History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 217

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I > Part 217

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This road was Main Street, and the Clark house, now owned by Mrs. Laura Ham, was probably built by him, or William Adams, who was doubtless a son, not many years afterwards. This William was living in the parish in 1730. There was an Isaac Adams, who, in 1729, bought the homestead of Jonathan Look, in Byfield parish, of forty-five acres, with dwelling- house and barn. This was on the borders of Newbury, and near the brook, called Andover Spring Brook (Parker River), and was in the vicinity of the old Pearson honse if not that house itself. The last of the name to live in the Clark house was Capt. Benja- min Adams, known as " Lawyer Ben." He won the title from his pugnacity and fondness for litigation. Capt. "Mirabeau" was another familiar name. He obtained this from a fancied resemblance to the famous French advocate. A family likeness to Isaac, who was probably his grandfather, is seen in the complaint of neglect, and the demand for settlement, of land damages, in the original deed from Plumer. He was captain of infantry in several campaigns during the Revolutionary War, was on duty in Rhode Island, and in New York in 1777. Representative to General Court in 1778 and 1780. He removed to Ohio about 1812, and aged citizens can recall the appearance of the wagons loaded with his household goods as they left the town for the long journey westward. Some years afterwards, a son, who was a physician, returned on a visit, driving a superb pair of horses which created quite a sensation in the town.

Abraham Adams, of Newbury, styled mariner in many deeds of land, began to buy freeholds in 1715.

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In 172I, and later, he purchased twenty-eight lots, mostly on Range G, in the " Three thousand acres." He had not less than two hundred acres of land, but whether he ever settled here or not is uncertain. He doubtless had that intention, but, as a mariner, may have been lost at sea. From the name, it is probable that he was the father of Abraham Adams, whose name first appears on the parish records in 1755, and who bought the original Chaplin honse, which was built about 1723, just front of the present residence of Mrs. W. M. Shute, on the early-named Fairface Plain (now South Georgetown) and Nelson Street. This house was bought of Jeremiah Chaplin or his heirs not far from 1750, and was occupied during the building of the present house, which was erected about 1812. The original building was removed to King Street near Groveland Village and is still occupied. This was a building of two stories, having but one room in width, without a kitchen in the rear.

Rev. Phineas Adams, pastor of Third Church (West Haverhill), was from this house. He had the title of A.M. in 1766, was probably a collegiate grad- uate, and ordained in 1771. During the investment of Boston by General Washington, after the battle of Bunker Hill, the patriotism of this eolonial pastor was shown by a contribution of his entire herd of cattle, numbering twenty or more head, which were driven to Cambridge to be slaughtered for the army. Pre- vious to 1720 there were several other families, set- tling or buying land preparatory to settlement.

Jonathan Wheeler, a son of Jonathan, then styled merchant, bought in 1715 the balance of the Payson land. This traet was on the southeast of the Shepard farm, and probably included what is now known as the Searl farm, so that Wheeler, as well as Bradstreet, lived near, or on Searl Street. This Captain Jonathan Wheeler and family removed to West Haverhill in 1738, and were dismissed to the Third Church ; selling their farm to Samuel Harriman, who was the direet aneestor of Governor Walter Harriman, of Warner, N. H., for Samnel, it has been said, for a time lived in that neighborhood. This Samuel was one of the sons of Jonathan Harriman.

John Hazen, carpenter, son of Edward, of Boxford, built in 1717 a house in South Georgetown on East Street. He was the first to build in that afterwards (for the time) populons locality. He married, in 1715, Sarah, the twin sister of the third Philip Nel- son. His house is supposed to have stood on the south side of the street, not far from the Dry Bridge road, and on the road known as the Red Shanks highway. This highway began at what is now Elm Street, near the Deacon Haskell Perley house, and extended along the height of the land, over the farm now owned by John S. Kimball, past the an- cient Merrill house at the corner, and southerly to this Hazen house. From this point it crossed the upland to the present Salem road, near Mr. Buek- minister's, and then westerly, until it made a june-

tion with the early-opened Salem road, on the plain near Timothy Perkins' in Boxford, not far from the house of Francis Marden. The Salem road, past Ed- ward Hazen's (now T. B. Masury), was not opened, and some one living there had often said that he hoped not to live long enough to see a highway past this house. His wishi was realized, for at about the time this road was opened, tradition tells us, his death occurred. There was also a road over the hills to the westward, leading to the Spoffords', probably the path now used by Sherman Nelson, to the hill known as the Vineyard lands. Where the bridge over Pen Brook, on East Street, now is, was then the fording-place. Edward Hazen having used this path in going to Deacon Brocklebank's and beyond, it be- came the road. John Hazen's land was south of the fording-place or bridge. On meadow bought of Ja- cob Perley at this time a dam is mentioned in the deed.

Samuel Hazen had land in 1725 below Pen Brook, and in 1729 had settled, or was abont to settle, in this locality. He was, it is thought, the first owner of the farm now owned by John S. Kimball. Until 1717, any land sold in this part of Beverly was somewhat indefinite y located. From the date of the third division of common land, which was made at about 1700, any lots disposed of were in the form of free- holds, but in 1717 the " Three Thousand Acres " was laid out in ranges, not, however, beginning at one boundary line of the town and continuing in regular alphabetical order, but on a method understood at the time. It seems to have been attempted to make a highway, or at least a proprietors' way; a boundary on one or both of the sides of these ranges. A and B were located in the Red Shanks Hill district. L was south of Nelson Street. C and D south of and along Baldpate Street. Around Rock Pond the land was laid out as H. South of Andover Street over the Thurston land (now a part of the Samuel Little farm) was range R, with S and T opposite, on the present Samuel Noyes' place, and beyond westwardly. Land grants were often made before this careful mapping of the territory, and afterwards it would be found that the lot was already ineluded in a previous grant or purchase, as, for instance, eleven years after Isaac Adams bought his farm near Pentucket Pond of Pinmer, he found that the town had given John Hazen two acres within the same farm. This was made satisfactory by a deed from Hazen. After John Hazen had built his house on East Street, his father was obliged to get his title to the farm, which he had given John, confirmed by the town. Something of the irritation which resulted can be conceived, and yet one can imagine that at an early period a little of tbe squatter-sovereignty feeling prevailed, and that possession and improvement were at least considered as nine points in the law. After 1717, the disposal by the town of both the upper and the middle commons was by a methodical system of ranges and lots. It will be remembered that the Brocklebank farms, all

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the Elder Reyner lands, which had come to the Hob- sons, and by them sold to other parties, and the Lam- bert farm, at this time owned by the Plumers, Harri- mans, Holmes and Adams, were by special grants, and already, in some cases, private deeds had been given, not once but twice, at different dates for the same laud. This disposal in 1717 was the balance of the common land above and below Pen Brook, and was by lots, and each lot recorded when drawn. The record of the names, as drawn, is missing from the collection of books at the Clerk's office in Rowley. Iu the deeds of these lots, given by individuals at a later day, this record was called the Book of Com- moners. The diagrams of these ranges, of different lengths, with the lots, from two to forty in number, are on record, carefully executed by some draughts- man before the lots were drawn.

The original titles to all the lands in the " Three Thousand Acres " not previously grauted, and much of the intervening middle commons, bear date at this important point, 1717. The community, the corporate body, the town, had the power thus delegated to it by the Colonial Government to graut personal titles to all land included within its domains, and the same power that granted, it would seem, could compel a surrender it needful for the public good.

The lots on these ranges were generally of about five acres in extent, long and quite narrow, a minute subdivision which is seen in the numerous division- fences, the stone foundations of which are still visible all over this tract. This division into such small lots led to many purchases by those intending to settle, so as to have acreage equal to the needs of a farm.

Perhaps the first of the early settlers to buy free- holds extensively in the three thousand acre tract was Richard Dole, cordwainer, of Rowley. He secured several, and after the division into lots, obtained from one and another by purchase or exchange, lots to the number of twenty-one. His first intentions were per- haps to locate on Red Shanks highway, buying land there in 1722. In 1726, however, he purchased largely south of Baldpate Street, and doubtless built a house there soon after. This house was probably built on land now owned by G. S. Weston, and which had for its last occupant the widow of Captain Moses Dole. Cuffee Dole, an African of ebon blackness, was the servant of this family until the death of the aged widow. It is said, that when but an infant, he was bought hy Captain Dole, in Danvers, for about ten pounds. A death-bed confession of the woman who sold him, was, that he was free-born and had been placed in her care by his mother living in Boston. Cuffee, hy diligent search, after years of servitude, found the story was true. Still he clung to his old home, until at the demolition of the old mansion, early in the present century, he became a member of the family of Rev. Mr. Braman, where he died. For many years, any invasion of his prerogatives, as care- taker at funerals and other public occasions, met with

his wrath and scorn. His grave in Union Cemetery is marked with this, " A respectable man of color." His estate, of one thousand dollars, was left to Mr. Braman.

There was another house, which was probably built on the Dole lands, not far from Baldpate Street, ou land now owned by Henry Kennett. It has been thought that this was an early Spofford house, but possibly it was the original house of Richard Dole. It had -the reputation for many years of being "a haunted house." Mr. Nathan Perley, John Bettis and others, watching with sick people, told strange stories of what they heard and saw. It was removed before this century and re-built in Sherman Nelson's house on Elm Street. No person now living can give any definite clue as to who, at any time, lived in it when on its former site.

Richard Boynton, perhaps the same, whose land adjoined the farm of John Brocklebank, near Pen Brook, bought thirteen lots on ranges S and T in 1724-25, on the north side of Andover Street, and built there. The house on the summit of Spofford's Hill, now owned by Samuel Noyes, is in part at least quite ancient, and doubtless is the original house. Moses Boynton, carpenter and bridge-builder, was living there less than three-fourths of a century ago.

Another family of some prominence who settled about a mile to the south, was that of Burpee. From the fact that Thomas Burpee, the west parish settler, sold his dwelling-house at the east end of the Ox- pasture in Rowley, in the winter of 1724, it is proba- ble that he came here soon afterwards. He built on the southerly slope, of what was soon known as Vine- yard Hill, on land now owned by Chas. E. Chaplin, and just about midway of Baldpate and Nelson Streets. From its sunny location, and the abund- ance of choice fruit grown on this sixty acre farm, it obtained the name of the Vineyard. On the height of the hill, just in the rear of the site of the house, on land that is now owned by Sherman Nelson (then Dole lands), stands the walnut tree, which has been a conspicuous mark for sailors, on our eastern coast, per- haps from the time that Thomas Burpee first came here, and it is still fresh and vigorous, There was a cross-way from the parish farm, occupied by the Spoffords, past this house, reaching Nelson Street, near the ancient Elm, at the foot of the hill, by Mrs. W. M. Shute's. From thence it connected with the Salem road past Oak Dell and over Pen Brook. Al- though this path has not been travelled for nearly a century, it shows in places the marks of the travel of former times. About 1787, this farm was sold, and a part of the house re-built, in the house of L. L. Dole on Elm Street. Amos Nelsou who built about 1767, the house of C. E. Chaplin, on Nelson Street, bought the land surrounding this Burpee house, and used a part as a kitchen for his own dwelling. Ebenezer Bur- pee, who lived here, a carpenter, was probably a son of Thomas, and was parish clerk for twenty-five years.

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Nathaniel Perkins, a son-in-law of Edward Hazen, about 1722, began to buy lots on range L, extending from Nelson Street (Fairface highway, then called) to Boxford Line, north of Lake Raynor. Afterwards buying the Cooper land, south of the town boundary, it carried his land to the shore of the lake. He also owned the Raynor meadow, just below and adjoin- ing the lake. His house was about midway between Nelson Street and the lake, and was erected about 1725. This farm was owned by himself and heirs until 1788, when it was sold to Major Asa Nelson, who lived on Nelson Street. Mr. Perkins was not connected with the west parish, and in no wise iden- titied with its interests. In 1766, he aided in the en- largement of the cemetery, near B. S. Barnes' house, in Boxford. In the winter of 1778, there were several sick with the small-pox in the Perkins house and vicinity, the sickness finally became epidemic, and this house being isolated from other habitations was used as the hospital or pest house. Several vic- tims were buried near the foot-path leading to the lake, about forty rods from the house. It was claimed that the smoke, from the chimneys of houses where the sick were, carried the disease from one house to another in this locality. The families of Amos and Asa Nelson, Mr. Perkins' neighbors on Nelson Street, removed, the one to the Burpee, the other to the Brocklebank house, the men only daily returning to care for the barns and farm-stock. This Perkins family, like many others at that time, are said to have removed to New Hampshire. On a little knoll just southeast from Edward U. Nelson's house, who with his sister are owners of this farm, is a hollow, said to have been dug by a member of the Perkins family, as the cellar for an intended house. It is said the death of this young man, during the war of the Revolution, whether abroad or at home, is not known, left this hollow as the only memorial of the house that was to be. This Perkins honse had a chequered history, much more than the average New England farm- house. It was taken down in 1856, the material being used in building the house of W. M. Dorgan, on Pond Street.

William Fiske was settled in this town as early as 1727. His father, Samuel Fiske, of Wenham, bought property in Boxford late in the seven- teenth century. In 1716 he deeded to his son William the dwelling-house he was then in possession of. In the spring of 1727 William bought of Abraham How, of Ipswich, a lot on range H below Pen Brook, In October of that year, he was in Rowley. It is said that his house was built east of the honse of Mrs. Sylvanns Merrill, near the lower end of the garden. lle was a constituent member of the First Congrega- tional Church in Georgetown, being one of the eigh- teen males dismissed from Byfield, and was at once elected deacon. The family seems to have become extinct at his death.

William Searle was an early settler on the Raynor

Plain (Marlborough). His father, William, came to Rowley perhaps from Ipswich between 1680 and '90, and doubtless died as a member of Captain Philip Nelson's company, in Governor Phips' expedition against Quebec. William Searle, of the west parish, married Jane, a granddaughter of Captain Philip Nelson, about 1722, and settled here soon afterward. The ancient house, supposed to be built by him, was demolished by Deacon John Platts more than a half- century ago. The house now owned by Mrs. Sylva- nns Merrill was built on the same site. Mr. Searle was, like his neighbor Deacon Fiske, a constituent member of the First Church, and was also made a deacon at the organization.

Another house, thought to have been built prior to 1730, and still standing, is on Chaplin's Court, and the property of Miss Jane Edmonds. This was per- haps built by Jonathan, a brother or son of Jeremiah Chaplin. Here lived Elder Asa, and here was born, in 1776, or early resided, his son Jeremiah Chaplin, D.D., the first president of Colby University, Water- ville, Me., and who continued in office fifteen years. It is said that Gen. B. F. Butler was under his instruction for several years. Descendants noted as educators and in the world of letters are his son Jeremiah, a Baptist clergyman and writer, the husband of Jane Dunbar, and the father of Heman L., a lawyer in Boston ; Mrs. Hannah, wife of Prof. George Conant, of Hamilton, N. Y., in whose family his last years were spent, and other daughters, who married Baptist ministers. Dr. Chaplin united with the Baptist Church in Georgetown before his eleventh year. He was a graduate of Brown University, 1799. An item in the account book of Benjamin Adams, of South Georgetown, is, "Dr., June, 1799, Elder Asa Chaplin for use of chaise to go to Providence to see Jeremiah graduate."

A name of distinction for about three-fourths of a century was that of Thurston. Sergt. Daniel Thurs- ton, of Newbury, bought freeholds west of Pen Brook as early as 1714.

After the division into ranges and lots, he acquired several lots by purchase or exchange on Range R, south of Andover Street, upon which a house was built. It is not known whether he setttled here, but Jonathan Thurston, probably a son, was living here doubtless in 1731. He and wife Lydia were original members of the First Church, and may have been settled here a year or two prior to 1730. Mr. Thurston was the first parish clerk, holding the ollice eight years. The house, a spacious mansion with eight square rooms, was sold in 1800, with the farm of forty or more acres to Rev. Isaac Braman. Much of the. material of this vener- ated mansion when demolished was used by George J. Tenney in the erection of Tenney's Hall, now the residence of Mr. H. N. Harriman. Three generations of the Thurston family had dwelt under its roof, Daniel and Stephen finally removing, the one to Ipswich the other to Andover. The descendants who visit with

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reverence the spot where the house once stood are numerous and influential.

The southerly slope of Baldpate Hill was partially cleared by Nathaniel Mighill, of Rowley, who was a grandson of Deacon Thomas Mighill (the first who cleared land in Georgetown), at an early date. In 1716 Nathaniel began his extensive purchase of land. Later, perhaps in 1724 or '25, having bought lots on rauges D and E, he built the easterly front of the present Mig- hill house, on Baldpate Street. It is a family tradition that it was not permanently occupied for some years. Some of the family, it is said, spent the summer months here, returning to Rowley in the autumn, and that one son and then another would attempt to set- tle, only to go back to the old homestead. Finally, Stephen Mighill, the eldest, about 1733 or '34 removed here, was elected deacon in 1747, and was quite active in parish affairs. Iu all deeds he was styled "maltster." This was the partial occupation of the family in Row- ley; the malt-house of Deacon Thomas of date 1650, was located just east of the barn of his descendants, the present owners of the estate. The malt-house at their Georgetown estate was standing and continued to bear this name until within the past twenty years. The family of Deacon Stephen Mighill were quite aristocratic, and had negro servants. One by the name of Sabina was afterwards in Rev. Mr. Chandler's family, and was remembered hy him in his will. Chloe was another, and is said to have been purchased by Mr. Amos Nelson. He gave her the freedom she coveted. Another of Mr. Nelson's colored friends lived for many years in Boxford, and annually presented her bene- factor with stockings and mittens of her own knit- ting.

David Mighill, a grandson of the Deacon, graduated at Dartmouth in 1809, and was a town physician for about forty years. He had conferred upon him the degree of LL.D. as well as that of M.D. He first practiced in Dunbarton, N. H., where he married Betsy Mills and where his eldest son John (Mills) was born, who now resides on the old farm. He had quite an inventive gift, and one of his devices, a pump, proved very valuable to the party who obtained the patent. Stephen, a son of the above, was in medical practice for several years in Roxbury and Boston. His sister Irene married Dr. Moses Spofford, who for many years divided the practice of the town and parish with Dr. Mighill, his brother-in-law.

Mr. Nelson was highly esteemed by the parish, was frequently an assessor, and was treasurer and collector for perhaps twenty years.

His descendants of special prominence are Hon. Jeremiah Nelson, late of Newburyport, who was a member of Congress from the Essex North district for several terms; Rev. William B. Dodge, who for years was noted as an educator and philanthropist, the "Master Dodge," of Salem, Mass., and General G. M. Dodge, chief engineer of the Central Pacific Railroad, who was urged by President Grant, it has been said, to take the position of Secretary of War in his first cabinet, but declined the honor. A daughter, Huldah, who married Elder Samuel Harriman, died in March, 1848, aged one hundred years and nearly six months. In native vigor of mind and mental acumen, and although comparatively uneducated, hav- ing much of the masculine force of the historian Han- nah Adams, she perhaps exceeded any other person of her sex ever born in the town.

CHAPTER LIII.

GEORGETOWN .- Continued.

PARISH ORGANIZATION-FIRST CONGREGATIONAL AND BYFIELD.

AT the beginning of the year 1700 there were about twenty families settled within the limits of the terri- tory now known as Georgetown. Of this number four-fifths at least were in the easterly or Byfield sec- tion of the town. With two possible exceptions, that of John and Samuel Spofford, who went to Bradford meeting, all attended religious services at Rowley. Not less than one hundred and twenty families, with a population of over six hundred, were residents of Rowley at that time. They were liberal toward their ministers. The estate of Mr. Rogers was appraised at fifteen hundred pounds, perhaps equal to twenty- five thousand dollars in our day, while Mr. Shepard, after a pastorate of only about three years died, leav- ing an estate equal by our standard to nearly ten thonsand dollars.

The Rowley farmers were prosperous, and in view of their prosperity there should have been a readiness to . aid the weak parishes in the interior. Instead, the people of Rowley village (afterwards Boxford), were to pay one-half of their minister-rates to Topsfield.

Solomon Nelson was another early settler. Soon after his marriage to Mercy, the daughter of Jeremiah Chaplin in 1725, he and his cousins followed their uncle Gershom to what was then the town of Mendon, now The Topsfield meeting was the one they attended, and why not have granted them authority to pay all their rates to Topsfield and aid that slow-growing settle- ment. Communities were isolated, wrapped up in their own local interests, and there was very often manifest, a marked want of breadth and generons feeling. One peculiar feature, shown in documents Hopedale, where he bought land in the wilderness, and remained there until 1729. Returning to Rowley in April, he bought a lot of five acres on range M, and probably built that year on the spot upon which the house of the writer stands, now occupied by Leon S. Gifford. The original house, with its additions, be- came quite extensive, and was taken down in 1838. . of the time, bearing on the alliance between church

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. I, Part 217

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1538

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton), ed. n 85042884-1
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1538