Dukes County, Massachusetts - The whole text, 1911 (part 10 of 15)

August 15. 1718. * * * This day about two of the clock after noon several children particularly Ben: Ward and Thomas Allen having got a shot gun and some powder v/ere diverting themselves near John

'Records, General Court, IX, 428. It will thus be apparent that the date of incorporation shown on the town seal as Sept. 14, 1694 is an obvious error. The "Vital Records of Chilmark," published 1904 by the N. E. Historic Genealogical Society, contain the statement that Chilmark "was established September 14, 1694, from common land." The source of this statement is not known, but it is incorrect.

Allen's barn, where were a considerable quantity of English grain and hay, some in the barn, and some near it in stacks. Ben: Ward having a brand of fire in his hand, seeing his uncle Captn Mayhew riding by to sermon, threw the brand out of his hands, that his uncle might not see it. It chanced to fall near some English grain, which presently took fire, and consumed the barn and all the English grain to ashes in a very short time. All or most of the men in town presently came with an intent to extinguish the flames, but they did not effect anything.

8ber 19. 17 18. On Monday last the house of Mr Zephaniah Mayhew was burnt to the ground by an accidental fire and much of his household stuff and wearing clothes were consumed in the flames. On Thursday James McLelland came here to look after his sons effects and went last week to Nantucket on that designe

Dec. 16. 1718. This evening about 8 of the clock. Capt Zaccheus Mayhew his barn catched fire. How is not certainly known, and burned down to the ground, together with all his hay, except one load.

Jany. 10 1719-20. The week past hath been very cold especially Thursday last. Mr Bryce Blair by a fall yesterday in the evening broke his left arm above the elbow.

July 12. 1724. * * * On friday last we raised our new meeting house. Gershom Cathcart, a young man belonging to New town fell from the third story, and was very much bruised. His recovery is uncertain [his] reason seems not to be impaired by his fall. Lord make the providence a wakening to others!

August 23. 1724. * * * I took occasion to reprove some young folk publickly for their irreverent and profane deportment in the time of Gods publick worship

8her 25. 1724. * * * I am informed that 7 Indians belonging to Gay Head coming from Rhod Island home in a whale boat were all lost, as is generally thought. It is said they were in drink when they went on board.

Xber 5. 1725. * * * Last week a sloop came ashore on the south side of the island, the men and cargo were saved, the master having been long sick died Friday night last and was buryed this day. His name was Cash, the sloop belonged to Rhod Island.

August 27. 1727. We had an account last week that King George died June nth last past in Germany on his journey to Hanover, and that his son the prince of Wales was proclaimed King under the title of George 2.

9ber 5. 1727. Last Lords day, in the afternoon, about 11 of the clock we had a shock of an earthquake, that continued above a minute: it was considerably great, but seemed to be greater in some places than others, whether it hath been felt all the country over or not I have not yet heard.

July 7. 1728. We appointed Wednesday last to be observed as a publick fast, but we had a plentiful rain on Tuesday, which occasioned our changing the fast into a thanksgiving.

July 9 [1737] and the night after it, we had excessive rains which raised the rivers upon this island to such a degree that the dams of the water mills were carryed away by them, and the mowing grovmd near the rivers was very much damnified, to the great loss of several of the inhabitants.

August II, 1737. The sky towards the N. and N.W. appeared with an unusual redness, which continued for some time extending itself more and more easterly. About 11 the red was mixed with white streaks that were very luminous, being broad below and gradual growing narrower till they ended in a point. About midnight there appeared a bow reaching from east to west in the form of a rainbow, only there was no diversity of colors, the whole bow was luminous so that the air was lighter than it is at full moon, tho, it was 2 or 3 days before the change [of] the moon. It did rather resemble day light before the sun rises than moonlight.

November 21. 1738. There came a ship ashore on the South side of this island, belonging to New York. She came last from Jamaica: the lading and mens lives were saved, but it is supposed the ship cannot be got o£f again.

The first that was seized with that called the throat distemper in this town was Susan Allen; the next was Abigail Hillman, both these died. The next Katharine Smith, she also died. Next Mrs Little, she is in a fair way of recovery. Next Sam: Bassett's daughter, she also is in a hopeful way: next Bethia Clark and my grand daughter Mary Allen

7ber 17. 1740. Was observed through the island as a day of fasting and prayer to beg mercy of God that the distemper that has prevailed among

7ber 6, 1741. We had this summer a drought that hurt both the grass and the Indian corn very much. This was accompanied with an unusual number of grasshoppers that devoured both grass and corn.

Oct. 19. 1724. About three afternoon the chimney in the room where I commonly stay catched fire, and being very foul, burned very fiercely, which put the whole house in no small danger. It continued to burn till within the night. It was a day time and the wind very high, yet through the mercy of God we received no great damage, only the mantle tree catched fire and is part damnified. Several of our neighbors came to our assistance seasonably. I desire to bless God for our preservation.

Ministry Of John Mayhew

The beginnings of the church history in this town date from the coming of John Mayhew, who settled here about 1673 and estabhshed himself in the work of a missionary to the English and natives. His connection with this special field of labor has already been detailed (I, 247-9) and it will only be necessary to say that the people in this town, because of the fewness in numbers, formed a union with those of Tisbury under the pastorship of John Mayhew. This combination existed until his death in 1689 when, as his gravestone states, he was ''Minister of the Gospell to the Inhabitants of Tisbury & Chilmark united." The language makes it clear that there was no organized church at that date, although it is quite certain that a meeting house had been built for their accommodation in this town,^ When it was erected cannot now be determined, though we know that it was located on Abel's hill, probably in or adjoining the old cemetery inclosure.

Ministry Of Ralph Thacher

When the successor of Mayhew came is not known. The loss of the church records, prior to 1787, makes much of our present knowledge fragmentary, as obtained from many scattered sources. In a docum.ent dated Feb. 13, 1694, Mr. Ralph or Rodolphus Thacher was spoken of as "now minister of the Gospell at the Town of Chilmark," and this probably affords us a close intimation of the time of his coming hither. He was a native of Duxbury, born about 1647, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Partridge) Thacher, and named for his maternal grandfather, the Rev. Ralph Partridge of Duxbury. He was not a college graduate, and prior to his pastorate here had lived in his native town, where he served as constable and town clerk. He had married Ruth Partridge of Duxbury in 1669 and was the father of nine children, all of whom, with the possible exception of the oldest son, who was of age, he brought with him to Chilmark.^ There is no record of his ordination, and as he was not bred to the ministry, his work here partook of an irregular mission- ary character. He lived on the South road, and both he and his son of the same name acquired considerable property here.* In 1714, when Judge Sewall visited Chilmark, Parson Thacher and his son called to "Welcom me to the Island," as the diarist records it.^ At this time he had been in continuous pastoral work here for over twenty years, of which no memorials remain. He was then nearly three score and ten and early in the year he had severed his connection with the church and removed to Lebanon, Conn., whither some of his children had already gone.^ During the last years of his pastorate a middle-aged Scotch-Irish clergyman had come to Chilmark and was engaged in teaching the town school, and when the aged minister departed this younger man was selected to take the vacant pulpit.

Ministry Of William Homes

William Homes was born, probably in Ireland, in the year 1663. He first ^ . came to America in the year 1686, Trj^ when he was twenty-two years old. '^^ There is no known record of the fact, whether he came from Ireland at that time, or from Scotland, though the former has usually been assumed. It was about the period of his first coming over that both Scotch and Scotch- Irish commenced emigrating to America to escape the persecution of the Stuarts and the Prelacy. After his arrival he was engaged as a teacher at Chilmark, and the people continued to employ him as a teacher to their children for several years, when he returned again to Ireland in July, 1691. He presented " satisfactory testimonials " to the Presbytery of Laggan, and after preaching a "tryall" sermon was given a temporary license to supply vacant pulpits. He was ordained Dec. 21, 1692, at Strabane, a borough town twelve miles southwest of Londonderry, Ireland, by the Presbytery of Laggan, and was settled as pastor of the Scotch Presbyterian parish there. He was often chosen moderator of the Provincial Synod. While there he married, Sept. 26, 1693, Katharine, daughter of Rev. Robert Craighead, who had been minister of Donoughmore in Donegal, and who was translated to Derry in the beginning of the year 1690, and continued there until his death, Aug. 22, 1711. In the adjoining parish of Urney another William Holmes was ordained in 1696, and this led to a confusion of identity. To distinguish him from his namesake, our subject was called "William Homes, the Meek.'

In 1 7 14 he came again to America and revisited Martha's Vineyard, at the age of 50." The people of Chilmark remembered the young man who had previously taught among them, with satisfaction, and invited him to become their pastor. There remains no record in possession of the church or town to give us any details of his agreement with the people. A note in his diary is our only knowledge of the beginning of his pastorate. He wrote: -

On the fifteenth of 7ber [1715] I was installed in the pastorate office in the congregation of Chilmark there were then but two members of that church that wer men, viz Nathan Skiffe and Benjamin Mayhew that day Mr Experience Mayhew who was formerly a member of the Indian church upon this Island having obtained his dismission from thence was joyned to this church. On the second of October Mr Nathan Basset & Mr Ja: Allen were added to the church here and were both baptized that day.^

It is not known whether there was a formal service of laying on of hands with other symbolic ritual of the Puritan church, but it seems from all circumstances that such was not the case. Mr Homes was a Presbyterian by birth and education. His salary was ;^6o at first, and in 1723 the sum of £80 was raised for the ministry.

Second Meeting-House

In September, 1723, a town meeting was called "for the ordering the building of a publique meeting house" and as a result of their deliberations the following vote was passed: -

Voted by the major part of the meetors present that their be a house built att the charge of s'd town for the End and use afores'd anc' that the s'd house be of the Dementions following (viz) forty feet in Length and 35 feet in breadth and 20 feet between Joynts, or any other Dementions

'Our William Homes has been credited with graduation from Edinburgh University in 1693, but the author is of the opinion that the degree belongs to the other William Holmes. It is unlikely that our subject was a student at Edinburgh after he had been ordained as a minister.

'When Judge Sewall visited the island in April, 17 14 he notes in his diary that "Mr. Homes who boards at Mr. Allen's to teach school" dined with him.

that may be thought more Convenant by such agents as Shall be Chosen by the town to manage the affaires; provided it amounts to so much and no rnore Square roome in the whole as above expressed: and that the s'd house be finished att or before the first Day of November in the year 1724: and that the agents to manage the afair to procure the s'd house to be built be Pain Mayhew and Zacheus Mayhew Esqrs and Shubal Smith To hire a carpenter and other workmen to build the above house, and that the method of finishing the s'd house be whooly Left to the*Decretion

Voted att the meeting above that the meeting house Shall set on the hill neare the old or present meeting house in s'd town by the County Roade.'

The frame was raised in July, 1724, and the senior member of the building committee makes the following entries in his account book of his expenditures at this function : -

The ingredients provided by the committee indicate that they had an ample quantity of rum punch, beer and cakes, with an unnecessary amount of bread.

The building was completed in the fall of that year, and a committee of Edgartown and Tisbury men were chosen to attend to the troublesome question of allotting pews and pew room to the worshippers.* The three arbitrators or "any two of them agreeing" were empowered to "Determine who of sd Inhabitance shall have Roome in sd house for the buld-

^Pain Mayhew's Commonplace Book (1724). Parson Homes also makes the following reference to the raising in his Diary: "July 12. 1724. * * * On friday last we raised our new meeting house. Gershom Cathcart, a young man belonging to New town fell from the third story, and was very much bruised. His recovery is uncertain [his] reason seems not to be impaired by his fall. Lord make the providence a wakening to others!" It may be stated that young Cathcart recovered and survived to a ripe old age.

ing of pews, who the first Choice and so on to the Last." The number of pews on the main floor was twelve, and four in the front gallery, and the persons given permission to build were required to have them ''bult Workman Like," within a year or "Loose his privilege." The entire cost of the new meeting-house was ;£448, exclusive of the pews.

Following the completion of the church the town made in 1728 a permanent increase in the salary of Mr. Homes to ;/^8o yearly, and for the next eighteen years the story of his pastorate is without special interest. He discharged the duties of a village parson faithfully altogether for thirty-one years, and acquired here and elsewhere a high repute for his piety, humility and learning. He was the author of five printed volumes, dealing with theological subjects, three of them published during his life. The earliest, "A Discourse concerning the Public Reading of the Scriptures by the Lord's People in their Religious Assemblies" (1720), had an extensive circulation. His sectarian affiliations with the Presbyterian order prevented his recognition by the Congregational body by which he was surrounded, and having no college associations here, his isolation was further increased beyond what would naturally follow work on a secluded island.

In the library of the Maine Historical Society there is a manuscript volume of 96 pp., of the size known as quarto, bound in contemporary leather and containing the notes of births, marriages, deaths, and important events occurring within the personal knowledge of the diarist. It is closely written from cover to cover, even the fly leaves and insides of the covers being utilized by the original owner or its subsequent possessors. It is the diary or note book of the Chilmark pastor, begun in 1689 and continued to 1746. The author of this history copied the historical and genealogical entries found therein and published them in 1895-6.^

The greater portion of the diary is made up of weekly entries dated "Lord's day," detailing his texts and sermon, of which the following is a sample of the whole : - the sacrament of the Lords supper afternoon I preached from Col: i. 13. Who hath dehvered us from the power of darkness in all which I hope I was assisted the Lord follow my poor labours with a rich blessing to edification and salvation of souls.

These weekly entries are usually followed by some note of a death, "remarkable providence," birth, baptism, admission to church membership, state of weather or such kindred items. The first few leaves of the book contain his family record, sons, daughters and grandchildren, with a list of marriages and deaths in the town of Chilmark during his residence.*

Ministry Of Andrew Boardman

During the last month of the incapacity of Mr. Homes his pulpit was occupied by temporary supplies, Bellamy Bosworth, Richard Pateshall and Andrew Boardman. The church and town extended a call to the last named to become their pastor, at a salary of ;^2oo old tenor. He accepted in April, 1 746, and was ordained in September following. Andrew Boardman was born in Cambridge, Mass., Feb. 20, 1 720-1, the son of Moses and Abigail (Hastings) Boardman of that town, and was graduated in the class of 1737 from Harvard College. He was unmarried when he came, but a year after he took to himself Catherine Allen (41) of Chilmark, to wife, and thus identified himself with the people among whom he ministered. His pastorate was uneventful as far as we can gather from the records of the town, although he suffered the usual difficulties of his colleagues at that period, from the fluctuations of value in the currencies of the Province, and a final settlement with his heirs was not effected till ten years after his death. He had served the town over thirty years when he was stricken with small pox and died therefrom Nov. 19, 1776, in the 57th year of his age. He left a widow and nine children. She married a second husband, in 1780, Shubael Cottle (53), and died in 1802, aged 75 years.

|This diary became the inheritance of his daughter Hannah, who never married, and in her old age she went to live with Deacon James Allen, her nephew. She died in 1790, aged 94 years. Zebulon Allen, son of James, carried the diary to Maine in 1818 and dying in 1837, it was presented to the Historical Society by his heirs. It should be placed in some suitable depositary on the Vineyard, as it relates wholly to Island matters for a period exceeding half a century.

Ministry Of Timothy Puller

The successor to the deceased minister was not found for several years. Rev. Timothy Fuller began to preach in March, 1778, and under a temporary arrangement continued to fill the pulpit for over three years, but notwithstanding several committees were chosen to "treat" with him, nothing was accomplished. It was a time of unrest, socially and financially, and doubtless the town was unable to meet his requirements and settle the unpaid salary of their late minister.^ Timothy Fuller' was born May 30, 1739, the son of Jacob Fuller of Middleton, Mass., and was graduated in the class of 1760 from Harvard College. Before preaching here he was settled in Princeton, Mass., 1 760-1 776, and came here as a married man with a family. He left Chilmark about 1782 and finally settled in Merrimac, N. H., where he died in 1805, aged 69 years. After his departure the church and town extended a call, in 1783, to Rev. Asa Piper, but he did not accept.^

The meeting-house built in 1724 was now about sixty years old, undoubtedly out of repair, and owing to the growth of the town, somewhat inconveniently located. In April, 1782, it was voted to remove the old building to a place which would better accommodate the people, and a committee of nine were selected to accomplish this delicate task.^ It is evident that they failed, for in March, 1783, the town selected Stephen Luce and Ezra Athearn of Tisbury and Malatiah Davis of Edgartown ''to view the town and Pick upon some convenient spot or place to set the meeting house upon."* This committee promptly reported a site, but when the town voted on the report, "it went in the negative."^ For a year and a half the matter rested, until on Sept. 21, 1784, the town voted to move the meeting-house "to a knole in Prince Look's land," and appointed a committee to buy the necessary land.^ Again nothing was done for another year, when in November,

1785, the town voted to build a new meeting-house "on Abels hill near Abel Abels house where the commity here to fore Pointed out as the most convenient spot."' The usual committees were appointed to carry out this design, but in the next month another town meeting upset this arrangement and voted that "the meeting house be Repared as it now stands."^ This comedy of cross purposes, which had been enacted for nearly four years, was continued for a while longer. In January, 1786, a committee was chosen to find the center of the town, and they reported that it was "forty Rods east from a stile in William Stewarts fence in the division between his two east Plases and 20 Rods southly."^ The townsmen then voted to "remove the old meeting house to the hill near Abels here to fore chosen and Rebuild the same;" to purchase "half one acre of land of William Stewart about twelve Rods North from the Gate near Abel Abels" and selected a committee "to Draw a Plan of the new meeting house and a Plan how to Proceed in building the same." The committee advised the expenditure of ;^3oo in tearing down the old structure and utilizing the available material in rebuilding on the new site. This was the final settlement of the question of a site, which was on the cross road that leads from the old Warren Tilton house on the South road to the Middle road, on a hill near the latter highway. The work of construction was similarly juggled at various town meetings during the building operation, and it is impossible to tell anything positive about its dimensions or architecture. A traveler in 1807 says of it: "Chilmark meeting house is without spire and in all respects humble in exterior appearance."* It had a porch entrance carrying stairs to the gallery, and interiorly the gallery extended on three sides. The congregation, in high back box pews, received the solemn warnings of the preachers perched in a lofty pulpit, surmounted by a great sounding board. It was austere in appearance both inside and outside.

Ministry Of Jonathan Smith

During the four or five years of wrangling about rebuilding the meeting-house the town was without any regular ministrations. The old building was in a discreditable con- we may conclude that the cause of religion was at low ebb. In 1787 the town finally secured a candidate for the vacant pulpit in the person of Jonathan Smith. He was a native of Hadley, Mass., born Jan. 28, 1748, and was graduated in the class of 1768 from Harvard College. It is presumed that he was a bachelor of about forty when he came here, as he married two years later, in 1789, Anna Williams of Sandwich, Mass. In August, 1787, the church extended a call to him to become the pastor, and the town at once concurred, offering him ;^iio as an annual stipend. He accepted under date of Dec. ist following, and the town voted at once "to support and strengthen the Gallerys for the ordination" and to reserve the "two front gallerys and the womens four long Gallerys for the Singers" at the ordination services."^ Committees were appointed to entertain "the councell" and the long religious drouth was to be broken in a series of ecclesiastical festivities, with a new minister in a new meeting house.

Rev. Jonathan Smith was ordained to the pastoral care of the church of Christ in Chilmark, on the twenty-third day of January, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight.

'His acceptance is spread upon the town records (I, 218). In it he says: "As my Residence with you will separate me at a great Distance from many of my acquaintance you will cheerfully from time to time indulge sufficient opportunity to visit my friends & near connections."

The pastorate begun so auspiciously, became the longest in the history of the church. He survived the widespread controversy over the ministerial taxes, which caused so much trouble in other towns, ^ and passed safely through the early opposition of the newly imported religions, the Methodist and Baptist. For forty years he remained as the beloved pastor of this flock, until Sept. 4, 1827, when fourscore years of age, he ''was dismissed by his desire on account of ill health." His wife had died in 1807, and lies buried in the old cemetery, and after his work was ended here, he returned to his native place in 1827 to spend the few declining days left to him. He died April 14, 1829, aged 81 years.

With the advent of a new pastor in 1841 the usual zeal to build a new house of worship, or repair the old, overtook the members of this parish. The existing building was about fiftyfour years old, had suffered much from disuse and lack of care, and it was considered wiser to erect a new meeting-house rather than patch the old timbers. Accordingly a new building was erected about twenty rods to the southward of the old house, and was completed early in 1842 and dedicated February 2nd that year with appropriate ceremonies. The old structure was torn down, the lumber parcelled out in lots and sold at public auction. This was the last meeting-house erected by this denomination, and served the gradually decreasing remnant of its former numerical strength until about 1875 when it was torn down, and the last relic of the historic church of Chilmark went down into oblivion.

Succession Of Pastors

The loss or destruction of the records of this church has rendered an accurate and complete account of it a matter of difficulty, and much that might be definitely stated can only

*In 1801 the town chose an agent to represent it at the Court of Sessions, !'with regard to Benjamin Bassett Esquires Ministerial tax" (I, 256). In 1805 this tax for 1801 and 1802 was remitted to him (I, 308).

be given approximately now/ The church organization was officially known as the Congregational Union Society and was in affiliation with that religious body which had a general or parent association in New England.^ This general association has no records of the Chilmark church in its published reports until 1837, when it is marked '* Vacant." It may be fair to conclude that it had remained so since the death of Rev. Jonathan Smith. It was without a pastor until 1841, when Rev. Luke A. Spofford was employed as "stated supply." In the year following, on Feb. 2, 1842, he was regularly installed as pastor. The installation sermon was preached by Rev. Mr. Hooker of Falmouth; the charge was given by Rev. Ebenezer Chase of West Tisbury, and the right hand of fellowship by Rev. Allen Gannett of Edgartown.^ Mr. Spofford remained five years (i 841 -1845) ^^d from his departure until 1850 the pulpit was vacant, except for temporary services held as clergymen could be obtained.^ Silas S. Hyde was "stated supply" in 1846, and in 1850-1 Elijah Demond held the same status. Nathaniel Cobb, an eccentric individual, preached here regularly in 1852 and 1853 and occasionally in the next year. Thomas W. Duncan followed as "stated supply" in 1856-9, and after his departure the pulpit was vacant for the next ten years (1860-9). Elijah Demond returned as acting pastor for two years following (18 70-1) when it again became vacant. William H. Sturtevant was acting pastor 1875-6-7; the last of the clergymen who had official connection with this religious society.

The Congregational church died a natural death about this date - perhaps it was really defunct before the official records indicate. The. old building was difficult of access and the younger element were attracted to the newer religious doctrines taught by the Methodists. In its latter days the attendance on the Sunday services was principally of the aged, and when they died there was none left to sustain a regular ministry.

* The late William Norton of Menemsha was the last clerk and custodian of, the Church records. After his death no further trace of the books can be found and from all circumstances it is believed they were destroyed.

^Rev. Richard Cecil Spofford, his son, died in this town May 25, 1843, of consumption and is buried at Abel's Hill. A daughter also died in the following July and these sad events doubtless caused his departure from the town.

The Baptist Denomination

The act incorporating the First Baptist Society of Tisbury in 1803 specifies a number of the incorporators as residents of Chilmark, and it is possible to enumerate from the list those persons who belonged in this town. From it the following names are taken: Ezra Allen, Joseph Allen, Lot Cottle, Theophilus Mayhew, Jonathan Tilton. There may have been others who identified themselves with the Tisbury church in later years, but there are no records to throw light on the matter. It is not believed that any independent organization was ever formed in this town.

The Methodist Church

The first itinerant preacher of this sect to penetrate the Vineyard as far as Chilmark, was the Rev. Joshua Hall, in 1797-8, when he was stationed at Homes Hole, to which this town was connected under the existing system of supervision. He organized a small "class" at that time, but ten years later (1807) there were reported to be only four Methodists in the town.* In 1 8 10 the "class" was revived, being reinforced by Shadrach Robinson, who had removed hither from Naushon and whose house became a home for the preachers and a place for their meetings. Another of the early and prominent Methodists in this town was Captain Francis Tilton (296), and after his sudden death, following a return from a long voyage in 1828, his widow continued to receive in her house the faithful of this small flock for "class" and prayer meetings.^ In 1827 the old Methodist meeting-house in Edgartown was purchased, moved up here in sections and reconstructed on a site on the Middle road, opposite to the present meeting-house. The growth of the congregation was now steady and increasing, until in 1833 it was separated from the parent organization at Homes Hole and set out upon an independent career. Philip Crandon was the first preacher assigned to the new station, and following him in order came James Bicknell, 1835; Elijah Willard, 1836; Joseph Brown, 1837; (none in 1838); Otis Wilder, 1839; Thomas D. Blake, 1840; Charles D. Cushman, 1841; Ebenezer Ewins, 1842; and in 1843, William Nanscoin.

^During all these years the preachers of this sect on duty at Homes Hole or Edgartown came regularly to Chilmark. as a part of their missionary work.

During the ministry of the last named a new house of worship was finished, the one in present use, and in January 1843 it was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. It cost about $2,000, and had a seating capacity for 300 persons. The succession of ministers since that time has been as follows : George W. Wooding, 1844; Nahum Taintor, 1845-6; O. P. Farrington, 1847; Henry Mayo, 1848; Lewis Bates, 1849;

Chilmark Methodist Church Schools And Education

The earliest references in the records of the Vineyard in connection with this section are to a "school house." The allusions to this "school house" are not yet clear, unless we assume a native mission school taught by one of the young sons of the deceased Thomas Mayhew, Junior, either Matthew or Thomas, or possibly John, for it will be remembered that Matthew was brought up to teach the Indians, and was given an education for that purpose. There was an Indian meeting "about eight miles off my house," wrote the Junior Mayhew in 1 65 1, and this distance would bring us to the present village of West Tisbury, and the writer announced his intention of setting up a school for the natives during that winter. It is probable that such an one was established somewhere to the westward of the Tiasquan river on the South road, not far from the dividing line between the two towns, before he died, but whether it was in Tisbury or Chilmark is not understood from the scant description.

There are no references to a school in this town prior to 1729, at which time the town voted that sessions be held in the spring "att the place where it now is," and further provision was made for the several sections of the town as follows : -

July and August & September near Willm Hunts provided the people westward of the fulling mill River provide a Suitable house there for that purpose: and att Kephickon October and November (if) the people in that part of the town provide a house as aforesd.'

The sum of £$0 was appropriated to carry into effect this vote of the town. The peculiar territorial situation of Chilmark, with its scattered segments, Elizabeth Islands, Chickemmoo and Nomans Land, rendered the administration of school affairs not only difficult, but expensive. The several sections demanded facilities equivalent to those arranged for the central settlement, and as a result there was constant bickering in town meetings whether there should be a ''fixed" or a ''moving" school from year to year/ In 1731 the townsmen could not settle this question among themselves and called in outside advisors. Samuel Cobb, Jabez Athearn and Abner West of Tisbury were requested to act as referees on this disputed problem. They rendered the following decision : -

We the Subscribers as a Comittee within Spesifyed being mett togather and haveing heard the Lauvall Information of the within mentioned agents as also Considered the particulars of the within note & upon the whole Determin that the within mentioned School be kept for tlie Space of ten months in Each of the two years at the foot of the bureing hill between the bureing hill and the meeting house in Chilmark & the Space of two months (in) October and november at the house of David Butler at Cheekommo in sd Chilmark and that the Cost and Charge for School Rooms be Defrayed by the whole town.^

Do procure a Suteable house for the use of sd town and att their Charge for the keeping the towns Scool in the Same to be twenty feet Long Sixteen wide and Six in the upright and to Chose the Same to be Sett att the place ordered by the Com'tee appointed for that end to sit near the meeting house in sd town and to be finished as the sd mayhew Shall think best and most Convenant for that use.'

The location of what is probably the first town schoolhouse built for the purpose, is sufficiently clear to^i all residents and does not need further explanation. The sum of ;^5o was voted, later in the year, "to pay J the present school master for his service, " but it is not known who he was. It is probable that it was Francis Bryan, who occupied that position the two following years, and whose services were the cause of litigation. In 1732 Zephaniah Mayhew, one of the selectmen, entered complaint against Bryan before the court because he refused "to teach Sundry children belonging to sd Town & perticularly a servant Girl of the Plaintiffs."* The next year John Allen sued

'Recently a suit was tried involving this same trouble, a lack of school privileges at Nomans Land. A resident of that island sued to compel the town to provide school facilities at that place, and being defeated appealed to the Supreme Court. The final decision (1908) was against the contention of the plaintiff.

^Ibid., June 22, 1731. Mayhew was also ordered to make arrangements with David Butler for school rooms in the Chickemmoo district, "until the school house can be built."

Bryan for punishing his son, William Allen, "with a Large Cane or Walking Staff." The schoolmaster won the case, but the experiences were such that he decided to labor in other fields, and as a result the town was "presented" in Court in 1737, by the Grand Jury for "not haveing a skole Master."^ Not only did it have no schoolmaster, but no school-house, for Pain Mayhew had evidently neglected to carry out the wishes of the town as above expressed, for in 1733 the following vote was passed : - voted that there be a Small house bult att the Charg of & for the use of sd town to be Sett near the meeting house the sd house to be 17 feet Long 14 wide & Six in the upright to be Covered Either with Clabord or Shingles on the wall the wall to be plastered with Lime and the Chimney to be brick and that Willm and Josiah tilton be the towns agents to procure the Same to be Done as Soon as may be.^

In 1742 this diminutive building needed some repairs, but the motion to accomplish it "past in the negitive" at one meeting, and at an adjournment the following vote was recorded on the subject : - voted that the voate past att a meeting in July Last respecting the School be reconsidered and after a considerable Silance it was proposed to reconsider the Last vote and voted accordingly and then that the vote past in July as above be reconsidered So far as the time remaned of the three years as Shoild be remaining after the time expired that the School master

Spelling and confusion of expression like that might break up any meeting, and the reader is left to decide what the town really decided to do in the premises. In 1743 the town voted "the school house be removed and set near the tan fats by the house of Noah Abel,"' and in a burst of fortitude further decreed that it should be kept there "for the space of ten years next coming." Meanwhile the Chickemmoo

^Town Records, Jan. 26, 1733. This reduced the dimensions by several feet each way, and "Six feet in the upright" indicates the need of a short teacher. It was finished in December following.

*Several references to this locality require that its exact situation be indicated. There is a place still known as the "Tan Yard," on the easterly side of the brook which flows across the Middle road, a little to the eastward of the house of the late Capt. Horatio W. Tilton, and thence down past the house formerly occupied by Beriah T. Hillman, Esq., Anally discharging into the cove. This brook has its source in the "Peaked Hill Place" in swampy ground, and the "tan fats" or yard was near the source of this brook.

district had been eliminated as a factor in this burdensome problem, but the several communities at Keephigon, Elizabeth Islands, Menemsha and the other outlying precincts kept the question always a source of contention at the yearly meetings. In 1758 it was voted that there be a "fixed school," for the ten years ensuing, "to be kept on the land of Zachariah Mayhew near Wm. Stewards," and a committee was appointed to provide suitable accommodations. Five years later, there being some uncertainty about the regularity of service, an inspector was appointed to "see if the Town School be Regerly Kept," and also to see "if Mr. Steaven Skiff will go and keep a Regular School the year out according to agreement and to make good the lost time."^

The ten years having elapsed, the town renewed the vote, establishing it for another decade near the "tan fats." In 1777 the sum of ;^25o was raised "for a school or schools" and a committee was appointed "to divide the town into districts as will be most for the advantage to the inhabitants."^ In 1789 a similar vote was passed, and the school-house at that time was situated "on the land of Robert Allen & near the place where the house of Capt. James Allen deceased lately stood. "^ The money was to be divided according to the number of children in each division. Owing to the large area and the scattered settlements, this involved further friction and families were changed from one district to another to obviate the hardships of arbitrary divisional lines. A school census, "from twenty one years old and under" was ordered in 1790 to aid the selectmen in apportioning the school funds. This plan was followed until the close of that century. In the beginning of the next century the school districts were divided by a north and south line, drawn from "the roreing brook leveing Pain Tilltons and Prince Look to the Westward said line running thence to the meeting house thence south easterly untill it comes to the sea."* The sum of two hundred dollars was raised in 1801 for educational purposes.

In 1850 there were three public schools in the town, with an attendance of 133 scholars, for the support of which ^333 was raised by taxation. The teachers in this period for the following decade were A. J. Blake, Rev. Elijah Demond, (the Congregationalist Minister), Quincy E. Dickerman, subsequently master of a Boston school, Charles E. Alden, Bartlett Mayhew and J. Dana Bullen. In 1863 there were 182 scholars enrolled and $451.50 was the expenditure for that year. The school-houses were situated then as follows: (i) Western District, near Beetle Bound corner (the present site), and the teachers were Ruth H. Nickerson, principal, and Charlotte J. Hillman, assistant; for the winter term, I. N. Kidder, principal and Ada S. Luce, assistant. (2) North East District, in Keephigon, near the Tisbury line, and the teachers were Cyrus M. Lovell (summer) and Henry H. Luce (winter). (3) South East District, on South road, near Nabs corner, and the teachers were Josephine R. Cottle (summer) and Cyrus M. Lovell (winter).

As elsewhere related, the military affairs of this town were merged with Tisbury, and the combined company was under command of Benjamin Skiff e for many years, until he was promoted to be major of the County Regiment. Zachariah Mayhew became identified with the militia, and is given the title of Captain immediately following the death of Skiffe, and it is presumed he commanded the local company.^ His brother Zaccheus, however, had a longer record in connection with the town militia, and became its captain some time before 17 18. In the French and Indian wars this combination with Tisbury terminated, and in 1757 the company, still under command of Zaccheus Mayhew, had the following additional officers : Fortunatus Mayhew, Lieutenant ; Eliashib

Mayhew, Jr. as Ensign.^ In 1 761 there were two companies of foot in Chilmark, of which the first was under command of Cornelius Bassett as Captain;^ Samuel Mayhew, First Lieutenant;

'Town Records, under date of Oct. 25, 1716, page 11, Zachariah Mayhew devoted his time for most of his life to missionary work among the Indians. ^Mass. Arch., XCIX, 24.

Uriah Tilton, Second Lieutenant, and Mayhew Adams as Ensign. The second company was under command of Robert Hatch as Captain, Lemuel Weeks as Lieutenant, and Zephaniah Robinson as Ensign. There was also an Indian company in the town at this time under the command of the following officers: Adonijah Mayhew, Captain; Lemuel Butler, Lieutenant, and Thomas Daggett, Ensign. Neither the town records nor other sources of information furnish evidence of activity in local military affairs subsequent to the Revolution. In 1794, when the Major General of the state militia issued orders to those towns which had no organized companies to supply the deficiency, Chilmark directed the selectmen to "write to Major General Goodwin themselves or by joining with the other towns in Dukes County requesting a suspension of his orders to organize militia" and further desiring Beriah Norton of Edgartown to assist said town in making said request."^

Chilmark has never been a tavern town, and no record has been found by the author showing that a license was granted for the express purpose of "keeping a publicke house," except in one year. Undoubtedly Chilmark was one of the towns referred to in 1694, which "thinck it inconvenient to have such houses." In 171 5, however, Ebenezer Allen, and in 1722 William Clark and Lemuel Little were licensed as "innholders in Chilmark," and obtained a license as such. It is believed that these licenses cover rather the retailing of "strong drink," as three taverns in the town were not required for the convenience of wayfarers at that period. Situated as it was and is, the need of such houses occurred so infrequently, that private homes have always been ample, and at the service of the "stranger within its gates" temporarily.

The following named persons were licensed innholders in the town of Chilmark by the County Court for the years specified: Ebenezer Allen, 1715-16; William Clark, 1722-32; Zaccheus Mayhew, 1735-8; Bethiah Mayhew, 1738; Thomas Mayhew, 1761; Zephaniah Mayhew, 1746-7; Josiah Tilton, 1748; William Hunt, 1749-52; Uriah Tilton, 1749-51; John Allen, Jr., 1752-3; John Cottle, 1741-65; Cornelius Bassett

The South Road. - This was the first "hie way" in the town and probably existed as a foot or cart path from the earliest occupation by the English. Undoubtedly it followed the old trail used by the Indians in their intercourse between Takemmy and Nashowakemmuck. It was a continuation of the ''Mill path" or "school house path" from Tisbury, and was gradually extended as the settlement grew. In 1 704 the selectmen, upon petition, laid it out as appears by the following record : - beginning att the road on the top of the hill near the meeting hous runing to a heap of stones near the house of Nathan Basset and from thence running to a stake and a heap of stones, being in an old field sometime within the Inclosour of nathan basset: and from thence to the northerly Corner of the land of Ebenezer Allen and so where the way now runs that is on the south side of the Land of Willm. Tilton. Dated Sept. the 14th, 1704.1

In 1 786 this road extended a distance of 3! miles from the Tisbury bounds, or to the turn at Ephraim Mayhew's corner. It was the only open town road in the existence of the town until the following century, excepting of course cart paths and other indefinite ways of communication.

Menemsha Road. - In January, 1738-9, the inhabitants petitioned the county Court for a road from Menemsha pond to the common (south) road, but it was not laid out till 1748, when damages to the amount of ;^55 were assessed and allowed to abutting owners. It is the road which leads from North Shore past Beetle Bound corner to the South road at the Ephraim Mayhew place.

Tea Lane. - According to tradition this road derived its name from an incident that occurred during the embargo on tea, in the days prior to the Revolution. Captain Robert Hillman (146), returning from a voyage to England, brought some of the "forbidden fruit" for the use of an invahd aunt, the wife of his uncle Silas (45). The patriotic authorities learning of it, endeavored its seizure, but were unable after several searchings to locate the depositary, which was the barn, and Aunt Eunice had her cheering cups in spite of the officials whose duty it was to confiscate this contraband article that became the exciting cause of the great struggle.

Middle Road. - Upon petition of Samuel Tilton, 2nd, and 150 others this road was laid out by the County Commissioners, Dec. 30, 1845, from Baxter's Corner, West Tisbury, to the Gay Head line, including a bridge over Harry's creek. The length as surveyed was six miles, 290 rods, having a width of two rods.

North Road. - The County Commissioners, upon a petition of John Hammett and 216 others, accepted the layout of this road, Sept. 17, 1849, and it was finished two years later. It extended a distance of 6 miles, 74 rods, from the village of North Tisbury to Menemsha creek.

The general government is not represented in this town by any of its departments except the postal service. An office was established in 1822, and Matthew Mayhew was commissioned, Dec. 25, 1822, as the first postmaster. The office was, and is now, located at the house or store of the incumbent for the time being. The successors in the postmastership have been as follows: Ephraim Mayhew, commissioned Oct. 13, 1836; Tristram Allen, Jr., March 30, 1842; Mrs. Tamson Allen, July 13, 1864; John Dunham, Sept. 7, 1865; James T. Mosher, April 20, 1883; George West, Jan. 27, 1886, and E. Elliot Mayhew, May 18, 1897 (present incumbent). The name of this office was changed from Chilmark to Squibnocket in 1883, and remained so till 1898, when the original town name was resumed as its official designation.

Three brooks, the New Mill river. Roaring brook and Fulling Mill brook, having their sources in the high hills of Chilmark, afforded sufficient water power to run several mills.

Fulling Mill. - The earliest one established was the fulling mill, some years prior to 1694, of which Benjamin Skiffe was owner and manager. It was situated several rods to the north of the South road and the old dam site is still visible to the traveler crossing the bridge that spans the brook. How long it was in operation as a fulling mill is not known, but the map of 1795 shows it in existence at that date.

Grist Mills. - There was a grist mill on New Mill river, probably before 1700, as Benjamin Skiffe was granted the privilege to establish one in 1696 (Deeds, I, 125) and the map of 1795 shows one at that date near the Tisbury line.

A grist mill was built on the Roaring brook, probably by John Hillman (12), before 1728, and it was operated after his death by the widow and her brother-in-law, Benjamin Hillman (13) (Deeds, VII, 224). A new one was erected on this site in 1849 by Francis W. Nye, and the mill is still standing, though not in operation.

A grist mill was established about 1850 on the Fulling Mill brook by Samuel Tilton, and was in operation for about ten years. The buildings have since then been devoted to other uses.

Wool

Sheep raising has been one of the principal industries from the earliest times in Chilmark. At the time of Grey's raid, when the ten thousand sheep were commandeered, this town lost nearly one half of the entire number. In 1837 the farmers had a total of 6470, of which 1600 were merinos, and the average weight of each fleece was two pounds. The production of wool in that year was $5,180.

In 1850 the farmers owned 5,568 sheep, of which 1,400 were in one flock (William W. Swain's). The production of wool was 13,195 pounds in that year.

Iron Ore

Long before the Revolution bog iron was taken from the swamps on the estate once owned by John Hillman and in the possession of his heirs.* It is stated that during the war of Independence the product of this mine,- if it may be so called, was smuggled across the Sound to the forges of Taunton and converted into ammunition when the supply of lead became diminished. Crevecoeur's map of 1782 notes the location of this mine as one of the principal points of

There is on the island of Martha's Vineyard a mine of iron ore of considerable extent and value. It is brought to our works in large lumps of a reddish brown colour, affording about 25 per cent, and it is worth six dollars per ton. Iron from this ore exhibits a peculiar degree of smoothness and lustre.^

During the war of 181 2 this mine furnished the ore that was cast into balls for the guns of the "Constitution," if we may rely on legend, and it is not difficult to give this tale some credit.^

Tannery

There were tan pits in operation as early as 1726,' situated on the east side of Peaked hill, near the middle road: not far from the town hall.

Paint Mill

Hiram and Francis Nye, who had come here from Falmouth, established a paint mill about 1850, for grinding colors out of the clayey deposits found near the shore. The highest annual production while it was in operation was about 46,000 pounds, valued at $5,000, and the mill was situated on a brook now called Paint Mill brook.

Brick Kllns

About sixty years ago Messrs. Smith and Barrows established a plant for the manufacture of pressed brick near the outlet of Roaring brook. It was a large industry for the town at first, employing a dozen laborers, and the production was about 600,000 bricks of the value of $2,400 annually. While there was wood enough to burn the bricks the manufacture continued, but after twenty years the fuel was exhausted and the works had to be abandoned. Nothing remains but an old water wheel, a wooden flume to supply it with water, a smoke stack and ruined walls. The clay beds are not yet exhausted.

This town is nearly two centuries old since the date of its incorporation as such by its present name, and two hundred and thirty-seven years old reckoning from its establishment as Tisbury Manor. It has been segmented more than the other two original towns, losing the Elizabeth Islands and Chickemmoo from its material assets. Its condition at this time as shown by the assessor's books May i, 1908 is as follows: - Personal estate assessed, $57,225; real estate assessed, $232,708; total $289,933. Acres of land assessed, 10,436; number of dwelling houses, 171; horses hi; cows, 115; other cattle, 93; sheep, 2145.

S. Margaret'S Church Nomans Land

This island, situated two and three-quarters miles to the southward of Gay Head, enjoys the distinction of being the first land touched by Gosnold in 1602 and receiving from the explorers the name of "Marthaes Vineyard." This title, as we know, became attached to the present island bearing the name, although the reasons for the transfer of nomenclature are not understood. When Gosnold and his companions landed here it was "a disinhabited island," but the two journalists of the voyage give detailed accounts of their investigations of its natural features. They found it ''full of wood-vines, gooseberry bushes, whortleberries, raspberries, eglantines, etc. Here we had cranes, steames, shoulers geese and divers other birds which there at that time upon the cliffs being sandy with some rocky stones, did breed and had young. In this place we saw deer; here we rode in eight fathoms near the shore where we took great store of cod, - as before at Cape Cod, but much better."^

The subsequent history of the island, after this elaborate introduction to the world, is practically a blank for over half a century, and but for its appearance on the maps of this period nothing is known of it.

Successive Changes Of Name

The christening of Gosnold did not stick to this lonely isle of the sea, and it came to have a variety of titles in the maps of the seventeenth century. The second name it bore was "Hendrick Christiaensen's Eylant" in 1616 and "He de Hendrick" in 1646, both having reference to the Dutch explorer of that name who probably visited it. The curious name of "Dock Island" appears on a map of 1675, but it was not repeated in later charts.

After its inclusion in the jurisdiction of New York it came under other influences, and in 1666 was first called "Nomans Land," also the Isle of Man. The origin of the name "Nomans" is not known. It is usual to attribute it to a combination of two words, No Man's Land, as descriptive of its ownerless condition, but while this is the easiest conclusion it does not seem to be the correct one. The word is scarcely ever divided and its almost universal spelling is Nomans Land from the earliest times. There was a great Powwaw on the Vineyard called Tequenoman residing here when the English came and it is possible that he had jurisdiction over, or ownership of, this small island which came to bear the last half of his name, (Teque)nomans Land. This name became attached to it at the time above noted and has been its sole title ever since. The Indian name (1666) was Cappoaquit.^

Early Ownership

Nomans Land was not included by name in the original sales of Gorges and Sterling to Mayhew in 1642, and it does not appear that the Governor or his family ever assumed jurisdiction over it or disposed of it by sale. Immediately after the Duke of York obtained his charter for New York, in 1664, his representative proclaimed the authority of the Duke's patent over this island, and on Aug. 3, 1666, granted it to William Reeves, Tristram Dodge, John Williams and William Nightingale, conditional upon the establishment of a fishing trade, construction of a harbor within three years, and the annual payment of one barrel of cod fish as a quitrent.^ It was further stipulated that when a certain number of families settled on it the privileges of a township would be granted and a justice of the peace appointed. These conditions were not fulfilled within the three years and the grant was forfeited. This failure, according to the statement of John Williams, was due to "the default of his Partners," and upon his petition the grant was renewed to him June

28, 1670; *'to settle a fishing trade there," and again, on Feb. 23, 1674, he obtained a second renewal/ It is not believed that anything was ever done under these patents and it remained in the gift of the Duke for ten years longer. When Governor Dongan invested Matthew Mayhew in 1685 with the Lordship of Martha's Vineyard, he included Nomans Land by name in the patent and a few days afterwards Mayhew sold it to Dongan, who thus came into possession of the island by purchase.^ Dongan sold it on August 3, 1689, to William Nichols of Islip, Long Island, for a money consideration and a "good fat lamb" annually.^ The island was held by Nichols for twenty-five years, probably without occupation, until Oct. 17, 1 715, when he sold it to Jacob Norton (32) then of Newport, R. I., in whose possession and that of his heirs it remained for over half a century.^ Jacob Norton gave one quarter of the island in 1742 to his daughter Abigail (77), wife of Peter Simon of Newport, and she sold this share in 1772 to John Banister of the same place. The remainder, after his death (1743), descended to his sons, Shubael (69) of Bristol, R. I. and Jacob (73) of Chilmark and their heirs. Shubael had died before his father (1737) and Jacob shortly after (1750), and the island came into frequent litigation between the various claimants.

Early Occupancy

The first record of any settlement here is in the early part of the i8th century. Judge Sewall in 1702 says of Nomans Land, that the "Inhabitants (are) mostly of the 7th day Indians," i. e., Sabbatarian Baptists. It is probable that with the purchase by Norton in 1715 the first Englishmen came here to live. His son Jacob came here to reside soon after and in 1722 was granted a license as innholder of Nomans Land. Doubtless he continued a resident with his family till his death, and Samuel Norton (413) who married his sister, Mary (71) is called in 1740 "of Nomans Land." These two families numbered twenty souls in 1750, and there may have

^The aboriginal ownership at this time, the first on record, was vested in the Sachem Cascanabin, who sold the western half May i, 1686, to his brother Tackquabin (Dukes Deeds, I, 70).

^John Philip, sachem, sold the island in 1692 to Matthew Mayhew as steward for £$0 and Mayhew sold his "rights" to Nichols the next year (Dukes Deeds, I, 137-138).

been others living there besides. They were probably engaged in fishing, as at that time the surrounding waters were considered "the only certain places for Fishing for Cod."^ It is not supposed the place was valuable from an agricultural point of view, though in 1745 it was testified that the island was valued at ;!^io,ooo, old tenor. ^ Another early settler was Israel Luce (67), [b. 1723, d. 1797], who removed to Nomans Land as a young man and spent the rest of his life there as a resident and was buried there. His sons Daniel (290), Thomas (292), and Ebenezer (294) remained on the island with their families until their deaths. George H. Butler was a resident about forty years (i860 to 1898), and Henry B. Davis with his family are the only inhabitants of the island at the present time.

Annexed To Chilmark

The status of this island up to 1714 was an anomalous one, though being practically unoccupied except by Indians, it gave little concern to the people of the Vineyard. In the act of Oct. 30, 1 714, when Chilmark was made a township, "an Island called No Mans Land" was included in its corporate limits.^ Two years later, for some reason, not now understood, the new town petitioned to have "an Island call'd No Mans Land" added to it and the General Court, on Nov. 30, 1 716, passed the necessary resolve.^ Since this time the island has remained a part of Chilmark, though it has always occupied, until recently, a negligible share in the concerns of the town. It is scarcely mentioned in the proceedings of the annual meetings for years at a time.

^Evidence giyen by Jeremiah Mayhew, husbandman, and Elishab Adams, cordwainer (Sup. Jud. Court Mss., 61016). ^Records General Court, IX, 428. ^Acts and Resolves, IX, 508, ch. 140.

Annals Of Tisbury

The town of Tisbury, incorporated July 8, 167 1, included the present town of West Tisbury, the region originally settled by the early proprietors, - and the limits of the town remained intact, territorially, until May i, 1892, when as a result of a long continued agitation, the old town was divided. The portion formerly known as Homes Hole Neck retained the corporate name and ancient records of Tisbury, and the settlement at West Tisbury, where the town had its first beginnings, took the latter name.

The present town of Tisbury, in consequence of this division, represents but a moiety of the original limits of the old town. Its boundaries are as follows: -

The boundaries on all other parts are water; included within these limits is the village of Vineyard Haven, which contains the greatest portion of the population of Tisbury.

This was the ancient name bestowed by the natives on all the territory covered by the village of Vineyard Haven, in the present town of Tisbury. The Sachem Ponit, in 1682, calls himself "of Nobnocket alias holmes his hole," and his jurisdiction extended north of a line drawn from the stepping stones to the head of Tashmoo, to include the entire neck. Eliot uses an adjectival prefix in various forms to indicate *'dry," one of which forms is Nunnob, which he abbreviates to Nob (Isaiah, XI, 15; XLIV, 3). In the Narragansett dialect the nasal sound of N is heard before the vowel, which accounts for the intrusion of the N in Nobnocket, giving us an etymology of Nob(n)ocket, meaning at the dry land or place. This may indicate that the original Nobnocket was a place where the Indians settled on the shore, an enclosed place, a designation which afterwards was extended to include the whole region above described as Ponit's Sachemship.^

Homes Hole

This is the oldest place name on the Vineyard, dating from 1646, when "the eastermost chop of homses hole" is first mentioned, only a quarter of a century after the settlement of Plymouth. The word "hole," as given to a small inlet of water affording shelter to boats, is of common occurrence in this region. Familiar instances are Woods' Hole, Robinson's Hole, and Quick's Hole, and the prefix in each instance is probably derived from personal names. In our case, however, it has another origin, which is doubtless aboriginal, as it is probably derived from "Homes," meaning an old man (Roger Williams, Key.), and the entire name signifies "old man's hole." A similar place name, with identical variations in orthography, is found on Long Island at North Sea - Holmes Hill, which in early records was called "Homses" and "Homses Hill."' The word "homes" indicates decrepitude as applied to an aged person, and probably was applied to an old chief who made this place his abode when the first settlers, in 1642, came to the island. This name was retained for nearly two hundred years, when it came to be changed to Holmes Hole, after the spelling of the family of Holmes who had settled here in the previous century.^

^Southampton, L. I. Records, II, 310. In a note to an Indian deed of 1663 there is found this: "and there lived an old Homes and his sonne, &c." (Smithtown p. i)

^Dukes Deeds, VIII, 53. The Holmes family of Vineyard Haven are descended from John Holmes, first of the name, who in 1760 became a land owner on the Vineyard.

The name of Holmes Hole became officially eclipsed in 1 87 1, as a result of persistent agitation on the part of a number of residents. The original name had in it but a faint suggestion of dignity or character, and to hail from a "Hole" was a source of chagrin to many of its inhabitants when traveling abroad. A number of substitutes were suggested, including Tisbury Harbor and Vineyard Haven, and the latter finding the most favor with the majority, it received its confirmation on Feb. 21, 1871, by the general government, when the Post Office Department officially adopted the name for the office. This new title is a more euphonious and appropriate name than -its predecessor, as the harbor has been the great haven of the Vineyard from time immemorial, and doubtless this last christening will survive for many generations.

There being no separate enumerations of the residents of the present town of Tisbury prior to the division in 1892, only fragmentary evidences are available to enable us to form an estimate of the population at long intervals, before that date. In 1700 the families of Thomas West, Isaac Chase, and Edward Cottle comprised all the known residents in the present town limits, and the three households numbered 27 persons of all ages and sexes. In 1750, by a computation of the families known to have lived here at that date, West, Chase, Wheldon, Daggett and Norton, a total of about 100 souls can be placed, of which the Chases furnish 40, Wests 30 and the rest is divided between the others. It makes no account of transient residents, of which there were doubtless a goodly number, as happens in every seaport.

In 1775 a map of Homes Hole and the present town limits, including the eastern part of Chickemmoo, shows forty-one houses, which can be estimated as containing forty-five families of five each, comprising a total of 225 persons. An examination of the national census of 1790 enables the author to locate about 350 persons in the town limits on that date. In 1807 a writer who investigated conditions in the county stated "there were about 70 houses in Homes Hole."^ Adding fifteen for Chickemmo, and estimating that they housed one

In 1838 another writer stated that there were about 100 dwelling houses in Homes Hole, and from a similar calculation, allowing for an increase in Chickemmo, we can estimate about 700 persons residing here/ In 1850 the number of inhabitants in Homes Hole, "extending to the head of Pond and Sylvanus Luces" was 1074,^ showing for the first time an increase over the western half of the original town. Nothing further is available in subsequent enumerations until the census of 1890, when this town had, in round numbers, about 1050 persons. The census of 1900 showed 1149 inhabitants residing in our present town limits, and the state census of 1905 showed a population of 11 20.

Ashappaquonsett, (1671). - The modern form is Chappaquonsett. It is probably from the Algonquian words, Ashappaqu'un-es-et, meaning "where the nets are spread," that is, to dry. The name seems to belong to the creek which forms the outlet of Tashmoo Lake, and the definition applies perfectly to the low sandy formation of that region, where the Indians had one of their chief fishing stations.

Kuttashimmoo, (1671). - All the early deeds refer to a spring called Kuttashimmoo, the etymology of which is represented by the Algonquian Keht-ashim-ut, meaning "at the great spring." It is variously spelled, Ketesshumue, Catashmoo, and is now shortened to Tashmoo. The name belongs to the spring, but it was early (1682) applied to the pond into which it flows.

Komoquisset. - This name, with a variation of Cumaqueast, occurs in 1691 in a deed to Thomas West, and relates to a place included in his purchases in this region. From analogy it is probable that it means the "place of the house," perhaps that of the Sachem of the locality.

Maneh-chahhank-kanah. - This name was applied to the deep valley, now called "Chunk's Swamp," a corruption of the middle portion of the Algonquian word, a result that usually happened in similar cases. The meaning of it is "the fenced planting field," a place probably set off by the Indians for their cultivation.

Machequeset. - This was a swamp on the east side of Tashmoo, so called in 1729 (Deeds, IV, 342, 347). It is probable that the same word appears in another form, Chaqusitel, a corruption of (Ma)chaqu(e)sitel, as "caled by the Indian Sachem and Indians" (ibid., IV, 26). It means the "poor or miry place."

Qussuck-quea-qiieatess (1684). - This was a spring in the Kuttashimmoo region, and may be another designation for the "great" spring itself.

Uquiessah. - This was the name given to Little Neck. It occurs in other places on the Vineyard, and has the significance of a boundary term, "as far as" or the "ending," or terminations of some land or property.

Weaquatickquayage (1673). - This name, denoting the land at the head of Lagoon pond, is spelled in a variety of ways, owing to its complicated formation. The more modern form is an abbreviated one, Weahtaqua, and it is sometimes spelled Webbataqua, which is fanciful as well as incorrect. It occurs frequently through New England, and an early instance of it is on the neighbouring island of Nantucket. It is a compound of We-a-qua-tukq-auke, which is a word meaning "land at the head of the tidal cove." In the Court records of 1685 the bounds of "homses hole neck" were adjudged by Samuel Tilton and Thomas Mayhew as arbitrators "to have bin set by towonticut by a fut path which gose from weakuttockquayah unto cuttashimmoo on the other side of the neck." Matthew Mayhew wrote it Waquittuckquoiake (Deeds, I, 69). "at holms his hole or the Springs at the head of that Cove called Weahtaqua" (Mass. Arch., CXII, 422; dated June, 1692) shows the gradual elision.

Bass Creek. - A salt-water creek which emptied the Lagoon. Its original course may have been midway of the beach which separates the harbor, but before 1781 it had cut a channel along the line of Water street, and was six or seven feet deep a century ago. Small draft vessels entered this creek and discharged cargoes on the shore adjoining the "Great House" and other inns in that vicinity. It derived its name, probably, from an incident occurring in the winter of 1778 following Grey's Raid, when a large number of bass were frozen in the creek and furnished food to the impoverished inhabitants.

Ferry Boat Island. - The larger of two grassy islands in front of the Marine Hospital is called Ferry Boat, because it was the landing stage of Isaac Chase's ferry in colonial days.

Lagoon. - This body of salt water was originally called the harbor of Homes Hole, and later, until about 1740, Waketaquay pond or some form of that Algonquian place name. It is first of record as the ''lagoon of salt water" about 1743, as far as known, being then so called in a deed.^ From that time forward, this name was applied to it with increasing frequency, until it had supplanted all other names. It is an English derivative from the Spanish and Italian words laguna (Latin lacuna), meaning a lake in general terms. In the restricted sense it is applied to a lake or body of water on a coast, formed by a belt or reef of sand thrown up by sea action. This is the actual topography of our Lagoon, but by whom it was so called at first is not known. The word may have been applied by a Spanish or Italian salior who happened in the harbor, or by a resident who had sailed the Spanish Main and learned the significance of the word.

Mantefs Hill. - The high land on Main street which has its summit near the present Sanitarium. It derived its name from Jonathan Manter (62) who married Sarah Chase (102) in 1755, and began a series of purchases of land in Homes Hole neck two years later, through which he became one of the largest land owners of his day. His property extended from the harbor to Tashmoo, and in the house which he built on this estate, probably about 1755-6, was born, in 1757, his daughter Parnell, one of the "Liberty Pole" heroines.

Mount Aldworth. - A name recently applied to the high land on the Edgartown road, overlooking the harbor. It was erroneously bestowed under the supposition that Martin Pring landed here in 1603, but reference to Vol. I, p. 78, disposes of that theory.

Rand's Hill. - The first high land .on the State highway to West Tisbury, after leaving Vineyard Haven village, was called Rand's hill a century ago. It derived this name from

Red Coat Hill. - A name sometimes appHed to the first high land on the State highway after passing Tashmoo, on the way to West Tisbury. It is said some accoutrements of a British soldier were found there, probably the relics of Grey's Raid.

Slough. - A small marshy pond near the Arnoux estate on the West Chop road. It was in existence in 1725, but has recently been obliterated by improvements to the property in that vicinity.

Sale Of West Chop By Indians, About 1 663-4

It is probable that for many years subsequent to the settlement at Edgartown, West Chop, like its opposite neighbor, East Chop, remained uninhabited by whites. The first intimation which we find of the settlement of English on this territory, which was uniformly called Homes Hole neck, is undoubtedly found in the following letter from Thomas Mayhew, Sr., to Gov. John Winthrop, Jr., of Connecticut, regarding a purchase made of the Indian sachems, Poketapace and Pesoonquan, by Thomas Layton and Peter Tallman, two land owners, and possibly residents of Edgartown.

I desire youe to resolve me if any man can possesse that he doth purchase of the heathen, without the leave of the pattentees. Under correction I thinke not: because the land is absolutely conferred on the pattentees & successours as firm as possible can be, by the state of England & all the pattentees graunt to such ass in freinshipp with them are assured to holld it: so it is in this pattent & in your pattent, as I take it, a coppy whereof I have seene. I suppose your sellfe can tell if any such liberty to be taken or not, in a word or two by any leave from his Majestie: to me it annyhilates pattents. Tis my case: I hope to receive a word about it. Thus with my service to your kind and deservedly honored sellfe I rest

What reply Winthrop made to this communication is not known, but the position stated by Mayhew was unquestionably the proper and legal one. The exigency caused

Mayhew to act for the protection of his vested interests on the Vineyard, and he called together the principal Indians of Taakemmy for a council about the sale of lands within their territory, and on Aug. 24, 1664, Papamek and twenty-nine other "gentlemen and common Indians" agreed with Mayhew that there "shall be noe land sold within the bounds of Takemme without the consent of the two sachims .... that is Wanamanhut (and) Keteanum." And they further declared "that John Poketapace (and) Mr. Pesoonquam weer never owners of the land sold to Peter Tallman: and we all agree as one man to withstand and reject that bargain."^

It appears that when Thomas Layton and Peter Tallman, who had been residents of Rhode Island, living in Portsmouth and Newport respectively, made a purchase of Homes Hole neck of those two Indians, they did so without the consent, and possibly without the knowledge, of the patentee. When this purchase occurred is not known, as no record of it appears, but it was prior to 1664, when the above letter was written and the council of Indians held. Whether Layton and Tailman purchased it for occupancy or as a speculation is also equally indeterminate, but it appears that about 1667 the two purchasers authorized Francis Usselton, also a resident of Edgartown, to take possession of the Neck in their name and behalf, and that acting upon this authority he did so, remaining for some months in occupancy as their agent.

Usselton is therefore to be reckoned as the first white man to establish a residence in the present limits of Vineyard Haven. Where his house was cannot be determined, but he has left his name upon the fine headland down the neck, known as Husselton's Head, a corruption of the settler's surname. In the division of the Chase property in 1726, the sixth lot was bounded by a "stake standing on the south side of a hollow called Usingtols hollow," which is the ravine just south of the Head, represented by the lane leading to Edward C. Lord's store. It may be surmised that here was the temporary abiding place of Francis Usselton, which gave it the name. This man first appears in New England at Wenham, Mass., where he married Sarah Barnes, Nov. 25, 1655, our first record of him, and there two children of this marriage are entered, viz: Mary, born Aug. 17, 1656, and John, born Sept. 20, 1657.^ The Essex County Court files furnish considerable evidence that Francis was a litigious man, as he is either plaintiff or defendant in civil and criminal suits in 1659 and 1660, a number of times; in the latter year he is called of Topsfield, the town adjoining Wenham. When he came to the Vineyard can not be accurately determined, but the first recorded date is Dec. 2, 1659, which overlaps that of record in Topsfield.

He must have come here about 1661, as the last date of his appearance in Essex County is Oct. 8, 1660, and we can rely on the correctness of those, as they are original records, while Edgartown has only an abstract of her first books. His first appearance here is in the Courts, in which he sued Thomas Jones for defamation, and James Pease sued Usselton for "Belying his wife." Both these cases, which are entered at one session of the court, may be related to one matter. It appears that Usselton bought at one time forty acres at the Elizabeth Islands of Thomas Mayhew, Sr., but the exact date is not known, and his earliest change of abode might have been to that region. Whatever the facts, he soon disappears from view after his eviction from the squatter rights he assumed in behalf of Layton and Tallman. As our first resident, however, his name should be perpetuated where it has had a standing for over two centuries.

Eviction Of Usselton

Mayhew brought suit against Layton and Tallman for trespass on the part of their agent and recovered judgment. Armed with this authority he delegated Richard Sarson, John Eddy, John Gee, and James and John Pease of Edgartown to go to the Neck and dispossess, forcibly or otherwise, Tallman's and Layton's representative. Whether this was accomplished forcibly or peaceably does not appear, but that it was effectual is of record. On the i8th of June, 1667, as a reward for their services, Mayhew deeded Homes Hole neck to these five persons, Sarson, Eddy, Gee, and John and James Pease, which he divided into six parts, reserving one-sixth for himself "in consideration of their reall indeavour to dispossess and keep out intruders from the same land presumptuously without

After leaving the Vineyard, Usselton went to Newport, R. I., where he got into difficulties of a similar character. He was banished from that Colony about 1670 or 1671, but undertook to defy the authorities, as appears iDy the following record relating to the affair: -

Whereas, ffrancis Uselton was by the last Generall Court of Tryalls sentenced to depart this Island, and not to return without leave of two Magistrates; and he the said Uselton; contrary to the said Court of Tryall's sentence, comeinge into the towne of Newport and publickly walkeinge the streetes in the time of the Assemblys sittinge, which being taken notice off, and he sent for into the court, to answer for his contempt, instead of giveing the Assembly satisfaction; he the said Uselton, upon orders to the court to depart, as he was goeinge out of the Court turned back and did pubHckly in the Court Jeere the authority in a scornfull manner, saying to the Governor, * ' Your honorable wife, ' ' and "I thanke your justice," with many other scornefuU contemptuous carriages; for which misdemeanure and contempt, the Court doe sentence the said Uselton to be forthwith whipt, with fifteene stripes.

And alsoe it is ordered that the said ffrancis Uselton shall forthwith depart the CoUoney; and if he shall come to abide in any towne of this Colloney hereafter it shall be in the power of any two magistrates to cause the said Uselton to be sevearly whipt and sent away.^ (Dated June 6, 1671.)

Subsequent Sales By The Six Shareholders

As previously stated, none of the six shareholders remained here for settlement. All of them disposed of their rights in the following manner: First, Richard Sarson sold his sixth to Thomas Trapp, Feb. 12, 1669. Second, John Eddy exchanged his sixth with the proprietors of Tisbury for a proprietor's share in the town of Tisbury. Third, the share of John Gee became a source of subsequent litigation because of his death in 1669, and the removal of his heirs to the mainland. Fourth, James Pease sold his share to Thomas Trapp Jan. 31, 1669. Fifth, John Pease conveyed his sixth Aug. 26, 1669, to Thomas Lawton. Sixth, the sixth remaining vested in Thomas Mayhew passed by inheritance to Matthew Mayhew.

'Dukes Deeds I, 239. He sold "so much right in all that land that is claymed by Thomas Layton and peeter Talman of Road Island, ner holm's his hole uppon the Vineyard."

The sixth belonging to John Gee, as before stated, remained in abeyance for many years and requires particular examination. It appears that his widow, Hazalelponah (a name^ the like of which has never before come to the author's knowledge), removed to Boston with her three daughters, Mary, Martha, and Anne. The widow married Obadiah Woods of Ipswich, as his second wife; and according to contemporary testimony, when he brought his new wife to Ipswich from Boston it was "the talk of the times," whether because of her name or his second venture does not appear. Of the daughters, Mary married Thomas Pickering of Greenland, N. H., Anne married Samuel Hodgkins of Gloucester, and Martha married Thomas Cotes.

Mary Pickering, in 1730, laid the foundations for her claim to the property rights of her father in Homes Hole neck by a deposition showing her parentage, and further depositions are on record establishing the marriage of the widow Gee and her daughters. Mary (Gee) Pickering sold her rights to her kinsman, Amos Merrell of Boston, in 1730, who in turn disposed of the share to Joseph Callender of Boston. The rights possessed by the other heirs do not seem to have been asserted.

The ownership was now vested in Thomas Trapp, twosixths; Thomas Lawton, one-sixth; Proprietors of Tisbury, one-sixth;^ John Gee's heirs, one-sixth, and the Mayhew estate, one-sixth. Isaac Chase began to buy these shares in 1676, and by subsequent purchases in 1682, 1683 and 1699 had acquired all but the share belonging to John Gee, and a fractional portion held by William Rogers.

Joseph Callender, who had acquired the Gee interest by purchase, as above stated, entered suit against Abraha;m Chase, one of the heirs of Isaac, in an action of ejectment, at the November term of court, 1733, claiming one-sixth of Homes Hole neck. The jury returned a verdict in favor of Callender, and Chase appealed. The claim of Callender was finally sustained, and Chase quieted this obstacle to his complete ownership of the Neck by purchasing from Callender for £185, July 19, 1734 (Deeds, VI, 44). Mary Pickering, the surviving daughter of Gee, living at Greenland, N. H., gave a quitclaim to Chase also, and his title was finally satis-

'The proprietors of Tisbury sold the Eddy sixth to Samuel Tilton, Isaac Chase and Jacob Perkins. Jacob Perkins and Isaac Chase sold to Samuel Tilton H of Homes Hole Neck, Oct. ii, 1676 (Dukes Deeds I, 283). Samuel Tilton sold his § of J^ to William Rogers in October, 1609 (Nantucket Records III, 17).

The Neck Joined To Tisbury

In order to place this outlying territory under a settled jurisdiction, Governor Mayhew decided to join it to the town of Tisbury, recently incorporated, and in 1673 he made the following assignment of his rights in the soil to the new township : - ffor as much as I Thomas Mayhew have received some instructions from the governor generall Lovelace of the Province and for the peaceable goverment and wele ordering of this Island called Marthas Vineyeard and a certain necke of Land on the west sid of holmes harbour being purchased and like to be Inhabited by English men where for be it known unto all men by these presents that I do for myself heires and assignes grant & assigne the s'd necke of Land to belong unto the s'd town Tisbury on the Vineyeard that the said necke and Inhabitants and estats theire being to be lyable owe and to pay all pubUke charge with the town of Tisbury as they may be justly rated upon their Lands persons or estats and they to remain and continue untill the sd necke of Land be a particuUare township of itselfe or with other lands adjacant

In the following year Isaac Chase, probably in company with Samuel Tilton and Jacob Perkins, all of Hampton, N. H., and related by marriage, came to the new town of (West) Tisbury with a view to a permanent settlement. All were young men, Chase recently a widower of 24, Perkins 34 and Tilton 37 years, and they decided upon Homes Hole neck as the place where they would build their new homes. Chase was refused permission to settle, but later the town allowed him the privilege.

They first acquired the two sixths interest in the Neck belonging to the town (the Mayhew and Eddy shares), but the partners of Chase decided shortly after to leave for other places. Tilton had been granted a home lot in West Tisbury, and later he removed to Chilmark.

supposed he brought his wife and family with him to the Vineyard. His residence here was of short duration,'^ as he incurred the enmity of the Mayhews by testifying against Thomas Daggett in the suit against James Skiffe, 1673, and from that time on his lot was not a happy one. Little persecutions followed on each other, until he sold out his interests here in 1676, and settled at Succanesset (Falmouth).

In 1682, Thomas West, who had been a resident of Tisbury, living on the west side of Mill river, sold his property at that place to Arthur Biven and chose his new home at Nobnocket, adding himself and family to the Chases, already at Homes Hole. He bought of Ponit, the Sachem, son and heir of Cheesechamuk, the old Sagamore of that region, thirty acres of land Feb. 8, 168 1-2, "with liberty to build a house." This tract was on the site of the U. S. Marine Hospital, and was the first of many purchases made by Doctor West of land adjoining this homestead, until he had acquired several hundred acres on the west side of the Lagoon, as far south as the head of that inlet and towards Kuttashimmoo beyond the state highway.

Another resident of West Tisbury followed Dr. West to this new territory, in the person of Edward Cottle, who in 1695 made his first purchase of land bordering on the Lagoon, and extending half way towards Kuttashimmoo. It is not known when he came here to reside, but as he sold his home lot in West Tisbury in 1700, the presumption is that he had before that latter date built his new house at Manehchah-hankkanah, the name given by the Indians to the locality where his purchase was made.

For thirty years these three families were the only known residents of this region, and in this time the children of the Wests, Chases and Cottles had grov;n to manhood, married, and most of the girls removed to homes of their own.

There were no proprietor's divisions of lots in Homes Hole that are of record, but the six shareholders must have made some allotments in severalty, as appears by scattering references to such a division. In 1674 Matthew Mayhew sold to Perkins four acres of upland "containing the bredth iof the Southermost lott layed out at sayd Homes Hole."^ William Weeks, in 1683, sold one-sixth part of the "two Southernmost lots of land: 42 poles by the harbor extending to the fresh pond."^ Again in 1685 Weeks sold "one compleat half of one third part of the two southmost lots of land upon the Neck."^ It is not recorded how Weeks came into possession of these lots, as the six shares granted by Governor Mayhew are all accounted for by continuous transfer of titles. It may be that some additional land was acquired by them of the Indians and subdivided, of which Weeks acquired a part. This would seem probable, as in 1681 "the English lyne" is first referred to, and again in 1685 it is spoken of as "the line which parts the English land from the Indian land."^ This line probably ran from Bass creek to the head of Tashmoo pond, and marked proximately the southern boundary of the grant of 1668 to the six shareholders.

As all of this land passed into the possession and occupation of Isaac Chase before 1685, and was held by him throughout his life as the sole proprietor, but one allotment or division was made by him as successor to the shareholders, until 1725 and 1726, when the entire neck was surveyed and allotted in nine parts by metes and bounds to his heirs.* The results of this division into lots are shown in the accompanying map of Homes Hole neck.

Settlers Before The Revolution

In the southern extremity of the town, at the head of the Lagoon, the two daughters of Edward Cottle, Esther and Abigail, married, the first a Harding about 1721, and the second John Presbury about 1725, and these two new comers resided on the Cottle property for a few years, for both died early. The widow, Esther Harding, remarried as also did the widow Presbury, but neither marriage resulted in a material increase of the settlement. In the outskirts of the town, owning property here and in Edgartown, but having his house in the latter, lived Henry Luce, who may be reckoned as part of the community within our limits. About 1 734 John Crosby

*In 1 7 12 on the same day, Isaac gave to his sons, Abraham and James, one sixth each of his land on the Neck. (Ill, 17, 81) and in 17 14 the latter sold his share to Abraham (III, 82) and thus one third of the neck became vested in the older brother.

Division Of Chase Property, Homes Hole Neck, 1725

from the Cape, married a daughter of Henry Luce and became a settler in the Lagoon region on lands given by her father, and from him descended a family which resided here until the second quarter of the last century.