History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 54

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706

USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 54

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Beaver hats were made by Bailey Hall from about 1800 to 1820. Ship-building was an early industry ; some think as early as 1700. Capt. Benjamin Turner came to Pembroke about 1730, and built vessels at the " Brick kilns." His sons and grandsons also carried on the business there. Seth Briggs, Enos Briggs, Elisha Briggs, Alden Briggs, and Luther Briggs all followed that trade successfully on the same spot. The work was mostly carried on by the Briggs and Turners, furnishing a market for all the lumber and work for all the men in all the country round. Some of the workmen became conspicuous as skilled artisans and contractors in other fields of labor, as Thatcher Magoun and Calvin Turner, of Medford, and Elisha Briggs, of Newburyport.

Soon after the Revolutionary war Capt. Ichabod Thomas built a whaling vessel that proved very famous, having a remarkably good record, being in sailing trim till within about twenty-five years, costing her owners but little for repairs and paying for herself many times. As many as five square-rigged ships have been on the stocks at one time, being so close that a person could step from the staging of one vessel to that of another. It is said that vessels have been built at " Job's Landing," perhaps by some of the Randalls. Robert Magoun built one vessel at Sea- bury Point. Near the North River bridge, on the estate now occupied by Lorenzo Sherman, Capt. Thomas Turner built whalc-ships for New Bedford and Nantucket trade. All these vessels were small, not exceeding three hundred tons in size.

Isaac Hatch commenced the manufacture of satinet in 1813 at East Pembroke. That locality was then a very small settlement of only four or five houses. He continued that business, adding to it the business of grinding grain and sawing lumber, till about 1834 or 1835, having a good deal of lumber on hand, lie abandoned the manufacture of satinet and began to make shoc-boxes in a small way. All the work of

sawing, fitting, and planing was then done by hand. The business was enlarged, including all kinds of wooden packing-boxes, and bringing into use ma- chinery for sawing, fitting, and planing.

After the death of Mr. Hatch, in 1850, the business was carried on by his sons, George F. and Martin, gradually enlarging it, and in 1859 they built a steam mill, where they annually manufactured a million feet of boards into boxes.

The same year (1859) the water-mill was burned, and a new one built to manufacture covered buckets and water-pails. This was soon given up, and the manufacture of mackerel kitts commenced and con- tinued till 1870, making from fifteen hundred to two thousand weekly, and using about three hundred cords of pine stock annually. At one time they em- ployed about thirty men and about as many horses.

Owing to this business East Pembroke grew from a little hamlet of four or five houses into a pretty thriving little village, having a store, post-office, black- smith- and wheelwright-shop, and public hall.

Calvin Shepherd commenced the manufacture of boxes at the old Shepherd's cotton-factory at about the same time that Isaac Hatch begun. It was car- ried on successfully by him for a number of years till he gave it up to his son-in-law, James H. West, who still carries it on at the old place. Nathan T. Shep- herd, Lemuel Lefurgey, and John Foster are also en- gaged in the business. The late John Oldham (2d) also carried it on for some years previous to his death. For the last forty-five years it has been the main business of the town, furnishing employment for a great many men and a quick ready market for pine lumber. About the year 1867 F. P. Arnold com- menced the manufacture of shoes, and a few years later built a large steam manufactory, employing when running its full strength about one hundred men and all the approved modern machinery.

Not much later than 1700 a furnace was built at the outlet of Furnace Pond, supposed to have been the first furnace in the country. It was run by the Barkers and later by the Littles. Traces of it can be seen now.

About 1750 a good deal of iron ore was dug out of Jones River Pond and other ponds, and the town took measures " to prevent persons from carrying off said ore," and chose an agent to sell the same. For a number of years it proved a source of considerable income to the town.

About the year 1812 a cotton-factory was built by a company, and run for about twenty years with same degree of success. The latter part of the time it was under the management of Calvin Shepherd

241

HISTORY OF PEMBROKE.

(who was also largely an owner), and was known as Shepherd's factory.

If it had not been for the herrings, whose right of way to and from the ponds (" their place of spawning") has always been so jealously guarded, and the votes for the care, protection, and distribution of which cover so many pages of our town records, this article upon manufactures might have been largely extended.

The late Oliver Ames, Esq., the founder of the shovel works at Easton, had at one time negotiated for the " Glover Mill" property,-a part of the Lam- bert Despard Purchase,-for the purpose of erecting shovel works on the stream ; but when he found he must open his sluice-ways for the herrings five or six weeks in the busiest time of each year he gave up the bargain.

Pembroke then lost her opportunity, and the town of Easton to-day rejoices in busy factories and palatial residences (the homes of munificence) and in splendid public buildings, all of which might have been hers.

Efforts were early made to have the county build- ings moved here.

1726 .- It was voted that the selectmen petition to the General Court for the moving of the Inferior Courts from Plymouth to Pembroke.

1729 .- It was voted that the representative use his utmost endeavors at the General Court, or else- where, to have the courts or some of them moved to this town for the future.

1733 .- A committee was chosen to petition his majesty's next court of General Sessions of the Peace that they would move to the Great and General Court of this province, that they would move two of the courts, viz., December and March courts, to Pembroke.

1748 .- Chose an agent to join with agents of other towns to consult about the affair of building a new court-house at Plymouth, and prevent the same, if may be, and see if the court-house can't be moved to Pembroke.

1819 .- Town voted unanimously in favor of mov- ing county buildings. 202 voted in favor of mov- ing to Pembroke, 40 in favor of moving to Hanover.

REPRESENTATIVES.

Lieut. Josiah Barker, in 1713, paid by town £2 128.

Capt. Thomas Barker, 1714, 1715, at £10, 1719, 1720, and 1726.

Capt. Joshua Cushing, 1716, fifty-six days at 38. a day, £8 &e., and 1723.

Joseph Stockbridge, 1718, forty-five days, and 1724.

Nehemiah Cushing, 1722, £10.

Elisha Bisbee, 1725, 1727, 1730, 1731, 1732, 1733, 1734, and 1736.

Isaac Little, 1735, 1739, 1740, 1741, 1743, 1747, 1748, 1749. Daniel Lewis, Jr., 1737, 1738, 1744, and 1745.

John Magoun, 1742. 16

Israel Turner, 1750, 1751, 1752, 1753, 1754, 1755, 1756, and 1759.

Josiah Keen, 1757, 1758, 1760, 1761, 1762, 1765.

John Turner, 1763, 1764, 1766, 1767, 1773, 1774, 1777, 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781.

Seth Hatch, 1783.

Capt. Joseph Smith, October, 1780, for remainder of the year.

Col. Jeremiah Hall, 1785.

Samuel Gould, 1787, 1788.

Deacon Josiah Smith, 1789.

Capt. John Turner, 1784, 1786, 1790, 1791, 1792, 1795, 1796, 1797, and 1798.

Kilborn Whitman, 1800, 1801, 1804, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1820, 1821, and 1829.

Capt. Nath. Smith, 1803, 1805, 1806.

Isaac Brown Barker, 1806, 1807, 1808.

Bailey Hall, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811.

Anthony Collamore, 1827.

Rev. Morrill Allen, 1830, 1831, 1833.

Seth Whitman, 1834, 1836.

Samuel Brown, 1837.

Nath. Smith, 1838, 1839, 1848.

Horace Collamore, 1840, 1841.

Charles Hitchcock, 1842.

Luther Magoun, 1844, 1845.

Seth Whitman, 1849.

Joseph Cobb, 1850.

Martin Bryant, 1851.

Some years the town voted not to send and some years sent two. The dates given above are the dates of election. In the earlier years the election was in the spring, and also the meeting of the Legislature. Lat- terly the election is in November, and the meeting of the General Court in January following.

At first the towns paid their representatives instead of the commonwealth, and their pay was pretty small too.

May 16, 1857. After voting to send a represen- tative, and but one the ensuing year, the question was put to know whether they would give any person more than twenty pounds to represent them in the Great and General Court, and it passed in the negative. Made choice of Josiah Keen.

John Turner, Esq., seems to have been a prominent man. It will be seen he was elected representative eleven times, and in 1784 he entered upon town rec- ords as follows, viz., " This certifies that I have served my native town of Pembroke in the office of selectman and assessor thirty-five years, and that I have served as town clerk more than twenty-eight years, and have been chosen twenty-nine times."

The Indians that lived in this vicinity belonged to the Massachusetts, at one time a powerful tribe, num- bering three thousand warriors and occupying the whole country from Neponset to Duxbury, and ex- tending back from the shore to Bridgewater and Mid- dleboro'.

1 DE

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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

A large portion of this tribe werc converted to Christianity, and were known as praying Indians. At the breaking out of Philip's war, many of them werc conveyed by government to Clark's Island, where they might be secured from their hostile brothers. Chictahut was their sachem. His father, Josias Wam- patuck, sold Scituate to Mr. Hatherly and his associates for fourteen pounds.

In 1684, there were about forty at Namattakeeset. The particular subdivisions of this tribe that lived near the Indian ponds was called Mattakeeset, and from these are descended Joseph Hyatt, Martin Prince, and William Joel.

The following is a list of those who served from Pembroke during the war of the Rebellion :

Allen, Blaney C., Co. D, 58th Regt.

Bates, Andrew O., 20th Regt., unattached.

Barrows, Alfred W., 3d Regt. Heavy Artillery.

Blaekman, Allen, Ist Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Bowlar, Jeremiah, 2d Regt.

Brophy, Michael, 21st Regt.

Bloker, Heinrich, 2d Regt.

Borel, Charles, 28th Regt.

Blakeman, Daniel, Co. HI, 3d Regt., Co. C, 29th Regt.

Baker, Richard H., Co. E, 7th Regt.

Bonney, Ansel F., Co. E, 18th Regt.

Bonney, Howland S., Co. E, 18th Regt.

Barrows, Alfred, Co. D, 38th Regt.

Bryant, Charles A., Co. D, 38th Regt.

Brown, Ansel W., Co. B, 40th Regt.

Bishop, Nathaniel B., Co. B, 40th Regt.

Baker, Henry, Co. B, 40th Regt.

Bosworth, Edwin, Co. I, 4th Regt. Barrows, William J., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Bisbee, Joseph F., Co. E, 4th Regt.

Bonney, John G., Co. A, 3d Regt.

Barnard, Thomas, Ist Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Braine, Petro, Co. G, 59th Regt.

Bradner, Louis, 2d Regt.

Chandler, Jacob C., Co. F, 7th Regt.

Curtis, Albert W., Co. G, 18th Regt.

Curtis, John B., Co. G, 18th Regt.

Curtis, Jacob, Co. G, 18th Regt.

Chandler, Henry O. Cummings, James T., Co. B, 40th Regt.

Curtis, James B., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Church, George H., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Chandler, Philip HI., Co. I, 4th Regt. Church, Edward R., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Chandler, William E., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Cornell, Robert II., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Clark, Charles C., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Churchill, Otis P., 20th Regt., unattached.

Callahan, Michael, 11th Regt. Chase, Ira B., 2d Regt.

Cook, Josoph H., 3d Regt. Heavy Artillery. Craig, Jamos. Chandlor, Marshal M., 29th Regt.

Cook, Thomas W., Co. HI, 35th Regt. Drako, Charles F., Co. E, 18th Rogt.

Dwinnels, Andrew HI., 26th Regt.

Donovan, Cornelius, 4th Regt., unattached.

Drake, Augustus, 20th Regt., unattached.

Delano, George A., 20th Regt., unattaelied. Eddy, George, 2d Regt.

Foster, Otis, Co. D, 38th Regt.

Ford, Charles R., Co. B, 40th Regt.

Ford, Joseph P., Co. I, 4th Regt., 20th Regt., unattached. Ford, George H., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Foster, Calvin T., Co. A, 3d Regt.

Ford, Charles H., Co. F, 24th Regt.

Foster, Peter F., Co. C, 11th Regt.

Farnsworth, Hiram M., 2d Cavalry.

Finley, Luke, 2d Regt. Felton, Isaae, 21st Regt.

Fish, Ezra W., 1st Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Ford, Lemuel R., 20th Regt., unattached.

Grover, John M., Co. E, 7th Regt.

Gerrish, John P., Co. A, 7th Regt.

Gerrish, Daniel B., Co. D, 12th Regt.

Gerrish, Samuel, Co. D, 38th Regt.

Howe, Alfred G., Co. D, 18th Regt.

Hollis, Joshua, Co. D, 38th Regt.

Howard, Nathan, Co. 1, 4th Regt.

Howard, Alden, Co. I, 4th Regt.

Howland, Lewis T., Co. A, 16th Regt.

Hill, Leonard B., Co. D, 58th Regt.

Hopkins, John, 2d Regt. Hewins, Mareus H., 1st Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Howard, John H., 2d Mass. Heavy Artillery.

Hill, Francis C., 20th Regt., unattached.

Hill, Nahum S., 20th Regt., unattached.

Inglis, Thomas, Co. E, 7th Regt.

Isaae, Samuel, 2d Regt.

Josselyn, Albert, Co. I, Ist R. I., and Co. A, 3d Bat. Heavy Artillery. Jones, John, Co. I, 4th Regt.

Jackson, John, 19th Regt.

Jewett, John, Co. B, Ind. Bat. of Heavy Artillery.

Kilbrith, John W., Co. B, 40th Regt.

Kilbrith, Greenleaf, Co. B, 40th Regt.

Kilbrith, Freeman, Co. B, 40th Regt.

Keene, Abel W., Co. I, 4th Regt., 20th Regt., unattached. Keene, Nathan C., Co. I, 4th Regt., 20th Regt., unattached. Kilbrith, Asa, Co. A, 3d Regt.

Keene, George H., Ist Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Kenf, William, 21st Regt.

Loring, Joseph B., Co. D, 38th Regt.

Lapham, Luther T., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Loring, Bernard, Co. I, 4th Regt.

Loring, Morton M., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Lapham, Albert, Co. I, 4th Regt., 20th Regt., unattached.

Lapham, Constant C., Co. E, 18th Regt.

Leonard, Jonathan W., Co. F, 24th Regt.

Ludwieher, Lewis, 2d Rogt. Lapham, Olivor, Jr., 20th Regt., unattached.

Lapham, Charles, 20th Regt., unattached.

Masson, Daniel B., Co. A, 3d Regt.

Mann, George H., Co. HI, 35th Regt.

McDonald, William H., Co. E, 11th Regt. Magoun, Calvin S., Co. A, 23d Regt.

Magoun, James C., 2d Bat. Hoavy Artillery.

Magoun, Francis L., 20th Regt., unattached.

MeFarlen, Nahunı, Co. I, 4th Rogt.

McCabo, Frank, 2d Regt.

Miteholl, Theodoro P., 55th Rogt.

Masson, Jamos, Ith Mass. Cavalry. Nash, William F., Co. I, 4th Rogt.

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243

HISTORY OF PEMBROKE.

Nash, Thomas M., Co. I, 4th Regt. Niles, Samuel T., Co. F, 22d Regt.

Poole. Peregrine W., Co. C, 38th Regt. Peterson, Calvin, Co. I, 4th Regt. Page, Samuel A., Co. I, 4th Regt. Perry, Marcns T., Co. A, 3d Regt. Profete, Joseph, Co. G, 59th Regt. Paine, Eugene W., 20th Regt .. unattached.

Ryder. Edward T., Co. G, 18th Regt. Ryder, William J., Ist Bat. Heavy Artillery. Ramsdell, Asa T., Co. B, 40th Regt.

Reed. Marcus M., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Reed, Ichabod M., 1st Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Reed, William R., 1st Bat. Heavy Artillery. Reed, John D., Ist Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Reed, John G., 20th Regt., unattached.

Stevens, Hiram H., 7th Regt., Co. F.

Stevens, Hiram F., Co. D, 3Sth Regt.

Stevens, Henry T., Co. F, 28th Regt. Spanlding, Alfred S., Co. G, 18th Regt. Stetson, Abel O., Co. D, 38th Regt. Stetson, John W., Co. I, 4th Regt. Stetson. Pelham 0., 4th Bat. Heavy Artillery.

Smith, John, Co. B, 40th Regt. Smith, William H., 59th Regt. Smith, Frank T., 2d Regt. Smith, John, 2d Regt. Samson, Azor H., Co. 1, 4th Regt. Samson, Horatio C., Co. I, 4th Regt., 20th Regt., unattached. Sampson, Edward, 20th Regt., unattached.

Sturtevant, Lorenzo, Co. K, 31st Regt. Standish, Otis E., 20th Regt., nnattached. Standish, Otis, 20th Regt., nnattached. Tew, Philip H., Co. D, 38th Regt. Tew, George F., 20th Regt., nnattached.

Thayer, Charles N., Co. I, 4th Regt.

Tillson, John P., Co. I, 4th Regt., 20th Regt., unattached. Tillson. Albion K., 20th Regt., unattached.

Thomas, Rogers W., 2d Mass. Heavy Artillery.

White, Friend, Co. B, 40th Regt.

White, Benjamin F., Co. D, 2d Heavy Artillery.

White, Thomas J., 5th Masz. Cavalry. Whiting, William, Co. B, 4th Regt. Whiting, Franklin T., Co. G, 39th Regt.

Witherell, Martin S., Co. I, 4th Regt. Withereli, George M., Co. I, 4th Regt. Welch, Nathaniel, Co. I, 59th Regt. Willys, Danforth, 2d Cavalry. Williams, James, 11th Regt. Willington, Herbert W., 26th Regt.

The following served as seamen in the war of the Rebellion :

Tillson, Myron W., on "T. A. Ward" and " Lenapee." Dwelley, James H., on " Isaac P. Smith." Scribner, Charles A., unknown.

Collamore, Henry H., on "Roanoke" and "Maratanza." Baker, Calvin L., on "Juniata" and "Sabine."

Pembroke furnished one hundred and sixty-seven men for the war of the Rebellion, twenty-nine more than all its quotas.

The following is a list of those who were killed or died in the service.

Ansel F. Bonney, Co. E, 18th Regt., wounded in the battle

before Richmond, June 3, and died July 14, 1864, at Washing- ton, D. C.

Jacob Curtis, Co. E, 1Sth Regt., wounded at Laurel Hill, and died at Washington, D. C., May 26, 1864.

Alfred G. Howe, Co. H, 1Sth Regt., killed in the battle of the wilderness, May, 1864.

Abel O. Stetson, Co. D, 38th Regt., at Port Hudson, La., 1863.

Hiram F. Stevens, Co. D, 38th Regt., at Hampton Hospital, Virginia, Jan. 2, 1863, of phthisis.

Ansel W. Brown, Co. B, 40th Regt., at Folly Island, S. C., Nov. IS, 1863, of diphtheria.

James T. Cummings, Co. B, 40th Regt., wounded at Coal Harbor, Va., and died at Washington, D. C., June 21, 1864.

George M. Witherell, Co. I, 4th Regt., at Baton Rouge, La., March 28, 1863, of fever.

John Jones, Co. I, 4th Regt., June 11, 1863, at Brashear City, La.

James B. Curtis, Co. I, 4th Regt., April 29, 1863, at New Orleans, La.

Alden Howard, Co. I, 4th Regt., July 15, 1863, at New Or- leans, La.

Edwin Bosworth, Co. I, 4th Regt., Aug. 3, 1863, at New Orleans, La., of chronic diarrhea.

Robert Henry Cornell, Co. I, 4th Regt., April 21, 1863, at Carrollton, La.

Marcus M. Reed, Co. I, 4th Regt., at Brashear City, La., June 8, 1863, of chronic diarrhea.

Charles G. Clark, Co. I, 4th Regt., at New Orleans, La., July 16, 1863.

George H. Ford, Co. I, 4th Regt., at New Orleans, La., July 17, 1863.

Henry T. Stevens, Co. F, 28th Regt., at Andersonville, Ga., Sept. 6, 1764.

Calvin S. Magoun, Co. A, 28th Regt., died June 19, 1862, on the cars between New York and Boston, of typhoid pneumonia. Marshall M. Chandler, Co. - , 29th Regt., died at Philadel- phia, Pa., July 6, 1862, of typhoid fever.

Nathaniel B. Bishop, Co. B, 40th Regt., was killed June 2, 1864, at Coal Harbor, Va.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

REV. MORRILL ALLEN.

Rev. Morrill Allen was born in Dover, Mass., April 3, 1776. He was the son of Capt. Hezekiah and Mary (Peters) Allen. After preparing for col- lege, under private tutorship, he entered Brown University, 1795, and graduated with honors in 1798. He earned by teaching school the money to defray his expenses at college, and in the sacrifices which he made at that period in order to obtain an eduea- tion was evidenced the spirit of self-denial, persistent endeavor, and the many sterling qualities of mind and heart which characterized him through life. Soon after graduating he commenced the study of theology, under the tutelage of Dr. Fobes, of Rayn-

244

HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

ham. After two years spent in study, during a part of which period he taught sehool, he offered himself as candidate for settlement in the ministry. On the 9th of December, 1801, he was ordained as pastor of the First Church and society in Pembroke, Mass. The previous May he married Hannah, daughter of Hon. Josiah Dean, of Raynham, a lady who proved a model mother and wife, and he always bore testi- mony to the faet that to her industry, prudence, and faithful help mueh of the credit for his subsequent prosperity and comforts were due.

Mr. Allen received but a small salary as minister, and the growing expenses of an increasing family demanded that there should be another source of in- eome. His previous success in teaching and his love for that work dictated at once the receiving of stu- dents into his family. His reputation as an earnest, faithful, and successful teacher spread abroad, and students came from different parts of the country, and it was in after-years a gratifying source of pleas- ure to him that many whom he instructed afterwards attained to eminence in the different walks of life. His sehool increased in numbers to such an extent that the labor of teaching, in connection with his parish and pulpit duties, became too arduous and threatened to undermine his health. This influenced him to relinquish teaching. He then purchased a small farm, and devoted his spare time to its cultiva- tion in order to recover by physical exercise his wonted health, and also with the hope that he might make it in some degree profitable. It has been said that the possession of certain qualities will insure success in whatever channel they may be directed. This certainly proved true in Mr. Allen's case. He went at farming as he did at everything else he un- dertook in life, with energy, intelligence, and zeal, and his success abundantly rewarded his efforts. He became the leading agriculturist of this part of New England in his day. It appeared to be his object

not only to make a suceess of his methods of farming for the sake of the profits to be derived, but also to do a substantial good to the community around him by introducing new and improved methods, and mak- ing farming a more attractive and lucrative occupa- tion. He was mainly instrumental in organizing the first agricultural association in the county, and was its president for many years.

After continuing in the ministry for more than forty years he resigned his pastoratc, and only ocea- sionally thereafter officiated, when the settled min- ister was absent or ill. After relinquishing his ministerial duties he devoted much time to the study of agriculture, and contributed many valuable arti- cles to the agricultural papers and journals of the day. And many of the original opinions and ideas he advanced are still regarded as authority. In 1849 he was elected a corresponding member of the Royal Agricultural Society of Turin, in Sardinia. After his withdrawal from the ministry he was twice elected a member of the Massachusetts Scnate, an honor entirely unsought by him, and in this new field of action he exhibited the same sterling traits and useful energy that distinguished whatever he did.

Whether we regard Mr. Allen as minister, parish- ioner, legislator, or farmer, the same prudence, kind- ness, sound judgment, honesty of conviction, and intelligence of thought is apparent. But few men have so successfully maintained through a long life such divers relations with such distinguished ability. He was the father of ten children, five of whom survived him. He lived in the possession, in a re- markable degree, of all his faculties to the extreme age of nearly ninety-five years. His decease was Aug. 17, 1870, of no disease, but simply that the machinery of life had worn out, and its action ceased. No man who ever lived in Pembroke was more re- spected, revered, and beloved than Rev. Morrill Allen.

Morrill Allen,

HISTORY OF KINGSTON.

BY THOMAS BRADFORD DREW.

CHAPTER I.

SETTLEMENT-LOCATION-EARLY SETTLERS AND PROPRIETORS.

FOR a little more than a century after the first set- tlement of New England, most of the territory now comprised within the limits of this town was a part of Plymouth. Before the Pilgrims had determined upon the particular place where to make their final settlement, this loeality had its attractions for them, and in Mourt's " Relation" is thus deseribed : "The next morning, being Tuesday the 19th of December, 1620, wee went again to discover further. Some went on land and some in the shallop, the Land wee found as the former day wee did, and wee found a Creeke, and up three English myles a very pleasant river, at full sea a Barke of thirty tunne may goe up, but at low water searce our shallop could passe- this place wee had a great liking to plant in, but that it was so farre from our fishing, our principall profit, and so incompassed with woods, that wee should bee in much danger of the salvages, and our number being so little, and so much ground to cleere so as we thought good to quit and cleare that place till we were of more strength." Seventeen years previous to this landing just mentioned, Martin Pring, an Englishman, set out from Bristol, England, " for the discourie of the north part of Virginia." He notes the fact that while detained at Milford Haven "we heard of Queen Elizabeth's death." From the latter place they sailed on the 10th of April, 1603, and during the month of June were on the coast of Mas- sachusetts, and came to anchor in a bay they called Whitson Bay. Belknap in his history points out this place as being at Edgartown, on Martha's Vine- yard, and other writers have quoted him as author- ity, but Mr. B. F. De Costa, in an article written for The Magazine of American History, December, 1882, shows very clearly that Whitson Bay was none other than Plymouth Bay. If so, Jones River is thus de- scribed by Pring. " Passing vp a River we saw cer-

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History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 54

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co. Number of Pages: 1706

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 1706