USA > Massachusetts > Historical collections, being a general collection of interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, &c., relating to the history and antiquities of every town in Massachusetts, with geographical descriptions > Part 22
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" This humble stone in memory of ELIZABETH WHITMAN, is inscribed by her weep- ing friends to whom she endeared herself by uncommon tenderness and affection. Endowed with superior genius and acquirements, she was still more endeared by humility and benevolence. Let candor throw a veil over her frailties, for great was her charity to others. She sustained the last painful scene far from every friend, and exhibited an example of calm resignation. Her departure was on the 25th of July, A. D. 1788, in the 37th year of her age, and the tears of strangers watered her grave."
ESSEX.
ESSEX was for 121 years a parish of the ancient town of Ipswich, and was called Chebacco. It became a separate town in 1819. The fishing business was formerly extensively carried on in this
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town. It is well situated for ship-building. During five years preceding 1837, there were 220 vessels built, the tonnage of which was 12,500 tons; valued at $337,500; hands employed in ship- building, 120. There were 14 vessels employed in the cod and mackerel fishery. The timber for ship-building is rafted from the Merrimac into Plum Island Sound, and thence through a canal which has been cut across the marshes from Ipswich bay. The farms in Essex are good. Much fruit is raised, and many tons of hay annually sold in the Boston and Salem markets. Another source of profit, to some of the inhabitants, are the clam-banks of Essex. Upwards of a thousand barrels of clams are dug here annually, and sold (exclusive of barrels and salt) for $2,50 to $3 per barrel. There is one fact which is indicative of the attach- ment of the people to the place : that of 196 families, of which the town consisted in 1820, fifty-two were of the name of Burnham, and a large proportion of the residue were of the names of Cogs- well and Choate. The village in the central part of the town consists of about 50 dwelling-houses and two churches, about 5 miles from Ipswich, and 25 from Boston. Population of the town, 1,402. 1
A Congregational church was formed here in 1681. The next year the Rev. John Wise was ordained pastor. His successor was Rev. Theophilus Pickering, who was settled in 1725. In 1745, the second society was formed, and in 1747 the Rev. John Cleave .. land was ordained pastor. In 1774, the two churches united under Mr. Cleaveland. Rev. Josiah Webster succeeded Mr. Cleaveland in 1799. His successor was Rev. Thomas Holt, who was installed 1809. The Rev. Robert Crowell was settled 1814.
The Christian society was organized in 1808, and their house erected 1809.
A Universalist society was formed 1829.
GEORGETOWN.
THIS town was incorporated in 1838, previous to which it was the western part of Rowley, and called New Rowley. It appears that the first Congregational church in this town was organized in 1731, and the first pastor was James Chandler, a native of Ando- ver, who settled here in 1732, and died in 1788. The highest land in the county is " Bald Pate." From this elevation an extensive and delightful view may be obtained, comprehending a portion of the valley of the Merrimac, and the adjacent settlements, toge- ther with the beautiful town of Haverhill.
GLOUCESTER.
GLOUCESTER is a maritime town, comprising Cape Ann, and an inland parish. This promontory was named Cape Ann, by Prince Charles, out of respect to. his mother. It is joined to the
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main land by a narrow isthmus of about fifty yards wide, called the Cut, over which the road passes into the harbor. The name Cut was derived from an early grant, in these words : "Upon the 26th of the 5th month, 1643, it is ordered that Mr. Richard Blynman, Pastor, is to cut the beach through and to maintaine it, and hath given him three ackers of upland, and hee is to have the benefit to himself and his forever, giveing the Inhabitantes of the town free passage." This afforded an easier and shorter passage to vessels bound to or from the eastward.
In 1624, the Dorchester (Eng.) company commenced a' fishing and planting station here. Thomas Gardner was appointed over- seer of the planting, and John Tilley of the fishing, that year. Ro- ger Conant, who had been appointed overseer of both departments, removed here the year after, bringing Lyford as minister, with others. But this settlement was broken up in 1626, and Conant, with most of the company, removed to Salem. A few years after, a permanent settlement was formed here by the Rev. Mr. Blynman, an ejected minister of Wales, with about fifty others. In 1639, the place was incorporated as a fishing plantation. In 1642, Glouces- ter was created a town by the general court. It was named after Gloucester, England, the native place of some of the first settlers.
The first church was formed 1642. The Rev. Richard Blynman was pastor until 1648, when he removed. This was the 19th church gathered in Massachusetts Bay. The Universalist society was formed in 1774, under the preaching of the Rev. John Mur- ray, the first teacher of that denomination. In 1792 it was incor- porated by the legislature as the Independent Christian Society.
The second, or West parish, was incorporated by the general court in 1716. The Rev. Samuel Thompson was settled in the same year. This parish was the first set off from the town. A large majority of the society having become Universalists, the desk has been supplied lately by a clergyman of that denomination.
The third, or Squam parish, was incorporated in 1728. The Rev. Benjamin Bradstreet, the first pastor, was ordained the same year. In 1804, Rev. Ezra Leonard was ordained as a Congregational preacher ; in 1815 he embraced the Universalist doctrine, and the society is now of that order.
The Baptist church was formed in 1813.
The fourth, or Town parish, the oldest parish in the town, being the location of the first settlers, and the place of worship and seat of business for a century. In 1738, a new meeting-house was erected in the Harbor, by part of the society, and Rev. John White was their preacher. A new parish was organized. The parish was divided, and the northern part incorporated as a separate parish, (the fourth) in 1742. Rev. John Rogers, first pastor, was ordained in 1744, died 1782. Since that period there has been no regular ordained minister. It is now a Universalist society.
The fifth, or Sandy Bay parish, was incorporated in 1754. In 1755, Rev. Ebenezer Cleaveland was ordained as first pastor.
The town of Gloucester comprises four villages. The Harbor,
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so called, is the principal village, and is finely located on the south side of the cape. The engraving shows the appearance of the vil-
South-western viem of Gloucester.
lage as it is approached from the south-west. The settlement is compact ; many of the houses are built of brick. The sea views from this place are very extensive, and rarely equalled in grandeur and sublimity by any on the coast, and the inhabitants truly dwell at
"the noise of the sounding surge! when the dark rolling wave is near, with its back of foam !"
The village of Sandy Bay is on the eastern side of the cape, about five miles from the Harbor. A pier and breakwater have been constructed here for the security of shipping. The village of Squam is on the north side of the cape, about five miles from the Harbor. Opposite this place is the sand beach, which once supplied with sand all the towns from Portsmouth to Boston, at the time when it was used on floors instead of paint or carpets.
The mackerel fishery is carried on to a great extent in this town. The following is an account of the business that has been done in this branch in the years 1832, '33 and '34. The year 1835 was an unfortunate year to the mackerel catchers. There were inspected in 1832, 8,138 barrels of No. 1, and 6,202 half barrels; of No. 2, 15,421 barrels and 7,163 half barrels; of No. 3, 15,010 barrels and 547 half barrels. In 1834, there were inspected of No. 1, 18,835 barrels, and 9,432 half barrels ; of No. 2, 20,638 barrels, and 6,591 half barrels; of No. 3, 13,763 barrels, and 143 half barrels.
The following is from the state Statistical Tables in 1837. Ves- sels employed in the cod and mackerel fishery, 221; tonnage of the same, 9,824; cod-fish caught, 55,181 quintals; value of the same, $186,516 ; mackerel caught, 43,934 barrels; value of the same, $335,566; salt used in the cod. and mackerel fishery, 113,760 bushels ; hands employed, 1,580; capital invested, $349,000.
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Immense quarries of light and gray granite are found in this town; this is split into regularly formed blocks. It is of a fine grain, easily dressed, and can be loaded into vessels at little expense. There is an increasing demand for it. The quarries employ about three hundred men, who get out about 100,000 tons yearly, and this is sold at an average price of $2 per ton. Gloucester Bank commenced operation in 1796, with a capital of $40,000, and it was incorporated Jan. 27, 1800. Subsequent acts of the legisla- ture increased the capital to $200,000, its present amount. Here is an insurance company, with a capital of $100,000, and an institu- tion for savings. There are two newspapers printed in this place, which are issued twice each week. There are 14 churches in this town, of which 5 are Universalist, 4 Orthodox, 3 Baptist, 1 Unita- rian, and 1 Methodist. Five are located in the Harbor parish, 2 in the West parish, 3 in Squam, 1 in Town parish, and 3 in Sandy Bay.
It has been stated in some ancient publications that lions have been seen in this section of country. William Wood, the author of "New England's Prospect," says, concerning lions, " I will not say that I ever saw any myself, but some affirm that they have seen a lion at Cape Ann, which is not above ten leagues from Bos- ton. Some likewise being lost in the woods, have heard such ter- rible roarings, as have made them much aghast; which must be either devils or lions, there being no other creatures which use to roar, saving bears, which have not such a terrible kind of roaring."
This place was visited by a severe storm in August, 1635, in which a melancholy shipwreck took place. There had been a strong wind blowing from the south and south-east for a week; at midnight it changed to the north-east, when a tremendous storm set in. Trees were torn up by their roots, vessels were driven from their anchorage, and houses were blown down. The tide rose twenty feet in height. During the storm, Mr. Allerton's bark was cast away upon the cape, twenty-one persons were drowned, of which number was the Rev. Mr. Avery, of Wiltshire, (Eng.) with his wife and six small children. All were lost except Mr. Thacher and his wife, who were cast upon the shore of an island and saved. The island where the two were saved was afterward called Thach- er's Island. The rock on which the vessel struck is still called Avery's rock. In 1671, a whirlwind of about forty feet in breadth passed through the neck that makes one side of the harbor, bearing all before it with such power that a large rock in the harbor came near being overturned.
In 1692, memorable in the annals of mystery, many strange oc- currences took place at Gloucester.
The people thought they saw armed Frenchmen and Indians running about their houses and fields ; these they often shot at when within a short distance; the shot ap- peared to take effect, so much so as to cause them to fall, but on coming up they rose and ran away. The " unaccountable troublers" in return shot at the inhabitants of the town, who said that they heard the shot whiz by their ears. One man heard the report of a gun, the bullet of which whizzed by him and cut off a pine bush near at
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hand, and lodged in a hemlock tree. Turning round, he saw four men advancing to- ward him with guns on their shoulders. There were others who saw where the bullet had lodged and cut off the pine bush. For three weeks the alarm was so great that two regiments were raised, and a company of sixty men from Ipswich, under the com- mand of Major Appleton, was sent to their succor. The Rev. John Emerson, the cler- gyman of the town, says "all rational persons will be satisfied that Gloucester was not alarmed for a fortnight together by real Frenchmen and Indians, but that the devil and his agents were the cause of all that befel the town." Another writer asks " whether Satan did not set ambushments against the good people of Gloucester, with demons, in the shape of armed Indians and Frenchmen, appearing to a considerable number of the inhabitants, and mutually firing upon them for the best part of a month together."
The following is taken from a pamphlet, entitled "Report of a Committee of the Linnean Society of New England, relative to a large Marine Animal, supposed to be a Serpent, seen near Cape Ann, Massachusetts, August, 1817." The letter is from the Hon. Lonson Nash, of Gloucester.
Gloucester, Sept. 9, 1817.
SIR : Your favor of the second inst. has been received. The vote of thanks of the Linnæan Society for my services was highly gratifying to me, not simply on account of the high consideration I entertain for the members of that laudable institution, but likewise for the agreeable manner and respectable channel through which their vote of thanks was communicated to me.
I have seen and conversed with the woman who was said to have seen the serpent dormant on the rocks, near the water, to whom you refer in yours ; but she can give no material evidence. She says that she saw something resembling a large log of wood on the rocks, on the extreme eastern point of Ten Pound Island, (a small island in our harbor,) resting partly on the rocks and partly in the water. The distance was about half a mile. She took a glass, looked at the object, and saw it move. Her attention was for a short time arrested by some domestic avocation, and when she looked for the object again it had disappeared.
You request a detailed account of my observations relative to the serpent. I saw him on the fourteenth ultimo, and when nearest I judged him to be about two hundred and fifty yards from me. At that distance I judged him in the larger part about the size of a half barrel, gradually tapering towards the two extremes. Twice I saw him with a glass, only for a short time, and at other times with the naked eye for nearly half an hour. His color appeared nearly black-his motion nearly vertical. When he moved on the surface of the water, the track in his rear was visible for at least half a mile.
His velocity, when moving on the surface of the water, I judged was at the rate of a mile in about four minutes. When immersed in the water, his speed was greater, moving, I should say, at the rate of a mile in two, or at most in three minutes. When moving under water, you could often trace him by the motion of the water on the sur- face, and from this circumstance I conclude he did not swim deep. He apparently went as straight through the water as you could draw a line. When he changed his course, it diminished his velocity but little-the two extremes that were visible appear- ed rapidly moving in opposite directions, and when they came parallel they appeared not more than a yard apart. With a glass I could not take in at one view the two extremes of the animal that were visible. I have looked at a vessel at about the same distance, and could distinctly see forty-five feet. If he should be taken, I have no doubt that his length would be found seventy feet, at least, and I should not be surprised if he should be found one hundred feet long. When I saw him I was standing on an emi- nence on the sea-shore, elevated about thirty feet above the surface of the water, and the sea was smooth. If I saw his head I could not distinguish it from his body, though there were sea-faring men near me who said they could distinctly see his head. I believe they spoke truth, but, not having been much accustomed to Jook through a glass, I was not so fortunate.
I never saw more than seven or eight distinct portions of him above the water at any one time, and he appeared rough, though I suppose this appearance was pro- duced by his motion. When he disappeared he apparently sunk directly down like a. rock. Capt. Beach has been in Boston for a week past, and I am informed that he is
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still there. An engraving from his drawing of the serpent has been or is now making in Boston, but I have not been able to ascertain how far his drawing is thought a correct representation.
Respectfully, Sir, your most ob't. LONSON NASH.
Hon. JOHN DAVIS.
HAMILTON.
HAMILTON Was formerly a part of Ipswich, and was called Ips- wich Hamlet until 1793, when it was incorporated as a separate town. Agriculture is the principal employment of the inhabitants, though shoes are made to a considerable extent annually. In. 1837, boots and shoes were manufactured to the value of $14,702. Population, 827. Distance from Boston, 26 miles.
The town is pleasantly located, and the soil good ; but the in- habitants are so much scattered that there is no compact village. Chebacco river takes its rise here, from Chebacco pond, and seve- ral other smaller ponds near the south-east boundary of the town. Wenham swamp extends into the southern parts of the town. Ips- wich river runs along the western border.
Hamilton has only one religious society ; this is Congregational, and was organized in 1714, as the third of Ipswich. The Rev. Samuel Wigglesworth, the first pastor, was settled in 1714, died in 1768. He was succeeded by the Rev. Manasseh Cutler, in 1771, who died in 1823. His successor was the Rev. Joseph B. Felt, who was installed in 1824, resigned in 1833.
Mr. Felt is author of Annals of Salem, History of Ipswich, Ham- ilton and Essex. The following is an extract from his history of this place. ""There are four families in this town called bleeders ; three of them are immediately and the other mediately related. The number of individuals so denominated are five. They are thus named from an unusual propensity in their arteries and veins to bleed profusely, even from slight wounds. A cut or other hurt upon them assumes at first the common appearance; but after a week or fortnight the injured part begins and continues, for seve- ral days, to send forth almost a steady stream of blood, until this disappears, and it becomes nearly as colorless as water. A por- tion of the coagulated blood forms a cone, large or small according to the wound. The bleeding ceases when the cone, which has a minute aperture and is very fætid, falls off. The persons thus constituted dare not submit to the operation of the lancet. They often bleed abundantly at the nose, and are subject to se- vere and premature rheumatism. Some of their predecessors have come to their end by wounds which are not considered by any means dangerous for people in general. This hemorrhage first appeared in the Appleton family, who brought it with them from England. None but males are bleeders, whose immediate children are not so, and whose daughters only have sons thus disposed. As to the precise proportion of these who may resemble their grand- fathers in bleeding of this kind, past observation furnishes no data ; it has been found altogether uncertain."
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HAVERHILL.
HAVERHILL.
THE precise time of the settlement of Haverhill is not known. Gov. Winthrop, in his journal, says, "Mo. 3, 1643. About this time two plantations began to be settled upon Merrimack river : Pentuckett, called Haverhill, and Cochichewick, called Andover." The settlement, it is believed, was begun in 1640 or 41. The town is said to have been called Haverhill in compliment to Mr. Ward, the first minister, who was born in Haverhill, in Essex county, in England. "The town at first extended six miles north of the Merrimack, and was fourteen miles upon the river. It was inte- rested in the long dispute about the boundaries between the pro- vinces of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, which was at length settled by commissioners in 1737. Col. Richard Saltonstall, Rich- ard Hazzen, and Dea. James Ayer, represented the town before these commissioners." The township formerly embraced within its limits a part of the towns of Methuen, Salem, Atkinson, and the town of Plaistow, in New Hampshire. The following is a copy of the Indian deed of the town.
" Know all Men by these Presents, that wee Passaquo and Saggahew, with the concent of Passaconnaway, have sold unto the inhabitants of Pentuckett all the land wee have in Pentuckett; that is, eight miles in length from the little river in Pentuckett west- ward, six miles in length from the aforesaid river northward, and six miles in length from the aforesaid river eastward, with the islands and the river that the islands stand in, as far in length as the land lyes, as formerly expressed, that is, fourteene myles in length; and wee the said Passaquo and Saggahew, with the consent of Passaconnaway, have sold unto the said inhabbittants all the right that wee or any of us have in the said ground, and islands and river; and do warrant it against all or any other Indians whatsoever, unto the said inhabbittants of Pentuckett, and to their heirs and assigns forever. Dated fifteenth day of November: Anno Dom: 1642. Witness our hands and seals to this bargayne of sale, the day and yeare above written, (in the presents of us.) Wee the said Passaquo and Saggahew have received in hand, for and in consi- deration of the same, three pounds and ten shillings."
The two Indians above named signed the above by making their marks, each a bow and arrow, and is witnessed by John Ward, Robert Clements, Tristam Coffin, Hugh Sherrit, William White, and Thomas Davis.
The following are the names of those persons who accompanied Mr. Ward, the minister, and began the first settlement of Haverhill. Those in italics were from Newbury. William White, Samuel Gile, James Davis, Henry Palmer, John Robinson, Abraham Tyler, Daniel Ladd, Joseph Merrie, Christopher Hursey, Job Clement, John Williams, Richard Littlehale. Before the town was settled, it was covered with a dense forest, except the lowlands or meadows. These were cleared by the Indians, perhaps centuries before the arrival of the English settlers, and they were covered with a heavy growth of grass, so thick and high, it is said, that it was impossi- ble to discover man or beast at a distance of five rods. On account of the grass, these lands were prized above all others by the settlers, on account of procuring hay for their cattle. The first house was
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erected near the old burying-ground, about one fourth of a mile east of the Haverhill bridge.
Eastern view of Haverhill.
The above shows the appearance of Haverhill from the road on the northern bank of the Merrimac, as the village is entered from the eastward. Haverhill bridge, the one seen in the view, is hardly excelled by any structure of the kind in New England for strength and durability. The location of the village is uncommonly beau- tiful. Itis built on the south side of a gentle acclivity, which rises gradually from the river, which winds before it in the form of a crescent. Water and Main streets, the principal streets in the village, are somewhat irregular. Water street is a mile or more in length; it runs parallel with the river, and is thickly built on both sides with buildings of various kinds. Main street intersects with Water street opposite the bridge, and runs north. On it are a number of elegant buildings. Summer street, which was opened a few years since, on the brow of the hill, intersecting Main street, is the pleasantest in the village, and is adorned with elegant dwelling-houses. The "Merrimac Bank," in this place, was incorporated in 1814, with a capital of $270,000. There is an institution for savings, an academy, and two printing-offices, each of which issues a weekly paper. There are 8 houses of worship in the town, viz. 4 Congregational, 2 Baptist, 1 Universalist, and 1 Christian. Population, 4,726. Distance, 14 miles from New- buryport, 15 from Ipswich, 30 from Portsmouth, and 29 from Bos- ton. In 1837, there were manufactured in this town 12,003 pairs of boots ; 1,387,118 pairs of shoes; the value of boots and shoes, $1,005,424 55; males employed, 1,715; females, 1,170. There were 4 tanneries; hides tanned, 8,050; value of leather tanned and curried, $115,630, (part of the leather tanned in other towns) ; hands employed, 47. Six hat manufactories; hats manufactured, 125,593; value of hats, $75,365 ; males employed, S3; females,
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39. One woollen mill, which manufactured $78,000's worth of woollen goods.
For more than seventy years, Haverhill was a frontier town, and often suffered the horrors of savage warfare. The following accounts are taken from Mirick's History of Haverhill, published. in Haverhill, in 1832. The accounts are evidently drawn up with a good deal of care and accuracy.
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