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 65
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The Rev. Samuel Arnold was the first minister of this town. The first meeting-house was built in the vicinity of Sippican or Rochester harbor, and at this place, it is probable, the first settlers located themselves. Mr. Arnold was succeeded by Rev. Timothy Ruggles, who was settled here in 1710. While he was minister, the inhabitants of the south-western part of the town, living re- mote from the place of public worship, proposed to be set off into a distinct parish. This was accordingly done about the year 1733, and Rev. Ivory Hovey was ordained their minister. This parish
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contains that part of the town which still retains the Indian name Mattapoiset. Mr. Hovey was succeeded, in 1772, by Rev. Lemuel Le Baron .* A third Congregational society was formed from several border-towns, about 1748, of which Rev. Thomas West was for many years the pastor. He died in the ministry, in 1790, at a very advanced age. The meeting-house for this society stood at the N. W. angle of the town, near the great ponds. The Bap- tist church in Rochester, according to Mr. Backus, was established about 1793.
The following sketch or draught is copied from an original draw- ing made by King Philip, in 1668, preserved in the records of Plymouth colony. The land described seems to fall within Roch- ester, on the sea-shore.
" This may inform the honorable court, that I, Philip, am willing to sell the land within this draught, but the Indians that are upon it may live upon it still; but the land that is mine may be sold, and Watashpoo is of the same mind. I have put down all the principal names of the land we are now willing should be sold.
" From Pacanaukett, the 24th
Philip : P : his mark."
of the month, 1668."
Wewwensett.
Wanascotucket.
This is a path.
Panhanet. Patantanett.
Assookamuck.
Sepaconett.
River
5
Machapaugoneck.
Assowompamokc.
This is a path. Anequeassett. Kitteaskeesett.
-
" Know all men by these presents, that Philip has given power unto Watashpoo, and Sampson and their brethren, to hold and to make sale of to whom they will, by my consent, &c. &c. Witness my hand that I give it to them.
The mark P of Philip, 1668."
" John Sassamon is a witness."
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THIS town appears to have been settled as early as 1633 or 1634. It is supposed the town derived its name from the Indian word Seteaat or Satuit, a word which signifies Cold Brook, and applied
* In 1696, a French privateer was wrecked in Buzzard's bay, the crew were carried prisoners to Boston ; the surgeon, Dr. Francis Le Baron, came to Plymouth, and hav- ing performed a surgical operation, the town being destitute of a physician, they peti- tioned Lieutenant Governor Stoughton for his liberation, that he might settle in their town. This was granted, and he married Mary Wilder, and practised physic till he died, at the age of 36 years. Dr .. Le Baron did not relinquish the Catholic religion, and was strongly attached to its ceremonies. He never retired to rest without placing the cross on his breast. He left descendants, and all those of his name in this country are descended from him .- Thacher's History of Plymouth.
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to a stream in this place. "Scituate, indebted to the substantial character of some of its founders, many of whom, it is evident, came chiefly from Kent, in England, soon became a respectable town, early taking the lead in rates and levies of men, which su- periority it maintained to the latest annals of the colony. Are you a Kentish man, or a man of Kent? has its historical value, as it respects origin."* The following is a list of the first freemen in Scituate, from 1633 to 1649.
Mr. William Gilson, Henry Rowley,
Anthony Annable, Humphrey Turner,
Geo. Kendrick,
Edward Foster,
Robert Linnet,
Walter Woodworth, Mr. Timo. Hatherly, Wm. Caseley,
William Hatch, George Lewis, John Williams,
Henry Cobb, Bernard Lombard,
Samuel House,
Mr. John Lothrop,
John Twisden, Thomas Chambers,
Isaac Robinson,
Mr. Thos. Besbedge,
John Hewes,
Thomas Clapp, Edward Jenkins, Isaac Stedman, John Allen.
Samuel Fuller, Samuel Hickley,
John Cooper,
John Lewis,
Mr. Chas. Chauncey, William Parker,
Mr. Timothy Hatherly was the principal founder and father of the town of Scituate. In 1656, Mr. Hatherly, Robert Studson, and Joseph Tilden, built a saw-mill on the third Herring Brook, which is believed to be the first saw-mill in the colony. This is the brook that separates Scituate from Hanover. It was destroyed by the Indians in Philip's war. It is stated that 19 houses were burnt by the savages in their attack on this town in 1676.
This town suffered severely during Philip's war. Capt. Michael Pierce, who, with 51 Englishmen, were killed by the Indians near Pawtucket, was of this town. The following account of the Indian attack on this town is copied from the account given in " Deane's History of Scituate," published in 1831.
" They came into Scituate by the 'Indian path,' so called, which led from Scituate to the Matakeeset settlements at Indian head ponds, by 'the Cornet's mill,' on the third Herring brook, near the residence of the late Major Winslow. This saw-mill they burnt; and tradition tells that they wounded and burnt a man in it; but this is doubtful. They then proceeded to Capt. Joseph Sylvester's, and burnt his house. It stood north of the Episcopal Church hill, (now known as such,) and nearly on the same spot where stands the mansion of Mr. Samuel Waterman. There was a garrison of twelve men at Joseph Barstow's, three fourths of a mile south of Capt. Sylvester's, which they probably avoided, and proceeded down towards the town, burning as they went. But, unfortunately, we are able only to mention a few of the houses so de- stroyed, which we find incidentally mentioned in our town records. The next house which they burnt (of which we have certain record) was William Blackmore's. It stood where stands the house of the late Capt. Elijah Curtis, forty rods west of the head of the lane that leads to Union bridge, and on the north side of the street. William Blackmore was killed that day, but whether in attempting to defend his house or not, and what was the fate of his family, we have not learned; probably, however, they had escaped to the ' block-house' on the bank of the river, but fifty rods distant. "Tho block-house was attacked, but not car- ried; John James, however, whose house was near the block-house, received a mortal wound, lingered about six weeks, and died. The Indians then hastened forward to attack the principal garrison at Charles Stockbridge's. Their path may be traced directly onward towards this garrison. The house of Nicholas (the Sweede) was the next burnt, which stood on a small hill thirty rods north-east of Parker iane. We observe that the town voted the next year to allow him three pounds towards rebuilding his house. In their further progress they doubtless burnt other houses, as Wm. Parker's, Robert Stetson, Jr.'s, Stand- lake's, Sutliffe's, Holmes'; John Buck's and others were nigh their path, but unfortunately the committee's report to Gov. Winslow is not extant, at least in full. They passed ovar Walnut Tree hill, on the north- ward of tho late Judge William Cushing's, and entered Ewell's house, which stood at the ' turn of the road,' which spot may be known in modern times by saying it was nearly midway between Judge Cushing's mansion and farm-house. Ewell's wife was alone, save an infant grandchild, John Northey, sleeping in the cradle ; the house being situated beneath a high hill, she had no notice of the approach of the savages until they were rushing down the hill towards the house. In the moment of nlarm she fled towards the garrison, which was not more than sixty rods distant, and either through a momentary forgetfulness, or despair, or with the hopo of alarming the garrison In season, she forgot the child. She reached the garrl- son in safety. The savages entered her house, and stopping only to take the hread from the oven which she was in the act of putting in, when she was first alarmed, then rushed forward to assault the garrison. After they had become closely engaged, Ewell's wife returned hy n circuitous path, to learn the fate of the babe, and, to her happy surprise, found it quietly sleeping In the cradle as slie had left it, and carried it safely to the garrison. A few hours afterward the house was burnt. There was a considerable village
* Torrey's History of Scituate, Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc.
Richard Sillis, Edward Fitzrandle,
Thomas Dimmack,
Edward Eddenden,
Mr. James Cudworth, Henry Bourne,
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around this place, and the houses of Northey, Palmer, Russell, Thomas King, Jr. and some others were doubtless burnt, though we are not able to quote record for it. That Ewell's house was burnt we learn from his will, in which it was incidentally mentioned ; (see Family Sketches.) The garrison-house of Stock- bridge was palisadoed on three sides, the fourth being defended by the mill-pond. Beside this there was a small outwork near the mill, on a little island between the mill-stream and the waste-way, where a blacksmith's shop has for several years stood. It was thought to be a point of importance to the settlement to defend these mills. Here the Indians fought several hours, made many efforts to fire the buildings, and sustained heavy losses, from the well-directed shot from the garrison. They chiefly occupied the ground at the south end of the mill-dam. They were not repulsed until night close, when nearly the whole force of the town that was left at home was collected for the purpose. Lieut. Buck had mustered all the men below, and the veteran Cornet Stetson had descended the river, with what people could be raised in the south part of the town. Unfortunately, Capt. John Williams, with thirty Scituate men, was absent, 'rang- ing the woods' about Namaskett, (Middleborough.")
Southern view of the Ancient House, Scituate.
The above is a southern view of Capt. S. P. Barker's residence, situated on a gentle eminence on the north side of Scituate harbor, about half a mile from the village at this place, which consists of about 30 dwelling-houses. Capt. Barker's house is one of the oldest, if not the very oldest, now standing in New England. The tradition is that it was built by John Williams, as early as 1634. " The massive beams, the wooden walls, interlined with brick, and the port-holes, witness that it was a garrison-house." The. building has been made somewhat longer than it was originally, by a small addition at the western end; it is finely situated, hav- ing a commanding prospect of the ocean to the north. Cape Ann and Boston Light can be seen from this place.
Scituate, though much of its soil is poor, contains extensive salt marshes and valuable pasturage. The first planters of this ancient town complained to the colony court that " their lands were stony and hard to be subdued." This was a very just description of the north-eastern part of the town, which adjoins Cohasset. Its har- bor is small and difficult of access, but the town has about 30 sail of fishing and coasting vessels. The mackerel fishery has been pursued with great success by the inhabitants of this town. In 1837, there were 22 vessels employed in the cod and mackerel fish- ery; hands employed, 250; 6,500 barrels of mackerel were taken. North river forms the southern boundary of the town, and when near the sea turns and runs parallel with the shore, leaving a beach nearly three miles in length between itself and the ocean. This beach, which is formed of round smooth pebbles, from 20 to
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WAREHAM.
40 feet high, is considered a curiosity. This town has some iron works; ship-building to a considerable extent has been carried on. There are 7 churches, 2 Unitarian, 1 Orthodox, 2 Methodist, 1 Baptist, and 1 Universalist. Population, 3,754. Scituate Harbor is 20 miles N. W. of Plymouth, and 28 from Boston.
Rev. John Lothrop the first pastor in the first, north or lower society, arrived at Scituate in 1634. He removed with the greater part of his church in 1639, and settled Barnstable. His successor was Rev. Charles Chauncy, who afterwards was elected president of Harvard college. The next in order was Nicholas Baker, who died in 1678 ; after him, Mr. Cushing; the next, Nath. Pitcher, who was succeeded by Rev. Shearjashub Bourne, who was ordained in 1724; Ebenezer Grosvenor, his suc- cessor, was ordained in 1763. Rev. Ebenezer Dawes, the successor of Mr. Grosvenor,
was ordained in 1791. The second, or south, or upper society was in existence as early as 1658. The Rev, William Wetherell, who died in 1684, was the first pastor ; he was succeeded by Thomas Mighill, who died 1689. Deodat Lawson was the next minister ; he was succeeded by Nathaniel Eelles, who was ordained in 1704, and died in 1750 his successor was Jonathan Dorby, who was ordained in 1751, and died 1754. David Barnes, D. D., was ordained in 1754, and died in 1811. Rev. Addington Davenport, who graduated at Harvard college in 1719, was the first rector of St. Andrew's church in Scituate. This church was taken down, and a large edifice of the same name was erected in Hanover.
WAREHAM.
THE Indian name of this place appears to have been Agawaam. It was sold, in 1655, by Ackanootus, with two other natives of Aquetnet, in Sandwich, to the town of Plymouth. After this time it was leased by that town till 1682, when it was sold in six shares, for £200, to Joseph Warren, William Clark, Joseph Bart- lett, and Josiah Morton, of Plymouth, Isaac Little of Marshfield, and Seth Pope of Dartmouth. Settlements commenced soon after this time. The earliest permanent settlers were from Hingham, of whom Israel Fearing was the leader. Several other settlers came in, chiefly from Sandwich and Plymouth, while those of Rochester, already on the confines, were annexed, when it became a town, in 1739. The first minister, Rev. Rowland Thatcher, was ordained in 1740, and died in 1773, and was succeeded the next year by Rev. Josiah Cotton. Mr. Cotton was succeeded by Rev. Noble Everett, who was ordained in 1784.
The town of Wareham lies at the head of Buzzard's Bay, and the soil, like the rest of the towns in this part of Massachusetts, is light and sandy. There are a number of small streams in the town, on which are a number of manufacturing establishments. There is a bank here, the "Wareham Bank," with a capital of $100,000. Population, 2,166. Distance, 18 miles from Plymouth, 18 from New Bedford, 12 from Sandwich, and 50 from Boston.
The following is a northern view of the southern part of Ware- ham village. Vessels from 150 to 200 tons can come up as far as this place. In 1837, there were in this town 6 nail factories; 7,039 tons were manufactured; value, $985,460; hands employed, 345. Six air and cupola furnaces; 829 tons of castings were made, val-
67
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WEST BRIDGEWATER.
Northern viem of the southern part of Wareham Village.
ued at $55,880 ; hands employed, 56; 2 rolling mills ; iron manu- factured, 1,238 tons; value, $137,000; hands employed, 50. There were 2 cotton and 1 paper-mill.
There is a rocky neck, of some elevation, at the mouth of the Narrows, which conceals the view of the bay from the village. "It was this neck which concealed the approach of a detachment of barges from the Superb and Nimrod, British vessels of war on this station, June 13, 1814, rendering the expedition as unperceived as it was unexpected. The destruction of burning was, one ship, one brig, (on the stocks,) and several schooners and sloops. The ship, being afterwards extinguished, suffered a partial loss, as did the brig and a cotton factory, into which a Congreve rocket was thrown, and also extinguished. The estimated loss was $40,000. The detachment consisted of 6 barges and 200 men, which arrived in the morning, and departed in a few hours."
Manomet is the name of a creek, or river, which runs through the town of Sand- wich, into the upper part of Buzzard's Bay, formerly called Manomet Bay. Between this and Scusset Creek is the place which has been thought of, for more than a centu- ry, as proper to be cut through by a canal, and thus form a communication between Barnstable and Buzzard's Bay. It is only six miles across. Manomet rivulet was visited as early as 1622, by Gov. Bradford, to procure corn. The stream was called, by the natives, Pimesepoese, a word signifying, in their language, "provision rivulet." In
1627, the Plymouth colonists, for the convenience of trade, built a small pinnace at Manomet, to which place they transported their goods. Having taken them up a creek within four or five miles, they carried them over land to the vessel, and thus avoided the dangerous navigation around Cape Cod. For the safety of their vessel and goods, they built a house, and kept some servants there, who planted corn, raised hogs, &c. In the time of the last war with Great Britain, this mode of transportation was revived again, and the inhabitants of Cape Cod found it convenient to resort to this place, to avoid the risk of capture by the enemy's cruisers along the coast.
WEST BRIDGEWATER.
THE first settlement of the ancient Bridgewater commenced in this town in 1651. It was incorporated by its present name in 1822. At the commencement of the settlement, each settler had a
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WEST BRIDGEWATER.
house-lot of six acres on the town river, then called Nunketest, or Nunketetest ; this was also the name, at that time, of Nippenicket Pond, in the eastern part of the town, adjoining Raynham. The new settlement itself was sometimes called by this name, while the plantation received the more general name of Saughtucket. The house-lots were contiguous, and the settlement compact.
The following are the names of some of the first permanent settlers :- Thomas Hayward, John Hayward, Nathaniel Willis, John Willis, William Basset, John Wash- burn, John Washburn, Jr., Thomas Gannett, William Brett, John Cary, Samuel Tomp- kins, Arthur Harris, John Fobes, Experience Mitchell, Solomon Leonardson, Mr. Keith and Samuel Edson. The orthography, as it respects the names of the early settlers, has, in many instances, considerably changed. John Hayward and his descendants, who originally omitted the y in their name, have finally changed it to Howard. Cary was sometimes written Carew, Lathrop, Laythorpe, &c. The Rev. James Keith was the first minister ordained in this town. This was in 1664, twelve years after the first settlement was made. It appears that they found it difficult to support a minister be- fore this time. Mr. Keith was from Scotland, and was educated at Aberdeen. He came to Boston about 1662, and was introduced to the church at Bridgewater by Dr. Increase Mather, whom he always considered his best friend and patron. The descendants of Mr. Keith are numerous. He died in 1719, aged seventy-six. He was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Perkins, who was ordained in 1721, and died in 1782; the next minister was Rev. John Reed, D. D., who was ordained as colleague with Mr. Perkins in 1780.
West Bridgewater is a very level township of land, and the meadows, called " Hockamock meadows," produce large crops of hay of a superior kind. It lies 19 miles N. W. of Plymouth, 13 north-easterly of Taunton, and 24 southerly of Boston. Popula- tion, 1,145. There are in the town 3 air and cupola furnaces, which, in 1837, made 430 tons of castings; value, $42,500; hands em- ployed 31; 1 manufactory for shovels, spades, forks or hoes. In 1837 there were 2,518 pairs of boots and 27,890 pairs of shoes manufactured; value, $31,210; males employed, 43; females, 25. There are 3 churches ; 1 Unitarian, 1 Baptist, and 1 New Je- rusalem. Population, 1,145.
Bridgewater was the first interior settlement in the county of Plymouth, and many of the settlers were called to encounter the troubles and dangers of Indian warfare. During Philip's war they displayed great resolution and intrepidity. Surrounded by a savage foc, "they were strongly advised and solicited to desert their dwellings and repair down to the towns on the sea-side." They however resolutely kept their ground, and defended their settle- ment, and encouraged and assisted other towns to do the same. They crected a stockade, or garrison, on the south side of the river, and also fortified many of their dwellings. On April 9th, 1676, being Sunday, the enemy burnt a house and barn, and rifled seve- ral other houses in town; but they soon fled, and could not be overtaken. On May 8th, about three hundred Indians, with Tis- paquin for their leader, made another assault on the east end of the town, on the south side of the river, and set fire to many of the houses, but " the inhabitants, issuing from their houses, fell upon them so resolutely that the enemy were repelled ; and a heavy shower of rain falling at the same time, the fires were soon extin- guished. 'The attack was then renewed on the north side of the
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SUFFOLK COUNTY.
river, but the enemy were soon defeated, and the next morning entirely disappeared, after burning two houses and one barn. On this occasion 13 houses and 4 barns only were burnt, and but five of these were in the village ; the rest were on the borders of the settlement, and deserted at the time. There is a tradition that, ex- cepting the garrison-houses, every house but one in the town was burnt. This was true, probably, of all the houses not in the vil- lage.
A few weeks previous to the death of Philip, the inhabitants of the town being alarmed at some appearance of the enemy, they immediately pressed Comfort Willis and Joseph Edson to go post to the governor, to give information. Capt. Church, with his company, was immediately sent to their assistance. About 20 men from Bridge- water, while on the road to meet Capt. Church, came upon the enemy, and fought · them, and took seventeen alive, and also much plunder, without losing a man. They joined Capt. Church next day, and soon captured and killed 173 Indians. These pri- soners were conveyed into the town pound at night, and an Indian guard set over them. "They were well treated with victuals and drink, and had a merry night; and the prisoners laughed as loud as the soldiers, not having been so well treated for a long time." The next day Capt. Church arrived safe at Plymouth, with all the prisoners. Notwithstanding the many dangers of this war, and the great number of the Bridgewater people engaged in it, it is a remarkable circumstance that not one of the inhabitants was killed. The first person who fell in battle from this place was John Snell, who was killed in the old French war. The second was Capt. Jacob Allen, who was killed at the capture of Burgoyne .- 7th vol. 2d Series Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc.
SUFFOLK COUNTY.
SUFFOLK COUNTY was incorporated in 1643. At this period it comprehended all the territory now within the counties of Suf- folk and Norfolk, together with the towns of Hingham and Hull, in Plymouth county. The county of Suffolk now comprehends only the city of Boston and the town of Chelsea, with the islands appertaining to each. Its greatest extent from the northern extremity of Chelsea to the Dorchester line is about 11 miles, and from West Boston bridge to the outer harbor about 10 miles. In 1837, the population was 81,984.
BOSTON.
THE Indian name of Boston was Shawmut, which is supposed to have signified a spring of water. The first English name given to it was Trimountain, the literal signification of which is "three mountains;" for Boston was originally composed of three hills. These afterwards received the names of Copp's, Fort, and Beacon hills. On the last there were three distinct eminences, so elevated as to give this hill the appearance of a mountain when viewed from the low grounds of Charlestown. These eminences have been since called by the names of Mount Vernon, Beacon, and Pemberton hills. The modern name Tremont alludes to the same circumstance.
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BOSTON.
. In 1630, the Plymouth colony, by the agency of the Earl of Warwick and Sir Fer- nando Gorges, obtained from the council for New England its last patent. Prepara- tions having been made in the early part of this year, a fleet of fourteen sail, with men, women, and children, arrived in Massachusetts bay, on the 6th of July. In this fleet came Governor Winthrop, Deputy Governor Dudley, and several other gentlemen of wealth and distinction, together with about fifteen hundred other passengers. On the arrival of the principal ships at Charlestown, the governor and several of the patentees, having viewed the bottom of the bay of Massachusetts, pitched down on the north side of Charles river, and took lodgings in the great house built there the preceding year. It appears to have been the intention of the governor and company to have settled at this place, but the prevalence of a mortal sickness, which they ascribed to the badness of the water, induced them to remove. At this time the Rev. Wm. Blackstone, an Episcopal minister, rather of an eccentric character, located himself on the peninsula of Shawmut, in a solitary manner, in a small cottage, which he built on the west side. Going over to Charlestown, he informed the governor of an excellent spring of water at Shawmut, and invited him over his side of the river. The principal gentlemen of the company, induced by this invitation, crossed the river, and finding it an eligible place, began a settlement there, by the erection of small cottages. The place was named Boston in compliment to Rev. John Cotton, who was at that time a preacher in Boston, in Lincolnshire, England, who was expected over very soon to join the colony. The town records for the four first years from the settlement of Boston are lost, but the records of the first church have been preserved, and in them it is probable the names of almost all the adult population at this time are inserted. The following is a fac simile of the governor and deputy governor's signatures.
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