USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 26
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Another matter came up and was discussed after the lecture at Boston, March 7, 1633-4, which probably had reference to the preaching of Mr. Williams. This discussion probably had its origin in the fact that Mr. Williams had taught that women should wear veils in public. Mr. Cotton concluded that where, by the custom of the place, they were not a sign of a woman's sobriety, they were not commanded by the apostle, but Mr. Endecott took the opposite view, and defended it by the general argument of the apostle. After some debate, the governor perceived that the dis- cussion was growing more and more earnest, and concluded that it would be wise to end it, which he did.3 One Sunday morning, Rev. Mr. Cotton preached in Salem on the subject with so much conviction that the women "appeared in the afternoon without their veils."4
Five or six summers had now elapsed since the English settlers first planted their crops here. They had proved that as good English grain, especially rye, oats and barley, could be raised here as in England. Wheat and beans had not been planted to any considerable extent. They grew well in gardens, but it was thought that seed grown here would do better than seed imported
1Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, page 122.
2Winthrop's Journal, page 123.
3Winthrop's Journal, page 125.
4History of New England, by Rev. William Hubbard, pages 204 and 205.
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from England, because the latter was usually injured on the voyage by the heat it generated.1
Cattle throve here as well as they did in England, both in winter and summer; they were generally larger and the cows gave more milk, and were free from many diseases that were incident to them in the old country.1
In February, 1634-5, the town "agreed that the towns neck of land shalbe preserved to feed the Catle on the Lords dayes and therefore pticular men shall not feed theire goates there at other tymes, but bring them to the h- that grasse may grow against the Lords dayes." The neck continued to be a common pasture until recent times, except on the shore of Cat Cove and what is now the Willows settlement and where the city farm occupies land on the Collins Cove side.
March 2, 1636-7, it was agreed that the neat-herd should begin the charge of the great cattle April 5th. March 20, 1636-7, the town agreed with Roger Morie,2 with the assistance of another man, to continue the occupation of neat-herd for eight months from April 5th. He was to be ready at the gate of the pen, which was at the western end of the common in front of the Second Church edifice, an hour after sunrise in the morning, and take all the town cattle to feed. The owners of cattle who did not have them there on time had to bring them after the herd. The neat- herd agreed to look after the cattle carefully and return them, and for this service received seven shillings per head for the season.
In the summer of 1638, the cow keeper was Richard Daven- port. The season began April Ist, and continued until November Ist. He was to be paid thirty-six pounds for the season, and agreed to keep his man constantly on the work. The day was to be one hour longer than that of the previous year. The cows were to be taken from the pen when the sun was half an hour high in the morning, and to be returned half an hour before sunset.3
March 20, 1636, it was agreed to allow a goatherd two shil- lings for the care of a milk goat, one shilling each for a wether and a ewe lamb after weaning and sixpence for a wether lamb, per year.
The supply of provisions was increased by the arrival, from Virginia, May 27, 1631, of a pinnace of eighteen tons burden, laden with corn and tobacco. She was bound to the northward,
1New Englands Prospect, by William Wood, chapter IV.
2Roger Morey (Maury) lived in Salem until 1649. Apparently, he had a wife and three children. Savage says that he removed to Providence, and died Jan. 5, 1668; and that by his wife Mary he had the following-named children : Bertha; Mehitable; Roger, born May 8, 1649; Thomas, born July 19, 1652; Hannah, born Sept. 28, 1658.
3Salem Town Records; volume I, page 66 (printed).
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but put in here because of foul weather. The price of the corn was ten shillings per bushel.1
July 26, 1631, a small bark of twelve tons burden, belonging in Salem, while sailing towards Boston, was overset in a gust of wind. The vessel was loaded with two tons of stores and three barrels of train oil. Jo. Elston and two of Mr. Cradock's fisher- men were in her. She was buoyed up by the oil and floated to and fro for forty-eight hours, until some men in a boat saw the plight of the men and went to their relief.2
Governor Winthrop records in his Journal that, Sept. 6, 1631, the ship White Angel set sail from Marble Harbor.3 This vessel had been purchased, at Bristol, of Alderman Aldworth, that year, by Capt. Isaac Allerton, for himself, Mr. James Sherley, Mr. Richard Andrews, Mr. John Beauchamp of London, merchants, and Mr. Timothy Hatherly of London, feltmaker, to be used by Captain Allerton as the agent of the owners, in bass fishing and trading. It was well fitted with good ordnance and had won a reputation as a successful fighter on the sea. Instead of trans- porting goods for the Pilgrims, as was expected of him, he brought things for the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and was always inter- ested in the Puritans at Salem .*
Captain Allerton was one of the wealthiest of the Pilgrims who came to Plymouth in 1620. He was born in the House the the northeastern part of Eng- land about 1586; subse- quently lived in London ; and for several years pre- ceding the time of the emigration was a merchant and prominent citizen of Leyden, Holland." He had a fishing
1Winthrop's Journal, volume I, page 56. 2Winthrop's Journal, volume I, page 59.
3Winthrop's Journal, volume I, page 60.
4History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, pages 320, 364, 390, 394, 413 and 455; Lechford's Note Book, page 120.
Capt. Isaac Allerton married, first, Mary Norris, in Leyden, Nov. 4, I6II. She was from Newbury, England, and came to New England with her husband, on the first voyage of the Mayflower. The first child born to the Pilgrims after landing was a son born to Mr. and Mrs. Allerton, who did not survive his birth. There had come with them four children, who had been born in Leyden: Bartholomew, born about 1612, Remember, born in 1614, Mary, born in June, 1616, and Sarah, born in January, 1618. The daughter Sarah is said to have come on the ship Ann, with her aunt Sarah Priest in 1623. Mrs. Allerton was among the first of the Pilgrims to yield to disease, dying Feb. 21, 1620-1. Captain Allerton married, second, Fear, daughter of Elder William Brewster, in 1626, and she was the mother of
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stage at Marble Harbor as early as the spring of 1633,1 and probably in the autumn of 1631, when, as above stated, the ship White Angel sailed therefrom. It is said that he had eight vessels employed in fishing.
Governor Cradock had built at Marblehead, near Little Harbor, a house of considerable size, though of course poorly constructed and with a thatched roof. On the first day of February, 1633-4, it was occupied by Isaac Allerton and the fishermen whom he employed that season. A tailor, who was sitting up late that night at work in the house, at about midnight heard a noise and looked out. He saw that the house was on fire in the thatch above the oven. He gave an alarm and Mr. Allerton and the fishermen quickly arose and saved most of the goods that were in the house, as Winthrop says, "by a special providence of God." The house was destroyed by the flames.2
Captain Allerton was ordered by the general court, March 4, 1634-5, to appear at the next court of the assistants "that hee may understand the desire of the country for his remoueall from Mar- ble Harbor."
Before the next session of the court (May 6, 1635), Captain Allerton gave to his son-in-law, Moses Maverick, all his houses, buildings and stages that he then had at Marblehead.
These lands of Governor Cradock and Captain Allerton, so far as the records reveal them, are shown on the map on the next page.3
Captain Allerton removed from Marblehead to New Haven, with his son Isaac, between 1639 and 1643, and died there in 1658.
Gov. Matthew Cradock was son of Matthew Cradock of Staffordshire, England. His mother was Dorothy Greenway of Berkshire. He lived in London, in St. Swithin's lane, near London Stone (which was preserved for centuries in the south wall of St.
his son Isaac, who was born at Plymouth in 1630. Mrs. Allerton died in 1633; and Captain Allerton married, third, Joanna
Of the children of Captain Allerton, Bartholomew returned to England and lived there; Remember died, unmarried, soon after 1627; Mary married Elder Thomas Cushman in 1636, and died in 1699, being the survivor of the Mayflower company, and "over ninety years old"; Isaac graduated at Har- vard College in 1650, lived in New Haven, Conn., until his removal to Wicomico, Northumberland county, Virginia, as early as 1655, married, first, Elizabeth ---- , and, second, about 1663, Elizabeth, daughter of Capt. Thomas Willoughby, and widow of Col. George Colcough; and Sarah mar- ried Moses Maverick of Salem in 1637.
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, page 104.
2Winthrop's Journal, page 124.
3The parallel rows of dashes on the plan indicate Franklin, Orne and Pond streets and Doak lane. The northeasterly end of the Cradock lot bounds on Merritt Street.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
Swithin's church), in 1628, and was a merchant. He was inter- ested in the West India trade before his attention was turned to New England. He never came to New England, but he had large financial interests in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and sent over many servants. He was interested in other lands, particularly on the Mystic River, at what is now Medford. He married, first, Damaris, daughter of Richard Winn of Shrewsbury (anciently Salop), in Shropshire,1 and, second, Rebecca, daughter of Thomas Jordan of London, a merchant.2 While a member of parliament, he died in the winter of 1640-I. His wife Rebecca survived him,
LITTLE HARBOR
ISAAC ALLERTON
MATTHEW CRADOCK
CRADOCK AND ALLERTON LANDS AT MARBLEHEAD.
and married, secondly, Richard Glover of London, gentleman, in or before 1644. Mr. Glover died before the spring of 1647; and, in 1652, she married, thirdly, Rev. Benjamin Whichcote, D. D., of a Lincolnshire family.
The house of Governor Cradock at Marblehead, which had been destroyed by fire was succeeded by another, apparently on the same site. By his will, he gave his real estate in New England equally to his wife Rebecca and his daughter Damaris. The widow, when she was Mrs. Glover, June 6, 1650, conveyed the house and land, for fifteen pounds, to Rev. William Walton, who was then minister to the people of Marblehead.3 Mr. Walton had
1A daughter, Damaris, was born of this marriage. She was baptized Nov. 1, 1623, and married Thomas Andrews of London, a leather dealer.
2Of this marriage several children were born: Matthew, baptized, June
3, 1632; Thomas, baptized Feb. 10, 1634; and Mary, baptized Nov. 27, 1637. 8Essex Registry of Deeds, book I, leaf 24.
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COMING OF ROGER WILLIAMS
previously occupied the house. He died in 1668; and the house and land became the homestead of his son Samuel Walton of Marblehead, mariner, who conveyed the house and land around it to Ambrose Gale of Marblehead, merchant, Sept. 20, 1686.1 Mr. Gale conveyed the same house and lot to Joseph Gallison of Marblehead, fisherman, Dec. 31, 1706.2 Mr. Gallison died in 1754; and in the division of his estate, June 16, 1756, the old house and lot were assigned to his grandson, John Gallison of Marblehead, gentleman. The house was probably gone soon afterward.
Evidently, Moses Maverick had conveyed to John Lyon, a fisherman, that part of his lot lying northerly of the dots on the above plan, on which Mr. Lyon built a dwelling house at X. Subsequently, John Lyon Mr. Maverick disposed of his house and land under and immediately adjoining it to Henry Stacey, who lived there in 1671. Mr.
Stacey died in the autumn of 1689, having devised the estate to his wife Jane, and, after her decease, to his daughter Martha. The house and lot were then appraised at forty-five pounds. The house was gone in 1699, when the land still belonged to the estate of Mr. Stacey. Mr. Lyon conveyed his house and lot to Mr. Maverick, for fifteen pounds, Aug. 17, 1653.3 The house had a leanto, and there was a shop upon the land when Mr. Maverick died, Jan. 28, 1685-6. His heirs agreed, Nov. 29, 1698, that the land and house, which was in a "much dicayed" and "ruinous condition", should be sold ; and their attorneys conveyed the land and buildings, Aug. 16, 1699, to Francis Haines of Marblehead, gunsmith, who conveyed the southern half of the house and lot to Jonathan Thompson of Marblehead, mason, Nov. 6, 1702;5 and the northern half to Joshua Orne of Marblehead, cordwainer, March 29, 1707.6 The house then had a chamber in the leanto. Apparently, the house stood for some years afterwards.
Moses Maverick was born about 1611, and was made a free- man in 1634. He came from Dorchester to Salem, and belonged to the Salem church. At the age of about seventy-three, he was one of the founders of the Mofos Mavericka church at Marblehead, where he lived, being a merchant. He married, first, as above stated,
1Essex Registry of Deeds, book 7, leaf 115.
2Essex Registry of Deeds, book 19, leaf 127.
3Essex Registry of Deeds, book 1, leaf 28.
4Essex Registry of Deeds, book 13, leaf 169.
5Essex Registry of Deeds, book 18, leaf 6.
"Essex Registry of Deeds, book 20, leaf 45.
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Sarah, daughter of Capt. Isaac Allerton. She died after 1652; and he married, second, Eunice, widow of Thomas Roberts, June 3, 1658. He died Jan. 28, 1685-6; and his wife Eunice survived him, being his widow in 1698.1
The lines between Salem and Marble Harbor, Salem and Saugus, and Marble Harbor and Saugus were ordered by the general court to be determined and marked by Mr. Nowell and Mr. Mayhew, between March 4 and 22, 1634-5. John Humphrey and John Endecott were allowed to go with them to represent Saugus and Salem and John Holgrave, Marble Harbor. Two years later (Nov. 20, 1637), the general court ordered that "Capt Turner, Goo: Rich'd Right, M' Conant, & Goo: Woodberry are appointed to certify weh bee the bounds between Salem & Saugust [Lynn], weh they formerly did agree vpon."
May 6, 1635, the general court "ordered, that there shalbe a plantacon att Marble Head, & that the inhabitants nowe there shall have liberty to plant & impue such ground as they stand in neede of, & that as the sª plantacon increaseth, the inhabitants of Salem shall pte with such ground as shallbe impued by them there abouts, being payde for ther labr & cost. Also, it is agreed, that none shsall goe to inhabite there without leave from the Court, or two of the magistrates. Further, it is ordered, that the land betwixte the Clifte & the Forest Ryver, neere Marble Head, shall for the present be improved by John Humfry, Esq, & that as the in- habitants of Marble Head shall stand in neede of it, the said John Humfry shall pte with it, the said inhabitants alloweing him equall recompence for his lab" & cost bestowed therevpon ; provided, that if, in the meane tyme, the inhabitants of Salem can satisfy the Court that they have true right vnto it, that then it shall belong to. the inhabitants thereof." The records of the general court for March 3, 1635-6, state: "It was proued this Court that Marble Necke belongs to Salem." Another year passed, apparently, and the boundaries of Salem were undetermined. The town ordered, Jan. 27, 1636-7, "That a peticon be drawne vnto the generall Court concerning the Limitts of Salem." At the same time it was "ordered that all the Land along the shore on Darbys fort side up
1The children of Moses Maverick were baptized in the church at Salem, to which he belonged until the church at Marblehead was formed, in 1684, as follows: I. Rebecca, baptized Aug. 7, 1639; married John Hawkes of Lynn June 3, 1658; and died soon afterward; 2. Mary, baptized Feb. 14, 1640-1; died at the age of fifteen; 3. Abigail, baptized Jan. 12, 1644-5; married Capt. Samuel Ward of Marblehead; 4. Elizabeth, baptized Dec. 13, 1646; died young ; 5. Samuel, baptized Dec. 19, 1647; 6. Elizabeth, baptized Sept. 30, 1649; married, first, Nathaniel Grafton; second, - Skinner ; 7. Remember, baptized Sept. 12, 1652; 8. Mary, baptized Sept. 6, 1657; married, first, John Bullock; second, Archibald Ferguson of Marblehead; died in 1695; 9. Sarah; 10. Aaron, baptized March 20, 1663.
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to the Hogsties [m' Humfries land] and so to run along towards marble head 20 pole into the Land shall be reserved for the Comons of the towne to serue it for wood & timber"; and that "aboue the measure of 20 pole into the land The land shall be layed out for 10 acre lotts till the Town be supplyed." The land was not laid out in that order in Marblehead, as an exami- nation of the earliest titles shows. At the same time it was also "ordered that Rica Brackenbury, Tho : Laythrop & Rica Huchenson are to view what Inlande their is betwixt Jeffereys Creeke & Makerell Cove, 4 or ffyve miles."
Marblehead was so called as early as 1633, when John Bennett was fined for being drunk there.1
The matter of traveling in the early times in Salem and vicinity is well illustrated by the few facts known concerning the visit of Governor Winthrop and Capt. John Underhill and other officers to Salem. They left Boston Oct. 25, 1631, and walked to Saugus that day. There they remained overnight, and the next day tramped to Salem. Governor Endecott entertained them bountifully, as the crop then being harvested was abundant. On the twenty-eighth, they returned to Boston, by way of the ford at Saugus River and Mystic.2
On his trip to Agawam (afterwards Ipswich), in 1634, Gov- ernor Winthrop undoubtedly stopped in Salem when going and on his return. He left Boston on Thursday, April 3d, and, as the church at Agawam was without a pastor, he stopped and preached to the people on Sunday. He arrived home on Thursday, the Ioth.
June 23, 1637, Governor Winthrop again went to Saugus, and so to Salem and Ipswich, at all of which places the men of the towns met him, and guarded him from place to place, though he neither desired nor expected it, to show him respect, as well as for his safety, as it was reported that Pequot Indians were in the vicinity. He returned on the twenty-eighth, being forced to travel all night by reason of the heat which was so great that several new comers died in their travel of a few miles.
The forests in and near Salem were sources of danger, not only from wild animals, but from liability of being lost in them as they were practically. endless in extent and almost pathless. In January, 1632-3, a maid servant of Rev. Mr. Skelton was lost on her way to Saugus, and was in the woods seven days, without food, eventually finding her way back to Salem. The snow was very deep, and the temperature as low as it was at any time during that winter. She was so frozen into the snow some mornings that an
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, page 106.
2Winthrop's Journal, volume I, page 63.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
hour's struggle was required to extricate herself. She suffered almost beyond endurance, but finally recovered her strength "through the Lord's wonderful providence", as Governor Win- throp wrote.1
The year 1632 was rather uneventful. In March, the bark Warwick stopped at Salem to sell corn, which it had brought from Virginia.2 John Sweet first appeared here in that year, as the owner of the land on both sides of the creek south of what is now Norman Street. The creek was called Sweet's Cove after him. He probably died about 1640, leaving a widow.
June 13, 1632, was a day of thanksgiving in all the plantations, for the success of the king of Sweden and Protestants in Germany against the German emperor, and for the safe arrival of all the ships.
The next month, the congregation of Boston wrote to the elders and brethren of the churches of Plymouth, Salem and other plantations for advice on three questions : I. Whether one person might be a civil magistrate and a ruling elder at the same time ; 2. If not, then what should best be done? 3. Whether there might be divers pastors in the same church. The first was agreed by all negatively ; and the second and third doubtfully.4 Probably these questions arose from trouble in the church in Watertown.
June 19, 1633, by order of the court another day of public thanksgiving was kept in the several plantations "for our delivery from the plots of our enemies, for the safe arrival of our friends, etc."5
At the general court, July 2, 1633, the matter of selling wine and strong water was discussed, and it was ordered that no person shall sell such liquors without leave from the governor or deputy- governor, and that no man shall sell or give any strong water to an Indian. This law remained in force several years. Nov. 2, 1637, the matter of excise on wine, strong water and tobacco was acted on ; and in that year breweries were ordered to be licensed for their better government.
The matter of fences grew in importance as the plantation increased in size and cultivation. At the court held July 2, 1633, it was ordered that if any corn fence should be by the inhabitants of the town judged insufficient, and the owner forbore repairing it more than two days after being notified of a defect, the in-
1Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, page 99.
2Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, page 71.
3Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, page 78.
"Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, page 81.
"Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, page 104; Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, page 105.
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habitants had to mend it, and the corn of the owner of the fence was liable for the cost of the repairs. This law undoubtedly originated in the necessity of producing and preserving all the food possible for the sustenance of the colonists.
The earliest fences were constructed for the protection of the homes, domestic animals and crops from the larger and more ferocious animals of the forest; to keep the domestic and small animals from injuring the crops ; and to restrain the various kinds of cattle of the settlers from straying into the forest or getting into the fields.
The palisade fence was the most ef- fective. The pales or palings were stakes or small logs, some ten feet in length, touch- ing each other, with one end driven into or PALISADE FENCE. imbedded in the ground, and sometimes pointed at the top. As the building of such a fence consumed much time and material, they were not as common as they otherwise would have been, and were rarely found away from the home place. This kind of a fence was used by Mrs. Lucy Downing at the end of her homestead next the common.
A stone wall best performed the service of keeping domestic and small wild animals from growing crops. This was con-
structed most frequently where stones were abun- dant. Not only was it effective, but enduring. In STONE WALL. spite of their be- ing more or less frost-flung, they are a picturesque variation in many a New England landscape, and will so remain until they are removed or tumble down and sink beneath the surface of the ground.
Where stones and timber were equally scarce, the half-high wall with a rail above it, which rested on crossed stakes driven into the ground, was often built. This was not an endur- ing fence:
The earliest fence for the latter purpose was the two-rail or pole fence, which was made
HALF-HIGH WALL.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
by driving stakes into the ground crossed and laying the lower
POLE FENCE.
rail or pole in the crotches thus formed. Other stakes were then driven crossed over the rails in such a way that another rail could be laid above the first one. This fence was not very substantial, but was quickly made.
A brush fence was made by lopping small trees along its line, only partially severing them from the stump and making them fall lengthwise of its course. This resulted in a very thick fence. This type has wholly passed away.
The split-rail fence is also an old form. Logs, generally of ash, about nine feet in length, and a foot in diameter, split the entire length into about sixteen equal parts, chamfered at each end, formed the rails. Of such split sections posts were also made, with holes cut in them in the proper places to receive the ends.of the rails. This kind of fence endured for scores of SPLIT-RAIL FENCE. years.
The board fence came later, when sawmills were common and lumber was cheaper.
March 20, 1636-7, the town ordered that "all o" fences" be repaired · before BOARD FENCE. April Ist "wth either post and rails or bound wt poles or laths on each syde wthin a foote & a half of the Topp, or some other way so sufficientlie, as the sur- veiors shall approue of." The surveyors of fences had general charge of them. The first fence surveyors mentioned, which was at this time, were Jacob Barney and Jeffrey Massie for the fences "bordering from John Talbies Lott along the North Riuer to Jnº Symonds house" ; Sargeant Dixie and "Brother" Rayment between "the South side neck & the meeting house"; and Thomas Olney and Thomas Gardner between "the meeting house, all westward of the Towne." April 4, 1641, the town ordered that all fences, general and particular, shall be sufficiently made and maintained, in winter and summer, and appointed fence surveyors as follows : "In the field next to the ferry that leads to Ipswch, . . [Ralph Elwood & goodman Bulfinch] William Bennett & George Roppes.
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