USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 13
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The year 1675, is memorable for a war with the Indians, called King Phillip's War, which was the most general and destructive ever sustained by the infant colonies. Phillip, king of the Wampanoags, resided at Mount Hope, in Rhode Island, and was the grandson and successor of Massasoit, with whom the Plymouth colonists had made a treaty fifty years before. For a long time he had been jealous of the whites, and had used every effort to induce all the Indian tribes to unite and exterminate them, and thus preserve their hunting grounds and their independence. The immediate cause of the war, was the execution of three Indians by the English for the murder of one Sausaman, a Christian Indian, who had informed the whites of the plot Phillip was forming against them. Hav- ing incited them to the murder, Phillip determined to avenge their deaths, and commenced hostilities, and by his influence drew into the war most of the tribes of New England. Through their intercourse with the whites, the Indiaus had acquired the use of fire-arms, and notwithstanding the strin-
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gent laws against selling or giving them guns or ammunition, they had by various means obtained possession of enough to do terrible execution in the war which now burst upon the colonists.
Early in the year 1675, the inhabitants of Haverhill began to think seriously of taking measures to defend themselves from the Indians. Some years previous, a fortification was built around the meeting-house, but the peaceable appearance of the Indians, and the free intercourse that existed between them and the whites, had lulled all suspicion of danger, and the works were suffered to fall into decay. But now the Indians began to show symptoms of hostility, and the whole town became alarmed. A meet- ing was called, February 19th, to concert measures to prevent the threatened danger, and it was voted that " the Selectmen shall forthwith cause the fortifications (around the Meeting-house) to be finished, to make port holes in the walls, to right up those places that are defective and likely to fall, and to make a flanker at the east corner, that the work, in case of need, may be made use of against the common enemy." At the same time, Daniel Ladd, Peter Ayer, and Thomas Whittier, were appointed to desig- nate what houses should be garrisoned ; and the " old brush and top wood " on the common, was ordered to be burnt.
In view of the impending peril, the General Court took active measures to protect the frontier settlements, by furnishing the troopers and militia with fire-arms and ammunition, and ordering the several towns to provide fortifications and garrisons, without delay.
These precautions were scarcely completed when the storm burst upon them with remorseless fury. Early in the following spring, (March 19, 1676,) the town was startled by the intelligence that the Indians were crossing the Merrimack from Wamesit (Lowell). Couriers were at once dispatched from Haverhill and Andover, to Ipswich, for aid. Major Den- nison, of Ipswich, from whose letter of the above date we gather these particulars, writes to the Governor, that there was a great alarm in those towns, and he was sending up sixty men.º The rumor proved unfounded, but the hostile intentions of the Indians were not to be mistaken, and fear seized upon the people of the exposed settlements.
The town of Andover was the first to suffer. In a letter to the Gover- nor, f (April 7,) imploring for help, they inform him that their town had been twice attacked, and the inhabitants had begun to move away.
Haverhill was not long permitted to escape the murderous tomahawk. On the 2d of May, one of its own people, Ephraim Kingsbury, was killed by the Indians. He is believed to have been the first person slain in this
o State Archives. + 1bid.
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town by the savages, but the incidents connected with his death have been lost. The next day, (May 3d,) the house of Thomas Kimball, of Brad- ford, was attacked, and he was killed ; and his wife and five children,- Joanna, Thomas, Joseph, Priscilla, and John, -taken captive". Phillip Eastman, t of Haverhill, was captured at the same time.}
This outrage was committed by three well known " converted Indians," named Symon,§ Andrew, and Peter.| There is a tradition, that they set out with the intention of killing some one in Rowley, whom they supposed had injured them, but finding the night too far spent, they did not dare proceed further, and so avenged themeelves on Mr. Kimball. It is quite probable that Symon intended to wreak his vengeance on some one who was concerned in securing his punishment for the theft before mentioned. He was a cruel and blood-thirsty villain, as the following facts will abun- dantly show.
Soon after her return from captivity, Mrs. Kimball addressed the fol- lowing petition to the Governor and Council :
" To the Hon. Governor and Councell.
The humble petition of Mary Kimball sheweth that Simon, the Indian who killed my husband, Thomas Kimball, hath threatened to kill me and my children if ever I goe to my own house, so that I dare not goe to looke after what little I have there left, for fear of my life being taken away by him ; and therefore, doe humbly entreate the Hon. Governor and Councell that some course may be taken, as God shall direct, and your wisdoms shall think best, to secure him ; for I am in continual fear of my life by him ; and if any course may be taken for the recovery of what is yet left in their hands of my goods that they have not destroyed, (as there was two kittells and two or three baggs of linnen when I came from them) that I might have it restored, leaving myself and my concernes under God, to your wisdoms. Remaine your humble suppliant. Mary Kimball."
** The house in which Mr. Kimball lived, stood on the road leading to Boxford. The cellar was plainly to be seen a few years ago. Through, as it is said, the influence of Wannalancet, the chief of the Pen- nacooks, who was ever the friend of the English, Mrs. Kimball and her children were afterward set at liberty, " though she and her sucking child were twice condemned by the Indians, and the fires ready made to burn them." (1)
+ Phillip Eastman married Widow Mary Morse, August 22, 1678. Children, Hannah, born November 5, 1679 ; Ebenezer, born February 17, 1681; Phillip, born August 18, 1684; Abigail, born May 28, 1689. # Rev. Mr. Cobbett.
§ This Symon, or Simon, was the Indian whose horse-stealing exploit we mentioned in the preceding chapter.
John Littlehale. of this town, was killed by the Indians September 18, 1673. The particulars of his death are now lost.
(1) Rev. T. Cobbett's Ms., (Ipswich).
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Symon, and his two associates, soon after concluded to make peace with the English, who, instead of improving the opportunity to secure their friendship, seized Symon and Andrew, and confined them in the jail at Dover. They soon, however, found means to escape, joined their friends, and entered upon the work of vengeance in earnest.
About the first depredation which followed their flight from Dover, was committed at Greenland, where they killed one John Kenniston, and burned his house. Symon was with the celebrated Mogg, in his assault upon Scarborough, October 12th, 1676 ; was the leader of the party which made prisoners of Anthony Brackett, and his family, at Back Cove (near Port- land), August 9th, of the same year ; and was the alledged leader of the party which killed several persons in Amesbury, July 7, 1677. A woman named Quimby, who was wounded at the time, recognized him, and begged him to spare her life. He replied, " why, goodwife Quimby, do you think that I will kill you ?" She said she was afraid he would, because he killed all the English. Symon then said, " I will give quarter to never an English dog of you all," and immediately gave her a blow on the head, which not happening to hurt her much, she threw a stone at him, upon which he turned upon her, and " struck her two more blows," at which she fell, and he left her for dead. Before he gave her the last blows, she called to the garrison for help. He told her she need not do that, for, said he, " I will have that too, by and by." Symon was well known to many of the inhabitants, and especially to Mrs. Quimby, as he had for- merly lived with her father, William Osgood.º
In April, of the same year, Symon and his companions burnt the house of Edward Weymouth, at Sturgeon Creek, and plundercd the house of one Crawley, but did not kill him, because he had shown kindness to Symon's grandmother.t Hubbard, (History New England) relates the incident as follows : - " Symon and Andrew, the two brethren in iniquity, with a few more, adventured to come over Piscataquo River, on Portsmouth side, when they burnt one house within four or five miles of the town, and took a maid and a young woman captive; one of them having a young child in her arms, with which not willing to be troubled, they gave leave to her that held it, to leave it with an old woman, whom the Indian Symon spared because he said she had been kind to his grandmother." The cap- tives subsequently escaped, and revealed the names of their captors, who, for the reasons before given, had not been " so narrowly looked to as they used to do others."
@ Ms. Documents, + Belknap.
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HISTORY OF HIAVERIIILL.
The war soon became general. The first considerable attack made by the Indians, was upon the people of Swanzey, June 24th, as they were returning from public worship ;" eight or nine persons were killed. Brook- field was next attacked, and every house burnt but one. During the month of September, Hadley, Deerfield, and Northfield, were attacked; many persons were killed, and many buildings consumed. Encouraged by this success, they soon after burnt thirty-two houses at Springfield, and the inhabitants narrowly escaped a general massacre. They also laid the town of Mendon in ashes ; and, on the 10th of the following February, plundered the town of Lancaster, burnt several houses, and killed and captured forty-two persons. Soon after, they did great mischief in Marl- borough, Sudbury and Chelmsford ; and, on the 21st of February, two or three hundred Indians surprised Medfield, burnt half the town, and killed twenty of the inhabitants. Four days after, they burnt seven or eight houses in Weymouth. Early in March, they burnt the whole settlement of Groton ; and in the same month, they burnt five houses, and killed five persons in Northampton, surprised part of Plymouth, and murdered two families, laid the town of Warwick in ashes, and burnt forty houses in Rehoboth, and thirty in Providence.
On the other hand, large numbers of Indians were destroyed by the colonists. In 1675, when Phillip and his army retreated into the Narra- ganset country, the English pursued, attacked and destroyed their fort, and killed seven hundred of their warriors. Besides these, there were three hundred who died of their wounds, and a large number of old men, women, and children, who had repaired to the fort for refuge.
In 1676, the affairs of the colonists wore a less gloomy aspect. In May and June, the Indians appeared in various parts of the country, but their energy had abated. About the same time, a war broke out between Phil- lip and the Mohawks, (whom the former had vainly endeavored to enlist against the English) which deranged all his measures. On the 12th of August, 1676, the finishing blow was given to the Indian power, by the death of King Phillip. The subsequent winter, the severity of the season, and the scarcity of their provisions, reduced them to the necessity of sueing for peace. By the mediation of Major Waldron, of Dover, to whom they applied, a peace was concluded with the whole body of eastern Indians, which continued till the next August. In this war, the English lost six hundred men, twelve or thirteen towns were destroyed, and six hundred dwelling houses consumed.
" The day had been set apart by the Plymouth colonists as a day of fasting and prayer, on account of the impending danger. The 29th of the same month was also so observed in the Massachusetts Bay colony.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
From the Journal of Captain John Hull, Treasurer of the Colony, under date of August 24, 1676, we copy the following list of soldiers from this town, and the sum paid to each.
" Haverell Towne Cr By Sundry Accpts. Viz. 24.16.08
Samuel Huchins pd as p Assignment No 4315. .00.15.06
Nathaniel Haseltine ditto No. .01.00.06
Samuel Aires dit. .00.08.06
John Keisar dit. . .00.08.06
John Clements dit.
.00.08.06
Amos Singletens dit. 00.05.00
Nathaniel Lad dit. 00.05.00
Daniel Lad. 00.05.00
George Brown dit .. .00.13.00
John Johnson dit.
.00.02.06
Phillip Esman dit.
00.15.04
Benjamin Singleterry dit .. .00.15.04
Thomas Durston dit. .00.17.10
Thomas Eastman dit. . .01.04.00
Thomas Hartshorn dit. .00.12.00
Richard Allin dit.
.01.17.06
Robert Swan dit.
.01.17.06
Henry Kemball dit.
01.06.10
Benjamin Grealy dit.
.01.00.06
John Corly dit.
.00.15.04
John Roby dit.
.00.08.06 Samuel Ladd dit.
.03.17.00
Thomas Kinsbury dit
.. 01.12.04
Robert Swan dit. .
01.04.00
John Haseltine dit.
01.04.00
Samuel Watts dit.
00.13.06
Joseph Bond dit. 00.13.06
The following extract from the colonial records, presents a vivid picture of the anxiety and distress among the people of Massachusetts, on ac- count of the bold and daring determination of Phillip and his allies to extirpate the English. The proposition to ereet a fortification of such magnitude, shows the desperation to which they were reduced, and the dangers to which they were exposed : -
" Att a court held in Boston March 23d 1676. Whereas several con- siderable persons have made application to us and proposed it as a necessary expedient for the public welfare and particularly for the security of the whole county of Essex and part of Middlesex from inroads of the common enemy, that a line or fence of stockades or stones (as the matter best
Jonathan Henrick dit. .00.15.04
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
suiteth) be made about eight feet high extending from Charles River where it is navigable unto Concord river from George Farley's house, in Bil- lerica, which fence this council is informed is not in length above twelve miles, a good part whereof is already done by large ponds that will con- veniently fall into the line and so forth, and so forth, by which means the whole tract will be environed for the security and safety (under God) of the people, their houses, goods and cattel from the rage and fury of the enemy."
The court thereupon ordered one able and fit man from each of the in- cluded towns, to meet at Cambridge on March 31st, to survey the ground, estimate the expense, &c., and report in writing how it might be prosecuted and effected, and what each town should pay, &e. Nearly all the towns made a report.
The peace proved to be of short duration. On the 12th of the following July, Richard Saltonstall of this town, and others of Bradford, and Ando- ver, petitioned the General Court for "more provision for protection on account of present appearance and warning of danger." In reply, the Court ordered one-fifth of the men to be kept continually on scout, taking turns, so that all should bear their part !
Hostilities commenced soon after, and were continued the remainder of that year, and also during the following year ; in which period the Indians ravaged the country, and greatly reduced the eastern settlements.
In the spring of 1678, commissioners were appointed to settle a formal treaty of peace with the Indian chiefs, - which was done at Caseo. Thus an end was finally put to a tedious and distressing war.
Fortunately for our town, it was not attacked during this war, though the inhabitants lived in continual expectation of one, and the most active and vigorous measures were adopted for defence. Houses were garri- soned, and armed scouts were kept on the watch for the enemy night and day, during the whole time.º At this distant day, we can have but a faint idea of the anxieties and hardships, the flickering hopes and gloomy fears, of those long and dreary three years of Indian warfare.
After the ratification of peace, commerce began again to flourish, and the population of the country rapidly increased. New towns were settled, and the colonists. no longer in daily and hourly fear of being startled by the war-whoop of the merciless savage, once more rested in present security.
" As late as 1684, thirty-five troopers were kept constantly on the scout, on the borders of Haverhill, Amesbury, and Salisbury ; and a foot company was kept in readiness for service, in each of those towns.
17
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
CHAPTER XI.
1675 To 1688.
DURING the period included in the preceding chapter, the inhabitants of this town were so constantly engaged in providing and sustaining means of defence, that we find but little to record except matters in some way relating to the Indian troubles.
In 1675, the time of holding the annual town meetings was changed from the first Tuesday in March, to the last Tuesday in February.
In October, the General Court assessed a tax of £1,553, 5s, 4d, on the towns in the Colony, to defray the expenses of the war with the Indians. The proportion of Haverhill was fixed at £18. Even this sum was not easily raised, and a town meeting was called, November 18th, "to allow the inhabitants to make staves enough to pay the 8 rates required by the country, so as to save bread coin which men cannot well live without."
At the same meeting, Michael Emerson was chosen " to view and seal all leather " in the town. This is the first mention of such an officer, and Emerson was doubtless the first one so appointed. In 1677, Emerson " complained," and Andrew Greeley was "joined with him." We are not informed of what the former complained, but from the fact that an additional viewer and sealer was chosen, as a remedy for his complaint, we are led to suppose that the labors of the office were either too great or too troublesome for a single officer. As it was something new for the tan- ners in town to have some one specially authorized, and required, to view and seal their l'eather, it is quite probable that Emerson found his business anything but pleasant, and hence the popular ancient and modern remedy adopted, -division of responsibility.
At the meeting of February 27, 1676, William Thompson asked to be " accepted a Towns-man, to dwell here and follow his trade of shoe-mak- ing," but, for some unexplained reason, the town refused. The Recorder says, " the town by a clear and full vote do hereby reject his motion, not granting any such liberty or acceptance of him."
At the next annual meeting, another shoemaker made a similar applica- tion, which met with even a worse fate than that of Thompson, as will be seen by the following, from the Records of the town : -
"Petter Patie making a motion to the town to grant him a piece of land to settle upon, it not being till then known to the town that he was a mar -
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
ried man & a stranger, having hitherto accounted of him as a journey-man shoe-maker, his motion according to law was rejected. And the Moderator declared to him before the public assembly that the town doth not own him, or allow of him for an inhabitant of Haverhill, & that it was the duty of the Grand-jury men to look after him."
Pattee's (or Pettee's) proposal to become an inhabitant of the town, seems to have been lightly esteemed. But he was not so easily shaken off ; and, in spite of his cool reception, he continued to reside here until his death. In 1680, he was " presented" to the Court, "for being absent from his wife several years, and in the following year, he was presented for having another wife in Virginia.º In 1694, he was chosen constable by a " pleantiful, elear, and legal paper vote." As late as 1710, he was the regular ferryman at "Pattee's ferry."
Notwithstanding the unfavorable reception of Thompson and Pattee's applications for permission to establish themselves in town as shoemakers, others were soon found courageous enough to make a similar application. At the annual meeting in 1679, - " upon the request of Benjamin Webs- ter and Samuel Parker, two young men and shoemakers, that the towne would give them libertie to live in this towne to follow the trade, having hired a house to that end ; the towne by their vote doe grant their motion, and accept of them so as to live in towne and follow the trade of shooe- making."
Mirick expresses the opinion, that Webster and Parker were the first who had served a regular apprenticeship at the trade, and established themselves in this town, but a reference to the record in the case of Pattee and the fact that he then, and for years afterward, lived in town, and was a "journey-man shoemaker," is sufficient to establish his claim to the honor over the first-named. We think it nowise improbable, that Thomp- son, although he was refused permission to become a " towns-man," yet resided here, and worked at his trade of shoemaking. The vote of the town would not prevent this, as we have seen that it did not in the case of Pattee.
In 1677, Daniel Ela was licensed to keep an ordinary for one year; but the small pox breaking out in his family, he was unable to sell his liquors, and he petitioned the Court, at the fall term, to extend his lieense.
" We find in the Town Records, under date of November 8, 1682, the marriage of Peter Patre to Sarah Gile, and following are the names of eight children: Moses, Benjamin, Jeremiah, Samuel, Hannah, Mercy, Jemima, and Benjamin, born between July 28, 1683, and May 15, 1696. We presume that this was the same person alluded to above.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
The Court gave him liberty to sell " wine, liquore, Beere, Cyder, and pro- visions to horse and man, or travilers in Haverhill."g
It is evident, from an examination of the Records, that the town con- tinued to be in want of more extensive mill accommodations- both for corn and lumber. We have already noticed the conditions upon which various parties had been allowed to build, and the important privileges granted to them upon fulfilment of such conditions. But it seems that the mill owners did not always come up to their part of the contract, and this led to bitter and frequent complaints and disappointments on the part of the inhabitants. Their town was. growing steadily, and, for the times, rapidly, and it was important that its growth should not be retarded, and the good temper of the inhabitants ruffled, by reason of insufficient mill accommodations.
In 1675, the town voted to prosecute the owners of the sawmill, for non-fulfilment of their agreement. We do not find that this course amended matters much, and they doubtless began to consider the propriety of favor- ing the establishment of mills in different parts of the town. They had already taken a step in this direction, by granting permission for a second corn-mill in town, a few years previously, and in 1678, the town unani- mously " voted that Richard Bartlett, of Almsbury be granted the privi- lege to set a sawmill in Haverhill, on the north meadow river." Bartlett lived near the Haverhill line, and we presume that his mill was built on or near the site of what are now known as Peaslee's Mills. The conditions of the privilege were, that Bartlett should pay the regular rates (that is, taxes,) ; that he should " deliver at our meeting house 1000 merchantable per year; " should sell to the Haverhill people at three shillings per hun- dred ; and should secure the town from any damages recovered by the present saw-mill owners in consequence of the new mill, and from all damage to meadows.
Five years afterward, the town voted to allow Joseph Kingsbery, Sam- uel Hutchins, Robert Swan, jun., and Josiah Gage, to build a saw-mill on Merrie's Creek, below the bridge. In this case, the town expressly re- served to itself the right to allow others the same privilege on the same stream, which was certainly a long step toward the final abolishment of all monopoly in mill privileges.
At the same meeting (1683) the subject of corn mill accommodations came up again for consideration, as we learn from the following record : -
o "From an old account book I learn that this year turnips & apples were a shilling a bushel; a day's mowing two shillings and two pence ; men's wages for a year ten pounds; women's wages from four to five pounds ; board four shillings per week, and labor two shillings per day."-Coffin.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
" The town being sensible of their great suffering for want of another mill to grind their corn; this mill of Andrew Grelee's not being able to supply them or to grind their corn as it ought to be done, did send to An- drew Grelee to treat with him, & proposed to him the building of another ; Who then did refuse to accept of the proposition, & declared before the town that he knew there was a necessity for the town to have another cornmill, & that he was not at all against their having of one set up, pro- vided it be set upon any other brook or stream, & not upon that brook which his mill stands upon."
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