USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > Historic Duxbury in Plymouth county, Massachusetts, 3rd ed. > Part 4
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HISTORIC DUXBURY.
now be seen in the southwest corner of the yard, back in its place after an absence of fifty years.
Winsor in his history of Duxbury thus relates who this Jonathan Alden was : " Capt. Jonathan, son of John Alden, inherited the homestead ; died February, 1697, leaving an estate of 309£. He married Abigail Hallett, who died Aug. 17, 1725, aged 81, and was buried in the old burying ground, where her stone now stands."
We would add that there are few stones in the Old Colony bearing an earlier date than 1700. This is the only one in Duxbury.
There are five in Plymouth, a few in Hingham, and a very few along the South Shore, in Cohasset, Scituate and Marsh- field. The oldest stone of which the writer is informed is in the King's Chapel burial ground in Boston, with date 1658. The five stones on Burial Hill in Plymouth bearing date pre- vious to 1700 are dated respectively 1681, 1684, 1687, 1691 and 1697; and all of these, with the exception of the one of 1681, are English stones. Mr. William T. Davis in his " Land- marks of Plymouth," elsewhere referred to, mentions in the chapter on Burial Hill this interesting fact relating to the early funeral customs,- that no religious ceremony was cus- tomary previous to 1686; and in this connection it might be mentioned that in celebrating the marriage ceremony they were more liberal in their ideas than is customary at the pres- ent day. Previous to 1700 there were only civil marriages, no religious exercises being attached to them.
Mr. Davis in the chapter above alluded to, thinks that the earliest Colonists were buried on their own estates, and that in course of time, through neglect or indifference on the part of
-
6 1
OLD BURIAL PLACES.
their descendants, the place became unknown; or their lands were sold to strangers who had still less interest in remember- ing the graves of the ancestors of their predecessors. This seems less strange when one tries to recall something that one of his own family had knowledge of scarce two generations back, and finds how uncertain and indefinite is his memory regarding the occurrence.
There are now only one hundred and twenty graves that
A P. chamben'un D.2.
GRAVE OF MYLES STANDISH.
are marked in this old burial ground, according to Mr. R. A. Badger, who has catalogued the present stones, his list being herewith appended. There were a great many more people buried here than this number would show, as the yard was used for about one hundred and fifty years as the town's burial place, and without doubt many stones formerly existing have been broken down and crumbled away.
62
HISTORIC DUXBURY.
An illustration is here shown of the triangular stones that tradition says marked the grave of Myles Standish. These were removed and the present elaborate monument built in their place a few years since by private subscription, a list of the donors being given in the Boston Herald of March 4, 1893.
LIST OF STONES IN OLD BURYING GROUND, SOUTH DUXBURY, WITH DATES OF DEATH, AND AGES.
Date. Age.
Date. Age.
Arnold, Joanna, widow
Chandler, Philip .
1764 62
James .
1766 51
Zeruiah, wife Nathaniel . 1778 74
Deacon James 1755 56
Cushman, David, son Joseph and Elizabeth . 1768 Iom
James, son James and
Joanna 1742 I
Ezra .
1789 75
Delano, Dr. Benony . 1738 71 Drew, Anne, wife Samuel . 1745 29
Frazier, Thomas . 1782 46
Alden, Sarah, wife Capt. Samuel S4
Capt. Samuel 1773
72
John
1766 22
Abigail, wife Capt. Jonathan 1725 SI
Fuller, Sarah, wife Samuel . 1737 25
Col. John 1739 58 Deborah, daughter Col.
John and Hannah 1736 IO
John, son Col. John and Hannah
1712
3
Thomas . 1717
51
Mary, wife Thomas 1739
36
Joshua, son Thomas 1750
16
Capt. Joshua 1781
81
Abigail, wife Gamaliel 1776
75
Samuel
1714 46
Hon. Gamaliel, Esq. 1778 73
Hannah, wife Eliphalet . 1756 26
Brewster, Elizabeth, wife
Joseph
1786 S3
Joseph
1767 74
Benjamin, son Benjamin
Deacon William
1723 78
and Anna 1743 9
25
Loring, Thomas 1739 40
Hannah, wife Col. John, 1739-40 Jonathan . 1697
50
65
Bradford, Capt. Samuel 1777
47
Anna, daughter Samuel and Prudence 1779
John, son Benjamin and Anna 1753 I
Benjamin, son Samuel
and I'rudence 1788 4
Joshua, son Joshua and Mercy . 1776 12
Beldad, son Capt. Beldad and Mary .
1780 3
Forster, Margaret, wife Samuel Forster, relict
of Ichabod Wadsworth 1773 71
Goold, Mrs. Huldah, wife of John Goold, Jr., of Hull 1750
63
OLD BURIAL PLACES.
Date. Age.
Loring, Benjamin (stone re- newed 1858) . 1781 77
Southworth, And. S. (b'k'n)
17- 71
Benjamin, son Benjamin and Anna I 759 7
Sampson, Lucy, daughter John and Rebekah . . Rebekah, wife John .
1759
1759
25
Anna, wife Benjamin . 1804 89
. Deborah, daughter Studley and Abigail 1788 29d
Sarah, daughter Benjamin and Anna 1745 2 Seabury, Deborah, widow Samuel 1776 83
Mary, daughter Benjamin and Anna . 1739
Peterson, Mary, wife Jacob 1777
61
Mary, widow Isaac 1 763
74
Lydia, widow Jonathan 1781 92
David .
1760 84
Robert 1774
82
Soule, Esther, wife John
1735
95
Joseph 1763
84
Standish, Myles
1656
Soule, Joshua
1767
85
Allethea, daughter Joshua and Mary . 1771
I
Luther, son Joshua and
Mary .
1771
5
Benjamin
1775
Jabez
1 766 68
Partridge, George 1 764 62
Hannah, widow George . 1768
78
Grace, wife Isaac
1768
Weston, Thomas .
1776
50
Mary, daughter Thomas
and Mary 1776 23
Eliphas
1762
55
Joshua, son Eliphas and Priscilla 1762 14
Mrs. Priscilla, wife
Eliphas
1778
64
Daniel (footstone)
Sprague, John . 1739
Peleg .
1754 38
Bethniah (broken)
Southworth, John 1757
65
Thomas
1743
68
Deacon Jedaiah
1739 39
I
Jonathan . 1765
59
Rebekah, wife Mr. Reuben 1764 51
Prince, Thomas 1754 69
Prior, Joanna, daughter Jabez and Abigail . 1757
I
Deborah, widow Ben- janıin 1 766 77
Lydia, wife Josiah
1763
84
74
Josiah
1764
85
Ussell, Molly, daughter George and Molly 1756 IS
Wiswale, Ichabod
1 700
63
John, son Isaac and
Grace . 1753
23
Mrs. Mary, wife James . 1727 50
James (broken stone)
John 1731
73
Robinson, Mary, daughter Rev. John 1 722
16
Ripley, Sarah, wife Kimball 178- 39
Walker, Elizabeth, wife
Samuel
1787
29
Wadsworth, Capt. Benjamin
(II children)
1782
46
Frederick, son Benjamin
and Luna .
1771
4
8
David, son Jonathan and Jale 1751
8w Samuel
1762
70
Wiswall . 1768 35
Stanford, Robert, son Robert and Fear 1752
Date. Age.
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HISTORIC DUXBURY.
Date. Age.
Date. Age.
Wadsworth, Hannah, daugh-
Wadsworth, Ichabod, son Benjamin and Luna I 780 18 ter Benjamin . 1771 12
Selah, daughter Ichabod
Selah, daughter Benjamin and Luna . 1771 I and Anna 1754 3
Marshall, son Benjamin Robert, son Lieut. Mart and Luna . 1771 6 and Abigail 1776 2
Ichabod . 1.746 59
(broken), son Benjamin and Luna .
1773 IIm
Mary, wife Deacon John 1749 58
(broken), son Benjamin and Laura 1779 10m
Deacon John (footstone) Uriah . 1784 76
(double broken), son Benjamin and Laura .
1780
Peter
1785 21
(broken ), son Benjamin and Laura
Winslow, Gilbert, son Joshua and Hannah 1775 2 or 12
(broken top), born 1780, died same day
Hannah, wife Joshua . . 1778 29
Salome, second wife
Ichabod
1771 69
Joshua (with her child
Anna (footstone )
with her) . 1781 35
There is not a grave of one of the " Mayflower " passengers that is absolutely known ; that is, in the Old Colony. It is a curious fact that the only one known is in the King's Chapel burial ground in Boston, where is the tomb of the Boston branch of the Winslow family, bearing the heraldic devices of this ancient name; in the vaults beneath are the remains of John Winslow, and his wife Mary Chilton of the " Mayflower" passengers, who, it is said, in girlish sport was the first to land on Plymouth Rock.
Towards the last of the eighteenth century this old burial ground became less and less used as other places were laid out in other parts of the town, the principal one being what is now called the Duxbury cemetery, near the first church, which is now about the only one used in town. This burial ground was laid out in 1787 when a church building was here built, for its
Winsor, Deborah, wife
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OLD BURIAL PLACES.
oldest stone is dated March 28, 1788, which is also known to be its second grave, the sight of the first grave being known but unmarked with a stone. This cemetery has been enlarged from time to time, and now contains nineteen acres.
MEMORIAL
at . Standish Grave
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HISTORIC DUXBURY.
VIII.
SHIPBUILDING.
" BUILD me straight, O worthy master ! Stanch and strong, a goodly vessel, That shall laugh at all disaster, And with wave and whirlwind wrestle ! "
A S shipbuilding was for so many years the principal business of the town, it seems well to treat the subject at some length. The south shore of Massachusetts was the scene of this industry to a large extent. The shoal water was no impediment to the light draft of the vessels of those days, and its distance from the larger cities was, no doubt, another reason for making it a desirable place for the industry. The business was carried on in the Colonial days, but was at its most prosperous time from the earlier days of the Republic up to the middle of this century.
During all of its most prosperous times the timber used for this purpose was found in the vicinity, white oak being used for the knees and other parts requiring particular strength, although we are told that vessels were made almost entirely of pitch pine,- that for floors, decks and beams, the best oak was only superior. The pitch pine then was superior to that now, undoubtedly, because of its being the primitive growth.
Thinking it would be of interest to the descendants of these old shipbuilders to trace out the site of the shipyards, and of
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SHIPBUILDING.
general interest to all, an article by Capt. John Bradford, who was nearly all of his life a resident here, has been copied from the Old Colony Memorial of June, 1895.
SOME REMINISCENCES OF SHIPBUILDING IN DUXBURY, HALF A CENTURY AGO.
" Up! up ! in nobler loil than ours No craftsmen bear a part : We make of nature's giant powers The slaves of human art. Lay rib to rib and beam to beam, And drive the treenails free; Nor faithless joint, nor yawning seam, Shall tempt the searching sea !"
At the time when the poet nearest to the heart of New England was singing his "songs of labor," the axes and mallets of many a busy shipyard in the little Massachusetts town of Duxbury were beating time to his measures, as the men who wielded them acted out the inspiring words of " The Shipbuilders."
It is only those who swung those ponderous tools, or who dwelt within the sound of their cheerful din, that can fully realize the contrast between that stirring era and the later years, that, since the shipbuilding industry died out, have slipped quietly, sluggishly along, like the tide in Duxbury's sedge-choked channels. We who know our Duxbury well in its present aspect are perhaps fond of saying that we love the dear old town just as it is; here we may be " far from the madding crowd," and close to nature in sea and shore and forest. The very thought of bustling, driving toil would spoil the charm.
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HISTORIC DUXBURY.
But let some ancient mariner hold us "with his glittering eye" as he tells the tale of those palmy days when down these grassy slopes ship after ship was launched to help
" to wind the silken chain Of commerce round the world "_ And how can we " choose but hear ?"
Of the value of the work done in the Duxbury shipyards, sufficient testimony has already been recorded. The late Hon. E. S. Tobey once said : "To speak of the character of the numerous first-class ships which have been built here, would be to recall the names of the best mechanics and skilled artisans of the whole country. To speak of the men who commanded those ships, would be to make honorable mention of intelligent and eminent navigators who, with the flag of the Republic at the masthead, guided their ships into nearly every commercial port of the habitable globe."
It is one who can claim a modest place among these ship- masters, and whose memory extends back to about 1830 or 1832, who has taken pleasure in recalling and describing the scenes of his boyhood and early manhood among the busy shipyards of his native town.
By degrees the wants of the early settlers gave rise to new branches of industry, but we find no record of what was long the leading business of the town, prior to the year 1720, about which time Thomas Prince is said to have established the first yard within its limits for the building of vessels, on the westerly shore of the Nook, at the foot of Captain's Hill. The first vessel built there was a sloop, constructed mostly of
69
SHIPBUILDING.
wild cherry. The second yard was owned by Israel Sylvester, on Bluefish River; the third by. Benjamin Freeman at Harden Hill, a short distance north from the Nook, and near the extreme southeastern part of the town.
Perez Drew owned the fourth yard, location not known.
Samuel Winsor, the first of the name in Duxbury, and Samuel Drew together carried on the fifth yard, on the shore of the Nook westward of Captain's Hill. Samuel Winsor had previously, about 1745-50, built several small vessels on Clark's Island.
The sixth yard was established by Isaac Drew at the west side of the Nook.
John Oldham had a yard at Duck Hill, in the northern part of the town, not far from the Marshfield line, where now it is mostly salt meadow, and the creeks are nearly filled with coarse sedge.
There was still another shipyard carried on by Capt. Samuel Delano below the mouth of Bluefish River, on the west side.
These yards had nearly all been abandoned before 1830, and were succeeded by the following, of which the writer has personal recollection :
At the extreme southwest part of the town, between Cap- tain's Hill and the mouth of Jones River in Kingston, and not far from the residence of Harrison Loring, Mr. James Soule had a shipyard, where he built what were then considered good-sized vessels, but which would now be called small. He gave up the business before 1840, I think.
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HISTORIC DUXBURY.
The yard of Benjamin Prior, on the southeast part of the town shore, near the Nook, was occupied by Ezra Weston, and there Samuel Hall built for him several ships. Because of the large size of the vessels built there, it was familiarly known as the " Navy Yard."
The ship " Mattakeesett," built about 1833, of 480 tons, whose first commander was Capt. Briggs Thomas, was the largest merchant vessel that had then been built in New Eng- land. Mr. Weston about 1834 established his yard on the southerly side of Bluefish River, where Samuel Hall, and after him Samuel Cushing, built for him a large number of vessels.
I recall the names of ships "St. Lawrence," " Admittance," "Vandalia," "Eliza Warwick," " Oneco " (in which I made my first voyage, 1839), " Hope." I was a boy on board of the " Hope" when she was launched, in 1841, and nine years later took command of her. She was then ( 1850) the largest merchant ship in New England, and took the largest cargo of cotton (3,100 bales) that had ever been taken from New Orleans. ( A picture of this vessel was exhibited at the World's Fair, Chicago, 1893.)
The ship " Manteo," built about 1843, was the last vessel built for the Westons (E. Weston & Sons, Gershom B. and Alden B. Weston, at that time, Ezra Weston, Sr., having died the previous year). There was also a large fleet of brigs and schooners, of which I recall brigs "Neptune," " Margaret," "Smyrna," " Ceres," "Levant," " Oriole," " Mes- senger," "Lion," and schooners "Dray," "Seadrift," "Vir- ginia," " Triton."
71
SHIPBUILDING.
Luther Turner had his yard adjoining Mr. Weston's on the east, where he built small vessels.
Next to Mr. Weston's on the west was Mr. Levi Sampson's yard. He built vessels for himself and for Boston parties. One ship that was being built about 1835 for Mr. Thomas Lamb of Boston, caught fire while on the stocks, and was very nearly destroyed, while the " Admittance," in Mr. Weston's yard, was in great danger.
Previous to 1838 another yard was situated where the Odd Fellows Hall now stands, and was operated by Mr. Seth Sprague, familiarly known as " Squire Sprague." The vessels built there were small, and were launched across the highway into the dock alongside the wharf next to W. S. Freeman & Co.'s store.
About 1837 or 1838 Samuel Hall built for Mr. Lamb the ship "Narragansett," and for Phineas Sprague & Co. the ship " Constantine," in a yard established by him on the east shore of the village, just north of the "Navy Yard " before men- tioned. In 1840 he removed to East Boston, where he was one of the pioneers in the business, and remained for many years a noted shipbuilder.
A short distance north of Mr. Hall's yard was that of Nathaniel and Joshua Cushing, where they built vessels for various parties. The only name that I recall is that of the barque " Maid of Orleans."
The building of a drawbridge and dam in 1803 across Blue- fish River formed a mill pond above, on which, at the north- west end, was the yard of Samuel A. Frazer (originally that
72
HISTORIC DUXBURY.
of Israel Sylvester), where he built a large number of vessels for himself and various other parties. The peculiar name of one was " Hitty Tom," after an old Indian squaw who for- merly lived in the neighborhood. Ile also built the first ship, " Hoogly," for Daniel C. Bacon of Boston.
Deacon George Loring's yard was on the southeast part of the pond, near the bridge; he built mostly for Charles Binney of Boston, and his son, C. J. F. Binney. I recall only the names of brig " Cynosure," ship " Grafton," and barque " Bin- ney." I remember that the " Grafton," being very narrow and crank, capsized two or three times while they were getting her out of the river. The vessels launched from this yard and Mr. Sampson's, just below the bridge, went plump into the opposite meadow as soon as they were off the ways.
Mr. Sylvanus Drew's yard was on the north side of Bluefish River. His sons, Captain Reuben and Mr. Charles Drew, suc- ceeded him after his death, about 1830, and they were followed by Sylvanus Drew, son of Charles, and he by William Paulding, who built many vessels in the yard, mostly barques and brigs, for the Philadelphia and Baltimore lines and the Mediterranean trade. The vessels that I remember as being built there by the Drews were ships " Rambler," " Aldebaran," "Boreas," "Minerva," " Chilo," " Susan Drew," " George Hallett," " Ked- ron," " Isaiah Crowell "; barques " Eunomus," " Mary Chil- ton," " Hersilia," " Kensington," besides several brigs and smaller vessels. The last three vessels built by Mr. Paulding were the "Minnette" for a Mr. Prior, and the " Olive G. Tower " and the " Mary Amanda " on his own account. The
1
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SHIPBUILDING.
last mentioned was named for his granddaughter, Mr. Geo. Bates' eldest daughter. He ceased operations in 1867.
N. Porter Keen, who had previously worked for Mr. Paul- ding from 1868 to 1875, occupied the yard formerly used by Mr. Levi Sampson, below the bridge on Bluefish River. He built the last full-rigged ship built in Duxbury, the "Samuel G. Reed," launched in 1869, and commanded by Capt. Henry Otis Winsor. This ship is now the barque "Fantee." Other vessels built by Mr. Keen were the barkentine "Benjamin Dickerman," which was about a year on the stocks, and was launched in 1875; the " Mary D. Leach," a whaler; a small schooner, the " I tell ye"; a sloop, name unknown; while the last vessel ever built by him in this yard was, though a schooner, one of the largest vessels ever built in Duxbury.
Owing to the mishaps and difficulties attending her launch- ing, she was dubbed by one of the local wits "Keen's Ele- phant." She was launched in an unfinished condition, and when she left the ways she went fully forty feet into the opposite marsh, and there stuck fast; the indentation made by her bows in the marsh is plainly visible today.
After being hauled out, the next high tide, she lay across the river close to the bridge, until a lighter load of casks came from Boston, a gang of men digging in the mud about her at each low tide. The casks were lashed to a chain running around under her bilge, and she was thus floated out to the bend of the river off Paulding's wharf, and made fast by a hawser to one of the trees on "King Cæsar's road," as it is now called. Mr. Alden B. Weston came down there and found
74
HISTORIC DUXBURY.
her so secured, and feeling aggrieved at the injury done to the bark of his tree, cast off the hawser, and she went ashore on the opposite point. Some hot words and high feelings were the results of this incident, Mr. Keen claiming that a vessel in distress had a right to use any means to insure her safety ; but Mr. Weston proved the seeming paradox that she was not yet a vessel in distress, and that, having built her up the river, Mr. Keen must get her out without injury to or trespass upon other people's property.
She was finally pulled off and towed out of the harbor by a steam tug. The injury to the bark of that tree is still visible, so that thus early in her career the " Henry J. Lippett " " made her mark" in the world. Twenty years later, in October, 1894, she was run into and sunk while at anchor in Hampton Roads. Mr. Keen removed to Weymouth, and built other vessels there.
About 1870 or 1871 John Merritt, Amos Merritt, and Warren Standish reopened Mr. Paulding's yard, and built a schooner, the last vessel built in that yard. They then went over on the village shore to about the location formerly occu- pied by Samuel Hall, where they built the schooners " Annie S. Conant" and " Addie R. Warner." The latter was built for Philadelphia parties, for the fruit trade; she was rigged and fitted completely ready for sea while yet upon the stocks, but was lost at sea soon after she was launched. She was the last vessel built in that yard. The Merritt brothers separated from Standish, and at a new location, just south of this, on the land of Calvin Josselyn, they built in 1878 or 1879 the.
75
SHIPBUILDING.
barque "Thomas A. Goddard," the last vessel ever built in a Duxbury shipyard.
This rapid enumeration will give some idea of the general distribution of the shipyards in which centered the energy and enterprise that made Duxbury for so many years the leading town of Plymouth County. To emphasize the fact of the great activity during its " palmy days," we have the state- ment of the veteran stage-driver " Jake" Sprague, that on a certain day in May, 1838, as he drove from Plymouth to negotiate the purchase of the Duxbury and Boston stage route and property, he counted, between the "Navy Yard " (near where the late Fanny Davenport's house now stands) and the Mill Pond, cighteen vessels in course of construction.
It will be observed that while most of the older yards were established in the neighborhood of the "Nook," or that part of the town nearest Plymouth, the later ones were clustered quite closely together on the shores of the Mill Pond and Bluefish River.
From the little schoolhouse on Powder Point we young folks could hear the clatter and clangor of six shipyards all in full blast within less than a quarter of a mile.
The location of this schoolhouse and of other buildings near by, on piles 'over marshy land, where at every high tide the salt water flowed, was perhaps owing to a peculiarity of Dux- bury public roads, at least in the eastern part, where they were often run as near as possible to the water, and so near in many places as to be overflowed by a tide more than ordinarily high.
The salt water frequently flooded the road in front of the
76
HISTORIC DUXBURY.
house where I was born, and came up into the front yard ; therefore it is not strange that I took to the water like a young duck.
The nearest shipyard to the schoolhouse was the Drews', which was a double yard, where often two vessels were building at once. Many a wheelbarrow load of chips have I brought from that yard ; many a time, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon and four in the afternoon, have I heard the call of " Grog O," whereupon all of the carpenters quit work and adjourned to the workhouse and " smiled"; many a time have I watched the launching of the vessels built there.
The county road ran between the yard and the water (of course ), so that at launching time the ways had to be laid across the highway, and all teams were obliged to go up through the yard around the vessels on the stocks. Of course school always adjourned for such an important event, which took place generally about 11 A.M. (high water, spring tides, full and change of the moon ).
The most interesting part of the programme to us small boys was what we called " dashing the bottle." A man stand- ing on the bowsprit holding by a short lanyard a bottle of wine or something of the sort, broke it over the bows just as the vessel took the water, at the same instant calling out : " Here's success to the good ship -' Oneco ' ! ! " - for instance.
I can remember when it was the height of my ambition to be big enough to " dash the bottle," but I never reached that exalted position. The next highest mark at which I aimed was to be allowed to go cook of the sloop " Reform," Mr.
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