USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > Ryal Side from early days of Salem colony > Part 9
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To his son, Josiah, Jr., he devised 'all the live stock, tools and farming utensils, indoor and outdoor move-
Essex Registry of Deeds, book 165, leaf 38.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 172, leaf 181.
7
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ables ... my wearing apparel and five acres of land that I bot of Asa Taylor in Burch Plain Pasture.'
'I give to my two daughters Joanna Prince and Hannah Lovett all my Woodberry farm (that William Webber now lives on & has lived on for several years past), ... containing a hundred and ten to a hundred and twenty acres .... and all the live stock belonging to the same .... to be equally divided .... I give to my daughter Joanna Prince one good cow from the stock that will be on my Dodge farm at the time of my decease.' He generously recognized the 'long and faithful services' of his servant, Sarah Biles. 'To Josiah Batchelder Prince, ten dollars in silver.' 'I give to my grandson, John Bartlett Prince, my gun, sword and all my military ac- coutrements.' He gave to the 'Second church in Bev- erly, that is in the Precinct of Salem and Beverly, so called, my silver tankard.' The remainder of the estate, real, personal, or mixed, is equally divided among the three children, Josiah, Joanna, and Hannah.
'Josiah, the eldest son, was born, June 3, 1776, and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1796. He was a practising physician and devoted his life to the profes- sion. Caleb Dodge, the second son, died while a young man, Joanna," the eldest daughter, married Joseph Prince of Boston, after whose death, she married Professor Ebeneezer Everett. She was in early life, devoted to religious teaching in Beverly. Hannah, married Captain John Lovett, February 17, 1794.' 2
I A tablet in the auditorium of the First Parish Church building com- memorates the early establishment of a Sunday School by Joanna Bat- chelder and Hannah Hill.
2 Batchelder genealogy.
I27
ESTATE OF JOSIAH BATCHELDER
Captain Batchelder retained possession of the farm at Ryal Side for only a short time, conveying it to Ezra Dodge, of Wenham, June 1, 1802.1
Josiah Batchelder to Ezra Dodge, Wenham
$1200.00 A Dwelling house and barn and about nine acres of land under and adjoining the same, bounded - beginning at southeasterly corner of the premises against land of heirs of Doctor Woodberry & the county road - thence southerly on said road to land of Nath'l Friend, thence westerly by land of said Friend and others to land of said Batchelder, thence north by land of sd Batchelder to land of heirs of sd. Wood- berry, thence north & east by land of sd heirs to the county road, also another piece to the southward of said house con- taining three acres, north on county road, east by land of Benj. Beckford, south & west on land of Jonathan Creesy and a private way to Creesys point so called on several courses to county road the Ist bound - and a third piece called Holtons or Creesys pasture bounded north & east on several courses by land of Nathaniel Creesy to land heirs of Doctor Wood- berry and so on to land of heirs of Wm. Elliott, thence easterly by land of heirs of Elliott to land of heirs of said Woodberry against land of the water lane so called to the general spring against land of Nathaniel Creesy, thence west by land of said Nathaniel to land of Rufus Putnam, thence westerly by said Putnam to said Nathaniel the Ist bound - all fenced with stone wall, the last mentioned piece to contain about twenty seven acres
JOSIAH BATCHELDER seal.
A plan for the straightening of Elliott Street, upon petition of Israel Thorndike in 1810, shows 'Dodges old house,' standing on the site of the present house which Mr. Dodge built in the early part of the nine- teenth century. Mr. Dodge lived here for many years
Essex Registry of Deeds, book 172, leaf 181.
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and by other purchases, added a considerable acreage to his farm. He was a man of considerable prominence and served the town in the General Court.
On January 1, 1862,7 Charles F. Dodge and heirs of Ezra Dodge sold to Benjamin V. Giles and Walter S. Perry:
The described parcels of land with the buildings thereon containing eighty eight and one fourth acres said parcels being the estate of Ezra Dodge late of Beverly, deceased, viz: 'The Wright Lot' containing four acres and one hundred and four poles, the woodland pasture ... containing with the lane nine acres, eighteen poles, the lower field containing two acres ninety two poles, the salt marsh lot, two acres and three quarters, the field bounded by the pasture by William & Rufus Putnam land, four acres, one hundred thirty poles, 'the lower Quiner field,' four acres & one hundred twenty one poles, 'the upper Quiner field' containing two acres twenty one poles, 'the square field,' two acres & thirteen poles, 'the upper pasture' eleven acres four poles, 'the great pasture,' twenty five acres & one fourth, 'the Caldwell pasture,' seven acres & one hundred thirty two poles, 'the Orchard' two acres & one hundred five poles, the field on the south side of Elliott Street, one acre & one hundred thirty five poles, the field on which the buildings stand containing seven acres and six poles, meaning to convey the whole of the real estate which said Ezra Dodge died seized &c.
MARY DODGE JOHN HINES HANNAH B. HINES HELEN M. DODGE CHARLES F. DODGE CALEB P. BOMER MARY B. BOMER JACOB H. RICHARDS NANCY B. RICHARDS
* Essex Registry of Deeds, book 432, leaf 148.
DODGE-GILES HOUSE Built in the early part of the nineteenth century
THE OLD BLACKSMITH SHOP Stood at the corner of Elliott Street and Giles Avenue
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ESTATE OF JOSIAH BATCHELDER
On August 1, 1864,' Walter S. Perry conveyed to Benjamin V. Giles 'all my right, title and interest in and to that estate which was conveyed to us ... by Charles F. Dodge and others,' etc.
Mr. Giles lived here and carried on the estate for many years, improving the character of an already well- appointed farm. His lands were of goodly yield and the buildings of the homestead well maintained. His black- smith shop, which stood on the easterly corner of Giles Avenue and Elliott Street, afforded a convenient meet- ing-place for the residents, and the tools and other features of service which the old shop provided, freely placed by him at the discretion and employment of his appreciative neighbors, reflected only in part a kindly and generous nature.
In the later years of his ownership he sold a portion of his lands, and the remainder of his property he con- veyed to Solon Lovett, October 4, 1895, 'a part ... con- veyed to me by deed of the heirs of Ezra Dodge to Ben- jamin V. Giles and Walter S. Perry, dated January I, 1862.'
1 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 674, leaf 101.
ESTATE OF JONATHAN CRESSY, 2D
THE illustration shown facing this page is the house of the homestead formerly of Jonathan Cressy, 2d. Mr. Cressy purchased of his uncle, Jonathan Cressy, Decem- ber 5, 1804,1 for the sum of $30, a small lot and moved the house from a location near the junction of Bridge and Elliott Streets to this lot.
December 13, 1815,2 he purchased from his uncle, additional land adjoining on the west side for the sum of $16.56.
November 23, 1843,3 he bought of John Cressy, 4th, administrator of the estate of Apphia Kennison, for the sum of $26, a small lot adjoining on the east side. These lots comprised about one half an acre, and cost a total of $72.56.
Mr. Cressy, who was of the fifth generation, died February 20, 1864, aged eighty-seven years. His son, Enoch T. Cressy, who was appointed administrator of the estate, April 5, 1864, sold the property to William Carter, February 22, 1870.4
Mr. Carter lived here for several years and conveyed the property to Ruth A. Brown, April 19, 1881,5 who, with her husband, Elatus H. Brown, lived here in their later years of life. Mrs. Brown, who was the grand- daughter of Jonathan Cressy, 2d, survived her husband, and died April 19, 1918.
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 175, leaf 186.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 207, leaf 242.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 340, leaf 210.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 792, leaf 108.
5 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 1056, leaf 199.
JONATHAN CRESSY, 2D, HOUSE
JOHN CRESY - HIS ANCESTRY AND ESTATE
THE records indicate that there were two young men whose names were William and Mighill Creese, who lived in Salem Township prior to 1650. As their names do not appear in the list of sailings, they probably came with Captain Thomas Lothrop, by whom they were em- ployed. His lands covered a considerable territory in the vicinity of Cross Street.
Mighill worked for Captain Lothrop until 1652, when he engaged with Joshua Ray, who lived on Conant Street, and whose lands comprised what is now known as the Proctor farm. He was at that time a young man about twenty-three years of age, for in court at Salem, June 20, 1658, he deposed as a witness, giving his age as 'about 30 years.' The brothers found good homes with these families, as both had well-appointed farms and the men were both of high standing in the community.
After terminating his services with Joshua Ray in 1656, Mighill Creese worked for the Leaches and Barreys, whose farms lay in the vicinity of Folly Hill, and, possessing a good knowledge of the territory and various properties at Ryal Side, he gave intelligent and reliable testimony as a witness in several civil court cases in which he was called, and was evidently an industrious and trustworthy man.
In 1658, Mighill Creese married Mary, the eldest daughter of John Bachelor, and a son, John, born of this marriage, was the first born, bearing the name of Cresy, in the Salem Colony. Mighill lived with the Bachelors
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until the death of his wife in 1659, and then removed to Ipswich, where he again married and three children were born, two sons and a daughter. He died in 1670, intestate.
John, the eldest son, was cared for by his mother's parents and relatives, from his childhood until he be- came of age, and a great part of the lands which he possessed in his manhood, by purchase and inheritance, surrounded the home of his boyhood.
After the death of his grandfather, in 1675, John lived with his uncle, Joseph, whose home was in the immediate neighborhood of his grandfather's homestead, and, when about sixteen years of age, in court held at Salem, December 21, 1675, he requested that his uncle be made his guardian. 'John Creasy chose Joseph Bacheler as his guardian and it was allowed.'
In his grandfather's will there was devised 'to my grandchild John Creasy Six Acres of land lying within my son Johns land ... & five pounds to be paid by my loving wife before her decease.'
In manhood, John Cresy became a prominent and influential director in the political and religious activ- ities of the community and his name appears as a leader in the several movements promoting civic development and progress. He was one of the founders of the Church at Horse Bridge (Second Parish), and on January II, 1716,I was chosen as its first deacon. His name is found among the trustees of the land set apart for the erection of the first schoolhouse at Ryal Side in 1692,2 which was located on Conant Street. By occupation he was a
I Second Parish Records. 2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 25, leaf 63.
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JOHN CRESY - HIS ANCESTRY AND ESTATE
'weaver and taylor'; his income from this source, to- gether with his gains from the soil, enabled him to ac- cumulate a fair estate, as indicated by the probate records, and reveals a life of thrift and prudence. He married Sarah Gaines and raised a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, and at his death, July 22, 1735, he was survived by all of them except a married daughter, Mary, and a son, John.
By will, dated June 12, 1734, he devised to his 'wife Sarah all the remainder of my Personal or moveable estate except that which I shall hereafter dispose of ... during the time of her Widowhood; That is to say the whole of said personal estate, and the Use and Improve- ment of the Third Part of said real estate during the whole Term of Time that she shall remain my Widow.'
'I give to my Grandson John Cresy, the son of my son John, deceased, that Tenement or Messuage of Land on which his Father lived Adjoining Capn Herricks land containing eight or nine Acres be it more or less bounded Northwardly by a stone Wall betwixt sd Messuage of land and other Land of mine said Wall running from pretty near Greens Barn over to Greens ten Acre Lott, together with the House & Barn standing thereon.'
'To my son Daniel, the house and Barn I where he now dwells with 4 acres of upland & marsh and the remainder of the upland & marsh called Reads & New- mans I give unto my Son Daniel & my Son Job to be equally divided.'
To Benjamin and Joseph were given certain rights in
I The house and barn stood on the point of land lying by Danvers River, which was recently purchased by the City of Beverly for park purposes.
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RYAL SIDE
common, and to his son, Noah, 'a four acre lott and the house and barn which I bought of Joseph Batchelder.' Noah and Joseph are made joint executors.
The property which Deacon Cresy gave to his son, Noah, lay on the old way which runs through the golf grounds, and the site of the house may be easily located, a short distance from Elliott Street. This was the house of his uncle, Joseph, and the home of John Cresy's boyhood.
Upon the death of his uncle, Joseph, in 1683, the estate descended to his son, Joseph Batchelder, who died intestate in 1709. The administration was given to John Knowlton and his wife, Abigail, of Manchester, Abigail being a sister of the deceased, and they conveyed the property to John Creasy of Salem, tailor, December 27, 1709.1
The son, Noah, to whom this property was given, was born August 24, 1710, and married a daughter of Joseph Trask. He died here in 1779, survived by his wife, Sarah, and two sons, Jonathan and Nathan.
By will, dated February 18, 1779, Noah devises to his wife, Sarah, for her use, the east half of his dwelling- house and one third part of his personal estate. To his son, Jonathan, ten acres bought of Joseph Batchelder, five acres on the 'Neck Hill' and a piece of land adjoin- ing that of John Cresy which is fenced in by itself called 'ECCorn Hill.'
To his son, Nathan, 'all the remainder of my land not already disposed of together with my house and barn.' Two thirds of the personal estate is divided I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 22, leaf 205.
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JOHN CRESY - HIS ANCESTRY AND ESTATE
between Jonathan and Nathan, 'excepting my horse and shaise & them I give to my son Nathan, but at ye same time I reserve Liberty for my wife to Improve ye horse and Shaise as she shall have occasion.'
The sons, Nathan and Jonathan, were made joint executors of the will. This property afterward became possessed by Dr. Israel Woodberry and then by Thomas Davis, Jr., and was a part of the Davis farm. It is now a part of the golf course. The way on which the house stood was much used in the eighteenth century and was called 'the Way into Royall Side.'
The two points of land lying below Stoney Cove on the Danvers River, which were granted to Henry Skerry by the Town of Salem, April 27, 1654," and sold by him to Abraham Read, October 8, 1673,2 comprised a portion of the lands which, with the buildings thereon, were apportioned to Daniel and Job under their father's will, Daniel having 'the house and barn where he now dwells.'
This part of John Cresy's estate was purchased by him of Abraham Read, October 22, 1695,3 for the sum of fifteen pounds. 'Two small necks of land excepting small partition of marsh ground belonging to ye Elling- woods, Ryall Side & contain 3 acres more or less of up- land & marsh with dwelling house, fruit trees, fences &c being ye whole of ye said Reads land at Ryall Side.'
On May 8, 1688,4 Mr. Read sold to John Green the southeastern part of the large point containing about
I Salem Town Records, volume I, page 177.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 4, leaf 148.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 11, leaf 61.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 8, leaf 84.
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two acres, and on March 19, 1689, John Green conveys this lot to John Creasy, of Salem, tailor.
The Newman lands, which lay to the north of the two points, passed into the possession of the Green estate, July 31, 1691,' and out of this land, Mary Green, widow of John Green, sold to John Cressy, August 1, 1691,2 six acres. March 11, 1692,3 John Green Jr., with the con- sent of his mother, Mary, sold to John Creesy, a parcel of two acres.
Mr. Cresy, by these purchases, became possessed of about fourteen acres and comprised that portion of his estate which he devised to Daniel and Job. As the deed of October 22, 1695, from Mr. Read appears to be the first instrument conveying to John Cresy the possession of a house, he probably, at the time of his marriage, erected a new house on the Scudder lot which was formerly his grandfather Bachelor's residence. Daniel lived in the Read house until a short time after his father's death, when he removed to Andover to con- tinue his occupation as a cordwainer.
Upon his removal to Andover, the place was occupied by his brother, Joseph, to whom Daniel sold his portion, March 1, 1737,4 the deed describing thirteen acres. On the same date, Job Cressy conveyed to his brother, Joseph, his right of upland and marsh, 'known by the name of Reads and Newmans.'
By various conveyances which have been described in a preceding chapter, the two points passed into the
* Essex Registry of Deeds, book 9, leaf 22.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 10, leaf 31.
3 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 10, leaf 30.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 79, leaf 166.
DEACON JOHN CRESY HOUSE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY As it appeared during the ownership and occupation of Deacon Cresy Built about 1690 John Scudder's house and tannery stood on the lot in 1642
DEACON JOHN CRESY HOUSE OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY During the ownership and occupation by Mr. Fred O. Cressy
137
JOHN CRESY - HIS ANCESTRY AND ESTATE
Porter estate. The smaller point is now owned by Mr. Robert Robertson and the larger has been recently acquired by the City of Beverly.
The property which Deacon Cresy devised to his grandson, John, described as 'that Tenement or Mes- suage of Land on which his Father lived Adjoining Capn Herricks Land,' appears to be in part the land purchased by his grandfather, John Bachelor, of John Scudder in 1665, and sold to John Cresy by his uncle, John Batch- elder, 2d, January 16, 1681,' and covering twelve acres. 'John Batchelder ... to John Creesy, Salem, Tailer, ... East by Abraham Warren and John Green there to run from a stake in the brooke by ye sd Greenes dwelling house unto a white oak wch is the head bounds of Abraham Warrens land so to run on a line Southwest from ye sd white oak to a walnut bush & heap of stones being a corner bound & soe to run Southeast to a stake by ye swamp side being the corner bounds at that place.'
At this time no mention is made of a building standing on the lot. The rude cabin or house which occupied it had been removed, and in its place, Deacon Cresy erected a house, he occupying the western part and his son, John, the eastern part. Exterior alterations of the old house which have been made within the last half- century have considerably changed its appearance from that of Deacon Cresy's time.
The land surrounding the homestead on the west, north, and east, was at a very early period owned by Abraham Warren, father-in-law of John Green, and while there are no records of conveyance, excepting the
* Essex Registry of Deeds, book 6, leaf 68.
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sale of two small lots in 1672, John Green became pos- sessed of the Warren lands, from which seven acres on the north were sold by him to John Cresy, November 13, 1682.1
On March 20, 1661,2 Abraham Warren bought of Edmund Marshall a ten-acre lot, 'having land of William King on the east, on the west land of John Bachelor, on the north land of Nathaniel Howard and being bounded southward by the river.' This lot, which was later owned by John Cresy, lay east of his homestead lot, and its easterly boundary by land of William King in 1661 was that of 'Capn Herricks' in 1735.3 Lying on the north of this lot was a portion of the land of Andrew Elliott, of seventeen acres, comprising the 'further lot,' the 'profit field and profit pasture,' and 'ebens hill and hill pasture.'
These two last-named lots were conveyed to Mary Elliott, widow, by Ruth Friend and other heirs of Andrew Elliott, March 9, 1826.4 Mary Elliott con- veyed this lot to Benjamin Elliott, April 27, 1830. Charles R. Elliott and other heirs of Benjamin sold the land to Fred O. Creesy, July 5, 1889. 'Ebens hill and hill pasture,' together with the Green ten-acre lot, were sold by Fred O. Creesy to William W. Gray in 1895.
The title of the lot on which the house stood, which was originally the site of John Scudder's tannery, to- gether with the surrounding land purchased of John Green, remained in Deacon John Cresy and his de-
I Essex Registry of Deeds, book 6, leaf 68.
2 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 2, leaf 39.
3 Near Herrick's Bridge, north side of Elliott Street.
4 Essex Registry of Deeds, book 241, leaf 121.
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JOHN CRESY - HIS ANCESTRY AND ESTATE
scendants to the eighth generation, covering a period of two centuries, when the property was sold by Fred O. Creesy to Gilman Goldsmith, in September, 1892.
In the old portion of the North Beverly Cemetery, is a small headstone of slate, shattered by the treatment of two centuries, inscribed in the quaint letters of the period:
John Cresy Died July 22, 1735
LANDS OF JOHN GREEN
BUT very little can be found in the records of the Quar- terly Courts, or in the records of the Town of Salem or of Beverly, concerning John Green. The time of his coming to the colony is very indefinite, for in the sailing lists there appears the name of John Green in four entries prior to 1650. His name appears in the court records as a witness as early as 1650, and as a juryman and in other instances near that time. By occupation he was a mariner. He married Mary, the daughter of Abraham Warren, October 7, 1659, and was the ad- ministrator of the estate of his father-in-law.
On September 18, 1661,1 there was 'Graunted to Jno Green two acres of land wher Abraham Warren lived one Ryal side to be layd out by Jeffy Massey.'
May 5, 1682,2 'Receaved of John Greene toward the building of the new meeting house fourty shillings a free giveft.'
March 23,3 1684, he was given 'liberty to bury thence- forward his dead in Beverly Buriall place.' 4
With John Batchelder, John Leach, and John Tomp- kins, Jr., Green became a lessee of the common lands at Ryal Side under the general lease from the Town of Salem, February 1, 1677, 'for a term of one thousand
I Salem Town Records, volume 2, page 18.
2 Beverly Town Records, in Beverly City Documents, 1896, page 397.
3 Beverly Town Records, in Beverly City Documents, 1896, page 419.
4 'Beverly Buriall place' is the old cemetery between Cabot Street and Monument Square.
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LANDS OF JOHN GREEN
years and one day,' and was assigned one hundred acres in the eastern part of the leased territory. The annual rental of each of the divisions was five pounds. In the partition of the common lands, March 2, 1707, the boundary lines of John Green's allotment are not re- corded.
The stone wall indicating the division of the leased land to John Green, a portion of which is still in place, began at its southern extremity at Dixie's Cove ' against a cross-wall which separated Salt House Point, thence running north as the wall runs, serving as a divisional line of the Batchelder and Green lands, continuing parallel with Rowell Avenue, and terminating at its northern end on old Green Street, near Herrick's Bridge.
The Salem Town Records do not mention the name of John Green prior to the time that he was granted the two-acre lot where his father-in-law lived, which was September, 1661.
On December 28, 1635,2 the Selectmen of Salem voted 'That Abram Warren may have a ten acre lott and an howse lott.' This house lot appears to have been that which the Selectmen intended to grant to John Green in 1661, after its abandonment by Warren, but instead was sold by Warren to Green, May 13, 1672,3 and the descrip- tion found in the deed indicates that the 'howse lott' stood in the golf grounds, not far from Elliott Street.
Instead of accepting this 'howse lott' where Warren lived, Green evidently induced Selectman Massey to lay
I Dixie's Cove lies on the north side of Salt House Point.
2 Salem Town Records, volume I, page II.
3 Essex Registry of Deed, book 3, leaf 154.
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out for him two acres on the south side of the brook which ran before the two acres and into the waters of King's Cove. On this lot, which lay near the inter- section of Green Street and Woodlawn Avenue, Green built a 'Little house' for his temporary residence or until his larger and permanent house was erected.
The location of Green's first house may be definitely located by subsequent records. The lot sold by John Batchelder to John Cresy, January 16, 1681,1 describes its boundary, 'East there to run from a stake in the brooke by ye sd Greenes dwelling house,' northerly, 'unto a white oak wch is the head bounds of Abraham Warrens land.'
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