USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The story of a New England town; a record of the commemoration, July second and third, 1890 on the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of Haverhill, Massachusetts > Part 9
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
It was not until 1643 that the gatherings of the settlers for the consideration of public affairs asstuned the propor- tions of a town meeting. Up to this time, though public
186
HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSET!
business had been transacted, no formal woord had been preserved. The little band of settlers had found work enough in preparing the land for planting and building their houses. Now the time had come for more formality in their proceedings. Richard Littlehale is chosen town recorder ; a ree- ord book is procured, and the history of Haverhill, as read in its chronicles of births, marriages and death, and in the doings of its inhabitants in public meetings. begins. The first action recorded at this meeting, though singular, well illustrates the moral fibre as well as the foresight of our Puritan ancestry. Here they were, in the heart of the wilderness; woods, woods, everywhere, - the one barrier to progress, -- and yet they pass an act to prevent a wasteful de- struction of timber. They believed in using to the full es- tent of their need the bounties of Providers, but that to abuse and wastefully squander them was sin. The benefits of this legislation, and of subsequent efforts often repeated in the same direction, Lecame apparent a century It 1. in en- abling flavorhili to take an honorable position as a commercial and shipbuilding centre, by reason of the abundance of superb timber within hier borders. At this meeting, also, was practically settled the future land system of the town, - the principle, in fact, upon which the Lige tract acquired under the Indian deed should be paredhed out. It was sub- sequently confirmed by vote of the town as late as 1651. The plan adopted was substantially this: three hundred aeros and no more should be laid out for house lot .; no one was to have for his house lot more than twenty acres, and this amount only in case his substance equalled two hundred pounds. As late as 1650 there were but three persons in the settlement so rich as this. Every one under this sum was to have " acres proportionality." After this, to every man was assigned, of meadow, planting-ground and com- mon, a given manber of actes for every acre of his hoase lot. This first division was followed hom time to time by others as the needs and means of the proprietors seemed to require. The allotment thas made to each sittler
137
1. VERGISES AT ACADEMY OF THE 5
was owned by himself, his heirs and assigue m severalty. In addition, the participants in these divisions held in com- mon. and were the exclusive proprietors of the vast region still undivided. It was theirs to sell, to divide among themselves, to bestow upon any one thought desirable, at such times and in such proportions as they, the proprietors, thought lit. Though liberal in their grants to new comers, they did not consider that what they had acquired by actual purchase and by costly sacrifices should be opened indiscriminately to all persons who might flock to Penticket to profit by their enterprises Subsequently, when the population of the town increased, this exclusive claim of the proprietors was warmly contested, as we shall see, but ultimately prevailed. After the assignment of land, came a system of taxation, by which "all Lund holders were to pay all publique votes according to the number of aeres that they bold to their house lots ; and proportiondaly for every were purchased." Thus The fabric of civil goveaument began to be reared.
We can picture now the infant town; rile houses, mostty of logs, clustering a little at the mouth of Mill Brook a fox peering out among the Forest tives farther up it, comise; others strung in an irregular row westward along the Merrinriel. Water Street is first laid out after a fashion, beside the river, the margin of which for the present is re- Sived. The houses face the stream, and with vision unob- structed the eye ranges up and down its sparkling waters, testing upon moulded height and graceful slope, adorned with tlu richness and various coloring of the primeval forest. Man and Winter Streets were not thought of The second highway opened was Mill Street, which for years after was called the " Great Road " and was the main avenue of the village. With the exception of a solitary cabin or two at the falls on Little River where Stevens' Mill now stands, the town was at the foot of this street. In 1656, when Michael Emerson, the father of the afterwards famous Hannah Duston, moved into town. expecting to locate on Mill Brook. he was granted a tract of land on condition " that he would go back
into the woods." The acceptance of this tempting offer, how- ovis, obliged hun to go no farther out than the vicinity of Winter and Primrose Streets. A natural impalse at first led these carly inhabitants, thus alone in the wilderness, to draw together. Besides the advantages of companionship, mutual convenience and protection. thus could they more fully enjoy the ministrations and wise counsels of their trache., Wind, to whom had been allotted sixteen acres for his Lome lot, where now is Eastern Avenue and the Button. woods.
The method of land division to which I have referred added vastly to the burdens of existence. No man could have has land in one tract. The quality of the soil, its availability for cultivation, would not have made such divi- sion possible or equitable. The meadows all cleared to their lund. and covered with a strong mative grass were a god- send to the pioneers. Every settler wanted his share of meadow. Of course he did! To get this, with the good land for tillage, he had to submit, therefore. to the taking of his numerous acres in patches lying here and there. This mok the pursuit of husbandry anything but romantic, as good pionen ladd with his seventy-five aeres would testify, could he speak today. His house lot was in the village ; his planting ground, part of it, in the " threat Plain," somewhere near the present Groveland Bridge ; another part two or three miles above the village, up the " Great. River ; " while his meadow lands were in seven lots in as many different meadows, ranging from East Meadow, near the Whittier birthplace, to Spicket meadow, eight miles dhaant, in the vicinity of Methuen. To complete the picture, think what roads they had : " Mere cart-paths through the woods; with sumaps still standing, hills migraded, and streams an- bridged." Oh the iron toils of our sturdy fathers, under which this wild ness " has blossomed like the rose! " Some modern theorists have claimed " that land is the free gift of mature and a can no more be appropriated within injustice than the air or the ocean." What womb one of these atory
UNEH. ROOMS
WASHINGTON SQUARE AND STREET.
13:
EXERCISES AT ACADEMY OF MUSIC
patriarchs have said to this absurd doctrine ? Nature's gift to them wa, the merest trifle in comparison with what they added to it, coining their very lifeblood into labors and sac- rifices. Their own incredible drudgery in subdning the earth, constituted their true right of ownership. To use the words of Judge Durfree, -" The tireless muscular and mental energy of one fathers, beyond what was incessary for a meagre livelihood, was thus stored up and indestructible capi- talized in the very substance of the soil for the benefit of their posterity."
In 1615 the muaber of landholders had increased to thirty two. Among the new additions may be read the nune of Corliss, who, if not on the ground at the time of the arrival of the twelve original pioneers. certainly very soon followed them. He took up a large fract of land in the West Parish, -- the first settler in that part of the town, - and the farm, now well known as Poplar lawn. has never been out of the possession of his direct descendants. Other new conters were Ayer, Peasley, Hale, Eaton and Heath, whose descendants have since been honorably identuied with the progreso the town. This year is memorable for the ordi- nation of Mr. Ward, the formation of the church, and the Formal inemporation of the town by the toural Court. A vouneil for the ordination of the minister had been assembled the year previons at Rowley, since this " settlement was not capable to entertain them that were like to be gathered." The men of Haverhill, however, on this occasion manifest- ing a spirit of independence not wholly satisfactory, in refus- ing to male confession of their faith and repentance, - " hay- ing " as they said, "declared it openly before in other churches," - the council dissoly of without taking action. But now aff disagreements seemed to have been harmonized, and Mr. Wand was formally ordained, and the First Church of Hiverlaill. the twenty-sixth in the Colony. consisting of four- Tren members, -- eight males and six females. -- was recognized. T' this notable event, doubtless, we are indebted for the following lively picture of Haverhill from die pen of Captain
14 J
Edward Johnson, a contemporary historie The people are wholly bent to improve their labor in tilling the ecth and keep- ing rattel whose yearly increase encourages them to spend their days in these remote parts ; this town is of Large extent sup- posed to be ten miles in length. there being on overweaning desite in most men for meadow lands ; the people are laborious in gaining the good of this life; yet they are not unmindful Me of the chief end of their coming Inthe, novely to be par- wirts of the blessed ordinances of Christ that their souls may I, at& hel is the continued income of he's til grace." It is a apt delineation of men not Sophia in imes, while fervent in spite card sorting the Lord, of that con mamoite blending in da in love of the practical and sprint schicke gase to this, ils welt as other early New England town. . thet disim tive charac- ter and var Hence.
There was as get no meeting-how e: this the still in the
to in the life of the community, henceforth to be la int rod and condoll d like all other interests ; consequently we in! the town, soon after, at @ Lowfully called meeting hentay voting Ward a salary of festy pounds " and his land toole ; u live as long as heren sued a minister of the plantation." This ation of Chouch sad Story of town and parish, continued vit . hele modification to the any part of the present century . fol meetings were hold in the meeting-house ; the records of to ingand parish were il mical as late as 1725 ; there was, in het at the a, no distinc- tion whatever made between civil and arel i stied affairs. Side I y si le apon the same pages which record the to's proceedings my I read tos about " removing on a. s. sa prigion and of tulia ha from the roads, the salat , to te pr. i ta ministers and the brainty to be paid for wolves." Only professing Christians wote made freemen. and none hint fre men coult vote. Very early, les. com Haverhill this rule or modified; so that, while only fromm . could vote for deputies to the firma i Court and the higher off, Is in the State, in town aliss, Mich as the mais- in_ of money send the choice of the officers al! bela with. We won der today at these restrictions. Between the tet
141
INTINS AT ACADEMY OF 10-
that the very limitations grew out of the peril gius which our fathers wer me naved from the fickleness and hostility of Charles the Fast and the unsparing tyranny of Archbishop Land, and were dictated by imperious political necessities. Viewed in con- nection with the times, they were wise and salutary. This close identity of Church with State was the inevitable ontgrowth of the lofty ideal of a theocratic Commonwealth which our Puritan forbes cherished. To this very ideal. to which they i naciously chung, but never realized. we are directly indebted for the larger frealom. vivil ard religions, which is today tho giery of the nation. Dear to the Puritan as v. - self-ges rument. religion was deacre and becas , to his mind, the loss of self-government involve I in sindal er disaster religion itself. he was swift to detect and stubborn to resist the encroachments of the crown. Un- matmal to us now as seems this union of Church and Town, we wonder how de religion could have gained any strong foothold it these aring continuity of New England. Hannaly speak- ing, it would have been hapossible, in the absence of ant the missionary organizations like those of our day, that sent forth their scotts of self-denying men and women to follow the foot- Stopp of is seither in our Great West and surround him with the benefits of the Gospel. As it was, under the fodring nur- ture of covil authority, men of rare qualities and attainments like on sont Ward were furnished, who pro-creed the salt of virtue and piety in men and women oppressed with the hardships of suble ing the wilderness, and reared generations in the rever- tree and practice of religion. By this Providencial training, long continue L. was made safe and possible the measure of free- dom in matters of conscience and somdip in which. we now joice.
The building -- as late as 1648-of de, small. one-story meeting house that stood in what is now Peutcket Cemetery, was a great ever. It was a rude crough structtac. plastered with elay, - lime mortar being hardly known, - wich rough board benches for seats, and these without the luxury of backs. Everything. however, must be " done des enti; and in order." and when all is ready a vote of the town formally appoints M ..
HAVERHILL, MY SA TU STHIS
Warl and three others " to seat the inhabitants in the seats built in the meeting-house." Preference was given to age and to per- sons of social and official importance. Women sat apart from the men ; boys had a place separate from both, with a tithing- man to keep them in order. A vote of the town meeting enjoins the muhabitants to keep the places assigned, " under penalty of a line of two shillings sixpence." Time and again this agony "f " seating the meeting-house" had to be gone through with. Later. in the new house, it consumed four entire days. There could be no appeal From the assignment made, for in the records of 1681 it reads thea " if any refused to occupy the seats assigned them by the sol etmen they should forkit a fine of twelve pence in corn for each day's negleet or refusal." And lost these inex- orable selectmen should be accused of picking out soft places for themselves, a special committee was chosen to seat them. The meeting boase bad no bell. As a sabstitute the people were sommaoned. first by the beat of Richard Littlehab's dium, then by the blowing of Ala tham Tyler's horn " in the mos conve- nient place. for which he was to have one peck of corn of every Budily, for the year." A short experience of the litter, however, proved rough and the drum regained its place in popular favor. The services in that plain meeting-house were as severely plain ; ( on Sunday, both by daylight, with a hasty lauch between, and the weekly lecture Thursday morning. There was singing of prahos in the metrical version, line by line, without instru- ment. The Bible was rarely read unless accompanied by expo- sition, this being regarded as savoring of undue conformity to the hierarchical service and stigmatized as dumb reading. Th n came the sermon, the approved length of which was an hour, mi ated by an hour-glass which stood upon the pulpit ; and it is a chance if the prayers were not almost as long. For this quaint entry may be read in the diary of one of the clergy of that time : " Hla van ommen assistance in prayer ; was one hour in each of the fist prayers" Ordinary human nature m the worshippers must sardly bave been supplememed by large sap; lies of grace, to have been capable of such extraordinary ander we Book of the nule marting-house and around it the dead were att. tel,
WINTER STREET SCHOOL.
143
EXERCISES AT ACADEMY OF MYSA
and this spare was soon set apart as the town burial piace. They were laid in their quiet resting places without so much as a prayer ; religious services on these occasions being . hunned, as having a connection with prelatical practices and an influence to conduct the mind back to them. That meeting house was a wonderfully clastic affair. It was town house as well, and later served for a fort, also as magazine for storing annuunition, thus a bulwark alike against satanic errors and satanic Indians. With its advent we mark an advance in the prostention of the town be ings. The seven selectmen now appear, elected annu- ally, a majority heomen, who, taking in band the affairs of the command y recoiled the ineens. niente of frequent town meetings. The goeres sessed in them were large, but not so the pay, fifty hillings only being distributed among the seven annually. The honor of the thing must have been the main consid. ration.
Those early town meetings are among the most fruitful studies in our ando ud hiss .; The Generat Com' wisely dele- gated to each town the power over its own affairs. By this arrangement the towns of Massachusetts brcann a congeries of little republics, related to the Commonwealth, very much as under our Federal Constitution the States are to the Gene- ral Government. Large scope was thus given for the develop- ment of individuality, and for an intelligent apprehension and matery of the principles of self-government. We have noted the prominence that our fathers gave to religion. They were not, however, mere religious dreamers or doctrinaires. They attached no less importance to duties of citizenship than to Christian duties. These were, in fact, Christian duties. Attendance apon town meeting was an earnest and solemn matter. Delinquents, as in these degenerate days, were not coaxed to say nothing of being bribed, to exercise the privi- lege of franchise, nor treated even to a free ride to the polls. Upon lawful warning " every frocholder must come within half an hour after the meeting is began ani continue till sun- set if the meeting held so long, under the peidty of half a bushet of Indian corn or the value of it." They convened at seven - never later than eight -- in the morning, and they
itt
stayed together until business was ended. Best any im- portant matter should be rushed through at dose of day, when their minds were clouded by wearmess and protracted debate, they voted ^that no action taken after sunset should be valid." They preferred to take a fresh start next morn- ing, as they often did, prolonging their deliberations three days, but reaching substantial unanimity at last; for the names of few dissentients from any vote passed appear upon the records. The endless talk was doubtless often empty, always tiresome, but the town meeting was the college of which it ry citizen was a graduate, and is which was fur- naked, to plain farmers and mechanics. that peculiar training in the principles of freedom and state malt that made pos- sible the patriots of the Revolution, and gave to American statesmanship it, world-wide and inmortad lustre.
It is imposible for me to recite in detail the transactions of the e town a willy . There is aboutan cadavre from the records of energy and foresight in the management of the settlement. Lest some unfit person might join them, it was provided " that no one could become an inhabitant," and that no proprietor even "could well his lands with- out the cosson of the town." lastances ars on record of the rejection of sundry applicants for the honey of citizen- ship. They legislated with reference to the ne and enjoy- bunt of the common lands, well characterized as " the historic taproot of the town idea, running deep down into the buried venituries amid the mould of the old Teutonic forests." Following the usage of their Saxon ancestors, they appointed the town herdsmin, the pay being theker hillings and sis- parce a week in Indian corn and butter. He must not load out his blocks, however, on the Sabbath until after the second heating of the dram, when the people would be well in meet- ing. They provided for a ferry across the river a little east of Kout sheet and fixed the rate of toll for man and beast, bring careful to stipulate that the sturdy ferryman should " carry all ministers over free that come upon a visita- tion to as and in particular Mr. Syme " and give te ihn " Re .. And make Synpats w . the number of halvt
1 1.
inhabitant, of our fair sister on the other site of the stream the five use of the boats to " such as do ston over to meet with us on Sabbath days." They levied that's, and had a board of assessors to yearly make returns ed all the ratable property within their limits, taking careful hed that every one, whether landholder or not, who partook of the benefits of Church and Commonwealth should be tase i for those pur- pac In time of peace they were not forgetful that war might come. In fact, during the first fifty years of the colony. war at any time with the mother country was not a Female possibility. So they est apart the training field, and organized the trainband, which was compelled to exercise every Saturday afternoon. Even youth from ton to sixteen ye us of age were ordered to be instructed " epen ye usual train- ing days in ye exercise of armes." Om gallant High School Gad a re this but following in the footsteps of the no less gallant boys of itto.
They had an eye to the business interests of their com- munity. 'Thus they regulated the taking of file in the Merri- match with its branches, and the proper cutting and export of pipe mises . these, along with husbandry. at first entirely ocen- piel de energis of our fathers. They only sought to develop new in lustries and so they granted Job, Clement land " at the Mill Brooke " to " sott up a tann-hous mal imm-fatts upon, to him and his heirs forever." They treated him so well, that when Newbury tried to entice him and his profitable industry away, he could not be induced to have Haverhill. They needed bricks, and Joseph Hout. a Mickmaker, was tempted for. from Ipswich by a giant of land and the " olay parte" in the West Parish. Later on they safeand for the want of a black with After several aspirants for the position had failed to meet their agreements, with a generous offer they brought Com Charlestown John Johnson. He proved a jewel of the first water, -a most valuable and pubhe-spirited citi- zen, - and his sterling virtues, transmitted to his descendants, have been exemplified by them in the generation ince. For two hundred year . without & breds. Johnsons of this etal,
HAVERHILL. 058-201 115
-to I. carried on blacksmithing ned the per of the original location, on what is now Stage Street. Our Fathers experi- and the solest perplexity in dealing with see and grist mills. Liberal grants of land and timber were made for utilizing the water privileges on Sawmill or Little River. Fishing River, and the East Meadow stream. The grantees from the first Seem to have been well-meaning men. "Ataving them was the Terryman. Andrew Grealey, a name that in wora day has been male illustrious by the fortitude and suferings of a lineal de- salat. Cion A. W. Greely. the intrepid Artic explorer." But the grant's either would not or could not lavet the gidas of the rising town. Every yearly toss meeting re- oteste E with the minor wail of complaints at the short-coming's of the mill owners. For more than twool. . des our fathers lead. at this point, a practical illustration of the difficulties the ling regulation of business by legislativa. and they never a I to fill said until the whole matter this last to be settled by natur .I competition.
Though our fathers barred their settlement, as we have sen. against the intrusion from willout of all improper per- sos If Adam sometimes proved too strong for the young Melanothons within. There were occasions when the majesty ol tla low had to be invoked against offenes. There was the old i ale with the liquor traffic, with which we have grown - familiar. Alas! Puritan vendors of intoxiants did not dwa. lit up to the requirements at their licenses, and in one form or another were before the courts Weare compelled U admire, however, the swiftness and stsa lapartiality with woche justier in such cases wis adama a: I. Even as great that as Stoppen Kent, from whom Kent So it receives its some, and the second richest man in town. could not escape gaine of ten pounds " for suffering have lihas to be drunk to his home" Some of the applications of the law were Pop, as well as interesting. Daniel Ela, anding others, was hned ton hillings for swearing, to which was add I. in his case, to shillings for his reviling speeches" And elt . shock
GROVELAND STREET SCHOOL.
147
EXERCISES AT WADIANY OF ME-
lemale vanity must have experienced. when the wife of John Hutchins was presented to the court in wearing a silk hood. Luckily for her, she escaped the penalty for this grievous offence, upon testimony " of her being brought up above the ordinary way" Less fortunate was poor Mrs. Swett, who could offer no such plea. In default of being able to show an estite exceeding two hundred pounds, the limit fixed by the statute for indulgence in such extravag diee. as silk hoods, gold and silver lace, ribbons and scarf's, she was fined ten Then there was one Joseph Beasley, " a gifted brody," so the church records call him, who ventured to improve his gifts by exhorting the people of Salisbury New- town on the Sabbath. This was intolerable to the standing order, and the court promptly put a stop to such unlicensed prophesyings. John Littlehale must not be passed over, who For living a bachelor life " in an house by himself contrary to Low - Income moving to the dome. If was given six weeks to remove himself " from said place and solitary life, and setth himself in some orderly family and be subject to the orderly runes of family government in sud family," under pes. chy. in case of refusal, of apprehension atel confinement at Hahn, in the House of Correction. Though he avoided this threatened penalty by finding refuge in some orderly family, it took him forty-five years more to make up his mind to share the fortunes of life with a partner.
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.