Ipswich

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The manuscript for this publication was found among Mr. Waters’ papers long after he had passed away.

It was given a cursory examination and then returned to its place, as it was uncertain whether he intended it as an integral part of some larger book, or as a complete unit by itself and to be published separately as another number of the Proceedings of the Historical Society.

‘What his intentions as to its final disposition were we shall never know. But, be that as it may, the manuscript has been read through very carefully, and the conclusion reached that it should have a place with the other contributions from the same author.

It treats in detail of another phase of our community life of the past, and bears evidence of that same painstaking care and thorough search that characterizes all of Mr. Waters’ works. It will be a valuable acquisition to our historical literature, and prove an authentic source of information to those who desire first-hand knowledge of the section and of the persons named therein.

With the assurance of its completeness and dependability as to the actual historic facts, we tender the same to the members of the Society and to all others who may be interested.

Our fancy loves to dwell upon the river of Agawam, of the quiet ages before the white men came. It was a larger stream than now, no doubt, for large areas of swamp land have been reclaimed by the hand of man, and lakes and ponds which once swelled its current with their overflow, furnish water for towns and cities. Its banks were heavily wooded, and furnished coverts for wolves and bears, deer and moose and beaver, disturbed only by the Indian hunter with his primitive weapons. Flocks of wild pigeons darkened the air in their annual migrations. Wild geese and ducks found rich feed along its sedgy shores. Speckled trout abounded in its swift, foamy rapids and its deep, dark pools, and shoals of shad and alewive came up from the sea to spawn, in springtime.

As it met the ocean it swelled into the broad tidal river, abounding in great sturgeon and all the lesser fish, and lobsters, clams and oysters. The Indians pitched their summer wigwams along its banks. The solitary canoe of the fisherman or hunter, and the fleets of canoes, bearing war parties thirsting for the blood of their foe, skimmed over its surface.

Today little of its primitive wildness and beauty remains. The first settlers saw the value of its rapids, built their dams and harnessed its current to huge water-wheels, to grind their grist and saw their lumber. In the course of years, three dams have changed the free, swift stream into a series of sluggish, muddy mill-ponds, and five bridges have opened thoroughfares for travel from bank to bank. They cut down the forests which covered the great bare hills about the river mouth, built ships and wharves, mills, salt-works, tanneries, along its banks.

The Indians and all the teeming wild life have fled away long since. The long course of years have witnessed old industries upon its banks disappear, thriving commerce cease, wharves decay. The railroad supplanted it as the great artery of trade, but a host of memories remain. (Flowing down through all the generations of Ipswich life, it binds them all together with its golden chain.) Starting at its upper waters, near the Topsfield line, we may make an excursion to the sea, and find much to interest as we recall the changing scenes upon its banks.

At Willowdale there was an ancient ford-way across the river from early times. Dr. Thomas Manning, the well-remembered physician of Ipswich, the son of Dr. John Manning, who had built a woolen factory in 1792, saw the value of the water-power which might be developed here. He began to acquire land on both sides of the stream in 1822. His first purchase was from John Tuttle, ten acres of pasture on the Hamilton side, on Nov. 5th, 1822 (249 : 85), followed by the purchase of 2 acres 30 rods of pasture from John Adams and Oliver Appleton, Nov. 12th, 1822 (249:86), and on Nov. 13th he bought 2 acres on the Ipswich side from Ephraim Goodhue, reaching from the Topsfield road to the river (249 :85).

Daniel Kneeland sold him 5 acres of tillage land, on the Ipswich side, April 22nd, 1826 (249 :87). His brothers and sisters and niece, and other heirs of his father, conveyed several lots to Dr. Thomas on Aug. 16th, 1826, including 1½ Old Rights and 2 New Rights in Birch Island pasture, as the locality was then known, 15 acres in all, bounded by the land of Aaron Goodhue, Topsfield road and the river (249 :88, 89).

He had now secured land enough for his contemplated mill, and in 1829 he built a stone dam and a saw-mill. In 1830, Sept. 30, he bought 4 acres of John Adams and Samuel Adams 3d, of Hamilton, “near the stone dam which has been recently erected on the bed of Ipswich river” (259:76). The mill was burned soon after its erection, and Dr. Manning built another, which was used in part for the sawing of fine veneers and for wood turning. He thus began the erection of the fine stone factory building and boarding house, and about the year 1834, he began the weaving of woolen goods. The approach to the mill from either side was over the old road, probably, that led to the ford. We may suppose that during the earliest years of its operation the mill products were teamed over this to Salem or Boston. But in August 1844, the Town received a petition for a road and bridge by Manning’s mill. It failed of acceptance, but it was carried to the County Commissioners, who summoned the Town to appear. A committee was appointed to oppose the project, but the County Commissioners ordered the building of the bridge. In deference to the desire of the Town, a change was made from a single arch, as originally planned, to the two arches which still span the river.

The little neighborhood that centered about the present Norwood Mills, included some enterprising men. They felt the need of a bridge as early as 1667. In that year, John Adams, Nathaniel Adams, Samuel Adams, Joseph Safford, Nicholas Wallis and Thomas Stace were “freed from working in the common highway for 7 years to come,” “upon consideration of there building a bridge over the river at there own expense.” “Sar. Nicholas Wallis,” whose farm is now owned by the Brooks heirs, received permission, in March, 1686/7, “to improve the water by damming in the river against his own land, not exceeding three foot for the building a fulling mill or mills, provided he do it within a year and a half.”

Sergeant Wallis built neither dam nor fulling mill, and ten years later, other parties planned to improve the stream, that rushed wildly down its rocky bed through the picturesque gorge, which still remains the most beautiful portion of the river valley. John Adams Sen., his son John Adams Jr., and Michael Farley Jr., son of the old miller at the Saltonstall mills, came to the Town with their petition. The record is:

“The humble Petition of wee whose names are under written to the honord Gentlemen & Inhabitants of the Town of Ipswich, now assembled March 3, 1696/7. our request and desire is that you would please to grant us leave to make a Dam cross the River against my land in order to the building of a corn-mill and a Fulling-Mill for the use and benefit of the Town, I having a place that is judged very convenient for such a purpose without damage to the Town in any particular person. The which request we dobt not but you will readyly grant the which will oblige us to serve you accordingly to the best of our abilities. And your petitioners shall ever pray.

The Town granted the petition, with the provision that it would not prejudice any former grants and the mills be ready for use in a year and a half. There was a lurking jealousy regarding the mill privilege, we may infer from the fact that on May 6, 1697, it was reported to the Town that the vote of March 3d was unsatisfactory to Lieut. Adams and his associates, and that they would not build on these terms. Whereupon, the objectionable clause was removed, and “The Town doth now grant to said parties all their interest and right in the stream against sd. Adams land and make a Dam, provided they set up said mills in a year and a half.”

Mr. Farley bought an acre and a half of upland, on the north side of the river, opposite the Adams land, from Thomas French, on June 3 :1697 (13 :36). The dam was built forthwith, a fulling mill on the north side, and a grist mill on the south bank, and on the 4th of May, 1699, a formal agreement was ratified between the owners. Farley had borne half the cost, and the Adamses the balance. The title of each was confirmed accordingly,

“and whereas for y^e setting Placing advancement & benefit of sd Mills by Daming & flowing for Rocks and Gravilling sd. Michael purchased one acre and a halfe of land of Thomas French ag^st part of which sd Dam abutteth on y^e north side sd River sd Michael Gives & grants same to bee & remaine for ever as a Mill lot for wayes to & use of s^d owners.”

In like fashion the Adams, father and son, set apart a lot of the same size on their side, for common use (14 :161):

John Adams Sen. conveyed his farm to his son, John Jr., on April 7:1698, but retained his ownership in “y^e land the corn mill stands on & highway to go & come from said mill” (13:291). He sold his quarter interest in the mills and dam to Mr. Farley, July 26:1702 (15:91).

“a messuage on the North side of Ipswich river at a place known as Adams or Farley’s Mills in y^e present tenure of Eliz^a(beth) Brown of Ipswich, widow, with 3/4 of about 2 acres of land thereto adjoining, which sd. Farley formerly purchased of Thos. French of Ipswich and also 3/~ of one certain fulling mill to y^e said messuage adjoining in y^e present tenure of sd Caleb Warner with 3/4 of all tackle . . . sd Warner to maintain and repair 3/4 of 1/~ of the Damm.”

This deed is interesting in several ways. Elizabeth Brown was the widow of Benjamin Brown, miller, who died Feb. 16 :1733, leaving a family of seven children, the oldest of whom was Elizabeth, sixteen years old, and the youngest, five-year-old Susanna. They lived close by the mill, as the deed shows, and Benjamin was the miller. The widow petitioned the Town at the March meeting following her husband’s death, for an allowance for

“cost and charge which hath arisen in building a bridge over the river & for finishing the same for the benefit of passing to the mill.”

It appears from this that a bridge, some cheap structure of logs, no doubt, had been built about this time. The Town rather heartlessly refused to recognize the widow’s claim.

Caleb Warner was operating the fulling mill, adjoining the widow’s home, the son of Daniel and Dorcas Warner, a young man of twenty-seven years, and his neighborly relations with the miller’s family had culminated in his marriage with the daughter Elizabeth on Nov. 8 :1734, two months after he had bought the mill property.

The grist mill continued in possession of the Adams family. It was inherited by John Adams, son of John Jr., who married Phebe Burnham, int. May 1:1725, and died in 1729, leaving the widow and daughter Eunice, who was baptized March 2:1728 The widow married Nathaniel Cross, who operated the mill, in May, 1732. The daughter Eunice, married Isaac Smith, in December, 1744. Isaac and Eunice, Nathaniel Cross and Phebe, conveyed to Caleb Warner the quarter part of the 2 acre mill lot on the north side of the river and the quarter of the fulling mill, which still remained in their possession, with the privilege of the stream “excepting when the water does not flow over the dam,” on May 10:1750 (101 :202).

Caleb Warner had prospered in business, and a goodly family of sons and daughters had been born. A new and large house was needed, and he bought of Daniel Appleton, Esq., three lots and a half in that part of Bush Hill Eighth called Birch Island, or Birch Island Fields, adjoining the land formerly French’s, on June 12:1755 (102 :231). The large and comfortable dwelling, which still remains, was probably built about this time. Here he died, March 10, 1774. His estate included about 100 acres dwelling, and the fulling mill and clothier’s shop. The clothier’s copper was inventoried at £10, the clothier’s press £12, 3 pairs clothier’s shears £10. The real estate was bequeathed to Asa and William, then a lad of eighteen years. (Pro. Rec.)

Asa Warner, who followed his trade of clothier in Lancaster, Mass., sold his half interest to his brother, William Warner 3d, clothier, excepting an acre within the bounds of the estate, belonging to the heirs of Elizabeth Brown, June 2:1787 (148:52).

Capt. William Warner died on Sept. 13, 1827, at the age of seventy-one. He built a home for his son William, who married Mary Dodge of Hamilton, in 1805, and conveyed it to him with about five acres of land, March 9:1808 (246:193). To his elder son, Stephen, he gave half of his dwelling and land, May 13 :1822of land and the (203 :73). In the settlement of his estate the easterly half of his dwelling was assigned to his widow, Susanna, as her dower, the fulling mill was assigned to William, upon payment of legacies to the other heirs (Pro. Rec. 62 :125, 406:501-3). A carding machine and picking machine had been installed in 1794, and were appraised at $75.

William Warner sold half the mill and about half an acre under and adjoining to his brother Stephen, May 30, 1829 (533:271). His heirs sold half the mill to Caleb Jerome Norwood, Feb. 8:1873 (877:292), March 15, 1894 (1407:91), and the Stephen Warner homestead, with half the 2 acre mill lot, Oct. 23:1895 (1461 :73).

George W. Warner, son of William, and ______, wife of Joseph P. Hamilton, sold the half of the mills, which they inherited from their father, to Ammi Smith, Dec. 1:1858 (584:38).

Continuing briefly the story of the grist mill and saw mill, Isaac Smith and Eunice sold the Adams farm and mills to Paul Dodge, Dec. 1, 1750 (96 :180). His son, Barnabas, inherited and bequeathed to his son David, who sold to Ammi Smith, Jan. 2, 1827 (242:273). He mortgaged to Nathan Dane, April 7, 1827 (245 :139). His executor assigned it to Joseph Dane, June .2, 1836 (336:185), who took possession Sept. 1,1843 (339:116), and sold to Albert W. Smith of Boston, Oct. 14, 1846 (327:290), who conveyed to Ammi Smith of Hamilton, son of the earlier owner, April 6, 1858 (598 :23). His heirs sold the farm and mill site with the buildings, 90 acres in all, in Hamilton, 1 acre and half the mill on the Ipswich side, to Caleb and Jennie Nor-wood of Rockport, April 21, 1868 (746 :148). Mr. Norwood has operated the saw mill and a cider mill, and established an isinglass factory in the Warner mill.

The road from William Warner’s and William Warner Junior’s and the land of Robert Wallis to the Topsfield road was accepted by the Town, Dec. 25, 1817. In the Spring of 1820, the Warners and others petitioned the Court of Sessions that a bridge might be built. The Town appointed a committee, on June 15, to oppose the petition. The Court of Sessions ordered the Town to build, but in March, 1823, the Town appointed Asa Andrews, its attorney, to defend it against indictment for not building, and authorized him to petition in turn the Court of Sessions to discontinue the way where the bridge was contemplated and vacate the laying out.

In the following year the battle for the bridge was renewed, with a petition of William Warner Jr. and 32 others, praying for a way from Topsfield road, near the dwelling of Robert Wallis to the road near the dwelling of James Kent in Hamilton, which the town resolutely opposed. Five years then elapsed, but the advocates of the bridge were not disheartened. In September, 1829, the Town received notice from the Court regarding the bridge, and appointed a committee to procure legal advice and contest the building. Despite this opposition, the bridge was built, and a warrant of distress was issued against the Town for a portion of the expense.

But the Town voted, July 25, 1832, to appoint a committee, and instructed it to “consult and employ Hon. Rufus Choate and such other learned and respectable counsel as they may judge proper.” The Town appealed the case to the Supreme Court in November, 1833, but an adverse decision was rendered, and the Town of Ipswich was assessed $1,498, Hamilton $1,002.

Standing on the stone bridge, which spans the stream with its two graceful arches, looking down through the picturesque valley, and upstream over the expanse of river and broad landscape, we feel that the thirteen-year struggle for road and bridge had a happy issue.

A little below the railroad bridge, a modest stream, nearly hidden by sedge and bushes, enters the river on the south side. Though it bears the pretentious name of Mile River, or Mile Brook, it carries with it little suggestion of mill power. Yet, in the days before the discovery of the power of steam, the wind and water, supplemented by the occasional treadmill worked by horses, were the only known sources of power, and the preference was always given to the constant and reliable water-wheel above the fitful and capricious wind-mill. Major Samuel Appleton built a saw-mill some time before 1696, the year of his death, on the east side of Appleton’s Bridge, on the County Road, which remained in use for many years. The mill pond flooded the meadows, and in all probability the water was drawn off in Spring and Summer, and the mill was used only in the intervening months.[1]

Joseph Calef, Thomas Potter and Anthony Potter received permission from the Town, on March 14th, 1693, to build a dam and fulling mill lower down on the same stream, which ran through Thomas Potter’s land on its way to the river. The mill was not built apparently, but three years later, Edmund Potter, Abraham Tilton Jr. and Antony Potter, petitioned for the privilege of setting up a dam and grist mill “near the house of Thomas Potter, not to damnify Col. Appleton’s saw mill.” This was granted, March 24, 1696, and the mill was built. The dam still remains, and an old mill building, on the estate known as the Oliver Smith farm, now owned by Mr. Bohlen.[2]

At the very beginning of the building of the Town, and at the first Town meeting of which definite record remains, in the year 1634.

“It is concluded and consented unto that Mr. John Spencer and Mr. Nicholas Easton, shall have libertye to build a Mill and a Ware uppon the Town River about the falles of it uppon this condicion that they shall pte with an equal share of theire Fish to all the inhabitants of this Town if they bee demanded att five shill. a thousand more or less according to the comon price of the countrye.”

The falls alluded to were probably at or near the site of the present dam of the hosiery mills, though all trace of them has been obliterated. There were “smaller falls” a little lower down, where the old Damon mill and dam still stand. The river ran here through a narrow channel on each side of a rocky island. Up through these falls or rapids the salmon, shad and alewives forced their way to the spawning grounds in the still waters above, in great schools. Numerous arrow-heads and other Indian remains which have been found in the adjoining field in the grounds of the House of Correction, bear witness to the summer village of the Indians for many generations, beside this ancient fishery.

Mr. Spencer and Mr. Easton soon removed, without improving the grant, which reverted to Mr. Richard Saltonstall, the most prominent man in the new settlement. He built the dam and grist mill, and enjoyed a monopoly of the business for many years. Corn was brought from the whole great township to be ground into Indian meal, the great food staple of the time. But, at length, complaints were made about the miller, that he was unskillful and disobliging, and a communication from the “Worshipful Richard Saltonstall Esq.,” then in England, was received and entered on the Town Record in 1671, promising that a skillful and acceptable miller should be sent. Mr. Michael Farley was duly installed, with his sons, Michael and Mesheck. But there were many apparently who were still unsatisfied, and the Town declared that the number of inhabitants was too great for one corn mill. In deference to this demand, Mr. Saltonstall asked and received liberty, in April, 1682, to build another grist mill near Sergeant Clark’s. Thomas Clark owned and occupied the northeast corner of Summer and Water streets, by the river side, where he had a tannery, and a dam was contemplated across the river at this point, to utilize the tides. The privilege was granted, “provided he have gates eighteen or twenty feet wide to let up canoes or boats loaded into the cove and to let out boats and canoes when the tide serves.”

Jonathan Wade and others opposed this, and the reason may have been that in 1673 he had received

“that little island of rocks at the falls in exchange for so much to enlarge the highway by the windmill provided he hinder no man from taking away loose rocks nor hinder fish ways nor making of a bridge, nor prejudice the mills.”

He had received permission to set up a saw mill in 1649, which may have been built on or near this spot. Cornet Whipple, also, had received permission, in 1673, to build a fulling mill “at the smaller falls by Ezekiel Woodward’s house,” provided Mr. Saltonstall’s grist mill at the upper falls and another fulling mill already begun, probably at the same spot, were not prejudiced.

Nothing resulted from the tide-mill scheme, nor from the plan of Nehemiah Jewett of establishing a mill on Egypt river, and in 1686, as the need of another grist mill was increasingly pressing, the selectmen granted liberty to any one to build a grist mill at the falls, “by or near Goodman Rust,” i. e. the lower falls, “provided they damnify not the upper grist mills.” No one coveted the privilege, and in 1687 Mr. Jewett revived his scheme for a mill and secured permission to flow four or five acres of the Town’s common land. He did not build, however, nor did Thomas Boreman avail himself of the liberty he received in 1691 to establish a grist mill on Labour-in-Vain Creek, provided he built within two years, and in June, 1695, Col. Nathl. Saltonstall, son of Richard, received permission anew to utilize the location by Sergeant Clark’s.

Renewed opposition was made to this project in a written document signed by many, who protested on several grounds.

“2. Because it will damnifie Col. Saltonstall’s grant (the upper mill privilege).

“3. Because severall other places which will answer ye Town’s end are proposed, which will do less damage to proprietors.”

Evidently the plan of the Potters on Mile River, and the Adams and Farley scheme, were already in the air. However, the tide-mill scheme carried, and on Nov. 4, 1696, it was voted:

“Two or three persons that are so minded shall have liberty to erect a mill and raise a dam across y^e River by or near y^e house where John Clark Carpenter formerly lived.”

The unnamed grantees did not proceed, and as the Mile River mill was established in the following year, and the Adams and Farley mills were built in 1697, the demand for better accommodation in the center of the Town was met for the time. Eventually, Robert Calef asked and received the privilege of building a grist mill at the lower falls, March, 17 14/15, and built his mill.

Notwithstanding the competition of the various mills that were established in the last decade of the seventeenth century, the mills in the center of the Town were steadily enlarged. When the Saltonstall heirs, Richard and Nathaniel, sold to John Waite Jr., clothier, and Samuel Dutch, April 2, 1729 (55:62), they conveyed title to two grist mills, one fulling mill, a dye-house, and a saw mill, and Nathaniel Saltonstall and Roland Cotton had sold Samuel Dutch “two thirds of the saw mill standing on the south side of the river on the same damm the grist mills and fulling mill stand on, with two thirds of the ground the mill stands on and two thirds of the damm, to be improved only when water runs over the dam,” Feb. 20, 1730 (61 :70).

The saw mill passed through many hands, and was replaced eventually by a mill for veneer sawing by Mr. Benjamin Hoyt,[3] which was removed in 1858, and used as a dwelling and shoe factory by Mr. James M. Wellington.

The grist mills and fulling mill were acquired by John Waite, by the purchase of Dutch’s interest, Dec. 1, 1729 (56:156). Benjamin Dutch and Nathaniel Farley acquired ownership of the grist mills, and Enoch Pearson bought the fulling mill “near the southeast end of the grist mill,” in 1772 and 1773 (139: 205).[4] The fulling business probably declined with the advent of woolen factories with power looms, supplanting the old hand looms. The grist mill continued its useful work, and in due time was inherited by Joseph Farley, son of Nathaniel, who was the last of the long line of Farleys, who have operated the mills for more than a century.

He organized a company for the manufacture of cotton cloth. The Town granted him permission “to fill up the passage way to the river between the Lace Factory and Saw-Mill, which is used as a watering place,” on June 19, 1827, as he was about erecting a new dam and the stone mill, which is remembered by the older folk.

“for ease and benefit that may arise in his business at his saw mill near his dwelling house . . . for a grant of one rod of land on the river bank next the front of his mill and to extend about half a rod below the eastern corner thereof, so as not to prejudice the common benefits of the watering place,[5] next Mr Dane’s.”

This watering place was the eastern end of the ancient fording place, where, at the beginning of the town and before the bridge was built, all wheeled vehicles and horses crossed the river, a foot-bridge being located near the Damon mills. The other end of the ancient crossing was granted to the mill company on June 7, 1849:

“Voted that the Town grant the fording place at the Lower end of the Stone factory and all its interest in the road between the Stone factory and the land of Eunice Farley to the Ipswich Mills.”

This was conditioned upon the building of a factory on the fording place, and establishing a cistern for the convenience of the residents in that locality.

The Ipswich Manufacturing Co., Joseph Farley, president operated very boldly. The lower grist mills were secured, a canal from the upper dam across the intervening lots in Elm Street to the Cove, was projected. The looms were started in 1830. In 1832, 3,000 spindles and 260 looms were in operation, and 450,000 yards of cotton cloth were produced annually, giving employment to 18 males and 63 females. But financial difficulties soon arose, and the Ipswich Manufacturing Co. conveyed to a new company, called the Dane Manufacturing Co., the “upper Falls estate” with stone factory, engine house, warehouse, etc., “the Lower Fall estate,” with one double grist mill, one saw mill one factory building, now used for the manufacture of shirts and drawers, and various lots of land, Sept. 7, 1846 (463 :252). The directors of the new company, George W. Heard, Abraham Hammett and Josiah Caldwell, sold the same to Augustine Heard, June 1, 1852 (463:254). Mr. Heard sold to Mr. Amos A. Lawrence (605 :139, 631 :214, 711:18), who conveyed to the Ipswich Mills Co., Jan. 16, 1868 (738:253). The looms were removed and the manufacture of hosiery was begun. For a time business was conducted at a loss. The company was unfortunate in its superintendents, and was on the verge of abandoning the enterprise, when a young Nottingham manufacturer, Mr. Everard H. Martin, was chosen superintendent. With his coming an era of prosperity dawned, and for many years this corporation has been the chief industrial enterprise of the Town.

The bank of the river, from the mill dam to the bridge, was wholly unoccupied and ungranted as late as 1693, except one small lot by the dam, which was occupied by Samuel Ordway’s blacksmith shop. In March, 1692/3, several persons petitioned “to have liberty granted them to build shops upon y^ebank by y^e river side.” Accordingly the Selectmen laid out this stretch of land in twenty-three lots, ranging from thirty-six to eighteen feet wide, and granted them to as many individuals.[6]The most interesting in the present connection is the one nearest the dam, with the old mansion, which was built by Dr. Philemon Dean, who had served in the King Philip War under Major Samuel Appleton, and was Clerk of the Company.[7]It was purchased in 1824 by the Boston and Ipswich Lace Co., and an extension was built, in which probably the lace machines were installed. The enterprise was an unfortunate venture, and three years later the property was sold at auction to Theodore Andrews, lace manufacturer, Nov. 9, 1827 (286:222).[8]

For six years or more after the first settlement there seems to have been no bridge over the river for wheeled vehicles. As early as Dec. 3, 1641, however, the record was made:

“Agreed that what was due to the workmen for the new Bridge before the late repairs thereof and also what was due for the late repairs shall be paid by the next rate, the total of which sum amounts unto 10-11-8.”

Mention of damage by freshets is occasionally made, and this new bridge may have suffered from this cause. But definite mention of a “cart-bridge” does not occur until Jan. 4, 1646/7, when “the names of such as promise carting voluntary toward the Cart Bridge besides the rate a 2 days work a piece,” were entered in full in the Town Record. Forty pounds sterling were appropriated, and a building committee was chosen: Mr. William Payne, John Whipple and Richard Jacob. The work was so far advanced in March that it was

“Ordered that the Surveyors shall take care to make good the passage at both ends of the Cart Bridge sufficient for passages of horse and carts soe soon as [ ] carpenters have made it capable.”

In 1662 a new bridge was necessary, and John Appleton and Jonathan Wade, the committee appointed by the Quarter Sessions Court to compute the cost and build the bridge, reported, on June 24, that they had already begun the work, and that it would cost about eighty pounds sterling.

An item in the Town accounts, in 1683, for “trying to save the old bridge,” suggests that it may have been destroyed by a freshet in the river. A new bridge was ready for travel in September, 1683. The original accounts for its erection are still preserved in the Court Files (Book 40:29).

Whereas The worshipfull William Browne Bartholomew Gidney & Major Samuell Appleton Eqrs. appoynted us whose names are under written a Committee to agree with workmen for the Erecting of a new Bridg upon the Country Road: upon the River below the Mills in Ipswich Wee doe hereby Informe yer Honors of what nessesary Cost according to Contracts wee have bene out upon the same: & for passing over the said River untill sd Bridg was Erected.

It.        to a Road to serve Cross the River to pull over
It.        to soe much as wee agreed w^th Abraham
            Tilton the Builder for his work                                                           100=00=100
It.        to soe much due to Capt. John Appleton
            for digging Rocks & Carting them: & for
            Carting Gravell to the Bridg as appeareth
            in his pticular acc^t examined &tc                                                         006=13=00
It.        to Jacob Foster: due for such Labo^r                                                    004=00=03
It.        to John Edwards: due for the like labou^r                                             002=15=00
It.        to John Low for the like labo^r                                                               000. 14=00
It.        to Jn⁰Kimball due for like labo^r                                                            000 19=11
It.        to Jonathan Lumas fo^r Carting Gravell                                               001=19=00
It.        to pticular psons for the laying stones &
            throwing up Gravell & spreading as in their
            pticular accts. examined                                                                    003—13—06
It.        to soe much for Oakm Tarr & Calking
            the planks                                                                                                000=19=0
It.        to Jeremiah Jewett for Carting Rocks                                                  001=10=0
It.        to soe much for Drink to the workmen w^ch
            wrought at the bridge ends 6 Gallon of
            small bear & 2 qts of Ljq^rs                                                                  000—04=00
It.        to Neh. Jewett for Cost & fees                                                            000—08.00

“Coll. John Appleton Esq. & Col. Jn^oWainwright Esq. Major Francis Wainwright Lieut. John Whipple & Mr. James Burnham be a Committee to consider what way be most proper in regard to our Great Bridge.”

Again, in 1719, the Selectmen were instructed to “provide a suitable foot bridge over the River with all convenient expedition and also that they wait on the next Quarter Sessions to consult and advise with them about the erecting a new bridge.”

In 1764, the volume of travel over the County road had become so great that another new bridge was necessary, and it was decided by the Town that the old bridge was six or eight feet too narrow and that the new one should be twenty feet wide. A wooden bridge seems to have been contemplated, and it was proposed that two abutments already built be extended into the river not exceeding three feet, and that not less than twenty-eight or more than thirty feet be left between the abutments and the central pier. Application was made to the Court of General Sessions to levy half the expense upon the County, and the Court coincided in the necessity of thorough rebuilding. Eventually a stone bridge was decided upon, and the stately structure, which still stands, was completed at a cost of £996 l0s. 6 ¾d. The Committee appended its account for supervision. The Court allowed the bills for construction, but took exception to the Committee’s “extraordinary charge for Care and Trouble.”

The Stone Bridge became again the source of much spirited controversy, when it was found to be too narrow. The County and Town began their conferences regarding the widening in March, 1829. Unfortunately the hot fight over the bridge at Warner’s Mills was in full swing, and the Town was not prepared to listen kindly to another scheme of bridge building which would involve large expense. The scheme was dropped for the time, but in February, 1834, Joseph Wait and 194 others made a fresh appeal for the widening. A committee was appointed to estimate the cost, and confer with the County Commissioners. It reported that the County would bear half the expense, but the Town distrusted the astuteness of its committee, and appointed a new committee to guard its interests.

At this time Mr. Joseph L. Ross had his dwelling, barn and blacksmith shop on the ledges in front of the Seminary building, a most unsightly and inconvenient location. It was now proposed, in connection with the widening of the bridge, to make a thorough work of public improvement by removing this old eyesore and making a broader and more convenient thoroughfare up the hill. The County Commissioners re-located the highway over a portion of the Ross land, paying him $800 for what was taken. A public subscription netted $654, the buildings were sold for $470, and the Committee reported on Dec. 8, 1834, that only $126 more was needed to secure title to the land. The Town voted to raise this amount, provided the whole lot should be in the highway forever. It was voted also to petition the County Commissioners to include it in the highway.

The lay out of the road up the hill led to fresh difficulties. A new location was desired, and there were various conferences with the County authorities, but at last the Town voted on May 16, 1836, to proceed with the bridge widening and road building, provided the Town should not be liable for more than $1,200 expense on the bridge, and that it be widened to 30 feet at least, and that the road up the hill be constructed, provided the Town’s share of the expense should not exceed $1,000. Ephraim F. Miller, Frederic Mitchell and Ezekiel Dodge were chosen a committee to execute the work. This committee was authorized, on July 25, 1836, to let out the contract for the road building, but the widening of the bridge was referred to the next Town Meeting.

“to remonstrate to the Legislature against the passage of any Act that shall make the Town liable to any part of the expense of widening Choate’s bridge said Bridge being over tide waters.”

This clever device for escaping from any share in the cost failed of its end, and in June the Town received an order from the County Commissioners. This was referred to a committee, but man after man refused to accept appointment. Finally, Joseph Farley, Daniel Cogswell, and Otis P. Lord consented to serve. The question of widening was indefinitely postponed by the Town on August 15, 1837. Again, in June, 1838, in response to an order from the County, action was again indefinitely postponed. So the battle was waged, though the result was inevitable. The Town was in fighting mood, and when the County ordered the Town, on January 21, 1839, to pay, as its portion, $1,037.50, a committee was chosen to take legal advice, though the amount assessed was well within the $1,200 the Town had agreed to pay in 1836. The battle of the Stone Bridge had surpassed in virulence the former battle of Warner’s Bridge.

When the fourth bridge across the river was planned, in the spring of 1861, the great crisis of the Civil War was at hand, and the single vote recorded on March 11th, instructed the Selectmen to build a road from Col. Win. Baker’s to Zenas Cushing’s, and another granite bridge was built forthwith. Twenty years afterward a wooden bridge, at the foot of Green Street, was built by vote of the Town on October 12, 1881, which was replaced by an arched bridge of stone by vote of May 14, 1894. Singularly enough, the men living on Turkey Shore petitioned on March 27, 1719, for this very privilege.

“The inhabitants of the Lower End of the Town on the South side of the River petition the Town for liberty to build a bridge over the river at their own charges & cost from . . . Lane to Foster Lane, convenient for horse and men to pass over.

               Philemon Dane                                             Simon Wood
                    Thos. Hovey                                                 Wm. Hunt
                    Wm. Howard                                                Wm. Hunt Jr.
                    Sam. Howard                                                Jacob Boarman
                    Dan. Hovey                                                  Thos. Hodgkins.”

The desired privilege was granted, provided the river be not obstructed, but was not improved.

The lower falls, as has been already noted, were recognized as a valuable mill power very early, and various grants were made. Jonathan Wade probably built a saw mill about the year 1673, when the small, rocky island was given him, and his heirs, Jonathan, Thomas and Elizabeth, conveyed to Joseph Caleffe and Francis Crompton their title in “a certain saw mill and fulling mill now standing together at ye Falls in ye Great River,” and “an island and privileges as granted to our predecessors,” May 16, 1702 (18:172). Crompton sold “my third part of Island and fulling mill and saw mill” to Robert Calef, son of Joseph, Feb. 2, 1714 (29:76), who received liberty from the Town to build a grist mill. He sold the whole property to William Dodge of Wenham, Nov. 22, 1729 (54:169).

Mr. Dodge came to the Town the following year, 1730, with the oft-repeated request for the privilege to dam the river, “at the end of Green Lane, so called, near Srg. Clark’s formerly so called,” and remove the grist mill to this site, but the Town negatived his petition. He sold a two-thirds interest in the mills to Col. John Choate and Andrew Burley, and the remainder to his son, William Dodge Jr., March 22, 1748 (94:222), the use of the power being conditioned, “when the water runs over any part of the dam in said river, between y^e saw mill, now of John Treadwell and the corn mill on y^e other side of y^edam, etc.,” i. e. the upper dam. This restriction of the water power may have been the reason of the repeated requests for a new location, and after a year’s experience, Mr. Dodge, the new owner, made his petition to the Town, and on June 26, 1749, liberty was given him to remove and raise his mill dam under the direction of the Selectmen, at a more convenient place in the river, keeping the same height as the old dam, and “to raise such works upon his Dam as to stop the Tide in times of Drought, the same to be always under the regulation of the Selectmen, as to the height and time when they shall be put up and when they shall be taken down.”

But again the coveted privilege lapsed. Abraham Choate sold the two-thirds interest to Col. Isaac Dodge, son of William, Feb. 6, 1772 (130:43), and William Jr., his brother, sold his interest to him, Dec. 31, 1783 (147:169). Many years before, Isaac had requested the Town to release him from working on the highways in any other locality, obliging himself to raise the bridge over the little falls, and the ground on either side, and put good rails on each side of the bridge, March 3, 1761.

The allusion to the bridge is interesting, confirming the belief that a foot bridge was established here in the early days of the Town. Thomas Wells’s grant of a house lot was located “ner the foot-bridge.”[9]A single tree trunk from the primitive forest would have spanned the space that separated the rocky island in mid-stream from either bank, and the ancient two-rod way by the water side would have allowed the approach to it. Again, in 1719, the Selectmen were instructed to provide a suitable foot-bridge over the river with all convenient expedition, and also to wait on the next Quarter Sessions to consult and advise with them about the erecting a new bridge.

The mills continued in the Dodge ownership for many years. Col. Isaac bequeathed the grist mills, the old one and another, recently newly erected, and a saw mill, to his son Nathaniel, in 1786 (Pro. Rec. 358:518), and Nathaniel bequeathed in turn to his brother-in-law, Major Thomas Burnham, soldier and schoolmaster, who had married his sister Rebecca (1792, Pro. Rec. 361 :522). The Major sold to Mary Farley and John Baker 3d, July 20, 1820 (224:73), who conveyed the same day to Geo. W. Heard (231:115). He sold to his brother, Capt. Augustine Heard, Dec. 1, 1824, and Augustine conveyed to the Ipswich Manufacturing Co., Dec. 22, 1837 (302:205). The Ipswich Mills sold to Frederic Damon, May 25, 1870 (988:85), and his heirs still own. The larger mill was nearly destroyed by fire many years ago, and has been entirely removed. The grist mill has fallen into ruin, and the ancient water power, which contributed to the convenience of the Town for so many generations, is entirely unused. The “Island” is scarcely recognized, as the Stone Bridge, built in 1861, connected it with the mainland, but its original shore may be seen at several points.

The “Great Cove,” as it was called, or “Hunt’s Cove,” where the river meets the tidewater, was a busy place in the olden times. There was much canoe traffic up and down the river, and the fishing industry was extensive. So there was frequent demand for wharfing privileges.

A wharf by Mr. Rust’s is mentioned in a deed of neighboring property in 1692,[10] This was near the present Town landing.[11] Samuel Hunt received a grant on the Turkey Shore road, and the family continued there many years. His sons, William and Joseph Hunt, obtained a grant of fifty feet on the water side at “y^e poynt of rocks, below Goodman Hunt Sen. barn,” to build a wharf on, if done in one year, in March, 1691/2.

A petition was read at the Town meeting, March 26, 1722, from the whole neighborhood, signed by Simon Wood, Daniel Rindge, Philemon Dane, William Hunt, Thomas Perrin, Joseph Fuller, Nathaniel Fuller, James Fuller, William Hunt Jr., Thomas Hovey, William Howard, Thomas Wade, Thomas Burnham 4th, Jonathan Fellows, and Daniel Hodgkins, praying for leave to build a wharf in Hunt’s Cove, “for our benefit to land our hay and convenience and for carting up the same.” The petition was granted, provided it did not infringe any other grant, and a good wharf should be completed within two years, so that a cart could go on and off in safety. The wharf was to belong to them only as long as they kept it in repair. These conditions seem to have not been fulfilled, as a new petition was made for a wharf in Hunt’s Cove:

“beginning at the east corner of Samuel Ayers his land and then extending down against W^m Hunt Jun. his house, as far as may be thought necessary, there being no wharf nor any place thereabout kept in repair fit for such occasions.”

Capt. Ammi Ruhaniah Wise owned and occupied the corner where the meeting house of the South Church stands, and there was included in his lot, land on the Cove. He addressed a petition to the Town in 1729, requesting that for the security and safe keeping of his vessels, more especially in the Winter season, he may be favored with a grant of some of the flats at the westernmost part of the Great Cove, whereon he purposed to build a wharf, of the same breadth with the front of his close next the said Cove. The Town granted him a location adjoining the land of Mr. Increase How, the tavern keeper. The wharf was built, and when the Wise property was sold to Solomon Giddings Jr., April 9, 1771 (129:121), it included land on the Cove, with the wharf and buildings. Capt. Gideon Parker, who sold the property in 1764, was a shipwright. Solomon Giddings Jr. was of the same craft, and carried on his trade of ship-building, and when he sold to Col. Isaac Dodge in 1785, he specified “the ship-yard lot,” 16 square rods (144 :122).[12] Capt. Augustine Heard sold the Swasey house, with the ship-yard to Dea. Zenas Cushing, in 1855. John Fitts, a leather-dresser by trade, bought of Isaac Fitts of Newbury, an old dwelling with a quarter-acre lot, and a ten-rod lot on the Cove, “bounded north-east upon the landing place known as Rust’s wharf,” Aug. 20, 1737 (79:185). John Fitts Jr. stated to the Town, March 14, 1733/4, being then a tenant probably, that he thought himself justly entitled to a piece of land before his door, between Capt. Wise’s warehouse and his own garden, and wishing to make his title sure, he asked for a grant of the same, binding himself to wharf it up next the river and keep the highway in good repair. His petition was granted, provided that he and his heirs make and maintain a good highway, sixteen feet wide, between his house yard and the granted premises.

Dr. Joseph Manning asked for a grant of 30 feet on the river bank, between Mr. Dodge’s mill and the Lime kiln, where he might build a wharf, in 1731, and a committee assigned him a location, beginning 40 feet north of the south corner of the Lime kiln rock, and extending 30 feet into the river. Aaron Stephens had received a grant of a small lot, “by the Lime Pit Rock over against Serg. Hunt’s” in 1730, and Thomas Lord was allowed a lot south of Stephens, with 12 rods frontage on the river, in 1732, for a ship-building yard. Thomas Pierce, the Town Crier, had a grant northeast of Stephens, and his house probably stood on the site now occupied by the residence of Mr. Howard Lakeman. An old cellar was disclosed when the foundation of the Lakeman house was laid.

This steep bank, with its nearness to the channel, seems to have been very attractive for boat-landings or wharves and notwithstanding the numerous grants already made, in the year 1737 Henry Wise, Emerson Cogswell, Is^aKnowlton, Daniel Pottar, Thomas Prince and Nathan Jackson preferred their request, “showing that they have built a small boat for the accomodation of a fish-market near said Pierce’s,” and praying that they may have the improvement of about 8 rods adjoining Pierce’s land, “supposing they may have reason to dry & make fish there.”

The most important industry that was established here was the distillery. William Hunt sold to Wm. Dodge, baker, his 2 acre lot, and “also all his right to the wharf in Hunt’s Cove, April 9, 1745 (91:134). William Dodge Jr. sold to William Story, of Boston, a piece of land near his home, “bounded west on the road leading to my wharf, four and a quarter rods, north on my land purchased of William Hunt, eight rods,” Oct. 9, 1765 (125 :224). Mr. Story probably built the large distill-house at once. He sold a half interest in the property, with its two distills, two worms, two worm-tubs, etc., to John Heard, May 1, 1770 (128:171), and the rest to his son, William Story Jr. (129 :11). Mr. Heard acquired complete title to the property, and for many years the distillery was in active operation, and many vessels from the West Indies discharged their freight of molasses at the neighboring wharf. He sold a small lot, with half the wharf adjoining, to Richard Lakeman Jr., Dec. 13:1805 (236:226), and conveyed the distillery to his son, George W. Heard, Feb. 10, 1818 (217:234). Mr. George W. Heard “now considerably engaged in the distilling business, and as the depth of water in the Cove adjoining his distill-house is not sufficient for coasting vessels of sufficient burthen to be brought to the wharf now made,” petitioned for leave to build and erect a wharf from the ledge of rocks near the corner of Capt. Ebenezer Caldwell’s land. The committee to which the request was referred, recommended a grant, beginning at the ledge of rocks on the south-east side of the Cove near Capt. Ebenezer Caldwell’s land, then west 100 ft., with a breadth of 45 ft., measuring from low water mark to the bank of said Cove, with the privilege of a cart way over the Town land, and the recommendation was adopted on April 6, 1818. The question of title arose some years later, and the committee of investigation regarding the Town landings[13]reported that the evidence of many showed that the landing and the wharf adjoined the wharf of John Heard was a free public landing. The wharf had been repaired by Surveyors. No private person ever demanded wharfage until two years since, about which time George W. Heard enlarged the wharf and has demanded wharfage. Their conclusion was singularly easygoing:

“We have asked him to show title. He says it is too much trouble to look up and the town must prove he has no title.”[14]

Regarding the name “Turkey Shore,” Rev. Mr. Frisbie, pastor of the First Church, wrote a letter in 1804, regarding Rev. William Hubbard, who married for his second wife, Mary, the widow of Samuel Pierce:

“Mr. Foster, a Deacon of Dr. Dana’s Society, ninety years old, whose memory is good, says that he lived in a house about 100 rods from Dr. Dana’s meeting house, near the high banks of Ipswich River, commonly known here by the name of Turkey shore, and of his house (i. e. Rev. William Hubbard’s) the place and cellar is yet to be seen.”[15]

Continuing down the river, the high steep bank on the south side seems to have offered no facilities for landing, but as soon as the easier slope was reached, the wharf privileges were again sought. Daniel Hovey had bought land of William Knowlton, and he received permit to build a wharf “against ground he bought of William Knowlton,” in 1659, now owned by Mr. Robert S. Kimball. In the year 1652 he received from the Town liberty “to set his fence down to the river at the ground bought of William Knowlton, making a stile at each end, and the land still notwithstanding is the Town’s.” In the original land grants along the river side, the Town reserved a way two rods wide for public use. It is specified in the grant to George Carr, near the house of the late I. A. Rogers, on the north side of the river, in the year 1635:

“George Carr is possessed of a house lott about half an acre butting on the South upon the Town River on the East by a planting lott of his own on the North by a planting lott of Daniel Clarke’s with liberty granted him to fence the sayd house lott as low as the low water mark provided that he leave a way or gate for passage, according to a former Town order of freedom for [ ] by the river.”

“It is agreed that Thomas Clarke shall have liberty to sett downe Tan fatts at the end of his planting lott upon the two rodds reserved by the River.”

Clarke’s tannery was on Water Street, between Sumner and Hovey Streets. The same two-rod way is recognized in the deed of Moses Treadwell to James Safford of an acre by the river side, April 7, 1818 (222 :202), now included in the County House lot:

“reserving any right that the Town of Ipswich may have of turning or tracking vessels or boats up and down the river or passing over the land for that purpose.”

In this case there is reason to believe that there was a well travelled way on the river bank from Green Lane, which was anciently known as Bridge Street, to the foot-bridge at the lower falls. Though a bridge was petitioned for at the foot of Green Street, none was ever built until -----

A Committee to view the Common Lands of the Town reported on October 8, 1668:

“….And on the Towne River parcels of Thatch banks by Mr. Borman’s island by John Perkins his Island (less two rod from highwater mark reserved by the Towne on each side the Town River)….”

Daniel Hovey Sen. of Quaboag sold Abraham Perkins half an acre on the bank of the river,

“extending on the other sides toward the river within two rods of high water mark.”

A committee to lay out reserves on the north side of the river, reported their doings on January 27, 1700/1:

“….they went about the middle of September, 1700, and beginning at the eastern side of that marsh y^t formerly was Ensign Howlett’s by y^e River side from thence they went all the way that marsh went which Ips^ch Selectmen sold to Payne’s Creek, leaving a rodd distance all y^e way between s^d marsh & High water at ordinary Nep tides all y^e way as y^e River runs making many marks for bounds. Lieut. Samuel Appleton, Maj^r Francis Wainwright & Thomas Lovell Sen. Lay^d out a way a Rod & halfe wide & sett stakes on both sides. The same all y^e way from Manning’s Neck to Robinson’ s Creek.

Two other grants were made in the vicinity of Daniel Hovey’s land. Simon Wood, James Fuller and Daniel Ringe received a grant of seventy feet front, bordering on the land of Thomas Smith, near Daniel Hovey’s, on March 4, 1691/2; and shortly after, William Haywood, or Howard, and Joseph Fuller asked for a similar grant near by. In 1756, William Dodge petitioned for 45 feet, down to low water mark, by the land of Silvanus Lakeman. Grant was made, with the usual provisos, and the special condition that

“the petitioner does not cumber or impede the cart passage over the river between said wharf and the land of William Robins heirs with cables, anchors, Fasts or otherwise.”

The allusion to the “cart passage” is interesting. William Robins Jr. bought the Thomas Smith lot in 1728, and it passed eventually to Wm. Fuller Andrews, and latterly to Josiah Mann and Frank Burke. It shows that the road which leads down to the river at this point, which is mentioned in very early deeds, was the approach to an old ford-way over the river, which was a convenient way of communication between the eastern end of the Town and the lands and the Bay Road on the south side of the river.

The mention of cables, anchors and fasts, suggests that Mr. Dodge planned a substantial structure. It was built so well and strong, that it was still in use in 1819, when Ebenezer Caldwell and his wife Mercy, granddaughter of the builder, sold it to George W. Heard (218 :277), and when Augustine and George W. Heard sold it to Benjamin Kimball and Silvanus Caldwell, Sept. 25, 1838, it measured still 45 feet, and was “under the same conditions granted by the Town in 1756” (322:171). In the days when the distillery was in full swing many West India cargoes were unloaded here.

Sergeant Thomas Clarke and Robert Pierce received a grant of wharf privilege near Clarke’s land in 1662. Thomas Smith, a tailor, bought the Clark property in 1694, and in 1729, William Urann petitioned for and received a 30 foot grant before the house of his father-in-law, Thomas Smith, to lay up his vessel.

Deacon Moses Pengry, the salt maker, built a house on the lot, now occupied by the old Sutton house, which he bought of Jacob Foster in 1673, and conveyed it to his son Moses, July 2, 1684 (Ips. Deeds 5 :96). The Deacon asked and received “liberty for his son Moses to have liberty upon the bank by Jacob Foster’s land to build vessels, provided he does not interrupt the highway,” in 1673. A shipyard was in operation here for many years, and Summer Street was long known as Shipyard Lane.

The river bank on the north side of the river was low, affording easy access to the water, and was near the more thickly settled portion of the town. Grants for wharves began to be made at a very early date, and some of the structures then erected were or came to be, the wharves which still remain.

On Dec. 3, 1641, liberty was granted to Mr. William Payne to build a warehouse and wharf, the conditions being left for further consideration. In 1681, the petition of Simon Stace to build a wharf was granted. He asked for a location forty feet in length on the highway, “where Mr. Paine’s brew-house or warehouse was.” The Town refused this, but the committee

“laid out to said Stace 40 foote of land’ beginning at the eastern end of a stone that is about 132 foote from the west end of the Town wharfe.”

Mr. Stace built his wharf forthwith but came again to the Town, in February, 1684/5, entreating it

“to grant me liberty to carry out the uper end of my wharfe one rod in length next the bank, that it may be so much longer next the bank than it now is by the River, it being no damage to any man excepting myself, having laid out allmost ten pounds and not received ten shillings.”

Francis Wainwright was authorized in 1667 to build a wharf against his warehouse, and again in 1685 he had permission to make fifty feet of wharf below Ensign Simon Stacy. Francis and John Wainwright represented that they had already “been at great charge to build a wharf.” Their wharf was not kept in good repair, however, and the Town voted, in March, 1704/5, that any persons who would help in repairing Col. and Major Wainwright’s wharf might have liberty to use the same. “Col. and Major Wainwright granted this liberty in open Town meeting.”

“That the Selectmen view Mr. Wainwright’s wharfe & consider what it will cost to repair it for y^e Town’s benefitt & make report y^r off to the Town att the next meeting, also to view Mr. Farley’s bridge y^t leads to his Mill about repairs y^r off.”

John Wainwright and Samuel Appleton Jr. both largely engaged in mercantile enterprises, asked for another grant of about forty-five feet of the flats at the easterly side of Mr. Wainwright’s wharf in July, 1722, which was granted in the following January.

“They will be at the expense of keeping up & repairing at their own cost a considerable piece of very bad way which costs the Town much labor & time now in repairing, and the flats they propose to wharf & set a salt house on are of no use to the Town, while the fishing & trading industry will have advantage.”

The Wainwright heirs sold their interest to Jeremiah Staniford, Dec. 7, 1773 (147 :141), and it was known as Staniford’s wharf until Richard Lakeman bought a controlling interest from Ebenezer Staniford in 1804 (173:241) and 1813 (201:117), John Newmarch Jr. owning one-third (173 :241). It was now known as Lakeman’s wharf, and was used by Capt. Lakeman in his extensive fishing business. The Newmarch heirs sold their interest to Sylvanus Caldwell, June 9, 1856 (627 :275). Ebenezer Lakeman conveyed the two-thirds conveyed to him by his grandfather, Capt. Richard Lakeman, to Capt. Richard T. Dodge, May 11, 1868 (850:260), who carried on a large coal business and built the coal sheds.

Symon Stace sold his wharf property to John Holland, Jan. 8, 1694/5 (94 :111). The deed describes the bounds, “one end of it by Mr. Wainwright’s land, y^e other by common land.” The Holland heirs conveyed to Thomas Wells, land with a house, bounded on the east by the “way leading on to Wainwright’s wharf, on the west end by common land,” May 17, 1747 (90: 201). Jonathan Wells sold to Dr. John Calef, physician and merchant, whose Tory sentiments obliged him to leave his business operations and his home at the beginning of the Revolutionary war, Dec. 28, 1761 (115:211). Dr. Calef sold a third to Captain John Smith, April 4, 1765 (117:102), a third to Samuel Sawyer on the same date (128 :221), and a third to John Heard, “now known as Calef and Sawyer’s wharf and warehouse,” March 22, 1777 (135:264). Samuel Sawyer acquired another third by purchase from Aaron Smith, son of Capt. John, April 17, 1771 (160:201), and sold a third to Thomas Dodge, July 8, 1786 (160:266), who conveyed the same to Capt. Ephraim Kendall, June 13, 1796 (162 :74). It was owned successively by Jonathan Kendall, Oct. 5, 1804 (188:220), David Pulsifer, June 3, 1809 (190:9, 10), George W. Heard, July 8. 1824 (240:66), Aaron P. Lord, Mar. 26, 1836 (319:230).

Mr. Lord married Sarah Sawyer, Aug. 28, 1823. . . . He conveyed two-thirds of the wharf and land “beginning at the westerly corner thereof at a stone, and thence running north east” 5 rods 20 lying in common with the other third owned by heirs of Samuel Sawyer to Ebenezer Cogswell, June 7, 1842 (376: 130). Joseph and Ebenezer Cogswell acquired the other third, March 27, 1847 (380:37), and sold the whole property to Sylvanus Caldwell, Nov. 14, 1849 (433:202). His heirs sold to Aaron Cogswell an undivided half of Sawyer’s wharf and an undivided third of the adjoining “Wainwright wharf, now Lakeman’s” (715:178).

The grant to Simon Stace in 1681 was bounded on its western corner by “a stone that is about 132 foote from the west end of the Town wharfe.” The Town voted in 1653:

“The Surveyors shall have power to call out all the Town one day work both men and teams to the filling up of a wharf and mending the street against it.”

The wharf was built but was not properly completed, as is evident from the vote:

“The Selectmen being informed that the wharf is in danger to be carried away this winter for want of filling up do order the surveyor of highways to take care thereof and to warn such as they shall judge meet to cutt faggots and carts to carry them in and there to land it up under such penalty as they are liable to for defect in other highwaye worke.”

The Town voted further, May 23, 1734, that Ensign George Hart be wharffinger at the Town wharf near his house,[16]and that the Selectmen agree with him for his trouble, he being authorized to demand and receive toll. On March 11, 1736/7, Ensign Hart chosen to have oversight of the Town’s wharf, lately rebuilt near his house, and if any persons neglected to pay toll within six days after demand was made, he was impowered to prosecute. No further mention of it occurs in the Town record’s. It may be that it occupied a portion of the space still included in the Town landing.

Obadiah Wood, a “biskett-baker,” was the original owner of the land bounded by Water Street on the south. Capt. Andrew Diamond, who had large fishing interests with Francis Wainwright at the Isles of Shoals, and had his wharf and fish stages at “Diamond Stage,” acquired the corner lot in 1673, and later, Captain York, the next owner, sold a quarter acre lot on the west side of his house lot to Jabesh Sweet, April 17:1713 (25: 267). Nathaniel Tuckerman owned another small lot adjoining Sweet’s in 1690, and west of this was the lot of Peter Peniwell, mariner. These lots apparently did not reach to low water, and there was some disputing as to title.

Capt. Diamond may have had a wharf near his dwelling. Captain Samuel York, who bought from the Diamond heirs, April 28, 1713 (25:197), certainly had such a convenience. His widow, Mary, conveyed a part to John Manning (176:179), and Samuel Griffing and his wife, Hannah, daughter of Captain York, and administrators of the widow’s estate, sold a half acre with the wharf in 1772 to John Berry (130:233), who conveyed to Abraham Dodge in 1773 (133:160), who sold to Capt. Moses Harris in 1777 (139 :118). This deed describes the lot, and continues, “thence athwart said highway down to the river at low water mark, south by the river down to the Town landing and said highway, about 60 feet, excepting the highway.” The widow of Moses Harris conveyed a third of the wharf to Thomas Hodgkins, 1789 (156:145), who sold to Benjamin Averill, May, 1793 (156:149), including “the landing and landing on the front of sd. premises, to the river.” Benjamin conveyed to Warren Averill (809 :1).

The deed of Captain York to Jabesh Sweet granted him the free use of the wharf. The administrator of the estate of Mary Sweet sold to Isaac Dodge, with the use of the wharf, Aug. 29, 1778 (142: 141). Mr. Dodge sold the northeast half of the house on the lot to David Pulcifer in 1795 (159 :205), and he had previously sold the other half to Abraham Perkins, Dec. 27, 1779 (138 :112). Mr. Pulcifer sold to his son, Bickford, with 3/7 of the undivided half of the land on the water side, Nov. 1797 (162 :275). He acquired the other half of the house and land from the Perkins heirs in 1833 (268 :163), and conveyed to his son David, in 1836 (294:276), who sold the house and lot and wharf to James Damon, May 24:1875 (936:4).

The Tuckerman lot[17]was owned successively by Richard Holland, 1711, Edward Eveleth, 1717, and was sold by the administrator of the latter to Capt. William Start, Oct. 6, 1726 (47: 203). The Penniwell lot adjoining was owned by Zaccheus Newmarch in 1690, John Harris in 1696, who sold his house and land to Thomas Harris Jr. in 1723 (43 :260). Capt. Start addressed a petition to the Town on March 4, 1728/9, praying that as he lives “by the water side and by the fishery, he may for his accommodation as well as for the benefit of the highway before his front have a grant of the land to begin next to the grant made to Andrew Sargeant dec’d Anno 1665 & so running up the river within ten feet of land petitioned for by Capt. Perkins and he will wharf out the same.”

On the same date action was taken on the petition of Capt. Stephen Perkins for about 20 feet of front to extend easterly from the head of his wharf, “for enlarging the same for his accommodation in laying his vessels and also for enlarging the way there, so that a Team and cart may turn without difficulty, which at present cannot be done.”

“notwithstanding Mr. Harris lays claim to it, but we could not find said Harris had any right to the land petitioned for and further than the highway.”

Both petitions were granted, conditioned on improvement in two years. Apparently the petition of Capt. Perkins covered land opposite Mr. Harris’s lot. The grant to Andrew Sargent in 1685, was made in answer to his request for a wharf lot against his land, “which is now very much washed away by the freshet almost to my fence which maketh it very unfit for anybody to pass that way.” Apparently he occupied the land afterwards owned by Jabesh Sweet.

After the death of Capt. Perkins, his heirs sold the warehouse and wharf to Thomas Harris Jr., the aggrieved neighbor, “bounded northwest by a path adjoining Harris’s orchard, north by a landing place down to low water mark, and south west from low water mark by ye Rocky point up to ye path first mentioned.” 1733 (70:13, 14.)

The William Start property was conveyed by George Start of Boxford and others to Francis Pulcifer, Oct. 24, 1758 (107:90), who conveyed to William Galloway, June 21, 1760 (108:246). Josiah Caldwell and others sold the same to Josiah Lord, with wharf, Oct. 26, 1839 (315 :291). Josiah Lord sold the same to Ebenezer Pulcifer, Dec. 16, 1847 (391:148), who sold to his brother, David, who included it, with wharf it carried with it, in his sale to James Damon, in May, 1875.

The Perkins wharf and the house lot were sold by Moses Harris to Francis Pulcifer Jr., March 22, 1873 (134 :78). His administrator conveyed to John Stanwood, June 27, 1809 (187: 233).

These three wharves, Averill’s, Pulcifer’s, and Stanwood’s, were separated from each other by
intervening docks or landings, where coasters and fishermen were laid up for the winter. A contention arose as to these landings, and a committee made a report to the Town Meeting, April 7, 1834, defining the limits of the Town landing between Stanwood’s and Pulcifer’s wharves, which was accepted and put on file. The Selectmen were authorized to remove any stones or other obstacles to the. public use of the landing. In the Spring of 1836, Ebenezer Pulcifer had taken the landing into his own possession. A committee was appointed to see what title he had, but the report was indefinitely postponed. As late as 1860, the old schooners Helena and Boxer were wintered there. Eventually, with the decay of the local fleet, these slips came to be regarded as useless, and as a measure of economy, later owners built a continuous front wall and filled the old landings.

Aaron Wallis and others came to the Town on February 18, 1836, with a plan for the improvement of the flats adjoining East Street, below Lakeman’s Wharf. They preferred the request:

“That the Town would grant all its right to the upland, flats and water north of Lakeman’s wharf (so called), south east of East St. to a passage way or street leading to Thomas Spiller’s house, thence by said passage way or Street to a point opposite and distant about 50 feet called Spiller’s Point on the margin of the river, thence south west to said Spiller’s Pt. for the purpose of converting the same into a mill pond for grain and other mills by constructing a wharf, Wharves or Dam from said Spiller’s Pt. on a curve line to the north east corner of Lake-man’s Whf.”

This was referred to a committee, and when the committee reported, it was postponed indefinitely.

The old wharf higher up the stream, now in the last stages of decay, was built by Stephen Baker Jr., who bought the house lot, with Gilbert Conant as a partner, and opened a lumber yard, April 29:1836 (289 :180). After passing through several owners, the lot and wharf were purchased by Lewis Choate, April 1, 1834 (519 :250). He built many vessels, fishermen and coasters, in his shipyard near the house, launching them on the west side of the wharf.

[1] The Old Bay Road, p. 27.

[2] The Old Bay Road, pp. 10, 11.

[3] See Ipswich in Mass. Day, p. 462.

[4] Ipswich in Mass. Bay, pp. 329, 330.

[5] June, 127, Joseph parley put up the old watering place.

[6] For the detailed narrative of these lots, see Ipswich in the Mass. Bay. p. 466, On the River Bank.

[7] Ipswlch in Mass. Bay, pp. 199, 201, 219.

[8] For a full history of the Lace Companies see Publication 23, Ipswich Historical Society.

[9] Ipswich in Mass. Bay, 443, 444.

[10] Ipswich In Mass. Bay, p. 475.

[11]Ipswich In Mass. Bay, pp. 448, 450. “Rush’s Wharf,” 1737, p. 455.

[12] Ipswich in Mass. Bay. pp. 454, 455.

[13] The Committee reported the bounds of the Town landing in the Cove and the Heard wharf, March 29, 1832.

[14] Ipswich in Mass. Bay, p. 412.

[15] Mass. Historical Society Collection, Series 1:32.

[16] Ensign George Hart bought a house and land, part of the Hovey land on the south side of the river, June 5, 1718. Ipswich in Mass. Bay. p. 483.

[17] Ipswich In Mass. Bay, p. 406.

Cover Thomas Franklin Waters Ipswich Books Publications of theHist Society