USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Orleans > History of Eastham, Wellfleet and Orleans, Barnstable Co., Mass from 1644-1844 > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Eastham > History of Eastham, Wellfleet and Orleans, Barnstable Co., Mass from 1644-1844 > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Barnstable County > Wellfleet > History of Eastham, Wellfleet and Orleans, Barnstable Co., Mass from 1644-1844 > Part 13
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The land east of this river is named Barley neck. The land here is better than that of Tonset.
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On the east side of Barley neck are coves, which commu- nicate with Pleasant bay, and which separate the neck from Nauset beach.
The land which is situated between Barley and Tonset necks, and which terminates in Wood's neck, is called Po- chet. Here there is also some good land.
North-east of Pochet, near the ocean, is a small neck of land, containing about fifty acres, called Weeset. It is sep- arated from Tonset by a cove.
These several necks constitute a peninsula, the whole of which is denominated Pochet. The isthmus is not more than half a mile wide, and is situated between Town cove and Zeb's cove on the south.
A narrow beach forms the barrier of the waters which wash the eastern shores of Orleans. At Nauset harbor it joins the main land. On this beach, about half way between the entrances of Nauset and Chatham harbors, the trustees of the Humane Society, some years ago, built a hut to shelter the shipwrecked mariner.
Near this place, many years ago, was the mouth of Port- mumqutt harbor, which filled up gradually.
This beach, on the inside, the most of the way, is skirted with salt marsh.
There are several islands in Pleasant bay, within the limits of Orleans
The largest is Pochet island, which is east of Barley neck, and contains the best land in the township. On its north- east side is a small body of salt marsh.
South-west of Pochet island is Sampson's island, contain- ing about thirty acres of good land. For many years after the first settlement of the town this island was used entirely for pasturing sheep. East of it and near it is a large body of salt marsh.
On the south, and connected with it at low water, is Hog island, containing about ten acres.
Southerly of Hog island is Sepson's island, which covers an extent of twenty acres.
These islands add much beauty to this sheet of water, and
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give it a just title to the name which it has received, that of Pleasant bay.
Nearly opposite to this town, in the ocean, it is said, is the point where the tides from Narragansett and Massachusetts bays meet, and whence they separate,-the flow of the sea above this point being towards the north, and below it towards the south.
Leaving the peninsula of Pochet, and travelling round Or- leans river or creek, on the west side of it is Naumkoyick neck, which is formed by Higgins' river on the north of it, and Naumkoyick creek on the south.
The south part of the township is called Potanumaquiet. This territory was inhabited by the Nauset tribe of Indians a long time after the settlement of the town. Their burying- place is still to be seen, and it is not more than seventy years since their meeting-house was standing.
The land here is light and sandy. It is mostly cleared, only a small.part being now covered with brush-wood.
In the north-west part of the town, or the part bordering on Barnstable bay, is Namskaket creek, which is three quar- ters of a mile long, and which, as far as it goes, is the divid- ing line between Orleans and Brewster. It is very narrow, and its mouth is not quite so deep as Rock harbor. The territory near it, as well as the creek itself, is called Skaket. The land is light and sandy.
Little Skaket creek is some distance north of the Nam- skaket, and still smaller.
Rock Harbor creek, lying north of Little Skaket, is nearly. dry at, low water, and at high tide is not more than seven feet deep. On all these creeks there are bodies of salt marsh. There are no brooks in the town; but there are sixteen fresh water ponds, which serve for the watering of cattle and other purposes. .
From the description now given, it is apparent that there is a portion of good land in the township; but the greatest part of the soil is light and sandy, and some absolutely bar- ren. Pochet island, years ago, would produce twenty bush- els of Indian corn to an acre, without manuring; Barley and
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Tonset necks, fifteen without and thirty with manure. The horse-foot, or king-crab, was formerly much used for manuring land when planted with Indian corn and potatoes. It was chopped into small pieces, of which not more than one or two were put in a hill: but while it aided the crop it tended to exhaust the land. For many years. attention has been paid to the collection of sea-weed from the shores; but more at the present time than formerly. It is spread on the land, and ploughed into the furrow, and sometimes put into the potato hills. The corn raised here is solid and heavy, and formerly many hundred bushels were annually sent to Boston market. Rye and other vegetables are produced, sufficient for the consumption of the inhabitants. Some cat- tle are fattened for the home market, and several. are sold in the towns below. Sufficient butter is manufactured for the use of the inhabitants. Forty years ago not more than ten tons of English hay was cut; at the present time the quanti- ty is estimated at two hundred tons. Peat and other swamp lands have been cleared and sown with English grass. The salt marshes are of two kinds, sedge and short grass, and nearly eight hundred tons of salt hay are cut. There are a number of small orchards.
Very little wood is left in the township. The inhabitants use peat for fuel. This article is a good substitute for wood, and there are many swamps and meadows from which it can be obtained in sufficient quantities. The people were igno- rant that they possessed this important article, until (many years ago) their minister, Mr. Osborn, who had learned che use of it in Ireland, first pointed it out, and taught them the art of drying and preparing it.
But the shores and coves of Orleans are more fertile than the land. The riches hid in the sands are not easily estima- ted. Though oysters are not to be found on the shores of Orleans, yet quahaugs and clams abound in greater profusion there than in any other part of the county.
The quahaug is a round and thick shell-fish. It does not bury itself deep in the sand, is generally found lying on it in deep water, and is taken with iron rakes made for the pur-
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pose. Sometimes a few 'are picked up above low water mark. It is but little inferior to the oyster. It is cooked in various ways; roasted, boiled, fried, or made into soups or pies. About half an inch of the inside of the shell is of a purple color. This the Indians broke off and converted into beads, which they called black money: it was of double the value of. wampum, or white money made of the peri- winkle.
The sea clam is found on the flats. at low water. Before the Indians learned of the English the use of the hoe, they billed their corn with these shells, for which use they were adapted by their size.
The small clam is found in much greater abundance, and the business is a source of much greater profit. They bury themselves in the sand, from four to eighteen inches deep. The Indians were very fond of them, and being unacquaint- ed with salt, they tuade use of thein and their liquor to sea- son their nasaump and boiled corn. They are considerably used by the inhabitants for food, and would be more valued. if they were less common; but as long as a peck of clams, which is sufficient to afford a small family a dinner, can be procured with a little more labor than a peck of sand, they will not be very highly prized. Previous to 1802 five hun- dred barrels were annually dug here for bait. In that year one thousand barrels were collected, and for years afterwards. Between one and two hundred of the inhabitants were em- ployed in this business, and received from their employers three dollars a barrel for digging, opening, salting and filling the casks .. From twelve to eighteen bushels in the shell must be dug to fill a barrel, when opened. A man can earn at the business seventy-five cents a day.
A barrel of clams was worth six dollars.
A thousand bushels of clains are equal in value to six or eight thousand bushels of corn, and are procured with much less labor and expense. When, therefore, the fishes with which the coves of Orleans abound are taken into consider- ation, they may be truly regarded as more beneficial to the inhabitants than if the space which they occupy were cover. ed with the richest soil.
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The riches which they yield are inexhaustible ; for after a portion of the shore has been dug over and nearly all the clams taken out, at the end of two years, it is said, they are as plenty as ever. It is even said, by many persons, that it is as necessary to stir the clam ground frequently as it is to hoe a field of corn; because, if this is not done, the clans will be crowded so closely as to prevent them from attaining any size.
The land in Orleans is cultivated mostly by old men and small boys, as the male population between the ages of twelve and forty-five are engaged in the cod fishery and other des- criptions of seafaring business. The fishing vessels in which they make their voyages are but few of them owned in the town, but are taken on shares from Duxbury, Plymouth, Boston and other places. The only vessels owned in Orleans in 1800 were three coasters, which brought fire-wood and lumber from the state of Maine, and one packet, plying be- tween Rock harbor and Boston. At the present time there are two packets, some larger vessels engaged in commerce, and a few other small vessels.
When the census was taken in 1800 the number of inhab- itants was 1095. There were one hundred and seventy-four families, who occupied one hundred and forty-two dwelling- bouses. The houses were generally neat, convenient build- ings ; five of them only were two stories in height. There was no village in the town, but the population was scattered: There were then three school-houses and the meeting-house, which stood on the isthmus of Pochet, and two wind-mills.
In 1830 there were two hundred dwelling-houses and a- - bout three hundred families. The valuation of the real and personal property was $150,624.
An academy was built in 1827. This building is of con- venient size and two stories in height. It contains a school- room in the lower story and a hall above. The ' building is owned by proprietors, who employ teachers qualified to in- struct, in the higher branches of learning, those who have passed through the town schools. This institution has been of great importance to those engaged in seafaring pursuits,
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in furnishing them with the instruction necessary to the pros- ecution of their business, as well as to others of both sexes who remain at home. Many have hiere been qualified as teachers, and have taken charge of the town schools.
By an act of the General Court of Massachusetts, passed the third : day of March, 1797, this part of Eastham was separated from that town and incorporated as an independent township, with all the privileges and immunities of the other towns in the commonwealth. Signed by the speaker of the House, Edward H. Robbins ; the president of the Senate, Samuel Phillips, and by the governor, Samuel Adams.
Isaac Sparrow, Esq., was authorized and empowered by the act to issue his warrant to some principal inhabitant of the town of Orleans, requesting him to notify and warn the inhabitants to meet at some suitable time and place in the town, to choose such officers as other towns were by law re- quired to choose in the months of March and April annually.
The above act secured to the town of Orleaus forever all the ministerial lands then occupied and improved by the Rev. Mr. Bascom, situated in the town of Eastham. It was also enacted that the shell-fishery should remain and be en- joyed by the inhabitants of Eastham and Orleans, in the same manner as before, and should be regulated by the selectmen of each town.
Isaac Sparrow, Esq., issued his warrant to Hezekiah Hig- gins to notify and warn the freeholders and others qualified to vote in town affairs to meet at the public meeting-house in said town, on the 16th day of March.
The town being assembled, agreeable to the above notice, made choice of Hezekiah Higgins as moderator. Benjamin Taylor was chosen town-clerk and treasurer; Hezekiah Hig- gins, Heman Linnel and Judah Rogers were chosen select- men, and all other necessary town officers were chosen.
It was also agreed to send a petition to the General Court, praying them to pass an act to prevent all persons from other towns from catching eels in Orleans, and Simeon Kingman, Hezekiah Higgins and Jonathan' Hopkins were chosen as a committee to attend to it.
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The votes of the town were polled for governor, &c. Increase Sumner, for governor, had 59; Edward H. Rob- bins, for lieutenant governor, 59; David Thacher, for sena- tor, 59. Simeon Kingman was chosen to represent the town in the General Court.
The town chose a committee of five persons to prosecute the inhabitants of other towns for taking shell-fish in the town of Orleans.
Money was raised for the support of the gospel and for a town school or schools, and a committee was appointed to regulate the latter. An addition was also made to Rev. Mr. Bascom's salary. $333 33 was raised to support the schools, and $366 for the support of the poor. The town agreed that three school-houses should be built in the three districts, under the direction of the selectmen. Fish wardens were chosen. A committee was appointed to agree with East- ham, and also with the two parishes in Harwich, with respect to the taxing of real estate, lying in those towns, belonging to the inhabitants of Orleans.
A committee was appointed by a resolve of the General Court to repair to Orleans and Chatham, to ascertain, settle and establish the boundary line between said towns. 'Hav- ing met and fully heard the parties, together with their pleas and allegations, and having all the witnesses and records pro- duced by both parties, and maturely considered the same,' the committee agreed upon, settled and established the fol- lowing as the boundary line between said towns :- ' Beginning at the south-easterly corner of the town of Harwich, in Pleasant bay, from thence running easterly to the northward of Strong island to a stake set in the ground on Pocha beach, which stake bears south, seventy-five degrees east, from a black rock situated in the edge of the water of said bay, and from said stake a due east course into the sea; providing that nothing, in establishing the present line, shall be consid- ered as to affect private property.'
This committee were Isaac Thomson of Middleboro', John Dillingham of Brewster and Ebenezer Crocker of Barnstable. Their report was accepted by the General Court in February, 1797.
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1798. Increase Sumner, for governor, had 73 votes; Edward H. Robbins, for lieut. do., 58; Solomon Freeman, for senator, 116; Micajah Coffin of Nantucket, for repre- sentative to congress, 70. Simeon Kingman was chosen to represent the town in the General Court. The usual sum was raised to carry on the schools in the different parts of the town, and the minister and selectmen were constituted a committee to examine the teachers and regulate the schools.
1799. Micajah Coffin received 78 votes for representa- tive to congress.
Four families were set off from Eastham to this town.
1800. The death of General GEORGE WASHINGTON was noticed by the inhabitants, and at their request an ora- tion was delivered by the Rev. Jonathan Bascom, which was printed at the expense of the town.
The major part of the votes for governor, lieut. governor and senator had been given for some previous' years to In- crease Sumner, Edward H. Robbins and Solomon Freeman. This year Elbridge Gerry received, for governor, 90 votes; Moses Gill, for lieut. do., 55; Solomon Freeman, for sena- tor, 92; Isaiah L. Green, for representative to congress, 52.
The meeting-house was repaired and painted. 'The old porch on the front was taken down, and a new one, two sto- ries high, was built, in which the gallery stairs were placed; the end doors were closed and four new pews built, which were sold to pay the expense of the repairs, $482.
1802. According to Mr. Bascom's request, the town voted not to make good his salary, on account of the depre- ciation of money.
A pall was purchased to be used at funerals.
More attention than usual was given to the broken lands and the roads.
The bounds between this town and Brewster were re- newed.
1803. The General Court having granted to the county of Barnstable a township of land in the district of Maine, to endow a public academy, to be located in the most conven-
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ient part, Timothy Bascom, Esq., was chosen to meet the committee of said Court, on Tuesday the twenty-sixth day of July, to determine in what town it should be established. This institution was located in Sandwich.
1804. It was agreed that certain individuals might join with the people of Eastham to dig a canal from Town cove to the bay; that they might petition for an. act of incorpora- tion, and for a lottery, provided they would secure the town from all liability. The project failed.
James Sullivan, for governor, received 80 votes; William Heath, for lieutenant governor, 70; John Dillingham, for senator, 71.
New regulations were adopted for pasturing the flats and sedge grounds.
Isaiah L. Green, for representative to congress, received 72 votes; Lemuel Williams, for the same office, 10.
Money was appropriated for a singing-school.
1806. The school-houses, which belonged to the dis- tricts, were purchased for the town by a committee, viz. Mr. Hezekiah Higgins, Dea. Sparrow and Dea. Rogers, for the sum of six bundred and ninety dollars.
In 1807, the Rev. Jonathan Bascom died, aged sixty-sev- en, having labored here in word and doctrine thirty-five years. He was a man of good talents and acquirements; domestic in his habits; pious and devoted to his calling; facetious and kind in his disposition; and his death was much lamented by his people. He administered baptism 'to nine hundred and ninety-six persons,* admitted two bundred and forty-five to the church, and solemnized three hundred and seventeen marriages.
A small house was built for the town's military stores.
Mr. Benoni Baker was appointed by the town to prevent dogs from coming into the meeting-house on the Sabbath, and was paid for this service.
Hon. Isaiah L. Green, for representative to congress, re- ceived 28 votes.
* What was called the half-way covenant was in use at this time. Persons not belonging to the church, on owning this covenant, brought their children to be bap- tized.
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The town and church took measures to procure a candi- date for settlement in the ministry, and Mr. Jesse Fisher was heard. A call was given to him to settle with them, and $500 was voted as his salary; also, that he should have the liberty to be absent three Sabbaths each year; and that if be should be sick for some time the town would supply the pul- pit, and his salary stop, for that time. Mr. Fisher declined settling on these conditions.
1808. Mr. Daniel Johnson was then invited to preach to thein as a candidate. A unanimous call was extended to him to settle, and the sum of $585 was offered to him dur- ing his natural life, or $600 per annum, with the use of a pew in the meeting-house; his salary to be annually esti- mated-one quarter on corn, rye and flour, one quarter on dry cod-fish, one eighth on pork and beef, one eighth on wood, and one quarter on the remaining articles of consump- tion, in equal proportions.
The deacons of the church were appointed as a committee to inform Mr. Johnson of their proceedings, and to report to the town the result. This call and the conditions being sat- isfactory, he gave his answer in the affirmative, and was or- dained March 11th, 180S.
Mr. Willis of Kingston made the introductory prayer; sermon, by Rev. John Reed, D. D., of Bridgewater; or- daining prayer, by Rev. Hezekiah Sanger, D. D., of do .; charge, by Rev. William Shaw, D. D., of Marshfield; fel- lowship of the churches, by Rev. Philander Shaw of East- ham; and concluding prayer, by Rev. Mr. Kendall of Ply- mouth.
At this time Mr. Johnson's salary was. estimated as fol- lows :- Corn and rye, $1,00 per bushel; flour, $7,00 per barrel; dry cod-fish, $3,75 per quintal; beef, $5,75 per hundred; pork, $9,00 do. do .; butter, twenty-five cents per pound; cheese, thirteen cents do. do .; molasses, forty-four cents per gallon; oak wood, $8,50 per cord.
Mr. Johnson is a native of West Bridgewater, and gradu- ated at Brown university, 1804. He continued to be the pastor of the church twenty years, when he was dismissed as
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his own request, believing, in consequence of many unpleas- ant circumstances which existed at that time, that he might be more useful in some other part of the Lord's vineyard. He was to this town and church a very devoted and faithful minister of Jesus Christ.
When he was settled here he was a Unitarian and an Ar- minian, but he was soon convinced of these errors and hope- fully converted.
During his ministry here there were revivals of religion, and one hundred and fifty members were added to the church. He baptized five hundred and twenty-five persons and sol- emnized two hundred and forty-four marriages.
Since his dismission from this people he has been preach- ing in western New York, with good acceptance and suc- cess.
Capt. Gideon Gardner, for representative to congress, re- ceived 99 votes.
1809. Hon. Levi Lincoln, for governor, received 116 votes; Hon. Joseph B. Varnum, for lieutenant governor, 114; Hon. Joseph Diminick, for senator, 104.,
For the first time the town raised and assessed the tax to defray the expenses of the ministry separately from the mon- ey raised to pay the town charges.
1810. Hon. Elbridge Gerry, for governor, received 125 votes; William Gray, for lieutenant governor, 123; Joseph Dimmick, for senator, 111; Hon. Isaiah L. Green, for representative to congress, 30.
Power was given to the selectmen to establish the line and bounds between' this town, Chatham and Eastham.
About this time two new school-houses were built.
Money was raised to support the poor, and for all other town expenses.
Four new pews were made in the meeting-house, and the proceeds of their sale applied for the support of the gospel. A bass-viol was also purchased: this was the first instrument ever used to assist the singers in this place.
A remonstrance was sent to the General Court against a petition which the town of Brewster had presented to that
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body, praying that horses might run at large on the west shore.
1812. An attempt was made to enlarge the meeting- house, by carrying out the back end twelve feet, but as there were many opposed to it the project was relinquished.
The votes for governor and other state officers were the same as in former years. John Dillingham, Esq., for sena- tor, received 117 votes; John Reed, for do., 22, and for representative to congress, 35.
This year was memorable on account of the declaration of war with Great Britain. This being a fishing and commer- cial town, the inhabitants suffered much, being cut off from these employments, by which the greater portion of them ob- tained their support. But, notwithstanding this, they readi- ly and earnestly engaged in the defence of the country, and did what they could, both on the sea and on the land, to ob- tain those rights for which the war was waged. The militia was trained, equipped and held in readiness to obey the call of the government in defence of their own or other towns.
This was truly a republican town, and a great majority of the votes was invariably given for men of the same politi- cal sentiments, both for United States and state rulers.
1813. A road and landing-place was laid out at Rock harbor. The land being claimed by individuals as their pro- perty, much pains was taken to search the ancient records, from which it was found that this land was never set off to the claimants or their ancestors, but was the legal property of the town.
The town agreed to pay the expenses of training the mili- tia.
1814. The British ships of war were in Provincetown harbor, or cruising in the bay, and they threatened to land and destroy the salt-works, vessels and other property in the town. A committee of safety was appointed, and sentinels were placed on the west shore, to give the alarm if the enemy should attempt to carry their threats into execution.
John Reed, Esq., for representative to congress, received 30 votes; Thomas Hazard, for do., 25.
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It was voted to provide for the militia, whenever called out of town, till they arrived at head-quarters.
The exempts in the town proposed to form themselves in- to an artillery company, provided the government would fur- nish them with proper munitions of war. Simeon Kingman, Esq., was sent to Boston to communicate this proposal and obtain stores and pieces for said company, -the town having agreed to pay him twenty dollars for his time and expens- es,-but as he was unsuccessful and returned without the ar- ticles, the company was not organized.
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