USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Early History of Naushon Island > Part 12
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Bad from Boston
Wood Hole
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Islands
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Elizabeth
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Wist shop
Peallifo I
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Cape Fog Pond
Tidsbury
Wood Land
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Chapoquidick
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Great Pond
Ining Brook
Gay Head
She Great Boock agawrut whuh the Sai corinnaty boats
Wasque Per
Masque Neat
No Mans LandI.
6
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Eddie onamd Shoals Pret at Low Watre
East Chop
Ashrwina 3.Howe
Fucks Hole
THE VINEYARD
Fel Sina
Tidslaury®
30
Mmamsho Bin
Wood Grand
5
Sale Meadows
Meeting Ho
Marting Ho.
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Sheep Pastures
Chibs. Fond
Quampeche low Lands
16
Soundings 9 8 9 30
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MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND THE ELIZABETH ISLANDS, FROM CRÈVECOEUR'S "LETTRES D'UN CULTIVATEUR AMÉRICAIN" LONDON, 1784
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DEEDS AND LEGAL PAPERS
wish that it be perpetuated. He left a long and complicated will, the notable feature being that the bequests to his nephews all were conditioned on their taking the name of Bowdoin. This six of his nephews and great-nephews did.
He left his Naushon property to the second son of his sister, Lady Temple. This son, James Bowdoin Temple, had already, at his uncle's desire, changed his name to James Temple Bowdoin. The property was left to him during his lifetime and in the event of his in any way forfeiting it or leaving no heir it was to go to a great-nephew, James Bowdoin Winthrop, who had also assumed the name of Bowdoin. In case he died and left no heir the estate was left to Bowdoin College.
The text of that part of the Honorable James Bowdoin's will relating to Naushon is here given.
WILL OF HONORABLE JAMES BOWDOIN (III)
Fifthly
I give and devise unto my Nephew, James Temple Bowdoin for and during the term of his natural life my Mansion House in Beacon street. . .. Also all my Islands, Lands, Farms and Estate in Chilmark in the County of Dukes County in said Commonwealth with the Houses, buildings, Stores, Salt works and appurtenances, farming Tools, and Stock of every kind on said Lands and estate with the furniture in the houses on said Lands, also my right and estate in a piece of land held in common with Joseph Parker containing about three acres more or less lying within Woods Hole neck, To hold what I have thus given and devised to the said James Temple Bowdoin for and during the term of his natural life, and from and after the determination of that estate by forfeiture or otherwise I give the same to Thomas Lindal Winthrop and Richard Sullivan of said Boston Esquires and to their heirs in trust only to preserve and support the contin- gent remainders and uses herein after limited from being defeated
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
barred or destroyed ; and for that purpose from time to time and at all times to make entries and bring Actions as occasion may re- quire, nevertheless to permit and suffer the said James Temple Bowdoin to receive the rents issues and profits thereof for and during the term of his natural life, and from and immediately after his dicease, I give and devise all the foregoing estates so given to him for life, unto and for the use and behoof of the first son law- fully begotten or to be begotten of the said James Temple Bow- doin etc. etc. and for dafault of such issue Then I give and devise said Estates so given to said James Temple Bowdoin for life unto my other Nephew James Bowdoin Winthrop now of Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, he dropping the name of Winthrop for and during the term of his natural Life, and from and after the determination of that his estate by forfeiture or otherwise, I give and devise the same unto said Thomas Lindal Winthrop and Richard Sullivan and to their heirs in trust only to preserve and support the contingent remainders and uses herein after limited from being defeated, barred or destroyed, and for that purpose from time to time to make entries, but to suffer said James Bowdoin Winthrop to receive the rents and profits thereof during the term of his natural life and at his decease I give and devise the same Mansion House and lands in Boston and Islands and estates (described in the devise to said James Temple) unto and to the use and behoof of the first son lawfully begotten of said James Bowdoin Winthrop and the heirs male of the body of such first son lawfully issuing and for default of such issue to the use of the second third and other sons of said James Bowdoin Win- throp and the heirs male of the body of each of them in succession and manner as before limited to the male issue of said James Tem- ple, and for default of any such male issue of sd. James Tem- ple and of sd. James Bowdoin Winthrop then I give and devise the said Estates in Boston and in the County of Dukes County and Woods Hole, with their Stock and furniture and appurte-
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nances before described unto the aforesaid Bowdoin College in fee simple forever. . . . James Bowdoin
Two of the nephews of James Bowdoin, who had helped him in the management of his affairs during his lifetime, were Thomas Lindall Winthrop and Richard Sullivan. They were named as his executors and were appointed by the Court to act as agents in charge of the estate while it was in process of settlement.
James Temple Bowdoin, the heir, was living in 1819 with his family in Florence, Italy. Wishing to increase his income, he ap- plied to the Court of Massachusetts for permission to cut the trees then standing on Naushon, and sell the timber - James Winthrop Bowdoin [son of T. L. Winthrop, who had adopted the name Bowdoin ] and the College being the residuary legatees, it was nec- essary to obtain their consent.
The Court sent a commission to Naushon to decide upon the advisability of timbering the island. The matter was the subject of much correspondence. Finally, almost ten years later, Messrs. Winthrop and Sullivan were authorized by the Court to have about 3,000 cords of wood cut. General Salem Towne was put in charge of operations and a great quantity of wood was taken from the west end of the island and sold. This cutting came to an end as shown in this order :
Docket Superior Judicial Court, November Term 1827 James T. Bowdoin in Equity Vs. Thomas L. Winthrop & al. Sul- livan Law. Nov. 1 1825. Ord. that the Commissioners suspend cutting & felling trees & further proceedings till further orders.
Decree as on file.
The second choice of James Bowdoin as his heir was his great- nephew James Winthrop, son of Thomas L. Winthrop and Eliz- abeth Bowdoin Temple Winthrop, who had adopted the name of Bowdoin. He died without heirs in Havana on March 6th, 1833.
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The actual heir, James Temple Bowdoin, died at Twickenham, England, on October 31st, 1842, leaving one son. It was upon his death that the authorities at Bowdoin College realized that between them and a large legacy stood only one heir, James T. Bowdoin, whose birth and residence in England might invalidate his claim to his great-uncle's property.
The trustees of Bowdoin College instituted a suit at law claim- ing the property as residuary devisee under the will of the uncle, James Bowdoin, to the exclusion of James Temple Bowdoin's only son James, to whom the property was to descend by the terms of that will. The ground of the claim by Bowdoin College involved the question of citizenship of the son, the intentions of the uncle, and sundry nice points of law. Eminent counsel was employed on each side, Daniel Webster, Franklin Dexter, Charles Cushing Paine, William C. Aylwin, John H. Clifford of New Bedford on the part of Mr. Bowdoin, and Jeremiah Mason, Rufus Choate, Charles G. Loring, Benjamin F. Hallett, P. W. Chandler, B. R. Curtis for the College. The case was expected to come on at the November Court in Boston. On the 28th of September, 1843, a compromise was agreed upon by both parties whereby James T. Bowdoin was to receive seven-tenths and the College three-tenths of both properties. Both parties assented to the sale of Naushon Island, with all stock and other personal property thereon, to William Sturgis, Esq., for the sum of $20,000. The purchase was made for William W. Swain of New Bedford and John M. Forbes of Boston, who thereby became joint proprietors of the island.
Chapter IV THE WINTHROP ERA
I N the year 1682 Wait Winthrop bought Naushon. It is worth while to glance at the family of Winthrop before delving into that tiny corner of Winthrop life which touches the island.
The Puritan leader, John Winthrop, arrived in Salem in the ship Arbella in 1630. With him came a group of men and women determined to establish themselves in the new country. In the first year the trading company of the Massachusetts Bay gave place to the infant Commonwealth. As numbers increased, settlements were made along the banks of the Mystic and Charles Rivers, cen- tering about Boston.
For the remaining years of his life John Winthrop was chosen Governor or deputy of this Colony.
In this company, of whom he was the dominant figure and with whose descendants his children intermarried, were Saltonstalls, Leveretts, Endicotts and others who were to become leaders in the colonies and to hand down to succeeding generations marked qualities of force and integrity.
John Winthrop had seven sons. The eldest of them, John Winthrop, Jr., was born at the ancestral home, Groton, England. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, studied law, traveled extensively, and took part in a military expedition under the Duke of Buckingham.
In 1631 he joined his father in Massachusetts. Every induce- ment was offered him to live here, but he gradually increased his interests in the neighboring Colony, and after his father's death
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settled in New London. In 1657 he was chosen the first Governor of Connecticut.
John Winthrop, Jr., had by his second wife two sons and five daughters. The former were christened John and Wait Still, but were always known as Fitz-John and Wait.
Their letters reveal the warm affection which united the family from Governor Winthrop down through sons and grandsons; the interest in one another's affairs, the solicitude in all family events, the mutual confidence and affection, which feeling was especially strong between the brothers Fitz-John and Wait.
Their father brought from England his large scientific and classical library and was himself a man of scientific distinction, one of the original Fellows of the Royal Society. The sons shared these interests, especially in regard to medicine. Cotton Mather, in preaching the funeral sermon of Wait Winthrop, says of him, "Wherever he came the diseased of the place flocked about him as if the Angel of Bethesda had come among them."
Fitz-John fought in the English Civil War on the Parlia- mentary side, returned to the Colonies, served in King Philip's War with the rank of Major, and was second in command of the expedition against Canada in 1690. He was elected Governor of Connecticut in 1698.
Wait Winthrop was born in Boston in 1642. He was a fellow commoner* at Harvard in the class of 1662. He married Mary Browne, daughter of the Honorable William Browne, a leading citizen of Salem; their two children were John and Ann.
Wait was often called Major General Winthrop, having had
* A Fellow Commoner was a superior rank of student whose father paid extra tuition and gave a piece of silver to the College. In return, the fellow commoner dined at high table with the fellows (hence the name), stood at the head of his class, was exempted from running errands as a freshman, and alone of undergraduates was addressed as "Mr." There were only about sixteen fellow commoners in Harvard history, and four of them were Winthrops and Brownes (of Salem).
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THE WINTHROP ERA
for a long period that rank in the Massachusetts Militia. He joined in the overthrow of Sir Edmund Andros, served as Judge of Admiralty and Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Massa- chusetts, and held various other public offices. His official corre- spondence and letters on Colonial and foreign affairs are outside our scope, but show the breadth of his interests and acquaintance. The letters which chance to touch upon Naushon show the human and domestic side of his nature. His interest in medicine and in horses is intense. No detail is too minute for his attention.
The son of Wait, John Winthrop, designated F.R.S. to dis- tinguish him from others of the name, was born in 1681, the year before his father bought Naushon. He graduated from Harvard as fellow commoner in 1700 and married, in 1706, Ann, daughter of Governor Joseph Dudley.
Considering himself aggrieved by the action of the Courts and Legislature of Connecticut in certain legal proceedings aris- ing out of the settlement of the estates of his father and uncle, he went to England to seek redress from the Privy Council. Hence- forth he resided permanently in London. He became an active Fellow of the Royal Society, the Fortieth Volume of which is dedicated to him.
How Wait Winthrop became interested in Naushon is not definitely known except, "It being proferred me as an extraordi- nary thing." There are several natural reasons, however. In the first place, ever since Thomas Mayhew came in the Winthrop fleet the Winthrop and Mayhew families had had some correspond- ence. When Matthew Mayhew wished to sell his outlying islands it was quite natural that he turned to a Winthrop as a purchaser. In the second place, his brother, Fitz-John had constant dealings with the authorities in New York and New England on matters of coastwise shipping. The family had large holdings on Long Island and Fisher's Island. Tarpaulin Cove, then a well-known anchorage, growing in importance, appeared a desirable posses-
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sion and was probably familiar, at least by name, to both brothers.
The following two letters mention Wait Winthrop's first con- sideration of "Elsabeth's Isle."
1682
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Boston, July 7th. 1682
Deare Brother,-
I wrote in hast by little Wheler, and am now in almost as much hast. I haue sent your suite by Major Palmes, but know not whether Mr Eliote has followed your direction about it. The stufe was the most fashionable yt could be got. Yt which is most in weare is a drugett, but here is not a peice in towne. . . .
Mr Ravenscroft said he would write to you to make use of the soape if it would do you any seruis, but it may be [he ] may expect something for it. I feare black Tom will do but little seruis. He used to make a show of hanging himselfe before folkes, but I be- leive he is not very nimble about it when he is alone, t'is good to haue an eye to him, and if you think it not worth while to keep him, eyther sell him or send him to Virginia or the West Indies before winter, he can do somthing as a smith. If you could procure two or 4 prety larg horses well matched for a coach, either black or bay, I cold haue ten or twelve pounds apeice without faile. Tom Smith has ordered from Barbados to buy som, and desired me to write. If thay com within six weekes it may do. Thay ought to be under eight years.
I am going tomorrow (unles this night should alter my mind) towards Elsabethes Island, it being profered to me as an ex- traordinary thing at the prise, wh I have agreed for if I like it when I shall see it. I haue your old uncles aduise and assistance in it, he haueing a fancy to Munhans (Monohansett) in his old age; however, I shall not trouble myselfe, but rest contented with the
THE HONORABLE WAIT WINTHROP 1642-1717
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THE WINTHROP ERA
losse of my jorney if I shall not find it to be very considerable, which som do report it to be at fiue hundred pounds. Tis said to be about 7 or 8 miles long, and nere two miles wide generally, and most of it good land, tho something unsubdued. Mr Blake goes with me. I haue put some rubila, halfe ground, and niter in the pockets of the briches, and all the black salve I had. Black powder or cordialls I haue none redy, but shall make som at my returne and send. not els but that I am
Your affectionate bro., W. Winthrop (Wait-still)
There is also som gazetts in the pocket.
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Boston, Septbr. 16th. 1682.
Deare Brother,-I recd yours by Mr Cristophers, and severall others formerly ; but my being out of towne has prevented me from any opertunity of sending an answare, and we are but now com home. I haue lookt back into your letters and find little unan- swered except that about our deare mother. I know not what to write about it more than the day of the month, except I wear with you to advise. She died the first day of December being the Saboth day in the evening. I faine would giue you a visit before winter if I could; but know not whether I shall be able, unless I should goe to Marthas* Vineyard, and so mete with a passage from there. I haue purchased Elsabeths Island, but know not whether it will be for the best, it being a very rugged place ; but old Marcus An- tonius [his uncle Deane Winthrop] being stayed from his jorny, payes for it, and so t'will be all one. It may be worth something in time ; when I se you shall giue you my thoughts about it. I feare Mr Cristoprs is mounted by this time, and I may loose the passage
* In some letters spelled Marthase.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
of this, therfore must brake off. There are severall little pertic- ulars in your last letters as knife and fork, penknife, powder, shot, hounds, gun, purle and pins for my niece, which, if my credit will strayne to, I shall send. Cape cloath is not to be had; if it weare, tis as deare as good kersy. I hope Sorrell may be able to carry me. I haue not yet been on his back. Capt. Jones has him now to Salem, and I expect him this day. We met him on the road with sister Ann. Not els but
Your owne W. Winthrop
References to Tarpaulin Cove are incidental in all of Wait Winthrop's letters. It is just one of many interests about which he consulted his brother.
One or two medical letters are included which have no con- nection with Naushon.
1683
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Mar. 1, 1683
Deare Brother,
I have not so much as heard directly from you as I remember, since I left you but my memory is so shattered that may possiblye forget this oportunity being sudayne, I can say but little, our sister Endicott has been very bad most part of this winter with the dry belly ache as it is called, but I beleive it to be rather a kind of gout which she has taken from her husband which went inward. We got her to Boston yesterday in a horse litter, she being left destitute of all convenience in a miserable place where none of her friends could come at her to do her any good without endangering themselves. . . .
One of the best things for the Dry Belly Ache is to swallow buttered bullets as big as can be swallowed, and the more are
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THE WINTHROP ERA
taken, the sooner there is help. Here was a master of a vessel not long since was extreme bad, who swallowed seven buttered musket bullets which I beleive was the chief thing that helpt him, they lay several days before they came away, and then he had ease. If he had taken as many more he would have been well sooner, there is no kind of danger in taking them if they ly in the body long I know no hurt can follow. The man above said had taken rubila at both ends but I judge his help came by the bullets. The bell has rung nine and Mr Davis will be gone to bed.
Your Owne
W. Winthrop
1684 WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Boston, Octobr 17th. 1684
.. . Sister Wharton has got a boy and is almost up againe. My wife holds out yet, els I should haue seene you before this. I can get no rent of Blany,* who I feare will proue a shuffleing fellow, which is a great disapointmet to me. I sold the barrill of tallow you sent me in the spring to one Shakerley, or such like name, who is lately run away towards Rhode Island. If you meete with him make him pay for it. His wife sayes he carryed about £30 in mony with him. Here is Mr Johnson that lay at Mr Crisps from Antegoa againe. I haue told him of two or 3 good horses coming downe, and he defers buying till thay com; ther- fore, if you send, let them com as soon as may be. Send the cattle to be here about a week before the next full moone, els what I keep for my selfe will not be halfe so good. If you haue any thing els, it will do well. This, I hope, will be the hardest year. If
*Anthony Blaney, tenant at the West End, for whom Blaney's Pond was probably named.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
Mr Cristophers continue delirious, let him be let blood in the forehead and let his body be kept soluble by loosening things. I am your owne W. Winthrop
Salt beife applyed to the soles of his feete is good; also a good dos of rubila, as the case may be circumstanced. Send me word what turkes are aliue. Here is two more hens to had; also how the rabitts prosper. I haue yet no certayne intelligence from Irland. If nothing be wanting but salt I think I could send som.
Apparently Winthrop's expectation that Blaney would prove a "shufleing fellow" was justified.
Know all men by these presents that I Anthony Blaney of Boston in New England Baker am holden and firmly bound and obliged unto Waitestil Winthrop of Boston aforesaid gent. in the full and just summe of One hundred and sixty pounds etc.
Mar. 23, 1685
Anthony Blaney
The islands were still under the jurisdiction of "York," and it must have been disturbing to know that the "Dukes interest" might at any time be transferred.
Matthew Mayhew was doubtless glad of the support of the two Winthrops in dealing with the New York authorities.
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Boston, Nov. 11th. 1684
... Mr Mayhew* is here and sayes when he was at York in the suñer the Govr. was saying he wondred that neither of us
* Matthew Mayhew, of Martha's Vineyard.
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THE WINTHROP ERA
had bin with him yet. It would do well, I beleiue, if you would write to him. I forget whether I wrote you before that we haue certayne intelligence that Major Thomson and others were purchasing the Dukes interest at York, and that it was in a mañer concluded; but the next ships, which are expected every day, will bring us more certayne intelligence about it, and we may know the better how to take our measures. Mr Randolph writes Mr Dudley that Sr. Edmund Andross will com Govr. hither. My wife is still ex- pecting the good hower. She desires you would remember a barrill of samp. Not els but that I doe unfainedly desire God to restore and continue your health, and that I am
Your affectionate brother W. Winthrop
WAIT WINTHROP TO FITZ-JOHN WINTHROP
Nov. 30, 1684
Deare Brother, -
Since I wrote .. . I have purchased the belt which accompanies this for 30s. It cost 28 in Barbados. The man had another about halfe so good which he kept for his owne use, being as narrow again. I got it but the last night, being Saturday night, and could not get the rivets repaired from the rust, which was contracted by its long voyage, where it has a litle damnified the leather. . . .
The bukles are not plate; but may serue for the present till a better may be got. It is not buff, but is, I believe, as fashionable. I forgot in my former letters (tho I haue severall times thought of it) to desire you to let the Indians find som way to thrash the best of the hay that is clover at the island* to saue the seede. If you could find noe use for it there it would make grate improue- ment at Tarpolin Cove, where theyr is noe grasse to hinder it geting into the old Indian Feilds, espetially if it were sowne with their wheate, which I could cause the Indians to doe. It would be
* Fisher's Island.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
easy for the squase [squaws], boyes, and girls to procure a good quantity of it and cleans it well which would be best; for the clean seed is worth a halfe a crown or thre shilling the pound, and would sell for redy mony, which would be very considerable if there be no other use of it, and we could get but two or thre hundred wayght of it in a year, which might easily be don if every one were injoyned to get a certayne quantity of it in a yeare. Mr Smith tels me he has lately sent 300 lbs of it to York, and got thre sh. the pound for it, for som that sent for it. I wonder we haue not thought of a way to saue it all this while, knowing the benefit as well as the valew of it. If noe better way be found, if a kind of smooth place or (floor) to be made by the stack and the hay only shaked over it and then gathered up, a grate quantitye might be saved. All that Mr Smith got was saved after that way-not els but that I am Your own,
W. Winthrop
The hors, it seems was tired, and left at Mr Smiths, which he would not have been by fair play. John Waterhous I doubt, spared his owne too much.
Postscript; Send word whether the hen turkey be alive or whether there be any at the Island. Pray remember the clover.
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