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 27
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+ History of Duxbury page 138.
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THE STOCKBRIDGES
seized and carted under the liberty pole in Duxbury and forced to sign recantations." Deane f says that the elder doctor "had been called to Ipswich, and on his return he was unfortunately detained many days by General Gage in Boston. This was known to the authorities of the town and as soon as he returned to his home, they conducted him to Plymouth with the design of securing him in prison; but they were soon softened by the intercession of the people of Plymouth and dismissed him. In the meantime his son Dr. Charles with several others, was conducted under guard to headquarters at Cambridge; but he was soon released. It was a suspicious circumstance that he had been found, with a few others, walking on the beach, between the third and fourth cliffs, apparently waiting for some communi- cations from Boston by water." These statements are likewise error. Deane's mistake is comparable to that of Winsor. That most accurate of colonial historians, Wil- liam T. Davis of Plymouth, in telling the story- "of the liberty pole recantations of Elisha Ford and Paul White leaves Dr. Stockbridge's name out entirely. The town records speak the denial of the assertion that Dr. Benjamin was first detained many days by General Gage and upon his release taken to Plymouth, and that his son was "conducted under guard to headquarters at Cambridge and soon re- leased." On June 3, 1777 the town was assembled in meeting touching the uncertain and dangerous state of the country. At that meeting
"The Town chose Capt. Israil Vinal to prosecute and lay before the Court, the evidence of the hostile dis- position toward this or any of the United States, of any of the inhabitants of the Town of Scituate, who stand charged with being persons whose residence in the State is dangerous to publick peace and safety." Among the names in the list exhibited by the Selectmen
+ History of Scituate page 139.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
at this meeting were those of Dr. Benjamin Stockbridge and his son Charles. It was
"Voted that any of these persons might have liberty to be heard in this present Town meeting or at any other day, that their names may be erased upon giving sat- isfaction."
In sixteen days the town held another meeting. The list then presented contained but eight of the names that had been considered on June third and the names of the Green- bush physicians, were not upon it. They had satisfied their townsmen that they were not of "hostile disposition." In the short time which intervened between the two meetings there was not sufficient opportunity for all the happenings alleged by the two historians above quoted to have taken place. It is both doubtful that if these descendants of stubborn old John Stockbridge had been loyalists, they would have recanted or that the Scituate patriots would have easily forgiven them. The latter made a mistake in the case of the doctors, as they did in others and the "satisfac- tion" which the former gave must have been adequate and complete. The connection of the names of these worthy men with disloyalty must have come from their membership in the church of England. Both were worshippers under Reverend William Willard Wheeler, Rector of St. Andrews at Hanover.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
THE DAMONS
John Damon, the forefather of all the Damons hereabouts, came to Plymouth with his sister Hannah in the company and under the care of their mother's brother William Gil- son, before 1633. Their uncle was a man fairly well-to-do for the times, a good churchman and of very excellent abilities. Not long after Gilson's arrival he was made an Assistant to the Colony Court-counsellors they were called in those days-and in 1634 he is found at Scituate a member of Mr. Lothrop's congregation. His house was next to Edward Foster's, just south of Satuit Brook. He had land on the north side of the Second Cliff and in 1637, erected the first wind-mill in the colony; on the Third Cliff. Beside the nephew and niece Gilson and Goodwife Frances had for a time as an inmate of their household Priscilla, the daughter of Peter Brown of Plymouth, who had left his widow with a large family of children. Both Gilson and his wife were devoted to their young kinspeople. That he might "leave them something after his dayes was ended" the former applied for and received from the Court an al- lotment of more land than he personally could conveniently cultivate because "although he had no children of his owne, yet that he had two of his sisters children, which he looked upon as his own." ¡ When he died in 1649 John and Han- nah were awarded all of his possessions save one small legacy to another nephew and another of five pounds "to my Pastor Mr. John Lothrop."
Young Damon lived in the house on Kent Street which his uncle had left him and tilled the eighty acres which had been awarded to Gilson on his own (Damon's) and his sister's account.
He was warm-hearted, generous and ever ready to be of
Plymouth Colony Records Vol II Page 143.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
such measure of assistance as he was able, to a friend or neighbor who stood in need. This characteristic brought him collaterally into a pretty romance in which Governor Prence, his daughter Elizabeth and Damon's friend Arthur Howland, Jr., of Duxbury were involved. This was in 1666. At that time this provision concerning courtship was the law of the colony :-
"Whereas divers persons unfitt for marriage both in re- gard to their yeoung years as also in regard of their weake estate, some practiseing the enveigleing of men's daughters and maids under guardians (contrary to their parents and guardians liking), and of mayde servants without leave and liking of their masters. It it therefore enacted by the Court that if any shall make any motion of marriage to any man's daughter or mayde servant not having first obtained leave and consent of the parents or master so to doe, shalbe pun- ished either by fine or corporall punishment or both, at the discretion of the bench and according to the nature of the offence."
Young Howland and Mistress Prence were enamoured of each other. They were not "unfitt for marriage" within the meaning of this statute, both being of age and the former possessed of fifty acres of land in Duxbury which had been granted him by the colony court. There was however one grave and insuperable objection. Howland was a Quak- er. His father, at first a sympathizer, had been frequently prosecuted before Prence, who was then Governor, for the entertainment of Quakers and assisting in the promulgation of their faith, and had finally embraced it. The Governor was rabid in his opposition to the sect and the marriage of his daughter to one of them was intolerable. The young woman was the third child of his second marriage. Her mother was a sister of William Collier, as prominent and persistent in his persecution of the Quakers as was the Governor himself. Both parents forbade the courtship which in spite of their joint efforts continued. No other
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THE DAMONS
means availing, recourse was finally had to a criminal pros- ecution against Howland under the law which has been above quoted. On March 5, 1666-7 Howland was brought before the Bench on which his accuser sat as the presiding magistrate and charged with :----
"inveigling Mistris Elizabeth Prence and makeing motion of marriage to her, and prosecuting the same contrary to her parents liking, and without theire con- sent, and directly contrary to their mind and will."
He was sentenced to pay a fine of five pounds, to find sureties for his good behavior :-
"and in special that he desist from the use of any meanes to obtaine or retaine her affections as afore- said."
Here John Damon came to the assistance of his friend. He became surety for that good behavior which the Court required. He also apparently counselled the action which was taken four months later when Howland "did sollemnly and seriously engage before this Court, (Governor Prence still presiding) that hee will wholly desist and never apply himself for the future, as formerly hee hath done, to Mistris Elizabeth Prence, in reference unto marriage." However solemn this agreement may have been, it was not serious on the part of young Howland; nor did Mistress Prence agree that the action either of the Court or her lover was final. The courtship continued and was consummated in a marriage later. The daughter was never forgiven. The bitterness which Prence showed toward General Cud- worth for the latter's leniency toward the Quakers was greatly increased in the case of his daughter because of her successful rebellion to his stubborn will. Although he dis- inherited her, he lived to see her surrounded by a contented brood and the Scituate planter who had become the surety for the good behavior of the parent the Godfather of his children.
+ Plymouth Colony Records Vol. III Page 140, 141.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
John Damon's unselfishness and genuine interest in the welfare of others is also shown in his advocacy of the cause of Elder William Hatch who claimed a share in the town's common land. It has been told elsewhere in these pages that the Colony Court had permitted the freemen of Scituate to make division of these lands among the free- holders. In doing this there had been trouble. Two fac- tions had sprung up, and the town had delegated the privi- lege to a committee. While the magistrates did not approve of this, they sanctioned it for a time and then re-established the bench in the performance of the duty by appointing a committee of its own choice from the townsmen made up however of the leaders of each faction. 1 These men were Capt. James Cudworth, Cornet Stetson, Isaac Chittenden and Lieut. Buck, on one side, and John Damon, John Tur- ner, Senior, John Turner, Junior, and John Bryant, Senior, on the other. It is readily seen that they easily deadlocked. This was true upon the application of Elder Hatch for his allotment. In the argument which ensued Damon being deserted by John Bryant, won over Buck and Chittenden from the opposition and reported a layout for Hatch to the Court. It was not the fault of this majority of the com- mittee that the magistrates acted unfavorably upon this re- port. It served Elder Hatch to no purpose but to make Damon himself the target for retribution at the hands of his opponents on the committee. When his turn came for a layout of fifty acres a majority of his fellows refused his request, weakly alleging "that hee had land on that accoumpt before." " He appealed to the Court which returned this advice :- "therefore wee request and think hee ought to be considered, and desire you would soe doe." He was there- upon "accomodated."
He was a deputy to the Colony Court, one of the council
Plymouth Colony Laws Vol V Pages 69 and 70.
¿ This could only have meant the eighty acres allotted to William Gilson and which Damon had inherited from his uncle.
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THE DAMONS
of war, a Selectman and performed his full part in those other public services to which he was from time to time assigned.
He was twice married, his second wife being Martha Howland, a relative of his friend Arthur. He was the. father of twelve children evenly divided as to the sexes. Of those which survived adolescence John and Zachary each did exemplary services in Phillip's War. Another son Experience was the pioneer at Pincin Hill and the daughters Silence, Martha, Hannah and Margaret through marriages with Scituate neighbors have established the Damon strain in the families of Chittenden, Merritt, Stetson, Eells, Wood- worth and others.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
THE BARSTOWS
William Barstow was the pioneer settler in that part of Scituate which in 1727 was set off from territory of the mother town and became Hanover. He was here before 1649, having been propounded freeman he had gone through the probationary period and was admitted in that year. He built his house near the present site of the Second Con- gregational Church in Hanover on the "country road" which was the means of communication between the principal towns of the Bay and Plymouth colonies.
His trade was that of a ship-builder and he and his de- scendants launched many a ship from the "Two Oaks" and "Old Barstow" yards on North River.
His name has gone down through the generations how- ever, because of the bridge which he built and maintained over the North River near the present structure, and the tavern which was kept by him and his descendants near it.
On the fifth day of October 1656 the Colony Court en- tered into a contract with Barstow, evidenced by this record :-
"William Barstow, of Scituate, covenanteth and in- gageth to make a good and sufficient bridge over the North River, a little above the third herring brook, at a place called Stoney Beach, being the place wher now passengers goe frequently over, the said bridge to bee made sufficient for horse and foot; and he is to lay out, and clear, and marke a way from the said bridge towards the bay as far as Hughes Crosse, and to open and clear and marke a way along beyond Hughes Crosse towards the bay so as to avoid a certaine rocky hill and swamp; and for the true performance of all the said particulars, the said William Barstow is to bee paid by the Treasurer in the behalfe of the countrey the summe of twelve pounds in current country pay."
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THE BARSTOWS
The bridge was completed and the way marked and clear- ed within a year and October 6, 1657 :
"It is ordered by the Court that Mr. Timothy Hath- erly, and Capt. James Cudworth and Capt. Josias Wins- low take convenient time to take notice of the horse bridge over the North River, that it bee sufficiently don and alsoe of the way unto it, and accordingly to judge what William Barstow is worthy to have for his worke and paines thereabout, and then to returne what they have don in the premises unto the Treasurer, that accordingly he may bee satisfyed." f
In 1660 the bridge was out of repair and the Major and Treasurer were appointed to agree with Barstow concern- ing its yearly upkeep, "the charge thereof to bee levied by vote upon the several townshipes of this government." `An agreement was reached under which Barstow was to repair and maintain the bridge for a period of twenty years for one pound annually.
This arrangement was especially advantageous to Bar- stow notwithstanding the seeming inadequacy of price, in view of the fact that travel between the Bay towns and Plymouth was constantly increasing and it all went over this bridge. He probably agreed to the small annual stipend because at the same time he was :-
"allowed by the Court to draw and sell wine, beer, and stronge waters for passengers, that come and goe over the bridge hee hath lately made, or others that shall have occation, unless any just exception shall come in against him."
and he opened a public bar for dispensing these refresh- ments. He apparently had no thought to do more than this but in 1666 complaint was made that there was "great neglect on his part in not keeping an ordinary for the en- tertaining of strangers" and he was ordered to "make competent provision for strangers for theire entertainment
+ Plymouth Colony Records Vol III pages 108, 123.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
and refreshment for this yeare; and that incase the said Barstow shall neglect soe to doe, that then the Court will take some other course about the same." This he immedi- ately did. He, his son Joseph and his grandson kept the tavern for years which is so frequently mentioned in Judge Sewall's diary and was the place of temporary abode of judges, lawyers, commissioners, dignitaries and others travelling between the two colonies.
William Barstow was a selectman; a highway surveyor and member of the committee to perambulate the patent line in 1666. For this latter service, most creditably per- formed the Court awarded him between forty and fifty acres of upland upon the river which were afterwards used as a shipyard.
Upon the advent of Phillip's War when Joseph Barstow was keeping the tavern, the Court ordered a garrison to be kept at his house "both in respect to the towne of Scituate and the country." This action and the presence of the twelve men who constituted the garrison saved the bridge in 1676 but sent the Indians to Greenbush where the death and destruction inflicted by them have already been de- scribed.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
THE BAILEYS
Like so many other Scituate families, the Baileys were of good estate and in comfortable circumstances when Thomas, the American ancestor of the Scituate branch, came to Bos- ton and thence to Weymouth in 1630.
Some writers have placed John Bailey the first of the name in Scituate, here in 1670 and have called him the son of Thomas. Barry f says this is probably the fact, but it is evident that he makes the statement on the authority of Deane # that "he (John) married Sarah White (perhaps of Weymouth)." Savage says that he does not know who the father of John was but he was probably born in this country.
William H. Reed, Esq., of Weymouth, in an address before the association of Bailey Families at their fourth an- nual gathering held at Rowley on August 19, 1896, states that John Bailey of Scituate was a grandson of the original Thomas. This evidently is correct and is pretty clearly shown from an examination of what data is available at the present day. The will § of Thomas Bailey of Weymouth is dated May 23, 1681 and was proved and allowed before Governor Bradstreet and John Hull, Assistant, on October seventeenth of that year. It contains this bequest :-
"Item. I give and bequeath unto my eldest and be- loved son John Bailey 2-3 of all my right title and interest in my dwelling house, barns, outhousings, or- chards, errable lands, goods, chattels with 2-3 of the appurtenances unto said housing and lands belonging, together with the 2-3 of all my Lotts in Weymouth woods belonging or in any wise appurtaining. Also I give and bequeath to my said son John 2-3 of my movables within dore and without, of whatever quan-
Barry's History of Hanover page 199.
Deane's History of Scituate page 213.
§ Suffolk Probate Records No. 1197.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
tity or quality soever they bee and my will is that in case my said son John decease before his wife Hannah then what movables of mine is remaining and extant by inventory at my son's decease shall be to the use and for the proper behoof of my daughter and Thomas Bailey equally to be divided the one-half to the one and the one-half to the other, to be of them and their child- ren according to their discretion."
The "eldest son" John mentioned in the above testament was not John Bailey of Scituate because the latter's wife was not Hannah above named, but first Sarah the daughter of Gowan White, and second Ruth Clothier. Again, John Bailey of Scituate had been living here since 1663 when as a youth he was in the employ of John Williams and in common with many others quarreling i with him. He mar- ried here in 1672; was admitted a freeman in 1684 and "took up" the farm at Great Neck which belonged to John Williams and was afterwards devised to him by the will of that eccentric planter. All this must be conclusive that John Bailey of Scituate was not the eldest son of Thomas of Weymouth. Finally, as is correctly asserted by Mr. Reed, the eldest son John had a son of the same name who married Sarah White.
Other writers have made the equally egregious mistake of assuming that John Bailey of Scituate was the grandson of that Thomas the brother of Reverend John Bailey, the great non-conformist. This statement also must fail. John Bailey the eminent Congregationalist divine was born
¡ "5 October 1663. John Bayley complaineth against En- signe John Williams, in an action of slander and dafamation, of one hundred pounds x x x x he the said Bayly obtained a verdict of ten pounds and charge of the Court". Plymouth Colony Records Vol VII Pages 110-113.
"March 1, 1663-1664. Ensigne John Williams and John Bayley for breaking the peace by striking one another, fined each 00 : 03 : 04". Plymouth Colony Records Vol IV Page 50.
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THE BAILEYS
near Blacburn, Lancashire, England on February 24, 1644.1 He was offered, in case he should conform to the Estab- lished church, a duke's chaplaincy, with a deanery and a bishopric, whenever a vacancy should occur, but rejected the offer. He was twice imprisoned on account of his Congregational principles, notwithstanding his irreproach- able character. No release was granted until he promised to leave the country, which he did in 1684, accompanied by his younger brother Thomas, who also was a minister. * It is obvious that "younger brother Thomas," driven out of England in 1684 was not the grandsire of John Williams "ancient servant" who occupied Farm Neck in Scituate in 1674.
Yet they had some traits in common-each was stubborn. When John Bailey of Scituate was fined three shillings and four pence for his altercation with his employer the latter paid. Not so John Bailey. He refused to be mulcted for a fight in which he was not the aggressor. For fourteen years this amount was annually carried upon the books of the colony treasurer as due "the countrey." In 1674 men- tion of it ceases but the credit side of the ledger does not record that it was paid.
In all his life he was appointed to the performance of but one public duty. He was sworn as one of a jury to exam- ine into the death of Joseph Ellis, a neighbor. Here is what he reported :--
"Wee, whose names are underwritten, being impan- nelled on a jury the 29th of July 1676, by Mr. Nathaniel Tilden, the constable of Scituate, to view the corpes of Joseph Ellis, of Scituate, by intelligence understand- ing that he went in to the harbour at Scituate, to swim or wash himselfe, with John Vaughan and Daniell Hickes Junior : whoe doe affeirme, that the said Ellis made the first motion soe to doe, and tosin past his
Sprague-Annals of the American Pulpit.
Address of Rev. A. F. Bailey at the Bailey-Bayley Family Association at Andover August 16, 1894.
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THE EARLY PLANTERS OF SCITUATE
depth, cryed for healp; and the said Vaughan did the best hee could to healp him, but could not save his life: and wee judge, that the water in the said harbour was the sole meanes of his death." f
A descendant of the same name and in the sixth gener- ation was a Quaker preacher and lived at Hanover Four Corners. He was a famous clock maker and manufacturer of compasses.
In his day and generation Deacon Joseph Bailey was by far the most prominent member of the Bailey family. He was a grandson of John, born of the former's second son (third child) Joseph, in 1704. He married Elizabeth White in 1732 with whom he was prominent and active in church affairs for half a century. At the age of seventy he was appointed a member of the first committee of Inspection and Correspondence and later did the best work of his life on the draft of the vote prepared by the committee of which he was a member, and reported to and passed by the town upon the question of the adoption of a state constitution.
The Baileys were large factors in public affairs at this time. With Deacon Joseph in the first committee of In- spection and Correspondence was his nephew Paul, then but just of age. On the same committee, appointed in 1777, was his brother Caleb and the rolls, as the war for inde- pendence progressed, bear the names of many another of the family who fought for the principle involved in that struggle.
Plymouth Colony Records Vol V Page 225.
THE OLD SCITUATE LIGHTHOUSE.
Discontinued Nov. 15, 1860, by authority of the Act of Congress approved Sept. 28, 1850, on establishment of Minots Ledge Light. From the original negative in the archives of the Lighthouse Service, Washington, D. C.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
THE BARKERS
John and Robert Barker, brothers were living at Jones' River (Kingston) in 1638. John was a bricklayer and in the year above named his brother Robert had just completed his apprenticeship with William Palmer, carpenter.
In 1632 John had married Anna, the daughter of John Williams, Sr., and had carried on his trade at Jones' River during all the time up to 1641 when he bought the ferry over the North River which is now Little's bridge. He was drowned there on December 14, 1652.
He had one son, John, born in 1650, who upon the death of his father was taken first to Barnstable and then to the home of his uncle Capt. John Williams in Scituate. The difficulties between these two as the boy grew to manhood and after were frequently aired in the colony court and are more particularly related in pages which follow. Deane says that he "is mentioned as a lawyer in the colony records in 1674;" but this is error and probably grew out of an examination of and hasty misconception by the author, of the following entry :
"27th October 1674. Whereas att the last Court John Barker, attorney to Samuel Hieland, as attorney to the said Hiland, by process of law obtained a verdict and judgment of fourteen pounds of Israell Hubert t, eight pounds whereof is by the said Hubert already payed; and that some way the said Barker hath procur- ed the bill by which the said sum was demanded; this Court hath ordered, that the remaining six pounds re- maine unpayed untell the said bill be delivered to Captaine Cudworth, appointed by the Court to receive it."
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