USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 20
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Under date of Dec. 19, 1715, the referees made the follow- ing decision: (1) The English should have the undisputed fee of the neck called Menechew, saving one share to the sachem; (2) The Indians should have the sole possession of the Island of Chappaquiddick for themselves and posterity, never to be sold without the consent of the Provincial govern- ment; (3) The English should have the right to mow the salt marshes (saving the "wobshaw grass" for the Indians, use in making mats), paying therefor one shilling per acre annually; (4) The winter herbage should be shared in common by both English and Indians "as stented for the number of grate catle goats and sheep between October 25 and March 25th yearly," the English paying Seeknout "the fifteenth goat and for every fatted Beast one Shilling & Sixpence" annually; and (5) the proprietors were restricted to a total of one hun- dred head of great cattle for grazing purposes. This decision afforded the usual loophole for the English and payment was refused to the sachem in many cases on the question of what constituted a "fatted beast." Several years more of contest followed before the end was reached. After the case was settled the Sachem sold in 1718 to Benjamin Hawes "one eight of all the herbage on Chappaquiddick that shall ever
'The Sachem Jacob made his last will Sept. 25, 1734, and it was probated March 5, 1735, between which dates he died. This document mentions wife Elizabeth and daughters Hepzibah and Dorcas. Samuel Norton and Thomas Lothrop were made executors.
2 Acts and Resolves, IX, 318.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
hereafter grow from the 20th of October till the 25th of March every year forever however it may be stented."1 This was the last of the famous herbage case.
ANCIENT LANDMARKS.
ALGONQUIAN PLACE NAMES.
Capoag (Capawack, Cape Pogue). - The earliest known aboriginal name attached to the Vineyard. It has already been discussed and explained (Vol. I, 34-6). It applied to the pond properly and became identified with the point or cape.
Mashshachaquak. - This was "a little creek on the west side of sd Island .. .. running to the southermost little creek that runneth out of Collops Pond" (Deeds, IV, 163; XI, 69).
Menechew. - A neck of land, "being the northermost part of the said Island" (Deeds, IV, 139, 166).
Micenuckchuwat. - The pond now known as Caleb's pond. The spelling of this name in 1726 was "Collops" and it may be regarded as the correct form (Deeds, IV, 163). Momabhegoins Neck. - A place mentioned in 1709 (Deeds, II, 244).
Natick. - This was, in the first eighty years after the settle- ment, an island at the northern tip of Chappaquiddick, some- times called Capoag island. The narrow and shallow channel which separated it from the main portion of the island was closed up during a great storm, about 1725, and it has ever since remained a part of the peninsular formation (Deeds, I, 388; IV, 153, 328; VI, 401, 520). See Great Neck.
Pocha. - This is one of the earliest place names of the island and marked the southeastern point, as early as 1665, having also an alias, Wassaechtaack. The word is derived from Pok-sha-muk, signifying "where there is a breaking in," as a pond formed by the inrush of the sea. There is a Potchey or Pochey in Eastham on the Cape.
Quamoks. - A "place called Quamoks" in 1722 was in the region of Pocha Pond (Deeds, IV, 218).
Wassaechtaack. - See Pocha.
Wasque. - The southermost point of Chappaquiddick was early called Wasque, an abbreviation of Wannasque, meaning "the ending or point." Wasqua hill is mentioned in 1742 (Deeds, VI, 401).
where he sold a tract "excepting the grass privilege already sold."
1Dukes Deeds, IV, 44; comp., IV, 204.
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Annals of Edgartown
ENGLISH PLACE NAMES.
Caleb's (Collops) Pond. - See Micenuckchuwat.
Great Neck. - After Natick Island became a part of the main island it was later called Great Neck.
Little Neck. - A small part of the original Natick was known in 1790 as Little Neck.
Tom's Neck .- This name was attached as early as 1790 and still belongs to the small neck of land on the eastern side of the island.
POPULATION.
For the first hundred years after the settlement, this island was occupied solely by Indians, and their numbers had fluctuated during and since that time, through epidemics and immigration. In 1698 there were 138 Christianized natives, perhaps two-thirds of the entire population. In 1765 about 80 were left and in 1790 there were 75, "not more than one third of whom are pure."1 In the next century enumerations taken at irregular times give the following figures: In 1807, 65; in 1828, 110; in 1849, 84; in 1861, 74, and at the close of the last century, 7.2
The Des Barres map of 1781 shows twenty-three houses on the island, both English and Indian, indicating a population of about 175 of the combined races. The census of 1790 makes no separation of those resident here, but counting the families known to have lived on the island, it is estimated that about 190 constituted its population.
THE EARLY SETTLERS.
It was not until about 1750 that the whites began to take up the land for residential purposes, and it is believed that Captain Thomas Arey (35) was the first one of the Edgar- town people to settle there.3 He was born in 1716 and followed the sea in his younger days. He died in 1787 and was, in his
1Benjamin Bassett in Ist Mass. Hist. Coll., I, 206. The Edgartown records note the death of Bethiah Moses in 1818 aged 92 and state that she "Left only Ruth Maqud of Clear Indian about the Same age on Chappaquiddick to Survive her."
?Concerning their condition in 1849 an official report states: "Twenty years ago [1829] they were preeminently a degraded people, unchaste, intemperate, and by consequence, improvident; now they are chaste, not a case of illegitimacy, so far as we could learn, existing among them; temperate, comparing, in this respect, most favorably with the same population, in the same condition of life, in any part of the state."
3Dukes Deeds, VIII, 46, 158-9.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
time, undoubtedly the largest landed proprietor of Chappa- quiddick.1 The next settler was Joseph Huxford, about 1755, and following him in probable order was Thomas Fish (31) about 1758; Henry Fish (34), Benjamin Pease, Jr. (311) about 1760; Thomas Smith (45) in 1774; Matthew Butler (53) in 1778; and about 1782, Joseph Swasey, Jr., was added to the growing white settlement. Before 1790, besides the sons of the above-named pioneers the residents of the island included Seth Dunham, Elisha Dunham, George Daggett, William Covell, John Clark, Cornelius and Ephraim Ripley, and two of the first Portuguese immigrants to our shores, Emanuel Silvara and Antony Chadwick.2 These aliens had married two of the Fish(er) girls, Sarah (51) and Anna (61) respectively, and became identified with the church of their wives.
THE INDIAN MEETING.
Chappaquiddick was one of the "praying towns" of the Vineyard established by the Mayhews as a result of their mission work, and in 1670 Joshua Momatchegin was ordained as one of the ruling elders of the native church, gathered by the elder Thomas in his capacity of religious instructor. The converted Indians on the east side of the Vineyard were gathered into one congregation at first, but after the death of Hiacoomes in 1690 the Chappaquiddick tribe were set off as a separate body and continued under the charge of Momatchegin.3 This elder dying in 1703 was succeeded by Jonathan Amos, who survived but three years. The con- dition of this church at this period is thus described: "And now the Indians at the said Chappaquiddick were in a miserable State, the Candlestick which had been there being removed out of its Place. The Place being thus unchurched, was filled with Drunkards instead of the Good People who had before inhabited it."4 What became of the church organization after this date is not known. None of the maps of that century (1700-1799) show the existence of a church structure on this
1Council Records, No. 940 (1782). He owned or claimed not less than 250 acres bought of the Indians at various times.
2Chadwick was probably an adopted name as it is of English origin. Thaxter notes the death in 1820 of Anthony Chadwick, "a Portugee a state Pauper" aged 67 years. Descendants now reside in Edgartown.
3He was assisted by Hiacoomes and later by John Coomes, until the latter re- moved to "the main."
4Indian Converts, 34.
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Annals of Edgartown
island and it is doubtful if there was one. The absence of records and the disappearance of the tribe contribute to our lack of information. Doubtless they were cared for by the societies which supported missionaries here. The state map of 1830 shows a meeting-house on the Indian reservation, but it is not known where it was erected nor how long it was in use. In 1860 the Indian Commissioner made the following report on this subject: "The Chappaquiddicks have no religious organization, nor have they any religious services or instruction, distinct from their white neighbors. They attend meeting at the 'Marine Church' at Sampson's hill, across the line, whenever there are services there, which is at irregular intervals."1 These services were held by ministers of all denominations from time to time. Such is now the case. The old meeting-house has been recently repaired, and during the summer months the Edgartown clergy supply the pulpit in turn in the present century.
1State Senate Report, No. 96 (1861), p. 21. The Rev. John Adams in his Auto- biography in 1840 tells of preaching "in the new church in Chappaquidick" (I, 420).
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ANNALS OF WEST TISBURY
ANNALS OF WEST TISBURY.
TAKEMMY.
The present limits of West Tisbury represent the old township of Tisbury as it was originally laid out, and the history of this town, though the latest creation in our corporate galaxy, begins actually two and a third centuries ago. West Tisbury occupy- ing as it does the original settlement once called Middletown is therefore the historic Tisbury, though bearing a modified title. The Algonquian name of this locality was Takemmy, as it is generally written in English by the first settlers.
Taacame and Taukemy are variations of the Indian name for the territory mostly comprised in the present town of West Tisbury. Through this section flows the largest stream on the island, and this big "river" when the whites first purchased Takemmy in 1669-70 was called "Old Mill River" giving evi- dence that some sort of a mill had been erected there by previous settlers or residents of the island long before its purchase from the natives, possibly soon after the settlement of Edgartown. This first mill was, probably, a primitive affair, but quite sufficient for the wants of the settlers. It is possible that it was merely a large wooden mortar and pestle run by an under- shot wheel, enclosed by a temporary structure.
The road leading from Edgartown to Takemmy was and is still called the "Mill Path," and the road from Chilmark run- ning east to Takemmy was also called the "Mill Path" as early as 1664. These facts are strongly corroborative of our study of the name. The full etymology of it is Tackhum-min-eyi, of which -hum is a special affix, and implies exertion of strength, as he forces him or it after the manner expressed by the root Tack, i. e., to pound, grind, strike the object which is -min, (Grammar of the Cree, 86, 87). Min was the generic term for any small berry, nut or grain. Here it denotes the grain, par excellence, corn, (Trumbull). In the Narragansett and Massachusetts dialects Mayi, May or Meyi, signifies a path, road, which is
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History of Martha's Vineyard
formed from the suppositive (subjunctive) of the verb au, aui, meaning he goes to or towards (a place), with the indefinite m' prefixed, where anybody goes (Trumbull).
Hence we have Tackhum-min-eyi, with the reading "where anybody goes to grind corn," in allusion to the mill erected by the whites.
BOUNDARIES
The original bounds of Tisbury, as given in the charter of 1671 were as follows :-
neare the middle of the said Island on the south side thereof granted to several Inhabitants, freeholders there for a Towne-ship, who have made purchase of the Indian Right, the said Towne formerly known by the name of Middle-Town, the Precincts whereof are bounded on the East by the Land heretofore belonging to the Sachem Towonquateck: on the West by Nashowakemmuck: on the South by Qua-niems & a fresh Pond & on the North by the Sound:
When West Tisbury was incorporated, May 1, 1892, it was given the following division lines, as shown by the several bound marks between the towns adjoining to her limits :--
WEST TISBURY AND TISBURY
Ist. Stone monument at Makonikey near the Sound shore.
2nd. same on top of the hill at Makonikey.
3rd. same on south side of North Shore Road, near old school house site.
4th. same, top of hill, southerly from No. 2, in D. D. Norton's pasture.
5th. same in woods, westerly from outside gate of Shubael Weeks' place. 6th. same on south side of West Tisbury-Tisbury State Highway.
7th. same south-westerly from M. M. Smith's, in edge of the woods.
8th. same on easterly side of Chickamoo Path.
9th. the "four town bound."
WEST TISBURY AND EDGARTOWN
Ist. Stone monument at the "four town bound."
2nd. same on south side of Farm Path.
3rd. same on south side of Smith's Path.
4th. same on north side of West Tisbury-Edgartown Road-old track. 5th. same on south side of Watcha Road.
6th. same on south side of first clump of woodland in Watcha.
7th. same on south side of obscure wood road in Watcha.
8th. same on south side of middle section of woodland in Watcha.
9th. same on south side of southermost woodland in Watcha.
Ioth. same near South Beach on the bluff.
4
Annals of West Tisbury
WEST TISBURY AND CHILMARK
Ist. Rock in Vineyard Sound, with a copper bolt.
2nd. Stone monument in Prof. Shaler's Place, on top of hill.
3rd. Great Rock, (Wascoseems).
4th. Stone monument in Orlin F. Davis' meadow.
5th.
same on South Road at "Nab's Corner."
6th. same at southerly side of Look's brook, westerly side of road.
7th. same about four rods easterly from No. 6.
8th. same on South Beach, at the half width of the Tisbury Great Pond.
The above limits are practically those of the original township grant.
POPULATION.
West Tisbury had no known population before 1670, when the four proprietors made their first purchase of the soil and opened it up for settlement. From a computation based on the genealogies of families known to have been living here ten years later (1680) we can enumerate about 120 souls resident then. The map of Simon Athearn (1694) shows twenty-two houses in the town, and as families always exceed houses in numbers, we may reckon 25 families of five each at that date, or a total of 125 souls. Removals and the opening up of Chilmark to settlement took away in the inter- vening time what would be the normal increase. In 1700 there were probably about 150 people here. No further basis of computation until 1757 has been found. In a list of members of the "Foot Company" for that year, 132 men are listed for military service, and-using the accepted multi- ple-a total of 660 souls can be reckoned as then living in the town.
The first Provincial census of 1765 shows the following figures relating to Tisbury :- families 100, comprising a total of 838 souls, living in ITO houses. Of these there were 226 males and 233 females above sixteen years of age; 165 males and 166 females below sixteen; 9 negroes (4 male and 5 female) and 39 Indians (15 male and 24 female). Tisbury was then the smallest town, numerically, on the Island, though second excluding negroes and Indians. In the census of 1776 there were 1033 persons resident in the town.
The first federal census of 1790 gives us an enumeration by names; and from this the following statistics are drawn: total population, 1,135 (whites), of which number there were 287 males above sixteen years, 238 below sixteen, and 609
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History of Martha's Vineyard
ANCIENT PLAN OF TISBURY, 1694.
holinskis
Lo Ping his Rolo havo withers to payed war to hisbuary
this metade landss Claro) by and pray wants to Chilmark
its Called
this m pleased is Pattant from your Called the town of silbury y moting house
· Paym reais two patents
NOTE .- This interesting and valuable plan of Tisbury in 1694, is the first one of its kind known to the author, and is a part of a sketch of the entire island. It is here printed with the east to the top for the convenience of reading the written descriptions made by him on the map. These legends are as follows, beginning at the top :-
holms his hole holms his hole have hitherto payed rat(e)s to tisbury
this included lands is Claimed by and pay rat(e)s to Chilmark its Called Chikkemoo
this included is pattant from York Called the town of Tisbury the meting house
a farm claimed by two patants
The plan shows two houses in the Chickemmoo district, and twenty- two houses in the town of Tisbury, besides the meeting-house, in 1694. The position of the meeting-house bears out the views of the author as to its location at that date. It was the first house of worship built, and occupied the present site of Agricultural Hall. The "farm claimed by two patants" is, undoubtedly, the Quinames property, a part of the Manor of Tisbury.
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Annals of West Tisbury
"free white" females and seven "other free persons," pre- sumably negroes. Tisbury was then the second town in population on the Vineyard. All computations, however, do not make any distinction between the two sections (Homes Hole and West Tisbury) which then made up the whole town.
The following figures show the population of Tisbury as enumerated in the decennial censuses of the United States from 1800 to the present time: In 1800 it was 1092; in 1810, 1202; in 1820, 1223; in 1830, 1317; in 1840, 1520; in 1850, 1803; in 1860, 1631; in 1870, 1536; in 1880, 1518; in 1890, 1506; in 1900, II49.
The population of Tisbury reached the maximum in 1850 and showed a gradual decrease to 1900, when the popu- lation was but fifty-seven above that of the census of 1800. The town of West Tisbury, which was formed from Tisbury in 1892 had a population of about 450, and the loss in the census of 1900 is thus accounted for to the parent town.
Tisbury was the first in population of the three original towns, 1860-1890 inclusive, as shown in the three decennial censuses. The state census of 1905 showed a population of II20.
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The settlement at Great Harbor had continued for twenty- five years to be the sole settlement on the island, but by 1666 the necessity for an extension of their territorial occupation became more apparent, and it is probable that by this date some persons had taken up land here, or occupied it for tillage purposes. Doubtless the attraction to this place was the fine water courses and the fertile meadows, which have made this the garden spot of the Vineyard. In what way the original proprietors of Tisbury were induced to invest in this territory is not known. They had no previous association with the Vineyard as land owners, nor were they connected by marriage with any of the existing families on the island. Surmises on the influences which caused them to turn their faces hither would be useless. It is sufficient to state that on the first day of July, 1668, as a result of previous negotiations, Thomas Mayhew gave authority to William Pabodie and Josiah Standish of Duxbury, and James Allen of Sandwich to enter into agree- ment with the Sachem of Takemmy to buy what land they wished within his bounds, and confirming previous purchases made by them. The following is the grant to the three pur- chasers :-
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History of Martha's Vineyard
Foreasmuch as I have a grant of this Island both from the agent of the Lord Sterling, and alsoe from the agent of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, Knight, for this Island, the Vineyard, this doth witness that I, Thomas Mayhew, doe grant unto William Pabodie, Josias Standish, and James Allin, liberty to buy land, I say liberty to buy what land they can uppon this Island, within the compass of the bounds of Takemmy, of the Indian Sachims, the right owners, and to enjoy all such lands, themselves, heirs and assigns, forever, uppon the same terms and conditions, that that I have it from the Lord Proprietor: but for the people that are to be brought on, they are to bee, not only approved of by the said William Pabodie, Josias Standish, and James Allin, or the major part of them, & their heirs and assighnes, but also by mee, the said Thomas Mayhew, my heirs and assighnes; And for the government of the inhabitants that shall bee there uppon said land, it is to be carried on by myself, & the major part of the freeholders thus, that is I, the said Thomas Mayhew, cannot act without them, nor my heirs nor assignes; nor they, the said William Pabodie, Josias Standish, and James Allin, nor their heirs nor assighns, shall not doe nor act without mee, the said Thomas Mayhew, or my suc- cessors. This is also an approbation of what land they have bought alreddy, so far as concerns mee, I doe heerby allow of it, and this I doe in consideration that they, the grantees, are to pay mee six poundes, thirteen shillings and four pence, at Boston, to Captain Oliver, or Peter Oliver, at Boston. Witness hereunto my hand and seal the first day of July, 1668.1
THOMAS MAYHEW.
THE "FIRST PURCHASE."
It is not known what was confirmed to them in "land they have bought already," as no transfers appear of record, though it may possibly refer to purchases for the mill and a few lots within the greater territory which they soon acquired. Negotiations with the Sachem were finally consummated on Aug. 2, 1669, when in consideration of £80, four associates, James Skiffe, Jr., of Sandwich having later been admitted to partnership, received title to the following described land :-
From the mouth of Tyasquan River to the Bridge and from the Bridge in the path that goeth to the school house till it doth meet with the Bounds of Nashowakemmuck, from thence in the Bound line to the Sound: secondly from the mouth of Tyasquan to a tree in the vally by the house of papa- meck marked and from that tree to another tree marked tree westerly marked and from that parellell with the bound line between Nashowa- kemmuck and Takemmy: and also from the tree in the valley aforesaid near paapameks house in the winter 1668, it is to run Eesterly one mile and from that miles end it is to run Southerly unto the water that comes into the vally where Titchpits house and his sonnes were in the winter
1Dukes Deeds, I, 239.
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Annals of West Tisbury
1668 aforesaid which includes all the land or neckes westerly to Coske- nachasooway.1
The Sachem also granted by this same deed for a further consideration of £65,. all "the meadow upon all the neckes of land on the South side of the Island in his bounds." It is not possible to plot out this last indefinite territory, but the bounds of the other portion are shown in the accompanying map.
This tract of land is known as the "First Purchase, " and it will be seen that it excluded the flexible "mile square" on the Sound, granted previously by Josias and Wanamanhut to the praying Indians and elsewhere described. The four partners endeavored to have this included in their grant, "but the said Josias refused to let us have any land further Eastward of the said bounds," as James Skiffe said some years later, "alledging that he had already granted it to the praying Indians."2 It appears that the subjects of the Sachem were displeased at this purchase, by which so large a tract became alienated to the control of the whites, and as a result of the agitation the bounds of the Christian town were definitely determined in May, 1669, and a written agreement about further sales was made by the Sachems and chief men, as related in the chapter dealing with the affairs of the Indian town.4
On June 17, 1670, about one year after the purchase, the planters finding the restrictions regarding the herding of their cattle impracticable or unnecessarily vexatious obtained from Josias an instrument in consideration of five shillings providing for a removal of this condition, in which he gave their cattle "liberty lawfully and peaceably to greas within the Commons of Tackemy without any molestation."" This permission of free ranging for their cattle required the marking of each man's live stock, and the methods adopted by them are described elsewhere. It is not known who, at this time, had undertaken actual residence within the "first purchase" limits. There are no records extant showing grants of land or transfers of real estate to establish priority of settlement for any person. Benjamin Church of Duxbury, the famous Indian fighter, had erected a grist mill "on the westermost brook of Takemmy"
1Dukes Deeds, I, 33. One of the conditions of the sale was that the English should herd their cattle, and not allow them to roam at large; a proviso inserted by them because the cattle would destroy their corn fields and squash meadows.
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