USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > Nantucket > Early settlers of Nantucket, their associates and descendants > Part 6
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Copy of " Commiffion for Capt John Gardner of the Ifland of Nantucket, to bee Capt. of the Foot Com- pany there. [Deeds III. 88, Secretary's Office. ]
" Francis Lovelace, Esq'., &c: Governo' Genall under his Royall H8 James Duke of Yorke and Albany, &c; of all his Territoryes in America; To Capt. John Gard- ner of ye Island Nantuckett. Whereas, You are one of the two Persons returned unto mee by the Inhabts of your Ifland, to bee the Chiefe Military Officer there, having conceived a good opinion of your ffittnefs and Capacity; By Vertue of the Commiffion and Authority
* From no records do we read of serious difficulties on Nan- tucket between the Indians and the white men; they followed the example of the settlers in fishing for whales, which were plentiful on that shoal-bound coast, and " became the most expert of the original whalers of Nantucket."
NOTE .- John Gardner's daughter Rachel married John Brown, of Salem, son of Elder John Brown and Hannah (Hobart).
Hannah Hobart was daughter of Rev. Peter Hobart, who was born in Ilingham, County of Norfolk, England, in 1604, and died in Hingham, Massachusetts, January 20, 1679. (Hobart Family Memorial, Part I., pp. 103, 104, No. 23, III. A.)
He was the first minister of the Gospel in Hingham, Massachu-
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Early Settlers of Nantucket.
unto mee given by his Royall Highneffe, James Duke of Yorke and Albany, I have Constituted and Ap- pointed, and by these Presents doe hereby Constitute and Appoint you John Gardner to be Captaine and Chiefe Military Officer of the ffoot Company rifsen or to bee rifen within the Iflands of Nantuckett and Tuc- kanuckett; you are to take the said Company into your Charge and Care as Captaine thereof, and them duly to Exercise in Armes; and all Officers and Souldyers belonging to the said Company are to Obey you as their Captaine.
" And you are to follow fuch Orders and Inftructions, as you fhall from Time to Time Receive from mee or other your Superiour Officers according to the disci- pline of Warr; for the doeing whereof this fhall be your Comiffion.
setts, was educated at Cambridge, England, and came to New England June 8, 1635; was admitted freeman same year, and set- tled at Hingham in September, 1635.
Savage, vol. ii., p. 435, says he took his A.B. in 1625, his A.M. in 1629, that he wrote his name Hubberd, was of the Magdalen College, and had preached at divers places, last at Haverhill, in Suffolk, before coming here.
Savage further says, --
" Peter brought with him a wife and four children certainly,- viz .:
" Joshua Hobart.
" Jeremiah Hobart.
" Josiah Hobart.
" Elizabeth Hobart, m. John Ripley.
" And after coming here thirteen were added to the number,- viz .:
" Ieabod Hobart.
" Hannalı Hobart, died soon.
" Hannah Hobart, m. John Brown, of Salem.
" Bathsheba Hobart, m. Joseph Turner, of Scituate, 1640.
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Thomas Gardiner.
" Given under my Hand and Seale at Fort James in New Yorke this 15th Day of Aprill in the 25th Yeare of his Maties Reigne, Annoqe Domini, 1673.
" FRAN. LOVELACE."
" Israel Hobart, m. Sarah Wetherill, dau. of Rev. William Wetherill, 1668.
" Jael Hobart, m. Joseph Bradford, son of Governor Bradford.
" Gershon Hobart, m. Sarah -
" Japhet Hobart, m.
" Nehemiah Hobart, m. Sarah Jackson, 1678.
"David Hobart, m. Ist, Joanna Quincy, dau. Edmund Quiney second; 2d, Sarah Joyee.
" Rebecca Hobart, m. Daniel Mason, of Stonington (as second wife).
" Abigail Hobart, unm.
" Lydia Hobart, m. Captain Thomas Lincoln, 1690 (as second wife), and [Savage adds] ' the patriarch died 1679.'
" In Rev. Peter Hobart's will, made four days before his death, he names fourteen living children, and wife Rebecca (probably daughter of Richard Ibrook), who was mother of the last six children; no mention is made in Hingham records of the death of the first wife.
" Edmund Hobart, father of Rev. Peter Hobart, was a member of the General Court, 1639-40-42, from Hingham, Massachusetts. He brought a wife and several children with him from England in 1635, and died in 1646, leaving Edmund, Joshua, Rev. l'eter, Thomas, and two daughters, Rebecca and Sarah."
CHAPTER XI.
SAMUEL SHATTUCK.
THE name of Shattuck is associated with Nantucket through the marriage of Sarah Shattuck * to Richard Gardner, son of Governor Thomas Gardiner.
There has appeared to be some difficulty in finding exact and clear record concerning Samuel Shattuck, but the most likely history of his family is that there were two of the name-that Damaris, who in her widowhood married Thomas Gardiner, was widow of Samuel and mother of Samuel.
Damaris Shattuck was without much doubt a widow when she came to Massachusetts; it is believed by the family that her husband died on the voyage to Amer- ica, a not infrequent occurrence in the long voyages of early times.
Two sons of Thomas Gardiner married daughters of their step-mother.
Richard Gardner married Sarah Shattuck, and they have many descendants among Nantucket's sons and
* It has been the belief of many descendants of Sarah (Shat- tuck) Gardner that she was a daughter of Samuel Shattuck, concerning whom this chapter is written, and Savage (vol. ii., p. 229) says, " Richard Gardner married Sarah Shattuck, prob- ably daughter of Samuel; " other authorities, and those having most weight in this connection, give Samuel with Sarah in a list of the children of Damaris Shattuck (widow who married Thomas Gardiner).
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Samuel Shattuck.
daughters. George Gardner married Hannah Shat- tuck.
SAMUEL SHATTUCK, who is the subject of this chapter, was by a careful investigation of dates doubtless son of Damaris Shattuck.
He is described as " an inhabitant of Salem of good repute," was born in England about 1620; on coming to this country he settled in Salem, Massachusetts.
A stone still standing over his grave in Salem bears the following inscription:
" Here lyeth buried ye body of Samuel Shattuck aged 69 years who departed this life in ye 6th day of June 1689." He was present at a Friends' Meeting when Christopher Holder attempted to speak, and he " endeavored to prevent their thrusting a handkerchief into Holder's mouth lest it should have choked him," for which attempt he was carried to Boston and im- prisoned till he had " given bond to answer it at the next Court and not to come to any Quaker meeting."
The following extracts are taken from the edition of Besse's "Collection of The Sufferings of the People called Quakers," printed in London in 1753 (vol. ii., pp. 187, 188).
A Letter of the Prisoners to the Magistrates at the Court in Salem.
" Friends :
" Whereas it was your Pleasures to commit us, whose names are underwritten, to the House of Correc- tion in Boston, although the Lord the righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth is our witness, that we had done
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Early Settlers of Nantucket.
nothing worthy of Stripes or of Bonds, and we being committed by your Court to be dealt withal as the Law provides for foreign Quakers, as ye please to term us; and having some of us suffered your Law and Pleasures, now that which we do expect is, now to be set free by the same Law, as your Manner is with Strangers and not to put us in upon the Account of one Law and exe- cute another Law upon us, of which, according to your own Manner, we were never convicted as the Law ex- presses. If you had sent us upon the Account of your new Law, we should have expected the Gaoler's Order to have been on that Account, which that it was not, appears by the Warrant which we have, and the Pun- ishment which we bare, as four of us were whipped, among whom was one that had formerly been whipt, so now also, according to your former Law. Friends, let it not be a small Thing in your Eyes, the exposing, as much as in you lies, our families to Ruin.
" It's not unknown to you, the Season, and the Time of the Year, for those that live of Husbandry, and what their Cattle and Families may be exposed unto; and also such as live on Trade.
" We know if the Spirit of Christ did dwell and rule in you, these Things would take Impression upon your Spirits.
" What our Lives and Conversations have been, in that place is well known, and what we now suffer for, is much for false Reports and ungrounded Jealousies of Heresy and Sedition. These Things lie upon us to lay before you. As for our Parts, we have true Peace and Rest in the Lord in all our Sufferings, and are made willing in the Power and Strength of God, freely to
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Samuel Shattuck.
offer up our Lives in this Cause of God, for which we suffer; Yea, and we do find, through Grace, the En- largements of God in our imprisoned Estate, to whom alone we commit ourselves and Families, for the dis- posing of us according to his infinite Wisdom and Pleasure, in whose Love is our Rest and Life.
" From the House of Bondage in Boston, wherein we are made captives, by the Wills of Men, although made free by the Son of God, Jolmn VIII-36. In which we quietly rest this 16th of the Fifth month 1658.
" LAURENCE
" CASSANDRA SOUTHWICK.
" JOSIAH
" SAMUEL SHATTUCK.
" JOSHUA BUFFUM."
" On the 11th of the Third Month, 1659, the afore- said Laurence and Cassandra Southwick, their son Josiah, Samuel Shattuck, and others were called before the Court, and as they continued steadfast in what the governor was pleased to call rebellion against the Authority of the country the Sentence of Banishment was pronounced against them, and but a Fortnight's Time allowed for them to depart, on pain of Death, nor would they grant them any longer Time, though de- sired: So the said Samuel Shattuck, Nicholas Phelps, and Josiah Southwick were obliged to take an Oppor- tunity that presented four Days after to pass for Eng- land by Barbadoes. The aged couple Laurence and Cassandra went to Shelter Island where shortly after
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Early Settlers of Nantucket.
they died within three Days of each other; and Joshua Buffum departed to Rhode Island." (Vol. II., page 198.)
Copy of the King's Letter or Mandamus.
" Trusty and Wellbeloved, we greet you well. Hav- ing been informed that several of our Subjects among you, called Quakers, have been and are imprisoned by you, whereof some have been executed, and others (as hath been represented unto us) are in Danger to un- dergo the Like: We have thought fit to signify our Pleasure, in that Behalf for the future, and do require, that if there be any of those People called Quakers amongst you, now already condemned to suffer Death, or other Corporal Punishment, or that are imprisoned, or obnoxious to the like Condemnation, you are to for- bear to proceed any farther, but that you forthwith send the said Persons (whether condemned or im- prisoned) over to this our Kingdom of England, to- gether with their respective Crimes or Offences laid to their Charge, to the End such Course may be taken with them here, as shall be agreeable to our Laws and their Demerits. And for so doing, these our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge. Given at our Court at Whitehall the 9th Day of September 1661 in the thirteenth year of our Reign."
" Subscribed, To our Trusty and Welbeloved John Endicot Esq. and to all and every other the Governour or Governours of our Plantation of New England, and of the Colonies thereunto belonging, that now are or
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Samuel Shattuck.
hereafter shall be; And to all and every the Minister's and Officers of our said Plantation and Colonies what- ever within the Continent of New England.
" By His Majesty's Command.
" WIL. MORRIS."
(Vol. II., Page 225.)
" In procuring the aforesaid Letter or Mandamus from the King, Edward Burroughs was a principle Instrument for when the News of W. Leddra's Death came to the Ears of the Friends at London, and of the Danger many others of their Persuason were in, they were much concerned, especially the said Edward Bur- roughs, who speedily repaired to the Court and having got Access to the King's Presence, told him, There was a Vein of innocent Blood opened in his Dominions, which if it were not stopped might overrun all. To which the King replied, But I will stop that Vein. Then Burroughs desired him to do it speedily, for there was Danger of many others being soon put to Death.
" The King answered, As speedy as you will and or- dered the Secretary to be called, and the Mandamus to be forthwith granted.
" A few Days after Edward Burroughs went again to the King, desiring Dispatch of the Business. The King said, He had no present Occasion to send a Ship thither, but if they would send one, they might as soon as they would.
" The King also granted his Deputation to Samuel Shattock who had been banished thence, to carry his Mandamus to New England.
" Whereupon an Agreement was made with Ralph
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Early Settlers of Nantucket.
Goldsmith, one of the said People called Quakers, and Master of a good Ship, for 300l to sail forthwith.
" He immediately prepared for his Voyage and in about six weeks arrived in Boston Harbor, on a First- day of the Week.
" The Townsmen seeing a Ship with English Colours soon came on board and asked for the Captain.
" Ralph Goldsmith told them he was the Com- mander. They asked, Whether he had any Letters ? He answered, Yes. But withal told them, He would not deliver them that Day.
" So they returned on shore again, and reported, that There were many Quakers come, and that Samuel Shat- tuck (who they knew had been banished on pain of Death) was among them.
" But they knew nothing of his Errand or Authority.
" Thus all was kept close, and none of the Ship's Company suffered to go on shore that Day.
" Next morning Ralph Goldsmith the Commander, with Samuel Shattuck, the King's Deputy, went on shore, and sending the Boat back to the Ship, they two went directly through the Town to the Governour's House, and knockt at the Door: He sending a Man to know their Business, they sent Him Word, that their Message was from the King of England, and that they would deliver it to none but himself.
" Then they were admitted to go in, and the Gov- ernour came to them and commanded Samuel Shat- tuck's Hat to be taken off, and having received the Deputation and the Mandamus, he laid off his own Hat, and ordering Shattuck's Hat to be given him again, perused the Papers, and then went out to the Deputy-
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Samuel Shattuck.
Governour's, bidding the King's Deputy and the Mas- ter of the Ship to follow him: Being come to the Deputy-Governour's and having consulted him, he re- turned to the aforesaid two Persons, and said, We shall obey his Majesty's Command.
"After this the Master of the Ship gave Liberty to his Passengers to come on shore, which they did and had a religious Meeting with their Friends of the Town, where they returned Praises to God for his Mercy man- ifested in this wonderful Deliverance.
" Not long after the following order at Boston was issued :
" To WILLIAM SALTER Keeper of the Prison at Boston.
" You are required, by Authority and Order of the General-Court forthwith to release and discharge the Quakers who at present are in your Custody: See that you dont neglect this.
" By Order of the Court " EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.
" BOSTON the 9th of
December, 1061."
To the instrumentality of Samuel Shattuck, aided by Edward Burroughs, is due the discontinuance, for a time at least, of one of the most iniquitous persecutions ever carried on, instigated by those who themselves had suffered for conscience' sake. Whipping and imprison- ment were later resorted to, but never to the same extent.
With this mandate from the king, Samuel Shattuck was safe to live thereafter a peaceable life in Salem.
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Early Settlers of Nantucket.
The usual character accorded to the early settlers of New England for extraordinary Christian names is ex- emplified by a son Retire and a daughter Return, men- tioned in records of Samuel Shattuck. These were sup- posed to be commemorative of his banishment and re- turn.
These two children probably died young, as in the division of the property they are not mentioned; at all events the names have not descended.
Whittier, in characteristic manner, describes the in- terview between Governor Endicott and Samuel Shat- tuck.
The door swung open and Rawson the clerk Entered, and whispered under breath, " There waits below for the hangman's work A fellow banished on pain of death- Shattuck, of Salem, unhealed of the whip, Brought over in Master Goldsmith's ship At anchor here in a Christian port, With freight of the devil and all his sort! "
Twice and thrice on the chamber floor Striding fiercely from wall to wall, " The Lord do so to me and more," The Governor cried, " if 1 hang not all!
NOTE .- In Besse's History is an account of the death of Wil- liam Robinson, Marmaduke Stephenson, William Leddra, and Mary Dyer, who suffered martyrdom by hanging in Boston in 1660 for their firm adherence to the principles of truth as pro- fessed by Friends. Wenlock Christisen was under sentence of death when Samuel Shattuck returned from England bearing the mandamus from King Charles Second requiring the release of all Friends from prison.
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Samuel Shattuck.
Bring hither the Quaker." Calm, sedate, With the look of a man at ease with fate, Into that presence, grim and dread Came Samuel Shattuck, with hat on head.
" Off with the knave's hat! " An angry hand Smote down the offence; but the wearer said, With a quiet smile, "By the king's command I bear his message, and stand in his stead." In the Governor's hand a missive he laid, With the royal arms on its seal displayed, And the proud man spake as he gazed thereat, Uncovering, " Give Mr. Shattuck his hat."
He turned to the Quaker, bowing low,- " The King commandeth your friends' release; Doubt not he shall be obeyed, although To his subjeets' sorrow and sin's increase. What he here enjoineth, John Endicott, His loyal servant, questioneth not. You are free! God grant the spirit you own May take you from us to parts unknown."
With its gentler mission of peace and good will, The thought of the Quaker is living still, And the freedom of soul he prophesied Is gospel and law where the martyrs died.
CHAPTER XII.
THOMAS MAYHEW AND THOMAS MAYHEW, JR.
THAT THOMAS MAYHEW was a proprictor of Nan- tucket has been previously shown. He selected " his sonne " Thomas Mayhew, Jr., as his associate.
It is probable that Thomas Mayhew, Sr., never had more than a business connection with Nantucket, but one of his descendants married a descendant of Peter Folger.
Thomas Mayhew was born early in 1592, and was a merchant of Southampton, England, but emigrated to America in 1633 or 1634, was admitted a freeman May 14, 1634, and early in 1635 settled at Watertown, Mas- sachusetts, where he owned mills purchased of Mr. Cradock, and a farm; he was at one time proprietor of the Oldham farm. He was a selectman from 1637 to 1643, and a representative to the General Court from 1636 to 1644.
In 1641 he obtained a grant of Martha's Vineyard, and sent there his son Thomas and several other persons who settled at Edgartown. (History of Watertown.) He himself did not move to Martha's Vineyard until 1644 or 1645.
NOTE .- William C. Folger's MS. says, "The first Mayhew known in England was Simon, who went there in 1000 A.D. from Normandy, settled in County of Wiltshire, and from Wiltshire came Thomas Mayhew to America."
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Thomas Mayhew.
Whether he brought any other children from Eng- land has not been ascertained.
Cotton Mather says of him, ---
" The worshipful Thomes Mayhew in the year 1641 obtained a grant of Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and Elizabeth Isles to make a settlement.
" His son Mr Thomas Mayhew in the year 1642 settl'd at Martha's Vineyard with a few other Inhabi- tants where his Reputation for Piety, his Natural Gifts, besides the acquir'd by his Education (having attained no small knowledge in the Latin and Greek tongues; and being not wholly a stranger to the Hebrew) soon occasioned his Call to the Ministry among that handful.
" In 1647 he intended a short voyage for England, but alas, the ship wherein he took passage was never heard of."
Of Thomas Mayhew, the governor, he says,-
" I have already told my Reader that the Govern- ment of this People was the best (of all Governments) Monarchy; and it has been Judged not without Reason, that a main Obstruction in the Progress of the Gospel in the American Plantation, was, if not yet is, the Jealousie the Princes conceiv'd of the Invasion of their Government through the Pretences of Religion and the Eclipsing their Monarchical Dignity.
" Mr Thomas Mayhew therefore finding that the Princes of these Islands, who although they maintained their Absolute Power and Jurisdiction as Kings, were yet bound to do certain Homage to a Potent Prince on the Continent; and although they were no great People, yet had been wasted in Indian Wars, wherein the Great Princes on the Continent (not unlike European Princes
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Early Settlers of Nantucket.
for like Reasons of State) were not unassisting, whereby they were necessitated to make these Princes the Bal- ance to decide their Controversies, and several Jurisdic- tions, by Presents annually sent, whereby obliging the Princes to give their several Assistance as Occasion requir'd.
" And seeing his son, as aforesaid, in a Zealous En- deavor for their Conversion he judged it meet that Moses and Aaron joyn Hands.
"He therefore prudently lets them know, that by Order from his Master the King of England, he was to govern the English which should inhabit these Islands;
" That his Master was in Power far above any of the Indian Monarchs; but that as he was Powerful so was he a great Lover of Justice:
" That therefore he would in no measure invade their Jurisdiction but on the Contrary assist them as Need required :
"That Religion and Government were distinct Things.
" Thus in no long time they conceiv'd no ill Opinion of the Christian Religion." (B VI., Magnalia Section III.)
In closing the history of Thomas Mayhew's Govern- ment lie says,-
" I shall close the whole when I have told the Reader that their Children are generally taught to Read and Write.
" In one of their towns last winter viz: 1693, thirty Children were at school, twenty more of the same place, accidentally, being not supplied with books could not attend to it.
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Thomas Mayhew.
" Such who are too far distant from any school are often taught by some of their neighbors; in divers places there are lesser schools."
Thomas Mayhew, Jr., left three sons (who subse- quently assumed a leading part in the affairs of these islands.) These sons were named Thomas, John, and Matthew.
To his grandchildren Thomas Mayhew alludes in a postscript of a letter to Governor Edmond Andros: *
" May it please yo" Honor to image what I have on these Islands
Graund Sonnes 15
My sonnes sonnes sonnes 3
Daughters 3 Graund Daughters 11
-
32
"I prayfe God two of my Grand-sons does preach to English and Indians, Matthew sometimes to the younge."
Thomas, the grandson, died in 1715, and John in 1689, aged thirty-seven years.
Experience Mayhew, a minister, author of " Indian Converts or Some Account of the Lives and Dyeing Specches of Christianized Indians of Martha's Vine- yard in New England," published in London, 1727, was a son of John Mayhew.
Jonathan Mayhew, who was born in Martha's Vine- yard, October 8th, 1720, and died in Boston, July 9, 1766, was a clergyman and an advocate of liberalism; he was a son of Experience Mayhew.
* N. Y. Col. MSS., xxiv., Secretary's Office.
ALL THE WAY TO SHEARING PEN
CHAPTER XIII.
CUSTOMS, DOCUMENTS AND INCIDENTS OF NANTUCKET.
By early custom, all land on Nantucket, not set aside for homesteads, was held in common by proprietors, numbering twenty-seven, when the custom was estab- lished.
As time went on the number of proprietors increased, and by sale or inheritance the holdings of individuals were divided, and varied according to circumstances.
An acre and a half of land appears to have been origi- nally the equivalent of a " sheep's common "; the area of a " cow's common " was eight times that of a sheep, and a " horse common " contained twice the area of a " cow's common."
After nearly a century and a half, and early in the nineteenth century, some individuals, wishing to hold their lands in severalty, petitioned to the organization of proprietors, but the end was not accomplished in this way. The case was carried to the Courts, and after
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Customs, Documents and Incidents.
several years of litigation was decided in favor of the petitioners, and by application to the judicial Court an owner could have his boundaries defined by commis- sioners appointed to set off his portion; in this way many titles have been secured.
The undivided lands continued to be held in common. On these commons the flocks and herds grazed throughout the year, until "Shearing Day," when, by their marks, the sheep were sorted and taken by their several owners to that portion of the island set apart for the gala occasion, which always attended the annual clipping.
Here were " washing ponds " and " sheep pens," and as the time for " shearing " approached booths were put up and stored with things to eat, which usually charac- terize a festivity of this kind.
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