IPSWICH,  MASSACHUSETTS 1638-CA 1734

When the Whipple brothers, Matthew and John, left England for New England in 1638, they settled in Ipswich, which was on the frontier of Massachusetts.  Life on the frontier was so primitive compared to their English town of Bocking whose date of origin is unknown but was probably before the year 1,000 when Etheric, (some sources spell his name Ethelric) a Saxon King, ruled.

Because life in Ipswich was so different from what the families were used to this article attempts to describe their life for modern day readers who will find stark differences from their life today.  The article will be presented in more than one posting.

Ipswich is located in Essex county, one of the most historic county in America.  Essex’s settlement began in 1623 and all of its 35 towns and cities were settled in that century.  You will find these Essex county town names repeated in most all states:

Amesbury, Andover, Beverly, Boxford, Bradford, Danvers, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester, Marblehead, Merrimac, Metheun, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Swampscott, Topsfield, Wenham, and West Newbury.

NO ONE KNOWS when and where the first white man stepped on the shores of Ipswich, then known as Agawam.  Capt. John Smith mentions it in his 1608 History of Virginia and when landing there in 1614 said, “this place might content a right curious judgment; but there are many sands at the entrance of the harbor, and the worst is, it is imbayed too far from the deep sea.  Here are many rising hills, and on their tops and descents are many corn fields and delightful groves.  On the East is an Isle of two or three leagues in length; the one half plain march ground, fit for pasture, or salt ponds, with many fair high groves of mulberry trees and gardens.  There is (sic) also oaks, pines, walnuts, and other wood to make this place an excellent habitation, being a good and safe harbor.”

Early Pilgrim explorers found Indians had cleared the land and planted corn.  They called it this “Land of Promise” and upon returning to Plymouth with news of the pleasant Indian village, its good land, and rich fisheries, they debated whether to migrate and to remain as Plymouth.  Squatters began to settle Agawam after 1620 causing the Massachusetts Court of Assistants to send a warrant September 7, 1630 “to command those that are planted there forthwith to come away.”

When the French seized the Pilgrim’s trading house at Peneobscot and threatened to expel the English all along the coast, Governor  Winthrop’s son John, Jr., 27, and 12 others were sent to secure Agawam in March 1633.  On  March 4, 1634 the Court gave John Winthrop, John Humfry, and John Endicott, power to grant land within four miles of the town to “persons as in equity they shall think meet.”  Its first settlers gave it a prestige that soon drew others of like quality, attracted by large tracts of open meadow and the large upland cleared by the Indians.  It was made a town and named Ipswich on August 5, 1634.  Its rivers, creeks, marshes, and chain of low hills along the seacoast offered protection from surprise attack.  These safeguards, plus access by river and sea, and Salem within supporting distance, made early settlers feel secure.  It was believed the French would not encourage hostility by the Tarratines. Indians But the English dared go no further into the wilderness at that time.

It was one of the fastest growing plantations on the frontier and soon was second only to Boston in size and importance.  It enhanced its relationship with the Agawams by  purchasing the land in 1638, the year Matthew and John arrived.  The deed from Musconominot, Sagamore (Chief) of Agawam was recorded as follows:

I, Musconominot, Sagamore (Chief) of Agawam, do by these presents acknowledge to have received of Mr. John Winthrop the sum of twenty pounds in full satisfaction of all the rights, property, and claim I have or ought to have, unto all the lands lying and being in the Bay of Agawam, also Ipswich being so called now by the English, as well as all such lands which I formerly reserved unto my own use at Chebacco, as also all other lands belonging unto me in those parts of Mr. Dummers farm excepted only.

And I hereby relinquish all the rights, and interest, I have unto all the havens, rivers, creeks, and islands, hunting and fishings, with all the woods, swamps, timber, and whatsoever else, is or may be in or upon the said ground to me belonging, and I do hereby acknowledge to have received full satisfaction from the said John Winthrop for all former agreements touching the premises or any part of them.  And I do hereby bind myself to make good the aforesaid bargain and sale unto the said John Winthrop, his heirs and assigns forever, and to secure him against the title and claim of all other Indians and nations whatsoever.

Witness my hand 28 June 1638. Musconominot his X mark.
Witnesses hereunto, John Jollife, Thomas Coytomore, James Downinge, Robert Hardinge.

In November 1634, the Freemen determined that “the length of Ipswich should extend westward unto [?] burying place, and eastward unto a cove of the river, unto the planting ground of John Perkins the elder. [Perkin’s youngest child Jacob, married Matthew’s daughter Elizabeth ca 1648.]  Beyond these limits, the land was held in common.”  They also specified that “the neck of land adjoining Mr. Robert Coles extending unto the sea shall remain for Common use unto the town forever.”  The neck where “the great hill standeth, which is known by the name of Castle Hill,” was also reserved.

Roads were cart-paths grown over with grass except for the wheel ruts.  They were kept in repair by requiring all men to work on them yearly.  The main thorough-fare, High street, skirted the bank of the river out to the tillage lands on Manning’s Neck, to the pastures on Jeffrey’s Neck, to the level acres of salt marsh on one side and followed the western slope of Town Hill on the  other.  “The way to the Merrimack” Lane was renamed Hog Lane, later Brook street and was the main road for eastern travel.  The river was crossed by a foot bridge in 1634 and South Main street opened in 1646 when the cart bridge was built.  Plots were assigned for house-lots along streets and lanes.  Tillage lands were apportioned in six and 12 acre lots and the great farms were on the town’s outskirts.

Local Government Organized

The first reference to local government was February 20, 1636 when seven Selectmen were  chosen to serve for three months.  Their first action was to build a “humble” Meeting House, grist mill and fish weir on the river “about the falls” on condition half the fish be sold to the inhabitants at 5 shillings a thousand, and select a Burying Ground.  It was 1649 before a saw mill was built.  Before that, trees were sawed into planks and boards by hand with a long saw by two men working in a saw-pit, one man standing below and one above the saw log.  Clapboards and shingles were made by hand.  Nails, hinges, and bolts were forged by blacksmiths.  It was 1790 before cut nails were made.

In March 1645, the town voted to hire  Robert Lord to “keep the streets clear of wood and timber under penalty 12d the load and as proportionable for more or less for lying or standing above three days in any of the streets or lanes.”  In 1652 it ordered “all dung-hills lying in the streets shall be removed by October 20 and from that time no dung-hills to be laid in the streets under the penalty of 10s.”

All Males Over 18 To Stand Night Watch

As a precaution against surprise, every male over 18, including “sons, servants, and sojourners,” had take turns at night watch.  The streets were patrolled from half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunrise.  A watch house, in which a fire was kept, was built near the meeting house.  Those out after 10 p.m. were challenged to explain their business.  Those whose answers failed to satisfy were liable to arrest and a night with the “Court of Guard.”

Most men participated in military training monthly, July and August excepted.  The colony had three regiments with Ipswich men in the  second with Saugus, Salem, and Newbury.  John Endicott of Salem was commander, John Winthrop, Jr., Lieut. Colonel.  In 1645 the General Court authorized local bands and “ye military company of Ipswich, Newbury, Rowley, Salisbury, and Hampton” was formed with liberty to assembly as often as they pleased in Ipswich, Newbury, and Rowley.

As the men assembled on the training field, the lad of 14 stood side by side with the old greybeard who was obliged to train until the infirmities of age incapacitated him.  Activities began with a prayer by the minister, there in his gown and bands.  The roll was called in both fore and afternoon with every absence noted.  The clerk inspected the equipment twice a year to make certain every soldier had a pound of powder, 20 bullets, two fathom of slow match, with musket, sword, bandoliers and rest, priming wire, a worm and scourer.

Relations with the Indians were both good and bad.  There never was any problem with the Agawams but Ipswich men were employed in various actions against other tribes.  On February 5, 1644, Musconominot, Cutshamakin, Josias, and Chicatobot presented governor Winthrop 30 fathoms of wampum, and offered to submit to the English.  Winthrop later wrote, “we now began to conceive hope that the Lord’s time was at hand for opening a door of light and grace to those Indians.”  On March 8, Musconominot and four other Sagamores put their tribes and possessions under the General Court and agreed to be instructed in the Christian religions by answering the following:

Indians Agree to Christianity

1. Will you worship the only true God, who made heaven and earth, and not blaspheme?  Answer.  We do desire to reverence the God of the English and to speak well of Him because we see He doth better to the English than other gods do to others.
2. Will you cease from swearing falsely?  Answer.  We  know not what swearing is.
3. Will you refrain from working on the Sabbath, especially within the bounds of Christian towns.  Answer.  It is  easy to us, we have not much to do any day, and we can well rest on that day.
4. Will you honor your parents and your superiors?  Answer.  It is our custom to do so — for inferiors to honor superiors.
5. Will you refrain from killing any man without just cause and just authority?  Answer.  This is good, and we desire so to do.
6. Will you deny yourselves fornication, adultery, incest, rape, sodomy, buggery, or bestiality?  Answer.  Though some of our people do these things occasionally, yet we count them naught and do not allow them.
7. Will you deny yourself stealing?  Answer.  We say the same to this as to the sixth question.
8. Will you allow your children to learn to read the word of God, so that they may know God and worship Him in His own way?  Answer.  We will allow this as opportunity will permit, as the English live among us, we desire to do so.
9. Will you refrain from idleness?  Answer.  We will.

The Sagamores then gave the Court a gift of wampum and each received a red cloth coat of two yards and a pot of wine.  Musconominot died sometime before June 18, 1658.  His widow was granted the right “to enjoy that parcel of land which her husband had fenced in.”  The last Agawam Sagamore, he lived long enough to see his  people on the edge of extinction.  He was buried on Sagamore Hill with his gun and other valued implements.  In a sacrilegious action, his grave was opened and his skull carried on a pole through the streets of Ipswich.

In the Pequot war, 17 Ipswich men marched to Salem in April 1637 to join the little army formed there.  Six more followed in May.  On a rainy Sabbath in September 1642, 20 Ipswich soldiers joined an expedition against Passaconaway, a Pennacook and Sagamore of the Merrimack.  The town experienced a general alarm December 19, 1645 and by that time, Capt. Daniel Denison had become so valuable a military leader the town agreed to pay him £24 7s annually contributed by 161 men.  He retained his local rank even after being named Major General of the Colony.

In September 1676, the town experienced constant Indian alarms and its surrounding area was a scene of desolation as houses were burned, crops destroyed, and many lives lost.  The smoke could be seen from Town Hill and Castle Hill.  In the eastern campaign that year, a 20 shilling bounty was offered for every Indian scalp and 40 shillings for every prisoner.  Captives were apportioned among the soldiers as the spoils of war.

Ipswich’s Military Contributions

Ipswich men made a notable military contribution to the Colony.  Daniel Denison became commander-in-chief of all colonial forces in 1653, Maj. Samuel Appleton played a key role in the first victorious campaign against the Indians in King Philip’s War, saving several Connecticut towns and stopping the invasion of that colony.  He was  described as the ablest commander of the war.  Capt. John Whipple (John’s son) was a prominent officer in the first company of troopers engaged in King Philip’s War and commanded another company the following spring.

Trouble with the eastern Indians began June 27, 1689 when 23 were killed and 29 taken captive at Cocheco (Dover).  Ipswich troop of horse were summoned August 19 for an alarm at Haverhill. They were disbanded in November.  Hostilities resumed with vigor in February 1690. Many Ipswich men were in the French and English war serving in Sir William Phips’ expedition against Quebec.  Major Appleton commanded a company of 308 in this unsuccessful campaign.  They sailed from Boston in August 1691.

The years 1692 and ’93 were comparatively free from Indian raids but ’94, ’95, and ’96 saw many terrible raids.  It was so bad commissioned officers of the Essex  middle regiment and the commissioned officers of the town of Newbury met at Ipswich to discuss the situation and petitioned the General Court for a guard to watch the Merrimack River from Newbury to Dunstable, day and night, until the harvest was gathered.

Government Controlled Most Elements Of Life

Government seems onerous to many in 2011 and a common wish is to return to the “good old days” when a man could do what he wished with his property.  This was not the case in Ipswich.  Ownership of a house and land within the town included the right of pasturage in the wide domain beyond the Common fence, but didn’t include the right to cut wood in the dense forests in the Commons.  That right was retained by the town as was the right to the trees standing on the house lots.  Felling shade trees in the streets or highways was prohibited in 1666 with a penalty of 20s for violators.

There were many other restrictions:  water power on any river or stream was the property of the town and no mill could be erected without permission of the town; fishermen were restricted in the use of their catch; wages of the artisans were set by government; bakers were regulated.  Innkeepers were regulated in 1634, the leather trade in 1642, the potter in 1646.  Traffic in “strong water” was controlled with the statute of 1637 limiting a town to one outlet.  Known as the “ordinary,” it was under close watch “for illegal sales, for entertaining boys or habitual tipplers, for dancing or gaming, for permitting any to remain during the week-day lecture.”

John Whipple, Jr. opened an ordinary in 1662 when he was 36 years old.  His license required him to sell “at least a quart at a time and none to be drunk in the house.”  He was to sell only to “men of good family or of good repute” and was not to be open for business after sunset.  In 1670, because of so many complaints of “persons spending their time and estate by drinking and tippling:” the General Court ordered Select men to “post the name of immoderate drinkers in each establishment.”

Women were not to aspire to professional pursuits.  In 1637, Jane, wife of Richard Hawkins, was forbidden “to meddle in surgery or physic drinks, plaisers or oiles, nor to question matters of religion except with the Elders for satisfaction.”

The Whipples had only been in Ipswich three years when the general court assumed extraordinary authority over families.  Because of a scarcity of cloth, it decreed in 1641 that heads of families must employ their children and servants to make wild hemp into coarse linen cloth.  In 1656, every family member not necessarily employed on other occasions, “as women, girls, and boys, shall and hereby are enjoyed to spin according to their skill and ability.”  Selectmen were ordered to rate each family on its other employments and determine the time it could give to spinning.  A standard for a day’s production was set and each family was “assessed” as a whole, half, or quarter spinner.  Those assessed as a whole spinner were required, after 1656, to spin for 30 weeks annually, producing three pounds of linen, cotton, or wool weekly.  A penalty of 12d was assessed for every pound short.

Oath of Freemen and Oath of Fidelity

The franchise was also limited, much to the chagrin of 33 Ipswich men, who had taken the Oath of Fidelity but not the Oath of Freemen.

John Whipple subscribed to the Freeman’s Oath 13 May 1640.  The Oath: I John Whipple, being by Gods providence an inhabitant and Freeman within the jurisdiction of this Commonweal, do freely acknowledge myself to be subject to the government thereof, & therefore do hear swear by the great and dreadful name of the ever living God that I will be true & faithful to the same, & will accordingly yield assistance & will support thereunto with my person & estate, as in equity I am found, & will also truly endeavor to maintain & pursue all the liberties & privileges thereof, submitting myself to the wholesome laws made & established by the same; and further, that I will not plot nor practice any evil against it, nor consent to any that shall so do, but will timely discover & reveal the same to lawful authority now here established for the speedy preventing thereof.  Moreover, I do solemnly bind myself in the sight of God, that when I shall be called to give my voice touching any such matter of this state, wherein Freemen are to deal, I will give my vote & suffrage as I shall in my own conscience judge best to conduce & tend to the public weal of the body, without respect of persons or favor of any man so help me God in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oath of Fidelity: Whereas as I (state name), an inhabitant within this jurisdiction, considering how I stand obliged to the Kings Majesty , his heirs, and successors, by our Charter and the government established thereby; do swear accordingly by the great and dreadful name of the ever-living God, that I will bear faith and true allegiance to our sovereign  lord the King, his heirs, and successors, and that I will be true and faithful to this government and accordingly yield assistance thereunto, with my person and estate, as in equity I am bound.  And will also truly endeavor to maintain and preserve all the liberties and privileges thereof, submitting myself unto the wholesome laws made and established by the same.  And farther that I will not plot or practice any evil against it, or consent to any that shall so do; but will timely discover and reveal the same to lawful authority now here established for the speedy preventing thereof.  So help me God in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Fidelity men asked the General Court in May 1658 if they could vote on town affairs and be elected to office.  They were allowed to vote for Selectmen and to hold office as Jurymen and Constable.  Their request and the resultant decision eventually led to the full franchise for others than freemen.

Use Of Common Land

The principal use of Common land was pasturage for cattle, swine, and sheep.  Cattle were so numerous by 1646 that hundreds of quarters of beef were shipped to Boston every fall.  The herds were driven into the Commons to forage and the Common fence kept them from straying into the cultivated fields.  To keep them from straying into the wilderness or from being attacked by wolves, the town voted to hire a cow-herd.  Robert Wallis and Thomas Manning were hired in 1639 to keep 80 hogs on  Plumb Island.  Those wanting their pigs closer to home drove them two miles to the Commons.  Owners of any “big pig” within the two mile limit were fined 5 shillings per pig.  Pigs born after February 1 had the liberty of the town until August 16 and if the pigs were hurt while foraging in gardens or on house lots, the property owner had to pay damage to the pig’s owner.

In 1656 sheep owners were allowed to fence a half acre site on Jeffries Neck to corral sheep at night.  “One able person” out of every family was required to work one day in May or June to “help clear the Commons for the better keeping of sheep.”  By 1662, the town had three shepherds and the Commons on the south side were so overgrazed that 100 sheep were moved to the north side.  They voted in 1702 to require shepherds to have cottages adjoining the sheep-walks so they could stay near their flocks.

The town pound, a fenced enclosure for stray livestock, was built at the southeast corner of the Green.  Straying livestock caused much damage so stringent regulations were adopted to control them.  In a January 1639 town meeting, it was agreed that anyone bringing livestock untended “two hours after sun rising” to the pound or to their owner will receive “double recompense for his pains” with half of the “forfeits” to the town, half to person doing the impounding.

Commoners and Freemen were not the same; there were many more of the former than the latter.  Commoners kept records, and legislated with reference to all duties and privileges, including giving the land.  Most were Freemen but the privileges of the two bodies were distinct.

Right Of Commonage

George A. Schofield’s The Ancient Records of the Town of Ipswich records Matthew and John Whipple as having the right of Commonage as of February 28, 1641-42.  The right of Commonage did not include the right to cultivate the Common land.  But in 1659, 12 citizens were allowed to plant two acres apiece on Jeffries Neck and individual use of Common land grew rapidly.  Permission was given at various times to cultivate on Bush Hill, Turkey Hill, Redroot Hill, Scott’s Hill, Cowkeeper Rock, and land between Haffield’s and Wilderness Hill.  When these tillage rights expired, individual ownership had gained general acceptance and it was voted to give Common land to those having  right of Commonage.  The first grant included approximately 3,244 acres of the cow Commons on the north side of the river.  Common wood and timber land at Chebacco Ponds and Knight’s farm was divided into four parts in 1701, other land into large sheep pastures in 1702.  The  remaining Common lands were divided into eight parts in 1709.  The beaches belonged to the Commoners as did the rights and privileges to the gravel and clay pits.  Only Commoners could bid for the annual use of unappropriated thatch banks.

Grants to Plumb Island

Though not included in the town, Ipswich residents were using Plumb Island right from the beginning.  The General Court divided the island October 16, 1649, giving Ipswich and Newbury two-fifths each and Rowley one-fifth.  Ipswich made its portion a part of the Commons.

Nine miles in length, the island acts as an enormous breakwater, stemming the mouths of the Merrimack, Parker, and Ipswich rivers.  Swift and dangerous currents erode beaches, pull down dunes, add sandbars, drown swimmers in its undertow, and cause shipwrecks.  The only access was by boat across the swift Plumb Island river and it was completely isolated in mid-winter.  Despite these problems, its salt marshes, thatch banks, and fertile uplands were assets that led to it being distributed among the commoners.

At a town meeting February 14, 1664 it was voted to divide Plumb Island, Hog Island, and Castle Neck among all with the right of the Commons.  Two-hundred-three shares were distributed with the 28 wealthiest Commoners allocated a double share (six acres), the next 70 according to wealth, a share and a half (four acres), and the final 105, one share (three acres).  Location was determined by drawing and many of the poorer folk drew the better upland lots to the chagrin of some of the wealthiest who drew thatch and sand dune.  The claimant had to pay a fee for having the lot “laid out.”

John Whipple received a double share, drawing Lot 5.  A share and a half, Lot 34, went to Cornet John Whipple John’s son.   Lt. John Whipple, Lot 15 and Joseph Whipple, Lot 42, single shares.  They were Matthew’s sons.

Today, Plumb Island is owned by Ipswich, Newbury, Newburyport, Rowley, and the U.S. Department of the Interior and is summered on by thousands of New Englanders.  It is a year-around home to approximately 2,500 despite ferocious storms that pound it for days.

The island has a split personality.  One section is for the vacationers with its sub shops, fried clam stands, and narrow streets choked with traffic.  A different world greets the visitor to the southern seven miles owned by the Parker river Wildlife Refuge.  Always a major east coast flyway, it lures more than 270 species of migratory birds.  A road runs down the center separated by dunes and salt marshes.  The dunes and swamps are lush with vegetation:  blueberries, pin cherries, woodbine, raspberries, cranberries, honeysuckle, wild roses, and beach plums.  Rushes, reeds, and broom grass thicken the marshes.  There is an observation tower and a blind.  Unlike the 1600s, it is so popular that the number of people admitted is limited and it is often full by 9 a.m.

To Be Continued

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