USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Cambridge > History of Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1630-1877. With a genealogical register > Part 40
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
Meautime an earnest effort was made to impart scientific as well as religious knowledge to the Indians, in which commenda- ble work Mr. Eliot was a prominent actor. His labors and their result are described by Gookin in his " Historical Collections." Besides preaching and inducing others to preach the Gospel, and translating the Bible and other books into the Indian language, - " he took great care that schools should be planted among the praying Indians ; and he taught some himself to read, that they might be capable to teach others ; and by his procurement some of the choice Indian youths were put to school with English schoolmasters, to learn both English, Latin, and Greek tongues. There was much cost out of the Corporation stock expended in this work, for fitting and preparing the Indian youth to be learned
1 Hist. Lect., p. 67.
2 Or Nashaway, now Lancaster.
8 Brookfield.
4 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., i. 189-195.
388
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
and able preachers unto their countrymen. Their diet, apparel, books and schooling, was chargeable. In truth the design was prudent, noble, and good ; but it proved ineffectual to the ends proposed ; for several of the said youth died, after they had been sundry years at learning, and made good proficiency therein. Others were disheartened, and left learning after they were almost ready for the college. And some returned to live among their countrymen, where some of them are improved for school- masters and teachers, unto which they are advantaged by their education. Some others of them have entered upon other call- ings ; as one is a mariner ; another, a carpenter; another went for England with a gentleman that lived sometimes at Cam- bridge in New England, named Mr. Drake, which Indian, as I heard, died there not many months after his arrival. I remem- ber but only two of them all that lived in the college at Cam- bridge ; the one named Joel, the other Caleb, both natives of Martha's Vineyard. These two were hopeful young men, espec- ially Joel, being so ripe in learning, that he should, within a few months, have taken his first degree of bachelor of art in the college. He took a voyage to Martha's Vineyard, to visit his father and kindred, a little before the commencement, but upon his return back in a vessel, with other passengers and mariners, suffered shipwreck upon the island of Nantucket. . ... The other, called Caleb, not long after he took his degree of bachelor of art 1 at Cambridge in New England, died of a consumption at Charlestown, where he was placed by Mr. Thomas Danforth, who had inspection over him, under the care of a physician in order to his health, where he wanted not for the best means the country could afford, both of food and physick ; but God denied the blessing, and put a period to his days." 2
The records of the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England contain accounts of sundry payments for the main- tenance and instruction of Indian scholars, some of them very young, from 1656 to 1672. An earlier account is preserved in the " Massachusetts Archives," xxx. 9, which may serve as a sample : -
" An account of expenses layd out for ye country from August 1645 untill this 8th of October 1646.
1 " Caleb Checshahteaumuck, Indus," on the Triennial Catalogue of Harvard 1665, is the solitary Indian name found College.
2 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., i. 172, 173.
389
INDIAN HISTORY.
First, for ye printing of five hundred declarations, 4. 00.00
Item, for ye diet & washing of ye two Indians since ye 3ª of ye 8th mon. hitherto, considering ye attendance of ye 16. 00.00 yonger beeing a very childe w+ yº think meet,
Item, for physick for James during liis sicknes for 5 or 6 weeks, A. 19. 06
Item, for physick for Jonathan in ye time of his sicknes, 00. 04. 06
Item, for making y™ 12 bands & 8 shirts & often mending their apparel, 00. 03. 08
Item, for buttons thread & other materials bought of Mr. Russel for y™, 00. 02. 06
Item, for half a years schooling for James, 00. 06. 00
" I pray yº to appoint mee part of my pay as far as that will reach in the hands of Henrie Shrimpton both because I am in- gaged to him and hee hath promissed to accept yt pay, & if yt ye Indians require pay back at his hands I shall bee ready to repay him such as they shal accept. Further, wheras the Indians with mee bee so small as that they [are] uncapable of ye benefit of such learning as was my desire to impart to ym & therfore they being an hindrance to mee & I no furtherance to them, I desire they may bee somwhere else disposed of wth all convenient speed. So I rest in what I can. Yrs HENRIE DUNSTER."
This account was referred to a committee, who reported, -
" Wee thinke meete Mr. Dunster should be paid 224. 16s. 2ª. The magistrates consent to this return of the sd Committee, " JO : WINTHROP, Gov".
" Consented to by ye deput8. EDWARD RAWSON."
In this praiseworthy effort to enlighten, and civilize, and Christianize the Indians, Cambridge shares the glory with Rox- bury. Not only was the gospel first preached to them here, and many of their youth here educated, but some of the most conspic- uous and energetic laborers in this field of duty resided here. Omitting for the present all mention of others, if the labors of John Eliot of Roxbury entitled him to be regarded as an " Apos- tle," or as standing in the place of Aaron as a high-priest to them in spiritual things, with equal propriety may Daniel Gookin of Cambridge be regarded as their Moses, - their civil instructor, ruler, judge, and historian. The " praying Indians " are said to have been early persuaded by Mr. Eliot, Aug. 6, 1651, to adopt the Mosaic form of government, by electing rulers of
390
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.1 " Moreover the General Court appointed and empowered one of the English magistrates, to join with the chief of their rulers,2 and keep a higher court among them ; extending the power of this court to the latitude of a county court among the English ; from the jurisdiction whereof nothing for good order and government, civil or criminal, is ex- pected [excepted ?] but appeals, life, limb, banishment, and cases of divorce. The first English magistrate, chosen to be ruler over the praying Indians in the colony of Massachusetts, was first Mr. D. G.3 the auther of these Collections ; and this was in A. D. 1656. But not long after his occasions called him for England for two or three years, one Major Humphrey Atherton was appointed to conduct this affair, which he did about three years. But then the Lord taking him to himself by death, and the author being returned back, in the year 1660, a year or more before Major Atherton's death, was again called and reinstated in that employ, A. D. 1661, and hath continued in that work hitherto." 4 In this position Gookin continued until the Charter government was abrogated in 1686 : and most faithfully did he perform his duty. He tells us that besides causing the orders of the General Court to be observed, sundry other things were to be " done by him in order to their good ; as the making of orders, and giving instructions and directions, backed with penalties, for promoting and practising morality, civility, industry, and diligence in their particular callings : " he was also " to make and execute good orders for keeping holy the sabbath day ; and that the people do attend the public worship of God ; and that schools for the edu- cation of youth be settled and continued among them." 5 His own record of a court held at Wabquissit, in 1674, illustrates the manner of proceeding : After Mr. Eliot had preached, " then. I began a court among the Indians. And first I approved their teacher Sampson, and their Constable Black James ; giving
1 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc., xxiv. 171.
2 Gookin bears honorable testimony to the character of one of these rulers. In describing Natick he says : " In this town they have residing some of their princi- pal rulers, the chief whereof is named Waban, who is now above seventy years of age. He is a person of great pru- dence and piety ; I do not know any Indian that excels him."- Coll. Mass. Ilist. Soc., i. 183, 184. This Waban was the same who made arrangements for the
first missionary visit of Eliot to Nonan- tum, as heretofore related. His sign manual, or mark, is preserved in the Cambridge Records, affixed to an agree- ment "to keep about six-scoro head of dry eattle on the south side of Charles River," in 1647. He was living in 1681, then " aged about eighty years."
8 Daniel Gookin.
4 Coll. Mass. Ilist. Soc., i. 177.
5 Ibid., i. 178.
391
INDIAN HISTORY.
each of them a charge to be diligent and faithful in their places. Also I exhorted the people to yeild obedience to the gospel of Christ, and to those set in order there. Then published a war- ran t or order that I had prepared, empowering the constable to suppress drunkenness, sabbath-breaking, especially powowing and idolatry ; and, after warning given, to apprehend all delin- quents, and bring them before authority, to answer for their mis- doings ; the smaller faults to bring before Wattasacompanum, ruler of the Nipmuck country ; for idolatry and powowing, to bring them before me." 1 A life-like picture of one of these courts is exhibited in Gookin's certified copy of its session : -
" At a Court held at Naticke among the Indians, Sept. 14, 1681. The testimonies of several aged and principal Indians hereafter named, taken in Court, as followeth :
" Present, Daniel Gookin sent. Esq., Assistant.
Waban, Piambow,
Mr. John Eliot, sent.,
Rulers. Andrew Pittimee, Interpreters. Tom Tray, Peter Ephraim,
" Waban, aged about eighty years, Piambow, aged about eighty years, Nowanit, aged about 81 years, Jethro, aged about 70 years, William, aged 68 years, Anthony Tray and Tom Tray, unkells by the father's side unto John Woampas deceased, aged 60 years and fifty-eight or thereabout," testified that the said " John Woampas was no Sachem, and had no more right or title to any lands in the Nipmuk country within [the bounds] of Massachusetts than any other common Indians; " and therefore they disclaimed and repudiated all sales or gifts of land pre- tended to have been made by him.2
Under the joint instruction and superintendence of Eliot and Gookin, slow but encouraging progress was made in civilizing and Christianizing the Indians in Massachussetts, as far west as the westerly border of Worcester County ; and a similar good work was accomplished in, the Colony of Plymouth. The two races maintained peaceful relations with each other until 1675, when that terrible contest commenced, which is generally known as Philip's War. And even then, Gookin insists that the Chris- tian Indians, in the seven old praying towns, were true friends to the English, aud rendered them important assistance; and he intimates that the magistrates agreed with him in opinion, while the popular branch of the government and the common people
1 Coll. Mass. Ilist. Soc., i. 192. 2 Mass. Arch., xxx. 260.
392
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
generally, lost all confidence in the Indians, and insisted that, without distinction, they should be treated as enemies. Having mentioned some instances of useful information given by the Indians, and services rendered by them as soldiers, Gookin says, "Notwithstanding those signal and faithful services done by those Christian Indians, and divers others not here related, yet the animosity and rage of the common people increased against them, that the very name of a praying Indian was spoken against, in so much that some wise and principal men did advise some that were concerned with them to forbear giving that epithet of praying. . . . . Things growing to this height among the Eng- lish, the Governor and Council, against their own reason and inclination, were put upon a kind of necessity, for gratifying the people, to disband all the praying Indians, and to make and pub- lish an order to confine them to five of their own villages, and not to stir above one mile from the centre of such place, upon peril of their lives."1 " This cruel frame of spirits (for I can give it no gentler denomination) arose, I apprehend, from a double ground ; first the malice of Satan against Christ's work among the Indians, and to hinder their progress in religion. . ... A second root of this trouble arose from the perfidious and unfaith- ful dealing of the wicked Indians, and their causeless rage and cruelty and fury against the English, and particularly the Spring- field and Northampton Indians, who lived near the English and seemed to carry it fair for a time, but at last proved perfidious and treacherous. But there was not one of them that ever I heard of, that was a pretender to Christian religion."2 It is possible that a desire to appropriate the land of the Indians to their own use may have had some influence on the populace then, as it has in more recent times.
Afterwards, orders were issued for the removal of the Indians to Deer Island ; and Gookin relates the manner in which the Natick tribe was removed. " In pursuance of this order, Capt. Thomas Prentiss (who was a person civil and friendly to those Indians), with a party of horse, was commanded to bring them down speedily to a place called the Pines upon Charles River, about two miles above Cambridge, where boats were appointed to be in readiness to take them on board, and take them to the aforesaid island. . . . Good Mr. Eliot, that faithful in- structor and teacher of the praying Indians, met them at the place before mentioned, where they were to be embarked, who
1 Coll. Amer. Antiq. Soc., ii. 449, 450. 2 Ibid., ii. 454.
393
INDIAN HISTORY.
comforted, and encouraged, and instructed, and prayed with them and for them ; exhorting them to patience in their sufferings, and confirming the hearts of those disciples of Christ, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, for through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of heaven. .. . . In the night, about midnight, the tide serving, being the 30th of October, 1675, these poor creatures were shipped in three vessels and car- ried away to Deer Island above mentioned, which was distant from that place about four leagues, where I shall leave them at present." 1 In May, 1676, many of the men having performed military service for the English, permission was granted by the General Court for the departure of the Indians from the Island. The remnant of the Natick tribe, after a temporary residence near Nonantum, returned to their own town, which was under the management of Indian officers for nearly a century, until it was incorporated as an English district in 1762. " From 1651 to 1762" Natick " was an Indian town; and its history is little more than a picture of wild Indians making unsuccessful at- tempts to clothe themselves in the robes of civilization." 2
While the Christian Indians were passing through this furnace of affliction, they had a faithful friend in Gookin, who labored constantly to avert the evils to which they were exposed and to alleviate those which they suffered. In this labor of love he had the constant support of Thomas Danforth, his associate in many a hard-fought political battle on other fields. Indeed it would seem that most of the magistrates, or Court of Assistants, con- curred with him in a desire to deal kindly with the praying In- dians ; but that they were to some extent compelled by the pop- ulace to adopt harsh measures. He says, "the enmity, jealousy, and clamors of some people against them put the magistracy upon a kind of necessity to send them all to the island."3 Again, an Indian who had a certificate of fidelity from Gookin and was actually employed in the public service as a secret agent, was apprehended by Capt. Henchman, who, " being ignorant of the design, sent both him and his pass to the Governor, at Boston, who more to satisfy the clamors of the people than for any of- fence committed by this man, he was committed to the common jail. . ... He had committed no offence (that ever I heard of), but was imprisoned merely to still the clamors of the people, who railed much against this poor fellow, and fain would have
1 Coll. Amer. Antiq. Soc., ii. 473, 474.
2 Bacon's Hist. of Natick, p. 23.
3 Coll. Amer. Ant. Soc., ii. 485.
394
HISTORY OF CAMBRIDGE.
had him put to death (though they knew not wherefore). But those murmurings were not only against the Indian, but as much against Major Gookin, who granted him the certificate." 1 Again, he says, " notwithstanding the council's endeavors in the former orders, and the testimony of these English witnesses 2 on behalf of the Christian Indians, yet the clamors and animosity among the common people increased daily, not only against those Indians, but also against all such English as were judged to be charitable to them, and particularly, many harsh reflections and speeches were uttered against Major Daniel Gookin and Mr. John Eliot." 3
As a specimen of the popular " clamors and animosity," I copy a few manuscripts : -
" Elizabeth Belcher, aged 57, Martha Remington aged 31, and Mary Mitchell, aged 20, being sworne, doe say, that on ye 28th day of Febr. last, abt 10 of the clocke at night, Ri: Scott came into ye house of ye said Belcher, and suddenly after he came in broak out into many hideous raileing expressions agt ye wor" Capt. Daniel Gookin, calling him an Irish dog yt was never faithful to his country, the sonne of a whoare, a bitch, a rogue, God con- found him, & God rott his soul, saying if I could meet him alone I would pistoll him. I wish my knife and sizers were in his heart. He is the devils interpreter. I and two or three more de- signed to ent of all Gookins brethren at the Island, but some English dog discovered it, the devil will plague him," etc. Sworn before Simon Willard, Assistant, March 4, 1675-6. 4 Scott was fined and imprisoned ; he afterwards made a very humble con- fession, and was released.
Two copies of a written handbill are preserved, dated on the same day that Scott gave vent to his wrath : " Boston, February 28, 1675. Reader thou art desired not to supprese this paper, but to promote its designe, which is to certify (those traytors to their king and conntrey ) Guggins and Danford, that some gener- ous spirits have vowed their destruction ; as Christians wee warne them to prepare for death, for though they will deservedly dye, yet we wish the health of their soules. By ye new society. A. B. C. D." 5
1 Coll. Amer. Ant. Soc., ii. 481.
2 John Watson, Sen., and Henry Pren- tiss, both of Cambridge, who by direction of the Council dwelt with the Natick In- dian about twelve weeks, and certified
their obedience to God and their faithful- ness to the English.
8 Coll. Amer. Ant. Soc., ii. 452, 453.
4 Mass. Arch , xxx. 192.
5 Mass. Arch., xxx. 193.
395
INDIAN HISTORY.
The following memorandum was entered by Rev. John Eliot, on his Church Record : " 1676. On the 7th day of the 2d month, Capt. Gookins, Mr. Danforth, & Mr. Stoughton wr sent by the Couneill to order matters at Long Island for the Indians planting there, ya called me wth ym. In or way thither a great boat of about 14 ton, meeting us, turned head upon us (whether willfully or by negligence, God he knoweth), ya run the sterne of or boate wr we 4 sat under water. Or boats saile or some- thing tangled with the great boat, and by God's mercy kept to it. My cosin Jacob & cosin Perrie being forwarder in or boat quickly got up into the great boat. I so sunk yt I drank in salt water twice, & could not help it. God assisted my two cosins to deliver us all, & help us up into the great boat. We were not far frin the Castle, where we went ashore, dryed & refreshed, & y" went to the Island, performed o' work, returned well home at night, praised be the Lord. Some thanked God, & some wished we had been drowned. Soone after, one yt wished we had been drowned, was himself drowned about the same place wr we wr so wonderfully delivered : the history wroff is" -. Here the ac- count abruptly ends.
At a later day, John Marshall testified that on the 9th of Octo- ber, 1677, " I saw John Joans driveing his trucks, whipping his horses which caused them to run very furiously ; the worshipful Thomas Danforth being before the trucks shifted the way several times to escape the horses, and I was afraid they would have ran over him ; but having escaped them, when the said Joans came to the wharfe where I was, I asked him why he drave his trucks soe hard to run over people, and told him he had like to have ran over Mr. Danforth ; he answered it was noe matter if Mr. Dan- forth and Major Gucking were both hanged. Sworn in Court. J. Dudley, Assistant. 12. 8. 77. Said Jones is sentenced to be admonished, and not to drive a cart in Boston upon penalty of a severe whipping. J. DUDLEY, per order." 1
On account of the popular exasperation, Capt. Gookin failed of election in May, 1676, as one of the Assistants. The General Court, however, manifested their sympathy and confidence, by promoting him, at their first session, to the office of Sergeant- major, or chief commander of the militia in the County. During the year, the tide of feeling changed in his favor, and in May, 1677, he was reinstated in his former position as an Assistant. Thenceforth, both he and his associate, Danforth, retained their hold on the publie confidence until the close of life.
1 Mass. Arch., viii. 4.
·
CHAPTER XXI.
MILITARY HISTORY.
AT the second meeting of the Court of Assistants after their arrival at Charlestown, Sept. 7, 1630, " half a year's provision " was made for " Mr. Patrick and Mr. Underhill ; " and at the next meeting, three weeks later, the sum of fifty pounds was assessed upon " the several plantations, for the maintenance " of the same persons.1 These were the commanders of the incipient militia. Of Daniel Patrick, Winthrop says, " This Captain was enter- tained by us out of Holland (where he was a common soldier of the Prince's guard) to exercise our men. We made him a captain, and maintained him."2 He resided a short time in Watertown, but came to Cambridge before May 1, 1632,3 and remained here until Nov. 1637, when he removed to Ipswich, and subsequently to Stamford, Connecticut, where he was killed by a Dutchman in 1643. During his residence here, the tract of upland surrounded by marsh, on which the Powder Magazine stands at the foot of Magazine Street, was granted by the town to him ; and since that time it has been known as "Captain's Island." Thus, for five years, from 1632 to 1637, Cambridge was the head-quarters of one of the two principal military com- manders. And when a more perfect organization of the militia was made, Dec. 13, 1636, the whole being divided into three regiments, Cambridge had a large share of the honors. Thomas Dudley, one of the founders of the town, was appointed lieuten- ant-colonel of the first regiment ; and seven years later he was elected Major-general of all the militia. It was further ordered, " Charlestowne, Newetowne, Watertowne, Concord, Deddam, to bee another regiment, whearof John Haynes, Esq"., shalbee colonell, and Rog". Herlakenden, Esq"., leiftenant colonell." 4 Both were Cambridge men ; the former had been Governor of
1 Mass. Col. Rec., i. 75, 77.
2 Savage's Winthrop, ii. 151.
8 Ibid., i. 74.
4 Mass. Col. Rec., i. 187.
397
MILITARY HISTORY.
Massachusetts, and was afterwards for many years Governor of Connecticut ; the latter was one of the Assistants, and remained in office, both civil and military, until Nov. 17, 1638, when he departed this life.
At the session of the General Court, commencing March 9, 1636-7, officers were appointed to command the militia in the several towns : "For Newetowne, Mr. George Cooke chosen captain ; Mr. Willi: Spencer, leiftenant ; Mr. Sam: Shepard, ensign." 1 All these exhibited a military spirit. Captain Cooke was one of the earliest members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1638-9, was its captain in 1643, and when a similar company was incorporated in Middlesex County, May 14, 1645, he was its first captain. Having performed faithfully many military and civil services here,2 he returned to England near the end of 1645, was a colonel in Cromwell's army, and sacrificed his life in the service of the Commonwealth, being " re- ported to be slain in the wars in Ireland in the year 1652." 3 Lieutenant Spencer was one of the corporate members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, 1638-9, in which year he removed to Connecticut, where, as well as here, he was an active and useful civil officer.4 Ensign Shepard returned to England with Captain Cooke, being excused by the General Court in October, 1645, from further attendance as a member, " being to go for England." He was a Major in Cromwell's army, and very probably in Colonel Cooke's regiment. He is represented in Mitchell's Church Record, 1658, as then living in Ireland, where he probably died about 1673. It does not appear that either of these officers was engaged in the short and decisive Pequot War, which occurred shortly after they were commis- sioned ; 5 but in September, 1643, " it was agreed that we should send three commissioners, with a guard of forty able men to attend them, which have authority and order to bring Samu: Gorton and his company, if they do not give them satisfaction. The three commissioners are Capt. George Cooke, Humfrey Atherton, and Edward Johnson; and Capt. Cooke to command
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.