Ould Newbury: historical and biographical sketches, Part 18

Author: Currier, John J. (John James), 1834-1912
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Boston, Damrell and Upham
Number of Pages: 752


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Ould Newbury: historical and biographical sketches > Part 18


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).


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BARTLETT'S COVE


On reading again the petition of Joseph Swasey and John Webster and the report of the Committee appointed last term to enquire into the necessity and convenience of said ferry, and after fully hearing the peti- tion, it is considered, adjudged, and ordered by the Court that Joseph Swasey and John Webster be licensed to keep a ferry over Merrimack River at or near Jonathan Moulton's dwelling house in Newbury in said county and from thence to the opposite side of said river in Salisbury, in said county, agreeable to the prayer of said petition, and that a ferry be there established. The rates of ferriage to be the same as at Ames- bury ferry, and the said Swasey and Webster are to keep two boats, one on each side of said river agreeable to said petition.


When Washington visited Newburyport, Oct. 30, 1789, he was taken the next morning over this new ferry to the Salisbury shore in a barge specially prepared for the occa- sion, and escorted as far as the boundary line of the State on his way to New Hampshire.


Two years later active efforts were made by some of the inhabitants of Newburyport for the incorporation of the Essex- Merrimack Bridge Company, and John Webster sent to the General Court the following remonstrance now on file at the State House in Boston : -


SALISBURY, Jany 12th 1792.


The honourable the Senate, and the honourable the house of Repre- sentatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.


The Petition of John Webster of Salisbury humbly sheweth That in the year 1789 he, in conjunction with Joseph Sweazy of Newbury- Port, had liberty granted them in legal forms to keep a Ferry over Merrimac River, at Websters-Point, commonly called the new or middle Ferry: Which has been kept accordingly, to the satisfaction of ye public.


And whereas a Bridge is petitiond for a little below, which, if granted, it is supposd will annialate said Ferry. Though it is almost taken for granted that such a great obstruction in such a River, so in- jurious to all the numerous Towns, which lye upon or near it, in this State & New-hampshire, will never by your Wisdom be allowd,- yet to guard as well as I can against all events,- I would observe to your Honours that my expense has been very great in procuring & making Roads & ways at the landings, both sides of the River, & Boats for the convenience of all sorts of Passengers, with their Carriages of every Kind, not less than three hundred pounds, besides all my trouble, & turning me out of my Channel of Business.


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And that I have enjoyed it so little while, as to have had no profit by it as yet: But am still saddled with a heavy load on this account. All which I hopd in time might be refunded with interest: But if taken from me & given to others, without a full compensation, will be esteemd very grievous.


And when your Honours consider the past expense & my reasonable future prosperity, by the growing of ye country, I must pray that -in case said bridge is allowed to be built - such compensation may be made, as in your Wisdom shall seem fit, Which I trust cannot be small.


And as in duty bound shall ever pray, &c.


JOHN WEBSTER.


Notwithstanding this remonstrance an act of incorporation was granted Feb. 24, 1792, as will be seen by reference to the sketch descriptive of the Essex-Merrimack Bridge.


The eighth section of the act of incorporation provides for the payment of certain specified claims, as follows : -


Within one year after the said bridge shall be opened for passengers the Proprietors of said bridge shall pay to John Webster and Joseph Swasey and also to the town of Salisbury all such sums of money as shall be respectively awarded to them or either of them by three indiffer- ent men, mutually chosen by the parties, as a full compensation for any injury sustained by them respectively by the erecting of said bridge.


SAMUEL SEWALL,


CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE PROVINCE OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY.


Henry Sewall, born April 8, 1576, in Coventry, England, married Anne Hunt. He sent his son Henry to New England in 1634, and shortly after came over himself. He lived awhile in Newbury near the Lower Green ; but, when the meeting-house was removed to the new town in 1646, he sold his house and land, and removed to Rowley, where he died and was buried in March, 1656-7.


Rev. Samuel Sewall, of Burlington, Mass., has given a full and interesting account of the Sewall family in a paper contributed to the American Quarterly Register for February, 1841. The dates and facts embodied in this brief sketch are taken mainly from that paper, and from the diary of Samuel Sewall, published by the Massachusetts Historical Society.


Henry Sewall, Jr., son of the first mentioned Henry Sewall, was born in Coventry, England, in 1614. He came to New England in 1634, bringing with him English ser- vants, neat cattle, and provisions. He was in Ipswich through the winter, and in 1635 removed to Newbury. He was one of the first settlers of the town, and was granted by the proprietors over six hundred acres of marsh and upland as his proportion, according to the rule agreed upon in London. He went on foot, with others, to Cambridge in May, 1637, and was made a freeman, in order that he might strengthen the friends of Governor Winthrop against Sir Henry Vane.


March 25, 1646, he married Miss Jane Dummer, eldest child of Stephen and Alice Dummer, of Newbury, and soon after went to England with them, where he remained several years. He had five children born in that country. In 1650,


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he returned to New England alone ; and August 5th of that year he bought of Edward Woodman, of Newbury, forty acres of upland, with house and barn thereon, situate in Newbury, and "bounded with ye land of Mr Edward Rawson & John Pemberton on the northwest, ye common on ye southwest, next to the swamp commonly called the Aspen Swamp, also ye street going down to Aspen Swamp on the southeast side, and ten acres of meadow ... on Merrimack River in New- bury aforesaid, bounded with the upland of Mr. Rawson on the south & on the east, on the west bounded by a creek coming out of Merrimack river "; also twenty acres of salt marsh, bought of Mr. Richard Dummer ; also twenty acres more of marsh in Newbury toward Plum Island River (Ips- wich Deeds, book 1, page 68 (212).


The forty acres of upland, with house and barn thereon, was on the westerly side of Toppan's Lane, and extended to High Street, as will be seen by reference to the following items from the will of Henry Sewall, dated April 17, 1678, and proved May 24, 1 700 : ---


I give to my sonne in law Jacob Topan and my daughter Hannah Topan, his wife, sixteen acres of land, be it more or less, whereon his house now standeth according as it lyes allready bounded, being a part of the forty acres purchased of Mr Woodman, during their natural lives.


To son John Seawall house, barne, and land, 24 acres formerly pur- chased of Mr Woodman, which I lately lived in and now my said son John liveth in for his life ; also 20 acres salt marsh next ox common I purchased of Mr Woodman, also use of 12 acres of fresh meadow pur- chased of George Little; the remainder of my estate to the heirs of my body, and in case of failure of issue to my grandson, Samuel Toppan, second son of my daughter, Hannah Toppan.


It is probable that Henry Sewall occupied the house in Woodman's Lane, as it was then called, for a year or two, and then returned to England. He came again to Newbury in 1659, and afterward sent for his wife and family. They arrived in 1661. Meanwhile he purchased, Nov. 7, 1660, of John Browne, of Newbury, glazier, a house with four acres of land in Newbury, formerly owned by Henry Travers, " bounded with the streets on the south and east, the land of


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SAMUEL SEWALL


Richard Browne on the west, and Tristram Coffin's land on ye north," also shop and new shop lately built and floored (Ipswich Deeds, book 2, page 16 (28).


This lot of land was on the northerly corner of Parker Street and the country road, now High Street. Henry Sewall, with his family, resided in the old house several years. He afterward built on the northwesterly end of this land on Parker Street a new house a few rods from the residence of Rev. James Noyes and Rev. Thomas Parker. There he lived for many years ; and there he died May 16, 1700, aged eighty-six. He was buried in the graveyard near the Upper Green in Newbury. The stone that marks his last resting-place bears the following inscription : -


M HENRY SEWALL SENT BY


M. HENRY SEWALL HIS FATIER IN Y SHIP ELSABE H & DORG CAP.WATTS COMMANDER ARRIVED AT BOSTON I VINERDATA VICH HELPD BEGHE THIS PLANTATION IS


NEAT CAT


OR NISHING ENGLISTI SER VANT


FEL. &PROVISIONS MARRIED MR JANE DUMMER


5


ATAT 86 HIS TRUTFUL WVIN BEING HAR DISJOIND FELL TO Y GROUND JANAUARY X13 FOLLOWING ATAL744


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Mr. Henry Sewall (sent by Mr. Henry Sewall, his father, in ye ship Elsabeth & Dorcas, Capt Watts, commander) arrived at Boston 1634, winterd at Ipswich, helpd begin this plantation 1635, furnishing English servants, neat cattel, & provisions. Married Mrs Jane Dummer, March ye 25, 1646, died May, ye 16, 1700, Ætat 86. His frutfull vine being thus disjoind, fell to ye ground January ye 13 following. Ætat 74. Psal. 27 : 10.


In the diary of Samuel Sewall, under date of May 17, 1700, is the following entry : -


Benj. Moss junr is sent to me to acquaint me that my dear Father died the evening before. May 18th ride to Newbury in the Rain: when breaks up, Bror and Sister come from Salem. Bury my Father, Bearers, Col. Peirce, Mr. Nich. Noyes, Mr. Sam. Plumer, Mr. Tristram Coffin, Major Danl. Davison, Major Thomas Noyes, had 8 under- bearers.


Sabbath, May 19. Mr. Tapan in the afternoon preach'd a funeral Sermon from Prov. 19, 20. Said my Father was a true Nathanael.


Rev. Christopher Toppan, D. D., was pastor of the First Church in Newbury, having been ordained Sept. 9, 1696.


The early New England settlers did not consider religious exercises or ceremonies necessary or even desirable at a funeral. They carried their kindred or friends solemnly and reverently to the burial-place, and stood silently by while the grave was filled. They could not encourage or assist in a service that seemed to confirm "the popish error that prayer is to be used over the dead or for the dead."


Nevertheless, Samuel Sewall, in his diary, gives the sub- stance of a tender and touching address delivered at the grave of his mother, that evidently came from a heart over- flowing with kindness and affection. His account of her death and burial reads as follows :-


Janry 14th 1700 Having been certified last night about Io. oclock of the death of my dear Mother at Newbury, Sam. and I set out with John Sewall, the Messenger, for that place. Hired horses at Charlestown : set out about 10 oclock in a great Fogg. Dined at Lewis's with Mr. Cushing of Salisbury. Sam and I kept on in Ipswich Rode, John went to accompany Bror from Salem. About Mr. Hubbard's in Ipswich


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SAMUEL SEWALL


farms, they overtook us. Sam. and I lodged at Compton's in Ipswich. Bror and John stood on for Newbury by Moonshine. Jany 1 5th Sam and I set forward. Brother Northend meets us. Visit Aunt Northend, Mr. Payson. With Bror and sister we set forward for Newbury : where we find that day apointed for the Funeral : twas a very pleasant Com- fortable day.


Bearers, Jno Kent of the Island, L' Cutting Noyes, Deacon William Noyes, Mr. Peter Tappan, Capt. Henry Somersby, Mr. Joseph Wood- bridge.


I followed the Bier single. Then Bror Sewall and sister Jane, Bror Short and his wife, Bror Moodey and his wife, Bror Northend and his wife, Bror Tapan and sister Sewall, Sam, and cous Hanah Tapan, Mr. Payson of Rowley, Mr. Clark, Minister of Excester, were there, Col. Peirce, Major Noyes, &c., Cous John, Richard and Betty Dumer. Went abt 4 P.M. Nathan' Brickett taking in hand to fill the Grave, I said,


Forbear a little, and suffer me to say that amidst our bereaving sorrows We have the Comfort of beholding this Saint put into the rightfull pos- session of that Happiness of Living desired and dying Lamented. She lived comendably Four and Fifty years with her dear Husband, and my dear Father : and she could not well brook the being divided from him at her death : which is the cause of our taking leave of her in this place. She was a true and constant Lover of God's Word, Worship and Saints : And she always, with a patient cheerfulness, submitted to the divine Decree of providing Bread for herself and others in the sweat of her Brows. And now her infinitely Gracious and Bountiful Master has promoted her to the Honor of higher Employments, fully and absolutely discharged from all mañer of Toil and Sweat. My honoured and be- loved Friends and Neighbours, My dear Mother never thought much of doing the most frequent and homely offices of Love for me; and lavish'd away many Thousands of Words upon me, before I could re- turn one word in Answer: And therefore I ask and hope that none will be offended that I have now ventured to speak one word in her behalf ; when shee herself is become speechless.


Made a Motion with my hand for the filling of the Grave. Note : I could hardly speak for passion and Tears. Mr. Tappan prayed with us in the evening.


The will of Henry Sewall, on file at the Probate Office in Salem, Mass., is quite long, and disposes of a large amount of real estate and personal property in Newbury, New England, and also houses and lands in Hants, Coventry, and Warwick counties, England. To his wife, Jane Sewall, he gives


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£10 yearly, for her life, by my son, Samuel Seawall, and the rent of the farm in the occupation of Joseph Goodridge, containing about 105 acres, during her widowhood, also the house new built wch now I dwell in, with 1} acres lying below the hill, and the barn, orchard, &c., for her life; also the use of 2 acres of salt marsh, part of the 20 acres purchased of Mr Woodman; & 2 acres of Meadow, part of the 12 acres purchased of George Little in birchen meadow.


Allso I give to my sayd sonne Stephen, during his naturall life, two acres & an halfe of land (after the acre & halfe lying to my now dwell- ing house & above disposed of is measured out), be it more or less, . . . after him to his heire or heirs of his body begotten or to be begotten, & for want of such issue to my sonne John Seawall, his heires & Assigns for ever.


To son Samuel Seawall the house, barn, & land given to my wife, after her decease, and also houses and land in Coventry, England, evi- dences of which are in the hands of Mr. Tukky of Warwick.


Samuel Sewall was the eldest son of Henry and Jane Dummer Sewall. He was born at Bishop Stoke, Hampshire, England, March 28, 1652. He came to Newbury, New England, with his mother in 1661, and was placed under the tuition of Rev. Thomas Parker, with whom he continued six years, until his admission to Harvard College. He graduated in 1671, and received the degree of Master of Arts in 1674. He was married Feb. 25, 1675-6, by Governor Bradstreet, to Miss Hannah Hull, daughter and sole heir of John Hull, Esq., a goldsmith and merchant of Boston. In 1652, and for several years afterward, Mr. Hull was master of the mint in the colony. He coined the celebrated New England six- pences and shillings, and acquired great wealth.


Samuel Sewall was chosen one of the assistants of the council in 1684, 1685, and 1686. He was a member of the Boston Artillery Company, and was elected captain in May, 1686. In his diary, under date of June 11, 1686, he wrote as follows : -


Waited on the Council, took the oath of allegiance and rec'd my new commission for Capt. Was before at a privat Fast at Deacon Allen's : so Capt. Hutchinson and I went about 5 o'clock and all the rest were sworn, Capt. Hutchinson at present refuses. I read the Oath myself holding the book in my Left hand, and holding up my Right Hand to Heaven.


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SAMUEL SEWALL


The editor of the Diary, in a foot-note, says,


This matter of holding up the hand in taking an oath, as opposed to the English custom of holding up the Bible or kissing it, became very soon one of the trivial but irritating questions in dispute between the colonists and the Andros faction.


Judge Sewall says, under date of April 25, 1688 :-


I went to Govr Bradstreet to enquire about the custom of swearing in New England : He told me that of lifting up the Hand had been the Ceremony from the begining; that He and Some others did so swear on board the ship 1630, and that he never knew an Oath admin- istered any other way after he came on Shoar.


Some of the items noted in the Diary and Letter Book have a peculiar local interest. The following paragraph, re- lating to the navigation of Plum Island River, will be appre- ciated by those who have had the misfortune to fall aground at Sandy beach when the tide has just begun to ebb : -


April 5, 1691, at night, about 12 or I, set sail in the Prudent Mary, Bark, Daniel Lunt master, for Newbury; sail'd through Squam, so to Ipswich Bar and Newbury Sound. Mrs. Hannah Moody and Jane Toppan with me: fell aground at Sandy Beach an hour by Sun, April 6th.


March 28, 1723, Judge Sewall wrote to Mr. John Boydell in London, private secretary to Governor Shute, as follows : -


Mr. Daniel Rogers of Ipswich, Justice of Peace, and Register to Col. Appleton, left his life something tragically the last winter. He went from home on Friday the last of November, to Hampton: and was returning on Saturday the first of Dcember; Dined with Mr. Cush- ing of Salisbury; and then proceeded in his Journey towards Newbury : but went out of his way to the left hand, and went down to the Sea : and was maroond and bewilder'd upon the Beach and Marishes, and at last benighted. That Saturday night there was a great Gust of wind with Snow and Hail, whereby a vessel in Merrimack River was driven down : Her Anchors Could not hold her. But near a ledge of Rocks, on Salis- bury side, called the Black Rocks, the Anchors held again. They put out two Anchors in the Stern; and 'tis conjectured Mr. Rogers saw the Light, and attempted to wade over Black Rock Cove, to get to it: but


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he sunk fast, and the rising Tide overwhelm'd and drowned him. Though his Horse and Cane were found, and hundreds sought after him, yet he was not found till January 14th by a Guner accidentally. He was then conveyed to Ipswich, and there buried with his honorable ancestors, much lamented (Letter Book, volume 2, page 147).


Under the provincial charter granted in 1691, Samuel Sewall was nominated for the council, and was annually chosen until 1725, when he declined to serve longer. As one of the assistants, under the colonial charter, he was also, ex officio, a judge of the superior court. In 1692, under the provincial charter, he was appointed one of the judges of a special court for the trial of persons charged with witch- craft. Nineteen persons were at different times tried, con- demned, and executed.


Judge Sewall soon became convinced that innocent men and women had been unjustly accused and condemned, and often expressed deep regret, penitence, and humiliation for the part he had taken in causing them to suffer the extreme penalty of the law. At a public fast, Jan. 14, 1696-7, he presented to Rev. Mr. Willard, his minister, a note which was read to the congregation assembled in the Old South Church, Boston, he standing up while Mr. Willard read it, and bowing in token of assent when he had done. The note is printed in full in the Diary, and reads as follows : -


Copy of the Bill I put up on the Fast Day : giving it to Mr. Willard as he pass'd by, and standing up at the reading of it, and bowing when finished; in the Afternoon.


Samuel Sewall, sensible of the reiterated strokes of God upon him- self and family : and being sensible, that as to the Guilt contracted upon the opening of the late Comission of Oyer and Terminer at Salem (to which the order for this Day relates) he is, upon many accounts, more concerned than any that he knows of, Desires to take the Blame and shame of it; Asking pardon of men, And especially desiring prayers that God, who has an Unlimited Authority, would pardon that sin, and all other his sins, personal and Relative: And according to his infinite Benignity, and Sovereignty, Not visit the sin of him, or any other upon himself or any of his, nor upon the Land: But that he would power- fully defend him against all Temptations to Sin, for the future, and vouchsafe him the efficacious, saving Conduct of his Word and Spirit.


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Although he condemned himself in this public manner for sins committed, he still retained the confidence of his friends and associates. Under the provincial charter he was chosen Dec. 6, 1692, one of the judges of the superior court. In 1718, he was appointed chief justice of the province, and retained his seat on the bench until 1728.


In his diary he wrote,


Decr 30, 1702, I was weigh'd in Col. Byfield's Scales : weight One Hundred One Half One Quarter wanting 3 pounds, i.e., 193 Pounds Net. Col. Byfield weighed Sixty three pounds more than I : had only my close coat on. The Lord add or take away from this our corporeal weight, so as shall be most advantageous for our Spiritual Growth. July 31, 1721 (In Margin) I weighed 228{ p cous. Sam1 Sewall's Scales.


His first wife died Oct. 19, 1717. For his second wife he married, Oct. 29, 1719, Abigail, daughter of Jacob Melyen, who had been married twice before; namely, to James Woodmansey and William Tilley. She died May 26, 1720. A year later, while he was still a widower, he wrote the following letter to Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, of Hartford, Conn., dated June 1, 1721 :-


I remember when I was going from school at Newbury, I have some- times met your Sisters, Martha and Mary, at the end of Mrs. Noyes's Lane, coming from their Schoole at Chandler's Lane, in their Hanging Sleeves : and have had the pleasure of Speaking with them: and I could find in my heart to speak with Mrs. Martha again, now I myself am reduc'd to my Hanging Sleeves. The truth is, I have little occasion for a Wife, but for the sake of Modesty and to cherish me in my ad- vanced years' (I was born March 28, 1652) Methinks I could venture to lay my Weary head in her Lap, if it might be brought to pass upon Honest Conditions. You know your Sister's Age, and Disposition, and Circumstances, better than I doe. I should be glad of your Advice in my Fluctuations. S. S.


Mrs. Noyes' Lane is now Parker Street, Newbury ; and Chandler's Lane is Federal Street, Newburyport.


Hanging sleeves were made to be put on and taken off as a separate article of dress. They were usually suspended from the shoulder, and often trimmed with lace and ribbon. They


PEABODY LIBRARY SAMUEL SEWALL. PE ABODY, MAS S.


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SAMUEL SEWALL


were worn by both men and women as ornamental over-sleeves. Alice Morse Earle, describing the costume of colonial times, says the words were used to designate the dress of a child ; and, in the above letter, Judge Sewall undoubtedly intends to convey the idea of second childhood by the phrase " now I myself am reduc'd to my Hanging Sleeves." According to this usage, a girl " still in hanging sleeves " was a mere child, dependent upon others for the comforts and enjoyments of life.


What answer Rev. Timothy Woodbridge returned to this letter, or how his sister Martha, daughter of Rev. John Woodbridge and widow of Samuel Ruggles, received the message, if it was communicated to her, is uncertain. Evi- dently, the negotiations were unsatisfactory; for Samuel Sewall married for his third wife, March 29, 1722, Mary, daughter of Henry Shrimpton, and widow of Robert Gibbs. He had no children by the last two wives.


For more than thirty years Samuel Sewall was a member of the council. He was urged to serve longer, but declined on account of ill-health. His letter of declination reads as follows : -


To the Honble William Dumer Esq. &c. and to the Honble the Council.


JUNE, 4th 1725.


May It Please Your Honour,-


I was yesterday surprised with the great and undeserved Respect shewed me by your Honr and the Honble Board, in calling me to Coun- cil by the honble William Tailer Esq", Benjamin Lynde Esq., and Ad- dington Davenport Esqr. And forasmuch as I am unable to Come, I esteemed it my bounden Duty to send my Answer in Writing.


I have under the present charter served this Province Three and Thirty years, I hope, faithfully. I pray God pardon my Unfaithfull- ness. I have been elected Three and Thirty Times: I cannot but wonder at the Constancy of the Electors !


This year, a Time of War. I find myself under an insuperable Indis- position to serve, especially considering my enfeebled state of Health ; the other publick Employments lying upon me, and very weighty Busi- ness of a more personal concern necessarily requiring my diligent Atten- tion. I therefore humbly pray that my Recess may be taken in good part ; and that my seeking the Shade. in my weary Circumstances may




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