USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 10
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Samuel Davis, Thomas Whittier,
Stephen Webster,
James Davis jun, Abraham Whiticker.
James Peacker,
John Swaddock,
Samuell Coulby,
Daniel Ladd jun,
Samuel Gilde sen.
Samuell Currier, Mathias Button,
Bartholomew Heath,
Benjamin Page, Stephen Dow,
Nathaniel Smith
John Page jun,
John Eyer, Joshua Woodman.
Will: Neff,
(Signed) George Browne, Daniel Lad sen, John Haseltine, Joseph Davis, Selectmen of Haverhill, in the year 1668."
" The highway between this town and Newbury was formally laid out this year.
t On the 15th of March, 1660, the town of Ipswich adopted the following order : -
" For as much as it is found hy experience, that the common lands of this town are overburdened by the multiplying of dwelling-houses, contrary to the interest and meaning of the first inhabitants in their granting of house lots and other lands to such as came among them : to the end such inconveniences muay be prevented for the future, it is ordered that no house, henceforth erected, shall have any right to the common lauds of this town, nor any person, inhabiting such house, make use of any pasture, timber, or wood, growing upou any of said common lands, on pretext of any right or title belonging to any such honse hereafter built, without express leave of the town. It is further ordered, that the Seven men, in behalf of the town, petition the next General Conrt for the confirmation of this order."
In accordance with the above petition, the General Court passed a law, May 30, 1660, that "no eot- tage or dwelling shall have commonage, except those now built, or which may be by consent of the commoners or towns." It was this law which occasioned a record of the erection of these cottages to be made.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
" A list of more houses that arc and fall under the law made in '60, prohibiting them from privileges in Common lands.
Joseph Davis, Robert Ford, John Kingsbury,
Daniel Lad sen, Isaac Colbie, Thomas Ayers,
Joseph Johnson,
As attest, Henry Palmer, George Brown, James Pecker, Robert Swan, Steven Webster, Selectmen in 1669."
" A list of more houses built which fall under the law made 1660 which prohibits them from privileges in Common lands.
James Kingsbery
Gilbert Wilford,
Phillip Eastman,
Thomas Duston,"
Math. Harriman,
Josiah Gage,
Dan Lad jun. 2d, Rob. Emerson,
Jno. Hartshorn,
Thomas Davis,
Joseph Peasly,
Tho. Hartshorn,
Peter Green,
Joseph Page,
Widdow Ayers,
Joseph Hutchins,
Josiah Heath,
James Sanders,
Samll. Hutchins,
Nicholas Browne,
Jno. Heath jun,
Steph. Webster 2nd,
Samll. Ladd, Samll. Bilknap,
Thomas Eastman, Nath. Singleterry, Peter Brewer.
" This account was entered Jan 25: 75, by the Selectmen.
William White, George Brown, Daniel Hendricks, Thomas Eatton, Selectmen in 1675."
" Feb the 1st 1677. An account of more Cottages erected since Janu- ary 25, 75.
Thomas Duston, Rob. Hastings,
James Saunders 2d
Jno. Robie,
Ezra Rolf.
As attest Henry Palmer, Andrew Guile, George Brown."
" More cottages erected since Feb 1. 77.
Sam: Ayers,
Thomas Duston 2nd, ;
John Whittier,
Joseph Kingsbery,
John Williams,
John Haseltine jun
Benj Singletery.
Amos Singletery,
This account was entered January 13th 1679, by order of Henry Palmer, George Browne, Daniel Hendricks, Robert Emerson, Selectmen."
" More cottages erected, entered Feb. 27. 81.
Nath. Haseltine, Jno Stockbridge, Samll Dalton,
Jno Johnson jun,
Jno Clement."
" This was probably the house Duston sold to Peter Greeu, in 1676.
t As Duston was married December, 1677, it is probable this house was built in the summer of that year, aud was the one in which he resided at the time his wife was taken prisoner, in 1697.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
The better sort of houses one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five years ago, were two stories high, with upper story jutting out a foot or so over the lower. The roofs were generally high and steep, and hipped, or gambreed. The frames were of white oak, and much larger than used in our day, and the beams of each finished room were left con- siderably in sight. The windows were from two and a half to three feet long, one and a half to two wide, with squares like the figure of a diamond, set in lead lines, and from three to four inches long. These windows were sometimes entire and sometimes in halves, and opened outwardly on hinges. They were fashionable until after about 1734. Those with four by six glass succeeded ; then five by seven ; then six by eight; then seven by nine, set in wooden frames, - which began to be used about 1750.
Lime-stone was little known, and less manufactured, for more than a century after the first settlement of the town, and the walls of houses were daubed with clay, mixed with straw, or plastered with a sort of lime made in great part of clam-shells. Paper was not put on walls until about a hundred years ago, and very little until 1783, - whitewash being used in its stead.
Each side of a dwelling had bricks laid against the inner partition, be- ing then covered with clay, and then with clay-boards, (since corrupted to clap-boards), thus making them comfortable in cold weather, as well as durable. While the better kind of buildings were shingled on the top, others, such as cottages of one story, had thatched roofs, until after about 1690. The latter was an imitation of a custom in England, where it still exists in country villages.
Previous to 1700, very few if any houses had more than one chimney. This was in the middle, and of very large dimensions ; and, besides other fire-places, had a mammoth one for the kitchen, where a whole family could sit conveniently on the two forms, or " settles," placed in the corners. The writer distinctly remembers sitting in such a fire-place, gazing at the sky above, and watching the upward curling smoke from the huge logs be- fore him. Thirty cords of fire-wood annually was not then thought extravagant for a family.
Paint was but little used for houses, cither inside or outside, before about 1734, and even fifty years later it was not common for even the " best room" to be thus ornamented, much less the whole house. Very few houses were painted outside as late as 1800.
Mirick says, that the first militia company was organized in town this year (1662). We think he is mistaken, as a military organization most certainly existed in town as early as 1648, and the laws of the colony re-
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
quired such an organization to be kept up in every town.º It is true that the town records make no mention of a company previous to this year, but we must remember that but a small part of the transactions of the inhabi- tants, even in their collective capacity, are recorded. This is especially the case with matters regulated by the General Court, of which this under consideration was one.
This year, William White was chosen Captain, and Daniel Ladd Lieu- tenant, and we presume their successors were regularly chosen for many years afterward.
The settlers were much troubled about these times with wolves, which destroyed large numbers of sheep. The colony and the county had offered large premiums for every wolf's head, but so serious were their depreda- tions that the town offered, as an addition to the State and County premium, a bounty of forty shillings for every wolf killed. The following is the vote : " If any Indian shall kill a wolf in Haverhill bounds, he, or they shall have for every wolf so killed, forty shillings."
This reference to Indians does not prove us wrong in our previous spec- ulations as to Indians in the town, or weaken our position. They were undoubtedly " converted " Indians, of whom there were at this time hun- dreds in the colony, scattered among the several towns and plantations, as well as collected in Indian villages. We well know that one of these " praying " Indians, made his home in this town for some time, and was the author of several cold-blooded murders during the wars that followed.
One of the most distinguished persons engaged in the work of converting the aborigines of Massachusetts to the Christian faith, was Rev. John Elliott, of Roxbury. He commenced his active labors in 1646, visiting the different tribes, and persuading them to imitate the manners and habits of their civilized neighbors. In 1651, his converts united and built a town, which they called Natick. In 1664, Mr. Elliot completed the translation of the Bible into the Indian language, and the work of con- version increased, until, in 1695, it was estimated that in Martha's Vine- yard alone there were over three thousand Indian converts. In 1674, there were fourteen " praying towns " of Indians in Massachusetts alone. One of these was Wamesit, (a part of Tewksbury, or Lowell) containing seventy-five souls.
Many of these praying Indians lived in the families of the settlers, and labored for them ; and were allowed many privileges previously denied
* In 1636 the militia were divided into three regiments. The Court appointed the Colonel and Lieu- tenant-Colonel ; the regiments elected their field officers, and " the several towns " were to make choice of some snitable persons to present to the General Court for "Captains and Lientenants."-Col. Rec. 1, 187.
1
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL,
them, as, for instance, the possession and use of fire-arms. It was these Indians that the vote of the town evidently referred to, and not the origi- nal inhabitants of the town.
By a vote of the town the same year, William Simmons received " the overplus in the Constable's hands of the Country rate, to satisfy him for his curing of Matthias Button."" This is the first hint we can find of any physician being in town. Simmons was at this time, and for the five years previous, the town's ferryman, as well as physician.
We mentioned, under date of 1660, that the town laid claim to land some distance west of Spicket River, and were summoned to the General Court to prove their claim to such extensive bounds. The following which we copy from the Records of the Court, for 1664, throws light upon the result of that investigation : ---
" This Court hauing in October, 1660, graunted Major Generll Dennis- son sixe hundred acres of land, (formerly graunted) to be layed out be- yond Merrymack Riuer, a litle above Old Wills planting ground, which land was then clajmed by the towne of Hauerill, as within their bound, for which they, by their atturnays, sumoned to appeare at that Court, did alleadg seuerall pleas, which the Court then judged invalid, & notwith- standing the same, they then graunted the six hundred acres, provided it were not within seaven miles of Hauerill meeting house, which sajd sixe hundred acres being since laid out, as above exprest, by George Abbot & Thomas Chandler, & returned to this Court is allowed and confirmed."
This does not seem to have settled the matter of the western bounds of the town, as we find the following in the Records for October, (1664) : - " For an issue in the case in difference between Major Generall Den- nison & the towne of Haverill, relating to their bounds, the Court judgeth it meete to confirme the bounds of Haverill, not extending vpon the river above eight miles from their meeting house, & doe confirm unto Major Generall Dennison his farme as it is now lajd out."
Though, in 1662, the Court would only allow the town to extend seven miles westward, in 1664, it seems, they consented to add another mile. Reckoning by the river, this would make the western bound of the town at least four miles west of its present bounds, and not far from the mouth of Spicket River in the city of Lawrence.
The town had, however, already laid out land to some of its inhabitants
" Matthias Button came over with the first Governor of Massachusetts (Endicott) in 1628. IIe was living in a thatched house in Haverhill as late as 1670, and gave the Rev. Thomas Cobbett (of Ipswich) some of the facts communicated to Dr. Increase Mather, of the early troubles with the Indians. He died in 1672.
13
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
still further west, and when the Major's farm was finally laid out, it was obliged to lay out new lots instead of them, in another place.
From the Roxbury church records, we learn that there was a severe drought in the early part of 1662; and from the Hampton Court records, that the following winter was very moderate, the ground not freezing un- til the twentieth of December.
In 1663, the town voted that there should be a general Town-Meeting holden on the first Tuesday in March, annually, "for the granting and selling & exchanging of lands or commonages, if the town see cause, & therefore it is hereby ordered. that all the other town or other meetings whatever, after this day is ended, shall be, & are hereby prohibited from. acting upon those grants of lands or commonages.""
Previous to this, there was no regular time for holding town meetings, or acting upon land matters. The day above designated continued to be the time for the annual meetings until 1675, when it was changed to the last Tuesday in February.
Previous to this time, grants of land were seldom recorded in the town books at the time they were laid out; - thus, Samuel Gild's grant of 1663, was not entered until 1690. The evil tendency of this loose prac- tice was too glaring to escape notice, and, in 1664, a step was taken in the right direction, by requiring all future grants to be recorded when laid out. This was followed two years after, by an order requiring that all who claimed to own land in town, should bring in their title to the same, that it might be duly examined and approved.
At a meeting in December 1663, it was voted to lay out the way " for- merly called Goodman Ayers cartway," and leading "from Coffin's Ordi- nary to the country highway," as a public highway, and twelve rods wide. This " twelve rod way " afterward caused the town considerable trouble as will be seen. It commenced at the foot of "Sander's Hill " (near the present residence of Richard Stuart) and run in a direct line to the Merrimack. striking the latter about one fourth of a mile above the Rocks Bridge.
At the annual meeting, in 1664, the selectmen were authorized to sell a quantity of land, to pay the expense of building a pound. This was the first building of the kind erected; it was built of wood and stood near the meeting house.
The town still continued to be troubled with wolves, and so great was the damage done by them, that the town again offered a bounty of forty
" The word farm is found in the town records of this year for the first time.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
shillings for each one killed, in addition to the large bounty offered by the County.
Mr. John Carleton was this year chosen Town Recorder and Clerk of the Writs, in which offices he continued until 1668.
An old manuscript states that there were sixty-four freemen in town this year. The list begins with " Mr. Ward our prcacher."
Another cow-common was ordered to be laid out; it extended from Little River to a place then called North-meadow, and from thence to East-meadow.
The owners of the saw-mill were this year allowed the use of one hun- dred acres to pasture their oxen, by paying an annual rent of "100 boards."
The General Court, in 1664, remitted to John Hutchins, late constable of Haverhill, several pounds, for corn which he had collected for taxes, but which was consumed by fire, while yet on his hands. The Court also granted him twenty shillings " for his pains in executing a warrant for the apprehending of an Indian for killing his squaw."
At the annual meeting of 1665, a road was ordered to be laid out from " Holt's Rocks,"" just below the present Rocks Bridge, to the Country bridge, in the East-meadow.
It was also voted that Mr. Ward, with three others, "should plan and seat the inhabitants of Haverhill in the seats built in the meeting house."
Nathaniel Saltonstall was chosen Captain of the Militia company, and George Browne, Ensign. The flag of this company was a ground field green, with a red cross, " with a white field in ye angle according to ye antient custom of our own English Nation, and the English plantations in America, & our own practice in our ships & other vessels, by order of ye Major General." The military forces of the town, and, in fact, of the whole colony, seem to have been well organized at this period.
The iuhabitants about this time seem to have been much troubled for want of sufficient mill accommodations, as we find " that taking into con- sideration that the corn mill now in Haverhill is not sufficient to answer the town's end for to grind the town's corn," a committee was chosen to treat with John Osgood and Andrew Grealey, the owners of the mill, " to know whether. they will maintain a sufficient mill or mills for to answer the end of the town." In case the owners should neglect or refuse to, do it, the committee were empowered " to agree with any other men that will build & maintain a sufficient mill or mills, that may answer the end of the town for to grind the town's corn sufficiently."
( Holt's Rocks were so called from one Nicholas Holt, one of the first settlers of Newbury, and who afterward settled in Andover. He kept the first ferry near the Rocks.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
This vigorous action on the part of the town had the desired effect. An agreement was entered into with the committee, by Bartholomew Heath and Andrew Grealey, to the following effect : -
" First, to repair the mill that now is, by Sept next: & if this mill proves insufficient to answer the town's end, then to build another by September following ; & so to keep & maintain from time to time a suffi- cient corn mill or mills, suitable for all sorts of grain that the inhabitants of Haverhill shall have occasion to grind : and also to keep a sufficient skilful miller, or millers, such as the town shall approve of from time to time ; & further do engage to provide good millstones; and convenient room for the laying of the bags, with sufficient housing with lock and key : & also we do engage not to grind for any other town or towns to the hin- drance of any of the inhabitants of Haverhill."
In consideration of the above, the town agreed that Heath and Grealey should " have so much privilege of the land in the street on both sides of the brook at the end of Michael Emerson's lot as may be convenient to set another mill on, or any other place on the town's land. And also we do engage that no other man shall set up a mill or mills upon any land that is the town's with any order from the town." The agreement is dated November 4, 1665.
Among the names met with in the records of this year, we find the fol- lowing new ones: - William Compton, Roger Lanceton.
With the increase of population came the necessity of more extensive meeting house accommodations, and after due deliberation it was voted at the annual meeting of 1666, "yt John Hutchins shall have libertie to beuld a gallerey at ye westend of ye meeting house, and to take any of ye inhabitants of ye town to joyne with him, provided yt he give nottise to ye towne whether he will or noe ye next training day, soe yt any of ye inhabitants of ye towne yt hath a minde to joyne with him, may give in their naimes ; and yt there is none but ye inhabitants of ye towne is to have any interest in ye said gallery."
At the same meeting, it was voted, that the " Selectmen, chosen for the year ensuing, shall have power to act in any prudential affairs according to the laws of the country, excepting in the disposing of lands." For years afterward this vote was renewed annually.
From the records of the County Court, we learn, that John Carleton of this town was fined three pounds for striking Robert Swan several blows, & Robert Swan 30s for striking John Carleton several blows." We com- mend the wisdom of the Court in punishing both parties.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
The bounds of the town were not, it seems, yet fully settled, but con- tinued to occupy the attention both of the town and the General Court, until the latter evidently considered it high time the matter was finally disposed of.
Accordingly, at the May session of 1666, " Left Thomas Noyes, of Sudbury, John Parker of Billirrikey, & Left Challice, of Salisbury New- toune," were " appointed a committee to run the bounds of the town of Haverill, & make returne thereof to the next session of the Court."
At the session of the succeeding May, the following report was submit- ted to the court: -
" In obedience to an order of the honored Generall Court, dated the 23d of May, 1666, Thomas Noyes, of Sudbury, Lieftenant Challice, of Salisbury, New towne, John Parker, of Billirrikey, did meete at Haverill, the 31st day of October 1666, to runn the bounds of Haverill, according to order committed unto us. Wee began at the meeting house, and runne a due west ljne just eight miles ; there wee reared up a heape of stones, & from thence runn a due south ljne to Merrymacke River, & stated" a due north ljne from the sajd heape of stones to meet with & close the ljne northwest from the bound at Merrimack River that divides between Hav- erill & Salisbury, which bound is just two miles & fowerteen score poles from Haverill meeting house, which lyeth about east north east, & there we cease our worke at that time for want of the order wherein that ljne was prefixt betwene Salisbury & Haverill from the sajd bounds at Holts Rocks; then the sajd commitee did appointe to meete again to finish the work about the bounds vpon the first second day of May next following. This worke was donne by Thomas Noyse, deceased, & refused to be sub- scribed vnto by Lieftennant Challice, being left alone to make his returne to the honord Court by him, who is your servant wherein you shall com- mand, JOHN PARKER."
The Court approved of this report in the following words : -
" The Court doe approoue of this returne of the bounds of Haverill, so farr as the same was stated; by Ensign Noyse & the rest of the comittee appointed therevnto before the death of Ensigne Noyse; but as for the bounds between Haverill & Salisbury New toune, it is settled as this Court hath determined this session."#
This being the first regular survey and marking of the west line of the town, and, as we shall see, the fixing of its whole boundary line, by the
· Started. + 1bid.
We have already copied the order of the Court here referred to, under date of 1634.
-
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
General Court, it is worthy of more than a passing notice. The bounds established at this time remained unchanged until the setting off, or lay- ing out, of Methuen, in 1725, - a period of nearly sixty years.
We have taken special pains to collect a complete history of our town bounds, and have, fortunately, been successful. We have made thorough search in the archives of this State, and also of New Hampshire, and brought to light much interesting and important information upon the sub- ject. We have found, and taken copies of, every plan and map of the town, taken by Colonial and State authority, from its first survey, in 1667, to 1832.
Among them is the first plan of the town ever drawn - that of Ensign Noyes, as finished by Jonathan Danforth, in 1667, - and which we have had engraved for this work.
As early as October, 1640, (within a few months of the first settlement of the town) a committee was chosen by the General Court to " view the bounds between Colchester (Salisbury) & Mr. Ward's plantation ; " which we presume was done. At the next June Court, commissioners were appointed " to set out the bounds of Salisbury & Pentueket, alias Haver- hill," and " to determine the bounds which Mr Ward & his company are to enjoy as a toune or village." We can find no report of the doings of either of these committees, and have come to the conclusion that their doings extended no further than a " viewing," or indefinite location, of the line between these two towns. We are confident that they did not determine the bounds which Mr. Ward and his company were to enjoy as a town or village.
In 1647, the town petitioned for a large tract of land somewhere to the northwest of the present town limits, to which the General Court made answer that they thought four miles square was enough for them. Whether this four miles square referred to the whole area they should have as a town, or to the tract of land then granted them, does not clearly appear from the record, but we are confident that it referred to the latter."
In 1650, another committee was appointed to "lay out the bounds be- tween Haverhill and Salisbury," which fact strengthens the opinion that the previous committees merely " viewed " the bounds, and did not regu- larly survey and mark the line. This last committee, however, did make such a survey, and we hear nothing more about the matter until 1654, when the town petitioned the General Court for a new survey, on the
" The Indian deed conveyed fourteen miles on the River, and six miles back from the River, and it does not seem to us consistent with the usages of the times, that the Court should cut them down to a mere four miles square.
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