Chilmark Town (part 2 of 2)

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.^

Third Meeting-House

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.

Fourth Meeting-House

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).

Militia

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

Paths, Highways And Bridges

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 U. S. Government Services

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.