USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 42
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In the spring of 1682 he sold his lot in West Tisbury and made the first of a series of land purchases at Homes Hole, which from that time to his death became his residence.4 This property, by continued acquisition extended from the Lagoon on the north to the Cottle property (head of Lagoon) on the south, and his house was situated near the site of the U. S. Marine Hospital. After his death it descended to his sons in shares and "set offs," but in time his eldest son, Abner, acquired the most of it by purchase from the other heirs.
During his life he had the usual experiences observed among his neighbors as respects his business and social re- lations. He was indicted and fined in 1678 for "unsavourie speeches" and sued for defamation in 1687 by Simon Athearn.5 He was elected "townsman" of Tisbury in 1678, and in 1679 was on a committee to "make rates."" Beyond these refer- ences other mention of him in the records is incidental. He
1Dukes County Court Records.
2Records Sabbatarian Baptist Church. At the same time Peter and Ruth West are found in the list of members 1692, and it is probable they were his brother and sister of these names.
3The order is as follows: "At a General meeting of the Church at Westerly Sept. 19, 1702, at Thomas Burdicks house, upon debate of the case of Thomas West of Martha's Vineyard, who having been several times admonished for his breach of the Sabbath, the church did proceed to a rejection of said West and appointed Bro. Wm. Gibson to draw up sentence of the congregation relating thereunto in writing to be sent to said West."
"He bought land at Homes Hole on February 8, 1681-2, and sold his lot on Old Mill river, April 10, 1682. (Dukes Deeds, I, 31, 375)
5Dukes Co. Court Records.
"Tisbury Records, 12, 13.
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Annals of Tisbury
made his will on Jan. 15, 1698, and died Sept. 6, 1706, in the sixtieth year of his age. In this document he bequeaths to his "eldest son" Abner the estate as far south as "Chunckes" swamp. To son Thomas certain land next southerly, and to son Peter a tract adjoining the previous bequest; to son William "all that creek stuff or meadow land which I bought of Mr Sam" (Indian). "Nextly" it continues, "I will and bequeath all my books and surgery instruments unto my son Thomas, a gun to my son Sackfield and a sword to my son Judah." His movable estate was left to the widow Elizabeth, "for bringing up the children," and he mentions his "four" daughters in this connection. "My will is," he directs in conclusion, "that none of my children be disposed of without the advice of Brother Nathaniel Skiffe and my son Abner, whom I do make overseers to this my will."1
The name of one of his younger sons, Sackfield, is of curious coincidence, as Sackville is one of the family names of the noble West family, Lords De la Warr of the peerage of England.2 It is not to be supposed, however, that the Dux- bury carpenter had any connection whatever with this armig- erous family. Diligents earch has failed to disclose the maiden name of his wife, Elizabeth, who was born in 1653 or '4, and survived her husband many years. She died Feb. 16, 1728, "in the 75th year of her age," and the gravestones of both the Doctor and his wife are in good preservation at West Tisbury. At least six of their descendants were graduates of Harvard College before 1800, and were men distinguished in the annals of the New England pulpit.
JOHN WHELDON.
Marriage with one of Abraham Chase's daughters, Abi- gail, brought John Wheldon to Homes Hole. He was prob- ably the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Marchant) Wheldon of Yarmouth, Cape Cod, born July 21, 1707, in that town. He was a seafaring man and followed the particular occupation of a Sound pilot in these waters. He came here about 1730-40,
1Dukes Co. Probate, I, 8. The property was not finally divided until April 3, 1722, when the children who did not receive landed bequests by will were given their shares (ibid. I, 125).
2No emigrant to New England of the name of Sackfield or Sackville in the 17th century has come to the notice of the author, and it does not seem, therefore, to be the name of the wife of Thomas West whose name was thus perpetuated. It should be said that the Sackville connection with the Wests is of comparatively recent date, and no importance can be attached to it as relates to our Sackfield West.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
and he and his wife received from her father, May 29, 1741, a large tract of land extending from the harbor to Tashmoo.1 His death occurred about 1755, as administration of his estate was granted to the widow December 18 that year. Three sons, John, Joseph, and Timothy were lost at sea in 1769 in one vessel.
JAMES WINSLOW.
He was born about 1732-3, and came to Homes Hole some time before Oct. 30, 1765, the date of his first purchase of land in the town.2 He was married here to Rhoda Chase (131), Nov. 3, 1757, which may be taken as the probable time of his settlement. His occupation was that of a Sound pilot as early as 1769, and he followed this throughout his active life.3 He was twice married, his second wife being Elizabeth, daughter of John Holmes, and two sets of children were born to him. His death occurred Aug. 26, 1805, in the 73d year of his age. Nothing certain is known of his former residence or parentage. There were Winslows in Rochester and Free- town who had business dealings with the Vineyard before 1750, and it is probable that he came from that section.
EARLY TRANSIENT RESIDENTS.
JOHN BAXTER.
In 1759 this person was licensed as a tavern keeper. He was probably an uncle or near relative of the Malachi Baxter of Yarmouth, Cape Cod, who settled here after the Revolution.' He does not appear as a grantor or grantee of property, and doubtless was a tenant only during his stay here. His inn was destroyed by fire in 1762, and after that no more is heard of him in town.
MANASSEH KEMPTON.
The identity of this transient is not satisfactorily estab- lished. He appears here in 1725 as the husband of widow Esther (Cottle) Harding, whom he had married in that year
'Dukes Deeds, VI, 452, 454, 458. .
2Ibid, X, 288.
3Ibid, X, 187.
"There were Baxters here before that date. In the muster roll of a New York .. company of troops, French and Indian war, 1762, appears the name of Simon Bax- ter, carpenter, aged 46, whose birthplace is given as Martha's Vineyard. (Rep't N. Y. State Historian, Colonial Series, II, 726-7.)
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Annals of Tisbury
probably (Court Records). He remained here perhaps four or five years, as traces of him are found in 1726, 1728 and 1729, his wife having died before the latter date, but whence he came or whither he went resolves itself into guessing, after much search.1 It is probable that he is Manasseh Kempton of Plymouth, who had married Mehitable Holmes of that town about 1715 and bought land same year. Two children were born to him, and he sold his property in 1721 and ap- parently removed elsewhere.2 The dates permit migration to the Vineyard, where he married a second time and, after a short stay, again changed residence to Southampton, L. I. In 1733, in a deed, he calls himself a "gunsmith" of the last named place, "formerly of Plymouth" and refers to his uncle Manasseh Kempton of Dartmouth, and his cousin Ephraim of Plymouth.3 As no wife signs with him these conditions fit the conclusion that he was the above described Manasseh, son of Ephraim of Plymouth. Our court records indicate that a child was born to him here, but its sex or survival is not known. He was neither grantor nor grantee while resident in town.
JACOB PERKINS.
He was the son of Isaac and Susanna Perkins of Hampton, N. H., baptized May 24, 1640, in that town and his younger sister, Mary, was the wife of our Isaac Chase. He came to the Vineyard about 1674, with his brother-in-law probably, and perhaps also in company with Samuel Tilton, bringing a wife and one child. While here a second child was born to them.4 By occupation he was a tailor, though it would seem that little of this class of work would occupy his time here with so few settlers. His stay here was brief and troublesome, because of the enmity of the official ruling family, arising from his testimony against one of its members in the slander suit of¿Daggett vs. Skiffe, as related elsewhere.5 Like a consider- able number, who at this time were leaving the Vineyard on account of the petty persecutions following the "Dutch Rebel-
1He was sued in 1726 (Dukes Co. Court Records); gave evidence in 1728 (Sup. Jud. Court Mss. 21403), and was sued in March, 1729, in our local court.
2This may be the date of his removal to the Vineyard. (Davis, "Landmarks of Plymouth," 207).
3Bristol Deeds, XXI, 466.
4His first purchase here was February 10, 1674. (Dukes Deeds, I, 336). He was called "Jacob Perkins (late of Hampton) now of Holmeshole on the Iland of Martyr's Vineyard." 24-12 mo. 1674 (Norfolk Co. Deeds, III, 20).
6Vol. I, 167 (note).
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History of Martha's Vineyard
lion," he concluded to remove to a more congenial location, and removed across the Sound to Falmouth, where on Oct. 31, 1677, he bought a homestead of William Weeks, Senior.1 His stay in Succanessit was also brief, for on Feb. 8, 1678, he sold this property, and on May 8, 1679, he repurchased an estate in Hampton, and ever after resided there. He was living in 1693 with his wife in that town.2
CALEB RAND.
This transient came here in 1755 from Nantucket, and lived on the West Tisbury road, just outside the present village of Vineyard Haven. He was the son of John and Mehitable (Call) Rand of Charlestown, born Dec. 6, 1703, and had married, Aug. 4, 1726, in that place, Katherine Kettell, by whom he had eleven children. The five eldest were of age and unmarried when he came here, and they all married here. He remained until about 1761, and returned to Nantucket, where he died in 1768, aged 65 years. The sons and daughters removed to Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, about 1760, and their descendants still reside in that province.
SAMUEL TILTON.
He was a transient resident here before 1676, and removed to West Tisbury and later to Chilmark, where he ended his days. A sketch of him appears in the annals of the latter town.
THE CONSTABLEWICK OF HOMES HOLE.
Although a part of old Tisbury for purposes of taxation, yet the people of Homes Hole and the place itself occupied very little time and space in the consideration of the freemen of West Tisbury. The name of Homes Hole is not mentioned in the town records from 1673 to 1737, nor is there any refer- ence to it indirectly. From the latter date it occurs irregularly every few years to 1780, when it begins to be recognized in the bestowal of some of the minor offices, such as tithingman, sur- veyor of highways or warden. In 1783 it is spoken of in the records of Tisbury as "that tract of Land Called Homeshole." Not until 1788 was a selectman chosen from this section
1Barnstable Town Records, I, 36.
2Norfolk County Deeds, X, 44.
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Annals of Tisbury
[Samuel Look] but from that date it had a representative annually. In 1804-5-6 two residents of Homes Hole were on the board of selectmen. The first town meeting was held in Holmes Hole in March, 1807, at the Proprietors' meeting-house, and thenceforth the annual meetings were holden in West Tis- bury and Homes Hole alternately.1
For the first time in the records, in 1763, it was called the Constablewick of Homes Hole, a title signifying a district within the jurisdiction of a constable, similar to a parish in ecclesiastical law .? It was treated as a separate community and place by the rest of the inhabitants of Tisbury, and beyond according it certain school privileges required by law, it was left to shift for itself in all other things. This reached a formal culmination in 1782, when the townsmen voted that all persons and estates
to the Eastward of a Line Drawn from the Stepping Stone (A Place known by that Name at the head of the Lagoon or Cove of Water Dividing Said Homseshole from the Town of Edgartown) To Cuteshmoo Spring [be exempt] from paying any Taxes in the Town of Tisbuary for the future Except Common Wealth Taxes, As also that Said Inhabitants Recieve no benefit or Assistance from the Town of Tisbuary for any charges that may Arise on Said Inhabitants for the future, Said Vote Passed in the Affirmative without one Dissenting Vote.3
This practically left Homes Hole without obligation to pay any rates except state levies. The interests of the two places were antipodal, not only in ecclesiastical affairs, which we shall learn, but in secular matters as well. The "Hole" was given over to maritime business, the outfitting of ships, the haven of weather-bound craft, and the home of Sound pilots. The west parish was occupied solely in agricultural pursuits.
ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS.
The church affiliations of the first settlers were so di- versified that it might be said each one had a different religion from his neighbor. Isaac Chase was a Quaker, Thomas West
1In 1838-9 and 1841 the town meetings were held at the taverns kept by Thomas Dunham. In 1843 and 1845, at the Union Wharf store, 1847 to 1852 at the school house, South District, 1852 to 1864 at Capawoc hall. The office of selectmen was removed to Homes Hole before 1852, and in 1857 an effort was made to bring the office of town clerk from West Tisbury, but it failed at that time.
2Tisbury Records, 183. The "Liberty of Tisbury" occurs in a document of 1730, signifying a place having special privileges. (Athearn Mss. Cong. Library). 3Tisbury Records, 246.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
a Sabbatarian Baptist, Edward Cottle a Congregationalist probably, Samuel Tilton an Antipedobaptist and so on. It is evident that there could not be any important events relating to ecclesiastical affairs under such conditions, and it is prob- able that in the absence of a minister and meeting-house, each one acted as priest in his own household for the first half century after the settlement. Thomas West, who was a member of a congregation of his faith in Newport, may have acted as a lay preacher or missionary in this vicinity during his life. A Quaker traveler on a visit to Nantucket in 1704 had a dispute with one Thomas West on religious subjects and he records in his journal a "paper" written by West in their controversy.1
This faith was held by some of the Wests for two or three generations and was adopted by persons intermarrying with them. His grandson, Thomas West (20), a graduate of Harvard, 1730, was "statedly employed to preach the Gospel to the Indians" here before 1745, and in contemporaneous documents is called a "Preacher of the Gospel."? It is not to be supposed that he exercised ministerial functions here solely for the Indians, and left a large body of English people without the "benefit of clergy." There is no violation of probabilities in assuming that a small meeting-house was built here by the contributions of the settlers of Homes Hole at this early date, or that services were held in a school-house. Nothing definite is known, however, on this subject, and we can only infer that traveling missionaries of various denom- inations came here from time to time, by chance or design, and supplied an irregular form of religious "exercise" to them.3
PAYMENT OF MINISTERIAL TAX REFUSED.
Under the laws and customs of the times they were taxed for the support of the "orthodox" ministry, and the meeting- house at West Tisbury, which they could not attend because of the great distance and difficulties of traveling. This was borne by them for many years without protest, though the
1 Journal of Thomas Story, p. 350-359. It is only surmise that this is our Thomas West.
2Acts and Resolves of General Court, XIII, 508; Dukes Deeds, VII, 157.
3In 1779 Mr. Damon, the pastor at West Tisbury, was granted liberty to preach one-fourth part of the year at some part of the Northward & Eastward part of this Town" (Tisbury Records, 231).
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Annals of Tisbury
burden was growing more obnoxious to them at every assessment. Accordingly, after much consideration, they agreed, in 1780, to resist further collection of such taxes, and the townsmen of West Tisbury assembled in special session to deal with the crisis, on June 6, 1780, passed the follow- ing vote :-
Tisbuary ss: At A Town meeting Legally warn'd & held at the Townhouse in Tisbuary on Tuesday the 6th of June A D 1780 Deacon Stephen Luce being Moderator, and then it was put to Vote to See whether Said Town of Tisb'r would Chuse a Committee to Treat with the People of Homseshole to know what the Cause is that they Refuse Pay- ing Taxes to the Ministree, and what would be Satisfactory to them and the Vote passed in the Affirmative and then it was put to Vote to See whether Mr Benjamin Burges & Ezra Athearn Should be Sd Committee and the Vote passed in the Afirmative, and Also it was Voted they Should Make report of their doeings at the next Town-meeting1
Whatever came of this found no record in the town books, and it evidently was an unsuccessful effort at a compromise. The reason for this situation is to be found in the establish- ment that year of a new sect here, the Calvinistic Baptist, and its adoption by a large proportion of the residents of Homes Hole. The question at issue was not a theological one, but related to the more important one of church and state, the settlement of which involved the whole policy of public sup- port for the clergy.
TISBURY AGREES TO RELEASE HOMES HOLE.
In the fall of 1782 they presented a verbal request to the town as follows: "Requesting that they may be Exempted from Paying any Tax for the Support of the Presbeterian Ministers for the future in the Town of Tisbuary by Reason ' they are of the Baptist Perswasion."2
A town meeting was called for Sept. 25, 1782,
and at Said Meeting James Athearn Esqr was chosen Moderator And then A Vote was Call'd to See Wheather Shobal Cottle Esqr Deacon Stephen Luce & Mr Ransford Smith Should be a com- mittee to hold A Conferance with the Inhabitants of Homseshole and Some Persons Adjacant Relative to the Above Request or Pettion and to make Report of their doeings at the Adjornment of this Meeting, and the Vote passed in the Affirmative and then Sd Town Meeting was Adjorn'd.3
'Tisbury Records, 236.
2Ibid., 245. 3Ibid.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
As a result of this conference the town at the adjourned meeting directed the Moderator to "aquaint the Said Inhabitants of Homseshole that they Pettition this Town for their being Dis- missed from Paying Ministeral Taxes (if they see cause)." The following petition was then prepared: -
To the Inhabitants of the Town of Tisbuary in the County of Dukes County in Legal Town-meeting to be assemble'd on Tuesday the 19th Day of October 1782.
The Memorial of us whose Names are under writen being Inhab- itants of that Part of Said Town Commonly Call'd Homseshole beg Leave to Represent that Notwithstanding our great Desire to Promote Religion and attend the Publick Worship of God at all Times must needs say that Considering our remote Scituation from the Meeting- house or Place of Worship in Said Town and being Attended with Such Conspiscious Inconveniencies that need not be Enumerated, Desire that wee may be Released from paying any Part towards the support of the Gospel in Said Town Except among our Selves in Such a A Manner as will be most for our Religious profit Or otherwise releas us Agreeable to Justice & Equity as to you may Seem fit all which is Humbly Subitted1
ISAAC DAGGETT NATHANIEL SKIFFE WILLIAM SMITH
LEVI YOUNG ELIZABETH WEST JONATHAN RAYMOND
GEORGE WEST
JESSE LUCE
CHARLES EDMONDSON
JERUEL WEST
PETER WEST
HOMES HOLE SET OFF AS A PARISH.
On Nov. 25, 1782, the town voted unanimously to release them in accordance with this petition, but it is evident that such an action was beyond the power of the town, and the good intentions were frustrated.2 The collection of this tax went on for several more years. In July, 1790, the people of this settlement again started a movement to be made inde- pendent of Tisbury. They made the following request to accomplish this :-
That the Said Homseshole Should be Sett off as a Precinct, and after Due Consideration it was Movd and Seconded and put to Vote and passed in the Affirmative that it Should be Sett off for a Precinct as far to the Westward as the Line Called Savages Line and So continu'd the Same Course from the Sound to the Line of Edgartown to be Sett off from Said Tisbuary as a Seperate District, Provided they Support their own School and the Poor within the Same District and all other charges aris- ing within the Same District, Except the Taxes due to the Commonwealth3
1Tisbury Records, 245.
2At a town meeting held November 25, 1792, this was reconsidered and it was voted "that the former Vote be nul and Void and of no effect any more" (ibid. 288). 3Tisbury Records, 276-7.
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Annals of Tisbury
In the following May the town met and passed this vote on the subject : -
That the Select Men of Tisbuary be Impowr'd to give an Order on the Treasurer of Tisbuary to Pay the Several Persons Taxed to the Minis- ters Tax in Tisbuary Living to the Eastward of Teshmoo Spring So Called that are Inhabitants in Said Districts of homseshole Taxed in the Rate bills David Look Constable of Tisbuary for the year 1790 has to Colect, May the 18th AD 17911
But this did not meet the desires of the people here, the repay- ment of taxes, as they wished for separation, and having failed to obtain satisfaction at home, they preferred a petition, in 1793, to the General Court asking for the establishment of Homes Hole as the East Parish of Tisbury.2 James Athearn, Joseph Athearn and William Case were chosen as "Sutable Persons as a Comitte to Respond to the Pettition of the Inhabatants of Homes hole."3 Nothing came of their request at this time and the residents of Tisbury made them the following offer: "That the Inhabitants of Homeshole have for the future Such part of the preaching by the Settled minester in Tisbury, Carried on in homes hole in proportion to the taxes they may pay towards the minesters Sallery in S'd Town."
Samuel Look and Thomas Cottle, who were the leaders of this movement, joined in a petition to the County Court for relief from the ministerial tax. The petition is dated Oct. 28, 1794, and recites that they "have been Induced to join with the Inhabitants of homses hole to build a meeting house where we can attend with our families," and that they paid more at Homes Hole than they are taxed for in Tisbury for the support of Mr. Asarelah Morse, the minister. Having petitioned the selectmen without result, they now pray the Court for relief." Ezekiel Luce was appointed to answer this before the Court. Further consultations and efforts at a peaceful conclusion of the controversey were in order, and the following record of a meeting held on Dec. 22, 1794, brings the issue forward: -
Voted by the Voters then present that Ezekiel Luce Benjamin allen Cornelus Dunham on the part of the town of Tisbury westward of Savages line and Samuel Look Thomas Cottle John Homes on the part of Said town Eastward of Said line be a Committe to meet at Some time and place by them to be agreead upon in order to Settle any disputes
1Tisbury Récords, 282.
2This petition cannot be found in the Massachusetts archives.
3Town Records, 290. The answer of this committee cannot be found. 4Dukes County Court Files.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
Subsisting or that may arise with regard to Minestearil Taxes in Said town and in Case the Said Committe Should not agree they are to Call in the assistance of Mr Matthew Mayhew J'unr of Chillmark the De- termination of them or the major part of them to be for the future reg- ulation of minesteril Taxes upon both Sides of the before discribed line as well as any other disputes with regard to back taxes.1
This committee, or a majority of them, for Cornelius Dunham and John Holmes did not sign it, made a report to the town on Jan. 12, 1795, and after reciting a preamble respecting the general character of the dispute, make the following recommendations: ---
haveing a real desier that peace truth & Equity may at this and all times take place. We hereby agree to the following articuals here- after named Viz that the taxes of all those persons to the East of the aforsaid Saveges line have there taxes remitted in the bills in which they have been taxed to pay to the Rev'd Mr Morses Sallery as far back as the year of our Lord 1787 this intends no more then those persons who are now living between the aforsaid Saveges line and Cuteshmoo Spring and So on the west Side of the pond to the Sound and no more.
And we further agree that the people on the East Side of the afor- said Saveges line forthwith petition the general Court that they may be Sett off as a precinct or parish and that the town Join with them in this petition.2
Nothing was done about the petition for a year, and on Jan. 6, 1796, Nathan Smith, Benjamin Allen and Elijah Look, Jr., were appointed a committee to "Join a Committe of the inhabatants of homes hole in prefering a petition to the General Court that said Inhabitants might be incor- porated into precinct or parish." This was done, and the law creating the East Parish of Tisbury, from the inhabitants living east of Savage's Line, was passed that year by the General Court.
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