USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 2, 1924 > Part 20
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23, 1773; soldier of the Revolution; 7. Anna5; married Eliphalet Perley of Boxford Aug. 12, 1762; 8. Apphia®, baptized Oct. 20, 1754; 9. Mary*, baptized May 30, 1756. BENJAMIN PORTER *; potter and yeoman; lived in Danvers; married, first, Eunice Nurse Dec. 13, 1739; second, Abigail Osborn April 21, 1778; died June 10, 1784; she died Feb. 14, 1817; children : I. Benjamin5, born Oct. 28, 1740; 2. Hannah®, born March 29, 1742; 3. Eunice5, born Sept. 22, 1744; married Nathaniel Webb; 4. Israel5, born Oct. 3, 1746; married Huldah Smith; 5. Francis5, born Sept. 22, 1748; lived
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HISTORY OF SALEM
JOHN PORTER HOUSE
which he afterwards resided. It faced the south, and was two stories high, with a leanto. The front door was midway of the house. and on either side, in both stories, were large rooms, each having two windows in front. There was a window over the front door, in the upper hall. The chimney was immense, and furnished large fireplaces in each of the front rooms, upstairs and down. The kitchen fireplace was also great. There was a door in each end of the house, and on the eastern end a small entry. Each gable contained a small window, which admitted light to the attic, and each room in the main part of the house had a window at the ends of the house. The kitchen also had a window at each end of the leanto. The walls of the front and ends of the house were lined with brick to its full height. The well was located near the northeastern corner of the house. The above picture of this ancient house was drawn from memory by Mrs. Mary H. Dodge of Washington, D. C., soon after it was burned. John Porter lived here until his death, Sept. 6, 1676; and in his will gave the house to his son Israel, who lived in it until his
in Danvers; married Martha Gott of Wenham April 12, 1772; 6. Sarah5, born Aug. 11, 1752; married John Page; 7. James', born Jan. 13, 1755; 8. Peters, born May 9, 1757; 9. Huldah®, born March 20, 1759; 10. Allen5, born May 13, 1761; 1I. Phebe®, born March 10, 1763.
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MONSIEUR CHARLES DE LA TOUR
death, in November, 1706. In the will of Israel Porter, he devised it to his son Benjamin, who died in December, 1726. In his will, Benjamin Porter gave it to his sons John and Benjamin, and John released his interest in the premises to his brother Benjamin April 8, 1741. Benjamin Porter lived in the house until his death, June 10, 1794; and about two years after- ward his family conveyed the house and land to Caleb Oakes of Danvers. Mr. Oakes fell from his barn window Sept. 19, 1831, and died in an hour or two. He left three children, and by mesne conveyances the estate passed to Alfred Trask of Danvers July 6, 1849, and while it was owned by Mr. Trask it was de- stroyed by fire Sept. 19, 1865.
At a town meeting, July 7, 1644, it was "Ordered that twoe be appointed euery Lords day to walke forth in the time of Gods worshippe, to take notice of such as either lye about the meeting howse without attending to the word or ordinances, or that lye at home or in the fields, without giuing good account thereof, and to take the names of such psons to present them to the Magistrate, whereby they may be accordinglie pceeded against. The names of such as are ordered to doe this seruice are for the first day Mr. Stileman Phillip Verin Junior 2d day Philip Verin Senior Helier Verin 3. Mr. Batter Joshua Verin 4th Mr Johnson Mr. Clark 5th Mr. Downing Robert Molton Senr 6th Robert Molton Junior Richard Ingersoll 7. John Ingersoll Richard Pettingall 8 William Haynes Richard Hutchinson 9 John Putnam John Hathorne 10 Townsend Bishop Daniel Ray II John Porter Jacob Barney Then to begin with goodman Porter next the meeting howse & so to goe through the towne, accordinge to the order of the watch. And the first 2 to giue the next 2 warning of it & so from tyme to tyme."
On the same day, the town agreed with John Barber and Francis Perry to make the wood work, and two months later with Thomas Tuck to make the iron work of the gun carriages.
Henry True1 first appeared in Salem this year; and Giles Corey, Antram's boy, first appears in Salem court records, as a witness in the court, July II, 1644, against Obadiah Govis, servant of Thomas Trusler, who was ordered to be severely whipped for the com-
1Henry True lived in Salem as late as 1649; was dead in 1659; wife Israel (daughter of John Pike?) ; she was living in Salisbury in 1659; children, born in Salem: I. John, baptized July 13, 1645; 2. Henry, bap- tized March 8, 1646-7; married Jane Bradbury March -, 1668; 3. Lydia, baptized Feb. 4, 1649; 4. Joseph, baptized Feb. 8, 1652; lived in Salisbury ; married Ruth Whittier April 20, 1675; 5. Benjamin, baptized Feb. 19, 1654; 6. Jemima, baptized April 27, 1657.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
mission of several misdemeanors.1 James Thomas, servant to Daniel Ray was also ordered to be severely whipped for stubborn ness and disobedience to his master.
On the same day, the wife of Thomas Trusler, was fined twenty marks for saying that their teacher taught the people lies, and that Mr. Norrice and Mr. Endecott were the foundation of their church and they were unfaithful.
At a town meeting, Sept. 30, 1644, it was agreed that Richard Temple, the tailor, Henry Harwood, widow Moore, the midwife, and John Jackson should have, each of them, so much of the wet marsh or swamp as lies before their ground according as it buts upon it. It was also agreed that William Robinson should have about a quarter of an acre of ground that lies before his house, which was then being built, down to the mill brook, a little above the bridge that "leads to the way to Mr. Gardner's new build- inge." At the same meeting, it was ordered that the highway from Francis Lawes' ten-acre lot be laid out most conveniently for him. It was also ordered that Rev. Mr. Norris be sufficiently supplied with wood, according to the custom; and that Thomas Gardner should set up a fence from the end of the bridge, called Mr. Read's, down to the fence at the mill.
Thomas Abree lived in Salem from 1644 to 1647, and Edward Nicholson2 was living in Marblehead as early as 1644.
Jan. 13, 1644-5, the seven men granted to Thomas Tuck four or five poles of ground. Thomas Edwards desired a farm, and a few weeks later he was granted sixty acres of land near Mr. Ruck's farm, "beyond Goodman Putnam's."
John Bartlett of Marblehead was presented to the Salem court, July 9. 1645, for stealing ropes, iron bolts and blocks from Richard Hollinworth, and for defaming certain of his women neighbors. He went to Newbury immediately afterward, appar- ently.
Richard Andrews of London with other merchants had a trading agreement with various men at New Plymouth, to which Isaac Allerton was a party, for some fifteen years. The business
1July 3, 1646, Govis was ordered by the court, for purloining corn of his master, to make double restitution and serve him eight weeks longer. July 6, 1647, he was presented for taking tobacco abroad contrary to order. Nov. 15, 1648, for stealing wood of John Bridgman and for unclean speeches and practices, he was sent to the Boston jail for further trial in Boston. No more is heard of him.
2Edward Nicholson died in the autumn of 1660, and his widow married, secondly, Brown before 1673. Mr. Nicholson's children were: I. Christopher; living in [661; 2. Joseph, born about 1641; living in 1673; 3. Samuel; living in 1674; 4. John; living in 1665; 5. Thomas, born about 1654; living in 1669; 6. Elizabeth.
MONSIEUR CHARLES DE LA TOUR 167
yielded no profit for several reasons. In 1642, it was discontin- ued, and Mr. Andrews agreed to settle for five hundred pounds and some items amounting to five hundred and forty-four pounds in all. This was to be collected for him by Governor Winthrop of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; and Mr. Andrews gave the money to the Bay Colony. It was payable one-third at once, and the residue in four annual instalments. Sept. 8, 1642, the gen- eral court thanked Mr. Andrews and his London associates "for their kindness." Oct. 13, 1642, the general court chose a com- mittee of three to go to New Plymouth to settle Mr. Andrews' claims; and they returned with certain bonds, notes, etc. A committee was appointed to distribute this money as it was re- ceived. Only about one-half was collected, and this was divided among the towns in the colony. Nov. 13, 1644, ten pounds or two cows were allowed to Salem. The following March, the seven men voted "that Robert Cotta should have the first five pound given by Mr. Andrews of London to be laid out in a cow or heifer, and this was so disposed of with the consent of the elders of Salem." Oct. 29, 1645, at a meeting of the elders and townsmen, "they considered that the poorest man or at least he that most was in want was John Batchelor and therefore they have disposed of the second cow unto him." No more is heard of this fund ; and probably no more money was collected.
July 3, 1645, "By order of the general court, upon advice with the elders, a general fast was kept. The occasions were the miseries of England, and our own differences in the general court, and also for the great drought. In this latter the Lord prevented our prayers in sending us rain soon after, and before the day of humiliation came."1
Sheep were scarce in Salem in the first settlement; and in the records of a town meeting, Sept. 22, 1645, it is stated that "divers have underwritten for sheep at forty a head."
At the same meeting, Thomas Lothrop and John Neale were appointed to procure wood for "our teacher"; and John Kitchen and Thomas Spooner "for our elder Mr. Sharpe."
Oct. 1, 1645, the general court authorized Richard Salton- stall, Esq., Mr. Simon Bradstreet, Mr. Samuel Symonds, Mr. Richard Dumer, Mr. William Hubberd, Capt. William Hathorne and Mr. William Paine, as a free company of adventurers, for twenty years, to establish a trading house, which was to be not less than fifty miles from any English plantation, and any man was allowed to join the company within twelve months if he was of this jurisdiction. No one was allowed to set up another trading house within twenty miles of theirs.
1Winthrop's Journal, volume II, page 215.
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HISTORY OF SALEM
TOWNSEND BISHOP HOUSE
Richard Curtis1 first appeared in Salem in 1645; and re- mained here for many years.
On the westerly side of Broad Street, just beyond the southerly end of Flint Street, formerly stood a house, which was built by Townsend Bishop in 1645. He conveyed it to Ralph Fogg March 11, 1645-6, and it later belonged to Richard Adams, a mason. In 1679, he conveyed it to Lt. John Pickering, who died possessed of the estate in 1694. Mr. Pickering had de- vised it in his will to his sons Benjamin and William; and they divided the house, Benjamin having the western part, with the northern leanto, and William the eastern. The family of Ben- jamin Pickering possessed his part of the house until 1830, when, by sale, it went out of the name; and Captain William's family retained their part until 1804, when that portion also passed out of the name. Through mesne conveyances, Ben- jamin's (western) portion became the property of William Looney in 1858, and William's (eastern) part became owned by John Looney in 1864. When these Looneys owned it the house was destroyed by fire between two and three o'clock on the
1Richard Curtis had wife Sarah -; children : I. Caleb, born Sept. 24, 1646; probably died young; 2. Caleb, baptized April 21, 1650; 3. Sarah, baptized April 21, 1650; 4. Samuel, born April 1, 1651; 5. Sara, born Feb. 14, 1652-3; 6. Sara, born March 19, 1654-5; 7. Hannah, born Sept. 16, 1656; "Anna" married Richard Friend April 19, 1677; 8. John, born Feb. 2, 1658-9; died July 28, 1659; 9. John, born June 4, 1660; died Sept. 4, 1660; 10. Mary, born Feb. 11, 1662.
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MONSIEUR CHARLES DE LA TOUR
afternoon of Sept. 16, 1865. William Looney and his son-in-law Coakley were then living in his part, and the other half was occupied by the widow Wood and a Mr. Redmond and family. The engraving of this ancient house on the opposite page is copied from a drawing made March 1, 1866, by John Robinson, representing it as it appeared just before the fire.
Sergeant-major-general Endecott, William Hathorne and others of Salem and Lynn, "out of ye care for ye safety of ye publick weale, by ye advancment of ye military art and exercise of armes," petitioned the general court for the right to form a military company. May 14, 1645, the request was granted; and "Sergent-major General John Endecott, Capt. Robert Bridges, Mr. William Hathorne, Mr. William Clarke, Ensign William Dixie, Sergeant Thomas Lathrop, and such others as they shall from time to time take into their company, shall be called the Military Company of Salem and Lynn." They were given authority to choose their under officers, manage their affairs and train in Salem or Lynn as often as they chose.
The general court further pursued the matter of military defence for Salem. "Whereas the town of Salem, lying so open to the sea, is in great danger of sudden attempts by a foreign enemy, and therefore great care is to be had in these dangerous times," the general court ordered, Oct. 1, 1645, that the chief military officer of the band there should inhabit in or near the harbor," and "considering that Captain Trask, who hath been many years their chief officer, dwells so remote from that part of the town as he cannot be helpful upon any such sudden occasion, doth hereby discharge him of that office, with all due acknowl- edgement of his faithfulness and former good service to the country, and do hereby appoint Mr. William Hathorne to be captain of the said military company or trained band of the said town, to exercise the office, and continue therein, until some other shall be duly chosen and confirmed in the said office, according to the order of this Court; and William Clarke to be his lieutenant during the said time." The deputies of Salem had placed Captain Trask and Major Hathorne in nomination. They had also nominated Thomas Lothrop and Peter Wolfe for lieu- tenant. Ens. William Dixie was again chosen ensign.
The seven men ordered, Nov. 3, 1645, that all the ordnance should be mounted.
At the same time, the seven men ordered that a bill of four pounds be paid to Henry Bartholomew for the drums which Mr. Endecott bought for the town. June 13, 1644, the town voted that the annual salary of the drummer should be seven pounds. Nov. 10, 1645, the seven men agreed "that Joseph the drummer
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HISTORY OF SALEM
shall have ten shillings a day for the training days." Josiah Rootes of Salem was the drummer that winter ; and also in 1656-7, when he was paid forty shillings for beating the drum to the train band. In 1666, he was called drum major.
The seven men granted, Nov. 3, 1645, to John Lovet two acres of marsh ground lying near to the old planters meadow near Wenham common; and, a week later, they ordered "that there shall be layd out 4 bushells of wheate for 8 bushells of coales to good : ffranklin."
At a town meeting, Dec. 15, 1645, it was "ordered and agreed that the non-members of this congregation shall be rated for the helping and the supporting of some of the public ordinances in the church : as namely the preaching of the word."
MONSIEUR CHARLES DE LA TOUR.
When England ceded to France the title to Acadia, in 1632, Razilly was given charge of the province. He appointed Monsieur Charles de la Tour his lieutenant for the territory lying easterly of St. Croix River, and Monsieur D'Aulnay for that part next. westerly of that river, the emperor claiming to Penobscot River. Razilly died in 1635, and each of his said assistants claimed the authority of the deceased over all Acadia. The purpose of this claim was the profits of the trade in furs with the Indians, and each had a fort and trading post, D'Aulnay on the Penobscot River and La Tour on the St. John River. There were con- tinual conflcts between these rival claiments.
Capt. Isaac Allerton and others set up a trading wigwam at what is now Machias, and left five men in charge of it. In October, La Tour routed them, and being resisted killed two of the men and carried away the others. About the middle of the following January, Captain Allerton went to Port Royal, in his pinnace, to relieve the prisoners, as it had been agreed.
In November, 1641, La Tour sent a messenger to Boston, proposing free trade and asking assistance against D'Aulnay, but the messenger produced no evidence of his authority. The next October, La Tour vainly sent his assistant with fourteen men in a shallop to Boston, again requesting aid against D'Aul- nay. The next June (1643), La Tour went to Boston from Rochelle with one hundred and forty persons by water, and again expressed his wish for aid in raising a blockade of his fort by his enemy. He was informed that this was a matter for the federated colonies, but the general court decided that the gover- nor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony could consent that La Tour might hire vessels and men here for that purpose. The result was that, July Ist, La Tour sailed with four ships and a pinnace,
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MONSIEUR CHARLES DE LA TOUR
carrying sixteen cannon and seventy men, whom he had hired for his expedition. When the ships were discovered by D'Aul- nay, he set sail with his two ships and a pinnace to Port Royal, where he ran his vessels aground, and began fortifying himself on land. With about thirty men, La Tour landed and marched to D'Aulnay's fortified mill, which they attacked. The mill was burned. The troops returned to the ships, and sailed to La Tour's fort. Eventually, the Massachusetts soldiers returned safely, but, Winthrop wrote that "the report of their actions was offensive and grievous to us."
Just before March 23, 1643-4, La Tour came to Salem to request of Governor Endecott further aid. A meeting was agreed upon to be held in Boston, but, as few attended, another was agreed to be convened at Salem the next week. The aid requested was refused, and the governor and council passed an order, commending strict neutrality. Governor Endecott was personally greatly opposed to rendering the aid.
The Massachusetts commissioners of the Confederacy re- ported to the confederacy the doings of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and in October, 1644, an embassy from D'Aulnay to the confederacy arrived at Salem. After an extended and full discus- sion of the relations of the parties, a provisional treaty of peace and free trade was concluded, and, in 1646, all matters in dispute were amicably settled. Soon afterward, D'Aulnay died, and La Tour married his widow, thereby healing all breaches between the contending factions.
In 1645, the records of the Salem court mention the pres- ence of the "French frigate in Salem Harbor."
CHAPTER XI. MANCHESTER.
RANTS of land were early made within the territory of what is now the town of Manchester. This section was called after the name of the inlet from the sea, Jeffries Creek, which was afterwards known as the harbor of Manchester. William Jeffries is supposed to have been associated with this neighborhood, hence the name. He was born at Chuddington Manor, Sussexshire, England, and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts at Cambridge in 1606 and of Master of Arts in 1610. He was apparently in Ipswich awhile, and went to Weymouth in 1654. He was governor of Rhode Island, where he died, in Newport, Jan. 2, 1675, and his tombstone is still standing there.
About 1637, there was granted to the widow of Thomas Moore ten acres of land at Jeffries Creek; and at the same place to Samuel Archer sixty acres, William Allen fifty acres, John Sibley fifty, George Williams forty, John More forty, John Black thirty, Sergeant Wolfe fifty and Sergeant Dixie fifty acres. These lots were laid out together soon after Feb. 20, 1636-7. This tract of land was known as the Four Hundred Acres. Some of these grantees did not settle at that place, and others built houses on portions of this tract. The final division of the four hundred acres did not occur until 1711. The village grew up where it is now. This common holding of the territory probably explains the scarcity of real estate transfers in Manchester on record during the first half-century of the existence of the town. That part of the town known as the Four Hundred Acres is outlined on the accompanying map by dashes, and lay almost wholly easterly of the creek, including Singing beach.
To the south lay the broad ocean, but in every other direction the primeval forest, rough and ledgy, and dark and dreaded, extended, practically pathless, for miles.
I72
IPSWICH .
SALEM
GLOUCESTER
"Y Four Hundred Acres"
t
JEFFRY'S CREEK
0
OCEAN
MANCHESTER.
I73
MANCHESTER
Jan. 27, 1636-7, the town "ordered that Richard Brakenbury, Tho: Laythrop & Richard Huchenson are to view what Inlande their is betwixt Jeffereys Creeke & Makerell Cove, 4 or ffyve miles."
Aug. 28, 1637, John Pickworth, William Bennett and John Galley requested grants of land at Jeffries Creek; and, Nov. 8, 1637, the town granted to them and John Norman twenty-five acres each at that place.
Nov. 26, 1638, the town granted to Samuel Archer a neck of land of about twenty acres, "lying out against the sea neere vnto Jeffry Creeke Iland," and eight acres of meadow in Kettle Island Cove.
Jan. 27, 1638-9, Sergeant Dixy desired some hay ground about Jeffry's Creek.
Feb. 4, 1638-9, the town granted to Robert Allyn twenty-five acres of land, lying between the land of William Bennett and Samuel Archer at Jeffries Creek.
July 25, 1639, the town granted to Benjamin Parmiter ten acres, Nov. 20, 1639, to James Standish forty, and, Jan. 21, 1639-40, to Benjamin Parminter ten acres, all at Jeffry's Creek.
In the spring of 1640, the owners of land at Jeffries Creek determined to settle there; and seventeen of them petitioned the general court for authority to establish a village there. The following is a copy of the petition :-
We whose names are subscribed belonging to the Church & Town of Salem (being straitened in our accommidations soe that wee are not able to comfortably to subsist : haveing advised and taken Councell about our present estate & condition it being Judged fitt & free liberty being granted us to remove, and noe place being soe convenyent for our easy removall as Jefferyes Creek lying soe neere us & most of us having some small quantity of ground allotted to us there also Doe therefore Joyntly & humbly request the Honb] Court to give us power to erect a village there & to allow us such inlargment thereabouts : as is not granted to any other plantation. Thus Leaving our request to y' wisdom & consideration with our pray's for a blessing from heaven on y' psons & proceedings wee rest y' Humble petitioners
. WILLIAM WALTON
JOHN PICKWORTH
JOHN BLACK
JOHN GALLY
WM. ALLEN
BEN : PARMTER
SAM11 il ARCHER
RORERT ALLEN
GEO NORTON
EDMOND GROVER
WM. DIXY
PASCO FOOT
JOHN SIBLY
WM. BENETT
JAMES STANDISH
JOHN NORMAN
JOHN FREIND
1640 th
14 3" mo
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HISTORY OF SALEM
This petition was presented to the session of the court which convened the day before the date of the petition, and the record of the action taken upon it is as follows :-
The petition of the inhabitants of Salem for some of their church to have Jeffryes Creeke, & land to erect a village there, for M' Willi : Walton, John Blacke, Willi: Allen, Sam: Orchard, Geo: Norton &c, compa; what land & inlargment may bee convenient, & is not granted to any other plantation, is granted them; & it is referred to M' John Winthrope, Iunior, & M' Symon Bradstreete, to settle the bounds of the said village.
The general court then appointed Mr. Hauthorne, Mr. Holy- oke and Mathew Boyse "to view and settle the bounds of Ips- wich, Cape Ann and Jeffries Creek."
March 4. 1643-4, the seven men granted to Richard Gardner at Jefferies Creek twenty acres of land; and to Robert Fuller twenty acres of land there, "if he dwell there, otherwise to desert the land."
April 1, 1644, John Webster asked the seven men to grant to him accommodation at the Creek.
The only act of incorporation of the town of Manchester is this, that, at the request of the inhabitants of Jeffry's Creek, the general court "ordered, that Jeffryes Creek shalbe henceforward called Manchester." This was ordered at the session of the general court which convened June 18, 1645.
Winthrop, in his Journal, says, under the date of July 9, 1645: "The village at Jeffries Creek was named Manchester, and the people there (not being in a church state) had procured Mr. Smith (sometimes pastor of the church of Plymouth) to preach to them." This was Rev. Ralph Smith, who began his service here in 1642. He came to Salem in 1629, and at this time from Plymouth, where he had been preaching since 1636. He was son of Rev. Ralph and Catheran (Mathewson) Smith, baptized in the parish of Gainford, Durham, England, April 5, 1589, and graduated at Christ College, Cambridge, in 1614. He finished his labors in Manchester after 1647; then lived with his son-in-law in Ipswich until about 1659; was at York, Me., in 1660; and died in Boston March 1, 1660-1.1 Religious meetings were held in the houses of the people until 1656, when a meeting house, eighteen feet long, was erected near the landing place.
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