USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Salem > The history of Salem, Massachusetts, vol 2, 1924 > Part 37
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
329
BELLINGHAM AND DENISON GRANTS
fruits of the earth were like to perish, whereby the Lord hath
tized Jan. 17, 1730-I. JOSEPH PHIPPEN3; married Susanna Hartshorne Jan. 18, 1719-20; died in the spring of 1734; she was his widow in 1773; children : I. William4, born Sept. 23, 1721; married Elizabeth Bush April 4, 1744; 2. Susanna4, born July 7, 1723 ; 3. Sarah4, born June 25, 1726; married Thomas. Dean, jr., July 31, 1751 ; 4. Joseph4, born Dec. 18, 1730; mariner in 1772.
BENJAMIN PHIPPEN+; cordwainer ; married Hannah Becket July 5, 1739; child : 1. Mary5, baptized July 6, 1743. JOHN PHIPPEN1; married Hannah Hooper Dec. 10, 1742; died in 1760 (?) ; children : I. Abigail5, born about 1744; married Benjamin West; 2. Hannah5, born about 1746; living in 1761 ; 3. Samuel5, born about 1748; living in 1761 ; 4. Elizabeth5, born about 1750; 5. Susannah5; living in 1773. NATHANIEL PHIPPEN4; cooper ; lived in Boston in 1745 and 1747; returned to Salem before 1759; married Seeth Hardy Oct. 14, 1734; died about 1757; children : I. Seeth6; married Thomas Needham Feb. 17, 1754; 2. Hardy5; of Marblehead, minor, in 1759; 3. Joshua', born Jan. 27, 1742; 4. Joseph5; of Danvers in 1759. DEA DAVID PHIPPEN4; joiner ; married Priscilla Bickford of Reading May 24, 1738; she was his wife in 1762; he died, a widower, Feb. 15, 1782; children. I. Priscilla5; mar- ried John Gill Oct. 5, 1768; 2. Samuel, born in 1744: 3. Lydia5, born Jan. 7, 1747 ; married John Fiske June 12, 1766; 4. Ebeneser5, born about 1750; 5. Margaret3, born about 1752; died April 23, 1842, aged ninety ; 6. Sarah®; mar- ried Capt. Samuel Hobbs May 28, 1780; 7. Nathaniel®, born in 1757 ; 8. Re- becca ; married William King March 10, 1785; 9. Anstiss5; married Jona- than Smith Sept. 6, 1789. THOMAS PHIPPEN4; cooper ; married, first, Mar- garet Driver Nov. 2, 1749; second, Sarah (Ingalls), widow of John Smith April 12, 1766; he died about 1793; children : I. Thomas5, baptized March I, 1751-2; 2. William', born Feb. 27, 1752-3; 3. James", baptized April 21, 1754; died April 10, 1756, aged two years; 4. James5, baptized April 13, 1760; drowned when a lad; 5. - ____ 5, baptized April 17, 1763; 6. Olive“, bap- tized April 19, 1767; married Isaac Perkins March 27, 1790.
JOSHUA PHIPPEN®; cooper ; married, first, Hannah Sibley Oct. 3, 1764; she died March 21, 1801 ; married, second, Ursula (Knapp), widow of Jona- than Symonds. Oct. 25, 1801 ; he died April -, 1811 ; she died, his widow, Dec. 20, 1818; children : I. Nathaniel®, born in 1765; 2. Hannah6, baptized June 3, 1770; married Capt. George Hodges March 25, 1798; 3. Nathan6, baptized June 3, 1770; 4. Sarah6, baptized Dec. 13, 1772; 5. Joshua®, born in 1773 (4?) ; married Susanna (Nancy?) Trask of Beverly (published March 18, 1799) ; died April 28, 1805; she survived him; 6. Eunice6, baptized Dec. 24, 1775; died Dec. 19, 1799, aged twenty; Hardy6, born July 6, 1778. SAMUEL PHIPPEN5; cabinet maker ; married Mary Swain Oct. 27, 1782; died Feb. 22, 1798; she lived in Wakefield, N. H., in 1820; children : I. Rebecca Maria6, born Dec. 7, 1783; married Josiah Dow of Boston Jan. 5, 1806; 2. Samuel6, born April 23, 1785; died Oct. 2, 1804. EBENEZER PHIPPEN5; cabinet maker ; married Elizabeth Simmes Oct. 27, 1772; died March 27, 1792; she died. his widow, June -, 1826; children : 1. David6, born July 25, 1775, in Reading ; 2. Ebenezer®, born about 1777; blockmaker; died, unmarried, Aug. 14, 1813; 3. Rufus®, baptized Aug. 7, 1785; died Feb. 28, 1790; 4. Henry6, born in 1788; died March 2, 1790; 5. Nancy®, baptized Feb. 27, 1790; 6. Maria6, baptized March 16, 1792; daughter Mary died Dec. 7. 1792, aged eleven months. CAPT. NATHANIEL PHIPPEN'; mariner ; married Abigail Hooper (certi- ficate May 2. 1779) ; died Feb. 24, 1815; she was his widow in 1823 ; children : I. Nathaniel6, born about 1779; drowned off Cape of Good Hope, "from on board Capt. Chipman," Jan. 4, 1796, aged seventeen; 2. Samuel6, born about 1782; died, with Captain Taylor, June 4. 1799; 3. Sarah®, born in 1785; died, unmarried, Oct. 12, 1806; 4. John6, baptized Dec. 23, 1787; 5. Abigail®; mar-
330
HISTORY OF SALEM
mercifully spared a necessary portion of sustenance for us and our
ried Joseph Jenkins Knapp. THOMAS PHIPPEN5; mariner ; married Rebecca Wellman Dec. 27, 1774; she died May -, 1837; he died Dec. 22, 1839; children : I. Peggy6, baptized Oct. 24, 1775; 2. Thomas6, baptized June 7, 1778; died Oct. 24, 1813; 3 Israel®, baptized in 1780; 4. Becca6, baptized Feb. - , 1784; 5. Rebecca6, baptized Sept. - , 1786. WILLIAM PHIPPEN; trader ; married, first, Lois Hutchings (certificate Nov. 22, 1777) ; she died March II, 1794; married, second, widow Anna Ring (certificate Aug. 6, 1794) ; he died May 28, 1796; children : 1. William®, born about 1778; 2. Lois6, baptized May 6, 1780; married Benjamin Balch; 3. James6, baptized May 6, 1780; died at sea Aug. - , 1795; 4. Thomas®; 5. Moses Hitchings6, baptized Nov. - , 1785; feltmaker; died Aug. 14, 1808; 6. Lydia6, baptized Dec. 30, 1786; 7. Polly6, born about 1788; 8. George®, baptized March -, 1790; Baptist minister; of Lynn in 1827 and of Canton, Conn., in 1829; married Eliza Rhoads; 9. Lucy6, baptized Feb. 26, 1792; died, unmarried, Sept. 16, 1881.
NATHANIEL PHIPPEN6; cooper ; married Anna Pickett of Beverly Sept. 3, 1786; died March 9, 1809; she died, his widow, July 23, 1815; children : I. Samuel™, born Feb. 5, 1787; cooper ; married Sarah Burns Dec. 2, 1810; died June 25, 1821 ; she was his widow in 1850; 2. Benjamin", born Oct. 25, 1788, in Portsmouth, N. H .; 3. Nathaniel“, born Feb. 19, 1791, in Portsmouth ; 4. Joshua", born Nov. 17, 1793; 5. Eunice™, born Feb. 26, 1796; died, un- married, Nov. 17, 1863; 6. Ann7, born July 20, 1798; 7. Charlotte7, born Aug. 13, 1800. CAPT. HARDY PHIPPEN6; master-mariner ; married Ursula K. Sy- monds March 18, 1804; she died Feb. 17, 1859; he died Oct. 9, 1868; children : I. Joseph Hardy™, born June 10, 1807; bank cashier; married, first. Susan Harris Lord March 26, 1840; she died Feb. 3, 1882; married, second, Eme- line Lord Nov. 26, 1883; died Oct. 15, 1898, aged ninety-one; she died Dec. 6, 1906; no children; 2. Ursula Symonds™, born Sept. 21, 1809; married Isaac N. Chapman March 10, 1840; 3. Joshua™, born Dec. 13, 1812; 4. George Dean™, born April 13, 1815. DAVID PHIPPEN6; rope maker, house- wright and mariner; married Nancy (Anne, Anstiss) Cook Feb. 17, 1799; she died Oct. 24, 1815; he died Jan. 14, 1849; children : 1. David™, born Nov. II, 1799; of Topsfield in 1875; 2. Anna Kennedy7 (Nancy), born Feb. 2, 1801 ; died, unmarried, April 16, 1875; 3. Ebenezer™, born Nov. 16, 1802; 4. Susan Kennedy™, born Aug. 5, 1805; 5. Benjamin Cook™, born Feb. 11, 1807; 6. Susan Kennedy™, born Sept. 16, 1808; died, unmarried, Feb. 21, 1901, aged ninety-two; 7. - "; married - Jowders ; 8. Stephen Sims™, born March 30, 1813; of New Boston, N. H., in 1901. ISRAEL PHIPPEN6; married Sarah Hutson of Marblehead July 24, 1808; she died Nov. 1, 1855; he died Feb. 23, 1859; children : I. Sally™, born Oct. 18, 1809; died May 23, 1826; 2. Israel", born Jan. 12, 1812; 3. Mary A.", born Aug. 1, 1814; 4. Martha™, born Feb. 14, 1817; 5. Esther Adams™, born April 23, 1820; married John B. Test Sept. 7, 1852; 6. Ann Maria™, born Nov. 14, 1823. WILLIAM PHIPPEN6; to- bacconist; married Sarah E. Hathorne (certificate June 27, 1797) ; died about 1841; she died Jan. 21, 1847; child : I. Joseph H.7, born Sept. 9, 1800; cordwainer : married Elizabeth Gavett; she died Nov. 21, 1862; he died Sept. 23, 1875. THOMAS PHIPPEN®; married Sarah Lufkin (certificate Aug. 8, 1801) ; widow Sally Phippen married William Hall March 21, 1824; child- ren : I. Rebecca", baptized Dec. 29, 1804; 2. Sally™, baptized April 10, 1806; died June 4, 1806; 3. Thomas™, baptized July 9, 1807; supposed to have been washed overboard from schooner Juno, near Cape Cod, Jan. 8, 1822; 4. Charles™, baptized Dec. 28, 1812; 5. Rebecca7, baptized Dec. 28, 1812.
BENJAMIN PHIPPENT; cooper; married Mary Massey Wells Jan. 15; 1829 ; died Feb. 24, 1862; she survived him; children : I. Benjamin Franklin8,
33I
BELLINGHAM AND DENISON GRANTS
families, also for diverting a squadron of Dutch ships which
born June 15, 1830; cooper ; died, unmarried, May 5, 1871; 2. Nathaniel®, born Jan. 26, 1832; 3. Joseph E.s, born Dec. II, 1833; 4. Martha C.8, born Oct. 31, 1835; died March -, 1837; 5. Martha Clarks, born Jan. 12, 1838; married Samuel Lord; 6. John Prince®, born Oct. 2, 1840; of Boston in 1863; 7. William Trumbull®, born Sept. 25, 1842. NATHANIEL PHIPPEN'; cooper ; mar- ried Martha C. Clark Dec. 24, 1820; died May 22, 1864; she died, his widow, May 9, 1883; children: I. Martha Ann8, baptized July 2, 1826; married William A. Frye; lived in Athol in 1874 and 1883; 2. Charlotte Lane®, bap- tized July 2, 1826; married Wm. H. Archer ; 3. Benjamin Howards, baptized Aug. 5, 1827 ; clerk; married Sarah E. -; died May 9, 1857; she survived him; 4. Joshua B.8, born Feb. 7, 1830; expressman; married Mary R. Da- kin; she died Dec. 18, 1886; he died Dec. 17, 1904; 5. Mary Dustin8, baptized Sept. 21, 1834; died, unmarried, March 31, 1883. JOSHUA PHIPPEN'; gas fitter ; merchant; married, first, Betsey Barr Holman April 22, 1841; she died April 9, 1854; married, second, Eunice Louise Daniels; he died Oct. 8, 1890; she died, his widow, Sept. 20, 1914; children I. Mary Elizabeth8, born May 20, 1842; married Richard Price Nov. 5, 1864; 2. Joshua8, born May 3, 1857; musician; lives in Winchester; 3. Edward A.8; bank teller; 4. Hardy8, born Nov. 3, 1862; physician. GEORGE DEAN PHIPPEN'; cashier of Salem National Bank; married Margaret Barton April 13, 1840; died Dec. 26, 1895; she died Dec. 1, 1896; children : I. George Barton®, born Feb. 12, 184I; 2. Samuel Webb8, born Oct. 13, 1846; died June 22, 1847; 3. Arthur Henry®, born Sept. 7, 1849; 4. Charles Endecott8 born Jan. 20, 1856. BENJA- MIN COOK PHIPPEN"; baker ; married Ann B. Melzard of Marblehead April 20, 1830; she died Nov. 1, 1865; he died Aug. 20, 1866; child : I. David®, born May 7, 1838; died May 9, 1872.
NATHANIEL PHIPPEN®; cooper ; married Abbie M. Ellis Feb. 25, 1866; died Jan. 19, 1914; children: I. Abbie L.º, born June 27, 1867; 2. Anna Maud', born July 21, 1874; married Charles E. Ebsen April 8, 1903. JOSEPH E. PHIPPEN8; cooper ; married Abbie B. Perry Sept. 19, 1855; died Nov. 27, 1902; she died June 12, 1910; child : I. Mary A.9, born July -, 1860; died March 10, 1861. WILLIAM TRUMBLE PHIPPEN8; artist and photographer ; married Sarah Addie Dix. April 12, 1863; died Nov. 8, 1910; children : I. Mary Eliza9, born Feb. 18, 1866; 2. Carrie Lillian9, born Dec. I, 1867. GEORGE BARTON PHIPPEN8; treasurer of New York and New England Rail- road Company and broker; moved to Boston about 1894; married Mary Eliza Stodder Nov. 30, 1865; children: I. George Stodder9, born July 3, 1868; 2. Caroline Barton9, born Dec. 2, 1876. ARTHUR HENRY PHIPPEN8; bank clerk; married, first, Mary Elizabeth Chamberlain Dec. 18, 1873; she died Aug. 27, 1879; married, second, Elizabeth M. Sanborn Oct. 6, 1881; she died Sept. 10, 1917; children : I. Margaret Chamberlain9, born Feb. 15, 1875; died Feb. 17. 1875; 2. Walter Gray9, born Dec. 25, 1876; physician; married Ethel Arnold Patch April 16, 1906, at Buffalo, N. Y .; have two adopted children; Robert Jordains, born Aug. 31, 1916; and Barbara Emily, born Dec. 7, 1920; 3. Elizabeth Chamberlain9, born July 7, 1879; died Aug. 5, 1879; 4. Elizabeth Russell9, born April 30, 1884; married Walter Everett Poor Oct. 9, 1912; 5. Henry Osgood®, born Sept. 2, 1885; 6. Arthur?, born May 19, 1887. CHARLES ENDECOTT PHIPPEN8; bookkeeper; married Harriet Ellen Gifford Oct. II, 1880; children : I. Margaret Barton9, born Aug. 27, 1883; 2. Eleanor Gifford', born May 16, 1891; married Daniel Gordon Tower of Indiana Nov. II, 1915.
HENRY OSGOOD PHIPPEN9; clerk; moved to Hamilton; married Edith Whipple Dane Oct. 5, 1910: I. Henry Osgood10, born March 15, 1912; 2.
332
HISTORY OF SALEM
threatened to invade our coasts"; and at the same time there was appointed a fast, to be kept on the twenty-second, on account of "the sad condition of the people of God in other parts, especially the severe hand of God in the pestilence raging in London and in many other places in our native country."
William Downton1, born about 1629, a carpenter, was in Salem as early as 1665. He lived in the house he had bought, which formerly stood at 15 Washington Street. Edward Humber, a blacksmith, was also living here in the same year, and as late as 1672. Gilbert Tapley2, born in
Incumbia
Counton
1634, was in Salem in 1665. He was a fisherman, and at first lived at the Neck, where the causeway led to Winter Island.
Hillout targhe
Joan Almira10, born June 18, 1915; 3. Richard Dane10, born July 1, 1918; 4. Geraldine10, born July 4, 1925. ARTHUR PHIPPEN9; bank clerk ; married Alice Davenport Bowden of Marblehead Feb. 24. 1915; children: 1. Mary Eliza- beth10, born July IT, 1915: 2. Jane West19, born May 23, 1918; 3. Arthur10, born Jan. 13, 1923.
1William Downton married, first, Rebecca -; she was living in 1682; married, second, Joanna -; died in the autumn of 1696; she was his widow in 1702; children: I. Mary; married Thomas Flint; 2. William, born April 12, 1665; living in 1696; 3. John, born June 17, 1669; probably died before 1696; 4. Elizabeth; living in 1696.
"GILBERT TAPLEY' married Thomasine -; died April 17, 1714; she died Nov. I, 1715; children : 1. Gilbert2, born Aug. 26, 1665; 2. Joseph2, born March 10, 1667-8; died about 1689; 3. Mary2, born April 4, 1671.
GILBERT TAPLEY2; married, first, Lydia Small April 10, 1686; second, Sarah Archer Aug. 21, 1707; died in 1710; she survived him; children : I. Mary3, born Nov. 4. 1689; married Christopher Batten Sept. 19, 1706; 2. Joseph3, born July 30, 1692; 3. Lydia3, born March 10, 1696-7: 4. Gilbert3, born July 13, 1699.
JOSEPH TAPLEY3; innholder ; married Margaret Masury Nov. 27, 1712; children : 1. Gilbert4, born May 6, 1722; 2. John4, born about 1728; lived in Peabody ; married Elizabeth Buxton Feb. 15. 1749-50; 3. Lydia4. GILBERT TAPLEY3; fisherman ; married Elizabeth Henderson Jan. 9, 1721-2; died in 1757 ; children : 1. William4; 2. Elizabeth4; married John Cox May 15, 1743; 3. Mary4; married Benjamin Henfield of Danvers, Nov. 25. 1753.
GILBERT TAPLEY4; housewright ; lived in Danvers; married, first. Phebe Putnam June 17, 1747 ; she died May 6, 1770; married, second, Mary (Flint), widow of Nathaniel Smith, March IT, 1771 ; she died July 1. 1799; married, third, Sarah ( Abbott) Farrington of Andover June 6. 1799; he died May 6. 1806; she died in Andover Jan. 19, 1823; children : 1. Amos5, born Oct. 15, 1748; soldier of the Revolution ; yeoman ; lived in Danvers ; married, first, Hannah Preston May 9, 1772; she died Oct. 20, 1825; married, second. Sarah (Brimblecom) Berry of Lynn Nov. 8, 1826; he died Sept. 6, 1835;
333
BELLINGHAM AND DENISON GRANTS
Nov. 18, 1665, the town granted to Ankias Horsman a lot of land at the east end of Goodman Rumball's lot.
James Priest hung himself with a rope, in November, 1665, and a jury of inquest, consisting of George Gardner, Samuel Gardner, Thomas Cromwell, Thomas Rix, John Beckett, John Cromwell, Richard Harvie, John Williams, Henry Skerry, Wil-
B.P.
DOWNING GRANT
liam Dounton, John Pickworth and Samuel Pickworth, appointed by the constable of Salem, viewed the body and adjudged that his death was caused by his voluntary will. The verdict was returned to the Salem court Nov. 28, 1665. James Priest was son of James Priest of Weymouth, where he was born May 8, 1640.
The town of Salem granted to Emanuel Downing five hun- dred acres of land which is now the extreme northeastern corner of Danvers, July 16, 1638, and he conveyed it to John Porter April
had children; 2. Daniel5, born Dec. 6, 1750; married Mary Tarbell of Dan- vers May 5, 1774; died Aug. 10, 1775; 3. Phebe“, born Aug. 20, 1753; 4. Joseph5, born April 10, 1756; 5. Aaron®, born Jan. 25; 1758; 6. Asa®, born Sept. II, 1761; 7. Elijah5, born Dec. 14, 1765; 8. Sally®, born Oct. 19, 1771. WILLIAM TAPLEY4; mariner ; married Mary Mascoll Oct. 17, 1745; child : I. William5, born about 1746.
334
HISTORY OF SALEM
15, 1650. Sergeant Porter conveyed it to his son Joseph Porter, Jan. 2, 1664, as a part of his portion upon the latter's marriage with Anna, daughter of Maj. William Hathorne; and upon this land Joseph erected a house which is still standing. The farm, with the house thereon, is now owned and occupied by Daniel J. Conners. The house is in excellent condition, and apparently able to still weather the storms for centuries. It is fifty feet in length
JOSEPH PORTER HOUSE
and twenty odd feet in width, two stories in height and faces the south. The chimney is large, and each of the front rooms on both floors are twenty feet square. The original barn is now adjoining the house, having a frame similar to that of the house. The posts and beams are hewn of white oak and a foot square. About fifty rods northeasterly from the house, near a swamp, is the original burialplace of the family. There are some half a dozen graves, marked with as many field rocks. Some of the latter now lie upon the ground and others are partly embedded in the earth. All are overgrown with briars and bushes. Two of the stones which lie loosely upon the ground are each about two feet in length and a foot and a half in breadth, and thin at the edges. On one of them are cut the letters "A P" and above them is at least a figure "2". The only early member of the family who lived on the farm whose initials these might be is Anna, wife of the builder of the house,
335
BELLINGHAM AND DENISON GRANTS
daughter of Major Hathorne. It is unknown when she died, but she was not alive in 1713, when Mr. Porter executed his will, and it may be that the figure "2" is a part of the date of "1712". Passing over or near these stones no one would suspect that this was a sacred burialplace and that here have reposed for more than two centuries the remains of a daughter of Major Hathorne.
CHAPTER XVIII. THE SOUTH MILLS.
HE windmill at Burying point continued to be used after 1639, and Samuel Bennett of Lynn conveyed it to Thomas Wheeler of Lynn, who had removed it from Salem to Lynn, April 1, 16531.
Poor judgment used in selecting millers, bad grinding, the large loss in the amount of meal returned for the corn sent to mill, the great uncertainty as to when the grist would be ground, and other reasons made Trask's mill very unpopular. Complaints were made to the court, but little satisfaction was thereby secured. This must have been a good mill, as when Cap- tain Trask died, in 1666, it was appraised at one hundred pounds.
William Browne, George Corwin and Walter Price finally requested the town to give them the right to erect a mill on the South River. This request was favorably received, and the town voted, Nov. 29, 1659, to grant them liberty to build a gristmill up- on the South River above Mr. Ruck's house where it may be con- venient. This vote apparently brought to Captain Trask a forcible reminder of his duty to the public, if he wished to retain its custom, and fault finding quietly subsided. After a few years, complaints were renewed, and it seemed that another move would be made for a new mill. The town was about to grant the privilege of establishing a mill at the place contemplated in 1659, when John Trask, on the behalf of his father, Capt. William Trask, the owner of the old mill, engaged to make as good meal as was made at Lynn and that when they could not supply the town, for want of water or in any other respect, they would send it to Lynn upon their charge and have it ground there. Upon this promise, the town suspended proceedings about building another mill. This was on March 2, 1662-3: but August 22d following. the town voted "that there is liberty granted for building of a mill over the
1Essex Registry of Deeds, book 4, leaf 121.
336
337
THE SOUTH MILLS
South River near Mr. Ruck's." Another inducement for the con- struction of the new mill was probably its convenient situation.
On the ninth of November following, the town again voted upon the matter, and ordered "That Walter Price Henry Barthol- mew John Gardner and Samuel Gardner have liberty to build a mill over the South River near Mr. Ruck's, provided it be built in two years or to lose their privilege."
John Pickering had petitioned the Salem court June 29th pre- viously, asking that the question of its site might be settled. There was apparently no response to it.
To satisfy Jonathan Pickering for the disturbances of his right to build vessels there, March 23, 1676-7, the town granted to him a "convenient" parcel of land about Hardy's Cove to build vessels on.
These men began the construction of a dam, when one morn- ing they found that their work had been tampered with in the night time, their wheelbarrows and tools and timber were thrown into the river, the stakes pulled up, etc. Later, when the mill building was partly up, an endeavor was made in the night to turn it into the channel1. This was done by John Pickering, who claimed that the proprietors had no right to build a mill there and obstruct him from going to his land, which was the Broad field of Governor Endecott originally, or using it for ship-building. Mr. Pickering brought two suits against the proprietors of the mill, one for trespass upon his land and the other for damming the water of the river, the writs being dated Nov. 11, 1664.
At either end of the mill dam the town erected gates, which were maintained by the proprietors of the mill.
When the Broad Street burial ground was laid out in 1655, space was left at the eastern end for a passage way and at the east- erly corner of the burialplace, there was at a very early date a gate painted red through which was obtained access to the Governor Endecott Broad field. When John Ruck, who owned all the land on the eastern side of this common, sold to Matthew Woodwell a lot of land where the southerly end of Mill Street now runs he agreed to lay out a highway to it fourteen feet wide from what is now Summer Street. This was done, and thus came into ex- istence High Street and the southerly end of Mill Street. A week after the day that Mr. Pickering's petition was filed with the court, the selectmen ordered that a highway be laid out from the way near Bartholomew Gedney's to the new mill laid out that day ten feet above high water mark into the bank near the mill to a stake and so against the mill as it was staked out.
1For details of these depredations, see Records and Files of the Quar- terly Courts of Essex County, volume III, pages 216 and 217.
338
HISTORY OF SALEM
July 18th previously to the suits being brought, the proprie- tors of the mill had come to agreement with John Pickering in the matter, that, in consideration of twenty pounds, he gave them liberty to use his land and soil for setting up the dam and mill
SOUTH MILLS
where they had begun the dam and for his damages by stopping up the river below his land, and also to save them harmless for all damages to Matthew Woodall and others. In spite of this agreement, the suits were tried, and in both cases the defendants won.1
The mill was completed in the summer of 1665. It was originally a single grist or corn-mill, and continued to be such until about 1720. To the original proprietors was added, when the building was finished, George Gardner. Price, Bartholmew and Samuel had each one-quarter, and John and George Gardner each one-eighth part of the business. Major Price died in 167-, and his interest passed to his widow and to her children in her dis- cretion. She conveyed one-eighth to her daughter Elizabeth Ruck, and the other one-eighth to her son John Croade. George Gardner died in 1679, having devised his one-eighth to his son Capt. Samuel Gardner. Mr. Bartholmew was a merchant, and, as a gift, he conveyed his one-fourth interest to his daughters
1See Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, volume III, pages 203-207.
339
THE SOUTH MILLS
Hannah Swinerton and Abigail Willoughby in 1689. Samuel Gardner died in 1689, having devised his fourth part to his grand- children, Abel Gardner, one-eighth, Joseph Henfield, one-six- teenth, and Mary Neale, one-sixteenth. John Croade, who was a merchant, conveyed his one-eighth to the miller William Stacy in 1699. John Ruck's executors conveyed his share,-one-six- teenth to Capt. Samuel Gardner, and the other one-sixteenth to John Higginson, jr.,-in 1702. Widow Hannah Swinerton con- veyed to William Browne, esquire, one-eighth in 1702; and the other one-eighth in 1704. John Gardner died in 1705, having devised his one-eighth to his grandson John Gardner of Mendon. Mr. Stacy conveyed his one-eighth to William Browne in 1708 and 1709. John Gardner of Mendon conveyed his one-eighth to Capt. Samuel Gardner and to the latter's son Capt. John Gardner, in 1712. William Browne deeded one-sixteenth to his daughter Mary' Lynde in his lifetime, and in his will devised his remaining three-sixteenths to her, in 1716. Col. John Higginson died in 1720, having devised his one-sixteenth to his daughter Elizabeth Gerrish.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.