A few weeks ago I posted here about my 9x great grandfather Thomas Dexter Sr. of Lynn, Ma. I mentioned that he seemed to be a rambunctious character. But he was also one of the leafing citizens of the young colony and one of the wealthiest. In fact, at one point, he owned a large part of the land in eastern Essex County and might have owned a larger portion if not for a court case.
The case involved Thomas Dexter buying a large area of land from an Indian chief in return for new suit. That land is now the town of Nahant and the purchase is depicted on the town seal.
The details are as follows from the book History of Lynn:
Having purchased Nahant of the Indian Sagamore, for a suit of clothes, Thomas Dexter was not disposed to sit down in unconcern, when the town made known their intention of dividing it into lots for the benefit of all the people. ' At a town meeting, held 24 February, 1657, the following order was taken: "It was voted that Nahant should be laid out in planting lotts, and every householder should have equal in the dividing of it, noe man more than another; and every person to clear his lot of wood in six years, and he or they that do not clear their lotts of the wood, shall pay fifty shillings for the towne's use. Alsoe every householder is to have his and their lotts for seven years, and it is to be laid down for a pasture for the towne; and in the seventh, every one that hath improved his lott by planting, shall then, that is, in the seventh year, sow their lott with English corne; and in every acre of land as they improve, they shall, with their English corne, sow one bushel of English hay seed, and see proportionable to all the land that ig improved, a bushel of hay seed to one acre of land, and it is to be remembered, that no person is to raise any kind of building at all; and for laying out this land there is chosen Francis Ingals, Henry Collins, James Axee, Adam Haw ekes, Lieut. Thomas Marshall, John Hathorne, Andrew Mansfield." (Mass. Archives.)
This record is valuable, as it exhibits several interesting particulars. It shows that the purchase of Nahant, by Mr. Dexter, was not considered valid — it exhibits the most impartial specimen of practical democracy in this country, the lots being apportioned to each householder equally, "noe man more than another "— it furnishes an explanation of the cause and manner of Nahant being so entirely cleared of the beautiful wood which once grew upon it — and it shows that Nahant was early planted with English corn, that is, with wheat. On the passing of this order, Mr. Dexter commenced a suit against the town for occupying it. The people held a town meeting, in which they appointed Thomas Laighton, George Keysar, Robert Coats, and Joseph Armitage, a committee to defend their right. At the Salem Court, which began on the third of June, the following depositions were given:-pp240-241
HISTORY OF LYNN, Essex County Massachusetts Including Lynnfield, Saugus, Swampscot, and Nahant, Volume 1 John L.Shorey pub. Boston, Ma. 1865
Among those mentioned as being responsible for dividing up the land are my other ancestors Adam Hawkes and Francis Ingalls.
To be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment