The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 2, 1924, Part 22

Author: Perley, Sidney, 1858-1928
Publication date: 1924
Publisher: Salem, Mass., S. Perley
Number of Pages: 602


USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 2, 1924 > Part 22


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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Edward Wharton came to Salem in or before 1648, and when in England he brought to America with him his sister's son, John Windett, a youth, whom he took as his own. Mr. Wharton was a glazier, and lived next the meeting house on Essex Street. He never married, and died March 3, 1677-8,


HORSE BRIDGE.


leaving brother George Wharton, who lived in the Tower of London, and another own brother there, and a half-brother in Virginia and half-sister, Mrs. Windett, in England. He became a great merchant, having in stock at his decease a large amount of cloth and clothing, house furnishings, implements, etc. Of furs, and he had skins of fox, raccoon, wolf, bear, otter, wood- chuck, martin, sable, musquash, beaver and moose. Thus passed away one of the leading business men of his time, having won success in spite of religious persecution and opposition.


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William Dowdridge of Marblehead and others were presented for rolling a cask in a house on the Lord's day, in the time of public service, and acquitted by the Salem court March I, 1647-8, as it was necessary work. He had just removed from Gloucester to Marblehead.


Sept. 26, 1648, the court fined Robert Prince, Henry Keny1 and John Bond for throwing down a great gun.


On the same day the town of Salem was presented to the Ipswich court for want of a sufficient horse bridge over "a brook or swamp about a mile beyond the great pond which joins upon Wenham, lying in the way from the pond to Lin." This was horse bridge, so called as early as 1660, over the source of Bass River, on Conant Street, in North Beverly. This bridge was made sufficient soon after. The view of this bridge on the oppo- site page indicates that it has changed but little since that early date. This illustration is from a photograph taken in 1924.


John Scott was of Salem, 1647-1649, and probably as late as 1657, being first a servant of Lawrence Southwick. John Bridg- man lived in Salem as early as 1647, and died in 1655. He had one child, a daughter, in 1655.


1HENRY KENNEY1, born about 1624, was a planter in Salem as early as 1648; lived in what is now Danvers, the site of his house being included within the location of the Boston and Newburyport turnpike, about mid- way between Preston and Nichols streets; the house was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1696; was a soldier under Major Sedgwick about 1654, at the taking of St. John from the French; married Ann - -; she was his wife in 1680; he died between 1705 and I710; children: 1. John2, born Jan. - , 1651-2; 2. Thomas2, born June II, 1655; 3, Hannah2, born March 2, 1657; 4. Mary2, born May -, 1659; living in 1680; 5. Sarah2, born Aug. 20, 1661; 6. Elizabeth2, born Dec. - , 1662; 7. Lydia2, born April -, 1666; 8. Henry2, born May 1, 1669.


JOHN KENNEY2; removed to Newbury after 1691, and was living there in I710; married Elizabeth Looke June 17, 1675; children : I. John3, born March 25, 1676; died young; 2. Elizabeth3, born Feb. 6, 1677; 3. John3, born Aug. 15, 1689; 4. Samuel3, born Oct. 26, 1691; lived in New- bury ; married, first, Mary Moores Feb. 29, 17II-2; she died in 174-(?) ; married, second, widow Lydia Davis Dec. 7, 1749; had children. THOMAS KENNEY2; husbandman; married Elizabeth Knight May 23, 1677; died in 1691; she survived him; children: I. Thomas, born June 27, 1678; 2. Joseph3, born Sept. 7, 1680; living in 1696; 3. Daniel, born July 23, 1682; 4. Jonathan3, born May 27, 1686. HENRY KENNEY"; yeoman; lived on his father's homestead as late as 1716; removed to Sutton in 1725; married Priscilla Lewis May 14, 1691; wife Priscilla in 17II; wife Mary, 1716-1725; he was living in Sutton in 1727; children: I. Jemima3, born Feb. 14, 1692; published to John Blackmer of Providence Dec. 9, 1709; 2. Priscilla3, born Oct. 9, 1696; 3. Dinah3, born Dec. 9, 1698; 4. Mary3, born April 5, 1701; married William Fiske of Andover Dec. 3, 1723; 5. Anne3, baptized Sept. 16, 1705; married John Bishop of Pembroke Aug. 2, 1726; 6. Esther3, baptized Sept. 16, 1705; 7. Mehitable3, baptized Feb. 23, 1706-7; married Jonathan Dunnel of Lynn Aug. 21, 1727; 8. Theophilus3, baptized June 18, I710.


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March 20, 1647-8, the town gave Robert Cole liberty to yearly mow the grass upon the highway between Henry Herrick's rock and the west end of Lawrence Leech's lot, provided he does not hinder passing through the way.


June 24. 1648, the town granted the request of Thomas Scudder to exchange a plot of ground near his "now" dwelling house.


Aug. 21, 1648, the seven men granted to George Corwin a farm of two hundred and fifty acres of land and twenty-five acres of meadow ; to John Pigkett1 a parcel of land near Daniel Ray's farm, formerly granted to Lieutenant Lothrop, who sur- rendered it to the town; and to Francis Perry about an acre of meadow lying near and on the left hand side of the great pond towards Lynn. October ninth, they granted to Lt. Thomas Loth- rop about an acre of upland lying within his meadow. November twentieth, the town voted that, whereas the way laid between Goodman Ray's and Goodman Porter's upon the hill is "now" made through Goodman Porter's land, it was ordered that Good- man Porter should have the other way as his own land to enclose and improve to his best advantage.


JOHN KENNEY3; husbandman; married Mary -; they were living in 1737; children : 4 (son), baptized April 27, 1706; 2. Benjamin4, baptized Nov. 28, 1708; 3. Benjamin4, born Oct. - , 1709; tailor; lived in Salem in 1737; 4. John4, born June 12, 1710; 5. Bartholomew1, born March 24, 17II-2; 6. Elisha4, born Feb. 21, 171 -; 7. Josiah4, born Feb. -- , 171 -; married Mary Case of Topsfield July 3, 1734; 8. David4, born March 12, 1714-5. THOMAS KENNEY"; weaver and yeoman; married Martha Cox Nov. 10, 1701; they were living in 1716; children : I. Jeremiah4, baptized Sept. 6, 1702; 2. James4, baptized March 5, 1704; 3. Stephen4, baptized July 15,. 1705; 4. Aaron*, baptized Feb. 23, 1706-7; 5. Amos4, baptized Oct. 10, 1708; 6. Moses4, baptized June 18, 1710; 7. Martha4, baptized March 9, 17II-2; 8. Lois4, baptized March -, 1712; 9. Kezia3, baptized March 6, 1714. DANIEL KENNEY"; married Mary Richards Jan. 10, 1704-5; children : I. Daniel4, born Oct. 19, 1705; 2. Isaac4, baptized Oct. 19, 1707; lived in Middleton; married Lydia Richardson Aug. 28, 1734; had children : 3. Jacob4, baptized Dec. 18, 1709; 4. Israel4, baptized Oct. 5, 1712; 5. Mary", baptized April 24, 1715; married Israel Averill June II, 1735; 6. Ruth4, bap- tized June 30, 1717; married Samuel Buntin Jan. II, 1739; 7. Eunice", baptized Feb. 14, 1719-20; married Joseph Fuller Feb. 17, 1741; 8. David4, baptized July 29, 1722; lived in Middleton; married Priscilla Wilkins May 21, 1750; had children; 9. Jonathan4, baptized Jan. 15, 1726-7. JONATHAN KENNEY3; married Rebecca Nurse Dec. 21, 1709; children: I. Jonathan4, baptized June 8, 1712; 2. Rebecca4, baptized Sept. 20, 1714; 3. Thomas4, bap- tized Sept. 2, 1716; 4. Nathan4, baptized March 2, 1717-8; 5. Samuel+, baptized June 12, 1720.


John Pickett lived at the northerly corner of Hale and Bisson streets, in Beverly, until about 1660, when he removed to Stratford, Conn .; chil- dren : 1. John, baptized Nov. 19, 1648; 2. James, baptized Nov. 19, 1648; 3. Sarah, baptized Nov. 19, 1648; 4. Thomas, baptized Nov. 19, 1648; 5. Rebecca, baptized June 30, 1650; 6. Daniel, baptized Jan. 25, 1651-2; 7. Jacob, baptized Sept. 3, 1654.


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Jeffry Massy was chosen by the town, clerk of the market, being the first one, Dec. 19, 1648. Clerks of the market regu- lated prices when provisions or produce were offered for public sale.1


In the Salem court, Feb. 21, 1648-9, William Goodwin, servant of John Hathorne, presented for robbing the orchard of Major-general Endecott and stealing many apples, a petticoat and other things, including money, from Thomas Putnam, jr., for lying and rebellious carriage towards his master and dame and robbing his dame's desk, was ordered to pay twenty shillings to the major-general for the apples, twenty shillings for two lies and be admonished for his actions toward his master.


Elias Stileman continued to keep an ordinary as late as 1660, and to sell beer and provisions in 1649, strongwater in 1656, and wine in 1660.


At the same sitting of the court, Richard Hollingworth was admonished for much sleeping in time of public ordinances, and frequent absence therefrom on Lord's day afternoons. He pleaded in defence illness and bodily infirmity.


At the same time, the town of Salem was presented for want of a pound.


John Friend, being desirous of erecting a tide grist mill on the westerly side of Bass River and southerly side of what is now Elliot Street, probably suggested the removal of the landing place of the ferry from the head of Bass River to Draper's point. This met public approval, and a lane was proposed to be laid out as a means of going to it. March 12, 1648-9, the town ordered that the highway be brought from Edmond Grover's through Jonathan Porter's and Mr. Garford's ground to Draper's point, if the general court should consent thereto. The general court voted, May 4, 1649: "The petition of Salem, for removal of the highway and landing place, from the head of Bass River to Draper's Point, is granted." The way laid out to the new


1The list of clerks of the market who succeeded Jeffry Massy is as follows : Thomas Spooner was chosen March 13, 1655-6; Thomas Gold- thwaite, Feb. 24, 1656-7; Serg. Thomas Hale, March 22, 1657-8; John Ruck, April 4, 1695; Samuel Corning, March 14, 1659-60; Francis Skerry, April 22, 1661; William Dodge, April 7, 1662; Nathaniel Putnam, Nov. 9, 1663; William Lake, June 17, 1665; Stephen Haskett, March 22, 1666-7; Elezear Gidney, March 20, 1667-8; Mr. Ashby, March 19, 1668-9; Anthony Ashby, Oct. 7, 1669; Bartholomew Gedney, March 27, 1671; Philip Crom- well, March 18, 1671-2; Thomas Ives, Jan. 20, 1673-4; Samuel Beadle, May 3, 1678; John Cromwell, March 27, 1679; David Phipeny, July 23, 1680; John Lander, April II, 1681; Nathaniel Silsbey, April 7, 1682; Samuel Phipeny, April 9, 1683; John Rogers, March 31, 1684; Nathaniel Silsbey, March 9, 1684-5; Symon Willard, March 19, 1685-6; Jeremiah Rogers, April II, 1687.


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HISTORY OF SALEM


ferry landing is now called Beckford Street. This landing place was used as a general landing place as late as 1758,1 but as a ferry terminal only until after 1665. It was changed to the point nearest to Salem about four hundred feet easterly from the pres- ent Beverly terminal of the Beverly bridge. The landing on the Salem side was three or four rods easterly of the present Salem terminal of the bridge. The ferry house is marked on the plan


FERRY LANDING AT DRAPER'S POINT.


made in 1677 and shown on page 16. The ferry was continued between these two points until the bridge was constructed, in 1788.


In 1638, the town had granted to Richard Stackhouse a ten- acre lot of land, on which he built a house, on the northerly side of what is now Cabot Street, where the southerly end of Rantoul Street connects with it. June 6, 1653, the town ordered that Richard Stackhouse for the relief of his family should have the benefit of the keeping of the ferry towards Ipswich, he providing a sufficient boat and men to attend it and to enter on it the last day of June. Mr. Stackhouse's daughter Ruth Haskins, then a widow, succeeded him, and was conducting the ferry in 1717.


The grist mill which was erected by Mr. Friend at what is now the Elliott Street bridge was reached by a way called the mill lane, which ran from Cabot Street about three hundred feet


1Beverly Town Records, volume V, page IIO.


FRIEND'S GRIST MILL.


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on the way to the ferry (now Beckford Street), then turned to the right and then to the left to the river at a point opposite the mill. Some of the buildings of the United Shoe Machinery Company are located within the ancient mill pond.


John Friend died in 1655, and his son Samuel Friend, of Manchester, sold the mill to Lawrence Leach of Salem, but the deed was not passed until after 1662. The mill was appraised at forty pounds, of which only thirty pounds had been paid. This balance, Mr. Leach's son John paid, and, thereupon, Sept. 7, 1665, he received a deed of it.1 John Leach lived here and was the miller until he conveyed the property to John Dodge, jr., of Beverly, husbandman, Sept. 2, 1669.2 Mr. Dodge conveyed to his son-in-law, Ebenezer Woodbury of Salem, miller, "the grist mills alias corn mills, Oct. 12, 1702.3 Mr. Woodbury was run- ning the mills in 1708, and died possessed of the property in 1714. Upon the division of his real estate, in 1758, to his eldest son Ebenezer was assigned "Two old Grist mills situate in Bass River in Beverly." The mills continued to be owned in the Woodbury family until July 17, 1797, when Israel Woodbury conveyed them to Thomas Davis, jr., of Beverly, the sale having been made by auction.4 Mr. Davis died July 17, 1840; and the heirs conveyed the mills to Aaron Dodge of Beverly, miller, April 28, 1848.5 The mills continued to be run until the decease of Mr. Dodge, Feb. 3, 1886. The daguerreotype from which this illustration of the ancient mill was made was taken about 1855. The schooner is the Island City, sailing from Harwich, and bring- ing corn to the mill from New York.


March 13, 1648-9, the selectmen granted to John Hardy lib- erty to make a dam to drown his salt meadow, at the head of Forest River in the place where the old bridge was, for seven years. They, also, granted to Henry Bartholomew that part that was beside his ten acres in the meadow.


Jan. 29, 1648-9, the seven men granted to Ralph Tompkins a small piece of meadow lying near Major-General Endecott's "last grant" in a corner by a small brook and a great swamp.


John Rowden,6 planter, appeared in Salem in 1648, and had, in 1661, an apprentice, Daniel Poole, who was born in 1655.


1Essex Registry of Deeds, book 5, leaf IIO.


2Essex Registry of Deeds, book 3, leaf 69.


3Essex Registry of Deeds, book 16, leaf 146.


4Essex Registry of Deeds, book 162, leaf 210.


"Essex Registry of Deeds, book 400, leaves 141 and 142.


@John Rowden was born about 1611; married, first, Mary --; sec- ond, the widow of Richard Hammond, who was killed by the Indians, in 1676, with Captain Lake at the Kennebec. He had a son in 1674; and died in the late autumn of 1683.


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HISTORY OF SALEM


Robert Mountegue and Richard Haynes1 lived here in 1648 and 1649; and the latter resided on Cape Ann Side when Beverly became a town.


April 25, 1649, the selectmen ordered that George, Thomas, Samuel and Joseph Gardner should survey and measure from the meeting house to a parcel of meadow upon the great river westerly from Salem. On the same day, a committee was chosen to lay out a way over Mr. Read's land, as Goodman Canterbury had enclosed the old way which caused men to go far about to get to their lots.


The seven men of Salem, May 30, 1649, granted to Goodman Giggles, Joshua Grafton, Goodman Jakson and others (who had eleven hundred acres of upland) fifty acres of meadow to be divided between them, lying part between Moulton's brook and Ipswich River, and the other part on the south side of the river between Mr. Norris and Mr. Corwyn's farms; to Goodman Sowthwick four acres of meadow near Mr. Corwin's farm, where- of two acres are in recompence of his meadow, spoiled in digging turf for the new bridge; to Thomas Gardiner, jr., George Gar- diner and Hilliard Verryn four acres of meadow to each of them at the seven men's bounds, and forty acres of upland apiece, the Gardiners' to be laid out near their meadow, and Verrin's to be in lieu of forty acres formerly granted to him; to George Gar- diner four acres of meadow on the north side of Ipswich River, near above Mr. Corwyn's upland on the south side; to Thomas Gardiner two acres in the same place; to Samuel and Joseph Gardiner four acres of meadow apiece; to Joseph Pope four acres of meadow in the same place; to John Burton, Thomas Roots and Nathaniel Felton three acres of meadow apiece near Mr. Corwyn's meadow ; to Thomas Scudder, sr., six acres of meadow in the same meadow ; to Mrs. Felton and Christopher Waller2 four acres of meadow in the same place; to John Reeves three acres of meadow and twenty acres of upland toward Mr. Corwyn's farm ; to John Conclyne, Ananias Conclyne and Thomas Scudder four acres apiece in the same meadow; to Philemon Dickenson two acres of meadow in the same place ; to Mr. Price ten acres of meadow and one hundred acres of upland near Mr. Corwyn's farm ; and to Sergeant Porter ten acres of meadow by the great river. Nearly all of these grants were of land lying on Ipswich River, on the line between Danvers and Peabody.


1Richard Haynes was associated with William Haynes in Salem in 1648, and they may have been brothers. Richard Haynes was a husband- man, and died Dec. 16, 1681.


"Christopher Waller was a tray maker; lived where the Salem jail is now located; married Margaret Felton; died in 1676; she married, second- ly, Robert Fuller.


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193


In the Salem court, June 28, 1649, Giles Corey1 was fined for stealing wheat, powder, soap, flax, tobacco, bacon, pork, butter and knives from Mr. Curwin and Thomas Anthrom.


The selectmen, Aug. 31, 1649, granted to Mr. Gardner about an acre of meadow lying on the north side of and adjoining his farm; to Francis Skerie "a little spot of ground betweene the sea and his field whch was formerly Goodels"; and to John Marston two little spots of marsh lying against Mr. Scruggs by goodie King's land.


Sept. II, 1649, the Salem court fined Robert Sallowes2 and Robert Starr, for fighting, twenty shillings each. These were young men, having just come of age. Starr was a mariner, and sailed on a coaster until 1679, when he was "murdered by the hands of ye Barberious heathens."


Oct. 13, 1649, the selectmen granted to Richard Stileman the meadow of which Mr. Verin had the cutting of the grass, but if he should remove the meadow should return to the town; to Mr. Herbert and Goodman Robinson fifty acres apiece; to Goodman Bullock and Goodman Buffum forty acres each ; and to Goodman Bowdish thirty acres, and to each of these five men five acres of meadow, near Goodman Moulton's farm ; and to Mr. Gedney the land and meadow which was taken from Mr. Clark's farm by the men of Lynn.


Oct. 19, 1649, the general court ordered that on the last Wednesday of April following there should be a meeting of the deputies of the several towns in this jurisdiction, at Salem, to consult about and prepare elections, and what else they think may tend to the welfare of the country at the next general court.


Nov. 19, 1649, James Thomas was granted twenty acres of planting ground; John Ingersoll forty acres of land to plant ; John Bridgman3 thirty acres of land ; Thomas Smith and Thomas


1Giles Corey was born about 1619; married, first, Margaret


second, Mary Brite April II, 1673; third, Martha ; pressed to death Sept. 19, 1692; wife Martha was hung as a witch Sept. 22, 1692; children : I. Deliverance, born in Salem Aug. 5, 1658; married Henry Crosby June 5, 1683; 2. Margaret; married William Cleaves of Beverly ; 3. Elizabeth; married John Moulton of Salem. Mr. Corey lived in what is now Peabody about ten rods westerly of the West Peabody Junction rail- road station, adjoining the southerly side of the location of the Salem and Lowell railroad. Caleb Moore stated that when he was in Virginia with his father, the latter bought Mary, Cory's second wife, out of a London ship.


"John Black married, secondly, Freeborn, widow (not daughter) of Robert Sallows, July 29, 1664. She was probably daughter of Peter Wolfe. See volume I, pages 278 and 294.


3John Bridgeman was in Salem as early as 1647; and died in the autumn of 1655. He had an early child, Mary, who was baptized Sept. 8, 1650, and who married Samuel Smith April 8, 1673.


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Watson thirty acres of meadow and upland each ; Elias Mason,1 ¿ Li as magun as John Robinson and John Kitchen forty acres of meadow and upland each ; Thomas Pigden two acres of meadow near Wenham line; and Francis Perrie thirty acres of upland with the thirty acres formerly granted, in all sixty acres near the meadows granted to Mr. Gardner's sons, and also the overplus of the twelve acres of meadow granted to the Gardners near the line of Salem.


Nov. 26, 1649, the selectmen granted to George Williams about a quarter of an acre of ground lying between his meadow and Francis Skerry's land; to Nathaniel Putnam fifty acres of land lying beyond Elias Stileman's farm, and adjoining Mr. Thorndike and Captain Hathorne's farms ; to Giles Gorey twenty acres of land; and to Thomas James forty acres of land and meadow ; and it was agreed that the two hundred acres of upland, which was taken from Mr. Downing's farm by the great meadow towards Wenham should be granted to him again for his pains in transcribing the books of the town's records to be kept for posterity, making his grant again five hundred acres.


Dec. 3, 1649, the selectmen granted to Richard Greaves forty acres of land : to Thomas Antrum thirty acres of land in addition to twenty acres formerly granted; to Zacheus Curtes all that meadow that lieth above Mr. Clarke's meadow, on the south side of Mr. Humphry's farm and on the north of Mr. Clarke's plain that lieth next to Dog Pond; and to Peter Palfrey five acres of meadow in Wenham meadow.


Two weeks later, the selectmen granted to Henry Trew forty acres of land ; and to Mr. Bacon one acre of the swamp lying in the north neck, adjoining Edmond Gyles ten-acre lot on the south side of Mr. Bacon's lot which he purchased from Captain Trask ; to Ensign Dixey and James Standish that highway which lieth on the south side of James Standish lot, to be divided between them ; to Ensign Dixey, in recompence for his way, a little spot of land or elbow that lieth on the northwest side of the lot which was Mr. Bartholmew's, and a small piece of swamp that lieth from the highway that is the outlet to Guido Baylie's bound, and twenty acres of land next to Nicholas Patch's farm; to Thomas Cole forty acres of land and four acres of meadow ; to Goodman Pickerin as much land as he lost by the running of the Lynn


1Elias Mason lived at about 371 Essex Street as early as 1644; married, first, Jane - -; she died Nov. 9, 1661 ; married, second, Elizabeth who survived him; died in the spring of 1688; children: 1. Sara, baptized May 23, 1647; married John Robinson; 2. Mary, baptized May 23, 1647; married George Cox; 3. Hannah, baptized Jan. 14, 1648-9; unmarried in 1698. 4. Martha, baptized May 18, 1651; 5. Elias, baptized May 29, 1653.


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line, to be laid out adjoining the rest of his land ; to Philip Crom- well one hundred acres of land and ten acres of meadow; to Robert Prince forty acres beyond the river; to Francis Skerie sixty acres of land, including what was formerly given him; and to Henry Skerie forty acres of land, including what was formerly given him; and it was ordered "that mr Gidney shall take in the highway adioyning to the ground he bought of mr Emerie and to leaue a way through the midst of the next field and a way to the watering place."


CHAPTER XIII.


MARBLEHEAD.


ROM the earliest settlement of Marblehead, that terri- tory and the people who lived there seem to have been in some degree and manner independent of Salem. The colonial tax was sometimes assessed upon the residents of that part of Salem as though Marblehead was a town by itself.


At a general town meeting in Salem, March 12, 1648-9, it was "ordered that Marble Head, with the allowance of the gen- eral court, shall be a town, and the bounds to be the utmost extent of the land which was Mr. Humphrey's farm and sold to Marble Head, and so all the neck to the sea, reserving the disposing of the ferry and appointing of the ferry man to Salem."


May 2, 1649, the general court, "Upon the petition of the in- habitants of Marble Head, for them to be a town of themselves ; Salem having granted them to be a town of themselves, and appointed them the bounds of their towne, which the Court doth grant."


Francis Johnson, who transcribed the earliest records of the town of Marblehead, stated, before 1674, that when he copied them the old book was not whole, several leaves having been torn out.1 The existing records give scanty information of the doings of the town and of the people who then constituted it.


The first board of seven men, or selectmen, consisted of Moses Maverick, Samuel Doliber, Francis Johnson, Nicholas Merritt, John Peach, sr., John Deverox and John Bartoll. Francis Simson was the first constable, and lived there until 1666, when he re- moved to Rhode Island, having become a Quaker He was born about 1610, and had a sister who was twice married.


1Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, volume V, page 279.


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