USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Scituate > The early planters of Scituate; a history of the town of Scituate, Massachusetts, from its establishment to the end of the revolutionary war > Part 26
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A great, great grandson of the first Thomas was Rever- end Charles Turner, born September 3, 1732, and graduat- ed from Harvard in 1752. He was educated for the ministry and on July 23, 1755, was called to the church at Duxbury. His pastorate here continued through twenty years of happiness and prosperity to the parish but in the latter, of ill health and physical infirmity to himself. On
Province Laws Vol. IX (1711) page 525.
Province Laws Vol. XI (1726) page 107.
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THE TURNERS
this account he asked for and received his dismission. His congregation, grieved at his going, wrote a letter expressive of their great appreciation of him, to the Second Church in Scituate. "We lament" they said "that the righteous Gov- ernor of the world has in his Holy Providence deprived us of the ministerial labors of a man so universally esteemed by us as a friend, a minister and a Christian, and with whom we have lived in peace and happiness for this almost twenty years. But while we deplore our important loss, we heartily wish him the restoration of health, that he may yet be extensively useful in the world, and largely contribute to the happiness of mankind, as God in his wisdom may see fit."
The hope of his parishioners was to a degree realized. He spent the next five years living quietly with his family in Scituate, restoring his broken health. In 1780, with Daniel Damon, he was sent as a delegate from Scituate to convention at Cambridge to ratify the State Constitution, and eight years later with Judge William Cushing and Nath- an Cushing to perform a like service upon the proposed Federal Constitution.
His son Charles served eight terms each in the state legislature and the national congress, and was a member of the convention of 1820 to revise the state constitution.
More than any other Scituate family, excepting possibly the Clapps, the Turners have served their town as its repre- sentative in deliberative and legislative bodies. In addition to the members of it already named, William Turner who graduated from Harvard in 1767 and was the Latin school- master here, was elected to the Massachusetts House in the years 1777, 1779 and 1786. He sat in the convention which prepared the state constitution and during the entire period of the Revolution was efficient in public affairs. Elijah Turner served in the lower branch for fifteen years and John B. Turner for four.
All of these men have with but one or two exceptions taken a high place in the membership of the assemblies to which they have been chosen.
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THE TORREYS
It is always a pity to spoil a good story, especially one that has been traditional in an old Colony family for over two centuries. A cherished anecdote of Josiah, the second son of Lieut. James Torrey, for which the amicable his- torian Dean has become sponsor, must in this instance be shattered, iconoclastic though such destruction may appear. On page 359 of his history Dean relates of Josiah Torrey that :- "He unfortunately lost his life A. D. 1693. He was in the act of drying the Town's stock of powder on the roof of his house, when a spark from the chimney falling, his life was instantly lost, and his house laid in ruins." The story is improbable- first, because the town's stock of powder, rarely over a barrel, could not have been "dried out" on the extremely sharp pitched roof of the dwelling of those days; second, because four of his children, Ruth, Caleb, Jemima and Keziah were all born after 1693 and as late as 1702, and finally because the law requiring each town in the colony to "provide a barrel of powder and lead or bulletts answerable to be kept by some trusty man or men," which had been passed in the Plymouth Colony fifty years before, was in 1693 of no effect by reason of the union of two colonies into the Province of Massachusetts Bay. Pow- der was then kept in magazines erected for the purpose. If the estimable gentleman was blown up it was not by the town's powder in 1693.
James Torrey and Ann Hatch were married on the second day of November 1643. He had already purchased land south of the first Herring Brook from John Stockbridge and six months later the dwelling was erected on what is now the Norwell road near the junction with Neal Gate Street. In 1653 he built a "clothing mill" on the first Herring Brook above that of Stockbridge and was at once propounded for the freedom of the colony. Two years
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THE TORREYS
later he was admitted. The high opinion in which he was justly held was first shown when the Cudworth trouble in the military company had become acute. A suitable person to command the company could not readily be found. This situation was a grave one not alone to Scituate but to all the towns in the colony, as the spirit of insurrection mani- fested by the Scituate train band might spread to the militiamen of Marshfield, Duxbury, and Plymouth. In this critical state of things, "according to the request of the several towns," Lieut. James Torrey was appointed to "dis- sipline the company, Capt. Cudworth being removed." He filled this position admirably but saw no actual service as death intervened before the Dutch invaded "Manhatoes" or Indian uprisings called the Pilgrim soldiers to the defense of their homes. It was Lieut. James Torrey who drew up the form for commissions to military officers and he was a member of the Council of War. He was town clerk for ten years and went to the General Court at Plymouth as deputy from Scituate for eight years, seven of them con- secutively. In 1665 he was appointed as a magistrate to solemnize marriages and administer oaths but died before receiving his commission.
Shortly after his death, probably in recognition of his public services, but upon "a petition preferred to the Court to that purpose," there was granted to his four younger sons William, Joseph, Jonathan and Josiah, two hundred acres of land, which probably adjoined Hatherly's, 'three miles sqare,' on the west, "lying above Weymouth near unto the line of Massachusetts."
To the eldest son, named for his father and being dis- tinguished from the latter, called Deacon James, descended the homestead and mill. He was an active member of the south parish, a clerk of the Conihasset Partners and the- only man in Scituate in 1700, willing and able to teach the public school. He was three times married and the father of twelve children all of whom and their progeny had disappeared from Scituate eighty-four years ago. The
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family name is perpetuated here through Capt. Caleb Torrey, the son of that Josiah, who was not blown up by the town's powder.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
MICHAEL PEIRCE
Capt. Michael Peirce the ancestor of this old Scituate fam- ily is generally credited with being here in 1647 when he bought land on the "Country Road" from the Conihasset partners.
He was originally of Little Hingham (Cohasset) and certainly did not erect the home on his Scituate farm until after 1663 as is evidenced by the following receipt recorded i by him in 1665.
"November 5th 1663.
Received by us Cornett Robert Stetson and James Torrey of Scituate of Micail Peirse of Hingham the full and just sume of twenty
pounds for the use of Josiah Leich- field of Scituate aforesaid; which twenty pounds the said Micaell Peirse was appointed to pay unto us for the use of Josias Leichfield aforesaid by the Court holden at N. Plymouth in New England in the month of June last past. In witness wee have hereunto sett our hands this day and yeare first above written.
The marke of x Cornett Robert Stetson James Torrey
If there remains any doubt of the correctness of the assumption that Peirce did not come to Scituate to dwell until this time, it would seem to be set at rest by the entry
Plymouth Colony Records Vol IV page 89.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
which the "Bench" at Plymouth caused to be entered upon the records on June 5, 1666 f when it cashiered Captain Cudworth and the latter suggested "Mr. Peirse" for the place at the head of the Scituate train band from which he had been deposed. The Court replied-
"and alsoe concerning Mr. Peirse we have not to object to him but that hee is a stranger to us."
Such a state of ignorance on the part of the Court to which Cornet Stetson and Isaac Chittenden were deputies could not have existed had Peirce been then of Scituate. It is readily understood however if he was a resident of Hingham in the colony of Massachusetts Bay.
All of his nine children were born in Hingham. His wife died (1662) in bearing him the youngest Elizabeth and between this date and 1666 he had erected his home on the Egypt farm purchased from the Conihasset partners. Nine generations of his descendants have dwelt upon and tilled these same acres. Silas, the third of that name, occupying it at this writing. There is an element of devotion in this, frequently found in Pilgrim and Puritan families, but sel- dom in so marked a degree as the Peirce family. It began with Benjamin Peirce, son of Michael, who by the will of his father, made just before the latter started for Rhode Island in Phillip's War where he was soon to meet his death, came into possession of the homestead.
In that will, of which Benjamin was made Executor, very generous legacies were given so that the Court "not knowing whether there will remain so much cleare estate, when debts and the widdowes maintenance are discharged out of the same, as will amount to salve the executor's por- tion intended by his father," made an appropriate order with the consent of the rest of the children by which the home- stead was "salved" to the eldest son and to his descendants for two hundred and forty years. .
+ Plymouth Colony Records Vol IV Page 127.
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MICHAEL PEIRCE
Before coming to Scituate Michael Peirce had upland assigned to him at White Head at Cohasset and a correspond- ingly appropriate acreage of meadow in the first division. He also bought from William James Conihasset marshlands which had originally been alloted to John Woodfield. Besides the homestead at Egypt he built a second house which was given in his will to his widow, a second wife whom he had married but a few years before.
His first public office was that of constable to which he was elected in 1667. By 1669 he had apparently become sufficiently well known to the colony court to be approved as captain of the Scituate military company. It was in this kind of public service that his abilities were especially con- spicuous. His courage and constancy were brilliant in a company of brave and religious men. No greater tribute to his memory can be paid than the simple story of his death already told in these pages. He had demonstrated his willingness to surrender his individual interests to those of the public long before he sacrificed his life at Rehoboth for the safety of his colony. The occasion first arose in a contemplated expedition against the Dutch in 1673 when Peirce having married a second time was living comfort- ably on his farm surrounded by a family of growing children.
In August, a fleet of vessels which had been set fourth by the United Netherlands and "his sirene Highness the Lord Prince of Orange to do all manner of damages unto their enemies both by water and land," appeared in the Hud- son River and threatened the eastern end of Long Island which was then English populated. The Governor and Council of Connecticut relying upon the assistance of the Confederation (although the Commissioners from the other colonies were not at the time consulted) sent two of their number to the "commander-in-chief" bearing a letter in
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which they sought to know "your further actions." The communication stated :-
"And we must let you know that we and our con- federates the United Colonies of New England are by our Royal Sovereign Charles the 2nd, made keepers of his subject's liberties in these parts, and do hope to acquit ourselves in that trust through the assistance of Almighty God, for the preservation of his Colonies in New England."
This was on August seventh. As soon as the Commis- sioners could be called together they met at Hartford and ratified the action of the Connecticut authorities. It took until December to obtain action by the other colonies. Ply- mouth responded with one hundred men. + Captain Cudworth was placed at the head of the expedition but de- clined. Peirce was next in command as ensign at four shillings a day.
Although the commander of the fleet responded to the note of the Connecticut governor confirming his beliefs and fears as to his intentions, and stated :-
"We do well believe that those that are set for keep- ers of his Majesty's of England's subjects will quit themselves as they ought to do for the preservation of the Colonies in New England; however we shall not for that depart from our further resolutions."
The Plymouth men never left on the expedition, despite elaborate preparations had been made for it. Events had demonstrated that there was no occasion for Peirce's ser- vices or for the departure of his command. The recital of the incident is of value as showing the readiness of this primitive militiaman to answer with his services when the
¡ Said the Court :- "Altho not according to what wee are proportioned by our confederates, wherein wee are apparently overrated, yett to the utmost of our abilities." Plymouth Colony Records Vol. V page 135 et seq. See also Records of the Commissioners (Plymouth) Vol. X page 386.
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MICHAEL PEIRCE
call came, whether from his neighbors or the King's liege subjects in a distant colony, in the common defense. His prompt disposition on this occasion stands out the more attractively when compared with the refusal of Cudworth "to serve his country with the inevitable ruin and destruc- tion of his own famly." ¡
Captain Peirce was not enrolled as a freeman until 1670. His civil activities were confined to serving on the grand and coroner's inquests, as surveyor of highways and as selectman in the years 1672 and 1673.
Like so many of the contemporaries of Capt. John Wil- liams he did not escape embroilment with that ready litigant. In 1673 he with John Cushing and Jeremiah Hatch were sued by the former because as selectmen they had entertained an action brought by Captain Cudworth against him. Again when William Rogers and the owner of the Cedar Point farm were litigating over damages alleged to have been done to Williams' property by his servant, William's broth- er-in-law Anthony Dodson, had appeared as a witness. Capt. Peirce was present at the trial and heard Dodson's testimony. He said that the latter had "either lyed horribly or notoriously or forsworne himself." Thereupon he him- self was promptly sued; but an amicable adjustment was reached without a trial. It may have been that this settle- ment was effective in another respect, for when John, the second son of Captain Peirce became of age, he married Patience, the amiable daughter of Anthony Dodson.
The words are from Cudworth's letter to Governor Winslow, declining the command of the expedition ante page 272.
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THE STOCKBRIDGES
John Stockbridge came to Scituate from London in the "Blessing" in 1635, bringing with him his son Charles then a child. His exodus from England was not prompted by a desire for greater religious freedom. It is more likely that his purpose was in the main, to embrace the better op- portunity which New England offered for amassing a larger and speedier wealth. He was a wheelwright by trade and upon reaching Scituate built a house north of Satuit Brook on land that is at the northwest corner of Front and Brook streets. This was in the Conihasset terri- tory and he was one of Hatherly's grantees of that tract in 1646. He had arable lands on the Third Cliff south of the five acres which John Emerson sold to Nathaniel Tilden in 1636. He also had a house on the Driftway and lands on the Fourth Cliff and at Brushy Hill.
He did not lend himself readily to the condition of the new community in which he had chosen his home. Nor did he prominently identify himself with the church, being content that his wife Anna, who joined Elder King and William Vassall, in the controversy with Chauncey, should represent the family in religious affairs. The civil code that had been adopted for the government of the town and col- ony was likewise not to his liking. He held it in open contempt and jeered and railed at it whenever public occa- sion offered. These odius public utterances did not of course commend him to neighbors who were promoting that which he ridiculed. Two of them, Edward Foster and James Cud- worth, hailed him before the Court and caused him to be punished. The process was repeated when he again of- fended and he escaped penalty only upon taking the oath of allegiance to the King and fidelity to the colony. It would logically have happened, after this action, that he should have been admitted as a freeman, but this status was never permitted him, or perhaps he disdained it.
1
1
THE OLD STOCKBRIDGE MILL, GREENBUSH. Built 1640. From a crayon drawing.
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THE STOCKBRIDGES
Meanwhile he continued to prosper. In 1650 he built the first water grist mill in the colony near where Isaac Stedman in 1640 had erected a saw mill, on the First Her- ring brook. When the latter sold to George Russell, Stock- bridge purchased from him a half interest. Although he was getting what he sought in coming to Scituate-wealth- he was discontented with his surroundings, and in 1657 he removed to Boston. Here a young son, John, was born of a third wife, the same year. Neither survived long. The father deceased in 1658 and the son did not reach man's estate. Stockbridge left a large property. The house which he had built near his mill, on the road to Lit- tle's bridge and which was later the garrison about which waged the Indian onslaught at the time of Phillip's War, he left by will to his eldest son, Charles. The grist mill and half interest in the Russell mill also went to Charles.
In 1665 Charles purchased his partner's interest in the latter and became the sole owner. To these mills was brought the grist and lumber from all over the colony. In 1674 he built another on the Third Herring brook and in eleven years had so widely demonstrated his abilities as a miller that the town of Plymouth sought his aid and co- operation in building a water grist mill on Town brook, in that town. Strangely enough, although the Pilgrims and their children had been augmenting in numbers for over half a century but one grist mill had been operated in the town during that time. When advances were made to Charles Stockbridge this mill was about to be abandoned by the son of John Jenny, a Norwich (England) brewer, who had operated it, upon his removal to Dartmouth. No one was found in Plymouth capable of or willing to run it. Liberal terms which he accepted were offered to Stockbridge and under the contract t which he made for himself and
¡ Articles of Agreement made between the Town of Plymouth on the one party and Charles Stockbridge of Scituate, ,in the aforesaid Plymouth Colonie on the other party, concerning a Corn Mill, as followeth:
Whereas the towne of Plymouth have bin many years much
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
his successors, with the town, the mill was operated until 1838. During a portion of this time another son of Scit- uate, Haviland Torrey, was the owner. Stockbridge also owned an eighth interest in grist and saw mills at "Straits Pond in Hingham."
For a few years after the death of his father he lived in Boston and Charlestown, but unlike that parent he found contentment at Scituate and many friends among her people. In 1663 he was living at the homestead at Greenbush, carry- ing on the business of his mills and engaged then and in later years in the execution of the duties of constable, high- way surveyor and other offices as were filled by the more important men in every township.
In 1671 a "great abuse by the excessive drinking of liquors at ordinaryes" had grown up in the colony. A law was passed that year which provided that :-
damnifyed for want of the right management of there corne mill, and having by theire agents made suite to the said Charles Stockbridge the whole use of theire brooke or streame, com- only called the towne brooke whereon the old mill now standeth; to him, the said Charles Stockbridge, his heirs and assignes, for the use of a corne mill or mills, as he or they shall see meet, and for no other use, nor more than any other townesman; which said brooke and priviledges said Charles Stockbridge, his heires or assignes shall have soe long as hee or they shall maintain a sufficient corn mill and miller, to grind the townes corn well and honestly for one-sixteenth parte of a bushell of corne or graine which shalbe brought unto the said mill in a fitt capassetie to grind; and for the further incurragemet of said Charles Stockbridge herin, the said town have paied unto him, said Stockbridge, eleven pounds in silver towards the raising of said mill dame, and makeing a wast water course for the herrings to pass over the dam into the pond; and the said town by their agent whose names are hereunto subscribed, doe heerby engage to and with the said Charles Stockbridge, and his heires and assignes to be att halfe the charge of maintaining the said water course successively; namely, all that part of it that is below the said mill dam. In confeirmation of which articles of agreement abovesaid, the agents for the said towne of Ply- mouth, and the said Charles Stockbridge, have put to theire hands this first day of May 1683.
Signed in Ephraim Morton Sen'r.
presence of
Joseph Warren
Isacke Little
Joseph Bartlett
John Hathaway
Charles Stockbridge
Plymouth Colony Records Vol VI Page 111.
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THE STOCKBRIDGES
"every ordinary keeper in this government shalbe here- by empowered and required, that in case any person or persons doe not attend order, but carry themselves un- civilly, by being importunately desirous of drink when deneyed, and doe not leave the house when required, such ordinary keeper shall return theire names to the next Court x x x x It is further ordered by this Court, that some two or three men be appointed in every towne x x to have the inspection of the ordinaries, or in any other place suspected, to take no- tice of such abuses as may arise in reference to the premises or otherwise, and make report thereof to the Court."
Charles Stockbridge, Cornet Stetson and Edward Jenkins were appointed to this duty from Scituate. Isaac Chittenden at the Harbor, Nicholas Wade at Brushy Hill on the "Coun- try Road," Matthew Gannett at Booth's Hill and Joseph Barstow at the North River were the taverners at that time. Whatever action may have been taken by these in- spectors it resulted in the entire abandonment of the business of innkeeping in Scituate for a time. In 1677, this condi- tion still existing, the Court ordered "the towne of Scituate to appoint a fitt person to keep an ordinary at Scituate, betwixt this (3 July) and the next October Court, and then to propose him to the Court, and Edward Jenkins is allow- ed by the Court to keep entertainment for strangers, viz : provide victuall and draw bier (before) that Court. In October Jenkins was permanently licensed.
Unlike his father Charles was a good churchman and attended at the south parish which his mother had labored so long and zealously to establish. Again, unlike his father he was admitted a freeman. This was in 1682 when in his fiftieth year. He died two years later, intestate.
At the time of his death his sons Joseph, Benjamin and Samuel had not attained their majority. His large estate was divided under an agreement i between the widow and
+ Plymouth Colony Records Vol VI Page 156.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
the older children approved by the court. The sixth para- graph of this agreement was as follows :--
"6. And further, we doe agree & conclude that Abigail Stockbridge the widdow of Charles Stockbridge, lately deceased, shall injoy all the housing, & lands & meadow corne mill & saw mill, by & standing upon the first herring brooke in Scituate, for her the said Abigail's use, untill Samuell Stockbridge, the youngest son of said Charles Stockbridge, comes to the age of twenty- one years, & then Benjamin Stockbridge & said Samuell Stockbridge shall have & injoy for there own proper es- tate all the said housing, lands and meadow, corne mill and saw mill, near or upon the said first herring brooke, (excepting the parlour for their mother to live in) to be equally divided betwixt them."
When Benjamin married Mary, the grand-daughter of Elder Nathaniel Tilden, in 1701, he bought out the interest of his brother Samuel in what their father had left them joint- ly, and took up his residence in the block house, which had now been transformed into a "mansion." Here his son Ben- jamin, destined to become one of the famous physicians of the province, was born in 1704. His great activity in the practice of his profession and his labors in teaching his art to younger men have already been told in these pages. There remains however to relate the true story of the er- roneous accusations of toryism made against him and his son Charles in 1774 when the action of the Marshfield royal- ists in requesting the presence of troops from Gage's com- mand in Boston in the former town, so aroused her neighbors in Scituate, Duxbury and Plymouth. The names of these two busy men had been exhibited to the Selectmen of Scituate by the "committie of Inspection and Safety" among a list of those inimical to the cause of liberty. Winsor f, er- roneously says that "Dr. Stockbridge, Paul White and Elisha Ford, three of the leading tories in Marshfield, were
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