History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 71

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York : Blake
Number of Pages: 1292

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The proprietors' records of the town are sufficient evidence of the fact that the following persons were located on the lands now occu- pied by the village and its immediate vicinity. and the first entry of the records, November 29, 1661, gives to each the lots described. Isaac Robinson, the first to build a house between Fresh and Salt ponds, was given four acres by his house, eight acres, and one and a- half of meadow elsewhere; Jonathan Hatch had ten acres " by his house lying against the neck and leaving a sufficient way into the neck;" John Chapman, four acres: John Jenkins, eight acres; Jesse Hamlin, eight acres: Anthony Annabel, eight acres: William Nelson, four acres; Samuel Hinckley, eight acres; Captain Nathaniel Thomas, eight acres: Samuel Fuller, eight acres; Thomas Lathrop, eight acres; Peter Blossom, eight acres; James Cobb, eight acres; and Thomas Ewer, eight acres. They laid out four acres along by the pond into lots, which were assigned to the same individuals. then added " there is also a sufficient way to be left along by the pond side about or below the houses." They laid out twenty acres to be also shared, which was next to Hatch's land. "lying on the sea and running 200 rods towards the woods." Thus the reader may comprehend who were the first settlers of the town, where they located. and the amount of land first tilled. Considerable importance must have been attached to this primitive settlement, for the court in March, 1663, enacted that the lands, even those not inhabited by them, be rated and liable in some measure for the support of a man for the dispensing of God's word among them; but " Suconesset not being yet strong enough to stand alone, ordered by the court that it shall for the present belong to Barnstable." These original proprietors secured a tract that extended from Woods Holl, along the sound to Five-Mile river and extending north four or five miles; for divisions were made by the proprietors to themselves and other settlers in succeeding years -- in 1668 to William Gifford, Thomas Lewis and John Jenkins; in 1678

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to William Gifford, jr., and John and William Weeks; in 1679 to James Percival, Moses Ronley, sr., Joseph Hull, Thomas Griffin, John Robinson, Samuel Tilley, Nathaniel Skiff and Thomas Johnson; and these included lands between Hog Island Harbor on the bay and Five-Mile river on the east; bounded by the sound on the south. The line between Sandwich and Succonesset was defined in 1679, as "Beginning at a place commonly called Hope's Spring a little to the southward of Pocasset Neck; thence easterly into the woods, being Suckanessett's northerly bounds, etc., to the Christian Indian's lands."

In 1685 permission was granted " to take up land," where now is East Falmouth, in the eastern portion of the town, east of the Five- Mile river, and east of the original possession. Robert Harper, James Percival, Joseph Hull, John Weeks, Joseph Hatch, Moses Rowley, sr., James Lewis and Thomas Creppan, sr., were the purchasers from the Indians.

On the fourth of June, 1686, (O. S.), the population received full incorporation as a township; but it was called Succonesset in the town records still later. On the sixth day of June, 1687, the town records its action as "We, the inhabitants of Suckanessett;" and again at a meeting of the proprietors at the house of Jonathan Hatch, in 1690, it was "Ordered that all the undivided lands within said Suckanessett be laid out in lots and allotments as soon as convenient." Frederick Freeman thought that it was incorporated as Falmouth. The entry in Volume IV., Colony Records of Plymouth, says: " Upon the request of the inhabitants of Seipican, alias Rochester, to become a township and have the priviledges of a town, the Court granted theire desire in yt respect, & the like granted to Suckannesset inhabitants," and Charles F. Swift, in an examination of the provincial statutes, says he found the name Falmouth first used September 14, 1694. Arnold Gifford, of West Falmouth, has a deed dated March 16, 1693-4, in which Robert Harper, deeding to John Gifford, locates the land as "in Suckannesset, alias Falmouth," and we find no earlier use of the word.

In 16SS Thomas Bowerman had lands laid out to him, and in March, 1691, the lands of the " Plains" were granted to John Weeks, William Weeks, Thomas Parker, Joseph Parker, Benjamin Hatch, Moses Hatch, William Gifford, John Gifford, Jonathan Hatch and Christopher Gifford. John Jenkins was appointed to do this work, and employed William Wyatt and Thomas Bowerman to assist. The head of Five- Mile river, now known as Dexter's river, was a swamp a short distance from Coonemosset pond, which point was the northeast boundary of the town at this time. The northern boundary ran from this point in a straight line to Chapoquoit Rock, known as Hog Island harbor. The present boundary lines of the town include much more territory.

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TOWN OF FALMOUTH.

In February, 1689, lands at North Falmouth were " granted to John and Ebenezer Nye, sons of Benjamin, of Sandwich," Daniel Butler also occupied lands near by, as appears by the deeds, and these purchases were north of and adjoining the north line of the town as defined above. The remainder of the lands extending to the present north bounds of Falmouth were purchased by the proprietors in 1704, and in August the proprietors voted that Ebenezer Nye, Philip Dexter, Benjamin Nye, sr., Richard Landers, Stephen Harper, Benjamin Lewis, son of James, Jonathan Hatch, jr., Jonathan Johnson, Nathan Rowley, Joseph Hatch, jr., Benjamin Nye, jr., Gideon Gifford, and William Johnson, " having formerly paid their equal part of the purchase of the last addition of lands called the new purchase, on the borders of Sandwich,-purchased by Thomas Bowerman and Wm. Gifford, as agents for said proprietors who were not of the ancient proprietors, shall have each of them their equal part and right in all the said lands with all the old proprietors that have paid, or shall pay, their part of said purchase of lands."

The bounds between Falmouth and Mashpee were determined April 5, 1725, and extended the town quite to its present limits. The' northeast part was ordered " Lotted " June 3, 1712, by the proprietors, and April 10, 1713, was granted to "Lt. Jona. Hatch, Thos. Parker, Nathan Fish, Nathan Ronley, John Jenkins, Joseph Bourne, Joshua Bourne, John Dimmick, Benjamin Burgess, John Gifford, Ezra Bourne, Thos. Crocker, Richard Landers, Judah Butler, John Nye, Benj. Hatch and John Otis.'

The first settlers had now been located, and, although not three- fourths of a century had elapsed since the fourteen pioneers landed between Fresh and Salt ponds, near the sound, the territory was sparsely inhabited, roads had been laid out, mills erected, and the church had been severed from Barnstable and permanently estab- lished. The stern integrity and patriotism of the proprietors is fully indicated by the following excerpt from the record of their meeting May 27, 1718: "Voted that that lot called the burying place lot and that called the meeting-house lot is for the meeting-house to stand on and for a training field, and for any other common use or uses as the major part of the proprietors shall hereafter see cause to put them to or any part of them. The burying place was staked down for the pur- pose of a burying place."

There are no records of the privations of these noble men who have bequeathed to the present residents and their progeny this Eden of the Cape. No doubt the old book of 1661-1699 would throw some. interesting light upon the path of the historian and antiquarian. The primitive book had become so worn, it pages so intermingled with ear-marks for sheep, that in 1700 it was voted that the records of their-

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

lands should be transcribed and recorded in their new book of records. The old book is quaint and hoary. Its title page tells the story, and that the town proceedings were intended to be transcribed: "To Record all mareidges births and and the markes of cattel and all that is ned full to be tacken out of the old boock and placed in this with all towne bisnes that concarne the towne but not landes. begins the 25 day of october 1700."

The proprietors' records of lands were transcribed to a new book in obedience to the order, and that book was used until 1805, or as long as the need remained. The old record, including the town pro- ceedings prior 'to 1700, was lost or destroyed. To this copy, by the courtesy of Mr. Hewins, the town clerk, we have had free access for extracts. In their quasi judicial capacity the proprietors met from time to time, and the record of these meetings constitutes the proprie- tors' records. The importance of this quaint document is evident when the reader realizes that it contains the original surveys and allotments of the lands. Since 1700 records pertaining to the town have been kept in books apart from the proprietors' records, which, especially for the past century, are now being copied verbatim et liter- atim into large, strongly-bound volumes to be preserved in the ample fireproof vault of the town hall.

To save the crops from devastation every housekeeper was ordered, March 25, 1701, to " kill 6 old or 12 young blackbirds, or 4 jays, by the 15th of June next and deliver the same to the selectmen; in default thereof to pay 3s for delinquency."

Prior to 1700 lands were set apart for the support of the gospel. In 1708, October 10, the following residents of Falmouth, members of the Barnstable church, by request, were transferred: John Robinson and Elisa, his wife; John Davis and Hannah, his wife; Moses Hatch and Elisa, his wife; Thomas Parker and Mary, his wife: Joseph Parker and Mercy, his wife: Aaron Rowley and Mary, his wife; Anna, wife of Joseph Hatch; Alice, wife of Benjamin Hatch; Mary, wife of Wil- liam Johnson; Hannah, wife of Benjamin Lewis; Lydia, wife of Samuel Hatch; Bethia, wife of Joseph Robinson. These with others soon organized a church here, the history of which appears elsewhere.

Taxation begins with civilization and only ends with the millen- ium. In 1705 an indignation meeting was held that voted a recon- sideration of the vote of the previous year to raise the minister's sal- ary. The taxes ordered had been assessed, and it was voted to pay the collector one-half the amount, to pay the county tax first, and the balance to the selectmen. Mr. Timothy Robinson was "appointed agent for the town, to apply to the Court of General Sessions for an abatement of what the court had assessed on the town."

As late as 1716 wild animals harassed the people. The town, with

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Sandwich and Barnstable, had long ago agreed to pay its proportion of a bounty of twenty pounds for the head of each wolf taken. This year it was called upon to pay for two killed by Sandwich men.' In 1790 one wolf only remained, as the records show. Sixty dollars was offered for his head, and the valuable depredator's career was short- ened. Other trials vexed the people. Philip Dexter, who had been assisted in erecting a mill on Five-Mile creek (which received its pres- ent name from him), for the benefit of the town, and was to receive its benefits, was complained of in 1719 as taking excessive tolls. Oc- tober 14th, the town appointed Ensign Parker and Timothy Robinson to treat with him. The records do not explain whether expostulation lessened the length or depth of the toll dish. When Dexter's mill troubles had been settled, others arose that required committees to adjust. The new meeting house about this time was completed, and some would have seats, some pews. The committee was authorized to " seat the house according to their best judgment, and it was or- dered that the seats be chalked out, and bids received for the pews." Still later Timothy Robinson asked " permission to build a small gal- lery and pew over the front gallery," and Thomas Parker " petitioned for leave to build a small gallery for a pew over the men's stairs in the S. W. corner "; both of which were granted.

In 1728 the town was engaged in a lawsuit with Samuel Barker respecting a road he wished laid from his property to Little harbor. The controversy continued ten years, and caused much expense. The town employed Sylvester Bourne, Esq., to defend it in court, and as late as 1735 " voted that there is a sufficient open road for the use of the town and county to the ferry at Woods Hole and convenient land- ing already provided."

With the indomitable will possessed by the leaders of the town in civil affairs, their sense of justice in religious deliberations was illus- trated by the admission of "Cuffee," the negro servant of Deacon Par- ker, into full communion in 1732. He was baptized, and was made sufficiently white to be fellowshipped by the brethren.

At the close of its first century other schools had been established, sufficient roads throughout the town had been opened, the sound along its southern shore supplied the needs of the people by its commerce. Many had departed this life, as the modest stones in the old grave yard attest, only to be succeeded by sons and daughters well fitted to successfully carry on the unprecedented progress so auspiciously ordained by their God-fearing ancestors. These sons fully proved their rearings at Bunker Hill and other scenes during the struggle of the infant colonies for independence, and Falmouth was among the first to respond with men and money. Captain Joseph Robinson and Messrs. Noah Davis and Nathaniel Shiverick were appointed a

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

committee of correspondence in October, 1774, and it was soon after ordered that every man between the ages of sixteen and sixty be fur- nislied with arms and ammunition,-the committee of safety to call the town together in one fortnight completely armed.

Everything was provided, and a committee appointed "to see that the Continental Congress be adhered to." The exposed situation of the town was realized and a watch was constantly kept by the vigilant citizens. A town meeting was called to direct the purchase of cereals to be stored in a safe place to sell to those who might need and dis- tribute to the poor when necessary. British vessels were constantly in the sound, and all intercourse with markets was cut off. The town needed its own forces for its defense; but sent, nevertheless, its re- quired number into the continental army. In 1776 they resolved, as before, "to stand by the Continental Congress," not forgetting to per- form civil and religious duties by purchasing five hundred bushels of corn for their poor. In May, 1781, the town petitioned the general .court " for relief from the enemy infesting the coast;" but without avail.

The dawn of peace in 1783 was hailed with joy by the harassed people of the town, and the peaceful pursuits of life were commenced anew. In 1788 permission was granted to Shubael Lawrence to build a fulling mill at Dexter's river; and to encourage the success of the same it was voted "that said mill shall be free from taxation." In 1797 the people living on the north side asked permission to annex themselves to Sandwich, but it was voted "that the people of the North shore ought not to be set off."

The present century opened auspiciously to this people. The social and moral development was manifested by the opening of a poor home on Shore street in the village, which soon was supplanted by a very pleasant and substantial building, with ample surroundings, a short distance east of the village. Mayhew Baker has been its keeper for the past twenty years, and Lemuel Howland was his prede- cessor. There have been, and at present are, very few who must be thus fed by the generosity of the town.

The enterprise of the citizens was evinced in various channels. Shipbuilding was active along the shores of the sound and bay, 1 whalers as well as smaller craft being built.

Among the industries closely connected with the dawn of this century, and one of importance, was the manufacture of salt. In this, the long belt of sea shore and the salt ponds within its borders gave the town superior advantages. Logs were laid out into clearer and salter water, which by wind mills was pumped into vats and reser- voirs on high ground, and there evaporated. The land between Salt -and Fresh ponds was covered with sheds with revolving roofs to the'

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evaporating vats. At that early day the business was lucrative, salt bringing one dollar per bushel at the works. Ephraim Sanford, one of the later manufacturers, was wont to make trips to New York dur- ing the war of 1812, and could clear one hundred dollars on each trip. He had red sails to avoid notice at night. As among other enter- prises of the day, those engaged in salt-making were captains John Crocker, Weston Jenkins, Elijah Swift and Silas Jones (father of the present bank president), who were succeeded by Ephraim Sanford, Captain John Butler, Knowles Butler and Davis and John Hatch; and among the late owners were Silas and Thomas Lawrence, John Dim- mick, Nymphus Davis and Silas Davis. Edmund Davis was the last to carry on the business, and he continued until he found it more ad- vantageous to sell out his site on the " Heights " for cottage lots. The business declined before the middle of the century, but was carried on to a limited extent as late as 1865.

Many of the people of Falmouth were wedded to the seas and the commerce of the world, in every department, had its hardy seamen, who, in the lonely night watch, turned his thoughts to this town as home; or here turned his steps when the cruise was finished.

Following the embargo act the large trade with the South was in- terrupted, and so broken up that its shipmasters turned their atten- tion in other directions, greatly reducing and dispersing its com- merce. The war that followed again unsettled the industries of these people and changed their pursuits. From its position the town was easily plundered, and was bombarded. Its men were on the alert and again demonstrated their devotion to the flag. One incident of a private character deserves mention. In 1814 Captain Weston Jenkins and others resolved to capture a British privateer that plundered the coasts. He, with thirty-two volunteers, a brass four-pounder and muskets, embarked at Woods Holl at night in a sloop, and rowed to Tarpaulin cove, where the Retaliation lay at anchor. After firing its long gun and seeing the sloop was anchored, a boat with the captain and five men proceeded to the sloop to take possession of the sup- posed, easy prize. The most of Captain Jenkins' men kept out of sight until the boat was alongside and made fast, when twenty-men arose with their muskets and captured its crew. Twelve men were put aboard this privateer's boat, the sloop was put under way also, and the privateer captured without resistance. The prize was brought in with its cargo, chiefly of plunder, and here landed. It had five guns, twelve men, and two American prisoners on board.

In the interval of peace Falmouth greatly increased in wealth and importance, and its sons, born in the interregnum of quiet and pros- perity prior to the stirring scenes of 1861, are to day its sterling busi- ness men. With the bombardment of Sumter its patriotism arose.

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HISTORY OF BARNSTABLE COUNTY.

Many of its sons were at sea, but of men for its quota it furnished an excess of ten.

With increased facilities for the past quarter of a century, the town has moved into the first rank of those of the county. Its sons have gone forth to the far frontiers, to the distant seas, and to adjacent cities, always to honor their home by integrity and high-born principles.

On the 15th of June, 1886, the town appropriately celebrated the two-hundredth anniversary of its organization. The highest officers of the state, and its distinguished citizens from every clime assembled to do honor and return thanks. The proceedings of the memorable day have already formed a red-letter page in the history of the town and need no details here.

The prominence of this vicinity as a summer resort noticed at page 153 is steadily increasing and rapidly becoming the chief charac- teristic of the town.

The town house is worthy of the citizens, and is a model for beauty and convenience. It contains offices on the sides of the main entrance, a hall for town business and meetings below, and a fine large hall above equipped with stage, dressing rooms, a gallery, cloak rooms, a fine piano, and every convenience. The plans for the hall were accepted by the selectmen in April. 1880, the building was completed in 1881 and the grounds graded, at a total cost of about $15,000. Prior to this* the town assembled in a town house, erected in 1840, just west of the "Old Shiverick Stand," which was the first town house built here that was made separate from the meeting house.

A commanding part of the town is found at The Heights-a ridge of sandy loam extending southerly and abruptly facing the sound. It is about one mile east of Falmouth village and is famous as a sum- mer resort. It has many cottages which give it the appearance of a village when seen from the sound. One building, towering above all others as a lookout and resort, was in 1889 converted into a place of worship, called "People's Church."

In the year 1876, $14,000 was appropriated for the expenses of the town, $4,000 being for common schools, $2,000 for the poor, $2,500 for highways, etc .; for 1889 the sum of $32,460 was appropriated, $6,CCO for schools, $3,500 for the poor, $9,500 for highways, $1,800 for pro- jected roads, and the remainder to be absorbed in celebrating Memorial Day, paying salaries, high school expenses, etc. Could the original proprietors look in upon the town in these closing years of the nineteenth century, would they not point with warning to their vote rescinding a tax of £42 as too burdensome ? -

The foundations of the town having been laid in Christian princi- ples, morality became a vital element in its history. Each successive-

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generation strove to perfect this element. In 1824 an elaborate organ- ization, called the Sabbath School Union of Falmouth, was formed; and was actively engaged in and carrying on the good results of which will ever be felt. In 1830 a temperance committee was appointed and strong temperance resolutions were passed making the use of intoxi- cating drinks as a beverage a disqualification for church membership.

The mills of this date are not so numerous as earlier in the century, but are of greater capacity and of modern construction. One wind mill remains, and in different parts of the town may be seen the debris of those once important industries. Two water mills supply the want.

During the first half of the nineteenth century the middle-aged and younger citizens labored in the South, spending seven or eight months of the year in South Carolina, in their several avocations, and returning home for the summer months. Tradition says that prior to 1830 as many as six hundred of the enterprising residents of Falmouth made these annual visits. The industries have been greatly changed during the last half of the present century, new assuming the place of the old. Not until 1872 was a coal yard opened: then by Marcus Starbuck, a real estate broker. Two years later he sold the business to George E. Clarke, who in April 1888, sold to Rowland R. Jones & Co.

The improvement of the highways, stocking the ponds with other than native fish, and the best regulations possible for the public good regarding the catch of herrings, have been carefully adjusted by the selectmen. In 1854 the law was made to exclude animals from the roads, and officers are elected annually to enforce the rule. By the vote of 1854 pickerel were placed in all suitable ponds of the town, and have thrived. In 1865, "Voted that the herring of rivers of the town be allowed to pass up and down said rivers into the ponds un- molested, from 12 o'clock, noon, Saturday, to 12 noon on Monday each week, except that the herring in Coonemossett river be allowed from 10 o'clock at night to 5 in the morning of each day in the week un- molested in addition." This gives the poor herring of the Coone- mosset far more privileges than in other rivers.

The selectmen keep the lines of the town and public places defin- itely bounded and plant granite monuments. April 11, 1871. they surveyed accurately and fixed permanently the bounds between Fal- mouth and Mashpee, supplementing them by those for Sandwich and Bourne. There is no doubt that if these selectmen could arrange a fixed line on the sound for the south bounds of the town they would have done so long ago !

At a period prior to 1877 the enterprising young ladies of the town took the initial steps for establishing a library, which is now very creditable and important. On account of the increasing demand for

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History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1620-1890, Part 71

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed Publication date: 1890 Publisher: New York : Blake Number of Pages: 1292

Author: Deyo, Simeon L., ed
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: New York : Blake
Number of Pages: 1292