The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers, Part 2

Author: Starbuck, Alexander, 1841-1925
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: Boston [Mass.] : C.E. Goodspeed & Co.
Number of Pages: 900

USA > Massachusetts > Nantucket County > The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers > Part 2

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* Northmen in New England, Smith, Page 98.

fThorwald, a nobleman of southwestern Norway having, with his son, Erick (or Eric) the Red, killed a person in some feud, was obliged to remove with his family. They went to Iceland, which was at that time "thoroughly colonized." Thorwald died soon after arriving there, and Erick, having the same restless spirit as his father, soon became involved in another feud, and being unjustly treated by some of his neighbors, committed another murder. Being tried and condemned he determined to remove from Iceland and seek the land once seen by one Guniburn, who was driven by a storm away to the westward. Steering boldly to the west he came at length to what he called Greenland. Af- ter a lapse of two years he returned to Iceland, and soon set sail again for his western home accompanied by "twenty-five ships," with passen- gers, crews and stores. This was in A. D. 985. One of the chief of of these colonists was Heriulf, the father of Biarni. Biarni in a subse- quent search for the colony was driven by a succession of gales as far to the south and west as Nova Scotia, but succeeded in returning and reaching Greenland, where the story of his voyage excited much in- terest.

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

ticed." This land was, probably, Nantucket. The whole subsequent account seems to point conclusively to this fact. The description of the shores and currents, the time occupied in the daily passages, all seem to fix this beyond a doubt. After Leif came Thorwald, and after him-in 1006-came Thorfinn, who describes quite minutely the coast of Cape Cod, which the Northmen called Furdustrandir, i. e., shores of great length, or wonderful shores, because they were so long sailing by its monotonous coast .*

The Island appears to have remained, as it were, in its chrysalis state, from early in the eleventh century until the year 1602, when it again emerged from its obscurity, this time to the eyes of Eng- lishmen. On the 26th of March, 1602, Bartholemew Gosnold sailed from Falmouth, England, for North Virginia. Keeping as far to the north as the winds would permit, the first land he made was Cape Cod. In a journal of the voyage by Gabriel Archer, published in 1625, the following mention is made of Nantucket. "The sixteenth" (May) "we trended the Coast southerly, which was all champaine and full of grasse, but the Iland somewhat woodie. Twelve leagues from Cape Cod, we descried a point, with some breach a good dis- tance off, and keeping our loffe to double it, we came on the sud- . den into shoal water, yet well quitted ourselves thereof. This breach wee called Tucker's Terror upon his expressed feare. The Point we named Point Care, having passed it wee bore up againe with the Land, and in the night came with it anchoring in eight fa- dom, the ground good." Coasting along the southern shore of the island they stood into the opening between Muskeget and Chappa- quidick, but finding at a distance of a league three fathoms of water, stood off again, and sailed to No Man's Land, or as they termed it Marthaes Vineyard. t

In 1606, Pourtrincourt and his companions saw an island at a distance of six or seven leagues from their harbor, which Mr. Free- manį thinks was a chatham, which they were unable to approach on account of the unfavorable wind. This they called "Douteuse" or Doubtful. This was probably Nantucket.

*" Le Vinland etait situe a une distance de deux jours de naviga- tion (environ 54 a 60 milles), au sudouest de Markland. La distance du cap Sable au cap Cod est indiquie dans les ouvrages nautiques comme etant (W by S) de 70 leagues (52 milles) environ. La description de ces cotes s'accorde avec celle de Biarne, et dans l'ile situee a l'est, dans cette ile qui formait avec la peninsule etendue a l'est et au nord le pas- sage entre lequel Leif navigua, nous reconnaissons Nantucket. Les Scandinaves trouverent la beaucoup de bas-fonds (grunnsocfui mikit). Les navigateurs de nos jours ont fait la meme remarque; ils fout men- tion de nombreux bancs de sable (rifs) et d'autres bas-fonds (shoals) qui s'y trouvent, et disent presente l'aspect d'une terre submergee (drowned land). From "Decouverte de l'Amerique au 10 e Siecle" par M. C. C. Rafn; published in Memoires de la Societe Royale des Anti- quaries du Nord 1836-1839. Copenhagen, p. 41.

fAt what date the name of Martha's (or Martin's, as it was generally appears in the old records) Vineyard was transferred to the island now known as such does not appear. Neither is it evident which is the prop- er name, nor whence either was derived, unless this account of Gosnold may be considered as determining the matter. (See History of Martha's Vineyard, Banks, Chap. IV, Vol. 1).

#History of Cape Cod. Rev. Frederick Freeman. Vol. 1 p. 430.

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

From this time to the year 1621 there is little to record. In that year "King James 1, in the eighteenth Year of his Reign, cre- ated the "Council for the affaires of New England," known as the Plymouth Company, * and this Council at the Request of Charles 1, in 1635, conveyed unto William Earl of Sterling, Secretary of the Kingdom of Scotland, Pemaquid and its Dependencies on the Coast of Maine, together with Long Island, and the adjacent Islands, with Power of judicature, saving to the Council the Oyer and Terminer of Appeals, and yielding a fifth Part of gold and silver Ores."

"In April, 1637, the Earl of Stirling appointed James Forrett his Agent or Deputy for settling the Islands between Cape Cod and the Hudson River, and in 1641 the latter sold for £40 to Thomas Mayhew, a merchant of Watertown, in Massachusetts, and Thomas Mayhew, his Son the Island of Nantucket, with several small Islands adjacent." * * The Mayhews, having doubts concerning the capac- ity of Nantucket to answer the purpose designed, purchased shortly afterwards of Forrett, Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Isles. As these islands were also all claimed to be under the authority of Sir Fernando Gorges, Lord Proprietor of Maine, Mr. Mayhew Sen. obtained of his Agent, Richard Vines, a grant of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket upon terms to be subsequently fixed. Be- fore the title from Lord Stirling could be arranged Mr. Forrett was suddenly called to England, and his place was "supplied by Andries Forrester, a Scotchman, who visited the Islands, and made very fair Promises of a Settlement of Title; but going to Manhattan, he was · thrown into Prison by the Dutch, and soon afterwards sent to Hol- land, from whence he never returned."}

The causes leading to the settlement of Nantucket have, in

*Hough-"Papers relating to the Island of Nantucket," Intro. p. ix. ¡Mr. Mayhew was born early in 1592; was a merchant in Southamp- ton, England, and probably removed to America in 1633 or early in 1634 (possibly in 1631-2 Banks fixes the latter date. Vol 1 p. 117) was ad- mitted a freeman May 14, 1634; was resident of Medford 1635; settled in Watertown in the same year, where he owned mills purchased of Mr. Craddock, and a farm; was a Selectman or Watertown from 1637 to 1643 and deputy to the General Court 1636 to 1644, performing as deputy varied and important services. "Few other persons," says Bond (Hist. Watertown p. 857) "so often received important appointments from the General Court." In 1642 he purchased Martha's Vineyard and sent there his son Thomas and several other persons, who settled at what is now Edgartown. He probably removed there himself in 1645. His children were (1) Thomas; (2) Hannah, born June 15, 1635; (3) Bertha, born Dec. 6, 1636; (4) Mary, born Jan. 14, 1639-40. He died April 13, 1682 lacking but six days of being 90.

The Forrett deed reads as follows-"These Presents doe witnesse that I, Jomes Fforrett, Gent, who was sent over into these parts of Amer- ica, by the Hon'ble Lord Sterling with a Commission for the ordering and disposing of all the Islands that lyeth between Cape Codd and Hud- son River, and have hitherto continued Agent without and Contradic- tion, doe hereby graunt unto Thomas Mayhew at Watertown, Merchant, and to Thomas Mayhew his Sonne, free Liberty and full Power to them their Heyres and Assignes forever. Provided, That Thomas Mayhew and Thomas Mayhew his Sonne, or either of them or their Assigns doe render and pay yearly unto the Hon'ble the Lord Sterling, his Heyres and Assignes, such an Acknowledgement as shall bee thought fitt by John Winthrop, Esq'r the Elder, or any two Magistrates in the Massa- chusetts Bay, being chosen for that End and Purpose by the Hon. the Lord Sterling or his Deputy; and by the said Thomas Mayhew and Thomas Mayhew his Sonne, or their Assignes.

It's agreed, That the Government that the said Thomas Mayhew his Sonne and their Assignes shall sett up, shall bee such as is now established in the Massachusetts aforesaid, and that the said Thomas Mayhew and Thomas Mayhew his Sonne and their Assignes shall have (See next page)

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

their general bearing, been considered a repetition of those which led to the early settlement of New England. This view, however, is not consistent with admitted facts. Of the first twenty proprie- tors of Nantasket, or more properly of the ten who came to the Island, three of them, Thomas Macy, Richard Swayne and Edward Starbuck had been the subjects of religious prosecutions, and of the proprietors who were non-resident, Christopher Hussey (whose son Stephen took his place in Island affairs) and Robert Pike suffered from similar proceedings .*

Early in the history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, less than twenty years from the advent of the Pilgrims in New England, re- ligious persecution began, and a series of acts was perpetrated in the name of the law, that in our present age seems incredible. Against the sect called Quakers these vials of wrath were opened most relentlessly. ; Men and women were scourged from one town to another, imprisoned, banished from the Colony, hung, mutilated in their persons, and covered with that opprobrium which attends a persecuted minority. This spirit of intolerance had in 1658 and

as much Priviledge touching their Planting, Inhabitting, and Enjoying, of all and every Part of the Premises as by the Patent to the Patentees of the Massachusetts aforesaid, and the Associates. In Witnesse hereof I the said James Forrett have hereunto sett my Hand and Seale this 13 Day of October, 1641

Witnesses

ROBERT CORANE JAMES FFORRETT (Seal)

NICHOLAS DAVIDSON PHILIP WATSON Clerke

RICH'D STILLMAN

(Hough pp. 1, 2.

The claim of Gorges was based on the following clause in his grant -"Charles by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, Ffrance & Ireland defend'r of the faith & c. To all to whome these presents shall come Greeting; whereas Sr. fferdinando Gorges Knt, hath beene an humble suitor unto us to grant & confirme unto him & his heires, a part & portion of the country of America now commonly called or known by the name of new England in America * * * we do giue graunt & confirme unto the said sr. fferdinando Gorges his heires & Assignes, All that part purport & portion of the maine land of new England afforesaid beginning at the entrance of Pescataway Harbour, & so to pass up the same into the river of newichewanacke, and through the same unto the furthest head thereof & from thence northwestwards, till one hundred & twenty miles be finished. And from Pescataway harbor mouth aforesaid northeastwards along the sea coasts to sagadahocke & up the riuer thereto to Knyngbequy Riuer & through the same unto the head thereof And into the land northwestwards vntill one hundred & twenty miles be ended, being accompted from the mouth of sagada- hocke & from the period of one hundred & twenty miles and formerly Reckoned up into the land from Pescataway harbour through new- icketoanocke River and also the north halfe of the Isles of Shoals, to- gether with the Isles of Capawocke & nautican nere Cape Cod, & allso all the Islands & Isletts lying within fiue Leagues of the mayne all along the afforesaid coastes between the afforesaid Rivers of Pescataway & Sagadohocke" etc. etc. (Mass Archives. Miscel- laneous, vol. 1 p. 1301.

*Pike's offence was in accusing those who made the law against preaching without a license as Peasley had done, of violating their oaths (Pike himself was a deputy). For this he was disfranchised. Several friends having petitioned the Court for a remission of the pun- ishment were summonsed before that body to defend themselves and show cause if any there was, why such unwarrantable presumption should not be punished. Among this nuniber was Christopher Hussey. As a matter of fact Capt. Pike had far more reason to complain of persecution than any who removed to Nantucket.

Before the first Quaker arrived in Massachusetts the General Court had appointed a Fast Day "to seek the face of God in behalf of our native country, in reference to the abounding of errors, especially those of Ranters and Quakers."

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

1659 reached an extreme point. Quakers were banished from the Colony under pain of death if they returned, or, if found within its jurisdiction after a limited time, the penalty was the same as for a return after banishment. Citizens were prohibited harboring them, mingling with them or advocating or encouraging their relig- ion .* Says the Rev. Frederick Freeman writing of this period.

"There was now," (1655) we are sorry to confess, already begun an unhappy course of intolerance against the people called Quakers. The colonists were willing that a spirit of which they once com- plained, whether justly or unjustly, should be construed into a right of conscience, and its exercise by themselves regarded as a sacred duty. Not the least deviation must be allowed from the course they themselves were pleased to adjudge to be orthodox. * The * * prosecution of this people originated in, and was chiefly confined, for a time to the Massachusetts Colony, and there, in fact, was ever the scene of its chiefest intensity."t

In 1655, a law was passed than "no Quaker be entertained by any person or persons within this goverment, under penalty of £5 for every such default, or to be whipped." This was amended in

*The following law was enacted by the General Court in 1656: "Att a second Session of the General Court, held att Boston, the 14th of Octo- ber, 1656

WHEREAS there is a cursed sect of hereticks lately risen up in the world, which are comonly called Quakers, who take upon them to be imediatlie sent of God, & infallibly assisted by the Spiritt of God to speake & write blasphemous opinions, despising government & the or- der of God in the churches & comonwealth, speaking evill of dignities, reproaching & revileing magistrates & ministers, seeking to turne the people from the fayth, & gayne proselites to their pnitious wayes-

This Court, taking into serious consideration the pmises, & to pvent the like mischeifes as by their means is wrought in or native land, doth hereby order, & by the authoritie of this Court be it ordered & enacted, that what master or commander of any shipp, barke, pinnace, catch, or any other vessell that shall henceforth bringe into any harbour, creeke, or cove, within this jurisdiction, any known Quaker or Quak- ers, or any other blasphemous haeretickes as affores'd shall pay or. cause to be payd the fine of one hundred pounds to the Traeasurer of the country, except it appeare that he wanted true knowledge or in- formation of their being such; & in that case he hath liberty to cleare himselfe by his oath, when suffycient proofe to the contrary is want- inge, and for default of payment or good securities for it, shalbe com- itted to prison, & there to remayne till the sd sume be satisfyed to the Treasurer as aforesaid."

The masters also were to give good security to return the Quakers whence they came. Any Quaker arriving in the Colony, though he committed no illegal act, was to be "forthwith committed to the house of correction and at their entrance to be severely whipt, & by the mas- ters thereof to be kept constantly to work, & none suffered to converse or speake with them dureing the time of their imprisonment which shall be no longer than necessity requireth." Importing or ownership of Quaker books or manuscript or the holding of Quaker opinions was cause for fine, imprisonment or banishment. So strenuous did the laws eventually become that the home government was compelled to inter- fere and demand their repeal.

Unfortunately the Quakers suffered from an excess of misguided zeal on the part of a few of their numbers, who committed acts that would not be tolerated even today and doubtless that over-zeal was re- sponsible for much of the prejudice against them.

History of Cape Cod, Freeman, vol. 1, page 211. Among the rigor- ous laws enacted was one forbiding the Indians to worship in their own manner on English ground, punishing blasphemy with death, etc. Open renunciation of the church or its order was punishable by a fine of 40 s per month for each month of heresy. Disobedience of parents or de- nying the Scriptures to be the word of God was punishable with death. A man must be orthodox to hold office or to vote. Complaint to the home government brought local whipping and banishment. Of these persecutions Cotton Mather said "If any will appear in vindication of it, let him do as he pleases, for my part I will not."

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

October, 1657, making the fine 40 shillings per hour for each of- fense. Under the provisions of that law several Quakers were ar- rested and imprisoned. On the 18th of October, 1659, the "Court vnderstanding that seuerall inhabitants of this jurisdiction have lodged the Quakers now in prison, doe order that the secretary is- sue out a warrant to the seuerall persons, & send the same by a messenger of purpose to bring them w'th speede to this Court, to ans'r for theire offence therein." Those persons were James Raw- lins, Anthony Emery, Thomas Spencer, Richard Nason, Richard Swayne, Zaccheus Gould and Thomas Macy.

The summons to Court was received by Mr. Macy in October, 1659, and a few days after he sent to the Court the following letter :-

"This is to entreat the honoured Court not to be offended be- cause of my non-appearance. It is not from my slighting the au- thority of the honoured Court, nor fear to answer the case; but have been some weeks past very ill, and am so at present; and notwithstanding my illness, yet I, desirous to appear, have done my utmost endeavour to hire a horse, but cannot procure one at present. I, being at present destitute, have endeavoured to pur- chase one, but at present cannot attain it-but I shall relate the truth of the case, as my answer would be to the honoured Court- and more cannot be proved, nor so much. On a rainy morning, there came to my house, Edward Wharton and three men more; the said Wharton spoke to me, saying that they were travelling eastward, and desired me to direct them in the way to Hampton; and never saw any of the men afore except Wharton, neither did I enquire their names or what they were; but by their carriage I thought they might be Quakers, and said I so; and therefore desired them to pass on in their way-saying to them I might possibly give offence in entertaining them, and soon as the violence of the rain ceased, (for it rained hard, ) they went away and I never saw them since. The time that they staid in the house was about three quar- ters of an hour; they spoke not many words in the time neither was I at leisure to talk with them; for I came home wet to the skin and I found my wife sick in bed. If this satisfy not the honoured Court, I shall submit to their sentence. I have not will- ingly offended-I am ready to serve and obey you in the Lord .*

Tho: May

27 of 8 mo. '59.

Two of the Quakers, William Robinson, a merchant of Lon- don, and Marmaduke Stephenson, of Yorkshire, England, were hanged in Boston on the 27th of December of the same year for their heretical opinions. The Record of the General Court on the case against Thomas Macy and others is-

"Nov. 12, 1659, The Court, hauing considered of the seueral of-

*The original letter was presented to the Trustees of the Nantucket Athenaeum and a copy retained for the files at the State House. The original was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1846, when the Athenaeum and its valuable museum were burned.

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

fences of those persons yt entertayned the Quakers, with the answers given in by them respectively, doe ordr, that James Rawlings, be- ing more innocent & ingenious* than the rest, be only admonished by the honnored Gouerno'r wch was donne.

2. That Anthony Emery pay a fine to ye county tenn pounds and tenn shillings for making a lye in ye face of the Court, & be disfranchised.

3. That Thomas Spencer pay as a fine to ye county for his en- tertayning the Quakers the some of fiue pounds & be disfranchised.

4. That Richard Nason, for the like offence, pay fiue pounds, also, & be disfranchised.

5. That Richard Swayne, for his entertayning the Quakers, shall pay as a fine the some of three pounds, & be disfranchised.

6. That Zackeus Gold pay as a fine for his entertaining the Quakers the some of three pounds.

7. That Thomas Macy pay as a fine the sume of thiry shill- ings, and be admonished by the Gouerno'r.

That Edward Wharton, who accompanied the Quakers, & pi- latted them from one place to another, for his bold attempts, shall haue corporall punishment, i. e. whipt with twenty stripes, & comit- ted to prison, there to remajne till he bring suertyes for his good behaviour.

And that attachment issue out agt John Heard for his contempt, & yt he appeare before ye next Generall Court, & yt Nicho Hodgsden be sent for to appeare at the same time."t

During the summer of 1659, Tristram Coffin, having in view a change of residence for himself and family, determined to visit the islands lying off the south-east coast of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Accordingly, accompanied by Edward Starbuck and Isaac Coleman (the latter a mere youth of 12 years of age), he visited Martha's Vineyard. Learning there that the title to Nantucket was vested in Thomas Mayhew, and that he was willing to dispose of the larger part of his interest there, they sailed to that island to make a survey of it, and to ascertain its adaptability to their purpose, taking with them Peter Folger for an interpreter. Coffin hoped to vrovide there a place where his children could be located around him.t

*Ingenuous (?) ¡State Archives Vol. 4 pp. 430-31.

It is a common error to consider that Mr. Macy was a Quaker. He not only was not a Quaker himself, but unless we accept the traditions that Jane Stokes exhorted here in 1664, and of those forbidden by John Gardner to speak in 1680, it is doubtful if he ever saw one of the sect on Nantucket. He was a Baptist, and there is no evidence to show that he had any sympathy for Quakerism. He sheltered them on that par- ticular occasion on purely humanitarian grounds. In Oct., 1640, the General Court set off from Pentucket (or Haverhill) the new town of Salisbury. Some of the inhabitants, probably for greater convenience, had taken for their preacher one Joseph Peasley, who had not been licensed to preach as required by law. Apparently Mr. Macy was a lead- er in the movement for Peasley, and he was summonsed to appear before the General Court on the 26th of October, to answer to a charge of "disorderly practices." It was in connection with this affair that Robert Pike was involved in trouble with the Court and disfranchised. įIt will be noted that this was prior to Mr. Macy's trouble. It is more than likely that his migration to Nantucket was the result of Mr. Coffin's voyage of inquiry. Edward Starbuck who accompanied Mr. Coffin at that time became Mr. Macy's partner when the compact was finally made, as is shown by the records.

HISTORY OF NANTUCKET

He desired also to find out if the Indians were willing to sell their lands and on what terms, etc.

Mr. Coffin, finding the Island suited to his plans, and the sachems willing to make satisfactory terms, made report unto his friends, the result of which was the following agreement, as copied from the Town Records:

"These people after mentioned did buy all right and Interest . of the Island of Nantucket that Did belong to Sir Ferdinando George and Mr. James Forrett Steward to Lord Sterling, which was by them sold unto Mr. Thomas Mayhew of Martha's Vineyard these after- mentioned Did purchas of Mr. Thomas Mayhew these Rights; namely the pattent Right belonging to the Gentlemen aforesaid & also the piece of Land which Mr. Mayhew did purchass of the Indians at the west End of the Island of Nantucket as by their grant or bill of Sale will largely appear with all the privileges and appurtenances there- of-the aforementioned Purchasers are Tristram Coffin Senr. Thomas Macy, Richard Swain, Thomas Barnard, Peter Coffin, Chris- topher Husssey, Stephen Greenleaf, John Swain, William Pile, the said Mr. Thomas Mayhew himself also becom a Twentyeth part pur- chaser so that they Vizt. Mr. Thomas Mayhew, Tristram Coffin snr., Thomas Macy, Richard Swain, Thomas Barnard, Peter Coffin, Christopher Hussey, Stephen Greenleaf, John Swain, William Pile, had the whole and Sole Interest Disposal power, and privilege of said Island and appurtenances thereof."

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The history of Nantucket County, island, and town : including genealogies of first settlers, Part 2

Author: Starbuck, Alexander, 1841-1925 Publication date: 1924 Publisher: Boston [Mass.] : C.E. Goodspeed & Co. Number of Pages: 900

Author: Starbuck, Alexander, 1841-1925
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: Boston [Mass.] : C.E. Goodspeed & Co.
Number of Pages: 900