USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 8
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In 1754, Major Ebenezer Ayer, of Haverhill, married Hannah, widow of James Scammon, of Saco, Me:, where he continued to reside. He had several children .- Vide Hist. Saco and Biddeford, p. 268.
For the names of many others of this numerous family, see the Appendix to this volume.
10
.
74
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
presume that Pecker accepted the town's offer, as he came here soon after and continued to reside here until his death, in 1696.º
At the May session of the General Court, on petition of the inhabitants of Haverhill, a new committee was appointed to lay out the bounds of the town. Joseph Jewett was chairman of the committee. At a meeting of May 30th, the town voted " that Mr Clement, Jno Davis, Tho Whittier, and John Robinson shall go with Joseph Jewett about the laying out of the bounds of the plantation."
It seems that the town committees chosen the previous year, had been unable to agree upon the bounds, and the commissioners appointed by the General Court at that time had done nothing; therefore, that body ap- pointed a new committee, who attended to the duty, and reported at the next October Court. Their report was approved.
The only clue we have to the bounds thus confirmed, is contained in the following record of the General Court : - " This Courte haveinge for- merly graunted fower miles square for the boundes of Haverill, or such a tract of land, and did appoynt Joseph Jewett, John Haseltine, Robert Haseltine, and William Wilder, or any two of them, to lay out theire said boundes, which Joseph Jewett and William Wilder haveinge done accord- inge to the Courtes graunt, this Court (at the request of the inhabitants of Haverill) doth confirme theire said boundes, as they are now layd out by the persons above mentioned."¡
We regret that a more definite account of this first laying out of our town cannot now be found. It will be seen, however, (unless we empha- sise the phrase " or such a tract of land") that it allowed a much less area than was covered by the Indian deed; and we wonder that the inhab- itants should so readily request the General Court to confirm the bounds reported.
It was voted this year by the town, " that all the meadows shall be laid out by the 12th of June next, to each man his proportion according to his house lot." At the same meeting it was " Ordered that Hugh Sherratt, Theophilus Satchwell, Bart Heath, James Fiske, and Daniel Ladd, shall view the upland that is fit to plough, by the last of March or the tenth of April
" The only children of his recorded, are Mary, b. Sept. 5, 1652; Susanna, b. Dec. 17, 1654; A Daugh- ter, b. Jan. 25, 1664, and d. Feb. 10, 1664. Some of their descendants are still to be found in the town, though their number is small.
One John Pecker kept tavern in this town for many years, and was succeeded at his death, in 1757, by his widow. About 1760, the same tavern was kept by Matthew Soley for a short time, when it fell into the hands of Jeremiah Pecker. Bartholomew Pecker, a native of Haverhill, was one of Washington's " Life Guards." "Pecker's Hill," and " Pecker Street," will long perpetuate this name in the town.
+ Col. Rec., 3-246.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
next, and that they bring in their intelligence to the town by that time." It was also ordered "that all the undivided land, after all the meadows and second division of plough land is laid out, shall remain to the. same inhabitants the proprietors of the three hundred and six acres, to every one according to honest and true meaning, all commons remaining in general to them."
This last vote, it will be seen, plainly and unequivocally declares who were the proprietors of the common or undivided lands in the town, " ac- cording to honest and true meaning." They were the original purchasers, or grantees, of the township. Years afterward, when the number of in- habitants had greatly increased, the question of proprietorship in the undivided lands became a troublesome one, and for a long period was a prominent " apple of discord " in the town. Frequent disputes occurred between the " commonors " and the " non-commonors," which sometimes led to bloody noses and shaded cyes. The commoners held meetings by themselves for many years, and there are three large books of about two hundred and sixty pages each, nearly filled with their proceedings.
In the fall of this year, George Brown and Daniel Hendrick were ap- pointed to lay out the highway between this town and Salisbury; and Theophilus Shatswell was appointed to join the men from Rowley, and lay out a road between that town and this. This road was approved of by the Court at Ipswich, in 1686.
Up to this time, the town were destitute of a saw mill, and were com- pelled to hew all the boards and planks used for building; unless, as is quite probable, these were brought from Newbury. In either case, the expense and inconvenience was very great, and attention was early directed to the establishment of a saw mill in this town, where both timber and water-power were abundant.
The following votes fully reveal how important this matter was consid- ered by the inhabitants, and how anxious they were to have a mill of the kind erected : Dec. 1, 1651. " Voted and agreed upon by the inhabitants, that there should be a saw-mill set up by Isaac Cousins, and such others of this town as shall join with him : The town and they agreeing upon terms, viz. : That they shall not make use of any timber within three miles of the meeting house : Item. That all timber without the compass of three miles from the meeting house should be free for the use of the sawmill : they paying the twelfth hundred to the use of the town in general. Item. That the town for their use shall have boards and planks at three shillings per hundred for such pay as is merchantable. The town also reserving to themselves a liberty to make use of what timber they stand in need of, though it be without the three miles compass from the Meeting House."
76
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Dec. 15, 1651. " Granted by the major part of the inhabitants, that Isaac Cousins shall have a sixth part of a saw mill or mills: and that Mr. Clement," Job Clement, Stephen Kent, William White, and Theophi- los Satchwell shall join with him, together with any others that they shall agree with, Provided that Mr. Coffin ; have liberty to have a sixth part of it, if he come to be an inhabitant in this town. This mill is to be set up upon the river, called Thomas Hale's river : "# " They are to make use of no timber that is within three miles of the meeting house ; except it be pines or hemlock : They are to pay to the use of the town every twelfth hundred : The inhabitants are to have what boards and planks they stand in need of, for their use for building and flooring at three shillings per hundred, in merchantable pay: This mill is to be set up by April fifty and three: They have liberty also if they see fit, to set up a second mill by April, fifty and four : If they set them not up by these times above mentioned, then this grant is to be disannulled : They have liberty to make use of any timber that is without the three miles compass from the meeting house : Also the town hath liberty to make use of any timber that is without the three miles compass for building or fenceing, or what else soever : The proprietors have power, if they see cause, to remove one or both of these mills up, or down the river."
Dec. 16, 1651. " Voted and Granted by the inhabitants that there shall no saw mill be set up whilst these forementioned sawmills are going."
At the same meeting a committee was chosen to lay out ground for the use of the saw mill, "for a Pen," which was to be " returned to the town when the saw mills are done." " A six acre house lot, with all accommo- dations proportionable," was granted to the above mentioned Isaac Cousins, " provided he live in the town five years following his trade of a Smith.",
Cousins did not, however, fulfil the conditions of the grant, and in 1653, the town voted to give the land to John Webster, upon similar con- ditions. Cousins was the first blacksmith in the town.
About this time the road now known as Mill Street was laid out ; and for more than a century it was " the great road " which led into the village.
The second division of plough-land was laid out on the 7th of June, 1652. The proportion was four acres to one acre of house lot. This division commenced at the head of Pond Meadow, and extended north, east, and west. Forty-one persons received a share in the division. The lot-layers who laid it out, received the sum of two pence an acre for their services, or ten shillings each. Not a very extravagant sum, surely.
· Robert Clement. t Peter Coffin, of Exeter. Į Little River.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
Following are the names of those who received a share in this division: " The lots or draughts for the second division of plough-land, with the number of each man's accommodation : -
Acres.
Acres.
1-John Davis,
6 22-Daniel Hendrick,
2-James Fiske,
4 23-Thomas Davis, 8
3-Matthias Button,
6 24-Richard Ormsbie, 5
4-Bartholomew Heath,
25-Robert Ayer, 5
5-Abraham Tyler,
4 26-Henry Savage, 4
6-John Ayer, sen.,
8 27-George Browne, 10
7-Henry Palmer,
9 28-William Holdridge,
5
8-Edward Clarke,
4 29-Mr John Ward, 8
9-Robert Clement,
6 30-George Corlis, 7
10-Hugh Sherratt, 12 31-Theophilus Satchwell, 63
11-John Woodin,
4 32-John Williams, 8
12-Thomas Perry,
5 33-John Chenarie,
1
13-Thomas Whittier, 73 34-James Pecker,
4
14-Stephen Kent, 223 35-Thomas Ayers,
9
15-Joseph Peasley, 12 36-Samuel Gild, 10
16-John Ayer, jun.,
8 37-Daniel Ladd, 6
17-Thomas Linforth.
6 38-James Davis, jun., 10
18-Richard Littlehale,
4 39-Job Clement,
6
19-Isaac Cousins,
83 40-John Clement,
S
20-William White,
7 41-James Davis, sen., 10
21-John Eaton,
10
In the above division each man had " his proportion either in the quality or quantity of his lot, according to the discretion of the lot layers."
At the September meeting of the same year, the town voted Mr. Ward, their " Teacher," a salary of fifty pounds. This sum, though a mere pit- tance, when compared with modern salaries, was really a very liberal salary for those times, and shows the strong attachment of the inhabitants to their pastor, and their readiness to give him an adequate support.
The following liberal vote was also passed at the same meeting : -
" Voted that if any one or more shall be disenabled from paying his pro- portion, that then the rest of the inhabitants shall pay it for him or them to Mr. Ward." The town evidently intended that fifty pounds should mean fifty pounds.
Whether the town had become dissatisfied with the drum or the drummer, does not appear, but it seems that instead of having Richard Littlehale
78
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
beat his drum to call the people together, it was voted " that Abraham Tyler shall blow his horn in the most convenient place every lord's day about half an hour before the meeting begins, and also on lecture days; for which he is to have one peck of corn of every family for the year ensuing."
The tooting of Abraham's horn did not, however, come up to their ex- pectations, for the next year the town fell back upon first principles, and ordered Edward Clark to beat the drum on the "Lord's days and lecture days." Perhaps the tone of Abraham's horn was not sufficiently musical, or, more likely. Abraham was not a skilful player upon that ancient in- strument. But as to whichever it might have been, we are left entirely free to conjecture, as the records maintain the most dignified silence upon the subject.
The General Court this year changed the time for town elections from .November to March of each year, and the latter month has, with the ex- ception of a single period, continued to be the month of the annual town meetings down to the present time.
The County Court at Hampton, this year, fined Stephen Kent, of Haver- hill, £10 " for suffering five Indeans to be druncke in his house, and one of them wounded." He was also to pay for the cure of the wounded Indian. Stephen evidently considered the penalty too severe, and declined to pay it; and the town petitioned the General Court upon the subject. The Court thereupon ordered " that Stephen Kent within one month shall pay the said tenne pounds to the selectmen of Hauerill, who shall there- with satisfy for the cure of the Indean." Even this did not satisfy Stephen, and he petitioned to have his fine reduced, but the Court was inexorable. Doubtless Stephen was careful afterward not to have any drunken " red skins " about his premises.
Among the list of donations this year to Harvard College is £1 7s from this town.
A prison was this year built at Ipswich. It was the second in the colony.
A mint was about the same time established at Boston, for coining sil- ver; the pieces had the word Massachusetts, with a pine tree on one side, and the letters N. E. 1652, and III, VI, or XII, denoting the number of pence, on the other. The same date (1652) was continued upon all the coin struck for thirty years afterward. Massachusetts was the only colony that ever presumed to coin metal into money. A very large sum was coined, and the mint-master made a large fortune out of the commission allowed him for coining.
79
HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
At a town meeting July 4, 1653, it was voted that " John Webster should enjoy that six acres of accommodation which was formerly granted unto Isaac Cousins, and is now returned into the Town's hands ; provided, that the said John Webster live here five years from the last of March next, following the trade of a blacksmith in doing the town's work, when they have occasion." Mr. Webster was the second blacksmith in town; he followed the trade, however, but four years, when he returned to New- bury. His brother, Stephen, a tailor, came into town soon after, from Newbury; and is probably the ancestor of the Websters in this place. He was born in Ipswich, and moved with his mother, who married John Emery, sen., to Newbury. He had three brothers and four sisters. His brothers, John and Israel, remained in Newbury, and Nathan settled in Bradford. His mother, Mary, was a sister of Theophilus Shatswell ; John, his father, died in Ipswich, about 1642.º The descendants of Stephen are very numerous ; they are found in almost every city and village in the Union.
This year, the second division of meadow land was ordered to be laid out. There were forty-eight lots drawn. The names are the same as those given under date of 1652, except the following : - John Webster, Isaac Cousins, John Wooddin,
The Island just below the village was also divided about the same time. The number of persons who drew lots in the division, was forty-five. The names, and the bounds of each man's lot, are given in the Commoners' book of Records, under date of 1727, which speaks of the plan as begun in 1653, and finished in the above year.
A third division of upland, or ploughland, was also ordered to be laid out ; it was situated west and north of west meadow, in the West Parish.
The wife of John Hutchins of this town was presented to the Court this year, for wearing a silk hood ; but, " upon testimony of her being brought up above the ordinary way was discharged." The wife of Joseph Swett was also presented at the same time and for the same offence, and was fined 10s.t
It was a general custom of the inhabitants at this carly period, to turn their flocks together into one pasture; and we find that James George was, in 1652, appointed herdsman of the town, His salary was twelve shillings and six pence per week, to be paid in Indian corn and butter. He was
· Coffin, Hist. Newbury.
+ Among the laws passed by the General Court in 1650, was one against "intolerable excess and brav- ery in dress." No person whose estate did not exceed £200 was permitted to wear any gold or silver lace or buttons, great boots, silk hoods, ribbons or scarfs, under a penalty of ten shillings. Swett was not, it seems, worth the £200; and his wife could not, therefore, be allowed the extravagance of a silk hood.
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HISTORY OF HIAVERHILL.
" to keep ye heard faithfully as a heard ought to be kept; if any be left on the Sabbath when ye towne worship, they who keepe are to goe ye next day, doing their best indeavore to find them." He was not permitted to turn his flock into the pasture on the Sabbath, until the " second beat- ing of ye drum."
A lot of land not exceeding four-score acres, was the same year granted to the proprietors of the saw-mill, so long as they kept it in use.
It was voted that hereafter the seleetmen should " give in their account what they have received, and what they have disbursed." The voters evidently wished to know where their money went, in which laudable curi- osity they have a very few imitators at the present day.
Among the note-worthy incidents of this year, may be mentioned the case of Robert Pike, of Salisbury. The Court had prohibited Joseph Peasley and Thomas Macy, of Salisbury, from exhorting the people on the Sabbath, in the absence of a minister. Pike declared that " such persons as did act in making that law, did break their oath to the country, for it is against the liberty of the country, both eivil and ceclesiatieal." For expressing himself in this manner, he was disfranchised by the General Court, and heavily fined. At the next May Court, a petition was pre- sented from a large number of the inhabitants of Hampton, Salisbury, Newbury, Haverhill, and Andover, praying that Pike's sentence might be revoked.º
The Court was highly indignant that " so many persons should combine together to present such an unjust and unreasonable request," and ap- pointed a commission to eall the petitioners together " and require a reason of their very unjust request." At the next November Court, orders were issued to summon sixteen of the petitioners to give bonds in the sum of ten pounds each to appear and answer for their offence before the County Court. None of the Haverhill signers were however included in the order. They had acknowledged their offence. Three years afterward, Pike " hum- bly desired the Court, his fine being paid, to release him from the other part of his sentence," which it was pleased to do. The whole case is an
" The following are the names of the Haverhill signers, as copied from the original petition in the State Archives : -
IIaverill.
Richard Littlehale
Robbert Eres
James Davis
John Heth
George Corlis
Joseph Peasly
Job Clements
Bartholomew Heth
Tristram Coffin
Abraham Tylar
Edw. Clarke
Peter Coffin
John Williams
James Davis Jr
John Davis
John Williams
Theophilus Sachwell
John Eaton
Thomas Davis
Tho: Whittier
Thomas Eaton
Joh: Eyeres
Tho: Dow
Robert Clements
James ffiske
Joseph Davis
Thomas Belfore
Dan: Hendrick
Peter Ayre
John Wehstar
Stephen Kent
Samnel Gild
George Brown
Richard Singltary
Robbert Swan
Ephraim Davis
Henry Palmer
-
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
instructive one, and throws much light on the public religious opinions of the times.
At a town meeting, held February 9, 1654, liberty was granted to Stephen Kent to place a wear in Little River, to catch alewives, or any other fish, if he would sell to the inhabitans of the town " what alewives they stood in need of." This is the first notice we have of these fisheries, which were afterward carried on to a considerable extent.
At the May session of the General Court, a new petition was received from Haverhill, touching the bounds between that town and Salisbury, as a " great mistake " was made in the previous running of the line. The Court, after hearing both parties, appointed a committee to look into the matter thoroughly. At the next Court the committee made their return, which, as a matter of curiosity as well as interest, we copy entire : - " September: 23: 1654.
In obedense to the generall cortes order we haue vewed the line con- cluded by Salesberry and Hanerill to deuid the land betwene them: and we find that as it is expressed in the petission there was a gret mistake in the first Ruing of the line this we find accnolaged by both partes : for he that carred the compas at the first from the plase concluded one from meremack Reuer a but one mile and a quarter tow a stompe of a pipestave tree : he said he had Rine nor west : which moued the men chose by Hauerill to yeld vnto Sallsberry one point more : but we have gone nor west from the place one merremack Reuer formerly concluded one : and we find that nor west Cometh a boue a quarter of a mile in going a mile a quarter nerrer to haucrell then the line first Rune so we find that nor west as according to the true vnderstanding of ther first agreement doth yeld vnto Salsberre : and if the line nor west and by west shold stand a gret part of the med- dowes lying one that quarter : wold be cut of from hauerrell to ther gret preiudes and the not cnoing of that mistak mad them yeld one point more we thinke if the plesuer of the Cort bee so : that it may bee well for this honerred cort to order that a nor west line may part the land be twext them (onely this) if any of the meddowes laid out to any of. Hauerrell shall be cut of from Hauerrell: by this line. that those meddows shall Remane to hauerrell (or those men to home it is laid : fore euer ----
youers in all dutefoll obedense
further we thinke meeete that Hen: Short
Salsbury shall haue liberty oucr
Joseph. Jowett John Stevens
hanerill commons if the swamp stop the way the sd way to be forty Rod broade
11
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
The Deputyes accept. of the Returne of those Comissionsrs appoynted to lay out the bounds herein exprest and desire the Consent of the honord magists herevnto.
Consented to by ye magists. Edw: Rawson Secret. 24 Octob. 54."
It seems, however, that even this did not permanently settle the vexed dispute. Both parties again became dissatisfied, and the matter continued to trouble the General Court until 1667, when the Court finally disposed of it as follows : -
" As a final issue of all differences between the two towns of Haverhill and Salisbury Newtown," in reference to their bounds, the Court having heard what all parties could say therein, judge meet to confirm the line which was run by the committee and the agreement of both towns, begin- ning at a tree near Holt's Rocks, near Merrimack river's side, and running up on the N W line, as they apprehended, to Brandy Brow, and from thence to Darby Hill, and so to a white pine about a mile further, marked H. S. and this is to be the dividing line between them."
On the 31st of May, 1654, Thomas Dow died. He was the first adult that had died in the town since its settlement. Thirteen children had died previously, but no grown person .;
Some additions were made to the ox-common this year, and the whole was ordered to be fenced. The town also voted " that all those that will join in the fencing of it, shall have a proportion in it according to the fence they make and maintain, provided that none shall keep more than · four oxen in it." Thirty-four persons assisted to build the fence, and were entitled to keep ninety-two oxen within the enclosure. It was then voted that " the cattel that shall goe in the ox-common this day granted, shall be only oxen, steers, and horses, and no other cattel."
This ox-common was located on the south side of Kenoza Lake, and a part of it is still known by that name. Several other ox-commons were subsequently laid out in different parts of the town, but they were much smaller than the first. Some of them were only a few acres in extent being laid out for a single person, while others were intended for several persons. The one above mentioned, however, was the most extensive ox- common ever laid out in the town.
At the December meeting of the town, a parcel of land, not exceeding four-score acres, was laid out to the saw-mill owners "to plant and im-
" Salisbury Newtown (now Amesbury) was settled in 1642, by order of the freemen of Salisbury, that " there shall thirty families remove to the west of Pow-wow River, to form a settlement." It was called Salisbury New Town until some time after it was set off as a separate town, in 1634.
t Previous to March 30, 1663, there were forty-seven deaths in town, forty of which were children.
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HISTORY OF HAVERHILL.
prove, so long as the sawmill shall go." The lot was on the west side of saw-mill river. The next June, eight acres were laid out on the further side of Fishing River, " toward the sawmill," from which, and one or two other allusions, we conclude there was also a saw-mill on that stream at that time, or one about to be erected.
In February, 1656, the town voted to cancel all grants and privileges, if the present saw-mill or some other, did not cut boards enough for the town by the next midsummer. But it seems that the saw-mill was not to be hurried, and the town in 1658 lost all their patience, and declared all former grants and privileges forfeited. At the same time Thomas Davis, (who was one of the principal owners of the old mill) John Hutchins, and Daniel Hendricks, were granted the privileges formerly allowed to the old saw-mill, if they put up a mill and supplied the town within twelve months. But even this did not prove sufficiently stimulating to those in- terested. No mill was erected, and the next year the town declared the privilege forfeited.
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