USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Dorchester > History of the town of Dorchester, Massachusetts > Part 11
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" When Captain Gallop got possession of the enemy's vessel, he found the body of Captain Oldham under an old seine, yet warm ; and though the head was dissevered and disfigured, he knew him well, and exclaimed, ' Ah, brother Oldham ! is it thee ? I am resolved to avenge thy death !' Thus being sure that he had engaged the murderers of his friend, his naturally strong arm was doubly nerved by the justice of his cause."
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After scattering the Pequots and destroying much of their property, the expedition returned, having effected little or no good.
It will be interesting to persons who have long been acquainted with the localities in Boston Bay, to know that in September, 1636, the General Court granted " 12 acres of land to John Gallop, upon Nixe's Island, to enjoy to him and his heirs forever, if the island be so much."
This is the first year in which we find the names of the officers of a military company in the town. Israel Stoughton was the Captain, Nathaniel Dun- can Lieutenant, and John Holman Ensign. But on the General Court Records is the following grant to Dep. Gov. Ludlow, in 1634 :- " Further, there is leave granted to the Dy Gouv" to have his Indian trayned with the rest of the company att Dorchester, and to shoote at fowle."
Up to this time it is supposed that the following roads were laid out in the town. One beginning at the north-east end of what is now known as Plea- sant street (which street, from the corner of Stough- ton to Cottage street, is believed to have been the first laid out in the town), running west to the Five Corners and east to the marsh (then called the Calf Pasture). This is now called Pond street and Cres- cent Avenue. From the Five Corners it run north- east to a little below the present residence of Capt. William Clapp, where there was a gate, which was the entrance to Dorchester Neck, where the cattle were pastured. From Pond street, about twenty rods east of the Five Corners, it curved round by the present houses of Richard Clapp and Wm. T.
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Andrews, late Chesnut street. This street was dis- continued in 1853, by vote of the town. On this street lived Rev. Richard Mather, Roger Williams, and others. The road leading from the north-east end of Pleasant street to the Five Corners, now the east end of Cottage street, was also laid out, as well as the following :- one round Jones's Hill ; one running to Fox Point, now Savin Hill Avenue ; one from the Five Corners to the south-west corner of burying ground, now Boston street ; from that point to Roxbury ; from the Five Corners to Hum- phreys street, also Humphreys street ; from the present location of the Alms-house to Stoughton's Mill, at the Lower Mills; Marsh street, which led to Penny Ferry, and from thence to Plymouth Co- lony. It will be perceived that this arrangement brought the inhabitants in proximity to each other, and furnished a road round several comparatively small portions of land. Care was taken to retain the right of way to the sea, to watering places and over marshes; the marsh nearest the upland being considered the most valuable for getting hay, &c., the owners of such land were obliged to put up with this inconvenience.
July 5, 1636. The following order was passed in relation to some of those who owned land on Fox Point (Savin Hill).
" It is granted to Mr. Ludlow, Mr. Hill, and the neighbors that have lots with them, that they may run a pale down into the sea at the corner of Mr. Ludlow's, and another between Mr. Hill and John Eeles, for the securing their cows and saving of much fencing, provided they leave styles and gates
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for persons and cattle, when persons are disposed to travel or drive cattle or swine that way to clamming."
1637. The Selectmen were John Glover, Nath'l Duncan, Mr. Jones, James Bates, Richard Collicut, John Holman, Edward Clap, Roger Clap, and Wm. Sumner. This year, the grant of land to the Ply- mouth Colony line, usually called the New Grant, was made by the General Court.
The finishing blow was given to the Pequots, this year. Israel Stoughton commanded the men raised in this quarter, and Rev. Mr. Wilson accompanied the expedition. The following is from the General Court records :
" The 18 of the 2nd mo., 1637. This Court being assembled for the special occation of p se- cuting the warr against the Pekoits, it was agreed and ordered that the warre having been undertaken vpon iust grounds should be seriously p secuted, and for this end there shall be 160 men p vided to bee chosen out of the severall townes, according to the p portion vnderwritten, viz .: out of Newbery, 8; Ipswich, 17-then 6 more ; Salem, 18-6 more ; Saugust, 11-5 more ; Watertown, 14-5 ; Newtown, 09-3; Marblehead, 03-1; Charlestowne, 12-4; Boston, 26-9; Roxbury, 10-3; Dorchester, 13- 4; Waymouth, 05-2; Hingham, 06-2; Mead- ford, 03-1."
By the foregoing order it appears that it was found necessary to raise an additional number of men after the complement of 160 was made up. It is presumed that the Plymouth men were also put
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under the same command, for we find in Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., vol. 3, 3d series, the following extract. " Then came Capt. Stoten, with an army of 300 men, to kill the Pequits." It would be interesting to us of the present day to know the names of those 17 men, from this town, who joined the expedition.
This year the General Court assessed a rate of £400, which was divided as follows, and shows the relative standing of the towns at that time: viz., Boston, £59-4; Salem, 45-12; Dorchester, 42-6; Charlestown, 42-6; Ipswich, 34-12; Watertown, 30-8; Roxbury, 30-8; Newtown, 29-12; Sau- gus, 28-16; Medford, 24-12; Newbury, 16-18; Hingham, 8-10; Weymouth, 6-16.
The controversy on religious topics ran very high this year, as well as the last; and the liberal party, under the lead of Mrs. Hutchinson, and her brother Rev. Mr. Wheelwright, were well nigh silenced be- fore the close of 1637, by the imprisonment of the former and the disarming of her friends. As no Dorchester names appear in the list of combatants, it is presumed the people of the town firmly clung to the rigid side of the question, and walked hand in hand with their pastor, Mr. Mather. The liberal party seemed principally to belong to Boston, and were very partial to Gov. Vane ; but the neighboring towns out-voted them, and clung to Gov. Winthrop.
In relation to the pasturing of cattle, they were to be kept this year under the charge of Matthias Sension and Thomas Sanford, in the ordinary cow- pasture (which was a large tract of undivided land laying in the vicinity of the Upper Mills), not on
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the Neck nor about town, upon pain of ten shillings. All who lived north of the Meeting-house, were to put their cows into the open place before it, within an hour after sunrise, and then the keepers were to drive them along through the town towards the pasture, blowing a horn as they went, and the balance that were not on the road were to be before Mr. Stoughton's or Mr. Minot's house.
An order was made to take care of the business of those who were chosen for soldiers, that it might not suffer in their absence .- The 9th of May, of this year, measures were taken to divide the land on the Neck, as it was called, now mostly included in South Boston ; and the following order was passed :
" It is ordered that the necke of land, contagne- ing by measure about 480 acres, shall be from henceforth the P P inheritance of the p sent inhabit- ants of the towne of Dorchester, in this manner. Every hoame lott that hath a dwelling house there- on or inhabitant incumbent in the towne, he or it shall have one acre for the said lott, & other hoame lotts half an acre; then remayndr to belong to the same planters by this rule; three-fifths to men's estates owne P P as usual they have burden, and a fifth to p sons equally thus counted, all men with their wives and children in the plantation under their p sent government in families to be counted. P vided allowance be made where houses and lotts are intire, all be it for the p sent they have no p sons incumbent according to the p portion of such as lately did inhabit them."
14
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1638. Selectmen - John Glover, Nath'l Duncan, Humphrey Atherton, Mr. Jones, Christopher Gib- son, Mr. Phillips, James Bates, William Sumner, Nicholas Upsal and John Capen. This year the General Court licensed Mr. Duncan as follows :- " March 12, 1638. Natha. Duncan of Dorchester is licensed to sell wine and strong water." They also passed the following. " Bray Wilkins hath liberty to set up a house and keepe a ferry over the Naponset Ryver, and to have a penny a p son to bee directed by Mr. Staughton and Mr. Glover."
The Court also passed a law concerning tobacco, which undoubtedly caused no little excitement, per- haps as much as has been caused by what is known as the Maine Liquor Law of a later date. The fol- lowing is a copy.
" This Court finding that since the repealing of the former laws against tobacco, the law is more abused than before, it hath therefore ordered that no man shall take any tobacco in the field except in his journey, or at meale times, vpon pain of 12ª for every offence, nor shall take any tobacco in (or so near) any dwelling house, barne, Corne or Haye, as may be likely to endanger the firing thereof, vpon the paine of 28 for every offence, nor shall take any tobacco in any Inne or common victualling house ; except in a private roome there; so as nither the master of the same house, nor any other gueste there shall take offence thereat ; wch if they do, then such p son is forthwth to forbeare, vpon paine of 28 6ª for every offence."
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August 3d, of this year, there was a violent storm. Winthrop has the following account of it. "Mo. (6) 3.] In the night was a very great tempest, or Hiracano at S. W. which drave a ship on ground at Charlestown, and brake down the Windmill there, and did much other harm. It flowed twice in six hours, and about Narragansett it raised the tide fourteen or fifteen foot above the ordinary spring tides, upright."
Winthrop says, "There came over this summer twenty ships, and at least three thousand persons, so as they were forced to look out new plantations."
A Church was gathered this year at Weymouth, under the sanction of the proper authorities, and Mr. Lenthial, who appears to have been in advance of his time in liberality, caused some of the elders to suppose that he had imbibed certain of the errors of Mrs. Hutchinson. They determined to check the heresy in the bud, and Mr. L. was therefore called before the General Court to retract his opinions, and several of his friends were punished. Some of the Dorchester people seem to have been under no small excitement about this matter, for two of our Mr.'s- a title of no small signification in those days-were brought before the Court, and " Mr. Ambrose Mar- tin, for calling the Church Covenant a stinking car- rion, and a human invention, and saying he won- dered at God's patience, feared it would end in the sharp, and said the ministers did dethrone Christ and set up themselves ; he was fined £10 and coun- selled to go to Mr. Mather to be instructed by him."
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Likewise, " Mr. Thomas Makepeace, because of his novel disposition, was informed we were weary of him unless he reforme."
At this day the record of the Court appears as novel to us, as did to them the disposition of Mr. Makepeace. It has been so in all time; the con- servatives are weary of the reformers, and every inch of ground, both in matters of Church and State, is closely contested before yielded.
" April 23, 1638. It is ordered that the land for the pits which John Benham had used for making brick, shall still be in common for the use of the plantation."
Oct. 30, 1638. For the better encouragement of any that shall destroy wolves, it is ordered that for every wolf any man shall take in Dorchester planta- tion, he shall have 20s. by the town for the first wolf, 15s. for the second, and for every wolf after- wards 10s., besides the Country's pay."
1639. Selectmen-John Glover, Thomas Haw- kins, Nathaniel Duncan, Mr. Jones (probably Tho- mas), John Wiswall, John Pierce and Humphrey Atherton.
This year Thompson's Island was appropriated for the benefit of the town school. It had been granted to Dorchester by the General Court in 1637, the town to pay a yearly rent of twelve pence to the treasurer; but it subsequently lost this possession, as will appear by the following, 1000 acres being granted in lieu thereof.
It has been supposed that Thompson's Island, in
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Boston Harbor, was first occupied in 1624, by David Thompson, a Scotchman, sent over with others to Piscataqua (now Portsmouth) by Gorges and Ma- son the year before, to establish a fishery at that place; but later evidence shows that Wm. Trevour was the first civilized occupant. Thompson left Piscataqua and took up his abode upon it six years before the Bay was settled ; and after the Colony was fully established he procured a confirmation of his title to the Island from the General Court.
The following depositions relate to its earliest history.
" I, William Trevour, testify that 'Thompson's Island ' is 'the formerly called 'Island of Trevour' which I took possession of in 1619, and declared the same (as the effect of my proceedings) to Mr. David Thompson in London ; on which information the said T. obtained a grant and pat- ten for peaceable and quiet possession of sª island to him and heirs forever :- I being in the Company's service at the said time. To this I testify on oath, 27 of 2d mo., 1650. Deposed the day before named before me, Incr. Nowell.
" That this is a true copy taken and compared with the original left on file,
" Attests ED. RAWSON, Secr."
" I, Wm. Blaxton, testify that the Island called Tom- son's Island is by Dorchester neck, and that I heard ould Mr. Thompson affirm that he had a patten for it, and that there is an harbour in that island for a boate which none of the rest of the islands had, and that those that put hoggs there doe it by his consent to my knowledge." Taken up- on oath this 5th of the 5th mo. 1650. William Hibbins.
" That this is a true copy compared with that left on file,
" Attests E. R., Sec."
14*
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" July 15th, 1650. I doe testify that in the yeare 1620 I Came into this Country and I take it the same yeare I was in the Massachusetts Bay with William Trevoyre and then being upon the Island lying neere Dorchester And Called the said Island, Island Trevoyre and then no Natives there Inhabiting neither was there any signe of any that had been there that I could perceive, nor of many, many yeares after. "P. MILES STANDISH.
" Further I Cann testify that. David Thompson shewed me a very Ancient Pattent & that Isle Thompson was in it, but the terms of it I cannot remember.
" P. MILES STANDISH.
" Deposed before the whole Court, 25 October, 1650.
"E. R., Secr.
" That this is A true Copie Compar'd wth its originall left on file, Attests EDWARD RAWSON, Secret."
Saggamore of Aggawam's Deposition concerning Thompson's Island.
" I Saggamore of Agamam testify that in the yeare 1619 or thereabouts as I remember, I went in my owne person with Mr. David Thompson and then he took possession of the Iland before Dorchester, he likeing no other but that because of the smale Riuer, and then no Indians upon it or any Wigwam or planting, nor hath been by any Endians inhabitted or claymed since, but two years agoe by Harm- ben an old Endian of Dorchester. Witness my hand, this 13th of July, before Mr. Greenleafe, 1620 / 50.
" Witness, EDMUND GREENLEAFE. " SAGAMORE® OF AGAWAM." " This is a true copy, compared with its originall on file, as attests
EDWARD RAWSON, Sec'y."
Archives of Salem.]
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HISTORY OF DORCHESTER.
The subsequent grant of the Island to the Town of Dorchester is thus recorded.
"Tomson's Iland is granted to the Inhabitants of Dor- chester, to injoy to them and their heirs and successors which shall inhabit there forever, payinge the yearly Rent of twelue pence to the Treasurer for ye time beinge .- At Newtowne by a generall Court held there 2d, 9th, 1637." -Town Records, Vol. II., p. 37.
Petition from Dorchester to the General Court. " To the honoured Generall Court now assembled at Bos- ton, the humble petition of the Town of Dorchester.
" WHEREAS this honored Court formerly granted unto the Towne of Dorchester the Iland called Thompson's Iland, and the inhabitants of the said Towne long since granted the same towards the maintenance of a free schoole there forever : And whereas this Court at the last Session thereof vpon the petition of Mr. John Thompson for the said Iland (Mr. Mavericke testifying on his behalfe, that in the yeare 1626 Mr. David Thompson his father took pos- session thereof as a vacuum domicilium, and dyinge, the said John Thompson when he came to age demanded the same) granted unto the said John Thompson the said Iland forever. The which we think this Court would not have so granted unto him before the Towne had been called, and liberty given them to have answered and pleaded or otherwise dealt with the said John Thompson about the said Iland ; but that the jurisdiction thereof, or some other important reasons for common good, moved the Court thereunto : We therefore, not doubting of the justice and favor of the Courte towards vs and the furtherance of a free schoole amongst vs (which otherwise is like to faile) doe humblie desire this honoured Courte to grant vs some Iland (within the Courte's power to grant) which may
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help vs towards the maintenance of a free schoole in lieu of that which is now taken away, and not only wee but pos- teritie while time shall last will have cause to bless you, your justice and piety in advancing learninge.
" And so we rest " Your humble Petitioners,
" THE INHABITANTS OF DORCHESTER.
" Subscribed for them all by the Selectmen,
JOHN WISWELL, THOS. JONES, WILLIAM BLAKE, GEO. WEEKES, JOSEPH FARNWORTH,
WILLIAM CLARKE, WILLIAM SUMNER. 1648."
On the Petition is written what follows, viz. :
" The Dept's are willing to answer this pet. when the Towne presents that which is fit to be given and before our honoured Magistrate's consent therevnto."
Although the town lost this island in its corpo- rate capacity, it continued within its territory and under its jurisdiction until 1834, when it was set off to Boston, to be used as a Farm School; and whenever it shall cease to be used for that purpose, is again to be included within the limits of Dor- chester.
It has been supposed by many persons that a mill was formerly located on this island, and the stream on the westerly side has long been known as the out-let to the mill-pond ; but the depositions of the Sagamore of Agawam and William Blackstone set-
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tles the question that there never was a mill in that place, but that the " smale Riuer" was running in and out with the tide long before the settlement on the main land, and before the sound of a mill had broken the stillness of this western world. There is no doubt that the Sagamore was mistaken as to the time he went there with Mr. Thompson, although the latter undoubtedly had visited it before he took up his abode there.
" This year," says Blake, " was an order for mount- ing ye great guns at Mr. Hawkins, on Rock-hill." This place was undoubtedly what is now called Sa- vin Hill, although the Meeting-house Hill has been the spot usually designated as the place. A little observation will show that the former was much the most desirable and eligible location for a fortifi- cation, commanding as it did the mouth of the Ne- ponset, the bay, and the passage to the hill by land ; besides Mr. Hawkins lived on the plain south of the hill, and most of the inhabitants were in his neigh- borhood, and in a northerly direction therefrom. The southerly point of Savin Hill, on the flat rock, was just the spot for the "great guns " then, and would be now, in case of invasion.
The celebrated law in relation to wearing super- fluities, passed the General Court this year, and was doubtless the occasion of no little excitement. The following is a copy.
"4 (7) 1639. Whereas there is much complaint of the excessive wearing of lace and other superfluities tending to little use, or benefit, but to the nourishing of pride, and
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exhausting of men's estates, and also of evil example to others ; it is therefore ordered that henceforward no person whatsoever shall pr sume to buy or sell within this juris- diction any manner of lace to bee worne or used within o" limits.
" And that no taylor, or any other person whatsoever, shall heareafter set any lace, or points vpon any garments, either linnen, wollen, or any other wearing cloathes what- soever, and that no p 'son heareafter shall be imployed in making any manner of lace, but such as they shall sell to such persons, as shall and will transport the same out of this iurisdiction, who in such case shall have liberty to buy the same; And that hereafter no garment shall be made wth short sleeves, whereby the nakedness of the arme may be discovered in the wearing thereof, and such as have garments already made wth short sleeves shall not hereafter wear the same, unless they cover their armes to the wrist, with linnen or otherwise; And that heareafter no person whatsoever shall make any garment for women, or any of their sex, wth sleeves more than halfe an elle wide in the widest place thereof, and so proportionable for biger or smaller persons ; And for pr sent reformation of immode- rate great sleeves and some other superfluities, wch may easily be redressed wthout much pr udice, or the spoile of garments, as imoderate great breches, knots of ryban, broad shoulder bands and rayles, silk rases, double ruffes and caffes, &c."
" Oct. 31, 1639. It is ordered that Mr. Atherton and John Wiswell shall procure wheels to be made and carriages to mount the pieces that are at Mr. Hawkins's by the sea, and cause them to be mount-
ed, and also the drake at Mr. Stoughton's to be * the charge to be paid out of the 40£ rate." 1640. There is but little of interest recorded
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under the date of this year. " Thomas Tylestone and Edward Winshott were fined 6s. 8ª. for not at- tending the iury when they were called." Miantun- nomoh, the celebrated Chief of the Narragansetts, visited Boston the latter part of this year, " and was met at Dorchester by Captain Gibbons and a guard of twelve musketeers, and well entertained at Roxbury by the Governour." This year the town chose overseers of the high ways.
1641. Selectmen-Nath'l Duncan, Humphrey Atherton, Mr. Clark, Richard Collicut, John Hol- land, Roger Clap, John Pierce. About this time Mr. Jonathan Burr was invited to settle in the mi- nistry here with Mr. Mather; and during the pre- liminaries a controversy broke out similar to that which had occurred in Boston-Mr. Burr, of course, being on the liberal side. It was a matter of great interest ; in which all, or nearly all, were concerned. The following is Hubbard's account of the affair, being mostly a copy from Winthrop.
" The Church of Dorchester, not contenting themselves with a single officer in the ministry of their Church, in- vited one Mr. Burr (who had been a minister in England, and of very good report there, for piety and learning), with intent also to call him to office. And accordingly, after he was received a member of their Church, and had given good proof of his piety, and other ministerial abili- ties, they gave him a call to office, which he deferring to accept upon some private reasons, known to himself, some of the Church took some exceptions at some things, which he in the mean time delivered, his expressions possibly not well understood, or so far wire-drawn that they seemed
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too much inclining to the notions then prevailing much at Boston, and they desired him to give satisfaction, and he not seeing need for it, it was agreed that Mr. Mather and he should confer together, and so the Church should know where the difference lay. Accordingly Mr. Burr wrote his judgment in the points of difference in such manner and terms, as from some of his propositions, taken singly, something that was erroneous might be gathered, and might seem naturally to follow therefrom; but was so qualified in other parts as might admit of a charitable con- struction. Mr. Mather reports to the Church the seeming erroneous matter that might be collected, without mention- ing the qualification, or acquainting Mr. Burr with it be- forehand. When this was published, Mr. Burr disclaim- ed the erroneous matter, and Mr. Mather maintained it from his writings. Whereupon the Church was divided about it, some joining with the one, and some with the other, so as it grew to some heat, and alienation of minds, and many days were spent for reconciliation, but all in vain. In the end they agreed to call in help from other Churches ; so as the 2nd of February, 1640, there was a meeting at Dorchester of the Governour, and another of the magistrates, and ten of the ministers of the neighbouring Churches, wherein four days were spent in opening the cause, and such offence as had fallen out in the prosecu- tion ; and in conclusion they all declared their judgment and advice in the case to this effect :- That both sides had cause to be humbled for their failings; Mr. Burr for his doubtful and unsafe expressions, and backwardness to give clear satisfaction ; Mr. Mather for his inconsideration, both in not acquainting Mr. Burr with his collections, before he published them to the Church, and in not certifying the qualifications of the erroneous expressions which were in his writings; for which they were advised to set a day apart for reconciliation. Upon this Mr. Mather and Mr.
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