HISTORY OF KINGSTON. BY THOMAS BRADFORD DREW. CHAPTER I. SETTLEMENT-LOCATION--EARLY SETTLERS AND PROPRIETORS. For a little more than a century after the first settlement of New England, most of the territory now comprised within the limits of this town was a part of Plymouth. Before the Pilgrims had determined upon the particular place where to make their final settlement, this locality had its attractions for them, and in Mourt's "Relation" is thus described: "The next morning, being Tuesday the 19th of December, 1620, wee went again to discover further. Some went on land and some in the shallop, the Land wee found as the former day wee did, and wee found a Creeke, and up three English myles a very pleasant river, at full sea a Barke of thirty tunne may goe up, but at low water scarce our shallop could passethis place wee had a great liking to plant in, but that it was so farre from our fishing, our principall profit, and so incompassed with woods, that wee should bee in much danger of the salvages, and our number being so little, and so much ground to cleere so as we thought good to quit and cleare that place till we were of more strength." Seventeen years previous to this landing just mentioned, Martin Pring, an Englishman, set out from Bristol, England, "for the discourie of the north part of Virginia." He notes the fact that while detained at Milford Haven "we heard of Queen Elizabeth's death." From the latter place they sailed on the 10th of April, 1603, and during the month of June were on the coast of Massachusetts, and came to anchor in a bay they called Whitson Bay. Belknap in his history points out this place as being at Edgartown, on Martha's Vincyard, and other writers have quoted him as authority, but Mr. B. F. De Costa, in an article written for The Magazine of American History, December, 1882, shows very clearly that Whitson Bay was none other than Plymouth Bay. If so, Jones River is thus described by Pring. Passing vp a River we saw cer taine Cottages together abandoned by the Sauages, and not farre off we beheld their Gardens, and one among the rest of an Acre of ground, and in the same was sowne Tobacco, Pompions, Cowcumbers, and such like, and some of the people had Maiz or Indian Wheate among them. In the fields we found wild Pease, Strawberries very faire and bigge, Gooseberries, Raspices, Hurts, and other wild fruits." In the year 1605, Champlain, the French voyager under De Mont, visited the harbor of Plymouth, which he named Port St. Louis, and on his map of the surrounding shore the mouth of Jones River is indicated. His description of the country is similar to that of Pring's. These facts are mentioned here as everything that can throw light upon the past history of our land, especially previous to its settlement by Englishmen, cannot fail to be interesting to present and succeeding generations. Early Settlers and Proprietors of Lands at the Rocky Nook and Jones River.-It was only a short time after the settlement at Plymouth by the "Mayflower" Pilgrims before the colonists began to occupy lots around the bay, for, as Governor Bradford states in his history, "ye people of ye plantation begane to grow in their outward estats . . . and as their stocks increased and ye increase vendible, ther was no longer any holding them togeather, but now they must of necessitie goe to their great lots; they could not otherwise keep their katle; and having oxen growne they must have land for plowing and tillage. And no man now thought he could live, except he had catle and a great deal of grounde to keep them; all striving to increase their stocks. By which means they were scatered all over ye bay, quickly, and ye towne, in which they lived compactly till now (1632) was left very thine and in a short time allmost desolate. And if this had been all, it had been less, thoug to much; but ye church must also be devided, and those y had lived so long togeather in Christian & comfortable fellowship must now part and suffer many divissions." This last refers to the formation of the church at Duxbury, and many lamented the division, so much so that four years later (1636), the year previous to the incorporation of that town, the question of uniting the churches of Plymouth and Duxbury at some convenient point between the places and there building a meetinghouse and town was seriously considered. After "much conference" the persons appointed to consider the subject decided "Jones River to be the fittest place," and afterwards it was left to the two churches "to agree upon and end the same." Nothing more, however, is known of the matter, except that the towns were never united. At the period just referred to it is certain that a number of houses had been built and occupied in Rocky Nook and by Jones River or vicinity, and those early residents or proprietors of lands in that part of Plymouth that has been included within the bounds of Kingston since 1726 will now be noticed. the year ISAAC ALLERTON.-He was one of the " Mayflower" Pilgrims, and for several years a very important man among them, being almost at the head of their business affairs, and was one of the few who was designated by the title of Mister. Ile owned the house and farm at Rocky Nook, near the river, which afterwards belonged to his son-in-law, Elder Thomas Cushman. In the spring of 1621, after the death of Governor Carver, when William Bradford was chosen Governor, Mr. Allerton was his assistant, and they continued together several years. In 1627 he returned from London, where he had been sent by the "Planters of New Plimoth" as their agent, to make an agreement with the company of adventurers, and to solicit aid in behalf of the Leyden Church. He was fortunate enough to purchase all the interest of the adventurers for the planters, and continued their agent until some time in 1630, when his business transactions, which had at first seemed profitable to them, proved to be a loss, and as many were involved in the transaction, much unkind feeling was felt towards him. Governor Bradford devotes many pages of his history to explaining the complicated affairs of his friend, hinting in several places that he probably intended no wrong, and saying, " God give him to see ye evill in his failings that he may find mercie by repentance for ye wrongs he hath done to any and this pore plantation in spetiall. They that doe such things doe not only bring themselves into snares and sorrows, but many with them (though in another kind), as lamentable experience shows; and it is too manifest in this bussiness." Mr. Allerton did not remain in the colony long after this, but after being in New Amsterdam and other places awhile he made his home in New Haven, where he died about 1659. He married Fear, daughter of Elder Brewster, in 1626, who died about 1634. His first wife, who came with him in the " Mayflower," died soon after their arrival, and their daughter, Mary, married Elder Cushman. She was the last survivor of the first-comers, dying in 1699. GREGORY ARMSTRONG." At a Towne's Meeting ye 22nd June, 1644," this person was ordered to repair with a company from Jones River, “in case of Alarum in time of war or danger." He married in 1638 Eleanor Billington, the widow of John Billington, who was the first to be executed for murder in the Old Colony, 1630. WILLIAM BRADFORD.-This illustrious person, the Governor of the colony for many years, had a large tract of land near Jones River, and a house at Stony Brook, as early as 1637, probably the same one afterwards occupied by his son, Maj. Bradford. Some have been of the opinion that the Governor's chief residence was there, while others doubt if he lived so far from the town proper. David Bradford, of the fourth generation from the Governor (dying in 1840, aged eighty-three years), and the last of his direct descendants who lived on the place, thought, however, that his ancestor had resided there. court order in 1637 mentions the house, and in 1643, when Bradford was Governor, the following vote was passed at a town-meeting, February 10th: "It is agreed that wolfe traps be made according to the order of court in manner following: 1st, that one trap be made at Jones River by the Govs family, Mr. Prence and Mr. IIanburn's,' and Mathew Fuller and Abraham Pierce." In 1644, when Winslow was Governor, Mr. Bradford's family, at Jones River, was ordered to furnish one person for a company in time of war or danger. After the death of Elder Brewster, at Duxbury, it is recorded that Jonathan and Love, his sons, "returned from the burial of their father to the house of Mr. William Bradford, of Plymouth," and in the presence of the ministers of Marshfield, Duxbury, and Plymouth, together with Standish, Winslow, Prence, and others, they mutually agreed upon a division of their father's estate. This not only shows that Elder Brewster was buried in some part of Plymouth, but also that Governor Bradford lived at some point between the burial-place and their home in Duxbury, as they were returning from the burial. Rev. Mr. Steele, in his "Life and Times of Elder Brewster," says that he was buried on Plymouth Burial Hill, but further 1 Probably Hanbury. on in this work it will be shown that he might have been buried in Plymouth, even if not on the hill. Of the public services of Governor Bradford no mention will be made here, as that work properly belongs to the historian of Plymouth. men and sundry squaws. He was there about getting canoes. He and his men were at their breakfast under their shelter, their guns being without. They saw the English coming, but continued eating, and M. Winslow telling their business, Alexander freely and readily, without the least hesitancy, consented to go, giving his reason why he came not to the Court before, viz. because he waited for Captain Willet's return from the Dutch, being desirous to speak with him first. They brought him to Mr. Collier's that day, and Gov. Prince living remote at Eastham, those few magistrates who were at hand issued the matter peaceably and immediately dismissed Alexander, to return home, which he did part of the way; but in two or three days after he returned and went to Maj. Winslow's house, intending thence to travel into the Bay,1 and so home; but at the Major's house he was taken very sick, and was by water conveyed to Maj. Bradford's, and thence carried upon the shoulders of his men to Tetequit river, and thence in canoes home, and in about two or three days after died." MAJ. WILLIAM BRADFORD, son of the Governor, born June 17, 1624, was one of the most important men in the colony. He resided near Stony Brook (at the same place just referred to in notice of his father), and the location of his house can be distinctly seen on the rising ground between the houses of the late Deacon James Foster and Francis Drew. The spot was pointed out to Alden Bradford, Esq. (secretary of the commonwealth of Massachusetts), many years ago by the venerable David Bradford, and some years after, Francis Drew, who came into possession of the estate, made an examination of the old cellar and found many little relics of household articles. Persons now living in the neighborhood can well recollect the trees of the old orchard, which were planted near the house. As late as the year 1843 several of the ancient sweet apple-trees were standing and bearing good fruit. Within a few years they have all been cut down, with the exception of one that was purposely left as a landmark of the past, and this bore a small quantity of fruit in the year 1876. Soon after the death of his father, Maj. Bradford was elected assistant and chief military commander in the colony. He was a prominent officer in King Philip's war, and was Deputy Governor from 1682 to 1686 and 1689 to 1692, when the colonial government terminated. Afterwards he was chosen a counselor of Massachusetts. At a town-meeting, April 22, 1673, he was requested to act as moderator at all the town-meetings at Plymouth. In the year 1662, when Alexander, the successor of Massasoit, was suspected of designs against the English, Maj. Bradford was with Maj. Winslow when the chieftain was surprised and taken prisoner. As the account of Alexander's arrest and death has been given to the public many times, and in different ways, it will not be out of place to give Bradford's version of the affair. It is containedTo all people to whom these presents shall come. in a letter written by Rev. John Cotton to Dr. Mather, which was published by Judge Davis in his edition of Morton's " Memorial," and is as follows: "Maj. Bradford confidentially assures me that in the narrative of de Alexandro there are many mistakes, and fearing lest you should, through misinformation, print some mistakes on that subject, from his mouth I this write. Reports being horo that Alexander was plotting, or privy to plots, against the English, authority sent to him to come down. Ilo camo not. Whereupon Maj. Winslow was sent to fetch him. Maj. Bradford with some others went with him. At Munponset rivor, a placo not many miles hence, they found Alexander, with about eight The account of this affair, which had been published by Dr. I. Mather previous to the discovery of the letter just referred to, made it appear that force or threats were used before Alexander would accompany the officers, and that the vexation and excitement produced the fever that caused his death. The most eventful period of Maj. Bradford's life was during the years 1675-76. He was chief commander of the forces from Plymouth at the time King Philip and his people were attacked and routed from their stronghold in the Narragansett Swamp. The details of that bloody battle cannot be entered upon here. It is enough to say that on the result of it seemed to depend the existence or destruction of the colonies. The English realized the situation, and in the depth of winter made one of the most desperate attacks on a savage foe that we find recorded in history. They gained the victory, but not without having eighty men killed and one hundred and fifty wounded. In the year 1689 he is styled by the people of Rehoboth as the "Worshipful Major Bradford." ford." At the same time they were endeavoring to procure from him a quit-claim deed of the lands in that town. The deed was soon after obtained, and to show the phraseology of a part of that ancient document, the recital is here copied and is as follows: "William Bradford, of the town of Now Plimouth, in New England, in America, Esq'r., the oldest son and next heir of William Bradford, Esq., late of Plimouth, deceased, sendeth greeting, &c. Whereas the said late William Bradford, my honored father, was invested by virtue of a grant by Letters Patent from the IIonorable Council, established at Plimouth, in the county of Devon in the realm of England for the planting, ruling, and governing of Now England in America, derivating from our lato Sovereign Lord, King James tho first, in all that part of Now England tract and tracts of land which lio within and between the limits and bounds of said letters 1 Colony of Massachusetts Bay. patent expressed to be granted, given, and confirmed unto the said William Bradford, his hoirs, associates, and assigns forever, and all lands, rivers, waters, havens, creeks, ports, fishing, and all hereditaments, profits, and commodities, situato, lying, or being or ensuing within or between any the said limits, viz., &c., &c." Maj. Bradford's estate comprised the whole of the present village north of Stony Brook, extending to the bounds of Duxbury, besides tracts of land in other parts of the town. All that portion north of the brook was bequeathed to his four younger sons,Israel, Ephraim, David, and Hezekiah,—“ enjoining upon them to sell it to none that do not bear the name of Bradford and be not descended from him." The part of this estate on which his house stood descended to David Bradford, his great-grandson, as before mentioned, and he, dying without children, gave, in his will, a portion of the old homestead to the writer of this article, who was the last person having Bradford connected with his name to possess any of the estate by direct descent. Maj. Bradford married, first, Alice Richards, of Weymouth, and she died 1671. His second wife was a widow, Wiswall, and the third was Mary, widow of Rev. John Holmes, of Duxbury. She survived her husband more than eleven years, dying June 6, 1715. By these three wives he had a large family, viz.: (Maj.) John, William, Thomas, Samuel, Alice, Hannah, Mercy, Melatiah (female), Mary, Sarah, by first wife; Joseph, by second wife; Israel, Davaid, Ephraim, and Hezekiah, by third wife. He died Feb. 20, 1704, and was buried on Plymouth Burial Hill. According to tradition it was his request to be buried there by the side of his father. His gravestone bears the following inscription: "Here lyes ye body of ye Honourable Major William Bradford, who expired February ye 20, 1703/4, aged 79 years. He lived long, but still was doing good, And in his country's service lost much blood. After a life well spent, he's now at rest-His very name and memory is blest." JOSEPH BRADFORD, the youngest son of the Governor, lived at Jones River, half a mile from its mouth, at a place called " Flat House Dock." He was licensed by the court in 1678 to sell liquors. As his name is but seldom mentioned in the records it is 1 to be supposed he did not engage much in public affairs. He married Jael Hobart, daughter of Rev. Peter Hobart, of Hingham, May 25, 1664. He died July 20, 1715, and was buried at Plymouth, 1 "Liberty is granted unto Mr. Joseph Bradford and Mistress Jael Bradford, his wife, to draw and sell beer as occasion may require, so as they prudently prevent all excess that may come thereby." near his brother, Maj. William. His gravestone has this inscription: "Horo lyes yo body of Mr. Josoph Bradford, son to the Honorablo William Bradford, Esq., governor of Plymouth Colony, who died July 20, 1715, in the 85th year of his age." Mrs. Jael Bradford, his wife, died April 24, 1730, in her eighty-seventh year, and she is buried in the churchyard of this town, the stone at her grave being now in a good state of preservation. MAJ. JOHN BRADFORD, the eldest son of Maj. William, born 1653, lived in the house that is still standing at the "Landing," near the Old Colony Railroad. It was partially burned by the Indians during Philip's war, probably 1676, after the Narragansett fight, as the savages were committing depredations at that time in Halifax, Eel River at Plymouth, and other places. The circumstances connected with this event will doubtless be interesting to the reader. The story is this: "Mr. Bradford had removed to the guard-house over the river, in town, and one day as he was returning for some goods, in company with several others, he discovered his house to be on fire, and saw an Indian standing on the brow of Abraham's Hill, stationed as sentinel to warn his comrades of the approach of the white men, waving his blanket and crying, 'Chocwaug! chocwaug!' ('the white men are coming'), but so intent were they on plundering that they heard not their sentinel's alarm, and were not aware of their danger until Mr. Bradford rushed in among them. They instantly fled, and made their way into a dense swamp that was situated by the frogpond, near the railroad, at the base of the hill, and were pursued by him, and he fired at the Indians, killing one, as he supposed, by seeing him fall, but was greatly surprised on reaching the spot at not finding his body. He could hardly account for the circumstance, until some time after the close of the war an Indian asked him if he recollected shooting one of them at the time of the plundering of his house, and upon being answered in the affirmative, the Indian made the fact known that he was the self-same person, and as he fell only severely wounded, was able to crawl immediately behind a log, and thus escaped notice. Mr. Bradford then examined his body, and saw distinctly the scars where three balls had passed through his side, which made the fact that he was not mortally wounded still more wonderful to him." The house, as has been stated, is still standing, and has been known in more modern times as the "Sampson House," for it was owned and occupied by Col. Joseph 2 Related by the late Francis, Drew, as received from aged persons. |