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 67

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 67

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Mr. Rogers continued in his pastorate here until his death, July 3, 1665, and was beloved and respected by his people. He has been sometimes erroneously called a grandson of John Rogers, the martyr. He published, in 1644, " The Cause of God's wrath against the Nation," and left a Latin MS. concerning church government. His colleague, John Norton, born at Bishops Stortford, Herts, Eng., May 6, 1606, and possessing marked abilities, took an active part in the affairs of the infant Colony, and assisted in 1648 in forming the Cambridge Plat- form. He left Ipswich in 1652, and, ten years later, was sent with Simon Bradstreet to address King Charles II. He wrote the first book in Latin prose composed in this country, and encouraged the persecu- tions against the Quakers, which so exasperated them that, after his death, which occurred at Boston, April 5, 1663, they sent this mes- sage to the king and parliament : "John Norton, chief priest iu Boston, by the immediate power of the Lord, was smitten & died."

The house in which Mr. Norton lived in Ipswich is still, or was until lately, standing.

Daniel Denison was, in 1637, appointed captain of the military com- pany, which was to meet for drill eight times per annum. The meet- ing-house was used, as early as 1640, for a watch-house, and T. Howlett was allowed, in 1643, 5s. for two loads of wood to be used in watching.

On the 6th of September, 1638, William Foster is ordered, on ae- count of his religious opinions, to leave the jurisdiction. Nicholas Easton, who subsequently became governor of Rhode Island, had pre- viously followed Anne Hutchinson to Newport. Samuel Sherman and Mr. Foster had, in 1637, been deprived of fire-arms, for their adher- ence to the doctrines held by this woman. The days of religious toleration were long in coming, and the clergy were in the main to blame for it.

In 1641, Messrs. Bradstreet, Paine, Denison, Tuttle, Saltonstall, and Matthew and John Whipple, were appointed to set up buoys, and beacons, and to provide salt, cotton, sowing hempseed, flaxseed, and card-wire.

The town was in early times much infested with wolves, which not only made havoc of the sheep, but terrified the children, and it was ordered in 1642 that, " whosoever kills a wolf is to have - and the skin, if he nail the head up at the meeting-house and give notice to the constables. Also for the better destroying, or fraying away wolves from the town, it is ordered that 1st day of 7th mo. every householder whose estate is rated £500, and upward, shall keep a sufficient mastive dog, or £100 to £500, shall provide a sufficient hound or beagle, to the intent that they be in readines, to hunt and be employed to the ends aforesaid."

The " Seven men" are ordered this year "to see that children, neglected by their parents, are employed, learned to read and under- stand the principles of religion and the capital laws of the country, and, if necessary, be bound ont to service."

An order was issued for Ipswich, Rowley, and Newbury, to send forty men, Sept. 2, 1642, to disarm Passaconaway, sachem of the Pentucket Indians, who were suspected of hostile intentions towards the English. The soldiers were to receive one, and the officers two shillings per day. It does not appear that either Passaconaway or Masconomo ever cherished hostile intentions towards the English. They were noble specimens of the aboriginal race.

The first free school opened in the town was in 1642; it was also among the first of the kind in the country ; perhaps in the world.

In the same year Dr. Samuel Bellingham, and the Rev. William Hubbard, of this town, graduated at Harvard College.

In 1644, five pounds, or a cow, is to be paid to Ipswich, by order of Mr. Richard Andrews, haberdasher, of London.

Nov. 7, 1645, the town was called to lament the death of its school- master, Mr. Lionel Chute.

In 1646, the town had come to contain as many as 146 families.

John Whittingham died here in 1648, "a godly & faithful man." He was a grandson of John Calvin, of Geneva, and came to Ipswich as early as 1638.

How rigidly the people were brought up to the performance of religious duties, may be seen from the following record : -

" Sept. 1649, Thomas Scott upon his presentiment is fyned ten shil- lings unless he learn Mr Nortons chatechise by next Court."

" Jo: Lee, accused [the same year] for stealing of a Bible of the widow Haffield, is proved guilty ; he shall returu 15s to the widow & pay xs. for lying."

Oct. 17, "Ipswich is allowed two fifths of Plum Island." Thatch for covering houses was obtained from it, or the marshes near it. The marshes also afforded an abundant supply of salt hay, which, prior to the introduction of what is called English hay, was very valuable.

The town, ever alive to the interests of education, granted to Robert Pain and others, for the support of the grammar school, all the neck of land beyond Chebacco River, as far as the line of Glouces- ter, and the grantees leased the same for the term of 1,000 years at £14 per annum. A grammar-school lot was also about the same time granted, together with several rights on Jeffrey's Neck, for the same purpose. Two years later Robert Paine gave the use of a dwelling- house and two acres of land to the teacher. The school in those days attained great celebrity, and sent forth many young men to Harvard College. From Dec. 30, 1650, to November, 1660, it was under the direction of Mr. Ezekiel Cheever, one of the most distinguished teachers of that period. He was born in London, Jan. 25, 1616, and died in Boston, Aug. 21, 1708. He came to Boston in 1637, and iu the year following assisted in founding New Haven, Coun., where he wrote his famous "Accidence, a Short Introduction to the Latiu Tongue." This little book had, in 1785, passed through twenty edi- tions, and guided thousands into the mysteries of that language. He was subsequently master of the Latin school in Boston. His son, Samuel, was the first minister of Marblehead. Mr. Cheever was suc- ceeded in the grammar school by Thomas Andrews, 1662-1683; Noadiah Russel, 1683-1687; Danicl Rogers, - - 1716; Ebenezer Gay, 1716-1717 ; Benjamin Crocker, 1717-1726, 1746-1753, 1759- 1761; Henry Wise, 1726-1728 ; Thomas Norton, Jr., 1729-1740; Daniel Staniford, 1740-1746; John Dennis, 1753-1754; Samuel Wigglesworth, Jr., 1755-1759 ; Joseph How, 1761 ; Daniel Noyes, 1762, several years ; Nathaniel Dodge, 1779-1780 ; Jacob Kimball, 1781-1783 ; John Treadwell, 1783-1785; Daniel Dane, 1792-1793 ; Joseph Dana, 1793-1794 ; Joseph Mckean, 1794-1796; Samuel Dane, 1796-1800 ; Amos Choate, 1800-1806. The school was taught in the town house from about 1705 to 1794, and is now merged in the public high school.

On the 28th of September, 1652, a man was sentenced at Ipswich Court to pay 20s., or be whipped, for "having familiarity with the devil." It is not stated which punishment he preferred. In such proceeding we see the rim of that dark cloud which culminated in the witchcraft delusion of 1692. After the deccase of the first settlers of this State the tendency was towards darkness for almost a century. There was, indeed, little or no improvement in the style of living, building, thinking, teaching, or worshipping visible until about the middle of the eighteenth century. Books were few and money hard to obtain. The means of earning a livelihood engrossed the attention of the people.

The Rev. Thomas Cobbett, born in Newbury, Eng., 1608, educated at Oxford University, and for many years a colleague of the Rev. Samuel Whiting, of Lynn, was settled over the church at Ipswich in 1656, and continued in pastorate until his death, which occurred Nov. 5, 1685. He was remarkable for his confidence in the result of prayer, and gives two instances of what he considered as answers to his petitious : " When Mr Moody by post sent hither, sent me the first news of his taking [that is, Mr Cobbett's son] by the Indians, and their further rage in those parts, calling out for further prayers- I presently caused one of our Deacons to call to my house that very day, as many godly men & theyr wives as were near us, to spend some hours in prayer about the same; about 30 met ; several of them prayed ; Capt Lord was with them in it & with me also who began & ended that service ; and having beg'd some amends of our wasted son Eleazer at home as a pledge of the desired mercies to our captived son abroad as granted, my heart I must acknowledge to the Lord's praise was sweetly guided in the course of that service & I was even persuaded that the Lord had heard our prayers in that respect aud could not but express as much to some of our godly friends ; so was one of our sisters (as since she informed my wife) as con- fidently persuaded that she could ere long see him returned, and that in comfortable plight as if he were already come." The son referred to as taken by the Indians was Thomas Cobbett, Jr., who, in 1676, was carried by them to Penobscot, and, after being de- tained several weeks, was liberated by the sachem, Modokawando, to whom a red coat was presented for this act of kindness. Mr. Cobbett says his son, Eleazer, soon begau to recover, " insomuch that he who heretofore could not walk up & down the town with- out staggering, could yet walk up that high hill (which you know of) that is by Mr Norton's, now our house." Lynn, p. 238.] [Lewis's History of

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HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.

In 1666 he preached the election sermon, and he " wrote more books," it is said, "than any one of the early ministers of New England."

On the day after his decease it was "voted That some persons be appointed to look to the burning of the wine and the heating of the cider against the time appointed for the funeral." On this occasion there were used "one barrel of wine, £6 &s; two barrels of eider, 11s; 82 pounds of sugar, £2 1s; half a cord of wood, 4s; fonr dozen pairs of gloves, for men & women, £5 4s; with some spice & ginger for the cider."

Cotton Mather wrote his epitaph, which is very good :

" Sta viator ; thesaurus hic jacet ; THOMAS COBBETTUS ; Cujus, nostri preces potentissimus, ac mores probatissimus, Si es Nov-Anglns, Mizare, se pietatem colas ; Sequere, si felicitatem optes."

The early settlers of Ipswich were intelligent, and exhibited wis- dom in the selection of their ministers. The Rev. William Hubbard, born in England, 1621, and a member of the first class graduated at Harvard College 1642, was ordained as colleague of Mr. Cobbett, Nov. 17, 1658. According to Eliot, he " certainly was for many years the most eminent minister in the county of Essex; equal to any in the province for learning & candour, and superior to all his contempo- raries as a writer."

John Dunton, who made him a visit in 1686, says : "The benefit of Naturc & the Fatigue of Study, have equally contributed to his Emi- nonce, neither are we less oblig'd to both than himself, for he freely communicates of his Learning to all who have the happiness to share in his converse .- In a word, he's learned without Ostentation & van- ity, and gives all his Productions such a delicate Turn and Grace (as is seen in his Printed Sermons & History of the Indian Wars) that the Features and Lineaments of the Child, make a clear Distinction and Discovery of the Father ; yet is he a Man of singular Modesty, of strict Morals, and has done as much for the Conversion of the Indians as most Men in New England."

He married, for his first wife, Margaret, only daughter of the Rev. Nathaniel Rogers, and in his seventy-third year, Mary, the widow of Samuel Pearce, which gave some dissatisfaction to his people, "for though she was a serious, worthy woman, she was rather in the lower scenes of life and not sufficiently fitted, as they though, for the station." On relinquishing his salary in 1703, sixty pounds was voted to him as a gratuity. The manner of his death is thus recorded : Thursday, 14th September, 1704, he "goes to ye Lec- ture, after to Col. Apleton's, goes home, sups, and dyes that night."

The expenses of his funcral were £32, to aid in paying which the town appropriated, Oct. 17, 1704, the £20 for which the old meeting-house was sold. Among other works, Mr. Hubbard wrote a valuable "History of New England," for which the General Court paid him £50; a second edition of it was printed by W. T. Har- ris, in 1848. His son, Nathaniel Hubbard, was appointed judge of the Superior Court.

The Rev. John Rogers, son of the Rev. Nathaniel Rogers, graduated at Harvard College in 1649, became an assistant of Mr. Hubbard in 1656, and on the 12th of Angust, 1683, was installed as president of his Alma Mater; but died on the day after commence- ment, of the same year. On the 5th of April, 1686, the Rev. John Denison (Harvard College, 1684), became the assistant of Mr. Hub- bard, and so continued until his decease, Sept. 14, 1689, in the twenty-fourth year of his age.

A jail was built in Ipswich in 1652, and two years later a house of correction, the inmates being required to work on hemp and flax, as supplied by the selectmen.

It was customary in early times to announce the time of public ser- vice by the beating of a drum, or the blowing of a horn ; but the church in Ipswich had a bell for this purpose, as early as 1659, since provision was then made to have it rung every evening at nine o'clock. In 1716, it was customary to ring the bell at five o'clock every morn- ing.

How strict the supervision over the young people was at this period may be inferred from a record of the Ipswich court in Septem- ber, 1660 : "Daniel Blake is fined £.5, and respited for £.4, for mak- ing love to Edmund Burks daughter without her parents consent."

Here, as in other towns in the Colony, attendance on divine service

was rigorously enforced. The General Court empowered the " seven men " of the town, in 1661, to sell the farm of a man, who, living at a distance, had absented himself from church, in order that living nearer the meeting-honse he might more conveniently attend public worship.

In 1670, constables were instructed to prevent young people from being ont late in the evening, especially on the evening of the Sab- bath, and of the lecture and the training day. Two years later it was ordered that laborers should not use intoxicating drink. Roger and Lucretia Derby were fined, March 30, 1675, "for absence from meet- ing on the sabbath." In 1678, it was wisely ordered that all persons in town should have some employment. In 1681, David Waldron was required to return to his wife, according to law; and an inhabi- tant was complained of for not teaching a servant to read.

In their homes, the people of Ipswich were never much troubled by the Indians, but they were frequently called upon to furnish men for the defence of other places. Many soldiers were impressed for service during Philip's War, and several were killed. In 1675, Edward Coburn and Thomas Scott were killed at Squakeag. Thomas Manning, Jacob Wainwright, Caleb Kimball, Samuel Whittredge, John Hobbs, Thomas Hobbs, and Benjamin Roper were killed Sep- tember 18th, at Muddy Brook. Benjamin Tappan was killed the next day. Freegrace Norton and John Pettis were killed at Hatfield, October 10th. On the 30th of November, twenty-eight men were impressed for the Narragansett expedition ; and on December 2d eleven men were impressed as troopers for the same service ; seven more also to serve under Maj. Appleton. In the battle at Narragansett John Taylor and two others were killed, and twenty-two were wounded. On the 22d of April, 1676, Lieut. R. Jacobs, of Ipswich, was ordered to take command at Marlborough, as Capt. Wadsworth and Capt. Brocklebank had been slain. On the 5th of May the town had to raise its quota of eighty Essex County men for an expedition of six days; and on the 11th of October, its qnota of seventy men for an expedition eastward. Of these, James Ford, James Burbec, Samuel Porter, John Poland, and Thomas Burnham were killed, and Isaac Hunnewell was wounded. Defences were thrown up and garrisons established in different parts of the town. "Att Ipswich," says the report of the committee of the county (1676), "wee finde yet there are soe many garrisons as may secure all ye ont houses, and for ye towne a generall fortification which is almost compleatcd."

That section of Ipswich known as Chebacco was organized as the Second Parish Dec. 10, 1679, and became, by act of Legislature, the town of Essex Feb. 18, 1819. Under the head of this town its history may be read. It is sufficient here to say, that, attracted by rich meadows on Chebacco River, the opportunities afforded by the beautiful stream itself for ship-building, fishing, hunting, and for sawing and transporting lumber, many settlers, bearing such well- known names as Perkins, Burnham, Choate, Cogswell, Low, Andrews, Story, Giddings, and Russ, early established themselves in and around a village on the river. Increasing steadily, and finding it inconvenient to attend church far away at Ipswich they made applica- tion to the town for leave to build a church. The privilege was not granted, but during the contention, several women, with some assist- ance from the adjoining towns, raised a building, early in 1679, as a place of worship. For this they were arrested ; and the case was finally settled by the General Court, which, having ordered them to make an acknowledgment for their indiscretion, took no farther notice of the matter. A church was formed in 1681, and the Rev. John Wise, eminent as a patriot, as well as preaeher, was ordained over it Aug. 12, 1683. He was succeeded by the Rev. Theophilus Pickering, who continued in the pastorate until his death, Oct. 7. 1747. During his ministry Mr. Whitefield preached in Ipswich, and because of Mr. Pickering's opposition to the " New Lights," as the fol- lowers of the great pulpit orator were styled, a part of his society seceded and formed another church, over which the Rev. John Cleaveland was installed Feb. 25, 1747. Mr. Pickering was followed by the Rev. Nehemiah Porter, ordained Jan. 3, 1750, and dismissed in June, 1766. On the 26th of October, 1774, the two societies were united, Mr. Cleave- land continuing the pastor until his death, April 22, 1799. He was suc- ceeded, November 13th of the same year, by the Rev. Josiah Webster, who remained in the pastorate until July 23, 1806. The Rev. Thomas Holt was the minister from Jan. 25, 1809, until April 20, 1813, and was followed Aug. 10, 1814, by the Rev. Robert Crowell, who was the pastor when the parish became a town. To the parish and people of Chebacco, Ipswich is indebted for many of the hardy seamen, brave soldiers, and eminent professional men whose lives and charac- ters adorn its records.

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The town was startled by a portent in the heavens on the evening of Christmas Day, 1682, of which the Rev. Thomas Cobbett thus wrote to Cotton Mather : "I longed for an opportunity to acquaint you with a portentous sight, like unto which I never read nor heard before, namely of a perfect crosse thorough ye moone, with a pretty long and broad & pale coloured streame like ye colour of ye late comet, though nothing so broad or long as yt was in ye late comet ; which streame passed through ye moone from East to West, and from ye North to ye South. It was scene ye 25th of last December, a little afore nine of ye eloek at night; seene by ten credible persons, who were occasionally at my house." Such intelligence was always most acceptable to the credulous author of the " Magnalia."

The town voted unanimously, Feb. 11, 1685, against the surrender of the charter which Edward Randolph was then endeavoring to per- suade the people to give up ; and also "that all those that were desir- ous to retain the privileges granted in the charter and conferred by his Royal Majesty [Charles II. ] now reigning, should manifest the same by holding up their hands, which vote was unanimous in the affirmative."

The obnoxious measures of Sir Edmund Andros were also manfully resisted. When he attempted to levy a tax of 1d. ou £1, the citizens of Ipswich voted Aug. 23, 1687, " That, as it was against the rights of Englishmen to have rates laid upon them without their consent in an assembly, or Parliament, they would petition the king before they complied with the treasurer's order." The leaders in this opposition to taxation without representation were the Rev. John Wise, of Che- bacco, John Andrews, Sr., Robert Kinsman, William Goodhue, Jr., John Appleton, and Thomas French, who were arrested and imprisoned in jail at Boston, "for contempt & high misdemeanor," and there de- tained for trial. They were found guilty and sent back to prison, where they were held twenty-one days for judgment. This sentence then was given, Edward Randolph being one of the judges : "John Wise, suspended from the ministerial function, fine £50, pay cost, £1,000 bond; John Appleton, not to bear office, fine £50, £1,000 bond; John Andrews, not to bear office, fine £30, pay cost, £500 bond ; Robert Kinsman, not to bear office, fine £20, pay cost, £500 bond ; William Goodhue, the same; Thomas French, not to bear office, fine £15, pay cost, £500 bond." The bonds were for keeping the peace during one year. The expense for this trial of each man was estimated at £400 or more, and was subsequently paid by the town. The change in affairs in England soon relieved the Colony of Andros, and on the 9th of May, 1689, the Rev. John Wise, a man of energy, and Nehemiah Jewett met with other representatives to consult with the Council in Boston, in respect to measures which the new condition of things demanded.

During " King William's War," extending from 1690 to 1697, Ips- wich raised her full quota of men for the defence of the country. The recruits in 1690 were under the command of Major Samuel Appleton ; and Nathaniel Rust, of this place, was appointed quartermaster of the Canada expedition.

"Ipswich is still preserved," says Robert Hale, in a letter dated Nov. 25, 1691, "but, as most other towns in this colony, has lost many of its most warlike men by war & sickness."

Mrs. Elizabeth (Jackson) How, wife of James How, of the west part of the town, was tried for witchcraft June 30, 1692, and con- demned to death. She was inhumanly executed on Gallows Hill, Salem, July 19th of the same year. She left two daughters, Mary and Abigail, to whom the Province subsequently paid £12 for damages arising from the trial of their mother. The spot where she lived may still be seen at Linebrook. On the 3d of August following, John Proctor, late of Ipswich, being condemned to death for witchcraft, sent in a petition for reprieve, signed by thirty-two of his old neighbors. " More blood !" was the watchword of the day, and he was executed. The jail at Ipswich held a part of the unfortunate victims of this sad delusion ; but, before the year had elosed, the magistrates themselves began to tremble for their friends and families, and so the tide slowly turned in favor of the prisoners.

In May of the year ensuing the superior court, sitting at Ipswich, cleared several persons accused of witchcraft, and in December fol- lowing, the town was assessed £51 19s. for its part of the expenses incurred by the trial of those charged with witchcraft.

The Rev. John Rogers, who had for some time assisted Mr. Hub- bard, was ordained pastor Oct. 12, 1692, and continued here in the work of the ministry until his decease, Dec. 28, 1745. The parish voted £200 (old tenor) to defray the expenses of his funeral. He was a man of strong mind and preached the election sermon, May 26, 1706. He also preached a sermon in September, 1739, on the death of John Appleton, which was printed.

William, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Wade, was killed at sea, April 3, 1797, in a battle with the French.

The third meeting-house was completed in 1700, sixty-six feet long and sixty fect wide, and two years afterwards a elock and dial were pur- chased for it. A committee was appointed by the town December, 1700, "To appoint all persons where they should sitt in ye new meetinghouse - and also to grant pues in ye places reserved joining to ye walls & sides of ye meeting-house - not to extend above 5 foot & } from ye sides of ye house into ye allies." Col. John Wainwright, Lieut. Col. John Appleton, Mr. Nehemiah Jewett, Dea. Nathaniel Knowlton, Sergt. Samuel Hart, Dr. Philemon Dean, and Mr. Daniel Rogers, formed this committee. The fourth meeting-house of the First Parish was raised April 19, 1749, sixty-three feet long and forty-seven feet wide. It was furnished with stoves in 1819.

Esther Rogers, of Newbury was hung and placed on a gibbet at Pingrey's Plain in Ipswich, July 17, 1701. Her crime was the mur- der of a child. Such deeds in those days were of rare occurrence ; they usually drew forth pathetic ballads which were sung at the fire- side in the winter evenings.

James How, freeman, 1637, of Linebrook, died May 17, 1702, aged 104 years. His descendants still live in Linebrook and in many other places.

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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 67

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