USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume I > Part 10
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IOO
The Legendary Settlement Before 1642
Saw mills were unknown and lumber had to be slowly hewn out of virgin timber into boards fit for the carpenter's use. Finally, the only document to which John Pease appended his name in connection with the settlement of the Vineyard does not help out the legend. In 1673-4 he signed with others a statement about the early township grants of 1642 and 1646, by the Mayhews, and of all the signers he was the eldest in point of years and residence here. The document states that "wee are the successors of those men (Daggett, Pierce, Beers, John and Francis Smith, the first patentees of the town in 1642), and the first of us was admitted by their Approbation, and some purchased their lands." The significance of this is that John Pease states that he was among the first "ad- mitted" to be an inhabitant by the original proprietors of Edgartown, as one of the "successors," after the island had been purchased and a government organized.
PROBABLE SOURCES OF THE TRADITION.
It is true that the early book or books of record of Great Harbor are not in existence. Doubtless they were officially destroyed some time after they were transcribed into a new book in 1730-I by John Norton, then town clerk. The present records contain fairly full entries from the year 1642, but it is probable that, as in the case of Tisbury, which authorized a similar new copy for its records, many things were not con- sidered necessary for perpetuation in the new book. As John Pease died about 1674, and there is nothing in existing records to show that he was town clerk at that date, the relations of the "Black Book" to the story do not seem to be very important. It is reasonable to conclude that the disappear- ance of the old book or books, after transcription authorized by the town, has given rise to the tradition of the mysterious loss of a volume supposed to contain evidences of occupation earlier than that of the then proprietary family. We are still without any clue as to the origin of this tradition of this early settlement, and it only remains to consider one possible and even probable source. And this is furnished by another branch of the Pease family of Salem. Robert Pease, the elder brother of John, was contemporary with John in Salem, and a descendant of this Robert, of the third generation, Joseph3, removed to Enfield, Conn. There these pioneers,
IOI
History of Martha's Vineyard
during their first winter at that place, were forced to prepare temporary shelter and made excavations in the side of a hill, as did the alleged early settlers at our Green Hollow. All this appears in a journal kept by Joseph Pease of Enfield (born 1693), third son of John of Salem and great nephew of John of Martha's Vineyard, as recently published in the His- tory of Enfield.1
Doubtless this story of the "cave dwellers" of Enfield was well known to their children and grandchildren, and be- came a part of the traditions of the descendants of the Con- necticut pioneers. In the course of time descendants of our John Pease emigrated to Connecticut with the beginning of the westward movement of the middle of the 18th century. It is more than probable that these distant cousins were familiar with their common origin, and family tradition is to that effect. Jonathan of Edgartown went to Windham, Conn., before 1743, and Lemuel, an uncle of Obed, to whom the tradition is partly traced on the Vineyard, resided in Glaston- bury, same state. With the interchange of visits, the voyages back and forth from the Vineyard to Connecticut, it seems reasonable to conclude that the Connecticut cousins told their Vineyard cousins the story of their fathers who had "dug caves in the side of a hill," when they first settled in that region. This story was carried back and rehearsed to the cousins at the Vineyard. The rest may be inferred. The tale of the first Peases who lived in caves during their first winter in Con- necticut was easily transferred in the telling, or in the hearing of it by children, to the Vineyard branch, and thus a story may have innocently grown into a belief that has survived many years, until it is now told by others with the assurance born of age and plausibility. The story of the "three black crows" is well to bear in mind whenever tradition is invoked to establish a desirable theory. The manner in which the story under consideration may have become amplified and circumstantial in detail is not a difficult matter to understand. Fragments of various stories about the early settlers here could become engrafted into one continuous whole in the course of a number of generations, and that such stories are
1This was first published in 1829 by the late John Chauncey Pease, M.D., in his Historical Sketch of Enfield. He says that two brothers, John Pease, Jr., and Robert, came from Salem "to that tract of country now called Enfield in the year 1679, built them a Hut or Cellar in the side of the Hill, about 40 rods East from where the old meeting house formerly stood, there they lived through the winter alone, no other white person in the place."
IO2
The Legendary Settlement Before 1642
thus compounded is within the knowledge and experience of every historian. It is not the only legend about the early annals of the Vineyard which has come to the knowledge of the author that has vanished under a close inspection of records bearing on the points. Until some satisfactory cor- roboration of this tradition is forthcoming, it must be relegated to the "realms of tradition" and there await its promotion, if it deserves it, to the more substantial territory of established facts.
ARMS OF WILLIAM, LORD STIRLING.
103
History of Martha's Vineyard
CHAPTER VII.
THE ENGLISH FAMILY OF MAYHEW.
The name of Mayhew and the Vineyard are almost synonymous, and it will be interesting as well as instructive to learn something of the family which exercised such a sway over the early destinies of our island. The origin of the name is explained satisfactorily by a learned historical scholar of England, himself a descendant, and the following extracts are made from his account: -
As an English family name it is most frequently met with in the South and West of this island, and few parish registers in the Counties of Hereford, Gloucester, Wilts and Dorset can be opened without presenting us with examples. It is spelt in many ways, varying from the extended form of Mayhowe to that of Mao, and often, as it will frequently appear, clipped down and reduced to May to the loss of its concluding syllable.1 One lesson is taught by the diversity and variety, viz :- the identity of Mayhew and Mayo, and from this consideration a ray of light is thrown upon the derivation of the name. An early occurrence of the name, and in its extended form, is found in Glover's Roll of Arms, supposed by Sir Harris Nicholas to date from between 1245 and 1250. Herbert le Fitz Mayhewe is there mentioned as bearing "party d'azur & de goulz one trois leonseaux rampant d'or," and Woodward in his History of Wales, page 415, narrates that account to the old copy of S. Davids Annals. The Welsh slew Sir Herbert Fitz-Mahu apparently in 1246, near the castle of Morgan Cam. The same Roll of Arms gives the clue to the origin of the name as a Christian name; in the case of Mahewe de Lovayne, Mayhew de Columbers and Maheu de Redmain. There can be little doubt that it is here a softened form of Matthew. Bards- ley in his "English Surnames" mentioned two other instances, Adam fil. Maheu, and Mayhew de Basingbourne, from the Parliamentary Writs. Lower, (Patronymica Brittannica, 219, 221,) takes the same view.
Shakespeare in King " Lear" Act III, scene 4, says:
"The Prince of Darkness is a Gentleman Modo he's called and Mahu."
The family has its principal habitats in Cornwall, at Lostwithiel, Looe, Bray and Morval, to which belonged John Mayow, Fellow of All Souls, Oxford, and that Mayow of Clevyan, in St. Columb Major, who was hanged on a tavern
1As an example of the loss of the final syllable, the following may be noted: Walter Mayo vel Meye admissus in Artibus 26 June 1511, (Gough Mss. 7, Bod. Lib.); the will of Robert Mayo of Broughton Gifford 16 Nov. 1572, in the Prerogative Court, though his family name was usually written May, as in the Wiltshire visitations; the will of Henry Mayo alias May, of Kellways, Wilts, 1661.
104
The English Family of Mayhew
sign-post as a rebel against the injunctions of Edward VI, concerning religion. Dorsetshire has one family in the Visita- tion; Gloucestershire, at Kempley, Tetbury, Charfield; Here- fordshire, at Tottenham; Northamptonshire, at Holmden, in the Visitation of 1619; Norfolk, at Billockby and Clippesby; Suffolk at Clopton, Helmington and Bedingfield, and in Wilt- shire more than one family of the name are found including Mayhew of Dinton in the Visitations of 1565 and 1623, whose pedigree is here inserted. (See page 106.)
Of noted persons of the name is Richard Mayo, other- wise Mayeo, Maiewe, Mayhue, etc., who was born near Hungerford, educated at Winchester, became a fellow of New College in 1459; after passing through the lower orders he became Chancellor of Oxford, 1503, and Bishop of Hereford in 1504. He died in April, 1516.1
In the Records of the Commissioners for the United Colonies, there appeared a letter, now in the Connecticut Archives,2 written by Governor Mayhew, sealed with arms which, upon examination, proved to be the arms, with a mullet for difference, of the Mayhew family of Dinton, Wiltshire, a county family of considerable distinction. These facts, taken in connection with the bestowal by Mayhew of the names of Tisbury and Chilmark on two adjoining towns on Martha's Vineyard, (the latter settlement having been origi- nally chartered as Tisbury Manor), and the fact that Tisbury and Chilmark are adjoining parishes in Wiltshire, and sepa- rated by a few miles only from Dinton, made it quite evident that this locality was the one which should reveal his family connection.
In April, 1898, the author, during a visit to England, was a guest by previous appointment of the Vicar of Tisbury, the Rev. F. E. Hutchinson, who is of the same stock as one family of the New England Hutchinsons. He spent two days at the vicarage and had ample time to make a thorough examination of the old parish registers of Tisbury, which are extant from the year 1563, including the original and a parch- ment copy of almost contemporary date. Below extracts from the parish register are given, which include all of the name of Mayhew in its several variations, as well as some relating
1Genealogical Account of the Mayo and Elton Families by Rev. Canon Mayo, vicar of Long Burton, Dorset. London, 1882.
2Conn. Col. Records, 1678-1689. pp. 504-506.
105
PEDIGREE OF MAYHEW OF DINTON.
IO6
Harl. Mss. 1181, 1443. Heralds' Visitations, 1565, 1623. Hoare, Wiltshire, IV, 102; V, 66.
SIMON MAYOW == Gent., of Dynton, com. Wilts.
ARMS: Argent, on a chevron between three sea mews sa. five lozenges of the field, with a crescent for difference (1565).
ROBERT MAYOW == JOAN BRIDMORE, eldest sonne and dau. of John of Tisbury, co. Wilts. heire of Dynton, com. Wilts.
(1)
(2)
JOAN HAMON == JOHN MAYOW == JOAN PREST,
- EDWARD, 2d son, Fonthill, Wilts.
- THOMAS, 3d son
1 HENRY, of Dynton.
1 WALTER, of Chilmark.
-
1 Two Daughters.
dau. of Ralph of Everash in co. Somerset.
of Dynton, bur. 25 Feb., 1563. Will 20 Sept., 1562.
she mar. 2d Robert Bownde, 4 Sept., 1564.
==
Elizabeth bur. 6 April, 1577.
Alice Code, of Chilmark.
.
1 RALPH.
1 - RICHARD, WILLIAM, bur. 1561. bur. 1558.
111 MAUD. ALICE. JANE.
- CUTHBERT (eldest).
ROBERT.
JOHN.
DENNIS. Four daughters.
Two
MATTHEW. EDWARD.
JOAN. CICELY. ANNE. ALICE.
daughters. of Tisbury. 1571. JANE, I574. ELIZABETH, WILLIAM. 1577.
1
1
RALPH.
CUTHBERT.
- DOROTHY.
MARY.
Thomas bp. 1593.
==
==
Agnes King.
HENRY (eldest).
-
IO7
CHURCH OF S. JOHN THE BAPTIST WHERE THOMAS MAYHEW WAS BAPTIZED, APRIL I, 1593.
History of Martha's Vineyard
to persons connected with the family by marriage mentioned in wills, to be hereafter given, during the period necessary for our purpose.
EXTRACTS FROM THE PARISH REGISTER OF TISBURY, CO. WILTS.
BAPTISMS.
: 1583 Sept. 13, Henry, son of ..... . . Maoh.
1589 May I, Elizabeth, daughter of Matthew Maho.
I59I Jan'y 17, John, son of Matthew Mayoo.
I593 April 1, THOMAS, SON of MATHEW MAHO.
1595-6 Feb. 8, Jone, daughter of Mathew Mayhoe.
1598 Dec. 18, Alice, daughter of Mathew Maiho.
1599
Mar. 15, Katherine, daughter of Mathew Maio.
1600
1602 April 14, Edward, son of Mathew Mayhow. MARRIAGES.
1573 Nov. 24, Myhell May and Jone Vanner.
1575 April 21, Thomas (Maow?) and Alyce (Waterman?)
1578
Nov. 23, An Maio and Thomas Turner.
1579 Aug. 3, An Maio and John Waterman.
1587 Octo. 2, MATHEW MAOW and ALES BARTER. BURIALS.
1586 July 14, Ales wyffe of Thomas Maow.
1590
June I, Thomas Maow.
April 1993
ZPornos Iço forme of meatfour mano war
REPRODUCTION OF ENTRY IN PARISH REGISTER SHOWING RECORD OF BAPTISM OF THOMAS MAYHEW.
The marriage above indicated by capitals is that of the parents of Gov. Thomas Mayhew, and his baptism is likewise printed in the same type. Attention need scarcely be drawn to the various ways the name is entered in the register. In the baptisms given, eight in all, there are seven different spellings. This entry of the baptism of Thomas, son of Mathew Maho, April Ist, 1593, probably within a few days of his birth, is not absolutely conclusive evidence of identity with our Thomas, but taken in connection with the facts re- lating to the reappearance on Martha's Vineyard of the names of Tisbury Manor (which is situated in the parish of Tisbury, England,) and Chilmark the adjoining hamlet, and the name of Matthew, which for succeeding generations appeared in the Martha's Vineyard family, it becomes one of those cases where an affirmative conclusion is clearly inferential.
108
The English Family of Mayhew
Corroborative evidence is also available in respect to Governor Mayhew's age, which corresponds approximately with the record of this baptism. The double dating of that period from January I to March 25, enters the problem to give it some slight complications, but as he was born near the dividing line between the new and the old years 1592 and 1593, his several statements regarding the great number of years he attained (evidently a source of pride to him) lead us readily to conclude that with the proneness which he exhibited to reiterate his longevity, he unintentionally adopted 1592 as his birth year, when it was in reality 1593, and that a further source of error lies in the confusion which may result from such general statements as that he was eighty-seven years of age, or in his "87th yeare hallf out." The following are all the references regarding his age which have been thus far observed, and it will be noticed that the first one, before he had grown to riper years and indulged the pardonable satis- faction at attaining great age, is the only correct one as com- pared to the date of baptism. It bears out the theory that he unconsciously overstated his age as he grew older.
I. On Sept. 15, 1664, he wrote, "I am 71 and 5 monthes at present."1 This would carry his birth back to about 2-15-1593. [Within one month prior to April 15, 1593, which agrees with the baptism.]
2. On 24 (6), 1678, he wrote, "It hath pleased God to keepe me alyve and verry well, to write thus much in my 87th yeare hallf out."2 This would carry his birth back to about 12-24-1591. [Feb. 24, 1591-2.]
3. In his will dated June 16, 1681, he began: "I, Thomas Mayhew of Edgartown upon the Vineyard in this ninetieth year of my age." This would carry his birth back to some time between June 17, 1591, and June 16, 1592.
4. On April 13, 1682, Matthew Mayhew, his grandson, announced to Gov. Thomas Hinckley of Plymouth the death of his grandfather as follows: "It pleased God of his great goodness as to continue my honoured grandfather's life to a great age (wanting but six days of ninety years), so to give the comfort of his life, and to ours as well as his comfort, in his sickness (which was six days)."3
1Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, vol. 7, p. 40.
2Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 10, p. 406.
3Mass. Hist. Coll., 4th series, vol. 5, p. 61.
109
History of Martha's Vineyard
Previously to the author's visit to Tisbury a personal search of the Wiltshire wills deposited at Somerset House re- lating to the Archdeaconry of Sarum, in which the parishes of Tisbury, Chilmark and Dinton are situated, was made. There was found, among others of the family, the wills of Matthew Mayhew, the father of Thomas, and of Agnes May- hew, an aunt of Thomas, in both of which documents his name occurs as a beneficiary. The full copy of the will of Matthew is here presented: -
PRINCIPAL REGISTRY OF PROBATE (WILTSHIRE), ARCHDEACONRY OF SARUM, VIII, 224.
In the name of God Amen. I Mathew Maihew of Tisbury in the county of Wilts yeoman being in good health and of perfect memory (thankes bee to god for it) doe make constitute and ordeine this my last will and test- ament in manner and form following First I bequeath my soule into the handes of Almighty God my maker and redeemer and my body to bee buried in the Church or Churchyard of Tisbury aforesaid. Itm I give and be- queath to the prish Church of Tisbury iiis vid. Itm I give and bequeath to the poore people of the aforesaid Tisbury iis iiiid. Itm I give and be- queath to my sonne Thomas Maihew Forty pounds of good and lawfull monie of England whereof twenty pounds to bee paid him by my Executor wthin one whole yeare after my decease and the other twenty pounds to bee paid by my Executor wthin five years after the payment of the first twenty pounds in manner and forme following viz: fower pounds evy year until the sume of twenty pounds bee paid and the five yeares expired Itm I give and bequeath unto my sonne Edward Maihew six and forty pounds of good and lawfull monie of England whereof six and twenty to bee paid him by my executor wthin one whole yeare after my decease and the other twenty pounds to bee paid unto him by my executor after the same manner and at the same times wch are prscribed for the payment of the last twenty pounds of my sonne Thomas his portion Itm I give and bequeath unto my daugh- ter Joane Maihewe six and forty pounds of good and lawfull monie of Eng- land whereof six and twenty pounds to bee paid wthin one whole yeare after my decease and the other twenty pounds to bee paid after the same manner and at the same times wch are prescribed for the last payment of my sonne Thomas his portion Itm I give and bequeath unto my daughter Alice Maihew six and forty pounds of good and lawfull monie of England to be paid unto her by my executor after such manner and at such times as my daughter Joane Maihewes portion is to be paid Itm I give and be- queath unto my daughter Katherine Maihew six and forty pounds to bee paid unto her by my executor after the same manner and at the same times wch are prscribed for the payment of my other two daughters portions All the rest of my goods and chattels moveable and unmovable I give and be- queath unto my sonne John Maihew whom I make my whole and sole executor of this my last will and testamt Itm I doe constitute and ap- pointe John Bracher of Tisbury Edward Bracher of Tisbury Richard Langly of Boreham and John Gilbert of Deny Sutton ovrseers of this my
IIO
The English Family of Mayhew
last will and testament In witnes whereof I have hereunto subscribed my hande the last day of August in the year of our Lord 1612
THE MARKE OF MATHEWE MAIHEWE
In the price of Luke Simpson John Gilbert John Turner
John Bracher
Memorand That if my sonne Thomas Maihewe Edward Maihewe Joane Maihewe Alice Maihewe Katherine Maihewe or any one of them doe chaunce to dye before they have receaved theire portions then my will is that the portions of the parties deceased shall equally bee divided amongst the rest then liveing
Witnesses hereunto
Luke Simpson John Gilbert John Turner
John Bracher
Proved 27th June 1614
The will of Agnes Mayhew of Tisbury, dated Jan. 12, 1606, gives to "Thomas the son of my brother Matthew, five pounds," and it was proved June 24, 1612 (Arch. Sarum, VIII, I68).
With respect to the connection of this, Tisbury twig with the armorial family of Dinton, it is to be observed that Matthew describes himself as "yeoman," which may not disqualify him as a cadet scion of the armigerous family, particularly in view of the fact that Governor Mayhew, his son, used a seal, which he must have obtained in England, cut with the arms of the Dinton family, and having as a mark of difference the mullet, indicating that he was descended from the third son of the armorial grantee.1 The tabular pedigree which appears herewith, showing the Dinton family as given in the Harleian manuscripts and in Hoare's Wiltshire, to which have been added some facts obtained from wills and other original sources, fails to afford us any information concerning the descendants of Thomas, the third son of Robert Mayhew, and the author strongly suspects that it is to him, whose Christian name Governor Mayhew bore, we must look for an extension of the pedigree. The laws of primogeniture,
1Many years ago there was issued by the late Jonathan Mayhew of Buffalo, N. Y., a pictorial "family tree" which has, erroneously, depicted on it the coat armor of the Mayhews of Hemingston, Suffolk.
III
History of Martha's Vineyard
which existed at that period, and which were so carefully observed by the heralds, afforded little consideration for cadet branches of county families, and we are at present reduced to conjecture as to the relationship of Matthew to the Dinton stock, a conclusion which seems reasonable to be made in the affirmative from all the collateral facts. It is to be ob- served that the name of Simon Mayhew, which appears at the head of the tabular pedigree, was used by the Martha's Vineyard family as early as 1687, which may be classed as additional corroborative testimony. Unfortunately the parish registers of Chilmark are missing prior to 1653, and although Bishops' transcripts exist in the Diocesan Registry at the Salisbury Cathedral, "Our Lady Church of Sarum," they contain no Mayhew entries.1 A branch of the Dinton family, represented by Walter, the fourth son of Robert of Dinton, lived in Chilmark, which is the next parish to Tisbury and nearer Dinton. Walter Mayhew "de Chilmark, gentleman" made his will Aug. 30, 1604, which was proven Dec. 24, 1606, and in it he makes a bequest to the poor of Fountell (Font- hill) where his elder brother Edward resided.2 No references to Tisbury or relatives outside of his family appear (Arch. Sarum, Rotula XV). John Mayhew of Dinton, however, the eldest son of that generation, in his will dated Sept. 20, 1562, bequeaths a small sum "to the Church of Tisbury," besides to his own church and the Cathedral at Salisbury (Arch. Sarum. IV, 165), which may be taken as showing some interest or connection with that parish.
All the evidence adduced, by inference and exclusion, seems to favor the Tisbury family as the one to which Gov- ernor Mayhew belongs, and that the Tisbury branch belongs to the Dinton stock seems equally presumptive. The line of Matthew's parentage probably sprung off before the Din- ton stock had their pedigree registered in 1565, and it is also fair to presume that Simon, who heads it, had more than one son. With the exception of Matthew many of the names of
1The Dinton Parish Registers are extant from 1558, but contain no entries which throw light on Thomas, the third son of Robert.
2The adjoining parish of Chilmark, disclosed some early Macy stones in the churchyard. It will be remembered that Thomas Macy of Nantucket, who is said to have been of Chilmark, referred to Thomas Mayhew of Martha's Vineyard as "my honored cousin" (N. Y. Col. MSS., Vol. XXV), and while searching for Mayhew wills, I accidentally found the will of Thomas Maycie of Chilmark, dated 1575, which may serve as the basis of some future investigations concerning that well-known family, whose emigrant ancestor first settled in Salisbury, Massachusetts.
II2
The English Family of Mayhew
sons in the Tisbury and Dinton families are nearly identical, John, Thomas, Henry, Edward.1
In the Mayow arms sea mews are engraved for the birds, which in the authorities quoted are given as "birds." It will be noticed that the arms described on the tabular pedigree have a crescent for difference, indicating their use at the time of the visitation (1565) by a second son, probably Edward, son of Robert. Thomas, the younger brother, would have used the mullet for difference. The use of the mullet by Gov. Thomas Mayhew, indicating his descent from a third son of the Mayow family of Dinton, taken with the other evidence presented, leads to the belief that the Thomas who was buried at Tisbury in 1590, was father of Matthew, grand- father of Gov. Thomas, and son of Robert.2
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