)2t 1405 GENEALOGY COLLECTION 3 1833 01095 5661 TOWN RECORDS OF M^, SALE MASSACHUSE TJTJS . VOLUME I 1634-1659 SALEM, MASS. THE ESSEX INSTITUTE 1868 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013 http://archive.org/details/townrecordsofsalv1sale \ IN >j ESSEX INSTITUTE HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS. Tol. IX. 1868,-Second Series, Vol. I. INTRODUCTION. 1271405 One of the principal objects of the Essex Institute, as defined in its Charter, and in its Constitution, is the col- lection AND PRESERVATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE HIS- TORY of the county of Essex. The publication of the Historical Collections of the Essex Institute was commenced in April, 1859, with a view to accomplish this more fully, and thus to preserve in the most durable form, and, at the same time, to render accessible to all students of our local history the valuable materials that are found in the ancient manuscript Records of Courts, Parishes, Churches, and Towns in this county; ab- stracts of Wills, Deeds, and Journals ; records or minutes of Births, Marriages, Deaths, Baptisms ; In- scriptions on tomb-stones, etc. ; Genealogical tables, and Biographical notices. Selections are made by the Publication Committee from these sources, and from re- ports and papers of historical interest read at meetings of the Institute. Eight volumes have now been issued, and it is believed ESSEX INST. HIST. COLLECTIONS, SER. 2, VOL. I. 1 Jan., 1868. that a very comprehensive and important collection has already been made. Much, however, remains to be done ; for hardly another locality in the country possesses so many ancient and valuable manuscript records. With the present volume, the ninth, which will com- mence a New Series, it has been deemed advisable to adopt the more convenient octavo form. The peculiar form heretofore used is explained by the fact that the ar- ticles were at first printed in a newspaper, and then the type simply arranged in double column for the Collec- tions. This method was soon abandoned, but the form of the paging was retained. Much inconvenience, delay, and expense have been occasioned by the difficulty of pro- curing paper for such a size ; and besides this, in cases where a contributor desires to have extra copies of any communication struck off in pamphlet form, the octavo page is generally preferred. Subscribers have also com- plained of the difficulty of keeping the bound volumes in an ordinary library. For such reasons, the change has been made, and we hope it will meet the approval of our subscribers. The Committee would here acknowledge the gratitude due to those who have so generously aided in this work, both contributors and subscribers. As the object of this publication is not so much to furnish popular reading, as to convey information to those interested in the study of the early history of this community, or in the investiga- tion of family genealogies, and to hand down to posterity that knowledge which would otherwise be lost in oblivion, \ j we are obliged to rely for its support upon the public ^ spirit of those who stand ready to assist every good work, as well as upon the few immediately interested. The last two volumes have been printed under the superintendence of editors appointed by the Publication V Committee, and this volume, in accordance with the same plan, will be edited by one of the members of the com- mittee, appointed for the purpose, who will act under the direction of the Committee. It is a source of satisfaction to reflect that the Institute, without funds, and relying solely upon the contributions of individuals, and the encouragement of other Societies, has been able to carry on so successfully its appointed work. A Library of twenty-four thousand bound vol- umes and fifty thousand pamphlets has been gathered together. Its very valuable scientific collection will be hereafter kept at the East India Marine Hall, under the care of the Trustees of the Peabody Fund, together with the unique, and in many respects unequalled museum of the East India Marine Society, and will doubtless, when ready for inspection and study, attract general attention for extensiveness and excellence. Frequent meetings have been held both in the field and at the rooms, and many courses of lectures have been given, the result of which is that our community takes a very high rank for general diffusion of interest in matters of science and history. The Proceedings of the Essex Institute, published from 1848 to the present time, the Historical Collec- tions, the Naturalist, and the Naturalist's Directory, all now printed by the Institute at its printing-office, sufficiently attest the earnestness and activity of those in- terested in the Publications heretofore. We hope that the future will prove as full of success, and that we may continue to have the support of the public. EXPLANATION OF SIGNS, CONTRACTIONS, &c. [ ] Brackets indicate that the words enclosed are lost or doubtful. [* *] Brackets and stars " " " " " cancelled in the original. Double parallels " " " " " interlined. i| || ' Apostrophe indicates contraction ; thus, gen'al — general. — Dash over a word indicates contraction, thus, comon — common. a Caret indicates an omission in the original. e r m n » signify the, that or it, there or their, them, then or than. y > y^ y j y > y m°, mtii, m, signify month. p stands for per or par ; thus, p son — person, p ty — party. (p " " pro or por ; thus, (p p — proper, (p tion — portion. Previous to 1752 the legal year began on the 25th of March, which was called the first month, April the second month, May the third month, and so on, January being called the eleventh month, and Feb- ruary the twelfth. Therefore "March 12, 1636," or "1636-7," in rec- ords previous to 1752, would be in modern reckoning March 12, 1637. And so of any date between Jan. 1st and March 25th. TOWN RECORDS OF SALEM, 1634-1659. COMMUNICATED BY WM. P. UPHAM. The earliest records of the Town of Salem now ex- tant are contained in two books, namely, the Town Records, beginning Dec. 26, 1636, and the Book of Grants, beginning Oct. 1, 1634. The latter is pre- served entire, as appears by the paging and from the Index which is in the handwriting of Jeffry Massey, the Clerk from 1649 to 1654. It contains transcripts from the Town Records of whatever related to land, and other important matters of a general nature. The first part of it is in the handwriting of Emanuel Downing, who came here in 1638, and was appointed by the General Court, Oct. 7, 1640, "Recorder of Deeds for Salem." An order had been passed by the town, March 30, 1640, that "Mr. Sharpe shall write the records of all the Towne Lands." The work appointed for Mr. Sharpe seems to have de- volved upon Mr. Downing. A grant was made to him Nov. 26, 1649, "in consideration of his paynes for tran- scribing the bookes of the townes records to be kept for posteritie." The water-mark of the paper of the Book of Grants, is the same as that of the portion of the Rec- ords which covers the period from 1640 to 1649, that of the preceding portion being different. We may therefore conclude, that Emanuel Downing began the Book of Grants about 1640 ; and that it con- tains a copy of all the records relating to land, and other matters proper to be transcribed, that was in existence at 6 that time. On the outside fly-leaf is written in the hand- writing of John Hathorne, the Clerk in 1679, "Salem e Towne Booke, being y first book of Records of Land." The Town Records consisted originally of several small books, some of which were subsequently bound together. The first, which contained the record from which the first five leaves of the Book of Grants was transcribed, is lost. The second, which originally consisted of ten leaves, con- tained lists of grants or allotments of land, and was, in 1637, twice referred to as the "Book of Calculations." Two leaves of it have been lost, as appears by the num- bering of those still remaining, which was by the same hand as the record. The third book, which also consisted of ten leaves, contains the record kept by Ralph Fogg, beginning Dec. 26, 1636, and is immediately followed by the record kept by John Holgrave, on the first page of which is written by him "Fourth Book 1637." Other portions of this original Book of Records are lost, namely, from June 19, to July 12, 1637; from March 25, 1641, to July 18, 1643 ; and from Feb. 3, 1648, to March 8, 1655. These missing portions can, however, be partially supplied from the Book of Grants. The interest which attaches to these ancient manuscript records is heightened when we consider how few were the "plantations" then existing in the Massachusetts Colony. In fact, they date back to the very time when towns, as such, came into existence. On the 3d of September, 1634, the General Court appointed a Committee, consist- ing of nine members, to set out the bounds of towns. At the same Court leave was granted to "the inhabitants of Salem to keepe a markett weekely, on the fourth day of e y weeke, commonly called Wednesday." On the 4th of March, 1635, and the 3d of March, 1636, special com- mittees were appointed to set out the bounds between Salem and the adjoining towns. Previous to this time Salem seems to have had a sort of separate or independent government, retaining in some respects the character of a General Court, which properly belonged to it prior to the arrival of Winthrop.