USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 1, 1924 > Part 7
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3New Hampshire Provincial Papers, volume II, pages 535-540.
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DISCOVERIES, EXPLORATIONS AND PATENTS
in 1692, enacted a new law making adverse possession for three years a good defence against claimants.
No further steps were ever taken by any one to prosecute the Mason claim so far as it concerned the territory included within the town of Salem; although deeds from the Indians continued to be secured as late as 170I.
CHAPTER IV.
THE OLD PLANTERS.
T the beginning of the seventeenth century many Christians in England would not tolerate some of the rites and practices of the Church of England, which seemed antichristian and savored of Catholicism, and withdrew entirely from its services. Others, with no less dislike for the same offensive ceremonies, would not leave the church, but desired to purify it. The latter were called Puritans, and the former came to be known as Pilgrims, because of their subsequent wanderings. The Pilgrims organized themselves into churches, and were persecuted increasingly ; some were hindered in earning a livelihood, and othere were imprisoned.1
About 1608, a considerable number of the Pilgrims resolved to remove to Holland, where they had heard that religion was free, but found that the English ports were closed to them, and that they must leave in secret. They secured means of passage by paying mariners extraordinary prices, and in many cases were betrayed to the authorities, their goods intercepted and great trouble and expense caused.2
Forever separated from their native land, their homes and friends, they entered into that strange land, not even knowing the language of its inhabitants. Being plain husbandmen, they knew not how they would secure a livelihood among this commercial people. Very soon they saw grim poverty coming upon them, but met it with faith and patience, and were rewarded with a com- petency." Others came out of England to them, until their con- gregation became great ;" and they lived in peace with, and had the confidence of, the Dutch people, in every way."
1History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 6.
2History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, pages 7 and 8.
3History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page II.
AHistory of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 13. 5History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 14.
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THE OLD PLANTERS
After living in Holland twelve years, they found life there to be severe, and looked about for a place where they could find relief. The young, through their heavy work, began to grow decrepit, and the aged foresaw that soon they must abandon their labor, and all were more than ordinarily liable to become dissolute.1 War between the Spanish and the Dutch was imminent, and preparations therefor were already begun, the call to arms being expected at any time.2
They were resolved to remove from Holland; and, ignorant of the perils and hardships of a stormy ocean voyage of three thousand miles and of wilderness life, fearlessly determined that America offered the asylum they sought. There, the young could be reared free from disastrous associations ; no civil authority could interfere with their religion ; they could follow their agri- cultural pursuits ; and also be the means of salvation to the natives. The thought of the many failures of attempts at coloniza- tion almost overcame the faint hearted, but the strong ones were willing to assume the risk. They were pilgrims in Holland; and had neither lands nor homes to leave. The Spaniard might prove as cruel as the American savage, and famine and pestilence as severe in one place as the other. The majority decided to put the design into execution, and prosecute it by the best means possible.3 Virginia was the objective place of settlement, as the English had already begun colonization there, and the Virginia Company was pleased to grant the desire of the Pilgrims and encourage their plans.4 The Pilgrims requested of the king freedom of religious worship and, although he refused to grant their wish, he agreed that they should not be molested if they were peaceable.3
Thomas Weston of London, a merchant, was interested in American colonization and fisheries and establishment of trade in furs ; and hearing of the desires of the Pilgrims at Leyden, he went to Holland to confer with them. In behalf of himself and several other merchants of his city, he offered to provide means for their voyage and to enter into a commercial partnership with them. It was finally agreed that the Pilgrims should establish a town at once, and begin fishing and trade and barter with the Indians ; and at the end of seven years the capital and the profits of the colony-houses, lands, goods and chattels-were to be divided equally among the adventurers and Pilgrims.4
The Pilgrims sold what they did not wish to take with them, and put the proceeds into a common treasury. Two vessels were procured at the port of Plymouth, England, to carry them to their
1History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, pages 15 and 16.
2History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 17.
. 3History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 19.
4History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 28.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
distant haven. After sailing, it was found that the ship Speedwell, one of the vessels, leaked badly. The port was reentered, the passengers of the Speedwell and their belongings being trans- ferred to the Mayflower. Although overloaded, and to the great inconvenience of all, the latter vessel left the shores of old England for the free land beyond the sea.
Being thus late in the beginning the voyage, winter set in before they had crossed the stretch of waters, and they thought it expedient to enter Massachusetts Bay, although the shore was covered with deep snow and the temperature was low, rather than continue longer on their weary journey. They landed in what they subsequently called the bay of Plymouth.1
As soon as possible the men constructed a house of general rendezvous, which was burned as soon as finished. Without shelter, they made the ship their dwelling until spring. Living within the narrow quarters of the over-crowded Mayflower for six months, the Pilgrims contracted diseases which swept away many of them-men, women and children. The fish they had agreed to secure and send back in the ship had not been secured, and, in April, when the vessel returned to England, it was empty. The merchants who had invested large amounts of money in the enterprise were greatly disappointed, and many of them refused to have anything more to do with the colony.2
The merchants generally were in sympathy with the Estab- lished Church and of course had little interest in the Pilgrims other than as colonists and associate adventurers. They caused the Pilgrims to establish a settlement for traffic in skins with the Indians at Nantasket as early as the autumn of 1621. Into Ply- mouth and Nantasket alike, the merchants introduced persons with religious opinions at variance with those of the Pilgrims, some of them being Puritans, who resided at Plymouth for awhile, and then, from dislike of the rigid religious separation of the Pilgrims, voluntarily removed, with their families, to Nantasket, which was more cosmopolitan.
Some of the merchants attempted to extend the fisheries, and had some vessels engaged in fishing off Cape Ann, where a stage had been constructed. The fishing and agricultural interests were sufficiently successful to arouse increased interest in New England colonization.
Rev. John White,3 rector of Trinity Church, in Dorchester. Devonshire, England, endeavored to interest the merchants of
1Planters Plea, chapter VII.
2History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, pages 61, 66, 74-76 and 78.
3Rev. John White, A. M., was born at Stanton, St. John, Oxfordshire, in 1576, and was rector of Trinity Church, in Dorchester, from 1606 to 1648.
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that city and vicinity, who were his parishioners and friends and had prosecuted cod fishing and the beaver trade on the American shore for several successive years, to engage in a new plan. He declared that it would be more profitable to have men remain at a stage and make salt and carry on the fisheries while the ships were on their trans-Atlantic voyages. The fishermen were absent usually upon their voyages nine or ten months, and during that time were without religious services. Mr. White suggested to the merchants that it might benefit their own men as well as others frequenting these coasts to maintain a minister at such a place in New England. He also advocated that a colony here would facilitate their business. Many hands could be employed in the fisheries during the fishing season, and a portion of them could remain here until the next season, and in the meantime these men might be employed in building houses, making salt, and planting corn, which, with the fish, fowl and venison, would afford them abundant occupation and support. This would save the carriage of men and salt and furnish fresh provisions for the return voyages.1
In this attempt at salt making and fishing, the people of Plymouth met with disappointments and reverses,- their agent proved inefficient, the salt works were injured, the house burnt, and a series of difficulties embarrassed the enterprise. The disastrous loss of property sundered the only bond of interest be- tween the Pilgrims and the merchants in London, who dissolved their association with, and discontinued their assistance to, the Plymouth colony. But some of the merchants, either with some lingering interest in the settlement, or, more probably, with the hope of retrieving their losses, wrote to the colonists, encouraging them that they were "the people that must make a plantation in those remote parts when all others failed,"" and consigned to them another cargo of goods, but at unreasonable and oppressive prices. Commercially, Plymouth was not a success.
The fishing at Cape Ann, however, was heralded as equal to that of any region, and attention was directed to that locality. The Pilgrims at Plymouth encouraged their friends in England to remove to the new world, extend the limits of their commercial
He was an eminent preacher, and was persecuted for his puritanic sermons, although he was loyal to the church. He died July 21, 1648, at the age of seventy-two. His remains lie buried in the porch of St. Peter's Church, in Dorchester. He was called "the patriarch of Dorchester." Rev. William Hubbard of Ipswich, Mass., the early historian of New England, said Mr. White was "one of the chief founders of the Massachusetts colony in New England," although he never saw America.
1Planters Plea, chapter VII.
2Chronological History of New England, by Thomas Prince, Boston, 1736, volume I, pages 146-148.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
enterprises and establish new colonies. Edward Winslow,1 a leader of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, was sent by them to England, as their representative, to further the cause of the fisheries. He sailed from Plymouth, for England, in September, 1623.
EDWARD WINSLOW.
Hearing the good account of Mr. Winslow relative to the general situation in New England, the merchants of Dorchester and vicinity no longer hesitated. They organized a joint stock
1Edward Winslow was of the best family of the Plymouth planters. He was son of Edward and Magdalen Winslow of Droitwich, Worcester- shire, and was born at Droitwich Oct. 19, 1595. He joined the Pilgrims while at Leyden in 1617, and came to New England on the Mayflower in 1620. His wife and several children came with him. He was one of the most energetic and trusted men in the colony; and was chosen governor in 1633, 1636 and 1644. As agent of the Plymouth or Massachusetts colonies, he went to England in 1623, 1624, 1635 and 1646, after which he did not return to New England. In 1655, he was sent by Cromwell to superintend the naval expedition against the Spanish possessions in the West Indies, under command of Admiral Penn, and died at sea, near Hispaniola, May 8, 1655, at the age of fifty-nine, being committed to the deep with naval honors. Four of Edward Winslow's brothers came to New England, one of whom, Kenelm Winslow, who lived in Marshfield, died, while on a visit at Salem, in 1672, aged seventy-three.
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THE OLD PLANTERS
company, with a capital of upwards of three thousand pounds.1 This was generally known as the Dorchester Company." John Humphrey, a son-in-law of the Earl of Lincoln, was chosen treasurer.
An agreement4 was made with Mr. Winslow, on behalf of the Pilgrim settlement at Plymouth, for occupancy of a part of the New England territory ; and a patent was obtained from Lord Sheffield® of a tract of country that had been assigned to him in the division of New England. The latter was a leading statesman of England, and a prominent member of the Council for New England.
The patent of Nov. 3, 1620, conferred authority to enact laws, dispose of lands, try all criminal and civil cases, and enforce its decisions ; and also extraordinary powers in cases of rebellion and hostile invasions. The unwary king thus opened a new source of trouble for himself, and by his rigid enforcement of the most odious exclusive privileges of the New England Company, was to the latter a prolific source of legal and parliamentary difficulties and popular dislikes, and seriously embarrassed its proceedings.
A division of the territory was made in 1622, respect being "had as well to the proportion of the adventurers, as to the special service, hazard. exploit or merit of any person so to be recom- pensed, advanced or rewarded." The patentees resolved that these parts should be counties, "to be by themselves or their friends planted at their pleasure or best commodity." They might enact laws "according to his majesty's royal grant in that behalf"; and, further, these "lords of counties may of themselves sub-
1Planters Plea, chapter VII.
"This new company was known by several designations; as "The New England Company"; "Dorchester Merchants"; "The Company of Adven- turers for New England in America"; "The Adventurers for Plantacon intended at Massachusetts Bay in New England"; "The Company in New England"; and "The Dorchester Company."
"History of New England, by William Hubbard, page 106.
General Historie, by Capt. John Smith, London, 1629, page 252.
5Edmund, Lord Sheffield, was born about 1566, of noble lineage; and was knighted for his good service in the contest with the Armada July 26, 1588. He was afterwards, for some years, governor of Briel, a fortified seaport in the Netherlands. About 1614, he obtained the presidency of the Council of the North, an institution created by Henry VIII. at York, in 1537, after the troubles which broke out in the northern counties, in con- sequence of the suppression of the lesser monasteries, to administer justice and maintain order in those counties, independently of the courts at West- minster. He held the office until January, 1618-9 .. The next month, he was appointed vice-admiral of the fleet then fitting out. He was connected with American affairs in 1609, being at that time one of the patentees named in the charter of the Virginia Company. He belonged to the Order of the Garter, and was one of the twelve eminent peers, all inclined to the popular party, who solicited from Charles I the convocation of the constitutional parliament of 1640, which assumed the sovereign power. He died in 1646.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
divide their said counties into manors and lordships, as to them shall seem best." They also declared, that cities and inferior towns shall be incorporate and made bodies politic to govern their affairs and people."" The king tacitly approved of this scheme. Each shareholder thus became a lord proprietor of his portion, with an absolute title thereto, clothed with all the powers of government, originally in the king, and by him vested in them.
Lord Sheffield became interested in the pleas of Messrs. White and Winslow, and conveyed his part of the territory to "Robert Cushman and Edward Winslow for themselves, and theire Associats and Planters at Plymouth in New England," by a patent dated Jan. 1, 1623-4. It conveyed "a certaine Tract of Ground in New England aforesaid lying in fforty-three Degrees or thereabout of Northerly latitude and in a known place there comonly called Cape Anne. Together with the free vse and benefitt as well of the Bay comonly called the Bay of Cape Anne, as also of the Islands within the said Bay And free liberty, to ffish, hawke, and hunt, truck, and trade in the Lands thereabout, and in all other places in New England. Together also with ffyve hundred Acres of free Land adjoyning to the said Bay to be ymployed for publig vses, as for the building of a Towne, Scholes, Churches, Hospitalls, and for the mayntenance of such Ministers, Officers, and Magistrats, as by the said vndertakers, and theire Associats are there already appointed, or which here- after shall (with theire good liking) reside, and inhabite there And also Thirty Acres of Land, over and beside the ffyve hundred Acres of Land, before menconed To be allotted, and appointed for every perticuler person, Young, or old (being the Associats, or servants of the said vndertakers or their successors) that shall come, and dwell at the aforesaid Cape Anne within Seaven years next after Date hereof, which Thirty Acres of Land, soe appointed to every person as aforesaid, shall be taken as the same doth lye together vpon the said Bay in one entire place, and not stragling in dyvers, or remote parcells not exceeding an English Mile and a halfe in length on the Waters side of the said Bay, Yelding and Paying for ever yearely vnto the said Lord Sheffeild, his heires, successors Rent gatherer, or assignes for every thirty Acres soe to be obteyned, and possessed by the said Robert & Edward theire heires, successors, or Associats Twelue Pence of lawfull English money At the ffeast of St. Michaell Tharchaungell only (if it be lawfully demaunded). the said Vndertakers, and their
1This is contained in "A Brief Relation of the Discovery and Plantation of New England," published in England in 1622. The map of New England in the fourth volume of Purchas' "Pilgrims," published in 1624. gives the portions and names of the proprietors, and shows the vagueness of the boundaries of the various tracts.
SHEFFIELD PATENT.
-----
2915 : 1 .
1.101
toutery (maintis mutandir)
Ritad
yh
111
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THE OLD PLANTERS
Associats shall haue liberty and lawfull authority from tyme to tyme to make and establish Lawes, Ordynances and Constitucons for ruling, ordering and governing of such persons as now are resident, or which hereafter shalbe planted, and inhabitt there, And That the said Vndertakers theire heires, and successors shall forer acknowledg the said Lord Sheffeild his heires and successors to be theire Chiefe Lord, and to answeare and doe service vnto his LoPP or his Successors at his, or theire Count when upon his, or theire owne Plantacon, The same shalbe established and kept."1
About two months after Mr. Winslow's arrival in England, supplies were provided for a colony and preparation made to ex- tend the fisheries and transport persons "further to plant at Ply- mouth and in other places in New England," especially "in a known place there commonly called Cape Anne." He returned to New England in March, after an absence of six months.
Apparently while he was in England, Mr. Winslow wrote a pamphlet, entitled "Good Newes from New England," which was published in England in 1624, a few months after he sailed for New England. He wrote: "What may the planters expect when once they are seated, and make the most of their salt there, and employ themselves at least eight months in fishing; whereas the others fish but four, and having their ship lie dead in the harbour all the time, whereon such shipping as belong to plantations may take freight of passengers or cattle thither, and have their lading provided against they come."
A small ship, of fifty tons burden, was purchased for the purpose, and fitted with new sails. With a company of husband- men, implements of farming and supplies for the new settlement on board, it was sent from England, and was soon discharged at Plymouth, and sent thence to Cape Ann,2 taking a few Plymouth planters to aid in building fishing stages. A "great frame house" for the various purposes of the fishery was erected, and during the spring and summer (of 1624) the men were employed in making further improvements and in preparation for those who were to spend the winter there. The colony numbered fourteen.3 The plantation was stocked with cattle, a house built for the com- pany's use, salt works established and stagings and other struc- tures erected.4
1The original instrument is in the possession of the Essex Institute at Salem, and a facsimile is given in The Landing at Cape Anne, by John Wingate Thornton.
"Chronological History of New England, by Thomas Prince, Boston, 1736, volume I, pages 146 and 147.
3Planters Plea, chapter VIII.
4History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 116.
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Partly "by ye lateness of ye year, and more espetially by ye basnes of ye m', one Baker, they made a poore viage of it. He proved a very drunken beast, and did nothing (in a maner) but drink, & gusle, and consume away ye time & his victails ; and most of his company followed his example; and though M' William Peirce was to over see the busines, & to be m' of ye ship home, yet he could doe no good amongst them, so as ye loss was great, and would have bene more to them, but that they kept one a trading ther, which in those times got some store of skins, which was some help unto them."1
The Company employed? John Tylly3 as overseer of the fisheries and Thomas Gardner,4 of the plantation. Mr. Gardner
Tromand Gardner Sur
1History of New Plymouth, by William Bradford, page 116.
2History of New England, by William Hubbard, page 106.
3John Tylly is thought to have come to Salem with Roger Conant, and to have taken the freeman's oath March 4, 1634. He was probably killed by the Indians in Connecticut in 1636.
THOMAS GARDNER1 was born about 1592; lived in that part of Salem which is now Peabody; married, first, probably Margaret Fryer; second, widow Damaris Shattuck; she died Nov. 28, 1674; he died Dec. 29, 1674; children : I. Thomas;2 2. George;2 3. Richard;2 4. John,2 born in 1624; 5. Samuel,2 born in 1627; 6. Joseph;2 captain of the foot company ; married Ann Downing; killed in the Narragansett fight with the Indians Dec. 19, 1675; no children; she married, second, Gov. Simon Bradstreet.
LT. THOMAS GARDNER2; shoemaker; married, first, Hannah ; second, Elizabeth Horne; died in 1682; children : 1. Mary,3 baptized April 2, 1643; 2. Thomas,3 baptized May 25, 1645; 3. Elizabeth,3 baptized April 22, 1649; 4. Abigail,3 baptized April 20, 1651; 5. Bethiah,3 baptized March 26, 1654; married Samuel Gaskell; 6. Hannah,3 baptized Jan. 24, 1657; 7. Jona- than,3 baptized Oct. 12, 1664; 8. David3; living in 1695, in his father's house ; 9. Susannah;3 married George Flint; 10. Dorcas3 (Dorothy ?) ; probably married Robert Carver. LT. GEORGE GARDNER2; removed to Hartford, Conn., in 1673; married, first, Ruth, widow of John Turner; second, Elizabeth (Allen), widow of Rev. Samuel Stone; died Aug. 20, 1679; children: I. Hannah,3 baptized Dec. 15, 1644; married John Buttolph; 2. Samuel,3 bap- tized May 14, 1648; 3. Mary,3 baptized July 10, 1653; married Habakkuk Turner ; 4. George,3 baptized Sept. 24, 1654; died Aug. 21, 1662; 5. Bethiah,3 born June 3, 1654; 6. Ebeneser,3 born Aug. 16, 1657; 7. Mehitabel,3 born April 23, 1659; died May 8, 1659; 8. Ruth,3 baptized April 2, 1665; married John Hathorne. RICHARD GARDNER2; removed, in 1668, to Nantucket, where he was chief magistrate; married Sarah Shattuck; died March 23, 1688; she died in 1724, aged ninety-two; children : 1. Joseph3; married Bethiah Macy ; died in 1701; 2. Richard,3 born Oct. 23, 1653; married Mary Austin; died May 8, 1728; 3. Sarah ;3 married Eleazer Folger ; 4. Deborah,3 born Dec. 12, 1658; married, first, John Macy; second, Stephen Pease; died in 1712; 5. Damoris3; died Nov. 25, 1662; 6. James,3 born May 19, 1662; married, first. Mary Starbuck; second, Rachel (Gardner), widow of John Browne; third, Patience (Folger), widow of Ebenezer Harker; fourth, Mary (Coffin), widow of Richard Pinkham; died June I, 1723; no children; 7. Miriam;3 married John Worth; 8. Nathaniel,8 born Nov. 16, 1669;
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was then about thirty-two years old. Farmer states that he
9. Hope,3 born Nov. 16, 1669; 10. Love,3 born May 2, 1672. CAPT. JOHN GARDNER;2 removed to Nantucket in 1672; married Priscilla Grafton; died in May, 1706; children: I. John,3 born Feb. 20, 1653-4; married Susannah Green; 2. Joseph,3 born July 8, 1655; 3. Priscilla," born Nov. 6, 1656; married John Arthur ; 4. Benjamin,3 born Feb. 3, 1658-9; died Aug. 23, 1662; 5. Rachel,3 born Aug. 3, 1661; married, first, John Browne; second, James Gardner ; 6. George;3 married Eunice Starbuck; died Feb. 17, 1750; 7. Benjamin,3 born May 17, 1664; 8. Ann,3 born "30: 12m : 1667"; married Edward Coffin; 9. Nathaniel,3 born 24: 7: 1668; 10. Mary,3 born May 27, 1670; probably married Jethro Coffin; II. Mehitable,3 born Nov. 24, 1674; 12. Ruth,3 born Jan. 26, 1676. SAMUEL GARDNER;2 mariner ; married, first, Mary White; she died Sept. 12, 1675; married, second, widow Elizabeth Paine Aug. 2, 1680; he died Oct. - , 1689; children : I. Mary,3 born Aug. 5, 1658; died April 3, 1661; 2. Elizabeth,3 born May 30, 1660; died Oct. 14, 1678; 3. Mary,3 born June 29, 1662; married Joseph Henfield; 4. Margaret,8 born July 14, 1664; married Deliverance Parkman; 5. Samuel,3 born June 9, 1666; died Aug. 10, 1683; 6. George,3 born Jan. 28, 1667-8; died Sept. 5 1668; 7. Jonathan,3 born July 18, 1669; died in 1693; 8. Hannah,3 born April 16, 1671; married Maj. William Gedney ; 9. Abel,3 born Sept. 1, 1673.
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