USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > Ryal Side from early days of Salem colony > Part 5
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
These lands were later sold by Henry Herrick to William Elliott, and from this purchase, Mr. Elliott sold to Andrew Elliott, gentleman, June 10, 1789,2 about fifty-five rods of upland, 'southeast by road between my house and Woodberrys mills, nine poles, twelve feet, northeast by land of Zachariah Gage, six poles, by my own land, eight poles-twelve feet, southwest by my own land six poles to the road.'
On this lot Andrew Elliott built his house, and it still stands at what is now the easterly corner of the junction of Echo Avenue and Elliott Street.
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 35, leaf 239.
Essex Registry of Deeds, book 238, leaf 8.
ANDREW ELLIOTT HOUSE Built about 1790
59
LANDS OF WILLIAM KING
William Elliott's house was on the site of the Beverly School for the Deaf. The west boundary of the Herrick lot was marked by a wall, the bed rocks of which are still in place, running to the salt marsh at about the location of the bridge on Green Street, which was known for many years as 'Herrick's Bridge.' This wall was the western boundary of the King grant.
The farm of William Elliott passed to the possession of William Elliott, 2d, whose widow, Hitty Elliott, sold to Edith K. Dodge, wife of William E. Dodge, on November 30, 1836,1 'two thirds of an undivided farm formerly belonging to William Elliott,' containing about forty acres, with the dwelling-house, and on the same date the remaining one third was sold by Hitty Elliott to William E. Dodge.2
The house which Andrew Elliott built on the land he bought from William Elliott in 1789 remained his home until his death. His heirs sold their interest in the estate to Nathaniel Friend, March 22, 1825.3
On April 8, 1825,4 Nathaniel Friend conveyed to Joseph Friend and his wife, Ruth, an undivided one half 'of the homestead of the late Andrew Elliott near Davis Mills ... also all the chambers in the dwelling house, ... an undivided one half of the cellar, one half of the garrett and one half of about two acres of land around the house to use in common, the cellar stairs, back chamber stairs and entry and garrett stairs.'
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 295, leaf 247.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 295, leaf 246.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 238, leaf 26.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 239, leaf 64.
60
RYAL SIDE
February 19, 1829,1 Mr. Friend sold the remaining one half to Joseph Masury.
The Friends sold their interest on April 27, 1829,2 to Aaron Cressy, and on November 11, 1830,3 Nicholas Dodge, administrator of the estate of Joseph Masury, sold to Mr. Cressy an undivided one half of the land with the lower part of the dwelling-house, 'subject to those restrictions and privileges set forth in the deed of Nathaniel Friend to Joseph Friend and wife Ruth.'
Aaron Cressy conveyed the property to his son, George H. Cressy, January 12, 1873.4 Alterations and improvements in the house and grounds have changed the old Andrew Elliott estate into an attractive and well-appointed homestead.
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 253, leaf 138.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 253, leaf 48.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 257, leaf 302.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 873, leaf 137.
ROBERT STONE ESTATE
ROBERT STONE died in 1690 and his estate was assigned to his eldest son, Samuel, February 6, 1693/4. He was a brother of Katherine, wife of William King, and by oc- cupation was a fisherman.
The estate of Samuel Stone came into the possession largely of his son, Robert. The Stone lands, which re- presented the eastern one half of the granted lands of William King, originally had a small frontage on Elliott Street from King's Lane, easterly.
Robert bought land of William Elliott in 1727, one half of which he sold to Benjamin Elliott in 1739, who, by purchase from the King heirs, Robert and John Stone, became possessed of one half of the Stone lands. In the partition of the estate of Robert Stone, 2d, April 5, 1752,1 Benjamin Elliott was assigned the west- ern half and the surviving heirs, the widow, Elizabeth, John, and a minor son, Zachariah, the eastern part, each division having on the highway (Elliott Street) a frontage of about five poles.
The land of Benjamin Elliott was at his death divided among his heirs, the widow, Abigail, and daughters, Jane Shale, Rebecca Bowles, and Hannah, wife of Daniel Wallis, and sold by them to Bartholmew Wallis, by several deeds - September 17, 1800, June 1, 1801, and April 10, 18II.
On April 7, 1824,2 Mr. Wallis sold this lot to Israel
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 99, leaf 33.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 235, leaf 107.
62
RYAL SIDE
Wallis, the bounds being, 'south by the highway, west by land of Zachariah Gage and William Elliott, north by said Elliott to the mill pond, thence by the mill pond to land of John Stone, east by land of John Stone to the highway.' The flats and mud wharves are included in this deed which conveyed about twelve acres.
Israel Wallis sold this property to Thomas Liffen, September 10, 1858.1 Osmond Gage, who possessed the Gage four-acre lot, sold it on April 9, 1848,2 to Perkins Foster, who built a house thereon. Mr. Foster lived here about fifteen years and sold the property to Thomas Liffen, August 26, 1865.3 This gave to Mr. Liffen pos- session of the Gage and Benjamin Elliott lands.
Seven acres of land lying to the east of the Elliott lot was the property of John Stone, which, at his death, fell to the possession of his sons, Israel and James.
Lying to the east of this lot, and bounded by the Woodberry estate and the mill pond, was a five-acre lot, one half of which was set off to Elizabeth, widow of Robert Stone, and the other one half to a minor son, Zachariah, in the partition of the estate, April 5, 1752. Zachariah also owned a four-acre lot along the mill pond and later possessed the dower. In the division of his estate, in 1786, the possession of these two lots fell to his daughter, Susannah, wife of Benjamin Standley.
In 1844, Aaron Dodge brought the five-acre lot of Welles Standley, and in 1856, purchased of the other heirs of Susannah Standley the four-acre lot. Mr.
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 578, leaf 183.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 397, leaf 77.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 691, leaf 287.
63
ROBERT STONE ESTATE
Dodge purchased also the Israel and James Stone lots in 1855 and 1856 respectively.
Lying east of the Stone lands and bordering the mill pond was the Woodberry estate, which included the cornmill and was sold in 1797 by Dr. Israel Woodberry to Thomas Davis, Jr., whose heirs conveyed the prop- erty in 1848 by several deeds to Aaron Dodge. Mr. Dodge sold the entire property of about twenty acres, house, barn, and mills, to Israel W. Dodge, February 13, 187I.I
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 817, leaf 67.
FAMILIES OF EARLY DAYS WHO LIVED NEAR KING'S COVE
FROM the records we learn that several families lived in the vicinity of King's Cove as early as 1650, but the location of their houses or cabins has not been a very easy task. The deeds conveying the title of their lots do not in any case provide metes, and the boundaries are only known by a careful checking-up by the aid of present landmarks and the testimony of various wit- nesses, where the lawful possession of the lands became matters of court record.
At this early date, it seems the exception rather than the rule that there should be a locality where so many families chose to live so closely, but the records plainly show that, no later than 1650, not less than eight families lived on the adjacent lands now traversed by Elliott Street, from John Friend's cornmill to the local- ity now occupied by the golf grounds and near the water of King's Cove, which lies in front of what is now the property of the Beverly School for the Deaf.
Here were John Friend, William King, Abraham Warren, John Batchelder, John Scudder, John Bul- finch, John Marston, and Nicholas Heyward. A few of these men sold their properties and removed after a residence here of several years, while others continued until their death.
From the records we learn of an occasional dispute, but rarely a personal conflict, and, although a case of
/٠١٠٠٠٠٠٧
KING'S COVE From the Green Lands looking north toward the lands of William King
65
KING'S COVE FAMILIES
'land grabbing' caused some disturbance of the peace, there is gathered the impression and actual knowledge by various means of information - testimony in court cases, marriages, friendly bargaining and long years of personal association - of the existence of a peaceable and contented neighborhood relationship.
The probable cause of this settlement was its con- venience to the cove on Bass River. The waters at that time, being unpolluted, furnished to these families a considerable portion of their food, as several kinds of shellfish as well as salmon, bass, and other species were plentiful.
Some of these men followed their trades or established occupations, while others toiled in the combined work of the fisherman, lumberman, and planter. What is now Green Street was then the path or drift way which abutted the water, as Elliott Street from the School property to the vicinity of the golf grounds was not laid out until 1810.
JOHN FRIEND
John Friend's house was the most easterly one of the settlement, and was located at what is now the junction of Mckay and Elliott Streets, on a two-acre lot which was originally a part of the King lands. He built his cornmill just across the way from his house, and, as the river was dammed by him in 1647 to secure power for his mill, his house was probably erected as early as that year.
Mr. Friend did not live here nor operate the mill for many years, as he was granted one hundred acres of
66
RYAL SIDE
land at Manchester and lived there at the time of his death in 1655. He was the first miller on the 'Cape Ann Side.' He sold his house and mill to Lawrence Leach, but at what date is unknown, as Mr. Friend did not give to Mr. Leach a deed of the property.
Samuel Friend, a constable at Manchester and eldest son of John Friend, was the executor under his father's will and later gave a deed to William King and John Leach for the house and mill respectively.
WILLIAM KING
As the lands of William King and his settlement have been treated in a preceding chapter, not much space will be here given to this pioneer. He was one of the earliest of the settlers in this vicinity, a freeman in 1636 and a grantee of land by the Town of Salem in that year.' He lived near the head of Bass River until his death in 1650. His name was given the cove which lay before his lands.
JOHN SCUDDER
John Scudder was the eldest son of Thomas Scudder, who is referred to in the records as 'Olde Goodman Scudder.' John came from England when he was a very young man. His name appears in a list of passengers sailing on the vessel James in 1635, and his age is given as sixteen years.
On June 10, 1642,2 'At a pticular meeting of the 7 men. Granted to John Scudder a piece of ground con-
1 Salem Town Records, volume I, page 21.
2 Salem Town Records, volume I, page 113.
67
KING'S COVE FAMILIES
teyning half an acre to build an howse & for other uses nere to his 10 acre lott in Kings Cove to be laid out by the town.'
Mr. Scudder married Mary, the eldest daughter of his neighbor, William King, and built his house on the lot assigned him, later known as the Deacon Creesy place, on Elliott Street, opposite Green Street, and carried on his occupation as a tanner of leather for over twenty years on this place.
. Court held at Salem April 28, 1650:1 'John Scuddr freed from training on account of his trade of a currier, because leather might spoil by a days absence. To pay 18 d. for each day that he was obliged to be away.' This record proves the location of a tannery, in the very earliest days of the Salem settlement, at Ryal Side.
Mr. Scudder removed to Southold, Long Island, where his wife's relatives resided, disposing of his pro- perty to his neighbor, John Batchelder, by deed dated May 31, 1665,2 for the sum of fifteen pounds. By will, John Batchelder devised to his wife his dwelling-house 'during her naturall life, and then to be my son John Bachelors.'
John Batchelder, Jr., conveyed the property to his nephew, John Creesy, January 16, 1681,3 and the title remained in the descendants for over two hundred years.
NICHOLAS HEYWARD
Nicholas Heyward was early in the neighborhood. On November 9, 1642,4 there was 'Granted to Nicholas
I Quarterly Courts of Essex County, volume I, page 193.
? Essex Registry of Deeds, book 2, leaf 102.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 6, leaf 68.
4 Salem Town Records, volume I, page 115.
68
RYAL SIDE
Heyward, a fisherman 10 acres.' 'To be laid out nere to brother kings lott.'
The Heyward lands lay on the north of the Scudder and King lands and are now occupied wholly by the golf course. There appears to be no probate record of Nicholas Heyward, but Nehemiah Heyward lived on these lands until he died in 1665.
Court at Ipswich, September 26, 1665: 'Anna Hey- ward was appointed administratrix of her husband Nehemiah Heyward's estate the latter having left a will with no executor named.'
In his will Heyward devised the property to his wife and, at her death, to descend to the children.
ABRAHAM WARREN
On December 18, 1635,' the Selectmen of Salem voted: 'That Abram Warren may have a ten acre lot and an howse lott.' This record shows that Abraham Warren was one of the first to take up a settlement at Ryal Side. The land assigned to Warren by this grant lay in the golf grounds north of the junction of Elliott and Green Streets. The 'howse lott' lay between the ten-acre lot and Elliott Street. Warren's well, which appears to have been taken as a landmark in several instances, stood near the fence of his neighbor, John Batchelder, who indicated it as a starting-point, when, by his will, he divided his land between his two sons.
Batchelder took up land next to Warren in 1639, and, as their divisional lines were not well defined, it caused some trouble between these men for several years and I Salem Town Records, volume I, page II.
69
KING'S COVE FAMILIES
compelled Warren to answer to the Court for bad con- duct.
Court at Salem, June 25, 1639. 'Abram Warren bound to good behavior for twelve months.'
'Att Salem June 25, 1639, ye 13th Court. Abram Warren bound in recognizance in X li for his good be- havior until this tyme twelve months & then heare to appeare to answer what shall be further objected ageanst him or upon good behavior to be cleared.'
Warren's assignment of land was apparently not en- tirely satisfactory to him, and, by attempting to annex some of the common lands without permission of the town fathers, he caused his name to appear next as a trespasser. 'Meeting of the 7 men on July 10, 1650. Abram Warin havin fenced in about 8 or 10 acres by estimation of the Town Comon without leave from the Town and havin broken up a pt of it and planted it ffor wch act of his he is fined 20 s and is inioned to lay it open to the Comon againe by the end of the 8th month next.'
Further trouble came into Warren's life caused by land disputes and his misconduct, which were settled by both the court and the Selectmen. He really appears to have been the disturbing element in the neighbor- hood.
On March 20, 1661,1 Warren bought two ten-acre lots of Edmund Marshall, which were granted to Marshall in 1649, on one of which was a dwelling-house. A part of this land is now included in the golf grounds. The first of these lots lay north of his homestead lot which he had
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 2, leaf 39.
70
RYAL SIDE
evidently retired from, as on November 18, 1661, there was 'Granted to Jno Green two acres of land where Abraham Warren lived on Ryall side to be layd out by Jeffy masey.' Perhaps for the purpose of removing any question of title, he conveyed to John Green, May 13, 1672,' two small lots of land, both 'lying outside the sd Abrams land.'
The land of Warren lying on the north of William King extended to Bass River and is fairly well described in the deed from Green to Heyward in 1680. All his lands in this vicinity later passed into the Green estate.
These records, in addition to an occasional jury service, comprise about all that can be found concerning the life of this pioneer. His daughter, Mary, who ap- pears to have been his only descendant, married John Green, October 7, 1659. Warren survived his wife and died intestate in 1689. The inventory of his property returned by his son-in-law, John Green, indicates that Warren died very poor in estate.
JOHN MARSTON
John Marston was granted land at Ryal Side, August 31, 1649.2 The land granted to Mr. Marston lay west of the golf grounds and later became a part of the Batchel- der lands. Mr. Marston evidently lived there a long time according to testimony given by him in court, in a case involving possession of land adjacent to his home- stead.
Batchelder, Scudder, and Marston were near neigh-
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 3, leaf 154.
2 Salem Town Records, volume 1, page 159.
JOSEPH MASURY HOUSE On lands of John Marston during the ownership of Mr. Zina Goodell
71
KING'S COVE FAMILIES
bors. At a meeting of the seven men, April 20, 1646, it was 'Ordered That the little strip of ground that is be- tween Ryalls Side & the 10 acre lotts of John Bachelor & John Marston & befor the lot of John Scudder where he dwelleth shall be given to the said 3 men John Bachelor & John Marston & John Scudder to be divided amongst them as they shall agree.'
This lot is the narrow piece of land which lies between Green Street and the water of the creek and referred to in later years as 'the close.'
Mr. Marston's name is occasionally found in the records as a juryman and as a witness. In the early part of the nineteenth century, the site of his homestead be- came that of Joseph Masury, a large landowner at Ryal Side, and who died in 1829. In the settlement of Mr. Masury's estate, his homestead was sold to Abra- ham K. Young, April 10, 1838.' Mr. Young lived here for over twenty years, disposing of the place to John M. Taylor, May 11, 1860.2
Mr. Taylor conveyed the property to Andrew Wallis, August 19, 1871,3 who sold it to George H. Pierson, of Salem, September 8, 1873.4
At Mr. Pierson's death, his widow, Mary J. Pierson, conveyed the property to Mr. Zina Goodell, of Salem, November 8, 1881,5 who used the place as a summer residence for several years. Mr. Goodell, who was a prominent business man of Salem for many years, en-
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 306, leaf 3.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 795, leaf 194.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 832, leaf 218.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 888, leaf 232.
5 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 1070, leaf 20.
72
RYAL SIDE
joyed the place during his ownership, as it afforded, as he stated, 'a quiet and pleasant retreat from business cares.'
On June 19, 1894,1 Mr. Goodell sold the property to Fred W. Holden, who, after a residence of about ten years, removed the old Masury house, building upon its site a new house for his occupancy.
JOHN BULFINCH
Salem Town Records, November 23, 1642: 2 'Brother Bulfinch' was included in a list of several others who were 'granted ten acre lots to be laid out near Brother Kings lot.' The lot assigned to Mr. Bulfinch is on the south side of Elliott Street and is covered by Northern, Eastern, and Hillside Avenues. He lived here about five years, and, upon removing to England, left his property in charge of Jeffrey Massey, a selectman, who, appar- ently without authority, sold the lot to William Towne.
Several conveyances of the lot occurred between that time and 1680, in which year Katherine Bell, daughter and administratrix of the estate of her father, John Bulfinch, brought an action of trespass against John Batchelder, 2d, who possessed the lot at that time.
This case affords very good information of the definite location of various lots and homesteads in this vicinity at this early date.
Court at Ipswich, March 29, 1681:3 'Katheren Bell, daughter and administratrix of the estate of John
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 1414, leaf 535.
2 Salem Town Records, volume 1, page 115.
3 Records of the Quarterly Courts for Essex County, volume 8, page 71.
73
KING'S COVE FAMILIES
Buffing, (Bulfinch) vs John Bachelour, For cutting and felling lumber, etc.
'Verdict for defendant. Writ dated January 12, 1680/1, was served by Henry Skerry Marshal of Salem by attachment of three swine, a cart and wheel of de- fendant.'
December 17, 1680, William King and John Marston appraised the damage at seven pounds:
William King, aged about 53 years, and John Marston, aged 65 years, deposed that when they went to appraise the damage they found the house, barn and land to be John Bulfinche's. Deponents were neighbors and the land was bounded by land now called Royal side on the south and on the east end by John Scudders land, and for about twenty two years it lay open as common.
John Marston Sr. deposed concerning Bulfinches lot on Ryals neck that in 1658 he went over it and it was not fenced in then and about thirty five or six years since he lived upon a lot near it. Jeffrey Mercie often told him that Bulfinches lot lay at the head of deponents fence adjoining Henry Cook's lot, then so called by those who lived there eastward. Also Bulfinch himself before he went to England told him the same and Mercie was left to look after it.
Further we 5 or 6 families of us (at least 36 years agoe) did call a plaine rising hill in the said Bulfinshes lot, bulfinses hill, and so it hold that name to this day: this to prevent mistake in my former testimony that call henry cooks lot John Scudders and though John Scudder then had bought it yet we that lived there still cald it by the name of henry cooks lot.I
Jacob Towne 'deposed that about thirty five years ago his father William Towne bought twenty acres of I Fairview Avenue runs through Henry Cook's lot.
74
RYAL SIDE
Jeffery Massey of Salem and paid for it in wheat the same year. Said land bordering upon a swamp, at the south end was common belonging to Salem at Ryal Side and ran fourscore rods to the northward. When his father removed from Salem in 1651, he sold this lot to Nathaniel Felton of Salem.'
The following deeds are recorded showing convey- ances of the title to the Bulfinch lot: October 7, 1658,1 Nathaniel Felton conveyed to John Friend for four pounds. September 7, 1665,2 Samuel Friend, executor, sold the lot to John Leach, son of Lawrence Leach. John Leach conveyed to John Bachelor, May 18, 1674.
JOHN BATCHELDER, SR.
As the life and lands of this pioneer will be taken up in a subsequent chapter, only a short statement will be made as to him at this time. He settled and built his cabin on the land now occupied by the golf grounds near Elliott Street, and by occupation was a tailor. When he came, he was about twenty-nine years of age. He was a poor man, but his determination and efforts to establish a home were recognized by the town, which voted him a cow.3 In 1665, he purchased the house and land of his neighbor, John Scudder, and lived here until his death in December, 1675.
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 5, leaf 109.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 5, leaf 109.
3 Salem Town Records, volume I, page 138.
N
THE OLD CORNMILL
THE value of the site, with its convenient water-power, where the cornmill on Bass River was established, was seen at a very early date, as the water-power right and two acres of land were secured by John Friend at that place as early as 1647.
Nothing definite appears in the records as to the exact date of the establishment of the cornmill, but record of another matter of public importance plainly indicates its construction as early as that year. Mr. Friend lived in the vicinity and the cabin or house which he erected stood at about what is now the intersection of Mckay and Elliott Streets. Mr. Friend's name does not appear in the records as a grantee of his homestead or mill site, but there may have been a private understanding be- tween himself and William King concerning his home- stead, within whose lands the site lay.
The indications are, however, that the changing of the landing-place of the Salem ferry from the head of Bass River to Draper's Point, as authorized by the General Court, May 2, 1649," upon petition of the Town of Salem, March 12, 1648/9,2 was made necessary by the construction of the dam in Bass River by John Friend to obtain water-power for his mill.
Reference to the existence of the mill and of its pos- session by Mr. Friend is first found in the records of the
I Records of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, volume 2, page 265.
2 Salem Town Records, volume I, page 157.
76
RYAL SIDE
Salem Town Meeting of September 5, 1653,' when there was 'Graunted to Henerie Skerie a little hill incom- passed about by his own marsh neare mr ffrends mill if it be not formerlie granted.'
The 'little hill' referred to was bounded by Bass River on the southwest and is a part of the land on which stands the drop-forge plant of the United Shoe Machinery Corporation and known in recent years as 'Isabel Island.'
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.