Approaching after their crafty, secret fashion, they
shot Singletary, who fell dead. The son, attempting to
flee, was overtaken and made prisoner. After scalp-
ing the elder Singletary, the Indians began a rapid
retreat, but their prisoner managed to escape from
them and returned to his home the same day. Na-
thaniel Singletary was a squatter on the parsonage
lands in what is now the northwesterly part of the
town. As late as 1860 traces of the cellar of his
house could still be seen on land then owned by Benja-
min Kimball, on the Parsonage Road. Bradley was
killed on that road, not far from the present Atkin-
son railroad station.
About the same time two men were killed at An-
dover. It appears that men from abroad had, early
in the season, been stationed at Haverhill to aid in
its protection ; but on July 22d at least a part of
them (those from Rowley) were ordered home on
account of the " busy season of the year."
The later attacks, however, caused an appeal to
the General Court for assistance, and, August 29th,
the Ipswich horse were ordered here, as a place of
rendezvous.
October 17th the Indians made another foray,
when they wounded and took prisoner Ezra Rolfe,
who died three days after. Rolfe lived near the
present line of Plaistow, not far from the present
North Parish meeting-house.
No further attacks or alarms occurring that year,
the people began to breathe freely again.
In the latter part of 1689, Rev. Benjamin Rolfe,
who was born at Newbury, 1662, and graduated at
Harvard 1684, was employed as an assistant to Mr.
Ward and seems to have given satisfaction. His
tribute to the senior pastor has been already referred
to, and he himself was undoubtedly an upright,
prudent, pious man, diligent in his calling.
At a town-meeting January 20, 1690, it was voted
to give Mr. Rolfe '" forty pounds per annum in wheat,
rye and Indian .to join and assist Mr. Ward," and
after Mr. Ward's death the town would "further
allow what shall be rational." According to the
recorder, there was much opposition to this vote, so
that it was recon.sidered and the intimation is that
" Mr. Ward and his son Saltonstall" (son-in-law,
Nathaniel Saltonstall, who was recorder) left the
meeting, on account of this opposition. During their
absence the town voted to pay Mr. Rolfe the above
sum for one year, with his diet or board, and that
Mr. Ward should have his full salary, provided he,
at his own cost, boarded Mr. Rolfe. In the margin
HAVERHILL.
1943
of the record it was written "£20 talien from Mr.
Ward for Mr. Rolfe's diet in — 90 without consent."
The action of the town in causing certain lines of
comment upon the record to be expunged shows that
there was considerable irritation about the matter.
Mr. Ward, as we have before seen, desired to be re-
lieved in his old age by an assistant, and there is no
evidence that Mr. Rolfe was personally disagreeable
to him ; indeed, the inference is quite to the contrary.
The probability is, that Mr. Ward either thought the
people were now of sufficient ability to provide for
the salary of the assistant without deduction from
his own and that it was their duty to do so, or else
that they proceeded about the business rather un-
courteously and without proper consultation with
himself The old ministers, who were settled for life,
were regarded as having a contract, almost indis-
soluble without their consent.
It U pleasant to note that Mr. Rolfe continuing in
his labors for nearly two years, the friction seems to
have disappeared, and an honorable adjustment was
made between all parties concerned.
October 25, 1692, a meeting was held to consider
the permanent settlement of Mr. Rolfe as colleague
with Mr. Ward. The question " whether Mr. Benj.
Rolfe, whom this town hath had experience of in the
ministry near three years, shall be the man pitched
upon for that work and to be our settled minister in
Haverhill," was decided in the affirmative " by a full
vote," and a committee was appointed to agree with
him. A meeting was called December 5th, to hear the
report of the committee, when a letter from Mr. Rolfe,
dated November 21st, was read. The letter, which
treats of temporalities in a very judicious manner, is
printed by Chase in full. The town thereupon voted
" that Mr. Benj. Rolf, who hath for about three years
been an help here, in the work of the ministry with
Mr. Ward, if he please to i-ettle here in the minis-
terial work, shall have & hereby hath that piece of
land freely bestowed upon him as his own proper es-
tate, which was laid out by the Town's Committee,
June 24, 1681, and approved of, near where Nathan-
iel Smith formerly lived, and is also joining to that
two acres which was given by the town to Samuel
Wilcot." This was the land referred to in a former
chapter as given by John Haseltine for the perpetual
use of the ministry, to which was joined a certain
piece of commons for the same purpose. The town
now also directed the selectmen to treat with the
owners about buying Wilcot's two acres, to be added
to the rest.
January 30, 1693, another meeting was called to
see if the town would confirm its vote to settle Mr.
Rolfe, as objections had been made to the former
meeting, " because of the shortness of warning." The
town now declared that " by a full vote, it is renew-
ed, allowed of, confirmed, made, and to be stood unto
for the full and free vote of the inhabitants of Haver-
hill." Apparently they were in earnest.
Mr. Rolfe was granted the free and full improve-
ment of the parsonage farm and meadow, then on
lease to Mr. Bradley, so long as he continued in the
town as their minister, and also of the parsonage land
bought of William Stirling, besides what was other-
wise appointed him for his annual salary. It was also
voted to lay him out, with all convenient speed, ten
acres of good meadow, for his free use while he re-
mained their minister.
The " Parsonage Farm," it will be remembered, had
been leased, in July, 1682, for twenty-one years, to
Daniel Bradley, who was presumably the Daniel
Bradley chosen selectman in 1685, and left out be-
cause not a freeman, but acting as selectman in 1688,
and killed by the Indians on the " Parsonage Road,"
August 13, 1690. William Starlin's house and land
was bought by the town, it will be remembered,
in 1684.
The settlement of a minister was indeed a most
solemn and momentous transaction at the period
when the town was the parish jand transacted busi-
ness relating to the church in town-meeting.
This important affair now rested until May 8th,
when a town-meeting was called " for the people to
join with the church and take care for the providing
necessaries for Mr. Rolf's ordination to office in this
town." This mention " of the people " in this con-
nection shows that a new order of things was begin-
ning, very slowly, to be evolved.
After choosing a moderator, " the town resolved to
stop in the proceedings till they knew what Mr.
Ward would abate of his yearly maintenance."
Then a proposal in writing from him, dated No-
vember 13, 1692, was read, in which heoffered, in case
of settlement of an assistant minister, to
" Abate to the town of what they ought to pay to me by covenant and
town orders, all, excepting only twenty pounds in corn, and fifty cords
of current merchantable cord wood, to be paid as formerly, annually,
during my life: viz., ten pounds in merchantable wheat, and ten pounds
in merchantable Indian, and fifty cords of oak and walnut wood, to be laid
in at my house, and corded by one thereto appointed at the Town's
charges ; for time as followeth, viz. : Half in October, annually, aud the
other half in rebruary, annually. Provided, that all arrears be truly
paid me and that myself and estate I be exempted from all rates ; and
that the Town do appoint one or two men to attend at my house upon
a set day to receive and take account of what shall be brought in, and
set the price thereof if it be not merchantable, that so it come not in pit-
iful driblets as formerly.
" And in case the conditions be not performed within the year, by
the 2d of February annually, then the whole sixty pounds to be paid an.
nually, according to town orders already made, and so proportionably.
"JoH.v Waed,"
This is a busiuess-like document, pertinent and
probably reasonable, and shows that the old minister
had still his wits about him. The reference to the
" pitiful driblets" seems a little unkind whe none re-
members how poor the town in its infancy was, as
shown by the meagre bids towards supplies for the
support of old Hugh Sherratt, made in 1677, when
Peter Ayer bid " 3 lb. meal or corn," and Thomas
Ayer, Jr., " 1 lb. meat." And in the present year of
grace there has come to light a diary kept by a min-
1944
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
ister settled within the limits of Mr. Ward's old
parish nearly a century after Mr. Ward's proposal,
which shows that he was receiving his salary in simi-
lar pitiful driblets with apparent equanimity.
When the letter had been read a committee was
appointed " to go and see what Mr. Ward will abate,
&c.," who, by " word of mouth," brought back sub-
stantially the same proposition, which the town ac-
cepted. A vote was then passed that " care shall, at
the Town's charge, be taken for a place and provision
for entertainment at Mr. Rolfe's ordination," provided
it did not exceed ten pounds ; but, as '' Several men
proclaimed against it with great violence," the vote
was nnltcd.
Then the agreement made by the town's commit-
tee, who Were Robert Ayer, Peter Ayer and Steven
Dow, with Mr. Rolfe, was approved and confirmed.
It is printed in full by Chase, and, in effect, provides,
1, for the payment to Mr. Rolfe of an annual salary
of sixty pounds in wheat, rye and Indian corn, " at
the price of the grain in the Country rate, at the time
of payment," the whole " to be paid to him or his or-
der, in Haverhill, by the 2d of February annually."
2. "That Mr. Rolf, out of his sixty pounds, is to
provide personal quarters for himself as he shall
think good."
3. That at the " Town's charge, in convenient sea-
son annually, there shall be laid in for him a suffi-
cient quantity and stock of good, sweet and dry and
sound hay, for the keeping his horse through the
winter, at such place in Haverhill as he shall ap-
point."
Mr. Rolfe had already written a letter dated April
29, 1693, in which he accepted the terms proposed,
with the additional suggestion that the town should
grant "also to me a supply of wood as soon as I shall
stand in need of it. And if it please God so to order
it that the whole work be devolved upon me, or to
bring them out of those difficulties that, by occasion
of the war, they are now under: They grant to me such
a supply as that whereby I may so live as a minister
of the gospel ought to live, and be able, without dis-
traction by wants, to discharge my duty as a minis-
ter of Christ to God and yourselves. Thus I say I
do express myself willing to settle among you with a
true intention and true affection."
Mr. Rolfe touches delicate subjects with great pro-
priety of expression, whilst judiciously anticipating
future contingencies. Besides the business provis-
ions, it is noticeable that he makes two conditions of
a different character, viz.: " Ist. So long as the peo-
ple of God here do continue in the profession of the
true faith and peace of the gospel. Acts 2 : 42. 2d.
So long as I may have the liberty of my ministry
among them." Mr. Rolfe, who was as yet a bachelor,
married Mehitabel Atwater March 12, 1693-94, and six
children had been born to them before the occurrence
of the great catastrophe in their lives and in the life
of the town.
Mr. Rolfe was ordained January 7, 1693, but the
senior pastor had been already ten days laid to rest
in the burying-ground near the little church, and
perhaps under the great tree beneath whose wide-
spreading branches he had preached in his early
prime when the pioneers gathered in the fresh, mag-
nificent forest of Pentucket.'
Mr. Eolfe had been thus happily settled in a
period of comparative tranquillity from Indian
alarms. But when the annual meeting was held in
1690, there was a period of deep anxiety. No busi-
ness was done except to elect officers. News arriving
of the destruction of Schenectady and other places in
New York, a town-meeting was held March 24th, '" to
consider what is to be done for the present security
of the place against the enemy, by sending for help
abroad, or to draw off.'' The selectmen were given
'.' full powers in all respects," and then, the recorder
says, " A small discourse was opened about the then
state of the Town, how to stand against the Enemy,
and to see for a livelihood for hereafter, if lives of
the people should be spared. But it soon ceased and
was given over, and nothing done that was to satis-
faction in that affair, the people being out of the way
for their own subsistence ; and therefore the Modera-
tor declared the meeting closed."
The suggestion which, in the first panic, had found
its way into the warrant for the meeting to see if the
town should be abandoned and the people move away
into the circle of safety, giving up so much of the
frontier of defense, evidently was put away as too
cowardly, and requiring too much of sacrifice. Folks
could not leave their smiling plantations and their
hard-earned homes. Things were gloomy enough.
The suggestion about a " livelihood " and " subsist-
ence " probably referred to the anxiety felt lest the
stealthy and skulking Indians, lurking about the
outer edge of the settlement, would make it impossi-
ble for them to cultivate their fields or gather in their
harvests. However, it was evidently concluded to
stay and abide the result. The first, most pressing
necessity obviously was to provide for the personal
safety of their families ; and the measures to be
adopted to that end were wisely left in the hands of
the chief executive officers, — the town's select, — the
selectmen.
No new or original measures of defensive warfare
1 The time and place of John Wai-d'a marriage to Alice Edmunds,
about wliom Cotton Matber says so mucb, baa only recently become
known.
In the " Marriage Licenses granted by the Bishop of London," piinted
from Colonel Cliester's MS. copy by the Uarlciun Society in 1887, vol. 25,
p. 227, is this entry,—
"1030, May 24, John Ward, Clerk, of Hadleigh Castle, Essex, Bach-
elor, 20, £ Alice Edmunds, of Oakhiiin, Co. Kent, Spinster, 24, consent
of her fulber, Nichnlas Edmunds, at St. Leonards, Foster Lane."
"Oakham" is Alkham, near Dover, England.
This localizes Alice Edmunds and fixes the dale of the marriage, but if
John Ward's age is correctly given in the marriage license, **2G," he
was born about IGIO, and not in ICUO, as Cotton Mather stated, and waa
not as old as lias always been understood.
HAVERHILL.
were adopted. Precautions were taken which before
had beeu resorted to in other places, and not here be-
cause of the happy immunity which the town had
enjoyed in its inlaucy.
The selectmen appointed six garrisons and four
houses of refuge, besides watch-houses. If they were
not all established at once, all were about the same
time. The garrisons and refuges were houses selected
because of their convenient situation fo rthe families
to resort to in case of alarm, and because they were
somewhat adapted to defense against the quick, im-
patient attacks of the savages.
One of them was the house owned by Onesiphorous
Mash, Sr., the ancestor of all the Marshes. He
had built this house in 1684, and the ground was long
known as" Mash's Hill," afterwards " Pecker's Hill."
The house stood on the north side of the road, half-
way up the slope. One account says the garrison was
commanded by Jonathan Marsh, but it is generally
believed by Sergeant John Haseltine. He had under
his command seven men — Onesiphorous Mash, Sr.,
Onesiphorous Mash, Jr., Nathaniel Haseltine, Eben
AVebster, Joseph Holt, Thomas Ayer and Joseph Bond.
Another was commanded by Sergeant John Web-
ster. This was very probably near the river, about
three-fourths of a mile east of Haverhill Bridge.
Webster had under him eight men — Stephen Webster,
Samuel Watts, Nicholas Brown, Jacob Whittaker,
John Marsh, Robert Ford, Samuel Ford aud Thomas
Kingsbury.
The third garrison house was owned and command-
ed by Jonathan Emerson ; in 1860 a portion of it was
standing on the northwest corner of Winter and Har-
rison Streets.
The fourth was commanded by James Ayer, and
stood nearly opposite the house known, thirty or more
years ago, as that of Captain John Ayer (2ud), on
Pond Street, near the west end of Plug Pond.
The fifth was commanded by Joseph Bradley, prob-
ably the brother of Daniel Bradley, who was killed
by the Indians this year. It was situated in the north-
erly part of town. No trace of it remains.
The sixth was owned and commanded by Captain
John White, and was situated near the present White
; house, on Mill Street, nearly opposite Linwood Cem-
etery. He had six men to his garrison — Stephen Dow,
' Sr., Stephen Dow, Jr., John Dow, Edward Brumidge,
1 Israel Hendrick, Israel , Jr.
; Two brick houses belonging to Joseph and Nath-
aniel Peaselee, in the easterly part of the town, to-
wards Rock's Bridge, and the houses of Major Nath-
; aniel Saltonstall and Capt. Simon Wainwright were
designated as houses of refuge. A few soldiers were
stationed in each of them, under the command of
their owners. Two watch-houses were also built,
I one of which stood on Main Street, near where John
! Dow lived some years since. The other was on the
I bank of the river, on Water Street, a few rods east of
the " Duncan Place." '
122 i
1945
The houses of Joseph and Nathaniel Peaselee
were supposed to be still standing when Chase wrote,
in 1861. He says: "The former was owned by the
late Nathan Sawyer, and stands a short distance east
of the latter, which is now owned and occupied by
Captain Jesse Newcomb, and is situated about two
miles east of Haverhill Bridge."
Saltonstall's house was on the site of the well-
known Duncan house, an estate which, from the set-
tlement of the town till after the Revolution, was in
the possession of his family. Captain Simon Wain-
wright's house stood on the site of the " Emerson
House," opposite Winter Street Church.
The school-house which then stood in the burying-
ground (Pentucket Cemetery), was also used as a
watch-house. Many private houses were likewise
barricaded, and the people, generally, were, or were
supposed to be, on the alert and always ready to de-
fend themselves.
Says Mirick: "Most of the garrisons, and two of
the houses of refuge (those belonging to Joseph and
Nathaniel Peaselee), were built of brick, and .were
two stories high ; those that were not built of this ma-
terial had a single laying of it between the outer and
inner walls. They had but one outside door, which
was often so small that but one person could enter at
a lime; their windows were about two feet and a
half in length, eighteen inches in breadth and were
secured on the inside with iron bars. Their glass was
very small, cut in the shape of a diamond, was ex-
tremely thick aud fastened in with lead instead of
putty. There were generally but two rooms in the
basement story, and tradition says that they entered
the chamber with the help of a ladder, instead of
stairs, so that the inmates could retreat into them
and take it up if the basement story should be taken
by the enemy. Their fire-places were of such enor-
mous size that they could burn their wood sled-
length very conveniently ; and the ovens opened on
the outside of the building, generally at one end, be-
hind the fire-places. They were of such dimensions
that we should suppose a sufficient quantity of bread
might be baked in them to supply a regiment of
hungry mouths." '
Many families who lived in the outskirts of the
town removed with their families to the vicinity of
the garrisons or houses of refuge. Thus tradition
says that the Dows, father and son, moved near the
garrison house of Capt. John White, under whose
command they were.
The Indians had a peculiar whistle for signal to
each other, whirh was often heard in the neighboring
woods. The younger Dow alone could imitate it,
and often concealed himself, and tried to decoy the
Indians within range of the bullets of the white sol-
diers. But it appears he never imitated the wild call
well enough to fool the Indians, however much his
friends may have admired the success of his mock-
ery.
1946
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.
April 7th another town-meeting was held, " to con-
sider what niiiy & and is to be done as to sending to
the Council or General Court for their affording help
to this place by soldiers, as it is a frontier town, ex-
posed to great danger, &c." It was voted to send a
petition asking for, ''upon the Country's charges, 40
men, at least, to be a constant daily scout, to keep
out without the utmost garrisons, and in constant
service, so as to watch the enemy and prevent & sur-
prise them, or give notice to others within, that they
may be encouraged to do somewhat in order to future
livelyhood, and in case of need to stand for their
lives." Cornet Peter Ayer was " particularly made
choice of to present, prefer & prosecute" the petition,
in answer to which soldiers were sent from Newbury
and other places to Haverhill, Amesbury and Salis-
bury. Newbury was, of course, less in danger than
those towns which sheltered it from savage assaults
on the north, yet even there fifty-one persons kept
watch every night. Wild rumors everywhere were
afloat. Isaac Morrill was arrested at Newbury May
29, 1690, and sent to Ipswich for trial. It was be-
lieved that he was enticing Indian and negro servants
to steal a vessel, go to Canada, raise a force of four or
five hundred Indians and three hundred Canadians,
come down between Haverhill and Amesbury over
Merrimac River, near " Indian River, by Archelaus
hill, on the backside of John Emery's meadow, and
destroy. And then they could easily destroy such
small towns as Haverhill and Amesbury."
The danger was sufficiently real without panic-rais-
ing rumors,
July 5lh eight persons were killed at Exeter;
two days after, three at Amesbury. July 10th, after
the news reached him, Major Nathaniel Salton-
stall sent a letter from Haverhill to the Council at
Boston, asking help :
** I c«n, ae I wrote by I-t. Johnaon, of Almsbury, on .Monthly !ast, say
that Havll : liath as much need of present & settled assiatanco aa any
place ; I beseech yon cast ns not off, or give us comand to draw off. I
do not think it niucli to avail, but as a present satisfaction, yt men visit,
ns aflfr- mischief is done ns, for before yy can be with us ye enimie is
hidden or gone, & nothing to be done but for ye men to return, unlessyy
would stay as men in service, or occasion shal offer. Indeed ye charge
is grt ; but tho : all are not, yet some are willing to bear their part
Foot men are most advisalile & serviceable, & so, in ye end, it will bo
found, excepting only a very few to be iniployed in carrying or fetching
newes; men complain more of difQculty to provide fur horses thau fur
"The Ld. be your connfellor & gnid in all these difiicnlties; let us
have a speedy dispatch of the Posts, Philip Grele & Wm. Hily, both of
Salisbury, yt I may give accot : to ym yt send to me. I am not in a
capacity to help you, but want men for or necessary defence ; & orders
to keep or own men to duty upon their peril & for their being sent to
Bustun fur judgmt according to yr desert, yt is some of yni;
" I am, gentlemen, your true servant,
" N : Saltosstali.."
The savages filled the woods in every direction.
It was not safe to leave the vicinity of the garrisons
or to be anywhere out of dnors unarmed. The gun
must be within reach of the hand ; even so, surprise
was frequent.
August 31st Samuel Parker and a small boy were
cutting hay at the meadow in the East Parish, when
a party of Indians surprised and shot Parker. The
little fellow escaped by hiding himself in the tall
grass, and, running from the sound and smoke of the
guns, brought home the doleful news. October lOlh
the General Court ordered that "Maj. Saltonstall do
dismiss home the scout of ten troopers appointed to
be employed between Haverhill & Salisbury by di-
rection of the said Major for security of said towns in