USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Ould Newbury: historical and biographical sketches > Part 15
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At the Court of General Sessions held July 9, 1734, the following order was entered upon its records : -
Whereas the town of Newbury, May 11, 1733, voted that the first parish in Newbury shall have liberty to build a convenient town house, &c., and the said first parish Dec. 4, 1733, voted that said house shall be for ye use of ye County of Essex, &c., and whereas sundry of the inhabitants of several of the parishes in the town have petitioned the court to encourage ye building of s'd house, the court, finding many inconveniences in holding the court in the public meeting house, ordered that when the sd house is completely built and finished, and a deed of the house and land is executed to the treasurer of the county for the use of the county to hold court in, two hundred pounds shall be paid to said parish out of the County treasury ; provided that the repairs of sd house shall be made } by the county and 3 by Newbury, the sd parish and town retaining the right to hold their public meetings for public business as occasion may require if the court is not incommoded thereby.
The building erected on this lot of land was used for a town-house, court-house, and school-house for nearly fifty years. It was sold at public auction March 5, 1780, to John Mycall, Esq.
Feb. 27, 1745-6, John Adams, son-in-law of Benjamin Morse, sold to the Rev. Jonathan Parsons the homestead and buildings willed to him by his father-in-law, Benjamin Morse (book 88, page 100).
Rev. Jonathan Parsons died July 19, 1776. His will was proved Nov. 26, 1776. To his daughters, Phebe Parsons, Lucia Parsons, wife of Joseph Toppan, and Lydia Parsons, he gave " his house and four acres of land in Newbury." When the town-house was sold in 1780, the land under the same reverted to the above-named daughters of the Rev. Jonathan Parsons.
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The estate was subsequently divided ; and Moses Greenleaf, who married Lydia Parsons, sold to Jonathan Greenleaf, Nov. 15, 1796, about forty rods of land, bounded southeasterly on land of Oliver Putnam, northeasterly on the street, north- westerly and southwesterly on land of the grantor (book 162, page 55).
Dec. 20, 1796, Jonathan Greenleaf sold to the Rev. Abra- ham Moor, pastor of the First Parish in Newbury, about thirty-seven and one-half rods of land, "beginning on the highway by land of Oliver Putnam, and bounded southerly by Oliver Putnam, easterly by the street, &c." (book 162, page 249).
The Rev. Abraham Moor died June 24, 1801. His widow, as executrix of his will, sold the above-described property to Amos Knight May 19, 1802. At that date the land formerly owned by Oliver Putnam on the south was in the possession of Isaiah Ilsley (book 172, page 169).
April 17, 1857, Elizabeth Perkins and others, heirs of the late Amos Knight, gave a deed to Abigail S. Smith, wife of Edmund Smith, Esq., "of the house and land conveyed by the Rev. Abraham Moore to Amos Knight by deed dated May 19, 1802, recorded in book 172, page 169, and given by said Amos Knight's will to us " (book 551, page 60).
The daughters of Edmund and Abigail S. Smith still own and occupy the dwelling-house that stands where the first town-house stood, on High Street, near the head of Marl- borough Street, in Newbury.
THORLAY'S BRIDGE OVER PARKER RIVER.
On pages 380 and 381 in the third volume of the " Narra- tive and Critical History of America," edited by Justin Winsor, Librarian of Harvard University, there is a photo- graphic copy of a map of the New England coast from Cohasset, on the southeasterly side of Boston, to the mouth of the Merrimack River. The original map, from which it was taken, was discovered in 1884 among the Sloane manuscripts in the British Museum by Mr. Henry F. Waters, of Salem, Mass. It was made as early, probably, as 1634; and the notes in the margin giving the location of Governor's Island and other prominent places are, undoubtedly, in the handwriting of Governor Winthrop. Only a few of the rivers and towns are designated by name; but the Merrimack is distinctly marked as navigable to a point now known as Mitchell's Falls, and is also quite accurately described in these words : " It runns 100 miles up into the Country, and falles out of a ponde 10 miles broad." A long, narrow island at the mouth of the river can easily be identified as Plum Island, but has no name on the map. The village of Aga- wam (Ipswich) is connected by dotted lines with Sagus (Saugus), Salem, and Meadford (Medford), showing that at this early date the line of travel between these places was substantially the same as now. The old road from Newbury to Boston still follows, very nearly, the narrow path that was once, probably, only an Indian trail through the forest. It is interesting to note the long, circuitous route taken to avoid crossing broad rivers ; for bridge building was difficult and expensive in those early days.
Where the depth of water rendered streams impassable, ferries were established ; but shallow brooks and rivers were
THORLAY'S BRIDGE.
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THORLAY'S BRIDGE OVER PARKER RIVER
crossed at convenient fording-places. For the first fifty years after the settlement of New England only a few bridges were constructed. In October, 1631, Governor Win- throp, accompanied by several official dignitaries, left Boston, and travelled " on foot to Saugus, and the next day to Salem, where they were bountifully entertained by Captain Endi- cott "; and, the day after, "they returned to Boston by the ford at Saugus River, and, so over at Mistick."
At that date there was no bridge over the Saugus River ; and travellers on the way to Boston were compelled to pass through the woods in the northern part of the town, and ford the stream by the iron works, which were near the site afterward selected for the woollen factories at Saugus Centre.
Mr. Davidson, as agent for Matthew Craddock, the first governor of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, commenced, in 1638, to build a bridge across the Mystic River at Medford. This bridge was finished a year or two later by order of the General Court at the expense of the county. It was the first toll-bridge in New England, and was constructed of sufficient width to allow the passage of ox-teams and carts.
In order to shorten the distance and facilitate travel be- tween Boston and Salem, the inhabitants of Saugus were induced to build a bridge over Saugus River, the General Court having voted, in 1639, to allow the town the sum of fifty pounds for that purpose, and fifty shillings annually toward the cost of keeping the bridge in repair. The work was completed with some difficulty, although the distance from shore to shore is not over thirty feet at the point where the bridge is located. It was evidently built and maintained at the public expense, for, in March, 1648, Edmund Ingalls, the first white inhabitant of Lynn, was drowned " because of insufficiency of the bridge," and his brothers and sisters peti- tioned the General Court for indemnity to the extent of £100, and their petition was granted. March 23, of the same year, the court allowed the town twenty pounds toward repairing the " great bridge " over Saugus River.
The gradual increase of travel and the extension of this old road from Salem to Newbury led to the construction of
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Thorlay's bridge over the river Parker. This bridge was built previous to 1654, and was the first one erected over navigable waters within the limits of old Newbury, and comes third on the list of bridges that have been in continuous use in New England for two centuries and a half.
May 3, 1654, the General Court voted that " Richard Thorlay, havinge built a bridge, at his owne cost, ouer New- bury Riuer, hath liberty to take 2ª for euery horse, cow, oxe, or any other great cattle, as also one half peny a peece for euery hogg, sheep, or goat that shall pass ouer the sd bridge, as long as he shall well & sufficyently repayre & mayntayne the same, pvided that passengers shalbe free."
In 1655, the subject of bridge-building was considered by the General Court, and provision was made for the apportion- ment of the cost of construction upon the several towns in each county where such bridges were located ; and, two years later, it was provided that "hereafter only a few bridges be built at the expense of the counties, but the expense and cost be met by the several towns wherein they are erected."
In the records of the county court held at Ipswich May 3, 1670, is the following order : -
The court being informed that the Bridge and way in Newbury bounds from the bridge toward the meeting house & from the Bridge toward Rowley being in many places very bad & dangerous, The court orders Capt. Wm : Gerrish & Daniell Pea[r]ce senr be impowered to see the sayd way (being a county highway) suficiently repaired, And are heerby impowred to call forth the Inhabitants of the sayd Towne of Newbury for to doe & finish the worke suficiently for repaireing & mending the same efectually, and, if any shall refuse to do there acord- ing to there order, to returne there names to any one maiestrate, who shall who shall have power to send for them & bynde them over to Answere it at the court. And for the mending the Bridge to give an account of the charge to be defrayed by the county.
Evidently, these repairs were not attended to, for the court issued the following order, under date of April 18, 1671 :-
Wheras the bridge neare Thurlayes is in danger to be carryed away if not care taken to secure it, This court Impowers & orders
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THORLAY'S BRIDGE OVER PARKER RIVER
Daniell Pearce sen' and John Pearson to see it made suficient, and the constable and selectmen of Newbury are required to be assistant thereto, and power given to impresse such helpe as is nessesary for efecting of it, and that be done by midsomer and a returne made that it is finished att Salem court next.
Notwithstanding this second order requiring the work "to be done by midsomer," it became necessary, March 26, 1672, to issue a third order, as follows : --
Whereas the Bridge neare Thurlayes is in danger, This court orders and Impowers John Pearson of Rowly to see it made suficient, and the constables of Newbury & Rowley are required to be assistant to him therin, and power given them to impresse such helpe as is nessesary for the efecting the same in there respective Towne, & that it be finished by midsomer, and such as shall neglect there duty heerin shall be lyable to be fined acording to the merrit of there defect.
In compliance with this last order of the court, some tem- porary repairs were agreed upon, and the bridge was made passable for a few years. When it became necessary to pro- vide something more substantial and durable, a petition was presented to the court asking liberty to build a new bridge and collect toll from all persons using it. On the "26th day of the 9th month 1678," the court issued the following order : - -
In answer to ye petition of ye select men of the Towne of Newberye, there is liberty granted to the selectmen of ye Towne to build a sufficient firme & safe Bridge, & agree with any pson of sufficiencye to doe the work at as low a price as they can, & at the Towne charge to sattisfy for it: & the court doth alow that everye one that shall come over the bridge shall paye one penny for a single pson, & three pence for a horse & man in money, which they alow them to take till the court shall see cause to take the said Bridge into the care of ye county, which if they shall doe, they doe ingage to the sd Towne of newbery yt they shalbe alowed out of this county Tresurye the value of ye said Bridge accord- ing as it shalbe Judged by able men what it is worth at the time it shal- be taken into the countyes care.
Dec. 4, 1678, the town of Newbury voted that "Thorlay's bridge should be built at the town's charge, as the court gave
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them liberty "; but the selectmen apparently delayed action until some decision could be reached in regard to the length of time that the bridge should remain at their disposal. At a session of the court held at Salem " on the 24th day of the 4th month 1679,"
In answer to a petition, vnder the Selectmens hands, of the Towne of Newbery: It is ordered by the court, that it be referred to Capt: Daniell Pearce, & Hen: Jaquis of newbery, if they can on good terms agree with any psons, that will build a bridg over the River, they shall have the proffitt : of it for ten years, according to former Allowance, pro- vided they fully compleate the agreement within one weeke after the end of the court, And, in case none be agreed with, That they take care the bridge be demolished.
This order evidently accomplished the desired result. Cap- tain Daniel Peirce and Henry Jaquis agreed with Thomas Thorlay, July 6, 1679, to build a new bridge over the river Parker. This agreement is recorded in the Essex Registry of Deeds at Salem (Ipswich Series, book 4, page 322), and reads as follows : -
This presnt wittnesseth that wheras the county court at Salem, in June last, reffered it to Capt Daniell Peirce & Henry Jaquis of New- bury, and delegated them to agree with any pson or psons for the build of a new bridge over the River by Tho: Thurleyes house, The sayd Daniell Peirce & Henry Jaquis have agreed and concluded with Thomas Thurley of Newbury for the building a compleat and substantiall Bridge over the sd River, wch the sayd Thomas thurley bindeth him- selfe by these presents to do, and fully to finish and compleat by the county court, to be held at Ipswich the last Teousday of march next. And the sayd Thomas thurley Doth herby engage himselfe imediatly to take care for the present making of the bridge now standing, safly pas- sable for Horse & man, and bindeth himselfe in the sum of fifty pounds & George march of Newbury in fifty pounds more, their heires, exec- utors, & administrators, to secure the sayd Towne of Newbury & the county from time to time during the space of ten yeares from the penallty of the law for the want or defect of the sd Bridge. In consid- deration of wch premisses the sd Daniell Peirce and Henry Jaquis doe agree, with the sayd | Tho: | Thurley, that he shall aske, demand, & receive of every horsman that shall pass ouer the sd Bridge, for himselfe and his horse three pence, and every pson wh passes over on foote one penny for every time of such passage, wch payment was formerly
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allowed by the sd county court, provided it shall be in the power of the sd Tho Thurley, for the best secureing of the sayd payment, to order the way to the sayd bridg some other way, that may be no considderable damage to the passengers. This agreemt to continue for the terme of ten yeares, and, if the county court then see fitt to take the sayd Bridge into their care & possession, then according to formar order by the county court in no" last the Bridge to be valued by abell men what it is worth, and the sd Tho : Thurley satticefied for it. This agreement the sayd Dan : Peirce & Henry Jaquis, so farr as they have power deli- gated to them, do rattifie & confirme to the sayd Tho: Thurley, his heires & assignes. In wittnes wherof the pties above conserned have to these presents enterchangably sett there hand, dated July 6th, 1679.
DANIELL PEIRCE, HENRY JAQUIS.
This was explained before signeing that the sad Tho : Thurley shall have liberty to put any barr or gate as hee sees fitt to restraine any that shall refuse to pay.
This agreement was acknowledged to be the act & deed of the psons subscribing July 6th, 1679, before me,
Jo: WOODBRIDG, Commis".
Memorandum that whereas on the other syde it is mentioned yt George march bindeth himselfe | with Tho: Thurley | in fifty pounds for the secureing of the Towne of Newbury & the county from the penalty of the law for the defect of the sd Bridge, and the sd Georg march refused to signe the sd agreemt, The sd Thomas Thurley doth heerby engage himselfe, his heires, executors, & administrators, and also his land now in his present possession, in security for the pform- ance of the sd condition to the full efect, & acording to the true tennor of it. Dated July 7th, 1679.
The court at Salem, the 25 of 9th mº 1679, do allow the above written agreemt.
Atteste HILLIARD VERREN, Cler.
This is a true copie of the originall in my hands.
Recorded Aprill 21 : 1680.
Jo: WOODBRIDGE.
Under date of June 11, 1680, the General Court ordered :
In answr to a motion of the selectmen of Rowley for the setting free of a bridge now obstructed in the county of Essex & bounds of New- bury, once a county bridge, now in the hands of a particular, the Court
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sees meete to grant their desires, & doe order the sajd bridge to be free, & be a county bridge againe, and what hath been expended by any par- ticular person for the repayring thereof to be payd or repayed them by the sajd county.
At a session of the county court held at Salem "on the 30th day of the 9th month 1680," Thorlay was awarded fif- teen pounds on the following terms and conditions : -
This court doe order that the county Treasurer shall pay Tho Thurlo fifteene pounds : of the first pay that comes in to his hands, which the court conceaivs is what the comittee gave in or allowed in consideration of his charge upon the bridg at newberye, which the Generall Court ordered the county of Essex to sattisfy him for, & if the said Thurlo do not rest sattisfyed in that, he may repaire to the next county court held at Ipswich, whoe will then consider what shalbe his Just due.
Although not satisfied with this award, Thorlay did not press his claim for further allowance until the court met at Salem, June 26, 1683. He was then granted a hearing ; and, after an examination of his accounts, the following decision was placed on record : ---
This Court haveing received & pused the motion of Thomas Thurley to have further allowance for his disburstment vpon the bridg at new- berye. vpon veiw of the order of this court, 30: 9mo: 80: which made alowance to him according to Gen™ll Court order, & his claime by his accot : (which seemes to vs Irrational) being examined & the pfect accot : of the transactions of the Court about this matter not being prsented, This court sees noe cause to advance further in allowance to him, but Judg if that Thurley had given accot of what he received for Tole in money & otherwaise from passengers: viz: Strangers & townes people of newberye, he hath had farr more than he doth give accot, & make challeng of thoe most of them and such as are to high vallued, or such as ought not to be accounted.
By order of the General Court, adopted June 11, 1680, Thorlay's bridge was made free. For many years it was an essential part of the great thoroughfare which extended from Boston to Newbury, and thence over the ferry at Carr's Island to Northern New Hampshire and the eastern frontier. It has been rebuilt and repaired several times ; but the
AT "TRAYNEING GREEN "
NEAR FOUR-ROCK BRIDGE.
CORNER OF THE BOSTON AND MIDDLE ROADS.
AT DUMMER ACADEMY.
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THORLAY'S BRIDGE OVER PARKER RIVER
location has never been changed, and it still stands on the same site that it occupied two hundred and fifty years ago.
Along the roadside there are quaint old milestones, at regular intervals, to mark the distance to and from Boston. Within the limits of the town of Newbury four of these stones are now standing. Two of them for many years lay flat upon the ground, but, through the efforts of Messrs. William Little and N. N. Dummer, they have recently been placed upright. The stone that marked the thirty-fourth mile from Boston is missing. Tradition says it was taken from its proper place fifty years ago, and used in the construction of a culvert on the road leading to Byfield Factory.
PLUM ISLAND.
A line of low sand-hills, extending for nearly nine miles from the mouth of the Merrimack River, in a southeasterly direction, and separated from the main land by a shallow, winding stream ; a few straggling bushes, with thin patches of coarse grass scattered here and there; and a narrow strip of soft, yielding sand washed by the waters of the Atlantic, are the distinctive features and prominent char- acteristics of Plum Island.
Long before the settlement of Newbury, Indians wandered aimlessly over its hills of sand or camped, in summer-time, beneath a few scrubby and stunted pine-trees growing near its southern extremity. On a map discovered in 1884 among the manuscripts of the British Museum, evidently drawn before Newbury had a legal existence, this long, narrow island is correctly laid down, but no name is given to it. Soon after the landing of the Rev. Thomas Parker and his party on the banks of the Quascacunquen River, in 1635, the island was called Plum Island. It probably re- ceived its name from the large number of somewhat acrid beach plums gathered there during the months of August and September.
Although apparently unattractive and unproductive, the early settlers of Newbury found convenient pasturage at the southern extremity of the island for horses and cattle, and were inclined to exercise their rights and privileges to the exclusion of all others. But March 13, 1639, the Gen- eral Court issued the following decree : --
Plum Island is to remain in the Court's power : only for the present Ipswich, Newbury, and the new plantation (Rowley) between them may have the use of it, till the Court shall see cause otherwise to dispose of it.
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PLUMM ISLAND
March 15, 1649, the Rev. Thomas Parker, the Rev. James Noyes, Percival Lowle, John Spencer, Richard Kent, Edward Woodman, and others petitioned the General Court to grant the whole of Plum Island to the town of Newbury. In answer to this petition, Oct. 17, 1649, the court granted two-fifths of the island to Newbury, two-fifths to Ipswich, and one-fifth to Rowley.
Sept. 23, 1661, the island was divided, "begining at the upland neere Merrimacke barre, and so extending to Sandy beach "; and September 25 the division was completed, " be- ginning at Rowley bounds and reaching to Sandy beach."
Some years later complaint was made in regard to the unequal division of pasturage between the inhabitants of the several towns named. In answer to the petition of the selectmen of Ipswich, relating to the use and improvement of Plum Island by Ipswich and Newbury, the court ordered, in 1679, "that no horses nor cattle be put upon said island without the consent of the major part of the proprietors of the said island."
In 1739, an " Act for the effectual preventing of horses, sheep, cattle, and swine, from running at large or feeding upon a certain island, called Plum Island, lying in Ipswich Bay, in the County of Essex," was passed by the General Court. This act was continued in force, by renewal, until 1792.
During the Revolutionary War troops were stationed on the island to prevent the landing of soldiers or sailors from English vessels on the coast. In the month of May, 1776, the town of Newburyport voted to erect a fort on the island at a cost not exceeding four thousand pounds ; and June 30, 1777, the town "voted to allow the soldiers stationed at Plum Island candles and sweetening for their beer." In 1781, the General Court " Resolved, that there be raised in the county of Essex, and stationed at the fort on Plum Island, one corporal and two matrosses." And November 3, of the same year, provision was made for relieving the men from active service during the winter season by the passage of another resolution, from which the following extract is taken : -
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And it is farther resolved that the guards at Plum Island ... be forthwith discharged and the commander in chief be desired to dismiss them accordingly, and give such orders as he shall think proper for securing the cannon and stores belonging to this Commonwealth in the forts on Plum Island (Acts of 1781, Chapter 320).
July 6, 1782, the General Court again "Resolved, that there be raised in the county of Essex and stationed at Plum Island one corporal and three matrosses" (Acts of 1782, Chapter 131).
Matrosses were soldiers who came next to the gunners in a train of artillery, and assisted them in loading, firing, and sponging the guns. They carried firelocks, and usually marched with the store wagons as guards and assistants.
In 1783, the Newburyport Marine Society erected two beacons on Plum Island, and the merchants of Newbury- port supplied the funds necessary for maintaining a light for the protection and guidance of incoming vessels at night. This expense was unequally distributed among a few public- spirited citizens who appealed to the legislature to provide light-houses and lights at the public cost. The General Court responded with the following act :-
Whereas it will be of great advantage to the commerce of this commonwealth that two public lights should be established upon the north end of Plumb Island, in Ipswich Bay, in the county of Essex, in such a position as to form but one light to vessels passing over the bar into Merrimack River,
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