USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Saugus > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 5
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 5
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynnfield > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 5
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Swampscott > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 5
USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Lynn > History of Lynn, Essex county, Massachusetts: including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
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HISTORY OF LYNN.
how to plant; and when any of the whites traveled through the woods, they entertained them with more kindness than compli- ments, kept them freely many days, and often went ten, and even twenty miles, to conduct them on their way. The Rev. Roger Williams says: "They were remarkably free and cour- teous to invite all strangers in. I have reaped kindness again from many, seven years after, whom I myself had forgotten. It is a strange truth, that a man shall generally find more free entertainment and refreshment among these barbarians, than among thousands that call themselves Christians.
The scene which presented itself to the first settlers, must have been in the highest degree interesting and beautiful. The light birchen canoes of the red men were seen gracefully swim- ming over the surface of the bright blue ocean; the half clad females were beheld, bathing their olive limbs in the lucid flood, or sporting on the smooth beach, and gathering the spotted eggs from their little hollows in the sands, or the beautiful shel's which abounded among the pebbles, to string into beads or weave into wampum, for the adornment of their necks and arms. At one time an Indian was seen with his bow, silently endeavoring to transfix the wild duck or the brant, as they rose and sunk on the alternate waves; and at another, a glance was caught of the timid wild deer, rushing through the shadow of the dark green oaks ; or the sly fox, bounding from rock to rock among the high cliffs of Nahant, and stealing along the shore to find his evening repast, which the tide had left upon the beach. The little sand-pipers darted along the thin edge of the wave - the white gulls in hundreds soared screaming overhead -and the curlews filled the echoes of the rocks with their wild and watery music. This is no imaginary picture, wrought up for the embellishment of a fanciful tale, but the delineation of an actual scene, which presented itself to the eyes of our fathers.
An incident respecting the Indians, about a year before the settlement of Lynn, is related by Rev. Thomas Cobbett, in a letter to Increase Mather. "About the year 1628, when those few that came over with Colonel Indicot and begun to settle at Nahumkeeck, now called Salem, and in a manner all so sick of their journey, that though they had both small and great guns,
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INDIAN DEED OF LYNN.
and powder and bullets for them, yet had not strength to man- age them, if suddenly put upon it; and tidings being certainly brought them, on a Lord's day morning, that a thousand Indians from Saugust, (now called Lyn,) were coming against them to cut them off, they had much ado amongst them all to charge two or three of theyre great guns, and traile them to a place of advantage, where the Indians must pass to them, and there to shoot them off; when they heard by theyre noise which they made in the woods, that the Indians drew neare, the noise of which great artillery, to which the Indians were never wonted before, did occasionally, by the good hand of God, strike such dread into them, that by some lads who lay as scouts in the woods, they were heard to reiterate that confused outcrie, (O Hobbamock, much Hoggery,) and then fled confusedly back with all speed, when none pursued them. One old Button, lately living at Haverhill, who was then almost the only haile man left of that company, confirmed this to be so to me, accord- ingly as I had been informed of it." This old Button was Mat- thias Button, a Dutchman, who lived in a thatched house in Haverhill, in 1670, says Joshua Coffin. [And this same Button is acknowledged to have communicated to Mr. Cobbett a part of the interesting facts supplied to Dr. Increase Mather, regard- ing the early difficulties with the Indians. He came over with Endicott, in 1628, and died in 1672.]
INDIAN DEED OF LYNN.
[By recurring to page 39, it will be observed that Mr. Lewis speaks of the Indian deeds of Marblehead and Salem. And it is a little remarkable that while doing so he did not suspect that there might also have been one of Lynn, for it appears as if such a suspicion would have put him upon that thorough search which must have resulted in its discovery. Such a deed, bear- ing date 4 Sept., 1686, may be found among the records at Salem. And this seems an appropriate place for its introduction, as it contains, aside from its more direct purpose, divers statements regarding some of the Indians of whom brief biographies have been given. It is true that in one or two points it somewhat tarnishes the romantic gloss which has so delighted us. But it is not unwholesome now and then to interpose a slight check to
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HISTORY OF LYNN.
the imaginary flights to which the lover of the people and things of old is ever prone.
[It should not, however, be concluded that the first purchase from the Indians was made at the date of this deed. Separate tracts had been purchased at different times, before, and this was merely intended as a release or quit-claim of all the rights of the grantors in all the territory now constituting Lynn, Lynn- field, Nahant, Saugus, and Swampscot, and parts of Danvers, Reading and South Reading. At the time this deed was given, in reality not a third of the territory was occupied by the settlers ; but there was a prospect that it would presently come in use. The Indians had mostly retired, and it was important that their title, if any existed, should be extinguished. The small consideration named is some indication that it was not considered that the Indians had any very valuable remaining interest. Other value, however, may have been given. It was often the case, that the consideration expressed in a deed was quite different from the real one, the custom of indulging in a little innocent deception being as prevalent then as now. And it was not unfrequently an object with the shrewd settlers to have it appear that the prices paid for lands were low, even when the old sagamores had succeeded in making good bargains.
[And taking into account the time at which this deed was given, I am persuaded that the procuring of it was deemed a matter of much importance, inasmuch as it would constitute written evidence that the natives had parted with the title to their lands for a satisfactory consideration - the previous deeds, if there were any, having been unrecorded and lost. The peo- ple were extremely suspicious that under James the crown agents would pay little regard to titles that did not rest upon some clear and unimpeachable evidence. And though Andros pretended to have no more regard for the signature of an In- dian than for the scratch of a bear's claw; he yet sometimes found the barbarous, autographs very serious impediments in the way of his tyrannous assumptions. As a precautionary step, the procuring of this deed shows the wariness of our good fathers. It will be observed that the Indian deeds of Marblehead, Salem, and one or two other places were procured almost simultaneously with that of Lynn. And in March, 1689,
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INDIAN DEED OF LYNN.
Andros asked Rev. Mr. Higginson whether New England was the king's territory. The reply was, that it belonged to the colonists, because they had held it by just occupation and pur- chase from the Indians. The following is a copy of the deed, which, though it may not furnish much entertainment to the general reader, will be appreciated by the antiquarian.
TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, to whom this present Deed of Confirmation, Ratification and Alienation shall come, David Kunkshamooshaw, who by credi- ble intelligence is grandson to old Sagamore George No-Nose, so called, alias Wenepawweekin, sometime of Rumney Marsh, and sometimes at or about Chelmsford of ye collony of ye Massachyets, so called, sometimes here and sometimes there, but deceased, ye said David, grandson to ye said old Saga- more George No-Nose, deceased, and Abigail Kunkshamooshaw, ye wife of David, and Cicely, alias Su George, ye reputed daughter of said old Sagamore George, and James Quonopohit of Natick alias Rumney Marsh, and Mary his wife, send greeting, &c.
KNOW YEE, that the said David Kunkshamooshaw and Abigail his wife, and Cicely alias Su George aforesaid and James Quonopohit aforesaid with his wife Mary who are ye nearest of kin and legall successors of ye aforesaid George No-Nose alias Wenepawweekin whom wee affirme was the true and sole owner of ye land that ye towns of Lynn and Reading aforesaid stand upon, and notwithstanding ye possession of ye English dwelling in those townships of Lynn and Reading aforesaid, wee, ye said David Kunkshamooshaw, Cicely alias Su George, James Quonopohit, &c., the rest aforesaid Indians, doe lay claime to ye lands that these two townes aforesaid, Lynn and Reading, stand upon, and the dwellers thereof possess, that ye right and title thereto is ours and belong to us and ours; but, howsoever, the townships of Lyn and Reading having been long possessed by the English, and although wee make our clayme and ye selectmen and trustees for both townes aforesaid pleading title by graunts of courts and purchase of old of our predecessor, George Sagamore, and such like matters, &c., wee. ye claymers aforenamed, viz. David Kunksha- mooshaw and Abigail his Squaw, Cicely alias Su George the reputed daughter of old Sagamore George No-Nose, and James Quonopohit and Mary his Squaw, they being of the kindred as of claymers, considering the arguments of ye se- lectmen in both townes, are not willing to make trouble to ourselves nor old neighbors in those two townes aforesaid of Lynn and Reading, &c., wee there- fore, the clayming Indians aforesaid, viz. David Kunkshamooshaw and Abigail his wife and Cicely alias Su George the reputed daughter of old Sagamore George alias Wenepawweekin and James Quonopohit and Mary his wife, all and every of us, as aforesaid, and jointly together, for and in consideration of ye summe of sixteen poundes of currant sterling money of silver in hand paid . to us Indians clayming, viz. David Kunkshamooshaw, &c., at or before ye en- sealing and delivery of these presents, by Mr Ralph King, William Bassett, sen'r, Mathew Farrington, sen'r, John Burrill, sen'r, Robert Potter, sen'r,
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HISTORY OF LYNN.
Samuel Johnson, and Olliver Purchas, selectmen in Lynn, in ye county of Essex, in New England, trustees and prudentials for and in behalf of ye pur- chasers and now proprietors of ye Townships of Lynn and Reading, well and truly payd, ye receipt whereof we, viz. David Kunkshamooshaw, Abigail his wife, Cicely alias Su George ye reputed daughter of old Sagamore George, and James Conopohit, of Natick, alias Rumney Marsh, and Mary his wife, doe hereby acknowledge themselves therewith to be fully satisfied and contented, and thereof and of every part thereof, doe hereby acquit, exhonerate, and discharge ye said Mr Ralph King, William Bassett, sen'r, with all and every of ye selectmen aforesaid, trustees and prudentials, together with ye purchasers and now proprietors of ye said townships of Lyn and of Reading, their heirs, execu- tors, administrators, and assigns, forever, by these presents have given, granted and bargained a full and a firme confirmation and ratification of all grants of courts and any former alienation made by our predecessor or predecessors and our own right, title and interest, clayme and demand whatsoever, and by these presents doe fully, freely, clearly, and absolutely, give and grant a full and firm confirmation and ratification of all grants of courts, and any sort of aliena- tion formerly made by our predecessor or predecessors, as alsoe all our owne clayme of right, title, interest and demand unto them, ye said Mr Ralph King, William Bassett, and the rest, selectmen forenamed, trustees and prudentials for ye towne of Lyn, ye worshipfull Mr John Browne, Capt. Jeremiah Sweyn, and Leiut. William Harsey, trustees and prudentials for ye towne of Reading, to their heirs and assigns forever, to and for ye sole use, benefit and behoof of ye purchasers and now proprietors of ye townships of Lynn and Reading afore- said and all ye said townships of Lynn and Reading joyning one to another, even from the sea, where ye line beginneth between Lyn and Marblehead, and so between Lynn and Salem, as it is stated by those townes and marked, and so to Ipswich River, and so from thence as it is stated betwixt Salem and Reading, and as ye line is stated and runne betwixt Wills hill, and as is stated and runne betwixt Reading and Andover and as it is stated betwixt Oburne and Reading, and as it is stated and runn betwixt Charlestowne, Malden, Lynn and Reading, and upon the sea from ye line that beginneth at Lynn, and Mar- blehead, and Salem, to divide the towns aforesaid, so as well from thence to ye two Nahants, viz. the little Nahant and ye great Nahant, as ye sea compass-' eth it almost round and soe to ye river called Lynn River or Rumney Marsh River or Creeke vnto ye line from Brides Brook to ye said Creek, answering ye line that is stated between Lynn and Boston, from ye said Brides Brook up to Reading -This said tract of land, described as aforesaid, together with all' houses, edifices, buildings, lands, yards, orchards, gardens, meadows, marrishes, ffeedings, grounds, rocks, stones, beach fflats, pastures, commons and commons of pasture, woods, underwoods, swamps, waters, water- courses, damms, ponds, fishings, flowings, ways, easements, profits, privileges, . rights, commodities, royalling, hereditaments, and appurtenances whatsoever, to ye said townships of Lynn and Reading and other ye premises belonging, or in any wise appertaining, or by them now used, occupied and injoyed as part, parcel or member thereof; and also all rents, arrearages of rents, quit
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INDIAN DEED OF LYNN.
rents, rights and appurtenances whatsoever, nothing excepted or reserved, and also all deeds, writings, and evidences whatsoever, touching ye premises or any part or parcell thereof.
To HAVE AND TO HOLD all ye said townships of Lynn and Reading, as well as the Two Nahants aforesaid, ye little and ye great Nahant, as they are encompassed by ye sea with their beaches from ye great Nahant to ye little, and from the little Nahant homeward where Richard Hood now dwelleth, and so to Mr Kings, with all ye above granted premises, with their and every of their rights, members and appurtenances, and every part and parcell thereof, hereby given, granted confirmed, ratified, unto ye said Mr Ralph King, William Bassett and ye rest selectmen in behalf of Lynn, and ye worshipfull Mr John Browne and ye rest aforenamed, for Reading, all trustees and prudentials for ye townships of Lyn and Reading, to them and their heirs and assigns forever, to and for ye sole vse, benefit and behoof of ye purchasers and now proprietors of ye said townships of Lynn and Reading; and they, ye said David Kunksha- mooshaw and Abigail his wife, and Cicely alias Su George, the reputed daugh ter of George No-Nose, deceased, and James Quonopohit and Mary his wife, Indians aforesaid, for themselves, their heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, jointly, severally, and respectively, doe hereby covenant, promise, and grant to and with ye said Mr King, William Bassett, sen'r, and ye rest of Lynn, and the worshipfull Mr John Browne and ye rest of Reading, trustees and pru- dentials for ye townes of Lynn and Reading, as aforesaid, their heirs and assigns, and to the purchasers and now proprietors of ye said townships of Lyn and Reading, &c., in manner and forme following, (that is to say,) that at ye time of this graunt, confirmation and alienation and untill the ensealing and delivery of these presents, their ancestor and ancestors and they, the above- named David and Abigail his now wife, and Cicely alias Su George, and ye rest aforenamed Indians, were the true, sole, and lawfull owners of all ye afore- bargained, confirmed, and aliened premises, and were lawfully seized off and in ye same and every part thereof in their own propper right, and have in them- selves full power, good right, and lawfull authority to grant, aliene, confirm, and assure ye same as is afore described in this deed, vnto Mr Ralph King, William Bassett, sen'r, and ye rest selectmen of Lynn, and ye worshipfull Mr John Browne and ye rest aforenamed, agents for Reading, all trustees and prudentials for ye two townships of Lyn and Reading, to them, their heirs and assigns forever, for ye use aforesaid, viz. the benefit and behoof of ye purchas- ers and now proprietors of ye two townships aforesaid, as a good, perfect and absolute estate of inheritance in fee simple without any manner of condition, reversion or limitation whatsoever, so as to alter, change, or make void ye same, and that ye said trustees aforesaid, and ye purchasers and now proprie tors of ye said townships of Lynn and Reading, their heirs and assigns, shall and may, by vertue and force of these presents, from time to time and at all times forever hereafter, lawfully, peaceably, and quietly, have, hold, use, occu py, possess, and injoy, ye above granted, aliened, and confirmed premises, with ye appurtenances and benefits thereof, and every part and parcell thereof, free and clear, and clearly acquitted and discharged off and from all and all
E*
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HISTORY OF LYNN.
manner of other gifts, graunts, bargaines, sales, leases, mortgages, jointures, dowers, judgments, executions, fforfeitures, and off and from all other titles, troubles, charges, incumbrances, whatsoever, had, made, committed, done or suffered to be done by the said David and Abigail his wife, Cicely alias Su George and ye rest Indians aførenamed, them or any of them, or any of their heirs or assigns, or any of their ancestors, at any time or times. And further, that ye said David Kunkshamooshaw and Abigail his wife, Su George, James Quonopohit and Mary his wife, &c., their heirs, executors and administrators, &c., jointly and severally will and shall by these presents, from time to time and at all times hereafter, warrant and defend their foregranted and confirmed premises, with their benefits and appurtenances and every part and parcell thereof, unto the said trustees or prudentials forenamed for ye townships of Lyn and Reading, and their heirs and assigns forever, to and for the sole use and benefit of ye purchasers and now proprietors in and off ye said townships of Lynn and Reading, against all and every person or persons whatsoever any waies lawfully clayming or demanding ye same or any part or parcell thereof. And lastly, that they, ye said David, and Su George, and James Quonopohit, &c., their wives or any of their heirs, executors, or admin'rs, shall and will from time to time and at all times hereafter, when therevnto required, at ye cost and charges of ye aforesaid trustees and prudentials, their heirs or assigns, or ye purchasers and proprietors of ye townships of Lynn and Read- ing, &c., doe make, acknowledge, suffer, all and every such further act and acts, thing and things, assurances and conveyances in ye law, whatsoever, for ye further more better surety and sure making of ye abovesaid townships of Lynn and Reading, with ye rights, hereditaments, benefits and appurtenances above by these presents mentioned to be bargained, aliened, confirmed, vnto ye aforesaid trustees and prudentials, their heirs and assigns, for ye vse afore- said, as by the said trustees aforesaid, their heirs or assigns, or ye said proprie- tors, or by their councill learned in ye law, shall be reasonably devised, advised or required.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, ye said David Kunkshamooshaw and Abigail his wife, and Cicely alias Su George and James Quonopohit and Mary his wife, have hereunto set their hands and seals, ye day of ye date, being ye fourth day of September, one thousand, six hundred eighty and six, annoque regni regis Jacobus Secundi Anglice.
[This deed, it will be seen, was intended to confirm and ratify previous alienations, as well as to operate as a release or quit- claim of all the interest remaining in the grantors. The virtue of the conveyance, however, must have existed mainly in the release. But the purpose was accomplished in the old-fashion way, and shows that, as before stated, there were earlier con- veyances. To this deed the Indian grantors affixed their marks and seals. The marks of David and Abigail Kunkshamooshaw, are rude representations of a bow and arrow. Cicely alias Su
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INDIAN DEED OF LYNN.
George indulges in a modest flourish. And Mary Ponham, alias Quonopohit, dashes off with a figure that somewhat resembles an intoxicated X, but which may have been intended for a dis- guised cross. The more learned James Quonopohit writes his name in full. On the whole, the signatures do not indicate remarkable accomplishment in the use of the pen; but fortu- nately the value of a sign manual does not depend on the chirography. It is not wonderful that such signatures put Andros in mind of scratches of a bear's claw. A slip or two from the modern rules of grammar, may have been noticed; but it is a wise provision that bad grammar shall not damage a legal instrument if the meaning is apparent. Fac-similes of the marks are here introduced. They were traced from the record, which appears to give very careful imitations of the originals.
INDIAN SIGNATURES TO THE DEED OF LYNN.
[The certificate of " Bartho. Gedney, one of ye Council," says, " All ye persons hereunto subscribed, acknowledged the within written to be their act and deed, this 31 May, 1687."
[Since page 49 was made ready, it has occurred to me that Mr. Lewis, many years ago, stated in one of the papers that an ancient Indian deed of Lynn lands was in possession of the Hart family, as late as 1800. If he meant the family of my grand- father, Joseph Hart, who lived in the old house still standing on Boston street, west corner of North Federal -the same in which his unworthy grandson first opened his eyes on this troublous world-it can readily be imagined what may have been its fate ; as I very well remember that in my boyhood there . was in the garret a large collection of old papers, to which the boys had free access. The precious document, may, therefore, have ended its career of usefulness in the merry guise of a kite tail. Many and many an important document has come to an end as inglorious. And there are doubtless numbers still in existence ordained to a similar fate.]
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HISTORY OF LYNN.
TOPOGRAPHY AND PHENOMENA
THERE were but few towns planted in Massachusetts before the settlement of Lynn. In 1622, a plantation was begun at Weymouth. In 1624, the Rev. William Blackstone, with his family, established himself at Boston. [And in the same year, a fishing and planting station was commenced at Cape Ann. The famous Roger Conant was appointed overseer, in 1625. The settlement, however, was broken up in the autumn of 1626, and Conant, with most of the company, removed from the cape, and commenced the settlement of Salem. He brought up his habitation ; and intelligent antiquarians affirm that its frame is still doing service in the quaint old edifice standing on the east side of Washington street, corner of Church.] In 1625, a settlement was begun at Braintree; and in 1627, at Charles- town. On the 19th of March, 1628, the Council in England sold all that part of Massachusetts, between three miles north of Merrimack River, and three miles south of Charles River, to six gentlemen, one of whom was Mr. John Humfrey, who after- ward came to Lynn.
Lynn is pleasantly situated on the northern shore of Massa- chusetts Bay, between the cities of Salem and Boston. It extends six miles on the sea shore and five miles into the woods. [It will be borne in mind that this was written while Nahant and Swampscot remained parts of Lynn.] The southern por- tion of the town is a long, narrow prairie, defended on the north by a chain of high, rocky hills, beyond which is an extensive range of woodland. It is surrounded by abundance of water, having the river of Saugus on the west, the harbor on the south, the ocean on the southeast, and the lakes of Lynn on the north. From the centre of the southern side, a beach of sand extends two miles into the ocean, at the end of which are the two peninsular islands called the Nahants. This beach forms one side of the harbor, and protects it from the ocean. When great storms beat on this beach, and on the cliffs of Nahant, they make a roaring which may be heard six miles.
Lynn is emphatically a region of romance and beauty. Her wide-spread and variegated shores-her extended beaches- her beautiful Nahant-her craggy cliffs, that overhang the sea -her hills of porphyry -her woodland lakes - her wild,
SWALLOWS' CAVE. (Page 59.)
1
IRENE'S GROTTO. (Page 60.)
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TOPOGRAPHY AND PHENOMENA.
secluded vales - her lovely groves, where sings the whip-poor- will - furnish fruitful themes for inexhaustible description ; while the legends of her forest kings and their vast tribes - " their feather-cinctured chiefs and dusky loves," will be rich themes of song a hundred ages hence.
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