USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 13
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 13
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THOMAS WILLIS - was a farmer, and the first resident on the hill on which the alms-house is situated. The land on the south was called Willis's Neck, and that on the north, Willis's Meadow. He was a representative in the first. General Court in 1634, and a member of the Essex Court, in 1639. He became one of the first proprietors of Sandwich, in 1637, but did not remove at that time.
WILLIAM WITTER - was a farmer and resided at Swampscot. He says, in a deposition in Salem Court files, 15 and 27 April,
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1657, " Blacke will, or duke william, so called, came to my house, (which was two or three miles from Nahant,) when Tho- mas Dexter had bought Nahant for a suit of clothes; the said Black will Asked me what I would give him for the Land my. house stood vppon, it being his land, and his ffather's wigwam stood their abouts, James Sagomore and John, and the Sago- more of Agawame, and diuers more, And George Sagomore, being a youth was present, all of them acknowlidginge 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." He died in 1659, aged 75 years. The name of his wife was Annis, and his children were Josiah, and Hannah, who married Robert Burdin. By his will, 6 Aug. 1657, he gives his wife Annis half his estate, and Josiah the other half; and says, "Hannah shall have a yew and lamb this time twelf mounth." [This was the William Witter who sorely offended the authorities by entertaining Obadiah Holmes, John Crandall, and John Clarke, when they traveled hither from Rhode Island, and who was called to account for his opinions against infant baptism. " It came to pass," says Clarke's narra- tive " that we three by the good hand of our 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, as we also doe, for the kingdom of God and the full consolation of the Israel of God." For something further concerning the visit of these notable travelers see under date 1651.]
RICHARD WRIGHT, (Capt.) - was selected in 1632, to confer with the Governor about raising a public fund. He was admit- ted a freeman in 1634. He removed to Boston, where, in 1636, he contributed 6s. 8d. "towards the maintenance of a free school-master." (Boston Records.)
The great body of fifty persons, with their families, who came to Lynn this year, settled in all parts of the town, selecting the most eligible portions, and each occupying from ten to two hun- dred acres, and some more. They were principally farmers, and possessed a large stock of horned cattle, sheep and goats. For several years, before the land was divided, and the fields fenced, the cattle were fed in one drove, and guarded by a man, who, from his employment, was called a hayward. The sheep, goats, and swine were kept on Nahant, where they were tended by a shepherd. Nahant seems to have been sold several times, to different individuals, by " Black William," who also gave it to the plantation for a sheep pasture. A fence of rails. put near
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together, was made across the beach, near Nahant, to keep out the wolves, as those animals do not climb. When the people were about building this fence, Captain Turner said, "Let us make haste, lest the country should take it from us." (Deposi- tion in Salem Court Records, 22 April, 1657.) The people of Lynn, for many years, appear to have lived in the most perfect democracy. They had town meetings every three months, for the regulation of their public affairs. They cut their wood in common, and drew lots for the grass in the meadows and marshes. These proved very serviceable to the farmers, by furnishing them with sustenance for their cattle; which was probably the reason why there were more farmers at Lynn, than in any other of the early settlements. Mr. Johnson says, " The chiefest corn they planted, before they had plowes, was Indian grain-and let no man make a jest of Pumpkins, for with this food the Lord was pleased to feed his people to their good content, till Corne and Cattell were increased." Their corn at the first, was pounded, after the manner of the Indians, with a pestle of wood or stone, in a mortar made either of stone, or a log hollowed out at one end. They also cultivated large fields of barley and wheat. Much of the former was made into malt for beer. They raised considerable quantities of flax, which was rotted in one of the ponds, thence called the Flax Pond. Their first houses were rude structures, covered with thatch, or small bundles of sedge or straw, laid one over another. A common form of the early cottages, was eighteen feet square, and seven feet post, with the roof steep enough to form a sleep- ing chamber. The better houses were built with two stories in front, and sloped down to one in the rear; the upper story projecting about a foot, with very sharp gables. The frames were of heavy oak timber, showing the beams inside. Burnt clam shells were used for lime, and the walls were whitewashed. The fire-places were made of rough stones, and the chimneys of boards, or short sticks, crossing each other, and plastered inside with clay. The windows were small, opening outward on hinges. They consisted of very small diamond panes, set in sashes of lead. The fire-places were large enough to admit a four-foot log, and the children might sit in the corners and look up at the stars. People commonly burned about twenty cords of wood in a year, and the ministers were allowed thirty cords. On whichever side of the road the houses were placed, they uniformly faced the south, that the sun at noon might "shine square." Thus each house formed a domestic sun-dial, by which the good matron, in the absence of the clock, could tell, in fair weather, when to call her husband and sons from the field; for the industrious people of Lynn, then as well as now, always dined exactly at twelve. [In this description of the ancient
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houses Mr. Lewis has to some extent mixed the .styles of differ- ent periods. On page 114 there is a brief description of a novel style of habitation which prevailed in New England at the time of the early settlements.] It was the custom of the first settlers to wear long beards, and Governor Winthrop says, "Some had their overgrown beards so frozen together, that they could not get their strong water bottells to their mouths." In very hot weather, says Wood "servants were priviledged to rest from their labors, from ten of the clocke till two." The common address of men and women was Goodman and Goodwife; none but those who sustained some office of dignity, or were descend- ed from some respectable family, were complimented with the title of Master. [Was not the distinction, at first, based solely upon admission to the rights of freeman, or member of the Company ? But see further remarks on the point elsewhere in this volume.] In writing they seldom used a capital F; and thus in the early records we find two small ones used instead ; and one m, with a dash over it, stood for two. [And so of some other letters. The act naming the town, passed in 1637, stands thus : "Saugust is called LIN."] The following ballad, written about this time, exhibits some of the peculiar customs and modes of thinking among the early settlers :
The place where we live is a wilderness wood, Where grass is much wanting that 's fruitful and good; Our mountains and hills, and our valleys below, Being commonly covered with ice and with snow.
And when the northwest wind with violence blows, Then every man pulls his cap over his nose ; But if any is hardy, and will it withstand, He forfeits a finger, a foot, or a hand.
And when the spring opens, we then take the hoe, And make the ground ready to plant and to sow ; Our corn being planted, and seed being sown, The worms destroy much before it is grown -
And while it is growing, some spoil there is made By birds and by squirrels, that pluck up the blade ; And when it is come to full corn in the ear, It is often destroyed by racoon and by deer.
And now our old garments begin to grow thin, And wool is much wanted to card and to spin ; If we can get a garment to cover without, Our other in garments are clout [patch] upon clout.
Our clothes we brought with us are apt to be torn, They need to be clouted soon after they 're worn ; But clouting our garments they hinder us nothing, Clouts double are warmer than single whole clothing. L
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If fresh meat be wanting to fill up our dish, We have carrots and pumpkins, and turnips and fish ; And if there 's a mind for a delicate dish,
We haste to the clam banks and take what we wish.
Stead of pottage and puddings and custards and pies, Our turnips and parsnips are common supplies ; We have pumpkins at morning, and pumpkins at noon, If it was not for pumpkins we should be undone.
If barley be wanting to make into malt, We must then be contented and think it no fault ; For we can make liquor to sweeten our lips, Of pumpkins and parsnips and walnut tree chips.
Now while some are going let others be coming, For while liquor 's boiling it must have a scumming ; But I will not blame them, for birds of a feather, By seeking their fellows, are flocking together.
Then you whom the Lord intends hither to bring, Forsake not the honey for fear of the sting ; But bring both a quiet and contented mind, And all needful blessings you surely shall find.
The General Court, for the first four years, consisted of the Governor, Deputy Governor, twelve Assistants, or magistrates, and all who had obtained the privileges of freemen. Instead, therefore, of sending representatives, the whole number of free- men attended the Court in person. An order was made, that no persons should be admitted to the privileges of freemen, but such as were members of some church, and had certificates from their ministers that their opinions were approved. This policy continued, till it was abrogated by an order from king Charles II., in 1662.
Lynn was incorporated in 1630, by the admission of its free- men as members of the General Court. There were no acts of incorporation for several of the early towns. Boston, Salem, and Charlestown, were no otherwise incorporated, than by their freemen taking their seats in the General Court. They never paused to inquire if they were incorporated; the very act of their being there was an incorporation. The freemen of Lynn were an important and respectable portion of the General Court, and Lynn was as much incorporated in 1630 as Boston was. The injustice which has been done to Lynn, by placing her incorporation seven years too late, should be corrected.
The following order was passed by the General Court, for regulating the prices of labor. "It is ordered, that no master carpenter, mason, joiner, or bricklayer, shall take above 16d. a Day for their work, if they have meate and Drinke; and the second sort not above 12d. a Day, under payne of Xs. both to giver and receiver." This order probably occasioned some
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dissatisfaction, as the Court, some months after, determined that wages should be left unlimited, " as men shall reasonably agree."
[The evil effects of strong drink were felt in the very infancy of the plantations. As early as this year the Court found it expedient to pass the following summary order, which looks like a sort of special liquor law : "It is ordered, that all Rich : Cloughes stronge water shall presently be seazed vpon, for his selling greate quantytie thereof to seual mens serv's which was the ocacon of much disorder, drunkenes & misdemean"." A number of years subsequent to this, however, Rev. Mr. Firmin, rector at Shalford, who had been in several of the New England settlements and had practised physic at Boston, declared in a sermon before Parliament and the Westminster Assembly, that he had been seven years among the planters, and had " never heard one profane oath," and in " all that time never did see a a man drunk." These declarations have been quoted as those of Hugh Peters, but incorrectly. The seven years alluded to probably terminated in 1643. As Savage remarks, the decla- rations are better proof of the keeping of good company than of searching for examples. The frequent enactments regard- ing the sale of "stronge water," and the numerous instances of punishment awarded for drunkenness tell a very different story.]
The Indians, having become acquainted with the use of guns, and having seen their superiority over bows and arrows, would give almost any amount in land, beaver skins, or wampum, for them. This caused an apprehension of danger, and on the 28th of Sept. the Court ordered, that " noe person whatsoever shall, either directly or indirectly, imploy or cause to be employed, or to their power permit any Indian, to vse any peece vpon any occasion or pretence whatsoever, under pain of Xs. ffyne for the first offence, and for the 2 offence to be ffyned and impris- oned at the discretion of the Court."
A company of militia was organized, of which Richard Wright was captain, Daniel Howe lieutenant, and Richard Walker en- sign. The officers were not chosen by the people, but appointed by the Governor. The company possessed two iron cannon, called " sakers, or great guns."
There is a story that two of the early settlers went to Nahant for fowl, and separated. One of them killed a seal on Pond Beach, and leaving him, went after some birds. When he re- turned, he found a bear feeding on the seal. He fired at him a charge of shot, which caused him to fall, and then beat him with his six foot gun till it broke. The bear then stood up, wounded the man and tore his clothes ; but the man, extricating himself, ran into the pond, where he remained until his companion came
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and relieved him. They then returned to the town and informed the people, who went down in the evening and made a fire on the beach, which they kept burning through the night, to pre- vent the bear from coming off. In the morning they went to Nahant and killed him.
Much mischief was occasioned among the cattle, for many years, by the wolves, which, Wood says, used to travel in com- panies of "ten or. twelve." On the 13th of Sept., says Win- throp, " the wolves killed some swine at Saugus." On the 9th of Nov., the Court ordered, that if any one killed a wolf, he should have one penny for each cow and horse, and one farthing for each sheep and swine in the plantation. Many pits were dug in the woods to entrap them, and some of them are yet to be seen. It is said that a woman, as she was rambling in the woods for berries, fell into one of these pits, from which she was unable to extricate herself. In the evening, a wolf made her a very unceremonious visit, dropping down at her side, through the bushes with which the pit was covered. Finding himself entrapped, and being as much afraid of the woman as she was of him, he retired to the opposite corner of the pit ; and thus they remained through the night, ogling each other with any looks but those of an enamored couple. The next day the friends of the woman arrived at the pit, from which they took her without injury, and prevented any future visit from her rude and unwelcome intruder. [Wood remarks that a black calf was considered worth more than a red one, because the red, bearing greater resemblance to a deer, was more likely to become the victim of wolves.]
1631.
In the early part of this year, provisions were very scarce, and many persons depended for subsistence upon clams, ground- nuts, and acorns. Wheat was sold for fourteen shillings, ($3.11) a bushel; and Indian corn, brought from Virginia, for eleven shillings ($2.44). The price of cattle, for several years, contin- ued very high. A good cow was valued at twenty-five pounds, ($111.11,) and a yoke of oxen at forty pounds ($177.77).
On the third of February, the Court laid a tax of sixty pounds, to make a palisade or defense about Newtown, now Cambridge. The proportion of Saugus and Marble Harbour, or Lynn and Marblehead, was six pounds.
On the 18th of February, a vessel owned by Mr. John Glover, of Dorchester, was wrecked on Nahant rocks; but the crew were all saved.
The Court, on the first of March, ordered, " That if any per- son, within the Lymitts of this Patent, doe trade, trucke, or sell any money, either silver or golde, to any Indian, or any man
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that knowe of any that shall soe doe, and conceal the same, shall forfeit twenty for one. Further it is ordered, that what- ever person hath received an Indian into their ffamilie as a servant, shall discharge themselves of them by the 1th of May next, and that noe person shall hereafter entertain any Indian for a servant without licence from the Court."
Wonohaquaham and Montowampate, the sagamores of Wini- simet and Lynn, having been defrauded of twenty beaver skins, by a man in England, named Watts, went to Governor Winthrop, on 26 March, to solicit his assistance in recovering their value. The Governor entertained them kindly, and gave them a letter of introduction to Emanuel Downing, Esq., an eminent lawyer in London. Tradition says, that Montowampate went to Eng- land, where he was treated with much respect as an Indian king ;. but, disliking the English delicacies, he hastened back to Sau- gus, to the enjoyment of his clams and succatash. .
At this time, there was no bridge across Saugus river, and people who traveled to Boston were compelled to pass through the woods in the northern part of the town, and ford the stream by the Iron Works, which were near the site of the present woolen factories, in Saugus Centre. The following extract from a letter written by Mr. John Endicott, of Salem, to Gov. Win- throp, on the 12th of April, illustrates this custom. Mr. Endicott had just been married. He says: "Right Worshipful, I did hope to have been with you in person at the Court, and to that end I put to sea yesterday, and was driven back again, the wind being stiff against us; and there being no canoe or boat at Sau- gus, I must have been constrained to go to Mistic, and thence about to Charlestown; which at this time I durst not be so bold, my body being at present in an ill condition to take cold, and therefore I pray you to pardon me."
A quarrel had arisen, a short time previous, between Mr. En- dicott and Thomas Dexter, in which the Salem magistrate so far forgot his dignity as to strike Mr. Dexter, who complained to the Court at Boston. It was on this occasion that Mr. Endi- cott wrote the letter from which the preceding extract is made. He thus continues : "I desired the rather to have been at Court, because I hear I am much complained of by Goodman Dexter for striking him; understanding since it is not lawful for a jus- tice of peace to strike. But if you had seen the manner of his carriage, with such daring of me, with his arms akimbo, it would have provoked a very patient man. He hath given out, if I had a purse he would make me empty it, and if he cannot have jus- tice here, he will do wonders in England; and if he cannot prevail there, he will try it out with me here at blows. If it were lawful for me to try it at blows, and he a fit man for me to deal with, you should not hear me complain." The jury, to L*
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whom the case was referred, gave their verdict for Mr. Dexter, on the third of May, and gave damages ten pounds, ($44.44). [An error was made in copying from the record, which stands thus : "The jury findes for the plaintiffe and cesses for dam- ages xls." ($8.88). It is evident that the second numeral and s, were mistaken for a pound mark, thus increasing the 40s. to 10l.] Besides the evidence of the blow, Mr. Endicott manifests some- what of an irascible disposition in his letter; and Mr. Dexter was not a man to stand for nice points of etiquette on occasions of irritability. Some years afterward, having been insulted by Samuel Hutchinson, he met him one day on the road, and jump- ing from his horse, he bestowed "about twenty blows on his head and shoulders," to the no small danger and deray of his senses, as well as sensibilities.
April 12. "It is ordered that every Captaine shall traine his companie on saterday in every weeke."
May 18. "It is ordered that no person shall kill any wild swine, without a general agreement at some court."
July 5. A tax of thirty pounds was laid for the purpose of opening a canal from Charles river to Cambridge. The requisi- tion on Lynn was for one pound.
Masconomo, the sagamore of. Agawam, or Ipswich, having committed some offence against the eastern Indians, the Court, on the fifth of July, passed an order, forbidding him to enter any Englishman's house within one year, under a penalty of ten beaver skins. The Taratines, also, undertook to avenge their own wrong. On the eighth of August, about one hundred of them landed from their canoes, at Ipswich, in the night, and killed seven of Masconomo's men, and wounded several more, some of whom died. They also wounded Wonohaquaham and Montowampate, who were on a visit to that place; and carried away Wenuchus, the wife of Montowampate, a captive. She was detained by them about two months, and was restored on the intercession of Mr. Abraham Shurd of Pemaquid, who traded with the Indians. She returned on the 17th of September. For her release, the Taratines demanded a quantity of wampum and beaver skins.
The people of Lynn were soon after alarmed by a report that the Taratines intended an attack on them, and appointed men each night to keep a watch. Once, about midnight, Ensign Richard Walker, who was on the guard, heard the bushes break near him, and felt an arrow pass through his coat and " buff waistcoat." As the night was dark he could see no one, but he discharged his gun, which, being heavily loaded, split in pieces. He then called the guard, and returned to the place, when he had another arrow shot through his clothes. Deeming it impru- dent to proceed in the dark against a concealed enemy, he
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desisted from further search till morning. The people then assembled, and discharged their cannon into the woods; after which, the Indians gave them no further molestation.
Governor Winthrop, who passed through Lynn, 28 Oct., puts down in his journal, " A plentiful crop."
Thus have we seen the town, which three years before was a wilderness of Indians, now occupied by cottages of white men, living in harmony with the natives; clearing the forest, and cultivating the soil, and by the blessing of Providence, reaping a rich reward for their labors. The Indians had received them with kindness, and given them liberty to settle where they pleased; but some years after, they made an agreement with the natives for the land. The deed has shared the fate of the lost records; but one of the town treasurers told me that he had the deed in his possession about the year 1800, and that the compensation was sixteen pounds ten shillings - about seventy-three dollars. The people of Salem paid twenty pounds for the deed of their town. [The Indian deed of Lynn here referred to is no doubt the one which is copied on page 51, et seq., with introductory remarks.]
1632.
For the first three years, the people of Lynn had no minister, but some of them attended church at Salem, and others had meetings for prayer and exhortation. The Rev. STEPHEN BACH- ILER, with his family, arrived at Boston on Thursday, 5 June, after a tedious passage of eighty-eight days. He came in the ship William and Francis, Capt. Thomas, which sailed from Lon- don, 9 March. He immediately came to Lynn, where his daugh- ter Theodate, wife of Christopher Hussey resided. He was seventy-one years of age. In his company were six persons who had belonged to a church with him in England ; and of these he constituted a church at Lynn, to which he admitted such as desired to become members, and commenced the exercise of his public ministrations on Sunday, 8 June, without installation. He baptized four children, born before his arrival; two of whom, Thomas Newhall and Stephen Hussey, were born the same week. Thomas, being the first white child born in Lynn, was first presented ; but Mr. Bachiler put him aside, saying, "I will baptize my own child first " -meaning his daughter's child.
The church at Lynn was the fifth in Massachusetts. The first was gathered at Salem, 6 Aug., 1629; the second at Dorchester, in June, 1630; the third at Charlestown, 30 July, 1630, and re- moved to Boston ; the fourth at Watertown on the same day ; and the fifth at Lynn, 8 June, 1632. The first meeting-house was a small plain building, without bell or cupola, and stood on the northeastern corner of Shepard and Summer streets.
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