USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Newbury > Ould Newbury: historical and biographical sketches > Part 8
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From the year 1665 to 1670 inclusive the town was greatly disturbed and agitated by the controversy in regard to church government and discipline between the Rev. Thomas Parker and some of his parishioners, under the lead of Mr. Edward Woodman. The details of this fierce eccle- siastical struggle are given in Coffin's History of Newbury, pages 72-112.
While this contest was raging in Newbury, members of the Church of England, Quakers, and Anabaptists, residing elsewhere in the colony, were denied their rights and privi- leges, and prohibited from worshipping God according to the dictates of conscience.
In 1665, Charles II., King of England, appointed a board of commissioners, consisting of Colonel Richard Nichols, Sir Robert Carr, Knt., George Cartwright, Esq., and Samuel Mavericke, Esq., to confer and consult with the inhabitants of the colony with reference to these proceedings. These commissioners were instructed to demand in the name of the king the correction of many abuses of which complaint had been made, and especially to insist
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That such who desire to vse the Booke of Comon Prayer may be per- mitted to doe so wthout incurring any penalty, reproach, or disadvantage in his interest, it being very scandalous that any persons should be de- barred the exercise of his religion according to the lawes & custome of England, by those who, by the indulgence granted, haue liberty left to be what profession in religion they please.
In a word, that persons of good & honest conversations, who haue liued long there, may enjoy all the priūledges, ecclesiastical & civil. which are due to them, and which are enjoyed by others, as to choose & be chosen into places of government & the like, & that differences in opinion doe not lessen their charity to each other, since charity is a fundamentall in religion.
The commissioners presented their instructions to the governor and the deputies assembled in Boston in the month of May, 1665 ; and Edward Rawson, formerly town clerk of Newbury, but now secretary of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, was ordered to prepare a reply in defence of the laws established by the Great and General Court.
The commissioners were ultimately defeated in their efforts to regulate and control the policy of the colonial govern- ment, and after a long and weary contest returned to Eng- land, disappointed and discouraged ; but the discussion of the question undoubtedly strengthened the convictions and en- couraged the inhabitants of the West Parish of Newbury to take a decisive step, and assert, some years later, their right to establish and maintain public worship according to the ritual of the Church of England.
Hugh March's tavern, the Ilsley house, John Spencer's estate, and the residences of Abraham Toppan, Tristram Coffin, and the Rev. James Noyes, are described elsewhere in this book, and therefore do not require further notice here. On the north-easterly side of Noyes' Lane, or South Street, formerly stood the house where Henry Sewall lived and died. There Samuel Sewall, during his boyhood, pursued his studies under the direction of the Rev. Thomas Parker, who resided in the Noyes house across the way. The land connected with this estate extended to the high road, as indicated by the dotted lines on the map.
The original grant to Henry Travers, in 1645, copied from the Proprietors' Records, reads as follows : -
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In consideration of Henry Travers receiving a house lot at the new town on South Street and Merrimack, he resigned up into the Town's hand his house lot at the old town upon the little hill.
In his will, dated July 26, 1648, Henry Travers says : -
Having occasion to go to sea and know not whether I shall live to come again, I do by this present declare my last will and testament as followeth: to my Son James my house' and half acre lot and my four acre lot at New town and my division land and my eight acres of salt marsh, etc.
Evidently, Henry Travers did not return to Newbury. His will was probated, and an inventory of his estate taken July 15, 1659. " A house and four acres of land with the orchard and eight acres of marsh land and eight acres of divident land with privelege of commonage " are mentioned in the appraisal.
Oct. 1, 1659, Richard Window, of Gloucester, and his wife Bridget, widow and executrix of Henry Travers, deceased, conveyed to Nicholas Wallington, of Newbury, "four acres, formerly land of said Travers, bounded with the street going to Merrimack on the east, and the South Street on the South, and Richard Brown's land on the west, and Tristram Coffin's on the north, with the house thereon " (Ipswich Deeds, book 2, leaf 12 (21).
Oct. 26, 1659, Nicholas Wallington, of Newbury, conveyed to John Browne, of Newbury, house and four acres of land, lately purchased of the executrix of Henry Travers, described as above (Ipswich Deeds, book 2, leaf 13 (24).
Nov. 7, 1660, John Browne, of Newbury, glazier, sold to Henry Sewall, of Newbury, gentleman, house and four acres of land in Newbury, formerly owned by Henry Travers, " bounded with the streets on the south and east, the land of Richard Browne on the west, and Tristram Coffin's land on ye north," also shop and new shop lately built and floored, etc. (Ipswich Deeds, book 2, page 16 (28).
Henry Sewall, in his will dated Aug. 17, 1678, gave to his wife, during her life, "the house new built which now I dwell in with 13 acres lying below the hill," and to his son Stephen during his natural life "two acres and an halfe of land (after
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the acre & halfe lying to my now dwelling house & above dis- posed of is measured out), be it more or less," etc., and to his son Samuel Sewall various estates in Coventry and Warwickshire counties, England, "and the house, barn, and land given to my wife, after her decease."
The Rev. John Woodbridge, whose house and farm were on the easterly side of the New Pond, came to New England in the ship "Mary and John" in 1634, in company with his uncle, the Rev. Thomas Parker. He was clerk of the town of Newbury from 1635 to 1638. In 1639 he married Mercy, daughter of Thomas Dudley, governor of the colony of Massachusetts Bay. In 1643 he was a schoolmaster in Boston, and afterward studied for the ministry, being or- dained at Andover Oct. 24, 1645. He returned to Eng- land with his wife and family in 1647, and remained there for sixteen years. In 1663 he came again to Newbury, and was made an assistant minister of the parish where his uncle, the Rev. Thomas Parker, officiated. On account of the troubles and dissensions in the church he did not long retain this office. He died Sunday, March 17, 1695. By the terms of his will, now on file in the Probate Office at Salem, Mass., he gave to his son Joseph "my dwelling house I now live in, together with the barn and all the outhouses of all kinds," and also certain other described parcels of land in Newbury.
On the southerly side of the green lived Robert Morse and Anthony Morse, Sr. Jan. 19, 1658, Robert Morse, tailor, sold to Amos Stickney, weaver, "all that house and three acres of land situate, lyeing and being in Newbury above- sayd, on the South of the trayneing greene : one acre, whereon the house, garden, and orchyard is Sittuate upon, is bounded with the land of Richard Brown on the South, the trayneing green on the North, the land of Anthony Morse, Sen'r, on the East, and the mill way on the West; the other two acres bounded with the land of Captain Gerrish on the South, Richard Brown's land on the East, the common on the North and West. Witness, Wm Thomas, Peeter Morse. Acknowl- edged March 25, 1662 " (Ipswich Deeds, book 2, page 81 (167).
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The " mill way " to which reference is made in the above deed was afterward extended to Rowley ; and for more than a century all the travel from Boston, Salem, and Ipswich came over Thorlay's Bridge, and thence by this road to New- bury. The mill was built by John Bishop, at Little River, near the place now known as the Four Rock Bridge. June 18, 1663, he sold to Peter Cheney "all the mill and mill house lately erected in Newbury, with the liberty of the town grant to me to sett it up as it now standeth upon the Little river, between the land of Nicholas Noyes on the south west and the land lately purchased by the towne of Capt. William Gerrish on the north east, with the stones, wheel, cog, trough, six mill bills, iron barr, the rope that puts up the stone, and a shop lately sett up neere to ye above said mill " (Ipswich Deeds, book 2, page 196 (361).
March 7, 1670, " Peter Cheney proposed to the town for half an acre of land on or about the little hill this side the mill, to build a wind mill upon to grind corn for the town when the water mill fails." This request was granted by the town " upon condition that he do build a good mill to answer the end proposed for, and so long as the mill is made and maintained for the said service, and no longer " (History of Newbury, page 89).
The meeting-house, the school-house, and the tavern were of great interest and importance to the early settlers of Newbury. In 1639 Anthony Somerby was granted four acres of upland " for his encouragement to keepe schoole for one yeare " at the Lower Green. After the removal of the meeting-house to the new town it became necessary to provide a competent school-teacher for that locality. May 14, 1653, the town ordered that a free school should be kept in the meeting-house; and the master was required "to teach all such inhabitants children as shall be sent to him as soon as they know their letters and begin to read." In 1658, "for want of a latin scoole," the inhabitants of Newbury were fined £5 "unles they by the next Court provyde a latin Scoole Master according to law." What answer was made to this order of the court is uncertain.
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The records of the town for several years preceding and subsequent to that date have been lost or destroyed, and only a few items recorded during those years can now be found.
In 1675 Henry Short was appointed schoolmaster at a salary of £5 for the first half-year and 6d. a week for every scholar. Nov. 22, 1678, "The selectmen proposed to the town whether they would continue to give twenty pounds a yeare out of the town rate to maintain the schoolmaster, and they voted in the affirmative."
April 13, 1680, it was voted that the town should pay out of the towne Rate twenty pounds for this yeare to Mr. Emerson for to keep schoole.
July 11, 1680, the records of the General Court contain the following : -
Answer to the peticion of seuerall inhabitants of Newbery, as Mr Jnº Woodbridge, Joseph Hills, Anthony Som'sby, Richd Dumer, & others, the Court Judgeth it meete to order & impower the Selectmen for the towne of Newbery, for the encouragement of learning & main- tenance of the schole master there, to take effectuall care to rayse, by way of rate on the inhabitants, the some of sixty pounds P anum to be ye Sallery of the Schoole Master there .- Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume 5, page 272.
Evidently, Mr. Emerson, taking advantage of this order of the court, declined to accept less than £60 a year for his services. In August, "the town voted upon Mr. Emerson's answere that they dismist him & had no further dependence on him to teach Schole in the Town."
Sept. 14, 1680, at a towne meeting Lieut. Woodman, Samuel Plumer, Thomas Hale, junior, & Robert Long chosen & sent by the Towne to Mr. Emerson to treat with him about keeping the schoole, who asked him whether he was under any agreement with the Towne for this yeare. Hee answered he was under no agreement with the Towne. Then being asked whether he would accept of twenty pounds a yeare from the Towne with the pay of the schollars, his answer was hee would not; then we asked him what would content him, his answer was three score pounds a yeare.
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We haueing made our Returne to the Towne concerning what is above expressed, The Towne sent us againe to Informe Mr. Emerson That the Town had dismist him and had no more dependance upon him for keeping Schoole, his answer was he would take no notice of it except wee brought the names of those that voted against him; then we answered him, It was voted twice; and the first time two held up their hands for him & in the last vote there was but one as wee could dis- cerne.
ARCHELAUS WOODMAN, ROBERT LONG, SAMUEL PLUMER, THOS : HALE, JUNR.
The General Court, under date of Oct. 13, 1680, or- dered : -
In answer to the peticon of Newbery, referring to the schoolmaster there, this Court doth order that Mr Emerson, present incumbent in said schoole, continew, upon the grant of this Court, vntill the next General Court, and that there may be further Consideration thereof, in case the towne be still vnsattisfied, and that the three score pounds ordered by this Court be pajd sajd Emerson accordingly.
Oct. 22, 1680, the town voted "that the bargaine which the Comittee hath made with Mr Baily to keep Schoole should stand and was approved of by the major pt of the Towne." It was also voted that Mr. Baily should keep school in the watch-house; and a committee of three was chosen to make a settlement with Mr. Emerson, if possible, "and report what they have done next lecture day after lecture."
Just how this troublesome question was finally settled is somewhat uncertain. The records of the town throw no ad- ditional light on the subject. The General Court, however, ordered May 11, 1681 : -
In ansr to the peticon of Nicholas Noyes, Samuel Plumer, etc., select- men of Newbery, humbly desiring that, being agreed, the late order for the payment of sixty pounds P anum to their then schoole master may be repealled, the Court judgeth it meet to grant the peticon.
Mr. Edward Tompson was probably the next schoolmaster in Newbury. In the list of town debts for the year 1684 is
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an item of £30 due " Mr. Edward Tomson for keeping school this year."
Mr. Seth Shove was undoubtedly employed as the successor of Mr. Tompson. In the Letter Book of Samuel Sewall, volume 1, page 49, is the following from
SAMUEL SEWALL TO JOHN RICHARDSON.
Sir,- I am informed p Mr. Emerson that Mr. Tomson hath a call to the South ward, which he inclines to; and Brother Gerrish being here to see his Father tells me that Newbury is like to be destitute as to a School master. Now there is an Orphan, one Seth Shove, who proceded Bachelour the last Commencement, who, I beleve, might be to accepta- tion Serviceable in that Kind. Wherefore, if you find Persons so far In- clinable to uphold a School in that Town, as that you may do it without prejudice to Yourself, Should Intreate you would Promote his being there, In which I hope you may pleasure the place, and Shew Kindnes to deceased Mr. Shove, whose worth I beleve you Knew. I am apt to think such an exercise may be an advantage to his studies, especially re- specting the tongues, as much as if he should live att Cambridge these three years, which doubt he will not find convenience for. He has liv'd in our house sundry years, and have found him a person of sobriety and Commendable behavior, and I hope going abroad will benefit him upon that account and qualify that modesty or whatever it be that might be a hindrance of good manners. ...
My service to yourself and Mrs. Richardson : To Mr. Woodbrigg, with whome, if you see caus, you may Communicate the busines of this Letter. Sir, your friend and servt
Above is copy of a Letter to Mr. Jnº Richardson P Brother Gerrish, dated July 15, 1687.
Oct. 18, 1687, the committee appointed by the town " agreed with Mr. Seth Shove to be ye lattin schoolmaster for ye town of Newbury for the present year." Nov. 2, 1687, Judge Sewall wrote to Richard Dummer, Esq., "for his Approbation as to Seth Shove's Teaching School at New- bury "; and Nov. 13, 1690, he wrote Mr. Seth Shove as follows : -
If you have named the selectmen to provide themselves of another Schoolmaster, send me word of it, and the time, by the first conveyance. If you have not yet done it, I would have you forbear doing it, till you
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hear further from me; Because I have an Intimation, as if Yarmouth people are universally desirous of injoying Mr. Jno. Cotton, of Pli- mouth, who supplied them in Mr. Thornton's absence. I have it only from one hand, and no notice from Mr. Thornton. If it prove so, I would not have you be discouraged. The Lord, I hope, will fit you for his work, and call you to it in the most convenient time and place .* S. S.
In May, 1691, the town voted to pay Mr. Seth Shove " thirty pounds for the year ensuing provided he will be our schoolmaster," etc. In 1693 Mr. John Clark was employed to assist the Rev. John Richardson in his work of the ministry, " and also to keep a grammar schoole." June 5, 1695, the town voted to give Mr. Christopher Toppan " thirty pounds a year so long as he shall keep a grammar and a Writing Schoole, the scholars to pay as they did to Mr. John Clarke."
July 29, 1696, the town offered Mr. Nicholas Webster £30 a year in country pay to keep a grammar school, " pro- vided he demand but four pence per week for Lattin scholars, and all the town's children come to him to read, write & cipher without pay."
In October, 1701, Mr. Richard Brown was engaged to assist in the ministry at the First Parish during the illness of the Rev. Christopher Toppan ; and July 2, 1702, the town "voted to give Mr. Richard Brown twenty pounds for his yearly salary, and to have fourpence a week for his Latin scholars."
The first innkeeper in the town of Newbury was Francis Plumer. He was licensed Sept. 3, 1635, by the General Court "to keep an ordinary." June 6, 1637, the court granted John Knight license " to keepe an ordinary and give intertainment to such as neede." May 22, 1639, " Edmond Greenlyf of Newberry is p'mited to keepe a house of inter- tainment." This license was evidently renewed from year to year until 1649, when he removed to Boston.
Dec. 26, 1647, George Carr was granted liberty to keep
* Letter Book, volume 1, page 112.
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the ferry over Merrimack River from the Salisbury side ; and Tristram Coffin, Sr., was granted the same privilege from the Newbury side, and was also allowed "to keep an ordi- nary and retayle wine." His house of entertainment was probably near the foot of Ferry Lane (now Jefferson Street), opposite Carr's Island.
After the year 1647 all questions relating to the keeping of houses of entertainment or licenses for the sale of strong drink were referred to the county courts for consideration and final settlement.
" Henry Somerby was licensed to keep an ordinary instead of Mr Greenleaf," in September, 1650. At that date Mr. Somerby probably occupied the house now known as the Coffin house. He died in 1652 ; and his widow married Tristram Coffin, Jr. At her decease the house came into the possession of Nathaniel Coffin, her youngest son by this second marriage ; and his descendants still own the property.
In 1653, Steven Swett was allowed to keep a place of public entertainment, and his license was annually renewed until the year 1667. He owned and occupied a comfortable dwelling-house on the westerly side of the high-road near the head of Muzzey's Lane (now Marlborough Street). This house was afterward purchased and remodeled by Hugh March, and was for many years liberally patronized by the travelling public .*
* For a more particular account of this famous hostelry the reader is referred to the sketch entitled " Blue Anchor Tavern."
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GRAVE OF REV. THOMAS PARKER, FIRST PARISH BURYING-GROUND, NEWBURY.
BURYING-GROUND OF THE FIRST PARISH IN NEWBURY.
When the inhabitants of Newbury removed from the old town to the new town in 1646, they erected a new meet- ing-house "on a knowle of upland by Abraham Toppan's barne." This land was originally granted and laid out to John Moulton, who subsequently conveyed it to Abraham Toppan. A record of this transfer was made in the Proprietors' Book. In 1660, a new place of worship was erected on the southerly or southeasterly side of this lot, and in 1700 still another house was built a few rods farther to the southeast. The house erected in 1700 was occupied until Jan. 25, 1868, when it was destroyed by fire, and dur- ing the year the present structure was built on the opposite side of the street.
The land under and adjoining the meeting-houses of 1646, 1660, and 1700, with subsequent purchases added thereto, now forms the burying-ground of the First Parish in New- bury. It contains about three acres. The first burials were made in a space not exceeding one hundred and twenty- five feet square in the northwest corner. Only a few of these early graves are marked by stones, and it is probable that nothing more than a simple mound of earth covered the last resting-place of many of the early settlers of the town.
In some cases, undoubtedly, the ancient monuments erected there have crumbled to decay and disappeared. The oldest stone within the enclosure marks the grave of Isaac Brown, who died "ye second day, third month of 1674." Others of a later date are much worn, and the inscriptions upon them can only be deciphered with great difficulty. The
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first ministers of the church in Newbury, and nearly all their successors in office down to the beginning of the present century, were buried there. Forty-five or fifty years ago some of the stones that stood at the head of these graves, becoming worn and dilapidated, were replaced by new ones of durable dark blue slate.
At the present time the tablets and monuments of this old graveyard bear the names of the following persons who have been regularly ordained and settled as ministers or teachers in the First Parish of Newbury : -
Rev. Thomas Parker, who died April 24, 1677.
Rev. James Noyes, who died Oct. 22, 1656.
Rev. John Woodbridge, who died March 17, 1695.
Rev. John Richardson, who died April 27, 1696.
Rev. Christopher Toppan, D.D., who died July 23, 1747.
Rev. John Tucker, D.D., who died March 22, 1792.
Rev. Abraham Moor, who died June 24, 1801.
Other prominent names found on tombstones now standing are as follows : -
Captain Paul White, who died in 1679.
Richard Dumer, who died in 1679.
Mrs. Frances Dumer, widow of Richard Dumer, who died in 1682.
Ann Ordway, wife of James Ordway, who died in 1687.
Henry Sewall, who died May 17, 1700.
Mrs. Jane Dummer Sewall, widow of Henry Sewall, who died in 1701. Col. Daniel Pierce, who died in 1704.
Tristram Coffin, Esq., who died in 1703-4.
Mrs. Judith Coffin, widow of Tristram Coffin, who died in 1705.
The town of Newbury granted April 25, 1655, "to Capt. Paul White a parcell of land, not exceeding half an acre, about Watts his cellar, for to make a dock, a wharf, and a warehouse." This grant was accepted by Captain White; and the dock, wharf, and warehouse were built by him the following year. He continued to own and occupy the prop- erty until his death, July 20, 1679.
The inscription on the stone that marks the grave of
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Henry Sewall and his wife, Jane Dummer Sewall, was un- doubtedly written by Judge Samuel Sewall, their eldest son, whose words of tenderness and affection spoken at the burial of his mother will be forever associated with this hallowed spot.
The following epitaph to Colonel Daniel Pierce gives him a superfluity of titles, but bears truthful testimony to his ability and faithfulness : -
Here lyes interred what was mortall of ye Honourable Collonal Daniel Pierce, Esqr, who having faithfully served his generation both in civill & military station fell asleep April ye 22ª 1704, aged 66.
Here lies interred a soul indeed, Whom few or none excelled. In grace if any him exceed, He'll be unparallelled.
On the tombstones of Tristram Coffin and his wife are the following inscriptions : -
To the memory of Tristram Coffin, Esq., who having served the first church of Newbury in the office of a Deacon 20 years died Feb. 4, 1703-4, aged 72 years.
On earth he pur-chas-ed a good degree, Great boldness in the faith and liberty, And now possesses immortality.
To the memory of Mrs. Judith, late uirtuous wife of Deac. Tristram Coffin, Esq", who having lived to see 177 of her children and children's children to the 3ª generation died Dec. 15, 1705, aged 80.
Graue, sober, faithful, fruitfull vine was she, A rare example of true piety. Widow'd awhile she wayted wisht for rest, With her dear husband in her Savior's brest.
Not far from these graves is a large freestone slab, on which the following epitaph is inscribed : -
Here lyes interred the body of the very Hon. William Partridge, Esq", who sustained the Government of New Hampshire for several years, and departed this life January 3ª 1728, & in the 75th year of his age.
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After the overthrow of Sir Edmund Andros as governor of the colony of Massachusetts Bay, the inhabitants of New Hampshire were greatly disturbed and irritated by conflicting claims to the ownership of lands within that province. William Partridge espoused their cause, and was urgently recommended as lieutenant-governor to the Lords of Trade in England. He was a native of Portsmouth, a shipwright of extraordinary mechanical ability, and a very popular man. He went to England, and returned with a commission dated June 6, 1696, appointing him lieutenant-governor and com- mander-in-chief of the province of New Hampshire in the absence of Governor Samuel Allen, who had not then arrived in America. He continued in this office under the adminis- tration of Richard, Earl of Bellemont, who came to New Hampshire in 1699 for a brief visit of eighteen days, and de- parted leaving the lieutenant-governor in control of public affairs. July 26, 1703, Partridge was superseded by John Usher, of Boston, who after a long struggle succeeded in obtaining a commission from the queen, appointing him lieu- tenant-governor. Partridge soon after removed to Newbury, Mass., where he spent the rest of his days in mercantile pur- suits. He had a son Richard, who was agent for the province in England, and a daughter, who married Jonathan Belcher, governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
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