USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Lives of the governors of New Plymouth, and Massachusetts bay; from the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth in 1620, to the union of the two colonies in 1692 > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
365
JOHN ENDECOTT.
of the descendants of Samuel, many of whom have led peaceful and quiet lives, cultivating the soil for a liveli- hood, without entering public life, any further than oc- casionally representing the town in which they resided, either in the legislature or in municipal trusts; while some of the fifth and many of the sixth generation turned their attention to commerce, and were successful mer- chants, fulfilling all their obligations with fidelity. There are one or two families living in Worcester county, Mas- sachusetts, but Salem and vicinity has been, and still is, their " home." Some have been sea captains, generally in the China trade, and having " had enough of the sea," are now filling responsible and honorable stations in society.
Zerubabel, third son of Zerubabel, was born Feb. 14, 1664, married Grace ---- , by whom he had one son, named Zerubabel, and five daughters, Grace, Mehita- ble, Elizabeth, Phebe and Hannah. In 1715, he was living on his inheritance in Topsfield, as a farmer, where he died. The son Zerubabel dying without heirs, sub- sequently to the father, the five sisters finally possessed the family estate.
Benjamin, fourth son of Zerubabel, was born in 1667, and in 1715 was living on the Topsfield farm as a farmer, where he died in 1735, without heirs.
Joseph, fifth son of Zerubabel, was born at Salem (the birth place of all his father's children ) in 1669, mar- ried Hannah -, and left at his death, according to his will, recorded in the office of the Secretary of State, at Trenton, New Jersey, two sons, John and Joseph, and two daughters, Ann Gillam, and Elizabeth Delavane. A grandson, Joseph Bishop, is also mentioned. In a
366
JOHN ENDECOTT.
deed executed by him, and recorded in what is now Boxford, Massachusetts, he styles himself " Joseph Eu- decott, of North Hampton, county of Burlington, in W. : Jersey, in the government of New York, yeoman." 11. died in May, 1747, at North Hampton.
Benjamin, son of John, and grandson of Joseph En- decott, of North Hampton, was a soldier of the Revolu- tion. John, his son, was lately living, at an advanced age, in Port Republic, New Jersey, where others of the family reside.
About the year 1700, there were living in Boston three brothers, John, William and Gilbert Endecott, the elder of which appears to have been a man of some note, if owning lands and houses, and holding the office of church warden in King's Chapel would make him so. Where these brothers were born, or whence they came to Boston, is uncertain. John, the eldest, was father of about ten children, none of which survived him; Wil- liam, of about as many more, of which no account can be given, and Gilbert, of two only, whose descendants are numerous in Norfolk county, Massachusetts, where he died, Oct. 18, 1716. The families of that name in Boston, are supposed to be derived from Governor En- decott, and those residing in New York are descended from Gilbert, of Boston.
The Governor spelt his name Endecott, and this mode of spelling was retained as late as 1724, as the records show. Since that time, it has been variously written, Endicott, Indecott, and Endicot, and few names have suf- fered more from distortion in spelling than this.
.
V. V . ). -
.
...
D. Kimberly, Sc.
3 V3rElf for 27
JOHN LEVERETT,
. Ca" of Mass Som 1673 to 1679.
Fitich
367
VII. JOHN LEVERETT.
JOHN LEVERETT was a native of England, and came over with his father, Elder Thomas Leverett, in compa- hy with the Rev. John Cotton and others, in 1633. Thomas Leverett lived at Boston, in Lincolnshire, Eng- land, where all his children, sixteen in number, were born and baptized, the youngest of which was baptized 12th April, 1632. Mr. Leverett, being disposed to aid the emigration of settlers to Massachusetts, advanced fifty pounds sterling, for the purpose of transporting poor families, building churches and fortifications, maintaining ministers, and other public charges of the plantation .* He came over in 1633, in company with the Rev. Mr. Cotton and others, became a member of the Boston church in October of that year, at which time his wife Anne also joined, and on the 5th November following, was admitted to the freeman's oath. Dr. Cotton Mather ascribes to the vigilance and discretion of Mr. Leverett, while in England, the defeat of many designs to molest his friend Mr. Cotton for non-conformity; and says, that quickly after Mr. Cotton's ordination in Boston, the church called and settled Mr. Leverett as their ruling elder, which office he sustained till his death."
* The general court of Massachusetts, 19 Oct. 1652, acknowledged the obli- gations of the colony to Elder Leverett, by the following vote : " Whereas the father of Captain John Leverett, deceased, was an adventurer with the first into these parts, by adventuring money for the forwarding the plantation, who never had any allowance of land or otherwise for the same : This Court doth hereby grant to Capt. John Leverett, his son, all those small Islands lying within the Bay between Allerton's Point, and Nehenot, not heretofore granted." Mass. Colony Records.
368
JOHN LEVERETT.
John Leverett was born in July, 1616, and, notwith- standing the numerous family of his father, is said to have been his only son and heir at the time of Elder Leverett's decease .* He was admitted to the Boston church, 14th July, 1639, and made a freeman in 1640. Soon after his establishment in Boston, he engaged in extensive business as a merchant, and was concerned in hazardous commercial adventures with Edward Gibbons, by which he impaired his fortune. He also became a distinguished military officer, and in 1663, was chosen major general of the colony, and again in 1666. He was an active member of the Ancient and Honorable Artil- lery Company of Boston for more than thirty-two years; and, besides other offices in the company, was commander in 1652, 1663, and 1670.
Mr. Leverett spent a considerable portion of his life in the service of the colony. In 1642, he was sent with Edward Hutchinson, on an embassy to Miantonomoh, the sachem of the Narragansetts, the object of which was to ascertain the truth of the current rumors,. that the In- dians all over the country had combined to cut off the English settlements. It was a period of great alarm. A constant watch was kept in the several plantations from sunset to sunrise, and places of retreat provided for the women and children in case of attack. The Indians within the colony were disarmed; but after all, there seems to have been no sufficient grounds for the general alarm. Mr. Leverett informed the sachem of the rea- sons of his coming, and that the governor required of him an explanation.
* See Appendix to Waldo's Defence of the Title of John Leverett to the Muscongus Lands, &c., folio, 1736, p. 41.
€
369
JOHN LEVERETT.
His reception by the great chief, is thus described by Winthrop: "Miantonomoh carried them apart into the woods, taking only one of his chief men with him, and · gave them very rational answers to all their propositions. He visited Boston according to his promise. Being cal- led in, and mutual salutations passed, he was set down at the lower end of the table over against the governor, and had only two or three of his counsellors, and two or three of our neighboring Indians, such as he desired, but would not speak of any business at any time, before some of his counsellors were present, that they might bear · witness with him at his return home of all his sayings.
"In all his answers, he was very deliberate, and showed good understanding in the principles of justice and equity and ingenuity withal. He demanded to have his accu- sers produced. The English answered, the accusers were not in their power; that they did not intend to give any credit to their charges, until they had informed him of them, and given him an opportunity to deny them. He then asked, why they disarmed their Indians, if they had not credited these charges? They answered, they had done it for their own security, some of the Indians at Saco having robbed some of the whites; and with this answer he was satisfied. He gave many reasons why they should hold him free of any such conspiracy, al- ledging it to be a fabrication of his enemy, Uncas. He said that, being innocent, he trusted to the justice of the English, and that he would come to them any time they requested, if they would only send him some Indians he liked. The greater part of two days were spent in making arrangements, and all things were accommodated. Only some difficulty we had to bring him to desert the
47
370
JOHN LEVERETT.
Nyanticks, if we had just cause of war with them. They were, he said, his own flesh, being allied by continual intermarriages. But at last he agreed, if he could not bring them to make satisfaction, he would leave them to . the English. When we should go to dinner, there was a table provided for the Indians to dine by themselves, and Miantonomoh was left to sit with them. This he was discontented at, and would eat nothing until the gov- ernor sent meat for him from his own table. When he departed, we gave him and his counsellors, coats and to- bacco, and when he came to take leave of the governor, and such of the magistrates as were present, he returned and gave his hand to the governor, saying that was for the rest of the magistrates who were absent."*
Mr. Leverett spent some time in England, in 1644-5, and while there, was appointed a captain in Rainsborrow's regiment, in the service of parliament, but soon after re- turned to Massachusetts. He was first chosen represen- tative from Boston, in 1651, and during a portion of the year was Speaker of the House. He was re-elected in 1652 and '3, and again in 1663, '4 and '5.
In July, 1652, Mr. Leverett was one of the commis- sioners appointed to visit the settlements in Maine, and declare them to be under the jurisdiction of Massachu- setts. Soon after, a county called Yorkshire was estab- lished in Maine, and sent deputies to the general court at Boston.
In 1653, the public mind having become impressed with the idea that a plot had been concerted by the Dutch Governor Stuyvesant and the Indians, for the destruction of the English colonies, Mr. Leverett was appointed one
* Savage's Winthrop, ii. 81.
371
JOHN LEVERETT.
of the commissioners of Massachusetts, to the Dutch gov- ernment of New York, and was made commander of the forces contemplated to be raised in case of war. In 1654, he had a military command under General Sedgwick, in expelling the French from Penobscot, an enterprise in which they succeeded with very little difficulty .*
In 1655, Mr. Leverett again went to England, and was employed in the public service there for some time until his return in 1662. Immediately after his return he was re-elected to the assembly of the colony, and was chosen speaker in 1663 and in 1664. He went with Lusher and Danforth, in 1665, to Portsmouth and Dover, as one of the commissioners to enquire into the distur- bances there, which had been created by a faction head- ed by one Abraham Corbett, inimical to the government of Massachusetts. Corbett was in the end arrested, tak- en to Boston, and fined and otherwise punished for sedi- tious behavior.t
He was one of the four persons, in 1664, to whom the patent or first charter was delivered by the general court, to be kept safe and secret, together with a dupli- cate, which they were directed to dispose of as might be most safe for the country. Governor Bellingham, Thomas Clark, and Edward Johnson were the others.t
In 1665, Mr. Leverett was chosen an Assistant, and continued in that office until 1670. In 1671 and 1672, he was elected deputy governor.
At the election in 1673, he was chosen governor to succeed Mr. Bellingham, and was annually re-elected without opposition until his death, in 1679.
* All the country from the Penobscot to Port Royal was conquered with very little resistance. Hutchinson's Colony Mass. Bay, 193.
t Farmer's Belknap, 60. # See p. 341, of this volume.
372
JOHN LEVERETT.
As has already been stated, the authority of Massa- chusetts had been extended over the settlements in Maine, and Governor Leverett had visited that territory in 1652. and several times afterwards, to arrange the terms of sub- mission. . The inhabitants in some cases resisted the claim of Massachusetts, regarding it as a usurpation ;* and to put an end to the troublesome controversy, the gov- ernment of Massachusetts, in 1677, purchased of Gorges the province of Maine for the sum of £1,250 sterling.t In February, 1680, the General Court of Massachusetts assumed the charter granted to Gorges, under their right of purchase, and proceeded to frame a civil administra- tion for the province. The delay of nearly three years after the purchase to assume the patent of Gorges, may be accounted for from the disagreeing opinions as to the best mode of governing the newly acquired territory, and from the known hostility of the King to the purchase by Massachusetts. Charles II. had intended, with the pro- vinces of Maine and New Hampshire, to make provision for his son, the Duke of Monmouth, and had been for some time in treaty with the proprietor of Maine, but was outwitted by the agents of Massachusetts. He was so deeply affronted when he heard of the transfer, that he reprimanded the agents for their disloyal interference, and required them to assign their purchase to the crown, upon payment of the sum they had given. This they refused to do, and Massachusetts, with the usual resolute steadfastness which actuated her people whenever the royal prerogative bore hard upon them, determined to make the most of her purchase.
* See Folsom, Hist. Saco and Biddeford, pp. 81-00.
Hutchinson's Hist. Col. Mass. Bay, 312.
.
373
JOHN LEVERETT.
In 1678, Edward Randolph, who had been appointed collector of Boston, came over, bringing a commission, empowering certain persons to administer an oath to the governor that he would faithfully execute the Royal Acts of Trade. The colony were determined to evade these acts, and Governor Leverett refused to take the oath required. The people considered the navigation acts as an invasion of their rights, as they were not repre- sented in parliament; and the controversy ended only with the subversion of their charter.
Governor Leverett is described by Cotton Mather, as "one to whom the affections of the freemen were signal- ised his quick advances through the lesser stages of honor and office, unto the highest in the country; and one whose courage had been as much recommended by martial actions abroad in his younger years, as his wis- dom and justice were now at home in his elder."*
He received the order of knighthood from Charles II. in 1676 ; but he suppressed the title, or knowledge of it, during his life, probably on account of his republican employments, and the genius of the colonial government. He was in England at the time of the restoration, attend- ing to the interests of the colony, which brought the King acquainted with his talents and influence, and led to the bestowal of subsequent honors.
"The Governor under the old charter," says Hutch- inson, "although he carried great port, yet his share in the administration was little more than any one of the Assistants. The weighty affairs of the war, and the agency, during his administration, conducted with pru- dence and steadiness, caused him to be greatly respect-
* Magnalia, b. 2. c. 5.
.
374
JOHN LEVERETT.
ed."* "Great military talents," says Savage, " fitted him for the place of sergeant-major-generalt several years, and in the higher station of governor, in the most peril- ous period Massachusetts ever knew, Philip's war, they were fully exerted." In this great struggle, Massachu- setts furnished her full proportion of men and means; and many of her bravest sons fell, before the Indians were conquered. The command of the forces raised by the United Colonies devolved upon General Winslow, the governor of New Plymouth, and a summary of the events of that sanguinary war will be found in the memoir of Josias Winslow.į
Governor Leverett died on 16th March, 1679. His funeral was made a pageant, not unlike that of royalty in England. §
The disease of which Governor Leverett died was the gravel, as appears by Mather, and also an interleaved
* The general court of Massachusetts, 7th May, 1662, " Ordered, that Ma- jor General John Leverett have granted to him 500 acres of land, referring to his services in the country, both in England and here; which 500 acres shall be laid ont to him together, with 500 more, formerly granted to him in refer- ence to his father's adventure of the sum of £50 put into the public stock, in consideration whereof, Brewster's Islands were formerly granted to the said Major John Leverett, but since adjudged by this court to belong to the town of Hull, whereupon the court granted the 500 acres last inentioned." Mass. Col. Records.
f The first regular organization of militia in the country, was in 1644, when great exertions were made to render the militia efficient, and the emulation of the people was excited to provide for cinergencies that might happen. All males were enrolled at sixteen-none being exempt, except " timorous persons," and there were but few who would permit themselves to be thus classed. The sol- diers were required to do duty eight days in a year under a penalty of 5s a day-and a day's duty was the whole day spent in laborious drill, not a few hours of showy parade. The general court labored to avoid all high titles, and therefore ordered one general officer for the colony, whose title was Ser- geant Major General, to be chosen annually.
# See pp. 179-192, of this volume.
§ See Whitman's Ilist. Anc. and IIon. Art., p. 95.
,
375
JOHN LEVERETT.
Almanack of 1679. His picture, in the military costume of that day, his sword, collar, and gloves, &c., are pre- served in the Essex Historical Rooms, at Salem. He wore long hair, but is the first colonial governor painted without a long beard. He is said to have laid it aside in Cromwell's court.
Governor Leverett was married, in 1639, to Hannah Hudson, daughter of Ralph Hudson, deceased, who by his will had bequeathed to this daughter "£100 upon her marriage, and after his and his wife's decease, his new house in Boston with the yard adjoining, which then stood close to the market, on the south of the old Town House, and also his great lot of forty-six acres at Pullen Point." To match this respectable endowment, Elder Leverett at the same time settled upon his son various tracts of land and other property, and upon the decease of himself and wife, "his dwelling house in Boston, with the houses and gardens adjoining, and a hundred acres of land at Muddy River."
The time of the death of the first wife of Governor Leverett is uncertain. The death of his second wife, Sarah, who survived him twenty-five years, is mentioned as having occurred at Boston, 2d January, 1705, when she was at the age of 74. Mary, daughter of Governor Leverett, married Paul Dudley, son of the first Governor Dudley. He died in 1681, at the age of 31.
Hudson Leverett, only son of Governor Leverett, was born in 1640. Hutchinson says, he did not support the reputation of his father ; but John Leverett, his son, in the presidency of Harvard College, gave a character to that institution which it had never before attained .* He
* Savage's Winthrop, ii. 245.
376
JOIIN LEVERETT.
graduated in 1680, was afterwards a tutor, became a mem- ber of the legislature, speaker of the assembly, counsellor. judge of the superior court, and of the court of probate. He was one of the founders of Brattle street church in Boston. In 170S, he was chosen President of Harvard College, in which station he continued until his death, which was sudden, 3d May, 1724. He was endowed with great powers of mind, and was conspicuous for his learning. His talents were eminently practical. He knew better than most men what course to shape in ditli- cult times, and how political and religious factions were to be managed or controlled. To these characteristics the College owed much of the prosperity it enjoyed at that period; and these conferred the reputation for suc- cess, which has ever since rested upon his administration. In all his official relations, his industry, vigor, and fideli- ty were conspicuous and exemplary. Flynt's Funeral Oration ascribes to him Aristotle's words to Plato-"Ilic jacet homo, quem non licet, non decet, impiis vel ignoran- tibus laudare." His literary merits procured him honors from abroad, particularly a membership in the Royal So- ciety of London .*
* Quincy's Hist. of Harvard University, i. 323. Whitman's Hist. Anc. and Hon. Art. Co. 249.
C
.
377
£
.
VIII. SIMON BRADSTREET.
SIMON BRADSTREET was a native of Horbling, a small village near Folkingham, in Lincolnshire, England, where he was born in March, 1603. His father, born of a wealthy family in Suffolk, was one of the first fel- lows of Emanuel College, and highly esteemed by per- sons distinguished for learning. In the year 1603, he appears to have been minister at Horbling, in Lincoln- shire, but was always a nonconformist to the church of England. He was afterwards preacher to the English congregation at Middleburg, where he was most proba- bly driven by the severity of persecution. He was liv- ing about the year 1630. The first planters of New England had the highest respect for him, and used to style him "The venerable Mordecai of his country."*
The son was entered at the grammar school, where, after spending some time, he was taken into the family of the Earl of Lincoln, in which he remained about eight years, under the direction of Thomas Dudley, holding several offices at different periods in the household of the Earl. His capacity, and the desire which his father expressed to give his son an education, induced Dr. Preston, an intimate friend of the elder Bradstreet, to interest himself in behalf of the son. He was thereupon entered at Emanuel College, Cambridge, in the capacity of governor to the young Lord Rich, son of the Earl of Warwick. This young nobleman, however, did not come to the university ; and a brother of the Earl of
* Brooke's Lives of the Puritans, iii. 519.
48
378
SIMON BRADSTREET.
Lincoln, of rather idle and dissipated habits, being then in college, and claiming too much of the time and atten- tion of Bradstreet, he left the institution after about a year, and returned to the Earl of Lincoln. Mr. Dudley being about to remove to New England, his post of stew- ard in the household of the Earl was conferred on Brad- street. He was afterwards steward to the aged Coun- tess of Warwick, and here became acquainted with Anne, daughter of Thomas Dudley, whom he married, in 1628. This connection induced him to join the company of Winthrop, Dudley, Saltonstall, Endecott, and others, who were then about to embark for New England. In March, 1630, he became associated with the company of colonists ; and, embarking with his family, arrived at Salem in June following. He was at the first court held at Charlestown, 23d August, 1630, and was there elected secretary of the colony, and remained in office until 1644. He is named as the seventh member who joined in forming the first congregational church of Charles- town and Boston.
In the spring of 1631, Mr. Bradstreet removed to Cambridge, and was one of the earliest settlers of that town. He resided, with Dudley, Saltonstall, and others, for a time, at Ipswich, between 1635 and 1644, and af- terwards removed to Andover, where he became one of the first planters of that town, in 1648.
Among those who were banished from Massachu- setts, on account of their antinomian principles, was Cap- tain John Underhill, who settled at Dover, New Hamp- shire, and, on the expulsion of Burdet, was chosen "governor" of that town. He was himself an enthu- siast of bad character, and introduced Hanserd Knollys,
379
SIMON BRADSTREET.
an Antinomian Baptist, to the ministry there. Knollys busied himself in calumniating the Massachusetts settlers, and soon raised up a strong party in opposition. Thomas Larkham, a zealous churchman, from England, headed this new party. One party dealt out bulls and excom- munications ; and the other imposed fines and penalties ; until the little settlement became a theatre of riots, as- saults and general disorder. The government of Mas- sachusetts, which had always had an eye upon the east- ern settlements, now thought it time to interfere ; and Mr. Bradstreet, Hugh Peters, and Samuel Dalton, were appointed commissioners to inquire into the difficulties at Dover, and attempt a reconciliation. These peace makers travelled from Boston to Dover on foot, and hav- ing ascertained that both parties were in fault, succeeded in adjusting the feud, by persuading one party to remit its fines and penalties, and the other to annul its cen- sures and excommunications .*
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.