USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Historical sketches of the towns and cities of Plymouth and Barnstable counties, Mass > Part 5
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Historical sketches of the towns and cities of Plymouth and Barnstable counties, Mass > Part 5
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1 quarter of an acer at the end of giles Hopkins ground
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3 quarters of an acer at the end of joseph Rogers ground halfe an acer at the end of Mr. prences ground 2 acers to a marked tree at Thomas Clarkes ground 1 acer from the marked tree to the brooke 3 acers from the brook to a point on Steuen Deanes ground 1 acer the point to a litle Creeke against steuen Deanes land .
2 acers from the Creeke to a marked tree and a stake in the marsh against .Nicholas Snows land.
3 acers from Nicholas Snow land to a marked tree at the marsh side and a stake in the marsh against experience Mich- aell land 4 acres from experience Michaell lands to a marked tree on the marsh side so to the Creeke lying against Mr. William Bradfords ground.
a true copie taken out of Josiah Cookes book :' per Mark Snow, Clarke of the towne of Eastham, this 20th of March 1683.
William Merrick or Myrick was a legal voter of Eastham in 1655. He is usually called "Ensign Myrick." He is supposed to have been a son of William, of Duxbury. En- sign William's wife was " Rebecca." Their daughter Mary, born in 1650, married Stephen Hopkins (son of Giles), 23 May, 1667. Ensign William had another daughter, named Sarah, who married John Freeman, Jr., son of Major John and his wife Mercy (Prence.)
MAJ. JOHN FREEMAN. L
This Maj., or Dea., John Freeman, was son of Edmond, Esq., of Sandwich. He was over 16 years of age in 1643 ; married Mercy, daughter of Governor Prence in 1649-50,at Sandwich ; is a voter of Eastham in 1655 ; was chosen Dep- uty of Eastham to the Colony Court in 1656, and 1661; was one of the Council of War in 1658.
He was Assistant to the Governor in 1666, "67, '68, and 74. He was also one of the Selectmen of Eastham ten years. In time of King Philip's war he was a Captain and mem- ber of the Colonial Council of War.
In a letter to Governor Josias Winslow, dated " 3d, 4 mo., 1675," at Taunton, he says, " This morning three of our men are s'ain close by one of our courts of guard, houses are burned in our sight; our men are picked off at every bush. The design of the enemy is not to face the army, but to fall on us as they have advantage."
In 1659, he was confirmed by the court to be Lieutenant of a troop of horse, the only troop then existing in Plymouth Colony, and commanded by Captain (subsequently Major) William Bradford of Plymouth.
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He was promoted to be the Major, that is, commander, of the Regiment of Barnstable County. There were no Colonels in those days.
Major John Freeman was the first General Commander of the Barnstable County Militia, and commissioned as such, at the date of the incorporation of said county. Before that time all the militia of Plymouth Colony were embodied as one Regiment. But, at the Division into counties, they were made into three regiments, one for each County, viz., Barn- stable, Plymouth, and Bristol ; and John Freeman, as Major, was made the Chief officer of the Barnstable Regiment, a regiment being at that time, commanded by a Sergeant Ma- jor, and the offices of Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel being practically unknown to our militia system.
He lived to be the patriarch of his family, dying at East- ham in 1719.
In 1672, Major Freeman bought large tracts of land of his father-in-law, Gov. Prence. In one Deed, of which I have a copy, are the following facts : For £75 current money of New England, paid by John Freeman, Senior, of Eastham in the County of New Plymouth, Gent., Thomas Prence, Esq,, Governor of the Colony of New Plymouth, conveys 30 acres at Sagutuckett, butting upon a creek called Masquapoyett. The line extended in one direction to a rock marked T. P. and westerly over a piece of marsh to a great stone marked T. P. Another parcel of the land conveyed was 8 acres of swamp and upland adjoining to the south side of the above mentioned creek. Another piece was marsh containing 24 acres on the easterly side of Satuckett river one part adjoining to said Creek, and all the marsh on the Easterly side of Sa- tuckett river. Also 40 acres of upland bounded westerly by land of Edward Banges, and eastward, by land of Joseph Rogers. Also 40 acres of upland bounded on the east by land of William Twining and on the west by land of Thomas Clarke. Also 15 acres of upland bounding on the Indian bounds by the sea and upon the sea by a pond called Aquas- seft, also 5 acres of upland lying on the south west side of Namskeckett, bounded westwardly by the land of said Thomas Prence, easterly by the land of Joseph Rogers, in all 162 acres, being all the lands, which are already laid out to the said Thomas Prence and Mr. William Bradford, deceased, as purchase land, granted to them by the court of Plymouth, also all those lands whatsoever, which shall be laid out for the said Thomas Prence and William Bradford, aforesaid,
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Bradford's heirs, or assigns, on the easterly side of Satuckett, together with all fishing and privileges of whale-fish, cast on shore, and all the other rights and appertenances to these lands belonging.
The witnesses to this deed are Mark Snow, and Jeremiah Howes.
RICHARD HIGGINS.
Richard Higgins was of Plymouth in 1633, a tailor by trade, and taxed 9 shillings that year.
The name of Iliggins and Higginson is apparently from Hugonis. They were of Barnstaple, England, as far back as 1537. IIe married in 1634, Lydia, daughter of Edmond Chandler. See sketch of Mr. C. under Scituate. In '37, Mr. H. was on a jury to " set forth highways about Plymouth, Dux- bury, and Eel River. In '44, he was of the Grand Inquest, and in '47, one of the town committee of Nausett, for the Colonial Court. In '53-4, he was a Deputy or, Representa- tive, of Eastham, summoned by the General Court concern- ing the confederation of the United Colonies. He was also a Deputy from '55 to '60 inclusive.
In 1657, the General Court granted him land at a place about 13 miles from Rehoboth, (probably for his public ser- vices), " provided it be orderly purchased of the native pro- prietors." In 1668, land was granted him and others be- tween Bridgewater and Weymouth.
In 1643, as a freeman of Nauset, he is called, on the rec- ords of the Court, " Richard Higgenson." This was the year he settled at Eastham.
JOHN MAYO.
Rev. John Mayo became " Teaching Elder " in Barnstable 1639, Mr. Lothrop being Pastor. Subsequently Mr. Mayo removed to Eastham and was " Religious Teache:" there from 1646, till 1655, when he was inducted, November 9, to the pastorate over the Second Church in Boston, and con- tinued in this place till 1673. Then, "Growing aged and unable to carry out his office," he removed again to the Cape, and lived with his daughter Mrs. Joseph Howes, at Yarmouth, till his death in 1676.
His son Samuel of Barnstable, in 1651-2, married Tamo- : zen or Thomasin, daughter of William Lumpkin of Yarmouth. She out-lived her husband, and married secondly Mr. John Sunderland, a schoolmaster of Boston, having children by both marriages. This son, Samuel Mayo, was a sea captain, 17
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as appears by the following record, in the Old Colony files, under date 1654.
" The barque, in which Samuel Mayo saileth, is pressed to attend to the service of transporting soldiers from Plymouth, against the Dutch at Manhattan."
GILES HOPKINS.
Giles Hopkins, son of the pilgrim Stephen, was born in England. He and his sister Constance, who married Nicho- las Snow, were the only children of their mother, the first wife of the pilgrim. They came over with their father in the Mayflower. In 1638-9, he was living at Yar- mouth, where he deposed to the will of Peter Werden (or Warden). October 9, 1639, he married at Yarmouth, Katherine Whelden, daughter of Gabriel W. a Surveyor of Yarmouth. In 1642-3, Giles was appointed one of the Surveyors of Yarmouth. But in 1650, he was of Nauset (Eastham), and was one of the surveyors of highways there. He held the same office also in 1662. His son Stephen, born in September 1642, who is mentioned in his grandfather, Stephen Hopkin's will, resided at Eastham, and married Mary, daughter of Ensign William Myrick, 23 May, 1667. This lady joined the church in 1701, under Rev. Mr. Stone. He died October 10, 1718, at Harwich. He was one of the few, that had the appellation of " Mr." commonly applied to them.
Mr. Stephen Hopkins Jr., as he was called, was son of the last named Stephen, being born 15 July, 1670. fle married Sarah, daughter of Captain Thomas Howes, of Yar- mouth, in 1692.
Mr. Hopkins died 9 April, 1033, at Harwich. His son Ebenezer, born 7 Jan. 1706-7, married 12 Oct. 1732, Rebecca, daughter of Eleazer and Patience (Freeman) Crosby, and had among other children, Mary, born 1733, married first, Isaac Sparrow, of Orleans, and had Eunice, who married Capt. Dean Bangs,* Town Clerk and Treasurer of Harwich, in
* He was a sea captain and merchant, and sailed in his own vessels, two of which were schooners, Polly and Reliance, named for his eldest daughter and a lady friend. He used to sail out of Boston to various ports on our coast and to the West Indies. Seeing the beautful lands on the Kennebec in Maine, he conceived the idea of closing his life as a farmer ; and his wife wished to keep her sous from the boisterous sea. He settled in Sidney, about 1800, near the river, and surrounded his mansion with fruit trees. His family were there with him except the eldest, Captain Elkanah, who had already become a shipmaster. At
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1794. Mary married secondly, Kenelm Winslow, of Brew- ster, and they had eight children. This Mary Hopkins was niece of Rev. Josiah Dennis' last wife, and Mr. Winslow's father was one of the Executors of Mr. Dennis' will.
Gentlemen of Eastham, who held field officers' commissions n the local militia of the county :
COLONELS, Watson Berry, from October 9, 1815 ; Sam- uel Stinson, from Feb. 29, 1832, to June 10, 1835.
LIEUTENANT COLONELS, Job Crocker, from July 1, 1781; Elijah Knowles, from August 20, 1790 ; Josiah Lincoln, rom Feb 11, 1823 ; Samuel Stinson, from January 21, 1829, to February 29, 1832.
In the battle with the indians March 26, 1676, Eastham ost the following named men, John Nessefield and John Walker. They were in a company commanded by Captain Michael Peirce of Scicuate, who with his Lieut. were also .! ain in the same action.
This battle was fought just within the limits of Rhode sland, on the river bank, not far from Pawtucket, and in what
length his wife dying, his sons becoming men, and his daughters mar-' rying, the old gentleman was likely to be left alone, which was perhaps the cause of his giving his estate to Isaac and Edward, the two younger sons. However, they staid but a short time at home, selling out their shares to their elder brother Dean. I used to see the old gentleman when 90 years of age. His homestead was sold to strangers, and he boarded with his son, Bela. His beautiful trees cast their fruit and shade in vain for him. He took much pleasure in reading newspapers, especially those of the Universalist sect. He had ever a cheerful word for his guests. His conversation abounded in sea-phrases, and was enlivened by anecdotes of the former days.
He said he used to sail up to where Bangor is now on the Penobscot, when there were but one or two houses there.
One of his stories was about the loss of one of his vessels, a barque, I think, together with the cargo. He had entrusted it to the command of a neighbor, Captain Berry, who sailed to France, sold the cargo, vessel and all, and staid revelling in France, till he had son.andered every dollar. Then he came home, years afterwards, a disgraced crim- inal. "Out of all that valuable cargo," said the old gentleman, I never got anything but this " brass clock" which stood ticking by his side, reminding him of the fleeting nature of earthly possessions. He used to tell how some of his neighbors tried to discourage him from engag- ing in the Revolution, when he was about to sail out as a Continental privateer, or to enlist as a volunteer. One of his friends was a kind- hearted old Englishman, named John Seymour, whose excellent wife Betsey Dean, had given him his Christian name.
Mr. Seymour said to him, "Dean, do you realize what a dangerous step you are taking ? I tell you, England is a mighty nation, and you can never conquer. You are sure to be defeated and come to gricf. I know what England is, but you do not, or you would hesitate about making war with such a powerful country."
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used to be called the " Attleborough Gore." Conanchet led the indians, that out-numbered the white people, as six or eight to one.
A contemporary writer of those days said Captain Peirce's company killed three times their own number, in that battle.
THE PAINES.
Thomas Paine was an early pilgrim, and his son Thomas married Mary, daughter of Nicholas Snow, about 1650, and settled at Eastham. This Thomas Jr., had lost an eye by an arrow. He was a very prominent man,-Town Clerk, Sc- lectman, Deputy &c., and died 16 August, 1706. His wife Mary died in 1704. They had ten or more children. Robert Treat Paine, one of the signers of the immortal Declaration of Independence, was a great great-grandson of this Thomas Paine, Jr., and his wife Mary (Snow), who was a grand daughter of Stephen Hopkins of the Mayflower. Robert
Treat Paine's father was Rev. Thomas, grandson of James Esq., of Barnstable. One of the daughters of Thomas Paine Jr., the settler at Eastham, and his wife, Mary (Snow), was Dorcas, who married Benjamin Vickery of Hull, about 1690. Their daughter Dorcas, born 1698, at Hull married 12 Oct. 1721, Jonathan Sparrow Jr., and they were the parents of Isaac Sparrow of Orleans, born 26 November, 1730.
Deacon John Paine, (son of Thomas, Jr., the settler at Eastham), married Bennet, daughter of Major John Free- man, and his wife Mercy (Prence).
Mr. Paine was a Selectman in 1693, Rep. in 1709 and '10. Town Treasurer from 1709, to '31; Town Clerk from 1704, to '29 ; and held other important public trusts.
Others of this family were ever in public employment, and are still, in several of the Cape towns.
Population of Eastham, 668.
TOWN OFFICERS, 1873-4.
Town Clerk and Treasurer - Joshna Paine.
Selectmen - Z. Higgins, Nicholas P. Knowles, Isaiah H. Horton.
Assessors - Nicholas P. Knowles, James Smith, Isaiah H. Horton.
School Committee -Michael Collins, Myrick Clark, Lewis Lombard.
Methodist Episcopal Church - Rev. E. Tirrell, Pastor.
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BREWSTER.
BREWSTER.
This town is bounded on the east by Orleans, and on the south by Harwich, on the west by Dennis and on the north by Barnstable Bay.
Brewster was set off from Harwich in 1803, and named for the old pilgrim Elder Brewster. It would have been more comely to have called it by the name of one of the old settlers, as there were many deserving of such a mark of re- spect : Prence, Freeman, Winslow, Clark, Dillingham, Mayo, &c., all good, fair-sounding and honored names.
The successive ministers from 1700 to near 1800, were Nathaniel Stone, Isaiah Dunster, and John Simpkins, men of great learning and excellence.
At Satucket, (which was the Indian name of the western part of Brewster), a grist mill on Satucket River, was owned by Governor Prence at a very early day, and probably he built it.
In the beginning of the 18th century a fulling mill was erected there and carried on for a long time by the Winslows, who had previously owned the grist mill. Since then other mills have been built, and the place is sometimes called Factory Village. It was formerly called sometimes Wins- low's mills.
I have given a sketch of Thomas Clarke the pilgrim, un- der another head.
But he figured much in the early affairs of this county.
In 1654 he purchased a large tract of land here from Experience Mitchell of Bridgewater. This name of Mitchell does not occur in Freeman's History ; but the purchase was made, and I have a copy of the warrantee deed, in which Mr. M. says : " I, Experience Mitchell, formerly of Duxbury, but now of Bridgewater, in the Government of New Ply- mouth &c., one of the purchasers of the lands of said Ply- mouth Colony, in consideration of a certain competent sum of current pay to me in hand, at, and many years before, the en- sealing and delivery of these presents, by Mr. Thomas Clarke of the town of Plymouth, &c., one other of said purchasers, well and truly paid, have in the year 1654, given granted, bargained, sold, aliened, enfeoffed, and confirmed, and ab- solutely do confirm &c., unto said Thomas Clarke his heirs and assigns forever, all that tract or tracts of uplands and meadows, that I had or have, as purchaser, lying and being
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from the bounds of Yarmouth, ranging three miles to the Eastward of a place called Namskeckitt, quite across the neck from sea to sea, and from the bounds of Eastham to a place called the Eastern Harbor, as more fully may appear pr. Court Records, excepting always reserved out of this present grant one small lot of upland with some meadow laid out to me adjoining or near unto Mr. William Bradford's lot, near Bound Brook, as may more fully appear by the Records of said lots ; which lot I gave my son-in-law, John Washburn, who sold it to said Bradford ; but all the rest of my lands within the bounds above mentioned, I have sold as aforesaid, with all the rights and appertenances thereto belonging."
After these lands on the Cape had been granted by the Plymouth Colony Court, deeds were obtained from the na- tive Indians, as this was the condition imposed by the said Court. I have an old deed from Sampson, Indian of Nob- scussett, in Yarmouth, and Penamusk, his wife, daughter of Nepoyeton, late Sachem of Mattacheese, and Ralph, Indian of Nobscussett and Manatotomusk, his wife, daughter of said Nepoyeton, conveying to John Wing and Lieut. John Dill- ingham of Satuckett, for ten pounds and four shillings, all the lands, meadows, &c., held by said Indians in copartner- ship with Robin, Indian, and Sarah his wife, daughter of said Nepoyeton. In 1711, Samuel Sturges of Yarmouth conveyed to Edward Bangs lands in the upper precincts of Harwich, butting southerly upon the south sea, 100 acres, more or less, said land being bought by said Sturges of Manoah Ellis and Joseph Severance, joint owners, they having pur- chased a part of it from Caleb Lumbart, and he bought it of old Humphrey and Zachary Humphrey, Indians. Another part they bought in company with Elisha Eldred, of Jacob Crook, Indian, and he had it from Quason, Indian. This deed I have. In 1691, Captain Daniel, Indian, conveyed to John Wing, John Dillingham, Kenelm Winslow, Paul Sears, Annanias Wing, and Joseph Wing, 20 acres of woodland in Satucket adjoining to a pond, called Long pond, above the mill pond, extending to where the old Indian field was, which field had the Indian name of Arsocovest.
In 1676-7, Robin, Indian of Mattacheese (Yarmouth and Barnstable), and Sarah (wife of said Robin), daughter of Ne- poyeton, conveyed to John Wing, and Lieut. John Dilling- ham for £5. 5 shillings, all that tract of lands, which they had in partnership with other Indians, lying in the Liberties of Yarmouth, between Bound Brook on the West and the
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middle of Saquatuckett (that is, Satucket) River, or Stony Brook, on the East, from the North sea to the South sea.
THE CLARKS.
Andrew Clark, son of the pilgrim Thomas Clarke, of Ply- mouth, was living in Boston before 1676. He married Mehetabel, daughter of Thomas Scottow, of Boston.
She was baptised 11 Feb. 1649. They had Thomas, born in 1672, Susanna, born in 1674, married John Gray, and other children. Mr. Clark removed to Satucket about 1676. His father, Thomas Clarke, Sen., of Plymouth, in 1693, conveys lands in Satucket, for love and affection, to his sons and grandsons, viz. : Thomas, son of his son Andrew, a piece of land at Satucket, already laid out and in his tenure and occupancy, bought of Sachemus, Indian Sachem, in 1653, with rights of meadows lying by the meadows of Mark Snow, also ten acres lying by lands of William Myrick, and 5 acres lying with lands of Daniel Cole, also one moiety of my meadows lying at Nameskeket now in the tenure of Mr. Thomas Crosby, with all my purchased lands that were purchased in 1674, and 1675, by the water side be- tween the lands in the occupation of Thomas Freeman and the land that Mr. Prence obtained of Sachemus, both land and marsh : also my land which I purchased of an Indian called Keencomset, which John Freeman Jr., hath enclosed for a pasture ; also that my land and pasture lying by the mills on the Eastward side of Satucket River, that Mr. Thos. Prence purchased of Sachemus in the year 1663, and also half my grist mill standing on Satucket river but not to have the profits of said mill till the term of 7 years after the date of these presents. As also one half my meadows lying by John Dillingham's house.
Next I give to my son Andrew Clark and to Mehetabel his wife for their lives, all my dwelling house and land that is within fence on the westerly side of Satucket River, where said Andrew Clark now lives, and also half my meadows ly- ing by John Dillingham's, and after the decease of him, my said son Andrew Clark and Mehetabel his wife or her marriage again, I give the above said lands and meadows unto Andrew, Scotto and Nathl., the sons of my said son Andrew Clark to be equally divided between them. I further give and grant unto my said grandson Thomas Clark all my ten acres and 3-4 of land, that I purchased of an Indian called Wequam, and also those lands I bought of an Indian called Joseph Shantom, with free liberty to my said grandson, to
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purchase what lands yet remain unpurchased of said Indians, viz., Wequam and Shanton. All the rest of my lands in Barnstable county, that I have now or may have, hereafter I give to my sons and grandsons, viz., William Clark, James Clark, and Nathaniel Clark, and to the sons of said William, viz., James, John, and Andrew, except his son Thomas above said.
Scottow Clark, son of the first Andrew, was a miller, and lived on Stony River, otherwise called Satucket River. A grist mill on this river was sold in 1677, by Wm. Griffith of Harwich, to Thomas Clarke the Pilgrim. This, or another, was part of the inheritance of the heirs of Gov. Prence. In 1696-7, John Tracy Jr., of Duxbury, conveyed his share of it with the !and adjoining, viz., 100 acres which he had from his mother Mary, daughter of Governor Prence, to John Gray, for £3, ; and in 1700, Jeremiah Howes, and . Sarah his wife, and Jean Snow, "widow of Mark, sold their shares to said John Gray of Harwich, for £6. 11s.
Andrew Clark's brother Nathaniel was for a long time Secretary of the Colony.
THE DILLINGHAMS.
Lieut. John Dillingham, son of Edw., was born in Eng- land in 1630, probably at Bitteswell, the family seat in Leicestershire.
Coming over with his father about 1632, he at length in 1681, became a freeman of Sandwich and took the oath of fidelity to the Government.
About this time he settled at Satucket and became a great land owner. This place, which is now in the western part of Brewster, was until the incorporation of Harwich, in 1694, in the Constablerick or jurisdiction of Yarmouth.
Before removing from Sandwich he married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Feake 24 March, 1650. He and his brother Henry, administered the estate of his father in 1667. He was chosen the Constable of Harwich in 1701. Ilis death occurred 21 May, 1715. His will dated 15 November, 1707, mentions John, Jr., and other children. This John; Jr., married Lydia, daughter of Isaac Chapman, and had John born 23 March, 1702, and many other children, and died 11 Sept. 1746. The last named John married Mehetabel, dau. of John Gray and Susanna (Clark), dau. of Andrew, son of the old pilgrim Thomas Clarke. This John and Mehetabel (Gray) Dillingham, had daughters, Desire, who married Benjamin Bangs, and Susanna, wife of Elkanah Bangs, my
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great grand-parents on my mother's side. Desire and Su- sanna had a younger brother, named John Dillingham, who was a distinguished man in his day, and represented his district in both branches of the Legislature. Desire had a son Edw. Bangs, who became a lawyer of Worcester, father of the late Edward Dillingham Bangs, for a long time Sec- retary of Massachusetts.
I believe the old homestead of this Dillingham family at Satucket, has ever remained in their possession from Lieuten- ant John's day to the present time. In 1857, I was at the house where all these generations lived and died. The old family Bible contains a record of seven generations. It was the first or second John Dillingham, of Satucket, that built the house, in which the family still resided. The present own- er's name was Freeman Dillingham, son of Hon. John and his wife Thankful (Freeman). Hon. John's mother was Mary (Snow), widow of Samuel Nye, of Sandwich.
EDWARD BANGS.
Edward Bangs came . over in the Anne in 1623, having then perhaps a wife and one or two children. He had 4 acres for a garden plot at Plymouth, on the other side of the town toward Eel River. In 1627, a lot of cattle were first brought over from England, and distributed among the set- tlers who were divided into groups. Mr. Bangs was placed in the 12th group with Robert Hicks and family, Stephen Deane, &c. He was then about 35 years old. He married a daughter of Mr. Hicks. It has been said that he came from Chichester, England ; more likely he came from London or its vicinity.
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