History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 69

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 69

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They were men of strong religions convictions who contemled for greater purity in worship, and practice, anl that they might escape from the persecutions of their own entry, they preferred to abandon their homes, their native lind, and brave the terrors of the o'ein, the wiknown wilderness, and the savages, that they might worship God in their own way. The ernestores of their religious principles may be ju brel from the f Bowing letter from the company to the planters at Salen in 1629, declaring, " that pro- preto of the good the thing we doe profess .si altele our avere in settling this plantation." Te, war to relare extremely guarded, as to who they Amiged into theer fi Howship ; none were per- mit to vote, or hold office, that had not joined

some Congregational church and taken the Free- man's oath of that period, which was as follows :

"I; A. B., being by God's providence an inhabitant and freeman in this commonwealth, do freely acknowledge myse'r subject to the Gov. ernment thereof, and do swear by the great and terrible name of the everlasting God, that I will be true and faithful to the same, and will accordingly yeuld assistance thereto, with my person and estate as ju equity 1 am bound, submitting myself to the wholesome laws and orders made and established. Further I will not plut or prac- tice evil against it, and moreover I do solemnly bind myself in the sight of God, that when I shall be called to give my voire touching any matter wherein freemen deal, I will give my vote and suffrage as 1 shall judge in mine own conscience may best conduce to the public weal, without respect to persous, or favor of any man, so help me God, in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Residents, were those who were not allowed, or who had declined the privilege of becoming freemen, and were required to take the oath of fidelity when they had attained the age of sixteen. Every male citizen of sixteen and upwards,-inhabitant, lodger, child, servant or slave-were required to pay yearly one shilling eightpence a head, as a poll tax, and one shilling for every twenty shillings' value in real or personal estate.

But nearly all the settlers were " freemen," and had an interest in the common lands. In the carliest records we find they exercised the power of granting land to individuals. As the population increased, this method of holding land was found objectionable, and in 1713 the owners of the common lands under the provincial laws became organized into a sort of corporation with the title of commoners.

Grants of land, made by the General Court to in- dividuals and towns, were knownas " common land;" this is the kind of " enlargement " petitioned for, and which was granted at a later date.

The "Commoners " managed their affairs, elected their officers and members, very much as a corpora- tion. Their books in Manchester show many very generous donations for worthy objects, and for the re- lief of the infant settlement from burdensome taxa- tin.

The last division of the common land was made in 1763.

In 1631 six men were drowned by theupsetting of a canoe near Kettle Island ; this is the beginning of a long list of casualties that continued to afflict the settlement.

In 1634 the General Court defined the power of the Legislature, and provided that the whole body of free- men should be present at only one of their General Courts, to be held each year, and that their deputies should act for them in the three others.

In 1637-36 the General Court passed the following order, which is the foundation of the various and im- portant powers that have ever since been exercised by the towns.

" Whereas particular towns have many things which concerne only themselves, and the ordering of their own affairs, and disposing of blisi uss in their own town, it is therefore ordered, that the freemen of every town, or the major part of them shall only (alone) have power to dispose of their own lands and woods, with all the privi- leges und appurtenauces of the said town to grant lots, and make

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MANCHESTER.

such orders, as may concern the well ordering of these our towns, not repugnant to the laws and orders here established by the General Court, as also to lay mulets and penalties for the breach of these orders, und to levy and distrain the same not exceeding the sum of XX8. Also to choose their own particular officers as Constables, Sur- veyors of Highways and the like, and because much business is likely to ensure to the Constables of several towns by reason they are to make distresses and gather fines. Therefore that every town shall have two Constables, where there is need. That so their office may not be a burden unto them, and they may nttend more carefully upon tho discharge of their office, for which they shall he liablo to give their accounts to this conrt when they shall be called there- unto."

Although Jeffrey's Creek was on the Cape Ann side, it was nevertheless a part of Salem, and early grants of land were made by Salem to Chubb, Glass, Gale, Graves, Codner, Black, Foote and others, who gave names to localities which are still retained.

In February, 1636, the land of Jeffrey's Creek was ordered to be divided as follows :

Acres.

Samuel Archer. .50

William Allen GO

Julin More 40

John Black 40

Sargent Wolf. 40

Julin Sibley 50

George William 40

Sargent Dixey.

Widow More ... 40

This was known as the "400 acres grant ; " it in - cluded the central part of the present village, and was thickly covered with walnut, oak, and other trecs of a large size.

The " fishing industry " was always encouraged by the colonists. The General Court, in 1639, ordered that all vessels so employed with their stock and fish should not be taxed, and their men exempt from mili- tary duty."

Among the early Salem records the following grants appear :

" 27 11 mo., 1628. Seargent Dixey desires somo hay ground about Jeffereys Crecke."

" 4 12 mo., 1628, Granted to Robert Allyn 25 neres of land ; lyinge betweene the land of Wm. Bennett und Samuel Archer (their land) at Jeffrys Creeku."

" 28 of ye Gth month. 1637. John Pickworth requireth for n peel (parcel) ot land nt Jefferies Creeke " "8 9th mo. Jno. l'ikwoud, Jno. Gally, Juo. Norman & Wm. Benuitt have nhowed these powers cyther of them 25 neres a man ntt Jeffereyes Crerke."

"There is granted to Richard Graves half an acre of land vpon the Deck for the setting of his house, ho promising to follow fishinge 5 10 mn., 1637.

"26 9 mo., 1638. Granted to Samuel Archer one neck of Innd lying out against the sen neere vuto Jeffry Creeke Island conteyning twentie acres of mendow to be layed him out in Kettle Island Cove."

" IG 7 mo , 1639. James Standesh is granted 40 acres of land neero Jeffiy Creeke."

"21 11 mo. Granted Benjamin Pavminster 10 acres of land at Jeff. Crecko when the former grants are unde good."

" There was granted, 4 1 mo , 1643, by the 'seven men' of Salem to Richard Gardner, ut Jeffereyes Creeke 20 twentie acres of land : to be Inyd out by the Town."

"Granted to Robert ffiller 20 acres of land at Jefferyes Creeke to be layed out by the Towne, if hee dwells there, if otherwise to desert the land."

In 1639 it was ordered that "all fishermen which are abroad during the fishing season, ship-carpenters

which follow their calling, and millers shall be ex- enipt from training."

And it was desired that "the 13th day of the 4th month be kept as a day of humiliation in all the churches for the want of rain and for the help of bretliren in distress."

It was also ordered that "care bee taken to prevent damage to Indians and procure them satisfaction for any damage done."

In the following year the General Court also or- dered "that in all places the English shall keepe their cattle from destroying the Indians corne in any ground where they have the right to plant, and if any corne bee destroyed for want of fencing or herd- ing the towne shall be liable to make satisfaction." The doctrine that an Indian has no right, that a white man is bound to respect, appears to have been unknown at this early period.

At this time there were but sixty-three people living here; yet those sturdy few, with the charac- teristic of their race, ask for more territory, and a greater degree of self-government, as will be seen by the following petition :

" Wee w hose names are hereunto subscribed, belonging to the Church and towne of Salem (being straightened in our accommodations, for that wee are not nble comfortalily to subsist), having advised and taken counsel about our present state and condition, it being judged fit, and free liberty being granted us to remove, and noe place being so conven- ient for our easy removal us Jeffrey's Creek, lying so near us, and most of us having some small quantity of ground allotted to us there already, doo therefore jointly and humbly request the Honorable Court to give us power to erect a village there, and to allow us such enlargement thereabout us is not granted to any other plantation, Thus leaving our request to your Wisdoms consideration, with our prayers for a blessing on your persons and proceedings, wo rest

" 1640 old style, 14th 3d mo. 24th May, 1640, Dew style.

" Your humble petitioners, William Walton, John Black, Wm. Allen, Samuel Archer, Gea. Norton, W'm. Dixey,

John Sibley, James Standish,

John Friend,

John l'ick worth, Jolin Galley, Benj. Parmiter,

Robert Atlen,

Edward Grover, Pasco Feote, William Bennett, Jolın Norman.

" The petition is granted and referred to Mr. John Winthrop, Jr., and Mr. Simon Bradstreet to settle the bounds of the village."

The inhabitants of " Jeffrey's Creek," in 1645, peti- tion the General Court for a change of name.

As many of the settlers were from Manchester, England, they desired the name of their old home should be made that of the new.

The record of the General Court reads as follows:

" May 3d, 1645, " The Court allows Jefferies Creek to be called Manchester."

" 29 4 me. 1646. Ordered that Willium Woodburie & Richard Brack- enburie, Ensign Dixey, Mr. Conant, & Lieutenant Lathrop & Lawrence

1254

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Jeo n shull furthwt lay out a way between the fferry at Salem & the head of Jeffryes ( recke, and that it shall be such a way as men Diay travel on horse back & drive cattle & if such a way may not be found then to take a speedy course lo sett up a foote bridge at Mackerell

This was the first road to the new town, and was essentially the present Beverly and Manchester road as far as Bennett Street, up which it went to Pine, up l'ine a little above the old " Baker house," then along the foot of "Powder-house Hill" to Friends Court, which it descended to School Street, down that street, crossing the brook at the ford, and so on to the common.

The highway to Cape Ann was up North Street to Washington, and down Sea Street.

In 1886 it became necessary to rebuild the culvert at the foot of Bennett's Hill; and about twelve feet below the present surface street the corduroy road across the muddy banks of the brook, was found in excellent condition, the wood perfectly sound ; as nothing was found beneath, it was believed to have belonged to the original road of 1646.

In 1646 "John Norman was allowed to keep a house of common entertainment."

The feeling in favor of educating the people was made evident by the action of the General Court of the fol- lowing year, who ordered that " every town of fifty in- habitants should have a school for reading and writ- ing, and of one hundred inhabitants to have a gram- mar-school, so as to fit scholars for college."

With great care our ancestors guarded the inter- course between young unmarried persons. as will be seen by the following law passed in 1647 : " Ifany young man attempts to address a young woman with- out the consent of her parents, or in their absents, the County Court, he shall be fined £5; for the second offence £10; and imprisonment for the third."

The records of the court show even this law was sometimes disregarded.

Coin was very scarce, and to prevent its being taken from the colony the General Court appointed "Sam- nel Archer, of Salem, to examine all persons going out of Massachusetts, to see that they carry no more than twenty shillings in coin to pay expenses." This gentleman was a resident of Manchester.

In 1647 the town of Manchester appears in the list of presentments by the grand jury " for not training according to order, wants of a pound, and a pair of scale4." In 1648 " for want of constable's stat."

In 1619 Kettle Cove was granted to John Kettle. Nathaniel Marsterson is "granted free feed for his raltle and timber to build him a house ; " this was probably the fifth minister settled in the town.

The scarcity of money and the low value of prop- erty is illustrated by the following record of 1651 :

wide to the waters edge, he paying forty shillings in money, thirty shillings in merchantable boards, and 10 shillings in goods." "He also purchascd the land at 'Pitts' Cove' (where the Forster wharf is) for £2 15 shillings."

In 1651 the following persons were presented by the grand jury "for absence from public ordinances three or four Sabbaths, William Allen, Pasco Foot and John Sibley, and for wearing silver lace, silver and gold buttons, Robert Edwards, John Norman and -- Norman."

The destruction of the timber by residents and by people from other towns became so much of an evil that regulations were made as follows :

"11th 5th mo. 1650, It is ordered at a town meeting that none shall cut any timber from the common land but a proper inhabitant, nud if any stranger sball cut timber from the towns Common, it is left with the Towns-men to look after, and stop the timber from being carried away, and the damage shall be as they judge good.

" Sammuel Friend William Bennett

Joho Pickwath James Standish

Pasco Foote

Joho Sibley

Robert Leach

Henry Lee ;

and Gth 10th mo., 1668. It is ordered and agreed at a town mestlog, that all orders as formerly made and entered as herein expressed in wri- ting shall stand concerning masts, Yards, Clayboard trees, Pikestaffs, Hogsheads and Barrels.

"For masts for Barques and trees for each mast-£0. 58. 0d. All yards, bowsprits and other yards as Goodman Jones shall judge who is appointed by the town.

" For n shallops mast £0. 18. 0d.

For a Claybord tree 0. 1. 0

For a Pikestaff tree, 0. 1. 0

F'or Hogeheads, Barrels, each tree. 0.1. 0 For Canoes, trees sold out of the town for them. 0. 2. 6

" Yet it is further ordered that no posts, or rails shall be cut from our commons transported ont of the plantation to any other place ou ths forfeit of-40 and whoever makes use of any tree standing or lying on the ground, eitber oak, pine, or Cedar, for Clayboards, Boards, or Shingles, shall pay-1 and for all frames according to the dimensions here specified, -a frame from 20 to 30 feet long 15 d. and so iu proportion-for sawing boards 14 per hundred.

" Given under the hands of the Selectmen 6th 10th m., 1658.

" PASCO FOOTE.

" JOHN SIBLEY.

" RODENT LEACH.

The earliest record of a piece of land having been devoted to burial purposes is in 1653, when the town grants to Samuel Friend the Island wharf property, now belonging to the A. W. Smith estate, in ex- change for some land "taken from him and used for a burial ground, which was formerly planted by him." This is the old burial-ground at the junction of Washington and Summers streets; it extended across the present highway ; the road to Gloucester at that time was down Sea street, through the " Towne " and " Dana estates."

Tradition tells of earlier interments which were made behind the meeting-house on the eastern side of Church street.

Our ancestors were always alive to their religions duties ; as soon as their tents were pitched, they set where they could worship God on the Sabbath. Tradition says the first meeting of this kind was held

" Robert Is bell of Manchester, carpenter, for £15 sold bis dwe Hling house and 49 acres of land, with his , up an altar by collecting in some convenient place partition of meadow which is 1 acre allotted to him in te > to Richard Norman," and a little later " 1 Kins Williams bought a strip of land two rods "under the shadow of a tree at "Gale's Point," near

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MANCHESTER.

an old wharf that may yet be seen. This was about 1640, and it is probable that Mr. Jenner or Ralf Smith was the preacher. Preaching was without doubt, carried on in the houses of the settlers until 1656, when it was decided to build a house of wor- ship; the Town Record says ;

" 1656, ya 24 of ya 12 mo. It was at a general town meeting agreed upon that a meeting-honse should ba built, 18 feet loug, with two Gabla ends, to be set near the Landing-place, and the planters ara to come and ent the timber this day fortnight. William Bennett, John Pickworth and Samuel Friend are to oversea the getting of the timber, and if any man neglects to work he is to give a sufficient reason for his abseuca, or pay 5 shillings for his neglect."

"1n 1660 John Blackleach, senr., of Boston, sold to John West, planter, his land in Manchester, which was grauted to him by the town of Salem."

The love of office does not seem to have affected the early pioneers, for we find Manchester is com- plained of by the General Court " for not sending a deputy from among them," and two years later Major William Hawthorne " is authorized to act for Man- chester in the General Court, as legal difficulties ex- hists requiring their vote, and no deputy having been sent from among them." And in Ipswich, in 1660, " the freemen of Manchester are fined £10 and cost for not appearing at the last term of the court, being summonsed."

In 1662 there were twenty land owners in town. Among whom were Samuel Friend, William Allen, James Standish, Robert Leach, John Norman, Nich- olas Vincent, Widow Lee, William Bennett, Pitt, Maveric, Chubbs, Palmeter, Blackledge, Pickworth, Isaac Whichar and Ambrose Gale.

During the year 1664, the regulation requiring the administering of the freeman's oath was so modified as to grant those privileges to all such as had received from some respectable clergyman, testimony as to their correctness in doctrine and conduct.

In 1665 Thomas West was elected as the first repre- sentative to the General Court.

In 1667 the Dutch came and plundered some ves- sels ; the loss sustained by John Norman was made up to him by the town. This early settler died in 1672.

John Pickworth was granted forty acres of land at Pickworth's Point.

In 1672 a treaty or covenant was made between the Indians and the planters of "Casco Bay," among them the name of Jenkin Williams, of Manchester, appears.

A committee appointed by Beverly and Man- chester to settle the bounds between them, report as follows: "That the mouth of the creek called Chubb's creek, by the sea, and so taking the channel of said creek, to the head of said creek, and then to a rock on the western side of the head of said creek, and from there to a white oak tree near the east end of the pond, by turnip swamp, so-called, shall be taken as the standing bounds between Beverly and Manchester."

In 1675 a committee was appointed by the General

Court "to see Essex County fortified from the at- tacts of the Indians."

An uneasiness among the tribes had long been noticed, and evidently a crisis was approaching. With growing apprehension the red men had watched the increase of the pale faces; everywhere their hunt- ing grounds were dotted with the cabins of the set- tlers, and the game had been driven away; their favorite fishing places were so frequented by men skilled in the art, as to be no longer productive with their rude appliances. Where there had been plen- ty, there was now a scarcity, and their families were otten hungry.

The inevitable conflict between civilization and savage life was rapidly approaching. On the one hand organization, united action was the first step, but with the aborigines this was extremely difficult: for generations the neighboring tribes and bands had been hereditary foes; and to unite such, even for de- fense against a common enemy was almost impossi- ble. This is the weakness of savage life.

In "King Phillip" a leader was found of rare capacity, who succeeded to a very considerable ex- tent in overcoming these tribal differences. Under his leadership, quite a formidable force was collected and hurled against the settlements. It was a vigor- ous warfare, where savage skill and valor, was met by the courage and the patriotism of the white race, and with the natural result: the triumph of the more enlightened.

In consequence of the loss of the records, it is not known how many of hier citizens Manchester sent to the early wars; but Samuel Pickworth, John Allen, Joshua Carter and Samuel Bennett were slain at Bloody Brook while serving under Captain Lothrope, of Beverly; whose command was described by a con- temporary writer as "a choice company of young men, the very flower of the County of Essex, none of whom were ashamed to speak with the enemy at the gate."

In 1677 " Ambrose Gale of this town, petitioned the General Court for liberty to fish on the coast of Plymouth, he having been prohibited by the inhab- itants of that town." The court appointed a com- mittee to address a letter on the subject to the Ply- mouth Company.

In 1678 William Allen, Sr., died, and his wife Elizabeth was made executrix. In her inventory is the following list and appraisal :

" House and laod adjoining. £140

15 acres of land adjoining Wenhanı pond ... 20

2 oxen, a cow, 2 heifers, 2 sheep and a (cow) house. 18 Household stuff. 8 "

In another inventory of the same period we find the "household stuff" is itemized as follows: "1 feather bed, 1 flock bed, pillows, 1 table cloth, 2 tow- els, pewter and tin vessels, 2 brass kettles, 1 copper kettle, 2 skillets and two chests.

The wants of those hardy people were evidently

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

very few and easily supplied ; none possessed any luxuries, and there does not appear to have been any who suffered from the want of foo l or shelter.

Rev. John Winborn began to preach to the people for a salary of $13 10% and his fire-wood.

In 1684 the town was assessed for the building of n " Ilouse of Correction " at Ipswich. "And a por- tion of land between the highway and Black Cove was laid out, and granted for the use of the fisher- men."

During the following year a committee from Man- chester and Gloucester lay out a county road between the two towns. This began at the common, went up Union to Washington Street, thence through the burial-ground, down what is now Summer Street, to near the "Row school-house," and thence by what is now known as the old road, it crossed the present railroad and connected with the road as now trav- eled, near the top of the " great bill."

Before this the road to Cape Ann was by Sea Street, through the Towne and Dana estates, and crossed the present county road at a point near the entrance of the most western of the " Dana Avennes."

The " first store " opened in the town was in the house now occupied by Joseph Proctor, Esq., on Sea Street. It was kept by Mrs. Samples, who afterwards became Mrs. Crafts, and had a store at the corner of Union and Church Streets.

1685. In laying out the common land belonging to Mr. West, the records speak of a pine tree, as a bounds, standing alone on a high rock, almost to the MImiration of those who doth lichold it. This was probibly the same tree now standing on a high rock in a swamp near Essex Road, and northerly from " Nga-siz Rock."

In 1986 the town's proportion of the tax for sup- porting his " Majesty's Government " was £1 7s. 2d. levied on thirty-one persons. At that time it was the custom for the constables to go to B. ston and pay it to the treasurer of the Colony.

The " first tavern " of which we have record is yet standing on North Street. It was occupied as a pub- lie-house many years before 1690. This old house was originally two stories in front, with a long slop- ing roof to the rear, a common style of building at that period. The rear of the house was raised some sixty years since, and the whole structure was re- modeled. It is now in excellent condition, and is owned by Alexander Kerr.

Seventy men were drafted for the Essex County Regiment to fight the French and Indians. Those from this town served under Maj. B. Gedney.

"Rey. John Everleth was ordained as a preacher " Ib the town.

In 1691 the church was found too small, and a hen one was ordered; with reference to this house the town's record states :

"That whereas our old meeting-house being the mon Considerable part of it rotten; and the said

house is too small to accommodate our people when convened for the worship of God. It is therefore voted, and fully agreed, to build a new meeting- house of the following dimentions, viz .: length to be 30 feet, the breadth thereof to be 25 feet, the height between the sills and plates IG feet and the form of the roof of the said house to be of the same form as the Wenham meeting-house, with a balcony on the top of said house, suited for a bell of 100 lbs. or more, and three galleries to be built, viz .: one on one side of the whole length of said house, and the other two at each end of said house, the whole breadth of said house. And it was voted and agreed that the Committee, John Sibley, Robert Leach, Thomas West, John Lee, Samuel Leach, William Al- len, Samuel Allen, are at this meeting fully enpow- ered by the Town to agree with a workman to build the said house, for and in behalf of the town, at the said town's cost and charge, to be paid in money at two periods, viz .: one to be paid when the above house is raised, which is voted to be by the 10th day of June next, evening; and the cash payment when the said house is finished, which is voted to be by the last day of October following. The said house to be seated near the Old meeting-house (on the Common), where the Committee shall determine, and the house to be in every way completly finished with seats, and all other decent and suitable appurtanences thereto convenient for the whole house, both within and without, as the said Committee so order. And the above said Committee, or a major part of them, are to place the people in the seats of said house."

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 69

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