Ould Newbury: historical and biographical sketches, Part 25

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 25


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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HOUSE AT INDIAN HILL.


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INDIAN HILL


His daughter, Alice Poores, born at Indian Hill Aug. 27, 1854, married Frederick Strong Moseley, of Newburyport, Sept. 29, 1880. She died at Indian Hill July 12, 1883, leaving one son, Ben : Perley Poore Moseley, born at Indian Hill Aug. 20, 1881.


Ben : Perley Poore died in Washington, D. C., May 30, 1887, and was buried in West Newbury, near his own home and the home of his ancestors. His will, dated Oct. 29, 1884, and proved July 5, 1887, placed the house and farm in trust for the use and benefit of his wife, Virginia Dodge Poore, during her life, and at her decease provided for the transfer of the property, on certain specified conditions, to his grandson, Ben : Perley Poore Moseley. These conditions were not complied with ; but early in the year 1894 a deed, signed by Mrs. Poore and other legatees under the will, con- veyed the estate to Frederick Strong Moseley, who is now the sole owner of Indian Hill Farm.


Mrs. Virginia Dodge Poore died in Washington, D. C., March 10, 1894, and was buried in West Newbury, Mass., by the side of her husband and daughters.


The house, repaired and remodeled by Benjamin Poore6 in 1832, was originally a plain wooden structure with a heavy oak frame, low ceilings, and a steep pointed roof, without any special architectural beauty ; but stone towers and turrets have been added from time to time until it is now one of the most notable and picturesque residences in New England. The main hall opens upon a porch, or veranda, overrun with honeysuckle, clematis, and other climbing vines. An- cestral portraits, ancient armor, swords, battle-axes, shields, helmets, and spears hang upon the walls. On one side are cheerful and attractive parlors. On the other is the dining- room, where distinguished guests, prominent in social and political life, have been entertained. The continental rooms, in the rear of the hall, fitted and furnished with cooking utensils and household furniture in common use two cen- turies ago, are surprisingly realistic and unique. Constructed from materials that once formed a part of some of the


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OULD NEWBURY


famous historic buildings of Massachusetts,- a staircase from the Tracy house, Newburyport, wainscoting from the residence of Governor Hancock, an elaborate mantelpiece from the old Province House, Boston,-they now serve as an appropriate repository for a large collection of interest- ing relics and souvenirs. In one room, old-fashioned fire- arms, powder-horns, cutlasses, bows and arrows, and Indian relics of every description are displayed; while in other apartments rich and rare specimens of antique furniture, pewter ware and old china, gathered from famous New Eng- land homes, reveal to the student of history a glimpse of the comforts and luxuries of the old colonial days.


KLABODY LIBRARY 1852 PE ABODY', MAS S.


THE SAWYER HOUSE.


In outward appearance this old house has not been mate- rially changed or modified for more than a century. Altera- tions and improvements have not marred its proportions or destroyed its individuality. It has been permitted to grow old, gracefully and modestly, without effort to adapt it to the wants of modern civilization. It is one of the best speci- mens of early New England architecture to be found in this vicinity. It stands facing the south, with a low, slanting roof and quaint windows in the rear looking out upon the road that leads from "the plains," in Newburyport, to Cur- zon's mills at the mouth of the Artichoke River. It is now unoccupied and sadly out of repair.


It is impossible to say with certainty just when this house was built, but evidently it was in existence previous to 1696 ; for Zachariah Ayer sold to Shubael Long Oct. 24, 1696, seven acres of land in Newbury, with house, barn, etc., thereon, bounded on the north by the way to Stephen Emery's mill, on the south by land he had previously sold to Thomas Follansbee, and on the east and west by common or undivided land. This property was bought by Zachariah Ayer of John Kent ; but no record of that deed can be found, and the date of transfer is therefore uncertain (Essex Regis- try of Deeds, book 12, page 86).


July 9, 1707, Shubael Long, of Newbury, sold to Josiah Sawyer, of Newbury, seven acres of land in Newbury, with buildings thereon, bounded on the north by road to the mill, on the south by land of John Sawyer, and on the east and west by common or undivided land (book 26, page 190).


On the map of the West Parish of Newbury, drawn by John Brown and dated Sept. 15, 1729, the house described in


THE SAWYER HOUSE.


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THE SAWYER HOUSE


the above conveyance is marked No. 23; and in the list of owners, on the margin of the map, the name of Josiah Sawyer appears opposite that number. He owned and occupied the house for nearly half a century, and bought other land in that vicinity (book 48, page 59).


William Sawyer, who was the first of that name to settle in Newbury, was his paternal ancestor ; and Samuel, son of William and Ruth Sawyer, born Nov. 22, 1646, was his father. Samuel Sawyer married, March 13, 1671, Mary, daughter of John Emery. They had several children, among them Josiah, born January 20, 1681. Josiah Sawyer married, Jan. 22, 1708, Tirzah, daughter of Thomas Bartlett. They had the following named children : -


Josiah, born April 12, 1709. Moses, born Feb. 21, 17II. Tirza, born Nov. 7, 1713. Israel, born Oct. 9, 1717. Gideon, born Dec. 15, 1719. James, born May 12, 1722.


The will of Josiah Sawyer, dated June 25, 1755, and proved May 3, 1756, mentions sons Josiah and Gideon, and makes son Moses executor and residuary devisee of the estate. The will also mentions " daughter Tirza, wife of Reuben French, of Salisbury." The other children were probably not living at that date.


Moses Sawyer, residuary devisee under the will of his father, retained possession of the homestead until his death. In the settlement of his estate his widow, Hannah Sawyer, was appointed administratrix Oct. 26, 1778; and two years later (in 1780) one-half of the house, with about eighteen acres of land " on the road to Bagley's Mill," was assigned to Hannah Sawyer for dower, and the other half of the house was set off to her son, Joseph Sawyer. In 1802, the dower assigned to the widow Hannah Sawyer was divided ; and that portion of the house and land belonging to her was awarded to her son Joseph, who then became owner of the entire estate, which is described in the records at that date as " bounded on the north by the road to Peck's Mill."


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Joseph Sawyer died April 22, 1831. His will, dated Oct. 26, 1826, and proved the last Tuesday in June, 1831, gave to his wife Nancy the use of all his real estate during her life, and at her decease two-thirds of the property to his brother, Thomas Sawyer, and one-third to his sister, Hannah Little, for her life, and after her death to her daughters, Hannah Little, Judith Little, Caroline Little, and Harriet Little. Nancy Sawyer was appointed executrix of her hus- band's will, and under license from the court sold, July 31, 1832, the house and land to William Cutter Crockett (book 304, page 112) ; and on the same day the property was recon- veyed to her. She married, Nov. 6, 1832, Timothy Pender- gast, and removed to New Market, N. H.


June 26, 1839, Thomas Sawyer, of Corinth, Vt., sold to Hannah Little, of Newbury, all his right and interest in the property (book 960, page 33) ; and March 30, 1872, Nancy Pendergast, of New Market, N. H., sold her right and inter- est to Richard Roberts, of Newbury (book 898, page 239).


May 12, 1873, Richard Roberts conveyed the property to Dennis Donahue (book 898, page 239).


July 24, 1877, Nathaniel Pierce, administrator of the estate of Hannah Little, released to Dennis Donahue all claim upon the land and buildings (book 983, page 241).


Sept. 13, 1892, Dennis Donahue sold the property to Daniel M. Davis (book 1356, page 470).


Dec. 5, 1892, Daniel M. Davis conveyed to Frederick S. Moseley the house and land above described (book 1363, page 279).


When one-half this house, the eastern barn, one-half of the well, and about eighteen acres of land were set off to Hannah Sawyer, widow of Moses Sawyer, and the other half of the house and well, with the remainder of the land and the barn and buildings thereon, were assigned to her son, Joseph Sawyer, it became necessary to add two or three rooms to the house, with a separate cellar, for the accommodation of the occupants. The old chimney was made to serve two


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THE SAWYER HOUSE


families by the addition of a new flue on the northerly side, extending from the cellar to the top of the main chimney, as shown in the half-tone print accompanying this sketch. A smaller but quite substantial chimney was also provided for the new rooms on the extreme westerly end.


The style and finish of the house is exceedingly plain and simple. The interior is arranged with an eye to com- fort as well as convenience, with many quaint old closets and cupboards in odd, out-of-the-way corners. Heavy beams, unpainted and brown with age, project from the walls and ceilings ; and large, open fireplaces seem abundantly able to light and heat the rude and scantily furnished rooms.


But the most picturesque and attractive feature of this old house is the low, slanting roof, with rafters on the northerly side extending from the ridge pole almost to the ground. Houses similar in style of architecture and workmanship were not uncommon in New England a century ago, but they are rapidly disappearing. This one, especially noticeable for its distinctive peculiarities and typical character, is worthy of a place among the notable houses of "Ould Newbury."


BURYING GROUND AT SAWYER'S HILL.


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THE BURYING GROUND AT SAWYER'S HILL.


The history of this old burying ground is somewhat vague and uncertain. It is intimately associated with the organiza- tion of the second church in Newbury, now the first in West Newbury. The incidents of the long struggle that finally culminated in the building of a new meeting-house at the west end of the town are interesting and suggestive.


It appears that early in 1685 a petition was presented to the inhabitants of Newbury, asking that a more convenient place of worship may be provided for the use of those living at a great distance from the old meeting-house. The reply to this petition was not satisfactory ; and after some delay a building suitable for the purpose was erected by sixteen persons, at their own expense, in the vicinity of " the plains."


In an old memorandum book, Richard Bartlett states that " he bought boards and shingles and nails for the meeting- house," under the date 1689; and it is probable that the building was erected during that year. March 1I, 1690, a committee, consisting of fifteen persons from the west end, were present at a meeting of the town, and made a strong appeal for aid and assistance, saying, " It is well known how far we have proceeded as to a meeting-house," and proposing that two ministers should be employed at the public expense, one to preach at the east end of the town, and the other at the west end; or, if the majority should be unwilling to consent to this plan, that liberty be given the west end people to employ a minister at their own charge.


In the absence of any definite vote upon this question, an effort was made in 1691 to engage the services of Mr. Edward Thompson as minister at the plains by a number of persons living in that neighborhood. The town objected, and


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on the 14th of July "did by vote manifest their dislike against it, or against any other minister whom they should call, until ye church and towne are agreed upon it, looking upon such a thing to be an intrusion upon ye church and towne."


Anxious to secure for themselves and their families the privileges of religious worship, and realizing that some de- cided step must be taken to accomplish that result, several of the inhabitants of the west end of the town petitioned the General Court "to be established a people by themselves for the maintenance of the ministry among them." To this petition the town made serious objection, and appointed a committee to prepare an answer remonstrating against the proposed division.


During the year 1692, the struggle between the two fac- tions continued unabated, each side asserting its rights and striving to maintain its position. May 12, 1693, the " towne voted that Mr. John Clarke be called to assist Mr. Richard- son in the work of the ministry at the west end of the towne, to preach to them one year in order to farther settlement, and also to keep a grammar schoole." In a petition to the General Court, dated May 31, 1693, the selectmen of Newbury state that a difference exists " be- tween the people of Newbury and those in the west end of the town about calling a minister ; that the west end people had called Mr. Edward Thompson to preach to them without acquainting the minister, church, or towne with their pro- ceedings in that affair, the which when our town did under- stand that they were about to bring him into town, the town being met to consider of it by their vote did declare that they were against his coming, or any other until the church and towne were agreed. Yet they persisted in their design, and brought him in, and when he was come in our minister warned him to forbear preaching till the church and town were agreed; yet he presumed to set up a lecture, and preach without any allowance of ministers, church, or town, which when the church did understand they did call him to account, and declared their dislike of his irregular proceeding.


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BURYING GROUND AT SAWYER'S HILL


Yet he hath persisted in these irregularities to the great dis- turbance of our peace, and since upon the request of severall' of the inhabitants of the west end of our towne, called another minister, Mr. John Clark, who hath accepted of the call ; and yet there are severall who refuse to accept of him, pretending they are bound to said Thompson, which agree- ment they made when the rest of their neighbors were about to make application to the town, which was since the late law was made to direct the town to call the minister."


In reply to this petition a committee of west end people appeal to the governor and council for help, and say :-


We have been endeavoring above these five years to have the public worship of God established among us on the Lord's day for reasons such as these. The bulk of us live four miles from the ould meeting house ; some, six or seven. Our number is above three hundred. Few of us have horses; and, if we could get down to the ould meeting house, it is impossible it should receive us with them, so that many (would) lay out of doors, the house is so little. Some of us have groaned under this burden this thirty years, some grown old, some sickly, and although we were favored with the liberty granted by King James the Second, and had erected an house to the worship of God on our own cost and charge, and acquainted the two next justices with our intent before we built the said house. A committee of five were appointed to come on the place ; but before they had finished their work the governor arrived, which caused them to desist. We complained to the governor, who granted us protection from paying to the ould meeting house, then counter- manded it. The town had a meeting,-they intend to delude us by granting the help of a schoolmaster at sometimes for one yeare. We believe our neighbors would be glad to see us quite tired out. We beg the honorable court to establish peace among us and a rational dividing line.


Rev. John Clark having declined the call to preach at the west end, the town invited Rev. Christopher Toppan to ac- cept the position for one year. This arrangement, however, was not satisfactory ; and Sept. 5, 1694, a committee, consist- ing of Joshua Brown, John Ordway, and Samuel Bartlett, petitioned the General Court in behalf of the company that had erected a meeting-house at their own expense, and supplied themselves with a minister, requesting the hon-


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orable court " to take some effectual care for the relief of the petitioners and for the quiet of the whole town, the peace whereof is now so dangerously interrupted."


Finding it impossible to continue the struggle with any prospect of success, the freemen of the town came together, and wisely concluded to accept the inevitable. Dec. 21, 1694, a committee of five was appointed "to draw up articles and proposals in order to setting off part of the west end of the towne " as a separate parish ; and Jan. 1, 1695, the town voted " that Pipe Stave Hill, near Daniel Jaques' house, shall be the place for the meeting house, and those that live nearest to that place shall pay to the ministry there, and those that live nearest to the old meeting house shall pay there, the inhabitants at the west end to choose a minister for themselves, only Mr. Thompson excepted. The meeting house to stand where it do until the major part of them see cause to remove it." In December of the same year the town, at the request of the inhabitants of the west end, " granted them five acres of land on the east side of Arti- choke river for a pasture for the ministry and one acre of land near the west meeting house, and when the major part shall see cause to remove the said meeting house, the land shall be at the disposal of the towne to procure land for the ministry, near the west meeting house, when removed."


Apparently, the controversy was ended. Quiet was re- stored, and for ten or fifteen years at least the peace of the community was undisturbed. The quarrels and dissensions that came at a later date, with the incidents that led to the building of Queen Anne's Chapel, are briefly described in the following sketch.


In the absence of any definite action on the part of the town to establish a burying ground at the west end, it is reasonable to suppose that the new parish would take such steps as might be necessary to supply the deficiency. In the grant of land from the town of Newbury, dated Dec. 18, · 1695, there is " one acre near the west meeting house " that the parish may have appropriated and used for burial pur-


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BURYING GROUND AT SAWYER'S HILL


poses, and afterward enclosed with a suitable stone wall in compliance with the following votes : -


March 25, 1707-8, the parish voted yt ye burying place of about an acre of land shall be fenced in with a stone wall, and allso a sufficient gate.


March 22, 1708-9, Voted that it should be left to the discretion of the Commee to fence in the burying place either with board fence or stone wall.


These votes, taken from the records of the West Parish church, now the First Parish of West Newbury, clearly indi- cate that a burial place, under the control of the parish, was in existence at that date; and tradition asserts that it was then, and has been ever since, known as the Sawyer Hill burying ground. At the present time there is a substantial stone wall about the place, with two large gates for the con- venience of those who desire to enter the enclosure. It is within the limits of what is now the city of Newburyport, nearly three miles away from the centre of population, on the road leading to Curzon's mill. In this quiet and retired spot are buried Rev. Moses Hale, one of the first pastors of the West Parish church, Colonel Moses Little, an officer in the Revolutionary army, and also representatives of the Emery, Sawyer, Poore, Moody, Merrill, Curzon, and other families of prominence in that neighborhood.


Most of the graves are marked by headstones, but many of the inscriptions upon them cannot now be deciphered. It is, therefore, impossible to give the date of the first inter- ment with accuracy. The oldest stone marks the grave of Mrs. Hannah Bartlett, who died May 1, 1705. Her son Stephen was the father of Josiah Bartlett, who was the first to vote for, and the second to sign, the Declaration of Independence.


QUEEN ANNE'S CHAPEL AND BELLEVILLE CEMETERY.


In 1693, the law relating to the settlement and support of ministers was amended by the General Court ; and the ma- jority in any church, legally established, in any town in the province were authorized to elect a pastor, "and all the in- habitants and rateable estates lying within such town, or part of a town or place limited by law," were made taxable for the maintenance of public worship.


After the long and fierce struggle which resulted in the formation of a new parish at the west end of the town of Newbury a committee was appointed at the first meeting of the parish, recorded Dec. 24, 1695, "to build and Repair ye West meeting house and to build and repair ye ministry house." From subsequent votes it is evident that the meet- ing-house then standing on the plains, erected at the expense of a few individuals residing in that vicinity, was enlarged, repaired, and made ready for service. July 24, 1696, the parish voted "to confirm Rev. Samuel Belcher in the work of the ministry among us." He was then residing in the parish, and continued to officiate as minister, although he was not regularly ordained and settled as pastor of the church until the last Wednesday in October, 1698.


For a time affairs moved along quietly and peaceably, but at length a determined effort was made to secure the removal of the meeting-house. Jan. 15, 1705-6, "it was voted that the inhabitants should either remove the meeting house and build an addition to it, or else build a new meeting house and get it upon some convenient place where they can procure or purchase land." A few weeks later, the records of the parish state, under date of Feb. 28, 1705-6, that


QUEEN ANNE'S CIIAPEL AND BELLEVILLE CEMETERY 369


It was voted that ye inhabitants of ye west end of the Town of New- bury will build a new meeting house of fifty-four feet in length and thirty-four feet in breadth. And sett ye sd house upon Pipestave hill att ye westerly corner of Francis Willet his Lott. And to choose a com- mitty to agree with a man or men to build and finish said house fitt to meet in for the publick worship within ye space of five years att ye farthest. And to meet in the old meeting-house five years. Not to force any person to pay any money or pay untill three years be expired. And then to pay one quarter part yearly of ye charg yt shall be agreed upon for building sª house untill ye whole be paid.


A large number of the inhabitants living in the vicinity of the old meeting-house protested against the adoption of this vote; but the majority of the parish were determined to assert their legal rights, and persistently refused to make any concessions to the minority. After the expiration of three years, work was commenced on the new building. Judge Sewall, in his diary, under date of May 10, 1709, says that he " visited cousin Jacob Toppan and laid a stone in the foundation of ye meeting house at Pipe Staff hill."


At a meeting of the inhabitants of the West Parish July 29, 1709, it was " voted yt the present assessors shall forth with take an invyce of ye inhabitants, and make a Rate of eighty pounds, one third part in money & two thirds as money, for defraying part of ye charg for building & finishing ye meeting house now standing upon pipe Stave hill." July 17, 1710, the parish voted to levy a tax of £400 in part payment of the charges incurred in building the "meeting house and ministry house " ; and Dec. 7, 171I, another levy of £100 was made for the same purpose. The minority, who had opposed the removal of the meeting-house, stoutly resisted the payment of these taxes. In some instances their lands and household goods were forcibly taken and sold ; but afterward, by order of the General Court, the collector of the parish was instructed to return " the goods and chattels that he had taken by distress."


At a meeting held April 19, 1711, " it was voted to choose a committee of three men to sell & dispose of ye ministry house that Mr. Belcher now dwells in and ye Barn & ye land thereunto belonging, to purchase land for ye further enlarge-


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ment of the Personage att Pipe Stave hill. And allso to take the seates and boards & Glass out of ye old Meeting house to be improved in the New meeting house. And allso to remove the old meeting house & sett it up att Pipe Stave hill to be improved for a Barn for the ministry in convenient time. ... Sergt Joseph Pike, Sergt Jacob Tappan & William Morse were chosen a committee for the above purpose."


In the Essex Registry for Deeds, volume 31, page 56, the following conveyance, dated May 29, 1711, is recorded : -


Jacob Tappan, jr., Joseph Pike & William Morse, all of Newbury, being a committee chosen by the inhabitants of ye West Precinct in Newbury aforesaid to dispose & Sell ye personage House & barn & acre of land as it was granted by ye sd Town as it is now fenced in New- bury in the West precinct where ye Reverend Mr Belcher now dwells, for £60 in currant money & convey to John Sawyer, jr., tailor, of New- bury (the money to be disposed of for ye vse of ye West precinct Inhabitants towards ye Settlemt of ye ministry vpon Pipe Staff Hill in sd Newbury), " All that Personage House ye Reverend Mr Samuel Belcher now dwells in, As Also ye Psonages Barn Adjoining to ye sd House, As Also that acre of Land, be the same more or less, as it was granted by ye Town of Newbury And as ye ffence now Standeth abovt sd Land And it is bounded by ye comon lands in Sª Newbury on every side, ye sd Dwelling house and ye Sd Barn now Standing by or vpon ye sª Land."




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