USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Early History of Naushon Island > Part 7
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1704 Court Records, Dukes County
Caleb Ray complaineth against Alw an Indian woman for stealing two handkerchiefs of his wife some time last winter.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
The above, Capt. John Butler and Nicholas Butler acknowl- edge the abovesaid charge and the court having heard their plea and witnesses and finding the same of necessity to be done, do acquit the sd. party they paying fees of court.
The court do adjudge the abovesaid Alw to pay the sum of four pounds ten shillings the sd. handkerchiefs (hancerchiffs) being valued at thirty shillings (part thereof found valued at twenty three shillings) to said Ray and to pay five shillings as a fine to her Majesty or be whipped the number of two stripes; and the fees of court viz. six shillings and if the sd Alw cannot pay sd. judgement she is adjudged to serve the sd. Ray the term and time of one year and two months.
Court Records, Dukes County
Joshua Chamuck an Indian complaineth against Caleb Ray for unlawfully supplying him with a gallon of Rum, the day be- fore the Indian feast.
The said Joshua is ordered to appear in March court, and he saith the day of the feast he bought three pints of sd. Ray.
Whereas Caleb Ray being summoned and appeared before the court to answer to the plaint or charge of Joshua Chamuck for selling him of a few quarts and a pint of Rum, and the said charge not being legally proved to the courts' satisfaction do acquit sd. Ray he paying fees of court.
Two notes of Indian remedies may be of interest:
John Winthrop in his diary tells of one of the uses of bayberry. "Ye iner bark of ye root of ye tallest baberry bush steeped in water, ye Indians on Elizabeth Island cure ye Bloody Flux with. Quere-whether if steeped in wine it would not be better."
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INDIAN LIFE
The following is another use for the infusion of bayberry.
The Indians had a singular way of punishing their children and servants, which was as follows. They took some bayberry root, and scraping off the bark put it into a bottle; they let it stand awhile, steeping it in water. They would then take the boys, and lay them on their backs, putting a knee on each of the boys' arms, and turning back their heads, by laying hold of the hair, they took some of the water into their mouths, and squirted it into the noses of the boys. This was repeated twice or thrice until the boys were nearly strangled. After awhile, however, they would re- cover. This mode of punishment, called by the Indians medom- humar, or great punishment, has prevailed among them since my time.
1629
The story of Thomas Marlow is inserted here, although it has no connection with the Indians except as occurring during their occupancy.
The story is an enigma. It was written by Dr. Augustine Shurtleff in July, 1867, shortly after a visit to John M. Forbes at Naushon. Dr. Shurtleff was an antiquary and student of gene- alogy. A careful study of the details of the story corroborates its truth in many points. On the other hand, it is written in story- book style. Either Dr. Shurtleff took pains to weave historic truth into a pleasant fiction for the entertainment of his host, or he took a true story and clothed it in romantic language.
THOMAS MARLOW
In the year 1629 there lived at Yarmouth, England, a young fisherman named Thomas Marlow. He was a lively handsome fellow, and gained a fair livelihood by his calling, which was the catching of the peculiarly fine herring which had already given a reputation to his native town and constituted an important article
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
of export at that early day. Although he was thus doing very well in the world, his ambition often led him to contemplate a possible rise in life by emigration to a new country, and circumstances conspired to decide him on such an adventure.
The town of Bawtry, in Nottinghamshire, on the borders of the West Riding, was a seat of manufacture in a small way of nets and lines used in the fisheries. Young Marlow, in the pleasant month of June, made a pedestrian journey thither, ostensibly to replenish the fishing gear for himself and neighbors, but really to learn something of the interior country, which he had never before seen.
Whilst waiting about some days for his orders to be filled, he met and fell in love with Patience Ridgdale, the daughter of a small farmer in the neighborhood, and as he was not in the habit of letting the grass grow under his feet, and being moreover con- vinced that her bright, joyous disposition was one well suited to his own, he returned to Yarmouth the affianced husband of the Nottinghamshire maid.
Not far from Bawtry was the small town of Scrooby, a num- ber of whose inhabitants had joined the first Pilgrims to Plym- outh; among these were several relatives of the Ridgdales. The stories that came back from the Colony were not without their effect on young Marlow, and when in the spring of 1630 he and Patience were married, they decided that their wedding tour should be to Plymouth Rock.
On their arrival he commenced his life in the New World as a fisherman. He met with good success, and was soon enabled with his profits to build a substantial sailboat that could brave the rough waters outside of the Cape. But neither Marlow nor his wife were thoroughgoing Puritans. Their views of life were more cheerful, and their dispositions more gay, than those of their sterner neighbors. They felt the cold looks and unsympathetic faces that were turned on their brightness, and they determined
77
INDIAN LIFE
to quit a community that knew them not, and seek a more con- genial home, where they could live after the manner of their own hearts.
Marlow decided to go to the Dutch Settlement on Manhattan Island. His wife, under the guidance of a friend, was to proceed across the isthmus of Sandwich to Manomet, whilst he sailed around the dangerous waters of Cape Cod, with all their worldly effects, to meet her in the south waters. After a voyage length- ened to three weeks by head winds, he arrived in safety. On pass- ing through Woods Hole he was much impressed with the quiet beauty of Nonamesset, and on meeting with his wife he broached a new idea which had occurred to him of landing on one of these fair islands and founding a settlement of their own. Before deciding Patience visited the spot. Sailing down the Bay they landed at Uncatena and were both charmed with the beauty of the situation. The boat was brought round to the harbor, and they immediately proceeded to explore the adjoining island. Here they were met by the friendly natives, who gave them a kind recep- tion, promised them land, and agreed to live in peace and amity. They finally built a house on the highland to the northward and eastward of Tarpaulin Cove. Here they lived for many years in prosperity and happiness. Many children grew up about them and their future seemed all but assured.
At this time that terrible scourge, the Small Pox, was raging among the Indians, and at last it crossed from the mainland to the islands. One by one the Marlow children were taken by the deadly disease, and before a month had passed Mrs. Marlow had followed her thirteen children to the grave, and the stricken father was alone with the savages and his memories. He lingered a few years around the headstones which he had set up over his family, and dying finally of a broken heart was buried after the manner of his race by the friendly natives, and in a few years his very name had disappeared from the legends of the island.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
The sunlight comes glinting down through the quiet beeches, touching with gold the mossy headstones that for two hundred years have breathed the tale they could not tell.
A fortunate chance suddenly brings forth at this late day a mouldering time-stained manuscript which gives us the sad history of Thomas and Patience Marlow and reveals the long mystery of the woodland graves of Naushon.
AS July 21, 1867.
The arguments favoring the purely fictitious nature of Dr. Shurtleff's story are simple, and seem convincing.
1. Had Dr. Shurtleff found such a manuscript he would nat- urally have sent the unadorned text to the owner of Naushon or at all events have shown it to students of Pilgrim and early Plymouth history.
2. The language and style are that of fiction rather than fact.
3. The earliest accounts of Mayhew and Winthrop speak of the island as uninhabited by white men, and no local legend re- mains of such early settlers.
4. It seems improbable that with so much land to choose from an English fisherman would have brought his "bright and joy- ous" bride to so isolated a spot when fellow countrymen were beginning to settle the upper Cape.
The arguments for the truth of the story of Thomas Marlow are somewhat disjointed and not so easily told. For the truth of certain statements we turn to the diary of William Bradford, historian of the Pilgrims and himself a native of Bawtry in Nottinghamshire.
In listing the passengers of the May flower in 1620 he mentions : John Rigdale - died in first winter.
Alice Rigdale
He notes in his diary: "1628, Thomas Marloe came in ship Nova."
1
THE SUNLIGHT COMES GLINTING DOWN THROUGH NAUSHON WOODS
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INDIAN LIFE
From other records we find that a number of the Pilgrims came from the neighborhood of Bawtry. These include, besides William Bradford, the Brewster family from Scrooby, John Carver, probably from Sturtin, and finally, and importantly to our record, John Robinson, pastor of the Pilgrims from Sturtin. John Robinson himself never came to America, but his son Isaac is said to have come in the Mayflower* in 1629. He first settled at Plymouth, then at Sandwich, and later became one of the founders of Falmouth.
It seems natural that old-time neighbors should settle in the same general region.
A plan of joining the Dutch Settlement in Manhattan is quite natural, as there was after 1627 some trade and intercourse be- tween Plymouth and Manhattan by way of Manomett; the old trail used by early traders being practically the route of the present Cape Cod Canal.
Perhaps the most significant fact is the absence in this account of the name Naushon. The three names mentioned are Nona- messet, Uncatena and Tarpaulin Cove. These names appear on the earliest known deeds and papers, whereas the name Naushon only comes into common use in the 18th Century. As Tarpaulin Cove Island was in early times the English name, so the house built to the northward and eastward of Tarpaulin Cove might easily mean the highland on which the Stone House stands, rather than the region of the Black Woods or west end of Billiard Table Road, which this description suggests to us.
History tells of the scourge of smallpox which devastated the land in the 17th Century, and finally we know of two groups of graves to which the description roughly applies, one on the
*According to Banks, this Mayflower, under command of William Peirce, is not the Mayflower of the Pilgrims.
t Manamet is site of old Aptucxet Trading Post, now Bourne.
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
south side of the trotting course, the other at the southwest end of Nonamesset.
Those who knew Dr. Shurtleff think it unlikely that he would have invented this story of "a moulding time-stained manuscript," which had no actual existence. Until this manuscript is found the Marlow story will remain a mystery.
Indians who lived upon Naushon or had an interest in the islands.
1654 Seayick Sachem of Monument. Quaquaquinegat. Quaquaquigett.
1666 Quaquajacset Sachem. Pehtauattook. Died at Naushon about 1680.
1678 Old Hope of Manomet.
Daniel Shohkaw.
Comucke. (May be the Joshua Chamuck who testifies against Caleb Ray in 1704.)
Thomas Antiko. Son of Comucke.
Job Antiko. Son of Thomas.
James Antiko.
Webacowet.
Washamwatt.
1679 James Nashcompait. Died at Tucker's Island (Pasque), 1713. Jannohquissoo. Died at Slocum's Island (Nashawena), 1723.
1682 Sampson Nequassemman.
1698 Asa.
Sampson. Mentioned as a teacher.
Undequit. Name of hill west of Molasses Pond. Abigail Sekitchahkomun. Died at Nashawena in 1722.
1704 Joshua Chamuck.
Alw (Indian woman).
Chapter III DEEDS AND LEGAL PAPERS
HE following deeds and legal papers date from the year 1637. They show something of the status of the Elizabeth Islands which were, until after the time of which this history tells, a part of the township of Chilmark, upon the island of Martha's Vineyard, which in turn is in the County of Dukes. Dukes County, named for James, Duke of York, was under the jurisdiction of New York until 1691, when it was transferred to the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay.
A sketch of the ownership of Naushon gives a bird's-eye view of the ground covered in this and later chapters.
OUTLINE OF NAUSHON OWNERSHIP
Naushon was owned by the Mayhew family from 1641 to 1682, 41 years.
By the Winthrop family from 1682 to 1730, 48 years.
By the Bowdoin family from 1730 to 1843, 113 years.
In 1641 the agent of Lord Stirling granted the island to Thomas Mayhew of Martha's Vineyard; this grant was ratified under a Commission from the Duke of York by Francis Lovelace, Governor General of New York in 1671. Mayhew also bought out the Indian titles, and held it till 1682, when it was bought by Wait Winthrop, grandson of the first Governor of Massachu- setts. It continued in the Winthrop family until 1730, when it was conveyed by John Winthrop (son of Wait) to James Bow- doin [John Winthrop's sister Ann Winthrop Lechmere claimed
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
one-third of this property by right of inheritance from her father Wait]; of the other two-thirds, one-half was set off after his death, to his son William, and the other half to his son James, afterwards Governor Bowdoin. In 1761 the one-third share claimed by the Lechmere family was acquired by William and James Bowdoin, each taking a half.
James Bowdoin (the Governor's son) inherited one-half of the island property from his father, and came into possession of the other half by marriage with his cousin Sarah, the daughter and only child of his uncle William.
By him the property was left to his nephew James, the son of Sir John and Lady Temple, upon condition of his taking the name of Bowdoin. This was James Temple Bowdoin, who died in 1842. Upon his death the trustees of Bowdoin College instituted a suit at law, claiming 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 inten- tions of the uncle, and sundry nice points of law. Eminent coun- sel was employed on both sides, Daniel Webster, Franklin Dexter, C. C. Paine, W. C. Aylwin, J. H. Clifford on the part of Mr. Bow- doin; 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, but on the 28th of September, 1843, a compromise was agreed upon by the parties whereby James T. Bowdoin was to receive seven- tenths, and the College three-tenths of the property, both parties assenting to the sale of Naushon Island, with all the stock and other personal property thereon, to William Sturgis, Esq., for the sum of twenty thousand dollars. The purchase was made for Wil- liam W. Swain of New Bedford and John M. Forbes of Boston, who thereby became joint proprietors of the island property.
The South part of Nevv-England, as it IS Planted this yeare, 1635. -
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83
DEEDS AND LEGAL PAPERS
The reader will have realized before this that this history is simply a collection of manuscripts loosely strung together. Many of the following deeds are unspeakably tedious even after drastic cutting. The original text has usually been copied, but in some papers the strange spelling and stranger punctuation have been altered for the sake of clearness.
CROWN GRANTS IN NEW ENGLAND
During the reign of James I the British appetite for land was whetted by the stories brought by returned adventurers. They told of vast unsettled regions along the Atlantic shores. Com- panies and individuals petitioned the King for grants of land. Sir Fernando Gorges was one of those most active in colonizing schemes. In 1620 he was largely interested in founding the Council of New England under patent of the Plymouth Com- pany, whose jurisdiction included the region from Maine to Maryland. This Council of New England was a corporation of forty patentees. Among the members of this far from popular "holding company" were, in addition to Gorges, the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Lennox, the Earl of Southampton and Alexander, Earl of Stirling.
In 1635 the Council for New England surrendered its charter to King Charles under condition that the territory of New Eng- land be divided by share among the members of the Council. In the division of these shares Sir Fernando Gorges in 1635 received a grant "of the province of Maine from the Piscataqua to the Sagadahoc and hereunto is added the north half of the Isle of Shoals and also the isles of Capawock and Nautican" (Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket). Stirling, another member of the Council, claimed all the islands from Long Island to Cape Cod.
In 1641 Thomas Mayhew determined to leave his home in Watertown and found a colony upon Martha's Vineyard, and he
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
wished to have undisputed authority upon the islands. He there- fore not only obtained authority from "Richard Vines of Saco, gentleman, Steward General for Sir Fernando Gorges, Knight and Lord Proprietor of the Province of Maine and the islands of Capawock and Nautican," to plant and inhabit said islands with all rights, privileges, etc., but obtained also two deeds of the islands from the Earl of Stirling, the other claimant.
That Charles was beset by others of his followers for grants in the region is shown by the following petition :*
Book of petitions
To the Kinges most Excellent Majesty
Earl Dorsett The humble peticion of Edward Earle of Dorsett sheweth that whereas certaine Ilands lying on the South of that parte of America called New England, viz. Long Iland Cole Iland, Sandy poynt, Hellgate, Martins Vine- yard, Elizabeth Ilands and Block Iland, with other Ilands neere thereunto beinge all under the degrees of 39 and 40 degrees 2 tenths lying on longitude nearest east and west were lately discouered by some of your Majesties subiects and are not yet inhabited by any christians.
Your peticioners humble suite unto your Majestie is that you would be gratiously pleased by your Highnesse Lettres Patentes to grant him the said Ilands, with such powers and authorities for sending ouer some of your Majesties subiectes with provisions to plant and inhabit the same Ilands, & for the well gounerning thereof as hath byn formerly in the like kind granted by your Majesty for other plantaciones in America.
And he as in duty bound shall pray etc.
* State Papers, Domestic. Charles I.
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DEEDS AND LEGAL PAPERS
Att the Court at Whitehall, 20 Decemb: 1637.
It is his Majesties pleasure that Mr Attourney Generall pre- pare a Bill for his signature combining a Grant to the Peti- tioners of the Ilands and other Landes aboue mencioned with such powers and priviledges as have been Granted to the Earl of Holland for the Ile of Providence or any other in the like kind for which this shall be his warrant.
(signed) Fran. Windebank
Whether or not his Majesty gave his signature does not ap- pear. Edward Sackville, Earl of Dorset, did not make an effort to colonize and doubtless only wished to obtain this grant as a speculation. Thomas Mayhew, on the other hand, sought title to the islands for the definite purpose of colonizing, developing and governing them himself.
1641
Deed of Martha's Vineyard and The Elizabeth Islands from Lord Sterling to Thomas Mayhew
Whereas by virtue of a commission from Lord Sterling, James Forrett, Gentleman, hath granted Liberty and full Power unto Thomas Mayhew of Watertown merchant, and Thomas Mayhew his son, and their associates to Plant the Island of Nantucket according to the article in a deed to that purpose expressed: Now for as much as the said Island hath not Been yett whole sur- rendered whereby it may appear that Comfortable accomodations for themselves and their associates will be found there, this there- fore shall serve to testifye that I, the said James Forrett, by vir- tue of my said commission, Do hereby grant unto the said Thomas Mayhew and Thomas Mayhew his son and their associates, as
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
much to plant upon Martins Vinyard and Elizabeth Isles as they have by virtue heretofore of the deed granted unto them for Nantuckett as therein plainly in all considerations, Both on the Right honorable the Lord Sterling's part and on the said Thomas Mayhew & Thomas Mayhew his son and their associates Doth appear. In Witness whereof I, the said James Forrett have here- unto sett my hand the 23rd. Day of October, Anno Domini 1641 James Forrett
John X. Vahane Garrett Church
Thirty years later James, Duke of York, secured a patent of this region which superseded all former grants.
"The whole matter [the patent of James] was a money making scheme. The intention was to force every land and house holder from New Jersey to Maine to apply to the authorities for readmission of their rights under the previous charters, together with the payment of a certain fee."
Extracts from Council Minutes at a Council held at ye ffort May ye 14 1670
Present the Governor Mr Willett
M. Delavall The Secretary
Mr Mayhews business of Martin's Vineyard to be taken into con- sideration first.
The Patent of the Duke (of York) includes Martin's Vineyard and those other Isles.
GOVERNOR LOVELACE TO THOMAS MAYHEW
Mr Mayhew;
I received yor L're [letter] by yor grand child wherein I am informed upon what Terms you have hitherto held yor Land at
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DEEDS AND LEGAL PAPERS
Martin's Vineyard and Parts adjacent but ye Pretences of Sir F. Gorges & ye Lord Sterling, being now at an end, and his Royall Highness absolutely invested in ye Right to those Islands, ye Inhabitants are henceforth to have Directions of their Govern- ment from this Place. I doe advise; it hath beene soe long before you have made yor application to me since yor addressing yor- selfe for Releife against ye Indians in a Businesse of a wreck to my Predecessor, and his Commission to you thereupon, did in- timate an Acknowledgement of being under his Royal Highness His protection. Upon notice this last Yeare of ye like misfortune of a Wreck upon your Island I sent to you directions how to pro- ceed thereupon, of which I expected an account, but have as yett heard nothing of it; but when you come hither, as you propose and which I very much desire, I make no Question of receiving Satisfaction therein from you, as well as in divers other particulars. . . . I pray bring all your Patents Deeds or other writings with you relating to those Parts, by which & by our consultations to- gether I may receive such intelligence of ye Affairs there as I may ye better take Order for ye future good Settlement of those Islands.
F. Lovelace
Notice given to all Persons concerned in ye land called Martyns Vineyard to appear in N. Y.
These are to give notice to all Persons concerned who lay clayme or have any pretence of interest in Martin's Vineyard Nantucket or any of ye Elizabeth Isles neare adjacent
May 22 1670
F. Lovelace
1671
MR MAYHEWS PATTENT FROM GOVR LOVELACE
A Patent Granted by Governor Lovelace Govr of New York to
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EARLY HISTORY OF NAUSHON ISLAND
Thomas Mayhew Sen and Matthew Mayhew his grandchild son & heir of Thomas in ye year 1671. For Severall parcels of Land on Martha's Vineyard together with two of Elizabeth Islands Viz. Kaytaymuck & Nannamesit, and other Severall small & Inconsiderable Islands in Monimet Bay, Wch. of ye sd. Islands was heretofore Granted unto Thomas Mayhew Sr. & Thomas Mayhew Jun. his son by James Forrett agent to Will. Earle of Sterling in whom the Government then was & ye sd. Islands & parcells of Lands hath by ye sd. Thomas Mayhew Sent and Thomas Mayhew Jun. his son been purchased of the Indian pro- prietors & Due Satisfaction given for ye Same whereof for Divers years past they have been and still are in quiet and Lawfull Pos- session, and to be erected into a Mannor called Tisbury Mannor. Endowed with Priveleges as follows, together with all the Lands Islands Soyles Woods Meadows Pastures Quarries, Mines Miner- alls (Royall Mines excepted) Marshes Lakes, Waters Fishing hawking hunting fowling within ye bounds & Lymts afore De- scribed and all other Propity Comoditye Emoluments & here- ditaments there unto belonging, or in any wise appertaining. To holden according to the Custome of ye Mannor of East Gren- wich in ye County of Kent in England in free and Common Soc- cage & by fealty only And ye Sd. Mannor of Tisbury shall be held Deemed reputed taken & be an Enfranchised Mannor of its Selfe and shall always from time to time have hold & enjoy Like and Equall Privileges with other Mannors within ye Government and shall in no Manner or any Wise be under the rule order or Direction of any other place but in all manner of Government shall be Ruled Ordered & Directed according to ye Information I have already given for that Island in Grant or hereafter Shall give for ye Good & Welfare of the Inhabitants by ye advice of my Coun- cil. . .. To have & to holde ye Sd. Mannor in the Lands thereto belonging with all Singular ye appurtenances & Premises unto ye Sd. Thomas Mayhew & Mathew Mayhew their heirs & assigns
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