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 32
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In 1669, it was ordered that the selectmen procure a school. master for the town, and settle him as near the centre as may be convenient, and that every scholar who comes to write or cypher or to learn Latin, shall pay three pence per week; if to read only, then to pay three half pence per week, and what re- mains due to the school to be levied by rate on the inhabitants. 1703, at town meeting it was voted, that there shall be a gram- mar school master provided for the use of the town, and that there shall be a rate on the inhabitants to defray the charges thereof. In September, 1705, the town voted to pay £30 per year for a school master for the term of seven years, provided that said schoolmaster be settled within 40 rods of the old meet- ing house, and that the town pay £20 per year during the said
304
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
seven years, and all children sent to said school, excepting the children of those who have subscribed for the support of the teacher, that live within one mile of said school, pay four pence a week for instruction in Latin, writing, or cyphering, and two pence a week for reading, and all those that are without the bounds of one mile and within the bounds of two miles to pay two pence per week for Latin, writing, or cyphering, and one penny for reading, excepting the children of such as through poverty are unable to pay, who are to go free, and all fines that are by the law devoted towards the support of a school and the money to be paid per week as above said to be improved to- ward paying the town's part of the said £20, and the subscribers to have no benefit thereby.
In 1712, September 8, the town voted that for the four years next ensuing, the use or interest of all the money voted by the town for the use of a school forever in said town, for the lands within the mile and half already sold or yet to be sold, shall be, by the town treasurer, yearly paid to Captain James Warren, Mr. Nathaniel Thomas, and Mr. John Murdock, provided they shall keep or cause to be kept, in the middle of said town, in the school house, a good grammar school, according to law for the said four years, voted also to pay or cause to be paid yearly, during the said four years, ten pounds per annum unto said Warren, Thomas, and Murdock, to be raised by rate on said inhabitants, and all fines which by law shall belong to said school within four years, shall be paid to said Warren, Thomas and Murdock; and it was also voted that during the said four years the school grant to be paid to the persons above named according to the vote, September 17th, 1705, and the said three persons, empowered by the town to collect and gather the same and to have the benefit of it.
1714 .- It was voted to allow £20 to the north end and £20 to the south end of the town to build school houses.
1716 .- It was voted at town meeting on the 22d of October, that there shall be three free schools set up in the town, one at each end to teach reading and writing, and one in the middle of the town to be a grammar school, and that there be a com- mittee chosen to provide suitable persons to keep the said schools, and the interest of the money, of what lands are sold within the mile and half, to go towards the support of the schools and the town will make up the deficiency, and the school to be continued five years. The committee was composed of Major Bradford, Isaac Lothrop, Captain Benjamin Warren, and Mr. Abiel Shurtleff. 1724 .- At town meeting February 15, there was a long and warm debate whether one school or three
305
APPENDIX.
should be maintained in town, such was the confusion and tu- mult that the vote could not be determined by holding up hands, and it was agreed that the voters should retire from the house and then pass singly by the clerk and declare their vote; there was a majority for one school, but it was found advisable to ad- journ the meeting. At the adjournment it was voted that the grammar school in which is also taught writing, reading and arithmetic, be kept in the centre of the town near the meeting house, and that the ends of the town be allowed womens' schools or any other, so far as their proportion of taxes will go. This dissention respecting the location of schools facilitated the separation of Jones's River parish from Plymouth, and its in- corporation into a town called Kingston.
1746 .- The town voted that two more schools should be es- tablished in town, one on the training green, and one at Eel river, for the benefit of the inhabitants there, and at Monument Ponds, and committees were chosen to make the necessary ar- rangements, and to supply the schools with able teachers, and to erect a new school house on the training green.
The great importance of free schools has been fully appreci- ated by the present generation, who have been as well disposed as their progenitors, and better able to promote them, and the school has been kept under a regular succession of grammar masters to the present day.
In 1803, 1220 dollars were voted for all the schools in town and in 1830 and for several preceding years $2625 have been appropriated to their support, and in 1832, $3525. There are fifteen districts among which the sum of two thousand dollars is annually distributed, according to the number of children in each between the ages of six and sixteen; which number in the whole, by a census taken in 1829, amounted to 1028. The salary for our grammar school master is $600 per ann.
In 1795, a school for girls was instituted by the town, to be kept in the summer months, at intervals of the town schools. The central school district was separated in 1826, at which time the town, or high school, as it has been since denominated, was placed on an improved footing, and a quarterly examina- tion had for admission to it from all the districts.
The first school house was built by subscription in 1705, and stood a little south of the meeting house of the first parish; in the next year however, it was purchased by the town. The present school house on the northerly side of the meeting house was built in 1765.
Our Sunday school first commenced in the third parish in the year 1818. In the first parish the school was established in 26*
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
1827. The number of children who have been members of the school belonging to the first parish has been from one hundred and sixty to two hundred. Great praise is due to our sabbath school teachers for their zeal and faithfulness in imparting christian knowledge to our youth. The whole number of at- tendants during 1831, was about four hundred, males and fe- males. It is indeed to be desired that all our youth may enjoy the benefit of this inestimable institution that their earliest im- pression may be the nature of the gospel, and the moral and religious duties which it enjoins.
The following is a list of those born in Plymouth, who were graduates at our Colleges. Those marked thus * are deceased, those in italics have been ordained to the work of the ministry.
1642 * Nathaniel Brewster,
1650 *Isaac Allerton,
1661
*Nathaniel Chauncy,
*Elnathan Chauncy,
Twin sons of Rev. Dr. Chauncy.
1663
*John Rayner,
1685
* Roland Cotton,
1698
* Josiah Cotton,
* Theophilus Cotton,
* William Shurtleff,
*Isaac Lothrop,
*John Cotton,
*John Watson,
*James Warren,
*Thomas Foster,
*William Watson,
*Pelham Winslow,
*Bartlett Le Baron,
*Nathaniel Lothrop,
*Abiel Leonard, S. T. D. Nassau Hall.
*Edward Winslow,
*John Watson,
*Thomas Leonard,
Perez Morton,
*Jacob Bacon,
*Joshua Thomas,
1776 *James Warren,
John Davis, LL. D. Dartmouth.
1781 1782 *Chandler Robbins,
1782
*Joseph Bartlett,
1782 *Charles Warren,
1783
Barnabas Hedge;
1701 1707 1726 1730 1735 1745 1745 1751 1753 1756 1756 1759 1765 1766 1768 1771 1771 1772
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APPENDIX.
1783 1789 1790 1793 1796 1798 1798 1799 1802 1804
William Jackson, Zaccheus Bartlett,. *Joseph Warren, Ward Cotton,
*Wendell Davis,. Andrew Croswell, * Samuel Prince Robbins, Abner Bartlett, * Caleb Holmes, Nathaniel Morton Davis,
John Boies Thomas,
* Ezra Shaw Goodwin,
William Thomas,
Charles Cotton,
*John Torrey, *John Watson Davis,
Rufus Bacon,.
1810 1813 Winslow Warren, 1814 *Isaac Eames Cobb, 1815 Pelhamn Winslow Warren,
Charles Henry Warren,
1817 1818 1820
Sidney Bartlett,
Isaac Lothrop Hedge,
Nathaniel Russell,
James Augustus Kendall,
Hersey Bradford Goodwin,.
1820 1823 1826 1827 George Bartlett, 1827 Andrew Leach Russell,
1831
*Francis James Russell,
1832 Le Baron Russell,
1833 Winslow Marston Watson ..
The following persons born at Plymouth graduated at Yale College.
1768 Lemuel Le Baron,
1826 William Harlow.
At Amherst College ..
1830 Samuel S. Clark,
1832 Isaac Wetherell.
Physicians in Plymouth from 1620.
Those with this mark * died in Plymouth. *Samuel Fuller, from 1620 to 1633. Mathew Fuller, from 1640 to 1652, died at Barnstable.
1806 1807 1807 1808 1808 1810 1810 John Cotton,
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
*Francis Le Baron, from 1693 to 1704.
*Thomas Little, from 1700 to 1712.
*Lazarus Le Baron, from 1720 to 1773.
*Joseph Le Baron, to 1761.
*Lazarus Le Baron, Jr. to 1784.
*William Thomas, 1802.
*Nathaniel Lothrop, M. D. 1828.
*Stephen Marcy.
*Isaac Barrows.
*Caleb Boutell, M. D., M. M. S. Soc. 1819.
Andrew Mackie, M. D., M. M. S. Soc. removed.
Living in Plymouth at present.
James Thacher, M. D., M. M. S. Soc. relinquished practice.
Rossetter Cotton, relinquished practice.
Nathan Hayward, M. D., M. M. S. Soc.
Zaccheus Bartlett.
Winslow Warren, M. D., M. M. S. Soc.
Charles Cotton, M. D.
Robert Capen.
Hervey N. Preston, M. D., M. M. S. Soc.
Lawyers in Plymouth.
*Nathaniel Clark,
*James Hovey,
James Otis, a short time,
John B. Thomas,
Pelham Winslow,
William Thomas,
*Joshua Thomas,
John Thomas,
John Davis,
Jacob H. Loud,
*John D. Dunbar,
Gustavus Gilbert.
Topogrophy and Statistics. Census of the town at different periods. 1764 .- Dwelling houses, 256. Families 373. Persons including 77 negroes, and 48 Indians, 2246. In 1776, Whites only, 2655.
In 1783, including 35 negroes, 2380, number reduced by the war.
According to the U. S. census the number of the inhabitants of Plymouth-was
In
1791
-
-
2995.
1800
-
-
-
3524.
1810
-
-
-
-
4228.
1820
-
-
-
4384.
1830
-
-
I
-
4751.
*Zabdiel Samson,
Nathaniel M. Davis,
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APPENDIX.
Increase last ten years, 367, 84 per cent.
In 1834, probable number, 5000.
Number of dwelling houses in 1815, 409.
Number in 1834, 570.
Number of shops for retail of English and West India Goods, 40.
Number of rateable polls in 1831, 1091.
The annual sum appropriated for town expenses is from $8000 to $10,000 besides labor on the roads.
The central part of the town is compactly built, and house lots have doubled in price within a few years, and, for the space of half a mile north and south from the town square, very few building lots are unoccupied. Not a dwelling house of an- cient date or antique form now remains in town. Those re- cently erected are in the style of modern architecture, and in this respect our improvements have been increasing of late years more rapidly than ever before. The largest proportion of our buildings are painted of a light color, and being furnish- ed with Venitian blinds, exhibit an air of neatness and ele- gance. Numerous strangers attracted by the antiquity of the place and relics of the Pilgrims, take pleasure in visiting us in the summer season, and never depart without the pleasing im- pression that our village will compare with any in New England, and that the rock which received the first tread, and the hill which enshrines the ashes of our pilgrim fathers should always receive the sacred homage of their posterity ; and what is to our honor strangers uniformly express themselves gratified with the marked attention and hospitality which they receive from our inhabitants. The congregational meeting house erected by the first parish in 1831, is on the plan of European architecture, and is the most magnificent edifice in the old colony of Ply- mouth. The County Court House in our Court square was erected in 1820. It is allowed to be an elegant edifice of brick, and in point of symmetry and just proportion, is in perfect keep- ing with the best models of modern architecture. On the low- er floor is an apartment for each of the offices of clerk of the courts, the register of deeds and of probate, and also a jury room. Above, there is an elegant court-chamber, a jury-room, a law library apartment, and two jury-rooms behind the gallery.
The jail was also erected in 1820. It is of unwrought stone, except the front which is wrought, and is in all respects adapted to the purpose for which it was designed. The house for the jail-keeper is of wood, and is a handsome and commodious building. The old court house standing in the town square was purchased by the town and converted into a town house,
310
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
and we have two handsome school houses in the central district. Our other public buildings are eight houses for Divine worship, (including the one above mentioned) where 30 years ago two were found sufficient. The busy workings of sectarianism have created a singular passion for multiplying meeting houses, as though religion requires one for every chapter in the bible, and our religious societies are so minutely divided that our ministers receive but a slender support .*
Monumental Edifice or Pilgrim Hall .- For a particular de- scription of this edifice the reader is referred to page 244. For the want of funds the front has not hitherto been adorned with the Doric portico, according to the original design. It is highly gratifying that the sum required, in addition to the late Dr. Lothrop's donation, for that very desirable purpose, has recently been obtained by subscription, and a handsome portico, was in 1834, erected, 8 feet wide in front, and supported by six pillars of wood 16 feet high. The whole building has been re- paired and the hall finished in handsome style.
The following streets and squares received their designations in 1823.
Leyden Street, is that which was laid out in 1620, being the first street ever opened in Plymouth. It extends from the town square to Water street.
Market Street, commences at the town house on the westerly side, and Bramhall's corner, so termed, on the east side, and extends south only to the stone arch bridge.
Summer Street, extends south westerly from Market street, to the fork of roads beyond the rolling mill.
Spring Street, is in the avenue extending northerly from Sum- mer street to the Burial Hill. It was called Spring Lane by the first planters, as it led from their Fort Hill to a well known spring near the upper corn mill.
High Street extends southwesterly from Market street, over rising ground, crossing Spring street, to Tribble's corner on the east side, and Bartlett's corner on the west side.
Pleasant Street extends from the stone arch bridge, over the hill known by the name of Watson's Hill, to the training Green."
Ring's Lane is the avenue anciently known by that name
*' There is no making christians of sectarians. You may make a thousand sectarians sooner than one christian. You may make proselytes. and convert to and from every sect in existence, you will not bring your converts one step nearer to the religion whose doc- trine is love, for exclusion is in their mouths and supremacy in their hearts, and these are the essence of sectarianism, call it by what denomination you will.'
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APPENDIX.
leading from Summer street, and crossing Little Brook to the termination of High street.
Mill Lane is the avenue from the lower corn mill to Summer street.
Sandwich Street is the ancient street on the south side of the town brook, extending southwesterly from the stone arch bridge by Training Green to Wellingsly brook. This is the post road to Cape Cod.
North Street begins at Warren's corner on the south side, and Dr. Cotton's corner on the north side, and ends at Water street.
Water Street commences at the termination of North street, and extends southerly by the head of the wharves, across the lower bridge, and ends at its junction with Sandwich street.
Middle Street, formerly known by the title of King's street, leads from Main street to Cole's Hill.
Main Street begins at Hedge's corner on the east side, and at Wethrell's corner on the west side, and extends north-north- west by the head of North street to Cotton's corner.
Court Street begins at Cotton's corner and extends north westerly to Wood's lane. The elm trees on the west side of this street were planted in 1830.
School Street is the avenue which extends northerly from the first meeting-house, by the head of the gardens, to the new Court-house.
North Alley extends northerly from Middle street to North street.
South Alley is the opposite alley leading from Middle street to Leyden street.
A new street was laid out in 1834, beginning at the house of Mrs. Nicolson, and running by the north side of the Court- house, south-westerly, till it enters Summer street. On the north side of this street, on elevated ground, is a dwelling house erected the same year by Mr. Charles Sever, lately deceased, being the first house erected on that street.
Training Green is a handsome square on the south side of the town brook, laid out many years since by the town in perpetuity for the convenience of training companies.
Town Square is a handsome public square at the head of Leyden street, directly in front of the meeting-house of the first parish, having the old court-house, (now town-house,) on the south, and the dwelling house and garden of Mr. Brigham Rus- sell, formerly owned and occupied by Capt. Thomas Davis, de- ceased, on the north side. This square has a gradual descent into Leyden street, and unites with Water street, near the spot where the pilgrims spent the first winter. The square is orna-
312
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
mented by six majestic elm trees, the planting of which the author witnessed in 1784, being brought from Portsmouth, by Capt. Thomas Davis. The largest in 1834, measured in cir- cumference nine feet, averaging about two inches annual growth since first planted.
Court Square, formerly called Training Green, is in front of the new court-house, and Mrs. Nicolson's boarding house. The elm trees in that square were planted in May, 1832.
Agriculture .- In the general view the land in this town is hilly, barren, and sandy; but a border of considerable extent on the sea-board having been well cultivated, consists of a rich, loamy soil, capable of yielding any agricultural production. The art of agriculture, however, has never been an object of study and consideration by the inhabitants of the town,-the pur- suits of commerce and navigation being more congenial to their habits and taste than the labors of husbandry, especially on a soil not sufficiently fertile to encourage their efforts. There are, nevertheless, locations near the shore, where we have seen fields of Indian corn, potatoes, rye, wheat, clover, and other cultivated grass, which would bear a comparison with the best farms in any part of the Old Colony. Instances have occurred of the produce of four tons of English hay per acre, and some of our fields have yielded summer wheat of excellent quality, at the rate of more than thirty bushels per acre; and a premi- um was awarded to one of our industrious farmers for the pro- duction of forty-three bushels of rye on one acre and seven rods. But these instances are stated as the maximum, and not the average. Our meadows generally will average from one and a half to two tons, and our corn land about twenty to thirty bushels per acre. The principal part of the corn and rye, and all the flour consumed in town, are imported from the Southern States, or from Boston. A considerable number of sheep are grazed in the woods and on the commons in summer, without expense to the owners. Orchards have not generally flourish-
ed to much advantage in this town. Although the trees are re- markable for rapid growth and healthy aspect, it is seldom that they yield a corresponding abundance of fruit. The peach tree has so uniformly disappointed our expectations, that it would appear that our climate is uncongenial to its nature. Our gardens in general are sufficiently productive for all the purposes of culinary and domestic consumption, and some there are which exhibit the skill of the botanist and horticulturist. The vine has been recently introduced into our gardens, and there is no reason to doubt but that those who are disposed to bestow the requisite care and attention on its culture, will be
313
APPENDIX.
able to furnish their tables with the luxurious fruit in sufficient plenty, though it is not to be expected or desired that the wine press will ever be in requisition among us.
The ancient Warren farm, situated at Eel river, three miles south of our village, has been, from the first settlement, in the possession of the Warren family, having descended from Rich- ard Warren, who came over in the Mayflower in 1620. This very valuable tract, consisting of about four hundred acres, has, for a long time, suffered deterioration from wrong management and neglect. It is now in possession of John Thomas, Esq., who hascommenced its renovation. This gentleman, having acquired a knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of the modern mnode of culture, has, with commendable enterprise and industry, ap- plied himself for two years past to improvement, in conformity with it. He has procured a stock of short-horned cattle, and is extending their breed. The sea shore furnishes rock-weed and kelp in abundance for compost manure, and he has greatly enriched the meadow land, and prepared fifty acres for mowing next season. The contiguity of this farm to the sea shore greatly enhances its value.
There is another . valuable farm, near the northern limits of the town, which, in 1665, was the seat of Governor Prince. This farm is bounded on its whole length by the sea bank, and consists of a variety of soils. It is now in the possession of Isaac L. Hedge, Esq., who, duly appreciating the value of a long neglected farm, is now engaged in meliorating its condition, in all respects according to modern improvements. He has, at great expense, erected a large convenient farm-house and out building, and stocked the place with English short-horn cattle. His barn and yard for swine are on a plan admirably adapted for the making compost manure, and the adjacent shore fur- nishes abundant materials for the purpose. There is in the centre of the farm an immense mass of clay for the manufac- ture of brick, which is conducted on a large scale. There is a beautiful brook passing through the farm and emptying into the sea. A considerable number of acres had never received the plough till the last summer, and the soil is excellent. Mr. Hedge has paid great attention to fruit trees and gardening, and he, with Mr. Thomas, is presenting excellent examples for imitation.
Below Plymouth town, bordering on Sandwich and Wareham, is a district of country, nearly twenty miles square, that is chief- ly covered with wood, for the growth of which it is more val- uable than for any other purpose. This place has always been well stocked with deer, but they are thinned off annually by the
2.7
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HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
hunters. In January, 1831, a heavy snow, laying about three · feet deep, so impeded their motions as to prove fatal to a large proportion of the stock. A number of people provided them- selves with snow-shoes, and pursued these beautiful animals, killing and capturing not less than two hundred. About forty were taken alive.
The pine commons of Wareham, Sandwich, and Plymouth, have ever been the favorite haunt of the fallow deer, where this timid animal finds some sequestered dells, some secret recesses; a covert from his enemy, man, where
' He bursts the thicket, glances through glade, And plunges deep into the wildest woods.'
About the year 1730, John Rider, of Plymouth, killed three deer at a shot. It was in the summer season, in a rye field; tradition designates the place on the South Pond 'road. It was out of season by law to kill deer. The superior court, then in session, excused the man on the spot, it being in protection of his standing grain. This anecdote was related in England, by General John Winslow, in very high circles. It excited the smile of incredulity in that country, yet no event is more true.
Tradition gives another instance equally extraordinary. A sachem named Samson, a mighty hunter in days of yore, seeing a number of deer drinking at a brook, killed so many at a shot, (too many it is said to be stated,) as acquired for him immortal fame among the huntsmen of the forest.
The valuation in 1831 gives to Plymouth, woodland 11,662; unimproved, 19,463; unimprovable, 734 acres.
Commerce and Navigation of Plymouth, past and present.
In 1670, a valuation states the fish boats thus:
Four at £25
- £100
Two at 18 - - 1
36
One at 12 - - 12
£148
Three of these were owned by Edward Gray, a respectable merchant.
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