USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Charlestown > Records of the First church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, 1632-1789 > Part 18
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This, the chief authority does not very definitely fix a day, and, as Ply- mouth then contained only seven dwellings [ Prince, p. 114] and the remain- der of all New-England searcely more, this celebration was hardly general, nor does it appear to have been particularly expressive of religion, an im- portant characteristic of the really New-England Thanksgiving, as feasting Indians may hardly be.
Other limited and local Thanksgivings appear to have occurred at Ply- mouth before 1630, but not before that date " through all the plantations," generally and concertedly, by groups of inhabitants, was such an observance : and not the least reason was because only in July, 1630, were there settle- ments and a people for it.
Before this July 8th. New-England was an almost unbroken wilderness beyond the limits of a few settlements scattered along the coast, the condi- tion of which will be mentioned after estimate of the population of Charles- town on that day.
This estimate may be begun with reference to Nathaniel Morton. who, in his " New England's Memorial " [Cambridge, 1669], records. under date of 1630 (p. 108 Congregational edition. 8vo .. Boston. 1855), that the great company of settlers just mentioned " came over with a fleet of ten ships, three of them arriving first at Salem. in which several of the chiefest of them came, who repaired, sundry of them. in some short time. into the bay of the Massachusetts ; the other seven ships arrived at Charlestown." The dates of these several arrivals do not appear in the " Memorial," but are given in the histories of Winthrop and of Hubbard. Prince also gives them (p. 210-11), from Hubbard (and app. to 1630) ; and a table from his account appears in Young's Mass. Chronicles (Gov. Dudley's letter, note p. 311) ; and in Drake's History of Boston, p. 88. This table shows that four vessels arrived later in the season. and two earlier-and all these six on other account than of the company just mentioned. The histories of Win- throp and of Hubbard definitely state that on or before June 18, the " Arbel-
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la " (admiral ship, 350 tous), the " JJewell," and the " Ambrose" arrived at Salem : and that on or before JJuly 5th, the " Mayflower" and the " Whale" arrived at Charlestown. Winthrop. after stating the arrival of these two vessels (Thursday, July 1). " safe in Charlton harbour," in the paragraph following states, also, " Friday 2. [July ] The Talbot arrived there." Hub- bard states the fact in the same relation and at the same date. Both the historians state that the " William and Francis " arrived July 3. but give no place. At the same date and without place, Winthrop states that the " Hopewell" arrived. Both state that the " Tryal" and ". Charles " arrived July 5th, the former at " Charlton," and the latter at Salem. according to Winthrop. Both state that the " Success " arrived July 6, but neither give the place. Thus it appears that four vessels of the fleet arrived at Salem aud four at Charlestown, and that the ports made by three are not certainly named by these two historiaus, who. unfortunately, do not appear to have been first-rate marine reporters. Their two accounts appear to corroborate Morton's statement about the fleet-that three of its vessels arrived first at Salem (in June), and other seven at Charlestown, viz .: the four definitely reported there, and the three indefinitely. Morton appears not to have counted an eleventh (named above), the " Charles," that arrived at Salem July 5th. Seven out of eleven vessels, accordingly, appear to have been at Charlestown on Thanksgiving day. July 8. 1630. Dr. Holmes (annals I. 202, ed. 1829) states, indeed, that 12 out of 14 ships arrived " early in July at Charlestown." Enough has however been detailed to show the probable port of arrival of the larger part of the fleet.
Mr. Frothingham, in his History of Charlestown (p. 40) after mentioning Winthrop's visit to Charlestown, June 17-18, states that "he returned to Salem, and reported favorably for building at . Charlton.' On the 1st of July he had arrived here," &e.
Mr. Drake (History Boston. p. 92), gives July 12, as a date when Gov. Winthrop and chief men of the colony, who had arrived from sea at Salem, departed thence and " took up their abode " at Charlestown " as fast as ac- commodations for them could be made." Ile refers to an early authority, "Johnson's Wonderworking Providence." That eurious old chronicle, in a passage beginning Chapter xvii .. gives the following account, here quoted from Mr. Poole's remarkably good edition (p. 37) :
"Chapter xvii. Of the first loading of' these People of Christ, when the Civill Government was Established.
" But to goe on with the Story, the 12 of July or thereabout 1030. these Souldiers of Christ first set foote one this Westerne end of the World ; where arriveing in safety, both Men. Women and Children. On the North side of Charles River, they landed neare a small Island, called Noddells Island, where one Mr. Samuel Macereck then living," etc. (description of the country and of the few settlers then in it. follows).
Johnson wrote his chroniele about twenty years after this time, and it was soon after printed at London. 1654, and without correction by the author (or any one acquainted with New-England affairs), of errors of the press. Johnson's statements of general facts and events are interesting and valuable, but his use of dates, or his printer's use of them, is eecentric. The figure " 1" appears to have been in large supply in this printer's font ; for, in chapters immediately following the xvii., this "wonderworking" composition states that at least half a dozen churches of Massachusetts were " gathered" in 1631-not one of which dates is correct in the last figure. While Jolison's general statements describe in the main aright the affairs of the settling
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colonists, it is evident that we may be allowed to doubt at least the printer's correctness in inserting " 1" into the date " the 12 of July." Furthermore, Johnson himself qualifies the date by " thereabout."
The date of the arrival of the Governor at Charlestown in July does not appear determined. or expressed, by two distinguished men who have writ- ten particularly of him and of the event :- llon. Edward Everett, in an ad- dress before the Charlestown Lycemn, at the bi-centennial somiversary of the Govenor's first arrival (June 28th, (27?) 1830), and Hon. R. C. Winth- rop, in his " Life of John Winthrop." The latter states ( Vol. ii., p. 33), " that the journey of exploration [JJune 17-18] resulted in the immediate re- moval of the Governor and company to what is now called Charlestown," before which removal the Governor's son was drowned [July 2], at " a small creek," said on oll (but undated) authority, to have been at a place now " called by the Salemites, Northfield." In this " Life." also appears a letter dated by the Governor, " Charleton in New-England, July 16, 1630." Felt's " Annals of Salem" do not exactly explain the event, but simply state (p. 41), that " while about moving hence to his intended abode, Governor Winthrop was severely tried" by the death of his son. These Annals state, also, on the same page that during a period of several months [1630.] ten vessels landed their passengers at Nantasket and Charlestown: (at the former place only one vessel, the " Mary and John." May 30th).
It appears evident, indeed, that on Thursday, July 8, the majority of the ships and colonists were at the place-Charlestown-already determined upon by the chief men, as the capital of the colony and their own future resi- dence, and no adequate doubt appears that the Governor and many promi- nent men did not there unite with the majority in celebrating this Thanks- giving for the safe arrival of their whole company at their chosen dwelling- places.
Such being the actual, or most probable. condition of Charlestown on July 8, 1630, a brief view of the other "plantations" of Massachusetts, and of America, north of the Spanish colonies. may be taken to complete illustration of the relative importance of that place.
Prince (Section ii., p. 241), gives chiefly on authority of Johnson (Chap- ter xvii.) ; " The State of the Neighboring Places on the Massachusetts Bory at their Arrival" (i. e. of Winthrop's company at Charlestown) ; and gives thus the condition of settlements through other portions of " the eentral region on the Bay " (including the present Boston, E. Boston, Chelsea, the Harbor Islands, &c.)
"On Noddel's Island [ E. Boston ], lives Mr. Samuel Maverick ; a Man of a very loving and courteons Behaviour, very ready to entertain Strangers; On this Island with the Help of Mr. David Thompson. He had built a small Fort with four Great Guns to Proteet him from the Indians, Abont a Mile distant upon the River runs a small Creek which takes it's Name from Mr. Edward Gibbons, who dwelt there for some Years after. and became Major General. On the South side of Charles River Mouth, on a Point of Land call'd Blarton's Point lives Mr. Blaxton where He only has a Cottage the Neck of Land from which the Point runs being in Indian named SHAWMUT, afterwards BOSTON. To the S. E. thereof near Thompson's Island, live some few Planters more. These were the first Planters of those Parts, having some small Trade with the Natives for Berer Skins ; which moved them to make their abode in those Places, and are found of some Help to the New Colony."
This settlement " to the S. E." appears to have been that at Nantasket
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(Hull), began in 1624. Small settlements at Weymouth, begun 1622-3. had soon failed. Indeed the only settlement of any importance "on the Bay," other than Charlestown. was that on the south side, formed early in June. 1630, by a company of 140 West-of-England persons, who arrived in the ship " Mary and John," at Nantasket. May 30, and who after some con- fusion, settled at Matapan-named Dorchester as late as Sept. 7, 1630, by Court of Assistants hell at Charlestown : more extended reference to this set- tlement will be made hereafter. We may observe here that we cannot, apparently, fix even its site. The Dorchester history. prepared by the Historical Society of that town. states (p. 20). that. " Tradition has always fixed upon the South side of Dorchester Neck (South Boston) in Old Harbor, as the place of landing," (of this company). "The spot [p. 21] selected for the town, was doubtless npon Allen's plain, south of Old Harbor, and extending far enough to incluide Rock Ilill, but the limits of the pale are not now known."
North and East " of the Bay." the chief settlement was that at Salem, made about two years before Winthrop's arrival. The condition of this place, the Governor's party found " unexpected and sad" (Prince, p. 209). Of its people " above 80 " were " Dead the Winter before; many of those alive, Weak aud Sick ; all the Corn amomg 'em hardly sufficient to feed 'em a Fortnight : so that the remains of 180 Servants we [the Mass. Co.] had sent over the two Years before, coming to us for Victuals, we find ourselves unable to feed 'em, by Reason that those we trusted to ship their Provisions fail'd and left them behind: whereupon Necessity fore'd us to give them all Liberty to our extream Loss : who had cost us 16 or 20 1. a Person, furnish- ing and sending over." [Dep. Gov. Dudley's Letter].
Plainly. Salem had little strength or importance July 8, 1630, except that acquired by the accession of settlers who arrived in June. 1630.
At Lynn, a small settlement had been a year or two established, but prob- ably on this Thanksgiving day did not contain thirty persons (among whom may have been William Wood, one of the earliest authors of New-England, whose " Prospect" [London, 1634] was the first topographical work pre- pared there).
At Cape Aun appears to have been another small settlement (begun 1624). Other attempts at settlements already made along the coast to the N. E. had failed-at the north of the Piscataqua, N. II. (1623), and that near the mouth of the Kennebec, Me. (1607). At Pemaquid and its vicinity, on the coast of Maine. were settlements that collectively in July, 1630, appear to have been second on New-England territory to Charlestown. According to Mr. Thornton (Maine Hist. Coll. V., 197), these settlements contained " in the aggregate, probably, a population of between five hundred and six hundred English."
In the present areas of Rhode Island and Connecticut, nothing that could be called a settlement existed. Through all the extent of country northward of New-England, previously or subsequently under French or English alle- giance, there was scarcely a civilized settlement. Quebec. the chief. had, in July, 1629, been surrendered by the French, headed by Champlain. to Eng- lish led by Lewis and Thomas Kertk. During the autumn of that year, the latter went to England, and Champlain was sent to France according to treaty-by which he stipulated that " all the French " in Quebec should be removed. "The single vessel which was to furnish the means of [this] removal," says Warburton (Conq. Canada. I .. p. 95). " reduces . all the French' in Quebec to a very small number." Although some English and most of
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the French appear to have remained at this settlement, it was evidently then very inconsiderable. Sonthward from New-England, at several places along the coast, colonies with settlements smaller than the chief on the " Bay of Massachusetts," had been begun before July, 1630. Virginia alone appears to have then contained as large a population as New-England ; but Virginia has never been characterized by containing large towns.
Thus on JJuly 8. 1630, throughout all the territory now called New-Eng- land the chief group of people, gathered in what could be called a town, or even a fixed settlement. was beyond a reasonable doubt. at Charlestown. And furthermore, where, within the present limits of the United States of America, or on this continent. north of Mexico, was there, at that date, as- sembled as large a company of civilized men and women?
Beneath the " Charlestown oak," and on the slopes of the old Town Hill. certainly, there was, on that July day. prayer and great thanksgiving offered by hundreds of devout Christians-men and women-to collect whom, we may truly say, God himself had sifted the people of a kingdom. There also, on that day, apparently, was in fullest evidence first demonstrated the great fact that piety and strength united should found the " church without a bish- op, the state without a king " -- the power that, by divine blessing on the consecrated endeavors of those Christians and on the constancy of their chil- drea, was to grow dominant throughout that new world, upon the borders of whose then mysterious regions they kneeled in hope, in praise, and faith undaunted.
The next great act that we associate with this site is the signing of the Church Covenant on the thirtieth of July (1630). Reference to this act and date may also, properly. include consideration of a subject that has, like most others, produced differences of opinion-the subject of the chronological precedence, or order of the founding, of the earlier churches of Massachu- setts. In the mere fact of age, this church gathered at Charlestown holds a distingnished position ; in the nobler facts of origin and of continnity, it has even higher honor.
In determining its rank in relative age among the churches of New-Eng- land, there need be no question that, chronologically, the first was at Plymouth (1620), and the second at Salem (1629).
The third has been considered that at Dorchester, the gathering of which has been dated at the New Hospital, Plymonth (England), carly in March 1630. There is reason, however. to question both this date and precedenee.
Captain Roger Clap, one of the most prominent settlers and inhabitants of Dorchester (N. E.), has left us his " Memoirs "-some of the earliest and most reliable relating to early Massachusetts history. He records that the company of emigrants that he joined, and that was gathered chiefly from Devon and Dorset shires. " kept a solemn day of fasting in the New Hos- pital in Plymouth, in England," and that then this company chose ministers. On " the 20th March. in the year 1629-30," they numbering about 140, sailed from Plymouth in the ship " Mary and John." On the 80th May following, they landed at Nantasket, under circumstances that he thus de- scribes :-
" When we came to Nantasket, Capt. Squeb, who was captain of that great slip of four hundred tons, would not bring us into Charles river, as he was bonnd to do, but put us ashore and our goods on Nantasket Point, and left us to shift for ourselves in a forlorn place in this wilderness. But. as it pleased God, we got a boat of some old planters, and laded her with goods; and some able men, well armed, went in her unto Charlestown, where we
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found some wigwarms and one house; and in the honse there was a man which had a boiled bass, but no bread, that we see. But we did eat of his bass, and then went up Charles river. until the river grew narrow and shal- low, and there we landed our goods with inch labor and toil, the bank be- ing steep. * *
** * We had not been there many days, (although by our diligence we had got up a kind of shelter to save our goods in.) but we had an order to come away from that place, which was abont Watertown, unto a place called Mattapan. now Dorchester, because there was a neck of land fit to keep our cattle on. So we removed. and came to Mattapan."
Governor Winthrop, in his Journal (Vol. I., p. 33, Savage's ed.) relates that when he and his party returned from Charlestown to Salem, in June, they " came by Nataskott, and sent for Capt. Squib ashore * *
* and ended a difference between him and the passengers."
A company of emigrants. coming thus, 3000 miles across the sea, and subject to its perils ; and not only defeated in an intention to go up Charles river, but also " put ashore" and " left" "to shift" "in a forlorn * *
* wilderness"-whose landing caused a quarrel that only the Governor settled, such a company thus arrived. certainly was not a church of Dorchester, N. E., before it was established there. Had Capt. Squib preferred Point Shirley (as some now do) to Nantasket. or had the " Mary and John " gone down on the grand banks (as vessels have done), the ceremonies at the " New Hospital," or the landing in the " Bay," would have done little indeed towards founding any Dorchester church. At farthest, it can only claim to date, as the Dorchester church, from June, when established in that town, and to de- rive its origin from a church gathered in March, at Plymouth, England.
But these circumstances only limit the antiquity of the Dorchester church ; others tend to deprive it of precedence to Charlestown. In 1635 or '36, nearly the entire body of its church members removed to, and first settled, Windsor, Conn., and as a local organization severed connection with Dor- chester. The organization of the existing first church, Dorchester, dates only from August 23, 1636, at which date it is the 15th in New-England, and the 13th in Massachusetts (as now bounded).
The only other church in New-England that can claim even co-eval date with that founded at Charlestown. July 30, 1630, is that of Watertown, gathered on the same day, when according to Mr. Bond ( History of Water- town, p. 979, etc.), "about forty men" there signed a church covenant. According to the same authority, "the number of female members is not stated," and also (p. 994). the records previous to 1634 are lost. Mr. Bond also stated, correctly (p. 979), that Watertown was settled about the mid- dle of July (1630) by Sir Richard Saltonstall and other worthy men. He however added what some persons may consider only a theory of chronolo- gical precedence to the organization of the Watertown church, over that at Charlestown, dating the latter August 27th-when a teacher and church officers were there appointed. But the two churches having been gathered, and church covenants having been signed at the two places on the same day, and no record (known to the writer, or probably to any one.) existing to des- ignate the hour or hours of the acts, there appears to be no foundation for question of precedence, as there is no doubt of co-existence on that day.
The organization of the church at Charlestown on this Friday, July 30, 1630, (thus, with Watertown, chronologically third in New-England). and especially its history until November 2, (O. S.), 1632 -- the first date given in the " First Record Book "-form an interesting chapter in the story of this American shrine.
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In order of date this church ranks first of all throughout that central region " on the Bay of Massachusetts," now one of the most densely inhabited in America ; indeed at its organization only one other existed on any part of that famous Bay-for Watertown is inland.
Nearly all the earlier historical writers of New-England mentioned this organization at Charlestown. Gov. Wm. Bradford, in his history of Ply- mouth Plantation (to 1646), (printed from the original MS, in Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. 4 Ser. III.), states (p. 277-8), the date, cirennistances, and names, thinking " it not amise" thus to give information to " be usefull for after times." Ilis letter book also states the facts (Coll. Mass. II. S., III .. p. 75). The early records of Charlestown describe the gathering of the church midler Rev. John Wilson (mentioned hereafter). but do not give the exact date. This gathering was his ordination. August 27, 1630-the first ordination that occurred in the Massachusetts Bay, says Prince (p. 247), and another notable event associated with the town hill. Hubbard ( Gen. Hist. N. E. ch. xxv.), and Johnson (W. W. Providence ch. xviii.), relate the facts without exact dates. Indeed the fact of organization at the date and place given are so clear that simple references to sources of information are sufficient.
Differences of opinion, however, have existed respecting the identity of this church, especially until the autunm of 1682. Recent writers have dis- agreed with those contemporary with the organization, or in personal com- munication with those who were, and have claimed that this church organized in Charlestown, July 30, 1630, was the first church, Boston; and that the first church, Charlestown. can only date from the organization and time ex- pressed at the beginning of its " First Record Book." [Nov. 2 (O. S.) 1632.] Yet we may be allowed to disagree with such opinion, and for the following historical reasons.
The " Early Records " of Charlestown state, that after the first organiza- tion, " the greatest number [of colonists here ] all this time [were] intending nothing more than settling in this town; for which the Governor ordered his house to be cut and framed here." But ship-fever prevailed, and the colonists did not find or apply the abundance of good water existing on the peninsula. Suffering thus from causes not rightly attributable to the site they had chosen, they were solicited to remove to the south side of Charles river, by Mr. Blackstone, who lived there alone, as the Town Records state " at a place by the Indians called Shawmutt. where he only had a cottage, at or not far off the place called Blackstone's Point," (probably where is now, according to Drake. (Hist. Boston. p. 97.) the Lowell station on Ley- erett St.) Until after the founding of the church at Charlestown he was the only known white settler on the peninsula. now Boston. In consequence of his solicitations, colonists began to establish themselves there. It was not, however, until Sept. 7, 1630 (old style) that the settlement of Boston is considered as begun-for not until that date did it receive its famous name- the (second) Court of Assistants hell at Charlestown on that day having then directed " that Trimountain be called Boston." The population of the latter place increasing, this court and the government were removed thither about a month later. In November the Governor, the minister, and other chief men also removed thither. A larger portion of the church members being then settled in Boston, services were there held, at first on alternate Sabbaths, and then continuously, in private houses or under trees. it appears (Drake, p. 141). It was only late in the summer or early in the autumn of 1632, that the first meeting-house was erected there (a rude mud and thatch house on the site of " Brazer's block" near the head of State St.).
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. As the Town Records express the result of this change, "the few inhabi- tants of this town remaining were constrained *
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