USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 21
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 21
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 21
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 21
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 21
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64
[There is, however, without doubt an essential error in loca- ting Mr. Humfrey at Swampscot. As remarked on page 147, he had lands there, but I have now no doubt that his place of residence was on the east side of Nahant street. My attention was first drawn to the point by Mr. Josiah M. Nichols, who has spent much time in examining the old records; and sub- sequent investigation furnished what falls little short of conclu- sive evidence. It is certain that he had a house on Nahant street, and that his adjacent lands were known as his farm. I find in no deed, will, or inventory evidence that he had a house at Swampscot; and is it probable that during his brief sojourn here, he would have erected more than one ? Lechford speaks of his farm Swampscot; not his farm at or in Swamp- scot. And it may have been only a name by which his estate at Nahant street was distinguished, a name which was afterward applied to the territory now known as Swampscot, where he had a large tract of wild land. Mr. Lewis, indeed, says that Swamp- scot was the Indian, name of the place now so called; but he gives no authority. No doubt the name is Indian; but it is very questionable whether, if it was thus territorially applied at all, at that time, it did not, in a loose way, touch any of the coast lands, from the east shore of Lynn harbor, or Beach street, to the Salem line. There is much reason for the belief that the old house which many will remember as the Samuel Newhall house, and which had previously been known as the Hood house, which stood on the east side of Nahant street, between Baltimore and Ocean, was the identical one in which Mr. Humfrey lived, the one in which Lady Deborah Moody dwelt, and the one which Mr. Humfrey's daughter Ann, in 1681 sold to Richard Hood, as stated on page 200.
[By a careful examination of the descriptions of Mr. Hum- frey's lands it does not appear that his bounds included the
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1641.
site of Mr. Mudge's residence. But that the old Farm House, which still stands on the beautiful grounds and is now owned by Miss Fanny O. Mudge, was owned and occupied by Hon. Ebenezer Burrill, there is no doubt. The estate was willed to him by his father, John Burrill, who lived at Tower Hill. Indeed, he could not have bought it, as Mr. Lewis appears to have supposed, of Mr. Humfrey's daughter Ann, about the year 1681, for he was not then three years old. It is not easy to determine when the house was built, and hence its age cannot be stated. But it is a venerable and most interesting relic, and can quite well afford to dispense with a few of the honors with which it has heretofore been invested. It stands a few rods east of Mr. Mudge's picturesque villa and occupies a site that seems to have been chosen for security against the most disagreeable winds. Hon. Ebenezer Burrill, of whom a biographical sketch may be found by turning to page 492, died in 1761, and was succeeded in the property by his son Samuel, who was born in 1717, and, like his father, became a man of note - was a Repre- sentative during the Revolution - was a member of the Conven- tion for forming the State Constitution - and became the envied proprietor of the first chaise that appeared in the vicinity, eliciting much curious observation as he rode down to meeting. He died in 1797, and the premises were sold to Mr. Hooper, as stated by Mr. Lewis. Repairs and alterations have been made about the house, from time to time, and the exterior is modern- ized by adding a piazza. The second story projected over the first, and the gable ends, in their turn, projected over the sec- ond. The noble elm, in front, which dispensed its refreshing shade for sporting children who long since became grandfathers and grandmothers, and departed in the great procession that returns not, still extends its inviting arms, invested with the dignity of age and the vigor of youth. It was planted there in or about the year 1740. It is a matter of congratulation that the estate has fallen into the hands of one who can appreciate such a relic. And may the day be far distant when the Vandal hand of uncultivated Improvement shall be uplifted against it.
[Around such venerable relics as this old Farm House, cluster memories of the deepest interest, even though their earlier his- tories should be deep in the oblivion of the past; for we know that as they were human habitations, within them must have transpired the common events of human life -that misfortune must have come to baptize in sorrow, and that other days must have found hearts overflowing with joy - that again and again with the tide of years, must have come those ever-occur- ring incidents, the birth, the bridal, and the yielding up of life. No human habitation, indeed, is without its sorrows, nor, blessed be God, without its joys.]
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ELMWOOD, Country Residence of E. R. MUDGE, EsQ., Swampscot. 1864. (See page 201.) Sketched by J. Sheldon.
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1642.
[Edward Tomlins, having been arraigned for expressing opin- ions against singing in the churches, was discharged, 1 June, he having retracted.]
In the early part of this year, says Governor Winthrop, "a goodly maid of the church of Linne, going in a deep snow from Meadford homeward, was lost, and some of her clothes found after among the rocks."
1642.
A great alarm was occasioned through the colony by a report that the Indians intended to exterminate the English. The people were ordered to keep a watch from sunset to sunrise, and blacksmiths were directed to suspend all other business till the arms of the colony were repaired. A house was built for the soldiers, and another, about forty feet long, for a safe retreat for the women and children of the town, in case of an attack from the Indians. These houses were within the limits of Saugus, about eighty rods from the eastern boundary, and about the same distance south of Walnut street. The cellars of both these buildings remain, and near them, on the east, is a fine unfailing spring.
At the Salem Court, 12 July, George Sagamore and Edward, alias Ned, sued Francis Lightfoot for land. The case was refer- red to the Boston court.
[The Court ordered, 27 Sept., " for the better direction of the watch and alarums," and for general safety, in addition to what was called the "county alarum," as follows: "One musket discharged shalbee an alarum to all the sentinels at the severall quarters of each towne, who shall answere the said alarum, not by shooting of any more peeces, but by going to and awakening the sevrall houses wthin their quart's, by crying, Arme ! arme ! Thus the towne being raised, if danger appear, it shalbee in the discretion of the cheife offic's either to strengthen their sevrall quarters, as they shall see occasion, or else. to give alarum to the whole country. It is left to the discretion of the cheife officers of every towne to appoint the most convenient quarters or randevous where to set sentinels or Corts of garde."
[The Court made an order that every house in the several towns should aid in the " breeding of salt peeter." Sergeant Tomlins was appointed to see that the order was enforced in Lynn.
[On the 12th of November, there was a very great storm. The tide rose higher than at any time before since the settle- ment began.]
Governor Dudley, in a letter to his son in England, dated November 28, remarks, "There is a want of school-masters hereabouts."
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1642.
At the Quarterly Court, December 14, " The Lady Deborah Moodie, Mrs. King, and the wife of John Tillton, were present- ed, for houldinge that the baptising of Infants is noe ordinance of God."
The winter was exceedingly cold, with deep snow, and the harbor was passable with teams for five weeks. The Indians said that the weather had not been so cold for forty years. [Johnson says that when the ice thawed it removed rocks of above a ton weight, and brought them ashore.]
Iron ore was discovered in Lynn at a very early period, but no attempt was made to work it until the year 1643. It is of the kind called bog iron, and was found in large quantities in various places within a mile or two from the meeting-house, where it still exists. The great want in the country of iron tools and iron ware, induced several enterprising gentlemen to attempt the establishment of a forge. Among the principal of these were Thomas Dexter and Robert Bridges. Mr. Dex- ter was a very active and energetic man, foremost in every public enterprise ; and his greatest fault appears to have con- sisted in speaking somewhat too freely of the government, because they did not keep up with his plans of improvement. The character of Hon. Robert Bridges has been given by Johnson, in a few words: "He was endued with able parts, and forward to improve them to the glory of God and his peo- ple's good."
[It is not possible to avoid the conclusion that Mr. Dexter had serious faults, and that he must have been an uncomfortable neighbor. He possessed an irritable disposition and was pro- voking in his bearing toward such as stood in any way antago- nistic to him. And that he had an inveterate propensity for the law is abundantly proved by the court records. Mr. Lewis mentions two or three instances of his being dealt with for misdemeanors more grave than that of sleeping in meeting. See under dates 1631, 1633 and 1646. And besides what Mr. Lewis has noticed it is found that in 1633 he was fined twenty shillings for drunkenness ; also, 3 July, 1632, it was ordered that he be "bound to his good behavr till the nexte Genall Court, and ffined vl. for his midemean' and insolent carriage and speeches to S: Bradstreete, att his owne howse; also att the Genall Courte, is bound to confesse his fault." At the Court in November, however, 4l. of the fine were remitted. There is some amusing romance about his having purchased Nahant of an Indian chief, for a suit of clothes; and Mr. Lewis thought proper to add an attractive gloss by a lithographic representa- tion. But it is clear that the transaction was not generally deemed to have been a fair one ; and it was judicially adjudged invalid. That he was active and enterprising, there is no doubt ;
205
ANNALS OF LYNN- 1642.
and men so characterized never pass lives of obscurity. But we fail to perceive that he possessed those higher qualities necessary to entitle him to be ranked among the most useful class of citizens. He was never a representative, and seems seldom to have been called to any public office. This proves little, to be sure, for it may have been then, as it now is, that the most worthy are not generally found in those positions, which are the cravings of the ambitious and selfish; though there is much reason to believe that there was far more political principle in those days than there is in these. And it is signifi- cant that the title of " Mr" was not awarded him. He was known simply as " goodman." Mr. Lewis, indeed, says that he " was called, by way of excellence, 'Farmer Dexter.'" But it is most likely that the title was bestowed merely on account of his occupation. His enterprises certainly seem to have had no higher incentive than personal interest. And there are many like him, in every community, at this day, whom it is fashionable to laud and magnify as sincere and devoted public benefactors. There are, however, descendants of Mr. Dexter, in New Eng- land, of prominence and great worth. Rev. Henry M. Dexter, of Boston, may be named as among them. A fac-simile of Exames Northern Signature of Thomas Dexter. the signature of our famous old settler is here given. It was traced from a document bear- ing date 1657.]
This year Mr. Bridges took some specimens of the iron ore from the mines in Saugus, and went to London, where he suc- ceeded in forming a company, called "The Company of Under- takers for the Iron Works," consisting of the following wealthy and enterprising gentlemen : Lionel Copley, Esq., of York county, England ; Nicholas Bond, Esq., of Westminster ; Thomas Pury, Esq. of Westminster; John Becx, London, merchant; William Beauchamp, London, merchant ; Tho- mas Foley, London, gentleman; William Greenhill, Step- ney, Middlesex county ; Thomas Weld, minister, Gateshead, Durham county; John Pococke, merchant tailor, London; William Becke, merchant tailor, London; William Hic- ocke, citizen, London. This company advanced the sum of one thousand pounds for commencing the work. Land was purchased of Thomas Hudson, and a foundry erected on the western bank of Saugus river, where large heaps of scoria are still to be seen. John Winthrop, jr., also engaged in the enter- prise ; and Mr. Endicott, of Salem, in a letter to Governor Winthrop, dated, December 1, says, "I want much to hear from your son's iron and steel." The village at the Iron Works was called Hammersmith, from some of the principal workmen
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ANNALS OF LYNN-1642.
who came from a place of that name in England. This Iron Foundry at Lynn, was the first which was established in America.
Several persons came from England, this year, to engage in the Iron Works, either as superintendents or workmen, among whom were the following :
RICHARD LEADER - was general agent for the Company of the Undertakers of the Iron Works, and is mentioned as a man of superior ability.
HENRY LEONARD - was a workman at the Iron Foundry. [With this Henry Leonard, and his brother JAMES, whom Mr. Lewis does not notice, is, in fact, identified the whole early history of the iron manufacture in America. And to this day, descendants of these enterprising men are extensively engaged in the iron business. They seem to have become interested in the American iron works, as follows : first at Lynn, then at Braintree, afterward at Taunton and Rowley Village, and sub- sequently at Canton and New Jersey. In process of time it came to be said that wherever there were iron works a Leonard might be found, for they seem very generally to have bred their sons to their own occupation. And their fathers in England were engaged in the same calling.
[Henry was at Lynn in 1642, though it does not seem certain that James came with him. But that the latter was here in 1651 is shown by entries in an account book of that date, kept by the Lynn Company. These entries are given as found ex- tracted in the N. E. Hist. and Geneal. Register, v. 5, and are as follows : "James Leonnarde, 15 days worke about finnerey Chim- neye and other worke in ye forge, 1:13: 0. To ditto Leonard for dressing his bellows 3 times, 1:10: 0. To ditto soe much allowed him for bringing his goods from Prouidence, 2 : 0 :0." In 1652, both James and Henry engaged in the establishment of the works at Taunton. At a town meeting there, 21 October, 1652, as appears by the records, "It was agreed and granted by the town to the said Henry Leonard and James Leonard his brother, and Ralph Russell, free consent to come hither and join with certain of our inhabitants to set up a bloomery work on the Two Mile River." These works were what are some- times called the Raynham works. The Braintree works had previously been established, and with the Lynn works had a monopoly of the business by grant. The works at Taunton, by the way, continued long in a prosperous condition. They were well-managed, and not subjected to harrassing law-suits, such as proved so disastrous to those at Lynn.
[I do not find that James Leonard was at Lynn after this ; but Henry was here in 1655. A deposition of his, sworn to on the 27th of October, of that year, contains one or two interest- ing particulars. It is as follows :
1
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ANNALS OF LYNN -1642.
" The Testimony of Henry Leonard, of Hammersmith, of the age of 37, or thereabouts. This deponent saith that there was a small Heap of Coles at Brantrey Forge, which was Coled about nine yeares agoe; and these Coles Lay Rotting, and noe vse was made of them before they were spoyled, and Mr. Gifford, being Agent, was to bring in a new stock, wch stock could not be Layd before the Rotten Coles were Removed, because the Cattle Could not Turne. Whereupon They being well observed both by Mr. Gifford and my selfe, Mr. Gifford gave me order that if Goodman Foster, or some other of Brantrey, could make any use of them I should dispose of them; whereupon Goodman Foster had about two halfe Loads, and some of ye Rest of ye neigh- bors thereabouts fetched some of them; but they were soe bad they would fetch no more, and Goodman Foster took as much paynes about them as they were worth; and although they would serve his Turne, they would not serve us at the forge ; and whereas Goodman Prey saith he got out of them to make a great quantity of Iron, I know the Labor yt hee and Thomas Billington bestowed about drawing of them was more than they were worth. And whereas Goodman Pray saith he made so much Iron of them, hee made not a quarter of a Tunn of those Coles but did cast now and then a Baskett of them among other Coles, but they were worth nothing to his worke."
[By this deposition it may be inferred that Henry was at Braintree about 1646. And it seems fair to conclude that as he was here in 1642, he engaged in the Iron Works at their commencement, and afterward went to Braintree and assisted in establishing the forges there. And this supports the position that the Iron Works at Lynn were the first in America, and those at Braintree the second.
[Henry Leonard married at Lynn and reared a respectable family of six children. He was here in 1668, and was then made a freeman. After the last date he went to Rowley Village and there established iron works. And in 1674, his sons Na- thaniel, Samuel, and Thomas, contracted with " ye owners of ye Iron Works " there to carry on the business. After establish- ing the works at Rowley Village, he went to New Jersey, and there again engaged in the iron manufacture.
[James and Henry had a brother Philip, who does not appear to have come to Lynn. The Leonards were smart, enterprising settlers, and many of their descendants, at this day, are distin- guished for energy and business talent.]
HENRY STYCHE-lived at the Iron Works. It appears by a deposition given by him, at the Salem Court, in 1653, that he was then 103 years of age. [He died in 1654, aged 104.]
ARZBELL ANDERSON - came from Scotland, and was a work- man at the Iron Foundry. He died in 1661. [His baptismal name is elsewhere given as Archibald; but Arzbell is right. In the office at Salem is " An Inventory of ye estate of Arzbell Anderson, Scotchman, whoe deceased at ye Iron Works at Lyn, ye thirteenth day of ye sixt month, (August) 1661." The estate amounted to £54.18.5.]
MACCALLUM MORE DOWNING - came from Scotland. He work- ed at the forge, and died in 1683.
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ANNALS OF LYNN - 1643.
JOSEPH JENKS - came from Hammersmith, in England. He was a machinist, at the Iron Foundry, and was a man of great genius, of which abundant evidence will be found in this history. He made the dies for coining the first money, built the first fire- engine, and took out several patents for improvements in mills and iron tools. He is said to have descended from an ancient family in Wales. He came over a widower, leaving two sons in England, and married a lady whose baptismal name was Eliza- beth, by whom he had one son and two daughters. He died in March, 1683, and his wife died in July, 1679. His children were : 1. Joseph, born in England, resided some time in Lynn, where he married Esther, daughter of William Ballard. He then removed to Pawtucket, where he built a forge, which was destroyed in the Wampanoag war, in 1675. In 1681, he was an Assistant in the government of Rhode Island; he had a son, Joseph Jenks, who was governor of that state from 1727 to 1732. 2. George, went to Virginia. 3. Sarah, married John Chilson. 4. Samuel, like his father, was a workman in iron, and married Elizabeth Darling. 5. Deborah. 6. John, married Sa- rah Merriam. 7. Daniel, went to Rhode Island, where he built several mills. The descendants of Joseph Jenks, throughout New England, are numerous, and several of them have been emi- nent ; among whom is the Rev. William Jenks, D. D., of Boston.
Joseph Jenks, the founder of the family, deserves to be held in perpetual remembrance in American History, as being the first founder, " who worked in brass and iron," on the western continent. By his hands the first models were made, and the first castings taken of many domestic implements and iron tools. The first article said to have been cast, was a small iron pot, capable of containing about one quart. Thomas Hudson, of the same family with the celebrated Hendric Hudson, and the lineal ancestor of my mother, was the first proprietor of the lands on Saugus river, where the Iron Foundry stood. When the forge was established, he procured the first casting, which was this famous old iron pot, which he preserved as a curiosity. It has been handed down in the family ever since, and is now, [1844] in the possession of my mother, who, I suppose, would not exchange it for a silver one.
1643.
Much difficulty was occasioned, for several years, by an opin- ion which some of the people entertained, that the baptism of infants was sinful. Mr. William Witter was presented at the Salem Court for his conduct in this respect, and on the 28th of February, the following record was made : "William Witter- Now comeing in, answered humbly, and confessed his Ignorance, and his willingness to see Light, and, (upon Mr. Norris, our El-
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The First American Patent.
To the General Court of Massachusetts be- longs the honor of granting the first American patent; this was in 1648 and was then designated as a monopoly. It was confined to the region controlled by Massachusetts, and the one issue apparently included all the inventions of the in- Ventor connected with engines that depended" upon water for their motive powe -. The limit of the monopoly was fourteen years, and the court not only retained power to forbid exportation but to prevent exorbitant charges upon "the pub- lic for their use. The patent was issued in this form:
"At a general! Courte at Boston the 6th of the 3th Mo 1648. The cor't consid'inge ye necessit, of raising such manifactures of engins of mils to go by water for speedy dispatch of much worke with few hands, and being sufficiently informed of ye ability of ye petition to performe such workes grant his petition (yet no Othr persen shall set up or use any such new invention, or trade for fourteen yeares wthout ye licence of him the said Joseph Jenkes)so farr as concernes any such new invention, & so it shall be alwayes in ye powr of this co'te to restrain ye exportation of such manufactures & ye prizes of them to modera- tion if occasion so require."
This inventor, Joseph Jenkes, or Jenks, as it would now be spelled, came from Hammer- smith, England, settled in Lynn in 1643, and died in 1682-83, aged 81. He was a black- smith and machinist, made the dies for the coin- ing of the "Pine-Tree" money, and built the first fire engine in this country; altogether a man of great inventive genius and the ancestor of a large number of descendants. One of his sons re- moved to Rhode Island, where he built several mills. - Boston Transcript.
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ANNALS OF LYNN- 1643.
der, his speech,) seemed to be staggered, Inasmuch as that he came in court meltinglie. Sentence - Have called our orde- nonce 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."
At the same court, Roger Scott was presented, "for common sleeping at the public exercise upon the Lord's day, and for striking him that waked him." In December following, not having amended his conduct, he was sentenced by the court, to be severely whipped." It was the custom at this time, during the public service, for a person to go about the meeting to wake the sleepers. He bore a long wand, on one end of which was a ball, and on the other a fox tail. When he ob- served the men asleep, he rapped them on the head with the knob ; and roused the slumbering sensibilities of the ladies by drawing the brush lightly across their faces.
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