USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > New Bedford > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 2
USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Westport > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 2
USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Dartmouth > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 2
USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Fairhaven > The history of New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts : including a history of the old township of Dartmouth and the present townships of Westport, Dartmouth, and Fairhaven, from their settlement to the present time > Part 2
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IN my former chapter was given the original deed of the purchase of the old township of Dartmouth of Massasoit or Woosamequin, as he is called in the deed, and his son Wamsutta, alias Moanam and Alexander. Massasoit was also the father of Philip, or Pometacom, the great Indian warrior and chieftain. He, as well as his brother Alexan- der, who succeeded their father, were denominated " kings" by the early settlers. Their home was at Montaup, or Pokanoket, now known as Mount Hope, near Bristol, Rhode Island.
The Indians who inhabited this section of country (Dartmouth,) the Acushnets, Apponegansets, and Acoaxsets, were a part of the great tribe of Wampa- noags, over which Woosamequin, or Massasoit, was the chief Sachem. The early settlers of Dartmouth as well as those at Plymouth, found in Massasoit a firm and devoted friend, and he has been called " the good Masssaoit." Although his dying injunc-
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tions to his sons Alexander and Philip, (so named by the English from the great Macedonian gener- als,) were to continue in friendly relations with the English, his counsel was little heeded by the former, and violated in the most savage manner by the latter.
The early settlers of Dartmouth suffered greatly from the depredations and violence of the Indians ; and at one time they were completely broken up, and obliged to forsake their homes and resort to garrisons for protection.
This fact reaching the government at Plymouth, the following order of court was passed :
"1675, 14th October. This court taking into their serious consideration the tremenduous dispen- sations of God towards the people of Dartmouth, in suffering the barbarous heathen to spoil and de- stroy most of their habitations, the enemy being greatly advantaged thereunto by their scattered way of living, do therefore order that in the rebuilding and resettling thereof, that they so order it as to live compact together, at least in each village, as they may be in a capacity both to defend them- selves from the assault of an enemy, and the better to attend the public worship of God, and ministry of the word of God, whose carelessness to obtain and attend unto we fear may have been a provo- cation of God thus to chastise their contempt of his gospel, which we earnestly desire the people of that place may seriously consider of, lay to heart, and be humbled for, with a solicitous endeavour after a reformation thereof, by a vigorous putting forth to obtain an able, faithful dispenser of the word of God amongst them, and to incourage him therein, the neglect whereof this court, as they must and God willing, they will not permit for the future." Book 5th, Court Orders, page 102.
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As Plymouth was so called from the fact of that being the name of the last port the Pilgrim Fathers left, so I conclude that our old township of Dart- mouth was named from the circumstance of the two vessels, the Mayflower and the Speedwell, which it will be remembered sailed together, put- ting back to the port of Dartmouth on the British Channel, for repairs upon the latter vessel, and consequently it is reasonable to conclude that Dart- mouth was early settled by some of the passengers that came over in the Mayflower, as the Speed- well was abandoned on account of unseaworthi- ness .*
One of the earliest settlers of Dartmouth was Ralph Russell, who came from Pontipool, England, and had been engaged in the iron business with Henry and James Leonard of Taunton. He set up an iron forge at "Russell's Mills," which place received its name from him. Ralph Russell was the progenitor of the Russell families of New Bed- ford, and the ancestor in the fourth remove of Joseph Russell, from whom New Bedford received its name. In the year 1765, Joseph Rotch, grand- father of the late William Rotch, Jr., moved from Nantucket to this place, then known as Dartmouth, for the purpose of pursuing the business of the whale-fishery. Here he became acquainted with Jo- seph Russell, before mentioned, a substantial farm- er, who included in his broad domain a large part
* As no name of those who came over in the Mayflower appears among those of the early settlers, the name of Dartmouth was proba- bly adopted by the original purchasers, all of whom were passengers in the Mayflower.
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of the most valuable portion of the land on which New Bedford now stands. His residence, a large old-fashioned farm-house, stood at the head of William street, and near the mansion of Charles W. Morgan. Union street was his cart-path to the shore, at the head of which, on the County road, was a red gate. This way was afterwards called "King street," and subsequently “ Main street," a name familiar to the ears of many of our citizens; and one which it is to be regret- ted has been set aside for the less agreeable and no more appropriate one now adopted. “ Bridge street" was about the same time changed to " Middle street," a name far less characteristic of its origin, as well as that of old Main street, the latter having been the original main street of the place, and the former leading to the New-Bed- ford and Fairhaven bridge - proving that changes are not always improvements. The name King street, as the one in Boston formerly so called, was undoubtedly abandoned from patriotic mo- tives.
As a little village had already begun to appear, it was thought necessary to give it a particular desig- nation from the rest of the old township; and upon a public occasion Joseph Rotch suggested that the name should be "Bedford," in honor of Joseph Russell, who bore the family name of the Duke of Bedford, which was readily adopted by the rest of the inhabitants, and the old gentleman was after- wards known as "the Duke." This, it will be re- membered, was in "the Old Colony days, when we
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lived under the King." It being afterwards ascer- tained that the same name had been previously given to a town in the state, it was called New Bedford. Many of the early settlers of Dartmouth were Quakers, who probably sought this then sequestered region as an asylum for the enjoyment of their peculiar religious faith.
In the year 1671, the following order of court was passed, which probably grew out of the scruples of the settlers, as Quakers or Friends :
" 1671. In reference unto the town of Dartmouth, it is ordered by court, that whereas a neglect the last year of the gathering in of the sum of fifteen pounds according to order of court to be kept in stock towards the support of such as may dispense the word of God unto them, it is again ordered by the court that the sum of fifteen pound be this year levied to be as a stock for the use aforesaid, to be delivered unto Arthur Hatheway and Ser- jeant Shaw, to be by them improved as opportu- nity may present for the ends aforesaid." Book 5th, Court Orders, page 41.
This order of court does not appear from the following one passed several years afterwards to have proved effectual. The good people at Ply- mouth appear to have been particularly exorcised for the spiritual interests of our early settlers.
"1674. Wednesday, the 24th of this instant, is ap- pointed by the court for the inhabitants and purchas- ers of Dartmouth to meet together for the settling of the bounds of their town, at which time the Gov- ernour, Mr. Hinckley, the Treasurer, Mr. Walley, Lieut. Morton and John Tomson did engage to give meeting with others to propose and indeavour
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that some provision may be made for the preaching of the word of God amongst them." Book 5th, Court Orders, page 102.
Capt. Gosnold, in 1602, named a round hill in the present township of Dartmouth, "Hap's Hill," lying between two good harbors, which fall within the limits of the said town, being Pascomanset and Apponeganset. The hill is unquestionably one of those now known as the "Round Hills," near " Dumpling Rock."
In my last chapter I made mention of the occu- pation of the island Cuttyhunk by Gosnold. On the 20th of June, 1797, Dr. Belknap, the historian, visited this island, and saw the cellar of a store- house, built by Gosnold in 1602. The authenticity of this important relic has been doubted by some; but the writer of this history has the authority of several eye-witnesses in corroboration of this im- portant fact. " It is a vestige of the first work per-
formed by Europeans on the New England shores. Here they first penetrated the earth; here the first edifice was erected. And from this humble begin- ning have arisen cities, numerous, large and fair, in which are enjoyed all the refined delights of civil- ized life." Although Bartholomew Gosnold cannot be considered as the founder of New Bedford, yet, as he was the first Englishman or European who visited our shores, our history may with much pro- priety take its date from the time of his visit. Here, during the last of May or the first part of June, A. D. 1602, this "active, intrepid, and experienced sea- man, from the west of England," landed upon our
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shores, eighteen years before the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers upon Plymouth Rock. A more · permanent settlement was intended, and had not the slight disagreement before alluded to taken place in the company, it would undoubtedly have been made.
" Prince Governour.
1660. A writing appointed to be recorded, as followeth :
At a general meeting of the purchasers, at Ply- mouth, the seventh of March, 1652, it was ordered and fully agreed unto and concluded by the whole that all that tract of lands lying from the purchas- ers' bounds on the west side of Acoughcusse to a river called Accusshaneck and three miles to the castward of the same, with all islands, meadows, woods, waters, rivers, creeks, and all appurtenances, thereunto belonging, should be given to those whose names are hereunder written, containing thirty-four shares, and was then given, allotted, assigned and set over to them by the whole, to have and to hold to them and their heirs and assigns forever, to di- vide and dispose of the same as they should see good ; and they are to satisfy the Indians for the purchase thereof, and to bear all other due charges that shall any way arise about the same, according to their several proportions.
WILLIAM BRADFORD, a moie- ty.
EDWARD HOLMAN.
MISTRIS JENNEY.
JOSHUA PRATT.
MR. HICKES.
MR. ALDEN.
JAMES HURST.
MISTRIS WARREN.
EDWARD DOTY.
ROBERT BARTLETT.
JOHN SHAW.
JOHN FAUNCE.
FRANCIS COOKE.
MANNASSES KEMPTON.
JOHN COOKE.
GEORGE MORTON.
SAMUEL CUTBERT.
JOHN DUNHAM.
WILLIAM PALMER.
THOMAS MORTON.
JOHN CRACKSTON: the one- half of John Crackston land, which was Mr. William Brad-
CAPTAIN STANDISH.
MR. COLLYARE and SARAH BREWSTER.
THOMAS SOUTHWORTH.
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ford, Senr. His land was passed over to the said William Brad- ford, to Mr. John Howland. STEPHEN TRACYE. FRANCIS SPRAGUE.
HENERY SAMPSON. PETER BROWNE.
CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH.
GEORGE SOULE.
PHILLIP DELANOY.
MOSES SIMONS.
EDWARD BUMPAS.
FRANCIS EATON.
Whereas these purchasers, who by agreement of the whole had their proportions of purchase land falling unto them in the places above mentioned, who by agreement had their several names entered into a list together, with some other old-comers, under the hand of the Hond Gov" late deceased, they did desire that the list of their names might be recorded, but the above-written original list of names, and the agreement, could not be found in some years, so that it was judged lost, these pur- chasers notwithstanding still desiring that what was their right might be recorded, whereupon order was given by the aforesaid Governour that it might be done, in which record, for want of the original list, the names of some are entered contrary to the original grant and agreement of the purchasers, as appears by it, and also by divers other purchasers as well as themselves, which is an occasion of some difference already, and may be of more, there- fore it is ordered by the General Court held at Ply- mouth, the 8th June, 1660, that the abovesaid orig- inal list should be entered, and the other to stand in the book not defaced, but to be void, null and of none effect."
The following record, although nearly a recapit- ulation of the survey made by order of King Philip, as published in the first chapter, is. interesting and valuable, as containing a full list of the names of the original purchasers of Dartmouth. This list was for several years lost, and the preceding rec- ord from memory was made; but the original being
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afterwards found, it was recorded, and the other made null and void. Record of Deeds, Plymouth Colony, Book 2d, page 107.
" The names of those who by order of the pur- chasers met at Plymouth the seventh day of March, 1652, who by joint consent and agreement of the said purchasers are to have their parts, shares or proportions, at the place or places commonly called and known by the names of Acushena, alias Acques- sent, which entereth in at the western end of Weeck- atay, and to Coaksett, alias Acoakus, and places adjacent, the bounds of which tract fully to extend three miles to the eastward of the most easterly part of the River or Bay called Acusshna aforesaid, and so along the sea-side to the river called Coak- sett, lying on the west side of Point Pritt,* and to the most westernmost side of any branch of the aforesaid river, and to extend eight miles into the woods, the said tract or tracts of land so bounded, as abovesaid, which is purchased of the Indians, which were the right proprietors thereof, as appears by a deed under their hands, with all marshes, meadows, rivers, waters, woods, timbers and other profits, priv- ileges, emunities, commodities and appurtenances belonging to the said tract or tracts above expressed, or any part or parcel thereof, to belong unto the parties whose names are underwritten, who are in number thirty-four whole parts or shares, and no more, to them and their heirs and assigns forever: MR. WILLIAM BRADFORD, one whole part or share.
CAPTAIN STANDISH, one whole part or share.
MR. JOHN ALDEN, one whole part or share.
MR. COLLYER and SARAH BREWSTER, one whole part or share. MR. HOWLAND and .WILLIAM BASSETT, one whole part or share. GEORGE MORTON, one whole part or share.
MANASSES KEMPTON, one whole share.
JAMES HURST, one.whole share.
JOHN DUNHAM, SENR., one whole share.
JOHN SHAW, SENR., one whole share.
* Gooseberry Neck (Point Peril.)
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FRANCIS COOKE, one whole share. JOHN COOKE, one whole share. JOSHUA PRATT, one whole share. GEORGE SOULE, one whole share. CONSTANT SOUTHWORTH, one whole share. THOMAS SOUTHWORTH, one whole share. MISS JENNINGS, one whole share. STEVEN TRACYE, one whole share. JOHN FAUNCE, one whole share. HENRY SAMPSON, one whole share. PHILIP DELANOYE, one whole share. MISS WARREN, one whole share. ROBERT BARTLETT, one whole share. WILLIAM PALMER, one whole share. EDWARD DOTYE, one whole share. SAMUEL HICKES, one whole share. PETER BROWNE, one whole share. FRANCIS SPRAGUE, one whole share. MOSES SIMONS, one whole share. SAMUEL EATON, one whole share. THOMAS MORTON, one whole share.
SAMUEL CUTBERT, one whole share. EDWARD HOLMAN, one whole share. EDWARD BUMPASS, one whole share.
In all thirty-four parts or shares."
So it appears that the whole township of Dart- mouth in 1652 belonged to thirty-six persons.
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CHAPTER III.
CHARACTER OF THE EARLY SETTLERS OF DARTMOUTH- DESTRUCTION OF THEIR PROPERTY BY THE INDIANS- ORDER OF COURT 1678, FOR MORE COMPACT SETTLE- MENTS-OLD COLONY RECORDS-FREEMEN OF DART- MOUTH-NAMES OF THE ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS- PROPRIETORS' RECORDS-OLD HOUSES-INDIAN RELICS.
THE last chapter closed with the list of the names of the original purchasers of Dartmouth, but few of whom, however, settled here; and I have been able to trace but five or six out of the whole num- ber, which was thirty-six, in the early records of the town. The land appears to have been taken up by a class of people not particularly identified with the Puritans, and many of them Quakers, whom the government at Plymouth, as will be seen by their Court orders, found it difficult to control. A frugal and industrious people, busily engaged in agriculture, the early settlers of Dartmouth do not appear to have been guilty of any other offense than the want of obedience to the rigid requisitions of the Court, in regard to the support of a minis- try, and the observance of the Sabbath, according to the views of the government. But the sturdy Dartmouthians, with their strong admixture of the nonconformity of the disciples of George Fox, baffled their efforts with a steady perseverance, and in the year 1691 refused the payment of taxes, and sent no Representative to the Court.
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The people of Dartmouth having suffered a great deal in the loss of property destroyed by the Indi- ans, owing to their scattered way of living, the fol- lowing Order of Court was passed:
"1678. To John Cooke, to be communicated to such of the former inhabitants of Dartmouth as are concerned herein. The Councell being now assembled, considering the reason and necessity of that order of the General Court made the 14th Oc- tober, 1675, respecting the rebuilding or resettling the Town of Dartmouth, a copy whereof is here- with sent, and considering withall that all the peo- ple of that place, by their deserting it, have left it to the possession of the enemy, which through the good hand of God on the endeavours of this Col- ony is now recovered again out of the enemies' hand, do so much the more look at it as a duty in- cumbent on this Councel to see the said order ef- fectually attended, do therefore hereby prohibit all and every of the former inhabitants of the said town of Dartmouth, or their or any of their as- signs, to make any enterance or building or settling in any part of the said former Township of Dart- mouth untill satisfactory security be first given to the Court or Councel by some of the principle per- sons heretofore belonging to that place that the said Court Order shall in all respects be attended by them, as the transgressors of this prohibition will answer the contrary at their peril." Book 5, Court Orders, page 124.
For a copy of the order referred to, see the pre- vious chapter.
With the following orders, I shall close my ex- tracts from the Old Colony Records. They are valuable as addition to the scanty materials afford- ed for my history of this early period.
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"1664, June. At this Court all that tract of land commonly called and known by the name Acush- ena, Ponagansett and Coaksett is allowed by the Court to be a township, and the inhabitants there- of have liberty to make such orders as may conduce to their common good in town concernments, and that the said town be henceforth called and known by the name of Dartmouth." Book 4th, Court Orders, page 72, Colony Records.
"1665, June. Dartmouth proportion of the rates
or taxes, 10 £." Book 4, Court Orders, page 103.
"1667, June. Serjeant James Shaw and Arthur Hatherway are appointed by the Court to exer- cise the men in armes in the town of Dartmouth." Book 4th, Court Orders, page 104.
"1667, July. John Cooke, of Dartmouth, is authorized by Court to make contracts of marriage in the town of Dartmouth, and likewise to admin- ister an oath to give evidence to the Grand In- quest, and likewise to administer an oath to any witness for the trial of a case as occasion may re- quire ; and in case any person or persons residing in this jurisdiction shall have occasion to commence a suit against any stranger or foreigner, it shall be lawful for the said John Cooke to issue out war- rants in His Majestie's name, to bind over any per- son or persons to answer the said suit at His Maj- estie's Court, to be holden at Plymouth at any time, by attachment or summons, as occasion may re- quire, and that he shall give forth suppœnies to warn witnesses." Book 4, Court Orders, page 163.
"An exact list of all the freemen in Dartmouth on the 29th May, 1670:
JOHN COOKE, WILLIAM SPOONER,
JOHN RUSSELL,
SAMUEL HICKES,
JAMES SHAW, WILLIAM PALMER."
ARTHUR HATHEWAY,
Court Orders, Book 5, page 205.
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"1671, July. Arthur Hatheway, of Dartmouth, is appointed by Court to administer an oath to any witness, to give evidence to the Grand Inquest in that town, as occasion may require." Book 5, Court Orders, page 48.
"1673, 4th March. John Smith, of Dartmouth, is appointed to be Lieutenant of the military com- pany of Dartmouth, and Jacob Michell to be · en- sign-bearer of the said company." Book 5, Court Orders, page 96.
But few of the original purchasers of Dartmouth settled here, as will be seen by comparing the fol- lowing list of the names of the proprietors in the confirmatory deed of William Bradford, Novem- ber 13th, 1694 :
MANASSEH KEMPTON,
MARY DAVIS,
SETH. POPE,
THOMAS TABER, JR.,
JOHN RUSSELL,
LETTICE JENNEY,
ARTHUR HATHAWAY,
SAMUEL ALLEN,
PELEG SLOCUM,
VALENTINE HUDDLESTONE,
STEPHEN WEST,
EDMUND SHEARMAN,
JAMES SISSON,
SAMUEL JENNY,
JOHN RUSSELL, JR.,
MARK JENNY,
ABRAHAM TUCKER, JOHN TUCKER, THOMAS BRIGGS,
GILES SLOCUM,
RALPH EARLE, JR.,
WILLIAM EARLE, son of R. E.,
JONATHAN RUSSELL, JOHN HATHAWAY, GEORGE CADMAN, JACOB MOTT, ELEAZER SMITH, RETURN BABCOCK, BENJAMIN HOWLAND, WILLIAM SHEARMAN, THOMAS TABER,
JOHN SHEARMAN, SAMUEL SPOONER, WILLIAM SPOONER,
JOHN SPOONER, JR., JOHN SPOONER, THOMAS MITCHELL,
JONATHAN DELANO, JOSEPH RUSSELL, STEPHEN PECKHAM, ISAAC POPE,
SAMUEL CORNWELL,
SAMUEL SHEARMAN,
GERSHOM SMITH,
SAMUEL HICKES,
ELIZABETH RICKETSON,
JOSEPH TABER.
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JOHN TINKHAM, JOSEPH TRIPP, JAMES TRIPP, WILLIAM MACOMBER,
ELEAZER SLOCUM, JOHN LAPHAM, JOSEPH RIPLEY, DANIEL SHERMAN,
AARON DAVIS,
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By this it appears that Dartmouth at the date of this deed was owned by fifty-six persons, called proprietors.
The land was afterwards surveyed by Benjamin Crane, and divided, apportioning 800 acres to each proprietor -called in the old records "the eight- hundred-acre division." Crane held a commis- sion in the reign of Queen Anne, as surveyor, and became quite celebrated. His name is familiar to all who have consulted the "Proprietors' Records." These records are of much value in establishing the original boundaries of land, and are often brought into court for that purpose.
There are still standing several of the houses built by the original settlers, dating back to the time im- mediately succeeding " King Philip's War," which commenced in the year 1675. During the war the inhabitants of Dartmouth were completely dispersed by the Indians, and it is probable that most of the houses, except such as were used as garrisons, were destroyed. One of these old houses, now an in- teresting ruin, is owned by Thomas Wood, and stands about a mile to the northeast from the vil- lage of Acushnet, another in Oxford Village, Fair- haven, built by the ancestor of the late John Taber, still older. These are in the present township of Fairhaven. The next is in Dartmouth, about three miles from New Bedford, and on a cross road about one mile northeast from the village of Padanaram, lately occupied by David Howland, who died a few years since at an advanced age. The other, still in good preservation, and occupied, stands about four
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miles to the south-west of Russell's Mills, owned by Peleg Sherman, and known as the " old Ricket- son house," which was built by William Ricket- son, who died in 1691. His wife was Elizabeth Ricketson, whose name appears in the list of pro- prietors. William Ricketson was one of the orig- inal proprietors of Dartmouth, and the ancestor of those who bear his name. All these houses, except the one in Oxford, were substantial two-storied buildings, with huge stone chimneys and capacious fireplaces with ovens, seen only in the oldest houses, capable of receiving several feet of wood, from four to six feet long, so that the children used to sometimes sit upon the ends of the logs, and look up the chimney at the stars. These houses were severally built by the ancestors of families still living upon or near the homes of their fathers.
The old stock of people of Dartmouth was an in- dustrious, as well as a hardy and vigorous race ; and to this day a good share of these qualities remains, giving enterprise and endurance to their possessors.
Besides the garrison at " Russell's Orchard," near the head of the Apponeganset River, there was an- other on the east side of the Acushnet River, a short distance northeast of the Isle of Marsh. The locations of both these garrisons are discernible, and there is a spring of water near each, the spot having probably been chosen with reference to them. Several Indian burial-places have been dis- covered in the vicinity of New Bedford within a few years, near the shores of the Acushnet, upon high and dry places. The remains of a large num-
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ber of these once noble possessors of our soil have been exhumed, and at one time the writer examined the skulls of a number. In most of these, every tooth was preserved, and sound, both upon the up- per and lower jaw, and many of them indicated an advanced age, the back or molar teeth being much worn and grooved. On some of these skulls the coarse black hair still remained. Arrow-heads, stone hatches, adzes, gouges, &c., have been from time to time turned up by the plough-share. The writer has in his possession a handsome and curi- ously wrought tobacco-pipe, manufactured from a dark-colored soft stone, taken from one of the Indi- an graves-also a quaint glass bottle and some trifling brass ornaments, indicating the burial to have taken place after the arrival of the white peo- ple. The bottle undoubtedly contained the Indians' great curse, "fire-water," as it was found with its nose resting upon the mouth of the skeleton. How great must have been the fall and degradation of the poor native, thus to desire the companionship of his greatest betrayer and destroyer, beyond the grave!
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