USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 46
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DR. BENJAMIN ROPES SYMONDS ;? physician; married Ida E. Shapleigh of Salem Dec. 3, 1885; died Oct. 15, 1912; she survives him; children : I. Walter Shapleigh,10 born May 1, 1888; died Jan. 31, 1889; 2. Bertrand Ropes,10 born Aug. 29, 1891; 3. Helene,10 born June 30, 1897; 4. Benjamin Shapleigh,10 born July 8, 1904. ERNEST F. SYMONDS ;? bank clerk; married Jessie M. Hatch June 16, 1897 ; children : I. Sarah Cox,10 born June 2, 1901 ; 2. Helen,10 born July 8, 1905; 3. 10 (son), stillborn Nov. 4, 1907. JOSEPH CLIFTON SYMONDS ;9 clerk; married Annie J. Stanley of Lynn Oct. 2, 1890; child: I. Margaret Ropes,10 born Oct. 30, 1891; lived in Swampscott in 1905. GEORGE ELMER SYMONDS ; messenger ; married Edith Danera Gray April 18, 1898; child: I. Phylis G.10, born June 16, 1899; mar- ried Wendell B. Ford of Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 6, 1922. GEORGE HORTON SYMONDS9; city auditor ; married Fannie Augusta Poor of Peabody Oct. 7, 1903; died at Asheville, N. C., March 17, 1916; children : I. George Put- nam,10 born July 9, 1905; 2. Dorothy P.10, born Dec. 25, 1906. ERNEST GARD- NER SYMONDS ;9 station agent; married Rebecca E. Popper Sept. 25, 1907; died from injuries received in a railroad accident at Castle Hill Feb. 18, 1910; she married, secondly, Frederick O. Conlen ; child: I. Hattie Manella,1º born June 10, 1908. FRANK WILLIS SYMONDS ;? machinist; lived in Salem and Marblehead; married Mary Browne Stephenson Oct. 29, 1907; children : I. Dorothy A.10, born July 14, 1908; 2. Florence L.1º, born Aug. 20, 19II.
402
HISTORY OF SALEM
William Bennet1 came here in 1636. John Pickworth2 came from Plymouth, with his wife Ann and one or two children in or John Pirkmouth before that year. William Wood- bury came from South Petherton, Somersetshire, England, to Salem as early as 1636.
March 2, 1636-7, the town granted to William Woodbury® three acres of marsh lying before his ten-acre lot for his two-acre
1William Bennett lived in that part of Salem which was incorporated as Manchester ; married Jane -; died Nov. 20, 1682; she died April 27, 1693 ; children : I. Moses; living in 1686; 2. Aaron; yeoman; lived in Manchester ; married, first, Hannah - before 1665; she was his wife in 1685; married, second, Elizabeth - - before 1708; died in 1709; 3. Mary; unmarried in I682.
"John Pickworth was in Plymouth in 1631; married there, and removed to Salem with his wife Ann before 1636; settled at Jeffries Creek (now Manchester) ; died in the autumn of 1663; she died, his widow, in the spring of 1683; children : I. Ruth, baptized Oct. 14, 1638; married Nathaniel Mas- ters before 1663; 2. Hannah, baptized Oct. 14, 1638; married John Killam; 3. John, baptized Oct. 14, 1638; was out of the plantation in 1660; died, un- married, in 1681; 4. Samuel; carpenter; married Sarah Marston Nov. 3, 1667; was killed in King Philip's war Dec. 15, 1675; she survived him, with four young children: 5. Joseph, baptized Feb. 12, 1642-3; living in 1681 ; married and had a daughter; 6. Rachel, baptized May 3, 1646; married John Sibley ; 7. Benjamin, baptized July 2, 1648; married Elizabeth -; died in the autumn of 1681, childless; 8. Sarah, baptized Oct. 6, 1650; married Joseph Mazury; 9. Abigail, baptized Oct. 2, 1652; living in 1663; 10. Jacob, baptized Sept: 3, 1654.
3WILLIAM WOODBURY1 lived at Mackerel Cove, in what is now Beverly ; married Elizabeth Patch Jan. 29, 1616; died in 1677; she married, secondly, John Walker March 12, 1678-9; children: I. Nicholas,2 baptized in 1618; 2. William,2 baptized in 1620; 3. Andrew,2 baptized March 9, 1621-2; 4. Hugh;2 5. Isaac;2 lived in Beverly; married Mary Wilkins Oct. 9, 1671; 6. Hannah;2 married Roger Haskell; 7. Nathaniel,2 baptized Dec. II, 1639.
NICHOLAS WOODBURY ;2 lived in Beverly; mariner ; married Anna Paul- grave of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk County, England, who was brought over by her father-in-law Mr. John Young; died May 10, 1686; she died, his widow, June 10, 1701; children : I. Joanna,3 born March -, 1653; married Samuel Plumer Dec. 5, 1670; 2. Abigail,3 born Aug. - , 1655; married Richard Ober Dec. 26, 1671; 3. Nicholas,3 born last of July, 1657; lived in Beverly ; married Mary Elliott June 4, 1684; died Oct. 13, 1691 ; had children ; 4. Joseph,3 baptized Nov. 20, 1665; lived in Beverly ; married Elizabeth West Dec. 19, 1687; 5. Isaac,3 baptized Nov. 20, 1665; lived in Beverly; married Mary Wilks Oct. 9, 1671 ; had children; 6. Andrew,3 baptized Nov. 20, 1665; lived in Beverly; married; had children; 7. Benjamin,3 baptized April 26, 1668. WILLIAM WOODBURY;2 lived in Beverly; married Judith died in 1668; children:
I. William,3 born March 10, 1665; 2. (daughter) ; 3. - 3 (daughter). ANDREW WOODBURY ;2 mariner ; married Mary Cockerell; died in 1685; she survived him; children: I. Mary,3 born May 14, 1657; died Nov. 6, 1658; 2. Susan,3 born June 9, 1660; probably married William Bartoll of Marblehead; 3. Hannah,3 born April 1, 1664; perhaps married Thomas Cox Aug. 20, 1680. HUGH WOODBURY ;2 lived in Beverly; married Mary Dixey Dec. - , 1650; children: I. Samuel,3 born Dec. - , 1651 ; 2. Sarah,3 born June 2, 1654; 3. Hugh,3 born Feb. 12, 1655-6;
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FISHING AND SHIPBUILDING
lot in the town, with a little upland at the other end "to make him leuell wth other men."
4. John,3 born Sept. 5, 1658; 5. Priscilla,3 born Jan. 12, 1665; 6. Rebecca,3 born Feb. 22, 1667; 7. Anna,3 born March 15, 1669; 8. Elizabeth,3 born Feb. 12, 1671; 9. Dixie,3 baptized April 26, 1674; 10. Mary,3 baptized Feb. 6, I675-6.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE FERRIES.
O bridge had been built across any of the streams in Salem before 1640. The travel by land from the center of the town towards the settlements at Cape Ann, Ipswich, Newbury and Portsmouth had to be through the great pastures, around Norman's rocks, through Peabody Square, North Central Street, Danvers Square and North Beverly and by Wenham Lake. This involved a long and tedious trip. To improve and make more convenient the means of through travel a ferry was established in 1636. This was another event which made that year epochal.
The ferry was instituted to run from Massey's Cove, where the old planters settled, just easterly from the foot of Conant Street, to Bass River. The writer believes, but cannot substan- tiate what seems to be a fact, that the first landing place on Rial Side was just easterly of the cove at Salt House point, under the high ledges on the northwesterly bank of Bass River. From that place a cart path led up the incline above the river northerly, northwesterly and northerly into Balch Street, at the head of Bass River. This was called the Bass River ferry. It not only shortened the distance, but brought the travel through the center of the town. If this was the original landing place, it was soon changed to the head of Bass River, as the way from the first point mentioned was over high hills and crooked ; but from the head of Bass River the path followed what is now Balch Street and the land beyond was level for miles.
John Stone1 lived at Massey's Cove, and the town agreed with him that he should keep the ferry, and "give dilligent attend-
1John Stone probably came from England in the Elizabeth in 1635, when he was forty years old. He was a husbandman; and he had a wife named Ellen. He removed to Beverly, and was one of the founders of the church there. Roger Haskell called him his father-in-law in 1667.
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THE FERRIES
ance thervpon during the space of three years, vnless he shall giue iust occation to the Contrary," beginning Dec. 26, 1636. His fees were two pennies from a stranger and one penny from an in- habitant of the town. He promised to provide a "convenient"
FERRY LANDING AT HEAD OF BASS RIVER.
boat ; two years later the general court forbade the use of canoes at ferries because several persons had been drowned from them,' probably having in mind, among other similar accidents, "one Noddle,2 an honest man of Salem," who, in June, 1632, while carrying wood in a canoe in the South River, was overturned and drowned,3 and also the six men, belonging in Salem, who, Oct. 20, 1634, while on a fowling trip, in a canoe, were upset near Kettle Island, and five of them drowned.4 No provision was made for the transportation of animals.
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, page 246.
2A William Noddle took the oath of a freeman May 18, 1631. Did he formerly live on Noddle's Island, now East Boston ?
3Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, pages 79 and 80.
4Winthrop's Journal, volume I, page 146.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
The agreement with Mr. Stone expired Dec. 25, 1639, and on the eleventh of the month the town voted that William Dixey should keep the ferry for three years. He was to provide a boat large enough to carry domestic animals. The fees for ferriage of persons were the same as Mr. Stone had received. For animals he received six-pence each for mares, horses and other large animals, and two pence each for goats, calves and swine. Ferry- men were allowed to take double ferriage after daylight was gone.1 Mr. Dixey was conducting the ferry as late as 1645.
The landing place on the Beverly side was probably changed to the head of Bass River about the time Mr. Dixey took charge of the ferry. It was near the bend in Balch Street, from which point, as before, there were three ways, westerly, northerly and easterly, by which the traveler could proceed to Rial Side, Ipswich or Cape Ann. The view of this landing place, which is near the present Winslow schoolhouse, indicates that it was so constructed that a convenient landing could be made at the varying heights of the tide.
Richard Ingersoll carried persons over the North River, probably from North Street, in 1636; and, Jan. 16, 1636-7, the town agreed that he should have a penny for each person he ferried over." Probably this ferry was only temporary.
A ferry from Salem to Marblehead was established in 1637. The occasion of it was probably the similar interests of the fisher- men at Salem Neck and Marblehead. It ran, on the Salem side, from Butt point, on the Neck, to a point on Marblehead side of the Salem Harbor just westerly of Naugus head. The road on the Marblehead side which led down to the landing place is still called Ferry road. A view of the landing place on the Salem side is here given. The landing was made where the sea wall is seen at the left hand. July 30, 1637, Nicholas Lisson expressed his desire to become an inhabitant of Salem and to conduct this ferry.3 The matter was referred to the next town meeting ; but his request was not granted. October 9th following, the town allowed him to be an inhabitant at "Marbellhead," and he was granted two acres of planting ground. Sept. 25, 1637, the town granted to George Wright half an acre of land upon the Neck to build on and five acres on the forest side for planting. He was also authorized to keep the ferry to Marblehead. He was the first to conduct it. He
1Massachusetts Bay Colony Records, volume I, page 34I.
2Salem Town Records, volume I, page 31 (printed).
3Salem Town Records, volume I, page 53 (printed). Mr. Lisson's name was also spelled Leeson, Lesen, Lisen, Lesson, Lison, Lissen and Listen. He removed to Exeter, N. H., about 1650; and was living there in 1672. He had a wife in 1653, and his wife in 1666 was named Alice. Henry Magoon was called his son-in-law in 1661.
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THE FERRIES
FERRY LANDING AT BUTT POINT.
lived at the Butt point on the Neck, and cultivated land on the Marblehead or forest side. He was living in 1643, being then called "old George Wright," and probably conducted the ferry until 1644. In 1647 and several years afterward, he lived in the Norman house near the head of Fairmount Street, in the North field. Dec. 16, 1644, the town of Salem granted the ferry to Thomas Dixey, who lived at the ferry landing on the Marblehead side ; he continued the ferry as long as he lived. He died in 1680, and was succeeded by his son Thomas Dixey. When the town of Salem voted, March 12, 1648-9, that Marblehead might become a town, the matter of "the disposing of the ferry and appoynting of the fferry man" was reserved to Salem.
The examination of canoes in Salem was provided for by an order of the quarterly court June 27, 1636. Those on the north side of the town were ordered to be brought, July 4th, to "the cove of the common landing place of the North River by George Harris1 his house"; and those on the south side were ordered to be brought before "the Storehouse in South river." At those places and on that day they were examined by John Holgrave, Peter Palfrey,
"George Harris died in or before 1643, and his widow apparently mar- ried, secondly, Thomas Tuck before 1650; children: I. Joseph, born about 1630; husbandman; lived in that part of Salem which was incorporated as Beverly in 1668; and was living there in 1679; 2. George, born about 1635; living in 1650.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
Richard Waterman, Roger Conant and Philip Verrin, the survey- ors appointed for that purpose. For neglecting such examination, the fine was ten shillings, and for using a canoe not thus approved the penalty was two pounds. At the next sitting of the court (September 27th), canoes were ordered to be marked on a day to be appointed.
CHAPTER XXII.
THE PEQUOT WAR.
MONG the first English settlers of Salem there existed at first a spirit of helpfulness toward the aborigines. Truly, the missionary idea was prevalent and it was universally wished to christianise these heathen. There was little thought of conditions which subsequently developed and of conflict and dispossession. The growth was gradual, but the irrepressibility of the friction of the unreconcil- able circumstances that actually existed from the first, though dormant, must be finally forcible in its manifestation. At first, along the shore disease had opened space for the English to occupy without intruding upon the needed domain of the red men. After a little, as the settlements increased in number and size, the colo- nists spread out or moved on to new locations beyond the disease- stricken section.
The broad fertile valley of the Connecticut River was very attractive to the Pilgrims and they went thither to possess portions of it as early as 1634. They settled near the mouth of the river, in the heart of the lands of the Pequot Indians, whom disease had weakened. Gov. William Bradford, in his History of Plymouth Plantation, wrote: "Some of their neighbours in ye Bay, hereing of ye fame of Conightecute River, had a hankering mind after it, and now understanding that ye Indeans were swepte away with ye late great mortalitie, the fear of whom was an obstacle unto them before, which being now taken away, they begane now to prosecute it with great egernes. The greatest differances fell betweene those of Dorchester plantation and them hear."1 Jona- than Brewster wrote, July 6, 1635: "Ye Masschuset men are coming almost dayly, some by water, & some by land, who are not yet determined wher to setle, though some have a great mind
*1History of Plymouth Plantation, by William Bradford, page 402.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
to ye place we are upon." The Pilgrims divided the lands with the Puritans of Dorchester and Newtown.
Several vessels, sent by Massachusetts Bay people, in 1636, with goods for the settlers at the Connecticut River were cast away. Governor Bradford of the Pilgrims wrote: "Such crosses they mette with in their beginings, which some imputed as a correction from God for their intrution (to ye wrong of others) into yt place. But I dare not be bould with Gods judgments in this kind."2
In the spring of 1636, John Oldham, a prominent planter in New England, was murdered by Indians near Block Island. It was understood that the murder was planned by sachems of the Narragansett tribe, because Oldham went to make peace and to trade with the Pequots, with whom the Narragansetts were un- friendly, and the Indians at Block Island were under the authority of the Narragansetts. In the summer, the governor and council of Massachusetts Bay assembled the magistrates and ministers to advise with them about avenging the death of Oldham. It was agreed that a military force should be immediately sent aganst the Block Island Indians. August 25th, men for this expedition were secured, and the ninety volunteers were placed under the com- mand of John Endecott, as general. One of the four commanders under him was Ens. Richard Davenport, also of Salem. The next March, Ensign Davenport was promoted to lieutenant.
The expedition sailed in three pinnaces and their commission was to take possession of Block Island and put to death the men there, but to spare the women and children, whom they were to bring away. They were then to proceed to the Pequot country and demand the murderers of some other English, a thousand fathom of wampum as damages therefor and some of the children as hostages. If the demand was refused, force was to be used.
The party landed on Block Island amid the arrows of forty bowmen, but only two of the English were wounded and those only slightly. The Indians fled. There were two native settle- ments, three miles apart, containing about sixty wigwams and about two hundred acres of corn which had been partly harvested and gathered into heaps. The Indians were not seen again. The invaders burned the wigwams and mats and some of the corn, and stove seven canoes. A party of twenty men in two of the shallops they had taken with them then went to the Pequot harbor.
An Indian paddled out in a canoe to meet them, and demanded to know who they were and what they wanted. Cutshamakin, who
1History of Plymouth Plantation, page 403.
2History of Plymouth Plantation, page 415.
4II
THE PEQUOT WAR
went with them as interpreter, informed the Indian that he came from the governor of Massachusetts to speak with their sachems. The Indian replied that Samains had gone to Long Island. En- decott then told him to tell the other sachems that he wished to speak with them. The Indian departed; and the soldiers landed on the high and rocky shore. When the messenger returned, he brought with him about three hundred Indians who gathered around the soldiers. For four hours the messenger went to and fro between the English and the sachems, repeatedly bringing from the latter excuses for their tardiness. At length, tired out with their delays, the messenger and the Indians near him were told of the purpose of the expedition, with the ultimatum that if the sachems would not come they would be fought. The messenger said the sachems would meet the soldiers if they would lay down their arms, as their men would their arrows. This was refused, and the Indians withdrew. The soldiers marched after them, and were shot at by the Indians from thickets and rocks, but without effect. Two of the Indians were killed and others were wounded. The soldiers marched to the town of the Indians and burned all the wigwams and mats. At night, the soldiers returned to their vessels, and the next day went on shore on the west side of the river and burned all the wigwams and spoiled the canoes.1
The troops then set sail and when they came to the Nar- ragansett country, landed temporarily, finally arriving in Boston September 14th, without loss of life or limb. The Narragansett Indians had one killed at Block Island, and thirteen of the Pequots were killed and forty wounded.
The Pequots soon became conscious of what the increasing settlements by the English in their region meant to them, and op- position to it became positive. Desultorily, the Indians assaulted the settlers while the latter were hunting or passing in boats ; and later at their cabins. Early in 1637, the Pequots fell openly upon the English in the Connecticut valley and slew numbers of them as they were at work in the field, both men and women, to the terror of the rest, and went away in great pride and triumph with many high threats. A messenger was sent to Boston, seeking aid of their friends in the Bay of Massachusetts in the protection of themselves and their property. He brought sorrowful tidings "of the great infolency, and cruell murthers committed by a barbarous and bloudy people called Peaquods, upon the bodies of their in- deared friends. fwollan with pride at this time; facing the English Fort built on the mouth of the River in their large Cannowes, with their bowes and long Shafts.""
1Winthrop's Journal, Boston, 1825, volume I, pages 189-196.
2Wonder-Working Providence, part 2, chapter I.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
Thursday, Jan. 19, 1636-7, was appointed a fast day by the general court.
When spring came, April 18th, the court appointed Capt. William Trask and Richard Davenport, both of Salem, to the com- mand of another expedition against the Pequots. The captain was to be paid six pounds and the lieutenant four pounds per month for their services.
May 17th, the general court appointed Captain Trask and three others a committee to secure men, munitions and provisions for the expedition. Under this authority six men more were secured for this service within two days.1 It was also ordered that no man should repair the gun of any Indian, nor sell to the red men any gun or gunpowder, shot, lead, shot mold, military weapon or arms ; and that no one should trade with Indians out- side the colony.
Governor Vane wrote to the governor of Plymouth to join in the war against the Pequots, and the Pilgrims provided a vessel and fifty soldiers. The Bay soldiers marched to Plymouth, where they were joined by the Pilgrims, and all proceeded together to the country of the Narragansetts, who had agreed to support the Puritans in this war against the Pequots.2
Forty soldiers were sent out before the end of May, and one hundred and sixty more were provided for. Of the latter number, eighteen were from Salem and three from Marblehead.
In May, the Indians assaulted the English fort at Saybrook, at the mouth of the Connecticut; and June 15th was kept in all the churches as a day of Thanksgiving for the victory of the soldiers over the Pequots.
The small number of soldiers, with scanty provision, was un- able to manage the war against so numerous an enemy, being one to more than thirty. They shot at some Indians, forcing them to hurry away. Trusting in their great numbers, the Pequots feasted, and afterwards assaulted the soldiers. Some of the Indians were' armed with guns they had purchased from the Dutch at New York 3
A party of the soldiers came to a small river, where they noticed that a large company had been dressing fish ; and it was discovered that the Indians were feasting at their fort nearby. It was decided to storm the fort a little before dawn the next morn- ing, when, presumably, the Indians, being up late at the feast, would be in their deepest sleep.
The fort was made of trunks of trees set fast on end in the
1Salem Town Records, volume I, page 49 (printed).
2New-England's Memorial, by Nathaniel Morton, (1826 ed.), page 116. 1Wonder-Working Providence, part 2, chapter I.
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THE PEQUOT WAR
ground, about twelve feet high, and so large that wigwams were built within it. There was an entrance on two sides, "with in- tricate Meanders to enter." An Indian bowman guarded each passage. At the hour appointed, the soldiers approached, and when they were observed by the guards, the latter fired arrows at them, wounding the foremost soldier in the shoulder. Dispatching the guards at the openings, the soldiers entered and took positions about the several wigwams, into which they fired, killing some of the Indians. With fire-brands in their hands, the soldiers entered the wigwams and set the structures on fire. The women and children made "a terrible outcry"; the men were struck down and slain as they came out with "a great slaughter," but the women were saved.1
Governor Bradford, of the Pilgrims, wrote? that more of the Indians "were burnte to death then was otherwise slain ; it burnte their bowstrings, and made them unservisable. Those yt scaped ye fire were slaine with ye sword; some hewed to peeces, others rune throw with their rapiers, so as they were quickly dispatchte, and very few escaped. It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400. at this time. It was a fearfull sight to see them thus frying in ye fyer, and ye streams of blood quenching ye same, and horrible was ye stinck & sente therof; but ye victory seemed a sweete sacrifice, and they gave the prays therof to God, who had wrought so wonderfuly for them, thus to inclose their enimise in their hands, and give them so speedy a victory over so proud & insult- ing an enimie. The Narigansett Indians all this while, stood round aboute, but aloofe from all danger, and left ye whole ex- ecution to ye English."3
The next month, about eighty of the soldiers passed along the shore toward the Dutch plantation, part of the way by water and part by land, and met here and there some Pequots, whom the soldiers slew or took prisoners. July 13th, they came upon eighty strong men and two hundred women and children in a small Indian settlement, by the side of a miry swamp, which was. about a third of a mile across, into which the Indians disappeared before the soldiers could get to them. Hearing the discharge of fire arms, Captain Trask came with fifty men, and ordered the swamp to be surrounded. Lieutenant Davenport and some twelve soldiers, not having heard the command, went into the swamp4 among the Indians. The place was so thick with shrubs and
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