USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Gloucester > Notes and additions to the history of Gloucester : second series > Part 14
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Abraham Day, John Haskell and Asa Davis were lost at sea this year. Timothy Higgins and James Gardner were among the lost in the great disaster to the fishing fleet this year.
1776 .- Jan. 28. The memorial of the selectmen of the town of Gloucester humbly sheweth that the said town is subsisted chiefly by the seafaring business, and the chief of that business is the fishery. That they had nineteen fishing schooners, some of the prime fishermen and best of their vessels, which sailed for the fishing banks just before a
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EARLY RECORDS.
violent storm in March last, which lasted several days ; of which nine- teen, seven with their crews are undoubtedly lost, never having been heard of to this day. One of these fishing vessels was lost at the Isle of Shoals, in the same storm ; and one of the said nineteen was cast away at Liverpool, on Cape Sable shore, and it is judged that the charges of getting off and repairing her render her as good as lost. That several of those which have returned of the said nineteen were much wrecked in the said storm, so as to need considerable repairs be- fore they could proceed ; that one of their West Indian traders was lost on the Isle of Nevis : That the fishery in said town has this year been very unsuccessful and their trading stock is considerably diminished. They, ye said Selectmen, humbly pray your excellency and your hon- ours to grant them an abatement in the Province tax, or other such re- lief as to your excellency and your honours in your great wisdom shall seem meet, and your petitioners, as in duty bound, shall ever pray .- DANIEL WITHAM SAMUEL GRIFFIN PETER COFFIN JOHN LOW SAMUEL WHITTEMORE Selectmen of Gloucester.
House of Representatives, March 3, 1767.
The facts set forth in the petition appearing to be true, resolved that the prayer of the petition be granted, and that the sum of £50 be abated the town of Gloucester out of their Province tax for 1766, in considera- tion of their losses and sufferings in March, 1766.
Oct. 8. Capt. Philip Merrit arrived, fifty-two days from Lisbon.
1768 .- Aug. 21. Capt. Cornelius Fellows and Mr. Thomas Marett are appointed by the 'Squam Parish a Committee to go to Cambridge to settle for the probation preaching of the Rev. Mr. John Wyeth on the best terms they can ; he having sued for the same.
Nov. 19. A vessel is seen to beat to pieces on the rocks of Cape Ann, supposed to be Capt. John Nickels from Sheepscot. He had a number of women passengers on board.
Dec. 2. A vessel discovered on the rocks called Salvages. Some people went off but could not board her, the sea was so rough. Went off next morning and found three dead bodies of men and one boy on the rocks. She was said in a Boston paper to be Capt. Maxwell, from St. John's, N. S., to Boston, having near twenty passengers on board.
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HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER :
Dec. 21. Mr. Roland Cotton died, aged twenty, after a few weeks' confinement of a fever and languishment consequent upon a fall he met with some time before. He was a son of Rev. Josiah Cotton of San- down.
Thirty persons were warned out of town in 1763, and to show that the population was increasing by immigration at this time, it may be stated that 16 were warned out in 1764, 17 in 1765 and 35 in 1766.
1769 .- May 15. Jacob Parsons, of Gloucester, deputy sheriff, hav- ing arrested one Merrill for debt, said Merrill was rescued from him by the disorderly proceeding of one Sam'l Fellows, captain of one of his Majesty's armed cutters.
Dec. 13. A sloop belonging to Haverhill, Bennet master, bound from Cape Porpoise to Cape Ann, loaded with lumber, in attempting to get into Annisquam harbor, struck upon the bar and stove in part of her bottom. Mr. Redington and another person were drowned; the master was saved. These were the only persons on board.
1770 .- January. Richard Silvester was appointed by the Commis- sioners of Customs, land-waiter, gauger and weigher for the district of Cape Ann, in room of Mr. Phillips.
Schooner Industry, owned by Capt. Wm. Ellery, was lost this year.
1771 .- March 3. In a severe snow storm, a coasting sloop was cast away at Cape Ann, and all the people perished. She belonged to and was bound for Newburyport, from Deer Island, laden with wood, Stick- ney, master. One of the bodies was found on the shore.
March 26. The poor, about twenty-five in number, are let out to different persons.
April 22. In the Council of the Province a bill passed to be enacted for building a light-house on Thatcher's Island, and on the 26th Capt. Nathaniel Allen of Gloucester, Maj. Richard Reed of Marblehead and Capt. Richard Derby of Salem, with such as the Hon. Board may join, were appointed a committee to take the care of building a light-house on Thatcher's Island, and report their proceedings to the General As- sembly. A committee of this body was joined and reported June 22, that the island contained eighty acres, and that the owners asked £500 for it. The committee were authorized to purchase it, to erect a light- house or houses, and a convenient house for the keeper, and report to the legislature. June 29, 1773, in the House, Capt. Derby and Mr. Allen with such as the Honorable Council might join, were appointed a committee to take care of the light-houses on Thatcher's Island and to
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EARLY RECORDS.
give directions respecting the lights and the island on which they stand, until the further order of the Court.
Dec. 17. Died, Ann Haskell, of old age.
1772 .- The sloop Abigail and cargo, belonging to Capt. John Smith, was lost in the West Indies this year.
The following is the card of Richard Silvester, a custom house officer, alluded to in the Hist. p. 386. He was warned out of town in accord- ance with a law of that time. The card and accompanying letter ap- peared in the Boston News Letter of Oct. 15, 1772.
Cape Ann, Oct. 3, 1772.
MR. DRAPER, Sir :- Having lately rec'd a complimentary Message from the Select- men of the town of Gloucester, where I reside, I am desirons in a public Manner to return them Thanks for the Favour, lest they should Think me ungrateful, & as some of them & the promoters of it are often in Boston, I may be too late, & thought remiss in acknowledging their Favour, therefore I desire you to publish the inclosed Card.
I am Sir, Your most humble Sev't RICHARD SILVESTER.
A CARD.
Richard Silvester, Officer of the Customs at Cape Ann, takes this Method (as he may not have the Opportunity to see the Parties together), to return Thanks to the Select- Men of the Town of Glocester, viz. Daniel Witham, Esq., Justice of the Peace, Samuel Whittemore, Peter Coffin, John Low & Samuel Griffin for their kind remembrance of him, & doing him the Honor (on the 29th September 1772) to send a Constable to order him & family to quit the Town, & to demand One Shilling Lawful-Money for each Head. He thinks they have been asleep for some considerable Time, or otherwise the Motion for the Compliment must have been in Debate upwards of Twenty Months, the said Silvester having resided there that Time, without receiving any such like ceremonial Message. He prays leave to acquaint those Worthies, that he cannot nor will not com- ply with their Request, so long as his Duty requires his stay in Cape Ann.
As he believes them all to be his great Friends, takes the Liberty, in return of Friend- ship, to advise them to make no more Blunders & the next Time they have occasion to write about his Children to call them by their proper Names-he don't know those men- tioned in the Notice sent by their Officer. - Boston News-Letter, Oct 15, 1772.
Richard Silvester lived in Back street, in a gambrel-roof house still standing, next to the house once occupied by the Rand family.
1773 .- Jan. 25. The Third church vote "that all public offences which demand a public acknowledgment or satisfaction, said acknowl- edgment or satisfaction shall be read in the presence of the congrega- tion ; also that all persons who are called upon to make any public acknowledgment or satisfaction for any public offence shall have the liberty to stand up in the place where they are seated, and not appear in the front alley, as has been the custom in this place, when their ac- knowledgment or satisfaction is read."
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HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER :
Sept. 23. Adam Huffin and John Avery are paid 19s. 6d. for watch- ing at Fort Point, and John McKean 12s. for watching at the Cut against the small-pox at Marblehead.
Account of a fishing schooner's fares to the Grand Banks this year : "Proceeds of first fare 250} qtls., £133 9s. Od. ; Great General, £32 16s. Jamaica Fish, 10s. 4d. per qtl. ; proceeds of second fare : 112 qtls. Ja- maica Fish at 10s., 188 qtls. mercht.ble at 12s., £169; Great Gen- eral, £39 1s. 4d."
1774 .- Jan. 14. A sloop from St. Martin's, belonging to Cape Ann and bound there, was cast away on the back of Cape Cod, in a snow storm, and two or three of the hands perished.
Nov. 21. A brig from Newfoundland, Capt. Charles Acworth, was cast away at Cape Ann. The captain and two men perished. Vessel and cargo a total loss.
Dec. 28. Schooner Neptune, Jonathan Dennison, master, was cast away at Scituate. Five men were drowned and two saved. Among the former were the master and Stephen Lane, grandfather of the Glouc- ester artist, Fitz H. Lane.
1775 .- The following is the admonitory address of Rev. Samuel Chandler, mentioned in the History, p. 329. It appeared in the Es- sex Gazette of Feb. 14, 1775, and it was also printed in an appendix to a pamphlet published by Rev. John Cleveland, of Chebacco Parish, Ipswich, entitled "An attempt to nip in the bud the unscriptural doctrine of Universal Salvation, and some other dangerous errors connected with it which a certain stranger, who calls himself John Murray, has of late been endeavoring to spread in the First Parish of Gloucester," etc., etc.
"My Brethren and Friends,-I have much sorrow of heart considering the state of affairs among us. I am far advanced in life, and labour under threatening maladies, and know not how soon I may be taken from you, and from this world. As one draw- ing near the eternal world I would give you caution-Take heed what you hear. The seeds of heresy are sowing and sprouting up among us, and souls are in danger of be- ing seduced into error.
"There is one who calls himself John Murray (it is not the Rev. Mr. John Murray of Boothbay) who has declared the following to be his settled opinion. That the whole human race, every one of Adam's posterity, have an interest in Christ, and are God's be- loved ones. That the whole human race, every individual of mankind shall finally be saved. That Judas shall sit upon a throne in the kingdom of heaven. That at death the good go into happiness, and the bad into an intermediate state, a place of misery, to abide there for a certain season, but shall finally be saved, which however dressed up in soft terms and smooth expressions, is the very popish purgatory.
"The substance of these things, and many other errors he hath openly avowed and"
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EARLY RECORDS.
fully declared to be his sentiments, at my house, in the hearing of many witnesses. These are unscriptural tenets, and notwithstanding all his perverting of the holy scriptures, and wresting and torturing the word of God, he was not able to produce one plausible proof, nor one rational argument for the support of these pernicious principles. They naturally lead to many other gross errors and popish absurdities- and they are extremely dangerous to the souls of men. They encourage the wicked in their wickedness; for upon these principles a man may live and die in sin, and yet go to heaven at last; he may get drunk, and commit fornication and adultery, he may cheat, and steal, and lie, and indulge all manner of carnal gratifications, and be saved notwithstanding.
"But you may say you do not discover any of these errors in his preaching. Why, others who have been accounted serions, discerning, judicious men, and whose judg- ment would heretofore have had some weight in your minds, have discovered them in his public discourses.
"But however he seems artfully to hide them, your minds are not prepared to re- ceive them ; your affections must first be broke off from your ministers and your minds filled with prejudice against them by their being reviled and vilified, and your affec- tions set upon himself, and you brought to receive the words of his mouth with an implicit faith; then, doubtless, these dangerous doctrines, and many others, will be inculcated.
"My brethren and friends, I must caution you to take heed and beware of false teachers. Beware lest ye be led away with errors and fall from your steadfastness. Beware of false prophets, concerning whom our blessed Saviour hath warned us, that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect.
SAMUEL CHANDLER."
1774 .- The following is the covenant for mutual insurance of the Grand Bankers, alluded to in the History, page 383 :
Whereas, for the better carrying on our fishing voyages and sustaining the losses that may happen therein. We whose names are hereunto subscribed, have agreed to make a common stock of our vessels, so that those persons that shall happen to lose any vessel during the term hereafter agreed on, shall be reimbursed, and by the own- ers of those vessels that shall not be lost, the whole of what such vessel shall be es- timated at when put into the stock, except such a proportion as said vessel shall bear towards the whole of said stock, for effecting whereof it is Covenanted and Agreed and each of us whose names are hereunto subscribed, hereby separately and not jointly covenant with each other, our heirs, and executors and Administrators, that we will, to such persons of us as shall lose a vessel or vessels, that is put into said stock, and named and estimated as beneath and employed in the above said voyages from the twenty-fifth day of February, 1774, and none to sail on her voyage after the tenth day of October, 1774, from hence to the fishing banks and back till safely moored in the harbour of Glocester or Squam river. Such sums of money as shall be our propor- tion of the sum such vessel is estimated at, as aforesaid, accounting the same accord- ing as our estimated interest in said stock is, to the whole of said stock, within ninety days, next after such loss is proved, or twenty days after four months shall have passed after such a vessel sailing upon said voyage as above said, and not having re- turned. And it's further Covenanted by said party separately as aforesaid, that noth- ing shall be paid, unless such vessel shall be taken, totally lost or stranded, in which latter case, we will pay our proportion of the charge that shall arise towards getting off or saving such vessels or part thereof accounting the same as aforesaid, and accord-
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HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER :
ing as the estimated value of such vessel shall be in proportion to the real value thereof, and if the owner of such vessel shall neglect to get her off or save what he can thereof, then it shall be lawful for the residne of the subscribers by the committee to take care of such vessel, and make the most of her they can for the benefit of the whole subscribers. And it's further covenanted by the parties aforesaid, that after any vessel is arrived and safe moored in the harbour of Glocester or Squam river, that no money shall be paid for any vessel that may be stranded or lost or that may receive any damage in the har- bour of Glocester or Squam river, and it's further Covenanted between the parties that Dan'l Sargent, Esq., John Smith & Davd. Plummer be a Committee to adjust the losses that may happen, and do all those acts that are necessary to be done for the good of the whole and agreeable to those Covenants, and if any differences arise be- twen the parties aforesaid relating to anything contained in these articles, Then the matter of dispute shall be determined by arbitrators mutually chosen by them. In witness of all which, each of the parties aforesaid have here to set down each of the vessels that he hath put in stock as aforesaid, and the real and estimated value thereof ; and hereunto set his hand and seal this Sixth day of April, Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred & Seventy-Four.
N. B .- It is further agreed that all losses shall be paid in Merchs. att ye Markett Price.
Vessels'
Real Value.
Estimated Value.
Who put them in.
Names.
Leopard
£300
£200
Isaac Smith.
Merril
300
200
Tamy
300
200
Dolphin
300
200
66
66
66
66
66
Drake
250
180
¿ Unity
220
160
Resolution
300
260
Noble Pitt
300
200
King David
300
200
Bonne Venture
300
200
¿ Fair Lady
150
100
Robinhood
300
240
George
300
240
Fame
280
200
Two Brothers
200
100
Hanah
280
200
Judith
300
240
Esther
300
259
66
66
¿Boscawen
150
120
66
66
¿ye Rachell
150
100
¿ye Luckey
150
100
¿the Boscawen
150
120
Joseph Allen.
¿ye Rachel
150
100
¿ye Sukey
150
100
66
Schoor John
350
280
Daniel Sargent.
¿ Schor Mineroa
225
160
66
66
66
66
Schoor Hawk
300
200
Schoor Two Bro's
300
200
¿the Lyon
150
140
66
66
66
66
66
Daniel Roger.
66
66
66
66
66
66
Olive Branch
300
200
. .
Epes Sargent.
66
66
66
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EARLY RECORDS.
Vessels'
Real Value.
Estimated Value.
Who put them in.
¿the Sally
150
140
Daniel Sargent.
¿Friendship
150
130
Schoor Frederic
180
140
66
66
Schoor Luce
300
200
John Smith.
¿the Lyon
150
140
Schoor Dimon
300
200
John Stevens, Jr.
Schr Jollyroger
300
200
Schr Polly
300
200
66
Susahana
300
200
Endeavor
300
250
֏Unity
62
50
David Plummer.
Schr Gorham
330
200
Eben Parsons.
Oliver Cromwell
300
200
Schr Endeavor
300
240
John Low.
Schr Neptune
300
250
..
Schr Industry
300
250
66
Schr Britian
300
250
Benjamin Ellery.
Schr Dolphin
300
250
66
Sam'l Griffin.
¿ Sally
150
140
66
Schr Victory
300
200
John Stevens.
Schr Glorioca
300
200
66
Schr Hawk
300
200
Solomon Gorham.
Benjamin Morgan and his son were lost at sea this year.
1775 .- Jan. 27. At a meeting of the militia officers chosen by the 6th Regiment of the County of Essex, held at Gloucester, after the res- ignation of Col. John Stevens, the following gentlemen were respect- ively made choice of for field officers :
John Lee, Esq., Colonel ; Capt. Peter Coffin, 1st Lieut. Col. ; John Low, Esq., 2d Lieut. Col. ; Mr. Samuel Whittemore, 1st Major; Dr. Samuel Rogers, 2d Major.
1st Company-Daniel Warner, Capt .; Benj. Somes, 1st Lt. ; Dan- iel Smith, 2d Lt. ; Nathaniel Warner, Ensign.
2d Company-Andrew Marsters, Capt. ; Samuel Foster, 1st Lt .; Eleazer Craft, 2d Lt. ; Jonathan Brown, jr., Ensign.
3d Company-Jonathan Brown, Capt. ; Nathan Low, 1st Lt. ; John Low, jr., 2d Lt .; Wm. Robbins, Ensign.
4th Company-Joseph Eveleth, Capt. ; Ephraim Choate, 1st Lt. ; Jonathan Gillout, 2d Lt. ; John Roberts, jr., Ensign.
5th Company-Barnabas Dodge, Capt. ; Nathan Haraden, 1st Lt. ; John Woodbury, 2d Lt. ; Joseph York, Ensign.
6th Company-Jacob Allen, Capt. ; Joseph Procter, 1st Lt. ; Solo- mon Gorham, 2d Lt. ; Eben Parsons, Ensign.
Names.
¿ the Friendship
450
140
Wm. Coas.
144
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER :
7th Company-John Rowe, Capt. ; Mark Pool, Ist Lt. ; Benj. Tarr, 2d Lt. ; Isaac Pool, Ensign.
April 26. Capt. Nathaniel Warner is allowed £24 10s for pay of the minute men.
This day was kept by the First Parish as a day of fasting and prayer in order to settle a minister. Ministers present :- Rev. J. Cleaveland of Chebacco, who preached A. M. ; Rev. Daniel Fuller of the Second Church ; Rev. John Rogers of the Third who preached P. M. ; Rev. Obadiah Parsons of the Fourth ; and Rev. Ebenezer Cleaveland of the Fifth.
Last Tuesday arrived here the ship Boston Packet, Capt. Lyde, from London, in whom came as passenger our good friend and worthy pa- triot, Josiah Quincy, Jr., Esq., far gone with a consumption, who was immediately visited by one of the physicians of this place and other re- spectable persons ; but as he appeared to be actually expiring no as- sistance could be afforded him, and a few hours put an end to his valuable life. Great care was taken by the selectmen to forward to his friends the account of his death, but as through the perplexity of the times no returns could be obtained from them, his remains were yester- day with great respect interred in the public burying ground of this place.
June 17. Daniel Callahan, killed in the memorable battle of this day, was an apprentice of Stephen Low, whose petition for wages and sun- dries lost in that battle, was presented in the House of Representatives, June 27, 1776, but not granted.
Benjamin Smith also killed in that battle, was an apprentice of Capt. William Ellery of this town. He was born in England and had no re- lations in this country. Capt. Ellery presented to the General Court of Massachusetts a petition for compensation for the losses he sustained by the death of his apprentice, amounting to £5.11.8, to which he made oath June 15, 1776 ; but it does not appear that the claim was ever al- lowed.
Alexander Parsons, severely wounded in the same battle, was struck by a musket ball which broke his collar bone and lodged against his right shoulder blade on the back. Three months afterwards it is said, the ball was taken from under the shoulder blade on the opposite from which it entered. He again joined the American army at Cambridge, but hav- ing lost the use of his right arm he was chosen by the House of Rep- resentatives Aug. 11, 1777, third lieutenant of a company of matrosses stationed at Gloucester. He married Elizabeth Eveleth in 1769, and had several daughters.
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EARLY RECORDS.
Josiah Brooks, also killed at Bunker Hill, received his death wound while on the back of William Jumper, who had taken him up severely wounded at the rail fence to carry him to a place of safety.
Lieut. John Burnham, also engaged in this battle, was not, as stated in the History, a native of Gloucester. He was born in Chebacco (now Essex ) Dec. 10, 1749, and was a son of Samuel Burnham. He mar- ried Abby Collins of this town, Jan. 31, 1786. He had returned to Che- bacco in 1798, when he was dismissed from the church there to one about to be formed in Derry, N. H., of which he became deacon in 1810.
In 1842, when in his ninety-third year, he dictated to his son George, a full and interesting account of his services in the revolutionary war, a copy of which is in my possession.
Major Burnham had six children, of whom three were sons :- San- uel, a sea-captain and commander of a privateer in the war of 1812, who was lost at sea ; John, a merchant in Cincinnati and other places, who died in Dumbarton ; and George, who married in Derry and died Jan. 1, 1851.
Aug. 11. Upon report of a committee appointed by the General Court to confer with General Washington with respect to supplying the town of Gloucester with men and ammunition, the Committee of Sup- plies were directed to deliver 300 lbs. of powder, 300 shot of nine pounds, for a swivel gun of small size, and 100 lbs. of grape shot to Capt. Jos. Foster for defence of said town; and it was ordered that the Honorable Council order the company raised by Capt. John Lane (part of which is now at Cambridge) to march immediately to Gloue- ester and there to remain for the defence of that town, to be under the direction and command of the Committee of Correspondence of that town.
In addition to Capt. Lane's company it appears by the following cor- respondence that another smaller force was also sent at this anxious pe- riod from the headquarters of the American army.
HEADQUARTERS, Aug. 16, 1775.
Sir-You are to proceed with the detachment of Riflemen under your command to Cape Ann, where you are to endeavor, not only to protect the inhabitants from all at- tempts of the enemy, but to do your utmost to distress and annoy any detachment from the ministerial army that may be sent from Boston to plunder or destroy that set- tlement. Upon your march and during your residence at Cape Ann, as well as upon your march back to camp, you will observe strict discipline, and on no account suffer any under your command to pillage or maraud. Upon your arrival at Cape Ann you
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146
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER.
will dispatch a messenger to acquaint the general with the state you find things in there, and you will frequently report to the General all extraordinary occurrences that may happen.
I am, sir, your most obt. humble servant,
HORATIO GATES, Adjt. General.
Maj. Robert Magaw.
[Maj. Robert Magaw to General Gates. ]
CAPE ANN, August 21, 1775.
Sir-I wrote to you on the 17th Inst. that no alarms or appearances of immediate danger had been in this place for some time past. Since the 9th inst., when Captain Lindsey, commanding a sloop of war, threw a number of shot into the town, the in- habitants have remained unmolested. On Saturday evening last a man-of-war and a tender appeared off this harbour; we expected an attack yesterday ; they bore away for the eastward, and disappeared. The inhabitants have nearly completed a small fort to mount six nine pounders ; their spirit seems equal to their abilities. We have neither blankets nor shirts with us. Some of our men are siek, owing, I believe, to a want of covering in the night.
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