USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 6
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1Edgartown Records, I, 120.
2Ibid., I, 129, 138.
3William Case of Newport, R. I., died in 1676, are two different men. His sons were William, settling in East Greenwich, R. I., Joseph Case, settling in Portsmouth and South Kingston, R. I., and James Case of Little Compton. His wife's name was Mary maiden name unknown. She died in 1680. William of Newport is claimed to be the emigrant William Case, aged nineteen, who came over in the ship Dorset, 1635. His descendants intermarried with many of the historical families of that state.
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Annals of Edgartown
ROBERT CODMAN.
The early spelling of this settler's name is Codnam, and the correct form is probably Codenham, which is a parish in Suffolk, England.1 Robert Codman appeared first in Salem in 1637, with his mother, and on July 12 of that year the town granted him five acres of land for himself and five for his mother. He held a petty office that year, and was also en- gaged in a small law suit. In 1639 he removed to Salisbury, where he became proprietor of a ten-acre lot on the Merrimack river.2 Codman took a wife unto himself about this time, and had a son baptized in Salem, 1641, and a second in Salis- bury, 1644, but no information has yet been discovered to show whom he married.3 His occupation was that of a mariner, and he was engaged in coastwise trading, which took him as far south as Virginia. In 1646 he is called "of Conecticot."4 His vessel was, apparently, partly owned by the town of Salem, as the townsmen voted on Sept. 30, 1647, to authorize the sale of the "barque" Codman sailed in, as the profits belonged in part to the town.5 Tristram Coffin sued him July 6, 1647, for the loss of merchandise which he was freighting in his vessel, and Richard Arey, late of the Vineyard, was one of the defendants with Codman.6 This association of these two early settlers in Salem, where John Pease lived, is significant, taken in connection with their sub- sequent location in this town. We next find him at "Har(t)- ford uppon Conecticot river," where Robert Codnam, mariner, executed Sept. 25, 1650, a general power of attorney to his "trusty & beloved freind" Samuell Hall of Salisbury, planter, which he signed with a mark.7 This indicates his removal
1In the Salem Court Records, Robert Quodnam brought suit against Henry Harwood in 1638, an instance of fantastic orthography, and Quodnam's pinnace is mentioned on the Connecticut river in 1645. There was a John Codman at Salem in 1638, but what relation he bore to Robert is not known.
2There was living in this latter-named town one John Stevens, Senior, who called our Codman "my brother," but as there are no records which show how this relation- ship came about, it is not known whether Stevens married Codman's sister or vice versa.
3Robert Codman sued Richard Cook at Salem June 30, 1640, and was defendant in a suit June 27, 1643, brought by Thomas Ruck.
"Aspinwall Notarial Record, 35; comp., Manwaring, "Digest of Early Wills," I, 93; History of Colony of New Haven.
5Salem Town Records.
6Salem Quarterly Court Records, 1638-1647, p. 201. Both Codman and Arey made depositions in this case before Governor Winthrop.
"Old Norfolk County Deeds, I, 49.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
to the colony of Connecticut some time before this, probably soon after 1647, and it is of record that he had disposed of his home lot on the Merrimack to his brother John Stevens, Senior.1
His residence in Hartford was of short duration, and he removed down the Connecticut river to its mouth, within four years, as on June 19, 1654, Robert Codman "of Saibrooke fort. mariner" conveyed some of his Salisbury land to a resi- dent of that town.2 From Saybrook he removed, within a very short time, to this town, where his old neighbor, Richard Arey, was already settled, and of whom he bought the harbor lot of eight acres on Starbuck's neck, closely adjoining John Pease. On Oct. 31, 1654, Codman received a grant of land from the town, a tract of meadow near Sarson's island, in Sanchacantacket, where for nearly a hundred years, perhaps longer, there was a run of water known as "Codman's Spring."3 His litigious habit seemed to follow him here, as on the above- named date he sued William Case for defamation of character, and Codman was found "not guilty of those aspersions which were cast upon him. ... concerning himself and the wife of Edward Lay." It is apparent that he continued his busi- ness of coastwise trading after his settlement here.5
In 1656, Codman made a deposition about a maritime transaction, and on Jan. 2, 1657, he was granted a commonage of wood and grazing for his cattle.6 On June 2, 1657, he received another grant of land, and probably by this time had acquired the lot next his, to the north, which afterwards was comprised in the Codman estate.7 He was admitted as free- man on June 5, 1660, up to which time he had drawn no shares of common land in the divisions, but on October 22 of that year he is credited with two shares, his own and "that was William Cases." In 1661 he submitted to the patentees
1Old Norfolk County Deeds. This passed into the possession of George Martin, who is believed to be the father of George Martin of Edgartown (1683).
2Ibid., I, 148. The land sold was two acres, bounded east and north by the green by the meetinghouse and Isaac Buswell was the purchaser. Codman signed with a mark.
3Edgartown Records, I, 121; Dukes Deeds, VII, 154.
"It will be noted that Edward Lay was a townsman of Codman in Hartford and Saybrook.
"Letter, Mayhew to Winthrop, 4 Mass. Hist. Coll., VII, 36.
6Edgartown Records, I, 115, 129.
"Ibid., I, 139.
§Ibid., 1, 147. He had acquired Case's share, probably of the widow of William Case, who died about 1659, but there is no record of the transaction.
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Annals of Edgartown
government with his son Joseph, and both were enrolled in the train band the next year.1 In 1663 and 1664, he par- ticipated in the divisions of Felix Neck, Quanomica, and Meachemy's Field,2 besides being engaged with William Weeks in a law suit, as defendant in "an action of debt to the sum of twenty pounds." On June 6, 1667, he made a purchase of the lot adjoining his own from Thomas Burchard, thus making with the two bought of Richard Arey and Thomas Doggett and the one owned by his son Joseph three lots and a half on the present Starbuck's Neck.3
After this date he disappears from the records, and his decease is inferred thereby, probably before 1676, when Stephen Codman, his son and heir, drew a lot in the division of common land that year. The son Joseph had died also, and as representative of the respective rights of the two, per- haps by a will not now on record, Stephen, the son and brother, sold on Dec. 10, 1678, the family estate to Nathaniel Starbuck of Nantucket, and from that day to this the thirty-five acres thus purchased has been known as Starbuck's Neck.
He left no descendants of his name on the Vineyard, but in the female line through the marriage of his daughter Hep- zebah with Nathan Skiff, there are numerous families who can trace back to this pioneer.
EZRA COVELL.
This person was a later settler at Great Harbor than James, but he had been living at Plymouth probably since 1635, the year he came to New England in the ship "Abigail."4 He was then fifteen years of age, and doubtless was in the care of some person as an apprentice till he reached his majority. He bought ten acres of land and a house at Wobury Plain, Plymouth, in 1641, and as far as known, continued to live there for many years.5 No trace of him has been discovered elsewhere until January 22, 1677, when he was granted ten acres of land near the house lot of James Covell at Meshacket.6
1 Edgartown Records, I, 138, 144.
2Ibid., I, 109 127, 128.
3Dukes Deeds, I, 320.
His name appears on the list as "Cesora" Covell.
5Plymouth Deeds, I, 132.
6Edgartown Records, I, 22. In 1678 it was "voted by the town that Ezra Covell shall keep six head of neat cattle and a horse and liberty to cut fire wood on the com- mon."
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History of Martha's Vineyard
Whether this indicates relationship of the two is uncertain, but as James named one of his sons Ezra it may be assumed that they were kinsmen, perhaps brothers. Ezra Covell was a "marchant taylor," and presumably plied his trade here. He served as juror in 1677 and 1681, but nothing further of him appears of record until his death. He made his will April 29, 1696, "aged about 80 yeares," in which he mentions his wife, "formerly Abagaill Trevis," and it is more than probable that there was no issue of the marriage. He directed, in case both himself and wife "should depart the world at one time," the residue of his estate should "be bestowed in bibells or other good Bookes for the use of the children" of Edgartown.1 The widow Abigail did not "depart the world" with Ezra and survived to become the wife of James Pease, April 22, 17c6. She was probably the daughter of Richard and Grace (Clem- ent) Trevis of Boston, b. January 8, 1662, and is mentioned in his will of May 17, 1688, as Abigail "Cove."2 It will be seen that she was the young wife of his old age.
JAMES COVELL.
This person was one of the first comers, and received a grant of ten acres March 27, 1651, on the Meshacket Path, where he built a house and continued to live there till his death.3 He was admitted as the proprietor of a half share in 1660, and "submitted" to the Mayhew government the next year. He was elected the drummer of the train band at the same time, and served as a juror in 1659 and 1677. His name appears in the records continuously in the drawing of lots, though there is a hiatus, 1664-1682, when it appears but once in any connection.4 In 1687 he was granted twenty acres of land in the New Purchase, the last time his name occurs during life.5 On August 19, 1690, administration of his estate
1Dukes Probate, I, 15.
2Suffolk Probate, XI, 379-381. The original will and papers were examined for the author, and the name "Cove" is written in a contracted form, not in the hand- writing of the testator, which may account for the spelling of the name.
3Edgartown Town Records, I, 124. He received an additional grant of five acres in 1660.
4In 1682 "Mr." Covell and in 1684 "Goodman" Covell occur in the records, a differentiation hard to understand, unless one refers to Ezra Covell.
"This was sold by his son James to Hannah Daggett, May 23, 1694. (Dukes Deeds, I, 142.)
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Annals of Edgartown
was granted to his son Philip, and he was then called "late desesed."1
Nothing is known to the author of his wife, either of her Christian or family name. He had three sons, Philip, James, and Ezra, and perhaps some daughters, but if so they are not of record. Through the children of his son James a numerous posterity resided in Edgartown during the next century, but there has been none of the name in town for a hundred years past.
There were Indians who adopted the name of Covell before 1700, and this complicates an already difficult genea- logical problem to differentiate the various James Covells, senior and junior.
JOHN DAGGETT.
Sogn 20994 The published genealogy of the Doggett-Daggett family gives a full account of the English and Ameri- can families bearing this name, and the reader is referred to that source for detailed information about them.2 The name was, undoubtedly, Doggett, and some branches still retain that form of spelling, and our early New England records bear out this view. The family historian, in his review of the English origin of our John Daggett, thinks he may have been the third son of William and Avis (Lappage) Doggett of Boxford, Suffolk, baptized Nov. 4, 1602, but it may be said in criticism of this guess that the names of William and Avis do not appear in any of the immediate descendants of John for three generations, and that is an unusual omission, according to all custom and experience. The first definite knowledge we have of John Daggett is his appearance in Massachusetts as one of the large body of immigrants who came to New England with Governor Winthrop in 1630, settling first at Salem, later at Charlestown and Watertown. He was made a freeman of the colony May 18, 1631, having taken up his residence in Watertown. There he continued to live, receiving his shares in the several proprietors' divisions, until some time about 1646, when he removed to Rehoboth.
1Dukes Court Record, Vol. I. A Covell family resided contemporaneously on the Cape. Nathaniel Covell was among the first settlers at Eastham, before 1700, and Joseph Covell at Chatham about the same time. No connection with our family has yet been discovered, after much research of the records.
2" Doggett-Daggett Family in America," by Samuel Bradlee Doggett, vide pp. 71-76 for references to John Daggett.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
Prior to that, however, Thomas Mayhew had become a towns- man of his in Watertown, and when the purchase of Martha's Vineyard was made in 1641, Daggett became an interested party, as a grantee, with others of a township on this island in March, 1642. There is no evidence that he came here with the first contingent from Watertown, as his next recorded appearance is in Rehoboth, as stated, about 1646, when he was granted land in that new settlement. He remained in that town as late as the summer of 1648, but how much longer is unknown, as the next record of him is on March 29, 1651-2, when he was chosen corporal of the military company on the Vineyard. Between those dates he removed here, probably to avail himself of the rights he held in the new settlement by grant from Mayhew. He soon attained to prominence in local affairs, and on June 8, 1653, was chosen assistant to the chief magistrate to manage the business of the island, a posi- tion to which he was annually elected for the three following years. It then becomes apparent that he did not get along smoothly with Mayhew, and by 1660 he was entirely at "outs" with him. This probably arose, as elsewhere explained, from his purchase of the Indians at Ogkeshkuppe of a farm of five hundred acres without Mayhew's consent, though Doggett had been granted the choice of a farm of that size by Mayhew, in 1642, to be located not less than three miles from the gov- ernor's lot. How Daggett was fined £5000 and had to sue for his rights, will be related, and his success in retaining the "farm" was one of great humiliation to Mayhew, though the latter was clearly in the wrong. Daggett was one of the townsmen who "submitted" to the Mayhew government in 1661, and in the next two years he is recorded as plaintiff in several civil suits against his neighbors for debts or damages. The last notes of him are in the fall of 1663, as one of the subscribers to the "general fence," and early in 1665 acting as agent for the town in purchasing some fishing rights of the Sachem Tewanticut. Sometime after this he removed to Plymouth, Mass., and it is inferred that the wife of his youth and mother of his children had died here prior to that change. He married, in his old age in Plymouth, Mrs. Bathsheba Pratt, Aug. 29, 1667, probably the widow of Joshua Pratt of that town, and the record of the marriage calls him "of Martins Vineyard." It is probable however, that he had by that time removed to that Pilgrim town which ever after became his home.
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Annals of Edgartown
Of his first wife we know nothing definite, but the author is of the opinion that the Hepzibah Daggett who signed as witness March 3, 1660, to the sale of the "Farm" from Wamp- amag to John Daggett was then his wife.1 That it could not, in all probability, be the daughter Hepzibah, is based on her age at that date, seventeen years, and on the further reason that Hepzibah Daggett was then the wife of John Eddy, and would not sign as Hepzibah Daggett. The daughter was undoubtedly named for her mother, and grandchildren bore this name for John's first wife rather than in honor of the aunt.
Besides the five hundred acre "Farm" the real estate holdings of Daggett were as follows: -
This is a true Record of the pertickeler parcells of Land Now in Pos- session of John Doggett Inhabitant upon Marthas Vineyard: first four acres Lying at the South End of the Lott that he Sould to John Edy and of the Same Lott, Thomas Jones on the South East, the Comon on the South and on the West: Secondly one Comonage Belonging to it: third one Lott of Meadow at Sanchacantackett two acres More or Less Bound- ed By John Smith on the South East and Thomas Doggett meadow on the North: fourthly Two acres of meadow upon Chapequideck on the further side of the Island from the Town: fifthly one Lot at Cracketuxett Runing from one side of the Neck to the other side of it: Sixly one Lott at Quanomica: Seventhly one Lott at Meachemies his feild: and one Ten acre Lott upon the Line Bounded by John Gee his Lott upon the North East: Eighthly one Lott in Felix Neck: and Ninthly one thach Lott at Wintuckett: Tenthly one shear of alwives and a shear of whale: and Eleventhly one Seven and thirty part of the Meadow that the Town Bought of Tom Sesetom the Injain: all that Land Comonage and Pre- veledges were granted By the Town to the fore said John Doggett and his heirs and assigns for Ever to Injoy and are now in the possession of the foresaid John Doggett and Recorded by me
Thomas Doggett Clerk
Date May the 26th In the Year 1668.2
His home lot at Great Harbor was the first one south of Governor Mayhew's, and was situated on the west side of the road to the plains as it passes Tower Hill. It was ap- parently the west half of a lot owned by him and Malachi Browning. It is probable that this was the site of his resi-
1A guess may be hazarded that her maiden name was Brotherton. This appears as a baptismal name in the Thomas Daggett branch as early as 1686, and is used in the Joseph Daggett branch after the intermarriage with Thomas Martin in 1715. Brotherton Martin continued as a family name in Nova Scotia, whither this branch emigrated, until recent years. Hester Brotherton was a passenger for Virginia in the Transport in 1635.
2Edgartown Records, I, 7.
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History of Martha's Vineyard
dence. He died in Plymouth in 1673, between May 17, the date of his will, and June 4, when it was probated.
[JOHN ?] EDWARDS.
There are but two fragmentary traces of the person who owned one of the "Five and Twenty" lots here very early, being number eight from Pease's Point. He is referred to as "Mr Edwards" in 1660, whose share as proprietor had become a part of the estate of Thomas Paine, and this lot was mentioned in 1679 as "formerly Edwards his lot."1 The first name of John is assigned to him as a supposition only, because our Robert Codman had business dealings in 1646 with a John Edwards "of Connecticot," and in absence of anything more definite this may stand. This is believed to be John Edwards of Wethersfield, where our Richard Smith went, and who may be the John Edwards, carlier of Charlestown or Watertown, 1640, a blacksmith.2
JOHN FOLGER.
One of the most distinguished Americans this country has ever produced, Benjamin Franklin, a great grandson of our early settler, made some investigations into the origin of his maternal ancestors, the Foulgers or Folgers, and concluded that they were of Flemish origin, and came to England in the time of Queen Elizabeth. John Folger, the first of the name in this country, is said to have come from Norwich, Co. Nor- folk, England, in 1635, as a passenger in the Abigail, sailing from London, and he may have gone to Dedham, where in 1638 he was proposed at a proprietor. From the age of his son it would appear that he was born about 1590-5, and was about forty years of age at emigration. It is supposed that he brought with him his wife Merible, whose maiden name was said to be Gibbs, and a son Peter, but much of the early history of this family rests on tradition. He next appears as a proprietor of a homestall of six acres in Watertown, Mass., 1642 or 1644, both dates being given by the historian of that town.3
He came to the Vineyard sometime before Sept. 1, 1652, when he was chosen hog reeve.4 He drew a lot in the Planting
1Edgartown Records, I, 24, 147.
2Lechford, Note Book, 176, 223, 225.
3Bond, "History of Watertown," pp. 225, 1009.
4Edgartown Records, I, 119.
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Field division May 8, 1653, and again April 21, 1660, at Crackatuxett, but on Oct. 22, 1660, the share belonging to John Folger "or heirs" is mentioned, and it is believed this date proximately represents the time of this settler's decease.
On Jan. 29, 1663, the "Widow" Folger drew a lot at Quan- omica on his share. He has left very little trace behind him to show for the twenty-five years' residence in New England, and only a nuncupative will recorded March 30, 1665, remains to give us a brief reference to his estate. This will is as follows: -
[Edgartown Records, I, 112.]
The Testemony of John Pease Sayth that Goodman Foulger said to him that his will then was that his wife should have that Estate he Left During her Life to use for her Comfortable Living : though she spent itt all for her Livelyhood : this was a Little Be Fore he Sickened and Died. This was as nigh as I can deam about a Month or six weeks afore he Sick- ened and Died.
The Testemony of Mary Pease the wife of John Pease, Saith she heard Goodman Folger the Elder Say upon his Last Sickness that what Estate he Left his wife should have after him Duering her Life:
The Testemony of Goodwife Arey Before the Town was: she saith that she went to John Folgers when he was sick before he died and saith she heard him say - wife to have all he had as long as she lived. Eleazer to have house and land after his wifes death. Mary to have the Cow presently and another after his wifes death. Nothing to Peter, "because he had spent or Put away so much Before."
His home lot was one of the "Five and Twenty" con- taining five acres, or a half share, and was situated about half way between the swimming place and the burial ground on Tower Hill. It was held by the widow and descended to Peter, who sold it to Thomas Mayehw, senior. It finally became part of the Thomas Daggett homestead. Mrs. Mer- ible Folger (her son Peter called her Myrable) was probably deceased before 1664, when the house and lot was sold. The children of John and Merible, as far as known, are: I, Peter, b. about 1617. ? II, Ruth (signed as witness to deed of Meribell Folger, 1663), and ?III, Joanna (signed as witness as above).
PETER FOLGER.
This distinguished settler was the only known son of John and Merible Folger, and having been born about 1617, was brought by his parents to New England from Norwich, the supposed English
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History of Martha's Vineyard
home of this family when they emigrated. In absence of any definite facts bearing on the early life of Peter we may infer that he resided with his father at Dedham and Watertown, and came with him to the Vineyard, although our first record of Peter at Edgartown antedates that of his father by five years. This is in 1647, when he signed as a witness to a document drawn up here October 14 of that year.1 In the , years that follow the evidence from the records clearly estab- lishes the superior ability of the son as compared with his father, for the former soon became a prominent person in the community. He had a grant of two acres of land "near the school house," where he undoubtedly taught in 1652, and in 1653 he drew a lot in the division of the Planting Field.2 He was elected one of the assistants to the chief magistrate in 1654 and again in 1655, and about this time began the work of aiding the younger Mayhew in his missionary labor among the Indians of the island.3 He had acquired a knowledge of the Indian tongue in conjunction with Mayhew, and was thereupon employed by the missionary with the approval of the Commissioners of the United Colonies to teach the Indian youths the English language." It is believed also that he taught the village school in connection with this work. For this service he was paid at first £30 per annum, and later £25 and £20, as the funds of the Society for Propagating the Gospel would warrant.5 He was called the "English scoole- master that teacheth the Indians and Instructs them on Lord's day." The Rev. Thomas Prince, author of New England Chronology (1736), thus speaks of him: "an able godly Englishman, named Peter Foulger, employed in teaching the youth in Reading, Writing, and the Principles of Religion by Catechizing, being well learned likewise in the Scripture, and capable of helping them in religious matters."6 In this capacity he was in the service of the missionary corporation from 1656 to 1661 inclusive, and was the principal assistant of the elder Mayhew after the departure of the younger Thomas in 1657 on his fatal voyage to England.7
1Suffolk Deeds, I, 86.
2Edgartown Records, I, 126, 172. He was chosen "hog reeve" in 1652 with his father and two others.
3Ibid., I, 119, 132.
4Records, Commissioners United Colonies, II, 167.
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