USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Essex > History of the town of Essex : from 1634 to 1868 > Part 14
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The parish, relying upon the constable, who had unex- pectedly gone to sea, to collect their taxes, and the time for legally choosing a collector having gone by, are com- pelled to petition the State authorities for leave to choose one out of season. The form then used may give us some idea of the olden time in such matters :
" To his Excellency Jonathan Belcher, esq., Captain-General and Governour- in-Chief in and over his Majesty's precincts of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, and the Hon. his Majesty's Council, and the Hon. the House of Representatives in General Court assembled in June, 1735, the petition," &c.
153
DEER HUNT.
1700-1745.]
This year the vegetable potato was brought into the place for the first time. Mr. Cavies, whose house stood near the dwelling of Mrs. Griggs, being in Salem and see- ing potatoes on board of a coasting vessel, bought a small quantity and sold them to his neighbors for seed. They were first planted in beds, and for some years after, a bushel was considered a great crop. The mode of cook- ing was to cut them in slices and boil with soup.
1738. The parish direct the trustees to take down the turret, lest it should fall and damnify the meeting-house. They afterwards erected a new one.
As this is a leisure season, and somewhat dry (historic- ally), we will accompany our fathers to the woods on a deer hunt. As deerskin is a staple article for small clothes, and mittens, and can be had only by hunting, and the flesh is fine venison, such excursions are not infrequent. We assemble with our hunting party on the common by the school-house, on a fine moonlight evening in November. A moderate fall of snow makes the woods more light and pleasant, and will help us in our hunting match. We enter the woods just north of the common, between Jo- seph Rust's and Thomas Varney's, taking a west-north- west direction. Our huntsmen have their horns and their dogs, and the scene is greatly enlivened by the blowing of the one and the barking and frisking of the other. Plenty of hand-sleds are taken with us to draw back the fruit of our game. Our cheering and shouting and barking are responded to by the howling of the wolves, which are on the alert. They are disposed to ap- proach us, but the flash and report of a gun now and then starts them off again. We now come to Belcher's lane, and as we cross it we see the light from his dwelling. On entering the thick woods again, we incline towards the hills on the left. Occasionally a fox is seen darting swiftly before us. They are out of their holes in the stillness of the night to gather up their wonted food. Some of our huntsmen let fly at them, and the dogs bound off in pur-
20
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HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 2.
suit, but they are too swift and wary to be taken, so the dogs are called back. Our most experienced huntsmen caution us to take care of ourselves when we come upon the deer. Though timid animals, they are full of craft, and when hard pushed, without any way of escape, are apt to rush upon their assailants, and do injury with their furious horns. There are signs of a herd not far off, and we are directed to restrain all noise and proceed softly. The dogs take the hint, and are as mute and cautious as any of us. Approaching the foot of a hill we come in sight of them. The whole herd are upon their feet listen- ing to our approach, and in a moment they bound off, but not till our guns have brought some of them to the ground. Our huntsmen follow and the dogs are in full chase. Some that were wounded are held at bay by the hounds, the huntsman's spear finishes the work of death upon them, and all gather round blowing the horns in triumph for such a victory. We load up our victims and set out for our return. As we traverse the thick forest our spirits anticipate the day, a hundred years later when all these trees will disappear, and through this lone valley, the steam engine may be flying with greater rapidity than the deer, drawing scores of busy travelers after it. Such a suggestion to our fathers, however, would appear like the wildest of all dreams.
1740. John Varney, a fugitive British man-of-war's man, stopped at Esquire Choate's door, and asked for food, which was given him. He was also allowed to spend the night. By way of payment for the favor, he began to chop wood at the door, and remained with the family until he had cut all the wood, and helped about the farm. The " commoners" or land-holders, at some meeting, voted that Varney might have a certain poor rocky piece of land, situ- ated about two miles south-west from the meeting-house. Varney was very industrious, built walls, planted fruit- trees, and brought the land into a good state of culti- vation. Varney was a conscientious church-goer. At
155
SCHOOL PRIVILEGES.
1700-1745.]
Christmas the old people far and near would visit him, carrying provisions for him in wallets upon their shoulders. Poor Varney would talk of " Old England," and weep like a child because he would never see it again. "Skipper" Wesley Burnham, when a very small boy, ate of the fruit which Varney raised; the trees were standing but a few years ago. The land is now the property of the heirs of the late Zaccheus Burnham, and the site of the house and barn is still pointed out ; although it is at present a heav- ily timbered woodland. The smallness of the inclosures, for the stone walls are still standing, is a curiosity, not to say a mystery, as very little use could apparently have been made of them.
1742. The house of Joseph Belcher was consumed by fire. The Parish vote that the money which they had taken by contribution on the Sabbath for sufferers by fire in Carolina, but which had not been sent on there, should be given to their neighbor, Mr. Belcher. They also re- quest their minister to have another contribution taken for the benefit of some others that were found to be needy among them.
This year they vote for the first time that their school shall be taught two months of the year on the south side of the river, and two months at the Falls. They had been in the habit, for a series of years, of uniting with the Hamlet parish in hiring a teacher for the year, who was to divide his time between the two parishes as their re- spective school committees might agree. When the Ham- let did not join with them, they usually voted to employ a teacher for the year in this place. It was at such times probably that they allowed it to be taught four months in other parts of the town, in rooms provided by the in- habitants in those neighborhoods, while the other eight months were spent in the school-house. This tells nobly for the zeal of our fathers in the cause of education. In addition to their portion of the town's money for school- ing, they taxed themselves as a parish for the same pur-
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HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 2.
pose, to the amount of £20 or more. At one time they petitioned the town for a portion of the grammar school rents; at another, that the grammar school might be taught a portion of the year in Chebacco, both of which were unsuccessful. They vote, this year, that the parents shall pay three pence per week for each child sent to school. The administration of the new governor was a subject of much conversation at this time with our fathers. Gov. Shirley was born in England and bred a lawyer. Having a numerous family, he removed to this country, and opened an office in Boston. When the news came of his being ap- pointed governor, July, 1741, he was in Rhode Island, as counsel for Massachusetts before a court of commissioners appointed to settle the bounds between the two Provinces. It was matter of much speculation with the politicians of the day, what course he would pursue in regard to the great points of controversy between the people and the crown. Events, however, soon showed that he was disposed to favor the people by following the royal instructions according to their spirit as he apprehended them, and not strictly ac- cording to their letter. His favorite measure for the tak- ing of Louisbourg, caused him to yield still more to the people, that they might be disposed to yield to him.
1744-5. News of war with France and Spain being received, preparations began to be made for the invasion of Nova Scotia. These were not completed till March of the following year, when the troops sailed from Boston- the land forces thirty-eight hundred in number, under the command of Col. William Pepperell, the naval force under Commodore Warren. The grand design was the capture of Louisburg, styled the Dunkirk of America. Its fortifications had employed French troops twenty-five years, and cost thirty millions of livres. Among the three thousand troops called out from the several towns for this expedition Ipswich, as usual, furnished its full proportion, which included several from this part of the town. Tra- dition mentions Aaron Foster among them, then a young
157
LOUISBURG EXPEDITION.
1700-1745.]
man of twenty-three. We will call at his father's at the old Foster house, at the Falls, near the south-westerly junction of the old and new roads to the Center, and hear from the young soldier the account which he may be sup- posed to have given on his return. Several of the neigh- bors are in, and the youthful adventurer thus proceeds :
" After we were drafted, we put our fire-arms in order, and equipped our- selves for a campaign of several months. On receiving notice we repaired to Boston, and were put on board one of the transports ; all of which, con- voyed by the Shirley, sailed from Nantasket roads the next morning, 24th of March. We had pretty good weather for the season ; but owing to some head winds we did not pass Cape Sable under several days, and it was not till the 2d of April that we began to steer more northerly for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and on the 4th we put in at Canso. Here we were joined by the troops of New Hampshire and Connecticut, making our whole land force above four thousand strong. Learning that there was so much ice about the island of Cape Breton, that it would be of no use for us to proceed, we waited three weeks in the harbor of Canso. Soon after we had orders from the General to get under way, and our whole fleet made for Cape Breton, and on the 30th of April anchored in Chapeau Rouge Bay. We were discovered early in the morning, and a detachment of one hundred and fifty men was sent to prevent our landing. But our General was crafty, and making a pretence of landing at one place drew the enemy there, while a hundred of our men landed at another. These were soon attacked by the enemy, but we killed six of them and took as many more prisoners. We should soon have taken the whole, if they had not fled to the town, for our men were fast landing, one upon the back of another. About a mile beyond us on the same point of land was the grand battery to guard the entrance to the town from the harbor. A quantity of pitch, tar, and other combustibles in the storehouses that we burnt, caused a thick smoke, and the wind driving it directly into the battery the enemy were terrified, fearing that our whole force was upon them. They deserted the fort at once, having spiked their cannon and thrown their powder into a well. A small party of our men went up to the fort first, but discovering no signs of life suspected a plot and were afraid to enter, but a Cape Cod Indian crept slyly in, and finding it empty, soon made the fact known and our men rushed in just as the French were returning to take possession of it. Thus was a stronghold gained by us without any ex- pense of blood or treasure. Maj. Pomeroy of Northampton in our Province, was placed at the head of twenty of our soldiers, that were smiths, for the purpose of drilling the cannon which had been spiked. They soon had them in readiness for use again, and the enemy's fire from the town and from an- other battery on an island in the harbor was briskly returned by us, with great damage to the houses in the town. Several attempts were made to take
158
HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 2.
the island, but in vain. At the last attempt we had sixty killed and one hundred and sixteen taken prisoners. There was no hope left but to scale the walls, which could not be done without planting our cannon and mortars near, to cover our men in the attack. This was a difficult problem to work out, for there was a boggy morass to be crossed over, which wheels could not pass, and men would sink to their middle in the mud. In despair of getting over the bogs it occurred to one of our officers, Capt. Noyes of Newburyport, that there were several hundred pairs of snow-shoes in camp, in expectation of a winter's campaign. He put on a pair, and found he could walk upon the morass perfectly well. This removed the difficulty. Drags were constructed by our carpenters, twenty feet by sixteen, smooth and flat at the bottom. Noyes had the cannon placed upon them, and selecting fifty men accustomed to snow-shoes, and fixing a long rope to the drag, we walked the morass at the dead of night without difficulty, and placed the cannon where Col. Vaughan directed, covering them well with sea-weed, so that where there appeared only a mass of sea-weed at night, a formidable battery rose in the morning. The approaches were then begun in the mode which seemed most proper to our plain, common sense men. Some more learned in military tactics began to talk of zigzags and epaulements, but we made ourselves very merry over this, and went on in our own way. By the 20th of May we had erected five batteries, one of which mounted five forty-two pounders and did great execution. We also erected a new battery upon the light-house point which silenced many of the guns of the island battery. English ships of war were continually arriving, which added such strength to our fleet, that a combined attack upon the town was resolved upon. But before this was effected, Duchambon, the French commander, becoming disheartened, offered to capitulate. On the 17th of June, the town, the city, fort and batteries were surrendered to us, and we marched in in triumph. As we entered the fortress and looked upon the strength of the place, our hearts for the first time sunk within us. All seemed to be deeply affected with the wonderful - providence of God in making everything favorable for us, and in filling the heart of the enemy with fear, so that they gave up to us, an army of un- disciplined mechanics, farmers and fishermen, a fortress impregnable by any force that we could bring against it. Many of our men during the siege had taken colds, and many were seized with the dysentery, so that fifteen hundred men were taken off from duty at one time ; but the weather proving remark- ably fine, during the forty-nine days' siege, they generally recovered. The day after, the rains began and continued ten days without cessation. If this had occurred before, it must have been fatal to many of us, as we should have had nothing better than the wet ground to lie upon, and our tents were not sufficient to shelter us against a single shower."
In addition to this account of the returned soldier, we may say, on the best authority, that this expedition was
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LOUISBURG EXPEDITION.
1700-1745.]
one of the most remarkable events in the history of North America. When the news reached Boston, the bells of the town were rung merrily, and all the people were in transports of joy. The intelligence spread rapidly through all the towns, carrying with it equal gladness, and affect- ing the hearts of all Christians with a sense of the won- derful interposition of God in behalf of the colonies. And well they might rejoice and give thanks. Their commerce and fisheries were now secure, and their mari- time cities relieved from the dread of an attack from a formidable foe. The next year the French made extraor- dinary exertions to retrieve their loss, sending a powerful fleet to the American coast, the news of whose approach spread terror through every town. But a succession of disasters prevented it from inflicting any injury and com- pelled its speedy withdrawal.
March 3, (1745,) died Capt. Thomas Choate. He was a son of John Choate, the first settler of that name in Che- bacco, and was the first resident of Hogg Island. In both parish and town affairs he was a leading man, and was a representative to the General Court in 1723-27.
CHAPTER III.
1746-1774.
THE TWO PARISHES AND THEIR REUNION.
1746. THIS year was made especially memorable in the annals of Chebacco by the division of Mr. Pickering's church and the organization of a new church and society. Two years before, twenty-six of his church members had presented to Mr. Pickering a statement in writing of cer- tain " grievances or occasions of disquietude " toward him, and notified him of their intention to withdraw from his preaching, unless the causes of their disquietude should be removed. These grievances were, in reality, accusations of the gravest character-charging him with not preaching plainly the distinctive doctrines of the Bible, with a want of interest in his ministerial work, with worldliness of spirit and conduct, and with opposition to the great revival of re- ligion of the preceding years. The general attention to religion to which they referred, was effected, so far as human means were concerned, largely by the preaching of Rev. Mr. Whitefield, who, in 1740, visited New England for the first time, and preached in many places. During his tour to the eastward, on which he started from Boston, September 29th, he "preached at Ipswich to some thousands." Respecting this occasion he wrote, "the Lord gave me freedom, and there was a great melting in the congregation."* He also visited Chebacco at the same time. Of this revival these disaffected brethren afterwards gave the following account:
" In the year 1741 and onwards, it pleased God, out of his rich, free and sovereign grace, to bring upon the minds of many in this parish a deep concern
* This scene was on the hill in front of the First Congregational meeting-house in Ipswich Center.
161
DIVISION OF THE PARISH.
1746-1774.]
about their future state, and what they should do to be saved ; and although something of this concern then spread itself over the land, and in some places was very remarkable, we believe it was in none more so than in this place, where before, we were as careless, worldly and secure as any, if not more so. But now the face of things was changed ; and engagedness to hear the word preached, Christian conferences, private meetings for religious worship, and assistance to each other in the way of life, were what the minds of many ap- peared to be deeply concerned in, and engrossed much of our time. And we have undoubted grounds to conclude that at this time the free grace of God was richly displayed in the saving conversion of many among us."
Mr. Pickering had declared himself not unfriendly to revivals of religion, but had objected to some of the meas- ures adopted by Mr. Whitefield to promote them. His treatment of the aggrieved, however, having only served to increase their alienation of feeling toward him, they laid their grievances before the church. Their accusa- tions were decided to be unsupported by evidence, but in the hope of bringing about a reconciliation, final action in the case was postponed. Soon after this, their applica- tion for a mutual council to decide the question at issue, was refused, on the ground that by their withdrawal they had forfeited their claim to it; but the church reconsid- ered this action in the year 1745, and unsolicited, twice proposed to the aggrieved to unite in calling such a coun- cil, which proposal they in turn both times refused. A little later, an agreement was made that the controversy should be terminated by Mr. Pickering's resignation of his charge, provided that a majority of the church should consent to his going, that a purchaser should be found for his estate, and that mutual forgiveness should be exer- cised. These conditions, however, were not complied with. On the 13th of January, 1746, sixteen members of the church " assembled at the house of Daniel Giddinge, and resolved to separate from him and his church, and set up for a distinct society, unless he would consent to resign his pastorate." Of this meeting, Capt. Robert Choate was moderator, and William Giddinge, clerk, and a committee was appointed to confer with Mr. Pickering. At an ad- 21
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HISTORY OF ESSEX.
[CHAP. 3.
journed meeting two days later, this committee made a report of their interview, and " there being now a church- meeting held at the meeting-house, our society in general," says the record, "went up to said meeting, and declared to Mr. Pickering and to the church publicly, that they had separated themselves from them." On the 20th of the same month the formation of a "Separate Society" was completed, thirty-eight men entering into and signing " a solemn covenant and league to set up the worship of God agreeable to his word revealed in the Scriptures." At another meeting held the 2d of May, William Gid- dinge, Lieut. Thomas Choate, Ensign James Eveleth, 'Squire Francis Choate and Daniel Giddinge were chosen a committee to invite the churches in Mansfield, Canter- bury and Plainfield, Conn., and the "Separate Church " in Boston, to assemble in council and organize a new church. At about the same time, the Separatists also declined the proposal of a council, which had been called by the Sec- ond Church, to make that council a mutual one by invit- ing such other churches as they might select, to form a part of it. When this council, which had been in the meantime enlarged, so that nine churches were repre- sented on it, again met on the 20th of May, 1746, it again invited the aggrieved to refer their matters of difference with the church to it. This offer was refused, though they " at length consented that the members of the council should as private Christians have an hearing of their case, and presented all their articles of complaint and their evidence to sustain it."
This council consisted of the first and second churches in Gloucester, the first and third churches in Ipswich, two churches in Beverly, two churches in Rowley, and the church in Wenham. Rev. John White was moderator. They appear to have made a thorough and impartial in- vestigation of the whole matter. The accusations made by the aggrieved were considered one by one, and the evidence for and against cach, including several of Mr.
*
163
RESULT OF COUNCIL.
1746-1774.]
Pickering's sermons, was heard and weighed. The judg- ment of a majority of the council upon each charge, as well as their advice to the parties concerned, was given apparently with great candor, impartiality and discrimina- tion, in their "result," which was adopted at an adjourned meeting held June 10th. In Mr. Pickering's sermons " they could not discern any of the alleged defects, but, on the contrary, no small number of the doctrines of grace, handled in a judicious manner." In their judg- ment, there was no ground whatever for the charge of a want of interest in his ministerial work, or of a neglect of pastoral visits ; no reason for doubting his piety, nor for believing that he had been worldly in spirit, or had con- ducted improperly in business affairs. They were of the opinion, however, that he had been "negligent about ex- amining candidates for admission to the church respecting their religious experiences," that he had been "wanting in ministerial duty in not early and thoroughly examining into the nature of the religious appearances among his flock," and that his treatment of the aggrieved at first " had given them just ground of offence, but that he had offered them such satisfaction, that they ought to forgive him." The conclusion of their result is as follows :
" We can by no means approve of said aggrieved members withdrawment from the Communion of the Church, to which they belong, and from the public ministration of the word by the Pastor : yea, we look upon this their conduct as very unjustifiable and reproachful to Religion, and more especially since they have also, contrary to the known order of these churches, set up a separate Assembly for solemn Worship, and invited and encouraged Per- sons of doubtful character, and coming to them in a disorderly manner, to teach them from time to time ; which last thing in particular may be of most pernicious influence, to introduee among themselves and neighbors, dangerous corruptions in Doctrine, as well as set an evil example. We advise the church that at present groat tenderness and even long suffering be extended towards the separating members, that if possible they may be won thereby. In cordial love to the pastor we advise him to ask pardon of his great Master, for any such false steps of his, whereby his brethren may have been made to stumble : Also that he be ready, with Humility to acknowledge them, on proper occasions : and that he use all wise, ondearing and condescending
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