USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Standard history of Essex county, Massachusetts, embracing a history of the county from its first settlement to the present time, with a history and description of its towns and cities. The Most historic county of America. > Part 5
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The Nashuas resided upon the Nashua, and the valley of the Mer- rimack. opposite and below the mouth of that river. The Souhegans scattered their tents upon the bauks of the river of that name, occupying the lowlands of the Merrimack, above and below the mouth of their own river. These Indians were often called Natacooks. or Nacooks. The Namaoskeags were established at the falls in the Merrimack. presently called Amoskeag. The Pennacooks occupied the fertile bottom lands at Pennacook. now included within the limits of Bow, Concord, and Boscawen. The Winnepesaukees occupied the borders of the lake of that name, one of their noted fishing- places beiug at the outlet of the lake, now known as the Weirs.
Of these tribes. the Pennacooks were the most powerful. and the Winnepesaukee. Amoskeag. Souhegan. and Nashua tribes were tributary to them. On the other hand, the Wamesits were so inter- married with them, as to be mainly uuder their control, acknowl- edged submission to their chief. Passaconaway, and finally, as the population decreased, with the other tribes upon the Merrimack. became incorporated with the Pennacooks, ceasing to be distinct tribes. The Agawams of Essex were merged into this tribe also, and at such an early date that but little can be recorded of them as a separate tribe.
The whole of these Indians in the interior were knowu and called by the name of Nipmucks. or Fresh Water Iudians. But the Iudians in the Merrimack valley, although properly Nipmucks. and living in distant bands or tribes, were nearly always called Pennacooks by the English. This was due to the fact that the Penuacook was the most powerful tribe in the valley, and, as well to the other fact, that its chief. Passaconaway, was the most powerful sagamore in that region. The standing aud prowess of this tribe and chief, brought them prominently before the English on all occasions of importance, such as treaties and negotiations ; and hence the English. meeting but few Iudians of importance from the Merrimac valley, who were not Pennacooks, applied their names generally to the inhabitants of the upper Merrimack valley. But this was due to the foresight of the English. for. by the year 1685. the Pennacooks were the ouly tribe iu, and had undisputed possession of the whole valley.
The Naumkeags occupied the land where Salem now stands. and, in the years of their strength. they were a prosperous, numerous, and powerful tribe ; but when our fathers entered upon their soil. they were so dwindled away by fatal disease. that they were not reckoned as of any importauce in times of war with more powerful bands. The Rev. John Higginson thus speaks of such of these Iudians as survived when he came to Salem: "To the best of my remembrance when I came over with my father to this place. beiug then about thirteen years old, there was in these parts a widow woman. called the Squaw Sachem. who had three sons, Sagamore John, kept at Mistick. Sagamore James, at Saugust, and Sagamore George here at Naumkeke. Whether he was actual sachem here, I
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cannot say, for he was young then about my age, and I think there was an elder man that was at least his guardian. But the Indian towne of Wigwams was on the north side of the north river not farre from Simondes and then both the north and south side of the river was called Naumkeke." The squaw here named, was probably the companion of Nanepashemet, the chief who was killed about 1619, and left five children; of these was the sagamore named by Ifigginson. It is reasonable to suppose that Naumkeag was one of his principal residences. A party from Plymouth, in 1621, came upon two of his forts, one of which was, no doubt, the "old Indian fort" at Marblehead Neck. Nanepashemet's jurisdiction was quite extensive. The three sons, who succeeded him, claimed all the lands in and around Salem, Marblehead, Lynn, and as far as " Mystick."
Mr. Felt informs us that for a second husband, the squaw sachem married Wappacomet, a priest. Jointly with him she granted lands, between 1639-40, bordering on Mistick Pond, reserved by her from Charlestown and Cambridge, to Jotham Gibbons, son of Edward Gibbous of Boston. The land so granted was to be possessed by Gibbons at her death. In the deed of this conveyance she styles herself " squaw sachem of Mystick." In 1644 she, with several saga- mores, submitted to the government of the Colony, and consented to have the children of her subjects taught the truths of the Bible. It is thought by soine, though it is not definitely known, that she was the squaw, who, being blind, died in consequenec of ill treatment from a party of Narragansetts, who came as enemies in 1667 and robbed their fort.
Sagamore James, one of the squaw sachem's sons, was named Mon- towompatt, and was sagamore of Lynn and Marblehead. Mr. Dud- ley, in his letter of 1631, informs us that "near to Salem dwelleth two or three families subject to the sagamore of Agawam. This sagamore hath but few subjects, and they and himself tributary to Sagamore James, having been, before the last year, in James's minor- ity, tributary to Shicka Talbott." When Mr. Dudley wrote, it appeared that James had but recently assumed his jurisdiction, and held authority over the Indians of Salem and Ipswich, as tributaries. Thus this chief came into possession of a part of his father's terri- tory, formerly under the sagamoreship of Naumkeag. But the juris- diction was destined to cease. James and most of his subjects were carried off by small-pox, in 1633.
His elder brother, John, or Wonohaquaham, met the same fatc. He and most of his people died of the same discase, near the same date. Mr. Maverick buried above thirty of them in one day. The Charlestown records inform us that John cheerfully permitted the emigrants from Salem to settle that plaec, and speak of him as " of gentle and good disposition." When the fatal disease overtook him, he desired to be committed to the care of the English, and promised, if he recovered, to live with the English and to serve the English- man's God. He left one son, whom he committed to the care of the Rev. Mr. Wilson, pastor at Boston. He left certain gifts for the governor and his English friends, and provided for the payment of his own debts and those of his subjects. Finally, he died in the faith of the true God, leaving his land at Powder Horn Hill to his son, and, in case of his death, to his brother George.
Thus it was that George was left the sole survivor and suceessor. It was probably this George to whom Mr. Eliot referred, in his letter of 1649, when he said : "Lynn Indians are all naught, save one, who sometimes cometh to heare the word and telleth me that hee prayeth to God, and the reason why they are bad is partly and principally because their sachem is naught, and careth not to pray unto God." This, and subsequent events, establish pretty clearly that George did not embrace, in any beneficial degree, the Christian faith. The son of John had died, when, in May, 1651, his uncle George petitioned the General Court that he might be recognized as the rightful heir to the land of the deceased. The residents of Chelsea, then Rumney Marsh, disputed his claim, and submitted that if it was allowed, it
would result in disturbing most of the land titles in Chelsea and Lynn. George had now, undoubtedly, succeeded to the rule of all the Indians, from Naumkeag River to Mystic River, thereby rising, in a measure, to the dignity of his father as to his territorial bound- aries, but by no means in respect of the number of his subjects. George's Indian name was Winnapurkitt. He was sometimes called George Rumney Marsh, and No Nose. He lived to survive the des- perate war between Philip and New England, and appears to have allied himself with the hostile Indians. He was convicted of partici- pation in the war, and transported, among other Indians, to a foreign port and sold as a slave. On returning home, he lived the remnant of his days, and finally died, at the house of his relative, James Rum- ney Marsh, of Natick. The latter had rendered valuable service to the English during the Indian rebellion. George married Joane, or Ahawayetsquaine, the daughter of Poquannum, or Dark Skin, who lived at Nahant. He left two daughters, Cicely Petaghuncksy and Sarah Wuttaquatinmisk, and three grand-children, David Nonnupan- dhow and Sam Wattoanoh, both children of his son Nonnumpannum- how, and John Toutohqunne, the son of Cicely. In 1686, these de- scendants of the last sagamore of Nanmkeag lived at Chelmsford. Other connections of the chief resided at Natick, and elsewhere.
At George's death, he nominally transferred his possessions to his kinsman, James Rumney Marsh. The condition was imposed that the heir should use exertions to have his fee in the lands fully acknowl- edged, and an adequate consideration paid for it. Nor were these conditions without a basis in equity. The very year in which he died, Marblehead paid off this additional elaim ; and, two years later, Salem did likewise. George died in 1684.
Thus terminated the last reigning house of the natives at Naum- kcag. Thus passed forever from the red men the last trace of their inherited title to the soil of that region. Still it continued to be trod- den with the feet of wandering natives. It is related that as late as 1725, a company of them paid annual visits to Gallows Hill - a fact, which, if correct, sufficiently proves them to have been descendants of the Naumkeags.
Some further remarks on the early Indian land grants will be found in the town histories on succeeding pages, as also additional notes on the last Indian villages of the county.
CHAPTER III.
THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY - SETTLEMENT OF SALEM, LYNN, ANDOVER, IPSWICH, ROWLEY, NEWBURY, GLOUCESTER, AND WEN- HAM.
The county of Essex, Mass., was incorporated in 1643. It then consisted of the following towns ; viz., Salem, Lynn, Enon, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Gloucester, and Coehichewic. At the same session of the General Court in which the county was incorporated, the name of Enon was changed to Wenham. Cochichewie was the name applied to the territory now embraced within the limits of Andover. The history of the county previous to this date is, of course, identical with the history of the eight towns named above, and will be found, in detail, in another part of this volume. However, to accommodate the purposes of the present sketch, and for the better understanding of the reader, we may, even at the risk of being repeated in the following town histories, take a hurried glance at the rise and early progress of these eight settlements.
First, then, as to Salem; and we have already seen, in the fore- going account of Massachusetts Bay Colony, how this old town re- ceived its first instalments of civilization. Its first settlement was consequent upon a failure to plant a fishing-station at Cape Ann,
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
which came to pass in this way. Numerous fishing voyages had been made by the English to the American coast ; many of the principal bays and harbors on the New England coast had been explored, and a few brave, heroic men had founded the Plymouth Colony. Through these means the English received such intelligence of the state of the country, and of the abundance of fish in its waters, as to induce the belief among such as were inclined to venture their means in fishing enterprises, that a profitable fishing colony might be planted in New England, which, through the means of agriculture, and the products of the fisheries, would result in gains to the projectors. Certain merchants and other gentlemen of Dorchester, England, made the first move in this direction. They were prompted and encouraged by the Rev. John White, an able divine of that place. Nothing appears among the various records of this enterprise to indi- eate that either Mr. White or his copartners had fixed upon any cer- tain place for their colony. Their ship arrived at the usual fishing- ground, and being rather late in the season, found it necessary to put into Massachusetts Bay before the cargo could be completed. This done, the vessel proceeded on her return. leaving fourteen men with the necessary provisions, "in the country of Cape Ann." These persons, no doubt. began the work of a plantation, and however much interest may attach to these pioneers, it is doomed to utter disappointment, as history refuses to inform us concerning their privations, or even to let us have their names. There were at that time in New England. besides the settlers of the Plymouth Colony, a few men at Nantasket ; the remaining few of George's plantation at Weymouth ; the settlers at Piscataqua River and Saco, who began in the same year. There was also a company at Monhegan, and, it may be, one or two other residents in Maine. "The imagination," says Mr. Babson, "may find a pleasure in dwelling for a moment with the little company at Cape Ann : in looking upon its members, as they were attracted abroad by day to find sources of wonder and delight in new aspects of nature, and as they were occupied during the long hours of the winter evening with recollections of home and stories of exploits and adven- tures along the shores and in the wilderness of the New World."
But while this gallant fourteen were surveying Cape Ann, under the auspices of the Dorchester Company, others, it may be with a knowledge of their ocenpation of the territory, turned their attention to the same place. In the fall of 1623, the same year that these nien were left at Cape Ann. Edward Winslow, of New Plymouth, sailed on a mission of importance to England. While there, he must have obtained information of the doings of the Dorchester Company at Cape Ann, and of their partial success in the fisheries ; at all events, Winslow made preparations for the commencement of fishing by his own Colony. He and Robert Cushman procured from Lord Shef- field, a member of the Council for New England, a patent conveying to them and their associates a traet of ground in New England, "in a known place there commonly called Cape Ann." The Plymouth col- onists did not seem to make any use of this patent, except for fishing purposes ; and as the Dorchester Company had already taken posses- sion of the place at the date on which the patent was granted Wins- low and Cushman, an arrangement was effected by the Dorchester Company with the patentees for participating in the benefits secured by the patent. This fact is confirmed by Capt. John Smith, who, writing in 1624, says, " At Cape Anne there is a settlement beginning by the Dorchester men. which they hold of those of New Plymouth."
The fourteen men who were left at Cape Ann in 1623, to commence the work of a plantation, were gladdened, carly in the following spring, by the appearance of their ship returning, under the command of the same master, with the needed supplies. Additional colonists were left, so that the unmber now reached thirty-two, two of whom, John Tylly and Thomas Gardner, were appointed overseers of the business of the plantation, - the first of the fishing, and the other of the planting. The fishing business, however. proved a losing speen- lation to the Dorchester merchants ; and, although a thorough effort
was made in 1625 to demonstrate the practicability of the scheme, its failure became inevitable. "The best results, however, for the prosperity of the Colony, so far, at least, as the proceedings at the plantation could contribute to it, were to be expected from the ap- pointment of a very superior man already in the country, to be its superintendent or governor."
It is well known that the merchant adventurers, who, in England, aided the Pilgrim colonists, were divided into two parties on the sub- jeet of religion : one party, adhering to the established church, suc- ceeded in sending to the Colony a minister of their own church. It is needless to say that such a course was repugnant to the colonists. The Rev. John Lyford, the minister referred to, on arriving in the Colony, found a few holding views in accord with him; but these held themselves aloof from any hostility, except in the case of John Oldham. The condnet of these men secured their expulsion from the Colony, and they settled, for the time being, at Nantasket, where, soon after, they were joined by Roger Conant and a few others, who disliked the rigid separation of the Pilgrims.
This is the first mention of Mr. Conant in New England history ; but he was well known in his native land, and, in 1625, he was ap- pointed by the Dorchester Company, acting under the advice of the Rev. John White, to be governor of their plantations at Cape Ann. Lyford and Oldham were invited to join the Colony; and while the latter declined, the former accepted and became their minister. It is believed that Conant received his appointment as governor of the plantation, in 1625, and that he removed to Cape Ann in the same year. There is evidence that he was performing his duties at that place early in the spring of that year. About one year after, the Dorchester Company abandoned the enterprise, having expended nearly all the capital invested, without any gains. Their operations for the Colony now ceased ; and most of their men, being sent for, returned to England. Roger Conant, and a few of the most honest and industrious, resolved to stay and take charge of the little prop- erty at the plantation. But, as the advantages of Cape Ann consisted only in its adaptability to fishing enterprise, they removed, some time in the next year, 1626, to Nanmkeag, now Salem, a place much bet- ter adapted to the wants of an infant colony.
Such were the means employed, resulting in the first permanent settlement in Essex County, at Salem, in 1626. It was evidently Mr. Conant's ambition to be instrumental in founding a permanent colony, such as would be a suitable place for those who desired to escape religious intolerance in England. No sooner had he re- moved, with his few followers, to Salem, than he communicated with the Rev. John White, of Dorchester, England, concerning his plans, which were approved. The events which followed, embracing the arrival of Governors Endicott and Winthrop, together with the general affairs of interest connected with the establishment of civil government, have already been fully recorded in a previous chapter on the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The history of Salem, from its first settlement to the organization of Essex County, in 1643, and subsequently to the present day, will be found further on in this volume, in its proper place among the town histories.
Lyun was also one of the eight towns in existence in Essex County at the date of its incorporation. It was first settled in 1629, by Ed- mund and Francis Ingalls, from Lincolnshire, England. Edmund Ingalls settled as a farmer in the eastern part of the town, near to a small pond, on the margin of which he had a malt-house. Later, in 1638, when the lands were divided, Edmund and Francis Ingalls were apportioned one hundred and twenty acres of " npland and meadow." These pioneers found the topography of the town quite diversified. The southern portion consisted of a long, narrow prairie, bounded on the north, by a high, rocky range of hills, beyond which was a heavy range of woodland. The town originally included the territory of Sangus. Swampscott, Nahant, and Lynnfield. These towns were afterwards settled by themselves. The towns of
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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
Reading and South Reading were also originally included within the extensive boundaries of Lynn. The Indian name of the place was Saugus, and by that name it was known for eight years.
Francis Ingalls, one of the first settlers at Lyun, was a tanner, and lived at Swampscott. Hle erected a tannery at Humphrey's Brook, which was the first in New England, and the first step in the great shoemaking industry which has subsequently grown up in that quar- ter. The Messrs. Ingalls were followed by others ; and in a short time the settlement contained five men, with their families, compris- ing in all about twenty persons. "They did not settle at Sagamore Hill," says Newhall, "because the Indians were there; nor on the common, because that was a forest ; but, coming from Salem, they selected a ' faire playne,' somewhat less than half a mile in extent, where they built their rude cottages, 'and had peaceful possession.' There the soil of Lynn was first stirred by the white men ; there, sur- rounded by Indians, they laid the foundation of a town." These are a few of the circumstances connected with the first settlement of Lynn. As will be seen, it was a sort of outpost of Salem; for it will be re- membered, that when Salem was first laid out, it included within its limits, Beverly, Manchester, Marblehead, Danvers, a part of Lynn, Topsfield, and Wenham.
Wenham was the first to be set off as a distinct township. The first notice we have of this place is in an account of the murder of John Hoddy, which took place near the " Great Pond." John Wil- liams, the murderer, was seized, sentenced to be hung, and executed at Boston. This murder excited great attention, as it was the first which occurred among the European population of the Colony. The earliest settlers in Wenham probably located on the borders of the lake. On the 5th of November, 1639, the General Court enacted that " Whereas the inhabitants of Salem have agreed to plant a village near the river which runeth to Ipswich, it is ordered that all the lands near their bounds, between Salem and said river, not belonging to any other town or person, by any former grant shall belong to said village." The first settlers called their village Enon ; but in 1643, when the town was incorporated, as already mentioned, the name was changed to Wenham.
The town of Ipswich had been settled ten years previous to the incorporation of the county. The country for many miles around had long been known by the Indian name of Agawam, but in the early spring of 1633, its permanent settlement by the whites was inaugurated by John Winthrop, son of Gov. Winthrop, and twelve others, among whom were William Clark, Robert Coles, TIromas Howlet, John Briggs, John Gage, Thomas Hardy, William Perkins, William Thorndike and William Sargent. In 1634, the name of Ips- wich was substituted in the place of Agawam, and the town was incor- porated by the General Court. For a long time Ipswich was one of the great central points of the county.
Rowley was settled in 1639, and the circumstances connected with its settlement are interesting. About twenty ships a year were now arriving from England, with passengers, seeking a home in this land of liberty. The number of inhabitants were so increased by these arrivals that they were obliged to look out for new plantations cach year. Thus it became that within a few years all the most desirable places for a settlement were taken up. Therefore, on the arrival of Ezekiel Rogers, with about twenty families, in the fall of 1638, no favorable place for a settlement seemed to be accessible, and in con- sequence he and his party spent the winter at Salem. An effort was made in the following spring to induce the whole party to settle in New Haven, but this failed ; and, after some delay, Mr. Rogers and his associates settled at Rowley, so called from Rowley in Yorkshire, Eng., where he and some of his people had lived. In September, 1639, the town thus founded by Mr. Rogers, was incorporated by the General Court under the name of Rowley. The place was at first called " Mr. Rogers' Plantation." Although Mr. Rogers brought over with him but about twenty families, before reaching Rowley he had
increased his company to about sixty families. For some time these settlers labored together in common.
Newbury was settled in the spring of 1635, and derived its name from Newbury, a town in Berkshire, Eng. Before its incorporation, which occurred in the spring of 1635, when it was first settled, it was called by the Indian name of Quaseacunquen. The first settlers of Newbury probably reached that place by water from Ipswich. This company was not large, and included Henry Sewall and servants, William Moody, his wife and four sons, Anthony Short, Henry Short and wife, John Spencer, Nicholas Easton, his wife and son John, Richard Kent, senior, and Stephen Kent, with their wives, Richard Kent, Jr., and James Kent, Thomas Parker, John Woodbridge, James Noyes, his wife and brother Nicholas Noyes, Thomas Brown, Richard Brown, James Browne and wife, Thomas Coleman, Francis Plummer and wife, with his two sons Joseph and Samuel, and others whose names are not certainly known.
For some time the business of the town was transacted by a com- mittee of the whole, " but," say's Mr. Coffin, " the population increas- ing rapidly, - fifteen ships with passengers, having arrived in June, one in August, one in November, and one in December, bringing with them many families, who immediately settled in Newbury, - the plan- tation soon received a sufficient company to make a competent town, according to the order of the General Court."
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