USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 34
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1Travels of Sir William Brereton.
"Mr. Peter's only child was Elizabeth, who married Barker and lived at Deptford, Kentshire, England, widow, in 1702 and 1709.
30I
COMING OF HUGH PETER
If Mr. Peter had remained in England longer, he would probably have been arrested for his non-conformity. He sailed from Plymouth in July, 1635, in the Abigail, with John Winthrop, jr., Sir Henry Vane and many others. They arrived in America on the sixth day of the next month.1
Mr. Peter preached some in Boston and also in Salem, un- doubtedly, before Nov. 30, 1635, when the town of Salem granted to him and Captain Endecott a two- Go woodlawn acre lot each at the west end of the great pen, bounding on the lots of
Captain Trask and John Woodbury ("Father Woodbury").'
When he came, he had no definite plan as to where he would go, or whether he would even remain in America. He had not given up his church, and Mr. Davenport was still supplying his pulpit the next March.3 On the third of that month (March) he was made a freeman, and by that act indicated that he had deter- mined to remain here.
Edward Johnson, in his "Wonder-Working Providence of Sion's Saviour," says of Hugh Peter :-
This yeere came over the Famous servant of Christ Mr. Hugh Peters, whose courage was not inferior to any of these transported servants of Christ, but because his native Soile hath had the greatest share of his labours, the lesse will be said of him here:
With courage bold Peters a Souldier stout In Wildernesse for Christ begins to war,
Much worke he finds 'mongst people, yet hold out ;
With fluent tongue he stops phantastick jars,
Swift Torrent stayes of liberties large vent ; Through crooked wayes of error daily flowing, Shiloe's soft streames to both in would all bent ;
Should he while they in Christian freedome growing, But back thou must, thy Talents Christs will have,
Improved for him, his glory is thy crowne,
And thou base dust while he thee honour gave; It matters not though the world on thee do Frowne.4
So Hugh Peter began his work in Salem, preaching irregular- ly until his settlement over the church, Dec. 21, 1636.
1Winthrop's Journal, volume I.
2Salem Town Records, Book of Grants.
3Letter of Samuel Reade to John Winthrop, jr., dated at London, March 5, 1635-6, in which he writes : "We wonder we haue noe certaine information whether my father Peter intendeth to stay with you, or to returne. It is necessary it should speedily be determined of, that his church inay know how to dispose of themselues. Mr. Davenport supplyeth his place yet." -- Massa- chusetts Historical Society's Collections, Fifth Series, volume I, page 217.'
4Wonder-Working Providence of Sion's Saviour; by Edward Johnson, 654.
302
HISTORY OF SALEM
June 3, 1635, the general court ordered that Mr. Holgrave should impress men to help unload the salt at Marblehead, and he was excused from the court that he might oversee that work.
May 6, 1635, the general court made a grant of land to John Humphrey in the following words :- .
There is 500 acres of land & a freshe pond, with a little ileland conteyneing aboute two acres, graunted to John Humfry, Esq, lyeing betwixte nore & west from Saugus, pvided hee take noe pte of the 500 acres within 5 myles of any towne nowe planted. Also, it is agreed, that the inhabitants of Saugus & Salem shall have liberty to build stoore howses vpon the said ileland, & to lay in such pvisions as they iudge necessary for their vse in tyme of neede.
The boundaries of this tract of land were not defined until March 12, 1637-8, when the general court determined
that M' Humfrey shall enioy the whole plaine on the JOHN HUMPHREY WILLIAM CLARK east side of the pond, & the plaine also at the north end, PHILIP VERRIN to the length of a halfe a mile full, or more if the said plaines stretch further, not SEDAR POND exceeding a mile that wee in- tend : also, three quarters of a mile on the westerly side of the pond, because the med- GRANTS AT SUNTAUG LAKE. owes there lying may bee "in the said M' Humfreys his owne ground, and on the south side of the pond to enioy the vpland & meddows, wth that meadow weh is called by the name of Stones Meadow, & the said vpland, weh is a hill, not very broad, beyond Stones Meadow, so called, to part the said ground of M' Hum- freys from Linn townes medowes, layd out to the inhabitants thereof, all weh said ground to bee his owne, as plaines, rocky ground, meadows, or swamps.
Dec. 7, 1635, a two-acre lot of land was granted to Gervas Gar wife Juntone Garford,1 as he was here before the two- acre grants were limited to one acre. This lot was laid out on the north side of Birdless, or Burley's Cove, now known as Collins Cove. A two-acre lot was also granted to his daughter Mrs. Ann Turland. Both of these lots adjoined the lands of Michael Sallows and James Smith. These grants were made upon the condition that the lots be built upon so that Garford might be ready to sell his house in the town.
1Gervas Garford had a wife Ann in 1649, and he was living in 1657. His. daughter Ann married - - Turland before 1635.
303
COMING OF HUGH PETER
Dec. 21, 1635, the town granted to Robert Cole a farm of three hundred acres "in the place where his catle are by Brooks- by." A week later it was stated to be "about 3 myles from Salem West ward vpon a freshe water brooke called the North brooke." Brooksby was southerly of the West Peabody railroad station. If Mr. Cole should desire to sell the land the town reserved the right to purchase it.
December 28, 1635, the town granted to Abram Warren a ten-acre lot and a house lot.1
Only seven men in Salem took the oath of freemen in 1635, viz: John Blackleach, John Legg and Robert Cotta, May 6; and John Blackbrach Richard Adams, Townsend Bishop, Philip Veren and Thomas Scruggs, September 2d. John Blackleach was a young man,2 and Robert Cotta3 was a tailor and also young. Richard Adams and his wife Susan came from Northampton this year in Dorf. Goffa; the ship Abigail, with John Winthrop, jr., Hugh Peter, Sir Henry Vane and many others. He was a bricklayer by trade, and twenty-nine years old. His wife was twenty-six.4 Philip Veren and his wife Dorcas and five Aphilly: Down children came from New Sarum, in the City of Salis- bury, England, in the ship James, this year, sailing from Southampton. He was a roper by trade and of middle age." Thomas Scruggs is said by some to have come with Governor
1Abraham Warren; planter; lived in Salem; wife Isabel died April 5, 1672; he died in the summer of 1682; left a widow. His daughter Mary married John Green.
2John Blackleach married Elizabeth ; was living in Salem in 1663; children : I. Desire, born April 13, 1636; 2. Exercise, born Jan. - , 1637-8; 3. Joseph, born Jan. 8, 1638-9; 4. Elizabeth, born Dec. - , 1641 ; died Oct. - , 1642; 5. Benony, born May -, 1643; 6. Elizabeth, born Aug. 12, 1644; mar- ried Thomas West of Beverly.
3Robert Cotta lived in the North field, near the home of J. Fred Hussey ; married Jone -; sold his homestead in 1664, and probably removed from the town; children: I. - (son), baptized Jan. 28, 1637-8; 2. Bethshua, baptized March 24, 1639-40; 3. Mary, baptized Sept. 19, 1640; 4. Peter, baptized May 1, 1642; 5. Obadiah, baptized Sept. 10, 1643; 6. John, baptized May II, 1645.
Richard Adams probably removed to Charlestown or Malden; children : I. Mary; married Clough; 2. Sarah; married Edward Counts of Charlestown; 3. Ruth; married Lazarus (?) Glover ; 4. Hannah, born Jan. -, 1663.
5PHILIP VEREN1 lived in Salem; married Dorcas -; died in 1649; she was his widow in 1659; children, born in New Sarum: I. Robert;2 2.Philip,2
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HISTORY OF SALEM
Endecott in 1628. He was a planter here; and died in the spring of 1654. His wife Margaret died Jan. 26, 1662-3.
C-Domar Srvaygo
1
Benjamin Felton brought into the country, as his servant, a man named Robert Scarlett, a known thief, who, after he came, committed divers breaches of the law. It was ordered by the general court, Oct. 6, 1635, that said Scarlett be severely whipped, branded in the forehead with the letter T and be sent out of the colony. October 28, 1636, the general court, having heard that Scarlett showed signs of amendment, permitted him to remain, which he probably did not do, as he is not again mentioned.
John Galley appeared before the general court for a mis- demeanor, and was fined, Oct. 6, 1635. He had just married, John Calling apparently, and his wife's name was Florence. He was at this time about thirty years old, and his wife was two years his junior.1
Widow Anne Scarlett came to Salem in 1635, bringing with her her three children, Mary, Margaret and Joseph. She died
baptized March -, 1619; 3. Hilliard,2 baptized March 3, 1622; 4. Nathaniel,2 baptized April 6, 1623; 5. Joshua ;2 lived in the parish of St. James, in Bar- badoes ; planter ; died at Barbadoes in 1695.
ROBERT VEREN;2 died before 1639; child: I. Robert;3 living in 1647. PHILIP VEREN ;2 wheelwright; married, first, Jane - in or before 1640; second, Joanna -; she died Aug. 30, 1664; he was living in 1665; children : I. Bethia,3 baptized Nov. 14, 1641; 2. Dorcas,3 baptized April 16, 1643; 3. Philip,3 baptized March 23, 1645; 4. Hannah;3 5. Mary,3 born Aug. 20, 1659 ; died April 20, 1662; 6. Deliverance,3 born Nov. II, 1661 ; 7. Adoniram,3 baptized before September, 1664. ENS. HILLIARD VEREN ;2 merchant and scrivener ; called brother-in-law of Edmund Batter in 1669; married Mary Conant April 12, 1641; died Dec. 20, 1683; she died, his widow, in 1692; children : I. Mary,3 born Feb. 15, 1641-2; married Samuel Williams; 2. De- liverance,3 born Feb. 23, 1644-5; 3. Hilliard,3 born April -, 1649; merchant ; married Hannah Price May 4, 1670; died at Barbadoes in 1680; she died, his widow, in 1683; they left no children; 4. Dorcas,3 baptized March 7, 1652; married Timothy Hicks; 5. Sarah,3 baptized April 22, 1654; married Deliverance Parkman; 6. Abigail,3 baptized Aug. 21, 1655; married Benjamin Marston. NATHANIEL VEREN ;2 married Mary --; died in or before 1665; she married, second, Lt. Joseph Putnam Nov. 14, 1666; child: I. Mary,3 born in 1648; married Timothy Lindall.
1John Galley lived in that part of Salem which was incorporated as Beverly in 1668; died in the autumn of 1683: wife Florence survived him, and died, his widow, in Beverly Dec. 23, 1686. Their daughter Elizabeth married, first, Osmund Trask; second, John Giles. In his will, dated May 22, 1683, Mr. Galley mentioned "my son-in-law William Hoare," "my son Killicress Ross," and "my grandchildren, Sarah Ross, Elizabeth Trask and Mary Johnson."
305
COMING OF HUGH PETER
Feb. 28, 1642-3, and in her will, dated March 2, 1639-40, she men- tioned the three children, "my brother Samuel, in old England," "my brother David's children," "my sister Dennis," "my brother James Hindes," "my brother Browning and his wife" and "my brother Joseph Grafton."
A lad, eleven years old, named Benjamin Scarlet, appeared in Salem at about the same time as Widow Scarlett and her family, but whether they were related is unknown. Benjamin was ap- prenticed in the same year to Gov. John Endecott and remained his servant until Governor Endecott's decease, a period of thirty years.'
Several others of the early settlers appear in the records of Salem this year for the first time. Among them was Henry Herrick, a Roman favis ko young man,2 and Richard Hollingworth who came from London in the ship Blessing. Mr. Hollingworth was at that
1Benjamin Scarlett was living in Salem as late as 1691, when he was about sixty-seven years old.
"HENRY HERRICK1 was a yeoman; lived on Rial Side, in Salem; married Edith Laskin; died in 1671; she survived him; children: I. Thomas;2 mar- ried Hannah Ordway; died without issue; 2. Zachariah,2 baptized Dec. 25, 1636; 3. Ephraim,2 baptized Feb. II, 1637-8; 4. Henry,2 baptized Jan. 16, 1639-40; 5. Joseph,2 baptized Aug. 6, 1645; 6. Elizabeth,2 baptized July 4, 1647; married Philip Fowler of Ipswich Jan. 20, 1672-3; 7. John,2 baptized May 26, 1650; farmer ; lived in Beverly ; married Mary Redington of Tops- field May 25, 1674; died in 1680; she married, second, Robert Cue; 8. Ben- jamin ;2 died about 1677, without issue.
ZACHARIAH HERRICK ;2 carpenter ; lived in that part of Salem which was set off as Beverly in 1668; married Mary Dodge in 1653; he died May 20, 1695; she died Aug. 18, 1710; children: I. Mary,3 baptized Oct. 10, 1654; married John Batchelder; 2. Elizabeth,3 baptized March 25, 1657; married Samuel Stone; 3. Henry,3 born in 1659; died in infancy; 4. Sarah,3 baptized Oct. 15, 1662; married Samuel Morgan of Beverly Dec. 22, 1692; 5. Mar- tha,3 baptized Aug. 5, 1665; 6. Hannah,3 born in 1669; married Jonathan Stone; 7. Henry,3 born in 1671 ; lived in Beverly; married Susannah Beadle of Salem; died Sept. 28, 1747; had children; 8. Abigail,3 baptized May -, 1674. EPHRAIM HERRICK;2 lived in Beverly ; married Mary Cross of Salem July 3, 1661 ; died Sept. 18, 1693; children : I. John,3 born May 31, 1662; lived in Salem, Beverly and Wenham; married Bethiah Salart April 21, 1684; she died in Wenham Aug. 4, 1729; had children; 2. Ephraim,3 born Aug. 13, 1664; lived in Beverly, Mass., and Preston, Conn .; married Judith -; had children; 3. Mary,3 born June 14, 1667; 4. Stephen,3 born March 15, 1670; 5. Sarah;3 6. Samuel,3 born June 4, 1675; 7. Timothy,3 born Jan. 4, 1681 ; 8. Ann,3 born Nov. 20, 1683. HENRY HERRICK;2 lived on his father's farm in that part of Salem which is now a part of Beverly; married, first, Lydia Woodbury (?) about 1660; second, Sarah, widow of John Giddings of Gloucester in 1690; died June -, 1702; children: I. Lydia,3 born in 1661; married John Porter of Wenham; 2. Joseph,3 baptized Sept. 26, 1666; cap- tain of troop of mounted rangers in the French war; married, first, Mary -; second, Mary, widow of David Cushing of Hingham; had children;
306
HISTORY OF SALEM
time forty years of age. With him came his family, consisting of his wife Susanna, aged thirty, and their children, William, aged seven, Richard, four, Elizabeth, three, and Susanna, two. He was a shipwright and engaged in shipbuilding.1 At the Salem court, Dec. 26, 1636, Richard Hollingworth was ordered to answer for misdemeanors at the "general court in the Bay ;" but the order was withdrawn upon his submission.
Hugh Laskin, who also came that year, was a middle-aged man and a planter.2 William Lord, william. who was here in 1635, and probably earlier, was born about 1575. He was a cutler, and lived where the Asiatic building now stands near the meeting house. His house was
died in 1726-7; 3. Elizabeth,3 baptized Dec. 6, 1668; 4. Samuel,3 baptized in 1670; tailor ; lived in Beverly and Gloucester ; married Sarah Leach of Salem May 25, 1691; died in 1743; 5. Jonathan,8 baptized in 1672. JOSEPH HER- RICK;2 yeoman; lived on Cherry Hill, in Salem, which became a part of Beverly; married, first, Sarah Leach of Salem Feb. 7, 1666-7; second, Mary Endecott of Salem about 1677-8; she died Sept. 14, 1706; married, third, Mary, widow of Capt. George March of Newbury June 28, 1707; repre- sentative ; died Feb. 4, 1717-8; children : I. Joseph,ª born April 2, 1667 ; lived in Beverly, Marblehead and Topsfield; married Elizabeth she died Sept. 30, 1748; he died Sept. II, 1749; had children; 2. Benjamin,3 born Jan. I, 1669-70; 3. John,8 born Jan. 25, 1670-1; 4. Sarah,3 baptized May 4, 1674; 5. Henry,8 baptized Jan. 26, 1679-80; 6. Martin,3 born Jan. 26, 1679-80; 7. Benjamin,3 baptized in 1680; 8. Tryphosa,3 born Nov. 16, 1681 ; 9. Rufus,8 born Nov. 21, 1683; 10. Tryphosa,3 born April 9, 1685; II. Elizabeth,3 born Oct. 16, 1686; 12. Ruth,3 born April 29, 1688; 13. Edith,3 born Feb. 20, 1690. 1RICHARD HOLLINGWORTH1 lived near Butt point, where he had his ship- yard; married Susanna ; died in the winter of 1653-4; she was his widow in 1667; children: 1. William,2 born about 1628; 2. Richard,2 born about 1631; 3. Elizabeth,2 born about 1632; 4. Susanna, born about 1633; married Robert Starr.
WILLIAM HOLLINGWORTH;2 mariner and merchant; married Eleanor ; died in 1677; she died, his widow, Nov. 22, 1689; children: I. Mary;3 married Philip English; 2. Susanna,3 born March 4, 1658-9; died before 1695. RICHARD HOLLINGWORTH ;2 mariner; married Elizabeth Powell Aug. 23, 1659; they were living in 1674; children : I. Richard,3 born Aug. 9, 1661; died Aug. - , 1662; 2. Benjamin,3 born June 28, 1663; 3. John,3 born May 12, 1665: 4. Abigail,3 born March 1, 1667-8; 5. Joseph,3 born April 4, 1670; 6. Caleb,3 born Dec. 22, 1673.
2HUGH LASKIN' lived on Front Street; married Alice she died July 23, 1658; he died the following winter; children: I. Edith;2 married Henry Herrick; 2. Timothy.2
TIMOTHY LASKIN ;2 married Damaris - ; died before 1659; she mar- ried, secondly, Paul Mansfield; children: I. John;3 minor in 1659; 2. Tim- othy;ª minor in 1659.
TIMOTHY LASKIN ;3 cooper ; married, first, -; second, Elizabeth -; died in 1700; she was his widow in 1702; child: I. Thomas;4 cooper ; living in 1736; married Susanna Codner Aug. 12, 1706; she was his wife in 1728.
307
COMING OF HUGH PETER
curious, two stories in height, very long and rambling, with a leanto. It was called a "row of houses." Near it was the barn and well. Though he repeatedly sought to recover more com- pensation for the site of the meeting house, he gave, in 1651; the house, barn and land "for and to" the use of the church, after the death of his wife.1 Nicholas Merritt and John Peach also came niskos monrott this year and settled in that part of Salem which became the town of Marblehead. Mr. Merritt was a young man,2 and Mr. Peach was in his twenties,3 and a fisherman. Thomas Read was made a free- man April 1, 1634, and was living in Salem as early as 1635.“
1William Lord married Abigail - --; died Jan. 14, 1672-3, aged ninety- seven; she married, secondly, Resolved White of Salem Oct. 5, 1674; and died about 1681. Mr. Lord gave his estate by will to his "kinsman," William Lord of Salem, husbandman. It is unknown what this kinship was, but probably the testator was uncle of the other William.
WILLIAM LORD,1 the nephew, was a planter; lived in Salem; married Jane -; died in 1685; she survived him; children: I. Abigail;2 married Samuel Gray; 2. William,2 born Feb. 27, 1656-7; 3. Elizabeth,2 born April 26, 1659; married William Godsoe; 4. Margaret,2 born Sept. 21, 1660; un- married in 1682; 5. Joseph,2 born Jan. 1, 1661-2; 6. Jeremiah,2 born April 2, 1667; of Beverly, husbandman, in 1689, and of Ipswich, weaver, in 1693; 7. Jane,2 born May -, 1668; married Charles Price; 8. Rowland,2 born April 7, 1672; died Dec. 5, 1674; 9. Dinah,2 born Nov. 4, 1674; unmarried in 1696.
WILLIAM LORD;2 mariner ; married, first, Mary Moulton April 7, 1680; second, Dorothy Beadle Aug. 10, 1693; died about 1705; she married, second, Jeremiah Neal Oct. 31, 1707; children : I. William,3 born Feb. 3, 1680-I; mariner ; lived in Newport, R. I., in 1707; 2. Abigail,3 born Dec. 21, 1682; 3. Mehitable;3 spinster; lived in Boston, unmarried, in 1710; 4. Joseph,“ baptized June -, 1687; 5. Robert,8 baptized Aug. 3, 1690. JOSEPH LORD;2 mariner ; lived in Salem and Boston; died before 1746; children: I. Mehit- able ;3 married -- Buttolph.
2Nicholas Merritt lived in Marblehead; married Mary Sandin; died in I686; children (all living in 1685) : I. Martha ; married Owens; 2. Re- becca ; married - Chinn; 3. Mary; helpless in 1685; 4. John; 5. James ; 6. Samuel; living in Marblehead in 1669; 7. Nicholas.
3John Peach was born about 1614; lived in Marblehead; died Aug. 20, 1684. In his will, dated Oct. 2, 1682, he mentioned John Squire, his sister's son, in Barbadoes, widow of his brother Thomas, children of his sister Margaret, his estate in England in the hands of his cousin John Minson of Simsborough, his cousin William Peach, who had two sons, John and Thomas, his cousin John Legg, his cousin William Hines and wife Abigail and only child John Hines, his cousin Peter Dolliver and daughter Margaret Dolliver and his cousin Joseph Dolliver.
There was a John Peach, jr., apparently a mariner, wife Alice, living in Marblehead from 1644 to 1657 or later.
4Col. Thomas Read had gone to England in February, 1641-2, and prob- ably did not return to America. He died before 1697. His only son and heir, Samuel Read, lived in London, England, in 1701, being a merchant.
308
HISTORY OF SALEM
John Thorndike, who is said to have come from Little Carleton,
2
Lincolnshire, England, to Boston, as early as 1632, was one of the grantees of Ips- wich and was living in Salem in 1635.1
In the winter of 1635-6, locations for new settlements were discussed, and the territory on either side of Ipswich was proposed. It was therefore desirable to learn the extent of each town, and at the general court, March 3d, of that winter, the matter of "setting out" these bounds was referred to John Humphrey, Esq., and Capt. Nathaniel Turner, who were ordered to determine the bounds before the middle of the following summer, each town to run six miles into the country. Apparently, nothing was decided under this vote.2
1John Thorndike lived in the Beverly part of Salem; probably married Elizabeth -; went to England in 1668, and died there in 1670; children : I. Sarah; married John Low of Ipswich Dec. 10, 1661; 2. Elizabeth, born about 1641; married John Proctor; 3. Ann; insane in 1668; 4. Mary; 5. Alice; with her father in England in 1668; 6. Martha; with her father in England in 1668; 7. Paul; lived in Beverly; representative; married Mary (or Margaret) Patch April 28, 1668. In 1636, Mr. Thorndike had a servant named John Adams (Essex County Quarterly Court Records and Files, volume I, page 3).
2The boundaries were determined and located by a joint committee of the two towns March 27, 1643.
The Ancient Ways
CHAPTER XVII.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TOWN.
NE of the most interesting features of the settlement at Naumkeag was the orderliness of its conduct by its leading officers, who proceeded with scientific and economic accuracy and an apparent fulness of faith in the abundant success of the whole undertaking. The colony was founded by the most approved methods of a time far beyond its own, and on the most enduring basis.
The Company was aware of the importance of the settlement · of private ownership of lands, and it was discussed while prepar- ations were being made for the departure of the colonists in the spring of 1629. Each one must have a site for his house, ground to be enclosed and prepared for cultivation of crops, and pastures in which to graze his cattle.
In the very first letter of instructions sent to Governor En- decott, April 17, 1629, it was stipulated by the Company that the old planters should "enioy not only those lands weh formly they haue manured but such a further pporcon as by th' advice and judgmt" of Governor Endecott and the rest of the council "shalbe thought fitt for them or any of them."
The Company, by special committees and in general meeting, had vainly endeavored to decide how and where the plantation should be located, and wisely referred the whole matter with full authority to proceed to Governor Endecott and a committee to be chosen to assist him therein.
In building the town, Governor Endecott was requested to take the advice of Thomas Graves of Gravesend, Kentshire, a man well able to survey and lay out lands, whom the Company had sent for this and similar purposes, "that it may bee qualified for good ayre & water, . and may haue as much naturall helpe as may bee, wherby it may wth the less labor and cost bee made fitt to resist an enemie."
309
310
HISTORY OF SALEM
In regard to the quantity of land assigned to each person the lots were of equal proportion, but adventurers and some other persons had shares in the land according to the respective amounts they had contributed to the common stock, or the number of ser- vants or cattle they had sent over, or for other reasons. The ordinary sized parcels of land were drawn by lot.1
Governor Endecott was ordered to allot lands to those who sent over servants or cattle in the several ships this year (1629) and convey the same to them, if they so desired, within one year after their entering upon their lots. But if any one disliked his allotment, at any time before a general distribution was made to all the adventurers, he was privileged to release the land and take instead a parcel by lot amongst other private adventurers.
The names of the adventurers with the several sums they had underwritten were sent to Governor Endecott, who was authorized to allot unto each adventurer or his assigns who desired, at the rate of two hundred acres of land in the first division for each fifty pounds adventured in the general stock.2
If within ten days after demand made by any adventurer who had an interest in the common stock or by his servant in his behalf his lot had not been allotted to him, he had liberty to build in any place he thought most convenient, provided that he did not build on or prepare land already occupied. If the plot of ground where- on the town was intended to be built were set out and publicly known to be intended for that purpose, no man could build his house elsewhere. If one's allotment were not set out within the town ten days after his request or demand of the governor or deputy and council to have it assigned to him, it was free for any adventurer in the common stock to build his house thereon. Later, the Company provided that each new colonist, adventurer in the common stock or servant could take possession of a lot to suit himself, and build his house thereon and enclose the same to his own use in a convenient place not built on or prepared, not exceed- ing one-half of that proportion which by the former order of the Company was allowed, if, within ten days after the arrival of the ships and due demand, an assignment was not made.3
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