USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Charlestown > The history of Charlestown, Massachusetts > Part 5
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1 This interesting debate is in Mass. Hist. Coll., vol. xxviii. pp. 99, 100.
2 Minot's Hist. Mass., vol. i. p. 51. 3 Winthrop, vol. ii. p. 322.
144
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
take care thereof, in order to the advantage of posterity." He gave the military company of this town twenty pounds, to fur- nish " poor men on days of exercise" with arms. His will has this paragraph respecting funerals : " whereas, in funeral solemni- ties there is generally a great expense to little profit or advantage to particular persons : I do prohibit the giving any scarfs or ribbons to any persons except magistrates, and those who officiate at my funeral." 1
RICHARD RUSSELL, the ancestor of a distinguished family in this country, was of a family no less celebrated in England. He came from Hereford, in Herefordshire, and was admitted an inhabitant of this town in 1640: In 1642 he was elected a selectman, and from this year until his death was constantly engaged in the public service. His name stands at the head of the board of selectmen seventeen years, and he was on it twenty-six years. He was elected representative first in 1646, and for ten years afterwards ; was an assistant sixteen years from 1659 to 1676; a speaker of the House of Deputies in 1648, '50, '54, '55 and '58; and for twenty years treasurer of the colony.
Though thus engaged in public duties, he found time to embark, largely for those days, in commerce. He was deeply interested in navigation and real estate. He built, in this town, wharves and store-houses ; purchased one quarter of the Pemaquid Patent; and in 1656, he bought of Edward Collins the greater part of what, at that date, was Medford. He accumulated a handsome fortune.
1 Francis Willoughby had certainly two wives, perhaps three, for I find in Church Records, Mary ; in Boston Records, Sarah ; and on the Town Records, Margaret, wives of Francis. He had children, some of whom died young. Of the others,
1, Jonathan, married Grizzel --- , and had Mary, born 1664. He was living in 1671.
2, Nehemiah, born June 8, 1644, was a respected citizen and merchant of Salem ; married Abigail Bartholomew, January 2, 1672, who died September 3, 1/02. He died November 6, 1702, leaving children, Fran- cis, Nehemiah, Abigail and Sarah. (Felt's Salem, p. 336.)
3, William died of small pox in 1678.
4, Sarah, baptised in 1611, who is named in 1662, as the " only daughter of Francis. She may have married
-- Kempfield, or Campfield.
By his last wife, Margaret, (whom he probably married in England, as he speaks of her as being a stranger in the country) Governor Willoughby had, 1, Francis ; 2, Nathaniel, died 1663 ; 3, Susanna, born Aug. 19, 1664.
Governor Willoughby's widow, Margaret, married Captain Lawrence Hammond, February 8, 1675, and died February 2, 1683.
145
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
Richard Russell 1 died May 14, 1676,- leaving in his will ad- ditional proof of the interest he felt in the town, the church and the colony. To the church, " with whom he had been in sweet christian fellowship for many years," he gave one hundred pounds ; and also fifty pounds towards a house for the use of the ministry, provided it was built within two years. To the town he gave two hundred pounds to constitute a fund for the poor,-the annual proceeds of which (with additions) are, to this day, distributed by the selectmen and deacons. To Harvard College he gave one hundred pounds. This item of the will is in the following words :
" To Harvard College in Cambridge I doe give and bequeath £100, and my will is yt it shall be improved for the purchase of some real estate or otherwise so as to bring in an annual revenue and the principal not wasted ; and ye said annual revenue shall be allowed to two poor students yt may need the same for their furtherance in good literature."
Mr. Russell opposed the sanguinary edicts against the Quakers, and was ever ready to afford substantial aid to the colony. His son James Russell, in a letter to the General Court regarding a settlement of the accounts of the late treasurer, dated May 24, 1676, says : -
" I hope you will please to take care for the reimbursing his estate for what he has expended in the countries service in this war and otherwise, and those personal engagements he has passed for the countries use and benefit, that so his children may not suffer for his love to the country. Thus, not doubting but you will in some measure consider the case, and take care not to injure or oppress the widow and fatherless, whose loss is so great already, and that there may be ordered a speedy settling of ac- coonts, I am &c."
1 Richard Russell married Maud - -. Their children were : -
1, James, born, Oct. 4,1640, of whom a notice will be subsequently given.
2, Daniel, who graduated at Harvard in 1669. He was a preacher of the Gospel ; invited to settle at Saybrook in Connecticut, and also at Charlestown. He accepted the latter invitation ; was about to be ordain- ed, when he died of small pox January 4, 1678,- leaving a widow, who was of Connecticut, and a daughter who married - - Hubbard.
3, Catharine, who married, November 29, 1654, William Roswell, a merchant of Connecticut, and had children.
4, Elizabeth, who married August 29, 1664, Nathaniel Graves, a sea captain, (see page 141,) and on his death in 1679, she married Captain John Herbert of Reading, whom she survived. She died probably in 1713.
Richard Russell's wife Maud died in 1652; and he married widow Mary Chester of Weathersfield, Connecticut. They had no children. She had by her first husband ; 1, son John ; 2, Stephen ; 3, Mercy, who died in this town in 1669 ; 4, Dorcas, married Samuel Whitney of Billerica ; 5, Prudence, married Captain Thomas Russell of this town, had children Thomas, Mary and Prudence. She died October 21, 1678; he died October 20, 1666. 6, Eunice, married February 25, 1673, Captain Richard Sprague, son of Ralph, and died May 27, 1676.
19
1
146
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
The epitaph on his monument is not wholly legible; it is proba- ble that the following is but an imperfect copy of it :
" Here lies interred the body of Richard Russell, esq. who served his country as treasurer, more than a treble prenticeship, and as magistrate, sixteen years, who departed this life, the 14th of May, 1676, being the 65th year of his age.
A saint, a husband, a faithful brother, A friend scarce parallell'd by any other ; A saint, that walked high in either way Of godliness and honesty, all say ; A husband rare to both his darling wives,
To her deceased, to her who him survives ; A father politick, faithful, and kind Unto our state as treasurership we find ; Of fathers good and best to own to those On him a fathership law did impose.
Moses brother kind good Aaron lov'd : On whom love showers how full of truth improv'd ; A friend to needy poor whom he refresh'd, The poor may well lament the friend suppress'd. In time of war he was remov'd in peace, From sin and woes to glory, by his decease.
N. B. The ravages of time and an accident during the siege of Bos- ton, in 1775, having destroyed the monument erected at the dicease of mr. Russell, this, being a true copy of the original, was replaced by his relations, A. D. 1787, in testimony of their regard to his memory.1
The Russell family are identified with the history of this town. And direct descendants of the treasurer exhibited, for five genera- tions, the same nobility of character, and shared, even more largely, of public honors. Judge James Russell, who died in 1798, wrote in the following strain to his son, Hon. Thomas Russell, an emi- nent merchant of his day : -
" Our family has great reason to bless God that the reputation of it has been preserved. You are the fifth generation. In the year 1646, Richard Russell entered into publie life. From that time to the present, I may say, the family have had every office of profit and honor which the people could give them, in the town of Charlestown, in the county of Middlesex and the State of Massachusetts ; and I do not find that there was any one left out of office for misbehaviour. Let our hearts be filled with gratitude to Him who has thus distinguished us, - never to be obliterated from any branch of the family ; and let us evidence this gratitude to our Maker by making a good improvement of our talents. " 2
I This is printed in Hist. Soc. Col., vol. ii. p. 179, and in Alden's Epitaphs. I copy from the stone. 2 MSS. Com. by Dr. Lowell.
147
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
CHAPTER XVIII.
1650 to 1670. - Penny Ferry. - Grants of Land. - Trees. - Mansfield Petition. - Malden Debts. - By-law respecting Strangers. - The Poor. - Burying Hill. - Town House. - Cow Commons. - Division of Land in 1658. - Names of the Inhabitants. - Josselyn's Visits to the Town. - Town Buckets. - Letter of Charles II .- Petition of Middlesex Artillery Company. - Grant to Charlestown. - Ezekiel Cheever's Petition .- Selectmen's Order respecting Boys. - Petition of Freemen. - Fine of John Davis. - Seating the People and Church Rates.
1651. PENNY FERRY was granted for a year to Phillip Knight, who appears to have had the income of it for taking care of it; he agreeing "to attend the ferry carefully, and not to neglect it, that there be no just complaint."
At a "full meeting" of the citizens, it was agreed to give Walter Edmonds, " eighty pounds for his house, housing and ground to it, upon the hill side with the young trees in the garden : also a cows common and a half. It to be paid in money, or wheat, rye, barley and peaze, by the first of the ninth month, 1652."
1652. The town made Increase Nowell the grant of " all that part of lands which Squa Sachem gave formerly unto him, the which he had given to the town, which lies on the south side of his lot next Woburn." This tract of land was sold in 1656 by Mr. Nowell's heirs to Thomas Broughton, who sold it in 1659 to Richard Gardner. The descendants of the latter have lived on it to the present day. It is known as "Gardner's Row."
The town also confirmed a grant made to Robert Sedgwick. The latter record commences : - " whereas it was by the trained band of this town granted to Major Robert Sedgwick (though unknown to the selectmen) yet they, to gratify the said major, gave consent to the said grant,"- which was a piece of land near the river, and adjoining his wharf, near the Town Dock.
1653. The following order was passed by the selectmen in re- lation to cutting trees on the common grounds of the town : -
" It was ordered that no inhabitant of this town, nor none of any other town, shall under any pretence whatsoever, fell or cut down any trees
148
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
upon the common without the neck, or the common beyond Mistick farm, within Charlestown bounds, or the common on Mistick side belonging to Charlestown, without first acquainting the selectmen therewith, upon the forfeit of what the selectmen shall see meet, who are to judge according as they are to conceive of the offence."
1654. In 1652, the General Court took the important step of establishing a mint; and John Hull and Robert Sanderson were mint masters. In 1654, John Mansfield, of this town, petitioned that he might help "to coin and melt and fine silver with Mr. Hull and Goodman Saunders in the country-house ; " and added, " for I served eleven years and one half prentice to the same arts, and am a freeman of London, and am also sworn to be true to the country, as I hope I shall." A few years later, (1668) he again petitioned the Court, stating " his extremity of poverty ;" when the Court ordered the town to " repair his house " or "to build him a new one," and that the house shall be obligated to pay the expenses " after the death of Mansfield and wife."
This year there is the following record : -
" That which our Brethren of Malden are to allow their proportion of, to this Town for Debts owing when they went from us : viz,
Owing to the Captain of the Castle when our brethren went away to 1649, 22: 2: 11
To Mr. Long for diet,
5: 6: 4
To Mr. Mellows,
15: 0: 0
To Widow Rand, 10: 8: 0
To Mr. Nowell for a man at Castle, 2:10: 0
To Lawrence Dowse,
6 : 0: 0
To Goodman Tedd,
6 : 4: 0
To Foxes and Wolves, 9: 0; 0
To Mr. Norton for charge about the Castle, 6: 0: 0
To a petition about Meadford,
0:10: 0
To our Elders Allowances, 4: 0: 0
To The Training Place,
20: 0:
To Captain Davenport from the 9th month 1648 to the fifth month 1650 31: 4: 0
By-laws in relation to entertaining strangers, were often renewed and ordered to be posted up. It was found difficult to enforce them. The following will serve as a specimen of these laws at this period : -
" Whereas it is found by dayly experience that Towns are brought under great burthen and charge by their inhabitants receiving and enter- taining of strangers into their Houses and families without the knowledge or consent of the select men ;
"And whereas it may bee of very great inconveniency and extreame charge for the future to this towne ;
149
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
" It is therefore ordered by the Townsmen this 24th day of the 11th month 1653 that no inhabitant of this town called Charltowne shall sell, or let, or dispose of, any Hous lott, or Hous in the sayd Towne to any stranger whosoever to inhabit amongst us without the knowledg and consent of the sayd selectmen :
"Alsoe it is ordered that no Inhabitant of this towne shall receive any in- mates ould or yonge intoo their sayd Houses to abyde with them above a weeks tyme, without approbation from the selectmen aforesaid, or security from the sayd Person or Persons so receiving any inmates to bear the Town harmelesse, and to save it from all charge and damage that may come by such persons so residing with them ; and if any person of this towne not- withstanding this order shall be delinquent, then every such person for the first offence to forfeit ten shillings, and for every week after ten shil- lings more so long as they shall be so defective. JOHN GREENE."
This year there were several persons fined at the Quarter Court, holden alternately at this town and Cambridge, for being absent from the public ordinances on the Lord's days. One was presented for being absent twenty weeks, but he satisfied the Court for six of the Sabbaths, and was let off with a fine of three pounds ten shil- lings, or five shillings a Sabbath. Another was fined five pounds for twenty Sabbaths. The Court, March 18, imposed the follow- ing fine : --
" Rowland Leyhorne's wife, being presented to this court by the Grand Jury, for making disturbance on the Lords day, in the public assembly at Malden, and washing clothes on the Lord's day, she freely acknowledged and confessed her sin and fault in the court, and her husband Rowland Leyhorne consented to allow the four witnesses 2d per diem."
The following record is a specimen of other punishments of the time; which appear to have been inflicted by the constables, some- times in this town and sometimes in Cambridge, but generally on " Lecture days :" -
" John Baker and Susan Martin, being convicted before this court for fornication by them committed together, are sentenced by this court to be each of them severely whipt with twelve stripes a piece upon their naked bodies at Cambridge the next lecture day, before the public concourse of people, and are also enjoined to marry together."
1655. The provision made for the poor has been already stated (p. 98.) This year the records contain notices of Hannah Martin, "the lame girl," and Roger Morgan, " the blinde man," who were maintained by the town : for keeping the former, five pounds a year was paid. The following order relates to the latter : -
"Agreed with John Pentecost that he is to have and keep Roger in his house this year ensuing. He is to find and allow him meat, drink, lodg- ings, washing, and the like necessaries, for which the town is to give John Pentecost four shillings per week, and all that Roger earns by his work is to be brought in by account, and to go towards the payment of
150
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
the 4s. a week, only what is laid out for clothes for the year is to be de- ducted out of his work."
Upon the request of the inhabitants, Richard Russell, Ralph Mousall and Thomas Lynde, were appointed by the General Court to act as commissioners to " end small causes " in town according to law.
1656. The town granted the common marsh before the burying- hill to Solomon Phipps and Lawrence Douse, "in consideration of twelve pounds in good merchantable wheat and pease of each a like quantity :" the hill "remaining free and entire for the town's use, only liberty is granted them to feed on the burying-hill, provided no inconvenience accrue to the hill,-the broadway going up to the hill being fully reserved to the town's use." They were to make and maintain the gate of that way "to the hill, also the lime-kilns are excepted, and a free way to them." The "right of herbage " was retained by individuals until it was purchased by the town in 1807, of the late Jacob Foster for four hundred dollars.
1657. A number of citizens subscribed twenty-nine pounds ten shillings toward building a " house," probably a town-house, on the Town Hill. This induced the town to pass the following vote : -
" At a generall town meeting of all the Inhabitants of Charletowne the second day of the eleaventh mo : 1656. It was agreed unanimously by the generall Townsmen, that a Hous should bee made and sett up upon the Windmill Hill : And the bell sufficiently hanged thereon ; and a Sun-dial there ; And to be done by a generall rate speedily to be gathered of the inhabitants, who are to pay each his proportion in good and mer- chantable Wheat at four shillings a bushell, and Barlee at four shillings a bushell, and Peas at three shillings and sixpence a bushell. The cost and charge off all not to exceed ffifty pounds at the moste."
A record was made of the number of cow commons each indi- vidual had in the stinted pasture, lying between " the neck of land, Menotomies River, and the farms of Medford and Mr. Winthrop." The following is the form of this record : -
" Confirmed and entered for Thomas Lynde Senior - nineteen cow commons.
I say to him and his heirs forever. JOHN GREENE, Recorder.
1658. The early action of the town, in relation to dividing the land, has been related.1 The details of an important division con- cluded this year, will show the manner of proceeding at a later
1 See chap. viii.
151
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
date; and also furnish the names, probably, of all the male inha- bitants of the town in 1658.
When Malden was set off in 1649, Charlestown retained a large quantity of land on Mistick side, lying between Malden and Med- ford Farm. The town voted to divide a part of this land, and a large committee was raised to determine upon the principles upon which it should be done. This committee reported,1 February 13, 1657, as follows : -
" The returne made by those brethren that were deputed by the Inhabi- tants of Charletowne for the propounding of a way for the deviding this Towns Land on Mistik syde into commonage ; as alsoe the dividing of the wood and tymber that each inhabitant may have his proportion. After some debate spent, and tyme in the consideration hereoff, all the commit- tees unanimously concurring therein, doe present this as their advice unto the sayd town.
" Imprimis : That every head rated in the cuntry rate be vallewed at twenty pounds.
" 2, That all women, children, and servants that are not rated in the cuntry rate in regard of their heads, that every two of them be vallewed at the like proportion, that is to say at twenty pounds.
"3, That every £100 estate brought in to be rated to defraye cuntry charges, then that to have the like proportion, that is to say, five tymes as much as he that is only ratable for his head, and ten tymes soe much as where there is onely women and children ; that is to say, ten of them to $ 100 estate ; and soe where there is not £100 rated yet what part of a hundred Pounds that is rated, then that to have its proportion as aforesayd, and soe where there is but one woman, childe, or servant they to have their proportion as being halfe heads.
" 4, Ffor the devision of the wood and tymber, we conceave the whole to be devided into ten equall parts, and the devisions to runn from Mistick bounds to Readding bounds the longest way.
" 5, That the whole according unto the proportions above sayd to be cast up as supposing them a thousand parts, that then every hundred of these to be comprised under each equal! part of the ten parts, the first devision to be made by survayours chosen out by the whole towne, the latter to be made by those whose lot shall fall to be together in any one of the tenn parts.
" 6, That because some inhabitants in this towne are ratable, and yet not rated by means of bearing some publick office ; and being freed by court or- der; as these alsoe that are troopers, and soe exempted for their heads in poynt of cuntry rates, as alsoe some by means of poverty ; yet all these to have their proportion in this devision, they that have estates, for them to have a proportion accordingly ; And those that have no estates, yett those of years to be vallewed at twenty pounds. And those that are women and children and servants that they be vallewed as aforesayed, that is twoo to twenty pounds.
THOMAS BRATTLE, in the behalf of the rest.
1 This report and the list of names is copied from the original in vol. ii. of the Town Records. According to the principles of the division, the quantity of each individual indicates, nearly, his relative circumstances, as to property. It is, therefore, in this respect, not unlike a tax list of to-day.
152
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
The town voted to accept this report, to add two to the commit- tee, and to authorize the division to be made on these principles. Another long agreement was concluded March 1, 1658. This pro- vides, that in case any person did not remain in town one year, he should lose his share " both of wood and commons :" that none should sell their shares but to an inhabitant of the town, upon the forfeit- ure of twelve-pence per load of wood, and the whole of the com- mons : that each proprietor should pay for laying out his lot. The other provisions relate to localities. Then the following entry was made in the Town Records.
" The returne of the committee apoynted by the Inhabitants of Charl- towne, for the division of the wood and commons on Mistick syde, with the inhabitants their assent to the articles above mentioned ; Accepted, by drawing each his lott the day and year above written : And is as follow- eth ;-
Wood
Acres.
Com-
mons.
Wood
in
Acres.
Com.
mons.
Edward Carrinton,
52
9
John Richbell,
24
4
Christopher Goodwine,
IS
3
Lawrence Dous,
26
44
Thomas Alice Rand,
34
6
Monsieur Belvile,
17
3
Richard Sprague,
86
15
John George,
11
2
Edward Brazier,
12
2
John Baxter,
7
1
Jacob Greene,
52
9
Thomas Brigden, Senior,
18
3
Samuel Beadle,
18
3
Thomas Osborne,
18
3
George Heypbourn, .
11
2
Widow Goble's house,
3
1
Jolın Trumble,
54
93
John Cloys,
24
4
Mihell Long,
23
4
John White,
26
Ten Families,
340
623
Ten Families,
174
30
John Clough,
S
13
Robert Cutler,
·
56
93
Josiah Wood,
8
1} John Roper, .
20
John Palmer,
12
2
Thomas Carter,
26
43
Sarah Sallee's hous, .
4
I
John Fosdicke,
14
24
William Bullard,
19
3
T. G. Drinker's Hous,
5
1
William Clough,
16
3
Capt. Lusher's House,
4
1 2
Edward Wilson,
9
Robert Long,
60
John Funnell,
33
James Broune,
29
5
Nathaniell Blancheer,
12
2
Barnaby Davis,
27
44
Ten Families,
167
29
Ten Families, .
251
44
John Mirick,
17
3 .
Michell,
00
0
Thomas Lynde,
66
Benjamine Wilson,
11
2
John Withinan,
10
2
Ould Mr. Rich'd Browne
15
2
William Morris,
12
2
Phinias Pratt,
14
24
John Long,
31
5
Thomas Wilder,
34
6
Randolph Nichols,
62
11
Edward Burt,
18
3
Robert Chalkley,
28
George Hutchson,
27
43
William Jones, Mason,
15
William Croutch,
13
2
Josnah Tydd, .
25
41
William Roswell,
16
23
Ten Families, .
285
49
Ten Families, .
177
30
·
10
Mr. Winthrop's Farme,
46
8
Faint : winds, .
John Patefield,
19
3
Thomas Peirce,
.
24
4&
in
153
HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN.
Wood
Acres.
Com-
mons.
Wood
in
Acres.
Com-
mons
Nicholas Shapley,
28
43
Thomas Hett,
28
5
Elias Roe,
16
3
Samuell Adams,
54
9
Seth Switzer, .
.
23
4
Mrs. Trarice,
9
1.3
Thomas Sheppy,
19
3
Thomas Kimball,
29
5
William Dade,
44
7
Henry Cookery,
9
Capt. John Allen, .
95
17
Mrs. Nowell and farme,
48
8
Ten Families,
250
John Mousall,
19
3
Mathew Price,
28
5
Widow Frothingham,
35
6
Gardy James, ·
7
1
Ten Families
402
693
Mikell Smith,
14
23
John Johnson,
14
2.3
William Hilton,
37
63
Widow Nash,
3
1
Leift. Wheelers Farme,
7
13
Charlestowne Mill, .
57
10
John Tueky,
5
1
William Bachelor,
18
3
Ten Families,
138
43
Mr. Willoughbys state,
23
4
Samuel Ward,
34
6
William Baker,
22
3.3
John Call,
10
2
Ten Families,
273
48
Mrs. Graves,
50
9
Mrs. Sedgwick, ali state
28
5
John Knight,
18
3
Mr. Zachary Syms,
57
10
Old Pritchard, .
11
2
Marke Kings,
19
3
Widow Stubbs,
5
1
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