USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Boxford > The history of Boxford, Essex County, Massachusetts, from the earliest settlement known to the present time: a period of about two hundred and thirty years > Part 10
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Nov. 23, 1686, the committee laid out another open highway "from Maple Meadow by John Peabody's house, and so along to Topsfield's common-land in Bear-hill Plain, doing as little damage as may be : and it lies along in the
The iron-works are meant.
.
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old path to John Andrews' slough, and so as near the hilly ground on the left hand as it can conveniently be laid to the next slough, and then still by the hills to Thomas Andrews' barn, and so to Crane Brook along the old path- way to Topsfield land." Another road was laid out "from Goodman Buswell's, through Goodman Redington's pas- ture to John Stiles' barn, and so along to the Works on the south side of the Plain, and so along to Zaccheus Cur- tis' barn." Also, " the committee agreed to lay out a way through Abel Langley's farm by the Works to the main roadway, as above."
These roads which we have just enumerated were all laid out in 1686, and, as may be recognized, were all situ- ated south of the East Parish village. No more roads were laid out for several years.
It has been truly said of Boxford of late years, that it has no hotel. But it is with pleasure that we look back over the vista of time, and learn that our early settlers immedi- ately turned their attention to the importance of having a public table kept in the town. William Foster, at a town- meeting held Aug. 19, 1687, was chosen their “ ordinary- keeper." For several years he kept a kind of public house, receiving his license from the town-clerk. On the 12th of the following month, after being chosen to keep an ordinary, it was voted that the town-meetings should be held at his house ; and they probably continued to be held there till the meeting-house was finished in 1701, when they were held in that. The Foster house undoubtedly stood on the site of the late residence of Mr. Dean Andrews, deceased.
In the early settlement of Boxford, taxes were paid in corn or other produce, to the satisfaction of the constables, who were the collectors ; and if the taxes were not paid by the time fixed by the selectmen, the delinquents had to pay one-third more. In 1780 the constables were paid
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three pence on the pound for collecting. In 1684 the town rate of Rowley was £43 12s. IId., of which the Villagers paid £8 7s. 7d.
The " country rate," because of the unsettled state of affairs, - the estates not having been valued as yet, - was neglected, and the town was reprimanded for not doing its duty. A committee of three (1687) was chosen to help the selectmen make the rate. Their share of this rate for 1688 was £11 7s. IOd. It would be well to remark, that, during the first half-century of our history as a town, a separate rate was made for each charge that was brought against the town, -a rate to defray the regular annual charges, a minister's rate, a country rate, a rate to purchase ammunition, to build any building, or for any public improvement.
The annual election of town officers was usually held in the early part of March; but in 1798 it was voted that for the future it should be held on the first Monday of April. This custom continued till 1848, when it was changed to the first Monday of March. Thus it is at the present time. Until 1800 the town-meetings were always held in the East Parish; ever since, they have been held alternately in both parishes. The first town-meeting in the West Parish was held April 6, 1801. We cannot con- ceive why they were not held there sooner, as the West Parish was nearly as densely populated as the East Parish. The early custom of warning town-meetings was very curious, and bears quite a contrast to the present method. The constables walked from house to house throughout the town, telling every voter the date and place of meet- ing, and the articles of the warrant. If the day on which the meeting was to be held was stormy, it was postponed at the discretion of the selectmen. All those voters that were absent from the town-meeting were fined, in the earlier part of our history, one shilling; if they were
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only tardy, then the fine was sixpence. Neither could they leave until the meeting was dissolved, without permis- sion, on the like penalty. The town would surely have a large revenue arising, if this law was prevalent at present. This appears to have been an unneeded and unnecessary practice ; but perhaps it was very useful in getting a full meeting, and we do not think it would be a bad plan at the present day.
Surveyors of highways were first chosen in 1687. The first men chosen as such were Thomas Redington, Thomas Hazen, and Joseph Andrews. The number chosen from year to year was irregular, - sometimes only one, and other years two or three or more. The number was in- creased as the population augmented, and the conveniency of the town demanded that the roads should be kept in a condition better to facilitate travel. At present there are seventeen surveyors' districts, and as many surveyors chosen annually, one for each district.
The office of "fence-viewer " was an early acquisition, and those officers have been regularly chosen ever since. Grand-jurymen and jurors of trials were regularly chosen.
" Sealers of leather" were first chosen in Boxford about 1700. The title indicates the duties of the office.
The first " sealer of weights and measures " was chosen March, 1691, and is recorded in the following words : "Corparel Thomas Andrus is Chozen Clark of the marcet to fee that all mesuers bee capt in good order a cording to the ftandard." Thomas Andrews held the office many years.
Some of our most prominent citizens were annually chosen to the office of " tithing-man." Their duties were, to see that the sabbath was well kept, and that all that could do so attended church. Various writers have pictured the duties of the old-fashioned tithing-man, which would be an anomaly to the duties of the present incumbent of that honorable office. During the last few years the office has
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become unpopular, and in most places it is left vacant. For an interesting account of the duties of the tithing- men of ye olden time, we would refer our readers to Mrs. Stowe's Oldtown Folks.
One constable only was chosen for the whole town till 1705, when two were chosen, one for the North, and one for the South district .* Thus it is at the present time ; one constable is chosen for the West, and one for the East Parish. The duties have also changed since the early times.
"Commons" were laid out (see p. 40) for common pastures in different sections of the town, in which the cattle, horses, sheep, and swine were pastured. The ani- mals were marked with the mark of the owner, which was generally a slit in the ear, or a hole of some peculiar shape ; the same being recorded in the town's records. The fol- lowing is one of these records : -
" The Mark of Luke Hovey Junr for his Cattel and other Creturs is as followeth (viz) a Croop of the Right Ear & a hole threw the same Ear.
"Entred May the 14th 1739."
In 1687 the town ordered, "that all swine in the town above three months old shall be ringed from the middle of March to the first of November yearly, upon the penalty of - a week for every swine that shall be found upon the Common without a ring in his nose; and half the money so forfeited shall be for the finder, and the other half
* The following are the earliest constables, i. e., since the incorporation of the town : 1686, Robert Stiles ; i687, William Peabody; 1688, Thomas Perley ; 1689, John Pe -; 1690, Ephraim Curtis; 1691, Joseph Bixby ; 1692, Joseph Andrews ; 1693, Abraham Redington ; 1694, John Kimball ; 1695, John Chadwick; 1696, Daniel Wood ; 1697, Thomas Andrews ; 1698, William Watson ; 1699, Samuel Symonds ; 1700, Joseph Hale ; 1701, Zac- cheus Curtis ; 1702, Thomas Perley, jun .; 1703, Moses Tyler ; 1704, John Andrews ; 1705, John Stiles and Jacob Perley ; 1706, Timothy Dorman and Job Tyler ; &c.
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shall be for the use of the town.". At the same meeting it was also ordered, " that all rams within the town shall be kept up or sufficiently yoked from the first of August to the first of November, upon the penalty of sixpence a time that any ram shall be found doing damage, to be paid to the owner of the sheep where he doth the damage." The owners, on a penalty of two shillings per animal, were to "yoke" the swine with a yoke two feet one way by twenty inches the other, and place in their nose a suitable ring, which was doubtless done to stop them from rooting. Pigs over eight weeks old were ordered to be driven daily into the woods, during the summer and fall seasons, for the purpose of feeding upon the oak-acorns that must have been abundant in the heavy growth of oaks that surrounded the village in those colonial days. At night they were put in some close place of shelter. This practice was continued until 1774, when, the pride of the people being no doubt touched by the custom, it gradually gave way, and was entirely abolished in 181I.
In 1695, July 29, John Eames was ordered to make a "pound," near Joseph Hale's house ; and said Hale to be pound-keeper. In March, 1697, the town voted that there should be one built by Timothy Dorman's or Joseph Pea- body's house, and to be erected at the town's cost. Sept. 21, 1700, John Eames was ordered to build another "pound," in his end of the town, "by Moses Tyler's barn, or near it in that road." John Peabody was also ordered to build one "between Corporal Peabody's house and Timothy Dorman's house, or in some other place in that road, as may be convenient ;" also, " Ensign Perley to see that there is another pound made and set up by Joseph Hale's house," where it had been before voted to be made. April 20, 1703, the town voted to build another pound, and to set it " between the meeting-house and Abraham Redington's house." In connection with impounding cat-
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tle is the office of " field-drivers," or " Haywards," as they were early called. We find scattered through the old records various notices of animals being taken up, and public notice of the same given. The following is one of these notices : -
" november the 9th 1719
"A Stray hors taken pr Dameg fesant by Jeremiah Perley of box- ford cryed and prezed as the Law Directs the hors being of a Dark Iron gray trimed and Shod before with fome white spots on his back."
A still older notice, which we find among the records at the Salem court-house, is the following : -
" Zacheus Curtice of Rowley Village hath a bay mare, with a star in the forehead, a slitt on the top of her neare eare & a little bit cut out of the same eare, & hare of her taile cut, no brand marke seene, taken vp for a stray the 21 of December, 1677, prized by John Vinton and After Cary at 20 s."
While the Indians were busily perpetrating their hostili- ties along the frontier, the public mind, especially in Essex County, was most dreadfully distracted by what has been denominated the Witchcraft Delusion. The trouble began February, 1692, in a reverend gentleman's family in Salem Village. A daughter aged nine, and a niece aged eleven years, were the first afflicted. Their physician said that " they were under an evil hand." These children accused a female Indian servant of pricking, pinching, and torment- ing them. Some other persons complained of suffering, and others were accused. Complaints and accusations continued to be made through the spring and summer, throughout the county. A special commission of "oyer and terminer" having been issued out to Mr. Stoughton, the lieutenant-governor, Major Saltonstall, Major Richards, Major Gedney, Mr. Wait Winthrop, Capt. Sewall, and Mr. Sergeant, a quorum of them sat at Salem, June 2, 1692.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
Aug. 19, 1692, Rev. George Burroughs was hung for witchcraft on Gallows Hill, in Salem. Among the specta- tors was Rebecca, wife of Robert Eames of Boxford, who was about fifty-three years of age. She was in a house near the scene of execution ; and while there "the woman of the house" felt a pin stuck into her foot, as she said. Rebecca, not being as good as she might have been, was pointed out as the one who did it; and the following war- rants - two indictments - were immediately issued for her arrest : -
" Essex in The Province " Anno RRs & Regina Gulielmi & Maria of the Massachusetts Bay Anglia &c Quarto Annoqe Domini : 1692.
in New England ss.
"The Juriors for our Sovre Lord and Lady the King and Queen doe present That Rebeckah Eames wife of Robert Eames of Boxford, in the County of Essex, aforesaid. In the year aforesd, and divers other dayes and times as well before [as] After Certaine detestable Arts Called witchcraft & Sorcerey Wickedly Mallishously and felloni- ously hath used practised and Exercifed at and in the towne of Andivor in the County of Efsex aforesd in upon and against one Timothy Swan by which said wicked acts the said Timothy Swan the day & yeare aforesd and divers other dayes and times both before and after was and Is Tortured aflicted Consumed Wasted Pined and Tormented and alfo for Sundry other Acts of Witchcraft to the said Rebeckah Eames Committed and done before and since that time againft the peace of our Soure Lord and Lady the King and Queen theire Crowne and dignity and the forme in the Statute In that case made and provided."
[The preceding is entitled: "Indictmt agst Rebecka Eames For bewitching Timº Swan;" the following : "Indicmt agst Rebecka Eames for Covenanting with ye Devil."]
" Essex in the Province Bag " Ano RRs & Regina Gulielmi & Maria of the Massachusetts Bay in New England ss. Anglie Esc quarto Anoge Dom 1692.
"The Juriors for or Sovr lord & lady the King & Queen doe pre- sent that Rebeckah Eames Wife of Robert Eames of Boxford in ye
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County aford About Twenty-Six years past in the Towne of Boxford in the County aforesaid Wickedly & fellonously A Covenant with The devill Speritt the Devill did make in & by which Wicked Cove- nant Shee the Said Rebeckah Eames her soule & body to the Devill did give & promifed to serve & obey him & keep his wayes, Con- trary to the Stattute of the first yeare of ye Reigne of King James the first in that Case made & provided And Against the peace of or Soveraigne lord & lady the King & Queen their Crowne & dignity." - Witchcraft Records, at Salem, Vol. II., pp. 25, 26.
These warrants were served, and her examination took place on the same day. The following is the testimony in the case : -
"Rebecca : Eames : Examined : before Salem Majestrates : Augst 19 1692 : She ownd She had bin in ye snare a month or 2: & had bin perswaded to it : 3 months : & that ye devil apeared to her like a Colt very ugly : ye first time : but she would not own yt she had bin babtized by him she did not know but yt ye devil did perswade her to renounce god & christ & ffolow his wicked wayes & that she did take his counsell and that she did afflict Timo : Swan: she did not know but that ye devil might ask her body & soul : & she knows not but yt she did give him soul & body: afterward she sd she did do it & that she would forsake god & his works: & ye devil promised her : to give her powr: to avenge her selfe on them that offended her afterward she sd ye devil appeared to her 7 year agoe : & that he had tempted her to ly: and had made her to afflict per- sons but she could not tell their names that she first afflicted. Q. who came wh ye devil when he made you a witch. An : A ragged girl : they came together and they perswaded me to afflict: & I afflicted Mary Warin & an other fayr face : it is about a quarter of a year agoe : I did it by sticking of pins. but did you afflict Swan : yes but I am sorry for it. Q. Where had you your spear A. I had nothing but an all. but was it with yor body or spirit you came to hurt these mayds : A. with my spirit : Q. but can you ask their forgivnes : A. I wil fall down on my knees: to ask it: of them: She would not own that she signed ye devils book when he asked her body & soul: but he would have had her done it nor to a burch Rign : nor nothing : she sd ye devil was in ye shape of a hors when he caried her to afflict : but would not own anybody went with her to afflict but ye afflicted sd her son Danll went with her to afflict : Q. did you not say : ye devil babtized yor son Dan !! A. he told me so :
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but : did you not touch the book nor lay yor hand on book nor paper A. I layd my hand on nothing without it was a peice of board : and did you lay yor hand on ye board when he bid you. A Yes : Mary Lascy : sd she had given her son Danll to ye devil : at 2 years old : & yt her aperition told her so: but: she could not re- member it: she was bid to take warin & lascy by ye hand & beg for- givnes & did so : & they forgave her: she sd if she had given her son Danll to ye Devil it was in an Angry fitt she did not know but she might do it nor I do not know he is a wich but I am afrayd he is : mary lascy saw her son Danll stand before her & sd Danll bid his mother not Confess he was a Wich : his mother : did not know she sd . but: she might se him for she saw a burlling: thing : before her : Mary Lascy sd she had babtized her : son Danll & yt she had bin babtized in five mile Pond: she sd ye reason she feard Danll was a witch : was becaus he used dredfull bad words when he was angry : and bad wishes. being asked : the age of Dan !! : sd he was 28 years old: she was told she had bin long a witch : then if she gave her son to ye devil at 2 years old : she owned she had bin discontented since she had bin in league: with ye devil : she knew not but ye devil might come once a day : like a mous : or ratt : she sd she knew Sarah parker but did not know her to be a wich: but she heard she had bin crosd in love & ye devil had come to her & kisd her who was with you when you afflicted Swan A. no body but my son Danll he was there when I came theether : she would have Danll perswaded to Confes : but was told she were : best to perswade him becaus she knew him to be a wich : she was askt if she was at ye execution : she sd she was at ye hous below : ye hill : she saw a few folk : the woman of ye hous had a pin stuck into her foot : but : she sd she did not doe it: but how do you afflick : A. I Consent to it: but have you bin a wich 26 years. A. no plan (?) remember but 7: years & have afflicted : about a quarter of a year : but : if you have bin a wich so long : why did you not afflict before seing you promisd to Serv ye devil : A. others : did not Afflict before : and the devil did not require it: but : doth not ye devil threaton you if you [do] not do what he sas: A. yes he thretens to tere me in peices but did you used : to goe to meet- ing on Sabath dayes : yes : but not so often as I should have done : what shape did the devil com in when you layd yor hand on ye board : A : I cannot tell excpt it was a mous." - Ibid.
Mrs. Eames was placed in jail, and received sentence of death Sept. 17. For some reason she was not immediately
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executed, and continued to lie in jail till the following March, when she was reprieved by Gov. Phipps. July 22, 1693, only about four months later, her husband died ; she continued a widow till May 8, 1721, when she died at the age of eighty-two years. In 1710 she sent the following letter to the General Court, desiring them to restore her name to its former purity, and to allow certain bills of charge relative to her imprisonment, &c., which was fully complied with by that honorable body at their next sitting : -
" BOXFORD Septem 12-1710.
"to the honred Jentlmen of the Commitey greating It having pleased the grate and Jenaral cort to a piont your honars a commity to in quire who may be propr to [be] Justified in the bill refering to the taking of the attainder and what loss and damedg hes bene sus- tained by reasen of the tryalls whitch were for witchcraft In the yere 1692 Rebecka Emes releck of Roborth Ems late of boxford dececed being aprehended for witchcraft In the yere 1692 some time the begineng of ogust and sufered Imprisnment a bove Seven months and condemned and afterwards re preved by govrner feps : I Rebechar emes humbly pray and de sier that the attaintir may be tecken of and my neme may be re stored a gain with the cost and damedges [that] Is sustained thereby to my husbands Esteat : paid in moniy to the prision keeper and cort chardges four pounds eaighten shillings for the repreve to the goavners clark Ilb - IOS - od for provisons and other nesecriy chardgs whils imprisened and upon my tryall ex- pended by my husband for me whils under those dollful surcum- stances I think I may safly say amounted to ten pounds more - 10- 00-00 Yete If the Attaintur may be taken of and my neme re- stored a gaine I am willing to take tene pounds all whitch I leve to your honers consideration
" I re maine you'r humbell Sarvant
" REBECKAH EMES "
- [Witchcraft Records ; Vol. CXXXV., p. 151, Mass. Archives.]
Thomas Perley of Boxford was one of the jury during these exciting trials. These dreadful affairs are generally thought to be the result of the superstition of the times ; but there are incidents connected with them which must be ascribed to some invisible power of the lower regions.
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HISTORY OF BOXFORD.
In 1695 an incident, although not occurring in our town, was rendered alarmingly interesting to a portion of our people. - On the 7th of October, in that year, five Indians attacked and plundered the house of John Brown, who lived on the westerly side of Turkey Hill, in West New- bury, and captured nine persons, only one of the family escaping to tell the tale. Search was instituted, and it was found that the savages were approaching the bound- aries of Boxford. Night came on - and what a night that must have been to our north-eastern settlers! The next morning it was discovered that in the night the Indians had changed their course, and were now going to cross the Merrimac River. Troops were sent from Rowley and Ipswich, who cut off their retreat, secured all the captives but one, who was no doubt slain ; and the Indians, after severely wounding several of the officers and soldiers, escaped. Such were the times, and the settlers had to conform to them.
Coming back to the ecclesiastical matters, we find the feeling of discord still prevalent in the Topsfield Church. Attempts to settle the boundaries between the two towns had not assisted in promoting the union or happiness of the church ; and, as we near the close of the seventeenth century, the feeling seems to gain a stronger hold. As early as 1690 the Boxford people desired to loose their connection with the Topsfield church. Dec. 15, 1691, the town voted "that the Last Twesday in febewary next in fewing is a pointed a daye for to Choues a Commety for to Steat a pleac for to fet [a] meting houes in and other nafefary ocations if the Towen aprove of it." The town met on the 23d of February, 1691-92, and voted "to Choves a Commety on the . 8th . of march next insuing to fiend out a fit pleac to fett a meting hous." March 8th, " the town chose several men to measure from end to end and from side to side of our town to find out the centre ;
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and if that is not the most fit place to set a meeting-house in, then the committee that we choose are to consider of another place or places which they shall think most fit, and so make their report of what they shall do herein to the town of Boxford: and the names of the men chosen for the service above-said are Lt. John Gould, Lt. Thomas Baker, Sergeant John Hovey, Henry Wilkins,* Ensign John Perley, Lt. Thomas Perley, Quartermaster Moses Tyler, Samuel Symonds, sen., Robert Ames, sen., John Peabody, sen., and Zaccheus Curtis. This Committee are to meet on the first Tuesday of June next ensuing to do this service above mentioned." This committee met on the appointed day, and attended to their duty. The follow- ing is their report: "The Committee appointed by the town to find out a place to set the meeting house in met on the 7th of June, 1692, according to the town's order ; and they have measured the town from end to end and from side to side: and from the fartherest houses by Will's Hill to George Bixby's field is seven miles ; and from the farthermost corner of our land near Merrimac River to George Bixby's field is eight miles; and from the eight-mile tree to George's field is two miles and a quarter ; and from Rowley line to the above-said field is about two miles and a half the nearest way, as some think."
For two years the subject appears to be dropped, as we find no record relating to it until the 24th of April, 1694, when the town voted that "they would build a meeting- house in convenient time thirty-four feet square and eigh- teen feet stud between joints ; also to build and finish the meeting-house within the space of two years after the date hereof." On the 22d of the following January, it was voted to set the meeting-house "between William Peabody's house and George Bixby's house, as they can agree with
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