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 12
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write, and cypher." Dec. 21, 1725, it was voted "to give Mr. John Rogers £25 to keep school the year ensuing, provided he may be approbated as the law directs." He accordingly entered upon his duties, and thus began the first real advance in the cause of education in Boxford. David Foster was chosen to this office in 1728. The school was held for many years in private houses in differ- ent sections of the town, its sessions being held for a while in each place alternately. These sessions were about a month in length; and, considering that this was all the schooling which the children would receive during the year, unless they attended the school of an adjoining district, it is not surprising that education was so little developed among the common people. The schoolmaster of a century and a half ago rises before our view : browned by the sun and heat while cultivating his arable acres ; his hands like those of the sturdy yeoman, rather than a schoolmaster's ; his gestures and walk betokening the com- manding position which he holds, -are all brought to our eyes while we hear him affirm that " g-e-s " spells " guess." Down his back the long cue of those days dangles as he steps among the scholars, who, if any one dared do it, would pull it " just for fun."
Shortly before his death (1700) William Peabody erected the first saw and grist mill that ever existed in the town. The grist-mill was situated on the stream that flows back of the old Spiller house in the East Parish, where the ruins are still visible ; the saw-mill was situated farther down the stream. The original building of the grist-mill stood until Sept. 23, 1815, when the terrific gale, which our older inhabitants remember so well, blew it from its foundation into the pond at its side. Richard Peabody (grandson of the original proprietor), the owner at the time of its fall, immediately re-erected it - the timber-trees with which it was done having been blown down by the gale.
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After Mr. Peabody's death in 1820, the place was sold to Mr. Nathaniel G. Spiller, who still resides in the town. About 1845 Mr. Spiller sold the mill to Messrs. William A. Gurley and Joseph Farley, who demolished it to give place to a saw-mill which they proposed to erect. Much of the lumber with which to do this was hauled there, and a massive stone wall built for the foundation of one side of their mill. But this was as far as they ever got. The wall - the cost of which ruined the company, it is said - still stands unchanged ; and, as a whole, the view of it is most picturesque. A visit to this romantic spot would well repay the trouble, especially to an artist. The place is now occupied during the summer by William A. Her- rick, Esq., a prominent lawyer of Boston.
Every town that provides for its poor, and looks after them carefully, should contain in its History the history of pauperism as seen and provided for by them ; for this is a notable feature, and shows plainly the character and humaneness of its inhabitants in providing for the poor a home, and for the aged an asylum of rest. Boxford shows this feature as early as 1706, by voting to build a house for the poor, where they could be taken care of, and provided in a proper manner with food and raiment, and, what they would be sure of, a home. The voting part of the popu- lation held a meeting on the 5th of January in the above- named year, and voted to build a house for this purpose upon that "parcel of land devoted to the use of the town, where the meeting-house doth stand." The dimensions of this edifice were to be as follows: length, thirty-four feet ; width, fourteen feet; and six feet to the eaves, with "a convenient cellar " under one end of it. It was voted to be finished by the last of the following June ; but we do not think it, or any thing of the kind, was built, or purchased already-made, until the present town farm was bought, for two very conclusive reasons : viz., First,
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because we cannot find any record whatever that speaks of any building being built or bought for that purpose. Second, we find that the paupers were "boarded out" in different families in the town for years afterwards. Proba- bly they came to the conclusion, that, as there were but very few paupers, it would be much cheaper to board them out.
A curious incident in connection with this subject oc- curred a few years previous to the time of which we have just been speaking. A family named Cary had lived here a number of years, and at last they became so poor that the wife asked for alms from the selectmen. She belonged in Ipswich, where she had been an inhabitant, and proba- bly had not gained a residence here. In reply to her peti- tion for help, she was warned out of town to Ipswich, to be provided for there. At this time she had a child only a little more than a month old. It seems, however, she did not go, as she had another child born to her here after- wards. This is the first and only instance of the kind we ever heard of. A very poor person ("poor body," as the warrants call her), having come from another town, and taken up her residence here, asks for help in her time of need ; and, instead of giving her the needed assistance, and collecting the same of the town where she did belong, as is the custom at present, the selectmen warn her to depart. This seems a cruel as well as curious practice to follow, though perhaps no more so than many of the by-laws which our ancestors made from time to time. In connec- tion with the above affair the husband is not mentioned, though he must have lived here at the same time. In 1725, when she was a widow, she was assisted by the town. We do not insert this as saying any thing against the character of the selectmen, who were all worthy and distinguished (in their own town) men, but to bring before our readers what curious acts our ancestors were capable of doing.
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Rev. Mr. Symmes, in his pastorate here, met with un- common difficulties ; but the nature and reason of them are unknown. It appears, however, that they were such as he was unable to encounter; and, there being no reason- able prospect that they would cease during his continu- ance here, he was, in 1706, "thoughtful of removing from Boxford." He was not hasty in forming a decision, but was willing to wait the intimations of God's providence, to be directed by him, and principally to advance his glory. In his diary is found the following memorandum : " Fan. 29, 1707 .- This day I had sweet communion with God, in secret prayer. The Lord helped me wonderfully to plead with his Majesty, for assurance, for a soft heart, and for his Holy Spirit to sanctify me, comfort me, guide and assist me; and for his presence to be with me, whether I remove from Boxford or not. I pleaded : Lord, if thy presence go not with me, carry me not hence. Lord, I cannot go, unless thou go with me. Lord, if thou wilt not go with me, stop me, disappoint me, hedge up my way with thorns ; yea, let me die, rather than go one step with- out thee. Lord, if it be not for thy glory, and the good of souls, let me be here continued. I know that thou art all-sufficient, and canst provide for me here, and deliver me from my temptations here; and therefore I will wait upon thee, in the use of lawful means, to know what thy will is. Lord, help me so to do." In the following spring he sent in his resignation; and a town-meeting was held May 21, 1708, to consider of the same. They consented to Mr. Symmes' wish. The church met the same day, and, after "considerable agitation," concurred with the town. The elders of the neighboring churches, who met at Newbury on the 9th of the following month, advised the conclusion to which the town and church had arrived. The following is an extract from the town records : -
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"21 May 1708. the Towen voted that this following information or declaration should bee Recordad that so thaier may not bee anney mis vndrstanding of our Resons why our minister and wee doe peart on from the other if it should bee so.
"Thes may sertify whome it may Consearn that whear as our Reverand pastor mr Thomas Sims after a very Consedarabel tiem of trial and wee Conclued much Consedaration and advice doues as wee vnderstand yet Remaien vnder vncomfortabel surcomstances and vn- easy in his Contenewanc hear on that account Being apprehancive that hee might bee moer Comfortabel and searvesabel in sum other place then with vs and wee being sensabel after all that wee Can at Presant doe for him to a comedeat him : that wee Cannot doe what hee needes as sume other Places may doe : not that wee have anney dislick of his Person menistry or Conversation but should bee hartewly glad if wee might still in Joye his labores but unwilling to keep him allwaies in trubbel and uncomfortabel: wee have the moest of vs in Real love and good will towardes him : lovingly a greead that wee will no longer appoes his Removel but give way to it and say the will of the Lord bee dun in ceas the Revarant Ealdears met togather att newbery sum tiem in the begening of Juen next 1708: or the major Peart of them doe advies us to dismis him from his pastoreal obligation to vs and in Ceas our Revarand paster mr Thomas Simes will Reles to the Towen of Boxford all that thay have dun for him by waye of setalment and also what hee hath layed out in finnishing of his houes and give what Instrewment they shall think proper to se- cuer it to them from him or anney others from by or vnder him laying Claiem theair to and if it bee so wee hartely wish him weeall and thank him for his labors amongest vs and pray god to bles him and his and mack them blassinges and doe hear by Recommend him to the Cristian felowship and Communion of what Ever Church and People hee may seatteal with."
The difficulties which Mr. Symmes met with here must have been exceedingly great; for in resigning his position he forfeited all right and title in the house and land, which, if he continued here in the ministry, would fall after his decease to his heirs. After he left Boxford, he soon received a call to settle in the ministry at Bradford, his father having died. He accepted the invitation, and was installed as pastor of the Bradford church in the same year of his departure from Boxford.
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Rev. Mr. Symmes married first, Elizabeth Blowers (sister of Rev. Thomas, of Beverly) of Cambridge, by whom he had seven "very hopefull and desirable " children, six of whom -four sons and two daughters -lived to maturity. Four of them were born in Boxford, viz. : Thomas, b. Jan. 11, 1703; Andrew, b. May 20, 1704; John, b. Feb. 14, 1706; and William, b. Oct. 23, 1707. After her father's death the eldest daughter was received into the family of Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth, president of Harvard College. Mr. Symmes' wife dying April 6, 1714, he married, sec- ondly, Hannah, daughter of Rev. John Pike of Dover, March 28, 1715. During his connection with her, they had two "very desirable" daughters, both of whom sur- vived their father. On Feb. I, 1719, he was again called to mourn the loss of his wife. He was again married to Mrs. Eleanor, relict of Mr. Eleazer Moody of Dedham, and daughter of the well-known poet, Mr. Benjamin Thompson of Braintree, who survived him.
Although Mr. Symmes usually appeared to be in good health, yet for a number of years previous to his death, he was troubled with a poor appetite, indigestion, and pain in his head and breast. The first violent symptom of his dis- ease was on the sabbath but one before his death, -bleeding considerably from the nose. This flow of blood increased until it destroyed his life on the morning of Oct. 6, 1725. He had appointed a fast, to be kept on his account, on Tuesday the 5th, in the afternoon of which day the assem- bly were interrupted by news of the apprehensions of his dissolution. A minister went to the house to pray with him, before he expired ; and upon asking him if he was " freely willing to resign his soul to his Saviour," he lifted up his hand, and said, " Yes." He remained unable to express his feelings till the following morning, when he entered into the joy of his Lord, at the age of forty-seven years.
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Mr. Symmes was a man of much learning, and very active with his pen, several of whose productions, both scriptural and secular, were published, and are to-day occa- sionally met with. Those by which he was best known are a sermon entitled "The Brave Lovewell Lamented," and " A Joco-Serious Dialogue Concerning Regular Sing- ing." Prefixed to the first is an account of "The Fight at Pigwacket," which is the most authentic account of that sanguinary affair. Judging from the " Joco-Serious Dia- logue," it is evident that wit and sarcasm were no strangers to its author.
Increase Mather, then in the sixty-second year of his ministry, says of Mr. Symmes : " I have known him from his youth. When he resided at the college where he was graduated by me, then presiding over that society, I ob- served real piety in him, and was then persuaded that the Lord would make him a blessing;" which has been done, as the church records of Boxford and Bradford plainly show. During his short stay of six years in Boxford, seventy-two persons were added to the church ; and many took dismis- sions from other churches, and united with this. The dis- tinguished Rev. Mr. Colman says that Mr. Symmes " was out of the way of fame, or any worldly reward." His aim seemed to be good. It was the commendation of Heaven, which he esteemed and desired. To do his Master's work in the vineyard of the world was his highest ambition. In the notice of his death in The Boston Newsletter of Oct. 9, 1725, is ingrafted this closing sentence of our sketch : " He was a correct and pertinent, pungent and undaunted preacher ; never feared the faces of men, nor shunned to declare the whole counsel of God."
It seems that for two months after Mr. Symmes' dis- mission no meetings were held in the meeting-house. June 21, 1708, the town voted that Rev. John Rogers of Salem should preach the four successive Sundays after that
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date. His services were again secured for a quarter of a year, at twenty shillings per week. He probably was suc- cessively engaged until he was permanently settled over the church in the latter part of the following year. No records remain whereby we can tell the particulars either of his or Mr. Symmes' ordination. Mr. Rogers was paid a salary of sixty pounds, which was increased in 1717 to eighty pounds. As a settlement, the house and land that had previously been in the possession of Mr. Symmes, and which he forfeited by his resignation, was conveyed to Mr. Rogers upon the same conditions as to Mr. Symmes. In this house he took up his residence on his marriage, two years later.
When invited to assist in settling Rev. Mr. Rogers in the ministry here, the neighboring ministers refused; and with much trouble the ordination exercises were carried out, as we see by the following letter, which explains itself. "The Church and Town of Boxford sendeth to the Town and Church of Topsfield, greeting :
" Brethren and Neighbors, -We think it a little unchristianlike dealing, that there are so many scandalous reports in our neighbor towns, that our neighbor ministers make it a reason why they will not come to ordain our minister, when, if our town were indebted to you, and neglected or refused to pay, you might have made use of the civil law; and, if our church were indebted to you, then we think they should have been disciplined according to the order of churches. Now, brethren and neighbors, since it is our duty to follow peace with all men, and considering the gracious promise made to peace- makers, we make you the following proposals : -
"I. That, if you assert that our town is indebted to you by a rule of righteousness, and yet not legally to be recovered, we therefore proffer you to leave the matter to a committee of unbiased men, two of them chosen by yourselves, and two of them chosen by us, they choosing a fifth ; all of them not belonging to Topsfield or Boxford.
"2. That if you will choose a committee in your town, to join with a committee chosen in our town, to inform the abovesaid com- mittee what has passed between us and you, relating to the ministry of Topsfield, both before and since we were a town.
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" 3. Also, said committee to be informed how Topsfield's repre- sentative made complaint to the General Court that our town lived at loose ends, and had no minister, and came to their meeting, and troubled them, and paid but what they pleased to pay. By that means our town was doomed three pounds to a single country-rate, - two pounds taken off Topsfield, and one pound off Andover, and laid upon our town. That, being doubled several times, made us pay many pounds, which we think, by a rule of righteousness, might be outset in this matter of debt which you demand; if it appear to be a debt.
" 4. That, if our church are indebted to your church in your esteem, we desire that it might be left to said committee.
" 5. That if you will bind yourselves, in a bond of fifty pounds, to stand by the award of said committee, chosen as above, provided they bring you in to our debt, that then we will bind ourselves in the like bond, although we fall in your debt as a town or a church.
" BOXFORD, July 11, 1709.
"We have chosen our committee, and fully impowered them to act in this affair ; and their names are as follows: Lieut. John Peabody, Lieut. Thomas Perley, Mr. Samuel Symonds, Ens. Thomas Hazen, and Ser. Joseph Bixby."
Contentions between the two towns had been in exist- ence. for more than a quarter of a century, and continued as long after this date. The feeling was little more than the result of a "family-quarrel."
Though we cannot boast of having a physician settled among us at the present time, it is nevertheless true that we could have done so a century and a half ago. And down the many years almost to our present day, we had in our midst one of those necessary practitioners. Our first doctor filled the office of surgeon and dentist as well as that of physician ; and probably in some degree was among the renowned of that profession. This was Dr. David Wood, great-grandfather of Capt. Enoch Wood, now resident in our town. He was son of Daniel and Sarah Wood, and was born here Feb. 18, 1677. He commenced the prac- tice of physic at the age of thirty years, and remained the doctor of the town and vicinity until his death, which
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occurred Aug. 30, 1744. His account-books show a large and extensive practice, having continuous bills against the inhabitants of the neighboring towns. As a farmer, Dr. Wood was unexcelled in the extent of his operations. Ship-timber, which was sawed at his own saw-mill, - that stood in the rear of the residence of the late John Q. Batch- elder, and of which we shall soon speak, - was a product of his extensive woodland. A large stock of cattle, as we judge from his accounts with Francis Perley the tan- ner, was his property. He had also a large cider-mill, in which he made a great quantity of cider for his own use and for sale, and hundreds of barrels annually for his neighbors. His residence was, no doubt, the house that previously occupied the site of the Stetson mansion, and which had been probably his father's before him. One now nearly a century old writes : "This house, by the side of the pond, I well remember, with its low-descending lean-to ; and its long ladder, reaching from the ground to the chimney, was ever in its place, that they might the more readily quench the sparks and cinders which often circled above the chimney-top in the cold winter evenings." Most of the real estate in that vicinity was in his possession ; and because of his wealth, and professional and social position, his voice was a power in the prosecution of the town affairs. Regarding his family and descendants, see page 71.
A "Doctor John Andrews " appears here in 1712, when he was chosen a selectman ; but we know nothing more about his appellation.
The season of which we are writing was a disastrous one to the people of New England. The winters were very severe; and, the springs therefore being late, the planting was delayed. Many of the men were in the service of the colony, - the Indians having again begun their hostilities, -and, in consequence, the farming was in many places
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neglected, and scarce enough was raised to supply the family need. Provisions of all kinds were dear and scarce. It was voted by the town, Dec. 5, 1710, to set Indian corn at half a crown, merchantable wheat at four shillings, and rye at three shillings, a bushel. The times, however, grew better; and the high prices of provisions relaxed when peace again settled over the colonies.
In March, 1710, the town gave liberty to Ensign Hazen, Jacob Perley, and David Wood, to set up a saw-mill on the "parsonage-farm," where they shall see fit, and to have convenient yard-room, with a road to the mill, for thirty years, the above men paying all damage to the land to the town. A part of the old mill is still in existence, though greatly tumbled down. Its situation is on the stream which leads from Wood's, or Stetson's, Pond, to Four-Mile Pond, just below where the old Dresser road crosses the brook, and in the rear of the residence of the · family of the late John Q. Batchelder.
At a meeting of the proprietors of the common lands in Boxford, Sept. 18, 1710, it was voted : "whear as Richard Kimbol Eapharam dorman and Sammeueal fisk doe appear to Seat vp a Sawmill vpon the fishing broock with ouer Consent and incorigment wee the . . . . propriatoer[s] doe freely consent that thes thre men shall seat vp a sawmil vp on the foels by Josaph Bixbes houes also wee doe freely give them the veas of as much of our land as thay need for flowing and a yeard to lay thair louges and bordes and tim- ber vpon for the ves above sd so long as thay or thair heaiers or Sucksesaers shal keep vp a going mill and for the trew performenc of what is promised on our sied wee doe biend our sealves heaiers and sucksesaers to the above mensioned Kimbol dorman and fisck and thair lawful suck- sesaers that thay shal peassabelly in Joye the ves of the land a bove said with out anney molistation from vs or anney from by or vnder us." This mill was accordingly
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erected, and has continued to be a "going mill" to the present time. About the year 1800, or before, the busi- ness was carried on by Asa Foster (father of Richard K. Foster), who owned the mill, together with a grist-mill that had been previously erected. Mr. Foster died in 1831; and the heirs, in 1849, sold the mills to the late Augustus Hayward, who purchased the grist-mill stones that had been taken out of the grist-mill that stood where the match- factory now stands, and sold to a Mr. Bailey, and carried to Amesbury. Mr. Hayward hauled them back again, and put them in his mill in place of the old stones. Mr. Hay- ward did a thriving business, especially in the furnishing of ship-timber to the vessel-builders in Essex and vicinity. After his death, in 1872, the mills were sold to Mr. Solo- mon W. Howe, who has kept them almost constantly at work ever since.
Probably about the time of which we are now writing, the Andrews saw-mills were erected, though we have never arrived at any definite conclusion regarding their origin. Parts of the mill-buildings are very ancient, but not so much so as an elderly man would have them, when they were recently repaired. Some one remarking that the mill was very old, he said he once saw a deed of it dated mentioning a date several years anterior to the arrival of the Pilgrims in New England. But, from a lack of knowl- edge of history, he mentioned a date which could not be credited; and so his account fell into disrepute. As far back as any one now remembers, they were in the posses- sion of the Symonds family, Capt. Joseph Symonds being the last owner of that name. Upon his death, the late Dean Andrews purchased the mills, and by them sawed the large quantities of lumber in which he dealt. After his death they were owned by the late Daniel Andrews.
After enjoying the fruits of peace for nine years, in 1722 another Indian war broke out, though no great violence
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was done during the three years that it continued. In the autumn of 1724, the inhabitants of the frontier towns on Merrimac River seem to have been dissatisfied with the manner of carrying on the war with the Indians, and wished to adopt offensive measures. Accordingly a com- pany was organized at Dunstable, of which John Lovewell was captain, Josiah Farwell lieutenant, and Jonathan Rob- bins ensign. These officers offered a petition to the Legislature, in which they say, "that if said company may be allowed five shillings per day in case they kill any Indians, and possess their scalps, they will employ in Indian- hunting one whole year; and, if they do not within that time kill any, they are content to be allowed nothing for
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