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 14
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22. Plym. Col. Deeds V. 500.
23. See the pelltion on page 102 supra.
24. Eldredge bought in 1693 with Severance and Ellis of Jacob Crook, Indian. lle remained only a few years, removing thence to the lower part of Eastham, now Well- feet.
25. State Archives Vol. 113. 59.
26. State Archives Vol. 113, 59.
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the Hall neighborhood. The act provides that "whereas there are a competent number of inhabitants already set- tled upon that tract of land commonly called Satuckett, containing a sufficient quantity of land and lying convenient for a township, *
* that all the said lands lying betwixt the bounds of the town of Yarmouth upon the west and the town of Eastham on the east, running from the head of Bound Brook to the head of Namskaket, about ten miles in length and about seven miles in breadth, extending from sea to sea, be and henceforth shall * be a township, the town to be called Harwich, * provided it doth not intrench upon former grants referring to townships."" It is rather singular that no mention was made of Monomoit in this act and no boundary established between it and the new town. The little village appears to have been entirely ignored throughout the whole proceedings.
The year 1694 presents little else of public interest to record. George Godfrey seems to have been the constable this year and William Nickerson clerk, but he did not record anything, or his record has been lost.
At a meeting of the inhabitants on May 10, 1695, William Nickerson Sen. was chosen treasurer, being also clerk. Joseph Nickerson was grandjuryman this year and William Griffith Sen. constable. On August 10 Mr. Samuel Smith was chosen commissioner to carry a list show- ing the valuation of the place to the shire town, Barnsta- ble.28 These lists from each place in the county were then forwarded to Boston and formed the basis for assessing Colony taxes. This year Edward Small, or Smalley, prob- ably came with his family from that part of Dover, N. II., now Durham, and settled. He had brothers who settled in Truro, the whole family coming to the Cape to secure im- 27. State Archives Vol. 113, 87.
28. Rev. Mr. Freeman (History of Cape Cod 11, 587) states that Mr. Smith was chosen Coroner and Commissioner. How he arrived at this conclusion is not clear. There was no such office as coroner in the Cape towns in that day.
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
munity from the Indians, from whose attacks they had suffered on the then northern frontier." William Cahoon also came about this time, and Moses Godfrey, brother of George, settled at Cotchpinicut Neck as early as this year. 80
In February, 1696, a meeting was held at which Lieut. Nicholas Eldredge and Ensign Hugh Stewart were chosen to go to Pamet (Truro), but for what purpose is not stated. The records for the March meeting this year show a full set of officers chosen: William Nickerson Sen., Joseph Harding, Thomas Atkins selectmen, Thomas Nick- erson constable, William Cahoon grandjuryman, Benjamin Phillips tithingman, and William Nickerson Sen. clerk and treasurer. At the same meeting it was ordered that all the householders of Monomoit should kill twelve black- birds or three erows and bring the heads to the selectmen on pain of forfeiting six shillings, this to be done by the middle of the next May. Young men who were "at their own keeping " were to kill six blackbirds or two crows; penalty, three shillings in case of failure.31 This order was repeated and renewed by the town many times in subse- quent years. It was a common regulation in those days for the protection of farmers.
On July 1, 1696, Lieut. Nicholas Eldredge delivered to the village two guns, forty pounds of bullets and two
29. Stackpole, Old Kittery and her Families 733.
30. "Moses Godfree of full age testifyeth & saith that I have lived neer about twenty- three yeers neer to the land now in controversy between Peter Dogamus, Simon Stephen & Stephen Mortequit of one partie & Thomas Nickerson Jr of the other partie" * * *. Dated March 24. 1719 20 Files Superior Court of Judicature No. 13,780. In spite of this testimony, he was a householder at Monomoit in March 1696. See the note following.
31. Robert Tomlon. William Griffith Sen, James Griffith, William Cahoon, William Nickerson Sen. Joseph Nickerson, Jeremiah Nickerson, Nathaniel Covell and William Covell complied with this order, but Tristram lledges, Robert Nickerson, Matthew Tomlon, Samuel Eldredge. William Grillith Jr. and Moses Godfrey falled to do so. The "defective persons" were ordered on July 1 to clear the way to mill [I. e. to the water mill at Satucket, Brewster] and the way to Nauset [Eastham] and the selectmen were to discount out of their fines so much as their labor amounted to. These roads, the present Brewster and Orleans roads at East Harwich, were not in the limits of Mono- moit, but this seems to have made no difference.
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pounds of powder to be in readiness for the use of the vil- lage as its common stock of arms and ammunition. The inhabitants left it in the hands of Mr. Eldredge to keep for them. Every community was required to keep such a common stock for purposes of defense. It was for the use of the local military company, which existed in the place throughout the colonial period, and which was, doubtless, organized pursuant to the order of the Plymouth Colony Court dated July 1681, and quoted in Chapter VI.32 Ensign Hugh Stewart and William Eldredge were chosen highway surveyors at this meeting. This year Samuel Nickerson purchased land in Harwich of William Cahoon and removed thither. 33
The highways within the village were at this time still in a very rough and partially cleared condition.34 The main road of the place was that from the head of Muddy Cove running easterly down to the Great Hill, thence over the hill and northerly, as now, to the head of Ryder's Cove. The road from the old cemeteries south to the Hawes corner is, also, a very old way. The present south road to Harwich was, also, laid out early and was known as the road to the "inlands," by which name the unpurchased or Indian lands in the easterly part of the place were sometimes called, to distin- guish them from the "outlands" or common lands in the westerly part of the place. There was, also, an early cart- way leading down to the head of the Oyster Pond, thence easterly around the Oyster Pond meadows and southerly to Stage Harbor, where a "stage" or wharf was early
32. Page 89 supra.
33. Page 123 supra.
34. "This Is the number of persons that worked about the hiways Insine Hugh Stnard, William Grefeth, Nathaniel Tomlon, Nathaniel Nickerson, Joseph Harden. William Nickerson, John Nickerson Jr . George Godfree, William Nickerson, .Ir. Mathn Tomlon, Thomas Ackens, Trostram Dages. William Eldred. These parsons worked about clearing the hiways the thirty day of July in the year 1696. Recorded by me William Nickerson Clark."
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
erected for the common convenience.38 All these roads now exist substantially as they were first laid out, a few straightenings only having been made. The main north and south roads to Harwich became later known as the King's roads or Queen's roads.
The officers of the village for the year 1697, chosen at the March meeting, were as follows : Selectmen William Griffith Sen., William Eldredge, William Nickerson, con- stable Thomas Atkins, tithingman Moses Godfrey, grand- juryman Edward Small, surveyors and fence viewers Nicholas Eldredge and George Godfrey. John Smith and his sister, the wife of Daniel Hamilton, this year came into possession of the farms of their father, Samuel Smith, at Tom's Neck and probably settled there soon after. 36
Mr. Jonathan Vickery appears to have settled this year, also, and to have been employed as the minister of the place. After the death of William Niekerson Sen., in or about 1690, it is likely that Rev. Samuel Treat of Eastham, as the nearest minister, was occasionally heard at Mono- moit. After Rev. Nathaniel Stone came to Harwich, he seems to have regarded Monomoit as a part of his charge. Cotton Mather in his "Magnalia Christi" men- tions Mr. Stone as the minister in 1696 of "Falmouth, Harwich and Manamoyet."37 His oversight of the spiritual affairs of the place, if any, was short, as Mr. Vickery came as early as the spring of 1697.38 Hle was the son of George and Rebecca (Phippen) Vickery of Hull, Mass. He was not an educated man nor an ordained minister, but a lay preacher. By occupation he was, like all the residents of
35. Wharves were at this time called "stages." Hence arose the name Stage Har- bor, which means wharf harbor or the harbor where the wharf Is. For a good picture of these early stages see WInsor, Narrative and Critical IlIst. of America IV. 3.
36. Barnstable Probate Records, estate of Samuel Smith.
37. Magnalia Christi I, 87.
38. He witnessed a deed on July 5, 1697, from William Nickerson et al to Samuel Sprague, Plym. Col. Deeds, V, 501.
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Hull, a fisherman.39 He became a freeman of the Colony May 8, 1678. He was the executor of his father's estate in 1679,4 and appears to have resided at Hull until his removal to Monomoit. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of John and Ann ( Rogers) Hudson of Duxbury.
What were the terms on which he consented to preach, it is impossible to state. The farm of thirty acres located near the former Hotel Chatham station, on which he lived, may have been given him by the village at the outset.41 If so, it was probably procured with money or other com- modities accumulated in accordance with the order of the Colony Court of June, 1679, mentioned in Chapter VI. 42 It is more likely, however, that nothing was ever done under this order of Court and that Mr. Vickery bought the farm himself and was simply hired to preach for a stated period or periods. It should be remembered that, at this time there was no organized church at Monomoit. Those who were church members there, were connected with the Eastham church and subject to its discipline, and a preacher was then desired at Monomoit only to relieve them of the long journey to Eastham. Mr. Vickery was promised a supply of hay and wood for his use, according to the general custom," and was paid, probably, at the rate of about 20 pounds a year. In 1699 he sold his house at Hull to one John Steel and cast his lot for life with Monomoit. +
39. N. E. Hist. and Gen. Register VI, 338 In their fishing excursions the people of Hull and of the lower part of the Cape frequently came into business relations. Beuja- min, a brother of Jonathan, marrled into the Paine family of Easthain. This may ex- plain how MIr. Vickery was induced to come to Sonomoit.
40. Suffolk Probate Records, estate of George Vickery.
41. This farm bounded east on John Nickerson's land, south on the White pond. north on the common land and west on the road from the old cemeteries across to the Hawes Corner at West Chatham. See page 124, note 83, and a Proprietor's Book for Chatham, Town Clerk's office.
42. Page 87 supra.
43. "The 3rd day of September, 1697, William Nickerson doth promise to get one load of hay for Mr. VIckery this year & cart it into his yard. Insine Hugh Stewart do. one load. Nathaniel Covel do. Thomas Nickerson do. JJoseph Harden do. Thomas Atkins do."-Town Records.
44. Suffolk Deeds XX1, 547.
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
The year 1697 also marked the termination of the war with the French, begun in 1689 and known as King William's War. There were no land hostilities in New England of any consequence in the latter part of this war, but sea-board places like Monomoit were, of course, con- stantly in fear of sudden attacks from roving French pri- vateers.
In 1698 the inhabitants chose Nicholas Eldredge, William Eldredge and Thomas Atkins as selectmen, William Ca- hoon constable, Joseph Harding tithingman and Nathaniel Tomlon grandjuryman. In June of this year Rev. Grindal Rawson of Mendon and Rev. Samuel Danforth of Taunton travelled through this section of the Colony to inspect the progress of the work among the Indians. They found at Monomoit on the Indian lands in the east part of the place 14 Indian houses, indicating about that number of families. They reported that their preacher was John Cousins and their rulers or sachems were John Quason and Menekish. 45
In 1699 Hugh Stewart, William Griffith Sen. and Joseph Harding were selectmen, Moses Godfrey constable, Joseph Eldredge tithingman, Samuel Eldredge grandjuryman and William Cahoon and William Covell fence viewers. At a meeting in August the selectmen were ordered "to make all the reates that shall come to our place this yeare," also " to raise 10 pounds of money to pay Mr. Vickery by the last of October," and to collect all debts owing the village. The amount raised this year by taxation for Mr. Vickery and other purposes were "35 pound od money."
In 1700 the village officers were Joseph Harding, Thomas Atkins and Thomas Nickerson selectmen, William Cahoon treasurer, William Nickerson constable, Thomas Atkins tithingman, Hugh Stewart grandjuryman, and Hugh Stewart and JJoseph Harding fence viewers. This year, acting under the stimulus of Mr. Vickery's work, the village 45. Mass. Hist. Collections (Ist Serles) X, 133.
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voted to build a meeting house, the first one erected for the use of the white people." At a meeting on Feb. 15, 1700, it was voted to " bild a meten hous of 20 and 2 foot floor and 13 foot in the wall." For this purpose they "made chose of Gorg Godfree and William Nickerson to lok after and see the work be don and at the same meten the inhab- etence ded agree with Edward Small to be the fore work- man to get the tember and to frame the hous with the help of the inhabtance and the inhababbetance ded agree to take thare tornes and goo out with Edward Small to get the tember two days a pese tell every man had took his torn." It was also agreed "That every man that had a teme should drag on lode to plase of the tember."
Having provided for framing the structure, the people at a later meeting in May of the same year agreed with William Eldredge to bring them boards and planks to finish the building, the same to be delivered by the middle of June. The inhabitants chose George Godfrey and William Nickerson to receive the finishing, if brought, and if not brought, they were to look elsewhere and buy boards and planks and all other finishing for the house. At the same meeting they made a rate of £6, 14s., 2d. to pay for the meeting house frame. In August the inhabitants met and ordered that "those men that had not took ther torn in going out to get the tember for the meten hous nor drod ther lod nor help to frame, that they should pay them that ded the work for them and when the reat is made it shold be took from thar reat that had don the work and aded to them that had not took thar torn in doing the work."
46. The order of the Colony Conrt dated June 1679 (see page 87 snpra) establishes the fact that there was no meeting house at Monomoit at that date. If any had been erected after 1679 and before 1700, it would naturally have been mentioned somewhere in the vote of the town in 1700 and some disposition made of It. The vote of 1700 Is to bulld "a meten hous," and nothing is said about any former one. It is evident from the vote that all the timber put into it was new. In 1728, when the second meeting house was built, the vote was to build a "new meeting house" and the old one was mentioned.
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
After the framing which seems to have taken place in the early summer, the work progressed slowly, but in the autumn it was so far advanced that at a meeting in October the inhabitants " ded agree with Thomas Atkenes to look after the meten hons and sweep it and to lok and unlok it as occasin sarve and at the same meten the inhabitence ded agree that thar shold be a reat mad of eleven pound to defra our town charges and promessed Thomas Atkenes ten shiling a yeare for his panes of sweping the meten hous." The finishing was not all completed this year, for in May 1701 the selectmen were instructed to buy more finishing and go on and finish the meeting house.
The building when completed, was plain and rough, but was doubtless one of the most pretentious affairs in the village. There were no shingles nor clapboards upon it and no glass for the windows. There was no steeple nor even portico. Inside there were no pews except, possibly, one for the family of the minister. Long benches were arranged facing the pulpit on each side of a centre aisle. The men sat on one side of the aisle, the women on the other side, the oldest persons occupying the front seats and the others being arranged in the order of age. It was used for all public meetings of the village whether religions or secular.
Mr. Vickery gathered his people into this new building and a period of prosperity and content seemed to stretch out before them, when suddenly he was taken away from them by a disaster, which cast the village into a state of gloom for many months, and which must have seriously retarded its spiritual and material development. On April 30, 1702, he went out in an open boat with a party of vil- lagers, probably on a fishing or whaling trip. The boat in some way was overturned, it is supposed, and all in the party were drowned." The names of his companions are 47. Rev. Joseph Lord In his Diary (Yarmouth Register Dec. 17, 1846) writes: "After his [William Nickerson's] death there was no one that was settled as a teacher to the
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nowhere given, but it is certain that Lieut. Nicholas Eldredge, William Cahoon and Edward Small per- ished with him. 4 Mr. Vickery left a widow and seven children, the oldest being of age. Ilis widow survived him only a few years, dying of a lingering illness not long before 1706, when the property, neglected on account of the widow's affliction and therefore depreciated in value, was assigned to the two sons, Jonathan and David, they paying certain sums of money to their five sisters." Later the Court, for reasons stated, assigned the whole to Jonathan, subject to the aforesaid payments, who sold it early in 1714 to Thomas Atkins.50 The family had prob- ably left the village before this time. The son Jonathan settled in Truro as early as 1706, and several of his sisters had married in Eastham.51
Lieut. Nicholas Eldredge, who also lost his life in this disas- ter, was the eldest son of Robert and Elizabeth (Nickerson) Eldredge, born at Yarmouth August 18, 1650. He lived
people, that I can hear of, till Mr. Jonathan Viccory became such; ye time of whose coming among them I am not certified of. But ye first mention of him that I have yet found in ye town record Is in ye year 1697. lle continued bere till he was drowned by going in a boat, which was overset (as is supposed) and all that were with him were drowned likewise. But ye time of this and how long he cor tinned here, I have not yet learned. But I find him mentioned in ye record in ye year 1699. Since I wrote what is just before, I have found a receipt of bis In the year 1700, where he wrote his name Vickery. But, as I have since learned, he was drowned on ye last day of ye second month 1702."
48. Administration on the estates of these three men was granted at about the same time and their inventories were taken on the same day by the same persons, John Doane, William Eldredge and Thomas Atkins. The Probate Records state that they each died on April 30. There is a well defined tradition in the Small family that thelr ancestor was drowned.
49. Barnstable Probate Records.
50. See note 86 page 124.
51. Children of Jonathan and Elizabeth (Hudson) Vickery (order uncertain) : Jonathan, b. about 1683. m. Mary, perhaps daughter of Nicholas Eldredge, about 1705. 2. Elizabeth, b -, m. Jonathan Collins, son of Joseph of Eastham. Jan. 27. 1704-5 (East. Rec.) 3. Joanna, b. , m. Samuel Treat, Jr., of Eastham Oct. 27, 1708 (East. Rec.) 4. Mary. b. -. 5. David, b. -, m. 1st Mary Cooke Apr. 24, 1718 (Truro Rec.), m. 2nd Martha Mayo, dau. of Samuel of Eastham (int. Apr. 29, 1720). 6. Rebecca. b. - , m. John Wing, son of John of Harwich July 24, 1723 (Har. Rec.) 7. Sarah, b. -. m. Thomas Higgins of Eastham Jan. 28. 1721-5 (East. Rec.)
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM.
at Oekpeset on the farm, formerly of Teague Jones, which he bought in 1686 of Elisha Hedge of Yarmouth. Ile also owned the John Downing farm, bought of Hedge at the same time, and thirty acres of meadow at Red River Neck. 52 He appears to have been the leader of the village in military matters and was the representative at the first General Court of the Colony in 1692 after the consolidation. Ad- ministration on his estate was granted to his widow Eliza- beth July 9, 1702. His inventory shows that he had considerable live stock and owned half a share in a whale boat belonging to the village and in which, perhaps, the party were drowned. Ilis widow was living as late as April 1713.53
William Cahoon may have been related to JJoseph Cahoon, who was under guardianship of Caleb Lumbert and Joseph Kent in 1681,54 and was doubtless a brother of James Cahoon, who was a soldier under Capt. John Gorham in 1690 in the expedition to Canada. 55 He married
52. Deed from Elisha Hedge to Nicholas Eldredge dated March 22, 1685 6 (Certified copy in M. L. Luce papers). For a detailed description of the property described in this deed see page 107 supra and notes 10 and 11 page 109 supra.
53. Deed from James Eldredge to Thomas Howes dated April 6, 1713. M. L. Luce papers.
Children of Nicholas and Elizabeth Eldredge (order uncertain) : 1 Mary, b. m. perhaps Jonathan Vickery about 1705. 2. Ellzabeth. b. - , m. Samuel Harding, son of Joseph of Eastham Ang. 28, 1707 (East. Rec ) 3. James, b. - , m. Ruth -. (His will, dated In 1757, calls Solomon Collins his "brother-in-law," but this is an error. Solomon Collins was the father-in-law of Rebecca, dan of James Eldredge, and this may have caused the mistake. Solomon Collins, son of John, married Eunice, dan. of Samuel Atkins (see estate of said Samnel. ) James Eldredge must have married a Ruth, daughter of John Collins, In order to be brother-in-law of Solomon, for Sammel Atkins had no danghter Ruth, who could have married James Eldredge, but there is no evidence that John Collins had a daughter Ruth. ttis will, dated in 1749, mentions by name three daughters and a child of a deceased danghter.but does not mention any Ruth . 4. John, b. -, probably died unmarried, as in his last slekness he was ill three weeks at the house of his brother James, who was appointed hls admin- Istrator Feb. 20, 1722-3. 5. Martha, b. -. probably m Benjamin Snow of Eastham, son of Joseph, as 2nd wife Ang. 7, 1723 (East. Rec. ) 6. Nicholas, b. -. , m. Hannah - before 1724, had one child and dled about 1768 (Chat. Rec ) He was unfortu- nate. 7. Desire, b. -. m. Ist Charles Galop of Chatham Nov. 10, 1726; 2nd John Dune of Barnstable Oct. 26, 1749 (Chat. Rec. )
54 Plym. Col. Rec. V1, 69.
55. State Archives, Vol. 114, 116.
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Elizabeth, daughter of William and Merey ( Williams) Nickerson,56 not long after 1690. By deed dated Septem- ber 14 1695, he bought of Abraham Chase of Harwich, son of William, a tract of about 60 acres in the Hall neighbor- hood at Harwich, bounding west on Coy's Brook. Two thirds part of this farm he sold, by deed dated JJune 8 1696, to Samuel Nickerson of Monomoit and the remaining 20 acres, being the north part of the lot, he sold by deed dated June 3 1697 to John Smith, later of Harwich, receiving in each case in exchange the property of the grantee at Monomoit. 57 In 1697 he was living on one of the farms of Samuel Smith at Monomoit, bought of John Savage.58 Ilis inventory mentions a parcel of upland on the north side of the Herring Brook, a meadow lot at Gregory's Neck and one twelfth of a "whale boat well fitted."59 Administration was granted to his widow July 10, 1702.
Edward Small or Smalley was the son of Francis Smalley of Ossipee, N. H., Kittery, Me., and other places, who removed to Truro late in life and died there.60 Edward married Mary Woodman, daughter of Judge John and Mary (Field) Woodman of Dover, N. H.,61 and was residing there in that part now Durham as late as 1694. He was of Monomoit as early as 1696. His brothers, Francis, Daniel and Benjamin, settled in Truro. He did not buy land here, as his inventory in 1702 shows only personal estate. He
56. Records Superior Court of Judicature VII, 31; Barnstable Probate Records, estate of William Cahoon.
57. Joslah Paine papers.
58. Barnstable Probate Records, estate of Sammel Smith.
59. Children of William and Elizabeth (Nickerson) Cahoon: 1. William, b. - , m. Sarah -about 1716. (They removed to Harwich soon after 1727. Their chil- dren were Mercy, b. May 7. 1717, Sarah, b. Mar. 4, 1719-20, James, b. May 8, 1721, William, Nathaniel, John, Reuben, Downing. Deliverance, Elizabeth, Mary. ) 2. James, b. - , m. Mary -. (They removed to Eastham after 1722. Their children were Moses, James, Reuben, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Hannah, Lydia). 3. Others unknown.
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