USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 39
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Annals of Chilmark
district had been eliminated as a factor in this burdensome problem, but the several communities at Keephigon, Elizabeth Islands, Menemsha and the other outlying precincts kept the question always a source of contention at the yearly meet- ings. In 1758 it was voted that there be a "fixed school," for the ten years ensuing, "to be kept on the land of Zachariah Mayhew near Wm. Stewards," and a committee was appointed to provide suitable accommodations. Five years later, there being some uncertainty about the regularity of service, an inspector was appointed to "see if the Town School be Regerly Kept," and also to see "if Mr. Steaven Skiff will go and keep a Regular School the year out according to agreement and to make good the lost time."1
The ten years having elapsed, the town renewed the vote, establishing it for another decade near the "tan fats." In 1777 the sum of £250 was raised "for a school or schools" and a committee was appointed "to divide the town into districts as will be most for the advantage to the inhabitants." 2 In 1789 a similar vote was passed, and the school-house at that time was situated "on the land of Robert Allen & near the place where the house of Capt. James Allen deceased lately stood."3 The money was to be divided according to the number of children in each division. Owing to the large area and the scattered settlements, this involved further friction and families were changed from one district to another to obviate the hardships of arbitrary divisional lines. A school census, "from twenty one years old and under" was ordered in 1790 to aid the selectmen in apportioning the school funds. This plan was followed until the close of that century. In the beginning of the next century the school districts were divided by a north and south line, drawn from "the roreing brook leveing Pain Tilltons and Prince Look to the Westward said line running thence to the meeting house thence south easterly untill it comes to the sea."4 The sum of two hundred dollars was raised in 1801 for educational purposes.
In 1850 there were three public schools in the town, with an attendance of 133 scholars, for the support of which $333 was raised by taxation. The teachers in this period
'Town Records, July 8, 1763.
2Ibid., I, 163.
3This was the school for the southern division of the town. May Ist was set as the time for opening schools.
4Town Records, I, 259.
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for the following decade were A. J. Blake, Rev. Elijah Demond, (the Congregationalist Minister), Quincy E. Dick- erman, subsequently master of a Boston school, Charles E. Alden, Bartlett Mayhew and J. Dana Bullen. In 1863 there were 182 scholars enrolled and $451.50 was the expenditure for that year. The school-houses were situated then as follows: (I) Western District, near Beetle Bound corner (the present site), and the teachers were Ruth H. Nickerson, principal, and Charlotte J. Hillman, assistant; for the winter term, I. N. Kidder, principal and Ada S. Luce, assistant. (2) North East District, in Keephigon, near the Tisbury line, and the teachers were Cyrus M. Lovell (summer) and Henry H. Luce (winter). (3) South East District, on South road, near Nabs corner, and the teachers were Josephine R. Cottle (summer) and Cyrus M. Lovell (winter).
MILITIA.
As elsewhere related, the military affairs of this town were merged with Tisbury, and the combined company was under command of Benjamin Skiffe for many years, until he was promoted to be major of the County Regiment. Zachariah Mayhew became identified with the militia, and is given the title of Captain immediately following the death of Skiffe, and it is presumed he commanded the local company.1 His brother Zaccheus, however, had a longer record in connection with the town militia, and became its captain some time before 1718. In the French and Indian wars this combination with Tisbury terminated, and in 1757 the company, still under command of Zaccheus Mayhew, had the following additional officers: Fortunatus Mayhew, Lieutenant; Eliashib Tack May Rew Adams, John Basset, Uriah Tilton and Josiah Tilton as Sergeants, and Zaccheus Mayhew, Jr. as Ensign.2 In 1761 there were two companies of foot in Chilmark, of which the first was under command of Cornelius Bassett as Captain;3 Samuel Mayhew, First Lieutenant;
1Town Records, under date of Oct. 25, 1716, page II, Zachariah Mayhew de- voted his time for most of his life to missionary work among the Indians.
2Mass. Arch., XCIX, 24.
3Ibid., XCIX, 24. Captain Bassett was also Lieutenant Colonel of the County Regiment of Militia.
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Annals of Chilmark
Uriah Tilton, Second Lieutenant, and Mayhew Adams as Ensign. The second company was under command of Robert Hatch as Captain, Lemuel Weeks as Lieutenant, and Zephaniah Robinson as Ensign. There was also an Indian company in the town at this time under the command of the following officers: Adonijah Mayhew, Captain; Lemuel Butler, Lieutenant, and Thomas Daggett, Ensign. Neither the town records nor other sources of in- formation furnish evidence of activity in local military affairs subsequent to the Revolution. In 1794, when the Major General of the state militia issued orders to those towns which had no organized companies to supply the deficiency, Chilmark directed the selectmen to "write to Major General Goodwin themselves or by joining with the other towns in Dukes County requesting a suspension of his orders to organize militia" and further desiring Beriah Norton of Edgartown to assist said town in making said request."1
TAVERNS.
Chilmark has never been a tavern town, and no record has been found by the author showing that a license was granted for the express purpose of "keeping a publicke house, " except in one year. Undoubtedly Chilmark was one of the towns referred to in 1694, which "thinck it inconvenient to have such houses." In 1715, however, Ebenezer Allen, and in 1722 William Clark and Lemuel Little were licensed as "inn- holders in Chilmark," and obtained a license as such. It is believed that these licenses cover rather the retailing of "strong drink," as three taverns in the town were not required for the convenience of wayfarers at that period. Situated as it was and is, the need of such houses occurred so infrequently, that private homes have always been ample, and at the service of the "stranger within its gates" temporarily.
The following named persons were licensed innholders in the town of Chilmark by the County Court for the years specified: Ebenezer Allen, 1715-16; William Clark, 1722-32; Zaccheus Mayhew, 1735-8; Bethiah Mayhew, 1738; Thomas Mayhew, 1761; Zephaniah Mayhew, 1746-7; Josiah Tilton, 1748; William Hunt, 1749-52; Uriah Tilton, 1749-51; John Allen, Jr., 1752-3; John Cottle, 1741-65; Cornelius Bassett
1Town Records, I, 240.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
1761-73; Salathiel Tilton, 1769; Abisha Cottle, 1772-7; Beriah Luce, 1781-2; Ebenezer Bassett, 1782, William Stewart, 1782-4; Benjamin Bassett, 1786-7; John Allen, 1786-7.
PATHS, HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES.
The South Road. - This was the first "hie way" in the town and probably existed as a foot or cart path from the earliest occupation by the English. Undoubtedly it followed the old trail used by the Indians in their intercourse between Takemmy and Nashowakemmuck. It was a continuation of the "Mill path" or "school house path" from Tisbury, and was gradually extended as the settlement grew. In 1704 the selectmen, upon petition, laid it out as appears by the following record: -
beginning att the road on the top of the hill near the meeting hous runing to a heap of stones near the house of Nathan Basset and from thence running to a stake and a heap of stones, being in an old field sometime within the Inclosour of nathan basset: and from thence to the northerly Corner of the land of Ebenezer Allen and so where the way now runs that is on the south side of the Land of Willm. Tilton. Dated Sept. the 14th, 1704.1
In 1786 this road extended a distance of 32 miles from the Tisbury bounds, or to the turn at Ephraim Mayhew's corner. It was the only open town road in the existence of the town until the following century, excepting of course cart paths and other indefinite ways of communication.
Menemsha Road. - In January, 1738-9, the inhabitants petitioned the county Court for a road from Menemsha pond to the common (south) road, but it was not laid out till 1748, when damages to the amount of £55 were assessed and allowed to abutting owners. It is the road which leads from North Shore past Beetle Bound corner to the South road at the Ephraim Mayhew place.
Tea Lane. - According to tradition this road derived its name from an incident that occurred during the embargo on tea, in the days prior to the Revolution. Captain Robert Hillman (146), returning from a voyage to England, brought some of the "forbidden fruit" for the use of an invalid aunt, the wife of his uncle Silas (45). The patriotic authorities learning of it, endeavored its seizure, but were unable after
1 Town Records. I, 15.
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Annals of Chilmark
several searchings to locate the depositary, which was the barn, and Aunt Eunice had her cheering cups in spite of the officials whose duty it was to confiscate this contraband article that became the exciting cause of the great struggle.
Middle Road .- Upon petition of Samuel Tilton, 2nd, and 150 others this road was laid out by the County Com- missioners, Dec. 30, 1845, from Baxter's Corner, West Tisbury, to the Gay Head line, including a bridge over Harry's creek. The length as surveyed was six miles, 290 rods, having a width of two rods.
North Road .- The County Commissioners, upon a petition of John Hammett and 216 others, accepted the layout of this road, Sept. 17, 1849, and it was finished two years later. It extended a distance of 6 miles, 74 rods, from the village of North Tisbury to Menemsha creek.
THE U. S. GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
The general government is not represented in this town by any of its departments except the postal service. An office was established in 1822, and Matthew Mayhew was com- missioned, Dec. 25, 1822, as the first postmaster. The office was, and is now, located at the house or store of the incum- bent for the time being. The successors in the postmaster- ship have been as follows: Ephraim Mayhew, commissioned Oct. 13, 1836; Tristram Allen, Jr., March 30, 1842; Mrs. Tamson Allen, July 13, 1864; John Dunham, Sept. 7, 1865; James T. Mosher, April 20, 1883; George West, Jan. 27, 1886, and E. Elliot Mayhew, May 18, 1897 (present incumbent). The name of this office was changed from Chilmark to Squib- nocket in 1883, and remained so till 1898, when the original town name was resumed as its official designation.
INDUSTRIES.
MILLS.
Three brooks, the New Mill river, Roaring brook and Fulling Mill brook, having their sources in the high hills of Chilmark, afforded sufficient water power to run several mills.
Fulling Mill. - The earliest one established was the fulling mill, some years prior to 1694, of which Benjamin Skiffe was owner and manager. It was situated several rods
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History of Martha's Vineyard
to the north of the South road and the old dam site is still visible to the traveler crossing the bridge that spans the brook. How long it was in operation as a fulling mill is not known, but the map of 1795 shows it in existence at that date.
Grist Mills. - There was a grist mill on New Mill river, probably before 1700, as Benjamin Skiffe was granted the privilege to establish one in 1696 (Deeds, I, 125) and the map of 1795 shows one at that date near the Tisbury line.
A grist mill was built on the Roaring brook, probably by John Hillman (12), before 1728, and it was operated after his death by the widow and her brother-in-law, Benjamin Hillman (13) (Deeds, VII, 224). A new one was erected on this site in 1849 by Francis W. Nye, and the mill is still standing, though not in operation.
A grist mill was established about 1850 on the Fulling Mill brook by Samuel Tilton, and was in operation for about ten years. The buildings have since then been devoted to other uses.
WOOL.
Sheep raising has been one of the principal industries from the earliest times in Chilmark. At the time of Grey's raid, when the ten thousand sheep were commandeered, this town lost nearly one half of the entire number. In 1837 the farmers had a total of 6470, of which 1600 were merinos, and the average weight of each fleece was two pounds. The production of wool in that year was $5,180.
In 1850 the farmers owned 5,568 sheep, of which 1,400 were in one flock (William W. Swain's). The production of wool was 13,195 pounds in that year.
IRON ORE.
Long before the Revolution bog iron was taken from the swamps on the estate once owned by John Hillman and in the possession of his heirs.1 It is stated that during the war of Independence the product of this mine, if it may be so called, was smuggled across the Sound to the forges of Taunton and converted into ammunition when the supply of lead became diminished. Crevecoeur's map of 1782 notes the location of this mine as one of the principal points of
1Dukes Probate, III, 153. Division of estate in 1743 refers to the "iron ore swamp."
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Annals of Chilmark
interest on the island. Dr. James Thacher, in his "Obser- vations upon Iron Ores," makes the following reference to it:
There is on the island of Martha's Vineyard a mine of iron ore of considerable extent and value. It is brought to our works in large lumps of a reddish brown colour, affording about 25 per cent. and it is worth six dollars per ton. Iron from this ore exhibits a peculiar degree of smooth- ness and lustre.1
During the war of 1812 this mine furnished the ore that was cast into balls for the guns of the "Constitution," if we may rely on legend, and it is not difficult to give this tale some credit.2
TANNERY.
There were tan pits in operation as early as 1726,3 situated on the east side of Peaked hill, near the middle road; not far from the town hall.
PAINT MILL.
Hiram and Francis Nye, who had come here from Fal- mouth, established a paint mill about 1850, for grinding colors out of the clayey deposits found near the shore. The highest annual production while it was in operation was about 46,000 pounds, valued at $5,000, and the mill was situated on a brook now called Paint Mill brook.
BRICK KILNS.
About sixty years ago Messrs. Smith and Barrows estab- lished a plant for the manufacture of pressed brick near the outlet of Roaring brook. It was a large industry for the town at first, employing a dozen laborers, and the production was about 600,000 bricks of the value of $2,400 annually. While there was wood enough to burn the bricks the manu- facture continued, but after twenty years the fuel was exhausted and the works had to be abandoned. Nothing remains but an old water wheel, a wooden flume to supply it with water, a smoke stack and ruined walls. The clay beds are not yet exhausted.
11 Mass. Hist. Coll., IX, 257.
2Hines, "Story of Martha's Vineyard," 161.
3Homes, Diary. It may have been operated by Thomas Blair, a Scotchman who lived next the pits at that date.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
CHILMARK IN 1908
This town is nearly two centuries old since the date of its incorporation as such by its present name, and two hun- dred and thirty-seven years old reckoning from its establishment as Tisbury Manor. It has been segmented more than the other two original towns, losing the Elizabeth Islands and Chickemmoo from its material assets. Its condi- tion at this time as shown by the assessor's books May I, 1908 is as follows :- Personal estate assessed, $57,225; real estate assessed, $232,708; total $289,933. Acres of land assessed, 10,436; number of dwelling houses, 171; horses III; COWS, 115; other cattle, 93; sheep, 2145.
.
ANCIENT STONE CORBEL (DOORWAY ARCH), S. MARGARET'S CHURCH, CHILMARK, ENG.
*
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Annals of Chilmark
NOMANS LAND.
DISCOVERY BY GOSNOLD, 1602.
This island, situated two and three-quarters miles to the southward of Gay Head, enjoys the distinction of being the first land touched by Gosnold in 1602 and receiving from the explorers the name of "Marthaes Vineyard." This title, as we know, became attached to the present island bearing the name, although the reasons for the transfer of nomen- clature are not understood. When Gosnold and his com- panions landed here it was "a disinhabited island," but the two journalists of the voyage give detailed accounts of their investigations of its natural features. They found it "full of wood-vines, gooseberry bushes, whortleberries, raspberries, eglantines, etc. Here we had cranes, steames, shoulers geese
Marthays Vincard
FIRST REPRESENTATION OF NOMANS LAND. FROM THE SIMANCAS MAP, 1610.
and divers other birds which there at that time upon the cliffs being sandy with some rocky stones, did breed and had young. In this place we saw deer; here we rode in eight fathoms near the shore where we took great store of cod,- as before at Cape Cod, but much better."1
The subsequent history of the island, after this elaborate introduction to the world, is practically a blank for over half a century, and but for its appearance on the maps of this period nothing is known of it.
SUCCESSIVE CHANGES OF NAME.
The christening of Gosnold did not stick to this lonely isle of the sea, and it came to have a variety of titles in the maps of the seventeenth century. The second name it bore
1Archer, Relation of Captain Gosnold's Voyage, 4.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
was "Hendrick Christiaensen's Eylant" in 1616 and "Ile de Hendrick" in 1646, both having reference to the Dutch ex- plorer of that name who probably visited it. The curious name of "Dock Island" appears on a map of 1675, but it was not repeated in later charts.
After its inclusion in the jurisdiction of New York it came under other influences, and in 1666 was first called "Nomans Land," also the Isle of Man. The origin of the name "No- mans" is not known. It is usual to attribute it to a combin- ation of two words, No Man's Land, as descriptive of its ownerless condition, but while this is the easiest conclusion it does not seem to be the correct one. The word is scarcely ever divided and its almost universal spelling is Nomans Land from the earliest times. There was a great Powwaw on the Vineyard called Tequenoman residing here when the English came and it is possible that he had jurisdiction over, or owner- ship of, this small island which came to bear the last half of his name, (Teque)nomans Land. This name became at- tached to it at the time above noted and has been its sole title ever since. The Indian name (1666) was Cappoaquit.1
EARLY OWNERSHIP.
Nomans Land was not included by name in the original sales of Gorges and Sterling to Mayhew in 1642, and it does not appear that the Governor or his family ever assumed jurisdiction over it or disposed of it by sale. Immediately after the Duke of York obtained his charter for New York, in 1664, his representative proclaimed the authority of the Duke's patent over this island, and on Aug. 3, 1666, granted it to William Reeves, Tristram Dodge, John Williams and William Nightingale, conditional upon the establishment of a fishing trade, construction of a harbor within three years, and the annual payment of one barrel of cod fish as a quit- rent.2 It was further stipulated that when a certain number of families settled on it the privileges of a township would be granted and a justice of the peace appointed. These condi- tions were not fulfilled within the three years and the grant was forfeited. This failure, according to the statement of John Williams, was due to "the default of his Partners," and upon his petition the grant was renewed to him June
1Dukes Deeds, I, 70.
2New York Col. Mss., Patents, I, 50.
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Annals of Chilmark
28, 1670; "to settle a fishing trade there," and again, on Feb. 23, 1674, he obtained a second renewal.1 It is not believed that anything was ever done under these patents and it remained in the gift of the Duke for ten years longer. When Governor Dongan invested Matthew Mayhew in 1685 with the Lord- ship of Martha's Vineyard, he included Nomans Land by name in the patent and a few days afterwards Mayhew sold it to Dongan, who thus came into possession of the island by pur- chase.2 Dongan sold it on August 3, 1689, to William Nichols of Islip, Long Island, for a money consideration and a "good fat lamb" annually.3 The island was held by Nichols for twenty-five years, probably without occupation, until Oct. 17, 1715, when he sold it to Jacob Norton (32) then of New- port, R. I., in whose possession and that of his heirs it remained for over half a century.4 Jacob Norton gave one quarter of the island in 1742 to his daughter Abigail (77), wife of Peter Simon of Newport, and she sold this share in 1772 to John Banister of the same place. The remainder, after his death (1743), descended to his sons, Shubael (69) of Bristol, R. I. and Jacob (73) of Chilmark and their heirs. Shubael had died before his father (1737) and Jacob shortly after (1750), and the island came into frequent litigation between the various claimants.
EARLY OCCUPANCY.
The first record of any settlement here is in the early part of the 18th century. Judge Sewall in 1702 says of No- mans Land, that the "Inhabitants (are) mostly of the 7th day Indians," i. e., Sabbatarian Baptists. It is probable that with the purchase by Norton in 1715 the first Englishmen came here to live. His son Jacob came here to reside soon after and in 1722 was granted a license as innholder of Nomans Land. Doubtless he continued a resident with his family till his death, and Samuel Norton (413) who married his sister, Mary (71) is called in 1740 "of Nomans Land." These two families numbered twenty souls in 1750, and there may have
IN. Y. Col. Mss., Court of Assizes, II, 538; Patents, IV, 91.
2The aboriginal ownership at this time, the first on record, was vested in the Sachem Cascanabin, who sold the western half May 1, 1686, to his brother Tack- quabin (Dukes Deeds, I, 70).
3 John Philip, sachem, sold the island in 1692 to Matthew Mayhew as steward for £50 and Mayhew sold his "rights" to Nichols the next year (Dukes Deeds, I, 137-138).
"Dukes Deeds, III, 395.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
been others living there besides. They were probably engaged in fishing, as at that time the surrounding waters were con- sidered "the only certain places for Fishing for Cod."1 It is not supposed the place was valuable from an agricultural point of view, though in 1745 it was testified that the island was valued at £10,000, old tenor.2 Another early settler was Israel Luce (67), [b. 1723, d. 1797], who removed to Nomans Land as a young man and spent the rest of his life there as a resident and was buried there. His sons Daniel (290), Thomas (292), and Ebenezer (294) remained on the island with their families until their deaths. George H. Butler was a resident about forty years (1860 to 1898), and Henry B. Davis with his family are the only inhabitants of the island at the present time.
ANNEXED TO CHILMARK.
The status of this island up to 1714 was an anomalous one, though being practically unoccupied except by Indians, it gave little concern to the people of the Vineyard. In the act of Oct. 30, 1714, when Chilmark was made a township, "an Island called No Mans Land" was included in its corporate limits.3 Two years later, for some reason, not now under- stood, the new town petitioned to have "an Island call'd No Mans Land" added to it and the General Court, on Nov. 30, 1716, passed the necessary resolve.4 Since this time the island has remained a part of Chilmark, though it has always occupied, until recently, a negligible share in the concerns of the town. It is scarcely mentioned in the proceedings of the annual meetings for years at a time.
1Sewall, Diary, III, 397.
2Evidence given by Jeremiah Mayhew, husbandman, and Elishab Adams, cord- wainer (Sup. Jud. Court Mss., 61016).
3Records General Court, IX, 428.
4Acts and Resolves, IX, 508, ch. 140.
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ANNALS OF TISBURY.
ANNALS OF TISBURY.
TISBURY.
The town of Tisbury, incorporated July 8, 1671, included the present town of West Tisbury, the region originally settled by the early proprietors, - and the limits of the town remained intact, territorially, until May 1, 1892, when as a result of a long continued agitation, the old town was divided. The portion formerly known as Homes Hole Neck retained the corporate name and ancient records of Tisbury, and the settlement at West Tisbury, where the town had its first beginnings, took the latter name.
BOUNDARIES.
The present town of Tisbury, in consequence of this division, represents but a moiety of the original limits of the old town. Its boundaries are as follows: ---
I. Stone monument at Makonikey near the Sound shore.
2. Same on top of the hill at Makonikey.
3. Same on North Shore road, near site of old school-house.
4. Same, top of hill in D. D. Norton's pasture.
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