USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > Reminiscences of Salem, Massachusetts : embracing notices of its eminent men known to the author forty years ago > Part 16
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On the south-east side of Bridge street, and extending from where Pickman street is, nearly to Barton street, was the Ship Tavern Pasture, so-called, which was owned by John Gedney, who kept the Ship Tavern where the Mansion House lately stood. It consisted of twelve acres, six of which he bought of George Emory, before 1649, and two of Richard Graves, in 1650, and the other four of Margaret Rix, in 1655. This land was conveyed by the heirs of John Gedney to Deliverance Parkman, in 1698, and by the widow of his grandson, George Curwen, to Benjamin Pickman, in 1749. Deliverance Parkman, in 1714, was allowed four rights "for Josiah Rootes, Edward Giles, [Philemon] Dickenson and John Borne's cottage rights in the Great Pasture, formerly Mr. Gedney's."
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Where Barton street is now was a lot of four acres conveyed by Robert Goodell to Francis Skerry, in 1653. Francis Skerry left it to Henry Lunt, who conveyed it to John Higginson, jr., in 1695. John Gardner conveyed it to Lydia Barton, in 1811. By the depositions of Nathaniel Felton and John Massey, recorded in our Reg- istry, B. 11, L. 254, it appears that this was originally two two-acre lots, on which lived Robert Goodell and Peter Woolfe.
Next north-east of this, and including where Osgood's wharf is, was a lot of three and a half acres, which was owned by Jeffry Massey, in 1653, and on which Capt. Thomas Lothrop had previously lived, as appears by the depositions of Samuel Ebourne, Nathaniel Felton and John Massey (See Registry, B. 21, L. 251). John Massey conveyed it to Philip Cromwell, in 1680. The heirs of John Cromwell sold it to Benjamin Gerrish, in 1700, and his heirs to Samuel Carlton, in 1736.
Next north-east was a lot of about four acres, which extended nearly to where Osgood street is now. This was owned by Gervais Garford, and is one of the few lots in Salem which we can trace back to the original grant. The town granted to him and his daughter, Mrs. Ann Turland, Dec. 7, 1635, each "a two-acre lot upon the north side of [Burley's] Cove," "both abutting upon Michael Sallowes and James Smyth's lots, provided they both build upon them and soe be ready to sell his house in the towne." This language would seem to in- dicate that the locality was at that time considered as being "out of town." The lots of Sallowes and Smith were, as already stated, on the other side of the ferry lane, and north-east of Robbins lane. Garford sold his lot, with three acres of marsh adjoining, to Henry Bar- tholomew, in 1650, and he assigned it to John Browne, in
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1653, who gave it to his sons, John Browne and James Browne, in 1675. In 1654 the town also granted to John Browne "all that land enclosed as well medow as upland which was latelie in the possession of Mr. Garford," and it remained in his family for many years, and was con- veyed to Samuel Carlton, in 1734. Gervais Garford was living on this land in 1640.
Next north-east was another lot of three acres, owned and occupied very early by [Joseph] Young, and which was afterwards owned by John Robinson, who conveyed ৳ it, in 1694, to Bartholomew Browne, whose administrator conveyed it, together with a part of the Garford lot, to James Lindall, in 1720, and Timothy Lindall conveyed it to Benjamin Pickman in 1758.
Next was a three-acre lot owned in 1658 by Daniel Rumball, and conveyed by his son-in-law, Wm. Curtice, to Samuel Browne, in 1710, it being described in the deed as "the Potter's field," and bounded south by "Pot- ter's lane leading down to Planters Marsh." This lane can still be traced, running along near the south side of where the old Ropewalk was. It was leased by the town to Francis Skerry, in 1680, and was sold in 1740, to Wm. Browne. The name of this field has given rise to the impression that it was originally used as a burial place ; and from this, probably, has originated the tradi- tion that the Lady Arbella Johnson was buried there, the remains of a monument even, it is thought, having been found near there .* But this shows how little reli- ance can be placed upon mere tradition, unsupported by other evidence ; for it seems quite clear, from the facts which we shall now state, that this name, "the Potter's field," was derived from the occupation of the person who first lived there.
* See Felt, Vol. 2, p. 446, also 1st edition, p. 522.
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We learn from the Commoners Records that the origi- nal occupants of "the Potter's field," were William Vin- cent (or Vinson) and the widow Isabel Babson, both of whom removed about the year 1642, to Gloucester. This William Vincent is said by Babson, in his History of Gloucester, to have been "a pot-maker," or potter. We also find, in the "Waste Book" of the County Court Records, that Mr. William Pester of Salem, was pre- sented for certain misdemeanors "at the Potter's house," Jan. 31, 1641. Mr. Pester acknowledged that he was "at the Potter's house," and says in defence, "I was invited } by Pride and wife ; and John Stone and his wife, and was at Stone's house, from whence we were fetched to ye Pot- ter's." [John ] Pride testifies that Pester "was invited by Vincen." "Goody Hardy " also testifies that " Wm. Vin- cen and [Hardy ] weare gone out of the house," and that "this was about the second day of November, miscalled Alhollantyde." Joseph Young also was a witness in this case. Thus the locality where this affair occurred is iden- . tified as being the "Potter's field," where Wm. Vincent, the potter, lived, by the names of the persons mentioned as concerned in it. John Stone was the next neighbor, and lived at the ferry. Joseph Young lived on the other side of "the Potter's lane," and "Goody Hardy," was per- · haps living with, or near, the next neighbor, Gervais . Garford, for she afterwards purchased of him a house and land in Beverly.
- The traces of Vincent's potter's oven may have re- mained there for a long time, and have been mistaken for the ruins of a brick monument. This is all that the rec- ords tell us as to the first occupants of house-lots in that vicinity.
We now come to the Planters Marsh itself, which con- sisted of about twenty-five acres, being low ground, part
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upland and part marsh, and was bounded by the ferry lane (now Bridge street) on the west, and by the river, ' or cove, on the east, and extending from "the Potter's field" on the south, nearly to where the bridge is now. Seven acres of this was conveyed by Peter Palfrey to his son-in-law, Samuel Pickman, and by him to Wm. Browne, in 1662. This appears, as nearly as we can judge from the imperfect description in the deeds, to have been on the westerly side of the field. The easterly part of the field, next the water, seems to have been divided into three parts of about six acres cach, the northern one owned by John Woodbury, and afterwards by George Emery, and the middle one by John Balch, and after- wards by Walter Price ; the southern one was owned by Francis Skerry, and perhaps had been purchased by him of Roger Conant. The whole field came finally into the possession of Win. Burnett Brown, who, in 1766, con- veyed it, together with "the Potter's field," to Dudley Woodbridge. No claim was ever made for any cottage right as appurtenant to this field, as there undoubtedly would have been if there had been any house on it before 1661.
In a lawsuit, in 1680, concerning the six acres in Planters Marsh, which had been owned by John Balch, "lying betwixt Francis Skerry on the south side and Mr. George Emery on the north side," Capt. Wm. Dixie, aged seventy years, testifies that "above forty years past of my own knowledge, John Balch, Sen., had in his pos- session about five or six acres of land in ye marsh called ye planter's marsh, near the north ferry in Salem." Fran- cis Skerry, aged about seventy-four years, testifies that thirty-five years before, it was known to be John Balch's ; and Humphrey Woodbury, aged about seventy years, testifies that "about fifty years past, of my knowledge,
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John Balch, Sen., had an interest in ye marsh called ye ould planter's marsh, near ye north ferry in Salem, with ye other old planters." It is a significant fact that among all the papers in this suit there is nothing to indicate that any of the Old Planters ever lived near there.
It seems that the town claimed certain rights in the Planters Marsh. An order was passed, Nov. 26, 1638, "that the meadow that is in common amongst some of our brethren, Mr. Conant and others, shall be fenced in the first day of April, and left common again the last of September every year." In the Index of the Book of Grants is written by Jeffry Massey "ould planter's marshe for fencing and opening is in the old booke anno 1638." April 15, 1639, there was "granted for the year to Mr. Fisk and Mr. Fogg the hay grass of the salt marsh meadow at the side of the Old Planter's fields." In 1653 the town granted to George Emery "the herbage of that parcel of land which was John Woodbury's in the old planter's marsh, and all right of commonage the town might have claimed, to him and his heirs forever ;" and, in 1658, to Wm. Hathorne "the town's right and privileges in the planter's marsh," and he gave a deed of release to Francis Skerry in 1659, and to Walter Price in 1666. This interest which the town disposed of, may have been acquired when that peaceful settlement of con- flicting rights was made between Endicott and Conant, which gave the name of Salem to the town.
We have thus brought together all that we have been able to learn as to the early history of this locality ; and we think these facts all tend to show that the Old Planters did not build their first houses there, but, proba- bly before the arrival of Endicott, had made use, in com- mon, of the marsh land there,. as a convenient place for readily obtaining salt hay, at that time of great import-
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ance to them ; the town reserving the right to use it also for that purpose, at certain seasons of the year. At about the time when Roger Conant removed to Beverly, they seem to have divided it among themselves, subject to the rights of the town. We are inclined to think that the land in that vicinity was not appropriated for house- lots till after Beverly and Ipswich were settled; that is, about the year 1634, or 1635.
The manner in which the house-lots in the central part of the town were originally laid out, seems to indicate that the earliest settlement was made in the vicinity of Elm street and Washington street upon the South River. Between these streets the lots were small, irregular, and not in conformity with the plan upon which the rest of the town was laid out. East of there, all along the South River to the Neck, house-lots were laid out running back from the river; and along the North River, west of North street were larger house-lots, also running back from that river. Essex street was probably a way that came gradually into use along the ends of these lots ; and, as they were all of the same depth from the river, this street acquired, and has retained the same curves that the rivers originally had.
Between Elm street and Central street was the ancient burying ground ; and on the corner of Elm and Essex streets lived Wm. Allen, one of the old Planters.
We do not think, however, that the Old Planters all lived close together, for we find Wm. Traske locating himself at the head of the North River, Richard Norman at the foot of the rocky hill since called by his name ; Thomas Gardner near Dean street, and John Woodbury, Roger Conant and Peter Palfrey on the north side of Essex, and between Washington and St. Peter streets.
If we may indulge in conjecture as to the place of the
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first landing, all the probabilities seem to point to the cove which then existed at the foot of Elm street. Nothing could have been more inviting to those early colonists, after leaving the bleak and rocky Cape Ann, than this inlet of the sea, protected from the main harbor by Jeg- gles Island, and beautiful as it must then have appeared surrounded by pine groves and gently sloping shores, plentifully provided with " divers good springs hard by the sea side."
Gov. Winthrop, describing his arrival here in 1630, says, June 12th, we "came to an anchor a little within the islands." June 14th, "in the morning we weighed anchor, and the wind being against us, and the channel so narrow as we could not well turn in, we warped in our ship and came to an anchor in the inward harbour." And in a sketch which he made at the time of the shore, while Collins Cove and Winter Island are hardly distin- guishable, the South River is fully delineated.
ROGER CONANT'S HOUSE.
It would be a very interesting item of local history if we could know where the house of Roger Conant stood, for, according to his own statement, it was the first house erected in Salem. The town records mention, in 1639, "Mr. Conant's house at Cat Cove." This was probably only a small 'house used for fishing purposes, to which pursuit, the Neck and Winter Island were devoted during the first century, lots being first granted there in 1636; and many of the more wealthy inhabitants had besides their houses in town a "fishing house" at the Neck or Island.
The only other reference to a house belonging to Roger Conant, in Salem, is a vote of the town Aug. 21, 1637, that "Mr. Conant's house situated next unto Mr. John
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Fisk, with half acre of ground," should be bought for the benefit of Wmn. Plase, a blacksmith, and it seems to have been intended that it should belong to his heirs, or assigns, after his decease. The purchase appears to have been completed, for receipts for the sum of 10£ 16s, 8d., paid to Roger Conant soon after, are entered on the record. Wm: Plase died April 15, 1646, and his estate was settled by Thomas Weeks, who presented to the town a claim for expenses and for care of the deceased during his sickness. It is possible, if not probable, that the house bought of Roger Conant for Wm. Plase came into the possession of Thomas Weeks in accordance with the agreement of the town.
We 'find that Thomas Weeks owned, before 1655, a house and half an acre of land on the north side of Essex street, opposite where the Market, or Derby square, is now. The site is at present occupied by the dwelling house of Hon. Richard S. Rogers. Here, we believe, stood the house of Roger Conant, built in 1626; and [ this belief is confirmed by the evidence that two others of . the Old Planters, John Woodbury and Peter Pal- frey, lived close by ; and also by the probability that the house, which is mentioned as next adjoining, where John Fisk lived, who was then acting as minister of the church, would be in the vicinity of the meeting house.
THE HOUSE OF ROGER WILLIAMS, 1635.
On the western corner of North and Essex streets stands the old house well known as the Witch House. We have already given in a former article (Historical Collections Vol. VIII, p. 257) the history of this house so far as it was then known, showing that it was originally owned by Roger Williams, in 1635-6, and afterwards by
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Captain Richard Davenport, whose administrators sold it to Jonathan Corwin, in 1675, and that it was then thoroughly repaired by him, and was again altered in 1746, a new roof being built and the back part of the house raised to two stories and the porch taken away.
Since that article was written we have obtained, through the kindness of Mr. E. M. Barton, Assistant Librarian of the Antiquarian Society of Worcester, a complete copy of the original contract between Jonathan Corwin and Daniel Andrew, in 1675, as to the repairs to be made upon this house, which we here present.
" Articles and Covenants made, agreed upon, and confirmed be- tween Mr. Jonathan Corwin, of Salem, merchant, and Daniel An- drews of - , of the other part concerning a parcell of worke as followeth, .viz. : Imprimis, the said parcell of worke is to be bestowed in filling, plaistering and finishing a certaine dwelling house bought by the said owner of Capt. Nath'll Davenport of Boston, and is situate in Salem aforesaid, towards the west end of the towne be- tweene the houses of Rich. Sibley to the west and Deliverance Park- man on the east; and is to be performed according to these following directions, viz.
1. The said Daniel Andrewes is to dig and build a cellar as large as the easterly room of said house will afford (and in the said room ac- cording to the breadthe and lengthe of it) not exceeding six foot in height; and to underpin the porch and the remaining part of the house not exceeding three foot in height; also to underpin the kitchen on the north side of the house, not exceeding one foot; the said kitchen being 20 foot long and 18 foot wide ; and to make steps with stones into the cellar in two places belonging to the cellar, together with stone steps up into the porch. 2. For the chimneys he is to take down the chimneys which are now standing, and to take and make up of the bricks that are now in the chimneys, and the stones that are in the leanto cellar that now is, and to rebuild the said chimneys with five fire places, viz., two below and two in the chambers and one in the garret; also to build one chimney in the kitchen, with ovens and a furnace, not exceeding five feet above the top of the house. 3. He is to set the jambs of the two chamber chimneys and of the eastern- most room below with Dutch tiles, the said owner finding the tiles ; also to lay all the hearths belonging to the said house and to point
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the cellar and underpinning of sd. house and so much of the 3 hearths as are to be laid with Dutch tiles, the said owner is to find them. 4. As for lathing and plaistering he is to lath and siele the 4 rooms of the house betwixt the joists overhead and to plaister the sides of the house with a coat of lime and haire upon the clay; also to fill the gable ends of the house with bricks and to plaister them with clay. 5. To lath and plaister the partitions of the house with clay and lime, and to fill, lath, and plaister with bricks and clay the porch and porch chamber and to plaister them with lime and hair besides; and to siele and lath them overhead with lime; also to fill lath and plaister the kitchen up to the wall plate on every side. 6. The said Daniel Andrews is to find lime, bricks, clay, stone, haire, together with labourers and workmen to help him, and generally all materials for the effecting and carrying out of the aforesaid worke, excepte laths and nailes. 7. The whole work before mentioned is to be done finished and per- formed att or before the last day of August next following, provided the said Daniel or any that worke with him, be not lett or hindered for want of the carpenter worke. 8. Lastly, in consideration of all the aforesaid worke, so finished and accomplished as is aforesaid, the aforesaid owner is to pay or cause to be paid unto the said worke- man, the summe of fifty pounds in money current in New England, to be paid at or before the finishing of the said worke. And for the true performance of the premises, we bind ourselves each to other, our heyres, executors and administrators, firmly by these pres- ents, as witnesse our hands, this nineteenth day of February, Anno Domini 1674-5.
JONATHAN CORWIN. DANIEL ANDREWE."
Thus it appears that this house was so old in 1675 that. the chimneys had to be taken down and new ones built. Previous to that time it seems not to have had any plas- tering or ceilings, the "sides of the house" only being filled with brick and covered or "daubed" with clay.
A picture of this house, as it was before the second alteration was made in 1746, is in the possession of the Institute. It shows the underpinning "not exceeding three feet in height," and the porch with the stone steps up into it. The side gables were perhaps an addition at some intermediate period .*
By the favor of Dr. G. P. Farrington, who now owns
* See also Felt's Annals of Salem, Vol. I, 410.
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the house, and Mr. W. T. Servey who occupies the upper part of it, we have been enabled to obtain the following minutes of the present appearance of the interior. The western side of the house still retains, behind the plaster- ing, the bricks with which it was originally filled, covered over with clay. The original rooms measure nearly as follows : eastern room below 21} by 18 feet; room over it 212 by 20 feet; western room below 16₺ by 18 feet ; room over it 163 by 20 feet. The chimney is about 12 by 8 feet. In each of the eastern rooms three, and in the western rooms two, stout hewn timbers of solid oak cross the ceiling. The line of the old roof is now plainly visible on the eastern face of the chimney in the garret, and shows that the pitch of the roof was very steep. The only part of the outside of the house which retains its original appearance is the western part of the front towards Essex street with its projecting upper story.
The evidence that this was the house of Roger Wil- liams will be seen in the article referred to at the begin- ning of this notice; but since that was written we have found two additional items of proof. In a deed of land on the east side of North street, in 1671, from the heirs of Samuel Sharpe to John Turner, North street is de- scribed as "formerly called Williamses Lane." After Jonathan Corwin bought the house, the same street was called "Corwin's Lane," or as the name was after- wards spelt, "Curwen's Lane." Again it appears upon the County Court Records that, in 1650, the Grand Jury presented as being defective the "way between Roger Morey and Mr. Williams his house that was." Roger Morey, lived on the western corner of Essex and Dean streets.
It may be well here to briefly recapitulate the history
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of this house. In a letter written from Providence in 1670, by Roger Williams to Major Mason (Mass. Hist. Coll., Vol. 1, p. 276), he says "when I was unkindly and unchristianly, as I believe, driven from my house and land and wife and children (in the midst of a New Eng- land winter, now about 35 years past) at Salem, that ever honoured Governour Mr. Winthrop privately wrote to me to steer my course to the Nahigonset Bay and Indians · for many high and heavenly and publike ends, incourag- ing me from the freenes of the place from any English claims or patents. I took his prudent motion as an hint and voice from God, and waving all other thoughts and motions, I steered my course* from Salem (though in winter snow which I feel yet) unto these parts, wherein I may say Peniel, that is I have seene the face of God."
He also wrote in a letter to Gov. Winthrop, in 1638, that he had "made over his house" at Salem, to Thomas Mayhew, and afterwards John Jolliffe, as security for a debt to Matthew Craddock. The proof that this house we have described was the one he referred to, is as fol- lows. First, the town records, in 1640, mention a house in this same locality as the house of Mr. Williams. The title (Mr. ) shows this must have meant Roger Williams. Secondly, that part of Essex street is mentioned in the Court records, in 1650, as "the way between Roger Morey and Mr. Williams his house that was." Thirdly, North street was described, in 1671, as "formerly called Williamses Lane." Fourthly, the deeds of land next west in 1662 and 1665, show that this was then owned by Capt. Richard Davenport ; and it was conveyed, in 1675, by the administrators of his estate to Jonathan Corwin, being described in the deed as "formerly belong-
*The compass which he used to " steer his course" through the pathless wilder- ness, is still preserved at Providence.
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ing to Capt. Richard Davenport ;" and by the same deed was also conveyed a ten-acre-lot in the Northfield, and this ten-acre-lot is described in a deed of adjoining land, in 1650, as "Mr. Williams' lot." This, by the way, shows conclusively that the statement that this house was built by Capt. George Corwin, in 1642, and given by him to his son, Jonathan Corwin, must be a mistake. We have not been able to find in the records any evidence that Capt. George Corwin ever lived there or had any in- terest in that estate.
Finally, in 1714, when every one who owned a house which was built before 1660, was allowed by a law of the Colony what was called a "Cottage right," and also a "right for 1702," by virtue of a town vote that year al- lowing a right for every house then standing, each of these rights was allowed to "Jonathan Corwin, Esq., for his house and Mr. Williams Cottage right."
The following is the law of the Colony passed May 30, 1660. "It is ordered, that hereafter no cottage or dwel- ling place shall be admitted to the privilege of common- age for wood, timber, and herbage, or any other the privileges that lie in common in any town or peculiar, but such as already are in being or hereafter shall be erected by the consent of the town."
These facts bring us to a conclusion that hardly admits of a doubt, that this house, which has so long been an object of attraction for visitors from all parts of the world, on account of its connection with the Witchcraft tragedy of 1692, and as the residence of one of the judges, must now acquire an added interest as having been once the home of Roger Williams.
Here then, within these very walls, lived, two hundred 1 and thirty-five years ago, that remarkable and truly heroic man, who in his devotion to the principle of free con-
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science, and liberty of religious belief untrammelled by civil power, penetrated in midwinter the depths of an unknown wilderness, to seek a new home : a home which he could only find among savages, whose respect for the benevolence and truthfulness of his character made them then and ever afterwards his constant friends. From this spacious and pleasant mansion he fled through the deep snows of a New England forest, leaving his wife and young children to the care of Providence, whose silent "voice," speaking through the conscience, was his only support and guide. The State which he founded may ever look back with a just pride upon the history of Roger Williams.
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