USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Shawmut: or, The settlement of Boston by the Puritan pilgrims > 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
"This neck of land is not above four miles in compass, in form almost square, having on the south side, at one corner, a great broad hill, (now called Fort Hill,) whereon is planted a fort, which can command any ship, as she sails into the harbor. On the north side is another hill, equal in highness, whereon stands a wind-
1
117
SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON.
mill (Copp's Hill.) To the north-west is a high mountain, with three little rising hills on the top of it, wherefore it is called Tramount. From the top of this mountain a man may overlook all the islands which lie within the bay, and descry such ships as are on the sea- coast. This town, although it be neither the greatest or the richest, yet is the most noted and frequented, being the centre of the planta- tions, where the monthly courts are held. Here, likewise, dwells the governor. This place hath very good land, affording rich corn-fields and fruitful gardens, having likewise sweet and pleasant springs. The inhabitants of this place, for their enlargement, have taken to themselves farm-houses in a place called Muddy River, (Brookline,) two miles from the town, where there is good ground, large timber, and store of marsh land and meadow. In this place they keep their swine and other cattle in summer, whilst the corn is in the ground at Boston, and bring them to town in winter."
£
118
SHAWMUT, OR THE
Now let us ascend to the top of that highest hill, and look down upon the town and the surrounding country. Two years after, by the way, this highest point was called Sentry hill, because a beacon was set up there, to be fired, when occasion served, by men stationed there for that purpose. It was 1383 feet from the level of the sea, between forty and fifty feet lower than the state house. What a delightful pros- pect of the bay, the surrounding country, and the town beneath! 'The islands except one appear to be uninhabited ; not a wigwam is left. On that island, now called East Boston, I see one cottage, and there on an eminence four cannon planted. Mr. Samuel Maverick lives there, and he planted those cannon to defend himself from the Indians. He has the distinc- tion of being the first slave-holder, having an African slave in his house. Just across the cove on the west is a small nook of houses in a place then called Winnisimmet, and now Chel- sea. If you look sharp you can see the smoke
-
119
SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON.
rising from the wigwams of Sagamore John and his tribe. On the left, across the Mystic, you see Charlestown. There is a considerable number of small houses, and one large house ; and there goes over a regular ferry-boat from Boston. Farther up Charles River is a very neat looking place, with some handsome houses and well contrived streets ; it was called Newton, now Cambridge. This was at first pitched upon by the court as the capital, and Governor Winthrop put up the frame of a house, but took it down soon after and removed it to Boston, being persuaded that the peninsula was much better situated both for commerce and defence. Some settlements begin to appear half a mile west, at a place called Watertown. South-west two miles, is rather a rich looking settlement called Roxbury, where it is very rocky, espe- cially on the western side. A mile below is Dorchester, one of the largest plantations in Massachusetts. Three miles below is Mount Wolaston, (Braintree,) and below that is Wey-
:
120
SHAWMUT, OR THE
mouth, at both which places there are con- siderable improvements.
And now let us look down upon Boston. There are twenty or thirty good looking farn- houses here, and a large number of booths, and some tents, scattered all about, but the greatest number are collected about this hill, on the harbor side. I see but one church, down in State street, nearly opposite to the present site of the Merchants Bank. The roof is thatched, and its walls are of mud. It was begun on the 26th day of May, two years after the settlement was made. The minister lives in the house opposite, in a spot to which he has left his name, Wilson's lane. State street is a . highway, and runs down to the water, but I see no wharves yet. The tide flows up below the church as far as Congress street, and there seems to be a yard for building ships. There is Governor Winthrop's dwelling, a substantial house of wood, two stories high
There is quite a number of graves on Mr
121
SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON.
Johnson's lot, where he lies buried. There is a shop at the north corner of State street, be- longing to Mr. Cogan. The market is not established by the court till next year, opposite the post office. There are not many houses at the north end. The water flows up as far as Ann street. A cove sets in up to what was afterwards called Brattle street, and covers Dock square; there is another vast cove on the west side, which was afterwards called the Mill- pond, when a causeway was built from Leverett street to Prince street. The tide washes up as far as Hawkins street and Pitts street, on this side, and on the other as far as Baldwin place, where the first Baptist church was erected. All along below Blossom street there is a marsh to the river side. South of Beacon Hill there is a large field fenced in, with a pond in the mid- dle, and cattle and horses feeding ; at the bot- tom of it is a hill called Fox hill. There are but few dwellings beyond this towards the neck. There is quite a pond where Chauncey place
11
-
122
SHAWMUT, OR THE
is, and below that a marsh or swamp. I see the people building houses and planting gar- dens on all sides ; a number of ships are com- ing into the harbor, and some vessels are build- ing in several places along the shore.
The writer quoted at the beginning of this chapter has described the peninsula as denuded of wood, but from the following poetic effusion upon the sylvan wealth, with which the sur- rounding country abounded, it appears that the scene we have contemplated was sufficiently shaded by groves of various kinds of trees :
"Trees both on hills and plains in plenty be, The long-lived oak and mournful cypress tree, Sky-towering pines and chesnuts coated rough, The rosin-dropping fir, for masts in use
The boatmen seek ; for oars, the light and neat grown spruce.
1
The brittle ash, the ever trembling asp, The broad-spread elm whose concave harbors wasps, The water-springing alder, good for nought, Small elders by the Indian fletchers sought. The knotty maple, pallid birch, hawthorn,
The horn bound tree that to be cloven scorns,
-
123
SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON.
Which from the tender vine oft takes his spouse, That twines embracing arms about his boughs. Within the Indian orchard, fruits be some, The ruddy cherry and the jetty plum. Snake murthering hazel, with sweet saxaphage, Whose spurns, in beer, allays hot fever's rage, The dear shumac, with other trees there be, That are both good to use and rare to see."
-
-
CHAPTER XI.
CONCLUSION.
SUCH was Boston a little more than two hun- dred years ago. Behold, what a change! The peninsula Shawmut upholds a stately and mag- nificent city, crowned with a state-house upon the loftiest of the three mountains, around which the city seems to rise in the form of an inverted amphitheatre, adorned with churches, hospitals, institutions of learning, and monu- ments of patriotism. The heights round about the city, the large island opposite, the banks of the three rivers, which pour their confluent waters into the harbor, and all the prominent points along the surrounding shores, are studded with towns, villages and hamlets. A forest of masts rises up among the numerous wharves, and the harbor is all astir with
11*
126
SHAWMUT, OR THE
steamboats and packets, and craft of every size and every flag, coming and going, overshad- owed here and there by the lofty yards of a man-of-war anchored in the channel. Railroads branch from the city in all directions, connect- ing it with the British dominions, the south- ern states, and the western lakes. Yonder goes a, gigantic steamer, one of the floating bridges which bind together the old and new worlds. The population constantly increasing amounts to nearly a hundred thousand ; al- ready there is not sufficient room for them in the peninsula. Establishing their stores and ware-houses there, they are spreading their dwellings over all the circumjacent shores. The city government is now extended to Dorchester Heights and Noddle's Island, which are called South and East Boston. Probably the time is coming when the city will include in its ample range all the places marked by the scattered settlements of the Winthrop colony. The hun-
127
SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON.
dred islands will be united by bridges or fer- ries, and the western Venice will sit amidst the waters, unrivalled in beauty, and unequalled in influence.
It was thought an untoward Providence, which diverted the course of the Mayflower, and led the pilgrim settlers to the rocky shores of New, England. But posterity will see, that the All-wise Disposer of events designed for them the best portion of the whole land. An immense extent of coast, indented with a great number of harbors, easy of access, commodious and safe, gives us commerce with every part of the globe. The country delightfully diver- sified with hills and valleys and spreading plains, intersected with streams and rivers, while it yields a competency to the industry of the agriculturalist, opens unequalled facilities for manufactories. Thus every variety of na- tive genius is developed and employed. The climate, though severely cold at times, is grad-
-
128
SHAWMUT, OR THE
ually becoming milder, and, if cultivation pro- duces the same effect here as in the other con- tinent, is destined to be as pleasant as that of the vine-clad regions of southern Europe in the same latitude,-for Gaul and Germany were as cold as New England when the legions of Rome began to thread their forests.
Thus we see God has favored us in our natural position and resources ; and when we associate with these our civil and social privi- leges, we may apply to our state and prospects, with increased emphasis, the song of Asaph, (Ps. lxxx.,) which our fathers more than a cen- tury ago loved to apply in the same way :
"Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt ; Thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it ; Thou preparedst room before it, And didst cause it to take deep root, And it filled the land.
The hills were covered with the shadow of it, And the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, And her branches unto the river."
-
129
SETTLEMENT OF BOSTON.
Let it be forever impressed upon the minds of all that shall dwell in this land, that it was the Religion of our fathers that gave us this goodly heritage. Nor can we hope to enjoy it in peace, any longer than that religion is allowed the ascendency in all things.
-
APPENDIX.
THE following is the first page or two of the Re- cords of the town of Boston, which, as such, possesses an antiquarian interest. From it we learn who were the selectmen at the time.
1634. Month 7th. daye 1. Jo. Winthrop Wm Coddington Capt. Underhill Tho. Oliver Tho. Leveritt Giles Firmin Jo. Coggeshall Wm. Pierce Robt. Hardinge Wm. Brenton
Whereas it hath been founde that much damage hath already happened by laying of Stones and Logges near the bridge and land- ing place, whereby diverse boats have been much bruised, for pre- vention of such harmes for time to come, it is ordered that whosoever shall unlade any stones, timber or logges where the same may not be plainly seen at high water, shall set up a pole or beacon to give notice thereof, upon paine that whosoever shall faile so to doe shall make full recompence for all such damage as shall happen to any boats or other vessels, by oc- casion of such stones, timber or logges, the same to be recovered by way of action at the Court; and this order to be in force from this day forwarde-being only a de- claration of the common lawe herein.
12
-
134
APPENDIX.
Water Bayliffes
It is also ordered that no person shall leave any fish or garbage near the said bridge or common landing place between the creeks, whereby any annoyance may come to the people that passe that way, upon paine to forfeit for every such of- fence five shillings, the same to be levyed by distresse of the goodes of the offender-And this order to be of force from the fourth day of this month and so forever.
And for the better execution of these orders, the aforenamed Giles Firmin is appointed overseer of the saide landing place, to give notice to such strangers and others as come hither with boats, to take knowledge of all such offences com- mitted, and to levye the penalties which shall be forfeited.
And if after notice shall be given by the said overseer, to any person that shall have any timber, logges or stones, being without such pole or beacon, he shall take away the same, or set up such pole or beacon, the said offender shall, (after mak- ing recompence to the person dam- nified, if any damage happen,) for- feit to the towne for every day the same offence shall continue, five shillings, to be levyed by distress.
At a general meeting, upon pub- lique notice given, the fifth day of last weeke, it was ordered and agreed as follows :
Month 8th. daye 6th.
-
135
APPENDIX.
-
Imprimis. Richard Bellingham, Esquire, and J. Cogan, Merchant, were chosen in the place of Giles Firmin, deceased, and Robt. Hard- inge, now in Virginia, to make up the number to manage the affairs of the towne.
Item. Jo. Coggeshall Wm. Col- burn, Saml. Cole, Wm. Brenton and Thos. Grubb, together with Wm. Cheesborough, the constable, are deputed to make a rate for the levying of 40€ assessed upon the towne, as the first payment of a greater sume by order of the Genl. Court.
John Cogan, Tho. Matson, Nich- olys Willys are chosen to serve as Jurors at the Court of Assistants.
The 10th daye of the 9th month. November, 1634.
Att a general meeting upon pub- lique notice given the day before, it was ordered and agreed upon, viz .:
Hogg Island to be allotted.
Imprimis. That Hogg Island shall be lotted out unto the inhab- itants and freemen of this town, according to the number of names in every family, by John Copall, Wm. Brenton and John Lamford, and that none shall fell any wood there untill the same shall be lotted out.
Item. That Edmund Quinsey, Samuel Wilbore, Wm. Roston, Ed- mund Hutchinson, the elder, and Wm. Cheesborough, the constable, shall make and assess all these
136
APPENDIX.
-
10th month. daye 8th. Mr. Willson.
rates, viz., a rate for 30£ to Mr. Blackstone, a rate for cowes keep- ing, a rate for the goates keeping, and other charges in work there- about, and for loste income and water for the young cattle keeping at Muddy River.
Att a general meeting upon pub- lique notice-
Mount Wollaston.
Imprimis. It was ordered that Mr. Willson, the pastor, (in lieu of his land granted him at the North river by Mystick, which he shall passe over to the towne of Boston,) shall have as much land at Mount Wollaston at his election and after, so much as shall be his portion of other lands belonging to this towne, to be layed him out so near his other lands at Mount Wollaston as may be for his conveniency.
60 57
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.