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 53

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450

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 53

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).

Witness our hands and scales to this bargayne of sale ye day and year above written (in ye presents of us, ) Wee ye Passaquo & Sagga- Hew have received in hand, for & in consideration of ye same three pounds & ten shillings."

John Ward Robert Clements

ye mark of

Passaquo + Scal

Tristram Coffin

Hugh Sherratt William White ye sign of Thomas Davis +

Saggahew +

Seal

# Dr. Robert Crowell in his history of Essex says that "Nathaniel Ward, with some men from Newbury, commeneed the settlement of Haverhill in 1640, where afterward his son John was settled in the ministry," p. 37.

166

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

This deed is indorsed as being recorded in the County Records for Norfolk, and also in the Essex County Land Records, at Ipswich, with the signatures of Thomas Bradbury, Reeorder for Norfolk, and Rob- ert Lord. Recorder for Ipswich. In 1680, this deed was copied into the Town Record. and the following testimony, taken by Nathaniel Saltonstall, recorded on the sneceeding page :

" The Rev. Teacher of ye ehureh & town of Haverhill Mr. John Ward ; & William White and Thomas Davis do testitie that Haverhill township or lands then by ye Indians called Pentuckett, was purchased of ve Indians as is mentioned in ye deed in this paper contained, we is entered upon record and that we were then inhabitants of Haverhill, and present with ye Indians Passaquoi aud Saggahew (who were the appareut owners of ye land & so accounted ) did sign and confirme ye same ; and that then, wee, ( with others now dead ) did signe our names to ye deed, which land we have ever since enjoyed peacably without any Indian molestation from the grantors or their heirs. Taken upon Februay ye 4th 1680 before Nathaniel Saltonstall, Assist."

The chief Indian village was supposed to have been in the vicinity of Little River, and many years ago Indian skeletons were frequently dug up, together with heads of arrows, stone mortars, and other im- plements, confirming the belief that a numerous tribe once dwelt here. On one of these occasions, a "bumper of punch " was drank to the memory of the aborigines from one of the skulls exhumed.

CHAPTER III.

FIRST MEETING-HOUSE BUILT - CHURCH ORGANIZED - PARSONAGE LOT - NEW CHURCHES BUILT - RELIGIOUS TROUBLES - DIVISION.

The first house was built near the old burial-ground, now known as Pentucket Cemetery, which was followed by the erection of others there ; so that the first principal settlement was in the neighborhood of what is now known as Mill Street. About two years after the first house was built. one was erected near the site of the present woollen mills, on what is now known as Winter Street. The first meeting- house was built in 1648, npon the site designated by vote of the town as "the lower Knowle at the lower end of the Mill Lot," which embraced the territory now occupied by Linwood and Pentueket cem- eteries. It was twenty-six feet in length, twenty feet in width, and one story high, without gallery, cupola, or other adornment, and faced toward the river.

It was a rough, but substantial structure, supplying the necessary room for purposes of worship, and was quite acceptable to the tastes of the hardy sons of adventure and toil who had chosen their home on the banks of the smiling Merrimae, and were content to nestle for a time beneath the shadows of the overhanging forests.

The event of death was not forgotten in the midst of the active struggles of life, and, following the old English usage, it is likely that a spot in the vicinity of the church was at first constituted the " God's Acre" which should become the resting-place of the sleepers. The first formal vote of the town, touching this subject. was in November, 1660, when it was ordered that " the land behind the meeting house should be reserved for a burial ground." and that was the present cen- tre of what is now called " Pentucket Cemetery." It is not doubted that from the date of the erection of the church the burials had taken place in that loeality, and that this vote gave formal sanction to the selection of the spot for that purpose. The first adult dying in town was Thomas Dow, May, 1654. Thirteen children had previously died : and previous to April 1, 1663, there were forty-seven deaths, forty of which were children.

The company of settlers upon this plantation numbered twelve. besides John Ward. and their names were : William White. Samuel Gile, James Davis, Henry Palmer, John Robinson. Christopher Hus- sey, John Williams, Richard Littlehale, Abraham Tyler, Daniel Ladd, Joseph Merrie, Job Clement. About the time of this movement, Robert Clement came from England to Salisbury, but soon settled here. He was soon followed by Tristram Coffin, who had just reached Salisbury from Devonshire. England. Both settled a few rods east of the burial-ground, where Clement pursued the avocation of cooper. and Coffin that of a farmer ; and is said to have been the first person who ploughed land in Haverhill. Both moved either to Holt's Rocks or Newbury the following year, Coffin to improve "ye land in ye planting of corne ; " and in 1645 he was licensed to keep an ordinary, or tavern. After taking prominent part in the affairs of the plantation for several years, he moved to Salisbury in 1649, from there projeet-

ing the settlement of Nantneket, purchasing four-tenths of the island, and removed there in 1662, accompanied by four of his children. His daughter Mary was born in this town, and was a woman of un- usual ability. She became the wife of Nathaniel Starbuck, of Nau- tucket, and it is recorded that " the Islanders esteemed her as a Judge among them, for little of moment was done without her." She became a Quakeress in 1701, leading the religious interests of the island, and exerting a wide influence. The descendants of Tristram Coffin are very numerous, Admiral Sir Isaac Coffin being of the number.

Among others who very soon took up their residence here were Hugh Sheritt and Thomas Davis; and the names of the four last- mentioned settlers are recorded on the Indian deed of the town. Job Clement was the first tanner in town; and as a settler, soon followed the pioneer party. John Favor also took up his residence here about that time. The early settlers were generally the founders of families of standing and influence ; and their descendants are now regarded as among the best citizens. The most numerous of the descendants of these first settling families are the Whites, Clements, and Davises.

Without doubt the arrival of Mr. Ward was delayed for a short time, either by other engagements or with a view to giving the work- ingmen an opportunity to open the way in some slight degree for his accommodation and comfort. In the records of the town it appears that on the 29th of September. 1642. he had "sixteen acres of land laid out to him for a home lot, with all the accommodations thereunto belonging." It is recorded of him that "Though he had great offers of rich matches in England. vet he chose to marry a meaner person. whom exemplary piety had recommended. He lived with her for more than forty years, in such an happy harmony, that when she died he professed that in all this time, he never had received one displeasing word or look from her." His marriage to Alice Edmunds took place in 1646, by whom he had two children. Elizabeth and Mary ; and her death occurred March 24. 1680. His daughter Elizabeth married Nathaniel Saltonstall, a prominent citizen, Dec. 28, 1663, to whom she bore five children.

In 1645, John Ward was ordained pastor of the floek, and around him was gathered a church during that year, numbering fourteen members, eight males and six females. The population had consid- erably increased, and as nearly as could be ascertained there were thirty-two landholders, whose names were John Ward, Robert Clem- ent. Job Clement, John Clement, Joseph Merrie, Abraham Tyler, Hugh Sheritt, Henry Savage, Christopher Hussey, Daniel Hendrick. John Williams, Richard Littlehale, William Butler, John Aver. Sr., John Ayer, Jr., Joseph Peaslec, William White. John Robinson, Henry Palmer, Thomas Davis, George Corlis, Nathaniel Wier, James Fiske, Thomas Hale, James Davis, Sr., James Davis, Jr., John Eaton, Bartholomew Heath, Tristram Coffin, Daniel Ladd, Samuel Gile, and John Davis. In point of rapidity of growth in population and success in their industries, together with their efforts to build up the church, which they regarded of the first importance, what had been accomplished appeared to have fully met their highest expecta- tions, and the new settlement was already basking in the sunshine of success. Mr. Ward, the minister, or teacher as he was commonly ealled, commanded the entire respect aud love of the little band of settlers, and they accorded to him all the favor which their condition would admit of. In 1646, the freeholders unanimously voted that his land should be " free rate " during his life, if he continued to be their minister. and at the same meeting voted him a salary of £40, to be paid in "wheat and indian," and in addition, his wood was to be brought to the door, and " cut and corded." This salary was increased to £50, and an additional supply of wood, in 1651. The tax for the support of the ministry was collected in the manner prescribed by law, and the usual difficulty appears to have existed in the way of prompt payment. In 1660, ten acres of meadow, and two hundred acres of upland, were granted for a parsouage to Mr. Ward and his successors.

In the early days, prior to the erection of a church, religious meetings were held at private houses ; and during the warm weather, ou pleasant Sundays, they gathered in the shade of a large tree in the neighborhood of the burial-ground. The erection of a house of wor- ship did not bring with it a hell ; and, to supply its place, the town voted. "That on the Lord's day morning and evening, and on lecture days, Richard Littlehale should beat the drum to call the people to- gether." He was also employed to beat the drum for town-meetings, for which he received the annual compensation of thirty shillings. For some reason drum-beating became distasteful as a signal for prayers, and, in 1651, it was voted. "that Abraham Tyler shall blow his horn in the most convenient place every Lord's day for about half

167

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

an hour before meeting begins," for which annual service he should receive a peck of corn from every family. This signal, however, was abandoned the next year, and the drum-beat again became the call to worship, which continued until the purchase of a bell. Free ferriage to ministers and to the people of Bradford on Sundays, was another indication of favor towards fostering the interests of religious wor- ship.

In 1680, the infirmities of age having gathered upon Mr. Ward, the supply of a colleague began to be thought of; but not till 1690 was a permanent assistant secured, when the Rev. Benjamin Rolfe, a native of Newbury, became the preacher, and assistant of Mr. Ward in parochial duties. After the death of Mr. Ward, he remained the pastor of the flock till he was killed in the attack of the French and Indians upon the town, in 1708.

In 1682, the matter of building a new meeting-house began to be agitated, and much division of opinion existed as to building, and also in reference to its location. A plan was not adopted till 1697, and not till late in 1699 was the building completed and accepted. It was located on " the common land," now known as the city park, and about fifty feet in front of the present First Parish church. It was a plain structure, 50} feet in length, 40} feet in width, and 19 feet stud ; but several years afterwards it was supplied with a belfry. In 1748, the first bell in town was put in the belfry of the First Parish church, at a cost of £65. In 1753, it was exchanged for a new one, at a cost of £500, and Benjamin Harrod authorized to make the exchange. After the erection of the new meeting-house, in 1699, Joseph Peasley asked the town to allow himself and others "to meet at the new house for and in their way of worship, which is according to the quakers." The request was read, but denied the courtesy of a vote, and they were peremptorily excluded.

In 1761, the building of a new church began to be talked of; but a decision was not reached till 1765, and it was erected in 1766, "at the northerly side of the old meeting house." It was a commanding structure, surmounted with a steeple at the easterly end, and cost £1,000. It remained standing till 1837, when it was taken down, and a new church built in its place, at a cost of about $9,000. The First Parish had then passed to the control of the Unitarians, who sold their interest in the "common," ereeting the church on a lot north of it. On the morning of Jan. 1, 1847, this edifice was totally destroyed, and during the following year the present church was built, at a cost of over $7,000.

The pastors succeeding Mr. Rolfe, who was killed by the Indians, were the Revs. Joshua Gardner, in 1711, John Brown, in 1719, Edward Barnard, in 1743, John Shaw, in 1777, all of whom died while occupying the ministerial office. Their successors were the Revs. Abiel Abbot, in 1795, Joshua Dodge, in 1808, and Dudley Phelps, in 1828. The two first named resigned their positions, and Mr. Phelps, after a long contest, was dismissed on account of differ- ences in opinion upon religious doctrines, and reformatory matters, between himself and a majority at the time constituting the parish.

For some time a liberal feeling upon religious doctrines had pre- vailed in the society, and the Rev. Mr. Barnard, late in life, had re- ceded from the Trinitarian view, and his successor, the Rev. Mr. Abbot, was also regarded as a Unitarian. To many of the society the old doctrines, which frequently found utterance from the pulpit, had become distasteful. The writer has received it by tradition, from present undoubted Orthodox authority, that as late as 1815, it was declared from the First Parish pulpit that "hell is paved with infants' skulls, not a span long." Doctrine so rank as that, instead of terri- fying, tended to develop more cheering views, and hence the increase of liberal strength. Mr. Phelps was an able and fearless man, who, being educated at Yale, and at Andover Theological Seminary, came to the society with opinions decidedly Orthodox, which he delivered with precision and boldness, while his zeal in the temperance and anti-slavery discussions was equally pronounced. Though eminently social and open-hearted, and full of agreeable humor, he was blunt, severe, and searching in all his pulpit utterances. In 1830, an attempt was made to dismiss him for those reasons, but it was inef- fectual. In September, 1832, another attempt failed; but the lib- erals, availing themselves of the privilege of proselyting, immediately secured the membership of seventeen to the society, who had hith- erto been known as Universalists, which entitled them to vote, and in a meeting held in the November following, there was a clear majority against Mr. Phelps. The Orthodox, finding themselves permanently in the minority, soon withdrew, and formed what is now the Centre Congregational Society. From 1640 till that hour, the First. Parish had been in harmony with the spirit of the Puritan church, in doctrine

and discipline ; but this event wrought a change, closing the records of the old history, and opening the pages of the new one.

CHAPTER IV.

DIVISION OF LANDS - CITIZENSHIP - MECHANICS ENCOURAGED - BLUE LAWS - THE WHIPPING-POST AND STOCKS OFFENSIVE TO PUBLIC SENTIMENT.

Following the location of the twelve pioncers upon the soil of Haverhill, came the erection of dwellings, and before the commis- sioners, - Matthew Boyse, John Woodbridge, John Cross, and George Giddings, -appeared to establish the boundary lines, it is believed that more than the requisite number of six houses had been constructed. The town, incorporated in 1645, was the twenty-third settled, and the church the twenty-sixth. Although dense forests were stretched out before them, a wise forceast pointed to guarding against improvidence and waste. In the division of the Colony into counties that year, Haverhill was included in that of Norfolk. At this time, Richard Littlehale was chosen clerk of the "Court of Writs," a court for the trial of causes not exceeding forty shillings, and was also chosen town " Recorder." In 1646, the first selectinen were chosen, the board consisting of Thomas Hale, Henry Palmer, Thomas Davis, James Davis, and William White. The compensa- tion for performing the duties of that office was fifty shillings, to be distributed "to each man according to his services." Attendance

upon town-meetings was compulsory, voters being required to answer to their names, and, in some instances, were tined for delin- quency. By vote of the town, no vote was held to be legal if taken after sunset. The first record book of the town was stolen by the Indians, and was afterwards found in a damaged condition in the westerly portion of the town, in what is now Methuen.

The disposal of the " accommodation grants," or house lots, in the village, laid the foundation for the apportionment of all the other lands owned by the proprietors, through the grant from the govern- ment, and the purchase from the Indians. That was also the basis for the apportionment of all other rights and privileges held in com- mou. Three hundred acres had been divided among the proprietors, in lots of twenty acres and less, and their apportionment of lands held in common were in like proportion. There was a continual apportionment of meadow lands, of plough land, of rights of pastur- age and of cutting of timber, until all the common lands and com- mon interests were disposed of. So long as the population was small, and represented, or chiefly controlled by the original pro- prietors, the management of these affairs was comparatively easy.

Agriculture appeared to be the leading pursuit ; but the necessity of encouraging the establishment of the mechanical industries seems to have been early understood and appreciated. A community dependent entirely upon foreign manufactories for all the comforts and conveniences of civilization, could not fail to see the advantage of offering all possible encouragement to the varied industries whose products contribute to assist in relieving the necessities and pro- moting the comfort of men. The blacksmith, the tanner, the shoe- inaker, the brickmaker, the carpenter, the miller, and the sawyer, with every other industry which promised to contribute to the general welfare, were welcomed here, though new settlers were received with cantion.

In 1651, Isaac Cousins, a blacksmith, was granted six acres of land if he would remain here five years; failing to do that, the grant was transferred to John Webster in 1653; but he also failed to comply with terms. The next proposition was made to John Johnson to purchase a house for him at the cost of twenty pounds, provided he would remain seven years, and do the town's work. This agreement was entirely fulfilled, and he became the ancestor of most of the Johnsons in town. The house was located on the site now occupied by Exchange Building, Water Street. Job Clement, the first tanner in the city, a man of considerable ability, and the first constable in the town, was voted "a parcel of ground, not exceeding one quarter of an acre at the Mill Brooke, being bounded forth by the Free-men to sett him up a tann-house and tann-fatts upon, to him and his heirs forever." At an early day, the existence of clay was discovered here, and " clay pits " opened ; but not successfully worked. In 1650, three-fourths of an acre, and the clay-pits, located in the West Parish, near the Ephraim Corliss

168

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

estate, were granted to John Hoit, on condition that he should become an inhabitant of the town. John Couzins was granted the right to build a saw-mill on Thomas Hale's River, now known as Little River, ou terms of not using "any timber within three miles of the meeting house except pine and hemlock, paying every twelve hundredth board to the use of the town in general." Subsequently, but as late as 1720, a corn-mill and fulling-mill were erected by Samuel White and William White on the same river, for many years kuown as " Saw-Mill River." The only mechanic which appears to have been received with reluctance was the shoemaker. In 1679. it required a formal vote of the town to admit Benjamin Webster and Samuel Parker, two young shoemakers, "to live in towne. and follow the trade of shoemaking." On another occasion, a William Thompson, shoemaker, was refused citizenship in the town : but no explanation of this singular vote is given.

It is evident that the axe, the plough, and the hoe were the leading implements depended upon by these sturdy sons of toil, to assist in establishing themselves in the home of their choice. It is, also, altogether probable that, in the practical industries of life, the strength and skill of woman was au important element, and that the loom, the spinning-wheel. the linen-wheel, and the distaff were the contrivances which assisted her toils, and contributed not a little to augment the common fund of comforts, and add to the common store of wealth. These machines, once so prominent in rural homes, are scarcely mentioned in the written histories of this people ; but tradition assures us that they were prominently associated with those toils which resulted in the prosperity of this settlement, and its increase in wealth. The flax from the field, and the wool from the flocks, were transformed into comfortable and enduring fabrics by the handiwork of woman, and generous contributions by her toil were thus made to the peace, comfort, and joy of multiplying households.

In 1650, two orchards were planted, which opened the way for the cultivation of fruit, for which the soil was admirably adapted. In 1654, the fisheries of the river were established, which were of considerable importance, supplying a large amount of food, and furnishing a dressing for the corn-field in the application of which they were but following the example of the Indiaus before them in the use of fish as manure. In 1647. a hive of bees was first brought here by Thomas Whittier, of Newbury, a legacy to him by Heury Rolfe, and then considered very valuable.

The principles of self-government found an early illustration throngh the order aud direction of the affairs of the settlement in the town- meetings which were early established. The annual town-meeting, first fixed in 1663, on the first Tuesday in March, was changed, in 1675. to the last Tuesday in February ; but was changed back again, in 1694, to the first Tuesday in March, on account of the change iu the day of the meeting of the Colonial Assembly. Under the new charter of 1692 the office of "Recorder" was given the title of town clerk, and several new officers were provided for by which the gov- ernment of the town was made more perfeet and effective.

The importance of opening highways to the back country was carly brought to view. With the exception of the few opeu acres upon the border of the river. the whole baek country was an unexplored wilder- ness. and generally dense forest, with here and there the beaten path of the Indian, the bridle-path of the adventurers who had begun to press their way into the interior, aud the cart-paths of the husband- men and lumbermen, who were constantly enlarging the domain of labor and bringing to the centre the fuel and the lumber necessary to supply the wants of the inhabitants, together with the crops from the fields which had been cleared and were beginning to be productive.

Law and order were not at all set aside or underestimated, rough and unrefined as were the surroundings of the newly-planted town. Their leader was a man of culture, in whose heart the kindled fire of Christian devotion burned with a steady and brilliant flame. He was emphatically " a man of God," and associated with him were men of generally sober mien and manly bearing, which led to the establish- ment of healthful rules for the direction of the affairs of the new community, bordering, without doubt, towards the rigid Puritauic order, yet generally conducive to the public welfare ; and, with mim- bers and wealth constantly increasing, the good name of the town beeame firmly established.

The rules and regulations governing many matters were peculiar, illustrating what were the notions of the people of the Colonies rather than indicating exclusively loeal characteristics ; for what were termed " blue laws" were of general adoption, in some form, in all the Colonies. Ludicrous, as it may seem, they had a law prohibiting a man from living alone, or, iu other words, from living the life of a

bachelor. For the violation of this law John Littlehale was held to answer, but they only required him to forsake living a " solitary life " and take up his abode in some family. This persecuted bachelor passed an unmarried life till attaining his sixty-sixth year, when he married and became the father of two children. In 1653 the wife of Johu Hutchins was presented for wearing a silk hood, but the record says, "upon testimony of her being brought up above the ordinary way, was discharged." In 1675 two daughters of Hanniel Bosworth were fined ten shillings for wearing silk, but the fine was remitted in 1677. There was also a law prohibiting the wearing of gold and silver lace, and other articles of ornament, unless the wearer was possessed of a certain amount of property. These selections from the records indicate the temper and customs of the hour and of the community.

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.

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 53

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett Number of Pages: 450

Author: Tracy, Cyrus M. (Cyrus Mason), 1824-1891, et al. Edited by H. Wheatland
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Boston, C. F. Jewett
Number of Pages: 450