Essex County, Massachusetts - Chapter 8: Town of Rov7ley, 1922

Rowley, a town of Essex county, Massachusetts, was founded in 1639 - two hundred and eighty-two years ago. As originally bounded, this town was from Ipswich on the south to Newbury on the north, and from the ocean on the east to the Merrimac river on the west.

Its worthy founders were Rev. Ezekiel Rogers and his company from England. More than thirty years ago, George B. Blodgette, M. A., of this county, wrote concerning Rev. Rogers, in these words :

Ezekiel Rogers was the son of Rev. Richard Rogers, a distinguished Puritan, of Wetherfield, Essex county, England, was bred at Cambridge, where, in 1604, he was a Corpus Christi man when he was graduated as a Bachelor of Arts and of Christ's College in 1608, when graduated as Master of Arts. After leaving the university, he became chaplain in the family of Sir Francis Harrington, of Essex, exercising himself in ministerial duties for about a dozen years. He then was called to a public charge, at Rowley, in Yorkshire, where he continued in great favor for seventeen years, when he was compelled to relinquish his charge - as he tells the story in his will, "For refusing to read that accursed book that allowed sports on God's holy Sabbath, or Lord's Day, I was suspended, and, by it and other sad signs of the times, driven, with many of my hearers, into New England."

Mr. Rogers was a man of great note in England for his piety and his ability ; while the members of the company he brought with him to Rowley, were called by Governor Winthrop, "Godly men and most of them of good estate."

In the tract set off to Rogers' company several farms had been laid out; these were purchased by the company for £800. The purchase money was contributed by such as were able to pay, and in the platting of house lots all who paid nothing were given one acre and one-half, while those who paid were given lots in proportion to the amount contributed. The distinction became more apparent when the rule of the assignment of rights (called "Gates") in the commons is known.

As a means of reference to those interested today, or in the years to come, in those who first settled the town of Rowley, this list of sixtynine names constitutes a complete list of the original house-lot owners with acres of land :

A London (England) publication in 1654 said of these people and their settlement: "These people being industrious in every way, soon built many homes, to the number of about three-score families and were the first to set up making cloth in this Western World ; for which end they built a fulling mill, and caused their little ones to be very diligent in spinning cotton-wool, many of them having been clothiers in England." Governor Winthrop in 1643 wrote of this settlement: "Our supplies from England failing, much men began to look about them, and fell to a manufacture of cotton; whereof, we had a store from Barbadoes, and of hemp and flax; wherein Rowley, to their great commendation, exceeded all other towns." Other histories state that the first fullingmill in this country was located by John Pearson, neai' the Nelson gristmill. It was in 1640 v/hen Thomas Nelson built his saw mill, and in 1643 added a grist-mill.

World War. Let it be said in this connection, that Rowley has ever proven itself patriotic in the times that have tested men's souls. A military company was formed in 1640 ; in King Philip's War, Captain Lathrop's company was known as the "Flower of Essex." The Revolution, War of 1812, the Mexican, Civil War, Spanish-American and World War have each had men from this little New England town.

From the start, Rowley was both noted for manufacturing as well as for its farming interests. Large numbers of the first to settle here were expert weavers from England, and naturally transplanted the trade to their new home in the New World. As early as 1680, ship-building was carried on to quite an extent at the warehouses and landings of the Stewarts, who preceded the Saunders, who followed this business for more than a century. In 1813, Captain Nathaniel Perley built a ninetyton vessel on Rowley commons, a mile and a half from the river. It was known as the "Country's Wonder." It was drawn to the river in one day, by one hundred yoke of oxen. While the teamsters stopped for lunch. Captain Perley poured a full barrel of old Jamaica rum into the Saunders well, that all might drink.

Malt-kilns were in existence in Rowley as early in 1645, and numerous tanneries were constructed soon after the first settlement. In 1800, the number of tanneries was nine, and in 1839 about 600 cords of bark for tanning purposes, were brought here by ships.

The advent of the steam railroad in 1840, changed many features of the town. Many oxen were dispensed with and farming was not as profitable as before, but manufacturing began to be the order of the day. Boots and shoes were made by factory methods (as then understood) in 1703 by Abraham Jewett, and he continued until his death twenty-two years later. He was succeeded by others, until in the early eighties the business was in the hands of such firms as the Hendersons, Fosters, Todds, Primes, etc., and at that date the annual output exceeded $200,000. Messrs. Burke, Ellsworth and Boynton were largely engaged in making heels and rands, while inner-soles were being made by Bernard Damon.

One of the land-marks of Rowley is the old Glen Mills, established by Thomas Nelson and purchased in 1820 by N. N. Dummer, Sr., who also introduced carding machines. Since 1856 this plant has been exclusively engaged in making family flour. The power as described in the eighties was that furnished by three turbine water-wheels and a sixtyhorse power engine. A 14,000 bushel capacity elevator is near the mill.

From records furnished by the department at Washington and from local assistance, the following list of postmasters for these two postoffices have been carefully compiled with years of appointment. Rowley - James Smith, 1806 ; Edward Smith, 1825 ; Frederick Lambert, 1829 Benj. H. Smith, 1835; Oliver Blackinton, 1847; Richard Herbert, 1851 Joseph Johnson, 1853; Oliver Blackinton, 1854; Ezekiel Bailey, 1854 Thomas B. Cressey, 1861 ; J. S. Todd, 1869 ; Frank E, Jackson, 1881 ; Albert E. Bailey, 1886.

As originally incorporated, Rowley embraced also Bradford (then taking in Groveland) in 1675, Boxford in 1685 and Georgetown in 1838, while the Bradstreet, Hammond and Harris farms were annexed from Ipswich in 1784. Its usual population for many years prior and including 1885 was about 1200, and the latest United States census gives it 1,249 in 1920.

The first church was organized by Rev. Ezekiel Rogers shortly after the town was incorporated, December 3, 1639. Of this, the first minister and stated pastor of the parish, much has been written, but the following taken from the epitaph on his tombstone will suffice in this connection:

Sacred to the memory of Rev. Ezekiel Rogers, first minister of the gospel in Rowley, who emigrated from Britain to this place, with his church and flock, A. D. 1638. He finished his labors and life, January 23, 1660, in his seventieth year.

He was a man of eminent piety, zeal and abilities. His strains of oratory were delightful. Regeneration and union to Jesus Christ by faith were the points upon which he principally insisted; he so remarkably described the feelings,, exercises, mo- tives, and characters of his hearers, that they were ready to exclaim, "who hath told him all this?" With the youth he took great pains, and was a tree of knowledge, laden with fruit, which the children could reach.

He bequeathed a part of his lands to the town of Rowley, for the support of the gospel, which generous benefaction, we (in the first parish) enjoy until the present day; and here gratefully commemorate, by raising this monument to his memory, A. D. 1805.

The bequest just named above appears in his will as follows: 'The rest of my estate in lands that are not given unto my wife during her natural life, that is, the land at planting-hill and called Shatswell's ground, and all the rest, be it meadow, fresh or salt or other upland whatever, and one-third part of gates or commonage, I give to the church and town of Rowley." He also made many more liberal contributions to the church and town.

The second minister here was Rev. George Phillips, a graduate of Harvard College, 1650, died April, 1696, the ancestor of many distinguished of his family name in this country. The third minister was Rev. Samuel Shepard, graduate of Harvard 1658. He served faithfully and well until taken from earth, 1678. From records he compiled and left with his parish it appears that the "blue laws" were very blue in those days. It took more than a century to inject much of the broader element of Christianity into these parishes, as we view such matters today. The fourth minister was Rev. Edward Payson, a graduate of Harvard College in 1677, who came here to preach in 1680. He married and had seventeen children. He served well, and the church record says "The

Rev. Edward Payson died August 22, 1732, about ye rising of ye sun in the 76th year of his age, after about a month's languishment and after he had preached ye gosi>el in Rowley more than 51 years." The fifth minister was Jedidiah Jewett, born 1705, graduated at Harvard College in 1726 and ordained in 1729. The third meeting-house was built under his pastorate. He stated in a record that in 1744 his membership was 208 persons. He died in 1774, and the parish voted to pay his funeral expenses and erect a suitable monument to his memory. The sixth minister was Ebenezer Bradford, the last regular parish minister who remained until released by death, all others having been dismissed. Rev. Bradford died in 1801. Following came these: Revs. Tullar, Tucker, Holbrook, Pike, Lyman, Blake, Joslyn, Bruce ; the last-named became pastor of the church at Rowley in 1878, and was dismissed in 1882.

. that God created man upright, that our first parents freely smned and fell, and that all their posterity are born destitute of holiness, dead in trespasses and sins, and justly exposed to the wrath and curse of God.

- that God in His mercy has not left all mankind to perish forever, but of his mere good pleasure, has, from eternity, Elected some to everlasting life; and has determined to deliver them out of a state of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation by a Eedeemer.

. . . that without a change of heart, wrought by the special agency of the Holy Ghost, who is truly God, no one can be an heir of eternal life.

That there will be general resurrection of the righteous and the wicked and a general judgment; at which all the righteous will be received to everlasting happiness,, and the wicked sentenced to misery without end.

As early as 1702 the people residing in the northwestern part of the town of Rowley joined with the inhabitants of Newbury, living near the "Falls", in the erection of a meeting-house in that vicinity and in 1706 became a separate church by themselves. In the eighties it is found that the meeting house was located at Georgetown. It is known as Byfield parish.

In the southwestern portion of the town of Rowley was the church of Linebrook, whose members had united with some from Ipswich and formed a church in November, 1749, with George Leslie as first minister. After the changes of many years the churches of the town have finally been reduced to the one in Ipswich.

Like many another locality in New England, the Universalist faith has ever been quite strong in Essex county, including in the town of Rowley where a parish was organized or incorporated in 1877, and a meeting-house erected. However, no regular pastor was called and no extensive efforts have been made to increase the interest of this denomination.

The present industries in Rowley are quite limited, there only being two concerns - a heel factory and a shoe factory, the latter employing about seventy-five people when ninning full capacity. The ordinary small town retail dealers are here found. With towns and thriving cities on every hand it is not strange that such towns as Rowley should not be any greater than they are.

This is one of Massachusett's oldest town incorporations, it having been incorporated in 1639, and has just published its two hundred and eighty-first annual report. Here one finds the utmost care taken with public records. The present town elective officials are as follows: Town Clerk, John Marshall; Selectmen, Joseph N. Dummer, J. Harris Todd, Charles H. Perley; Assessors, J. Harris Todd, Joseph N. Dummer, Charles H, Perley; Treasurer and Collector, Wilfred P. Adams; School Committee, Samuel F. Knowles, Jr., Mrs. Mabel K. Gordon, William Dummer ; Auditor, Arthur W. Peabody ; Surveyor of Highways, A. Bennett Boynton ; Constables, John A. Savage, Frank L. Cook ; Chief of Police, John A. Savage ; Librarian, Mrs. Charles H. Perley.

The financial condition of Rowley is indeed most excellent. The assets now amount to $13,415.48, while the liabilities run $13,428.30 - liabilities more than assets, $12.92. When one understands that the place is supplied with electric lights (municipal) and has fully up-tostandard highways, good schools, etc., it is remarkable that the town has less than thirteen dollars indebtedness.