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 22
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 22
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 22
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 22
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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
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ing from a diversity of expressing the eastermost bounds of Dartmouth, and finding upon serch of the first ancient record that the bounds was to take place from the river and two miles eastward; but this Court alowes of three miles eastward, and doth mind the river and not the bay, to take the three miles from; and the tree that hath bine their bound soe long, and hath bin proved, the Court sees no reason but you ought to rest satisfied in." Court Orders, vol. 4, page 185.
"OWNERSHIP OF NAUSHON ISLAND.
In 1641, the agent of Lord Stirling granted the island to Thomas Mayhew of Martha's Vineyard. This grant was ratified under a commission from the Duke of York, by Francis Lovelace, Governor- General of New York, in 1671. Mayhew also bought out the Indian titles, and held it till 1682, when it was bought by Wait Winthrop, grandson of the first Governor of Massachusetts. It con- tinued in the Winthrop family until 1730, when it was conveyed by John Winthrop, son of Wait, to James Bowdoin, who sold one third part of the property to some of the Lechmere family. Of the
other two thirds, one half was set off after his death to his son William, and the other half to his son James, afterwards Lieutenant Governor Bow- doin. In 1761, the Lechmeres conveyed by deed one half of their third to James Bowdoin, aforesaid; and his brother William became proprietor of the other half by foreclosure of a mortgage. James Bowdoin, the Governor's son, inherited one half of the island from his father, and came into pos- session of the other half by marriage with his cousin Sarah, the daughter and only child of his incle William. By him the property was left to is nephew James, the son of Sir John and Lady Temple, upon condition of his taking the name of Bowdoin. Lady Temple was Governor James
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Bowdoin's daughter. This was the late James Temple Bowdoin. After his death, October 31st, 1842, the Trustees of Bowdoin College instituted a suit at law, claiming the property, as residuary devisee under the will of the uncle James Bow- doin, to the exclusion of James Temple Bowdoin's only son, James, to whom the property was to de- scend by the terms of that will.
The ground of the claim by Bowdoin College involved the question of citizenship of the son, the intentions of the uncle, and sundry nice points of law. An attempt on the part of the College to take forcible possession of a valuable property on Beacon street, Boston, similarly situated with that of the island, was defeated by the agent of Mr. Bowdoin sending a body of men at daylight, who tore down the shed erected on the ground by the College, carted off the materials, and erected a carpenter's shop, and put a tenant therein on behalf of Mr. Bowdoin. Eminent counsel were employed on both sides : Daniel Webster, Franklin Dexter, Mr. Paine, Aylwin, and Clifford, of New Bedford, on the part of Mr. Bowdoin; and Jeremiah Mason, Rufus Choate, Charles G. Loring, Benjamin F. Hallett, P. W. Chandler, and B. R. Curtis, for the College. The case was expected to come on at the November court in Boston, but on the 28th of September, 1843, a compromise was agreed upon by the parties, whereby James Bowdoin was to receive seven tenths (7 10ths) and the College three tenths (3 10ths) of both properties. Both parties assented to the sale of Naushon Island, with all the stock and other personal property thereon, to William Sturgis, Esq., for the sum of twenty thou- sand dollars. The purchase was made for William W. Swain, of New Bedford, and John M. Forbes, of Boston, who thereby became joint proprietors of the island property. It was through the agency of Mr. Sturgis that the compromise between the par-
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ties was effected, and the object he had in view in attempting it was to get possession of the island for the present proprietors, which he happily ac- complished."
"Sir John Temple, alluded to in the foregoing record, was English Consul-General for the United States, and died in New York in 1798. The old- est son, Sir Grenville Temple, resided in England. James Temple Bowdoin was his brother. The late Mrs. Winthrop, wife of Lieutenant-Governor Win- throp, and mother of Robert C. Winthrop, and Mrs. Palmer, of New York, were his sisters, and daughters of Sir John and Lady Temple. The father of Governor James Bowdoin was the first owner of Naushon after the Winthrop family. Naushon was owned by the Mayhew family from 1641 to 1682, 41 years; by the Winthrop family, from 1682 to 1730, 48 years ; by the Bowdoin fam- ily, from 1730 to 1843, 113 years." Naushon Rec- ords, by William W. Swain.
Although the first part of the following mem- oranda do not particularly belong to the subject, yet as they were a portion of the record as I received it, and interesting as a reminiscence, I have made use of them.
MEMORANDUMS OF WAIT WINTHROP'S SON JOHN, RELATING TO NAUSHON.
"Since I came to years of understanding, I have taken a little notice of ye affairs of ye world, and have found it to be in a most distracted posture, full of confusion. Not a man or any thing constant or true. I am now this present year 1702, twenty one years old, and in all my life hitherto have never yet found a true friend, one yt I could trust. Even my very relations have proved false and betrayed me. When I reflect upon my mispent
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time and think how long I have lived, and what little I have done for ye servis of Xt I mourn and lye low in the dust before the Lord my creator. Lord if thy majty wilt vouchsafe to grant me Grace and enable me, I will promise to serve ye my Re- deemer all ye remaining days of my Pilgrimage. Deus Secundat."
" Boston August 21. 1702. Reacht Mr Cushins that night. Next day being Saturday we went as far as Plymouth, where we kept ye Sabbath. Mr Little ye minister of ye town preacht.
Monday morning we got out from Plymouth, went to Dartmouth, lodged at Capt. Pope's,* next day we rid round to moniment bay came to a little farm house where we lay at night. Supt upon venison &c.
Wednesday morning it rained hard with thunder. Afternoon it cleared up. We went on our journey and got to succonesset ; where we lodged yt night. Next morning went over to ye Island in a canoe.
Sept ye 12. 1702. The house on the east end of Elizabeth's Island was raised. Ye Indians say before ye English came to America, ye was a white whale kept in ye great pond at ye west end of Kataimuk island.
Mr Stanton's powow at Stonington before ye English inhabited Coneticott ye Indians could raise upon Fisher's Island 600 fighting men out of ye dwellers at ye Island.
Tarpolin Cove on Elizabeth's Island September 1702. Here arrived an English ship from Nevis ye master whereof sent my Father a dozen and half of oranges.
· Ye Indians relate a story yt a Powow wh. livd at Moniment long before ye English came over to
* Captain Seth Pope, died March 17th, 1727, in the seventy-ninth year of his age.
+ Falmouth.
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ye nothun America meting with some affront from ye Indians yt inhabited Naushauna island-Out of revenge got ye Devell to throw over a Rattle snake wh. increased much and soon after a squaw was bit by one.
Ye natives of ye Elizabeth Island say yt ye Devell was making a stone bridge over from ye main to Nanamesst Island and while he was rowling ye stones and placing of ym under water, a crab cathed him by ye fingers with wh. he snathed up his hand and flung it towards Nantucket and ye crabs breed there ever since.
Ye iner bark of ye root of ye taullest baberry bush steeped in water. Ye Indians on ye Elizabeths Island cures ye bloody flux with.
Quere Whether if steeped in wine it would not be better.
Ye Dutch ship that came into ye harbour of New London before New England was inhabited A ship to saile under water, also through the air." Naushon Island Records.
The following interesting reminiscence is also taken from the same source :
" Mrs. Elizabeth Bowdoin, her husband being in a very weak state, addresses a letter from Dorches- ter, June 4th, 1775, to the Committee of Safety, enclosing a deposition signed by. Elisha Nye, inn- holder at Tarpaulin Cove, on Naushon Islaud, com- plaining of depredations committed on the stock by Capt. Lindsay, of the English sloop-of-war Falkland, and suggesting 'that if about one hun- dred men posted on that island, it would be a sufficient force to protect the inhabitants and also the stock of cattle and sheep, which are very considerable, and which have hitherto furnished divers parts of this colony with fat sheep and cattle for provisions, and particularly with large quantities of wool for our home manufacturers.
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Elisha Nye makes out the following estimate of the value of the articles taken by Capt. Lindsay from Tarpaulin Cove :
£ s. d.
4 sheep, 2 16 0
3 calves (4 months old,)
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4 quarters veal sold, 2 8
1 gun, taken out of my house by the Dr., of great value, 3 00 son Riding my horse, and use of my well, 3 00 tim 14 10 0 pie be
May 31, 1775. Sworn to before me. THOMAS SMITH, JUN., Juse Peace, Barnstable.
I beg leave to make this representation, that you may take such measures as your wisdom shall dictate; and am, most respectfully in Mr. Bow- doin's behalf, who is part owner of one of said islands, Genten, y' mo. obt Humbe Servt.
ELIZABETH BOWDOIN. To the Hon. Committee of Safety.'"
Nashawena was also formerly owned by the Winthrops, and is mentioned in the first series of the Historical Society's Collections, volume 1, page 202, as " Winthrop's Island." Pasque was also called " Tucker's Island,"-owned in 1843 by Joseph and Benjamin Tucker.
RECOLLECTIONS OF NAUSHON, BY SAMUEL ROBINSON.
" You ask me to tell you what I know of the Island of Naushon and its dependencies. I am afraid you have called too late: I am an old worn- out man; the 16th day of July next, should I live till that time, I shall be 83 years of age ; my mem- ory is gone; my comforts have been but few; by the sweat of my brow have I earned my bread all my days; and in looking back, so far as dates are con- cerned, I find but little which would tend to fix or impress them on my mind.
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You ask me on what part of the island the first house was built, and the year when. It is my im- pression that the farm-house is the oldest house now on the island. It must have been built about ninety years ago. Zephaniah Robinson was the first ten- ant; he was my uncle. He was succeeded by his son Isaac Robinson, who occupied it for a short time, when his father again resumed it and occu- pied it until he removed from the island to Kenne- bec, where he died. This must have been in the year 1800. I succeeded him in the occupancy, and continued in it for five years. Soon after leaving the farm-house I removed from the island, which was on the 15th of January, 1806.
The Nonamesset house was first built about the year 1769. It was built for my father, Paul Rob- inson. He moved from Waquoit when I was about one year old, and took possession of it. How long my father lived there I cannot now tell; all that I can say is, that he lived and died there, and we carried his body across to Woods Hole, where he was buried. Oliver Grinnell succeeded my father in the occupancy of Nonamesset. Tarpau- lin Cove house was built on the site of an old house, which was torn down to make way for it the year after peace, say in 1784. I was then about twenty-five years old. I assisted in the building, helped make and burn the bricks and burned the lime, also cut and carted the timber, and enough of it there is in the frame. I candidly believe there is as much as in three houses which they build at the present day. John Nye first lived in it; after him came Shadrach Robinson, and then I believe some tenants from the Vineyard, whose names I cannot now recollect. West-end house (Robinson's Hole) is a very old building. I cannot recall to my mind anything which will fix the date of its building. It was occupied by one . William Robinson. On- katonka house was built about the year 1800; it was first occupied by Seth Robinson.
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I lived with my father on Nonamesset when the mansion-house was built; it must have been over thirty years ago. It was not occupied by any- body during my day except Governor Bowdoin and his family during their visits to the island. The Governor died in that house. I remember it well. Everything was left in the house precisely as they were when the old man died, his wife and family immediately leaving it, and not stopping to take care of a single thing; the knives and forks resting on the shelves, the beds and bedding dirty, and in great confusion, family stores and provis- ions left without care: The house remained in this situation for seven or eight years unmolested, when Joseph Parker, of Woods Hole, was author- ized to go and take out part of the furniture, such as beds and bedding, &c. I remember very well going with him to New Bedford, and carrying them in the vessel which was called the old Maria packet. To the westward of Tarpaulin Cove, about two miles, there used to stand an old house. It was occupied by my grandfather, William Robinson, when I was a boy; it was a very old house then. It was afterwards occupied by William Butler. The cottage was built, I believe, by Solomon Towne, for the convenience of the wood-choppers. My wife's father, Nathan Weeks, lived at the head of Tarpaulin Cove harbor, in a little small house built in the true log-cabin style: It was torn down many years ago, but I shall never forget the old house. It was there that I felt 'love's young dreams,' I did all my courting in that rude but com- fortable old house, and was there married fifty-five years ago. My father-in-law afterwards moved to Chilmark, where he went the way of all living. There was a house standing to the westward of the French watering-place, and occupied formerly by Elnathan Rowley ; after he left, it was torn down.
On the east side of Tarpaulin Cove, there for- merly stood an old house which was occupied by
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Zacheus Lambert; he left it, and it was afterwards burnt down by the British in sport during the Rev- olutionary War. During that war, there were about two hundred British soldiers stationed at Naushon, say at Tarpaulin Cove; they were there twelve or fourteen months. They built a fort on the east side of the harbor, the remains of which are still to be seen. They used to barrack in the old house which stood where the present Tarpau- lin Cove house now stands. There are a great many stories connected with that war which history will never tell, and which will die with the few survivors who witnessed that terrible but glorious struggle.
It was during that war the British came down the bay, with eighteen sail of transports and other vessels, and anchored near the Weepeckets. They then landed about five hundred men and demanded all the stock there was on the island. Remon- strance and resistance were useless: They marched to the eastern part of the island, and separating, they commenced driving the stock to the westward as far as Robinson's Hole, where they took it in their boats and carried it on board. As near as I re- member, they took off at this time fourteen hun- dred sheep, thirty-five head of cattle, and twenty- five horses. This was stripping the island with a vengeance, but this was not all. Some time after a privateer sloop with two tenders came and an- chored in Hadley's harbor. I then resided, I remem. ber, with my father, at Nonamesset. There were remaining of the former stock about sixteen cows, seventy or eighty sheep, and one yoke of oxen. The captain of the privateer sent his boat on shore, and the officer, after looking round awhile at the stock, spied some calves which we had at Nona- messet. He gave us orders to dress him four and send them on board in the morning; this we did and carried them on board as he directed, which he paid us for. My father went with me on board of
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the privateer; and after paying for the calves he said to my father, 'I shall take what sheep you have got on the island. I see,' he says, 'that these are all yarded ; and now, my friend, as the wool is of no use to me, you may go on shore and com- mence shearing them, [for it was in the Spring of the year,] and I shall attend to getting them on board; and further,' says he, 'if you are faithful in send- ing all the sheep on board, I will leave the cows and oxen with you.' I very well remember how my old father worked to save the wool, and I carted them down to the boats the next day, with a sol- dier marching each side of me.
I am very sorry I cannot remember the agents' names, and the time each had charge of the prop- erty. John Reed, of Boston, was agent as long ago as I can remember. He, I believe, was suca ceeded by a man by the name of Bullard. After Bullard came William Putnam; this must have been about the year 1794. Putnam remained as agent until 1806 or 1807.
I cannot tell who suc- ceeded. One Callant was agent for a time since then; also a man by the name of Solomon Towne. But I find the more I attempt to fix my mind upon any one point the more confused my ideas grow. Old age must be my excuse, however.
SAMUEL ROBINSON.
NANTUCKET, Jan. 28, 1841."
The following account of New Bedford more than sixty years since, is taken from Morse's Gazetteer, published in 1797 :
" New Bedford, a post-town and port of entry in Bristol County, Massachusetts, situated on a small bay which sets up north from Buzzard's Bay, fifty-eight miles south of Boston. The township was incorporated in 1787, and is thirteen miles in length and four in breadth; bounded east
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by Rochester, west by Dartmouth, of which it was originally a part, and south by Buzzard's Bay. Acushnutt was the Indian name of New Bedford ; and the small river of that name, discovered by Gosnold in 1602, runs from north to south through the township, and divides the villages of Oxford and Fairhaven from Bedford village. A company was incorporated in 1796 for building a bridge across the river. From the head to the mouth of the river is seven or eight miles. Fairhaven and Bedford villages are a mile apart, and a ferry con- stantly attended is established between them.
Since my eleventh chapter went to press, I have discovered an editorial statement in the American Antiquities, published at Copenhagen, by which it would appear that the Northmen erected dwelling- houses on this coast, at Mount Hope, R. I .; but as the history of the visit of the Northmen is involved in much obscurity, and this statement simply edi- torial, it can hardly invalidate the usual conclusion; that the little fort and store house built by Gosnold and his companions were the first buildings erected by the Europeans upon this continent.
ADDENDA TO THE REVOLUTIONARY REMINISCENCES.
" Early in 1776, Thomas Truxton sailed as lieu- tenant in the private armed ship the Congress. Captures were made off Havana ; and of one of the prizes he took the command, and brought her to New Bedford."
Thomas Truxton died in Philadelphia May 5th, 1822, aged 67 years. He was therefore at this time (1776) but 21 years of age.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
INCORPORATION ACT OF NEW BEDFORD AND FAIRHAVEN AS A TOWNSHIP, 1787-ACT OF SEPARATION OF NEW BEDFORD. AND FAIRHAVEN, 1812 - ORTHOGRAPHY OF ACUSHNET-LIST OF THE LIGHT-HOUSES IN BUZZARD'S BAY -OLD ADVERTISEMENT RELATING TO THE NEW BEDFORD BRIDGE, FROM THE COLUMBIAN COURIER, 1798 -FIRST WHALING VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN FROM NANTUCKET-NOTICE OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLAGHORN- CAPTAIN EDMUND GARDNER'S ACCOUNT OF A PORTION OF HIS SEA FARING LIFE -- THE PROGRESS OF NEW BEDFORD - STATISTICS OF THE WHALE-FISHERY.
THE ancient domains of the old township of Dart- mouth were first disturbed in 1787, by its division into three separate parts, viz., Westport, Dartmouth, and New Bedford, the latter including the present township of Fairhaven, a division between which, as will be seen by the second act, took place in 1812.
THE INCORPORATION OF NEW BEDFORD AND FAIR- HAVEN AS A TOWNSHIP, 1787.
" Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
In the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Seven.
An Act for incorporating the easterly part of the Town of Dartmouth, in the County of Bristol, into a seperate Town by the name of New Bed- ford.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- resentatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the lands hereaf- ter described, to wit, beginning at a bridge lying
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across a stream that runs through the beach by a place called Clark's Cove; thence running northerly as the main branch of the stream runs, till it comes to a little bridge lying across the County road, at the foot of a hill about twenty rods to the east- ward of the dwelling-house where James Peck- ham, deceased, last dwelt; thence northerly, on a straight line, to Nathaniel Spooner's Sawmill; from thence northerly, on the west side of Bolton's Cedar swamp, till it comes to the dividing line between Dartmouth and Freetown, near the place called Aaron's causeway ; thence east twenty-two degrees and one half north, in the dividing line between said towns, to a rock, known by the name of peaked rock; thence southerly, by the Country road that leads from Dartmouth to Boston, one hundred and eight rods, to the south-west corner of Ebenezer Lewis' homestead farm; thence east about three hundred rods, in the dividing line between Roch- ester and Dartmouth, to a large white pine tree, marked on three sides; thence south six degrees and one half east, in the dividing line between Dartmouth and Rochester, to a heap of stones by the Sea; thence westerly, to the first mentioned bounds; with all the islands heretofore known to be a part of Acquishnet village, with the inhabi- tants dwelling on the lands above described, be, and they are hereby incorporated into a town by the name of New Bedford: and the said town is hereby invested with all the powers, priviliges and immunities to which towns within this Common- wealth are or may be entitled, agreeable to the Constitution and laws of the said Commonwealth.
Provided, nevertheless, and be it further enacted, That any of the inhabitants now dwelling on the above-described lands, who are or may be still desirous of belonging to the town of Dartmouth, shall, at any time within two years from the passing of this act, by returning their names into the
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Secretary's office, and signifying their desire of belonging to said Dartmouth, have that priviledge; and shall, with their polls and estates, belong to, and be a part of the said town of Dartmouth; they paying their proportion of all taxes which shall have been laid on the said village of Acquishnet, or town of New Bedford, previously to their thus returning their names, as they would by law have been holden to pay, had they continued and been a part of the town of New Bedford.
Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the inhabitants of the said town of New Bedford shall pay all the arrears of taxes which have been assessed upon them, and their proportionable part of what remains unpaid of the beef tax, so called, together with their proportion of all debts that are now due from the said town of Dartmouth ; and shall support their own poor.
Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the public lands, and the buildings standing thereon, also the town's stock of powder, and other town's property, shall be estimated and divided in the same proportion that each Village paid in the last State-Tax by Committees to be appointed for that purpose, at their annual town-meeting in March or April next. And whatever sum shall be found due to the town of Dartmouth, in conse- quence of the work-house standing within the line of New Bedford, as shall be reported by said Committees, the inhabitants of said New Bedford shall pay to said town of Dartmouth.
And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That Elisha May, Esqt., be, and he is hereby em- powered, to issue his warrant directed to some principal inhabitant, requiring him to warn and give notice to the inhabitants of the said town of New Bedford to assemble and meet at some suitable place in said town, to choose all such town-officers as towns are required to choose at
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their annual town-meetings, in the month of March or April, annually.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 22d, 1787.
This bill, having had three several Readings, passed to be Enacted.
ARTEMAS WARD, Speaker.
IN SENATE, February 23d, 1787.
This bill having had two several readings passed to be enacted. SAMUEL PHILLIPS, Prst.
By the Governour. Approved. JAMES BOWDOIN.
A true Copy. Attest, JOHN AVERY, JUNR., Secretary."
SEPARATION OF NEW BEDFORD AND FAIRHAVEN, 1812.
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