USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Duxbury > History of the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts, with genealogical registers > Part 5
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In 1671, the Court passed a law "for the prevention of great abuse by the excessive drinking of Liquors in ordinaryes," wherein it was required that every keeper should make, to the Court, a report of those, who " doe not attend order, but carry themselves uncivilily, by being importunately desiious of drink, when deneyed, and do not leave the house when re- quired." Any disregard of this order would impose on the keeper a fine of £5. Mr. Samuel Seabury and Francis West were also appointed by the Court " to have inspection of the ordinaries and other suspected places" in Duxbury. This Court also settled the price of rum to be five shillings per gal- lon, or at retail two pence per gill.
The next license was granted to Mr. Seabury, in 1678, " to sell liquors unto such sober minded naighbours, as hee shall thinke meet, soe as hee sell not lesse then the quantie of a gallon att a time to one prson, and not in smaller quantities by retaile to the occationing of drunkenes."
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
FIRST SETTLERS.
THE first settlers of Duxbury were, many of them, of the highest respectability, and in the colony affairs took prominent and active parts. Of the twenty subscribers to the civil com- pact, signed in the cabin of the Mayflower, November, 1620, who survived the fatal first winter, these became at some future time inhabitants of Duxbury, - Elder Brewster, Capt. Standish, Mr. Alden, Mr. Howland, Francis Eaton, Peter Brown and George Soule. Most of these were men of high repute among the Pilgrims, and often elevated to the highest offices among them, and in their number appear the names, which we find, with so much honor to themselves, recorded in their civil and ecclesiastical history, and imprinted on their mil- itary annals with imperishable fame. The name of Brewster is a token of their purity and religion; and that of Standish a memento of their persevering endurance, their heroism, and their fortitude; while the names of Alden and of Howland have come down to us, as fit memorials of that never-varying justice which has so nobly characterized the lives of their rulers.
BREWSTER was the very soul of the colony. Striving with the holy design of meliorating the condition of his fellow-men, he voluntarily left the enticing allurements of a life at court, and preferred the enjoyment, with the people of God, of those dearest liberties - the freedom of conscience and the pure worship of their God in peace - even though in a wilderness it might be, to the magnificence and splendor of palaces, and the presence of their haughty inmates.
The accompanying cut is a fac-simile of the Elder's auto- graph, written somewhat late in life; and the original is be- lieved to be the only signature of his to be found.
Written Brachter
STANDISH affords us not only an instance of the nerve of the Pilgrims, but a type of their hearts. It is not only his indom- itable spirit and unceasing exertions in the performance of every hazardous duty which was committed to him, but also his openness of heart, his frankness, and sincerity of purpose, which has gained for him that respect from posterity, which is due to the memory of one, whose life was spent in the service
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CAPT. STANDISH.
of those, who to him owed much for their existence, and for whose security he encountered all the hardships and dangers of a then unexplored region, faced in open conflict, or in the deadly ambush, the cruel attacks of the uncivilized savages, and forced them to a submission to laws of justice and neces- sity. Nor in the council were his services of scarce less im- portance ; remaining in the office of an assistant, during the whole of his life, and treasurer of the Colony from 1644 to 1649, and once sent to England as their agent. A friend of the Indians in peace, but in war his very name was a terror; not on account of a wanton cruelty, for none have ever attempt- ed to ascribe to him more than a perfect fulfilment of the com- mands which were given him. His profession was that of a soldier, which he had chosen not merely from inclination, but " being heir apparent to a large estate of lands and livings, surreptitiously detained from him," he was early forced to seek employment for a livelihood. Though of a small stature, "he had an active genius, a sanguine temper and a strong constitution ;" and entering into the service of Queen Eliza- beth, in aid of the Dutch, he soon proceeded to the Nether- lands, the seat of the war, where, on the establishment of peace, he settled, and soon after joined the English refugees at Leyden. On their embarkation for America, he joined the first company, and soon after their arrival was chosen to the command of the first party sent on shore for discovery, con- sisting of sixteen men, and soon elected to the chief military command, an office of much responsibility. His courage was indisputable. In all his expeditions he wanted but a few men, and the choice of these he claimed for himself. He was always their leader in every hazardous undertaking, and the people, confiding in his bravery and prudence, were ever ready to place themselves under his command, and in the most try- ing conflicts felt themselves secure. His actions show a for- bearance rarely met with in one of his profession; but in the time of decisive action, his courage and perseverance were equal to the boldest resolutions, ever formed upon the impulse of the mind. Perhaps on some occasions he may have shown some slight degree of passion ; but then, says Hubbard, seem- ingly in his defence, "he had been bred a soldier in the Low Countries, and never entered into the school of Christ, or of John the Baptist ; or if ever he was there, he had forgotten the first lessons, to offer violence to no man, and to part with the cloak rather than needlessly contend for the coat, though taken away without order. A little chimney is soon fired ; so was the Plymouth captain, a man of very small stature, yet of a very hot and angry temper. The fire of his passion soon kindled, and blown up into a flame by hot words, might easily have consumed all, had it not been seasonably quenched."
7
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
The account, thus given by Hubbard, has been considered, and rightly too, as graphic, but flippant and unjust. Nor does Hubbard himself invariably give the same tone to his subject ; but, evidently in a state of less excitement, he calls him "a gentleman very expert in military service, by whom the people were all willing to be ordered in those concerns. He was like- wise (he continues) improved to good acceptance and success in affairs of the greatest moment in the colony ; to whose in- terests he continued firm and steadfast to the last, and always managed his trust with great integrity and faithfulness." In 1623, Standish was sent by the governor, with orders to break up a plot of the Indians, which, it was learned, had been form- ed to destroy the settlement, and massacre the inhabitants of the English colony at Wessagusset, now Weymouth. On this expedition, the most celebrated one of his life, and which is possibly a fair criterion of his character, he chose but eight men, refusing any more. On arriving at the settlement he found the people scattered, and wholly unconscious of their impending danger. Having quickly assembled them, he in- formed them of their situation, not, however, without exciting the suspicions of the Indians. Soon after, an Indian bringing the Captain some furs, he treated him "smoothly ;" yet the Indian reported, that he " saw by the Captain's eyes, that he was angry in his heart." And at another time, Pecksuot, an Indian warrior of reputed courage, said to Hobomok, Stand- ish's guide and interpreter, and an inmate of his household, that "he understood that the Captain had come to kill him and the rest of the Indians there; but tell him (said he) we know it, but fear him not; neither will we shun him, let him begin when he dares ; he shall not take us unawares." And again, a little after, in the presence of Standish, whetting his knife before his face, and boasting of its quality, he said to him - " Though you are a great Captain, yet you are but a little man ; and though I be no sachem, yet I am a man of great strength and courage." On the following day, Pecksuot, Wittowamat, and his brother, a youth of eighteen, and another Indian, with Standish and about the same number of his own men, being in a room together, the signal was given by the Captain, and the door instantly closed and fastened. Then seizing Pecksuot, he snatched his knife from his belt, while his men fell upon the others. A short struggle ensued, which ended in the death of Pecksuot by Standish, and that of the other Indians, save the youth, whom they afterwards hung. Hobomok, who stood by, a silent spectator of all that passed, then smilingly exclaimed, - " Yesterday, Pecksuot bragged of his own strength and stature, and told you that though you were a great Captain, yet you were a little man ; but to-day I see you are big enough to lay him on the ground."
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CAPT. STANDISH.
When Robinson, their pastor at Leyden, heard of this en- counter, he wrote to the Church of Plymouth, " to consider the disposition of their captain, who was of a warm temper. He hoped that the Lord had sent him among them for good, if they used him right ; but he doubted whether there was not wanting that tenderness of the life of man, made after God's image, which was meet ; and he thought it would have been happy if they had converted some before they had killed any." Truly are these words a monument to the character of Robin- son, alike honorable and Christianlike. But consider the sit- uation of Standish. Upon his decisive action at this moment, we cannot but feel that depended much, not merely the pre- servation of the company to whose succor he had come, but the existence, perhaps, of the whole colony. Had they been successful in their designs here, elated by their recent victory, they would have made the settlement of Plymouth the next object for their depredations, and the lives of the whole colo- ny would have fallen victims to their cruel barbarity. This was not distant from the foresight of the Captain. He struck a mighty blow, and by determined action in a time of doubt, dispelled the fears of his followers and sent terror upon the enemy. His action needs no apology. He acted but the part of a brave defender of his country, who feels that upon his own vigorous exertions the defence of the people depends. And, says his biographer, men of his profession will admire his courage, his promptitude and decision in the execution of his orders. No one has ever charged him either with failures in point of obedience, or of wantonly exceeding the limits of his commission. He is called by Prince, one of those heroes of antiquity " who chose to suffer affliction with the people of God; who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought right- eousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, waxed valiant in fight, and turned to flight the armies of the aliens."
The following cut is a copy of the signature of the Captain, which is written in rather a bolder style than he generally subscribed himself.
Mybes standing
He settled in Duxbury about 1631, in the southeastern part of the town, on the peninsula, from which arises the hill
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
known to this day as the Captain's hill. Brewster was also a settler on this neck, and in the neighborhood of the Captain, whose house was situated to the southeast of the hill, on a knoll, near the shore. The sea, it is said traditionally, once flowed between this and Captain's hill, thus forming a neck, at the extremity of which was situated his house, which stood probably about thirty rods from the bank, although now it is not more than as many yards. The bank here has been con- tinually washing away, and since the beginning of the present century, thirty feet are known to have gone. And within the same period, there have been seen, about sixty feet from the present bank, two stumps of trees, each larger than a barrel. To the south of the house, where is now a salt flat, not many years ago were to be seen four acres of good corn, and was originally covered with a growth of hickory. This is the fact as given to me by Mr. Kent, who received it from Ezekiel Soule, Esq., who was informed of it by Mr. Ebenezer Bart- lett, who died in 1731, aged 87 years, and who related it from his own experience.
There is but little doubt, that at the time of the settlement of Standish here, this whole peninsula, or nearly the whole of it, was one thick forest. Until a few years ago, there were standing in another part of the neck, five large sized and aged white-wood trees, which bore the appellation of "the Brewster trees," and situated near the Nook point. Primeval forest trees were also standing at other places until of late years. The point called " Eagle's Nest," without doubt took its name from circumstances which the name indicates, as the trees, a few years ago standing here, continued to be a favorite place of these birds. The surface of the land in this vicinity is probably now two or more feet higher than it was two centuries ago, owing to the vast drifts of sand which have been here formed.
Standish probably built his house about the time of his first coming to Duxbury, or about the year 1632. It was occupied by him until his death in 1656. His son Alexander then suc- ceeded to the estate, who it is said built an addition to it, in which he kept a store ; and in corroboration of this tradition, it may not be known, that leaden weights have been found in the remains of this part of the building. A few years ago, when discoveries were first made here by Mr. Kent, the found- ation stones were nearly in their original positions. The ce- ment employed was evidently ground clam-shells, and the roof was thatched. The outline of the house is now hardly distinguishable. We have a tradition that it was burned down - and this is substantiated by the evident traces of fire still to be seen - but at what time is not precisely known,
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--
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CAPT. STANDISH.
though it has been supposed about the year 1665. About twenty or more years ago Mr. Kent, then pastor of the church in the town, first opened the ground about the site. The first substance discovered was a quantity of barley, perfectly char- red, and apparently inwrapped in a blanket. This was found in the east corner of the site, which was thought to be a small cellar. At the chimney in the new part were found the ashes, as perfectly fresh as though the fire had but just been extinguished, and here also was found a portion of an andiron, an iron pot, and other articles. In other parts of the ground there were discovered a buccaneer gun-lock, a sickle, a ham- mer, a whetstone, a large hinge, a scythe-wedge, portions of stone jugs and other pieces of earthen ware; large quantities of glass, and some beads, some of which show the appearance of the action of great heat ; several buckles, and among others a sword-buckle; a brass kettle, a pair of scissors, a small glass phial, chisels and files, parts of pipes, and other articles of household use. There were also found a deer's horn, and a tomahawk of fine workmanship, possibly the veritable instru- ment of Hobomok. Here I may observe, that numerous im- plements of Indian manufacture have been ploughed up in various parts of the town, such as stone axes, tomahawks, arrow heads and gouges, generally all of perfect form .*
Some few rods to the southwestward of the house, in a hol- low towards the shore, is situated Standish's Spring. It has probably never been disturbed since the hero himself, more than two hundred years ago, first laid the stones around. Its water is clear and is with a white sandy bottom, and has never been known to have been dry.
No stone marks the resting-place of his ashes, and we must seek in vain the place where reposes what was mortal of the immortal Standish. He was probably, however, buried on his farm, or perhaps in the old burying-ground in that vicinity at Harden hill. He thus alludes to his burial in his will : - " My will is. that out of my whole estate my funeral charges to be taken out, and my body to be burried in a decent man- nar, and if I die in Duxburrow, my body to be layed as neare as conveniently may be to my two deare daughters, Lora Standish, my daughter, and Mary Standish, my daughter-in- law." There are, a short distance easterly from the site, two stones of considerable size, which are about six feet apart, and were thought to mark, perchance, the grave of some one of the
* Many of these curiosities are in the cabinet of the Rev. Benjamin Kent, whose museum, at the close of his labors in Duxbury, contained upwards of four thousand specimens, collected by many years assiduous attention to the subject.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
family. A few years ago investigations were made, but with- out affording any foundation for the supposition .*
The landed possessions of Standish were extensive, and his estate at his death, for the times was considerably large, amounting to £358 7s. His house and farm were valued at £140. Here are given some of the items of the inventory, chiefly for the purpose of showing the condition of the first settlers generally, as regards their domestic and household possessions. Two mares, two colts, one young horse, with equipments, two saddles, one pillion and one bridle. Four oxen, six cows, three heifers, one calf, eight sheep, two rams, one wether, and fourteen swine. Three muskets, four car- bines, two small guns, one fowling piece, a sword, t a cutlass and three belts. His furniture : four bedsteads, one settle bed, five feather beds, three bolsters, three pillows, two blankets, one coverlid, four pair of sheets, one pair of fine sheets, and four napkins. One table and table-cloth, another table, one form chair, one common chair and four rugs. Four iron pots, three brass kettles, a frying-pan, a skillet, a kneading-trough, two pails, two trays, one dozen trenchers or wooden plates,
* Their peculiar shape, though evidently in their rough state, and the fact that their position to each other was exactly east and west, induced some persons to dig between them, in hopes of making a discovery. Exca- vations were accordingly made to the depth of eight feet, without, however, any success. In a biographical sketch of the Author, appended to Captain Samuel Delano's Voyages, and written in 1817, it is stated, in speaking of Capt. Standish, " Here he died ; and some aged people in the close of the last century pointed out the spot where he was buried."
An antiquarian friend, whose researches in Duxbury commenced about ten years after the writing of the above sketch, and who, as he has inform- ed me, in his conversations with the Octogenarians of that day, always es- pecially inquired relative to the burial-places of the first Pilgrims, tells me, that he could neither find the slightest confirmation of the statement above, in the language of those who were, at the time specified in the account living in their prime ; nor moreover in the testimonies of such aged persons as also had manifested in their early days a desire to be informed by their elders on the same point, was there anything in its nature that could in the least degree substantiate the belief.
As to the credit, which that sketch is entitled to in this respect, we can- not, of course, judge, as it is indefinitely chargeable to " A Friend of Capt. Delano."
f His identical sword is said to be in the cabinet of the Pilgrim Soci- ety. His coat of mail has been seen by a descendant now living, but at that time was in such a state of decomposition as to crumble into pieces at the touch. He left a library, valued at £10 19s., and among the volumes were " Cesers Comentarys " and " Bariffe's Artillery," and several histo- ries. There is, in the possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society, another sword, which is also said to have belonged to Standish ; but the history of the one at Plymouth is said to be established, without a doubt. It was in the possession of his son, Capt. Josiah Standish. See Miss Caul- kin's History of Norwich.
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JOHN ALDEN.
one bowl and a churn. Two spinning-wheels, one pair steel- yards, a warming-pan, three beer casks and a malt mill; and personal apparel to the value of £10.
Regarding his landed property in England, for the recovery of which, measures have been taken during the last few years, but which was never enjoyed by Standish himself, we find the following clause in his will : "I give unto my son and heir apparent, Alexander Standish, all my lands as heir appa- rent by lawful descent in Ormistick Bousconge, Wrightington Maudsley Newburrow Cranston and in the isle of Man, and given to mee as right heire by lawful descent, but surrepti- tiously detained from mee my great grandfather being a second or younger brother from the house of Standish of Standish."
ALDEN. As he was the youngest * of the Pilgrims, who engaged in their government, so did he attain the greatest age, surpassing the allotted length of life on earth, and sustaining to the last that high rank in the councils of the colony, to which he was repeatedly elevated.
While yet very young, he fearlessly joined the followers of Clifton and Robinson, and voluntarily gave himself up to the persecutions and trials of a dissenting church. Suffering in common with his companions the edicts of the Star-chamber, he accompanied them on their pilgrimage to Amsterdam and Leyden, and afterwards formed one of the first company who, arriving on the bleak and inhospitable shores of New England in the dead of winter, laid the foundation of a future republic.
On the landing of the company from the shallop, December 21st, 1620, it is said traditionally, that there was a rivalship between Mr. Alden and a lady, t as to the first landing on New England ground. "No investigation," says Dr. Thacher, " can now decide the claim, be it more or less important to those concerned. The name of John Alden does not occur in the list of those who landed from the shallop on the 11th of December [O. S.], and it is not supposable that a lady would subject herself to such hazard and inconvenience; besides, such an exploit in a female must have been considered as de-
1
* The ages of the principal men of the colony, only, are known. On their arrival in 1620, Carver was probably the oldest ; Brewster was 56 ; Standish 36 ; Bradford 32; Allerton 31 ; Howland 28; Winslow 26, and Alden 21. Robinson, the Leyden pastor, was at this time 45 years of age.
+ This was Mary Chilton. Among those who came in the Mayflower, were James Chilton (who died Dec. 8, 1621), his wife (who also died dur- ing the first winter), and a daughter Mary. She married John Winslow before 1627, and removed to Boston in 1657, where she died in 1679. His daughter Susannah married Robert Latham, and had two children, James and Chilton, and their descendants are in Bridgewater, and those of Mr. Winslow are in Boston. The tradition is in both families. [S. Davis, Esq.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
serving particular record at the time. The tradition, which renders the fact questionable, must have reference to the boats which landed the families after the Mayflower arrived in Ply- mouth harbor. The point of precedence must, however, re- main undecided, since the closest investigation discloses no authority for the tradition, nor a shadow of evidence in favor of any individual, as being the first who landed."
We are disposed, however, (says Mr. Davis,) to generalize the anecdote. The first generation doubtless knew who came on shore in the first boats; the second generation related it with less identity ; the third and fourth with still less; like the stone thrown into the calm lake, the circles, well defined at first, become fainter as they recede. For the purposes of the arts, however, a female figure, typical of faith, hope and charity, is well adapted." The case, of however great inter- est to their descendants of the present day may be its deci- sion, is nevertheless doomed to an everlasting uncertainty ; .. and on this account, says Judge Davis, it is not only grateful, but allowable to indulge the imagination, and we expect from the friends of John Alden, that they should give place to the lady.
In the division of the company (Dec. 28, 1620,) into nine- teen families, Mr. Alden was assigned a place in the family of Captain Standish, and of his family continued a member until his marriage, which occurred in the early part of 1621. The circumstances connected with it are doubtless well known to my readers, yet still it would be hardly allowable to omit them here. Thus runs the tradition : - "In a very short time after the decease of Mrs. Standish, the Captain was led to suppose, that, if he could procure the hand of the lovely Miss Mullins, the breach in his family would be happily re- stored. This lady was the daughter of Mr. William Mullins, one of the first comers, and a worthy man. Captain Standish, therefore, according to the manner of his times, sent to ask of the father permission to visit his daughter .* The person chosen by the Captain to perform this delicate embassy, was Mr. Alden, then an inmate of his family, and who, though a Pilgrim, was young and comely. He went, and faithfully communicated the wishes of the Captain. The old gentleman did not object, as he might have done on account of the recen- cy of the Captain's bereavement ; but readily gave his consent, stating, however, that the young lady must first be consulted.
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