History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 71

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 71

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A proposition was made in several of the towns to divide the county of Essex, but the vote of Manches- ter was against it. "And a committee was chosen to draw up the reasons for their vote."

In 1736 Samuel Allen sold to John Foster, shore- man, ten acres of land at Graves' farm for fifty pounds.

"In 1739 the meeting of the Commoners was held in John Hill's tavern."

In June, 1740, while the people were on their way to church, an earthquake of such severity was felt that many were obliged to be seated.

John Driver was slain by the Indians at Cape Sable.

In 1741 a bridge was built across the river at the grist-mill. This was on the site of the present bridge in the centre of the town. And the "river bank near the school-house was leased for a lime kiln." This was about where the town hall now stands.

John Hill was chosen " A Inspector of Killing and Hunting of Dears," which were plentiful in the woods.

In 1744 "Samuel Lee was commissioned a Justice of the peace," a very important office at that time.

In March, 1745, the expedition against Louisbourg sailed from Boston, under the command of William Pepperrell. This was a strongly-fortified town that had been built by the French on the Island of Cape Breton. The town had a large business and was said to have employed six hundred vessels in its trade and fisheries. The feeling against this place was very strong, and was voiced by a noted divine in an ad- joining town. In a sermon advocating the necessity of destroying the place, he said : "They harbor our enemies that come to lay waste our infant eastern settlements; they molest and break in upon our fish- eries, and break them to pieces; they lie near the roadway of our European merchandise, and they sally out and take our corn-vessels; and therefore our op- pressions from thence, so long as it remains in the hands of the enemy, are like to be intolerable. We must remove, then, our enemies, or they will destroy 11s. There is a plain necessity of it; and woe to us if it be not reduced !"

There was great rejoicing when the news of its sur- render reached the town. No list of those engaged in this enterprise from this town has been preserved. But Samuel May was there as a lientenant. David

Allen kept a journal of the expedition. Jacob Mor- gan and John Hassam were killed; and William Tuck was in the engagement on board a British frigate. Daniel Foster was lost by the sinking of a boat, and Jacob Foster never returned. A great deal of excitement prevailed lest the French fleet should make an attack, and many enlisted in the Essex County regiments and marched to Boston. In town the coast-guard was increased and ammunition bought. The town provided stocks for disorderly bipeds, and a pound for restraining unruly quadrupeds. The first stood on the common near the church.

In 1747, other toilers of the sea fell victims to the barbarities of the savage tribes on the coast of Maine. Captain Amos Hilton with his son and crew landed for wood and water, when they were surprised by the Indians and all massacred but one lad. Further particulars of this affair will be found in the article on the fisheries.

Mr. William Hilton, his sou, son-in-law and one other man were suprised by the Indians at Niscopet, near Sheepscot. All were killed except the last named, who was made a prisoner. William Hilton was on his way to Muscongus to possess the land belonging to his father.

In 1748, the throat distemper prevailed and many children died, and Benjamin Allen and William Has- sam were lost at sea.

The following year was also a sad one, for Isaac Preston, Benjamin Ilassam and William Lee were lost on a return voyage from Lisbon. Ezekiel Mars- ters was also lost at sea, and Andrew Leach died while in London.

"2 shillings paid for a new bottom to the Great Chair in the school-house."

In 1750 " Captain John Lee was paid 58. 4d. for a journey after a school-master."

The town also voted to repair the meeting-house, and to buy the first row of pews in the front gallery, the front seats in the side gallery, and the men's seats below.

And it was further voted that those that are pro- prietors, and those that are not, shall vote together. This is the first instance of unrestricted suffrage in the town.

A church steeple was ordered to be built at a cost of £190, and in the following year an additional £100 was appropriated for the same purpose.

And again a gloom is cast over the village by the loss of six of their inhabitants while on their return voyage from Lisbon.

In 1753 " Mr. Samuel Wigglesworth was paid for keeping a school five sixths of one quarter year £5, 118, 12d."

The wolves were very destructive to the young stock of the settlers, and at town meeting it was or- dered " that any sum of money be drawn to destroy them," and on the following year it was voted the money needful in conjunction with other towns, "to

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

Destroy those Devouring Wolves which are in, or may be found in, the woods between Ipswich, Glou- cester, Manchester, Beverly and Wenham."

John Lee, Samuel Lee and Rev. Amos Cheever were owners of Slaves.

The town purchased a copper weather-cock for their meeting-house at a cost of £7, 108. 8d. It has been in constant use ever since, and it as faithfully marky the wind's changes as it did for our Colonial ancestors.

In 1753 Benjamin Martin, who owned Smith's farm, died; his son, Nathaniel, married a daughter of Amos Piekworth.

In 1755 a "contribution was taken for the support of free schools, Samnel Lee giving the interest of £13 Gs. Sd. for ten years, and many others subscribed liberally. The early settlers were always interested in the support of the church and the schools; and, considering their very limited means, and the great scarcity of money, their contributions were very liberal.

In the following year six citizens of the town were lost at sea. The men were a sea-faring race, and were much employed by the merchants of Boston, Salem, and Newburyport.

In 1756 Ambrose Allen, Moses Frank, Jacob Lee, Daniel Davidson, William Ireland, and John Ayers, belonging to the town, were lost at sea on a return voyage from Lisbon.

Rev. Amos Cheever, who had been pastor of the church for twenty-seven years, died January 15, 1756. Ile was lain in the old burial ground, but no stone marks his resting-place.

In the town records for 1757 is the following : "The selectmen are empowered to let the French men to John Foster for one year for one hundred and ten pounds, Old Tenor." There were neutral French (Acadians) who were compelled to leave Nova Scotia after it had been conquered by the English, and were town charges.

1758 way a disastrous season for the fishing flect ; many were lost. Of this town John Day, John Driver, Richard Leach, John Lee and Samuel Mor- gan perished.

And there were more victims for the savages, for Captain Samuel Leach, Joseph Allen, Jacob Crowell and Robert Bear were surprised and slain at Casco Bay. Two boys escaped.

Captain Leach was a justice of the peace, and noted for his great strength and activity. In numer- ons Indian battles he had made himself conspicuous, and was said to have destroyed many of his assailants before he fell, covered with wounds.

The third tavern, used to stand at the corner of Washington and North streets. It was kept by Dea- con John Allen, about 1758. It had a long sloping roof, was two stories in front and one in the rear. The sign was a golden ball. It had two large, square room in front, a very large chimney in the centre,

and a long, narrow kitchen in the rear. It was taken down in 1883.

In 1759, Benjamin Orsement was granted a deed of the Old Way to Chebacco, aronnd " Moses Ilill," by laying out a new road, to the westward of "Millett's Swamp" lots to Chebacco. This was the original road to Ipswich, or Chehacco, as Essex was then called. It left what is now called the " Old Road " to Essex about opposite the "Cressey Orchard," and ran to the northward of " Moses Hill."

£9 11s. 8d. was paid John Foster for supplying the families of the Frenchmen " (Acadians).

In 1760 a subscription for the support of a free grammar school was circulated, and "John Lee agrees to give £30 old tenor : if Daniel Edwards arrives safe from Virginia : if not, then £15, and 10 others sub- scribed the last named sum."

The town was fined for not sending a representa- tive to the General Court.

A wall was "ordered to be built about the burial- place, and the bars are to be replaced with a gate." This was probably an ordinary stone wall.

The following is a list of the school teachers in 1760 :-

£. s. d.

"Thomas Lee's wife, the School Dame at Kettle Cove, received ... 1

4 Widow Rebecca Tewksbury, at Newport. 2

5 Nathaniel Lee's wife, at the Plain 1

3 4 Widow Sarah Leach, at North Yarmouth 18 3 John Pickering, for 1 quarter hire, keeping Grammar School 6 13 5

"The town paid Thomas Lee for making a whip- ping-post, and a pair of stocks 13 shillings, 4d .; and 4s. 8d. for stock-irons." These indispensable institu- tions of our forefathers, were placed on the common near the church and the school-house.

A fine of five shillings was collected from a person "for swearing."

In 1761 a census of the town was taken, and gives the number of inhabitants as follows : -

Total of population. 739

Families.

135

HouseB, 103

Colored persons, 23

Acacians 7

Indiane. 1

The last family of Indians lived at "Nichols," (near the Tenney place). They were very old, and were kindly treated by the people of the town who often contributed to their comfort by gifts of food and clothing.

During the revival at Chebacco in 1763, several of the Manchester people united with Rev. John Cleave- land's church in that place, much to the displeasure of Rev. Mr. Tappan, who had but little sympathy with the "Whitefieldian movement." Among the number was Edward Lee, "The Apostolic Fisher- man," of whom Mr. Cleaveland gives an interesting account in his "Plain Narrative," published at Bos- ton in 1767.

In the following year Benjamin Andrew, Charles

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MANCHESTER.

Leach and David Foster were lost with the "May- flower," on their return from the West Indies.

In 1765 John Foster owned the " Smith Farm."

The parsonage land at the eastward of the meeting- house was divided and sold, and money was appropri- ated by the town for the building of an alms-house. It was the custom to let out the poor to board with those who would pay the most for their services; this was done annually.

Again the storms and seas make havoc, and shroud the village in mourning ; for this year adds no less than ten to the list of lost.

In 1767 "the town orders £36, 138. 4d. as a gift to Rev. Mr. Tappan, and continued the same in the year following, and in 1769 the amount was increased to £45."

A wind-mill was ordered to be built, that the exportation of corn might be prevented. It stood near School Street, on the land recently purchased by the town for a cemetery, and was taken down in about 1812.

A town-meeting was called "to see if anything could be done to the burial-ground, in consideration that those persons who are called to follow their deceased friends to the grave, may be delivered from the briers which so encumber them."

This year saw a marked change in the church-for seats for the choir were made in the gallery-before this they sat with the congregation, and did not sing by note as they now began to do. The time was started by a wooden pitch-pipe about a foot in length, on which the letters of the scale were cut; the tones were obtained by blowing in the end, and the pitch by sliding up and down the rod that filled the cavity of the instrument; only about a dozen psalm tunes were then in use.

In 1773 " the town agreed with Joseph Killam to ring the bell and sweep the meeting-house for one year for £1 68. 8d., and further, to ring the said bell at 9 o'clock at night for 40 shillings."

The early settlers had paid their passages to this country, they had settled upon land they had already purchased before leaving England by buying shares in the stock of the company, and that there might be no doubt as to their right to the land, they had paid the Indians for a full and complete relinquish- ment of all their right, title and interest in it. As loyal subjects of the Crown they had always furnished their full proportion of men and money for preserv- ing peace along the borders. They had contributed their quota of the taxes for the support of the colonial government. They felt they had made their new homes by privation, hard labor, and honest practices, and they were sensitive of any unjust interference of Old England in their affairs. After the signing of the treaty of peace, in 1763, by which all the French possessions in Canada were surrendered to the English-instead of a more liberal policy be- ing adopted as they had been led to believe-the in- town.

dustrial pursuits of the young colony were more severely restricted than before : already over taxed for the protection of the colony, the impoverished settlers were still further harassed by burdensome taxation, and intolerable regulations on commerce and manu- factures.

This feeling was greatly intensified by the at- tempted enforcement of the tea tax in 1773, which resulted in the destruction of three ship-loads in Boston harbor. This act of defiance roused the in- dignation of the British Parliament, and in retalia- tion they closed the port of that town, thereby paralyzing all business, and causing a vast amount of suffering there, and in the vicinity. The prospect of our fathers was gloomy in the extreme.

There were a considerable number in the town who remained loyal to the country of their birth, and reasoned against resistance. They said, "Our interests are almost entirely on the ocean, if war comes our fisheries will be destroyed, the markets of Europe, of the West Indies, and the trade with the southern colonies will be closed against us, our vessels will rot at our wharves: and how can we live ?"

But a large majority of the people of Manchester felt they had been goaded beyond endurance ; and they were willing to take any risk, and to make any sacrifice in the hope of greater independence. And in common with the inhabitants of other sec- tions of the state they lost no time in seconding the measures of the leaders against the unwarranted aggressions of England.

May 18, 1774, a letter was received from the com- mittee of correspondence at Boston, on the subject of a separation of colonies. A town-meeting was called and a committee was chosen to report thereon. At an adjourned meeting the following resolutions were adopted :

Ist. "If any danger srrise from this meeting, the tuwo will be liable for the same.

2d. " To send delegates to the county congress and they be paid sight shillings per day.

3d. " John Lee, Andrew Marsters, and Andrew Woodbury are elected delegates to the County Congress to meet at Ipswich to consider the criti- cal state of our national affairs."

The resolutions passed at Ipswich were of unmistak- able import, as will be seen by the following extracts ;

" At the same time we frankiy and with sincerity, declare that we hold ourselves subject to his majesty King George the 3d, and as such will bear him true allegiance, and are ready with our lives and fortunes to support and defend his person, crowa, and dignity of his constitutional authority over us. But, hy the horrors of slavery-by the dignity and happiness attendiog virtuous freedom, we are constrained to declare that we hold our liberties too dear to be sported with, and are therefore seriously determined to defend them."

On the 16th of September, "Andrew Woodbury was elected to the General Court, and in the event of its disolution he was to attend as the Provincial Con- gress at Cambridge."

Since 1749 the hungry waves have engulfed no less than ninety-seven of the inhabitants of this little

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

In December of the same year the town voted that "the money in the hands of the constable should not be paid to the treasurer of the Province, but to Henry Gardner of Stowe ; " thus the " sinews of war " were diverted from the customary channel to the popular callse.

And that importation might be reduced it was voted "that we give no Scarfs or Gloves at funerals, and wear no mourning for deceased friends, except a small piece of crape."

Minnte men were appointed, ammunition purchas- ed, and the militia organized by the election of An- drew Marsters, captain, Samnel Forster, lieutenant, and Eleazer Crafts, second lieutenant; and the com- pany were more frequently drilled on the common.

The town also ordered "a subscription for the poor of Boston."

Early in 1775 the small-pox, a disease peculiarly dreaded at that period, appeared in the town, and a pest-house, with its attendant, the smoke-house, was built, and many people died.

The order from the Provincial Congress for sup- plying clothing for the army was cheerfully complied with ; and fifty bushels of corn were purchased for the poor of the town.

Watch-houses were built along the coast that the movements of the British armies might be observed.

In April the news ot the Battle of Lexington reached the town, and the militia under Captain Marsters started immediately for the seene of action. They went as far as Medford, where they received orders to return. (Twenty-one of this company enlist- ed in the ('ontinental army). The colors carried by this Medford company was for many years preserved by Major Forster; and at his death it became the property of his grandson, James Knight, a veteran of the War of the Rebellion.

Dr. Joseph Whipple was the first physician that settled in Manchester. He was made captain of the ('oast Guards, and the following is a copy of his orders.

" At a meeting of the Committee of Correspondence on Monday, the "ith of September, 1775.

" Captura Joseph Whipple,-As yon and the half company of soldiers stati ned in the town of Manchester are under the care of the Commit- too of Correspondence, we order you to proceed as followeth ;-

" Firstly Wo order you and your enlisted soldiers to meet on the Town Latling, completo in arms, as directed by the Congress, at two ( dock every day except Sunday, and to discipline your soldiers two hire ani a half, and thom that don't appear by half after two o'clock shall pay a hne lor each dufault of eight pence to be taken out of their

" Sec mill Werder you and your soldiers to carry your arms to meet- Ing ( very inte thing day, wendling to the resolves of the Congress.

" I'he 1. Wu order yon to keep three watches in town, two in ouch

with by ng t und one by day One watch on Glasshend, and one watch on Ims , 11 Both . Bullard place, and one on Crow Island.

" En th We offer yen to go the rounds two nights In vach week, te now that there is a gu I watch kept, and in case any of them should be Finns den unt that they tusy be treed by the articles of war, us they are in the army it t wirdlge.

"Watler you to see that no night-watch leaves the watch till & 1 rei ved by the day-watch, and no day-watch till rolleved by

the night-watch, and see that the watch-henses are not left destitnte the day or night,

"Sirthly. We order that the Town Landing be the Laram pert at all times, that in case of any alarm that the soldiers make the best of their way to the Laram port to receive orders ; except us is for Article Eighthly.

" Seventhly. We order that if any shall leave the body and not appear on parade without leave of the officers, they shall pay a fine of six shill. ings, to be taken out of their wages for each default.

" Eighthly. We order that if any aların should be at Kettle Cove that the men that are there shall keep there, and the rest to appear nt the alarm post, and in case the aların should be at Newport the men that are there shall keep there, and the rest to appear as above."

The committee of correspondence were, John Lee, Jonathan Herrick, Samuel Forster, Jacob Hooper, Aaron Lee, John Edwards, Isaac Lee, Isaac Proctor, Eleazer Crafts.

During this year an oration was delivered in town on " the Beanties of Civil Liberty, and the Horrors of Slavery." This is said to have been not only in the interest of the white race, but of the negro as well ; in fact it was the first abolition address ever made in town.

In 1776 a town meeting was called "to do some- thing further, for security from our unnatural enimies," and the construction of an entrenchment at Nor- tons Point was voted ; one hundred bushels of corn was purchased for the poor, and sixty-eight pounds voted for soldiers' bounties.

Among the old papers of a tory family the follow- ing receipt was found, evidently written after a poli- tical discussion.

Received payment in full of all Demands, frem this time, henceforth and Forever, as long as the World stands.

" Manchester, 24 3d me., 1776."

At a town meeting it was ordered that "Mr. Rog- ers should have 11 shilling 4d. for writing a petition to Gen. Washington." The nature of this document is not known.

In 1777 the warrant for the town-meeting began with : "In the name of the government and people of this colony " instead of "In the name of his Majesty George the Third, &e.," as before.

The town ordered £14 in addition to that given by Congress, as a bounty to enlisting soldiers, and agree to support the families of the soldiers.

There was much excitement in regard to the Tories in town, and a committee was appointed to examine all persons inimical to the state.

The town ordered to all soldiers that served in the Army of 1776 without bounty, a credit of £20 each. A census reports a male population of two hundred and twenty-four over fifteen years old.

Eleazer Crafts was chosen first major of the Cape Ann and Manchester Brigade.

In July, of this year, the privateer " Gloucester," a new brig from the port for which she was named, went to sea with a total of one hundred and thirty men. Shortly after her departure she captured and sent in two prize brigs ; after that nothing was heard of her. The loss of this vessel cast a deep gloom over Manchester, and made widows and orphans in many

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MANCHESTER.

homes. The surgeon was Dr. Joseph Whipple, who had won an enviable reputation as a physician in the town. He was an ardent patriot, a safe counselor, and greatly beloved by his fellow-citizens, eighteen of whom shipped with him, and with him sank to their eternal rest. Among them were Daniel Morgan, Daniel Ober, Nicholas Babcock, James Pittman, John Allen, John Coster, Tucker, Amos Allen, David Brown, Andrew Brown, Jacob Lendall, Simeon Webber, Azariah Allen and James Morgan.

" Andrew Leach and ten others belonging to the town were lost in the privateer ' Barrington,' of New- buryport."

In April, 1778, a town-meeting was called to con- sider the Articles of Confederation between the States. The constitution was read by paragraphs, and its pro- visions discussed, but the decision was against it.

Liberty to be inoculated for the small-pox was desired. A meeting was called, and after a protracted debate, permission was refused.

Samuel Foster and Benjamin Obear built mills at Newport for making molasses from the stalks of corn, but the experiment was not successful and was soon abandoned.

All business with the Southern Colonies and the West Indies having been suspended by the war, there was much suffering for the want of corn, pork, mo- lasses and sugar.

All the men capable of bearing arms were in the army, on board of privateer vessels or on duty in the wretched defenses called forts that lined the coast ; so the care of providing for the familes devolved on the women and boys, who cultivated the land, from it and from the sea, they gathered their food.

And that the raising of pork might be encouraged, it was voted " that swine be allowed to go at large, yoked and ringed to prevent their doing damage."

In the early part of 1779, £742 in paper was the equal of £100 in silver. In December, of the same year, it required £2,593 to buy £100 in silver.

The town taxes for that year were as follows :

Ordered by Congress. £8004

State tax

4927

County tax

2024

Town tax

2979

School tax

200

£19,034

The impoverished people could not pay their taxes. And so great was the difficulty in finding officers who would undertake their collection, that Amos Hilton, Joseph Day and Isaac Lee having been severally elected, each preferred to pay the fine of £5 rather than serve in that capacity.

£41, 5s. were paid for soldiers' shoes, and other sums were raised for the prosecution of the war.

In 1780 James Lee died in prison at Halifax, N. S.

The population of the town for this year was nine hundred and sixty-five; and the taxes, including soldiers' bounties, were £21,092.

The town expenses "were £800 for Rev. Mr. Tap- pan ; £1280 for highways; £800 for the poor; £4000 for schools and town charges." Paper money had so depreciated that £75 was the common exchange for £1 in silver.

A great deal of distress is occasioned by this terrible depreciation in the value of the currency and consequent high price of all kinds of supplies ; and a committee was appointed by the town "to regulate the price of articles of consumption."

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History of Essex County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 71

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