USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > History of Newbury, Mass., 1635-1902 > Part 38
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* Massachusetts Colony Records, vol. i., p. 281.
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the most able woodmen to make out the best and most facile way for a post, which in process of time would be the King's best highway, as likewise passengers and accommodation at rivers, fords, or other neces- sary places .*
The General Court of Massachusetts bay ordered, January 6, 1673-4, that every messenger or post-rider carrying offi- cial despatches should be paid threepence a mile for his services, including the use of his horse; and innholders were prohibited from charging such messengers more than two shillings a bushel for oats and fourpence for the hay required to keep a horse one day and one night.t
May 23, 1677, a petition was presented to the General Court, requesting the appointment of a suitable person "to take in and convey Lettrs according to direction." # On the first day of June following, the court "made choyce of Mr John Hayward, the scrivener, to be the person for that service." §
June 11, 1680, In ansr to the peticon of John Hayward, it is ordered, that he be continued for postmaster to receive in letters & take care for the sending of them to the ownes, according to superscription, till this Court take other order ; and that all masters of ships or other vessells doe, vpon their arrivall, send their letters that come in the bagg to the said post office except as they shall particularly take care to deliver wth their oune hands : that the said Hayward, or postmaster, be allowed for euery single letter one penny in money, & for euery packet of two or more two pence in money. |
These orders and regulations were evidently intended to apply to the collection and delivery of foreign letters only. Other written communications, relating to business or domestic affairs, were conveyed from town to town by the hand, of friends or occasional travellers.
Strictly speaking, there was no postal service in New Eng- land until after the repeal of the colonial charter and the establishment of the province of Massachusetts bay. Gov. Andros wrote, under date of November 23, 1687, to the secretary of the Connecticut colony that he proposed to send
* Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, vol. ix., Fifth Series, p. 84.
t Massachusetts Colony Records, vol. iv., part ii., p. 574.
# Province Laws, vol. vii., p. 430.
§ Massachusetts Colony Records, vol. v., p. 147. Il Ibid., vol. v., p. 273-
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letters once a month from Boston to Hartford during the winter. The secretary replied, December 5, 1687 :
I believe Perry will undertake once a month to pass from Fairfield to Boston in the winter, and once in three weeks in the summer, or oftener if your Excellency desire it, and the charge of it upon the whole will be no great matter. Should it be put upon letters at first, I believe it will not answer the charge to satisfy the post. But if it were tried one year by a salary the better guess may be given for a future settlement of it .*
After the overthrow of Sir Edmund Andros, King William and Queen Mary issued, February 17, 1691-2, letters patent to Thomas Neale, Esq., granting him full power and authority to establish offices in the colonies of North America "for the receiving and dispatching of letters and pacquets." Andrew Hamilton was appointed deputy postmaster-general "to govern and manage the said general post office for and throughout all their majesties' plantations and colonies on the mainland or continent of America, and the islands adjacent thereunto, pursuant to the directions of the said letters patent." ¡
John Usher, deputy governor of the province of New Hampshire, wrote from Boston, March 25, 1693, to the mem- bers of his council :
GentIn : - The Poste Master General being here in Boston & giving account yt he has settled a poste from Virginia to Boston once a week, he is very desirous to know whatt you will be pleased to allow either as a yearly sallary, or how much a letter for postage of a single Letter from Piscataqua to Boston ... Itts desired you would likewise signifye whether you would have a poste once a week or once in two weeks.
June 9, 1693, the province of Massachusetts bay passed an act establishing a general letter office in Boston for receiving and despatching letters "from their majesties dominions be- yond the seas " to any colony or province in New England.§
*Connecticut Colony Records, vol. iii , p. 398; and Palfrey's History of New England, note on p. 548.
t Province Laws, vol. vii., note p. 431.
# Papers relating to the Province of New Hampshire, vol. ii., p. 100.
Samuel Allen, a London merchant, having purchased all the land, within the limits of the province of New Hampshire, belonging to the heirs of Capt. John Mason, obtained permission to organize and maintain a permanent government there. He appointed his son-in-law, John Usher, deputy governor, August 13, 1692. Although frequently called to New Hampshire on official business, Mr. Usher continued to reside in Boston until his death, September 5, 1726.
§ Province Laws, vol. i., p. 115.
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The second section of this act provided that the postage on a single letter from New York to Boston should be twelve- pence, from Salem to Boston threepence, from Ipswich, New- bury, and other places eastward of Salem, within the province of Massachusetts bay, fourpence, and from Piscataqua (Portsmouth) to Boston sixpence.
This act was declared to be inconsistent with the letters patent granted Thomas Neale by King William and Queen Mary ; and, November 5, 1696, it was disallowed by the privy council. While it remained in force, however, Duncan Campbell was appointed deputy postmaster of Boston, by and with the consent of Andrew Hamilton, deputy postmaster- general. On the twenty-third day of November, 1693, Campbell applied to the General Court for compensation for his services ; and, June 20, 1694, he was granted an annual allowance of twenty-five pounds for two years.
On the twenty-fifth day of October following, " an Act for Regulating Ferries " was passed. This act expressly pro- vided " that the general post that is settled for their majesties and the countrys service be readily dispatched and set over by all ferry men where they shall come, without delay." *
The following year, Campbell appealed to the governor and council of the province of New Hampshire " for such assist- ance as in their wisdom shall be judged reasonable."'
May 21, 1695, in answer to the petition of Duncan Campbell for al- lowing a salary for encouragement of the Post, a bill past both Houses for allowing £12 for this year, provided the Post be kept. t
Duncan Campbell died in 1702; and John Campbell, who succeeded him as postmaster in Boston, petitioned the Gen- eral Court of Massachusetts, May 26, 1703, for compensation for his services, stating that, since the disapproval of the act passed for the encouragement of the post-office in 1696, " there has been no action on the part of the province of Massachusetts Bay to regulate and control the postal service."
On the second day of June, this petition, with the memorial accompanying it, was referred to a committee who subse-
* Province Laws, vol. i., p. 183. t New Hampshire Provincial Papers, vol. ii., p. 156.
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quently submitted a report which was accepted, allowing Mr. John Campbell the sum of " £20 for all time past and £40 for ye year ensuing " for his encouragement and support in the transmission of public letters, and providing "that the said Campbell be freed from Impresses, Trainings & watches dureing his employment of Post Master." This report was amended by making the compensation ten pounds instead of twenty, and twenty pounds in place of forty, and as amended was agreed to by the governor and council July 22, 1703 .*
On the ninth day of September, the following order, passed by the governor and council, was concurred in by the House of Representatives : -
Every Master of any ship or vessell arriving from any Foreign parts shall deliver in all his Letters to the Post Office at the Port of discharge, or shall deliver them at any other place where he happens first to ar- rive : The Post Master demanding the Same: In which case they shall be forthwith expressed to ye Post office in Boston. And all masters shall be paid by the Post Master a half penny a Letter for Every & so many Letters as he shall put into the office: and the Post Master shall be paid & receive the accustomed Rates & Prices now paid for Letters by him delivered out: The Collector and Naval Officer, respec- tively, to Give Notice of this order to all masters.t 1
Newbury, at that date, was a town of considerable commer- cial importance, having an extensive trade with the West India islands and also with the continent of Europe. The collec- tion and transmission of letters from foreign lands required constant care and attention. Post-riders from Boston passed through Newbury on their way to Portsmouth, and were often delayed, especially in the winter season, by bad travelling and severe snow-storms. The Boston News Letter, published by John Campbell, postmaster, makes the following announce- ments : --
The Eastern and Piscataqua Post sets out from Boston every Mon- day night at seven of the clock and all Persons are desired to bring their Letters to the Post Office before six a clock. #
The Eastern Post came in on Saturday and sets out on Monday night, who says, There is no Travailing with Horses, especially beyond Newbury, but with snow shoes which our People do much use now that
* Province Laws, vol. viii., p. 285.
t Ibid., vol. i., p. 420. # November 13 to 20, 1704.
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never did before. The Western Post came then also in, and sets out on Tuesday morning, who likewise says 'Tis very bad Travailing .*
March 25, 1716-7, the snow was five feet deep in the woods, and in some exposed places the roads were covered to the depth of fifteen or twenty feet. The " post boy," travel- ling on snow-shoes, was nine days in making his trip from Salem, Mass., to Portsmouth, N.H., and eight days in return- ing, the distance between the two towns being about forty miles.t
Lord Cornbury, in a letter dated New York, July 1, 1708, to the commissioners for trade and plantations, in England, says :
. . . We have but two safe ways of sending into England, which are the Virginia Fleet and the Mast Fleet from New England. . . . From Boston there is a Post by which we can hear once a week in summer time, and once a fortnight in winter, so that we have a sure conveyance by the Mast Fleet. The conveyances by the West Indies have proved very uncertain for several of our vessels have been taken Every Year during the War, besides that several of the Packet Boats from England have been likewise taken. +
" A new and Exact map of the Dominions of the King of Great Britain on ye continent of North America, By Herman Moll, Geographer," was published in 1715. On the margin of this map is a notice of the arrival and departure of the mails, from which the following paragraph is taken : -
. . the Post from Boston to Piscataway, being 70 miles, leaves Let- . ters at Ipswich, Salem, Marblehead and Newbury .... There are offices kept at Burlington and Perth Amboy in New Jersey, New London and Stonington in Connecticut, at Rhode Island, Bristol, Ipswich, Salem, Marblehead and Newbury, and ye 3 Great offices are at Boston, New York & Philadelphia.
It is evident that the postal service between Boston and Portsmouth was well established when the above announce- ment was made; and Jonathan Plummer, in a deed dated April 16, 1716, is described as " Postmaster in ye township of
* January 29 to February 5, 1704-5. t " Historic Storms " (Sidney Perley), p. 55.
# New York Colony Manuscripts, vol. v., P. 55.
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Newbury." * There are no records to show who was post- master in Newbury previous to that date, but Joseph Lunt probably "rode post " as early as 1708 .;
"The Boston Weekly Post Boy," a newspaper published from October, 1734, to December, 1754, has the picture of a ship under full sail, on the left hand side of the title, at the top of the first page; and the following appropriate device, on the right hand side, representing a postman, on horse- back, sounding his horn.#
POST-RIDER - 1734.
The following items relating to newspapers and post-riders were recorded by Rev. Matthias Plant.
July 1, 1735, I received ye news letter from ye Postman.
January 26, 1741-2 Then Paid to Mr Gerrish, Postman, for 2 years & a quarter for news Paper carrying & for taking my horse from Salem to Mr. Watts at Winnisimet wh horse I hired there 1.9.6.
June 18, 1742 then pd Mr. Fleet for news paper 1.4.0.
May 30, 1746 I pd Mr. Fleet att Boston for ye News Paper for ye year 1745. 1.8.o.
* Essex Deeds, book liv., leaf 67 ; also, book xxxvi., leaf 49.
t Coffin's History of Newbury, p. 173.
# Reproduced from an original copy of "The Boston Weekly Post Boy " in the Boston Pub- lic Library.
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June 13, 1748 I paid Mr Fleet for 2 years News Papers 3.0.0.
March 23, 1749-50 then I paid to post Gerrish for bringing News Papers 9. years 4.9.0.
Then pd by post Gerrish to Mr. Fleet for News Papers 2. years 3.0.0.
In 1753, Benjamin Franklin, residing in Philadelphia, and William Hunter, of Virginia, were commissioned by the gov- ernment of England to take charge of the postal service in America. During the summer of that year, Franklin set out on a tour of inspection, and visited almost every post-office in the country .* In November, 1754, he was in Newbury, and undoubtedly improved the opportunity to examine the books and accounts of the postmaster, and confer with the post- riders in regard to the safe and speedy transportation of letters intrusted to them. Newspapers were not considered mailable matter at that time, and it was only by rewarding the post-riders that a place was made for them in the mail bag.
In 1756, packet boats were first employed to carry the mail between Falmouth, now Portland, Me., and New York, " the postage of each single letter to be four penny weights of silver." It was not until about the year 1760 that regular weekly communication was established between Portsmouth and Portland. Before that time, letters were not sent until a sufficient number were collected to pay the cost of trans- portation.
In 1761, "the first stage, or passenger chair in America " was started from the stables connected with the tavern kept by John Stavers in Portsmouth, and under his management and that of his brother Bartholomew Stavers continued to make weekly trips through Newbury, Ipswich, and Salem to Boston, carrying the mail as well as passengers for many years.
Bulkeley Emerson was probably postmaster at Newbury when this stage was first used in the postal service. He was a bookseller and stationer ; and as early as March 14, 1754, he and his brother Samuel bought a house with a small lot of
· Parton's Life of Franklin, vol. i., p. 330.
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`land "on the main street in Newbury," where he probably sold books and received and distributed the letters transmitted by mail .* The stage made only one trip weekly between Portsmouth and Boston ; but the mail was sent on other days by post-riders, as heretofore. January 17, 1763, the follow- ing advertisement was published in the Boston Evening Post : -
Giles Alexander, Eastern Post Rider, Hereby informs the Public that when he is in town, he puts up at the Sign of Admiral Vernon, in King Street, from whence he sets out, for the future, on Monday Even- ing at 6 o'clock.
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December 4, 1770, Benjamin Hart announced in the Essex Gazette, a newspaper published in Salem, " that he has left riding the single horse post between Boston and Ports- mouth and now conveys passengers from Boston to any town between it and Portsmouth and back again, in the same Post Stage lately improved by John Noble." #
Bulkeley Emerson retained, under the provincial govern- ment, his office as postmaster at Newbury and Newburyport until May 13, 1775, when he was appointed to the same
* Essex Registry of Deeds, book cxv., leaf 195. # Annals of Salem (Felt), 1827, P. 479.
t From an advertisement now in the possession of the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., an- nouncing the arrival and departure of stages.
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office by the provisional government organized in Massachu- setts at the beginning of the Revolutionary war. This appointment was confirmed by the Continental Congress in the month of December following. Mr. Emerson died April 19, 1801. His son Joseph Emerson succeeded him as post- master.
In 1818 the mail was taken daily to and from Boston by the Eastern Stage Company. This arrangement was con- tinued from year to year until June 26, 1838, when the char- ter of the company expired by limitation. Two months later, .
STAGE-COACH-1820 .*
the Eastern railroad was completed from East Boston to Salem ; and from the last-named town the mail was for- warded by stage to Portsmouth, and thence to other towns in Maine and New Hampshire. In June, 1840, the road was extended from Salem to Newburyport. Since that date letters sent to or from Newbury have reached their destina- tion through the Newburyport office.
* From an advertisement now in the possession of the Essex Institute, Salem, Mass., an- nouncing the arrival and departure of stages.
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CHAPTER XI.
COMMERCIAL AFFAIRS AND SHIP-BUILDING.
A SHIP of three hundred tons burthen, built by Richard Hollingsworth in Salem, was launched in the month of June, 1641. This was probably the first ship built in Essex county. At Medford and other towns in the colony, however, the building of small sloops and shallops had been carried on to some extent for several years. For the protection of ship owners and builders the General Court passed the following order, October 7, 1641 :-
When any ship is to bee built wthin this jurisdiction, it shalbee lawful for the owners to appoint & put in some able man to survey the worke & workemen, from time to time, as is usual in England .. . and upon complaint to the Governor, or Deputy, or any 2 magistrats, they shall appoint 2 of the most sufficient ship carpenters of this jurisdiction & shall give them authority from time to time; (as needs shall require) to take view of every such ship & all worke thereto belonging & see that it bee pformed & carried on according to the rules of their arte ... & these viewers shall have power to cause any bad timbers, or other in- sufficient worke, or materialls to bee taken out & amended & all that they shall judge to bee amisse to bee reformed at the charge of them through whose default it growes .*
As early as 1650 small vessels were built and owned in Newbury ; and April 25, 1655, the town granted "captain Paul White a parcell of land not exceeding half an acre, about Watts his cellar, for to make a dock, a wharf and a warehouse, provided he do build a dock and warehouse as aforesaid." +
George Carr and his son Richard Carr were early engaged in ship-building on Carr's island; and in 1675 Jonathan Woodman had a building-yard at the foot of Woodman's lane, now Kent street, Newburyport.#
* Massachusetts Colony Records, vol. i., p. 336.
t "Ould Newbury," p. 151. # Ibid., pp. 273-285.
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The ship " Salamander " was built by Mr. Woodman pre- vious to March 23, 1675-6; for on that day he brought a suit, in the Court of Admiralty at Boston, to recover the amount due him for labor and materials used in its construction. Capt. Bartholomew Stratton and other owners of the ship protested against the payment of the sum claimed, and in- sisted that the law of the colony providing for the inspection of vessels had not been complied with. The court decided in favor of the defendants, and fined Mr. Woodman ten pounds. In a petition to the General Court, asking to be released from the payment of this fine, Mr. Woodman stated that the mas- ter and owners had compelled him to pay twenty pounds for not launching the ship at the time agreed upon, although two carpenters employed by him were taken for the country's ser- vice, and he was unable to find men to fill their places in Rowley, Ipswich, Salem, or Boston. He also claimed that the ship was surveyed by a carpenter, "as the custom is with us," before she was planked, and asserted that the owners had forced him to take up the deck when partially laid, and raise it four feet higher .*
October 17, 1676, In answer to the petition of Jonathan Woodman, humbly desiring the remittment of the fine of tenn pounds imposed on him for not surveying the ship Salamander &c the Court judgeth it meet to grant his request & his fine is remitted accordingly.t
In order to regulate and control the importation of mer- chandise, ports of entry were established by the General Court.
February 9, 1682-3 : ... the port of Boston to which Charlestown is annexed, and the port of Salem to which Marblehead, Beverly, Glocester, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbery and Salisbury are annexed as members, are and shall be lawfull ports in this colony where all ships & other vessells shall lade or unlade.#
This arrangement was not satisfactory to the ship-owners and merchants of Newbury ; and in the month of May, 1683, they prepared and signed the following petition : -
* Massachusetts Archives, vol. lix., p. 132.
t Massachusetts Colony Records, vol. v., p. 127. # lbid., vol. v., p. 383.
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To the honored general court now sitting in Boston, the humble petition of some of Newbury :
Wee humbly crave the favour that your Honors would be pleased to consider our litle Zebulun * and to ease us of that charge wch at present we are forced unto by our going to Salem to enter our vessels and thereby are forced to stay at least two days before we can unloade besides other charges in going & coming. That some meet person might be appointed to receive the entryes of all vessels coming in here and to act and do according as the law directs in that case, and we shall be bound ever to pray for yor Honrs &c
CALEB MOODY THOMAS NOYES. JOHN KENT JOSEPH DOLE BENAIAH TITCOMB WILLIAM NOYES WILLIAM TITCOMB
PENUEL TITCOMB
HENRY JAQUES HENRY WHEELER D. DAVISON
Referred to the next general court.t
In May, 1684, when the subject was again under consid- eration, the following petition was presented to the General Court : --
... it being very inconvenient for vesels that arive at the towne of Newbury to make entry at Salem it often is greatly predudiall & charg- able to persons concerned : it is humbly ofered to this Courts considera- tion & desired that this Court would pleas to apoint som person in New- bury where they may make their entry & not be put upon such great inconvenience as to go as far as Salem.
ofered by mee RICHARD BARTLET
in behalf of the town of Newbury the 7th of May 1684.#
At the same session, some of the inhabitants of Salisbury petitioned as follows : -
To The Honored Generall Court Now Sitting In Boston May the 7th 1684 The Humble Request of Severall in Habitants of Salisbury whose names are hearto subscribed : -
That wheras by the prvidenc of god wee have some smalle trade whereby vessells are sent A Brode out of Merrimack River Who Accord-
*" Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea ; and he shall be for a haven of ships, and his border shall be unto Zidon." Gen. xlix : 13.
t Massachusetts Archives, vol. Ixi., p. 254. # Ibid., p. 263.
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ing to Law Ar bound to Duty at going forth & Returning home which by Reson of ye Remoteness from the place of entry grows extreme pre- judisial & by ye Loss of A day or two many times by Reson of Ill wether proves to our Great damage : our humble Request therefore to this Honored Court Is That thay would bee pleased to Impower som one p'son att Newbury or Salisbury to take entrys & to give clearing And your suplyants thankfully Acknowledging the same shall Ever pray
THOMAS MUDGETT JOHN ALLIN JACOB MERILL RICHARD HUBBARD HENRY WHEELER *
May 15, 1684, the deputies and magistrates granted the prayer of the petitioners, and " ordered that Nathaniel Clarke be the naval officer for Newbury and Salisbury ports." f
During the excitement and confusion that resulted from the revolutionary proceedings in Boston, April 18, 1689, and the imprisonment of Sir Edmund Andros, governor of the col- onies in New England, vessels employed in the coasting trade were exposed not only to the danger of the sea, but were liable to capture by bold and lawless buccaneers.
In a deposition made by Thomas Pound, who, with Thomas Hawkins and others, was executed for piracy in 1689, is the following statement : -
. . . about the Eighth or Tenth day of August last past, in the pres- ent year, 1689, this Examinant together with twelve men more .. . went off from Boston in Thomas Hawkins his Boat, tooke water at the South End of the Town neer the Signe of the Bull, haveing agreed and com- bined together to take the first vessell they should come up with and go away to the West Indies to make a voyage against the ffrench. .. .
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