History of the town of Plymouth, from its first settlement in 1620, to the present time : with a concise history of the aborigines of New England, and their wars with the English, &c., Part 15

Author: Thacher, James, 1754-1844
Publication date: 1835
Publisher: Boston : Marsh, Capen & Lyon
Number of Pages: 424


USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > History of the town of Plymouth, from its first settlement in 1620, to the present time : with a concise history of the aborigines of New England, and their wars with the English, &c. > Part 15


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It is a consoling fact, says Dr. Holmes's Annals, that our an cestors purchased of the natives their land for an equivalen consideration, as appears by a letter from the pious governo Winslow, dated at Marshfield, May 1st, 1676, as follows: ' think I can clearly say, that before these present troubles brok out, the English did not possess one foot of land in this colon' but what was fairly obtained by honest purchase of the Indial proprietors. We first made a law that none should purchas or receive by gift any land of the Indians, without the knowl · edge of our court. And lest they should be straitened, w. ordered that Mount Hope, Pocasset, and several other neck of the best land in the colony, because most suitable and con venient for them, should never be bought out of their hands.


1678 .- The General Court, well aware that it is upon the pastoral office that particular churches must depend for religiou instruction and edification, ordered, that proper provision shoul be made for the support of public worship; and, in 1678, i was enacted that in each town and village within the jurisdic tion, there should be a house of public worship erected. The provision made in the foregoing law is believed to have beer the first where coercive collection of taxes, for the mainte. nance of ministers, was authorized. Orders had been passer which recommended to the people to provide a liberal suppor for their pastors, but no authority had been given to enforce its coercive payment. In the same year provision was made also for the support of public schools.


In November of this year, two more courts were authorizec to be holden by the selectmen of towns, in December and May. The laws respecting the sales of strong liquors and wines were renewed, and the penalties increased, and the sale was forbid-


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den to all except strangers, and not allowed to them without a license.


The court, conceiving that the public safety required that all persons in the government should abide and continue in each town respectively, ordered that no one should depart on the penalty of forfeiting his whole personal estate, except by al- lowance of the governor, or two magistrates; and it shall be lawful to seize their persons and estates, boats, and carts, that shall be found employed in carrying them away.


I cite from the Old Colony Record Book of Court Orders, the following proceeding :- ' This may certify, that certain Indians near Sandwich, whose names are Canootus and Symon and Joell, being apprehended on their confession, convicted of feloniously breaking open a house and stealing from a chest of Zechariah Allen, of Sandwich, twenty-five pounds in money, they having lost or embezzled said money, and no other way appearing how he should be satisfied for his loss, the colony have sentenced the above named Indians to be perpetual slaves, and empower said Allen to make sale of them in New England, or elsewhere, as his lawful slaves for the term of their lives.'


Edward Gray hired Clark's Island for seven years, at £3 9s. per annum, to keep 16 neat cattle free of rate, townsmen to have liberty to bring wood for building, fencing and firing. Agawam lands were leased for seven years.


1679 .- August 4th. Nathaniel Morton was chosen and sworn Clerk of the town, and it was ordered and voted, that all acts, orders, and grants of land, and all other particulars entered in our town book heretofore, shall be authentic and good in law as if they had been entered by a Clerk under oath.


1680 .- Josiah Winslow, governor of Plymouth Colony died December 18th, 1680, in the fifty-second year of his age. He was the son of governor Edward Winslow, born at Marshfield, 1629, and the first governor born in New England. He enjoyed the benefit of his father's care and attention in his early educa- tion, and his whole life evidenced that he copied that eminent man's bright example of steady virtue, public spirit, and disin- terested energetic action.


His discretion as a civil magistrate, and his bravery as a military commander, procured him great respect, and the fullest confidence of the people. One of the first steps in his adminis- tration, was to correct a rash proceeding that had made unfavor- able impressions on the minds of many of the best men in the colony. Mr. Cudworth was not only left out of the magistracy, as has been before observed, on account of his opposition to the proceedings against the quakers, but his letter to Mr. Brown,


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published in England, had given such offence, that he was dis- franchised, and deprived of his military command in Scituate. A like severity, and on similar grounds, had been exercised in regard to Isaac Robinson, son of the Rev. John Robinson. His name was stricken off the list of freemen. Soon after Mr. Winslow's election, both these gentlemen were restored to their former places, and the country had the benefit of Mr. Cudworth's valuable services, in many important trusts in the military and in the civil department. Governor Winslow was eminently serviceable in Philip's war. He commanded the


English army at the great Swamp fight in 1676, (See appendix,) and his name is mentioned with honor in various histories of that period. In a letter to governor Leveret, he thus expresses him- self :- 'Some resolute attempt for Philip's surprisal must be put in execution. Would to God I was with our men, so as I might not, in the meantime, be missed at home. I should hope, by the blessing of God, to give a good account of him in a short time.' July 26th, 1675, ' My person, I hear, has been much threaten- ed. I have about twenty men at my house; have sent away my wife and children to Salem, that I may be less encumbered; have flankered my house, and resolved to maintain it so long as a man will stand by me.' His health, habitually feeble, was much impaired by the fatigues of the Narraganset expedition. In February, 1676, the commissioners of the United Colonies observed, that ' through indisposition of body, he is disenabled from going forth again." And, therefore, made provision, that the commander-in-chief of the forces of the colony, where the seat of war should happen to be, should be 'chief over the whole.' One hundred pounds was allowed by the commission- ers for his services, and a grant, on the same ground, was made to him by Plymouth colony. His stated salary, as governor, was fifty pounds per annum. The expenses of his funeral, forty pounds, were directed to be paid from the public treasury, 'as a testimony of the colony's endeared love and affection to him.'* Plymouth Record. His wife was Penelope, a daughter of Her- bert Pelham, Esq., a gentleman of distinction, who took an early interest in the settlement of New England, and who carne to Boston in 1637, but did not remain long in the country. Gover- nor Winslow was introduced into public life very early, and as soon as he was eligible, was chosen a deputy to the court from Marshfield, and several times afterwards.


* Two elegies were written on the death of governor Josiah Winslow ; one by Rev. Mr. Witherell, of Scituate, the other by Rev. Mr. Wiswall, of Duxbury. The former is published in Rev. Mr. Dean's history of Scituate.


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In 1657, soon after the death of his father, he was chosen an assistant, and in 1659, the major, or chief military commander of the colony.


He was, for many years, a commissioner of the confederated colonies, and in 1673, after the death of governor Prince, he was chosen his successor. In his native colony, governor Winslow stood on the highest ground in society. 'Civic hon- ors awaited him in his earliest youth; he reached every elevation which could be attained; and there was nothing left for ambition o covet, because all had been gained. He lived on his ample paternal domain, and his hospitality was not only generous, but magnificent. In addition to his military and civic distinctions, he had acquired that of being the most accomplished gentleman, und the most delightful companion, in the colony, and the at- ractions of the festive and social board at Careswell were not little heightened by the charms of his beautiful wife.' 'Mild ind tolerant himself,' continues Mr. Baylies, 'he witnessed with 'egret the movements of that fierce spirit which would not tol- erate the liberality, and was blind to the wisdom of Cudworth ind Brown; and he had the address to restore them to the con- idence of the people, at a period when the curse of the age, he spirit of religious bigotry, was maddened by opposition and irmed with power. Persevering, frank, bold and resolute, he encountered the hazard of popular displeasure with the same fearlessness as he did the ambushes and bullets of the savages.'*


His only son, the Hon. Isaac Winslow, was eminently distin- guished, having sustained the chief places of power and honor n the colony, as chief military commander under the gov- ernor, and for several years Chief Justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Judge of Probate of Wills, and one of his Majesty's Council for the Province of Massachusetts Bay for more than twenty years, and for several years President of that body. This gentleman possessed a true English spirit, much given to hospitality, and was universally beloved. He died at his seat at Marshfield, December, 1738, f in the 68th year


* Tradition gives the following anecdote : " At the funeral of Gov. J. Winslow, Rev. Mr. Witherell, of Scituate, prayed that the Governor's son might be made half equal to his father. . The Rev. Dr. Gad Hitchcock, on the same occasion, observed, that the prayer was so very reasonable that it might be hoped that God would grant it, but he did not.


+ He was buried on the 18th of December. The bearers were Col. Thaxter, Col. Lathrop, N. Thomas, N. Sever, Kenelm Winslow, Esq., and J-


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of his age. He lived to see both of his surviving sons, Johr and Edward, take their turns as clerks of the same courts.


His eldest son, a young gentleman of great promise, by the name of Josiah, engaged in military service, received a cap. tain's commission, and was killed in battle, with thirteen of hi company, after a most gallant resistance against a superio force of French and Indians in 1724. General John Winslow the eldest of the surviving sons of Isaac, was a distinguished and successful commander. In 1740, he commanded a company in the expedition against Cuba, and afterwards rose to the ranl of Major-general in the British service .* In 1755, an expedi tion against Nova Scotia was undertaken by the British Gov ernment, of which General Monckton was commander-in-chief and General (then Colonel) John Winslow, second in command So great was the popularity of Colonel Winslow, that in an in credible short time he raised for this expedition two thousand men. The two French forts were captured, with scarcely any loss on the part of the conquerors, and the whole Province completely reduced, chiefly through the enterprise and good conduct of Colonel Winslow: to him too was entrusted the dif ficult and delicate task of removing the French neutrals. II


* We have now in the library of the Pilgrim Society three com


missions to John Winslow, Esq.


1. Commission by Gov. Shirley, authorising him to hold courts martial while on the expedition to Crown Point, 1755.


2. Commission by Gov. Hardy, of New York, to be General ani commander-in-chief of the Provincial troops, July, 1756.


3. By Gov. Pownal, to be Major-general in the king's service 1757.


Gen. Winslow was remarkable for his skill in horsemanship. He imported a valuable horse from England, and it was among his great- est delights to be mounted on his favorite animal. On a certain oc- casion, a number of gentlemen of this town formed a party with Gen. Winslow, for a pleasure excursion to Saquish, in Plymouth harbor, and to return to dine in town. While there, Winslow fell asleep ; the other gentlemen silently withdrew, and pursued their journey. When he awoke and found himself deserted, he inounted, and daringly plunging his steed into the channel, swam him across, and landed on Plymouth beach, a distance estimated at something more than half a mile, from whence he rode into town, making the whole distance but six miles, while his companions were riding four- teen miles. On their arrival, they were astounded to find the Gen- eral seated at the tavern, prepared to greet them with a bowl of punch.


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756, he commanded at Fort William Henry, on Lake George. Ie was also a counsellor of the Province. He died at Marsh- eld in 1774, at the age of 73.


General John Winslow resided for several years in Plymouth: e owned the house which now belongs to the heirs of Hon. ames Warren, making the southwest corner of North street. The fact is well understood that many of this ancient family ad been educated from infancy under the beguiling influence. nd favor of the Royal government. At the commencement, nd during the whole progress of the revolutionary struggle, herefore, it was found difficult to espouse a cause so totally in- ompatible with their sense of duty to their sovereign, and the amily were subject to much obloquy and unhappiness by their aithful adherence to the royal cause. General John Winslow eft two sons, Pelham* and Isaac. Pelham, from principle was the Royal interest, and being obnoxious to popular resent- hent, found it expedient to resort to the British for protection, nd he died on Long Island in the year 1776. Isaac was loyal Iso, but in the medical profession, and resided on the paternal state at Marshfield, where he died in 1819, aged 81 years.


Edward the youngest brother of General John Winslow, was n accomplished scholar and a gentleman of fine taste. He esided in Plymouth, and together with his son, filled the offices f clerk of the court, Register of Probate and collector of the Port. Being a professed royalist, he removed to Halifax with is family, soon after the commencement of hostilities, where e died, June 8th, 1784, aged 72 years. The ceremonies at is funeral were in a style to confer the highest honor and re- pect on the venerable deceased. In consequence of his re- noval, his estate in his native town was confiscated, but every branch of his family was by the British Government amply


* Pelham married the daughter of Capt. Gideon White, of this own, whom he left with two daughters ; the elder married the late Henry Warren, Esq. and the younger married Nathan Hayward, Esq. Isaac Winslow, the physician, married the daughter of the lder Dr. Stockbridge, of Scituate. His children were John, an em- nent lawyer, who died at Natches, 1820, where he had removed on account of his health. The daughters are three, the wife of Kilborn Whitman, Esq., the widow of Thomas Dingley, Esq., and the wife of Ebenezer Clapp, Esq. John left two sons and three daughters, Pelham, the eldest son, died in 1832. Isaac, who now resides in Boston, is the only male survivor in New England, descended from Gov. Winslow.


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provided for during the remainder of their lives. His son, Ed ward Winslow, Jr. was also an intelligent and accomplished gentleman; he graduated at Harvard College in 1765. H. was one of the founders and most active members of the Ol Colony Club, and his address on the 22d of December, 1770 was the first ever delivered on that . occasion. This gentleman being friendly to the royal cause joined the British at Boston before the war commenced, and was afterwards appointed colonel in their service. He subsequently received the ap pointment of Chief Justice in New Brunswick, and his poster ity are still in the enjoyment of high official distinctions in tha Province. A writer in the Boston Gazette, November, 1826, having just visited the seat of the Winslow family, speaking c the family portraits, says, 'all of which we hope may at n distant day be copied to adorn the Pilgrim Hall at Plymouth that of Josiah Winslow is evidently by the hand of a master and his beautiful bride makes one of the group. She appear about twenty, and her costume is more modern than is given t other females of that period. Her head-dress is of great sim plicity, the hair parted on the top, and falling in ringlets o each side of her temples and neck; the countenance bespeak intelligence and gentleness.'


There are yet in existence some relics belonging to th Winslow family. A sitting chair which was screwed to th floor of the Mayflower's cabin, for the convenience of a lady it is known to have been in the possession of Penelope Wins low, who married James Warren. This chair is now in pos session of Miss Hannah White, a direct descendant from Pel egrine White. A watch-purse, composed of small beads which was made by Penelope Pelham, while on her voyage t America. She married governor Winslow. A curious ring which contains the hair of governor Josiah Winslow; and pearl spoon. These last articles are in possession of Mrs. Hay ward, who was a Winslow.


1681 .- It was ordered by the town that no foreign Indian be permitted to hunt within the precincts of our township, an that if they do not desist, complaint be made against them t the court.


August 22d. In reference unto John Harman, the tow ordered, that if any person should come and set him down i the street in the town, a warrant shall be in readiness to arres the man that shall bring him and leave him in the street, or an part or place within our township, to answer for a breach o law in the cause.


* Alden Bradford, Esq.


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May 21st. The town empowered the deputies to make de- ence in plea concerning John Harman, and do hereby engage o stand to what they shall conclude in that respect; and the own likewise engage to pay the charge that may arise in that behalf. And the town also voted, that no housekeeper in the own shall entertain any stranger in his house above a fortnight, without giving information to the selectmen, upon the forfeiture of 10s. a week for all such time as any such stranger shall be o entertained, and the selectmen are required to see that no charge fall on the town by any such neglect.


Thomas Hinckley of Barnstable, succeeded Josiah Winslow n the office of governor; and was re-elected to that office for everal years. Military companies were required to fill vacan- ies with able officers, and the soldiers were to be provided with words and cutlasses. The selectmen were required to be un- ler oath, and the secretary was to furnish them a book contain- ng all the orders of court. It was also ordered, that in every own of the jurisdiction, three men should be chosen and joined vith the commissioned officers to be the town council. Elder "aunce was one of three members of this board, whose duty eems to have been, to adjust and make taxes accruing in military affairs, and to provide for the general defence.


1682 .- Agawam land was sold, to build a meeting-house; a ree passage for the alewives up the brook from Buzzard's Bay eserved to the town, and the jurisdiction of the territory. This heeting-house was the second built on the same lot in the town quare. The town's part of the money, which Mount Hope and sold for, went in part for this appropriation.


A person was appointed by the town to grant tickets, accord- ng to law in such cases provided, to such persons as are ne- essitated to travel on the Lord's day. The people were re- uired to refrain from labor and recreation on fast and thanks- iving days, and from travelling on the sabbath and on lecture ays. Inn-keepers were required to clear their houses of all ersons able to go to meeting, except strangers.


Severe laws were passed in 1677 and in 1682, regulating the ves and conduct of the Indians, requiring them to live order- y, soberly and diligently. In each town where Indians live, ne able, discreet man was to be appointed by the court of as- istants to take oversight and government of the Indians in aid town, and to take notice of all breaches of the laws. In ach town where Indians reside, every tenth Indian shall be hosen by the court of assistants annually, as an overseer, who hall take particular inspection and oversight of his nine men, nd present their faults to the proper authority.


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It was also ordered, that the overseers and tithing-men should appoint Indian constables annually, who shall attend their courts, and the constables shall obey all the warrants of the overseers on such penalty as the court of assistants shall inflict. The Indians were subject to all capital and criminal laws made for the English in the colony. For drunkenness, for the first fault to pay a fine of five shillings, or be whipped; for the second, ten shillings, or be whipped.


Charles Stockbridge was employed by the town to build a grist-mill this year, now called the upper mill, being then the second on the same stream.


1683 .- The court ordered that the selectmen in each towr take care that the poor in their respective townships be pro- vided for at the charge of the town.


A bridge over Eel river, and one over Jones's river, ordered to be built.


1684 .- The king's highways were laid out through the town. ship.


1685 .- The town chose Major Bradford and Joseph Warrer to be their agents to appear at the court and answer the town' presentment relating to Jones's river bridge, and act on the town's behalf with the agents from the four other towns, who ar engaged with this town to repair the said bridge.


This is the date of the colony of Plymouth being divided int three counties, Plymouth, Barnstable, and Bristol, and in th same year 'their body of laws was revised and published. Iti a small but venerable volume, and contains many marks of th wisdom and piety of the framers.' There were at that time i the colony, 1439 praying Indians, besides boys and girls unde twelve years of age, who were supposed to be more than thre times that number.


The puritans did not take the name of Christians for th purpose of conquest or gain; it was among their first concern to conciliate the Indians, and thus prepare the way for their cor. version to the christian faith, and great efforts were made fc their religious instruction. Judge Davis, in his Appendix t the Memorial, observes, that the employment of the more inte ligent and energetic Indians as rulers, was particularly gratefi to them. He had often heard of amusing anecdotes of the Ir dian rulers. The following warrant is recollected, which wa issued by one of those magistrates, directed to an Indian cor. stable, and will not suffer in comparison with our more verbos forms.


' I, Hihoudi, you Peter Waterman, Jeremy Wicket, quic you take him, fast you hold him, straight you bring him befor me, Hihoudi.'


·


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On the 28th of June, died Mr. Nathaniel Morton, secretary of the colony court, and author of New England's Memorial.


Nathaniel Morton was the son of Mr. George Morton, who came to Plymouth, with his family, in July, 1623. He had been an inhabitant of the same village with governor Bradford, in the north of England, and married the governor's sister. He died in June, 1624, leaving a widow and four children, Nathan- iel, John, Patience, and Ephraim. John, the second son, was an early settler in Middleborough. Ephraim was born on the passage from England; he became a man of considerable dis- tinction in the colony. He was for many successive years, a member of the council of war, and with John Bradford, repre- sented the town of Plymouth in the General Court holden in Boston, after the union with Massachusetts. From this branch is descended Marcus Morton, Esq., now one of the justices of our supreme judicial court, and also Perez Morton, Esq., late at- torneyGeneral of Massachusetts. Patience Morton married John Faunce, and was the mother of Elder Thomas Faunce. Na- thaniel was twelve years old when his father died. He was ad- mitted a freeman in 1625, and the same year was married to Lydia Cooper. In 1645 he was chosen clerk, or secretary of the colony court, and in 1679 he was sworn into office of town clerk. In 1673, his wife died. His second wife, who survived him, was Ann Templar, of Charlestown, a widow. He had eight children, all by his first wife, two sons who died in child- hood, and six daughters. All the daughters were married in his lifetime. Two of them, Mercy and Elizabeth, died before their father. The death of Elizabeth, the wife of Nathaniel Bosworth, of Hull, and her honorable burial at Plymouth, are mentioned in the old colony records. The four surviving daugh- ters, Remembrance, Lydia, Hannah and Joanna, were married to Abraham Jackson, George Ellison, Isaac Cole, and Joseph Prince. I have seen in the hands of Nathaniel M. Davis, Esq., an original deed executed by the four daughters and their hus- bands, dated April 6, 1692. The granters describe themselves as the sons-in-law and daughters of the late Nathaniel Morton, and convey ' that tract of land our father lived on, as also the dwelling-house that our father lived in.' This is the estate now belonging to the heirs of the late Deacon Thomas Atwood, near Hobbs' hole brook. It was at his residence, by the side of Willingsly brook, that secretary Morton wrote the New England Memorial, and the church records, and performed many useful labors for posterity. Here, in the goodness of his heart, the venerable man contemplated the providence of God towards his




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