The History of Charlestown, Massachusetts

Front matter

THE HISTORY OF CHARLESTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS. By RICHARD FROTHINGHAM, Jr. "The History of a Town is united with that of the Country to which it "belongs, and with that of the ages through which it has stood." CHARLESTOWN ; CHARLES P. EMMONS. BOSTON : CHARLES C. LITTLE AND JAMES BROWN 1845. TO THE CITIZENS OF CHARLESTOWN. The undersigned, a few years ago, prepared a series of communications upon the history of Charlestown, intending them for the Bunker Hill Aurora; the advice of friends induced him to keep them, and add to them, until they will now appear in the more presumptive form of a volume. This work will be continued, so far as type and paper are concerned, as it has been commenced, as expeditiously as business engagements will permit, until the his tory is brought down to the present time ; but. the. number of en gravings that will be given must depend upon the encouragement it meets with.

One great reason for choosing the mode of publication so much in favor with the public, — viz., in numbers, — is the hope that the early ones may fall into the hands of some who may have an cient family manuscripts, and be willing to Joan them for the pur pose of making this work more complete. Communications of this nature will be gladly received. The undersigned is indebted to several for interesting papers and valuable assistance. Obliga tions like these will hereafter be specially acknowledged. RICHARD FROTHINGHAM, Jr. November, 1845. N. B. An Engraving, representing a view of the Town, intended for the present number, will appear in a future one ; for the beautiful representation of the McLean Asylum, the author is indebted to the liberality of the Trustees of that Institution. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1845, BY RICHARD FROTHINGHAM, JR. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. PRINTED BY I. R. BUTTS, 2 School Street, Boiton. HISTORY OE CHARLESTOWN.1

Chapter I

Introduction. — Sources of this History. — Character of the Town. — Value of Town Histories. Some account may be expected of the sources from which this History has been derived. These are : I. The Town Records. These are minute in relation to the local, municipal affairs, from the settlement of the town. But with the exception of a few pages at the beginning of the first volume, and the period of the Revolution, they are singularly barren of matters of general or political interest. With the exception of a plan of a small portion of the town, presented to the Legislature 1 " A Historical Sketch of Charlestown," by Josiah Bartlett, M. D., was, in 1814, published in the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society (2d Series, vol. ii. pp. 163 — 184) and in pamphlet form. It was an Address delivered Nov. 16, 1813, at the dedication of Washington Hall, prepared with notes for publication.

Though filling but twenty-one pages, it contains, especially in the notes, much interesting matter rela tive to the town. It gives, howfever, but slight notices of the town from 1634 to 1781. In 1830, Hon. Edward Everett delivered a valuable Historical Discourse before the Charlestown Lyceum, commemorative of the arrival of Gov. Winthrop. It is chiefly a. view of the general causes of the settlement of Massachusetts, with a short account of the settlement of the town. In 1838 copious extracts from the Town Records were printed in the Bunker Hill Aurora, understood to have been furnished by William Sawyer, Esq. These are the only accounts of the Town, of much length, that have been printed. %imftt in 1781, when the latter authorized an important alteration of the streets, there is no map of the town previous to 1818.

This renders it exceedingly difficult to locate, precisely, the residences of the first settlers. A plan was probably taken in 1794, which cannot be found. The original records, prior to 1662, may be found in a volume made up of manuscript, some of it bearing date as early as 1593,1 and some of it as late as 1767, and bound without regard to mat ter or date. Here may be sound memorandums, on loose sheets, of selectmen, and town meetings, records of deeds, and of the possessions of the inhabitants in 1638. The latter is valuable so far as it goes. It does not give the value of the property, and is exceedingly loose in description. The original records commence with the year 1662, and with few exceptions, are perfect to the present day. In 1664 the first volume of the records was prepared, perhaps mostly from a large volume, frequently referred to but not now extant.

This volume contains the history of the settlement of this town and the neighboring towns, that is quoted by Prince and others as a contemporary authority. It was written by John Greene, son of the ruling elder of the Church. He collected the facts from " known gentlemen that lived and were actors " in the events it relates, and read the relation to the selectmen, who consented that it should "remain" a part of the records. It occu pies seven pages of the volume. Its traditionary character appears upon its face. It certainly cannot be relied upon as to dates. Nor can the remainder of this volume be depended upon as an exact transcript of the original. The selectmen ordered grants of land to be transcribed verbatim, but in " other things," the copyist was allowed to use his discretion and skill in reducing them "to the most brief and clear language."

The first volume of the Registry of births, marriages and deaths, is not unlike, in character, to the volume of miscellaneous matter l This MS. appears to be a part of a Leger, in which the accounts of one of the Guilds, or Trade Corporations of England, were kept. Each name, generally, has a debit and credit. The following is on the credit side of the book : " Stephen Woodgate of Caufoulde in the County of Suffolk Clothier is dewe to same this laste of November by Suffolke Clothes fifty and seaven poundes for his as journal 2, 57 00 00." already described. Its earliest date is 1658 — its latest 1797. The leaf at one end of the volume is dated 1663, that at the other 1720. The middle of the volume contains the following record : — " A record of all births, deaths and marriages, that hath been in Charlestown since the death of Mr. Thomas Starr who departed this life the twentieth day of the eighteenth mo. 1658, herein recorded. — pr me Edward Burtt Clerk."

One side of the sheet on which this is written, contains a description of the horses shipped from this town in 1664. It was the Town Clerk's " Toll Book," wherein he recorded all the ages, colors, and make, of the horses presented for export. He filled up a few pages with these, and then went on with the births, marriages and deaths. This volume was bound in 1797. Some of the leaves of it are imperfect. II. Records of the first Church of this Town. These are origi nal records, and commence with the gathering of the Church in 1632. The first volume, a quarto of three hundred and eighty six pages, is an interesting and valuable relic of the past. The entries in it were made by the ruling elder, John Greene, and the successive ministers. It commences as follows : " The Book that belongs unto the church of God in Charltowne : which church was gathered, and did enter into Church Covenant the 2d day of the 9th month 1632."

It contains records of baptisms, admissions into the Church, marriages, Church votes, proceedings against delin quents, and ordinations of pastors and deacons. This volume is very minute in detail respecting the proceedings against the Baptists.1 III. The Colony Records, the Probate and Registry Records, files of newspapers, the various public libraries, and the collection of manuscripts at the State House, recently arranged into volumes. The latter has supplied many documents of interest and importance. These " Massachusetts Archives " constitute an invaluable magazine of materials for Town Histories. 1 A full and accurate description of this curious volume, with copious extracts from its contents, may be found in the American Quarterly Reg ister, vol. xii. pp. 247, 250. Rev. S. Sewall, the author of this account, says : — " The records of this Church are, it is believed, the only records in existence of any Church in the county of Middlesex formed as early as the seventeenth century, which have been kept in reg ular, and (in the main) unbroken series from the beginning, except the records of the Church of Lexington, gathered 1696."

Private collections of papers. Wherever these exist and have been called for, they have been most liberally supplied. But they are not very numerous. From many descendants of old inhabitants the same reply has been made, in answer to inquiries, viz : That the family memorials were probably destroyed when the Town was burnt in 1775. Two documents, both by two of its most prominent citizens, once in the possession of Prince, would have been of great value in making this compilation; viz: "Two original books of Deputy Governor Willoughby and Captain Hammond, giving historical hints from 1651 to 1678 inclusive : And " An original journal of the late Capt. Lawrence Hammond of Charlestown and Boston, from 1677 to 1694 inclusive." It is supposed that these were destroyed with other papers in Prince's Library, in the tower of the old South Church, Boston, at the commencement of the Revolution.

Belknap cites a journal supposed to have been written by Capt. Hammond. The author, from such sources, has compiled a History of Charlestown. This place when first visited by Europeans, was known by the name of Mishawum, and was full of stately timber and hospitable Indians. Here a colony, composed of men of moderate fortunes and of high character, sounded a town. Many of its inhabitants were men of capacity and enterprise, and were called to fill important situations in the colonial government. Even while discharging these duties they took an active share in the municipal concerns of the town. The board of selectmen shows, for a century and a half, an uninterrupted succession of such men : l 1 Increase Nowell, a leading character in Church and State, was at the head of the board of selectmen nineteen years, until his death in 1655. and during this period he had as associates, Francis Willoughby, Deputy Gov ernor ; hobert Sedgwick, Major General ; Francis Norton, a prominent military character ; Abraham Palmer, the Spragues and others.

After Mr. Nowell s decease, Richard Russell, for twenty years the Treasurer of the colony, was at the head of the board : he served on it twenty-six years in succession. After 1676, Lawrence Hammond, another prominent military and civil character was selectman twelve years ; Richard Sprague, son of Ralph, fourteen years ; Joseph Lynde, fifteen years ; and James Russell, son of the Treasurer, fourteen years. From 1700 to 1765, the following, among others — John Phillips, Jonathan Dowse, Nathaniel Carey, Daniel Russell, Charles Chambers, Isaac Royal, Thomas Graves, Ezekiel Cheever, Chambers Russell, Edward Sheafe, James Russell ( 1760), and Nathaniel Gorham — all holding high civil offices, as Councillors and Judges and leading men in the colony — appear for while the corporate action of the town affords evidence of a public spirit, that was acknowledged valuable on important and trying occasions.

This is seen especially in the Revolutions of 1689 and 1775. It is not less decidedly seen in the support of religion and education. The Church and the School House stood side by side, quietly diffusing their beneficent influences, until the great day of sacrifice. The burning of their homes rather quickened, than cast down, the public spirit of the citizens. In May, 1776, they gathered in legal meeting, amid the yet smoul dering ruins, to respond to a call to sustain a Declaration of Independence ; and then pledged their lives to the support of this great measure. And it is not too much to say, that, at the present day, Charles town is doing faithfully its part in maintaining republican insti tutions. Its appearance indicates a prosperous community. It has handsome streets and creditable public buildings.

Its religious institutions and common schools are liberally supported. Nume rous benevolent associations are constantly distributing their char ities. It has a thoroughly furnished and efficient fire-department, and makes ample provision for its poor. Its police is vigilant. Its military corps patriotic. It bears the impress of the commer cial enterprise of the day, and is rapidly increasing in population, wealth and consequence. Nor have its inhabitants lost that public spirit that is so conspicuous in the early history of the town. A town history must necessarily consist mainly of local details, small in themselves, and chiefly interesting to the descendants of the actors of them, or to those who occupy their places. Yet this detail, these little things, if judiciously selected, " illustrate classes of men and ages of time; " and as they show the feelings, opinions, and action of a period, constitute its life.

Such, indeed, was the unity of spirit that prevailed in the towns, those of New England especially, and so similar was their internal management, that a history of one will illustrate the history of all. And hence a work many years in succession, members of the board. The town clerks were, generally particular to prefix their titles in full. As a sample take the record of the board for 1695, — at this time, " The most worshipful James Russell " was commonly moderator of the Town Meetings. James Russell, Esq., Col. Jno. Phillips, Esq., Lieut. Col. Joseph Lynde, Esq., Capt. Samuel Hayman, Esq., Mr. Jacob Greene, Jr., Capt. Jonathan Call, Ensign Timothy Phillips." of this kind, if accurate, will be a useful contribution to general history. But there is, or ought to be, a peculiar interest attaching to each town, for each has its peculiar history and traditions.

Each has some noted spot, where the Indian may have fought for his burial places, or the colonists for their freedom ; that may have sheltered a hermit or a regicide; that superstition may have invested with a fairy legend, or nature have robed with more than fairy magnificence. Each has had its Liberty Tree, its Green Dragon, its Faneuil Hall, where its patriots may have counselled or acted. And each town has had citizens who laid its foundations, perhaps in hardship and danger ; who labored for its prosperity, or who went out to suffer in a common cause. Each has had its Man of Ross and village Hampdens. They acted as worthily in their sphere, and deserve as grateful remembrance, as those whose fame is on every tongue. It is for the local annalist to gather up these traditions and histories, for they are to a town, what common recollections are to the country.

But besides such local details, the memorable events that have occurred within its limits, may render a history of Charlestown of much general interest. Salem excepted, it is the oldest town of the Massachusetts Colony. Here the founders of the latter wrestled fearfully with famine and mortality. Yet, when enduring the keenest anguish that can rive the human heart, they persevered in their work in the highest faith that can mark the christian life. The dead "were buried about the Town Hill."1 They were " the first victims to the cause of liberty." 2 The other heights are redolent with Revolutionary associations. " All are the altars of precious sacrifice,"2 where patriots, to maintain liberty, acted with a heroism kindred to that which their ancestors displayed in planting it. In consequence of this, how wide has become their fame !

Under the rule of the Red Man, Bunker Hill may have been noted as a favorite spot on which to light his council fires. But, in the order of Providence, the council fires are to die away, and, under a new dominion, a new fire is to be kindled, that is to go onward and upward, until it culminates upon its summit. The deeds which the good and the brave here performed for their 1 Town Records. 2 Edward Everett. country and their race, have made Bunker Hill to America what Marathon was to Greece. These events will be traced, as much as possible, from contem porary authorities. Although, where so many have gleaned before but little may be presented that will be new, in relation to the military transactions, yet the nature of this work will justify a narrative more minute, than, perhaps, can be elsewhere found.

Still, it must be borne in mind, that these pages purport to be not a history of the Country, or of Massachusetts, but simply a memorial of Charlestown. They will contain but little that is not considered necessary to exhibit the condition of its inhabitants, or the events that have transpired within its limits. It will be com piled, mostly, from manuscripts, and it will be the author's aim to set down no fact without an authority for it. Still, errors are almost unavoidable. He will cheerfully correct, in the best manner he is able, those that friends will have the kindness to point out.

Chapter II

1614 to 1628. — Early Boundaries of the Town. — Discovery by Smith. — Visit of Plymouth Settlers. — The Fishermen. — Grant to Robert Gorges. — His Colony. Charlestown is a peninsula, formed by the Mystic and Charles rivers and a small tract on the main land, with which it is con nected by a narrow isthmus. So far as it regards territory, it is the smallest town in the State. But, originally, Charlestown was far more extensive. It included Maiden, Woburn, Stoneham, Burlington, and Somerville, a large part of Medford, and a small part of Cambridge, West Cambridge and Reading. Woburn, comprising Burlington, was incorporated in 1642; l The dates in this work are altered, so far as it respects the months and years, to correspond with the new style. Up to 1752 the year began March 25. It was altered that year to January 1.

To bring the days into Maiden, in 1649 ; Stoneham, in 1725; Somerville, in 1842. In 1724 and 1725, a large tract called "North Charlestown," was set off, part to Maiden and part to Reading. In 1754, another tract, including several large farms, was set off to Medford, and now forms the eastern part of that town. A tract was set off to Cambridge in 1802, and to West Cambridge in 1S42. The only one of these towns whose history, to the present day, is connected with Charlestown, is Somerville. The first Englishman who is known to have visited its shores, was the celebrated navigator, John Smith. In 1614, he sailed on a voyage from London, and while his men were engaged in fish ing, he spent three months exploring the coasts. He entered Charles River and named it.1 On his return, he wrote a glowing description of the places he had discovered, and pronounced " the country of the Massachusetts the paradise of all those parts, for here are many isles, all planted with corn, groves, mulberries, salvage gardens, and good harbors."

He found the natives " very kind, but in their fury no less valiant." In 1621, Sept. 20, ten of the infant colony of Plymouth were sent on an expedition, partly to trade, and partly to conclude peace with the Massachusetts Indians. They landed under a cliff, supposed to be Copp's Hill, where they met with a kind re ception from the natives. Though they touched at several places in the harbor, they do not appear to have landed here. Havin~ been absent sour days from Plymouth, and collected a considerable quantity of beaver, they returned home with so good an opinion of the country, as to wish it had fallen to their lot to have occu pied it. At this early period, fishermen were frequent visitors to the harbor. In 1622, thirty-five of their vessels were on the coasts of New England. Though they may have run up the Bay, yet there is no account existing of their having landed at this place. new style, add for the seventeenth century ten days to the date, and for the eighteenth, up to 1752, eleven days.

A full and interesting account of old and new style, double dating, &c, may be found in the American Quarterly Register, vol. xiv. 1 Smith, in Mass. Hist. Collections. " I took the fairest reach in this bay for a river, whereupon I called it Charles River." Hutchinson vol. i. p. 410, says that Prince Charles " gave the name of Charles River to what had been before called Massachusetts River." Wood, N. E. Pros pect, mentions " Mishaum" River among the Indian names 'of rivers. In 1620, King James granted to the Council of Plymouth the territory lying between forty and forty-eight degrees north latitude, and in length by all this breadth throughout the main land, from sea to sea. This was the foundation of all the grants in New England. In 1622, Dec. 30, this Company granted to Robert Gorges, all that part of the main land "commonly called or known by the name of the Messachusiack,"1 situate " upon the north-east side of the Bay, called or known by the name of the Messachusett."

This included the shores and coast, " for ten English miles towards the north-east," and " thirty English miles unto the main land, through all the breadth aforesaid," with all the rivers, islands, minerals, &c. This grant included the limits of Charlestown. In 1623, the Plymouth Council appointed Robert Gorges, Lieu tenant-General of New England. He came over that year to establish a colony, and thus secure his patent. With him came William Morrill, an Episcopal clergyman, who had a commission to superintend the Ecclesiastical affairs. Gorges arrived in the Massachusetts Bay about the middle of September, with "passengers and families," and selected the place that Weston had abandoned. Morton, in the N. E. Memorial, relates a difficulty Gorges had at Plymouth, after which he took his leave, gratified with the hospitality of the colonists, and " went to the Massachusetts by land."2 Gorges, for about a year, endeavored to promote the success of his colony.

No supplies however reached him from England, and his friends " advised him to return home until better occasion should offer itself unto him." He left his rights to the care of his agents.3 Hutchinson, writing of 1626, says : " I find mention made of planters at Winnissemit about the same time, who probably removed there from some other plantation." It is not improbable iThe territory known as Massachusetts was, in the early days of the Colony, confined to the region about Boston harbor, from Nahant to Point Alderton. Thus, Governor Winthrop writes that, June 17, 1630, he went from Salem to "Massachusetts, to find out a place for our sitting down." — Savage's Winthrop, vol. ii. p. 27. 2 N. E. Memorial, p. 106. 3Gorges, chap 27; Hazard, vol. i. p. 91 ; Hubbard, p. 86. that these were a part of the colony of Gorges.

William Black stone, the first settler of Boston, is named three years later, as being in the agency of John Gorges; so also is Jeffries, afterwards one of the first settlers of Ipswich. These individuals may have held their lands under the authority of this patent ; and this may have been the case, also, with Thomas Walford, the smith, — the European found here by the first settlers. Hutchinson remarks, that the patent of Robert Gorges was loose and uncertain, and no use was ever made of it.1 It covered a part of the territory afterwards granted to the Massachusetts Company. The conflicting claim thence arising, was the immediate cause of the settlement of Charlestown.

Chapter III

1628. — John Oldham's Lease. — Grant to Massachusetts Company. — Controversy respecting Claims. — Arrival of Endicott. — The Spragues. Robert Gorges died soon after his attempt to occupy his patent. His right descended to his eldest brother, John Gorges. The latter probably in 1628, leased a portion of the territory that fell to him to John Oldham and John Dorrill. The former ap pears to have managed the negotiations. He was an intelligent and enterprising planter, who had acquired an intimate knowledge of the natives, and had a high opinion of the country. He is the same person whose murder, by the Indians, in 1636, was the immediate cause of the Pequot war. He had been entrusted by the Governor of Plymouth with the charge of Morton, the Merry Mount rioter, and went to England in the summer of 1628.

This lease included the limits of Charlestown, and reads as follows : — " All the lands within the Massachusetts Bay, between Charles River and Abousett2 River, containing in length, by straight line, five miles up the Charles River into the main land, north-west from tHist. Mass., vol. i. p. 14. 2 Saugus River. the border of said Bay, including all creeks and points by the way ; and three miles in length from the mouth of the foresaid river Abousett, up into the main land, upon a straight line south west, including all creeks and points: and all the land in breadth and length between the foresaid rivers, with all prerogatives, royal mines excepted." And on the sight of this grant, " Mr. Blackstone, clergyman, and William Jeffryes, gentleman," were authorized to put Oldham in possession of this territory.1 The Plymouth Council, whose only source of revenue was the sale of patents, on the 19th of March, 1628, sold this same terri tory over again to the Massachusetts Company, bounding their grant to a territory three miles north of the river Merrimack, and three miles south of the river Charles, and extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea.2 This was the Company that colonized Massachusetts.

It took immediate steps to occupy its grant. On his arrival in England, 1628, Oldham first endeavored to obtain from this Company an important agency in its concerns, holding out as the inducement, the prospect of large profits from his management. Having failed in this, he next appears engaged in a controversy with the Company respecting his lease, — the question being the validity of his title ; he contending that it was good, — the Company, by the advice of counsel, that it was "voyd in law." Oldham is characterized in the records as obstinate and violent — "so affected to his own opinion, as not to be removed from it neither by reason, nor by any persuasion." They state that, " unless he could have his own way, there would be but little hope of quiet or comfortable subsistence, where he should make his abode." 3 About the time this controversy commenced, John Endicott, in the ship Abigail, Henry Gauden, master, arrived at Salem.

This was September 6, 1628. After this arrival, three brothers, Ralph 1 Hazard, vol. i. p. 68. 2 This sale Sir Ferdinando Gorges says, had his approbation only " so far forth as it might not be prejudicial to his son's interests, whereof he had a patent under the seal of the charter." — Gorges, chap. 26, Mass. Col. 3 Hazard, vol. i. p. 268. Sprague, Richard Sprague, and William Sprague, with three or four others, with Endicott's permission, " travelled through the woods" to this peninsula. The Town Records give the following relation of this event, preceded by a history of the discovery and settlement of the country. It forms the beginning of the first volume, and was written by John Greene, in 1664.

" Captain John Smith having (in the reign of our sovereign Lord James, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith,) made a discovery of some parts of America, lighted, amongst other places, upon the opening betwixt Cape Cod and Cape Ann, situate and lying in 315 degrees of longitude, and 42 degrees 20 min. of north latitude, where by sounding and making up, he fell in amongst the islands, and advanced up into the Massachusetts Bay, till he came up into the river, between Mishaum, (afterwards called Charlestown,) and Shawmutt, (afterwards called Boston,) and having made discovery of the land, rivers, coves, and creeks in the said bay, and also taken some observations of the natures, dispositions, and sundry customs of the numerous Indians, or natives, inhabiting the same ; he returned to England, where (it was reported that) upon his arrival, he presented a map of the Massachusetts Bay to the king, and that the prince (afterwards King Charles the First,) upon in quiry and perusal of the aforesaid river, and the situation thereof upon the map, appointed it to be called Charles River.

" Now, upon the fame that then went abroad of the place, both in England and Holland, several persons of quality sent over several at their own cost, who planted this country in several places, but for want of judgment, care, and orderly living, divers died, others meeting with many hazards, hardships, and wants, at length being reduced to great penury and extremity, were so tired out, that they took all opportunities of returning to England, upon which several places were altogether deserted, and by only some few that upon a better principle, transported themselves from England and Hol land, came and settled their plantation a little within Cape Cod, and called the same Plymouth : these, notwithstanding all their wants, hazards, and sufferings, continued several years in a man ner alone, at which time this country was generally called by the name of New England.