereas wee, whose names are underwritten, were ordered to settle the ferry between Boston & Winnetsemet, wee do therefore hearby certify, that wee have (according to or best care & indgment) done hearin, viz: Wee have let it unto Edward Goodwin & Robert Williams, to bee carefully & diligently attended to the content of the countrey, & that the said pties abovesaid shall alow unto the treasury six pounds p annu, & hould it for the space of one whole yeare from the 25th of this psent 7th mº, 1641; and for two yeares more in case they give content unto the conntrey, & they themselues desire to hould it./
WILLI: TYNGE,
THOM : COYTEMORE, ROBERT SEDGWICK, ROBERT WILLIAMS, EDWARD GOODWIN." 13
Edward Goodwin and Robert Williams did not prosper; for September 27, 1642, Ordered :
13 Mass. Col. Ree., i. 338. 341. [Richard Bellingham, proprietor of the ferry from Winnisimmet to Boston, was elected governor in June. 1641; in September this settlement was made. William Tynge was treasurer of the town of Boston; Thomas Coytemore was an inhabitant of Charlestown; Robert Sedgwick was Commander of the Castle. Edward Goodwin was granted a honse-lot in Boston April 27, 1640, " provided hee build on it within six monethes," and "a Lott at the mount for twoe heads." Robert Williams was admitted as a townsman by the selectmen of Boston March 28, 1612; was admitted to the Boston church April 10, 1642, and a free- man of the Colony May 10, 1643. Savage suggests that he was a son of Thomas Williams als. Harris, but gives no proof. ]
90
HISTORY OF CHELSEA
[CHAP. XXII
" The tenants of the ferry from Boston to Winnetsemet are remitted all the former rept, & 40 shs p @ is remitted for time to come, onely they are to passe the matrats & deputies freely, in the countryes service ; "/ 14
and November 13, 1644,
" Yt ye rent due for ye ferry from Boston to Winnetsemett shalbe remited, & for ye time to come, yt ye said ferry men, in leew of their rent, shall (till the Cort take furth" order) carry over all ye magistrates & deputies freely, wth their necessary attendants, at all times." 15
The order of 1642 which restricted free ferriage to certain officials passing " in the countryes service," in 1644 was ex- tended to "their necessary attendants, at all times.". Abuse led two years later to further definition.
May 22, 1646 " In answere to ye petition of James Heyden & ptnr, ferrimen, & for ye satisfaction of all other ferrimen, yt there may be no mistake who are freed, or should be passage free, & how long, -
" It is deelared, yt ye honored matrates, & such as arc, or from time to time shalbe, chosen to serve as deputies at ye Gen"all Courte, wth both their necessary attendants, shalbe passage free over all ferryes; & by necessary attendants wee meane a man & horse, at all times dureing ye time of their being matrates or depu- ties, but nevr intended all ye families of eithr, at any time, & yt ye ordr neith" expseth nor intendeth any such thing.
" Whereas this Corte hath passed an ordr for ye frec passage of ye matrates & deputies of ye Gen'all Corte, & ye necessary attend- ants of both, as in yt ordr appeareth, & yt ye ferrimen of Charls- towne may not loose by ye transportation of them abovesaid, wth grand jury, petty iury men, prison's, keepers, &č, ye Corte hath by a committee agreed wth ye said ferrymen for ye time past to be alowed 4ª p @ sinee that order, & 61 p @ for ye time to come; these paymts to be made & alowed annually by ye Treasurer." 16
14 Mass. Col. Ree., ii. 32.
15 Ibid., 90. [This session of the court had previously " ordered, yt ye magistrates & deputies of ye Cort their passages over ye ferries, together wth their necessary attendants, shalbe free, not paying any thing for it, except at such ferries as are apppriated to any, or are rented out, & are out of ye countries hands; & there it is ordred their passages shalbe paid by ye country." Ibid., 84.]
16 Ibid., ii. 154; also iii. 67, 69. [In 1640, the General Court gave the
91
WINNISIMMET FERRY
CHAP. XXII]
A modern nuisance had its ancient prototype :
Nov. 4, 1616. " Whereas men do passe over ye comon ferries in great danger often times, & ye ferrymen excuse y'selnes by y" im- portunity of passing's & want of law to give them powr to keepe due order, &c, it is therefore hereby ordered, yt no pson shall presse or enter into any ferry boate contrary to ye will of ye ferry- men, or of ye most of ye passingrs before entered, upon paine of 108 for every such attempt, & y' every ferryman y' shall pmit & alow any pson to come into his boate against y" will of any of y" matrats or deputies or any of ye eldrs y" in such boate, or y" greater pt of ye passingers yn in ye boafe, shall forfeite for every pson so admited or received against sneh will declared ye sume of 208; & it shalbe in ye powr of any of ye ferrimen to keepe out or put out of his boate any pson yt shall enter into or stay in any such ferry boate contrary to this order: & it is further ordered, yt all psons shalbe received into such ferry boates according to their coming first or last, onely all publike psons, or such as go upon publike occasions, as phisitians, surgeons, & midwifs, & such as are sent for such, shalbe transported as such as were first." 17
Oct. 27, 1648: "For pventing the ferrimens damage, by psons not paying, &c, it shall be lawfull for any ferriman to demand & receive his due, before his boate puf of from shore, nor shall he be bound to passe over any that shall not give satisfaction; & any ferriman may refuse any wampam, not stringed or unmarch- antable, & such psons (whether horse or foote) weh are passage free by order of Corte must shew some thing sufficient for their discharge, or else must pay, as othr's do, except magistrats & depu- ties, &c, who are genrally knowne to be free." 18
Free ferriage for officials caused dissatisfaction, which led to a change of the law.
November 13, 1655, "ordered, that the Tresurer shall sattisfy the magists ferriage for time past, they being for time to come to sattisfy for theire oune fferriages." 19
May 26, 1658: " In ans' to the peticon of some of the inhabi- tants of Ljnne & Reading & Rumly Marsh, the Court judgeth it
Charlestown ferry to Harvard College. (Ibid., i. 304.) Hence the court made this payment instead of remitting the rent.]
17 /bid., ii. 170; also iii. 81.
18 Ibid., ii. 262; also iii. 143. [See also, ibid .. iv. pt. i. 296.]
10 Ibid., iv. pt. i. 253. [This repealed the last clause of the order given supra, note 15. It applied to the ferry from Winnisimmet to Boston, but not to the ferry from Boston to Winnisimmet. ]
92
IHISTORY OF CHELSEA
[CHAP. XXII
meete to graunt them liberty to rajse a troope of horse, & choose theire officers, provided they be not fferry free, nor haue fiue shillings yeerly allowed them from the country, as other troop's haue." 20
November 27, 1661. " The Magists in Generall Court, after the hearing of the complaint made against John Moulton, ferry man at Winissemet, wth what he could say for himself, ordered, that he be admonished for his neglects, & fined forty shillings to the country." 21
20 Mass. Col. Ree., iv. pt. i. 341. This was afterwards known as the " Three County Troop," an organization with a ereditable history although without much favor from the General Court. Diserimination in favor of the magistrates raised a question as to the right of the General Court to relieve them from ferriage, by infringing on the rights of property; and the Court, October 16, 1660, " Resolved on the question that by the words of the lawe, tit. Ferrjes, p. 31, new booke, freeing magistrates & deputjes from paying ferriage ouer all fferrjes that pay no rent to the country, is not intended to infringe the propriety of any person in any ferry." Ibid., 433. [In 1660 a collection of the laws of the Massachusetts Colony was revised and published by order of the General Court. The orders of May 13, 1640, October 7, 1641, and November 4, 1646, so far as they were applicable to all ferries in the colony, were entered there without essential change. The regulation as to free ferriage reads as follows: " And it is Ordered that all Magistrates, & such as are, or from time to time shall be chosen Deputies of the Generall Court, with their necessary attendance viz: a man & a horse at all times, during the time of their being Magistrates or Deputies (but not their families) shall bee passage-free over all ferries, that pay no rent to the Country." Thus the ferry from Boston to Winnisimmet was obliged to carry magistrates and deputies freely, while that from Winnis- immet to Boston, the private property of Riehard Bellingham, was not.] Forty-five years later the General Court was less scrupulous, in war time at least, in taking private property for publie use; for in the French and Indian war, 1703: "Ordered, That for the Transportation of Souldiers during the present War, no Ferrymen in this Province presume to demand or take any payment what soever. And that the said Ferrymen do carefully attend night and day to Expidite their Marches, upon the danger of being prosecuted as neglecting Her Majtys Service and the Security of this Prov- ince." Mass. Provincial Aets and Resolves, vii. 369.
[This resolve originated in the Council, and passed both houses Mareh 18, 1702/3. Mass. Archives, lxx. 627. The act of October 25, 1694, provides that " all the members of the general assembly shall be ferrage free at all ferrys, in their passing to and from the assembly, and shall be transported without any unnecessary delay, on pain of forfeiting twenty shillings as abovesaid." Mass. Provineial Acts and Resolves, i. 183, 184.]
21 Mass. Col. Ree., iv. pt. ii. 36. John Moulton, who fell under the displeasure of the General Court for neglect of duty in connection with the ferry, was, I suppose, he whose name was given to Moulton's, Malton's or Morton's Point in Charlestown, at the northeast corner of the Navy Yard, the landing place for boats plying between Winnisimmet and Boston. [He was probably the Jolin Moulton who was at Pemaquid in 1682, and who
93
WINNISIMMET FERRY
CHAP. XXII]
February 25, 1677/8 [the Selectmen of Boston] " Let vnto Joseph & Benj" Williams the priviledge of a Ferry from Bostone to Wenesemet, for 3 yeares from ye 25th of March next, they or either of them payinge to the treasurer of this towne for the vse of ye Towne 81d. p. ann. in mony. And Transportinge the Honrd Majestrates Ferrige Free, accordinge to form' custome." 22
July 29, 1680, a similar contract was made with Francis Hudson for one year from the first day of August.23 This was the town's, not the Maverick, ferry.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.