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 9
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SHERWIN. - A Frances Sherwin was of Boxford, 1696, 23 Nov., when she married Isaac Cummings of Ipswich. An Ebenezer Sherwin married about 1700, and had several children born here. These two might have come to Box- ford with their parents before 1696; however, it is con- jectural. By his wife Susanna, Ebenezer had children born here : 1. Hannah, b. 6 Aug., 1701. 2. Jonathan, b. 8 Jan., 1703-04. 3. Ebenezer, b. 5 Jan., 1705-06. His · widow died 29 Oct., 1762, aged eighty-three years. Both of the sons settled here, and the name was quite common till within a century. Most of them at last removed to Rindge, N.H. Thomas Sherwin, for forty years principal of the English High-School in Boston, was a descendant.
PETER SHUMWAY was in Topsfield as early as 1677. In 1682, with James Waters, he was chosen by Topsfield to " ring swine." He was in Topsfield in 1686, and probably came to Boxford very soon after. He undoubtedly resided near Capt. John Peabody, as he calls Peabody his “ neigh- bor." Shumway made a will, which was proved in July, 1695. His will was, that his widow and sons should carry
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on the farm together. By his wife Frances he had chil- dren (all born in Topsfield) : I. Peter, b. 6 June, 1678. 2. John, b. 20 Jan., 1679. 3. Samuel, b. 2 Nov., 1681. 4. Dorcas, b. 16 Oct., 1683. 5. Joseph, b. 13 Oct., 1686. His son Peter married Maria Smith about 1700, and had six children born in Boxford. The family removed to Oxford, Mass., in 1714.
SPRAGUE. - " Eaffae," son of James (?) and Sarah Sprague, died (born ?) 3 April, 169 -. - Town-Records.
THOMAS WILKINS, son of Thomas Wilkins, one of the proprietors of the farms at Will's Hill, then in Salem (now in Middleton), married Elizabeth Towne of Topsfield, 19 Dec., 1694, and settled in that part of Boxford which was afterwards included in Middleton. Their children were as follows, viz. : I. Elizabeth, b. 10 Nov., 169 -. 2. Hannah, b. 29 April, 169 -. 3. Mary, b. 23 March, 169 -. 4. Thomas, b. 21 March, 1700; m. Miriam Upton of Reading. 5. Heze- kiah, b. 15 April, 1702; m. Elizabeth Upton of Reading. 6. Miriam, b. 25 Aug., 1704. 7. - (dau.), b. 12 Jan., 1705-06. 8. - (son), b. 26 March, 1709.
Henry Wilkins was here as early as 1691. Bray Wil- kins, probably brother of Thomas and Henry, also settled here subsequent to Thomas' marriage, and had several ' children. When Middleton was incorporated in 1728 these several Wilkins families were set off to said town ; and since that time the name has not been known here. The great-grandfather of these three Wilkinses was Lord John Wilkins of Wales.
LUKE HOVEY, born in Topsfield, 3 May, 1676, was son of John Hovey of that town. He married Susanna, dau. of Moses Pillsbury, 25 Oct., 1698, who was born I Feb., 1677. Mr. Hovey came to Boxford after the birth of his first child, and built the Hovey house, which was taken down by a descendant a few years since. It was situated on the Bradford road, about a quarter of a mile north of
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the Second Church. The site chosen for his residence was on the southerly slope of a hill at the base of which was a stretch of meadow and a pond. He died 31 Oct., 175I, aged seventy-five years. His widow survived him until 22 Dec., 1767, when she died at the age of ninety years and ten months. Their sons resided here, and had many descendants, some of whom are the family of the late Thomas S. Hovey. His son Luke settled near Mr. John Pearl's present residence. This settler's children were as follows, viz. : I. Susanna,2 b. 25 July, 1699. 2. Dorcas,2 b. IO May, 1701 ; m. John Foster of Andover. 3. Hannah,2 b. 18 July, 1703. 4. Elizabeth,2 b. 3 Oct., 1705 ; m. Benj. Kimball of Wenham. 5. Luke,2 b. 18 May, 1708; m. Dor- cas Kimball of Bradford, and widow Esther Runnells ; had nine children. 6. Abigail,2 b. 6 July, 1710. 7. Joseph,2 * b. 17 July, 1712. 8. - ,2 b. 3 Dec., 17 -. 9. -. 2
For more early settlers, see Appendix F.
* The following is the line of descent of the present Hovey residents of Boxford from Luke's son Joseph : -
Joseph2 m. Rebecca Stickney of Bradford, 21 March, 1743-44, who d. 19 Feb., 1788. He d. 23 Dec., 1785. Was deacon of the Second Church. Ch .: I. Dolly,3 b. 30 Dec., 1744 ; m. Samuel Clark of Danvers. 2. Joseph,3 b. 23 May, 1746. 3. Lucy,3 b. 15 March, 1748; m. Thomas Cross of Brad- ford. 4. Ivory,3 b. 14 July, 1750; m. Lucy Peabody ; d. Sept., 1832. 5. Lois,3 b. 24 Sept., 1752 ; d. 5 Oct., 1758. 6. Rebecca,3 b. 15 Dec., 1754 ; m. Amos Perley. 7. Amos,3 b. 31 May, 1757. 8. Lois,3 b. 14 June, 1759 ; m. Amos Gage. 9. Thomas,3 b. 9 Feb., 1762.
Joseph3 m. Mary Porter, 17 March, 1773, who d. I May, 1819. Ch. : I. Moses,4 b. 7 April, 1773. 2. Joseph,4 b. 31 Oct., 1776; d. 6 May, 1816. 3. Aaron,4 b. 3 Feb., 1778 ; d. 16 May, 1818. 4. Mary,4 b. I Nov., 1781. 5. Hannah,4 b. 16 Oct., 1783; d. I Jan., 1815. 6. Rebecca,4 b. 17 April, 1788 ; d. 10 Sept., 1818. 7. Rufus Porter,4 b. 5 Feb., 1790. 8. Thomas Stickney,4 b. 18 Sept., 1792.
Thomas S.4 m. Sarah C. Parker, 4 Nov., 1822. Ch. : I. Orvilla Law- rison,5 b. 28 Feb., 1823. 2. Lucy Porter,5 b. 6 Oct., 1826. 3. Albert Parker,5 b. 23 Nov., 1828. 4. Joseph Henry,3 b. 30 April, 1830. 5. Edward Beecher,5 b. 3 April, 1832.
CHAPTER V.
I685-1700.
SIR EDMUND ANDROS. - KING WILLIAM'S WAR. - MILITARY MAT- TERS. - TROUBLE BETWEEN BOXFORD AND TOPSFIELD ; THE DIVIDING-LINE SETTLED. - OTHER BOUNDS SETTLED. - ROADS LAID OUT. - OUR ANCIENT TAVERN. - TAXES. - TOWN MEET- INGS. - SUNDRY TOWN OFFICES. - COMMONS, AND THEIR PAS- TURAGE. - WITCHCRAFT. - AN ALARM FROM THE SAVAGES. - FIRST MEETING-HOUSE IN BOXFORD.
OR several years after the incorporation of Box- ford, the colony was in excitement, and in rebel- lion against the Government. In 1686 King James II. took the control of the colony into his own hands, and sent over Sir Edmund Andros, with a number of assistants, to be the colonial governor. Andros conducted his government in tyranny and oppression, and thereby causing his subjects to "groan " under his injus- tice and cruelty. Smith, in his History of New York (p. 63), gives a just idea of his character in a very few lines : " He knew no law but the will of his master ; and Kirk and Jefferies were not fitter instruments than he to execute the despotic projects of James II." He was checked in the midst of his oppressive measures by the abdication of the king. This had been expected by the colony, and eagerly desired. The Revolution was daring- ly commenced in New England ; and on the morning of April 18, 1689, Andros and fifty of his supporters were seized and confined, and the old government resumed
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[Holmes I., 475]. Boxford was free in expressing its mind against Andros' government, and earnestly wished that Bradstreet would again take the gubernatorial chair. The following instructions were given, 6 May, 1689, to Capt. John Peabody,* the representative to the General Court, that had met to settle the affairs concerning the re-institution of the old government : -
"Wee the free houelders and in habetanc of the Towen of Boxford being vary fensabul of and thankfull to god for his great marcies to us in delivering vs from the Tiereny and opresion of thes ill men vndr whoes Jniustes & Cruelty we have fo long groned with all Rendring our harty thanks to thoes so worthy & honerabul jentilmen who have been jngaged in foe good and nacesary a worck as the Confarvation of our peace finc that Revelution yet being also apprehancive of the many in Conveniencies and hazerds of the present vnsetelment of our affaiers doe declear that we doe expact that our honerad gouerner & dapety governer and asistanc Elactad & Sworn by the free men of this Colony in May 1686 to gather with the dapetyes then sent dauen by the Respactive Towens to the Cort the[n] haulden and which was never legally defolved shall Come and Reafuem and exarcies the gou- erment as a general Cort a Cording to our Charter on the nienth day of may in Sewing nex & in So doing wee doe hear by promis and ingage to aied and asist them to the vtmost of our power with our persons and estates praying god to gied them in the manigment of our ardeous affaiers and wee doe hope that all thoes that are Trew frends to the peace and prosparety of this land will Radely and hartely Joyen with us hear in."
To the session of the General Court, which convened June 5, following, John Peabody, sen., and Thomas Perley, sen., were chosen representatives, - they to serve only one at a time. They were instructed " not to consent to set up any government contrary to our Charter privileges."
King James II., as we have before stated, fled to France, and stirred up the French to a revolution with England. The governor of Canada, as a good and loyal subject of the French king, began to assault the English colonies in New
« For list of Representatives, see Appendix C.
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England. While yet in office, Gov. Andros and council sent out invitations to the several towns for volunteers to again enter the service. In response to this call, three men entered the service from Boxford. These were Ephraim Smith, who was out seventeen weeks; John Tyler, twenty weeks ; and Jonathan Foster, four weeks. In regard to their pay, the town agreed, 11 March, 1689-90, to give them six shillings per week for all the time they were away from home.
In King William's War, -as this conflict was called, because that William, Prince of Orange, having succeeded James II., was now reigning on the English throne, - the French Canadians secured the services of the Eastern Indians to assist in carrying on the war with the colonies. The first blood was shed by the Indians at North Yar- mouth, Me., in September, 1688; and thus commenced the conflict which for five long years continued with greater or less atrocity on the frontiers. Boxford was not wholly free from apprehensions that the aborigines might try its inhabitants next. On the Ist of July, 1691, three persons were killed and some houses burnt at Amesbury, Mass. Another, and still nearer, scene of the barbarity of the savages was the murder of the Goodrich family in Byfield. This last deed was committed by some Indian allies of the Canadian French, who, tradition says, had been overcome by a party of Englishmen in Andover; and, while return- ing to their homes, passing through the north-western part of Boxford, which was then almost uninhabited, through what is now Georgetown, into Byfield (Rowley), where they wreaked their vengeance upon this quiet and inoffensive family.
In 1689 the first stock of ammunition ever kept by the town was procured. The selectmen met on the 8th of January of that year, and made a rate of about eight pounds for the purchase of said stock; and Moses Tyler, Thomas
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Perley, Thomas Andrews, and John Andrews were ordered to gather it, and lay it out for "poudr & bullets and flents." Additions were made to the town-stock from time to time ; and during the time of the Indian hostilities new additions were often made .* March, 1691, Boxford voted that the soldiers in the town should get themselves two pounds of powder apiece, and bullets and flints in proportion. On the 15th of the following December the town " chose some men to join with the committee of militia to advise with them concerning men who should go out to war from time to time and to engage with them in that affair; and their names are John Andrews and Daniel Wood, troopers ; Sergeant Chadwick, Corporal Thomas Andrews, Corporal Joseph Peabody, William Foster, sen., and Samuel Sy- monds."
The regiment to which the Boxford company at this time belonged was made up of the Ipswich, Rowley, Gloucester, Wenham, Topsfield, and Boxford companies.
Oct. 6th, following the incorporation of Boxford, Topsfield chose a committee to treat with the Boxford people about their assisting in maintaining the ministry in Topsfield. A rate was made in Boxford expressly for the support of
* In 1690 three pounds was spent for powder and shot for the use of the town.
The following are records of various purchases of ammunition made by the town during a few of the subsequent years, to replenish their stock, viz. : -
"28 June. 1694. delivered to Sargent Chadduck of the town money by order of the Selectmen for powdr and shot the Sumbe of -09-03-02."
" 30th June 1694. Received of Sargent Chadduck one hundred and twelve pound of bullets [in] bages and three hundred flints which comes to two pound ten Shillings -02-10-06 also a Small barrel of powder."
" 16 of Oct 1694, layed out in powder and shot and bullets and bringing £8-19-8."
" 14. August. 96. dilevared to quartermaster Tiler of the town stock of powder and bullets and flintes : ten pound of powder Sixty pound of bullets and 50 flintes and hee is to keep this part of the Town Stock teall the Select men See Caues to lodg it in Sum other place."
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the ministry, annually, and was divided between the churches of Topsfield, Bradford, and Andover, in propor- tion to the number of the inhabitants that attended divine services at each place. Twelfth of December, 1689, the town voted " that those men in Boxford that hear the Word dispensed at Topsfield shall pay this year fifteen pounds, five of it in silver, to the ministry, and the rest of the town that go to Andover and Bradford to hear shall pay propor- tionably where they do hear." Fifteen pounds was paid to Topsfield for the support of the ministry, annually, until 1693, when it was increased to eighteen pounds.
A coldness was now creeping over the Topsfield church, which was not entirely thrown off till years after the sep- aration - in ecclesiastical concerns- took place between the two towns. Fault was first found with the insufficient number of pews, and the seating of the Boxford people. In those times the people were seated, in respect to the position of the pew, according to their respectability, wealth, or age. Fault was often found because some had more honorable seats than others. On the 14th of Janu- ary, 1690, Topsfield chose a committee to "understand " the grievances of the Boxford people, so that in some way "peace and love" might be continued between the two towns ; but the records do not inform us that any thing was immediately further done. A spirit of alleviated animosity seemed to prevail.
However, there were other difficulties between the two towns at this time, principally in reference to a dividing- line. After Boxford was incorporated, Topsfield obstinate- ly refused to settle the line. In 1689, Dec. 12, Boxford "chose Ensign John Perley, Quartermaster Thomas Per- ley, and Corporal Thomas Andrews to go to Rowley some time this winter, and inquire of the town of Rowley if there is any agreement between Rowley and Topsfield or Ipswich concerning their line between Rowley and Tops-
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field from Quartermaster Perley's to Ipswich River." At the same time, John Peabody, sen., John Perley, Thomas Andrews, Robert Ames, sen., Joseph Bixby, and Joseph Andrews were chosen a committee to meet with the Tops- field people, and run the line the following April. The line was not run the following April; and the next we. hear about the matter is the appointment of John Perley, Thomas Perley, Samuel Symonds, Thomas Andrews, and John Peabody, in March, 1695, as a committee to perform the same duty. The next March, Capt. Wicom (of Row- ley) was chosen to help the committee, if he would for just compensation. We will not take up more space in pursuing the doings of the many committees which were appointed by the town almost annually for the purpose of settling the line between this town and Topsfield. When the committees of the towns agreed to meet for this pur- pose, one of them would always be absent ; and we are sorry to say the Boxford committee were most often the guilty party. Perhaps the greatest reason of their non- agreement was the Gould and Endicott farms. These had originally both been included in the limits of Rowley Vil- lage ; and the Boxford people still wished to have them annexed to their town, as the farms were large, and the owners paid a considerable share of the town-rates. But inasmuch as old Zaccheus Gould had years before "given " his farm to Topsfield, the Topsfield people thought it was rightly theirs. In 1699 Boxford petitioned the General Court to have these farms lawfully annexed to their town. Copies of the early grants, and so forth, were obtained, and the petition received a hearing. A committee was sent out by the General Court to view the farms; and it was afterward ordered that Boxford should have the Endicott, and Topsfield the Gould farm. Before the town petitioned the General Court they sent to Rowley to receive their authority to settle the lines, for the authority vested in the
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town at the time of its incorporation was not deemed explicit enough. The following is a copy of the communication and its answer: * -
" TO OUR LOVING NEIGHBORS OF ROWLEY, AND, IN SOME SENSE, OUR FATHERS.
" Gentlemen, - We give you many thanks for all the former kind- nesses we have received from yourselves ; yet, notwithstanding, we would entreat you to add one more to all that we have received from you already, and that is, to grant our town the same power and privilege to settle our bounds with all the towns that do adjoin upon us, on every side, as you yourselves had, when we were both of us one town. We have had many meetings with Topsfield and Salem men, and they refuse to settle bounds with us, unless we can show a grant, either from the General Court, or from the town of Rowley, that we have power to transact in such settlements, as other towns have.
" So we remain your loving friends, to serve in what we may, hop- ing you will be pleased to grant us our desire herein.
" JOHN PEABODY, THOMAS PERLEY,
Selectmen
JOHN ANDREWS, of Boxford.
JOHN EAMES,
" Dated this 21st day of April, 1699."
(ANSWER.)
"We, whose names are underwritten, having been appointed by the town of Rowley May IIth, 1699, to empower the town of Boxford to settle bounds with the towns of Salem, Topsfield, Andover, and Brad- ford, or any other that the township of Rowley formerly granted was bordering upon ; we do fully and absolutely grant and give to the town of Boxford as full power to settle any bounds, or run any line or lines, with any town or towns, farm or farms, that was formerly ad- joining to the bounds of the town of Rowley before Boxford had the grant of a township, and what power we formerly had or still have. We resign up our sole power to Boxford town to transact any such business as if we, ourselves, were actually possessed of said town- ship of Boxford, as formerly we were ; always reserving to ourselves
* The letter to Rowley is copied from Gage's History of Rowley: the answer is taken from our town-records.
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the common land that lieth in the Village undivided, as may appear by an agreement bearing date the seventh of July, 1685, and the pay- ment of the twenty shillings per annum in silver as expressed in said agreement, by Joseph Bixby, sen., John Peabody, William Foster, Samuel Symonds, and Moses Tyler, sen., and to be paid by them to the town of Rowley, or their orders, while Boxford have no Orthodox minister settled among them, -with the three pounds that will be due the seventh of July next, and already ordered to Captain Wicom.
" Dated May 12th, 1699, by Daniel Wicom, Joseph Boynton, and Samuel Platts of Rowley, and confirmed at a legal meeting of the town of Rowley, per an act of said town, May 16th, 1699.
"This is a true copy taken out of the town-book of Rowley, as attest, Joseph Boynton, clerk for Rowley.
" This is a true copy of that instrument, that the town of Rowley gave to us of Boxford, signed and attested to by Joseph Boynton, clerk of the town of Rowley, and copied out by John Peabody ; as attest, John Peabody, clerk for Boxford."
At last, in 1731, after quarrelling for forty-six years, Topsfield and Boxford came to an agreement, of which the following is a copy :-
"We, whose names are underwritten, being a committee chosen and empowered by the towns of Topsfield and Boxford, respectively, to settle the bounds between Topsfield and Boxford according to the last resolve of the General Court, Anno 1707, have accordingly settled the line between said Topsfield and Boxford, from the apple- tree in Captain Perley's field to a stake and heap of stones at the south-easterly corner of Mr. Baker's farm, now in Boxford, and from thence to a dam, called Andrews' dam, near Mr. Thomas Gould's house, and from thence, it being the place where the water now runs under said dam, southerly to a stake and heap of stones by the Fish- ing Brook, on the easterly side of the rivulet running into said brook, and then as the said brook runs into the river called Ipswich River, then up said river to Middleton line.
" Dated at Topsfield, June 17th, 1731.
" JOHN HOVEY, THOMAS PERLEY, JR.,
THOMAS 'PERLEY, JOHN CURTIS,
THOMAS GOULD, JOHN ANDREWS."
Not much trouble was experienced in settling the rest of the town's boundaries. In July, 1696, the bounds were
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fixed between Boxford and the " Will's Hill men," * as fol- lows, viz. : " From a tree, marked, by the river about forty rods above the Indian Bridge; and from thence upon a north-west course to a heap of stones a little beyond Wil- liam Way's house; and from thence upon a north-west course to a heap of stones by Pout-Pond Brook; and thence upon the same course to a forked white-oak tree, which is now down, and a heap of stones in the room of it ; and from thence northerly to a rock in Beech Brook, where the brooks meet ; and thence upon a north-westerly course to a white-oak tree, marked; and thence upon the same course to a crooked white-oak tree marked with Bee." The Boxford committee that run this line were John Perley, Thomas Andrews, and Samuel Symonds.
In 1700 the Ipswich bounds were perambulated and settled anew by Abraham How and William Howlett of Ipswich, and John Perley and Thomas Perley of Boxford. Their report, containing a description of the bounds, is as follows : -
"We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, being appointed by Ipswich and Boxford respectively to perambulate the bounds be- tween said towns, met this day, 8 April, 1700; and the following bounds are them which are the standing bounds betwixt the said towns : First beginning at the swamp called the Ash Swamp, where there is a heap of stones by a path side upon the west side of said swamp; thence running westwardly of said swamp to a little white- oak bush with a heap of stones about it ; thence running on the same line to a heap of stones; thence running on the same line to two red-
* " Will's Hill men" were Thomas Fuller and his son Thomas, and Thomas, son of old Bray Wilkins, who had, several years previously, pur- chased and settled on the grants of Major-Gen. Dennison and Richard Bellingham, now situated in Middleton. They were called " Will's Hill men " because " Will's Hill " -so called from " old William," the last sur- vivor of an Indian tribe that originally inhabited it-was a part of their domain. Their possessions were annexed to Salem; and in 1728, quite a village having sprung up, they formed a part of the newly incorporated town of Middleton.
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oak trees with stones by them, and some stones placed betwixt them ; thence running upon the same line to a heap of stones upon a ridge by the side of a meadow, called Perley's Meadow; thence running on the same line to a heap of stones in Lt. Thomas Perley's field that has a walnut bush in the heap of stones; thence to a lopped white- oak that is dead, with stones about it; thence on the same line to a marked red-oak tree with a heap of stones about it; thence on a straight line to an apple-tree in Lt. Thomas Perley's field. As witness our hands, Abraham How, John Perley, William Howlett, Thomas Perley. This is a true copy of the return of the committee that did settle the bounds between Ipswich and Boxford, so far as said towns join together, and signed their doings therein, April 8th, 1700. As attest, John Peabody, clerk for Boxford."
As soon as the town was incorporated, an open road was laid out from Andover bounds to Topsfield along by Joseph Bixby's house. Also another, from " Zaccheus Curtis' house to the above-said highway, or roadway, along by the Works * through Abel Langley's farm ; also, from the Works along by the south side of the Plain and so on to John Stiles', and so into the above-said way." Abraham Redington, sen., John Perley, Samuel Symonds, Moses Ty- ler, sen., and John Peabody, sen., were the committee to lay out "all needful roads," doing as little damage as pos- sible to the owners of the land. Boxford voted that " this committee, or others for highways, shall accordingly give notice to all persons that they do lay any highway through their lands to be there ; it is also further agreed that when the highways are to be laid through any man's, or men's, land, that always such man, or men, shall have as much power in ordering where the way shall go as any one of the committee till it is gone through his land."
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