History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 121

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 121

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Ebenezer Burrill, the first of the name who settled in Swampscott, became possessor of the land there by the will of his father, known as Lieutenant Jolin Burrill, who lived on Boston Street near Federal, in Lynn. But which of these Burrills or whether some other of the family built the "Farm House" is not known. Ebenezer, by will dated Jan. 14, 1761, gave the estate to his son Samuel.

It is certain that Mr. Humfrey had a house on Na- hant Street, Lynn, and owned lands adjacent. In no deed, will or inventory does the writer find evidence that he had a house in Swampscott. It was in 1640 that his barn was burned by the careless use of gunpowder by a servant. And the court record says, "Henry Stevens for fireing the barne of his master, Mr. John Humfrey, he was ordered to be servant to Mr. Hum- frey for 21 years from this day [Dec. I, 1640] towards The " Farm House " remained in the Burrill family many years ; and the noble elm in front, that still spreads its patriarchal branches and allures to its re- freshing shade thoughtful age and buoyant youth, as in far-off' years it allured to noonday rest the sturdy toilers on the farm, and at evening invited the youth to their moonlight sports, is believed to have been planted by one of the family about the year 1740. recompencing the loss." Mr. Lewis, in stating the fact, says the barn was on Nahant street. This seems to indicate that he had become aware of his mistake in locating him at Swampscott. Ile also says, under date 1636, " Mr. Humfrey built a windmill on the eastern mound of Sagamore Hill." The barn and windmill were, no doubt, near the house, which was probably endangered by the fire. The mill was built Historical mistakes, like that concerning the loca- within two years after his arrival, and the fire occur- tion of Mr. Humfrey, are not, perhaps, of much in-

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portance to such readers as merely seek casual enter- tainment. But they may, under some circumstances, become of grave moment.

Mr. Humfrey was an eminent man, took great in- terest in the welfare of the colonists, and contributed liberally of his abundant means. He was a military commander, a legislator, executive and judicial offi- cer; and all his doings were marked by ability and integrity.

A similar mistake to that regarding Mr. Humfrey's location has prevailed in relation to Lady Deborah Moody. She purchased a considerable portion of his Swampscott land, and probably for a short time occu- pied the house on Nahant Street, Lynn. Lechford says she lived in Lynn, though of the Salem church. She, however, could have been about here but a short time. Winthrop speaks of her as "a wise and an- ciently religious woman," adding that she was a mem- ber of Salem church. That she lived in Salem a part of the short time she was hereabout, there can be no donbt. The eminent authority last quoted speaks of a tempest that nnroofed "Lady Moody's house in Salem," the site of which has been fixed by antiqua- ries as in Washington Street, where the present post- office stands. Mr. Upham describes the house as of one story, nine fect in height, and with a flat roof. She was a woman of large property and high family connection. Governor Vane was a kinsman of hers. On account of her convictions regarding infant bap- tism she was virtually banished, and in 1643 sought a home in the Dutch jurisdiction on Long Island, where she met with divers misfortunes.

It would not profit to further pursue these inquiries. And it need only be added, in a summarizing way, that there seems little room for doubt that Mr. Hum- frey lived on the casterly side of Nahant Street, Lynn, very near where Occan Street now opens ; that he had extensive grants of land within the present bounds of Swampscott and in Lynnfield, the latter including the picturesque little lakelet still known as Humfrey's Pond ; and that, adjacent to his residence, he owned a considerable tract, including much, if not the whole, of what is now known as Sagamore Hill, on which stood his windmill.

There is naturally a sentimental love of numbering among our own people distinguished individuals. And such men as Mr. Humfrey, who was eminent for his publie services, his virtues and accomplishments, and whose wife was a daughter of the Earl of Lin- coln, one of the first noblemen in England, might well justify such love in the good people of Swamp- scott. But there stalked a skeleton into that home. And one cannot, with complacency, contemplate the disasters that befell the tender offspring, left by father and mother in most unworthy wardship. Many a pang that rendered the latter days of Mr. Humfrey miserable almost unendurable-arose from the strang desertion of daughters who had not even reached their teens. It is apparent that he was sadly

disappointed by the failure of certain schemes for political advancement, and though perhaps not broken down, morose or irritable, bad fallen into a settled discontent; and that his wife was intolerably home- sick, ever pining over her privations, and yearning for the brilliant scenes of her early home. So away they went, leaving their little ones to the tender mer- cies of custodians totally unworthy of the sacred trust.

CHAPTER CXXI.

SWAMPSCOTT-(Continued).

EARLY SETTLERS AND LATER RESIDENTS.

Witter-Keysar-King - Blaney-Burrill - Blanchard -Weeks - Ingalls- Phillips-Widger-Mudge.

To gather up the memorials of those who have gone before us, to re- construct their living portraits from historical fragments so widely scat- tered; is a work of time, of patience and of unremitting toil ; but, once completed, the ancestral line, reaching far down the vista of the past, will stand ont clearly before us; the images of our fathers will tenderly live in our minds, and we shall reverently cherish their memories, as will likewise the generations to come .- Slafter.

WILLIAM WITTER .- One of the earliest settlers in Swampscott was William Witter, a farmer, who came in 1630. He appears to have been a man of strong opinions and much fearlessness in expressing them- not what would be called a man of education, but one with a good conception of manly rights and account- abilities. He was a sturdy exponent of some of the peculiar characteristics of the times, and a zealous participant in transactions that, in a local way, char- acterized the period in which he lived. One of the earliest occurrences in his life of agitation was an of- fense for which, on the 28th of February, 1643, he was presented at the Salem court. Says the record :

" Willium Witter-Now comeing in, answered humbly, and confessed his Ignorance, and his willingness to see Light, and (upon Mr. Norris, our Elder, his speech) seemed to be staggered, loasmuch as that he came in court meltinglie. Sentence-Have called our ordenonce of God, a badge of the whore-on some Lecture day, the next 5th day, being a public fast, To acknowledge his falt, And to ask Mr. Cobbett forgiveness, in saying he spok against his conscience. And enjoined to be heare next court att Salem. "

Mr. Cobbet, whose forgiveness was to be asked, was a colleague of Rev. Mr. Whiting, minister of the Lyun church ; and Mr. Norris, under whose speech he seemed " staggered," was then minister of the Salem church, and a successor of Hugh Peters, who was in- termediate between bim and Roger Williams. The offense of Mr. Witter was his declaring that infant baptism was sinful. He had evidently imbibed the principles of Mr. Williams, with whom, it is fair to presume, considering the proximity of their residences, he had neighborly acquaintance.

Three years after the above episode-that is, in 1616-it is found that he was again presented at the Quarterly Court,-

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" ffor saying that they who stayed while a Childe is baptized, doe wor- chip the dyvil ; also Henry Colleus and Mathew West, deling with him about the former speeche, he speaks to them after this manner, That they who stayed at the baptizing of a Childle, did take the name of the Father Sonn, and holly ghost in vaine and broke the Saboth, and cou fesseth and justifieth his former speech. Sentence of Court is, an In- function next Lord'e day, being faire, that he make a publique confes- siou to Satisfiction, in the open congregation at Lyn, or else to answer it at the next General Court. And concerning his opinion, the court hath yet patience toward hin, till they see if he be obstinate, and only admonish him."

These incidents elearly show the drift of Mr. Wit- ter's opinions, his fearlessness in expressing them and the repugnanee with which they were received. And his faith seems to have strengthed with his years ; for when those Baptist missionaries from Rhode Island -John Clark, John Crandall and Obadiah Holmes- appeared, in 1651, they quartered in Swampscott, at his house, where, on Sunday, July 20th, Mr. Clark preached, administered the sacrament and rebaptized Mr. Witter,-

"This being reported to the authorities" (says Mr. Lewis), "two con- etables went down to Swampscot to apprehend them as disturbers of the peace. They carried a warrant with this direction, which had been granted by Hon. Robt. Bridges : 'By virtue hereof, you are required to go to the house of William Witter, and so to search from house to house for certaio erroneous persons, being strangers, and them to apprehend, and in safe custody to keep, and to-morrow morning, at 8 o'clock, to bring before me.' Mr. Clark saye: ' While I wae yet speaking, there comes into the house where we were, two constables, who with their clamorous tongues make an interruption, and more uncivilly disturbed us than the pursuivants of the old English bishope were wont to do.' In the afternoon they were taken to Mr. Whiting's meeting, where they refused to uncover their heads. Mr. Bridges ordered a constable to take off their hats, wheo one of them attempted to speak, but was prevented.

"At the close of the meeting one of them made some remarks, after which they were taken to the Anchor Tavern, and guarded through the night. In the morning they were sent to Boston and imprisoned. Oo the thirty-first, the Court of Assistants sentenced Mr. Holmes to pay a fine of thirty pounds, Mr. Clark of twenty, and Mr. Crandall of five. The fines of Clurk and Crandall were paid; but Mr. Holmes refused to pay his, or suffer it to be paid, and was retained in prison till September, when he was publicly whipped. When brought to the place of execution, he reques ed liberty to speak to the people, but the presiding officer, one Flint, rightly named, refused, and ordered him to be stripped. His friends brought some wine, which they requested him to drink, but he declined it, lest the spectators should attribute his fortitude to drink. The whip was made of three cords, and the ex- ecutioner spat three times in his own hands, that he might uot fail to honor justice. Io a manuscript left by Governor Joseph Jeaks, it is written that 'Mr. Holmes was whipped 30 stripes, und io such an un- merciful manuer that for many days, ifnot some weeks, he could not take rest, but ss he lay upon his kneee and elbows, not being able to suffer any part of the hody to touch the bed.' As the mao began to lay on the etripes, Holmes said, ' though my flesh should fail, yet my God will not fail.' He thea prayed, 'Lord, lay not this siu to their charge.' When he was released, two spectators, John Shaw and John Hazel, went up and took hold of his hand to sympathize with him, for which they were fixed forty ehilliuge each. Such is the bitterness of religious persecution. Dr. John Clark was one of the most respectable physicians iu Rhode Island, and wrote a book entitled ' Ill Newe from New England,' with a full account of this persecution."

Mr. Witter appears to have been afflicted with blindness, though not total, it is gratifying to believe. Mr. Clark, in bis narrative, says :

" It came to pass that we three (himself, Crandall and Holmes), by the good hand of God, came into the Mathatusets Bay upon the 16 day of the 5th Moneth 51 ; and upon the 19th of the same, upon occasion of businesse, we came into a Town in the same Bay called Lin, where we

lodged at a Blind-man's house neer two miles out of the Town, by name William Witter, who being baptized into Christ waits, ns we also doe, for the kingdom of God and the full consolation of the Israel of God."

For his re-baptism, and for neglecting to attend on the discourses, Mr. Witter was, on the 7th of Novem- ber, presented at the Salem court.

These proceedings, taken together, not only illus- trate the persistent character of Mr. Witter, and the faithfulness of the sufferers to their convictions but also the relentless rigor of the laws and the unpitying bigotry of some, at least, of those in authority.

Let us now give an incident or two of a more worldly nature, in the history of Mr. Witter. He seems to have been a friend of Poquanum, the Indian euief, known among the English as Duke William or Black Will, although the acquaintance must have been short, as the dusky noble was killed in 1633. He was a chief extensively known, and held in con- siderable repute; a large land owner, if all that he claimed was really his. It was he who sold Nahant to Thomas Dexter, for a suit of clothes, a transaction which occasioned much trouble and expense to the town in after years.

Mr. Witter, according to a deposition of his, made April 15, 1657, purchased his own house-lot of the Duke, and not that alone, but hundreds of other eli- gible acres. Says he : " Blacke will or Duke william, so called, came to my house (which was two or three miles from Nahant), when Thomas Dexter had bonght Nahant for a suit of clothes ; the said Black will Asked me what I would give him for the Land my house stood uppon, it being his land, and his ffather's wigwam stood their abouts, James Sagomore and Johu, and the Sagomore of Agawame, and diuers more, And George Sagomore, being a youth was pres- ent, all of them aeknowlidginge Black will to be the Right owner of the Land my house stood on, and Sagomore Hill and Nahant was all his; " and adds that he " bought Nahant and Sagomer Hill and Swamscoate of Black William for two pestle stones." Not an exorbitant price, compared with that at which those lands would sell for in this year of grace. In the legal proceedings of the town to obtain perma- nent relief from the annoying claims of Mr. Dexter, Mr. Witter testified in support of the purchase.

Black Will's Cliff, the commanding battlement of turf-erowned rock that rises near the southeasterly end of King's Beach, is supposed to have been the site of Poquannm's habitation. It must have been a lovely and salubrious spot in those days, as it still is, though shorn of much of its pristine beauty and romance. He is supposed to have been the same Indian who, in 1602, went on board of Gosnold's ship, and to the sur- prise of the voyagers welcomed them in plain Eng- lish, being likewise clothed in an English suit.

Mr. Witter died in 1659, aged seventy-five years.

GEORGE KEYSAR .- Mr. Keysar is stated to have been here as early as 1630, and to have settled as a

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miller at Swampscott. If so, he was probably a mil- ler without a mill, for Mr. Humfrey's mill, which ap- pears to have been the only one within a large cir- cuit, was on Sagamore Hill, in Lynn. In Thompson's Sketches this is found: " George Keysam [ Keysar], a tanner in Swampscott, and who was admitted a free- man in December 14, 1638 (Savage says March 14, 1639), was probably connected with Mr. Ingalls's es- tablishment." There is no doubt that Mr. Keysar was a tanner, nor is there any doubt that he carried on the business in what is now known as West Lynn, and that his tannery was on Boston Street, very near where the tubular wells were sunk, in 1880. It was in a tan-pit of his that a child of Thomas Newhall, who lived near, was drowned in 1665. This clearly appears by the recorded testimony of two witnesses : " We, Robert Potter and John Newhall : under- standin by too testimonies, That Thomas Newhall's child was drownded in a pett, which pett we heard George Keesar say he digged : farther we doe Testifie that George Keesar had a tanfatt in that pett. I, Jolin Newhall, doe furder testifie that George Keysar did take up his fatt and left the pett open."

This tieorge Keysar was a respectable man, and married the daughter of Edward Holyoke, ancestor of the venerated Dr. Holyoke, of Salem, and others of the name hereabouts. Ile is thus remembered in his father-in-law's will, dated December 25, 1658: "I dispose of the yoke of oxen and my mare to my son- in-law, George Keysar." He also disposes of articles of clothing to one and another, and then says, "all the rest of my wearing apparell to my son, Keysar." He, Keysar, was one of the committee appointed by the town, in 1657, to oppose the claim of "ffarmer Dexter" to Nahant, under his purchase from Black Will, for a suit of clothes. He seems, after getting well along in years, to have removed to Salem, and there, perhaps, was a pioneer in the great tanning business of the present day.

Confusion may have arisen in this case, also, by the uncertainty as to what in these early days was meant, territorially, by " Swampscott." Or there may have been a confusion of names. There was a Thomas Keysar here quite early-perhaps a brother of George, whom the Lynn people would probably very readily give over to Swampscott. He figures somewhat largely and not very creditably on the records. " One Keysar, of Lynn," Winthrop calls him. In 1615 he sailed as mate under a Captain Smith, who is represented to have been a Boston church member, in the ship " Rainbow," on a cruise to Guinea, in a slave-hunting expedition. And on the African coast and other parts, things seem to have been carried on with a high hand. In conjunction with some Eng- lish adventurers, they attacked the natives and killed toAny Winthrop says that some of the mariners confe wed that " near one hundred were slain." They bad on hand but two of the slaves when they reached Boston, but great indignation was manifested ou ac-

count of their nefarious traffic. These two were the first slaves in New England. Keysar and his captain had serious difficulties which led to violence, or at least threats of violence, while abroad, and lawsuits at home. The court adjudged Keysar to have dam- aged Smith to a considerable amount, and required him to pay a substantial sum. But in regard to the negroes for whom Smith claimed compensation, the court says, " for the negars, they being none of his, but stolen, we thinke mette to alowe nothing." They also, in adjusting matters, required that "Captain Smith should alow Kiesar 10%. for threatening to pistol him." The two were also proceeded against criminally by Richard Saltonstall, as prosecuting officer, who, in his presentation to the court, says : " I conceive myselfe called by virtue of my place to act in the case concerning the Negars taken by Cap- tain Smith and Mr. Keser ; wherein it is apparent that Mr. Keser upon a Sabbath day gave chace to certaine Negers; and upon the same day took diverse of them ; and at another time killed others and burn- ed one of their townes." A committee was subse- quently appointed "to examine witnesses and draw up ye ease about Captain Smith and Mr. Kesar kil- ing, stealing and wronging yº negars." But it is not necessary to pursue this matter in detail to its final termination. One purpose in introducing it is to show the utter detestation in which slavery was held by this community even at that early period, when the civilized world regarded it in a very different light. There is little doubt that the conduct of Smith and Keysar was the occasion of the deter- mined action of the court against " the hainous and crying sinn of man stealing," which took place soon after. There is nothing special to indicate that Thomas was the Swampscott Keysar, though he was a sailor and that was a maritime settlement. He evi- dently lived in some part of Lynn, and there will hardly be any great neighborhood strife for the honor of harboring him.

It may be well to remark here that confusion has in many cases been made by attempting to identify some of the early settlers by their occupation. They generally followed different callings at different periods, and sometimes simultaneously. In the old country they pursued one kind of business and were designated by that. But here it was different, for there was not enough in one kind of industry to keep them busy. Thus even at a considerably later period, the father of Franklin, while in England, was a dyer, but after settling in Boston he found that there was little to be done in that trade, and so set up as a tallow chandler. He was therefore known both as a dyer and a candle-maker.

DANIEL KING AND HIS FAMILY .- Just at the foot of the hill, where Lewis Street, Lynn, reaches the Swampscott line, lies King's Beach. It is one of the larger beaches that stretch along our shore, and is of hard, compact, fine and sparkling sand. llere, and

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upon Blaney's Beach, which lies a little farther east- ward, were for many years witnessed scenes of great activity and picturesqueness, when, towards evening, the numerous little fi-hing crafts returned with their daily fares ready to be disposed of to customers in waiting for their finny merchandise. Since the in- troduction of trawl-fishing, however, which was about thirty years ago, some of the peculiar features of the stirring picture have gradually changed.

King's Beach perpetuates the name of a family once conspicuous in the vicinity, and possibly Blaney's Beach derived its name from Blaney King, a member of the family, though most probably from some of the Blaney family, who also appeared there- about at an early day.

The King family, as a whole, enjoyed a good local reputation, for they were enterprising, well-connected and evidently ambitious in a worldly way. Though located in and about Swampscott, they owned lands in other quarters. There were Daniel, the father, and Daniel and Ralph, the sons. Daniel, the elder, seems to have suffered under some bodily infirmity, as, in 1646, the court says: " In ans' to ye peticon of Daniell King, itt is ordered yt ve peticoner shall ap- peare before ye millitary office's of ye east regiment, at their next meeting, who shall examine his allega- tions concerning his not appearance at dayes of trayning, to performe such service as might have binn imposed on him, and to proceed wth him accord- ing to lawe; but for time to come, this Courte doth dischardge him, in regard to his bodily infirmity, from attendance vpon ordinary traynings, for any service in armes." His goods had been taken by the captain of the Lynn train-band, for neglect of military duty.

In 1669 the "Dolphin," a vessel belonging in Charlestown, lost a topsail and some other rigging in Ipswich Bay, and these were taken up at Lynn by Mr. King-Daniel King, the elder, it is probable- and he, for some reason that does not appear, refused to give them up, notwithstanding recompense had " been tendered for all his paynes and charge in se- curing the same. Uppon application for redress, by the master, Major Hathorne was empowered by the Court to heare and determine the case according to lawe, to allow what recompense he shall judge meet, and cause said sayle and rigging to be delivered to the said master." This transaction does not seem to leave the old gentleman in a very favorable light ; but there may have been explanatory circumstances.

Then there was the remarkable lawsuit, Taylor against King, brought to recover damages for the goring to death of the plaintiff's mare by the de- fendant's bull, which was decided in 1646. The vicious character of the bull was brought in question, and the testimony develops some of the peculiar cus- toms of the times. Hon. Robert Bridges, the magis- trate who granted the warrant for the arrest, at Swampscott, of the three Baptist missionaries from Rhode Island, Clarke, Crandall and Holmes, in his

testimony, says: ". .. myself being on horseback with my wyfe behind me, ye sª Bull stood in the high way as I was riding a Longe. When I came up to the Bull, not knowing whos beast it was, neither thinking of any opposition. I struck at the bull wth my stick, to put him out of the way; ymediately ye bull made att my mare, and placed his horn vpon her shoulder, and had well nigh overthrone both the mare and her riders; and although I endeavord to shunne ye bull, yet he still so prest vpon mee yt I cannot but conceave had not the neareman bin att hand to beat him off that some hurt had bin done, either to o'selves or my mare, or both; but god's good hand better provided." Much other testimony touch- ing the character of the bull was given ; but it need not be introduced here.

The judgment in the case was as follows : " Bost. 7: 3: 1646. It was agreed that in the Judgm' of Lawe, it is to be concluded that ye bull did kill ye mare, and yt ye owner of ye Bull, upon such notice as he had, ought to have taken order to prevent any fu- ture mischief." .. . "Salem, 18 5mo. 1646. The magistrates assembled at Salem doe judge yt m' King shall pay halfe the vallue of the mare unto m' Tayler, wh is Judged to bee 7€, that is, according to the rate of 14£ for the mare."

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 121

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