USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59
5Ibid., II, 189, 205, 218.
6Indian Converts, 291.
"The senior Mayhew wrote in 1659: "If I should be taken by death, here is hellpe that the schoolemaster (Peter Folger) who hath some languadge," etc. (Let- ter to John Winthrop, Jr., in 4 Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., VII, 36.)
68
Annals of Edgartown
Peter Folger was becoming "irregular" in his orthodoxy about this time, and embracing the views of a sect then called Anabaptists by their opponents, and now known with the prefix omitted as Baptists.1 It is probable that this was formally brought before the town for action or perhaps upon his own request to withdraw from the church. The following record under date of Oct. 4, 1659, seems to indicate a sort of dismissal from fellowship of the religious society established by Rev. Thomas Mayhew: -
The request of Peter Folger granted touching the laying down of his creed as by the major part of the freemen and voted the same October (59).2
But he continued his services to the Indians, and laid the foundations of that doctrine among them which they after- wards adopted in considerable numbers before the close of that century. He was a visitor at Nantucket early after its purchase in 1660, and again in 1662, where he was a witness to land transfers. In this latter year he left the Vineyard, and removed to Rhode Island, settling first at Newport and later at Portsmouth in that colony.3 Under date of Nov. 3, 1662, he leased a house and some land in Portsmouth, and a month later the following vote was passed in that town: -
That day [December 3] Peter Folger late of Martins Vinyard pre- sented to the free inhabitants of this toune of portsmouth a lease of house and land from William Corry, the Assembly doth graunt that the said peter folger shall hauld beinge amongst us during the terme of the saide lease.4
How long he remained in Portsmouth is not known, but it is certain that he began early negotiations for a settlement at Nantucket, for on July 4, 1663, he was granted half a share of land on that island, "on condition that he come to inhabit on Island aforesayd with his family within one year after the sale hereof. Likewise the sayd peter shall atend the English in the way of an Interpreter between the Indians and them."5 These moves take Peter Folger out of the sphere of this history,
1Backus, "Church History of New England," III, 167. He joined Rev. Mr. Clarke's Society in Newport in 1675, and is considered the first of the Baptist faith on the Vineyard by that author.
2Edgartown Records, I, 147.
3Rhode Island was then a stronghold of the Baptists, under the influence of Roger Williams' teaching, and probably Folger went thither for that reason.
4Portsmouth (R. I.) Records, 115, 322, 325.
5Nantucket Records, Vol. I.
69
History of Martha's Vineyard
and the story of his later life belongs to our neighboring island, but it will be proper to complete briefly his personal and family record.
He married about 1644 Mary Morrill, who was said to have been attached to the household of Rev. Hugh Peter of Salem, and it is a tradition that the young people met as passengers crossing the Atlantic. Ten children were born to them, all upon the Vineyard, it is stated, except the youngest, Abiah, who became the mother of Benjamin Franklin.1 Peter Folger died in 1690, and his widow survived until 1704.
In addition to the grants of land and shares drawn as stated above he received on Dec. 28, 1659, "ten acres of land next to Nicolas Nortons lot toward the west as the line runs," and these several lots were sold to Richard Arey before Folger left the Vineyard and became part of the Arey estate.2 His home lot was on Tower Hill, north of the cemetery, about the site occupied by the house of the late Sol Smith Russell.
JOHN GEE.
There was a John Gee who came to this country in the Transport in 1635, at the age of eighteen years, but whether this man was the John Gee who appeared at the Vineyard twenty-five years later cannot be stated.3
The first appearance of John Gee at Great Harbor, as far as the records show, was on Dec. 23, 1661, when he sub- mitted to the Patentee's government, but it is probable that he had been here some time before. The Boston records con- tain the birth of a son to him and his wife in May, 1662, so that we may conclude his residence here had lately begun and that the family remained at the former residence. Two years later he was granted land as follows on Aug. 20, 1663: -
Voted by this town that John Gee shall have that lot and commonage which was given to Thomas Trapp: itt forfeited: which lot is ten acres upon the line and half a commonage and he to build and inhabit accord- ing to the order in fifty two.4
He participated in the divisions of Felix Neck and Ma- chemys Field the next year, and on March 12, 1665, was chosen
1Hinchman, "Early Settlers of Nantucket," 49.
2Edgartown Records, I, 134; Dukes Deeds, IV, 16, VI, 416.
3There was a Peter Gee, fisherman, who was living at the Isles of Shoals in 1653, and was of Boston in 1667, who may have been a brother of our settler. (N. H. State Papers, XVIII, 151. Comp. Savage Gen. Dict. art. Gee.)
4Edgartown Records, I, 140.
70
Annals of Edgartown
"to divide the fish" caught at the town weir.1 This seemed to be his occupation for some time, as on May 11, 1667, the town voted that "John Gee is to have three thousand of fish for orderly dividing of the towns fish every morning."2 He was one of the five men chosen by Chief Magistrate Thomas Mayhew, in 1667, to dispossess Francis Usselton from Homes Hole Neck, and received as compensation one-sixth part of the land there which remained a part of his estate, undivided, for sixty years. Gee was "lost at sca," and is marked as de- ceased in the town records, Dec. 27, 1669.3 He left a widow bearing the extraordinary name of Hazelelponah, which is a scriptural name according to Webster. She was living at the Vineyard in June, 1670, but had removed to Boston, the next year, when she was received for baptism at the First Church in that town.4 There she remained for a number of years, until Obadiah Woods, a widower and a baker of Ipswich, met her, proposed, and they mere married. William Harris of Ipswich testified that he "well remembers Obadiah Woods intermarrage with the widdow Hazelelepony Gee . ... that sd Wood brought her from Boston, that it was the Taulk of the Times when she came to Dwell at Ipswich."" It does not appear what caused this "Taulk of the Times," but it may be surmised that her name was enough to excite village gossip. The late Hon. James Savage, whose monumental work on the dictionary of the early settlers of New England gave him unusual opportunities of meeting with strange names, confessed that it was unique in his experience. As might be expected, the various records spell it in a number of ways, and in later generations it was clipped to Purney! She survived her second husband, and died at Ipswich, where a stone records the last resting place of "Haselelpony Wood widow of Obadiah Wood, died Novem'r the 27, 1714 Aged 78 years,." Hence she was born about 1636, and was first a widow when thirty- three years old. John Gee had the following children by her : I, Mary b. about 1660; m. Thomas Pickering of Newington, N. H., about 1679 and d. before 1730. One daughter was named Hazelponi. II, John, b. May 27, 1662 (Boston). III, Anna, b. 1664; m. Samuel Hodgkins of Gloucester,
1Edgartown Records, I, 113.
2Ibid., I, 140.
31bid., I, 41.
'Sup. Jud. Court Files, No. 971; comp., Records Ist Church, Boston. 5Dukes Deeds, VI, 238.
71
History of Martha's Vineyard
Mass .; she d. July 28, 1724. IV, Martha, m. Thomas Cotes "in his life time was an Inhabitant of the Island of Marthas Vineyard"; d. before 1730. He left no known descendants. on the Vineyard.
THOMAS HARLOCK, SENIOR.
In the passenger list of the ship Assurance, sailing for Virginia in July, 1635, may be found the name of Thomas Harlock, aged 40 years, and whether this be the person of the same name who subsequently appeared at Martha's Vineyard twenty-five years later cannot be stated with certainty, but the name is sufficiently rare to regard it as entirely probable.1 Where he resided after his arrival in Virginia, for the next twenty years, is undetermined. Thomas Harlock is first known at the Vineyard certainly in 1658, as a witness to the sale of the Chickemmo region to Thomas Mayhew, and if the identity is to be accepted, he was then about sixty-three years of age, a few years the junior of the governor, whose daughter he mar- ried.2 This was Bethia Mayhew, b. Dec. 6, 1636, and therefore forty years younger than her husband. This is not altogether an improbability, and as he died many years before his wife the circumstances all seem to favor the theory of this union of May and December. While 1658 is the first positive record of his appearance here, yet it is fairly inferential that he had been a resident of Great Harbor for a number of years previous. He acquired the house lot "formerly (John) Wakefields," who had left about 1652, and it may be supposed that he purchased it when the latter removed to Boston.
When he married the governor's daughter can only be conjectured. She was twenty years old in 1657, and as their son Thomas, Jr., was born about 1658 we may assume that this was the probable date of the nuptials. Harlock's home was on one of the harbor lots, number seven from Pease's Point, in the "five and twenty," proximately located between Cottage and Morse streets as shown on the map. Here were born to him "Thomas and John Harlock and their sister,"
"The name occurs in English records generally as Horlock, and it may be iden- tical with Halleck and Hallock. A Thomas Harlock was of Trowbridge Co., Wilts, temp. 9 Elizabeth and a Richard Harlocke of the same county died about 1644. Widow Joan of Trowbridge, Parish of Studley, made her will in 1645, which was proved same year by Samuel Ghy. This county is apparently the home of the family.
2Deeds, I, 355. Dated Aug. 10, 1658.
72
Annals of Edgartown
as named in the will of their grandfather Mayhew, and re- ferred to in the same document as "the three Harlocks."1
Thomas Harlock participated in the divisions of the com- mon lands in 1660, 1663, and 1664, and received a grant in 1663 of one-half commonage.2 His name appears on the town records continuously from 1660 to 1664 in various connections, the last time occurring on April 26, 1664, when he drew lots in the Felix Neck and Meachemys Field. After that date the name of Harlock does not reappear for twelve years (Feb. 14, 1676), when it undoubtedly refers to his son Thomas, Jr., who succeeded to the properties of the father. We may therefore place the death of Thomas, Sr., at some time not long after April 26, 1664, at which time he would have been about seventy years old.
His widow Bethia, left with two boys and possibly a girl, the oldest of whom was six or seven, probably remained on the Vineyard. Sometime before September, 1676, when Thomas was eighteen or nineteen years old, she married a second husband, himself a widower a dozen years her senior, Lieut. Richard Way of Dorchester.3 He was a man of sub- stance, had been an officer at the castle, and in 1674 was farmer general of the imposts. At her second marriage Bethia (Mayhew) Harlock was forty years old, and on July 13, 1677, a daughter named Hannah was born, who may be the "sister" referred to by Governor Mayhew, of whom we hear nothing further.4 Bethia Way died four years before her father's decease (which occurred in 1682), and her Harlock children are given many special bequests in the Governor's will. It is further known that Richard Way took unto him- self a third wife, Hannah (Townsend) Hall, who survived him.5
Of the children, the "three Harlocks," the oldest Thomas, Jr., will be the subject of a separate sketch, because of his
1Probate, III, 108. It is probable that Thomas and John and the unknown sister were the only issue of the Harlock-Mayhew marriage.
2Edgartown Records, 108, 109, 127, 156. There has been doubt expressed as to whether Thomas Harlock, Sr., ever lived in Edgartown, but this seems to be clear from the fact that his house is mentioned in 1663 (Ibid., 99), and he was a juryman in same year. (Ibid., 145.)
3In 1671 the first wife of Way, named Esther, was living, and it would appear that Mayhew had had business dealings with him, which explains the subsequent family connection. (Middlesex Co. Court Files, XXI, 5.)
4In his will Richard Way states that he had "no reason to believe any of my own children are surviving." (Suffolk Prob. Rec.) Will dated Jan. 2, 1697; prob. Oct. 28, 1697.
5Savage Gen. Dict., IV, 440.
73
History of Martha's Vineyard
prominence in town affairs during his lifetime. The sister, who is nameless, is only known through her grandfather's will, probably died in youth, as her interests do not subsequently appear in any property dealings. John Harlock seems to have been a favorite grandchild, if we may judge from the bequests in the old governor's will. Besides sharing con- tingently with his brother and sister in certain joint gifts of land at Chickemmoo, Kataymuch (Elizabeth Isles), and in Chilmark, he is given personally a lot on Chappaquiddick, five acres at Nashamoiess, "and all the small allotments everywhere," and as if this were not enough he was to have half of "all lots not mentioned" in his will. What became of him finally is not known, and but one record exists showing that he was here in person to make disposition of his inheri- tances. On May 9, 1690, he sold one half-share in common lands to John Welch, a mariner of Boston, the acknowledg- ment being made before Matthew Mayhew, and thenceforth disappears from view.1 Shortly after the above date a John Harlock of Ratcliff in Stepney, Co. Middlesex, England, gentleman, was made the attorney for William Read of New England, mariner, on Oct. 2, 1691, and it is left to the reader to judge whether the Stepney John Harlock was the grandson of the old governor.2 On May 24, 1707-8 Thomas (2d) Har- lock sold property as "heir to his brother John," and this undoubtedly shows the previous decease of John.3
The real estate holdings of Thomas Harlock, Senior, besides the harbor or home lot, consisted of a ten-acre lot on the "line" and what was probably his "Dividend Lot" on the plain situated just south of Jones Hill.
PETER JENKINS.
In the little settlement of "Bromigum," in Rowley Village, Mass., there lived from 1668 to 1672, one Peter Jenkins; and in 1660 one Sarah Jenkins, aged 43 years, also resided there at the last named date.4 The woman is believed to be the
1Deeds, II, 46. Welch later sold this to Nathaniel Starbuck, but the date is not known (Ibid., II, 48). John Harlock's name appears as owner of one common share in the town in 1695, but this does not indicate that he resided here. Thomas also is credited with one share. (Town Records, 84.) It is probable that all of John's property went to Thomas by some blanket deed not recorded.
2P. C. C. Fane, 173.
3Dukes Deeds, VI, 115.
+Essex Court Rec., V, 143. Bromigum is early vernacular for Bromidgeham or Birmingham.
74
Annals of Edgartown
mother of Peter Jenkins, and that he is the person of the same name who first appears in Edgartown before 1675, when his landed possessions were recorded. In 1668, in Rowley, Peter Jenkins was indicted "for profaening the Lords day by Labour- ing about Bricke," which would indicate his occupation in the manufacture of that article;1 and it is significant that he had a clay pit in this town on the property he purchased as a homestead .? He was born about 1644, and while a resident of Rowley led a strenuous life which frequently resulted in court proceedings;3 and our Peter Jenkins, early in his career on the Vineyard, began and continued the same unconventional habits, which resulted in like judicial cognizance. On one occasion (1680), while on trial for disorderly conduct, he began to abuse the court (Matthew Mayhew was sitting as Assistant Justice), and on being admonished for "carrying himself in a scornful way," Jenkins "pulled of his coat saying com let me have it, let me be whipt, often itterating the same: the said Assistant bidding the Marshall carry him to Jaill, he answered, I will break it down then."4
The first occurrence of his name on our records is under date of Dec. 31, 1675, when there is an entry of his lands, which were situated "on the south side of Meshacket Path," and comprised ten acres as a homestead.5 In addition to his public appearances indicated above, he served once as a juror (1680), but does not seem to have taken any active part in local affairs. His wife was named Sarah, but nothing is further known of her family, though it is a fair guess that she was the daughter of Thomas Jones, whose property he received in consideration of care and support. He was married to her before September, 1679, and had at least four known children, and a probability of more whose relationship is sur- mised, viz: Sarah, b. [1675]; Matthew, b. [1681]; Thomas, b. [1683]; Joseph, b. [1685]; the dates being estimated. There is no record of the death of himself or wife, nor any settle- ment of his estate. He was deceased before Aug. 18, 1707, when his house and lot was divided between his son Thomas
1Essex Court Rec., XIII, 78. His name does not appear in the land records.
2Edgartown Records, I, 17.
3Essex Court Rec., XVIII, 85, 91.
"Dukes Court Rec., Vol. I. June 30, 1680. The identity of Peter Jenkins of Rowley and Edgartown seems to be quite well established from these court proceedings. After 1672 there is no further record of him in Essex County.
$Edgartown Records, I, 17.
75
History of Martha's Vineyard
and Thomas Harlock.1 It is possible that he may have died off the island, as two of his sons, Matthew and Thomas, resided in Nantucket and Boston. The name was perpetuated on the Vineyard in the line of his son Joseph until after the Revo- lution, when the grandsons removed to New York state. None of the name have been residents here since that time.
THOMAS JONES.
Thomas canje It has been impossible to identify this person among the numerous im- migrants of his name, who came to New England in the great movement following the settlement of Boston. As a number of our pioneers were iden- tified with New London, the Thomas Jones who had a lot granted there in 1651 and forfeited,2 may be the one who is first mentioned in our records the next year as grantor of a lot "that was given him . ... ccontaining to the estimation of four acres in this our town called Great Harbour.">3 This indicates a prior residence of some period, long enough to acquire a title to a grant. The records show frequent appearances in court as plaintiff or defendant in suits at law, and these references indicate that he was a weaver.4 He signed the submission in 1661, was chosen clerk of the Train Band same year, and served as juror in 1663. He joined the "Dutch Rebellion" of 1673, and signed the appeal to Massachusetts, but does not appear to have been punished therefor. In May, 1676, he transferred all his real and personal property to Peter Jenkins in consideration of care and maintenance during the remainder of his natural life.5 How long he survived is not known, but he died before April 28, 1687, when the widow Jones is mentioned as a town pauper.6 She was living the
1Dukes Deeds, II, 173. The wife of Thomas Harlock may have been a daughter of Jenkins. Her name was Hannah.
2Caulkins, Mss. Collections, comp., History of New London, 265.
3Deed Thomas Jones to William Scudder, June 4, 1652. (Edgartown Records, I, 122.)
4Thomas Jones, a tailor of Caversham, Oxfordshire, with wife Ann, came to New England in 1638 and lived in Hingham and Hull, where it is stated that he died about 1681. Our Thomas had a wife Ann.
5Dukes Deeds, II, 143. The reason for this, aside from the usual inference of age and feebleness, is not apparent. Jenkins may have been his son-in-law or a rela- tive.
"The town entered into an agreement with George Martain, April 28, 1687, to keep the widow Jones. (Edgartown Records, I, 38, 40.)
76
Annals of Edgartown
next year in the same situation. It is not known that this couple had any children, and the records do not indicate any descendants.
Thomas Jones lived on the hill which bears his name, south of Cleveland Town, sometimes called Mill Hill. He owned a half share in the proprietors' divisions, which fell to Jenkins, and was later sold to Gershom Dunham.1
JOHN MARCHANT.
The first of this well-known family to acquire proprietary interest here was John Marchant, who had a grant of ten acres "on the right hand of Sanchacantucket cart path, near the cart path that goes to Mortall's Neck."2 He had been before that time a resident of Yarmouth, Cape Cod, where his father, also named John, had settled between 1645 and 1648.
Marchant, as a family name, is probably of French origin, derived from "marchand," a trader or merchant, from which our English word is obtained. The name is not of very frequent occurrence in England. Thomas Marchaunt of Colchester, Essex, 1392 to 1436,3 temp. Richard II and Henry VI, is the earliest recorded instance known to the author, and a pedigree of one family living in Sussex has been published.4 The author found also in Wiltshire, the wills of various persons of the name from 1592 to 1674, recorded in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury,5 while scattering references occur in other counties about the period of the early emigration to New England.6
The first of the name on this side of the water are two planters at Barbadoes, in 1635, William and Silas Marchant, and as the name Silas occurs quite early (1722), in our island family, the origin of the Vineyard Marchants might be looked
1Edgartown Records, I, 139.
2Ibid., I, 31.
3Records, Borough of Colchester, 29, 39, 43.
4Sussex Archaeological Collections, XXV, 199.
5These were all original wills on file in the Bishop's Consistory Court, Sarum, at Somerset House. The testators were John, of Marlborough, March 28, 1592; John, of Tilsed, March 16, 1604; John, of East Knoyle, June 17, 1625; Thomas of West- bury Leigh, July 9, 1647; and Tristram, of Warminster, Sept. 18, 1674. A corre- spondent recently informed the author that there were many Marchant wills recorded at Wells, co. Somerset.
6There was a John Marchant of Georgeham, Devon, in 1620 (P. C. C. Soame, 45), and Walter Marchant, haberdasher, of Bristol, Gloucestershire, in 1640. (Lech- ford, Note Book, 209.)
77
=
History of Martha's Vineyard
for at that source.1 The first one found in New England is John Marchant, who was admitted an inhabitant of New- port, R. I., June 2, 1638, but did not remain long there as he is found next year at Mount Wollaston, Braintree, where on February 24, 1638-9, he was granted eight acres for two heads, that is himself and another male.2 He had brought with him a wife Sarah and a son to the new settlement, and shortly after, on Dec. 3, 1638, his wife died. Contempora- neously a William Marchant is found at Watertown in 1641,3 and thither our John probably removed as early as 1642, and in 1645 he is mentioned as of that place.4 Once more he removed, this time to Yarmouth, some time before 1648, as on June 7th that year he was chosen as constable for the town, an office that presupposes a residence of some duration. How long he resided there or when he died is unknown. He appears in court twice, once as plaintiff and once as defendant, and probably he was dead prior to 1670, when his son John, who by this time had married, was promoted from ensign to be lieutenant in the militia, and is called "Senior."5
The second John continued to reside in Yarmouth with his family, and is frequently mentioned on the records usually by his military title.6 He was "rated" in the town in 1676, for "the late war" (King Phillip's), and was in the list of towns- men in 1679.7 It is not known whom he married, nor the christian name of his wife, but he had taken a wife before 1648, when children are recorded to him in the Yarmouth town records beginning that date. In 1682, as above stated, he received his grant of land in this town, but whether he came here to reside is uncertain.8 It is the author's belief
1The Barbadoes and other West India islands were frequent stepping stones for immigrants to New England. (Hotten, Lists of Passengers, &c.)
2Boston Town Records, I, 39.
3Savage, III, 197.
4Pope, Pioneers of Mass .; N. E. Gen. Register, VIII, 56. William Marchant may be the Barbadoes planter. He removed to Ipswich, where he died, Sept. 4, 1668, and is the ancestor of the Marchant family of Gloucester and other towns in Essex County. It is significant that one of the Yarmouth family went to Gloucester for a wife in 1719.
"Plymouth Col. Records, VII, 60; III, 36. In the natural order the elder John would not begin a military career in 1664 and be promoted in 1670, hence the belief that the first John died before the last named date.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.