USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Chatham > History of Chatham, Massachusetts : formerly the Constablewick or Village of Monomoit ; with maps and illustrations and numerous genealogical notes > Part 10
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The deed from Sarah Covell was dated March 10, 1690-1, and was recorded May 6, 1691. in Book 1, folto 65 of sald Deeds It conveyed "all that my parcel of land lying & being at Monamoy aforesaid known by the name of Toms neck both upland & marsh as it was granted by the Court of Plymouth aforesaid bounded as followeth, the first bound is about four or five poles from the mouth of the meadow on the north side of the Cove called Toms Cove & from thence rangeing across the said neck to a rock which Jyeth in the Bay about half the and so the whole neck of land is bounded from sald rock round ye neck by the water side until you come to the bound marked first named." (From certified extracts from the above two deeds given the author by the late Rufus Smith, Esq. )
Mr. Smith also acquired an interest In a part of Cotchpinicut Neck by a mortgage dated Aug. 19, 1693, and given by the grandsons of Mattaquason above mentioned. This mortgage which secured payment of £20, 88, 6d, was assigned by Mr. Smith on March 6, 1694-5, to Mercy Nickerson, wife of William Nickerson, who foreclosed the same and ac- quired the property. The land therein described is a tract "lying and being at a place called cospinica in sd Monamoy in ye County of Barnstable aforesaid & bounded as followeth: that is to say, by ye lands of Thomas Nickerson on ye Southeast & bounded by ye her- ring River on ye Northwest & butting upon Je Bay." The Herring River bere men- tioned is undoubtedly Frostfish Creek. This mortgage is interesting as showing the necessity which the people were then under ol guarding themselves against the shilt- less habits of the Indans. It provides that "if it shall bappen that at ye abovesd day of payment [1. e. two years from date] sd Money Remain unpaid and ye value of ye abovesd land then not amounting to ye abovesd sum, that then It shall be lawlul for ye sd Samuel Simith to seize ye Bodys of ye abovesd Doggumus, Stephen & Richard and cause them or any of them to work it out, but for ye prevention thereof & that the sd Dogginius, Stephen and Richard might be ye more likely to Redeem their lands agatu do by these presents bind & oblige their selves unto sd Sanmel Smith to do him faltb- full service, when he shall call them thereto umtil je abovesd sum of money be pald." Files Superior Court of Judicature No: 3,297.
By deed dated June 27, 1694, in company with William Nickerson, he purchased of John Quason Jr., another tract in the easterly part of Moromoit, Nickerson taking one third part and he two-thirds. (D. Il Howes papers. ) He died at Eastham March 22. 1696-7, leaving an estate of over 1200 pounds, Including over 50 neat cattle, 60 sheep and a large number of horses. Bis widow, Mary, survived hhm several years.
Children of Samuel and Mary (Hopkins) Smith: ( kast Rec. ) 1. Samuel, b May 26, 1668; d. Sept. 22. 1692. 2. Mary, 6 June 3. 1669; m. Daniel Hamilton of Eastham about 1693. 3. Joseph b April 10, 1671 ; d. Sept. 22, 1691. 4. John b May 26, 1673. 6. Grace b Sept. 5, 1676; d. Dec. 1, 1691. 6. Rebeckah b Dec. 10, 1678; d. young.
458262
100
HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
These new signs of activity and growth in the little com- munity were almost contemporary with another important event in its history, the annexation of a large territory along the "South shore," nearly all belonging to the "pur- chasers or old comers" and including the greater part of the present town of Harwich. The westerly boundary of the village, since its establishment as a constablewick in 1679, had been the westerly limits of William Nickerson's purchase. These limits were settled not long after 1675, pursuant to an order of the Colony Court of that date," but the record of them, if made, has since been lost. The bounds then fixed were, however, renewed in 1703 and the record of their renewal shows that they were sub- stantially the same as the present bounds between Harwich and Chatham.54 West of these bounds the territory for a
53. This order reads as follows: In reference unto the differance between some of the "purchasers" and Witllam Nicarson about the title of land att Mannamoiett, ex- hibited to the Court, the one by his petition and the other by theire remonstrance given into the Court by Thomas Clarke and Jonathan Bangs In the beballe of several others, the Conrt have appointed Mr. Hinckley, Mr. Gorum, and Jonathan Sparrow to sett the bounds of theire lands between them, according to the Court's grannt unto the freemen that have interest with the satd Nicarson therin; and that they take speclal regard that they leave noe vacant lands between theire Inhabited lands and the sea or water and If Mr. Hinckley can not attend to it Captain lowes to supply bls place in It. Plym. Col. Rec. V, 171.
That the bounds were fixed pursuant to this order Is shown by the following extract from a statement of the Harwich selectmen made In 1705: "We destre further to in- form you that when Monamnoy did first obtain the privilege of a constablewick [I. e. In 1679 ] there powers extended noe further then to the bounds seffled between them and the propriators" of what is now Harwich, "and hath been renewed since by both partles." State Archives. Vol. 113, 875.
54. "We hos nams are hereunto subscribed, being chosen and apointed by the pro. prletors of Lands lying within the reserve of the purchasers meet by apointment to run the range and renew the bounds between the purchasers of Harwich and the pro- priators of Manomol viz: a polne knot drove Into the march on the Easterly side of the read river and so runing northerly to the head of the swamp where the sd river Isbshons oute and to a poine tree marked on two sides 11-M and so runing a longe a valey, trees marked, and from sd vally to a grasy pond, a poine tree marked on the Southerly side, and so mulng a crose sd pond to a polne tree marked H-M neare and on the Sontherly side of the high waye which leads to the herring river from Manemoick and from sd polne tree as the way leads to Manomolek unto a white oak tree marked on tv o sids on the Sutherly side of the high waye uere land that Is in the occupation
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101
EARLIEST YEARS.
considerable distance had been under the jurisdiction of Eastham since 1659.55 The exact line where the authority of Eastham stopped and that of Yarmouth, its neighbor on the west, began, was never definitely determined. It, doubtless, ran from Sanquatuekett River or Stony Brook, established as the boundary in 1659, south to the "South Sea." The greater part of the present Harwich east of the Herring River was, therefore, within the jurisdiction of Eastham, while Yarmouth claimed authority over the tract on each side of that river. In 1667, one John Mecoy obtained a grant of thirty-six aeres on or near Coy's Brook, in the Yarmouth limits, and was a settler there for a num- ber of years. 5% Shortly before 1688, Mr. Gershom Hall
and his son Samuel settled or near Me- coy's grant, on a tract lying between Coy's Brook and Herring River.57 They came from that part of Yarmouth, now Dennis, and continued to pay their "rates" to that town. . No settlement appears to have been made in that part of Harwich which was under the jurisdiction of Eastham till after 1691, when the jurisdiction of Monomoit was extended over it. Mr. Gershom Hall was a man of superior gifts and intelligence, although not college bred. He was a zealous religious leader and, after the death of William Nickerson Sen., may have been called upon by the settlers at Monomoit to lead their Sabbath services. At
of Joseph Nickorson and from sd tree easterly to the Muddle Cove a stake stuck in the march on the Westerly side of sd river.
May 28, 1703.
Jonathan Bangs Stephen Hopkins Thomas Freeman William Nickorson
A true Copy taken out of the Book of reckords of Harwich June 25, 1703.
the mark of X
Nathanl Covell Thomas Nickorson"
Thomas Freeman Town Clerk. (State Archives, Vol. 113. )
55. Plym. Col. Rec. IV, 165.
66. Plym. Col. Rec. IV, 159.
57. Deyo's History of Barnstable Co., 835.
102
HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
all events he came into close relations with the Monomoit people, and it was considered to be of mutual advantage that this outlying Hall settlement should be added to that place. Accordingly, in February, 1691, the following peti- tion was presented to the Plymouth Court.
"To the Hond. Generall Court of Plymouth.
The Humble Petition of ye Inhabitants of ye Village of Monamoy.
Whereas we being settled upon a neck of Land not large enough for to accomodate People enough for to carry on affairs as in other towns, And there being severall families settled along the sea side Between us and the Herring river which are desirons to belong to us, they being very remote from other towns and near to us.
We do humbly request of ye Honoured Court for to take it into their Considerntion that if it may be Granted our Constablerick may extend as far as the Herring river so that we may be in a enpacity to go on with aflairs in an orderly way as in other towns. *
We rest your Humble Petitioners whose names are underwritten In the Behalf of ye Town. (?)
Monamoy ye 11th of Feb. 1690 [-]].
Nicholas Eldredge William Griffith Hugh Stewart William Mitchell. "58
This petition was acted upon by the Court on the same day it was presented, as appears by the following copy of the original decree :59
"At a Generall Court att Plimouth ye 11th of February 1690 [-]].
In answer to ye petition of ye Inhabitants of Monamoy for enlarge- ment of the Bounds of their Constableriek, It is granted by this Court that the Constablerick of the Village of Monamoy shall extend from the head of the Muddy Cove along the Cart way to the Herring River, which is the bounds between snid Monamoy and Yarmonth and Eastbam for the present till the Court see cause to alter it, onely the rates already made to be paid to the constable of Yarmouth ; and they have power to collect and gather ye same notwithstanding said grant."w
58. State Archives, Vol. 113.
59 In the Colony Record this decree is Inserted among the orders passed In March, 1691, but the above copy shows that this must have been a mistake and that the decree was actually passed In February
60. State Archives, Vol. 113.
103
EARLIEST YEARS.
The territory thereby added to Monomoit cqualled, if not exceeded, in area the original limits of the constable- wick, as the accompanying sketch shows.
LONC
ON
MONOMOVICH DAY
PORTION OF
THE PURCHASERS LANDS [now part of thewich]
0
KINDER
OLD YARMOUTH
RAYER
RED RIVER
HARBOR
SOUTH SEA.
A ROUGH SKETCH OF . MONOMOIT, 1691-94.
+ S
OCEAN
At the same time that the foregoing order was passed, liberty was granted "to the inhabitants of the vilage of Monamoy to chuse and send a deputy to the Generall Courts that shall hereafter be in this Colony," and in the following spring Mr. Gershom Hall was elected as the first deputy from the village." He was, also, the only one chosen under the Plymouth Colony, inasmuch as early in 1692 the consolidation with the Colony of Massachusetts Bay took place. Monomoit had now attained nearly all the privileges of a town, but it was not incorporated as such, because it could not yet support a settled minister. There is no doubt that from 1691, if not earlier, it exercised all the functions of a town, choosing a full set of town officers, &c.
The number of settlers at the time the place became a 6]. Plym. Col. Rec. VI 256. It is said that Mr. Hall did not actually attend.
104
HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
part of the Bay Colony can be only roughly estimated. The following heads of families then resided there withont much doubt : William Cahoon, Mrs. Sarah Covell, Nicho- las Eldredge, Robert Eldredge, William Eldredge. Joseph Eldredge, Samuel Eldredge, George Godfrey, Jr., William Griffith, Gershom Hall, Samuel Hall, Tristram Hedges, Caleb Lumbert, William Mitchell, Robert Nickerson, Robert Nickerson, Jr., Samuel Nickerson, JJohn Nickerson, William Nickerson, Joseph Nickerson, Hugh Stewart, Edward Small, John Taylor, Nathaniel Tomlon. There may have been a few others. Reckoning cach family as containing seven persons, the population would be about 150 persons. It probably did not exceed 200.
During this early period there was, as we have seen, no settled minister. Public schools, were, also, unknown. The Colony law required parents to see that their children were taught to read, to know the fundamental laws and the grounds of religion and that they be trained for some calling, but places having less than 50 families were not required to support a school. In fact, the provisions made for the mental and spiritual welfare of the Indians at this period appear to have been greater than those made for the English settlers. At an early period Mr. Richard Bourne had interested himself in the Cape Indians, had mastered their language and in August, 1670, was ordained pastor of an Indian church at Mashpee, which he had organized. Ilis report of the Cape Indians, made in 1674, shows that at Monomoit there were then 71 praying Indians, of whom 29 could read their own language, 15 could write it and one could read English." This result must have been due wholly to Mr. Bourne's efforts. He was their general adviser and friend in these early days.
62. Abraham Johnson, James Maker, John Paddock and David Melville were early land owners there. Johnson and Paddock may have been residents.
63. Mlass, Hist. Coll. (1st serles) 1.
105
EARLIEST YEARS.
Soon after the settlement of Rev. Samuel Treat at East- ham in March 1675, the care of the Indian souls in the lower part of the Cape was surrendered to him and Mr. Bourne's ministrations were less frequent. Mr. Treat entered upon the work with zeal, mastered the Indian language and translated the Confession of Faith into the Nauset dialect. In 1685, the number of praying Indians at Monomoit was reported by Governor Hinckley as increased to 115. Indian Nicholas, sometimes called Indian Nick, was their teacher." At an carly date, through the efforts of Mr. Treat, a meeting-house was erected for their benefit, where they regularly assembled for instruction and worship. It stood on the south side of the road to Harwich, a little east of the late East Harwich parsonage. The Society for Propagating the Gospel in New England, doubtless assisted in its erection. It also paid the salaries of the English and native Indian teachers.
The work accomplished by Mr. Treat is reported by him in 1693 as follows: "There are 505 adult persons of Indians within the limits of our township, [Mr. Treat doubtless intends to include in this estimate all the Indians in the easterly portion of the Cape]," into whom these many years past," I have from time to time imparted the gospel of our Lord Jesus in their own language (and I truly hope not without success) and yet I continue in the same service earnestly imploring, and not without hopes, expecting and waiting for a more plentiful downpouring of the spirit from on high among them, and I verily do not know of nor can I learn that there is so much as one of these five hundred Indians that does obstinately absent them from, but do jointly frequent and attend on the preaching of the word and countenance of the same, &c.
64. Mass. Hist Coll. (Ist series) 11.
65. It should be remembered that Eastham at the date of this report extended south to Monomolt village or constablewick.
66. From 15 to 20 years.
106
HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
They have four distinct assemblies in four villages belong- ing to our township, in which four assemblies they have four teachers of their own choice, of the more sober well- affected and understanding persons among them, who duly preach to them, when I am not with them; these Indian teachers repair to my house once a week to be further instructed (pro modulo meo) in the concernments proper to their station.
There are in the four abovesaid villages four school- masters (of the best accomplished for that service) who teach their youth to read and write their own language. There are also six justices of the peace (or magistrates) in the four abovesaid villages who regulate their civil affairs and punish criminals and transgressors of the civil law ; 67 they have their stated Courts and other inferior officers in a subserviency to their civil good order. There are among them many of a serious, sober civilized con- versation and deportment who are making essays towards a further progressive step of obedience and con- formity to the rules of the Gospels, viz : an "ecclesiastical combination," having a great desire to be baptized. They are very serviceable by their labour to the English vicinity and have all along since our wars with their nation been very friendly to the English and forward to serve them in that quarrel. Their deportment and converse and garb being more manly and laudable than any other Indians that I have observed in the province.168
This report is somewhat highly colored, but it is, indeed, true that the Indians of Cape Cod and vicinity were exceptional in their docility and tractability.
67. These Indians Courts were feeble Institutions under the tutelage of the English Courts. They did not long survive.
68. Letter to Rev. Increase Mather dated Angust 23, 1693, in Mather's Magnalla.
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and this for of the soundof its the housing of fateget
the word of that to the bounds
this if the fact that gos im to the hunting That purky mennamen
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This interesting sketch, without date, bears every evidence of being drawn to accompany the petition of Monomoit in 1691 for enlargement of its boundaries. (See page 102.) As a sketch of Monomoit proper, it is inaccurate, but it shows passably well the territory added in 1691. I am indebted to Mr. Edward L. Smith of Boston for the photograph of the original in the State Archives, from which this cut is made.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
CHAPTER VII.
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THE EARLY SETTLERS.
F the early settlers of Monomoit outside of the William Nickerson family, the first was probably John Downing. It is likely that he came from Yarmouth. Together with Nicholas Eldredge, son of Robert, he was a witness to the deeds of William Nickerson, Sen., to his children in February, 1674, and it is probable that he was then occupying the farm at the "Oyster Pond furlong" which he bought of Nickerson, lying just west of the Robert Eldredge farm. The Downing farm comprised 60 acres, extending from the highway, (then a cartway through gates and bars) to the Oyster Pond river. It was bounded "Northwest by ye highway, Southwest by a Great Rock & a Creek that runeth to ye Oyster Pond River, Southeast by ye sd River and Northeast by a ditch of Robert Eldredge & a line rang- ing from ye sd ditch to ye aforesd highway." The great rock and creek can be seen to-day. The farm late of James Eldredge is on this location. Not long prior to 1686 Downing sold to Elisha Hedge of Yarmouth, a real estate trader of that day, and removed, it is believed, to the northwest side of Pleasant Bay. He died before 1702,2 leaving sons John, Joseph, Benjamin and perhaps Robert.
1. Deed from Ellsha Hedge to Nicholas Eldredge dated March 22, 1685-6. (Certified copy In M. L. Luce papers.) For the approximate location of the farms described in this chapter see the map at the end of the chapter.
2. Deed from William Nickerson et al to Michael Stewart, dated Oct. 12, 1702. (Cer- tified copy In M. L. Luce papers. )
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:
108
HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
Neither his estate nor those of his children were settled in the Probate Court.3
Teague Jones came first to Yarmouth soon after its settle- ment, being then a young man. In 1645 he was one of five men sent out by the town as its quota for the expedi- tion against the Narragansett Indians. They set out August 23 and returned September 2.4 According to the public records, he was not altogether a desirable citizen. In 1653 he and Richard Berry were ordered "to part their uncivil living together."5 In 1655 he had a dispute with an Indian, Mashantampaine, about a gun, which the Court ordered to be restored to the Indian.6 In 1667 he was complained against for not coming to meeting.7 His fond- ness for strong drink, also, caused him trouble with the authorities.8 He was living in 1667, or about that time, in the south part of Yarmouth in a house on the west side of
3. For genealogical information about this family see the following deed: "Samuel Ellis of Harwich in the County of Barnstable in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay In New England & Mary his wife of the sd Saml Ellis, Datr of Joseph Downing Decd which sd Joseph Downing left only the sd Mary Ellis & the now widow Eliza Nickason & no other Children & the sd decd Joseph Downing having two Brothers, namely, John Downing and Benjamin Downing which his sd two Brothers both Died without Issue all which sd Joseph Downing John Downing & Benja Downing were Soldiers in the Narra- ganset Indian Wars & for that Service have each ones Heirs a Right or Share of Land granted by the Genrl Court of the Massachtts Bay in that Township laid out to sd Nar- raganset Soldiers called Gorham Town, being the Seventh Township, being In the County of York in the Province above sd; there is only the sd Mary Ellis & Eliza Nickason are the next Heirs Apparent to sd Joseph Downing & John Downing & Benja Downing and the sd Samnel Ellis & Mary Ellis having Direction from the sd Eliza Nickason so to Do," convey to Joshua Bangs of Falmouth in the County of York in the Province abovesd Gentl, by deed dated July 10, 1739, "all the Three Shares Laid ont or granted to be Laid out in sd Township to the Names of the sd Joseph Downing John Dowing & Benja Dowing, which is to each of sd Names one hundred & twentieth part of the Lands In sd Township." Consideration, twenty pounds. Witnesses, John Wing Junr, Jonathan Bangs Junr. Recorded Apr. 6, 1740. York Co. (Me. ) Deeds XXI1, 83.
In a deed from John Sipson, Indian, to his son, Amos, dated April 3, 1708, conveying land at "Potonumecot" (So. Orleans), one of the boundaries is "by se land of Robert Downing." (Josiah Paine papers.) This may have been another son of John, Sen, who died without issue.
4. Plym. Col. Rec. II. 91.
5. Plym. Col. Rec. 111, 37.
6. Płym. Col. Rec. III, 88, 90.
7. Plym. Col. Rec. 1V, 153.
8. Plym. Col. Rec. III, 200; IV, 29; V, 254.
109
EARLY SETTLERS.
Bass river, near Stage Island, where he had a farm.9 By deed dated February 14, 1673-4, he bought of William Nickerson, Sen., a farm at Monomoit, bounded north by the White pond and land of John Nickerson and east by "the highway that leads into the Inlands." It was in a locality which the Indians called Ockpeset or Oekepset. By the same deed he obtained six acres of upland at the Oyster Pond furlong, two acres of meadow at the head of the Oyster pond, two acres more on the south side of the Oyster pond and thirty acres of meadow at Gregory's Neck, being the neck at the east side of Taylor's pond, South Chatham.10 By deed dated December 27, 1675, he added to the above farm a tract of five acres on the east side of it, lying between a pond and the highway and bounding east on land of Edward Cottle.11 This lot was evidently in the vicinity of the Kendrick and Flynn houses, West Chatham. He lived several years at Monomoit, selling out before 1686, possibly before 1683, to Mr. Elisha Hedge,12 and
9. Testimony of John Chase, Conn. Quarterly, (1897) 359.
10. The detailed description of this farm is worth preserving. Upland, "several acres [probably 30 or more] bounded northly by ye Lands of John Nickerson & partly by ye Pond Caled ye White pond & Rangeth from an Oak tree marked one four sids (which Is ye Bound mark tree between John Nickerson & itt) toward ye South East to a markt pine tree that stands near a pond & thence Rangeth Westerly by ye sd pond throw a Swamp to a markt tree standing by the highway thatt Leads into ye Inlands & thence Westerly through a Swamp to a place where ye Ginerall fence formerly stood, which Is near to ye hed of se aforesd White pond & persell thereof att a place caled ye Oyster pond furlong Containing six accors, be itt more or less, Bounded Westerly by ye lands of Trustom Hedges, Easterly by ye lands of Nathaniel Covill, Northerly by ye Way Laid outt at ye head of ye Lotts & Southerly by ye Creek Where [it] coms out of ye sd Oyster pond .- Meadow, two acres "att ye hed of ye sd Oyster pond Bounded northerle by se upland & Southerle by a Swamp."-Meadow, two acres, "yt Lyes att ye Great Neck att ye Lower End of ye sd Oyster pond one se South side thereof. "-Meadow, "several acres [30 acres in fact; see settlement of estate of Nicholas Eldred] Lying att Masapoksett one ye Weaste End of a neck of-caled Greegorles Neck from ye Beach to ye Creek yt Runs Southerle out of ye pond Commonly Caled ye Little Oyster pond & is Bounded by sd crick as itt Runs into ye Sea." M. L. Luce papers.
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