History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 106

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672

USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 106

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Huglı Alley, Sr., one of the earliest and most prom- inent settlers at Nahant, the only one who kept his home there in opposition to the decree of Lynn that it should be sown to English grass, deserves more than a passing notice. The first that is known of him is in 1635, when, at the age of twenty-seven years, he embarked, a "no subsidy " man, from Stepney Parish in England, in the ship "Abigail," bound for New England. In company with him were Henry and Ann Collins, with three children- Henry, John and Margery. Hugh Alley probably married Mary Graves, daughter of Thomas Graves, by whom he had eight children,-Mary, born January 6, 1642 ; John, born November 30, 1646 ; Martha, born July 31, 1649; Sarah, born April 15, 1651; Hugh, born May 15, 1653 ; Solomon, born August 2, 1656; Hannah, born June 1, 1661 ; Jacob, born Sep- teniber 5, 1663. He must have settled at Nahant as early as 1647 or '48, as six of his children were born here. John Lewis, aged seventy-eight years, testifieth "that I plowed ye land in controversie for Hugh Alley for forty years from year to year, to my best re- membrance." Also by deposition of Benjamin Col- lins, aged about sixty years, who " testifieth to his knowledge that said Alley had another field within fence, where his house stood, some distance from ye land in controversie." Eleanor Hudson, aged seventy- seven years, gave the same testimony, and Joanna Alley, of full age, testified that she saw her mother- in-law, Mary Graves, above named, put James Mills in possession of "ye aforesaid house and land that was formerly in ye possession of Hugh Alley about thirty-three years since." According to this testi- mony of Joanna Alley, the house and barn of Hugh Alley were standing in 1673 or '74. These deposi- tions also show that the remainder of Nahant, outside of the Alley farm, was laid out and used in common ! for pasture by the townspeople of Lynn.

Hugh Alley served in the Pequot War, as by deposition of Benjamin Collins and others, "the land now in controversie, called the Hope Well, was given to Hugh Alley for his services in the Pequot War." It would seem that they were a sturdy, fighting family, for his son Solomon was killed afterwards in King Philip's War.

The exact spot upon which Alley's house stood can- not be definitely determined. The only indication we have is that it was not far from Hope Well, which was in the fourth range, so that the house must have stood on land partly owned now by Mr. Albert Whitney and Mr. Fred. Sears, probably in the north corner of the Sears lot. The place named Hope Well was probably so called from the name of the ship " Hope Well," which arrived at Salem, September, 1635, bringing among its passengers Joanna and Mary Graves, aged thirty and twenty-six respectively,

who were probably children of Thomas Graves, as they came to Nahant, where Graves was settled. Hugh Alley died January 25, 1674.

Martha, one of the daughters of Hugh Alley, mar- ried James Mills, who tended the sheep and cattle and occupied the house of his father-in law. Hugh Alley, Jr., married Rebecca Hood, December 9, 1681, and left five children,-Rebecca, Benjamin, Jacob, Samuel and Hannah. Thus through all the turmoil and strife for the soil of Nahant, Hugh Alley and his descendants defended themselves, keeping their buildings and fences standing.

The homestead was a most desirable dwelling- place; it had the best of soil for farming, with nu- merous springs of water, an abundant supply of wood, besides being a safe place for the pasturage of cattle. There were plenty of fish and sea-birds, with an abundance of plover and land-birds, making a home surrounded with plenty at its very doors. This was too much for one or two to enjoy and soon attracted others, and it was about this time that Isaac John- son and Saltonstall sent their servants to take charge of cattle sent to graze on these fields so early cleared by the first settlers. These settlers stayed in Nahant until Boston and Charlestown opened border fields, with an abundance of salt marsh land from which hay could be procured for feeding cattle through the winter.

Joseph Jacobs married one of the daughters of Alley and became a large land-owner on Nahant, but he conveyed his lands to other parties and moved to Lynn.

Among other early settlers are John and Michael Lambert, the latter of whom married Eleanor Hud- son, and lived near Alley for about twenty-four years.

Christopher Lindsay, another early settler, also lived on the land called Hope Well for four or five years-"till his death." Susanna Fferne, born at Nahant in 1664, married Michael Lombard, and lived at Nahant upwards of twenty-four years ; but to trace these would hardly be worth the time and research necessary.

Ann, the daughter of Benjamin B. Alley, son of Hugh Alley, Jr., married Jonathan Johnson. They lived near the spot where Hugh Alley's house stood.

From two of his sons, Joseph and Caleb, the nu- merous family of Johnsons sprang, living, some of them, on those inclosed acres settled by Hugh Alley in 1647, or two hundred and tbirty-nine years ago. Samuel Breed, Sr., who married Annie Hood, Febru- ary 5, 1696, a sister of the wife of Hugh Alley, Jr., bought sixty acres of land from Dr. Burchsted and other- in 1717, which he conveyed to two of his sons, Samuel and Jabez, in the year 1735. In 1738 they divided it between them, and the next year Jabez sold his land to Richard Hood and moved to Lynn. It is uncertain whetber Samuel Breed, Sr., lived at Nahant previous to 1717, when he purchased his land

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there; but his two sons were both living there in separate houses before 1739. Ilis marriage to the sister of the wife of Hugh Alley, Jr., may have in- duced him to make Nahant his home, as some of his children were horn there, viz. : Samuel, Ann, Jabez, Martha, Vesiah, Ruth, Ebenezer and Benjamin. Sub- seqnent marriages show that the descendants of Ilugh Alley returned to the oll homestead and made Na- hant their home; so this homestead, over which there had been so much quarreling, again came into the possession of the descendants, being occupied consee- utively by the Alleys, James Mills, Samuel Breed, Sr. and Jr., and their descendants. Jabez Breed built a house which he conveyed to Richard Hood, making two houses only on Nahant at that time.

The first known ancestor of the Johnson family at Nahant is Joux JonsSON (a cousin of Isaac John- son), who came from England with his wife Margery, and his children, Isaac and Humphrey. He proba- bly had other children besides these, as he speaks of five in his will in 1629, le settled at Roxbury, and was admitted freeman in 1630.

Ile was a learned and leading man in the colonies, and represented the town of Roxbury in the General Court for many years. He was also surveyor-general of the arms of the colonies.

Mr. Edward Johnson, of Woburn, says: "To write the history of John Johnson would fill a volume, and his worth as one of the founders of the government of the colonies of Massachusetts is too well-known to be recorded here." He died September 29, 1659. Margery, his wife, died June 9, 1655.

Humphrey, a son of John Johnson, married Ellen Cheney March 20, 1642. Their children were Me- hitable, born September, 1644; Deborah, born June 20, 1650 (these two were born at Roxbury ; John, born March, 1653; Joseph, born June 24, 1655; Benjamin, born August 27, 1657; Margaret, born August, 1659 (the last four were born at Seitnate).

Humphrey, attorney for Plymouth, witnessed the will of Governor Winthrop, and was a leading man both in Plymouth and Scituate.

John, a son of Humphrey, married Mary - Their children were Elizabeth, born May 19, 1675 ; Joseph, born October, 1677 ; Rebecca, born Novem- her 17, 1679; Rachel, born December 23, 1681 ; Jonathan, born February 20, 1682-all born at Rehoboth.

JONATHAN JOHNSON came to Lynn in 1706, and to rried Strah Mansfield May 30, 1710. The inhab- itots of the town of Lynn granted him, in town- meeting a piece of land "to set his house upon." On his fire confier to Lary he was warned out of towe liy the enstildle, but refused to go. Ten years later he wasch met enstand and gave similar warn- invece, those who for into the settlement. The children of Jonathan Johnson an I Sarah Mansfick] were Mery, born 1712; Phobe born 1714; Sarah,

born 3718; Edward, born 1721; Jonathan, born 1723; Elizabeth, born 1726.

Sarah, wife of Jonathan Johnson, died in 1726, and he married for his second wife Susanna Mower, in the year 1726. Jonathan Johnson died at Lynn June 14, 1741, in his fifty-eighth year.

Of his sons, Edward lived at Lynn and Salem, where he proved himself a successful merchant. His descendants now live in Boston and Lynn.

Jonathan, when a young man, enlisted in a cavalry regiment, under the command of Major Graves, and fought in the French and Indian Wars, from which event in his life he gained the sobriquet of "Troop- er." After returning home he learned chair-making and also block-making, and soon after moved to Marblehead, where he worked at his trade.

He married, June 11, 1745, Katherine Brummage, who died February 13, 1753. They had one child, Jonathan, born December 29, 1745, who died in his youth.

For his second wife he married Susanna Farring- ton, July 25, 1753. Their children were Mary, born May 8, 1755; Rebecca, born February 26, 1757 ; William, born January 3, 1759.

Hle married for his third wife Aun Alley, the widow of Thomas Williams, and a granddaughter of Hugh Alley. He then bought out Jeremiah Gray's interest in Nahant and moved there, where his three sons were born-Benjamin, October 11, 1771 ; Joseph, February 12, 1776; and Caleb, December 7, 1778.

Ile spent his time at Nahant in farming and fish- ing and following his trade. On one occasion, while ont fishing in his boat, the "Jolly Venture," a severe northwest gale arose, carrying away the sails of his little craft and making her unmanageable; however, with the pieces of sail he had, he managed to make a landing on the lower part of Cape Cod, where he lost his boat, but saved himself. From there he traveled on foot, following along the shore, receiving the charity of the settlers, who gave him lodging and food, until he reached home, after two weeks of hardship, with feet and hands frost-bitten. It is said that afterwards he would stand in his door- way whenever the wind blew furiously and curse the north wind. He died in 1799, while living with his son, Caleb Johnson.

The three sons of Jonathan Johnson-Benjamin, Joseph and Caleb-served an apprenticeship of seven years at the shoemaker's trade with their half-broth- er, Thomas Williams.

Benjamin married Betsy Batchelder, September 24, 1795, and made Market Street, Lynn, his home. Their children were Anna, born November 2, 1785; Lewis, born Jannary, 1800, died January 15, 1801; Benjamin, born July 1, 1804; Jonathan, Forn Sep- tember 19, 1806, died young.

Among the country people who came to Nahant for pleasure and health were Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell, of Claremont, with their daughter Olive. An attach-

Caleb - johnson

1. Jable Johnson

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NAHIANT.

ment was formed between Olive Hartwell and Caleb Johnson, but at the time of the departure of Mr. llartwell and his family he had not been accepted as a suitor for the daughter. In this condition of affairs the father and daughter left Nahant for their jour- ney homeward, but Caleb, unwilling to be left be- hind, followed the retreating vehicle on horseback. He overtook them in Malden, and followed close after until Worcester was reached; here Mr. Hartwell, thinking such persistency should be rewarded, offered his seat in the vehicle to Caleb, while he rode the horse; thus the engagement was made, and soon after Olive Hartwell became the wife of Caleb Johnson, in the year 1798.

CALEB JOHNSON always lived in the old Johnson homestead, where he commenced his married life, and where all his children where born. Nearly all his life was spent in the fishing business. He was a part owner of the " Dolphin," " Jefferson " and " Lafay- ette," which vessels he commanded the most of the time they were employed in the fishing business at Nahant. He was noted for his great endurance and his remarkable memory. He would remember the accounts of the sale of his fares of fish to the various customers during the week, so that when he received the money for himself and crew, it was always found correct, as verified by the book account which had been kept by the customers.

In the forwarding of the building and maintaining of school and church, he contributed money, and bore the same burdens with his brother Joseph, although his name does not appear as prominent in the official government of these institutions as that of his brother Joseph.

A severe accident, occasioned by a fall, unfitted him from the further pursuit of fishing, which he had steadily followed for about fifty years. Yet he always held an interest in the fishing fleet ; to use his own words, "he always wanted to own a timber-head in some of the boats," and he held an interest in the last boat of the fleet until the time of his death. When an old man, over eighty-four years old, it was not un- common to see him, before the break of day, at anchor in his dory patiently waiting for the "day- light spurt."

He died at the advanced age of eighty-nine years.

The old Johnson homestead was built about a hundred and fifty years from the present date, and has been occupied by members of the Johnson family for more than a century. There, four generations of the family have lived. Some of the rooms in the old homestead, the " cradle of the Johnson family," now remain the same as then occupied by the genera- tions who have passed away.

The small windows and paneled walls, the narrow door, the old-fashioned furniture, the folding-bed, the old clock, the two small rocking-chairs which Caleb and Olive Johnson occupied, facing each other in their chosen places by the fire-place, where the embers

for so many years never went out, were familiar sights to many.

In the homestead Caleb and Olive Johnson com- menced their married life in 1798, and all their chil- dren were born there. It is a notable fact that the first death that occurred in Caleb Johnson's family was the death of his wife at the advanced age of eighty- four years.

Mrs. Johnson, or Aunt Olive, as she was familiarly called, was in many respects a remarkable woman and possessed to a marked degree those qualities which make up the excellent wife and mother. Her judgment was always wise and foreseeing, and her children, when grown up to men and women, would always come back to her for counsel and guidance in whatever business enterprises they were about to en- gage.

The children of Caleb and Olive Johnson were Mary, born December 6, 1800; Welcome William, born August 26, 1803; George L., born April 8, 1806 ; Clara, born March 15, 1808; Edward Augustus, born June 15, 1810; Caleb Hervey, born May 21, 1812 ; Daniel W., born February 5, 1815; Olive Cornelia, born February 12, 1817; William Frederick, born July 30, 1819; Charles Warren, born January 2, 1823.

JOSEPH JOHNSON married Mary Cox, daughter of Captain Francis Cox, of Salem, May 7, 1797; and commenced his married life on Broad Street, Lynn, but returned to Nahant a few years later and built his house there.

The children of Joseph and Mary Johnson were Joseph, born January 5, 1798; Jonathan, born Feb- ruary 6, 1800; Francis, born July 3, 1802; Eliza, born July 29, 1806 ; Pamelia, born October 11, 1808 ; Washington Harlow, born July 16, 1811 ; Dolly Madison, born July 28, 1813; Walter, born October 20,1816.

Mrs. Mary Johnson died November 19, 1818 ; and Juue 1, 1819, Joseph Johnson married Miss Betsy Graves, daughter of Captain Nathaniel Graves, of North Reading.

Their children were Daniel Alfred, born April 26, 1820 ; Edward Kirke, born November 7, 1822; Fred- erick Henry, born April 30, 1825; Franklin Everett, born November 4, 1827; Mary Graves, born April 15, 1830, died 1831; Edmund Buxton, born July 13, 1832.

Joseph Johnson's long and useful life was nearly all spent at Nahant. In the winter months he was engaged in fishing, in summer in farming. For many years the simple sign marked J. Johnson was nailed to the west corner of his house, which was one of the first hotels in the town. It dated back to 1812, and was familiarly known as Johnson's hotel.

He was among the first to forward the building of a church and school-house at Nahant, and contributed his full share in money, as well as generously furnish- ing board to the workmen while constructing the build-

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

ing,-a sacrifice known only to the pioneers who zealously founded and cared for these institutions.

In records of the past the name of Joseph is con- spicuous as a member of the School Committee and as a member of the First Methodist Church in Lynn, until the building of the village church at Nahant, where he served as trustee and deacon until his death, in 1-54.

RICHARD HOOD (mentioned above), the son of Richard Hood, Sr., was born in Lynn. lle married Theodate Collins, May 20, 1718; and had nine chil- dren, viz.,-Theodate, born October 27, 1719; Jede- diah, born September 25, 1721; Content, born De- cember 20, 1722; Rebecca, born April 3, 1725; Han- nah, born December 3, 1727; Patience, born Septem- ber 9, 1730; Abner, born September 26, 1733; Abigail, born September 14, 1736.

Jeremiah Gray married Theodate, a daughter of Richard Hood; he built a house in 1741, and in- closed it with a stone-wall, on land purchased by Richard Hood of Samuel Breed, Jr., which comprised two lots originally laid out to Widow Ivory and Cap- tain Elezor Lindsay. Gray afterwards conveyed the land to Jonathan Johnson in 1758. At that date there were but three families living at Nahant,- Breed, flood and Johnson.

Abner Hood, son of Richard Hood, inherited by will all his father's real estate on Nahant, which comprised fifty-three acres, including a house and barn. He came to Nahant with his father in 1739. Mr. Hood was married when fifty years old to Keziah Breed, a sister of the then somewhat distinguished Ebenezer Breed, of Lynn.

They had five children, -Abuer, born April 1, 1784; Richard, born March 13, 1788; Theodate, born May 23, 1787 ; Benjamin and Ebenezer, born April 7, 1790. At his death he left his estate, comprising the home- stead with over one hundred acres of land, to his four sons, who made a division in 1820. Mr. Hfood was a small man and always wore the Quaker style of dress, as he belonged to that sect. He served as a selectman of the town of Lynn, and was also a member of the committee that decided the line between Lynn and Reading. As the Society of Friends, however, objected to his holding office, on the ground that it was worldly and not consistent with their religious teachings, he resigned from all publie trusts and refused to hold pubbenfice further. Ile was a prudent and indus- trion- farmer, spending all his life on Nahant, and dying there at the age of eighty-four. Of the sons of Aber Hood, Aber Hood, Jr., married, in 1807, Mary Newhall Richards; Ebenezer Hood married Abbie Phillips, of Lynn; Benjamin Hood married Hamish, dauemer of John Phillips, of Lynn. He inherited the homestead, with one-fourth part of his father's estore. Ende " Ben," as he was familiarly called was the humorist and practical joker of the willie nd made life enjoyable to all who knew him, while at all public gatherings he imparted a

ripple of wit and humor, throwing sunshine into every shadow.

Richard Hood married Clarissa Herrick, daughter of Dr. Martyn Herrick, of North Reading. Dr. Her- rick was a man of considerable note in the last century. He was born in Reading in 1747, graduated at Har- vard College in 1772, and there began the study of medieine with Dr. (afterwards Governor) Brooks, of Medford. He met Paul Revere in his memorable ride from Boston, and going in the opposite direction, spread the warning. He fought in the battle of Lex- ington, and after the battle assisted Dr. Brooks in caring for the wounded. He enlisted in the army, from which he was transferred to the navy as surgeon, and was twice captured by the British. After the war he settled as a practicing physician in North Reading, where he died in the year 1820.

Mr. Richard Hood, unlike his brothers, who were farmers, engaged in the fishing business, and was one of the owners and crew of the "Dolphin " and "La- fayette." In 1819 he built the Hood Hotel for tran- sient and summer boarders. In 1826 he conveyed his estate to Mr. Charles Bradbury, who afterwards conveyed it to Mr. Jesse Rice, who succeeded Mr. Ifood in the hotel business. Richard Hood moved to l'ortland, Maine, where he engaged in the packet service between Boston and Portland. In 1847 he returned to Lynn, where he resided with his son Mar- tyn until his death.

When an old man he returned to Nahant for the summer, and in a small boat pursued the business of his early choice, catching his fish from the old and familiar fishing-grounds, some of which grounds bear his name to this day. He was famous for relat- ing stories of the past history of the town and State, which, if they had been gathered then, would be worth the telling now.

MARTIN HERRICK HOOD, the son of Richard and Clarissa Hood, was born at Nahant, September 15, 1813. Here he lived until the age of twelve, when he accompanied his parents to Portland, Maine, where he learned the shoemaking trade, in which he was employed until 1848, when he returned to Lynn and there engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes.

December 9, 1852, he was married to Miss Sarah G. Hay, of Charlestown, daughter of Mr. Francis Hay. In 1860 he was one of the first to enter in the new industry of sole-cutting, that large and growing industry in which to-day millions of capital is in- vested. lle retired from active business life at the age of seventy-three, rich in the rewards of a long and industrious life. His lineage is marked by illus- trions men and women in the earliest history of the colonies, dating back to the days of Endicott, John- son and Saltonstall. His ancestors on his father's side were Quakers, and adverse to war, while on his mother's side they were among the first to fight for liberty and country, These two qualities still live in

Martin H. Hard.

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the representative of the Hood families, whose por- trait finds a place in this volume.

The Breed family were among the first families to make their permanent home at Nahant, Samuel Breed having lived there previous to 1706. Samuel Breed, Sr., was married to Annie Hood February 5, 1690. Their children were Samuel, born November 11, 1692; Amos, born July 20, 1694; Jabez, born January 26, 1695; Abigail, born September 7, 1698; Nathan, born January 3, 1702; Keziah, born Octo- ber 16, 1704; Annie, born July 28, 1706; Ebenezer, born May 1, 1710; Ruth, born March 10, 1711; Benjamin, born July 4, 1715.

Samuel Breed, Jr., was married to Deliverance Basset, January 25, 1719. Their children were Anna, born March 20, 1726; Sarah, born September 29, 1729; Hulda, born May 13, 1731; Nehemiah, horn January 19, 1736.

Nehemiah Breed married Abigail -, probably a daughter of Nehemiah Bassett. Their only child was William Breed, born September 21, 1759. Wil- liam Breed was married to Hannah Bassett, daugh- ter of Joseph and Eunice Bassett. Their children were Nehemiah and Daniel. Nehemiah Breed married Miriam Alley, daughter of Benjamin and Hulda Alley. Their children were Abigail, born March 27, 1813; Lydia Alley born November 2, 1814.

Daniel Breed, son of William Breed, married Abi- gail Newhall, daughter of Rufus Newhall. Their children were William N., born June 28, 1825; John H., born September 26, 1835. Daniel Breed, died September 2, 1858.

NAHANT IN 1800 .- At the time of Jonathan Johnson's death, just as a new century was begin- ning, Nahant looked very differently from what it now is.

A stone wall, from shore to shore, fenced in the first range ; another stone wall, also running across from shore to shore, between ranges two and three, inclosed the second range,-the one owned by Breed and the other by Hood. From about the centre of the wall between the first and second ranges another stone wall ran in a northwesterly direction to the range line between ranges five and six, thence north- easterly by the range line to the road ; continuing along the road in a southeasterly direction to a large boulder, a few rods above Whitney's Hotel; from there, in a westerly direction, to where it intersected the long line of wall from the second to the sixth range. Still another wall inclosed the Bank field or homestead of Richard Hood. At Bass Point a field was inclosed and a hotel built by Joseph Johnson, of Lynn-one of the first hotels built on the coast for summer visitors.

One road ran through the town, winding here and there so as to avoid the numerous boulders which were scattered about the pastures. From this main road others, at convenient places, ran over the slope of the hill to the beaches and to Bass Point.

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 106

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1672

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) ed
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1672